Lakewood Ranch Rotary Club celebrates clean water
LAKEWOOD RANCH -- Dr. Michael and Judy Berlow were among a group of four Lakewood Ranch Rotary Club members who traveled to Peru in 2012 to help bring clean water systems to small communities along the Amazon River.
The Lakewood Ranch couple shared their experiences Thursday, as did others, at a Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch celebration of clean water at the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club.
The event, which included 100 guests, was held to bring awareness to the global water crisis and Rotary Clubs' impact worldwide, said Ron Myers of the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch.
Since 2011, the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch has taken the lead in helping identify, finance and coordinate
safe water and sanitation projects for needy communities in Peru, with 12 projects funded so far, to serve approximately 19,000 people when completed, Myers said.
District Gov. Cyndi Doragh presented the Major Donor Award Plus One award to Carl and Kay Baldwin, who are from Naples but are honorary Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch members.
The award is presented to Rotarians who have donated $10,000 to the Rotary Foundation, Myers said.
The Berlows are energetic about their commitment to clean water. They made a poster about it, attaching photographs taken in Peru.
"Very gratifying," Berlow said of his trip to the Amazon River. "The expedition for me, personally, made me feel I had done something in my life that was very different from practicing medicine but had the same goal, to improve the health and welfare of the various communities in a country where I felt we were very well received."
His wife agreed the trip was deeply meaningful.
"As a former teacher and mother, I was impressed," Judy Berlow said. "The people were so welcoming. They were so receptive to anything we could help them with. It was probably one of the most gratifying experiences I have had in my life."
Baldwin became committed to the cause after meeting Myers.
"I traveled internationally for a lot of years, and I saw the need, but didn't focus on it until I was ready to retire," Carl Baldwin said. "I was having dinner with Ron Myers in Punta Gorda one evening. He suggested I take a look at Rotary for my focus. He laid out the positives of partnering with Lakewood Ranch on this and I couldn't say no."
Kay Baldwin said she was immediately impressed with the idea of providing clean water for needy communities.
"It was an honor to help people who have so little in terms of resources," Kay Baldwin said. "They have little opportunity to keep themselves healthy and provide for their children."
The Lakewood Ranch Rotary Club has partnered in 26 water and sanitation projects that have helped bring clean water to communities in Peru and elsewhere around the world since 2007.
"On 14 of those we were the lead international club," Myers said. "We have five more projects that we are working on currently."
The club has raised about $135,000 for the completed projects.
"We have another $50,000 committed for future projects," he said.
Richard Dymond, Herald reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7072 or contact him via Twitter@RichardDymond.
This story was originally published October 15, 2015 at 11:57 PM with the headline "Lakewood Ranch Rotary Club celebrates clean water ."