A member of the Rotary Club of Camp Aguinaldo, Philippines, delivers a packet of food. By Elizabeth P. Directo, Rotary Club of Camp Aguinaldo, Philippines Knowing that many people have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic, incoming club presidents in our district (3780) were looking for a way to spread a little bit…
Bob Tomlinson By Bob Tomlinson, president of the Rotary Club of Kirkintilloch, Scotland The COVID-19 pandemic is horrifying. The lives lost are not just statistics. Each death is a life cut short and a family and friends left grieving. This reality is something we must never forget. Our way of life has been profoundly challenged.…
Lindsay Griswold participates in a dance as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kenya in 2006. Lindsay Griswold as a Peace Corps volunteer in 2006. By Lindsay Griswold, Senior Specialist for Youth Exchange and Youth Protection I grew up in a home that was not peaceful. So, I think peace is something I have always unconsciously…
The Rotary Club of Novosibirsk-Initiative, Russia, assembled masks for medical workers as a virtual project. By Ekaterina Tashlykova, secretary, and Julia Fedeneva, president-elect, Rotary Club of Novosibirsk-Initiative, Russia The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of our self-awareness. Virtual meetings are now common, but what about doing service projects? Can these be virtual too? As…
Flood victims in Kerala, India, receive job training under a global grant by the Rotary Club of Kalamassery. The $100,000 grant project benefited 500 families. N. Bhaskaran Pillai used examples like this one to encourage members to give to The Rotary Foundation. By N.Bhaskaran Pillai, Rotary Club of Kalamassery, India When I became treasurer of…
Paddy Rooney By Paddy Rooney, governor of District 7390 (Pennsylvania, USA) “We were built for this.” They were just a few words, cast upon a sea of words spoken that evening. But it encapsulated everything that I believe Rotary to be about and what our challenge is for the future. The words were spoken by…
Kiran Sirah Singh at the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, Tennessee, USA. By Kiran Singh Sirah, a 2011-13 Rotary Peace Fellow and president of the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, Tennessee, USA I’ve been having lots of inspiring conversations with my fellow Rotarians recently. As a Rotary Peace Fellow, I’ve found it so helpful to…
Editor’s note: The pandemic has challenged the way our clubs operate, but it has also presented some opportunities. A Rotaract club shares lessons they have learned from virtual meetings. Kennedy Gayah By Kennedy Gayah, Rotaract Club of Nairobi Central, Kenya Members of Rotary and Rotaract enjoy the comfort, love, and unity they experience during a…
Rotary members Omolara Omotosho and Bolatito Olaboye deliver food in Lagos, Nigeria. By Michael Effiong, Rotary Club of Ikeja South, Lagos, Nigeria All around the world, the coronavirus pandemic is changing our lives and creating a new normal. But our members have seen the need and risen to the challenge. Now, more than ever, we…
Stephen Sennett By Stephen Sennett, secretary-elect, Rotary E-Club of Melbourne, Australia The end of the Rotary year is fast approaching. And with that, clubs are beginning to think about their traditional changeover ceremonies. Like many things in the world after the COVID-19 pandemic, having these in person isn’t an option. Clubs are asking, should we…