Unite for Good: 71 Days Left in 2025 to Make a Difference

As we head into the second half of October, we begin to think of the fast-shrinking number of days left in 2025 – probably only 71 as you put your eyes on this weekly newsletter. How will you use those remaining days of 2025 to UNITE FOR GOOD? One way to do so is by contributing to the PolioPlus Fund at EndPolio.org/Donate. PolioPlus was started by Rotary International in 1985 (40 years ago) to eradicate polio through mass immunization campaigns. The “plus” refers to the additional vaccines and health benefits that were brought to individuals alongside the polio vaccine such as vitamin A distribution. Each dollar contributed to PolioPlus is matched 2:1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Rotary has raised over $2.1 billion and those dollars have been tripled by the match from the Gates Foundation. Currently, after those 40 years of effort, polio is only endemic in two countries: Pakistan and Afghanistan. The eradication goal is so close to being realized.

Another Rotary program that UNITES FOR GOOD is Rotary Youth Exchange. Over my 70 ½ years of life I have experienced Rotary Youth Exchange on a number of occasions through interactions with inbound exchange students from countries such as Italy, Czech Republic, South Korea, Argentina, Brazil, and several others as our club and others in the Salem/Keizer area have been active players in this Rotary International Youth Exchange program.

This week’s program will bring last year’s outbound Rotary Youth Exchange participant, Luke Holliday to the head table to share information about his time spent in Brazil. Luke is a student at South Salem High School. In last week’s E-Blast I wrote about Story Telling. During my lifetime I seem to frequently encounter what friends around me call Doug’s “small world stories”. Nearly 50 years ago, in my early days in public accounting, I provided annual audit services to the City of Albany. The finance director at Albany was Gary Holliday. The connection? Gary is Luke’s grandfather. Only twelve years ago my CPA firm of Boldt Carlisle + Smith acquired a CPA firm in Albany called Johnson McGowan & Associates. One of their CPAs was Ross Holliday. The connection? Ross is Luke’s father. So, Luke probably does not remember meeting me, but I remember meeting him about ten years ago at a company picnic. I am looking forward to hearing about Luke’s year in Brazil to hear what he learned in a new culture and how this experience has changed his life currently and in what ways it will impact what he does in the coming years.  

Please plan your week to make time to come to Rotary on Wednesday to hear about Rotary Youth Exchange, Luke’s year in Brazil, and what the future looks like for Luke as a result of this life changing experience.

Outside of our weekly Club lunch/program meetings on Wednesdays, what you do in the name of Rotary is very important to you, to Rotary, and to the community you live in. The 20 Rotary Club of Salem committees that bring small groups of Rotarians together (UNITE FOR GOOD) are the life blood, the get things done, the grass roots efforts of Rotarians UNITING FOR GOOD. Annually or more frequently as you feel the need, review your Rotary Committee involvement and recharge your Rotary efforts to make a difference in this community and in our world. What Rotary committees are you part of today? What other Rotary committees spark your interest? Any of our Club board members or committee chairs can direct you toward opportunities for involvement and becoming a Rotarian in Action.

See you on Wednesday!

President Doug Parham
Rotary Club of Salem
2025-2026