DGE Deepa Willingham (D-5240), President of PACE Universal, USA, arrived in Kolkata on 9th December, 2009 along with her team comprising of PDG Bruce Goldsen, his mother Esther and wife Susan, DGE David Alexander (D-9810 in Australia), his wife Denise and daughter Karen, Asst. Governor designate John Eichler of D-5240, Ms. Betty Madsen from San Francisco and Ms. Elie Sherban from Bulgaria. They were later joined by Interactor Erik Adcock from D-5240. A packed schedule awaited them from the date of their arrival until their departure on 21st December, 2009.
The members of the visiting team spent the entire weekend at the Sunderbans and were very appreciative of the wonderful arrangements so thoughtfully arranged by PP Maitrayee Ray at the Sunderban Tiger Camp.
The entire PACE team were overwhelmed to see the developments that had taken place not only at PLC but also of the Piyali community. They were amazed to see the enthusiasm among the trainees and students under the Vocational Training and Adult Literacy Programmes respectively. Elie Sherban, a member of the visiting team member from Bulgaria and a fashion jewellery designer by profession, became so involved with the trainees that she conducted a couple of training sessions on jewellery on the spot and decided to stay back in Kolkata for 3 months to teach the ladies of Piyali the art of fashion jewellery making.
During their daily visits to Piyali between 14th & 18th December, the visitors were amazed by the talent of the girls in music, dancing and histrionics. The senior girls even conversed with them in English. The colourful costumes tailored by our VT teachers and trainees impressed them beyond imagination as did the wonderful girls with their smile and confidence in gay abundance. The visitors interacted freely with the girls inside classes, during the concerts and in quiz sessions and just could not believe in the transformation that had taken place. Deepadi and her team could not hold back their tears after seeing .Tamosa ma Jyotirgomaya. and .Aj Romar Biye – boyosh tero. . two short plays conceived and scripted by the Principal and teachers of PLC depicting the transition that had taken at PLC.
On 18th December, 2009, DGE Deepa Willingham and President Binod Binaykia laid the foundation stone of the Vocational Training Centre building in the presence of District Secretary, Uttam Ganguli, DGE David Alexander((D-9810), DG Bruce Goldsen, PDG VIjay Bhandari, AG designate (D-5240) John Eichler, Hony. Secretary Jayanta Neogi, Pps Neeraja Rateria, Anjan Das, V.K.Dhandhania, Sampath Kumar, R.K.Bubna and a host of other Metropolitans, members of the RCCs and villagers of Piyali and Gourdaha. At the Regular Weekly Meeting that followed at the premises of Piyali Learning Centre, President Binod Binaykia recognized the Principal Alokeparna Ghosh as a Paul Harris Fellow, the highest Rotary Award a Club could give to a non-Rotarian for her contribution to the development of the school and handed over the citation to her. DGE Deepa Willingham pinned Alokeparna as a Paul Harris Fellow and put the PHF medallion round her neck. It was a very emotional moment for all. The visitors spent the whole morning with the girls who had come down to the Science City on a field trip before joining PP Sohan Raj Singhvi for lunch on the Spa Lawns of ITC Sonar as .baraatees. for his grandson.s wedding. The members of the PACE Team were delighted to see the pomp and splendour of the Indian Wedding that followed at the P. C. Chandra Group Nature Park. The Ghazal evening that preceded the evening at The Floatel had indeed set the pace for the PACE team. The visitors attended the felicitation programme of RIPN Kalyan Banerjee and RIDNs Yash Pal Das and Shekhar Mehta before making a beeline to Calcutta Club with Hony. Secretary Elect Maitrayee Ghosh to attend the Bakery Carnival to complete their hectic schedule in Kolkata. They spent the whole of Monday in shopping at the New Market and South City Mall before catching their flights by Emirates and Singapore Airlines to their respective destinations.
