State of Rotary World - District 7020

Our district extends some 5,000 miles from the Ural Mountains to the Yukon Territory and includes 11 time zones.  We speak 3 languages:  Russian, English and Canadian. Eh?  In fact, we are the largest Rotary district in the world – nay in the galaxy.  And a more modest bunch of people you could never hope to meet.

I am honored to represent President Ray and Judy Klinginsmith at your conference this weekend and to bring you their personal greetings and best wishes.  I know that, if it were possible, President Ray would be standing here today in my place.  Instead, we are together today: District 7020, the 80 clubs that make up this district, and you who represent the approximately 2600 Rotarians in District 7020. 

Here we are in St. Thomas.  It is your special time to gain new and current information about Rotary and its programs; to allow for the interchange of ideas and opportunities to give service, and to conduct the business of your district.  You will return home cheered by the good work of times gone by, and motivated and inspired to embrace the opportunities ahead.

With so many committed Rotary leaders present today, President Ray sees this as an ideal opportunity for me to report briefly on “The State of Rotary.”   I remember that the last time I spoke on this subject, several people in the back of the room said they could not hear me.  At which point, five people in the front row got up and moved to the back.  One gentleman in the front row, however, missed the entire interaction because he was dozing.  In fact, his snoring was distracting me.  So I had someone nudge him and I said: “Excuse me.  Do you have to sleep while I’m speaking?”  “No,” he answered, “but it helps.”

Yet, if we are successfully to build our communities and bridge continents this year and in the future, then we must periodically pause and take the pulse of our organization.  We must ask ourselves:  “How are we doing?”
It was more than 20 years ago that the Rotary International Board of Directors, for the first time ever, adopted a corporate project:  to eradicate Polio from the face of the earth.  In the past 20+ years, over 20 million volunteers have immunized over 2 billion children in 200 countries.  Five million people who would otherwise have been paralyzed will be walking because they have been immunized against polio.  By the time the world is certified polio-free, Rotary contributions to polio eradication will be over US$1.2 billion.  The eradication of Polio worldwide continues to be Rotary International’s and the Rotary Foundation’s priority.

At the beginning of the PolioPlus campaign only 10% of the world’s children lived in a Polio-free world.  Today over 70% of the world’s children live in a Polio-free world.  The number of cases of polio has declined by 99% since Rotary launched the PolioPlus program. The Americas were declared free from polio in 1994, as well as the Western Pacific region in 2000 and Europe in 2002. 210 countries, territories and areas are now polio-free.  There are still 4 nations where Polio is endemic.  In the English language, the first letters of these 4 countries spell the word “pain”.  They are: Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Nigeria.  The news in 2010 and 2011 is extremely encouraging.  India is “this close” to eradicating polio.  India reported only 42 cases in 2010 as compared to 741 cases in 2009.  Only one case has been reported in 2011 as of 1 March.

Polio has already been eradicated from the United States.  So, does that mean Rotarians in the U.S. no longer need concern themselves with the issue of Polio?  I believe you already know the answer to that question.  The last reported case of polio in Russia was in Chechnya in 1996.  Until.  Until,  13 May 2010, when several news outlets reported a new case of Polio in Russia.  According to the World Health Organization, type 1 polio was isolated on 11 May in a paralyzed child from Tajikistan in Angarsk.  It appears the child is a 3-year old girl who arrived with her family from Tajikistan.  It is therefore likely that the child contracted the virus in Tajikistan, and not in Russia.

These most recent reports of polio in Russia and Tajikistan emphasize what we logically already know.  Polio does not carry a passport; Polio is not tagged with national citizenship; it is no respecter of political borders.  The reports in Russia underscore the risk polio continues to pose to children everywhere until the disease is stopped everywhere.  So, in truth, the U.S. is not Polio-free; Russia is not Polio-free.  Our country and all the other nations in the world will never be Polio-free as long as there is one child who carries the Polio virus. 

Rotarians are leading the world in waging a global campaign to eradicate Polio.  We still need your help.  The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has given us $355,000,000 so that we can win this battle against Polio.  From now until 30 June 2012, we will meet the Gates Challenge with our own:  to raise and spend a matching $200,000,000 for PolioPlus.  Last year at my own district conference, the continuing focus was to raise money to help Rotary meet the Gates Challenge.  During the 3-day conference, one Rotarian was so moved that he came up 3 times and handed over $1,000 each time for a total contribution of $3,000 to end polio now.  This was a major contribution but what made it even more special is that the donor was neither American nor Canadian.  He was one of our Rotarians from eastern Russia.

I understand that not all of us have the economic means to make such a generous contribution – me included.  But, let me tell you a story.

Stacey Keane is an American professional basketball player who played for the Chicago Bulls team at the same time that Michael Jordan played for the same team.  At that time, Jordan was arguably the best player in basketball.  The coach never ever put Stacey in the game.  Finally, Stacey had his chance.  He played briefly and he scored one point.  On the same evening, Michael Jordan – arguably the best basketball player of all time -- scored a career high 69 points.  After the game, the sports writers asked Stacey how he felt about finally getting to play.  Stacey replied, “I’ll never forget the night that Michael Jordan and I combined to score 70 points.” 

It is easy to look at one’s personal circumstances or the economy of one’s country and feel that this Foundation goal of $200,000,000 is elusive and forever unreachable in your district.  I ask you to remember Stacey Keane.  Like Stacey Keane, your contribution – whatever the contribution – combines with other Rotary contributions to make us all winners.  To date, we have raised $165,000,000 towards our challenge goal.  Like Stacey Keane and Michael Jordan, our combined efforts make the difference in supporting the Foundation and in making a difference in our communities and in the Rotary world.

We are so very close to eradicating this virus.  Your support will help us move closer to the day when we do indeed have a Polio-free world and when you can begin each day knowing with absolute certainty that your children and grandchildren and great grandchildren will never ever have Polio. 

Change is also in the air at Rotary International with the hiring of a new general secretary.  First, from a field of 440 candidates, Rotary International has named attorney John Hewko to serve as its next General Secretary, effective 1 July 2011.  Hewko has extensive international experience in both the private and public sectors, and speaks six languages.  He will play a lead role in the implementation of the organization’s newly revised strategic plan that envisions Rotary’s expanded engagement in areas such as maternal and child health, water and sanitation, disease prevention and treatment, basic education and literacy, economic and community development, and peace studies and conflict prevention/resolution. His tenure could also see the successful conclusion of Rotary’s principal humanitarian initiative: its 25-year campaign to eradicate the crippling disease polio, a goal that is more than 99 percent complete.

Hewko also will interact with government and business leaders to enhance Rotary’s global visibility and forge new strategic partnerships worldwide to achieve common objectives and maximize the use of resources. He also will work to expand and strengthen Rotary’s current relationship with organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and others. 

Finally, I want to report to you about the state of the Rotary Foundation.  For about 10 years, the Rotary Foundation and its grants programs had benefited from a strong global economy.  Rotarians were surprised and disappointed almost 3 years ago to learn that the available money for grants had been dramatically reduced – thanks to the global economic crisis.  No matter how our moneys had been invested, no investments were safe. 

I am pleased to report today that the economy has taken a positive turn.  We are not yet back to where we were 2 years ago but our investment earnings have improved.  The Trustees of the Rotary Foundation allocated US $21,500,000 for the Foundation matching grants programs in 2010-2011.  This is the most money ever ever allocated for the matching grants programs.  In addition, only 431 districts were eligible to apply for this money.  (The 100 districts that are in the Future Vision Pilot program did not have access to this money.)

Secondly, this month the Trustees of the Rotary Foundation have named the next and newest Rotary Peace Center.  Over one hundred universities worldwide expressed interest in being considered for this prestigious opportunity to provide a master’s degree program in peace and conflict resolution.  Out of that initial interest, 15 likely candidates were selected to submit a proposal.  The Trustees authorized site visits to the top five candidates; received the report and recommendation from the Peace Centers Committee; and took their decision.  The official announcement of the finalist will be made next month at the international convention in New Orleans.  It is anticipated that candidates will be able to apply this year for entrance into the class of 2012-2014.

These are truly exciting times to be a Rotarian, aren’t they?!

In closing, I want you to know how honored I am that your governor approached me last year and invited me to celebrate your Rotary year at this conference.  I wish you every success this weekend and for the remainder of this Rotary year and I remind you of the very special words of Mahatma Gandhi:

“I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”

I thank you for letting me share this Rotary message.