District 6780 - Newsletter - Current (Jan 26, 2012)


*Rotary District 6780* Frank Rothermel, District Governor 2011-12
Service is what you were born for so don't miss your opportunity!
Volume 96 No. 7	Sherry Livengood, Editor	Issue Date Feb 1, 2012

Webb School of Knoxville's Interact Club Supports School in India: UTube Video

Rotary Clubs Worldwide Meet US$200 Million Fundrasing Challenge for Polio Eradication

New Interact Club at Episcopal School of Knosville, Sponsored by Rotary Club of West Knoxville

Chattanooga Breakfast Rotary Club Presents 4 Way Test to Over 300 Dupont Elementary Students

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."

Pursuant to section 13.020.12 of the Rotary

Ray Knowis

DGN 2013-14

Jerry Wear

DGN 2014-15

International Bylaws, having received no challenging nominations to the candidates of the district nominating committee for governor-nominees for Rotary Year 2013-2014 & 2014-2015, I hereby declare Ray L. Knowis from the Rotary Club of Tullahoma, governor-nominee for Rotary Year 2013-2014 and Jerry L. Wear from the Rotary Club of Pigeon Forge, governor-nominee for Rotary Year 2014-2015.

Please join me in extending best wishes and thanks to Ray & Jerry! And . . . thanks for all you do for Rotary!

Webb School of Knoxville's Interact Club Supports School in India: UTube Video

Yesterday I received a copy of a new youtube.com video that the Knoxville, TN Webb Interact Club members posted. No adults were involved in creating it! This posting was a wonderful surprise. It's about the slum school that the Webb Interact Club supports in Chandigarth, India. It is a short video and it is impressive. I wanted to make sure that each of you had a chance to view it and then share others.

It really gives one faith and hope in the New Generation of Rotary. I have had the privilege of working with this group of dynamic and committed Interact teens, and they continue to inspire me. I have been to India with them when they participated in the 2009 NID and discovered the slum school. I went to Hungary with them where they helped at an orphanage. In summer 2010, three Webb Interact teens traveled to Kynsna and Stanford, South Africa and worked on a variety of Rotary projects and selected several to support. Another group of Interact members is scheduled to go to South Africa in June 2012. The Webb Interact members work each week with Iraqi former refugee teens who now reside in Knoxville and they are helping them get acclimated. They worked side-by-side with Rotary members giving free flu shots in September.

They rang the Salvation Army bells at Christmas. They promoted the End Polio Now campaign at their school and did a presentation during a school assembly. In February, on or near World Rotary Day, February 2, they will be working to restore a playground at a low income school in Knox County. The list goes on an on.

In addition, the Interact members raise funds to support all their international outreach projects. This year alone they created an awesome Indian dinner and raised over $5,500, and they created and sold Christmas cards drawn by the Hungarian orphans and a 2012 calendar that features the Bal Bahar School & Creche in India. This effort netted close to $5,000. This Spring they will orchestrate an Indian Holi Fest of Colors. Last year, they initiated this event and cleared $1,400. They expect the amount raised will continue to grow. These teens are selfless and they believe in Rotary.

The funds raised for the Bal Bahar slum school this year will be used to create a kitchen type area at the school where the students are served lunch. Currently the cooking facility is primitive, at best. Getting a water pipe installed so that bowls can be washed will be a big help, as will a small cooking stove. This year they have also have sent funds to the Mateszalka Children's Home in Hungary so that the school can get a much needed washing machine and some new furniture. They sent funds to help each orphan there have a Christmas gift and wired funds to South Africa to help fund a feeding program for indigent day laborers that is operated by wives of Rotary members. Already, they are planning to attend the RI Convention in Lisbon, Portugal. (They could not go to Bangkok because school will still be in session.)
Okay - This is a brief overview of why we should all be working with teens around the world. And, why we should do everything we can to facilitate cross cultural exchanges. These exchanges really do build goodwill and better understanding in the world.

Please share this video with your friends and fellow Rotary members.
Here's to the future of Rotary!

World Rotary Day is February 23. What does your club plan to do to mark this date in your club? The idea is to do good throughout the District simultaneously and to get media coverage. Every club should plan a project, and invite the newspaper and television stations to cover Rotary. Press releases will be needed and the clubs will need to line up media coverage in advance. Also, local government officials should be invited to attend on February 23.... (i.e. your mayor, congressperson, state representatives, etc.).

Public relations efforts are vital to Rotary’s continued growth and service. Creating a positive image for Rotary is the responsibility of every Rotarian, both locally and globally. Effective PR campaigns build positive, strong relationships with their audiences. But promoting Rotary’s work in the best possible way and sharing your stories effectively with the public and the media are not easy tasks.

RI President-elect Sakuji Tanaka will ask Rotarians to build Peace Through Service in 2012-13. Tanaka unveiled the RI theme during the opening plenary session of the 2012 International Assembly, a training event for incoming Rotary district governors.

"Peace, in all of the ways that we can understand it, is a real goal and a realistic goal for Rotary," he said. "Peace is not something that can only be achieved through agreements, by governments, or through heroic struggles. It is something that we can find and that we can achieve, every day and in many simple ways."

Peace has different meanings for different people, Tanaka said. "No definition is right, and no definition is wrong," he said. "However we use the word, this is what peace means for us. "No matter how we use, or understand the word, Rotary can help us to achieve it," he added.

Tanaka, a businessman from the greater Tokyo metropolitan area, shared how becoming a Rotarian broadened his understanding of the world. After joining the Rotary Club of Yashio, in 1975, he said, he began to realize that his life's purpose was not to make more money, but to be useful to other people.

"I realized that by helping others, even in the simplest of ways, I could help to build peace," Tanaka said. He noted that the Japanese tradition of putting the needs of society above the needs of the individual helped his country rebuild after the tsunami and earthquake in March. "This is a lesson that I think the whole world can learn from, in a positive way. When we see the needs of others as more important than our own needs -- when we focus our energies on a shared goal that is for the good of all -- this changes everything," he said. "It changes our priorities in a completely fundamental way. And it changes how we understand the idea of peace."

Tanaka will ask Rotarians to focus their energy on supporting the three priorities of the RI Strategic Plan , he said. He added that he will ask the incoming leaders to promote three Rotary peace forums, to be held in Hiroshima, Japan; Berlin; and Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.

“In Rotary, our business is not profit. Our business is peace,” he said. “Our reward is not financial, but the happiness and satisfaction of seeing a better, more peaceful world, one that we have achieved through our own efforts.”

By Megan Ferringer and Arnold R. Grahl, Rotary International News -- 16 January 2012

Rotarians who would like to learn more about how The Rotary Foundation has improved its grant model are invited to participate in a free one-hour webinar that will provide an overview of why the Foundation is changing, how the new Rotary Foundation Grants will work, and offer clarification on questions from the field.

Increase Your Reach: Easy Changes to Maximize the Impact of Your Club or District Website

During this 60-minute webinar, join a panel of Rotarian website experts to learn tips on how to develop and manage a website for your club, including discussions of:

The panelists will also offer suggestions for high-impact changes to your website that are easy to implement. Webinar participation is limited to 500 attendees, so register today!

Taking on a Literacy Program

Interested in starting a literacy project in your Rotary/Rotaract club or district? Hear the success stories of projects around the world, learn about Rotary's current literacy partnerships, and gather information about how to get a Future Vision Global Grant for your project needs. Join us to talk about how to enhance one of Rotary's six areas of focus in your community and beyond.

Past webinars

Note: GoToMeeting/Citrix requires you to fill out a form, and you may need to complete a download from GoToMeeting. In addition, Mac users may need to download an additional plug-in to play Citrix files, such as the free VLC media player.

Questions?

System requirements for the webinars

PC users: Windows® 7, Vista, XP, 2003 Server or 2000
Macintosh® users: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer

Register now for the 2012 RI Convention in Bangkok, Thailand, 6-9 May, and enjoy an unforgettable experience in the Land of a Thousand Smiles! Enjoy Thai hospitality. Make friends with fellow Rotarians from around the world. Take in spectacular sights. Taste delicious Thai cuisine. Experience a vibrant culture. Renew your commitment to Service Above Self. And have fun in a world class city.

To attend the convention and experience the fellowship of Rotary at an International level, follow these steps.

Step 1: Consider options before registering

Decide if you'll register with a group or as an individual. You can register yourself and up to four guests online , but if you have a group of six or more, you'll need to submit a paper registration form .

Check the preliminary schedule and decide the preconvention activities and RI-ticket events you wish to attend. RI-ticket events include three luncheons open to all convention registrants. Before you register, you may also want to check pricing and find information on visa requirements

Step 2: Register and reserve your room.

Step 3: Make travel arrangements after registering.

Discounts are available on select airlines for Rotarians traveling to Bangkok for the 2012 convention. Learn more .

Rotary Clubs Worldwide Meet US$200 Million Fundraising Challenge for Polio Eradication

Despite a stagnant global economy, Rotary clubs around the world have succeeded in raising more than US$200 million in new funding for polio eradication.

The fundraising milestone, announced today at Rotary's annual International Assembly in San Diego, was reached in response to a $355 million challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. All funds have been earmarked to support polio immunization activities in countries where this vaccine-preventable disease continues to paralyze children.

"We'll celebrate this milestone, but it doesn't mean that we'll stop raising money or spreading the word about polio eradication," Rotary Foundation Trustee John F. Germ told the annual conference of Rotary leaders. "We can't stop until our entire world is certified as polio free."

"In recognition of Rotary's great work, and to inspire Rotarians in the future, the [Gates] foundation is committing an additional $50 million to extend our partnership," said Jeff Raikes, chief executive officer of the Gates Foundation. "Rotary started the global fight against polio, and continues to set the tone for private fundraising, grassroots engagement and maintaining polio at the top of the agenda with key policy makers."

Since 1988, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99 percent, from about 350,000 infections annually to fewer than 650 cases reported so far for 2011. The wild poliovirus now remains endemic - meaning its transmission has never been stopped - in only four countries: Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan. However, India on January 13 marked a full calendar year without a case, paving the way for its removal from the endemic list.

But other countries also remain at risk for polio cases imported from the endemic countries. In Africa in 2011, Chad and the Democratic Republic of the Congo had significant outbreaks. Also in 2011, a small cluster of polio cases in China, which had been polio-free for a decade, was attributable to a virus from Pakistan.

Rotary members not only reached into their own pockets to support the Gates challenge,but engaged their communities in a variety of creative fundraising projects, such as a fashion show in California that raised $52,000; benefit film screenings in New Zealand and Australia that netted $54,000; and a pledge-supported hike through Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, that brought in $38,000. Many events were planned around October 24, widely observed as World Polio Day.

To date, Rotary club members worldwide have contributed more than $1 billion toward the eradication of polio, a cause Rotary took on in 1985. In 1988, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention joined Rotary as spearheading partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. More recently, the Gates Foundation has become a major supporter. In 2007, the Gates Foundation gave Rotary a $100 million challenge grant for polio eradication, increasing it to $355 million in 2009. Rotary agreed to raise $200 million in matching funds by June 30, 2012.

Reaching children with the oral polio vaccine in the disease's remaining strongholds is labor and resource -intensive due to a host of challenges, including poor infrastructure, geographical isolation, armed conflict and cultural misunderstanding about the eradication campaign.

We are aware that there may be many questions concerning the additional grant from the Gates Foundation so to help answer many of these questions a Fact Sheet has been prepared. Please feel free to share the Fact Sheet with your fellow Rotarians. We know that many districts and clubs supported The Challenge through fundraisers in their community; we would encourage you to share this press release with your local media.

Rotarians have played a major role in the milestone achievement, but the job is not yet finished. See videos about polio eradication in India:

District 6780 had its annual Foundation Dinner in Chattanooga on January 6, 2012, to hear the keynote speaker, RI's new General Secretary, John Hewko. "There was a crowd of about 150 at the dinner, held at the Reed House, a beautiful old hotel in downtown Chattanooga. The members of the District Foundation committee all wore tuxedos to meet and greet our district's donors who support our foundation, and to welcome Rotary International's newest General Secretary, John Hewko," Patty Daughtrey of Farragut Rotary said. "I felt privileged to be there. There was just a 'special air.'"

Hewko holds a law degree from Harvard, and a Master's degree from Oxford. He was selected by the Board of Directors of RI following the retirement of Ed Futa. "He is an impressive man, and he was an amazing speaker. His father is a long-time Rotarian," Patty said.

Hewko addressed five priorities as he takes over this vast role, with 800 employees and revenues exceeding $400 million:

Click here for a list of our current STAR CLUBS.

Click here for a list of our current GLOBE CLUBS.

Click here for a list of our current POLIO ERADICATOR CLUBS.

Click here to
"like" us on

Click here for the official Rotary International news feed

Click here for a link to a pdf copy of the 2010 Manual of Procedure

The Knoxville Sunset Club Is Growing, But Needs Our Help!

Ron Lawrence, who is spearheading the new Sunset Rotary Club of Turkey Creek that meets on Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. at what is now Tennova Turkey Creek Medical Center, is feeling good about things. We asked for an update and here's what he says.

"We currently have 19 paid applications on hand with two more anticipated by the next meeting date (Jan. 10th). That would give us 21 applications with 25 needed for charter," Ron says. "DG Frank Rothermel was at our last meeting and recommended that the Club set a charter date; this would motivate the membership to recruit new members to meet that deadline. At our next Club Assembly, we'll determine a realistic charter date and work toward that deadline."

The Turkey Creek Club has some notable members: the Manager of FedEx-Kinko's on Kingston Pike; two attorneys, Nick Peterson and Melissa Reinders; Phil Jarnigan, formerly of the Rotary Club of Farragut whom many of you know; James Reynolds, son of our own Mike; bankers; a VP with KARM; and a host of other really good members.

The Rotary Club of Farragut is the sponsoring club for this new club and the sooner it has the required number of members to be chartered, the better!!!! Please refer any other prospects for membership to Ron Lawrence. You can click on this LINK to email Ron.

And don't forget this: you can get a makeup done at the Turkey Creek club!

Table Sponsorships: $50 each
Advertise your business or honor someone special!
Includes 6 tickets, placards on every table with all sponsors listed, and mention in a "Letter to the Editor" of the Roane County News

Contact Deborah Alexander-Davis at dra0729@hughes.net for more information

New Interact Club at Episcopal School of Knoxville, Sponsored by Rotary Club of West Knoxville

The Second Annual Daddy-Daughter Dance,
sponsored by the Rotary Club of Dayton,

is set for Saturday, Feb. 25th.

"One Enchanted Evening" will be held at the Rhea Central Gymnasium, and the $10 ticket includes a keepsake pin. Dress is black tie to blue jeans.

Click here to download a pdf file of the promotional flyer.

For more information, email daytonrotary@gmail.com.

Rotary Club of Gatlinburg Sponsors Christmas Party and Gifts for 98 Children

For additional pictures please go to

http://www.clubrunner.ca/portal/Journals/JournalDetails.aspx?accountid=5573&jid=40337

Rotary After Hours in Gatlinburg

The first Gatlinburg Rotary After Hours was at the Loco Burro this past Tuesday, January 12. We had a Guacamole made at the table and dinner was excellent! Next Month it will be on Feb 15th at the Melting Pot in Gatlinburg! (Presumably other area Rotarians would be welcome to attend . . .)

From Andrea Ludden of Gatlinburg Rotary

Farragut Rotary's 6th Bee Is Coming On March 6th

The Rotary Club of Farragut's 6th Annual Adult Spelling Bee is scheduled for Tuesday, March 6th, at Pellissippi State Community College's Clayton Performing Arts Center. "We would like to ask each Rotary Club member to either purchase or help us sell at least one $25 ad for the event. Ads range from $25 to $100 ($25 is for a quarter page ad (business card size), half page is $50 and full page is $100," Staci tells us. "The ads will be placed in the Spelling Bee program and is available on our website all year. The ads need to be camera ready and can be a business card. The deadline is February 15th to place an ad."

You can click on this LINK to download and print out all of the Spelling Bee documents about the Bee -- the entry registration information for teams, forms for sponsorships and for ads.

Admission tickets are now available and the admission is $5 and the cost for the meal is $5. The meal will be paid for at the door. Farragut Rotary members will receive their admission and meal in place of the meal charge for the regular weekly meeting that week. Family members over 6 years old attending with the member will need to pay the admission and the meal cost. Spelling Bee team members receive free admission, a free meal and a free t-shirt. If the club has any extra t-shirts, they will also be sold at the event.

All ticket holders receive one free door prize ticket. Additional door prize tickets will be available for sale and you must be present to win. Grand prize tickets will be available for sale prior to the Bee and you do not have to be present to win the grand prize. The grand prize tickets can be sold by our members to friends, co-workers, family, and others.

The proceeds from the event benefit the Adult Education/GED program at Pellissippi State, Knox County Imagination Library and Ball Camp Elementary School, our Partner In Education school. Ball Camp, by the way, will have a team in the Bee.

From Tom King, The Flagship, Rotary Club of Farragut

Fairfield Glade Rotary Club Gives Back

Kim Hartman, President of the Fairfield Glade Rotary Club presented a donation to the Cumberland Adult Reading Council (CARC). This literacy program provides help for adults who want to improve their reading and math skills, need tutoring in English as a Second Language (ESL), or prepare themselves for earning a GED degree. CARC provides one-on-one tutorials for students with trained volunteers. Volunteer tutors at CARC, from our Club, include Rich Moore, Geoff Fine and Walt Garner. Rotarian and Cumberland Adult Reading Council Volunteer Walt Garner accepted the gift.

Winchester Rotary Club Ball Planning

These Winchester Rotary Club committee members are shown planning for the upcoming Rotary Ball. From left, Heather Crenshaw, Dr. Tom Smith, Dr. Don Philpott, Chairman, and Diane Gass. The fifth annual Winchester Rotary Club Ball will be held Saturday, February 11, 2012, at San Miguel's on the Square in Winchester. A Champagne Social begins at 6:00 p.m., with Dinner and Dancing at 7:00 p.m. Music will be by BusterSisk Band. Tickets are $100.00 per couple, and may be obtained from any Rotary Club member. Proceeds will be used to donate to the many service projects of the service club.

Contact Alan Clark aclark176@comcast.net for more information.

Rotary Club of Cookeville Breakfast to Participate in Ghana Trip 2012

Rotarians from the Upper Cumberland will be returning to Ateiku, Ghana this year to continue Rotary humanitarian works. The Cookeville Breakfast Rotary Club has supported water well projects since 2007 and has had club participation on the ground since 2009. In addition to providing wells for clean, accessible water to villages in Ghana we have supported medical clinics and school literacy work. A team will be going to Ateiku from May 31 to June 9. There's room for members of our club to go along and help -- no special skills are needed. For more info contact Pat Ryan. 261-2353 ..and visit www.RotaryGhanaProject.com.

by Patrick Ryan of Rotary Club of Cookeville, Breakfast

From Rotary Club of Blount County

from Tony Gibbons and Ron Appuhn

Chattanooga Breakfast Rotary Club Presents 4 Way Test to Over 300 Dupont Elementary Students

On a chilly and rainy Tuesday morning, members of the Chattanooga Breakfast Rotary club presented the Rotary 4 Way Test, a character education program, to over 300 hundred DuPont Elementary School students. The students learned how to provide community service to their school and neighborhoods. The program is designed to be fun, interactive, education while at the same time building and demonstrating positive character traits to elementary students.

Along with the 4 Way Test curriculum, the club also bought and distributed dictionaries for every 3rd grade student and thesauruses for every 4th and 5th grade student. The members sat down with each class and taught them how to use their new reference materials.

All of these materials are purchased and distributed from the proceeds of the annual Gourmet Guys fundraiser. This year the fundraiser will be held at the First Tennessee Pavilion on March 25th. Mark your calendars now so that these materials will continue to be available to our local elementary school children. For additional information on this event, or on Gourmet Guys, contact Laurie Shipley, Chattanooga Breakfast Rotary Club public relations chair, at (423) 702-0672.

From Laurie Shipley, Chattanooga Breakfast Rotary Club

Honor-Air Knoxville Visits Fairfield Glade Rotary

Fairfield Glade Rotarian Jack Williams introduced Gus Gocella, the Cumberland County Representative of Honor-Air Knoxville, guest speaker Jim Cundall, a Veteran of Vietnam and Desert Storm, Retired Tennessee Air National Guard Chief Master Sergeant, Knoxville Rotarian and Flight Coordinator of Honor-Air Knoxville and Dick Malsack,Veteran, Fairfield Glade resident and Honor-Air attendee.

Honor-Air's mission is to provide free of charge flights for World War II and Korean veterans to visit the memorials that honor them in Washington DC. Morning flights leave McGee Tyson Airport in Knoxville. Upon arrival in Washington DC they are met by an honor guard and board motor coaches for their journey to the WWII Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, and the Changing of the Guard Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

Veterans return to Knoxville to a Heroes welcome and are met by an Honor Guard, families and flag waving friends. Local Boy Scout Troops have been an important part of the celebration of thanks for the sacrifices these men and woman have made to our country's freedom. Honor Air takes 130 Veterans per flight and have their 12th trip coming up April 18, 2012. Interested Veterans may complete an application for a future flight at honorairknoxville.com. Mr Cundall said many Vets were concerned that health issues would prevent them from participating. To date they have been able to accommodate by having Physicians, Paramedics and Registered Nurses as escorts on the flights and throughout the day.

From Christine R. Celik of Fairfield Glade Rotary

Club Presidents' and Secretaries' Checklist

February -- World Understanding Month

Hold the first meeting of the board-elect.
Attend PETS on 11 February.
Register for presidents-elect training seminar (PETS).
Encourage all incoming club officers and new members to attend the district
assembly.
Encourage PR training for the public relations committee or encourage selftraining by reviewing the Public Relations section of the Rotary Web site,
registering for Rotary PR Tips, e-newsletter, and ordering PR training
materials.
23 February: Celebrate the anniversary of the founding of Rotary. Conduct
a visible service project in your community.
Obtain contribution and recognition reports from current club leaders.*

Important Dates 2011-2012

February - World Understanding Month

February 11, 2012 Pre-PETS, Tennessee Tech, Cookeville

February 23, 2012 World Rotary Day

March Literacy Month

March 2-4, 2012 Interact Conference, Pigeon Forge

March 22, 2012 Assistant Governors Institute, Nashville

March 23, 2012 District Awards of Excellence submissions due

March 24, 2012 District Speech Competition, TN Tech., Cookeville

March 23-25, 2012 Mid-South President-elect Training Seminar (PETS), Nashville

April
Magazine Month

April 19, 2012 Governors Team meeting, Knoxville

April 19, 2012 College of Governors dinner, Knoxville

April 20, 2012 College of Governors meeting, Knoxville

April 20-21, 2012 District Conference , Knoxville

May

May 1, 2012 GSE D6780 Team to D3350 Thailand

May 6-9, 2012 Rotary International Convention, Bangkok, Thailand

May 12, 2012 District Assembly, Tennessee Tech, Cookeville

May 28, 2012 GSE D6780 Team returns

June Rotary Fellowship Month

June 1-2, 2012 District Leadership Academy Graduation & Summary Seminar

June 2, 2012 District Golf Tournament