Elke reminds us about next Tuesday’s lunch which is a Pizza Buffet (Roasted Vegetable, Cheese, Margherita, BBQ Chicken, Caesar Salad, Caesar Salad with Chicken, Fresh Fruit Platter w/Cottage Cheese, starting with Chef's Choice Soup and ending with dessert. Please be so kind and considered and RSVP with "yes" or "no" by latest Sunday evening. Thank you.
Plus our speaker Tuesday is Eric Matlin! He is In a career spanning more than 30 years as Founder of Matlin Law Group, P.C. (MLG), Eric helped thousands of families with their estate plans. Eric’s core philosophy is that estate planning benefits everyone, and the amount they need is just a matter of scale. Whether you are rich or poor, 18 or 108, the picture of good health or seriously ill, estate planning provides harmony and peace of mind, a gift to loved ones. His urge to educate those who know they need estate planning but don’t understand its urgency led to his writing a book, The Procrastinator’s Guide to Wills and Estate Planning (2023 edition). It’s a fact that many of life’s most momentous events are not calendar items. He also wrote NOT DEAD YET, a unique, estate-planning handbook and book-within-a-book graphic novel that uniquely appeals to readers who prefer to learn visually.
Join us on Friday, April 4 for our Bingo Night and Raffle Drawing
at the North Suburban YMCA!
Each ticket entitles the holder eligibility for the $1500 raffle prize, a bingo card, usable for all games and complimentary drinks and snacks. Tickets may be purchased at the event. Guests, other than ticket purchasers, will be charged $15 and receive all of the preceding except eligibility for the $1500 raffle prize.
Online tickets may be purchased by anyone through Rally Up at the below link.
Rotarians who sell paper tickets should give the stubs with payment to Debbie Madeley, or if not available, to Denis Pollina.
Online ticket sales end April 2nd. Please put your name on the stubs you turn in, Rotarians!
Rotary leaders from both countries reflect on the challenges and opportunities of peacebuilding across borders
By Seoha Lee and Reiko Tokiyama
Korea and Japan share a complicated history and sometimes have different views on historical issues. Yet Rotarians from these neighboring countries are determined to transcend such differences by building strong friendships.
For more than 40 years, Rotarians from Korea and Japan have come together through the Korea-Japan Rotary Friendship Conference, a tradition aimed at building peace, understanding, and friendship between the neighboring countries. This year, after a four-year pause due to the pandemic, the 16th Korea-Japan Friendship Conference was held on October 24-25 in Seoul. The conference, attended by 220 Japanese Rotarians and numerous Korean Rotarians, included a keynote speech by former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the theme of “International Peace and Rotary.”
“In an era of global instability, the five ‘Ps’ — person, planet, peace, prosperity, and partnership — are essential virtues for Rotary,” Ki-moon said. “I hope all members will strive for the peace and prosperity of humanity.”
To mark this milestone event, we spoke with Past District Governors Kiho Hong of Korea and Hironori Sugawara of Japan, both of whom serve as vice-chairs of the Friendship Committees in their respective countries. In a conversation the day before the conference, they shared their experiences, the importance of collaboration, and their vision for future cooperation.
Past District Governor Hironori Sugawara (left) and Past District Governor Kiho Hong converse at the Rotary Center in Seoul, Korea.
Q: How did you get involved with the Japan-Korea Friendship Committee?
Sugawara: My family and I love Korea, so I’ve been visiting the country at least once a year. My club has a sister club in Korea, and that was how I first became involved. My district (D2520) and Mr. Hong’s district (D3640) are sister districts, so I also got involved at the district level. In 2019, the Japan-Korea Friendship Conference was held in my hometown, Sendai, and many Rotarians, including myself, participated. Now I am involved in this conference at a national level.
Hong: I’ve also been deeply involved in the exchange between Korea and Japan. The relationship is so close that, in my mind, I can’t distinguish between Japanese and Korean Rotarians.
Not only I, but many members in my district have relationships with Japan, especially through sister clubs. Members come and go like families and build friendships. What we gain from these experiences is not something we can buy with money.
Sugawara: About 220 Japanese Rotarians are coming to Seoul to attend this year’s conference. I would like to see more members attend. I know they need to pay and make time to travel, but this isn’t just any trip. Like Rotary’s international conventions, this is a wonderful opportunity to experience the significance of Rotary. I hope that all new members can experience this and feel the excitement like I do.
Q: What have you each learned from working with Rotarians from the other country?
How has the collaboration contributed to building peace and understanding?
Sugawara: What I learned through my involvement in the exchanges is that Rotarians in both countries are the same, because we share the spirit of Rotary.
In Rotary, we don’t have representatives of a country, such as a representative of Korea or Japan. In Rotary, about 530 district governors deliver the president’s messages to their clubs. Those messages change slightly from year to year, but the underlying philosophy is the same. It has been the same since its founding.
Yesterday, I happened to have dinner with a group of four Korean friends. I first met them in Sendai when they visited us. They could only speak a few words in Japanese, but we were all happy for two to three hours at the dinner table. In Rotary, we all respect and understand each other, despite our differences, because we all feel and think in the same way.
Hong: Rotary’s philosophy and mission truly encompass everyone. As Sugawara mentioned, that’s why four friends could communicate in basic Japanese and still understand each other: because the way of thinking, the way of life, is the same. That’s peace. Take, for instance, past Rotary International President Sakuji Tanaka’s theme of “Peace through Service.” Peace is not just the absence of war. This peace starts with one person and gradually spreads, and for that, I’m grateful to Rotary.
Sugawara: When the Great East Japan Earthquake struck in 2011, we received a lot of support from all over the world, especially from Korean members. Likewise, if I hear about disasters in Korea, I worry about them and send emails or contact them immediately. There might have been political issues between our countries, but our continued friendship across the border will promote peace.
Q: Besides the conferences, how have Rotarians from Korea and Japan been working together?
Sugawara: On October 25, the second day of the conference, Rotarians from Korea and Japan will gather, wearing polio-themed T-shirts, to clean up the local area. This will also be reported at the Rotary Institute in Japan, sending a powerful message. This is a step forward from just holding a conference or enjoying the friendship.
Hong: Japan used to provide support to South Korea. Korea provided support to Japan after the Kobe Earthquake and the East Japan Earthquake. This kind of mutual support is not only financial, but also emotional. Today, Japan and Korea rank among the top countries in membership and contribution within Rotary International. Korea engages in service on a global scale, often contributing more than it has received. It would be even better if we could work together on joint projects, where both Japan and Korea could support other countries as partners.
Q: Looking ahead, what are your hopes for the future of Rotary collaboration between Korea and Japan?
Sugawara: I would like this event to be not only a time to say, “Hi, it’s been a long time”, but also an opportunity to discuss practical matters. We can have breakout sessions on topics like increasing membership. Through such discussions, we will be able to share challenges and ideas and further develop Rotary in both countries.
In terms of membership, the number of members has been increasing in Korea; in neighboring Japan, the number is decreasing. Korean members embrace changes such as new club models and focus on young people and DEI. Japanese members can learn from Korean members. There could be a sense of competition, but in a good way: to improve each other. My motto is “Persistence is power.” My job is to get more people involved in our friendship conferences. We do not live forever, so it is important to make sure that our efforts will be passed on to the next generation, like my predecessor did to me.
We have already decided on the dates and the location of the next conference. It will be held in Kobe, Japan in October 2026. It will be announced tomorrow.
Hong: Today’s world is completely different from the world in the past. We see more globalization and the world is becoming borderless. Global companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Samsung are emerging. The meaning of a country is much less, like you see in Europe. In the next 20 or 30 years, the values and ways of thinking of people around the world may become similar to Rotary’s.
If we continue our efforts between Japan and Korea, and if we do it well, I think we can become a role model in the world. The Japan-Korea Friendship Conference has strengthened our hopes, our mutual growth, and our friendship over time.
Photo credit: Jong-Min Park, Rotary Korea magazine
The RI president-elect speaks about the power of Rotary’s members
By Etelka Lehoczky
Rotary International President-elect Mário César Martins de Camargo asked members to Unite for Good by embracing growth, service, and connection as he outlined a plan to expand “the best-qualified team of volunteers on the planet.”
“Rotary’s greatest asset is not our history, our projects, or even our unmatched global reach. It is our members,” de Camargo said at the organization’s International Assembly in Orlando, Florida, USA, on 10 February. He noted praise from one of Rotary’s partners about “the extraordinary dedication” of Rotary members. “That recognition from an outsider deepened my understanding: Rotary’s greatest gift to the world is its people.”
De Camargo, a member of the Rotary Club of Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil, emphasized the importance of seeking out new perspectives and strengthening Rotary’s service to communities around the globe. He outlined three “essential pillars” for growth: innovation, continuity, and partnership.
Innovating while also building a consistent legacy
Noting how quickly the world changes, de Camargo urged members to innovate. “Technology, social expectations, and economic conditions evolve constantly, and Rotary must evolve with them,” he said. “Innovation is how we adapt to this changing world.”
One important way to do this, de Camargo said, is by embracing and promoting a variety of club models. Satellite clubs, cause-based clubs, enterprise clubs, and passport clubs offer people different ways to experience Rotary. Noting that his wife helped charter a satellite club with nearly 50 members, he said, “Future Rotary members are out there. We must meet them where they are.”
De Camargo also emphasized the importance of leadership continuity and said he observed its benefits during his extensive travels in the past 18 months. Districts thrive, he said, when governors build on their predecessors’ efforts, ensuring that programs and strategies continue without interruption.
He cited an effort to build wells in Nigeria, an initiative in Pakistan that helped people affected by devastating floods to find a better future, and a Rotary grant-funded program in India where children get lifesaving care.
“Continuity is not about uniformity; it’s about alignment,” de Camargo said. “When district leaders work together, envisioning Rotary beyond their ‘governor year,’ they set the stage for long-term success.”
The power of partnership
Rotary members working alone can achieve great things, de Camargo said, but collaborating with others makes it possible to change the world. He noted that Rotary’s historic effort against polio has been undertaken with partners such as the Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization, and UNICEF. Without these partners, de Camargo said, Rotary couldn’t have had the same impact. He suggested exploring other kinds of partnerships to attract members and revitalize clubs.
Partnering with business associations, professional organizations, and academic institutions can help Rotary attract members while embracing diversity in professions and perspectives, he said. “By reaching out to professionals who share our values of service and engagement, we can expand Rotary’s capacity to do good in the world.”
Ultimately, de Camargo said, all of Rotary’s achievements and growth depend on members. By focusing on attracting and retaining them, Rotary can renew its strength as well as its ability to create change in communities for years to come.
“In a world often divided, Rotary stands as a beacon of unity and hope,” de Camargo said. “Our projects bring together people of all races, religions, genders, ideologies, and economic backgrounds, uniting us in a shared purpose: to do good in the world. ...
Let’s build a Rotary that unites for good and ensures a brighter future for all.”
Speeches and resources are available at the Rotary International website, under news.
Room 711, a replica of the office where the first Rotary club meeting was held in 1905, is a space to reflect on how Rotary has made connections for more than a century.
The interactive space on the 18th floor of Rotary International World Headquarters features Rotary milestones, leaders, and our vision statement.
The entrance to Rotary International World Headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA at night.
The Rotary in Action exhibit in the lobby of Rotary International World Headquarters shows how the Rotary network acts to solve needs in their communities and around the world.
Rotary Club of Northbrook Invites Vocational Career Students to Apply for $1,500 Scholarships
The Rotary Club of Northbrook and the Friedman Foundation invite local students pursuing vocational or trade careers and working toward an associate degree, diploma or certificate to apply for $1,500 Career and Technical Education Scholarships.
Rotary and Friedman encourage education and will grant 15 scholarships this spring to students living in Chicago’s north, northwest and many western suburbs.
Career examples are welding, auto mechanics, business administration, administrative assistants, heating/ventilating/air conditioning tech., computer tech., paralegal, pharmacy tech., human services, law enforcement, elder care, hospitality and many other fields.
Education can be at community colleges, technical training institutes or vocational training programs.
Candidates must be sponsored by their local Rotary club and show good high school grades in relevant subjects, work experience in their chosen field, volunteer work in their chosen field, good extracurricular activities, character recommendations and more.
Rotary clubs will screen applicants and sponsor one or two students each to the suburban Rotary selection committee. That committee will interview and screen applicants further to help determine the vocational scholarship winners.
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