PIRG Keynote Address to: Rotary Clubs in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, May, 2006 by Mary Margaret Fleming, World Chair, RI Public Image Resource Group

MY FELLOW ROTARIANS, AND ALL OF THE FAMILY OF ROTARY:

I AM HONORED TO BE WITH YOU TODAY TO TELL YOU ABOUT SOME WONDERFUL ROTARY EXPERIENCES … THOSE THAT I HAVE HEARD FROM OTHERS AND SOME OF MY OWN.

WE’LL START WITH THE ROTARY FOUNDATION & POLIO ERADICATION.

INITIALLY CONCEIVED AS A PILOT PROJECT IN 1987 TO IMMUNIZE CHILDREN AGAINST POLIO IN THE PHILIPPINES -- UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF THEN RI PRESIDENT M.A.T. CAPARAS, WHOSE RI THEME WAS: “ROTARY BRINGS HOPE.” AND, HOPE IT DID BRING, BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, POLIO ERADICATION HAS GROWN INTO AN INTERNATIONAL CRUSADE TO ERADICATE POLIO WORLDWIDE – AND, HAS BEEN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL.

THE PolioPlus PROGRAM IS FAR AND AWAY THE LARGEST HUMANITARIAN PROJECT EVER UNDERTAKEN BY A SERVICE ORGANIZATION.
MANY TIMES I HAVE BEEN INVITED TO SPEAK ABOUT POLIO TO ROTARIANS AT VARIOUS EVENTS – TO EXPLAIN THE PROGRAM AND THE NEED TO RAISE FUNDS.

I OFTEN TELL ROTARIANS – THAT THE FUNDS WE RAISE, AND THE WORK ROTARY DOES – MAY HELP PEOPLE WE WILL NEVER MEET, IN PLACES WE WILL NEVER SEE.

TODAY I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE STORIES ABOUT POLIO – EXPERIENCES THAT INDIVIDUAL ROTARIANS HAVE ENJOYED --
THOSE WHO HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY SEE REMARKABLE THINGS, PEOPLE, CULTURES, AND THE EXCITING PLACES THEY HAVE BEEN.

IN 1950 WHEN THE KOREAN WAR BEGAN -- IN SEOUL -- AN 8 YEAR BOY, BY THE NAME OF YOUNG KOH, AND HIS FRIENDS, WERE FRIGHTENED BY THE DAILY BOMBING IN THEIR HOME TERRITORY -- THAT WAS ALREADY OCCUPIED BY THE NORTH KOREANS.

THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY TOYS, SO THEY PLAYED MARBLES USING LITTLE PEBBLES.

THERE WAS NOT MUCH FOOD, THEREFORE, LITTLE TO EAT.

AS A RESULT, THEY WERE ALWAYS HUNGRY. SO THEY FILLED THEIR STOMACHS BY DRINKING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF TAP WATER (which was not treated during that war) … AND, ALSO DRANK WATER FROM A NEARBY STREAM.

ONE DAY, WHEN THEY MET FOR THEIR USUAL MARBLE GAME, ONE OF YOUNGs FRIENDS DID NOT APPEAR. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS ABSENCE DURING THEIR USUAL PLAYTIME, YOUNG WENT TO HIS FRIENDS HOME TO INQUIRE. THE BOYS MOTHER ANSWERED THE DOOR AND SAID, “DON’T COME IN BECAUSE MY SON IS VERY ILL.” SHE THOUGHT HE HAD SOMETHING LIKE THE FLU.

THEN, THE BOY BECAME PARALYZED. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, HE CAME OUT DOORS SEVERELY LIMPING AND WALKING WITH A CANE. AT THAT TIME POLIO HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED.

AS THE DAYS PASSED, SO MANY MORE OF YOUNGs PLAYMATES ALSO CONTRACTED THIS SAME ILLNESS. IT WAS WIDESPREAD -- AND, YOUNG AND HIS FAMILY FELT SO LUCKY THAT HE WAS NOT A VICTIM.

36 YEARS LATER, AT AGE 46, YOUNG FOUND HIMSELF IN THE UNITED STATES WITH AN INVITATION TO JOIN ROTARY.
YOUNG WAS DELIGHTED TO LEARN THAT OUR ORGANIZATION HAD A MAJOR DRIVE TO ERADICATE POLIO …

SO IN 1988 HE JOINED THE ROTARY CLUB OF MONTEREY PENINSULA SUNRISE, CALIFORNIA, USA.

HIS EXPERIENCE WITH HIS CHILDHOOD PLAYMATES LINGERED STRONGLY IN HIS MEMORY BANK; THUS, MOTIVATING HIM TO BECOME A LEVEL TWO MAJOR DONOR.

NOW AT AGE 64, YOUNG CONTINUES TO BE DEDICATED TO POLIO ERADICATION, AND HAS BECOME THE INSTRUMENT TO ENCOURAGE 15 OTHER INDIVIDUALS TO BECOME MAJOR DONORS, AS WELL.

THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL, SERVING HUMANITY, PERSON TO PERSON.

IN 1993, IN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA -- DURING THE RI CONVENTION, AMID 23,000 ROTARIANS. THE STAGE AT CENTER COURT WAS BARE EXCEPT FOR A SINGLE UNOCCUPIED CHAIR.

AS THE SESSION BEGAN, PAST RI PRESIDENT, DR. CARLOS CANSECO, FROM MEXICO, CAME ON TO THE STAGE. A WOMAN FROM THE PHILIPPINES WAS INTRODUCED – SHE MOVED ACROSS THE STAGE CARRYING A BABY … AND, SAT IN THE LONE CHAIR.

DR. CANSECO ADMINISTERED THE LIFE SAVING POLIO VACCINE TO THE CHILD AND SYMBOLICALLY IMMUNIZED THE 500 MILLIONTH CHILD.
YO U C O U L D H A V E H E A R D A P I N D R O P.

JUST IMAGINE:
• 500 MILLION CHILDREN THAT WOULD NEVER HAVE TO FACE THE CRIPPLING EFFECTS OF POLIO.
• PARENTS AND COUNTRIES THAT WOULD NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN BEING STRICKEN BY THE KILLER DISEASE.
• TODAY THE NUMBER EXCEEDS 2 BILLION IMMUNIZED … AND
• ROTARIANS HAVE CONTRIBUTED OVER $650 MILLION DOLLARS.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT HAS BEEN THE ROTARY VOLUNTEERS THAT HAVE MADE THE PROGRAM SO SUCCESSFUL …
ROTARIANS, MAKING A DIFFERENCE THROUGH SERVICE TO OTHERS.

DURING A NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION DAY IN GHANA, WEST AFRICA, ADMINISTERING THE POLIO VACCINE TO CHILDREN IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS WAS AN EXPERIENCE TO CHERISH FOREVER.

THE FAMILIES INVITED US INTO THEIR HOMES, THE CHILDREN FOLLOWED US FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE AND WE ALL GATHERED SPECIAL MEMORIES AS WE WENT ABOUT THE DELIVERY OF THE VACCINE TO THE CHILDREN OF GHANA.

ROTARY WAS MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND WE WERE PRIVILEGED TO PARTICIPATE.

I WAS STANDING IN A CLINIC AREA WITH ANOTHER ROTARIAN. A YOUNG MOTHER APPROACHED AND HELD HER BABY OUT FOR MY FRIEND TO HOLD. AS HE BEGAN TO CUDDLE THE BABY -- THE MOTHER SAID TO HIM: “PLEASE … TAKE MY BABY HOME WITH YOU.”

IT WAS INDEED A SHOCK … A SAD MOMENT … AND A SIGNIFICANT COMMENTARY ON THE LACK OF A BETTER TOMORROW.

THERE IS MUCH FOR ROTARY TO DO IN THIS WORLD, AND AS ROTARIANS, WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

ANOTHER ROTARIAN, MEL GUY I GOS, TOLD ME IN 1999, HE TRAVELED ON HIS FIRST VOLUNTEER SERVICE TRIP TO ERITREA (A SMALL COUNTRY RIGHT BY ETHIOPIA ON THE RED SEA).

ROTARIANS WERE WITH HIM EVERY DAY, EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

HE SITED QUITE AN UNUSUAL EXPERIENCE IN CITY BUSES, AMONG THE PASSENGERS … THEY WERE ACCOMPANIED BY SOLDIERS CARRYING AK-47 AUTOMATIC ASSAULT WEAPONS. HE SAID, “IT’S JUST A FACT OF LIFE IN THAT COUNTRY … AND, I FELT VERY SAFE BECAUSE I WAS WITH ROTARIANS.”

THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY 425,000 CHILDREN WERE TO BE IMMUNIZED, AND THEIR GROUP APPEARED AT ABOUT 5 OF THE 1,000 STATIONS … THEY WERE EXPECTED TO MEET A GOAL OF 90 to 95% … AND, THEY DID!

MOST MEMORABLE ARE THE CROWDS OF SMILING CHILDREN HE MET WHILE THEY WERE WAITING TO BE IMMUNIZED. SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE ASKED – MEL, HOW MANY CHILDREN DID YOU PERSONALLY IMMUNIZE?

MEL SAID -- MY REPLY IS ALWAYS THE SAME -- I CANNOT RECALL …

BECAUSE 5 WOULD APPEAR AND SIT IN CHAIRS AND WAIT FOR THEIR VACCINE … THEN LEAVE … ANOTHER 5 WOULD APPEAR, AND WHEN THEY WERE GONE … ANOTHER 5 WOULD BE IN THE CHAIRS – 5 MORE -- UP AND GONE … THIS WENT ON ALL DAY.

WHAT I REMEMBER BEST IS THE GREAT NUMBERS … EVERY ONE WAS GRATEFUL … AND … A WONDERFUL FEELING OF PRIDE SWELLED WITHIN ME TO THINK THAT I COULD HELP.

ON THE LAST DAY AT DINNER, THE RESTAURANT TV WAS ON, IN THE NATIVE LANGUAGE. SUDDENLY WE ALL REALIZED IT WAS A STORY ABOUT US.

THE RESTAURANT STAFF ACKNOWLEDGED THEIR APPRECIATION -- THAT WE … ROTARIANS … WERE THERE … DOING HUMANITARIAN WORK … IN THEIR COUNTRY.

ONE OTHER THING –

IT WAS AMAZING TO MEL THAT HIS DISTRICT 5340, RAISED THE MONEY ($137,000) THAT PAID FOR THE ENTIRE ROTARY PORTION OF THE ERITREA NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION DAY.

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM YOUR ROTARY CLUBS CERTAINLY REINFORCES THAT POLIO ERADICATION IS A VITAL AND AWESOME PROGRAM … AND, IT SUBSTANTIATES THE VALUE OF ROTARY’S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, THE UNICEF, AND THE US CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL.

BUT, AT THE BEGINNING, WE ACTUALLY HAD TO FIGHT OFF ATTACKS ON OUR USE OF THE SABIN ORAL VACCINE … AND THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION EVEN DISCOURAGED US FROM TAKING THE VACCINES TO THE PEOPLE – BECAUSE THEY SAID, THE VACCINES SHOULD BE ADMINISTERED IN CLINICS.
WE CONTINUED TO PRESERVER IN WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS RIGHT, AND OUR VACCINE TRIUMPHED IN THE END.

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION FINALLY ADOPTED OUR NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION DAYS WHEN THEY SAW OUR SUCCESS; DUE TO OUR TOTAL MOBILIZATION OF THE COMMUNITY.

AND, NOT TOO LONG AGO, THE PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, GRACIOUSLY DECLARED THAT ROTARY HAD BEEN THE SOUL OF THE CAMPAIGN TO ERADICATE POLIO.

SINCE 1988, THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES IN WHICH POLIO IS ENDEMIC, DECLINED FROM 125 TO ONLY 4 AT THE PRESENT TIME … THEY ARE NIGERIA, PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN, AND INDIA.

FROM CHUCK AND KATE DuVIVIER I LEARNED ABOUT THEIR TRIP TO INDIA.

IN FEBRUARY, 2004, TO BAREILLY, INDIA (just 6 hours Northeast of Delhi), AND ONE OF THE AREAS WORST HIT BY THE RECENT POLIO OUTBREAKS.
THERE ARE 10 ROTARY CLUBS IN THAT CITY OF OVER A MILLION PEOPLE.

EACH CLUB WAS ASSIGNED CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS IN WHICH TO VACCINATE … AND … THEY WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH THE GOVERNMENT HEALTH WORKERS IN THE FIELD.

OUR EXPERIENCE IN BAREILLY WAS THAT THE YEARS OF GOOD DEEDS OUR HOST ROTARY CLUB HAD DONE IN THE URBAN SLUMS AND IN THE VILLAGES ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CITY, REALLY PAVED THE WAY FOR A SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN.

ON ONE DAY ALONE, WE WERE ABLE TO VACCINATE ABOUT 400 CHILDREN IN A VERY IMPOVERISHED MUSLIM SECTION OF THE CITY –FIRST STOPPING AT A SCHOOL WHICH WAS FUNDED BY THE ROTARY CLUB AND THEN WANDERING THROUGH THE STREETS – ACTUALLY, REALLY JUST NARROW WET PATHWAYS BETWEEN THE HOMES -- LOOKING FOR CHILDREN, HAVING THE OLDER CHILDREN HELP US LOOK FOR CHILDREN.

WE WERE SOMETHING LIKE THE PIED PIPER GOING THROUGH TOWN LEAVING A TRAIL OF HAPPY CHILDREN WITH NEW WHISTLES, BALLOONS, PAPER VISORS, AND BLACK MARKS ON THEIR THUMBS -- SHOWING THEY HAD BEEN VACCINATED.

WE ENCOUNTERED LITTLE RESISTANCE, AND WERE INVITED INTO MANY HOMES.

THE THREE CLUB MEMBERS WHO WORKED IN VARENESI MET MUCH MORE RESISTANCE TO VACCINATION AND HAD TO SPEND MUCH OF THEIR EFFORTS COAXING MOTHERS TO ALLOW THEIR CHILDREN TO BE VACCINATED.

LET ME TELL YOU A BRIEF STORY ABOUT A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE I HAD IN 1997 AT THE BANGALORE, INDIA AIRPORT. WHILE WAITING FOR THE BUS TO TAKE ME FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE TARMAC …

A TALL AND VERY THIN INDIAN LADY IN A SARI …

CARRYING AN APPROXIMATELY 8 MONTH OLD CHILD IN HER ARMS …

APPROACHED ME AND SURPRISED ME WHEN SHE TOUCHED MY ROTARY PIN … I STEEPED BACK … SHE STEPPED FORWARD. THEN, SHE DROPPED TO HER KNEES … AND … STILL HOLDING THE CHILD … GRASPED MY KNEES AND SAID

“THANK YOU ROTARY … NO POLIO.”

THIS SINGLE ACT, WAS OVERWHELMING, AND TEARS STREAMED DOWN MY FACE. IT WAS THE MOST MOVING EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE THEN, PARTICULARLY, AS AT THAT TIME, I HAD DONE VERY LITTLE FOR POLIO. EVEN, TODAY, IT REMAINS THE SIGNAL MOST HUMBLING EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE. ON MY FLIGHT HOME, I FULLY REALIZED THE GRAVITY OF THE RESPONSIBILITY SHE HAD UNKNOWINGLY PLACED UPON ME WITH HER BRIEF HUMAN EXCHANGE AND THOSE FIVE POWERFUL WORDS -- THANK YOU ROTARY, NO POLIO!

THUS, A LADY WHOSE NAME I DO NOT KNOW, AND WHO I WILL PROBABLY NEVER SEE AGAIN … HAS PROVED TO BE MY MENTOR.


AS A RESULT OF SEEING & HEARING ALL OF THESE ROTARY STORIES, SINCE THEN, I HAVE EXAMINED MY SOUL TO FIND BETTER WAYS TO SERVE OTHERS, WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON CHILDREN … AND … TO PROMOTE ROTARY’S PUBLIC IMAGE.

IN REGARDS TO ROTARY’S PUBLIC IMAGE, RI PRESIDENT STENHAMMAR WOULD NEVER FORGIVE ME IF I DIDN’T SAY A WORD ABOUT HIS 2005-06 PUBLIC IMAGE CAMPAIGN.

PRESIDENT STENHAMMAR SAID, “THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, WHERE EVER I GO, AND WHOM EVER I TALK WITH, EVERYONE KEEPS ECHOING THAT WE NEED MORE PUBLIC RELATIONS TO ADVANCE ROTARY’S PUBLIC IMAGE – ON THE CLUB AND DISTRICT LEVELS IN THE COMMUNITIES OF THE WORLD.”

AS A VISIONARY, THE PRESIDENT HAS DONE JUST THAT … MADE PUBLIC IMAGE ONE OF HIS TOP 3 GOALS THIS YEAR, IN AN EFFORT TO ENHANCE THE PUBLIC IMAGE OF ROTARY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

THUS, HE HAS ASKED ALL 32,317 ROTARY CLUB PRESIDENT’S AND 529 DISTRICT GOVERNOR’S TO APPOINT A PUBLIC RELATIONS CHAIR.

SO WHAT IS PUBLIC IMAGE AND PUBLIC RELATIONS?

“IT IS THE MANAGEMENT FUNCTION THAT CREATES, DEVELOPS, AND CARRIES OUT POLICIES AND PROGRAMS TO INFLUENCE PUBLIC OPINION OR PUBLIC REACTION.”

LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. ABOUT A YEAR AGO, BOTH THE WALL STREET JOURNAL AND THE WASHINGTON POST RAN AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE FACT THAT ROTARY SHOULD RECEIVE THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FOR THEIR HUMANITARIAN EFFORT TO ERADICATE POLIO.

That certainly impacted how people who read that article, now think about Rotary!

WE BELIEVE THAT EVERY ROTARIAN IS AUTOMATICALLY ON THE PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE … BECAUSE … ROTARIANS ARE ROTARY’S PUBLIC IMAGE:
HOW WE COMMUNICATE; HOW WE CONDUCT OURSELVES; THE FACT THAT WE WEAR A ROTARY PIN … AND, ALL THE MANY WONDERFUL ROTARY STORIES WE HAVE TO TELL.

AS WE TELL THE HUMANITARIAN STORIES OF ROTARY, WE CERTAINLY DO ATTRACT NEW MEMBERS … NEW MEMBERS WILL ADD ANOTHER PAIR OF HANDS TO DO THE VITAL WORK OF ROTARY … AND, ALSO, ADD SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FOR THE ROTARY FOUNDATION.

WE ASK YOU TO SEIZE THIS GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO REPORT ON THE GOOD WORKS OF YOUR ROTARY CLUB. SHARE YOUR INSPIRATIONAL EXAMPLES OF “Service Above Self” WITH YOUR COMMUNITY AND OUR WORLD. BECOME PART OF OUR ROTARY PUBLIC IMAGE RESOURCE GROUP NETWORK.

THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO TELL WHAT ROTARY IS AND WHAT ROTARY DOES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

TO HELP YOU FURTHER ROTARY’S PUBLIC IMAGE, WE HAVE PREPARED A PROJECT KIT.

OUR KIT HAS PRACTICAL AND USEFUL SUGGESTIONS FOR ALL ROTARY CLUBS.

I WILL BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU A COPY AT THE CONCLUSION OF MY TALK.

THIS KIT FOCUSES ON 5 PRIMARY TECHNIQUES TO EXPAND THE IMAGE OF ROTARY IN YOUR AREA … AND … WE HAVE DEVELOPED 5-EASY STEPS FOR EACH ONE:
1. BILLBOARDS – PROMOTING ROTARY THROUGH OUTDOOR AND INDOOR BILLBOARDS, POSTERS, SIGNS, AND DISPLAYS WHICH SHOW ROTARY AT WORK. HERE ARE THE 5-EASY STEPS (SHOW BROCHURE). I HAVE DESIGNED 7 OF THE 8 BILLBOARD DESIGNS (SHOW DESIGNS); 2 ARE FOR WATER, 2 FOR LITERACY, 3 FOR POLIO ERADICATION AND 1 ON HUMANITARIAN SERVICE.
2. PRINT MEDIA – HELPING LOCAL NEWSPAPER WRITERS TO LEARN ABOUT THE GOOD WORK OF ROTARY, WHICH MAKE EXCELLENT NEWS STORIES.
3 & 4, RADIO & TELEVISION PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS – HELPING STATION MANAGERS TO LEARN ABOUT THE EXCELLENT SERVICE ACTIVITIES OF ROTARY CLUBS. A PSA CD CAN BE OBTAINED FROM RI.

WHEN YOU RECEIVE IT BRING IT TO THE STATION MANAGER, AND ASK HIM TO PLAY IT WHILE YOU ARE THERE. HE WILL SEE HOW PROFESSIONAL IT IS AND BE WILLING TO AIR IT.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST EACH OF US HAS A POWERFUL WAY TO COMMUNICATE …

WORD of MOUTH … WE ASK THAT YOU TELL A MINIMUM OF 10 NON-ROTARIANS ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES … LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY … HOW ROTARY IS IMPACTING THE WORLD TOWARD PEACE AND UNDERSTANDING.

JUST IMAGINE THE IMPACT IF 1 MILLION, 206 HUNDRED THOUSAND, 670 ROTARIANS EACH TOLD 10 NON-ROTARIANS ABOUT THE OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER WORK OF ROTARY …

THAT WOULD RESULT IN OVER 12 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WHO WOULD HAVE LEARNED, FIRST HAND, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT ROTARY’S EXEMPLARY HUMANITARIAN SERVICE.

AND, JUST THINK OF WHAT THAT COULD DO FOR OUR ORGANIZATIONS MEMBERSHIP … AND … THE ROTARY FOUNDATION! THE BEST TWO WORDS IN ANY SPEECH ARE … IN CONCLUSION.

SO IN CONCLUSION – I SAY --

LET US CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE ROTARY BY SUPPORTING OUR FOUNDATION AND USING ITS RESOURCES TO REALIZE GREAT DREAMS FOR ALL OF HUMANKIND.

AND WITH SERVICE ABOVE SELF AS OUR MOTTO … AND OUR THEME: LET US HAVE THE LOVE TO SHARE, THE VISION TO SEE WHAT IS NEEDED, THE FAITH TO BELIEVE, THE WISDOM TO DREAM NEW DREAMS, AND, LET US HAVE THE COURAGE TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO MAKE THOSE DREAMS COME TRUE.

THANK YOU.

Mary Margaret Fleming, World Chair
RI Public Image Resource Group
P. O. Box 6262, Carmel, CA 93921
Phone: 831-373-0357 ... FAX 831-373-0303