Rotary turns 100 as good work continues Rotary turns 100 as good work continues (January 20, 2006)

Richard King, a prominent East Bay attorney and one of Rotary International's most respected leaders, will be here Jan. 31 to speak at the Pleasanton Chamber's 2006 board installation luncheon. King has won numerous honors for his work as a Rotarian and, as president from 2001-02, led Rotary International to its greatest one-year growth record since its founding 100 years ago. Rotary Clubs are active throughout the world, including three in Pleasanton that have a long history of serving our community. Local members have given thousands of dollars to the drive Rotary International is spearheading to eliminate polio, a disease that's largely been eradicated in America. That's not the case in under-developed countries where the task of getting vaccines to children, persuading mothers and fathers of the value of immunization, the problems of distribution, logistics and social mobilization have caused thousands to still fear and suffer from the consequences of polio. Rotary's goal is to vaccinate every child by the end of the decade. With Rotary Clubs in 168 countries, that work is now going on, with the club's recent announcement that 6 million Filipino children have now been inoculated.

Here at home, the local clubs have contributed hundreds of wheelchairs to the poor in Mexico, including many children who have used their newly-gained mobility to attend school for the first time. Besides wheelchairs, Pleasanton's North Rotary Club has sent medical and therapeutic equipment to Cuautepec, with members actually renting trucks and driving the equipment to the border, transferring the loads to their Mexican Rotary Club counterparts with no fees or taxes. The $10,000 in equipment and direct contributions has helped open the Therapeutic Center of Cuautepec, serving 200 handicapped children and adults who now have therapeutic services.

The Downtown Rotary Club of Pleasanton hosted 325 seniors last month to a full-course turkey dinner and entertainment, part of its 24th annual Senior Christmas event. Started by local businessman Frank Capilla, who wanted to do something special for his mother and a few of her friends at Kottinger Place, the event is one of the most popular among seniors, with the supply of free tickets exhausted almost as soon as distribution begins. Downtown Rotary's favorite event is its Spirit Run on Father's Day, with the next 5K and 10K run scheduled for June 18. The run was started in 1994 with 100 percent of the proceeds distributed to Pleasanton students. Over the last decade, the Spirit Run has brought in nearly $200,000 in sponsorships and $100,000 in registration fees. The Downtown Club members also worked with the city to clean the Arroyo del Valle under the Main Street bridge and provide under-bridge lighting to improve this gateway to downtown Pleasanton.

During Christmas, Pleasanton North Rotary adopts needy families to make their holidays merrier, filling food baskets and buying them holiday meals at local supermarkets. Since the program was started in 1991, the club has provided holiday meals for 2,949 needy families and personally selected and wrapped gifts for their 8,627 children. Known for their ongoing community services, members of this club helped build Rotary Commons, a seven unit affordable housing complex on Palomino Drive, and regularly works with seniors at Kottinger Place and Pleasanton Gardens, with homeless veterans and as sponsored of Foothill High School's Interact program. The club's major fundraising event is its Cabaret, with the 18th annual charity auction scheduled this year for May 6 at the Pleasanton Hilton.

The newest club is the Tri-Valley Rotary which meets at dinner one night each week, instead of for lunch as most other Rotary Clubs do. Its first project was to work with the Senior Support Programs of the Tri-Valley, with members helping seniors out in their homes as needed, from washing windows, cleaning gutters and carpets to turning mattresses and making minor home and apartment repairs.

From eradicating polio globally to simply chatting with lonely seniors on the home front, we salute Rotarians on their 100th birthday of service and their distinguished leader Richard King on his organization's accomplishments.

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