“Pacemakers as Peacemakers”

Rotarian Federico Alfaro, a cardiologist in Guatemala, founded Heartbeat International after watching a teenage patient die because his family couldn’t buy him a pacemaker. To help other patients, Alfaro started a bank of donated pacemakers for people who couldn’t afford the lifesaving device. Alfaro’s cardiology instructor, Henry McIntosh, took the model global, and today, Heartbeat International provides poor patients around the world with free cardiac pacemakers, implantable defibrillators, and medical care.

If you're a Rotarian interested in having your club sponsor an existing or new pacemaker bank location, take a look at Heartbeat International’s guidelines and complete an application.

Innovate Rotary!

Rotarian Greg Krauska says that growing Rotary clubs are doing two things right to attract new members. Find out what they are on his blog.

Thai Times

For U.S. Rotaractor Rebecca Gasca, Rotary’s New Generations Exchange offered a host of new experiences. On her four-week visit to Thailand, she cooked for monks at a Buddhist temple, delivered money to local fishermen to repair boats destroyed by the 2004 tsunami, and waited in line for two hours to buy a coin commemorating the 60th anniversary of the king of Thailand’s ascension to the throne. Read all about it.

Pale, Male, and Stale?

Rotarian Mark Riffey points out how just a little bit of marketing can go a long way to combat stereotypes about Rotary clubs. Get his advice on his Web site, Business is Personal.