United States
Inspired by the American flags placed beside headstones at military cemeteries, Rick Clark asked officials at Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego if Rotary clubs could similarly pay tribute to service members interred there. Clark, a past president of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle, is a Vietnam veteran who served as a Seabee, as members of the U.S. Navy’s construction battalions are called. He enlisted District 5340 leaders to recruit 400 volunteers to participate in the project, dubbed 2024 Operation Flags for Vets. “It was a powerful event that impacted so many people, including countless survivors who expressed their gratitude,” says another organizer, Michael Fuqua, a member of the Rotary Club of Rancho Bernardo and a retired naval captain. The district plans to repeat the event this Memorial Day. The initiative is supported by a new district committee formed to coordinate projects related to military members and veterans. The committee helped raise about $14,000.
Mexico
Dogs, cats, rabbits, and other pets took center stage during a Blessing of the Animals event co-organized by the Rotary Club of Tehuacán Granadas in Puebla state in January. “Around 1,000 pets and approximately 3,000 people attended the event this year,” reports Paola Ortiz Gómez, president of the club, which partnered with TAC Una Protección al Entorno A.C., a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of animals. Since 2022, the club has organized and promoted the special Mass. “We all believe that by fostering a culture of respect for nonhuman life, it teaches us to respect human life as well,” she says. “It fills us with satisfaction to see that entire families attend and not only receive a blessing for their pet but at the same time receive veterinary care,” learn about animal adoptions, and donate to the care of homeless animals.
Austria
To celebrate the ce
ntennial of Rotary in Austria, two journalists and longtime Rotarians created a podcast to inspire members and nonmembers alike. Christian Haubner, of the Rotary Club of Freistadt, and Verena Hahn-Oberthaler, of the Rotary Club of Perg, launched the Rotary Reloaded podcast in December. The German-language show features conversations with well-known guests inside and outside of Rotary. “We are targeting both Rotarians and non-Rotarians,” Haubner says. “And we want to do so from a personal perspective. This is our differentiated approach, giving guests personal insights that show how meaningful Rotary can be in people’s lives. We also talk about Rotary still being modern and needed by society.” His co-host agrees. “With the momentum of 100 years of history, we look into the future of Rotary,” Hahn-Oberthaler tells Rotary Magazin, the regional magazine for members in Germany and Austria.
Australia
Athletes with disabilities can enjoy all the beamers, googlies, and dibbly-dobblies through the cricket-themed activities organized by Australian Rotarians and Dream Cricket Australia. “The program’s core mission is to foster inclusivity and promote physical activity” in a supportive environment, says Ankit Agarwal, a member of the Rotary Club of Adelaide and a board member of the cricket organization. In November the club capped a series of athletics outings with its first Dream Cricket Gala. Agarwal was among club members who organized the day and mentored
Kevin is a teacher who's father worked for the railways, and his interest in vintage rail started in 1995. The Steamranger experience is part of the Australian Rolling Stock Society that started 1978. In the 1950’s steam engines that had finished service in SA were preserved at the Mile End Railway Museum and were later moved to the current location in Mount Barker.
