January 28, 2008
Today, January 28, 2008: Catherine Rae Dunning will discuss plans for this year's Walk for Warmth. This annual event is a good chance to go for a walk indoors and raise funds for those who cannot afford to stay warm during this cold winter.
Upcoming Events:
Thursday: The Steering Committee meets at Cleary's to discuss 2008/2009 committees and executives.
Saturday, February 2:
Interact Day. This is a significant day for Rotary and all the Interact Clubs throughout the world.
Sunday, February 3: Super Bowl Sunday. At last!
Monday, February 4: Carol Griffith will forecast the real estate market. This program promises to be very interesting. Everyone is concerned about the mortgage crisis, the number of foreclosures, and the time when the real estate world is back to normal.
Monday, February 11: Kathleen Zaenger has invited Jay Eastman to speak about his project, called the Guatemala Village Textbook and Library Project.
Wednesday, February 14: Valentine's Day. While this day is widely promoted by candy makers, diamond brokers, and flower growers, it is still a great time to remember your sweetheart.
1. The DG January newsletter has been posted on the District website. You can view it by clicking here.
2. See the announcement about the new DG Nominee-Designate Janet McPeek for 2010-2011.
3. Please support the new Lyons Club with their inauguration.
4. Chatham Mardi Gras event will be taking place soon.
5. Do NOT delay. Those who are to attend PETS should make arrangements, if you have not already done so.
6. ALL clubs should read the new article regarding Member Tips on Membership & Attendance. Almost every club I talk to has difficulties recruiting and, more importantly, retaining members.
Emphases key to Lee's lofty challenge
The 2008-09 theme challenge to reduce the child mortality rate is a tall order, RI President Wilfrid J. Wilkinson told incoming district governors at the International Assembly yesterday, but by working within the framework of Rotary's emphases set by RI President-elect Dong Kurn Lee, it's a goal worth achieving.
Guided by Lee's emphases of water, health and hunger, and literacy, Rotarians can help prevent needless deaths of children, Wilkinson said. "There is no question that this is something that Rotary is very capable of doing."
Wilkinson told district governors-elect that the lack of safe water worldwide contributes to at least 6,000 preventable deaths of children under the age of five every day. It's why the first emphasis in 2008-09 will ask district leaders to encourage clubs to create water and sanitation projects.
"Every Rotary club should be proud of the work they do in this area, and every Rotary club should be involved in work in this area, directly or in partnership in other clubs," he said.
Health and hunger is the second emphasis of the upcoming Rotary year. Wilkinson cited bleak statistics of children dying from preventable diseases such as acute respiratory infection, diarrheal illnesses, and malaria. Prevention begins with knowledge, he said.
"All of us need to know what it is that kills children," said Wilkinson. "If we are to stop the deaths, we must understand the causes."
The third emphasis for 2008-09 is literacy "because many of the issues affecting children's health are issues of access, knowledge, and education," Wilkinson said. Rotarians can provide children education, a gift that only improves the future generations.
Reducing child mortality is a "monumental" task, Wilkinson told the audience, but one he believes the global network of Rotarians is uniquely capable of taking on. "We talk a lot in Rotary about the need to balance ambition and realism, our minds and our hearts, small projects with large ones. I can't think of any better example of how to do this well than President-elect Lee's theme and emphases for 2008-09."