2023-05 May

Interact members bring As an Interactor in District fresh perspectives and 5170, I have had the pleasure creativity to projects. of working within my district Their unique viewpoints, in on projects ranging from addition to their tech know- COVID-19 relief to anti-human how and capacity to think trafficking campaigns — all creatively, can assist in of which could not be done the creation of innovative without Rotary’s support. and successful solutions. I hope to see Interactors And Interact members involved in Rotary and may use their substantial Rotaract service projects, social media presence elevating youth voices and to significantly increase ensuring a brighter future.  awareness of Rotary projects, widening Rotary’s — Mehreen Rosmon, California influence and contributing to positive change in their We want to continue to evolve as leaders and let communities. others know what Rotary and Interact are doing — Rafael Barac-Bologa, for the society — not Romania only with our community projects, but also how we develop ourselves in meetings and projects, how family-like our club feels, how we can find help and support in people that we never imagined, and how we can help people that we never thought would need our help. — Eduarda Azeredo Bufalari, Brazil Find more information about working with Interact clubs in the Interact Guide for Rotary Club Sponsors and Advisers, available at rotary.org/get-involved/interact-clubs/details. MAY 2023  ROTARY  49

THE HEALER THE IMAGINE TOUR PERIOD-FRIENDLY TOILETS LAST BITE OURCLUBS “What makes this platform so immer- but had not been able to join because his VIRTUAL VISIT sive is that after just a few sessions, people work schedule prevented him from at- identify with their avatars online and the tending an in-person meeting every week. Into the experiences become personal,” says Ser- “It is a format with an enormous capac- metaverse rano Marín. “It’s quite different from just ity to give greater visibility without limits, taking part in a videoconference.” making the Rotary experience available to Rotary Club of Metaverso everyone,” he says. District 2203, Spain So what’s a Rotary club meeting in the metaverse like? To find out, I planned a Another plus is the fact that it is more Last year, Tana Serrano Marín decided visit in January and got to work creating immersive than videoconferencing, says an avatar on Spatial. You can choose one Carrión Serrano, a 20-year-old law stu- to enter the metaverse. The family law that’s lifelike or experiment with a dif- dent and the son of club founder Serrano attorney in southeastern Spain kept hear- ferent look, as did the club member who Marín. “This is a new concept, quite at- ing about the vast possibilities of the im- appeared as Elvis in the meeting space. I tractive to young people.” mersive, 3D online world where everyone chose the former option. from gamers to harried parents seeking He is adamant that the metaverse is not an escape interact via cartoonlike avatars. When the meeting day arrived, I watched a fad, noting that Nike has a space on a my avatar drop into a pink-purple room platform called Roblox where participants First, a guest speaker at her husband’s with a gaming vibe. I was greeted by club can play games and dress their avatars in Rotary club meeting extolled the virtues member Antonio Carrión Serrano, who Nike apparel. “There are a lot of big proj- of the metaverse. Then, a person on the acted as my guide and interpreter, as the ects involving the metaverse. Businesses district’s membership committee brought club language is Spanish. On a computer, are here,” he says. “It’s a different way of it up. And she watched with interest as keyboard strokes allow you to move, but viewing life. And it’s wonderful for Rotary brands and businesses adopted the tech- the skill can require some finesse. On my to be here.” nology to reach customers. Could it catch early attempts, my avatar appeared to walk on with Rotarians? Serrano Marín and her through others. Another keystroke sent my He led me into the Sala Paz (Peace husband decided to find out. avatar floating in air with strange motions Room), where posters on the walls dis- that looked like swimming. cuss Rotary’s Action Plan, mission, and They started dabbling with Spatial, a causes. At the far end of this long rectan- platform to create virtual spaces. As inter- Another quirk to the club’s meeting gular space, a walkway proceeded out over est grew, they took the idea to district of- space is that there are no private conver- a sea of magenta water. The sky teemed ficials and lined up club officers. They at- sations; everyone can hear you. But that with indigo clouds. I knew it wasn’t real, tended an in-person training session, and allowed me to meet another newcomer to but I couldn’t avoid feeling that one false the Rotary Club of Metaverso (metaverse the metaverse who joined the meeting as a move would plunge me headfirst into a in Spanish) was chartered 28 November guest, Michel Jazzar, a past district gover- pool of lava. with a membership roster of 14 women nor from Lebanon. “This is my first time,” and six men. Most, like Serrano Marín, confessed Jazzar. “It is something new. As A virtual bell on stage rang to begin the are from the city of Murcia, near Spain’s we say in Beirut, ‘New is beautiful.’” meeting. I entered the Sala Paul Harris, an Mediterranean coast. auditorium splashed in a deeper shade of That people can attend easily from purple. On the front wall, a large screen anywhere and fit meetings around busy allowed people to share presentations. schedules is a strength of the platform. The auditorium sloped downward with Member Juanjo Morales Aragón, for in- rows of short square seats on either side stance, says he had heard of Rotary before of a center aisle. Eventually, I figured out 50  ROTARY  MAY 2023

how to click on a seat and sit. A regional members also plan to explore causes they SO YOU’RE READY TO expert discussed mediation and ways to can address in the virtual space. JOIN THE METAVERSE settle disputes peacefully. Occasionally, applause broke out, sending streams of At least one other club meets in this At least two Rotary clubs are red hearts soaring into the air. new domain, the Rotary Club of Taipei meeting in the metaverse, drawn Metaverse, which chartered in June 2022 by a flexible, innovative meeting Serrano Marín says that the club plans in Taiwan and has nearly 40 members. format with potential to attract a face-to-face meetups in addition to its The idea seems to have appeal, judging young and diverse membership. regular virtual meetings. Members carry from the enthusiastic comments from But OK, how does one enter the out service projects in the real world, like across the world on a Rotary Voices blog metaverse exactly? any other club. One of their first projects post that Serrano Marín wrote in Janu- solicited contributions from 17 companies, ary. And Jazzar, the past district governor Choose your avatar which received advertising space in one of from Lebanon, says his own district is dis- You can create your look in a the rooms. The contributions were used cussing a similar club. “The metaverse is platform like Spatial, choosing a to buy coats for 17 children in El Palmar, the future,” says Serrano Marín. “Rotary virtual you that looks like, well, a village near Murcia. Serrano Marín says must be there.” — arnold r. grahl you. Some systems allow you to upload a photo of yourself Illustration by Kathleen Fu to generate a look-a-like. Or you can get adventurous and change up your look entirely. Don’t worry about fancy gear This immersive version of the internet is best experienced with a virtual reality headset, but there’s no need to buy one, or any fancy gear. You can still get a great sense of what it’s all about from your computer or smartphone screen. Keep an open mind Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have gotten familiar with Zoom. And Rotary members have chartered e-clubs. The metaverse, proponents say, is just another step into a virtual realm with the power to connect members from across the world. MAY 2023  ROTARY  51

OUR CLUBS Growing up in Ghana, Gregory Rockson always figured he’d be- WHERE ARE THEY NOW? come a doctor. At least, that’s what his parents expected. The healer “There’s this African thing,” he The 2022-23 Rotary Alumni Global Service Award winner says, “where every family wants at is changing health care in sub-Saharan Africa least one of their children to be a medical doctor.” Gregory Rockson co-founded mPharma to improve the medicine supply chain in Africa. The youngest of five, he believed 52  ROTARY  MAY 2023 that medicine was his calling. But in college, he embarked on a global and academic adventure, supported in part by a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, that revealed a differ- ent path — one where he would make a bigger impact than a single doctor ever could. His college adventure began in perhaps the most unlikely of places for an 18-year-old from West Africa: Fulton, Missouri, population 12,000. His sister had encouraged him to attend college abroad and offered to pay for it. At the time, Rockson was going through a Winston Churchill phase, and the British prime minister had given a famous speech about the Iron Curtain in Fulton on the cam- pus of Westminster College, where there’s now a museum in his honor. “There was all this history and ex- citement about history in one place,” says Rockson. He enrolled in 2009, expecting to go the pre-med route. As part of the core curriculum, he took an early U.S. history course and loved it. “I was the best student in the class, which was very weird for a Ghanaian,” he says with a laugh. It changed everything. With the encouragement of his profes- sors and his adviser, Carolyn Perry, Rockson realized he did not want to become a doctor, which would mean spending another decade in school. Instead, he switched his Gregory Rockson PPIA Junior Summer Institute Fellow, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, 2011 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, University of Copenhagen, 2011-12 B achelor’s in political science, Westminster College, 2012 Photograph by Andrew Esiebo

major to political science and pur- “My life journey has always been about people sued every opportunity he could who’ve taken bets on me, who have seen things find: He served as a legislative in- tern for the New York State Assem- in me I didn’t even know about myself.” bly, participated in a Public Policy and International Affairs fellowship and pharmacies. A doctor could QualityRX, which invests in renova- Hear Rockson at Princeton University, completed prescribe a medication to a patient, tions so that pharmacies can pro- speak at the an internship at the Center for and the patient would visit multiple vide complimentary health care via 2023 Rotary American Progress in Washington, area pharmacies in hopes that the a nurse and virtual doctors, and pa- International D.C., and interned at a think tank in medicine was in stock and not too tients simply pay for prescriptions. Convention in San Francisco. expensive; at one pharmacy a drug “Today, we’ve become the largest Melbourne. could cost twice as much as at an- operator of community pharma- Between those programs, he other, because there was no pricing cies in sub-Saharan Africa,” he says, Register now at came across another opportunity, regulation. “and we deliver medical care to over convention. the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar- 250,000 patients each month.” rotary.org. ship. He applied through the Rotary At 22, he co-founded mPharma Club of Fulton and was soon bound to improve the drug supply chain by Rockson is as modest as they for Denmark, where he would at- working with a network of pharma- come, even as his work is her- tend the University of Copenha- cies to negotiate better prices from alded internationally, with honors gen, hosted by the Rotary Club of pharmaceutical companies and and awards from Bloomberg, the Copenhagen International. There, make drugs available where and Skoll Foundation, the Bill & Me- he organized an initiative called when patients need them. “If con- linda Gates Foundation, and most Six Days of Peace in reference to sumers have access to information, recently, Rotary with its Alumni the Six-Day War between Israel that allows them to decide not to Global Service Award. “My life and its Arab neighbors in 1967. The be a customer of a particular busi- journey has always been about initiative, which included a meet- ness,” he says. “Businesses feel that, people who’ve taken bets on me, ing between Israeli and Palestinian and it forces them to change.” who have seen things in me I didn’t diplomats, garnered so much atten- even know about myself,” he says. tion that Rockson was selected to To help fund the business and “Even when I didn’t think I was join the World Economic Forum’s gather advice, Rockson reached out worthy of their support, they still Global Shapers Community and in- to contacts he’d met at the World gave me that support because they vited to speak at the organization’s Economic Forum. They immediately saw something in me I didn’t see.” annual meeting in Davos, Switzer- saw the potential. In time, some land. He didn’t know it at the time, major pharmaceutical companies Now, he works to find that spark but he was laying the groundwork did as well, along with other inves- in others. “We have well over 1,200 for his career. tors. Today, through mPharma, more employees in the company, and it than 1,000 hospitals and pharma- has always been my joy taking the When Rockson graduated from cies in nine African countries have young, new employees and giving Westminster in 2012, his mind was helped more than 2 million people them opportunities to grow,” he on fire. The U.S. — and the San save on medications. “Without the says. “Because that has been the Francisco Bay Area, where he’d Rotary scholarship that took me to story of my life.” spent time working — was in the Copenhagen, none of this would middle of a tech revolution, and have happened,” says Rockson. But perhaps his greatest joy is he was eager to use his newfound the impact that he’s had on the skills and network to solve prob- It was just the start. Through his health of friends, family, and hun- lems, starting with health care chal- work with mPharma, Rockson saw dreds of thousands of people in Af- lenges in Ghana. that people were using pharma- rica. He says his aging parents are cists for basic health needs. “The two of his most important patients. Growing up, Rockson suffered pharmacist is actually the most ac- “We have two programs for chronic from a number of medical condi- cessible health care worker in the disease management, and my mom tions and spent a lot of time in the community,” he says. His next idea: and dad were among the first pa- hospital. His mother, a teacher and What if people could see a doctor tients enrolled,” he says. “I always the family’s main breadwinner, bor- or nurse within their neighborhood tell people, I am the No. 1 user of my rowed money from friends to afford pharmacy, similar to clinics at CVS own services.” his medicine. As Rockson grew or Walgreens? His team launched older, he learned that cost wasn’t a franchising model in 2018 called He may not be a doctor. But he the only challenge. The drug sup- has no regrets. — kate silver ply chain was broken. Pharmacies often couldn’t keep critical medi- cines in stock, and there was no pricing transparency or infrastruc- ture connecting patients, hospitals, MAY 2023  ROTARY  53

OUR CLUBS ROTARY IN THE NEWS Shining a light on the good we do Rotary President Jennifer Jones assists an agricultural expert from National Ilan University as he explains young people studying in a computer lab, soil requirements for growing truffles during a press conference in northeastern Taiwan. Jones and Moreno immersed themselves in the school environment and communi- On a chilly afternoon in December, a standards and preserve the environment. cated with audiences beyond the Rotary PHOTOGRAPH: WEN HUANG small convoy of cars stopped by a small, Jones used the opportunity to publicize world. A joint press conference attracted wooded area outside the mountain village top national media outlets, including of Siji in northeastern Taiwan. The village, Rotary’s efforts to support community Soy502, Diario de Centro América, Prensa 3,000 feet above sea level, is home to the economic development. An on-site press Libre, and Noticiero Guatevisión. Atayal people, a Taiwanese Indigenous conference and follow-up interviews re- group. When Rotary President Jennifer sulted in more than 40 news stories in In Pakistan last summer, Jones met Jones stepped out of her car, local gov- outlets such as FTV News, Mirror TV with female health workers who are play- ernment officials, journalists, and Rotary News, and Radio Taiwan International. ing a vital role in ending polio in one of the members greeted her while the village last two countries where wild poliovirus chief led her to his farm to showcase the Jones’ trip to Taiwan was one segment remains endemic. She interviewed Hamid new chestnut trees and truffles he had of her Imagine Impact Tour, during which Jafari, director of polio eradication for planted as part of a sustainable agricul- she connected with government officials, the World Health Organization’s Eastern ture project. Rotary’s nonprofit partners, celebrity en- Mediterranean region, for Rotary’s social tertainers, journalists, and social media in- media channels. Jones’ trip was reported For generations, villagers relied on a fluencers to share lessons from collabora- on by The Nation newspaper, Associated staple crop, cabbage, which is sold in cities tive projects that can potentially be scaled Press of Pakistan, and Business Recorder. across Taiwan. However, in recent years, and replicated for more impact. climate change, pesticides, and soil deg- Jones promoted Rotary’s first Programs radation have threatened their livelihood On a tour stop in Guatemala in Febru- of Scale grant during a stop in Zambia. In and endangered the water supply. With ary, Jones was joined by Gaby Moreno, a partnership with World Vision U.S. and the help of a global grant, Rotary mem- Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, bers from District 3490 partnered with and producer who is originally from the the initiative aims to significantly reduce the local government and National Ilan country. Together, they highlighted the malaria cases in 10 districts in Zambia’s University to help the community develop Guatemala Literacy Project, a Rotary Central and Muchinga provinces. Lusaka alternative crops and more sustainable initiative that has benefited students for Times detailed Jones’ visit. farming practices to improve their living over 25 years. From attending classes and singing with students during an assembly, In Uganda, Jones invited Zimbabwean to visiting students’ homes and observing actress Sibongile Mlambo to visit the Nakivale refugee settlement, where en- trepreneur and Congolese refugee Paul Mushaho established a Rotaract club and spearheaded economic development and youth empowerment initiatives. While visiting the Rotary Peace Center at Mak- erere University, where Mushaho was a peace fellow in 2021-22, Jones talked with the media, resulting in extensive coverage by news outlets such as New Vision, Nile Chronicles, UBC TV Uganda, and Urban TV. Jones’ last stops on the tour were to Kiribati and Fiji, which are among nine Pacific island countries and territories where Rotary Zone 8 is partnering with UNICEF and local governments to immu- nize 100,000 children against rotavirus, pneumococcal bacteria, and human papil- lomavirus. Jones’ visit has garnered wide attention from local media and outlets in Australia and New Zealand. 54  ROTARY  MAY 2023

CALENDAR May events THE RUN FOR THE ROSES WHEN THE BUDS BREAK This annual festival in downtown Mount Airy celebrates the spring budding of Event: DeLand Derby Event: Budbreak Wine and grapevines. More than 12,000 people are Host: Rotaract Club of DeLand, Florida Craft Beer Festival expected to turn out to sip libations from What it benefits: Local charities  regional wineries and craft breweries, nib- Date: 6 May Host: Rotary Club of ble on food from local eateries, and listen For the third year, the club hosts a Ken- Mount Airy, North Carolina to live music. Tickets for those who wish to tucky Derby watch party for horse-racing sample wine and beer include a commemo- fans ages 21 and over. In addition to a What it benefits: Local rative wine glass, and general-access tickets livestream of the “greatest two minutes charities and local and are available for a reduced price. in sports,” the event features a food buf- fet, drinks, a DJ, lawn activities, and red international projects carpet photos. The club encourages at- tendees to wear their finest derby outfits, Date: 6 May and prizes are given for best dressed and PHOTOGRAPH: GETTY IMAGES best hat. including dogs, cats, horses, and donkeys. Cash prizes are awarded to the top three The parade ends at a park where orga- teams, as well as to the winners of two HANG WITH THE RAT PACK nizers serve refreshments and give out “closest to the pin” competitions. awards in several categories. A contest Event: Mineral City Celebration held in conjunction with the event recog- GOBS OF LOBSTER Host: Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra nizes parade-themed posters designed by Beach, Florida elementary school students. Event: Tustin Lobsterfest What it benefits: Local charities and Host: Rotary Club of Tustin/Santa international projects HIT THE LINKS Ana, California Date: 13 May   What it benefits: Local projects Guests at this Rat Pack-themed charity Event: Charles Phillips Memorial and scholarships gala will be transported to the 1960s, Golf Scramble Date: 20 May    when Frank Sinatra and his pals ruled Host: Rotary Club of Harbor This outdoor festival, first held in 2010, the Vegas Strip. The event includes a Beach, Michigan returns after a three-year hiatus. The cocktail hour, dinner, music by a Sinatra What it benefits: End Polio Now main attraction is all-you-can-eat whole tribute artist, and a raffle to win a luxury and local projects lobster with butter, alongside tri-tip beef, trip. The club will present its annual Date: 20 May salads, baked potatoes, and desserts. A Rock of the Community Award, which This annual golf event was started in band will perform music from the 1950s, honors a local resident who personi- 2005 by a longtime club member and ’60s, and ’70s. In addition, attendees can fies Service Above Self, to Hall of Fame polio survivor to raise money for The buy tickets that correspond to balls that football player and philanthropist Tony Rotary Foundation’s polio eradication will be dropped from the ladder of a fire Boselli. efforts. After he died in 2015, fellow Ro- truck. The person whose ball lands clos- tarians named the outing in his memory. est to a target on the ground wins $1,000. CUTEST PARADE EVER Tell us about your event. Write to [email protected] and put “calendar” in the subject line. Event: Pet Parade Submissions must be received at least five months before the event to be considered for inclusion. Host: Rotary Club of the Torrington and Winsted Areas, Connecticut Date: 20 May Nearly every year since the 1930s, chil- dren of all ages have marched through downtown Winsted with their pets, MAY 2023  ROTARY  55

OUR CLUBS HANDBOOK PERIOD-FRIENDLY Number TOILETS Building toilets? Girls need more Make them Females have different toilets than the needs than males same number of period-friendly for their toilets due boys. “If you’ve got to factors including a line of students Done right, hygiene and sanitation projects menstruation, social waiting for that can help address period poverty and cultural norms toilet,” Southwell around modesty, and says, “they’re safety and sexual missing out on violence. school.” Amanda Southwell recalls visiting a school in Uganda where the toilet was a hole in the ground surrounded by “a bit of tin.” “What would I do if I had my period?” she wondered. In Nepal, she remembers talking to a woman who, without access to a toilet at school, would walk home with menstrual blood running down her legs. Around the world, period poverty is defined by a whole lot of lacks: lack of access to menstrual sup- MENSTRUAL MATERIALS plies, lack of water and sanitation, lack of privacy, and Which menstrual care materials you choose for a project will depend lack of education for girls and boys about what periods on many factors, primarily the preferences of the girls and women are, she explains. “There’s still an enormous amount of who will be using them. Other considerations include the climate shame and taboos around periods, particularly in the (Is it rainy? How fast will reusable products dry? If it’s a dry climate, is developing world,” says Southwell, a member of the Ro- there enough water to adequately wash reusable products?) and tary Club of Box Hill Central, Australia. She chairs the setting (Are there private spaces for washing and drying reusable club’s Operation Toilets initiative, which builds toilets products?). A needs assessment will help you determine what’s best for and provides hygiene education at schools in develop- your project. ing countries. And consider this comparison of the waste from three types of In India, 23 percent of girls drop out of school be- menstrual products, from nonprofit WaterAid that works on WASH cause of period poverty, and a study of high school projects: girls in Ethiopia found that about half missed one to four days of school each month. Even if students don’t drop out, without a period-friendly toilet, they’ll likely need to wear the same pad all day, change it outside in the bushes and risk assault, or go home partway through the day and not get back in time to finish their classes. And don’t forget teachers who may need to stay home when they are menstruating if there aren’t proper facilities. For Menstrual Hygiene Day on 28 May, we looked at some elements to consider when your club is building toilets that girls will use. In addition, Southwell notes that materials and supplies are only part of the equa- tion. “We can’t just build toilets for girls. We need to put in education,” she says. “You have to change com- munity attitudes. The community has to be empowered to make the changes.” — diana schoberg 56  ROTARY  MAY 2023

Separation Light Place to dispose Soap and Doors and of pads water locks Girls should have People who are their own area away menstruating need Provide a trash Make sure there’s “Women deserve receptacle or a way a place for girls to privacy,” Southwell from boys’ toilets. to be able to see wash themselves “The anxiety around well to change pads to bring reusable says. cloth pads home to and menstrual menstruation will adequately and wash. Young people materials. be exacerbated by check if there has may find it shameful people knowing they been any leakage. to walk outside of the are menstruating,” toilet block to dispose of a used menstrual Southwell says. product because then others know they are menstruating. Disposable Reusable Reusable 15pads 6cloth pads 1menstrual cups pads per cloth pads menstrual cup 6,120menstrual cycle 136per cycle 7per cycle pads in a lifetime pads in a lifetime cups in a lifetime MAY 2023  ROTARY  57

OUR CLUBS DISPATCHES FROM OUR SISTER MAGAZINES ROTARY IN THE BALKANS The art of Rotary It all started back in 1990. The to help us and tell us about Rotary. 2480, which encompassed several PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY OF ROTARY IN THE BALKANS democratic changes that were That’s how I met Arthur Wing, nations in the Balkans, and form sweeping Eastern Europe offered a district (2482) in Bulgaria. I had the opportunity for Rotary to return whom everyone just called Art. He the honor to serve as the inaugural to Bulgaria. Like-minded business is a member of the Rotary Club governor in 2007-08. Art, who had leaders and professionals eager to of St. Catharines, Ontario. I con- already served as a district gover- restart Rotary clubs in Bulgaria’s sidered Art my teacher in Rotary. nor, suggested that we celebrate my cities began searching for infor- Our friendship laid the foundation appointment with a joint Bulgarian- mation about the organization or for the creation of the Bulgarian- Canadian project. “Since you serve locating surviving members after a Canadian Intercountry Committee. during the year of RI President Wilf hiatus of about 50 years. Wilkinson, a fellow Canadian, we’ll Soon after our meeting, Art’s do a Group Study Exchange for I live in Plovdiv, the country’s wife passed away, but he continued young professionals,” he said. second-largest city — we pride to visit Bulgaria. During each visit, ourselves on being both the cul- he would bring an idea for a Rotary What happened next was like tural capital of Bulgaria and one of project, not only in Plovdiv but for fate. As I was getting training with the chosen cultural capital cities of other towns, such as Samokov and more than 500 district governors- Europe for 2019. One day, when my Pazardzhik, where we had already elect from around the world at friends and I were gathered inside established clubs. With the stead- the International Assembly in San one of the beautiful houses in the fast support of his club in Canada, Diego in 2007, I found myself sitting city’s Old Town discussing the next we implemented many of his proj- next to Robert Leake, the governor steps in bringing Rotary to our city, ects. Thanks to the help of Art and of District 7090, which covered an intruder “crashed” our party. He many other Rotary friends around parts of the Canadian province of introduced himself as a Canadian the world, new clubs were sprouting Ontario and the western part of Rotarian and said he learned about all over Bulgaria. In December 2001, New York state in the U.S. Look- our meeting by chance. The few Bul- we set a record when then-Rotary ing at each other with disbelief, garian words he spoke were endear- President Richard King visited us; we knew that the Group Study Ex- ing ones: “friends” and “cheers.” We we officially chartered 14 Rotary change program had to happen, and quickly learned that he was married clubs, as well as 12 Rotaract and two we were happy to fill out the paper- to a Bulgarian woman in a village Interact clubs in one night. work. “What will be the theme of not far from the city and had come our GSE?” I asked. “How about As Rotary flourished, we were able to separate from District More than 1,200 Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors, and their families participate in a ceremony to mark the chartering of Bulgaria’s District 2482. The event was held in 2007 at an ancient Roman amphitheater in the city of Plovdiv. 58  ROTARY  MAY 2023

winemaking?” Leake responded to joint youth project with my club, Arthur “Art” Wing Rotary in Bulgaria my surprise. “Do polar bears make the Rotary Club of Plovdiv-Puldin. (left) with Nasko wine?” I said jokingly, without re- With an additional district grant, Nachev. Their Rotary reached Bulgaria in alizing that Canada had a robust we renovated a school in Plovdiv friendship laid southeastern Europe in 1933 when winemaking industry. for children with impaired hearing. the foundation the first club was chartered in the for the Bulgarian- capital city of Sofia. Within a short “You’ll see!” he responded with a At our district conference in Canadian time, Rotary attracted a group smile before we hugged each other. 2008, as guests from around the Intercountry of well-known entrepreneurs, world were offering congratula- Committee. “I financiers, scientists, and The beginning of my term coin- tions on our first year as a Rotary considered Art my intellectuals in Sofia and began cided with the chartering of Bul- district, the Canadian Group Study teacher in Rotary,” expanding to other cities, such as garia’s new District 2482. It was an Exchange members strutted onto Nachev says. Varna, Rousse, Bourgas, Pleven, emotional moment. The ceremony the stage. At the same time, Leake, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Veliko Tarnovo, in 2007 occurred at an ancient the governor of District 7090, and and Plovdiv. By 1939, the Rotary Roman amphitheater in the cen- other Rotary members in Canada movement was growing so fast ter of Plovdiv, formerly the ancient appeared on a big screen by con- that Rotary International granted Roman city of Philippopolis. More ference call. Morrow, the GSE team permission to establish a new Rotary than 1,200 Rotarians, Rotaractors, leader, thanked us for the wonderful district in Bulgaria. In the ensuing Interactors, and their families par- and fruitful days in Bulgaria while years, four RI presidents visited the ticipated. As all the attending Ro- presenting all the Rotary members country, and King Boris III awarded tary members in Bulgaria pledged in Bulgaria with a “dream hunters” Past President Maurice Duperrey three times to “loving, serving, and totem, urging us to share the Rotary (1937-38) a medal in recognition sharing Rotary,” Art sat by my side dream with the world. of Rotary’s contributions to the with his second wife, the late Jac- integration of Bulgaria to the world queline Herman-Wing. I became the publisher of Rota- and to the country’s economic and ry’s regional magazine that serves cultural development. Subsequently, Wilkinson, the Rotary countries in the Balkans. 2007-08 Rotary president, visited Ever since I met Art, I had wanted In December 1940, the Bulgarian Bulgaria twice during my year as to visit Canada. My dream came true government, under pressure from governor to attend a conference in in 2009. I was able to reunite with Nazi Germany, adopted a law that Sofia under the motto “peace is pos- all my Canadian friends I’ve told you put Rotary on the list of prohibited sible in the Balkans” and to celebrate about while I attended a meeting for organizations. Subsequently, under the 75th anniversary of the founding Rotary’s regional editors. At the end the rule of communism, many Rotary of Rotary in Bulgaria. of last year, Art came to Bulgaria members were killed or displaced. In again, this time with his son, his 1951, when the political environment My year ended with the comple- three grandchildren, and his nephew, made it impossible to operate, tion of the Group Study Exchange. a doctoral student in Belgium and a Rotary terminated its activities in Four young women came from Can- specialist in organic foods. We were Bulgaria. ada, led by Robert Morrow, a mem- lost in memories, and Art said that ber of the Rotary Club of Dundas this was his last visit to Bulgaria, a The collapse of communism in Valley Sunrise, Ontario. The group sort of goodbye. For the first time, I Eastern Europe in 1989 marked members labeled themselves as didn’t believe him! the end of the Cold War, leading to “four wine experts and a connois- — nasko nachev democratic transition in Bulgaria and seur.” Meanwhile, several clubs paving the way for Rotary’s revival. in District 7090 sent money for a In 1991, the Rotary Club of Sofia was reinstituted. In the three decades since, Rotary has developed quickly in the country. At present, there are 89 Rotary clubs in Bulgaria in almost all major cities, with over 2,000 members. MAY 2023  ROTARY  59

OUR CLUBS TRUSTEE CHAIR’S MESSAGE SERVICE ABOVE SELF Our limitless potential THE OBJECT OF ROTARY “Do all the good you can, to all the also acts quickly when needed, such as The Object of Rotary is to people you can, in all the ways you can, through our disaster response grants, encourage and foster the ideal as long as ever you can.” as we did with the recent earthquake in of service as a basis of worthy Turkey and Syria. enterprise and, in particular, to While we don’t know its exact origin, encourage and foster: this widely quoted saying summarizes Accountants like me and business and First The development of what Rotary and The Rotary Foundation community leaders like you pay close at- acquaintance as an opportunity are all about: We do quite a lot of good, tention to the numbers, and in this area, for service; serving people around the world in myriad the Foundation is a cut above. In funding Second High ethical standards ways, and we are in it for the long haul. projects, we apply Rotary’s traditions of in business and professions, the fiscal responsibility and ethics to ensure recognition of the worthiness How many other charities do so much the best use of the resources of our fel- of all useful occupations, and good in so many ways for so many as The low members. We in Rotary are excellent the dignifying of each Rotarian’s Rotary Foundation? stewards of our grants, with most of the occupation as an opportunity to funds going toward humanitarian sup- serve society; Not only do we, the volunteers, fund port itself and relatively little going to Third The application of most of our projects, but we often grant administration costs. This is why the ideal of service in each contribute significant volunteer hours Charity Navigator has consistently given Rotarian’s personal, business, in organizing and executing them. The its highest rating to The Rotary Founda- and community life; “regional o ces” of our charity — also tion, year after year. Fourth The advancement of known as Rotary and Rotaract clubs international understanding, — are our reliable go-to partners in the Because our worldwide operation goodwill, and peace through a more than 200 countries and geographi- is dedicated to seven areas of focus, world fellowship of business and cal areas in which we operate. And when volunteers and donors alike have ample professional persons united in we lack expertise in an area, we part- opportunities to make a di erence the ideal of service. ner with outside organizations whose where help is needed most. Indeed, the trust we have earned, such as the World potential to help through the Foundation THE FOUR WAY TEST Health Organization, to deliver results on is limitless. the ground that truly change lives. Of the things we think, say or do: So, if you are looking for a great char- 1. Is it the truth? Unlike some charitable organizations, ity to support or a way to do all the good 2. Is it fair to all concerned? we don’t take the “parachute approach” you can, look no further than The Rotary 3. Will it build goodwill and to humanitarian work. We solve prob- Foundation. It is truly one of the greatest lems in a sustainable way. Before we lift charities in the world, and it belongs to you. better friendships? a shovel to start any Foundation project, 4. Will it be beneficial to we conduct community needs assess- IAN H.S. RISELEY ments and work closely with members all concerned? of the community. The Foundation Foundation trustee chair ROTARIAN CODE OF CONDUCT 60 ROTARY MAY 2023 The following code of conduct has been adopted for the use of Rotarians: As a Rotarian, I will 1. Act with integrity and high ethical standards in my personal and professional life 2. Deal fairly with others and treat them and their occupations with respect 3. Use my professional skills through Rotary to: mentor young people, help those with special needs, and improve people’s quality of life in my community and in the world 4. Avoid behavior that reflects adversely on Rotary or other Rotarians 5. Help maintain a harassment- free environment in Rotary meetings, events, and activities, report any suspected harassment, and help ensure non-retaliation to those individuals that report harassment. Illustration by Viktor Miller Gausa

IN BRIEF Sylvia Whitlock Leadership Award winner takes a global approach Chin Mei Lu, who has spent more than 30 years work- musical instruments with new ones. Our action has had ing on behalf of women, girls, and others around the an enduring impact in the community.” world, has won Rotary’s first Sylvia Whitlock Leader- ship Award. Her selection was announced in March on While in Nepal and India, she collaborated with International Women’s Day. Lu, a member of the Rotary Club of Taipei Taimei, Taiwan, has helped educate girls Rotary clubs on clean water and sanitation projects. in Nepal, immunized children in India, supported the menstrual health of girls in Uganda, and helped people In 2011, she returned to India to join local volunteers in Taiwan who are blind. in campaigns to immunize children against polio and The Sylvia Whitlock Leadership Award honors one Rotary member each year who has worked to advance other diseases that can be prevented by vaccines. Out- women in Rotary. “We as Rotarians are like lantern- carrying people in the dark corners of society, bringing side Rotary, Lu’s philanthropic efforts include working light to others and helping make the world a brighter place,” Lu says. with World Vision International in Romania to provide The award is named for the first female Rotary club school supplies and visit children she has helped. president, who went on to lead change for women PHOTOGRAPH: COURTESY OF CHIN MEI LU around the world through Rotary. A group of Rotarians Lu has served as a world vice president of the wom- originally established the award before the Board of Di- rectors voted to make it an official RI award. en’s business group Femmes Chefs d’Entreprises Mon- Lu, a Rotary member since 1991 and a past district diales, vice president of the National Council of Women governor, traveled to Nepal and India in 2006-07 to as- sist with a project that enabled girls who didn’t have of Taiwan, and president of two local business groups. housing to attend school. She cooperated with local agencies to obtain supplies, food, uniforms, and spon- She has received numerous national and international sorship funds for the girls, many of whom were at risk of being trafficked into sex work or child labor. awards, including the International Alliance for Women’s Chin Mei Lu is the first recipient of “Three years later, there were girls who were once World of Difference Award and Acquisition International the Sylvia Whitlock helped by Rotary going back to assist other girls in Leadership Award, need,” says 2014-15 RI President Gary C.K. Huang, who magazine’s Influential Businesswoman Award. which honors a nominated Lu. Rotary member Nominations for the Sylvia Whitlock Leadership who has worked to She has promoted a service project in Uganda begun advance women in by her son, Kelvin Wang, who is a member of the Rotary Award are open from 1 August to 30 September each Rotary. E-Club of Taipei Midtown. Rotary members in Taiwan sent fabric menstrual belts to Ugandan girls, many of year. Any member can nominate another member in whom couldn’t attend school because they lacked these supplies. The project provided sewing machines, taught good standing. — etelka lehoczky girls how to sew belts for themselves, and promoted menstrual health overall. Lu has a particular interest in assisting people who are blind or have partial vision. She is a senior member of Taiwan’s Arts Promotion Association for the Dis- abled, which offers educational and employment assis- tance. She has set up rural medical centers and made it possible for musicians who are blind or have partial sight to buy instruments. Many don’t have the funds to buy new instruments for practice, Lu says. “I proposed a Rotary Foundation grant helping them to replace old MAY 2023  ROTARY  61

OUR CLUBS From big-name speakers and breakout will energize you to expand your club’s sessions to the flag ceremony and the impact. For example, step inside a sample 2023 CONVENTION House of Friendship, the 2023 Rotary In- emergency shelter from project partner ternational Convention in Melbourne will ShelterBox. See you in be full of pageantry and inspiration. Melbourne Rebecca Fry, charter president of the Ro- In Melbourne this month, listen to tary Club of Social Impact Network, Aus- The virtual reality experience at the 2022 Nobel Peace laureate Leymah Gbowee tralia, says the House of Friendship is “a convention’s House of Friendship. of Liberia tell her story from the conven- true festival of Rotary” and one of the best tion mainstage about empowering girls. ways to get a sense of Rotary’s global reach. And for ideas you can take back to your club, choose from dozens of breakout The exhibition floor is a prime spot sessions. Rotary members and experts to meet up with friends, bump into new will share tips on how to live the Rotary people to add to your Rotary network, Action Plan, do what you can to address and seek out leaders of projects that spark the world’s biggest challenges, polish your your interest. leadership skills, grow club diversity, and interest newcomers. Plus, it’s a lot of fun. Past highlights in- clude Chinese lion dancers and a virtual Then, check out the House of Friend- reality experience about a coral reef res- ship to learn about projects by clubs, fel- toration project. The expo is at the Mel- lowships, action groups, and partners that bourne Convention and Exhibition Centre every day of the convention 27-31 May. Learn more and register at convention.rotary.org. CROSSWORD ACROSS 48 U.S. defense 21 Application 1 They grow advisory grp. form blank Advance planning from acorns 49 Birdseed holder 22 Bassoon’s kin 5 Inedible orange 50 Balance sheet plus 23 ______, line, and sinker By Victor Fleming 10 Mich. neighbor 52 Chick of jazz 25 Compensate for Rotary Club of Little Rock, Arkansas 13 “Just ______!” 54 End of the 26 Clubs or hearts 14 1994 Nobel Peace 29 Nuns’ garb      observation 30 Agcy. founded Prize laureate 59 Dress line    15 Black cuckoo 60 Botanical in 1933 16 Start of an 34 “Count me out”    seed-to-be 35 Alda or Ladd observation 61 Competent 37 “Get a ______ of that!”   19 Fancy feather 62 Orangutan 38 Eye affliction 20 Paradise 39 Bloc that dissolved        or gibbon Lost figure 63 Produce, as a show in 1991    21 Phrase of 64 Sailing ropes 40 Animal in a roundup 41 Paganini or   desperation DOWN 24 Sox’s city, on 1 Mudder’s morsel Machiavelli        2 Campfire remnant 42 Firmly believe in scoreboards 3 Preclude from 43 Harmonious    27 Acquires 44 “Open ______” (magical 28 Part 2 of the entering     4 Carve, as a statue command) observation 5 Beehive State city 45 Big hairdo, often    31 Word with court 6 Cinch 46 Watch with a PHOTOGRAPH: TRISH BADGER 7 Aladdin monkey     or point 8 Early Mets sidelong glance 32 When happy hour 47 Buckwheat      manager Hodges might start 9 The Lord of the groats    33 It may precede 51 ’Vette roof option Rings creatures 53 Augural sign    “A mouse!” 10 Aspiring actor, 55 Law & Order 34 Apprehend, Solution on page 10 often spinoff, casually as a perp 11 Congenital 56 “King ______” (1978 36 Depot (abbr.) 12 Capricorn and 37 Baton Rouge sch. novelty hit for 40 Containing salt Taurus Steve Martin) 42 Some tavern 17 Tallow source 57 Shout to a matador 18 Dutch government 58 Scream director regulars Craven 43 Part 3 of the seat, with “The” observation 47 Child support? 62  ROTARY  MAY 2023

HOW CAN I BECOME A PEACEBUILDER? Start by enrolling in the Rotary Positive Peace Academy. • Y ou’ll learn to be an effective peacebuilder in your community • You’ll understand how to develop stronger, more sustainable projects • You’ll hear from global leaders in the study of peace • You can complete the free, self-guided course in just two hours Get started at positivepeace.academy/rotary

LAST BIT Soup with a sense of belonging In New Zealand, boil-up is all about the shared experience Rodney Wong Rodney Wong and his wife, Angie, have been work- WHAT IT IS: Traditionally, boil-up is a seasonal dish made Rotary Club ing with the Rangitāne, a Māori tribe, on projects in of Awapuni, the Awapuni area for more than two decades, both from ingredients grown or foraged in a particular area. New Zealand on their own and through their Rotary club. So when The soup typically includes meat, greens, and root veg- he was thinking about the kind of food he would like etables, such as kūmara, New Zealand sweet potato. It to share with the Rotary world, the Māori concept of can also include dried ingredients, such as shellfish, whanaungatanga — a sense of belonging that comes karengo (seaweed), and poaka (pork). While many peo- through shared experiences — came to mind, and with ple pair wild pork and pūhā (thistle), others use pork that, a traditional broth soup called boil-up. bones and watercress collected from streambanks. “It’s one pot, and everyone eats from that same pot,” FUSION FOOD: Wong says the dish reminds him of a typical Wong says. “It’s shared, it’s wholesome, it’s not preten- tious. It’s all those things that demonstrate that it doesn’t Cantonese recipe that uses similar ingredients. “It isn’t matter which country you come from, which city, which that far off,” he says. “The addition of the sweetness culture. You share one dish, and it has all the goodness in of kūmara gives it a different taste.” Wong adds sliced it that they could forage and put on the table at that time.” ginger and dried orange peel to his soup to give it a southeastern Chinese flair. — diana schoberg 64  ROTARY  MAY 2023 Illustration by Rachel Winter

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IMAGINE TRANSFORMATION Renew your connections, perspective, and imagination in Melbourne, Australia, and carry the energy home to light up your community and communities around the world. You’ll be transformed as you Imagine What’s Next. 2023 ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA 27-31 MAY 2023 Register today at convention.rotary.org