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| As an international organization, Rotary offers each member unique opportunities
and responsibilities. Although each Rotarian has first responsibility to uphold the obligations of citizenship
of his or her own country, membership in Rotary enables Rotarians to take a somewhat different view of
international affairs. In the early 1950s, a Rotary philosophy was adopted to describe how a Rotarian may think
on a global basis. Here is what it said:
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| “A world-minded Rotarian:
- looks beyond national patriotism and considers himself as sharing responsibility for the advancement of
international understanding, goodwill, and peace;
- resists any tendency to act in terms of national or racial superiority;
- seeks and develops common grounds for agreement with peoples of other lands;
- refends the rule of law and order to preserve the liberty of the individual so that he may enjoy freedom
of thought, speech, and assembly, and freedom from persecution, aggression, want, and fear;
- supports action directed toward improving standards of living for all peoples, realizing that poverty
anywhere endangers prosperity everywhere;
- upholds the principles of justice for mankind;
- strives always to promote peace between nations and prepares to make personal sacrifices for that ideal;
- urges and practices the spirit of understanding of others’ beliefs as a step toward international goodwill,
recognizing that there are certain basic moral and spiritual standards which will ensure a richer, fuller life.”
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| The development of understanding and goodwill among Rotarians and among the
people at large is the specific task of International Service. There are four (4) general areas of International
Service: World Community Service Activities; International Educational and Cultural Exchange Activities; Special
International Observances and Events; and International Meetings.
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| World Community Service Program |
| The World Community Service Program consists of activities within International
Service through which Rotarians conduct projects to improve the lives and meet human needs, and thus promote
international understanding and goodwill by means of material, technical, and professional assistance. A World
Community Service project is born when Rotary clubs from two or more countries join together to accomplish a
community service project. The WCS program links Rotary clubs needing extra help with clubs in other countries
that are willing to provide funds, materials, and technical and professional assistance. The World Community
Service program was officially launched in 1967. Since then, thousands of WCS projects involving Rotarians
around the world have been completed. Each year, Rotary clubs provide an estimated US$26 million in funds and
supplies.
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| Sonora Sunrise Rotary Club’s International Service |
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| Sonora Sunrise Rotary hosted the Rotary G.S.E. (Group Study Exchange) team from
New Zealand. These young professionals from different areas of New Zealand spent
a week living in the homes of club members and touring Tuolumne County.
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| The Sonora Sunrise Rotary Club has been very active in International Service
projects. Several club members have traveled to Mexico to help refurbish a school. The club help sponsor a
water project in Chinca Peru. The club provided financial assistance as well as volunteers to help build the
water project. Now, several families have clean running water in their homes.
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| The club was awarded a District Simplified Grant to purchase an Autorefractor
for use in eye exams and procedures in Central America. This was a joint project with several other clubs who help
financial. Also involved in the Autorefactor was the Flying Doctor’s Group.
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| Our club helps support the Wheelchair Foundation. Club members Milt and Rosie
Camp have delivered 280 wheelchairs to El Salvador and 520 wheelchairs to El Salvador.
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| Rotarians have a unique opportunity to participate in International
Service. Rotary is involved in almost any type of project in just about any country on the globe. As a
Rotarian, it is your responsibility to participate in some form of International Service either through a
financial contribution or more importantly, by donating your time and talents as a volunteer.
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