NVRA

Rotary VOICES

2012-02-17T09:46:00.000-08:00

There is a new blog from RI called Rotary VOICES, Stories of Service from around the World.

Rotary VOICES

http://blog.rotary.org/

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Have you recently participated in a Rotary service project? Has Rotary service effort affected you personally as a volunteer, donor, or beneficiary? This blog is a platform for you to share your story and inspire others to join us in our humanitarian efforts to meet critical needs around the world.

We welcome blog entries, photos, and videos from Rotarians and other members of the Rotary family, including our partners, staff, supporters, and program alumni. We also welcome commentary and insights from experts in polio eradication and our areas of focus — peace and conflict resolution/prevention, disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, and economic and community development.

Add your voice to the conversation. Download a copy of the Contributor’s Guidelines and email your entry to blog@rotary.org.

(text and photo is copied from the blog, Rotary VOICES)

District 5130 facebooks

2012-02-16T16:16:00.000-08:00

District 5130 and others have a facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/DGMaureen

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rotary-District-5130-International-Projects/309777792375459?sk=wall

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rotary-District-5130/333060290054224

And a blog from RI called Rotary VOICES, Stories of Service from around the Worl: http://blog.rotary.org/

Come and visit.

Sad News

2012-02-08T21:34:00.000-08:00

Past RI President Glenn Estess Sr. dies

By Ryan Hyland

Rotary International News – 8 February 2012

Glenn E. Estess Sr., who served as 2004-05 RI president during Rotary’s centennial year, died on 7 February. He was 84.

In 1993, Estess retired as chief executive officer of Glenn Estess Associates Inc., a sales and marketing personnel consulting firm, to devote himself full-time to Rotary. “I am sure the word most often used to describe Past President Glenn is ‘gentle,’” says Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair William B. Boyd. “He was strong in his beliefs but always gentle in expressing them and treated all people with respect and courtesy. He served the world through Rotary in many ways and always with a smile. The Rotary family will miss him. Our hearts go out to his wife, Mary.”

Estess, who joined Rotary in 1960, was a member of the Rotary Club of Shades Valley, Alabama, USA. In addition to his term as RI president, he served in numerous capacities including Rotary Foundation trustee chair, RI vice president and director, president’s aide, PolioPlus national coordinator, RI Audit and Operations Review Committee chair, International Assembly group discussion leader, and district governor.

He was a recipient of the RI Service Above Self Award and The Rotary Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service and Distinguished Service Award. He was a Foundation Major Donor, a Paul Harris Fellow, and benefactor.

Through the RI theme Celebrate Rotary , Estess encouraged clubs to implement a Rotary centennial community project, form twin club relationships, and support the Every Rotarian, Every Year effort, which aims to achieve an annual US$100 per capita contribution level for the Foundation’s Annual Fund.

“Glenn Estess had an uncomplicated but effective theme for Rotary’s centennial year,” says RI President Kalyan Banerjee. “He celebrated Rotary so aptly and simply during that year. It was amazing. Glenn was always humble, courteous, straightforward, and always doing the right thing.”

Estess served as president of the Birmingham Sales & Marketing Executives Association and the Alabama Association of Personnel Consultants. Estess’ other accomplishments included director of Central Alabama Better Business Bureau; trustee chair of Baptist Medical Centers; chair of YMCA in Florida, the American Chemical Society, and the American Arthritis Foundation; and regent of the National Association of Personnel Consultants.

"The Four-Way Test was never a challenge for the lifestyle Glenn lived by. He embodied those values and set an example for so many Rotarians," says Donald E. Osburn, aide to the president during Estess’ term. "He always said Rotary is about making friendships for life and that’s exactly what he did all over the world."

He is survived by his wife, Mary; son Glenn Estess Jr.; and daughters Elizabeth Wilson and Nancy Martin.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, 10 February, at 1 p.m. at Brookwood Baptist Church, 3944 Overton Road, Birmingham, Alabama, 35223. Visitation will be held Thursday, 9 February, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Glenn E. Estess Sr. Endowed Scholarship Fund at The Rotary Foundation, either online or through an RI international office. Contributions may also be directed to the Glenn E. Estess Sr. Endowed Scholarship Fund, under the Foundation’s Permanent Fund.

In this clip from a 2009 interview, Estess talks about the value of Rotary and the strength of Rotarians.

Five priorities for strengthening Rotary’s image

2012-01-30T09:24:00.000-08:00

Hewko outlines five priorities for strengthening Rotary’s image, reach

By Arnold R. Grahl

Rotary International News -- 24 January 2012

A number of major initiatives are underway that will help Rotary International’s professional staff, the Secretariat, be a more effective, efficient, and useful resource for clubs and districts.

Addressing the fifth plenary session of the International Assembly, an annual training event for incoming district leaders, RI General Secretary John Hewko spelled out five priorities for strengthening the organization, ones he said would put Rotary on the best footing possible as it begins its second century. (Watch a video of the speech )

“Rotary is an organization with an incredible history and there is no question that its best years are yet to come,” Hewko said. “These five priorities, as well as many others, will strengthen our great organization and have a significant, positive impact down to the level of the club and individual Rotarian.” (photo of John Hewko-Rotary Images/Monika Lozinska)

Eradicating polio

Hewko said the first priority is the eradication of polio, Rotary’s signature global initiative since 1985. Eradication of polio will save hundreds of thousands of children from suffering from the disease, and save the world between US$40 billion and $50 billion in health care costs over the next 20 years.

A robust public relations campaign is underway to publicize Rotary’s work in polio eradication.

“Our success in polio eradication will set the stage for the next global initiative that Rotary chooses to tackle, whatever that may be,” Hewko said.

Future Vision

The second priority is implementing RI’s Strategic Plan and the global launch of the Future Vision Plan, The Rotary Foundation’s new grant making model. Hewko said Future Vision is the second most important Rotary initiative, after polio, and it will be important to get district leaders on board to support the launch.

“Successful implementation of Future Vision will lead to projects and programs in the six areas of focus that are better designed and more sustainable and scalable, and that will lead to greater impact,” he said. “This, in turn, will increase our profile, reputation, and public image and will make Rotary more attractive to outside funding sources. Future Vision will bring considerable and tangible positive benefits to clubs and districts.”

Rotary Club Central

The third priority, developing a new tool called Rotary Club Central, will help Rotary place a value on the thousands of service projects clubs do each year. The online resource will help clubs maintain a record of past activities; set and track strategic goals and initiatives; and allow reporting of the global, collective impact of club, district, and zone activities.

“We know how much funding passes through The Rotary Foundation -- approximately $100 million per year excluding polio [funding] -- but we have no idea of the total value of all of the money raised, in-kind contributions made, and volunteer hours spent by clubs worldwide on service projects,” Hewko said. “Having a credible number would enhance our reputation, help with membership, and make us more attractive to potential strategic partners.”

Membership

The fourth priority is membership, including making Rotary more appealing and relevant to younger members. The RI Board has launched an initiative to develop three-year regional membership plans tailored to specific regional needs and challenges. Achieving this priority will also require revamping the website to improve performance and make it more user friendly, increasing use of social media, looking at expanding e-clubs, and giving clubs greater flexibility with attendance requirements.

The board is also working with an international agency with a track record of success to provide a fresh global perspective of Rotary’s brand, its membership, core strengths, competition, and operating philosophy.

“Ultimately, I believe, this process will more than revitalize a brand. It will revitalize Rotary -- ensuring that Rotary is recognized the world over for what it does,” Hewko said. “And make no mistake: what Rotary does is nothing short of amazing.”

Humanitarian assistance

The fifth priority is positioning Rotary more fully as a major player in global humanitarian assistance and development.

“Here we have Rotary, with its incredible platform of 1.2 million engaged, active, and motivated members, drawn from the business and professional networks of tens of thousands of communities,” Hewko said. “In short, a private-sector platform that is unmatched in the world today.”

“I re-pledge to you today that I will invest every ounce of my energy to ensure that the Rotary flame burns ever brighter, so that working together we can continue to make the world a better place,” he said. “For our families and friends, for our communities and countries, and for future generations to come.“

For more information:

Download Hewko's speech (PDF)
Get resources from the 2012 International Assembly

Follow Hewko on Twitter @johnhewko and Facebook

See the general secretary's biography

Rotary Ride for Veterans/Cycle4Sight

2012-01-20T21:47:00.000-08:00

  TO OUR FELLOW ROTARIANS AND ROTARY CLUBS

            PLEASE CONSIDER JOINING WITH US---AND MANY OTHER
   ROTARY CLUBS---ON A BEAUTIFUL SPRING DAY IN THE NAPA VALLEY

                                           SATURDAY APRIL 21, 2012

                                                    AS WE SUPPORT

    THE PATHWAY HOME PROGRAM:  AMERICA'S FIRST PRIVATELY FUNDED TREATMENT
    AND REHABILITATION PROGRAM FOR RETURNING VETERANS SUFFERING FROM PTSD
    AND OTHER WAR DRIVEN TRAUMA.

    ENCHANTED HILLS CAMP FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED: THE ONLY SUCH
    CAMP IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SERVING CHILDREN , FAMALIES AND VETERANS

                                                    OUR ACCLAIMED

                        WINE    ----    FOOD   ----   MUSIC ----   CYCLING ---   FESTIVAL

            ROTARY RIDE FOR VETERANS       -----    WINE VALLEY CYCLE FOR SIGHT
           WWW.ROTARYRIDE4VETS.COM                  WWW.CYCLE4SIGHT.COM

      ATTRACTS OVER 2,500 GUESTS-----MORE THAN A DOZEN ROTARY CLUBS---AND HAS

                                                RAISED OVER    $ 400,000. !!

               USED TO SAVE AND IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OUR RETURNING VETERANS
                 AND TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED

                  THIS EVENT AND OUR COMBINED EFFORTS HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED --
                       THROUGHOUT OUR DISTRICT , STATE AND THE NATION

                        ** FEATURES IN LOCAL AND NATIONAL TV SHOWS
                         ** HBO DOCUMENTARY 'WARTORN 1864--2010"
                         ** SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE

                            RAISE FUNDS FOR YOUR "OWN CLUB PROJECTS"---

                 THROUGH OUR    "ROTARY CLUB-- PLEDGE PARTNER PROGRAM"

    GATHER YOUR OWN GROUP OF CYCLISTS---ROTARIANS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF
    YOUR COMMUNITIES, USE YOUR ENERGIES TO SOLICIT PLEDGES FOR YOUR AND
    OUR CHARATIES--USE OUR EVENT AND REGISTRATION SYSTEM---AND WE WILL

                DONATE BACK TO "YOUR CLUB" 50 % OF THE PLEDGES RAISED !!

       EVERY YEAR WE ARE HAPPILY ABLE TO SEND $1,000.'S OF DOLLARS BACK
                      TO MANY CLUBS WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO PARTICIPATE.
                               TRULY----A----"WIN --- WIN " FOR EVERYONE

  SO PLEASE GIVE THIS OPPORTUNITY YOUR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION---AND COME
   ENJOY SOME "ROTARY FELLOWSHIP" IN THE BEAUTIFUL NAPA VALLEY---WHILE WE

               ALL JOIN TOGETHER TO  "SAVE LIVES---ONE SOLDIER AT A TIME"

    ALL OF THE MATERIALS YOU WILL NEED ARE ATTACHED----ARE ON LINE, ON OUR
    WEB SITE---AND FOR MANY CLUBS HAVE BEEN MAILED OUT TO YOUR CLUBS.

      REMEMBER---NOT JUST A CYCLING EVENT--BUT A WINE, FOOD, MUSIC FESTIVAL--
                                  WITH CYLING AS A MORNING OPTION

THE ROTARY CLUB OF NAPA

GARY ROSE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
CYCLE FOR SIGHT WWW.CYCLE4SIGHT.COM
ROTARY RIDE FOR VETERANS WWW.ROTARYRIDE4VETS.COM
707-256-2147"SAVING LIVES ONE SOLDIER AT A TIME"

Rotary 2012-New Ideas

2012-01-04T19:21:00.000-08:00

Get more out of Rotary in 2012

Start the new year off right: Check out these ideas for having a fun, successful 2012 with your Rotary club or district.

Read more

Learn about Rotary's areas of focus
Support the Foundation

Click on Read more and Supprt the Foundation.

(photo: from RI photo gallery)

Sustainability

2011-12-13T15:30:00.000-08:00

Rotary water symposium in Israel stresses sustainability

By Abby Breitstein

Rotary International News – 5 December 2011

More than 100 Rotarians took part in an international water symposium in Tel Aviv on 16 November, discussing ways that Rotary can help meet the world's water and sanitation needs.

The symposium, sponsored by District 2490, was held in conjunction with WATEC Israel 2011, an annual water technology exhibition and conference that draws thousands of researchers, developers, politicians, and business executives from around the world.

RI President Kalyan Banerjee, addressing both symposium attendees and the larger WATEC audience, emphasized the need for Rotary service projects to be sustainable.

Sustainability "means that there will not be a problem finding parts, fixing something that is broken, finding the money for maintenance, keeping the project going," he said. "It means the community will take ownership of a solution, so that even though it might have come from Rotary originally, it no longer belongs to Rotary."

Community input

Banerjee used the example of solar ovens to illustrate why successful service projects need to begin with community input. Though solar ovens might look like a perfect solution to the problem of finding cooking fuel -- their energy source is free, inexhaustible, and nonpolluting; they are cheap to make; and they preclude the need to gather wood and cut down trees -- other factors might have to be considered, he said. Perhaps local foods need to be cooked at hotter temperatures than a solar oven provides, or the area is very windy and the ovens could blow away, or the local women traditionally rise before dawn to cook.

"These are all issues that you simply might not have thought of," Banerjee said. "When we are talking about solutions to a problem, we must recognize that solutions cannot be imposed. They have to be developed, they have to be appropriate, they have to be a product of communication and cooperation."

Ron Denham, chair of the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group and a member of the Rotary Club of Toronto Eglinton, Ontario, Canada, said it is especially important to choose appropriate technology for water projects in low-income areas.

"Appropriate technology means that the technology is within the capability and capacity of the people to use. It has to be very simple," he said. "The community also has to be able to afford to operate and maintain the facility."

The day's events brought together a wealth of expertise in water technology in a country that is the world's leader in water conservation.

Conference organizer Avner Fuchs, past governor of District 2490 and a member of the Rotary Club of Gedera, explained that Israel exists in a "permanent state of water shortage. We cannot waste any water, so we look at ways not only to use less water, but to reuse water in every way we can."

Fuchs said Israel recycles 75 percent of its uncontaminated wastewater, adding that the figure will rise to 95 percent by 2020. "Reclaimed water goes into things like cotton, trees, flowers -- anything that people don’t end up eating or drinking," he said.

For more information:

Find out how you and your Rotary club can get involved in a sustainable water project through the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group.
Learn about Rotary's areas of focus, including water and sanitation.

Making time for family and Rotary

2011-12-09T11:37:00.001-08:00

Making time for family and Rotary

By Arnold R. Grahl

Rotary International News -- 8 December 2011

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

When Bill Simmermon joined the Rotary Club of Highlands Ranch (Littleton), Colorado, USA, six years ago, he wanted to be an active member without sacrificing time with his family.

So the father of two brought his sons along to lunch meetings and involved them in club activities. His eldest son, Denver, has taken part in community and international service projects, is a member of Interact , and has been the featured speaker several times at the club's weekly meeting. And Simmermon's wife has been an active part of the club.

"My family is all in," Simmermon says. "My involvement with Rotary doesn't conflict with family time. It has actually enhanced our family time, because we are all there together."

On RI's official LinkedIn group, several Rotarians also discussed the benefits of involving their family in Rotary. Henna Budhrani, a member of the Rotary club of St. Maarten, Sint Maarten, says she has included her children in the club's holiday food distribution to the elderly. Her kids will also attend the club's annual Christmas party for children from low-income families.

(Denver Simmermon takes part in a medical mission in Nicaragua, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Highlands Ranch (Littleton), Colorado, USA. Photo courtesy of Bill Simmermon)

Like father, like son

Bruce Thomson belongs to the same club as his father, the Rotary Club of Lynnwood, Washington, USA, and both are past presidents. Long before he joined, however, Thomson notes he took part in the club's annual projects, along with his mother and four sisters. His children now help out in club projects.

"Our club serves as the conduit for our family's community service," Thomson says.

"Rotary has had a major impact in our family evolution and that has impacted the community."

"Rotary has something to offer the whole family," Simmermon says. "For some of our members, the No. 1 reason they were interested in Rotary was that they could get their children involved in service projects. There's a big push in high schools to have children take part in community service, and it looks good on their transcript when they apply for college."

And he notes that The Four-Way Test and Rotary's other guiding principles are useful for parents.

"The same values Rotary stands for are values we believe in as a family," he says. "We want to pass along those values to our children."

Family is on the minds of many Rotarians in December, as Rotary celebrates Family Month. In addition to recognizing the importance of families in Rotary, the month celebrates the family of Rotary, which includes Rotarians and all those involved in Rotary's work -- from Rotary Foundation program alumni to participants in Rotary youth programs around the world.

For more resources:

See suggestions from other Rotarians about making clubs family friendly.
Watch the Rotary Minute, "Is Your Club Family Friendly?"
Read the discussion on RI's official LinkedIn group "Does your family get involved with Rotary?"
See photos shared by Rotarians in our Family of Rotary Flickr group.

Learn more about Rotary's guiding principles.

DG Nominee Designate 2014-2015

2011-12-07T13:01:00.001-08:00

Official Publication of District Governor Nominating Committee Results as required by Rotary International Manual of Procedure

The District Nominating Committee has interviewed Rotarians who were formally suggested by Rotary Clubs for the position of District Governor in 2014-15. The chosen nominee is Kevin Eisenberg of the Rotary Club of Calistoga. The Nominating Committee consists of the five most recently serving Past District Governors. If any Club having suggested a different candidate wishes to challenge the decision and call for a ballot-by-mail of the membership, said club must notify the District Governor of its intention to file a challenge by December 19, and will receive further instructions. On December 20, no challenges being brought, our district’s nomination will be official.

Respectfully submitted by District Governor Maureen Merrill

CANCELLED

2011-12-05T17:11:00.001-08:00

January 4 dinner with RI President Kalyan Banerjee at DoubleTree Hotel, Sacramento is CANCELLED. DG Maureen Merrill informed us in her email.

Meet and hear RI President Kalyan Banerjee

2011-11-30T12:42:00.001-08:00

From DG Maureen Merrill message:

Multi-District Annual Dinner with R.I. President Kalyan Banerjee

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Doubletree Hotel in Sacramento

$32.50 per person

President Kalyan will speak

Enjoy evening with friends from District 5130 and other northern California districts

Please indicate if you are definitely interested or MAY be interested and the number of tickets.

Ticket price information coming soon.

Selling coffee for a cause

2011-11-19T13:33:00.000-08:00

Selling coffee for a cause
By Megan Ferringer

Rotary International News -- 10 November 2011

(this article is taken from the RI website)
By selling fair trade coffee to Rotary clubs throughout the United States, a former Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar is helping to raise money to fund worldwide clean water initiatives.

A pump provides water to a village in Tanzania -- part of a project made possible by the Foundation’s donor advised fund. Water and sanitation is one of Rotary’s areas of focus under the Future Vision Plan.

Five for Water, a project started by Bill Prost, a member of the Rotary Club of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA, finances a Rotary Foundation donor advised fund for water projects in coffee-producing countries. After forming a partnership with Green Mountain Coffee, Prost invited clubs to purchase the organic coffee and sell it in their community. Funds generated from the sales would go toward water projects throughout Africa, Central and South America, and Indonesia.

(A pump provides water to a village in Tanzania -- part of a project made possible by the Foundation’s donor advised fund. Water and sanitation is one of Rotary’s areas of focus under the Future Vision Plan. Photo courtesy of Five for Water )
“I wanted to create a year-round project that’s fit for any size club,” says Prost, who studied in England as a 1979-80 Rotary Scholar. “Any club, no matter how large or small, can help be a part of this. It’s a really simple project.”

Coffee sales

Even though the project was launched only a year ago, more than 300 clubs in the United States are already selling the coffee. Their efforts have netted nearly $184,000, providing more than 50,000 people in 10 countries with access to clean water.

An estimated two million people die every year from waterborne diseases, and more than one billion lack access to clean water, according to the World Health Organization. “I told myself that, as a Rotarian, it was my responsibility to do something about [that],” Prost says.

After the money is raised, clubs seek an international partnership with another club and apply for a Rotary Foundation Matching Grant. A big focus of Five for Water has been funding the installation of wells to serve schools, orphanages, and medical clinics -- but, according to Prost, the project’s scope goes beyond that.

“We’re not narrow-minded on what we’ll fund,” he says. “It’s always about water and where we can have a good partnership.”

Wells in Bolivia

Recently, Five for Water installed eight wells in Bolivia and pump stations near a reservoir in Sumatra. Prost has also partnered with a club in Missouri and Engineers Without Borders to create a pipeline in Honduras that supplies water from an existing well and a water tower. The project’s goal is to provide more than 300 families with clean drinking water.

Because Five for Water only sells coffee in the United States, and several clubs elsewhere have expressed an interest in getting involved, Prost says the next step is to expand the project internationally.

“This is a simple and fun project designed for any club,” he says. “It works because Rotary has so many international components, and we’re all wanting to work together for a similar cause.”

Sign up to receive Reconnections to read more about Rotary Foundation alumni.

Rotary Club of Napa Sunrise also sells coffeee for a Rotary cause. The coffee from Guatemala and supports the coffee growers through minibanks. Contact Andrea Schrader of Napa Sunrise for more information.

Rotary Foundation Month

2011-11-11T14:53:00.001-08:00

Rotary Foundation Month

November is Rotary Foundation Month. Your support of the Annual Fund through the Every Rotarian, Every Year (EREY) initiative makes it possible for the Foundation to continue its work of Doing Good in the World.

See five reasons to support the Foundation

Read how program participants express their thanks

(photo: from Rotary images-RI website)

Rotarian Action Groups (RAGs)

2011-11-05T11:20:00.000-07:00

(logo: Rotarian Action Groups for the Alleviation of Hunger and Malnutrition)

Rotarian Action Groups

Rotarian Action Groups provide assistance and support to Rotary clubs and districts in planning and implementing service projects in their respective areas of expertise. They are autonomous, international groups organized by committed Rotarians, Rotarians’ spouses, and Rotaractors who have expertise in and a passion for a particular type of service.

How to get involved

If your club needs help with a service project, consider contacting a Rotarian Action Group with expertise in the appropriate area. If you have a personal interest in a particular issue, consider joining a group.

View a complete list of Rotarian Action Groups

How to organize a new Rotarian Action Group

While Rotarian Action Groups operate independently of Rotary International, they must receive official recognition from the RI Board of Directors and function in accordance with Rotary policy.

Forming a new Rotarian Action Group requires time, long-term planning, and a commitment to establishing an effective international network of Rotarians who share your vision. Prospective Rotarian Action Groups must secure at least 25 prospective members representing at least five countries and three Rotary zones and submit a detailed proposal to RI. If you are interested in organizing a Rotarian Action Group, please contact RI staff for guidance.

WEBINAR

An upcoming webinar will show how clubs and districts can collaborate with Rotarian Action Groups (RAGs) to increase the scope and sustainability of their service projects. This webinar gives you the chance to hear first-hand from Rotarian experts, ask questions, and learn how your club or districts can benefit from working with RAGs.Dates and registration links:

Tuesday, 8 November, 10:00-11:00 CST -- Click here to register

Tuesday, 8 November, 18:00-19:00 CST -- Click here to register

These webinars will be in English. There will also be a Spanish webinar for the same topic on 11 November, 10:00-11:00 CST.

World Polio Day

2011-11-04T14:10:00.000-07:00

Rotary celebrates, takes action on World Polio Day

By Dan Nixon

Rotary International News -- 2 November 2011

“In honor of World Polio Day, 24 October we are asking for your help to tell the world about Rotary’s achievements and to finish the job,” stated Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair Bill Boyd, in announcing to club presidents a special online initiative in support of Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge for polio eradication.

photo: After the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, the governments of Australia, Canada, and Nigeria, along with the Gates Foundation, made a combined pledge of more than US$100 million in new funds for polio eradication. Standing with Canadian Rotarian and polio survivor Ramesh Ferris (center) are Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Photo by Petina Dixon-Jenkins

Rotarians responded generously during the 24-28 October initiative, in which the Foundation offered double Paul Harris Fellow recognition points for online contributions of $100 or more. Contributions are being tallied and the total will be announced soon.

Throughout the week, Rotarians took up the call to end polio in variety of ways. In Australia, Rotarians and the Global Poverty Project carried out a petition drive to persuade world leaders to fully fund the critical work of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Almost 25,000 supporters signed the petition, resulting in a $20,000 contribution to Rotary's challenge by the Rotary Club of Crawley, Western Australia, which had offered to donate A$1 (about US$1) for each signature.In Perth, the Global Poverty Project's End of Polio Concert on 28 October raised additional funds. The concert coincided with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth; Rotarians had teamed up with the group to encourage government leaders to put polio eradication on the agenda. Following the meeting, the governments of Australia, Canada, and Nigeria, along with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, announced a combined pledge of more than US$100 million to support polio eradication efforts.

“I also want to acknowledge the efforts of Rotary in what has been a long-standing global initiative for change, and I'd like to remind everyone that change is possible,” said Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard. “When the Queen first visited Perth in 1954, it was in the grips of a polio epidemic. Of course, circumstances have changed in our country.”

“The government of Canada is proud to have supported [the Global Polio Eradication Initiative] for many years,” said Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. “When Rotary International first began the campaign that would lead to the 1988 WHO resolution to eradicate polio, poliomyelitis was still a devastating disease all over the world, crippling those it touched for life.”

“Global collaboration has ensured that eradication is within reach,” said Michael Sheldrick, the Global Poverty Project's polio campaign manager and a Crawley club member. “Our generation has a chance to realize a historic opportunity and ensure that no one else ever has to fear this disease. That’s why it’s vital we commit to finish the job."

In Washington, D.C., Bill Gates joined dozens of Rotarians on Capitol Hill to affirm the joint commitment of the Gates Foundation and Rotary to make history by eradicating the disease.

Rotary clubs in Arizona, USA, launched Hike the Arizona Trail to End Polio, aimed at raising $250,000 by 14 February. Rotarians and others are pledging at least $100 each to walk, bike, or ride horseback on sections of the 800-mile trail, which extends between the state’s borders with Mexico and Utah.

In Italy, Rotarians and friends participated in the Run to End Polio fundraiser, organized by the Rotary Club of Venezia-Riviera del Brenta, as part of the 23 October Venice Marathon.

Rotary club members and supporters also created personalized photos of themselves as part of Rotary’s “This Close” public awareness campaign and used them as their social networking profile pictures on World Polio Day. Celebrity participants included Angelique Kidjo, Jack Nicklaus, Itzhak Perlman, Tanvi Shah, and Ziggy Marley.

The week that began with World Polio Day ended on another high note as well: more than 80 million children in Africa and Asia were immunized against polio, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Learn more about polio and how you can help eradicate the disease:

Learn more about Rotary's polio eradication efforts.

Use "This Close" resources from the Rotary Media Center.

Begin planning for an End Polio Now lighting to celebrate Rotary's anniversary 23 February.

See a video with Dr. Rob Murphy, Director of Global Health at Northwestern University Feinberge School of Medicine.

video: http://player.ooyala.com/player.js?embedCode=NsMGl3MjowXAYIOR2-IBDkVKBF6lGkFf&deepLinkEmbedCode=NsMGl3MjowXAYIOR2-IBDkVKBF6lGkFf

Learn how the cold chain delivers the vaccine to remote locations.

International Interact Contest

2011-11-03T15:32:00.000-07:00

"International Action" is theme of third annual Interact video contest

Rotary International – 18 October 2011

We're doing it again.

We are seeking your entries for our third annual Interact video contest, focusing on the theme "International Action." So grab a camera, produce a short video, and enter our contest before 16 December.

you tube connect: http://youtu.be/Qa1a4Xsgmhk

This year's theme recalls the origins of the Interact program name -- a combination of the words international and action . For the 2011 contest, we want you to create a video that shows how your Interact club takes international action through fundraising, service projects, building friendships across cultures, and more."It's hard to put into words what this project meant to our club," says Lindsey Murphy, past president of the Interact Club of Syosset High School, New York, USA, who produced the video that won last year's grand prize .

Over the past seven years, members of the Syosset club have raised more than $100,000 for Gift of Life International, a nonprofit that provides free lifesaving heart surgeries and cardiac care for young children whose families cannot afford treatment. Their video showed the club's efforts during 2009-10, when the Interactors raised $42,000 for the organization, covering the cost of four surgeries for children in El Salvador.

"Through the Interact video contest, our club was able to convey our passion for making a difference and inspire other Interactors," Murphy says. "The most important message of Interact is that age plays no role in the impact you can have on the world. The Interact video contest allowed that message to come through on computer screens throughout the world."

How to enter

To enter the 2011 video contest, create an account on YouTube and upload your video. Then submit the contest entry form by email, fax, or post by 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time on 16 December.

All Interact club and sponsor Rotary club members are eligible to enter. Entrants under 18 years of age will need to indicate parental consent on the entry form.

The grand-prize winner's video will be featured on the RI website. The grand-prize winner and three finalists will receive a personalized certificate signed by RI President Kalyan Banerjee.To ensure that your video is not disqualified, check out the short list of do's and don'ts below, and read the complete contest rules .

Be creative and have fun.Incorporate the theme "International Action"Keep your video between 30 seconds and three minutes.Submit your video in English or with English subtitles.Use royalty-free music.

Don't

Include copyrighted music, images, footage, artwork, or videos.Include trademarks, logos, or brand names other than the official Interact logo or name.Submit a video that has been previously published, submitted, distributed, or aired.Submit a video that you did not create.Enter multiple videos.

Questions? Email interact@rotary.org .

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

Extreme Makeover

2011-11-02T22:43:00.000-07:00

Watch on Friday -November 4. in ABC Channel 7. Allen Hill a very recent veteran-graduate from Pathway Home and his house shown in the Extreme Makeover-House Edition.

Rotary Foundation

2011-11-01T14:26:00.000-07:00

Three things every Rotarian should know about the Foundation

1. The Foundation is working on our primary goal.

2.The Foundation change lives.

3.You make it possible.

A Q'eqchi' Maya woman collects water from the Tatin River near her home and Ak'Tenamit, a community development project funded in part by Rotary Foundation Matching Grants.(from Rotary images- photo by Monika Lozinska-Lee)

for the complete article go to : http://www.rotaryleader-en.org/rotaryleader-en/en201111/?pg=3&pm=1&u1=friend

A message from RI President Kalyan Banerjee

2011-11-01T09:48:00.000-07:00

November 2011

My dear brothers and sisters in Rotary,

In 1885, the London Times ran a series of editorials honoring the 100th birthday of Sir Moses Montefiore, the British financier and philanthropist knighted by Queen Victoria. The editorials commented on his honesty, his generosity, and his willingness to come to the aid of anyone in need. One story was particularly telling.

Someone once asked Sir Moses, one of the wealthiest men of his era, how much he was worth. In the face of such an ill-mannered inquiry, he merely paused for a moment’s reflection before naming a figure – one that fell far short of his questioner’s expectations. Naturally, it was met with an objection; surely he must be worth 10 times as much! Sir Moses merely smiled. “Young man,” he replied, “you didn’t ask me how much I own. You asked me how much I am worth. So I calculated how much I have given to charity this year, and that is the number I gave you. You see, in life we are worth only what we are willing to share with others.”

When we calculate our own worth, do we think about it in terms of what we have, or how we use it? When we say that all human beings are of equal worth, do our actions follow our words?

I believe that being a Rotarian means looking at all of our resources differently. What is the most good that we could choose to do with what we have? What are the choices that will ultimately leave us the richest?In Rotary, we are all aware of the great needs in so many parts of our world. And we all know how much we can do to help through our Rotary Foundation. We can change lives, we can restore hope, we can build futures – if we choose to.In life, everything is a choice. We can choose to close our eyes to the needs of others, to keep what we have for ourselves, to declare the problems of others to be theirs alone. Or we can choose to look past distance, past color, past language and dress and culture, and see that people everywhere are just like us – and then refuse to walk away.

End Polio Now

2011-10-28T15:47:00.000-07:00

Angelique Kidjo,UNICEF Ambassador, wrote an editorial on the Star Africa newspaper, about Polio Eradication in the world. She wrote in the opening paragraph:

“Today, on World Polio Day, parts of Africa continue to struggle to eliminate polio, a devastating disease that threatens our children with lifelong paralysis and even death. Nigeria, which borders my home country of Benin, is one of the last places in the world where the wild poliovirus has never been stopped. Recently, polio also reemerged in several countries across West Africa, including Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Guinea and Niger...”

And at the end, she wrote:“...We all must do our part. Parents, please make sure your children receive the polio vaccine during the upcoming immunization campaigns. Urge your friends, neighbors and family members to do the same. We as Africans must seize this opportunity to defeat polio once and for all. We are truly “this close” to a polio-free world. Together, we can end polio now.”

Please read the whole article at:http://www.starafrica.com/en/news/detail-news/view/world-polio-day-197750.html

Angelique Kidjo is a UNICEF Ambassador and participant in Rotary International’s “This Close to ending polio” awareness campaign.

2011-10-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

RI invites you to Webinars. Free seminars on the web past and future.

Webinars

Social media

Learn about "Using Social Media to Promote Your Club or District" in one of our three social media webinars. The free one-hour webinars will offer Rotarians information and ideas on maintaining and effectively using social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. The first two webinars will focus on the basics of social media. The third webinar will focus on more advanced social media skills.Click on the below link to register for a free one-hour webinar, which will be offered in English:

Basics

Wednesday, 12 October -- Hear the recording

Wednesday, 19 October -- Hear the recording

Advanced

Wednesday, 16 November at 11 a.m. (Central Time)

Times are for the Chicago area; please check for your local time.

Work with Rotarian Action Groups to maximize your service projects

Join us to learn how clubs and districts can collaborate with Rotarian Action Groups (RAGs) to increase the scope of sustainability of their service projects. This webinar gives you the chance to hear first-hand from Rotarian experts, ask questions, and learn how your club or district can benefit from working with RAGs.

Tuesday, 8 November, 10:00-11:00 CST -- Click here to register

Tuesday, 8 November, 18:00-19:00 CST -- Click here to register

These webinars will be in English. There will also be a Spanish webinar for the same topic on 11 November, 10:00-11:00 CST.

Past webinars

"District Grants Best Practices" -- Hear about the first year of Rotary Foundation District Grants during the Future Vision pilot, discussed advantages and challenges, and best practices provided for district leaders as they plan and implement district grant activities. Listen to this recording from the 28 September webinar."Using Social Media to Promote Your Club or District," basics version -- Listen to the recording from the 12 October or 20 October webinar."Meet John Hewko: Rotary's New General Secretary"-- Listen to the recording from the 15 September webinar."Closing the Back Door" Member Retention -- Listen to the recording from the 1 September webinar ."Print to Digital…Moving your Message Online" -- Listen to the recording from the 22 June webinar."Public Perception of Rotary"-- Listen to a recording from the 22 February webinar or from 24 February webinar."Using Social Media to Promote Your Club or District" -- Listen to a recording from the 2 February webinar or from 9 February .

The article is from the RI website: www.rotary.org

More from Rotary Night at Oxbow Public Market

2011-10-27T12:17:00.000-07:00

More photos courtesy of Barry Thompson,

and Rose Sheehan, both from Rotary Club of Napa Sunrise. Thank you.

Barry's granddaughter's name is Gracie. I corrected Chris Craiker's name on the previous blog.There will other nights for Rotary socials and opportunities for fellowship.

Rotary Night at the Oxbow Public Market

2011-10-24T22:38:00.000-07:00

All the Napa Valley Rotary Clubs participated in the Rotary Night-End Polio Now at the Oxbow Public Market this Monday evening in Napa. PDG Jim and Kathy Flamson and Kevin of the Calistoga club came. President Kelly Crane and Cynthia Kee and other members

from St. Helena came. Gary Rose, Jerry Medlin, and Dorothy and John Salmon-Napa Noon group. From Napa Sunrise-Barry Thompson came with his wife, Pat, and granddaughter,Gracie. Also Rose Sheehan and Chris Craiker from Napa Sunrise were there. Michael Juric, DG elect 2012-2013, all the way from Windsor, visited with the Napa Valley Rotarians. From the North Napa-President Bill Bennett and his wife, Wendy, Tom and Linda Webber, Kathi Metro and her husband, Alan, Edgar and Cheri Calvelo, Tracy Tinsley, Michael Redman and Al Verstuyft. I think everyone enjoyed the fellowship, good food and drinks. There were a few Rotarians who were there I forgot to mention.

Let's Go

2011-10-12T20:51:00.000-07:00

Fellowship, Fun, and Philantrophy

October 14-Friday-President Jim, Rotary Club of Napa,invites all the Napa Valley Rotarians for an Open House-Rotary Social-in his office at1836 Second St., Downtown Napa at 4-7:30PM. President Jim says there will be Great Wine and Great Food.There will be a raffle with first prize of One Magnum Don Perignon Champagne bottle ($350). Proceeds go to Polio Plus.

CALISTOGA Harvest Hoedown-October 15, 2011 (Saturday) at Tubbs at Napa County Fairgrounds, Calistoga. Door open at 6PM. $50 per person.BBQ,Dancing, Auctions (Live and Silent). Fundraising for Rotary Club of Calistoga.for tickets call:707 942 5356

October-Vocational Service Month

2011-10-05T09:09:00.000-07:00

Vocational Service Month promotes business integrity, professional development

by Ryan Hyland

Rotary International News -- 3 October 2011

(Through the Avenue of Vocational Service, Rotarians contribute their professional expertise and skills to address societal problems and needs, promote high ethical standards in the workplace, support career planning and other vocational activities, and represent the dignity and value of their profession. Rotary Images/Alyce Henson)

Carlos Früm, governor of District 6440 (Illinois, USA) and a member of the Rotary Club of Northbrook, teaches business principles and entrepreneurship to Maya high school students as part of his district’s ongoing service project in Guatemala.

"Vocational service gives Rotarians the opportunity to help others escape poverty and gain a measure of self-respect," Früm says. "As business and professional leaders, we have a duty to lead and encourage good ethics through vocation."

Through vocational service, Rotarians contribute their professional expertise and skills to address societal problems and needs, and to promote high ethical standards in the workplace.

"Rotary's focus on ethical practices as part of vocational service has been a central part of my success in my business, professional, civic, and personal life since I became a Rotarian," says Paul A. Netzel, vice chair of the Vocational Service Promotion Committee and past RI director.

Rotarians have two benchmarks for promoting professional integrity: The Four-Way Test and the Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professions."Rotary's Four-Way Test has served as an easy template for me in weighing the pros and cons of countless issues and decisions I've had to address over my career," Netzel says. "It has helped make me a better Rotarian."Netzel says vocational service sets Rotary apart from other service and humanitarian organizations.

(Interactors at a vocational high school in Rignac, Aveyron, France, teach students from a local primary school how to make profiteroles. The project is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Rodez. Rotary Images/Monika Lozinska-Lee)

Rotarians can support vocational service byStrengthening the emphasis on professional diversity in member recruitmentIdentifying ways to emphasize professions in club activitiesPlacing a stronger emphasis on business networking with integrity at the club and district level -- which also is a means of attracting and mentoring the next generationEmphasizing the connection between The Four-Way Test and the Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professions, and their importance to the values of Rotary.)

For more information:Review An Introduction to Vocational Service (PDF)See a powerpoint presentation on vocational serviceDownload the Model Project Submission Form

(article taken from RI website)

Celebrate Rotary

2011-10-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

Celebrate Rotary at the District Conference on June 14-17, 2012 in Fortuna, CA.go to links: http://youtu.be/dBTC5mg55Yw

October Events

2011-09-11T17:59:00.000-07:00

October is the month of fun and fundraisings for 3 clubs.

Rotary Club of Napa Sunrise presents.

Evening at MonticelloSaturday, October 1 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.Monticello Vineyards4242 Big Ranch Road, Napa, CaliforniaTickets are $65 in advance ~ $75 at the door

for tickets and other information go to: http://www.eveningatmonticello.com/index.html

Rotary Club of North Napa presents:

2011 Napa Homebrewers ClassicOctober 8, 2011 11:00 am – 5:00 pmChardonnay Hall, Napa Valley ExpositionA brewfest with lots of great music, homemade beer, and raffle prizes!Your $25 ticket lets you taste some of the best homemade beer on the planet!All proceeds benefit the charity projects of the Rotary Club of North Napa

To Buy tickets call 707 253 2208 or Website: http://tinyurl.com/43qbee6

Rotary Club of Calistoga presents:

Harvest HoedownOctober 15, 2011Tubbs at Napa County FairgroundsCalistoga ,CADoors open at 6:00PMBBQ,Dancing,Live and Silent Auctions

To purchase tickets for HARVEST HOEDOWN please call: 707-942-5356

October 24-Rotary Night Social at Oxbow Public Market, First Street, Napa.All Napa Valley Rotary Clubs participating. Wear your Rotary shirts10% of proceeds go to Rotary End Polio Now Campaign

September Rotary Message

2011-09-09T20:37:00.000-07:00

Message from RI President

September 2011

My dear brothers and sisters in Rotary,

We have a color for the 2011-12 Rotary year, and that color is green. Why green? Because green is the color of spring, of new life, of bright leaves bursting forth from spreading branches. And there is no doubt that it is time to “green” Rotary – to lift our deepening pallor of gray and replace it with brighter shades of green.

Overall, in Rotary, only 11 percent of our members are under the age of 40, while 68 percent are over 50 and 39 percent are over 60. It’s not too hard to see where this will lead us in 10, 20, and 30 years down the line, if we don’t do something about it now. It is not enough to simply bring in new members. We need to bring in younger members, who will breathe new life and new vigor into our organization.

How can we be more attractive to younger members, who are so different in so many ways from the young professionals of a generation or two ago? We have to come to them where they are – and for most young people, where they are is on the Internet, on Facebook, on Twitter and e-mail, and on their smartphones. A club that doesn’t have a presence on the Internet simply doesn’t exist as far as they are concerned. A club’s website is its public face – and it has to be a good one.

More than anything, I believe we need to bring back the idea of the family of Rotary. We need to look at all of Rotary as one family: Rotarians, their families, and also Rotaractors, Interactors, Youth Exchange students and alumni, Foundation alumni, and so on. And we need to consider retention as an idea that applies not just to Rotarians, but to the entire family of Rotary.

Too often, we look outward to find new members, and we do not see our own young generation, waiting to be called upon. We must look to them to find the capable and enthusiastic new members who will be the club presidents, the district governors, and the RI senior leaders of tomorrow.

We owe it to our Rotary family – past, present, and future – to make sure that our generation of Rotarians is not the last. We must, in a very real sense, reach within – to embrace our Rotary family, so that we can better embrace all of humanity.

Kalyan Banerjee

 President, Rotary International

(from Rotary Images-photo by Monika Lozinska-Lee)

NVRA first meeting 2011-2012

2011-09-07T23:15:00.000-07:00

September 7 NVRA meeting held at the Wine Train Culinary Arts Center, 801 Eight Street, Napa.

All the Rotary Clubs in Napa Valley are growing and have exciting changes. There are new fund raising events.

October will be an exciting month.

October 1- Napa Sunrise- Evening at Monticello.

October 8- Homebrewers Classic- North Napa

October 14-President Jim's (Jim Riley-President, Rotary Club of Napa)- Open house-4-7:30PM-1836 Second St. Napa-great food, great wine and great fellowship. All Napa Valley Rotarians are invited.

October 15-Harvest Hoedown-Calistoga

October 24-Monday-Rotary Night at Oxbow Public Market in First Street, Napa. All 5 Napa Valley Rotary Clubs participating.

With membership:

Napa-3 new members
Calistoga-4 new members

Presentations:

PDG JIm Flamson- Invites everyone to celebrate at the Rotary Foundation Dinner- on September 24-Hyatt Hotel, Santa Rosa.

Pamela Tuft appeals for the Rotary Summer Camps- formerly known as Kool Kids Camp.Pam will speak to any club about the Rotary Summer Camp-1 week program. The camp needs club financial support. $450/child. Napa Social Services sent 9 children from Napa.

Warren Hernand stirs the interest of the clubs to sponsor a Rotaract club in Napa. Warren will speak to the club about the Rotaract and will help start the initial formation stages if the Napa Clubs are interested.

Other highlights:

Barry Thompson, Past President,Rotary Club of Napa Sunrise- Assistant District Governor-Elect 2012-2013- Napa Valley Clubs

Michael Parker, sponsored by Rotary Club of North Napa, selected for the District 5130 RI Ambassadorial Scholarship 2012-2013

The Napa Clubs will try to coordinate the early distribution of the dictionaries to the Elementary School Third Graders this year in the same time period.

All the clubs seem have more social events planned this Rotary year. One of note: President Jim Riley's Open House.

Rotary Clubs of Napa and North Napa have District Simplified Grants applications. Rotary Club of Napa- for Connolly Ranch. And Rotary Club of North Napa for the Literacy program in the Napa County-City Library.

Rotary Club of Napa- shows a 4-minute-movie/video-educational and informative in its meeting. The Quilt for and Monday night Bowling with the Pathway Home veterans.

Rotary Club of Napa Sunrise serves at the Table (for the homeless) in Napa and BBQ with the Veterans at the Pathway Home.

Rotary Club of Napa Sunrise considering to continue the Rotary Fly-In with the 3 Napa Clubs participation. Also for consideration-all Napa clubs participation in the July 4th Parade organized by Doris Gentry, Rotary Club of Napa Sunrise. Both need more discussion.

Rotary Club of St. Helena has its Rotary Youth Exchange from Italy.

Rotary Club of Calistoga-every third Thursday has a program called "Look In" program. It is the time new members are inducted, anniversaries are celebrated and cake is served.It's also sort of a mini-club assembly.

More members's participation is happening in all the clubs.

Photos:courtesy of Barry Thompson

Rotary Foundation Celebration Dinner

2011-08-19T22:08:00.000-07:00

Rotary Foundation Celebration Dinner- South
Saturday, September 24 2011
Hyatt - Vineyard Creek Hotel and Spa

170 Railroad Street Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Theme: Hearts on FIRE!
Black Tie Optimal
$75 per person

6:00pm doors open - no host cocktails
Contact Chris Parr-Feldman for registration-email: parrevents@aol.com

Encourage your members to attend the celebration dinner.

Rotary Membership

2011-08-12T17:29:00.000-07:00

Message from RI President Benerjee:

The new Rotary year—our Rotary year—has begun. Now is the time for us to set to work in earnest; now is the time for our plans and preparation to be turned into action.

As we begin the tasks we have set for ourselves, I remind you all that part of our goal is also to leave Rotary better at the end of the year than it was at the beginning, which means bringing in new members and working to keep the ones we have. For that reason, I have asked the RI Membership Development & Retention Committee, chaired by Past RI Vice-President Monty Audenart, to develop a three-year membership plan that includes the following elements:

Recognition of varying regional opportunities and challenges
A focus on diversity to bring in more young professionals and women and expand the range of professional backgrounds in our clubs

Improved retention efforts in all regions
More appealing, inviting, and flexible clubs
Please click on one of the links to view a personal message from me to you, our club leaders, on this most important issue.

I send my best wishes to you, my fellow officers, for a wonderful beginning to this Rotary year—as we Reach Within to Embrace Humanity together.

Thank you.

(taken from the RI president's letter/video message to all the club presidents. Links are below in different languages)

http://tinyurl.com/3z5snbl (EN)
http://tinyurl.com/3ql5bwb (ES)
http://tinyurl.com/3m2oe2a (FR)

RI President 2013-2014

2011-08-10T07:59:00.000-07:00

Burton is choice for 2013-14 RI president
By Ryan Hyland
Rotary International News -- 8 August 2011

Ron D. Burton, a member of the Rotary Club of Norman, Oklahoma, USA, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International in 2013-14

Ron D. Burton, a member of the Rotary Club of Norman, Oklahoma, USA, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International in 2013-14. Burton will become the president-nominee on 1 October if there are no challenging candidates.
Burton retired as president of the University of Oklahoma Foundation Inc. in 2007. He is a member of the American Bar Association, as well as the bar associations of Cleveland County and the state of Oklahoma. He is admitted to practice in Oklahoma and before the U.S. Supreme Court.

"This is an exciting time to be a Rotarian," Burton says. "I believe we are well poised to capitalize on our strengths as we embrace the [RI] Strategic Plan and the Future Vision Plan. My vision is to have every Rotarian appreciate what it means to be a Rotarian. With these two tools, we can make that happen."

Active in his community, Burton is a founder and past president of the Norman Public School Foundation, and founder and past board member of the Norman Community Foundation. A recipient of the Silver Beaver Award, he is a past vice president of the Last Frontier Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Burton believes that Rotary's promotion of high ethical standards is one of the qualities that sets it apart from other organizations.
"It assures those dealing with us that we can be trusted," he says. "Most of us are in a business or profession that already has a code of ethics. Vocational service in Rotary just adds to that responsibility. We have an obligation to go above and beyond to make sure that all our actions are above reproach."

A Rotarian since 1979, Burton is vice chair of the Future Vision Committee and a member of the Polio Eradication Advocacy Task Force for the United States. He has served RI as director; Rotary Foundation trustee and trustee vice chair; International Assembly moderator, assistant moderator, and group discussion leader; and district governor.
His other service to Rotary includes chair of the 2011 New Orleans Convention Committee, vice chair of the Investment Advisory Committee, liaison trustee of the Vocational Service Committee, Permanent Fund national adviser, and regional Rotary Foundation coordinator. He was aide to 2006-07 RI President William B. Boyd.

Burton has received the RI Service Above Self Award and The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service, Distinguished Service Award, and International Service Award for a Polio-Free World.

Burton and his wife, Jetta, have two children and three grandchildren.

(from RI website: www.rotary.org)
 

Rotary Social

2011-07-26T23:21:00.000-07:00

The weather was cool and the Rotarians were smiling and engaged friendly conversation. Everyone enjoyed the food and drinks. Afterwards-Ice cream.

The future is bright for more social events.

Rotary Social-Rural Urban Dinner

2011-07-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

Today is the Rotary Social, a day of fellowship for the 5 Napa Valley clubs,the Napa Valley Rotary Association (NVRA), at the Oxbow Public Market in Napa. The idea of the social event is to revive in a different way an old tradition which started in 1941 by the Rotary Club of Calistoga when each year the Rotary Clubs of Napa Valley get together at the Rural Urban dinner.

The story: "Rotarian Ed Light went out and shot a buck deer and invited the Calistoga Rotary to dinner.

"The next year with more help, the St. Helena Club was invited to join Calistoga and the following year, the Napa Club was invited.

"It was also at that time that a Napa Rotarian Herman Baade, who was the county farm advisor, suggested that each Rotarian should take a farmer to the dinner meeting."

(source: The Napa Register Tuesday July 15, 1980)

Calistoga

2011-07-19T10:35:00.000-07:00

The Rotary Club of Calistoga was chartered on March 10,1924 sponsored by the Rotary Club of Napa

“The first meeting was on February 21, 1924. It was the first meeting of the Rotary Club of Calistoga, 18 members attended... The meeting was brief. The Rotary Charter would be presented on March 10, but they couldn’t wait-they wanted to get started.
They all agreed that Roy McCarthy, the high school principal, would be the first president, and Wilbur Snow, ...the new secretary and treasurer.

A few days later, the San Francisco newspapers would note that Calistoga was the smallest town in the world to have a Rotary Club..."

"One of the Club’s first acts was to sponsor the Rotary Club of St. Helena in 1925.
Other projects in the historical days of the Club include putting up a new flagpole at the high school, providing playground equipment at the school, putting up permanent street signs, sponsoring books for the library and spearheading the Food Bank...”

One of the “most valuable contributions of the Rotary Club of Calistoga to Calistoga is providing numerous scholarships to CHS students...enabling youth to pursue their educational goals and to become invaluable contributing member of society...”

(Source: Napa Valley Rotary Celebrates 100 years-A Century of Service)

GSE team to France and Turkey

2011-07-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

District 5130 is recruiting members for the GSE team to France and Turkey.
Message from Gerald Besses, GSE Chair:

5130 Rotary Group Study Exchange is Going Burgundy, France!

5130 Rotary Group Study Exchange is Going to Istanbul, Turkey!

Huge opportunity for travel and cultural connections! All major expenses paid.

Please continue to spread the word….
This exciting Exchange program to Burgundy, France (focused on those who work in the wine industry) and Istanbul, Turkey from our District will be for four weeks in the Spring of 2012.

-Team Members need to be ages 25-40 and not Rotarians or Rotarian family members. Rotaracters are welcome.
-Team Leaders must be Rotarians with no age requirement - just high energy and stamina.

Full information can be found on the new District web site at
http://www.rotary5130.org/gse.shtml.

Application forms and the GSE handbook is at
http://www.rotary5130.org/gse_20112012.shtml

Applications are due by August 8. Interviews will be scheduled August 27/28 or later, as needed.

I'll be pleased to respond to any further questions at the phone number below.
Gerald S. Besses
GSE District Chair 2011-12
124 Sunny Hill Drive
Petaluma, CA 94952
gbesses@comcast.net
707-763-6615

Club accomplishments

2011-07-14T20:12:00.000-07:00

What club accomplishments are you the most proud of?
Rotary International News -- 14 July 2011

Rotarians in Alamo, California, USA, partnered with District 2980 (India) last Rotary year to provide computers, software, lab equipment, and hygiene facilities for as many as 5,000 schoolchildren in Tamil Nadu through a Rotary Foundation Global Grant.
"Their joy was our joy," says Vishwas More, a member of the Rotary Club of Alamo. "We were delighted and happy to see the children benefit."
During the 2010-11 Rotary year, Rotarians took part in local and international service projects, launched initiatives to increase membership, and held signature events in their communities. Members of RI's official LinkedIn group recently shared the club accomplishments they were the most proud of.

(go to www.rotary.org for the complete article)

RI President Kaylan Banerjee

2011-07-11T08:05:00.000-07:00

RI president Message
July 2011

My dear brothers and sisters in Rotary!

All of us in Rotary are looking to change the world – why else would we be Rotarians? We believe that our world can be happier, healthier, and more peaceful, and that we can create that better world through our service.

In 2011-12, I will ask Rotarians to Reach Within to Embrace Humanity . I will ask you to search first within yourselves, to understand that all of us, everywhere, have the same dreams, the same hopes, the same aspirations, and similar dilemmas. When we understand, and truly feel, that others’ needs are the same as our own, we begin to understand how important our work is. In the year ahead, we will have three emphases in our Rotary service.

Our first emphasis in this Rotary year will be the family. The family and the home are at the core of all our work – all our service begins here. And through the family, we approach all of our community and indeed, all of humanity, as an extended family, in which all members care for each other. In times of joy and in times of need, no one is ever alone.

Our second emphasis will be continuity – finding the things we do well and taking them to the next level. We must build on our successes, expand on them, and strive to do even more. Of course, our greatest obligation is to PolioPlus, where success is now so close.
And our third emphasis will be change. We must understand that true change can only begin with each of us, and start within us. We cannot share peace with others if we do not have it to give. We cannot look after the whole world without first looking after those closest to us: our families, our clubs, and our communities.

Mohandas K. Gandhi said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” In Rotary, we endeavor to live ethically and honestly, to share friendship and fellowship, to see equal worth in every human being. We are not interested in the lowest common denominator, for Rotary is anything but common. Instead, we work to elevate ourselves, elevate others, and thereby embrace the world.

Together, we will Reach Within to Embrace Humanity . And in peace, harmony, and friendship, we will bring change – and a more joyful world.

Kalyan Banerjee  President, Rotary International

(taken from the Rotarian magazine July 2011)

History

2011-07-10T12:08:00.000-07:00

"The Rotary Club of Napa is the oldest Rotary Club in Napa County. It was chartered in 1920, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Oakland. From its original membership of 24 men in 1920, the Club had grown to a membership of approximately 110 men and women in 2003.

The Rotary Club of Napa is proud to have sponsored numerous other Rotary Clubs in Napa and Sonoma Counties, including the Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley (1946), the Rotary Club of North Napa (1975), and the Napa Sunrise Rotary Club (1980)."

(source: Napa Valley Celebrates Rotary 100 Years A Century of Service)

The Table

2011-07-08T08:09:00.000-07:00

One of the community programs of the Rotary Club of Napa Sunrise is serving at the Table. I asked Michael Chramko, from Napa Sunrise, about the program.

Michael writes:
"Our club has been feeding the needy at the TABLE, at the First Presbyterian Church for about 18 years. Until last year, we only served the food that someone else cooked; but as our club grew, an interest was expressed to cook also. So, getting products from the Food Bank, and buying what is needed, a crew of 5 to 6 people spends a couple of hours cooking. Another crew of 5 to 6 people comes in to serve from 3PM to 4:45PM. In the beginning, we used to serve 65 to 70 meals. Now, with the economy, the numbers have grown to as many as 240. Last Tuesday was a light day, only 145 meals served. We work on the first Tuesday of every month. Other organizations do it during other week days. Carolyn Spence is the coordinator for all the groups working at the TABLE: she's a member of the church."

It's Thursday

2011-07-07T23:05:00.000-07:00

Napa Sunrise-President Todd Walker taught his son how to fly an airplane. His son is now a flight instructor and is teaching his dad. In his first meeting President Todd had a lot of members with raised hands to explain their happy dollars. Rotary Foundation had plenty of donations and sustaining PHF.

How about celebrating your birthday on the same day as your first club meeting as president?President Peggy Berlin in Calistoga got that distinct pleasure.As a bonus she inducted the newest member and the first in her reign.

Both President Todd and President Peggy had a wonderful day.

Surprise

2011-07-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

The surprise in the program should have been a live python as a part of the talk by Christopher Andrews about the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco but the snake was shedding its skin.

But the real surprise was a humorous skit planned by Jill and Jeanne and a circle of members performed by the audience to begin the presidency of President Jim Riley.I think he liked it.

It was a very good start.

First meeting

2011-07-06T09:11:00.000-07:00

Kelly Crane and Bill Bennett are both past presidents before.
They are club presidents again-Kelly with St. Helena and Bill with North Napa.

Kelly had his Rotary stars in his first meeting yesterday.

Bill had his Friends of Rotary last night.

Both presidents started very well.

Congratulations.

A New Rotary Year

2011-07-04T15:53:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the new club officers.

It is the beginning of a new Rotary year.

It is a journey to build a better community locally and around the world. There is plenty of work to do.

I wish all the club presidents and their clubs a great year.

Seminars

2011-06-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

DG-elect Maureen Merrill in her newsletter published the twin Foundation/Membership seminars on two separate dates.
Of course these seminars are for all the club members.

Vibrant Club

2011-06-28T11:30:00.000-07:00

This week the president-elects are reviewing their plans for their first meeting and vision plan for their clubs. The year is a clean slate which one has to slowly fills up.

There is one resource that's available- the pamphlet: Be A Vibrant Club.The first page reads:

"Best Practices
Strong clubs foster innovation and flexibility. This collection of best practices is intended to strengthen clubs — the first priority of the RI Strategic Plan — by motivating members to implement new ideas to increase the vitality of the club. Consider these as tips that can be tailored to make your club stronger. These best practices include:
• Developing long-range goals that address the elements of an effective club • Setting annual goals that support long-range goals • Keeping all members involved and informed • Communicating effectively with club members and district leaders
• Ensuring continuity in leadership from year to year
• Customizing the bylaws to reflect club operations
Has your club evaluated its traditions and practices lately to determine
• Providing regular fellowship opportunities whether they
• Actively involving all club members • Offering regular, consistent training • Assigning committees that support your club’s operational needs, including:
administration, membership, public relations, service projects, and The Rotary Foundation
are contributing to your club’s vitality?
Your club procedures may already incorporate these practices. As you read through the best practices in this guide, focus on ones your club could implement or improve."

Rotary projects

2011-06-27T10:51:00.000-07:00

The article below is from the RI website.

See a gallery of Rotary projects promoting basic education and literacy
Rotary International News -- 21 June 2011

If illiteracy were a simple problem, Rotarians would have solved it by now.
The issues are myriad: a scarcity of schools and learning materials, insufficient government spending on education, and cultural stigmas that limit education for women and girls, to name a few. And the problem goes far beyond the inability to decipher words on a page. In an increasingly complex world, poor reading comprehension condemns adults to the lowest rungs of society.
Rotarians, however, are committed to improving the situation. Rotary clubs worldwide have been carrying out thousands of literacy projects for decades. Basic education and literacy is one of the areas of focus under the Future Vision Plan.
Rotary's work in literacy has included rebuilding schools destroyed by natural disasters in Sri Lanka and Haiti, partnering with the Dollywood Foundation's Imagination Library to promote early childhood reading, and teaching students to read and write through the concentrated language encounter method in Brazil and Turkey.
Enjoy a gallery of Rotary literacy projects above. For more information:
Read about the basic education and literacy area of focus.
Read " Vocational Training Teams Give Kids an Edge

(photo is from: Rotary Images/Alyce Henson)

Sabbath

2011-06-26T08:26:00.000-07:00

I wish

you a beautiful day.

Where are we?

2011-06-25T15:58:00.000-07:00

Napa Valley is at the southeast end of District 5130. The reddish portion in the diagram.

There are 46 clubs and 2544 members in District 5130. There are 5 clubs and less than 400 members in Napa Valley .

There are 531 R.I. Districts, 34,000 clubs and 1.2 million members in the Rotary world.

Pathway Home

2011-06-24T20:13:00.000-07:00

Ten of the combat veterans who are residents of the Pathway Home, a California Transition Center for Care of Combat Veterans with PTSD graduated today.

Their stories revealed the gravity of their problems before they entered Pathway Home and the remarkable improvement after their 4 months stay. They will continue to face challenges but they have "tools" to manage themselves.

Pathway Home is a "residential treatment program for returning warriors from Iraq and Afghanistan.It is located on the grounds of the Veterans Home of California in Yountville, Napa Valley. It is a non-profit organization that operates through generosity of individual, corporate and foundation support."

Pathway Home needs our support.

for more info: visit: www.thepathwayhome.org

A day of celebration

2011-06-23T09:42:00.000-07:00

This week or the next are Debunking or KickOut days. A fun day. A day of celebration. A time for reflection.

It takes a village...

It takes enthusiasm, effort, and generosity of the president and the members to move a club to an exceptional year.

Tomorrow or on July first will start a new year, a new trail, a new summit.

Rotary Fellowships

2011-06-22T15:09:00.000-07:00

“Rotary Fellowships bring together Rotarians, spouses, and Rotaractors who share a common interest, helping them make new friends and explore opportunities to serve.”

Learn about the different Fellowship:www.rotary.org/en/ServiceAndFellowship/Fellowship/GlobalNetworkingGroups/Pages/ridefault.aspx

Golf fellowship to tee off at championship course
By Ryan Hyland
Rotary International News -- 16 June 2011

“More than 200 golfers from around the world will tee off in August in the International Golfing Fellowship of Rotarians 48th World Championship at the Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina, USA.
Hosted by District 7690, the tournament will be held 21-27 August on three courses at Pinehurst, which is consistently ranked by Golf Magazine as one of the top golfing destinations in the world. ...”(article including the photo-taken from the RI website)

Art and Music Festival

2011-06-21T17:39:00.000-07:00

Rotary Club of St. Helena sponsors its first Art and Music Festival on July 1-3 this year. Lots of arts, music, booths with food and drinks which of course include wine and beer. Come to the festival and enjoy the day.

Mike Applegate, member of the organizing committee, says the club needs more volunteers, even helping for few hours on July 1-3.

website: nvamf.org

Innovation

2011-06-20T09:15:00.000-07:00

Send me your innovative ideas about Rotary-fundraising, membership, community projects,etc... I will post them.

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T21:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers.

Remember those who sacrificed themselves to make the world a better place.

(photo is from Rotary images.)

beginnings

2011-06-18T22:21:00.000-07:00

Why a blog? I will try to connect the information from all the 5 Rotary Clubs in Napa Valley... create a place.Yes. Come to think of it I already began.

This is a work in progress.

Visit and give me your ideas.

NVRA

Rotary VOICES

District 5130 facebooks

Sad News

Five priorities for strengthening Rotary’s image

Rotary Ride for Veterans/Cycle4Sight

Top five Rotary stories of 2011

Rotary 2012-New Ideas

Sustainability

Making time for family and Rotary

DG Nominee Designate 2014-2015

CANCELLED

Meet and hear RI President Kalyan Banerjee

Selling coffee for a cause

Rotary Foundation Month

Rotarian Action Groups (RAGs)

World Polio Day

International Interact Contest

Extreme Makeover

Rotary Foundation

A message from RI President Kalyan Banerjee

End Polio Now

More from Rotary Night at Oxbow Public Market

Rotary Night at the Oxbow Public Market

Let's Go

October-Vocational Service Month

Celebrate Rotary

October Events

September Rotary Message

NVRA first meeting 2011-2012

Rotary Foundation Celebration Dinner

Rotary Membership

RI President 2013-2014

Rotary Social

Rotary Social-Rural Urban Dinner

Calistoga

GSE team to France and Turkey

Club accomplishments

RI President Kaylan Banerjee

History

The Table

It's Thursday

Surprise

First meeting

A New Rotary Year

Seminars

Vibrant Club

Rotary projects

Sabbath

Where are we?

Pathway Home

A day of celebration

Rotary Fellowships

Art and Music Festival

Innovation

Happy Father's Day

beginnings