Rotary International Theme 2019-2020

 
 
 
Rotary Connects the World, asks Rotarians to strengthen the many ways that Rotary Connects the World, building the connections that allow talented, thoughtful, and generous people to unite and take meaningful action through Rotary service.
Cynthia Villis
A few weeks ago a dark grey burlap-wrapped package arrived at my front door, sent from China. Treating it with sanitizing caution in this time of the coronavirus, I opened it and inside found a hefty supply of surgical masks and toilet tissue. One of our District's beloved Rotary Scholars, Quiwan Zhao, now in Shanghai, had sent this most welcome care package. 
 
I've been privileged to connect with many Scholars and Rotarians all over the world in the past 22 years. We Rotarians observe with interest while Scholars achieve and graduate, and then we are delighted to see them found nonprofits, serve in their home nations' governments, research earthquakes and crop science, teach English as a foreign language, create a scholarship clearinghouse, build and maintain peace in difficult parts of the world, and raise beautiful families.
Ranjan Lahiri
One of the amazing benefits of Rotary is that I have had the opportunity to meet and connect with people from other cities and countries that I would never have met had it not been for Rotary.  I have met Rotarians from the Philippines who came to visit our club, worked with Rotarians in Ensenada Mexico to help refurbish a school, and part of a Rotary fellowship that has members across the globe.  During the COVID-19 crisis, virtual meetings have allowed me to meet and connect with Rotarians in other cities, to learn about their projects, and to share information about each other.  I am confident that no matter where I go there will be a Rotary Club or Rotarians that will welcome me and treat me as a friend.
Nancy Gatschet
I've seen a Rotary Peace Globe in the center of Moshi Tanzania while attending a club meeting there in hopes of working together on a project to benefit an orphanage in a nearby village.