Rotarian’s are constantly coming up with creative new ways to raise money and awareness. Take a look at this story about Don Bauer and his families “Acre of Corn” fundraiser! Don Bauer and his family have been farming in west-central Ohio since 1942. A longtime member of the Rotary Club of Urbana, Bauer recruited 35 farmers last year to help eradicate polio. Through the Acre of Corn club fundraiser that he created and coordinates, the farmers pledge the gross income from 1 acre of their harvest. For full story click here.

The Eugene Airport Rotary Club held its annual breakfast on May 19 to award $26,500 in scholarships to twenty-three local high school and college students. These scholarship monies were raised at this year’s auction thanks to the generous support of our club members and friends. “The 23 scholarship recipients were chosen from a group of 31 applicants,” said John Alvord. The Rotary Club chose the students based upon a variety of categories including dedication to school service, leadership potential, community service outside of school, financial need, and grade point average. While grade...

This week’s Photo Friday highlights two sustainable clean water and sanitation efforts of Rotarians in the Dominican Republic. This photo shows a dripping faucet outside La Ermita school in Moca, Dominican Republic. The school has been rebuilt, repainted, and resupplied by Power Trips, an organization founded by Judy Warrington, past president of the Rotary Club of Oakville, Ontario, Canada. The project also provided bio-sand water filters so children would have at least one place to get clean water in the area. The image below features a woman who uses the water from heavy rains to wash...

This week’s Photo Friday is of a Rotary International sign recently displayed in Lillis Business Complex at the University of Oregon. These guiding principles are the Four-Way Test of the things we think, say, or do. The test, which has been translated into more than 100 languages, asks the following questions: Of the things we think, say or do Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned? For more of Rotary’s guiding principles, please click here.

This week’s Photo Friday features a new pump provided by the International H2O Collaboration at a launch ceremony in Ghana in May. The International H2O Collaboration is a partnership between Rotary International and the U.S Agency For International Development (USAID). Launched in 2009, the International H2O Collaboration works to implement long-term, sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene projects in the developing world. Villages in four regions of Ghana are being equipped with ventilated pit latrines, showers, and boreholes featuring hand pumps and mechanized pipes through the efforts...

Rotary released its new public service announcement, “This Close,” aiming to raise awareness about our 25-year fight against polio. Check out the 60-second spot, and see how it was created with behind-the-scenes footage.   You can watch more Rotary clips by clicking here.

On Friday, February 25, the Eugene Airport Rotary hosted its annual auction to raise funds for deserving high school seniors to attend college. Thanks to your generous support this year, our club will distribute more than $25,000 in scholarships. This brings our total scholarship distribution to $222,600, helping about 213 students over 15 years. Scholarship recipients are able to renew their funds up to three times during their college career. Thus, for some students, Airport Rotary has provided scholarship monies for all four years of their college career. Since the application procedure lacks...

Incase you missed it, prior to the Oscar’s Red Carpet Live show on Sunday, February 27, 2011, ABC News aired this piece showing Rotary’s effort to eradicate polio. This piece does a nice job of sharing our story of why Rotarians are so engaged in the eradication of the disease.

Applications for Rotary Peace Fellowships for those applying in 2011 are now available on the District Peace Fellowship website. We can change lives by identifying outstanding non Rotarians with at least 3-5 years of experience in fields related to peace and conflict resolution. Think big! Returned Peace Corps volunteers? Someone in the local police force? Public administrators? Environmental engineers? Immigration experts? Educators? Someone you met while working on a project in a developing nation? Rotarians should reach out to candidates who demonstrate a commitment to peace and conflict resolution...

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...