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| Welcome |
Welcome fellow Rotarians to the Rotary Club of Clark Centennial blog.
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| Announcement: Rotary PowerPoints for Club Officers |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Fri Apr 25, 2008 10:57 pm |
Dear Rotarians,
The follow is an example of the benefits of joining ROTI, (Rotarians On The
Internet) one of the first official fellowships recognized by Rotary International over ten years ago. We assist Rotarians throughout the world in supplying valuable information such as found below. Information on matching grants, GSE, YEP, and other important Rotary happenings are found everyday. Here is but one for your interest; Three good powerpoints for incoming presidents.
Ron
--- In ROTI@yahoogroups.com, "Michael D Hattingh"
>
Hi Everybody
Many have requested the PPT presentations, so I have put some up on a
website for the time being. Just click on the link below to download.
http://www.schus.co.za/Temporary/0304ClubPresident%5B1%5D.ppt
http://www.schus.co.za/Temporary/0304ClubPresidentElect%5B1%5D.ppt
http://www.schus.co.za/Temporary/elearn_club_president.ppt
Regards
Mike Hattingh
(o) 22 Brander Avenue, Bloubergrand, 7441
(o) Tel: 021 557 2113 Cel: 072 740 4844
(o) email : mike@... <mailto>
Cape Town - The Best city in the world
To learn more go to www.roti.org.........its FREE, can't beat that.
Ron
Ron Nethercutt
ROTI Chair 07-09
RC Clark Centennial D 3790
Angeles City, Philippines 
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| Announcement: Rotary: Where Age Is Just A Number |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:54 am |
This my monthly report to ROTI of which I am the international chair. You are invited to got to www.roti.org/new/ to see our complete monthly bulletin, or go to www.roti.org for information about ROTI. Ron
Report from the Chair
Rotary: Where age is just a number.
The subject of age recently drew a large number of replies in the General list, so I thought it a worthwhile topic for this month’s report. This comes from a previous post which has been edited to protect the innocent; or guilty as the case may be.
This subject of age in Rotary came up about two years ago, and will probably continue to do so. If you look at age vs. youth, you see experience vs. energy. These are the same qualities that many sports teams weigh when they recruit. This is true in business and even churches.
In Rotary we find the older members are in positions to more easily take time away from their jobs to do Rotary projects. The younger Rotarians may not have enough seniority in the workplace to do so.
The older Rotarians may be financially able to become PHFs and thus increase district funding for matching grants. The younger Rotarians may be able to provide the energy and expertise with grant writing to win approval for the project. The older Rotarian may be able to pick up the phone and speak to the mayor, governor, or congressman to get assistance for Rotary projects. The younger Rotarian may be able to gather a group of younger people that are willing to assist in implementing the project.
One suggestion would be for the Rotarian that is a senior executive in their company to recruit one of the bright young junior executives as a Rotarian. Bring them to your Rotary club a few times and see how they mix with the group. At first they may feel glad to go because their boss asked them. Hopefully they will soon see why Rotary is important to the community and recognize the organization’s ability to provide assistance where needed.
I guess what I am trying to say is there is a need for both the young and ambitious, and the more experienced in Rotary. John Challenger said in an earlier email that he did not join Rotary until he was 51. I was 49 before being asked to be a Rotarian. A social friend and state judge in Louisiana called me shortly after I assumed the position as GM of a public radio station. Judge Covington said, “Ron, congratulations on your new job, and I want to take you to my Rotary club next week to meet some of the people that do a lot for the community.” Since my father had been a Rotarian, I was familiar with Rotary, but had not given my membership much thought. Twenty-two years later, I still appreciate receiving that telephone call.
This is not an issue of 'either/or,' but an issue of using the attributes of both to help Rotary continue to be the great organization we desire it to be. The measuring stick should not be one of years, but how willing and able members are to help those in need.
The following reveals interesting data re Rotary membership in 2006.
Age: Length of Membership Working & Retired
30 1% Members 0-3 yrs 21% Working 78%
30-39 10% Members 3-5 yrs 19% Retired 22%
40-49 23% Members 6-10 yrs 20%
50-59 30% Members > 10 yrs 40%
60-69 22%
70+ 14%
Here are some other numbers for you:
The largest club in the world is San Antonio, Texas (USA) with 668 members. It is closely followed by Seattle, Washington also in the USA. The largest club outside of the United States is that of Tokyo, Japan with 335 members.
And since Gloria is nearby, I better provide some numbers for the female gender:
June of 2007 found:
178,050 women Rotarians; 14.54% of all Rotarians 25,228 Rotary clubs had women Rotarians, or 76.58% of all clubs 51 women held the office of District Governor, or 9.59% of all the DGs.
That’s it for this month’s report from your ROTI Chair. The big news is that the motion to amend the ROTI By-Laws passed by over 90%. By the time you read this, you will have seen the exact ballot count and a great deal of information on how our members can expect to get more out of their membership in ROTI.
Ron
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| Announcement: RI President's Message for March |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:39 pm |
Dear fellow Rotarians,
Mohandas Gandhi once said, "If we are to teach real peace in this
world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall
have to begin with the children."
What Gandhi understood so well was simply this: that anger and
hatred, arguments and differences, rivalries and quarrels are not
inherited or innate. They are learned. Children who see hate, learn
hate. But children who see sharing and love, learn sharing and love.
The way things have always been is not necessarily the way they will
always be. For better or for worse, almost any status quo can
eventually change. When there is a new threat to be faced, people can
be divided by it and fight each other, or they can come together and
work together and find a solution to their problems together. Every
new challenge has the power to divide – and the power to unite.
In a world of change, Rotary must be the constant. And in a world of
increasing needs, Rotary must keep pace by making sure that we have
the strength and the numbers to do what needs to be done.
In this Rotary year, I have asked Rotarians everywhere to focus on
sharing Rotary through membership. It is time to evaluate where we
are in this task. Have we all invited a potential new member to a
meeting? If we've succeeded in bringing in a qualified new member,
are we helping that member to grow and succeed in Rotary?
Rotary can only continue to serve if it continues to grow. Simply
maintaining our membership at current levels will not be enough. As
the world's population and its needs continue to rise, we too must
rise to the challenge they present.
We must show the world that Service Above Self is more than just a
motto, and Rotary Shares more than just a theme. These words are our
truth – a truth that defines us, and all of Rotary.
Many decades ago now, Gandhi – who I think would have made a very
good Rotarian – said something else that resonates with us as
Rotarians: "Man becomes great exactly in the degree in which he works
for the welfare of his fellow men."
Each of us has the opportunity to become great through our Rotary
service. Let us all be sure that this is an opportunity that we seize.
Wilfrid J. (Wilf) Wilkinson
President, Rotary International
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| Announcement: Feb 23 is Rotary's Birthday |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Sun Feb 10, 2008 1:40 pm |
What Paul Harris Said
February 10 2008
In 13 Days Rotarians around the world will mark the 103rd anniversary of the first gathering of four men, who went on to create Rotary as we know it today. Rotary Global History Fellowship has for nearly eight years been bringing Rotary’s History to life. Today, our feature “What Paul Harris Said,” reminds all of us that we are imperfect humans. We all make mistakes, but if we move forward and continue to seek world peace and understanding, we will make progress.
Paul Harris, founder of Rotary made very few mistakes, but one that is still in print is interesting since it involves Rotary #5, the Rotary Club of Los Angeles, where Rotary’s 99th convention will be held.
In “This Rotarian Age” Harris refers to LA as the fourth club, he later wrote a correction. “Early in the year 1908, Manuel Munoz, a member of the Chicago club, was prevailed upon to carry the message to San Francisco . He pledged himself to interest some suitable resident of the city of the Golden Gate in the organization of a club. In Homer Wood, a young lawyer, he found the right man. Homer not only organized a club in his own city, but in conjunction with other friends organized clubs number three in Oakland, and number four in Los Angeles. “Paul Harris, 1935 “This Rotarian Age.” Page 77 http://www.whatpaulharriswrote.org/library/rotarianage/rotarianage.htm
So, if you make a mistake, shake it off. Remember that 50% of the initial four men, quickly dropped out of Rotary. Another footnote to history is that SF#2, Rotary Club of San Francisco will, this November, be only the second club to reach 100 years. Visit their booth in Los Angeles to learn more. And we hope to see many of you at our annual RGHF Breakfast in LA.
Yours in Rotary History,
Jack Selway, Founder, Rotary Global History Fellowship (RGHF)
Member: Rotary eClub of the Southwest USA
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| Announcement: The Power of One |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:54 pm |
THE POWER OF ONE by Past RI President Frank Devlyn (Mexico)
"One of the most amazing things about the success of Rotary is that it is achieved entirely by volunteers. It all starts because one Rotarian wants something to happen, not because some boss tells him or her to do it, or to fulfill a mission statement that is posted on a wall somewhere. Every successful project that Rotary has ever accomplished has begun at the grass roots level in the minds and hearts of individual Rotarians.”
(From Frank's Book: Frank Talk I, p. 106
Rotary humanitarian and educational projects are funded most often by small amounts of money given by large numbers of Rotarians to the Annual Programs Fund and combing those funds to do great things.
TRF Trustee Lou Piconi recently stated “…we do hope every Rotarian would feel the pride of the achievements and programs of The Rotary Foundation and then choose to make an annual contribution each and every year. That is the bottom line message that Rotary club leaders should convey with sincerity and conviction.”
PRIP Frank is a remarkable Rotarian, I have met him several times and he is a treasure chest of ideas for Rotarians. Check his website at:
www.franktalkgems.org
Ron
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| Announcement: Rotary PR Tips |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Sat Jan 12, 2008 12:09 pm |
RI will launch its newest set of public service announcements (PSAs) later
this month. Humanity in Motion IV (612) will be distributed to all district
governors-elect during the 2008 International Assembly and sent to every
club. Please alert your club president to ensure that your club's public
relations team receives it.
This four-disc set contains new TV, radio, print, and billboard PSAs, all
designed to help you promote Rotary. Postcards, along with a poster, wallet
card, and newspaper supplement, are also included, providing an efficient
and professional way to share Rotary with your community. Download Rotary
PSAs from previous editions of Humanity in Motion here.
Rotary in the news
For the 11th year, District 1190 (England) hosted a culinary competition to
help youth develop their cooking skills, ability to prepare healthy food,
and knowledge of local produce. Get the full story from the newspaper
Buckingham Today and on the RIBI Web site.
Refer a prospective Rotarian today
January is Rotary Awareness Month, so share Rotary
in person! If you're an active member of a Rotary club and have friends,
family members, or colleagues who would be a great addition to Rotary,
consider referring them for membership. Read more about the referral process here.
Celebrate World Understanding Day
Every club is encouraged to promote Rotary's good works on 23 February, the organization' s 103rd birthday. The day, designated World Understanding Day, provides a tremendous opportunity for clubs and districts to share the story of Rotary's local and global contributions.
Though 23 February is the official Rotary anniversary, you can designate any
day to celebrate Rotary in your community. Most important, Rotarians are
encouraged to select a day to communicate to the public what the
organization is and does around the world.
To help Rotary clubs and districts coordinate a celebration, RI provides a
few resources. For starters, view a list that offers ideas on events and
activities your club can organize. Additional materials, including a sample
proclamation and two promotional posters, are available on the Public Image Resource Group page of the RI Web site. You can also contact a Public Image Resource Group member.
Protect Rotary's Marks
Rotarians must protect Rotary's emblem and other marks in all their public
relations efforts. Before starting your PR work this year, please review the
RI Visual Identity Guide (547-EN), which explains how Rotarians can use the
Rotary emblem appropriately and effectively in their print, electronic, and
outdoor promotional activities. It also provides information on choosing
colors and designs and identifying club and district projects. Download the
guide or order it online.
Digital trends in 2008
Last year, many Rotarians promoted their work through online videos, club
and district blogs, and podcasts, as well as through Web sites harnessing
social media. In 2008, social media will continue to spread, especially
through electronic means such as mobile technology. Read how you can use
digital trends for public relations outreach here.
Rotary PR Tips, an international resource
Did you know that Rotary PR Tips reaches nearly 4,000 people in 115
countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe? It's a great opportunity to learn
how the media works and how other cultures promote their projects. What PR tip would you share with readers? Send it to pr@rotary.org.
Ron
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| Announcement: RI President's January Message |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Sun Dec 30, 2007 2:27 pm |
R I President's Message for January 2008
Since 1988, when polio eradication efforts began, Rotary
International has been a spearheading partner in the fight to end the
disease. Longtime Rotarians know the history well. There have been
triumphs and setbacks. There have been times of rapid advances and
times when progress has seemed slow. There have been times when the
end seemed very near. But never has it been nearer than it is right
now.
Before the campaign to eliminate polio, about 1,000 children a day –
350,000 a year – were paralyzed by this terrible disease. These
children were left to a life of struggle and disability, and often of
social stigma. Today, only four countries are still polio-endemic,
and annual cases of polio paralysis are down to about 1,000 a year.
We've come so far, yet the nature of the wild poliovirus means that
if we slacken our efforts for even a moment, we'll soon see our hard
work reversed. We have only two options: to press on with
determination and faith until we succeed, or to lose everything we've
invested and everything we've gained.
The generosity of Rotarians in responding to the call for help has
been astounding. We've raised more than US$600 million to support
polio eradication in 122 countries. We've saved the lives of
thousands of children through the polio vaccine and the vitamin
supplements distributed with it, and we've saved countless more from
the often desperate realities of postpolio paralysis.
Now we're in the final stretch of this long and difficult, but
exhilarating, race. It's literally a question of choice – to win or
lose, succeed or fail. Our partners around the world have recognized
how critical this juncture is, and many have stepped in with added
support, financial and practical. The recently announced grant of
$100 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a resounding
vote of confidence in polio eradication efforts. Their financial
support will be invaluable in the months ahead, and their trust in
Rotary is an honor to us all.
Many of you have already given so much to the battle against polio.
Each of you is forever a part of history – part of Rotary's legacy
and its gift to the world's children. Today, we call on all
Rotarians – but especially on new Rotarians who have not been a part
of campaigns in the past – to do what they can, to help in any way
they can, to finish this fight once and for all.
Wilfrid J. (Wilf) Wilkinson
President, Rotary International
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| Announcement: 100 Million Dollars Given by Bill Gates Foundation |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Tue Nov 27, 2007 2:47 pm |
This is a historic day for Rotary. It is our great pleasure to inform
you of a new partnership between Rotary International and the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation that will provide a much needed US$200
million in support of our top goal of a polio-free world.
The Gates Foundation has awarded The Rotary Foundation a challenge
grant of $100 million, which Rotary will match, dollar for dollar,
over three years. This is the largest single grant ever given to a
volunteer service organization and represents a tremendous validation
of the approach and success of our PolioPlus program.
This partnership comes at a critical juncture for the polio
eradication initiative, which needs an infusion of funds to reach the
eradication goal. For this reason, the initial $100 million will be
distributed by The Rotary Foundation through grants to the World
Health Organization and UNICEF in direct support of polio
immunization activities in 2008.
Your participation in this effort is crucial to making it a success.
The Rotary International Board of Directors and the Trustees of The
Rotary Foundation have unanimously agreed to accept this challenge
grant to ensure the success of the PolioPlus program. We feel
confident that this extraordinary commitment from the Gates
Foundation and Rotary will serve as a catalyst for further donations
from others to help us realize the dream of a polio-free world.
In 1985, we promised every child a world free from the threat of
polio, and we are almost there. This funding agreement between Rotary
and the Gates Foundation is a huge step forward, bringing us even
closer to our goal. Success is our only option.
Wilfrid J. Wilkinson
Rotary International President 07-08
Robert S. Scott
The Rotary Foundation,
Trustee Chair 2007-08
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| Announcement: New RI Grant Structures Feature Flexibility |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Wed Nov 07, 2007 9:50 am |
New grant structure offers flexibility and strategic focus
By Janis Young
Rotary International News
Under the new grant structure model for The Rotary Foundation, all
grants will fall into one of two categories and consolidate
educational and humanitarian programs. The grants will allow Rotary
clubs and districts to continue to support their broad service
interests and address immediate needs in their communities, while
participating in projects with proven results that allocate greater
resources to larger and more strategically focused projects.
The first type of grants, modeled after the current District
Simplified Grants, are block grants managed by the districts.
Designed to give clubs and districts a greater sense of ownership,
these grants also provide more flexibility in carrying out local and
international projects that will preferably be completed in less than
18 months. A broad scope of activities are eligible, provided they
relate and conform to the Foundation's mission. Clubs and districts
may form international partnerships to address needs in their local
communities or abroad and partner with local organizations on
community projects.
Although sustainability isn't required, clubs are encouraged to
consider long-term outcomes in their plans. "We envision that some
grant projects will serve as a laboratory at the local level for
projects that could develop into larger and more sustainable efforts
supported by the more focused grant types," said Trustee Ron Burton,
a member of the Future Vision Committee.
In the pilot phase, districts will use available District Designated
Fund allocations to support the block grants, giving districts more
control over their DDF. Some examples of projects that might be
funded include books for a local literacy project, travel expenses
for a Rotarian providing volunteer service abroad, and tuition costs
for a scholarship for a local college student.
The second type of grants are more focused and support larger, more
sustainable projects related to one of the three to five strategic
areas of focus (to be established by the Foundation Trustees at their
April 2008 meeting). An area of focus is defined as a priority world
need identified by Rotarians in which the Foundation is directing its
resources to have a sustainable and measurable impact that leverages
the organization' s financial and volunteer resources. Based on
demonstrated Rotarian interest and experience, these areas of focus
will offer a long-term commitment with potential for sustainable
beneficiary outcomes. This grant type does not include the current
corporate project, PolioPlus, or any future one; corporate projects
will be independent and the highest priority of Rotary International
and The Rotary Foundation.
Clubs and districts may apply for this type of grant with an
international partner, club, or district to support a focus area
project of their choice. Or they may apply for a grant established
with a strategic cooperative relationship organization designated by
the Foundation. In an effort to also consider Group Study Exchange
and Ambassadorial Scholarships in a more strategic way, it is
possible that the grants will fund participants whose professional or
study fields relate to the areas of focus. Specific strategies for
activities and projects are still being developed for review by the
Trustees in April.
"These larger grants are designed to use Rotary Foundation resources
more strategically and to address Rotarians' interests," said Trustee
Sakuji Tanaka, member of the Future Vision Committee. "By building on
our strengths and concentrating our organizational efforts, we can
make far more impact, attract new interest from potential strategic
cooperative relationship organizations, and greatly enhance our
Foundation's public image."
In addition to the areas of focus, other details about the grant
structure require further clarification from the Trustees. "Many
questions still need to be answered on how to apply, approve,
disburse, and report on these grant types," said Trustee Chair-elect
Jonathan Majiyagbe, who is vice chair of the Future Vision
Committee. "The Trustees have asked the Stewardship Committee to
outline the stewardship needs of the new model."
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| Announcement: Inspiring Steve Jobs Speaks at Stanford Commencement |
| Posted: erwinbriantan @ Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:50 pm |
This is the prepared text of the address by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, who spoke at Commencement of Stanford on June 12, 2005.
If you want do listen to the actual recording, here it is (click OPEN when prompted):
http://202.69.177.21/music.m3u
I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.
The first story is about connecting the dots.
I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?
It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.
And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.
It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:
Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.
None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it's likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.
Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.
My second story is about love and loss.
I was lucky - I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents' garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation - the Macintosh - a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.
I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me - I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over. I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.
During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together. I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.
My third story is about death.
When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.
I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.
This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope it's the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:
No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park , and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.
Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.
Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.
Thank you all very much.
If you want do listen to the actual recording, here it is (click OPEN when prompted):
http://202.69.177.21/music.m3u
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| Announcement: Why I Am A Rotarian |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Sat Oct 13, 2007 10:22 pm |
Why I am a Rotarian: Tom Moore
OCTOBER 14, 2007
www.whyiam.org
For 30 years, our printing shop was in downtown McAllen, Texas (population 125,000). Homeless people would often come into our store or sleep in our entrance. I dealt with them everyday, and often everyway. In Rotary, we are able to help so many needy people.
Rotary has made it possible for me to travel worldwide and to meet wonderful people and Rotarians in Scotland, Belgium, Sweden, South Africa and Mexico. Rotarians have lovingly hosted us.
My daughter was able to participate in Rotary Youth Exchange to Spain and Belgium. We have hosted young people from Belgium, South Africa, Latvia, Sweden, Philippines, New Zealand, Finland, Argentina, Brazil, and Germany.
Our daughter enjoyed and learned so much from RYLA that she did not want to return to her dull high school.
Rotary gives us the opportunity to have friends beyond our church and our business.
Rotary provides social opportunities for my wife and I beyond our church activities. Many of the activities we volunteer to do in Rotary have parallels in our business and home lives.
Rotary gives me a chance talk with and relate to other business owners.
Our weekly Rotary Club programs give me a window on the life of our community, and give me ideas on things, which need to be improved.
My life has become fuller because of Rotary.
Tom Moore
2616 North McColl Road
McAllen, Texas 78501 USA
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| Announcement: Rotary Helps Street Children in Brazil |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Tue Oct 09, 2007 6:34 pm |
Vocational project gives Brazilian youth a taste of success: Rotary
International News
A Rotary club-sponsored oasis in the middle of the troubled Praça
Mauá neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is giving teenagers
there a foothold into a promising future.
As part of a series of ongoing programs supported by the Padre
Francisco da Motta School in collaboration with Rotary clubs, teenage
students are learning to bake bread. The idea is to help prepare them
for the job market as they pursue their regular studies.
Three clubs in Rio de Janeiro — Flamengo, Paranapuã, and Ramos —
joined forces with the Rotary clubs of Köln am Rhein, Germany, and
Bhagyanagar, Andhra Pradesh, India, to gather club and District
Designated Fund money for a Matching Grant of US$33,000. With those
funds, Rotarians purchased new industrial baking equipment, including
an oven, a kneading machine, and a mixer, to equip a space just a few
doors away from the school.
Local Rotarians have been partnering for the past decade with clubs
from Germany and elsewhere on a series of 17 Matching Grant projects
to help young people from the community, which struggles with
unemployment, drugs, and prostitution. Projects at Padre Francisco da
Motta and the adjoining Sonja Kill High School have included
providing nutritious lunches and offering shop and graphic arts
courses.
"Today, more than 5,000 children are safe, off the streets, and have
a future because Rotarians care," said Past District 4570 Governor
Adélia Villas, a longtime Rotarian volunteer at the site.
In May, students baked their first product: French rolls. "I am
really happy," said 16-year-old Nayara AraĂşjo de Oliveira. "I never
thought the bread would turn out so tasty. Now this is my favorite
class. I like being able to see the results of our work so fast."
Noting how the Sonja Kill students shared their first bread with
kindergartners from Padre Francisco da Motta, Villas, said: "Here you
can feel the love that exists in this school. You see how different
this school is from others."
Source: R I website
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| Announcement: 500,000 Shelter Homes Deliverd |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Fri Sep 07, 2007 12:05 pm |
I saw these in Salt Lake City at the RI Convention. This began as a
Rotary club project and has expanded all over the world. It is quite an
undertaking. It is a good example of showing you the work being done
by Rotary clubs in other parts of the world.
Ron
---------------------
First U.S. ShelterBox Response Team members deliver landmark aid
By Janice Chambers
Rotary International News
The Shelterbox that marked 500,000 people helped by the program was
delivered to Jagadeo Argairiya, who has a family of 10, including
five young children.
On her first trip delivering disaster relief for ShelterBox, Trannie
Lacquey encountered Maoist guerillas, crossed swollen rivers on foot,
and hiked miles in a remote, tension-filled corner of Nepal.
But the toughest challenge, says the grandmother of five, was
clearing customs at the airport for 410 ShelterBox relief kits, which
would help hundreds of families trapped by the monsoon floods that
swept Nepal in August. It took 10 days.
"It was tedious and very frustrating. We knew people were waiting,"
she says.
Fortunately, extensive training at a ShelterBox Response Team
training camp in Cornwall, England, paid off, she says. Lacquey and
her husband, John, members of the Rotary Club of Branford, Florida,
USA, and Gary Boe, a member of the Rotary Club of Lewis River,
Washington, USA, were the first U.S. ShelterBox Response Team members
sent on a disaster relief mission.
They also made history, as they delivered the ShelterBox that marked
500,000 disaster victims aided by the Rotarian-sponsored nonprofit.
Shelterbox started as a small project by the Rotary Club of Helston-
Lizard, England, in 2001, but it took off quickly. To date, it has
raised 8,356;15 million and delivered aid in 33 countries. Recently, the
Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles's wife, Camilla, agreed to serve
as president of ShelterBox. She is believed to be the first Royal
Patron of a Rotary club project in the United Kingdom.
Each ShelterBox costs about US$900 and is intended to help a family
of 10 survive for six months. It contains custom supplies that
typically include a large tent, blankets, water purification and
cooking equipment, basic tools, and a multi-fuel stove. Rotary clubs
provide more than half the funding, and private donors contribute the
rest.
The effort also depends on energetic volunteers like the Lacqueys,
who arrived home 1 September after three weeks in Nepal and are now
repacking for a weekend in Blackwater River State Park in Florida,
where they'll help train more response team recruits.
They'll also tell stories from their recent trip. "The rice paddies
were still flooded," John Trannie recalls. "People lost everything.
They were living under tarps in the rain. The living conditions were
just horrible." But through it all, he says, "People would help their
neighbors. It was a very humbling experience for us."
Recently, ShelterBox enjoyed another first. It received its first
Matching Grant from The Rotary Foundation, allowing 24 boxes to be
delivered to northern Ethiopia in October, providing desperately
needed shelter for Sudanese refugees. The grant was funded by the
Rotary clubs of Beaverton, Oregon, USA, and Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. It
is part of a massive effort by ShelterBox, called A Million in
Africa, which intends to provide shelter for one million of Africa's
eight million refugees.
Courtesy: eFlash_Rotary[/img]
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| Announcement: Mt Kilimajaro Conquered by Rotarians |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Fri Aug 31, 2007 2:48 pm |
At Tuesday's meeting I gave the International Toast in tribute to Rotarians John Glassford, and member of ROTI and good friend. The toast said that at that very moment they were at the top of Mt Kilimajaro as a club project of RC Coolamon in Australia. I just received this from John and think you might find it of interest. WOW Kilimajaro is 5895 meters (18,000 feet)
Ron
---- John Glassford <jacksflat> wrote:
>
> Just a very quick note from the New Arusha Hotel.
>
> We are ALL back off the mountain safe and sound well maybe not so sound!
>
> It was without question or argument the toughest thing any of us have
> ever done in our lives!!!!
>
> Bobby Millis will update the web site as we send him pics.
>
> http://www.coolamonrotary.com/kili/
>
> 10 out of the team of 16 made it to Uhuru Peak 5895 metres another 4
> officially to Stellar Point 5756 metres. The young lass fainted on
> the way up to the summit and was rescued but our guides and porters
> taken down 3,000 metres with oxygen. Kate O ' Neill is her name and
> her mother went down with her. She was treated for altitude sickness
> and has fully recovered.
>
> ALL are well some not as well as others but all have fully recovered
> and have gone to St Judes. I am having the day to recover I am
> totally spent and gave it my all. You should all be very proud of the
> team especially my fellow Rotarians including Craig the stubborn
> Corrigan who refused to give in and got to the highest point in
> Africa, Uhuru Peak with his twin brother's ashes.
>
> Not to be alarmist in any way but 4 climbers died last week on
> Kilimanjaro doing what we did. We also witnessed several very very
> sick climbers being taken down during our attempt. It was tough so
> tough words and photos cannot describe the feelings we all had both
> the women and men performed equaly as well as each other.
>
> I promise NO more mountains but I do have another idea!!!
>
> In the mean time we MUST get more money in the situation here re
> orphans is heart wrenching.
>
> All for now and thanks you all for the wonderful support. Please pass
> on the message to those I have not had time to include. The RFFA
> Orphan Rescue banner supplied by the RC of Nairobi was taken to Uhuru
> Point by 3 Rotarians and one future Rotarian. Photos up on the web
> site asap.
>
> I hope that you all understand why we could not call you!!!!
>
> Kind regards John Glassford
> Community Services Director & President Elect 08/09
> Rotary Club of Coolamon District 9700
> New South Wales, Australia
>
> Mount Kilimanjaro Climb 28/8/07
> http://www.coolamonrotary.com/kili/
>
> Road MAPS to Africa Web Site:
> http://www.coolamonrotary.com/maps/
>
> Chair RFFA (Australia): Rotarians Action Group Fighting AIDS.
> http://rffa.org/[/img][/url]
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| Announcement: Rotary Fellowships |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Sun Aug 26, 2007 12:03 pm |
Rotary International has almost 80 Rotary Fellowships which offers a unique opportunity to all Rotarians to exchange information on many fields. From Accounting, Flying, Yachting, Golf, Motorcyles, to Music, Ham Radio, Fishing, Travel, Shooting sports, Wine, Yoga, Scuba and many more. I encourage the members of RCCC to look at the list and see if there is one of interest. I have met many of the members at their booths during the RI conventions in Chicago and Salt Lake City, and find them great advocates of their special hobbies. They are a wonderful source to exchange ideas and fellowship. Most are free to join and offer a nice place to share thoughts.
http://www.rotary.org/cgi-bin/fellowships.cgi?template=fellowships_list.html&dbname=fellowships.txt&action=searchdbdisplay
This is a long URL, so you might have to cut and paste to your browser.
I am very happy to be the Chair for the next two years of ROTI, Rotarians On The Internet. It is one of the largest with almost 2,000 members in 85
countries, and of course invite you to join it at www.roti.org. But you may wish to extend your Rotary family in one of the many other Rotary Fellowships. Its a great place to expand you interest in Rotary.
Ron
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| Announcement: Rotary Basics |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:01 pm |
Hi Guys,
RI pubishes each year a great brochure entitled ROTARY BASICS. Here is
a small portion from that publication.
Did you know?
• Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarships is the
world’s largest privately funded scholarship program.
• The Rotary Foundation has contributed more than
$420 million in grants for development and humanitarian
aid in the developing world.
• Rotarians have established a host of organizations
dedicated to various humanitarian causes, including
ShelterBox, HungerPlus, Gift of Life, and Rotary Doctor
Bank.
• Providing vitamin A supplements during polio National
Immunization Days has averted an estimated 1.5 million
childhood deaths since 1998 — testimony to the
“plus” in PolioPlus.
• RI representatives work with many major international
organizations, including the UN and several of
its agencies, the Organization of American States, the
Council of Europe, and the African Union.
The 8 page ROTARY BASICS may be read at:
http://www.rotary.org/newsroom/downloadcenter/pdfs/595en.pdf
See you Saturday at the Membership Development Seminar.
Ron (aka jazzprof)
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| Announcement: Rotary Is An Opportunity |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Sat Aug 18, 2007 10:39 pm |
Rotary is Opportunity By Frank Deaver
Rotary Club of Tuscaloosa, Alabama USA
This is the Editorial in The Breadbasket of ROTI for August... Ron
What is Rotary? Reduced to a single word, Rotary is Opportunity. RI Past President Clem Renouf said, "Rotary takes ordinary men [and women], and gives them extra-ordinary opportunities."
Of course, Rotary is many other things. The words "service" and "fellowship" are often employed to describe the international organization. Other descriptions are valid, of course, but perhaps there is no better single word to encompass all that Rotary stands for. Rotary is opportunity, including – perhaps starting with - service and fellowship, but extending far beyond those two basics.
Rotary is opportunity for acquaintance. Without Rotary, members would have much more limited local acquaintance, limited perhaps to workplace and residential neighborhood. Through Rotary, acquaintance is spread across the community, and with the benefit of the classification system, it includes representatives of most of the local businesses and professions.
Rotary is opportunity for networking. Paul Harris initiated that first gathering of friends because of a desire for friendly social contacts. But one of their first decisions was to limit new members to one representative from each business and profession, and emphasis was given to targeting their business relations primarily to one another. Rotarians have confidence they can turn to each other for professional or business needs.
Rotary is opportunity for personal growth. A member becomes a committee chairman, a club secretary, or president, and rising to expectations of the job, gains self-confidence, poise, and increased leadership ability.
Rotary is opportunity for better citizenship. Through weekly programs, Rotarians enlarge their understanding of government, business, and society. Through participation in community projects, they gain appreciation for local needs, and their ability to meet some of those needs.
Rotary is opportunity for mentoring. Through club sponsorship of Interact and Rotaract clubs, through school projects or literacy programs, members are challenged to share their expertise in situations that would not be available to them other than through Rotary.
Rotary is opportunity for ethical awareness. Emphasis is placed on high standards of personal integrity, for example those spelled out in the Four-Way Test. These expectations call on Rotarians to practice and encourage ethical behavior in the workplace and the community.
Rotary is opportunity for world understanding. Through exposure to Group Study Exchange teams, to departing and returning Ambassadorial Scholars, and to Youth Exchange, Rotarians gain a multi-cultural awareness, and insight into the world society.
Rotary is opportunity – let us not overlookk this – for fellowship and service. But isn't that included in and enlarged upon in all of the other opportunities mentioned? The word "opportunity" obviously leads us to ask, and answer, "Opportunity for what?" The opportunities mentioned here are only a beginning; many more could be added.
But the central fact remains: Rotary is Opportunity.
(NOTE: This editorial and others published in this space
may be reprinted in any Rotary publication, with credits.)
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| Announcement: Rotary Ranked 5th in Corporate Partnerships |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Tue Aug 07, 2007 9:21 am |
The Financial Times has ranked Rotary International one of the top five nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) for corporate partnerships. In the newspaper's special supplement, Corporate Citizenship and Philanthropy, Rotary came in fifth in the global rankings of 34 finalists.
Published in conjunction with the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit held 5-6 July in Geneva, the supplement reached some 1.4 million senior business executives, industry and government leaders, and private orinstitutional investors across 140 countries.
The summit, which was chaired by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, featured an international roster of business leaders, government ministers, and heads of civil society and focused on such key challenges to building future markets as human rights and climate change. RI Director Bernard Rosen of Belgium represented RI President Wilfrid J. Wilkinson at the event.
UN Global Compact and Dalberg Global Development Advisors, who developed the report in preparation for the summit, surveyed 20,000 companies worldwide, identifying 550 NGOs, UN agencies, foundations, and other organizations with which companies had partnered, and profiled 85 of those based on company ratings.
Organizations that ranked higher than RI showcased long-standing partnerships with corporations. Because RI's global partnerships include only UN agencies and other nonprofit organizations - and only Rotary clubs and districts have partnered with corporations to date – the organization's ranking should be considered exemplary. RI has a long and distinguished history of collaborating with other organizations in the name of humanitarian service.
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| Announcement: Seven Habits of Effective Rotarians |
| Posted: jazzprof @ Sun Aug 05, 2007 3:00 pm |
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Rotarians
ATTENDANCE :-
They always make it a point to attend as many Rotary meetings of their clubs and also of other clubs, as is possible. They are aware that attending Rotary meetings is a very important part of being a Rotarian. They do not miss any chance to attend such meetings. They also attend meetings of various committees of which they are members and even some others if they are invited. They are keen to attend various district functions and all projects of their club. They are proud to attend the district assembly and the district conference every year. They would try to attend the Rotary convention at least once in five years.
FELLOWSHIP:-
They enjoy meeting other Rotarians. They often feel that in some of the Rotary functions meeting and exchanging greetings with others is often as important as actual transactions of the meeting. They go out of their way to talk to those whom they do not know. They go by the dictum that a stranger is a friend whom you have not yet met. Even outside Rotary they enjoy meeting people and getting aquatinted with them. At large gatherings of Rotarians they try to meet members from other clubs, rather than fraternizing with members of their own club.
VOCATION:-
They have respect for every vocation. Vocation and classification are the basis of Rotary. They firmly believe that each vocation provides a cog in the wheel and each one has its own importance, however insignificant it may appear by itself in comparison with others. They firmly subscribe to the view that each person should try to excel in whatever he is doing and try to help others to reach a higher level of efficiency in their work.
DISCIPLINE:-
They believe that no useful work can be achieved in a productive manner without discipline, both within and outside. They appreciate the value of self-discipline because they are aware that like charity, discipline begins at home. Not only do they practice discipline but will also enforce it when needed.
TIME, MONEY AND ENERGY:-
They know that they are in Rotary for a purpose. They fully realize that they have to earmark a certain amount of time, money and energy for Rotary as a part of being a Rotarian. They also realize that they are members of a society where all these three items are to be shared for their vocation, family and the community. They see to it that a proper balance is maintained while rationing out these commodities.
EMPATHY:-
They put themselves in the position of the other person, especially if the other person is in difficulty. They know that mere sympathy is never enough. They feel the pain and experience difficulties of others themselves. They also understand that what they are doing for the community is merely returning a very small part of what they have received from it. They know that it is only human to expect some kind of recognition for what they are doing but do not hanker after getting credit for it.
IMAGE OF ROTARY:-
There may be moments when they feel that all is not right with Rotary. They may feel that there is 'politics' in Rotary. They know that there are some elements in Rotary who should not be there. They, however, look at the good aspects of Rotary. In public and outside Rotary, they always make it a point to project the best face of Rotary. They would not like to let the public image of Rotary get tarnished.
This article was first written for Rotarians on the Internet (www.roti.org) and is reprinted with permission by the author, Dr. Jagdish Bhatt of the Rotary Club of Bombay Airport, Mumbai, India.
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