Worm Farm Mundingburra Rotary International Centennial Commemorative Project Townsville Community Learning Centre Clubs: Rotary clubs of Mundingburra, District 9550, Australia and Piracicaba Luiz de Queiroz, District 4310, Brazil. Two Rotary Youth Exchanges in 1997 and 1998 led to a partnership between the Australian club and the Rotary club of Piracicaba Vila Rezende in Brazil to provide Braille typewriters and a computer with special software for the visually impaired at a school in Piracicaba. This was followed by a reciprocal agreement with the Rotary Club of Piracicaba Luiz de Queiroz whereby the Australian club supported the expansion of a plastic recycling facility that supported a Special School in Piracicaba and in return, the Brazilian club supported a project to establish a worm farm at the Townsville Community Learning Centre. The RC Mundingburra contribution was matched by the District and the project received a Matching Grant from the Rotary Foundation. The project was registered as the Mundingburra Rotary Club Rotary International Centennial Commemorative Project. The worm farm has eleven worm tanks that require regular servicing. Initially there were some 65 pupils at the school but this number is increasing every year. All the pupils with the support of most of the staff are involved in some aspect of the worm farm operation, gaining valuable work experience. The worm exudates (commonly known as worm wee), a valuable organic fertilizer, is harvested each week and is bottled, labeled and prepared for sale by the pupils. Worm castings are harvested roughly every three months and are packaged and labeled for sale as another form of fertilizer. As the sale of these products increases, the project will become self-sustaining. The Mundingburra club supports the Townsville Community Learning Centre in other ways, providing an annual Encouragement Award to a pupil selected by the school staff in recognition of their overall performance and their contribution to school life. In 2003, the club awarded a Vocational Excellence shield to the school as a whole in recognition of the dedication of the staff to the well being of the pupils. Quote: Former International Director Fred Gillham says, “We will be forever grateful to the Rotary Club of Piracicaba Luiz de Queiroz and to The Rotary Foundation for making this project possible. It has surpassed all our expectations.” Acknowledgements: Our thanks are due President Helena Minto and members of the Rotary Club of Piracicaba Luiz de Queiroz, District 9550 and The Rotary Foundation for financial support. To Tracey Chappel, former Principal of the Aitkenvale Special School and her staff for their support of the project, to P&C President Chris Segrott and to Jan Cooper, Principal of the TCLC and her staff for adopting the project when the TCLC was established out of the amalgamation of the Aitkenvale and Mundingburra Special Schools. Angela Colliver provided valuable guidance in the initial stages of development of the project and a copy of her book Setting Up a Class Vermiculture Business. Vince and Chris Nielsen organized a working bee to provide concrete paving outside the worm frm. Vince constructed and installed the hoist for the worm tanks and the roof over the worm tanks with the help of Bill Barber and Bill Muguira. Pery Paving, BM Webb Holdings Limited, Wulguru Steel Fabricators Ltd. and McCahill Landscaping supported these activities. Jim Foley and NQ Springs constructed the shelter and Signature Engraved Masonry Products engraved the pavers. Twin Cities Trophies engraved the brass plaques. Ron Degenhart, Brad Groves, Mike Kaye, Doug McDonald, Steve McGuire, Graham Stephens and Mary Williams provided assistance in various ways. Thanks also to all those who purchased engraved pavers for the Commemorative Wall. Vince’s sister, Kathy Allen, made the curtains for the unveiling ceremony. Patrick Brady and Ray Hatton organized the dinner at TCLC. A big thank you to the caterers at the German Club providing the meal.
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