New Orleans Rotarians:

Our good friends in California, led again by Grier Graff, have asked if we have a hands-on project for them in late spring 2008. They considered going to Cancun or back to Chacala, Mexico, but have decided to forgo those destinations this year. That, and the fact that New Orleans is now their favorite vacation spot, gives us the golden opportunity to host another week or two visit by our friends and the world's best volunteers who want to come help our community. All we need is a worthy project for make the most of their time and talents. Does anyone have candidates, and do we have anyone who has the time and energy to take the role of local coordinator?

The most logical candidate for the project would again be Warren Easton High School. Their nearly 100 year-old building has endless opportunities for repair and improvement. Furthermore, we have a war chest of about $35,000 still available for use at Easton (plus $17,000 more if DDD doesn't want our trash receptacle money). These figures do not count the unspent $21,250 matching grant for science lab equipment. We could make a large donation to fund something like improvements in the Easton auditorium, or we could finance another year of hands-on work, led and largely staffed by volunteers from California and elsewhere. Many of the previous volunteer crews have expressed a desire to return. If DDD doesn't come through on the trash receptacles, we could roll that over to Easton, or use it for something else, including a hands-on project other than Easton, if Easton is not chosen as a hands-on project. In other words, the $17,000 is not necessarily devoted only to Easton, as is the $35,000.

We would need to move quickly to suggest a project that the Berkeley Club would adopt, and to give them time to organize their teams. A lot of details would have to be tied down, but with two years experience, it can be done more expeditiously now. It just needs a leader and a good and worthy project.

I realize this would come close on the heels of the May 17 - 20 District Conference that so much effort is going into right now by a few of our leaders, but perhaps there is someone or sometwo Rotarians who would like to take on a hands-on project and continue the good work that has been done by so many good volunteers and friends to help bring back New Orleans. Who's to say we can't do both at once?

What's your pleasure?

Henry Lowentritt

Warren Easton Story Featured on CNN

Rotary Club of Berkeley, California	Rotary Club of New Orleans
(Click the images to view larger versions.)

The Rotary Clubs of Berkeley, Pennsylvania, Rochester and New Orleans joined forces to help restore Warren Easton New Orleans public high school from damages resulting from Hurricane Katrina.  The two groups worked tirelessly for the completion of this project, exemplifying the Rotary ideal of Service Above Self. Read the full story (PDF document) or read the Rotary International article.

Warren Easton Update: 5/27/2007

On May 25 the Warren Easton Charter Foundation, led by the alumni Hall of Fame group, inducted four new members in to the Hall of Fame, and honored some of those who contributed to the rebirth of the school after the Katrina disaster and flood. The Rotary was among the most honored. Charter Foundation President Billy Hatchett enumerated the many Rotarians from around the U.S. and abroad, describing the circumstances under which Rotarians, led by the Berkeley Club, painted classrooms and stairwells, and the contributions of Rotarians for band uniforms, pianos and other musical instruments, athletic equipment, water coolers, restroom renovations, library books, computers, science labs and equipment, and other improvements. We wish all the members of Rotary International and the Rotary Clubs of New Orleans, Berkeley and San Francisco areas, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Illinois, Germany, Ontario and other clubs and citizens of Luxembourg who contributed their labor and over $250,000 for the school could have been in attendance. We especially wish the many volunteers who came last year and who are coming in May and June 2007 to spend their personal time and treasure to renovate and improve this inner city New Orleans school. As the “front man” for Rotary in New Orleans, whose face, voice, and e-mails became familiar in the past 15 months to Warren Easton’s Foundation and faculty, Henry Lowentritt was honored at this ceremony as an “Easton Angel.” Although Henry says he will proudly keep the plaque, he points out that the real angels are the many less-visible volunteers -- Rotarians, Fiddlers, friends, and others who participate in Saving Warren Easton. All were honored at the ceremony, and all deserve to be thanked as Easton Angels. 

On June 20, the Louisiana State Department of Education will recognize the Rotary Club of New Orleans as a “Distinguished Partner in Education” at ceremonies in Baton Rouge. The award is made “to recognize and honor small and large businesses, industries, non-education associations and individuals that have made significant contributions to education in the state of Louisiana.” This prestigious award is likewise due to the efforts of all our many angels, here and away, who have stepped forward to earn the distinction “Partners in Education.”

Thank you all.

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