Four years ago, the Rotary Club of Edmond began investigating whether it could initiate its own international project with a sister club in another country. Over a period of time, we focused in on Fortaleza, Brazil, and formed a partnership with the Rotary Club de Fortaleza Planalto in District 4490. Together, the two clubs and their Rotary districts raised $29,944, purchased a multi-passenger vehicle, and donated it to Associação Peter Pan, which is using it to transport indigent juvenile cancer patients and their families for their treatments.

      This past May, our International Director, Krista Jones, my daughter, Susan Lester, and I traveled to Fortaleza to complete the project. For our program this week, Krista and I will discuss the details of the project, the trip, the many friends we made, and the hopes we have to continue joint efforts with the Fortaleza Planalto club.

      What do you know about Fortaleza? The city and its environs have about 3.5 million inhabitants, making it the fourth largest metropolitan area in Brazil. Located just a couple hundred miles northwest of the easternmost point of the South American continent, the coastal city enjoys temperate weather throughout the year. The average high temperature ranges from 85 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit; the average low ranges from 73 to 77 degrees. The record low is 55 degrees. As you might expect in a coastal city, the relatively humidity tends to be high, especially from January through June.

      Fortaleza has witnessed incredible growth. It first attained a population of 100,000 in the early 1920s. The population grew to about one million in the 1970s.

      Known for its beautiful sandy beaches, Fortaleza has become one of the main tourist destinations of Brazil. In 2014, Fortaleza will be one of the host cities when the FIFA World Cup takes place in Brazil.

      Brazil is a large country. Fortaleza is almost 2,000 miles from São Paulo, the largest city of Brazil, and approximately 1,800 miles from Rio de Janeiro

      I have written and said much about our Brazil project. The emails I sent from Fortaleza are posted on our website; if you haven’t had a chance to read them, please click on this link. On Wednesday, Krista and I will share with you, both orally and photographically, how the generosity of the members of the Rotary Club of Edmond, our partners in the Rotary Club de Fortaleza Planalto and Districts 4490 and 5750, is making a big difference in the lives of many.

      Krista and I look forward to seeing you this Wednesday as we celebrate the Rotary Club of Edmond’s international project in Brazil and introduce you to some of the members of the Rotary Club of Fortaleza Planalto.

Andy