Rotarians celebrate centennial year in Chicago
JIM DE BOOM
The Rotary International Centennial Convention began last Saturday
with a parade of countries, consisting of 25 floats and more than
3,000 walkers dressed in the colorful costumes of their countries.
The parade route was six and seven people deep, causing a traffic
tie-up on Lakeshore Drive as traffic was diverted to accommodate the
parade.
The House of Friendship opened at Chicago’s McCormick Place with
exhibits from Rotary Clubs promoting community service programs
around the world, vendors with Rotary-licensed merchandise and
locations to meet new friends.
Saturday evening’s events included a Rotary tradition in which
Rotary members from the Chicago area hosted convention-goers from 150
countries into their own homes for dinner and to sample American home
life. Rotary clubs from the north Chicago suburbs hosted 350 visitors
for a tent dinner and a live broadcast of “A Prairie Home Companion”
radio show.
Sunday began at the Rotary International Convention with 800
runners and 3,000 plus walkers who participated in an 8K run and 5K
walk, raising funds to eradicate polio while enjoying a sunny morning
along the shores of Lake Michigan. Walkers included Newport-Balboa
Rotarians Nan Raney and Roger and Sheila McGonegal, to name a few.
Because of the large number of convention registrants, Sunday’s
opening session, ‘Celebrating a Century of Service,’ was repeated
three times at the McCormick Place Convention Center. Via videotape,
Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley welcomed the international visitors to
Chicago; United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan thanked Rotary
for its worldwide efforts to eradicate polio; and President George
Bush thanked Rotarians for their humanitarian work at home and
abroad.
Rotary International President Glenn E. Estess Sr. of Birmingham,
Ala., acknowledged the work of fellow Service Clubs including
Soroptimists, Lions, Kiwanis and Exchange.
Sunday night, more than 200 Rotarians from Orange County,
including members of the Newport-Balboa, Newport Irvine and Newport
Sunrise clubs gathered at D’Agostino’s Italian restaurant near
Wrigley Field for dinner and fellowship.
Monday began with the Far West Breakfast with 1,800 Rotarians from
the western part of the United States and Canada and their spouses
arriving at McCormick Place at 6:45 a.m. for a two-hour program.
At Monday’s plenary session, Rotary’s service efforts over its
first 100 years were reviewed and celebrated decade by decade. The
speaker for the day was billionaire Ted Turner, whose father was a
Rotarian.
From memory, Turner recited Rotary’s Four-Way Test and motto, “He
who profits most, serves the best,” and said they played a key role
in his business making decisions.
Turner thanked Rotary for its leadership in providing polio
vaccines to two billion children around the world and appreciated the
opportunity to support the effort with his donation of $32 million,
noting it will be the second disease to be eliminated worldwide after
smallpox.
Rotary International General Secretary Ed Futa addressed the
opening session of the Centennial Convention on Tuesday,
acknowledging that 1.2 million Rotarians during the past year donated
25 million hours and more than a billion dollars to community service
projects in 168 countries of the world.
Eric Motley, the 1997-98 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, gave a
speech (“Living Up To Your Inheritance”) that led us through his life
growing up 40 miles outside of Birmingham, Ala., in a racially
isolated community, where few graduated from high school, and no one
had gone to college.
Motley attended and graduated from a local four-year college
before receiving a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship. That allowed him
to go to the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where -- with
assistance for an additional year -- he graduated with his doctorate.
Motley now serves as special assistant to President Bush and
associate director of the Office of Presidential Personnel in the
White House.
“What we inherit is principles and people,” Motley reminded the
convention delegates, thanking his family, his community and Rotary
for giving him principles and people who helped him along the way.
In a series of multimedia productions, Rotary Foundation efforts
around the world in literacy, health care and environment were
featured. More than two billion children around the world have
received the polio vaccine, thanks to Rotarians and the $600 million
they have donated and raised.
Dr. J.W. Lee, director-general of the World Health Organization,
acknowledged Rotary’s 20-year campaign and partnership with his
organization, the Centers for Disease Control and UNICEF in
eliminating the dreaded disease.
Wangari Maathai, the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, addressed
Wednesday’s plenary session, noting that “Rotarians act with passion,
consistency and respect in their service to their communities and the
world.”
Carl Wilhelm Stenhammar of Goteborg, Sweden, was elected president
of Rotary International for 2005-06, while William B. Boyd of
Auckland, New Zealand, was elected President-Nominee for 2006-07.
Stenhammar made a proposal to increase Rotary’s Youth Exchange
program as a peace-building activity.
“When a 17-year-old lives in a foreign country with a family for
three weeks, they get different life experience and find that all
want the same, opportunity and respect,” he said.
The convention closed Wednesday night with speeches and concerts
by the Wheaton Gospel Choir and Cook, Dixon and Young, formerly known
at the “Three Mo’ Tenors.” The convention delegates sang “Auld Lange
Syne” to close out a very successful convention.
SERVICE CLUB
MEETINGS THIS WEEK
Help your community and the world through a service club! For
many, service club membership is an extension of our religious
beliefs and congregation affiliation.
You are invited to attend a service club meeting this coming week
to learn more about opportunities for service. Most clubs will buy
your first meal for you as you get acquainted with them.
TUESDAY
Noon: The Rotary Club of Costa Mesa, now in organization with 15
members, has moved its meeting location to the Club House at South
Coast Plaza.
6:30 p.m.: The 48-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club meets
at the Five Crowns restaurant for the Demotion Party honoring
President Fay Bosler (www.newportbeach sunriserotary.org).
WEDNESDAY
7:30 a.m.: The Newport Harbor Kiwanis Club will meet at the
University Athletic Club.
Noon: The Exchange Club of the Orange Coast meets at the Bahia
Corinthian Yacht Club for a business meeting.
6:15 p.m.: The Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa meets at the Bahia
Corinthian Yacht Club for the Demotion Party, honoring President Kim
DeBroux (www.newportbalboa.org).
THURSDAY
7 a.m.: The 20-member Costa Mesa Orange Coast Lions Club meets at
Mimi’s Cafe.
Noon: The 50-member Costa Mesa Kiwanis Club will meet at the
Holiday Inn (www.kiwanis.org/club /costamesa); the 50-member Kiwanis
Club of Newport Beach/Corona del Mar meets at the Bahia Corinthian
Yacht Club (www.nhexchangeclub.com); the 85-member Exchange Club of
Newport Harbor meets at the Nautical Museum for a ladies day
luncheon, featuring a program by Dr. Ferre Akbarpus on women’s
medical issues (www.nhexchangeclub.com); the 100-member Rotary Club
of Newport Irvine meets at the Radisson Hotel for craft talks
(www.nirotary.org).
* COMMUNITY & CLUBS is published Saturdays in the Daily Pilot.
Send your service club’s meeting information by fax to (714) 921-8655
or by e-mail to jdeboom@aol.com.
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