Governor's Message - October

October is Vocational Service Month in Rotary. Our district has an exceptional program of vocational scholarships. Has your club identified candidates yet? These scholarships are an ideal way to promote Rotary in your community while offering significant help to someone who is pursuing training on a non-baccalaureate track. Rotary clubs are ideally suited for job shadowing activities with high schoolers. We can also find creative ways to honor all professions. Please look for something you can do to observe this avenue of service during October.

October is also our District Conference and ABCs of Rotary month. The 3rd, 4th and 5th of this month offer you the chance to learn more about Rotary in a fun atmosphere. You'll have the opportunity to meet the terrific GSE team from New Zealand visiting our area now (they'll make a presentation Friday afternoon), to participate in training sessions, and to hear more about district-wide activities. The District Conference is next weekend. Why not make it a date? Come for the meetings, visit the House of Friendship, stay for a great dinner, wander through the hospitality suites for some fabulous dancing, and then go upstairs to your own hotel room. A perfect Rotary weekend of fellowship and fun that even your spouse will appreciate! Register today at http://www.regonline.com/Checkin.asp?EventId=126731. Remember, registration is free and the conference is at the convenient Marriott Lincolnshire Resort.

Also at the conference, you'll have a chance to donate old computer equipment, including peripherals, to Pass on Your PC. The program erases all information from the equipment, refurbishes it, and gets it to people and organizations in need. Feel free to bring along equipment donated by your neighbors and coworkers as well. See http://rotary6440.blogspot.com/2008/09/pass-on-your-pc.html for more details.

One of our clubs, Evanston Lighthouse, has been working for many months on a terrific program to improve life for 200,000 people in Nigeria. The program has been approved for a Rotary Foundation 3-H grant but is now in jeopardy. Funding changes mean that an additional $25,000 is needed before the end of February or the project will be cancelled. Please consider contributing. It's an excellent way for your club to get involved in international service or for you to help out as an individual. More information is available at http://rotary6440.blogspot.com/2008/09/3-h-grant-funding-urgently-needed.html.

Our district is applying for a Rotary International PR Grant. Public relations successes bring results, as the increased awareness of ShelterBox shows. Please send your success stories to District PR Chair Judy Hughes at jjhugs@comcast.net.

Public relations will play a big role in this month's observance of World Polio Day on October 24th. Rotary clubs around the world will observe the day in a variety of ways. PDG Dave Waring is chairing our district's End Polio Now committee. Please contact him (rotary@waring.net) for ideas or to commit your club's support. Eradicating polio depends on all of us supporting the program.

See you at the conference!

New Rotarians

Welcome to these people who've joined clubs in District 6440 recently: Susan Kirby, Linda Liddell, Maureen Starmack, Rob Nelson and John Price (Crystal Lake Dawnbreakers); Michael Cunningham (Batavia); Teri Dreher (Libertyville Sunrise); James Smith (Evanston Lighthouse); Chuck Adler and Steve Scholten (Arlington Heights); and Pat Callaghan (Glenview-Sunrise).

Pass on Your PC

Rotary District 6440 will be conducting a "Pass on Your PC " collection in conjunction with the District Conference at the Lincolnshire Marriott Hotel on Saturday, October 4 from 1:45 until 3:45PM . Used computers and peripherals will be retrofitted for distribution to students in need, non-for-profit groups and individuals who might qualify. Any area resident, corporation , or agency wishing to donate their used and non-functioning computer equipment can drive to the Bank Financial parking lot adjacent to the Marriott off Marriott Drive. Rotarians, exchange students and area high school students will volunteer to unload the donated equipment from cars as they drive through the lot and will provide the donor a tax receipt from the organization for their generosity. All information stored on the computer will be guaranteed to be erased from the hard drives. Signage will direct donors to the right area of the lot. Why not clean out your office and provide someone in need with equipment at the same time?

3-H Grant Funding Urgently Needed

The Rotary Clubs of Evanston Lighthouse and Eziukwu, Aba, Nigeria have received approval from The Rotary Foundation for a $330,000 multi-year water and sanitation project serving 200,000 people. It was one of just 18 Health Hunger and Humanity projects approved in 2007-2008. Project organizers have just learned that a funding change means they need an additional $25,000 by the end of October or the project will be cancelled.

Individuals and clubs can contribute and contributions will count toward Paul Harris Fellow recognition. Checks payable to The Rotary Foundation and labeled 3-H Grant TH 62891 can be mailed to George Ammerman, The Rotary Foundation, OA400, 1560 Sherman Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201-3698. Questions can be directed to George Ammerman (847-866-3348) or Jim Grumley (774-465-0700 or 773-230-1159).

PDG Jack Bakeman

PDG Jack Bakeman (1987-88) passed away yesterday, peacefully at home with his family and in the care of hospice. A memorial service is being planned but the details are not known at this time. Jack was known as the 'PolioPlus Governor,' as he led the first major fundraising effort against polio that has set the course for it's eradication. He owned and operated Fords Pharmacy in Deerfield and continued to be active in Rotary when he retired and moved to Florida.

Rotary License Plates

We are just over 100 signups away from having a Rotary license plate available in Illinois. You can find the application at http://www.clubrunner.ca/Data/6440/html/25526/LicensePlateRequestForm.doc . The Secretary of State's office requires a minimum of 850 requests before we can design the actual plate. There is a $25.00 upcharge for each plate each year. In the first year $10.00 will go to The Rotary Foundation for each plate. Thereafter, $23.00 will go to The Rotary Foundation for each plate. A person does NOT have to be a Rotarian to purchase a plate.

This is an easy way to increase Rotary awareness and support our foundation at the same time. Please consider joining the 740 people who've already applied.

GSE Team Blog

Follow the adventures of the group study exchange team from New Zealand's District 9970 as they enjoy our district's hospitality. They are maintaining a blog at http://gseteam2008tochicago.blogspot.com/.

Digital WHIS-RAD Installation Planned for South Africa

The Rotary Clubs of Wilmette (noon) and of Durbanville, Western Cape, South Africa are inviting other Rotary clubs in the district to participate in a project to install a digital WHIS-RAD system in Clanwilliam, South Africa. This installation will be similar to a project in Guatemala which was recently approved by District 6440 and the Rotary Foundation for matching funds.

Each club participant commits $2,500 for the project. Through the participation of five other clubs, district and Rotary Foundation matching funds, this amount grows to $67,500.

Partnering with Rotary is the World Health Imaging Alliance (WHIA) which is a not-for-profit corporation created by Northwestern University, the University of Cape Town and Rotarians from Districts 6440 and 6450. Following is the YouTube presentation of WHIA which was used at the Rotary International Convention.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv0q0hD-flM

If your club is interested in learning more about this program and the opportunity to participate in the South African installation, contact Steve Jambor at 773-263-9962 or e-mail him at srjambor@mindspring.com . You can also learn more by visiting http://www.worldhealthimaging.org/

This is a great opportunity to get involved in a highly leveraged, WHO approved, international project that will serve a population in excess of 50,000 for many years.

District 6440 in the News

The Rotary Club of Chicagoland Korean-Northbrook, along with our district and the new club's sponsors, have been featured on Rotary International's home page: http://www.rotary.org/en/MediaAndNews/News/Pages/080915_news_newcharter.aspx. The article describes the new club's charter night and the unusual sponsoring arrangement which included clubs here and in Los Angeles.

Lake in the Hills Fundraising Success

We're in the home stretch with polio eradication but the remaining work is probably the most difficult. Pockets of the disease still exist in areas where immunization is difficult for various reasons. It's critical that Rotarians around the world continue to support the fight. One of our biggest contributions is financial. It's a good time for all clubs to be creative in seeking ways to raise funds so that we can honor our pledge to wipe out this awful disease.

In September the Lake in the Hills club had wonderful success at the Lake in the Hills Sunset Fest. Club members sold and served beer. In addition, they used End Polio Now stickers
to encourage people to donate. Many people gave far beyond just a few dollars. The club ended up raising $2,586! Congratulations to their club.

Des Plaines to Change Meeting Day

The Rotary Club of Des Plaines will meet on Thursdays beginning October 9th. Meeting place and time remain the same: 12:15 p.m. at the Golf Center Des Plaines, 353 North River Road in Des Plaines.

Edgge Spotlights Rotary

Edgge, an online dining guide for Chicago's north and northwest suburbs, recently spotlighted Rotary in a very positive article which you can see at http://edgge.com/pages/articles-summer-08/nonprofit.html. The author seemed to get a real feel for Rotary and what Rotarians are trying to do. Please note that she even gave a plug for membership!