Author Archives: Rotary International

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Celebrate Rotaract by giving

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By Clement Chinaza Owuamalam, Rotaract Club of Apo, Nigeria

World Rotaract Week is an annual celebration of the success and significance of Rotaract in communities around the world. This year, from 8-14 March, Rotaractors, worldwide are celebrating the wonderful experiences that inspire them to put service above self.

Members of the 2018-19 Rotary International Rotaract Committee at the One Rotary Center, USA.

I vividly remember that sunny Saturday afternoon in 2014 when our president at the Rotaract Club of Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria, led us to a Rotary Foundation seminar organized by leaders in our zone. I was overwhelmed to discover how donations to The Rotary Foundation, no matter how small, are transformed into life-changing projects in areas where they are greatly needed.

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Rotaractors support health centers in Nigeria

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Rotaractors in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, came together to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in their community by sharing safety information and providing supplies.

By Rowland Kingsley Dappa, Rotaract Club of Port Harcourt Westfield, Nigeria

Rotaractors in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, came together to carry out a disease prevention project to fight the spread of COVID-19 and prevent a second wave of infections in our communities. Together with Rotaractors in Port Harcourt Spring Gardens and our host Rotary club, we distributed essential cleaning supplies and COVID-19 protocol information to public health care centers in the communities of Ogumnabali and Okuru-ama.

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Myanmar refugees charter new club in Indiana

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Members of the Southport International Rotary Club in Indianapolis load boxes of food for a food drop.

By Jeff Lake, Rotary Club of Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

I began to work with the nonprofit organization Chin Community of Indiana in 2016 after our club’s foundation granted them $250,000 over five years, with a three-year extension through 2023. Many Burmese Chin, fleeing persecution in their home country, have chosen Southport as their new home. Almost 20,000 Chin live on the south side of Indianapolis, making it one of the largest concentrations of Chin people outside of Myanmar.

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Let’s use our ‘circles of influence’ to combat COVID-19

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By Joe Otin, past district governor of Rotary District 9212

Joe Otin

In his book “The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People,” Steven Covey defines the circle of concern and the circle of influence. His ideas explain how we can build resilience through the toughest times. The current health crisis that we face demands an individual and collective response for any conceivable return to a way of life that is free from fear and a return to a positive and healthy way of life.

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Rotary’s diplomats open opportunities around the world – virtually

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By Judith Diment, Dean of the Rotary Representative Network

Judith Diment

We are well into this Rotary year and what a year it has been for the Rotary Representatives to the United Nations and other international organizations! As Rotary’s “ambassadors” to 22 UN and key agencies, our work normally is to meet strategic personnel and develop relationships that are conducive to working together on Rotary’s areas of focus. This is not an easy task in the midst of a pandemic. Like all Rotarians, we have had to adapt to doing things differently through virtual meetings – it’s diplomacy via the internet!

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Safety committee supports clubs through pandemic

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Juliet Altenburg

By Juliet Altenburg, DGN, District 7390 (Pennsylvania, USA)

Last June as I ended my term as president of the Rotary Club of Mechanicsburg-North and started my role as a district governor-nominee, I was feeling the enormity of COVID-19 in my paid job, personal life, and Rotary club.

In my professional job as a nurse, I am the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF). PTSF oversees hospitals that are trauma centers in Pennsylvania. Hospital staff shared with me the stress of caring for patients while trying to protect themselves and their families. They were often the “family” of patients that died alone and were physically and emotionally exhausted.

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Virtual tour of One Rotary Center shines

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Vision Statement display and seating area in the west atrium on the 18th floor of Rotary International World Headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA.

By Bruce Baumberger, 2010-11 governor of District 6440 (northern Illinois, USA)

As one of the two Rotary clubs normally conducting club meetings at One Rotary Center in Evanston, Illinois, USA, members of the Rotary Club of Evanston Lighthouse were touched by General Secretary John Hewko’s inspirational tour of Rotary World Headquarters. Seeing Room 711, the location of the first Rotary meeting, was a reminder that club members later this year will once again walk by it on our way to club meetings, just as we did prior to the pandemic.

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Talking the talk, walking the walk on disease prevention

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Ann Marie Kimball

By Ann Marie Kimball, MD, MPH, Member of the Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island; World Community Service chair; and member of the Rotary Foundation Cadre of Technical Advisers

Rotary is engaging vigorously in the fight against COVID-19. I am honored to serve on a new task force Rotary International has created, but it’s also caused me to think about our role as Rotarians. How can we continue our progress toward polio eradication in the time of COVID-19? Continue reading →

Carolina governors support COVID vaccination efforts

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A Rotary club president in North Carolina receives his COVID-19 vaccination.

By Dawn Rochelle, governor of Rotary District 7730

Looking at the newest update on COVID-19 in November, my fellow governors in North Carolina, USA, felt we had to do something. Having been a part of two National Immunization Day trips to India in 2015 and 2019 with Zone 33 regional Rotary Foundation coordinator Nancy Barbee, I knew that Rotarians had the ability to respond with a vaccine on the horizon. The global polio eradication partnership gives a blueprint that provides strategy that is effective in any community. Rotary can be a part of the COVID-19 response strategy in the same way it has been for polio and other viruses. Continue reading →

How we use our social media accounts matter

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Jeffry Cadorette

By Jeffry Cadorette, past RI director and chair of Rotary International’s Communications Committee

Most of us have social media accounts that we use to promote Rotary. In our network are Rotary friends, but also family, friends, and colleagues outside of Rotary. This is all very good.

Many of our profile banners include a stamp that says “Proud Member” or “End Polio Now” along with our mark of excellence, the Rotary logo. We have photos of club events we attended (from the time when we could attend events in person). Our posts go to both members and those outside the Rotary family.

What could be wrong with that? Continue reading →