The 2008 Rotary Challenge by RI President-Elect Dong Kum Lee

"In 2008-09, I will ask you all to Make Dreams Real for the world's children,…This will be our theme, and my challenge to all of you."

"Children are killed by illnesses that become deadly in combination with poor sanitation and malnutrition…In addition, families stricken by extreme poverty are trapped in a cycle that only leads to more unnecessary deaths…It's a cycle that is not interrupted because there is no access to education."

"We will bring clean water to their communities and create sanitation projects that keep children healthy,"

“Rotarians can improve children's health even in small ways, such as delivering mosquito nets, rehydration salts, vitamins, and vaccines…So much more can be done with just a little more: a trained birth attendant, a simple clinic, a school feeding program, a visiting nurse…These are simple and direct ways to save children's lives."

“In 2008-09, Rotarians will be asked to open their eyes to the needs of children in communities near and far.”

"Children die not because nobody can help them, but because too often, nobody does. But you and I, are Rotarians, and helping is what we do best," …our job is to Make Dreams Real for children. If every one of us does this, at the end of our year, we will all have achieved something wonderful."