rotary district 5340 newsletter - may 2013
DESCRIPTION
This is the District Newsletter for May 2013TRANSCRIPT
Volume 2, Issue 11 – May 2013
1. Millions Avoid
Paralysis
2. Governor’s Letter
3. Membership Matters
4. Celebrate Rotary
5. District Council Photo
Gallery
6. New Plan for Polio
Eradication
7. Membership Matters Continued
8. Governor’s Message continued
Rotary District 5340
Monthly Newsletter
Millions Avoid Paralysis
Page 2
Governor’s Message
“See you at the CELEBRATE ROTARY picnic on May 18!” Dick
Stevens, District Governor
This month has no official RI theme, so I wanted to take this opportunity to write about the
eight new clubs we have chartered in the past 24 months. Like all Rotary clubs, each of our
new clubs has its own identity and also shares some common traits. Each one wants to grow
and stabilize membership. Most have moved at least once from their original meeting place
and are hoping their current location will become permanent. Because many of the members
are new to Rotary, there is not much collective Rotary memory. The one exception to some of
these observations is the Escondido After Five Club. It has a Past District Governor and
several past club presidents as members, so the common Rotary practices are well
understood.
Each of these new clubs want to succeed and make a difference in their communities. Most are
transitioning on July 1 from their charter president to a member he/she recruited when they
were starting the club.
Past District Governor, Larry Sundram played a role in all these clubs by helping them get
started. I think it’s fair to say that Larry is the Godfather of new clubs. He has a passion for
identifying underserved communities and then finding the right people to start the clubs that
serve those unmet needs. He’ll be continuing in this role for District Governor Elect, Carl Kruse
in 2013-14.
For these new clubs the excitement of just getting started has worn off. The business of
becoming a regularly functioning club is at hand and these eight clubs welcome your support.
They have a few experience Rotarians, but many things we take for granted - like signing up
for district events, the value of the Rotary Foundation, taking advantage of the Leadership
Development Academy and becoming a Lead or RYLA counselor - are all new. Many
members may have questions you can answer. They are eager to become part of our district
and the larger Rotary world.
The majority of these new clubs meet at times more convenient for people on the go. In fact,
the United Services e-Club meets online and members come from around the world. Try a
makeup with them just to see what it’s like. If you are planning a visit to one of these clubs,
check the district directory to be sure you have the correct meeting location and time. It
won’t hurt to call to the contact person shown on our website to be sure you have the most
current information.
Continued on Page 8
Page 3
When Paul Harris started Rotary in 1905, little did
he realize that one day the membership would grow
up to 1.2 million across the world. Looking back he
would be an extremely happy man. So are all the
Rotarians about the tremendous growth that we
achieved in our organization.
This euphoria over growth lasted until 1996 when
we touched the 1.2 million mark. It has now been
more than 16 years that we are hovering at 1.2
million Rotarians. So why are we not growing?
What are the challenges faced by the Rotary world
in its stagnated member base?
The reasons are manifold and action needs to be
taken for each of them - today, rather than later.
Membership growth seems to have come to
saturation in many countries where the people in
general no longer find Rotary very attractive. We
need to revitalize our brand to attract more people
and, in fact, younger people.
The story of Rotary needs to be told in a better way.
No other organization in the world can boast the
success that we are about to achieve by eradicating
polio from the face of this earth. In the history of
mankind, this will be done for the second time only.
This one single story is good enough for
membership to grow. But we have not been able to
take benefit from this achievement. Our public
relation efforts need to be far more aggressive.
Continued on Page 7
Shekhar Mehta
Director, Rotary International, 2011-2013
Membership Matters
Page 4
Oldies but goodies will be on display at "Celebrate Rotary". You won't want to miss the
classic car show at the District Picnic on May 18 at San Diego's Liberty Station. Remember
that Corvette to die for? Or the 55 Chevy you learned to drive with? See cars like this &
many more on display on Saturday, May 18, 12 noon to 6 p.m.
Celebrate Rotary
Page 5
.
District Council Photo Gallery Hosted by the Southeast Rotary Club, the District Council, held on April 2, focused on the many
youth programs in Rotary District 5340. Attendees heard presentations from the camp
participants on: Model UN, Music camp, RYLA, Lead, Youth exchange, Short-term Summer
Camp, Interact, Rotaract, and Global Grants scholars. Members had a chance to meet new
Rotarians and old friends, have fun, and celebrate the great youth programs of Rotary District
5340.
The event was held at Market Creek Events.
Cheryl Bode, CSE Team Elizabeth Harmata, LEAD participant.
Rotar-Kidz, Oliver & Roxie Wolff with
parents, Tadd & Shannon - La Mesa
Sunrise Rotary Club
Victor Rojo, LEAD participant
John Amarillas, RYLA Alumnus
Lucas Hitch, 4-Way Test Speech Contest with
father, Neal Hitch from El Centro Rotary Club
Detect and interrupt all poliovirus transmission
Strengthen immunization systems and withdraw oral polio vaccine
Contain poliovirus and certify interruption of transmission
Plan polio's legacy
Page 6
New Plan for Polio Eradication
The 2013-18 Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan, developed by the Global Polio
Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is expected to be finalized this month. Rotary International, along with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, are global partners in the GPEI.
In 2012, the World Health Assembly declared polio eradication a “programmatic emergency
for global public health: and called for the development of a comprehensive polio eradication and endgame strategy. The plan is designed to interrupt transmission of the wild poliovirus
by the end of 2014, strengthen routine immunization, lay the groundwork for securing a lasting polio-free world, and transfer the eradication initiative’s assets to other public health efforts. It is estimated that polio eradication could save the world US$40-50 billion by 2035.
The new plan will cost about $5.5 billion. Therefore, increased support is needed from
governments of donor and polio affected countries, non-governmental organizations, corporations, and the public, to ensure implementation. Every Rotarian can become an advocate by contacting elected officials, business leaders, friends, and the press to encourage
support for eradicating polio. To learn more about this initiative, go to: http://www.polioeradication.org/Resourcelibrary/Strategyandwork.aspx
The Plan has four objectives:
Membership Matters (continued from Page 3)
Page 7
We are unable to tell the story of Rotary to the world because we don’t ourselves know the
whole story. The Board of Directors has no clue of the total value of the work of Rotary’s
projects around the globe. If we do not know our story well, how do we expect the world to
tell our story? And, unless the story is told well, how will people get attracted to Rotary?
The Emulation of a Success Story
India has been an amazing story of membership growth. Agreed, their retention has not been
a story to write home about, but had it not been for India and other such fast-growth
countries, our membership would have gone down even below the one million mark. The
success story of such countries should be understood and used suitably in other countries
where membership is falling.
Technology Can Help
With so many new entertainment avenues available to people at their fingertips through
computers, smart phones, social media and the like, people quench their appetite for social
interaction on the Internet itself. They hardly miss the pleasure of meeting face-to-face at a
place like Rotary meetings. Rotary probably needs to be more on the internet - more e-clubs
and very soon e-districts too!
Whet the Appetite
While year-after-year, there has been a focus on membership, I would say it has been more of
lip service than an aggressive approach. We need to stretch targets for membership, ones
that will whet the appetite for challenge in every Rotarian. The Calgary Challenge or the
Global Quest are events that should not be looked down upon. Failure of retention cannot be
an excuse for not increasing rapidly. We should focus equally on retention.
Recognize those bringing in new members
Aggressive focus on membership growth, recognitions and citations, etc. all should be geared
towards membership growth. It is strange that while we have recognition pins for anyone
who contributed to the Foundation, we have no recognition pins for the person who proposes a
member. I am happy that the Board of Directors recently corrected that. Let each Rotarian
feel pride in bringing in a new person as a Rotarian and let this pride be recognized and
rewarded.
Lastly, it is important that membership growth become everyone’s business. All of us who are
members of Rotary are very happy that someone proposed us as a member of Rotary. Have
we in turn made somebody happy by proposing him or her to the amazing world of Service
Above Self? If not, today is the day. Membership growth is possible. All that it needs is our
aggressive focus.
Page 7
Governor’s Message (continued from Page 2)
Listed below are the new clubs their current meeting, time and location. You’ll note that all
these clubs have very reasonable priced guest meeting costs. I encourage you all to plan a
visit and see the changing face of Rotary.
See you at the “CELETRATE ROTARY” PICNIC on May 18!
New Club Meeting Location Meeting Time & Costs
Contact person
Chula Vista Sunset
Foundry UMC 861 Harold Pl., Space 103-4, Chula Vista
Tuesday 6:30 PM Guest Cost: $15 Dues: $200 annual
Marvin Harrison [email protected]
Convoy-San Diego
Buga Restaurant, 5580 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., San Diego
Tuesday 11:30 AM Guest Cost: $15 Dues: $150 annual
Grace Lee [email protected]
Coronado Binational
Coronado Community Center Monday 6:30 PM No meal Dues: $30 monthly
Daniel Wood [email protected]
e-Club of the United States
Online on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/unitedservicesrotary
Monday No meal Dues: $125 annual
Amanda Wirtz [email protected]
ECO Club of Solana Beach
Santa Fe Montessori School, 1010 Solana Dr., Solana Beach
Thursday 5:30 PM semi Dues: $150 annual
Bill Dean
Escondido After Five
Vineyard Country Club, 925 San Pasqual Rd. Escondido
Wednesday 5:15 PM Guest Cost: $12 Dues: $150 annual
Thomas Hogarty [email protected]
Naval Base San Diego
Buster’s Restaurant, 740 Bay Marina Dr., National City
Monday 11:30 AM Guest cost: $15 Dues: $150 annual
Tracy Conroy [email protected]>
North S D County-Route 78 (provisional)
Marketing Ideas California, 1702 E. Valley Pkwy, Escondido
Saturday 2 PM Dues: $120 annual
Jose Monforte