Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland (RIBI) is wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and saying a heartfelt thank you for your continued support.
To celebrate this time of year and to share the cheer, try the RIBI Christmas Card. Watch out for the little robin!
2011 could be your year to join your local Rotary club. Find out how you can enjoy friendship, fun and fulfilment in 2011 by visiting our membership pages or contacting your local club.
Here is a snap shot of 2010 which may get you thinking:
The first Thanks for Life campaign raised over a million pounds for polio eradication. School children held Wear It Purple days (purple is the colour of dye used to mark a child’s little finger once they have been vaccinated) and Rotary clubs took over empty shops and invited in the public to learn about Rotary and the fight agains polio.
Dedicated young people were recognised in the RIBI Young Citizen Awards. Lydia Cross, Rosie Kilburn. Luke Dicker, Maciej Szukala and The Nessie Club were nominated by their local Rotary clubs for their selfless hard work to help others in the face of adversity. The awards were presented by Konnie Huq at the RIBI Bournemouth Conference and broadcast live on the BBC News Channel.
Rotarian and quadriplegic sailor Geoff Holt sailed into the record books and on to the Queen’s Birthday Honours list after breaking records for crossing the Atlantic unassisted earlier this year. He was awarded an MBE for his services to disability sailing.
The earthquake in Haiti and the floods in Pakistan are just two of the natural disasters which have marked 2010 as a challenging year. In the first three months of this year, Rotarians raised over £3m for rapid response boxes including ShelterBox, Aquabox and Water Survival Box.
Youngsters competed in the many Youth Opportunities contests available through RIBI. The search is now on for chefs, musicians, writers, photographers and speakers for 2011.
2011 holds much promise. The second Thanks for Life campaign has already broken a Guinness World Record by getting people involved with planting purple crocuses, youth competitions will inspire young people to step up to the challenge and Rotarians everywhere will be making a difference by using their skills to improve the lives of others.
Find out how you can use your skills and be part of the next chapter by contacting your local Rotary club or visiting our How to Join page.
