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District Governor Tom Novotny August is membership and extension month. As I travel the district and the Rotary world, I am blown away by all that Rotary accomplishes. I must ask, “Why do we have a membership problem?” If you know all we do in our communities why wouldn’t you want to be one of us? Why wouldn’t you want to be a Rotarian? I think through the years most of us have become complacent. We love being a Rotarian and everything we do as a Rotarian, but we don’t want to ask someone else to join. I suspect it is the old, “It’s not my job; it is the membership committee’s job.” My friends, those days are over. RI president John Kenny challenges all of us with this year’s theme, The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands. While this is extremely powerful, it simply says, membership is MY JOB!

If we look at the recent history of Rotary in North America, we are losing about 10% of our Rotarians a year. That does not seem like much, but it won’t take long before our numbers are too small to sustain Rotary! We can all rationalize and blame the lack of membership on this economy and the times we live in. We need to ‘think outside the Rotary Wheel.’ It can no longer be business as usual. We need to fight to keep our membership strong and vibrant. It is now our collective jobs to overcome this obstacle.

Some of the things we need to look at are:

forming a New Generations Club
understanding and emphasizing Rotaract and Interact clubs
taking a look at our fee structure-are we getting the best bang for our buck? Are we driving away potential membership because we are too expensive?

New Generations Club thus far has eluded us. A New Generations Club is made up of younger professionals that want to make a difference in the world but for many reasons they do not or can not belong to a club in the traditional Rotarian way: you know the way our fathers did it. News Flash! We have become like our fathers!

We are trying to charter a New Generations Club in the Upland, California area. Those of you that have ever been involved in chartering a new club know some of the obstacles that need to be overcome. Add to it the stress of a young family and young professionals trying to get started in today’s world. This club will be born from the hard work and dedication of the Upland Rotarians, but this should not be our only effort in our district. We should be chartering New Generation Clubs all over the district.

There are three Rotaract Clubs in the district: Citrus College, Claremont, and UNLV. To many of our seasoned Rotarians, Rotaractors are not considered Rotarians. I would like to dispel this misconception. These young people are Rotarians despite their youth. Rotaractors are the future of Rotary and should be treated as such. We should do everything we can to make them feel like an integral part of each and every club.

The last but not least idea: we need to look at forming good old fashioned Rotary Clubs. We should take a real hard look at the geographic areas that used to have a Rotary Club but no longer do. Have things changed? Could Rotary be revitalized in areas that once supported Rotary Clubs but no longer have any? Would a Rotary Club that better reflects the needs of these communities work? Can this area support a Breakfast, Noon, Dinner, Snack or even a New Generations Club?

There are still many areas of the district in which it makes good sense to start a Rotary Club. If we are going to go through the effort, we ought to charter a new club with members of the community that have never been Rotarians. It would be great if we charter every new club with 25 members, of which 22 are brand new Rotarians.

We ought to look to Rotary Alumni to build our ranks. Each year we receive a list of all Rotary Alumni in the district. Rotary Alumni include all the folks who have participated in GSE, Ambassadorial Scholar, etc. Many alumni, for one reason or another, are not yet Rotarians. I would guess the reason they aren’t is that they haven’t been asked. If anyone of you is interested in helping follow up with these folks, just let me know.

We can have the greatest of membership campaigns, but it will be a failure if we do not make an effort to retain all of them. We spend a lot of time and effort to recruit new members only to lose them later. The reasons for leaving are varied, but I would guess the major reasons are:

1) They are never fully educated as to what it means to be a Rotarian

2) They are never led to feel comfortable in the Club

Since we often don't feel we can combat any of the reasons for leaving a Rotary Club, we sure do a good job on filling out their paperwork. Let's quit concentrating on filling out the paperwork and let's start spending time to save them.

None of what I have talked about is easy. If it were easy, we wouldn’t be discussing it. Nothing worth doing is ever simple. If you are proud of your franchise and want to see it grow and prosper, then let’s get busy. You see, if I don’t do it, who will?

Board Of Governors Meets For The First Time

For many years, the District has had a unique working Committee - the Strategic Planning Committee - that included the Governor, Governor-Elect, Governor Nominee and the last three immediate Past District Governors. The candidate selected in January as the District Governor Nominee Designate joins the committee in February. The longest-serving PDG serves as the Committee Chair.

At the 2009 District Conference business session, a new set of By-Laws was approved and adopted that created instead a Board of Governors. Those listed above serve, but a Past District Governor-at-large was added. Governor Tom Novotny has appointed PDG Barbara Risher-Welsh to serve for 2009-10.

This esteemed group met for the first time at the home of Doug and Debbie Fowler on Sunday, July 12. The Committee meets quarterly each Rotary year.

District 5300 is one of the few districts in the Rotary world to have such an organization, in which Past Governors work in support of the Governor, serve as a resource group and make recommendations to the Governor, establishing a ‘training ground’ for future Governors, conduct strategic planning, and assist in the administrative work of the District.

Upcoming Events

Saturday, August 1

Membership Development half day seminar, Etiwanda

Public Relations half day seminar, Etiwanda

Rotary Foundation half day seminar, Etiwanda

Saturday, August 8

Membership Development half day seminar, Las Vegas

Public Relations half day seminar, Las Vegas

Rotary Foundation half day seminar, Las Vegas

Friday, August 14

RYLA - Club Intention to Participate Form due to the RYLA Registrar

Saturday, August 15

Foothill Communities New Generation's

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (minor league baseball) game.

Contact: Nestor Jimenez

Friday, August 28 GSE

Deadline for Group Study Exchange Team Member Applications

Tuesday September 1

RYLA Applications

Saturday, September 19

All day GSE - Team Member Interviews

Saturday, September 26

Boulder City Sunrise's Wurstfest,

Information Resources for 2009-10 Club Presidents and Secretaries

Foundation Posters & Calendar

District Conflict of interest policy and forms

Conflict of Interest Policy

Conflict of Interest Form

For more information contact
DG Tom Novotny.

In Memoriam
Rotary mourns the passing of

Scott Henkels
Past President of San Ditmas

&

Herbert Klein
Alhambra

Click here for NL deadlines and submission requirements.

Send information about your fundraisers too!

Membership & Extension

South Pasadena Service Above Self Dinner

By Daniel, Watson South Pasadena

The Rotary Club of South Pasadena hosted their first "Service Above Self" awards dinner on June 13 at Almansor Court. Over 200 people attended the dinner which honored local businessman and community volunteer Ted Shaw and the "Hands Together-Mission Haiti" project sponsored by the Holy Family Catholic Church.

The South Pasadena club decided to honor local people and organizations who represent the ideals of Rotary. In order to expose more people to Rotary, the club decided that only non-Rotarians can be honored. The "Service Above Self" award goes to an individual or organization who has provided exceptional service to the local community. This year's honoree was Ted Shaw, a lifetime South Pasadena resident and former Mayor. Mr. Shaw has held leadership roles with the South Pasadena Tournament of Roses Committee, the Chamber of Commerce, and virtually every other community effort. He is the President of Shaw, Moses & Mendenhall Insurance Company.

The "Beyond Borders" award goes to an individual or group that has provided humanitarian service to those less fortunate in other countries. The Holy Family Church was honored for their dedicated commitment through volunteers and funds to the Mission Haiti project. This worthwhile effort supports schools and organizations in Haiti, one of the worlds most impoverished countries.

Approximately $30,000 was raised. The funds will be used to support the South Pasadena club's community service projects under the leadership of President Sara Munshin. And, due to the overwhelming success of the event, a new South Pasadena tradition has been born.

Montebello Rotary Presents 25th Annual Teacher of the Year Recognition

by Anne Donofrio-Holter
Photo Courtesy Anne Donofrio-Holter

The Montebello Rotary Club honored Wilcox Elementary School fourth grade teacher Chris Retana at its 25th annual Teacher of the Year luncheon.

Retana has been teaching at Wilcox Elementary School since 2000 and received a Montebello Rotary mini-grant earlier this year for her computer-based animation project that allows fourth grade students to act as scientists.

She is an active participant in many school committees including the yearbook committee and the district’s math committee. According to her colleagues, Retana is always eager to assist her fellow teachers, especially in the area of technology. Willing to take on new challenges, she recently assisted in the creation of a short video encouraging students to do well on the California Standardized Test.

“Chris is a team player and always willing to help others,” said superintendent Edward Velasquez. “She works very hard to instill a sense of responsibility, accomplishment and achievement in her students.”

“I am very honored to be here today and would like to thank the Montebello Rotary Club for this recognition,” said Retana.

“The Montebello Rotary Club is pleased to recognize Ms. Retana today as the club celebrates 25 years of honoring great teachers,” said president Ted Jones. “The club is a staunch supporter of education and supports many of the district’s vocational, art and literacy programs.”

Featured Project

District 5300 Renews the Place of Hope

Text and photos courtesy of Bernard Hunt / Rotary Club of Las Vegas West

In Southern Africa they call it Motse wa Tsholofelo, which means Place of Hope in the Setswana language of Botswana.

And now, thanks to the combined efforts of several individual Rotarians and eight clubs in District 5300, Motse wa Tsholofelo, a day-care center for AIDS orphans in the remote Kalahari Desert town of Maun, is a place of renewed hope.

The eight clubs in District 5300 teamed with the Rotary Club of Francistown, Botswana – the closest club to Maun—to buy a critically needed minibus for the center.

The clubs – and the individual Rotarians – pledged sizeable sums to the project. The operation drew District 5300 matching grants and more than $14,000 in matching funds from The Rotary Foundation to buy the $35,000 Toyota bus.

It is one of the most successful examples of interclub teamwork on an international project in recent years.

The clubs:
Las Vegas West; Victorville; Arcadia; Altadena; Las Vegas Southwest; Pomona; Henderson; Las Vegas Fremont.

They partnered with the Francistown club and with the Rotary Club of Ojai, Calif., in District 5240 to buy the 14-seater Toyota minibus, known as a combi in southern Africa.

Motse wa Tsholofelo cares daily for more than 60 toddlers whose parents have died from AIDS. Botswana is one of the countries worst hit by the HIV virus that causes AIDS.
The vehicle was desperately needed. Until it arrived, the children were brought to and from the center in an aging vehicle that was hard used on the rough road of the area, which is in the remote Kalahari.

Each day the combi ferries the children to the center from their bush homes, where they live with older siblings or grandparents. The place of hope feeds, educates, and cares for them until they are old enough to enter the school system.

The combi project took two years from the time District 5300 first heard of the need at Motse wa Tsholofelo. That came with contact between Rotarian Molly Smit of the Francistown club and Las Vegas West Rotarian Bernard Hunt, who once taught journalism at the University of Botswana and knew the country well.

It reached its gratifying conclusion in late June when Hunt, self-appointed ambassador to Motse wa Tsholofelo from District 5300, and wife Jennifer, attended an official handover ceremony for the bus – Botswana style – at the day-care center.

The bus, complete with Rotary signage crediting the clubs that contributed, was bought earlier this year and has been operating since April.

But they like to do things with flair in Botswana.

The three-hour long handover ceremony in the burning noonday sun included songs by toddlers from the center, and a traditional Botswana dance troupe.

It also featured interminable speeches by, among others, Frank Ramsden, Botswana’s minister of works and transport, who also happens to be the local member of parliament for the area. Ramsden later helped cut the ribbon to inaugurate the bus.

Radio and television reporters both were there to record Rotary and District 5300’s contribution to the welfare of the Motse wa Tsholofelo youngsters.

The event drew a story on the national Botswana TV news – arguably District 5300’s most far-reaching PR success.

Arcadia Rotarians Raise Funds for Cancer Research

by Anne Donofrio-Holter
Photos courtesy of Anne Donofrio-Holter

Several members of the Arcadia Rotary Club, including Eric Barter, Brad Miller and family, demonstrated their support for cancer research by participating in Arcadia’s Relay for Life in memory of former Arcadia mayor Charles Gilb held recently at Santa Anita Park.

Relay for Life “brings together more than three million people each year to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and empower individuals and communities to fight back against the disease.” In addition to raising awareness, the event is also an opportunity for people from all walks of life to raise funds for research.

Rotary team captain Barter presented a check on behalf of the club for $1,000 to be used in the fight against cancer.

“Cancer has touched everyone’s life in some way,” said Barter. “The Arcadia Rotary Club is proud to be here to support the survivors as well as remember those we have lost.” .

As evening fell, glowing bags called luminaria lit the track, each one representing a life that has battled cancer. Throughout the 24-hour period, participants continued to walk and lend support for each other and greeted the dawn of Sunday morning with a feeling of satisfaction.

“I’m a bit tired, but so proud of what we have accomplished here,” said one Rotarian.

“We hope that next year we can have a Rotary tent, a barbeque and perhaps walk the 24 hours in shifts or just hang out with follow Rotarians while we raise money for a great cause,” said Barter. “Rotary is very proud to be part of such an incredible group of people who are giving back in a way that will help so many others.”

First held in 1985, almost 5,000 communities in the United States played host to the event last year. To date, it has raised more than $2 billion in the fight against cancer.

News and Announcements

Rotarians Celebrate the Fourth Throughout the District

Click here for slide show

La Verne Rotary Celebrates the Fourth of July

Every Fourth of July the City of La Verne celebrates the Fourth of July with a home town parade. The Rotary Club of La Verne helps the city celebrate in two ways. We enter a float into the parade celebrating our club’s work in the community. Riding on our float, is the current year president as well as past RYLA and TLC participants. Our club has a scholarship for La Verne residents going on to college. This year’s winner was also on the float.

After the parade, we cut up 100 whole watermelons and give out free watermelon at a booth in the carnival the city has in front of Bonita High School.

Las Vegas Northwest Rotary Hits a Homerun on the Fourth of July

by Judith Filangeri, Photos Dennis Filangeri

Las Vegas Northwest Rotary hit a home run this July 4th when it was able to combine community and international service, PolioPlus fund-raising, and great fellowship at the Summerlin Patriotic Parade.

It all started when one member, Susan Cooper, suggested LVNW Rotary might want to walk in the parade. Dennis Filangeri, Club Administration Chair, made inquiries, only to discover we’d missed the parade application cut off. While we were sadly making a note to apply earlier next year, the phone rang. Parade organizers wondered if LVNW Rotary would be willing to serve as parade roustabouts, carrying balloons, pushing the smaller floats, crowd control – whatever was needed. Oh, and they’d pay the club $30 a person for about 15 people. What a great way to collect money for PolioPlus!

And on July 4th, at 7 a.m., Rotarians, spouses, friends, and three Rotaracters showed up in Rotary hats and Patriotic Parade t-shirts. – all ready and willing to serve. We got the fast lesson on how to march with balloons - avoid trees and traffic lights; do not loop the rope around your hand unless you really like rope burns – and off we went, marching along the 1.5 mile parade route, packed with residents.

We have to admit though, that when the time came to deflate the helium-filled balloons, some of our members did inhale. Did you know Daffy Duck was a Rotarian?

We raised close to $500 for PolioPlus, some of which will go to our Rotaract Club for their PolioPlus campaign. We participated visibly as Rotarians in a major Summerlin community event. We ended up at the home of Rotarians Judith and Dennis Filangeri for a barbeque. And everyone knows that fellowship events that include family members help a club keep happy members.

Service, Fund-Raising, Fellowship, all in one day. It doesn’t get any better than that!

Spectacular July 4th Fireworks Hosted by South Pasadena Rotary Club

by Elisa Mann, Photographs by George Vieth

The South Pasadena Rotary Club entertained over 4,000 people by organizing and staffing with volunteers a magnificent fireworks display to celebrate the Fourth of July. The actual display was operated by the company Pyro Spectaculars, and was funded by the event ticket sales. It took place at South Pasadena High School.

The fireworks were part of a day of entertainment and celebration put on by the City’s Festival of Balloons Committee, which included a pancake breakfast organized by the Kiwanis Club, a parade through the city featuring the city’s youth and ending at Garfield Park, and food and games throughout the afternoon at the park.

Volunteers guided by Rotarian Walt Simmons, the volunteers’ chair, oversaw the setting up of three big, inflatable toys that were available for children to play with at the South Pasadena High School football field from 5:30 p.m. Rotarians Carl von Bibra and George Rigney chaired the organizing committee for the fireworks, Rotarian Dan Evans was the MC, and around 20 other Rotarians and family members volunteered that evening to insure a safe and enjoyable evening for all. The volunteers welcomed a band and singer to entertain the gathering crowds starting around 6:30. At about 9 p.m., fireworks were launched from second base of the baseball field in a spectacular, ever more complex, nineteen-minute-and-six-second display.

The fireworks represent the largest event held on the baseball and football fields, larger even than high school graduation. Last year, 3,400 attended; this year saw over 4,000 people.

The nineteen-minute show rivals major shows such as that held at the Pasadena Rose Bowl. Ticket sales to the fireworks show pay for the day’s parade, park offerings, children’s poster contest, and the fireworks themselves. The Rotary Club has organized the evening’s entertainment and fireworks show for the past two years; the Parade has run for the past 28 years, with origins as a Boy Scout Parade.

Other District News

Mike Driebe Selected As GSE Team Leader For 2010

by Chris Montan

Mike Driebe Five very qualified candidates – experienced Rotarians all – vied for the position of GSE Team Leader to Brazil in our Group Study Exchange with District 2430 on July 11. Pomona Rotarian Michael Driebe was selected by the GSE Team Leader Selection Committee to lead the team traveling in April and May, 2010 for four weeks.

Adrienne Cox Adrienne Cox, from the Rotary Club of Las Vegas Southwest, was selected as the alternate. Both demonstrated exceptional skills, talents, and a passion for Rotary. In addition to travel, the Team Leader actively works to recruit qualified team members that reflect the diversity of our District, creates a “team” in the six months prior to travel meeting regularly with the 4 team members, and then post-travel visits clubs doing presentations on their adventures. The Team Leader becomes a member of the GSE Committee for 2009-10, then serves as the GSE Committee Chair the following year.

The Selection Committee was filled with “heavy-hitters” – so no small feat to impress them! Past District Governor Gene Hernandez (past Team Leader to Central Europe), PDG Charlie Barr (past Team Leader to Mexico), PDG Christine Montan (past Team Leader to Denmark), PDG Roy York (past Team Leader to England), District Governor Nominee Doug Fowler (past Team Leader to Turkey and GSE Committee Chair), District Governor Elect Roger Schulte, and Governor Tom Novotny served this year.

Congratulations to Mike and Adrienne!