MAY IS YOUTH SERVICE MONTH
FRANK MURGIA TOASTS THE ROTARY CLUB OF CAGLIARI, SARDINIA, ITALY
Cagliari is the capital city of Sardenia, a small island off the western coast of Italy with a current population of 200,000. The Rotary Club of Cagliari was one of the first Clubs in Italy. It is now the third largest, is highly successful and enjoys strong community support. It was chartered on 23 November 1949 on the initiative of a group of senior professionals from the city. The first meeting was attended by the Governor of the only Rotary District then existing in Italy who would later become President of Rotary International. Reconstruction of the city had just begun after being almost completely destroyed by air strikes of WW2. The Club's first president, Mr Randaccio and his fellow Rotary members pursued the goal of making a contribution to the revival of the city's economy and values. The Club has ninety one (91) members and meets at 8pm under current President Carlo Carcassi. They are very active at an international level through participation in the Rotary Foundation with substantial payments contributing to the Polio Plus campaign. They also offer many young Sardinians scholarships to study or train abroad or to have professional experiences by participating in the exchange of study groups between their District and those of other countries. One of the major initiatives at a local level is a joint project between Rotary and Lions that commenced in 1989, to remember the spirit of reconstruction that engaged the people of Cagliari after the destruction caused by WW2. They aimed to create a civic museum in the city dedicated to this goal and it is built upon each year. The club has also donated over fifty (50) defibrillators to the city with funds being raised through an annual Golf Day and other community fundraising events.
GORDON BOOTH TOASTS THE ROTARY CLUB OF GREATER COCHIN, INDIA
The Club was chartered in 1985 and is in Rotary International District 3201 India, They meet on Tuesdays at 7:30 pm at the Hotel Renai Cochin under President Krishna Das P. The have around fifty (50) members. Recent Projects have included:
- Supplied Generic Medicine to Palluruthy Relief Settlement
- Provided Floor Tiles for the 500 Sq. ft maintenance work in the Nirmala Sishu Bhavan, S R M Road, Ernakulam.
- Given medicines to Cottolengo Institute for Differently Abled and Old Aged at Palluruthy.
- Conferred the Vocational Excellence Award to Sri T S Radhakrishnanji, a well known music director who has created nine hundred and fifty (950) of devotional albums sung by a number of celebrated singers.
GREG HAMILTON TOASTS THE ROTARY CLUB OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, USA
This Club is the oldest and largest in Austin. Ir was chartered in 1913 and holds Charter No. 63. It is a dual gender Club with two hundred (200) members led by President Harold Benkoski The administration of the Club is comprised of the normal Board, PLUS a Club Foundation Board of Trustees. Its projects consist of the normal RI projects, such as Polio Plus and World Community Service in undeveloped countries, plus a couple of their own that are longstanding, such as:
- Student Scholarships for local High Schools
- Student mentoring called Helping Hand, which has been running for ninety (90) years!!
- School library books
- A unique Student Ethics and Character Building program, called “First Knights”.
The Club meets every Tuesday (outside of Covid), from 11.30 a.m. till 1.30 p.m.at the Ben Hur Shrine Temple 7811 Rockwood Lane Austin, Texas. USA