Focus on the Crocus


Rotary Clubs across Ireland have been planting crocus bulbs in aid of Foundation. Here are a few of the clubs who own a spade and a camera! wWhy the Crocus? Because the purple crocus represents the coloured dye which is dabbed on children’s little ‘pinkie’ finger to indicate they have been immunized against Polio.


Comber promised three purple patches for spring 201


Those pictured from left to right are President Alan Cecil, Rotarian Ernest Chambers, Treasurer Tom Harpur and Foundation chairman John Trimble. Photo courtesy of John McVitty, Impartial Reporter, .


Andrews Memorial pupils (from left to right) William‑Lee Duncan, Jay Rowan, William Orr and Alan Biju play their part in the great crocus plant out.


Pupils from Comber Primary and Andrews Memorial Schools gathered in Comber Square to lend a hand in planting some 4½ thousand purple crocus bulbs – a gift to the town from the Rotary Club of Comber. On hand to give guidance and advice were Ards Council experts Ivan Ward and John Gilmore.


The bulbs will flower in the Spring in three locations – in the Square itself, near the tree planted by the Club in 2005 to mark the 100th Anniversary of Rotary worldwide; and at roadside locations near Laurelbank on the Newtownards Road and by the junction of the by‑pass with the Belfast Road.


The purpose is to thank the children and people of the town who have helped the club raise funds contributing to Rotary Internationalʼs objective of ridding the world of Polio. The purple in the crocuses has significance in that that every child immunised under the Rotary programme in affected countries has purple dye painted on their little finger to ensure they are not given a repeat dose. Two further local schools who have also contributed to the project – Carrickmannon Primary and St Maryʼs Primary, Comber – have also been given bulbs which they will plant in their own school gardens.


Bulbs for Enniskillen


On Monday 1st November 9 Enniskillen Rotarians + 3 helpers from Fermanagh District Council planted 50,000 crocus bulbs, in the pouring rain on a bank opposite the Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen on the main Belfast to Enniskillen Road.


The financial future of the Rotary Peace Centres has been delegated to 9 Rotarians by the Trustees of the Rotary Foundation who met at Rotary Headquarters in Evanston last September Unfortunately one member took ill before the photograph was taken.


Photo Left to Right:‑ Tom Hillery, Rudy Montejo, Luz Montejo, Massimo Lepri and Seamus Jennings.


12


The Rotary Peace Centres Major Gifts Initiative Committee has been asked to raise $95m for an endowment fund, the capital of which will never be spent but the income from which should be sufficient to finance training scholars in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. The goal is to raise this by June 2015. You should recognise the European member of the Committee, standing second from the left – Assistant Governor Colum McLoughlin and we know how adept that he is in extracting money. So be prepared to be approached by him looking for support for the fund. We all wish the committee well in raising the funds for this worthwhile project.


Pictured are Teachers and Pupils of Loretto, James Walsh President of Rotary Kilkenny and Eamonn


Hanrahan Friend of Rotary. Bray gets digging


Members of Bray Rotary Club planting the Purple Crocus bulbs in a local Park as part of a Family Fun Day organised by the Tidy Towns Committee. There was great help from the locals especially the children and the Urban Council.


Kilkenny says Focus on the Crocus Rotary, KKB and 31 girls from Loretto Secondary School teamed up to plant 1500 Purple Crocus Bulbs in the Peace Park, Kilkenny. The initiative is part of the Polio Plus campaign which has seen efforts by Rotary International reduce the number of new cases of Polio from 360,000 in 1985 to 1491 in 2008. The aim is to eradicate the disease completely and the bulbs are planted to raise awareness of the project as a purple dye is used on the little finger of every child that is vaccinated. To help support this initiative donations can be made to Rotary c/o Club House Hotel, Kilkenny.


Mallow make moves


Recently members of the Rotary Club of Mallow planted purple crocus at the roundabout in Mallow. Focus on the Crocus is part of Rotaryʼs “Thanks for Life” project which aims to eradicate Polio Worldwide by June 2012.


Pictured are: Stephanie Howard, Deputy Mayor Johhny Griffin, Rotary Club of Mallow President Dr Harry Casey, council planters Noel Morahan and Morris O'Leary with Liam Shine of Rotary Club of Rotary


February 2011 is the focus of the fund raising activity for this worthy cause and hopefully the crocus will be in full bloom to remind everyone to contribute.


The purple crocus represents the coloured dye which is dabbed on childrenʼs little ʻpinkieʼ finger to indicate they have been immunized against Polio. Rotary Internationalʼs campaign to eradicate Polio worldwide has been active since 1985 and the cost of immunizing a child is 25 cent. Remember Polio is only a plane journey away.


Rotary Peace Centres Meeting


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16