Are you ready to End Polio?

As we come closer to the eradication of polio from our country, with only 1 case reported so far in last six months, it is time to sit up and be extra vigilant, extra cautious, and more active in ensuring that the polio virus does not return.
The Emergency Preparedness Plan is what Rotary is working out with the government to be ready to combat in the eventuality of a polio outbreak. Our areas are more at risk with more migrations, and the need is to identify the migrants, sensitise them, and immunise the children travelling with them.
Yesterday, the Punjab PolioPlus Task Force, comprising of 24 senior Rotarians with Rotary International Director Yash Pal Das as Advisor, and PDG Shubh Karn Gupta as Chairman-Convenor along with Dr. Dinesh Singh from WHO and Dr. Balwinder Singh, State Immunisation Officer, Punjab, met at Chandigarh Judicial Academy to thrash out the immediate plans.
Past Rotary International President Rajendra K. Saboo who had all along been a great votary and driver of polio movement in the world, said that Rotarians, perhaps, feel that we are done with polio and "we're almost there".  "Almost", he emphasised, "is the most dangerous terminology that is leading us to complacency, and almost does not mean the completion of the task at hand".  He urged the Rotary leaders to engage Rotarians more and more in the task of keeping the pressure on, on the society, on the state agencies, on various other stock holders, so that any child carrying the virus gets detected at the early stages and reported.
Rtn. Yash Das said that for the intensified eradication activities planned until 2012, there is a global deficit of Rs.2992 crores, and hence continued financial support by Rotarians is a must.
He also pointed out that there is poor response to NIDs and approximately 60 percent of the children get covered despite massive efforts and in the next two days 40 percent uncovered children are reached out through door-to-door campaigns, which should be tackled by Rotarians.
The Task Force identified certain key areas in which Rotarians must intensify their efforts and involve themselves throughout the year, including :

• Developing and managing communication plan and ensuring better visibility through multi-pronged campaign
• Help in the Emergency Preparedness Plan and conducting mock drills to manage an eventuality
• Recognise doctors/revenue districts reporting maximum cases of AFP
• Organising media sensitization workshop
• Identifyication and reaching out to migratory population

Every Club, every Rotarian must come forward to make a difference and ensure that no child is left out.

'Hamari Beti' to go on air

After having successfully launched its Facebook community page, which has attracted community participation to join the debate against female foeticide, the Rotary Club of Chandigarh (District 3080) has been able to tie up with Panjab University’s School of Communication Studies, for initiating a radio series titled “Hamari Beti”.

The community radio, Jyotigramye 91.2 MHz, would be producing series of interview based programmes on various facets of the issue including female foeticide, crime against women, literacy, women empowerment, rights of women, the health issues, and the medical fraternity’s role in preventing the menace of female foeticide, etc.

The programme was kicked off with the interview of Rotary Club Chandigarh’s President Rtn. Neena Singh who spoke about the Rotary’s initiatives in reaching out to the women in the region and sensitise them to the isseue.

From Drop Box

We shall be enaging the local community and have interviewed people living in the villages and the residences around the campus, who would be part of the radio programme “Hamari Beti”, informed Rtn. Charanjit Singh, an alumnus of the School of Communication Studies.

The programme is aimed at reaching out to the community at large targeting the youth in the campus plus people living in Chandigarh in a periphery of 15-20kms radius, where this community radio is heard.

The recording bank is being created at the moment, and is being packaged with lots of other inputs from students and research scholars in this programme and would be launched within a fortnight for which some celebrities are being approached, informed Dr Archana Singh, Head of the School of Communication Studies, Panjab University.

How to 'Reach Within'

Rotary International President Kalyan Banerjee has charged the Rotary world with his spiritual message which is out and out call for action.  Each one of us can do it

As I started looking at various meanings or interpretations of the word, 'Reach', one definition impressed me. (n)  "the power of stretching out or extending action, influence, or the like; power of attainment or management; extent of force or capacity."

As a verb, it has been defined as "to extend an action, effort, or influence to; to penetrate as far as".

In short, there could not have been a better word than 'Reach' that inspires us to act, to make an effort and extend ourselves to look within and search the real meaning of life...our life.  One can delve as deep as one desires to be. And as Buddha says the answer to our existence, life's purpose, lies within our own consciousness. 

Each one of us are born with a purpose...to accomplish something...to make a difference. All we need to do is to look within to find the right answer.  Rotary provides us this opportunity every day....to meet destitute, deprived, diseased, or challenged - physically, socially, emotionally.  Everytime we reach out to help them, extend a helping hand, without knowing them, or without expecting anything in return from them...the godliness in our being emerges.  

Just do at least one good a day...minimum, though each one of us is capable of doing much more than that...and as Rotarians, we have been ordained and blessed to get this opportunity to think about others, care about them, and act to help them tide over their challenges in life. 

Once it becomes a part of our life... as a genuine desire emerging from within ourselves to feel for others, or as Past Rotary International President Raja Saboo often says "to step into the shoes of another", it takes us to another level of achievement of godliness...of being a better human being. 

The first part of the theme, "Reach Within" is what you need to practice, and the rest - "to Embrace Humanity" - becomes an automatic outcome which will ensure a better, beautiful and peaceful world for each one of us.

How to Reach Within? Here's a 10-Steps Forumula:

1. Just as you get up in the morning, while you are still sitting on your bed, raise your arms, close your eyes, and thank God for blessing you for another great day to do good.  Thank God for all the bounties that He has bestowed on us all. 

2. Go out in the open, and facing East, bow to the sun, close your eyes, and repeat to yourself, "This is a great day.  I have the power within me to do good and I shall make a difference in the life of someone today."

3. Sit silently and feel the flow of energy from your surroundings getting into you...the sunlight, the plants, the earth, and the air you are breathing. 

4. Focus at the point between the eyebrows, and feel the energy of life flowing into your body. 

5. Open your eyes, sit silently, breath normally, and remember that all human beings are created equal and each one is a creation of God. 

6. Remember, our purpose on this planet earth is to forget all the goodness we do to others, and forgive those who are not kind to us. 

7. Water the plants in your home with extreme love and care. Put out a water bath on the window sill or outside in the open for the birds to drink or dance joyfully in it. 

8. Learn to LISTEN to your family, your business associates, your colleagues, the people around you. Don't jump to conclusions. Have focussed listening. 

9. Be focussed to keenly look around, as a person out on a mission to do good. Ask yourself, "Can I do something to improve the situation or someone's life?"

10. Be proactive. List out tasks that you want to do for the general good of the society...for the people in need.  And how you are going to accomplish them. 

Repeat the process for 21 Days...without fail. And share it with others, what difference it has made in your life! I look forward to hearing from you.

Reach Within and make a difference!

Change with Continuity...thy name is Rotary!

Kalyan Banerjee, Rotary's 101st president, and the third from India, is our new leader this year, and William B. Boyd, of the Rotary Club of Pakuranga, Auckland, New Zealand, will take over as Rotary Foundation trustee chair. 

John Hewko has become Rotary International’s 12th general secretary on 1 July. He has said his priorities include improving Rotarians’ connections with the Secretariat and increasing awareness about what the Secretariat can offer. 

Other Changes include:

• Four pilot programs will begin 1 July, designed to improve recruitment and retention, allow for flexibility in club operations and structure, and give clubs an opportunity to explore new and innovative ways to promote member diversity -- all goals of the RI Strategic Plan. For each of three pilot programs – corporate member, associate member, and innovative and flexible Rotary club -- 200 clubs have been selected to participate, and about 125 will take part in a satellite club pilot program.  
• The Changemaker Award will accompany the Presidential Citation during the 2011-12 Rotary year. The award will encourage Rotarians to focus on change and will recognize clubs that make an extraordinary impact through their work in the Avenues of Service.  
• The World Community Service and Rotary Volunteers programs will be phased out as of 30 June, replaced by a new model designed to expand the resources available to clubs for connecting and partnering with one another. The RI Board approved a shift to a resource and support model for RI programs to reinforce the priorities and goals of the RI Strategic Plan.
• Efforts to enhance Rotary’s public image will be undertaken by 49 Rotary public image coordinators (RPICs) working in partnership with their zone’s RI director, regional Rotary Foundation coordinator, Rotary coordinator, and district governors. RPICs, who are selected by the RI president or Rotary Foundation trustee chair, have professional expertise in public relations, journalism, or communications and will help support the RI Strategic Plan by conveying effective public relations practices to district leaders.
• The Rotarian magazine launches its digital edition with the July issue. Subscribers can now choose to receive either the print or digital edition, or both. This would be a good time to buy a subscription for your Interact or Rotaract club, to inspire them with Rotary’s breadth.  
• Rotary clubs’ annual per capita dues to Rotary International will increase to US$51 in 2011-12. The 2010 Council on Legislation also set dues at $52 for 2012-13 and $53 for 2013-14.

Hamari Beti

Celebrating womanhood.  Sensitising people against the scourge of female foeticide. Taking action to correct the skewed male:female ratio in our country.
With this mission in mind our Club has renewed its efforts in this direction and proposes to take up projects that can bring about a positive change in our society. Under the leadership of Rtn Neena Singh, "Hamari Beti" would be one of the focus area.
Members would recall that as a part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of our Club, we had started this project. A school painting competition and slogan writing contest marked the beginning of this project which received tremendous response.  There had also been a tieup with Fortis Hospital, and the new Committee under the Community Service avenue would be renewing its ties with Fortis as well as forging new ones with the Hospitals around the tricity.
Already our Club has created a CAUSE on Facebook, and a new Group, HAMARI BETI,  has been created there to associate more and more people with this cause. And surprisingly there is great response from some of the youngsters. One girl has penned a poem and put it up on our page. Surely, if young people understand the issues, they perhaps would be ready to meet this challenge as they step into their married lives. Or even otherwise in their homes too.
So get going. Be a part of this mission. Save girls from extinction.