July 2, 2012

The Importance of IYE Expo

How can Indiana youth have any hope of success in a 21s-Century global marketplace if they have no experience of other cultures? That was among the central questions underlying a presentation on the IYE Expo by Dick Conklin, Deb Conklin, Kathy Kolb and Valerie Magana.

The Expo helps students and families understand that the value of cultural exchange extends well beyond the teen-age years, and can produce long-lasting career and personal benefits. In addition, the Expo provides a clearinghouse for information that helps answer many questions facing families considering a student exchange—chief among these, the cost. The panel reported that in 2012, the Expo brought in 127 students, 150 parents, and involved 14 different schools—numbers dramatically up from the previous year.

THE DOWNTOWN ROTARY CLUB Next Meeting: July 9, 2012

“OPENING DOORS THROUGH SERVICE”

Greeters Nick Shah & Frank Weaver

Cashier Roger Sipe

Invocation Amy Kelly

House Fred Eckart

Song Leader John Alexander

Sergeant Nate Fink

Spin Editor Mike Kelly

Program President David Borgen, Club Assembly—Plans for 2012-2013

Next Week’s Lunch

Salad Bar, Pizza, Apple Crisp

Upcoming Programs

July 16 Mick McCollum, Interim President, FW-AC Development Alliance, “Status Report of Regional Business Development”

July 23 Col. Craig Ash, Indiana Air National Guard, “The 122nd Fighter Wing’s Mission”

July 30 Craig Klugman, Editor, The Journal Gazette, “ The American Political Scene—An Election Year”

Proposed New Member Please call President Dave with any comments

Steven Piekarski VP/Manager Commercial Lending & Transaction Services, ProFed Credit Union

Sponsors John Peirce, Mike Kelly, Dave Borgen

July 11 Farewell Party for RYE Student Ana Cris

6:00 PM Home of Denny Williamson

10904 Eagle River Run

Proud Rotary Recipient

Tim Gibson announced that this year’s scholarship recipient is Sahand Emamian. Sahand, pictured here with his parents, plans to attend IU and major in biology and linguistics. He tutors other students at Homestead High School, and is a teacher at Vacation Bible School

Sahand said he had read that Rotary was involved in the eradication of polio in India, and that made him even more proud to receive the scholarship.

New Avenues of Service

Lisa Waterman announced that Dee Hoffman will be taking over duties as Assistant Governor, serving as the Fort Wayne and Churubusco liaison with the district. Lisa will be joining the administrative council. Thanks to them both for service to the club and the community!

He Hasn’t Even Started!

Outgoing President Mike Kelly awarded the Gold Standard to his successor, Dave Borgen.

\ A Shared Family Interest

Rotarian Jim Kratzat shared this photo taken by his son in Sintra, Portugal—reportedly the westernmost Rotary point in continental Europe.

Birthdays and Anniversaries Eckart, Fred Jul 02 Katter, Margaret Jul 04 Shepard, Charles Jul 05 Witmer, James Jul 05 Moss, Paul Jul 07 Ganaway, M. Frances Jul 11 Dillon, Jeanette Jul 12 Hermann, Phyllis Jul 13 Gripp, Richard Jul 14 Kunze, Kenneth Jul 16 Shumaker, Sandra Jul 18 Priddy, Marvin Jul 20 Moss, Lindy Jul 21 Abels, Glenn Jul 28 Join Date Nordan, Brian 8 years Jul 02 Robinson, Wendy 8 years Jul 02 Alexander, John 20 years Jul 10 Corn, Ruth 5 years Jul 13 Kunze, Kenneth 4 years Jul 14 Tucker, William 60 years Jul 14 Lizer, Kenneth 10 years Jul 15 Moses, Win 22 years Jul 23 Hermann, Phyllis 2 years Jul 26

The Year in Review

Have you ever finished a day’s work, and then compiled a list of things you did, and check them off? It’s a satisfying feeling!

In the next two pages you will see it has been an incredible and productive 12 months for the Downtown Fort Wayne Rotary Club. Outgoing President Mike has compiled a listing of the various projects and goals. It’s a report card to be proud of!!

ROTARY CLUB of DOWNTOWN FORT

WAYNE 2011 – 12 Club Report Card

Opening Doors Through Service Last updated 6/28/12

Reach Within to Embrace Humanity

# GOAL METRIC PROGRESS

1. Implement strategic plan (Executive, Board, all Committees, all Members)

# of tactics achieved

Ongoing/30+ tactics completed and implemented this year.

2. Develop a financial strategy for our savings (Audit and Finance)

Plan submitted to board

Audit and Finance Report submitted to Executive Committee (June 2012)

3. Participate in Indiana Rotarians at Work (Executive, Environment, Local Service, Membership, Washington Elementary, EarlyAct, Rotaract)

# of projects completed

2 projects

River Clean Up (October 2011)

The Great American Cleanup (April 2012)

4. Raise $15,000 in operations funding (Fundraising)

$15,000 $8000+ (Fundraising Committee) $3000+ (Golf Committee) $7000+ (Sergeants Committee) $2500 (International Committee)

5. Implement club branding (History and PR)

# of brand experiences

Ongoing/Opening Doors High Fives, Opening Doors Through Education, podium messages

6. Promote club activities in the local community and the district (History and PR, Club Secretary)

# of PR events and listings on district website

Ongoing/3 Press Releases (board announcement, Opening Doors Through Education, Community Excellence Award)

7. Increase # of local service projects (Local Service, Membership, all Members)

# of projects completed

4 projects completed (Free Libraries, Bikes for Boy Scouts, Associated Churches Rising Stars, Hope House)

8. Develop a plan to implement an international project to commemorate our centennial year in 2015. (Executive, Board, International, Washington Elementary, EarlyAct)

Plan submitted to board

Ongoing/2 projects

Togo Book Project ($6500 to West Africa for school books).

EarlyACT School Supplies to West Africa (6 boxes)

9. Enhance club member engagement (Executive, Board, all Committees, all Members)

Attendance events and meetings.

2010 – 11 = 63% (average club attendance) 2011 – 12 = 68% (average club attendance)

10. Increase # of (net) club members (Membership, all Members)

150 members 7/1/11: 139 Active Members + 11 Honorary 6/30/12: 132 active + 10 honorary members

11. Create a Rotary Club of Fort Wayne Youth Programs brochure (Youth Programs)

Brochure distributed

Completed and distributed to all members, 9 high schools, and potential members

12. Establish an Interact Club (Interact, Youth Programs)

Club charter Plan researched to partner with Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and YMCA

13. Establish a “SpecialAct” project (Executive, Board)

Project completed

No action taken.

14. Increase club giving to the RI Foundation (Rotary Foundation)

$ contributed $157.15/member average giving to the Rotary International Foundation.

15. Obtain new PHF benefactors and bequest society members (Rotary Foundation)

# of participating members

None.

ROTARY CLUB of DOWNTOWN FORT

WAYNE 2011 – 12 Club Accomplishments

Opening Doors Through Service

How did we “Reach Within to Embrace Humanity”?

LOCALLY – funded through dues and contributions to our club and local foundation We now have updated bylaws and a constitution to allow for corporate membership.

We developed new recruiting strategies (the Special Membership Event at Parkview Regional Medical Center)

We spent hours at Washington Elementary School (through Lunch Buddies, Study Connection, and EarlyACT – a service club for students, Principle for A Day, Weekly Artwork to Presenters, books donated weekly to the school library, Fall Picnic, Rotary Students of the Year, etc.).

We cleaned up along the downtown rivers (twice during the year) and at the American Red Cross, and our newest members worked at Hope House on several projects.

We supported our RotaryACT club (a version of Rotary for younger folks), helping them to become stable and sustainable.

We donated $3000 to other various community projects (Free Libraries, Bikes for Boy Scouts, and the Rising Stars Program of Associated Churches).

We modified our Excellence in Education initiative, now called Opening Doors through Education to recognize valuable resources in our community, starting with the Fort Wayne Museum of Art’s education programs.

We further implemented our brand, Opening Doors Through Service, and owe thanks to Past President Dee Hoffman for her leadership in setting the plan.

INTERNATIONALLY – funded by contributions to Rotary International where our club averaged $157.15/member in giving (Wow!)

We continued our initiative in Togo, West Africa (to support a school by providing textbooks)

We hosted Ana Cris for the year (a high school exchange student from Mexico) and a team of young professionals from Bulgaria. We touched their hearts and souls and they touched ours.

We recognized four exemplary community members through our annual Community Excellence Award.

We provided 7 Cleo Fox Scholarships to high school students for music education, 2 Student Rotarian Scholarships to high school students for college education, and supported 9 high school students to participate in RYLA – Rotary Youth Leadership Academy.

CENTENNIAL PROJECT – Stay involved with the club to learn more in the coming weeks. We began to develop a plan to celebrate our 100 year anniversary in 2015. This effort will commemorate our century of service to Fort Wayne and leave a legacy for the community. It will include a bricks-and-mortar gift to Fort Wayne, as well as service projects with an international and a local focus.

The Rotary Club of Downtown Fort Wayne “Opening Doors Through Service”

And the Winner is… Lona Antil! Our

2011-2012 “Opening Doors Through

Service Award” Winner!

Please give a huge Fort Wayne Rotary round of applause

and congratulations to Lona Antil! Lona is the recipient of

this year’s “Opening

Doors Through

Service Award”! This

award was established

during the 2010-2011

Rotary year “to honor

individuals who have

made exceptional

contributions within the

current Rotary year supporting Opening Doors Through

Service for others”. The key criteria in this award are club

involvement, promoting our Fort Wayne Club through

community activities and the 4 WAY TEST. Jason

Daenens, the winner of the first “Opening Doors Through

Service” award made the presentation to Lona as part of

last week’s Annual Dinner celebration! Jason was honored

with this award last year for his efforts to “Open Doors” to

Africa and establish our international project with Togo,

Africa. This year, the award recognizes Lona’s

“exemplary leadership at Washington Elementary School”.

At Washington Elementary School, Lona has been the

unchallenged

incumbent Chair of

our Washington

School Signature

Project for many

terms. She organizes

and oversees the

“Back to School

Picnic” (a favorite for

the students, parents and faculty alike), organizes the

annual “Rotary Reads” event, is the Study Connection

Chair and a Study Connection tutor and is also a Lunch

Buddy! In addition, she coordinated all of the artwork for

our guest speakers (who can forget those American Gothic

renditions) and supported the Rotary EarlyAct Club at

Washington School! Congratulations to Lona Antil our

2011-2012 “Opening Doors Through Service Award”

winner! Many thanks also to Jason Daenens for an

outstanding presentation speech! (Much of it used to

prepare this article!) Who will follow Jason and Lona as our

2012-2013 award winner? Only time and the efforts of our

membership to “Open Doors Through Service” will tell!

Speaking of Washington School! A

Special “Thank You” From The

Students!

Lona Antil is not the only Fort Wayne Rotarian being

recognized for their efforts on behalf of the students,

parents and teachers at Washington Elementary School!

While attending

the yearend

school awards

celebration,

President Mike

was presented

with a “Thank

You” card from

each of the

Washington

Elementary

School children

to our club! “PP” Mike has placed all the cards in a binder

for you to flip through! It is well worth the time and

guaranteed to put a big smile on your face! So nice to

know that – at least at Washington Elementary School –

“No good deed goes unrewarded”! (A couple additional

cards are added at the end of this “SPIN”)

Say “Hello” to Past-President Mike

Kelly! Fort Wayne Rotary Annual

Dinner 2012!

This year’s Annual Dinner was very definitely something to

cheer about!

Now most of the

said cheering

was directed

towards our

outgoing

President Mike

Kelly, but there

was more than

just President Mike’s outstanding club leadership and

guidance to celebrate! There were awards and honors

aplenty! This night’s theme was a tailgate party and this

was tailgating at its best! Well, as good as tailgating goes

indoors! With the temps hitting record highs that day, all

the fun was done in the coolness of air-conditioned

comfort! The IPFW Alumni Center was a wonderful venue

for our event, a very comfortable setting that encouraged

mingling, casual conversations and a whole bunch of

laughter! Attendees dined on a buffet of traditional pre-

game fare! President Mike rang the bell to call his last

meeting of Fort

Wayne Rotary to

order! Jeff Krull

presented Paul

Harris Awards to

a very surprised

Bobbie

Shambaugh, and

a not so surprised

Tim Shambaugh! Jason Daenens presented the “Opening

Doors Through Service” Award to an equally surprised

Lona Antil! (see accompanying story) Our very own

homegrown Rotary Singers were on hand to deliver a

rousing cheer for President Mike! The song was a lively

little ditty and an interesting interpretation of the University

of Michigan (Mike’s alma mater) fight song - penned by

Dee Hoffman, I believe! Leading the cheer was a

remarkably spry and limber Barb Wachtman! (You Go

Girl!!). President Mike delivered his parting comments and

then held the formal installation of the 2012-2013 Club

Officers and Board of Directors. It must be noted that

although the

program

stated that

the “football

was passed

to Dave”,

due to

insurance

and liability

restrictions,

there was no

passing

allowed! Mike gently handed the gavel to incoming

President Dave! The transition of club leadership was

made smoothly with no penalties or injuries!

It would appear that the only grousing during the entire

evening was from our own Reverend Ron Verlee! Ron was

heard to lament, “I’ve just finished enduring a year with a U

of M fan as President! Now I have to sit through one with a

Packer fan as President!” Oh boo hoo!!!

Special thanks to the members of the Annual Dinner

Committee: Linda Skaggs (Chair), Carole Fuller, Kay

Ostrum, Bill Harris, Margaret Katter, Janet Herman and

Mike Carpenter. Also, we can’t forget to thank DJ PHAT for

the outstanding tunes (which he donated gratis)!

In celebration of a truly outstanding and

most successful year! Congratulations on a

job so very well done!

Michael Kelly

President

Fort Wayne Rotary Club

2011-2012

Are you missing Mike already?