Visiting Rotarians to host public info meeting

SENECA FALLS – In Honduras, the water is so toxic that if children regularly brush their teeth, they could die.Waterborne illnesses plague women and children throughout the world. Unsafe water causes 4 billion cases of diarrhea each year, and results in 2.2 million deaths, mostly children under 5 years old. That’s one child every 14 seconds. If adults are added to that statistic, the number rises to 8,000 per day. according to the World Health Organization. And Rotarians are coming to the rescue.“Our vision is to set up a distribution center in Ghana that would provide Hydraid Biosand Water Filters to families, along with education and training,” said Seneca Falls Rotarian Jerry Graziano. That’s why the club is hosting a visit by Jim and Sue Bodenner of Michigan and Don and Liz Stewart of Ontario Canada, to Seneca Falls this weekend. There will be a public information meeting at noon on Saturday at the Finger Lakes Christian Fellowship, 83 Auburn Road. In addition, there will be a “meet and greet” reception at 5 to 6:15 p.m. Saturday at Zuzu’s Café, Fall Street to allow people to learn more about this vital project. The public is invited.The Rotarians’ work was featured in the August 2009 “Rotarian” magazine. Jim Bodenner is the executive director of the Safe Water Team, Inc., a non-profit organization committed to providing access to safe drinking water through the formation of innovative partnerships with organizations such as Amway, Dow, Cascade Engineering and Litehouse Foods. SWT has a unique collaboration with the United States Navy and Project Handclasp.SWT is promoting access to HydrAid BioSand Water filters through the creation of a network of HydrAid distributors. Their advocacy of the technology is playing an important role in mobilizing use of the filters as part of a humanitarian aid effort in countries such as Haiti.The Bodenners are member of the Rotary District 6290 World Community Service Committee and the Rockford Rotary Club. Jim Bodenner is Vice Chair of the Rotarian Water and Sanitation Action Group. Sue Bodenner is the president-elect of the Rockford Rotary Club.For more information, contact Jerry Graziano, psfgraz@gmail.com. Tel. 315-651-0260/