By Rotary International

By Rotary Staff

The 108th annual Rotary International Convention officially opens Sunday, 11 June, but Rotary members from across the globe have already begun pouring into Atlanta, Georgia, USA, to attend preconvention events, catch up with friends, and enjoy America’s Southern hospitality.

More than 40,000 members from 174 countries are expected to attend this year’s event, which runs 10-14 June. During those five days, attendees will hear from world-class speakers, watch Rotary’s new virtual reality film, and party like it’s 1917.

Ashton Kutcher, Bill Gates, John Cena, and Jack Nicklaus are just some of the exciting speakers at this year’s convention. During general sessions, attendees will learn how technology is helping to fight child sexual exploitation, about our progress to eradicate polio, and how Rotary’s new public image campaign strengthens our global grand.

During “One Small Act: A Virtual Reality Experience,” participants will be among the first to see Rotary’s latest virtual reality film and participate in one of the largest simultaneous virtual reality viewings. Plan now to attend and see for yourself the impact that small acts of compassion can have. Tickets are still available.

The culmination of a yearlong celebration of

Source:: Rotary International Blog

Rotary explores solutions to the root causes of conflict Dr. Bernice A. King and Amina J. Mohammed to keynote Rotary Presidential Peace ConferenceATLANTA (June 8, 2017) — Public health issues can serve as

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Source:: Rotary.org

By Rotary International

Dr. Pia Skarabis-Querfeld treating a patient at a refugee shelter.

By Brady Way, 2017-18 president of the Rotary Club of Moorehead City-Lookout, North Carolina, USA

In the winter of 2014, Europe was beginning to experience a massive refugee influx as a result of the turmoil in the Middle East and Africa. Berlin would receive 100,000 of the 1.2 million refugees which came to Germany.

Rotarian Dr. Pia Skarabis-Querfeld went to a refugee shelter with a much needed donation of clothing. She was immediately struck with the urgent need for medical care and medical supplies. The refugees had traveled long distances for several months, in harsh conditions, fleeing many atrocities at home. They had many obvious acute and chronic problems, especially the children.

Despite the excellent healthcare system in Germany there was a clear problem. Some found their path into the healthcare system denied while others simply could not navigate it despite proper credentials.

Dr. Pia Skarabis-Querfeld with a young refugee at the shelter.

Dr. Skarabis-Querfeld and her husband, both physicians and Rotarians, began taking care of the needs of the sick at the refugee center. She organized other doctors, nurses, and volunteers into the nonprofit healthcare group “Medizine-Hilfte Flüchtling,” which grew to more …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog

By Rotary International

Delivering school supplies in Kashmir, Pakistan.

By Muhammad Talha Mushtaq, a member of the Rotaract Club of Jhang Saddar and the Rotary Club of Jhang Metropolitan

When I joined Interact back in 2009, I had no idea the path it would set me on or that it would change my life forever.

I enjoyed many successful service projects with my fellow members of Interact, as we assisted victims of the great flood of 2010. One-fifth of Pakistan’s total land area and 20 million people were directly affected by floods. We were able to collect a sizable sum of money and donations in kind during three days of scorching July heat. It was then that I understand the meaning of this quote by Oprah Winfrey:

“The happiness you feel is in direct proportion to the love you give.”

As soon as I turned 18, I joined the Rotaract Club of Jhang Saddar along with some of my friends from Interact, and continued to enjoy service projects that included installing libraries in five different schools, distributing school bags and stationary, helping deliver food rations to the needy, and holding a family festival attended by almost 10,000 people.

When I learned that the Rotary Club of Jhang Metropolitan was …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog

Skydivers raise thousands for polio

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Source:: Rotary.org

By Rotary International

Rotary members worked with the Hope Citadel Foundation to provide health care at the medical camps.

By Valentine Nyakiere, a member of the Rotary Cub of Nyeri, Kenya

We wanted to celebrate The Rotary Foundation Centennial by addressing the health challenges of people in Kenya. So clubs in District 9212 came up with the idea to hold medical camps across the country and provide much needed health services to hundreds. This was also perfect timing as doctors in Kenya had gone on a strike that lasted 100 days!

We formed a district centenary committee of club presidents chaired by Joe Kamau, president of the Nairobi East Rotary Club, and held our first medical camp at Kashani Primary School in Kiembeni, Mombasa, on 11 March.

The camp served over a thousand people; with the major benefit being that the community was educated on TB Guinea Worm which is quite rampant in the area. A second camp was held at ACK St. Paul’s Cathedral Church in Embu on 18 March.

In the July 1965 edition of The Rotarian magazine, then RI President C.P.H. Teenstra stated:

“This, fellow Rotarian, is what binds us together: a unity of desire and a unity …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog

Ashton Kutcher to speak at Atlanta

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Source:: Rotary.org

For more than 90 years, the Rotary Club of Kansas City has been rallying all corners of the community to help thousands of kids attend camp. The club, whose members are among Rotary’s first People of Action, gave the first donation to The Rotary Foundation

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Source:: Rotary.org

By Rotary International

Editor’s note: This is the last in a series of blog posts from Youth Leadership All-Stars, participants in Rotary’s programs for young leaders, in celebration of Youth Service Month.

By Riley Benton, a member of the Interact Club of Coffee County Central High School, Manchester, Tennessee, USA

I had already participated in different service projects when I joined Interact in my freshman year of high school. I have been a member all four years of high school, and it has shaped me into a servant leader.

Painting a free lending library for a community reading program.

We have undertaken a great number of projects including collecting money to eradicate polio, bringing cupcakes to the elderly, and joining with the Rotary Club of Manchester Noon to clean up local rivers. Perhaps one of the most satisfying to me was joining forces with We Are Neutral to retrofit low income housing.

I’ve also taken part in projects outside of Interact, where I have used the leadership I have learned through Interact. The rural Appalachian area where I live is served by a volunteer fire department which is partially dependent on fundraising. I have helped plan and build a haunted house every Halloween, the chief fundraiser …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog