Rotary Club of Dupont Circle Members Attend First-ever Rotary Day at the White House
On April 20, members of the Rotary Club of Dupont Circle participated in the first-ever Rotary Day at the White House, in which ten U.S. Rotary club members were honored as Champions of Change for their volunteer work to improve the lives of others.
The day-long event combined for the first time two weekly White House public engagement programs – Champions of Change and the Community Leaders Briefings series -- to recognize the contributions of a single organization: the humanitarian service group Rotary International.
Our members were one of more than 160 Rotary club members in attendance at a morning round of Community Leaders Briefing sessions in which administration experts discussed a variety of relevant topics, including maternal and child health, disease prevention, economic development, youth and education, water and sanitation, and peace-building. “Rotary International and Rotary Clubs across America are not only affecting change in their hometowns but improving the lives of others in countless communities abroad,” said Director of the Office of Public Engagement, Jon Carson. “Rotarians’ commitment to service perfectly captures the spirit and mission ofChampions of Change.”
“Rotary International is honored to be a part of the first White House Champions of Change awards to Rotarians who have helped make a difference in lives and communities around the world,” said Rotary International President Kalyan Banerjee, who will attend the day’s events with Rotary International CEO John Hewko and Director Elizabeth Demaray. “Rotary club members are grassroots volunteers, successful business and professional leaders who want to give back to make the world a better place. Champions of Change could not be a more appropriate description of what Rotary is all about.”
Rotary’s Champions of Change are:
Terrence Allen, St. Joseph, Mich.: A member of the Rotary Club of Lakeshore who volunteers time to the Children’s Safe Water Project.
Jim Fulgham, Arlington, Texas: A member of the Rotary Club of Arlington and driving force behind a Rotary scholarship helping children from disadvantaged families.
Noelle Galperin, Coral Gables, Fla.: A member of the Rotary Club of Coral Gables who spearheaded her club’s Haiti earthquake recovery efforts and led teams of volunteers to India to immunize children against polio.
Anil Garg, Simi Valley, Calif.: A member of the Rotary Club of Simi Valley who has led multiple teams of Rotary volunteers to his native India to immunize children against polio.
Richard J Kemme, Greeley, Colo.: A member of the Rotary Club of Greeley who developed an orthopedic surgereon training program and a Rotary-supported micro-loan program in Malawi, Africa.
David Kester, Anchorage, Alaska: A member of the Rotary Club of Anchorage East who has been instrumental in the success of the Mobile Food Pantry of Anchorage.
Henry Lowentritt, Metairie, La.: A member of the Rotary Club of New Orleans who led his club’s effort to renovate and reopen historic Warren Easton High School after it was nearly destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
Carolyn Crowley Meub, Rutland, Vt.: A member of the Rotary Club of Rutland who heads Pure Water for the World, which has brought clean water and sanitation to thousands of families in Honduras and Haiti.
Fary Moini, San Diego, Calif.: A member of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle who has led several projects to increase educational opportunities for girls and young women and enhance the training of health care professionals in Jalalabad, Afghanistan.
Fred Thompson, Manakin-Sabot, Va.: A member of the Rotary Club of Innsbrook who led his club in the expansion of a learning center that provides enriched pre-schooling opportunities to children from low-income families.
Rotary is a global humanitarian organization with more than 1.2 million members in 34,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary members are men and women who are business, professional and community leaders with a shared commitment to make the world a better place through humanitarian service. Rotary’s top priority is the global eradication of polio. For images and broadcast quality video visit Rotary’s Media Center.
