Light to Life

Post on Rotary Website

The following link will show the open invitation made by our IPP Sudhakaran to the Rotary International Website to all Rotaractors, Interactors and Rotarians to join hands with Rotaract Club of Wellawatte to do projects or form Twin-club agreements;

http://www.rotary.org/en/AboutUs/SiteTools/DiscussionForums/Pages/Rotaract.aspx

http://www.rotary.org/en/AboutUs/SiteTools/DiscussionForums/Pages/Interact.aspx

News from Rotary's US$200million Challenge

From : The Rotary Foundation

END POLIO NOW Newsletter November 2009 Concert to End Polio tickets going fast   Rotary put out the word on the Concert to End Polio in New York's Times Square in early September. PR Newswire   As of 16 October, more than 942 tickets have been sold for the Concert to End Polio, featuring violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman and the New York Philharmonic. Perlman, himself a polio survivor, will help Rotary in its effort to raise $200 million to match $355 million in challenge grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The concert will be held on 2 December at 7:30 p.m. in Avery Fisher Hall at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York City. For program information, go to www.nyphil.org. Tickets to the concert are $70-$200 and are expected to go quickly. A private reception with Perlman will follow the concert. A premium concert seat and admission to the reception is being ofered at a package price of $500. To buy tickets, phone the Philharmonic box office at 212-875-5656 (hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily). Tickets also can be purchased online through the Philharmonic. All proceeds benefit Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge. If you can't attend the concert, donate online now to help eradicate polio. End polio fundraiser music to Rotarians' ears A concert featuring eclectic jazz trumpeter and Grammy Award-winner Chris Botti has raised US$30,000 for Rotary's challenge. Organized by District 5230 (California, USA) and held on 6 June as the finale to the district's annual conference in Monterey, the event drew about 1,400 Rotarians and other concert goers, including actor and director Clint Eastwood and his wife, Dina. "The success of the event was the result of the willingness of a number of clubs from the Monterey peninsula guaranteeing the financial risk of staging [it]," says District Governor Robert Eurich. "These clubs put up their hard cash as guarantee money in the event that ticket income was insufficient to meet expenses. In addition, [the fundraiser] was a great opportunity to raise awareness in the community of Rotary and the good work this worldwide service organization provides." Interactors' stick-to-itiveness pays off for the challenge Interactors in Kolkata, West Bengal, India, raise funds for Rotary's challenge through their End Polio Now car stickers campaign. When the RI Interact Committee was asked to urge Interactors to become involved in raising support for Rotary's challenge, Rajani Mukerji knew it wouldn't be possible for young people ages 14 to18 to contribute much money. However, as vice chair of the committee, he was confident that Interactors could be counted on to devote their time to the cause. "We find thousands of cars on city roads, so I thought if I can inspire them for a project with bumper stickers, that might work," says Mukerji, a member of the Rotary Club of Calcutta Mideast, West Bengal, India. He says he arranged for stickers bearing the Interact and End Polio Now logos to be printed "to give the Interactors an ownership feeling of the project." Members of 24 Interact clubs in District 3291 joined in carrying out the effort in May, pasting stickers on cars in return for a minimum donation of US$2 each. In all, the Interactors raised $3,200 for Rotary's challenge. "A bunch of young adults seen on the road with end polio jackets and caps" also helped boost awareness of the disease, Mukerji says.   Newsletter Links Rotary International RI News End Polio Now Social Networking Rotarians, Rotaractors, and Interactors who are registered on www.facebook.com and www.myspace.com are urged to share their Rotary's challenge fundraising stories so others can gain ideas for launching fundraisers in their communities. We want to hear from you! If you have a success story, we'd love to hear from you!  Please email us at: rotary's200millionchallenge@rotary.org    If you need a fundraising idea: Fundraising Ideas Challenge nears the halfway mark! As of 24 October, World Polio Day, US$99 million has been raised for Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge. "In the face of difficult economic times, Rotarians are heartily commended for their steadfast commitment and resourcefulness in reaching this milestone of support for global polio eradication," says Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair Glenn E. Estess Sr. "Rotary's challenge ends 30 June 2012. Let's push confidently ahead to reach our goal and help ensure that all the children of the world will be forever safe from this devastating disease." RISING TO THE CHALLENGE Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge totals* US$99.0 *As of 24 October 2009 Danish club revs up to meet the challenge   The Rotary Club of Ry, Denmark, used a popular community tradition to raise support for Rotary's challenge. Every year, Ry's office of tourism sponsors a summer festival featuring six consecutive weekends of concerts, stage shows, and other entertainment and activities. For this year's festival, the Ry club purchased a car, painted it with the Rotary emblem and End Polio Now logo, and offered it as first prize in a raffle. The town's director of tourism drove the car around the community to help promote the fundraiser. "We raised around US$8,000 for polio eradication," says Past RI Director Peter Bundgaard. "The car was awarded to the prize winner on 15 August. Of course, we cleaned [it] and removed all the painting." Polio Facts & Figures For the latest on the number of polio cases, progress reports on polio-endemic countries, and other information, go to www.polioeradication.org. Tools and Resources Clubs and districts can order the following tools and resources online at http://shop.rotary.org or from Publications Order Services (e-mail: shop.rotary@rotary.org; tel.: 847-866-4600; fax: 847-866-3276); or the international office serving their area. � Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge DVD(985) provides an overview of Rotary's continuing efforts to eradicate polio and the fundraising initiative to match the Gates Foundation grants. (US$15) � Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge brochure (986) describes Rotary's commitment to finish polio and encourages support for the challenge. (Free) � Amazing Stories of Polio! (976) describes the history and science of the disease and the eradication effort in 16 illustrated pages. Comic book format; great for young readers. ($0.75) � PolioPlus Headliner Kit (Web only) contains a sample news feature, a press release, an opinion piece, and a letter to the editor, all easily adaptable to any community to promote global polio eradication. � Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge poster (987) encourages participation in the challenge. Suitable for display at meetings, fundraisers, and other events. (Free, limit two per order) � End Polio Now Pins (988) help raise awareness of the eradication effort. (Available in lots of 100 for $50) -Donate directly to Rotary's challenge at www.rotary.org/endpolio. -Donors in the United States, Canada, and Australia can automatically transfer funds electronically from their checking, savings, or credit card accounts by enrolling in TRF-DIRECT. Once enrolled, donors can contribute to PolioPlus to support Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge. -Watch polio eradication videos and public service announcements on the Rotary International YouTube channel and include the link on Rotary club and district Web sites. Click here to find fundraising tips and ideas. -Join The Rotary Foundation's End Polio Now cause page on Facebook. Make a donation to support polio eradication, invite others to be part of the cause, and keep track of how many people you've recruited. Mobile giving Rotarians and non-Rotarians in the United States can help support Rotary's fight against polio by texting POLIO to 90999 for a one-time $5 donation. Service is available on most carriers. Proceeds benefit The Rotary Foundation. All charges are billed by and payable to the user's mobile service provider.

 

Flashback at the District Army Library Book Project 31/10/2009

Hi all,

All of you who were present at the project would have taken home with you some memorable experiences. In a nut shell, it was about getting involved in a worthy cause & spending time with our war heroes, becoming aware of the aftermaths of war, and having some fun while at it as well (Suda`s weight lifting, Balu Surathal etc..)

I would like to take a small moment to thank everyone who was involved throughout the project with book donations or with participation at the event today.

DRR Arjuna & District Council Members
Rotaract Club of Battaramulla
Rotaract Club of Colombo West
Rotaract Club of Centennial United
Rotaract Club of Colombo
Rotaract Club of Colombo Regent
Rotaract Club of Colombo Mid City
Rotaract Club of University of Colombo
Interact Club of Anula Vidyalaya
Interact Club of Thurstan College

Members of the Rotaract Club of Wellawatte

& last but not the least

Three cheers to Sewwandi for organizing a great project... :-P

Pictures from the event are attached...

P.S.:
Also would like to thank our dear Nooranie (just turned 23lu) for giving us a birthday treat on the way back.
Happy birthday machang..


--
"United We Stand"

Rtr. Pavithra Solomons (President 2009/2010)
Rotaract Club Wellawatte, District 3220 - Sri Lanka
909/14A, Adikaram Rd, Etul Kotte, Kotte
Home : (094) 112882657
Mobile : (094) 776502078
Email : pavithra.rotaract@gmail.com
Blog : http://pavisolo.wordpress.com/

Polio

What is Polio?

Polio, technically known as poliomyelitis, is an epidemic which the world is trying to erase from the face of the earth since it has crippled many lives in the past. And after successful research in 1950, the nations moved towards fighting this epidemic.

 

The way a person could be affected by the virus is only if the antibodies, necessary to fight the virus, are not present in the human system and therefore they attack the motor neurons, which causes paralysis.

 

Motor neurons are the neurons which are located in the Central Nervous System (CNS), where the muscle controls lie.

Antibodies are those proteins that are found in the blood and other bodily fluids, which are used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects, such as bacteria and viruses.

 

The poliovirus, once entering the body, will try to reach the motor neurons and result in affecting the nervous system of an individual. The antibodies against the poliovirus can be constructed by the life long immunity created by the oral polio vaccination.

 

The most commonly known form of paralysis among all individuals is the malfunctioning of the leg and the lower body.

 

Immunization

As per statistics from the UNICEF, the percentage of infants immunized for polio in Sri Lanka lies at 98%, which is a very good rate when taking the whole population.

 

The vaccine for the eradication of the virus is not very expensive therefore the eradication was commenced years ago and it is still advisable to get the vaccination if not taken before, since one vaccination is said to create a life long immunity towards the virus.

 

Does it have a cure? 

Polio is a disease with no cure. Therefore modern treatment techniques focus on providing relief of symptoms, speeding recovery and preventing further complications. Treatment of polio, once a person is infected, often requires long-term rehabilitation, including physical therapy and corrective shoes and other expensive forms.

 

Statistics

After the widespread attack by the virus, most nations worked towards eradicating it and were certified as polio-free

Till 2006 America, China, Australia and 36 other Western Pacific countries have been certified as Polio-free.

 

Still, though, Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan remain endemic.

 

What should we do? 

It is popularly known that PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE, therefore we could always work towards a better future by helping to prevent the spread of the disease, rather than trying very expensive methods of treatment for the disease.

 

It just takes two drops to save a child from polio.

UNICEF - Sri Lanka - Statistics

UNICEF - Sri Lanka - Statistics

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The 1st Quarter Bulletin for 2009/2010

The 1st Quarter Bulletin of the Rotaract Club of Wellawatte is attached below, just click on the picture to view the content.
Feel free to send your comments

Cheers,

Happy little faces on a Poya morning :)

The smiling faces of the little angles at the Morawinna Girls Home were a sight we still remember after all these weeks. We as Rotaractors indeed touched the hearts of many on that day.

As the youth arm of Rotary International, the spirited young adults between 18-30 years united together under the Rotaract flag to do service wherever it is needed. Our motto is "Fellowship through service". Rotaract is all about building better friendships and spreading goodwill and lending a helping hand to the community.

All the Rotaract clubs in Sri Lanka have a strong bond with each other. A symbol of that bond is the Poya project which different clubs undertakes every month and supported by all Rotaractors. Every Poya day we visit a place that needs our help.

In the month of September the Rotaract Clubs of Wellawatte, Panadura and Centennial United joined together and went to the Morawinna Girls Home in Panadura which was the outcome of a project coordinated by the Rotary Club of Panadura to provide a home and an education to young orphaned girls.

The above 3 dynamic Rotaract Clubs organized a fun filled morning with the children. A series of indoor and outdoor games were organized which included Passing the ball, Paper creations, Musical Chairs and many more. Both the girls and the Rotaractors participated in these games together to get to know each other more. After all the excitement with the games, lunch was served to them by the Rotaractors and it was followed by an award presentation with lots of gifts given to all the children at the home. Everyone who was present at the event left behind lots of love and took with them a fulfilled heart with joyful memories of a worthy cause.

This is just one of many places in Sri Lanka that help is needed. It is the responsibility of us all as able citizens of Sri Lanka to go out there to these places and show our support in whichever way we can. Rotaract Sri Lanka District 3220 is dedicated to the path of service and we invite all of you who are reading this to join us to rebuild our nation with its newfound peace. Let us be the change that makes all of Sri Lanka smile.

The 23rd Installation Ceremony of RCW

Follow this link to check out the article on our 23^rd Installation published in the Daily Mirror;

http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=61192

Goals in Rotaract

Rotaract has the following goals:

● To develop professional and leadership skills

● To emphasize respect for the rights of others, based on recognition of the worth of each individual

● To recognize the dignity and value of all useful occupations as opportunities to serve

● To recognize, practice, and promote ethical standards as leadership qualities and vocational responsibilities

● To develop knowledge and understanding of the needs, problems, and opportunities in the community and worldwide

● To provide opportunities for personal and group activities to serve the community and promote international understanding and goodwill toward all people

 

History

Rotaract has evolved quickly in its short but dynamic history. In the early 1960s, Rotary clubs around the world began to sponsor university youth groups as community service projects. The 1967-68 RI President, Luther H. Hodges, and the RI Board of Directors considered this club activity to have international relevance, and Rotaract was approved in 1968 as an official program for Rotary clubs. The first club chartered was the Rotaract Club of North Charlotte, North

Carolina, USA, on 13 March 1968. Several decades later, the Rotaract program has grown into a strong, international network of 7,300 clubs in more than 150 countries and geographical areas. Rotaract's 145,000 members are young men and women (ages 18 to 30) who serve the needs of their communities, widen their personal and professional contacts, and increase their understanding of the world.

What is Rotaract?

Rotaract clubs are part of a global effort to bring peace and international understanding to the world. This effort starts at the community level but knows no limits in its outreach. Rotaractors have access to the many resources of Rotary International (RI) and The Rotary Foundation. Rotary International provides the administrative support that helps Rotaract clubs thrive.