March is Rotary Literacy Month
In 1985, Rotary declared basic literacy to be a pre-condition to the development of peace. Literacy continues to be one of the focus areas of Rotarians and our Rotary Foundation - and so March is named "Rotary Literacy Month". Literacy is the foundation for virtually all forms of education and a crucial component of effective social and economic participation, human development, and poverty reduction. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) nearly 800 million people over the age of 15 lack even basic reading and writing skills worldwide. In addition, there are roughly 137 million school age children who are illiterate around the world. Sadly, over 64% of all illiterate people in the world today are women.
As some of you have heard me comment, when visiting India I am struck by the thought, "But for where I was born . . ." Because over the 4 visits I have realized how few girl children are finishing school, and how the illiteracy rate among women in India is. My education and my love for reading and learning has framed my life - and when our 2010 Texas Team to India learned that one of the barriers to female education was the lack of private toilet facilities, proudly the Rotarians and Interactors of our district stepped forward in support of the "Pints for Polio . .and Potties Too!' event last October. And as a result one toilet block (for girls and boys!) was funded. The work of our district Rotarians resulted in the addition of funds and hands-on-work of the Rotarians in Agra India to provide a second school with new toilet facilities, and when the Rotaract members from Salt Lake City learned of the need, they stepped forward and raised the funds for yet a third school to have new toilets.
This project is not a literacy project - but it supports literacy in the most basic way - it addresses one of the root causes of illiteracy and removes the barrier ... and when I recently received a letter from one of the young girls at one of the schools where new toilets were built by Rotarian hands and funds, you can imagine how I felt when I read, "I hope you will be most happy to learn that a 25 total of new girls are attending our school because of the toilet block. Your girls will make you happiest."
The benefits of literacy to society are undisputed. Literate populations are less likely to experience civil strife and are more likely to develop economically. There is also a direct connection between literacy rates and community health. People who are literate are generally more aware of health concerns in their communities and are therefore better equipped to avoid illness. And when together we work to increase literacy in the female population, huge impacts are made on the future - because the educated mother encourages all of her children to be better educated and helps to improve the economy of her family, her community and our world.
Indeed, Rotarians around the world see the world through different eyes - and together we work hand-in-hand to remove barriers and make our world a better place. What service can you and your club participate in to improve literacy either here at home or abroad? Go after it! . . because in the words of Mike Ditka, ""I don't think anything is unrealistic if you believe you can do it."
Sherri Muniz
District Governor
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Districtfest
by Yvonne Soliz-Valdez
Registration for the DistrictFest is available online at http://www.rotary5840.org/ Please make plans to attend the celebration of all that is great in District 5840. The Embassy Suites in San Marcos will be hosting the DistrictFest from June 1st-June 3rd.
You can register by following the tab at the top for home page or go to the site pages on the left for a PDF file that you can download. You have two options to pay. You may pay by credit card on line or you can submit your check to the address listed on the offline registration form.
The DistrictFest was priced so that it can fit all budgets. The best price is the full weekend package. Register by March 10th to qualify for drawing entry.
In addition, the DistrictFest supports literacy. Bring a new or gently used children's book to support the Greater San Marcos Rotary Club Reach Out and Read literacy program.
For questions, contact DistrictFest Co Chairs:
Yvonne Soliz-Valdez Monica Gutierrez
yvonnesvaldez@satx.rr.com lovemydog@satx.rr.com
(210) 542-2277 (210) 288-6412
(210) 946-0992
2012 Districtfest Registration
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Book Drive for DistrictFest!!
Calling all Clubs!! Collect books for kids in Hays County to be given out when they visit doctor's offices. At each regular check up from 6 months to 5 years, a child is given a book by the pediatrician and the family is encouraged to read together. Each book given by Rotary will have a sticker inside the front cover telling who the donor is.
Books should be new for babies to 5 years old. Used books are given to siblings of children who come along for Doctor visits. Please bring your Club's donated books to DistrictFest in San Marcos on June 1, 2012 and receive a FREE raffle ticket for a prize. (to be announced)
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Rotary Membership
by Phil Frank, District Membership Chair
"Many Thanks for all RI referrals. In some cases a new member coming in out of the blue gives the clubs the incentive to go out and recruit with more enthusiasm." This is a quote from the membership team in another district but it applies to our district as well. RI receives requests for information on Rotary from persons that hear about Rotary, visit a website, knows someone in Rotary or in a couple of instances in 5840 seeing the Rotary PolioPlus billboards around the district. As these come into the district they are forwarded to clubs near the prospective member and hopefully one of our clubs gains a new Rotarian. Since September the district has received twenty referrals and I am aware of about five new members. RI is tracking this program to see the effectiveness and requires the district to report on the outcomes of these referrals. We cannot do that unless we hear back from the clubs that received these referrals. Many clubs have reported the outcomes but some have not so if your club received one of these referrals and have not reported back, please do so. Just reply to the email and the result can be tabulated. If your club is doing something that is bringing in new members or better yet keeping current members please let us know so we can pass onto to other clubs. Remember the 4-Way Test has an unofficial fifth element; Is It Fun and what can be more fun than having a social event with other Rotarians and future Rotarians. These future Rotarians can see Rotarians having fun and of course they will hear about the deeds of Rotary as any time two or more Rotarians get together, the conversation always leads to Rotary. If your club does not want to have an offsite social event then invite prospects to be involved in a service project. They will learn that Rotarians do not just sit around and eat and listen to someone speak. If anyone in your club desires information on Rotary or Rotary projects just have them log onto Rotary.org and prepared to spend much time absorbing the Rotary world. |
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Rotary Vocational News
by Gordon Dunkley, District Vocational Chair
Now that half the 2011-2012 Rotary year has been completed, it is a good time to look at the progress each Rotary Club in District 5840 has made in Vocational Service. This year, there is an excellent barometer to check this success; namely the 2011-2012 Changemaker Award.
The form for the Changemaker Award can be accessed through Rotary International Web Site. The completed form must be submitted to District Governor Sherry Muniz at scmuniz@msn.com or mailed to her at 5602 Rigsby Avenue, STE 2, San Antonio, Texas 78222 no later than March 15, 2012. Don't miss this opportunity to be a part of the Changemaker Award winners this year. |
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An Interview with Outbound Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar Caitlin Goodspeed
Q. Tell us about yourself (hometown, family, education, etc.)?
A. I was born and raised in Orlando, Fl (many people seem to confuse Orlando with Disney, but I assure you we did not live in the Magic Kingdom). My family is wonderful. My mom is an energetic lady who works as a special education teacher at my local high school. She just returned from a trip to Spain where she hiked the Camino de Santiago! I have two younger siblings with whom I am very close. My brother, Hiller, is a graphic designer in Portland and my sister, Meagan, is a sophomore at Appalachian State University. Sadly, my dad passed away last year after suffering from degenerative disease called Ataxia. While the end of his life was hard, he was quite brave and really lived life to the fullest while he could. He was a great man and we miss him terribly.
I received my bachelor's from Elon University where I studied International Affairs and Religion. Afterwards, I moved to New York City with a friend of mine. We lived in Astoria, Queens and I worked at The General Theological Seminary in Chelsea. I lived there for two years until my partner, Shane, got a job with Teach for America in San Antonio. We moved here during the summer of 2010 (the summer heat made the move brutal) and have been enjoying our time in the Lone Star State.
I currently work as an intern at The San Antonio Current where I wear many hats. Right now I am working with the calendar editor to ensure that local events are made known to the public. I also work at Cappy's Restaurant on Broadway.
Q. How did you hear about the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship and what made you decide to apply?
A. I first heard about the scholarship through a college acquaintance that was given the chance to study in Mexico as an Ambassadorial Scholar. I was living in New York at the time and she had come to visit my roommate during Christmas break. She told us all about her experience in Mexico and gave us the link to her blog, where I got a sense of all the amazing opportunities that Rotary was giving her. The service element of the scholarship really stood out to me and so when I was started looking at graduate schools three years later, I remembered the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship and decided to apply!
Q. What do you plan to study on your scholarship and where? Why did you choose this school/location? When do you leave and when to you return?
A. I plan to study Global and International Sociology at The University of Edinburgh in Scotland. I chose the school because it had one of the best programs in the UK for what I want to do. I was also looking for a place with four seasons. The weather in San Antonio is lovely, but I miss snowy nights and crisp spring mornings. The plan right now is to leave mid-summer and return during the fall of 2013.
Q. What do you think you will enjoy most about with this opportunity?
A. I am looking forward to making friends with the locals. When I studied abroad during college, I spent most of my time with Americans in my program, but I think there is so much to be gained by making friends with people from the area and I am excited to do that in Scotland.
Q. Do you have any apprehensions about your opportunity and what are you going to miss most while you are gone from the US?
A. I'm a little nervous about returning to school. I've been out of the classroom for three and a half years and while I do keep a blog where I write regularly, I feel like it might take me some time to get back into the practice of writing longer, academic papers. Public speaking is also something that I will need to practice before I start making my Rotary Club presentations.
I will definitely miss my family, but they are planning to visit me during my scholarship year!
Q. What is your impression of Rotary so far?
A. I've really enjoyed everyone that I've met through Rotary so far. I have been attending the downtown club meetings on Wednesdays and am always impressed by the amount of people who take time out of their day to discuss important community issues. I love that Rotary has a local, national and international presence. I am looking forward to participating in some local events before I leave for the UK!
Q. What three things do you think this experience will do for you personally?
A. It's hard to say how this experience will change my life. My involvement with Rotary International is just beginning, but I have a feeling that my year with Rotary in Scotland is going to solidify my commitment to the organization. It will also give me the chance to make tons of international connections. While I'll be spending much of my time with local Rotarians, I will also be attending classes with people from all over the world. Most importantly, I think this experience will give me a new life perspective. I'll come back to the States with new opinions and knowledge swirling inside my head. It will all be very exciting!
Q. What are you doing now to prepare for your experience?
A. The most practical thing that I am doing to prepare for my year abroad is learning how to enjoy the taste of whisky. It's still a work in progress. I've also been told that it's quite important that I learn the basics of golf, so if anyone gives lessons, I might be interested! There is also a heavy amount of paperwork that comes with living outside of the country, so I am in the midst of filling out and submitting forms and applications.
Q. How will you use your studies after you return?
A. I plan to work in the field of International Education, specifically in an International Programs Department in a university. Through this career, I can help students become global ambassadors and citizens, which in turn will help them become more attuned to the needs of the world.
Q. Is there anything special that you will take with you?
A. Aside from a pair of sturdy rain boots and a heavy coat, I'll definitely carry a picture of my loved ones with me. I'll also be taking my laptop, which doesn't seem like a special object, but it's through my laptop that I can access my blog and my blog acts as my journal where I can process information and share what I am learning and experiencing. If you are interested in following my Scottish adventures, please email me and I will send you the link once I have created it! |
Focus on the Foundation
by PDG Doug Whinnery, DRFC I believe in The Rotary Foundation. I believe that through the Foundation we are advancing the concept of world understanding, goodwill, and peace. We do it one project at a time. It makes no difference where the project is located, how simple or complex it may be, or how expensive it may be. Rotarians are making a difference in the world.
How is the Rotary Foundation viewed as a business enterprise? Many of you have heard me talk about the rating system that Charity Navigator uses to evaluate charities. Charity Navigator, America's leading independent charity evaluator, evaluates the financial health and accountability and transparency of America's largest charities.
Charity Navigator recently revised their rating system. They still rate on a star system from one to four stars. The rating scale reflects how well a charity operates and what best practices it incorporates. Since Charity Navigator implemented their new rating scale nearly half of the 5,500 charities they rated received new ratings. Under the new rating scale, the number of charities receiving a four star rating decreased by 20%.
How did The Rotary Foundation rate? I'm proud to say that the Foundation continues to receive a four star rating. That means your Foundation continues to exceed industry standards and outperforms most of the charities in its category. The numerical score earned by the Foundation was 69.26 out of a possible 70.
You should feel comfortable and confident that your Foundation is a well-run organization. Your gifts to the Foundation are spent on programs and not overhead. Our Foundation is well respected.
As a reminder, be sure to purchase the cruise raffle tickets in support of our Foundation. The raffle prizes were paid for from the district's operating budget. That means that all of your contributions go straight to our Foundation. Support our Foundation. Buy a ticket and help advance world understanding, goodwill and peace. |
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Alamo Heights Rotary honors teachers
The Alamo Heights Rotary Club honored Lori De Los Santos on November 29, 2011 with an Outstanding Teachers Award for her excellent and outstanding teaching of students. Ms. De Los Santos is a veteran teacher with 10+ years in education. She is currently a 7th & 8th Grade students at Bradley Middle School in the Northeast ISD. In addition to teaching Science and Algebra, Ms. De Los Santos co-sponsors the National Jr Honor Society, created the Bear Crew; Tutors student before and after school and manages the concession stand at school events. Last year, she volunteered to help SSI 8th grade students improve their TAKS scores on the 2nd round of testing and obtained OUTSTANDING results with Bradley Middle school achieving the 2nd highest Math scores in the district. She is an outstanding example to her fellow co-workers, her students and her numerous contributions to her students, to Bradley organizations and clubs and her efforts to serve her community are priceless.
The Alamo Heights Rotary Club also honored Manuelieta Rodriguez on November 29, 2011 with an Outstanding Teachers Award for her excellent and outstanding teaching of students. Ms Rodriguez began teaching in 1979. She is currently a 3rd Grade Bilingual teacher at the Woodridge Elementary School in the Alamo Heights ISD since 2009. Prior to that, Ms. Rodriguez taught in the Judson ISD. Her duties include teaching Spanish to her students and is committed to using all necessary strategies possible to ensure that her children become strong learners in both Spanish and English. She is an excellent partner and teacher and as a result of her dedication and exceptional teaching, her students excel and soar academically. She is a wonderful recipient of this honor and a true professional.
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International Travel and Hosting Fellowship
by PDG DickBaggett
The International Travel and Hosting Fellowship states that it: Enables Rotarians to enrich their travel experiences through cultural sharing and by visiting other Rotarians in the course of their travels. The mission of ITHF is to stimulate and facilitate connections and cultural sharing throughout the Rotary world by contact, hosting, visiting and travel. The web page for this Fellowship is http://www.ithf.org/index.php.
True to its name, the officers of the Fellowship contain people from the following countries: Australia, England, Canada, India and the USA. On their web page the International Travel and Hosting Fellowship indicates the Fellowship offers seven opportunities to:
1. Connect with other Rotarians and partners during your travel.
2. Host other Rotarians and partners during their travel.
3. Join highly specialized Rotary-themed, professionally guided tours of other countries and points of interest.
4. Experience a level of Rotary fun and fellowship you may never have thought existed.
5. Discover sites and experience adventures not available through any other means.
6. Belong to one of the closest "families" in Rotary, enjoying rich friendships on tours, during conventions and from the many "connections" we make individually.
7. Stay informed about experiences of other members through quarterly newsletters and updates.
The Fellowship web page offers an information brochure about it at http://www.ithf.org/documents/ITHFBrochureWeb.pdf.
According to the web page, currently the ITHF has 1,187members in 75 countries and on 6 continents. As we say in Texas, YEP, that's international |
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Rotary District Assembly and Lone Star PETS
Lisa Herring, District Governor Elect for District 5840, would like to invite you to the District Assembly to be held on Saturday, April 14, 2012 at the the Kroc Center in Kerrville. The Assembly will take place from 8:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m. PRIVP Tom Thorfinnson will be the special guest presenter. The purpose of a District Assembly is to train incoming leaders of the Rotary clubs in our district as well as each club member, especially new members.
Rotary Lone Star PETS will be held from March 22-25, 2012 at the Hyatt Regency DFW, located inside the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. Presented for the 26th year by the 9 Lone Star P.E.T.S. Inc. Rotary Districts of Texas, Lone Star PETS is intended to be give training to incoming club presidents-elect and presidents nominees, It will cover the basics of Rotary and how it has developed over its 100 year history as the first and largest service organization in the world. The philosophy of "Service Above Self" and the "Object of Rotary" are used to give attendees an understanding of how the organization operates at the club level and the role of the individual Rotarian. For more information about Lone Star PETS, please go to: www.rotaryasets.org |
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Rotary supports art program
Bruce and Gloria Richter are pictured with granddaughter Madison Martinez, the winner of an award of Excellence from the Houston Live Stock Show. Her picture, "Catus At Midnight" was painted in art class at Palmer Elementary School in Missouri City, Texas. The Richter's have donated money for supplies for the art program in the name of the San Antonio Oak Hills Rotary Club.
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Interact Clubs at Basura Bash
by Michael Canales, District Interact Chair
The Winston School San Antonio and the Holmes High School Interact clubs participated in the Basura Bash at Woodlawn Lake on February 25, 2012.
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San Antonio North Central Rotary Club works with Rotary clubs in Mexico and Japn
Members of the Nuevo Santander and North Central Rotary Clubs meet at Concan, Texas on the occasion of the Nuevo Laredo club's annual spiritual retreat. Each club and the Takamatsu North Club of Japan awarded $3,000 checks to the H.U.G.S. Foundation for their work with children in the Phillipines. The money will go toward the purchase of all terrain vehicles for charity work. Ken Small, of H.U.G.S. (a North Central Rotarian) accepted the checks.
Representing Nuevo Santander was president Rafael Bermea. Vice President Craig Hardy represented North Central and Eric Tietze, of North Central, stood in for the Takamatsu North Rotary Club. Many thanks are due to NCRC International Committee Chairman Eddie Heinemeier for facilitating everything. Present at the retreat for North Central were D. Perry, R. Steen, C. Hardy, E. Tietze, L. Roberts, K. Small, J. Chance, E. Heinemeier, and R. Rigsby. Three of the Interact members from Winston School who attended RYLA.
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Hunger Plus Update
by Ken Donoughue
Chairman of the Hunger Plus, who prepared the lumber for the screening of all the building openings in Jaboncillas began the screening project. Many of the men from Jaboncillas assisted with the screening of the building openings in Jaboncillas. The project was completed on Sunday, February 19, 2012 and the team returned to the United States on Monday, February 29, 2012. A total of 5 of the 7 ejidos have been screened to date.
The Hunger Plus Committee met on Saturday, February 18, 2012 at Hope Lutheran Church in San Antonio. We discussed the need to get seeds to each of the ejidos so that spring gardens can be planted. We discussed the next medical trip which is scheduled for March 13, 2012. We discussed the next screening project and began planning for it. The next internet project will be located in the schools in Jaboncillas. We discussed engaging the Engineers Without Borders at The University of Texas at Austin, who assisted the design and installation of internet service in the ejido of San Miguel. The next Hunger Plus Committee meeting is scheduled to be held on March 17, 2012 in Piedras Negras. |
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EarlyAct FirstKnight program
continues to grow
by Randall Parr
This photo was taken at the Rotary District 5890 all-club meeting at the Crowne Plaza - Reliant Park in Houston on February 9, 2012.
In addtion to Randall Parr, RI President Kalyan Banerjee, D5890 PDG Sunny Sharma and D5890 EAFK Chair Tommie Buscemi are pictured in the photo.
EarlyAct FirstKnight has spread from Rotary District 5840 to D5870, D5890, D5930, D5810, and in D7750 in South Carolina. Startups for next year are also being planned in North Carolina, Georgia, Southern Mississippi and Southeastern Louisiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and Southern California.
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An interview with Inbound Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar Lamis Kamareddine
Q. Tell us about yourself (hometown, family, education, etc.)?
A. My name is lamis Kamareddine, I am from Beirut, Lebanon. I have two sisters and one brother. I am the oldest child at 25 years. I graduated from the Lebanese American University in Lebanon with a Bachelor of Science in Banking and Finance.
Q. How did you hear about the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship and what made you decide to apply?
A. I heard about rotary from a friend in Lebanon. He is a Rotarian in the Rotary Club of Cedars. His name is Rami Majzoub.
Q. What are you be studying on your scholarship and where? Why did you choose this school/location?
A. I am doing my masters in International Business at the University of the Incarnate Word. First, I wanted to come to San Antonio, Texas, and UIW was my first choice. Second is one of the most important universities in Texas, and they offered the degree program I wanted.
Q. When do you plan to return to your country?
A. I am leaving on May 7th. That is when my scholarship year is completed. Actually, one year was not enough to finish my masters program so I am planning to visit my parents during summer break, and by the end of December 2012 I should finish my studies I back home.
Q. What have you enjoyed most about with this opportunity?
A. This opportunity is a dream realized. I am so lucky not only for being in the United States and Texas, but also for receiving the highest level of education while meeting new people, experiencing a new culture, and discovering new habits. This is awesome to receive an education, get time to learn about other countries and let people know about your country.
Q. What three things have you enjoyed most about your stay in the US?
A. Number one is food. I enjoy food. Texas food is adorable. Second. I enjoy meeting people from different places (Chinese, Mexican, Japanese and many other places). Finally, I enjoy attending Rotary club meeting where I have the opportunity to talk about my country and share stories with them.
Q. What is your impression of Rotary so far?
A. I left my country with no idea about where I am going or whom I would be meeting. After five months of experiences with the Rotarians I can say they are my family. Rotary gave me the opportunity to learn but also to experience every moment. They are the good examples that helped me make a decision that one day I want to be Rotarian.
Q. What three things do you think this experience will do for you personally?
A. First, I received the highest level of education which would not have been possible without Rotary. Second, I have loved the opportunity to make friends and meet families here in San Antonio; I am sure that after going back to my country, I will come back here one day to visit them. Third, since I am studying International Business, my studies here gave me the opportunity to meet different nationalities. This global perspective is so helpful for my job later on.
Q. How will you use your studies after you return?
A. My plan is to work in a multinational company where I can apply the different things that I learned here.
Q. Is there anything special that you will take home with you?
A. I will take with me all the memories about my beautiful experience here and my love for all the people that I met. For sure I will take a Cowboy hat! At the end, I would like to say thank you to each person who helped to bring me here and to each person who helped me during my stay. Every Rotarian - "thank you!" Of course I also thank my parents who support me and believe in me.
Lamis is an inbound Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar from the Cedars Rotary Club in Beirut, Lebanon. She will be visiting several Rotary Clubs in the next couple months before she leaves. If a Rotary Club would like to schedule her for a program, please contact Jane Burton at : jburton13@satx.rr.com |
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Rotaract Campus Stockholm Charteringfest
by William Miller, Rotay Ambassadorial Scholar in Sweden
Hej Hej Everyone!
Today I want to share with y'all an exciting experience I had here in Sweden. Since arriving in Stockholm I have been fortunate to become part of a Rotaract club here-the Campus Stockholm club. I was referred to them by some Rotarians in my Ambassadorial Scholarship host Rotary club, Stockholm Strand. Furthermore, since our Rotaract club is new, I am honored to be a chartering member.
In January of 2012 we had our official chartering party for our Rotaract Campus Stockholm Club. I will post photos below and add info about the party accordingly. Enjoy!
Rotarians and Rotaractors from all over Stockholm attended the party-if I recall correctly, there were over 70 guests there that night. For the first hour or so people mingled over refreshments and great conversation. The gold and silver theme was fitting for the occasion as spirits were high, appetites were ready, and everyone wore a smile. The first photo below shows part of the restaurant where people were mingling toward the beginning of the party.
For more information and photos about the Rotaract Campus Stockholm Charteringfest, please visit William's blog at:
http://texanswede.wordpress.com/
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Photo of the Charter Ceremony for Interact Club of Rawlinson Middle School, sponsored by the Rotary Club of San Antonio at the Dominion
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March is Literacy Month!
My Personal Literacy Story
by Jan Livingston, District
Community Service Chair
Many Rotary Clubs in District 5840 have projects and programs to support literacy. The largest program in San Antonio is SA Reads. Volunteer Reading Tutors are assigned to work one-on-one with a second grader who is struggling with reading at grade level. I have been involved with this program for the past 2 years, and have positive results by spending only 1 half hour session with each of my 2 students every Tuesday morning before I go to my Rotary meeting. The students read from books provided that progress a little more difficult each week. When I started with the 2 students I have now, they both tested at kindergarten level. I am very proud they are now at better than second grade, and one of them is reading 4th grade level books. This program is personally rewarding for me, too. It is gratifying to see that a little time and support is making an impact on youngsters in our community.
More "Readers" are badly needed-there are lists of students that do not have a Volunteer assigned. If your Rotary Club does not have a literacy program, I encourage you to organize one, and keep it going! It's fun to read!
Please do not forget about the Book Drive to collect books for DistrictFest - June 1, 2012
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Aue Elementary EarlyAct Club
by Darcee Grivel and Susan Dorr
It was a cold and turned rainy day in December, but the Aue Elementary EarlyAct students we were able to participate in a park cleanup project. The EarlyActors painted benches and bathroom doors under a pavilion at a local park. The students then spread out in the park and picked up trash. |
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"Mr. Piggy" the Polio Pig is smiling!
by Al Muniz
After having travelled a few thousand miles throughout our district and working very hard asking for the kindness of Rotarians to stuff him full of immunization helpers (commonly known as Dollars), Mr. Polio Piggy is really smiling and squealing. We think that we actually heard him squeal when DG Sherri read the news that India was taken off the Polio endemic list. This now changes the word P.A.I.N. to a shorter word P.A.N. We now have only three endemic countries left: Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria. These three will come down one by one and then we can take a break and go on to the next challenge.
Mr. Piggy has become a little bit of a celebrity since he is the only pig to have raised over $10,000.00 for Polio and he is not done yet! We are getting requests for his picture from as far away as Rotary International. Guess the next thing will be autographed picture requests? I wonder if the president of the SA West club had any idea of how much of a celebrity Mr. Piggy would become.
Well we are very near to completing the club visits (only four left, not including those clubs that have asked DG Sherri for a second visit). Those of you who have not had a chance to meet Mr. Piggy, please come to your club meeting during DG Sherri's visit and you will meet Mr. Polio Piggy. Mr. Piggy wants to meet all of you in his "No Club Left Behind Program".
Another note on Mr. Piggy: He will be at P.E.T.S. this year helping DG Sherri train some incoming Club Presidents. Could it be that Mr. Piggy might also be thinking of wanting to serve as a Club President???????? Join us again next month for the continuing saga and travels of the Massachusetts Export (DG Sherri), the Texas native (Driver to Ms. Sherri and Spouse - pronounced Spoose) and one very happy Polio Pig!
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Stay up to date as the wheel spins in District 5840 - if you got this via a forward from a club member - change that today and
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