Kolkata: Rest Day!

We had a lovely rest day today.....

We were up at 6, breakfast at 7 and hit the road at 8!   

We went to the flower market, 

walked up to the Howrah bridge that is over the Hoogli River, 

visited the Victoria Memorial gardens, 

stopped at the South Park Street Cemetery

went to the fancy 5 star hotel Oberoi Grand Hotel, for a bathroom break and hotel tour, 

walked through the New Market looking at stuff, walked through the neighboring streets looking for spices...

enjoyed a fabulous lunch with Dillip and his wife and son at Peter Cat .. Rowly and Ranjan ordered for us and it was spectacular!! 
We finished with a little visit to a Jane Temple of glass and mosaic.....

Team Kolkata 2018
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Kolkata: Road trip and fitbits

We are road warriors! Yesterday we travelled to the site at Contai and overnighted by the beach....arriving at night, but able to see the beach at 6:30am before today's distribution starting ...

Our travels took us through the countryside...dogs, chickens, cows, goats ... rice  paddies, fish farms, brick making, fresh food markets on the roadside, people, rickshaws, TRAFFIC, bumpy roads, pot holes, speed bumps, ...laundry, shrines, dirty dusty roads ... barber shops, people bathing on the street ... Your senses are alive at every turn.

Today, while returning to Kolkata we enjoyed alot of laughter watching the disco buses drive down the highway .... Another note of interest was that Helga's fitbit was racking up the steps while we were driving the bumpy roads!! She was up to 16,000 steps by the time we reached the hotel! Who knew you could add up the steps while sitting on your backside in the bus!  After a long day we needed that laughter!  

What will tomorrow bring? 
A well deserved rest day and some sightseeing...

Just shy of 2200 bedkits given out in 4 days.

Team Kolkata 2018
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Pune: Second Distribution Day!

On our second day of distribution we headed out by van from Pune to Varodi.  About half a kilometre from our location we were met by three bullock carts, decorated in flowers and bright colours, and then ceremoniously paraded into the site.  Once there we were serenaded by the beautiful voices of a group of young children selected to entertain us.  A warm welcome and kind speeches explaining the bedkit distribution followed next.  The SCAW team and our Rotarian partners were joined on stage by Supriya Sule, the Member of Parliament for Baramati, India who spoke generously about the project and the help it provided to community members.  Then we got down to the business of taking pictures and handing out more than 860 bedkits.

With MP Supriya Sule (in yellow/green)

The distribution went very smoothly, thanks in no small measure to the wonderful help we got from the Rotarians and their spouses.  It was a great ‘team’ effort, and having the parents close by really helped the children feel more comfortable, resulting in ready smiles for the camera.  When it came time to hand out the bedkit, it was often hard to tell who was more excited, the child or the parent.  All in all it was a really good day and we are looking forward to more of the same tomorrow.

Anne Kell for Team Pune 2018
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Kolkata: Day 3 - Howrah!

Our distribution took us to Howrah today to distribute 510 bedkits.
We are becoming a well tuned machine, each appreciating what it takes to make the distribution work.

Our day takes shape like this ...

We arrive at the site and decide where the photos will be taken.  We set up the camera and the bedkit to be photographed with the child.  While that is happening, the children are met by the wonderful overseas volunteers, where the child provides their registration card, and then is provided an appropriately sized backpack (s, m, lrge) male or female.  The child then changes into one of their new outfits for the donor picture and stands in line until it is their turn for a picture.

 We have greeters who line the children up for the photo.  

We have a setter to sit the children for the photo, we also have a label puller at the photo site

Following the photo the children then take the label to the scorekeeper table for cross referencing before moving along with their registration card to be handed their beautiful gift of the bedkit.

The child could receive a meal upon arrival at the site, or receive a boxed meal at the end....this is decided by the location host.  As well, during the distribution, one team member will do candid photos of the day, while another will do surveys with parents, guardians, teachers or children about the bedkit and its contents... At times we also have to be goat herders and dog keepers, keeping the animals away....

Upon completion of the day we clean up, enjoy a meal with our hosts and then either drive back to our hotel, or drive to another location for the next day's event....

Back at the hotel we download the days photos onto the computer, go through the candid photos and write the blog ... After that we can shower and have dinner ...

We can distribute anywhere between 100 to 1000 bedkits in a day...on average it is 500-600... 

We are happy that we also give to those who are handicapped and also those who have special needs, those who are in orphanages and those who are in need... We love to visit with the children, this is why we are here...

Team Kolkata 2018
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Pune: Almost Ready!

Today was a free day until the evening Rotary predistribution meeting, so the team did some sight seeing. Travelling by scmotorized rickshaw can sure be an adventure as some of the pictures will attest. We also had time to visit the Aga Khan Palace, an historical site where Mahatma Ghandi was placed under house arrest in 1943. He was released after 21 months during which time both his wife and his personal secretary passed away. The property was designated a historical site in 1969.

In the evening at the Rotary meeting we got to meet several teams from the different distribution locations, which definitely make things easier “the day of “. Chris made a great presentation on the background of Scaw and Michael highlighted some of the aspects Canada and Canadian life in the short videos. They did a great job and responded to numerous questions after. However, I think one of the most poignant moments came from one of the Rotarions, when he said hopefully distributing bedkits will not need to go on forever, as the need will longer be there. Looking forward to our first distribution tomorrow!

Team Pune 2018
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Kolkata: Day Two Success!!

Today we drove about an hour to Barrackpore.  Along the drive we saw the city streets coming to life with people starting their day... getting a shave in the streets, buying in the markets, school buses, chickens and cows....

Upon our arrival at the Gandhi Memorial Museum, which is located on the Ganges River,  we were pleased to view the children being fed a hot meal.  They had beautiful smiles and full tummies!  The distribution took place in the lovely gardens, which paled in comparison to the beauty of the children in their colourful new clothes. Today was a very  good day!

Team Kolkata 2018
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Pune: Our First Full Day!

Hello from Pune!

We have now had our first full day in Pune after a long journey from the cold weather of Ontario to the warmth of India. We were welcomed warmly by the Rotarians and have settled in to our hotel and home for the next 12 days. The shrine in the hotel reception area is cleaned each morning and new offerings of flowers and incense appear throughout the day.

The Rotary Clubs have been key to so many successful distributions and we are looking forward to getting started Tuesday, but first we will attend the Club meeting and make some presentations about SCAW and  show images with commentary about Canada.  

The highlight today was a visit to the Kite Flying Festival at a park overlooking the city and sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Pune. It is very popular this time of year and the children had a great time. The SCAW Team had the honour of handing out some of the prizes awarded at the end of the evening. Theresa, Ann and Larry are pictured with the president of the Rotary Club and his wife.

Team Pune 2018
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Kolkata: Candid Pictures Our First Two Distributions!

The SCAW Kolkata team reports that they are all in fine spirits and have  just completed their first two distributions.

Team Kolkata 2018
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Pune: We Have Arrived And Ready To Go!

The team arrived in Pune (January 13th) to a balmy 25 degrees (sorry for mentioning that) and an equally warm welcome from Pankaj and Prince, two key members of the Rotary Club of Pune Cantonment, our overseas partners for this 6,000 bedsit distribution; they chauffeured us to our hotel were we had tea together with our first getting-to-know-you meeting.

The Rotary Club has organized seven distribution locations where the two teams will be working alongside each other for the next two weeks, bringing Sleeping Children's gift to the most deserving of children.

Team Pune 2018

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