2005-06 Rotary Theme & Logo

Feb. 2005, Anaheim, CA - Rotary International President-elect Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar made a grand bow to continuity and the successes of the past century when he unveiled the 2005-06 theme, Service Above Self, at the International Assembly in Anaheim, California, USA, on 19 February.

“I would like to be modern. I would like to recycle and I also want to promote continuity,” he declared in the theme address at the opening plenary session. “Therefore, I have chosen the best motto ever created for Rotary International, yet one that you will not find on the walls of this room: Service Above Self.”

The RI president-elect explained that his theme selection was also guided by Rotarians’ need for landmarks while entering into a second century of service.

“In our efforts to work for a better world, we need a leading star to follow, a theme that we can all fix upon,” he said. “Over the years we have had many different themes, and you can see several of them displayed on the walls of this room: Enjoy Rotary! Be a Friend, Lend a Hand, Celebrate Rotary, just to mention a few of them. Each and every one of these themes was, or is, perfect for its time.”

For the 2005-06 logo, Stenhammar again reached out for something both simple and familiar in the Rotary world: “I am recycling again, and I have chosen the best logo ever created for Rotary International: our trademark, the Rotary wheel.”

Calling continuity a new wind blowing in Rotary, Stenhammar announced that in the new year Rotary clubs and districts will carry on with the presidential emphases already in place: literacy and water management. Those emphases will include an additional focus of “alleviating hunger and improving the health and well-being of all who are deprived of these essential resources,” he said.

Stenhammar explained that there was no need to change course from the areas of concern that both Past President Jonathan Majiyagbe and President Glenn Estess Sr. wisely identified and successfully encouraged Rotary clubs and districts to address locally and internationally.

“Gone are the days when our organization went north one year, to the west the next, followed by east and, then, maybe north again,” he said. “Our main direction must be the same for many years to come.”

The president-elect said that Rotary International will continue to seek and embrace opportunities to cooperate with other organizations in areas of mutual interest.

Rotary can reap a lot of goodwill from the public exposure received during the yearlong activities marking its centennial. “Therefore, I am planning for a Public Image Resource Group to capture this opportunity and help clubs use it as a platform in our continued efforts to enhance our public image,” said Stenhammar.

The 2005-06 president said it was time to expand the role of women in Rotary. He pointed to the appointments of three past district governors — Carolyn E. Jones, of District 5010, as a trustee of The Rotary Foundation, the first woman appointed to the Trustees; Mary Margaret Fleming, of District 5230, as the new Public Image Resource Group chair; and Eileen M. Gentilcore, of District 7250, as Literacy Resource Group chair — as a good start.

“Please remember very well that it is through their talent, not their gender, that these women have earned their appointments,” he said. “I agree that there might be a disproportionate number of assignments to women during my year, compared to the mix of Rotarians, but by doing this I am sending a message to the women in Rotary as well as those who are not yet Rotarians: There is a leading role for you in our organization.”

The Rotary Youth Exchange program will be another key area for the incoming district governors to promote in their clubs, Stenhammar announced.

To address the issue of membership, the president-elect said that he will ask every Rotary club to recruit just one new member in 2005-06 to reach a modest goal of a total membership increase of 31,000.

Feb. 2005, L to R: District 7150 DGE Jerry Gortner, R.I. President-elect Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar and Mrs. Stenhammar

May 23, 2005: Thank you to everyone who took the time to attend our Foundation Dinner Friday evening. A special thank you to the following 2005-06 Club Presidents who are leading by example and received Paul Harris Fellow recognition on Friday.
John Hoffman- Dolgeville
Mindy Barstein- Herkimer
Stuart Wood, Jr. PHF+1- Moravia
Rocco Bouse- New Hartford
Sandra Fentiman- Oriskany-Whitestown
Duane Weaver PHF+1- Skaneateles
Louise Lutz- Tully
Leading by example in our Sustaining Member program are:
Carol Reichert- Adirondack Foothills
William Ryan, Jr.- Chittenango
Lillian Kimball- Oriskany Falls
Earl Lewis- Rotary eClub NY1
Let’s all lead by example in the year ahead. Join me on July 1 by making your $100 contribution to the Annual Fund, so you can proudly wear your 2005-06 “Every Rotarian Every Year” name badge sticker you received from the Foundation last week.
Thank you for working with your President to promote our RYLA program for July 8-10. We have 22 students registered to participate. This will be a life changing experience for these students. Plan now to have your student be your Rotary program in July or August.
Our GSE Team returns form Peru May 30. We have had word from Peru that our team is having an excellent exchange. Work with our GSE chair Dick Kemmis to have one of the outstanding young people be your program during the summer months: Richard Kemmis, GSE Chair, 86 Ridge Road, Fulton, NY 13069 (315) 592-4486 rjkem@twcny.rr.com
Paul Harris Word Smiles are badges of friendliness. There are plenty of them within you. Do not hold them captive. Set them free at right times and places and their beneficent effects will carry to the very gates of eternity.The Rotarian, February 1934
- Jerry Gortner, DGE, Celebrate Rotary, SERVICE Above Self

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D-7150 Celebrates 100 Years of Rotary with P.R.I.P. Bhichai Rattakul

District 7150 Rotarians that want to celebrate 100 years of Rotary without going to Chicago now have an outstanding opportunity to do just that. District Rotarians and their guest are invited to celebrate 100 years of Rotary on June 15th at the Beeches in Rome. Former RI President Bhichai Rattakul, 2002-2003 and friend of District 7150 will be the featured speaker.

85th Anniversary of Rome Rotary
June 15, 2005
Beeches Restaurant, Rome, NY
Dinner 6:30PM
Cash Bar starting at 5:30PM
$30.00 Per Person
To include hors d’ouves during cocktail hour, tossed salad, chicken with artichokes dinner and dessert.

Bhichai Rattakul, RI President 2002-2003 addressing over 600 Rotarians in D7150
RI President Bhichai Rattakul took office on 1 July 2002 with a call to Rotarians to grow the organization through a renewed commitment to the four Avenues of Service — especially vocational service — and a return to the grassroots values that will empower clubs "to chart their own course, set their own goals, and fulfill their own dreams." Rattakul is the Thailand Goodwill Representative for International Cooperation. He was a member of the Thai parliament from 1969 until he retired in November 2000 so he could become Rotary International President. During those years, he served as leader of the Democratic Party, Foreign Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and President of the Parliament. He also served on several commissions, vice chairman of the National Security Council and chairman of the Counter Corruption Commission and the Narcotics Control Board and honorary vice-president of the Thai Scout Council.

An accomplished diplomat, he has been awarded the highest decorations by King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, the emperor of Japan, and the presidents of the Philippines, Korea, Austria, and Nicaragua.A charter member of the Rotary Club of Dhonburi, Bangkok, Thailand, since 1958, Rattakul has served RI as district governor, international assembly group discussion leader, member and chairman of numerous committees, trustee of the Rotary Foundation, director, and chairman of the Executive Committee of Rotary International. He is the recipient of The Rotary Foundation's Distinguished Service Award and Citation for Meritorious Service for his support of its international humanitarian and educational programs.

Before entering government, he was president of the Thai Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Association and Director of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Thai Industries. He has led many Thai delegations to the United Nations General Assembly. Bhichai as been appointed to head up the Rotary Tsunami relief effort in ThailandDuring President Bhichai’s visit to District 7150 in November of 2002, the Polio Eradication Chairman and PDG, Ed Paparella and then District Governor Don Reese presented President Rattakul with a pledge in the form of a check for the District’s Polio Eradication goal. It is the goal of the Polio Eradication committee to present a certificate paid in full during President Rattakul’s visit in June. At present our District is short of its goal. All clubs urged review their pledge and the amounts collected to date and make every effort to meet their goal.

RI President Bhaichi Rattukal accepts a check from District 7150 Polio Eradication Chairman and PDG Ed Paparella and District Governor Don Reese on the right, for three hundred, twenty thousand, two hundred and twenty-five dollars as the District’s pledge to Polio eradication. Additionally Dave Kobernuss, of the Rotary Club of Rome, NY presents an additional seven hundred and thirty-three dollars raised during the November 12th Rome Rotary meeting with district Rotarians in attendance.

The Rome Club is going to publish a commemorative booklet celebrating District 7150 highlights during the 100years of Rotary. Rotarian, Pattie Saunders of the Rome Club is the Chairman of this project and will be contacting each club. We will be asking for a one-page bio of your club’s highlights or what your club feels is appropriate for insertion and $100 dollars to offset the cost of production. A copy of the booklet will be given to each attendee.

Additionally, prior to dinner President Rattakul will be presenting Paul Harris Fellowship Awards. We ask that the clubs contact Carol Anthony of the Chittenango Clubs who is coordinating the presentations.

There will be a special performance by Juliane Wentzkat-Price and Stephen Price opera stars that have performed in Europe and New York City.

For tickets, we ask that each club appoint a representative to coordinate tickets sales and distribution within your club and we ask that that Rotarian contact Don Reese (794-8085), Utica Club, Carol Anthony (office 687-9399, home 687-7411), Chittenango Club or Dave Kobernuss (336-2808) of Rome for tickets. We are limiting distribution of tickets to one person in each club for obvious reasons. No one will be admitted without a ticket. No tickets will be sold at the door. Tickets must be bought in advance. Download flyer.

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PDG John Engelmann passed on Feb. 25th, in Wilmington NC. His son, John, stated that we died peacefully with his family around him. Services will be in Wilmington. His family asked that rather than sending flowers, that donations might made in his name to; the Rome YMCA, First Presbyterian Church of Rome, a Rome Rotary project, or the Rotary Foundation.

Betty's address: Elizabeth Engleman, 8217 Blue Heron Drive E., Villa 2, Wilmington NC 28411

PDG John's friendship, smile and good humor will be missed by all of us. Please include John and his family in your prayers.

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R. I. President Glen Estess Centennial Dinner in District 7150

We are privileged to have Rotary International President Glenn Estess, Sr. as our special guest for October 27th. President Glenn will be our featured speaker at a gala Dinner at the Syracuse On Center that evening. The Reception will begin at 6:15pm with Dinner being served at 7:30. The event will end by 9:30pm. We will have a local children's choir, a special literary presentation and good food and fine fellowship. Tickets are $30 each and are available through Rev. James F. Austin, DG 7150. Theardis Martino, from the Syracuse Inner City Club, is the Chairman of this event. Download brochure containing sign-up sheet.

Oncenter Complex
800 South State Street
Syracuse, NY 13202

DIRECTIONS:
From the NYS Thruway (I-90)
Exit 36, Rt. 81 South to Syracuse. Harrison Street Exit 18, right on Harrison, two blocks, left on State Street, left into the Oncenter Complex Parking Garage.

From the North
Rt. 81 South to Harrison Street Exit 18, right on Harrison, two blocks, left on State Street, left into the Oncenter Complex Parking Garage.

From the South
Rt. 81 North to Adams/Harrison Street Exit 18. Straight one block, left on Harrison, two blocks, left on State Street, left into the Oncenter Complex Parking Garage.

From the East and West
690 East or West, West Street Exit, follow West Street, 5th light left on Shonnard Street which turns into East Adams. Follow East Adams, 7th light turn left onto South State Street, right into the Oncenter Complex Parking Garage.

Oncenter Parking
Visitors may use their 1,000-car parking garage with an enclosed walkway to the Convention Center. The garage is located on the corner of South State Street and Adams Street.

Download Directions information.

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D-7150 Rotary Clubs Matching Fund Benefits Newborn Brazil Infants

"Here are pictures from Brazil of the medical equipment that was purchased with the matching grant funded by District 7150's Utica Rotary Club, Oriskany-Whitestown Rotary Club, and the Rotary Club of Formiga, Brazil. The device is a ventilator for newborn infants. Wander Batista is a doctor at Santa Casa, the hospital where this equipment will be used and the father of Roberta Batista, a Youth Exchange student hosted by Utica Rotary 2 years ago. I met Wander when I was in Brazil in 1992 with the Group Study Exchange and visited this hospital. To see these pictures and know what Utica and Oriskany Whitestown Rotary and D7150 have done for this hospital brings tears to my eyes. Please publish a couple of these pictures on the website so that all the members of these clubs can see what they have done to help the children in a small city in Brazil. Thank you very much, Linda & Ray Allen" The following email was received by Linda & Ray from their friends in Brazil, Wander and Monica. "Dear Linda and Ray, we received the newborn ventilator bought with the money that you so kindly arose for the Matching Grant Project. The Principal of Santa Casa de Caridade Hospital received yesterday the equipment during a short but significant gathering of members of the R C Formiga, medical staff and workers of the hospital. Our District Governor 2004-05 Jose’Otávio Azevedo honored us with his presence . Once more receive our deepest gratitude on behalf of our community from your friends, Wander and Monica" - Editor's note: View the following pictures of the event

June 2004

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Paul Harris to be Honored in U.S. Capital for Going the Extra Mile

Rotary founder Paul Harris is among more than 70 outstanding U.S. volunteers who will be honored through a new national memorial in Washington, D.C, located on a one-mile path adjacent to the White House and U.S. Treasury Department.

When completed, "The Extra Mile" Volunteer Pathway will feature bronze medallions with a likeness of each honoree, a description of his or her achievements, and/or a quotation. Each of the medallions will measure 42 inches (more than 1 meter) in diameter. Dedication is planned for mid-2004.

The RI Board of Directors has approved a project to facilitate the construction of the Paul Harris medallion, which will be placed in a block of granite set into the sidewalk. An effort is under way to raise US$50,000 toward the cost of the monument.

"More than 1.7 million visitors are expected to see the Pathway each year and the medallion will remain there in perpetuity, creating a wonderful public relations opportunity for Rotary International," according to RI Vice President Frank C. Collins Jr. and Past District Governor Jack B. Blane, co-chairs of the project, in a letter addressed to all U.S. district governors, RI general officers, and The Rotary Foundation Trustees.

The Points of Light Foundation, initiator of the program, believes that the memorial will help promote the spirit of volunteerism among visitors who walk along the pathway.

More details are available from the official memorial Web site. Contributions toward the special tribute to Paul Harris may be made by check only to Points of Light Foundation, c/o PDG Jack B. Blane, 2750 Ridge Road, Highland Park, IL 60035, USA.

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R. I. World Headquarters Ceremony Bring Centennial Home

February 5, 2004, undeterred by the wintry chill, more than 200 guests, local Rotarians, and Rotary International staff looked on patiently as RI President-elect Glenn E. Estess, Sr., Rotary Foundation Trustee Chairman James Lacy, and Evanston Mayor Lorraine Morton strained to accomplish the task at hand.

At precisely 1:08 pm on 2 February, the white-and-blue street banner celebrating 100 years of Rotary was unveiled to clapping and the ceremonial tooting of a trumpet in front of RI World Headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA. Similar signs will be displayed on streets throughout downtown Evanston to announce Rotary's centennial anniversary.

"It is great to be a part of this city," said RI General Secretary Edwin Futa, who was emcee at the event. "We are proud to be a part of this community." To residents and city officials present Futa expressed Rotary's gratitude for being good neighbors and hosts. He told students from Northwestern, a world-class university in Evanston, that Rotary offers a great opportunity for those who seek to work for an organization that makes a difference in people's lives.

Praising the humanitarian work of Rotarians worldwide, Mayor Morton thanked Rotary for choosing Evanston as its home. "Raise the banner high to show Evanston's appreciation for Rotary placing its international headquarters in downtown Evanston," she said.

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R.I. President Addresses Eastern Cities Fellowship Dinner

The Rotary Club of Rochester, New York, is pleased to announce that Rotary International President Jonathan Majiyagbe will be the featured speaker at this year's annual Eastern Cities Fellowship Dinner- Wednesday, November 12, 2003 at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center. Flyers and invitations will be distributed shortly. If you would like advance information, please contract Rochester Rotary by e-mail or by calling their office at 585-546-7435.

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2003-04 Theme unveiled at Int'l Assembly

Monday, January 27, 2003: RI President-elect Jonathan Majiyagbe today unveiled the 2003-04 theme, Lend a Hand, at the International Assembly in Anaheim, California, USA, where 529 incoming district governors are participating in training sessions to prepare them for their upcoming year in office. After warmly welcoming participants to "Rotary's university," Majiyagbe declared his theme, calling it "simple and straightforward, expressing the natural impulse that all Rotarians feel when they come face to face with human need."

Outlining his four areas of focus for the year — poverty, health, literacy, and the family of Rotary — the president-elect said, "We will Lend a Hand to alleviate poverty, educate the illiterate, and relieve the scourge of disease, and Lend a Hand of fellowship to all of the family of Rotary."

Citing the outstanding relief efforts of Rotarians to natural disasters, Majiyagbe said, "Hunger, poverty, disease, poor health — these are the disasters that have befallen millions and we must reach out and pull them to safety with the same sense of urgency that we would pull someone from out of raging floodwaters."

The president-elect asked the audience to remember why they first joined a Rotary club. "We have all asked ourselves, 'What can one person do?' In Rotary, we never have to be one person. We are 1.2 million who believe that suffering does not have to be part of the human condition," he said.

Throughout his speech, Majiyagbe used the metaphor of the "family of Rotary," saying that such a family "provides a haven where we can gather the strength and encouragement to face the challenges of the world." To promote an atmosphere of warmth and caring within the club, he plans to ask every club to form a Family of Rotary Committee in 2003-04.

The president-elect also touched upon the highlights for the 2003-04 year — the eve of the Rotary Centennial celebration — including the graduation of the first class of Rotary World Peace Scholars, the 2004 Council on Legislation, and the launch of the Twin Clubs project, part of centennial celebration that will help clubs expand their humanitarian reach to another part of the world. He urged the audience to stay focused on PolioPlus. "Twenty years ago, we made a solemn promise — today and in the coming months, we must honor our word," he said.

The International Assembly, held at the Anaheim Hilton and Towers 26 January-2 February, has united some 1,329 people from 78 countries for informative plenary sessions, group discussions, service meetings, and fellowship events. Joining the district-governors elect are hundreds of senior Rotary leaders who serve as mentors for the incoming "class," who have come to train and inspire the future district governors.

View more info on RI President-elect Jonathan Majiyagbe web page. Download logos.

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May 2003 - The Rotary Club of Bidulf, England (sister club of the GUS Rotary Club) visits the Children's Museum in Utica, NY

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D7150 Chosen as one of Rotary International's Cyber Clubs

Email Notification - Hello from Evanston, I have been asked to act as administrative contact for the Cyber Club initiative. Marlene, I now have a large note to include you as the webmaster in my list of cyber club contacts! This email is to officially inform you of the RI Board decision to go ahead with the Rotary Cyber Club pilot projects at the February 2003 meeting. Your club is included with this group of new Cyber Clubs. I certainly congratulate 7150, and the other 17 districts that have worked to create this exciting new phase for Rotary International. Please feel confident to inform the incoming officers of your District, and all those interested about the status with regard to the Cyber Club pilot. With kind regards, David

Hello back from Upstate New York! David, I am thrilled and delighted - as I know our DG Don Reese and our DGE Andrea Ives are - to have been selected as one of the Rotary Cyber Club pilot projects. I just went on and secured the domain names for our cyber club and as soon as they propagate to my server, I can start building the website! We will anxiously await President Bhichai's selection of a Cyber Club Pilot Project Board Liaison who will communicate the next phase and direction to us by the end of May 2003 so we can begin the process of building our Cyber Club membership and swelling the ranks of Rotary! Thank you so very much for your kind and timely response. It's appreciated. Sincerely, Marlene

History: In June 2002, the R.I. Board agreed to a pilot project of cyber rotary clubs whose members may reside or work within a Rotary zone or be open to any qualified members, regardless of geography. The project, which aims to appeal to demographic groups that cannot participate in traditional Rotary clubs, follows on the heels of the New Models Rotary Clubs pilot project, which began a three-year trial on 1 July 2001. The New Models and cyber pilot projects were both authorized by the 2001 Council on Legislation. The first cyber club, Rotary e-Club One, in U.S. District 5450, has generated wide interest among Rotarians in online clubs. In the first four months after its chartering, more than 600 persons had done make-ups on its Web site. The goal of Cyber Clubs is to help business professionals in their community who could not meet traditional attendance requirements due to travel, conflicting work schedules, physical disability, or sheer distance. Rotary leaders hope the program will create different types of Rotary clubs to better meet the needs of Rotary in the 21st century, attract more young professionals, and increase membership. Our Cyber Club website is live: www.rotaryeclubny1.com

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Carl-Wilhelm chosen President of Rotary International in 2005-06

Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar, of the Rotary Club of Göteborg, Sweden, is the choice of the RI Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International in 2005-06, which met on 8 September. He will become the official nominee on 1 December if there are no challenging candidates. Stenhammar, a marketing manager for international food products, is the former owner of Gust. F. Bratt AB. In addition, he has been a member of the boards of several companies and served as chairman of the board of a local private school.

A Rotarian since 1974, Stenhammar served on the RI Board of Directors in 1996-98. He has also served RI as district governor, committee member and chairman, and task force general coordinator. Currently, Stenhammar chairs the Permanent Fund Committee for Europe and RIBI and is general coordinator of the Literacy and Education Task Force. He is a member of the Polio Eradication Advocacy Task Force, a PolioPlus National Advocacy Advisor, and was chairman of the Presidential Celebration Committee-Peace and Tolerance, which was held in Sweden in August 2003.

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Frank Collins Chosen R. I. Vice President for 2003-04

President-Elect Jonathan Majiyagbe has appointed Frank C. Collins, Jr. as Vice-President of Rotary International for 2003-2004. Frank is a member of the Rotary Club of East Hartford, Connecticut USA in Dist 7890, a faculty member and Chair of the Faculty Training Committee of the RLI, and a Promise Keeper committee member. The Rotarians of Zones 31-32 are justly proud to have our Director as Vice-President for the next Rotary year. We are confident he will serve all of Rotary with his skill and dedication.

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Rotary world mourns death of Ade Majiyagbe

Ade Majiyagbe, wife of RI President-elect Jonathan Majiyagbe, died on 6 June 2003 in England, having suffered a stroke a few weeks earlier. Known and loved throughout the Rotary world for her warmth, good humor, and dedication to Rotary, Ade was very active in Inner Wheel in her homeland of Nigeria and served on the organization’s international board of directors. An insurance claims adjuster by profession, she also sang in her church choir and enjoyed sewing and fashion design. She is also survived by her son, John.

Ade Majiyagbe was a familiar presence with her husband at RI conventions, the International Assembly, and other meetings. Leading the spouses’ session at the 2003 International Assembly, she reinforced her husband’s message of addressing the world’s most pressing problems, saying: “As privileged people and spouses of Rotarians who are known for humanitarian services, we must team up to give back to society what society gave us. We must Lend a Hand in helping to clothe the naked; Lend a Hand in feeding the poor; Lend a Hand in healing the sick; Lend a Hand in caring for the aged and comforting the bereaved.” “Together with her husband, Ade Majiyagbe served and represented Rotary with devotion and faith,” said Gay Maloney, who served as her aide during the 2002-03 Rotary year. “Most of all, I witnessed her commitment to serve those less fortunate throughout the world. Because of her beautiful spirit and selfless nature, she inspired me and all others who had the privilege of knowing her.”

The funeral will be held Friday, 13 June at 11:30 am at St. Andrew’s Church, Bethune Rd., Stoke Newington, London N16 England. Rotarians may send condolences to President-elect Majiyagbe in care of the President’s Office at RI World Headquarters. Memorial contributions in honor of Ade Majiyagbe can be made to "Ade's Hope Fund for the Education of Women and Children" c/o The Rotary Foundation, P.O. Box 75133, Chicago, IL 60675-5133 USA.

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It's Official - District 7150's 47th Club!

The Skaneateles Sunrise Rotary club's official birthday is June 18th, 2003. The members of both the Skaneateles Rotary Club and the Skaneateles Sunrise Club can be very proud of their accomplishment in providing their community with an additional 22 Rotarians, and an alternate venue of participating in “Service Above Self”. It’s been 18 months of preparation, planning, work and fun by both clubs to make it-happen. Past Skan. Pres. John O’Sullivan and Current Skan. Pres. Joe Rodgers, along with their support teams supplied guidance and support to Skaneateles Sunrise Club president Doug Hill and his organizational team to accomplish the “magic of it all”. Congratulations!

DG Don Reese will be in attendance for the June 26th club meeting to deliver his last official visit message to the world’s newest Rotary club, and to help “pin” our district’s newest Rotarians. The meeting will be held at 7:00 AM, at the Skaneateles Community Center. The Skaneateles Sunrise Club Rotarians are: Rich Berman, Ron Bond, Rev. Robert deWetter, Ralph Edmonds, Toni Feldmann, Dan Hennigan, Doug Hill, Dave Labourdette, Tim Lynn, Bill Lynn, John McCarthy, Jim McQuiggan, Mike Navoroli, Joachim Ohlin, John Paddock, Sharon Potucek, Andy Ramsgard, John Rooney, Paul Sheedy, Doug Smith, Elaine Taggart and Rhett Weiss. The tentative date for Charter Celebration is October 3rd. Mark your calendars. More on this as plans are solidified. Yours in Rotary Service and Friendship, PDG Ward Vuiellmot

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May 2003 New York Times Rotary Article

Death Throes of a Crippler
On Oct. 26, 1977, in Somalia, a young man came down with a rash. It was smallpox. But the fellow, who survived, was remarkable, for he had the planet's last case of naturally occurring smallpox. Eleven years after smallpox became the first disease to be wiped off the face of the earth, health ministers from around the world voted to make polio the second. That goal is very close. But the campaign is short of money. Another $275 million is needed to finish the job by 2005 - a sum that would be repaid manyfold if polio vanished. On May 13, a coalition of groups that fight polio - Unicef, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and Rotary International - announced a smart change in strategy, focusing money and expertise more tightly on the few areas where polio is still endemic.

But there is not enough money even for this leaner fight.In the late 1980's, most countries had polio cases, and 350,000 people contracted the disease each year. By last year there were fewer than 2,000 cases, all in seven countries. A vast majority occur in two Indian states and in Nigeria and Pakistan. But recent financial constraints caused cutbacks in special vaccination days in those areas. The 1,919 cases reported last year were up from 329 in 2001. Hence the change in strategy.

Countries will continue to give children polio vaccines as part of their routine immunization package, but 80 nations where polio is not found will no longer have supplementary vaccination days. The resources this saves will be concentrated on the seven polio-endemic nations and six others considered still at risk.In an age when viruses circle the globe, no unvaccinated person is safe until polio is eradicated everywhere. Of the $275 million required by 2005, $33 million is needed urgently. Wealthy nations meeting in France in June should make this a priority. The world has been spared 40 million smallpox deaths since 1977. Polio's demise will bring huge benefits as well. It makes sense to spend the money to end the disease as fast as possible. Download article.

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April 2003 Fortune Magazine Article

Rotary vs. Polio - The gang that comics joke about is kayoing a killer disease. FORTUNE Wednesday, April 30, 2003 By Carol J. Loomis

In the past year members of the Rotary Club in Sedalia, Mo. (pop: 20,339), honored a student of the month at Smith-Cotton High School, read to first-graders, delivered valentines to patients at Bothwell Regional Hospital, and helped the city's Hispanics celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Also, they kept working to eradicate polio worldwide. Well, the Sedalia club isn't eradicating polio all by itself--30,000 Rotary Clubs all over the world are helping--and the job's not quite done. Polio still exists in seven countries: Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Somalia. But the incredible fact is that Rotary International, the butt of stand-up comedians forever, has since the mid-1980s all but wiped out the disease. When Bill Gates, whose Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has given billions to advance world health, is asked what medical projects he respects, he often starts with Rotary and "the remarkable job it has done with polio."

Years ago every Rotary Club was an island that carried out service projects on its own. It would have been "close to heresy," says Bill Sergeant of Knoxville, Tenn., now Rotary's poliomeister, for anyone to suggest any other form of operating. But in the late 1970s a visionary Rotary president, Australian Clem Renouf, persuaded the organization's hierarchy that the clubs were wasting their talents by not uniting to attack a major problem. Polio was chosen, and ultimately, in 1986, Rotary announced a drive to raise the unimaginable amount of $120 million to eradicate the disease. With that start--and with the $247 million that was actually raised--PolioPlus was off the ground. Rotary has now put more than $500 million into PolioPlus and has gathered billions more from such partners as the World Health Organization, Unicef, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Gates Foundation itself.

Vaccines are the first cost, of course. Every child under the age of 5--there are 607 million in the world--needs to receive at least six doses, at a per-dose cost of around 10 cents. Beyond that expense is the logistical challenge of delivering the vaccines. The difficulty of getting desperately poor mothers and children to an immunization center six or more times can't be underestimated. Rotary takes on much of that work: In war-ravaged Sudan, for example, it has chartered planes to airlift vaccines and staff to the inaccessible southern part of the country. The seven countries where polio still exists each must pass several tests before they can be declared free of the disease, including having no cases for three years. (In case you're wondering, the U.S. has been polio-free since 1993.) Rotarians would love to see some of the seven graduate by 2005, the organization's 100th birthday. Meanwhile, Renouf is now Sir Clem, knighted for his humanitarian work in connection with Rotary. Download article.

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Rotary International Convention 2003 Statistics

More than 15,000 Rotarians and their family members representing 113 countries and 3,908 Rotary clubs gathered in Brisbane, Australia, for the 94th RI Convention from 1-4 June. The event opened with a dynamic indigenous dance performance and the low, stirring sound of a didgeridoo welcoming the crowd to the first plenary session at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

RI President Bhichai Rattakul set the tone for the four-day convention in his opening address, reflecting on the steadfast dedication of Rotarians in a year marked by global conflict and instability. “Rather than be overwhelmed by the problems in our world, Rotarians are rising to the challenge, with a renewed sense of our mission,” said Rattakul. “We have realized that there is a new urgency to our calling as Rotarians. As the voices of the intolerant grow louder, we will answer them — but not by shouting back in anger. Our answer will be in our actions.” Overtures to peace, tolerance, and community building continued throughout the convention.

In a keynote address on 2 June, Anand Panyarachun, former prime minister of Thailand, discussed the growing complexity of conflict resolution in an increasingly global society. “There may be a role for non-political national or international bodies to create better understanding of the various paths to peaceful conflict resolution,” said Panyarachun. “Already, think tanks and NGOs [nongovernmental organizations] have become powerful policy advocates, often proposing creative solutions to trenchant problems. The establishment of the Rotary Centers for International Studies in Peace and Conflict Resolution is an important development along this line.”

Other speakers included Matthew Bright, a Rotary World Peace Scholar from the United States currently studying at Brisbane’s Queensland University; Alan Gale, M.D., renowned Australian heart surgeon; Susie O’Neill, an Olympic champion swimmer from Australia; and Gemma Sisia, founder of the East Africa Fund, a grass-roots organization that finances education in Tanzania.

On 3 June, Rattakul presented RI’s highest honor, the Rotary Award for World Understanding and Peace, to Federico Mayor, former director general of UNESCO. “Today, more than ever in the past, international understanding and multi-culturality appear as a cornerstone of peace, stability, and justice at the global level,” said Mayor, a leading advocate of conflict prevention, human rights, and intercultural dialogue. Mayor’s acceptance of the award brought the audience to their feet, as did an announcement later in the day that Rotarians have raised US$88,557,000 to date for the polio eradication fundraising campaign, surpassing a fundraising goal of $80 million set in 2002.

In a 4 June address, RI President-elect Jonathan Majiyagbe encouraged Rotarians to connect with others and share the Rotary ideals of peace and tolerance in the year ahead. “Whether we are reaching out to those in our own clubs or reaching halfway across the world, when we Lend a Hand, we work together and celebrate our shared humanity,” he said. Other convention highlights included the election of President-nominee Glenn E. Estess Sr., a member of the Rotary Club of Shades Valley, Ala., USA; the presentation of club charters to representatives from Rotary’s newest countries, Afghanistan and Timor-Leste; and entertainment features ranging from the powerful vocals of award-winning Broadway performer Caroline O’Connor to the furious wood chopping of world champion axeman David Foster.

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The Sky's the Limit is Theme of Rose Parade 2003 Rotary Float

The Sky's the Limit - the theme and design of the Rose Parade 2003 Rotary Float - were selected to honor the 100th anniversary of the First Flight of Orville and Wilbur Wright. On December 17, 1903, the Wright brothers, two brilliant self-trained aeronautical engineers built and flew the first power driven, heavier than air machine in which humans made free, controlled an sustained flight.
Although this first flight covered just 120 feet and lasted only 12 seconds the Wright brothers established the fundamental principles of aircraft design and engineering that we use today. Their achievements changed our world and continue to inspire new generations of inventors and dreamers.
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