This gallery contains 9 photos.
By Sakuji Tanaka, in English and Japanese Photos by Alyce Henson/Rotary Images On 11 August, I had the honor of taking part in the Bud Billiken Parade in Chicago — the city where Rotary began. The parade and picnic, the … Continue reading
A panel discussion after the screening of the movie with director Susan Rockefeller, second from left. Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Wall Street New York
My club became aware of the special needs and care that U.S. soldiers require when they return home through our work with the Bob Woodruff Foundation. The latter was co-founded by award-winning television reporter Bob Woodruff and his family after he sustained serious injuries while covering the Iraq war in 2006. Continue reading
Past District Governor Joe Pratt on Mount Everest. Photo courtesy of Joe Pratt
In October of 2011, my wife and I along with another Rotarian couple traveled to Pakistan to participate in a National Immunization Day (NID). The trip came about because of a Pakistani Group Study Exchange team visit to my Rotary district and the subsequent invitation to visit their country.
Despite the State Department’s warnings against travel to Pakistan as well as an outbreak of dengue fever, we decided that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. At this point I had been training for my climb on Mount Everest for eight months and it was the consensus of our group, in particular Steve Puderbaugh, that the climb be dedicated to raising funds to help eradicate polio. Continue reading
Grace and Christina Caruso cross the finish line of the New York marathon together. Photo courtesy of the Caruso family
It was our first marathon experience, and one we chose to take on together.
My sister Christina and I are not marathon runners, but fitness enthusiasts who believe you can do whatever you put your mind to do! This was our motto that led us to the finish line.
A couple months before the New York City Marathon, our parents Paul and Gail Caruso, members of the Rotary Club of New York, asked us if we would be interested in running the marathon for team NY Rotary. Continue reading
Marty Peak Helman with RI President Sakuji Tanaka during the Changeover ceremony in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, 1 July. Photo by Ann Lee Hussey
On his first day as RI President, Sakuji Tanaka joined Rotarians in my hometown of Boothbay Harbor, Maine, taking part in a Changeover ceremony for six district governors and 46 club presidents.
Rotarians came from Quebec, New York, New Jersey, and all over New England – some making a 10-hour drive — in order to shake hands with Tanaka-san, hear him speak, and be formally inducted by him into their new Rotary offices. It was a remarkable honor for all. Continue reading
Rotarian Scott Dudley gives the thumbs up after surgery to donate a kidney to someone he had just met.
A series of coincidences brought Rotarian Scott Dudley and Phil Rosario together.
On 16 May, Scott, a member of the Rotary Club of North Whidbey Island Sunrise, Washington, USA, donated one of his kidney’s to Phil, who he had met only a week before. Continue reading
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon immunizes a boy against polio during Angola’s first polio eradication campaign of the year. UN Photo/Quintiliano dos Santos
Wild viruses and wildfires have two things in common. If neglected, they can spread out of control. If handled properly, they can be stamped out for good. Today, the flame of polio is near extinction — but sparks in three countries threaten to ignite a global blaze. Now is the moment to act.
During the next two weeks, on two continents, two events offer the chance for a breakthrough. First, the leaders of the world’s largest economies, the G8, congregate at the U.S.presidential retreat at Camp David in rural Maryland. A week later, the world’s ministers of health convene in Geneva. Together, they can push to deliver on an epic promise: to liberate humankind from one of the world’s most deadly and debilitating diseases. Continue reading
Marty Helman during a National Immunization Day in Africa last year.
I spoke about Polio Plus to a sell-out audience at my parents’ retirement home recently. There was not one member of the audience who didn’t have a personal story to share about polio – they all knew a time in America when every summer brought a new outbreak of the disease. And inevitably, they all remember a sibling or cousin or close friend who survived – or succumbed – to the disease.
I told the residents that they had done their job too well. I told them that because of their enthusiastic support for the public health campaigns here in North America that followed rollout of first the Salk and then the Sabin vaccine, that young people today frequently think polio is a disease about as antiquated and as far from their consciousness as, for example, yellow fever or leprosy (both of which are also very much still threats in the developing world). Continue reading
Karena Bierman races vintage motorcycles for a hobby.
In 2005, a year after I started working at the Rotary Foundation, I worked on a tsunami relief project with a very active Rotarian – Chuck Remen, from the Rotary Club of Evanston Lighthouse.
He convinced me that I ought to be a Rotarian. (Actually, it didn’t take much convincing, because I liked the organization.) Since, I’ve been on the club’s board of directors every year. It’s not something I do because of my job. It’s something I do because my club is awesome. Continue reading
Children receive fruit as part of a fruit to schools program supported by the Global FoodBanking Network. Photo courtesy of Global FoodBanking Network
Recently, the Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) entered a service partnership with Rotary International to allow the two organizations to pool their resources to work closely together to fight hunger.
At GFN, we are excited to work with the many Rotarians who have already shown tremendous dedication toward making a difference in this area. Our two organizations share common goals. Continue reading
