2018-04 April

rthe otarian www.rotary.org April 2018 THE YEAR OF THE TREE Rotary plants for the future

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DEAR FELLOW ROTARIANS, A t the 1990 Rotary International Convention in Portland, Oregon, then ON THE WEB President-elect Paulo Costa told the gathered Rotarians,“The hour has come for Rotary to raise its voice, to claim its leadership, and to rouse all Rotarians to an Speeches and news from honorable crusade to protect our natural resources.” He declared a Rotary initiative RI President Ian H.S. Riseley at to “Preserve Planet Earth,” asking Rotarians to make environmental issues part of www.rotary.org/office-president their service agenda: to plant trees, to work to keep our air and water clean, and to protect the planet for future generations. President Costa asked that one tree be planted for each of the 1.1 million members that Rotary had at the time. We Rotarians, as is our wont, did better, planting nearly 35 million trees by the end of the Rotary year. Many of those trees are likely still flourishing today, absorbing carbon from the environment, releasing oxygen, cooling the air, improving soil quality, providing habitat and food for birds, animals, and insects, and yielding a host of other benefits. Unfortunately, while those trees have kept on doing good for the environment, Rotary as a whole has not carried its environmental commitment forward. That is why, at the start of this year, I followed Paulo Costa’s example and asked Rotary to plant at least one tree for every Rotary member. My goal was to achieve a good beyond the considerable benefits that those 1.2 million (or more!) trees would themselves bring. It is my hope that by planting trees, Rotarians will renew their interest in, and attention to, an issue that we must put back on the Rotary agenda: the state of our planet. Environmental issues are deeply entwined in every one of our areas of focus and cannot be dismissed as not Rotary’s concern. Pollution is affecting health across the globe: More than 80 percent of people in urban areas breathe unsafe air, a number that rises to 98 percent in low- and middle-income countries. If current trends con- tinue, by 2050 the oceans are expected to contain more plastics by weight than fish. And rising temperatures are well-documented: Global annual average temperatures increased by about 2 degrees F (1.1 degrees C) from 1880 through 2015. That this change was caused by humans is not a subject of scientific debate, nor is the likelihood of vast economic and human disruption if the trend continues unchecked. The need for action is greater than ever – and so is our ability to have a real impact. As past UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon put it,“There can be no Plan B, because there is no Planet B.” Our planet belongs to all of us, and to our children, and to their children. It is for all of us to protect, and for all of us in Rotary to make a difference. I A N H.S. R I S E L E Y President, Rotary International



april contentsVol.196 No.10 FEATURES 34 Back to our roots Inspired by RI President Ian H.S. Riseley’s challenge to plant a tree for every Rotarian in 2017-18, the magazine explores Rotary’s love of trees, from Paul Harris to today’s clubs and districts. • When is a tree like a Rotarian? Forester and author Peter Wohlleben reveals the answer. • President Riseley talks with Hank Sartin about what planting a tree means for a community. • The forests of New England prepared Paul Harris for a lifetime in Rotary, Geoff Johnson writes. • When Ian Frazier sees a plastic bag caught in a tree, he has a solution – and it’s patented. 52 The Rotarian Conversation Bernice King, daughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., discusses what it takes to reach across political and racial divides. By Hank Sartin DEPARTMENTS COLUMNS 6 Letters 1 President’s message 11 Up front Our planet needs us • Community connection 8 Editor’s note • Lending a helping paw 26 Culture • C. Grant Wilkins, The story of us vs. them polio warrior 29 Clubs 24 Calendar Stealth motivation 57 Insider 59 Trustee’s message • Inspiration at the 60 Crossword International Assembly 64 Last look • Magazine awards ON THE COVER From little acorns … (Illustration by Laszlo Kubinyi) LEFT “Everywhere I go, I get my hands dirty,” says Rotary President Ian H.S. Riseley, who helped plant jack pines and bur oaks at a bird sanctuary in Evanston, Illinois, near RI headquarters. (Photography by Alyce Henson/ Rotary International)

rtheotarian General O cers of Rotary International ® 2017-18 JOHN REZEK Editor in chief President JENNIFER MOODY Art director IAN H.S. RISELEY Sandringham, Australia JENNY LLAKMANI Managing editor President-elect BARRY RASSIN East Nassau, Bahamas GEOFFREY JOHNSON Senior editor Vice President HANK SARTIN Senior editor DEAN ROHRS Langley Central, British Columbia, Canada DIANA SCHOBERG Senior sta writer Treasurer MIKAEL AHLBERG Ölands Södra, Sweden VANESSA GLAVINSKAS Contributing editor Directors NANCY WATKINS Copy editor GÉRARD ALLONNEAU Parthenay, France MARC DUKES Production manager JORGE AUFRANC Guatemala Sur, Guatemala BASKER CHOCKALINGAM Karur, India JOE CANE Design & production assistant CORNELIU DINCĂ Craiova, Romania MARK DURAN Research editor JAMES RONALD FERRILL Martinsville, Virginia, USA CYNTHIA EDBROOKE Senior editorial coordinator PETER IBLHER Nürnberg-Reichswald, Germany KEIICHI ISHIGURO Tsuruoka West, Japan MAY LI Circulation manager ROBERT C. KNUEPFER JR. Chicago, Illinois, USA JOHN C. MATTHEWS Mercer Island, Washington, USA JWK MEDIA GROUP Advertising representatives EUNSOO MOON Cheonan-Dosol, Korea Ad inquiries: [email protected] TADAMI SAITO Toyota, Japan JWK MEDIA GROUP FLORIDA - 954-406-1000 BRIAN A.E. STOYEL Saltash, England 212 SE Eighth St., Suite 101, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 NOEL J. TREVASKIS Bega, Australia JWK MEDIA GROUP NEW YORK - 212-292-3718 GREGORY F. YANK O’Fallon, Illinois, USA 1271 Avenue of the Americas, 43rd floor, New York, NY 10020 PAULO AUGUSTO ZANARDI Curitiba-Cidade Industrial, Brazil Send ad materials to: Marc Dukes, The Rotarian, One Rotary Center, 1560 Sherman Ave., 14th floor, Evanston, IL 60201; phone 847-866-3092; JOHN HEWKO General Secretary email [email protected] Kyiv, Ukraine Media kit: www.rotary.org/mediakit To contact us: The Rotarian, One Rotary Center, 1560 Sherman Ave., Trustees of The Rotary Foundation Evanston, IL 60201; phone 847-866-3206; email [email protected] Website: therotarian.com 2017-18 To submit an article: Send stories, queries, tips, and photographs by mail or email (high-resolution digital images only). We assume no responsibility Chair for unsolicited materials. PAUL A. NETZEL Los Angeles, California, USA To subscribe: Twelve issues at US$12 a year (USA, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands); $16 a year (Canada); $24 a year (elsewhere). Contact the Circulation Chair-elect Department (phone: 847-424-5217 or -5216; email: [email protected]) RON D. BURTON Norman, Oklahoma, USA for details and for airmail rates. Gift subscriptions available at the same rates. To send an address change: Enclose old address label, postal code, and Vice Chair Rotary club, and send to the Circulation Department or email [email protected]. KENNETH M. SCHUPPERT JR. Decatur, Alabama, USA Postmaster: Send all address changes to Circulation Department, The Rotarian, One Rotary Center, 1560 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60201. Trustees Call the Contact Center: USA, Canada, and Virgin Islands (toll-free) 866-976-8279. ÖRSÇELIK BALKAN Istanbul-Karaköy, Turkey Elsewhere: 847-866-3000, ext. 8999. Unless otherwise noted: All images are copyright ©2018 by Rotary International WILLIAM B. BOYD Pakuranga, New Zealand or are used with permission. MÁRIO CÉSAR MARTINS Santo André, Brazil Published monthly by Rotary International. The Rotarian® is a registered trademark of Rotary International. DE CAMARGO Copyright ©2018 by Rotary International. All rights reserved. Periodicals postage paid at Evanston, Ill., USA, BRENDA M. CRESSEY Paso Robles, California, USA and additional mailing offices. Canada Publications Mail Agreement No. 1381644. Canadian return address: MARY BETH GROWNEY SELENE Madison West Towne-Middleton, MSI, PO Box 2600, Mississauga ON L4T 0A8. This is the April 2018 issue, volume 196, number 10, of The Rotarian (ISSN 0035-838X). Publication number: USPS 548-810. Wisconsin, USA SUSHIL GUPTA Delhi Midwest, India 4 THE ROTARIAN | A P R I L 2 0 1 8 GARY C.K. HUANG Taipei, Taiwan SEIJI KITA Urawa East, Japan JULIA PHELPS Amesbury, Massachusetts, USA K.R. RAVINDRAN Colombo, Sri Lanka MICHAEL F. WEBB Mendip, England YOUNG SUK YOON Seoul Hoehyon, Korea JOHN HEWKO General Secretary Kyiv, Ukraine

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letters Tomatoes in space I enjoyed reading Robert Morrow’s article on his work with Project Tomatosphere [“What It’s Like to Grow Space Tomatoes,” January]. As a retired teacher and school administrator, I find nothing beats real- life applications in school. But the part that is really close to my heart is that my grandson Owen Stoltz actually planted the project’s tomato seeds as part of his grade 4 science As a Rotary Youth “Whether you believe you to our principal, and it was course. He brought his Exchange student in can do a thing or not, you decided that I could skip potted plant home and was 1979-80 to the Rotary are right.” assembly and spend that so proud that it grew. To top Club of Sodegaura, Japan, time in the principal’s office it off, Bob Morrow arranged I knew that sooner or Charles Sorensson doing my homework. Here for Canadian astronaut later I would meet someone Hayden, Idaho we are, some 60 years later, Robert Thirsk to be the affected directly by the and the invocation at my guest of honor at the Rotary atomic bomb. On the train A club for all faiths Rotary club meeting every Club of Dundas Valley home from high school week (given by various Sunrise and to address some one day, I struck up a con- Rotary President Ian H.S. members) invariably is of the local schools that were versation with the stranger Riseley’s message in the given in the name of “Jesus working with the tomato sitting next to me. He told January issue focuses on Christ, our Lord.” I am seeds. My grandson brought me, not unkindly, that diversity. This is a subject still uncomfortable in this his potted plant to the event his uncle had been killed that affects me every setting, as I imagine any and proudly had his Tomato- by the Hiroshima bomb. week at Rotary, though non-Christian member sphere certificate signed by We spoke some about my problem is religious would be. Thirsk, a moment he will it, and then shared a diversity, an area that was likely remember for a reverential silence. unfortunately not addressed For years as a season long time. in the message. ticket holder of the Rotary is a powerful Miami Dolphins, I always Ralph Montesanto force of truth and good in I was raised in a Jewish appreciated the manner in Dundas, Ontario our world. Could Rotary household, and I would which they handled the not help lead, or at least guess that I am one of many pregame invocation. A A-bomb revisited promote, ridding the planet non-Christian members of member of the clergy from a of all nuclear bombs? Is Rotary. As a grade school different discipline gave the Jiro Kawatsuma’s article, the world not better student, I found it uncom- invocation at each game, “What It’s Like to Survive an without them? I think it fortable to attend assembly and it was always inclusive Atomic Bomb” [ January], was Henry Ford who said, every week while the of all faiths. Reference brought back old memories. students sang “Onward, Christian Soldiers.” I spoke 6 THE ROTARIAN | A P R I L 2 0 1 8

letters was made to God, or Our Father, but it was left to us to interpret that in accordance with our own religious beliefs. Charles Shane Highlands, North Carolina Nothing ordinary here Opposite: Owen Stoltz participated in Project Tomatosphere, covered in our January issue. Owen met astronaut Robert Thirsk at a meeting of the Rotary Club of Dundas Valley Sunrise, Ontario, where his grandfather Ralph Montesanto is a I felt a bit of annoyance member. Above: Our January issue featured first-person accounts from interesting Rotarians. when the postman delivered the January Rotarian to our stories of Paul Harris’ researching the Pizatti family Rotarians here in Belle house. The cover subtitle, experiences as an orange mentioned in the article, I Chasse and Plaquemines “Ordinary Rotarians, picker in southern Louisiana. found two entries in the Parish South would like Extraordinary Tales,” was the I live in Plaquemines Parish, Clerk of Court land convey- to mark this area in remem- source of this feeling. a parish south of New ance records in Plaquemines brance of our founder. Orleans that is split down Parish circa 1893. Further In 55-plus years of the middle by the Missis- research confirms the site to Stuart J. Guey Jr. membership in three Rotary sippi River. We have histori- be in Buras, Louisiana. Belle Chasse, Louisiana clubs, I can recall no Rotari- cally been a center for ans I would call ordinary. growing citrus, and October Given the history of death The editors welcome comments Just to be a Rotarian lifts a is picking time. We are also and property loss that night on items published in the magazine good person above that noted for our oyster industry. in this part of Plaquemines but reserve the right to edit for moniker. And the good Parish, Paul Harris could style and length. Published letters works, both public and This article, excerpted have easily been one of the do not necessarily reflect the private, that emanate from from the July 1926 issue of thousands of casualties. If views of the editors or Rotary the efforts of Rotarians do The Rotarian, recalls the that had happened, we International leadership, nor not seem to be ordinary. many horrific stories that would not have Rotary. do the editors take responsibility were written about the for errors of fact that may be Would it not have been October 1893 hurricane expressed by the writers. better to reward the great that killed thousands of undertakings of those people in southern Louisi- Follow us to get updates, share stories with your networks, who choose to go the extra ana. Plaquemines Parish was and tell us what you think. mile by portraying them one of the areas that took the as other than “ordinary” brunt of the storm. In briefly The Rotarian, One Rotary Center, 1560 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60201 USA Rotarians? My choice would be “great.” WEBSITE therotarian.com twitter.com/therotarian EMAIL [email protected] facebook.com/therotarianmagazine No, I’m not an old grouch, just a proud Rotarian. Robert M. Holter Great Falls, Montana A world without Rotary? I was excited to read “Signs of Compassion” [Insider] in the December issue. I have been a Rotarian since 1977, and over the years have heard A P R I L 2 0 1 8 | THE ROTARIAN 7

editor’s note SERVICE ABOVE SELF Imagine Evanston, Illinois, as fall comes up hard The Object of Rotary against winter. We’re through being dazzled by the THE OBJECT of Rotary is to encourage and foster reds and golds of maples and oaks as they stage their the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster: overwhelming autumnal display. We’re done raking FIRST The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service; up the ruins of those leaves that litter lawns and stain SECOND High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all sidewalks. Everything seems stark and raw and ready useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society; for the solstice to usher in a character-building, joint- THIRD The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life; withering winter. FOURTH The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through It’s probably not a bad thing that the room where a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service the editorial team meets to plan future stories for the magazine is overheated. We’re The Four-Way Test told it’s an incurable curiosity of HVAC engineering. We meet there several times OF THE THINGS we think, say, or do: a week to ask: What if … ? Why not … ? Who can we get to write … ? and Where 1) Is it the TRUTH? 2) Is it FAIR to all concerned? is that story we were expecting last week? We hammer out stories that deal with 3) Will it build GOODWILL and the daunting challenges of peace, literacy, clean water, and polio. BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? 4) Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned? But in planning this issue, as the weather staggered the thermostat, we con- Rotarian Code of Conduct spired in our hothouse conference room to produce a package on that The following code of conduct has been adopted for most redemptive and sustainable of nature’s expressions: trees. And we had some the use of Rotarians: excellent reasons to do so. AS A ROTARIAN, I will For example: Rotarians will celebrate the 150th anniversary of Paul Harris’ 1) Act with integrity and high ethical standards in my personal and professional life birth on 19 April. e founder of Rotary had a deep love of nature, and his habit 2) Deal fairly with others and treat them and their of planting ceremonial friendship trees seeded a strong tradition within the occupations with respect organization. On the 27th of this month, we also celebrate Arbor Day in 3) Use my professional skills through Rotary to: mentor young people, help those with special the United States. And 22 needs, and improve people’s quality of life in my community and in the world Paul Harris had a deep April is Earth Day, the date love of nature, and his by which President Ian 4) Avoid behavior that reflects adversely H.S. Riseley challenged on Rotary or other Rotarians habit of planting friend- Rotarians to plant 1.2 mil- 8 THE ROTARIAN | A P R I L 2 0 1 8 ship trees seeded a strong lion trees around the world. tradition within Rotary. So we are especially pleased to present this col- lection of things arboreal, along with stunning illustrations by Laszlo Kubinyi, whose work has appeared in publications such as National Geographic, Audubon, and Fortune. is also marks the first appearance in e Rotarian by Ian Frazier, the award-winning humorist and nonfiction writer who regularly appears in the New Yorker. Ian and I worked together for a time early in our careers. He was fresh out of Harvard, where he served on the Harvard Lampoon and was the wit behind its celebrated Cosmo- politan parody. He was a seriously funny young man. He has since produced beau- tifully written books such as Great Plains and Travels in Siberia, full of alert insights and empathies. We’re delighted to have him in our pages. So let’s all go plant a tree and celebrate the possibilities of spring. JOHN REZEK

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up front Community connection LUCY HOBGOOD-BROWN Rotary E-Club of Greater Sydney Lucy Hobgood-Brown was born in the United States and has lived in Australia for more than 20 years. But her heart will always be in Lotumbe, a remote town in the equatorial forest of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where she spent much of her child- hood.“I’m a daughter of the village,” says Hobgood-Brown, 64, whose family’s connection to Lotumbe dates back to 1912, when her grandparents arrived there to work as missionaries. Hobgood-Brown, a 2015 Rotary Global Woman of Action, returned to Lotumbe in 2004 with her sister Anne Zolnor. When they saw the poverty there through adult eyes, they asked each other:“What can we do?” Their answer was to found the nonprofit HandUp Congo in 2005 with a friend, Betsy Brill. The organization supports sustainable community-driven business, educa- tional, social, and health initiatives in Kinshasa and Lotumbe – buying sewing machines so that women can earn income to help pay for their children’s tuition; supplying feminine hygiene kits so that girls don’t have to MONIKA LOZINSKA/ROTARY INTERNATIONAL miss school; training local doctors and nurses in CPR. HandUp Congo has received Rotary district grants, and the E-Club of Greater Sydney recently worked with Congo Rotarians to raise funds to plant 50 trees in Lotumbe. Says Hobgood-Brown: “Even small things make such a difference in Congo.” – ANNE FORD A P R I L 2 0 1 8  | THE ROTARIAN 11

up front CONVENTION DISPATCHES Transit options Lending a helping paw to veterans W hen Gil Igleheart and Dick Mellinger heard that veterans suffering from post-traumatic A fter you land at Pearson stress disorder (PTSD), including many from their own generation, were being helped International Airport by service dogs, they knew they had to get involved. Neither Igleheart nor Mellinger, both for the 2018 Rotary in their late 60s and at the time members of the Rotary Club of Cayucos-Seaside in California’s International Convention in Toronto, from 23 to 27 June, Central Coast, served in the military, but they had friends who had served and had come home there are many ways to get into the city. troubled and scarred. So in January 2016, they laid the foundation for the nonprofit You could take a taxi or organization known today as Pawsabilities for Veterans. airport limo. If you want to tour the area on your own, Although service dogs can help ease symptoms, they are not currently covered by health you could rent a car. But you could also save money by tak- insurance in the United States. The Veterans Affairs Department provides service dogs for ing the express light rail train or public transportation. veterans with certain physical disabilities, but not for veterans with PTSD. The VA acknowl- The Union Pearson edges that dog ownership can improve mood and reduce stress, but is waiting for reliable clini- Express departs the airport for Union Station every 15 cal research to confirm and detail the benefits of service dogs for veterans with mental health minutes. A round-trip ticket for the 25-minute ride is problems. In the meantime, the costs are paid by a patchwork of nonprofits such as Pawsabilities CA$24.70; seniors pay half that amount. for Veterans. You might instead take Pawsabilities for Veterans leaves the training and placement of the animals to another Central one of the buses run by the Toronto Transit Commission Coast organization, New Life K9s. This nonprofit trains dogs and then places them free (commonly known as the TTC). The 192 Airport Rocket of charge. In order to cover the expenses for each placement, it turns to groups such as Paws- will get you downtown in 45 minutes. abilities for Veterans. The TTC includes a vast Nicole Hern and her team at New Life K9s train the dogs to wake their PTSD sufferers from system of buses, subways, and streetcars. You can use all nightmares and calm them when they are anxious. Hern says she can always tell when she is out these services during a one- way trip as long as you have a with a veteran who becomes anxious: “They’re usually touching their dog a lot more, because paper transfer. Each trip is roughly $3, less for seniors that helps ease that anxiety.” –KATYA CENGEL and students, and can be paid for through cash or token. 5.2 million $15,000 82 percent NEW LIFE K9S If you plan on exploring American adults who experience The cost of training and People with PTSD whose Toronto during the conven- PTSD in any given year placing a New Life K9s dog symptoms improve with a dog tion, you can buy a pass that provides unlimited travel around the city for a day ($12.50) or a week ($43.75, seniors $34.75). – RANDI DRUZIN To register, go to riconvention.org. 12 T H E R O T A R I A N   | A P R I L 2 0 1 8

THE TALENT AROUND THE TABLE up front A nurse fights for peace convince the leaders of Liberia and Guinea to return to the I n a nation once wracked by civil war, Liberian Rotarian Elizabeth Sele Mulbah has spent conference table until peace much of her life leading efforts for peace and reconciliation. A past president (2011-12) of was achieved. We did this after the Rotary Club of Sinkor, Mulbah has a remarkable résumé. She began her career as a nurse, learning that the two leaders moved into teaching and administration, took on a leadership role at the Christian Health As- had vowed not to sit under the sociation of Liberia, and worked at the United Nations Development Program. She’s a co-founder same roof. They did return to of the Mano River Women Peace Network (Marwopnet), and through that organization played the conference table, and peace a major role in multinational diplomacy. She’s also an in-demand speaker, giving lectures at places was achieved. such as the Carter Center and the U.S. Institute of Peace. Today we shuttle between MONICA GARWOOD THE ROTARIAN: You started your vocated for on-the-job training Health Association of Liberia, the leaders of the four Mano career as a nurse but soon for all, including support staff were approved by heads of war- River countries (Guinea, Libe- moved into administration, such as nurses’ aides. ring factions to facilitate a meet- ria, Sierra Leone, and Côte where you advocated for change TR: You became active in peace ing to prepare them for the next d’Ivoire), and when the need in the profession. What were work in the 1990s, during the peace conference. The planned arises, we serve as election you seeking to change and im- Liberian civil war. How did that one-day meeting extended to observers in these nations. prove in nursing? come about? four days, and all parties were Women as mothers are born MULBAH: I’ve worked in train- MULBAH: Women in Liberia represented. It was successful. peacemakers. ing, counseling, and advocating were disappointed at the failure TR: What are the origins of TR: After the Liberian civil war, for equal benefits, such as the of previous peace conferences. Marwopnet? you worked in reconciliation right to the same period for ma- Liberians were tired of war. In MULBAH: It began in 2000 when and trauma healing. What ex- ternity leave for working women 1995, Marion Subah and I, who 10 women leaders from NGOs actly were you doing? whether married or not. I’ve ad- were working at the Christian in the region came together to MULBAH: We first underwent our own training and then provided training for those traumatized by the war.We focused on teach- ers, health workers, and pastors to make sure conflicts were not transferred to the hospitals, schools, and churches where victims and perpetrators were bound to come together or inter- act. The goal was forgiveness. TR: What organizations are you most active in today? MULBAH: I am vice chair of the Governance Commission, which was created by the Accra peace accord in 2003 after Liberia’s most recent civil war, to design policies and recommend strate- gies to establish an inclusive, par- ticipatory, just, and accountable system of government. TR: What is your guiding phi- losophy in life? MULBAH: That it does not mat- ter who gets the credit when something is done to benefit mankind. And that no one is here by mistake. – ANNE STEIN A P R I L 2 0 1 8  | THE ROTARIAN 13

up front World Roundup Rotary projects around the globe 1 ] INDIA 2 Hunger is ever present in India, where 3,000 children die undernourishment afflicts nearly every day because 200 million people. Seeing the profound of starvation or contrast of starving children walking diet-related past restaurants that routinely throw illnesses in India. away unsold food, the Rotary Club of Bangalore Brigades went to work. The cubic feet in capacity and emblazoned club deployed small refrigerators in with the Rotary logo. Club members are the Indiranagar neighborhood. Cooper- involved in placing and monitoring the ating restaurateurs roll out the units to refrigerators. The effort complements sidewalks and load them with overstock the club’s Rotary Shelf initiative, in meals and bottled water. On an honor which donors provide staples including basis, needy Bangaloreans can pick up rice, lentils, sugar, and fruit to the poor. a free meal – and dine with dignity. “The idea is that the food chain should not end prematurely at the incinerator or “There are five Rotary fridges in use, the bin, but rather provide nutrition to and we are delighted that the restau- people,” Pinto says. rants are supporting the cause,” says Vimla Pinto, past president of the club. Participating eateries clean and stock the refrigerators, which are about 4 to 7 by BRAD WEBBER 14 T H E R O T A R I A N | A P R I L 2 0 1 8

up front 2 ] CANADA 3 ] PORTUGAL The Rotary Club of Chatham in New Brunswick delivered a little extra warmth by giving new Dozens of Rotaractors from Districts 1960 and pajamas to disadvantaged residents during the Christmas season. Enlisting 10 car dealerships 1970 planted 1,500 trees on Monte Barata, a as collection points, the club amassed nearly 1,200 pairs. Club members draped vehicles in 1,000-acre parcel owned by Quercus, a Portuguese pajamas to get the project off the ground. Automobile shoppers and dealership staff got into environmental organization. On 11 March 2017, the spirit, stuffing the vehicles with pajamas, which were turned over to groups including the Salvation teams planted cork oaks and other regional spe- Army, First Nations communities, and Syrian immigrants. “It was heartwarming to know that cies on a 6-acre plot, “leaving a great green mark we were helping so many people,” says the project’s creator, club member Paula Trueman. in our country and on the Rotary movement,” says Inês Reis, president of the Rotaract Club Cork oaks must be at of São João da Madeira. To raise funds, Rotarac- least 25 years old before tors sold 300 “Rotaract in Rock in Rio” kits, which the first harvest of cork included a ticket to the Rock in Rio festival in 3 from the bark layer. Lisbon and a T-shirt. The sales provided more than $4,000 for the initiative. 51 4 4 ] SOUTH AFRICA 5 ] GHANA The Rotary Club of Dundee is using clothing to promote the protection of wildlife. Club member Peter Kuyler designed T-shirts and cycling jerseys bearing “Stop the Lacking electricity, many homes in the Jirapa District Slaughter: War on Poaching” artwork to raise awareness of threats to rhinoceroses, of Ghana’s Upper West Region go dark at night. In targeted by hunters who harvest their horns. Club members have raised about $1,000 a measure primarily directed at benefiting school- from sales of the shirts. Proceeds were channeled to the Rhino Security Program of children, the Rotary Club of Accra Ridge and the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, which buttresses the work of rangers in KwaZulu-Natal. Rotary Club of Wa leveraged a District 9102 grant “The primary goal of the program is to ensure that one of the oldest genetic pools and distributed 100 solar lamps to families in two in southern Africa is secured for breeding purposes,” Kuyler says. communities there. “Improved conditions for studying after school will make their academic records better,” says Sampson Djan Amoako of the Accra Ridge club. The $6,700 initiative, christened “One Lamp per Family,” included the installation of two solar street- lights in the village squares in June 2017. A P R I L 2 0 1 8 | THE ROTARIAN 15

up front Cyclists ride 3,000 miles to fight polio At 3 a.m., Bob McKenzie going.“Kids who contract polio The team made it through a from the Gates Foundation. RACE ACROSS AMERICA thought about quitting. do not get to quit. They are in sandstorm, driving rain, hail, “We’velearnedalot,”McKen- “I was miserable,” he for life.” He kept pedaling. extreme temperatures, and two says.“It was freezing cold and broken bikes while racing from zie says, talking about how the raining.” McKenzie had For McKenzie, a member of Oceanside, California, to team manages the logistics of already been cycling for six the Rotary Club of Tulsa, Annapolis, Maryland. “The the race. In 2016, several vehi- days, competing in the 3,000- Oklahoma, 2017 marked the first year, we didn’t even have a cles, including an RV, followed mile Race Across America, second time he participated in flat,” McKenzie says.“In 2017, the racers. They took turns one of the world’s most gruel- the Race Across America to we had all kinds of weather and sleeping in the RV and rarely ing bike races. He and his raise money to fight polio. Two issues with broken bikes.” Still, stopped. Last June, several teammates had made it to of his 2016 teammates – Kurt the team managed to finish in minivans still followed the rid- Grantsville, Maryland, just a Matzler, a member of the 7 days, 49 minutes, and raised ers, but they opted to complete few hundred miles from the Rotary Club of Innsbruck- $550,000 with matching funds the relay race by breaking it up end of the ride. But in the Goldenes Dachl in Austria, from the Bill & Melinda Gates into 10-hour shifts, with two darkness of the night, the rem- and Steve Schoonover, a mem- Foundation to support Rotary’s riders trading off cycling nants of Tropical Storm ber of the Rotary Club of fight to end polio. duties (one riding, one resting Cindy were pelting him relent- South Valley in Utah – were in a minivan following the lessly. He thought he would back in 2017. They were The 2018 race will mark the rider), typically riding in one- take a break and allow his joined by Matzler’s girlfriend, third time a team has repre- hour shifts, while the other teammate to take over for a Ruth Brandstaetter (Matzler sented Rotary in the race. This two rested at a nearby hotel while. Then he had a thought proposed marriage at the end year, they hope to raise $1 mil- for 10 hours. When they woke that inspired him to keep of the race, and the couple lion to support polio eradica- up, they would drive to catch married in August). tion with the 2-to-1 match up with the rest of the team 16 T H E R O T A R I A N   |   A P R I L 2 0 1 8

up front and trade places. Better rest OPPOSITE: The team finished the Race Across America in 7 days, 49 minutes, and raised $550,000 to fight polio. ABOVE: Despite may have helped their endur- lightning, hail, and two broken bikes, the riders persevered with the support of their team. The race ended with a happy surprise ance. They cut 27 minutes off when Rotarian Kurt Matzler proposed to his girlfriend and fellow racer, Ruth Brandstaetter, at the finish line (top left). their 2016 time, despite facing RACE ACROSS AMERICA more weather and equipment website offers live tracking of fear of polio was widespread in “But the best part is combining problems. the teams.) That support the United States.“I was born the passion for cycling with inspired the team to keep going in 1952, and my mom told me raising funds to end polio.” Still, the race was arduous. and to ride again in June 2018. we didn’t go anywhere. Every- The route takes riders across one was scared to death.” –VANESSA GLAVINSKAS three mountain ranges: the “We have to keep doing it Sierras, the Rockies, and the while the momentum is here,” Matzler and Brandstaetter To support the Appalachians. In total, the McKenzie says. As the oldest will ride again too.“Riding with 2018 Race Across America cyclists ascend over 170,000 racer on the team at age 66, he Rotarians 3,000 miles across team, visit raampolio.com. feet, the equivalent of climbing says he’ll ride again this year the country is an unbelievable Mount Everest six times. But because he remembers when team experience,” Matzler says. that’s the easier part for Kurt Matzler, who trains in the Alps. “The worst for me is definitely the desert,” he says. “Once we are out of the desert and into the Rocky Mountains, I feel like I’m home and I know that I can survive the race.” The mountains weren’t so easy for McKenzie, who nearly collided with two deer while careening down Wolf Creek Pass in Colorado at about 45 mph. The team’s driver leaned on the horn to scare the deer off the road. The team had to stop for 46 minutes in Ulysses, Kansas, because of a severe lightning storm. On Day 6, Matzler snapped his shifting cable. He was already using his backup bicycle, as he had broken the handlebars on his original bike. But a stroke of good luck kept the racers on track.“We found a bike store that was five min- utes from closing,” McKenzie says. It stayed open and fixed the cable in 45 minutes. The group also had four or five flat tires. There were positive moments too. From Fort Scott, Kansas, to Athens, Ohio, to the finish line in Annapolis, crowds of Rotarians gathered to cheer the racers on. (The RAAM A P R I L 2 0 1 8  | THE ROTARIAN 17

up front A soldier in the war on polio at the hospital, she mentioned that she wasn’t feeling well. ‘There are many polio have universal recognition as a working his first job out of col- Doctors performed a spinal COURTESY OF C. GRANT WILKINS warriors in Rotary, ” RI man who has helped save mil- lege. One day he started to feel tap, and her diagnosis came President Ian H.S. lions of lives, but he is. A mem- ill and couldn’t keep food back: polio. Within 24 hours Riseley remarked at a fund- ber of the Rotary Club of down. He went to the hospi- she was almost totally para- raising dinner for End Polio Denver since 1969, he’s the tal. “They thought I had the lyzed and placed in an iron Now in January, addressing the first to say that it’s only flu, ” he recalls.“Then they did lung, where she would stay for 400 attendees who filled the through Rotary that anything a spinal tap, found the polio 2½ years until a portable res- banquet hall of a hotel just like that could be done. virus in my spinal fluid, and pirator, a new invention at the south of Denver.“But none are “Rotary is the only way I’ve put me in the polio ward. ” The time, allowed her to leave the more loyal or dedicated than known of helping lots of peo- virus had attacked his throat, hospital. Grant spent months Grant Wilkins. … Together, ple around the entire world, ” paralyzing his vocal cords and learning to speak again. with 1.2 million of his closest he says. “We’ve saved millions making it impossible to swal- friends from around the world, of kids from polio. There’s no low. The doctors performed an In 1952, the year Jonas Salk and their partners, we are on way I could even begin to do emergency tracheotomy. As began work on the first effec- the threshold of greatness. ” anything like that without Wilkins writes in his memoir, tive vaccine, some 58,000 peo- being a member of this orga- Two Drops that Changed the ple in the U.S. contracted C. Grant Wilkins, who sat nization. ” But Wilkins has World,“polio would be the cen- polio, resulting in over 3,000 at the table in the front row been an important part of ter of my young family’s life deaths and over 21,000 with his wife of over 50 years, Rotary’s eradication efforts as and totally change my wife’s patients with some level of Marlene, took the comments well as many other Rotary ini- life for the next 13 years. ” paralysis. In 1953, vaccination and the following ovation in tiatives. And his dedication field trials began, and from stride. At 91, he walks with a begins with his own life story. Within two weeks, his fever 1955-57, incidence of the dis- slight stoop but still drives, broke, and Wilkins was moved ease in the U.S. fell by 85 to travels, speaks, and maintains In 1951, Wilkins was living from the isolation ward. Then, 90 percent. a busy schedule. He may not in Denver with his wife, Diane, while Diane was visiting him This was too late for the Wilkinses, but they carried on after Diane’s illness. For the next 13 years, they raised their three children, building their life around keeping Diane’s respirator going. She learned to paint holding the brush in her mouth, taught their kids to love music, and impressed everyone with her will to sur- vive. In 1964, she passed away at age 36. The family managed as well as they could. Soon, Wilkins grew close to an acquaintance, Marlene Siems, and in 1965 they married. A few years later, the kids were grown and gone, and Wilkins’ billboard business had been bought out under the federal Highway Beautification Act. So with an eye toward meeting people and helping others, in 1969 he joined the Rotary Club of Denver. 18 T H E R O T A R I A N   |   A P R I L 2 0 1 8

up front “I was born into Rotary, ” Opposite: C. Grant Wilkins participates in a National Immunization Day in Côte d’Ivoire in 1998. Clockwise from top left: Grant and Wilkins says. “My dad was a Diane at home; Shari and Mark with their mother; Marlene and Grant attend a Rotary Presidential Peace Conference in St. Petersburg, member of Fort Worth’s Russia, in 1997; in 2016, Wilkins celebrates his 90th birthday with his extended family; in 1984, he meets RI President Carlos Canseco; Rotary Club when I was born in Denver, Marlene and Grant Wilkins visit one of the PolioPlus statues created by their friend Glenna Goodacre. in 1926. ” Everywhere they COURTESY OF C. GRANT WILKINS moved – in Nebraska, Okla- can be screened for a variety of its own. We said that if every Rotary Club of Denver. In just homa, Texas, and finally Colo- medical conditions. Rotary club would do one a few months, the fund had rado – his father joined Rotary. water project somewhere in easily collected over $100,000, Wilkins was also a force the world, we could really which was matched 2-to-1 by At first, Wilkins focused behind Rotary’s focus on clean change that. And already, the Bill & Melinda Gates on local projects, such as one water. In 2003 he gave a talk we’ve got those deaths down Foundation. The check was that partnered Rotarians with at the American Water Works to less than half. Instead of signed “Friends of Grant.” underprivileged children in Association convention, where 6,000, it’s down below 3,000. ” the Denver public schools. he learned that 6,000 children “Every Rotarian is a soldier In 1978, he was elected presi- were dying each day from lack After Riseley spoke at the in the polio war, ” Wilkins says, dent of the club, and in 1981 of clean water. January event, Grant and Mar- looking back on all this. “We he helped start the Artists of lene were called up onstage to have over 35,000 places in the America exhibition, with “I was chairman of the be presented with a surprise world where we have troops on a portion of the proceeds Health, Hunger, and Human- check representing donations the ground. That’s why we’ve going to the Denver Rotary ity task force for The Rotary to a special C. Grant Wilkins been able to get this far. And Foundation. Over the next Foundation worldwide that PolioPlus Fund, which had that’s very, very satisfying. ” two decades, the show and year, ” he says. “So I went back been set up by members of the sale would raise $1.9 million and made water a task force of – FRANK BURES for the Denver Rotary Foun- dation and would also benefit the Colorado History Museum. Then in 1985, RI President Carlos Canseco proposed that Rotary take on polio eradica- tion. Given his history with the disease, Wilkins’ name was put forward to advise the program, which was called PolioPlus. “None of the senior leaders in Rotary had had polio them- selves and/or had a wife that was totally paralyzed from it, so I was unique, ” he recalls. He became a key player in PolioPlus from its inception. As a result of the efforts of Rotary and its four partner organizations, polio is on the verge of being eradicated, with just 22 cases reported last year as of 31 January 2018, down from 350,000 in 1988. But Wilkins has not limited himself to polio eradication. He helped establish the Rus- sian Health Initiative, which hosts health fairs where people A P R I L 2 0 1 8  | THE ROTARIAN 19

To Be up front FIND A CLUBDetermined IN BRIEF ⅓ vA-N2YW.1H2ER5E\"I×N T9HE.5W\"ORLD! News, studies, and recent research Get Rotary’s free Club Locator app U.S. adults aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables, say and find a meeting wherever you go! www.rotary.org/clublocator U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scientists, who warn that this puts people at risk for diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses. Federal Advertise in guidelines recommend having 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit and 2 to 3 cups of vegetables The Rotarian daily. Nine percent of adults meet the recommendation for vegetables and 12 percent for fruit, with men, young adults, and poor adults faring worst. [email protected] Thousands of ‘lost Einsteins’ would have been successful (954) 406-1000 Florida inventors had they been exposed to careers in innovation as children, say researchers led (212) 292-3718 New York by Stanford University economist Raj Chetty. The Equality of Opportunity Project studied inventors in the United States and found that children with parents in the top 3/$17 )866 % , $6 1 percent of income distribution are 10 times more likely to become inventors than 5(1(( , 6 / ( 2172 children from below-median-income families. White children are three times more (**21 (' , ( 85$ / likely than black children to become inventors, and just 18 percent of inventors are 32 , 17% / $1. 1 , / ( female. If underrepresented groups invented at the same rate as white males from 6 )2 2/ ' *( 7&2/ ' high-income families, American innovation would quadruple, according to estimates. 61$*6 58( Optimism and stubbornness are two traits shared by Italians $ / 72 12$+ %%*81 / , (8 '$ / (6 $ /0$ ages 90 to 101, according to University of California, San Diego researchers and 3 / $1% / ($1 &23< their Italian colleagues. Scientists studied 29 people from nine rural southern Italian villages where several hundred people age 90 or older live. Based on interviews with '8+ 67$5. participants and their relatives, the study determined that the older folks also had in 6/27&$5 : , ( 76$ common self-confidence, a strong work ethic, and close family ties. +285 '21$ / ''8&. 5 , 7$ $9 , 9 6('$1 A record number of journalists are imprisoned, according (5 , & *(1( ( /23( to a December census by the U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists. Around :( ( . 25( 6 $ 7 5( ( SHUTTERSTOCK.COM the world, 262 journalists were behind bars as of 1 December, most on “anti-state” 20 T H E R O T A R I A N | A P R I L 2 0 1 8 charges. Turkey topped the list with 73 jailed journalists, while China and Egypt jailed 41 and 20 journalists, respectively, ranking second and third. The census doesn’t include journalists who were imprisoned and then released. –ANNE STEIN

CLUB New membership INNOVATION categories attract new members Rotary Club of Central Ocean Toms River, New Jersey I N NOVAT I O N : Members in 2015: 18 When membership dropped below 20, club leaders Members in 2017: 29 took a leap of faith by offering a radically different membership structure to retain and attract members. The risk has paid off with a membership increase of 61 percent in two years. FOCUS ON PROJECTS: bership. The first is an introductory membership. New The Rotary Club of Central Ocean Toms River, New Jersey, members can join at the rate of $99 for the first six months and is a diverse club with a nearly equal number of men and women ages 30 to 89. The club has a robust list of projects, $199 for the second. After the first year of membership, they because members believe it is important to be directly involved in service. Members have tackled nine projects (and counting) pay the standard rate. during the 2017-18 Rotary year by breaking into smaller groups to work on multiple projects at the same time. “When I joined, that was my biggest hesitation – the money,” says Bucca.“For $99 I would have joined the first time I was asked and not three years later.” The second membership offering is a discount to family mem- When Mike Bucca took over as membership chair of the Rotary bers of existing members paying the standard rate. Family members Club of Central Ocean in July 2015, he knew the club had a prob- can join for $199 every six months, and that discount applies as lem. Membership was down to 18 and dwindling. Bucca persuaded long as another family member is paying the standard rate. club leaders to look seriously at membership. Again, Bucca drew from experience. “My wife and two The club board held three membership summits where they other members’ wives wanted to join the club, but the family discussed why people join Rotary and why they stay. The result could not afford it. But half price made sense, so we gained was a proposal to dramatically alter the club's membership struc- three members.” ture to attract new members by lowering the financial commitment. The third type is called a friendship membership. This is de- “We want members to have a place in this club where they are signed for members who are interested in helping the club and contributing what they can – in time or finances,” Bucca explains. taking part in projects, but cannot commit to meetings. Friendship “It’s really worked.” members pay $249 every six months. ROTARY CLUB OF CENTRAL OCEAN TOMS RIVER, NEW JERSEY The Rotary Club of “People felt guilty about not coming to meetings. This elimi- Central Ocean still has nates that,” Bucca says. standard and corporate The results are clearly in favor of the new system. Membership memberships, in which a climbed from a low of 18 in 2015 to 29 in 2017. Many of the new local corporation or busi- members are in their 30s and many are women, says Bucca.“In ness joins with a specified 2013, I was the only member under 40; now we have seven. Our number of qualified em- club was No. 1 in the district for the number of women who joined.” ployees serving as its des- Most importantly, the new members have invigorated the club. ignees. Members in both “Our club was dying; we were in trouble,” says Bucca.“We turned categories pay $399 in it around and are thriving.” –SUSIE MA Top: Club members work on a Habitat for dues every six months. What is your club doing to reinvent itself? Humanity project to repair a house. Bottom: The club also offers three Email [email protected]. alternative types of mem- A fundraising walk energizes members. A P R I L 2 0 1 8  | THE ROTARIAN 21

WHERE IN THE WORLD Kidapawan City, Philippines Several times a year, the Rotary Club of Metro Kidapawan collaborates with the Energy Development Corp. to run Bigay Liwanag, a day of free eye exams for senior citizens. Optometrist Reynard Gapul, a Metro Kidapawan Rotarian, performs the exams; fellow club member JONAH ENCABO captured this moment.



up front April 6 - 8th th 21st RIDE FOR ROSÉS EVENT: Cycle for Sight HOST: Rotary Club of Napa, California FINGER LICKIN’ GOOD WHAT IT BENEFITS: The Pathway Home and the Enchanted Hills Camp EVENT: Rhythm and Ribs (part of the Lighthouse for the Blind) WHAT IT IS: This scenic bike ride through the incomparable HOST: Rotary Club of St. Augustine Sunrise, Florida Napa Valley, with 15-, 25- and 50-mile options, WHAT IT BENEFITS: Local charities is only half of the fun. Celebrate finishing the WHAT IT IS: What started as a small barbecue fest course at a post-ride soiree featuring delectable 23 years ago has grown into a massive event local cuisine, wines, and beers. that attracts more than 25,000 people over three days. Eat award-winning barbecue, hear live music, shop for arts and crafts, and enjoy children’s games and rides. 23rd HOLE IN ONE 7th EVENT: Fore for Kids HOST: Rotary Club of SaddleBrooke, Arizona COMIN’ ’ROUND WHAT IT BENEFITS: Make a Wish Arizona and other local youth charities THE MOUNTAIN (Ski Town USA) WHAT IT IS: A day on the links followed by an evening of cocktails, raffles, and live and silent auctions makes for a sporty EVENT: Red Ball Express and festive fundraiser. Organize your favorite foursome HOST: for a day of golf with a chance to win some prizes. Rotary Club of Steamboat Springs Morning, Colorado WHAT IT BENEFITS: Local charities WHAT IT IS: Imagine over 100 giant red exercise balls bounding 28th down the slopes at Steamboat Ski Resort. Now imagine that you have “adopted” two of the numbered red balls for $10. If your adopted balls are the first pair to finish DEALER’S CHOICE the race, you win $2,500. EVENT: Casino Royale: Annual Chain of Giving Event HOST: Rotary Club of Chain of Lakes, Minnesota WHAT IT BENEFITS: Local youth charities WHAT IT IS: Refresh your blackjack skills for this year’s casino- themed fundraiser. Or try your hand at other games including Texas Hold ’em and Beat the House. Enjoy heavy appetizers and libations throughout the evening. Tell us about your club’s event. Write to [email protected] with “calendar” in the subject line. 24 T H E R O T A R I A N | A P R I L 2 0 1 8

Reinvent our wheel What is your club doing? In coming Share your club’s great new ideas. months, The Rotarian will be showcasing: Email us at • NEW MEMBERSHIP MODELS [email protected]. • WAYS TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY • PROJECT IDEAS • FUNDRAISERS

column C U L T U R E The story of us vs. them Is it too late to create a narrative where we’re all on the same side? by STEVE ALMOND DAVE CUTLER I was only seven when Richard What happens, then, when some of the nating against our perceived enemies Nixon left office, but I vividly re- stories we tell ourselves are fraudulent, by is that we’ve placed our faith in bad member the former president either design or negligence? What hap- stories. reading his letter of resignation on pens when the stories we tell ourselves live TV. We were on vacation at the are frivolous? Or when we ignore stories Bad story No. 1: The media is time, visiting a friend with no televi- that are too frightening to confront? fake news. Just a few days after the sion. We had to watch at the home What happens when we fall under the release of the infamous Access Holly- of one of his neighbors. sway of stories intended to sow discord, wood tape, in which then-candidate to warp our fears into loathing? Donald Trump boasted about forc- When I think back to this epi- ing himself on women, I found my- sode, what strikes me as most re- My principal argument is that bad stories self at a conference devoted to markable is that all the adults lead to bad outcomes.The reason Americans female empowerment, talking to a crowded into that room were living spend so little time talking about how to solve woman who was a vice president at in the same story. Everyone – from mutual problems and so much time fulmi- a large media company. our host, a former Nixon supporter with a crew cut, to our friend, a The woman said she wasn’t crazy hippie with hair down to his waist about Trump, but she also didn’t – agreed that the president had be- trust Hillary Clinton.“She defended trayed his oath of office. a rapist and got him acquitted, then she laughed at the victim, ” she told That moral consensus was, in fact, what me.“There’s a tape of the whole thing. ” forced Nixon from the presidency. It wasn’t I had never heard this claim. Later that just that he had committed crimes. It was night, I went online to investigate. that virtually all Americans accepted the In fact, Clinton had been the defense evidence that these crimes had occurred. lawyer for an accused rapist, some 40 years ago, after a judge ordered her to take the When it comes to our political discourse case. Her client wasn’t acquitted. He ac- today, there is no such consensus. Not only cepted a plea bargain, under pressure from do Americans live by different creeds, but the victim’s mother. And there was a tape we don’t even agree on basic facts. We’re no of Clinton discussing the case, years later longer living in the same story. with a journalist. She never laughed at the victim. That was a fiction created, via cun- I use the word“story ” because stories are ning editing, by partisan radio hosts. the basic unit of human consciousness. They are how we construct our reality. 26 T H E R O T A R I A N   | A P R I L 2 0 1 8

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column C U L T U R E When America’s founders enshrined free- Candidate debates are system as a zero-sum game. For our side to dom of the press in the First Amendment, no longer forums to win, the other side has to lose. they could not have anticipated a world in showcase competing ideas. which citizens would construct an alternate They are promoted and We need to recognize that politics cuts “reality ” based on misinformation. analyzed like prizefights. deeper than Red versus Blue. Governance is about the art of compromise, about But some lawmakers did foresee trouble. college in 1984, I volunteered for Walter working with the other side to find solu- That’s why, in 1949, the Federal Commu- Mondale’s presidential campaign. I remem- tions for all. nications Commission created the Fairness ber getting up on the morning after Ronald Doctrine. The doctrine didn’t require that Reagan’s landslide win and running into a Bad story No. 3: Our grievances mat- radio or TV programs be ideologically bearish figure in shower sandals in the hall. ter more than our vulnerabilities. One of balanced. It simply forbade stations from This was the dorm’s resident hockey player, my best friends is a guy I’ll call Josh. He’s a using the public airwaves to broadcast a guy named Sam.“We kicked your butt, ” Harvard-educated computer scientist who unfiltered propaganda. Sam boomed.“Your guy got three points! works for a nonprofit research institute Three lousy points! ” funded, in part, by federal grants. Whether the subject was a national pol- icy debate or a local referendum question, Mondale actually received 13 electoral We don’t talk much about politics, be- broadcasters had to provide a “reasonable votes. But as a fellow jock, I understood cause Josh is an upbeat guy who considers opportunity for opposing viewpoints. ” where Sam was coming from. His attitude the subject a bummer. In the 2016 election, toward politics had almost nothing to do he told me, he had cast a protest vote for the With its revocation, in 1987, broadcast- with governance. To him, it was a sport. Libertarian candidate, Gary Johnson. ers were free to air partisan programming around the clock.The result was that Amer- Americans have always, to some extent, In 2008, after he lost his job, Josh had icans began to get their“news ” from sources, regarded politics that way. What has needed help from the federal government to such as talk radio hosts, who railed against changed over the past half-century is that pay for his family’s medical insurance. But “the mainstream media ” as unreliable. Over the media and political classes now function in the years since, he had apparently lost his the past two decades, an increasing number to intensify this bad story. faith in the government’s capacity to aid fam- of politicians have weaponized this mistrust. ilies like his own. Josh took his grievances Rather than interviewing experts who seriously, but not his vulnerabilities. Feeling The result has been an erosion of faith might illuminate policy, cable news outlets that people should fend for themselves, he in our Fourth Estate. According to a 2017 stage pundit cage matches. Candidate opposes government intervention – until survey by the Pew Research Center, barely debates are no longer forums to showcase he needs help from the government. one-third of Democrats trust the news that competing ideas. They are promoted and comes from national media. The figure for analyzed like prizefights. Who won? Were Americans love to rail against govern- Republicans is 11 percent. there any knockout blows? ment, elites, journalists, and so on. But lurking beneath these grievances are feel- As citizens migrate to partisan media This mindset has led to what social sci- ings that are much harder to talk about, sources, they become more vulnerable to entists call negative partisanship: an in- such as helplessness and vulnerability. propaganda. They begin to seek out bad grained hostility for the opposing party that stories – about death panels, or vaccines that has almost nothing to do with ideology. It’s From its inception, the beauty of our cause autism, or candidates who laugh at a kind of tribal identity, the same impulse great democratic experiment has been that rape victims. They begin to reject science in that leads us to root against a rival team. we, the people, have been granted the right favor of conspiracy theories that are emo- to author our own national story. tionally satisfying but false. Consider this: The proportion of those who hold “very unfavorable ” views of the If we succumb to bad stories that do The most important step we can take other party has nearly tripled since 1994. little more than stoke our rage and starve is to support media outlets that value fact- Negative partisanship has become the de- our common sense, we’ll usher in an era of based reporting, rather than punditry or fault setting of our electorate. perpetual dread and decline. so-called opinion journalism. Second, we can seek out all perspectives on an issue, This encourages politicians to engage in We must renew a spirit of hope by lis- not just the one that supports our pre- confrontation rather than cooperation with tening to – and telling – stories that allow existing beliefs. Third, we should support the other party, which deepens partisan ran- us to see our national fate as a shared des- the reinstatement of some version of the cor. Rather than thinking about the common tiny, and our personal plights not as signs Fairness Doctrine. good, we have come to regard our political of weakness, but as opportunities for con- structive action and occasions for mercy. n Bad story No. 2: Winning isn’t every- thing, it’s the only thing. As a freshman in Steve Almond’s new book is Bad Stories: What the Hell Just Happened to Our Country. 28 T H E R O T A R I A N   | A P R I L 2 0 1 8

column C L U B S Stealth motivation How to get volunteers to do what you want them to – and like it by NANCY SHEPHERDSON DAVE CUTLER W hen I was a senior at the will give volunteers satisfaction without Logic That Shapes Our Motivations, University of Illinois, I drawing attention to the fact that you are has spent a good portion of his ca- lived with some friends in trying to motivate them. reer trying to discern under what an old house set in a grove of oak circumstances people will do what trees. I loved to take my homework In many ways, motivating volunteers is you ask. Why do some people en- outside and sit under a tree to study much harder than motivating employees. thusiastically volunteer for every and daydream. One day, I went out You don’t pay volunteers, and you can’t fire event your club puts on, while oth- and found stakes marking off big them. But there are still effective ap- ers rarely or never do? sections of the grove. proaches: Remember that every potential volunteer is looking for something, Ariely believes that part of the Racing inside, I begged my whether it’s personal satisfaction, the answer depends on recognition. housemates to help me find out chance to contribute to a good cause, or “Ignoring the performance of peo- what was happening. We made simply a fun thing to do. ple is almost as bad as shredding phone calls and discovered that their effort before their eyes, ” the the university planned to cut Behavioral economist Dan Ariely, au- Duke University Fuqua School of down all the trees to build a park- thor of books including Payoff: The Hidden Business professor said in a 2013 ing lot. We made posters, gave TED Talk. “ The good news is save-the-trees presentations in the that  adding motivation doesn’t dorms nearby, and delivered im- seem to be so difficult. ” passioned pleas to administrators. Many In an experiment he reported in Payoff, noisy protests and negotiations later, the Ariely persuaded Intel to reward three sets university backed down and let the trees of workers for productivity with either a stand. Somewhat to our own surprise, we monetary bonus, a pizza voucher, or a had prevailed – and I had seen the power texted compliment. All of the rewards re- of motivated volunteers. sulted in increased productivity the next day, but the compliment was the most It was my first experience with what I’ve powerful and had the longest-lasting effect. come to call “stealth motivation. ” Before Ariely was focused on employees, but that happened, I hadn’t realized that I pos- he believes the power of compliments sessed any ability to motivate people. But holds true for volunteers as well. When a I have learned that when you personally reluctant volunteer receives public appre- ask people to take on a task that is impor- ciation for his work, even just a text say- tant to a cause they care about, great things ing “good job, ” it can increase the chances can happen. The key is finding out what A P R I L 2 0 1 8  | THE ROTARIAN 29

WHAT ARE YOU column C L U B S ⅔To Bve D-e4t.e4r3m7in5e\"d× 9.5\" WAITING FOR? that he will step up for the next project. But recognition alone isn’t enough. Be- Golden Gate BE A VIBRANT Bridge CLUB ing a committed volunteer is hard work, and people know it. So to recruit volun- teers, you must overcome what behavioral scientist David Halpern calls “friction”: Will it be worth my time? Will I look like a fool? Will it be too hard? “Humans have Yosemite Valley Be a Vibrant Club guide a deep-rooted tendency to take the line of includes: See the very best of the Golden State on • A club success story from least resistance,” notes Halpern, the author a fun-filled, one week tour with Caravan your region of Inside the Nudge Unit: How Small • Ideas for your club to try Changes Can Make a Big Difference. • Resources for your club on Halpern directs a British government My Rotary agency that tries to “nudge” people into 8-Day Fully Guided Tour changing their behavior by making it eas- ier to perform the desired behavior. The $1595 +tax,fees Nudge Unit got a million more people to Get your free copy at participate in a pension plan, for instance, San Francisco to shop.rotary.org simply by making it an “opt out”plan. LA with Yosemite Similar techniques can work for volun- Big Sur National Park, Wine Country, teer projects. Always think about how to Monterey, Big Sur, make it easier to participate, such as by Hollywood, and breaking up large assignments into smaller so much more! tasks. It also helps, says Halpern, if you make the volunteer assignment as attrac- Discover for yourself why smart Be a Vibrant Club Ad_EN14.indd 2 tive as possible, for example by pairing it 4/9/14 2:40 PwMith an opportunity to promote the vol- FIND A CLUBshoppers & experienced travelers unteer’s business or to involve family in have chosen their travel packages something fun. As an example, he points from Caravan since 1952. ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD! to advertisements for military service. To- Detailed itinerary at Caravan.com. day’s ads, rather than telling you that Un- Call now for choice dates. cle Sam wants you, “dwell much more on Choose a Guided Tour+tax,fees adventure and excitement,” he says. Guatemala 10 days $1395 If an assignment isn’t too onerous, you’ll often find that people will put in more ef- Costa Rica 9 days $1295 fort than they intended. But the opposite is also true, Halpern says: “A human im- Panama Canal 8 days $1295 pulse to do something grinds to a halt when it becomes a hassle.” Nova Scotia 10 days $1495 So to maintain a contingent of moti- Canadian Rockies 9 days $1795 Grand Canyon 8 days $1495 California Coast 8 days $1595 Mount Rushmore 8 days $1395 New England 8 days $1395 vated volunteers, you have to plan ahead. “Brilliant, Affordable Pricing ” When you throw something together at —Arthur Frommer, Travel Editor the last minute, you’ll find yourself relying on the same people who always carry the FREE Brochure Get Rotary’s free Club Locator app load. Or you’ll quickly overtax new mem- Call Now 1-800-CARAVAN and find a meeting wherever you go! bers, who are sometimes the most eager to get involved. Caravan. com When I was incoming president of my www.rotary.org/clublocator club, I decided to ask people exactly what they wanted to get out of their membership. I spent a few months interviewing every 2.125x93.05_RotarTiaHn_EAPRR.2O01T8A.CRA.iInAddN 1 | A P R I 2L/162/180 16:820 PM

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⅔To Bve D-e4t.e4r3m7in5e\"d× 9.5\" column C L U B S WANT A MORE member of the club, either over lunch or at EFFECTIVE WAY TO their office. I heard some complaints but SET CLUB GOALS? also a lot of good ideas. In the end, the ef- fort made us a much stronger club. Among ROTARY CLUB CENTRAL other things, we added a successful fund- POINTS THE WAY. raiser and attracted nine new members. GET STARTED AT ROTARY.ORG/MYROTARY According to Ann Rhoades, a co- founder of JetBlue and author of Built on 32 T H E R O T A R I A N | A P R I L 2 0 1 8 Values: Creating an Enviable Culture That Outperforms the Competition, one of the most powerful things you can do to create an effective corporate culture is to listen to your best employees and create a shared culture based on their values. I helped Rhoades write that book, and what I learned from her led me to approach my club presidency the way I did. Volunteer groups are not so different from companies, Rhoades told me recently. “The values of your most motivated vol- unteers can get other people excited to volunteer,” she says.“Do some brainstorm- ing to make these values explicit – whether it’s making kids’ lives better, helping the poor, or having fun – and then talk about them all the time. It’s one of the most im- portant things you can do to make volun- teering more rewarding.” By listening to our club members, I dis- covered that many of them were primar- ily motivated by one thing: doing good for the children in our community. Two projects – giving books to kids and man- aging a Special Olympics event – grew out of that process. Encouraging members to identify prob- lems they want to solve and letting them come up with ways to address them are the keys to keeping people motivated. My club is in the midst of another listening tour that I hope results in more good projects that will, in turn, ease members into be- coming more engaged. In my experience, if you praise regularly, nudge often, and make sure your group’s values are clear, people who volunteer for you will be grate- ful to you – even if they’re not sure why. n Nancy Shepherdson is the co-author of five books and a past president of the Rotary Club of Lake Zurich, Illinois.

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Illustrations by Laszlo Kubinyi THE BEST TIME TO PLANT A TREE WAS WHEN PAUL HARRIS WAS ALIVE. THE SECOND-BEST TIME IS NOW BACK TO our ROOTS Last summer, Ian H.S. Riseley challenged every Rotarian to plant a tree by Earth Day 2018. On these pages, we trace Rotary’s love of trees from its founder, Paul Harris, to the trees Rotarians are planting today, including the heritage apple tree (opposite) that members in Germany are cultivating. You will also read about the similarities between Rotarians and trees, President Riseley’s thoughts on the primal power of trees, and the ways we honor – and fail to honor – trees. Earth Day is 22 April. Time to get your grove on! 34 T H E R O T A R I A N   |   A P R I L 2 0 1 8

APPLE Malus “Schöner von Nordhausen” FRUIT FORWARD There are 7,500 varieties of apple world- wide, but only three of those account for fully one-third of worldwide commercial production. To preserve biodiversity, members of the four Rotary clubs in Göttingen, Germany, planted traditional varieties of apple, plum, and cherry trees in the village of Geismar on the site of an old orchard. Their selections included “Schöner von Nordhausen,” a variety developed in the early 19th century (the name means “Nordhausen Beauty”), the fruit of which stores well and can be eaten in the late winter and early spring. The trees create what’s known as a Baum- wiese, or tree meadow, that is part of a planned urban green space incorporating plantings, paths, and recreational areas. A P R I L 2 0 1 8 | THE ROTARIAN 35

When is a tree like a Rotarian? All the time TREES ARE CONNECTED THROUGH THEIR ROOT SYSTEMS – AND HELPING NEIGHBORS IN TIMES OF NEED IS THE RULE. SOUND FAMILIAR? by Peter Wohlleben hen I began my professional nature was reignited. Suddenly life as a forester became exciting once again. W career as a forester, I knew as much about the hidden life of One day, while in this state of mind, trees as a butcher knows about the I stumbled across a patch of strange- emotional life of animals. Because it looking mossy stones in one of the pre- was my job to look at hundreds of trees serves of old beech trees. I stopped to every day – spruce, beeches, oaks, and take a good look. The stones were an pines – to assess their suitability for the unusual shape: They were gently curved lumber mill and their market value, my with hollowed-out areas. Carefully, I appreciation of trees was limited to a lifted the moss on one of the stones. narrow point of view. What I found underneath was tree bark. So, these were not stones, after all, but About 20 years ago, as I talked with old wood. I was surprised at how hard the many visitors to the forest that I the “stone ” was, because it usually takes manage – for the tiny village of Hümmel only a few years for beechwood lying on in the Eifel Mountains in western Ger- damp ground to decompose. But what many – my perspective began to change. surprised me most was that I couldn’t Those visitors were enchanted by lift the wood. It was obviously attached crooked, gnarled trees I would previ- to the ground in some way. ously have dismissed because of their low commercial value. Walking with my I took out my pocketknife and care- visitors, I learned to pay attention to fully scraped away some of the bark more than just the quality of the trees’ until I got down to a greenish layer. This trunks. I began to notice bizarre root color is found only in chlorophyll, which shapes, peculiar growth patterns, and makes new leaves green; reserves of mossy cushions on bark. My love of chlorophyll are also stored in the trunks 36 T H E R O T A R I A N   |   A P R I L 2 0 1 8

of living trees. That could mean only one and this leads to the conclusion that for- This piece of wood thing: This piece of wood was still alive! ests are superorganisms with intercon- was still alive! How nections much like ant colonies. could the remains Next I noticed that the remaining have clung onto life “stones ” formed a distinct pattern: They Of course, it makes sense to ask for so long? were arranged in a circle with a diame- whether tree roots are simply wandering ter of about 5 feet. What I had stumbled around aimlessly underground and con- upon were the gnarled remains of an necting up when they happen to bump enormous ancient tree stump. All that into roots of their own kind. Once con- was left were vestiges of the outermost nected, they have no choice but to ex- edge. The interior had rotted into humus change nutrients. They create what looks long ago – an indication that the tree like a social network, but what they are must have been felled at least 400 or 500 experiencing is a purely accidental give years earlier. But how could the remains and take. In this scenario, chance en- have clung onto life for so long? counters replace the more emotionally charged image of active support, though Living cells must have food in the even chance encounters offer benefits for form of sugar; they must breathe, and the forest ecosystem. But nature is more they must grow, at least a little. But complicated than that. According to without leaves – and therefore without Massimo Maffei from the University of photosynthesis – that’s impossible. No Turin, Italy, plants – and that includes being on our planet can maintain a cen- trees – are capable of distinguishing their turies-long fast, not even the remains of own roots from the roots of other species a tree, and certainly not a stump that has and even from the roots of related had to survive on its own. Something individuals. else was happening with this stump. It must be getting assistance from neigh- But why are trees such social beings? boring trees, specifically from their Why do they share food with their own roots. Scientists investigating similar species and sometimes even go so far as situations have discovered that assis- to nourish their competitors? There are tance may either be delivered remotely advantages to working together. A tree is by fungal networks around the root tips not a forest. On its own, a tree cannot es- – which facilitate nutrient exchange be- tablish a consistent local climate. It is at tween trees – or the roots themselves the mercy of wind and weather. But to- may be interconnected. In the case of gether, many trees create an ecosystem the stump I had stumbled upon, the sur- that moderates extremes of heat and rounding beeches were pumping sugar cold, stores a great deal of water, and gen- to the stump to keep it alive. erates a great deal of humidity. And in this protected environment, trees can If you look at roadside embank- live to be very old. To get to this point, the ments, you might be able to see how community must remain intact no mat- trees connect with each other through ter what. If every tree were looking out their root systems. On these slopes, rain only for itself, then many of them would often washes away the soil, leaving the never reach old age. Regular fatalities underground networks exposed. Scien- would result in many large gaps in the tists in the Harz Mountains in Germany tree canopy, which would make it easier have discovered that this is a case of in- for storms to get inside the forest and terdependence, and most individual uproot more trees. The heat of summer trees of the same species growing in the would reach the forest floor and dry it same stand are connected to each other out. Every tree would suffer. through their root systems. It appears that nutrient exchange and helping Every tree, therefore, is valuable to neighbors in times of need is the rule, its community. That’s why even sick A P R I L 2 0 1 8  | THE ROTARIAN 37

The community must individuals are supported and nour- remain intact no ished until they recover. When thick silver-gray beeches behave like this, matter what. If every they remind me of a herd of elephants. tree were looking out Like the herd, they, too, look after their own, and they help their sick and weak only for itself, then back up onto their feet. They are even many of them would reluctant to abandon their dead. never reach old age. Every tree is a member of its commu- nity, but there are different levels of membership. For example, most stumps rot away into humus and disappear within a couple of hundred years (which is not very long for a tree). Only a few in- dividuals are kept alive over the centu- ries, like the mossy “stones” I’ve just described. What’s the difference? Do tree societies have second-class citizens just like human societies? It seems they do, though the idea of “class” doesn’t quite fit. It is rather the degree of connection – or maybe even affection – that decides how helpful a tree’s colleagues will be. You can check this out by looking up into the forest canopy. The average tree grows its branches out until it encounters the branch tips of a neighboring tree of the same height. It doesn’t grow any wider because the air and better light in this space are already taken. However, it heavily reinforces the branches it has extended, so you get the impression that there’s a shoving match going on up there. But a pair of true friends is careful right from the outset not to grow overly thick branches in each other’s direction. The trees don’t want to take anything away from each other, and so they develop sturdy branches only at the outer edges of their crowns, that is to say, only in the direction of “nonfriends. ” Such partners are often so tightly connected at the roots that sometimes they even die together. What I have learned so far from trees exceeds anything I could ever have dreamed of. n Adapted from The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben; reprinted with per- mission from Greystone Books Ltd. 38 T H E R O T A R I A N | A P R I L 2 0 1 8

STABLE COMMUNITY BRAZILWOOD The country of Brazil got its name After a dam at an open-pit mine from a tree – the Brazilwood, which broke in November 2015, a wave Caesalpinia echinata was once abundant in the coastal of contaminated sludge ripped out forests there but was extensively trees and destroyed homes in the logged for the production of crimson area around the Samarco mine in and deep purple dye. It is one of the state of Minas Gerais. The Ro- 10 species that Rotarians in Brazil tary clubs of Brasília-International, planted in November as part of a long- Brasília-5 de Dezembro, and Belo term project responding to what is Horizonte-Liberdade have worked considered the worst environmental with community members to plant disaster in the country’s history. 5,700 seedlings in a rural area of the municipality of Santo Antônio do Grama, and plan to plant 15,000 in the Doce River basin. Rotarians are also working with small farmers and landowners to restore their businesses, and they have trained residents in how to build contours in the hills to slow floodwaters. A P R I L 2 0 1 8 | THE ROTARIAN 39

GROWING NATIVE GOLDEN WATTLE The golden wattle is Australia’s national Acacia pycnantha flower and the inspiration for the coun- try’s national colors and coat of arms (as well as Ian Riseley’s presidential tie and scarf). The golden wattle is one of a variety of native tree species being cultivated through a project of District 9810 (Australia). Over the past five years, Melbourne-area volunteers from the Rotary clubs of Mont Albert & Surrey Hills, Doncaster, and Waverley; the Rotaract Club of Monash; and the Inter- act Club of Ashwood Secondary College have grown about 2,000 native seed- lings each year in their own backyards with the help of a nonprofit organiza- tion called TreeProject. In late August every year – springtime in Australia – the volunteers work with members of the Rotary Club of Beaufort to plant the seedlings in that rural community, about 100 miles west of Melbourne. 40 T H E R O T A R I A N | A P R I L 2 0 1 8

What a tree can do Last year, Ian H.S. Riseley issued a challenge. He wanted Rotarians to plant 1.2 million trees – one for every Rotarian in the world – between 1 July 2017, when he took office as president of Rotary Inter- national, and Earth Day, 22 April 2018. Clubs around the world have embraced that challenge, and in his travels this year, Riseley himself has often been asked to pick up a shovel. Senior editor Hank Sartin sat down with him to talk about the trees he has planted – and how trees fit into Rotary’s mission. THE ROTARIAN: Why tree-planting? TR: Why do you think this idea has in- TR: How do trees fit into Rotary’s areas spired such enthusiasm? of focus? IAN H.S. RISELEY: Environmental issues have not featured highly on the radar of RISELEY: There’s something about planting RISELEY: In some way, planting trees Rotary International in a corporate a tree that speaks to people in a very pri- speaks to all of the areas of focus. Re- sense since 1990-91, when President mal way. It shows a long-term commit- search has shown that trees are good Paulo Costa’s Preserve Planet Earth ment to the community. Rotary does for economic and community develop- program inspired thousands of clubs to many wonderful community projects: We ment – they increase property values. carry out environmental projects. I was build playgrounds and clean up rubbish Planting a tree promotes peace simply keen to give Rotarians an incentive – and many other things. But somehow, by giving people a place to sit in the and the opportunity – to show their planting a tree captures the imagination. shade and contemplate the world. concern for the environment. It’s im- Trees are good for disease prevention portant to me and it’s important to I’ve seen many examples of commu- and treatment, because the world is a many other people. nities getting involved. The government healthier place with more trees to pro- of Romania heard about the initiative duce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. Why trees? Because anyone can do it, and said, ‘We want to plant trees too, but You can make a case for trees relating just about. If you can’t plant one your- we don’t have the personnel to plant to all our areas of focus. self, you can still support tree-planting them.’ The government offered to do- somewhere that needs it. From every- nate trees that Rotarians would plant all There are parts of the world where thing I’ve heard, people inside and out- over the country. So Rotarians are plant- deforestation has caused significant side Rotary have embraced this idea. ing a million trees there. damage. It’s not within the bailiwick of A P R I L 2 0 1 8  | THE ROTARIAN 41

Rotary to redress that; we just don’t TR: You’ve participated in many tree high. People there were talking about have the capacity. But we’d like to dem- plantings this year. What have been the role that trees will have in the resto- onstrate the importance of having trees some more memorable ones? ration of the area where they had the in our communities and the difference wildfires last year. A forester I spoke to that they make to us. RISELEY: In Iceland, we planted a tree in told me that planting trees helps to sta- the Friendship Forest, Vinaskógur, bilize the soil so it doesn’t wash away TR: The imagery of your presidential tie where visiting dignitaries and heads of when it rains. It was a strong reminder is the golden wattle, Australia’s na- state have planted trees. Queen Eliza- of the many benefits of trees – not just tional flower. Have you always been beth II planted a tree there. I’d just note converting carbon dioxide to oxygen, but interested in plants? that Rotary’s tree is planted just a little also halting erosion, providing habitat bit higher up the slope than hers. for animals, and so many other things. RISELEY: I’ve been interested in growing native Australian plants since before I was An organization Rotary works with I’ve helped plant trees in Sardinia, in a teenager. My father was keen on propa- in South America wanted to plant a tree Latvia, in Australia. Everywhere I go, I gating plants. When my wife, Juliet, and I in Antofagasta, Chile, on the edge of the get my hands dirty. bought our first house, I wanted to create Atacama desert. I asked if it was practi- a garden that mirrored what used to occur cal to plant a tree in the desert. They TR: Your tree challenge officially ends naturally in the area, with plants that are showed me how they had set up a sys- on Earth Day, on the 22nd of this indigenous to that particular part of Aus- tem to take water from the roof of their month. Do you hope that clubs will keep tralia. When I was thinking about my building when it rains. The tree can on planting trees? presidential tie, it was a no-brainer to in- survive and thrive if they do it right. corporate the golden wattle. It’s very col- RISELEY: We want everyone to keep go- orful. I know some Rotary presidential In Northern California, a massive ing. And it’s not just planting the tree. theme ties have been relatively sedate, and 100-year-old oak tree had come down, It’s nurturing the tree to ensure that it I wanted mine to be slightly out there. and Rotarians wanted to plant some- thrives. Planting a tree is a commit- thing in its place. The tree we planted is ment to the future. n a small thing now, of course, just a meter 42 T H E R O T A R I A N   |   A P R I L 2 0 1 8

IPIL Intsia bijuga R E F O R E S TAT I O N Logging and slash-and-burn farming have led to the near-extirpation of the ipil in parts of Southeast Asia; the tree’s wood is used for furniture and flooring. District 3830 (Philippines) planted ipil seedlings to reforest 5,000 hectares of the Irawan Watershed on the Philippine island of Palawan. In a project led by the Rotary Club of Makati Olympia, Rotarians also gave 24 indigenous Batak families 50 seedlings each of kalamansi, a native citrus tree. A P R I L 2 0 1 8 | THE ROTARIAN 43

The tree whisperer THE FORESTS OF NEW ENGLAND PREPARED PAUL HARRIS FOR A LIFETIME IN ROTARY by Geoff Johnson hen he was a boy growing up in Vermont, Paul Harris playground. “We lived near to nature in those days,” he recalls. “We were part and parcel of the universe, and in our own W made a startling discovery: “Trees talk to each other quiet enjoyment of things, our lives were fuller than they in a language of their own.” How else could they could have been otherwise.” flawlessly orchestrate the brilliant display of color that each fall without fail set New England ablaze? It seemed obvious: Not least among those enjoyments were the trees. In order to dazzle, the trees must first plan, they must plot, they must converse. is father’s improvidence may have been the best thing “Each tree according to its species is assigned its part, ” Har- H that ever happened to Paul Harris. As a result of his ris explained. “The mighty oaks, with such help as the sumacs family’s financial woes, Rotary’s founder was deliv- may give in touching up the low corners, agree to supply the deep ered into the hands of his paternal grandparents, Howard and wine color admired by all nature lovers; the beech trees, the Pamela Harris, when he was three years old. The couple lived elms, and the birches supply miles of yellow and red; the maples on a small farm in Wallingford, Vermont. The farm wasn’t are never confined to any one color; they are permitted to run much – an extensive garden, a hayfield, a few cows, and a riot with everything they have in their paint pots, red, brown, neglected apple orchard – but the surrounding countryside wine color, yellow, green, and what not. All the trees of the forest was magnificent. Situated between the Taconic and Green place their trust in the maples to do the right thing when it mountains, the Otter Creek Valley was a profusion of rolling comes to painting the forests in the month of October.” hills, bucolic lakes and rivers, and a “bounteous” (Harris’ word) array of trees. A photo of Wallingford that accompanies Harris’ arboreal ruminations appear in his autobiography, My Road to Rotary reveals a sliver of Elfin Lake and a vast My Road to Rotary. The book’s title is misleading: Better to look forest. You literally can’t see the village for the trees. at its subtitle, The Story of a Boy, a Vermont Community, and Rotary, for a clue to the author’s intent. These are the reflections This was the setting for the boy’s seemingly idyllic child- of an old man – the foreword is dated Chicago, October 1945, 15 hood, and as the septuagenarian Harris spins his story, each months before the author’s death – but they are based, as Harris of the trees of Wallingford assumes an identity of its own. The explains, on “observations made through the eyes of a boy.” unbending oak, “mightiest of all trees,” and the “majestic” elm; the “picturesque and beautiful” beech; the “chaste and modest” The story of that boy occupies nearly two-thirds of the white birch; the willow, swaying “gracefully in the wind” – all 304-page book. (By contrast, Rotary gets 43 pages.) Harris occupy a place in Harris’ twilight reverie. renders vivid portraits of the grandparents who raised him, of their small town, and of the people who populate it. But he In winter, young Paul took special delight in the cheer of- reserves some of his most evocative prose for his description fered by the evergreen pines, firs, and cedars. “Some of the of the New England forests and mountainsides that were his recesses of the forest were like great cathedrals,” his elder ava- 44 T H E R O T A R I A N   |   A P R I L 2 0 1 8

tar rhapsodized, “and the tall spruce trees with their branches leaves which also had spent their life courses and needed only bent to the ground by their burdens of snow were like titanic a quiet place to lie down and rest.” vestured monks bowing low.” After law school and five years of vagabondage, Harris be- Harris doesn’t say as much, but the maple – “a worker of gan his career in Chicago, his home for the ensuing 51 years. miracles beyond the ken of man” – might have been his favorite “At last my life settled down in earnest during the early spring tree. It was the most common tree in the valley, and its hard of 1896, when the sap was in the maple trees back in my valley.” timber and spring sap, the wellspring of Vermont’s “delectable” He took a “weird fascination” in the city – “America’s un- syrup, made it the most useful. But as a boy, Paul primarily rivalled metropolis of the Middle West” – but with few friends, savored the maple’s “autumnal glory” and, in summer, its abun- he could not shake off a perpetual sense of loneliness. In 1905, dant shade, beneath which he and his friends could “lie on the founding of Rotary helped remedy that, as did his 1910 mar- green grass and dream to their heart’s content.” riage to Jean Thomson. Harris’ love of trees did not blind him to their utility. In a The couple famously met on a countryside hike with the chapter headed “An Industrious Community,” he noted that Prairie Club of Chicago, where Harris was a charter member. “most of the small industrial plants in Wallingford existed by He tore his jacket on a barbed-wire fence, Thomson – “a bonnie virtue of the supply of usable timber in the nearby mountains.” Scottish lassie” – made a-mends, and a few months later they The pitchfork factory and the snow shovel company made their wed. In 1912 they moved into a house at 10856 S. Longwood handles from ash; another shop made wagons from hickory and Drive, about 15 miles south of the Loop. Harris had discovered ash and used “tough oak” for the wheels’ hubs. Pine trees became the neighborhood, called Morgan Park, shortly before he met window sashes and doors, cedars transformed into shingles and his future wife. Hilly (atypical for Chicago), wooded – its posts, and the bark of the hemlock was used to tan hides. And old developers had planted 11,500 trees on the 480-acre tract – one-legged Mr. Pratt could rest easy knowing he would never run and, on Harris’ first encounter, snow-covered, it reminded him out of spruce and pine for his ever-in-demand product: coffins. of Vermont. “The picture seemed so true to the New England life I had known and loved that the thought came to me if ever But when it came to trees, such practical endeavors I was to have a home of my own, it would be on the top of the were not a boy’s concern. Long after he was capable of following hill on Longwood Drive.” his own advice, Harris made the following recommendation: “Anyone desiring a broad view of the surrounding mountains They called their home Comely Bank, after a street in and hills, lakes and ponds, would do well to climb Rattlesnake Edinburgh from Jean’s childhood in Scotland. Just south of Mountain near Lake Dunmore, select the highest tree, and from them, on 110th Street, lived Silvester Schiele, the coal dealer its topmost branches survey the country as far north as the Ca- with whom Harris had first discussed his plans for Rotary. In nadian border.” Presumably young Paul made that ascent and an earlier book, This Rotarian Age, Harris recalled the trail there glimpsed a world beyond Vermont. that connected the two homes, “a well-worn path winding through the oak wood made fragrant in the spring by countless he seasonal rhythms of Vermont remained with Harris blossoms and radiant in autumn by blazing sumac.” T all his life. When he returned to Wallingford, from Harris bemoaned the inevitable changes to the neighbor- Princeton University, for his grandfather’s funeral, it hood, particularly the loss of a stand of crabapple trees across was the dreary, cold winter that welcomed him home. When his from their house that served as a refuge for birds; tractors grandmother died a few Octobers later, Harris, unable to make dragged the trees out by their roots to make way for an apart- the trip back – he was off in the “west” studying law at the Uni- ment building. Despite his display of equanimity – after all, the versity of Iowa – easily conjured the “funeral procession moving new apartment dwellers “had made their escape from the noise slowly down the valley, along lazy, winding Otter Creek, lit up and confusion of the city” – it’s easy to imagine a forlorn Harris by the flaming colors of the hillsides and mountains.” muttering a lament he knew from Thoreau’s journals: “Thank God, they cannot cut down the clouds!” At the family plot, Pamela Harris was laid to rest alongside her husband. “Autumn winds have in due course directed to The Harrises’ wooded backyard offered a perpetual solace the graves of grandmother and grandfather myriads of maple – and soon acquired an international renown. It began with a A P R I L 2 0 1 8  | THE ROTARIAN 45

AFRICAN CHERRY Prunus Africana MISSION GREEN Traditional healers have long used the bark of the African cherry to treat prostate cancer and other conditions, but its overexploitation, especially for sale to European pharmaceutical companies, has led to its near-extir- pation in some areas. In response to Rotary President Ian Riseley’s tree challenge, Rotarians in District 9211 (Tanzania and Uganda) planted African cherries along with more than a dozen other species. Their Mission Green project aims to plant 5 million trees in the two countries by 2021. From 1990 to 2005, total forest area declined by 37 percent in Tanza- nia and 25 percent in Uganda, where 94 percent of the population uses wood charcoal or firewood for fuel – burning through an estimated 115 football fields every day. District 9211 Rotarians are also promoting the use of energy-efficient cooking technolo- gies at hospitals, schools, and prisons to reduce energy consumption. 46 T H E R O T A R I A N | A P R I L 2 0 1 8

visit by Walter Drummond, a Rotarian from Melbourne, Aus- During Paul and Jean’s 1936 tour of Central and South Amer- tralia. Drummond had admired a blue spruce in the Harris ica, Harris planted more than a dozen trees in seven countries. yard, and when he returned home, he planted one in his own One occasion stood out: In Valparaiso, Chile, during the first garden. After Drummond’s death in 1930 at age 40, Harris dedi- Ibero-American Conference of Rotary clubs, Harris arrived for cated the tree to his memory. It was the first friendship tree in what must have become an almost commonplace ritual. But a what Harris alternately called his goodwill or friendship gar- surprise awaited. “The [Rotary] delegates from the various den. (Though Harris often mentioned the garden, there’s no countries each brought with him a sack of soil from his own record of how many and what kind of trees he planted. And country,” wrote Harris in his Peregrinations III, “and solemnly because the house has changed hands several times since his emptied it in the hole dug for the tree. Could their sympathy have death, no one knows for sure if any of those trees survive.) been better expressed?” In 1935, Harris reflected on the 30 years that had passed The “satisfaction” of that moment imprinted itself on Harris’ since Rotary’s founding. “Within that period, the Walter mind. “While I have participated in many [tree plantings], I am Drummond blue spruce tree which stands in my garden of certain that the ceremony has never been taken so seriously by friendship, bowing gracefully in gentle breezes to friendly so large a number.” visitors from distant countries, has gained appreciably in stature, but the twin oaks” – presumably on the path to aul and Jean returned from their equatorial sojourn just Schiele’s house – “looking condescendingly down on all ephemeral things, are as they were.” P as another prairie spring enveloped Comely Bank. Henceforth, Harris’ arboreal endeavors were confined n 1931, Sydney W. Pascall, the first European president to the United States. As late as 1945, he was still at it, planting an oak tree in Tuskegee, Alabama. (Suffering from fungus and I of Rotary International, prepared to embark on a world the aftereffects of a lightning strike, the tree came down in 2011, tour with his wife and daughter. Before Pascall left though at the time, Rotarian Al Davis, the Tuskegee city man- London, Paul Harris proposed an idea that ultimately became ager, reported that gavels for Rotary clubs had been carved from a Rotary tradition. As Pascall remembered it, “the revered the oak’s remnants.) founder of Rotary . . . suggested that a most appropriate way of symbolizing the Rotary idea would be the planting of trees. I A weary, worldly woodland warrior, Harris could justifiably started the observance in the National Botanical Gardens” in rest on his Laurus nobilis and reflect on his achievements: “I Cape Town, South Africa, with the first tree planted by a Rotary have planted [trees] on all continents of the earth and on islands president on a presidential trip. Before the tour was over, Pas- of the seas.” No brag, just fact – though a tree grows in Antarc- call had planted more than 30 trees, while his wife, daughter, tica? (Don’t doubt that Harris could make it happen.) “It is my and “mayors and Rotary leaders” planted 22. hope that my trees at home and abroad will stand for genera- A habitual planter of trees, Harris immediately emulated tions, friends of birds and friends of men . . . living expressions Pascall’s example. On 17 August 1932, he planted his first tree of international peace and goodwill.” – a maple – on European soil. Harris thought the site “espe- cially appropriate”: Berlin’s Tempelhofer Feld, a former mili- Harris is in a similar mood in “The End of the Journey,” the tary parade ground. Fourteen years after the end of World War final chapter of My Road to Rotary. He is enjoying a cup of tea I, Harris envisioned his maple maturing into a symbol of in- with Jean by the hearth at Comely Bank, and his thoughts travel ternational peace. “The tree was planted,” he wrote afterward, back to his Vermont boyhood. A life has run its course, and the “with the fervent hope that it would stand for many years as tone is elegiac. “The leaves of the maple trees are already begin- symbolic of the living, growing friendship between the great ning to show color . . . [and] some night in the not too distant German people and my own country.” (History, of course, had future, when the eyes of the home folks are closed in sleep, mys- other plans.) tic winter will creep silently into the valley.” From Berlin, Harris traveled across Europe, leaving a trail of trees in his wake. Tallinn, Estonia; Helsinki, Finland; Stock- Harris expresses no regret. It is the natural cycle of things, and holm and Gothenburg, Sweden; and Bergen, Norway – in a span in time, spring’s “resurrection” will recur. Besides, he has left a of about three weeks, each of those cities received a Harris tree. living legacy of trees spread across the globe, including one rare In 1934, he visited South Africa, where Port Elizabeth got a Nor- and vital specimen invigorated by his will and his imagination. folk pine. The following year, Harris planted trees in Australia, New Zealand, Shanghai, and Japan, including one, in Tokyo, on “At our fireside scores of friends from all corners of the the grounds of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Imperial Hotel. globe have delighted us by their presence,” recalls Harris, drift- ing into a nocturnal trance. “They have come as the result of my planting a sapling in 1905. The first Rotary Club was that sapling. It has grown into a mighty tree in whose shade it is delightful to dwell.” n A P R I L 2 0 1 8  | THE ROTARIAN 47

Striking the flag of Chaos TREES ARE THINGS OF BEAUTY, UNLESS THERE ARE OTHER THINGS IN THEM – WHICH IS WHY THE AUTHOR TAKES ARBOREAL STEWARDSHIP SO SERIOUSLY by Ian Frazier otice the white plastic bag en- them, or allow to be put in them, carries great significance. Certain Native Amer- N snared in the branches of a tree. ican tribes consigned their dead to tree It flaps in the wind, making a burials, where the forces of nature even- noise like a luffing sail. If it’s between No- tually dispersed the bodies. To show joy vember and April, the tree’s leafless, and and celebration, we string lights and the bag takes on a certain prominence hang ornaments in the branches of trees. against the sky. I think of it as a flag. Call When we let other, neglected branches it the international flag of Chaos. fill up with raggedy, wind-torn plastic bags, we deny the basic sacredness of I started noticing the phenomenon of trees, as well as our species’ long kinship bags in trees about 25 years ago. The poet with them. Delmore Schwartz titled a short story “In Dreams Begin Responsibilities.” The ot long after the problem of bags same can be said of bags in trees. Once you notice them, your mind begins to wonder N in trees first struck me, I in- why they’re there, what they signify, and, vented a device to remove them. eventually, whether anything can be With a friend who’s a jeweler, I devised done about them. Or else you simply for- a kind of pruning hook with three short get about them, and when you look at city tines extending roughly perpendicular landscapes you stop seeing them – and to the hook’s vertical axis. Twist the de- maybe you stop seeing the trees as well. vice and the tines wrap the bag around the base of the hook. Pull down and the Which is a sin against trees and our hook’s sharp blade cuts the bag free. own souls. We like to surround our- selves with trees, because they inter- The bag-snagger, as we call it, attaches vene between us and the wild blue to a fiberglass pole that can be connected yonder – i.e., eternity. They’re the last to other poles into lengths of 40 feet or stop before heaven. What we put in 48 T H E R O T A R I A N   |   A P R I L 2 0 1 8