The Spectrum - November Rotary District 6710 Newsletter

November 2010

Volume 2, Issue 5

A Note From the Governor

Greetings! DG Woody Northup

November is Rotary Foundation month. By this time, many of you have heard me talk to your club about the importance of The Rotary Foundation.

You already know that the Foundation was started by the clubs as a helpful financial vehicle that would help them do bigger, better, and bolder things in their own communities and the world in general.

You already know that 50% of your donations to The Rotary Foundation comes back to your local district in three years.

You already know that the clubs ask their members to throw a little money at the Foundation every year so that it can do just that. You know that your club asks you to send $100 every year-less than $2 a week.

You know that you can save $2 a week and give it to your treasurer at the end of the year or write a check for $100 right now. Most of you have a line item in your dues statements that will allow you to fold in your donation with your dues statements.

You know that The Rotary Foundation helps all Rotarians to prevent disease and provide treatment, bring clean water to communities and teach good sanitation practices, aid maternal and child health, promote education and literacy, help in economic and community development, and play a role in peace and conflict resolution.

Now you only have to decide that you want to make a difference in the world by supporting the Foundation that has the name of your organization on it-The Rotary Foundation. Remember that miracles are seldom performed all at once. It takes a lifetime of getting up each day and doing the right thing. Put that $2 a week in the pot and start sharing in the miracles Rotarians perform in your community and around the world every day of the year.

Yours in Rotary Service,

Woody Northup
District 6710 Governor

November is Rotary Foundation Month -
Grant beneficiaries express their thanks for the generosity of Rotarians TRF Logo

Five-year-old Mulambuzi Joshuah is thankful for the surgery that repaired a congenital defect in his heart.

The procedure, one of 20 performed on Ugandan children in January, was made possible by a Rotary Foundation Matching Grant through the Gift of Life India program.

Former Rotary Peace Fellow Jeanette Kroes is grateful for the generosity of donors in supporting the Foundation's work in peace and conflict resolution.

"I am particularly thankful to the Rotarians from all over the world, for the endless opportunities to see so many peacemakers in action," she says. "Truly, you Rotarians make up a United Nations of another kind."

Mariana Ponce is thankful for the loan she received through a microcredit program operated by Rotarians in Honduras, which allowed her to set up a small business out of her home near Tegucigalpa. She is now selling soy products to supplement the income she earns from washing laundry at a local hospital.

Every year, The Rotary Foundation funds thousands of projects like these, in the six areas of focus:

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

Your generous support through the Every Rotarian, Every Year initiative is making a difference by Building Communities -- Bridging Continents. Contribute today.

Keep Up with Ambassadorial Scholar Meg Black

District 6710 Ambassadorial Scholar Meg Black is currently studying in Ireland. Keep up with Meg's adventures through her blog:

http://thereandbackagainireland.blogspot.com/

A great example of your Rotary Foundation contributions in ACTION!

Group Study Exchange - Host Clubs Needed, German Inbound Team Announced

Things are coming together for the GSE with District 1810 in Germany. On October 31, the GSE committee interviewed 3 great candidates for Team Leader and selected Becky Ricketts of the East Louisville Sunrise club as the Team Leader for the GSE with Germany in 2011. We have scheduled the interviews with 9 great Team Member applicants for November 14.

On October 30, District 1810 completed their selection of the GSE team travelling hear. The Team Leader is Christian Kellermann of the Rotary Club Cologne. Christian is the owner of a large farm. The team consists of 5 members: Dr. Stefan Braunecker, a physician of Cologne University Hospital; Mrs. Daniela Bremer, a media specialist working for a Media company in Dusseldorf; Mrs. Anne Dettmer, a high school teacher and gifted musician; Mr. Lars Langner, Management Consultant at Deutsche Post DHL Inhouse Consulting Services; and Mr. Matthias Ziegler, product development specialist at the SAP software company. An interesting note is that one of the German team members is a Rotaractor who is a friend of several Rotaractors in District 6710! Our District 6710 will be hosting this GSE team from District 1810 in Germany during the four and 1/2 week period of Thursday, April 14 to Sunday, May 15, 2011.

At this time, we are taking applications from Rotary Clubs to serve as hosts to this team. So far we have only had 4 clubs express interest in being a host club for this exchange.

NOTE: This year, as in last, Rotary has strengthened the rules for selection of a host club.

Each itinerary should show the location and a contact person for each team member at every moment during the tour. If a district does not submit their complete host district itinerary to the GSE department prior to departure, they will not be allowed to travel.

Any club selected to host must provide:

Names, street addresses and contact information of each host family.
A schedule of host families and all planned activities.
Specific location of all planned activities.
Names and contact information for any Rotarians escorting the team.
At least one day's activity devoted to the vocation of each member.

This MUST be done IMMEDIATELY AFTER being selected, as the itinerary must be sent in to Rotary at least 45 days before the scheduled arrival of the team.

GSE hosting is a most rewarding experience for all involved. If there are any questions or comments, feel free to call Chair Lauch Hines at (502) 243-3525.

To apply as a host club, send a tentative itinerary by e-mail or postal to: Lauch Hines, 5601 Coral Berry Place, Crestwood, KY 40014;

LauchHines@targetretire.com

Rotary and the World Equestrian Games: THANK YOU!

A heartfelt THANK YOU is extended to all the Rotarians, family, and friends who assisted Rotary at the World Equestrian Games. Undoubtedly we have accomplished the largest collaborative Rotary feat ever attempted in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

So, what next? Currently the Rotary organizers are hard at work reconciling the work rosters from each day of the games. It is a big task, and they want to make sure they get it right so that each club gets the credit it is due.

To help in this endeavor, spreadsheets are being sent out to all Rotary club presidents. If you worked at the games, please contact your club president to verify that your shifts are recorded correctly.

Hopefully it will not be long until we will know the results of our incredible efforts!

This is World Interact Week! Interact Logo

World Interact Week is celebrated every year during the week of 5 November to commemorate the founding of the first Interact club in 1962. This year, World Interact Week is November 1-7.

To mark this occasion with Interactors and Rotarians around the world, Interact clubs, in partnership with their sponsor Rotary clubs, are encouraged to participate in joint projects during World Interact Week.

World Interact Week is an excellent opportunity for clubs to publicize, promote, and inform the community about the great work accomplished by its members. Clubs should encourage community members to get involved with Interact projects.

In the past, RI required Interact clubs to successfully complete four specific activities in order to receive recognition for World Interact Week. Now, Interact clubs and their sponsor Rotary clubs have the opportunity to explore a variety of ways to participate in World Interact Week.

Rotarians and Interactors will be able to decide the best way to celebrate World Interact Week. This may include completing one, two or an entire week's worth of activities. After the club has completed their activities, the Rotary club or district Interact chair can download and fill out the Certificate of Recognition for presentation.

Here are some examples of activities Interact clubs can do for recognition:

Conduct a joint project with a Rotary club.
Plan a literacy day during World Interact Week.
Invite Interactors to Rotary club meetings and vice versa.
Give a presentation about Interact to a Rotary club that does not sponsor an Interact club.
Publicize Interact projects to local media.
Conduct a fundraiser for Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge.
Encourage cross-promotion between Interact, RYLA, Rotaract, and other community youth organizations.
Partner with international Interact clubs.
Establish mentoring programs between Rotaractors and Interactors.
Introduce potential members to Interact by inviting them to a meeting or a project.