Program 2026_1015

Weekly Meeting

August 13, 2025 | 8:00 am - 9:00 amVirtualPublic

Call to Order

With the traditional ringing of the bell we bring this meeting to order!

To view the weekly program click on either the tabs at the top or individual pages numbers. We hope you enjoy this week's program.

Welcome to ROTARY on YOUR TIME!

The Four-Way Test
The Four-Way Test is a nonpartisan and nonsectarian ethical guide for Rotarians to use for their personal and professional relationships.
The test has been translated into more than 100 languages, and Rotarians recite it at club meetings:
Of the things we think, say or do

Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

WELCOME TO COFFEE CHAT!
Join us each Tuesday at 12:00 noon (PST). The chats last about 30 minutes and cover a variety of topics. Please stop by for a chat.

How Rotary is shrinking the world: New Hampshire to Ukraine

A retreat sponsored by Common Man for Ukraine for children of Ukrainian soldiers killed or missing in action.

By Steve Rand and Alex Ray

We’ve been Rotarians for more than 40 years, and Rotary still surprises us.

Here’s the biggest surprise yet. A handful of Rotarians from a small New Hampshire town have delivered more than 4.5 million pounds of food and critical aid to families in frontline villages in war-torn Ukraine. We couldn’t have done it without Rotary.

It started with a question

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, we kept asking the same thing: What can regular people do from here to help?

We knew where to turn.

Through the magic of Rotary, our club in Plymouth, New Hampshire, USA, connected with the Rotary Club of Zamość Ordynacki in eastern Poland. Together, we built a partnership we call Common Man for Ukraine, a special initiative of the Plymouth Rotary Foundation. Rotary roots from the ground up.

Why Rotary made it possible

We had never met our partners in Zamość. But we knew we shared something important: The Four-Way Test and a commitment to serving others.

That gave us confidence. We knew regular people like us would be our partners overseas. And we knew we could count on Rotary clubs across the United States to back us up. And they have. Dozens of clubs now support the work.

What we’ve done together

Delivered 4.5 million pounds of food and critical aid to children and families in front-line villages
Served more than 1,600 Ukrainian children and widows of Ukrainian soldiers killed or missing in action through our mental health retreats: 18-day retreats for children and 10-day Mothers’ retreats for widowed caregivers
Led 16 trips into Ukraine with our Rotary partners to hand-deliver supplies to people in desperate need of support

Why we keep going back

Alex Ray works with volunteers to deliver supplies during an August trip.

We just returned recently from our second trip to Ukraine this year. We’ll go back in December for our 17th trip overall.

People ask us if it’s dangerous. Yes, it is. But Ukrainians live with drones and missiles every day, and they keep their families and communities going. We only need to be as brave as they are for a few weeks at a time.

No kidding: Rotary has shrunk the world. It’s something every Rotary member can be proud of.

How your club can help

If Rotary can connect a small town in New Hampshire to a frontline village in Ukraine, imagine what your club could do.

Rotary clubs across the country can join the effort with a donation, or by inviting us to present to your club, or hosting a fundraiser in support of this effort. Learn more at commonmanforukraine.org.

If you live near Hanover, New Hampshire, Philadelphia, or New York City, join us at one of October’s benefit concerts where an incredible klezmer band from Odesa will perform:

Is your club already a supporter? Thank you! Please help us keep this humanitarian, Rotary effort going by sharing this post with your Rotary network.

About the authors: Steve Rand and Alex Ray are longtime members of the Plymouth New Hampshire Rotary Club and co-founders of Common Man for Ukraine, a special initiative of the Plymouth Rotary Foundation. Contact: steve@commonmanforukraine.org

Foundation / Giving

THE ROTARY FOUNDATION-POLIO

The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into projects that change lives both close to home and around the world. As the charitable arm of Rotary, we tap into a global network of Rotarians who invest their time, money, and expertise into our priorities, such as eradicating polio and promoting peace. Foundation grants empower Rotarians to approach challenges such as poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition with sustainable solutions that leave a lasting impact.

Strong financial oversight, a stellar charity rating, and a unique funding model mean that we make the very most of your contribution. Give and become a part of Rotary’s life-changing work!

World Polio Day on 24 October is much more than a date on the calendar. It’s a vital time for Rotary and Rotaract clubs around the world to join our partners, supporters, and public health advocates to raise awareness and funds that will help us end polio for good.

We made a promise to the children of the world: No child should suffer the consequences of this vaccine-preventable disease.

World Polio Day materials

October is Global Polio Awareness Month. It is honored with activities and events leading up to October 24^th.

Mindfulness is the state of being aware. With just a little bit of mindfulness, you can raise passion and recommit to the eradication of polio, one of the greatest human endeavors in history. AND, it all started with a single Rotarian; PRIP Clem Renouf. Use this link to learn about the PRIP Clem Renouf, and The Origins of Rotary’s Efforts to Eradicate Polio.” https://youtu.be/AV80rgSHrj8?si=rPgwCzgLq6rwGVbM

What do you think of when you hear “PolioPlus”? I think of the billions of children who will never be sick with polio as well as those that are. I think of the courage of healthcare workers around the globe, who risk their lives to carry on the crusade to “End Polio Now,” and I think of Rotarians, who have believed in the possibility of winning this fight for 41 years.

Raise polio awareness this month. Raise passion, and recommit to ending polio now.

World Polio Day resources

Red Horse’s Account of the Battle of the Little Bighorn

by Joshua J. Mark

By Cheyenne artist – Museum of the American Indian, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28584841

By Edgar Samuel Paxson (1852–1919) – Whitney Gallery of Western Art, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19107153

Margaret Hamilton, a Pioneering Software Engineer Who Made the First Human Moon Landing Possible, Dies at 90

Hamilton popularized the term “software engineer” and created computer programs that could anticipate problems. She received a Presidential Medal of Freedom and was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame

Margherita Bassi | Daily Correspondent

How I Set Up Passkeys on My iPhone and Ditched Passwords For Good

Passkeys on your iPhone eliminate passwords for supported apps and websites, letting you sign in with Face ID, Touch ID, or another secure method instead.

By Lance Whitney

AND

Using Passwords in 2026 Is a Massive Risk. Here’s What Hackers Don’t Want You Doing Instead

Traditional logins are officially obsolete. Learn how passkeys work, why hackers hate them, and the simple cookie trick to lock down your data.

Senior Writer, Security