Rotary District Conference - Ross Carrington

             Our Rotary district held its annual conference this past weekend in the beautiful Lafayette Hill, right outside of the city. A group of us represented Rotaract Philly among the many other Rotary and Rotaract clubs in District 7450 and got the chance to learn about very important issues Rotary is getting involved in.

             The day included two very interesting lectures: one on clean water initiatives and another on efforts to stem child slavery. We were first introduced to an organization called Water Missions International, which undertakes clean water projects in 49 developing countries, mainly throughout Latin America and Africa. The organization builds clean water systems for public use that provide a safe alternative to the contaminated water that has plagued communities with disease.

            After some time set aside for mingling with Rotarians/Rotaractors from other clubs, we saw a very moving presentation on child slavery. It was very sobering to realize that the phenomenon was so endemic throughout the modern world, and that the United States was not immune. The lecture ended on a positive note, however, with a segment on rescue organizations that were making headway in stemming back the tide.

           The most inspiring, and most awaited, presentation of the day was given by Ramesh Farris on polio eradication. Born in India, Farris had contracted polio at six months of age and was paralyzed from the waist down. Farris’ mother, unable to provide the resources her son would need, gave him up to an orphanage. He was then adopted by a Canadian family, after initial opposition from the Canadian government based on the fear that Farris would place too much strain on the country’s healthcare system.

        The presentation was moving from the very beginning, when Farris crawled through piercing silence from the back of the auditorium to the stage and began to tell his story while sitting on the floor. The discomfort quickly gave way to disbelief and cheer as Farris rose up and began to walk across the stage.  In Canada, Farris had undergone numerous surgeries, eventually allowing him to walk with the help of leg braces. He has been traveling across the world recounting his experience, in the hope that there will one day be no more “crawlers.”

         All in all, the conference proved to be, as always, an immeasurably enriching and inspirational day. I would greatly recommend that every Rotaractor try to go at some point. You don’t want to miss out!

Jane Williams Tribute - Ross Carrington

We walked into the front door and were immediately overwhelmed. The number of people who had come to celebrate Jane's years of service as the District Rotaract Club Committee Chairperson was simply astounding. The room was filled with Rotarians and Rotaractors of all ages, from college students like ourselves to much more experienced (but really just as young) adults. Luckily, we had gotten there early enough to mix and mingle with members from other clubs - a rare occasion to see some familiar faces and meet completely new ones. It wasn't long, however, before the evening got started and attention turned to where it belonged for the night: on Jane Williams and her years of dedication to Rotaract.

As a tribute, it was fitting that the evening's program consisted mainly of different individuals giving their testimonies on how Jane touched them as Rotarians/Rotaractors and as people. Person after person stood up and shared how Jane had gone out of her way to make them feel welcome when they were new to the club, or had inspired and guide them toward higher leadership roles within the organization. What really made the night special was the sincerity that could be heard in their voices. It wasn't just a ceremony that had to be carried out for a high-ranking member; they were speaking from the heart. At the end of the testimonies, Jane was presented with a plaque and some big news: she had been nominated to the National Women's Hall of Fame! Better yet, to everyone's surprise, Jane was related to Susan B. Anthony, which made the nomination all the more meaningful.

The evening concluded with carnival-style games that the different Rotaractors had brought in order to raise money for Rotary's polio initiative. Not to brag, but our game was quite a crowd-pleaser. We put together an entertainment trivia game, covering movies and tv shows from the 1950s through the 1990s. People got so worked up while playing that we will definitely have to find an occasion to use it again. 

All in all, it was an incredibly fun and inspiring evening to celebrate the work of a very special woman. Her tenure as Chairperson may be up, but this is just the beginning of a brand new chapter for Jane.

Rotaract Helps Habitat for Humanity ReStore! - Ross Carrington

Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia recently opened its newest ReStore in Philadelphia, a used home furnishings and building materials store that collects donated home items in decent condition and sells them at modest prices. Shamil Manek and I went to help out at ReStore's grand opening two weeks ago, where we were quickly welcomed by music, dough-nuts, and the store's fun and energetic staff. While store traffic may have been a bit slower than the staff expected, there was no shortage of shoppers strolling down the aisles and browsing through the store's donated wares – ranging from sofas and ta-bles to sinks and file cabinets. While there, Shamil and I were charged with transporting large items, such as file cabinets, to customers' vehicles, as well as wiping down furniture sets. The most amazing part about Habitat's undertaking with ReStore is that all of the profits are used to construct affordable housing in the community. It demonstrates the organization's ability to find innovative ways to provide the local community with both affordable home items and affordable housing.