Lt. General Honore to Focus on Disaster Preparedness at Regional Rotary Conference in New Orleans

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Oct 12, 2010, 09:00 ET

Special session on Gulf Coast recovery highlights the value of -- and threats facing -- irreplaceable natural resources

NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Retired U.S. Army Lt. General Russel L. Honore will stress the increasing need for communities to be prepared for disaster, as the keynote speaker at a special session on Gulf Coast recovery at 11 a.m. Oct. 16 during a regional Rotary conference at Loews New Orleans Hotel, 300 Poydras St.

"Families and businesses need to take measures to survive -- as opposed to accepting their fate as victims -- when faced by disasters, whether natural or manmade," says Honore, commander of Joint Task Force Katrina and an astute observer of the response to the BP oil spill. The general, a member of the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge, is the author of "Survival: How a Culture of Preparedness Can Save You and Your Family from Disaster."

The session, which begins at 9:15 a.m., includes Robert A. Thomas, Ph.D., director of Loyola University's Center for Environmental Communication. A member of the Metairie Sunrise Rotary Club, Thomas will talk about the economic value of the Gulf's coastal wetlands to the region and to the nation and the threats facing these important natural resources. Also presenting is Stuart Guey, a member of the Rotary Club of Belle Chasse and a councilman for Plaquemines Parish, which was severely impacted by both Katrina and the BP spill.

The conference is expected to draw more than 500 Rotary club members from six Rotary districts spanning four states. The conference will include a preview of the 2011 Rotary International Convention, set for May 21-25, which will draw more than 17,000 Rotary members from over 150 countries, pumping at least $20 million into the local economy. Reflecting Rotary's motto of "Service Above Self," many convention-goers are expected to volunteer for various community service projects during their stay.

Rotary's strength at the grassroots level -- 33,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and areas with a total membership over 1.2 million men and women -- makes the humanitarian service organization adept at tailoring projects to fit community needs. To learn more visit: www.rotary.org

SOURCE Rotary International