In the rural communities surrounding San Miguel, open defecation is widely practiced simply because there are no alternatives. Merely building toilets is not necessarily the answer to the problems caused by open defecation as, more often than not, the facilities fall into disuse and disrepair. This is an issue that Rotarians have faced in worldwide as they have tried to address the lack of sanitation.

Our Dry Composting Toilet Project has helped provide hundreds of families with better facilities.

On Monday, September 25, 2023, SMA Rotarians visited several communities in Charco Araujo to celebrate the completion of a new sanitario ecologica seco (dry composting toilet) on September 25th.

“These women are excellent workers!” declared Abel Sauste, CEDESA technician.

“In no time, they can mix cement, lay bricks—anything we need to build toilets and cisterns.”

​The women said, “We didn’t hire someone, we did it ourselves.”.

SMA Rotarians joined several communities in Charco Araujo to celebrate the completion of a new sanitario ecologica seco (dry composting toilet).

​They gaily decorated, stout little building just outside a family’s house is more than a toilet—it is a fortress against danger and disease that changes lives.

The women talked to us about the new toilet:

• “We didn’t know how, but we learned and we did it.”
• “I see my house differently now that we have a bathroom.”
• “Now it’s safe at night to use this bathroom instead of going somewhere outside.”
• “It is completely odor-free!”

Please add your comments below.

"All we are saying, is give peace a chance" 

Never has our world needed peace more, so on International Peace Day, Thursday, September 21, San Miguel's three Rotary Clubs hosted a peace event at the Peace Pole in Parque Juarez.  Presenters included members of the San Miguel Municipality, the US Consul's Office and the three local Rotary Clubs.

Greg Estavane of Mid-Day Rotary and Xochitl Zumaya Mejia of the Spanish-speaking Rotary Club and Rotaract used this occasion to bring together Sanmiguelenses to celebrate our day of peace.

Alicia Mayo, Otomi shaman, blessed the event.

Fred Collins introduced speakers and sponsors of the event. Speakers emphasized how they and their organizations support world peace as expressed by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres:

"Peace is needed today more than ever. War and conflict are unleashing devastation, poverty, and hunger, and driving tens of millions of people from their homes. Climate chaos is all around. And even peaceful countries are gripped by gaping inequalities and political polarization."

• Luis Miguel Garcia, SMA municipal director for prevention of delinquency
• Jesus Mercadillo and son, SMA Firemen
• Lety Fernandez, CEO of SMA Red Cross
• Representatives from Jovenes Adelante
• Paulina Gallardo, SMA Councilwoman
• Erika Montes, U.S. Consular Agent
• Jose Marcos Gonzalez Gomez, Rotary 4140 District Assistant Governor
• Jose Luis Mendoza, Weekly Magazine author

Future peacemakers, 46 children from the Escuela Primaria Nigromante listened attentively and presented art work and letters that will be preserved in the time capsule in the Peace Pole.

​Final blessings, Dan Lessner, Lay Leader of Kahilla Shalom SMA, JC3/CHESMA la comunidad Hebrew SMA.

By Eddie Colbeth

​​On Saturday, September 9th, Carla Cardena led 9 Rotarians and friends on an adventure to the campo to inaugurate 13 cisterns from the communities of La Niveña, El Rufigio, and Cerro Blanco. There were more than 50 folks from 4 generations of the communities in attendance. We were greeted by smiling faces, and everyone had gone beyond expectations with decorations and hospitality. There was a wall of photos, balloons, streamers, and knitted gifts. Our hosts set up large shade structures, tables, and chairs.
​
The cistern building teams did presentations, a poetry reading, and a line dance! The builders all received diplomas from our partner, CEDESA. The teams created knitted gifts, from miniatures to pots of flowers and needlepoint. The quality and quantity of food they prepared with love, warmed our hearts. The gratitude that these communities expressed was overwhelming. For many builders, it was their first time speaking in public. Now, these folks have fresh, safe water for generations to come, and they’ve learned the power of communities working together. It’s humbling to watch Rotary in action!

by Jill Noack
 
Back in July, I volunteered at the Wheelchair project that Club Rotario sponsored, and it was truly an amazing experience!
 
From the moment that I arrived at the event site, I knew that what we were about to do would forever change the lives of the children that we were going to help.
 
Just the sight of all of those wheelchair chariots awaiting their new little owners made me tear up, yet also filled me with joy!
 
And then, the children began to arrive - little ones, older ones, happy ones, crying ones, curious ones, ones who were carried on their parents’ backs because they had no other means of transportation.
 
I had the privilege of handing each child a stuffed animal to play with while they were awaiting their turns. For me, it felt like Christmas and Three Kings’ Day all rolled into one and, I was the lucky one, who got to play Santa!
 
I’ll never forget one little guy who tore his ball cap off, whooped loudly, and started wheeling, himself around the basketball court. It looked like a moment of sheer joy for him to finally feel that he had gained some independence in his life.  And, what a privilege, to have witnessed his life-changing triumph that day!
 
That one event sealed the deal for me that it was the right decision to become a Rotarian again.

The three San Miguel de Allende Rotary and Rotaract Clubs were honored to host the District 4140 breakfast this past Saturday. About 170 Rotarians and Rotaract members were present to hear talks that focused on community projects, how projects are funded and monitored by Rotary International and growing membership. 

There was also an opportunity for clubs to showcase their ongoing projects that are having a positive impact in the community. Our Midday club showcased the school for deaf students (EESMA), the water projects (cisterns and dry composting toilets), and the Girls Empowerment project. At the end of the meeting the Girls Empowerment Project was recognized by the District and awarded a certificate along with a prize of 5,000 MXN.

Please leave your comments below! 

by Robin Loving

​We have all stepped up and down from various responsibilities in our lives, but seldom with as much fun as we all had at our Step-Up/Step-Down party in gratitude for Lee Carter’s most recent presidency and Joe Ruffino’s current presidency.
 
Lee set the tone by giving Joe a tiny wooden gavel, saying with what we all knew was a little exaggeration, “This is all you’ll need to govern this year, for your team will handle the rest!”
 
Joe’s outstanding team includes an indefatigable vice president of Community Service, Andrea Spessard; the most well-connected person anyone knows in San Miguel, Vice President of Club Services Ron Lenox; six-year treasury veteran Treasurer Melody Smith; well proven Vice President of Membership Peter Fay; detail-loving Secretary Eddie Colbeth; Sergeant-at-Arms Robin Loving; and the host of the party, President-Elect Dorothy Wallstein.

“Great food, fun and fellowship,” said President Joe. “I believe there isn't anything this Club isn't capable of. The love and dedication that the membership has for the
community and one another is amazing! It makes me proud and honored to belong,” he
concluded.

Watch for more opportunities to revel in Rotary coming up!

by Robin Loving

​San Miguel’s three Rotary Clubs gathered for three historic firsts in July: blood donations, installations of officers, and wheelchair distribution to children.
 
Under the leadership of President Joe Ruffino from the English-speaking club, President Miguel Rangel Lara from the Spanish-speaking club, and President Victoria Nolasco Olvera from the young-members’ club, Rotary District 4140 Governor Pepe Garcia Leon installed each club’s 2023-2024 officers.
 
“We are gathered together to Create Hope in the World,” said Garcia. “This year, we are focusing our work on creating hope to help the world heal from destructive conflicts and to help achieve lasting change,” he concluded.
 
The three clubs then joined to create hope through donating blood. Twenty-seven Rotarians and friends participated in what is intended to become a regular activity.
 
“We are thrilled that most of our donors were Mexicans since this has not been a tradition here in the past,” said Nolasco Olvera.
 
Finally, the three clubs came together to help build, adjust, and donate more than 200 wheelchairs to children who heretofore have had to depend on others for mobility. This project has long been a tradition of the Spanish-speaking club, and now is a larger project shared by the three clubs.
 
The children’s ages ranged from under 1 to 18 years old. Some were orphans. Many were transported by organizations, while families brought others. Their conditions included cerebral palsy, spinal bifida, scoliosis, and encephalitis, among others. Each wheelchair is adjustable to continue to suit the children as they grow.
 
The average cost of each wheelchair, some of which were new and some of which were refurbished, was $3,000 USD. Each family contributed $1,000 pesos toward the cost, and the Rotary clubs raised the rest.
 
The children live in eight cities in the region as well as many smaller communities. The children were identified by various media and a variety of local health organizations, including CRISMA, DIF, IMSS, Institucion Caises, ISSSTE, and Patronato Pro Ninos,
 
Other major partners included Hope Haven West of California and Mexico which provided the assembly technicians to customize each wheelchair for each child. Two of the technicians from Mexico came in their personal wheelchairs. All of these technicians travel globally to provide their expertise.
 
Additional collaborators included Bajio Go for transportation, CANIRAC for food, Keller Williams Realty for additional volunteers, San Miguel Shoes for publicity, UTSMA for location, as well as Cruz Roja, Design SMA, and the Municipality of San Miguel for additional support.
 
“Thanks to Jose de Anda, for bringing us together for the first time in our combined 81-year history for these three impactful events,” said Rangel-Lara. De Anda founded Rotaract and is its secretary. He also is the official liaison between that club and the other two. “QUOTE FROM JOSE,” said De Anda.

​Rotary is where neighbors, friends and problem-solvers share ideas, join leaders, and take action to create lasting change. For more information about Rotary, contact our President, Joe Ruffino Jr. at [email protected].

by Robin Loving

“We are here because we love the people, projects, and opportunities to improve the community’s sustainability,” said Joe Ruffino, Rotary Midday’s President for 2023-2024 when he took office July 4. “We create hope in the world, the rewards of which are immeasurable. We have been recognized globally as an outstanding club thanks to outgoing President Lee and others over our 18-year, legacy-making history, and we’re not stopping there,” he continued.
 
Joe went on to say that we will focus on organizational continuity and collaboration with both Rotaract’s younger members and the 'night club' of Spanish-speaking Rotarians who meet at another place and time each week. Meanwhile, we will continue focusing on outstanding meetings, projects, and international opportunities. One of those will be with an international partner that has success in turning around youth who might otherwise become incarcerated.

Passing of the gavel from Lee Carter to Joe Ruffino Jr.

About seven or eight years ago Rotarian Nate Fultz had an idea to start planting trees in public spaces around San Miguel de Allende. It was a cool little project, he would find a space that needed trees, like parks or public facilities. Then he would head to one of the local Viveros and negotiate a price for the trees, dirt, and compost. After that part was finished, he would rally Rotarians to come out and plant them. Doing something nice for the community and creating a good fellowship opportunity.

Unfortunately, 4 years ago Nate needed to return to The United States to care for his elderly Father. 

I took over the project for hm in 2019, and except for postponing the project during the Pandemic have been doing it ever since.

This year we planted 15 trees at the Control Canino facility (city dog pound) so the dogs and the volunteers that walk the dogs could have some shade to relax in. 

The remaining trees this year will be spread across several parks.

I really don’t know exactly how many trees the Midday rotary has planted, but my best guess is around One hundred and twenty give or take. 

We have done tree plantings in La Unidad Deportiva, The Alma Retirement Home, Control Canino, Parque Las Brisas, Parque enamorada, Parque Cochinita, Parque Loreto, and at least five or six others all around SMA. 

It cost approximately one thousand pesos to plant a decent tree, maybe three to four meters tall.

My estimate is that the generous Rotarians in San Miguel have spent nearly one hundred and twenty thousand pesos to help green San Miguel de Allende. 

Fred Collins
​Midday Rotary Past President