Happy Birthday, Rotary International!!

On February 23, many Rotarians, Rotaractors, and Interactors all over the world will be celebrating the 108th year of the commitment of Service Above Self. I have already been invited to various events happening in Kampala and even international events, such as the one my friend has put together in honor of Rotary International.

When my friend, *Eileen, first approached me about sending pictures of service projects from Uganda, I was a bit skeptical and was a little confused, I'll admit. But, being the awesome and persistent young woman she is, she continued to send me Facebook invites to an international event for Rotary. I checked out the page and was totally inspired by what I saw. Eileen and some of her friends put together an album of 108 Random Acts of Kindness as way to way "Happy Birthday, Rotary International!" I couldn't resist sending in a few pictures of Rotaractors and Interactors in Uganda doming some pretty amazing things from medical outreaches to the rural islands in Lake Victoria, to planting trees near Entebbe, Uganda. Other Rotaractors sent in pictures of them donating blood, or plans for their club to have a big party on that day.

I haven't fully decided how I'm going to celebrate 108 years of Rotary International, but I do want to start off with giving my friend an opportunity to talk about this awesome project. She agreed to answer a few of my questions, and allow me to advertise her project on my blog. Here is my attempt at being a journalist:

Me: What does Rotary International mean to you?
Eileen: To me, Rotary is friendship through service, friendship without borders! Rotary makes my life worth something; it has made my life so colorful. I have met amazing people and have traveled to the most exotic places. I have given back to the community in ways I never imagined I could. Rotary has helped me acquire invaluable skills and shaped me into a leader of today and tomorrow.

Me: Awesome! Why did you choose to do this for Rotary's birthday?
Eileen: Rotary's birthday is always a pretty big deal in my family. Last year, my Rotaract Club and I threw a huge birthday party at our school and then made enough money to fund a whole orphanage with enough art and sport supplies for a year in Lima, Peru. I moved to DC and didn't know what to do. So then I was talking to my friends and we decided to rally up 108 people to donate blood. But then we figured, we should expand it to random acts of kindness. It's simple yet effective. Using social media, we can get everyone involved. It's also a great way to get a little peak at what different Rotarians/Rotaractors/Interactors are doing in their communities, at home or abroad!

Me: Love it!...you are amazing! I hope you know that
Eileen: Haha, OMG please! You are way cooler!
Me: LOL. No, seriously, this is an awesome project that you and your friends came up with. Rotarians and Rotaractors ask me all the time what people from the US do for projects, and this is just perfect! Also shows the importance of new generations!
Eileen: NEW GENNNN!!!

The excitement of my friend and other Rotaractos that I have crossed paths with shows just how important New Generations is to the Rotary Family. As Rotaractors and Interactors, we are here to  show the many different ways in which Rotary can expand and promote cultural understanding. Whether it's through service projects, Global Scholars/Ambassadorial Scholars, or partnering clubs. All of which inspire and grow the next generation of Rotarians and world leaders.

So with this post, I want to say... Happy 108th Birthday, Rotary International. You have changed so many people's lives for the better, and continue to do so for many more years to come.

*Eileen Cho is a member of the Rotaract Club of Metro Washington D.C. and a student at American University in Washington D.C. studying Public Health.