By Arnold R. Grahl  
Rotary International News - 19 August 2008 

Thousands of baseball fans provided a captive audience for the latest End Polio Now public service announcement during the 6 August baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Florida Marlins.

The big-screen presentation was part of Strike Out Hunger night, sponsored by Rotary districts 7500 and 7640 (New Jersey, USA), an annual event involving more than 200 clubs from five districts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.

Rotary Foundation Trustee John Germ threw out the ceremonial first pitch and took part in pregame publicity for Rotary. Germ also chairs Rotary's US$100 Million Challenge Committee, which oversees RI's effort to match the $100 million grant for polio eradication awarded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Strike Out Hunger night is the brainchild of the late Neil Garber, who served as district governor for districts 7500 and 7640. Every year, the districts work with the Philadelphia Phillies to reserve a block of tickets.

The districts receive back a portion of the ticket sales, which they in turn donate to The Rotary Foundation. This year, the funds were earmarked for Rotary’s US$100 Million Challenge, which supports RI's PolioPlus program.

Event coordinator Marvin Axler, a member of the Rotary Club of Garden State of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, said about 7,000 tickets were sold this year. While final figures are still being tabulated, the event usually raises between $25,000 to $50,000, he said. Over the 24 years Strike Out Hunger night has been in existence, $640,000 has been contributed, mostly to PolioPlus, he said.

In addition, all ticket holders for the night's game are invited to bring nonperishable canned items for a local food bank. A different food bank contracts each year to cart away the tons of donated items. This year's collection went to the South Jersey Food Bank in Pennsauken, New Jersey.

"The event is really a win-win for everyone involved," said Axler. "We have a marvelous relationship with the Phillies. Neal's dream was really to clone this event and take it throughout the country wherever professional sports are played."

By Jennifer Lee Atkin 
Rotary International News -- 13 August 2008

Ray Klinginsmith of the Rotary Club of Kirksville, Missouri, USA, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International in 2010-11. Klinginsmith will become the president-nominee on 1 October if there are no challenging candidates.

Ray Klinginsmith of the Rotary Club of Kirksville, Missouri, USA, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International in 2010-11. Photo by Alyce Henson/Rotary Images

Klinginsmith earned degrees in business and law at the University of Missouri and completed graduate studies at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, as a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar. He was general counsel and professor of business at Northeast Missouri State University in Kirksville (now Truman State University) from 1973 until his retirement in 1995, and also held the post of dean of administration for five years.

Klinginsmith, who now operates a law office, served as an elected county commissioner from 2001 to 2004. He has been a director of the Macon Atlanta State Bank since 1971 and president of the Chariton Valley Association for Handicapped Citizens since 1982. He and his wife, Judie, have two children and three grandchildren.

A Rotarian since 1961, Klinginsmith has served Rotary as district governor and as chair of the 1998 Council on Legislation in New Delhi and the 2008 Los Angeles Convention Committee. He was a member of the RI Board of Directors for 1985-87 and chaired its executive committee in 1986-87. Klinginsmith joined The Rotary Foundation Trustees in 2002, serving as vice chair in 2005-06, and was a member of the Future Vision Committee from 2005 to 2008. Klinginsmith, a Major Donor, is a recipient of the Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service and Distinguished Service Award.

In addition, Klinginsmith has earned many honors in his community, including the Parent/Caretaker Award from the Missouri Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities; the Thomas D. Cochran Award for Community Service, an annual statewide award by the Young Lawyers Section of the Missouri Bar; and the Silver Beaver Award from the Great Rivers Council of the Boy Scouts of America, of which he is a former member of the executive board.

Klinginsmith believes that Rotary’s best days are still ahead.

"The reputation and ability of Rotarians to impact the world positively is better than ever, and the future of Rotary is bright," he says. "The RI Strategic Plan and The Rotary Foundation Future Vision Plan are good roadmaps to the future. However, the decisions about the selection of strategic partners, the recruitment of younger members, and the facilitation of district change to enable younger leaders to serve as district governors will continue to require leaders of uncommon vision and wisdom."

The 2008 nominating committee members are: Jack Forrest (chair), USA; Sudarshan Agarwal, India; Keith Barnard-Jones, England; Jacques Berthet, France; Irving J. Brown, USA; Peter Bundgaard, Denmark; John C. Carrick, Australia; Kenneth E. Collins, Australia; John Eberhard, Canada; Noel Fryer, England; Samuel L. Greene, USA; Theodore D. Griley II, USA; Jerry L. Hall, USA; Horst Heiner Hellge, Germany; Umberto Laffi, Italy; Jorma Lampén, Finland; David Linett, USA; Michael D. McCullough, USA; Gerald A. Meigs, USA; Yoshikazu Minamisono, Japan; Daniel W. Mooers, USA; G. Kenneth Morgan, USA; Jiichiro Nakajima, Japan; Noraseth Pathmanand, Thailand; Jose Alfredo Pretoni, Brazil; J. David Roper, USA; José Antonio Salazar Cruz, Colombia; Masanobu Shigeta, Japan; Julio Sorjús, Spain; Carlos E. Speroni, Argentina; Robert A. Stuart Jr., USA; Sakuji Tanaka, Japan; and Stan Tempelaars, The Netherlands.

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The Planned and Major Gifts Division of Rotary International often advises members who are considering donations of US$10,000 or more on how to maximize the impact of their gifts, as well as the potential U.S. tax benefits. 

A charitable remainder trust is one in which the donor irrevocably places assets in exchange for an income, either for life or a certain number of years. This type of trust allows donors to reduce capital gains taxes on gifts of appreciated property and is a great strategy for incorporating charity into estate plans. It can be funded with cash, real estate, publicly traded stock, closely held stock, bonds (including tax-exempt bonds), and certain other assets. 

Income will be earned at a rate agreed upon by the donor and the Foundation, with a minimum of 5 percent of the initial trust principal. If Rotary is named the trustee for your charitable remainder trust, it will cover up to 50 percent of the fee charged by the custodian bank, Northern Trust, to administer the trust. 

Karena Bierman, senior planned giving officer for The Rotary Foundation, says that, for U.S. residents who include the Foundation as a beneficiary of a charitable trust, a charitable remainder trust passes the "four-win" test: Donors can receive a tax deduction in the year the gift was made, avoid capital gains taxes on the donation of appreciated assets, receive lifetime income from the donation, and enjoy recognition for the gift that supports the Foundation while they are still alive.

"Trust assets are invested right away to enable the Foundation to get the most out of the gift," Bierman says, "while the donor gets income and a tax benefit. That way it maximizes the benefit to both the donor and Rotary."

Nigeria's President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua pledged his continued commitment to eradicate polio in Nigeria as he received Rotary's Polio Eradication Champion Award for his leadership in support of ending polio.

The proportion of children missed during immunization campaigns in Nigeria has been significantly reduced from more than 50 percent to 20 percent in key areas of the country.  Rotary Images.

The award honors heads of state, health agency leaders, and others who have made significant contributions toward polio eradication.

"The award has given me a great responsibility to do everything humanly possible to ensure that polio is finally and totally eradicated from Nigeria," Yar'Adua said during a presentation on 24 July at the State House in Abuja. The award was presented by Jonathan Majiyagbe, the first African chair of The Rotary Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

"As an African and resident of Kano, I am honored to present this award to President Yar'Adua," said Majiyagbe. "I thank him for the progress being made in reaching more Nigerian children with the necessary vaccine."

Yar'Adua has been a strong supporter of polio eradication efforts in Nigeria, one of four polio-endemic countries. Under his leadership, Nigeria announced it would fulfill its US$34 million pledge to support polio immunization rounds. Yar'Adua also recently created an initiative to intensify efforts and speed progress toward polio eradication.

Earlier this year, Yar'Adua’s wife, Turai, personally launched immunization campaigns.

Majiyagbe noted that Yar'Adua, while governor of Katsina State in 2002, launched a safety study of the oral polio vaccine that helped restore public confidence in national immunization efforts.

Since then, renewed engagement of political, religious, traditional, and community leaders and new initiatives, including Quranic school engagement and community dialogues, have led to progress in Nigeria. The proportion of children missed during immunization campaigns has been significantly reduced from more than 50 percent to 20 percent in key areas of the country.

To date, more than two billion children worldwide have been immunized against the paralyzing and sometimes deadly poliovirus. Tremendous progress has been made in the last two decades, as polio cases have declined by 99 percent. Yet, challenges remain in the four polio-endemic countries: Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan. 

Finishing polio worldwide remains Rotary's top goal. Vital to helping achieve that goal is Rotary's US$100 Million Challenge, the three-year funding effort to match the Gates Foundation’s $100 million grant to The Rotary Foundation for polio eradication.

Contribute  to ending polio now.

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Cedar Rapids Rotarians fill in the gaps

By Ryan Hyland
Rotary International News -- 23 July 2008

Rotarians and volunteers at a  Salvation Army depository in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA, unload a semitrailer full of relief aid for flood victims. Below, a homeowner of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA, uses a power washer to clean flood water stains from his house.  Photos by Alyce Henson/Rotary Images

Downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA, once flourished with small businesses, entertaining residents with its many restaurants, theaters, and museums. 

But after a record-breaking flood in June destroyed much of the area, it's now a virtual ghost town, populated mainly by garbage trucks overflowing with debris and large humming vents airing out office buildings and storefronts. 

After a month of heavy storms, the Cedar River crested to 31 feet above flood level on 13 June, engulfing more than 9 square miles of Cedar Rapids. The floodwaters left at least 25,000 residents homeless and more than 5,300 houses and 1,000 businesses damaged or destroyed.

As Rotarian Ken Kolek walked through the eerily quiet downtown streets, he said the city hadn't quite come to grips with the vast devastation that reached deep into surrounding neighborhoods. 

"While the government is doing the best it can for flood victims, it's up to Rotary to fill in the gaps they miss," said Kolek, a member of the Rotary Club of Cedar Rapids-Daybreak and a past governor of District 5970. "We're not looking for a miracle -- just a little help consistently spread around to give this city the support it needs to rebuild."

Open wallets, hearts

The small Rotary Club of Greenbelt, Maryland, came up big for the seven clubs in the Cedar Rapids metro area. For two weeks after the river crested, the 20-member Maryland club collected desperately needed money and consumable goods. 

Wick Caldwell, 2007-08 Greenbelt club secretary, e-mailed all Rotarians in District 7620 (Maryland; Washington, D.C.) to ask for help and to spread the word about the effort. 

"This is just what Rotary does. And we do it well," said Caldwell, whose club organized a similar project for Hurricane Katrina victims in 2005. "This is simply local folks helping local folks."

A semitrailer filled with goods from Maryland arrived 13 July at a Salvation Army relief site in Cedar Rapids. More than 70 Rotarians, their families, and other volunteers were there to receive and organize the contributions. They formed a circular line and quickly unloaded the goods, which included food, water, household items, cleaning supplies, and furniture. 

Volunteers worked feverishly to sort the donations, and within an hour of the trailer's arrival, pickup trucks loaded with supplies sped off to food pantries, Goodwill Industries collection centers, and other relief agencies in and around Cedar Rapids.

"This is a phenomenal turnout and great example of volunteerism," said William Jacobson, a Cedar Rapids resident and governor of District 5970. "I'm very pleased with the way Rotarians met the challenge when called upon and rolled up their sleeves to work for their city in a time of need."

One Rotary club member stepped up after the flood destroyed a Boys and Girls Club location, including everything inside. The children were able to use an alternative site for recreation, but with all the sporting goods unusable, options for activities were slim.

Michele Boyer, of the Cedar Rapids-Daybreak club, called a friend whose business connection to Dick's Sporting Goods, a nationwide sports and fitness retailer, yielded brand new equipment for the Boys and Girls Club. The store donated items for almost every sport a child would want to play, including baseball, basketball, and even badminton.

"It's as simple as just asking," said Boyer. "In a critical time like this, it's important Rotarians draw on the relationships we have."

Metro seven

In neighborhoods near downtown along the water, the streets serve as a stark reminder of the devastation caused by the surging Cedar River. As many as 2,000 homes contaminated by polluted floodwaters wait to be razed, their front doors branded with orange spray paint by city officials. 

Block after block, dazed families who have lost everything have begun removing debris from their homes. Houses are still tainted with grimy flood lines, some revealing that only the tips of their roofs were spared. 

The economic fallout will be crippling. An estimated 50 percent of businesses will not survive the flood damage. 

The crisis has been a test for the Cedar Rapids Area Rotary Presidents Committee, a unique alliance formed four years ago to serve the community with cohesive projects rather than separate autonomous ones.

 All seven metro Cedar Rapids club presidents, vice presidents, and immediate past presidents serve as members and are charged with working with other agencies to best identify local needs. After the flood, they developed three phases -- the three Rs -- for providing aid: relief, recover, and rebuild.

The committee quickly set up a flood relief fund , administered by the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, to collect donations, which will be distributed to local charities and relief agencies.

Long-term rebuilding initiatives are hard to fathom while families and businesses are still mired in the immediate fallout of the disaster. But Kolek believes it's up to Iowa Rotarians to show Cedar Rapids their commitment to a better future.

"This will take out-of-the-box thinking and new ideas to rebuild this city," he said. "And it may take 10 years to get back to normal. But in the end, Cedar Rapids will be stronger.

"If ever faced with a major disaster like this one, we want the affected Rotary clubs to look at how Iowa Rotarians handled the situation and reach out to us for advice."

The Internet has come to a small island off the coast of Haiti thanks to an international Rotary club effort and an Interact fundraiser.

Three Rotary clubs -- Port-au-Prince, Haiti; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Skidaway Island, Savannah, Georgia, USA -- and the Commonwealth School Interact Club of San Juan partnered to fund construction of a library in Matenwa on the island of La Gonave, Haiti. A Rotary Foundation Matching Grant helped furnish the library with laptops, books, and furniture

• Using RI-CAS

• Publicity for your club

• Matching Grants

• Rotary Training

• Applying for Leadership Academy

• Finding a program speaker

• Youth Exchange Information

• Applying for District Simplified Grants

• Reporting

• Reimbursements

• Rotary Insurance

• Rotary authorized vendors

See RIP D.K. Lee video

Polio survivor cycles across Canada to fight polio

By Dan Nixon 
Rotary International News -- 3 September 2008 

Ferris cycles along a prairie field in Saskatchewan, Canada. Photos courtesy of Ramesh Ferris Cycle to Walk Society

"I am reminded of the effects of polio every day of my life," says Ramesh Ferris, who is cycling 7,200 kilometers (4,474 miles) across Canada to ensure that children worldwide are able to walk.

The 28-year-old polio survivor is riding a 27-speed handcycle on a journey that began in Victoria, British Columbia, on 12 April. He plans to arrive in Cape Spear, Newfoundland, in mid-October.

"Cycle to Walk is my way to prevent polio and give other polio survivors a chance to reach their full potential," said Ferris. He is promoting polio eradication at schools, Rotary, and other service clubs, health care providers, and government offices.

Among other highlights, Ferris has cycled through Fraser Canyon, the Canadian Rockies, and Jasper National Park, on the Terry Fox Courage Highway, and across the town of Sudbury's Bridge of Nations. He has stopped to address District 5550's annual conference, joined Sault Sainte Marie's Rotaryfest parade, and been honored by the Toronto Blue Jays on Cycle to Walk night, in front of more than 23,000 baseball fans.

On 12 August, Ferris met with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Ottawa. "Our visit today helps demonstrate that Canada will continue to be a global leader in the fight against history's greatest cause of disability," Ferris said.

A day earlier, Ferris was welcomed to the nation's capital by Liberal Party leader Stéphane Dion. "It's a wonderful initiative," Dion said of the global battle to end polio. "It requires a lot of courage and determination. Everything we are able to do, we will do."

Personal battle

For his part in that battle, Ferris has had to draw deeply on his own determination many times. Born in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India, in 1979, he was stricken by polio at the age of six months. He was adopted by Canadian parents at age two and, following several surgeries and physical rehabilitation, learned to walk with crutches by age four. But polio also afflicted his lungs, and he contracted pneumonia nine times before his 11th birthday.

A visit to India in 2002 and seeing others suffering from polio inspired Ferris to found the Cycle to Walk Society, which raises money to fight polio and boosts public awareness of the disease. His goal in cycling across Canada is to raise C$1 million (US$955,082); as of 15 August, contributions had reached C$279,148 (US$266,609). Of the total, 75 percent will go to PolioPlus to immunize children in polio-endemic and at-risk countries, 20 percent to aid rehabilitation, and 5 percent to help educate Canadians about the disease and advocate their continued immunization.

"We are on the brink of making history," he said about the global effort to eradicate polio. "Let's get excited about making polio history, so that we can continue the work of ridding the world of other diseases."

 To follow Ferris's journey, read his blog at www.cycletowalk.com.

Historic moments -- Easter Seals

Rotary International News -- 3 September 2008

In 1929, The Rotary Foundation made its first donation: a US$500 gift to the International Society for Crippled Children, known today as Easter Seals.

Allen in the December 1936 issue of The Rotarian. Rotary Images

Rotarian Edgar F. Allen founded the society in 1921 with help from the Rotary Club of Elyria, Ohio, USA, to aid children afflicted with crippling diseases. Rotary founder Paul Harris served as chair of the society.

Allen joined the Elyria club in 1918. In 1919, at a special club meeting, he presented his idea to provide specialized care to children with disabilities in their own communities. Elyria Rotarians were moved by his presentation and took up his cause, founding what would become the International Society for Crippled Children.

Providing access to adequate medical care was an important cause to Allen. In 1907, one of Allen's sons died due to lack of medical care after a street car accident. Allen committed himself to building a hospital in Elyria and sold his successful business to devote his efforts to fundraising.

On 30 October 1908, the Elyria Memorial Hospital opened. Allen also helped to build the Gates Hospital, the first hospital in the United States devoted to the care of children with disabilities, which opened in 1915. 

Daddy Allen, as he was called by the children who knew him, has been credited with coining the phrase “Keep on keeping on.”

Rotary clubs and Rotarians continue to work with local Easter Seals organizations as volunteers, event sponsors, and donors.

PAST RI PRESIDENT BILL SKELTON PASSED AWAY AUGUST 30

Dr. William E. Skelton RI President 1983-84

William E. Skelton, who served as RI president in 1983-84, died 30 August at the age of 89.

A former dean and director of 4-H programs at Virginia Tech, Skelton had been battling cancer for the past year.

"I truly do not know anybody who really lived and embodied the Rotary motto of Service Above Self more than Bill Skelton," says Douglas McAlister, past governor of District 7570 (Virginia). "He always displayed an endless vitality, imagination, and a degree of tenaciousness that I have never seen in anyone else and will probably never see again."

Skelton first joined the Rotary Club of Christiansburg-Blacksburg, Virginia, USA, in 1955. In addition to his term as RI president, he served in numerous capacities including as district governor; International Assembly group discussion leader; committee member and chair; Foundation trustee, chair, and consultant; director; and first vice president.

He was a recipient of the RI Service Above Self Award and The Rotary Foundation's Citation for Meritorious Service and Distinguished Service Award. He also received the PolioPlus Pioneer Award for his extraordinary service to PolioPlus.

"In that district, everybody looked up to him," recalls Jim Johnson, secretary of the neighboring Rotary Club of Blacksburg. "All the incoming and past district governors sought his counsel."

Leaving a legacy

Johnson's wife, Janet, a member of the Christiansburg-Blacksburg club, said Skelton's many legacies include a Rotary scholarship for international exchange students named after him.

"Because of him, we are able to sponsor three of those a year," she says. "His interest and his commitment to students and building international goodwill are a part of his legacy."

Skelton's RI theme, Share Rotary -- Serve People , helped Rotarians focus on promoting development in the areas of membership, community, vocation, and international relations as a means to achieve Rotary's humanitarian goals and make a difference in the world.

After his retirement from Virginia Tech in 1979, he served as dean emeritus, president of the Virgina Tech alumni association, and athletic association board member.

In 1983, the university presented him with the Alumni Distinguished Service Award and the Ruffner Medal, the school's most prestigious honor.

He was a strong proponent of 4-H, the largest out-of-school youth organization in the United States, throughout his career, and also served as director of the Virginia Cooperative Extension. The W.E. Skelton 4-H Conference Center was named after Skelton and his wife, Margaret (Peggy), in recognition of their service. 

He is survived by his wife, son John K. Skelton, and daughter Jean S. Montague.

Invitation to Rotary Day at UN Program on Nov. 8, 2008

On behalf of Brad Jenkins, Rotary Representative to the UN, Sylvan Barnet, RI Alternate Rep, and the other team members, it is a distinct pleasure to invite you to attend the upcoming Rotary Day at the United Nations program on November 8, at the UN Headquarters in New York City.

Rotary Day at the UN has evolved into one of the most interesting, substantive and enjoyable programs that brings together Rotary and UN leaders to discuss some of each organization's unique humanitarian programs and to identify potential areas of future cooperation. The mutually productive working relationship between Rotary and the UN, which is over 62 years old, is highlighted through many successful programs , such as the phenomenal PolioPlus Program to eliminate the scourge of polio, reducing adult illiteracy, battling the AIDS pandemic and confronting environmental degradation, to mention only a few.

Please note that if you plan to attend, you should make your reservations immediately. The reservation form should be received prior to October 24, given that seating will be limited. No one will be admitted at the door onNovember 8.

Early November is a very busy time in New York City, therefore, be sure and lock in your hotel and airline reservations as soon as possible.

If you have any questions or comments, please direct them and your registration form (with $37.50 per adult) to:

Ted Krisanda, PDG, UN Day Registrar
5 Hancock Drive
Morristown, NJ 07960-2740
Fax 973-898-6534

Do not miss this fantastic program. Be sure and forward this invitation to other Rotarians who may have an interest in this outstanding program.

Bill Miller, PDG A Rotary Alternate Representative to the United Nations

Please Note: All registration forms must be received no later than 24 October 2008.  Because of SECURITY at the20UN, there will be NO on site registration.

Man pedals around the world

By Donna Polydoros 
Rotary International News - 19 August 2008 

Jean-Gabriel Chelala is out to set a record as the first person to circumnavigate the globe using human power – and he is sharing his inspiration with Rotarians along the way.

Chelala arrives in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA on 10 August. Photo courtesy of Chelala

Braving 17-foot waves, 35-knot winds, and an encounter with a whale that destroyed his rudder, the 27-year-old civil engineer journeyed 65 days across the Atlantic Ocean in a 27-foot pedal boat. Landing on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin, Chelala was short on funds and looking for friends. A director of a marina referred him to the Rotary Club of Saint-Martin Nord, Guadeloupe, French West Indies.

"I am really proud to talk with people like Rotarians because they think with their hearts, and they use their hands to make the world better," Chelala said.

Chelala spoke to the club, describing his journey and message of the strength of the human body and spirit. Rotarians were so impressed, they named him an ambassador of their club.

Chelala continued on his journey to Puerto Rico, where he met John Richardson, assistant governor of District 7000 (Puerto Rico), who was also inspired by Chelala's determination and positive message.

"After spending a couple of hours with Jean-Gabriel talking about his quest, we concluded that he should connect to [Rotary's] global network and share his message, which is so much like our own," said Richardson. "An ordinary person armed with the strength of his conviction can pedal around the globe in much the same way as, [with] Rotary, ordinary people do extraordinary things."

Chelala has since added stops at several U.S. Rotary clubs to his itinerary, including the Rotary Club of Chicago. He plans to begin the next 22,000-mile leg of his journey by bicycle from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Alaska on 11 September.

Chelala began his journey in Paris on 13 January, bicycling 1,375 miles to the South of Portugal. He continued by pedal boat to Morocco and the Canary Islands, eventually crossing the Atlantic and landing in Saint Martin.

He will complete his journey by cycling through the contiguous United States, Canada, and Alaska, crossing the Bering Sea and Siberia, and returning to Paris.

Richardson reports that Chelala now carries a Make Dreams Real pin with him. "To say the least, he is a very special guy," said Richardson.

Visit Chelala's Web site at http://www.jeangabrielchelala.com/

Beijing club accommodates Rotary Olympic goers

By Ryan Hyland 
Rotary International News -- 21 August 2008

After the Chinese wushu team invited Bernardo Garcia to train with them for the Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008, the Argentine Rotaract club member and the Rotary Club of La Rioja, La Rioja, Argentina, reached out to Beijing Rotarians for support.

Rotaractor Bernardo Garcia (right) trains with the Chinese wushu team during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Photo courtesy of the Rotary Club of La Rioja

Garcia didn't receive financial support from the sport derived from traditional Chinese martial arts, isn't an official Olympic sport; it is a recognized International Olympic Committee competition.

Not wanting to waste a great opportunity, he raised enough money to make the trip to Beijing. However, finding accommodations during the Olympic Games is no small feat.

Nidia Acuña, president of the La Rioja club, contacted Gilbert Van Kerckhove, a member of the Rotary Club of Beijing, to see if he could help Garcia upon his arrival. Van Kerckhove, an investment promotion adviser for the Office for Beijing Olympics 2008 Projects, came through with the gold, finding a hotel room for Garcia.

"Obviously, these are hectic times in Beijing," said Van Kerckhove. "But our club is good at arranging logistics, and we managed to find a low-cost hotel that was close to transportation."

"Van Kerckhove and the Beijing club were a great help," said Acuña. "I really appreciate the importance of an organization like Rotary, which made it possible for two different cultures to come together in order to help an athlete like Garcia fulfill a dream."

The Beijing club also found a five-star hotel for the Belgian Olympic Committee and helped Rotarians traveling abroad get competition tickets. The club hosts a hospitality cocktail hour for visiting Rotarians every Thursday evening at the Hilton Beijing during the Olympic Games.

Read about Rotarians who fulfilled their Olympic dreams.

Rotary helps toddler take first steps

By Arnold R. Grahl 
Rotary International News -- 11 August 2008

Two-and-a-half-year-old Harvey Parry of Edmonton, England, is learning to walk on prosthetic legs he received during a visit to New York.

Harvey Parry stands on his new legs at A Step Ahead Prosthetics and Orthotics. With him are (from left) Carol Parry; Stephanie Sokenis, president Hicksville-Jericho Rotary club; and George Hannau, Bethpage-Plainview Rotary club. Photo courtesy Bethpage-Plainview Rotary club.

The trip was made possible partially by the generosity of Rotary clubs on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Rotary Club of Edmonton, England, along with the Rotary clubs of Bethpage-Plainview and Hicksville-Jericho in New York, USA, have helped offset some of the family's travel expenses while Harvey undergoes therapy at A Step Ahead Prosthetics and Orthotics in Hicksville, where he is learning to take his first steps. 

Fight for life

At 15 months, Harvey contracted meningococcal, the deadlier bacteria form of meningitis. Resulting septicemia, or blood poisoning, forced doctors to amputate both of his legs above the knees and three fingers on his right hand.

In England, public health care does not pay to fit children under the age of five with a full-length prosthesis. Instead they are equipped with hard plastic discs which fit over the remains of the limb. Children learn to scoot around on their stubs until they grow old enough for full legs.

Worried their son would lose valuable development time waiting for full-length legs, Carol and Jonathan Parry decided to seek out the help of A Step Ahead, known worldwide as a leader and innovator in prosthetic design. 

"Bilateral movement takes a lot of strength, balance, and coordination," said  Phil Kreuter, a physical therapist who works with A Step Ahead. "The sooner we can get them, the sooner they learn a more normal gait."

Still, the move was not without risk. Turning to private care meant Harvey’s therapy would not be covered by public aid when he returned to England. Carol Parry began a year-long fundraising campaign to raise money. The family’s plight caught the attention of their florist, David Fuller, a member of the Edmonton Rotary club.

"They were invited to one of our meetings, when it was decided to help them as much as possible," recalls Dennis Perkins, club secretary.

The Edmonton club initially raised £1,300 (US$2,500) at a garden party at Fullers' home. The club then gave Harvey a 15-pound Easter egg, which captured local media attention, and the club's Christmas float stopped at the Parry home for Father Christmas to deliver toys the club had bought Harvey, again making the evening news. 

Travel expenses

Virgin Airlines flew the family over for free, and the Marriott Residence Inn-Plainview offered reduced rates. The Edmonton club put in a call to Hicksville-Jericho and Bethpage-Plainview, and Rotarians in those two clubs contributed more than $800 and various gift certificates.

"We just had to do something, they are right in our backyard," said George Hannau, past president of the Bethpage-Plainview club. 

The family plans on staying in New York through the middle of August. Already, they face a $12,000 bill for rental car and lodging. When they get back home, Parry says she will have to immediately begin fundraising for a return trip to continue Harvey's therapy.

"Right now, we're broke. We've used up all our funds," Parry said. "I'm a little scared. But I know what we have to do. My son is walking, and he is happy. And that's what is important to me."

Parry is full of praise for Rotary.

"Before this, I did not know that much about the organization," she said. "I can honestly say they have saved our lives. They have been so supportive."

Resources for achieving membership goals
Rotary International News -- 14 August 2008

Membership resources can help clubs reach their membership goals. Rotary Images

From golf outings and social events to a continued emphasis on retention, Rotary clubs around the world are finding creative ways to respond to President Dong Kurn Lee's challenge to increase membership.

August is Membership and Extension month, a time to focus on the heart of Rotary and what makes it great -- more than 1.2 million members in nearly 33,000 clubs worldwide.

As RI president, Lee has challenged Rotary districts and clubs this year to a net membership increase of 10 percent and to add two new clubs in each district. New clubs are a means of reaching demographic groups that cannot get involved in current club meetings. 

"If we do not bring in younger members, we will miss out on a great deal of energy and expertise," Lee said during a visit to the Rotary Club of Chicago in early July. "And we will not be providing  a new generation of members to become club presidents, district governors, and senior RI leaders in the years to come."

In seeking to recruite new members, clubs should look to new enterprises, professions and occupations, such as web developers or technicians, that may have been previously overlooked, Lee urged.

Two clubs in Korea have been experiencing great success in membership growth. The Rotary Club of Gwangju-Ibseog in Gwangju, Korea, nearly doubled its membership in the 2007-08 year, and the Rotary Club of Iri Dong in Jeonrabug grew from 112 to 152 members last year. Read their stories.

Membership Resources

If you would like help or ideas on reaching your club's membership goals, consider one of Rotary International's many membership resources. 

• Newly revised! Membership Development Resource Guide This booklet outlines steps to help clubs develop a membership development action plan for ecruiting and retaining members.

• Resources for club committees Includes information for the club  membership committee, which performs a crucial function, developing and implementing an action plan for recruiting, retaining, and educating club members.

• Resources for club officers helps officers understand their roles and responsibilities in order to help clubs achieve their goals.

• Newly revised! New Member Orientation: A How to Guide for Clubs  geared toward Rotarians responsible for creating or updating their club's new member information programs.

• New Membership Video Set   A new resource set featuring two DVDs, one for new members and one for prospective member.

• The Membership Minute  a monthly subscription-based e-mail newsletter that provides membership development ideas, resources, and tools.

• Welcome to Rotary  a short video that provides new members with information on getting active and involved in their clubs.

• Rotary postcards and wallet cards  Postcards and wallet cards that feature an invitation to attend a Rotary club meeting that can be sent to prospective members

• Newly updated! New Member Information   Kit that provides new members with essential information on Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation.

• Prospective Member Information  A valuable kit that can be distributed to club visitors, providing basic information on Rotary, The Rotary Foundation, and the responsibilities of club membership.

Major Donor seeks no special recognition

By Nancy Shepherdson 
Rotary International News -- 12 August 2008

Richard Barton stands at the street intersection, waving his sign and shouting encouragement for runners helping to raise funds for a cancer care center. 

Major Donor Richard Barton cheers on runners during a race to support a cancer care center in Hinsdale, Illinois, USA. Photo by Todd Winters

Hours later, he's still there, cheering on the walkers, some of whom are cancer patients. He's been up since dawn on this October morning. 

Barton's framed portrait hangs in the Hall of Honor on the 17th floor of Rotary International's World Headquarters, among the other US$1 million donors. His was the 28th such gift in Rotary's history. 

But if Barton, a member of the Rotary Club of Hinsdale, Illinois, USA, had his way, no one would ever hear about his donation. Friends say he quietly volunteers for nearly every Rotary project that comes along and never seeks special recognition.

Rich was eager to get involved from the moment he first joined, says Rotarian Charlie Hartley. "Every time we had something going on, he volunteered to help. Rich is always saying, 'What can I do now?'" 

Working-class upbringing

Barton never expected to be in a position to give a million dollars to anyone. He grew up in a working-class neighborhood, where his father was a sheet-metal worker, and was the first in his family to attend college. 

With a civil engineering degree from the University of Illinois in 1964, he found a job building missile silos for American Bridge, a division of U.S. Steel. He wasn't thrilled at the prospect of moving from Chicago to North Dakota, where the company was based. He was excited, though, at the idea of being a field commander responsible for making sure the doors on 150 silos were properly installed and balanced so finely you could push them into place with a finger.

That job led to promotions that put Barton's stamp on some of the most recognizable buildings in the world. In Chicago, he was the construction engineer for the John Hancock Center, the Gateway Center, and the First National Bank Building (now called Chase Tower). He also worked on the World Trade Center in New York and the world's first welded-steel tower, the General Motors building. Later, he spent many years building roads and bridges, including many of those spanning U.S. Interstate 55, a highway that leads out of Chicago.

Now 65, Barton is the owner of RB Properties in Burr Ridge, Illinois, a property management and acquisition firm. Much of his real estate sites are "unloved" older buildings that "just need a little care and attention to be profitable," Barton says. 

Barton's million-dollar gift was intended to benefit both Jane Hopson, his partner, and Rotary – "the two most important things in my life." And he wanted it to be as simple as possible. His attorney recommended that he set up a charitable remainder trust, providing tax benefits to the couple now, but also to their estate after they are gone.

Historic moments -- Rotary mottoes 
Rotary International News -- 6 August 2008

Rotary’s official mottoes, Service Above Self and They Profit Most Who Serve Best, trace back to the early days of the organization.

Arthur Frederick Sheldon, the Rotarian whose convention speech inspired Rotary's secondary motto, They Profit Most Who Serve Best.

In 1911, He Profits Most Who Serves Best was approved as the Rotary motto at the second convention of the National Association of Rotary Clubs of America, in Portland, Oregon. It was adapted from a speech made by Rotarian Arthur Frederick Sheldon to the first convention, held in Chicago the previous year. Sheldon declared that "only the science of right conduct toward others pays. Business is the science of human services. He profits most who serves his fellows best."

The Portland convention also inspired the motto Service Above Self. During a convention outing on the Columbia River, Ben Collins, president of the Rotary Club of Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, talked with Seattle Rotarian J.E. Pinkham about the proper way to organize a Rotary club, offering the principle his club had adopted: Service, Not Self. Pinkham invited Paul P. Harris, who also was on the boat trip, to join their conversation. Harris asked Collins to address the convention, and the phrase Service, Not Self was met with great enthusiasm.

At the 1950 RI Convention in Detroit, slightly modified versions of the two slogans were formally approved as the official mot­toes of Rotary: He Profits Most Who Serves Best and Service Above Self. The 1989 Council on Legislation established Service Above Self as the principal motto of Rotary, because it best conveys the philosophy of unselfish volunteer service. He Profits Most Who Serves Best was modified by the 2004 Council to its current wording, They Profit Most Who Serve Best.

For more historical information about Rotary, visit Rotary History and Archives or the Rotary Global History Fellowship.

Pharmaceutical group’s US$100,000 gift benefits Rotary’s challenge

By Ryan Hyland 
Rotary International News -- 04 August 2008

To help support Rotary’s top goal of eradicating polio worldwide, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, known as PhRMA, has donated US$100,000 to The Rotary Foundation. The gift will help meet Rotary’s US$100 Million Challenge.

Children raise their marked fingers, a sign they have been immunized with the polio vaccine. Rotary Images

PhRMA is an industry trade group that represents the leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies in the United States, including sanofi-aventis and Novartis, two of the primary distributors of the oral polio vaccine.

"Our relationship with Rotary is very much part of our efforts to advance innovative and responsible approaches to providing access to sustainable health care," said Chris Ward, PhRMA’s deputy vice president for international alliance development. "Our industry is driven by the search for cures and a genuine desire to improve health outcomes all over the world."

When looking at the advancement of this goal, there is no better example than Rotary’s work in ridding the world of polio, said Ward.

On the team

"Rotary is a leader in public and private partnerships that rely on the spirit of volunteerism and community service," Ward said. "PhRMA is honored to be on Rotary’s team."

John Osterlund, general manager of The Rotary Foundation, noted that other opportunities to work with PhRMA were being explored, including making the trade group’s speakers bureau available to Rotary clubs. The bureau’s 30 industry leaders, policymakers, and academics speak to companies and organizations about the group’s health initiatives and innovations in the pharmaceutical industry. 

Ward hopes PhRMA can serve as a conduit to approach pharmaceutical companies to support Rotary’s challenge.

"We’re happy to do what Rotary asks of us," he said. "Rotary’s message is definitely something we want to promote."

Rotaractors go all out against polio in Pakistan

By Dan Nixon 
Rotary International News -- 04 August 2008

Six Rotaract clubs, 69 Rotaractors, and 687 hours of work over five days added up to a big victory for thousands of children in Karachi, Pakistan. 

A Rotaractor in Karachi marks the pinkie finger of a child as a record of vaccination against polio during Pakistan’s Subnational Immunization Days in early July. Photo Courtesy of Atya Khan Rana

The Rotaractors, joined by other volunteers, helped immunize 4,276 children under age five against polio in the city’s densely populated Kemari Town.

Organized at the urging of Past District Governor Abdul Haiy Khan, Pakistan’s National PolioPlus Committee chair, the Rotaract-led effort took place during Pakistan’s Subnational Immunization Days (SNIDs) from 1 to 4 July. Teams of Rotaractors and volunteers went from house to house giving children drops of vaccine, marking the fingers of those immunized, chalking the doors of houses to indicate families covered, and recording information on tally sheets.

At times, their work took them on foot through labyrinths of back alleys and across dug-out roads, challenging them to reach every household. During the project, team members communicated with one another by sending text messages on their mobile phones, guiding and spurring each other on to work efficiently.

Friendly competition

"There were many friendly competitions to see which team could cover the most houses, and two teams reached 150 houses [on day three],"  the Rotaractors wrote in a report. "By the end of the day, each team member looked ready to collapse, but each one was begging, 'Can we do just a few more houses?'"

On 5 July, the project’s last day, the Rotaractors and volunteers reviewed their records to identify children who had been missed during the SNIDs and then followed up with those children to ensure they received the vaccine. When some teams ran short of vaccine, project coordinators Fayez Jangda and Nayel Noorani, of the Rotaract clubs of Karachi Karsaz and Karachi Cosmopolitan, collected extra vials from other teams and distributed them to the teams in need. Finally, no more vials could be found, and doctors sent in fresh supplies so the teams could keep working.

At the project’s end, the Rotaractors thanked all the non-Rotaract volunteers who had turned out to participate. Inspired by the Rotaractors’ example of service, many of them expressed interest in joining a Rotaract club. 

Maheen Allawala, a member of the Karachi Karsaz club, summed up the project: "It was truly a great experience, and we are looking forward to more work in the upcoming polio drives."

Rotarian owned gym takes in wildfire evacuees

When a Rotarian-owned fitness center housed evacuees and firefighters during the blazes in and around Paradise, California, USA, the overwhelmed local government was able to provide cots but not much else.

Members of the Rotary clubs of Chico and Chico Sunrise stepped in to address basic needs, donating hundreds of blankets and pillows, cases of water, and days worth of food.

"When the stuff hits the fan, there is nothing that Rotary can't do," said Tony DeLuca, a member of the Chico Sunrise club and owner of Fit One Athletic Club in Chico, about 15 minutes from Paradise. "Anyone in the country who would question that, come out here and see. What we did was impossible."

The facility took in about 250 evacuees after other emergency shelters had reached capacity during the first wave of the fires. More than a few ended up losing their homes to the flames.

A Rotarian who had lost his own house in a fire a few years earlier went to every store in town to buy enough blankets and pillows for everybody staying at the athletic center, and Rotary club members throughout the area showed up with cases of water and nonperishable food.

After the evacuees left, DeLuca and Scott Navarro, general manager of the fitness center and a member of the Rotary Club of Chico, donated the blankets, pillows, and leftover food to a local homeless shelter. But less than a week later, the winds picked up and fanned the flames, quickly destroying much of the nearby city of Concow .

DeLuca called the county government to see whether it needed to use his business as a shelter again. He learned that this time, the need was for a rest spot for firefighters coming in from all over the country to battle the flames.

DeLuca and Navarro borrowed back  blankets and pillows that were not currently needed by the homeless shelter. And once again, Rotarians heeded the call for donations, bringing in more blankets and pillows, providing more water, and organizing teams to cook dinners for the firefighters. Club members dropped everything to work the phones and otherwise volunteer.

"I can't tell you how proud I am to be a Rotarian right now," said Navarro, who joined his club in October. "To see the way everybody has stepped up, it puts a smile on my face."

Rotarians chip in to distribute dust masks

Arnold R. Grahl 
Rotary International News -- 21 July 2008 

Rotarians in Northern California, USA, handed out thousands of dust masks as smoke from the state's worst wildfire outbreak in years continued to pose a health threat to residents.

Smoke billows from scattered wildfires in California, USA, as captured by NASA's Aqua Satellite. Photo courtesy NASA

Earlier this month, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger highlighted the severity of the situation as firefighters battled more than 2,000 blazes affecting over 900,000 acres, according to the California Department of Foresty and Fire Protection. 

"It's very important to note that up until recently, we had a fire season, which meant that late summer throughout the fall we had the fire season," Schwarzenegger said in a briefing. "Now there is no more fire season. There are fires all year around."

Rotarians in Oroville and Gridley spent the weekend of 12-13 July as "smokefighters," handing out more than 1,200 dust masks to evacuees in shelters and hospitals. Later in the week, Brian Moore, governor of District 5180 , coordinated more giveaways in shopping centers and on street corners with Rotarians in District 5160. 

Highly rated

The masks have a rating of N95, meaning they filter out 95 percent of particulate matter, more than surgical masks, according to Dr. Matthew Fine, chief medical officer at Oroville Hospital. That degree of filtration blocks dangerous materials carried from burning vegetation.

In nearby Paradise, threatened twice this year by encroaching forest fires, Stan Thompson, an assistant governor of District 5160, helped secure 1,560 masks for the town after officials ran out. See related story.

Long after the wildfires are contained, they will continue to affect residents’ health. Fine said smoke from burning forests carries particulate matter such as dust and soot, some of it very fine, which has residual effects when it enters the respiratory system. The matter eventually builds up in the lungs, posing risks for everyone, but especially people with breathing problems such as asthma.

The weather patterns that have hampered firefighting efforts are also worsening the air quality. Inversion layers have trapped smoke close to the ground, keeping out cooler breezes that would otherwise clear it out.

"We are told high pressure -- that which makes inversion layers -- will lift in days ahead, allowing in cooler breezes with higher humidity," said William Short, an assistant governor of District 5180. "We are told, however, breezes could stir up hot spots and fan flames to a new frenzy. We pray for a little of the former and none of the latter."

Club meets as wildfires threaten Paradise

By Arnold R. Grahl 
Rotary International News --21 July 2008 
 

Even as forest fires threatened the town of Paradise, California, USA, local Rotary club members decided to hold their weekly meeting 10 July.

As one Rotarian put it, "I may not have a house, but I still have to eat," recalls John Touchette, president of the Rotary Club of Paradise.

Smoke from wildfires will continue to create a health hazard for weeks to come in northern California, USA. Rotary clubs like the one in Paradise have been supporting firefighters and handing out dust masks to residents. Photo by Douglas Keister.

Since the fires started, club members have been keeping busy by offering lodging and meals to firefighters battling the blazes, donating phones to an emergency center, and distributing dust masks to residents.

Touchette and his family spent several days living out of his wife's office, away from any immediate danger, after they and almost a third of the town had been evacuated from their homes. "My six-year-old rather enjoyed it initially," he said. "But we weren't getting that much sleep, so we were happy when the evacuation orders were lifted [12 July]."

It was the second time this year that Paradise had been threatened by wildfires; an earlier forest fire had destroyed 70 homes on the west side of town.

Given the circumstances, Touchette sent an e-mail to Paradise club members asking whether they still wanted to meet. He got 30 affirmative responses in the first half hour alone.

The meeting quickly turned to how they could help.

Calls for help

When the club learned the Paradise Emergency Operations Center was having trouble with its antiquated telephones, club members spent $2,240 on 16 phones that flashed when they rang, along with compatible headsets.

Rotarians have also been providing meals, lodging, and showers for out-of-town firefighters -- "adopting fire engines," as Touchette put it. Though most firefighters from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection have housing, many who have come to help from community fire departments do not, forcing some to sleep in their fire trucks.

"I am really proud of my club," Touchette said. "They immediately saw the need and opened their homes. Over the weekend, we served 350 meals to firefighters."

The Paradise club also tracked down and delivered 270 dust masks to the town hall, which had run out after distributing more than 4,000 the previous week. Stan Thompson, an assistant governor for District 5160 and a painting contractor who has access to masks at wholesale prices, ordered an additional 1,560, which are expected to be handed out this week.

"As of right now, the town is safe, but we have had unhealthy air for the past three weeks," Touchette said. "We mainly pray for favorable winds to keep the fires out of town and clear away the smoke."

G8 renews commitments to polio eradication

By Dan Nixon 
Rotary International News -- 18 July 2008

At their 8-9 July summit meeting in Japan, the G8 nations agreed to "maintain momentum towards the historical achievement of eradicating polio." 

To do so, their joint statement continued, "We will meet our previous commitments to maintain or increase financial contributions to support the Global Polio Eradication Initiative [GPEI], and encourage other public and private donors to do the same."

Finishing polio worldwide remains Rotary’s top goal. Rotary Images

Together, the G8 countries – Canada, France, Germany, States – account for more than half of all funding of the GPEI. The initiative is led by the World Health Organization, Rotary International, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and UNICEF.

The G8 first placed polio eradication on its summit agenda in 2002. It has renewed its commitment to eradication at every summit since then, but not all member countries have completed their financial contributions.

In addition to raising funds, G8 countries work as a group to advocate broad support for ending polio. Advocacy by G8 leaders for the four remaining polio-endemic countries – Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan – is critical to ensure eradication of the disease. 

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation welcomed the G8’s renewed commitment to finishing polio. Following release of the G8’s 2008 summit communiqué, the Gates Foundation stated, "In recognition of the G8’s continued attention to polio eradication, the foundation will commit at least US$150 million to fight polio this year. This is in addition to the $250 million we have committed to date toward polio eradication efforts." 

Finishing polio worldwide remains Rotary’s top goal. Vital to helping achieve that goal is Rotary’s US$100 Million Challenge, the three-year funding effort to match the Gates Foundation’s $100 million grant to The Rotary Foundation for polio eradication.

Contribute  to ending polio now.

Resources for club committees
Rotary International News -- 11 July 2008