East Timor Achievements
Donated $28,000 worth of new and old linen for hospitals in East Timor.
Donation for eye operations $15,000 in East Timor
Teaching and training local eye surgeon and doctors
Presentation of a Training Computer to Vision Australia
Cost $2,000
At a thank you Dinner held at the Rules Club on 17 November 2011 for all those that made the Looking Ahead Activity Day so successful, the Rotary Club presented to Vision Australia a training Computer valued at $2,000. People who are blind or have low vision in the Riverina region are able to access services for support in maintaining their independence and quality of life, through Vision Australia’s Wagga office. Located in Trail St. Wagga, services cover many area of daily living such as vision assessment, reading, cooking, using appliances such as the telephone and telling the time.
Services offering advice and training in using computer-based adaptive technology previously needed to be accessed on an out-reach basis from Melbourne, Sydney or Canberra. Geographical distances and client demand resulted in long waiting periods.
The provision of a computer with a large screen monitor and loaded with adaptive software programmes will enable clients to be shown the advantages of such technology and be able to receive training in how to use them within Wagga. This computer will be available for clients to book to continue practising with support of a trained volunteer mentor between visits by the Adaptive Technology Trainer.
People who are blind or have low vision can now become familiar with the adaptive technology and be able to make fully informed decisions about what they purchase. They will be able to book a time with a mentor to help with their mastery of the software programmes. This would apply to clients of all ages, including children needing help with using a computer at school, students at TAFE or university, people using a computer in the workplace and adults using a computer at home for recreation and communication.
State Vision Camp at Narrabeen
Cost $1,200
Seven (7) students from Kooringal Public School – Vision support Team attended a State Vision Camp at Narrabeen from 2-6 September 2012.
Support 3 boys on a Cricket tour of Sri Lanka
Cost $2,000
Nilgiri's Restaurant hosted a fund raising dinner for 3 extremely talented boys needing financial assistance to go on a cricket tour with to Sri Lanka organized by Ash Squire and Jeff Warland who are the coaches at Activate Cricket Centre in Sydney. A team of 24 boys will play 5 games during a 10 day stay in July 2012 and will assist in their Cricket Development and overseas cricket experience.
Workshop for Vision Impaired, February 2013
Cost $2,000
The workshop was held at the Commercial Club on 19th February 2013 with the assistance of Vision Australia and was well attended by the Vision Impaired young people, all interested to hear what was available to them in the Job Seeking world. The Project received a District Grant to allow this project to proceed and feedback from the participants was very positive.
Looking Ahead Activity Day held at the Borambola Sport and Recreation Centre
Cost $4,000
Saturday, 22nd October, 2011 saw 12 families from 12 different towns in the Riverina Region converge on the Borambola Sport and Recreation Centre. These families all had at least one child with a Vision Impairment. The aim of the Activity Day, organised by members of the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga, in conjunction with staff members from Vision Australia and the Itinerant Support Vision Teachers from Wagga Wagga, was to set up an informal support network for these families.
Many of these families feel isolated in their own communities as they may be the only family with a Vision Impaired family member. Parents meeting other parents in the same situation and siblings discovering that they were not the only children in Australia with a Vision Impaired brother or sister came as a revelation to most of them.
The students were divided into groups and each child had a Rotarian or Teacher allocated for the day to be the carer / companion throughout the day’s activities such as low ropes, archery (with bells and balloons on the targets) and an alternative program for the Under 8’s.
The students and the adults bonded and supported each other in a most enjoyable way.
After a busy morning lunch was very welcome, then the parents and older students attended a Discussion Forum to listen to presentations from young adults who had been through school with a Vision Impairment and were now coping in the workforce. This Forum proved to be very popular with the parents of younger children and they now feel confident “Looking Ahead” into the future that their children will be able to cope with what life offers to them.
Meanwhile, the carers with the under eight year olds age group were enjoying themselves with traditional toys, colouring in, ball games, mini golf, playdough and balloon games as well as group activities using a giant parachute and the earth ball, both of which proved to be very popular.
To conclude the day the Catering Corps from the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga prepared a superb feast before all the travellers departed for home. President Barry Francis shared his musical talent with the group which created a wonderful, relaxing atmosphere at the end of a busy day.
Text to speech camera and software to a legally blind lady in Wagga Wagga
Cost $2,000
In April 2011, Dr Alok Sharma presented a Wagga resident Mrs Thara Pech a PEARL text to speech camera including Open Book and software upgrade valued at $2,000.
Thara was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa when she was 13 years old. Being legally blind the hardware (camera) and software will convert text to speech and will allow Thara to complete her tertiary education in the area of social work or serve as a hospital chaplain.
Thara became a Rotarian in 2013
Wagga Wagga Base Hospital, December 2010
Cost $5,400
President of the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga, Michelle Maddison presented 2 Stryker Surgistools valued at $5,400 to the Wagga Wagga Base Hospital Eye Theatre as the initial project of “Darkness to Light Riverina”.
Dr Alok Sharma said the operating stools will be utilized by 3 specialist Eye Surgeons and a Registrar at the Base Hospital while performing precision eye surgery and will be very beneficial for both doctor and patient.
The 2007 Camp
Alok has led by example and it is his enthusiasm that has generated the support of so many. So much so, that it happened again! In October 2007, Alok led a group of 15 Rotarians to perform another eye camp. Once again, Mr Ajoy Joshi and his wife donated the food and cooked for 300 people at a wonderful Indian Dinner that raised many funds for this project. The amazing work Mr Joshi has done for this project, and many others, prompted our Club to award him a Paul Harris Fellow on the night.
Once again, our Club is amazed at the generosity of the people in our Community who are suffering through the worst drought in 100 years. It is gratifying to know that this money will be spent on such a worthy project.
Dr Sharma has already started planning the eye camp in 2010.
President Dr Leone Harvey-Smith, District Governor 9700 John Egan, Rotarian Dr Alok Sharma congratulate Ajoy Joshi after the presentation of his PHF.
Once again, our Club is amazed at the generosity of the people in our Community who are suffering through the worst drought in 100 years. It is gratifying to know that this money will be spent on such a worthy project.
Back row: PP Phil Cross (Wagga), PP Will Blackwell (Wollundry), Rtn Ron Walter (Murrumbidgee), Paul Burch (volunteer).
Next row: Pres Neil Pinto (Wollundry), Merryl Cross (volunteer), PP Dr Leone Harvey-Smith (Wagga), AG Marilyn Walter (Sunrise), Jenny Gorrell (volunteer),
Rtn Graham Gorrell (Wagga), Helene Burch (volunteer).
Front: Nola Pinto (volunteer), Meena Sharma (volunteer), Varoon Sharma (volunteer), Rtn Dr Alok Sharma (Wagga)
Dr Sharma has already started planning the eye camp in 2010.
Dr Alok Sharma
From Darkness to Light Project in India
The concept of an Eye Camp in India was the dream of Dr Alok Sharma, an Ophthalmologist and a member of the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga.
Alok had the seed sown by a Sister in one of the Temples he worshiped at in India some 6 years ago when he returned to India to visit relatives. Having joined Rotary in 2003, Alok put his dream into reality and set about to raise funds to undertake some 200 cataract operations somewhere in India near his home town north of Delhi.
A phone call to Mr Rajiv Bhatia, Charter President and current Assistant District Governor of the Rotary Club of Yamuna Nagar – Riviera in District 3080 was music to Alok’s ears as Rajiv was most enthusiastic.
A very successful Indian Dinner was held at the Wagga Wagga Country Club in July 2005, where 173 people attended with guests including the Consul General for India based in Sydney.
The Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga was absolutely stunned when Sydney chef, Mr Ajoy Joshi and his wife Meera who own Nilgiri’s Restaurant in St Leonards, donated all the food, travelled to Wagga to cook the meal then donated 10 meals at his Sydney Restaurant and a further $1,000 from the sale of his Indian Cook Books. All together we believe their donation to the project exceeded $7,000.
This dinner was the catalyst for the support that followed. We have been amazed at the generosity of people, not only from Wagga Wagga but as far as Melbourne and Townsville. With cash donations, medical supplies and equipment the estimated donations were over $71,500 (INR2.36M).
Alok’s Dad personally distributed pamphlets to about 20 of the 150 villages visited in the Yamuna Nagar District in an Auto Rickshaw fitted with a loud speaker to advise these very poor people that an Eye Camp was being planned and fully funded. The Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga paid for the cost of the operation, medicine, glasses and food for each patient and their carer.
The Rotary Club of Yamuna Nagar – Riviera under their President, Dr Nikhil Srivastava co-ordinated their members to put all the planning for such a project into action. The team support was exceptional with a number of members taking a week off work and worked around the clock as operations continued on till after 3.00am each day.
Alok received fantastic family support from his wife, parents, sister, and father in law. The three day Eye Camp was held from 18 to 20 November 2005 at the Civil Hospital in Yamuna Nagar some 4 hours drive north of Delhi with the assistance of staff from the Eye Hospital at Rohtak.
I would ask Alok to present to you our project “from Darkness to Light” with a CD presentation of the three (3) day Eye Camp
THANK YOU ALOK:
The Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga is proud to be part of such a wonderful project that will restore vision to many blind people. The Camp was very successful with over 2,000 people turning up. In total some 1,100 people were checked out with 245 cataract operations undertaken, over 700 medicines dispensed and 230 sets of glasses issued.
The follow up Camp on 10 December 2005 was also very successful with no cases of infection found in any of the patients treated.
Alok has lead by example and it is his enthusiasm that has generated the support of so many. I congratulate Alok on a magnificent achievement and thank him and his family for making my trip to India so gratifying.
Please congratulate Alok for his outstanding work.
The 2005 Camp
The concept of an Eye Camp in India was a dream of Dr Alok Sharma, an Ophthalmologist and a member of the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga. Having joined Rotary in September 2003, Alok put his dream into reality and set about to raise funds to undertake some 200 cataract operations somewhere in India near his home town north of Delhi.
Alok proceeded to make a number of phone calls to India to find a Club that was prepared to assist him in a joint venture. A call to Mr Rajiv Bhatia, the Assistant District Governor of D3080 and Charter President of the Rotary Club of Yamuna Nagar – Riviera, that was formed in July 1999, was music to Alok’s ears, as Rajiv was most enthusiastic.
The Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga was absolutely stunned when Mr Ajoy Joshi, an Indian chef, and his wife Meera who own Nilgiri’s Restaurant in Sydney, donated all the food at no cost, travelled to Wagga to cook the meal then donated 10 meals at his Sydney Restaurant and a further $1,000 donation from the sale of his Indian cook books. In total their donation to the project exceeded $7,000. This dinner was the catalyst to the support that followed. We were amazed at the generosity of people from Wagga, Melbourne, Sydney and Townsville. With cash donations, medical supplies, equipment, freight and flights, the estimated donations were valued at over AU$71,500. No funds received for this project was spent on administration or the travel of Rotary Club members.
Dr Sharma’s father, who now lives in Delhi, liaised with the Rotary Club of Yamuna Nagar – Riviera and the Eye Hospital at Rohtak (north of Delhi) and appropriate officials to ensure the success of the project. Alok’s Dad personally distributed pamphlets to about 20 of the 150 villages visited in an auto rickshaw fitted with a loud speaker to advise these very poor people that an Eye Camp is being planned and fully funded by the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga who was providing for the cost of the operation, medicine, glasses and food for the patients and their carer.
PP Phil Cross with the auto rickshaw used to promote the program.
The Rotary Club of Yamuna Nagar – Riviera under their President, Dr Nikhil Srivastava, coordinated their members to put all the planning for such a project into action. The team support was exceptional with a number of members taking a week off work - and they worked around the clock as operations continued on till after 3.00am each day.
The three day Eye Camp was held at the Hospital in Yamuna Nagar, some 4 hours drive north of Delhi on 18 to 20 November 2005.
PP Philip Cross and Dr Alok Sharma meet the members of the RC of Yamu Nagar - Riviera
The Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga is proud to be part of such a wonderful project that will restore vision to many blind people. The Camp was very successful with over 2,000 people turning up. In total, some 1,100 people were checked out with 245 cataract operations undertaken, over 700 medicines dispensed and 230 sets of glasses issued. The follow up Camp in December 2005 was also very successful with no cases of infection found in any of the patients treated.