Talk to us! 
Have an opinion on something you’ve seen in the magazine? Or do you have suggestions for future issues? Check out Hot Topics on the next page. And write us at The Rotarian, One Rotary Center, 1560 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60201 USA; fax 847-866-9732; or e-mail us. Send us your stories and news tips in Hot Topics.

Visit to Taipei
I was interested in the article “Take Five” in the March issue, especially the section on the Rotarians in Grand Manan Island, B.C., Canada, and their restoration of Swallowtail Lighthouse. My purpose in writing is to mention an experience my wife and I had while visiting our daughter in Taichung, Taiwan, last December. Having a free day, my wife and I decided to visit a Rotary club. We found a club that was nearby, got a cab, and arrived at the appointed hour.  The entire meeting was carried out in Chinese, but several club members spoke varying amounts of English, so we got along very well. I would encourage any Rotarians visiting this Taiwanese city to visit the Taichung Formosa club for a friendly, welcoming experience.

Glenn C. Johnston
Fredericton, N.B., Canada

Web extra: Making up meetings

We've received interesting tales from Rotarians about making up meetings. Here are a few of them.

One of my favorite things to do in my world travels is to attend Rotary club meetings. In Bucharest, Romania, we sat around a table, drinking beer during an informal meeting. Although I didn’t understand the language, I caught the gist of what they were talking about: The recent fundraiser had too much overhead and too little profit. I made up in both clubs in China. My second visit to the Rotary Club of Shanghai landed me a ride back to my hotel from a fellow Rotarian. As I stepped into his car, I noticed the flags on the fenders and asked what his classification was. He was the acting Mexican consul general. Last year, I attended the Rotary Club of Beijing meeting and met the Rwandan ambassador. Rotary makes these meetings possible.

Consuelo White
Port Angeles, Wash., USA

Last year, my wife and I were working as volunteers on a hospital ship docked in Monrovia, Liberia. I served as head electronics technician, and Susan was a ward nurse. We visited the Rotary Club of Monrovia many times and were always greeted very warmly. Our Rotarian friends included the vice president of Liberia, the chief justice of the supreme court, a candidate for presidency, and the owner-operator of the only railroad in the country. On one particular Saturday, our Rotarian railroad friend arranged for us to take a trip upcountry to an iron mine that he is operating. We rode in his private car and were even able to ride in the engine some of the time. Some weeks later, we were guests at his home to help celebrate his 60th birthday. We were also involved in local Rotary club activities, including helping make food packages for the poor. Some day, I hope to return to visit the Monrovia club.

Richard Brewster
Cutchogue, N.Y., USA

My husband has traveled 13 years to several places abroad as part of his employment. I have had the opportunity to travel with him. In November 2001, he was assigned to Shanghai, China, and I visited the then-provisional Rotary club there. The Rotary Club of Shanghai met at the Regal International East Asia Hotel. Also in November 2001, I had a chance to attend the Rotary Club of Honolulu, which meets at the beautiful Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

In January 2006, my husband was assigned a job in Australia. He was to be gone for seven months. I left 1 March to join him for three months. Australia was beautiful, and we enjoyed seeing many wonderful places. I made up one meeting at the Rotary Club of Tullamarine. While in Australia, we stayed at the Quest Flemington Hotel in Victoria, which is next to the Flemington Racecourse. I made up my meetings for three months at the Rotary Club of Flemington. It held its meetings at the Quest Flemington, so it was very convenient for me and gave me something to look forward to every Wednesday morning. I enjoyed meeting all the club members, and they made me feel right at home. At my last meeting, they even gave me gifts for perfect attendance.

Carol Booth
Henry, Ill., USA

Although the article that made the cover of the March issue was interesting, the “small world” topic made a different impact on me than was intended, and with a great deal of serendipitous irony. Back in the late 1940s and early ’50s, the men in the DK fraternity at the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, N.Y., USA, wrote and performed an original musical every year. In 1950, a senior named Joe Smith wrote a show called It’s a Small World. There were some great tunes in the show. The tunes still ring in my head, maybe because I was the male lead. But here’s where the irony comes in: In January, Joe Smith passed away after several years as a member of the Rotary Club of Hot Springs National Park, Ark., where he was also the club pianist. I also play the piano at the Rotary Club of Corning, N.Y. Hats off to Joe Smith. It sure is a small world.

Jim Hudson
Corning, N.Y., USA

More Web extra letters

President's challenge
Thank you, President Bill Boyd, for a well-written and focused challenge to all Rotarians to make a difference in our environment [President’s Message, April]. As the president of a grassroots environmental nonprofit in the San Bernardino Mountains in California, I greatly appreciate your comments and, in particular, the In Focus section of the magazine. Please keep up the critical commentary.

Hugh Bialecki
Blue Jay, Calif., USA

Where do we stand?
Tiffany Woods’ articles about the Rotary World Peace Fellows in the February issue were excellent. The life of Path Heang is mind-boggling and emotionally grabbing. The fact that he is still here and determined to make the world a better place to live is a miracle. Thanks for telling us about him and the other students.

The same issue of The Rotarian has comments about our polio eradication campaign, which we are still trying to bring to conclusion. You note that Rotary has contributed over US$600 million to PolioPlus, more than $19 million in 2006. These figures tend to give us a feeling of “well done.” However, I heard just this week of new outbreaks in some countries. I believe that Rotarians need an accurate, up-to-date summary of the financing and the effort that has gone into the fight against polio. We should not be complacent in our status. I believe all of us would like to know that information so we would be in tune about where to go from here.

Billy Wallace
Stillwater, Okla., USA

Editor’s note: Learn more on the PolioPlus page at www.rotary.org, which also provides links to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative Web site, www.polioeradication.org. “Rotary, with our partners, is working very hard to secure the funding required to finish the job of polio eradication, from both donor governments and the polio-affected countries themselves,” says Carol Pandak, manager of RI’s PolioPlus Division. “At the same time, Rotarians are encouraged to continue to support global polio eradication efforts with contributions to PolioPlus and PolioPlus Partners.”

Hands-on compliment
Great April issue! Nice hands-on advice for club leaders in the “Speak Easy” article.

Scott Peters
Fife, Wash., USA

Keep it up
I would like to commend the editors of The Rotarian for their beautiful presentation of The Rotary Foundation in the November issue. That was a creative way of educating the readers on Foundation programs. Keep up the good work!

Euckay Onyeizugbo
Nsukka, Nigeria

Print edition letters

The following letters ran in the print edition of the July issue.

Making contact
My compliments on the format of your wonderful articles concerning Rotarians and their worthy [environmental] projects [In Focus, April] – that is, of course, on adding a box in each article with information on how to contact the organization or the Rotarian who is intimately involved with the project. This is a tremendous help if you feel you should get involved in some way. Many times, I have wanted to pursue a concept but did not have a contact point.

Jack Morrison
Steamboat Springs, Colo., USA

Put your hands together
The April issue offered the most exciting, hands-on environmental success stories of any magazine I have seen. Congratulations, and thank you!

Rhett Bickley
Lexington, S.C., USA

The 11th way
The April issue of The Rotarian was excellent. I have enjoyed the new format and articles. The article “Speak Easy” was most informative. In our district, we have an 11th way to promote speakers for clubs: We developed a speakers list, including past district governors, as well as committee members and chairs, for our district directory, which is distributed to club presidents at the presidents-elect training seminar. Our past and present district governors have encouraged clubs to have at least one program a month about Rotary, and we provided them with the source of their program chair.

Robert Gaffney
Hornell, N.Y., USA

Speak up
Thank you for the “Speak Easy” article in the April issue on finding great speakers for club meetings. I have found that outstanding Rotary clubs have great speakers on a regular basis. Every club can benefit by following the techniques given in the article for finding quality speakers.

Ken Tillman
Fredericksburg, Va., USA

Inspiring story
It was great to read of Rotarian John Capece’s success using a Rotarian-supported, worldwide internship program for engineering students to bring clean water and new hope to villagers in Tajikistan [“Greening Tajikistan,” April]. The
dollar cost quoted for the project looks tiny. Had it been a government grant program, the cost would have been at least 100 times as much. As a retired American missionary who served many years in a country with similar needs, I am not surprised at what can be accomplished with a modest financial outlay, Rotarian generosity, and willing labor. What an inspiring story.

Jack Thomas
Goshen, Ind., USA

A test case
Each month, I present a review of The Rotarian to our club to encourage reading of the magazine. For the last two issues, I wanted to relate my reviews to The Four-Way Test and the Object of Rotary. Much to my surprise, I could find neither in either issue. If The Rotarian is supposed to tell who we are, what we do, and what we stand for, it is unbelievable and inexcusable that The Four-Way Test and the Object of Rotary, which constitute the basis of Rotary’s
existence, would not be included in every issue of the magazine.

Jim Skelly
Houston, Texas, USA

Good idea. You can find both in this and upcoming issues. – Ed.

Go easy on the eyes
I have been a Rotarian for 43 years and have enjoyed reading the magazine, but over the last year, that has become more difficult, and with the April issue, almost impossible. Starting with the President’s Message, the type has been reduced so significantly over the past year that it is now nearly unreadable. Although I am 84 years old, my eyesight is not deteriorating.

Ed Hall
Worcester, Mass., USA
Your timely letter arrived just as we are evaluating how to make our type more reader friendly. – Ed.

Miss and make up
Loved the section on what to expect visiting other clubs [In Focus, March]. Well done.

Star Carey
Canyon Lake, Texas, USA

Donating to peace
Having served for 43 years as a pastor, and hopefully still living out the idea that we should “make peace, not war,” I was thrilled to read your three articles in the February issue [“The Peacemakers”]. From both a religious and secular viewpoint, peace is the major concern in our world. To put my feelings into action, my check is in the mail to The Rotary Foundation in support of the Rotary World Peace Fellows.

William W. McDermet III
Panama, N.Y., USA

Make some noise
Gerry Jackson, I applaud your weight loss and the efforts of your Rotary district to support you! Just wanted to let the Rotary community know that the “silent killer” does not just affect those of us who are overweight. I am also a diabetic, weigh only 90 pounds, work out three times a week, and rarely eat anything that contains sugar. Some of the other warning signs are dizziness, changes in energy level, and wounds that do not heal. I felt it was important to raise awareness on all levels so that we can continue to live well and assist those much more in need in the world than ourselves.

Tish Grabski
San Diego, Calif., USA

Forgetting an ‘e-portant’ point
I enjoyed the recent article about recruiting Group Study Exchange (GSE) team members in Rotary clubs [“The Waiting is the Hardest Part,” February]. In my district, we actively reach out to GSE alumni and invite them to join Rotary. However, these busy young people often cannot attend the weekly Rotary club meetings. Your article failed to mention one possible tool in recruiting GSE alumni: the Rotary e-club. Three years ago, six GSE alumni helped start the Rotary
E-Club of District 7890, Connecticut/Massachusetts, Conn., USA. We are still going strong, supporting The Rotary Foundation and its many beneficial programs. E-clubs allow Rotarians the opportunity to travel and maintain active lifestyles while still keeping a commitment to Rotary.

Conrad Sienkiewicz
Winsted, Conn., USA

Water relief
Your piece on the relief effort stemming from the Hurricane Mitch disaster [“After the Storm,” January] was read with great interest here in District 7870 [New Hampshire; Vermont, USA]. For the past eight years, our district has headed up a clean water project in Honduras. This project, called Pure Water for the World, provides simple water filtration systems that reduce waterborne diseases by over 90 percent. The plan is to manufacture these filters in-country. Clean water is the lifeblood of society. With effort from all, Rotary can help Honduras move forward and prosper.

Richard Harding
Merrimack, N.H., USA

Corrections
April’s “Picture-Perfect Utah” quiz should have identified the structure in picture G as the Salt Lake Temple. April’s In Focus section should have listed the Natural Resources Defense Council Web site as www.nrdc.org.

Hot topics

We’re looking for Rotarian readers who have experience with the following topics:

Go-go ’60s
Were you at the 1962 Los Angeles convention? Send us your story

Closing the gap
The United Nations aims to eliminate gender disparity in all levels of education by 2015. What are you or your Rotary club doing to help? Send us your story

Head count
Should Rotarians be involved in family-planning projects in places where the economy isn’t keeping pace with population growth? Send us your story

That’s what friends are for
Ever been on a Rotary Friendship Exchange? Send us your story

Work it out
We’re looking for Rotarians with interesting jobs. Send us your story

To send your stories and tips, e-mail rotarian@rotary.org; write Your Stories, The Rotarian, 1560 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60201-3698 USA; or fax 847-866-9732.