MIDLAND NOON ROTARY CLUB NEWSLETTER

PRESIDENT’S NOTES

Weekly Update, July 2, 2015

President’s Notes Pictures from Meeting

Upcoming Meetings/Farewell Parties/ RiverDays Fun-Raising

2015-2016 Midland Noon Rotary Goals and Objectives

Meet Rotary’s New President K.R. Ravindran Peace Symposium Speaker Former Costa Rican

President Oscar Arias

Farewell from District Governor Dee Brock

Say Hello to Newest Members Rotary in the News

In this issue…

Our Program Committee is a truly unique creation. Most of us don’t have the opportunity to see everything that goes on in the background of what is one of our largest committees but suffice it to say, they do an amazing job. When you combine the people responsible for tracking and reporting attendance, collecting your money and chits for lunch, providing our humor, presenting invocations, arranging for alternate locations when the venue changes, sharing their gifts of music and voice, ensuring that we can see and hear what’s being presented and of course, arranging for the incredible programs we have on a weekly basis, you begin to gain an appreciation for the scope and magnitude of this committee’s remit. Our last meeting was a perfect illustration of the planning that goes along with the Program Committee’s duties. Seeing an opportunity to combine a milestone moment in our country’s history with a milestone moment in the personal life of one our very own members, the Program Committee did a great job in scheduling last week’s meeting.

We had the distinct pleasure of having a uniquely American presentation at our meeting last week, in honor and recognition of Independence Day. Following a moving introduction from Program Committee Chair Angela Hine, Carlos Uribe provided us with a re-classification speech of sorts, relative to what brought him to the United States and stoked his interest in obtaining citizenship. Jenee Velasquez summed it up best when she posted on our Facebook page, “Inspiring talk from successful entrepreneur and Rotarian, Carols Uribe, about his journey to becoming a U.S. citizen. His heart beats for Colombia and he cherishes the opportunities America provides to him and his family.” His heartfelt remarks completely captured the attention of every person in that room and reminded us all of how very fortunate we are to call America home. Carlos, you have my personal thanks for the courage you displayed in discussing an intensely personal aspect of your life and my unyielding appreciation for being such an upstanding example of America.

It was wonderful too, to hear from our soon-to-be homebound Rotary Youth Exchange students. Tig shared with us the highlights and benefits of the RYLA training he received and both Caro and Ana shared videos with us about their time here. They all did an excellent job recalling their experiences and letting us know how important this exchange has been in their lives. I will share with you too, that my heart is warmed when I see how far these future young leaders have come in expressing themselves and exuding confidence!

Finally, I hope you all had an opportunity to not only spend time with your loved ones but to reflect on everything that is right with our country. It is amazingly simple to point out areas where we can and should improve and that’s a wonderful thing to do. It is just as important that we recall everything that got us to the point as a nation and to become that beacon of hope for so many others.

Harry’s Quote: “May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right.” – Peter Marshall

TAKE ACTION: www.midlandrotaryclub.org

We Meet Every Thursday at 12 pm at the Midland

Country Club

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Pictures from Meeting

UPCOMING MEETINGS

7/9 – Chuck Cusick, current District Chair for Polio Plus and member of the Bay City Morning Club 7/16 – Eileen Jennings, Rotary Foundation 8/6 – At Midland Community Center (lunch $13 – cash only)

Tig Soikam

Ana Zambonetti

Karl Kamena

Jim Stamas & Jenee Velasquez

FAREWELL PARTIES Tig Soikam Thursday, July 9th, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm 4803 Butterfield Drive, Midland, MI RSVP to Angela Hine 989-205-2817 Caro Chenivesse Wednesday, July 15th, 6:00 - 9:00 pm 1318 Woodview Court, Midland MI RSVP to 989-839-5976 or fayfutter@charter.net Ana Zambonetti Thursday, July 16th, 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm 3308 Greenway Drive, Midland, MI RSVP to Ana at 989-948-5081

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Goals and objectives are an essential aspect of any successful organization. Rotary clubs are no different. We recently uploaded our 2015-2016 goals and objectives in Rotary Central as we are required to do and I wanted to take an opportunity to share them with you now. We will be striving to meet all of these goals of course and other unstated ones but I feel it’s important that every member have a good understanding of what we hope to achieve as a club. Rotary has goals divided into three areas: Club, Service, and Foundation Giving.

Club Goals: METRIC GOAL Existing Members Retained 90% New Member Retained 90% Total Rotarian Member Engagement 86 total member

engaged Members in Club Role 69 Members in Club Service Activities 43 Members in Club Social Activities 52 Members sponsoring new Rotarians 17 Members in Leadership Dev Programs 3 Members in Rotarian Action Groups 3 Members attending District Conf. 4 Club Communications Club has a strategic plan Yes Club assemblies per year 1 Online presence has current activities Yes # of communications per month 3 # of social activities outside of meeting 3 Public Relations # of times website updated per month 2 # of external media stories per year 3 # of ads placed per year 3 Social media used to promote activities Yes Use RI-produced materials Yes

Service Goals

In addition to a number of Presidential Citation Goals, the Club has the following:

METRIC GOAL Service Projects and Activities 3 New Generations Clubs # of Rotaract Clubs 1 New Generations Participants Inbound Youth Exchange Students 2 Outbound Youth Exchange Students 2 # of RYLA Participants 3

Foundation Giving

METRIC GOAL Annual Fund $15,000 Total Paul Harris Society 5,000 Sustaining Members 9,000 Every Rotarian Every Year 1,000 Polio Plus Fund $1,500 Total

2015-2016 Midland Noon Rotary Goals and Objectives

Meet Rotary’s New President K.R. Ravindran

By Diana Schoberg, Rotary News, 1-Jul-2015

This excerpt from the July issue of The Rotarian magazine profiles the 2015-16 RI president.

Before he gives a speech, K.R. Ravindran doesn’t like flowery, adulatory introductions. They make him uncomfortable. The 2015-16 Rotary president would rather keep a low profile and share the credit. If it were up to him, you probably wouldn’t even be reading this article.

Negotiating Days of Tranquility during the Sri Lankan civil war so that health workers could administer drops of polio vaccine? Although it was on his desk that the agreement landed, he says, a lot of people worked to make that happen. Rebuilding 23 tsunami-damaged schools for 14,000 children? He merely led the committee. Taking a label-printing business from a small outfit operating in a space the size of a garage to a global powerhouse in the packaging business that has helped change the value-added tea industry in his country? Well, he simply happened to be in the right place at the right time.

“I’m sometimes introduced as a self-made man,” says Ravindran, a member of the Rotary Club of Colombo. “You’ve got to be utterly egocentric to believe you are self-made. Each one of us is made because so many people helped us become who we are.

One of the reasons I work so much for Rotary is that I have been helped by so many people, and often you never have a chance to reciprocate,” he explains. “The only way you can is by helping others. When the people I help ask me, ‘What can I do?’ I say, ‘Go and help someone else in return.’”

For Ravindran, paying it forward isn’t a fad, it’s a way of life. His theme for this Rotary year, Be a Gift to the World, also summarizes his personal philosophy.

Dee Brock I’ve had an awesome year serving as your District Governor. I did some serious bonding with my car as I traveled the District, found that wearing a jacket and a scarf is okay, and have decided that it’s not so bad having my picture taken. As I said in my closing song at the district conference, “I wouldn’t trade my year with you for anything!” Thank you for welcoming me to your clubs and for including me in your special club events. In all the training I had in preparation for this position, I don’t remember being told how much fun I would have. What a nice surprise that has been for me! I’ve made some wonderful friendships and had the opportunity to see all the great work that is going on in our district. And there is a LOT of great work going on in our district! On July 1st, I will begin a term as District 6310 Trainer, taking over for Mary Cunningham who has filled that position for many years. Past District Governors don’t fade away … they take on other roles in the District! Perhaps you remember me telling the story of something one of last year’s youth exchange students said to his fellow exchange students. Through his tears, he said, “You’ll all be in my heart forever.” I remember thinking at the time that is the highest compliment a person can give someone. And so, I say to all of you, District 6310 Rotarians, you’ll be in my heart forever. “I have seen a new energy in Rotary this year, and felt a new excitement. I hope that in the year to come, you will continue your wonderful work to Light Up Rotary – and to help it Be a Gift to the World.” Gary C.K. Huang, President, Rotary International

Farewell from District Governor Dee Brock

Peace Symposium Speaker Former Costa Rican President

Oscar Arias

By Ryan Hyland, Rotary News, 5-Jun-2015

When former Costa Rican president Oscar Arias was eight years old, his country abolished its military and turned its focus instead to human rights and peace. Now, the Nobel Peace laureate believes the world can gain just as much by following his country’s example.

Speaking at the Rotary Peace Symposium on 4 June in São Paulo, Brazil, Arias recounted how his country traded in its tanks and heavy artillery to invest instead in economic reform and social justice.

“My country promised me, and all its children, that it would invest not in the weapons of our past, but in the tools of our future; not in barracks, but in schools, hospitals, and national parks; not in soldiers, but in teachers, doctors, and park guards,” said Arias. “My country decided that it devoted its resources to war long enough and that it wanted to devote the genius of its people to the science of averting war.”

Arias, who served as president of Costa Rica from 1986 to 1990 and again from 2006 to 2010, addressed 250 Rotary Peace Fellows, alumni, Rotary members, and guests at the peace symposium. The two-day meeting celebrates Rotary’s work in peace and conflict prevention. Other speakers included Steve Killelea, founder and executive chair of the Institute for Economics and Peace, and Peter Kyle, a member of the Rotary Peace Centers Committee and Rotary’s representative to the World Bank.

Arias received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his work to bring the countries of Central America together to sign a peace accord that ended the military conflicts that then plagued the region. The conflicts were challenging Costa Rica’s culture of peace. As president, Arias was pressured by other governments to take up arms against the Sandinista government in Nicaragua and even threatened with sanctions. He stood firm in maintaining his country’s neutrality.

“This enabled my little country to become the platform for the peace accords that gradually ended the unrest in our part of the world,” he said.

Arias noted that the $1.77 trillion the world spends on the military could easily eliminate preventable diseases like malaria and provide basic education for children worldwide.

“I don’t have to tell a room full of peace fellows that violence feeds off of illiteracy and desperation. If we can change the numbers of our military spending, we will shift the balance towards peace.”

Arias explained to the crowd how he became a Rotary member three months ago.

“This organization, of which I am now so proud to be a part, is without a doubt a key player in strengthening and building peace,” he concluded. “The [peace fellows] before me today must lead the way. You have tremendous potential, each and every one of you, to recalculate the mathematics of war that has dominated humanity for so long.”

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Say Hello to Our

Newest Members

Rotary in the News

Dexter (Laura) Brigham Midland Center for the Arts

Sponsored by Kevin Kendrick (member since June 2015) Craig (Lori) Lang Garber Chevrolet

Sponsored by Paul White (member since May 2015) Jarrod (Emily) Lynch Deloitte Tax LLP

Sponsored by Jim Klaffer (member since May 2015)

Local Club News: As I announced at our meeting last week, I am happy to report that the grant request for our Vocational Training Team, was successfully submitted last week. We will be anxiously awaiting the District’s determination on the viability of our project involving ACT Uganda. I also want to point out that we received support from two other clubs in support of our project, those being the Midland Morning and Bay City Morning Clubs! Many thanks to both!

I also want to announce that the Midland Morning’s monthly event at Whine, normally held on the 2nd Wednesday of every month, has been cancelled for tomorrow.

Our River Days Funraiser is rapidly approaching and I can’t tell you how excited I am at the prospect! This planning committee, led by Jennifer Chappel of our Fundraising Committee and Patrick Schefsky of our Fellowship Committee, has done an incredible job coordinating all of the work that has to go into an event such as this. Everyone on the committee, from both the Morning and Noon Clubs has been highly energetic and effective in discharging their duties! And we have gotten some tremendous support from the sponsor-side as well, including Whine, LaLonde’s, and McKay Press! It has been nothing but a pleasure to sit in on these meetings and see the Spirit that is Rotary, at work!

District 6310 News: Our new District governor, Mike Kelly, will be visiting the club on August 20th! He will be joining our Board Meeting to share his vision on goals and objectives for the District during this year and how our Club can contribute to them. He will also make some remarks at our regular meeting and we will certainly look forward to his visit!

Don’t forget that the Caro Club is having their annual golf outing this Friday, July 10th at the Vassar Country Club!

Finally, our Youth Exchange Students will be spending the upcoming weekend at Calvin College. This will represent the last opportunity for many of them to see one another as exchange students but we view it as just the beginning in how these young people will shape the world!

Rotary International News: In this month’s edition of The Rotarian Magazine, there is an excellent article on our new RI President, K.R. “Ravi” Ravindran. I had an opportunity to meet Ravi during the PETS Conference earlier this year and he truly is an unassuming, down-to-earth individual. See page 3 for an exert of that article.

In recognition of this week’s speaker on PolioPlus, I thought this article highlighting polio efforts in India was most applicable:

Though India was declared polio-free in March 2014, Deepak Kapur isn’t one for taking a victory lap. The chair of Rotary’s India PolioPlus Committee remains vigilant, knowing that the scourge can return at any time. His modesty, however, doesn’t mean that he won’t revel in the occasional good news, such as being named a Leading Global Thinker of 2014 by Foreign Policy magazine, a glossy bimonthly for political wonks. The journal conferred the recognition on roughly 100 people who, in its words, “smashed the world as we know it – for better and for worse,” in an annual compendium of sinners and (mostly) saints. “I immediately realized that it wasn’t me they were honoring,” says Kapur, 59, a third-generation Rotarian and a member of the Rotary Club of Delhi South. “It was Rotary and its work in polio eradication.” In India, a confluence of factors made the virus hard to defeat: overcrowding, impure drinking water and poor sanitation, and malnutrition, Kapur says. The accolade from Foreign Policy was not the big news of the year, he says – it was the notification of a polio-free India months earlier, an achievement made possible by the work of about 130,000 Indian Rotary members, their family and friends – and a large cast of Rotarians from around the world.