We have grown in membership this year by 12 new members and received third place in the Membership Drive in our District 5890, and we are not finished as the Rotary year officially ends at the end of June. I am celebrating 30 years of Rotary personally and have no regrets for any amount of time dedicated to volunteerism and club management with three different Rotary clubs in all of these years. In the Rotary world you may hear, I joined Rotary and then later truly became a Rotarian. For many there is a distinction. It is one thing to simply pay dues and tune in to a few meetings, network with new folks you would otherwise probably not have the opportunity to meet, attend a club social, and hang a plaque on your wall with the Four-Way Test. Yet, there may be a moment when you realize that this opportunity really did enable you to make a difference in someone’s life and it is significant. I have been inspired by great speakers who have shared stories about humanitarian efforts in foreign countries, and I have traveled to many other countries with Rotary Friendship exchanges (South Africa, Estonia, Germany) as well as having hosted many Rotary Friendship exchanges and exchange students in our home. How do you find that “sweet spot” like on the tennis racket? Simply say “yes” when offered a chance to get involved in your club, or better yet, ask “What can I do?” As an e-club we are comprised of very busy people, many who travel often for business or pleasure, and time management is very important for success in balancing work, family, friends, exercise, AND Rotary. But busy peoples who are successful are great at time management! I hope you choose to actively engage in Rotary because I know the rewards will be worth every minute. My life has been so much richer for the experiences I’ve gained through Rotary meetings, travel, service, leadership training, and FUN over 30 years. If you know a friend, business associate, or family member who may become a Rotarian, be sure to ask the question and share how engaging our club is with significant community and international projects. We are growing because we have something to offer and we get the job done! Share Rotary and create your own Rotary stories of interest.
This weekend at District Conference I will share our club’s story of hosting Open World with a team from Ukraine. District Conference is a special time for all clubs to gather and spotlight projects. The District Governor recognizes outstanding leaders and her team for their efforts during the year. It is held in a location of the governor’s choosing and a committee plans for this weekend throughout the Rotary year. In different districts a district conference may be held at different times of the year, but ours is usually late April or early May. We have members who live in other states and other countries, but we will be represented well for our rollcall at the onset of the conference to “Whoop and Hollar” and let everyone know we are proud to represent our club. We hope that those who do not get the chance to attend the conference which is usually held in Texas, Corpus Christi this year, that you are always welcome.
Remember, check the calendar for the month of May and find just one hour to provide service or make a donation during the month to a deserving community program. Hope to see you online with a zoom meeting or see you at the Rotary International Convention in June in Hamburg, Germany.
The fundraiser raffle for four nights at the North Face Lodge in Lake City, Colorado is....
Lindsey Kroll. Lindsey spends a lot of time in Colorado and has been to this lodge several times. He was already booked for the summer, but now will have four nights complementary as he generously supported the second puzzle piece fundraiser of the Rotary e-Club of Houston. He is a Rotarian in the Rotary Club of Memorial-Spring Branch in District 5890.
This fundraiser brought in $625. This helps, but we are an ambitious group of Rotarians and want to do more in our communities at home and abroad. We need more involvement from our members to sell tickets to bring in money to support our projects. Service projects are the "heart and soul" of Rotary and often the reward for joining our club. It just feels good to know that you have made a difference in the quality of life for others. Everyone can help us with online projects. However, our most successful fundraiser was the House Concert which brought in more than $1,000. This, however, limits involvement to those who reside in Houston. We have ideas for future fundraising and need a few volunteers to "Lead the Way" (the Rotary International theme of 2006-2007). This year's Rotary International theme is "Be the Inspiration". These Rotary themes give us a motto to drive us to do more as Rotarians each year.
New social activity for our club - As an e-club we often do not know each other or know much about each other. This is designed to build better friendships within our club we ask that you participate is a simple activity each month called "The Great e-Club of Houston Scavenger Hunt". We will see some similarities and some differences as we share a collage of the activity in the following newsletter. This is a new form of team-building united in service through Rotary.
Isabel Nordin will be the point person for this activity. Please email your photos to issanor@yahoo.com. She will arrange them for publication in the newsletters. Each month there will be a different small assignment.
This month we ask that you take a photo of a bird in your backyard. If you want to add anything interesting about the bird you may, but it is not necessary. Simply take the photo on your phone and send it to Isabel.
We had a group 12 enjoy lunch at Pico's Restaurant on Friday, April 26th. President Robin Charlesworth received two banners during the lunch meeting. We were honored to have two special guests from Croatia, Damir and Natasha Karin. Damir came to Houston with a Little League Baseball group of kids and is a member of the Rotary Club of Karlovac Dubovac, District 1913. He imports sports equipment to distribute all over Europe with his non-profit organization HiSPrint Ministries. Natasha is President of Inner Wheel, an organization for spouses of Rotarians, this year. We are now working toward becoming "Twin Clubs" and he is eager to support our "Hope for Venezuelan Refugees" project. Isis Meijas also brought a banner from Rotary Club of Kalisizo, District 9211 (Uganda) from her recent travels to oversee clean water projects. Special thanks to Fabiola Giannone for planning this successful event! Also present were members Wind Nguyen, Belinda Kayla, Cristal Montanez, Disk Robie and PDG Ed Charlesworth. Spouses present included PDG Nick Giannone and Barbara Robie. We had a private room and a leisurely lunch with much chatter about service projects, specifically the Hope For Relief for Venezuelan Refugees, a Call to Action for donations to provide needed supplies for immigrants at the Texas border (see article below), and the Martin Bailey Garden project. I am sure that Damir and Natasha could see and hear the passion which drives this club to action.
Why do we often neglect big problems, like the financial crisis and climate change, until it's too late? Policy strategist Michele Wucker urges us to replace the myth of the "black swan" -- that rare, unforeseeable, unavoidable catastrophe -- with the reality of the "gray rhino," the preventable danger that we choose to ignore. She shows why predictable crises catch us by surprise -- and lays out some signs that there may be a charging rhino in your life right now.
Drawing on three decades of experience in financial media and think tank management, turnarounds and policy analysis, Wucker is founder of the Chicago-based strategy firm Gray Rhino & Company, which helps organizations to better manage gray rhino risks. She speaks regularly on risk management, leadership, macro strategy and decision-making for high-level global audiences. She has been recognized as a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum and a Guggenheim Fellow, among other honors.
Pan American Round Table was established to give aid, comfort and humanitarian relief for those fleeing Mexico because of the Mexican Revolution of 1914. It has become apparent to the Pan-American Round Table of Houston that it is time to go back to the original purpose of our organization by providing humanitarian aid to those who have been allowed to cross to the United States. The need was great then and the need is great now. Families fleeing persecution, violence and extreme unrest in their native countries, making life impossible for safety and any means of a normal life are seeking refugee assistance at the border of Texas.
Ruby Powers, Immigration Attorney, and a member of our club, donates her legal services frequently to assist immigrants at the border. She has personally spent money to buy necessities for women and children and has many stories of how as soon as they are allowed to stay and get picked up in a car by relatives, they may receive a ticket for not having a car seat for their children. Ruby is often on the radio or television providing updates and provided a program for our 3-club of Houston earlier this year. See below for the May 17th interview of Ruby discussing Immigration and the Texas Border on PBS's Red, White & Blue.
Belinda Kaylani, New Generations Director, met with Ruby recently and they have created a list of suggested items to help these immigrants. The vehicle for sending these items of the PART-H (Pan American Round Table – Houston chapter). Please consider a monetary donation or purchase of specific items to help this CALL TO ACTION.
Donations may be delivered to PART-H at the Leonel Castillo Community Center located as 2101 South St. in Houston (713-380-2255). Or you may simply order on Amazon (and if you have selected our Rotary e-club of Houston as part of the SMILE program we will even get a small portion back to support our club!). Donations are requested prior to May 23 in Houston as the PART-H will be driving supplies to Brownsville over Memorial Day weekend. If you drop off items in Houston, please mention that they are for PART- H so they are stored in the correct location for distribution.
Continue to the second page of this article for the specific list of items needed.
This year's District Conference will be in sunny Corpus Christi at the Omni located on N. Shoreline Blvd. from May 2-5, 2019. We are planning a fishing event and golf tournament along with the welcome dinner Thursday night. Friday we will be at the Texas State Aquarium followed by a dinner on-board the USS Lexington. This all culminates into the Princess & Pirates Ball Saturday night at the Omni. We are going to have amazing speakers and tons of fun for Rotarians, spouses and children!
Join us for a fun-filled Rotary e-Club party with clubs from all around the world! Please RSVP if you're going to Rotary International Convention 2019!
Get your badge before you arrive at the convention venue. If you preregistered and paid in full, you can pick it up at the Hamburg Airport starting at 15:00 on Thursday, 30 May. Look for us in Terminal 1 or 2 at the baggage claim area. Be sure to have your photo ID and registration number. You can use your badge to travel on Hamburg’s public transit system beginning Friday, 31 May. On-site registration at the Hamburg Messe opens at 15:00 on Thursday, 30 May, in Hall A2. You can register additional guests, purchase tickets for Rotary events, pay any outstanding balances, and get your badge if you didn’t get it at the airport. The Registration booth is also where you can pick up all convention materials, including the program book, transportation guide, and convention tote bag, as well as interpretation equipment.
TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION
Rotary is giving every convention attendee complimentary rides on Hamburg’s easy-to-use and eco-friendly public transportation network, the HVV (Hamburger Verkehrsverbund). Use your convention badge as your ticket to travel on HVV’s extensive bus, rail, and ferry system. The badges are valid for the fare ring Hamburg AB (inside the gray circle on this map) and can be used Friday, 31 May, through Thursday, 6 June.
Rotary will not provide shuttle service between hotels and the convention center.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE
There will be no currency exchange services onsite at the Messe. At the airport, currency exchanges are open from 5:45 am to 8:45 pm (Monday through Sunday) in Terminal 1 & Monday through Sunday 8am till 9 pm in Terminal 2. Most hotels offer currency exchange services, however, the rate is not favorable
All airport ATMs are accessible Monday through Sunday and most of them are 24/7. There will be four ATMs at the Messe. Three are available at the central entrance and 1 is available in B4 by the east entrance.
MYTAXI APP
If you’re taking a taxi to or from the convention center, you can order your cab using the mytaxi app on your phone and support Rotary at the same time. Mytaxi, Europe’s leading ride-hailing app, is donating 100 percent of its proceeds to Rotary for all rides to and from the Hamburg Messe during the convention, 31 May-5 June. These proceeds will support Emotions-Training for Autism, the Bees Pasture Project, and the Haiti National Clean Water, Sanitation, and Health Strategy. Download the app before you arrive in Hamburg so you’re ready to travel conveniently and support Rotary: • At the Apple App Store for iPhone and iPad • On Google Play for Android
A funny and creative short video explaining what Rotary is. We hope you are having a great beginning of 2019, and are planning ways to serve above self. We welcome any articles about members who are helping their communities in the spirit of Rotary. Please send your story, article or ideas accompanied by a photo or video to one of the newsletter editors. Share to inspire!
