Officers from the Rotary Club of Columbus recently returned from the Rotary International Convention held June 21-25 in Calgary, Canada. Club President Russell Young, President-Elect Jeremy Bandre and Vice President Clear Moore joined 16,000 Rotarians from 140 countries in what is often described as a “mini-United Nations.”
“Rotary brings together people from every corner of the globe, not to erase our differences, but to celebrate them,” Outgoing Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick said. “That’s how we spread peace, because peace is more than the absence of conflict: It’s the presence of understanding.”
One of Rotary’s top three priorities for the coming year is peacebuilding through its focus on authentic relationships at the club level, partnerships for causes like disaster recovery at the district level and global projects that link local Rotary clubs across the globe to help each other address needs within one of the seven areas of focus.
According to Rotary International, its members have carried out “community-driven projects that fight disease, promote peace, provide clean water, support education, help mothers and children, grow local economies and protect the environment. Over … $5.5 billion has been awarded through The Rotary Foundation to support these and other programs worldwide over the last 100 years.”
Addressing these local issues helps to reduce conflict and build friendships, which ultimately support the peace priority.
The second priority for the coming year is membership. Bandre said talking to worldwide clubs helped him learn new facets of creating a valuable member experience. Young said talking to other clubs gave him ideas to bring back to Columbus.
In addition to Rotary’s emphasis on the member experience and peace building, incoming International President Francesco Arrezo said in a letter to all 1.2 million Rotarians, “We are closer than ever to ending polio. We cannot stop now. We must keep the promise we made to the children of the world,” emphasizing the third priority for the coming year.
Vice President of the Rotary Club of Columbus Clear Moore has a personal connection to the fight to end polio.
“My grand-uncle, who I lived next door to as a child, was a polio survivor and disabled for the remainder of his life,” Moore said. “Polio will be only the second disease in human history that has been eradicated, with the first being small pox, thanks to Rotary and its partners. I feel very grateful to be part of this effort for the sake of future generations that won’t have to suffer like my uncle did.”
The Rotary Club of Columbus meets at noon every Tuesday at Lion Hills Country Club. It is committed to serving our local community through its service projects and providing business networking opportunities and friendship for members. If you would like more information or to visit a meeting, please message the club through its Facebook page.
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