Volunteers and Ralf Hardenberg (far right) with some of the collected plastic waste. By Dr Ralf Hardenberg, a member of the Rotary Club of Nuremberg-Connect, Germany As a just-retired physician, I was excited to volunteer for a medical project at a hospital in Nkawkaw, Ghana. While I was there, I saw plastic everywhere. Thousands of…
From left, Masahiro Kanno, his wife, and Kazuo Arai. By Kazuo Arai, Rotary Club of Shimodate, Japan, past governor of District 2820, and a member of the district’s emergency disaster relief team As I finished my New Year’s rituals and listened to elegant gagaku music (traditional Japanese court music) at my home in Ibaraki Prefecture,…
RI President R. Gordon R. McInally, fourth from right, and his wife, Heather, second from right, visit a heart surgery patient at Fortis Hospital in India. Also pictured is Past RI President Rajendra Saboo, third from right and Rotary leaders from District 3080 (India). By AP Singh, past president and chairman of the Heartline Project…
By Victor H. Caballero, past governor of District 4100 (Mexico) Victor H. Caballero Your district membership has been declining and you want to reverse the trend. But you aren’t sure what to do. The first and best action you can take is to come up with a district membership plan. My district was facing just…
Kwi-Young Song and her daughter (left) at the opening session of the 2023 Rotary International Convention in Melbourne, Australia. By Kwi-Young Song, Rotary Club of Hanseong, District 3650, Korea I had been a Rotarian for 23 years, but before attending the 2023 Rotary International Convention in Melbourne, Australia, I never fully appreciated the global nature…
Tom Gump, aide to 2024-25 RI President Stephanie Urchick, addresses the opening session of the International Assembly in Orlando, Florida, USA, 8 January. By Tom Gump, Aide to the 2024-25 Rotary International President Since the 2024 Rotary International Assembly in early January, participants at Rotary’s annual learning event for incoming leaders have been talking a…
Members of Rotaract in Bangladesh pass out warm winter clothing and blankets to the Santal tribe, many of whom lost their homes in a devastating fire. By Md. Saddam Hossain Roni, past president, Rotaract Club of Dhaka Orchid, Bangladesh, and a Rotaract adviser December in the Gaibandha district of Bangladesh brought not only the crisp…
Martha Pritchard Spear in front of the meeting sign for the Rotary Club of Lake Placid, New York, USA. By Martha Pritchard Spear, assistant governor District 7040 and a member of the Rotary Club of Lake Placid, New York, USA These are my own thoughts, not a statement of the Rotary Club of Lake Placid.…
Dr. Amal El-Sisi By Dr. Amal El-Sisi, Professor of Pediatrics Cairo University and honorary program director of “United to End Cervical Cancer in Egypt” Three years ago, I was talking to a mother in my clinic confused by the contradictory messages she was hearing about the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine. On the one hand, she…
Terry Shueler and Marilyn Treharne plant native species that will attract pollinators. By Ashley Kasprzak, past president (2022-23) of the Rotary Club of Longmont Twin Peaks, Colorado, USA I may have “cause-related” Attention Deficit Disorder. Yes, I made up that phrase, and I am smiling. I would bet there are some others reading this who…