Goodbye

This will be my last blog.  The NVRA1 blog is a link to see all the programs, events and fundraising activities of the 5 clubs in the valley.
I don't know whether it serves this purpose or not.
I finished my term as ADG 2011-2012.
I did enjoy making the blog.

World Polio Day

On World Polio Day, join the World’s Biggest Commercial

  

Rotary News -- 24 October 2012  

O n World Polio Day, 24 October, people around the globe will participate in the World’s Biggest Commercial, promoting the international effort to eradicate the devastating disease. 

The innovative, interactive online initiative gives everyone a chance to join Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Bill Gates, Jackie Chan, Angelique Kidjo, and other world figures and celebrities who have already joined in Rotary’s This Close campaign in support of polio eradication. Participants can upload photos of themselves to Rotary’s polio eradication website, endpolionow.org, to be edited into the constantly expanding promotional spot. They receive an email with a direct link to their image and comment within the commercial.

Rotary is also releasing End Polio Now, an eclectic album of songs performed by its celebrity polio eradication ambassadors from the music industry. The lineup includes several polio survivors: violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman, folk rock musician Donovan, and Staff Benda Bilili, a Congolese soukous band scheduled to launch its U.S. tour in Los Angeles on World Polio Day. The End Polio Now album is available for download on iTunes, and soon as a CD from shop.rotary.org, with all proceeds from sales going to PolioPlus.  

Coinciding with World Polio Day, Rotary is ramping up its advocacy work in the 200 countries and regions where Rotary clubs exist to encourage every national government to commit to help meet a $700 million funding shortfall for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative through 2013.  

Although new polio cases are at an all-time low -- there were fewer than 180 worldwide in 2012 as of 16 October -- the funding gap has already curtailed scheduled immunization activities in polio-affected countries. If eradication fails and polio rebounds, up to 200,000 children per year could be paralyzed.  

“Governments need to step up and honor their commitments to polio eradication if we are to achieve our goal of a polio-free world,” says Wilfrid J. Wilkinson, chair of The Rotary Foundation. “We are at a true tipping point, with success never closer than it is right now. We must seize the advantage by acting immediately, or risk breaking our pledge to the world’s children.”  

Here are other ways you can support the global effort to eradicate polio:

• Upload your photo for the World's Biggest Commercial.
• Lend your voice to advocacy efforts by signing the petition on endpolionow.org.

• Begin planning an End Polio Now lighting  to celebrate Rotary’s anniversary on 23 February.

• Contribute now to end polio.

Literacy Project

Literacy project promotes reading, writing in Burkina Faso

Posted on October 12, 2012

By Charlie Wasser, a member of the Rotary Club of Sunnyvale, California, USA

About 18 months ago, I transferred my membership to the Rotary Club of Sunnyvale, California, USA. I was excited when my new club embraced a literacy effort I had been involved in, receiving a global grant from The Rotary Foundation for a new media center in Hounde, Burkina Faso.

Through the literacy project, residents in villages surrounding the town of Hounde will learn to write their own books and print them using computers in the media center. Our club is partnering with the host club of Ouagadougou-Savane and Friends of African Village Libraries, which has built seven libraries in surrounding villages.

I have been working with Friends of African Village Libraries for the past four years, mostly collecting funds from clubs in our district for books to stock the libraries. Michael Kevane, formerly head of the economics department at Santa Clara University, started the organization and is now its co-director. During the first few years of the literacy project, students from Santa Clara University, under Kevane’s tutelage, will spend a semester in the village as part of an immersion program, writing two books and teaching a villager how to write a book and create images. The books will then be added to the libraries.

 A great feature of the Foundation’s new grant model, which District 5170 is helping test as part of the Future Vision pilot, is the emphasis on sustainability – the capacity of a project to continue benefiting the local community after funds have been expended. Our project addresses sustainability in a number of ways.

Villagers who learn to write will teach other villagers to write. In addition, we are making use of local resources. The town of Hounde has agreed to pay the salary of a half-time employee who will work at the new media center.

During the five-year scope of the project, children in the villages will have the opportunity to learn to read and write. The goal of the project is to equip the villages to continue raising the literacy level of the residents. Who knows, one of the children who learns to read and write may someday be the driving force that brings water, electricity, and greater prosperity to the villages.

• Learn more about sustainability in a learning module

• Basic education and literacy is one of Rotary’s six areas of focus. Read more about the areas of focus.
• Watch the video “Key to Literacy“

(article is reprinted from Rotary Voices.)

Interact,50th anniversary

This year, the Interact program marks its 50th anniversary. 

The first Interact club was chartered 5 November 1962 at Melbourne High School, Florida, USA, a few months after the program was approved by the Rotary International Board of Directors. The club and its 39 charter members were sponsored by the Rotary Club of Melbourne.

Interact’s name is a combination of “international” and “action.” Interact clubs are sponsored by Rotary clubs, which provide support and guidance, but they are self-governing and self-supporting. Interact is open to young men and women, ages 12-18.  

Browse the image gallery to see Interactors in action during the past 50 years. The following are a few historic facts and firsts: 

• On 14 January 1963, the Interact Club of St. Peter’s High School became the first Interact club outside the United States. It was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. 
• The first club in Africa was chartered 20 September 1963 at H.H. Aga Khan High School, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Mombasa, Kenya. 
• The Interact program grew to 290 clubs in 25 countries and geographical areas within its first year. 
• In January 2010, the RI Board of Directors lowered the minimum age from 14 to 12. 
• In 2011, there were 13,500 Interact clubs in 138 countries and geographical areas. 

During 2012, the Presidential Citation for Interact clubs and new Interact Certificates of Organization will feature a 50th anniversary logo. Join clubs around the world in celebrating a half century of Interact by organizing activities like these:  

• Challenge your club or each Interactor to raise donations in amounts of 50 for a polio eradication fundraiser.
• During World Interact Week (5-11 November), carry out projects that involve 50 positive actions in one of Rotary’s areas of focus, such as donating 50 books to support a literacy program or organizing a community forum with 50 young people.
•  Film interviews with former members of your Interact club about how the program can fuel a lifetime of service. Use the footage to create an entry for Rotary’s annual Interact video contest. See the Interact YouTube channel for details.
• Show us how your school, club, or Rotary district will celebrate Interact’s 50th anniversary by sharing photos and stories on the Interact Facebook page. 

(Photo: nteractors from Marin Catholic High School in California, USA, help build a house in Tijuana, Mexico, in 2003.)

Text and photo are from the RI website: www.rotary.org

Seeking new horizons

Seeking new horizons

By John Davis, past governor of District 9800 (Australia) and district Rotary Foundation committee chair

After two years of working with the Future Vision pilot, we are certainly aware that change and sustainability are important concepts to Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation.

But some may ask: Why change a formula that on the surface appears to be producing results? Is it simply change for change sake? Most certainly not. As an organization, we are not attracting young adults in the numbers we would like. Is our organization too rigid and inflexible to attract these young professionals, who wish to make a difference in the world? If we are to reach them, we need to demonstrate that Rotary can make a visible difference in the lives of others.

Vocational training teams are designed to do just that. Using the vocational and professional skills of team members, particularly in countries where resources and infrastructure are limited, the teams improve the facilities and living conditions of the people living there.

As a Rotary district, we wanted to know what we could do to improve conditions in the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. The lifetime risk of maternal death at child birth is 1 in 30, and the percentage of deliveries with a skilled birth attendant is less than 30 percent. The first step was to send an investigatory group to the country, partly funded by a Future Vision district grant. With the information from that visit, Districts 9800 and 9550 submitted an application for a global grant to fund five vocational training teams over a three-year period, with the focus on maternal and child health. The teams will provide refresher courses for midwives working in Timor.

Two training teams have now been sent, the first in November 2011 and the second in May 2012. The third team will leave this month. The teams are working under the endorsement of the Departments of Health of the Timor government and the United Nations Population Fund, and the refresher courses are closely aligned with the United Nation’s emergency obstetric care program.

The global grant will also provide much needed basic medical equipment. This surely is how Rotary can meet the challenges of a changing world, and be a force for good in its second century of service.

Learn more about the Future Vision grant model.

(article and photo from: www.rotary.org)

Foundation Grants (Future Vision)

Foundation Grants FAQ

 Foundation Grants (Future Vision) FAQ

• What is the new grant model (also called Future Vision)?
• How will the new grant model benefit clubs and districts?
• Why did The Rotary Foundation change the grant model?
• What are the areas of focus and how were they selected?
• What is sustainability and why is it important?
• How does my club or district get qualified?
• What are strategic partnerships and how do they work?
• What are vocational training teams (VTTs)?
• Can grants be used for scholarships?
• What is the timeline for the Future Vision global launch?
• How is Rotarian input and feedback being used to improve the new grant model for the worldwide launch?
• How will the Foundation know if Future Vision is a success?
• Where can I find learning resources?

What is the new grant model (also called Future Vision)?

The Rotary Foundation’s new grant model supports district and club humanitarian and educational projects through three types of grants: district grants, global grants, and packaged grants.

• District grants are block grants that allow clubs and districts to address immediate needs in their communities and abroad.
• Global grants, which rage from $15,000 to $200,000, fund large international humanitarian projects, vocational training teams, and scholarships that have sustainable, measurable outcomes in one or more of the areas of focus.
• Packaged grants allow clubs and districts to work with Rotary’s strategic partners to implement pre-designed projects.

How will the new grant model benefit clubs and districts?

The new grant model offers several advantages:

• Grants have been reduced from 12 types to three — global grants, district grants, and packaged grants — while maintaining support for the variety of Rotarian activities.
• Grant payments are processed more quickly and the online application and approval process is transparent, allowing clubs and districts to see the status of their grants throughout.
• Districts can access 50 percent of their District Designated Funds (DDF) for district grants, which gives them more funding for projects and more control over their DDF.
• District grants can be used to sponsor a wide range of activities locally and abroad, including Group Study Exchange-like vocational training teams (VTTs), local and international scholarships, and any projects that align with the Foundation’s mission.
• Monitoring and evaluation of grants will provide important information to grant sponsors and to the Foundation. For example, knowing the number of people who benefit from their projects can help clubs and districts promote the value of their work to the general public.
• Clubs and districts determine their level of involvement in grants. They can determine how to allocate district grants, develop their own global grant project with an international partner, or apply for a packaged grant.
• The timeline for global grant scholar selection is shorter, so clubs and districts do not have to plan as far ahead.
• Global grant scholarships receive a World Fund match, lowering the annual cost of a scholarship for the sponsors.
• Vocational training teams (VTTs), which travel to meet vital humanitarian needs, offer service opportunities far beyond the GSE experience.

Why did The Rotary Foundation change the grant model?

The Foundation recognized the need to use its limited resources more effectively. In 2007, the Foundation spent 20 percent of its program budget on long-term activities with high impact, and 80 percent on short-term activities with minimal impact. The new grant model will reverse that: 80 percent of the program budget will support high-impact, sustainable projects. The new grant model will also help meet the priorities and goals of Rotary's strategic plan .

What are the areas of focus and how were they selected?

The six areas of focus are:

• Peace and conflict prevention/resolution
• Disease prevention and treatment
• Water and sanitation
• Maternal and child health
• Basic education and literacy
• Economic and community development

The Trustees identified these as critical humanitarian issues that Rotarians are already addressing worldwide. Previous Rotarian experience and interest in these areas will promote project success.

What is sustainability and why is it important?

The Rotary Foundation defines sustainability as the capacity for maintaining outcomes over the long term to serve the ongoing need of a community after grant funds have been expended. A sustainable project typically involves local community leaders in planning so that they are invested in the project’s long-term success. Training and the exchange of information prepare communities to maintain results and solve problems on their own, after the Rotary club’s involvement has ended. Sustainable projects offer enduring value and a greater return on Rotary’s investment of money and volunteer hours.

How does my club or district get qualified?

In order to receive grants from the Foundation, clubs and districts must be qualified. To be qualified, districts must complete an online process and follow the District Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The district governor, governor-elect, and Rotary Foundation committee chair must all three agree to the terms of the MOU.

Once a district is qualified, that district will in turn qualify its clubs. To be qualified, clubs must sign and follow the Club Memorandum of Understanding , send a representative to the district grant management seminar, and meet any other requirements determined by their district.

What are strategic partnerships and how do they work?

A strategic partnership is a relationship between The Rotary Foundation and another international organization that has a unique or specialized knowledge or expertise in one or more of the areas of focus. Strategic partnerships are large-scale, multi-year relationships. Rotary’s strategic partners provide financial resources, technical expertise, advocacy, or a combination thereof. These relationships will produce mutually beneficial project portfolios that fulfill the goals of the partners and enhance service opportunities for Rotarians through packaged global grants.

What are vocational training teams (VTTs)?

Vocational training teams (VTTs) are groups of professionals who travel abroad either to learn more about their vocation or to teach local professionals about a particular field. Vocational training teams can be funded by either district grants or global grants

Can grants be used for scholarships?

Yes, scholarships can be supported with district and global grants. District Grants may be used to support scholarships at the district’s discretion. Global Grants may support a Rotary Scholar as long as the recipient’s study involves one of the six areas of focus.

What is the timeline for the Future Vision global launch?

All districts will begin using the new grant model on 1 July 2013. However, districts not participating in the Future Vision pilot should begin preparing for the transition ahead of time. District governors-elect and district Foundation chairs will receive training at the 2013 International Assembly. This will prepare them to complete the qualification process, train and qualify clubs, and apply for grants.

Download detailed timelines for clubs and districts .

How is Rotarian input and feedback being used to improve the new grant model for the worldwide launch?

Many of the plan’s key elements were based on survey results from Rotary leaders and grassroots Rotarians. Rotarian input continues to be a key factor as pilot districts, which have been testing the model since 2010, report back on their successes and challenges and make recommendations for change. For example, major improvements are being made to the online grant application to make it easier to use.

Surveys of Future Vision pilot districts indicate that most are happy with the new grant model. For example:

• 85% of respondents strongly or somewhat agree that the district MOU requirements improved their district’s stewardship practices.
• Districts are generally satisfied with the online system and the elimination of paper applications. They feel that this process is easier.
• Pilot districts report that the sense of ownership of grants and grant projects has increased at both district and club levels.
• One district reports: “We have found better participation by clubs in our district. We have used our grant funds for a great variety of local and international projects and some clubs have combined with others for larger projects.”
• Another district reports that their vocational training team (VTT) exchange had an even higher impact on their community than group study exchanges (GSEs).
• Pilot districts report that more clubs are participating in international projects and starting multiclub projects.

How will the Foundation know if Future Vision is a success?

The new grant model includes an evaluation process that will provide data on the actual number of people who benefit from Foundation grants and demonstrate how the sustainability factor will ensure the continuation of those benefits. Other factors that will help the Foundation measure success include Rotarian participation in grants, Foundation donations from both members and non-Rotarians, and media coverage of Foundation-sponsored projects.

Where can I find learning resources?

• Go to learn.rotary.org for tutorials and other resources to help you understand the new grant model. Because these are offered as a member benefit for Rotarians, it’s only available to those with a Member Access account. If you don’t yet have an account, open one today.
• Subscribe to Future Vision News, a free monthly e-newsletter that features updates and information about the new grant model.

(the article is taken from the RI website: www.rotary.org)

Top EREY Program

5130 Top District in Every Rotarian Every Year program

For details go to:  http://www.rotary5130.org/news-events/5130-top-district-every-rotarian-every-year-program