The first fundraising event was a golf tournament and dinner with the specific aim of helping children in need in the Algarve. Since then the club has raised many thousands of euros for good causes. We generally do not give money. We receive specific requests from organisations which our Community Services Committee will consider and, once approved, will purchase and donate the items requested.
Below are some of the projects The Almancil International Rotary Club has been involved with.
Youth Development and Education
Activities for Less Fortunate Kids
Based in Almancil, MUDAKI is an accredited association that provides after school support and supervision. They provide students a ‘safe place’ to do homework, interact and have fun, while also learning. The AIRC sponsors a course in ‘Urban Street Dancing’ which provides teenagers the opportunity to gain confidence, socialise and exercise during the school year.
Supporting Youth Football
AIRC has in the past supported two GNR officers who give their time freely to enable youngsters to have interests outside of school and to encourage them to participate in social activities, in this case football. The two teams have received a full football strip to enable them to play in the local leagues, and on this occasion AIRC organised for light relief for one of the teams a game of Footgolf as a social event. Seen in the photo some of the team, trainers and the AIRC President Volker Biebesheimer.
Creative Programmes to Help Autistic Children
In support of the Almancil Schools — the club funds several programmes to assist the learning, development and socialisation of autistic children. The club partners with the ‘Kokua Association’ (based in Tavira) who have trained psychologists who use therapy techniques (such as social support dogs) to reduce certain anxiety disorders with autistic children. Other partners provide ‘swimming and safe surfing’ sessions for older autistic students, and others participate in weekly or fortnightly ‘foot golf’ game (for exercise and to build coordination and socialisation skills).
Helping Disabled Children
The Associação de Ginástica do Algarve via ‘Ginástica com Todos’ promotes gymnastics for physically and mentally disabled children in the Algarve. The AIRC sponsored a 6 person team to participate in a fund raising triathlon (in Quinta do Lago). Proceeds helped pay for modified wheelchairs and extra teacher to help the youngsters.
Supporting Community Youth & Sport
AIRC sponsored the season long team uniforms for the Louletano Desporto Clube Futsal Juniores, a local junior football club. The ceremony was held at the Pavilhão Desportivo Municipal de Loulé on 22 September 2019. VIP community leaders attending included Dr Vitor Aleixo (Presidente Câmara Municipal Loulé) and Sr Carlos Filipe Gabriel de Sousa (Presidente da Junta de Freguesia de São Clemente).
Recognising Future Leaders — AIRC ‘Best Student Award’
Established in 2017, the ‘Almancil International Rotary Club Best Student Award’ is given annually at the Alamncil School (Escola EB Dr António de Sousa Agostinho) to a year 9 student. The award recipient is decided by the school faculty and administration, and aims to recognise an individual who has demonstrated ‘all round’ qualities of academic achievement, leadership, sporting and/or service to their school community. The award is show cased as the ‘top school award’ at the school’s annual award ceremony with students and parents in the autumn. While the recognition is the most important feature, the recipient also receives a prize of €100.
Building Global Citizens — Rotary Summer Camp Program
This is one of AIRC’s hallmark programs. Every summer, Rotary around the world organises ‘summer camp’ programmes for students to participate in as a learning experience. Since 2007, the AIRC has partnered with the Drª Laura Ayres secondary school in Quarteira and over 100 young adults have participated. The summer camps typically run for two weeks and are hosted by other Rotary Clubs, in our case, principally in Europe (to keep the costs affordable). The summer camps often have ‘themes’ such as culture, sport or other educational topics – but often they combine all of the topics. By design, each camp is small, made up of 15-20 students of similar age, and almost all members are from different countries. In many respects, a Rotary Summer Camp experience is an ‘introduction to the world’ and students make contacts and friends which they will have for a lifetime. After the students return, the AIRC hosts a banquet dinner where all the students have the opportunity to present their experiences. For 2020, while 16 students were all enrolled, the Rotary Summer Camp program around the world had to be cancelled due to the Covid19 situation. The program is due to resume for 2021.
Supporting the Older Generation
Supporting Community Members with Parkinson & Alzheimer’s
AIRC supports the ‘Associação Humanitária dos Doentes de Parkinson e Alzheimer (AHDPA) facility in Vila Sol, Vilamoura. Goods are donated throughout the year for needed items to help to improve the quality of care for the patients and provide tools to assist in creating daily engagement (such as a music system for ‘sing a longs’). Examples of materials include: special electrically operated chairs, a wheelchair for showers, a microwave oven for baking bread and cakes, and a music system. Local students also joined in through the year to paint outside murals to ‘brighten up’ the facility.
Saving Mothers and Children
Sheltering Women & Children from Domestic Violence
The AIRC supports the Associação Portuguesa de Apoio à Vítima (‘APAV’), also known as The Portuguese Association for Victim Support, in Almancil. We provide needed items for both women and children escaping domestic violence. The club also provides needed household items for the shelter (white good appliances, plates, cutlery, bedding, towels, etc). A related association (CapSul) who deals with ‘human trafficking’ is also supported with similar items.
Community in Need
Supporting the Portugal Food Bank
The AIRC supports the Portugal Food bank efforts (Banco Alimentar) by provide manpower to help collect food at local supermarkets in the Almancil area. The focus is on the two ‘national collection weekends’ when Banco Alimentar collects food across Portugal (in May and December). In addition, in May 2020, the AIRC also participated in the ‘special Covid19 virtual food drive’ by making a €1.200,00 donation to Banco Alimentar. Amount Donated: €1.200,00
Helping Community Families in Need (Food)
The club provides a group of local families in Almancil (identified by the local Council as families in need) with special ‘treats baskets’ for selected festive holidays. While the Council provides ‘basic food provisions such as rice, UHT milk, and other supplies, the AIRC aims to compliment this to help bring a special touch to the families by providing them festive treats that they might not be able to afford (such as chocolates, seasonal cakes, jams and even a bottle of wine). This year, the theme was the ‘2020 New Year’s Celebration pack’ (distributed to a total of 70 families).
Fighting Disease
Helping Eradicate Polio Around the World
Every year, Rotary Clubs around the world raise money in the ongoing efforts to eradicate Polio. This year, we held a member event and challenge — a fund raising lunch hosted by a member, combined with donations from others members, and matched by club funds, raising a total donation to €2000 to the Rotary International Polio fund. These funds are then matched 2:1 via the global Rotary International partner of the Bill & Malinda Gates Foundation to help eradicate polio. In 2019, the resulted in € 6000 being donated to the global cause to eradicate Polio. Amount Donated: €6.000,00
Fighting Cancer Together
A number of Rotary Clubs on the Algarve joined together to raise funds for the purchase of skin cancer and lung cancer equipment, we participated and the presentation was Friday 29th Nov at 18.30 in Faro. We made a contribution of €2020 euros to this. Amount Donated: €2.200,00
Disaster Recovery
Helping Protect Local Front Line Medical Staff
Joint Donation from Rotary Clubs Across the Algarve
The Rotary clubs from around the Algarve (via a series of virtual meetings) identified two topics which individual clubs were asked to contribute to. In an act of solidarity, the AIRC made a donation of €156.40 to the University of Algarve Hospitals group (to help fund medical protection materials – 27.000 pairs of gloves) and a donation of €250.00 to help fund the production of medical protection equipment (3D printing of face masks parts). Amounted Donated: €406,40
Helping Protect Local Front Line Medical Staff
Special Efforts by the AIRC
Donations from members and the club to the ‘Algarve Bio-Medical Centre (ABC) helped to immediate assistance (protective clothing and equipment) to front line health workers at Algarve Hospitals at the start of the Covid19 emergency. Members and friends of the club generously donated €2550. With a further grant of €1200 from club funds, a total donation of €3750 was completed, and further contributions continue to be made. Amount Donated: €3.750,00
