Academy Square and a New Hotel

Mayor Dennis Fife spoke to the club today about the progress on the Academy Square and Hampton Inn hotel project.  He reviewed the process and the milestones that have been taken since the city purchased the building. As well as the remaining hurdles needed to cross to finish up the project, including a couple of pieces of property needed to complete the "square" that are still "in negotiations".

Mayor Fife also explained more detail of the no interest loan that is being made available, explaining that the funds aren't from the City, but from the USDA and funneled through the city.  City's smaller than 25000 residents qualify for, and are receiving these funds for economic development.

Currently, Hampton Inn is looking to break ground as soon as August and hopes to be a functional hotel by May of next year. And an "as yet unnamed" restaurant is looking at building as part of the project. The ultimate goal is a central focal point to Brigham City that could help with downtown revitalization.

From the City's website, an artists conception of the Academy building is viewable here:

http://brighamcity.utah.gov/academy-square-project.htm



Brigham City Rotary Shirts

Help show your support for the club by purchasing a club shirt.  They will look great during Peach Days, Conferences, and other functions to showcase our club.  We're hoping to have the order ready within a week or so.  If you haven't got your order in yet, don't hesitate and get it done.

Ecuador Bathroom Project

Here is some information on a project that our club helped on a couple of years ago and are happy to be helping with again this year. 

International Project in Ecuador                                November 31, 2012

            This is general information for clubs which have made a commitment or have shown interest in the Ecuador School Bathrooms project. 

                  Last year our Murray Rotary Club along with about 11 other clubs took on a major project in Equador and Columbia to provide restrooms for 48 village schools that had extremely poor restrooms or no real restroom  This all started when global grants were  introduced  to do large projects  but were limited to pilot districts.  100 districts were chosen  from all over the world.   To qualify, a pilot district here had to work with a pilot district in the project area and had to raise the first $10,000 toward the project.  Then matching grants from the district and Rotary International  would be added when the application was approved. Thus, typically this would increase the total to over $50,000.  Then if  corporate sponsors were found to match the Rotary fund,  the total amount could  go over $100,000. Each restroom building with fixtures along with clean water,  education, drain field, etc. costs about $4,500.

                  None of the pilot districts were located in Mexico but districts in Equador and Columbia were.  The districts in those countries had been providing restrooms for some village schools but at a very slow pace.  So the idea was raised that if their districts and our district got together  using a global grant that many restrooms could be provided each year.  Jerry Summerhays and Fred Berthrong visited districts in those 2 countries in late 2009 to investigate the starting of a global grant.   So 3 global grants were applied for;  one for Columbia with the Sugarhouse Club ; one for Equador with the Logan Club;  and one for  educational requirements for both  countries with the Murray Club.   That project has been ongoing since last year and is nearly completed.  Jerry and Cherie Summerhays  visited  both countries in mid November  to see how the project is finishing.  The leaders from the districts there have been overseeing the project and doing a great job.  29 village schools in Equador now have, or shortly will have, restrooms with clean water and people who have been trained to maintain them.

  They are so pleased with the results that they have asked us to do this project again.  Since all of the educational materials are already available, that part will be included in the next 2 global grants.  The Sugarhouse Club will oversee Columbia and the Murray Club will oversee Equador  while the Logan Club is moving back to a project in Peru.

So to start the new project, we need to raise $10,000 by July 1, 2013 but must have commitments soon as several months are needed to apply for and have a global grant approved.  Our club will commit to $3,000.   We are asking any club that does not have an international project to join with us by helping to raise the $7,000 balance.  This project then becomes their project and their members would be welcome to visit Equador  next  fall when the work gets started.  Another visit is likely in 2014.  Our district has already set aside $11,000 for this project.

Money for this project can be taken from this year’s budget or next year’s budget but the commitment  to be part of this project needs to be soon so that we have time to get the global grant and interest corporate sponsors in helping.  Thanks for your commitment or interest. 

Our newest member Doug Langford

A warm welcome to our newest member Doug Langford.  We look forward to having new members and what they can bring to the club as well as what the club can offer them.  As always, we are looking for new members, so if know of somebody please invite them to our weekly meetings.

Dist. Governor Summerhays

A special thanks to Dist. Governor Summerhays for visiting our club this week.  It's always great to hear what's going on in the Dist. and also internationally.  He has such great insight on what we can do to make a greater impact in the world.  It's such a privilege to be part of such a great organization.

Peach Days

Thanks to all who made Peach Days a success. Pictures to come soon.

Welcome to Brigham City

After a couple years of hard work and waiting. It's finally done. It's a great addition to a great city. Special thanks to Jim Moore, Larry Boyer, and all the others who have helped with this project.