NO MEETING NEXT WEEK! Come to the Visioning Workshop on Wednesday
Program: Human Trafficking, a panel discussion from the RI Convention
Suzanne Barkley
Human Trafficking is becoming widely publicized in the media recently. RI is considering an initiative to address the issue.
Human Trafficking: the group panel video report from the June Convention
Today we were received information about a scourge in our world, human trafficking. Suzanne and Pat attended the Atlanta Rotary International Convention and brought news of the human trafficking panel discussion held by US Senator Bob Corker, Gary Haugen - IJM, Ashton Kutcher - Thorn, and Rebecca Bender - The Rebecca Bender Initiative. The problem is massive, there are more human slaves in the world today than ever before. Worldwide, 45 Million people are trapped victims of trafficking, a $150 Billion dollar “industry”.
This is modern day “slavery”; people being forced to do what their masters want by coercion and violence. Most vulnerable are disadvantaged human beings and children. It is in every country, including the United States. ...and in our mountain community.
We quickly learned that the “face” of trafficking is not what we see in the movies, it is far more sinister. People are being advertised for sex via the internet...over 120,000 ads a day have been identified by Thorn, Ashton Kutcher's foundation focused on stopping trafficking. One of the speakers, Rebecca Bender spoke of how she was lured in by a man over a six month period who she thought loved her. After escaping from six years of slavery she formed her own organization to help women recovering from slave trafficking so that they can reclaim their lives and find ways to live and make a living. The recovery is what she found to be the hardest part of the ordeal, after she was rescued. In addition, her foundation has trained over 26,000 law enforcement officers in how to recognize and intercept victims.
What can we do? talk to children, engage with local law enforcement, bring awareness to our communities and political leaders. Educate ourselves and our community. Serve the survivors!!! Encourage local law enforcement, they need our support.
Learn more and can help fight this growing problem at:
- Justin Kutcher's Thorn Technology Task Force, at https://www.wearethorn.org/rotary/
- International Justice Mission, at https://www.ijm.org/
- and Rebecca Bender Initiative, at http://www.rebeccabender.org/
Download or stream the Human Trafficking Panel Discussion video at: http://video.rotary.org/.
Announcements/Business:
- Finn presented Rotary Peak pins to the Rotarians who hiked the peak in August. Youth Exchange students climbed last Saturday. Rotary trail stewards are now present each Saturday.
- Please pay your dues as soon as possible.
- Go to our website, https://rotaryconifer.org to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey. Click the Hurricane Harvey Donate button and your donation will be sent from our foundation account to Rotary recovery efforts in the stricken areas. The fund-raising for Hurricane Harvey is being collected through Rotary International.
- Recently there has been confusion regarding how we use our funds in the Club and Foundation accounts. Finn sent an email with a explanation of the non-profit foundation vs. our Club funds and how they are distributed. This is an important distinction that we as Rotarians need to understand.
- Thank you to the Paytons for hosting another great Rotary Social last Thursday.
- The Treasures Sale will be at St. Laurence Episcopal Church 9AM-3PM, Saturday September 23. Donations will be collected from local Rotary Clubs Friday 5-8PM at the church. Please make them “treasures” and not trash! Volunteers please sign up to help via Sign-up Genius for Friday and Saturday, just click HERE. Proceeds will go to the Foundation and some of the money raised will go to Hurricane relief.
- Evergreen Rotary Re-cycle will be Saturday September 23. For more information, download their information flyer HERE.
- Suzanne reported on the Fitzsimons Middle school Interact meeting. The staff at Platte Canyon High School is interested in forming an Interact Club, so Suzanne will talk with the Principal.
- Foundation grant requests must be in by this Friday, September 8th! Our Foundation members will meet September 19th after the Club meeting to evaluate the grant requests.
Our Visioning Workshop evening will be 5PM next Wednesday, September 13 at Our Lady of the Pines Catholic Church. This is a critical exercise for our club and we need all club members there as we plan our club's future. Take the online survey that Finn emailed out to prepare us for the event; this is VERY important!