Smyrna Rotary Club's Global Projects

Smyrna Rotary Club is typically involved in one or more global projects. These are some of the most recent ones.

Global Grant – SOUNS / South Africa

We are still working on our South Africa SOUNS project with Brenda Erickson. The total grant was for $60,125. $7,000 was contributed in 2015-2016, which was for more SOUNS sets that Brenda delivered to South Africa. Smyrna Rotary Club is the lead club.

Smyrna Rotary is the international partner with other Rotary Clubs in South Africa for a Rotary Global Grant. The Grant was proposed in 2013 and kits were delivered in the summer of 2014. This grant is ongoing with all the proposed kits being delivered to date. SOUNS was developed by Rotarian Brenda Erickson of the Peachtree City Club and she and her husband travel to provide training on use of the kits. Other participating organizations are the Peace Corps, University of Pretoria and South African Congress for Early Childhood Development.

The grant provided for 250 sets to be delivered for training and use in classrooms. SOUNS is effective in all languages since it teaches the sound of the letter and is tactile for letter recognition. Each student can sound out the letter and use that knowledge to form words in their native language. This is an innovative method since it teaches the child how to develop words vs. memorization of sight words. We have also participated in a SOUNS project in Puerto Rico with similar results. This project was recognized by the United Nations for its ingenuity and effectiveness.

SOUNS has also been used in South Georgia through a partnership with HeadStart. SOUNS projects are sustainable in that the kits are reusable and once trained, the teachers can continue to train future children and also train others on how to use the kits.

These projects have had and will continue to have a wide and lasting impact locally and globally.

Global Grant – Clean Water / Jamaica

We have also been working on a Clean Water grant for Jamaica. The current status is that we are awaiting further information from Anne Glenn (District 6900) and a revision from our St. Andrews North Rotary partner club in Jamaica. The project funds will be $10,000 from Smyrna and $10,000 cash from North Fulton and tentatively $1,000 from East Cobb Rotary. We are asking for $21,000 DDF from 6900. St. Andrews North has pledged $8,000 cash. Rome Rotary Club and a gentleman named George Waterman will contribute $500 each. So the Grant is asking TRF to match District 6900 DDF (Total of $42,000) dollar for dollar, and cash contributions from other clubs ($10,500 Total) at $.50 to $1. The total requested TRF match is $45,250. The project total will be $97,500. Smyrna Rotary Club is the lead club. Leading both projects is Smyrna Rotary’s International Grants chair and recent Past President Scott Auer.

Currently the project is still awaiting final approval.

Global Grant – Health Clinic / Mexico

We are participating in two other grants, both of which have been approved by our board. One is with North Marietta and East Cobb Marietta for a health clinic project in Mexico. Smyrna Rotary Club contributed $1,000.

Global Grant – Cancer Clinic / Bangladesh

The other global grant is with the North Columbus Rotary Club and East Cobb Rotary Club for a Cancer Center in Bangladesh. Smyrna Rotary Club contributed $2,000.

Smyrna Rotary is always looking for female and male community leaders. For more information about the club or membership, please email f12@nfiweb.com.