Sunday, August 31, 2008
New Rotarians
Welcome to these people who've joined clubs in District 6440 in the last few weeks: Matt Glucksberg (Evanston Lighthouse); Dana Tipton (Evanston); Scott Hershinow (Deerfield); and Dick Whalley (Barrington).
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Governor's Message - September
Our District Conference is just a month away. The first weekend in October will be here before you know it, so why not register now at http://www.rotary6440.org/ (follow calendar link to District Conference, then use link at bottom of page)?
This year's conference is offering exciting speakers. We have experts, including Dean Dipak Jain of Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management talking about values-based leadership, Tom and Susan Kuczmarski giving us different ways to think of leadership, Cameron Davis of the Alliance for the Great Lakes addressing ways to preserve these natural resources with which we are blessed, and Steve Dudenhofer of Guatemala Tomorrow and former Guatemalan First Lady Wendy Widmann de Berger updating us on Guatemala.
Rotary information and training will be outstanding, with Rotary International General Secretary Ed Futa, former Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar from our district and current Rotary Foundation employee Jamie Revord, local Rotarian and manager of Rotary's PolioPlus division Carol Pandak, and PDG and President's Representative Ron Axel of Minneapolis all lending their expertise and experience. You'll have a chance to hear more about Rotary's strategic plans and growth initiatives and to learn about the lasting impact of participation in Rotary-sponsored programs. We'll also have local Rotarians describing some of their international projects and offering tips on executing them successfully.
All of this learning and sharing will take place in a fun, convenient atmosphere. We'll be at Marriott's Lincolnshire Resort right here in our district. You'll want to attend everything, but if that's not possible, be sure to register for at least part of the conference. There's no registration fee for attending plenary sessions or workshops, so don't miss out on this chance to combine Rotary information with inspiration and guidance.
Please note the blog posting about our district's contributions to the Shelter Box program ( http://rotary6440.blogspot.com/2008/08/district-6440-shelter-box-leader.html). My thanks to the local leaders who have worked so hard to build support. With your help, they're doing wonderful work.
This year's conference is offering exciting speakers. We have experts, including Dean Dipak Jain of Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management talking about values-based leadership, Tom and Susan Kuczmarski giving us different ways to think of leadership, Cameron Davis of the Alliance for the Great Lakes addressing ways to preserve these natural resources with which we are blessed, and Steve Dudenhofer of Guatemala Tomorrow and former Guatemalan First Lady Wendy Widmann de Berger updating us on Guatemala.
Rotary information and training will be outstanding, with Rotary International General Secretary Ed Futa, former Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar from our district and current Rotary Foundation employee Jamie Revord, local Rotarian and manager of Rotary's PolioPlus division Carol Pandak, and PDG and President's Representative Ron Axel of Minneapolis all lending their expertise and experience. You'll have a chance to hear more about Rotary's strategic plans and growth initiatives and to learn about the lasting impact of participation in Rotary-sponsored programs. We'll also have local Rotarians describing some of their international projects and offering tips on executing them successfully.
All of this learning and sharing will take place in a fun, convenient atmosphere. We'll be at Marriott's Lincolnshire Resort right here in our district. You'll want to attend everything, but if that's not possible, be sure to register for at least part of the conference. There's no registration fee for attending plenary sessions or workshops, so don't miss out on this chance to combine Rotary information with inspiration and guidance.
Please note the blog posting about our district's contributions to the Shelter Box program ( http://rotary6440.blogspot.com/2008/08/district-6440-shelter-box-leader.html). My thanks to the local leaders who have worked so hard to build support. With your help, they're doing wonderful work.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Triple Value District Conference
This year's District Conference offers you triple value. Attending will help you:
1. Become more productive in Rotary service.
2. Make your Rotary club more vibrant and efficient.
3. Become a more effective leader in both professional and volunteer activities.
The entire event has been designed to be well worth your while. Empowering plenary sessions, top-notch keynote speakers, and lots of fun will make it a weekend to remember. Sign up now for the October 2 - 5 event at Marriott's Lincolnshire Resort at http://www.regonline.com/Checkin.asp?EventId=126731.
1. Become more productive in Rotary service.
2. Make your Rotary club more vibrant and efficient.
3. Become a more effective leader in both professional and volunteer activities.
The entire event has been designed to be well worth your while. Empowering plenary sessions, top-notch keynote speakers, and lots of fun will make it a weekend to remember. Sign up now for the October 2 - 5 event at Marriott's Lincolnshire Resort at http://www.regonline.com/Checkin.asp?EventId=126731.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Council on Legislation 2010 Proposal
The Rotary Club of Park Ridge wants to present legislation at the Council On Legislation in 2010. For the proposal to proceed, the electors at our District Conference must approve it. If approved it will be sent to Rotary International by December 31, 2008. Following is the legislation:
Article 5 Meetings
Section I Regular Meeting
Day and Time
The club shall hold a regular meeting one each week or twice each week on the days and time provided in the bylaws.
Please be sure that your club's representatives are prepared to vote on the proposal at the District Conference in October.
Article 5 Meetings
Section I Regular Meeting
Day and Time
The club shall hold a regular meeting one each week or twice each week on the days and time provided in the bylaws.
Please be sure that your club's representatives are prepared to vote on the proposal at the District Conference in October.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Ambassadorial Scholarship Candidates Announced
Our district has selected seven people for Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarships, some full-year academic scholars and some six-month cultural scholars. More information, including the candidates' names and sponsoring clubs, is available at http://www.clubrunner.ca/dprg/DxHome/dxstoriestab/_storyitem.aspx?did=6440&index=4968&linkcat=4&tail=0&dir=f.
R. I. President D. K. Lee's Address at Charter Night
After greeting guests at the August 22nd charter night for the new Rotary Club of Chicagoland Korean - Northbrook in both English and Korean, Rotary International President Dong Kurn Lee made the following remarks:
I am very grateful to all of you for having made this evening, and this club, possible. And I am grateful for the invitation to speak to you tonight.
One thing that I found out very quickly when I was first nominated to the presidency of Rotary International was that my new job description included a very great deal of public speaking—and almost none of it was going to be in Korean.
You do not need to be Korean to understand that the idea of speaking publicly, in English, made me very nervous indeed. I had not studied English for many, many years. And when I was in high school, I certainly never imagined that I would ever have a job that would require me to speak English in front of hundreds and sometimes thousands of people at a time. If I had known this then, perhaps I would have taken better notes and spent a bit more time on my homework.
But within a few weeks of my nomination, I realized two things, and soon became less nervous. I realized that I would be practicing my English constantly, and that with some hard work on my part, I would soon improve. And perhaps more important, I realized that I would be speaking in front of some of the friendliest audiences one could hope for.
I now know that it does not matter very much if I do not pronounce every English word correctly. I know that no one in the audience cares about my accent, and that they will forgive my mistakes. Because what matters in Rotary is not what language we speak, or where we come from, or how much English we remember from high school. What matters in Rotary is fellowship, and friendship, and building bridges of goodwill. What matters is that we put Service Above Self, and that we work together to Make Dreams Real.
I am humbled and honored to be the first Korean president of Rotary International. And I feel a responsibility on behalf of Korea to give back to Rotary as Rotary has given to my country.
So many of Rotary’s values resonate with me and with all Koreans: the emphasis on hard work, on education, on honesty, on business practices based on trust.
We in Korea value /chim shin uro/, or “pure heart.” A person with a pure heart is someone who has personal integrity—a person who treats others with honor and respect; someone who can be counted on to always do what is right. “Pure heart” is a highly valued trait in Korean business, and it is important to Rotary. In Rotary, our integrity is what makes us successful in business, in service, and in our lives. “Pure heart” is what we in Rotary call Service Above Self.
Koreans also talk about work as /chip an/. /Chip an/ means “inside the house.” It is a way to talk about how important our work is to us—that our companies and businesses are like our family. Our businesses and the people in them should be treated with respect, honor, and dignity—because Koreans believe that good personal relationships are the basis for business. In Rotary, we also believe that a relationship with people in our professions is important. We should treat our customers, our employers, our employees, and our colleagues like our family.
True Rotary service gives us /chim shin uro/, and our profit is personal honesty, integrity in business, and honor. This is the reality behind Service Above Self. This is the reality of Rotary—the reality that inspires us, and challenges us, every day.
I am honored to be here at the chartering of this new club, and look forward to building /chim shin uro/ with you.
I am very grateful to all of you for having made this evening, and this club, possible. And I am grateful for the invitation to speak to you tonight.
One thing that I found out very quickly when I was first nominated to the presidency of Rotary International was that my new job description included a very great deal of public speaking—and almost none of it was going to be in Korean.
You do not need to be Korean to understand that the idea of speaking publicly, in English, made me very nervous indeed. I had not studied English for many, many years. And when I was in high school, I certainly never imagined that I would ever have a job that would require me to speak English in front of hundreds and sometimes thousands of people at a time. If I had known this then, perhaps I would have taken better notes and spent a bit more time on my homework.
But within a few weeks of my nomination, I realized two things, and soon became less nervous. I realized that I would be practicing my English constantly, and that with some hard work on my part, I would soon improve. And perhaps more important, I realized that I would be speaking in front of some of the friendliest audiences one could hope for.
I now know that it does not matter very much if I do not pronounce every English word correctly. I know that no one in the audience cares about my accent, and that they will forgive my mistakes. Because what matters in Rotary is not what language we speak, or where we come from, or how much English we remember from high school. What matters in Rotary is fellowship, and friendship, and building bridges of goodwill. What matters is that we put Service Above Self, and that we work together to Make Dreams Real.
I am humbled and honored to be the first Korean president of Rotary International. And I feel a responsibility on behalf of Korea to give back to Rotary as Rotary has given to my country.
So many of Rotary’s values resonate with me and with all Koreans: the emphasis on hard work, on education, on honesty, on business practices based on trust.
We in Korea value /chim shin uro/, or “pure heart.” A person with a pure heart is someone who has personal integrity—a person who treats others with honor and respect; someone who can be counted on to always do what is right. “Pure heart” is a highly valued trait in Korean business, and it is important to Rotary. In Rotary, our integrity is what makes us successful in business, in service, and in our lives. “Pure heart” is what we in Rotary call Service Above Self.
Koreans also talk about work as /chip an/. /Chip an/ means “inside the house.” It is a way to talk about how important our work is to us—that our companies and businesses are like our family. Our businesses and the people in them should be treated with respect, honor, and dignity—because Koreans believe that good personal relationships are the basis for business. In Rotary, we also believe that a relationship with people in our professions is important. We should treat our customers, our employers, our employees, and our colleagues like our family.
True Rotary service gives us /chim shin uro/, and our profit is personal honesty, integrity in business, and honor. This is the reality behind Service Above Self. This is the reality of Rotary—the reality that inspires us, and challenges us, every day.
I am honored to be here at the chartering of this new club, and look forward to building /chim shin uro/ with you.
District 6440 a Shelter Box Leader
In its recent newsletter, Shelter Box USA named Rotary District 6440 as one of the supporters of the program during 2007 - 2008. Clubs in our district raised enough funds to buy more than 46 Shelter Boxes during that time, thanks to the leadership of Andy Kuby, Donna and Steve Gulley and Cynthia Mikal. More information is available at http://www.shelterboxusa.org/.
Call for Future District 6440 Leaders
Submitted by Bill Ferreira, DGE 2009-2010
As you are aware, leadership in your club and at the district level changes annually. Thus, new Rotary leaders are continually needed. As your Governor-Elect, I have responsibility for overseeing the development of future leaders to serve clubs, our district and Rotary International. This is to support effective clubs, continuity in projects and activities, and the future of Rotary.
Qualifications
District 6440 Rotarians must have a keen desire to serve their club and or the district. They will be selected from a cross-section of the district clubs based on their demonstrated leadership abilities and potential for growth. We are looking for Rotarians who are reliable, experienced, self-motivated, action oriented, innovative, organized and collaborative.
For a listing of the various district positions, please go the district website (www.Rotary6440.org). After you log in, go to the Communications Services section and click on District Organization Chart. For this Rotary year, positions have been filled. However, several will be open for the 2009-2010 Rotary year. For example, at least 7 new Assistant Governor positions will be open next year.
Assistant Governor Criteria
- Active membership and good standing in your club for at least 3 years
- Service as a club president for a full term
- Willingness and ability to accept the responsibilities of Assistant Governor
- Demonstrated outstanding performance at the district level
- Potential for future district leadership
If interested, please respond with your qualifications and why you seek that position to me (bferre4432@aol.com). Please copy District Governor Pam Kerr (gov.pam@rotary6440.org) and your club president and president-elect.
Thank you for your service to your Rotary club and to Rotary District 6440.
I look forward to hearing from you.
As you are aware, leadership in your club and at the district level changes annually. Thus, new Rotary leaders are continually needed. As your Governor-Elect, I have responsibility for overseeing the development of future leaders to serve clubs, our district and Rotary International. This is to support effective clubs, continuity in projects and activities, and the future of Rotary.
Qualifications
District 6440 Rotarians must have a keen desire to serve their club and or the district. They will be selected from a cross-section of the district clubs based on their demonstrated leadership abilities and potential for growth. We are looking for Rotarians who are reliable, experienced, self-motivated, action oriented, innovative, organized and collaborative.
For a listing of the various district positions, please go the district website (www.Rotary6440.org). After you log in, go to the Communications Services section and click on District Organization Chart. For this Rotary year, positions have been filled. However, several will be open for the 2009-2010 Rotary year. For example, at least 7 new Assistant Governor positions will be open next year.
Assistant Governor Criteria
- Active membership and good standing in your club for at least 3 years
- Service as a club president for a full term
- Willingness and ability to accept the responsibilities of Assistant Governor
- Demonstrated outstanding performance at the district level
- Potential for future district leadership
If interested, please respond with your qualifications and why you seek that position to me (bferre4432@aol.com). Please copy District Governor Pam Kerr (gov.pam@rotary6440.org) and your club president and president-elect.
Thank you for your service to your Rotary club and to Rotary District 6440.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Youth Exchange Students to Set Sail
Our district's inbound youth exchange students will once again be treated to an afternoon on Lake Michigan, courtesy of the International Fellowship of Yachting Rotarians. On September 20th, the students will meet their hosts at the Columbia Yacht Club for a Chicago-style hot dog lunch, followed by a few hours on the lake. Anyone driving a student to the event is welcome to contact Commodore Phill Klein (easytoo@pklein.interaccess.com) to be assigned to help on a boat. This is an annual event at which the IFYR always provides a lot of fun.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
"Hi, would you marry me?"
“Hi, would you like to marry me?" is as silly a question as "Hi, would you like to be a Rotarian?" yet some of us are still trying to court new members this way. There is a process, not unlike courtship or good salesmanship, that will secure an "I do!" from a candidate.
The First Date
The first step is to get a date. Invite somebody to your club’s meeting. This is quite simple if you help the decision by giving two alternative dates, for example “Is this Wednesday or the next one more convenient to you?” The operational idea is to avoid a question that can be answered by yes or no. People will find it easy to say no to a single date and can give a very plausible reason. It is more difficult to give negative reasons to two alternatives.
The reason for the invitation must be stated. For example, “I would like you to meet some of our members.” Or, “We have a couple of programs coming up that you may enjoy.”
Getting To Know The Candidate
At the meeting seat the candidate between you and a member who can provide good conversation and answer questions about the club and Rotary. Plan this step in advance and provide your helper with background information about the candidate. The questions must be broad so the candidate has an opportunity to talk about his or her feelings about service. “What type of service organizations have you been involved in the past?” and “What have you learned about Rotary so far?” are two examples.
When Will We See You Again?
The next step is trying to ascertain interest. Again the question must request a choice between alternatives: “Would you like to come back next Wednesday for the program on “X” or would you prefer the following week for the program on “Y”?”
It is a slow process but the steps are sure, methodical, and prevent waste of time and effort. One can determine early on if there is interest and if the candidate understands the commitment to service. The information about Rotary in the club must be spoon fed so as not to be overwhelming.
Asking For the Hand
After three or four visits the club and the individual know about each other and you can proceed to make a formal offer. A well-designed orientation process will ensure that the candidate understands the commitment and helps retention in the critical first year. Much like planning a future together before the wedding!
The Wedding
Would you have a wedding without relatives? We hope the candidate will make Rotary a lifetime commitment and we should make the induction an event to remember. Family, special friends, and even a business associate or two should be invited. The presence of the District Governor or a governor’s representative will add weight to the proceedings. There should be a master of ceremonies with a well-prepared monolog, a photographer, and the appropriate documentation, name tag, and pin. The idea is not to induct a member but accept a new Rotarian. Make it lightly and so it will be taken!
Remember that, except for Paul Harris, everybody else was asked to attend a Rotary meeting!
(Essay submitted by Carlos Früm, District Membership Chair)
The First Date
The first step is to get a date. Invite somebody to your club’s meeting. This is quite simple if you help the decision by giving two alternative dates, for example “Is this Wednesday or the next one more convenient to you?” The operational idea is to avoid a question that can be answered by yes or no. People will find it easy to say no to a single date and can give a very plausible reason. It is more difficult to give negative reasons to two alternatives.
The reason for the invitation must be stated. For example, “I would like you to meet some of our members.” Or, “We have a couple of programs coming up that you may enjoy.”
Getting To Know The Candidate
At the meeting seat the candidate between you and a member who can provide good conversation and answer questions about the club and Rotary. Plan this step in advance and provide your helper with background information about the candidate. The questions must be broad so the candidate has an opportunity to talk about his or her feelings about service. “What type of service organizations have you been involved in the past?” and “What have you learned about Rotary so far?” are two examples.
When Will We See You Again?
The next step is trying to ascertain interest. Again the question must request a choice between alternatives: “Would you like to come back next Wednesday for the program on “X” or would you prefer the following week for the program on “Y”?”
It is a slow process but the steps are sure, methodical, and prevent waste of time and effort. One can determine early on if there is interest and if the candidate understands the commitment to service. The information about Rotary in the club must be spoon fed so as not to be overwhelming.
Asking For the Hand
After three or four visits the club and the individual know about each other and you can proceed to make a formal offer. A well-designed orientation process will ensure that the candidate understands the commitment and helps retention in the critical first year. Much like planning a future together before the wedding!
The Wedding
Would you have a wedding without relatives? We hope the candidate will make Rotary a lifetime commitment and we should make the induction an event to remember. Family, special friends, and even a business associate or two should be invited. The presence of the District Governor or a governor’s representative will add weight to the proceedings. There should be a master of ceremonies with a well-prepared monolog, a photographer, and the appropriate documentation, name tag, and pin. The idea is not to induct a member but accept a new Rotarian. Make it lightly and so it will be taken!
Remember that, except for Paul Harris, everybody else was asked to attend a Rotary meeting!
(Essay submitted by Carlos Früm, District Membership Chair)
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Governor's Message
The Rotary year is in full swing already. I'm enjoying my visits to your clubs and look forward to seeing many of you at our fellowship event at Ravinia on August 17th. You have until August 9th to sign up for that fun evening (Rotary District 6440 Governor's Newsletter: Evening at Ravinia August 17th). It's an ideal event to which you may want to invite a prospective member.
Deadlines for applications for our group study exchange team to New Zealand are coming up on August 11th (Rotary District 6440 Governor's Newsletter: GSE Team Members and Leader to New Zealand Needed Rotary and
Rotary District 6440 Governor's Newsletter: GSE Application Deadline August 11th). We need your help recruiting candidates so that we can field our district's usual strong team. In addition to a Rotarian team leader, we need good non-Rotarian young professionals to round out the team.
August is Membership and Extension Month on the Rotary calendar. I hope your club is making a special effort to recruit new members. They will add vitality and great resources to your group. We will observe the extension part of the month when our district's newest club is chartered on August 22nd. More information about that celebration will be forthcoming.
The school year starting always feels a little like the beginning of a new year. Please use this time to energize your club and continue working to enrich the world through Rotary.
Each of you is a tremendous asset to our district and I thank you for your time and dedication.
Deadlines for applications for our group study exchange team to New Zealand are coming up on August 11th (Rotary District 6440 Governor's Newsletter: GSE Team Members and Leader to New Zealand Needed Rotary and
Rotary District 6440 Governor's Newsletter: GSE Application Deadline August 11th). We need your help recruiting candidates so that we can field our district's usual strong team. In addition to a Rotarian team leader, we need good non-Rotarian young professionals to round out the team.
August is Membership and Extension Month on the Rotary calendar. I hope your club is making a special effort to recruit new members. They will add vitality and great resources to your group. We will observe the extension part of the month when our district's newest club is chartered on August 22nd. More information about that celebration will be forthcoming.
The school year starting always feels a little like the beginning of a new year. Please use this time to energize your club and continue working to enrich the world through Rotary.
Each of you is a tremendous asset to our district and I thank you for your time and dedication.
Friday, August 1, 2008
The Value of Every Rotarian
The following essay was written by Bill Matthews, editor of Schaumburg AM's bulletin, for that bulletin. It was decided to share it with everyone in the district because the message applies to all Rotarians:
As is common with District Governor visits, a frequently asked question of club board
members is: “What are the strengths and weaknesses of your club?” Having been in Rotary almost as long as Pete, I have heard many people say many of the same things, in slightly different ways. But in reflecting on the meeting with Pam, some interesting comments and observations came out, which prompted this article.
“What does a prospective Rotarian look like?”
You can come up with a number of traits, but one thing that is consistent is that we are
all different. Despite many common reasons for being in Rotary, each of us has our own
background, our own individual buttons that inspire or aggravate us, our own opinion as to what, and how, things should be done; and we each come to the meeting with our own life situations, good and bad, outside Rotary.
“Who Makes Our Club?”
Xvxn though my typxwritxr is an old modxl, it works quitx wxll xxcxpt for onx of thx
kxys. I havx wishxd many timxs that it workxd pxrfxctly. It is trux that thxrx arx forty-six
kxys that function wxll xnough, but just onx kxy not working makxs thx diffxrxncx.
You may say to yoursxlf, "W xll, I am only onx pxrson. I won't makx or brxak our club."
To bx xffxctivx, Rotary rxquirxs thx participation of xvxry mxmbxr. So thx nxxt timx you think you arx only onx pxrson and your xfforts arx not nxxdxd, rxmxmbxr my typxwritxr and say to yoursxlf, "I am a kxy pxrson in this Club and I am nxxdxd vxry much."
“As we are, Who we are, and Where we are.”
As different as we are, and as sometimes occupied with interests outside Rotary as we can be, one of the real strengths of this club (as I see it) is our acceptance of each other:
“As, Who and Where we are,” with no strings attached. Some have and are able to give more time, more talent, more money; but no one is any less important or less significant in any way. And every member is just as vital to our success as the broken “e” is to the typewriter above.
As is common with District Governor visits, a frequently asked question of club board
members is: “What are the strengths and weaknesses of your club?” Having been in Rotary almost as long as Pete, I have heard many people say many of the same things, in slightly different ways. But in reflecting on the meeting with Pam, some interesting comments and observations came out, which prompted this article.
“What does a prospective Rotarian look like?”
You can come up with a number of traits, but one thing that is consistent is that we are
all different. Despite many common reasons for being in Rotary, each of us has our own
background, our own individual buttons that inspire or aggravate us, our own opinion as to what, and how, things should be done; and we each come to the meeting with our own life situations, good and bad, outside Rotary.
“Who Makes Our Club?”
Xvxn though my typxwritxr is an old modxl, it works quitx wxll xxcxpt for onx of thx
kxys. I havx wishxd many timxs that it workxd pxrfxctly. It is trux that thxrx arx forty-six
kxys that function wxll xnough, but just onx kxy not working makxs thx diffxrxncx.
You may say to yoursxlf, "W xll, I am only onx pxrson. I won't makx or brxak our club."
To bx xffxctivx, Rotary rxquirxs thx participation of xvxry mxmbxr. So thx nxxt timx you think you arx only onx pxrson and your xfforts arx not nxxdxd, rxmxmbxr my typxwritxr and say to yoursxlf, "I am a kxy pxrson in this Club and I am nxxdxd vxry much."
“As we are, Who we are, and Where we are.”
As different as we are, and as sometimes occupied with interests outside Rotary as we can be, one of the real strengths of this club (as I see it) is our acceptance of each other:
“As, Who and Where we are,” with no strings attached. Some have and are able to give more time, more talent, more money; but no one is any less important or less significant in any way. And every member is just as vital to our success as the broken “e” is to the typewriter above.
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