Ellen brought us up to date on the project which is booming! The main location has 40 ladies being trained and producing a new variety of sewn products for sale in Haiti, including to tourists, and eventually in the US for gift shop sales. The other two locations have ladies also sewing and learning new skills.
New products in addition to the minstrel kits for Days for Girls, include doll and baby blankets, baby booties, shoulder strap purses, hand purses and other products. Pictured is a cargo container provided by Bill Kirkpatrick that contains materials, sewing machines, and the Toyota pick-up also pictured, which are loaded to the brim with other needed equipment and supplies to keep the project growing that Ellen continuously collects for shipment and use.
The truck will provide transportation as necessary for the project as the primary method of transport in Haiti is not good. The headquarters building now has a second floor installed and electric power, and clean work and storage rooms. 
Ellen said a partnership is being formed with the birthing clinic across the street and with Dr. Leslie Jaeger, MD, our Dr. Jeff Jaegers wife, from North Memorial, who is at the location working with the women on health matters at this time. Ellen went on to explain the tremendous health improvement the minstrel kits provide in reducing infections, as noted by recent data. Ellen will be making another trip to Haiti in early February to continue to develop the project and keep improving the skills and educating the women in the project.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT+++Our thanks to Dr J for his recent contribution of an LED projector for use in our program presentations. Relying on the hotel and the old bulb projector we have is not always the solution. Thank you again, Doc!
Chief Gannon reminded everyone to not leave the keys in the car or running any time, especially during the upcoming cold weather.
Superintendent Baker told of the move to the old Brown College campus so the remodeling of the school buildings can continue.
Board Meeting:
Our BC Rotary Board meets monthly on the third Tuesday in regular meetings at 11 am, at the hotel, and all members are Rotary volunteers, and are invited to attend and add their thoughts about the Club and our community projects!
At the last Board meeting a new project was discussed involving the Club, School District, and a new organization moving to BC called the Lee Carlson Center for Mental Health. Past President Tom is the project manager and the first event will possibly be a chili cook off to help fund mental health care.
Our budget is on forecast and thanks to Sec’y-Treasurer Cathy for her diligence in keeping us on track. We do have a soft spot in our Poinsettia sales as noted above and could use some additional donations.
The Board would like to add another bulletin editor, a historian to organize 40 years of info on the Club and community and put it into a data file---and we are in the process of reviewing our name buttons and button storage box.
