President Paul Monaghan's Address

 
"If Rotary is to be relevant in the 21st century, it must tackle the real problems of water, health, and hunger, literacy, and economic and community development." - District Governor Pravin D. Suchak
 

by Paul Monaghan:

I must start with several thank you's.

Thank you to all the members of this fine club for placing your trust in me as President for the 2009-10 year.

Thank you to the 2009-10 board members for their commitment to our club, to Rotary and to myself as President.

Thank you to now Past President Greg McDonald and also to Past President June Manning for their leadership and commitment. They have both been of great assistance with me getting to know this club.

Thank you to YOU for being Rotarians, Or as I like to think, brothers and sisters all over the world! Please join me in giving all these Rotarians a warm round of applause.

Next, I would like to again thank all the club members for allowing Janet and myself the opportunity to attend the Rotary International Convention. This year the convention was in Birmingham, England and was Rotary's 100th convention.  (Not BirmingHAM but Birmingham) The experience was truly unforgettable and will be remembered by us both with gratitude. For the stake of complete disclosure the trip to England cost approx $ 4,000 of which the club contributes $ 3,500. Janet and I took the opportunity to lengthen our stay with a personal visit to Paris for a few days after the convention. Paris comes highly recommended by me.

I would like to take a minute and at least give you an overview of the convention. I will be presenting my full report to the Board later this month and of course will make it available to all club members.

Defining moments for me. Several actually that provide answers to the question "Why am I a Rotarian?"

  • Jane Goodall's address and then a by chance meeting with her in the House of Friendship. 
  • Mia Farrow, a polio survivor, speech about polio and children of Dafar, Africa
  • D. K. Lee experience in Africa that changes his life forever.  

Please check out the Rotary website for amazing excerpts from most of the speeches. Just type in Rotary International Convention on a search engine and follow the many links.

Highlights of the Rotary International Convention June 21-24, 2009 

2008-2009 RI President - D. K. Lee
Talked about Making Dreams Real over the last year.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Speaks at Rotary International Convention
On June 21st at the first plenary session of its 100th convention, a highlight of the event was the surprise appearance and speech by His Excellency, Ban Ki-moom, Secretary-General of the United Nations. Talked about the co-operation between the UN and Rotary.

Mia Farrow
Speech dealt with the need for polio eradication, "With Knowledge Comes Responsibility" and a plea for the people of Darfur.

Jane Goodall
Founder Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research, Education and Conservation, and United Nations Messenger of Peace talked about "Gombe and Beyond"

Desmond Tutu - prior to main convention start
Nobel Peace Prize winner, Archbishop Desmond Toto speaks to the Rotary World Peace Symposium

2009-10 RI President - John Kenny
2009-10 RI theme: "The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands." 
"Everything begins and ends with our clubs"

Plenary and Break-Out Sessions Summary

John Kenny, 2009-10 RI President - Main Rotary International issues:

  • POLIO 4 countries left to eradicate Polio: India, Pakistan, Afganistan, Nigeria
  • Service projects: focus on Water, Education, Health and Hunger
  • Vocational Standards - emphasis - important now as in 1905
  • Total for Polio eradication is now at $555 million including the Gates challenge funds
  • So far Rotary has raised $ 90,557,000 towards out challenge amount
  • Currently there are 33,631 clubs worldwide
  • There are 1.2 million Rotarians, however there was 1.2 million 15 years ago
  • Paul Harris was 37 when he started Rotary. How many Rotarians in that age group are in your club?
  • Retention: Not just numbers but true Rotary minded new members
  • Make this the best year for your Rotary Club
  • "If you want to leave your footprint in the sands of time, don't drag your feet."

John Denim - Water

  • 8,000 people are dying daily as a result of lack of safe drinking water
  • 250 children dying every hour
  • Check out website http://www.washrag.com/
  • Look for a club to partner with

David Fowler - Literacy

  • 800 million people can't read or write
  • 3/4 are in developing countries
  • 2/3 are women

David Fowler - Poverty

  • Get involved by teaching CLE - Concentrated Learning Encounters
     (Reading to children in schools) (Listening to children read)
     (Providing dictionaries to children)

Workshop for Incoming Club Presidents - David Fowler
Strategic Planning - Penny Offer, DGN Vancouver, Chinatown, Canada
Special Summit for Club Presidents and Club President-elect
Rotary's Public Image Campaign
President-elect Leadership Luncheon - John Kenny, RI President-elect

Address from D.K. Lee

Make a difference by reducing child mortality.

During a visit to a village in Africa
I looked into a hut, a hut with no windows or door
I saw a site that will never leave me
A women with her baby on laying on a mat
Both where clearing dying of starvation
She was trying to feed her baby but had no milk
The baby was crying from hunger but was too weak to cry much
At that moment in my shock and horror, I wanted to do anything, anything at all
To help that mother and her child,
I went to reach into my pocket to find them food, I wanted to drive them to a hospital,
To take care of them both.

But them I realized, I was only looking in one hut, in only one village, in only one country, of the many, many poor and developing countries in the world.

In that moment, I knew I could not walk away from that mother and child or from the
tens of thousand of others children that could die that day.

That is when I resolved to do everything I could do to reduce child mortality and to MAKE DREAMS REAL.

President's Goals for 2009-2010

Goals from 2009-10 RI President - John Kenny, and District 7090 District Governor - Pravin Suchak, are requested to be incorporated into our Club Goals for the coming year.

Quote from letter from District Governor - Pravin July 2nd letter to Club President's: "If Rotary is to be relevant in the 21st century, it must tackle the real problems of water, health and hunger, literacy and economic and community development. In this Rotary year, Rotary International President Elect John Kenny and I ask you to continue to learn from your experiences and to build upon your successes. We ask you to continue to work for the health and well-being of not only children but their families, and of all the people not only in your local communities but all over the world."

2009-2010 Presidential Citation
Complete the requirements for this by March 31, 2010.

Polio Plus
Complete the two activities in the Presidential Citation for the eradication of polio.

Membership
Complete three of the four activities listed in the Presidential Citation for Expanding membership globally. My District membership goal is a net increase of 200 members. I see this being achieved by "an average net increase of two members per club and chartering of two new clubs. As your club's President, set an example by bringing one member into your club this year.

Rotary Knowledge
Improve Rotary Knowledge among members. As a club, collectively select an area or two of Rotary and its programs about which your club has little or no knowledge. Make a plan to improve the club's knowledge of these by devoting at least four meetings to this activity.

Hands On Project
"Hands On" projects are a great way to get many of your members as well as members of your community involved in the activities that are recognized in your community as Rotary activities. Carry out at least one "Hands On" project this year.

Every Rotarian Every Year Club
Become an Every Rotarian Every Year club. This status has two requirements:
1. The club must contribute a minimum of $100 per member and
2. Every member must make some contribution to The Rotary Foundation's Annual  Programs Fund.

President - Paul Monaghan Personal Club Goals to add to the above:
1. Increase club fun and fellowship thereby encouraging member retention and satisfaction.
2. Learn more about each club members: Life, Family, Profession and Passion
3. Increase members by utilizing strategies to help all Rotarians attract new potential members.
4. Complete a Club Strategic or Visioning Plan along with actionable goals.

I ask for your help and support for myself and for our Board in this coming year. It is very important to me that this club continues to thrive.  That is why we are recruiting and wanting to grow, for no other reason.

Finally as we move through the 2009-10 Rotary year, remember RI President's - John Kenny theme for the year, "The Future of Rotary is in YOUR Hands."  - Thanks!