Rotary begins 2015 Information and Awareness Month

ROTARY International District 9110 comprising Lagos and Ogun States has begun activities to mark the 2015 Rotary International Information and Awareness Month.

  At a media parley at the Rotary Centre in Lagos, the District Governor, Dr. Dele Balogun, disclosed that Rotary International observes the month of January all over the world as Rotary Information and Awareness Month.   

  According to him this period affords Rotary to reach out to members of Rotary and non-Rotary members alike with a view to intimating them about what the club does. 

  He defined non-Rotary members as the corporate world, the community, the less-privileged and various organs of the community that Rotary makes impact on.  

   He added that the period gives the opportunity to also know the various Rotary Clubs within the Community.

  “Rotary is a global network of community volunteers.  Rotary members are business, professional and community leaders, who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

  “Over 32,000 Rotary Cubs are in more than 200 countries and geographical areas that initiate service projects to address today’s challenges, including illiteracy, disease, hunger, poverty, lack of clean water and environmental concerns, peace and conflict resolution, eradication of polio all over the world, maternal and child health among others,” he said.

  Other arms of Rotary include, inner wheel, Rotaract, Rotary community clubs among others and it is an opportunity to enlighten the public on the various roles of these clubs.   Rotary is an old organization, over 100 years old that started in February 1905.

  “Membership is not restricted to a particular religion or a political party because Rotary is non-political and membership is not restricted to any nation as it cuts across all nations,” Balogun noted. 

  According to the Past President, Lanre Kassim, the awareness month that started with the press conference continues today, with clubs magazine exhibition and there will be judges and awards on Thursday, there will be quiz on how much of Rotary Rotarians know, while on Saturday, there will be an awareness walk. Rotary members will gather at the Rotary Centre at 7.00 a.m. and will walk through Oba Akinjobi to turn at NITEL back to Rotary Centre.  

  According to the Past District Governor, Yomi Adewunmi, polio remains in three nations including Pakistan, Afghanistan and in two places in Nigeria, which is near extinction.

  Past Assistant Governor, Ademola Ali, said Rotary Awareness month is also another avenue to increase membership in Rotary.