Author Archives: Rotary International

How RYLA changed my life

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Daniel Eduardo Zavala is a District Rotaract Representative. Taking part in a Rotary Youth Leadership Awards event set him down a path of Rotary service.

By Daniel Eduardo Zavala, Rotaract Club of San Joaquin, Venezuela

In 2010, I had my first exposure to Rotary during a Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) event in San Cristobal, a beautiful city in my country of Venezuela. A secretary at the university I was attending recommended that I would get a lot out of the event scheduled for the following weekend, and being up for adventure, I said yes. I remember that day like it was yesterday. Continue reading →

5 things to see in Hamburg: Tips from local Rotaractors

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The Miniatur Wunderland

Unforgettable moments are made at Rotary conventions, as you connect with members from all over the world. It’s also an opportunity to explore a place you have never been before. We asked local members of Rotaract what they would recommend people see during the 2019 Rotary International Convention in Hamburg, Germany, 1-5 June. Here are their suggestions. (Remember to register by 15 December to save!) Continue reading →

Lessons from a new club in Nuremberg

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By Kerstin Dolde, Rotary Club of Hof-Bayerisches Vogtland, Germany

It is beyond question that Rotary club charters are something special. The fact that the latest Nuremberg addition to the Rotary family was personally welcomed by RI President-elect Mark Maloney is even more memorable for the new members. But the composition of the club is also extraordinary: It consists of 42 committed members – 24 women and 18 men, with an average age of 42 years. Sixteen of them are former Rotaractors. The aim of the club is to connect people, hence the name: Rotary Club Nürnberg-Connect. Continue reading →

An innovative idea to promote Rotary in Ghana

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Displaying the district cloth.

Members of the Rotary Club of Sunyani Central, Ghana, with the District cloth.

By Dominic Kornu, president-elect, Rotary Club of Sunyani Central, Ghana

In Ghana, the public’s understanding of Rotary is still not where we would like it, especially as most projects take place in communities with little or no formal education, away from the larger cities where potential members would see what we do. Other misconceptions get in the way of people appreciating our cause or joining us. Continue reading →

New Rotaract club creates community in Ohio

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Packing potatoes

Members of the Rotaract Club of Canal Fulton, Ohio, USA, clean and pack potatoes at a regional food bank.

By Evelyn Aaron, Communication Director, Rotaract Club of Canal Fulton, Ohio, USA

If you ask any one of the members of the Canal Fulton Rotary Club why they joined, they will tell you it’s the sense of community that binds us all together. Many of us have spent significant portions of our lives in the greater Canal Fulton area, and we want to provide our children and our town with the same helping hands that we have been offered our entire lives. Continue reading →

Who knew attempting a world record could transform your club?

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Palacio Hall

More than 300 participants fill Palacio Hall for the Beetle game world record attempt.

By Joanna Chrzanowska, president, Rotary Club of Marabella-Guadalmina, Spain

The event planning team from the Rotary Club of Marbella-Guadalmina, Spain, was awed by the first sight of the hall they had to fill. We have drawn 80 people to our walks or events before, but aircraft hangar might be the best description for the room we were looking at. It had been generously donated free of charge by Marbella Town Hall, who have been very supportive of the expatriate community. The space was also free of tables, chairs, a sound system, a stage and several other necessities for putting on a large public event.

Founded in 2010, our club is English-speaking with members from a number of different nationalities, including many new Rotarians. We have been effective at fundraising for local and international charities, but why did we suddenly take this on? Continue reading →

Why attend the Rotaract preconvention?

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2018 Rotaract Preconvention

Rotaractors take a selfie during the Rotaract Preconvention in Toronto, Canada, 22 June 2018. Photo by Alyce Henson/Rotary International

By Florian Wackermann, Rotary Club of Germering, Germany

You don’t have to be a Rotaractor to enjoy the Rotaract Preconvention. In fact, there are plenty of reasons for Rotarians to attend, as well. Perhaps one of the best is getting to know this vibrant part of the Rotary family and building connections that will welcome these younger members into the Rotary fold. Continue reading →

Living life forward in Rotary

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Hudson and husband

Alexandra Hudson and her husband at her graduation from London School of Economics.

By Alexandra Hudson, former Rotary Global Grant Scholar

Looking back on my year in London as a Rotary Global Grant Scholar, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all that Rotary has enabled me to do. On one level, I was born into a family of Rotarians: my grandmother was a founding member for her club in Streetsville, Ontario, and my grandfather was a Paul Harris Fellow.

On another level, I chose to become part of Rotary when I was asked to reinvigorate my community’s Rotaract Club in Langley, British Columbia. Continue reading →

Driving a junk car across Europe for charity

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Niemann's and junk car

Konrad Niemann, left, and his son by the junk car they used in the Carbage Run. The car was auctioned off, and combined with funds raised by the run, to benefit the Salberghaus, a home for children.

By Konrad Niemann, President of the Rotary Club of München-Münchner Freiheit, Germany

In February, my son and I were driving in Germany when we began passing a bunch of strange-looking cars on the highway. We discovered they were part of a road rally called the Carbage Run, that is essentially a five-day road trip across Europe in a junk car. For the past 10 years, participants have paid about €350 (about $400) to take part in the event, originating in the Netherlands, with cars that must be more than 18 years old and worth less than €500 ($560). Looking at all these junk cars, my son and I thought “what a funny idea for a father-son activity.” Continue reading →

Mixing food, fun, and Rotary service in Nagoya

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Judy Ongg

Judy Ongg, actress, singer and Rotary celebrity ambassador for polio eradication, takes part in the festivities.

By Tetsuzo Fukuda, Rotary Club of Nagoya-Wago and polio plus committee chair for District 2760 (Japan)

We held our sixth annual World Food and Fureai Festival 27-28 October in a park in downtown Nagoya (fureai is a Japanese word meaning interaction). Under a beautiful autumn sky, more than 70,000 people gathered for an outdoor food festival featuring foods from around the world, presentations about Rotary’s humanitarian work, and entertainment. We broke our record for ticket sales and onsite donations.

Continue reading →