Rotary Club of Boca Raton West | Newsletter 08 | JAN/ 2023

BOCA RATON TOY DRIVE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2022-2023

President: Luciana Beuke

Vice President: Dini Heizer

President Elect: Angelica Blakely

Past President: Luciana Beuke

Secretary: Marli Saraiva

Sargent at Arms: Bernadete Zagonel

Treasurer: Janne Gesund

Directors:

- Aloysio Vasconcellos

- Angélica Blakely

- Douglas Heizer - DGE 2023-2024

Newsletter Editor: Dini Heizer

BOCA RATON TOY DRIVE 2022

Does Santa Claus exist?

Is Santa Claus real?

Don't answer yet, Travel in our real history.

Every year around the world, millions of good people do "charities", donate money and time to entities, needy families, different causes, and send basic food baskets to less favored people. The reasons vary, but the important thing is that people are helped in some way.

President RI: Jennifer Jones

Governor: Louis Vocelle Jr. (Buck)

In fact, compassionate people do good, sometimes alone, and other times they join entities and associations…

We, and I say "We" because more than 1.4 million people

around the world are engaged in projects that touch lives. I'm talking about ROTARIANS.

And in the month of December, the world becomes “warmer” to the eyes of adults and children alike. They rejoice in Christmas stories, houses are brighter, malls become the “Disneys” of adults rushing to buy presents to become saints for their family members, and we Rotarians dream of bringing answers to the many letters sent by children

Here in the USA, Boca Raton - Florida where we live, our team carries out many projects, many of them are mirror images of actions that are done in many other cities, states and countries. We try to make time (although we are not always available), and that is the most beautiful part of this statement. We don't always have time, but each professional in my club Rotary Club Boca Raton West and other Boca Raton, Boca Raton Sunrise, Downtown Boca Raton Clubs find time among their many activities and dedicate themselves to the TOY DRIVE PROJECT

A Project born 16 years ago, a fantastic idea from a man who confessed to me that he believes in Santa Claus, and has this enthusiasm of believing even more in the union of people willing to believe that you can make families happier on “Christmas Eve/ Christmas Day ”

Douglas Heizer who is currently working on a life project, (he was appointed as district governor) believing that it would be possible to collect toys and help put smiles on so many children who believe in Santa, founded and encouraged an army of people who have

been dedicating themselves for all these years in this dream so real.

On Sunday, December 11th - A team of volunteers from our club and related clubs attended a party full of rewarding moments that no money can buy. Our real Santa - a captivating human who dresses as a Santa, and his appearance is really worthy of applause, Francisco Rodrigues He could be anywhere else keeping the secrets of little children who leave their dreams in letters sent to this good old man, however he, as the admirable volunteer who he is, donates this Sunday at the Carousel at Sugar Center Park.

The morning caresses us with a light breeze, the smiles of many parents who take their children to the park and certainly not remembering that we will be there, receiving the gifts, other parents who, impacted by our action, go back to their childhood time and want to be photographed with Santa The magic took hold of each of the volunteers' guests, and as if each of us, whether or not we believe in Santa Claus, clung to the wings of time and went back to being children again.

This year we had generous hearts, as an unbelievable amount of bicycles, children's games, dolls, balls, cars, electronic games were donated. Making the dreams of needy parents being heard and recorded by Santa Claus For each one of us who got involved in this process of weekly meetings in November and December for the traditional happy hours in restaurants where associates and guests arrive with their donations, and business partners and professionals who Cont.pag.4

collect gifts and not only gifts but also donate money so that the dreams come true. More than 2,000 toys were collected, thanks to the dedication of everyone involved, making us even more certain that each one of us who may or may not accept the idea of the good old man, that the heart is really happy for all the little eyes that will certainly shine yet another year made possible by those involved in the TOY DRIVE project.

Every moment recorded by the cameras of each volunteer demonstrates that the desire of each one of us to dedicate ourselves to others does not need any ideal form or logistics that are not always exact, that was made very clear and that in each dedicated heart the Christmas magic lives on.

Just in time, from our family to yours, wishes for a Christmas of promises fulfilled, smiles recorded in the clicks of your cell, camaraderie and memories collected and engraved in grateful hearts for the true meaning of CHRISTMAS

By Lígia Assunção

D E L I V E R Y O F T O Y S

We were so thrilled to have participated in Caridad Center Drive-Thru Toy Drive event. The Caridad Center was our Boca Raton Toy Drive recipient for 2022. We had donated over 2,000 toys to the Caridad Center The volunteers will be handing out toys to families of the Caridad Center during their annual Toy Drive event. The line of families in need was long outside the Caridad Center in Boynton Beach on Saturday morning, but the toys waiting for them were stacked high About 2,000 people showed up, and there were thousands of toys & food waiting for them in big cardboard boxes and plastic bags.

We are very fortunate to help so many families this holiday season Our job as Rotarians is to make a difference, and we are

OUR CHRISTMAS PARTY 2022

In December we are all enveloped by the vibrant colors of Christmas.

Christmas has different meanings for a multitude of people who believe in a boy born in those neighborhoods with few resources on a day that, according to recorded history, was not exactly December 25th.

The canonical gospels of Luke and Matthew say that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in the Roman province of Judea, to a virgin mother. In Luke's Gospel account, Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem to attend a census, and Jesus was born during the journey in a simple manger.

Angels proclaimed him the savior of all people and shepherds came to worship him. In Matthew's account, astronomers followed a star to Bethlehem to bring gifts to Jesus, born "King of the Jews." King Herod then ordered the slaughter of all boys under the age of two in the city, but Jesus' family managed to escape to Egypt and, after Herod died, returned to Nazareth. Some understand this story to be a legend.

Others believe that this story is

magnificent and perfect and we should be grateful for salvation and eternal life. However different, motives and intentions were created for each family among the peoples around the world to take advantage of the month of December to decorate their homes with great and colorful pine trees. Decorating their homes in unique charm with different color preferences has become a tradition among the people.

We Rotarians come together to also provide rewarding moments for families in need, an army of good people in our clubs united in one thought: to create splendid Christmas moments for these families.

And as we are very grateful for all the success, there is nothing better than creating a special moment for our Christmas party that takes place every year. Where we take advantage of our regular weekly meeting to hug each other before it gets too late. After all, each of us has a thousand appointments that cannot be postponed these days, and the best

part of Christmas is having this opportunity to once again be grateful for another year of accomplishments.

During this celebration at Chloe's Bistrô - Boca Raton - 12.18.22 - where Friends associated with our club and many other guests such as TATIANA , O Piquet, Francisco Rodrigues (Brazilians) Yoon Hwan Yoo (Korean), my personal friend and co-worker Tania Lasprilla, (Spanish), Marilyn Blanco Corey associated with Boca Raton Sunrise, as well as the husbands Raul LLanos, Jimmy Beuke and George Gesudo who are always very welcomed in addition to our former President Vera Schafer.

I confess that, as always, it was a well organized celebration by our President Luciana Beuke , injecting the Christmas spirit to all of us, with the presence of our Real Santa, and a magnificent Christmas tree, colored lights, and the lake that we can see through the glass wall of this beautiful place, all contributing to making the space even more welcoming.

Between food and drinks, and super kind waiters and waitresses, the night was filled with a true atmosphere of an early Christmas night.

These moments, captured by the club's paparazzi, certainly don't let me lie that

it was an unforgettable night. It was in this pleasant climate that I was offered the PAUL HARRIS Recognition and Pin under the approving eyes my “godmother” Vera, and our talented Angélica Blakely, informing everyone as to why we have to be proud of not only being Rotarians but being contributors to the Foundation, as well.

For someone like myself, as a child who never believed in Santa Claus, had a dream come true amid huge emotion and applause I felt very grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to use my busy time on causes that deserve all my attention. Proving that very busy people can and should find time to do good without looking at who they are. In a way, to keep believing that nothing is impossible for those who believe that the satisfaction of voluntary work is immense and that it is priceless to be part of this organization.

We also had a very ceremonial moment when the associate Jane Gesudo took over as Treasurer, a function that requires time and dedication. Our thanks and best early wishes for her success. Cont.pag.10

Myself, who has this habit of dreaming that the world I want to improve must be initiated by changes in my own world, is delighted to be able to be part of this select group of admirable people.

An excellent Christmas for everyone, with a great deal of action for the next one. I hope that the noteworthy list of actions for 2023, that is around the corner, is filled with success and not lacking the will to become better volunteers than we were in the year 2022.

Also registering my personal thanks to Angélica Blakely who did not give up on me and made me believe that together we can achieve the unattainable. I am part of this group of people who have achieved the PAUL HARRIS PIN.

Happy New Year Everyone

By Lígia Assunção

O T A R Y - D

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