THIS NEWSLETTER IS PUBLISHED BY THE ROTARY GLOBAL HISTORY
FELLOWSHIP. THE COMMENTS AND STORIES IN THIS NEWSLETTER DO NOT REFLECT THE
OPINIONS OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL, THE ROTARY FOUNDATION OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
OR ANY OTHER ROTARY RELATED ORGANIZATION. A monthly feature of the Rotary
Global History Fellowship Issue #156 March, 2015 RGHF’s Our Foundation
Newsletter … A Newsletter for Rotary Leaders Over the last 30 years, Rotary
members have pushed polio to the brink of eradication and improved lives around
the world. Celebrate our 30 year fight to end polio by sharing your support and
donating to Rotary RGHF’s Our Foundation Newsletter A project of Rotary Global
History Fellowship Page 2 Clubs celebrate Rotary’s anniversary, 30 years of
PolioPlus - Glimpses Continued ... The Rotary Club of Mt Warning AM, Australia,
gives away pancakes to celebrate Rotary’s 100th birthday Rotary members in
Ankara, Turkey, celebrate Rotary’s birthday with music and singers in a popular
shopping mall Rotaractors in Guatemala celebrate 30 years of polio eradication
efforts The Rotary Club of Bokaro Midtown, India, celebrates by inaugurating a
vocational training center for women The Rotary Club of Ekpoma, Nigeria,
celebrate with a cake South Korean Rotarian Seung Jin Kim is sailing around the
world to raise money for polio eradicationIssue #156 Page 3 Rotary members in
Minas Gerais, Brazil, celebrated Rotary’s anniversary with a soccer game. Team
“America Futebol Clube” wore Rotary’s emblem on their uniforms. Rotary clubs in
Mauritius organized a walk to celebrate the annivesary and raise awareness for
Rotary’s work. Photo courtesy Rachid Karroo The Rotary Club of Bainbridge,
Georgia, USA, celebrated by lighting up the historic Bon Air building Inbound
Rotary Youth Exchange students from the USA, Canada, Ecuador, Mexico,
Australia, Argentina, Taiwan, and Brazil spell out 110 at a winter camp in
Norway Hundreds of Rotary members in England climbed over London’s iconic
Millennium Dome in relays on 23 February to celebrate the anniversary More than
150 Rotary members help celebrate in Mexico City The Rotary Club of Ekpoma,
Nigeria, cut a cake after hosting a lecture on peace and conflict resolution
Susanne Rea, one of the founders of the World’s Greatest Meal, immunizes a
child against polio in India on 21 February Source : Rotary VoicesRGHF’s Our
Foundation Newsletter A project of Rotary Global History Fellowship Page 4
Light Up Rotary: Rotary’s 110th birthday celebrations As contributed by Bob
Cooper, Assistant Governor RID 9520 Group 6, Past President - Rotary Club of
Burnside. Photos courtesy Sara Huffen, Mike Lim Continued ... District 9520 in
South Australia celebrated Rotary's 110th Birthday on the picturesque Pinky
Flat Park on the Riverbank of the Torrens River in Adelaide on Sunday 22
February. On a very hot 40oC day in South Australia the Torrens River bank was
a very pleasant place to be for the Family Rotary Day picnic. Starting at 6 PM
people enjoyed affordable food provided by the Rotary Clubs of Brownhill Creek,
with Pancakes; Burnside, with Greek foods, salad and drinks; Mitcham Kranskys
with cheese and roll; and St Peters with hot cinnamon donuts. Free
entertainment was provided by the Holdfast Bay Concert Band along with jugglers
and a face painter painting children’s faces. The promotion of End Polio Now by
the sale of T-shirts and the blowing up of the balloons was done near the
ShelterBox Tent which was set up for the public to see and was used for storage
of the End Polio Now Balloons before their release.Issue #156 Page 5 Channel 7
were able to do the TV live weather cross with Tim Noonan showing the
activities on the Riverbank with all the colourful Rotarians attire and the
Balloons being held by Rotaractors in the background. Led by the Rotaractors
with Rotary International flags we walked with the balloons up the path
alongside the Torrens River with the State Governor, His Excellency the
Honourable Hieu Van Le and his wife, Mrs Lan Le to the Adelaide Oval Riverbank
Grandstand forecourt at twilight. The Grandstand large TV screens showed the”
Light up Rotary” logo before the playing of the video with Rotary International
President, Gary C Huang talking about lighting up Rotary by lighting one candle
for each Rotarian to make a difference around the world. We were welcomed by
State Governor Hieu Van Le, with the Adelaide Oval Southern Grandstand being
lit up in Rotary colours, Blue and Gold. His address to us about “Lighting up
Rotary” was very moving with his experiences as a Rotarian. After, Rotarians
and friends released 110 End Polo Now Balloons which was a spectacular sight.
At dusk we had electronic candles and glowsticks and then followed the Shed
Bagpipers to the "Light up Rotary" walk across the new Torrens
Riverbank footbridge. This was a once in a life time event, in this year of the
international year of light, for members of Rotary and their friends to help
celebrate Rotary's 110th Anniversary and all the good work that Rotary does
around the world. Many thanks to all of those people who made the event happen
and one to be proud to be a Rotarian.RGHF’s Our Foundation Newsletter A project
of Rotary Global History Fellowship Page 6 What is your EREY Story? Why do you
support the Rotary Foundation? Why do you contribute every year? What is your
EREY Story? We would like to hear your story, and share it with all our
readers. Please write to the Editor at jeeturotary@gmail.com Below is a story
from RGHF member Brenda Cressey. THE ROTARY FOUNDATION - ANY DREAM WILL DO This
new year offers new opportunities, hope and possibilities to change our world
and yes, “any dream will do”! With so much unrest and uncertainly in our world
today we can thankfully say there is Rotary! You need only read or hear about
all the incredibly moving stories of how The Rotary Foundation, our foundation,
change’s the many lives of those in need and at the same time changes us, the
Rotarian’s who support Rotary projects here and abroad, both financially or
through our personal involvement. Think about all those Rotary projects,
created by members of your own clubs, funded and carried out by you, the
Rotarians, along with matching funds made possible by your annual contributions
to The Rotary Foundation or those gifts by way of an endowment you thoughtfully
considered in your estate planning – the later allowing you to remain a
Rotarian forever. Please know that lives are changed for the better because of
you. It’s each one of you who are truly “Making Dreams Real”. These life
changing projects and the stories we read or hear about or when participating
in a hands on a project is a true testament to the wonders and miracles of
Rotary and truly reaffirms that “Any Dream Will Do!” As I travel around this
world of Rotary I’ve had the pleasure to meet incredible people - people who I
would consider to be great humanitarians and it always brings me to think of
this anonymous quote. “To the world you might be one person, but to one person
you might be the world!” You see, it’s your personal commitment and passion,
for whatever it is that happens to make rotary relevant to you, those dreams of
“Doing Good in the World” are exactly what will continue to keep you active,
involved and connected to your own Rotary club! It’s when we become inspired or
motivated thru our volunteer service efforts and how we continually support our
Rotary Foundation that we realize rotary is an enormous catalyst – one that
truly allows us to serve at any time, at any level, both locally and/or
internationally. Sadly, in today’s age of technology and instant communications
we find ourselves watching a world where human suffering continues to rise on a
daily basis! Continued ...Issue #156 Page 7 Continued ... We are moved when
tragically witnessing yet another crisis or horrific act against humanity? But,
it is then, we instantly realize that as an association of this world-wide
organization consisting of Rotarians, that we are moved even more so as we
watch hundreds of selfless people, many who are volunteers in Rotary service
and our big family of Rotary, step up and take immediate action! For me, in
that single moment in time, whether or not I’m in a position to personally
offer a lending hand or to provide financial assistance I’m always comforted
with the assurance that Rotarians, will no doubt find a way to respond to that
crisis quickly, efficiently and effectively! I’ve been privileged and honored
to continue to meet rotarian’s who share their moving experiences of how they
were able to take action and make a difference because of Rotary and its
Foundation! Perhaps you know a Rotarian, someone sitting next to you today, a
Rotarian who has a great passion to serve. To me, these shared experiences
reaffirm the fact that each one of you represents Rotary’s heart and its
spirit. I sincerely believe Rotarians and our Rotary Foundation are the
lifeblood of this great organization! And that Rotary has two big hearts – it’s
members and the Rotary Foundation! My personal passion in Rotary is to see the
end of polio and we are indeed “this close”. As a matter of fact, learning that
polio was Rotary’s focus was the very reason why i joined Rotary back in 1989 –
twenty five years ago. It was when i first learned from my sponsor about how
Rotary had become involved in this single but monumental effort in 1985. Polio
eradication immediately connected with me, because as a young child my close
friend contracted polio and I never saw her again! A short time later in Rotary
I learned the significance of Rotary’s efforts and commitment to eradicate
polio from then incoming RI President Cliff Dochterman. He was a speaker at my
very first district conference. After hearing his passionate speech that day I
knew I made the right decision to become a Rotarian and have personally
dedicated myself to this great humanitarian cause ever since, and to further
become the best Rotarian I could be. What I learned in these 25 years in Rotary
is that Rotarians also concern themselves with many other issues, clean water,
literacy, poverty and education of the girl child and peace. We Rotarian’s are
changing the world one person at a time, one day at a time and many Rotarian’s
have witnessed all these areas of concern and focus at levels we could never
understand and thankfully will never have to personally experience. Brenda
Cressey - RGHF member and proud Rotarian at Cabo Day CareRGHF’s Our Foundation
Newsletter A project of Rotary Global History Fellowship Page 8 Today, you can
all take great pride in Rotary’s work to eradicate polio. By the time the world
is certified polio free, Rotary’s contributions will exceed $1.5 billion
dollars along with millions of dollars of in kind and personal contributions
made by local Rotary clubs and districts worldwide. Hundreds of thousands of
volunteers continue to provide support at clinics or participating in national
immunization days. Isn’t it incredible to know that if not for this global
initiative, which began in 1988, it’s expected that more than 5 million people,
mainly in the developing world, would have been paralyzed and who are now
walking because they were immunized against polio. Please let there be no
doubt, Rotary will see the end of polio, because you care enough to make a
difference. The motto of our Rotary Foundation is “Doing Good in the World” and
our mission in Rotary is “to enable rotarians to advance world understanding,
goodwill and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education
and the alleviation of poverty”. Rotarians, it’s only through your personal
involvement and financial support that we can one day proudly say “Mission
Accomplished”! The magic of Rotary is simply that the Rotary Foundation belongs
to Rotarians and it’s dedicated to furthering Rotary’s programs throughout the
world. It’s each one of you, the Rotarians, who determines which programs to
support and at what level of funding you’re capable of. It’s up to each one of
you to help shape the world’s future and to make a meaningful difference in the
lives of others. My personal dream is to know and realize that every single
Rotarian in the world would understand the need to support The Rotary
Foundation, every single year, at a level comfortable to them. After all, the
needs in our communities and in our world are greater today and rotary needs
your continued support - now more than ever! The founder of The Rotary
Foundation – our 6th RI President Arch Klumph said, and I quote: “No one can
tell us what Rotary will be tomorrow, but one thing is certain: what Rotary
will be tomorrow depends upon what we Rotarians do today.” The question today
is this. Will you dream the possible dreams? Please, remember that “any dream
will do” because: “To the world you might be one person, but to one person you
might be the world!” Our Rotary family is truly Rotary’s heart! Rotary thanks
you for all you continue to do as you make a difference in our world. Brenda
Cressey Rotary Zone 26 Endowment/Major Gift Adviser/District Governor D5240
(01-02)Issue #156 Page 9 Rotary celebrates three decades of PolioPlus During a
speech to Rotary leaders in February 1985, then Rotary President Dr. Carlos
Canseco announced what he considered “the biggest news in Rotary” — the
commitment to help control polio worldwide. Since that day, Rotary’s dedication
to the global eradication of polio has remained constant. 2015 marks the 30th
anniversary of PolioPlus and three decades of progress and challenges the
program has faced. Though the PolioPlus program started in 1985, Rotary began
the fight against polio much earlier. In 1979 Rotary members began a multiyear
program that immunized more than 6 million children in the Philippines against
polio (Rotary.org). Polio eradication became a top priority to Rotary after
urging from Canseco, Dr. John Sever and Dr. Albert Sabin. Sever, a Rotary club
leader, was the head of the infectious diseases branch of the National Institute
of Neurological and Communicative Diseases and Stroke at the National
Institutes of Health. As the developer of the oral polio vaccine, Sabin gave
the program a globally respected figure. With their medical backgrounds, the
three became crucial spokespeople for the program. Sabin argued against the
traditional country-by-country approach advocated by the World Health
Organization and others in the public health community. He called it “charity,”
saying that “what’s needed are annual, well-organized — I repeat, the key is
well-organized — community campaigns for mass vaccination of all children under
four or five years of age.” Sever, Canseco, and others joined Sabin in
advocating for mass immunization. Sever believed his fellow Rotary members meet
the challenge of polio eradication, calling them a “big international army of
volunteers.” He also helped Rotary secure a special designation as a
nongovernmental organization affiliated with WHO in order to shape the
PolioPlus program (The Rotarian). In its early years, PolioPlus was dedicated
to fundraising for immunization efforts. In May 1988 Rotary announced that the
campaign, which aimed to raise $120 million, had raised nearly $220 million in
contributions and pledges. That same year, the World Health Assembly set a goal
of worldwide polio eradication and launched the Global Polio Eradication
Initiative (GPEI) with Rotary as one of its partners. At the time, polio
paralyzed more than 1,000 children worldwide every day and 125 countries were
polio-endemic. Dr. Albert Sabin (left) and 1984-85 Rotary President Carlos
Canseco at a press conference to announce the PolioPlus program. © Rotary
International. Continued ...RGHF’s Our Foundation Newsletter A project of
Rotary Global History Fellowship Page 10 The GPEI partners, which also included
WHO, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, were able
to boost world immunization levels from less than 50 percent in 1985 to over 80
percent in 1992. Just five years after the GPEI was founded, the 500 millionth
child was immunized against polio. To further efforts, Rotary started the
PolioPlus Partners program in 1995, to fund and support National Immunization
Days in polio-endemic countries (The Rotarian). In 2007 Rotary entered into a
partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which issued Rotary a
$100 million challenge grant to raise funds for polio eradication. This
partnership continued to grow, and in 2013 the Gates Foundation offered to
match Rotary’s contributions for polio eradication 2-to-1 for five years (up to
$35 million per year). PolioPlus is truly international. Rotary has 1.2 million
members in nearly every country working together to end polio for good. Polio
today: During his 1985 speech, Canseco reminded Rotary members and the world
that “Rotary cannot hope to rid the world of polio all on its own, but if we
step up our efforts and add them to those of the World Health Organization’s
Expanded Program on Immunization, UNICEF, and other agencies over the next two
decades, we can be truly effective in accomplishing this mighty task.” Since
the launch of the GPEI, the global incidence of polio cases has decreased by 99
percent. In March 2014 India, once deemed the most difficult place to end
polio, was declared polio-free, making the entire Southeast Region polio-free.
As of February 11, Africa had no new cases of wild poliovirus in six months,
though the continent must mark three full years without a new case to be
officially declared polio-free by WHO. Until polio is stopped in the remaining
endemic areas, all countries must maintain high levels of surveillance and
immunization rates to rapidly detect any importation of the poliovirus and
minimize its impact. Now that 99 percent of the world’s population lives in
regions certified polio-free, the goal of eradication is closer than ever. Be a
part of history and help Rotary achieve a polio-free world. Give today. Read
about the history of polio eradication efforts in “Rotary and the Gift of a
Polio-Free World: Volume 1” by Sarah Gibbard Cook Source :
www.endpolio.orgIssue #156 Page 11 Rotary’s past International PolioPlus
Committee chair Bob Scott honored Bill Gates in Ottawa, Canada on February 25
for supporting global polio eradication efforts. Source : End Polio Now on
FacebookA monthly feature of the Rotary Global History Fellowship (RGHF)
Jeetendra Sharma Editor in Chief Jeeturotary@gmail.com William “Bill” Pollard
Associate Editor william.pollard@farmersbankva.com Edward “Eddie” Blender
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Rotary's Global History RGHF’s OUR FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER MARCH 2015, #156
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