×
×
homepage logo
STORE

Rotary Happenings: Visitors from across the pond

By Staff | Jan 14, 2015

One of the very best things about season on the Island is that we have visitors from all areas of the country and around the globe dropping in at our Friday morning meetings.

So, it was no surprise that this first meeting of the year to find Rotarians from Germany and New Hampshire in the house.

But what was a surprise for both club Rotarians and our visiting Rotarian from Bruchsal-Schonborn, Germany was that our club President, Bill Rahe greeted the fellow in perfect German.

Our other distinguished visitor was out-going Rotary District #7870 Assistant Governor, David Countway, Rotary Club of Alton Centennial and his wife Sylvia vacationing on the Island for the next month.

Countway told us that one of the great highlights of his three-year term in office was the couples visit to the Pakistan-India Wahga as Goodwill Ambassadors from the US at the world famous “Change of Guards” ceremony on the Pakistan-India border.

The Rotary Club of Lahore Garrison organized the visit to Pakistan-India to honor Rotarians across the globe for their dedication to the eradication of Polio from this area of the world.

A quote from the groups blog: “End Polio Now” banners were displayed throughout the ceremony and visiting dignitaries from the area were all photographed with pictures and banners being sent back home.

The polio awareness banners were seen on both sides of the Pakistan-India border.”

Getting the word out educates the population of hard to reach areas of the world on the necessity to allow children to receive the polio vaccine.

David and Sylvia’s visit also included opportunities to take part in oral polio vaccine immunizations events, a visit to the SOS (Save Our Souls) Children’s Village Hospital and Clapp Hospital the world’s largest cleft surgery center.

A quote from the Medical News on-line”Today, the Polio virus is considered endemic in only three countries – Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan, where the vaccination campaign has been attacked by Islamists and tribal leaders.

The refugee crisis in Syria is considered another potential source of infection, as the vaccination program there has been disrupted by war. Health watchdogs are worried for unvaccinated children in those countries and in neighboring countries where the vaccination guard may have slipped”.

Last May, the WHO declared that polio had returned as a “public health emergency” after three cases of cross-border transmission of polio were detected between January and April – from Pakistan to Afghanistan, Syria to Iraq and Cameroon to Equatorial Guinea”.

Rotary International continues with their commitment to wiping out this terrible disease around the globe and with the help of many continues to support immunization events in some of the most remote villages throughout the world.

Fundraising events help Sanibel-Captiva Rotary provide the financial support to both Rotary International prime projects but also to a plethora of local community projects and organizations. So, please get out your new 2015 calendars and write down these Rotary Fundraising

Event dates:

On Feb. 14-15, the Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club Arts & Crafts Fair known as one of most outstanding Arts Fairs in the region.

April 9: NEW EVENTSanibel-Captiva Rotary presents a live theater production of UNSINKABLE WOMEN, an original play written by and performed by New York actress, Deborah Jean Templin.

Ms. Templin takes us back in time to the aftermath following the tragic sinking of the Titanic. Women and children were sent to the lifeboats first, while their loved ones husbands, fathers, friends and crew went down with the ship.

What happened to these women? This is the story told in UNSINKABLE WOMEN presented at BIG ARTS Schein Hall on April 9thproceeds to benefit:

Local Community non-profitsSanibel Historical Museum and Village, Human Trafficking Partnership, and BIG ARTS. Tickets $55 includes after-performance Dessert ReceptionTickets- On Sale Now- at BIG ARTS, Sanibel 395-0900.

The Sanibel-Captiva Rotary meets at 7 a.m., every Friday morning, at the Dunes Golf & Tennis Club, Sanibel. Guests are always welcomed.