Thursday, March 2, 2017

March 2017 - All Star Tidbits


Rotary District 6920 Newsletter - March 2017

All Star Tidbits

Pam Lightsey, District Governor

     WOW!!  Are you ready to celebrate??  I’m looking forward to spending a couple of days with members of our district in Jekyll Island at the end of the month!!  It is not too late to register!!  If you can’t come both days, please consider coming for Saturday!  It is going to be a GREAT day to celebrate, learn, network, and meet new Rotarians from around our district.  I confirmed with the Westin and they have 50 rooms available for Saturday night.  You can come that morning and join us for the Foundation/Grants seminar, enjoy lunch with Rodney Bullard, VP Chick Fil-A Foundation, enjoy a few general sessions and celebrate at dinner – Rotary Serving Humanity!  Sunday we will have a service that morning and then you can take your family over to Brunswick to see the Blue Angels.  


   It has been an honor to serve this district and I’m excited to see all the clubs making a difference in their communities!  Don’t forget to log your projects in Club Central and to log your volunteer hours.  I’m looking forward to hearing from Sylvia Whitlock, the first female club president, from the Rotary Club of Duarte, CA, at lunch on Friday to kick us off!  A little bit of history will be with us in District 6920!  WOW!
     The silent auction in the House of Friendship will have some special pieces made by Broken Shackle Ranch. Among the items up for auction from Broken Shackle are several furniture pieces and lending libraries, as well as a weekend chalet getaway!
     Have you thought about a video for your club?  Please do!  Submissions are being made to the Zone in regards to how our clubs served humanity in 2016-17. We will show some of these at conference too!! Be sure to make your two minute video and send it to me. The overview of the video should be about the implementation of the 2016-17 theme - “Rotary Serving Humanity” - in your club. Deadline is May 1. Don't forget to send me the link so we can showcase it!
      Do you know of a business that we can invite to the convention in Atlanta?  I will have 200 passes for businesses throughout our district to come visit the House of Friendship on Saturday, June 10th.  These will not be for spouses of Rotarians, but are for members in our communities. We want to introduce them to the World of Rotary. Please send me the name, business, phone number and email address to pam@district6920.org and I will add them to the list for passes.
      Would you like to have an autographed, by President John Germ, 2016-17  theme tie or scarf?  There is an online auction going on until the end of March. All proceeds raised will go to The Foundation!  What a great way to get a piece of history!  https://www.32auctions.com/organizations/30569/auctions/36773?reset_filter=1
      Congratulations to all the incoming presidents for completing PETS this past weekend!  I’m looking forward to seeing our district grow even stronger next year. I’m excited, not only serve in the role of Immediate Past District Governor for 2017-18, but to serve as part of our Zone 34 Team as an Assistant Rotary Coordinator.  I’m honored to represent our district once again!
      Rotary and Rotarians are making life changing differences in our communities and around the globe.  Thank you for being a Rotarian and not just in Rotary!  Thank you for your commitment to your club and district.
      See you in three short weeks to celebrate all the GREAT achievements in our district.

Pam
2016-17 District Governor

The deadline for District Conference registration is this month! All Rotarians and guests must be registered by March 21. To register, go to http://www.jimbruce.org/District6920/District_Conference/2017/online_registration.php.

EVENTS MAKE 2017 CONVENTION SPECIAL
Rotarians will be able to take part in a dozen different special events, which run from Thursday, June 8th to Tuesday, June 13th. Many of the events are already sold out, so book your festival events now! Go to http://www.rotaryconvention2017.org/ to see all of the events being offered.

June 8th - Atlanta Braves Game - "Strike Out Polio"
June 10th - Blue Jeans & Bluegrass
                  Candlelight Vigil to End Slavery & Human Traffficking
June 12th - Evening at The World of Coca-Cla
                  Evening at the College Football Hall of Fame
June 13th - Centennial Celebration Block Party



CONTRIBUTE TO FOUNDATION BY PURCHASING
SQUARE IN PORTRAIT
     Raise money for the Foundation and the convention. Contribute $100 towards the sponsor of a one-of-a-kind portrait from one of the art world's masters - Rossin. Reserve your place in Rotary history and receive a commemorative 5 x 7 print personally signed by the artist. $26.50 ($79.50 after Gates match) goes directly to the Rotary Foundation. $73.50 goes to support the 2017 International Convention.
     Select your square today at https://arch.rotaryconvention2017.org/.



BANNERS NEEDED FOR HOUSE OF FRIENDSHIP
AT THE 2017 ATLANTA CONVENTION
    Please bring a club banner with you to District Conference so it can be displayed in Atlanta!  Thank you to the following clubs who brought banners to PETS this past weekend: Brunswick, Dublin, Effingham County, Glennville, Hinesville, Jekyll Island, Kings Bay, Milledgeville, Perry, Sandersville, Savannah South, St. Simons Island and Valdosta North.

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF THE ROTARY FOUNDATION
Online Auction Funds Will Benefit Rotary Foundation
 
     2016-17 is the 100th Anniversary of The Rotary Foundation.  A signed tie and scarf of the official theme for the year is available to bid on and win!  All funds raised will go to The Rotary Foundation!!  Share the link with other Rotarians!

Attention: Current Volunteers

     If you are receiving this email you are one of the current 800 registered to be a volunteer for the 2017 Convention in Atlanta, The Rotary Foundation’s Centennial Celebration. We cannot thank you enough for volunteering to help us show the world the face of the South. Southern Hospitality is what we are known for.
     We are in the process of finalizing the times and schedules for all events and defining all the activities we must support. I will provide you with this information, but first I would like to ask you to encourage your Rotarian friends to also volunteer if they haven’t already. We still need to have 400 more volunteers.  It will take approximately 1200 volunteers to support all of our activities. Volunteers can register by completing our online form found here.
     Listed below are the current activities we will be supporting during the convention:
  1. Registration - This will be the first time that RI will have seven locations outside of the convention center itself, where you can pick up your badges if you are prepaid.  We will have three locations at the Atlanta airport, in addition at the Omni, the Hyatt, the Hilton, and the Marriott.  We will also be there to help support the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC).  We will support these locations Wednesday thru Sunday whenever the RI registration sites are open.
  2. Atlanta Airport - We will have three locations being the North Terminal, the South Terminal and the International Terminal. We will support them Wednesday thru Sunday whenever the RI prepaid registration sites are open.
  1. Host Organizing Committee (HOC) Ticket Booth - Will be supported Thursday through Monday the same hours that the RI GWCC registration is open.
  2. Handing out “goodie” bags - We will support the same times as the RI GWCC registration is opened.
  3. Events - We will support all the HOC scheduled events. It is a long list and includes the following:
Thursday, June 8th – the Atlanta Braves Game at the GWCC (bus departure) and the new SunTrust Stadium
Friday, June 9th – no events are planned
Saturday, June 10th –
- 3K Walk/Run at Centennial Olympic Park – helping the guests get checked in
- HOF Opening Ceremony – participating in the opening
- Blue Jeans and Bluegrass – from the GWCC to the event itself and helping the guests at the event
- Candlelight Vigil to End to Human Trafficking
Sunday, June 11th  –
- Athens Night Bar-B-Q - bus loading only at the GWCC
- Gone With the Wind – at the GWCC and the Fox Theatre
Monday, June 12th –
- Peace Tours – helping the guests on the tour
- Center for Disease Control "Polio" Tours – helping the guests on the tour
- Host Hospitality Night – bus loading only at the GWCC
- Dinner at The College Football Hall of Fame – helping the guests at the event
- Dinner at The World of Coca-Cola – helping the guests at the event
Tuesday, June 13th –
- Peace Tours – helping the guests on the tour
- Center for Disease Control "Polio" Tours – helping the guests on the tour
- Habitat Home Build – helping the guests with directions
- Centennial Celebration Block Party – from the GWCC to the event itself and helping the guests at the event

     As you can see there are a lot of activities.  Some events require us to help Rotarians on buses and in some cases take the tour with them; other events require ticket taking and control of access points; a lot of events require us to help them find transportation or give directions on how to return to their hotels.
     It will be our job to control almost all of the activities taking place outside of the GWCC.  RI will have Sergeant at Arms inside the GWCC.  We share responsibility for the HOF.
     We will start making assignments towards the beginning of April and training material will be distributed the latter part of April.  Some Rotarians will be assigned to events prior to that date, due to special language skills or other skills needed in particular areas.
     We will keep you informed as we move closer to our convention dates.  We currently are less than 100 days away from our volunteer start date. I want to personally thank you for your commitment to the convention and look forward to seeing all of you. We will do our best to make sure that, as well as being a volunteer, you will enjoy any events you have signed up for, and that as a volunteer, you will enjoy your volunteer experience.

Sincerely,

Bill Woulfin
2017 HOC Volunteer Chair


Membership: The Lifeblood of Our Clubs
 
     Think about it: what would our clubs look like and what could we accomplish without great members?
     If you have been a member of Rotary for more than a few months, you already know that each year we LOSE a few members from each of our clubs. Folks either move away, pass away, or get out for any number of reasons that some of us may never know, nor understand. Now, WHY and HOW do we need to replace them?
     WHY may simply be to keep our clubs about the same size so we can continue to serve our communities with great Rotary projects. WHY may also be answered by not wanting to see our current President, after having a great year for your club, leave office with a “net loss” of members. That is kind of embarrassing and happens way too often.
     Now, HOW may be a more difficult question to answer. I have learned in almost three years of focusing on membership for our District that constantly trying to “recruit” newbies is not necessarily the best way. Club members, however, can ATTRACT new members by going back to an old, tried and proven method: asking a friend or co-worker to come visit your club with you, and sharing WHY you love being part of Rotary! Think not about what that prospect can do for your club, but think what the club can mean for the prospect! Demonstrate your PRIDE in your Rotary Club, in word and in deed, and watch how that attraction can spread.
     Start today! The Claxton Club loves to have a contest, a competition each year to encourage active membership attraction. We simply divide our club into 2 to 4 teams, give each team 2 months to invite, attract, sponsor, and induct. The winning team, or teams, get a special meal, served by the losers. You work out the details your way, BUT TRY SOMETHING SOON! Let’s spend the rest of our lives in Rotary spreading the success to others! No more being selfish by keeping our good work quite!

Happy Sharing, and Growing,
       
Alfie Cofield, District Membership Chair
alfiecofield@gmail.com

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY:
30 Years of Women in Rotary
     On March 8th, we celebrate International Women’s Day – 30 years of women in Rotary. To read more about outstanding females in Rotary, go to https://www.rotary.org/en/highlighting-outstanding-members-international-women%E2%80%99s-day.

WORLD ROTARACT DAY
     Rotaractors worldwide are celebrating World Rotaract Day today as the first Rotaract Club founded on March 13th, 1968.
     Rotaract originally began as a Rotary International youth program in 1968 at Charlotte North Rotary Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, and has grown into a major Rotary-sponsored organization of over 9,539 clubs spread around the world and 219,397 members. It is a service, leadership and community service organization for young men and women between the ages 18–30. Rotaract focuses on the development of young adults as leaders in their communities and workplaces. Clubs around the world also take part in international service projects, in a global effort to bring peace and international understanding to the world.
"Rotaract" stands for "Rotary in Action", although the name originally comes from a combination of "Rotary" and "Interact" (International + Action), the high school level program created by Rotary International in 1962.
     Most Rotaract activities take place at the club level. Rotaract clubs hold formal meetings, usually every two weeks, which feature speakers, special outings, social activities, discussions or visits to other clubs. Club members get together on designated days for service project work, social events, or professional/leadership development workshops.
     The purpose of Rotaract is to provide an opportunity for young men and women to enhance the knowledge and skills that will assist them in personal development, to address the physical and social needs of their communities, and to promote better relations between all people worldwide through a framework of friendship and service.
     To be eligible for membership, prospective members must be 18–30 years of age, show that they are committed to Rotaract, and show that they are of good standing in the community. After being approved by the club, prospective members are 'inducted' to become members, also known as 'Rotaractors'. Clubs generally charge a small annual membership fee to cover costs.
     Rotaract conducts many programs, which are activities with a charitable purpose. The dual roles of Rotaract is for young adults (18 to 30 years of age) and college and university students to "give something back."

  NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION DAY
     Rotary International’s Polio Plus program in conjunction with the Indian government, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, each year host a National Immunization Day throughout India to bring awareness regarding the dangers of polio, the need for 100% immunization and other health issues.
     Since 1995, these organizations have achieved record results ending a polio pandemic. Consistent monitoring, surveillance and the immunization of children under of the age of five is still critical to keep the polio virus out of the country. Polio is still active in three countries, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. With a common border with Pakistan and the political climates there and Afghanistan, immigration, both legal and illegal, poses critical problems.
     Gigi Rolfes, a member of Macon North Rotary, joined 15 other Rotarians in this year’s National Immunization Day (N.I.D.). Working with our partners, during the last two weeks of January, the team visited numerous Rotary sponsored projects including a cataract hospital, dialysis clinics, schools, hospices and orphanages throughout India.
     The primary focus of the initiative was to bring lifesaving polio vaccines to children throughout the country. Our targeted areas were villages northeast of Delhi and in the inner city of Delhi. During these immunization days, this Rotarian team vaccinated over 2,400 young children against a crippling, deadly disease.  Not only did we bring lifesaving serum to these children, but small gifts, toys, health  and access information , and a genuine American smile to let them know that we care and will do our part  in the years to come.

THE ROTARY FOUNDATION:
BUILDING A FUTURE YOU CAN DEPEND ON

A Future You Can Depend On
     In unsteady times many people will look for security. The Rotary Foundation is celebrating its 100th year of service and provides a proven track record of growth and impact.
     In 2016 Rotary was honored for the fourth time in a row with a four-star rating by Charity Navigator, recognized as the “World’s Outstanding Foundation” by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and ranked among the top three worldwide charities by CNBC.
     As your clients and friends look for a steady partner this year, please remember that Rotary is leading the way as a charity you can trust. Professional staff are available to help with charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, gifts of life insurance, donor advised funds, and other charitable planning.

Celebrate the Past, Embrace the Present, Build the Future
Now is the perfect time for your clients to build on their personal Rotary legacies. Encourage them to give now and build the groundwork for the next 100 years of strength and compassion through Rotary as their fellow club members across the globe continue the historic Centennial Celebration.

March 22, 2017 - World Water Day 
     Every year the United Nations observes World Water Day on March 22. The theme changes annually to put focus on a certain aspect of water. This year the emphasis is on Wastewater.
     Use the resources at http://www.worldwaterday.org/ to increase the awareness of the need for clean water and to manage wastewater more effectively.
ALL STARS
These are the support folks at Rotary International wearing the All Stars we sent them and being part of the All Star Team. They sent this picture and wrote, "A big THANK YOU for our cool kicks! We love rocking them (on casual Friday, of course)!"

 SHARE WHAT YOUR CLUB IS DOING WITH
ROTARIANS AROUND THE WORLD

Add your projects and share the information with Rotarians around the world on what your club is doing by going to https://map.rotary.org/en/project/pages/project_showcase.aspx. It is a great way to see what else is going on around our district and the globe.  Rotary Showcase is a great tool and easy to use. And you earn points toward your club award!

DONATE ONLINE TO THE ROTARY FOUNDATION    
     Your generous contributions to The Rotary Foundation are essential to securing and growing Rotary programs throughout the world. We recognize donors to express our gratitude for your commitment, offering individual and club recognition as well as naming opportunities that enable you to honor a friend or family member with a named or endowed gift.
     Make your donation online now at https://www.rotary.org/donate/recognition

ROTARY COMMUNITY CORPS   
     "Rotary Community Corps are local. They are part of the community and help mobilize the community. They ensure that local needs are met. And most significantly, a Rotary Community Corps has a vested interest in its own success. Their members have to live with the results of their work; their commitments are the basis for sustainability. Rotary grant projects that establish Rotary Community Corps help to ensure that the project’s impact lives on in the community long after Rotary’s direct support ends."  
      -Ron Denham, founder of the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group

CLUB NEWS

MACON NORTH ROTARY CLUB
Rooms for the Heart is a volunteer organization that enlists the involvement of the local community to make a positive difference in the lives of critically or terminally ill children. Members from the Macon North Rotary club donated their time and talents to help with a complete room make over for a terminally ill teenage young lady this past fall.  Windows, flooring and furniture were replaced to give the room a sturdy new structure. A fresh coat of paint, new linens, curtains and wall décor lightened the space and gave a new vibe to this teens bed room.  Giving back to children is the best gift to give.  



WAYCROSS ROTARY CLUB
Waycross Rotary Club members learned about a non-profit organization "Rebuilding Together" from Charlie Moore, Board Member of the Waycross Chapter. He introduced the objectives of "Rebuilding Together" is to build and repair homes in Ware County for those people that are deemed eligible by the organization's qualifications and guidelines. In the past 19 years, 200 homes have been repaired in Ware County by "Rebulding Together". Pictured with Moore is Densie Mortorff, program chair for the Waycross Rotary Club.


CAMDEN COUNTY ROTARY CLUB
The Rotary Club of Camden County used a District Grant to help fund its largest project of the year, Fill the Bag, in partnership with the local newspaper, The Tribune and Georgian, and The Salvation Army.  More than 36,000 pounds of food were collected. This stocked the food bank at the Salvation Army as well as nine other food banks in Camden County. Rotary Club members stapled flyers containing lists of needed items (food and toiletries) to paper bags that were inserted in an edition of The Tribune & Georgian. Members of the community dropped off the filled bags at designated locations where they were picked up by Rotary members and delivered to the Salvation Army. The Interact Club at Camden County High School also assisted with food drive. 



SAVANNAH EAST ROTARY CLUB
 
For the second year in a row, The Rotary Club of Savannah East held a "No-Frills Polio Plus Fundraiser" at their regular meeting on Friday, February 10th.  This year the club raised a little over $2,000 for Polio Plus during their meeting.  


PERRY ROTARY CLUB
The Perry Rotary Club was chartered on January 22, 1967.  On February 4, 2017, The Perry Rotary Club celebrated 50 years of “Service Above Self” to our community at Plantation Farms.  We were delighted that District Governor Pam Lightsey could join us for this celebration.  It was a fun filled evening and we took the opportunity to recognize two of the charter club members, Mr. Steward Bloodworth and Mr. Roy (Sonny) Watson.  Thanks to each of you for having the vision to see what the Perry Rotary Club could become in the future.  Proclamations were presented by Senator Larry Walker and Perry Mayor Jimmy Faircloth.   The final feature of the evening was entertainment provide by Mr. Chuck Leavell.



DUBLIN ROTARY CLUB
     OFTC Rotaract club sponsored by the Dublin Rotary Club applied for a grant with Oconee EMC Foundation to provide each 5th grader in Laurens County Schools, Dublin City Schools and Trinity a copy of “Gifted Hands” by Dr. Ben Carson.  The Rotaract Club members along with members of the Dublin Rotary Club and staff from Oconee Fall Line Technical College presented the 773 books to the students.  The presentation included the students watching a video of Dr. Carson which encouraged the students to be all they can be.
     As Janet Smith, OFTC Student Life Director and Rotaract Sponsor said, “The 5th grade was chosen is because this is the age where the student is so impressionable.  It will help the students because the book is a motivational book.”


DOWNTOWN MACON ROTARY CLUB     
     Last June, the Downtown Macon Rotary Club had the pleasure of hearing remarks from Gil Penasola, a world renowned advisor to communities and decision makers on how to create vibrant cities and healthy communities for everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or economic background. His remarks were not only compelling, but also very convincing.
      Gil’s focus is on the design and use of parks and streets as great public places, as well as sustainable mobility: walking, riding bikes, using public transit, as well as the new use of cars. He also has been an avid supporter and advocate for improving city parks. Gil is the founder and chair of the Toronto based non-profit, 8 80 Cities. This organization’s philosophy is simple yet powerful, “if you create a great city for an 8 year old and an 80 year old, you will create a successful city for all people.”
     Gil’s visit was made possible by a Knight Cities Challenge grant awarded by the Knight Foundation in October of 2015. A collective group of community partners submitted an idea to engage the city in a conversation about improving connectivity in Macon, and then to test out those ideas on the streets of Macon. This included a three-day Ideas Festival and building a pop-up bike network throughout the urban core. The three-day Ideas Festival consisted of 19 events that appealed to a wide range of audiences to gauge the public’s interest in improved mobility. The information gathered in June was pertinent to the two-day event  in mid-September when the world’s largest pop-up bike network spanning over three miles was unveiled.
     During the week leading up to the official opening of the pop-up bike network, there was a crowdsourcing effort for community volunteers to participate in the actual construction of the bikes over several city blocks. When learning of this service opportunity, Club President Ed Davis called a “Rotary Work Day” for our club. We were able to join in and offer some sweat equity to help make the pop up bike network a reality. It seemed extra rewarding to put into action some of the very ideas that Gil spoke to us about just a few short months ago.


METRO SAVANNAH ROTARY CLUB
     The Metropolitan Savannah Rotary Club has partnered with Woodville Tompkins Technical and Career High School to develop a new student club designed to encourage community service while developing Savannah's future leaders.
     The Woodville Tompkins Interact Club had its first meeting Wednesday, January 25. Former Savannah Mayor Edna Jackson spoke to the group of about 25 students about the importance of community service.
     Interact clubs are sponsored and mentored by Rotary clubs in an effort to bring together young people ages 12-18 to develop leadership skills while discovering the power of Rotary's motto: Service Above Self. Metro Savannah Rotary will help the Interact Club organize projects that help the students' school and community, and promote international understanding.
     Alfred McGuire, Principal of Woodville Tompkins and a member of Metropolitan Savannah Rotary, is helping with the club's launch. Albert Blocker will serve as Interact Club Adviser. 




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