NEW 2011-2012 DGND....ANN LIBERATO

Rotary District 5030 is proud to select our new district governor 2011-2012.  Last week, the selection committee was able to select one of our best Rotarians in our district to take on the big role of being our District Governor Nominee Designate.  Ann Liberato of West Seattle is our new DGND.  Please congratulate Ann and welcome her to take on this major responsibility in our district for 2011-2012. 

"Ann Liberato is a West Seattle native and joined the Rotary Club of West Seattle in 1999.  The same club her father had belonged to.  Ann has been married to John Liberato since 1981, she has one step-daughter, Rachelle and two liver and white "boys" (English Springer Spaniels), Buddy and Stewart.  Ann is a founding partner in Cobalt Mortgage, the largest privately held retail mortgage company in the state of Washington and consistently is a top producer for the company.  She is just starting her 22nd year in the business.  Ann is also an avid WSU Cougar Alum who loves sparring with her Husky friends, especially during football season.  Ann currently serves as Rotary District 5030 district trainer, has been an assistant district governor, club president, club secretary, club chair, auction co-chair and has served on numerous other committees.

When asked why she wanted to be district governor, she gave the following explanation to the selection committee.  Rotary is truly a passion for me.   Since childhood when I went through the Fauntleroy YMCA I have been taught to be a leader, a team player and to give back to the community  When my career and family had evolved to a point where I had time to give back I joined the Rotary Club of West Seattle and have ever since been blessed with a supportive group of folks who have inspired me to take on larger roles not only in the club but at the district level as well.  Rotary is a way of life for me. The members of the West Seattle club have mentored me through each position I have taken, whether it be club secretary, club chair, auction chair, club president, assistant governor or district trainer. They helped create the incredible passion I have for Rotary today and I have helped create passion in them.  There are so many people at the District level as well that have mentored, challenged and inspired me to take this next step.  I am a Rotarian first. My ego does not demand me to be district governor, but with me at the helm there would a continuum of the foundation already being laid as a model district for Rotary. This is so important to taking our clubs and the district to the next level. I would stand for stability, continuity, leadership, achieving great things and fun for district 5030 as district governor. It is the next level of inspired Rotary passion for me and I plan on lighting fires of inspiration under every district 5030 club member."

Jesse

Rotary Academy Year Off to Great Start

Wednesday, September 10, marks the kick-off for District 5030’s Rotary Academy, a training program for Rotarians who want to gain in-depth knowledge of the operations and procedures of Rotary. Approximately 50 new students from clubs all over District 5030 are sharpening their pencils, as they get ready to tackle topics such as the History of Rotary. Ann Liberato, Rotary Club of West Seattle and District 5030 Training Coordinator, describes Rotary Academy as “the best way to learn Rotary from A to Z and Club to District to RI.”

The program covered by this correspondence course is targeted to potential Rotary leaders, but serves as an excellent introduction for new Rotarians and any club member who wants to learn all about Rotary. Course topics include Rotary Basics, Membership, Public Relations, Service Projects, Foundation, and District Policies and Procedures, plus one essay on a topic of your own choice. As former graduate and current Assistant Governor Joanne Primavera, Rotary Club of Kirkland, notes, “The academy lessons were really helpful to systematically learn about each area of Rotary.” Informal study groups are a popular way to team up on the course, all within the spirit of the Four Way Test, of course!

The Rotary Academy (formerly the Leadership Academy) was founded in 2000 by PDG Dick Clarke and PDG Jim Hathaway. After several years of able leadership, Dick and Jim passed the torch to PDG John Nelson and Barbara Mauer. Currently, Cathy Gibson and Hillary Hamilton, both graduates of Rotary Academy, co-chair the program. The 2008-2009 faculty advisors are Sandy Aitken, Bernie Lucking, Alex Hopkins, Cothron McMillian and Carol and Jeffrey Waters. Since 2000, just under 200 Rotarians have graduated from the Rotary Academy. Many of these Rotarians have served their clubs in leadership capacities and played roles at the District level, including past and future District Governors Aragon, Gardiner, Gray, Gregory, Dalton and Matthews. John Matthews, Rotary Club of Mercer Island and District Governor Designate, offers three reasons why other Rotarians should consider this course:

• You get to learn things about Rotary that you never knew before.
• It helps to prepare you for leadership roles in and outside of your club.
• It's fun to be meeting with other Rotarians and, for once, to know the answers (or where to find them).

Seventeen Rotarians celebrated their graduation from the 2007-2008 Academy at the District Conference in Kennewick.

District 5030 Rotary Academy Begins

It’s time to launch the seventh annual District 5030 Academy! The kick-off meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 10, at 7:00PM, at the Mercer Island Community Center. This meeting will be an orientation session, as well as an opportunity to meet classmates and the Rotary Academy faculty. In addition, Rotary Academy study materials will be distributed at the meeting.

If you are planning to attend, please RSVP to as soon as possible. If you are unable to attend, please let Hillary know who can pick up your materials for you at the meeting.

CLICK HERE for driving directions to the Mercer Island Community Center.

District After Hours Social a Big Success

On Thursday, August 28th, close to 150 Rotarians gathered at the Maplewood Golf Course in Renton for the first District 5030 After Hours Social. There was great food, raffle prizes donated by Lilly Tam, and even a putting contest with prizes, sponsored by Bill Perry of Bellevue Sunrise. Most importantly, there was a lot of Rotary fellowship in a relaxed social setting.

Presented by District Governor Jesse Tam and his wife Lilly Tam, and hosted by the Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club, this was the first of four after hours socials scheduled for the year. This inaugural event was well attended by Rotarians from 36 clubs in the District. Many special thanks to President Jenny Andrews and Executive Assistant Governor Steve Lingenbrink, both of the Bellevue Breakfast club, for their generous sponsorship and support of this event. It was a great success and we have wonderful photos to share.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PHOTO ALBUM

District Governor Jesse Tam on Cop Talk Radio

District Governor Jesse Tam will be the guest this week on Cop Talk Radio. District Governor Tam is also Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Regal Financial Bancorp, Inc.

This show will discuss the "Public-Private Partnership" between Law Enforcement and Rotary International, a global network of community volunteers and members who are business, professional and community leaders who provide humanitarian service throughout the world. Rotary currently has over 1.2 million members in over 32,000 Rotary clubs that work in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary initiates service projects to address today's world challenges, including illiteracy, disease, hunger, poverty, lack of clean water and environmental concerns. This will be a very informative show for all Cop Talk listeners.

Tune in to KVI Radio (570 on the AM radio dial) on Saturday, August 30, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (PST). Radio host Myrle Carner is President of the Emerald City Club.

Proposals for Rotary’s Constitutional Documents

The Council on Legislation was discussed at the District Assembly. We hope everyone has thought about beneficial changes to Rotary’s Constitutional Documents. If you have proposals, please work through them with your club so that District Governor Jesse Tam can get the required certifying district endorsement (a ballot-by-mail; date to be fixed by the District Governor).

TIME FRAMES

Clubs to submit their proposals by September 10, 2008
Submit to PDG and she will make sure they are in the correct format.

Ballot by Mail: November 1

Legislation from clubs and districts for the 2010 Council must be received at RI headquarters on or before 31 December 2008

If you have questions, you may contact any of the following people:

2010 District 5030 COL Representative; PH 425 844 8871


2010 Alternate COL Representative, and former COL Representative; PH 206 546 9240


2007 COL Representative

• • •

WHAT IS THE COUNCIL ON LEGISLATION?

The Council on Legislation (COL) is the legislative body of Rotary International.  It has authority to amend the Constitutional Documents of RI: the RI Constitution, the RI Bylaws, and the standard Rotary Club Constitution. (The Manual of Procedure (MOP) provides concise descriptions of these policies and procedures).

The Council meets every 3 years, preferably in April. In the Rotary year 2 years preceding each Council (2008 for 2010), each district selects a Rotarian to represent them at the Council. These elected representatives are the voting members of the Council on Legislation. 

At the 2007 Council on Legislation, 227 pieces of proposed legislation were considered. Of these, the council adopted 59 enactments and 38 resolutions. The Council referred 14 pieces of legislation to the RI Board for further study. 152 proposal were rejected and 74 were withdrawn or considered withdrawn.

The next Council on Legislation will be held in 2010.

CLICK HERE for more information and guidelines on the Council on Legislation (PDF).

Rotary District 5030 First Annual Programs & Projects Fair, September 20

The District will host it's First Annual Programs & Projects Fair at the Best Western Executive Inn, 200 North Taylor Avenue, by the Seattle Center, on September 20th, from 8:30 to 12:00 Noon. This fair will feature all Avenues of Service and their subcategories as follows:

Club Service (John Nelson)
Fellowship (Gary Bruner); Probus (Norris Bevan); Speakers Bureau (David Endicott); Family of Rotary (Ande Thollander)

Youth Programs for Break Out Session
Interact (Leesa Koffmehl); Youth Coordinator (Darwin Rieck; Youth Exchange (Geoff Owens); Ryla (Josh Gertsman); Rotaract (Bill Ptacek)

Community Service (Bill Taylor)
Rotary First Harvest (David Bobanick); Dictionary Project (Judy Ginn); RotaCare (William Grimes); Rotarians at Work Day (Terry Pickering); Music For life (David Endicott); District Simplified Grants (Duane Ruud)

International Service: (Howard Cohen)
Computers for the World (Andy McDonald); Water Health and Hunger (Jim Moore); Polio Plus (Ezra Teshome); Rotary in Russia (Bill Robison); The 3 H Grant Nepal (Rob Rose)

Vocational Service: (Dave Maloney & Tom Kasper)
Literacy (Judy Ginn); Partners for Work (Jon Hankins); Four Way Test (Ron Amston & Eugene Lipitz)

There will be a conference room area with tables where Program and Project Chairs will have information about their Programs and Projects. There will an hour to see the information before we break in to work sessions to learn how to become involved and share our projects successes and thoughts.

Clubs will be encouraged to highlight their favorite project that they would like to share with other clubs and have information available on tables, and then join in the work groups for each service area.

Registration is at 8:30, with coffee and a light continental breakfast provided. Come learn about everything your club can and is involved with. Get a first hand understanding of how you and your club can participate. Come and get involved!

Please RSVP to District Administrator by September 12 to ensure appropriate space is available. You can also contact Programs & Projects Chair for more information.

Click here for a printer-friendly (PDF) file with more information.

Rotary Public Relations Tune-Up, August 23!
RSVP by August 15

Rotary District 5030 has invited Steve Snyder, Rotary International Zone 23 Public Image Resource Coordinator, to present a special Public Relations Training Session to help Clubs be more effective in developing and executing public relations strategies.

All Club PR Chairs (or designee if no PR Chair has been appointed yet) are invited to this event, where we will be setting the context from Rotary International to club level, developing effective PR strategies, and offering tips and advice on getting the word out. This will give all PR Chairs a chance to work with and learn from more experienced Rotarians.

The District believes that this event so important that it will cover the cost to further reduce barriers to participation, and all PR Chairs are encouraged to take advantage of this valuable opportunity.

The event will be held at the Best Western Executive Inn, 200 Taylor Avenue North, Seattle, from 8:00 am – 12:00 noon.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

We need an accurate headcount for the event. Please RSVP to Public Relations Chair (Ph 206-369-1951) by close of business August 15, 2008.

Click here for a printer-friendly version of this information.

One of the biggest pieces of news from the L.A. Convention - Drive to end polio gets huge boost from WHO
By Jenny Llakmani 
Rotary International News -- 18 June 2008

The drive to eradicate polio will have the full operational power of the World Health Organization behind it, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan announced at the RI Convention in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Rotarians in the plenary hall cheered as Chan continued: "I am making polio eradication the organization’s top operational priority on a most urgent, if not an emergency, basis. "

In a historic moment, Chan was joined at the plenary session by the heads of the other spearheading partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative: Julie Gerberding, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Ann Veneman, executive director of UNICEF; and Robert S. Scott, chair of The Rotary Foundation’s Board of Trustees and Rotary’s International PolioPlus Committee. It was the first time leaders of all four partners have appeared together on stage and given a joint address.

Click here to read the entire story.

Past RI President Rick King in Seattle

Past RI president Rick King was in Seattle recently speaking to the Rotary Club of Emerald City. He was here because of a personal invitation from Myrle Carner, Club President-Elect. Past RI President Rick King attended the breakfast meeting and also the club leadership retreat in the afternoon, and presented a powerful and passionate Rotary message to the club members.

• • •
Pictured are (from left to right): District Governor-Elect Jesse Tam, RI President Rick King, President-Elect Myrle Carner and Club President Art King.

800 ShelterBoxes Begin to arrive in Remote Areas Un-Reached by the Ministry of Civil Affairs in China

Tuesday 27th May - CHINA: The immediate response by ShelterBox of 800 boxes to China is finally reaching some of the Sichuan Provinces worst hit villages. The distribution of the first 200 boxes began today by the four men ShelterBox Response Team on the ground. The first consignment of boxes where split into two lots of 100.

Pat Prendergast, Team Leader, reported on the two villages of Pengzhou & Bailu that the aid is reaching, he comments, “tents are up and the locals are extremely happy, they are no doubt going to be under canvas for sometime, ShelterBox tents are creating an excellent base.” He adds, “The Chinese people we have met have been brilliant, sadly though we can only help a few thousand of this vast population – more tents are desperately needed.”

One SRT, Tom Lay reported “The people are too scared to live in the town and have spread themselves along the mountain pass, we spoke to the Mayor of a small community who were in need of 3000 tents, but he said people further up the mountain were in more desperate need and we should use the ShelterBox equipment there, an attitude of the people here that they have all joined together to help each other.”

Back at HQ in Cornwall the volunteers are busily unpacking a mixed selection of tents supplied from Vango who are pulling all the stops out to supply as many tents as possible, ironically back to the country of origin. Volunteers are the life blood of ShelterBox and the commitment to help is certainly what is driving this large scale logistics operation forward. The unpacking and re-stocking and the swift turn around in the warehouse is what makes the immediate response possible. In Chengdu, the base camp for the ShelterBox Response Team, several aftershocks have been experienced – the highly motivated and trained responders are coping well and reporting to HQ on a daily basis.

The village of Kyien Kyaung Gyi, Myanmar where approx. 30 tents had been erected. The leader of this village lost his wife and all six children to the storm - water levels exceeded 15ft.

Graham Higginson and Andrew Biss (both from Cornwall) returned to Kenya during May to assess the ShelterBox tents that were distributed during the severe river floods 18 months ago. The tents have alleviated the re-settlement of the locals who moved from the flood plains. This is Graham's third mission to help in North East Kenya, his trip with newly qualified Andrew Biss included visiting the internally displaced people at the recently established Nakuru camp, 200km North West of Nairobi and the 190,000 (approx) Somalian refuges at Daddab.

Thursday 22nd May - Myanmar: ShelterBox can confirm that the majority of the ShelterBox tents have now been used in the two worst hit disaster areas of Labutta & Bogale. Considering the circumstances the first stage of the mission was completed; getting the most boxes of aid into the country in the initial stages of the disaster. Importantly a realistic pipeline for more ShelterBoxes to enter the country under the guidance of the local authorities has now been established.

Tuesday 20th May - China: Two SRT's Pat Prendergast (Swindon) and Tom Lay (Somerset) are now on their way from Beijing to Chengdu, they will meet with one other international SRT member Peter Clouting (Aus), they are traveling into a disaster area the size of Spain.

The two SRT's stood for a 3 minute silence in Tiananmen Square yesterday along with thousands of mourners and explained back to HQ, "that the need for vital immediate relief aid such as 'ShelterBox' is essential at this critical time as thousands of people need shelter and are exposed to the elements in a state of shock."

Back at HQ the relief effort to get to the most needy within the rescue period is on high alert, volunteers have again been packing around the clock. Tom Henderson, founder & CEO, will travel in the morning, to the Chinese Embassy to co-ordinate the transportation of as many boxes as donors can give.

Latest static suggest that the devastating 7.9 magnitude earthquake that struck southwest China on May 12, killed more than 14,500 people and has injured thousands more in one town alone. A 5-magnitude 'after shock' shook the Sichuan's provincial capital of Chengdu days later where the ShelterBox Response Team members are headed. Reports of more aftershocks and heavy rain loom over the relief effort and the team on the ground.

READ MORE ON THIS PROJECT HERE.

RIGHTING HISTORY
Rotarians can help

District 5030 Rotarians were the first to learn about an intriguing historical event coming to our community this summer.

Seattle author Jack Hamann chose the District’s 2008 conference in Kennewick to make the important announcement during his keynote address. Jack revealed that the citizens of our community will be able to pay tribute to the veterans and their families caught up in breathtaking wrongful convictions at Seattle’s Fort Lawton during World War II.

Forty-three US soldiers—all of them African American—were accused in 1944 by Army prosecutor Leon Jaworski (later of Watergate fame) of rioting and of the lynching murder of an Italian prisoner of war. Mr. Hamann’s book, On American Soil, uncovered previously-classified documents which convinced the Army’s highest court—63 years later—that Jaworski had committed “egregious error.” The convictions of all 28 men who were eventually found guilty were overturned; the veterans (or their estates) were awarded back pay, benefits and belated honorable discharges.

Rotarians at the conference learned that King County Executive Ron Sims and U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott will join Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and high-ranking U.S. Army officials in a four-day tribute to the two surviving defendants, plus the families of others affected by the historic decision.

Events during July 24-27, 2008 are expected to include formal military ceremonies, a dinner, a community picnic, a place in the annual Seafair Torchlight Parade and church services. A special mass is planned for the murdered prisoner of war. See: “Old wrongs in need of healing”

While local governments and the US Army are picking up the lion’s share of expenses, there is still a need to help pay the cost of bringing the veterans and their families to Seattle, and to lodge and transport them once here.

That’s where Rotarians come in.

Rotarians, their clubs and/or their businesses are invited to make a tax-deductable donation to help offset expenses of bringing the vets and their families to our community. The nonprofit Tabor 100 service organization has set up a website to accept contributions, by check or by credit card. http://www.tabor100.org/VeteransofFortLawton.html.

More information about the history of the Fort Lawton court-martial—and about the July 24-27 tribute—is available on Jack Hamann’s website, www.jackhamann.com. Jack is also glad to accept any suggestions or ideas for the tribute from members of District 5030.

In Kennewick, Jack concluded his remarks by reminding us that “the first draft of history rarely reveals the whole story.” Sixty-four years after that first draft, Rotarians have the opportunity to help make sure that the whole story is told at last.

Children’s Village at Karachi:
Matching Grant for Safe Drinking Water Project
Brian Rayfield, Bellevue Rotary Club Program Chair

In early 2007, I assisted a client, Dr. Yasmin Vora, in establishing a charitable trust to benefit several charities including an orphanage called the SOS Children's Village of Sindh in Karachi, Pakistan. This orphanage was founded by this client's brother, Mr. Yacoob Zamindar, and eight other prominent civic leaders in Karachi and is operated under the international umbrella of the SOS Children's Villages organization based in Innsbruck, Austria. While researching this charity, I was moved by their unique way of nurturing orphaned children and the tremendous need to be able to serve more children in that country. It occurred to me that our Rotary Club might be able to make a grant to help improve or expand their facility.

Our World Community Service Chairs, Peter Kalunian and Rob Rose, encouraged me to find out if there was a Rotary club in Karachi that could help supervise the distribution and use of donations to the orphanage. They noted that with a Rotary club on the receiving end, we could accomplish an even greater impact. I was thinking along the lines of a donation of several hundred dollars and they were thinking much bigger.

As it turns out, this client's brother is also a Rotarian (a past president of the Rotary Club of Karachi South, as a matter of fact), and we asked him to provide us with a wish list for the facilit,y and we would see what we could do. With the help of Peter and Rob and many other Rotarians in Bellevue and Karachi, we submitted a grant request for a new water system, equipment for an outdoor sports court and a new computer lab.

The Bellevue Rotary Club reviewed the project and decided to donate $5,000. In addition, we also received donations from the Rotary Club of Karachi South and matching contributions from Rotary district funds and Rotary International. The total grant of over $18,000 was enough to fund nearly all of the requested items for the orphanage and was paid to our trustees in Karachi just this past week. Construction of the water system began earlier this year in anticipation of the grant and was completed in April.

I am very grateful to have been a part of this project. It was a powerful example of the global reach of Rotary and their effectiveness in making a positive impact on peoples lives around the world.

Rotary & ShelterBox Help Muanmar Cyclone Disaster Victims

May 7th - Myanmar: Cyclone Nargis in the Irrawaddy Delta on Saturday is now reported to have killed close to 22,500 and left 41,000 missing. ShelterBox today responses by continuing to pack a further 200 boxes bringing the total number of tents to 1044 - the team of four ShelterBox Response Team members are on their way.

May 6th - Myanmar (Burma): ShelterBox responds immediately to the devastating cyclone to hit Myanmar. 22,000 lives are reported to have been lost and 95% of houses are destroyed as the cyclone swept in-land after several days at sea. 224 boxes left from the pre-positioned site in Dubai over the weekend, 220 boxes have left from Melbourne, Australia, and a further 200 boxes with two tents each were packed this morning at the ShelterBox HQ in Helston, Cornwall. A team of four SRT members are making arrangements to assist with the difficult distribution of vital aid.

Rotary and Shelter Box are working together to help the Muanmar Cyclone disaster victims. You can be part of this disaster relief project by working with your club, neighbors, church or family to make a donation to Shelter Box. One box can save a family of 10. The supplies inside the green box will help a family of 10 survive for up to 6 months.

To make a donation, please contact Zone 23 Regional Representative Or mail a check to:

PDG Kathy Johnson
240 NW Gilman Blvd, Ste C
Issaquah, WA 98027

Click here for a printer-friendly (PDF) flyer with this information.

Rotary - Scholastic Literacy Partnerships

For over 80 years, Scholastic has made quality books available to America’s schools and families. They have made a commitment to widening children’s access to rich literature by encouraging them to become life-long lovers of reading.

This year during the 2008 Rotary International Conference in Los Angeles, Rotarians around the world have been challenged to participate in the global initiative Rotary’s Wide World of Books. This initiative aims to collect more than 250,000 books that will be donated to students in grades K-3.

Scholastic is partnering with Rotary's Wide World of Books and Reading by 9 to provide high quality books at low cost to Rotary Clubs across the country! Through this partnership Scholastic is offering Rotary Clubs that choose to participate in the “Mountain of Books” FREE shipping with guaranteed shipment during the 2008 Rotary International Conference in Los Angeles.

Please use the following links to download brochures and other information specific to this initiative, including collections that were hand-picked to inspire the love of reading across generations, while reinforcing the Rotary mission.

• Rotary Reading Brochure (PDF)
• Literacy Partnerships Introductory Letter (PDF)
• Literacy Partnerships Brochure (PDF)
• Literacy Partnerships Application (PDF)
• Literacy Partnerships Catalog (Excel)

Fresh Water, With the Help of the Rotary
Club of Bellevue

Marial Bai, Sudan, is the hometown of a friend of Bellevue Rotary Club World Community Service Chair Peter Kalunian. The drinking source for the village is the polluted Bahr Al-Ghazal River, and people are suffering from cholera and dysentery.

Peter's friend, William Deng, asked if money could be raised to drill a water bore hole. The Bellevue Rotary Club has provided an $8,000 grant to International Aid of Sweden to drill a bore hole.

We are happy to announce that the water bore hole has been successfully dug in Marial Bai and is producing 9,000 liters of clean water per hour. Clean water is one of the goals of Rotary International.

3-H Grant Approved by TRF!

Email Message:

From: Steve Townsend
Senior Coordinator, 3-H Grants
Humanitarian Grants Program, The Rotary Foundation

Subject: 3-H Grant 62861, Nepal - Approved

Rabendra Raj Pandey, Primary Contact, Rotary Club of Patan (D-3290)
Robert Rose, Primary Contact, Rotary Club of Bellevue (D-5030)

Dear Rtn. Pandey and Rtn. Rose, Congratulations!

The Trustees of The Rotary Foundation have approved 3-H Grant application #62861 to launch an integrated, multi-media awareness campaign to overcome disability prejudices in Nepal. Please share this good news with your fellow Rotarians. Your hard work toward developing this 3-H project was recognized by the Trustees, who congratulate you on your efforts.

With best wishes,
Steve Townsend
Senior Coordinator, 3-H Grants
Humanitarian Grants Program, The Rotary Foundation

• • •

Dear District 5030 Rotarians,

As you can read in the above email from The Rotary Foundation’s 3-H Grant Coordinator Steve Townsend, the application for the 3-H grant 'Nepal Disability Awareness Campaign' project has been officially approved! As you can imagine, I am very excited as well as emotionally drained after three years of working toward this goal.

If you have ever dreamed about being an important part of a major project that will change the lives of thousands of wonderful, talented people who are just waiting for a project like this to bring them out of the darkness and into the light of knowledge and opportunity, then I can honestly tell you that this is the project! With the approval of this project, we have the opportunity to bring hope, education and empowerment to people with disabilities in Nepal, who have been held back and held down for so long. This is our moment in time to be that agent of change with Rotary as our vehicle.

When you think about it, our time on earth is relatively short. For me, this project is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a lasting legacy; an indelible footprint that will last beyond my own, brief existence. I hope you will find it in your heart (and club budget!) to partner with a club in Nepal to be a part of this rewarding and life-changing project!

With Warm Rotary Regards,
Rob Rose
Bellevue Rotary Club

Rotary Delivers Over 200 Computers to Schools
Tuesday April 08 2008
Reprinted by permission of the Antigua Sun
by Afeefah Beharry

The Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club of Seattle, Washington, and the Rotary Club of Antigua yesterday donated over 200 computers to private and public primary schools across Antigua and Barbuda.

Antigua is the fourth country outside of the USA that is benefitting from the club’s project “computers for the world.”

The overall cost of the project is approximately US$70,000.

It is part of the literacy programme for the 2007/2008 Rotary year.

The computers will be installed in 17 schools and the Rotarians will be on island for ten days.

During a short handing over ceremony held at Rotary House, former president of the Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club Steven Lingenbrink said “computers for the world” is a district approved project where funds are solicited from outside of Rotary and other Rotary clubs.

“I think it’s very significant to note that the Mill Reef Club also made a last minute contribution of about $9,000 towards this project that we are able to use to help finance this computer project,” Lingenbrink said.

Another member of the Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club John Martinka explained that this is their fourth project and that they are bringing a total of 220 computers to the schools.

“We have been driving around and we went to some of the schools yesterday, we can just see that yes, there is a need for what we are bringing here,” Martinka added.

“They all have windows XP, they all have one of the most recent versions of office, they are all ready to go on the Internet, they will be networked together in the classroom and the bigger classrooms will have printers attached to them.”

Martinka also stated that they have been able to afford a special printer that prints in Braille for students of the blind school and special software for them to read the computer screen.

“Those are all in the works, some of them are different levels of software, but they will be a lot of blind or visually impaired students who will be able to understand what is in front of the computer,” Martinka stated.

During his remarks, Minister of Education Bertand Joseph said the whole concept of computers for the world seems very appealing. “I am happy to know that Antigua and Barbuda is part of that world,” Joseph said.

According to him, the United Progressive Party (UPP) government came into office in March of 2004 under the mandate of an agenda for change and as it relates to computers, they promised the people in Antigua and Barbuda that they would bridge the digital divide across every social stratum and across the various communities of Antigua and Barbuda.

President of the Rotary Club of Antigua Paul Ryan, Public Relations Officer (PRO) Lorraine Josiah and service project co-ordinator were present at the ceremony.

Rotary Members Aim to Collect 1,200 Instruments
By Emily Heffter
Seattle Times education reporter

When Marcus Pimpleton returned to the Denny Middle School band room to teach music, the trombone he played as a Denny student was still there. A frayed piece of masking tape on its case still bore his name.

Click here to read the full article.

Music Education: Strike Up the Band

Rotary Music4Life is a collaboration among Seattle Public Schools, the Northwest Youth Music Association, and Seattle Rotary District 5030, partnering to expand music education for all children in Seattle Public Schools. The Seattle P-I recently published an article on this program:

P-I Editorial: Music can transform moods, lives and education. That’s why we just want to celebrate another dimension of opportunity for Seattle Public Schools’ children.

Click here to read the full article.

Guess Who’s Going To Nepal

Bellevue Rotarian Charlotte Ellis and her friend Sandy Anderson, along with Bellevue Rotary Club Administrator Laurie Larson and her son Eric, are part of a group of 21 volunteers traveling to Nepal with Bellevue Rotarian Rob Rose and his wife Gina during mid-February. Charlotte and Sandy will be in charge of a special arts and crafts project we will be doing during a big party we’ll be having for children with disabilities in Nepal. Charlotte is a whiz with arts and crafts from her years of experience with the kids at “Camp Goodtimes.”

Rob will be leading this group of 21 Rotarians, spouses and children, representing nine clubs from around Distict 5030 and even one Rotarian from Minnesota — Brad Putney — who found out about the trip and project from the project website and was so inspired he is now confirmed for the trip and is contacting other clubs in his district about participating in the "Nepal Disability Awareness Project"!

Rob will be reporting from Nepal and you can read his updates in the Nepal Trip Travel Blog, here on the District website. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed and get updates in your email inbox/newsreader! Rob is already in Nepal and has posted his first entry. The rest of the group will be leaving on February 13th for a two-week visit.

Kicking Polio Out of Africa
Editorial From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
December 13, 2007 5:13 p.m. PT
By RALPH MUNRO

Our jeep had just entered town when I saw him out of the corner of my eye. Low to the ground, he was using his shoulders and hands to drag the rest of his body across the dirt street in this tiny village high in the hills of Ethiopia.

Back in East Africa for my fifth year of vaccinating children for polio, I instantly recognized a "crawler." This man was perhaps 40 years old and lived on the ground because his childhood polio affliction tightened the tendons in his legs and made it impossible for him to walk upright. So there he was, dragging himself across the street. His knees and elbows were thick with calluses but he "wore" thongs on his hands to keep them looking somewhat normal. Every inch was a struggle.

We stopped our vehicle and I went over to talk with him. He had contracted polio when he was 4 years old and could hardly remember the days when it was possible to walk normally. Polio had permanently rendered him an invalid who had to beg for every scrap of food, piece of clothing and chance in life.
We gave him a T-shirt boldly emblazoned "Let's Kick Polio Out of Africa" and one of our bright yellow hats that we Rotary Club volunteers wear when we vaccinate. The clothes clearly identify us as Rotarians, who are in the country only to vaccinate kids and help eradicate a disease that was defeated in the Western Hemisphere many years ago.

As we drove away from this man, in one tiny and remote village, I suddenly got very depressed. I wondered if we would ever lick this damned disease that cripples so many people. Even though we have now narrowed endemic polio to four countries, I was still feeling pretty low. There is no way that I can describe how hard it is to find and vaccinate every single child in such places as Afghanistan, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan and Nigeria.

Rotary teamed up several years ago with the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United Nations Children's Fund and others to bring the dreaded disease of polio to an end. Thus far, individual Rotarians have donated more than $600 million to the effort and many of our members have joined us overseas to take a personal part in vaccinating children.

But at this moment, seeing and talking to a "crawler" on the street, my heart was low. Would it ever be possible to defeat polio, once and for all?
Just recently, we all received a huge shot in the arm. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation donated $100 million to the Rotary Polio Eradication Campaign. Upon hearing the news, I broke into tears. Maybe there is hope -- maybe we can do it. Total eradication might be possible.

Rotarians around the world will throw in an extra "happy buck" at their weekly meetings, auctions and rummage sales will be held, members will put provisions in their wills to contribute, and everything from snow cones to light bulbs will be sold to raise the money to match the Gates Foundation's generous grant. My guess is that we Rotarians will raise far more than the $100 million match.

And my prediction is that in the coming years Rotarians will swarm over Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, like bees on sugar, to find every child. Two drops of that magic vaccine will be put in every little mouth, and some day we can tell our grandchildren about the "war against polio." A war that was won by Bill and Melinda Gates and lots of us who helped along the way.

[Ralph Munro was Washington secretary of state from 1980 to 2001. In 2002 he was the President of Seattle Rotary Club No. 4, the largest Rotary Club in the world.]

New District Governor Nominee Designate: John Matthews

John Matthews, District Governor Nominee Designate (2010-2011) has been a Rotarian for 19 years. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Mercer Island, where he served as President in 2006-2007. Under his leadership, the club led the District in Membership growth for large clubs, achieved 100% participation in the TRF Annual Fund campaign, led the District in per capita giving and in total giving, and successfully initiated 2 matching grants for check dams and for wheelchairs in India.

John participated in the Polio NID trip to Ethiopia in 2002, served as instructor for the Rotary Academy in 2004-2006, and chaired the Permanent Fund for the District Foundation Chair from 2005-2007, bringing in new Bequest Society Members, Major Donors and Paul Harris Society members.

He is currently serving as Assistant Governor for the Rotary clubs of Bellevue, Bellevue Overlake, Bellevue Sunrise, Issaquah and Seattle #4.

Community involvement outside Rotary includes serving as an elder of the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, Board Chair of University of Washington/Bothell, Secretary of the Board of Pacific Science Center, Trustee of Seattle Chamber of Commerce and Board Member of the Sunshine Brooks Foundation. John is an Eagle Scout and has held various leadership roles in the Boy Scouts of America.

Following graduation from Penn State, John served 20 years in the U.S. Navy, and retired as a Commander with 5 Meritorious Service medals, 2 Navy Commendation medals and 1 Navy Achievement naval. Following his retirement from the Navy, John joined Costco Wholesale, a $70 billion company with over 130,000 employees worldwide in 520 locations. John is current Senior Vice President, and his responsibilities include the oversight of all Human Resources functions, including personnel, benefits and labor relations. He also oversees all Risk Management functions of insurance programs, and serves as President of Costco’s insurance company and President of Costco Foundation.

John and his wife Mary Ellen live on Mercer Island and have two adult children.

USA-Nepal "Differently-Abled" Theme Song

Mr. Sunil Joshi visited Bellevue Rotary Club recently to debut his project theme song, "Song for Nepal's 'Differently-Abled,'" to enhance our club's Rotary Disability Awareness project in Nepal.

Sunil is a native Nepali who lives in North Seattle. He wrote, sang and performed the music for the song. Sunil's friend, Mr. Ramesh Acharya, from Kirkland, wrote the Nepali lyrics and English translation. While in Nepal for a ten-day visit with his family and with the superb help of Nepali Rotaractor's Sacheen Shakya and Anil Shrestha, Sunil recorded the song.

BRC Rotarian Rob Rose would like to recognize Sunil's dedication and efforts, as he spent nearly all of his vacation in Nepal recording this song. His musical efforts were definitely in "concert" with our Rotary motto of "Service Above Self"!

[Stay tuned for Rob Rose's updates from Nepal as he begins his USA District 5030/NEPAL District 3292 Joint Disability Awareness Project in February.]

Rotary International & Gates Foundation Together Commit $200 Million to Eradicate Polio

EVANSTON, Ill., U.S.A. (Nov. 26, 2007) -- Rotary International today announced a partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that will inject a much-needed US$200 million into the global campaign to eradicate polio, a crippling and sometimes fatal disease that still paralyzes children in parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East and threatens children everywhere.

The Rotary Foundation has received a $100-million Gates Foundation grant, which Rotary will raise funds to match, dollar-for-dollar, over three years. The Evanston-based volunteer service organization will spend the initial $100 million within one year in direct support of immunization activities carried out by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), a partnership spearheaded by the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and UNICEF.

“The extraordinary dedication of Rotary members has played a critical role in bringing polio to the brink of eradication,” says Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “Eradicating polio will be one of the most significant public health accomplishments in history, and we are committed to helping reach that goal.”

The polio eradication grant is one of the largest challenge grants ever given by the Gates Foundation and the largest grant received by Rotary in its 102-year history. Polio eradication has been Rotary’s top priority since 1985. Since then, Rotary has contributed $633 million to the eradication effort.

“Rotary members worldwide have worked very hard over the years to reach this point, and it is rewarding to see our approach validated in such a significant way by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,” says Dr. Robert Scott, who leads Rotary’s polio eradication effort and chairs The Rotary Foundation, the not-for-profit charitable arm of Rotary that will administer the grant. “We hope that this shared commitment of Rotary and the Gates Foundation will challenge other donors – including foundations, governments and non-governmental organizations – to step up and make sure we have the resources needed to rid the world of polio once and for all.”

The Gates Foundation grant comes at a crucial juncture for the initiative, which urgently needs an infusion of funds to reach the eradication goal. Although the GPEI has succeeded in slashing the number of polio cases by 99 percent over the past two decades, the wild poliovirus still persists in four countries: Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan. The polio cases represented by that final one percent are the most costly to prevent due to such factors as geographical isolation, worker fatigue, low coverage with the vaccine, armed conflict and cultural barriers.

Last month, WHO released data confirming that all four remaining polio-endemic countries are on track to achieve eradication. In particular, significant progress has been made in India and Nigeria, which together account for 85 percent of the world’s polio cases. Nigeria has reported 226 cases so far this year, compared with 958 at the same time last year. In both countries, more effective oral polio vaccines have contributed to steady progress in reducing polio cases.

WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan says the Gates Foundation grant reaffirms that polio eradication is both feasible and achievable. “This investment is precisely the catalyst we need as we intensify the push to finish polio,” said Chan. “We have the technical tools to do it, and we can achieve a polio-free world if the rest of our financial partners step up to meet the challenge.”

Most of the initial $100 million will be spent in support of mass immunization campaigns in polio-affected countries, poliovirus surveillance activities and community education and outreach. The grant will also support an expanded research agenda on ways to halt the spread of the poliovirus. Rotary will distribute the funds through grants to WHO and UNICEF.

“The funds made possible through the Gates Foundation grant will help the Global Polio Eradication Initiative scale up its efforts to provide oral polio vaccine to children in those isolated locations where it’s most needed,” says UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman. “This important contribution will improve the capacity to protect vulnerable children from this debilitating disease.”

CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding says the collaboration between Rotary and the Gates Foundation underscores the importance of private sector involvement in major public health efforts. “As a government agency, we think it’s wonderful that our private-sector colleagues have taken a leadership role in something as important as polio eradication. Their participation is absolutely critical.”

Founded in Chicago in 1905, Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. Rotary’s global membership is approximately 1.2 million men and women who belong to more than 32,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.

Morrie Tugby is Newest Assistant Governor

Please welcome from the Rotary Club of Alderwood-Terrace multiple Paul Harris Fellow Morrie Tugby to the position of Assistant Governor. Morrie has over 22 years of Rotary Service to District 5030 and 19 years or perfect attendance. He has been to four International Conventions and many District Conferences. He has served as Club President twice and also as Club Membership Chair, and he is currently serving his Club as Media Chair.

At the District level Morrie has served three years as District Secretary and seven years as Chair of the District 5030 Audit and Accounting Committee. He has also served as District Conference Treasurer and is a Graduate of the District 5030 "Rotary Academy."

Morrie will represent the Rotary Clubs of Edmonds, Edmonds Daybreakers, Lynnwood, Mill Creek and Lake Forest Park. Please welcome Morrie to your clubs, get to know him, and include Morrie in your emails and club events. He is looking forward to working with each club throughout the remainder of this Rotary year.

Morrie can be reached at .

Rotary to Receive UN Association's Humanitarian Award

SPECIAL BULLETIN from

The profile of water and sanitation in Rotary International will receive a tremendous boost on October 25th. On that day the United Nations Association of New York will honor RI and The Rotary Foundation with its 2007 Humanitarian Award, in recognition of Rotary’s significant efforts to provide safe water and sanitation and its commitment to sustainable development worldwide.

“In the years since RI has started focusing on water as one of its annual service emphases ... We’ve learned just how much can be accomplished with relatively little, how a single small water project, perhaps a pump or a filter, can change the life of a community,” says RI president Wilf Wilkinson. “However, our work has also included participation in many other major water projects.”

The award is presented annually in observance of United Nations Day (October 24). This year’s award ceremony will focus on the global water crisis. Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and special adviser to the UN Secretary-General, will serve as Honorary Chair of the event.

Proceeds from the dinner will benefit organizations and enterprises working to alleviate water-related problems around the world.

This message comes to you from WASRAG (the Water & Sanitation Rotarian Action Group). While under the general auspices of Rotary International, this group operates independently of RI and receives no funding from it. As is so often the case with Rotary, all the members of WASRAG are volunteers and we need funds to help run the day-to-day operations of the Group. Please help us by logging on to www.wasrag.org, clicking on “Sign Up” and becoming either a Charter Member ($100) or an Annual Member ($25 per year).

Gift from Rotarians Should Fascinate Rock Hounds
Daniel Mooney/Reporter, The Kent Reporter

More than two years later, they will give the city a sphere.

“We wanted to find a project for the community that would be everlasting,” said Billy Graham, past president of Rotary Club of Kent. “Two and a half years ago I had no idea what we were going to do, but with a lot of help, we came up with this idea.”

Rotary Club of Kent and Rotary Club of Kent Sunrise will donate a unique adornment to be used as the centerpiece of the Kent Town Square Plaza project — a piece of public art in the shape of a sphere.

The $500,000 project will consist of a 12,500-pound, 63-inch, smooth sphere of granite resting in a stone fountain base. The water from the fountain will allow the sphere to rotate in the base, creating a hands-on marvel for the public. The Rotary clubs got the idea from a similar public artwork that can be seen in the Kennelly Commons on the Green River Community College’s Auburn campus.

“There’s only three places in the world that make these things,” said Graham, head coordinator of the project. “One’s in Finland, one’s in Germany and one just happened to be in Seattle.”

The clubs contacted Seattle Solstice, a company whose stone spheres and other artworks can be seen across the country, and the project began. After a world-wide search, a 20-ton piece of granite was found in India that would produce the desired, unflawed final product.

“It was shipped over from India, and now it’s in Seattle being carved out,” Graham said. “It will be in Town Square in the middle of October all finished.”

An official installation date hasn’t been set, but Graham said the tentative mid-October installation will include a public celebration and dedication.

Graham said the project comes at a perfect time for Kent.

“Kent Station, Town Square — it all came together and the timing was perfect,” Graham said. “We’re excited to be a part of the new downtown area.”

This is only one project the Rotary clubs of Kent have been working on since their births in the community. Rotary Club of Kent started in 1958 and Rotary Club of Kent Sunrise started in 1999. Made up of business people and professionals in Kent, the two local clubs are part of a community of 32,000 Rotary International clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas around the world.

“Rotary is the oldest and largest service organization in the world,” said Mark Scarff, current Rotary Club of Kent president. “It is about giving back, helping out the community. The Rotary motto is ‘Service over Self,’ and I think everyone involved really tries to practice that motto.”

As a whole, Rotary International has donated more than $500 million to the eradication of polio, and the organization is now directing its efforts to bringing palatable drinking water to third-world countries.

In addition, the local chapters have Kent interests in mind. This year, Rotary Club of Kent raised more than $10,000 for the Ryther Child Center, and its members remain committed to Kent schools.

“One of our focuses is students,” Scarff said. “We recognize students of the month from all four high schools, and we also give out academic and vocational scholarships to all four high schools, both academic and vocational.”

The Kent clubs also participate in their own international projects, sending members to places like Mexico, Japan, Ethiopia and Russia in previous years.

“We’re truly an international organization, even though we’re based here in Kent,” Graham said.

The approximately 67-member Rotary Club of Kent meets Tuesdays at 12 noon at Meridian Valley Country Club, and the approximately 38-member Rotary Club of Kent Sunrise meets Tuesdays at 7:30 a.m. at Golden Steer Steak & Rib House. For more information about the clubs, visit www.kentrotary.com or www.kentsunriserotary.org.

Contact Daniel Mooney at 253-437-6012 or .

Paul Harris Society Challenge

At the District Foundation meeting, held on September 29, 2007, Bob Smith, the Rotary Club of Maple Valley Foundation Chair, challenged the Foundation Chairs of all of the other District 5030 clubs to a contest to see what club could obtain the greatest percentage increase in Paul Harris Society members from now through June 15, 2008. The percentage increase is based upon your current club membership and excludes all current Paul Harris Society members. The winning club will have the greatest percentage increase.

To date the challenge has been accepted by the following Rotary clubs:

• Southcenter
• Bellevue Overlake
• Emerald City
• Maple Valley

The winning Foundation Chair will receive dinner for themselves and their spouses/partners at a restaurant of their choice within District 5030, paid for by the losers! Additionally, they will get the pleasure of observing the losers “Eat Crow.”

Okay, Foundation Chairs of the other Rotary clubs, where’s that club pride? If you are a Foundation Chair from a club that hasn’t joined in the challenge, do so now by emailing .

Include your club name, current club membership count, and current Paul Harris Society membership count.

2009-10 RI President Nominated

The 2007-08 Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International in 2009-10, having functioned in accordance with the bylaws of Rotary International, has indicated that it unanimously nominated:

for the office of President of Rotary International for the year 2009-10. Biographical information for Rotarian Kenny is available on the RI Web site and in the next issue of the Rotary World.

Rotary Helps Bring Health Center to Village

On a trip to Cameroon, three Maple Valley Rotary Club members got a glimpse of a life much different than their own. These Southeast King County residents saw a place where families fight a daily struggle against AIDS and malnutrition.
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