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MENSAR/WHAR 3/24-25/2000 MEETING

I want to thank the 35 attendees representing 20 organizations who attended last weekends WHAR meeting in Santa Barbara. There were 14 members who could not attend or we would have been overflowing. To those of you that did not make the meeting, we hope you can work it into your schedule next time. I know the many pressing needs for our services on the part of several NGOs kept them away, especially the Mozambique problems.

It was wonderful to see and feel the energy in that room. I never felt there were any "turf or eqo" issues and that was special. We were truly all there to share our many resources of time, talents, and contacts for the betterment of mankind in need. It made me very proud to be a Rotarian and I guess it impressed the NGOs also for several of them asked for information on how to become Rotarians. Jim Johannsen has edited the video and will make it available for those of you that want one. You may hear directly from him.

Many thanks again to Max Goff, and Dan Smith of Direct Relief International for being such gracious Hosts and to Jim Johannsen for planning all the logistics from the Rotary perspective in Santa Barbara. It made me feel very small and proud when several commented that this was the best Rotary meeting they had attended in 30+ years in Rotary.

What more can I say---Thank all of you for your parts in making it happen. Now go out and find others who are doing likewise.....Jack
PS.Then send me their Email address and I will continue to add them to our Data Base of Alliance members.

-----Original Message----- Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2000 Subject: Meeting of MESNAR, soon to become WHAR, (Worldwide Humanitarian Alliance with Rotarians)

The second meeting of MESNAR (Medical Equipment and Supplies Network Alliance of Rotary) was held in Santa Barbara, CA on March 24th and 25th, 2000. The meeting was hosted by Direct Relief International in their headquarters and that was a real treat to meet them and tour their facility, 36,000 square feet of offices and warehouse. The meeting was attended by 35 people (as opposed to 6 last year) representing 20 organizations of which 4 were NGOs.

The purpose of this unique alliance between Rotarian and Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) based only in the USA and Canada, was to familiarize each other of what we do, what aid do we ship and to what countries do we serve. It was the feeling that more Humanitarian Aid (HA)could be shipped successfully and safely to our existing clients if we knew the strengths and weaknesses of each other and in more cases worked together in the delivery of HA to third world countries. There are no dues to be a member of WHAR, just a continuing effort to ship HA overseas and the desire to network with other Rotary and NGO organizations and share our inventory, contacts, and experiences.

We would like to facilitate other groups desiring to make their first shipment in order to help them have a successful first experience. Since HA could be medical, food, clothing, water wells, fire trucks, ambulances, etc. the name MESNAR no longer defined what we are about and it was suggested that the name should be something like WHAR (Worldwide Humanitarian Alliance with Rotarians). Since we are concentrating only on HA supplying organizations based in the USA and Canada, we may be called WHAR-USA/CA and a similar organization started up in Great Britain may become WHAR-GB. The name is flexible enough to cover all kinds of HA, as well as cover the geographical location of the shipping organizations. The NGOs wanted the name of Rotary or Rotarians in the name because it would be accepted in the third world countries easier.

Before the meeting, I had compiled a form for attendees to fill out, sent it to all invited, and gotten 30 organizations to send it back. This 14 page Excel spreadsheet became a handout at the meeting. Fourteen of the thirty on the form could not attend, but want to be in WHAR. We suspect that there are at least 100 and maybe as many as 150 viable HA shippers in the US and Canada who could and should be in the Alliance. My efforts this year will be to continue to track down leads and get more information out to those who wish to align themselves with us. Billy Teninty, of International Aid in Spring Lake, MI, offered to host next years meeting, hopefully in April of 2001. For what they do look them up at www.internationalaid.org.

It was very interesting to see the NGOs talking together and sharing ideas and trading business cards. Some did not know of each other and others had worked with each other for several years. By the end of the 1 1/2 days several of the NGOs inquired about the process to become a Rotarian and we just happened to have some information on the subject. I suspect 3 to 5 new Rotarians will result from attendance at this meeting. Jim Johannsen, RC of Santa Barbara North, and member of the WCS Resource Network, was our co-host with DRI and planned the meeting. Jim did a great job and he and I are certainly glad this meeting is over. You never know how others feel about your baby, but no one called our baby ugly!!!

Everyone was very complimentary of the content and the quality of the attendees. I am now very relieved and ready for a few hours rest but will be networking again tomorrow for our gathering next year. Jim had the meeting video taped rather than take notes and DRI volunteered to edit the tape. We will make copies to all who want this 8 hour monster and may charge 5 or 6 dollars to cover the cost of mailing and duplicating expense. We were pleased to have Steve Brown, the WCS Resource Task Force Chairman for President Devlyn's Rotary year in attendance. Susan Schneider of the Rotary International WCS Support Section was also in attendance. That is enough for now..... Jack Maxwell Founder of MESNAR/WHAR

 

Mini Rotaplast Conference

 

There will be a mini Rotaplast conference in Buenos Aires at the Golf Tower Hotel before the big RI Convention, with a celebratory dinner on Thursday evening June 1 at the cost of $45 per person. We will be hosting the conference at the same place on Friday, June 2.

It will be a chance for our South American Counterparts to meet with representatives from the United States. Registration for the Conference is $50 per person and includes the morning and afternoon sessions with refreshments in the morning and afternoon. There will be a luncheon on Friday as well at the cost of $45.

We welcome any and all people interested in Rotaplast, which as you know sends teams of medical and Rotary volunteers to Central and South America (we are planning to expand to the Asian Continent soon) to perform free reconstructive cleft lip and palate surgery on indigent children.

We will also have a booth at the RI Convention in the World Community Service Section. Contact Anita Stangl, Executive Director Rotaplast International.