Our Rotary District 5840 will be hosting a GSE team from District 3212 in India from April 10 until May 10, 2013.  At this time we are taking applications from Rotary Clubs to serve as hosts to this team. What is needed to apply is a tentative agenda including a vocational day and a list of potential host families.

If you club is interested in hosting the Team based on the tentative schedule below, please provide the following information NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 17TH

 1.       Name of Rotary Club, Club President’s contact info and GSE Club Chair’s contact info

 2.       A brief outline of activities for the team, including Rotary club meetings and/or projects as well as cultural activities

 3.       A brief outline of at least one day’s activities devoted to the vocations of the team

 4.       Verification that your club has host families available to meet the needs of the team

 Send your TENTATIVE ITINERARY by e-mail to:

 Sherri C Muniz at [email protected]

 Your request to host will be considered and you will be notified at once if your club is selected. At that time, a full itinerary giving names, street addresses and contact information of each host family, a schedule of host families and all planned activities, specific locations of all planned activities, names and contact information for any Rotarians escorting the team, details of at least one day’s activity devoted to the vocation of each member.

In the past few days, several polio immunization workers have been killed in Pakistan. Here is a link to a recent CNN story about this tragic event:

 CNN: Polio Workers Killed

Here is a message from Rotarian Bob Scott, Chairman of the International PolioPlus Committee:

Dear Rotary Leaders:

 Over the past 48 hours, several polio vaccinators have been killed in Pakistan. You may have heard about this through media reports as news of this tragedy is quickly spreading and garnering global attention. I am sharing the official statement that has been issued as Rotary's immediate response. Please be assured that Rotary and its partners within the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) are actively monitoring and responding to these events as they develop.

 I have spoken with Pakistan Polio chair Aziz Memon who has visited some of the relatives of the deceased to express his personal and Rotary's sincere condolences indicating that Rotary will continue to eradicate polio so that the loss of these victims will not be in vain.

 We will work to keep you and the Rotary world advised, particularly through Rotary's social media channels which allow for the speedy dissemination of updates.

 Yours sincerely

 Bob Scott

 Chair, International PolioPlus Committee

Below is the text of an official statement from Rotary international:

 The attacks prompted the Government of Pakistan to temporarily suspend the vaccination campaign due to concerns over the safety of health workers.