The Rotary Club of Minden will serve as the International Club Sponsor, partnering with the Rotary Club of Totoras, Argentina, to establish an ophthalmology clinic in Totoras, Argentina. The clinic will serve low-income patients who do not have the means to pay for treatment or access to insurance. The Rotary Clubs of Ogallala, Nebraska and Atwood, Kansas are also partnering in the humanitarian project to help fund much-needed special equipment for the clinic. The $33,741 Rotary Global Grant project is funded through Rotarian contributions made globally to the Rotary Foundation. All Rotary Global Grants are designed to be sustainable within the community once the project is completed.

The grant will enable the local hospital, which already has an ophthalmologist on staff, to purchase necessary equipment for the prevention, detection and treatment of three prevalent eye diseases: diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and hypertensive retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy, along with diagnosed diabetes, has doubled in the past ten years and is the main cause of blindness in young adults in the region.

“We are so pleased and proud to be a part of this project,” said Marse McCann-Carpenter, past president of the Rotary Club of Minden. “Early detection is literally the difference between sight and blindness.”

In addition to the ophthalmology clinic project the Rotary Club of Minden has served the local community and participated in global efforts for nearly 100 years. “This past year our club raised and donated over $3000 to Rotary International to be used toward worldwide eradication of polio and clean water projects”, said McCann-Carpenter. “ Locally we sponsored students to Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) camp, awarded two scholarships to graduating high school seniors, provided dictionaries to all 3rd graders in Kearney County, presented a $100 award to an outstanding 4-H club participant, provided a grant to local boy scouts to label trees at Pioneer Village, served pancake breakfasts and root beer floats at local events, sponsored foreign youth exchange students and started our holiday flag project which will raise funds to purchase a flag and flag pole in Chautauqua Park, and so much more.”

With all of this activity it is no surprise that the Rotary Club of Minden, unlike many service organizations, is growing rapidly. “It’s not all about projects,” said Luke Poore, current club president. “Rotary was founded as a fellowship organization, a place in which life-long friendships are forged. We think that is an equally important aspect of our club.”

The Rotary Club of Minden meets at noon on the second and fourth Thursday of every month at the Minden Opera House. Meetings feature engaging speakers and visitors are welcome. Visit mindenrotary.com for more information about the Rotary Club of Minden or to contact the club about membership or to attend a meeting.

Pictured: Members of 3 Nebraska Rotary Clubs meet with members of the Rotary Club of Tortoras, Argentina: Past District Governor Dale Schultz: Hastings Sunrise Club ( sitting, first row center), Steve Brodine, Kearney Dawn Club (standing back row, 4th from left) and Past District Governor Don Peterson, Minden Club, (standing back row, 3rd from right).

CONTACT: Bennett Johnson, bg@fearless1.com