Home » Posts tagged 'Fellowship' (Page 5)
Tag Archives: Fellowship
Camino walk aids hip replacement recovery
Sue Butler Cole and Alan Winn are two of the Silves Rotary Club members taking part in the Change Kids Lives Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in a weeks’ time.
Both have had hip replacement operations earlier this year. At the end of January, Alan had a planned operation in preparation for the walk to come. Sue had one, a few weeks later after a fall that left her with a broken hip.
The desire to be part of the fundraising to enable Agrupamento Silves Sul School in Armaçao de Pêra to create a sensory room and garden area for Autistic and Downs Syndrome children as young as 3 was their inspiration to move past the painful recovery and be fit enough to take part.
Although Alan is carrying a tendon injury in his left leg he is still determined to complete his stages of the walk. He will share the 120km journey with his wife of almost 50 years Pam.
Sue is sharing her journey with octogenarian husband David who is also determined to make a difference and help those children have a better and more fulfilled life.
We hope that the walk by Silves Rotary Club members and friends will meet its fundraising target and you can help by make a donation. A donation of 5€ makes a difference when hundreds are inspired to give. The walkers themselves are funding the accommodation on route so that 100% of the money we receive will go to the project.
You can donate now at GoFundMe.com via our page “Help Pilgrims Change Kids Lives”
For more information email MOC.rotarysilves@gmail.com
Or Tel. 912584999
Help us make a difference!
Pilgrim survives major car accident.
You may have thought pilgrims went out with the Middle Ages – wandering around supported by their staffs with an unwashed aroma emanating from their soiled robes. Not so. The modern day pilgrim is an athlete striding out purposely, nose to a satnav, covering as many kilometres as possible to achieve their physical or spiritual goal.
The pilgrims of Silves Rotary Club are made of such stuff. Ready to climb mountains, swim rivers, in their quest to cover the 120 kilometres from the Portuguese border to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Ten pilgrims we are now, honed by route marches through inhospitable Algarvean terrain in burning temperatures. In the peak of fitness? Well, sort of – we are human after all – and with an average age of seventy, subject to bit of wear and tear.
Take, for example, Jim Kennedy, brimming with energy, always striding ahead of the rest on training walks. You could count on Jim. This pilgrimage would be a doddle for him. But fate dealt a cruel blow in the form of a horrendous accident in July on a UK motorway. His car was struck by a lorry at 60 mph. He was spun from the slow lane into the lorry´s wheels and across four lanes before coming to a stop in the fast lane. It was a miracle that he lives to tell the tale. He suffered no major injury; muscle damage has left him in pain and with difficulty in walking.
Surely Jim would pull out of the pilgrimage? No! Jim says his close escape has focussed him on how lucky he was. He is glad to help fund the project to equip a much needed sensory room and garden at Agrupamento Silves Sul school in Armação de Pera to help children with learning difficulties adjust to school life.
Will you sponsor Jim and our other pilgrims? The money we raise for this project will change the lives of children and those helping them.
You can donate now at GoFundMe.com via our page “Help Pilgrims Change Kids Lives”
For more information email MOC.rotarysilves@gmail.com
Or Tel. 912584999
Help us make a difference!
Three Weeks to Go
3 Weeks to go to the Silves Rotary Club Pilgrimage
Another week closer to our pilgrimage and the final training programme is underway. This week a 7km walk around the junction of the Odelouca and Arade rivers is our gentle reintroduction after the heat of the summer. Just one of a number training walks over the last few months walk leader Philippe has organized to get the Silves Rotary Club team fit for the challenge.
Why go through the challenge? We hope to inspire you to make a donation or sponsor a pilgrim so that we can resource a much needed sensory room and garden for Autistic and Downs syndrome children in Agrupamento Escolas Silves Sul. The children need a calm, safe haven to enable them to benefit fully from their time in school.
You can see from Philippe’s bio he is not new to the Camino having walked from France to Santiago some years ago with his family. He has also walked our route along with wife Carmen in June in preparation for the main event in just over three weeks’ time. His meticulous preparation and encouragement is all part of the support in place for those in the group who are older and carrying more injuries or health issues. We will introduce all the pilgrims over the next few weeks.
First: Philippe, mid 60s
He says I am a new Rotary member. I retired, a couple of years ago, from an international career, mainly in Operations leadership roles. My focus was always been around developing a meaningful purpose and rallying groups to achieve their goals through intensive teamwork.
I have never stopped practicing physical activities: running 2-3 times / week until my mid 50’s and during the last 10 years, walking on a daily basis. Some heart issues required the placement of a stent and a heart ablation was needed to eliminate arrhythmia.
Why I become a pilgrim?
Our family (spouse and two children) always loved nature and hiking. We have completed the French Camino de Santiago in 5 stages, over 5 years’ vacations. This Portuguese Camino project addresses several personal objectives: a noble purpose to help disabled children, teamwork to support each participant to make it to Santiago, physical exercise and enjoyment of the beautiful nature and landscapes.
Team Member: Petra Vahle-Francis, Mid sixties
Petra says: Having spent over 30 years performing classical music day and night, I was curious to learn something new. Curiosity drove me to the World Peace Academy at University of Basel, where I graduated with a diploma in Peace and Conflict Transformation, followed by a professional development diploma in conflict resolution from the Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. Together with my husband, I founded the “Corridors of Peace” Organisation in Switzerland, catering for refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, and all those living on the margins in different societies, home and abroad.
Luckily no major health issues yet, but had a serious fall causing dental replacement some 5 years ago. Definitely not as good as I used to be; with transition comes great challenges: in moving from Switzerland to the beautiful Algarve, I have not found a solid rhythm yet, but I will get there soon.
Why I become a pilgrim:
Since 2002 I have wanted to walk the Camino de Santiago de Compostela but could not find the right time, group or persons to walk with. On a visit to Silves Rotary Club here in the Algarve, I was lucky to experience an inspiring lecture by Philippe Pfister, who has prepared all the logistics and background information for clubs Camino de Santiago de Compostela walk, to raise funds for children with learning difficulties. I feel it is a golden opportunity to walk with people of similar sensibilities. I am grateful to join this noble rotary project.
You can donate now at GoFundMe.com via our page “Help Pilgrims Change Kids Lives”
For more information email MOC.rotarysilves@gmail.com
Or Tel. 912584999
Help us make a difference!
Handover 2022/23
2021/22 has been a memorable year for Silves Rotary Club as for all Rotary clubs Covid has taken it’s toll. We worked hard under our President Alan Winn to help the community and to keep as many fundraising activities as possible. We had a great start to the year with Back to school, followed closely by the Christmas Shoe box appeal. We manage our first concert in two years and raised 4500€. We have been training for a sponsored walk along the Camino starting at the Portuguese border and finishing at Santiago to Compostela to provide a sensory room and garden for Autistic and Downs Syndrome pupils at Armacao de Pera school. Alan handed over to Isabel Flores for the year 2022/23. Isabel is shouldering the president’s job for the fifth time. Continuing our work in education is high on her agenda but she will add some touches of her own to support further members of the community.
Trying Walk
Saturday 14 May was the latest training day for our sponsored walk to Santiago de Compostela.
7 club members took part in a two stage walk around the Alvor and Mexilhoeira Grande areas. Stage one included areas around the estuary with its cooling breezes and flamingos and stage two further in land amongst fields of poppies.
Each part was approximately 7.5km in length and so older members who will walk the Camino as a team were able to walk the shorter distance where fitter members were able to complete the full distance.
Further training walks will take place before the summer and in the early autumn in readiness for the sponsored walk starting in Valence on 23 September.
The club is hoping to raise sufficient money to complete the funding of a sensory room and safe outside area for children between 4 and 9 years with autism, Downs Syndrome and other disabilities in the Agroupamento Silves Sul school campus in Armacao de Pera.
The school has a similar facility on its Algoz campus for older children from the age of 10 upwards.
The club has already raised over 4000€ from the concert at the end of April.
RC Silves has a strong commitment to supporting our community and will continue to make a difference to the lives of those less fortunate.
Cool Manouche Concert 30 April in Silves
Come and enjoy the swinging gypsy jazz played by the popular group “COOL MANOUCHE”. The date is Saturday 30th April 2022 starting at 8pm sharp at the Mascarenhas Gregorio Theatre in Silves. Doors will open at 7pm and sparkling wine & snacks will be served before the performance, included in the ticket.
You will love the “COOL MANOUCHE” sound. Their style of jazz was originated by Django Reinhardt the Romani guitarist who took Paris by storm in the nightclubs of the 1930’s-50’s. A real foot-tapping rhythm.
The event is being presented by Silves Rotary Club in aid of bringing to life a sensory room and garden for kids with learning difficulties in the Armacao de Pera area of Silves Council.
The ticket is €25 donation per person. Bookings phone Sue Butler-Cole on 933 374 865 or e-mail: sueloram@gmail.com. Alternatively contact Maria Carvalho on 916 145 739.
Only restriction – masks must be worn.
RC Silves in Training!
We had the original baker’s dozen on parade again this Saturday, except Pam and Alan Winn who sent in “sickies”. Today our leader, Philippe, has chosen another scenic walk through the Salgados wetland reserve between Galé and Armação de Pera. A distance of 7 kms which our gang covered in two hours
You may ask what we are training for. Well Philippe came up with the idea of a Rotary charity walk to Santiago de Compostelo. No, not from Silves. We would start instead from the north of Portugal and walk through to Santiago itself. This is some 120 kms which we hope to complete within a week – that means 20 kms per day, with the last pilgrimage bit on our knees.
So, Philippe is starting slowly with this training programme. Our current walk of 7 kms is just a third of what we will be expected to manage on a daily basis on the course itself. So we need to gear up to a fitness not yet apparent in our dozen, who by my calculations on average will never celebrate their seventieth birthday again. We do not expect to be equipping them with zimmer frames but the odd bengala may be required.
We will be asking the public to bet on which members will manage to complete this Olympian challenge within the week. To help them, we will be giving details of the participants in the forthcoming weeks during the training and their current physical state. Follow this space
Walking in the Algarve
RC Silves looks at many ways to raise funds for our community in Silves and to do it through fellowship. We are looking at many possibilities for fundraising one of which focuses on exercise. To get ready for this possible challenge we have started some training walks. The first was a 7K walk around the Arade and Odelouca Rivers. A bakers dozen took part and all managed it well. Two members who were back in the UK joined us in spirit. They walked in the snow and ice. Much Chillier.
Welcome to Maria
At our first meeting this year, we had the opportunity to present Maria with her Rotary pin. She has been working with us for at least a year and previously has supported our fundraising events. Officially a member in January we were unable to present her pin due to the Covid 19 restrictions. We were so happy to see her receive her pin and celebrate with her.
Establishing goodwill and fellowship between Britain, Ireland and Portugal
This rotary year 2020/21, RC Silves has joined the new Inter-Country Committee established between Portugal – Great Britain-Ireland (RGB&I).
The founding Rotary Districts and Clubs are:-
Portuguese Section
For District 1960 RC Oeiras, RC Silves, RC Almancil International, RC Estoi-Palace International, RC São João da Madeira, RC Porto and District 1970 RC Guimarães
Britain and Ireland (RGB&I) Section
For District 1040, RC Leeds White Rose, for District 1060, RC Great Britain and Ireland, for District 1070, RC Leicester, Rotaract Club of Leicester Universities, for District 1100, RC Bristol, for District 1145, RC Kew Gardens and for District 1240 RC Halstead
The clubs involved have committed to increase international understanding, intercultural sharing, establish goodwill and promote fellowship between Britain, Ireland and Portugal. Through common projects they will aim to improve awareness and mutual understanding between communities and cultures.
RC Silves looks forward to joining its fellow Rotarians in this endeavour.
Rotary Clube de Silves 