When Julia Yank and a team of Rotary members and health workers entered Kaduna, Nigeria, to immunize children against polio they expected to encounter some tough situations. They found one in a mother of three who stubbornly refused to have her children vaccinated.
"She argued with us for over 15 minutes," says Yank, a member of the Rotary Club of St. Clair County Sunset in O'Fallon, Illinois, USA. After the team explained to her the importance of what they were doing, she finally agreed to allow her children to be immunized.
"We were told later that she only consented because of the presence...
In 1996, routine polio immunizations in Nigeria and other African countries were anything but routine. Competing health priorities and lack of funding hampered many governments from putting polio eradication high on their agenda. The drive for a polio-free Africa needed a playmaker.
Enter Nelson Mandela. Herb Brown, Rotary's president in 1995-96, recalls seeking the South African leader's support.
"President Mandela was so gracious and listened as we described the problem," Brown says. "I told him only he had the influence to persuade the countries to resume immunization."
Mandela agreed to...
Rotary will provide a $500,000 emergency response grant to support efforts to stem the recent polio outbreak in Syria. The funds are the first to the World Health Organization in direct support of a Global Polio Eradication Initiative plan to conduct large-scale immunization campaigns in the Middle East.
“It is imperative that we stop this outbreak quickly to protect children in Syria and throughout the region,” says Rotary’s International PolioPlus Committee Chair Robert S. Scott. “Rotary and our partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative are working together with local health...
Mothers play a fundamental role in every culture. But depending on where a mom and baby live, they have a different chance of living or dying, suffering or thriving. In sub-Saharan Africa, one in 39 women will die of pregnancy-related complications, and one in nine children will die before age five. (In developed countries, the likelihood of dying drops to one in 4,700 women and one in 167 children.) Globally, 19,000 children die every day. The Rotary Foundation is working to improve maternal and child health around the world.
Our photo essay explores the Rotary projects that are saving new...
For more than three hours, Typhoon Haiyan violently shook the roof, walls, and windows of Edgar Chiongbian’s house. The heavy winds and flying debris threatened to collapse his home to its foundation at any moment.
After the winds subsided and the rain stopped, he emerged from where he and his family had taken cover and inspected the damage.
“We were one of the lucky families,” says Chiongbian, governor of Rotary District 3860 in the Philippines. “There was no major damage to our house.”
The outcome was very different for communities and towns in central Philippines closer to the sea. One of...
Club Information
Ignite, Engage, Empower - Rotary is You!
Having Fun While Changing Lives
We meet Wednesdays at 12:00 PM
Corpus Christi Country Club
6300 Everhart Rd.
Corpus Christi,
TX 78413-2638 United States
With Christmas so close, I wanted to take a moment to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas!
I am grateful to serve on your side, and that in these challenging times we have had the opportunity to do the work we set on to do and bring some joy and relief to those in need.
To all, a blessed Christmas, and a wonderful holiday season!
Introduction of Visiting Rotarians & Guests: Ellison Crider
Visiting Rotarians included:
Crystal Mead, Corpus Christi, TX
Nick Hallick, Corpus Christi, TX
Charles Heberlie, Lakewood, WA
Guests of Rotarians include:
Megan Grime, Global Grant Scholar to England
Four Way Test: Debbie High
50/50 Raffle:
Winning ticket holder : Tom Cron
Card drawn was not a winner. The pot of $124 rolls over to next week. There are 45 cards left in the deck.
Bragging Bucks:
John Owen bragged about the Packers win over the Cowboys: Glad you had a good time at the game!
Debbie and Joe High bragged about the Southside Rotary Club: Thank you for the support you've given to our family during our time of need!
Marilyn Spencer bragged about the Southside Rotary Club: Thank you for sponsoring families in need during this Christmas season! Because of your generosity, we had enough money to support two families this year! Marilyn Spencer also bragged about Megan Grime and how she's continued attending Rotary even while studying in England. Thank you for visiting the Southside Rotary Club while you were on Christmas break and giving us an update of your experiences there!
President Suzanne Guggenheim bragged about Barbara Krause and presented her with a check to thank Ms. Krause for the great food and customer service she gives us every week at the Corpus Christi Country Club: Thank you Barbara! You are an excellent example to us of service above self!
Rose Shaw Elementary: Bridget Markwood attended this morning the School's Toy Drive that we sponsor: what a wonderful thing to see the joy we bring! Bridget is also working on setting up the Early Act First Knight (EAFK) program at Rose Shaw Elementary. Thank you, Bridget!
PDG Don Ratcliff announced that we still need people to help ring bells for the Salvation Army. Thank you to the volunteers who have signed-up in advance! Please remember to cover your shift this Saturday, December 21st at the new Wal-Mart on Saratoga.
Hand to Honduras update: Tom Plumb is currently serving in Honduras and has been there since October 31st. He is currently recruiting volunteers for February 12-21 and February 21-March 1. There is still a need for financial support to finish the San Martin water project serving 6000 people. Three tanks have been completed, and now they are building the control room to house the filter modules. Items that still need to be financially sponsored are sand and gravel for the filter tank, a pump for the well, and the construction of a pump house. Please consider donating to this year's projects! Donations are tax-deductible and can be sent to Hands to Honduras, PO Box 1733, Port Isabel, TX 78578.
December Birthdays: Richard Espinosa (Dec. 17) and Don Ratcliff (Dec. 20). Happy Birthday!
December Wedding Anniversaries: Joe and Debbie High (Dec. 27). Happy 37th Wedding Anniversary!
Club Anniversaries:
Nancy Foster, 3 years
John Seaman, 11 years
Jim Fowler, 9 years
Perfect Attendance:
Debbie High, 11 years
Reminder: There will be no meetings the next two weeks. Our next Rotary meeting is Wednesday, January 8, 2014. Our guest speaker will be Dr. Mary Hamilton, Dean and Professor of Nursing at Texas A&M--Corpus Christi. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and a blessed holiday season to you and your families!
Christopher Stapper, Dean of Business Affairs at the South Texas School of Christian Studies, spoke to Rotarians about some of the currents happening in leadership studies today. Mr. Stapper talked about the difference between technical and adaptive problems leaders face. Technical problems are easier to identify and solve. Adaptive problems involve more complex systems, and there are often no easy solutions. Mr. Stapper used examples from George Washington's experience as president to discuss how an adaptive problem with the British was handled in U.S. history. It is impossible to know all of the future consequences of our decisions, but leaders need to have the courage to help organizations take the next best step together after considering all of the information available.
Pete Volpe's Financial Report: The stock market was fairly stable today, and the housing market did better than most expected. Investors are still waiting to hear what the Federal Reserve's plan is to address our nation's increasing debt.
