1220 Foundation News
Better Late than Never!
or the Completion of Matching Grant MG 60083.
The provision of the Library “Rotary Books” in San Juan, Argentina,
in memory of PDG Jose Segovia and his wife DG Nominee Graciela Segovia.
Report by Don Mackenzie
On the 12th December 2009, this Library, made possible by Matching Grant
60083, allocated as one of the Foundation’s preferred “Literacy
Schemes”, was opened and the final report submitted to the Rotary
Foundation.
copy of the report (in spanish),
with photos (3MB)
Wow!—it’s finally finished I thought, better late than never, for the
application, submitted in March 2006 was approved on 8th May with
completion expected sometime in 2007 rather than December 2009!
Why?------- let’s look at the story from the beginning.
In April-May 2000 our District GSE Team, which I led, went to District
4860 Argentina. During that visit we spent a week in San Juan giving a
major presentation to the Rotary Club of San Juan Capital. Graciela Moya
de Segovia was the president at that time. We were really well looked
after during that week, particularly by Graciela and her husband Past
District Governor Jose “Pepe” Segovia who drove us back to Mendoza via
the mountains where we spent a night in their cabin.
The following year the economy in Argentina completely collapsed and we
heard of the desperate need in San Juan for Insulin. An appeal was
launched to clubs in District 1220 and many clubs responded.
In March 2003 I took my wife Jane to Argentina to meet the many friends
I had made in District 4860, spending some time in San Juan and again
visiting the Rotary Club of San Juan Capital. Graciela Segovia, then the
District Governor Nominee, thanked us on behalf of District 1220 and
presented us with certificates for each of the contributing clubs. We
also met District Governor David Schabelman and his wife Norma Kalejman
who were both members of San Juan Capital.
Tragically, early in 2004, Graciela, then
District Governor Elect, and her husband “Pepe” were killed in a car
accident on the way to the airport en route to the International
Assembly in Anaheim. A collection was made at the Assembly as a start
towards a memorial to the Segovias. At about the same time our District
Treasurer, Mike Neville, informed me as the then District GSE Officer
that £525 remained in District Funds after the Insulin Appeal had
closed. I felt that this money, originally donated for San Juan, should
go to a project in San Juan and proposed this to District Council. It
was approved. Writing to the Rotary Club of
San Juan Capital I was informed of their idea of trying to establish a
Matching Grant to provide an Interactive Digital Library in San Juan as
the memorial to Graciela and Jose Segovia and that Norma Kalejman would
be the project leader. My club, the Rotary Club of Mansfield, agreed to
be the International Partner and contribute £475 to the £525 already
earmarked to make up £1000 “cash”. Our District contributed a further
£1000 from DDF and the project was viable.
After much correspondence between myself and Norma and a meeting at the
2005 Convention in Chicago, the project was agreed and submitted to
Rotary Foundation in March 2006, and approved on 8th May.
The project for the provision of a library to be known as “Rotary Books”
was to be a joint venture between the Rotary Club of San Juan Capital
and the Provincial Government. The Matching Grant would provide all the
equipment and furniture, whilst the Provincial Government would supply
the building, one having already been earmarked.
Then the fun began! The offer on the building was withdrawn and building
No. 2 substituted. This was later withdrawn and building No.3 offered
only in turn to be withdrawn. Finally building No.2 was again offered
and accepted by the Rotary Club and the keys handed over on 14th April
2009-------almost exactly three years after the original start date of
May 2006. Much work was still to be done in repairs, rewiring and
decoration but it was finally completed for the official opening on 12th
December 2009. There had been worrying times
along the way with e-mails from the Foundation to Norma and me, District
Governors, Foundation Officers and Grant Co-ordinators complaining about
the lack of satisfactory outcomes and reminding us we were well behind
schedule-------as if we needed reminding!!!
Norma Kajelman, as the Host Partner Leader, bore the brunt of the
pressure from Rotary Foundation and the frustration with the Provincial
Government. In her own words “You have to be Argentinian to live in
(cope with?!) Argentina! But San Juan now has
“Rotary Books”, an interactive library which is a most valuable asset to
the City and a worthy memorial to “The Segovias”.
“All’s well that ends well”.
Donald Mackenzie
Rotary Club of Mansfield
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