Becky Robbins introduced our speakers, Dave and Marissa Troxell. David joined our Rotary Club 12 years ago. He and his wife, Marissa, live half of the year in Jamestown and half the year in Thailand. Participating in international projects for the Rotary Club of Jamestown has been a perfect fit for them. They have always enjoyed traveling to new and unique destinations in the world. The opportunity to serve needy communities around the globe is the best of both worlds for them. Today they came to talk about our Club’s current project in the Philippines.
First, David gave an overview of the international projects that have been undertaken financially by our club with oversight by the Troxell’s. In 2013 a women’s weaving cooperative was created in Nepal. In 2014 the first of four Cambodia Academy projects began. In 2014 playground grass and the purchase of white boards for the school were purchased. In 2015 a school-wide eye screening program was initiated, along with gathering books for a book drive for the students. The third project was to install a clean water filtration system for the Cambodia Academy. And lastly in 2018 hand washing sinks were installed. In 2017 new toilets, sinks and a clean water cistern were completed in Pagan, North Myanmar with the Yangon Rotary Club. In 2019, along with the Rotary Club of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia we constructed a school lunch cafeteria. 2019/2020 toilets were retrofitted, and handwashing stations were installed in Moshi, Tanzania with a partnership with the Camberwell Australia Rotary. In 2016 David and Marissa assisted in polio immunization of children in India. In 2022 David and Marissa assisted in the Polio Project in Pakistan, where they were guarded by armed soldiers. In 2024, along with the Rotary Club of Singapore Sentosa 1,171 bicycles were distributed to provide children with transportation to school.
The newest project is in the Philippines. It is to refurbish the Macatabo Child Development Center. This Center serves children aged 3-5 and serves as a pathway to public school. The Rotary Club of Welington, Ontario and our Jamestown Club are partnering to fix the roof, improve the kitchen, retrofit the toilets, improve the outdoor stage and add new playground equipment. It’s a $10,000 project with each club providing $5,000.
David and Marissa have traveled thousands of miles on behalf of Rotary, doing the humanitarian work that was shared in today’s invocation. We have been able to see the smiles as eyesight is restored, as clean water is provided, as books and play-yards are built and used, and as bicycles are provided in order that children can go to school. The Troxell’s bring us projects to fund and then allow us to see the lives of those that are the benefactors of Rotary’s outreach. We are eternally grateful for their gift of generosity and love of people who have so little. The Troxell’s have benefitted our club in ways that would have been impossible without them. Thank you, David & Marissa!
