Program: 'The State of the International Refugee Crisis

thankyou for this wonderfull meting

Gracias por esta maravillosa junta

Great meeting! Thanks

Very Nice story on Gratitude!

This is a great program to support refugees

It goes without saying that what speaker Larry Levenson calls "an unprecedented crisis in human displacement" is actually an apocalypse of human horror. The numbers themselves are staggering - 43.7 million refugees, as many as 7.2 million away from their homeland five years or more, nearly 50% 18 years old or younger, etc., etc., etc. And the only significant force for good is the United Nations Refugee Agency. Their Blue Key campaign is a start, but if every single American gave $5, it would generate only @ $30 for each refugee to reverse their fortunes. This is a massive mountain to climb - but Blue Key thankfully is undeterred. Shocking program!

Touching program about the widespread nature and impact of war.  It was particularly disturbing to me to read of the proliferation of sexual crimes against those who are already so terribly disempowered.

Thank you for reminding me of the many blessings that my family enjoys!

The refugee numbers are staggering.  Thanks

What an eye opening program - thanks.

Thanks for a good meeting

I thank you for the informative meeting. I had never heard of the Blue Key Campaign but will certainly let others know of its existence. I listened to six speakers and learned a great deal from each one. It seems so easy to live in a country of plenty and forget those whose goal is just to survive another day.

I knew nothing of the Blue Key program and I will certainly pass the info on to my club. 

AND....another great recipe.  Now I have another reason to check in  to your meetings. 

Welcome to the club Jim and Richard! 

Inspirational stories

Incredible!  The number of displaced people is astronomical, and the complications that go with the problem...too many to count.  Great meeting.  Thank you, Larry. 

And it was great to see Liz visiting Geri in France.

How sad there is still this crisis....

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I can't even imagine being "forcibly displaced" from my home and my country.

So sad -- the situation that so many find themselves in, forced from their homes, separated from family members, unable to protect themselves, particularly women and girls, and with no access to medical care or humanitarian services. There is so much need in the world that it is hard to know where to begin. One at a time, I think. One at a time to be in a real home, not to be hungry or ill. So much to be done.

Wow...what a moving program.  Thank you for sharing.

Interesting program about an appalling situation.

We need to be grateful for what we have!

We need to be grateful for what we have!

We need to be grateful for what we have!

Very interesting story about the The State of the International Refugee Crisis.

Very interesting story about the The State of the International Refugee Crisis.

Great Meeting

This weeks program offers a very disturbing picture on the plight of rerfugees. While the need to help these displaced persons is clear, perhaps the greater message is the need to stop the conflicts giving rise to the crisis and the need to promote peace thought out the world.

I love that the recipe was included in this meeting!  Excellent touch.  You might be on to something and I hope to see more...

MUCHAS GRACIAS POR ELEGIRNOS COMO LOS ROTARIOS DEL MES, SOMOS SOLAMENTE UN DIENTE DEL ENGRANE DE TODA LA FAMILIA ROTARIA.

A sad situation, but we need everyone to know about it!

Interesting program.

Carol, my best wishes for your birthday.

Wonderful  A True Story of Appreciation. 

Thank you for a great, educational program, Larry!

I enjoyed the inspirational moment about Eddie Rickenbacker.  A great demonsrtation of what appreciation really means.

Thank you to the original members of our E-Club who had the staying power to keep it going and growing ! We are now a diversified group from so many countries and backgrounds. I look forward to District Conference to meet and learn from many of you. 

Thank you for another educational Rotary meeting

B yeoman

Elkhart, Indiana 

Thank you!

Completed meeting.

Good meeting

I love the program on helping refugees.  I was once a spiritual refugee but Jesus saved me.  I am so thankful!

Great meeting. Thanks Larry!

Blue Key is so very important. Thank you, Larry. I just returned from the National Model UN and 5,000 student delegates. One of the topics they studied and debated was the refugee crisis.

The Blue Key program is quite interesting.

I thoroughly enjoy these e-meetings when I'm not able to attend our local Club. Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to read, reflect, learn, laugh, and be proud  of the accomplishments Rotarians have made around the world. 

Really enjoyed the story about Eddie Rickenbacher.  Every time I see one of those elderly gentlemen with the WWII hats on I always ask about their service to this great country and thank them for it.  Someday, they will no longer be with us, the Greatest Generation......

Great efforts by the members of a very diverse club!

Interesting meeting.  The Rickenbacker story as touching as was the information such as refugees spending 17 years as refugees. 

Enjoyable.

Terrific meeting.

Terrific meeting.

Very good presentation, highlights many different aspects of the refugee crisis world wide

Thanks, Larry, for this program - it's sobering to see the statistics, especially as some speak of "the next war" rather than of the need to address the disasters that wars start and leave behind.

thank you for another informative program

Very informative background on the International Refugee crisis.

I love the program - very organized and a nice way indeed to make up a meeting!

Just a blue key is a lot for someone with nothing. Can do, easy. Thanks for the program and opportunity. Clark Lovrien

The "How We Serve" feature was nice.  I think the idea would translate well to my local club meetings, to feature a different member each week.

its great to have this e-club.....very interesting.

Lesson learned from Inspirational Thought :  Never prejudge anybody.

Thank you.

Lesson learned from Inspirational Thought :  Never prejudge anybody.

Thank you.

Very Good  -  How about teaming up for a worthwhile project

“With your key you will open the door to a new life that 

was unexpectedly—through no fault of their own—closed 

to refugees. 

Good Meeting

I enjoyed the information and history about Rotary.

Great program, never realized what a HUGE problem this is, and appreciate the program. I wish all the money spend on our US  wars could have been spent on helping these refugees.

Great fellowship and an excellent meeting agenda!

I have to admit, the e-club meetings are better than my old club.  More life and liveleness, the Rotary Minute, introductions of new members, remind me that this is what Rotary really is. Ringing the bell is important, and announcements are prime information, plus what members are doing in our world community.

Thank you for allowinig me to visit again.

Frank Carroll

This was beneficial.   I learned about numerous aspects of the Rotary organization. 

the inspirational thought of sacrifice speaks volumes of how important that may be in our lives

Very interesting, thorough and comprehensive.

So very informative!  I'm happy to have read and be inspired by all the wonderful service projects you all do!

Thank you!

I have read the survival story before but it is always inspiring.

Good meeting

Another great program

I'm glad to know about the Rotary Blue Key program, and I hope it will make a difference in the lives of displaced persons.  

Welcome Richard and Jim!

UNHCR does important work and deserves our support for the Blue Key campaign.

I really enjoyed your meeting.  I'm so sorry to just learn of the new Club in DuPont Circle.  I have been in Old Town Alexandria about 3 weeks and could have gone there also for a make-up.  I did attend  2 meetings in Anandale,VA, which were also very good.

I did share with them that my home club, Kirksville Noon, is the home club of former RI President Ray Klinginsmith.

He attends every time he is in town and frequently I enjoy dinner with him.

Charles Baldwin

Great program. Hoping the ever expanding World Peace Fellow network will help eliminate the need for people to be conflict-related refugees.

Thank you for the interesting articles!

Great information and learning.

4-4-2012This program on the International Refugee Crisis offers specifics covering the magnitude of the need and the wide variety of people who are suffering and who still are at risk in multiple ways. Thank you for highlighting this issue in a detailed way and for offering a way for people of service to help support the United Nations’ efforts to alleviate this worldwide suffering. Thank you!

Excellent e-club!  Great stories & wise words.  Nice to hear about Rotary news in other parts of the country & world.  Thank you!!

Thank you!

Very interesting program about the staggering statistics related to the refugee crisis. While I believe the crisis is real, I am concerned whether the charity seeking support (USA for UNHCR) is as real. The article describes the need in great detail but says nothing about what USA for UNHCR is doing about it (other than collecting money). A check of various "charity review" websites indicates the organization is unknown (Better Business Bureau) and that the organization has excessive fundraising expenses (20.2%, per CharityNavigator.org). The organization's own website doesn't offer any insight into the actual impact donations have. It seems to only say "things are really bad out there - send us money". There is also no mention that its Executive Director since 2008 has recently left the organization.

We certainly want to be proactive about helping those in crisis but we also have to be sure our efforts are well directed.

Wonderful website!  I went my local club's website (www.rotarydelsol.org) looking for make-up locations and came across the link for E-Club of the Southwest.  I'm so pleased to have found your site.  This is a fantastic means to expanding a Rotarian's vision beyond that of the local club.  Keep up the good work and I look forward to visiting the site often and not just because I need a make-up meeting!  Teri Albuquerque, NM

Thanks Larry!

I didn't know North-Mexico is cold area nad needs coats for the persons living that area.

Sometimes, first impressions are mislead for everyone.

We must know much more about the world for the happiness.

This really covered the subject.

Sam Allison

Very impressive meeting.

Sam Allison

Another informative and interesting meeting!

Thank you for this opportunity.

The Blue Key is an interesting program.  I am going to present it to my club in Denver

website  very informative - lots of useful Rotary facts and ideas

I had no idea the number of refugees is at these levels.  The information was useful and troubling.

Great website to do my makeup meetings.

Excellent programs throughout the entire meeting.

Lesson from Inspirational Thought:  Never prejudge anybody. 

Thank you.

Thanks so much!

enjoyed the meeting-my first on line!

I like the format - the stories of Eddie Rickenbacker and April's Fools Day were fun. The main article on the Refugee Crisis was shocking. It should inspire all Rotarians to take action and get a Blue Key!

much appreciative of your inititives and efforts to prodive this forum.

Thank you for your volunteering your time.

Hope this can go global there are lots of bad things said about refugees and a campaign such as Blue Key can help this misinformation

Hi, I'm new to eclubs and appreciate your web site as an opportunity to complete a makeup.    Yours is the second eclub I have visited.    I liked "attending" your meeting.   It was an interesting mix of membership and mission.   I had never heard of the Blue Key Campaign so you have opened my eyes in a new direction.    I knew almost nothing about the State of the International Refugee Crisis, other than the occasional news article on the evening news.   How encouraging it is to know that Rotary is involved here, too, where the need is great.   My congratulations to your newest members, Richard Green and Jim Bissonett.    It will be interesting to see where eclubs might be in 10 years from now.  I wish your club well and extend Eastern Shore Greetings from the Onancock, VA Rotary Club.  

I so much enjoyed this week's meeting.

It was so important to remind all of us to push harder on the e-club for the potential of new members.

Loved the chicken receipe, can wait to try it.

And the "State of the International Refuge Crisis" is so sad but so needed for us to not look away or have it leave our radar of concern.

We all need to be more in prayer.

Congratulations Larry the program is excellent, it’s one of the hidden faces of what we call civilization, they are not guilty of anything, and they didn’t choose to be born there in this time, so as Rotarians is our duty to help our human brothers, and at least one blue key will be as you said “the door to a new Life”

Felicidades Larry el programa es excelente, es una de las cara ocultas de lo que nosotros llamamos civilización, ellos no son culpables de nada, y ellos no escogieron nacer en ese lugar y en este tiempo, así que como Rotarios es nuestro deber ayudar a nuestros hermanos humanos, y así cuando menos una llave azul será como tú dices “La puerta para una nueva Vida”

Larry, excellent program. It's difficult sometimes to imagine that in the world we live in, and for most of us, a world of incredible abundance, that this situation exists. My Blue Key is on its way.

I appreciated the story about Captain Rickenbacker, and how important it is to express gratitude and actually say the words "Thank You" for what we have.

Congratulations to our Rotarians of the Month, Oscar, Victor, Roberto, Raul, Alfredo, Humberto, Rafael and Cesareo. Your work is amazing! Again, felicitaciones!

To our new members Richard and Jim, you are about to embark on an amazing journey -- this club (as I've said so many times before) ROCKS!

For those who haven't registered yet, Francioise's SAA excerpts from the District Manual hit the nail on the head. If not for the amazing programs our DG Alan Havir is putting together, just the opportunity to get together with this crazy bunch of Rotarians is reason enough to register and attend in June.

Lastly, Carol, dinner is being prepared as I type, and it's your recipe -- the house smells AMAZING! Thank you for sharing it. These shared recipes are really important -- it's a way of bringing something very personal from fellow Rotarians around the world into our homes. Please forward any special recipes to Franciose.

For another incredible meeting, thanks to everyone who makes it so good!

The Video was an excellent idea for the E-Make up guests.

Very disturbing info.  We need to help!

Everyday I walk into my home, on my little street, on the side of the Great Rocky Mountains and I take a second to thank God I am home. These refugees can't do this and to live so long without a real home, a real country and the true supports they need. I bought 5 keys... so my children and I have a reminder of the joys of freedoms that living in the USA brings. Great meeting!

Great program.  You continue to expand the information. Thanks so much. Enjoyed. 

My first eClub.  It was informative and inspirational.  Thanks for being available.

There are a lot of scary statistics in the refugee document and it's great that the never ending effort of Rotarians is achieving such great results.

This is the best EClub I have found so far.  Thank you for your work.  I really felt I was at one of your meetings.

Excellent promotion of world peace and understanding.

Good article on water and Ed.

Finish Meeting

I always enjoy attending your eclub meetings.

very nice meeting

Thank you Larry for nice program!

I am happy to know the activity of the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

I'd like to have blue key in near future.

THANK YOU.it was lovely attending a meeting online. i loved the way it was structured and packaged. there was so much to learn e.g. about the history of magazines, fools day and all the inspirational stories.

dear eclub thank u so much

ma uddin

After nearly 2 decades in a "terra" club, I find out new things about the work of Rotary almost every week.  The Blue Key program is one of many I had never heard of.  Keep up the great work on presenting these informative programs!!!!

Thank you!

Thank you so much for the information about the blue key for International Refugees.

Fantastic during March and early April MADNESS! we have our own ELITE EIGHT!!  For those non sporting types, the National Collegiete Athletic Association for US College Sports holds a basketball tournament every year for all Divisions, there are three.  The divn one tournament is called March Madness -- 64 teams play with single elimination.  Making the Elite 8 is a big deal!

As heart-warming as the Eddie Rickenbacker story was, the refugee program was equally alarming.  I realize more and more everyday how blessed a life I live.  I will share that with our club's International Director and encourage our club's participation. 

Good program Larry,will talk to you about the Blue Key.April magazine month,the Australian Magazine,"Rotary Down Under  was the first to gain RI approval the editor for around thirty years, Rotarian Bob Aitken who was my cricket captain to Chennie India Rotary Cricket Festival 1999,After a wonderful Fellowship week we donated our cricket gear to the Chennie orphanage.

Great story about 'old Ed' and the seagulls.  Thanks for sharing that with us.

Dave Oglevie

Lake Chelan Rotary, Chelan, WA

Great material as usual... Without forgetting to thank Bob for this weekly smile I owe him.

I'll be back to the meeting on thursday, with a Rotary Club in Turkey (District 2430 Cankaya Rotary Club), during my presentation on e-clubs.

I am sure that everyone here will admire this great meeting and thank you Larry for this great program/presentation.

All the best to all

Another great meeting and program!

Wonderful topic this week, Larry!  Having just finnished up a reasearch project and presentation on Climate refugees ( or environmental refugees/environmental migrants) it is great to see that we are using our weekly meetings to focus in on such important issues.

 I have a few things to add to this report, however, in my research I found figures supported by the UN that at least 58% of those 43 million refugees reported in 2009 were uprooted because of environmental degradation or environmental problems.  In order to fix the problem we need to look at the root, and environmental factors such as flooding, storm surges, and heat waves that are causing unlivable conditions are also causing political and social issues while these refugees move into neighboring countries or areas that eventually can lead to war and security issues.

I also want to point out that predictions from Norman Myers, an analyst of environmental refugees, suggested that by 2050 there will be more than 200 million climate refugees.  Although there has not been much solid study done on how many there actually are today, this is an alarming figure and I expect us as Rotarians to start looking at environmental issues more seriously.

 I propose that we have a meeting educating ourselves about the changing climate and what is expected to come with more intense storms with higher frequency of them. 

Great investigation Larry.  

** correction on the birthday list!!  My name is Katelyn, not Kathryn =] 

thank you

Great program.  Mix of information, humor, some ways Rotarians can help

Never knew where April Fools Day came from.

As a member of Monterrey gang, I am very proud to belong to this "branch" of our eClub. Thank you for this honnor, at present month......we only serve.

thanks Carol, I`ll try yor enchilada recipe during this week, great meeting by the way

I am very interested in the volunteer trauma support team; I do enjoy reading all the information you share.  Thank you for this service.  Rita

Thanks.  Very informative and interesting.

I did not think that the displaced people were so numerous...incredible! Thank you Larry to open my eyes! I purchased 20 blue keys and wrote your address... because I don't want them to send the keys to me in France. These are pins...and it will be beautiful on your bonnet :) or Beth's dress!

Welcome to Richard and Jim!

And congratulations to our Rotarians of the month!  And thanks to them to translate the spanish lines  (multi language page) and the recipes!

this was excellent. thank you larry!