In 2010, the Ottawa Rotary Club again contributed 20,000.00 EEK toward our Club’s Assistance Large Families project, as did Honorary Rotarians Sven Ottesen and Ellen Lande. Two of our own club members made designated contributions and the rest of the budget consisted of the funds raised at the 2009 and 2010 spring balls. The club voted to focus on Võru County, located in southeastern Estonia, and the Committee members made a two-day fact-finding trip there, visiting 21 families.

At the recommendation of the Committee, the Club paid for 88 pairs of children’s footwear, school supplies for 95 children, four months’ kindergarten fees for 18 children, stipends for five families experiencing extraordinary hardship, beds were puchased for two families, and one child received custom-made orthopedic shoes.

Additionally, organizations in Norway sent to our Club clothes – from infant sizes to adult – in excellent condition for distribution. The Club sent them to the visited families in Võru County, delivered to their homes by DHL.

Knopka (office supplies store) and Suurtüki (shoe store) had already cooperated with the club in the carrying out of the project in Valga County, and they did the same in Võru County, giving the families also a generous discount as they made their purchases in the store.