More than a billion people in developing countries live without direct access to electricity and are forced to rely on kerosene, candles or firewood for their lighting.  The lack of suitable home lighting results in illiteracy, poverty and health problems.  Even worse, house fires cause many children to suffer burns or other dire consequences.  Concerned about this problem, our amazing International Service Committee (ISC) held a fundraiser last spring – a fun and exciting Poker Night at the Harley Davidson Showroom – and raised money to purchase safe, clean and affordable lighting for hundreds of children and their families in South America and Africa.
 
These solar lights were designed and developed by a non-profit organization called Unite to Light (www.unitetolight.com).  Just recently, the ISC met and approved donating 100 solar reading lights to schoolchildren in Kakamega, Kenya, where visiting Rotarians Alice Atemo and Kathleen Tucker from Rotary District 9212 live.  With the help of ISC members Karen Cebreros and Mike Whitehurst, who will order the lights and deliver them to Alice and Kathleen before they return to Kenya, our club is able to bring light to a region of the world without electricity.  By doing so, we empower students to study, families to work, and children to feel safe.  This is the power of Rotary.