Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary

FundaField – Changing The World One Soccer Field At A Time!

Jim Walberg met two remarkable high school students last week, making a difference in the world – $1 at a time.

At my Rotary Club  last week, we had Garrett Weiss and Kyle Weiss has our presenters.  These are two high school young men that were inspired to make a difference in this world because of attending the World Cup  games several years ago.  The most impressive soccer game they watched at the World Cup include an African team with almost no support and from a war torn country.  They sat next to the small enthusiastic group of cheering fans and had the chance to speak with them about their country.  They were shocked at the conditions in the country and how difficult it was to participate in the game of soccer that Garrett and Kyle love so much, because of having almost NO soccer fields.

Garrett and Kyle  were so moved by their experience that they decided to see if they could raise some money and help in a small way with supporting soccer in Africa.  The never dreamed they would end up creating a movement that is now building soccer fields all over Africa…FundaField  was born!

With the 2010 Football World Cup  coming up in South Africa, 75% of children in South Africa are surviving on less than $2 per day, have little or no access to sporting facilities, and are exposed to greater risk of violence, drug abuse and early pregnancy. FUNDaFIELD understands that sports can be a vital tool for the development of children in South Africa, improving overall health and physical development, improving mental abilities, developing social skills and interactions all while providing for the child to have fun and challenge themselves in the sporting arena.

The facts Garrett and Kyle have discovered about Africa were absolutely shocking to them.

• Twenty percent of Africa’s children die before the age of five. Africa has the highest infant mortality rate in the world:
• 118 African babies out of every 1,000 born alive die before their first birthday.
• One African in three is malnourished.
• More than 50 percent of Africans suffer from water-related diseases such as cholera and infant diarrhea.
• More than 40 percent of Africans do not have the ability to obtain sufficient food on a day-to-day basis.
• Nearly two million African adults and children died from AIDS in 2005. Nine out of 10 children living with HIV/AIDS are African. More than 12 million African children have lost one or both parents to AIDS. HIV/AIDS has created more than 14 million orphans – 92 percent of them live in Africa.

In magazines and on billboards, you have seen little picture squares that are used to create one BIG picture.   Their concept is the same with their fundraising efforts.  Their little squares cost $1 each, and they put your initials in that square.  When all of the little squares are sold – 100,000 of them, they will spell out, FundaField, and they will have reached their commitment of raising $100,000.  They are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization so all of the squares you purchase are tax deductible.  Contact me if you would like more information about how to assist with this amazing project.  Until next time…

Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary

Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary & Jim Walberg Welcomes Kirk Bailey As New Member!

The Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary Club has been a key supporter of community service in the East Bay for almost 20 years!

Rotary International is a worldwide community service organization that addresses both local and international community service needs. The Danville/Sycamore Rotary Club was chartered in April of 1989. Today it has a membership of about 55 business and professional people who have a keen interest in Service Above Self as a personal value statement. Over the past years, Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary has raised over $500,000 in funds in order to give back to local and international service projects – from providing dictionaries to all of the third graders in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, to delivering hundreds of wheelchairs to non-walkers in Mexico with the Wheelchair Foundation headquartered in Blackhawk. It has won the Community Service Award several times from The Town Of Danville.

Service Above Self is a “virus” that is caught because of the modeling of parents and friends during a person’s life time. Jim Walberg caught this virus from his parents who were constantly involved in local and worldwide service projects as long as he can remember. Kirk Bailey is also one of those people who caught the “virus” at a young age. His roots are in Northern Nevada, but he grew up in Walnut Creek. After his college studies, Kirk moved to Tahoe and started a real estate publishing company in the Reno/Tahoe area. That launched a very successful career in the publishing business. He was a member of the Reno Rotary Club because of wanting to give back to those less fortunate. What he didn’t know when he joined the Reno Rotary Club was his grandfather was a former president of the club. His dad is also a long time Rotarian, and Kirk continues the tradition of Service Above Self.

Kirk moved back to the East Bay several months ago to launch a new and innovative real estate magazine that will be delivered to the homes in Alamo, Diablo, Danville, Blackhawk and San Ramon in just a few weeks. Since he arrived back he has been checking out local Rotary Clubs in which to continue his community service. Yesterday, May 13th, the Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary Club inducted Kirk as their newest member. Jim Walberg was his sponsor and Jim’s real estate company is already one of the charter members of Kirk’s new real estate publication, HomeFolio.

Kirk not only has been a member of Rotary for several years, he has walked the talk of service by participating in Rotary International’s Polio Plus program that has vaccinated the children of the world since 1985 against polio. As of today over 99% of polio cases have been eliminated from the world because of their commitment to this project. Two years ago, Kirk traveled to Africa to participate in one of the inoculation projects, which profoundly changed his life and intensified his commitment to Service Above Self. The Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary Club is honored to welcome Kirk to their club and looks forward to his contribution to improving the quality of life within our East Bay community and the world.

If you would like more information about Rotary and how you may get involved in this important group of professionals who are giving back to their communities in significant ways, please contact Jim Walberg and he will provide information for you. Congratulations, Kirk!

Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary

East Bay Real Estate Agents Support Community Service – All The Time!

The 18^th Annual Blackhawk Film Festival is May 15^th!  Don’t miss it!

For the last 18 years the Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary Club has hosted the Blackhawk Food, Wine, & Film Festival at the Blackhawk Car Museum. This is THE social event of the year that has raised over $500,000 to support the needs of East Bay community service needs. And, Realtor, Jim Walberg, plus many other Realtors have supported this important event. The format is elegant, from walking up the steps to the Blackhawk Car Museum to entering the front door and stepping into a gourmet lovers delight.  There are only 900 tickets available each year, and it is always a sellout!  The donation for an entry pass is $50 this year and it is THE bargain for these types of East Bay social events.

The event always has a movie theme and this year it is Marilyn Monroe!  So, you will be watching some of the classic Monroe movies ever made. Before the movies begin there is a two+ hour food and wine reception in the Blackhawk Car Museum. Not only will you be previewing one of the most extensive classic car collection in the world, but there will be 30+ East Bay restaurants, plus over 25 wineries from Northern California pouring their best wines – such as Bodegas Aguirre Winery from Livermore Valley.  It is a time for the culinary and wine communities to show off their “stuff”…and they have dazzled the guests each of the past 18 years.

Rotary International focuses on serving the needs of local communities and the world. They took on the project of eliminating polio in the world in 1985 and completed this daunting project by 2007! Each of the local Rotary Clubs focus on their local community service needs and the Danville/Sycamore Rotary Club has done such an outstanding job that they received the community service award from The Town Of Danville for several years since they were chartered in 1989.

At last year’s Blackhawk Food, Wine & Film Festival this Rotary club raised $80,000 to support local East Bay community projects.  They expect to exceed this amount at their 2008 event on May 15^th.  They also feature local school entertainment groups. The last several years the San Ramon High School Jazz Band wowed all the guests. Besides the food, wine and entertainment, the Festival has a live auction, silent auctions, and raffle opportunities throughout the evening. These items range from charter sailing vacations, cases of premium wines, dining opportunities at your favorite restaurants in the East Bay, JEWELRY, and much more!

The event is always looking for corporate sponsors, businesses who want to feature their products, and restaurants and wineries.  This is a “must” event for 2008!  It is an unforgettable night of entertainment, gourmet moments, dazzling wines, auction opportunities, and non-stop fun.  For more information contact me and I will send you information as to how you can be a part of this unforgettable night as a guest or as a sponsor.  Stay tuned…I will keep you updated as to more specific details of this event in the next month.