When Marty Hatala, a member of the Rotary Club of Boaz, Alabama, first traveled to Ghana in 2010 to volunteer at a local orphanage, he saw how local communities struggled to find clean water.
Though at least 80 percent of the country's population has access to improved water sources, according to UNICEF, 5 million Ghanaians still use water from unsafe sources. That leaves a significant part of the country's population susceptible to a range of diseases. Worldwide, one out of every five deaths among those under the age of five is caused by water-related diseases.
Hatala's experiences in Ghana...
In case you haven't heard, a man raised nearly $60,000 to make potato salad as a spoof on a popular fundraising site. If he can do that, a campaign to raise money for feeding hungry children or building a school in a war-torn country should be a snap, right?
Wrong. The Internet is littered with humanitarians struggling to raise the money and gather the resources for projects that could make a positive impact in the world.
So, what is the secret to a successful crowdsourcing campaign? It's simple, really: make it easy to give. Here are some ways you can make it easy for supporters to back your...
In May, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the international spread of polio a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), and issued a set of recommendations to all polio-impacted countries. On 31 July, the situation was reassessed and the Director-General has declared polio remains a public health emergency. Several factors played into this decision, including:
Both Pakistan and Equatorial Guinea have exported the virus internationally since May.
Polio thrives in areas compromised by conflict. The unfortunate reality is that there are...
John F. Germ, a member of the Rotary Club of Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA, and chair of the International PolioPlus Committee, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of RI in 2016-17. He will become the president-nominee on 1 October if there are no challenging candidates.
For Rotary to thrive, Germ says, members must face current and future challenges and opportunities with "passion, enthusiasm, perseverance, and above all, integrity."
"I envision Rotary boldly and creatively engaging the success of polio eradication, membership and identity issues, strengthening clubs,...
Gary C.K. Huang never imagined he would become Rotary International's president when he joined in 1976, but now that he is in office, he hopes to increase membership to 1.3 million by the end of his term.
"It's simple. The more members we have, the more people we can help. A stronger membership base will result in stronger communities," says Huang, who on 1 July became Rotary's first Chinese president.
Huang also hopes his presidential theme, Light Up Rotary, will encourage members to brighten Rotary's image to the public, which he believes in return will improve member recruitment and...
Bulletin Editor
Joseph Trexler
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In lieu of our regularly scheduled morning meeting, the Fourth Thursday Social Evening will be held at "Breaking Bread" on Thursday, August 28th beginning at 6:30pm. Cost per person is $20. Breaking Bread is located at 638 Northwest Hwy, next to the Ace Hardware. Please contact Sandi if you are interested in attending.
Today's guest speaker was David Penkava of Sino/American Academic and Business Cooperation. David is a past student of Rotarian Gil Gulbrandson. Since leaving his position with Harley Davidson, David has been working with students and businesses in China in a cooperative fashion to build relations between American And Chinese corporations.
According to a recent study by the Institute of International Education, China is the largest supplier of international students to countries around the world. As of 2010, China has overtaken India as the largest source of international students studying in US institutions. Understanding opportunities, pitfalls and the future direction of international exchange with China suggests a need for assessment of organizational characteristics and attributes associated with successful partnerships.
In March of this year, The University of World News published an article entitled "What works for Sino-American academic partnerships" that illustrates the concepts that David has been working on for the past eight years. David's goal is to work with Rotary International to promote a bridge between the two cultures of America and China in an effort to enhance the business potential between both countries. Thank you, David for the informative presentation.
The September Board meeting will be held at Dave Miller's place beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, September 8th. All board members are expected to attend. General members are encouraged to attend.
Three old couples were having tea one fine day. There were all chatting and whatnot when one of the men, trying to get a chuckle, said to his wife, "Pass the honey, honey!” Getting the chuckle he expected, he carried on. A moment later, the second man said, "Pass the sugar, sugar!" This got a bit of a bigger laugh, so the third man, although not quite as clever or quick-witted as the other two, decided to join in the fun. He waited for the perfect opportunity, cleared his throat and then confidently said, "Pass the tea, bag!"
On September 7, 2014 from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. friends, colleagues, members of the community, students and alumni of Cary-Grove High School Band program will convene at D'Andrea's in Crystal Lake for an afternoon and evening of music to help raise funds for the Magnini family. The proceeds from the evening will be used to help pay for the medical needs of Julie Magnini.
Seven years ago Julie Magnini had gastric bypass surgery and something went horribly wrong. After years of pain and suffering, The Cleveland Clinic has recommended that for her survival, she receive a complete stomach, intestine and pancreas transplant. Julie and Marty Magnini are examples of those among us who have dedicated their lives to helping others and creating a community that cares for all. Julie works in the Emergency room at Good Shephard Hospital and Marty is a widely respected band director at Cary-Grove High School.
As Rotarians, we end each of our weekly meetings by reciting The Four-Way Test. Building on the principles outlined in that document, we should also pay attention to the phrases outlined in the Rotary Code of Conduct:
As a Rotarian, I will
Exemplify the core value of integrity in all behaviors and activities
Use my vocational experience and talents to serve in Rotary
Conduct all of my personal, business, and professional affairs ethically, encouraging and fostering high ethical standards as an example to others
Be fair in all dealings with others and threat them with the respect due to them as fellow human beings
Promote recognition and respect for all occupations which are useful to society
Offer my vocational talents: to provide opportunities for young people, to work for the relief of the special needs of others, and to improve the qualify of life in my community
Honor the trust that Rotary and fellow Rotarians provide and not do anything that will bring disfavor or reflect adversely on Rotary or fellow Rotarians
Not seek from a fellow Rotarian a privilege or advantage not normally accorded others in a business or professional relationship
