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Club Treasurer’s Manual (220) Resources to support your treasurer’s efforts. One of eight manuals available in the Club Officers’ Kit (225, $10). US$3
On the seaside in Turkey Although they live near a coastal city, more than 1,500 Turkish 12- and 13-year-olds viewed the sea for the first time when they participated in the Rotary Club of Antalya-Olimpos’s Mediterranean Lighthouse project. Since 2003, the club has provided underprivileged children with access to daylong activities by the water, including comprehensive tours with port and marina personnel and lessons about sea pollution and safety. Rotarians and local Rotaractors supervise groups of 30-35 children in the twice-monthly tours.
District Rotary Foundation Seminar Manual (438) Guide for district leaders planning a Rotary Foundation seminar. Free Group Study Exchange: Program Guide for Rotarians CD-ROM (165CDMU) Information on sponsoring, selecting, orienting, and hosting a GSE team. Free Group Study Exchange Team Handbook (164) Guide on preparing GSE team leaders and members for the exchange experience. Free A Guide for Exchange Students (752) Booklet with information for Rotary Youth Exchange students and their parents. $1.50 A Guide for Host Families (749) Pamphlet describing the benefits and responsibilities of hosting a Rotary Youth Exchange student. $1.50
Seeing clearly in the Philippines An ongoing project headed by the Rotary Club of Tuguegarao, Cagayan, Philippines, has provided more than 1,000 cataract surgeries to indigent people since 2003. Most recently, honorary Tuguegarao club member James Co Shu Ming screened 450 patients and performed 125 surgeries over two days in January. The club partners with the local government and an emergency hospital, and has received support from the Rotary clubs of Lucena South, Quezon, Philippines, and Songtan, Gyeonggi, Korea, as well as two local Rotaract clubs.
Packed backpacks for Bolivian students Six members of the Rotary Club of Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada, spent 11 days in March distributing 3,500 backpacks filled with school supplies to children in southwestern Bolivia. Canadian Rotarians participating in the US$85,000 project, which received Matching Grant support, were hosted by the Rotary Club of San Miguel de Oruro. The project also provided books, school furniture, and hygiene training to teachers in 16 indigenous communities. The San Miguel de Oruro club helped manage the delivery of the materials.
How to Propose a New Member (254) Brochure with the basic procedure for proposing and electing a new member. Includes the membership proposal form. Lots of 25. $6 Interact: Make a Difference DVD (650) Six-minute promotional video designed to inspire young people to join Interact and motivate Rotarians to sponsor a club in their community. $15 Presidents-elect Training Seminar Leaders’ Guide (243) Training sessions for all Board-recommended PETS topics. Includes a CD of PowerPoint slides. $10
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Rotarian efforts to replace Sri Lankan schools destroyed by the 2004 tsunami are producing long-term educational dividends. See page 1.
From tragedy to triumph
A quarterly publication for Rotary leaders from Rotary International
October 2009 • EN
Rotary New to the ri catalog
Book cites Rotary’s Youth Exchange as a top intercultural program
A quarterly publication for Rotary leaders from Rotary International
October 2009 • EN • Vol. 16 • No. 2
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Ambassadorial Scholar volunteers at India NID
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Pre-med student Rotaractor gains valuable experience through service project, while Romanian 3-H project puts vocational service into a new light. See pages 4 and 7.
Rotary Images
Tips for sponsoring a new Rotary club
Vocational Service
More than 11,000 students are enrolled in Sri Lankan schools built through the Schools Reawaken project.
2004 tsunami tragedy leads to educational triumph in Sri Lanka
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n Sri Lanka, a five-year endeavor that began in tragedy is ending in triumph. The Schools Reawaken project, started by District 3220 (Sri Lanka) shortly after the December 2004 tsunami that killed almost 40,000 residents of the island nation, has dedicated its 22nd new school. Today, more than 11,000 students are enrolled in schools built through the project, says RI Director K.R. Ravindran, chair of the project’s administration committee. “They would never have dreamt of a school like that,” Ravindran says. “To them, these schools are like Oxford and Cambridge.” The US$12 million project received about $1.82 million donated by Rotarians and Rotary clubs to the Solidarity in South Asia fund, established by The Rotary Foundation in the immediate aftermath of the tsunami. Lucky Pieris, who was district governor when the tsunami hit, explains that the Rotary clubs of Sri Lanka — now celebrating 80 years in the country — have a history of supporting literacy projects. “The education sector is something that Sri Lankan Rotary clubs have been taking care of even before the tsunami,” he says. “Children are the future of any society. Give them good facilities for them to study and encourage them to study, and they will do wonders.” One of those children is Imesha Udari de Zoyza, whose school in the town of Ambalangoda was destroyed by the tsunami. Now 18 years old and a proud graduate of the new Randombe Kanishta Vidyalaya school, she is pursuing higher education with the goal of becoming a pediatrician. The school, she says, is “a beautiful palace. I’ll never forget it.”
The project’s motto, “Building what cannot be destroyed,” conveys the goal of permanently improving the Sri Lankan educational system. But, as Ravindran points out, great projects are often born of necessity. “Sometimes it is not just Rotary clubs deciding and wanting to take on a project like this. Sometimes this demand is thrust on you,” he says. “You just take it on and you do it because that’s your duty — it’s your obligation to your country.” The Schools Reawaken project is featured in the new RVM: The Rotarian Video Magazine, volume 5, issue 1. Rotary Images
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RotaryWorld
Rotary Images/Alyce Henson
Inside
The December 2004 tsunami killed 40,000 people in Sri Lanka.
Banerjee is choice for 2011-12 RI president Kalyan Banerjee, a member of the Rotary Club of Vapi, Gujarat, India, since 1972, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International in 2011-12. Banerjee will become the president-nominee on 1 October if there are no challenging candidates. Banerjee said he would like to see Rotary “blossom from being the world’s most recognized service organization to being the most important NGO [nongovernmental organization] in the world.” Banerjee is a director of United Phosphorus Limited, the largest agrochemical manufacturer in India, and the chair of United Phosphorus (Bangladesh) Limited.
He is a member of the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers and the American Chemical Society, a past president of Vapi Industries Association, and former chair of the Gujarat Kalyan Banerjee chapter of the Confederation of Indian Industry. Banerjee has served Rotary as a director, Rotary Foundation trustee, committee and task force chair, International Assembly group discussion leader, president’s representative, and district governor.
The chair of the Southeast Asia Regional PolioPlus Committee, Banerjee has served as a member of the International PolioPlus Committee for many years. Banerjee is also a Major Donor, Benefactor, and Bequest Society member, and has been awarded the Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service and its Distinguished Service Award. Banerjee’s wife, Binota, is a social worker and Inner Wheel club member. The couple have two children and four grandchildren. The 2009-10 nominating committee was chaired by Rotary Foundation Trustee Vice Chair John F. Germ, of the Rotary Club of Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA.
CALENDAR
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Proposed legislation available online
President’s Message
I firmly believe that our focus on vocational service is one of the most important reasons why Rotary International has flourished for 104 years. Our insistence on the highest ethical standards in all of our dealings has brought us the respect and status that we hold today. Without it, we would not have been able to accomplish nearly as much as we have — not the community service projects, the larger humanitarian projects, and certainly not PolioPlus. The Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professions is a reminder of what is expected of us as Rotarians, and all of us should take its words to heart. In October, Vocational Service Month, we would benefit from asking ourselves whether we abide by all of its strictures. Do we serve through our vocations, offering our vocational talents to improve the lives of others? Are we faithful to the ethical standards of our vocations? Are we fair in our dealings, and do we respect all useful vocations? Do we do everything we can to dignify our own vocations and to promote high ethical standards in our fields? Are we scrupulously honest in our advertising and public representations? And are we careful never to seek from, or grant to, a fellow Rotarian any business advantage? The full declaration, available on the RI Web site, is a document with which we would all do well to familiarize ourselves. Vocational service is not just a Rotary tradition; it is the bedrock upon which our entire organization is built. This is why a continued commitment to emphasizing vocational service is part of the RI Strategic Plan 2007-10: It has been essential to our success thus far, and remains essential to our success in the future.
Rotary Images
Vocational service, ethical standards more than just Rotary traditions
John Kenny
HOT LINKS Rotarians help make the world a better place through The Rotary Foundation. During Rotary Foundation Month in November, use these strategies and online resources to celebrate all that Rotarians have accomplished: 1. Increase your club’s or district’s fundraising abilities. Read the Coach’s Playbook at www.rotary.org/jump /erey_playbook_en.pdf.
5. Learn more about how the Foundation is moving toward its second century of service and changing its grant structure through the Future Vision Plan at www.rotary.org/futurevision. The RI Web site offers thousands of resources in nine languages. Here are just a few places where you can learn more about the subjects mentioned in this issue of Rotary World:
2. Help humanitarian projects thrive by donating to the Annual Programs Fund at www.rotary.org/contribute. Learn more about the Foundation grant programs that fund these projects at www.rotary.org/grants.
Download proposed legislation, and find more Council on Legislation resources at www.rotary.org/col.
3. Thank Rotarians who have worked hard at a club fundraiser by making a gift in their honor. Find out more at www.rotary.org/tributegifts.
Find financial information, including current annual reports and audited statements, for RI and the Foundation at www.rotary.org/financials.
4. Help eradicate polio by learning more about the disease and contributing at www.rotary.org/endpolio. Note: Rotarians will not earn recognition points if they use the form on this site to donate because the Foundation will not know their membership information. Rotarians should donate through Member Access.
Gear up for the 2010 RI Convention in Montréal, Québec, Canada, at www.rotary.org/convention.
Read the Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professions at www.rotary.org /RIdocuments/en_pdf/200en.pdf.
Download past and current issues of Rotary World, and learn how to subscribe to the new electronic edition at www.rotary.org/rotaryworld.
Proposed legislation for the 2010 Council on Legislation is now available for download on the Council on Legislation page of the RI Web site. The Council will meet 25-30 April in Chicago. Clubs and district conferences have until 25 February to submit their statements of support and opposition. Each statement may support or oppose one item of legislation and must be no longer than one side of a sheet of standard business stationery. Send statements along with the item number (for example, 10-001) to the Council Services Section at RI World Headquarters (mail: 1560 Sherman Ave., Evanston IL 60201-3698 USA; e-mail: councilservices @rotary.org; fax: 847-556-2123). Statements will be distributed to Council members for review.
Membership slogan stresses responsibility The RI Board of Directors adopted a new membership slogan, “Each Rotarian: Reach One, Keep One,” at its June meeting. The new slogan focuses on the need for all Rotarians to take responsibility for membership growth and emphasizes the need for both recruitment and retention efforts. The slogan complements the Board’s long-term membership strategy, which was also adopted at the June meeting. At its January meeting, the RI Board adopted a New Member Sponsor and Retention Recognition program, which became effective 1 July. The new program, also part of the longterm plan, enables Rotary club presidents to nominate and recognize individuals for sponsoring new members while focusing on retention.
New policy for youth travel In June, the RI Board of Directors amended the Rotary Code of Policies to encourage increased coordination of youth travel activities within and between Rotary districts. Under the new policy, club and district programs and activities that involve minors traveling outside their community must develop, maintain, and comply with youth protection policies and written procedures as outlined by Rotary International. Among other requirements, the district youth protection officer and Youth Exchange chair (or, in districts without a youth protection officer, the district governor and the Youth Exchange chair) must approve the arrangements. E-mail youthexchange@rotary.org for more information.
Future Vision pilot districts announced Rotary International has announced the 100 districts selected for the Future Vision Plan pilot, which will test the new grant structure. The list can be downloaded from the RI Web site. Pilot and nonpilot districts may continue to partner on any existing Foundation project in 2009-10. For new projects during 2010-13, pilot districts must use district grants to partner with nonpilot districts. Nonpilot districts will continue to operate under the current program structure until the new grant model is implemented globally in 2013-14. Nonpilot districts are encouraged to begin developing projects in the six areas of focus for Rotary Foundation Global Grants to facilitate a seamless transition to the new grant-making model. A comprehensive FAQ about Future Vision is available on the RI Web site.
October 24
Vocational Service Month World Polio Day
November Rotary Foundation Month 2-8 7
World Interact Week Rotary-UN Day
December Family Month January
Rotary Awareness Month 18-24 International Assembly, San Diego, California, USA
DEADLINES 1 November For Rotarians to submit nominations for the Regional and International Service Awards for a Polio-Free World
15 November For Rotarians to submit nominations for The Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award … For U.S. clubs to submit forms 990 and possibly 990-T to the Internal Revenue Service; forms and requirements at www.irs.gov
29 November For Rotarians to submit breakout session proposals for the 2010 RI Convention
4 December For groups to submit full prepayment for housing to Tourisme Montréal’s Housing Bureau, the official housing agent for the 2010 convention
15 December For registrants to receive early registration pricing for the 2010 convention and preconvention events
31 December For district governors-elect to submit their list of district committee chairs … For clubs to report their incoming officers … For clubs to pay their semiannual dues … For clubs to submit reinstatement applications and pay outstanding dues if terminated on 1 January 2009
1 January For the second semiannual report of club membership
OTHER NOTICES In October, the Club Officers Report Form will be mailed to clubs. Club secretaries should return the form no later than 31 December to ensure their listing in the 2010-11 Official Directory. A welcome letter from RI President John Kenny and an informational bulletin will be mailed in October to new club members. Acceptance letters for PR grants will be emailed to successful applicants in early October. The Rotary Centers Committee meets 12-15 October in Evanston, Illinois, USA, to choose 2010-12 Rotary World Peace Fellows. By late October, district governors should receive 1 July membership starting figures for their district and clubs. Governors may review membership data through Member Access. For information about Rotary-UN Day, contact Brad Jenkins, primary RI representative to the United Nations in New York, at 908-766-4790 or bradjenkins1@verizon.net. In December, applications for 2011-12 Rotary Foundation Academic-Year Ambassadorial Scholarships and 2011-13 Rotary World Peace Fellowships will be available online. Those who submitted applications for 2010-11 Group Study Exchanges by 1 October will receive confirmation of their GSE partnership on a rolling basis through December. Travel Information Forms are due to the Foundation by 1 January. Send questions to gse@rotary.org. Beginning in January, district peace fellowship subcommittee chairs should begin recruiting and interviewing applicants. The seventh annual Past Officers Reunion will be held 17-19 January in San Diego, California, USA. For information, see www.rotaryreunion.org, or contact Past District Governor Werner Schwarz at 415-472-3385 or wlschw@lvha.net.
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Rotary World is going electronic Rotary World will become an electronic publication beginning with the April 2010 issue. Starting in July, Rotary World will be published every other month rather than quarterly. The decision to shift to an electronic format resulted partly from an extensive reader survey that was conducted in April and May. Respondents indicated their enthusiasm for Rotary World but voiced concerns about its cost and frequency. As an electronic publication, Rotary World will not incur printing and postage expenses and will be available to subscribers free of charge. The last print edition of Rotary World will be published in January. That month, a prototype of the electronic edition will be introduced at the International Assembly. Rotary World will still be sent automatically to all current club presidents and district governors. Subscribers will receive an e-mail containing a link to the electronic publication. Others will be able to subscribe to the electronic edition at www.rotary .org/rotaryworld. Questions about Rotary World and its new electronic format may be sent to rotary.world @rotary.org.
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CLUB CLINIC What should I do if a member of my club misses a meeting? First, keep in mind that while 100 percent club meeting attendance is ideal, 50 percent attendance is what the Standard Rotary Club Constitution requires. Rotarians must attend at least 30 percent of their own club’s regular meetings in each half of the year, and they can’t miss or fail to make up four consecutive meetings.
• A ttend at least 60 percent of another club’s regular meeting. • A ttend a regular meeting of a Rotaract or Interact club, Rotary Community Corps, or Rotary Fellowship. • A ttend certain Rotary International or district meetings, such as an RI Convention.
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• A ttend a club board meeting or, if authorized by the board, a service committee meeting. • P articipate in an e-club meeting for at least 30 minutes. To receive attendance credit, the member must complete the make-up within 14 days of the missed meeting and obtain written proof of attendance from the make-up club’s secretary. Use the Club Locator tool at www.rotary .org or refer to the Official Directory to find club meeting times and locations.
GENERAL SECRETARY’S MEMO
Going paperless
Rotarian John Kirkwood (right) exhibits at the House of Friendship at the Birmingham convention to promote interest in and find partners for his club’s education project for orphans.
Promote service projects with a convention booth
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ooking for a way to pitch your project to a broad, international audience? Consider getting a booth for your club or district at the RI Convention in Montréal, Québec, Canada, in June. John Kirkwood, past president of the Rotary Club of Jinja, Uganda, has exhibited in the House of Friendship at several RI conventions to promote a project that educates children orphaned by AIDS and civil unrest. “A booth at the convention is a good way of publicizing one’s club project, and often provides the allimportant link that turns into a Matching Grant,” he says. Kirkwood offers the following tips for running a successful booth: • Keep your literature brief and to the point. Include contact information on each piece so that anyone who’s interested can get in touch after they return home. • Remember to bring lots of business cards.
If a club member misses a meeting, encourage that member to make it up using any of these options:
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Rotary Images
OCTOBER 2009 RotaryWorld | 3
• Have a visitors book to record the names and contact information of those who stop by the booth. • Bring a buddy. That way, you can relieve each other so you’ll be able to take breaks or attend a plenary or breakout session. Just remember that everyone who staffs the booth must be registered for the convention. • Consider whether to print brochures at home or in the host country. Kirkwood has found that printing is usually less expensive in Uganda, so he brings his literature with him. • B ook a hotel near the House of Friendship so you won’t have to lug your things very far. (Register early for the convention to reserve a room in your preferred hotel.) E-mail exhibitor@rotary.org or check www.rotary.org/convention for more information and to download an application. Booth applications will be posted online in late October and are due 29 January.
Summit brings Rotary club presidents together at RI Convention in Birmingham At the first summit for Rotary club presidents and presidents-elect, held during the RI Convention in Birmingham, England, 2009-10 RI President John Kenny and 2008-09 RI President Dong Kurn Lee stressed the vital role of club presidents. “I firmly believe that the club president is the most important person in Rotary,” Kenny said. “When Rotary clubs are seen [as] active, membership is strong.” Kenny also stressed that member retention is as important as recruitment. “It does no good to have an influx one year and an exodus the next,” he explained. Eleanor MacAlister, 2008-09 president of the Rotary Club of Ellon, Grampian, Scotland, described her club’s Step One program, which
“ I firmly believe that the club president is the most important person in Rotary.” RI President John Kenny makes it every member’s responsibility to come up with names of people to invite into the club. Of the 15 candidates named in the first threemonth period, she said, 7 became members. Other club presidents also shared success stories and directed feedback to Kenny and Lee during a questionand-answer session. “If the president is organized and enthusiastic, then the club will succeed,” Lee said.
This is one of my last messages on paper to Rotary World readers. Beginning with the April issue, Rotary World will become a digital publication, delivered to your inbox rather than your mailbox. There are many reasons to make this shift, a primary one being that electronic editions will allow us to reach more club and district leaders more frequently at a time when international mailing costs are on the rise. Another important consideration is that digital publications are consistent with the paperless environment that Rotary International is moving toward. Here at the Secretariat, staffers strive to print only essential documents, communicate with Rotarians by e-mail whenever possible, and routinely recycle paper and other items. By going digital, we are not trying to transfer printing costs to members. In fact, I encourage you to refrain from printing everything we send you. After you have read the electronic Rotary World, you can share it with others via e-mail. In addition, the digital Rotary World will allow us to target our readers’ interests more precisely and offer you timely, practical information on running your clubs and districts. The electronic edition will also allow us to expand our reader base to include club presidents-elect, district governors-elect, assistant governors, club and district committee chairs, past club and district officers, and any Rotarian interested in taking on a leadership role. Effective leadership is key to Rotary’s success, and Rotary World is one of our primary means of communicating with club and district leaders. We hope that our new focus and delivery method will help and inspire you.
Ed Futa
RotaryWorld The mission of Rotary International, a worldwide association of Rotary clubs, is to provide service to others, promote high ethical standards, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders. Rotary World is published in nine languages four times a year — July, October, January, and April — by Rotary International, One Rotary Center, 1560 Sherman Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201-3698 USA. Web www.rotary.org Fax 847-866-9732 Phone 847-866-3000 Subscriptions Because Rotary World will be published in an electronic format beginning with the April 2010 issue, annual subscriptions are no longer being sold. Interested parties may register to receive the electronic edition at www.rotary.org /rotaryworld, where they may also download a complimentary PDF of the current issue. Current subscribers need not register; they will automatically receive the electronic edition. Moving? Send old address label with new address and name of Rotary club, or e-mail your address change to data@rotary.org. Note that beginning with the April 2010 issue, Rotary World will become an electronic publication and will no longer be mailed to subscribers. Submissions Rotary World welcomes article ideas about club and district service projects, fundraisers, and publicity efforts. E-mail a description, color photos, and contact information to rotary.world@rotary.org. Due to the high volume of submissions, we cannot promise to feature your story. This is the October 2009 issue, volume 16, number 2, of Rotary World (ISSN 1079-7718). Copyright © 2009 by Rotary International. Editors of Rotary publications and Web sites are welcome to reprint items. Editor Janis Young Managing Editor Jennifer Lee Atkin Graphic Designer Karen Castens Photography Miriam Doan, Alyce Henson, Monika Lozinska-Lee Copy Editors Beth Duncan, Shannon Kelly Proofreaders Kelly Doherty, Susan Hyland Contributors Abby Breitstein, Deanna Cankar, Stuart Cleland, Joseph Derr, Arnold Grahl, Ryan Hyland, Dan Nixon, Peter Schmidtke, Diana Schoberg, Antoinette Tuscano, Maureen Vaught Rotary International and The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands logo are trademarks and intellectual property of Rotary International. All rights reserved.
4 | RotaryWorld october 2009
Rotary Images
OCTOBER: VOCATIONAL SERVICE MONTH
Pre-med student and Rotaractor Jacqueline Law (right) prepares for her presentation during the Youth Program at Rotary-UN Day in 2008.
Rotaractor gains experience through service project
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acqueline Law has known she’s wanted to do medical work in Africa since she was a child. But when, as a pre-med student at Vassar College, she went to several organizations to offer her services as a volunteer, she was told she wasn’t needed — “which really irked me,” says Law, past president of the Rotaract Club of Vassar College in New York, USA. “So I started my own organization.” The result was the Vassar Uganda Project, which Law founded in 2007 with the goal of promoting sustainable health care in Iganga, Uganda. She became involved in Rotaract when a Rotarian who works at Vassar heard about the project and suggested she talk to some Rotary clubs about it. After finding out more about Rotary,
Service projects may be at the heart of a successful World Interact Week, slated for 2-8 November this year, but promotional efforts are its lifeblood. Clubs should use the media, including newspapers, radio, and television, to advertise events, says RI Interact Committee Chair John F. Bird. “Put fliers into workplaces, schools, and public places,” Bird says, “then do a follow-up afterward to make yourself known. Show people that the youth of today can do many worthwhile things when given the opportunity by working together through Interact.” For example, after the project is completed, put a notice in the local newspaper detailing the amount of money raised and how it will be used, or describing the effect
the club’s work is having on the community, Bird suggests. In 2008, World Interact Week service projects varied widely. A fundraiser involving 20 Interactors and five Rotarians from Welsh, Louisiana, USA, netted $400 for new playground equipment. In Romania, 25 Interactors and Rotarians from Brasov carried out a reforestation project. And in Uganda, 95 members of the Rotary Club of Kampala-North and the Interact Club of Greenhill Academy collected books and clothing for a school for orphans and held an auction to raise money for tuition. “The community comes to know about the program through these projects, which motivates young adults to join or start an Interact club,” says Rajani Mukerji, Interact Committee vice chair.
Law became a Rotaractor. Law values the time Rotarians spent encouraging her to engage in vocational service, even though she was just beginning her career. “It makes it even better when, rather than being dismissed because I’m 21 years old, they’ll sit with me and say, ‘Wow, you have some good ideas, here are some ways you can improve them,’” Law says. Her work in the Vassar Uganda Project has given Law a crash course in the medical field. During a recent trip to Uganda, for example, she gave CPR to a baby born not breathing after a long wait at a short-staffed hospital. “It’s not an experience I would ever gain in the United States given my position and education.”
New vocational service award will recognize efforts of district governors The new Rotary International Vocational Service Leadership Award recognizes district governors who incorporate discussions about vocational service and ethical behavior into leadership development activities. To qualify, district governors must conduct a forum that addresses points such as encouraging Rotarians to join business associations to promote ethical decision making, using Rotarian expertise to help develop the vocational skills of others, and including ethics as part of vocational service.
World Interact Week offers a promotional opportunity
District governors may apply at any time during their year in office. Special consideration will be given to district governors who include sessions in Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) events to help youth develop job-seeking skills. Find the nomination form at www .rotary.org/awards under “Awards for Rotarians.” For more ideas about vocational service, sign up for the quarterly Vocational Service Update at www.rotary.org/newsletters, e-mail vocationalservice@rotary.org, or talk to your district vocational service chair.
Interactors in Uganda collected books, clothing, and other supplies and held an auction to raise money for a school for orphans during World Interact Week in 2008.
ROTASTAT 4
Number of designated activities Interact clubs and their sponsor Rotary clubs need to complete during World Interact Week to receive special recognition from Rotary International.
1917
Year that Rotary’s commitment to youth began, when the Board of Directors appointed a committee to study service among this group.
1962
Year that the first Interact club was chartered, with 23 members in Melbourne, Florida, USA.
132
Number of countries and geographic areas that currently have Interact clubs.*
3,241
Number of Interact clubs in India, more than any other country.*
* As of 30 June
Youth Exchange cited as a top intercultural program
Wei-Chu Chen makes a presentation about Taiwan to members of the Rotary Club of Evanston Lighthouse, Illinois, USA.
Author Maya Frost is not a Rotarian, and she’s never been on a Rotary Youth Exchange. Yet she feels so strongly about the program that she devoted almost an entire chapter to it in her latest book, The New Global Student. Of Youth Exchange, Frost writes, “You won’t find a more comprehensive support program or more dedicated volunteers around the world who are committed to offering affordable intercultural exchange opportunities.” The benefits of studying abroad include the chance to learn a new language, explore another culture, and develop problem-solving skills. Rotary’s exchange program enhances these experiences by offering unparalleled support to families
and students, Frost says. Wei-Chu Chen agrees. A Youth Exchange student from Taipei, Taiwan, Chen finished her year in Evanston, Illinois, USA, in July. She lived with three host families, including two from her sponsor club, the Rotary Club of Evanston Lighthouse. “I learned things they don’t teach you in books,” says Chen, who was surprised by how outspoken her U.S. classmates were in comparison to the more reserved nature of the students back home. “I now feel comfortable talking with all kinds of people,” adds Chen, whose father is a member of the Rotary Club of Taipei Northwest. While Chen was in the United States,
her fellow exchange students urged her to join Facebook, which has helped her make and keep in touch with more than 60 friends. Youth Exchange alumni also connect t h ro u g h t h e Rotary Youth Exchange alumni group on LinkedIn. Frost and her husband, a Youth Exchange alumnus, have hosted several students and have sent three daughters on exchanges through Rotary.
OCTOBER 2009 RotaryWorld | 5
DECEMBER: FAMILY MONTH
New York Rotarian keeps families strong by fighting pediatric AIDS
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Joseph Wirba, of the Rotary Club of Kumbo, Cameroun, and Brian Fulp, 2008-09 president of the Rotary Club of Honesdale, Pennsylvania, USA, deliver tuberculosis test kits donated by a U.S. hospital.
New club sponsorship enriches two communities Kumbo, Cameroun, and Honesdale, Pennsylvania, USA, may be worlds apart, but through Rotary, the two communities are forming a longterm, mutually enriching partnership. It began in 2008 when Brian Fulp, then president-elect of the Rotary Club of Honesdale, traveled to Kumbo on assignment with his employer, the nonprofit Himalayan Institute. Fulp quickly saw an interest in Rotary and Service Above Self in the community. He soon met Roland Mbenkum, a local high court district judge who would become the first president of the Rotary Club of Kumbo, chartered in January and sponsored by the Honesdale club. An early collaboration between the Honesdale club and future Rotarians in Kumbo involved a hospital that desperately needed equipment. “One of the doctors told me he was fed up with holding a flashlight in his mouth to perform surgeries,” Fulp recalls. “With only US$250 from our club, we were able to purchase a generator for the hospital. Suddenly, they had electricity when they needed it.” That doctor, Joseph Wirba, later became one of the Kumbo club’s charter members. Today, the club has about 20 members. To help guide the Kumbo club through the chartering process (see sidebar), Fulp turned to the RI Web site where, he says, “I got everything I needed about sponsoring a club.” The Honesdale club also inspired its own community to get involved in Cameroun. Club members organized a local fundraiser to help construct a public library for Kumbo and asked a hospital for assistance
How to sponsor a new Rotary club Although a sponsor club is not required for a new Rotary club to be chartered, RI strongly recommends having one. Sponsor clubs provide critical advice and experience that can help give a fledging Rotary club a greater chance of becoming strong, self-sufficient, and productive. In addition to helping the special representative and charter members organize the new club, sponsor club members should serve as mentors for at least one year after the new club has been admitted to Rotary. New clubs need a strong support system to succeed, especially during the first two years. The 2009 edition of Organizing New Clubs (808) provides tips on how sponsor clubs can work through challenges to help establish successful Rotary clubs. Purchase or download it at shop.rotary.org.
in containing a tuberculosis outbreak there. The hospital, Wayne Memorial, donated 300 tuberculosis test kits. When sponsoring a club, Fulp recommends working with local nonprofits to understand the community and connect with local leaders. “You have to really work in the community to find out what their needs are and who can help,” he says.
WORDS TO GROW BY “I will simply rely on you, as responsible people, to see to it that we have more qualified members, true Rotarians, at the end of the year than we had at the beginning. And I will rely on you to do your best to see to the mentoring of our newest members, for retention is no less important than recruitment.” — 2009-10 RI President John Kenny at the RI Convention in Birmingham, England
otarian Stephen Nicholas, a pioneering pediatric AIDS specialist who helped drastically reduce infant HIV in New York City, is using Rotary as a catalyst for wiping out mother-to-child HIV transmission in the Dominican Republic. In the early 1990s, New York City had the highest birth rate of HIV-infected children in the United States. Since 2000, only a few babies in that city have been born with the virus, says Nicholas, a member of the Rotary Club of Yonkers. Similar trends are appearing throughout the United States, he adds. This sharp drop in mother-to-child HIV transmission has largely resulted from improvements in drug treatments as well as aggressive intervention during pregnancy through testing and education. Nicholas and his colleagues pioneered this multipronged approach while he was the director of pediatrics at Harlem Hospital Center. “For me, the moral equation changed when I realized that infant AIDS was disappearing in the United States,” says Nicholas, founder and director of Columbia University’s International Family AIDS Program. “With a world filled with HIV/AIDS, I felt for the first time obligated to get involved internationally.” In 1999, Nicholas began a family AIDS clinic in La Romana, Dominican Republic, a province with one of the highest HIV/AIDS infection rates outside sub-Saharan Africa. Run by the International Family AIDS Program, the clinic provides direct care and treatment for pregnant women with HIV. To expand the International Family AIDS Program and keep it sustainable, the Yonkers club, along with the Rotary Club of La Romana and District 7230 (New York),
Rotarian Stephen Nicholas (middle) has implemented programs that aim to eliminate pediatric HIV/AIDS in La Romana, Dominican Republic, where this woman and her four-year-old daughter received treatment.
launched the Mother-Baby AIDS Project in the Dominican Republic in 2006. Through a World Community Service project, the clubs raised US$50,000 to help more than 100 HIV-infected mothers and their newborn babies each year. Infected mothers continue to receive AIDS treatment after the births to protect children from being orphaned. The clinic has lowered the rate of motherto-child HIV transmission in the La Romana province from 40 percent to less than 1 percent, Nicholas says. “Rotary’s involvement allows this project to serve as a global success model and help lead other international endeavors,” he says. “Our goal is to eliminate or greatly reduce pediatric AIDS and AIDS orphans over the next decade.”
John Higginson, a Long Beach club member and retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, leads a Rotary 101 class on serving the world community. Clubs are encouraged to enlist club leaders to serve as presenters during the yearlong program.
U.S. club creates class on Rotary In 2006-07, the Rotary Club of Long Beach, California, USA, became a 100% Paul Harris Fellow Club. That same year, the club graduated its first class of Long Beach Rotary 101 students. According to Rotary 101 founder and Long Beach club member John Zahn, the timing of these accomplishments was no coincidence. “Our first Rotary 101 class ended in February — the same month we kicked off the 100 percent campaign. We closed the Rotary year achieving that goal and graduating 38 club members,” Zahn says. The Rotary 101 curriculum, which is based on the history book, A Century of Service: The Story of Rotary International, provides an indepth look at Rotary’s past successes. More than 50 clubs in the United States, England, and Germany have found value in the $200 course. Along with a study guide and syllabus, the course includes lesson plans that
allow clubs to incorporate their own history and accomplishments. Zahn credits the lesson on The Rotary Foundation, one of 22 that coincide with the book’s chapters, with demystifying the Foundation and encouraging club members to give. “The Rotary Foundation is often perceived as a deep, dark secret. After our class, they get it; they understand why they should give money to Rotary,” he says. RI commissioned Rotarian David C. Forward to write A Century of Service to commemorate Rotary’s centennial. A new paperback edition, available in English, Japanese, and Spanish, includes a foreword by 2009-10 Foundation Trustee Chair and Past RI President Glenn E. Estess Sr. Learn more about Rotary 101 at www.long beachrotary.org. Purchase A Century of Service at shop.rotary.org.
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in a 3 percent promotional discount and a 2 percent donation toward the challenge. • During the 2009 RI Convention in Birmingham, England, in June, the Rotarian Fellowship of Quilters and Fiber Artists auctioned off handmade quilts, with proceeds going to the challenge. • The International Skiing Fellowship of Rotarians, the Recreational Vehicles Fellowship of Rotarians, and the Doll Lovers Fellowship have each contributed $1,000. • In November, 150 members of the International Marathon Fellowship of Rotarians raised $3,500 by running in the New York City marathon, supported by the Rotary Club of Metro New York City with sponsorships from other clubs, families, and community members. The day before the marathon, the group promoted Rotary’s causes in a “friendship run” from United Nations headquarters to Central Park. For more information about Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge and ongoing fundraising efforts, subscribe to the End Polio Now newsletter at www.rotary.org /newsletters.
South American fundraisers hold appetizing appeal
Tell why you give to the Foundation The Rotary Foundation is looking for stories describing how Rotarians have participated in or witnessed Foundation programs in action and why that has compelled them to give to the Annual Programs Fund. Send your story, including a high-resolution photo (at least 1 megabyte), to my.erey.story@rotary.org, and it may appear in an advertisement in The Rotarian magazine. To learn more, see the October issue of The Rotarian.
WORTH REPEATING “At the beginning of the last decade, 10.7 million children died every year. Malnutrition and the lack of access to sanitation and safe water were behind more than half of these deaths. Today … child mortality is down by 27 percent. I believe with all my heart that Rotary’s work has played a role.” — 2008-09 RI President Dong Kurn Lee at the RI Convention in Birmingham, England
Ask the Experts What spurs financial donations in tough economic times? Bill Eck, past chair of the District 5450 (Colorado, USA) Rotary Foundation Committee and professional fundraiser, responds: Think for a moment about what it means to be a fully engaged Rotarian. Giving of time and talents? Inviting others to join Rotary? Giving a gift to The Rotary Foundation? The answer is yes to all of these questions. Rotarians will give to the Foundation, even in difficult economic times, if they recognize Rotary’s value to them. Asking the following questions of Rotarians individually or, preferably, in an interactive group setting, will help them realize Rotary’s full value: • W hat is important about Rotary to you personally? • What impact has Rotary had on your life? • What is your proudest accomplishment in Rotary and why? Courtesy of Daniel Elicetche
Rotarians in Paraguay and Argentina are dation. Organized by Past District Govusing their tradition of hospitality to raise ernor Keikichi Utsumi, of the Rotary money for The Rotary Foundation’s AnClub of San Telmo-Constitucion, Capinual Programs Fund. tal Federal, the 2008 event garnered alEvery August since 2006, Daniel most $25,000, which surpassed all other Elicetche, a member of the Rotary Club Foundation fundraisers in the country. of Asunción, Central, Paraguay, has celA visit from an RI president, a Rotary ebrated the birthday of his wife, Rosa, Foundation trustee chair, or an RI direcwith a big party at the family’s home. tor is just one of many ideal occasions They invite many friends, most of whom for holding a Foundation fundraiser. are Rotarians, to an evening featuring Find more ways to generate support for dinner, music, and entertainment. the Every Rotarian, Every Year initiative “The guests, instead of bringing on the Rotary Web site (see HotLinks on presents to Rosa, make a contribution page 2). [of at least US$100] to The Rotary Foundation,” says Elicetche, a former regional Rotary Foundation coordinator and past governor of District 4840 (Argentina; Paraguay). “Last year, the party had as special guests Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Majiyagbe. They shared good moments with more than 100 Rotarians from Paraguay and the northeast provinces of Argentina.” The event raised more than $12,600 for the Foundation. Every November, District From left: Daniel Elicetche welcomes Raul Dos Santos, 4890 (Argentina) holds a gala Paraguay’s former ambassador to the United Kingdom, dinner, with all proceeds from and 2008-09 Foundation Trustee Chair Jonathan ticket sales going to the Foun- Majiyagbe and his wife, Ayo, to a fundraiser in his home.
Members of the International Marathon Fellowship of Rotarians gather for a “friendship run” in New York City to support polio eradication.
• How will you be remembered in Rotary? • What is your most meaningful experience in Rotary and why? • What is your role in furthering world understanding, goodwill, and peace? • How does Rotary strengthen you? • Why is making a difference to people in the world important to you? • What is your part in ensuring Rotary’s success, including that of its Foundation? • I f you had $1 million to give to Rotary, what would you do with it, and what would that do for you? Everyone has a different answer to these questions. Helping Rotarians get connected to their Rotary story and experiences will guide them in building a deeper relationship to Rotary and the Foundation. The power of talking to Rotarians about the value of the organization will strengthen their ownership of and gratitude for the Foundation, and reinforce their commitment to give regularly to help keep it strong.
Indian couple pledges US$2 million to The Rotary Foundation A desire to improve literacy in India has motivated recent Arch C. Klumph Society inductees Rajendra R. and Shubha Laxmi Chhapwale to commit an additional US$2 million to The Rotary Foundation over the next three years. The couple has already contributed $250,000 to the Foundation and established an endowed fund. The new pledge will go toward increasing this endowment fund. Rajendra made the announcement in April during the couple’s induction into the society at RI World Headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA. The Chhapwales’ daughter, Amarja, and son-in-law, Christopher Webb, also attended the ceremony. “It is our concern for the deprived and unprivileged children in our country that made us come here,” Rajendra said to the assembled Rotary leaders, dignitaries, and guests. “Rotary is doing such meaningful work through its programs, like polio eradication, Matching Grants, and Health, Hunger and Humanity Grants,
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otarians are putting their common interests to work through Rotary Fellowships in support of Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge. The Rotarians’ Wine Appreciation Fellowship initially donated a total of $10,000, matching gifts of $100 made by the first 50 contributors. “The success of this initiative and the increase in the grant [from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation] prompted us to set aside another $2,500 to match the additional contributions from 25 more members with an interest in wine,” says Past District Governor Conrad Heede, the fellowship’s president. As a result, the group sent another $5,000 to The Rotary Foundation in April. Other fellowship activites to support the challenge include: • The Rotary Retro Automobile Fellowship of Great Britain and Ireland and the Rotary Club of Ripley & Send, Surrey, England, have teamed up with Black Circles, the market leader in the United Kingdom’s online tire business, in a project that has raised $6,000 for Rotary’s challenge. All tire purchases made through a special Web link or phone number result
Photo courtesy of the International Marathon Fellowship of Rotarians
Rotary Fellowships rally for the challenge
Rajendra R. and Shubha Laxmi Chhapwale during their induction ceremony into the Arch C. Klumph Society.
throughout the world. I realized that The Rotary Foundation is just the right organization, where proper justice is done to the donations.” Rajendra, the founder of Monarch Realty Developers Pvt. Ltd. in Mumbai, is a past president of the Rotary Club of Mumbai North Island, Maharashtra. Shubha is a past president of the Inner Wheel Club of Mumbai North Island and will serve as district chair in 2011-12.
OCTOBER 2009 RotaryWorld | 7
NOVEMBER: ROTARY FOUNDATION MONTH
Foundation relies on Every Rotarian, Every Year
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n these troubled economic times, we are faced with so much uncertainty. The conventional wisdom of financial planning no longer seems to apply. So much is in flux, and it sometimes seems that nothing can be predicted safely. Yet even in a period of many unknowns, some things do not change. The U.S. writer and philosopher Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “Goodness is the only investment that never fails.” We know that when we invest in goodness, we will see a return on our investment — not in dollars or euros or yen, but in health, happiness, and hope. When we invest in our Rotary Foundation, we are investing in our future — in a better world for the needy, and for us all. Our Foundation’s strength lies in Rotary’s membership. We are not a foundation like many others, established by a single corporation or wealthy individual. We are instead a family foundation
“ All true Rotary leaders know that in Rotary, we lead by example.” Glenn E. Estess Sr.
— one created and supported by the entire family of Rotary. Our Foundation relies not on the great wealth of the few but on the regular contributions of the many. It relies Glenn E. Estess Sr., on Every Rotar- 2009-10 Rotary ian, Every Year. Foundation trustee It relies on an chair annual contribution from every single member, based on each person’s ability to give, with an average gift of US$100. For most Rotarians, $100 is not a great financial burden; for some, however, it is. This is why we ask all Rotarians to contribute what they can — and we ask those who are in a position to contribute more to do so. All true Rotary leaders know that in Rotary, we lead by example. And this is why I ask all of you to encourage your clubs and districts to participate in the Every Rotarian, Every Year initiative — and, first, to make a contribution yourselves.
BY THE NUMBERS 1,234,527 Rotarians worldwide | 534 Rotary districts 33,790 Rotary clubs 7,741 Rotaract clubs | 178,043 Rotaract members 12,097 Interact clubs | 278,231 Interact members 6,725 Rotary Community Corps | 154,675 RCC members All figures as of 30 June.
A tractor procured through Rotarians is providing vocational training and part-time work for youth at an orphanage in Romania.
3-H project sheds new light on vocational service An unfortunate legacy of the Romanian revolution that overthrew Nicolae Ceausescu is the estimated 250,000 orphaned or abandoned children in the country. As these children of the 20-year-old revolution come of age, their needs include vocational skills that will last a lifetime. A project of the Rotary clubs of Modesto-Sunrise, California, USA, and Oradea, Romania, is providing vocational training, jobs, and food to orphaned and abandoned youth in Oradea. The nearly US$290,000 effort is supported by a Rotary Foundation Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) Grant, along with funds from clubs in districts 2241 (Moldova; Romania) and 5220 (California). Vocational training is key to becoming self-sufficient and rebuilding the country’s economy, says David Gallagher, a project coordinator and member of the Modesto-Sunrise club. “It gives them hope. And if you don’t have hope, you’re going to have a rough time having a happy or successful life.” At the Caminul Felix orphanage in Oradea, an enhanced vocational training center offers instruction in dairy and agricultural studies, baking, auto
mechanics, and carpentry. The orphanage operates a dairy that produces 3,000 gallons of milk each month, enough for the facility’s 250 residents as well as children at nearby hospitals, orphanages, and schools. The orphanage’s farm produces 1,000 pounds of beef, 500 pounds of pork, and 300 dozen eggs each month, generating a surplus of food that can be sold or donated. The bakery provides vocational training and on-the-job experience for older residents, and produces enough bread for everyone. In many cases, local Rotarian business owners have extended job offers to youth who have completed the orphanage’s vocational training programs, which last from six months to two years. “This project has given me a new understanding of vocational service,” Gallagher says. “It’s not just about the vocation of our members. We can reach out to the people who are needy and train them in different vocational skills that will help them become productive citizens in their area. I’m not sure many Rotarians think of vocational service in that way.”
The Rotary Foundation has honored Usha Mittal for her US$1 million contribution in support of Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge. Usha and Lakshmi Mittal (center) were inducted into the Arch C. Klumph Society in May during a reception at the House of Lords in London. The society honors people who give $250,000 or more to the Foundation. Originally from India, Mittal and her husband, the chair and CEO of the world’s largest steelmaker, ArcelorMittal, now live in London, where the company is based. Also present at the ceremony were 2008-09 Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair Jonathan B. Majiyagbe (left) and Rajashree Birla, another major supporter of Rotary’s polio eradication efforts.
Most Ambassadorial Scholars wait until their scholarship year to get involved in service projects through Rotary. Not Esha Chhabra. She volunteered for a National Immunization Day (NID) in India and spoke to schools and Rotary clubs in District 5240 (California, USA) about polio eradication before she even started master’slevel course work at the London School of Economics. “Once I applied for the scholarship, I started attending Rotary club meetings, and I slowly began to understand what Rotary does,” says Chhabra, 22, who was born in Delhi, India, but grew up in California. “I asked our district governor when he’d be taking the next team on an NID, and I said, Sign me up!” Chhabra and two District 5240 Rotarians went to India in February and spent two days helping local Rotary clubs and international agencies, including UNICEF, vaccinate infants and children in Uttar Pradesh. Staying with host Rotarians, Chhabra also toured Rotary club projects in Delhi, including a blood bank. Although she had traveled to India to visit family, her NID service was the first humanitarian work she performed there. “It gave development work a human face,” says Chhabra, who is using her scholarship to study global politics and international development. “You walk away feeling connected to these people and their communities.”
Photo: Umar Khan
Ambassadorial Scholar volunteers for India NID Photo by Raymond Thatcher
Donors honored at House of Lords
Ambassadorial Scholar Esha Chhabra (right) with Rotarian Michelle Caretto, at a February NID in India.
After returning to the United States, Chhabra wrote an editorial for a local newspaper and organized a free, communitywide screening of The Final Inch, a documentary about polio eradication work in India. She hopes to participate in another NID next year.