Last year, Seneca Rotary undertook its first independant international with a water project in {awaiting information from Lowell - should be completed by 8/24/05} 88 191

Group Study Exchange The Group Study Exchange Program of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for young business and professional men and women between the ages of 25 and 40 in the initial years of their professional life. The program provides travel grants for teams of young participants to exchange visits between paired areas in different countries. For four to six weeks, team members study the host country’s institutions and ways of life, observe their own vocations as practiced abroad, develop personal and professional relationships, and exchange ideas.

While the the team is visiting in District 7750, Seneca Rotary takes a four day visit in the Oconee County. Visits are scheduled to appropriate companies so they can observe our business practices. They are also introduced to beauty of the Golden Corner with hikes in the mountains, white waer rafting, and an afternoon on Lake Keowee culminating in a dinner party at a facility on the Lake. Their visit is an intense exposure to both work and pleasure.

In 1985, Rotary International created PolioPlus – a program to immunize all the world’s children against polio. To date, the PolioPlus program has contributed more than US$500 million to the protection of more than two billion children in 122 countries. By the time the world is certified polio-free, Rotary’s contributions will exceed US$600 million. These funds are providing much needed polio vaccine, operational support, medical personnel, laboratory equipment and educational materials for health workers and parents.

With its community-based network worldwide, Rotary is the volunteer arm of the global partnership dedicated to eradicating polio. Rotary volunteers assist in vaccine delivery, social mobilization and logistical help in cooperation with the national health ministries, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

PolioPlus is one of the most ambitious humanitarian undertakings made by a private entity ever. It will serve as a paradigm for private/public collaborations in the fight against disease well into the future.

The savings of polio eradication are potentially as high as US$ 1.5 billion per year - funds that could be used to address other public health priorities. The savings in human suffering will be immeasurable.

The Polio Plus program is supported by Seneca Rotary through generous donations. Through donations from club monies plus individual contributions, the club provided over $6,000 to The Rotary Foundation. An even large contribution is planned for the current to be supported by additional fund raising activities.

"Hello Rotary - Good-bye Polio!"

Volunteers in Medical Missions (IMM) Seneca Rotary members have been consistently involved in the activities of VIMM, and the club supports them through an annual contribution. We are proud to support the objectives of VIMM:

• To encourage fellowship among Christianvolunteers.
• To promote a Christian approach to the treatment of medical patients throughout the world.
• To initiate and develop medical mission projects.
• To provide medicines, supplies, and equipment to clinics in third-world countries.
• To provide international public health information.
• To inform missionaries, of any Christian denomination, what is available to them in the fields of medicine and construction.
• To involve non-medical people in mission projects such as construction, Bible schools, evangelism and the use of other skills.
• To procure necessary funding through individuals, churches, corporations and foundations.

et al.