Rotary news in brief from around the globe
The Rotarian -- April 2012
Last spring, the Rotary clubs of Lagos Central and Dunwoody, Georgia, USA, began implementing water and sanitation projects in 12 schools in the states of Lagos and Ogun.
R otary clubs around the globe have many things in common, including a commitment to service. All year long, clubs are taking action to make a difference in their communities. Here’s a roundup of recent club activities worldwide:
Australia
More than 200 children with disabilities played modified cricket during the second annual Dream Cricket Day in October. The Rotary clubs of Bowral-Mittagong, Berrima District, and Moss Vale worked with the Movement Disorder Foundation and the Bradman Foundation to organize the event, which took place in Bowral, home to Sir Donald Bradman, one of Australia’s best cricketers.
Canada
Hospital visits can be frightening for children. To help provide comfort, the Rotary Club of Ajax, Ont., has donated stuffed animals to the Rouge Valley Ajax and Pickering hospital for the past eight years. In November, the club presented 463 plush toys, bringing its total to 10,000. The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and local Walmart stores and Canadian Tire locations have contributed funds to the program.
England
The Rotary Club of New Milton hosts families in need for weeklong vacations in the bungalow it maintains by the English Channel. The families enjoy access to pools, tennis courts, and the nearby New Forest national park. Other Rotary clubs sponsor the guests, and members of the New Milton club are on hand to greet them and provide help during their stay. Over the past 45 years, 945 families – 21 each summer – have vacationed in the bungalow.
Guatemala
As part of a project to improve care for newborn babies in Santiago Atitlán, the Rotary clubs of Guatemala Norte and Sunnyvale, California, USA, distributed an educational DVD in Tz’utujil, the language of the municipality’s Maya community. The video, which touches on nutrition, common illnesses, maternal and child health, hygiene, alcoholism, and domestic violence, is shown in the hospital waiting room and will air on the local cable television station. The clubs have provided the video to another Maya community as well.
India
The U.S. government estimates that 893 girls are born in India for every 1,000 boys, as compared with 955 girls in the United States. Although sex-selective abortion is illegal in India, many experts believe the disparity is a result of that practice. In response, the Rotary Club of Chandigarh renewed its campaign against female feticide in July by joining with Panjab University’s School of Communication Studies to present a radio series entitled Hamari Beti . The show focuses on issues such as the societal reasons for sex-selective abortion and the role of doctors in preventing it.
Nigeria
Last spring, the Rotary clubs of Lagos Central and Dunwoody, Georgia, USA, began implementing water and sanitation projects in 12 schools in the states of Lagos and Ogun. While assessing community needs, the Rotarians discovered that sanitation systems would be as vital as clean water, as waterborne diseases were rampant. The US$62,000 effort – supported in part by a Rotary Foundation Global Grant – has provided renovated toilet facilities as well as training on efficient water use and hygiene.
North Korea
The Rotaract Club of Shanghai, China, led a project to renovate the South Pyongan Pediatric Hospital in North Korea, which experienced severe flooding in 2008. The club donated US$11,300 and, in partnership with Rotaractors in Hungary, collected additional funds from donors in Canada, China, France, and the United States. The contributions will help replace damaged windows and floors, and provide new surgical equipment for the pediatric operating room, where doctors perform 1,200 procedures every year.
USA
More than 1,000 Rotarians from three Southern California districts bought discounted tickets to an Anaheim Angels baseball game in August as a fundraiser for polio eradication. A tailgate chili cook-off and the sale of rally towels and End Polio Now T-shirts brought in extra funds. In three years of working with the Angels, Rotarians in District 5320 have raised $65,000 to help end polio.
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