By Rotary International From the December 2015 issue of The Rotarian
In Cuernavaca, Mexico, cobblestone streets and sidewalks can wreak havoc on wheels and bearings. For people who get around using a wheelchair, a mechanical breakdown only exacerbates the social isolation they often face. But an enterprising group is training people with disabilities to fix wheelchairs – and even bringing the concept of roadside assistance to wheelchair users in other cities.
Erik Friend, a member of the Rotary Club of Cuernavaca-Juárez, Mexico, had been volunteering with a group called Autonomy, Liberation Through Movement (ALEM)… …read more

Source:: Rotary.org

By Rotary International From the December 2015 issue of The Rotarian
Before she took over a family construction firm in 2001, Doreen Hock-DiPolito was a manager at Honeywell Aerospace, working on navigation systems for fighter jets. Commanding a construction company, she assumed, couldn’t be as difficult as rocket science, but she didn’t consider the rigors of clashing with the old-boys’ network of contractors. (Only 7 percent of American construction firms are owned by women.) Under her leadership, D-Mar General Contracting and Development has overseen the construction of a $7 million school, a 34,000-square-foot… …read more

Source:: Rotary.org

By Rotary International From the December 2015 issue of The Rotarian
Brenda Cressey is a superstar in the fundraising arena. As the endowment/major gifts adviser for The Rotary Foundation in Zone 26, Cressey helped lead an ambitious fundraising campaign in District 5340 (California) called Millions for HOPE (Health, Overcoming Poverty, Education), which had netted a staggering $15 million in pledges at press time. Launched in January, the first phase of the campaign culminated in October in a gala dinner in San Diego with Rotary International President K.R. Ravindran scheduled as the keynote speaker, and will… …read more

Source:: Rotary.org

By Rotary International From the December 2015 issue of The Rotarian
The rainy season in Nigeria varies depending on what part of the country you’re in. In the south, the rains begin in March and end by November, with a short respite known as “the August break.” In the north, the rains arrive in June and continue through September. If you’re a pregnant woman living in a rural area – which most of the country is – you hope your due date falls during the dry season. That way, if you need to get to a hospital, the roads won’t be washed out.
Nigeria’s maternal and newborn mortality rates are among the world’s highest,… …read more

Source:: Rotary.org

By Rotary International From the December 2015 issue of The Rotarian
Let us begin with the argument concerning the gourmet yogurt. The scene is a small suburban kitchen. My wife, Erin, has just returned from the supermarket. We’ve been married less than a year, and Erin is pregnant. While “helping” her unpack the groceries, I happen upon a space-age container with a small pod of fruit that you mix into a larger pod of yogurt. These combined pods cost nearly $2 – for a single serving.
“What’s this?” I say, holding up the offending item. “Do we really need to spend this kind of money on one yogurt?”
My wife’s posture… …read more

Source:: Rotary.org

By Rotary International From the December 2015 issue of The Rotarian
When I was in high school, public speaking was not considered glamorous. It was a required course relished only by people who also approached debate as a sport or who were thrilled by the prospect of student government.
The rest of us dutifully stood at the front of the class, reading rushed words off index cards, trying to picture our classmates in their underwear, but feeling naked instead. When it was over, we were glad we would never have to do that again.
Life, however, has a funny way of making you regret much of what you did – and didn’t do… …read more

Source:: Rotary.org

By Rotary International From the December 2015 issue of The Rotarian
The summer before I got married, my parents suggested taking a bus tour of Korea as a last family hurrah. My sisters and I agreed, reluctantly. The thought of spending seven days on a bus in close quarters with not only our parents but also a bunch of strangers was not our idea of a vacation.
But after hundreds of miles, hours of bus karaoke, and many bowls of steaming bibimbap, those strangers had turned into friends, and we walked away with a newfound appreciation for our parents’ homeland.
Korea is a small country, but whether you travel by bus… …read more

Source:: Rotary.org

By Rotary International From the December 2015 issue of The Rotarian
It would be easy simply to describe Koreans as friendly and gracious, or to highlight their earnest desire to make visitors feel welcome. What’s more difficult is to define the driving force behind their warmth.
Jeong is a feeling of devotion, of caring and kinship. It signifies a genuine connection, a fondness for another. It can be a feeling between old friends, or with someone you just met.
If you’re confused, don’t worry: You’ll know it when you experience it at the 2016 Rotary International Convention in Seoul, 28 May-1 June.
Korean jeong will… …read more

Source:: Rotary.org