Rotary District 7730

GSE Team-India-Update

Our visitors continue to travel across our District, making friends and visiting our Clubs. Now they are in Kinston and have been there since Thursday morning. They went to a Kinston Indians baseball game on Friday evening and loved it. According to them, they have never seen anything like it. They have visited the community college, hospital, and other businesses. Saturday night they met former President Bill Clinton at a speaking engagement in Deep Run. Sunday they rested and prepared an Indian meal and program for their host families.

On Tuesday they will visit Lenoir County Rotary Club and are planning an Indian Quiz program for that Club. Tuesday night they will visit Kinston Evening and LaGrange Clubs (three will go to each). Wednesday morning they will visit the Jones County Rotary Clubs. Maysville Elementary School will host the club members and the Indian Team for breakfast where they will talk to the elementary children about India and tour the classrooms. They will visit Martin Marrietta Rock Quarry, Daniel’s Stained Glass Art Gallery, ECIM Medical Center and Bender-Burkot School Supply. All Jones County Clubs are hosting them. They will leave Thursday afternoon for the District Conference in Williamsburg.

District Conference, Williamsburg

Things are now in place and events have been planned for the Conference this weekend. Thanks to all of you who have registered and we promise that you will have a great Rotary time. The Conference begins with our Business meeting at 10:30 Friday morning. Anyone having last minute questions please contact our District Conference Co-chairs Janet Robertson at janet.robertson@lumberrivercog.org or PDG Johnny Robertson at johnsfuel@embarqmail.com.

40/60 Paul Harris Fellow Matches Available

A limited quantity of $400.00 Paul Harris Fellow matches are now available. The match requires a concurrent $600.00 new money contribution to The Rotary Foundation. This offer is extended until the limited quantity is gone, and will be accepted on a first come-first served basis (using the 4-Way Test in case of high demand). These matches are available due to donated points from other Rotarians and from accumulated District points!!! We are starting with approximately 50 matches. All matches must be claimed and paid by 1 June 2008.

In the past several clubs have run cash matches within their own clubs to help fund the Rotarian’s $600.00 portion. For example, some clubs match $300.00 cash with $300.00 Rotarian contribution for a $400.00 District match. Please note that none of the $600.00 cash match can be in points.

To reserve your match or for more information, please contact our Foundation Chair, PDG Bevin Wall at bevin@rli33.org. The information needed will be your name, club name, and address of the recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow. The District will help complete and turn in the appropriate forms. Reservations are not final until the funds are received.

One Person Can Make a Difference

A young man was jogging down the beach early one morning and saw an old fellow picking things up off the sand and throwing them out to sea. When he got closer, he saw that a storm tide had washed tens of thousands of starfish up on the beach overnight, and the receding tide was leaving them stranded. The old man was picking them up and casting them back into the water so the rising sun would not fry them. “How can you expect to make any difference to so many thousands of starfish? The sun is already coming over the horizon.” the young man said. The old man said nothing, but hurried over to another beleaguered starfish stranded on the beach and hurled it out to sea. As he ran past the young man, he said, “I made a difference to that one, didn’t I?” (Frank Talk 1, pg 103)

Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI)

Remember RLI–this is a powerful, fast-paced, interactive, one-day course offered to refine a Rotarian’s leadership skills and increase their base of knowledge in Rotary. For a list of upcoming classes and for registration information go to www.rli33.org.

District Newsletter Articles Needed

Please let me spread the “good news” about things that are happening in your Clubs — all I need is a digital picture and narrative and I’ll do the rest. Send information to me via E-mail at bronco549@aol.com.

More About Membership

Maybe your Club should consider obtaining space in a prominent shop window to display information about the Club’s activities in the community. Once you see that list in writing, chances are that even you will be amazed at all the good things that you and your Club members do for the community–and chances are that non-Rotarians who see the list will be amazed, too. Remember, everyone wants to be on a winning team–invite them to on your’s!! For more on membership, contact our District Membership Chair, PDG Johnny Robertson at johnsfuel@embarqmail.com.

See the Stars in LA–First-time convention attendee information:

RI Convention 15 - 18 June 2008 — Los Angeles, California

As a first-time convention attendee, you will embark on an experience that will inspire you, inform you about Rotary on an international level, and provide you with resources and motivation to move your club forward. You can learn about strengthening clubs and identifying service and fellowship opportunities by attending a RI Convention and listening to speakers, participating in workshops, visiting the Club and District Projects Exhibition, and talking to fellow Rotarians and other members of the family of Rotary. During the meeting, you’ll experience the international nature of Rotary. Expect to encounter Rotarians and guests from all over the world, united in the spirit of Rotary and the ideal of service.

And besides all that IT IS FUN!!! Register today for the RI Convention at www.rotary.org. For more information contact DGE Lee Dixon at (O) 252-247-2127, (H) 252-240-0118, (M) 252-241-1868 or E-mail ldixon@EDApa.com.

The Weekly Rotary Foundation Thought

This week’s Rotary Foundation Thought is about HIV/AIDS projects.

Through a variety of humanitarian grants awarded by The Rotary Foundation, Rotarians around the world have found creative and effective ways to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS and care for its victims. Rotary districts in Colombia and the U.S. have partnered to receive a Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) Grant aimed at implementing an HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention campaign in Colombian high schools around Bogota. Through the use of guided mural exhibitions, over 200,000 students were reached with life-saving messages about HIV/AIDS. Separately, in an effort to meet the needs of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS, Rotary clubs in Ethiopia and Spokane Valley-Sunrise, obtained a Matching Grant to help provide a used van, clothing, food, furniture, a computer and office supplies to an orphanage serving AIDS orphans in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The opportunities to make a difference are limitless. Let’s continue to get involved in international projects of merit.

For more information on giving or program participation, contact our District Rotary Foundation Chair PDG Bevin Wall at Bevin@RLI33.org.

“Rotary Shares”