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Yearly Archives: 2024
RC Silves Celebrates its Achievements and Looks Forward to a New Rotary Year
Members, visiting Rotarians and guests gathered at the D’Mestres Restaurant in Pêra to look back at President Rainer Kroth’s many achievements in the past year and to look forward to President Jim Kennedy’s focus on Fun, Fellowship and Fundraising in the coming year.
Chef Nidia delighted all present with a fabulous authentic Alentejo feast.
As is traditional Rainer and Jim performed the Flag ceremony with honoured guest José Manuel Sosa Governor’s assistant for the coming year.
Rainer reviewed the activities of RC Silves for the Rotary year 2023-2024 and thanked everyone involved. He especially addressed the leaders of projects and the board members. He stated that members and friends commitment to investing their time and talents for the community creates hope in the world and makes Rotary magical. This year’s theme.
Fatima had an extra surprise for Rainer as she presented the club with a recognition certificate for the number of new members the club had recruited over the last rotary year.
The moment then came for Rainer to pass the symbols of the presidency (necklace, pin) to the incoming 2024-2025 president, Jim Kennedy.
Jim outlined his focus for the year was to build on the growth of new members and provide opportunities for the members old and new to bond. He thanked Rainer for his success in growing the membership and drawing the club closer to Rotary clubs across the Algarve. He expressed the need to focus on more fund raising as there was a lot of activities the members wanted to achieve this year. He looked forward to Fun, Fellowship and Fundraising.
He started the year by pinning 3 new members, Angelika Rahe-Marquis and Peter Mapham and Gail Mapham
Representatives from all those Rotary clubs present at the meeting wished Jim all the best for the new Rotary year and Assistant Governor Dr José Manuel Sosa presented the best wishes of the Governor Paulo Taveira de Sousa and his message for the year.
Castelo de Sonhos needs your Help!
Castelo de Sonhos have started up their annual Back to School project. Silves Rotary Club always supports this project and members help where they can. This year Castelo de Sonhos have 70 children who need help with back packs and stationery to get ready for school in September. The poster below shows the things needed and where you can drop them off. Every little helps even if you can only give a few items, it all counts.
Jim´s Sponsored Walk “Goats equal security!”
In 2022 Jim Kennedy then, 79 had a major car accident when his mini was hit twice by a truck on a motorway in the U.K. Just 8 weeks later Jim was one of 10 Rotary Club of Silves members who walked 120km of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela to raise money to equip a sensory room to be used by autistic and Downs Syndrome children at Silves Sul School on Armacao de Pera. Jim now 82 and still receiving treatment for his injuries from the car accident is off again raising money on a charity walk. The Rotary Club of Silves as part of an international programme run by Corridors of Peace in Switzerland supports the rehabilitation of women fighters in Chad. Jim along with one of his Camino walkers Materne will walk the 130km of the Yorkshire Dales Way. Starting on 17 June. This will be a challenge for the octogenarian as by its name you know there will be many hills to climb on route from Ilkley to Bowness
Please sponsor Jim’s walk! We want to give these women a place back in their communities.
Background:
Some years ago, Women from Chad in Central Africa took up arms to fight for their husbands and sons who were being taken away and killed in a tribal conflict. When the women returned home, they were not welcomed back but were ostracised by the community. They were not even allowed to get food from their families or even be seen outside during the day. The Rotary Club of Silves in Portugal is working with the Charity, Corridors of Peace who are already working in Chad to help these women set up small businesses so that they can demonstrate their value to their communities and be accepted back into society. Initially they have been market gardening and raising goats. Funds from the walk will purchase good quality goats and breed them in controlled conditions in preference to the inbred often sick animals that they have now. The profit from these more valuable animals will be used for other projects like fish farming and market gardening.
Clube dos Veículos Clássicos do Barlavento honours RC Silves
Our friends from Clube dos Veículos Clássicos do Barlavento celebrated their club’s 10th anniversary in Armação de Pêra with an impressive exhibition of beautiful classic cars and a big party. The cars on show came from the Alentejo and neighbouring Spain, giving this event an international flavour.
Keynote speeches were given by Rogério Pinto, Ricardo Pinto and Sergio Costa. Sergio recognised the close cooperation between Rotary Silves and the Clube dos Veículos Clássicos do Barlavento in service of the community of Silves. Rotary Silves was honoured with a commemorative plaque which was collected by President Rainer Kroth and Secretary Marion Kitzman.
Sergio Costa presents Marion Kitzman and Rainer Kroth with a plaque
The First Annual Rain Dance was a Great Success
The Rain Dance
The event which included Art displays by local Artists David Trubshaw and Este Andrés, a gymnastics display, drum band and a rock band was as held on Saturday 27 April at the Fontes de Estômbar. The idea to help the water shortage in the Algarve by carrying out a rain dance was the brainchild of Silves Rotary Club member Sian Elton. Sian introduced the idea of an afternoon of fun for the local communities of Lagoa and Silves in the hope that it would encourage rainy weather. Well, it worked the universe responded to the idea by raining most of the morning of the event as members began setting up. Thankfully all the rain had passed, and a lovely afternoon was had by all.
The gymnasts from Ginastica Acrobática da Casa do Povo de Messines presented a great programme demonstrating their acrobatic skills
This was followed by the Batucada da Casa do Povo drum band also from Messines. Their stimulating performance delighted the audience who were able to join in for a short drum lesson as part of the program. Claudia, who accepted an invitation to take part, later said that she felt energised and enthralled by joining the band.
The day was rounded off by the wonderful music of the Poor Man’s band who played music to dance to from the 70s to 00s.
Complimented by food, drinks and homemade cakes a great time was had by all.
The Rotary Club of Silves would like to thank the Municipal Council of Lagoa for allowing us to use their lovely Fontes de Estômbar and their help with the event. Thanks, must also go to the Gymnasts, Drum Band from Casa Do Povo and Poor Man´s Band for their support for the event. Last but not least, our sponsors Farming Futures, Florista Nativa, Rejoice be genuine and A Tasca Nova
We cannot wait for next year.
President Rainer Kroth Welcomes New Member Lars Lundberg
Lars was born 1960 in Gothenburg, Sweden and grew up close to the sea so one of his favourite sports as a child was sailing. Lars has a master’s degree in engineering physics from Chalmer University of Technology and started to work at Ericsson with development of radar software for fighter aircrafts. The defence part of Ericsson was transferred to Saab in 2006/2007 and Lars was responsible for a department developing command, control, and communication systems for air defence. In the autumn of 2019 Sofia and Lars decided to move from the not so funny weather in Sweden where the winters mostly are dark, rainy, windy, and grey to the sunny Algarve. They moved to Portugal in September 2020, their first priority was to settle in their new home. Hearing about Rotary on a visit to the FATACIL in August 2023. They like the idea of working with the local community and it provided a great opportunity to meet new people. RC Silves although an English speaking club has members from all over Europe and beyond.
RC Silves Welcomes a New Member Gerard McGuirk.
Gerard is not new to rotary and members at RC Silves are looking forward to working with him and to using his expertise and knowledge in support of our many projects. Gerard has a farming background. He moved to Spain in 1987 after a serious accident for recuperation and stayed there until 1995 before taking up a sales position in Asia. In the summer of 1996 that Gerard first became involved in Rotary in the Philippines. He remembers the Street Children Project and the visitation of the US President. In Asia, Gerard was working with various plantation companies developing sustainable work practices and employment. In 2018, he met with the owners of his current project in the Philippines and invested in the first pig breeding facility on their land in 2019. Currently, he is looking at new projects here in Portugal related to agriculture.
Rain Dance 27 April 3.30 to 8.30 Sitio das Fontes in Estombar
Money donated at the Rain Dance will be used to help fund the projects highlighted below and more in the future. If you pre-reserve a ticket you will receive two free drinks and a piece of cake or a cookie. Email events.silvesrotary@gmail.com.
For over 30 years the Rotary Clube de Silves has supported our community to make a difference in people’s lives. In recent times our projects have included supporting Castelo de Sonhos in their work with the poor including help with the purchase of a vehicle and helping Casa de Povo de Messines in purchasing equipment and furniture tor rooms the physically disabled. and those with learning difficulties.
Our education projects have included creating a wall of Sardines artwork produced by the primary school children, a multimedia project for all children attending Silves Sul Schools with Oscars awarded for the best work at a glittering gala evening.
There have been school exchanges for students with a school in Southampton U.K. and in 2024 a team will be entered into a Model United Nations Congress in Manchester.
RC Silves members have also walked part of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela to raise money to equip a sensory room for young children with autism and Downs Syndrome.
The club is now beginning a project to build a small sustainable forest garden as part of our environmental commitments.
Walking the Arade and Odelouca Rivers
Silves Rotary club members and friends gathered again last Saturday to walk along the local rivers through our lovely Silves countryside. The walks started as training for our fundraising walk to the Santiago de Compostela but now they are for fun and fellowship. The funds from the original walk were for a sensory room for Armaçaõ de Pêra school and this was opened on the 22 January this year. The sun shone on us as we walked the trails.
We were even lucky enough to catch the flamingos in flight.
A little rest with a view before the final leg.
If you would like to join us on a walk contact our Master of Ceremonies MOC.rotarysilves@gmail.com We normally walk once a month. Walks are at your own risk.
Rotary Clube de Silves 