Rotarians & Friends Team of 24 Ready to Distribute Bicycles January 2013!

We have a team of 24 Rotarians & Friends ready to distribute Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycles throughout Cambodia this coming January/February 2013!!

 In October, Rotarians Linda Brouillette and Lisa McCoy visited the Sudbury Sunrisers Rotary Club and met with members and Cambrian College Students coming to Cambodia in January.

Our team is comprised of people of all ages from cities and towns across the province of Ontario, Canada! – a handful of College Students from Cambrian College in Sudbury, a mother and daughter duo from Toronto, a pair of sisters from Gravenhurst…

… Amongst our team, there are members from three District 7010 Rotary Clubs in Ontario: Rotary Club of Gravenhurst, Sudbury Sunrisers Rotary Club,  and the Rotary Club of Minden.

The team arrives in Cambodia on January 23^rd and departs February 12^th, (with some going on to do some sightseeing in Viet Nam, Laos and Thailand).

During our 21 days in Cambodia, we’ll be distributing up to 1,056 bicycles and mosquito nets to rural Cambodian students.  We’ll be distributing bicycles, mosquito nets and dental supplies in the provinces of Battambang, Takeo and Siem Reap.

We will be giving a number of bicycles and mosquito nets to children living in the area surrounding the Steung Mean Chey garbage dump in Phnom Penh through the People Improvement Organization (PIO), founded by CNN top-ten hero Phymean Noun.

Our final distribution sees us returning to Tamao Wildlife Santuary and Rescue Centre, where our friends at Free the Bears will help us distribute 100 bicycles to children living in the many rural villages surrounding the area.

Several distributions will be conducted with members of the Rotary Club of Battambang, district 3350. This club is now identifying the many area children in need of a bike to get to school. We’ll also be distributing bikes to at least one school on the outskirts of Siem Reap with Rotary Club of Siem Reap Angkor Member, Sophanit Prin.

Bicycles and mosquito nets will be distributed at local schools and in the villages themselves. With each bicycle, we will provide the child’s family with a family-sized quality mosquito net.

Before the bikes are handed out at each location, the children and families will be provided with a dental hygiene education session, following which, our team will distribute toothbrushes and toothpaste to all – including the teachers!

We’ll be visiting many rural schools, at which our team will distribute many donated items brought over in suitcases. 

HELP OUR TEAM PROVIDE A BICYCLE TO EACH OF THE 1,056 CHILDREN PRESENTLY BEING IDENTIFIED IN CAMBODIA –Your Donation of $50, will provide a bicycle and mosquito net to a child. Sponsor a bike for a child as a Christmas or birthday gift to your friend or loved one!

Tax receipts issued in Canada. Donors are provided with a photograph of their sponsored child with their bike upon the team’s return to Canada. Donate through the PayPal link at the top of this page, or by cheque to 'Rotary Club of Gravenhurst', 'RWFL' in Memo Field. Mail to: Box 888, Gravenhurst, Ontario, P1P 1V2

THANK YOU to the following donors for their recent contributions towards Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycles:

John Chow of Toronto $2,000.00
Rotary Club of Washago & Area-Centennial - $750.00
Sudbury Sunrisers Rotary Club - $1,500.00 
Rotary Club of North Bay - $2,000.00 
Rotary Club of Barrie-Kempenfelt - $500.00
Toronto RBC Global Banking Diversity Committee - $559.85

 Have a look at our fantastic team:  

Front row:
George and Liz Rice from Gravenhurst, Janice Hayhurst - Gravenhurst, Marlyn Goodwin - Gravenhurst, Lola Bratty - Gravenhurst, Bill Obee - Rotary Club of Minden

Back row:
Michael Foster - Gravenhurst, Jim Goodwin - Rotary Club of Gravenhurst, Steve Hayhurst - Rotary Club of Gravenhurst,  Sharon Foley - Gravenhurst, Lynda Valcourt - Gravenhurst.

Front row L to R
Darlene Palmer- Sudbury Sunrisers Rotarian, Kelly Nesbitt, Brandon Sanders, and Luke Snow.
Back row: Carl Fagnant, Debra Betty- Sudbury Sunrisers Rotarian and Justin Ceskaukis.

Kathy & Clare Glazer-Chow - Mother & Daughter Team from Toronto

Sophea - Our Cambodian Guide

Richard Augustine- Rotary Club of Gravenhurst

Lisa McCoy- Rotary Wheels for Learning Field Coordinator- Rotary Club of Gravenhurst

Help Our Team of Rotarians and Friends Distribute Bicycles in January 2013

THE EXCITEMENT IS ON! - Our team of 10 Rotarians and Friends had their first Cambodia Bicycle Distribution Trip meeting this past week. We are hoping to get 10 more people to join out team. To learn more about how you can join this rewarding adventure, please visit the previous blog posting.

Lisa McCoy will be heading to Cambodia on October 30th to prepare for the upcoming bicycle distributions.

Our team is prepared to provide 1,056 bicycles to needy students in Cambodia from January 23rd to February 12th, 2013. 

These bicycles will be distributed throughout six target areas in rural Cambodia. 

Not Only That! - Our Team will be giving out a family-sized mosquito net to each bicycle recipient's family. The recent increase in Malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases has seen many more families in rural Cambodia suffer from devastating illnesses.

More Than That! - Our Team will be distributing Two Tons of rice in ten kilogram bags to needy family.

Even MORE! - Our team will be taking over a suitcase each of donated items that we will distribute to schools, students with HIV, and impoverished people. This year we are looking for donations of lice combs, child and youth size flip-flops, flash drives and used digital cameras. Call or email Lisa McCoy if you can help.

Read more about the trip and download forms at our Rotary District 7010 Website - CLICK HERE

THE DRIVE IS ON! - We need your help to raise funds to distribute 400 bicycles for rural students in five areas. To view and download our proposal for these 400 bicycles, please click on this link: https://docs.google.com/open?id=1gz8GVdCMYuY-qUBskK69dUlXpkoEMrfW3bZiNWjAtlPWE6FN0GZZLh4AmSTv 

Your donation of $50 will provide a child with a Rotary Wheels for Learning fully-equipped bicycle enabling him/her to cover the miles to school. A mosquito net will be provided for his/her family. Funds are put in place for the maintenance and repair of that bicycle.

For each child you sponsor, you will receive a photograph of the child with bicycle and short biographical information. If you have an email address, please provide us with that when you donate.

Give the Gift of Education! Donate a bicycle in a friend's name as a Christmas or Birthday gift. Your friend will receive a letter and tax receipt telling him/her about your donation. After our distribution, your friend receives the photo and info on the sponsored child.

Christmas Gift Donation Deadline: December 10th, 2012

To Donate: 

 Donations by cheque are made payable to:

             ‘The Rotary Club of Gravenhurst’

In memo field:

‘Rotary Wheels for Learning’

Mail to:

Rotary Club of Gravenhurst,

Box 888.

Gravenhurst, ON, Canada

P1P 1V2

Canadian donations will receive a tax receipt from the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst.

Donations can also be made online using the PayPal portal the link above.

Lisa McCoy contact info: PH. 705-687-8538, email: rotarywheelsforlearning@gmail.com

Join Our January 2013 Bicycle Distribution Trip to Cambodia

Our Rotary Wheels for Learning January 2012 Team of Rotarians and Friends from the Gravenhurst and Bracebridge Rotary Clubs (and beyond) gave out 1097 bicycles to needy, rural Cambodian children.

But – there are many, many more children in need of a bicycle to cover the miles to school. Some children travel up to 10km each way to get to school.

You can be a part of this rewarding adventure by joining our 19-day trip to Cambodia to distribute more bicycles. The trip is planned for January 23^nd to February 12^th, 2013. Participants pay for their own airfare and ground costs. Approximate cost- $2,500/per person. Limit of 20 participants.

The trip is open to Rotarians and non-Rotarians. On this past January’s trip, we had a university student participate and also a former Rotary Exchange Student – what a great opportunity for youth!

For more information (itinerary), or to sign-up, contact Lisa McCoy 705-687-8538

email: rotarywheelsforlearning@gmail.com

If you are unable to join – please consider sponsoring a bike for a child. Your $50 donation is tax-receiptable in Canada. All donations will go towards our January 2013 distribution. Donors receive a photograph of their sponsored child(ren)  and short, biographical information. To donate, use our PayPal portal on this page, or, by cheque made out to:

Rotary Club of Gravenhurst

('RWFL' in memo field)  

Box 888,

Gravenhurst, Ontario,

P1P 1V2

Due to the rise in Malaria, Dengue Fever and other mosquito-bourne diseases in many regions of Cambodia, Rotary Wheels for Learning will be including a quality, treated family-sized mosquito net with each bicycle distributed in January 2013.

Rotary Wheels for Learning (RWFL) is an International Project of the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst

50 Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycles for Rural Laos Children

Rotary Wheels for Learning Field Coordinator, Lisa McCoy, is back from Cambodia with lots of news to share:

50 Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycles for Children in Two Villages in Northern Laos

The Rotary Club of Gravenhurst has sponsored 50 bicycles for children in rural northern Laos. The distribution took place in February 2012 and was conducted by Adopt a Village in Laos (AAVIL): http://adoptavillageinlaos.wordpress.com/

It was a year ago, that Gravenhurst Rotarian Lisa McCoy spent a month in Laos with Whitby-Sunrise Rotarian Steve Rutledge from AAVIL. It was there that she visited two of the schools built by AAVIL in the remote hills of northern Laos (north of Luang Prabrang). She also learned of the many, hilly miles the children covered to get to these schools.

Now thanks to the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst and AAVIL – 50 children can cover the miles to school easily and quickly. Here follows some details from Steve Rutledge on the Laos distribution:

Meung Kai – 20 Bicycles:

'We headed to a couple of the bicycles shops we had already spec'd out and spoke with the owner.  We hit it off right away - Long (her name) and her family moved from Thailand years ago and she had three businesses going at the same time including a grocery store where we bought imported foods.

Her brother owned the bicycle part of the shop and both were really kind to us.  Being quite well off, they offered us the bicycles basically at their cost plus 10,000 KIP per bicycle (about $1.25 profit) because they understood that we are just trying to give the rural villagers hope and a chance at a good life.

Next was the difficult task of finding transportation - we rented 2 buses.  Of course not the buses you would see here - they are open aired buses where people sit on benches along the sides and lean back against the railing so they can squeeze more people in the middle, along with others standing on the outside step clinging on to whatever they can grasp!

The shop had their own people load the buses (no charge) and they were on their way.

When we got there, the villagers were waiting for us of course.  The bicycles arrived a couple of hours before we did so they could complete the final assembly.  Once we arrived we were ushered into their community room (I have to admit that I was surprised they even had one but learned it was the old school).

After speeches of thanks from the village chief and from a government representative, we gave them a crash course on how important it was to take good care of their bicycles.

 Each child had to sign their name - you will see some of the pictures with all the parents behind the students.

Then everyone posed under the really hot sun for pictures.  It was a real treat to see the excitement in the parent’s faces and of course the students.  A couple of the students walked their bicycles because they hadn't ridden one by themselves before - it was a sight to behold.'

Happy kids = Better learning

Pha Yong – 30 Bicycles:

'The villagers from Pha Yong and the Khmu chief came out with the students and villagers to greet us.

They had just regraded a relatively new road that cut the journey off to the village by hours - it still takes about 1 1/2 hours from Viengkham (about 10 villages before Nong Khiaw).  This is where we did the distribution.   I sent the bicycles up the night before so they could do the final assembly.  

 So I caught the first bus heading to Nong Khiaw and hoped to arrive at roughly the same time as the kids - but of course that wasn't to be.  The kids were so excited that they wanted to leave early and had arrived by 9am.  My bus got stuck due to construction on the road - there had been a major mudslide during the rainy season and they were regrading a hill right beside the road.  Of course the road was closed and we just waited and waited...and waited.

I was feeling sorry for the kids of course but there was nothing I could do!!!

I arrived 2 hours late (3 hours later than the kids) and fortunately Bounmy had the foresight to get the kids to sign off for their bicycles and had done a preliminary speech for me so all there was left to do was distribute the bicycles and take pictures - yeaaahhh!!!

It should be noted that these kids are either graduating from grade 3 this year or are already in Grade 4, and will be commuting to Sop Khan Village (to go to grade 4 and 5).

1 1/4 hours from my arrival, I was already on the bus heading back to Luang Prabang because I had another really busy day ahead of me.  I couldn't believe how smoothly everything went.'

Thanks, Steve - it was great to see these children and their 'Rotary Wheels'.

– please consider sponsoring a bike for a child. Your $50 donation will provide a child with a sturdy bicycle.  All donations will go towards our January 2013 distribution. Donors receive a photograph of their sponsored child(ren)  and short, biographical information. Donations are tax-receiptable in Canada.

Many Thanks from the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst to ALL the Rotary Clubs and individual donors who supported our distribution of 1,097 Bicycles.  Any Club or Group wishing a visual presentation of this distribution and the Rotary Wheels for Learning program can contact Lisa McCoy for arrangements: 705-687-8538

email: rotarywheelsforlearning.blogspot.com

Rotary Wheels for Learning is an international project of the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst, Ontario, District 7010.

What's Up Muskoka 'Cambodian Connection' Article

What's Up Muskoka

Click on above link to read the February 29th, 2012 edition of 'What's Up Muskoka' and the feature article by Matt Driscoll, 'Cambodia Connection' - 1097 RotaryWheels for Learning Bicycles given out throughout rural Cambodia by our January 2012 team of 19 Rotarians & Friends.

Your donation of $50 will provide a bicycle for a rural student in Cambodia. Tax receipts issued in Canada.

Interested in joining our January 2013 Team to Cambodia to distribute bicycles? Contact rotarywheelsforlearning@gmail.com for more information.

CottageCountryNow Article: Local Rotary clubs deliver bikes to Cambodian kids

CottageCountryNow Article: Local Rotary clubs deliver bikes to Cambodian kids

Surpassing Our Goal - 1097 Bicycles Distributed in Cambodia by Rotarians and Friends!

During the month of January 2012, 1097 Bicycles were distributed to needy school children in Cambodia – Thanks to the amazing efforts of our team of 19 Rotarians and Friends and all the Rotary Clubs and individual donors who supported the cause with their donations.

Our 19 Rotarians and Friends came from the Bracebridge and Gravenhurst Rotary Clubs, District 7010, Ontario, Canada. The bicycles were distributed through the Rotary Wheels for Learning (RWFL) program of the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst.

Our Team of Rotarians, Friends & Local Volunteers

Many other local organizations and volunteers were involved in this huge undertaking including:

Rotary Club of Battambang, Cambodia, District 3350

Banyan Learning Tree  http://banyanlearningtree.blogspot.com/

Cambodian Red Cross

Free the Bears  http://www.freethebears.org.au/

People Improvement Organization (PIO) http://peopleimprovement.org/

Our RWFL Cambodia 2012 Team distributed bicycles in the following areas:

300 Bicycles in North Phnom Sampov village, Aek Phnom village, Thma Koul Primary School and Setoup Commune in Battambang province.

300 Bicycles in Koh Kralor district, including Takou Primary School.

197 Bicycles in Prokeab village, Takeo province.

110 Bicycles in Bakot village, Takeo province.

100 Bicycles to area children near Tamao Wildlife Sanctuary and Rescue Centre

90 Bicycles to PIO children living near the Stung Meanchey garbage dump area in Phnom Penh.

Rotarian Lisa McCoy with Students at PIO School
Located on Outskirts of Phnom Penh Dump

Our Cambodia 2012 Trip gave participants the opportunity to be actively involved in the bicycle distribution process:

Preparing Bicycles for distribution – Affixing the baskets, pedals, bells, lamps and Rotary decals to the bikes, as well as pumping up the tires, adjustments and minor repairs.

Rotarians & Friends Working Under the Brutal Cambodian Sun!

Each participant personally presented bicycles to the child and had their photo taken with them.

Stephanie Boag Present a Bicycle -
One of 100 Distributed at Tamao

 

It wasn’t all about bicycles either! – Our Team brought over suitcases of donated items that were distributed throughout our bicycle distribution locations. Many thanks to Barbara Seagram, Patti Lee and their Bridge Group from Toronto for their many donated items. 

Hundreds of tubes of toothpaste and toothbrushes were given out at some of our bike distributions! Trip team member Walter Ried (retired dentist) and local Cambodian Dentist Khom Pisal teamed up to give invaluable dental hygiene education sessions to hundreds of children and their families.

The Rotary Clubs of Bracebridge and Gravenhurst also provided one ton of rice each to village areas in Battambang province. This was distributed through the Rotary Club of Battambang’s Rice Program. We immensely enjoyed our fellowship volunteering alongside Battambang Club members for two days, and feasting together at our gala poolside dinner.

We were treated as VIPs at many of the distribution locations – grand ceremonies had been planned by local officials and schools thanking Rotary for their educational support through the provision of bicycles to school children lacking this necessary transportation to get to School.

Roatarians & Friends at Bicycle Distribution Ceremony
100 Bicycles for Children Living Near
Tamao Wildlife Sanctuary & Rescue Centre

What a great opportunity is was to show ‘Rotary at Work’ in many rural impoverished areas that had never heard of Rotary before!

During our 19-day trip around the central portion of the country, we saw many of Cambodia’s famed sites including: Angkor Wat, Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, the Choueng Ek Killing Fields and the Royal Palace. There was lots of shopping at local markets for everything including beautiful Cambodian silk, carvings and tourist fare!

Visiting the Famed Temples at Angkor Wat

You, or your group of Friends, can join our January Cambodia 2013 RWFL Bicycle Distribution Trip! Email us for further details at: rotarywheelsforlearning@gmail.com . Your donation of $50 will provide a child with needed transportation for education.

Team Members Rick Hunter, Susan Montgomery, Janice Hayhurst, Walter Ried, Margaret Walton
and Keith Montgomery with Children at Prokeab Village, Takeo Province

907 Bicycles Distributed by Rotary Wheels for Learning Cambodia Team 2012!

Over the past five days, our team of 19 Rotarians and Friends from the Bracebridge and Gravenhurst Rotary Clubs have prepared and distributed another 307 bicycles here in Takeo province – making our grand total so far: 907 Bicycles!



110 Bicycles Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst



Children's Names are Called - All Line Up to Sign their Forms and Receive Their Bikes



Teachers Assist In Lining Up the Bicycle Students at Wat Vihear Kpous Primary School


^{On January 14th and 15th, our team distributed 197 bicycles to needy, rural students in Prokeab village, Trapeang Thum Commune in Takeo District. This distribution took place at the Banyan Learning Tree Centre there.
Today, 110 bicycles sponsored by the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst , Ontario, District 7010, were given out to students at Wat Vihear Kpous Primary School in Bakot village, Leaybo Commune, Takeo district. Some of the bicycles given out were for students from this school who have gone on to secondary school. Secondary schools are few and far between. Once a student passes grade six, their need for a bicycle is even greater.}

Boys Admire Their RWFL Bicycles

Happy to Have a Bike to Get to School!

 You Tube videos of this distribution can be seen at:

http://youtu.be/vzHMOafn4zc 907 of 1097 Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycles Distributed in Cambodia

!http://youtu.be/CaEWOpDfPa8 Students Sign Forms Before Receiving Their Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycles

A big thanks goes to Banyan Learning Tree local volunteers Om Chamnap, Chea Socheat and Phearom Noun for all their efforts in organizing these Takeo distributions – we could not have done it without their hours of hard work coordinatination.  

Local Volunteer Socheat Chea Helps a Girl to Sign her Form

In Takeo, our team also enjoyed some time off, which included a village market tour and cooking class and canal boat rides to visit the Angkor Borey Temple and Museum.

Tomorrow, we head by bus to Sihanoukville, Cambodia to enjoy a well-deserved beach break for three days. Then, it’s back to Phnom Penh for two final distributions.

Students are Really Proud to Show Off Their Rotary Bikes!