The
Highlighter
Feburary 2011
Vol 84 No 8
Table of Contents
Beyond Upland
Roger Schulte
I
was inducted into the Rotary Club of Upland in February 1978. I was
new to the Upland, relocating from northern California to begin my
first elementary school principalship. It was an exciting time: I
was 34, the father of a young family, now living in a new community
with the vibrant life of Los Angeles and sunny beaches at my
beckoning. As a young principal it was both fulfilling and
challenging to be the charge of my first school. Now, however, I was
in control of my schedule (unlike teaching) and was able to say
"Yes" when I was proposed for membership in a community service
club.
The first few years my view of Rotary was
very parochial. I joined club members as we painted and installed bus
benches around town, potted trees to give to third graders on Arbor Day,
planted a lemon grove in a park so that future generations would
remember the city's roots. We built an artifacts shed for old farm
equipment next to the museum. We gave scholarships to local high school
students, sponsored a scout troop, maintained a community softball
field, and had a float in the Christmas parade. It was rejuvenating to
feel part of my new community, to meet and become friends with the
leaders in town, to work side-by-side other Rotarians on local projects.
Three years later my Rotary world expanded. I still remember when
past-president Harvey Stone asked me to help collect clothing, household
goods, blankets, and classroom furniture for an orphanage in Caborca,
Mexico, one of Upland's adopted sister cities. We filled a motor home
with these items, and in partnership with the Rotary Club of Caborca,
our club members journeyed south. Though I was not able to join them, my
world view of Rotary suddenly grew beyond Upland and the Inland Empire.
The most moving international activity I personally experienced
was in February 2008. I spent one week working in the small impoverished
Muslim village of Chahalka, India. It was home to about 500 families,
barely 50 km from Delhi, yet beyond effective reach of most NGO's and
social welfare organizations.
54 of us Rotarians from
around the world, in partnership with the Rotary Club of West Delhi,
traveled there to rehabilitate a building in which to establish The
Rotary Centre for Computer and Vocational Training. This would benefit
the entire village by training young school dropouts in computer skills
that could lead directly to entry level jobs in India's burgeoning IT
industry. Simultaneously, we provided a vocational training area for the
teaching of tailoring and weaving to housewives so that they could
generate additional income for their families, and hence afford to take
their children off unskilled labor work and send them to the free
school.
The village opened my eyes to extreme
living conditions of poverty, to existing without electricity, without
sanitation facilities, without medical clinics. I visited their red
adobe brick homes, saw open fire pits for cooking, saw lines of women
and girls who walked hours carrying firewood home on their heads, and
witnessed young hungry children who came to school for the free
mush-like gruel.
I also saw young boys playing with
their crudely constructed toy cars, jockeying to see who had the best
vehicle. I witnessed students sitting on the bare dirt learning basic
English vocabulary because their classroom was too cold. The women and
girls were shy but appreciative, as we built steps for them to the top
of cistern and a drainage ditch to direct waste water away from it. I
met the city elders who cared about Chahalka and who had suggested the
projects we had come to complete for them.
When I left
Chahlalka, I had a deep sense of gratefulness within me, for my personal
well being, for the bountiful life that "I had been dealt." I also left
with a sense that maybe carrying bricks from one pile to another, mixing
small bowls of mortar, painting the interior walls of a classroom might
make a difference, might somehow enhance the life of my fellow human
being.
Rotary's theme for February is World
Understanding Month. I wish for each of you the experiences that I had
in India, but I know that this is not realistically possible.
You can, however, impact the lives of those living in extreme
poverty just south of us through our SuperBuild program on May 14, 2011.
I encourage you to spend a Saturday in Cera Azzul, Mexico outside of
Tecate, where through Corazon we build in one day 3-5 small homes for
families. I ask each club to sponsor this project first with a donation,
but more importantly I invite Rotarians and family members and their
friends to travel south to build these homes.
I
guarantee you: the experience will affect your life forever. At the end
of the day when you turn the keys to a 625 square foot "home" over to
the parents and their children, you will be moved. You will know that
you helped others less fortunate than you now be able to live secure
from the elements, secure from their neighbors.
Group Study Exchange
February 19-20
Foothill Communities Electronic Waste Collection Drive
February 25-27
March 18
Las Vegas Fremont 25th Birthday Celebration
March 19
March 30
Foothill Communities' 3rd Annual Put Polio on Ice Event
March 31
La Verne's Friendship Tour of Turkey
May 7- 8
June 12
October 9
Centennial Hills 3rd Annual Charity Golf Tournament
George R. Hensel Speech Contest
Clubs are encouraged to
participate in the George R. Hensel Essay Contest. Each club's first place
essay is due to Kathy Schlotz, District Chairperson, no later than Monday,
March 14. There is no entry fee! The main purpose of the contest is to
promote the importance of ethics among today's youth and to encourage them
to express their views. The District's first place winner receives $3,000
and three runners-up each receive $500 at the District conference in June.
More information is available at
http://district5300.org/essaycontest/index.html.
District Simplified Grants … It's
Not Too Late!
The official application deadline for District Simplified Grants was
December 31, 2010. The DSG committee has received applications for
$14,253 so far and we want to spend at least the $20,000 we've received from
the Rotary Foundation, so if you think you missed your chance, you're in
luck! We are extending the application deadline to March 31, 2011. Help us spend the remaining $5,747!
Need an idea for a new
project for your club? Why not steal another club's great idea? These projects have been approved just this year:
Books for elementary school students – Las Vegas West
Furniture for a Boys & Girls Club Reading Room – Las Vegas-Fremont
Books and story-time for hospitalized children – Duarte
Canned food drive, promotion & distribution – Las Vegas
Building a high school & community quad – Industry Hills
Training & distribution of child booster seats – Sierra Madre
You too can do a $500 project, matched with $500 in DDF:
Books for school kindergarten
Multi-language books for local pre-school
Assist a local food bank
Contact the local PD or FD for projects
Adopt a family (seek needy ones from local church or school system)
Help a local YMCA or Boys and Girls Club with sports equipment
Purchase and deliver bikes
Assist a local tutoring program through the city library
Joint project with your Rotaract or Interact clubs - aren't they doing
things your club could assist financially in?
There are more great projects in the hopper. Why not put your good
ideas to work? Remember the DSG funds will match your club funds 1 for
1, up to $1,500, for new hands-on projects with Rotarian involvement. If you have any questions at all, please contact DSG Sub-committee Chair
Yvonne Flint at yvonne@yfcpa.com or
626-599-7700. We don't want to send the money back!
Million Dollar Dinner –Thank You!
Many people are to be thanked for both raising this money and organizing the dinner including, Frank and Chris Carroll, Boulder City, for the photographs and memories; Teressa DeAtley and Kimberly Ramirez, Victorville, for decor and the centerpieces that were taken home by lucky Rotarians; Bob Basen, Victorville, for getting the flags and banners to and from the event; Mike Zoeller, Altadena, for his hard work and donation of the wine, PDG Jerry Tambe and DGN Sylvia Whitlock, Claremont, Hassan Kherandmandan, Pasadena, Walter Tang, and PDG Chris Montan, Alhambra, Chris Calligan, Green Valley, Joan Murdock, North Las Vegas, Honorary Chairs PDG Tim Siu, Alhambra and PDG Lee Mothershead, San Marino for unfailing and committed work.
Consider joining these donors and help increase the total even further for DG Roger by making your own Bequest to the Permanent Fund of the Rotary Foundation.
Pilot
Projects
The RI Board of Directors has approved four areas as pilot project
tests beginning next year. Each club president and president-elect has
received information from RI on application procedures and forms to
apply for one of these pilot projects. Applications for project are due
to RI by 1 April 2011. Clubs in District 5300 are encouraged to consider
applying to pilot one of these ideas.
- Associate Member Pilot: Allows an individual to become
associated and acquainted with a Rotary club, its members, its
programs and projects, and the expectations of club membership with
the intent of becoming an active member within a designated period
of time.
-
-
-
For more information contact: Doug Fowler, DGE or go to Rotary International website.
Next month's theme
Literacy
Click here for publishing guidelines.
[Editor's Note] We would like to have participation and contributions from members of your Interact Clubs. Please encourage them to contribute to The Highlighter. Interactors can receive The Highlighter by sending their names, club names, and email addresses to highlighter@district5300.org.
Heading
to Nigeria
A 3-person team - John Frykenberg, Julius Johnson, and Sarah Philips
- will teach the basics of
entrepreneurship and how to write business plans to about 1,500
university students in two polytechnic universities in Nigeria, one in
the South (Owerri) and one in the North (Kaduna). The one-week, day-long
intensive workshops in each location in early January are intended to
stimulate job creation through new business start-ups. A Matching Grant
from The Rotary Foundation will provide the finances for the trip and
printing of curriculum.
The goal is for 1 in 5 of the
students to actually start a business some day that will hire, on
average, 4 others, thus creating 5 jobs for every 5 students taught. The
4 out of 5 students that do not start a business should nevertheless
become more employable because of their understanding of business basics
and the importance of the bottom line. College graduates in Nigeria face
unemployment rates of 50 percent or more, so interest in the workshops
is great. Kaduna Polytechnic University is starting an Entrepreneurship
Center and the workshops should spark interest in the center.
John Frykenberg, past president of Altadena Rotary, is making his
third trip to Nigeria, and last year conducted a similar workshop in
Owerri Polytechnic (Nekeda) where 1,000 students filled the lecture hall
for intensive instruction by Frykenberg and a team including members of
the Rotary Club of Owerri, the faculty, and the business community.
Fellow Rotarian and prominent Altadena African-American attorney
Julius Johnson is making his first trip to Africa and is excited to be
doing in Nigeria what he has done several times in Altadena Rotary's
Vocational Service program in the Pasadena Unified School District - teach about legal entities for business pursuits.
Nigerian-American Sarah Philips, in the process of becoming a member of
Rancho Cucamonga Rotary, launched the first entrepreneurial program in
her home town of Kaduna in 2005 among high school students, and it was
very successful. "Working with university students will be better
because they are more mature and see the need for making their own
jobs," she believes.
Achieving Peace in Afghanistan: Challenges and Opportunities
District 5300 Peace Conference
The
beautiful 270 seat Mudd Auditorium of Claremont School of Psychology has
been selected as the venue for the 16th Annual Rotary International
District 5300 Peace Conference which will take place on Saturday, March
19, 2011, 8:30 A.M. - 12:30 P.M.
The Theme of the
Conference is Achieving Peace in Afghanistan: Challenges and
Opportunities.
The Eradication of Extreme Poverty
is a major objective of Rotary International. Rotary Clubs in District
5300 have been actively pursuing the stimulation of entrepreneurship
through economic education that leads to job creation in the Middle
East, Africa, Mexico, among Native Americans, and in local schools.
The Honorable Zalmay Khalilzad, former United States ambassador
to Afghanistan and to the United Nations, will serve as our keynote
speaker. Other distinguished speakers include: The Honorable Abdullah
Aimaque, Consul General of Afghanistan in Los Angeles; Ms. Sonia Nassery
Cole, award-winning filmmaker, philanthropist, and founder-chairwoman of
Afghanistan World Foundation; Ms. Pamela Broussard, Rotary World Peace
Fellow (currently working in Afghanistan); Mr. Sadiq Tawfiq, Afghan
AMITY Society, founder-first president of the Rotary Club of Herat,
Afghanistan; and Dr. Art Mendoza, Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden
Triangle. A special PowerPoint presentation prepared by Fary Moini,
Rotary's representative to the United Nations, and Mr. Steve Brown,
Trustee of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, will highlight
Rotary's humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan.
I would
like to solicit your active participation in this important event as a
sponsor. Your support will be appreciated and credit will be shared with
your name as a Conference Sponsor in the program. You will receive
complimentary conference tickets.
Our District's 16th
Annual Rotary International Peace Conference merits your support. Please
accept my sincere appreciation for your consideration of this request. I
would very much appreciate confirmation of your support by February 21,
2011.
Click here to sign-up as a conference sponsor.
POLIO: Once the Scourge of the Whole
I just finished reading the
Rotarian article A Rotary Primer: The Rise and Fall of
Poliomyelitis. Every man, woman and child should read this article. It
gives a timeline to the history of Polio using dates and graphs. I
recently heard that last year there were a total of 203 cases worldwide.
What astonishing progress we've made! Like many of you, I learned about
Polio as a child. At that time it was rampant throughout the world. We
used to have to be very careful, take it easy and rest during the heat
of the summer. I had my first three Salk vaccine shots during 1956; I
can remember going through the vaccination line at the Rose Bowl. Some
of the kids literally screamed with anticipation of this painful shot.
It seemed that they used a 16-penny nail instead of a hypodermic needle
to administer it. I recall one kid who not only howled all through the
line, but had to be carried - twisting, kicking and shrieking - as she
neared her turn. She was my younger sister… and believe me she was
terrified. My poor parents had six of us going through that line.
I never really gave much thought to polio until late 1957 when we all
thought I was battling the huge Asiatic flu epidemic. It was killing
people in my neighborhood. I just seemed to be sick forever and felt
awful all of the time. I developed quite a limp and was in constant,
horrible pain. Initially the doctor said I had Rheumatic fever, and I
became bedridden. My world was my bedroom and walking was limited to the
bathroom - about 15 steps. However, Rheumatic fever did not explain some
of my symptoms. My doctor and priest regularly came to the house.
Finally, the doctor told my parents something was wrong with the
diagnosis; then, after much testing, poking and prodding, the diagnosis
was changed to Polio.
After some 50 years I don't
remember all of the details of this disease, but vividly recall the
terrible pain. To this day I remember the sheet hurting my left leg and
my dad making a tent over the bottom of the bed so the sheet could not
touch me. At some point during this illness, my parents and I spoke with
the doctor about why I had Polio, since I'd had the shots. At this time
I learned there are different kinds of Polio and the doctors had
determined I was lucky; the type I had contracted
How different my life would have been …
existing in an iron lung. How different countless lives would have been
without
the Salk shot, and later the Sabin oral polio
vaccine, which then became the preferred preventative measure. In 1985,
Rotary launched its PolioPlus Program. This was one of the compelling
reasons why I joined the Altadena Club in 1990, so as to be part of the
magnificent effort to eradicate this horrendous affliction. And, as this
article is concluded, I believe that those 203 cases mentioned earlier
are a powerful testament to the determination and effectiveness of
Rotary International's ceaseless mission to stamp out this scourge.
As a reminder, we are still collecting funds with our Polio Pig.
Bettering the Lives of Others
"We recognize our
own mortality, and are reminded that in the fleeting time we have on
this earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame –
but rather, how well we have loved, and what small part we have played
in bettering the lives of others," President Obama said in Tucson,
January 8, 2011
The tragic events in Tucson have
reminded us that life is indeed fleeting and that we should be conscious
of how we will spend the relatively brief time left of our lives.
Rotary provides incredible opportunities for 'bettering the lives of
others.'
But it does take time and focus and
compassion.
The District 5300 Vocational Training Team
of John Frykenberg and Julius Johnson from Altadena Rotary, and Sarah
Philips of Rancho Cucamonga Rotary, is at this moment flying back from
Nigeria after two intensive weeks of training 1,770 students in two
polytechnic universities in North and Southeast Nigeria. John
assembled the curriculum and digital video elements, building upon that
which he used last year to instruct 1,000 students.
Consider how much time away from their income-earning occupations this
mission consumed. Why would they do this? Compassion - for the urgent
needs of New Generation youth who see only a grim future in this jobless
economy. There is - 50 percent unemployment for those who are college
graduates, and it's much higher for those not college educated.
There, like here in California, new
jobs must be created. This requires that entrepreneurship be fostered on
a large scale and why teaching the basics of business and how to write
business plans is the focus of the program in Nigeria. Rotarians are
generally business-savvy and are able to convey what they know and have
experienced
Providing basic needs of food, water,
shelter, vaccinations, and health care are all essential to life. Saving lives is an important objective of Rotarians in our Service above
Self. But helping to create jobs so that those we have helped will
enjoy a decent life is usually overlooked. 'Teach how to fish –
and they'll eat for a lifetime," is an axiom we all know. Let's
focus on this - in Africa, the Middle East, Afganistan, Haiti and the
Caribbean, Latin America, the Philippines, etc.
"Life is indeed fleeting," President Obama said. We Rotarians can make a
difference at home and in all corners of the world. Let's do it. The Rotary Foundation now allows the cost of international travel to be
covered by Matching Grants for Vocational Training Teams. Let's
take advantage of this opportunity. For details on how to get
started, contact
ray@rotapreneur.com, 1-800-4483456
Diaper Collection
On Tuesday night, January 12th, Univision 34 ran an amazing story ('http://univision34.univision.com/noticias/video/2011-01-12/unos-panales-que-hacen-la')
on the work the Rotary Club of East Los Angeles relative to its diaper
drive that benefits the orphans at Gabriel House in Enseñada. The
segment produced such amazing results in terms of community response
that Univision has committed to accompany the Rotary Club of East Los
Angeles on our next trip to the orphanage.
We
had not planned on heading back down to Enseñada until summer since we
just visited them a few months back. However, with the Univision offer
to accompany us in March, we must make it happen as the publicity will
greatly benefit one of our charities. As such, I am asking you to
do a couple things: first, view the news story by clicking on the
link above; and, second, consider making a diaper donation. Perhaps you know of a family that has unused diapers from an already
grown infant/toddler or perhaps you are able to purchase some diapers. As you will see from the news story, we need diapers of all sizes. The orphans are all physically incapacitated and as such are unable, in
most cases, to adequately care for themselves.
Watch the story
then consider joining us for lunch. We meet the first three
Tuesdays of each month at Tamayo Restaurant (5300 East Olympic Blvd, Los
Angeles, CA 90022) at 12:00 pm. We welcome you to join us as a
guest (lunch is $15) and listen to our great speakers. We would
also like you to consider joining Rotary if it meets your needs. FYI, we don't hard sell anyone on being a Rotarian but we do like
sharing our speakers and our deeds and making new friends so don't
hesitate to join us for lunch. We won't bite!
The
next couple months of speakers are listed below. Please consider
joining us for lunch....and don't forget about the diapers!
Feb 1 - Lizette
Patron - Innercity Struggle
Feb 8 - Cynthia MacMullin - Independent
Curator (formerly with MOLAA)
Feb 15 - Hannibol Sullivan - Boy Scouts
of America
Mar 1 -
Rosalind M. Henderson, Trainer, Career Strategist, Author, Founder of
"More to Life Than a Nine
to Five"
Mar 8 - Jesse Torres (CEO, Pan American
Bank), Dr. Sonal Patel (White Memorial Hospital)
Mar 15 - Dr. Ariella Herman, UCLA
Johnson & Johnson Health Care Institute for Head Start
Apr 5 - TBD
Apr 12 - Timothy Fong MD, Assc Prof,
UCLA Gambling Studies Program, - Shopping Addiction Study
Apr 19 - TBD
Montebello Rotary Club Delivers Food Baskets To
Enseñada Needy Families
Robert Monzon, President of Montebello Rotary Club, delivers toys and
baskets to local needy children in South Enseñada and in collaboration
with Rotary Clubs from San Diego, Avalon, and other Southern California
areas.
"Local children play in this dirt lot," says Mr.
Monzon. "This site was selected at the request of the
Enseñada Rotary Club President Dr.
Troncoso, who made the call to Rotary Clubs in Los Angeles and San Diego
to help build up this dirt lot with swing sets and other playground
equipment to one day have a quality playground that is safe and well
equipped for local children."
The
Montebello Rotary Club prides itself on its local service and charity
work done internationally. On January 7th and 8th members and
friends of the Montebello Club attended a food basket give-a-way program
lead by the Rotary Club of Enseñada. "Every year members from our
club attend this event. It is something that the club has been
doing for over 15 years," said President Robert Monzon. Rotary
Club members from throughout Southern California meet on Friday night in
a large warehouse owned by an Enseñada Club member. There over
eighty volunteers who stuff over 15 lbs of food into bags that include
oil for cooking, tortillas, tuna, and fresh vegetables.
In addition to food and blankets, toys are loaded into vehicles with
enough for 900 families, the exact amount they will need to deliver the
next day. In the morning Rotarians meet for breakfast before they
head out to the various colonias where they deliver their supplies. These colonias are areas selected for food baskets because of the
extreme poverty, where people live in homes made of scrap wood and tin
roofs, and there is no running water or paved roads.
This year President Robert Monzon was joined by his wife Stephanie,
sister in law Cathy, and friend Joan Ramos along with Rotarian George
Pacheco, his son, and Jeff Solowitz (former Rotarian), who all helped
deliver food baskets and made special gift bags for the children. Montebello Rotary Member and Assistant District Governor Ted Jones
visited a charity event in Tijuana the same day that celebrates three
kings day with over 300 special needs children. They are fed a
traditional holiday meal and given toys.
Industry Hills Constructs Student Sitting Areas
at Workman High School
The
Rotary Club of Industry Hills, with the support of a District Simplified
Grant, constructed sitting areas at Workman High School in La Puente. In
January, with hundreds of student and adult volunteers, benches crafted
from natural tree stumps were set in cement. Rotarian Matt Briglio
hand-made all of the benches from wood donated by the Hacienda Golf Club
and the Industry Hills Golf Course. Bob O'Connor was instrumental in
securing the District Simplified Grant that helped to pay for the cement
truck and other project items. Rotarian Andy Crawford aided in the
planning meetings with the district. President Bouty of Biffwell
Enterprises transported the 40 one-hundred pound benches and sitting
logs. Rotarian Charlie Klinakis of Alert Insulation donated a BBQ lunch
for all of the volunteers. Matt Briglio's Ioda Construction, Prieto
Engineering, and the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District donated
the professionals, heavy construction equipment, and overnight security.
Ted Flink of L & L Building Materials provided all of the blocks for the
tree wells. Rotarians Patti Briglio, Cartha Tennille, Patrick Medlock,
Espi Fernandez, Barbara Nakaoka and Patricia McIntosh closely monitored
the students.
Operation
Santa Clothes – 2010
Victor Valley
Sunrise Rotary Makes Christmas a Little Warmer for 101 Local Children.
This Christmas, the Rotary Club of Victor Valley Sunrise is once
again pleased to have partnered with the Super Target in Hesperia to
roll out our club's Operation Santa Clothes. Operation Santa
Clothes matches Rotary members and volunteers with individual children
for a Christmas shopping trip through the Super Target in Hesperia.
This year 73 elementary school children nominated by their teachers
met their Rotary sponsors and spent one glorious pre-dawn hour living
out a dream-come-true. Donations from Rotary and friends in the
community made $160 available for each child to spend for clothing and
toys, accompanied by an adult shopper.
Once a Rotarian
starts giving it is hard to stop and many of the shoppers dipped into
their own pockets to exceed the $160 limit. No regrets were heard.
Additionally, Victor Valley Sunrise Rotary sponsored 28 children through Salvation Army Angel Tree Donations. Operation Santa Clothes is a Continuing Rotary Moment for Sunrise Member Chris Vasquez, who plans, organizes, supervises and thoroughly enjoys the looks of surprise and joy on each child's face each year.
Student Veterans awarded Rotary Club
Scholarships
Seven
PCC student veterans were awarded scholarships by the Rotary Club of
Altadena at a luncheon at the Altadena Town and Country Club on
Thursday, Veterans Day.
Each veteran received a $1,500
scholarship, bringing the total contribution to $10,500, said Counselor
and Veterans' Adviser Patty D'Orange-Martin.
She said
applicants had to write an essay on their military service experience,
as well as their plans for the future.
The additional
scholarship recipients were PCC student veterans Cameron White, Charles
Hu, Ryan Mills, Jorge Zamora and Detrick Hudson.
Mechanical engineering major Josh Miller, 28, had sound plans for his
scholarship money.
"[I'm going to] save it, basically,"
said Miller.
"The engineering program [runs several
months] long and the G.I. Bill will [expire] before that, so every
little bit helps," he said.
According to Miller, the
Post-9/11 G.I. Bill covers 36 months of higher education for Iraq and
Afghanistan War veterans.
"It's definitely great that
these [scholarships] are out there," said Miller.
Scholarship award winner and business major, Felipe Sanchez, said he
found the Altadena Rotary Club's generosity inspirational.
"[The Rotary Club is] big on helping and doing things for the
community," said Sanchez.
"That's something I may want
to be a part of [in the future] because they're like a brotherhood, just
like veterans are," he said.
Sanchez said he wrote his
essay on the decrease of ethical practices in business.
"I really want to bring an ethical change to business," he said.
According to Craig Cox, Altadena Rotary Club member and president of
its charity projects, the source of the scholarship funding was an
endowment from the Altadena American Veterans Legion Post that recently
closed down.
He said the Legion had looked for a club
to continue its annual tradition of awarding scholarships to veterans
that lived in the Altadena and Pasadena area, attended college and
carried a 3.0 GPA or higher. They chose the Altadena Rotary Charities as
a their successor.
Cox said he attended the scholarship
luncheon, met and was impressed with all of PCC's veteran scholarship
award winners. "They're all very mature and know what they want to do
[in the future]," he said.
Cox said the stories the
veterans told about their military service were especially compelling.
According the Cox, the Rotary Club of Altadena plans to award
five more scholarships to veterans in the spring.
Make Your Paul Harris Contributions Do
Double Duty
Believe it or not, my $400 will become $1400.
My friend in Hawaii calls this Rotary Math.
I recently
donated $400 dollars to some Paul Harris Fellowships. They will be
pulled together and be donated to our club's Nigeria
project. This the first way that I am making my money do double
duty. But wait, there's more …
The Nigeria project has
qualified for Matching Grant status with both District 5300 and Rotary
International. I don't know the Matching Rate, but Altadena's lead
person on this mission told me that my $400 will become approximately
$1400. That's more than three times the medical equipment and supplies
that can be purchased.
Plan ahead, and your money can
do double work, too. When you donate to your or another's Paul Harris,
think, "Is there another place this money could be working?" There are
lots of matching grants available, and PolioPlus is
still looking for donations.
Rotary Hires New General Secretary
The Rotary International Board of Directors announced today that John
Hewko, formerly an international partner with the law firm Baker &
McKenzie, and more recently the Vice President for Operations and
Compact Development at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, will
officially replace retiring General Secretary Ed Futa on July 1, 2011.
Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation have flourished during
the past decade in no small part because of the leadership of General
Secretary Ed Futa. Noteworthy accomplishments that occurred during
Ed's tenure include, but are by no means limited to:
The reorganization of departments and staff to address the growing needs of Rotarians worldwide;
A stable financial condition that was achieved in especially difficult economic times;
An emphasis on, and investment in, major information technology services and systems;
A growing emphasis on improved communication strategies and methods;
Successful movement toward organizational strategic planning;
Outreach to expand our network of strategic partners, including The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID, among others;
Significant increase in Rotary and Rotary-partnered fundraising and progress in Rotary's efforts to rid the world of poliomyelitis.
At a time when Rotary is recognized throughout the world for its
leadership in the area of community service, its unique and diverse
membership, and its ability to address significant global challenges, it
is appropriate that Rotary International attract a unique individual to
replace its retiring General Secretary.
That
individual is John Hewko, an international partner from 1992 to 2004 in
the international law firm of Baker & McKenzie (B&M). At B&M, he
specialized in international mergers and acquisitions, privatizations
and other international corporate matters, participated in the
development of the firm's Moscow office and was the managing partner of
its offices in Kyiv and Prague. While in Ukraine in the early 1990s, he
assisted in the development of the initial draft of the new Ukrainian
constitution and was a charter member of the first Rotary club in Kyiv.
In 2004, John left Baker & McKenzie for
public service. He joined the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a
newly-established US government agency designed to deliver foreign
assistance to the world's poorest countries in a new and innovative
manner. As Vice President for Operations and Compact Development,
John was responsible for the development and negotiation of foreign
assistance agreements with 26 countries in Africa, Asia, South America,
the Middle East, and the former Soviet Union. During his tenure,
agreements totaling $6.3 billion were completed with 18 countries for
projects in infrastructure, agriculture, water and sanitation, health
and education.
John has written extensively on
international and other issues, including opinion articles in the
Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times and the
Christian Science Monitor. In addition to his native English, John
speaks five other languages. He is married to Margarita and has
one daughter, Maria, who will be graduating this spring from high school
in the Washington, DC area. John's father is a Rotarian in Clarkston,
Michigan.
John will inherit a
position first mastered by revered Rotary leader Ches Perry and will
provide the same visionary leadership and effort attributed to that
first general secretary so that Rotary can continue to grow in numbers,
stature and involvement and contribute to making the world a better
place for all people.
District Awards Criteria
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