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INTERNATIONAL SERVICE PROJECTS OF THE AMHERST CLUB San Salvador Operation Condor Youth Exchange Rotary Foundation & Foundation Programs Polio Plus Group Study Exchange Rotary Friendship Exchange Rotary Home Exchange Recreational and Vocational Fellowships   Rotary International Site

INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS: Rotary International offers a broad range of humanitarian, intercultural, and educational programs and activities designed to improve the human condition and advance the organization's ultimate goal of world understanding and peace. Nine Structured Programs and nine Service Opportunities help clubs and districts achieve their service goals in their own communities and in communities abroad, fostering fellowship and goodwill in the process. The Amherst club supports the concept of international service through many projects and exchanges as seen here Visit the Rotary International Programs Page here   Amherst Rotary Club Donation to Earthquake Zone in San Salvador visit our San Salvador web page by clicking here:   OPERATION CONDOR: A humanitarian service project organized by the Rotary Club of Wheaton, Illinois, U.S.A., to aid the people of Huánuco, Perú. Dr. Joe Donachie of the Amherst club has been part of many Condor missions as an organizer/fund raiser and anaesthetist. Visit the official Operation Condor site, click here YOUTH EXCHANGE: The Amherst club has been involved in youth exchange for close to two decades. Vist our Youth Exchange web page GO TO OUR YOUTH EXCHANGE PAGE click here: Meet Our 2006-2007 Exchange student Fernando from Spain   Visit the Rotary International Youth Exchange Page here ROTARY FOUNDATION & FOUNDATION PROGRAMS: The mission of The Rotary Foundation is to support the efforts of Rotary International in the fullfillment of the Object of Rotary, Rotary's mission, and the achievement of world understanding and peace through local, national, and international humanitarian, educational, and cultural programs. The Rotary Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation that supports the efforts of Rotary International to achieve world understanding and peace through international humanitarian, educational, and cultural exchange programs. It is supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world. The Foundation was created in 1917 by Rotary International's sixth president, Arch C. Klumph, as an endowment fund for Rotary "to do good in the world." It has grown from an initial contribution of US$26.50 to more than US$73 million contributed in 2000-01. Its event-filled history is a story of Rotarians learning the value of service to humanity. The Foundation's Humanitarian Programs fund international Rotary club and district projects to improve the quality of life, providing health care, clean water, food, education, and other essential needs primarily in the developing world. One of the major Humanitarian Programs is PolioPlus, which seeks to eradicate the polio virus worldwide. Through its Educational Programs, the Foundation provides funding for some 1,200 students to study abroad each year. Grants are also awarded to university teachers to teach in developing countries and for exchanges of business and professional people. Former participants in the Foundation's programs have the opportunity to continue their affiliation with Rotary as Foundation Alumni. Visit the Rotary International Foundation Page   POLIO PLUS: In 1985, Rotary International launched PolioPlus, a 20-year commitment to eradicate polio. PolioPlus is one of the most ambitious humanitarian undertakings ever made by a private entity. It will serve as a paradigm for private-public collaborations in the fight against disease well into the 21st century. As the polio-eradication program grew, so did Rotary's commitment and involvement. By 1990, Rotary moved from providing polio vaccine to children in developing countries to assisting health care workers in the field, providing training for laboratory personnel to track the polio virus and working with governments around the world in supporting the historic health drive. Rotary looks to celebrate the global eradication of polio in 2005, the organization's centennial year. Amherst Rotary Members Walk to raise funds for Polio Plus How is Rotary involved in the global polio-eradication effort? Financially: In 1985, Rotary was recognized by the World Health Organization as a non-governmental organization working in the field of international health. In the same year, Rotary set a goal to raise US$120 million to provide oral polio vaccine to newborns in the developing world. When the campaign ended, Rotary had doubled its goal, collecting more than $247 million. To date, the PolioPlus program has contributed $373 million to the protection of nearly 2 billion children. By 2005, Rotary's financial commitment will reach nearly $500 million. On-the-ground assistance: With its community-based network worldwide, Rotary is the volunteer arm of the global partnership dedicated to eradicating polio. Rotary volunteers assist in vaccine delivery, social mobilization, and logistical help in co-operation with the national health ministries, WHO, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rotary's volunteer efforts were instrumental in the eradication of polio from the Western Hemisphere, which was certified polio-free in 1994. Visit the Rotary International Polio Plus Page here GROUP STUDY EXCHANGE The Group Study Exchange (GSE) program of The Rotary Foundation is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for young business and professional men and women between the ages of 25 and 40 and in the early years of their professional lives. The program provides travel grants for teams to exchange visits between paired areas in different countries. For four to six weeks, team members experience the host country's institutions and ways of life, observe their own vocations as practiced abroad, develop personal and professional relationships, and exchange ideas. For each team member, The Rotary Foundation provides the most economical round-trip air ticket between the home and host countries. Local Rotarians in the host area provide for meals, lodging, and group travel within their district. Visit the Rotary International Group Study Exchange Page here ROTARY FRIENDSHIP EXCHANGE: The Rotary Friendship Exchange Program offers Rotarians and their families the opportunity to carry out reciprocal visits, living for a few days in the homes of Rotarian families in other countries. The goal of the program is to advance international understanding, goodwill and peace through interpersonal contact across national boundaries. There are two types of Friendship Exchanges: The Visitor Program in which individual Rotarians, who may be accompanied by family members, spend a few days in the home of a Rotarian in another country; The Team Program in which a number of couples, typically from four to six, visit several communities in the host district for up to one month. The number of couples and length of stay is flexible, as long as it is agreed upon by the districts involved. Both types of visits are coordinated by district Friendship Exchange committees and both are carried out at no expense to Rotary International. Also, districts are encouraged, when feasible, to consider arranging uni-vocational exchanges — exchangesin which both the host and guest Rotarians are of the same occupation.   ROTARY HOME EXCHANGE: The opportunity of spending a few weeks living in a private home with a car being provided rather than in the somewhat neutral environment of a hotel room is certainly an appealing prospect. During the past five years there have been over 1700 Rotarians who have joined the Home Exchange Fellowship and we anticipate that this interest and participation will continue to grow in the future. In recent years there have been numerous opportunities for arranging an exchange with Rotarians in many fascinating parts of the world including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Korea, Brazil, Colombia, Honduras, Venezuela, Mexico, the West Indies, Kenya, Tunisia, together with most parts of the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and several countries in Continental Europe. Visit the Home Exchange Web Page here. RECREATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL FELLOWSHIPS: Do you like genealogy? Music? Fishing? So do thousands of your fellow Rotarians in other countries. Approximately 40 recreational fellowships, focusing on activities from amateur radio to yachting, attract an ever-growing membership. You, too, can get together with fellow Rotarians worldwide who share your hobby. Is your profession banking? Medicine? International trade? Take advantage of Rotary membership to belong to an international professional organization with global contacts. Join one of the dozens of fellowships that bring together Rotarians from countries around the world. Visit the Rotary International Fellowship Page here