Rotary International Director John Blount

We tend to think as Rotarians in the club sphere that our leaders in Evanston are in another world.  However they are not and put it simply they are Rotarians like you and I.  We had the enormous pleasure of meeting one of the 17 people who make up the Rotary International board at Orange for the District 9700 conference.  RID John Blount is a real character and very amusing with a wicked sense of humour.  John is a dentist and a great public speaker.

I upload here a video on some of what John is capable of doing just play the whole video and you will see what I mean.  John is a whole lot of fun!!!

RI Director John Blount E-Brief #1 from Sebastopol Rotary Club on Vimeo.

Japanese authorities express ‘deepest respect’ for ShelterBox’s work

L/R: Kahoh (9 years old ), Rah (father, Rie Hatakeyama (mother) and 11 month old Yasushi.

Lifesaving aid from ShelterBox is helping families in Japan as they begin to rebuild their lives after the earthquake and tsunami that hit the country on March 11.

The charity’s work is being welcomed by officials in Japan’s Prefectural government system who say ShelterBoxes will be used to provide emergency assistance to the most vulnerable.

Takanori Hirai, Director of the Climate Change and Energy Policy Division for the Iwate Prefectural Government said: ‘We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kind donation of ShelterBoxes after Japan’s horrible earthquake and tsunami disaster.

‘These ShelterBoxes will be used in a variety of ways; as shelters in the affected areas, protecting the privacy of those living in shelters and creating a space for families to live in.

‘We have the deepest respect for the efforts that ShelterBox is carrying out throughout the world. We hope that your organisation will grow even larger in the future.’

ShelterBox in Japan

Bingo in Coolamon a Community Project

Ray Foley hard at it; we are going to miss you Ray!

Here is one of the many projects that we support in our small community, Bingo, every second Thursday in the month.  The funds we raise go towards supplying itenms of need for the local hospital.  This year we will be buying television sets for some of the rooms.

The Meaning of Life

The Meaning of Life !!
by Santé et beauté pour tous!!

Thanks to Jon Deisher from Anchorage in Aalska for this one.

The illustrations and the captions are from the book “Be Happy: A Little Book to Help You Live a Happy Life” (2007) by Monica Sheehan. The music is “Cuore di Sabbia” (Sand Heart) by Pasq…uale Catalano, from the soundtrack of the movie “Mine Vaganti” (2010) (Loose Cannons) directed by Ferzan Ozpetek

Rotary 106 Celebrations Around the World

Kanazawa Castle in Kanazawa, Japan, is illuminated with an End Polio Now message.

Photo by Mattia Salvi.

I conic landmarks around the world served as the backdrop for the End Polio Now message the week of 23 February in honor of Rotary’s 106th anniversary. They included the Trevi Fountain in Rome; a Lantern Festival gate in Taiwan; the parliament building in The Hague; the globe of the SM Mall of Asia in Manila, Philippines; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation headquarters in Seattle, Washington, USA; Byblos Castle in Byblos, Lebanon; and the soccer stadium in Cape Town, South Africa, among others.