Rotary is a service organisation. We act locally and globally according to our motto Service above Self. Our international humanitarian service is carried out and coordinated by our Rotary Foundation and in cooperation with authorised partners.

Service projects over the years

2023 Legs for legless Vol 2 India

The first prosthetic project in Kolkata, India (formerly Calcutta) was such a success that the project continues with a new one with a budget of ~68,500€. Also from Finland, more than 17 Rotary clubs, approx. 20 individuals, six Rotary districts are participating in this project… The project is already in a good implementation phase, with the goal that by the end of April 2023, ~1400 people in need will have received a new prosthesis. The Leppävirta Rotary Club also participated in this project.

2022 Water backpack project

The Leppävirta Rotarians decided to join the water backpack project.

The water backpack contains tools and instructions that make exploring the local water easy and fun. What does the visibility depth tell about the state of the water? Is there blue-green algae in the water and would it be safe to swim there? And what does the water’s oxygen situation look like?

With the help of a water backpack, the following things can be studied:

• temperature (water thermometer)
• depth of field (Secchi plate)
• blue-green algae situation
• turbidity (World Water Monitoring Challenge jar, sticker and turbidity scale)
  oxygen concentration (test tube, DO tablet, color scale)
• phosphorus and nitrogen content in the water

Using a water backpack in teaching

A water backpack is used to explore the surrounding environment. In schools, you can compile a “Story of your local water” with the students, which starts with mapping the students’ preconceptions using, for example, a mind map. Next, we get to know the research equipment together and travel to the shore of the nearby water body for sampling, using Water backpack instructions and equipment. Pictures are taken in the terrain and in class the observations can be recorded together in, for example, the Järvi&MeriWiki service. Although Water backpack was developed primarily for schools, it is also perfectly suited for all citizens interested in monitoring the state of water. There is more information about the water backpack, for example https://www.vesireppu.com/

Leppävirta Rotary Club acquired 10 water backpacks for Leppävirta schools so that all Leppävirta primary schools can participate in the study of the water body.

Groups of schoolchildren investigated water at Leppävirta independently in the spring of 2022, but Leppävirta Rotarians also participated and helped in the investigations on April 22, 2022.

2022 Legs for legless India

Leppävirta Rotarians participated in the Legs for Legless project which started in 2021 and is still ongoing in 2022. The goal is to get a prosthesis for those who have lost their limbs so that they can cope better in life. Often, especially poor people, cannot afford to get a prosthesis to replace a lost limb. Our club took the initiative in participating in the project. Leppävirta Rotarians participated in the Global Grant project with our Rotary district 1430 and three other districts and 16 other clubs.
The total budget of the project is ~42,500€ and already two months after the start of the
project, more than 10% of the project budget was used.

2021 Swing donation to Konnustupa

The Leppävirta Rotary Club donated a wooden swing to Leppävirta High School in 2017. This swing was moved to the high school yard when the high school moved. Unfortunately, the swing was vandalized and breached quite thoroughly. The Rotarians still decided to renovate the swing and donate it to a new selected destination in Konnustupa. The fixing team Eeva and Ilkka Pehkonen and Antti Ihalainen spent three evenings in the swing repair.

The official donation of the swing was held at the opening meeting of the autumn season on August 24, 2021. Taru Oksman and Kimmo Lehtonen received the swing on behalf of Konnustupa.

2021 Donation to children’s and young people’s books to Leppävirta Library

The Leppävirta Rotary Club made a book donation worth 1,500 euros, which was made possible by the proceeds from the book Leppävirta in Old Postcards compiled by Markus Harald, Raimo Auvinen and Teppo Ritari. With this income, sports equipment have previously been donated to Leppävirta schools, among other things. The book donation was used for children’s and youth books. The idea came from club activist Eeva-Liisa Pennanen.

Thanks to the donation, the library acquired more than a hundred books independently. The donation book is identified by the Rotary sticker on the back cover.

2021 Supporting Leppävirta school photo exhibition

Anu-Riikka Utriainen’s photo exhibition As a Friend Plants – Reflections was on display at Leppäkertu School until March 2021. The exhibition was part of Anu-Riikka’s photography studies. The series consisted of abstract and illustrative images depicting plants or people and plants.

The Leppävirta Rotary Club was also involved in supporting this project.

2020 Donation of a painting to Leppäkerttu school

A small solemn moment was celebrated at Leppäkertu School in September 2020, when it was time to reveal a painting donated by the Leppävirta Rotary Club, painted by artist Jorma Hynninen. At the same time, the Leppävirta Rotary Club donated a large pile of sports equipment.

The plaque found a place worthy of and immediately garnered admiring glances. Jorma Hynninen told about the stages of his work and highlighted a fascinating, mystical fog that moves the imagination. Jorma Hynninen said that interest in painting had already arisen during school times, inspired by the teacher. Even small deeds can make a big difference! Even today, when winding home in the wind and blizzard, one can keep in mind that the greatest is to help the smallest.

2018 Shed on Paajalanmäki

The shed project was the idea of ​​club president Olavi Räisänen (2016-2017). A place for the shed was found in Paajalanmäki along the outdoor route. The log frame was purchased from Finnlamelli in Alärvi and a stone grill from Polarstone in Savonranta. The construction work was performed by two construction professionals but the painting was done by the club members.

The finished shed was handed over to the Leppävirta village and for the use of everyone in the area.

2018 Yard furniture to Leppävirta high school

Leppävirta Rotary Club donated a traditional swing and a table group to Leppävirta High School. The idea of ​​increasing the comfort of the high school yard district originated from a school survey conducted in spring of 2017, where students wished a place to sit in the high school yard. Leppävirta Rotary club offered to buy the furniture. The yard furniture is also perfect for library and kindergarten users.

2017 Kivelä School projects

Our club donated floorball equipment to students for use by four teams at a time. Our Ticket to the Future project, in turn, introduced high school students the importance of good behavior and offered dozens of young people the opportunity to work in the summer for five years in a row.

2016 Leppävirta in Old Postcards

Our club made a book Leppävirta in Old Postcards.  The sales revenues are used to provide well-being for young people from Leppävirta. Kivelä school floorball equipment and high school garden furniture have also been bought with this income. Raimo Auvinen, Markus Harald and Teppo Ritari were responsible for the book project awarded by the Regional Homeland Association and the Leppävirta Municipal Cultural Service.