PEACE
I candidly was not aware of it but Wednesday, September 21 every year is proclaimed officially by the United Nations as International Peace Day (IPD). That was last week and I had the opportunity to view a film, by invitation from the Rotary Club of Fair Oaks, on the extraordinary effort to create this day by virtually a single human being. The name of the film is Peace One Day. It was screened on International Peace Day in the beautifully restored Guild Theater at the corner of 35th and Broadway. I took my dad with me and he remarked that he had not been in that theater since his Sacramento High School days umpteen years ago.
A component of the film touched on the success within Afghanistan that was achieved to implement a one day cease fire with the Taliban such that children could be inoculated against polio in some of the very remotest regions. Remarkably, over 1.2 million children were inoculated on that one day!
What struck me about this feat was that nations, governments and militaries could not orchestrate this. It was accomplished by the likes of NGO's and Rotary around the world. Although this is one story, there are a multitude of them worldwide which increasingly leads me to believe that world peace will, someday, be achieved through the likes of organizations with no political, religious, military or other humanitarian agenda's, like Rotary.
Needless to say a tall order, but convincingly viable when we witness events like the above mentioned cease fire. On a very small scale, it begs one to wonder what mankind is really fighting over. (It's that "territorial" DNA instilled in all mankind perhaps).
And if you are so inclined the inaugural Rotary International Zone 25 & 26 Peace Conference will be held Sunday, November 13, 2011 in Palm Springs. Themed “Inspiring World Peace: Rotary’s Transcendent Goal” the keynote address will be delivered by the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Mr. Arun Gandhi.
Visiting District Governor (DG) Jack Taylor recognized Richard Davis with his second Paul Harris Fellow. Congratulations Richard, your contribution to Rotary is deeply appreciated.New member Chet Hewitt was inducted into the Club. Welcome Chet!
Thom Gilbert and Becky Roberts appropriately introduced the Club’s two Rotary Youth Exchange ( RYE) students your Club is hosting this year, Basile DuPont from Belgium and Chia-Ying Lin (Abby) from Taiwan. Basile and Abby are still in need of host families for portions of their year exchange in Sacramento. If you are able to host, please contact Thom or Becky. You will find it to be a very rewarding experience.
Greg Polo, from one of our Golf 4 Kids beneficiary schools, Luther Burbank, shared with the Club the tremendous benefits their school has realized from our event. Greg was accompanied by his colleague Lisa and one of the students who is benefitting from the program.
Eric Solis, Chair of our Youth Incentive Program (YIP), provided the club with background and the successes of the program since its inception in 1997 by past president Frank Poelman and introduced, current student (Jose) Angel Hernandez, who reflected on how the program has literally changed his life.
DG Jack was the called upon to present the Districts Transformer Award which fittingly went to a surprised Eric Solis and a standing O from the Club for Eric’s “transformative” good work with YIP. Congratulations Eric…well deserved!
The Club enjoyed an informative presentation from DG Jack Taylor which you can read all about in The Pulse.
Many thanks to Leslie Botos and her red stewardess cap, in recognition of her celebrity appearance on ABC’s News 10 following the new drama Pan Am. As Facebook so aptly put it, “If it happened at 30,000 feet, Leslie probably saw it and sometimes had to throw a blanket over it.” And to Past President Scot Sorensen for contribution to his Eddie Mulligan and Paul Harris announcing his departure of the Sacramento area for an exciting opportunity to head up a Lutheran congregation of 6000 in Madison, Wisconsin beginning in December. Needless to say Scot, we will miss you! We look forward to many make ups in Sacramento!
And if you have not signed up for GOLF 4 KIDS being held, Monday October 3rd, there is still time! I look forward to seeing all of you “on the course” Monday or in spirit through your Tee Sign or event sponsorships and in kind contributions. We will be dark at the Radisson.
Enjoy a terrific week, strive for your summits!
Ken Noack, Jr.