On Sunday the 25th of November 2013, P. Albert Zaher welcomed five rotary couples from the area of Houston in the USA who were visiting Israel and came as guests of the Rotary Club of Nazareth to stay with the families of Rotarians for two days and visit the historical and holy places in the area.
On Monday evening the club held a special Ladies Night meeting at the St. Margaret Hostel in honor of the guests.
President Albert welcomed the guests from USA and the Rotarians from the club of Nazareth Illit Najeeb Kattouf and his wife. and the members of the rotary club of Nazareth who attended the meeting.
Governor Bob was asked to give wisdom of the day followed by PP. Bashir Nusair who gave the International Toast to the club of Houston USA. The Ladies Toast and response were given by PP Dr. Nakhleh Bishara and his wife Diana, Thanks for guests told by PP Mr. Walid Geraisy.
PDG Yusef Srouji introduced the guests to the members of the club in Arabic. The guests were:
Bob and Dianne Gebhard from the club of Pasadena South, District Governor of 5890.
Lindsey Kroll and Irene Hickey, President of the club of Houston and Irene Presidient Elect of the club of the University Area.
Nick and Fabiola Giannone from the club of Brazosport and was its president in 2001/2002
Sunit “Sunny” and Rashmi Sharma,5890 District Governor 2010/2011 and
is on the Gulf Coast Leadership Staff.
John and DianePainter 5890 District Governor in 1999/2000 and a major Donor to the Foundation.
Then PDG Yusef related to the guests how and when the Rotary Club of Nazareth was established, then gave the most important projects that the club had done during the last sixty one years. He chose five projects from his experience as a member of the Nazareth Club for the last sixty years.
1) In early fifties a Polio Epidemic broke out in Nazareth and the area around. The club sponsored with the help of Haifa club to bring a physio thereapist to help those kids that were struck with Polio. Also a summer camp for those children was sponsored by The Nazareth Club aat the grounds of the English Hospital here in Nazareth.
2) In the early fifties, people of Nazareth were not allowed to travel freely in the country, so the club to make up and have people busy specially on week ends started a project of Flower Shows and Gardening around the houses of the town. Prizes were given to best home gardens and best bouquet brought to the Show.
3) Sponsoring and establishing NGOs branches of societies such as Fight Cancer, Fight Road Accidents, Keep Your Town Clean and join with other NGOs in Nazareth to promote friendship and better understanding among the people of Nazareth.
4) In 1981 the club raised funds which with the help of Rotary Israel amounted to 125000 US dollars which were used to buy 4 artificial kidney units that were donated to the English hospital to start a department for cleaning kidneys of sick people (dyalisis) and spare them the trouble of long travels and long waiting in hospitals in Haifa and Tel Aviv.
5) Through Matching Grants System, the club was able to donate during the last seven years with the help of rotary clubs from Italy, France, USA, Jordan and Germany and Rotary International to donate items, equipment and instruments to medical, educational and humanitarian institutions worth more than one million and two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
This was followed by a short speech by Governor Bob who thanked members of Nazareth Club for their hospitality, then clubs banners were exchanged after which President Albert invited all present for dinner.
