Rotary clubs will help Russian orphans

Rotary clubs on Maui had hosted a presentation of the OrphanAct project that helps Russian orphans and orphanages.

Rotary Club Kihei-Wailea, one of eight active Maui clubs, has become the official project's sponsor. Its members Stephen Moksnes and Kirill Bogouslavski both thought about helping needy children for a long time. The two decided to combine their efforts and create OrphanAct.

Russian clubs will identify local projects to benefit children. These projects will involve different levels of financial commitments and have various purposes such as health care, education, clothing, or facility improvement. The projects will be presented through an existing Internet site with assistance of some volunteers.

"For a few years now, I have been able to help Vladivostok orphanages, - says Kirill Bogouslavski.-That is my hometown, and at some point in my life, I realized that can actually help the needy there. I have then created the Ascent Russian Orphan Aid Foundation to help Russian orphans."

"Everything I did was reflected on our site: pictures of children, all paperwork, including money transfers, letters by sponsors and orphanage officials. The idea of effectively using the Internet's advantages became the cornerstone of the Rotary project,"- adds Bogouslavski.

It was decided to begin with the Russian Far East, which belongs to the Rotary District 5010, together with Alaska and Northwest Canada . The district has 35 Rotary clubs.

The first project involving Rotary club Kihei-Wailea was organized in the eve of 2005. Over two hundred kids from Vladivostok orphanages received gifts of warm sweaters hand-knitted by regular Americans. For some of these children, it was a first personal property item in their lives.

According to Kirill it is very important not to be indifferent: help with something small if you cannot afford a big project. He, for example, organized a series of popular Salsa dance fundraisers giving all raised funds to help Russian orphans.

A jubilee with new projects

It just so happens that this is the year of Rotary's centennial celebration. In June of this year, thousands of Rotarians from different countries will participate in the special Congress in Chicago , where the first Rotary club was established in 1905.

Yet the centennial year should first be remembered by new projects and initiatives, such as the "OrphanAct." At least, its organizers in Maui do hope so.

"There are two ways for a Rotary club to find an international project,- says Stephen Moksnes .- One is to select a project from text messages listed on the Rotary International website. The other way is to choose one of the high visibility international projects such as The Wheel Chair Foundation or Rotaplast. These organizations skillfully market to Rotary Clubs.

"The goal of the "OrphanAct" is to give ordinary Rotary clubs in Eastern Russia the "marketing firepower" to compete for the attention of Rotary clubs in the U.S. We hope that personal contacts developed through collaboration between Rotary clubs and Districts in the U.S. and Russia will be helpful,"-noted Stephen Moksnes.

According to Nikolay Nikolaychuk, a Seattle-based Rotarian, the new project that was conceived on the far-away Hawaiian island and aims at helping Russian Far East orphans is likely to find support among clubs in Alaska and the American Northwest. Let's remember, these regions have established historical and economic ties with the Russian Far East.