Today, May 21: Beth Drury will join us today to present her group - Michigan Military Moms, Livingston chapter.
Fundraising Committee meets today at 11.
Board of Directors meets today at 1.
Next week: Memorial Day - no meeting.
June 4: Tom Lawrence is Program Chair.
June 11: Jeff Blagg is Program Chair.
                Howell Opera House Grand Opening
     Congratulations to our own Brent Earl for his outstanding work getting the Opera House up and running. Congratulations also to all the volunteers on the Livingston Arts Council and the Opera House committee.
     Those who visited the Opera House this weekend were treated to freshly polished floors as well as fresh new lighting and countless other improvements.
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Photo by Alan Ward, Livingston Press & Argus
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Greetings Fellow Rotarians,
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A recent visitor to District 6380 was Brian Stoyel, Past President of Rotary International Britain and Ireland (RIBI). He was here to promote community based Rotaract clubs and you may have had him as a speaker at your club. He is also currently chairman of Rotarians Eliminating Malaria, and has started REMIT (Rotarians Eliminating Malaria in Tanzania).  In addition, he is a trustee and manager of The Rotary Jaipur Limb Project.
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  As I read his bio at our recent District Conference, it occurred to me that many Rotarians might not be aware of what RIBI is!! Another one of those acronyms so prevalent in our Rotary vocabulary!
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  RIBI forms an interesting chapter in our history. In 1914, after Rotary had expanded across the Atlantic to Great Britain and Ireland, a British Association of Rotary Clubs was established as part of the International Association of Rotary Clubs. During World War I, there was little contact between clubs,  and the British association held together the small number in Great Britain, Ireland and a few European communities.
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    Following the war, a new RI Constitution (1922) established that whenever a country had 25 Rotary Clubs it could become a 'territorial unit' and have a representative on the RI Board. Great Britain and Ireland received this status--no other countries ever applied.
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    In 1927, the 'territorial' concept was terminated. However, all of  'the rights, privileges, and powers of territorial units' were forever protected and perpetuated. Therefore, RIBI has continued to function as an independent unit of Rotary International, subject to certain approvals by the RI Constitution.
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  The RIBI form of administration is uniquely appropriate to Great Britain and Ireland because of geography, tradition, and custom. RIBI maintains a slightly different administrative structure from all other Rotary clubs and districts in the world---but it is a full member of Rotary International!
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  So now you know!
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Yours in Rotary Service,
RIO Merle
