Rotary Colleagues – I want to share a great article that appeared on the front page of the Life section in the Eugene Register-Guard on February 21. Ed is a wonderful friend and Rotarian in my club.  The first we heard him talk about his polio history was when he gave his Bio as part of our Red Badge program – we were stunned, amazed, and moved beyond words when we heard about what he went through and his hard work to do what the doctors said he couldn’t do.  This article only touches the surface of Ed’s determination and accomplishment! After hearing him at our club, I asked if he...

In honor of Rotary’s birthday on 23 February, online contributions of US$100 or more to the Annual Programs Fund will receive double recognition credit. To be eligible for the credit, Rotarians must be registered in the secure Member Access section of www.rotary.org . The registration process can take 24 hours, so register before 23 February. Making a secure online gift is the most cost-effective and efficient way to support The Rotary Foundation’s life-changing programs. For more information, e-mail RI’s Contact Center at contact.center@rotary.org or call 866-976-8279. ...

Don’t miss your chance to purchase some great auction items, while funding scholarships for students, at the 2011 Rotary Foundation Dinner & Auction on February 25 at The Holiday Inn in Springfield. Here’s a taste of some of the items available at this year’s auction: Trip for two to the Newport Seafood & Wine Festival 2012. Trip includes: (2) 3-Day Festival Packages and (2) night stay in condo at Nye Beach in Newport. 2 Round Trip Airline Tickets to Las Vegas, plus 3 night stay at Worldmark 2 Tickets to “Nike Clash of the Champions” on March 8, 2011 at Matt Knight Arena. Package...

Triggered by an earthquake deep beneath the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004, the so-called Boxing Day Tsunami killed almost 230,000 people in eleven countries, leaving millions homeless and causing billions of dollars in damage. In this photo, a young boy stands proudly by his bicycle in Galle District, Sri Lanka. As the major disaster relief organizations stepped in, Rotary focused on projects addressing rebuilding and recovery. The 62 Rotary clubs in Sri Lanka, where 187 coastal schools were destroyed, raised $12 million to build 25 schools. The international disaster relief charity ShelterBox,...

February is World Understanding Month! This month includes the anniversary of the first meeting of Rotary, which was held on February 23, 1905, and is now designated World Understanding and Peace Day. This month’s newsletter also includes information about the 2011 District 5110 Conference at The Mill Casino Hotel & RV Park in North Bend from April 28 to May 1. Peace is the theme for this year’s conference, something of most importance with what is happening in Egypt the last few weeks. Read the newsletter to learn more.

In this photo, one Rotary volunteer gives an infant just a few doses of vaccine that can help prevent diseases for a lifetime. This photo and more are available in a photo gallery on www.gatesfoundation.org. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation released its 2011 Annual Letter that highlights the progress in the fight to eradicate polio. Gates and Rotary International have kept polio eradication a top priority. “Everywhere I go to learn about polio,” Gates said, “I see Rotary members helping out with the hard work.” In the Annual Letter, Gates acknowledged his foundation...

Want to offer a memorable experience for an exchange student this summer? The deadline for submitting short-term exchange applications for Summer 2011 is February 28. Who is eligible? A student 15-19 years old; who attends high school or is a graduating senior; and whose parents agree to host a foreign student in their home for 3-4 weeks in the summer. Children of Rotarians and non-Rotarians are eligible. For more information, please call Penny Cole at 541-672-0758. Click here to download an application.