The District 5110 November newsletter is now available. This month’s theme is the Rotary Foundation, but the newsletter also features news about Rotary happenings all around our District. Here are just a few things you’ll find in this month’s edition: DG Claire Little explains why your donations to the Rotary Foundation are so worthwhile District 5110 Polio Eradication Chair Harriet Schloer recaps the gifts of Rotarians during the week leading up to World Polio Day Rotaract Clubs are starting to be revived on the Oregon State University and University of Oregon campuses Learn...

Chances are, you’ve at least heard of Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. There’s also a good chance you actively use one or all of those social networking sites. If you have some form of personal social media account, you can connect with Rotary online. Rotary’s social media presence does not exist simply to broadcast information to Rotarians, but to serve as a platform allowing Rotarians to share their ideas, meet one another, recruit new members and bring the Rotary experience online. Still not convinced that social media are changing the way we communicate? Watch this video, explaining...

Halloween is officially celebrated on Sunday, but local businesses and community organizations are starting the fun today. If you’re looking for a way to celebrate Halloween with your family, take a look at some of this weekend’s events in Eugene. Thanks to Travel Lane County for compiling these events; if you’re looking for more weekend fun, take a look at their upcoming events calendar. Halloween Events in the Eugene-Springfield Area From 4:30-7:30 pm this evening, head to Petersen Barn Community Center (870 Berntzen Rd., Eugene; 541-682-5521) to celebrate fall with carnival...

The deadline for Rotary Youth Exchange Applications is this coming Sunday, October 31. If you know of a student who might be interested in participating in the 2011-2012 Youth Exchange, encourage them to apply! The Youth Exchange is an opportunity for young people to immerse themselves in another culture and part of the world for an extended period of time. Students spend up to a year living with a host family and attending school in another country. Students can choose to participate in the short-term or long-term program, but regardless of the program they choose, will come away from the experience...

Sunday is World Polio Day. As you might know, Rotary International is dedicated to the fight to eradicate polio worldwide, and The Rotary Foundation’s PolioPlus funds help control outbreaks worldwide. There is still much work to be done, but Rotarians’ efforts are making a difference. Carol Pandak, manager of The Rotary Foundation’s PolioPlus division, notes that Rotary “is the only organization with a mechanism to respond immediately to outbreaks” and that “Rotary funding allows activities to move forward right away,” ensuring that outbreaks can be contained...

World Polio Day is October 24, so in the days leading up to it, The Rotary Foundation is offering double Paul Harris Fellow Recognition Points when you make an online donation to the Foundation of $100 or more. Paul Harris Fellows are those Rotarians committed to making a significant difference in the world through supporting Rotary’s Annual Programs Fund, PolioPlus or the Humanitarian Grants Program through donations of $1,000 or more. If you’re working toward becoming a Paul Harris Fellow, or simply want to join Rotary’s efforts to eradicate polio worldwide, consider donating...

Now that they’re ranked #2 in the nation, the Oregon Ducks football team gets a lot of attention in and around Eugene. But, they’re not the only top-tier athletic program competing in green and yellow this fall. The Oregon men’s and women’s cross-country teams are also making their mark on the national scene. The men’s team has finished first in both meets they’ve run, and the women have come away with one first-place and one second-place finish. Tomorrow, you can see the Ducks run in their only regular home cross-country meet of the season on Pre’s Trail...

The annual Great Rotary Duck Race was held this past Saturday, and 68,308 rubber ducks floated down the Willamette River to win prizes for their “owners” and, more importantly, raise money for five area child-abuse prevention agencies. Thanks to the generous donations of Rotarians and community members who purchased ducks for the race, over $340,000 was raised for local organizations Birth to Three, Center for Community Counseling, Relief Nursery, Direction Service and Womenspace. We’ll post pictures here on the blog soon, but in the meantime, be sure to relive all of the fun...

The child from Sri Lanka in the photo at left represents just one of the millions worldwide who have benefitted from the Rotary Foundation’s efforts. The Rotary Foundation exists to “advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty,” according to the article below which articulates the top five reasons you should donate to the Rotary foundation: By Antoinette Tuscano There are as many reasons to support The Rotary Foundation as there are ways to do good in the world. By contributing to...

One of the best ways to learn about what’s happening around our District and in Rotary is by reading the District 5110 monthly newsletters; all are packed with important information and interesting stories about your fellow Rotarians and the work they do. The October newsletter is now available. It features a note from DG Claire Little, who discusses Rotary’s Vocational Service Month. You can also learn more about a unique fundraiser held by the Shasta Valley Rotary Club (the picture at left might give you a clue), hear from a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar and get more important information...