10/27/2026
Our latest Iowa Great Lakes Rotary meeting was a reminder of how service can make an impact both close to home and thousands of miles away!
We had the honor of presenting our quarterly donations to three outstanding local initiatives:
👏 Mary Skopec, representing Iowa Lakeside Laboratory
👏 Josh Carr, representing Camp Foster YMCA
👏Bob Kirschbaum, representing the Tree House Project, led by the PLAC
We are grateful for the incredible work these organizations do to strengthen our community!
Our program was presented by our very own John Battern, who shared the life-changing work of Safe Water International Ministries (SWIM for Him).
John reminded us of a heartbreaking reality: Every year, countless lives are lost to diarrheal diseases caused by contaminated drinking water, even though many of these illnesses are preventable.
With more than 1 billion people worldwide in need of safe, clean water, SWIM is helping communities take control of their health through a remarkably simple solution.
🔬 SWIM produces and distributes Chlorine Producing Units (CPUs), small devices that use common table salt, water, and electricity to produce a chlorine solution capable of killing harmful bacteria in drinking water. Local residents are trained to operate the equipment, creating a sustainable source of safer water for their communities.
John shared the example of a village of 4,800 people where:
💧 Before receiving a CPU, the village averaged 20 cases of diarrhea per month.
💧 Within one month, that number dropped to fewer than 10.
💧 Just a few months later, it had fallen to only 2 cases per month!
At our next meeting, we will roll up our sleeves to assemble 150 Chlorine Producing Units destined for communities in Africa. With each unit potentially serving up to 10,000 people, these 150 devices represent the possibility of bringing safer drinking water to as many as 1.5 million people! 🌍
This is what Rotary is all about: Service Above Self, turning compassion into action and con
