Rotary International 2009-2010 Theme
"The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands"

Did you know that Rotary is sponsoring graduate students from around the world to be World Peace Fellows?  There are six universities who have this specific Rotary World Peace Fellowship program with a specific graduate degree in conflict resolution. 

For the first time in the program's five year history, a student from District 5710 has been selected.  Summer Lewis of Manhattan was chosen to be a Peace Fellow  next year at the Rotary Center at the University of Queensland.  

For more information on this program, another Rotary project that promotes peace and understanding, contact our own Bob Xidis who is on the district committee.

Watch the Calendar section of the KC Star beginning hopefully next week (maybe the next), for notices of our weekly meetings, speakers, and speaker topics.

The Johnson County Neighborhood News editor will be writing a story on Rotary's programs for youth.....date undetermined.

If you have other story (or general PR) ideas, forward them to Gina McCoy.

Syahrul Gunawan looked in the mirror and touched the reflection of his nose and lips.

The seven-year-old boy, who had received surgery for clefts on both sides of his upper lip, smiled at his mother and exclaimed how handsome he was. Thalca Hamid from the Rotary Club of Surabaya Central, Indonesia, recalls how the boy's mother told Hamid she had given her son a normal life.

"At times I feel like crying when I hear about these children," Hamid says, "because friendships from all over the world can change a child's life."

Gunawan was among the first children in 2001 who received cleft lip or palate surgeries through the efforts of Hamid and the Surabaya Central club. Since then, 2,000 children have undergone surgery with help from Australian, Dutch, and Indonesian Rotarians, among others.

"The children and their families have unbelievable pressure and stress because many feel that such defects are a curse," Hamid says. "Previously, few in our community realized how complicated this defect is."

November 19   Johnson County Rotary Hospitality Night at Johnny Cascones.

December 9      Books-for-Kids night at the UMKC vs. Wichita State game

December 19     Christmas Party!