Because we enjoy the fellowship of new friends that we’ll have for the rest of our lives.
Because we are able to help people in other countries that are seemingly beyond help.
Yes, of course, these and many other very good reasons. But as the future unfolds my personal commitments will change. I’ll move to another community or I simply won’t have the time to participate as much……..but I will always remain a member.
What if your world suddenly fell apart? What if your worst nightmare unfolded before your eyes?. Here is what happened in late March.
It’s noon on a Tuesday. I’m taking a walk along the water on beautiful Bainbridge Island with my old friend and fellow Rotarian Allen Ferris. The sun was out. A ferry sailed past. It was a wonderful spring day. And, as usual, we were retelling each other stories about our ubiquitous past.
My phone rings. I think, “I really don’t want to answer it”, but I look and it’s Bob Baranski, one of our department leaders at the Rotary Auction.
So… me being me.. I answer by immediately saying, “Bob, were you able to get Toby to sign up for your team? We can’t let Marina get him for hers.” His voice though, sounded agitated. “Vince, no, no it’s not that. I don’t know, I thought maybe Rotary could help me.”
“OK Bob, what’s wrong.”
“You know my daughter Cory and her new husband Chris (they are both in their twenties and just got married in June).We’ve talked about how they live and work on their sailboat. They were sailing down the coast, stopping at places in Central America and then planning to go through the Panama Canal and into the Caribbean.
Last night , they were anchored, waiting for passage, at one of the Las Perlas islands near Panama City, Panama. To get through the Canal you’re required to have two additional line handlers. So two of their former University of Washington classmates, David and Talia came down to join them.
Soon after sunset they heard the purr of a panga. Suddenly, the panga violently rammed their boat. Four men with guns and machetes stormed onboard.
They held a machete to Cory’s neck and hit Chris on the back of the head and neck with a gun. David locked himself in the head below to call for help…unsuccessfully. The attackers broke down the door quickly with their machetes and the cables to the radios and autopilot display were cut. Then they forced them all to lay down at gunpoint….and ransacked the boat …for an hour and a half.
They took all their cash, wallets, computers, phones and passports. Jewelry, foul weather gear, lifejackets, clothing, alcohol, and even fuel jugs containing gasoline were all stolen. They even ripped out as much of the electronic gear as they could. And after all that, hacked the interior of the boat to pieces with their machetes…and took Stella their dog.”
As you can imagine, I can’t believe what I’m hearing.
Bob went on, “Vince, they have nothing, but were able to contact the local police, get some emergency medical help…Chris is OK (he’s a 6’6” former rower for UW)… and get access to a phone to call me. I was able to get them some lodging at a nearby Marina, but they are really shaken up. Do you know someone in Rotary that might provide assistance of any kind?”
All I could say was, “What a frightening story. Thank God they’re all physically OK. I’m not sure what I can do, but I’ll try and let you know.” “ I’m thinking, “A small island in Panama, right, I don’t know what I can do.”
I turned, walked back to my car at Allen’s house and headed home. An hour or so had now passed. When I got home, I tried to contact some people on our World Community Service team, but without any luck.
Then I logged on to the Rotary International website. I couldn’t pull up any info on clubs in Panama…….most likely user error. I went to Facebook and found a Rotary Club located somewhat west of Panama City when I mapped it. There was a phone number. I called, but no answer….. and no ability to leave a message.
Now it’s after 2 PM my time, but still before 5 PM in Chicago. I placed a call to Rotary International.I was routed to a woman and began blurting out the story. She said, “Vince, hold on, calm down, I can help.”
Everything now enfolded at lightning speed. It was kind of a fantastic blur.
She came back with the name, phone number and email of the President of the Panama Este Rotary Club, a small Club outside of Panama City. “But don’t go anywhere”, she said, “let me connect you to Nick Taylor, Supervisor of Club and District Support for the Americas.”
No answer on Nick’s line. I left a message for him and immediately called Bob with the contact information given to me for Marco Austin, current President of the Panama Este Club. Just after I finished giving the information to Bob, Nick Taylor called. He said he was setting up a team.
I wasn’t sure what that meant, but while I was on the line with Nick, Bob called and said he had been able to get in touch with Marco.
Marco was able to quickly reach Javier Juarez, a Club member on Balboa, an island less than two miles from the Naos Marina where Cory and Chris’s boat was anchored.
Javier got there right away. Besides much needed support and comfort, Javier was able to take them to get staples and basics, since as you know they had little or no belongings. Thankfully, they were in good shape considering the ordeal. They were staying in a hotel at the marina where their boat was moored.
Javier contacted more friends in the marine supply business and set up a work group for the next day to coordinate some repairs on the boat.
I was blown away. How long did this take from my initial call - 3 hours?
The story doesn’t end there.
Javier, visited them daily, providing people and resources for labor and boat repair, transportation to stores to buy clothing (both Talia and David’s duffel bags were taken), pharmacy, restaurants for takeout (they couldn’t cook on the boat yet), etc.
Alan Sellers, Rotary International District Coordinator of Zone 25a ….part of Nick’s “team”….also stepped in and contacted Bob to help. In a big way. The attitude of all the local authorities immediately changed.
In Bob’s words, “The Rotary connection sent ripples (more like waves) through other agencies.”
Alan set up connections with:
Aeronaval (the Panamanian Coast Guard), who checked on them daily and reported progress on their search for the pirates.
The Canal Authority, who brought them a prepaid phone when they heard that they needed more communication tools.
The Panamanian Minister of Tourism, who worked with the owner of the marina that Cory and Chris needed to transit their boat to for repairs…enough to make to the nearest U.S. port - Miami.
Alan had the Panamanian Coast Guard escort them to the city of Colon whatever quick repairs could be done. They were accompanied by a Panama Canal agent, escorted by the coast Guard and other boats in the area who had heard about the incident. If I could vote in Panama, Alan would definitely be my choice for President.
But this Rotary story continues.
A fews after the incident, Bob called and said that David Miller, as you might remember one of their crew, was having difficulty with the U. S. consulate in being able to get a new passport.
So….I made a call to another Rotarian, our U.S. Congressman, Derek Kilmer (D- WA 6th District). Derek has a small framed copy of the 4 Way Test on his desk in D.C. Within 30 minutes his office was in contact with David’s parents and the U.S. Consulate so the issues were quickly resolved.
As of today, and because of Bob's fantastic idea to activate his Rotary Club network, Cory, Chris, Talia, and David are through the Canal and on their way to Miami to get further repairs.being provided tremendous boots-on-the-ground support.
Here are Bob’s words to sum up the tale:
“First off, the impact of Rotary in situations of need is immeasurable. It isn’t just what we do as Rotarians, it’s who we know and the influence we have. The impact of influence and connections markedly improved the experience my daughter and son-in-law in Panama.
People have been asking how they can help . For Rotarians who ask, my response is, “Just keep being Rotarians”.
A thought indelibly imprinted on my mind stems from when I tried to thank Allen Sellers for his help and he replied “No, no, this is what we do”.
One last thing.
Even though they haven’t yet caught the attackers, their dog Stella, was found on a small island near the incident.
I’ll always be a Rotarian.
The Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island has a long and proud history of providing grants to support diverse community projects, dating back to the Club’s founding in 1947. This year's grants were announced on April 3rd by Committee Chair Chuck Everett and Co-chair Rosemary Shaw.
