October 8, 2009
Rotary Membership Seminar held

Polio eradication is the flagship project of Rotary International for which the government of Pakistan, UNICEF and WHO are currently working together with Rotary International to make Pakistan a Polio-free country. Rotary members worldwide pool their resources to help the underprivileged in their local as well as international communities. This was stated by Past District Governor Dr. R.T. Arasu, who had come especially from Malaysia to speak at Rotary Membership Development Seminar held in Lahore the other day. District Governor Usman Masud highlighted the importance of membership development and retention as an important tool in the growth of an organization. District Governor Elect Shehzad Ahmed shared his vision for the new District 3272 which will take place in July next year. He stressed that there is so much need of community service in the country for which more Rotary Clubs should be formed in cities where Rotary is currently not available. Other eminent speakers included Past District Governor Suhail Ahmad, Past District Rauf Rohaila and Deputy Governor Satwat Butt. The seminar was organized by Rotary Club of Lahore Garrison and was sponsored bt Coca Cola. It was attended by Rotary members from Lahore as well as from other cities including Karachi, Peshawar, Rahimyar Khan, Multan, Sahiwal, Sheikhupura and Rawalpindi/Islamabad.

May 17, 2009
US Rotarians visit Institutes for special children

Rotarians Lon and Helen Penna from Rotary Club of Glenville, Rotary International District 7190, New York, USA) visited Al-Kharwarzi Institute for the Physically Handicapped Children where Rotary Club of Lahore Garrison has provided braces to its students through a Rotary Foundation Matching Grant. The US Rotarians showed special interest in the students suffering from Cerebral Palsy (C.P.). They visited them in their classes and interacted with them. They also visited the physiotherapy center and were impressed by the way everything was organized. Later, they later visited Shalimar Institute for the Hearing Impaired Children. They visited the classes and played games with the children. They also saw their artwork and paintings which had won many prizes. They praised the children for their art work.

They also visited the LRBT Hospital where Rotary has donated an Ophthalmic Operating Microscope worth US$ 60,000 through a Matching Grant. The Hospital provides free eye care and surgeries to all its patients. Later, they visited Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital. They were pleasantly surprised to know that more than 70% of the patients are provided free cancer treatment. They also met with Dr. Faisal Sultan, chief executive officer of the Hospital. District Governor 2010-11 Shehzad Ahmed, President Aslam Chaudhry and Secretary Elect Raheela Malik of Rotary Club of Lahore Garrison were with them during the visits.

May 17, 2009
US Rotarians address Rotary meeting

Rotary Club of Lahore and Rotary Club of Lahore Garrison organized a joint meeting in the honour of Rotarians Lon and Helen Penna from Rotary Club of Glenville, Rotary International District 7190, New York, USA. The visiting Rotarians have been instrumental in initiating numerous community service projects through financial assistance from The Rotary Foundation. Lon and Helen informed how they got involved in Kujer village near Sheikhupura after the villagers gave them a Royal reception without knowing that they would do anything for their community. This gesture won their hearts and they vowed to carry out some projects for the village. With active assistance and contribution from Rotary Club of Lahore Garrison, they have been able to provide basic necessities to four government schools. In addition, they have provided an ambulance to Kujer village, and computer and vocational centers in more than ten villages and communities around Sheikhupura. They mentioned that they consider Pakistan as their second home and feel at ease while in Pakistan. They stressed on the need to project soft image of Pakistan outside the country and informed that they are already doing their part in this regard. After the meeting, they exchanged signed Sister Club Agreement between Rotary Clubs of Glenville, USA and Lahore Garrison, Pakistan. At the end District Governor 2010-11 Shehzad Ahmed presented Rotary Wall Clock as souvenir to the guests. During their current visit, they have donated laptops to two organizations and have shown keen interest in starting micro-credit projects in Pakistan.

May 14, 2009
Rotarians Lon and Helen Penna providing community service locally

Rotarians Lon and Helen Penna from Rotary Club of Glenville, Rotary International District 7190, New York, USA) spent a busy day in Lahore. They visited Government Lucklines Primary School and saw the vocational center where ten sewing machines were donated through one of The Rotary Foundation Matching Grants sponsored by Rotary Club of Glenville and Rotary Club of Lahore Garrison. They, along with District Governor 2010-11 Shehzad Ahmed, participated in the health and hygiene awareness campaign by informing the students about the use of ORS, washing hands before eating, importance of vaccination and about spread of diseases by eating food available in unhygienic environment. They also distributed specially designed notebooks giving the same messages through sketches. Later, they visited Aabroo Education Welfare Organization school where Rotary has provided computers and books through Matching Grants. They distributed notebooks carrying health and hygiene messages among the students after interacting with them. The notebooks were provided through Matching Grant no. 51814.

Later, they visited Pakistan Society for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled (PSRD) where Rotary has provided funds for artificial limbs for the poor. Rotarians Iqbal Malik also accompanied them during their visits. Lon and Helen have been instrumental in initiating numerous community service projects in Pakistan. Lon is the Assistant Governor and Helen is the Assistant District Secretary of Rotary District 7190. Rotary Club of Lahore Garrison and Rotary Club of Glenville are sister clubs and have adopted Kujer and surrounding villages in Sheikhupura where Matching Grants have been provided for basic necessities to the government elementary schools, computer lab, community library, ambulance and sewing center for Kujer village in Sheikhupura. Computer centers and vocational centers have also been set up in more than ten villages and settlements through Rotary Community Corps set up in these areas.

February 14, 2009
Rotary Club donates artificial limbs to needy persons

Members of Rotary Club of Lahore Garrison visited Pakistan Society for Rehabilitation of the Disabled (PSRD) to get an update about the progress of provision of artificial limbs to the deserving persons through The Rotary Foundation Matching Grant no. 58347. Executive Committee members of PSRD informed that artificial limbs have been provided to nineteen persons at an approximate cost of Rs. 200,000. Rotarians presented donation of Rs. 100,000 to cover cost of limbs provided so far. They also pledged to provide another donation of Rs. 100,000 to provide artificial limbs to more needy persons. Rotary International District Governor 2010-11 Shehzad Ahmed, club president Aslam Chaudhry and Raheela Malik visited PSRD to present the donation. Mrs Parveen Umar, Brig Qayum Sher, Rehana Baray and Parvez Masud represented Executive Committee of PSRD. Rotary Clubs of Chicago Far North, Evanston Lighthouse and some other clubs from Chicago area are the international partners in this Matching Grant.

December 24, 2008
Rotary Club of Lahore Garrison arranges seminar on literacy

Rotary Club of Lahore Garrison organized a seminar on literacy on Friday December 18, 2008 at the Rotary Medical and Community Center. Aslam Kamboh, Project Director, Directorate of Staff Development was the guest speaker. His presentation explained the state of affairs of government and private schools by showing snapshots of enrolment in the public and private educational sector, their passing percentages, and the comparison of quality and quantity grades being achieved in both sectors. He informed that there is a dire need to improve the educational system to feed the increasing number of universities. He mentioned that there is no dearth of philanthropists in the country. All they want is a good cause which is being run in a professional and transparent manner. He explained how he started DPS schools in Okara and Deepalpur when he was the DCO there. Philanthropists actively participated in meeting the construction and other needs of the schools. Participants showed keen interest in the presentation and asked thought provoking questions. Rotarian Saeed Chaudhry offered vote of thanks and added that no doubt, there is a lot of room for improvement. He commented that with committed persons in public as well as private sector, inshallah, we would be able to make improvements in the system. The meeting was presided by President Aslam Chaudhry and was attended by Past District Governors A.Q. Alavi and Suhail Ahmed, District Governor Nominee Shehzad Ahmed, and presidents and members of various other Rotary Clubs. Rotaract Club and Innerwheel Club of Lahore Garrison also participated in the seminar. Rotarian Bashir Ahmed, President Rotary Club of Brighton & Hove Soiree, UK also attended the seminar. At the end, gifts were presented to the guest speaker Aslam Kamboh, Rtn. Bashir Ahmed and Bandukwala family.