Rotary International - District 6930 - 011 Quest Magazine - June 2016

June 2016 ï‚&#x; Edition 11

Quest Rotary District 6930

Quest Rotary District 6930

The Official District Magazine

Editor Dini Heizer Graphic Designer Chris Collura

Promote Rotary!

Distribute this magazine to your place of business, family and friends.

Spread the word!

Be a gift to the world

Sales Andre Heizer Contributors

Content 16 Ideas for Breathing Life Page 10

A Bridge Over Peaceful Waters Page 11

Angelica Blakely

Building a Better Tomorrow for Youth of Kenya

C. Ron Douglas Heizer Flรกvia Proenรงa

Page 13

Tell your Story

Published by:

Rotary (561) 807-6300 (561) 208-6008

Page 28 & 29

Editorial My Fellow Rotarians, As we conclude this Rotary year you have much to be proud of. Our membership increased from 1,529 members to 1,614, or 85 members—a 5.6% increase. Of our 45 clubs, 30 saw an increase in membership. But beyond the increase in memberGovernor, Eugene Burkett ship we have seen amazing things accomplished by our clubs with their many fundraising activities to support local projects in our communities and internationally. Each of you should be very proud to of your club and the accomplishments you have achieved.

One of the significant challenges we faced this year was a revision in the way the Presidential Citation was awarded. This year was especially challenging as it required extensive use of the online tool to measure the success of the clubs goals. I am pleased to report that the Presidential Citation will awarded at three levels—gold, silver and bronze. Gold is for clubs that achieved all of the criteria, silver for clubs that only missed one criteria and bronze for clubs that only missed two criteria. 22 of our clubs achieved the Presidential Citation at one of the 3 levels, with 15 achieving the gold level.

These awards will be presented to the club presidents at the District Conference on Saturday June 25 at the evening banquet.

My last request of you as your Governor is to attend the District Conference on June 24 -26. If you are unable to attend all 3 days, at least attend one of the 3 days to share your experiences with your fellow Rotarians. I am asking that all of you join us on Saturday morning June 24 to walk the Rotary Flame across the causeway in a show of our commitment to ending Polio from this planet. And after join us for our Saturday model luncheon, which will be a “World’s Greatest Meal to end Polio” with its founder Susanne Rea as our keynote speaker.

Thank you so much for the hospitality you have shown me and my wife as we visited your clubs and events during this Rotary year. Let’s us all remember that we as Rotarians have an obligation to Be a Gift to the World!

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Cuizine Restaurant & Lounge - 1790 Highway A1A - Satellite Beach, FL 32937

PGA Golf Club - 1916 Perfect Drive - Port St Lucie - FL - 34986

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June 2016  Quest

June - Rotary Fellowships Month June - Rotary Fellowships Month Thu Jun 09, 16

11:00A

Rotary District 888 - Marketing

Fri Jun 10, 16

05:30P

Vero Beach Sunrise

DACdb University: It’s a new year!

Recognizing Your New Officers (click to view a list of registrants)

Annual Installation Banquet

DACdb users and team members are welcome to join in the training to learn more about updating your member positions in your club. Lvl-4 allows you to update member positions in your club.

Please join our GotoMeeting at: https://www.gotomeeting.com/ join/789034917

{Grand Harbor Beach Club}

To BOOK YOUR ROOM, CLICK HERE! $10 Discount if you register before May 25th!

SEATING IS LIMITED TO 185 registrants, so register early!

12:00P

RI Zone 34

Zone 34 Leadership Training Seminar, Jacksonville, Florida (click to view a list of registrants)

Thu Jun 16, 16

11:00A

Rotary District 888 - Marketing

DACdb University: Reporting For DutyFavorite Reports (click to view a list of registrants)

Sat Jun 18, 16

06:00P

Royal Palm Beach

Club Installation

Madison Green Country Club Address: 2001 Crestwood Blvd N, West Palm Beach, FL 33411 Phone:(561) 784-5225

Sun Jun 19, 16

12:00A

Royal Palm Beach

Holiday ~ Father’s Day

Thu Jun 23, 16

05:30P

Thu Jun 23, 16

07:00P

Sat Jun 11, 16 thru Sun Jun 12, 16

Fri Jun 24, 16 thru Sun Jun 26, 16

Sat Jun 25, 16

Rotary District 6930 Major Donor Reception-By Invitation Only

Boca Raton West

Rotary Club of Boca Raton West Annual Installation

09:30A

2016 District Conference (click to view a list of registrants)

04:00P

College of Governors Meeting

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Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, Jacksonville, Florida Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront 225 East Coastline Drive Jacksonville, FL 32202, US - See more at: https://aws.passkey.com/g/52667708#sthash.dI8CLXMX. dpuf

Learn more about utilizing the various reports available in DACdb! Lvl-3 allows you to view, print, or export these reports.

Please join our GotoMeeting at: https://www.gotomeeting.com/ join/248678501? https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GYRR59J

Address: 825 NE Ocean Blvd, Stuart, FL 34996 Phone:(772) 225-1961 Invitations wil be mailed in April Pavillion Grille Nations Bank Plaza 301 Yamato Rd #1201 Boca Raton, FL 33431

Hutchinson Island Marriott Address: 555 NE Ocean Blvd, Stuart, FL 34996 Phone:(772) 225-3700 You must book your hotel room directly with the Hutchinson Island Marriott. Let them know you are with Rotary to receive our special rate of $135 per night. If you book online use the group code: ROTROTA. There is also a resort fee of $15 per night (which will be discounted to $10 upon checkout) and tax of 11%. This special rate is only good until May 27, 2016. Click on this link to book your hotel: Book your group rate for Rotary District 6930 Hutchinson Island Marriott Address: 555 NE Ocean Blvd, Stuart, FL 34996 Phone:(772) 225-3700 Room: Elliott Amphitheatre

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2016 District Conference Friday June 24 to Sunday June 26

Hutchinson Island Marriott Address: 555 NE Ocean Blvd, Stuart, FL 34996 Phone: (772) 225-3700 You must book your hotel room directly with the Hutchinson Island Marriott. Let them know you are with Rotary to receive our special rate of $135 per night. If you book online use the group code: ROTROTA. There is also a resort fee of $15 per night (which will be discounted to $10 upon checkout) and tax of 11%.

This special rate is only good until June 6, 2016.

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DISTRICT 6930 CLUBS WHICH EARNED A DISTRICT LITERACY AWARD 2015-2016 1. RC of Boca Raton – Exemplary 2. RC of Boca Raton Sunrise – Exemplary 3. RC of Boca Raton Sunset – Exemplary 4. RC of Boca Raton West – Exemplary 5. RC of Downtown Boca Raton –Exemplary 6. RC of Boynton Beach – Lantana – Exemplary 7. RC of Cocoa - Exemplary 8. RC of Cocoa Beach Daybreak – Exemplary 9. RC of Delray Beach –Exemplary 10. RC of Eau Gallie - District 11. RC of Fort Pierce – Exemplary 12. RC of Hobe Sound/Port Salerno – Exemplary 13. RC of Indialantic --- Exemplary 14. RC of Jupiter –Tequesta --- Exemplary 15. RC of Lake Worth --- Exemplary 16. RC of Melbourne – District 17. RC of Melbourne Beach – Exemplary 18. RC of Merritt Island – Exemplary 19. RC of Merritt Island Breakfast - Exemplary 20. RC of Northern Palm Beaches - Exemplary 21. RC of Okeechobee – Exemplary 22. RC of Pahokee – District 23. RC of Palm Bay – Exemplary 24. RC of Palm Beach –District 25. RC of Palm Beach/Flagler –Exemplary 26. RC of Port St. Lucie – Exemplary 27. RC of Port St. Lucie Sunset – Exemplary 28. RC of Rockledge – Exemplary 29. RC of Royal Palm Beach – Exemplary 30. RC of Sebastian – Exemplary 31. RC of Stuart – Exemplary 32. RC of Stuart Sunrise – Exemplary 33. RC of Titusville – Exemplary 34. RC of Titusville Sunrise – Exemplary 35. RC of Vero Beach – District 36. RC of Vero Beach Sunrise – Exemplary 37. RC of Wellington – Exemplary 38. RC of West Palm Beach – Exemplary Quest  Edition 11

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District 6930 CLUBS WHICH EARNED THE VOCATIONAL SERVICE LITERACY AWARD: 2015-2016 1. RC of Boca Raton 2. RC of Boca Raton Sunrise 3. RC of Boca Raton Sunset 4. RC of Boca Raton West 5. RC of Downtown Boca Raton 6. RC of Boynton Beach – Lantana 7. RC of Cocoa 8. RC of Cocoa Beach Daybreak 9. RC of Delray Beach 10. RC of Fort Pierce 11. RC of Hobe Sound/Port Salerno 12. RC of Indialantic 13. RC of Jupiter –Tequesta 14. RC of Lake Worth 15. RC of Melbourne Beach 16. RC of Merritt Island 17. RC of Northern Palm Beaches 18. RC of Okeechobee 19. RC of Palm Bay 20. RC of Palm Beach/Flagler 21. RC of Port St. Lucie 22. RC of Port St. Lucie Sunset 23. RC of Rockledge 24. RC of Royal Palm Beach 25. RC of Sebastian 26. RC of Stuart 27. RC of Stuart Sunrise 28. RC of Titusville 29. RC of Titusville Sunrise 30. RC of Vero Beach Sunrise 31. RC of Wellington 32. RC of West Palm Beach – Exemplary

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Come up with ways to decrease the cost for emerging young leaders

16 ideas for breathing life into your club How do you breathe new life into your Rotary club? We held a young professional summit recently in southern California, USA, attended by 52 members of Rotary and Rotaract — some new and some with many years of experience — who came together for half a day to share their thoughts. Everyone had fun, and many creative ideas surfaced. Here are just a few: Plan events that are family-friendly to engage members with young children.

• Plan your events in locations where kids are welcome. A few examples would be a cleanup day at the beach or park. Or hold a picnic followed by dessert at a nearby restaurant • Give children of members duties to do at club events like collecting money or arranging cans at a food drive • Reward children for taking part in your community service work. A little recognition now may plant the seed for a life-long love of service

• Offer sliding scale meals.

• Consider options of meetings without food, coffee, or dessert • Offer corporate memberships • Subsidize young leaders by pairing them with more established members who can pay part of their costs for a period of time Allow, don’t discourage, members to promote their professional life • Schedule minute-long vocational talks for members to share about their business during a meeting • Invite speakers to talk about innovations in business and technology • Hold club networking events • Encourage newer members to share trends in their line of work All these came out of one half-day seminar. Hold your own young professionals workshop, and see what great ideas you come up with!

Share the value of Rotary. “What’s in it for me?”

• Explain how Rotary offers a chance to make new friends • Prompt club meetings as an opportunity to spend time with nice people who share a similar mindset and a desire to serve • Show how your members can make a difference and have a direct impact on your community • Explain how members build business connections that grow their careers.

• Advertise the opportunities to develop leadership skills

Participants in the summit draw their ideas on paper.

By Anabella Q. Bonfa, District 5320 membership chair

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A bridge over peaceful waters

As I pedaled my newly acquired bicycle through the streets of Delft, in the Netherlands, I realized I was smiling to myself. Navigating through the cobblestone streets and over the canals felt nothing like home, yet I was so grateful to be here.

This bicycle is on loan from Paul Gompen, a fellow Rotary member. I didn’t realize being a beneficiary of the global grant meant so much more than simply a scholarship. It became immediately clear upon my arrival that I amnow a part of an international network of wonderful people that are willing to help in whatever way they can, at the drop of a hat. For example, when I arrived in the Netherlands after a long international flight, it was such a relief to find Henk Jaap Kloosterman, my host counselor, waiting in the airport to ease the transition into Dutch culture.

I am among the first class of graduate students in the newly created Water Cooperation and Peace master’s program. This joint program takes place in three leading international institutions: University for Peace in Costa Rica, UNESCO-IHE in the Netherlands, and Oregon State University in Oregon, USA. The program is designed to create a new interdisciplinary field by merging hard water science with social science. The main goal is to create a broader perspective of topics related to water diplomacy, water security, and dispute mitigation.

I didn’t realize being a beneficiary of the global grant meant so much more than simply a scholarship.

Coming from an environmental science background, I am highly motivated to apply my scientific knowledge of ecosystems and climate change to tackle these issues on an international scale. Specifically, transboundary water mediation is arguably one of the most critical issues today in managing our water resource.

In the past six months, between the University for Peace and UNESCO-IHE, I have met students from over 60 different countries. Discussing water accessibility, political issues, and primary water security concerns with such an international group of working professionals has been one of the most enlightening experiences, and has really put into perspective how fortunate I am to be coming from a country with access to relatively safe drinking water right from the tap.

This global grant has quite literally been the opportunity of a lifetime at a pivotal time in my career. At UNESCO-IHE, I am being trained by leading professionals in the fields of water: economics, law, governance, management, and conflict mediation. The concepts and lessons I am learning here are providing building blocks for my future career. I feel so fortunate to be receiving such a high-quality education. Yet none of this would be feasible without the help of Rotary as a whole. Additionally, I would like to individually thank Rotarians Stephen Brown and Pam Russell for their tireless work on my behalf to help make my dream a reality.

I have a feeling I am going to continue to smile every day as I pedal through the streets of Delft.

By Christina Welch, Rotary Scholar to UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education Rotary Voices Quest  Edition 11

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Building a better tomorrow for youth of Kenya

parities in wealth.

Since 2013, the Rotary Club of Sumner, Washington, USA, has partnered with low-income schools in Southern Kenya to provide bathroom facilities for students with special needs.

Lack of basic sanitation at schools across the region is common, negatively impacting health, hygiene, and attendance. Poor health makes education an afThe author with Kenyan students and their teacher in front of the new terthought, and bathrooms provided by Rotary.

Rotary’s investment in creating No matter how many healthy environtimes I visit the slum in ments for students in Nairobi or the poverty- Kenya is impacting thoustricken schools in the sands on a daily basis. outskirts of the city, I’m not prepared for the feel- In April, my husband ing of despair that fol- and I visited two primary lows. Basic human rights, schools that received such as educational op- Rotary funding for new portunity and access to latrines. In one school, healthcare, are constant- 1,800 children shared 32 ly upended by poverty in dilapidated pit latrines. many regions of Kenya. The other school is home Children are often the to 1,251 children who most vulnerable, and the shared eight pit latrines. impact on education and The smell of the facilithe advancement of soci- ties is overpowering and ety is significant. doors hang off hinges Lack of resources should not compromise the right to education, particularly in a society that has considerable disQuest  Edition 11

with sewage overflowing.

Outhouses at a campground are luxurious by comparison, and the poor sanitation exposes the children to an array of

ailments. Two bathroom breaks per day makes the rush to use the facilities a competition.

Seemingly simple ideas like providing clean water, sanitation, and education can transform While we observed the community health in destudents waiting for la- veloping nations. trines, we noticed 56 children at the end of the On the day of the openline. These are students ing ceremony of the new with special needs, who bathrooms, we could feel struggle to physically ap- the excitement, as stuproach the latrine or do dents chattered with annot have the ability to ticipation. Twelve brightbathrooms use it without adult as- ly-painted sistance. Their disabili- dedicated to the special ties range from physical needs class served as a handicaps to dyslexia to testimony to their ability downs-syndrome. Such to overcome obstacles children are considered and pursue education. the margin of the mar- As I spoke on behalf of ginalized in Kenya, as Rotary at the ceremophysical handicaps and nial ribbon cutting, I was developmental learning overwhelmed by the apissues are difficult to ac- preciation I could see on commodate in poverty- the faces of the students and their parents. stricken schools.

After finally making it to the latrines, Maria, who suffers from an illness that has left her without the use of her legs, crawls into the stall through the feces covering the floor.

There are no teachers to help her with her ordeal.

Thanks to Rotary’s support, simple to build bathroom facilities have given special needs students like Maria, and hundreds more to follow, a healthier learning environment and an opportunity to succeed.

The impact that Rotary has around the world is widespread, and these projects are just a few examples of the lives being changed daily. Seemingly simple ideas like providing clean water, sanitation, and education can transform community health in developing nations.

Contributions from Rotary are crucial to solving the problems that undermine basic human rights internationally and in our own neighborhoods.

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ROTARY CLUB OF BOCA RATON WEST

This Mother’s Day, The Rotary Club of Boca Raton West decided to serve the mothers who needed extra love during the holiday. Over 60 volunteers showed up to deliver flowers to the women at Abbey Delray South. The roses were a contribution from Benchmark Flowers.

The donations of 200 roses made all the difference to the women at Abbey Delray South. The morning was filled with emotions as the women were brought to tears because of the love that they were presented with.

Some of these ladies had not seen a family member in years; others did not even have any family member.

Regardless they story, the reactions were still the same: gratitude. These women were extremely happy to know that someone cared for them, that someone would take time out of their day to show them love.

The presence of over 60 people willing to serve shows the amount of compassion that is within the local community. It demonstrates that despite everything that happens, the good and the bad, that despite personal issues or victories, that at the core people does care and love one another.

The event was so successful that The Rotary Club of Boca Raton West plans to continue this every year. The Club also has plans of doing a similar project for Father’s Day. Quest  Edition 11

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41 Exceptional Students Receive Bikes from the West Palm Beach Rotary Club [WEST PALM BEACH, FL. MAY 15, 2016] – On April 26, 2016, the West Palm Beach Rotary Club honored 41 students representing 20 elementary schools in West Palm Beach. The principals, students, and their parents were honored by the WPB Rotary Club during a luncheon at the Kravis. Also, they were given bikes and helmets for their exceptional conduct at school.

Principals of the 20 elementary schools selected the students to receive the bikes based on how the students demonstrate the philosophy of Service Above Self at school. Club members agree that they are an incredible group of motivated, model students.

The majority of the students who received the bikes and helmets were described as “being respectful, hard worker, positive attitude, helpful, honest and fair.” They are leaders and role models in the classroom and activities outside of school. Also, some of the honored students experienced experiencing tragedy in their families and still made it to school every day with a smile on their face ready to learn.

A big thank you to Greg Kissel and Jack Hairston for coordinating this service project. The smiles on the faces of the students say it all!

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Rotary Club of Boca Raton Sunrise

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Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club Presents Crystal Apple Award to Outstanding School Teacher Damarise Reyes (center), Crestwood Middle School principal Stephanie Nance (left), and Tony Endler from The Royal Palm Beach (RPB) Rotary Club preRPB Rotary (right) at the award ceremony sented the Crystal Apple Award to Damarise

Reyes on May 4, 2016, at Crestwood Middle School. Damarise teaches English as a Second Language at the school. The award, presented by the club since the 1993/94 school year, is given to an outstanding teacher in Royal Palm Beach, and has become known as the “Teacher of the Year” award.

Damarise Reyes, being recognized at the club meeting on May 5, 2016, with Tony Endler

Presentation of the Crystal Apple and Plaque at the Award Ceremony The purpose is to bring awareness to the great teaching skills of the fine teachers in our school system, the wonderful things that they accomplish, and the influence they have on students in their classrooms.

Some of the Rotarians that attended the award ceremony at Crestwood Middle School Damarise started her teaching career in 1985, and has been with the Palm Beach School system for over 20 years. She has two kids, both of whom have left home and living in California.

She loves to teach, loves the students in her class, and feels that they have replaced her kids who have moved out.

Presentation of the Crystal Apple and Plaque at the Award Ceremony

Some of the Rotarians that attended the award ceremony at Crestwood Middle School

She was also recognized at the RPB Rotary Club weekly meeting on Thursday May 5, 2016

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You are cordially invited to our RMB meeting!

Tuesday, June 28, 2016 at Bogart’s Bar & Grill 3200 Airport Road, Boca Raton 5:30 – 6:00 Drinks and Networking 6:00 – 7:00 RMB Meeting [Rotarians only please.]

Panel discussion: There will be three persons presenting. http://all-free-download.com/free-vector/download business_background_with_people_and_grow_up_arrow_6815904.html

Please share this invitation with your Club.

We hope you will join us!

Don’t forget your business cards.

Flyer design and update: N’Quavah Velazquez, Ed.D, RMB Advisory Committee

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For information email: dreckelson@yahoo.com

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Bayside Interact Club Bayside Interact volunteers with the city of Palm Bay and Wickham park frequently and other organizations in the palm bay area. Our club has 12 members as of now since some of them have graduated.

Our club meets at Bayside High School every Wednesday at 12:00PM Left to right: Taylor E., Rudolph T., Kira B., Kylie E., Rolando M., Essence during our B., Cheyanne M., Mrs.Tuten. power hour. Not in Picture: Cody C., Joseph J., Carolyn M., Emily P., and Miranda G. This year our group has around a total of 900 hours between all our members put together. Our club started up 4 years ago our sponsor Nicole Tuten took it over last year. Cody C is our Historian, Cheyanne M is our treasurer, Rudolph Tuten is our Vice President, and i’m our president (Kylie E.). we are re-electing our officers next year as we had a lot of our officers bail on us.

By Kylie Eagan

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The Interact Club of Forest Hill Community High School is a Successful Service Club On May 4, 2016, the Interact Club of Forest Hill Community High School held a great Inauguration Ceremony! The West Palm Beach Rotary Club is their Sponsoring Rotary Club. Interactors include the following exceptional students: Julio Gomez - President 2015-16, Lyne Michele Gourgues - President 2016-2017, Nick Breus, Bryan Velasquez Joselyn Lemus, Lisette Alarcon, Jessica Escalante, Jephthe Pyronneau, Brian Velasquez, and Chris Velasquez. In addition, Maria Letizia, Reading Teacher is their Faculty Advisor.

During the ceremony, Eric Gordon, Rotary International, District 6930 District Governor 2016-2017 gave an inspiring speech, installed the Club’s officers, and presented the Club with a District 6930 flag. Also, Eric and Michele Jones presented Interactors with their Interact Club pins and membership cards.

The following West Palm Beach Rotary Club Members attended the event: Michele Jones, President-Elect 2016, Kenyetta V. Haywood, Claudia Kirk Barto, Jack “The Bike Man” Hairston, and Erin Richardson.

During School Year 15-16, Interactors showed their commitment to community service in 3 projects: • Volunteered at Arti Gras - Interactors volunteered for CCH (Clinics Can Help) a non-profit organization that provides medical equipment and supplies to children and adults in Palm Beach County. The students had a great time interacting with other volunteers and the public.

• Christ Fellowship Church food preparations for Thanksgiving meal distribution - Interactors helped pack food for families for Thanksgiving at the Palm Beach Garden Fire Station. They had fun packing food and talking turkey with other volunteers who were all working for a great cause.

• Volunteered at Feed Palm Beach County Day - Interactors helped 75+ volunteers pack 100,000+ meals for families in Palm Beach County.

New! In November 2016 during World Interact Week they will have a project with an international Interact Club.

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Highlight Rotary Boca raton sunrise Teacher of the Year

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Highlight Rotary Club Boca Raton west

Mother’s Day

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Highlight Rotary Club of boca raton sunrise

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Highlight

Rotary Club of boca raton sunrise

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Tell Your Story

My name is Angelica Blakely and I will be at service as Public Image team in our District.

As part of Rotary’s new strategy we are trying to strengthen our image so that everyone will understand what Rotary stands for, how we’re different, and why it matters.

I encourage all Public Image Chairs for each club to download from Rotary Brand Center the Messaging Guidelines Brochure, subtitled The Voice, and Visual Rotary Guidelines, to share with club members. In this brochure you will find powerful tools to do “What we need to do”, which is to tell our great story in a way that ensures our actions and supports our words. And if your club doesn’t have Public Image Chairs please ask your president to appoint someone.

One of the best ways to bring our story to life is to simply tell about it. With this in mind we will have a thisspace brochure you will find powerfulcalled “Telling You Story”. It will be a forum for individuals to tell about the day they became a in the District newsletter great in a way that ensureswill ourneed to be no more than 400 words and, if possible, should include the author’s picture. Stories truestory Rotarian.

Submissions esn’t have Public Image Chairs please like these can inspire others and help to connect people to one another.

Please, send to me at: anbblakely@hotmail.com

ply -tell about it. With this in mind we Angelica Blakely ing Rotary You Story”.

It will a forum Club of Boca be Raton West for DistrictSubmissions Public Imagewill Team Rotarian. need to be ude the author’s picture. Stories like Quest  Edition 11 one another.

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TellYourStory I joined the Rotary Club of Macomb, Illinois in 1979. My classification was Education, University Professor and was based on my job as the director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at Western Illinois University. In becoming a Rotarian I was following a family tradition. My wife’s father, Menenio Lobato had been a Rotary district governor in Brazil in 1936-37.

Macomb was a small community with a population of 20,000, half of which represented university students. But our Rotary club was large. Its membership when I joined was about 100 and rose to 140 just before I retired to Florida.

Established in 1925, the club rigorously followed the classification system and its membership represented the full range of community leaders from the owners of local businesses and factory managers, to school principals, to medical professionals, to notfor-profit presidents to, city and university officials. The presidents of the four locally owned banks, the university president, the local newspaper publisher, the managing partner of the town’s leading law firm, a district judge and a couple of local farmers were also members. The club’s success in working the classification system could be attributed to the dedication of several long-time members who made it their mission to persistently identify and fill gaps in the club’s list of classifications. They were club service role models for me.

The club’s weekly meeting gave me the opportunity to get to know each and every one of the members well. Club policies helped make that happen. The club encouraged the each member to sit with different members every week. And the club designed fund-raising and service projects as small group affairs where members interacted as a team.

Becoming friends with so many diverse members of the town did provide some networking benefits. But of far greater importance was the feeling of comradery and pride of community which the weekly meeting produced. The club’s weekly meetings were “feel good” experiences for me …. And they still are.

As was true of all clubs in those days, the Macomb club encouraged make-ups at other clubs. As a result I ended up meeting and becoming friends with Rotarians in other towns in our district. And on a number of occasions I had the thrill of making up at Rotary club meetings in foreign countries.

The Macomb club was also active in district activities, having provided 5 district governors at the time I joined and three more since then (of which I was one). Of particular value to me were the varieties of international exchanges which our district sponsored. We had robust district committees promoting international youth exchanges, group study exchanges, a vocational service exchange project with Russia, and a Rotary Friendship exchange with Brazil. There is nothing more inspiring and satisfying than the one-on-one feeling of “family” which those exchanges produce …. Unless, perhaps, it is the awesome experience of a Rotary International Conference (of which I have attended 6).

Another very meaningful aspect of Rotary’s international dimension was the opportunity to participate in the work of The Rotary Foundation. Every year the Macomb club promoted a small number of TRF international projects. Most meaningful of those was the Polio eradication campaign which began shortly after I became a Rotarian. Here,

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again, the club had a couple of role model Rotarians who made sure our club was a district leader in Rotary Foundation giving.

The acquaintances made at district conferences often produced new ideas for service projects which I could take back to the club. (Note how the Object of Rotary makes this point). Among the ideas which I brought back to the Macomb club were several ways of making the Four-Way Test a more prominent part of the club’s weekly meeting and its work with the local schools.

Attending district conferences led me to volunteer for various district jobs, each of which led to new friendships with Rotarians from throughout the district. That district work eventually led me to volunteer for work at the zone level. And the zone work ended up providing me with the opportunity to serve as a member of the Rotary International Literacy Resource Group for 5 years. That job involved interacting with 60 other Rotarians representing all of the nations where Rotary was present. We had the thrill of successfully encouraging clubs and districts to adopt successful project ideas from other areas. Dictionary projects were one of the big success stories in that regard. But as always, the bigger thrill of working on the literacy resource group team was the team spirit and the personal friendships which resulted.

After retiring to Florida I kept my official membership with the Macomb club, but became a weekly attendee at first the Boynton Beach-Lantana club (a long drive from home) and later the Lake Worth club (a short drive from home). At both clubs I experienced the feelings of comradery and community which I had known in Illinois. As was also the case in Illinois, the weekly programs of both clubs have been a great source of learning about community affairs and the work lives of many fascinating persons ( through classification talks and their equivalents).

Through involvement with the Boynton Beach club I ended up serving on the District Literacy Committee. As a result I made the acquaintance of a number of district leaders and club presidents. And, as was the case in Illinois, the resulting friendships and/or brief acquaintanceships regularly left me with the feeling that this area is full of good people doing good work for a good cause.

Rotary has offered me numerous opportunities to become involved in meaningful local and international service projects. It has provided me with numerous local, regional and international contacts and friendships. But the most important part of my Rotary experience continues to be the weekly club meeting where I learn, experience great fellowship and have a chance to reaffirm the philosophy summarized by the Object of Rotary, the Four-Way Test and our two mottos.

Richard Hattwick Rotary Club of Lake Worth

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June 2016  Quest

DISTRICT QUEST MAGAZINE

Dear Rotarians,

month, you get an e-mail of the District Quest newsletter transformed into a magazine to get all n a more modern, efficient, and exciting way!

The Rotary Year 2015-2016 comes to an end with this last

you to send me information, flyers, and photos of we can promote it throughout the whole district. know what yours is up to and encourage them to

edition!

e district, so we created a print version of the for us! It was an absolute success, and it was 6930 Conference!

ay for all members in our district to be up to date also a great way to recruit future Rotarians. We hat being a Rotarian is all about. They will see the munities, along with the fun time we have while o use this magazine as a recruitment tool for your

I want to say THANK YOU to our Governor Gene Burkett for this wonderful opportunity he has given me by allowing me to do the Quest Magazine again!

I want to say THANK YOU to all Rotarians and clubs that sent me articles, flyers, pictures, events, information, and etc for the Quest making it a more informative and enjoyable instrument!

Thank you to all!

Dini Heizer District 6930 Newsletter Editor 2014-2016 District 6930 Public Image Chair 2015-2016 President Rotary Club of Boca Raton West – 2015-2016 Quest  Edition 11

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June 2016  Quest