ROTARY DISTRICT 5300 NEWS
HIGHLIGHTING THE WORLD OF ROTARY, DISTRICT ACTIVITIES, CLUB EVENTS, AND THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE IT ALL HAPPEN
LEE MOTHERSHEAD, DISTRICT GOVERNOR
SEND YOUR NEWS TO THE DISTRICT OFFICE: dist5300@cyberg8t.com - if you don't have access to the Net, fax free: 888-378-5301 - or spend 32c and mail to: 1963 South Myrtle, Monrovia, CA 91016-4854. Remember: each reader is a reporter ... don't depend on someone else ... tell us what's happening in your club ... programs that are working ... pride you feel ... what we can do together to follow our Rotary dream!
AUTUMN AROUND OUR DISTRICT
Cooler weather around Southern California and Southern Nevada - but nothing's cooling in our clubs! Rotary activities really warm up as we settle into a school year, into football season, into October - a quarter of this service year has passed, and throughout District 5300 and the Rotary world projects are hot.
The District 5300 Awards Committee, led by William Kinman of Alhambra, wants to wake us up even more. They note a third of the time to complete and submit QUALITY ROTARY PROGRAM reports is already past, leaving just six months before the 1999 District Conference to translate quality programs into reports for awards. Kinman and the Awards Committee reminds you that these reports are important for recognition, but they're even more important as a way to share what you're doing so well so another club might bring the same service to their community.
Why awards? Shouldn't the satisfaction a Rotarian earns in helping someone else be enough? Haven't almost all of us qualified for awards through our service? Yes, but - even more satisfaction comes from sharing ideas and programs that work. Most of these quality programs can be duplicated in other clubs and communities, or modified by smaller clubs so they can accomplish just as much with scarcer resources.
Our district gives no "best" club award, because that implies that the rest of the clubs are second-rate. Every Club in the District can win Quality Rotary Program awards. All a club needs to do is:
*Select a project, which you do very well. Describe each project in no more than two pages, so the "how to" is clear for other clubs to plan and carry out the same program.
*Include in each report a) the need for the program, b) the avenue of service within which it falls, c) the project's objective or goal, d) how your club achieved that objective, e) the timing for various parts of the project, and f) a brief comment how you might improve the project for even greater successes.
*Submit your Quality Rotary Program reports any time in the service year. The deadline is Wednesday, March 31, 1999 (if the project continues into April and May, simply describe the progress made through March, and indicate what you think the outcome will be). But don't wait to spring! Write up NOW those projects that have already achieved success this Rotary year.
This quarter is a good time to prepare and submit your Quality Rotary Program reports to:
District 5300 Awards Committee, 320 North Marengo, #A, Alhambra, CA 91801.
Chairman Kinman notes "working against a hard deadline can result in a sloppy, rushed report. Take the time to do them now - they'll be more complete, and of better use to the other clubs in the District!" Beat the rush - get those reports finished now!
PRLS started the month - that's our Professional Rotary Leadership Seminars - held Saturday morning, October 3, in Apple Valley. A second seminar is scheduled for Saturday, January 23, 1999 in the Henderson/Green Valley area - note a different date than published in your Directory. The topic is "Public Speaking" - training and advice from experts, plus time to practice. PRLS registrations are available at the District's e-mail address, and from all club secretaries. For more information, ask Gary Fox of the Alhambra Rotary, PRLS Chairman.
District Governor nominations for 2000-2001 are now completed, and Past District Governor Ernie Jensen's committee have scheduled interviews for Saturday, October 10th, with their selection to be announced soon.
Thanks to many Rotarians who have commented favorably on Governor Lee's innovative use of the Internet to link us together through an electronic HIGHLIGHTER. We know it's a bother for members unused to using the Net, and an extra cost for clubs to copy the bulletin for those without Net access. We hope you remember the reason for avoiding printing, paper, and stamps: it's saving your District money that can be better used to further our service! This instant method also gives us a chance to get you District-wide information more quickly, right at the first of each month.
Yes, this electronic HIGHLIGHTER flows through the Internet a bit later than intended. Our goal is to post the newsletter right at midnight on the first of the month. We're four midnights late this month - with a great excuse. Our webmaster, bulletin and District Directory creator, computer nerd, and all-around dedicated Rotarian Chris Datwyler is the one that caused the delay. But Chris went the extra distance to be on time. Sally and Chris have long planned a drive and safari in southern Africa. Dedicated Rotarian (and computer nut) as he is, Chris lugged along his laptop, and purchased a month's connection to the Net just hours after they landed in Johannesburg. He filed some fascinating reports to his home club, San Marino, as they drove around South Africa. Then the Datwylers headed north on the game trail, and found the lions and the elephants weren't wired, and the safari camps had no plug-ins for his modem. Thus October's HIGHLIGHTER awaited their flight home and is late. Be grateful - the Datwylers brought back some great stuff to share with you next month. Watch for it - at midnight, the first of November.
We aren't putting graphics into the electronic HIGHLIGHTER for a reason. Several members have suggested we use pictures or drawings, not just all these words. But we've found some members are on slower services and older computers, and we want our message to load quickly and clearly. As we all build in computer sophistication, we know future HIGHLIGHTERS will get better. You have asked that we limit the HIGHLIGHTER to an even number of printed pages, so copying and paper isn't wasted on a few lines that might go over. We try diligently to do this, but we know each computer program may download differently. Excuse us.
For Rotarians without Internet access at home or office - and perhaps without a 12-year-old at home to show you how it works - we hope you may be encouraged to try it out at your public library, senior center, public or independent school, or maybe a neighbor's P. C. Don't be scared - computers now have self-starters, so you don't have to get out in front and crank them. It's easy to use, and you don't need a long duster to protect you from the elements. Try it!
GOLF LA QUINTA - ON THE CHEAP!
BIG news for our golfers: LA QUINTA Country Club will host our "golf conference" April 29 before the District Conference! - and the rate on this spectacular course is going to be really reasonable, too - $99 in '99, including golf, cart, range balls, and awards. Only a gross of golfers (no comments from non-golfers, now; that's a limit of 144 players, but no reflection on their manners) can join the scramble. Tee sponsors are welcome, too - $100, and the first 18 to get their money in are assured a tee sign.
Checks for golf tournament registrations or for tee sponsorships should be made out to ROTARY DISTRICT 5300 and sent to Bob Jugan, 4366 Ponca avenue, Toluca Lake, California 91602. Bob's home club is Montebello, though his heart's out on the links. He's on the board of the Southern California Rotary Golf Association, and wants to attract new members. His voice phone is 818-766-1299, and his e-mail is a classy MY300SL@aol.com
GOVERNOR'S GREETINGS FOR OCTOBER
District Governor Lee Mothershead has been spotted in San Dimas, in the Moapa Valley, at South Pasadena's Italian meeting place, up at Sierra Madre's "Only Place in Town" (there really are other places, but it's a great breakfast!), all the way over to the Utah border to visit Caliente's enthusiastic gang of fourteen hearty Rotarians. Lee and Therese were seen in the Vegas Depot and Rio, in Rancho Cucamonga for both breakfast and lunch clubs, at Pasadena's Hilton, in Diamond Bar and Green Valley, once slumming at his home club, San Marino.
Lee has even been spotted at his desk at Southwestern Academy in San Marino, starting teachers and students on a new school year, the 75th for the prep school. Lee is the school's Dean in "real life," though he's also busy building much enthusiasm for community service among future Rotarians. The boys and girls at Southwestern, especially those in their red-hot Interact Club, greatly appreciate their Dean, and have grown to admire his example of service as Governor.
Lee filed his October greetings from somewhere on the Nevada desert, many miles northeast of Vegas:
I have visited about half the clubs, and I continue to be amazed at the tremendous variety of good works being done, and by the great number of projects being undertaken by our "small" clubs. The energy level is high throughout the District, and though each club has a particular pet project they really know is best of all, every club is doing something in every avenue of service. No wonder Rotary is held in such high regard throughout the world, for it truly works miracles on a broad scale.
One fact has become astoundingly clear to me - District 5300 has consistently been among the top districts in the world for Foundation giving. We're not in a mid-city financial center. We have clubs ranging from 200+ members in a fairly large city, to clubs (more the rule than the exception) of 20 to 25 whose main focus is their community. Yet we all find enough compassion to help the rest of the world as well. This is in the highest tradition of service above self, to be commended highly - let's keep up the good work!
October is Halloween, fall, changing leaves - and Vocational Service month. One person defined Vocational Service to me as what's left over after we define the other three avenues of Rotary service. Surely we can do better! Building strength and Rotary's ethical standards into each of our vocations is vital to our communities' health and futures.
October is the deadline for GSE - find out what that means, and see if you can find a good candidate who can learn from the experience of sharing expertise, culture, and attitudes with people in Denmark. Christine Montan will lead the team, and the experience is literally life changing for most who participate. We seek men and women, just starting on a career, who can be impressive but who are also impressionable.
And October starts the Dan Stover Music Contest, offering one of the richest prizes in our District - $5000 scholarship for college to further music studies. Please be sure to follow all rules, exactly, so the contest is fair to all. Don't forget to accompany your entries with a check for the entry fees. The Dan Stover Foundation, a 501(c)(3) corporation that has district officers on its Board of Trustees, funds the contest. It is not district-funded, as it's entirely funded by entry fees and donations to the Dan Stover Foundation.
I look forward to visiting with those of you I've not yet had the pleasure of meeting, and I hope I'll be able to bring you opportunities for service and information which can be helpful to your having the most successful year in your club's history.
Lee Mothershead
AROUND OUR CLUBS, QUICKLY
MONTEREY PARK is proud of its home page, http://members.aol.com/mprotary/mprotary.html - and invites comments …
POMONA is busting its buttons over those 70 home runs scored by the son of one of its own, Dr. John McGuire of Mission Viejo, who instilled in Mark humanitarian values that have been so inspiring to our country and its youth …
LAS VEGAS held its annual charity softball game to raise money for the "Happy Horsemen," the Silver State Therapeutic Riders. This worthy group lets handicapped children experience the thrill of horseback riding in a safe, controlled environment. LV Rotary challenged Southwest Rotary to a softball game prior to a Las Vegas Stars game, and $1700 was raised in a great event. Extra tickets went to Catholic Charities for distribution to Las Vegas families who wouldn't have a chance to see a Stars game otherwise …
BARSTOW scored a home run of their own with a Kids Care Fair immunization clinic, with over 500 immunizations given and photos of 227 children taken. The photos, accompanied with information about the child and information on the next time immunizations are due, were placed into magnet holders to go on the family refrigerators … BARSTOW has developed a single-sheet flier for prospective members, outlining the objects of Rotary, costs, attendance requirements, time and service commitments, and their projects along avenues of service. President Bill Hensley would be delighted to share a copy with you. Fax him at 760-256-5843, or write Box 684 in Barstow, 92311 …
DUARTE highlights its president elect, police Sergeant Steve Biagini, with a "Service Above Self Award". Steve organizes and directs most of Duarte's major fund-raisers, from Santa Claus to Easter Bunny breakfasts, all with gobs of spirit and humor …
SAN MARINO is going to sail a surplus fire truck out to sea - hopefully aboard a freighter - as a contribution to the safety of Maya people in the hills above Antigua, Guatemala. Their president, Paul Crowley, had hoped to drive the truck across Mexico, but more reasonable members have dissuaded him. (It's a stick, and Paul's still used to the pedal gear-changing of Henry's Model T.) Now all San Marino Rotarians need is money for the worthwhile project. Their city's fire department will celebrate its 75th anniversary on October 31, the target date for Rotary's funding drive.
MONARCH BEACH SUNRISE ROTARY isn't exactly one of our District's clubs, but they're great Rotarians and eager golfers, looking for a few more of both to help their children's charity golf tournament and VW Beetle raffle a success. Both are November 16 at the new Strawberry Farms Golf Club in Irvine. Mitch Jackson has information, registration, and a limit of 300 tickets for that Beetle - call him at 949-450-1103 and enjoy a day at Strawberry Farms with your new VW.
SWING AROUND SINGAPORE
Our Governor for 1999-2000, Garbis der Yeghian, reminds us that the 1999 RI International Convention (June 13-16 in Singapore) "promises to be one of the most exciting gatherings of our global family." Garbis notes that discounted rates are available for Rotarians who register before December 31 - after March 31, registrations will be accepted only on-site and at a higher fee. Garbis is planning an extended visit to the Chinese mainland to reestablish Rotary in Shanghai, China's growing center of business and culture. He says "this auspicious occasion will be a crowning achievement in Rotary's quintessential aim of establishing people-to-people contacts." Several Past District Governors are joining the seven-day itinerary starting June 17 from Singapore. A package price of $2500 per person, double occupancy, includes all transportation from Los Angeles to Singapore, then to Shanghai, Xian, Beijing, and back home; all transfers, sightseeing, meals, and accommodations in China.
If you're tempted by this special delegation, please contact Garbis no later than October 15 - by voice at 818-548-9345, by fax at 818-548-9342, or on-line at mashdots@aol.com
If you're planning to attend just the RI Convention in Singapore, without time for the trip to the PRC, Governor-Elect der Yeghian reports a discounted round-trip airfare of $900 is available through Rosey Wong at Innovative Travel Services, 1-800-698-6881 - but only before December 31.
Garbis is organizing a "Pre-Convention Get Together" in May 1999 to watch a promotional video, and is hosting a special reception in Singapore.
FOLLOW YOUR ROTARY DREAM …
YOU'RE NEVER GIVEN A DREAM WITHOUT THE POWER TO MAKE YOUR DREAM COME TRUE
That's the addition TEMPLE CITY puts to this year's Rotary motto. Their big dream this year is to build their membership. It's nice to know they have the power to make this dream come true!