Rotary District 7730

What a Great District Conference!

Listen: District Conference 2007

Hear: Jamie Fumo speak from Australia

A record number of 237 Rotarians and guests enjoyed the Rotary fun, fellowship, and learning experiences of our District Conference. This was the largest group of Rotarians in our district under one roof for many years!

We were very fortunate to have Rotary International Director Ian and Juliet Riseley as our President’s Representative. Ian and Juliet were so gracious and supportive of our conference and Ian’s message was an inspiration to us all.

We were also fortunate to have Rotary International Director 2004-06 Ken and Winnie Morgan as our guests and as our Saturday luncheon speaker. It was because of Ken’s assistance back in January 2005 that we were able to arrange the GSE with District 2690 in Japan. Ken and Winnie have been of great support to our district throughout the years.

Many thanks to PDG Elias and Jane Thomas of District 7780, Shapleigh, Maine,for being our guests, and to Elias for his inspiring message about his very first NID in India. My service with Elias in India this past February was an extraordinary experience.

Our own GSE Team and our Japanese GSE Team were a joy to be with throughout the weekend. And we appreciate the inspiring messages from Ambassadorial Scholar from Bangladesh Mohammad Aminul Karim and RAD Speech contest Multi-district winner Peter Pyo.

Many thanks to my Blues Brother and my great friends, District Governor Bernie (“Joliet Jake”) and Nancy Riedel of District 7770. Our Blues Brothers routine at the Shrimparoo was a blast and your presence added much to the conference. Keep wearing those dark glasses, Jake!

The entertainment throughout our conference was fabulous: Tommy B. & The Stingers, Taiko Drummers, Okinawa Dancers, and Rachel & the Joy Gospel Singers.

As successful as it was, this District Conference could not have been accomplished without the help of a great many hard-working Rotarians and partners dedicated to “Service Above Self”!

Many thanks to:

Jeff Newman, our District Conference Treasurer and Registration Chair, and Melanie Newman, who worked and re-worked the budgets, handled all the registrations that flooded in, put together the packets, stuffed many of the promotional newsletters that we mailed, managed the registration desk, collected the door prizes, etc. Thank you, Jeff and Melanie!

Joe Pascal, our District Treasurer, who chaired and M.C.-ed the Saturday afternoon activities including the Okinawa Dancers and Taiko Drummers, collected the funds that made this conference possible, managed the leadership dinner RSVPs, and promoted the conference to everyone he met. Thank you, Joe!

John Kopka, the hardest working Sergeant-at-Arms in the Rotary world who had all the details under control well before the start of the conference: checking the AC controls and light switches, extra tables and chairs; making sure everyone got the meals they wanted, door prizes. To list all he did, I would need to write a book. Thank you, John!

DGE Wilson and Bobbie Ray for your inspiring talk on Friday and for serving as aides to our President’s Representative from Australia RI Director Ian and Juliet Riseley. And to Bobbie, for making the “Ladies Tea” a special treat for Juliet. Thank you Wilson and Bobbie!

AG Mark Lynch and his company Quality Sound & Video for taking care of all of the video, power point and sound for the conference, and for bringing back the popular Google Earth program that we did at Spring Training for the 2006-07 club leadership last year. Thank you, Mark!

DGND Nancy Barbee for imparting your enthusiasm and appreciation for the international aspect of Rotary and for The Rotary Foundation with Google Earth. Thank you, Nancy!

Candace McGreevy and Brett Blizzard for all of your hard work in collecting, organizing, and transporting the Herman Blizzard Rotary Archives from the Randall Library at UNCW. We honored our past as we Lead The Way into the future. Thank you Candace and Brett!

District Trainer Bob Stinson for organizing three inspiring and informative panels on Friday afternoon and for finding outstanding panelists. Thank you Bob!

DGN Lee Dixon for serving as aide to Dr. Kasagi and our GSE Team from Japan, for organizing the inbound GSE experience, and for bringing our own team members with you for an excellent presentation on your GSE visit to Japan. Thank you, Lee!

Melissa Hight, President-nominee of the Wilmington Rotary Club and Director of New Hanover County Cooperative Extension, for arranging a wonderful reception for the GSE Team from Japan at the Arboretum Thursday afternoon and for organizing the Saturday morning “Sea Oats” service project. Our industrious team planted 1,000 sea oats in 45 minutes. Thank you, Melissa!

Elliott O’Neal for organizing an enjoyable golf outing on Friday afternoon. Thank you Elliott!

Donna Shiro for presiding at the Saturday luncheon and for serving as Aide to RI Director 2004-06 Ken and Winnie Morgan. Thank you, Donna!

Larry Curtis who proposed the Sea Oats idea and added to its success, and for your tireless service as liaison to the prospective keynote speakers. Thank you, Larry!

Dave and Magda Baggett who served as aides to keynote speaker PDG Elias Thomas III and spouse Jane. Thank you, Dave and Magda!

Katherine Rudeseal and the Phoenix Rising Agency for designing the wonderful “Surf’s Up! Serving Rotary!” logo and the beautiful printed newsletter, and for your sage advice on publicizing our outstanding conference. Thank you, Katherine!

PDG Bevin and Pam Wall for leading the “Rotary FUN-damentals”, a wonderfully creative way to engage our Rotarians and at the same time impart the Rotary message, and for leading the Sunday Memorial Service. Thank you Bevin and Pam!

Julia Rehder for arranging the superb classical string trio for our Thursday Arboretum reception for the GSE team, for your help with the “Ladies Tea”, and for your special enthusiasm to make our conference a great success. Thank you, Julie!

DGN partner Glenda Dixon for making gift baskets and decorations and for adding so much fun to the Ladies Tea in honor of Juliet Riseley. Thank you, Glenda!

The Rotary Clubs of Jacksonville for sponsoring an evening full of fellowship and fun at the Friday evening Shrimparoo. Thank you, Rotary Club of Jacksonville, Jacksonville Breakfast, Jacksonville South, and New River Onslow!

AG Kay Gresham for hosting for the Friday evening Shrimparoo on behalf of the Rotary Clubs of Jacksonville. Thank you, Kay!

Jay Tervo for your update on the Full Belly Project and to Rick Snyder for keeping us posted on the Mercy Ships Project, both brought to us by The Rotary Foundation. Thank you, Jay and Rick!

Brad Donnell and the Linprint Company for your generosity in printing and mailing the color newsletters to every Rotarian in our district and for your professionalism and amazing service. Thank you, Brad!

Vicki Scott and New Hanover Printing for helping to write and for printing our program booklets and agendas and for your professionalism and magnificent service. Thank you, Vicki!

Lori Harris for your Boys & Girls Home displays. Thank you, Lori!

Cheryl Ermini for bringing Inbound Ambassadorial Scholar from Bangladesh Mohammad Aminul Karim to the conference with you.

Our very capable Registration Team, Don Adkins, Julia Rehder, Howard McCain, Melissa Hight, Glenda Dixon, Alan Pacek, and Connie Majure Rhett for your extraordinary service to our Rotarians and guests. Thank you, Don, Julie, Howard, Melissa, Glenda, Alan, and Connie!

Our Friday Panel Moderators, AG Brian Garrett, AG Kay Gresham, and AG Peggy Turner, for leading the discussions and making them fun and informative. Thank you, Brian, Kay, and Peggy!

And to our superb panelists: Stacy Ankrum, Pat Riley, Holt Moore, Michael McWhorter, PDG Milt Iossi, Jonathan Richmond, Dave Baggett, Jo Cameron Jones, PDG Russ LaBelle, Andy Chused, and DGN Lee Dixon. Thank you all!

LAST BUT NOT LEAST! Thank you to my partner in Rotary and in life, Lee Kapner, of the Wilmington West Rotary Club, who worked day and night for many months as District Conference Chair to make this an extraordinary and highly enjoyable conference. Lee’s talents and many years’ experience in entertainment and hospitality led to our conference being the greatest for me and for our Rotarians! Thank you, Lee!

Lead the Way!