How to do The Rotarian

I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed the how-to issue [In Focus, January]. Inspirational stories certainly should have a regular place in The Rotarian . However, ongoing features on average clubs accomplishing realistic goals will register with members around the world. Increasing a club fundraiser net by another US$1,000 or gaining five new members through a universal, annual “join Rotary” event propelled by advertising from Rotary International would be surefire good reading. Keep up the good work!
Joe Galbo
Meadville, Pa., USA

The Rotarian has been moving in the right direction for some time now. January is especially good. Joe Queenan is great. “How to speak Rotary” is going on the backside of Monday’s bulletin. The whole how-to thing with one-page articles comes across as fresh and interesting. I would venture to guess that less than 20 percent of all readers ever read more than one page on one topic.
Victor Georgiou
Danville, Calif., USA

 

The January issue was the most interesting and educational publication I have read during my 39 years as a Rotarian. “How to do good (and feel good doing it)” was extremely well done. The basic themes of past issues of The Rotarian , in my view, have stressed the who and what of Rotary, which have been done very well, but the 16 how-to’s in this issue bring Rotary into complete focus along with Service Above Self.
Homer Lear
San Antonio, Texas, USA   

Auction benefits

I want to encourage The Rotarian to continue to publish worthwhile articles like “How to fundraise without fear” and “How to plan a campaign.” Both provided useful information for Rotary clubs looking to meet their fundraising needs.

As a professional auctioneer in District 5170 (California, USA), I have conducted seminars for clubs on fundraising auctions. I would encourage all districts to use the expertise of National Auctioneers Association members to train clubs. Jay Fiske, of the Rotary Club of Woodinville, Wash., is a prime example of an excellent benefit auction consultant whom Rotary clubs could learn from. Perhaps someday Rotary International will consider inviting Rotarians who are benefit auction professionals to conduct training seminars at the international level. I believe that many small and large Rotary clubs worldwide would gain much from these professionals.
Rob Slawinski
Campbell, Calif., USA   

Thumbs up?

I believe you will receive quite a few letters regarding the thumbs up sign in Australia [“How to avoid offense”]. Down under, we use this gesture as an affirmation, agreement, thanks, even praise, for a job well done. I’ve never in my 61 years known it to be offensive. In my younger days it was commonly used, with motion, to ask for a ride from a passing driver.
Kay Mason
City Beach, Australia

Standard times

Rotary is an international organization and should use international standards, especially for dates and time. In reading the article [“How to make up a meeting online”] in the January issue, it was not clear what times online meetings are held. There was no base time like Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Using international standards would make it clear and unambiguous. Incidentally, I display UTC together with the local time on my watch.
Stan Doore
Silver Spring, Md., USA 

Miracle stretch

Upon returning from my yoga class, I picked up the January issue and read your article “Learning to be flexible” [Health]. I would like to add to your list of the benefits of yoga.

The most profound benefit from my 10 months of practicing yoga is the total elimination of prescription and over-the-counter painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. I have suffered from painful bursitis in both of my hips for several years. Ten years ago, I almost quit playing golf because of the hip pain but found a prescription anti-inflammatory drug that provided relief. I relied on that drug until I discovered yoga and started attending a 60-minute class twice a week.

Some of my friends are skeptical that yoga can relieve certain body pains, but the gentle and fluid stretching poses that yoga utilizes can almost work miracles. Over the past three weeks, we have experienced severe weather in the Pacific Northwest, and I was unable to attend class. The hip pain started to return a few days ago. I returned to yoga class this morning, and guess what: This afternoon, the pain is gone, I feel great and, best of all, I’m no longer a slave to a prescription drug. Richard Ares
Canby, Ore., USA

Mo’ license plates

I noted that Missouri was not mentioned in the answer to the “Good question” in the January issue as one of the U.S. states that offers Rotary license plates. We began offering these in 2003 or earlier.

Mine is featured on our district Web site (www.rotary6060.org/view/130). The “100 PC” on my plate stands for $100 per capita – the Foundation goal that our district had not reached when I ordered the plates but has exceeded for the last five years now. I guess I should change my plate now to “200 PC”!

Missouri is very kind to Rotary. Only an extra $15 fee per year is required, plus $25 per year in giving to the Annual Programs Fund of our Foundation. And this, for a personalized plate!
Todd Lindley
Overland, Mo., USA 

Hand cycling for polio

It was good to see hand cyclist Ramesh Ferris featured in the November issue (“Polio survivor bikes across Canada,” Global Outlook).

Overall, the article gives a mistaken impression of the scope of the Cycle to Walk campaign. First, for the record, Ramesh did not “bike across Canada” as the headline states. He hand cycled. That point aside, the main problem with the article is that it gives the impression that Cycle to Walk was a solo fundraiser by Ramesh, who happened to secure “sponsorship in part from several Canadian [Rotary] clubs.” How wrong!

Ramesh was the public face of a campaign which involved many hundreds of volunteers and reached thousands of people directly. Extensive media coverage carried the polio-fighting message to the whole country.

Rotarians assisted with the campaign across the country. Most of the principle organizers of Cycle to Walk are members of the Rotary Club of Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, including road team leader Doug Ayers, who with his wife, Bertha, supported Ramesh and the expedition along the entire length of the journey. In most towns and cities across Canada, Rotarians were the primary contacts. They organized special events, gave money, provided logistical support, and made donations to PolioPlus through The Rotary Foundation (Canada) in recognition of the campaign.

Cycle to Walk drew support from across the population and respect from governments. In fact, the Yukon Department of Health and Social Services was the campaign’s largest sponsor. Larry Bagnell, member of Parliament for Yukon, had earlier raised the matter of polio eradication in the House and had also arranged a meeting with Stéphane Dion, the former Liberal leader, who pledged party support.

When the team reached Ottawa in August, we met personally with Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Over the course of its long journey, Cycle to Walk succeeded in drawing public statements of support for global polio eradication from all major political parties, from provincial governments, and from notable Canadians, as well as in producing a show of popular support. Therefore, when discussing the current global polio situation and Canada’s contribution to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we could provide the prime minister with evidence of solid popular and political approval for sustained, adequate funding of the effort.

More so than the money it raised directly for PolioPlus, the great contribution of Cycle to Walk is the breakthrough it created nationally in the public and political perception of polio, along with what we trust may be an enduring commitment to making the world polio-free.
Allon Reddoch
Rotarian and President, Cycle to Walk Society
Marsh Lake, Yukon, Canada

Editor’s note: Cycle to Walk raised C$314,856, and in January Ramesh Ferris became a member of the Rotary Club of Whitehorse. Learn more about Cycle to Walk at www.cycletowalk.com.