Please visit our "Centennial Twin Club" - The Rotary Club of Shanghai (Provisional) on the World Wide Web
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Please visit our "Centennial Twin Club" - The Rotary Club of Shanghai (Provisional) on the World Wide Web
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Rotary Centennial Twin Club Program
Thanks to the efforts of 2003-04 Club President Tom Thong, the Rotary Club of Jersey City has been able to establish such a relationship with the Rotary Club of Shanghai, P.R.C. (Provisional).
The Rotary Club of Jersey City contingent was welcomed Under Tom's leadership a delegation of 14 club members and spouses traveled to the Peoples Republic of China on October 10, 2003. The trip traversed 12 time zones and a distance of almost 7,000 miles. After a delay caused by the late arrival of the group’s aircraft from Beijing, the group left from New York's JFK Airport on a direct flight to Beijing. Unfortunately, the delegation missed their connecting flight to Shanghai, and spent the night at a local hotel provided by the airline before heading for Shanghai’s Hon Quia Airport the next morning. Despite the overnight delay, upon arrival in Shanghai the group was welcomed at the airport by Shanghai Rotary Club members and children who had undergone corrective heart surgeries sponsored by the Rotary Club of Jersey City and the District 7490 Gift of Life Foundation. The formal signing of the Centennial Twin Clubs Agreement was held three days later at the Shanghai Rotary Club's regular weekly meeting on October 14, 2003, witnessed by approximately 55 members and guests from both clubs. The following day, the Jersey City Rotarians visited the Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery at the Shanghai Chest Hospital and met with many of the children and their parents who are participating in the Gift of Life program. After meeting the medical staff from the department, touring the facility, and sharing refreshments and warm fellowship with the program participants, the Jersey City Rotarians and their Shanghai hosts accompanied some of the parents and children to lunch at a nearby restaurant. In addition to the Shanghai club visit and Gift of Life project field visit, the Jersey City group toured much of Shanghai and the city of Souchou as well as visiting Beijing where they participated in a meeting of the local provisional Rotary Club. This trip marked a new era for the Rotary Club of Jersey City as this is the first time that they have established a twin or sister club arrangement in their 88 year history. In addition to signing the agreement, the Jersey City Rotarians were able to visit with a number of the children who have received open heart surgery as part of the Gift of Life Shanghai, which is partially funded by the Jersey City club. You can see more of our club visit and our Gift of Life Shanghai
field visit by clicking on the "Powerpoint" button on the left side of your
screen.
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As
part of the Rotary Centennial celebration, Rotary International is encouraging
clubs to participate in the Rotary Centennial Twin Club Program. Twin clubs are
two clubs from different countries that have established strong ties and have
agreed to team up to complete a special program, be it an international service
project, Rotary Youth Exchange, or Friendship Exchange. 
Copyright
2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Rotary Club of Jersey City