John J Glassford 2012-13 Theme Address from Rotary International on Vimeo.
“Peace, in all of the ways that we can understand it, is a real goal and a realistic goal for Rotary,” he said. “Peace is not something that can only be achieved through agreements, by governments, or through heroic struggles. It is something that we can find and that we can achieve, every day and in many simple ways.”
Peace has different meanings for different people, Tanaka said.
An excerpt from this weeks Bay Breezes the weekly bulletin of our twin club Hout Bay Rotary Club.
Watching the cricket reminded me of the importance of being in a team. Each individual, and we all are individuals, play a part.In cricket you have batsmen, bowlers and fielders together with a Captain, Vice Captain, Coach etc; in Rotary its a little simpler,yes we have a team and a Board with a President. Where we fundamentally differ is that in cricket most of the roles played arethose played by individuals whereas in Rotary we really are a team, Yes of course we have “averages’ and frequently we getmoved up the “batting” order and have a magnificent “innings” but its the team that is the winner always.
We were very fortunate to have a team visit us from Australia and what amazing averages they all had, some were great batsmen and achieved great “heights” ( apology to the climbers) others magnificent fielders (further apology to those unsuccessfulclimbers) with one handicapped but able to achieve a memorable innings (thanks Mary). Our visiting Australians were actually more than amazing when you consider the very substantial personal sacrifices made by each of them to travel to Africa. This was a team of greats, it was a team of Rotarians who were just perfect team members and the amazing part of this whole story is that unlike cricket, where a team playing against a fantastic Australian bunch as we had would lose, Hout Bay Rotary WON.
Don Peters President Hout Bay Rotary Club and trustee Nonceba.
My response is to say the feeling is very mutual and we will never forget the hospitality that these wonderful Rotarians showed us in Hout Bay in December. We look forward to returning the favour one day Hout Bay. You do remarkable work and epitomise what Rotary is all about; GOOD ON YOU.
A video message from RI President Kalyan Banerjee
Rotary celebrates India’s first polio-free year. from Rotary International on Vimeo.
Rotary Peace Fellow Alumni, Louisa Dow, works for Habitat for Humanity coordinating partnerships that lead to permanent housing for Haitians effected by disaster and conflict. The issue of housing, for Dow, is an important sector of Peace and Conflict resolution. Duke/UNC Rotary Peace Fellow Alumni Louisa Dow now working for Habitat for Humanity in Haiti.
Shelter For Peace from Rotary International on Vimeo.
Rotary wins an award at this years Rose Parade in California on January 2nd. RI President Kalyan Banerjee and his wife Binota were on the float.
One of the most heart wrenching places to visit in Cape Town is the Nonceba project. It is also a place of hope for the future of these young children who have been traumatised by the “virgin cure”. Please read the web sites below:
Here are some photographs taken during our visit there:
If any Rotary clubs or any other organisation reading this post wants to help maintain this wonderful and essential work in Cape Town please contact us and we will send you a DVD. If you need a talk to your club we will be very happy to be invited and explain what this centre is doing to help the most vulnerable and at risk children on this planet.
We visited our twin club Hout Bay at the end of the adventure and what a time we had with these wonderful people in Hout Bay. Their South African hospitality was second to none and we wanted for nothing. None of us will forget the way we were made to feel at home. There was also serious business to attend to including visiting the Nonceba project and Operation Medical Hope and Coolamon House. I will write more on these visit at a later stage. In the mean time here are a few photographs of our remarkable time in Hout Bay with our centennial twin club members.
Summit day on Mount Margherita. Seven of us started out to climb this mountain for the children of Africa and two made it to the top. Here are some photos of the day Moses and Fred made it. Both Moses and Fred now want to join Rotary and I hope they will. Moses Kashumba and Fred Madden we salute you and thank you for taking the RFFA banner to the third highest mountain in Africa. It was tough and we are told that only 2-3% of those who attempt this climb achieve the summit.
Probably the highlight of the trip for most of us was the welcome we received from the beneficiaries at Mathare. The children, vulnerable and at risk children, orphans in the most part. It was these children that we supported in 2007 by climbing Kilimanjaro through RFFA’s orphan Rescue project in conjunction with Hope World Wide.
It was heartening to visit them again and to witness their remarkable progress in this slum, one of the worst in the world, and to see how their light is shining through like a beacon of hope. Our work is not done here and we would like to think that this coming year we will raise enough funds to see them into secondary school. This project is highly sustainable and must be kept going at all costs.
Here is a video of the fashion parade one event in the day spent at Mathare and the Kidz Club that will never be forgotten by those of us who were privileged to be there.
ENJOY!