November 21st, 2016 - posted in Activities, Donations, Galleries, News and Events, Service support.
On Monday 
21 November the members of Rotary Club Sofia International, who are also members of the Vocational Training Global Grant Project Committee have met in HOPe Restaurant on 43, “Vladadaiska” Str. in Sofia to discuss the future cooperation of the club and the newly opened social enterprise.
The restaurant is a social enterprise unit the purpose of which is to help beneficiaries from the Houses of Opportunity run by the Foundation for Social Change and Inclusion (FCSI) to become more employable by giving them opportunities to develop social and employment skills, work discipline and structure in a commercial working environment.
The new food enterprise offers customers the following products and services:
- Café beverages and snacks for consumption on the premises or to take out;
- Lunchtime food competing in the traditional mainstream downtown market: soups, salads, main dishes, again for consumption on the premises or to take out;
- A delivered to premises catering service for local businesses and institutions;
- Hire of premises for children’s parties and other special functions;
- Since opening the hours of operation have extended to to 8pm as a result of consumer demand, evening food competing in the traditional mainstream downtown market.
Partners in this endeavor are: Foundation for Social Change and Inclusion, Rotary Club Sofia International, Rotary eClub West of England and Rotary District 1100, as well as the other ther contributing Rotary Clubs – Bristol Breakfast, Bristol Bridge, Brue Valley, Clifton, Evesham, Gloucester, Stroud, Thornbury, Worcester in Rotary International Great Britain and Ireland and the money from the Rotary Foundation Global Grant 1420691.
A Conference is to be held in February 2107 at which the restaurant will be showcased and the food for the delegates will be provided it.This will give FSCI to promote themselves to other Rotary Clubs throughout Bulgaria and Balkan States. It will also provide a Launchpad for further international relationships for FSCI. Target audience – Bulgairian Rotary Clubs, Children’s organisations and networks.
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November 20th, 2016 - posted in Activities, Galleries, News and Events.
On 19 November in Sevlievo the District seminar of Rotary Foundation was held.
Before the seminar, a group of Rotarians started planting a new “Alley of Rotary” in park “Kazarmite” in Sevlievo.
The District Governor of D2482 Mr. Dimitar Dimitrov opened the seminar. The first session started with a presentation by Mr. Orscelik Balkan – Member Board of Trustees at The Rotary Foundation. The topic he spoke on was “One Hundred Years Rotary Foundation”. The program then included a presentation by he Past District Governor Mrs. Nina Miteva on with the topic: “One Hundred Years We Are Making Good Thought the World”. The session was concluded with a presentation by our friend from Rotary Club Haskovo Mr. Vladimir Gonchev.
During the second session Mrs. Violina Kostova from Rotary Club Sofia City announced the winner clubs of the district grants. After that Mr. Konstantin Stoyanov from Rotary Club Stara Zagora explained about the global grants and how easy it is to make the step from District to Global Grant. Mr. Volkan Akyıldız – Past President of Rotary Club of Caddebostan, District 2420 Turkey shared best practices on how a club of 8 people became one of the most successful clubs in Turkey.
Mrs. Snezhana Doncheva a member of Rotary Club Sofia International presented the Rotary Peace Centers program – a dynamic and ambitious project of the Rotary Foundation to identify highly qualified professionals and train them to become agents of peace. Rotary Peace Centers have trained more than 900 Rotary Peace Fellows who are now working throughout the world in a wide range of occupations and positions of authority to serve the goal of building peace. In addition to contributing to peace as individuals, these dedicated fellows are part of an expanding global network of Rotary alumni whose influence grows exponentially with each graduating class.
The seminar was followed by a formal dinner, where the participants celebrated 15 years of Rotary Club Sevlievo, which finished with fireworks.
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November 16th, 2016 - posted in Activities, Children, Donations, Future projects, Galleries, Guest Speakers, Meeting.
On 16 November 2016 Mr. Valentin Georgiev, Executive Director of American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria (AmCham Bulgaria) was a guest of Rotary Club Sofia International in Hilton Sofia.
He presented the activities of the organization and answered the questions of our members and guests. AmCham Bulgaria is a member of a vast network of American Chambers in the World, and currently it has 339 members.
During the meeting we discussed the elections of the club’s President Elect 2018/2019 and Board 2017/2018, which will be held on 14 December at a closed meeting.
The Christmas party for the members and friends of the club was announced. It will be in La Prima Osteria restaurant on 21 December from 19:30. The cover fee is 35 BGN (no alcohol included) for four course dinner and special homemade surprises from our hosts.
The annual Puppet Theater Project of the club this year will again be for the kids of Father Ivan in Yakimovo. The event will be on 3 December. The kids will have a Puppet theater performance. We will also supply fire wood, food, Christmas treats, and donuts. Our friends from Vivacom will present the kids with a bag including t-shirt, hat, rucksack, notebook, pencil, box for pencils.
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November 9th, 2016 - posted in Activities, Children, Future projects, Galleries, Guest Speakers, Meeting, Rotaract.
On 9 Nov
ember 2016 Rotary Club Sofia International welcomed Ms. Panagiota Angelopoulou, Past President of Rotaract Club Sofia International in Hilton Hotel Sofia. She presented a project executed by the club on dental hygiene and prophylaxis for orphans.
During the meeting the organization of the project for the kids of Father Ivan were discussed. We would entertain the kids with a Puppet theater. Additionally we would supply fire wood, food, Christmas treats, donuts. Our friends from Vivacom will present the kids with a bag including t-shirts, hat, rucksack, notebook, pencil, box for pencils. The event, which will take place on 3 December 2016 was made possible through the money collected at the Hilton Oktoberfest Celebration and numerous private donations from members and friends of our club.
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November 2nd, 2016 - posted in Activities, Future projects, Galleries, Guest Speakers, Meeting, News and Events.
On 2 November 2016 Rotary Club Sofia International welcomed Ms. Alexandrina Dimitrova from Cedar Bulgaria at a regular meeting of the club. She presented the activities of the foundation and shared best practices for fundraising and invited the members and guests to their traditional ball.
Prior to the meeting the Board of the club discussed 2 projects, one from Peter for 100 books for local reading houses (Tschitalischte) in the villages of middle and west Bulgaria and one from Jørgen for helping an organization catering for disabled children. Each project requires around 2500 BGN and these will be collected at our traditional Wine and Whiskey evenings.
Additionally the club is planning to realize a bigger project under the patronage of a famous Bulgarian. This is still in the planning and as the organization progresses we will share news here and on our Facebook page.
After the meeting the discussions continued over beers in the lobby bar of the hotel.
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October 26th, 2016 - posted in Activities, Future projects, Galleries, Guest Speakers, Meeting, News and Events, Service support.
The regular meeting of Rotary Club Sofia International has been held on 26 October 2016 at the Hilton Hotel. The president of the club Mr. H. Stüer announced some organizational topics and invitations received from other clubs within the district. The club members have been briefed, as well, about the preparation of the charity Christmas event in Yakimovo (Father Ivan’s village) planned for 3 December.
The main topic of the agenda this evening was the lecture “Heraclea Sintica – The City of Macedonian Kings” held by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lyudmil Vagalinski, director of the National Archaeological Institute with Museum (NAIM) since 2010. Mr. Vagalinski presented an archaeological site called Heraclea Sintica located near the city of Petrich (SW corner of Bulgaria). Heraclea Sintica was founded as a Macedonian colony in the end of 4th c. BC. It was the main settlement of the Middle Struma River till end of 4th c. AD. Since 2007 systematic archaeological excavations have been carried out. Many ancient ruins, tools, dishes and coins have been found there as evidence for the rich, dramatic and exciting history of this part of Bulgaria.
In addition Mr. Vagalinski answered some questions of the club’s members and expressed his readiness to co-operate with Rotary Club Sofia International in its future projects and activities.
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October 25th, 2016 - posted in Activities, Donations, News and Events.
25 October 2016, Rotary Club Sofia International donated 14 computers, 13 monitors, and one copy machine to the Bulgarian Agency for Social Support.
The Agency provides social services to indigent members of the society. It caters food, distributes heating allowances, supports children and disadvantaged people.
The project had been initiated and realised by our member Mr. Svetozar Shkoutov.
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October 19th, 2016 - posted in Activities, Children, Donations, Future projects, Galleries, Guest Speakers, Meeting, News and Events, Service support.
Rotary Club Sofia Intern
ational held its regular weekly meeting on 19th of October 2016 in Hilton Sofia.
The main topic of the evening was the presentation of Dr. Mitko Vassilev. He presented the network of German Industrial and Trade Chambers and also the activities and projects of the German-Bulgarian Industrial and Trade Chamber.
Before the presentation we opened the donation boxes, which we have had at the Oktoberfest Celebration on 15 October in Hilton Sofia. We managed to collect 1,515.00 BGN, which will go towards buying essentials for the kids of Father Ivan in Yakimovo. A member of the club donated additional 1,000.00 BGN for the project. Information of how the money is spent will be available here and on our Facebook Page.
After the meeting the fellowship continued with drinks and conversations around the next projects of the club.
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October 15th, 2016 - posted in Activities, Donations, Future projects, Galleries, News and Events, Service support.
Hilton Sofia organized the annual Oktoberfest on 15 October 2016. Numerous members and friends of Rotary Club Sofia International also took part in the celebration.
This Year Rotary Club Sofia International had 2 donation boxes at the event. We managed to collect 1,515.00 BGN, which will go towards buying essentials for the kids of Father Ivan in Yakimovo. Stay tuned on report on how the money is spent here and on our Facebook Page.
Rotary Club Sofia International would like to thank Hilton Sofia, for the opportunity and the chance to realize this project.
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October 13th, 2016 - posted in Activities, News and Events, Service support.
The Foundation for Social Change and Inclusion (FSCI) launched Hope Restaurant in Sofia in the beginning of October – a venture made possible through the support of Rotary International, Rotary Club Sofia International, Rotary Club West of England eClub, and Rotary District 1100 – England. Zdravko, a resident from House of Opportunity (HOP) Sofia Lyulin, has a contract to work in the restaurant and has already been out visiting businesses in the local neighborhood, looking for marketing opportunities. FSCI has been dreaming about projects that can generate income and provide training for the young people in their HOPs, so the opening of the restaurant and Zdravko’s appointment is very exciting – but also a little daunting.
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Christina, Hope Restaurant’s manager (2nd from left in the picture above, Zdravko middle), is really looking forward to opening for business. “I am personally very excited, because after many months of efforts it is now time to unleash the potential of the sales – and this is my field. Now, as we are nearly ready with the repairs and branding, I feel that it was worth all the efforts and patience of the team of HOPe Restaurants, FSCI, the Trussell Trust and the Rotary Clubs.”
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You can visit the HOPe Restaurant, located on Vladaiska Street 43 in Sofia, Bulgaria, and support this noble initiative. Here’e the map of the restaurant – https://goo.gl/maps/3wUB2fwWZuj.
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