White Hearts Center & Sunrise Rotary Club - Helping Hands & Caring Hearts
Watching CNN Newsroom late night edition in 2021, I was deeply moved by CNN Senior International Correspondent, Peabody and Emmy Award winner, Arwa Damon’s compelling story of Abdullah and Bara’a Mohammed and the beautiful children of White Hearts Center.
Abdullah and Bara’a Mohammed, and White Hearts Center child.
The next day I emailed Arwa and thanked her for informing the world of these vulnerable children in need of a helping hand. Guided by Mother Teresa’s wisdom, “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love”, the following five year collaboration - and first Down syndrome care center in Syria - emerged from our initial “how can I help” discussion: White Hearts Center.
Fast forward to January 2025.
Two wonderful friends - John Lennes, past President of the Stillwater Sunrise Rotary Club and Square Lake Conservancy supporter, and Ted Nesse, Square Lake Association member and Sunrise Rotary Webmaster - graciously invited me to present our White Hearts Center (WHC) story to Sunrise Rotary members, including Rich Cummings, Square Lake Association Director and past President of Sunrise Rotary. For those interested, here is my March 25 presentation: WHC Presentation (Viewer Mode).
The good news is that John, Ted, and I were subsequently invited to apply for a Rotary Grant, on behalf of the special needs children of White Hearts Center. Our application was formally submitted to Sunrise Rotary leadership this past April, as linked here: White Hearts Center Rotary Grant Request - 4-10-25.
Square Lake’s Syrian Outreach.
With overwhelming joy, I am pleased to announce that White Hearts Center was selected as a 2025 Rotary Grant recipient on September 23, 2025, following a comprehensive due-diligence review, and multi-month assessment and selection process facilitated by local, district, and national Rotary Grant Committee leadership.
My special thanks to Sunrise Rotary Club’s Grants Committee Members, Maryna Kasper, John Lennes, and Ted Nesse for their helping hands and caring hearts, over the past year, in achieving this unique accomplishment.
Cheers and commendations to Sunrise Club’s Executive Leadership for their directional guidance, encouragement, and support in advancing WHC’s Grant application across the goal line, including:
Nancy Lyner, President
Greg Otsuka, Immediate Past President
Lonny Stormo, District Governor Nominee (2027-28) and District Public Image Lead
Our WHC Grant selection would not have been possible without the expertise, empathy, and mentoring guidance, that was graciously provided by:
Cindy Carlson, District 5960 Grants Team - Grant Mentor
Jim Hunt, District Grants Team Lead
Margie Horning, Treasurer, International Grants Committee Chair, and District Rotary Foundation Lead
Carol Nelson, District 5960 Grants Team Member.
As always, White Hearts kids say it best: White Hearts Center Thanks to Rotary.
Path Forward to a Positive Future.
Since 2021, the glowing smiles of these beautiful children have captured the hearts and souls of all caregivers and donors who serve and support them. Hopefully their joyful hearts will have a similar impact on you. To that end, here is a short video shared in celebration of Rotary’s momentous Grant Award decision: WHC Hope & Heartlight.
The inspiration and uplift provided by the Rotary Club and other generous donors since 2021 to the beautiful children of White Hearts Center - in the midst of war, bullets, bombings, earthquakes, flooding, COVID, and regime change - reminds me of a favorite passage from a favorite book:
“And there is a Catskill eagle in some souls that can alike dive down into the blackest gorges, and soar out of them again and become invisible in the sunny spaces. And even if he forever flies within the gorge, that gorge is in the mountains; so that even in his lowest swoop the mountain eagle is still higher than other birds upon the plain, even though they soar.” - Herman Melville, Moby-Dick.
Yes, our White Hearts children have many years of soaring flights ahead - thanks to the extraordinary kindness and generosity of friends like Rotary Club members and you!
To help ensure the White Hearts Center doors remain open in the years ahead, your support is needed today, including:
A personal donation - of any amount.
Referral to family members and friends - who may be willing to donate.
If you decide to make a gift, the easiest way to donate is via our secure website link here. Simply click the “Make a Donation” box. Then enter the gift amount and your credit card information. Permitting us to attribute the donation to you will encourage others to donate. However, if you prefer to list your gift as Anonymous, that’s fine too. To avoid a transaction fee, simply leave that box unchecked.
To help spread the word, please also consider forwarding this Square Roots Blog post to anyone in your business, social, and family network who may be interested in making a tax-exempt donation, in support of the beautiful children of White Hearts Center.
Thanks in advance for your kindness and care.
Respectfully, with gratitude and hope.
Jim Seidl
Board of Advisors Chair, White Hearts Center
President, Legal Research Center
Jim.Seidl@LegalResearch.com