The Highlighter
December 2011
Vol 85 No 6
Table of Contents
Governor's Message
Doug Fowler
December
is Family Month
When we think of the Rotary Family,
many Rotarians think of the many Rotary Clubs throughout the Rotary
World, along with the many Rotary programs that bring us all together in
both Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation. This Rotary Year,
RI President Banerjee has placed upon us that the first priority in
Rotary should be our immediate personal family. They are the ones that
support us in all of our community and international endeavors. As the
holiday season starts to take priority with many immediate personal
families, let us all think about the many faceted programs Rotary offers
to allow Rotarians to help change the lives of those more unfortunate
than us.
I have been provided by Rotary to take
part in many programs that not only change the lives of others, but have
also changed my own. I was encouraged to initiate a Matching Grant
program by my Rotary Club Family a few years ago that resulted in saving
the life of a young boy from a flooded stream, and probably countless
others with three fire trucks. I was encouraged by my wife,
Debbie, to participate in the Rotaplast mission to Guatemala this past
March 2011, where a group of medical personnel and District 5300
Rotarians helped create smiles for almost 100 young children and brought
joy to many parents, as well as those that participated in the mission.
I am very hopeful that the District Wheelchair project this coming
spring will allow for a significant number of District Rotarians to
participate in this outstanding "hands on project." When you lift
a small child or an elderly person into a wheelchair, providing mobility
for the first time in their lives, you can sense the formation of a
tighter bond between them and their own family.
Let us
consider what the world would be without Rotary, then work to achieve
bigger, better, and bolder initiatives because Rotarians change lives,
not only in others, but within ourselves. This Rotary year is
almost halfway, and there are many goals to achieve throughout District
5300 as we support our communities and international projects. I
ask you all to "Reach Within to Embrace Humanity." Your lives will
certainly change. Happy Holidays! Happy Trails!
Doug and Debbie
RYLA Facilitator Training Dates
Nevada:
Tuesday 11/29 @
6:00 PM Marsh USA Inc. 7251 West Lake Mead Blvd Second Floor Las Vegas
NV 89128
Saturday 1/7 @ 9:00 AM Marsh USA Inc. 7251
West Lake Mead Blvd Second Floor Las Vegas NV 89128
California
Thursday 12/1 @
6:00 PM Citizens Business Bank 12380 Hesperia Road Ste. #1 Victorville,
CA 92395
Saturday 12/3 @ 1:00 PM Kaizen Martial Arts
Studio 135 E. Chestnut Ave. Ste. 12 Monrovia, CA 91016
Saturday 12/17 @ 1:00 PM Kaizen Martial Arts Studio 135 E. Chestnut Ave.
Ste. 12 Monrovia, CA 91016
All Rotarians that will be
attending RYLA in any capacity and needs their Youth Protection Training
should plan on attending as well.
For additional
information contact Bob Basen @ (760) 792-8622 or
bb@cbcdesert.com
December 13
February 11
May 6-9
Optional Pre and Post Rotary International Convention Tours
We are pleased to announce the 2012 GSE Team that will travel to Chile in
March. We extend our deepest thanks to all of the Rotary Clubs
that helped spread the word about GSE within their communities.
We were very fortunate to have a slate of extremely well qualified
candidates to interview and feel that we will have a very strong team to
send to Chile. The team leader is Mary Ann Avnet, a Rotarian
from the Las Vegas Rotary Club and an insurance broker for Marsh Private
Client Services.
Kyle Zimbro, sponsored by the
Victor Valley Sunrise Club, is a licensed Real Estate Broker, a field he
entered in 2004 to not only fulfill his early career ambitions but to help
pay for his college education. Kyle graduated from the University of
Redlands in 2008 with a BS degree in Business Administration and a minor in
Economics.
Julia Long, sponsored by the Pasadena Rotary
Club, is currently working with Korman & Co. as a Production Assistant,
helping to engineer various artistic projects all over Southern California.
Julia received her Honors BA from the University of Toronto, and her
Master's degree in History of Art and Visual Culture in Oxford, England.
Reyna Trinidad, sponsored by the Walnut Valley Rotary
Club, is currently finishing her degree in International Business and
Marketing at Cal Poly Pomona, and has been working for S. L. Enterprises for
seven years where she has been involved in several entrepreneurial
endeavors.
Oscar Quinoz, sponsored by the Upland Rotary
Club, co-owns a real estate business that focuses on lending, leasing and
selling rehabbed properties. He completed his BS degree in
Industrial Engineering in Mexico City at the Universidad Panamericana.
Supporting our team, we have two wonderful alternate team members.
Jason Ramos joined the dynamic team at the YMCA in 2008 where he is
currently employed as the Youth Sports Director. Jason graduated in 2005
with a degree in Behavioral Science along with a minor in criminology from
Cal Poly Pomona. Stephanie Yuen is a Program Director for the South
Pasadena San Marino YMCA. Stephanie is also an intercollegiate
softball coach at Pasadena City College and in her sixth season with the
Lady Lancers. Both Jason and Stephanie were sponsored by the San
Marino Rotary Club.
The team will depart for Chile
on St. Patrick's Day, 3/17/12 and return on 4/22/12. During that
five week period they will travel from the northern tip of Chile in Arica
down to Valparaiso as guests of District 4320. They are
currently focused on learning more about Rotary and about Chile, and
preparing for their presentations and vocational experiences.
For more information, you can visit the District 5300
website
for GSE and read their individual biographies.
Cowboy Logic
The easiest way to eat crow is when it's still warm. The
colder it gets the harder it is to swallow.
Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is
stop digging.
If it don't seem like it's worth
the effort, it probably ain't.
It don't take a
genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.
As you may know
we did an informal survey of The Highlighter readership over the
last month. The purpose of the survey was to gain some insight for ways to
improve readership and provide a higher quality district publication.
If you would like to see the survey summary, click here.
We will be implementing some of the more practical suggestions over the next few months.
If you would like to serve as an associate columnist/editor to handle D5300 Historical items, Letters to the Editor, or Rotary Information, contact me to discuss some fun things we can do together.
Next month's theme
Rotary Awareness
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.
In This Issue
Industry Hills Rotary 25th Annual Thanksgiving Project
The
Rotary Club of Industry Hills celebrated its 25th Annual "Service Above
Self" Thanksgiving project by delivering 300 laundry baskets filled with
food to families in need in La Puente, Hacienda Heights, and the City of
Industry. Rotarians and their families, along with 50 volunteers from
the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the YMCA Family Resource Center,
Bassett Unified and Hacienda La Puente Unified School Districts, and the
United Pumping Service helped to personally deliver the baskets to each
home. Helping with the enormous task of assembling the baskets were the
Interact Clubs from Bassett and La Puente High Schools.
Every year, the Rotary Club receives strong support from the Los
Angeles County Fire Department stations in the area. Families enjoy
seeing the big red fire trucks drive up to their homes with the huge
laundry baskets filled with food. We are grateful to Sterilite Corp. of
Arizona who donate the laundry baskets and to State Farm Insurance
Company for their monetary donations, along with the many other generous
donors for rice, potatoes, carrots and canned goods. We have found
that the families are in such dire need that they often do not have
adequate ovens and refrigeration to cook a turkey, so the Club decided
to give canned hams. Beach's Market of San Gabriel provides the best
prices for the canned hams along with generous donations of fresh
produce.
Rotary Club of San
Marino Rosarito Project 2010/2011
The
Rotary Clubs of San Marino in California and Rosarito Beach in Mexico
have been working hand in hand to start a soccer league for boys and
girls ages 5 to 12 in Rosarito, Baja California.
The communications first
began in July 2010 and resulted in a visit in August to San Marino by
President Bernabe Hernandez and members of the Rosarito Beach Rotary
Club. Bernie told the San Marino Rotarians his wish to involve the
children in Rosarito in sports and community service, so that they will
be less inclined to turn to drugs. His plan is to start a soccer league,
initially for 300 children and eventually increasing to 3,000. It was a
good match, as San Marino Rotary was looking for a hands-on
international project that they can be actively involved in.
After
approval from The Rotary Foundation for matching grants to fund the
purchase of soccer balls, team uniforms, and computer equipment, as well
as other costs such as building sanitary facilities for the soccer
field, insurance, and the printing of pamphlets, the project was well on
its way. San Marino Rotarians, led by Foundation Committee Chair Shody
Chow and International Projects Co-Chair Wayne Carter, were in Rosarito
in early January 2011 to hold a review of the project, witness the
opening ceremony of the soccer league office, and meet with the host
Rotarians, City officials, the league administrator, and soccer coaches.
The Rosarito Youth Soccer Championship officially kicked off on April
10, 2011. Twenty soccer teams with 15 players each have been formed. A
perpetual trophy for the Rosarito Youth Soccer Championship was donated
by the Rotary Club of San Marino.
This Rosarito project is a
good example of "building communities" and "bridging" the borders of two
countries. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a long relationship
between the two Rotary Clubs and many international projects to come.
Arcadia Rotarians
Inspired by Polio Survivor
Arcadia
Rotarians were inspired by polio survivor Ralph Pieplenbos, the featured
speaker at a recent meeting. Although born in 1953 just before the
Salk vaccine was discovered, Pieplenbos was given the vaccine when it
became available in the hope that he might receive some benefit, but to
no avail. He then went on to walk only with assistance and to
endure braces on his legs. Ten years ago, he was diagnosed with
post polio syndrome.
"This is a condition that attacks
polio survivors years after the initial attack of the poliomyelitis
virus," said Pieplenbos. "Most often polio survivors start to
experience gradual new weakening in muscles that were previously
affected by the polio infection and also in muscles that seemingly were
unaffected by the virus."
No longer able to use
the braces, Pieplenbos was placed in a wheelchair.
"Then six years ago, I was introduced to an organization that
would change my life," he said.
There was a small
exhibit at Disneyland, the Challenged Athletes Foundation, looking for
people interested in joining a triathlon.
"They asked
if I might be interested in joining a relay team of disabled athletes
and I said yes."
The group, dubbed Team Incredibles,
consisted of a runner with no right leg, a swimmer with no hands or
lower legs, and Pieplenbos on the hand cycle.
"With little training or time to prepare, we won!" he said, putting Pieplenbos on his way to eventually complete 40 marathons and 20
triathlons.
Pieplenbos shared with the Rotarians
videos from the Challenged Athletes Foundation and the "No Excuses"
video by Nike.
Pieplenbos is mindful of the good work
being done worldwide by Rotary International in eradicating polio.
"We're close, but we can never give up!" he said. "We must
continue PolioPlus and support Rotary's dream of a polio-free world."
"Ralph's will to not give up but to excel in the competitive arena of
racing a wheelchair was inspiring!" said Eric Barter, Arcadia Rotary
Club president-elect.
Pieplenbos' future goals include
to complete a full Ironman triathlon and to continue to inspire other
athletes with disabilities. Also up for consideration is the 2012
Paralympics in London.
"Rotary's mission to eradicate
polio across the world is one like no other, period! It made me
proud to be a Rotarian!" added Barter.
"PolioPlus, the most ambitious program in Rotary's history, is the
volunteer arm of the global partnership dedicated to eradicating polio.
For more than 20 years, Rotary has led the private sector in the global
effort to rid the world of this crippling disease. Today,
PolioPlus and its role in the initiative is recognized worldwide as a
model of public-private cooperation in pursuit of a humanitarian goal."
According to Rotary International, the campaign "has already spared an
estimated 5 million children from a lifetime of paralysis."
Green Valley Rotary Sponsors 5 Children in Fitness League Program at
"The Monkey Gym"
Instead
of watching cartoons and eating junk food, 29 Henderson kids have spent
their last 9 Saturdays enjoying track and field events, playing
dodge-ball, and navigating obstacle courses, among other physical
activities.
These kids were participating in a
nine week Fitness League Competition at Henderson's "The Monkey Gym,"
which is an organization that aims to foster personal growth and healing
for local youth in a safe and structured environment.
A
donation from Green Valley Rotary covered program participation for 5 of
these 29 kids (two of whom tied for third place, and one of whom took
first place). Far more important than who won, however, was the
value of the overall experience. These kids enjoyed a constructive
physical outlet, access to positive mentors and role models, and an
opportunity for personal growth. On top of all that, they had a
blast (see
Fitness League Video)!
Green Valley Rotary was
grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this worthwhile cause, and
the club expects to continue sponsorship in the future.
San Gabriel Rotary Club Honored
The
San Gabriel Rotary Club was honored recently by La Casa de San Gabriel
Community Center at the Annual Lizarraga Founders Award Gala held at the
San Gabriel Country Club. San Gabriel Rotary president Kevin Sawkins
accepted the award, calling up all Rotarians past and present to join
him at the podium. La Casa founder Mrs. Angelita Lizarraga
recalled that San Gabriel Rotary has been active with La Casa since the
club's founding in 1947.
Over recent years, the
San Gabriel Rotary Club has been able to obtain grants from Rotary
International District 5300 to supplement club funds designated for La
Casa projects. These projects included bathroom upgrades,
painting, facilities maintenance, and roof repair. Besides
providing funds, Rotarians provide labor, fulfilling their motto of
"Service Above Self."
Projects completed and
funds donated can be listed as contributions to La Casa, but what is
sometimes hard to list are the unspoken benefits to La Casa. Once
Rotarians have been introduced to La Casa through club-related projects,
individuals have stepped forward to help. Socks are donated to go along
with the Payless Shoe gift cards. The La Casa Pantry is low on basics,
so oatmeal and cereal boxes appear. "Crafty" Rotarians share the fruits
of their hobbies. Special skills have been needed and provided by
Rotarians. Leftovers from the club's weekly buffet luncheons find
their way to La Casa's needy. The connections made have been
priceless.
The San Gabriel Rotary Club sponsors
an annual Cinco de Mayo fundraiser at La Casa where the mothers of La
Casa graciously provide a homemade lunch and the children sing for the
attendees. All funds raised go directly to La Casa. Please
join us in May for this event.
Rotarians have been
touched by La Casa and they are proud to say that they help. It
has been and continues to be gratifying to assist such a worthwhile
entity in the San Gabriel community and to know that all that is given
is greatly appreciated.
San Gabriel Rotary Club
president Kevin Sawkins stated, "The San Gabriel Rotary Club is honored
to be a recipient of the 2011 Lizarragas Founders' Award from La Casa de
San Gabriel Community Center. We are proud of our partnership with La
Casa, and look forward to continuing to support the many worthwhile
programs and services provided by La Casa for years to come."
The
weekly Rotary Club meeting was a little out of the ordinary for the fledgling
Greater Chino Hills Evening Rotary Club. Approximately 50 excited members
and guests convened at Vellano Country Club in Chino Hills to
participate in the Club's first step in transitioning from provisional
to formal chartered status.
Special guests included
Rotary International 5300 District Governor Doug Fowler and his wife,
Deborah, former District Governor Gene Hernandez, Incoming District
Governor Sylvia Whitlock, Assistant Governor – Group 7, Debbie Mitsch,
and distinguished representatives from sponsoring Rotary Clubs of Chino,
Walnut Valley, and Rancho del Chino. Club Advisor and Mentor District
Governor Special Representative Rene Fruto assisted in the proceedings
and has played an integral role in the club's success, providing support
every step of the way. Miles Petroff, District Governor Nominee
Designate 2011-1,2 also has been a mentor and advocate for the Club,
serving as liaison with sponsoring clubs.
The occasion
marked a watershed moment for the group which commenced its information
and recruitment efforts in January of 2011. Provisional status for the
Club was achieved in July and the minimum membership requirement of 25
was achieved in October. The Club currently boasts a membership of 35
with pending applications for approximately 10 more members. The
application was signed by District Governor Fowler and the Club will be
processed through Rotary International for verification of submitted
members. The Club expects full chartered status no later than the end of
2011.
Club members are excited about planning for a
formal inauguration when they will join nearly 1.2 million humanitarians
around the world in service projects, both local and international.
Current projects undertaken by the GCHRC include a used book project to
support English language literacy.
Once chartered, the Club
will make the most of a thriving youth community in Chino Hills to work
on Interact, Rotaract, and the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy. Members
are anxious to join in on international projects, including Corazón
Super Build, polio eradication, Rotaplast, and providing wheelchairs for
those in need worldwide.
Club members and President,
Lou Alfonso, reiterated their gratitude to sponsoring clubs and Rotary
leadership for all the support and guidance that enabled the club to so
rapidly achieve the membership and participation levels required for
Charter application. Said Alfonso, "The community spirit that enabled
this wonderful milestone is perfectly in line with the group's vision:
we work together in a spirit of fellowship to achieve the common goals
and objectives of the Rotary organization. We are truly honored to be
part of the Rotary family in District 5300."
DG
Fowler Receives Proclamation
The Rotary Club of San Dimas was pleased to host District Governor
Doug Fowler at their October 26 meeting at the Via Verde Country Club.
Pictured is San Dimas City Councilman Denis Bertone reading
a city proclamation presented to Governor Fowler commemorating his
visit. To the right of Councilman Bertone is Governor Fowler and San
Dimas Club President Kevin Kenny. In the foreground is past District
Governor Gordon Norman.
Red
Ribbon Rally Pancake Breakfast A Success, Again!!!
Congratulations
to the West Covina Noon and Sunrise Rotary Club on a successful 21st
annual Red Ribbon Rally pancake breakfast on October 22, 2011. Both
clubs worked hard to welcome the community to a free pancake breakfast,
youth entertainment and to learn about civic community agencies such as
DEA, SWAT, Police and Fire Explorers departments. We were once again
honored by the members of the Enrique S. Camarena Foundation. Over 2000
people attend this yearly celebration of staying drug free. A special
thank you goes out to all the sponsors and the West Covina High School
Interact Club and the Explorers for volunteering their time to make this
event a success year after year.
Musings
from the Peace Conference
I went to the Peace Conference, and spent some time with Arun Ghandi, grandson of Mahatma Ghandi.
I learned about passive violence, the kind we unconsciously inflict on others. Peace starts at home. Find someone in your community that you don't get along with. Make an effort to empathize with that person, and see if you can understand where he/she is coming from. This will take us out of comfort zone since we humans are not programmed to focus on others. This is the first step towards conflict resolution and building better societies. Good luck!
Attention
Club Youth Program Coordinators
Contest
Connecting through Video - Young people from around the world will create videos telling stories of their communities and those who serve them. for more information see attached flyer.
A Passion for Purses-Boulder City Project
The
Boulder City Sunrise Rotary Club and the Boulder City Hospital
Foundation would like to ask for your assistance and support to make our
first "Passion for Purses: A Saturday Afternoon Tea," a resounding
success. More than 250 people are expected to attend this exciting event
on February 11, 2012 at Cascata Golf Course, 1 Cascata Road Boulder
City, Nevada. Passion for Purses will raise money for health care
resources, services and projects to enhance the quality of life for
residents in Boulder City and surrounding communities.
You can help support this event by donating any of the following:
purses, evening bags, backpacks, messenger bags, beach bags, man bags,
suitcases and/or computer bags along with a fashion accessory showcasing
your individuality, brand,ro or company. Your donations will be sold in
either our silent or live auction. Each item will be showcased on
individual auction displays and featured in our program guide.
Sponsorship packages and program book advertising are also available.
A Raffle drawing along with a few surprises will be some of the
highlights of the day. The Live Auction M.C. for this exciting
afternoon will be Ms. Kim Mervine and Mr. Justice McKay from Valentino's
Las Vegas Boutique, at the Forum Shops at Caesars.
For
more information contact John Milburn, Rotary Club Boulder City Sunrise,
johnmilburn@embarqmail.com.
Applications Sought
for 2014 District Governor
District 5300 is seeking applicants for our
2014-15 District Governor position. One of the most important decisions we
make in our District is choosing its future leadership. We are seeking the
most qualified person for the position of District Governor. If you
have a demonstrated history of proven leadership as a Rotarian and are
willing to serve, then we are seeking to utilize your talents, skills and
sound judgment as our Governor.
Application forms can be
found online at our District website,
www.district5300.org . Deadline to submit an application is midnight,
December 15, 2011.
The interviews are scheduled for:
Saturday, January 14, 2012
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (will be determined by number of
candidates)
Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce
Building
16010 Apple Valley Rd.
Apple Valley, CA 92307
(760) 242-2753