There is a popular quote that goes something like, “It’s all about the journey, not the destination.” For Rotarian Joanne Pistorius and her husband, however, both the journey and the destination were rather notable when they embarked on a 4,000-mile round-trip excursion from their home in Tampa, Florida to the 2010 RI Convention in Montreal. They didn’t just drive any car, however. The trip was made in a vintage 1930 Packard that belongs to the couple. Joanne is the president North American chapter of Antique, Classic and Historic Automobile World Fellowship of Rotarians,...

Yesterday, thousands of new students said goodbye to their parents and moved into the dorms at the University of Oregon to start a new chapter in their lives. In the photo at left, University of Oregon President Richard Lariviere greets new students on move-in day. (Image courtesy of KVAL.) The response of students and parents ranged from great anticipation to sadness; local news shared stories of students excitedly moving into their new rooms, many of them even comforting their parents who were tearing up at the thought of leaving their students behind. In order to help parents cope with leaving...

Aside from its numerous efforts to help eradicate polio worldwide and serve local communities, Rotary is also dedicated to promoting peace in the world and helps fund education programs that help further that cause around the world. Rotary works to promote its efforts in this area through a number of different media, including posters, brochures and videos like the one below: A New Symbol for Peace: Rotary International One of the largest contributions Rotary makes to furthering the study and achievement of peace is through funding Rotary Peace Fellows. The Peace Fellowship funds a masters degree...

Here, Rotaractors help clean up Parc Jeanne-Monc in Montreal, Quebec, Canada during the 2010 RI Convention. Cleaning the park is just one example of the service projects undertaken by Rotary’s youth programs such as Rotaract and Interact. As part of New Generations Month, all Rotarians are encouraged to think of someone they know who might be a good fit for their local Rotaract or Interact club and invite them to attend. Interact is Rotary’s service club for youth ages 12 to 18, while Rotaract is the service club for 18-to-30 year olds. Both offer unique opportunities for young people...

A gas line explosion last week in San Bruno, California started a fire that destroyed several homes in the area; the photo at left depicts some of the damage. Bill Koefoed, DG of the local Rotary district, 5150, has sent a message to other Rotarians in the region, detailing what is happening in the area and how district 5150 Rotarians are faring after the disaster. To learn more and see how you can help, read DG Bill Koefoed’s letter below: Hello fellow Rotarians:  Well, in the midst of some absolute horror there is some good.  First, that the loss of life and homes was less than it might...

This week’s photo features our very own District Governor (DG), Claire Little. DG Claire writes a monthly newsletter to all Rotarians in District 5110. Each month has a new focus, and each focus helps Rotarians set goals for the future of their clubs, their district and Rotary as a whole. In the September edition of the DG Claire’s Corner newsletter, “New Generations Month” is featured. DG Claire explains how the involvement of younger generations in Rotary is imperative if Rotary is to grow and continue its work all over the world. Rotarians are encouraged to invite youth...

Are you looking for new cultural and vocational experiences? Are you between the ages of 25 and 40 and in the early stages of your career? If you answered “yes,” then you should consider applying to be part of a Rotary Group Study Exchange (GSE) this spring. The District 5110 GSE committee is seeking team members for an exchange opportunity with Peru from May 2 – June 2, 2011. The program offers travel grants for teams so they are able to exchange visits with individuals and businesses in Peru with the same vocational interests as their own. Team members experience the host country’s...

Last week, our Photo Friday post was dedicated to the unveiling of the 2010 season Oregon Ducks spirit tee, which you can now see at left. Do you have your “Quack Out Loud” t-shirt yet? If not, you’d better get it today, in time for tomorrow’s kick-off! The Ducks take on the New Mexico Lobos tomorrow at 12:30 pm at Autzen Stadium. How do you think the Ducks will do this year? The general consensus seems to be that they’ll do alright; they’ve been ranked 11th in the nation in the Associated Press and USA Today polls. Regardless of how the Ducks’ season plays...