DG Henry Dotson and Linda Eastman (Rochester Rotary Club) are eager to implement a very exciting, dynamic, and worthwhile project called Pre-school U. Pre-School U is a community-outreach project designed to give parents and caregivers information, strategies and skills to support the development of children before they enter kindergarten. Through the use of video-based vignettes, Pre-School U offers parents and caregivers simple ways to promote early learning and literacy in children under the age of five.

 

This dynamic program, created and supported by Detroit Public Television (DPTV), focuses on the five Domains of School Readiness:

 

•Cognition and General Knowledge

•Language and Literacy Development

•Approaches to Learning

•Social and Emotional Development

•Physical Well-Being and Motor Development

 

The program would feature three 1½-2 hour meetings, including a light meal and childcare, for 12-15 parents of preschoolers. At each of the meetings, one or two of the Domains would be presented via brief videos, and then the group facilitator would initiate a discussion, sharing ideas and tips on how a parent (the child’s first teacher) can help his/her child become ready to start school. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION! Children who are not exposed to these early experiences start school behind their peers, and in many cases they never catch up.

 

The target population for Pre-School U would be parents with socio-economic challenges and/or limited resources. The steps are easy to follow: First, your club needs to form a literacy team to help make this a successful project. Participants do not have to make a huge, long-term commitment. You will need a Literacy Champion from your club to attend the training for facilitators on Saturday, October 31, 9-11 a.m. You will also need a committee to help with securing food for the three sessions, organizing child care for the children while the parents participate in the workshop, and getting the word out in the community, among other tasks.

 

If you care about the children in your community and share a vision for helping its littlest citizens get the help they need to succeed in school and in life, please consider the Pre-School U project for your club. This is a way you can make a difference! Thank you for all you do for Rotary. Please contact Linda Eastman by email: McGindy@aol.com if you have any questions or want to be a part of this literacy endeavor.

 

~ Submitted by Linda Eastman and reprinted from the D6380 October Newsletter

An AG is the liaison between the clubs and the district leadership, a resource to help clubs achieve their goals and have a year they are proud of. Of all the district leaders, the AG has the most frequent contact with the clubs. They are on the front line keeping the district governor informed on club strengths and progress toward their goals. Assistant governors are looking to identify and develop future leaders. The term is for one year and is renewable three times.

 

To me, it is the best job in Rotary and here are the reasons why: Being an assistant governor has given me a chance to become a part of clubs with Rotarians of different cultures. I have met many interesting and fantastic people whose path I would probably have never crossed, except for Rotary. I expanded my

Rotary family and have built some lifelong bonds. It’s about the fun, fellowship and the opportunity to become a bigger gift to my community and the world.

 

The clubs in my Sector (11) are: Ann Arbor West, Ann Arbor North, Milan and Saline. They always make me feel welcome and a member of their leadership team. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you! Paul Schissler, my counterpart in Sector 12, and I plan joint social gatherings every other month with the Ann Arbor Downtown, Chelsea, Dexter and Ypsilanti clubs. As we get to know each other better, only GOOD things can happen! As Paul says “we make new friends, we get to be better friends, we have fun hanging out with positive upbeat people, we collaborate on projects, making BIG ideas available to even the SMALLEST of clubs and we make ourselves that much more of a “Gift to the World.” It is all about the fellowship, collaboration, fun and not about being the Rotary police. This will be my third year serving as AG for District 6380 and I treasurer every minute for the opportunity to serve. I thank PDG Jim Gilmore for the assistant governor opportunity. If you have been a club president, like to meet more service-minded people and become part of the bigger picture of Rotary, consider becoming an Assistant Governor.

 

~ Submitted by Jane McManus, Assistant Governor District 6380 (2013-2016) and reprinted from the D6380 October Newsletter

The past 18 months have been extremely welcoming with the good news in Rotary International’s PolioPlus initiative. Last year, World Health Organization (WHO) a partner in the PolioPlus initiative, announced that Southeast Asia, including India, was polio-free. Then, in August, we received the good news that Nigeria, the largest country in Africa had no new cases of polio in last 12 months and was declared polio-free. Shortly after that, WHO announced that the entire continent of Africa was polio-free. That leaves the world with only two polio endemic countries – Afghanistan and Pakistan. Even in these countries, the rates of new cases of polio are significantly less than in the past years. This means over 97% of the world population is now polio-free. We are making true progress toward making the world polio-free. That is a remarkable achievement, especially for 1.2 million Rotarians around the world.

 

To celebrate these very successful events, a group of Rotarians have created a Polio Flame (torch) for RI. It is similar to the Olympic Flame that we witness every four years. This Polio Flame is making the rounds around the world. My wife Norma, who is a Rotarian, and I saw the mesmerizing effect this Polio Flame has on Rotarians, when we attended the RI Annual Convention in Sao Paulo last June. When the Torch with its flame on, was being brought to the podium and handed over to RI President Huang, there was pin drop silence from the 14,000 attendees. And then the crowd erupted with thunderous applause that could have been heard around the world. It was one of the most moving ceremonies I have ever witnessed.

 

After the plenary session, I immediately requested to bring the flame to our District 6380. The torch will be here around World Polio Day, which falls on October 24. It will be in our possession from October 1 through November 9. I personally believe it could be an opportunity for every Rotary club in our district and surrounding areas to display this Polio Flame at an event in their communities. The clubs can use this as a fundraising resource or make it part of their existing event to make people aware of what we have achieved as Rotarians and how far we still need to go to eradicate this dreadful disease. It will also be a tremendous opportunity to showcase Rotary. 

 

So far, I have had only four requests: Rotary Club of Ann Arbor has an event scheduled for Friday, October 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the steps of University of Michigan's Rackham Building where the effectiveness of Salk vaccine was announced in 1955. They will start the event there and then have a commemorative march through the streets of Ann Arbor for the awareness. They will have several dignitaries on hand at Rackham.

 

On Sunday morning/early afternoon, October 25, the Rotary Club of Rochester will display the flame at a community event in Rochester. Then they plan to march with the flame to the factory where the vaccine was manufactured in Rochester. Several dignitaries are expected to attend this event. Rotary Clubs of Clarkston and Birmingham have also requested to display the torch. The Polio Torch is available to all the Rotary clubs in the district and surrounding areas. The Rotary Club of Ann Arbor will be the custodian of the torch until November 9 and will schedule the display in the communities (arranged by Rotary clubs) on a first come, first serve basis.

 

Each club requesting the torch will be responsible for picking up and dropping it off to the next venue. If you are interested, you can contact one of the following members of Rotary Club of Ann Arbor:

Rosemarie Rowney rrowney@comcast net  734-645-4879

Collyer Smith collyerasmith@yahoo.com 734-545-0644

Ashish Sarkar adsarkar@comcast.net 734-834-4746

RC of Ann Arbor at info@annarborrotary.org

 

~ Submitted by Ashish Sarkar, President 2015 - 2016, Rotary Club of Ann Arbor and reprinted from the D6380 October Newsletter

In this century of terrorist attacks, fleeing refugees, and aggressive international rivals, Michigan provides ten percent of the volunteers who serve in America’s armed forces. This Veteran’s Day, November 11, those who came home from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, will tell their stories on the stage of the University of Michigan’s Hill Auditorium. The Veterans Story-Hour will be punctuated by a spirited medley of patriotism and sacrifice performed by the University of Michigan Alumni Band and the Concordia University Choir. This is a free event, open to the public and stakeholders alike, to kick-off a year of fund-raising that will build a Fisher House in Michigan. This $8,000,000 gift, with donations solicited by the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor, will create a home-away-from-home for veterans undergoing medical treatment. We can all take pride in giving back to those who have given us so much and to prepare to support those who serve and protect our country now and in the future.

 

~ Submitted by Karen Kerry, Past President, Rotary Club of Ann Arbor and reprinted from the D6380 October Newsletter

“This innovative new program will allow Rotary members to connect with hundreds of businesses and service providers from around the world -- and that number is growing,” said Ravindran. “These establishments will offer Rotarians discounts and concessions on the everyday business that you do. And, in many cases, not only will you benefit, but our Foundation will as well, by receiving a contribution with each transaction.”

The program will include discounts on car rentals, hotels, dining, and entertainment. Discounts on more products and services from companies worldwide are expected to be added throughout the year.

“It will be another way to benefit from being a Rotarian and being part of the Rotary network,” said Ravindran, whose presidential theme for 2015-16 is Be a Gift to the World. “I urge all of you to become a part of that scheme.”

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