To accomplish this noble cause Mr. Jayantbhai Bhojawal [member of BCSS] helped to organize all needs at the place. The chief guest for this function was Dr. Vashudevbhai Jokhakar.

As a part of community service project our President had decided to visit Chankhal, center place in Ahwa & Dangs for the distribution of clothes, Mosquito Nets and Blankets to the really needy people. So, the team of four sincere and enthusiastic Rotarians - President-Siddharth Shah, Sergeant-at-arms Rtn. Mihir Shukla, International Director Rtn. Bankim Vashi and Rtn. Ankur Marfatia started for Ahwa - Dangs on 4th September 2004 afternoon hours.

"The Earth Matters" organization is trying to uplift the lifestyle of local Tribal People by providing them an opportunity for studying as well as earning opportunity from their Arts & Crafts.

Next day morning we all started separating the clothes age wise for Children, Men & Women.....and distributed Clothes, mosquitoes Net & Blankets to more than 200 needy local Tribal people and we all had satisfaction after seeing joy on their faces...! After that we went for Trekking in the jungle & enjoyed bathing under the water fall at Chankhal.

We started back on Sunday afternoon murmuring sweet memories of our stay, project and remembering all our Rotarian Friends all the way to whom we missed a lot over there....!

It’s our sincere suggestion that who loves nature must visit "EARTH MATTERS" & try to contribute to the movement of upliftment of local tribal people.....!

Last but not least we sincerely thank all our Club Rotarians who donated their clothes and other neccesary items for such a noble cause.

The next day they distributed fruits to the Parvatibai Lilabhai Leprosy Hospital - Both times about 20 students had visited the hospitals accompanied by the Principal Rtn Tasnim. The sisters of the hospital were very happy to see the caring attitude of the youngsters.

On 12th September, the Interact club had the installation ceremony. Collars were exchanged and the old President Chavi Singal handed over the reigns to the new President Harshraj Shroff. Our own PDG Prafullbhai acted as the installing officer. The Rotarians who graced the occasion were Youth Chairman - Rtn Amit Adhiya, Jt.Sec. - Rtn Amish Malji, Rtn Dr. Kuldip Desai and Rtn Harshidaben.

The 7th Secretary General of the United Nations – Kofi Annan once said “Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope. It is a tool for daily life in modern society. It is a bulwark against poverty, and a building block of development, an essential complement to investments in roads, dams, clinics and factories.”

R.I. Dist.3060 has set “Literacy Drive” as its goal for the month of July in RY 2007-08. Rotary Surat Riverside is also well aware about the need to boost literacy and had drafted a Plan of Action to freely distribute notebooks to the poor school children well ahead of its Installation on 14th July. 

TEAM 103 of RSR swung into action on Tuesday 17th July when 10 - 12 Rotarians along with a couple of Anns, Annets and an IYE student – LÉA DUCRÉ (France) went to the Panchayat School at Vesu village to bring smiles on the faces of its students. RC Surat Riverside has stood by this school in the past too and has donated many amenities like garden swings-slides, old clothes-toys and sporting-musical instruments besides frequently distributing books to the school inmates.

The Director of Community Services – PP Rtn Jugal Shinglot arranged 1500 notebooks covered with the Theme Logo - Rotary Shares and enthusiastic Riversiders distributed them among the 300 Primary children of the Vesu School with the help of its Principal Smt. Champaben and other teachers. The students of Std. 5, 6 & 7 were given 130 compass boxes with geometrical instruments. President Rtn. Sanjay Pandya in his personal capacity donated 500 notebooks for the Primary students as well as slates & kid chairs for the Nursery children. The total project cost of Rs. 15000 was gratifying ten times upon seeing the sparkling and delighted faces of the school children.

Rotary Surat Riverside set the ball rolling for community services in the very first week of its new year and its TEAM 103 is fully charged up to fulfill the Rotary motto of Service Above Self. It was very heart warming to see the presence of newly inducted members Rtn Garshil Lekhadia and Rtn Chirag Thakkar. After all there is a saying, “One hundred years from now, It will not matter What kind of car I drove, What kind of house I lived in, Or how much money I had in the bank, But the world may be a better place because I made a difference in a child's life”.

As for those members who missed the opportunity to see the joyous faces of these little angels, I would like to urge them to Share their Resources and contribute to the upliftment of the under-privileged.

When I was told about a visit to Dang, I was very enthusiastic as I am a nature lover. But as the day approached, I had few apprehensions. Firstly, being a new member, I thought, I may not be able to mingle with senior Rotarians and secondly I was worried about the facilities in the jungle. But now there was no escape and I reluctantly joined the group.

Believe me, it was a very joyous trip. Every minute detail was taken care of by our honourable president Rtn Pandya, first lady Ann Priti and not to forget PP Rtn Siddharth who co-ordinated the whole show. I got a chance to witness the mysteries of nature. Teacher by profession, I feel the city bred children got to learn a lot from their visit.

The whole caravan of 30-35 Riversiders riding a luxury bus and two private vehicles reached Bheskatri village in the district of Dang on the evening of 1st September. The Saturday evening was spent enjoying fellowship in the lapse of nature with a serene view of the river flowing placidly just a few meters down from our camp. We were partying, joking and chatting with each other till the wee hours and I forgot I was new to them. By the end of the evening I was ‘One of Them’.

Everybody woke up quite early in the morning (for a Sunday) and was ready to accomplish the purpose of our visit. Our troop reached a nearby village with all the materials (clothes, utensils etc.) generously donated by fellow Rotarians. It was a pity to see the deplorable condition of the villagers. The old had quivering limbs and poor eyesight for want of proper medical attention. The toddlers had no clothes or footwear to cover them. And the middle aged inmates were victims of alcoholic habits as a result of unemployment. Their homes didn’t have electricity and other necessary infrastructure. RSR had purchased and thoughtfully made 70-75 packets each having 2 blankets, 1 mosquito net, 3 pair slippers (man-woman-child),  3 to 4 pair clothes, 1 pack of candles and a few toiletries. These were given away to each family in the village. Moreover ample donations received in the form of used clothes were distributed to the children.  Even the annets  joined our endeavor and were  seen sharing sweets amongst the unprivileged kids. Another cheerful aspect of the whole affair was the presence and involvement of all 7 inbound IYE students in this community service. This project gave them a more meaningful insight of their exchange tour. Hats off to President Rtn. Sanjay, our community service director Rtn. Jugal and the true blue Team-103 who rendered their selfless services to the less fortunate with so much passion.

On our way back home, we stopped our bus each time spotting some stray villagers to give them blankets and clothes. Fellowship was still at its best en route back home when everybody jumped in the nearby waterfall to take home sweet memories of an expedition well executed. Indeed, the two days spent with  the  team  has geared me and my husband to be true Rotarians and our only reward was the Joy of Sharing.

Our club had long back decided to focus the activities of social service in one area. We had done many philanthropic projects in the past in the Vesu Gram Panchayat School and hence it was decided to divert as much assistance to this school as possible so as to uplift the learning atmosphere of the village children studying in this school.

District Governor Shri Ashok Panjwani had tied up with Rotary Club of Haarlem Spaarne of RID 1580 – Netherlands to come up with two District Simplified Grants one each for Literacy and Women Empowerment. All clubs of RID 3060 were given an opportunity to donate 20 school benches and a set of table-chair-blackboard with a ceiling fan in Rs.7500.

RSR did not waste the opportunity and took part in the Matching Grant no. 63617 to request the school equipment for one classroom of the Vesu School.

On the Sunday morning of 13th April 2008, Riversiders united in the august presence of DG Ashokbhai to witness the noble gesture of donation of the benches. Ashokbhai gave his valuable guidance on the auspicious occasion as President Sanjay Pandya put forward the school’s demand of another set of 20 benches to the first lady of the district - Meeraben.

Looking at the tremendous response to the Literacy project and further demand for more benches, DG Panjwani came up with another Matching Grant no. 67129 to acquire another 20 school benches for Rs. 11110. Rotary Surat Riverside did not think twice to grab the opportunity inspite that this Grant was not inclusive of teacher-table, chair, blackboard and fan.

Finally, we commemorated our charter day on 26th June 2008 with yet another community service as we donated 20 more benches for another classroom of the Vesu Gram Panchayat School in the morning. First lady Meeraben and DG Ashokbhai once again blessed the school with their presence as PDG Prafull Bhatt joined us in this Literacy Project.

The satisfaction of having brought smiles on the village children was quite evident on all the members, anns & annets. Still many more classrooms are without benches and much is required to be done for the betterment of the studying condition of the school and surely our club will stand by it just as it has done in the past.

District Governor Shri Ashok Panjwani had tied up with Rotary Club of Haarlem Spaarne of RID 1580 – Netherlands to come up with two District Simplified Grants one each for Literacy and Women Empowerment.

The Matching Grant No. 62932 meant to provide sewing machines to poor women so as to empower them to earn a decent living was launched. Most of the clubs of our District 3060 including our club participated in this wonderful program wherein we were supposed to identify 5 needy women from the community and 5 sewing machines would be made available to us at a subsidized rate of Rs.500 each. Accordingly, all members were intimated to search for deserving beneficiaries who could gain a proper source of income for their families with the use of such sewing machines.

Finally five such women: Sarita Lad, Padma Bhimrav, Manjula Rathod, Magala Mahajan and Asha Bichve were identified for the Women Empowerment Project.

On 1st April 2008, President Rtn Sanjay Pandya, Community Service Director Rtn Jugal Shinglot and AG Sanjay Gajiwala joined hands to donate the five sewing machines in our regular club meeting at Sarosh Bhacca Rotary Hall at Jeevanbharti School. A splendid example of Service Above Self.ab

Amidst the high tension of possible serial blasts and pouring rains, Riversiders were in good strength with annes & annets to distribute the raincoats to the students of Vesu Gram Panchayat School on the 29th July 2008.

School means Vesu Gram Panchyat School for us as far as community service projects are concerned. Even though it was a working day on 26th August 2008, good numbers of Rotarians were present on this day to witness a unique service project. President Ravi and his team 104 had made very good arrangements to execute this service project.

This has been a unique project that our club has been undertaking for quite some years now. Each year our Rotarians donate used clothes, utensils, toys and along with new outright purchases from club funds, we make several packets to serve individual families to be donated to tribal village inhabitants of Dang forest.