International Service

As its name implies, Rotary International is an international service organization, and international service is a major emphasis area. RI has taken on the tasks of promoting world peace, eliminating the scourge of polio, promoting international understanding, and other global initiatives. West Olympia Rotary is working to support those initiatives on a smaller scale. Members make annual donations to the Rotary Foundation that supports the efforts to eradicate polio. We partner with other local Rotary clubs in supporting the Cool Jazz, Clean Water Project. This project collects funding that is sent to Malawi to create clean water projects that build wells for people that improve their health and living standards. Incidentally, this project also provides funding to purchase music instruments for local families in need. We also are participating in a project that provides educational opportunities for kids in Tanzania. Working with other rotary clubs, we support Africa Bridge in its efforts educate kids and help their families become economically independent. Lastly, but most enjoyably, we participate in Rotary’s Youth Exchange Program. This program allows us to sponsor kids from Capital High School that get a once in a lifetime opportunity to spend a year in a foreign country. At the same time, we host an exchange student from another country for a year in Olympia. This year we have with us a student from Peru, and next year we will be sending three students from Capital High School to Norway, Thailand, and ___?____. The following are some examples of projects supported through our International Services program.

• Exchange Students
• Rotary Foundation - including Group Study Exchange
• Clean Water/Cool Jazz Festival - Malawi water projects
  Africa Bridge - Tanzania
  Shelter boxes