Rotary District 7730

District Conference — 18 - 19 April 2008
On-line registration is now available and it’s simple to do–just log on to the District web site www.rotary7730.org, then click on “Data Base” then click on “Calendar.” On the calendar page click on “register now” and follow the instructions. If you have questions about this procedure contact one of our District Conference Co-chairs Janet Robertson at 910-843-2802 or E-mail at janet.robertson@lumberrivercog.org or PDG Johnny Robertson at 910-843-5211 or E-mail johnsfuel@embarqmail.com.

Site of the District Conference
“Crowne Plaza Williamsburg Hotel”
For reservations call 1-800-227-6963–ask for the Rotary rate of $119.00.

Williamsburg, Virginia — Are You Ready For Some History??

Just step outside and you’re off to a great start — history surrounds the Crowne Plaza Williamsburg Hotel at Fort Magruder! Begin by taking a close look at Redoubt #3, an authentic Civil War earthwork located on the hotel grounds. From Jamestown, founded in 1607, to Yorktown, site of the last major battle of the Revolutionary War in 1781, you can wander at will, absorbing the wonder and excitement of many of the most important moments in American history. Wherever you go in the Historic Triangle, you will feel the energy left behind by the intrepid colonists, the daring patriots and the brave soldiers who made history here.

Membership–Keep The Ones We Have

Membership is more than just getting new members. It also involves keeping the members we have. Find out why they leave—because we don’t know why 45% of members don’t stay!! For more information contact our District Membership Chair, PDG Johnny Robertson at johnsfuel@embarqmail.com.

Club Service and Friends

“Rotary starts in the local club. And we emphasize Club Service so that the original intent of good fellowship, fun, camaraderie, and friendship is still accomplished. Personally, I had lots of friends before I joined my local Rotary club in 1970, but the best friends I’ve ever had have come as a result of my Rotary membership.” (From Frank Devlyn, RI President 2000-2001).

Special Thank You

Many, Many Thanks — to members of the Jacksonville-South Rotary Club and members of the UNC-Wilmington Rotaract Club for spending a recent Saturday at the Boys and Girls Homes at Lake Waccamaw planting pecan trees, to replace trees that had been lost in the past. This project was funded by the club and by a District Simplified Grant. For more information on District Simplified Grants please contact our District RI Foundation Chair, PDG Bevin Wall at Bevin@RLI33.org.

Duke-UNC Rotary Center Annual Spring Conference

This is to invite all Rotarians in our District to the Fifth Annual Spring Conference presented by the Rotary World Peace Fellows at the Duke-UNC Rotary Center for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution. This year’s conference will be held Saturday, 12 April from 8:30 - 3:00 at the FedEx Global Education Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This year’s conference theme is Sowing the Seeds of Peace in the World. Special guests will include Susan Stigant (Rotary World Peace Fellow Alumna, Duke-UNC Rotary Center Class II), who currently works in Sudan and Michel Gabaudan, Regional Representative for the U.S. and Caribbean, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Lunch will be served, so it is important that the Conference know you are attending so arrangements can be made. Please RSVP no later than 4 April at www.RotaryPeaceCenterNC.org, by E-mail to Terry_Meyer@unc.edu or by calling 919-843-4887.

From Our Founder, Paul Harris

The question is often asked, “Why do Rotary clubs limit membership to one man from each distinct business or profession?” Because our experiment has proved in operation that it makes for congenial fellowship, obviates business and professional jealousies, encourages mutual helpfulness, stimulates pride in the dignity of one’s occupation, and broadens one’s mind and sympathy with regard to the accomplishments and problems of other occupations. (From My Road to Rotary, by Paul Harris)

Rotary Friendship Exchange

This Rotary program involves the reciprocal visits of Rotarians and their families, living for a few days in the homes of Rotarians in other countries. This program is a good way to develop inter-club relationships for fellowship and personal contact across borders. In addition it is a good way to develop inter-club relationships for fellowship and service projects. Our District Chair for this program is Mari-Lou Wong-Chong of the Shallotte Rotary Club. She is currently trying to gather information about our District so it can be posted on the Rotary Friendship Exchange Matching Board, a new tool that Districts worldwide can use to publicize exchange opportunities. Please take this opportunity to let her know about your Club, things that you do and participate in so she can include the information on her input about our District. Mari-Lou can be contacted at 910-842-6566 or E-mail mlswc67@atmc.net.

Late Monthly Attendance Reports

January 2008 monthly attendance reports for the following clubs were due to RI by 15 February but have not yet been submitted:

>>LaGrange
>>Garland
>>Elizabethtown
>>Tabor City
>>Kinston

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

Rotarians can bask in the abundant California sunshine that streams into the lobbies and concourse of the award-winning Los Angeles Convention Center. This architectural feat of glass and steel offers 720,000 square feet of exhibit space, an internet-ready business center, and fine dining. A short distance from many hotels and across the street from the Staples Center, the convention center is the site of:

— Registration Services
— Plenary Sessions
— House of Friendship Exhibits
— Workshops and Luncheons
— Commemorative Service Project

Register today for the RI Convention at www.rotary.org. For more information contact DGE Lee Dixon (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 Ambassadorial Scholarships.

The Rotary Foundation began in 1917, but didn’t become a major component of Rotary until founder Paul Harris’s death in 1947. Upon Paul’s death, more than one million dollars was contributed in memorial gifts. Shortly thereafter the first program of the Foundation was established: Fellowship for Advanced Study — the forerunner to the now-popular Ambassadorial Scholarships program.

The Rotary Foundation’s Ambassadorial Scholarships program is one of the world’s largest privately funded international scholarship programs for university studies. Since 1947, approximately 37,000 students from some 110 countries have studied abroad. Did you know that film critic Roger Ebert; journalist Bill Moyers; and Sadako Ogata, the former UN High Commissioner on Refugees were Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars? Recent UNC-Wilmington Class President Adrien Lopez was our Ambassadorial Scholar to Chile in the past few years. Teacher Jamie Fumo from the Brunswick County school system has recently returned from being our Ambassadorial Scholar to Australia. We have two scholars studying abroad in 2007-08, Tim Carnes in Egypt and Jessica Hutzel in France.

For more information on giving or program participation, contact PDG Bevin Wall at Bevin@RLI33.org.

“Rotary Shares”

Wilson Ray
(H)910-843-4277
(M)910-850-6149
(F)910-843-5114
bronco549@aol.com