Stories

     Rotary Clubs of Aledo and Weatherford join efforts to support ShelterBox USA. According to ShelterBox USA, "hundreds of thousands of families across the world lose everything when disasters strike. Often with no warning, families lose their homes, possessions, and livelihoods. Every day they are faced with a battle for survival. Each ShelterBox is tailored to a disaster, but typically contains a disaster relief tent for a family, thermal blankets and groundsheets, water storage and purification equipment, solar lamps, cooking utensils, a basic tool kit, mosquito nets, and a children's activity pack." Rotary Club is a global network of individuals in communities that come together to make a positive impact locally and globally.

     President Mike Smith, Sergeant at Arms Staci Markwardt, Service Project Chair Lisa Flowers, Membership Chair Teressa Gatzemeier, Publicity Chair Sondra Light, Treasurer Martin Talley and Secretary Shara Pace were all recognized for their Outstanding Service and dedication at the June 19, 2017 regularly scheduled meeting.

    The Rotary Club of Aledo was honored to sponsor Aledo High School Student, Alexa Parker, to this year's RYLA leadership camp in Denton, Texas. RYLA, Rotary Youth Leadership Award, is a program of Rotary International that teaches leadership, character development, free enterprise, and patriotism. "RYLA was definitely one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. I will never forget it," states Alexa. 

For years, Angalia Bianca had slept in abandoned buildings throughout Chicago. She stole. She did drugs. She spent time in and out of jail for forgery, theft, trespassing, and possession of narcotics. But after she landed in prison for the seventh time, something changed -- Bianca knew she wanted a better life. She just didn’t know how to make it happen.

 

After serving her time, Bianca sought help from a local homeless organization, A Safe Haven, and moved to its shelter in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Bianca followed the program closely -- she attended all the required meetings, passed drug tests, and volunteered at every opportunity.

What is it like taking a large team to Africa?  It has probably been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. In mid February, I began leading Rotary members from all over the East Coast of the United States through Ghana. I’ve tried to give the team a warm Ghanaian welcome like I’ve received on my earlier trips. A large trip is a real blessing because each person sees Ghana and our work in a different way.

A highlight for the team was greeting the chief of Sagadugu. The team got excited about buying goats and food for children in the villages where I support eight churches. It was good to see the pastors of most of the eight churches, and I had to explain that we were just passing through on our way to Bolgatanga.

Throughout India and around the world, Rotary clubs are celebrating a major milestone: India has gone three years without a new case of polio. The last reported case was a two-year-old girl in West Bengal on 13 January 2011. To mark this historic triumph, Rotary clubs illuminated landmarks and iconic structures throughout the country with four simple but powerful words, "India is polio free."

 

The three-year achievement sets the stage for polio-free certification of the entire Southeast Asia region by the World Health Organization. The Indian government also plans to convene a polio summit in February to commemorate this victory in the global effort to eradicate polio.