Joyce Joyce Honored in Dominican Republic

The project started with plans and fund raising efforts in July 2013.  By early spring 2016 Rotary friends in the Dominican Republic who were overjoyed and very grateful for our support had made great progress in installing BioSand clean water filters.  This project was the largest project undertaken yet with the Club Rotario Bonao and is of benefit

to the most people compared to previous projects with that club.

        

 

In May 2016 our Rotary District 6380 honored Joyce Joyce and John Joyce (Sterling Heights Rotary) with the Terry Youlton Humanitarian Award at our annual District Conference. We were both very delighted with the recognition that we received for our work in bringing clean water to very poor people in the Dominican Republic.  We were especially pleased with this award since we had received an award a few years earlier for our previous efforts in the Dominican Republic.

 

Instead of making our annual trip to the Dominican Republic in February (a brief escape from winter in Michigan) in 2016 we traveled there during the end of June.  Part of the trip was follow-up on progress for the implementation of the latest Rotary grant. However, a major highlight of this trip was that Rotarian Roberto Ortiz of the Club Rotario Bonao was being installed as Rotary District Governor for District 4060.  We were his invited guests at this event.  District 4060 covers the entire Dominican Republic country and has 60 clubs.  Joyce was honored not only for her work in the Biosand Clean Water Clean Hands Global project but for several previous projects as well.  These are listed in a table.  She was chosen as the only non-Dominican person to speak (with a Spanish translator) at the installation ceremony.  The ceremony also honored USA by playing the USA national anthem after the Dominican national anthem with Joyce standing by the USA flag

 

 

                         

 

 

 

Later in the week Joyce Joyce, John Joyce  and daughter Karen Joyce (Warren Rotary) were also honored at the President’s Night installation ceremony for the Club Rotario Bonao.  Special awards were created and given to us.  Not only was it very gratifying to know how much our projects were appreciated both by Rotarians and recipients of filters and sanitation training but we are gratified with the many friends we have made over the 12 trips we have made to the Dominican Republic. All trips were made completely at our own expense.  For more information about any of the 9 projects undertaken, please contact Joyce Joyce at 586-751-2861 or mrsjoyce2@wowway.com .