Dear Colleagues:
How much more personal can you be than to wave the flag and cheer for your team? Over the last month I was glued to the TV screen watching the World Cup and the Tour d' France. The feelings I had were mixed with cultural identity and ethnicity and of shouting - this is my team.
And on another and very strong personal level - Rotary is my team.
As we begin the 2010-2011 RI year we have never been closer to eradicating Polio. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is focusing on the "every last child' campaign. We have raised over US$ 133 million dollars the first two years and entering our third year of the Gates US$ 200 million Polio Challenge. There is no doubt we will stay focused and raise what is needed.
Our Rotary's Centers Major Gifts Initiative (RCMGI) has to this date raised close to US$ 47 million dollars and I am certain it will reach its goal of US$ 95 million in donations by 30 June 2015. I have chaired two RCMGI focus groups recently, one in San Diego, California and another in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. Two finding emerged; (1) ... A majority of Rotarians do not know much about the Rotary Peace Program and need much more information and (2) ... with now over 400 graduates from Rotary's Peace Centers are 'they' showing results? Are the graduates doing what we expected they would do?
Yes, an emphatic yes to both questions. If you have been attending Seminars, Institutes and Conventions we have featured Peace Fellows at the podium, and they have shared extraordinary presentations and hope for the future. Peace is possible!
Look through this newsletter/magazine and you will find numerous short and succinct articles/stories and you too will wave the flag and cheer for your team - Rotary!
As always, we welcome any comments you may have as we strive to improve and to increase our ability to tell the stories of Our Foundation.
I invite all to share this August 2010 - newsletter/magazine with your colleagues and friends in your clubs and districts.
ROTARY: