Dear CCI Friends,

I’ve missed being in touch with you over the past months. I had to take time out to see if my body and mind could heal itself after working around the clock for too many years. In my 85th year constant work finally caught up with me!

After taking time off, getting plenty of sleep and downtime, I’m feeling considerably better. However at my age, I’m told that it’s not wise to continue this pace to which I’ve been accustomed. So I’m trying to figure out how to slow down. My sons, who are already retired, think it’s time for me to be a family Mom! I love them and my grandchildren, but I was always so involved with CCI that I allowed my work to come first before family events. Thankfully they still want me to be part of their lives. If I don’t do this now, I’ll never have the chance again. I’m increasingly aware of how fast the years pass and soon life is over. So I’ve had to make some tough decisions.

Fortunately we have a number CCI volunteers who are top professionals. Three of them are now ready to become bonafide CCI Board Members. They traveled on one or more of my trips to Russia and have been dedicated to our work since then. Fortunately they are considerably younger than I am. In the past several years, they have operated like Board members for me. When I needed advice I called on one or more of them. They are skilled in fields in which I have no expertise. Two are attorneys, one a former PricewaterhouseCoopers partner, another a businessman and a decades-long Rotarian.

Of course I will mentor them, travel to Russia with them to share our 40 years of work there, and help them begin to build relations with our Russian experts and coordinators across the country. We are planning a small trip for them this coming October. CCI’s larger trip for 100 persons will be rescheduled again, this time for June of 2023. I will travel with both trips. I’m sure COVID won’t be an issue by that time.

I will continue to write for CCI, but I also want our new Board Members to begin writing or sending articles that experts in the field forward to us.

Meanwhile I plan to move from Silicon Valley to Bend, Oregon where my sons and families live. I’m really looking forward to this more sensible lifestyle as I go toward my 90s!

In any case, I’ll continue to stay in touch with you. Please know that I greatly appreciate your interest in CCI over the years, your friendships and support as we have tried to bring Americans and Russians into successful working relations during these past decades.

Thank you, thank you!!!

PS:  In closing I want to admit, we are in an extremely difficult and dangerous period at this moment. However, I still think there may be a way out. More on this to follow within a week.

Dear CCI Friends,

February 16th I returned to the U.S. from my third trip to Russia in the past six months. I learned later this was the first day of Russia’s movement toward Ukraine.

During my travels I was talking with and emailing Russians in different cities about their sense of where Russia was going and what they expected to happen. VIP Russians scoffed at my concerns about a war. Some young people were against Putin’s long tenure, some not; others felt he’s still in his prime and no one else is as qualified for the position. Rotary friends in Russia have been quite supportive of Putin’s handling of the country’s issues. Of course no Russian Rotarian supports war, due to their devastating history during WWII.

However, the potential for Ukraine to join NATO is unacceptable for Russians. If so, NATO could fire a nuclear missile and hit Moscow in 4 to 10 minutes. Their early warning system couldn’t neutralize and return a strike. Ukraine and Russia share a 1,200 mile land border, and in addition Ukraine has 199 miles of sea border. We would never allow a nuclear nation to be on our borders, unless we controlled the use of their weapons. Washington and NATO leaders understand Russia’s concerns precisely––yet they have been unwilling to sign treaties saying Ukraine will not become a NATO country.

I did not expect Russia would invade but apparently the United States, NATO and Ukraine were preparing for the war that is now happening.  Meanwhile millions of Ukrainians are fleeing their cities and millions more remain sheltering in their homes hoping this horrible ordeal will end. Those of us in the West with friends in both countries can only watch helplessly as this catastrophe unfolds.  The media barrage, unlike anything we have ever seen in relation to other US wars, shows us the one certainty of war:  innocent civilians are the victims who pay the price.

[Continue Reading]

Dear CCI Followers,

We are so grateful that you and we are a “Force for Good” on this weary planet. We treasure your friendship throughout the past years and those of you who have joined us recently.

Year 2022 promises to be a challenging year globally. However, there are positive forces emerging, more Americans are waking up and speaking out on issues that are vital to the survival of our species and our planet.

Throughout history, situations got intolerably bad before the Forces for right action came forth. Let’s plan to address the mediocrity of today’s world. Let us become conscious of the myriad ways we can stand with and work for right thinking, right action in our immediate world and in places far beyond our normal reach. Let us become solution makers in year 2022!

A Happy New Year to you as we move into 2022!

Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives