My wife and I recently completed a trip to Brazil, and it both amazed and brought a dose of reality to my soul. Here is the back story.
In 1979, a young lady of 17 years came to live with my family from Votuporanga, Brazil through the Rotarian Student Exchange Program. Her father, Dr. Walter Rodrigues, was a prominent member of that city as a surgeon, and President of the Rotary Club and an orphanage. The Doctor wanted to allow his daughter to better understand the world. Marly Rodrigues became a second daughter to our family, and over the decades she became an ambassador between our families, Rotary and the Children’s House orphanage in Voluporanga, where her mother Eneide Da Costa Rodrigues was President.
The Rotary Club of Lacey Washington, where my father Paul DeTray is a Charter member and Past President, created an effort to arrange for the matching of funds, between the organizations, and our DeTray Family Enterprises to enhance the donations expediently. This process has been ongoing now for decades. Currently this venture has created in excess of tens of thousands of dollars donated to the Children’s House. This orphanage serves the underprivileged, and many children living in unhealthy or compromised situations where this “safe house” is for ten hours a day, a place where they can eat, sleep, play, and interact with similar kids and professionals who have their best interest at heart.
A typical day is they arrive at the school, shower and change into uniforms, pray and eat breakfast. Then to school depending on the age which ranges from six to twelve years old. The school handles up to eighty children, and serves two meals a day in a fully stocked kitchen cafeteria. A dietician and staff provide healthy meals six days a week. The administration staff has a physician, teachers, and maintenance personnel along with Arts, Musical and Physical education instructors to help with the mental needs and growth of these beautiful children.
While attending the review of the school facilities, the staff arranged for the kids to show the various skills learned here at the Children’s House. They put on a play for us, challenged us to ping pong, had a Cirque du Soleil style gymnastics presentation, presented us with a computer skills workshop, and Brazilian Ju Jit Su exercises. We toured the grounds, where they showed us the up-dated water system, security system, and newly acquired kitchen appliances, utensils and assortment of building infrastructure needed to secure the students and equipment.
My ambassadorship was exciting, gratifying and humbling as the staff and children showered us with love and respect. I of course had heard of the donations to the Children’s House over the decades and how the DeTray Family and Rotarian Donations were serving this community, but I had no concept of the extent of the depth and breadth these funds were being utilized. The joy, happiness, and the solid social structure provided was evident in the smiles and positive attitude of the children and staff.
This changed me and my outlook towards how philanthropy can be used to better the world. To this extent I say Viva La Brazil, thank you Dr. Rodriguez, Eneide, Marly and the Rotarians. Great work here.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dana DeTray, Owner