By Rotary International

David Postic, left, and other members of the Rotaract and Interact Committee had fun posing for this photo in December at Rotary’s headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA. Rotary International/Alyce Henson

By David Postic, a member of the Rotaract and Interact Committee and a past president of the Rotaract Club of Norman, Oklahoma, USA

We all know and love The Four-Way Test. In many ways, it’s an improvement on the age-old golden rule that you should treat others the way you wish to be treated. It’s a guide for living, a tool for decision making, a moral code. While Rotary has been served well by these four questions, they may not be enough in an era in which Rotary is trying to appeal to more people and have a broader impact.

There is another crucial question that we as Rotary members must always ask ourselves, and it is this: Is it fun? This is the question I ask myself with everything I do. If it isn’t fun, I don’t do it. Some people may scoff at that mentality, but in my mind, life is too short to waste on things I don’t enjoy. There are a hundred other organizations I could be …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog

By Rotary International

Members of the vocational training team of eye specialists from India perform an eye surgery in Ethiopia. Photo courtesy Rotary District 3140

By Suhas B. Naik-Satam, past president of the Rotary Club of Bombay Chembur West, Maharashtra, India

In March, during our silver jubilee year, my Rotary club sponsored a vocational training team of ophthalmologists to Ethiopia to improve the abilities and skills of eye surgeons at various medical centers there.

Under the direction of club president S.R. Balasubramanian and led by Dr. Haresh Asnani, a past president of our club, the team of three super specialists included a vitreoretinal surgeon, a pediatric ophthalmologist/squint specialist, and an oculoplastic surgeon/ocular oncologist. Our club partnered with Beyond Eye Care, an organization that manages the India Eye Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital.

The team conducted medical education programs and clinic workshops on topics including common retinal disorders, diabetic retinopathy, common eyelid disorders, and squint problems. Members conducted classroom lectures and a few practical workshops on pediatric eye disease examination that doesn’t require expensive equipment. They also stressed the importance of timely intervention in childhood squints, eye tumors, and cataracts.

The program benefited around 14 ophthalmologists, 25 postgraduate students, 40 optometrists, and 20 ophthalmic nurses over five teaching …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog

By Rotary International

Thando Gwatyu shares the South African flag with his host family in Germany.

By Thando Gwatyu, a Rotary Youth Exchange student from South Africa to Germany

Recently, I finished my third month in Germany, and it’s already changing my life. The process has not always been easy, but I’ve made quite a few discoveries about German culture and tradition, some of which is very different from the life I’m used to.

My first host family, the Roos, were simply amazing. Both parents are architects and they have a 16-year-old daughter and an 18-year-old son. The parents were eager to show me many things about their country and culture. On just my second week, they took me on a ski vacation and I celebrated my birthday on snow for the first time ever. They bought me soccer clothes and a team ID, meaning I am now an official member of the village soccer club. They went out of their way to buy me a full uniform with my family name on the jersey, which made me feel really good. My photo is even on the soccer club website. (I have no goals yet, only assists.)

They took me to visit the site of the former …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog

By Rotary International

The 2015 Rotary International Convention in São Paulo has just ended, but it’s not too early to register for next year’s convention in Seoul, Korea. Find out more about this amazing city, and …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog