Attend one of five presidential conferences

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By Rotary International Find new and innovative ways to improve your community by attending one of five presidential conferences this year, hosted by RI President K.R. Ravindran and Foundation Trustee Chair Ray Klinginsmith. The conferences, to be held around the world between January and March, will highlight Rotary’s areas of focus. Use these links to learn about each of the programs and to register to attend:
Peace and Conflict Resolution, 15-16 January in Ontario, California, USA
Disease Prevention and Treatment, 19-20 February in Cannes, France
Economic Development, 27 February in Cape Town, South Africa… …read more

Source:: Rotary.org

2015 Carteret Rotary Bicycle Race

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Once again, the Rotary Club of Carteret was proud to host our annual bike race. The turn out was great and the children had a lot of fun. We would like to thank all those who participated, especially all the volunteers from the Carteret Fire Department, Carteret OEM, Carteret Police Department, Boy Scouts and anyone else that took time out of their morning for this classic.

We’d especially like to thank all the sponsors, such as: Burger Express, Race Star …..

Under One Sky lights the way to a better world

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By Rotary International Rotary and ONE, an international advocacy organization, joined other event partners in downtown Chicago on 24 September to demonstrate a commitment to ending extreme poverty and inequality and to promoting action on climate change on the eve of the United Nations launch of its Sustainable Development Goals.
The 17 ambitious goals constitute a road map for finding solutions to the world’s most pressing problems, and dovetail with Rotary members’ work to create positive change in their communities and around the world. As dusk fell over Chicago, participants in the Under One Sky event held up… …read more

Source:: Rotary.org

Taking the polio eradication effort to the streets

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By Rotary International

By Norah Webster, Rotary staff

I love riding my bike. I don’t own a car, so I ride for transportation. I also ride for exercise, to explore, and to spend time with friends. My bike has allowed me to see parts of Chicago and surrounding communities that people never see from the highway.

As long as I’ve been riding, I’ve been raising funds, too — from pedaling around my hometown of Galena, Illinois, for children’s cancer research when I was 9, to raising $2,500 by riding from Minneapolis to Chicago in the Heartland AIDS Ride. This year, I look forward to cycling for a new cause.

For 11 years, it’s been part of my job to support Rotary’s polio eradication efforts by supporting members at the Rotary International Convention and other events. I’ve been paid to be part of that enormous team — which also includes the World Health Organization, CDC, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and our 1.3 million members.

Being on the Miles to End Polio team with colleagues and Rotary volunteers riding in El Tour de Tucson on 21 November gives me a chance to take the battle away from my desk. We’re tasked with raising over $3 million. …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog

Nigeria declared polio-free, removed from endemic list

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By Rotary International The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on 25 September that Nigeria is now polio-free and has been officially removed from the list of countries where polio is endemic. It’s been 14 months since any cases of polio caused by the wild virus have been detected there.
With Nigeria’s historic achievement, polio remains endemic in only two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan. That means transmission of the virus has never been stopped there.
Nigeria was the last country in Africa where polio was endemic. The continent celebrated its own first full year without the disease on 11 August. Once… …read more

Source:: Rotary.org

Breaking stereotypes in the Neelum Valley, Pakistan

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By Rotary International

Students in Pakistan's Neelum Valley display the backpacks they received from members of the Rotaract Club of Jhang Saddar.

Students in Pakistan’s Neelum Valley display the backpacks they received from members of the Rotaract Club of Jhang Saddar.

By Talha Mushtaq, Rotaract Club of Jhang Saddar, Punjab, Pakistan

Many nonprofits are working hard to increase social welfare programs. Being unified in their approach, some may focus on one issue, such as improving the literacy rate, while others concentrate on employment. Our Rotaract Club of Jhang Saddar has made a name for itself in our community by being multifaceted.

One of over 8,000 Rotaract clubs around the world supported by Rotary, we are committed to not only supporting education but to other efforts, including the fight to eradicate polio. These efforts have won the hearts of community members and improved the positive image of Rotary.

Recently, 13 members of our club traveled 800 kilometers from Jhang to Kashmir to provide services to the poor. The Rotaractors made their way into the mountains of Kashmir carrying suitcases full of books and backpacks to give to more than 300 students. Five new libraries were inaugurated, and we delivered essential supplies like stationery, books, and snack items to five schools. The project would have been impossible without the leadership and motivation of our club trainer, M. Talha …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog

Summit in California unites young professionals

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By Rotary International

Participants in the young professional summit held in Berkeley, California, USA.

Participants in the young professional summit held in Berkeley, California, USA.

By Katie Coard

This summer in Berkeley, California, I joined a group of Rotary young professionals and district leaders from the western United States and Canada at a summit to discuss the future of Rotary. Reflecting one of Rotary’s strengths, this event brought together many diverse perspectives to focus on what younger Rotarians are looking for in Rotary.

I’ve been a part of the Rotary family since joining Rotaract in 2010, and it has changed my life in many ways. I am a founder and co-president of a provisional Rotary club in my hometown of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Rotary taught me how to lead, engage, and manage groups of people, projects, and events. These are skills I use in my daily work.

When I talk to people about why they need to be part of Rotary, I emphasize how all-encompassing it is. Where else can you make lifelong friendships, network with professionals, learn life skills, volunteer, and make a difference in communities all over the world?

Every Rotary conference tries to think out of the box, but this was one of the best I’ve experienced. Organizers had designed a dynamic, interactive, and engaging …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog

Save the date: 23 October, Rotary’s World Polio Day event

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By Rotary International Celebrate our remarkable progress toward a polio-free world with the Rotary World Polio Day event, streamed live from New York City on 23 October.
Co-hosted by UNICEF, the event will highlight recent milestones: In July, Nigeria marked one year without a case of polio caused by the wild poliovirus, and in August, the entire African continent celebrated one year without a case. Jeffrey Kluger, health and science editor at Time magazine, will serve as moderator, joining other health experts, including UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake and polio ambassadors.
The event, which drew 23,000… …read more

Source:: Rotary.org

Meet the Miles to End polio team

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By Rotary International

Last year's team mugs for the camera.

Last year’s team mugs for the camera.

By John Hewko, Rotary International General Secretary

On 21 November, Rotary staff members and I will join Arizona Rotary members to bike up to 104 miles in El Tour de Tucson to raise funds for polio eradication.

The event is one of the top cycling events in the U.S., attracting more than 9,000 cyclists each year. We are aiming to raise $3.4 million, which will be tripled by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for a total of more than $10 million for the fight to end polio.

We recently marked one year without polio in Africa. While this progress is momentous, we haven’t finished the job of eradicating polio yet. Now, more than ever, we need to redouble our efforts to help Pakistan and Afghanistan, and retain strong immunization coverage globally.

Meet the team. Learn more about each team member, follow them as they train, and add your support by donating to their ride. Team members will be sharing their training experiences here on our blog as the event draws near.

Would you like to join the team? Take part in the Indoor Ride to End Polio! Ride a stationary bike at your local gym or …read more

Source:: Rotary International Blog

What peace means to me

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By Rotary International People and nations worldwide will observe the International Day of Peace on 21 September, the date designated by the United Nations in 2001 “to be observed as a day of global ceasefire and nonviolence.”
That commitment to peace is directly linked to goals pursued by Rotary members since The Rotary Foundation’s mission to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace was proclaimed in 1917.
To fulfill that mission, Rotary conducts global forums, hosts international peace symposiums, continues its decades-long collaboration with the UN, and promotes initiatives such as the Rotarian Action… …read more

Source:: Rotary.org