Rotary's Involvement with COVID-19 Vaccination
Published in the Rotary News January 2021
Posted by RI President Holger Knaack and TRF Chair Ravi Ravindran
In these difficult days, we are so heartened to receive such uplifting reports on the unrelenting efforts of our Rotary members who have responded in their communities against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Today, the single question we hear time and again as we traverse the virtual world is, “Are we getting involved with COVID vaccination?” Considering the success and expertise we have gained in our polio eradication effort, this question is both natural and timely.
The answer is yes. We will have an important role in the months ahead......
This does not mean we will deviate in any way from our avowed commitment to eradicating polio, which remains our highest priority and will continue to be our only corporate program. Polio vaccinations and surveillance activities must continue unabated, as must our effort to raise $50 million per year for this effort.
But as we know, there is a pandemic sweeping the world. The Board of RI and the Trustees of our Foundation met in joint session and have agreed that we have a role to play.
We ask you, then, to encourage your clubs to:
- Utilize Rotary’s knowledge of vaccine safety and efficacy based on our polio eradication experience to conduct vaccination education and communication outreach in your communities. This will need to be tailored to local contexts to address unique cultural and regional needs. Your leadership will be critical in crafting appropriate messages and strategies.
- Engage, where appropriate, with our current polio eradication partners WHO and UNICEF at the country level to offer Rotary’s support to COVID-19 response activities, including vaccination efforts.
- Partner at the local level with governments, corporations, and foundations to support Rotary activities at the country level.
- Through hundreds of global grants and projects, Rotary members have demonstrated what we can accomplish to raise awareness, deliver critical personal protection equipment, and provide support for frontline health workers. As you learn of work being done in your area, please encourage clubs to add to the more than 3,000 projects already registered on Rotary Showcase (please log in to My Rotary first, and navigate to Rotary Showcase). We would like to know about them.
We have one final call to action:
Help us combat the powerful, growing force of vaccine resistance and misinformation. Our advocacy in our communities will be critical — we need to spread the message about the power of vaccines to save lives.
Help us combat the powerful, growing force of vaccine resistance and misinformation. Our advocacy in our communities will be critical — we need to spread the message about the power of vaccines to save lives.
Working together, we have done so much to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, to care for our communities, and to prepare Rotarians for the work ahead.
We do this for ourselves and for future generations. We do this as part of our obligation to support our world as it faces the most significant challenge of this generation.
Thank you.
Holger Knaack, President, Rotary International
Welcome to The Rotary District 5150 Website
Rotary District 5150 finds its home in three of the San Francisco bay area counties, Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo. We are people of action serving our communities! Rotary is a worldwide network of inspired individuals who translate their passions into relevant social causes to change lives in communities.
Made up of over 35,000 Rotary clubs around the world, Rotary International forms a global network of business, professional, and community leaders who volunteer their time and talents to serve communities locally and around the world – and form strong, lasting friendships in the process.
Congratulations to Rotary District 5150 Rotarian of the Month - June 2021, Gigi Carter from the Rotary Club of Foster City.
Who do you call when you want to put together a fundraiser, a gala social event or a backyard BBQ? Why … Gigi, of course! Not only does she light up a room with her smile, but she also surveys the scene, rolls up her sleeves and engages others to get things done.
A member of The Rotary Club of Foster City since January 17, 2007, Gigi Carter epitomizes the motto “Service Above Self” and does so with flair. Hosting a gala for 500 guests or delivering a wheelchair to a disabled child in a backstreet in Mexico, Gigi approaches each with a sense of purpose and grace.
Recently retired from her role as Development Director for the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Activities League, Gigi spends her days helping others… and here are a few of those ways: Gigi has taken apart local playground structures for relocation to the Yurok Indian Reservation near Klamath, California. Then, along with a group of other Rotarians and Interactors from our local San Mateo High School, she traveled to Klamath to install the playground and distribute school supplies and sports equipment to the Yurok children. Gigi made a longer journey to Mazatlan, Mexico, to do the same plus deliver wheelchairs.
In Foster City, Gigi has co-chaired the Children’s Holiday Party, assisting as Santa’s helper, co-chaired the year-end President’s Debunking, and worked at Concerts in the Park, Rib Fest, Spaghetti Feed and Bingo Night, and the July 4th Pancake Breakfast… to name a few!
Gigi has served as Community Service Director for our Club. From 2017-2020, Gigi has co-chaired our very successful Inaugural Golf Tournament in 2018 and the 2 nd Annual event in 2019, raising thousands of dollars for our community service projects. When COVID-19 struck, the golf tournament was a casualty. Gigi jumped in and cobbled together a Benefit Drawing to replace the golf tournament. She Co-chaired the Benefit Drawing fundraiser. It was an innovative way to raise funds during the COVID-19 shut down of our other fundraising events.
Gigi is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow (PHF+2). She has two married sons and just became a Grandmother to her third grandchild. For all she does and the lives she touches, let us honor our newest Rotarian of the Month, Gigi Carter.
Once again, congratulations to Gigi Carter from the Rotary Club of Foster City as our "Rotarian of the Month" in June 2021!
Congratulations to Rotary District 5150 Rotarian of the Month - May 2021, Larry Curtis from the Rotary Club of Ignacio.
Larry Curtis from the Rotary Club of Ignacio is that quiet Rotarian who just DOES. He leads his Community Service Committee by example, getting things done competently while also encouraging collaboration amongst committee members. As a result of his leadership, he and his committee have accomplished an incredible number of meaningful hands-on projects, in spite of COVID-19, including:
* Repainting Novato’s 30’ community entrance sign and replacing and rehanging medallions from Rotary and other local community organizations
* Coordinating the Deck replacement at North Marin Community Services, including fundraising to ensure its completion.
* Weekly food deliveries and Thanksgiving meals to food insecure residents of Hamilton Park Meadows.
* Delivering Sack Lunches for food insecure at St. Vincent’s.
* Involved with the giving of Ignacio’s DDF of $5409 for Covid-19 Relief for Food to North Marin Community Services
* Making sure single moms at Gilead House (a home for single moms and their children) had gift cards to buy holiday gifts for their themselves and their children
* Delivering Dictionaries to 3rd graders at Loma Verde, Hamilton Primary, and Hamilton Charter School
* Collaborating with the Parks and Rec Department in Novato with their replacement of playground equipment especially designed for special needs children at Pioneer Park.
Ignacio’s members feel fortunate that Larry moved to Marin from Colorado in 1973 after being transferred to run the San Francisco office where he sold group life and group disability insurance. Initially living in Lucas Valley, he and his wife, Ramona, were drawn to Novato in 1978 because of its good schools for their growing family. In fact, they still live in the very same house they bought back in 1978.
It was a friend with whom Larry played tennis after his retirement named Bob Stockwell who suggested that Larry should join a service organization. But not just any service organization. Bob told Larry, “The only way to go is with Rotary!” He also told Larry that the only Rotary club to join was Ignacio. So, in 1998, that’s exactly what Larry did.
Throughout his membership, Larry has chaired several committees, led interactors on Ignacio’s annual home building trip to Mexico, and served as the President of Ignacio’s Club Foundation and as its club President in 2006-2007. Today he not only chairs Ignacio’s Community Service committee but also participates on 3 other committees
When asked what he most enjoys about being a Rotarian, it always comes back to fellowship. While the projects we do are meaningful and essential, it is because we work together that resonates most with Larry.
Once again, congratulations to Larry Curtis from the Rotary Club of Ignacio as our "Rotarian of the Month" in May 2021!
Larry Curtis from the Rotary Club of Ignacio is that quiet Rotarian who just DOES. He leads his Community Service Committee by example, getting things done competently while also encouraging collaboration amongst committee members. As a result of his leadership, he and his committee have accomplished an incredible number of meaningful hands-on projects, in spite of COVID-19, including:
* Repainting Novato’s 30’ community entrance sign and replacing and rehanging medallions from Rotary and other local community organizations
* Coordinating the Deck replacement at North Marin Community Services, including fundraising to ensure its completion.
* Weekly food deliveries and Thanksgiving meals to food insecure residents of Hamilton Park Meadows.
* Delivering Sack Lunches for food insecure at St. Vincent’s.
* Involved with the giving of Ignacio’s DDF of $5409 for Covid-19 Relief for Food to North Marin Community Services
* Making sure single moms at Gilead House (a home for single moms and their children) had gift cards to buy holiday gifts for their themselves and their children
* Delivering Dictionaries to 3rd graders at Loma Verde, Hamilton Primary, and Hamilton Charter School
* Collaborating with the Parks and Rec Department in Novato with their replacement of playground equipment especially designed for special needs children at Pioneer Park.
Ignacio’s members feel fortunate that Larry moved to Marin from Colorado in 1973 after being transferred to run the San Francisco office where he sold group life and group disability insurance. Initially living in Lucas Valley, he and his wife, Ramona, were drawn to Novato in 1978 because of its good schools for their growing family. In fact, they still live in the very same house they bought back in 1978.
It was a friend with whom Larry played tennis after his retirement named Bob Stockwell who suggested that Larry should join a service organization. But not just any service organization. Bob told Larry, “The only way to go is with Rotary!” He also told Larry that the only Rotary club to join was Ignacio. So, in 1998, that’s exactly what Larry did.
Throughout his membership, Larry has chaired several committees, led interactors on Ignacio’s annual home building trip to Mexico, and served as the President of Ignacio’s Club Foundation and as its club President in 2006-2007. Today he not only chairs Ignacio’s Community Service committee but also participates on 3 other committees
When asked what he most enjoys about being a Rotarian, it always comes back to fellowship. While the projects we do are meaningful and essential, it is because we work together that resonates most with Larry.
Once again, congratulations to Larry Curtis from the Rotary Club of Ignacio as our "Rotarian of the Month" in May 2021!
Congratulations to Rotary District 5150 Rotarian of the Month - April 2021, Herb Dang from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Bayview.
Herb’s rotary story - before Herb was a Rotarian he was asked by a friend at the Bayview police station to help out on a project. This project turned out to be one of the early Bayview rotary thanksgiving turkey giveaways. Herb was asked to help picking up and delivering turkeys for Thanksgiving. Herb, while passing out the turkeys met an old classmate of his from elementary school. The class mate grew up in the projects had moved out, married, and had two beautiful kids. Herb’s friend had ended up back in the projects thru a series of unfortunate events. Herb was able to help someone he knew, who needed help, through Herb’s first rotary project, before he was a member. As a result, Herb joined rotary.
Since then, Herb has served as Secretary, President, and participated in mask / food / clothing giveaways, Ben Robinson Scholarship awards, tree plantings, clean ups (both as a rotary member and a SF city employee). In this last year, Herb passed out masks to the day laborers in Bayview from our club. Herb has been a go to member of the Rotary Club of San Francisco Bayview to get things done. Herb is a tenacious Rotarian. He never gives up, and never stops trying.
Herb was born at Franklin Hospital in SF (where Davies hospital is now). He grew up in the southeast of the city and went to Catholic school in the Excelsior, Corpus Christi elementary school. Herb attended High School at Lick Wilmerding and was a street artist on Telegraph Avenue for 9 years. He then attended and graduated from UC Berkeley. Herb has two children, Frank and Amelia. Herb was a 40 year employee of the City of San Francisco WasteWater Enterprise, which was based in Bayview, and is now retired. He has been a member of the arts community in Bayview/HuntersPoint for 20 years working out of “Public Glass” a glass studio in Bayview.
Many of the Rotarians who visited our club during one of Herb’s terms as president received a cup Herb made. Herb participated in “Art in Storefronts” in the Bayview Neighborhood. Herb participated with Public Glass in the pre-covid times with the “Fire Pit Project” that brought Arts in to the Neighborhood at “All Good Pizza” once a month with glass blowing demos. Herb worked with Art 94124 and the youth in the Bayview to to produce a mural “Welcome to Bayview”. Again a hearty congratulations Herb on an honor that does not come easily. Keep up the good work, The Rotary Club of San Francisco Bayview is very proud of your great accomplishment!
Once again, congratulations to Herb Dang from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Bayview as our "Rotarian of the Month" in April 2021!
As Spring 2021 is upon us, May you celebrate this month by becoming an active part of an Earth Day Project, developing a project to serve maternal and child health, and by registering to attend our Virtual District Conference “Rotary Chosen Family REUNION” in May 15, 2021!
Thank you for all that you do in the name of Rotary and our world-wide community.
ROTARY Chosen Family,
Mary Marie Bates
District 5150 Governor 2020-2021
Rotary Club of Foster City
Rotary International
Mary Marie Bates
District 5150 Governor 2020-2021
Rotary Club of Foster City
Rotary International
