Three CNN judges have Rotary ties

They can’t fly, leap over tall buildings, or stop trains with their bare hands. But they might save the world. For months, CNN spotlighted “everyday” community heroes, including Rotarian Tom Henderson, founder and CEO of the disaster relief group ShelterBox and keynote speaker at the 2009 RI Convention in Birmingham, England.

A panel of 12 globally acclaimed humanitarians selected 10 heroes to honor during a Thanksgiving special. Three of the judges have a Rotary connection: primatologist Jane Goodall, who is a keynote speaker at the 2009 RI Convention. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who is a keynote speaker at the 2009 preconvention Rotary World Peace Symposium in Birmingham, and economist Jeffrey Sachs, author of “The End of Poverty,” who was a keynote speaker at the 2006 RI Convention in Malmo-Copenhagen.

Online voting for the top hero has ended, but there’s still time to publicize your favorite Rotarian hero. Go to CNNheroes to submit video and photographs, which CNN will air on Thanksgiving Day.

“CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute,” will air worldwide on 27 November at 21:00 ET, in English and Spanish. Host Anderson Cooper will join film stars and Grammy-award winning singers in honoring the top heroes.

Watch for upcoming issues of The Rotarian and Rotary’s global network of regional magazines for exclusive interviews with Jane Goodall and Archbishop Tutu.