We hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. Now, 2011 isn’t far away! If you’re looking for fun, festive ways to ring in the New Year, look no further than the Travel Lane County event calendar. The First Run is a 10K and 5k run/walk event along the Willamette River. You can participate in events on New Year’s Eve or on New Year’s Day, and can enjoy ringing in the New Year with pre- and post-race parties. The events start at Valley River Inn and the race entry fee is $15. For more information, call 541-484-9883. Before you start your New Year’s celebration, you can head to the Lane...

Are you interested in seeing firsthand the work Rotary International does to end polio worldwide? If so, jump at the chance to join a team heading to India, February 15-February 23, 2011. You’ll have the chance to see for yourself just how polio eradication efforts are accomplished and how Rotary is making a difference in another part of the world. India’s government recently announced polio immunization dates in February. It’s short notice, but there is still time to act if you’re interested in going. The polio campaign in India has been a success, thanks in large part...

Check out this photo from the 1923 Rose Parade. This float was entered by the Rotary Club of Pasadena, California and began a longstanding tradition of Rotary involvement in the Rose Parade. On January 1, 2011,  Rotary International float will ride along the parade route and mark the 32nd consecutive year that a Rotary float has been part of the festivities. The Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee was established when Rotary entered a float celebrating its 75th anniversary. Recognizing that the Tournament of Roses and all the events surrounding it provided a wonderful opportunity to spread the...

This Fall marks the first publication of a District 5110 Interact Newsletter! Interact DG Katie Wilson created the first district newsletter, which provides information about upcoming Interact service project and challenges clubs to take on a service project during the holiday season. A few highlights from the newsletter: April 30, 2011 is Rotarians at Work Day. This year, Interact clubs hope to team up with Rotary clubs and do an informal service project benefitting homeless teens in their areas. As IDG Katie puts it, “usually we are so blinded by our own lives that we can’t even see...

The holidays are the perfect time to come together with family and friends – what better way to celebrate than with fun events in our local community? Luckily, the Eugene area is brimming with opportunities to get out of the house, do a little holiday shopping, celebrate the season with those you love and more. Not sure what’s out there? The Register-Guard and Travel Lane County both have detailed event listings that let you in on all the holiday happenings. You can search by day and find all the info you need: location, prices, contact information and more for dance performances, Christmas...

Registration for the 2011 RI Convention – May 21-25, 2011 – in New Orleans is in full swing. If you’re thinking about attending, now is the time to register, as the fee goes up from $300 to $340 after December 15. If you’re already planning to attend, you’re probably looking forward to a week filled with learning about Rotary, its different projects and what’s in store for the future of Rotary. However, if you’re still on the fence, you should take a look at this page on the RI website, which outlines some of the benefits of attending the convention. Not...

The 114th Civil War game will be played tomorrow in Corvallis between the Oregon Ducks and the Oregon State Beavers. Lots of drama surrounds the matchup, as a win for the Ducks would send them to the BCS Championship Game and a win for the Beavers would make them bowl-eligible. ESPN’s College GameDay show will also broadcast live from the Oregon State campus tomorrow morning. While the stakes are a bit higher for the Ducks, the Beavers still have a lot to fight for. With the game on their turf, it’s sure to be an exciting matchup filled with exciting plays no matter which team you’re...

It’s hard to believe, but we’re already in December! With the start of a new month comes a new letter from Rotary International’s 2010-2011 President, Ray Klinginsmith. In this month’s letter, he encourages Rotarians to “keep it simple.” Rather than complicate community or club service projects, Rotarians should remember that they have a simple solution for just about every problem. By building relationships with their fellow Rotarians during weekly club meetings, club and community projects and international service, Rotarians can work together to apply those...