Rebuilding Together Rehabilitates Homes (Aired January 11 and 12, 2020)

RadioRotary interviews Poughkeepsie South Rotary president Christina Boryk, executive
director of Rebuilding Together Dutchess County. Rebuilding Together is the nonprofit
organization (once known as “Christmas in July”) that for the past 27 years has repaired,
revitalized, and rehabilitated homes for homeowners who because of age or disability or poverty
are unable to make the necessary repairs that would make the dwelling safe and healthy. The
service is free to the homeowner. The volunteer workers install grab bars, ramps, and smoke
and carbon-dioxide alarms, and make other modifications as well as undertake minor repairs.
Larger-scale projects are handled by outside contractors. They have repaired more than 800
homes since the program started. The program is funded by state and local grants, by local
corporations such as Central Hudson, and donations.

Learn more
Rebuilding Together Dutchess County: http://www.rebuildingtogetherdutchess.org/
Rebuilding Together Dutchess on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RTDutchess/
Office for the Aging, Dutchess County: https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/Aging/Office-for-the-Aging.htm
National Center for Healthy Housing: https://nchh.org/build-the-movement/nshhc/
Poughkeepsie South Rotary Club: https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50045/clubinfo/poughkeepsie-south

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January 20, 2020 · Posted in Aging, Dutchess County, Housing Assistance, Service Organizations, Volunteers  

Rotarian Climbs Everest–Partway (Aired January 4 and 5, 2020)

New Paltz Rotarian Laura Rooney has had many adventures all over the world, but she still had
Mount Everest on her “bucket list” until recently when she turned 50 and thought it was time to
get on with it. Not quite true mountain climbers, some 40,000 persons each year hike far up
Everest with no desire to use the special equipment most climbers need to reach the 27,000-ft-
high peak—Everest Base Camp is high enough, at 17,500 feet, for serious hikers; it is some
3,000 feet higher than the highest peak in the lower 48 states. Ms. Rooney describes what it is
like to fly into Lukla, Nepal, arriving at the most dangerous airport in the world. Then, with
Sherpas as guides, she walked 4 or 5 miles for 8 days up the mountain for a rise in elevation of
8,000 more feet to reach Everest Base Camp, spending the nights in various villages or camps
along the way. She was part of a small group of 15 trekkers who slept on mats in small dome
tents. When they reached Everest Base Camp, they were living on a glacier. Being a Rotarian,
she got people to sponsor her hike by donating to the New Paltz Rotary’s BackPack Program,
and she wore ribbons honoring the contributors on her own backpack as she climbed. Downhill
was easier, only a 4-day hike.

Learn more
New Paltz Rotary Club: https://www.newpaltzrotary.org/
Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla: https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidnikel/2019/07/20/lukla-the-worlds-most-dangerous-airport/-36e71e064a1a
Everest Base Camp Trek: https://ebctrekguide.com/
Living at Everest Base Camp: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/2019/05/everest-base-camp-daily-life/

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January 20, 2020 · Posted in Rotary Club Projects, Travel