Rotary International President Feted by Local Rotarians

Gary C. K. Huang, a Taiwanese businessman who was educated here, is the current President of Rotary International, the well-known service club which has over 1.2 million members in over 200 countries of the world. On Wednesday, January 7, a meet-and-greet assembly and banquet was held at the Cotillion Banquets in Palatine, sponsored by Rotary Clubs from the northern and western suburbs. Around 250 were in attendance to meet the new President, to enjoy entertainment by local students, to enjoy a banquet, and to hear President Huang deliver an entertaining and inspirational address.

The four clubs which were responsible for organizing the event were the Rotary Clubs of Schaumburg A.M., Schaumburg-Hoffman Estates, Buffalo Grove, and Long Grove-Kildeer-Hawthorn Woods. William Ferreira, Past District Governor of the local Rotary district and a resident of Long Grove, was instrumental in making arrangements for the event. The Cooper Middle School Jazz Band, Buffalo Grove, and Chinese dancers and musicians from the Yang Academy in Chicago provided entertainment before the banquet and formal proceedings.

The Rotary theme for Huang's year as President is Light Up Rotary. Those assembled were reminded of Rotary's charitable accomplishments, locally and internationally, notably the efforts to eradicate polio worldwide. This goal is within reach with only three countries not on the list of polio-free countries. It is hoped that they will be added to the list by 2018.

At the end of the evening six new Rotarians were installed, with the President of Rotary International presiding. One was Ed Cruickshank, Mundelein, now the newest member of the Rotary Club of Long Grove, Kildeer, Hawthorn Woods.