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ROTARY DISTRICT 5300
THE HIGHLIGHTER
NET EDITION
(web address: http://www.district5300.org)

Highlighting the World of Rotary, District Activities,
Club Events and the People that Make it Happen!

ROTARY 2000-2001:  CREATE AWARENESS - TAKE ACTION 

GOVERNOR SAL TAKES DISTRICT HELM 

GOVERNOR'S  MESSAGE
By Sal Briguglio ( Rancho Cucamonga )

Dear Fellow Rotarians:

We are beginning the first of the year of the new millennium.  Under the leadership of our new R.I. President, Frank Devlyn, we will all strive to "Create awareness and take Action."  We have many new and exciting programs in our district this year.  Rotary International has established 20 world-wide task forces, each of which is designed as a resource to help each and every Rotarian and club achieve the goals that are set forth.

I would like to highlight several programs and dates for this upcoming year.  I ask that you mark your calendars now and talk to fellow Rotarians about participating:

• Our new TLC program which is our Junior RYLA.  It will take place in the fall.  We have 44 junior high age students already registered.  We have room for another 100 students.

• February 2, 2001, District 5300 will host a Rotary Foundation Recognition Dinner.  Our keynote speaker will be the President of Rotary International Frank Devlyn, who will recognize contributors to The Rotary Foundation.  This will be a gala event for everyone who attends.

• The District Conference will be June 7 - 11, at the Doral Resort in the Palm Springs/Rancho Mirage area.  It will be a party and celebration setting a new mark in our District's history.

• Lastly, MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT will be our No. 1 priority.  I hope that our District will lead the way in the United States in membership growth.  With membership growth comes increased service to our communities, our children, and our elderly.

It is my hope and desire that our clubs set the Rotary world on fire with their innovation, spirit, and service.

This year, I do not intend to have a separate theme, from that of the President of Rotary International.  However, I have a toast that I will make to all the Rotarians in our District.  I hope to make this toast at the events I attend.  My toast to all is: "To Fellowship, Friends and Service" all in the spirit of Rotary.

I wish you all the most successful Rotary year that your club has ever experienced. If there is anything that I can do to facilitate that, please do not hesitate to call me or call upon my outstanding team of District officers and committee chairs that has been assembled for you.

Yours in Rotary

SAL BRIGUGLIO
District Governor 2000/2001

GETTING TO KNOW OUR NEW DISTRICT GOVERNOR  - SAL BRIGUGLIO

Sal and his wife Julie live in Rancho Cucamonga and have three children, Kris, Nicole, and David.  Born in New Jersey, Sal was admitted to the State Bar in 1979 in California.  He attended Rutgers University in New Jersey and the University of San Fernando Valley.  He has been Secretary and President of the Western and San Bernardino Bar Association.  His practice involves: Civil Litigation, Bankruptcy, Personal Injury, Criminal Defense and Family Law.

Sal joined the Rotary club of Rancho Cucamonga in August, 1989.  He was President of the Club in 1995-1996, and served on the Membership Development Committee and as Chair of Vocational Service.  Sal served as Lieutenant Governor (Region B) in 1997-1998.  He was Speaker/Trainer of Group Representatives at the District Assembly.  He was instrumental in organizing the District's 75th Annual Gala with Rotary International President Kinross.  He has been active in RYLA as a Facilitator and Continent Leader and has served the District as Conference Committee Member, Chair for Club Service and International Service.

He is the Recipient of numerous proclamations from the Mayor and City Council of Rancho Cucamonga, County Board of Supervisors, State Senate, State Assembly, U. S. Congress, and Mayor of San Flipe, Mexico.  He has also been recognized for his contributions to the community which include: D.A.R.E., House of Ruth, All City Track Meet, Happy Feet, Health/Immunization Clinic, Clothing for the Poor, and Ambulance for Mexico.

DORAL PALM SPRINGS RESORT SITE OF JUNE 7-11 DISTRICT CONFERENCE

THE BUENOS AIRES CONVENTION - THROUGH THE EYES OF FIRST TIMERS

From Susan Nunnery, President (Sierra Madre):

As President Elect I had the privilege of traveling to the 91st International Convention as the fourth president (and first woman) of the Sierra Madre Rotary Club!  Firteen thousand Rotarians and guests representing nearly all of the 120 countries in the Rotary World....Opening ceremonies were witness to the pride of Rotary International as each flag was paraded through the Sociedad Rural Argentina (La Rural) with the most recently added, saved for the last - Bosnia and Herzegovia....We gathered material, ideas and friends.  We exchanged banners and business cards.  By day we absorbed our motto: "Service Above Self" and by night we danced and drank-in the friendly culture....One of the most precious of these Convention memories certainly includes the host hospitality evening in which visiting Rotarians and guests are treated to special Argentine welcome at a host club....Final moments at the closing ceremonies included a packed house of Rotarians and guests from all over the world swaying with linked arms and singing Auld Land Sine--most vowing to return, as many do, to another International Convention, next year in San Antonio, Texas.

From Christie Balvin, President, (Pasadena)

For a Rotary member attending her first international convention, the sheer numbers are overwhelming.  Nearly 15,000 Rotarians attended this year's gathering.  Representing several continents, they come in flowing Indian saris, colorful African prints, American cowboy outfits and Argentinean gaucho pants.  French, German, Hindi, and countless other languages flow through the halls.  And each nation comes prepared to share information about Rotary projects that are changing lives of their people and the face of their nation.  Never before have I been in a gathering where so many people have come together to do good works by contributing their volunteer labor and resources.  This shared sense of purpose and values stimulates a lively exchange and builds instant friendships....In speaking with other convention delegates, there was some disappointment with the "top down" nature of many of the workshops and emphasis of pomp and ceremony by the Rotary International leadership.  The "bottoms up" approach exhibited in all the information booths where Rotarians talked with Rotarians was wonderfully helpful, informative and inspirational....The workshops and plenary sessions were meaningful when the audience or club members were invited to comment.  For the future, many Rotarians I talked with voiced a strong desire for more dialogue sessions and sharing between clubs where the real work of Rotary is ongoing and dramatic....It is in the friendships and information exchange at the Rotary grass roots where the real and wonderful work of our organization takes place and thrives.  I came home with a new sense of commitment and pride in being a Rotarian.  As my Argentinean host said when told he was an angel for driving us countless miles and feeding us lavishly, "What choice I have?  God is a Rotarian, so I am an angel.  But so are you, Rotarian."

MESSAGE FROM FRANK J. DEVLYN, PRESIDENT R.I., 2000-2001

OUR MISSION IS TO CREATE AWARENESS AND TAKE ACTION IN OUR CLUBS, IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

Dear Fellow Rotarians:

As your president for the year 2000-01, when we are entering a new century and a new millennium, I am keenly aware that our clubs, our communities, and our world have an array of problems that are not being adequately addressed.  As Rotarians, we can choose to overlook or ignore these problems or we can do something about them.  I hope that as we enter the 21st century and as we approach Rotary's 100th anniversary, we make it our first priority to do something.

Our first step must be to identify and become aware of the problems that our clubs are facing, our communities are facing, our world is facing.  Awareness of a problem is the essential first step towards its solution.  As long as people remain unaware, no action will be taken, and problems will remain unsolved.

Being aware is not always easy.  We may want to believe the situation is not as bad as some people say it is, and that it will simply resolve itself in time.  In our desire to do something about the problems we face in clubs, communities, and the world at large, we find that it is always necessary to CREATE AWARENESS.  Once that crucial first step is taken, there is no turning back.  Creating awareness opens Rotarians' eyes to a problem.  When Rotarians are made aware of a problem, we begin to talk and discuss and debate the best course to take.  We seek out non-Rotarians and other groups to join our cause, draw up feasible plans, and then we TAKE ACTION.

For Rotarians, these two functions are inseparable.  Awareness is futile without action, and action is not possible until we have gained awareness.  By uniting awareness and action, Rotarians can ensure that critical needs in our clubs, our communities, and our world will be identified and addressed.  And with awareness guiding our action, we can be certain that we are directing our resources and energy where they are most needed.

As Rotarians, we have the potential to strengthen our clubs, and we have the credibility to generate public support and implement solutions to problems in more than 29,500 communities in the world.  We also have the extensive international network to expand our humanitarian actions to all parts of the globe.

As we work together in 2000-01, let us never forget that our mission is to CREATE AWARENESS and TAKE ACTION  in our clubs, our communities, and throughout the world.

A SHORT BIO ON OUR NEW R.I. PRESIDENT

Frank Devlyn, President of the Devlyn Optical Group of Mexico, a manufacturer, distributor and retailer of optical products, grew up in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas.  He attended the University of Texas at El Paso and graduated from the Instituto Panamericano de Alta Direccion de Empresas (Mexico City) with a degree in Business Administration.  He is also a graduate of the School of Optometry of the Mexican Association of Opticians and Optometrists.

Mr. Devlyn is a past president of Mexico's National Association of Opticians and Optometrists and the National Chamber of Industries.  He is a national board member of the Mexican Red Cross and Goodwill Industries, and treasurer of the Mexican Tuberculosis Association.  He served on the Board of Directors for the YMCA of Mexico City, the National Pro Blind Association and the National Mexican Association of Public and Private Administration.  He also serves on the boards of the National Bank of Mexico and the Inverlat Bank.

As an RI officer, Mr. Devlyn has promoted Rotary programs such as "World Community Service: (WCS) by speaking to Rotary meetings in 34 countries.  He is currently creating the largest used eyeglass bank in Mexico.  The bank will be a pilot WCS project.

A Rotarian since, 1970, Mr. Devlyn is a member of the Rotary club of Anahuac in Mexico City, and has served the Rotary Foundation as trustee and Rotary International as director, international assembly discussion group leader and district governor.  Mr. Devlyn is a recipient of The Rotary Foundation's Distinguished Service Award and Citation for Meritorious Service in recognition of his support for its international humanitarian and educational programs.

DISTRICT TO HOST RUSSIAN LEADERSHIP PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
From Garbis Der Yeghian, PDG (La Verne)

District 5300 will host 4 Russians and their interpreter, who are participants in the Russian Leadership program sponsored by the Library of Congress.  Our Russian guests will be here during the week of August 13-20.  The Program was first authorized in May 1999 by the U.S. Congress to bring public policy decision makers and leaders from the Russian Federation to the United States for short-term stays.  Through the program, participants will have the opportunity to learn about the multi-layered political system in the United States through direct contact, to share information and insight about Russia, and to identify common ground and opportunities for cooperation. 

Current and emerging national, regional, and local leaders in Russia will be identified and nominated by

U. S. and Russian organizations.  Members of the Russian Duma and Federation Council will also be invited.  Members of the U. S. Congress will host visitors in their congressional districts under this program.   For hosting or more information contact Garbis Der Yeghian PDG @ 818. 548.9345.

DISTRICT CONSOLIDATION: STRENGTHENING ROTARY'S FUTURE
Excerpts from The Rotarian/June 2000

The RI Board has committed to a new size standard for Rotary districts.  Given the obvious advantages that larger districts enjoy and substantial evidence that larger districts are more effective than smaller ones,  the Board has established 75 clubs and 2,700 members as new targets for districts.  New districts (there are currently 528 districts) will be required to meet the higher standards, while districts that fall far short of the goals will be encouraged to consolidate.  The Board has presented the following in support of its new size standards:

1. Larger districts have the resources to carry out service projects that make a greater impact and generate increased awareness of Rotary.

2. More members and clubs increase a district's potential for raising funds to support community and international humanitarian projects.

3. With a larger pool of qualified Rotarians from which to select governors and other district officers, larger districts tend to attract better leadership.

4. Larger districts traditionally have larger, more dynamic district  conferences and provide better training for club and district leaders.

5. Larger districts chief advantage is their ability to help clubs be effective--the primary function of districts.  The R. I. defines an effective club as: "one that sustains or increases its membership base, implements projects that address the needs of communities at home and abroad, supports The Rotary Foundation through program participation and financial contributions and develops leaders capable of serving Rotary beyond the club level."  Larger districts can best harness the human and material resources to help clubs achieve these aims.

ROTARY TEEN LEADERSHIP CAMP (TLC) STILL AVAILABLE
From Roger Shulte, Assistant Governor  (Upland)

Rotary Teen Leadership Camp (TLC) is a new District program for students who will be 8th graders during the 2000-2001 school year.  It will be similar to RYLA, but the focus and activities will be different.  The emphasis will center on the concept: "leading yourself is the first step to leading others."  Activities will focus on setting personal goals, taking risks, tapping personal talents, overcoming obstacles, managing time, and resisting peer pressure.  The event will be held October 6-8, 2000, at the Desert Sun Science Center in Idylwild, Calfiornia.  Clubs may send either 2 or 4 students and the cost is $200 per student.  If you wish further information packet, contact Roger Schulte @ 909.949.7770.

A SPIN AROUND THE WHEEL
By Anne Donofrio-Holter (Montebello)

EDITOR'S NOTE: This new feature provides a brief summary of club activities from around our district compiled from club bulletins..  If you would like your club's events and highlights included in "A Spin Around The Wheel'" please send your weekly club edition to Anne Donofrio-

Members of the Las Vegas North club received a letter of thanks for their financial contribution to the New Hope Hospice.  The club also supports the local Ronald McDonald House.

Las Vegas University members help feed the women and children residents of the Shade Tree shelter once a month.  In addition to food, club members also provide entertainment to the residents.

The Montebello club presented its annual vocational scholarship awards to four students from three local high schools.  Each student received $250 to put towards his or her educational goals.  This year's categories were industrial education (welding), home economics (hotel/food management), business (marketing/merchandising), and creative arts (animation).  In addition, the club is pleased to announce that with the recent addition of Cantwell/Sacred Heart High School, the club now sponsors three Interact clubs.

The Apple Valley club presented four $1,000 scholarships to graduating seniors from local high schools.

Each year the Altadena club awards $300 mini grants to local elementary and middle school teachers who submit unique or creative grant proposals.  This year's winners will use their grants to purchase math and science materials for kindergarten students, for the development of an in-classroom literacy center, for the purchase of tape recorders to enable students to listen to books on tape, for encyclopedia, thesaurus and other reference software, and for the purchase of compact discs representing a wide spectrum of music.

The South El Monte club proudly announced that they are a 100% Paul Harris club!

West Covina Rotarians hosted a special luncheon honoring the teachers of the year in the West Covina Unified School District.  Other community service clubs and the West Covina Chamber of Commerce jointly sponsored the event.  Certificates and awards were presented to an outstanding teacher from each of the elementary, middle and high schools in the district.

Boulder City club members helped a local Boy Scout with his Eagle Scout project by photographing and fingerprinting children  at a local elementary school.  The information will be used for ID's which will assist in recover and identification should any of the children be lost or abducted.  In addition, club members assisted students with mock interviews at the local high school.

The Alhambra Rotary club donated $200 to the National Youth Sports Program.  The donation will be used to purchase supplies for the math and science component of the Education Program.  In addition, the club interviewed applicants from Alhambra High School for its senior scholarship award.  The winner will receive $400 a year for four years while in college.  Deciding factors are financial need, scholastic achievement,  involvement in school activities, and community service.

DISTRICT OFFICERS & COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Refer to District Directory for Further Information

UP-COMING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

RYLA 2001 COMMITTEE MEETINGS From Paul Courtney, Chairman

Tuesday, July 18, 2000 @ 7pm to 8:30. Joe Tambe residence, 20303 E. Holt Ave. West Covina, Ca 626.332.8116.

Wednesday, August 30, 2000 @ 7pm to 8:30. Cask & Clever Restaurant, 8689 9th St, Rancho Cucamonga, Ca. 09.982.7108.  COMPLETE SCHEDULE FOR COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND FACILITTATOR TRAINING SESSIONS TO FOLLOW IN NEXT ISSUE OF NEWSLETTER.

INITIAL ROTARY TLC SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 2000 From Roger Schulte (Upland)

On October 6-8, 2000, Rotary District 5300 will institute a new district-wide program for youth.  Called ROTARY TEEN LEADERSHIP CAMP (or Rotary TLC).

ON-GOING PROGRAMS

CHARACTER COUNTS -  Contact Rev. Butch Fahnestock, Character Counts Committe Chair (Victor Valley Sunrise)

CLUB BULLETIN - Rueben Merchant (Henderson) 702.565.3935.

GEORGE R. HENSEL PRIZE IN ETHICS ESSAY CONTEST FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

GOVERNOR'S  CONFLICT RESOLUTION ACADEMY (CRA) Peace cannot be achieved through violence,  it can only be attained through understanding - Albert Einstein For further information contact Governor Garbis @ 818.548.9345.

PROGRAM/SPEAKERS BUREAU - Brad Underhill (Apple Valley) 760.243.9599. 

DISTRICT 5300 MILLENNIUM ACTIVITIES
DATES TO REMEMBER

DISTRICT CALENDAR -     JULY & AUGUST

JULY 2000  - LITERACY MONTH

AUGUST 2000 - MEMBERSHIP & EXTENSION

NAME CHANGE BACK TO HIGHLIGHTER FOR GOVERNOR'S MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
From A. C. Lani Exton,  (Glendora),   Editor Millennium Newsletter Net/Home Editions

NET EDITION & HOME EDITION SLATED FOR 2000-2001 YEAR

The goal of the Governor's newsletter, is to keep all 3000 District Rotarians informed about RI, District, and club activities, projects, events, and people.  The two edition format will be used once again.

1. The Net Edition will follow the layout and format that was used during this past Rotary year.      The Edition will appear on the District's Web Page (www.district5300.org) the first week of each month.  It will be downloaded, copied, and distributed at the Club level.  Many clubs have       selected this form of distribution.

2. The Home Edition will be bulk mailed to the President's of each club, and will be distributed to    club members.  In addition to the Net information, the Edition will contain pictures, expanded feature articles, and advertising.  Some clubs have opted for this approach.

3. Subscriptions will once again be available for $10 for twelve issues.  If you would like to have    the Home Edition mailed directly to your home or office, please complete the Subscription Form below.

4. Advertising will once again be encouraged.  Check advertising rates below.

Editor for both Net and Home Edition is A. C. Lani Exton (Glendora)
He can be reached at (W) 626.792.2186 - (H) 626.963.0578 - (Fax) 626.440.9414 - e-mail lbesaga@aol.com

NEWSLETTER EDITOR - A. C. LANI EXTON (GLENDORA)  (B) 626.792.2186