We had fun, fellowship and stimulating conversations during our inaugural "Last Thursday" Evening MeetUp
Club members were joined by visiting Rotarian PP Bijoya Mishra of the RC of Bhubaneswas, Orissa, India. She is in San Jose for about 6 months staying with her daughter who also joined our MeetUp. We learned that her club is for women only (men are allowed to visit); their current membership is about 45. Dr. Mishra, retired from a career as a professor of chemistry, has turned her energy to chairing her club's Literacy Committee. It was because we had an evening meeting that she was able to join us however she hopes to visit a lunch meeting in the near future.
Last Thursday Monthly Meetups - Informal, No Host Social
evenings - bring in members who can't attend at lunch time
support local businesses by meeting at a different restaurant each month
be more visible in the community
social time with fellow Rotarians
chat about our club projects with newcomers/visitors at the Meetup
potential for new members
MeetUp Events are available at https://www.meetup.com/Rotary-Club-of-San-Jose-East-Evergreen/
Rotary's goal of worldwide peace and tolerance has been an unwavering pursuit: conducting global forums, hosting international peace symposiums, advancing peace through its 60-year collaboration with the UN, as well as grassroots initiatives such as the Rotarian Action Group for Peace.
But Rotary's most significant effort to wage peace is the Rotary Peace Centers program, established in 2002. Each year, the program trains some of the world's most dedicated and brightest professionals, preparing them to promote national and international cooperation and to resolve conflict. They include graduates of a two-year master's degree program and a three-month professional certificate program at Rotary's partner universities.
Today, more than 900 peace fellows are applying their expertise in various fields. They're settling border conflicts in West Africa, developing aid programs at the World Bank, drafting legislation to protect exploited children in Brazil, providing security for U.S. diplomats, and many other career paths devoted to peace.
23 February — Rotary's anniversary
Rotary's 108th anniversary on 23 February marks a year of both achievements in the fight to eradicate polio and a stepped-up commitment to finish the job.
Worldwide, 222 polio cases were reported in 2012, a little more than one-third of the 650 cases reported in 2011. India marked its second year without polio on 13 January. Overall, the annual incidence of polio has decreased more than 99 percent since the Global Polio Eradication Initiative was launched in 1988. Then polio infected about 350,000 children per year.
Although the wild poliovirus is now endemic only in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria, it could spread from there back to other countries.
Among Rotary's chief responsibilities in the eradication initiative is advocacy, an increasingly important element of this latter stage of the effort. In addition to contributing more than US$1 billion to the GPEI, Rotary has helped secure over $9 billion from donor governments since the initiative began in 1988. Rotary is boosting its advocacy work in the 200 countries and regions where Rotary clubs exist to encourage every national government to help meet a $700 million shortfall (as of 1 February) in funding the GPEI through 2013.
2019-20 Rotary International President Mark Daniel Maloney is urging leaders to grow Rotary by creating new Rotary and Rotaract clubs that take advantage of innovative membership models.
In his speech to incoming leaders at the annual training event in San Diego, California, USA, Monday, Maloney said “The first emphasis is to grow Rotary — to grow our service, to grow the impact of our projects, but most importantly, to grow our membership so that we can achieve more."
During the 2016 Council on Legislation, delegates voted to give Rotary clubs more freedom to decide when, where, and how they meet and the types of membership they offer. Clubs that have taken advantage of the new club flexibility options have reported increased membership; greater diversity in age, professions, and experience; and more engaged members.
