Rotaract District 5160

Every year, Rotaractors and Rotarians around the world celebrate World Rotaract Week during the week of 13 March to commemorate the founding of the first club in 1968. World Rotaract Week is a time for celebrating the success and importance of the Rotaract program. This event is also an excellent opportunity to inform members of your community about the amazing work that Rotaract clubs do, and give them an opportunity to get involved. Rotaract clubs and their sponsor Rotary clubs have the freedom to explore a variety of methods of participating in World Rotaract Week. Rotaractors can decide the best way for their club to celebrate the Rotaract program – completing one, two or an entire week’s worth of activities. After the club has completed its World Rotaract Week commemorative events, the sponsor Rotary club or district Rotaract chair can download a certificate of recognition for presentation to the Rotaract club….

Save the Date! The Games begin on April 28th! What does it mean to be a Rotaract? How do we help others? Why do we do service? Sure we go to meetings, we pay dues, we attend events, we make friends, we help others, yet who do these activities make us a better person? Well the best way is to experience it. District 5160 Council would like to invite all Rotaractors in District 5160 and neighboring areas to come to our Spring Social. This 4-hour, mini-retreat is an opportunity to network, meet Rotaractors and Rotarians in 5160 and learn what this year’s theme, Building Communities, Bridging Continents really means. Logistics Date: April 28th, 2012 Location: UC Berkeley (exact location pending) Time: To be confirmed (around 11ish-4ish)

The Rotary 5160 Newsletter once again has a story featuring 3 of the Rotaract Clubs in our District: East Bay, DVC and Solano College. Read it below or on the Rotary 5160 Website Introducing Rotaract 5160’s Newest Clubs They’re at it again! Late last summer, we were proud to have announced the chartering of the East Bay Rotaract (EBR) Club in Berkeley/Oakland. Well this time around, the Rotaractors and Rotarians in Greater Northern California are excited to welcome two more (soon-to-charter) clubs in our area: the Diablo Valley College (DVC) Rotaract Club and the Rotaract Club of Solano Community College. Rotary Governor Dave Dacus has signed off on their chartering forms, so both clubs are now just waiting for official approval from Rotary International. Just like their 8,700-counterparts around the globe, Solano, DVC and EBR all strive to provide an opportunity for young professionals and college students between the ages…

Today marks Rotary International’s 107th Anniversary. Rotarians worldwide are lighting up landmarks across the world to let the community know about the organization.  Accroding to RI President Kalyan Banerjee, these lightings “carry Rotary’s pledge to end polio” and raise awareness for the disease. And there is definitely a reason to celebrate. Rotarians have raised more than $200 million in response to a $355 million challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Check out these beautiful images on the Rotary website On 23 February 1905, Paul P. Harris, Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, and Hiram E. Shorey gathered in Loehr’s office for what would become known as the first Rotary club meeting. Harris’s desire for camaraderie among business associates brought together these four men and eventually led to an international organization of service and fellowship.

“After 20 years of hard work, Rotary and its partners are on the brink of eradicating this tenacious disease, but a strong push is needed now to root it out once and for all. It is a window of opportunity of historic proportions.” Polios is a viral infection of the central nervous system, resulting in damaged motor neurons, myasthenia (muscular dystrophy & inflammation), and eventual paralysis. Through fundraising, advocacy and volunteer work, Rotary has raised and contributed more than $900,000,000 towards polio eradication. When Rotary picked up on this project, there were more than 350,000 infected children ANNUALLY. In 2009, there were fewer than 1,700 reported cases worldwide! Hence we are at the final 1%. We are THIS CLOSE to ending polio. Celebrate World Polio Day by creating your very own “this close” avatar or checking out the videos below!

Enjoy a spaghetti meal with your family and friends on one of the most beautiful outdoor spots on the UC Berkeley campus on a sunny Sunday! For only $7.00, you will get a delicious spaghetti meal (comes with spaghetti, salad, and fruit), and BEST OF ALL, all proceeds go to the non-profit organization, Vitamin Angels!