Speaker Series: The Rotary Foundation: Why it Matters

PDG George Yeiter, in simple to understand language will explain the impact of the Rotary Foundation, how our club benefits and how it may help the projects you're passionate about.  
 
George is a retired CPA and Certified Financial Planner, and serves as a Rotary Community Volunteer. He has had a distinguished Rotary career having served in many capacities, including District Governor for District 5890 from 2003-04, Delegate to the Rotary International Council on Legislation, 2021-22 District 5890 The Rotary Foundation (TRF) Endowment Fund Co-Chair, 2021-22 Endowment Legacy Club Committee Member, Awardee of The Rotary Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service and Distinguished Service Award, and member of The Arch Klumph Society.
 
All club members should have received notification of this meeting next TUESDAY, MARCH 19 @ NOON.  Remember to register for the meeting and you will receive reminders.  Also, the meeting zoom link will be found on the Calendar on our club website.
Speaker Series: The Rotary Foundation: Why it Matters Stan Edwards 2024-03-14 05:00:00Z 0

Spotlight on Polio Eradication - Mar 21 - Apr 7

You Are Invited to A New Exhibit Coming to Houston

I'm excited share with you information about Heartstrings: Connection to the World's Children, a new interactive and immersive exhibit curated by UNICEF USA that will bring the global challenges faced by the young to the forefront. This multi-city exhibit will kick off in Houston and run from March 21 to April 7. It is part of a 13-city journey over the next two years that will bring this exhibit to over 200,000 people. The event represents a collaborative effort to connect communities with the realities of kids worldwide. The immersive display will be carried out across eight zones in Post Houston, each dedicated to highlighting core pillars crucial for the success and future of the world's youth. The first part of the exhibit talks about birth to a few years old and what it's like being a child as a way to connect people to the things that are important for children in those first 1,000 days of their lives. Other sections in the show explore themes such as education and the importance of being heard.


Spotlight on Polio Eradication
Rotary’s work to eradicate polio will be prominently featured. A photo and story will depict this life saving work, and we and our partnership with UNICEF will be featured. Rotary along with the Gates Foundation are the only two organizations named in the exhibit, and our logo will also be featured as a partner at the entryway. Our work will be shared with hundreds of thousands of visitors to the exhibit, and we're hopeful that many Rotarians will want to go to the exhibit with their families to take pride in our polio eradication efforts, attend as a special club outing or attract prospective members to join us. UNICEF USA is offering special pricing to Rotarians with 10% in gratitude for our longstanding partnership with a dedicated ticketing page.  The exhibit is family-friendly and available in both English and Spanish.

For timed-entry tickets and more details, click this.

To learn more about what you'll experience during this exhibit, please view the first 1:45 of this video or read more in a recent issue of Houstonia Magazine.

Members of the Rotary Club of West U plan to go as a group on Sunday, April 7, 2024 at 4:30 PM.  All Rotarians and their families are welcome to join us!

Best Wishes and please let me know if you have any questions, 

Terry Ziegler
Past President, Rotary Club of West U (Houston, TX) 
Polio Eradication Update Newsletter Editor
Books for the World  - Second Wind Foundation Trustee 
Rotary Region 36 END POLIO NOW Coordinator 2024-27
713-825-1176
 
Spotlight on Polio Eradication - Mar 21 - Apr 7 2024-03-14 05:00:00Z 0

Designing Your Rotary Experience

GET INVOLVED IN WAYS THAT MATTER TO YOU 
Rotary offers benefits for people of all ages and backgrounds. From learning more about the world to learning more about yourself, you can grow by engaging with Rotary’s global network and the array of activities, programs, and interest groups that Rotary offers.

When you get involved in Rotary you expand your perspective by honing your skills, learning from professionals, making new connections, and making a difference in your community and around the world.

We know that each member has a unique combination of interests, skills, and talents, and so each member will be attracted to different activities. This guide describes the options you can choose from to personalize your Rotary experience and get involved in ways that matter to you.

Following is a blueprint of how to participate in Rotary and engage as a Rotarian:

ATTEND CLUB MEETINGS AND EVENTS.

Introduce yourself to members in your club to get
to know them better. Being genuinely interested in others shows people you value them, and these small interactions can lead to lasting friendships.  Our e-club offers a Speaker Series monthly on the third Tuesday at noon.  See the website calendar for information on the program.  On the calendar we will also post district events such as fundraisers, all district activities, special events, Rotary training programs. social activities, etc.

CREATE A MY ROTARY ACCOUNT.

When you register for a My Rotary account and create a profile, you can access Rotary’s online tools and locate and connect with members near and far using the Find a Member tool.  If you need assistance, do not hesitate to ask one of our board members.  This is very important to give you easy access to donating to the Rotary Foundation, finding a list of active global grants needing partners, Rotary training, Rotary interest stories, and more.

ATTEND DISTRICT MEETINGS AND EVENTS.

Clubs are grouped into more than 500 districts worldwide. By connecting with other clubs and leaders in your district, you can learn how to get involved in Rotary beyond your club and make a greater impact.

GET INVOLVED WITH CLUB INITIATIVES.

Volunteering to take part in a project, attend a meeting, or serve in a club role, such as being on a committee, will let you work with others in meaningful ways and contribute to your club’s impact. You can also suggest speakers from service and project partners or from other organizations that share Rotary’s values. Ask your club how you can help.  We encourage you to share YOUR ideas and find a "job" within our club.

VISIT ANOTHER CLUB.

You can locate Rotary and Rotaract club meetings to attend using the Find a Club tool. You might think of ways to collaborate on club activities or hear of an idea you want to try with your club. Visiting other clubs fosters new connections and inspiration.  You will always be welcome in any club around the world, and while traveling may make new friends, hear interesting speakers and learn how Rotary participates in their community.

JOIN A ROTARY FELLOWSHIP.

Meet others with similar interests by joining a Rotary Fellowship, an international group of people with a common hobby, identity, culture, or vocation. This is a fun way to make friends and explore a pastime or profession.  We have several club members who have joined the Rotary Wine Fellowship.  

JOIN A ROTARY ACTION GROUP.

These include people around the world who have expertise and passion in a particular area, such as economic development, education, the environment, or safe water. Join a Rotary Action Group to share your knowledge, develop your skills, and make professional and personal connections.  One of our members, Isis Meijas, initiated WASH-RAG (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Rotary Action Group).  Additionally, there are three groups dedicated to promoting peace - Peace, Refugees, Slavery Prevention.  Other groups focus on fighting disease - Addiction Prevention, Alzheimer's Dementia, Blindness Prevention, Blood and Organ Donation, Diabetes, Mental Health Initiatives, etc.

PARTICIPATE IN A ROTARY FRIENDSHIP EXCHANGE.
Experience different cultures and build international understanding and friendships. This program for Rotary members and friends prioritizes cultural immersion, international service, or vocational exchanges. Friendship Exchange participants take turns hosting one another in their homes and clubs.  The Charlesworth's. have enjoyed several memorable trips as part of Rotary Friendship Exchanges with South Africa, Estonia, New Zealand, and Germany.

SUPPORT YOUR CLUB.

You can help your club thrive by offering your expertise and skills through serving as a club officer, as a committee member, or in another role.

PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL SERVICE ACTIVITIES.

Find out what projects your club, neighboring clubs, and your district are working on and volunteer for one or more. Work with partners or conduct a community assessment to identify projects that would benefit your local area.  Robert Stein, Community Service Chair, suggests areas of focus for project themes each month.  In addition, we occasionally share projects of other Rotary clubs and they always appreciate more helping hands.  In our e-club we mostly have individual efforts rather than club planned projects due to our wide distribution of members across state lines and even other countries.  Robert would like to capture the time spent by our members in donating time and talent or money donated to community projects.

PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS.

Many clubs partner with clubs in other parts of the world to address a need in one of their communities. Together, they have more time and funding, as well as the expertise of members, partners, and Rotary program alumni to bring about sustainable, positive change. Find a project and get involved.  We have club members who are engaged with international projects in Guatemala, Ghana, Ukraine, Venezuela, and more.

JOIN THE EFFORT TO ERADICATE POLIO.

Raise awareness about Rotary’s work to end polio, donate to the PolioPlus Fund, or volunteer for a National Immunization Day. Post about polio on social media or include a link to endpolio.org in your email signature. Write to us to learn about upcoming trips for NIDs.  We ask each member to donate $50 or more to eradicate ate polio each year in addition to a donation to the Rotary Foundation,  

 
Designing Your Rotary Experience 2024-03-14 05:00:00Z 0

President's Message

Dear eClub Members,
Brittany and I had the chance to attend PETS together this month and do some strategic planning
for the upcoming year. One take way we both had was what an amazing club we have. After
hearing some of the unfortunate challenges other clubs are having, we both feel honored and
blessed to have such a supportive and encouraging club. Thank you.
As we prepare to take another step forward in developing the model eClub, I wanted to delve
deeper into the heart of our service-driven organization, by understanding the cornerstone of our
philanthropic efforts: The Rotary Foundation.
Established in 1917, The Rotary Foundation is dedicated to advancing world understanding,
goodwill, and peace. It serves as the charitable arm of Rotary International, supporting our
mission to bring positive change to communities locally and globally. Through our Foundation,
we expand our “social footprint” by transforming lives and making a lasting difference in the
world.
Here's a brief overview of what The Rotary Foundation does:
Humanitarian Projects: The Foundation funds humanitarian projects that address some of the
world's most pressing issues, such as promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water
and sanitation, saving mothers and children, supporting education, and growing local economies.
These projects are often collaborative efforts between Rotary clubs worldwide, ensuring that
resources are utilized efficiently and effectively.
Global Grants: Through global grants, Rotary clubs can access significant funding for larger-
scale projects that have a sustainable and measurable impact. These grants support projects that
align with Rotary's areas of focus and adhere to strict criteria to ensure accountability and
effectiveness.
Polio Eradication: One of the Foundation's most significant achievements is its commitment to
eradicating polio worldwide. Rotary, in partnership with organizations like the World Health
Organization, UNICEF, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has made tremendous
progress toward this goal, with polio cases reduced by over 99% since 1988.
Scholarships and Fellowships: The Rotary Foundation offers scholarships and fellowships to
support the next generation of leaders, scholars, and professionals. These programs empower
individuals to pursue academic and professional opportunities that align with Rotary's values of
service, integrity, and leadership.
Rotary Peace Centers: Through the Rotary Peace Centers program, the Foundation trains
individuals in peace and conflict resolution, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to
tackle the root causes of conflict and build sustainable peace in their communities and beyond.
As members of the Rotary Club, our support and contributions to The Rotary Foundation are
crucial. Every donation, whether big or small, makes a difference in our ability to carry out
impactful projects and fulfill our mission of service above self.
To help us further understand the importance of the Rotary Foundation, we have invited PDG
George Yeiter to speak about the Rotary Foundation, it’s impact on our club, your passion
projects and the world.
 
Yours in Rotary,
 
Stan Edward, President 2023-24
President's Message Stan Edwards 2024-03-14 05:00:00Z 0

WELCOME OUR NEW MEMBERS!

 
 
Nsajigwa John Mwakipesile -  John is a martial arts instructor/coach for ages four to adults.  After inquiring online and speaking with Rick Brady, District Membership Chair-Elect, and then. speaking with our club Membership Chair Michael Paladin Hasty, he decided to apply to our e-club.  He had already been aware of the good deeds done by Rotary around the world.  He says, "I know I can change the world by martial arts like any other form of education taught i can express philosophy of a better world through Martial Arts teaching that will impact the community."  John is divorced and lives in Houston.

 
 
 
T
Kevin Seok - Kevin is in the solar energy business in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  His business is in Grand Prairie and he lives in Mansfield, Texas.  He is interested in supporting worthy causes.  Also, Kevin enjoys photography, hiking, golf, and home improvement projects.  He was introduced to our club by our Membership Chair Michael Paladin Hasty.
Kevin Seok - Kevin is in the solar energy business in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  His business is in Grand Prairie and he lives in Mansfield, Texas.  He is interested in supporting worthy causes.  Also, Kevin enjoys photography, hiking, golf, and home improvement projects.  He was introduced to our club by our Membership Chair Michael Paladin Hasty.
 
 
WELCOME OUR NEW MEMBERS! 2024-02-22 06:00:00Z 0

Speaker Series - Invisible Battles: Everyone has the  Choice with SuicideFebruary 20 @ Noon

Everyone should have now received your invitation to register for our next Speaker Series at noon (CST) on Tuesday, February 20, 2024.  If you did not receive this communication please contact President Stan Edwards.
 
 
 
Invisible Battles:  Everyone has the Choice with Suicide
Understanding the Complexity of Suicide

Robin understanding the complexity of suicide involves recognizing the multifaceted nature of this deeply distressing and often tragic phenomenon. Suicide is not the result of a single cause but rather arises from a combination of various biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors. Mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, can contribute significantly, but they are only one piece of the intricate puzzle.
 
Our speaker, Ruth Shepard, a native of Guatemala, moved to California at the age of 3.  Ruth shares her story, experiences and challenges surviving her husband's death by suicide in 2011.  
 
Ruth had an illustrious career spanning over 25 years in the banking industry.  Currently serving as the President of the Lompoc Rotaryand overseeing the Lompoc Community Garden, she is deeply committed to enhancing the quality of life in her community. Ruth further extends her influence by contributing to the Lompoc Family YMCA as a valued member of the Board of Directors.
Speaker Series - Invisible Battles: Everyone has the Choice with SuicideFebruary 20 @ Noon 2024-02-12 06:00:00Z 0

Program:  The workspace is dead, long live the flowspace | Key Kawamura | TEDxBasel

Most workspaces have been conceived with an industrial production-line mindset. It's time to overcome that outdated model and create environments that help us feel in a true state of flow at work (sense of belonging, community values, peer learning, empathy). Based on experience, Key shares the principles governing the design of the flowspace: Curiosity, Conversation, Community and Care. Key is co-founder of Studio Banana. He's an architect by education and creative entrepreneur by miseducation. Together with his partners, he loves exploring the power of design as a tool for transformation. Key is the partner in charge of Work and Learning environment projects within Studio Banana, and is responsible for projects like the HQ of NTT Switzerland, the multimedia experience at Olympic House, the Nestlé R&D Accelerator or the pioneer EY wavespace in London. One of Studio Banana's most celebrated creations is the Ostrich Pillow. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.
 
Program: The workspace is dead, long live the flowspace | Key Kawamura | TEDxBasel 2024-02-12 06:00:00Z 0

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

As many of you know, one of my sons died by suicide a few months ago. Coping
with the aftermath of his loss has been an incredibly challenging and painful
journey, that has often required time, patience, and support. In the wake of such
a devastating loss, it's been essential to acknowledge and work through a myriad
of emotions that I’ve felt. Grief, guilt, confusion, and anger can be overwhelming,
creating a complex emotional landscape that needs careful navigation.
Initially, the shock and disbelief dominated my feelings, making it difficult to
comprehend the reality of him no longer being here. I’m not quite sure there is a
loss that hits on the same level as losing one’s child. As time progresses, my
emotions often give way to profound sadness and a sense of loss that feels
insurmountable. And, though I don’t personally feel it, the guilt that some of his
siblings and friends feel can be particularly debilitating, as questions of "what if"
and "why" haunt their minds.
Working through these emotions has involved a combination of self-reflection,
professional support, and connecting with others who have experienced similar
tragedies. A new friend who also lost his daughter put it so fittingly. He said, “we
are part of a very exclusive club that no one wants to belong to.” No truer words
have ever been stated. At times I must allow myself the space to mourn and
acknowledge my pain. If I find myself getting stuck, I will seek therapy or
counseling that can provide a safe and confidential environment to explore my
emotions, so I can get guidance on coping mechanisms and strategies for healing.
Moreover, connecting with my support network has been more important than
ever – friends and family have alleviated the isolation that often accompanies my
grief. Talking with other parents and who have lost a loved one from suicide has
also been of great value. Sharing my experiences and emotions with those who
understand the unique challenges of losing a loved one to suicide has fostered a
sense of community and understanding.
While my journey towards healing is neither linear nor easy, I know that seeking
help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Through time, self-compassion, and
support, I know I will gradually work through all my emotions and find a path
towards acceptance and resilience in the face of this devastating loss.
My son’s memory will stay with me forever. And I often find myself smiling or
laughing to myself thinking about some of our times together. Death may kill a
life, but it doesn’t kill the relationship.
If you’ve lost a child or a loved one to suicide, my deepest heartfelt prayers go out
to you. I understand your pain. I am thankful that I have been able to lean on my
faith, friends and family for support and encouragement……..including my Rotary
Family. Be sure to lean on yours!
 
President Stan Edwards
 
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Stan Edwards 2024-02-12 06:00:00Z 0

Volunteers Needed for Guerrero Clinic

Guerrero Clinic is located in the City of Guerrero Clinic in the State of Chihuahua, Mexico
 
Guerrero Surgery and Education Center is a non-profit organization that provides free eye care to patients in need throughout the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. Services include eye exams, eyeglasses, cataract surgery and dental procedures to indigent populations surrounding Guerrero, Chihuahua. You can help us by donating or volunteering with us.  Started by the Rotary Club of Brazosport, the Guerrero Clinic provides free eye & dental care to indigent people in the City of Guerrero, State of Chihuahua, Mexico.  More about the history of this project is following in this article.
 
We provide volunteer opportunities for medical and non-medical people, adults, students (high school age and up) and families. It is a great experience for parent/child or grandparent/child to share.
Serving multiple populations this clinic serves the Indigent people of Mexico, Mennonite, and Indian Population 
 
WHO SHOULD YOU CONTACT TO VOLUNTEER OR ASK QUESTIONS?
Walter Branson  979-236-1970  Walter@GuerreroClinic.org
Robert Yudkin 214-213-6808   Robert@GuerreroClinic.org
 
The next clinic will be March 28 thru April 3, 2022.  Clinics are held  approximately 4 times a year, the clinic will see 750-1200 patients at $0 cost to patients.
 
It takes both medical and non-medical (you'll be trained at the clinic) volunteers to make the clinic work.    
Come discover and celebrate diverse perspectives with a global organization. Learn about who you are as a person while exploring new cultures and peoples.

We are looking for American volunteers for the following roles.

  ~ Optometrists (1)
  ~ Ophthalmologists (1, experienced with dense cataracts)
  ~ Scrub techs (1)
  ~ Circulators (1)
  ~ Translators (4) (English/Spanish, English/German)  
  ~ Volunteers for pre/post op (4) 
  ~ Volunteers for other roles (5)
  ~ Construction (2) 
 

WHAT ARE THE COSTS FOR VOLUNTEERS?

Travel, accommodation & meal costs for the five day clinics are all inclusive (except for alcohol).

Cost to volunteer is $385 plus the cost of airfare. The volunteer fee includes ground transportation in Mexico, shared lodging in Mexico (see photo of accommodations below), just about all of your meals, AND the T-shirt. 

Because of COVID protocols. Do not purchase airfare without the approval of either Robert Yudkin or Walter Branson.

TO VOLUNTEER OR WITH OTHER QUESTIONS, CONTACT:

Robert Yudkin    214-213-6808   Robert@GuerreroClinic.org or
Walter Branson  979-236-1970  Walter@GuerreroClinic.org
 
Volunteers Needed for Guerrero Clinic 2024-02-06 06:00:00Z 0

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - JANUARY, 2024

My Fellow Rotarians,
It is with a great deal of excitement that we are rolling out a new tool that we believe will be very
helpful in helping us stay more connected as an eClub but will also create some better
efficiencies for our members and potential members.
Club communicator is a new member portal (on your mobile device) that will provide the
following:
1. Receive email and mobile announcements to club events & meetings.
2. Access the club calendar and future speakers.
3. Auto pay club dues
4. Pay for other club activities (i.e. concerts, events, sunshine/rain, donations, etc.)
5. Confirm your attendance at the meetings.
6. Track service hours (coming soon)
7. No login required.
8. And, more.
Look for an upcoming message to gain access to your new portal.
More information to come during our next meeting.
 
Stan Edwards, President
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE - JANUARY, 2024 2024-01-15 06:00:00Z 0

Speaker Series - Austin Armstrong February 16, 2024 at NOON CST

" Beyond the Hype: Harnessing AI to Drive Positive Change in our Communities"
 
Our speaker, Austin Armstrong, is a lifelong digital marketer, public speaker, host of the TikTok podcast BusinessTok, president of the Rotary Club of DuPont Circle, CEO of Socialty Pro, an organic SEO & Vertical Video marketing agency, and CEO of Syllaby, a brand new marketing tool that helps business owners create a social media content strategy in minutes. Austin has posted over 2500 videos on TikTok, tripling his own business’s revenue and thousands more across his clients’ accounts. Austin has leveraged his success on TikTok to gain millions of followers across every social media platform. Join this fascinating conversation as Austin shares his thoughts on this developing technology and it's impact on service organizations.
 
Speaker Series - Austin Armstrong February 16, 2024 at NOON CST 2024-01-15 06:00:00Z 0

Open World Reunion - February 2, 2024

Our Rotary e-Club of Houston has hosted two Open World teams who will be reunited virtually on February 2, 2024 via zoom to continue our friendships and relationships with speakers on Energy Security.  Members of our club will be joined by Rotarians in Corpus Christi who will host another delegation later this year.  Anyone is our club is welcome to join us, some who have met these delegates from their previous journey to Texas.  
 
The Open World Leadership Center is the first and only international exchange agency in the U.S. Legislative Branch. Congress established the Center in 2000 to administer the Open World program, which to date has hosted short-term professional visits across the United States for more than 24,000 current and future leaders from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus , Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Moldova, Mongolia, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
 
Congressional support for Open World has enabled leaders from countries without a history of representative democracy and independent legislatures to observe these aspects of American government firsthand. Most Open World delegations begin their U.S. visit in Washington, DC, where they often meet with Members of Congress and Congressional aides to discuss the legislative process, constituent relations, and topics related to the specific theme of the delegation’s exchange. These meetings reinforce one of the key messages that Open World exchanges seek to convey, which is that elected officials and their staff can and should be accessible to the public. And Congressional offices in turn get valuable exposure to young leaders who will shape the political and social development of their home countries. Open World also brings together delegates with staff of Congressional organizations such as the Helsinki Commission, and the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, allowing both sides to discuss their concerns and priorities.
 
During the program on February 2nd we will hear from each team member an employment update, share memories,  understand the challenges faced daily during war times, and how they are engaged in community service.   We will update the teams on their host families and provide some time for previous speakers to address the teams.
 
Save the date and watch for a zoom link which will be posted on our website when it is provided by Open World.  We will also list it on WhatsApp and send a reminder notice to you.  Even if you have not met these delegates I believe it will be an interesting meeting.
 
 
Open World Reunion - February 2, 2024 Robin Charlesworth 2024-01-15 06:00:00Z 0

Mark Your Calendars

Monthly Board of Directors Meetings - Second Tuesday each month @ Noon
 
Monthly Zoom Meetings with Speakers - Third Tuesday each month @ Noon
 
February 24  All-Club District 5890 Meeting @ Safari Ranch -
  *One more seat at our club table (#20) .  Contact Robin Charlesworth @ 970-880-0960 to sit at the club table, but more may still buy tickets - see district website.
 
March 4  Mental Health Summit @ 
 
March 8  International Women's Day
 
March 14 Rotary Night at the Rodeo
 
March 19 Speaker Series - The Rotary Foundation - Why We Support It & How To Give
 
April 25 - 28  "Cheeseburger in Paradise" District Conference 
Mark Your Calendars 2023-11-15 06:00:00Z 0

To Do List for Active Rotarians

1.  Attend the Meeting/Speaker Series on Tuesday,  March 19, 2024 at Noon CST.
2.  Read the newsletter and listen to the TedTalk (counts as a meeting credit).
3.  Update your own Biography on ClubRunner.  If you have already written yours, please read about another club member to get to know them better.
4.  Notify Robin Charlesworth or Wind Nguyen if you are not on the club's WhatsApp group.
6.  Community Service -   Donate to a clean water project or to    "End Polio Now".
7.  Reach out and call a fellow club member to build better friendships.
 
To Do List for Active Rotarians Robin Charlesworth 2023-11-15 06:00:00Z 0

What's Happening

Valerii Iakovenko - Over the last two years, our dedicated team has empowered over 90,000 families to achieve energy independence in Europe. But it's not just about empowering homes; it's about transforming businesses, fortifying critical infrastructure, and enhancing government facilities. This initiative is one of the most extensive of its kind on the globe, and my pride in our team's accomplishments knows no bounds.  Also,  "I'm thrilled to announce a landmark partnership with the All-Ukrainian Charitable Organization "Ukrainian Federation of Food Banks," as we signed a memorandum of cooperation. 🤝 This collaboration opens up new horizons for both our organizations, creating opportunities to extend our support to those in need, especially to children's hospitals, specialized schools, orphanages, and other social institutions."  And, he is starting an exciting chapter collaborating on initiatives focused on Veteran Affairs in Washington, D.C., under the Congressional International Leadership Initiative and the Department of State. "It's a privilege to be involved in such meaningful work, addressing the needs and concerns of our veterans."  Opportunities are endless for projects in Ukraine and we are so proud of our fellow Rotarian for growing his business with innovative solutions and plans for the future amidst bombings and war, in addition to giving back to his community.  Valerii now resides in Philadelphia with his wife, Sasha, who was our first Open World team facilitator.
 
ML Brookshire - Shared with our club members via WhatsApp an invitation to join the First Global e-Conference for Rotary e-Clubs.  When?  March 16 @ 11:00 am EST.  The zoom meeting link is as follows:
  passcode:  339532
Also, here is a nice pic of ML with Past RI President Jennifer Jones from the All-Club meeting -
 
Sidik Ibrahim - Gave generously at the All-Club District Meeting to become our club's newest member of the Paul Harris Society in our district.  The Paul Harris Society was established to recognize Rotarians and friends of Rotary who contribute at least 1,000.00 per person in their own names during each Rotary year (July 1 through June 30) to the Annual Fund or PolioPlus or approved grants of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
 
Harish Krishnarao - Busy with consulting with Rotary clubs district wide about Rotary Foundation grants.  Check out his. posting on our club WhatsApp group for the Global Grant process.  He offers support for approximately 20 grants in our district.  Typically, clubs apply for only one Global Grant at a time.   There are forms to complete, updates, and a final report required prior to submitting another grant,  Any questions about this process, please contact Harish.
 
Isis Meijas -  Featured in The Rotarian magazine this month!  Isis is passionate about Rotary and the grant process with success doing water projects and medical projects.  Read the article to get to know her better and to inspire you to be a part of making this world a better place.
 
 
 
 
 
Brittany Johnson and Stan Edwards - Attended PETS training to prepare for their leadership roles in our club with President-Elects all across Texas and Oklahoma.  A highlight was meeting other leaders of. e-clubs and planning to meet online. together to discuss issues relevant to management and growth of e-clubs. They were impressed with our incoming RI President-Elect Stephanie Urchick.  The 2024-25 presidential theme is The Magic of Rotary and called on members to recognize and amplify the organization’s power to save lives.
 
 
What's Happening 2023-11-15 06:00:00Z 0

Delinquent Dues - Pay by Dec 20th

Please pay your dues in the amount of our annual amount of $200 prior to the December 20, 2023.  It can be accomplished on the club website via PayPal or a check may be mailed to Treasurer, PDG Ed Charlesworth (11407 Hylander Dr.  Houston, TX.  77070).  If you choose to use PayPal you will also find an option to pay an additional $6.46 to cover the PayPal fees.  Remember, all donations for the club's Foundation are separate accounts as are donations to the Rotary Foundation which are made through the MyRotary site.  We are all volunteers and we appreciate you taking action to remain an Active Member of the Rotary e-Club of Houston.  
 
If you make the decision to terminate your membership, this must be done in writing to the Board of Directors and your dues must be current prior to successfully leaving our club.  We must receive this information before the 20th of this month or your membership will be terminated.  
 
We are developing a new billing system foe 2024 and members will be able to pay monthly, quarterly or bi-annually according to their selected preference.  This will be very helpful in the New Year.
Delinquent Dues - Pay by Dec 20th 2023-11-15 06:00:00Z 0

Program:  "The Power of Appreciation"


Leadership expert Mike Robbins explains the difference between being recognized for performance and genuinely appreciated for who you are. Filmed at the GGSC's November 2017 conference, Gratitude and Well-Being at Work.  Mike Robbins is a former professional baseball player and author. His work focuses on appreciation, teamwork, leadership and emotional intelligence.
Program: "The Power of Appreciation" Mike Robbins 2023-11-15 06:00:00Z 0

Speaker Series - Thursday, October 19 @ NOON

We will have our next Speaker Series at noon on Thursday, October 19, 2023.  Please join us for a panel discussion on "Diagnosis:  Cancer and the Mental Health Aspects for the Patient and for the Family".  We have several club members who will share their experiences and their journey.  Listen to how you can offer emotional support for family and friends who receive the diagnosis of cancer.  There are different ways to deal with cancer and it is important to discover what works best for each patient to deal with cancer.  While cancer is a physical illness, it has a significant impact on the mental health of the patients as well as those close to the patient.  We have all known someone who has taken this journey or may be currently dealing with this diagnosis.   Invite someone you know to share in our discussion.  Guests are always welcome!
Speaker Series - Thursday, October 19 @ NOON 2023-10-14 05:00:00Z 0

What's Happening

President Stan Edwards and Kim Rogers - Traveling across the USA from Antigua, Guatemala including the Carolinas, Illinois, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Texas and now unable to return to Guatemala due to political unrest and pro-democracy protests.
Ruby Powers - Attended the American Bar Association Law Practice Division Fall meeting  and had a fun night out with tickets to The Beatles Love Cirque du Soleil show.
Brittany Johnson - A fun girl's night at the Christmas in Cowtown. in Fort Worth even. though she already has her Christmas shopping completed.
Adriane Miller - Completed writing a screenplay with Bob Gunner, a paranormal spec screenplay "Eye of the Storm".  "A homicide detective is called to a hospice in Corpus Christi, Texas during a hurricane at the request of the mother of a person of interest in multiple missing person cold cases. Only to be forced to shelter in place during the storm which seems to strengthen multiple spirits that are haunting the building."
Robin Charlesworth - Recently elected as Vice-President of ICC USA-Ukraine for a three-year term.
Wind Nguyen - Represented our e-club at the Viet Cultural Fest 2023 - Taste of Vietnam at NRG Center. He was one of the artists in the Art Contest also.  PDG Nick Giannone was also enjoying the festivities.
Isis Meijas - Traveled to Greece while continuing to follow her passion for clean water and health issues such as malaria (did you know that malaria has killed more people than any other disease over the course of human history?).
Chopin and Joan Kiang - Optimism and prayers have helped pull Joan through cancer treatment and tests now show all malignant Lobular Carcinoma have been surgically removed and no lymph nodes show any cancer.  She is currently receiving radiation treatment for a couple of weeks.  Please continue to lift up Joan in your thoughts and prayers.  Our club send positivities vibes along with flowers to show support to this always generous couple.
What's Happening 2023-10-12 05:00:00Z 0

Community Service

March 2024
The Houston E-Club community service theme for February and March is Volunteerism – Health, Water & Sanitation – Polio. This is an opportunity for our E-club to focus on some KEY Rotary Areas of global service. Please spread the word and participate locally, individually in the name of rotary, and join our club in targeted events to demonstrate ACTIVE volunteerism making the world and our communities a better place. 
We ask that you communicate your participation in any of these activities and use our new communication platform to help us document our club’s execution of “Service Above Self” culture wherever you are.
 
Community Service Robert Stein 2023-10-06 05:00:00Z 0

Mental Health Summit May 4, 2024

WHAT:  Mental Health Summit
WHEN:  May 4, 2024.   9:00 am - 1:00 pm
WHERE:  Memorial Church of Christ

Rotary International President Gordon McInally has asked all of us to “become champions in our effort to illuminate mental health needs near and far”.  In this initiative he also says “we need to advocate for removal of the stigma talking about mental health, help people find better quality care, and support them through their journey to recovery”.
How can we all do this ?  Education on this topic is very important, and letting those ( of all ages)
know it’s ok to talk about mental health and to let them know what resources are available to them!
The District 5890 Mental Health Committee is planning a Mental Health Summit in March of 2024. Your help is needed. We hope to have a member of each club participate and I’m presently talking to the chairs of our Interact clubs and the Interact students themselves on September 30th at Round Up.
The Summit will consist of break out sessions with professional speakers in their areas of expertise in the mental field in the Houston area.  Soon the program including the list of speakers will be posted on our club website.  There will also be panel discussions with adults and with students. 
We would greatly appreciate your help! Please call me or email me if you are interested in helping:)
Sincerely,
Evelyn Traylor 
Rotary 5890 Mental Health Chair 
ebtrlr@aol.com
My cell:  281-794-0687 
Mental Health Summit May 4, 2024 Evelyn Traylor 2023-10-04 05:00:00Z 0
PRESIDENT's MESSAGE Stan Edwards 2023-10-04 05:00:00Z 0

Ukraine Culture & Spirit Program

On September 29, 2023, Rotary District 2232 organized an excellent program to share in the Rotary world.  The program is about an hour long, but I wanted to share it for those who would like to take time to view it and learn more about the culture of Ukrainians.  Our e-club has hosted two Open World teams from Ukraine with a focus on Energy Security.  We also have one member who lives in Ukraine - Valerii Iakovenko.  
Passcode:  YO$Z%B6i
Ukraine Culture & Spirit Program 2023-10-04 05:00:00Z 0

Welcome New Members!

Glenda Guzman Macal

 
 
HELGA MATTEI
 
Helga Mattei is returning to our e-club and was a Founding Member of our club.  She has returned to Houston and is eager to get back to volunteering as a Rotarian.  She loves to travel, and enjoys writing, reading and research. Woodworking and painting are activities she does in her spare time, too.  Helga is a Consultant and Life Coach.  Welcome back, Helga!

 
Glenda's Rotary classification is Education - Foreign Language Teacher.  Glenda already actively volunteers with our Rotary district committee in Youth Exchange.  Glenda is fluent in Spanish and enjoys multilingual education.  In addition, she enjoys Zumba, dance, real estate, and yoga meditation.  She is the finance of Ruben Santos.  Glenda currently lives in Stafford, Texas.  She met other Rotarians in the Houston area at our Halloween Party last year. Welcome to the Rotary e-Club of Houston!
 
 
 
Welcome New Members! 2023-10-04 05:00:00Z 0

Program:  How to Design Climate Resilient Buildings

Alyssa-Amor Gibbons designs environmentally conscious architecture that combines a reverence for nature with a sense of human interconnectedness.
 
Architecture can't ignore the realities of climate change. For time-tested solutions that perform under extreme conditions, designer Alyssa-Amor Gibbons says we should look to traditional buildings. Taking us to her home of Barbados, where the hurricane season is unforgiving and freak storms are becoming more frequent, Gibbons points to the brilliance of endemic designs that are built to work with nature -- rather than against it.
Program:  How to Design Climate Resilient Buildings 2023-10-04 05:00:00Z 0

Welcome New Member

Welcome, New Member Chris Kenney!

Chris lives in Arlington, Texas and his classification is Specialty Retail Management.  He was previously an Active Rotarian in the Rotary Club of Grand Prairie until 2022.  He has spoken with Membership Chair Michael Hasty and says, "I am eager to continue my membersguo in Rotary and to have the flexibility to attend online meetings when his schedule allows".  He is married and enjoys cooking, going to concerts and watching documentaries.  He would like to assist with Project Management of Rotary projects.  We are pleased to add Chris to our membership roster and looking forward to getting to know you as part of the Rotary family!

 
Welcome New Member 2023-07-24 05:00:00Z 0
A Rotary Minute 2023-07-24 05:00:00Z 0

Rebound Rotary Youth Exchange Program

Lynette Wilke, RYE District Committee Chair, Akin Olufowoshe, and PDG Ed Charlesworth contributed to a program geared towards the returning Rotary Youth students and their parents last Saturday.  Each student had completed a school year in another country which most likely led to personal growth, better international understanding,  and changes in self-esteem.  While each participant would have grown and matured had they remained in their own family and their own school, these changes are enhanced by the RYE experience of living with different families in another country and building so many new international friendships.  Time-out to process these changes and help their families recognize their growth and changed perspectives is very beneficial to all concerned.  The workshop held discussions related to "How have I changed", both positive and negative experiences about being home, exploring their relationships currently with family and friends, understanding realistic expectations for re-adapting to home, and specific suggestions for parents of the youth exchange students.  Some past youth exchange students helped facilitate the discussions, too.  It is understandable that "You cannot go abroad without coming home a changed person".   The Rotary Youth Exchange program is well-organized, comprehensive, and offers great support for students here and abroad, including their families.  
Note:  Our club is sponsoring a student from Germany this year who will arrive in August.  Also involved with RYE are the following members of our club:  Anais Watsky, PDG Nick Giannone, Ruben Santos, Shirin Parke Durant, Evelyn Traylor, and Elizabeth Nordin.  It takes many dedicated Rotarians to commit to recruiting students, training inbound and outbound students, finding host families, providing safety and security of the students, arranging transportation to district events (such as Houston Livestock & Rodeo or RYLA), and more.  Our club is well represented on the D5890 Rotary Youth Exchange District Committee.
 
Rebound Rotary Youth Exchange Program 2023-07-24 05:00:00Z 0

Speaker Series for July -  From Struggle to Strength

On Tuesday, July 25, beginning at 6:30 pm, we have a panel of Mental Health experts speaking on the topic "From Struggle to Strength".    Guests are always welcome, and it has been promoted on our D5890 website as well as our club's WhatsApp.  RI President Gordon McInally selected the Rotary theme,"Create Hope in the World".  

McInally said, Rotary members should offer hope to those affected by mental health challenges — a crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people have lost family members, many more have found their social networks uprooted, and young people especially have had their educational and developmental paths interrupted. As a result, more people around the world are facing mental health issues. And yet, seeking assistance is often perceived as a sign of weakness.  "Nothing could be further from the truth," McInally said. "Reaching out for help is courageous — and continuing on a path toward wellness is even more so."  He added that Rotary will work to improve mental health services in the next year and beyond. Rotary should be known as an organization that takes care of its members as well as the people it serves, McInally said. "Any mental health professional will tell you that by helping others, we essentially help ourselves." President Stan has chosen our first Speaker Series of the new Rotary year to focus on Mental Health in alignment with the focus of Rotary International President McInally.   Join us if you can tomorrow night.  We will record the meeting and post it on our website soon for those who may be unable to join us "Live".  

 
Speaker Series for July - From Struggle to Strength 2023-07-24 05:00:00Z 0

President's Message
 

Welcome to the New Year!  Well, at least, the new Rotary year. Unlike my predecessor, I have a face for radio, so at least for now, my update will be in writing. Maybe I’ll muster up enough courage next month to show my face on camera. But, for now this is what you get. I am excited, terrified, humbled, and honored to lead our eClub this coming year. A lot is still very new to me, but one thing I do know is that this club is filled with people who have a heart for service. And that makes all the difference in the world. I look forward to serving with you, learning from you and creating some more amazing memories together. Changing gears, let me ask you a question. If I asked you, “what is the purpose of our eClub?” what would your response be? In other words, why do we exist? I know on a grander scale we are to support and uphold the goals of Rotary International. But how do we do it given the uniqueness as an eClub. Is it different from community clubs? And, if so, how? What should our club look like in the future? And how do we get there?  These are questions I’ve been asking myself a lot these past few weeks. And, along with our Board of Directors, I hope to address in our next meeting. I fully believe because of our service footprint around the world, we are in a unique position to not only bring a great deal of value (that’s a word you’re going to hear me use often) to our club members, but also the projects they’re passionate about and the people they serve. We are not so unique. Did you know there are over 300 Rotary eClubs representing more than 6400 Rotarians around the world. I had no idea. But Brittany and I have discussed several ideas that could make our club unique in Rotary world and potentially the model for other eClubs.
Will you join us?
Stan
President's Message  Stan Edwards 2023-07-24 05:00:00Z 0
President's Message Britt 2023-06-17 05:00:00Z 0

Program:  Efficient leadership in the digital era

Charlene Li is CEO and Principal Analyst at Altimeter Group, and author of the New York Times bestseller "Open Leadership." She is also the coauthor of the bestselling book "Groundswell." She is one of the foremost experts on social media and a consultant and independent thought leader on leadership, strategy, social technologies, interactive media and marketing.
 
In business today, the need for innovation and rapid decision-making trumps yesterday's drive for efficiency. How does this influence what it means to be an effective leader? Charlene Li explains that it's less about control and more about empowerment: enabling employees to acquire the information they need, so they can make their own decisions.
 
Program: Efficient leadership in the digital era Ted Talk 2023-06-16 05:00:00Z 0

Welcome New Member - Evelyn Traylor

Welcome to our newest member - Evelyn Traylor!  Evelyn is transferring to the Rotary e-Club of Houston from the Great Houston Veterans Rotary Club in District 5890,  She has served as the Youth Protection Officer for our Rotary Youth Exchange students and is the incoming District Chair of Mental Health. She is committed to mental health issues and suicide prevention.  She also enjoys adult coloring for stress management and gardening. She is married and was introduced to our club by PDG Nick Gianonne.   She hopes to visit many clubs in our district as a speaker regarding mental health concerns.
Welcome New Member - Evelyn Traylor Michael Hasty 2023-06-16 05:00:00Z 0
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work ZD 2023-06-16 05:00:00Z 0

End of Year Celebration & Officer Installation

Please join us as we celebrate the successes of the Rotary year 2022-2023 with President Brittany Johnson leading our vibrant club on Tuesday evening, June 20, at 6:30 pm via Zoom.  We will also install the officers for the Rotary year 2023-2024.  The installing officer will be PDG Demetress Harrell.  The new board members will include the following:
Stan Edwards - President
Brittany Johnson - President-Elect
Charles Mickens - Secretary
PDG Ed Charlesworth - Treasurer
Robert Stein - Service
Chase Nielsen - Foundation
Robin Charlesworth - Club
Anais Watsky - Next Generation
 
We hope everyone will join us as we celebrate the accomplishments of our club this year and hear plans for the coming year!
 
 
 
End of Year Celebration & Officer Installation 2023-06-16 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary Foundation Giving BONUS +++

The Rotary Foundation and all worldwide Rotary clubs have a motto, "Every Rotarian Every Year".  That's right, we are encouraged to support OUR Foundation every year in some dollar amount plus another donation to END POLIO.  PDG Nick Giannone has announced a special BONUS for your giving to the Rotary Foundation.  "I thought I might try to help make us an All Paul Harris Member Club for 2023-2024.  So, I am going to give everyone an incentive to donate to the Rotary Foundation in 2023-2024.  Staring 7/1/24, I will credit you one point for every dollar you give to the Foundation or Polio Plus, up to 500 points or until I run out of points (around 20,000).  So, one can become a Paul Harris Fellow for $500 or less instead of $1,000.  Plus remember Bill Gates will triple what you give to Polio Plus!  A win, win, win situation for Rotary!  LET'S DO IT!  Come on, let's be an ALL PAUL HARRIS CLUB in the new Rotary year."

This is a great opportunity to elevate our giving status which is monitored by Rotary International and our giving level directly impacts how much we receive in return for District Grants each year.  There is no shortage on worthwhile projects, yet we always need more money to support identified projects.  Please consider giving a minimum of $100 annually to our Rotary Foundation.  To accomplish this login to My Rotary on the Rotary International website.  There you will find a DONATE button at the top right corner.  There are options for giving:  Annual Fund, PolioPlus, World Fund, Disaster Response, Pakistan or Ukraine.  We ask that you first select Annual Fund as a portion of these funds are returned to our district to support our District Grants.  Additionally, support for the Polio Plus Fund is encouraged each year until we successfully END POLIO.  
 
If you need assistance with this process and setting up a MyRotary login, please reach out to any of our Board members. Together we are making progress to "Make this World a Better Place".  
Rotary Foundation Giving BONUS +++ 2023-06-16 05:00:00Z 0

Community Service Goals - June & July

Our  community service theme for June & July is “Beat the Heat” – Concentrating service efforts to make the lives of those less fortunate more comfortable as the summertime & heat kicks into high gear. Two areas of specific needs are shown below with connection opportunities to volunteer and help in the Houston area. For those outside Houston look for similar needs and support opportunities in your community …. These needs are everywhere this time of year. Be proactive and represent Rotary wherever you are and please do so often!
 
 
Community Service Goals - June & July Robert Stein 2023-05-30 05:00:00Z 0

Mark your calendar - June 8th

Hope you can join us for the final program of this Rotary year on June 8, 2023 at 6:30 pm via Zoom.  We will hear from our club's Rotary Youth Exchange student from France.  She will share her story and experiences from this year in her school and with her host families.  She has been to several in-person Rotary events to meet some of our club members and is welcomed as part of the Family of Rotary.  She attended prom and has been engaged in the usual American high school activities.  She has been open to new experiences and will see more of the USA as she plans to join other RYE students on a West Coast Tour.  She returns home after celebrating our country's Fourth of July.  If you can log in earlier, we invite you to an Open Board of Directors meting which will begin at 6:00 pm.  
 
Our club is well represented in the district committee for RYE with the following members actively participating: Lynette Wilke, Anais Watsky, PDG Nick Giannone, Ruben Santos and Isabel Nordin.  Exchanges for students ages 15-19 are sponsored by Rotary clubs in more than 100 countries.
 

What are the benefits?

Exchange students unlock their true potential to:

  • Develop lifelong leadership skills
  • Learn a new language and culture
  • Build lasting friendships with young people from around the world
  • Become a global citizen
Mark your calendar - June 8th 2023-05-27 05:00:00Z 0

History of Rotary International

The first years of the Rotary Club

The first Rotary Club was formed when attorney Paul P. Harris called together a meeting of three business acquaintances in downtown Chicago, United States, at Harris's friend Gustave Loehr's office in the Unity Building on Dearborn Street on February 23, 1905.  In addition to Harris and Loehr (a mining engineer and freemason), Silvester Schiele (a coal merchant), and Hiram E. Shorey (a tailor) were the other two who attended this first meeting. The members chose the name Rotary because initially they rotated subsequent weekly club meetings to each other's offices, although within a year, the Chicago club became so large it became necessary to adopt the now-common practice of a regular meeting place.

The next four Rotary Clubs were organized in cities in the western United States, beginning with San Francisco,   then OaklandSeattle,  and Los Angeles.  The National Association of Rotary Clubs in America was formed in 1910.  On November 3, 1910, a Rotary club began meeting in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, marking the beginning of Rotary as an international organization.  On 22 February 1911, the first meeting of the Rotary Club Dublin was held in Dublin, Ireland.  This was the first club established outside of North America. In April 1912, Rotary chartered the Winnipeg club marking the first establishment of an American-style service club outside the United States.   To reflect the addition of a club outside of the United States, the name was changed to the International Association of Rotary Clubs in 1912.


In August 1912, the Rotary Club of London received its charter from the Association, marking the first acknowledged Rotary club outside North America. It later became known that the Dublin club in Ireland was organized before the London club, but the Dublin club did not receive its charter until after the London club was chartered.[citation needed] During World War I, Rotary in Britain increased from 9 to 22 clubs, and other early clubs in other nations included those in Cuba in 1916, the Philippines in 1919 and India in 1920.

In 1922, the name was changed to Rotary International. From 1923 to 1928, Rotary's office and headquarters were located on E 20th Street (now E Cullerton Street) in the Atwell Building.  During this same time, the monthly magazine The Rotarian was published mere floors below by Atwell Printing and Binding Company. By 1925, Rotary had grown to 200 clubs with more than 20,000 members.  During the 1930s there was an expanding conflict in Asia between Japan and China and the fear of a confrontation between Japan and the United States. In hopes of helping resolve these issues, a leading Japanese international statesman Prince Iyesato Tokugawa was chosen as the Honorary Keynote Speaker at Rotary's Silver (25th) Anniversary Convention/Celebration held in 1930 in Chicago. Prince Tokugawa held the influential position of president of Japan's upper house of congress the Diet for 30 years. Tokugawa promoted democratic principles and international goodwill. It was only after his passing in 1940 that Japanese militants were able to push Japan into joining the Axis Powers in WWII.

World War II era in Europe

Rotary Clubs in Spain ceased to operate shortly after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War.

Clubs were disbanded across Europe as follows:

Rotary International has worked with the UN since the UN started in 1945. At that time Rotary was involved in 65 countries. The two organizations shared ideals around promoting peace. Rotary received consultative status at the UN in 1946–47.

During the Third Reich, Rotary Clubs were grouped with Freemasonry as secret societies associated with Jews, and Nazi officials were banned from joining them. This was reversed in July 1933 after appeals but the club was forced to ban all Jews from membership. This led to several non-Jews quitting in solidarity. In order to survive the members tried to show their loyalty to the Nazi leadership, inviting government officials and high standing businesspeople like Hermann Schlosser who was a business manager for Degesch which supplied Zyklon B for use at death camps such as Auschwitz-Birkenau. After 1945, the Rotary club tried to control the damage by preventing members such as Hans Globke and Wolfgang A. Wick from being appointed presidents.

From 1945 onward

U.S. stamp commemorating Rotary International's 50th anniversary in 1955
Memorial seat, Melbourne, Australia

Rotary clubs in Eastern Europe and communist nations were disbanded by 1945–46, but new Rotary clubs were organized in many other countries, and by the time of the national independence movements in Africa and Asia, the new nations already had Rotary clubs. After the relaxation of government control of community groups in Russia and former Soviet satellite nations, Rotarians were welcomed as club organizers, and clubs were formed in those countries, beginning with the Moscow club in 1990.

In 1985, Rotary launched its PolioPlus program to immunize all of the world's children against polio. As of 2011, Rotary had contributed more than 900 million US dollars to the cause, resulting in the immunization of nearly two billion children worldwide.

As of 2006, Rotary had more than 1.4 million members in over 36,000 clubs among 200 countries and geographical areas, making it the most widespread by branches and second largest service club by membership, behind Lions Clubs International.   The number of Rotarians has slightly declined in recent years: Between 2002 and 2006, they went from 1,245,000 to 1,223,000 members. North America accounts for 450,000 members, Asia for 300,000, Europe for 250,000, Latin America for 100,000, Oceania for 100,000 and Africa for 30,000.

Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. Its stated mission is to "provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through [the] fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders".   It is a non-political and non-religious organization. Membership is by invitation and based on various social factors. There are over 46,000 member clubs worldwide, with a membership of 1.4 million individuals, known as Rotary members.

 

History of Rotary International 2023-05-27 05:00:00Z 0

Program:  Are Live-Saving Medicines Hiding in the World's Coldest Places?

Could the next wonder drug be somewhere in Canada's snowy north? Take a trip to this beautiful, frigid landscape as chemist Normand Voyer explores the mysterious molecular treasures found in plants thriving in the cold. These scarcely investigated organisms could hold immense medical promise, he says – so long as we work quickly enough to discover them.

About the speaker

Normand Voyer's work demonstrates the molecular richness of the Canadian Great White snowy North and the importance of stewarding its fragile ecosystems.
 
 
Program:  Are Live-Saving Medicines Hiding in the World's Coldest Places? 2023-05-27 05:00:00Z 0
Online Meeting - Rotary's People of Action: Champions of Inclusion 2023-05-27 05:00:00Z 0

Speaker Series:  Project Tharseo Place 

On Tuesday, August 22, at 6:30 pm Chase Nielsen will share his story of developing Tharseo Place, a residential treatment center which is now open now for teenage girls who are trafficking survivors.  Rotary is a partner with Tharseo Place to provide a safe place for these girls to live, eat and sleep.  They are provided with mental health support, educational opportunities and exposure to community service and various opportunities for fun.  Chase is a member of the Rotary e-Club of Houston and his wife Jenny is the Chief Executive Officer.
 
If you would like to donate to this project, please indicate your money is designated for support of Tharseo Place on the PayPal donation opportunity on our website.
Speaker Series: Project Tharseo Place Chase Nielsen 2023-04-17 05:00:00Z 0

Welcome New Members!

Membership Chair Michael Hasty recommended the following two members who were approved for membership in the Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, April 13, 2023.  Charles Mickens, Secretary, has added them to our active Member roster.
 
 
 
 
Bessye is ready to serve brings her expertise in project management and accounting skills. She loves to travel the world.  Bessye is married and lives in Grand Prairie, Texas.  Bessye is Controller is DeSoto ISD with responsibilities including financial services, accounts payable, payroll, federal grants, as well as purchasing services, and external contracted services.  Welcome, Bessye,  to the Family of Rotary!  
 
 
Meet Tarrance Jones who also lives in Grand Prairie, Texas.  She is a retired Special Agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms & Explosives.  She is single and ready to work and serve in our communities.  Tarrance enjoys crafting, working out and reading.   She is new to Rotary International.  Tarrance is running for a school board position - Grand Prairie ISD, Board of Trustee, District 2.  She is embracing retirement with meaningful activities!  Welcome to the Family of Rotary!
 
 
 
 
 
Welcome New Members! Robin Charlesworth 2023-04-17 05:00:00Z 0

Program:  "The Secret Ingredients of Great Hospitality"

Restaurateur Will Guidara's life changed when he decided to serve a two-dollar hot dog in his fancy four-star restaurant, creating a personalized experience for some out-of-town customers craving authentic New York City street food. The move earned such a positive reaction that Guidara began pursuing this kind of "unreasonable hospitality" full-time, seeking out ways to create extraordinary experiences and give people more than they could ever possibly expect. In this funny and heartwarming talk, he shares three steps to crafting truly memorable moments centered in human connection – no matter what business you're in.
Will Guidara • TED@BCG
Program: "The Secret Ingredients of Great Hospitality" 2023-04-17 05:00:00Z 0

Gardening with the Governor - Scores an A+

On Saturday,  March 24, 2023, DG Mindi Snyder invited Rotarians and Interactors to join her at Harvest for the Hungry to dig, plant, and learn.  Our e-club was represented by four members:  Harish Krishnarao, Wind Nguyen, PDG Ed Charlesworth and Robin Charlesworth.  Harvest for the Hungry depends on volunteers’ time, talent, and treasure to create a community free of hunger.  Harvest for the Hungry is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization fighting for those who struggle with food insecurity. Located in Oyster Creek, Texas, they are located on 61 acres, where they grow farm to table fruits, vegetables, honey, eggs, fish and other healthy foods to provide them to those in need.  We saw their new 4,000 square foot state-of-the-art education center which is an important part of their mission: “to help those in need help themselves with fresh and healthy farm-to-table food.” "We provide clients and the public with educational opportunities to learn about the various vegetable plants and fruit trees that grow in this area, how they are grown, their nutritional value, the benefits of healthy eating and how to prepare the harvested farm foods into a healthy and tasty meal."  Risha Broom has moved from the classroom to working full-time at Harvest for the Hungry, and she is quite at home  with demonstrating how to prepare fresh from the garden. meals and snacks to an audience.  We enjoyed fresh sweet peppers cooked with onions and herbs with some olive oil on toast points with goat cheese topping.  

Photos from Gardening with the Governor

 
 
Gardening with the Governor - Scores an A+ 2023-04-17 05:00:00Z 0

Open World Delegates Update

While in Houston,  the four Open World delegates produced a podcast with Mark LaCour.  He is providing a free link to YouTube if you would like to listen to their stories.  Mark produces podcasts specifically for oil & gas audiences, and this one is called "The Balance Point".   Mark says, "Tears are shed, friends are made, and the meaning of happiness is redefined.'
 
Open World Delegates Update 2023-04-17 05:00:00Z 0

COMMUNITY SERVICE

The Rotary e-Club of Houston community service theme for April & May is "Beautification" – Concentrating service efforts to improve the indoor and outdoor surroundings in our communities. It can be as simple as taking an arrangement from your flower garden by a nearby care facility or as complex as participating in a habitat for humanity housing project or local church initiative to improve an elderly or disabled neighbors home. This is an opportunity for our e-club to focus on some KEY Rotary areas of global service. Please spread the word and participate locally, individually in the name of rotary, and join our club in targeted events to demonstrate ACTIVE volunteerism making the world and our local communities a better place.  And let us know what you are doing as a Rotarian honoring our motto, "Service Above Self".  

COMMUNITY SERVICE Robert Stein 2023-04-17 05:00:00Z 0

SPEAKER SERIES - APRIL 20

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Join us to learn about "Lanterns for Light" with  guest speaker Protus Onyango.  Eradicate poverty in Kenya by supporting. This project was started to begin construction of the Lantern For Light Library in Sega, Kenya project to be completed 2021.  Additional projects include sanitary. pads for girls to remain in school, a special needs school, an urgent care unit, a. feeding program, and an e-learning center.   Thank you, Robert Stein, for bringing us this inspiration speaker!

 

SPEAKER SERIES - APRIL 20 Robert Stein 2023-04-17 05:00:00Z 0

OPEN BOARD MEETING - APRIL 13

All members. of the Rotary e-Club of Houston are invited to join our OPEN Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, April. 13, 2023 beginning at noon.  Reminder to all board members - add your notes to the agenda. prior to the meeting.  We will be discussing a new global grant to sponsor a safe home with school and counseling included for human trafficking victims.  If you know of other Rotary clubs who would. like to assist please advise so we make send a fundraising letter to additional Rotary clubs to reach our goal of $100,000.  We will also discuss our New. Officer Installation to be held in Antigua (also. on zoom).  We have several proposed new members and will discuss our. House Concert fundraiser with Shake Russell to be held on April 22. These ate. just some of the agenda items to be discussed this month.
 

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OPEN BOARD MEETING - APRIL 13 2023-04-12 05:00:00Z 0

FUNDRAISER - HOUSE CONCERT with Shake Russell on APRIL 22

All Rotary clubs need fundraisers to raise money to support service projects.  There is never a shortage of ideas or needs for service projects, but there seems to always be a need for more money to get things done.  We ask all members to support our club fundraiser. - a House Concert on Earth Day (April 22 2023) at 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm at the home of the Charlesworth's.  Tickets are $45 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.  We will have a Silent Auction with items such as 5 nights at Casa Corazon in Antigua, Guatemala; 3 nights at the North Face Lodge in Lake City, Colorado; gift certificates and other fine items.  Please consider how you may contribute to a successful event.  We need to sell tickets!!!  
 
The musician is Shake Russell, singer/songwriter for 50 years and winner of the "Living Legend" award given by the "Country Music Association of Texas."  Weaving sophisticated harmonies through his songs and drawing from various genres, Shake created a style of folk-rock that is uniquely his own.  Shake has released 30 albums in his career and more to come.  Shake’s latest CD, “Chasing the Song”, is a delightful array of original compositions that beautifully showcase the extraordinary talents of this singer-songwriter.  To fully appreciate and comprehend the magnitude of Shake’s contributions to music, one need only listen to his life’s work.  From his 1978 album “Songs on the Radio” to the 2018 “Chasing the Song”, Shake’s music is a testament to the reasons why he is so widely celebrated as a Texas Music Legend!
FUNDRAISER - HOUSE CONCERT with Shake Russell on APRIL 22 2023-03-29 05:00:00Z 0

ALL-CLUB MEETING - MARCH 30

All members are requested to attend our quarterly ALL-MEMBERS Meeting on Thursday, March 30th at 6:30 pm CST.   Each Board member will update our members on progress this year and present upcoming events.  Join us and be informed of what our e-club is accomplishing this year.  Hear more details about how you may join us in Antigua, Guatemala for new officer installation and service projects.
 
 
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ALL-CLUB MEETING - MARCH 30 Brittany Johnson 2023-03-29 05:00:00Z 0

Welcome New Member Jimmy Thai!

Warmest welcome to our newest member of the Rotary e-Club of Houston, Jimmy Thai!   Jimmy resides in San Diego, California and if President of Build a School Foundation, Inc. with 116 projects completed and currently 9 in progress.  These international schools are located in Vietnam, Cambodia, Cameroon, India and Laos.  Jimmy was our guest speaker in January, 2023 and has also spoken with other Houston area Rotary clubs. 
 
Jimmy escaped Vietnam 15 times, imprisoned twice, and witnessed police killed his brother. Through determination, he eventually arrived in America as a “Boat People” refugee. With no English, money, or education, he started as a janitor at Miramar College. 5 years later, he graduated from UCSD with a BSEE degree. He went on to earn his MSEE and MBA degrees, then attended Executive Leadership training at Harvard University, and Federal Executive Institute.
 
Welcome New Member Jimmy Thai! 2023-03-29 05:00:00Z 0

Relaunching after Career Breaks

What is relaunching?  Individuals who have taken several years of a break from work is transitioning from a reason to reject job applicants to normalizing the decision to take a career break and recognizing this untapped talent pool for what it is: highly educated, experienced, and motivated.  With some companies, career breaks may actually provide eligibility apply for and participate in employment opportunities for retraining and return to work programs.
 
Relaunching after Career Breaks 2023-03-29 05:00:00Z 0

Program:   3 Steps to Help Kids Process Traumatic Events

Our children have experienced various traumatic events  - weather events, health events, life and death threats in their schools, knowledge of war in Ukraine, and post-pandemic stress.  Dr. Edward Charlesworth expresses that the patients he is seeing in his private psychological practice seem. to be experiencing more severe depression than has been the norm.  A growing sense of helplessness and hopelessness requires awareness of emotional health and knowledge of how to gain support or seek professional intervention.  Listen to this TedTalk to hear how to talk with children about the world today.  It is only a ten-minute talk but may be helpful as a beginning to navigate difficult topics with our children.
Program: 3 Steps to Help Kids Process Traumatic Events 2023-03-29 05:00:00Z 0

Community Service - Project Cure

On Tuesday, February 28, we are packing medical supplies at Project Cure to send overseas.  There are tremendous needs in Turkey and Ukraine, as well as other countries with needs for assistance.  Our work session will begin at 12:30 pm with an Orientation and then we will work until 3:00 pm.  A volunteer application must be completed prior to the event.  Contact Robin Charlesworth if you may join us in this volunteer community service project and work alongside out Ukrainian guests.
 

Project C.U.R.E. was founded in 1987 to address the staggering shortage of medical resources around the world. Since our humble beginnings in a garage in Colorado, Project C.U.R.E. has become the world’s largest distributor of donated medical supplies, equipment and services to doctors and nurses serving the sick and dying in more than 135 countries. 

Each week Project C.U.R.E. delivers approximately three to five semi-truck-sized ocean containers packed with the medical equipment and supplies desperately needed to save lives in hospitals and clinics in resource-limited countries. In addition, each year hundreds of healthcare professionals travel with Project C.U.R.E. to provide medical treatment to communities in need and training to those dedicated to serving them. Project C.U.R.E. is supported by over 30,000 volunteers annually and operates distribution warehouses in seven U.S. cities. 

Their focus is on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, Ebola, and COVID19. Volunteers work alongside health experts to treat victims of earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters as well as societal crises.

Their programs are funded by grants from the U.S. government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and by the generous support of philanthropic foundations, corporate partners and individual donors from all walks of life. "We’re proud to say that we’re regularly ranked as one of the top charities in America by Charity Navigator, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Guidestar, Top Nonprofits, and Forbes Magazine, and were recently given a Top COVID-Relief distinction by Charity Navigator. "

At the heart of Project C.U.R.E. are people like you who are willing to get involved. Together we can change the world!

 
Community Service - Project Cure Robin Charlesworth 2023-02-28 06:00:00Z 0

2023 District Conference - April 27-30,  2023 in Fort Worth!

Grab your boots...pack your bags & saddle up!  
Our herd is headin' to Fort Worth for our 2023 Rotary District 5890 Conference on April 27-30, 2023!
 
The District Conference Committee has been working together to plan an "District 5890 Texas-Size Celebration" to help all of us celebrate the great work that our clubs have done to help others.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR DISTRICT CONFERENCE WEBSITE WITH ALL THE DETAILS!

Date:  April 27-30, 2023
Location:  Hilton Fort Worth - $179/night - Hotel Reservation Link  *room block expired April 5th
Conference Registration:  $395 (After Jan 31, 2023)
Rotaractor:  $225
 
Conference Golf Tournament - Thursday, April 27th - Tierra Verde Golf Club
 
Our RI Representative is not only Rotarian Becky Giblin who is the Chair of Rotaract Oceania Multi District Information Organization from Auckland, New Zealand, but also a Rotaract Rockstar who we will learn so much from as she shares her passionate stories about how we will grow Rotary together.  This quote on her Linkedin Profile speaks volumes "Creating opportunities to help make a difference is what drives me and I firmly believe in people and their ability to do great things when given the chance to do what they love."
 
And don't forget that we will celebrate all of the outstanding recipients of the awards for President and Club of the Year in the 3 size categories of small, medium and large, as well as see who wins the coveted Rotarian and AG of the year award.  We will also honor our very special Service Above Self recipient for his prestigious award. 
 
Don't forget to get your District Annual Fund Raffle tickets to Fort Worth as the drawing will be held there for a 4 night trip for up to 6 guests to the awesome Coastal Cozumel Beach Villa plus airfare.  We want to make sure that our Annual Fund Donations live up to the District 5890 expectations so after we share about some exciting global grant projects that we are currently supporting, we will also be asking for clubs to help support future projects as 50% of the donations to the Annual Fund this year will be returned during DGND Dr. Tom Kelchner's year to support District and Global Grants.  
 
Final reminder is for the District Service Project which is also a fundraiser for Polio to help meet the minimum level $50 Million Gates 2-to-1 Match as we are selling the Zoo of Love Animals and there is a PowerPoint attached that shares the beautiful story of how this not only will benefit the children at Cook's Children's Hospital when we deliver the animals to them, but supports Polio which we are committed to help END and also supports a Woman Owned Business that supports employees with Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Thank you to all of our Clubs that have exceeded the requested $1,500.00 Polio donation per club and it is not too late for everyone else  At a minimum we would really like to see 100% of our clubs supporting Polio so buying a few $40 stuffed animals to be donated for this Service Project will help you get there if you have not done your own Polio Fundraiser.  We must continue to advocate and push to End Polio!  This has been a very long-term effort and Rotary needs to help see it to the end by doing all we can to spread awareness and raise funds. 
 
This is always a fun time to really get to know your District 5890 Rotary family and to enjoy and celebrate together all of the memories made this year.  If you have photos to share, Nguyen Nguyen (Rotary e-Club of Houston) will work to put us together some special moments from our Imagine Rotary year so please reach out to him to see how to get those to him at winddlk@gmail.com and watch for them on the BIG SCREEN.
 
See you all in Fort Worth if I don't see you out and about at the many upcoming events first!  Thank you all for your continued service. 
 
Mindi Snyder 
El Campo Rotary Club
District Governor 2022-23
Rotary International District 5890
2169 Wilson Road, El Campo, TX  77437
979-541-9215
 
 
 
 
 
2023 District Conference - April 27-30, 2023 in Fort Worth! 2023-02-15 06:00:00Z 0
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING - March 9, 6:30 pm 2023-02-15 06:00:00Z 0

Speaker Series -  All about Interact

On Thursday, February 16, at 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm we will have guest speakers from Klein High School share about their Interact Club. Interact is Rotary International’s service club for young people ages 14 to 18.  There are 14,911 Interact clubs worldwide in 145 countries. In Rotary District 5890 we have 62 Interact clubs with more than 3,000 members.
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 Interact clubs are sponsored by individual Rotary clubs, which provide support and guidance, but Interact clubs are self-governing and self-supporting.

Club membership varies greatly. Clubs can be single gender or mixed, large or small. They can draw from the student body of a single school or from two or more schools in the same community.

Each year, Interact clubs complete at least two community service projects, one of which furthers international understanding and goodwill. Through these efforts, Interactors develop a network of friendships with local and overseas clubs and learn the importance of

  • Developing leadership skills and personal integrity
  • Demonstrating helpfulness and respect for others
  • Understanding the value of individual responsibility and hard work
  • Advancing international understanding and goodwill                    
 
Speaker Series - All about Interact 2023-02-15 06:00:00Z 0

Webinar - March 23 on "Promoting Projects"

Promoting Projects: Tell Your Story

Thu, 23-Mar-2023 10:00 am (60 min)

Level: Beginner

USE THIS LINK TO REGISTER FOR THE ENTIRE, 5-PART SERIES. 

This webinar will be offered in English, Chinese, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. Everyone who registers will receive access to the recording. Telling your story of service and positive change is an essential part of carrying out service projects. It’s especially important to share how you overcame any challenges, the lessons you learned, and tips for how other people can best approach similar projects. 

Language: English

Webinar - March 23 on "Promoting Projects" 2023-02-15 06:00:00Z 0

Rotary International Convention in Melbourne

The Host Organising Committee is very excited to welcome Rotary members and guests to Melbourne for the 2023 Rotary International Convention.   Known as one of the world’s most livable cities, you will enjoy what we take for granted, a beautiful, vibrant and cosmopolitan city.  

Set on the shores of picturesque Port Phillip Bay, the southern-most city of mainland Australia  Melbourne is rich in aesthetics, with its beauty enhanced by the meandering Yarra River, immaculate parks and gardens, public art, classical buildings and innovative design.  

Iconic Flinders Street railway station is the meeting point for all people when they come to Melbourne. Start your journey there and enjoy a great coffee and discover what Melbourne has to offer. 

With interlocking laneways with graffiti art and the buzzing inner-city precinct reveals one-off boutiques and world-class restaurants, while our larger modern department stores and shopping complexes compete to enchant the most discerning shopper. Melbourne is culturally diverse and is globally recognised as one of the most concentrated dining and fashion cultures in the world. 

Melbourne is the heart of Australia's major sports: Formula 1, Melbourne Cup (the race that stops a nation), Australian Tennis Open, and the mighty Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) which is home to Australian cricket and our unique Australian Football League (AFL).

Just a short drive from the heart of Melbourne, you can take one of the world's iconic drives along the Great Ocean Road. Head north to the Murray River and sit amongst the great river red gums or relax with a glass of local wine on a river paddle steamer. Or, if you prefer, head to Phillip Island. Here you can visit the koala sanctuary and see the world-famous fairy penguin parade in the evening. Step back in time - head to Ballarat and try your hand at gold panning at Sovereign Hill. Visit the Yarra Valley,  home of great cool climate wines, chardonnay, pinot and sparkling. There are unlimited adventures and discoveries to be had, just a short distance from Melbourne City. 

Please keep visiting this site because we will be regularly posting new exciting activities and information. We look forward to welcoming you to our great city. 

Mary Barry 
Chair Host Organising Committee 2023 

https://rotarymelbourne2023.org

Rotary International Convention in Melbourne Robin Charlesworth 2023-02-15 06:00:00Z 0

Rotary Responds to Earthquake in Turkey & Syria

Turkey and Syria were struck by a devastating earthquake on 6 February that has killed tens of thousands of people, destroyed thousands of homes and other structures, and left people across the region without shelter in bitterly cold winter weather.

The Rotary world responded to this catastrophe immediately. RI President Jennifer Jones activated our disaster response efforts, communicated with the affected districts, and encouraged governors in those regions to apply for disaster response grants and share information about their relief efforts so that Rotary can amplify the calls for support.

The Rotary Foundation Trustees decided that all donations made, from now until 31 March, to the Turkey/Syria Disaster Response Fund will be used to aid earthquake relief projects. In addition, the Trustees made available more than $125,000 to Rotary districts affected by the earthquake through Disaster Response Grants.

Rotary's project partner ShelterBox also has an emergency response team assessing the needs in the region and how it can respond. That team is communicating with Rotary district leaders. Rotary's service partner Habitat for Humanity International is also working on its response. Many Rotary members are asking how they can help. Here's how to have the greatest impact:

  • Give to Turkey/Syria Disaster Response Fund. Donations help clubs and districts provide aid and support rebuilding efforts where the need is greatest. The funds are distributed to affected communities through disaster response grants. The Disaster Response Fund can accept cash contributions and District Designated Funds (DDF).
Rotary Responds to Earthquake in Turkey & Syria 2023-02-15 06:00:00Z 0

Program:  What If Buildings Created Energy Instead of Consuming It?"

Ksenia Petrichenko transforms the buildings where we live and work, reducing their environmental impact and the amount of energy they consume.
 
Buildings are bad news for the climate -- but they don't have to be. While our structures are currently responsible for a third of global energy consumption and emissions, a future where they create more energy than they consume is possible. Energy policy analyst Ksenia Petrichenko has a three-tiered strategy for thinking differently about buildings, transforming them from passive users to active players in the energy system and bringing us closer to our climate targets.
Program: What If Buildings Created Energy Instead of Consuming It?" Ted Talk - Ksenia Petrichenko 2023-02-15 06:00:00Z 0
WELCOME DINNER FOR UKRAINE OPEN WORLD TEAM Robin Charlesworth 2023-02-15 06:00:00Z 0

OPEN WORLD DELEGATES  Feb 24 - Mar 4

 
Our Rotary e-Club of Houston will be hosting a delegation of four energy experts from Ukraine sponsored by our US Congress in the Open World program.  
 The Congressional Office for International Leadership (COIL) is an independent government agency of the United States Congress which implements and funds the Open World program. This program brings leaders from partner countries to the United States in order to give them first-hand exposure to the American system of participatory democracy and accountable governance.  
 
Their orientation will be held in Washington, DC and I have requested a meeting with Senator John Cornyn.  Houston is a major energy city and I have experience with hosting one previous Ukrainian team in 2019 with OpenWorld who focused on Renewable Energy. With the onset of the Russian invasion which has targeted  power plants, this team is interested in both short-term and long-term energy solutions as well as regulations relevant to procurement, production, and transportation of various sources of energy.  They are focused on sustainability policies and issues related to energy transition.
 
“More than 3,300 Ukrainians have participated in the Open World program and its network of rising star alumni in key government agencies and throughout the private sector has helped move forward the reforms that the Ukrainian people, its government and we at the Embassy support.”
 
The Open World team consists of two women and two men, one Open World facilitator and one translator (as several have only basic English skills).  Throughout the week we have an agenda which will introduce them to programs across Houston as the" Energy Capital of the World" and on Friday, March 3, the team will present the luncheon program at the Memorial Spring Branch Rotary Club.  
 
Special thanks to the following in our club who have assisted with the agenda:  Chopin Kiang, Anais Watsky, Akin Olufowoshe, Olivia Hernandez, Brittany Johnson, and Robin and Ed Charlesworth.  
 
If you are free to join us during the week, please contact Robin Charlesworth.  The agenda will be on the website soon.  On February 25 we will tour the George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, celebrate Texas Independence Day at Washington-on-the-Brazos, and wind down at Messina Hof Winery in Bryan with wine and appetizers.  On Sunday, February 27, the group will go to the Johnson Space Center/NASA in Clear Lake.  Our Welcome BBQ Dinner is also Sunday night from 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm ($25 per person).  On Tuesday night we will go to the Rockets Basketball game.  These are our Cultural activities during their week.  We will also have a Wrap-Up Dinner on Friday, March 3 at the home of the Charlesworth's.   If you want to join us, let me know so I can get tickets for all.
 
OPEN WORLD DELEGATES Feb 24 - Mar 4 2023-02-15 06:00:00Z 0
District ALL_CLUB MEETING MARCH 15 2023-01-20 06:00:00Z 0
President's Message- January, 2023 Brittany Johnson 2023-01-20 06:00:00Z 0

Community Service for January

The Houston E-Club community service theme for December and January is providing Goods & Presents along with fulfilling other needs. In December, we collected 18 coats in our coat drive and provided them to The Star of Hope – homeless shelter, just ahead of the hard freeze in Houston.  In January we continue our community service by filling our communities’ gaps to help the needy and volunteer.  Remember to log your volunteer activity on out website so we may track our "Humanitarian Footprint" for the Rotary year.  
 
How do members log their time for service?  Go to the club website Home Page. "Giving Back" - drop down to Community Service - Members. Complete your information. Thank you!
Community Service for January 2023-01-18 06:00:00Z 0

What's Happening

Eunice Mbarika - Holiday travels took Eunice to explore France the the area arround Annecy (near Mont Blanc). She reported less snow than expected by skiers but thoroughly enjoyed the scenery nonetheless. She continued her travels to Perigeux and Paris prior to returning to Cameroon.
 
Ed and Robin Charlesworth- Embarked on an expedition to Antarctica with frequent sightings of penguins and whales.  Also enjoyed a reunion with Renata Viglione in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Renata was hosted by the Charlesworth's as a GSE (Group Study Exchange participant some years ago.  The provided a great walking tour or her home town (Robin showed more than 17,000 steps that day!).  
 
Chopin and Joan Kiang - All Aboard!  Also enjoyed a cruise recently to ports in Mexico as a delayed celebration of their 30th wedding anniversary.  He had a break from cooking onboard but jumped back into cooking upon their return home. He and Joan cooked and served the Tri- City Mental Health Veterans Appreciation Luncheon. 
 
Robert Stein - Delivered the donations brought to the Christmas Party to Star of Hope who were appreciative of the warm blankets and clothing.  
 
President Brittany Johnson - Assisted her younger son with a Hot Cocoa Stand last month and raised $300 for Children's Miracle Network.  It turned into a full block birthday 6th birthday party (actual party planned for in January) and her son designed the largest ice cream sundae EVER to share with everyone.
 
Lynette Wilke and Anais Watsky - Interviewed long-term outbound youth exchange students to represent RotaryDistrict 5890 as this program has been reactivated hence Covid.  
 
Ruby Powers - Started her second semester at South Texas College of Law Houston teaching Law Office Management. So much class demand, I let them nearly double the size to 35 students. 
 
Isis Meijas - Traveled to Bogota, Columbia earlier this month and Costa Rica.
What's Happening 2023-01-18 06:00:00Z 0

District Leadership Training for 23-24

Our President-Elect Stan Edwards will be attending PETS (President-Elect Training Seminar) to prepare for his year of leadership with the Rotary e-Club of Houston. He is working on building his Board of Directors so if he calls upon you to ascertain your level of interest in serving in club leadership, please give it sincere consideration.  OurGovernor-Elect comedown with Covid and had to delay the planned training.  It will now held on February 11 - SAVE THE DATE.  PDG Michelle Bohreer, District Trainer, will advise us of the new location soon.
District Leadership Training for 23-24 2023-01-18 06:00:00Z 0

Program:  What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness

What keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life? If you think it's fame and money, you're not alone – but, according to psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, you're mistaken. As the director of a 75-year-old study on adult development, Waldinger has unprecedented access to data on true happiness and satisfaction. In this talk, he shares three important lessons learned from the study as well as some practical, old-as-the-hills wisdom on how to build a fulfilling, long life.  
Robert Waldinger is the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, one of the most comprehensive longitudinal studies in history.
 
Program: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness TEDxBeaconStreet 2023-01-18 06:00:00Z 0

Our Causes - ROTARY  INTERNATIONAL

Rotary is dedicated to causes that build international relationships, improve lives, and create a better world to support our peace efforts and end polio forever.  Our  focus areas in service projects, training, and education are shown below.  Rotarians are encouraged to plan effective interventions in these areas.

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Basic Education & Literacy

  Our goal is to strengthen the capacity of communities to support basic education and literacy, reduce gender disparity in education, and increase adult literacy.  This is a problem in our own backyards, too.  The adult literacy rate is 81%, with 19% of adults lacking basic prose literacy skills. Did you know that 4.8 million Texas adults are in need of adult education?   Our goal is to strengthen the capacity of communities to support basic education and literacy, reduce gender disparity in education, and increase adult literacy. We support education for all children and literacy for children and adults.

 

Maternal & Child Health

Nearly 6 million children under the age of five die each year because of malnutrition, poor health care, and inadequate sanitation. We expand access to quality care, so mothers and their children can live and grow stronger.

 

Peace & Conflict Prevention/Resolution

 Rotary encourages conversations to foster understanding within and across cultures. We train adults and young leaders to prevent and mediate conflict and help refugees who have fled dangerous areas.  Today, over 70 million people are displaced as a result of conflict, violence, persecution, and human rights violations. Half of them are children.  By carrying out service projects and supporting peace fellowships and scholarships, our members take action to address the underlying causes of conflict, including poverty, discrimination, ethnic tension, lack of access to education, and unequal distribution of resources.

Disease Prevention & Treatment

  We educate and equip communities to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases like polio, HIV/AIDS, and malaria. We improve and expand access to low-cost and free health care in developing areas. Prevention is important, which is why we also focus on health education and bringing people routine hearing, vision, and dental care. We educate and equip communities to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases.

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene

Providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene- We support local solutions to bring clean water, sanitation, and hygiene to more people every day. We don’t just build wells and walk away. We share our expertise with community leaders and educators to make sure our projects succeed long-term.  When people have access to clean water and sanitation, waterborne diseases decrease, children stay healthier and attend school more regularly, and mothers can spend less time carrying water and more time helping their families.  Through water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs, Rotary’s people of action mobilize resources, form partnerships, and invest in infrastructure and training that yield long-term change.

Community & Economic Development

We carry out service projects that enhance economic and community development and create opportunities for decent and productive work for young and old. We also strengthen local entrepreneurs and community leaders, particularly women, in impoverished communities.Nearly 800 million people live on less than $1.90 a day. Rotary members are passionate about providing sustainable solutions to poverty.  

Our members and our The Rotary Foundation work to strengthen local entrepreneurs and community leaders, particularly women, in impoverished communities.  We provide training and access to well-paying jobs and financial management institutions.

Protecting the environment

 Rotary members are tackling environmental issues the way they always do: coming up with projects, using their connections to change policy and planning for the future.   We are committed to supporting activities that strengthen the conservation and protection of natural resources, advance ecological sustainability, and foster harmony between communities and the environment. We empower communities to access grants and other resources, embrace local solutions, and spur innovation in an effort to address the causes and reduce the effects of climate change and environmental degradation.

  

Our Causes - ROTARY  INTERNATIONAL 2023-01-18 06:00:00Z 0

Hearts for Guatemala

Join us on Zoom for the Speaker Series this Thursday at 6:30 pm (CST) to hear Kim Rogers speak about Hearts for Guatemala.  Donations for the project are mounting and plans are in progress to build a library.  Several club members will be making a site visit at the end of January,  2023. We have applied and been approved for a district grant, too. Of course, not everyone can go in person.  Join us to find out how things are progressing and perhaps how you can help.  Giving Tuesday raised $1,100 for this project.
 
ZOOM ID#. 891 2440 6960
Hearts for Guatemala Kimberly Rogers 2022-12-14 06:00:00Z 0

FINAL CALL FOR  DUES

Some have still not paid dues for this Rotary year. The annual dues are $200.  We need to cut-off those who have not paid or have not notified us on December 18, 2022. The reason for the hard deadline is that we have already paid both RotaryInternational and RotaryDistrict 5890 for July 1 - December 31, 2022. Our roster of names at the end of the calendar year is how Rotary International will base billing for January1 - June 30, 2023.  We will have to pay for every name on the list. If you have chosen to leave our club, please put it in writing to our Club Secretary, Charles Mickens (ccmickens@gmail.com).  And if you have not paid,  we will still need a check for $100 to cover what we have already paid in dues. We hope everyone will remain in the club, and recognize that there is a season when each member has more time to give of their time, talents, or donations. Sometimes life just get too busy and your time for volunteering may be limited. That's o.k.  Just please keep us informed.   All we ask is(1) read the newsletter once monthly, (2) visit our website to check the calendar, make donations, catch-up.  Pick up the phone and call another member at your leisure.
Questions should be directed to PDG Ed Charlesworth (charlesworth@stresscontrol.com).
FINAL CALL FOR DUES 2022-12-14 06:00:00Z 0

Welcome new Member!

Welcome to the newest member of the Rotary e-Club of Houston - Lisa Frederick!  Lisa lives in Kingwood just north of Houston and commutes into downtown Houston for work as a legal analyst.  She has several friends who are active Rotarians and has been inspired by their contributions to others.  She will be inducted officially as a member during the holiday party, with visiting Rotarians Sonya Heath, Irene Hickey and Lindsay Kroll.  Robin Charlesworth has known Lisa for several years as they have skied together in Crested Butte, Colorado on trips organized by Irene Hickey, Lisa has already participated in a Rotary Friendship Exchange to France last year. She is "pup mom" to 4 precious King Charles spaniels.  She also has one grown daughter and one married son,
Welcome new Member! 2022-12-14 06:00:00Z 0

Understanding Homelessness

In the Houston region, 50% of homelessness is caused by an economic crisis (job loss, bills become higher than earnings), debunking common stereotypes that homelessness is overwhelmingly caused by substance use – which actually accounts for less than 10% of homelessness locally (from Coalition for the Homeless).   The 2022 Homeless Count & Survey shows that we can expect to see 3,223 people experiencing homelessness at any given moment in the Houston region.  We all see the homeless begging on street corners in our various cities or tents set up in parks or under freeways.  How did their lives lead to homelessness, we may ask ourselves.  What can we do?  First, we can become better educated on the issues surrounding homelessness.  Then we can proceed to donating, volunteering, or even advocating for these individuals or families.  
 
Becky Blanton planned to live in her van for a year and see the country, but when depression set in and her freelance job ended, her camping trip turned into homelessness. In this intimate talk, she describes her experience of becoming one of America's working homeless.
 
 
Our own Active Rotarian, Chopin Kiang, has shared on the club's WhatsApp that in 1984 he stood in food lines in North Las Vegas at the Catholic Social Services "receiving the blessings of hot meal and a hot shower".  At that time, Chopin was a working homeless school teacher living in a car on the streets of Las Vegas for four months. Chopin shared, "I don't ever want to forget the dread and sense of hopelessness which many of our neighbors in our midst are going through every moment of their 24-hour day and night."  He has shared his cooking talents (6 pans of Kielbasa Mushroom Bellpeppers Egg & Cheese casseroles)  partnering with Compassionate Care United to serve hot meals to the homeless in Conroe, Texas. 
 
These two personal stories demonstrate how hope and community support can change lives.  Many fine individuals,  once successful with secure housing and employment, may succumb to unexpected life changes.  Yet, these same folks can benefit from our encouragement and support, even becoming citizens who are committed to helping others.   We are thankful for the opportunity to know Chopin in our Rotary club and honored to follow his example of generosity of giving to those in need,
 
This holiday season is upon us and we encourage all Rotarians to find their passion for giving,  Happy Holidays! 
 
Understanding Homelessness 2022-12-14 06:00:00Z 0

What's Happening 

Traveling Rotarians- Dr. Nick Giannone and Past President Dick Robie exploring AbuDhabi; Chopin Kiang is  cruising with his wife, Joan, celebrating their 31st Anniversary; Anais and Buddy Watsky are off to the Bahamas with grown kids and grandkids; Ed and Robin Charlesworth are exploring more of South America and Antarctica; Isis Meijas visited Chicago see her dad; President Brittany and family dad fun at DisneyWorld, Ruby Powers experienced an awesome conference in Vegas- American Immigration Lawyers Association Business School of Immigration Attorneys as a conference committee member and speaker on the Modern Workplace..
 
Holiday fun in Houston - Wind Nguyen sold out of his photography offerings at the Art & Eats Festival, a portion of which will support foster children; Lynette Wilke took a break from volunteering with Rotary Youth Exchange for their family tradition of attending The Nutcracker; Jake Stein hosts his father, Robert Stein, his  wife Carol, and parents-in-law, Ed and Robin Charlesworth for annual Christmas Dinner at Brenner's.
 
Rotarians at work -  Isis Meijas is working on a new WaSH global grant to be implemented in Brazil.  
The WASH Rotary Action Group was formed in 2007 by a group of Rotarians, recognized by Rotary International, and focused on WASH projects. Since then it has facilitated many hundreds of projects – helping clubs find partners, ensuring sustainability, stressing the importance of a needs-driven approach, and developing best practices. We encourage a holistic, integrated approach in which water is not the end in itself, but is rather the means to a better life and livelihood in the community. Most importantly, WASH Rotary Action Group links water and sanitation to improved hygiene, better health, and empowerment of the community – especially women, irrigation and agriculture, education and literacy and, ultimately, child mortality.  Also,  Anais Watsky and Ruben Santos interviewed prospective outbound exchange students for next school year. The Charlesworth's donated office space for them to conduct the interviews.
 
Cristal Montanez remains involved with Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Soup Meal Program which procured and delivered more than 6,805.93 kg pf locally produced commodities and distributed 10,522 hot soup meals. 
 
Salvador Gonzalez is planning a global grant  with Rotary Club Juarez Oriente (D4110) to provide prosthetic legs to amputees of scare economic resources.
 
Sympathy is extended to Stan Edwards on the loss of his grandmother.  He and Kim returned stateside to attend her funeral in California. Additionally, Stan and Kim are getting closer to their wedding celebration in Antigua which will be February 1, 2023.
What's Happening 2022-12-14 06:00:00Z 0
President's Message - December, 2022 Brittany Johnson 2022-12-14 06:00:00Z 0

NOVEMBER 11th - Veterans Day IN USA

History of Veterans Day

World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"

The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 a.m.

The United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I when it passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926, with these words:

Whereas the 11th of November 1918, marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with other nations, which we hope may never again be severed, and

Whereas it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations; and

Whereas the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already declared November 11 to be a legal holiday: Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that the President of the United States is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.

An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day." Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

Later that same year, on October 8th, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first "Veterans Day Proclamation" which stated: "In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose. Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible."

NOVEMBER 11th - Veterans Day IN USA 2022-11-10 06:00:00Z 0

Program:  A Veterans Perspective: Life Lessons I've Learned From Interviewing Veterans

Veteran Sara Maniscalco Robinson is founder, President and CEO, of The Iowa Veterans’ Perspective Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit that shines a light on Iowa’s military heroes by sharing veterans’ first-person stories through film. A native of Boone who grew up in a military family, Sara has served in the Iowa National Guard for more than two decades with two deployments. As a public affairs specialist, her role has consisted of global broadcast and print journalism for the military. In 2017, Sara founded her foundation to continue a project she worked on for the Iowa Gold Star Military Museum in Johnston, Iowa. The original project was a compilation of video interviews from prisoners-of-war. Sara strongly felt that the collection of stories needed to continue. The mission of her foundation is to raise awareness about veteran-specific issues and to teach future generations about the cost of freedom. She has a B.A. in Natural Resource Management and Entomology from Iowa State University. Sara lives in Johnston with her husband, Joe, and their two children and three Great Danes. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
 
Program: A Veterans Perspective: Life Lessons I've Learned From Interviewing Veterans TedxDesmoines 2022-11-10 06:00:00Z 0

What's Happening!

Past President Dick Robie and Barbara Robie, Wind Nguyen and Dr. Nick Giannone all attended the fundraising dinner for Harvest for the Hungry on November 5th at the Lake Jackson Civic Center.  Donations may still be submitted online - facebook.com/H4THTX/.  Anna Cooper, Private Chef from Food Network's All-Star Academy was the guest speaker.  Wind served on the committee and was busy during the event taking photos.
 
Wind Nguyen will be participating in an art show on December 3 at the Arts & Eats Festival from 1:00 - 4:30 pm.  It will be at the Watermark @ Houston Heights.  Organized by the Rotary Club of Houston International the tickets are $35/person.  Enjoy an afternoon of culinary delights (Chef Jason Hunt, Chef Kobi Ishmael and Chef Frederic Larre), an art silent auction, and unique arts & crafts.  This event supports Houston area foster care children.
 
Cristal Montanez reports that Phase 7 is now complete for Hope for Venezuelan Refugees!  Congratulations on your commitment to helping the "caminantes" from Venezuela in Columbia on the Cucuta-Pamplona Humanitarian Route.  Although the need persists, funding has become increasingly challenging.
 
Robert Stein has returned from his trip to Italy; Michael and Dree Miller have returned from travels to Turkey; Stan Edward and Kim Rogers were just in the Houston area and Nashville, Tennessee and met Dave Ramsey who gifted her some Dave coffee cups and some books to help with the personal finance classes she teaches in Guatemala.  Kim has learned much about financial management from the Dave Ramsey courses.  Of course, they are also planning their wedding & celebrations for February 1 in Antigua.
 
Lunch Bunch - Salvador Gonzales enjoys Rotary friendships with a couple of. members of the Rotary Club of West El Paso.  He shares that Rotary D4110 (North Mexico) and D5520 (South Texas and New Mexico) hold bi-district meetings in early September to. plan together for Global Grants.
 
Lunch Bunch - PDG Ed Charlesworth, Robin Charlesworth, Anais and Buddy Watsky, Rtn. David Smith, Rtn. Wayne Roush and Louella Roush, and some other past members of the now defunct Willowbrook Rotary Club meet every Friday at a NW Houston restaurant "just because" they enjoy the company.
 
Winners of the pumpkin carving contest at the recent Halloween Social held at the Charlesworth's were Buddy Watsky, Ed Socha and Illya Yefremov.  Special thanks to those who brought the themed food - Anais Watsky, Lynette Wilke, and Isabel Nordin.  Our exchange student and her host family also came.  

Pumpkins Carved for the Halloween Social

What's Happening! 2022-11-09 06:00:00Z 0

SPEAKER SERIES - "CONDUCTING BUSINESS IN UKRAINE DURING THE WAR"

Valeriy Iakovenko is a Founder of Drone UA and he works at FarmFleet.  He studied at Bogomolets National Medical University and lives in Ukraine.  He is currently displaced from his home in Kyiv due to the war and resides in a safer area where he continues to conduct business.  With his expertise in drones and robots, he is focused on e3nergy independence for every Ukrainian family.  He is a leader in the implementation of spraying drones and agtech solutions in agriculture.  As Valeriy shares his own story of conducting business during wartimes in Ukraine, he describes Ukrainian business as "before" and "after" the war began.  Valeriy participates actively in international conferences, television and radio interviews.  His wife and child have been safely evacuated and they look forward to the day when they may be reunited as a family once again.  The Ukrainians are devoted to their democratic country and the opportunity to do business and live in a free, progressive  and promising country.
 
Since this will be a Zoom meeting on Thursday, November 17th  and the program will be real-time in Ukraine.   This meeting will be held at NOON CST which will be evening in Ukraine.  Please adjust your times accordingly so as not to miss this interesting program.  This is a unique program so guests are welcome to attend.  
 
Find your local number:  http://us02web.zoom.us/u/ketLGMK1uv
 
SPEAKER SERIES - "CONDUCTING BUSINESS IN UKRAINE DURING THE WAR" Valerii Iakovenko 2022-11-09 06:00:00Z 0

OPERATION TURKEY

November, for the E-club of Houston, Community Service focus is food related keeping with a Thanksgiving theme. Even though we are widely dispersed, all of our communities have individuals that are in need and hungry. Please use this time to give back to your community with:
 - food related donations to a local food pantry
 - volunteer at a food pantry
 - join in on a local event that provides Thanksgiving dinners to those less fortunate.
Operation Turkey is a great way to volunteer in a very coordinated effort at multiple locations needing many different skills. The attached email and volunteer needs list is a great way to get involved .... KEYWORDS - GET INVOLVED. It is easy to volunteer for this event at 
Please join in and keep track of your volunteerism through ClubRunner .... Rotarians Make A Difference.
More information from PDG Bob Gebhard, President/Rotary Club of Greater Houston Veterans:
Operation Turkey is less than a month away and we need your help again this year.  Now we need to register all our helpers. We will again have 4 locations 3 of which will have food preparations including smoking turkey, and one will just be food preparation.
 
The following locations will be smoking turkeys and food prep on Wednesday 11.23.22 from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm and on Thursday 11.24.22 packaging meals and delivering meals from 7:30 to 11:30:
 
American Legion Post 654
3105 Campbell Road
Houston, Tx 77080
Site Lead: Hector Giron
 
Elks Lodge #2628
1150 Katy Fort Bend Rd.
Katy, Tx 77493
Lead: Tim Stroud
 
American Legion Post 521
2221 Preston Road
Pasadena, Tx 77503
Lead: Bob Gebhard
 
The following location will not be smoking turkeys but will do food preparation on Wednesday and food delivery on Thursday
 
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
5501 Main St.
Houston, Tx 77004
Lead: Larry Blair
 
 
I have attached a list of help needed, so please review it, and come out and volunteer. This year we plan on delivering 8,400 meals to families who are food challenged. To volunteer please go to www.operationturkey.com and sign up. Again, as in the past, on Thursday we will be cleaned up, all meals delivered and have you home by noon to celebrate the day with your family.
We also need help finding families, shelters, churches in your area who are food challenged. If you know of any of the above, please have them go to www.operationturkey.com
 
This is the largest event supported by District 5890, thanks to our District Governor Mindi Snyder.
 
Thank you in advance for volunteering to help feed those in need, and for all you do for Rotary and you Communities. If you have any questions, you can contact me or the site leaders directly.
.
OPERATION TURKEY Robert Stein 2022-11-09 06:00:00Z 0

ALL-CLUB MEETING - NOVEMBER 15th

Our second ALL CLUB Meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 15th, beginning at 6:30 pm.  We encourage all members to participate and hear from each board member.  This is a quarterly meeting held to inform all club members of the club's activities, what has been accomplished in the name of Rotary, and what is planned for our future.  Two-way communication is welcone so you may feel comfortable asking questions.  It will also help you identify where you want to participate - service projects, committees, etc. With the zoom format, you may listen while in your car or sit in an easy chair in your living room.  We have a vibrant club with many individuals volunteering in their own community independently, yet we also want everyone to feel that he or she is part of this organization to make the world a better place.  It van be challenging to be part of an e-club where there are no scheduled in-person meetings.  Therefore it is vital that you plan to participate in our zoom meetings to feel engaged in our club, and feel that you understand what our club is doing in the Rotary world and in our own community.
 
ALL-CLUB MEETING - NOVEMBER 15th Brittany Johnson 2022-11-09 06:00:00Z 0

Welcome New Member!

Joanna Herr
 
Joanna knows President-Elect Stan Edwards and Kim Rogers from volunteering in Guatemala.  She is Director of Global Relations & Secretary of Water4LifeGlobal.  Low-tech clean water filters  are provided to communities, currently working in Guatemala. Their clean water initiatives include the distribution of water filter technology, collaboration on biological water treatment plans and contributions towards the reforestation of Lake Atitlán. 

The greater vision of Water 4 Life Global is nothing less than the availability of clean drinking water that is easily accessible and sustained for many years. Their team envisions a life free of water transmitted diseases, water toxins, malnutrition, and environmental damage, in a country that maintains each of these issues as very viable threats to the communities and ecosystems.  A new greywater pilot is underway in Guatemala at Lake Atitlan.  Since clean water is a major focus area for Rotary International, Joanna's membership is a great fit for our club!

In addition to her commitment to service, she enjoys hiking, kayaking and photography.  

We welcome Joanna to our Rotary e-club of Houston!

 
 
Welcome New Member! Michael Hasty 2022-11-09 06:00:00Z 0
President's Message - November, 2022 Brittany Johnson 2022-11-09 06:00:00Z 0

Community Service Focus for October - Food Donations

We ask that you make a contribution to a local food bank this month.  As we all know food prices have increased and there are people in need of assistance.  If you are uncertain where to donate, you may reference food pantries.org.  This not only provides listings of pantries, but  also provides information on: food closets, food banks, soup kitchens, congregate meal locations, food boxes, etc.  There os also a liftoff Texas cities to take you to a listing of food pantries across the State of Texas.  In El Paso nine food pantries are listed.  
 
Our club has also volunteered with Harvest for the Hungry.  This information is shared from their website about food insecurity in Texas.

Hunger in Texas

“1 in 7 people , including 1 in 4 children, struggle with hunger” — Feeding America

”There are over 4 million food insecure people in Texas. Food insecurity refers to USDA’s measure of lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members and limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods.” — Feeding America


Across Texas, the rising cost of food, housing, and utilities, coupled with high unemployment and low-wage jobs have increased the need for healthy food assistance.

Listen to Founder, David Huang, share Harvest for the Hungry’s mission with KHOU 11 News (3-10-2020), Noak Farms (12-5-2020) and with Fox News Houston (1-31-2020).

 
Please sign up on our website as participating in this service project for October.  Any donation of food items or monetary donation is appreciated!
Community Service Focus for October - Food Donations 2022-10-19 05:00:00Z 0

Rotarian to Do List

 
1.  Meeting credits - read newsletter, attend Speaker Series meeting at Thursday, January 19th at 6:30 pm.
2.  Complete Members Survey 
https://form.jotform.com/222348623373052
 
3.  Add the ClubRunner App to your phone and just reach out and call a member you don't know....yet.
4.  Set up MyRotary on the Rotary International website if you have not yet done so.
Rotarian to Do List 2022-10-18 05:00:00Z 0

Paddling for Polio District Fundraiser

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There is Still Time, But ACT FAST ... Deadline Friday, 21 October.  Submit your request before 2pm to Karen Kurt karenbranhamkurt@gmail.com 
 
We are paddling for Polio with our 2022 Duck Race to raise funds for World Polio Day.  We are encouraging each of our 59 clubs to contribute 100% to this year’s End Polio Now campaign for District 5890 by purchasing ducks for our race against polio on October 22, 2022 at the Jordan Ranch Recreation Center. If every Rotarian purchases a duck or two, we can raise over $50,000 which in turn will be matched by the Gates Foundation two for one and we turn the $50,000 into $150,000.  Each club will sell ducks for $20 each or 6 ducks for $100.  We will have some nice gifts for our top finishers.
 
For every individual who donates a $1,000 or more, they will qualify for the opportunity to purchase a purple pair of Polio Plus Converse high tops!

Duck numbers will be assigned in order received. Requests for specific numbers are not possible.  You do not need to be present to win.  The race will be available for live viewing on Facebook (Rotary District 5890) and YouTube.
Please participate with purchase of one duck for $20 or 6 ducks for $100.  Once you have made your donation on the Rotary International website (My Rotary) please contact Olivia Hernandez (olivia13194@gmail.com).  We need to keep track of our club's participation.  Thank you to PDG Ed Charlesworth, Robin Charlesworth, Salvador Gonzalez, President Brittany Charlesworth,  who have all donated already.
P
 
Paddling for Polio District Fundraiser Olivia Hernandez 2022-10-18 05:00:00Z 0

Welcome New Members!

 

RUBEN SANTOS

Ruben Santos was previously active in The Rotary Club of Willowbrook (D5890) and served as President and Secretary since first joining Rotary in 2014 and leaving in 2018.  Anais Watsky invited him to rejoin Rotary.  His classification is Insurance Adjuster (Allstate Insurance).  He has expertise in Fundraising, Public Relations and Marketing.  As you can see in his photo, he enjoys getting out on the golf course.  Ruben is eager to get involved in Rotary again and looking forward to meeting e-club Rotarians.
 

CHASE NIELSEN

Chase Nielsen is also a previous Rotarian once active in the Rotary Club of Sweeney.  He is referred to us by DG Mindi Snyder whose home Rotary club is Sweeney.  He participated in Rotary Youth Exchange in his younger years and has been supportive of Rotary programs since high school.  Chase want to work with the district committee on Sex Trafficking and Teens.  He has moved to Lufkin, Texas and looks forward to rejoining Rotary in D5890.  He is married and enjoys hunting and fishing.  As many Rotarians, he loves to travel and may offer assistance with medical needs and fundraising.
Welcome New Members! Robin Charlesworth 2022-10-18 05:00:00Z 0
PRESIDENT's MESSAGE 2022-10-18 05:00:00Z 0

Halloween Party October 30th

You are invited to attend a fun Halloween Party at the Charlesworth's on October 30th beginning at 4:00 p,m.  We will have a pumpkin carving contest and prizes will be awarded for (1) scariest pumpkin, (2) cutest pumpkin, and (3) Best of Show or your favorite.  Please try to bring pumpkins already carved (and take them home after the party).  You may participate virtually (zoom) and submit your photos of carved pumpkin by noon on Sunday, October 30th.  These will be printed and placed on the judging table.  Rotarians are asked to pay $5 per pumpkin to help cover expenses for the prizes.  No charge to our scholarship students, exchange student and family, and interact students.  We have also invited some Rotaractors and hope some will join us.  Special thanks to Anais Watsky, Lynette Wilke and Isabel Nordin are helping with food preparation.  We can still use more help with food prep so call Robin Charlesworth if you want to help (970-880-0960).
The menu includes the following:  Spider Bread Dip, Bowl of Jellow Worms, Pumpkin Dip, Halloween Taco Dip, Mummy (hotdogs) dogs, Corn on the Carcass, Brain layer cake and HalloweenBrownies.
 
Come have some fun with us - costumes recommended.  We will also watch the movie "Hocus Pocus".  Party should be ending about 8:00 pm.
Halloween Party October 30th Robin Charlesworth 2022-10-14 05:00:00Z 0

SPOTLIGHT - College Scholarship Winner 

Chelsea Nguyen - Currently a sophomore studying at the University of Houston.  After a semester of deliberation, she decided to with her major form Pre-Nursing to Computer Science.  Although it was a bit touch to catch up to her peers, she found herself actually enjoying school and she has no regrets with changing her major.  
 
 
SPOTLIGHT - College Scholarship Winner Anais Watsky 2022-09-29 05:00:00Z 0

LINK YOUR ROTARY CALENDAR

Calendar subscription is easy with ClubRunner.  Simply click and open the club calendar on our website and beneath the monthly calendar is a blue box "Subscribe to Calendar".  Using the URL below with your calendar software, you can stay up to date with events from this website.https://rotaryeclubhouston.org/calendar-feed. You may add your Rotary calendar to a Google calendar, Apple calendar or your calendar in Outlook.
 
We encourage all members to add our club's calendar to your own so your will be able to effectively plan to attend club meetings and events.
LINK YOUR ROTARY CALENDAR Robin Charlesworth 2022-09-16 05:00:00Z 0
Fire Fighters Gala Robin Charlesworth 2022-09-16 05:00:00Z 0

Program:  Efficient Leadership in the Digital Age

Efficient leadership in the digital era

In business today, the need for innovation and rapid decision-making trumps yesterday's drive for efficiency. How does this influence what it means to be an effective leader? Charlene Li explains that it's less about control and more about empowerment: enabling employees to acquire the information they need, so they can make their own decisions.

About the speaker

Charlene is CEO and Principal Analyst at Altimeter Group, and author of the New York Times bestseller "Open Leadership." She is also the coauthor of the bestselling book "Groundswell." She is one of the foremost experts on social media and a consultant and independent thought leader on leadership, strategy, social technologies, interactive media and marketing.
 
Program: Efficient Leadership in the Digital Age 2022-09-16 05:00:00Z 0

"Survivor Football" Fundraiser - Year 2

Pick 1 team each week. If they win, you survive to next week. If they lose, you are out.  Ties are considered as a "loss".

Here's how Survivor works: You select one NFL team each week you think will win. If that team loses, you're out. The catch: You can only pick a team once each season. Last the longest, you'll be crowned the ultimate NFL champion.  

Payment & Payout:
 $100 prize pool includes insurance
 $100 Rotary International Donation 
So to play it costs either  $200   For example, I will pay $200 to play, of which $100  will go into the pool for the
winner to take, and the FUNDRAISER to the Foundation is $100.   You may pay on our club website via PayPal or send a check to PDG Ed Charlesworth, 11407 Hylander Dr., Houston, TX. 77070.

If you have friends who are interested, participants do not have to belong to our Rotary club.

The game kicks off in Week #1 of the NFL regular-season (First game for this football pool is September 18th) and ends after Week 17 or whenever there is only one (1) remaining participant.  
In the event that multiple final participants all lose in a given week, those participants will move to the
next week until the tie is broken. For example, if the final six participants all pick incorrectly in Week
#13, all six will get to pick again in Week #14. If only one participant selects correctly in Week #14, that
participant wins the pool. If two participants pick correctly in Week #14, only those two participants
(and not all six who got to pick on Week #14) move on to the next week.


All participants MUST submit a team pick each week. IF YOU DO NOT PICK A TEAM IN ANY GIVEN WEEK, YOU ARE ELIMINATED.   

Insurance does not save you if you do not send in a pick.
The final deadline for each week's selection is prior to the start time of the first Sunday game on each
weekend of play. That includes picks for the Monday night game. On weeks that have a Wednesday,
Thursday, Friday or Saturday game, anyone wishing to pick one of the teams playing in those game(s)
must have their pick submitted prior to the start of that game. There is no restriction on how early a
selection may be submitted (i.e., if you are going to be out of the office on business or vacation, you can
submit your picks in advance). A participant may also change their pick at any time providing they
submit the new pick prior to the deadlines listed above.  Each participant is responsible for being aware
of and meeting the deadlines for their weekly picks. A week of play is based on the regular NFL schedule
and includes the Monday night game for that week.
The weekly picks will be available to all participants so each participant can track how many survive and
how many are eliminated.  It will also give everyone a chance to check to make sure I have selected the
correct pick for everyone.

Summary:  The object is to pick the winner of only ONE NFL game each week.  Participants may NOT PICK THE SAME TEAM TWICE during the entire season.  If the team picked won in that week, then you survived to play again the next week.  The game ends when only one person remains  at successfully choosing winning teams.  We had six members involved last season.  Let's get more people in the pool this year!

For more information, contact Jake Stein @281-813-7230.  Participants must submit their choices prior to the new week of games each week.  If you submit your chosen team after the game begins, then you are "out".

 

"Survivor Football" Fundraiser - Year 2 2022-09-01 05:00:00Z 0

PIZZA SHOWDOWN - SEPTEMBER 3rd

Contact Wind Nguyen or Brandt Smith for specific details.  Bring your favorite beverage and enjoy a fun evening of great food and even better fellowship!  Must notify ahead of event so we will prepare enough pizza for all.  Yes, it's Labor Day Weekend.  If you are staying in town, please make an effort to attend the fun & fellowship.  It will be streamed online, too, so those out-of-town may join in for the fellowship.
 
PIZZA SHOWDOWN - SEPTEMBER 3rd 2022-08-25 05:00:00Z 0

Community Service Opportunity

Students are heading "Back to School" with new backpacks, school supplies and new clothes.  Teachers often dip into their own pockets for classroom supplies.  Check out "Clear the List"on Amazon Wish Lists for educators around the country.  #COJOClearTheList
 
Country music star Cody Johnson and his community is stepping up tp help CLEAR THE LIST for as many teachers as possible.  His new single "Human" serves as a reminder of the common thread that binds us all - our collective journey of learning what it means to be human.  We're all in this together and now more than ever, it's crucial that we prioritize supporting one another and lifting each other up.   If you know a teacher, let them know they may submit their wish list at getyourteachon.com.  Check out the song on YouTube and follow the steps below to help a fellow human!
 
Step 1.  Find a List to Support. (view various wish lists)
Step 2.  Support a Teacher and Enter to Win.
             Next, show your receipt for a chance to win an exclusive Cody Johnson prize package and to nominate a teacher you care about.
             Twenty lucky teachers will be selected to win a $300 self-care surprise and a free ticket to a upcoming Get Your Teach On Conference of
             their choice.  
***      DEADLINE IS AUGUST 31, 2022.
 
 
 
 
Community Service Opportunity 2022-08-24 05:00:00Z 0

SAVE THE DATE - SEPTEMBER 1

ALL-CLUB MEETING - ALL MEMBERS REQUESTED TO ATTEND IF POSSIBLE.  MEET YOUR NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND HEAR PLANS ABOUT COMMUNITY SERVICE, FUNDRAISING, AND NEW IDEAS FOR TALLYING OUR HUMANITARIAN FOOTPRINT.  
SAVE THE DATE - SEPTEMBER 1 2022-08-24 05:00:00Z 0

With Ukraine in Our Hearts

A special two-day event in honor of Ukraine's Independence Day was held on August 23 & August 24th.  RI President Jennifer Jones welcomed more than 235 Rotarians and guests to the program from more than 53 countries.  Robin Charlesworth attended both days and also saw online Rotarian Stan Galanski, Rotary Club of Space Center. Some segments of the program shared Ukrainian culture including talented musicians, dancers, and chefs preparing Borscht.  There was also a project fair to review global grants, GoFundMe, and club projects needing support for medical needs, removal of mines in the fields, water, sanitation, and hygiene, energy, electricity and heating, special vehicles and equipment, and laptops for IDP (internally displaced people/children needing equipment for remote learning), and mobile housing.
 
Gordon McInally who is RI President-Elect 23-24 from Scotland inspired the opening plenary session on the second day.  RI General Secretary John Hewko shared his personal story of being in the parliament in Kiev on August 24, 1991.  Also amongst the contributing speakers were Daniel Tanase, Rotary Region 24 Coordinator; Merideth Burlew, Director of Grants for TRF (The Rotary Foundation); PDG Allan Smith, Task Force Lead in Rotary GB & Ireland; Mark Gitelman, Head of WASH
Air raids were overheard in the background from those participating in Ukraine.
 
Support and encouragement is felt from Rotarians worldwide as we recognize long-term needs in Ukraine due to war.  Our Rotary District 5890 participates in ICC (Rotary Inter-Country Committee) USA-Ukraine.  Robin Charlesworth is serving as our D5890 Representative.  PDG Vira Syriamina is serving as the ICC National Coordinator.   She highlighted projects of ICC's partnering with several countries.  ICC-Bulgaria's first project was to deliver wheelchairs; Israel delivered t-shirts, sweatpants, underwear and more; firetrucks, ambulances, food, clean water, and temporary housing for internally displaced citizens; and USA is one of the strongest relationships offering support. 
 
Slava Ukraini!  We hope that the next Independence Day will be celebrated with peace!
 
 
With Ukraine in Our Hearts Robin Charlesworth 2022-08-24 05:00:00Z 0

ALL-CLUB SURVEY

All members are requested to complete the attached survey.  It is important to receive input from our club members periodically to see if there are changes we need to consider to be relevant to all members and their reasons for joining Rotary.  Please try to complete this by September 7th (two weeks).
 
ALL-CLUB SURVEY 2022-08-24 05:00:00Z 0
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 2022-08-24 05:00:00Z 0

"Children of the Dump" Update (Nicaragua)

In the remote northwest corner of Nicaragua, just three hours from Houston, Texas there lived over 800 children living off of the garbage of the city dump of the city of Chinandega, Nicaragua. These children were digging through the garbage, with their bodies full of open sores, desperately looking for something to eat. Children were competing with dogs, cattle and adults for scraps of food.

In 2001, after hearing Father Dessey and Rotarian Frank Huezo speak at the Rotary International Convention in San Antonio, Texas, other Rotary districts from Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Colorado, North Texas, Ohio, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, decided to join the rescue mission. Since then many other great miracles have happened for those children in desperate need.

In 1995 a missionary, Padre Marco Dessy, began working with these children by means of a small school where the students also received a hot lunch each day; but he only had room and funds to support about 90 children. A Rotary Club from Humble, Texas began an effort to expand the school and provide additional funds. Then in 1998, Hurricane Mitch destroyed the northern region around Chinandega leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless with their homes, farms, cattle, tools and everything gone. They also ended up at the city dump compounding the problem. Rotarians from the Houston area responded.

The original School of the Dump was expanded to include all grades from pre-K through high school. A Trade School was also built as well as a live-in school for blind children, a hospital, medical and dental clinics, a pregnant women’s shelter and much more.

The Children of the Dump project in Nicaragua is still active. Due to the political situation in Nicaragua
we are no longer taking the trips to visit the project but we are still actively supporting it as allowed.
Frank Huezo (Rotary Club of Kingwood) has been to Chinandega recently.   He is able to go into the country by flying to Costa Rica and then taking a bus into Nicaragua.

The Haldo Dubon school is functioning with school classes in regular session.  Funds are needed for school supplies, teacher salaries and to help with the maintenance of the buildings.  These buildings age just like
anything else they need maintenance.

The layette project is not active now for a several reasons:
1. We cannot send anything into the country.
2. Steve Thorpe passed away last year and he was the person that organized that part of the project.
 
The Rotary Club in Chinandega is very active and they are doing all they can to keep the schools going.
Since we are no longer able to send containers that has stopped a large part of our income for Betania.
Daniela Porras is still the administrator of the project, she has been there about 6 years now and is
doing an amazing job. Daniela is also an active member of the Rotary Club in Chinandega.
 
This is a great Rotary success story with long-term commitment!
"Children of the Dump" Update (Nicaragua) 2022-08-24 05:00:00Z 0
Mental Steps to Get 'er Done 2022-08-24 05:00:00Z 0

What's Happening

Marcia Allgayer - Just graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in International and Global Studies! Congratulations, Marcia!
 
Mike and Dree Miller - World travelers - touring Germany, Denmark and Norway.  Safe travels!
 
Brittany Johnson - Recently was seen soaking up the sun in Turks and Caicos with the family.  
 
Ruby Powers - Squeezed in a date night to see the play, "Twelve Angry Jurors".  All actors were judges or lawyers and it emphasized the importance of the jury and actively participating as a juror.
 
Jake Stein - Planning to scuba dive in Grand Caymans and he and Alli just celebrated their youngest son's first birthday.
 
Anais Watsky - Celebrated 57 years of wedded bliss with Buddy - congratulations!  She is also helping our exchange student get settled and started in Klein schools.
 
Isabel Nordin - Volunteered to be the counselor for our club's first exchange student - thanks!
 
Michael Hasty - Rolling out a new product line - Enviro Thermal Coatings.  This dampens noise and extends the lifespan of sloped or flat roofs.  It also provides thermal insulation resulting in money saved.  
 
Valeria Iakovenko - Setting trends in agriculture in the use of drones and demonstrating innovation during war times in Ukraine.  
 
 
 
 
What's Happening 2022-08-23 05:00:00Z 0

It's Restaurant Week in Houston!

What is Restaurant Week?  Lunch, brunch, or dinner options in many Houston area restaurants offer special two or three course menus for about $25 (dinner may be more $$$) and a portion of the ticket supports the Houston Food Bank.  This popular annual event offers Houstonians a great opportunity to try some of the city’s trendiest, newest, and most acclaimed restaurants at a more affordable price. In addition to that, it gives diners the chance to help out the community.  Ed and Robin Charlesworth dined at Barcelona's in Vintage Park and $6.00 of each lunch ticket will support the Houston Food Bank.  "We tried a new restaurant and always enjoy Restaurant Week in Houston, San Diego, and many places we visit. And it is an easy way to give something back to the community", says Robin Charlesworth.
 

This year, 100+ restaurants have signed on to participate in the Houston restaurant week 2022 from all across Houston area. This list includes a diverse group of eateries from fine dining to casual and everything in between. And in addition to the usual dine-in option, many restaurants will be offering their special multi-course, discounted menus for takeout and delivery.

In general, diners can expect special deal brunches to cost $25, lunches for $25, and dinners for $39 or $55. We suggest checking out the restaurant’s special deal menu before making a reservation first to see if it’s something you’d be interested in.  

You can browse the complete list of participating restaurants and their menus on the HRW website

Houston Restaurant Weeks is back starting August 1 through September 5 as the single largest fundraiser for Houston Food Bank.

We know Rotarians like to eat, and eat out often.  Explore some new places and give back to the food bank at the same time.

It's Restaurant Week in Houston! 2022-08-23 05:00:00Z 0

Welcome New Member!

 
Our newest member, Dr. Paul Homsy,  is an experienced Rotarian transferring to our e-Club of Houston from the Bear Creek/Copperfield Rotary Club where he has served in multiple roles, including Past-President.   He is a practicing psychiatrist and has recently moved to Guatemala.  He is married and his wife is Guatemalan.  He has known the Charlesworth's,  Stan Edwards and Kim Rogers, Dr. Nick Giannone and others in the e-Club of Houston; and since he is traveling more he sought membership in an e-club.  He is interested in travel, tennis and swimming.  Welcome, Paul!
 
Welcome New Member! 2022-08-23 05:00:00Z 0
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Brit 2022-07-19 05:00:00Z 0

2022-23 President Jennifer Jones is eager to advance Rotary’s narrative

Jennifer Jones, Rotary International’s first female president, is the perfect leader to spread the word about the good Rotary does in the world, and inspire its members to keep going.

By Diana SchobergPhotography by Monika Lozinska

At a training seminar for Rotary club presidents-elect at a Dallas-area hotel in February, sergeants-at-arms wearing yellow vests and Stetsons lead participants, grouped by Rotary district, into a small room for a photo op with 2022-23 Rotary International President Jennifer Jones. As the groups enter, the club leaders mob Jones — the room a flurry of handshakes, fist bumps, hugs, and the occasional squeal. For each photo, the Stetson-clad Rotarians (nicknamed "Rangers") give instructions on who should stand where, then Jones, who is seated front-row center, stands up, turns around, and warms up the crowd. "Is this the best district?" she asks one. She challenges a district to dance, busting a groove on the tan and gray patterned hotel carpet. Another, she teases, is the best looking. And then there's the "party" district, whose members give a raucous cheer.

The groups file out. More than a few people linger to get selfies with Jones and her husband, Nick Krayacich. One young woman, dressed in cobalt blue, shouts, "Congratulations and thank you for being a leader for women in Rotary!" More cheers. She and Jones bump fists as she departs.

"She's just amazing. She's a rock star," says Rhonda Walls Kerby, past governor of District 5890, who has been observing the scene.

"She makes everyone feel special. That's why everyone feels like they are best friends with Jen," says Eric Liu. Liu met Jones at the International Assembly in 2016, when he was an incoming district governor and she was the incoming RI vice president, and they hit it off.

Liu's sentiment is among the common refrains heard during a whirlwind weekend traveling with Jones. Over and over, people mention that she has an easy way with people, that for years everybody "knew" she would be the first female Rotary president, that she's a new kind of leader.

And that she's the leader Rotary needs right now.

Jones, 55, was born in Windsor, Ontario, and — save for a few post-college years working in the Turks and Caicos Islands and Manhattan — has lived there her whole life. The oldest of three children, she'd run lemonade stands to earn money to give to charity, and recalls organizing a carnival in her family's yard to benefit kids with muscular dystrophy. "Growing up, my parents had given us wings to do service in our community," she says. Today, her mom, dad, and one of her brothers and his wife are Rotarians. Her other brother created a painting that inspired Jones' presidential-theme ties and scarves.

Both Jones and Krayacich are originally from Windsor, but the two met in the Caribbean. Burned out after finishing university and working in the newsroom at a radio station, Jones took time off and worked at a resort in the Caribbean, while Krayacich, a physician, had just finished his internship in Toronto and went to the islands to go scuba diving. They struck up a friendship, and when they both eventually moved back to Windsor, they started dating and got married shortly thereafter.

In many ways, Krayacich, the governor-nominee of District 6400, is the opposite of Jones. He's quieter and more serious, preferring one-on-one conversations, traits that are suited to his vocation. "Jennifer is definitely an Energizer Bunny. She's outgoing and very much a connector," he says. "We complement each other very well."

Jones started her own television production company when she was in her late 20s, wowing bank officials with her business plan, negotiating a lease, and investing in hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of equipment. "I've always wanted to carve my own path," she says. "Sometimes that's meant taking risks and making yourself open to new experiences."

One of those was Rotary. As a rookie radio reporter in the late 1980s, she'd covered the organization and remembers attending club meetings where the members were nearly all men. "I remember feeling very intimidated by the experience," she says. "I was in my early 20s. It was the power brokers of the community." Fast forward to 1996, months after she'd started her business, Media Street Productions. The manager of the local cable station invited Jones to a meeting. She realized she had found her home. "It was clearly one of the greatest gifts I've ever received," she says. "I didn't think walking through the door that day that it would change the trajectory of my life."

In 2001-02, she served as president of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland. Every meeting, she'd randomly pick a member, have them stand, and tell them why they were important to the club. "Every week, people would show up to see who the next person would be," she says.

It taught her a lesson about the importance of taking care of members, a priority now that she is RI president. "We were having fun, doing good work, and we liked each other," she says. "Sometimes we try to over-manufacture the reason why people join and stay."

At that point, her district had never had a female governor. She was under 40, and she "wanted to try to take that for a ride," she says. "I knew I wanted to put my full-on energy into Rotary. I loved it."

After her term as governor in 2007-08, she chaired the local chamber of commerce and the University of Windsor board of governors. "It was the most amazing precursor to sitting on the board of directors of Rotary," she says. "Each one was a building block."

EVANSTON, Ill. (June 29, 2022) – Jennifer Jones, member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, Canada, will be the first woman to take office as Rotary International President in the service organization’s 117-year existence on 1 July 2022.

During her one-year term, Jones will focus on building new relationships and establishing collaborations with organizations that share Rotary’s commitment to driving impact through humanitarian service and to developing leaders around the globe. She has also made Rotary’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion a key part of her presidential platform.

“Diversity has long been one of our core values and continues to serve as a foundation for how we interact with each other and our communities,” said Jones. “I know that my experiences and perspective as a woman mean that I bring a different lens to how I see and approach opportunities and challenges for our organization. I hope to be a catalyst for similar opportunities for leaders from all backgrounds that comprise the global mosaic of our organization. We are stronger, more creative, and more effective when we ask for and leverage those diverse perspectives to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.”

As a professional communicator with more than 30 years of experience, Jones will also use her vocational strength as a storyteller to shine a light on the positive and lasting impact Rotary clubs are making to improve lives and strengthen communities across the globe. “This year, we are going to bring Rotary service projects center stage around the world. We will put a special focus on visible, high impact acts of service across our areas of focus, drawing attention to the incredible work that Rotary members are doing.” said Jones.

Jones officially takes office as Rotary International President on 1 July 2022 in Ottawa, Canada at the mid-point of her cross-country tour. Dubbed Imagine Rotary Canada, Jones is traveling coast-to-coast, stopping at twelve hubs along the way to meet with local officials and participate in projects that address pressing issues including food insecurity, plastic and litter in waterways, and the safety of seasonal guest workers.

Jones will also mark her year as president by touring model examples of Rotary's impact in action. Throughout the year she will connect with Rotary members and clubs spanning the globe to explore and share learnings from Rotary projects, with a focus that includes:

  • the vital role of women health workers in the efforts to end polio in Pakistan;
  • a day in the life of a community health worker helping to reduce malaria in Zambia;
  • the efforts of 600 Rotary clubs to improve education for underserved students in Guatemala;
  • a former refugee who is now a Rotary Peace Fellow at the Rotary Peace at Makerere University, in Uganda;
  • health workers reaching children with live-saving vaccines in remote islands in the South Pacific; and
  • Rotary's efforts to bring clean water, sanitation, and hygiene to all of Haiti

As president, Jones will oversee Rotary’s top goal of eradicating polio. “When we harness our connections, deepen our relationships, and create new partnerships - our collective efforts can change lives for generations,” said Jones. “There is no better proof point of our impact than our effort to eradicate polio.”

Alongside its Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners, Rotary has achieved a 99.9 percent reduction in polio cases, and contributed US $2.4 billion to protect more than 3 billion children from this paralyzing disease. Nearly 19.4 million people are walking today who otherwise would have been paralyzed by this vaccine-preventable disease, and 1.5 million people are alive who otherwise would have died. With the infrastructure Rotary helped create to end polio, a lasting global health legacy is now being used to protect millions of people from other diseases – including Ebola, malaria, and COVID-19.

2022-23 President Jennifer Jones is eager to advance Rotary’s narrative 2022-07-18 05:00:00Z 0

Welcome New Member

 
The Board of Directors accepted the application of Shirin Parke in their meeting on Thursday, July 14, 2022. Her sponsor is Active Member Anais Watsky.  Their paths have crossed as Shirin is a parent of an Outbound Rotary Exchange Student this year.  Shirin is an IT Project Manager.  She says, "I am looking for a way to give back to my community and to the youth of this world."  She is interested in Reading, Quilting, Crafting, and Biking.  Shirin is interested in getting involved within our club concerning literacy, medical, and fundraising projects.  We look forward to her participation in our Rotary e-Club of Houston!
Welcome New Member 2022-07-18 05:00:00Z 0

Multi-Club Visit with DG Mindi Snyder

We encourage ALL members to attend this multi-club event this week which is our monthly meeting.  Meet our District Governor and learn more about Rotary beyond our own club.  Hope to see you online!
Join Zoom:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7315779463
 
Meeting ID:  731 577 9463
One tap mobile. +13462487799,,7315779463# US (Houston)
                           +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
                           +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Find your local number:  https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbZNibGFXm
 
 
Multi-Club Visit with DG Mindi Snyder Brittany Johnson 2022-07-18 05:00:00Z 0
For New Members 2022-07-18 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary and Polio

Polio

Poliomyelitis, or polio, is a paralyzing and potentially fatal disease that still threatens children in some parts of the world. Poliovirus invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis in hours. It can strike people of any age but mainly affects children under five. Polio can be prevented by vaccines, but it is not curable. Unlike most diseases, polio can be eradicated.

PolioPlus

For more than 30 years, Rotary and our partners have driven the effort to eradicate polio worldwide. Our PolioPlus program was the first initiative to tackle global polio eradication by vaccinating children on a massive scale. As a core partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Rotary focuses on advocacy, fundraising, volunteer recruitment, and awareness-building.

Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect more than 2.5 billion children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort.

Polio Today

When Rotary and its partners formed the GPEI in 1988, there were 350,000 cases of polio in 125 countries every year. Today, we have reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent, and just two countries continue to report cases of wild poliovirus: Afghanistan and Pakistan. Because of the efforts of Rotary and its partners, nearly 19 million people who would otherwise have been paralyzed are walking, and more than 1.5 million people are alive who would otherwise have died. The infrastructure we helped build to end polio is also being used to treat and prevent other diseases (including COVID-19) and create lasting impact in other areas of public health.

Challenges

Rotary and our partners have made tremendous progress against polio, but eliminating all cases is going to take even more progress and perseverance. Afghanistan and Pakistan face unique challenges, including political insecurity, highly mobile populations, difficult terrain, and, in some instances, vaccine refusal and misinformation. With sufficient resources, the commitment of national governments,

page1image12265600 page1image12267712 page1image12266752

and innovations that improve access to remote areas, we are optimistic that we can eliminate polio.

Ensuring Success

Rotary has committed to raising $50 million per year for polio eradication. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to match that 2-to-1, for a total commitment of $150 million each year. These funds provide much-needed operational support, medical workers, laboratory equipment, and educational materials. Governments, corporations, and private donors all play a crucial role in funding.

Rotary in Action

More than 1 million Rotary members have donated their time and money to eradicate polio, and every year, hundreds of member’s work with health workers to vaccinate children in countries affected by polio. Rotary members work with UNICEF and other partners to prepare and distribute informational materials for people in areas that are isolated by conflict, geography, or poverty. They also mobilize to recruit fellow volunteers, assist in transporting the vaccine, and provide other logistical support.

Celebrity Support

Rotary has a growing list of public figures and celebrities who support our fight against polio, including Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; actresses Kristen Bell and Archie Panjabi; actor and wrestling superstar John Cena; supermodel Isabeli Fontana; Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu; action-movie star Jackie Chan; actor Donald Sutherland; boxing great Manny Pacquiao; pop star Psy; golf legend Jack Nicklaus; conservationist Jane Goodall; premier violinist Itzhak Perlman; Grammy Award winners A.R. Rahman, Angélique Kidjo, and Ziggy Marley; and peace advocate Queen Noor of Jordan. These ambassadors help Rotary educate the public about the disease and the fight to end polio for good.

Rotary and Polio 2022-07-18 05:00:00Z 0

Houston Clubs raise awareness about the environment, human trafficking

By Ryan Hyland

Anyone who wants recommendations for food or one-of-a-kind cultural experiences while they’re at the 2022 Rotary International Convention should ask Michelle Bohreer. But she also really wants to talk about the ways in which Rotary clubs in Houston are transforming their communities.

Bohreer is governor of District 5890, which includes all 60 Rotary clubs in the city. She's hoping that while people enjoy Houston's amenities and diversity, they also learn about local efforts to protect the environment and fight human trafficking.

"Houston clubs are really focused on being part of the solution to these problems," Bohreer says. "The convention is a good opportunity to share the work we're doing."

Cooling the urban heat

In the shadows of Houston's skyscrapers, the historic Third Ward neighborhood is an urban heat island. The neighborhood is full of dark, impermeable surfaces like pavement and roofing that absorb heat, and it lacks greenery — as is often the case in low-income communities. The city can get up to 17 degrees Fahrenheit (9 degrees Celsius) hotter than outlying areas that have the same weather conditions.

In 2020, Rotary members Ed Pettitt and Dakota Stormer began leading a project to transform donated vacant lots in the community into parks and greenspace — which can reduce the effects of urban heat. Stormer, a member of the Rotary Club of Memorial-Spring Branch (Houston), who died in 2021, had scouted potential locations and found a spot along the Columbia Tap trail in the Third Ward.

Pettitt, a member of the Rotary Club of Houston Skyline, worked to follow through on their vision and honor Stormer, an environmentalist who had founded the Footprint app that lets users track their carbon footprint. Rotary members, friends, and supporters recently planted more than a dozen trees and other greenery. The park includes benches, trash cans, water fountains, bike racks and fix-it stations, and educational signs. The greenspace was named Dakota's Peace Grove.

"There is enough ... information out there that shows the importance and urgency for Houston to address the various climate and environmental issues featured in our service project," Pettitt says. "We're going to build on our efforts."

Look for the Dakota's Peace Grove booth in the convention's House of Friendship. It will feature a small-scale version of the space with real trees and vegetation. It will also have a bench where people can take selfies and share messages about the importance of parks and greenspace.

Addressing human trafficking

Houston consistently ranks among the U.S. cities with the most human trafficking, in part due to its two international airports, busy seaports, and proximity to the border with Mexico. The hospitality industry is often used as a front for or the site of trafficking and forced labor.

Recognizing that link, Texas law requires hotels to train employees to identify the signs of trafficking and know how to respond. A District 5890 task force that fights human trafficking has worked with the nonprofit organization Unbound, which supports people who have been trafficked, to contact every Rotary convention hotel to confirm that employees have completed the training. Houston clubs are also using a global grant from The Rotary Foundation to fund operations for a stabilization and assessment center for young people who have been trafficked.

"We wanted to make sure that hotel owners, management, and guests know that Rotary is serious about this issue," says Kerri Taylor, a member of the Rotary Club of Houston Downtown and executive director of Unbound. "I want Rotarians to be inspired to lead the way in making human trafficking a rare occurrence rather than an accepted, dark underbelly of our communities."

Houston Clubs raise awareness about the environment, human trafficking 2022-07-18 05:00:00Z 0

New Rotary Year - Time to Pay Dues

Billing is delayed as we seek an auto-payment annually.  We hope that most members will participate in the new program to be rolled out next month.  This will greatly simplify the job of Treasurer.  Remember, if you choose to withdraw from the club a written notification to the Board of Directors is required. It is best to do this prior to January 1 or prior to July 1.
 
Being an active Rotarian not only involves commitment to  the Rotary motto, "Service Above Self", but also a commitment to support our club with payment of annual dues.  Our dues are structured to pay for Rotary International dues, Rotary District 5890 dues, and a small amount for club operations.  We will be sending invoices soon in the amount of $200.   
 
If you have any questions, please contact PDG Ed Charlesworth, Treasurer.
New Rotary Year - Time to Pay Dues 2022-06-27 05:00:00Z 0

e-Learning in My Rotary

Professional development is an integral part of membership in Rotary.  Did you know that once you have set up your My Rotary account on the Rotary International website, there are many courses available for you to explore.  Simply login to your My Rotary account, select Learning & Resources, and then select Professional Development.  There you will find topics such as:  Becoming an Effective Facilitator; Building a Welcoming Community for People with Disabilities; Building Consensus; Building Strong Intergenerational Relationships; Committing to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; Deliver a Speech; Leading a Team; Leading Change; Leading Effective Committees; Managing a Training Session; and more.  These topics in leadership and professional development may be useful in your business world as well as the Rotary world.
e-Learning in My Rotary 2022-06-27 05:00:00Z 0

More Help for Ukraine

The ICC Ukraine-USA (InterCountry Council) has a new project proposed to submit to ROTARY INTERNATIONAL for a Disaster Relief Grant.  We have supported the delivery of medical supplies and medications, and now want to help develop new jobs for about 5 Ukrainians to create their own tourniquets.    We want to purchase the equipment to manufacture effective tourniquets with 3-D models, producing a press mold ($6,700 USD) and purchasing materials and accessories ($3300 USD).  The tourniquets will be provided free to Ukraine's rescuers, medics and volunteers.  This will help save lives.  
 
The press-mold will produce parts for up to 200,000 tourniquets.   The demand has been quite high, especially on the front lines.  The production cost will be reduced to about $3.30 USD as opposed to current purchase prices ranging from $14 - $40 USD as well as long delivery times for quality products.  
 
Our Rotary District 5890 has submitted a Disaster Relief Grant for $25,000 to deliver medical equipment in partnership with Medical Bridges.  The second Disaster Relief Grant for $25,000 shall be in partnership with Project Cure to send more medical equipment.  Tourniquets remain in high demand and the European market has been nearly depleted.  Thus, majority of sourcing if from USA.  
 
If you want to help with this grant, please donate to our club's Foundation account.  If you have questions, please contact Robin Charlesworth, D5890 District Representative for ICC-Ukraine.
More Help for Ukraine 2022-06-27 05:00:00Z 0

Program:  

The birth of virtual reality as an art form

Chris Milk uses innovative technologies to make personal, interactive, human stories. Accompanied by Joshua Roman on cello and McKenzie Stubbert on piano, Milk traces his relationship to music and art -- from the first moment he remembers putting on headphones to his current work creating breakthrough virtual reality projects. VR is the last medium for storytelling, he says, because it closes the gap between audience and storyteller. To illustrate, he brought the TED audience together in the world's largest collective VR experience. Join them and take part in this interactive talk by getting a Google Cardboard and downloading the experience at with.in/TED.
 

Why you should listen

Chris Milk is a visual artist who has created music videos for Kanye West, Arcade Fire, Beck, U2, Johnny Cash, Gnarls Barkley and many more. He is known for weaving artistic and technological innovations in pursuit of the next great platform for storytelling. Milk's acclaimed interactive projects include Wilderness Downtown (with Arcade Fire), The Johnny Cash Project and The Treachery of Sanctuary. His interactive installation artworks have been showcased at the MoMA, the Tate Modern and museums around the world.

Milk's most recent contribution to the art and tech frontier is as founder and CEO of the virtual reality company Within (formerly Vrse). In collaboration with the New York Times, Zach Richter and JR, Milk created two VR films, Walking New York and The Displaced, which were distributed along with Google Cardboard viewers to 1 million NYT subscribers in 2015. He has also collaborated on VR projects with the United Nations (Clouds Over Sidra and Waves of Grace), Vice, SNL and U2.

 
Program: 2022-06-27 05:00:00Z 0
Board of Directors Installation Brittany Johnson 2022-06-27 05:00:00Z 0
REGISTRATION TO ROTARY E-CLUB HOST HOSPITALITY NIGHT _ JUNE 2022-04-26 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary International Convention

WHEN:  June 4 - 8
WHERE:  HOUSTON. The 2022 Rotary International convention will be held at the George R. Brown Center, with special events taking place all around the city of Houston.
 

Ready for Lift Off?!! We are ….  First stop – Register for the Convention

On behalf of the Host Organization Committee, we cannot wait to welcome Rotarians and guests to Houston and the great State of Texas for the 2022 Rotary International Convention.  The saying goes that everything is “Bigger”, “Better” and “Friendlier” in Texas, and the goal of the Houston Host Organization Committee is to have each of you feel that every moment as our guest while in Houston! From the humble beginnings of this great city, Houston has been led by “People of Action” who have taken this City to great heights including, to the moon and back. 

The City has plenty of activities to keep you entertained.  Visit Space Center Houston, the home of Johnson Space Center and the Astronauts.  Enjoy a night at the theater.  Houston features a world class symphony, opera, ballet and permanent theater company.  World class museums are within a short ride from the convention center.  Of course, you can watch the 2017 World Series Champion Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park which is walking distance from the Houston Convention Center. Second stop – Host Committee Events

Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the world with a vast range of cultures.  Houston’s diversity has resulted in some of the world’s best cuisine.  Houston’s vast array of restaurants include Creole, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Italian, African, Caribbean, Argentinian and of course our very own Tex-Mex and world famous BBQ, to name a few.

We look forward to welcoming each of you personally to Houston in June of 2022!!

PDG Rhonda Kennedy
Chair Host Organization Committee 2022

 

Event :  Environmental FootPrint Service Project  June 2022

WHAT MARK WILL YOU MAKE ?  Climate change is one of the biggest threats facing humanity.  Footprint App Inc. has customized their app to make it Rotary-focused while you are attending the convention.  Using it, you will be able track your carbon footprint while here in Houston and learn ways to develop more environmentally-sustainable habits.  Rotarians registered for this event will enjoy completing special challenges and watching their places on the leaderboards.                                     

The goal of the Environmental Footprint Service Project is to offset the environmental impact of Rotarians attending the 2022 Convention.

Event :  Visit to Kemah Boardwalk – Kemah, TX – Saturday June 4, 2022

Come visit one of the Gulf coasts most exciting playgrounds to include a boardwalk that features a wide range of restaurants, rides to include the bullet roller coaster, CP Huntington Train, Boardwalk Tower, Drop Zone, Iron Eagle Zip line, Stingray Reef and Rainforest Exhibit just to name a few, all in a setting looking onto the Gulf of Mexico.  A local shuttle sponsored by the Rotarians of the Seabrook Rotary Club will shuttle those to the Kemah shops that would like to do some shopping to support the local businesses.  This event gives priority to Rotaractors but is open to all Rotarians and the families.  Ticket prices include round trip bus transportation, wrist band allowing access to most of the rides, except for the “Beast” and “Fantasea Cruise” which are at an additional cost, and discounts for the local restaurants. Ticket price $50 USD.

 

Event:  Host Welcome Event  – Saturday night June 4, 2022

Join us for an evening of fun, food and entertainment as we kick-off the beginning of the 2022 Rotary International Convention. This event will take place on the Avenida Plaza in front of the George R Brown Convention Center, just a few feet away from Houston premier Green Space, Discovery Green Park. See Texas dancers like no other as the Texas Aggie Wranglers two step their way into your hearts. Enjoy the fun as the “ Little Armored Ones”, the Texas Armadillos, show off their racing skills. For those that have always wanted to be a Cowboy, climb on the mechanical bull, and see if you can last 8 seconds. This ticketed event will be filled with tastes, sights and sounds reflecting the cultural diversity of the City of Houston and the welcoming flair of the big heart of Texas. Please purchase your “Beer/Wine Tickets” prior to this event. A night of Texas hospitality with an international flair awaits you. The attire for this event is Texas casual.  Ticket price $125 USD.

Event :   Tour of Space Center Houston – Monday night June 6, 2022

Welcome to Space Center Houston.  Our guests will be bused to the Space Center in Clear Lake for an evening of out of this world exhibits and entertainment.  The visit to the space center includes a meal, round trip transportation and access to the Space Center Houston exhibits and activities.  The Trams to mission control and rocket-ship park will also be operating.  This visit will include live astronaut presentations, access to the Boeing 747 with the Space Shuttle and the new Falcon 9 exhibit.  Be prepared to be amazed at the human space fight interactive exhibits and shows. Ticket price $125 USD.

Event:  Magic on the Bayou – Monday evening  June 6, 2022

An evening of food, wine and magical entertainment. Enjoy a wonderful dinner, great wines and plenty of laughs as local magicians amaze you at your table.  The evening will conclude with 2 time International Champion of Magic and winner of the World of Magic Seminar in Las Vegas, NV- Ben Jackson, More Than Magic, as he performs his “Magic, Music and Mayhem” show. Ben has been featured on numerous national television shows and calls Houston his home.  Ballroom at the Bayou Place is easy to find in the theater district and on the main bus route.  Transportation not included in ticket price. Ticket price $100USD.

Event:  Host Hospitality Night – Tuesday evening  June 7, 2022

Sign up for an evening for host hospitality and join the Rotary clubs of District 5890 and 5910 for an evening of food, fun and fellowship.  A highlight of many conventions to come meet your Rotary friends and share the fellowship of the Rotary family. Ticket price $35 USD.  THIS IS OUR NIGHT AT THE SILOS!  Pre-purchase of tickets on WHATSAPP for our club or the following website:  https://www.tickettailor.com/events/rotaryeclubofhouston/648485 ***members of our club should not sign up for this event on RI website or you may be assigned to another club's party.  We need "all hands on deck" for this special event hosting 50 Rotarians from around the world.  Robert Stein is ordering BBQ, Chopin Kiang has arranged for terrific & talented musical entertainment, Isis is arranging for the "booze", and Robin's committee has hand-painted oyster shells for small gifts for all attendees as a token representative of the Texas Gulf Coast region.  To offer help or be assigned a task, contact Akin Olufowoshe.  Leenette Wilke and Wind Nguyen will accompany our group who registered through Rotary International on a bus to The Silos.

 

 

 
Rotary International Convention 2022-04-26 05:00:00Z 0

Help for Ukraine

We raised $2,400 to send medical supplies to Ukraine. These supplies primarily went to Kharkiv.  They were purchased in Poland by an employee of our club member Valeriy Iakovenko who remains in Ukraine.  He has some employees operating in Poland who made the purchases and arranged for the delivery of medical supplies.  
These supplies were for hospitals needing supplies and a new list of needs was shared as the need is ongoing.  We will soon be applying for a Disaster Relief Grant from Rotary International in the amount of $25,000.  Special thanks to member Salvador Gonzales in El Paso for working on the grant to be submitted on behalf of our district.  Robin Charlesworth has inquired to needs in Kharkiv and Mykolayv hospitals.  They do need patient monitors if they are used (probably being conservative as the risk remains high of getting bombed).  Priority needs remain tactical medicine for emergency support to treat burns and bleeding - more bandages, hemostatic powder to stop bleeding.  
 
Last week a new partnership with Project Cure was explored for purchase of supplies in the USA which will include shipping to either Germany or Poland.  While touring their warehouse, I observed many boxes already wrapped up on pallets to be shipped to Ukraine.  Robin has also been in communication with President James Joeriman of the Rotary Club of Lviv International who can arrange for delivery from the Poland/Ukraine border into Ukraine.  They are a club of about 60 members who are actively engaged in delivering supplies within Ukraine.  President James Joeriman shared, "As far as first aid kits, we strongly advise picking kits that contain tourniquets, 6" emergency/Israeli bandage, a hemostatic agent (chito gauze, Cellox, Quick klot, etc.), and shears at a minimum. Eye shields and decompression needles are a nice bonus, but the kits can lack these items and still be useful for field medics who have largely replaced ER doctors with the destruction of many hospitals in the east." He continued, "
As a quick overview of our efforts, with our members in Poland and Germany, we have fundraised just around 3.5 million EUR, sent nearly 70 trucks (most of them from Germany) of aid. Just last week while I was in Lviv we had 4 deliveries with things ranging from mattresses to first aid kits, and two trucks which brought in generators! https://www.facebook.com/LvivInternationalRC."
 
Within our district I know we have delivered more than $30,000 in aide for Ukraine.  Some support has gone directly to the $10 million received in Rotary International for the Disaster Relief Grants.  Others have partnered with physicians from Ukraine who were here a few years ago with Open World, and some partnered with Medical Bridges.  
 
Help for Ukraine 2022-04-25 05:00:00Z 0

Global Rotary Radio

Did you know that you may listen to inspirational speakers, Rotary information and music on the radio in your car, on your phone or on your computer?  There is an app  for free you may download on your I-phone, I-Pad. or Android.  Try it and listen to the  #1 Virtual Radio Station positioned to promote Rotary News locally and internationally with a fuse of good music, talk shows and lots more.  There is also a Facebook page you may "like" to preview upcoming programs.  Up to six family members may use this APP with Family Sharing enabled.
You can also listen on the web
 
Women In Rotary is a program which showcase female rotarian to the world, an avenue for them to share their rotary stories and many more, so join us on Saturday 8pm as we listen to the Rotary International Vice President and Director Valarie Wafer.
Global Rotary Radio 2022-03-12 06:00:00Z 0

Program:  A Message on Finding Hope 

It can be hard to remain hopeful during seemingly hopeless times. Sharing hard-won wisdom on how to not give up when the going gets tough, writer Wajahat Ali talks about the challenges he faced with his daughter's cancer diagnosis and the COVID-19 pandemic, detailing three actionable things we can all do to find the silver linings in our lives -- and invest in hope where we can. Story told by Wajahat Ali - Daily Beast columnist and co-host of the "Democracy-ish" podcast, recovering attorney, playwright, author and exhausted dad Wajahat Ali celebrates the diverse narratives of the United States and advocates for a more inclusive cultural landscape.
 
 
 
Program:  A Message on Finding Hope  2022-03-11 06:00:00Z 0
What Does it Mean to be a Refugee? 2022-03-11 06:00:00Z 0
In Closing... 2022-03-11 06:00:00Z 0

Empowering Girls
 

Rotary and UNICEF are incredibly large organizations - each with a presence in over 190 countries. While polio remains the primary focus and goal of our partnership until eradication, we recognize that Rotary members and UNICEF offices actively support other issues related to global development, humanitarian response, and peace.
 
Equality is a fundamental human right that's critical in order to have a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world. Still, girls and women worldwide face inequities in areas including health and education, and they experience significant violence and disproportionate poverty. Rotary encourages clubs and districts to prioritize projects that improve the health, well-being, education, and economic security of girls in their communities and around the world.
 
Designed for the best virtual viewing experience, Rotary Day with UNICEF will consist of two parts: a global webinar featuring Rotary’s People of Action: Champions of Girls’ Empowerment, and region-specific breakouts highlighting local needs and opportunities for collaboration.
 
Date: Friday, 25 March 2022
Time: 10:00 - 11:45  U.S. Eastern / 15:00 – 16:45 Central European / 17:00 – 18:45 East Africa / 19:30 - 11:15 India Standard Time
Admission Fee: Complimentary
Audio Language: English, French, Spanish and Portuguese
Live-stream Locations: Rotary International YouTube Channel
There are also programs on Saturday, March 26.  Perhaps our female incoming exchange students would like to participate.  If you are under 18 years old, please talk to your parents, or the adults who are caring for you, and make sure that they agree with how you are sharing your information. 

Your privacy is important to Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation (collectively, “Rotary”) and UNICEF and the personal data you share will be subject to Rotary’s Privacy Policy and UNICEF’s Privacy Policy. By registering for Rotary Day with UNICEF and related events, you understand your personal data will be used to facilitate your attendance at the events (including sharing with third-party vendors supporting the events) and Rotary or UNICEF may contact you with information about these and future events. 
Empowering Girls  2022-03-11 06:00:00Z 0

Ukrainian Crisis & Fundraising

Fundraising for Ukraine to purchase and deliver needed medical supplies and equipment to hospitals has been initiated.  The ICC USA-Ukraine has had an emergency meeting to plan interventions.  Rotary International has set up Disaster Grants for Ukraine and the nearby countries helping refugees who have left Ukraine due to the war.   The Rotary Fellowship of Healthcare Professions, the International Fellowship of Flying Rotarians, and the ICC Ukraine-Turkey have stepped up and already provided assistance.  Hong Kong Flying Rotarians have delivered supplies routed through China to Poland.  All Rotary clubs in Ukraine are meeting daily online to discuss immediate needs with the development of a Special Crisis Team,  ICC Ukraine-Turkey has already shipped 100 tons of humanitarian cargoes with another four trucks loading for follow-up deliveries.  Our own Rotary District 5890 has shipped about $12,000 in medical supplies.equipment thru Medical Bridges, 1,000 clean water filter thru Disaster USAide, and another $2,000 cash to Medical Unit of Humanitarian Center of Lviv.  We have raised $1,850 to date, and will continue fundraising to send another wave of medical supplies.

In Doc Olha’s hospital, Cherkasy Regional Cancer Center, there are many new patients.  Some have been transferred from Herson and Sumy.  Small children in cancer treatment have been transferred there from Kyiv and Kharkiv.  A list of needs for the cancer treatment will be sent soon.  She has sent spreadsheets detailing needs for medical equipment and supplies including first-aid kits, semi-auto chemistry analyzers, patient monitors ($550 US), infusion pumps ($360 US), emergency ventilators ($3,200 US), Hydrogen Peroxide, Insulin, Nitroglycerin, ethyl alcohol, latex gloves, medical gauze, bandaids, surgical gloves and surgical suture material.  Also, diapers, flashlights, heaters, and warm blankets.  The list is more comprehensive and I am sure that Medical Bridges can supply what is needed from their lists.  

The Disaster Response Fund offered by Rotary International is available through June 30, 2022 in amounts up to $50,000 each to provide relief to refugees, and items such as water, food, shelter, medicine, and clothing.  Doc Olha is concerned about a nearby orphanage.  I am certain that DG Volodymyr Bondarenko is demonstrating strong leadership in his coordination of all Rotary clubs in Ukraine and frequent communication across the country.  The RI Zone Coordinator is Kateryna Kotsali-Papadimitruou.  PDG Mykola Stebljanko and PDG Vira Syryamina are also contact Rotarians for information on aid and international support during this crisis.

These are desperate times for innocent victims of an unexpected war in Ukraine as Russia invaded their land unprovoked.  Some of us have connections to friends in Ukraine from our sponsorship of an Open World team which is sponsored by the U.S. Congress. This was only 3 years ago in Houston and many of our club members had opportunities to break break with them during their 10-day stay, let’s reach out and lend a helping hand to our friends in Ukraine.  The team leader, Sasha, found safe haven in Romania with her small child, mother and mother-in-law.  Her husband, Valerii Iakovenko, must stay to defend his country.  Valerii joined our e-club after we visited their home in Kyiv following the Rotary International Convention in Hamburg.  They participated in the ICC Ukraine-USA zoom meeting from within their bathroom (only room without windows) with flashes of light from explosions visible.  Denys, Sasha and Julia are ok.  Julia posted on Facebook about how to parent during war and uncertain times.   “We will hear scary sounds and have to move to a safer place” is an honest statement yet not making promises of safety which may be impossible to keep.  We do not have news from Max nor Natalie at this time.  Our district also hosted a medical team with Open World.  We pray for the safety of our known friends and all people of Ukraine. 

Our DONATE button leads to a page on our website with two options - Donations to the Rotary Foundation and Donations to Club Projects.  Let’s show them we care and DONATE to offer our emotional and monetary support.

https://www.mightycause.com/story/Lvkq1f

Ukrainian Crisis & Fundraising Robin Charlesworth 2022-03-04 06:00:00Z 0

WORK PARTY THIS SUNDAY - 3:00 pm,

On February 20 a work party to assemble the oyster shell gifts to be given away at our Host Hospitality Night will be held at 10609 Grant Road, Building A beginning at 3:00 pm.  Helping hands are needed!  We will paint the interior of the oyster shells blue and decorate with Rotary emblems. We will assemble about 100 of these handmade gifts.  Weather permitting, we may set up our work tables on the outside deck.  The oyster shell is a natural and small momento for our guests to take home something representative of the Gulf Coast of Texas and a memorable Rotary experience.  Please contact Robin Charlesworth if you can attend - 970-880-0960.
WORK PARTY THIS SUNDAY - 3:00 pm, 2022-02-17 06:00:00Z 0
Program:  "Why Great Leaders Take Humor Seriously" 2022-02-17 06:00:00Z 0

New Gourmet Dining Group Club Fellowship

Linda Blench is providing leadership in organizing interested Rotarians in  new gourmet dining groups.  One couple will host a thematic dinner, perhaps focusing on a specific region.  The next meeting will be hosted by another couple in the group. Linda Blench has organized similar groups before although a new twist will be offering the experience via Zoom in addition to the in-person dining experience.  An organizational meeting is set for February 21st at 6:30 pm on Zoom.   Further refinement of the details to kick-off this fun fellowship will be discussed.  The following have already expressed interest:  Linda and Karl Blench, Wind Nguyen, Ed and Robin Charlesworth, Dick and Barbara Robie, Chopin and Joan Kiang, Anais and Buddy Watsky.  We welcome any additional members to join us, too.
 
Zoom meeting:    ID# 867 6379 2290
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86763792290
 
Dial by your location:  +1 346 248 7799. (Houston)
                                     +1 312 626 6799. (Chicago)
                                     +1 929 205 6099 (New York)
     Find your local number:  https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kn/AbF1LVB
 
New Gourmet Dining Group Club Fellowship 2022-02-04 06:00:00Z 0

Update on Hospitality Night - June 7th

On the night of June 7, 2022 during the Rotary International Convention being held in Houston, our club is sponsoring a Hospitality Night.  Our venue is The Silos at Sawyer Yards located near downtown Houston.  One of Houston’s most iconic silo buildings, once part of the Riviana complex, The Silos at Sawyer Yards features 97 workspaces for over 100 artists, and it offers retail, gallery, and office space for creative entrepreneurs. The silos complex is home to SITE Gallery Houston, an alternative art space housed inside its 34 rice silos.  We will host 50 visiting Rotarians assigned by Rotary International, providing them a BBQ dinner and entertainment.  It is a great opportunity to meet Rotarians from around the world and share our common interest in service projects.  
 
The Chairman of this event is Akin Olufashu who located the interesting and historical venue.  Robert Stein is coordinating food services and Isis Meijas will focus on beverages.  President Dick Robin will arrange for tables and chairs.  The venue is a "blank slate" with three open bay where we will set up a welcome table and check-in for our club members (must be pre-purchased at $50 per person).  We may spotlight some of our club projects and exchange information about how our e-club functions.  We will have two ambassadors accompany our guests from their hotels. Ruth Wilke and Wind Nguyen will provide this service on behalf of our club.  They will distribute a handout containing a map of the venue, agenda, and sponsorships. We will have a committee working on the selection of entertainment, possibly Country & Western music.  This committee will include Stan Edward, Greg West and Linda Blench.  A suggestion was made to seek C&W dance instructors or teach a line dance to our guests.  Robin Charlesworth will provide souvenirs for our guest Rotarians.  We will give each guest a handmade Rotary oyster shell representative of our Gulf Coast area and a special Rotary momento.  We will need more volunteers to assist with clean-up at the end of the evening.  It should be ending by about 9:00 pm.  Speak with President Dick to volunteer with clean-up which needs to be completed by 10:00 p.m. including breaking down tables and chairs and trash removal.  
 
If you are registered for the Rotary International Convention, hopefully you have not selected Host Hospitality Night. If so, RI will assign you to your party for the evening.  If you have not signed up for an activity the evening of June 7th, please sign up on our website to attend our party.   We will have tickets available for $40 per person.  Even if you are volunteering we need to have you purchase a ticket.  No tickets will be sold at the door.  We must inform our caterer of the number of meals to prepare and their will be no on-site food preparation for extras.  Last day to purchase tickets will be May 27th.  
Update on Hospitality Night - June 7th 2022-02-04 06:00:00Z 0

"Movie Night" Fellowship via Zoom - Feb 10

"Journey from the Fall" was the film chosen for our second "Movie Night" with Rotarians.  The film traces the story of a family's struggle for survival in the aftermath of the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, to North Vietnam's communist regime. After her South Vietnamese Army husband Long, is imprisoned in a North Vietnamese re-education camp, Mai, her son, Lai, and her mother-in-law escape by Vietnam by boat in the hopes of starting a new life in Southern California.  Believing his family is dead, Long gives up in the faced of brutal conditions, while Mai struggles to keep her family from crumbling under the pressures of life in a new country.  When Long learns his family is alive in America, he is reinvigorated and decides he must join them at any cost.    Our host for the meeting is Wind Nguyen.  This film is especially relevant due to our sponsorship of Satellite Club - Rotary Lotus Club of Houston.  
 
If you know of a movie to share online  which focuses on cultural diversity or cultural interest stories, please contact Wind Nguyen to help us with our next movie night.  We like to have some discussion of the movie following the viewing.
"Movie Night" Fellowship via Zoom - Feb 10 2022-02-04 06:00:00Z 0

What's Happening

Alexis Campestre escaped from snowy Montana to sunny California.
 
Robert Stein sought refuge from winter in Hawaii where he and his wife, Carol, enjoyed beautiful sunrises, rounds of golf, and a traditional luau.  
 
Michael Hasty is busy on a roofing project challenging him to secure materials from 85 various warehouses to begin a 400,000 sq. ft. project in Alabama.  He visited the Rotary Club of Birmingham and met new friends in Rotary.
 
Isis Meijas explored Costa Rica in January and enjoyed time for volunteerism in a national park assisting baby turtles to find their way safely to the ocean.
 
Linda and Karl Blench enjoyed a cruise once again.  This time they journeyed to England for two weeks.  Karl, Linda's husband, hadn't seen his siblings for seven years and all enjoyed the reunion.  They saw some great English villages, grand cathedrals and quaint churches, English countryside, and a brewery that still delivers its ale by dray. Their next cruise is planned for the Panama Canal.
 
Brittany Johnson, President-Elect, will be attending PETS Training later this month.  She is seeking new officers for next year so please be open to opportunities to serve your club.  When no one else would step up to coach basketball for a YMCA team of mostly second graders, Brittany said, "I'll do it."  And so far the team is undefeated.  She is a great organizer and with her new coach's whistle keeps the boys busy with various shooting drills and welcomes occasional volunteers from a couple of dad's with practices and games.
 
Congratulations to three finishers in the 50th Anniversary of the Houston Half-Marathon!  PDG Ed Charlesworth completed the 13.1 miles in three hours, 16 minutes and 32 seconds.  It was a virtual run all done on the treadmill at LifeTime Fitness to avoid crowds downtown and mitigate chances of catching Covid.  Brittany Johnson (daughter of Ed and Robin) did her virtual half-marathon in Fort Worth Texas, completing the walk/run with a finishing time of three hours, 41 minutes.  Also, Robin walked the distance with a virtual entry as well, finishing in four hours, 15 minutes.  
 
 
What's Happening 2022-02-04 06:00:00Z 0

For New Members

How can I meet other Rotarians?

Rotary’s global network provides a great opportunity to expand your contacts and friendships to other countries while creating a foundation of support with communities around the world.

Explore Rotary’s global opportunities:

  • Attend Rotary’s annual convention in Houston June 4 - 8 in-oerson  (*Special Registration rate extended until February 28  of $495 and is retroactive back to December 16, 2021)
  • Help our e-club of Houston host a Hospitality Night on June 7th (register on our own website for this)
  • Connect with Rotarians around the world who share your hobbies and personal interests or your service interests
  • Join a Discussion Group to exchange ideas on topics you're interested in
  • Get involved with your club’s international service projects
  • Participate in a vocational training team
  • Join the Cadre of Technical Advisers
Participate in our club's Zoom meetings, Rotary District 5890 events, leadership training opportunities, and sign up for the Rotary Yellow Pages.  Share your story by writing your biography on our website (Membership -
Member Lists - your name - Biography).  Explore the biographies written by fellow club members to get to know each other better.  Memorize the Four-Way Test to recite at most every Rotary meeting worldwide (see the bottom of our newsletter).
For New Members 2022-02-04 06:00:00Z 0

Interested in a Booth at House of Friendship During RI Convention?

If you are interested in having a booth in the House of Friendship during the RI Convention in Houston, the booths are priced beginning at $1850 for a 10' x 10' space.  Corner booths are charged an additional $100 per corner. The entire booth fee is due with the Application.  Detailed information may be found at the HOC website www.HoustonRI2022.org.  Scroll to the House of Friendship page where you will find an application to complete with an online payment.   A copy of insurance certificate must ie Aliasalso be attached.  The contact person is Debbie Elias, Booth Sales and Coordinator.  (Debbie@eliasevents.com.  PDG D'Lisa Simmons is the Chairman for the House of Friendship.  Tthe House of Friendship, June 4-8, 2022 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas, allows for exhibitor set-up on June 3 and exhibitor move-out must be by 20:00 June 8.  Exhibit space is limited to 200 booths, so we expect to sell out quickly.
 

The 2022 Rotary International convention will be held at the George R. Brown Center, with special events taking place all around the city of Houston. The worldwide organization serves as an advocate to governments and provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards, helps build goodwill and peace around the world, and is hosting over 20,000 Rotarians during the Annual Meeting.  This is a great opportunity to expand your business recognition around the world auto attending Rotarians, successful businessmen and businesswomen.

 
Interested in a Booth at House of Friendship During RI Convention? 2022-02-04 06:00:00Z 0

What's Happening

Wind Nguyen -  Got out of Houston over the holidays to explore Arkansas.
Marcia Natali de Assis Allgayer - Lives in Tucson, Arizona, and supports a library book drive program with the Rotary Club of Boca Raton (in Florida).  See more on WhatsApp.
Valerii Iakovenko - Lives in Kiev, Ukraine, and recently traveled to Washington, DC and California with his wife, Sasha.  
Dree and Mike Miller -  Enjoyed a holiday escape to Canada.
Dick and Barbara Robie- Celebrated their 45th Anniversary in December.  Congratulations!
Ed and Robin Charlesworth - Celebrated their 47th Anniversary in December.  Also, Congratulations!
Anais Watsky - Working on sending scholarship monies to college students this month.
Lynette Wilke - Attending SCRYE  (South Central Rotary Youth Exchange) in Tulsa.  The South Central Rotary Youth Exchange (SCRYE) was created to promote and facilitate Rotary International Youth Exchange for multi-Rotary districts. SCRYE provides information, education, collaboration and the independence to facilitate the Youth Exchange Process.  
Brittany Johnson - Shopped for Christmas gifts with Adopt a Family and helped her children with a hot chocolate stand with proceeds donated to Children's Miracle Network.
Michael Hasty - Organized delivery of food to home-bound Covid families in his community of Grand Prairie from food banks in warehouse districts.
Robin Charlesworth - Participated in ICC-Ukraine & USA Cultural Exchange program in December and facilitated partial funding of a wheelchair Rotary Global Grant for children's hospitals in Ukraine.  We acquired $500 in DDF which will be matched by Rotary International  and another $500 from Charities, Inc., the Rotary Foundation of the Memorial-Spring Branch Rotary Club.
What's Happening 2022-01-07 06:00:00Z 0

Welcome New Members!

CHOPIN KIANG -     Chopin Kiang and his wife, Joan  have been retired and became residents here in Magnolia, Texas since July 2005.  He was a lifelong educator spanning three decades starting as an Early Childhood Educator and Kindergarten teacher in 1975 in Las Vegas, Nevada and retiring as the Administrator for the Office of Teacher Education and the State Director for the Licensing of State Educational Personnel of Nevada Department of Education in 2005. Joan was a lifelong Physical Education and Health Educator in Louisiana and Nevada also over three decades.

He has been a very active member of Magnolia Rotary Club and was a Rotarian Volunteer with RYLA as well as Interactor Clubs. Chopin is a VietNam War veteran serving with the US Armed Forces in incountry as well as offshore tours from 1966 to 1970. 

After receiving his Bachelors Degree and then relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada during the summer of 1975, Chopin received an appointment with the United States Peace Corps to serve a minimum of two years for Afghanistan! On the other side of the world from January 1976 to April 1978, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in several capacities:

Teaching English as a Foreign Language Program Coordinator and Special Advisor to the Minister of Mines and Industries and Professor of English Language at Kabul University and one of the foreign consultant and advisor for the Afghan National Auxiliary Rural Nursing Program.  

Chopin is willing to share his Culinary Talents to promote youth programs, homeless issues and peace issues.  Specially, he is interested in Pan Asian Fusion dishes.  He and his wife also enjoy international cruises, although that is on hold due to Covid at this time.  Welcome, Chopin, to the Rotary e-Club of Houston!

 
Welcome New Members! 2022-01-05 06:00:00Z 0

H-Town Spotlight

Our city is full of exciting people, places and businesses! H-Town Spotlight is a fun and informative segment that showcases all that Houston has to offer!

In the October 22 segment the focus was Rotary. Rotary is a global network of 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change - in Houston and communities around the world. Their projects and passions span several different areas. We heard from a polio survivor on how this devastating disease has affected him and so many others throughout the years and how Rotary is working to make a difference.
 
 
 
H-Town Spotlight 2022-01-05 06:00:00Z 0

CREATING A MYROTARY ACCOUNT AT ROTARY INTERNATIONAL WEBSITE

While anyone can access the Rotary International website, members of Rotary are able to learn more detailed information including his/her contributions to the Rotary Foundation, information on Gary Rotary, and information on our Rotary District. To do this a member needs to register, or create an account on the website. Here is how you do it:
 
To gain maximum use of the Rotary International website, each Rotarian must create an account with Rotary. With this account you will be able to view your Rotary profile, as well as check your contributions to the Rotary Foundation. Here are the steps to do this.
 
  1. Go to www.rotary.org, go to "For Members" and click on My Rotary or click on My Rotarywhere ever you see it.
  2. Click on Sign In/Register.
  3. If you are a first time user, click on Create account.
  4. Fill in the Account registration information and click on Continue. If club number is requested we are club #3359. Our District is 6540.
  5. You will be informed that an e-mail has been sent to you.
  6. Check your email for the address you provided in step 5. You will receive a message which will ask you to click on the blue link to finalize the process.
  7. Fill in all the mandatory information and click on Create account.
  8. When the screen refreshes you will be given information describing what you can do with the MyRotary account. After reading, click on Continue.
 
If you are not a first time user, after step 2, just enter your email address and password and click on Sign In.
 
Powered by ClubRunner © 2002–2022  All rights reserved. 
 
CREATING A MYROTARY ACCOUNT AT ROTARY INTERNATIONAL WEBSITE 2022-01-05 06:00:00Z 0

Program:  The Happy Secret to Better Work

Shawn Achor
·
TEDxBloomington

The happy secret to better work

We believe we should work hard in order to be happy, but could we be thinking about things backwards? In this fast-moving and very funny talk, psychologist Shawn Achor argues that, actually, happiness inspires us to be more productive.

Why you should listen

Shawn Achor is the winner of over a dozen distinguished teaching awards at Harvard University, where he delivered lectures on positive psychology in the most popular class at Harvard.
 
He is the CEO of Good Think Inc., a Cambridge-based consulting firm which researches positive outliers -- people who are well above average -- to understand where human potential, success and happiness intersect. Based on his research and 12 years of experience at Harvard, he clearly and humorously describes to organizations how to increase happiness and meaning, raise success rates and profitability, and create positive transformations that ripple into more successful cultures. He is also the author of The Happiness Advantage.

 
Program: The Happy Secret to Better Work 2022-01-05 06:00:00Z 0

Plan Ahead for District Conference in April

From District Governor Michelle Bohreer -
 
Our Journey to the Mothership Conference will be out of this world!  We have pivoted from our Chicago plans to celebrate a phenomenal 525,600 minutes of District 5890 Rotarians serving to change lives and our conference will now be at NASA!  We will start off Thursday night at Johnson Space Center for a “astronomical” welcome party and end on Saturday night with the Governor’s Galactic Gala!  So much fun, fellowship and inspiring speakers will occur in between as well.  You will not want to miss the “World’s Largest Pie Fight to End Polio” and our Taste of District 5890 Friday night bash.  Also, we will be recognizing the outstanding clubs, club presidents and projects from this year and introducing DGE Mindi Snyder and her class of presidents.  
 
Our room rate at the NASA Hilton is $125 per night and the Ninos are in charge of hospitality so you will want to book a room!  All the information to register is on the District Website (Rotary District 5890).  
 
Looking forward to celebrating all you and your clubs did this Rotary year April 28-May 1.  
 
DG Michelle
Plan Ahead for District Conference in April 2021-12-07 06:00:00Z 0

HOUSE CONCERT ON March 20 - THE DAVE BECKER BAND

A fundraising House Concert will be held at the home of PDG Ed and Robin Charlesworth's home on March 20, 2022.  Tickets are $30 each (children below age 16 are no charge).  The Dave Becker Band will provide the entertainment with three musicians playing guitar, violin and bass.  Event begins at 3:00 pm - 11407 Hylander Dr. in Lakewood Forest (Northwest Houston).  Band will play two sets and a Silent Auction will be open until 5:15.  Winners of auction items and the Raffle winner will be announced close to 5:30 pm.  Weather permitting - we hope to set up outdoors to promote social distancing, At this publication, the weather report is clear and in the 70's.  
 
Dave is an award winning Texas-based singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Most easily described as Americana, his music blends blues, jazz, folk, country and rock influences to evoke feelings from sweet and tender to swingin’ and toe-tappin’. Dave just calls it free range music. Whatever you call it, you’ll find it’s honest and authentic music that you enjoy and want to hear again. Dave recently released a 15-song self-titled debut album that is available on all major music streaming services. He and the band perform widely in Texas and tour a couple of times each year. Catch them live when you can to hear the stories behind the songs!
 
We ask club members to bring a finger food snack item or something sweet - cookies or brownies.  Coffee and iced tea will be served and adult beverages are BYOB.  Please consider what you may contribute to a successful event.  We need items for the Silent Auction.  Please send a photo of the item and value of the item so Robin can prepare the auction bid sheets.  We will be too busy to accept a flood of items as the concert begins.
 
SELL TICKETS!  We can now pay our musicians, but this is a FUNDRAISER.  We need more people here to have fun and share their hard-earned money for our worthwhile Rotary projects.
 
Tickets are $30 each and may be purchased online:  https://www.TICKETTAILOR.COM/EVENTS/ROTARYECLUBOFHOUSTON/631148
970-880-0960
robinech1952@gmail.com
 
HOUSE CONCERT ON March 20 - THE DAVE BECKER BAND 2021-12-07 06:00:00Z 0

Movie "Watch Party" Social - JANUARY 7th

On January 7th (Friday night) we are planning a "Watch Party" to view our very own Rotarian Dree Miller in TY Martin's "Stolen" Movie. It will be streamed onto a big screen in the upstairs media room at the home of Robin and Ed Charlesworth, 11407 Hylander Drive.  We will have pizza and popcorn for our movie night.  Please arrive by 7:00 and show will start at 7:30 pm.  This film is powerful and focuses on sex trafficking and the need to bring our girls home.  Written and directed by TY Martin, Cinematography by Troy Ferguson, and one actress we have come to know and love, Past President of our club........Adrianne Miller.   Guests are welcome and there is interest in our Rotary District on this topic which is a major problem in the Houston area.  Following the movie we will have a discussion and brainstorming on how Rotary can help make a difference to support sex trafficking victims.
 
If you are unable to join us for the viewing in Houston, you may stream it on your own computer in the comfort of your own home or hotel room if traveling.  You may still join us in the discussion following via Zoom.  Look at WhatsApp for the login and meeting ID.  
Join Zoom Meeting. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85429437405? pwd=RDBoSXhidS8zVnJhOEkxbDNGQkN3dz09
Meeting ID:  854 2943 7405
Password:  362985
Dial by your location:  +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
    +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
    for more options - see WHATsAPP
 
 
Movie "Watch Party" Social - JANUARY 7th Robin Charlesworth 2021-12-07 06:00:00Z 0

SPECIAL WHITE HAT SOCIETY PRESENTATION

During the Holiday Party a special presentation was made to Rotarian Jimmy Leon for an annual gift of $5,000 in a single Rotary year to the Rotary Foundation.  The presentation of the "White (Cowboy) Hat" was made by Past District Governor Bill Palko.  He gave some background on the "White Hat Society" in Rotary, which is actually not given by Rotary International but rather is given within the District.  PDG Bill Bryce was the inspirational co-founder of the White Hat Society at the Zone conference in Arizona in 2004. The name and policies of the White Hats were his creation. He and Sarah were the first donors to the White Hat Society that has grown to a level of $6,300,000 in support of the Rotary Foundation. From that small beginning, it has reached Rotarians in many Districts on five continents. Bill has left a Rotary legacy and his ideas still inspire the Rotary World.  Members receive a White Hat Certificate, a White Hat pin marked with a Southwestern Concho provided at no cost by Russell-Hampton, an email subscription to the White Hat newsletter, and an invitation to the annual White Hat celebration held in major cities around the world.

Donations on behalf of the White Hat Society must be made directly through the member’s own Club, District, or Foundation account in the usual manner. No funds should ever be sent to the Society. Donations must represent new contributions to the Foundation and not ‘Points’. Once the $5,000 level has been reached in a Rotary year, simply notify The White Hat Chairman, PDG Bill Palko of District 5890.

CONGRATULATIONS, JIMMY LEON!!! He shared that he LOVES ROTARY and is honored to be a part of sharing to help others.  Jimmy joined the Rotary e-Club of Houston in July, 2017.  He has served our District 5890 as an Assistant Governor from 2017-2020 and shared Rotary with others as he brings in new members.  He served as Area Membership Chair from 2016-2018 and was Area Membership Chair of the Year 2017-2018.  Before coming to our e-Club, Jimmy served as Club President of Rotary Club of Hermann Park 2015-2016 and received the Rotary International GOLD Citation.  He is a Lifetime Charter Member of International Fellowship of Rotarian Educators.  He is married to Odelia who is understanding of his commitment and dedication to Rotary.

 

SPECIAL WHITE HAT SOCIETY PRESENTATION 2021-12-07 06:00:00Z 0

Holiday Gathering a Great Success!

We celebrated the Holiday Season in-person and online via Zoom last Sunday afternoon with 17 members in attendance and nearly as many guests.  We honored Jimmy Leon with the White Hat presentation and inducted four new members:  Marcia Natali de Assis Allgayer (Florida), Linda Blench (Pearland), Adauto Lemos (Brazil), and Armand Kambou.  Announcements:  Dues must be paid by December 15 or members will be removed from our membership roles; sign up for WhatsApp - contact Robin Charlesworth (970-880-0960); Rotary Yellow Pages Business Network Social on December 7th - contact Wind Nguyen); House Concert on January 22 (see article in this newsletter); Survivor Football Finalist - Robert Stein was the winner and he donated his prize of $600 back to the club Foundation for service projects (this fundraiser totaled $1,200 for our club Foundation!).  
 
Holiday Gathering a Great Success! 2021-12-07 06:00:00Z 0
Ted Talk - THE EXTRAORDINARY POWER OF ORDINARY PEOPLE 2021-12-07 06:00:00Z 0

Update on Giving to The Rotary Foundation

Our club has given just over $50,000 since we began in February, 20xx.  We have three Major Donors who have given more than $10,000.  Our club has five Benefactors, two members of the Bequest Society and 26 Paul Harris Fellows.  We have four members who participate in Rotary Direct Donors.  
 
Below is a summary of the various levels of giving and recognition by Rotary International.  We encourage EVERY ROTARIAN EVERY YEAR or each member to give a minimum of $25 each year to the Rotary Foundation Annual Fund and an additional donation to END POLIO NOW.  Simply login to My Rotary and select Donate.  You may choose a one-time donation or a recurring donation.  The more members who participate in giving, the more our club will be eligible for District Grants to support our service projects.  Please consider a financial gift of any size to support our Rotary Foundation.  If you want the benefit of taxable deductions on this calendar year, then do so by December 31st.

Individual recognition

Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member

When you give $100 or more per year to the Annual Fund.

Benefactor

When you include the Endowment Fund as a beneficiary of $1,000 or more in your estate plans or when you donate $1,000 or more to the fund outright. Benefactors receive a certificate and insignia to wear with a Rotary or Paul Harris Fellow pin.

Paul Harris Fellow

When you give $1,000 or more to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus, or an approved Foundation grant. To recognize someone else as a Paul Harris Fellow, you can give that amount in their name. Learn more about Paul Harris Fellow recognition.

Multiple Paul Harris Fellow

When you give additional gifts of $1,000 or more to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus, or an approved Foundation grant.

Paul Harris Society member

When you elect to contribute $1,000 or more annually to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus, or an approved Foundation grant. Learn more about the Paul Harris Society.

Bequest Society

When you make a commitment for future gifts of $10,000 or more to The Rotary Foundation, you’ll be invited to join the Bequest Society.

  • $10,000: Bequest Society pin and an exclusive art piece suitable for framing
  • $25,000: Rotary’s Promise crystal and named endowed fund, plus all of the above
  • $50,000: Separate named endowed funds directed to two areas of focus or districts, plus all of the above
  • $100,000: Customized Rotary’s Promise crystal, plus all of the above
  • $250,000: Posthumous induction into the Arch Klumph Society, plus all of the above
  • $500,000: Special seating and registration benefits at the Rotary International Convention, plus all of the above

Major Donor

When your cumulative donations reach $10,000. Major Donors can choose to receive a crystal recognition piece and a Major Donor lapel pin or pendant. NOTE: Name recognition is not automatic and needs to be reported to RI staff. Recognition items commemorate giving at these levels:

  • Level 1: $10,000 to $24,999
  • Level 2: $25,000 to $49,999
  • Level 3: $50,000 to $99,999
  • Level 4: $100,000 to $249,999

Arch Klumph Society

When your cumulative donations reach $250,000. Recognition includes an induction ceremony and your picture and biography in the Arch Klumph Society interactive gallery at the Rotary International headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA. You also receive invitations to society events, along with membership pins and crystals that commemorate giving at the following levels. Learn more about the Arch Klumph Society.

  • Trustees Circle: $250,000 to $499,999
  • Chair’s Circle: $500,000 to $999,999
  • Foundation Circle: $1,000,000 to $2,499,999
  • Platinum Trustees Circle: $2,500,000 to $4,999,999
  • Platinum Chair’s Circle: $5,000,000 to $9,999,999
  • Platinum Foundation Circle: $10,000,000 and above

Legacy Society

When you promise a gift of $1 million or more to the Endowment, you’ll be listed in Rotary’s annual report and invited to exclusive Rotary International and Foundation events. Legacy Society members also receive special recognition items and all the benefits provided to Bequest Society members.

Club recognition

100% Paul Harris Fellow Club

For clubs in which all dues-paying members are Paul Harris Fellows. This is a one-time recognition.

100% Paul Harris Society Club

For clubs in which every dues-paying member contributes a minimum of $1,000 to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus, or global grants within a Rotary year

100% Foundation Giving Club

For clubs that achieve an average of $100 in per capita giving and 100 percent participation, with every dues-paying member contributing at least $25 to any or all of the following during the Rotary year: Annual Fund, PolioPlus Fund, approved global grants, or Endowment Fund.

100% Rotary’s Promise Club

A designation provided to clubs in which every dues-paying member supports The Rotary Foundation’s Endowment with a minimum commitment of $1,000 or more in an estate plan or via an outright gift of $1,000 or more. A certificate honoring the achievement will be provided upon request.

Every Rotarian, Every Year Club

For clubs that achieve a minimum Annual Fund contribution of $100 per capita during the Rotary year, and every dues-paying member must personally contribute at least $25 to the Annual Fund during the year. 

Top Three Per Capita in Annual Fund Giving

For the three clubs in each district that give the most, per capita, to the Annual Fund. Clubs that give at least $50 per capita are eligible.

Naming opportunities

Special opportunities are available to create an endowment or make a directed gift in your name or the name of a loved one. Endowed gifts are invested in perpetuity, with part of their earnings spent on a designated program. Directed gifts are spent in their entirety, usually in the following Rotary year.

Endowed global grant fund

  • $500,000 or more: You can specify up to three of the following: the district sponsor, the area of focus, the general geographic region of the project, or the type of grant activity, such as a project or scholarship.
  • $250,000 or more: You may choose up to two of the options listed above
  • $150,000 or more: You may choose one grant activity type, such as a humanitarian project, scholarship, or vocational training team.

Named endowment

If you donate $25,000 or more, you can direct the money to one of the following:

  • Area of Focus: funds global grants in one area of focus
  • World Fund: funds global grants in all areas of focus
  • SHARE: supports the World Fund and provides district designated funds to your district
  • Rotary Peace Centers: supports Rotary’s partnership with leading universities around the world to train professionals in conflict resolution, peace studies, international relations, and related disciplines

Learn more

Directed gift global grants

  • $150,000: A one-time gift that provides funding for global grants in up to two areas of focus of your choice or to a special initiative of the Foundation, such as WASH in Schools
  • $30,000: A one-time gift that provides your district with funds for one or more global grants in an area of focus of your choice
  • $15,000: A one-time gift that provides funding for a global grant in an area of focus of your choice without specifying the district that will sponsor the grant

Rotary Peace Centers endowment opportunities

  • $1.5 million: Endows a Rotary Peace fellow every year
  • $1 million: Endows a Rotary Peace fellow every two years
  • $1 million: Endows a visiting lecturer every year
  • $750,000: Endows a Rotary Peace fellow every three years
  • $500,000: Endows a Rotary Peace fellow every four years
  • $250,000: Endows one Rotary Peace certificate fellow every year
  • $100,000: Endows an annual seminar at a Rotary Peace Center
  • $25,000 and up: Provides general support

Rotary Peace Centers directed gifts

  • $75,000: Provides funding for a Rotary Peace Fellow to complete a two-year master’s degree program
  • $75,000: Provides funding for up to 10 internships or research projects for peace fellows
  • $60,000: Provides funding for five fellows enrolled in the three-month professional development certificate program
  • $10,000: Provides general support

Rotary Peace Symposium directed gifts

  • $400,000-$500,000: Underwrites the cost of the Peace Symposium
  • $50,000-$100,000: Provides full funding for a donor-specified element of the peace symposium (speakers, Rotary Peace Fellow travel, etc.)
  • $10,000-$25,000: Provides funding for a hosted reception connected to the Peace Symposium
  • $10,000 and up: Provides general support for the Peace Symposium

Entrepreneurial named gift for peace

  • $75,000-$1 million: Funds new opportunities within Rotary’s peace programs for global grants and the Rotary Peace Centers, such as workshops and retreats, and other initiatives.
Update on Giving to The Rotary Foundation 2021-12-07 06:00:00Z 0

Welcome New Members!

Linda Blanch - Lives in Pearland and retired from IBM in mergers and acquisitions.  previously was a member in the Rotary Club of Harrisburg.  She enjoys reading, bicycling and home improvements. She has some experience with ending Human Trafficking.
 
Armand Kambou -  Just moved to Houston and was a member of Rotary e-Club of Silicon Valley.  He was in Rotaract as a pathway too Rotary.  He enjoys traveling, cooking and family activities.  Welcome to our e-Club of Houston!
Welcome New Members! 2021-11-24 06:00:00Z 0

December 2 - Rotary Youth Exchange

Next week we will have a speaker on Thursday, December 2, who will share about the Rotary Youth Exchange program in Rotary District 5890.  We have several members who are passionate about RYE and have been engaged with youth for many years.  We appreciate all that these members contribute to RYE:  Anais Watsky, Dr. Nick Giannonek and Lynette Wilkins.
 
Watch for the Zoom login on WhatsApp.  Are you on WhatsApp - Rotary e-Club of Houston?  If not, please let us know so you may be added as this is an important communication tool for all club members.  
December 2 - Rotary Youth Exchange 2021-11-24 06:00:00Z 0

IMPORTANT NOTICE FROM OUR TREASURER

We are still needing for some members to pay membership dues for the Rotary year beginning in July, 2021.  We have already  spent club funds on RI Dues, Rotarian magazines, ClubRunner website, and Rotary District 5890 dues on behalf all every member on our active membership roll.  We have another payment due January 1 based on the names listed on our membership list with no chance to delete anyone after January 1 until from financial commitments until the next July 1, 2022.  Please pay online or send a check to Edward Charlesworth,
11407 Hylander Dr.  Houston, TX. 77070 to be received prior to December 15.  Otherwise, we will need to terminate your membership, yet still need to bill for the amount already paid by our club to allow the dismissal in good standing.   
 
If you must leave our club, be sure to send your notice in writing (email) to Charles Mickens, Club Secretary.
ccmickens@gmail.com.  Notification must be received prior to December 15th.
IMPORTANT NOTICE FROM OUR TREASURER Ed Charlesworth 2021-11-24 06:00:00Z 0

Business Network Social - December 7th 

A Business Network Social will be sponsored by the Rotary Yellow Pages on Tuesday, December 7, from 5 pm until 7 pm at Sense Mortgage  9235 Katy Freeway #360, Houston, TX. 77024.  This will be the first District 5890 Yellow Pages Business Network Social hosted by Dan Monson,  All Rotarians in District 5890 are invited.  
Please RSVP to Dan Monson @ 713-480-1061.  
Business Network Social - December 7th 2021-11-24 06:00:00Z 0

Happy Thanksgiving!

Contemporary Thanksgiving centers on cooking and sharing a bountiful meal with family and friends. Turkey, a Thanksgiving staple so ubiquitous it has become all but synonymous with the holiday, may or may not have been on offer when the Pilgrims hosted the inaugural feast in 1621. It is likely that the majority of our club members will be cooking or dining on turkey this Thanksgiving or a "Friendsgiving".  Some may enjoy Thanksgiving parades, Fun Runs to burn off some calories in anticipation of the grand feast, and football games.  If you find yourself in another country where Thanksgiving is not a typical celebration, a feast can often be had in some hotels who cater to Americans abroad.  

Today, however, nearly 90 percent of Americans eat the bird—whether roasted, baked or deep-fried—on Thanksgiving, according to the National Turkey Federation. Other traditional foods include stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Volunteering is a common Thanksgiving Day activity, and communities often hold food drives and host free dinners for the less fortunate.

The Rotary Club of Greater Houston Veterans has organized a huge project to give away turkeys to families.

 As part of Operation Turkey, the event has been in Houston for 10 years. The event has been growing each year. 

In 2017, 4,500 meals were delivered and in 2020 8,000 were delivered. Despite the pandemic, the team plans to provide 10,000 meals to deserving Houstonians. Volunteers helped cook, prep and deliver the meals.  

As you give thanks this year for family and friends, hopefully good health, business opportunities and more, remember to give thanks for our Rotary family and the opportunities to serve those in need.

Happy Thanksgiving! 2021-11-23 06:00:00Z 0
HOLIDAY PARTY - DECEMBER 5TH 2021-11-23 06:00:00Z 0

A Moving Story About Gratitude

At one level, this story shows gratitude for a special teacher.  Imagine in the place of the teacher, that the hand drawn was the hand of a Rotarian who gave of time and talents to help a child, a mother, someone needing a job, a community needing clean water or medical supplies, or Rotary dollars for Global Grants or college scholarships.  Support our Rotary Foundation so we can continue to help others in our community and around the world.
A Moving Story About Gratitude 2021-11-23 06:00:00Z 0

Program:  Ted Talk - What Makes a Good Life?

What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness

What keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life? If you think it's fame and money, you're not alone – but, according to psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, you're mistaken. As the director of a 75-year-old study on adult development, Waldinger has unprecedented access to data on true happiness and satisfaction. In this talk, he shares three important lessons learned from the study as well as some practical, old-as-the-hills wisdom on how to build a fulfilling, long life.

Why you should listen

Robert Waldinger is a psychiatrist, psychoanalyst and Zen priest. He is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and directs the Harvard Study of Adult Development, one of the longest-running studies of adult life ever done. The Study tracked the lives of two groups of men for over 75 years, and it now follows their Baby Boomer children to understand how childhood experience reaches across decades to affect health and wellbeing in middle age. He writes about what science and Zen can teach us about healthy human development.

Dr. Waldinger is the author of numerous scientific papers as well as two books. He teaches medical students and psychiatry residents at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and he is a Senior Dharma Teacher in Boundless Way Zen.

To keep abreast of research findings, insights and more, visit robertwaldinger.com.

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxBeaconStreet, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

 
 
Program:  Ted Talk - What Makes a Good Life? 2021-11-23 06:00:00Z 0

Firefighters New Home

At the end of September, a fifth apartment opened to provide housing for firefighters receiving cancer treatment in the Houston Medical Center.  The Texas State Association of Firefighters will pay the lease for this apartment for two years.  Mattress Firm in Houston has donated two twin bed mattress sets for the new apartment.  A registry is listed at Target with a shipping address to Dianne Gebhard, Ambassador.  Dianne is the wife of Past District Governor Bob Gebhard and is the contact person for firefighters to reserve their stays.  The mission of the Rotary Fire Fighters Home (RFFH) is to provide short-term housing at little or no cost to firefighters and other first-responders while they are undergoing treatment at The Texas Medical Center (TMC).  Firefighters have occupational risks from exposure to toxins and hazardous chemicals.  As a result, firefighters suffer illnesses, particularly cancers, at a statistically higher rate than the average population. Both professional and volunteer firefighters may apply. There are no other restrictions based on gender, age, religion, national origin, financial status or language. Nor are there any restrictions as to residence.  Specialized treatment for these illnesses often requires an extended stay near the Texas Medical Center. The cost of hotels and short-time housing for patients and their families coming to Houston for such treatment can be crippling and health insurance usually does not cover lodging expenses.  We are currently leasing apartments at The Maroneal Apartments Complex (2222 Maroneal St., Houston TX 77030) located near the Texas Medical Center (5 minutes drive from apartment)!
 
Our club made a donation to provide kitchen supplies such as pots and pans needed to outfit this new apartment. 
Firefighters New Home 2021-11-06 05:00:00Z 0

Update on Global Grant - Venezuela Medical Project

Past President Isis Meijas has submitted the Interim Report for Global Grant 2015574 to Rotary International.  This grant is entitled "Diagnostics and Treatment of Infectious Diseases in Barquisimeto, Venezuela".  
 
 
We have completed the following:
- Successfully purchased all equipment, supplies, and reagents
- Received in-kind donations valued at USD$33,093 from the University of Mount Sinai and various vendors
- Created a detailed inventory of all items obtained with this grant
- Documented preparation of container with pictures
- Loaded and shipped the container in Houston, Texas
- the Rotary e-Club of Houston shipped the container to Barquisimeto, Venezuela
- the Rotary Club of Nueva Segovia and the Venezuelan Science Incubator received the container in
Barquisimeto, Venezuela
- Checked off all items in the inventory and documented arrival of the container with pictures
 
What roles and responsibilities did international sponsor members have?
The role of the international sponsor, the Rotary e-Club of Houston, during this year was to :
- Receive and manage the grant funds
- Procure all items, including reagents, equipment and supplies
- Store and inventory all items in Houston, Texas prior to shipment
- Search for an adequate and competent shipping company
- Coordinate logistics to load the container in Houston, Texas
- Communicate impact of project activities to Rotary, including other clubs in Texas District 5890 and internationally
 
What roles and responsibilities did host sponsor members have?
The role of the international sponsor, the Rotary Club of Barquisimeto-Nueva Segovia, during this year was to :
- Coordinate reception of items in Barquisimeto, Venezuela
- Visit the IVC (Beneficiary Organization) upon arrival of the container to confirm all boxes were received
- Act as a liaison between the Venezuelan Science Incubator (VSI) and the Rotary Hospital
- Communicate impact of project activities to Rotary, including other clubs in Venezuela District 4380
 
Additionally, we have confirmed the training received by the members of the Venezuelan Science Incubator, in relation to Rotary Global Grant 2015574, at the Universidad Del Rosario.
 
THANK YOU, ISIS, FOR YOUR DILIGENCE AND LEADERSHIP FOR OUR CLUB'S FIRST GLOBAL GRANT!
Update on Global Grant - Venezuela Medical Project 2021-10-29 05:00:00Z 0

Have you registered for District 5890 Yellow Pages?

Please go to www.district5890yellowpages.com and register your Rotary Yellow Pages account.  Two of our members have been the driving forces behind the development of this project in development for more than one year.  Let's who Wind Nguyen and Alexis Campestre our support in this Rotary Social Networking platform.  This allows Rotarians to CONNECT with each other and network - this is the "go to" for advertising employment opportunities or for seeking employment with Rotarians.  DG Michelle Bohreer helped with rolling out this on September 27th in a district-wide presentation and celebration.  
 

DISTRICT 5890 ROTARIANS & ROTARACTORS HELPING EACH OTHER!

The District 5890 Yellow Pages is a directory for Rotarians & Rotaractors to network, refer business, job search, mentorship, and encourage members to support their fellow Family of Rotary members for goodwill & better friendship. 
 
We hope that Rotaractors and Rotarians will do business with each other and hire members when qualifications match the job requirements.
 
Have you registered for District 5890 Yellow Pages? 2021-10-29 05:00:00Z 0

Sunshine from our Members

Mike Miller -   Congratulations are in order as Mike was recently honored by American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE) to the distinguished grade of ASCE Fellow.  ASCE fellows have made celebrated contributions and developed creative solutions that change lives around the world.  It is a prestigious honor held by 3% of ASCE members.  Mike is VP of Exo and he has been working for over 34 years and made significant contributions to ASCE.  In 2014 he was the recipient of th Gene Wilhoite Innovations in Transmission Line Engineering Award.  
 
Dree Miller - 
 The film “Stolen - Bring our Girls Home” will stream November 2 on MCS TV.   Dree played a lead character named Angel, a victim of sex trafficking.  Also, Dree has been filming on an island in the Pacific Northwest during October.
 
Leenette Wilke - Recently visited the Rotary Club of Gainesville, Florida with her cousin and 92-year old aunt.  She also participated in a service project pouring concrete to enclose part of the outdoor kitchen on a farm used by Rotarians for various events.
 
Kim Rogers - Returned to Guatemala with sufficient funds raised to build a playground for children living in extreme poverty.
 
Dick Robie - Sponsoring a table at the Farm to Table Gala Fundrais4r on November 6th to support Harvest for the Hungry.
Sunshine from our Members 2021-10-29 05:00:00Z 0
Program: The surprising habits of original thinkers 2021-10-29 05:00:00Z 0

Bringing Awareness to Polio

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October 24, 2020, marked World Polio Day, and annual reminder of the continued presence of this virus and how close we are to eradicating it. Earlier this year, the continent of Africa was certified as Polio Free by the World Health Organization with no new cases in the past 3 years. This terrible disease now remains endemic in only two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, with slightly over 120 cases so far this year. If we can eradicate it there, then Polio will be only the second disease in human history to which we have developed a planet wide immunity. Awareness of diseases like polio and the vaccines that can prevent them are more important than ever in the time of COVID, and over the next year, Rotary International, in partnership with the World Health Organization, the CDC, Gavi, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is making a huge push to raise awareness of polio and complete the task of vanquishing this disease from the planet. We truly are “this close.” Please visit rotary.org/en/history-rotary-polio-eradication-efforts, endpolio.org, and rotary6200.org to learn more and to see how you can help!
Bringing Awareness to Polio 2021-10-29 05:00:00Z 0

Speaker Series: Congress - Charities - Intentional Tax Shelter

 
George Yeiter, Retired CPA, PFS, CFP
 
* Rotarian Community Volunteer
* 2021-22 District 5890 TRF Endowment Fund Co-Chair
* 2021-22 Endowment Legacy Club Committee Member
* Arch Klumph Society Member
* Awardee of Rotary Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service and Distinguished Service Award
* Past Delegate to the Rotary International Council on Legislation
* Past Rotary District 5890 Governor 2003-04
 
 
Topic: Rotary e-Club of Houston - Speaker Series 10.07.21
Time: Oct 7, 2021 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID: 881 8432 5766
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Speaker Series: Congress - Charities - Intentional Tax Shelter 2021-10-05 05:00:00Z 0

"Collaborative Visit" - October 5

Our club is scheduled for a Multi-Club Collaborative Visit - Rotary meeting in Houston on Tuesday, October 5 at 6:30 pm.  The venue is Los Tios Mexican Restaurant..Rotarians must register in advance so an adequate amount of food may be prepared.  Cost per attendee is $25.00.  This will include meal and venue charges including gratuity.  Registration is required by Friday, October 1.  Also, a Zoom link will be sent out prior to the meeting. 
 
The goal of this multi-club meeting is to build better friendships with Rotarians across our district and to work together in harmony on future projects.  DG Michelle Bohreer is the program speaker.
"Collaborative Visit" - October 5 2021-09-20 05:00:00Z 0

Speaker Series - October 7th

Our speaker on October 7, 2021 will be PDG George Yeiter.  He served as District Governor in 2003-2004, has served a a delegate to the Rotary International Council on Legislation, RI Director Selection Committee delegate twice, and for nine years has been a trainer at PETS and Governor Elect Training.  He is currently Co-Chair of the Rotary Foundation Endowment for District 5890.  Professionally, George has worked in financial, sales, and general management positions of the communication industry,  He went into private practice in 1980 as a CPA and a CFP.  He retired in 2010.  
 
Please tune in to learn more about the Rotary International Foundation.  Join Zoom meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88184325766.  Meeting ID:  881 8432 5766
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Speaker Series - October 7th 2021-09-20 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary International Volunteers

On September 19th at 4:00 pm, Veronica Perez will share with our members how to identify when and where to volunteer during the Rotary International Convention to be held in Houston in June next year.  Watch for the Zoom link on WhatsApp prior to September 19th.  Many positions have been filled, but there are many opportunities to serve during the Convention,  Veronica is President of the Rotaract e-Club of Houston.  This will count as a Rotary club meeting.  
Rotary International Volunteers 2021-09-09 05:00:00Z 0

College Scholarships Awarded for Fall 2021

It is always a pleasure to support New Generations in gaining higher education.  We have given $6,000 in Scholarships to six students this month to pursue higher education.  Anais Watsky, New Generations Chair, has shared the names of the winners of the scholarships supported by the Willowbrook Rotary Club which has been dissolved.  The monies set aside for the scholarships  transferred into our club's  Foundation account to insure the continuity of the scholarship program begun by the Willowbrook Rotarians.  The scholarship winners are: 
Cecilia Thao-Van Vu - attending the University of Texas in Austin majoring in Business.
 
Anthony Hiep Nguyen - attending the University of Texas in Austin majoring in Computer   Science.
 
Kaylin Tran - attending the University of Houston majoring in Biology.  She served as the Interact President at Klein Forest High School,  Interact has brought her many unforgettable life changing experiences and skills she will carry and use throughout her life.  She hope to become an Orthodontist. 
 
Chelsea Nguyen - attending University of Houston in pre-Nursing.  She aspires to become a Nurse Anesthetist.  She describes herself as an optimistic achiever who loves to bake and binge watch television shows.
The following two students are receiving their second year of scholarships:
Rehkai Gibson - attending University of Texas at Austin as a senior. He is studying Psychology and Business.  He is enjoying working as a nanny and having a hand in the development of the younger generation.
 
Juan Pacheco - attending the University of Houston as a sophomore. He was past-President of Klein Forest Interact.  He is majoring in both Supply Chain and Business Management. He is a Deans List Scholar and is involved with The Hispanic Business Student Association and the UH Rotaract Club.  
In addition, our satellite club, The Rotary Club of Houston Lotus, plans to provide college scholarships for Vietnamese students this next year.  
 
 
College Scholarships Awarded for Fall 2021 2021-09-07 05:00:00Z 0

News - Sunshine and Tears

Marc Mori -  We extend our condolences to Marc and his family as they grieve the loss of Marc's son, Roland Matthew who passed away unexpectedly while sleeping on the 14th of July, 2021.  He was born in Puerto Rico and traveled extensively.  He was participating in a study abroad program centered in San Sebastian, Spain and recently traveled to Madrid and Paris.  
 
Ruby Powers - Appointed this summer as the Consultant Attorney  for the Mexican Consulate; launched a new consulting business, Powers Strategy Group in July; received the Mentorship Award from the State Bar of Texas Immigration & Nationality Law Section and on the speaking circuit about immigration topics.  And she is an avid gardener with new rain water collection barrels and loves being a wife and mother to two children.
 
Ed Charlesworth has qualified as a Diving Instructor and has pursued diving in the Maldives and the Galapagos Islands.  In the Galapagos he was not your typical tourist, but lived aboard a research vessel seeking studies of whale sharks and hammerheads.  He has been scuba diving since the age of 13 years.
 
Jake Stein and his wife Alli (daughter of Ed and Robin Charlesworth) have brought home their new son, Camden.  Now the proud parents of two boys, they may be facing sleep deprivation for awhile.  Jake recently sponsored his father, Robert Stein, as a new member of our e-club.  All in the family - President-Elect Brittany Johnson is Alli's sister and has made two trips from Fort Worth to Houston to help with the new arrival.
 
Dree Miller - A busy film and television actress traveling on location and sometimes getting to stay at home in The Woodlands near Houston.  She has had roles in Cellmate Secrets (2021), Stolen (Bring our Girls Home), and Surviving the Cartel (2022). Below the scene was shot in Raleigh, North Carolinea:
 
 
News - Sunshine and Tears 2021-09-07 05:00:00Z 0

Program:  The World is Running Out of Water-but new Tech can Help

Water is one of the major focus areas of Rotary International.  Are you feeling concerned locally about the resource of water or do you just think it is a third-world problem?  

Humans rely on water for virtually all our activities, from growing food and sanitation to making materials like steel, cement and paper. But clean water sources worldwide are disappearing due to overuse, pollution and climate change, says molecular engineer Seth Darling. He shares game-changing new technologies that could help protect this precious resource.

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxGateway, an independent event.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Seth Darling · Director, Senior Scientist

Seth Darling is the Director of the Center for Molecular Engineering and Senior Scientist in the Chemical Sciences & Engineering Division at Argonne National Laboratory.

 
Program: The World is Running Out of Water-but new Tech can Help 2021-09-07 05:00:00Z 0

TONIGHT: Speaker Series - Donald E. Sewell, PH.D.

Donald E. Sewell, PH.D. Director, Faith in Action Initiatives, Baylor Scott & White Health (December 2009 to the present) –
in charge of taking Baylor assets (both people and medical supplies) to address local and
international needs; in charge of disaster relief; directing our Sacred Vocation program;
coordinating electronic daily devotions and weekly Bible studies for the 32,000 employees;
overseeing Faith Community Healthcare; developing James Lectures.
 
Meeting ID: 878 8234 8744
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TONIGHT: Speaker Series - Donald E. Sewell, PH.D. 2021-08-04 05:00:00Z 0

Lunch Bunch Social - Small Group

Posted by Olivia Hernandez
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On July 24, 2021 a small group social met for lunch at Izakaya beginning at 11:00 am.  Olivia Hernandez served as the table hostess at this event.  President Dick Robie and his wife Barbara drove in from Brazosport for the lunch.  Jimmy Leon attended and brought an interesting guest, O'Sensei Deddy Mansyur.  Mr. Mansyur holds the title of Lightweight Karate World Champion five times and is the first traditional shotokon dojo in Texas.  Also attending were Harish Krishnarao and Robin Charlesworth.  These two struck up a conversation about training dogs and have exchanged information for further training of their dogs.  Harish has a German Sheperd and Robin has a three-month old Bernidoodle.   We all had a pleasant time and look forward to more opportunities for these casual social gatherings to get to know fellow club members.

 

Lunch Bunch Social - Small Group Olivia Hernandez 2021-07-09 05:00:00Z 0

SAVE THE DATE - AUGUST 7- Vibrant Club Training
 

Rotary International District 5890 2021-2022 -  Be A Vibrant Club Training

August 7, 2021 @ High School for Law and Justice 3505 Coyle, Houston, Texas 77003

Cost $20. (includes breakfast, snacks and drinks)

8:30 am – 12:30 pm
(For Those Attending Via Zoom, the General Meeting Room opens at 8:00 a.m.)

DISTRICT GOVERNOR MICHELLE BOHREER

SAVE THE DATE - AUGUST 7- Vibrant Club Training  2021-07-09 05:00:00Z 0

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Dear E-club members……

       I am excited to be your president for this year and I want to challenge you to make Rotary a weekly activity for you this year.    Today we eliminate ….any of what we used to call R.I.N.O.’s.  (Rotarians In Name Only)…….My expectation for you this year is to be committed to participate at a great and significant level.    So we will be pairing you up with another member randomly that will be your buddy for a quarter of a year….(3 months).    Then we will be getting a new buddy every quarter, so that you will have the opportunity to get to know another Rotarian intimately.    We will have 4 buddy groups grouped together in Huddles of 8 people….. and you will select a Quarterback for your Huddle group.     I am assigning these randomly on purpose so that we will get to know members that perhaps we don’t know that well.    

         It will be your responsibility to check up with your buddy at least 1X each week.     Your challenge that I give to you…..is that you need to initiate this connection yourself at least 1x each week.    That should be a minimum of 2 contacts each week.   I would recommend that at least 1 of these communications be an old fashioned phone call……Not just a text message……..or an e’mail.    

        Here are you pairings and your huddle groups………

 

BUDDIES…….

 

HUDDLE # 1

Kelley Adams & Alexis Campestre

Alfred Adjokatcher & Ed Charlesworth

Chris Ajayi & Jibrell Crump

Jose Alves & Molly Determan

 

 

HUDDLE # 2

Robin Charlesworth & Rosie Dunn

Stan Edwards & Fabiola Giannone 

Candi Guillen & Debra Harper-LeBlanc

Philip Harris & Michael Hasty

 

HUDDLE # 3

Chad Hasty & Ruby Hernandez

Olivia Hernandez & Marty Hill

Henry House & Valerii Iakovenko

Sidik Ibrahim & Jack Jennings

 

HUDDLE # 4

Brittany Johnson & Glenn Johnson

Trokon Johnson & Cimela Kidonakis

Bhuvaneswari Krishnan & Harish Krishnarao

Jim Leon & Eunice Mbarika

 

HUDDLE # 5

Isis Mejias & Christine Mercer

Charles Mickens & Marc Mori

Adriane Miller & Amanda Nguyen

Isabel Nordin & Akin Olufowoshe

 

HUDDLE # 6

Michael Miller & Eddie Peterman

Cristal Montanez & Michael Nguyen

Nguyen Nguyen & Ruby Powers

Marc Prevot & Lori Prouty

 

HUDDLE # 7

Rodney Ragsdale & Dick Robie

Kimberly Rogers & Brandt Smith

HUDDLE # 7 continued

Ed Socha & Jake Stein

Alex Tang & Anh Truong

 

HUDDLE # 8

Jeff Watkins & Marluce Whitley

Leenette Wilke & Missy Willis

Nicole Wycislo & Gaye Wylie

Russ Yetter & Jose Zerpa

ATTENTION……THIS IS YOUR ASSIGNMENT….!!!!!!!

Go to the app store…..download the Club Runner APP…….Get the phone # or email address of your buddy and start contacting them today……

LET’S MAKE OUR CLUB THE VERY BEST IT CAN BE……..

Talk to you soon…….Dick Robie.  979-480-4629

 

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Dick Robie 2021-07-09 05:00:00Z 0

Program - "How Great Leaders Inspire Action"

Simon Sinek explores how leaders can inspire cooperation, trust and change. He's the author of the classic "Start With Why."

Why you should listen

Fascinated by the leaders who make impact in the world, companies and politicians with the capacity to inspire, Simon Sinek has discovered some remarkable patterns in how they think, act and communicate.  

Described as "a visionary thinker with a rare intellect," Sinek has devoted his professional life to help advance a vision of the world that does not yet exist; a world in which the vast majority of people wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are and end the day fulfilled by the work that they do.

Sinek is the author of multiple best selling books including Start With WhyLeaders Eat LastTogether is Better and The Infinite Game.

 
Program - "How Great Leaders Inspire Action" Simon Sinek 2021-07-09 05:00:00Z 0

Beyond the Club Experience

ROTARY YELLOW PAGES IS A DIRECTORY FOR ROTARIANS TO NETWORK, REFER BUSINESS, JOB SEARCH, MENTORSHIP, AND ENCOURAGES ROTARIANS TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER FELLOW ROTARIANS FOR GOODWILL & BETTER FRIENDSHIP. 

Search for Rotary Yellow Pages and you will find three forms to complete according to your interests. One is for Job Referrals, another for Job Seekers,  and also one form for "My Business Listing".  WE HOPE THAT ROTARIANS WILL DO BUSINESS WITH ROTARIANS, AND HIRE ROTARIANS WHEN THE JOB MATCHES.
 
 
Another example of "Beyond the Club Experience" is our Rotarian of the Year 2021- Wind Nguyen enjoying a deep sea fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico with new member Peter Nguyen and Governor-Elect Mini Snyder's husband, Jeff Snyder.  And it looks like the fish were biting!
 
 
 
 
Beyond the Club Experience 2021-07-05 05:00:00Z 0
New this Year - District Conference in October 2021-07-05 05:00:00Z 0

Spotlight on Cristal Montanez

Cristal Montanez joined the Rotary e-Club of Houston in  2015  with an avid interest in international service.  She has provided leadership in helping refugees of Venezuela who left their homeland seeking better lives.  She shares, "It is immensely gratifying to witness children, in the midst of crisis, smiling again over a shared meal. Your heart is touched as you sense their parents’ tension ease and see expressions of hope radiate across their faces."  Click the link below to read more...
 
On June 26, Cristal spoke on a panel at the annual meeting of the Rotary Action Group for Refugees, Forced Displacement and Migration & the Rotary Fellowship for Global Development held prior to the Rotary International Convention.
 
On June 22, an article about the Hope for Venezuelan Refugees was published on Rotary Voices.  See article below for more information.
 
On June 6, 2021, Cristal participated in "The Frontline of Change:  Women Leaders and the United Nations."  She represented the "Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project" and the Rotary e-Club of Houston on the "No Hunger Panel".  This is the link to the complete event https://us02web.zoom.us/.../5PiKpnfJzc6vt0...  You may also new this program on our Facebook page.
 
Cristal remains busy with volunteering and raising awareness of the situations with the refugees from Venezuela.  We thank you for your service and value you as an outstanding representative of our Rotary club! 
Spotlight on Cristal Montanez 2021-07-05 05:00:00Z 0

Membership Dues - The Time is NOW

Please - Everyone - pay your annual dues of $200 using your own credit card or PayPal.  We are obligated to pay Rotary International dues and our district dues in July and these bills are covered by dues paid on time.  Donations to the Rotary Foundation are encouraged, although may be paid at any time during the Rotary year with begins on July 1.  We also ask members to donate to Polio Plus until this disease is successfully eradicated from our planet.  The recommended amounts are $100 to Rotary Foundation and $25 to Polio Plus.  Members may pay less or more, yet the club benefits by each and every member making at least a small donation of $25 to the Rotary Foundation.  Some members use Rotary Direct which is a scheduled withdrawal of a designated amount chosen by you.  It may be monthly, quarterly, or annually.
 
If you choose to withdraw your membership, notify the Board of Directors in writing.  Know, however, that it must be done prior to billings by Rotary International or the district dues which is based on membership numbers each July 1 and December 31.  Otherwise the club is liable for dues to be paid.  Help us keep the books straight and in the "black" by paying on time.
Membership Dues - The Time is NOW 2021-07-04 05:00:00Z 0

Guest Speaker: David Huang "Addressing Food Insecurity" July 1, 2021 @ 6:30 pm CT, GMT-6

Please join us for our monthly speaker series with guest speaker, David Huang " Addressing Food Insecurity."
Please visit his website to learn more @ www.harvestforthehungrytexas.org
 
Nguyen T. Nguyen is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: My Meeting
Time: Jul 1, 2021 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada), GMT-6
 
Meeting ID: 860 4314 8976
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Guest Speaker: David Huang "Addressing Food Insecurity" July 1, 2021 @ 6:30 pm CT, GMT-6 2021-06-28 05:00:00Z 0

Guest Speaker: John Nguyen - Five Essential Leadership Secrets You Can Obtain From Volunteering, June 3 - 6 pm CT GMT-6

Join us Thursday, June 3 from 6-7 pm CT GMT-6 as we welcome guest speaker, Dr. John Nguyen of Lighthouse Leadership Coaching. John has over 26 years of experience as a successful entrepreneur, corporate leader, and author.  His expertise and insight in leadership development together with his academic research and professional certified coaching credential help inform audiences through keynote speaking, workshops, and personal executive coaching.  

John’s coaching niche is in the arena of Performance Leadership and Emotional Intelligence.  His credo is “If you can See it, you can Have it.”  He works not to get paid, but to help his clients discover, define and deliver their dreams.  John has been trained by top leaders such as Marshall Goldsmith, John Maxwell, Dale Carnegie, Steven Covey, Kouzes & Posner, just to name a few.  His inner strength comes from his happy relationship with his family. Select Read More for Zoom link and more info. 
Guest Speaker: John Nguyen - Five Essential Leadership Secrets You Can Obtain From Volunteering, June 3 - 6 pm CT GMT-6 2021-04-20 05:00:00Z 0

Guest Speaker: Son Michael Pham - Rotary Serving Humanity In Vietnam! April 22, 2021 @ 6 pm CT GMT-6

We are honored to announce we have started a "Satellite" club called "Rotary 'Satellite' e-Club of Houston" sponsored by our Rotary e-Club of Houston. This is an incubator club until they have 20+ members to charter their own club. It's a project club focusing on Rotary Projects in Vietnam. Join us via Zoom as we welcome Son Michael Pham to discuss Rotary projects in Vietnam! 

Guest Speaker: Son Michael Pham - Rotary Serving Humanity In Vietnam! April 22, 2021 @ 6 pm CT GMT-6 2021-04-20 05:00:00Z 0

Famous Rotarians: Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh

Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh: Among his many achievements, Prince Phillip, spouse of Queen Elizabeth, II, was an Honorary Member of the Rotary Club of Windsor and Eton and also Windsor St George. Until about five years ago, the Duke would attend meetings in ‘his’ club and refused to be treated differently to any other Rotarian. He was also a committed environmental campaigner and wildlife advocate, becoming president of the World Wildlife Fund (UK) in 1961. 

Famous Rotarians: Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh 2021-04-16 05:00:00Z 0

Guest Speaker: Nicolas Ract - HelioWater Project Safe Water for Schoolchildren in South Madagascar! April 1, 2021 @ 6 pm CT GMT-6

Join us as we welcome guest speaker, Nicolas Ract from France. Nicolas will talk about an exciting new project to improve access to safe drinking water for Malagasy children. Nicolas joined Rotary in 2019, rapidly taking on leadership responsibilities for key actions in the Rotary e-Club France, D1780 (region around Grenoble, France). A member of WASH Rotary Action Group, Nicolas is a committed supporter of water development programs. This passion led him to identify an innovative and environmentally-friendly technology for generating clean drinking water from any water source, no matter how polluted or saline. The Rotary e-club team presented this technology at the 2019 Hambourg Rotary Convention. The project is now actively moving forward in partnership with host Rotary Club Vovonana in Madagascar. More project info at this link.

Our speaker’s professional background is in mechanical engineering. An expert in jewelry manufacturing, for eight years he was the managing director of a jewelry company in Thailand, 2002-2010. On the personal side, Nicolas is a lover of outdoor sports, skiing, swimming, diving and sailing. He is married and has one daughter and two sons. Please join us via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8610587335?pwd=SFpoNUk4TFFyZkJEL0tpbUxLa2tBUT09, Meeting ID:  861 0587 335  

Guest Speaker: Nicolas Ract - HelioWater Project Safe Water for Schoolchildren in South Madagascar! April 1, 2021 @ 6 pm CT GMT-6 2021-03-16 05:00:00Z 0

Looking for Suggestions

Is there something you'd like to see in the Rotary e-Club of Houston newsletter? A certain subject matter you'd like covered, an interesting community service, informative video, etc. Please submit your considerations to Lori Prouty at Lbprouty@comcast.net.
Looking for Suggestions 2021-03-16 05:00:00Z 0

Welcome New Members!

We welcome the following new members to the e-Club of Houston Rotary Club! 
 
Welcome New Members! 2021-03-13 06:00:00Z 0

Rotarian Cristal Montañéz: from Miss Venezuela to Defender of the DD. HH.

International Women's Day was March 8th - La Voz de América spoke with relevant women, whose life and work is linked to the causes of their countries and the world. e-Club of Houston's Rotarian Cristal Montañéz is one of them! 
 
CÚCUTA / COLOMBIA - In the already distant year 1977, a young Venezuelan who only aspired to have her own car to go to school and to her tennis classes, rose to local fame by winning the annual Miss Venezuela competition . And although a lot has rained since then, Cristal Montañéz maintains the elegance, the verve of women who take on life in a big way and don't rest until they leave their mark. In an interview with the Voice of America, this Venezuelan who emigrated to the United States in the 1980s, told about her life and how she went from being a successful model to a philanthropist and human rights activist, committed to causes ranging from empowerment from Afghan women and men in Pakistan to giving food to compatriots who bear the brunt of the crisis in their own land: Venezuela.
 
VOA : What was happening in Venezuela in 1977 and how did you get to the Miss Universe competition? Continue reading full article at this link.
Rotarian Cristal Montañéz: from Miss Venezuela to Defender of the DD. HH. 2021-03-13 06:00:00Z 0

Sue McKinney, Rotary Projects in Vietnam! Watch the Recording

If you missed last month's guest speaker, Sue McKinney, you can watch the video recording at this link. Sue is co-founder of the Rotary Vietnam Project District 5170. She works with other Rotary, Interact, and Rotaract volunteers to prevent human trafficking by sponsoring education for Vietnamese girls. Sue is a two-time Past President of the Oakland Uptown Rotary Club who has lived in Vietnam since 1994. She has been the in-country liaison on many Rotary projects in Vietnam. Over her 26 years of doing business from Vietnam,  Sue has exported thousands of high-quality goods to Costco, SurLaTable, and Martha Stewart. Her current focus is a historical Vietnamese Botanical Medicine, the subject of North American clinical studies, processed at an American FDA-inspected factory, and sold online through Amazon.
Sue McKinney, Rotary Projects in Vietnam! Watch the Recording 2021-02-21 06:00:00Z 0
Next Board of Directors Meeting - Feb. 18 @ 6 pm  2021-01-29 06:00:00Z 0

Guest Speaker: Feb. 4 @ 6 pm CT - Oscar Arturo Leon Canoe - Sea Turtle Preservation

 

COCO TORTUGA, Campamento Tortuguero is a non-profit organization located in Costa Esmeralda (Gulf of Mexico) and dedicated to the protection of sea turtles and the environment. Along with outstanding conservation efforts, COCO TORTUGA projects thrive for environmental education and an active relationship between the community and the environment thanks to community participation; promoting activities such as cleaning and restoring beaches, nature sighting and ecotourism, its priority is the connection with nature, society and fair trade as the main way of conserving the Earth and its diversity. Leave your mark with Coco Tortuga www.tortugasfundacionyepez.com

Join Zoom Meeting - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8610587335?pwd=SFpoNUk4TFFyZkJEL0tpbUxLa2tBUT09
Meeting ID:  861 0587 335  
 
Guest Speaker: Feb. 4 @ 6 pm CT - Oscar Arturo Leon Canoe - Sea Turtle Preservation 2021-01-29 06:00:00Z 0

Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 4 - Food Shortage

Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 4 - Food ShortageThe following photo is an unfortunate and sad scenario of volunteers killing their own chickens to make a soup with potatoes donated by a farmer to feed the Venezuelan refugees due to the shortage of food generated in the humanitarian route. 

The pictures are from Punto de Hidratacion Hermanos Caminantes Venezolanos y Colombianos, one of the food distribution centers under the project. Families arriving at Albergue Fundar 1 hoping to find something to eat before continuing to their destination.

At Albergue Hogar de Paso Marta Duque, refugees and migrants, including many children, are sleeping hungry on the streets due to the food shortage.
Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 4 - Food Shortage 2021-01-29 06:00:00Z 0
A Flexible Club for Your Active Life! 2021-01-28 06:00:00Z 0
A Flexible Club for your Active Life 2021-01-28 06:00:00Z 0

Virtual Cooking Class Fundraiser - Feb. 10 @ 7 - 8 pm CT

Join Chef Ryan Argo, Owner and Founder of Limited Release Test Kitchen, via zoom.

Purchase Tickets for $20 - Raffle tickets are additional and may be purchased during check-out. As a 501(c) (3) organization, all donations are tax free and will go to a worthy cause.

PLEASE CLICK THIS LINK TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS:  https://buytickets.at/rotaryeclubofhouston/r/email

More about the Chef: www.limitedreleasetestkitchen.com

In addition to our fundraiser, we are collecting Teddy Bears to donate to Cook Children's Hospital. Drop off locations are at: 11407 Hylander Dr. Houston, TX 77070, or 14012 Green Elm Rd. Fort Worth, TX 76008.

Virtual Cooking Class Fundraiser - Feb. 10 @ 7 - 8 pm CT 2021-01-28 06:00:00Z 0

Virtual Cooking Class Fundraiser for Rotary e-Club of Houston!
 


Join Chef Ryan Argo, Owner and Founder of Limited Release Test Kitchen, via zoom.

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

7:00 - 8:00 pm 

Purchase Tickets for $20

Raffle tickets are additional and may be purchased during check-out.

As a 501(c) (3) organization, all donations are tax free and will go to a worthy cause.

PLEASE CLICK THIS LINK TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS:  https://buytickets.at/rotaryeclubofhouston/r/email

More about the Chef: www.limitedreleasetestkitchen.com

More about Rotary: www.rotaryeclubhouston.org

 

In addition to our fundraiser, we are collecting Teddy Bears to donate to Cook Children's Hospital.

Drop off locations are at:

11407 Hylander Dr. Houston, TX 77070
14012 Green Elm Rd. Fort Worth, TX 76008


 

Virtual Cooking Class Fundraiser for Rotary e-Club of Houston!  2021-01-27 06:00:00Z 0

Rotary Promotes Peace 

Today, over 70 million people are displaced as a result of conflict, violence, persecution, and human rights violations. Half of them are children.

We refuse to accept conflict as a way of life. Rotary projects provide training that fosters understanding and provides communities with the skills to resolve conflicts.

Rotary creates environments of peace:

As a humanitarian organization, peace is a cornerstone of our mission. We believe when people work to create peace in their communities, that change can have a global effect.

By carrying out service projects and supporting peace fellowships and scholarships, our members take action to address the underlying causes of conflict, including poverty, discrimination, ethnic tension, lack of access to education, and unequal distribution of resources.

Our commitment to peacebuilding today answers new challenges: how we can make the greatest possible impact and how we can achieve our vision of lasting change. We are approaching the concept of peace with greater cohesion and inclusivity, broadening the scope of what we mean by peacebuilding, and finding more ways for people to get involved.

Rotary creates environments where peace can happen. 

Rotary’s Four Roles in Promoting Peace: 

Rotary and its members are:

  • Practitioners: Our work fighting disease, providing clean water and sanitation, improving the health of mothers and children, supporting education, and growing local economies directly builds the optimal conditions for peaceful societies.
     
  • Educators: Our Rotary Peace Centers have trained over 1,300 peace fellows to become effective catalysts for peace through careers in government, education, and international organizations. 
     
  • Mediators: Our members have negotiated humanitarian ceasefires in areas of conflict to allow polio vaccinators to reach children who are at risk. 
     
  • Advocates: Our members have an integral role as respected, impartial participants during peace processes and in post-conflict reconstruction. We focus on creating communities and convening groups that are connected, inclusive, and resilient.
Rotary Promotes Peace  2021-01-16 06:00:00Z 0

Rotary members join 3D print enthusiasts to make personal protective equipment in short supply due to the COVID-19 pandemic

By 

An army of hobbyists and educators equipped with 3D printers are producing face shields and other personal protective equipment (PPE) to help frontline health care workers battle the coronavirus.

Among them are two Rotary members, who are using their knowledge and resources — along with their Rotary connections — to tackle the shortage of PPE caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Rotary gives us a unique opportunity to connect with others throughout the world. Once someone gets an idea, we have the means to get it funded and act on it.”

Scott Franklin, a professor of mathematics and computer science at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas, USA, brought home his university’s four 3D printers and is creating about 24 face shields a day. The Rotary Club of Plainview, of which he’s a member, has supported his efforts through grants, donations, and encouragement.

Meanwhile, Jacob Lasorso, who teaches 3D printing design at Suncoast Technical College in Sarasota, Florida, USA, created a home workshop with six 3D printers he assembled from his school and others and is producing close to 48 face shields a day. His initiative is supported by members of his Rotary Club of Venice Sunrise in Florida.

The 3D printing process uses a special printer to create a three-dimensional object from a computer-aided design (CAD) model, usually by successively adding material layer by layer. The material varies but is most commonly a plastic filament that’s sold in rolls and resembles the line on a weed trimmer. Both Franklin and Lasorso use polylactic acid filament, which is eco-friendly and affordable at about $25 a kilogram. Watch this short time-lapse video of Lasorso’s printer creating a visor.

Rotary members join 3D print enthusiasts to make personal protective equipment in short supply due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021-01-16 06:00:00Z 0

Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 4 Update: Food Shortage

Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 4 - Food Shortage
The following photo is an unfortunate and sad scenario of volunteers killing their own chickens to make a soup with potatoes donated by a farmer to feed the Venezuelan refugees due to the shortage of food generated in the humanitarian route. 

The pictures are from Punto de Hidratacion Hermanos Caminantes Venezolanos y Colombianos, one of the food distribution centers under the project. Families arriving at Albergue Fundar 1 hoping to find something to eat before continuing to their destination.

At Albergue Hogar de Paso Marta Duque, refugees and migrants, including many children, are sleeping hungry on the streets due to the food shortage.
 
Click here for more on our Facebook page.
Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 4 Update: Food Shortage 2021-01-16 06:00:00Z 0
January is Vocational Service Month 2021-01-16 06:00:00Z 0
Happy New Year!! 2021-01-16 06:00:00Z 0

Join Leaders, Exchange Ideas: Rotarians are "People of Action"

Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and ourselves. Solving real problems takes real commitment and vision. Learn more about our structure and our foundation and our strategic vision.
 
 
Join Leaders, Exchange Ideas: Rotarians are "People of Action" 2021-01-16 06:00:00Z 0
Next e-Club Board of Directors Meeting - Thurs., Feb. 18 - 6pm CT 2020-11-16 06:00:00Z 0

Learn About Rotary Youth Exchange with Anniela Carracedo

View the presentation from our recent Guest Speaker, Anniela Carracedo, as she discusses Rotary Youth Exchange!

Link to Presentation

About the Speaker: Anniela Carracedo
Founder and executive chair 2020/21 of Rotary Interactive Quarantine.
District Interact Representative 2020/21 District 6840.

Anniela Carracedo, aka Anni, is a 19-year-old Venezuelan student currently staying in the US. She holds a dual membership as Interactor and Rotarian and is also Paul Harris Fellow. Anni was secretary of her Interact club in Valencia - Venezuela, District 4380 during 2019-2020 and served on the community service committee in Interact at Hancock High School in the US while she was a Rotary Youth Exchange Student.
 
 
Learn About Rotary Youth Exchange with Anniela Carracedo 2020-11-09 06:00:00Z 0

Rotary e-Club Guest Speaker: Feb. 4 @ 6 pm CT - Oscar Arturo Leon Canoe - Sea Turtle Preservation

 

Want to join us in making a difference in the world?

Rotary e-Club of Houston - Guest Speaker
 Oscar Arturo Leon Canoe - Sea Turtle Preservation

 

February 4, 2021 - 6 pm CT,  e-Club of Houston Monthly Meeting
Topic: Preservation of Sea Turtles in Mexico @ Fundación Yepez
Fundación Yepez AC is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of sea turtles and the environment. Join Oscar Arturo Leon Cano as he presents the community projects for turtle conservation, reforestation, beach cleaning, and recycling, with a special focus on environmental education. Their priority is the protection and conservation of sea turtles that are endangered. www.tortugasfundacionyepez.com

Join us via Zoom:
Topic: Rotary e-Club of Houston Monthly Meeting - Speaker, Oscar Arturo Leon Cano, Sea Turtle Preservation
Date: Thursday, February 4, 2021
Time: 6 pm Central
 

 
Rotary e-Club Guest Speaker: Feb. 4 @ 6 pm CT - Oscar Arturo Leon Canoe - Sea Turtle Preservation 2020-11-03 06:00:00Z 0

Thurs., January 7 @ 6 pm CT - Guest Speaker: Gayle Knepper, Alaska: Russian America Today

 

Want to join us in making a difference in the world?

Rotary e-Club of Houston - Guest Speaker
Gayle Knepper
Alaska: Russian America Today
Common myths, truths and (sometimes odd) frequently-asked questions about Alaska.
Join us for fun, fact and fallacy about the largest state in the U.S.

About the Speaker: Gayle Knepper, Rotary District 5010
 
Gayle is a member of Rotary eClub of District 5010 International (Alaska) and is past governor of the largest geographic district in the Rotary world (Alaska, USA; Yukon, Canada; Siberia & Far East, Russia). She has also served in a range of regional and international Rotary leadership roles.
 
Her professional background is in strategic business and market development, with a specialty in working with companies entering new and rapid-growth markets. She is chief executive of a strategic development firm working with organizations in North America and internationally.
 
Join us via Zoom as we welcome Gayle Knepper
 
NEW LINK-------------------
Topic: Rotary e-Club of Houston - General Meeting
Time: Jan 7, 2021 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88584862776

Meeting ID: 885 8486 2776
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Thurs., January 7 @ 6 pm CT - Guest Speaker: Gayle Knepper, Alaska: Russian America Today 2020-11-03 06:00:00Z 0

Speaker: Thurs., Nov. 5 @ 6 pm CT - Anniela Carracedo, Rotary Youth Exchange

 

Want to join us in making a difference in the world?

Rotary e-Club of Houston - Guest Speaker
Anniela Carracedo - Rotary Youth Exchange

About the Speaker: Anniela Carracedo
Founder and executive chair 2020/21 of Rotary Interactive Quarantine.
District Interact Representative 2020/21 District 6840.
 
Anniela Carracedo, aka Anni, is a 19-year-old Venezuelan student currently staying in the US. She holds a dual membership as Interactor and Rotarian and is also Paul Harris Fellow. Anni was secretary of her Interact club in Valencia - Venezuela, District 4380 during 2019-2020 and served on the community service committee in Interact at Hancock High School in the US while she was a Rotary Youth Exchange Student.
 
During her exchange year, and at the beginning of the pandemic, Anni challenged both of her Interact clubs to remain active serving the community. She expanded it to other rotary youth around the world and it became known as Rotary Interactive Quarantine, a network to connect Interact and youth exchange students from 60 countries to exchange project ideas, make friends, and open opportunities for international projects.
 
Anni was a youth exchange student 2019-2020 representing Venezuela in Mississippi, Rotary District 6840, where she's currently District Interact Representative and member of the Rotary Club of Bay St Louis.
 
In addition to her Rotary leadership, Anni is passionate for diplomacy and peace building. She participated in several conferences of Model United Nations during 5 years and served as the General Secretary in 2019.
 
Join us via Zoom as we welcome Anniela Carracedo!
 
Topic: Rotary eClub of Houston - Speaker, Anniela Carracedo
Date: Thursday, November 5, 2020
Time: 6 pm Central
 
Join Zoom Meeting
 
   Meeting ID: 823 0547 8599
   Passcode: 470905
 
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Speaker: Thurs., Nov. 5 @ 6 pm CT - Anniela Carracedo, Rotary Youth Exchange 2020-11-03 06:00:00Z 0

Hope for Venezuela Phase 4: JUCUM/Yukpa Community

Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 4 JUCUM / Yukpa Community - Marta Duque and her volunteers distributing a nutritious meal to a large group of Venezuelan refugees, migrants, and walkers “caminantes’ passing through the city of Pamplona on their way to other cities. Together, we are helping to alleviate hunger and build peace!
 
 
Learn more about the Yukpa people:
 
In November of 2019, VOA (Voice of America) filmed a documentary highlighting the struggle of the Yukpa people. Watch the 3-minute documentary at this link
 

The economic crisis in Venezuela threatens the survival of the Yukpa, an ancestral indigenous community that has been forced to emigrate in search of food. 

For centuries the Yukpa have inhabited the Serranía del Perijá in the Zulia state, but at least 350 of its members have lived for three years in a makeshift camp on the banks of the Táchira River, in the city of Cúcuta in Colombia. 

The tribe lives in precarious conditions, but at the moment they do not believe that returning to Venezuela is an option. “Here we are doing a little job, looking for scrap metal. Children eat only once, ”Dionisio Finol, one of the two chiefs of the camp set up in Cúcuta, told Venezuela 360.

"Today I went to collect scrap metal and with that I am supporting my children," he added, to describe one of the most severe problems facing the tribe: hunger. 

Hope for Venezuela Phase 4: JUCUM/Yukpa Community 2020-10-14 05:00:00Z 0

Calling All Students - Rotary Youth Exchange! 

Rotary Youth Exchange builds peace one young person at a time. Students learn a new language, discover another culture, and truly become global citizens. Exchanges for students ages 15-19 are sponsored by Rotary clubs in more than 100 countries. Watch this video from our Rotary District 4140 friends in Mexico and then find out more information at this link
 
 
Calling All Students - Rotary Youth Exchange!  2020-10-14 05:00:00Z 0

Learn About Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project with Cristal Montañéz 

View the presentation from recent Guest Speaker, Cristal Montañéz, as she discusses the Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project!

View Presentation

About the Speaker - Cristal Montañéz is the International Coordinator of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees, a project created in response to the humanitarian crisis affecting thousands of Venezuelan refugees, migrants and ‘walkers caminantes’ in Cúcuta and Pamplona, Colombia. She is also a valued member of the e-Club of Houston
 
 
Learn About Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project with Cristal Montañéz  2020-10-06 05:00:00Z 0

Presentation: Thurs., Oct. 15, 6pm CT, Cristal Montañéz, Hope For Venezuelan Refugees

 
Want to join us in making a difference in the world?

Rotary e-Club of Houston 
Special Presentation

 
About the Speaker
 
Cristal Montañéz is the International Coordinator of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees, a project created in response to the humanitarian crisis affecting thousands of Venezuelan refugees, migrants and ‘walkers caminantes’ in Cúcuta and Pamplona, Colombia. She is also a valued member of the e-Club of Houston

Join us via Zoom as we welcome Cristal Montañéz-Baylor!
Date: Thursday, October 15, 2020
Time: 6pm Central Time
Join Zoom Meeting
 
Meeting ID: 823 0547 8599
Passcode: 470905
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+16699006833,,82305478599# US (San Jose)
 
Dial by your location
        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
        +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)
        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
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Meeting ID: 823 0547 8599
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcJYfRgGJL

Cristal Montañéz-Baylor
Rotary e-Club of Houston International Service Committee Member & Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Project International Coordinator
 
Cristal Montañéz Baylor is a humanitarian global citizen and philanthropist with years of experience in citizen diplomacy in some of the world's most controversial countries.  Her work promotes international relations and understanding among people of different beliefs and cultures and different sectors of society as she works with leaders from around the world.
 
She is a member of the Rotary e-Club of Houston International Service Committee and the International Coordinator of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees, a project created in response to the humanitarian crisis affecting thousands of Venezuelan refugees, migrants and ‘walkers caminantes’ in Cúcuta and Pamplona, Colombia.
 
Cristal serves on the Board of Directors of Sister Cities of Houston, and the Executive Committee of the Houston-Karachi Sister City Association.
 
Contact information:
+1 (713) 483-4940

Don't miss this informative presentation!
https://rotaryeclubhouston.org/


 

Presentation: Thurs., Oct. 15, 6pm CT, Cristal Montañéz, Hope For Venezuelan Refugees 2020-10-06 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary Helps Oregon Fire Victims

Some of our members have family and friends who live in Oregon where wildfires have decimated many small towns. In response to the catastrophic loss of lives, animals, homes, businesses, and livelihoods for many Oregonians, Rotary District 5110 (Central & Southern OR/Northern CA) has established a Fire Relief Fund to help victims of the fires rebuild their lives. Oregon communities that have been severely devastated, if not eliminated, in the wake of these unprecedented fires will need help in both the near and long term.
 
For reference, Houston's air quality index today was 44; Portland, 30 miles from the fires has an air quality index this evening in the hazardous range of 427. Oregon is desperately hoping for rain this week (this newsletter editor lives in Portland and can attest to the terrible air quality). 
 
Oregon! My Oregon! Do what you do best - RAIN!! 
 

“For the painful and challenging times ahead, Rotary is ready to accept the public and corporate support to help those in need in our local communities. The focus is on raising and leveraging funds for future distribution via District Disaster Grants that help rebuild the fire devastated areas,” said District Governor Cindi O’Neil of Bend, Oregon. If you'd like to donate to this fund, please see the info below or follow this link

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 
Rotary Helps Oregon Fire Victims 2020-09-16 05:00:00Z 0

Riding with Rotary

Rotarians Nguyen 'Wind' Nguyen, Isis Mejias, and Ed Charlesworth promoting Rotary in our community!
 
Riding with Rotary 2020-09-16 05:00:00Z 0
Brandon Clifford - Architectural Secrets of the World's Ancient Wonders 2020-09-16 05:00:00Z 0

African Region Free of Polio Virus!

The World Health Organization (WHO) on 25 August announced that transmission of the wild poliovirus has officially been stopped in all 47 countries of its African region. This is a historic and vital step toward global eradication of polio, which is Rotary’s top priority.

After decades of hard won gains in the region, Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) — WHO, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Gavi, the vaccine alliance — are proclaiming the milestone an achievement in public health. They offer it as proof that strong commitment, coordination, and perseverance can rid the world of polio. 

 

 

 


 
African Region Free of Polio Virus! 2020-09-16 05:00:00Z 0

Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 3

Rotarian, Cristal Montañéz, reports:

The amount of Venezuelan refugees and migrants and Colombian returnees increases every day. They walk for days, many walk for weeks exposed to the elements without any protection under the rain, and extreme temperatures that oscillate between very low temperatures to scorching heat. Many walk without any destination.
 
It is necessary to declare "a migratory emergency" and adopt active diplomacy to defend and protect the rights of the Venezuelan refugees affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Unfortunately, there is not attention nor assistance from the international organizations and local government. Only members of the civic society are helping their Venezuelan neighbors. Rosmery at Centro de Apoyo Mery provides a meal box and a drink to the migrants walking through El Alto of Pamplona. We continue working with our local allies and volunteers to help alleviate hunger and build peace!!
 

 
Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 3 2020-09-16 05:00:00Z 0

Amazing e-Club of Houston Women Leaders

Congratulations to our two Rotary Zone Institute presenters today who inspired governors in training and other top Rotary leaders via zoom meeting - Ruby Powers and President Isis Mejias. Both did an outstanding job and made us so very proud that our e-Club has such amazing women leaders!
 
Ruby Powers
 
Dr. Isis Mejias
 
Amazing e-Club of Houston Women Leaders 2020-09-16 05:00:00Z 0

Venezuelan Science Incubator - Dr. Paniz-Mondolfi

Dear Rotarians,
 
Wonderful news! A news article came out yesterday in the New York Times highlighting the work of Dr. Alberto Paniz-Mondolfi:
 
Dr. Paniz-Mondolfi is the founder of the Venezuelan Science Incubator, an NGO dedicated to promoting science and treating infectious diseases in Venezuela, and one of the beneficiaries of the recently approved Rotary GG 2015574.

This GG, in the amount of $36,512, will help supply medical and laboratory equipment and reagents to build the first molecular diagnostics lab in Venezuela, under the leadership of Dr. Paniz-Mondolfi. The host club is the Rotary Club of Nueva Segovia (D-4380), and the international club is the Rotary e-Club of Houston (D-5890). Contributors also include the Rotary Club of Humble (D-5890), the Rotary District 7305 (in Pennsylvania), and the Rotary Club of Corsicana (D-5870).
 
Thank you for your dedication to helping the most vulnerable communities around the world in the battle against infectious diseases. Today, more than ever, we must continue fighting diseases that arise from the lack of adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene around the world. In Rotary, we are lighting the way one project at a time!
 
Dr. Isis Mejias - President, Rotary e-Club of Houston
 
PHOTO: Paniz-Mondolfi, who is Venezuelan, treating a small Piaroa girl in the Amazon with pneumonia in 2002. The Piaroa live on the banks of the Orinoco River on the border with Colombia. Source: New York Times

 
Venezuelan Science Incubator - Dr. Paniz-Mondolfi 2020-09-10 05:00:00Z 0

Meet District Gov. Scott Rainey @ e-Club Monthly Meeting - Thurs. Sept. 3 - 6pm CT

Event: e-Club Monthly Meeting
Topic: Visit from District Govenor Scott Rainey
Date: Thursday, September 3 - 6pm CT
 
Meet Rotary's new District Govenor, Scott Rainey, who will join us at our monthly e-Club meeting via Zoom! 
Read Scott's bio at this link, then join us September 3 at 6 pm central time!
 
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Meet District Gov. Scott Rainey @ e-Club Monthly Meeting - Thurs. Sept. 3 - 6pm CT 2020-08-24 05:00:00Z 0
Program: Hubble Space Telecope 30 Years of Images 2020-08-18 05:00:00Z 0

Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 3 Update

Cristal Montanez gives the following update on Phase 3 of Hope For Venezuelan Refugees. Thank you, Cristal, for being an amazing Rotarian for our e-Club! Please also see our e-Club Facebook page for many more photos, videos and information about this crisis. 
 
As part of our efforts to prevent the propagation of COVID-19, we are distributing 9 Infrared Thermometers TG88 to the shelters and food distribution centers we are supporting. This is possible thanks to our e-Club and contributing Rotary Clubs!!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
New face masks to be given to refugees and migrants in Colombia, provided by Rotary, Red Humanitaria and Hope for Venezuelan Refugees. We also shipped to Colombia 2,000 disposable face-masks and 2,000 pairs of gloves donated by Houston-Karachi Sister City Association and Alliance for Disaster Relief!
The shelters in Pamplona are closed due to the pandemic. Refugees and migrants are forced to sleep on the streets on pieces of cardboard. They use plastic bags to protect themselves from the low night temperature in Pamplona.
 
In this picture at one of the points we are supporting with food and cleaning supplies, Reina Carmona is complying with the bio-security protocols imposed during COVID-19 as she takes the refugees' temperature with the new Infrared TG88 thermometer donated by our Club. She is also encouraging the migrants to maintain social distancing.
Refugees are washing their hands with the hand disinfectant/soap donated by our Club thus following COVID-19 protocols to prevent the propagation of  coronavirus.
 
We are distributing these books to all of the shelters and food distribution points with our new Beneficiary Registration List Format. Our objective is to help standardized and facilitate the collection of the needed data. These books are a gift from Yaneth Rincón from the Rotary Club Los Patios in Colombia.

 
 
Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 3 Update 2020-08-17 05:00:00Z 0

Local Food Delivery to Those in Need

In partnership with the Dallas Food Bank and Storehouse Church of Dallas, e-Club Rotarians deliver needed food to families in need with the help of local Grand Prairie realtors. Thanks to Buddy White Realtors for your help!
Rotary e-Club of Houston member, Michael Hasty, discusses his recent on-the-spot food delivery to his local area. Thank you, Michael, for showing how much impact one person can make on the lives of many.  

"I had an appointment on a job site Saturday morning for a quick roof repair on a retail strip center. As I was driving up to the building, I noticed a couple of ladies standing on the corner with signs advertising free food from their local church. 
 
Their church is located in one of the areas office/warehouse buildings which is located in a multi-square mile industrial type area. No homes around for 4-5 miles. From my roof top, I noticed they did not have much traffic going through their drive through to pick up food. So after about 4 hours, I wrapped up the job and decided to get in a very short line to see if they were getting enough food delivered to the folks. Apparently, not.
 
When I pulled up, they asked if I would like some free food. I said, not for myself, but I did know of some folks where I lived that could probably use some help. She asked, how many in the family, I guessed 5. It was nice big number. She asked me to fill out a short form for identification and the next thing I noticed, the rest of the church filled the back of my truck with boxes of food and my cab with gallons of milk. And as they were loading up my truck, the young lady asked me what I did, why I stopped, and if she could pray for me. Now, it was my turn to witness. 😎
 
I smiled and said, 'Yes. You may pray for my Success, for I do many things. My vocation is construction, my avocation is service, but my passion is health and wellness. And I am here because if you had extra food, I know I can find some folks in my town that could use it and it's too far for them to drive to you. You see, for my service I am a Rotarian and I am going to find some folks that need this food. Pray for that success.'
 
She asked, 'What's a Rotarian?'
 
What I shared, made her smile and I received the most amazing, awesome prayer for Success! So on my way back to my town and thinking what am I going to do with this food, I thought about my friend Buddy, a realtor who manages many residential rental properties. By the time I pulled up at Buddy's house, there were families waiting for me. Families between jobs and having trouble. But yesterday, they got a little help, I received a huge blessing, and Rotary received Success!!" Michael Hasty
Local Food Delivery to Those in Need 2020-08-17 05:00:00Z 0
Program: Matt Walker- Hacking Your Memory with Sleep 2020-08-17 05:00:00Z 0

Next e-Club Online Monthly Meeting - Thurs., Feb. 4 @ 6pm CT - Guest Speaker

Topic: Rotary e-Club of Houston - General Meeting
Time: Feb. 4, 2021 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

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Please join us for our online monthly meeting and welcome our guest speaker! 
 
Next e-Club Online Monthly Meeting - Thurs., Feb. 4 @ 6pm CT - Guest Speaker 2020-07-18 05:00:00Z 0
Next e-Club Board of Directors Meeting - Thurs., Nov. 19 - 6pm CT 2020-07-18 05:00:00Z 0
Next e-Club Board of Directors Meeting - Thursday, September 17 - 6pm 2020-07-18 05:00:00Z 0

Global Grant Approved for Infectious Disease Reduction in Venezuela

The e-Club of Houston is excited to announce that we have received our first global grant from Rotary International! The grant award in the amount of $36,512 provides funding for the acquisition and installment of medical equipment and reagents necessary to establish the first molecular diagnostics laboratory for infectious diseases in Venezuela. The project is called "Diagnostics and Treatment of Infectious Diseases in Barquisimeto, Venezuela." The grant was submitted by RC Barquisimeto-Nueva Segovia (D-4380) and RC e-Club of Houston (D-5890). Molecular diagnosis is a valuable tool with virtually no development in the country. These modern techniques significantly increase diagnostic precision and speed, and they can also prevent unnecessary expenses and harm related to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. 
 
The main beneficiary of this project will be The Venezuelan Science Incubator (VSI), a non-profit organization devoted to the study and treatment of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) using translational science: the practical application of scientific knowledge developed in the laboratory to provide health care solutions for the most vulnerable populations in the country. 
 
At the August Monthly Rotary Meeting, we were joined by Carlos Hernandez, Vice President of the Venezuelan Science Incubator (VSI), who introduced and explained the organization and took many questions from our e-Club members. Thank you Carlos for your presentation and thank you to our e-Club's President, Isis Mejias, for all of her work on submitting this global grant! Read additional project details here.
 
 
 
 
 
Carlos Hernandez and the team from the Venezuelan Science Incubator
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Global Grant Approved for Infectious Disease Reduction in Venezuela 2020-07-18 05:00:00Z 0

Welcome our e-Club's New Executives & Directors for 2020/21

We wholeheartedly welcome the following individuals as our 2020/21 e-Club of Houston Executives and Directors. Thanks to each and every one of you for your dedication to making our world a better place through Rotary! 
 
President: Dr. Isis Mejias
President Elect:Dick Robie
Secretary: Charles Mickens
Treasurer: Michael Miller
Community Service: Brittany Johnson
Next Generation Service: Fabiola Giannone
The Rotary Foundation: Robin Charlesworth
Public Relations: Nguyen Nguyen
Membership: Michael Hasty
Youth Service: Fabiola Giannone
 
We also welcome Scott Rainey as our 2020/21 Rotary District 5890 Governor!

 
Welcome our e-Club's New Executives & Directors for 2020/21 2020-07-18 05:00:00Z 0
Follow our e-Club's Facebook Page 2020-07-18 05:00:00Z 0
Supporting the Environment - New Area of Focus 2020-07-18 05:00:00Z 0
Tiny Urban Forests - Secret Weapon Against Climate Change 2020-07-18 05:00:00Z 0

Cristal Montanez & Mike Miller - President & Rotarian of the Year Awards!

Big Congratulations to our Past e-Club President, Mike Miller, who received the President of the Year Award from DG 5890 "In Recognition of Your Outstanding Service as Medium Club President." Well deserved, Mike! We know how hard you worked to help DG Gary Gillen make sure online Zoom meetings for the district, as well as other clubs, ran smoothly during these difficult Covid-19 times. You coordinated and monitored online Rotary meetings of over 300 people! That was a huge undertaking. This is the first time a president of our e-Club has received this award. As a special surprise, District Governor Gary Gillen hand delivered the award to Mike at his home. Congratulations Mike - the e-Club of Houston is PROUD of you! 
 
 
And another Huge Congratulations to Cristal Montanez who is our deserving Rotarian of the Year for her dedication to improving the plight of refugees arriving in Columbia and building effective partnerships to alleviate hunger. "In sincere appreciation and recognition of distinguished service, loyalty and devotion to the ideals of Rotary for the Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project." Your strength and leadership makes it possible to reach the most vulnerable around the world!
 

 
Cristal Montanez & Mike Miller - President & Rotarian of the Year Awards! 2020-07-18 05:00:00Z 0
Venezuelan Refugees Front Page of New York Times 2020-07-18 05:00:00Z 0
The Choice is Yours 2020-07-18 05:00:00Z 0

President's Welcome Message - Dr. Isis Mejias

I would like to start by thanking Past President, Mike Miller, and the previous Board of Directors for their amazing role in leading the club. You continue to be an inspiration.

It is an honor to start this new Rotary year with this year’s theme: Rotary Opens Opportunities.

The new President of Rotary International is the German Holger Knaack. With this theme, he asks Rotarians to create opportunities that strengthen their leadership, help put service ideas into action, and improve the lives of those in need.

I heard him speak live during PETS earlier this year and was very inspired with this speech.

He mentioned that to build a stronger membership, Rotary must focus on increasing the number of female members and transitioning Rotaractors into Rotarians. As this is sort of the low hanging fruit to increase membership.

Knaack believes that the People of Action campaign offers new public awareness possibilities for Rotary, as this campaign conveys our global image while still respecting differences in regions and cultures.

As I reflect on what this theme means to me, I realize that is no coincidence. It was precisely the vast range of opportunities to bring ideas into action what attracted me to Rotary.

I started my journey in Rotary while I was working in a project to bring clean water in Kenya (see photo). Rotary contributed to that project and we were able to care for mothers who were literally giving birth without access to water. I was very inspired with the work and came back to Houston to enroll in the environmental engineering program at the University of Houston.

Soon enough, I found that Rotary offered scholarships for graduate school. So, I participated and won the Rotary Global Grant Scholarship that led me to spend 3 years in Sao Paulo, Brazil doing research in water treatment. I built an international research collaboration and came back to Houston to be offered the position of the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group Ambassador.

This was yet again, another opportunity, to connect with people to do good throughout the world. For me, Rotary DID and continues to open Opportunities for me to network with people who want to serve in the humanitarian world in the water and sanitation, and the disease prevention areas of focus. For me, it gave me the road to find my passion in life and a tremendous network of possibilities to serve with this passion.

So, what I am hoping we can accomplish this year:

  1. INCREASE MEMBER ENGAGEMENT - This has been a challenge for an e-Club since we don’t have as many face-to-face meetings. INCREASE THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF SPEAKERS, INCREASE FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS. USE MORE ONLINE TOOLS - there is a large pool of platforms and tools that can make our communication easier, so we will be exploring those.

  2. INCREASE FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES - We will be focusing on raising more funds for club activities.

  3. CONTINUE OUR INTERNATIONAL WORK

    1. SUPPORT TO VENEZUELAN REFUGEES IN COLOMBIA

    2. PARTICIPATE IN OUR FIRST GLOBAL GRANT. This grant aims to establish the first molecular diagnostics laboratory for infectious diseases in Venezuela.

    3. START ENGAGING IN ROTARY YOUTH SERVICES

It looks like we will have a busy year! Let’s continue leading like champions today.

Dr. Isis Mejias

President's Welcome Message - Dr. Isis Mejias 2020-07-18 05:00:00Z 0
A Farewell from District Govenor Gary Gillen 2020-06-30 05:00:00Z 0

e-Club of Houston Installation of Officers 20/21- Thurs. June 18, 6 pm central

Grab your favorite dinner and drink and join us online for the installation of the new Rotary e-Club of Houston officers for the year 2021-2021.
 
 
We will have the honor to welcome Past District 5890 Governor, Nick Gianonne, to lead the ceremony.
 
We will install our new club President Dr. Isis Mejías, and the BOD.
Want to know more about Dr. Mejías and what the new officers have in mind for this new year? Join us:
 
What? Rotary e-Club of Houston Officers' Installation
Meeting ID: 836 9342 6343
When?  Jun 18, 2020 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
 
Grab your dinner and favorite drink and join us for an hour of fun!
 
e-Club of Houston Installation of Officers 20/21- Thurs. June 18, 6 pm central 2020-06-15 05:00:00Z 0
How Drawing Can Set You Free 2020-06-15 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary Clubs Help Fight the COVID-19 Pandemic

Photo credit: Fiorani Fabio/Alamy 

Members use ingenuity, flexibility to help people affected by coronavirus and to stay connected. 

As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads uncertainty and hardship around the world, Rotary members and participants are innovating, caring for those affected, and showing that even at a distance, there are ways to help.

As people of action, Rotary members are engaged in their communities — gathering for projects and offering help to those in need. But in many areas, life is changing drastically. Health experts are urging people to maintain distance from others or even isolate themselves in order to slow the spread of the highly contagious virus. 

Fighting disease is one of Rotary’s main causes, so members already support efforts to promote proper hand washing techniques, teach people other ways to stay healthy, and supply training and vital medical equipment to health care providers. Now they’re helping health authorities communicate lifesaving information about COVID-19 and donating protective gear and other supplies to clinics and hospitals that are under strain because of the pandemic. 

These are just some of the ways that members are supporting their communities right now:

  • In Italy, one of the countries that has been affected most, clubs in District 2080 are raising funds to purchase ventilators and protective gear for overstretched hospitals. And when the worst of the outbreak was raging in China, the district’s clubs raised more than $21,000 for protective masks to prevent spread of the disease there. 
  • Clubs in District 2041, also in Italy, raised funds online to buy protective gear for health workers who will care for COVID-19 patients at a 400-bed hospital being built at Milan’s fairgrounds. 
  • In Hong Kong, Rotary clubs have raised funds, packed medical supplies, and visited public housing to distribute masks and sanitizers. 
  • Rotary clubs in Sri Lanka installed thermometers in airport bathrooms and produced posters to raise awareness about the coronavirus for schools across the country. 
  • The Rotary Club of Karachi Darakhshan, Sind, Pakistan, distributed thousands of masks to people in Karachi. 
  • Clubs in District 3700 (Korea) have donated $155,000 to the Red Cross. 
  • Rotary clubs in Nigeria’s Akwa Ibom state conducted a campaign to raise awareness about the threat of the virus. Members shared information about the illness and how to keep safe at two schools and distributed materials about using good hygiene to stay healthy. 
  • The Rotary club of Metro Bethesda, Maryland, USA, is contacting neighbors who live alone and are quarantined. Volunteers are asked to contact at least five of those people each week to ask how they are and if they need anything. Members are also leaving flowers on their doorsteps. 
Rotary Clubs Help Fight the COVID-19 Pandemic 2020-06-15 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary Peace Fellowships

Did you know that each year, Rotary awards up to 130 fully funded fellowships for dedicated leaders from around the world to study at one of our peace centers?

Through academic training, practice, and global networking opportunities, the Rotary Peace Centers program develops the capacity of peace and development professionals or practitioners to become experienced and effective catalysts for peace. The fellowships cover tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and all internship and field-study expenses.

Since the program began in 2002, the Rotary Peace Centers have trained more than 1,300 fellows who now work in more than 115 countries. Many serve as leaders in governments, NGOs, the military, education, law enforcement, and international organizations like the United Nations and the World Bank.
Rotary Peace Fellowships 2020-06-15 05:00:00Z 0

Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 3

Thank you e-Club Rotarian, Cristal Montañez, for your ongoing support to the refugee project! These refugees are returning to Venezuela from Colombia despite the quarantine imposed by COVID-19. One of the men rides a bike carrying his baby boy in a basket attached to the steering wheel while hauling all their belonging in a tow-car hooked to the back of the bike. Other family members walk behind him, pushing a stroller. 
 
Their destination is the border city of Cúcuta, where they will join hundreds of Venezuelans in an overcrowded uncovered area with no food or water. People wait for days in these unsafe conditions since, according to Colombia's migration agency Venezuela limits entrances to 300 people per day. No social distance and protocols to prevent the propagation of coronavirus are followed at the migration retention area.
 
The Hope For Venezuelan Refugees team continues supporting our partners and volunteers on their effort to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing refugee crisis. Reina Carmona cooks a meal over an open-fire at the Punto de Hidratación Hermanos Caminantes Venezolanos y Colombianos for Venezuelan refugee families returning to Venezuela. Together, we are helping to alleviate hunger and build peace.
 
For more information and updates on the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Project, please click here to visit our Facebook page. 

 
Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 3 2020-06-15 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary 5890 District Conference - Reimagined & Outdoor! July 3rd & 4th 

Message from Gary Gillen, Rotary Governor, District 5890:
 
We have listened to your comments and have redesigned District Conference with your concerns in mind! The Circle of Governors and the District Conference Committee are proud to offer you the New District Conference on July 4th!  Beginning at 10 am at Veterans Memorial Park in College Station, Texas, we will dedicate the Outdoor Music Park, we will honor Vietnam era veterans and tour the monuments at the park. Then we will have the first-ever Governor's Awards Picnic! At this picnic you will enjoy a boxed lunch, see the awards presentations, witness the District raffle drawings, have a chance to win door prizes, but most important, let's celebrate the many successes we have achieved in this crazy Rotary year. 
 
After that picnic you can travel home or join us in Bryan and College Station for self guided events such as fireworks, Safari Aggieland, Mesina Hof winery, and much more.
Registration including Lunch is an affordable $25 per person. Register for District Conference here:  https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Event/rotary-connects-the-world-music-park

Rotary 5890 District Conference - Reimagined & Outdoor! July 3rd & 4th  2020-05-22 05:00:00Z 0
Rotary District 5890 Zoom Business Meeting - Friday, June 19  2020-05-22 05:00:00Z 0

A Message From Gary Gillen, Our 2019-2020 District Governor

With the cancellation of the Rotary International Convention in Honolulu, Hawaii, the Honolulu Host Operating Committee (HOC) has suffered a huge loss.  With the International Convention coming to Houston in 2022, Past District Governor Rhonda Kennedy and her committee are working very hard to raise money for a variety of expenses we must cover.  Honolulu is the same.  Their HOC has worked hard to advertise and encourage folks to register for the convention.  Now that it is cancelled, they have no way to recoup their losses.  Many small businesses will be hurt.
 
I’d like to ask for your help.  With our climate Hawaiian shirts are always appropriate.  Rotary shirts are a great way to tell the world you are a Rotarian.  How about a Hawaiian Rotary shirt? 2020AlohaShirts.com is one of those vendors we can help.  PLEASE order a Rotary Hawaiian shirt or a Bobble Head of President Mark wearing his Rotary Hawaiian shirt.  Their products are marked down dramatically because there won’t be 40,000 Rotarians there to buy them. 
 
Everything is on sale now! Please go to 2020AlohaShirts.com and order one today.  You will be helping fellow Rotarians who have worked hard, invested their money but cannot have the convention they planned.  It’s a great price and it's helping fellow Rotarians so I’ve ordered 4. Please join me!  We’ll wear them at District Conference.   Gary Gillen
A Message From Gary Gillen, Our 2019-2020 District Governor 2020-05-14 05:00:00Z 0

Program: Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir, a TedTalk

Back in 2010, composer/conductor Eric Whitacre created a virtual choir with 2,000+ singers from around the world. Who knew that 10 years later the entire world would be communicating in much the same way. Here is Eric's TedTalk about the amazing process to create his virtual choir. 
 
 
 
Program: Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir, a TedTalk 2020-05-12 05:00:00Z 0

Update #1 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Project

Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 3 - Our partner, Sister Rocio and her volunteers from the food distribution center Comedor Santo Domingo Savio, distributed food bags to Venezuelan refugees, Colombian returnees and extremely vulnerable Colombian families in Los Olivos in Cúcuta.The Rotary e-Club of Houston and Rotary Club of Chanhanssen made possible this donation. Thanks to Cristal Montanez for the update and photos. 
 
Update #1 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Project 2020-05-12 05:00:00Z 0
Imagine Dragons - Birds 2020-05-12 05:00:00Z 0

Deworming Venezuela Update

The Rotary e-Club of Houston is proud to announce that our first shipment of boxes to Barquisimeto, Venezuela have arrived! These boxes contained materials and supplies for the implementation of the pilot project ‘Deworming Venezuela’.
 
This program aims to implement a mass deworming strategy to reduce the state of malnutrition associated with intestinal helminth and protozoan infections in school-age Venezuelan children. And why start with deworming you may ask?
 
A study from National Bureau of Economic Research (https://www.nber.org/papers/w22382.pdf) estimated that the average weight gain per dollar expenditure from a Mass Drug Administration (MDA) is more than 35 times that from school feeding programs. Why? Because parasites rob children of the few essential nutrients they may be consuming from feeding programs.
 
As we move along with this project, we are also seeing an urgent need for adequate access to hygiene in public spaces, such as schools and hospitals. The COVID-19 pandemic presents an imminent risk because schools and hospitals do not have adequate access to clean water and soap. We are looking at the possibility of donating a small Electrolyzed Water System that can generate hypochlorous acid for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, with only salt and water!
If you are interested in participating, please contact our President Elect, Dr. Isis Mejias
or
 
In the name of the "Deworming Venezuelan" team, we want to thank all the contributing donors that have made this possible so far. Watch this video to learn more about this exciting project!
Deworming Venezuela Update 2020-05-12 05:00:00Z 0

Virtual Rotary Convention June 20 - 26, 2020

Join the family of Rotary at our first ever Virtual Rotary Convention. This free event will connect Rotary participants from around the world, inspire through innovation, and celebrate our resilience and ability to adapt. More information coming soon!
 

 
Virtual Rotary Convention June 20 - 26, 2020 2020-05-12 05:00:00Z 0

International Focus IF Magazine - Cristal Montanez

Our most sincere appreciation to Val Thompson, Editor of International Focus IF Magazine for highlighting e-Club of Houston member, Cristal Montanez, in publishing the article “My Humanitarian Work in Pakistan Prepared me to help Venezuelan Refugees in Colombia.” Thank you for creating awareness among our diverse international community of the crisis affecting thousands of Venezuelan refugees in Colombia and how the Rotary e-Club of Houston, Rotary Club of Cúcuta 1, Rise Against Hunger, and partners are responding to this humanitarian emergency. Cristal Montanez
You can read the article below. 
 
International Focus IF Magazine - Cristal Montanez 2020-05-12 05:00:00Z 0

Interview With Rise Against Hunger

Cristal Montanez's interview with Mike Bell during the Rise Against Hunger Giving Tuesday Live broadcast. Our partnership with Rise Against Hunger enabled the Rotary e-Club of Houston "Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project” and the Rotary Club of Cúcuta 1 to respond to the food insecurity emergency by providing RAH meals to thousands of Venezuelan refugees, migrants, and walkers ‘caminantes,’ and Colombian returnees in Cúcuta and Pamplona through the existing food distribution centers and shelters preparing and serving food to this target population. Please watch the interview at this link
 
Interview With  Rise Against Hunger 2020-05-12 05:00:00Z 0

Update #3 Hope for Venezuelan Refugees

Unfortunately, due to the flow of hungry and desperate regufees, Albergue Fundar 1 just ran out of food. The only product they have is a rice donated by the Diócesis of Cucuta. Cristal Montanez
 
Update #3 Hope for Venezuelan Refugees 2020-05-12 05:00:00Z 0

Update #2 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 3

Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 3 - 
Rosmery Mendoza of the Centro de Apoyo Mery prepares boxes with a nutritious meal and drinks for the Venezuelan refugees walking back to Venezuela and those fleeing from the regime and walking to other cities or countries. This is the first meal many of them had as they walk between cities since the refugees and migrants don’t have any money. This critical situation is a combination of migration crisis+pandemic=emergency humanitarian tragedy!! Cristal Montanez
 
 
Update #2 Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 3 2020-05-12 05:00:00Z 0

News from Rotary Friends in Croatia

About a year ago we met Rotarian Damir Karin for lunch when he brought a visiting youth baseball team to Houston. We have heard recently that their club has met misfortune related to Coronavirus. The Rotary Club of  Karlovac-Dubovac in Croatia held a fundraiser on March 9. It was a tennis tournament and dinner afterward to raise funds to help less fortunate attend summer school programs. Two attendees were positive for Covid-19 without symptoms. In a few days there were six Rotarians who became ill. Damir was one who suffered with fever and body aches for several days. Two more remain hospitalized with fever, and two are critical and on respirators. Another Rotarian, Zeljko Belavic, has lost his battle after two weeks of fever and pneumonia. Damir has been re-tested to determine if he is not clear of the virus. Like many of us, he is working from home and his children are completing schoolwork online. Their Rotary club is now meeting online va zoom like our own e-club. Our sympathy is extended to our Rotary family in Croatia. Our world changed suddenly and unexpectedly with the pandemic and it is important to stay connected with others just to let them know they are thought of and missed. Many of our Rotary family will be struggling with losses, losses of business or losses of friends and family members. If you know of someone who is struggling, lets try to be supportive and caring, and encourage them to let us know of their needs. Robin Charlesworth
News from Rotary Friends in Croatia 2020-05-12 05:00:00Z 0

District Installation Banquet - Thurs. July 9 @ 6pm via Zoom

The District Installation is now rescheduled for Thursday, July 9th., via Zoom. The meeting will open at 6:00 PM to allow for entry and fellowship time with the ceremony starting at 6:30 and ending by 7:30 PM.  Please see the below link to the meeting.

Time: Jul 9, 2020 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting   https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88021116804
Meeting ID: 880 2111 6804

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+13462487799,,88021116804# US (Houston)
Dial by your location  +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Meeting ID: 880 2111 6804

District Installation Banquet - Thurs. July 9 @ 6pm via Zoom 2020-05-07 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary Virtual International Convention, June 20 to 26, 2020

Click here for all Rotary International Convention information! 

Mark your calendars for June 20-26 for an exciting opportunity to gather online with the family of Rotary for our first FREE ONLINE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION!

Now More Than Ever, Rotary Connects the World: The 2020 Rotary Virtual Convention will join you with Rotary participants around the world during a time of unprecedented challenges.

Together, we’ll still experience the spirit of Rotary, be inspired by innovation, celebrate our resilience, and explore how clubs are addressing COVID-19. Experience Rotary in action during our Flag Ceremony, witness the power of connection during our general sessions, learn new ways to engage with Rotary during our breakout sessions, find inspiration from our global speakers, and much more.

We have never needed Rotary — and we have never needed each other — more than we do now. We hope to see you online, because Now More Than Ever, Rotary Connects the World.


 
Rotary Virtual International Convention, June 20 to 26, 2020 2020-05-07 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary Dist. 5890 Happy Hour Social  - Fri, May 8,  6:30 pm CT

Rotary e-Club of Houston is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
 
Topic: Rotary Dist. 5890 Happy Hour Social 
Time: May 8, 2020 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
 
 
Meeting ID: 876 0635 9816

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Rotary Dist. 5890 Happy Hour Social  - Fri, May 8,  6:30 pm CT 2020-05-07 05:00:00Z 0
A Visual History of Social Dance in 25 Moves 2020-04-15 05:00:00Z 0

Next Rotary Interact Club Meeting District - Thursday, April 23, 7 pm CT 5890

Next Rotary Interact Club Meeting District 5890
Thursday, April 23 at 7:00 pm CT (US and Canada)
Topic: Rotary Interact Club Meeting District 5890
 
Rotary e-Club of Houston is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
 
Join Zoom Meeting:
Meeting ID: 947 5855 9638

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Next Rotary Interact Club Meeting District - Thursday, April 23, 7 pm CT 5890 2020-04-15 05:00:00Z 0

eClub Monthly Meeting & Guest Speaker - Thurs. July 2 @ 6 pm CT

This will be the first general meeting of the new Rotary year - Join us via Zoom as we welcome our guest speaker, KimDiane Rogers!

Don't miss our First Meeting of the 2020-2021 Rotary Year!

About our Speaker - KimDiane Rogers
With 30 years of experience in world travel, KimDiane Rogers is a past Rotary Exchange Student or Ambassador for World Peace sent to Rancagua, Chile in 1987. She is also a proud graduate of Brigham Young University Hawaii campus.

Her love for people and service shines through in her current endeavor as Founder and Director of her nonprofit organization "Heart for Guatemala", which support two schools and over 500 children living in extreme poverty.

 
 
 
 
 

 
eClub Monthly Meeting & Guest Speaker - Thurs. July 2 @ 6 pm CT 2020-04-14 05:00:00Z 0
Life After Quarantine in Wuhan 2020-04-14 05:00:00Z 0

Welcome New Members to the Rotary eClub of Houston!

Welcome new member, Kelley Adams!
Kelley comes to us from the Seabrook Rotary Club and has a passion for the Rotary Youth Exchange. She was a youth exchange student and finds it wonderful to give back to the program that gave her so much. She has experience in fundraising for auctions and raffles and has been involved in the marketing program. One of her main focuses this year has been helping with the Bahamas relief from hurricane Dorian. Kelley's family lived in Grand Bahama for 5 years, so watching two category 5 hurricanes rip apart the island in the last few years has been heartbreaking. She worked with local charities and friends to send three containers and five trucks of supplies while working with the Grand Bahama and Florida Rotary, as well as diaster aid USA. She has two girls ages 12 and 6 who keep her very busy!  
 
Welcome new member, Marc Mori! 
Marc comes to us as a Rotary Peace Fellow, yoga instructor, and works in sound healing. He is a former Special Agent and retired after 24 years with the FBI. As an agent, he investigated violent crimes, white-collar crimes, counter-terrorism cases, counter-intelligence operations and was a computer forensic examiner before leading a counter-terrorism squad in Houston. Marc is a security consultant providing training to clients in the US and overseas and is a Certified Fraud Examiner. While born in Japan, he was raised in Mexico City and California. Marc is a husband and father of three and lives in the Houston area. 
 
Welcome New Members to the Rotary eClub of Houston! 2020-04-14 05:00:00Z 0

Wind's Orchid Update

As an update to last month's informative Tour & Care of Plants by Wind Nguyen, Wind reports that his one-year experiment with semi water culture phalaenopsis orchid (mini) finally bloomed! Beautiful! 
 
 
Wind's Orchid Update 2020-04-14 05:00:00Z 0

1st "Rotary Connects the World" Online Meeting - Huge Success!

Our eClub of Houston hosted the first ever "Rotary Connects the World" online district-wide virtual meeting. Big thanks to our President, Mike Miller, for organizing and monitoring the event, along with Dree Miller, that included over 300 people logging in! 
 
In times like these, staying connected is key. All over the world, people are slowing down and reflecting. Throughout the world, people look at their neighbors, colleagues and friends in a new way. All over the world, people are waking up to a new reality. How big we really are. How little control we really have. To what really matters ... LOVE.
 
Our eClub is now hosting regular "Rotary Connects the World" district-wide virtual meetings. Our fourth virtual meeting is Thursday, April 16 at 6:30 pm Central Time. See Zoom links above and join in! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
1st "Rotary Connects the World" Online Meeting - Huge Success! 2020-04-14 05:00:00Z 0
Program: The Coronavirus Explained & What You Should Do 2020-03-21 05:00:00Z 0

Next "Rotary Connects the World" Online District Meeting: April 16, 6:30pm CT

Join us for our 4th "Rotary Connects The World" Online Meeting!
Thursday, April 16, 2020 at 6:30 pm CT (US and Canada)
 
Rotary e-Club of Houston is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
 
Topic: District 5890 online meeting with Presentations on Online Fund Raising
 
Our eClub member, Wind Nguyen will be one of the speakers. This is a meeting you do not want to miss! Not only will you learn about how to raise funds electronically, but Public Image Chair, Tommie Buscemi, will also roll out a new way to let others know about your fundraiser! Hosted by the Rotary eClub of Houston!
 
Meeting ID: 914 7093 0551

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Next "Rotary Connects the World" Online District Meeting: April 16, 6:30pm CT 2020-03-19 05:00:00Z 0

Next e-Club of Houston / Rotary District 5890 Online Meeting : Thursday, April 2, 7 pm CT

Next e-Club of Houston / Rotary District 5890 Online Meeting: Thursday, April 2, 7 pm CT
Rotary District 5890 and the e-Club of Houston are inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Time:  April 2, 2020 07:00 PM Central Time 
Topic: Rotary District 5890 E-Meeting
 
Meeting ID: 577 643 701
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Next e-Club of Houston / Rotary District 5890 Online Meeting : Thursday, April 2, 7 pm CT 2020-03-19 05:00:00Z 0

President Elects Class of 2020-2021 - Isis Mejias

Congratulations to Isis Mejias, e-Club President Elect for 2020-21, who attended the Rotary President Elects Training Seminar earlier this month! Isis says, "I am inspired by the many avenues that this organization offers to do humanitarian service." She looks forward to meeting with e-Club members and asking WHY are you in Rotary? What moves you to do humanitarian service? 
 

President Elects Class of 2020-2021 - Isis Mejias 2020-03-16 05:00:00Z 0

Hope For Venezuelan Refugees - Mattress Delivery

Five indigenous people waiting for medical treatment and surgery received new mattresses to help them be more comfortable while being treated. The mattresses are covered with heavy-duty, but soft, waterproof material to protect them from dust and facilitate their maintenance and hygiene. Thanks to our allies of Carpa Esperanza for coordinating the logistics and delivery of the mattresses. The distribution of the pillows covered with the same material is scheduled for tomorrow. We extend our most sincere appreciation to our donor for making it possible for us to contribute to improving the living conditions of these patients. Cristal Montanez
 
 
Hope For Venezuelan Refugees - Mattress Delivery 2020-03-16 05:00:00Z 0

Face-to-Face Social with e-Club Members!

Earlier this month, Robin & Ed Charlesworth, Isis Mejias, Wind Nguyen, Margarita Hernandez, & Leenette Wilke met for an e-Club face-to-face social at Houston's Mi Pueblito Restaurant. Hope you can make it to our next face-to-face! 

Face-to-Face Social with e-Club Members! 2020-03-16 05:00:00Z 0

Venezuelan Women Refugees - International Women's Day 

Dear Rotarians, I encourage you to watch this beautiful video published by Voice of America (VOA). I was thrilled to receive a call from VOA requesting the recommendation of a project serving the Venezuelan refugee and migrant population led by local humble women to highlight their story during the International Women's Day week celebration. And, what better example than the joint work of Mrs. Rosalba and her family, her volunteers, and Sister Ney María in the Olla Comunitaria in Cúcuta. The result? This beautiful and motivating story about the work of these extraordinary women and their service to humanity. Our work has not only contributed to this humanitarian crisis by providing food, but we have also helped raise awareness of the brave people, organizations, and projects that work very hard to contribute to improving the condition of the migrant population. Cristal Montanez
 

 
Venezuelan Women Refugees - International Women's Day  2020-03-16 05:00:00Z 0

Valerii Iakovenko  Tedx

Coming soon - member Valerii Iakovenko in Kiev, Ukraine has just recorded a Tedx video about robots.    He owns a drones business.  Congratulations and we look forward to sharing the talk with our members! from robin
 
Valerii Iakovenko Tedx 2020-03-16 05:00:00Z 0
On-Line Zoom Meeting with _________ 2020-03-16 05:00:00Z 0
Program: Andrea's Journey to Feed Her Daughters 2020-03-16 05:00:00Z 0
Wind Nguyen "Care & Tour of Plants" 2020-03-15 05:00:00Z 0
Check Out the Latest on the Corona Virus 2020-03-15 05:00:00Z 0
Our Vibrant, Energetic e-Club of Houston!! Are You a Member Yet?  2020-02-18 06:00:00Z 0

Welcome New e-Club Members! 

A hearty WELCOME to new e-Club members: 
 
Leenette Wilke - Coming to us from the Kingwood Rotary Club and very involved in Rotary Youth Exchange. 
Jibrell Crump - Living in Houston, new to Rotary and passionate about service.
 
We're glad you're here! 
Welcome New e-Club Members!  2020-02-18 06:00:00Z 0
Exodus: Stories from Venezuela 2020-02-18 06:00:00Z 0
Program: Piper - Oscar winning, animated short film 2020-02-18 06:00:00Z 0
Board of Directors meeting: Thursday, February 20, 7 pm CT 2020-02-18 06:00:00Z 0

Rotary Rodeo Night - Thurs., March 12 - Tickets on Sale Now!

Cody Johnson

District 5890 is hosting Rodeo Night at the Rodeo again at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Thursday March 12. We will have a delicious dinner buffet in the 600 Series rooms on the second floor of NRG Center. The Rodeo entertainer that night is Cody Johnson, a young Texas singer who was nominated for the CMA new artist of the year. This is a very popular performance and is likely to sell out. We have secured a block of 175 Loge Section 522 tickets.

The Full Ride package for $70 includes entry to grounds and all of the activities available there, buffet dinner, and entry into NRG Stadium for the Rodeo and Cody Johnson performance with Loge seat tickets. We have some Dinner-only tickets for $35 for those who are already on-grounds with their own Rodeo tickets or HLSR badge entry privileges. Tickets at this link.

Rotary Rodeo Night - Thurs., March 12 - Tickets on Sale Now! 2020-02-17 06:00:00Z 0

Exciting News from e-Club Rotarian, Cristal Montanez!

Great news!! This morning I had the opportunity to make a presentation on the impact of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees project to the Presidents of the Cúcuta Rotary Clubs. At the end of the presentation, the Presidents proposed to join our efforts to increase the scope of our work and impact on the ground. Our partners Mauricio Villán, President Rotary Club Cúcuta 1 & Patrocinio Ararat Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Project Coordinator Rotary Club Cúcuta 1, facilitated the meeting that was attended by: 
 
Assistant Governor Dora Lobo
Jaime Serrano, President Rotary Club Villa del Rosario
Cecilia Palacio, President Rotary Club Cúcuta Ciudad de los Árboles
Alhim Muñoz, President Rotary Club Cúcuta 2, and
Alicia Acosta Villamizar Rotary Club Cúcuta III, lead contact with the Rotary Clubs from Washington DC
 
Alicia and I have been working with these Clubs to facilitate and coordinate the logistic of distribution of the OAS Backpack Project for the Venezuelan Refugees and the partnership with Eric Huxley, CEO Samaritan Purse.
 
 
Exciting News from e-Club Rotarian, Cristal Montanez! 2020-01-29 06:00:00Z 0

Rotary and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation extending fundraising partnership to eradicate polio

 

Rotary and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation extending fundraising partnership to eradicate polio

Partnership will infuse an additional US$450 million into global polio eradication effort

EVANSTON, Il. (January 22, 2020) – Rotary and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are renewing their longstanding partnership to end polio, announcing a joint commitment of up to $450 million to support the global polio eradication effort.

“Because of the efforts of Rotary and its partners, almost 19 million people are walking today who would have otherwise been paralyzed,” said John Germ, Past President of Rotary International who leads Rotary’s polio fundraising efforts. “By partnering with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we’re ensuring that children in polio-affected countries get the lifesaving vaccines they need to be protected from polio for life. As the first organization to envision a polio-free world, Rotary is more committed than ever to delivering on our promise that one day, no child will ever again be paralyzed by polio.”

Rotary and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation extending fundraising partnership to eradicate polio 2020-01-29 06:00:00Z 0
Next Online Social Monthly Meeting - Thurs. Feb. 6, 7 pm CT  2020-01-16 06:00:00Z 0
Program: A Swarm of Mini Drones Makes ... Magic! 2020-01-16 06:00:00Z 0

The Dry Eye Blues

A Dad Laments Putting the Lack in Lachrymosity
By Jeff Ruby  |  Illustration by Richard Mia
 
I am on the couch watching E.T. with my young son when the sniffles hit. Soon, as if someone has pressed a button, my tears begin to fall, thick and fast. When E.T. flies off in his ship forever and John Williams’ music tugs and swells like some kind of sadistic woodwind tear-generator, I lose it completely. Sobbing. Gasping for air, for Pete’s sake.
At some point, I realize my son has stopped watching the movie and is regarding me with a mixture of curiosity and horror. “Dad’s crying!” he hollers.
Various family members come out of their rooms to gawk at the wet, heaving mess that Dad has become, but by this time I’ve begun to compose myself. My children know me as silly and embarrassing and even willfully dumb, but this is the first time they’ve seen me cry. Mortified, I vow it will be the last.
I would not call myself the strong, silent type. I’m weak and loud, actually, overemotional and periodically prone to senseless outbursts. And yet: I do not cry in front of my children.
 
At my beloved grandfather’s funeral a few years back, with my kids at my side, I didn’t squeeze out a single tear. During my Great Cancer Scare of 2017, I spent a brutal week imagining them growing up without a father yet showed little emotion, only a steely resolve. In both cases, any loss of control was scheduled in advance, when I had a good block of time alone and would not have to rejoin society until mental equilibrium had been restored. In other words, I bawled my eyes out in private. But there was some kind of public barrier that I couldn’t cross.
 
This is patently ridiculous. I know that crying is normal for any human and is nothing to be ashamed of, regardless of gender or emotional IQ. I also know that it’s good for you. According to William Frey, a neurology professor at the University of Minnesota and one of the leading academics to study crying, tears contain adrenocorticotropin, an indicator of stress. That could mean that not crying only increases stress.
 
Other men seem to have understood that intuitively. The Old Testament overflows with sensitive characters like Abraham, Joseph, and King David, all of whom blubber without shame. Even the manly Esau, when he learns that Jacob has stolen his birthright, whimpers as only a guy who loses to his brother could. (He also weeps when they reunite.) Never once is there a stigma to those tears. Overt expressions of grief and joy reside within the normal range of response to biblical situations. Crying makes these men relatable, sincere, trustworthy — perhaps even heroic.
 
Or so suggests an anonymous 18th-century writer quoted in Tom Lutz’s 1999 book, Crying: The Natural and Cultural History of Tears: “Moral weeping is the sign of so noble a passion, that it may be questioned whether those are properly men, who never weep upon any occasion. They may pretend to be as heroical as they please, and pride themselves in a stoical insensibility; but this will never pass for virtue with the true judges of human nature.”
 
When did this attitude change? Was it in the Victorian era, when views on masculinity and femininity were defined by each gender’s approach to emotion? Women were depicted as impossibly fragile time bombs prone to hot-flash hysteria and in constant danger of taking to their beds. The steady, sturdy gentlemen in their lives were expected to be disciplined, rational, and averse to tears. This meant that men were either (a) suddenly content to lead buttoned-up lives of taciturn rectitude or (b) suffering privately with consequences that came out in less emotionally healthy ways than simple tears. (See Jack the Ripper.)
 
The stiff upper lip remained a fixture of Western male culture through much of the 20th century. For my stern immigrant great-grandfather and war-hero grandfather, tears were allowed only at the cemetery and, maybe, the altar. Then my father came along. A wartime baby raised by women, he grew up to be a gentle, hugging mushpot, strong and sensitive and ahead of his time in preaching the gospel of empathy. When I wrecked his car as a teenager and was hysterical with guilt, he shrugged and asked if I wanted to shoot some pool. “You’ve punished yourself enough,” he said. By the time of the 1972 release of Free to Be ... You and Me — a book and recording that challenged accepted gender roles and officially made it all right for an entire generation of boys to cry — he had been saying it for years.
 
But here’s the weird thing: Only once do I remember my father crying, and that was because he missed my mom, who had been out of town for a week. It was one of those terrifying moments when it hits you that the people in charge are not really in control after all, and maybe Earth spins on an axis of chaos. I assumed that his crying represented the beginning of a breakdown of sorts and that things would never be the same. As it turned out, the moment was an aberration, a blip on the timeline. But this blip must have profoundly affected me, because I still insist on hiding within the same all-powerful Dad shell that sheltered my forefathers.
It was one of those terrifying moments when it hits you that the people in charge are not really in control after all.
 
What do my kids make of all this? They’re growing up in a world that appears to have split in two. Meghan Markle, now known as the Duchess of Sussex, adopted the masculine pose of the stiff upper lip as she adjusted to life in the royal spotlight. How did that work out? “I really tried,” she reports in a recently released documentary, “but I think that what that does internally is probably really damaging.”
 
The Dry Eye Blues 2020-01-16 06:00:00Z 0

Donation to Project Deworming Venezuela

This week, Isis Mejias received 500 tablets of Ivermectin from the Rotary Club of Somerset for the Project Deworming Venezuela. These tablets were a donation of a Rotarian who is deeply interested in helping the Venezuelan vulnerable community, and prefers to remain anonymous. He spent close to $2000 to purchase all of these tablets. With this donation we will start the pilot project in the community of La Pica in the Lara state in Venezuela with our partner organization They Venezuelan Science Incubator. This pilot project aims to deworm 100 children between 4 and 6 years old to reduce the malnutrition induced by parasites and other water-borne diseases. The club also sent us a check for $2900 towards this project. If you are interested in participating, please contact Isis
Donation to Project Deworming Venezuela 2020-01-16 06:00:00Z 0

Rotary Establishes Peace Center at Makerere University

KAMPALA, Uganda (9 January 2020) — From human rights violations to the impacts of climate change, Rotary and Makerere University are offering a postgraduate certificate program to peace and development leaders who are from or who have worked in Africa to address the underlying challenges to peace in the region.

The year-long program in Peacebuilding, Conflict Transformation and Development will emphasize issues and solutions that are of particular relevance throughout the African continent and beyond. Hands-on experience will complement coursework that addresses topics including human rights, governance, and the role of the media in conflict. Other studies will focus on refugees and migration, as well as resource and identity-based conflicts.

The program will incorporate the Positive Peace framework pioneered by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) as well as apply concepts grounded in mediation and negotiation, African philosophy, and indigenous mechanisms for conflict resolution. “For centuries, we have looked at peace as the absence of violence, without fully considering the other drivers in play,” said Olayinka Babalola, vice president, Rotary International Board of Directors. “Instead of merely examining the causes of war, Rotary Peace Fellows at Makerere University will explore the underpinnings of peace to achieve tangible measures of human wellbeing and progress.” The program is designed to accommodate working professionals with at least five years of proven experience in the areas of peace and development. There will be two cohorts a year each with 20 fellows, and the first class will begin in February 2021. The online application will be available in February 2020.

“Makerere University is situated at the heart of the Great Lakes region, which has experienced the most strife and the most conflicts in Africa,” said Barnabas Nawangwe, University vice chancellor. “We’ve had frequent experience with conflict, so we established our peace program more than 15 years ago to expand our expertise and augment our engagement in the area of conflict and peace. Partnering with an international organization like Rotary allows us to demonstrate on a global scale what we’ve been doing in our local environment. Based on our past rich experience, we can confront strife in populations all over the world.”Every year, Rotary awards up to 130 fully funded scholarships for dedicated peace and development leaders from around the world to study at any of its seven peace centers programs. In just over 15 years, Rotary Peace Centers have trained over 1,300 individuals for careers in peacebuilding in more than 115 countries, and program alumni serve as leaders in both governmental and nongovernmental agencies, international organizations, and more.

Rotary Establishes Peace Center at Makerere University 2020-01-16 06:00:00Z 0

Venezuela Humanitarian Tragedy

Venezuelan Humanitarian Tragedy - As of January 10th, the minimum monthly salary in Venezuela is $5.51 and it takes 23 minimum salaries to buy the basic food basket.  No wonder Venezuelans can no longer survive and are forced to emigrate in search of food, medical assistance and job opportunities to support their families. This means more hunger, more misery and more migration. This is outrageous - we must do more!
Venezuela Humanitarian Tragedy 2020-01-16 06:00:00Z 0
Rotary Board of Directors Meeting - Jan. 16, 7 pm CT 2019-12-22 06:00:00Z 0

Community Service Calendar

Brittany Johnson brings us the following message regarding the e-Club Community Service Calendar. 
 
Hi everyone!  I’ve sent the community service calendar above so everyone has easy access to it.  December's theme is Holidays. At the party we made holiday cards that will be delivered to local nursing homes. If you weren't able to make the party, or if you live outside of Houston please find any local nursing home and you can still participate. The holidays can be a hard time, especially for those in nursing homes, and they are so grateful to receive cards and be remembered this time of year.
 
January’s theme is Winter Weather so you may also bring coats or blankets for donations in January. 

I also wanted to share a few intentional activities for those that have children (or even those that don’t!).  We have been using our elf on the shelf to introduce some of these projects and they coordinate with our homemade advent calendar that is centered primarily around giving and kindness.
  1. Cleaning out toys or closets
  2. Donation to local food drive
  3. Donation to local hospital (our children’s hospital hands out teddy bears to patients.  We even met a patient who had just received on and he gave our boys high fives and personally thanked them for making his spirits brighter)
  4. Adopt a child (check local churches, school organizations, advocacy centers, etc) or angel tree
  5. Pay it forward (even as simple as in the Starbucks line)
  6. Deliver cookies or dinner to local firefighters 
  7. Letters to Santa!  If you deliver a letter to Santa (or fill one out online!) at Macy’s they donate $1 per letter to Make A Wish!
 
Community Service Calendar 2019-12-22 06:00:00Z 0

Project Deworming Venezuela Update

Dear Rotarians,
Please take a look at the article from Rotary District 7305 where they highlight my visit along with Dr. Alberto Paniz to speak about the project Deworming Venezuela. They are very excited about this effort, and are starting fundraising activities this holiday season towards this cause.
Isis Mejias
Project Deworming Venezuela Update 2019-12-22 06:00:00Z 0

Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Update

Our Hope for Venezuelan Refugees team was delighted to meet and host Rotarian Lorena Gloden from the Perrysburg Rotary Club and her family, during their recent visit to Cúcuta.  Lorena had the opportunity to attend the weekly meeting of our partners the Rotary Club Cúcuta 1, and reunite with old family friends☺
 
For the next two days, Lorena, her husband Daniel and son Sebastian, in conjunction with our Hope For Venezuelan Refugees team,  Nury Contreras, Local Project Coordinator, and Cindy Catoni, Project Photo-Journalist, met with representatives of the Banco Diocesano de Alimentos en Cúcuta, our logistic partner in Cúcuta and learn how the Rise Against Hunger fortified meals inventory is stored and managed.
 
They also visited the following food distribution centers supported by the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Project:
- Comedor Santo Domingo Savio – Approximately, 780 daily beneficiaries.
- Servidoras Madres para los Abandonados de la Calle – Approximately, 400 daily beneficiaries.
- Fundación Colombo-Venezolana Nueva Ilusión - Approximately, 500 daily beneficiaries.
- Yukpa Indigenous Community in Cucúta - Approximately, between 264 – 400 daily beneficiaries.  This album captures Lorena’s visit to the centers mentioned above  
Together we are alleviating hunger and building peace!
Visita de Lorena Gloden del Perrysburg Rotary Club al Comedor Santo Domingo Savio en Cucúta
 
Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Update 2019-12-22 06:00:00Z 0
Happy 2020! 2019-12-22 06:00:00Z 0

Documentary: The Tragedy of the Yukpa People

Dear Rotarians, I invite you to watch and share this excellent documentary 'The Tragedy of the Yukpa People' by Voice of America (VOA) filmed during the visit of journalist Jaime Alberto Moreno Gomez to the Yukpa indigenous community Hope for Venezuelan Refugees are helping twice a week in Cúcuta in conjunction with our allies JUCUM Carpa Esperanza. We are very grateful to Jaime for raising awareness of the critical conditions in which this community lives in Cúcuta. Cristal Montanez
 
Documentary: The Tragedy of the Yukpa People 2019-12-22 06:00:00Z 0

Rotary e-Club Holiday Gathering

Fun photos from the Rotary e-Club Holiday Gathering on December 15th at Ed and Robin Charlesworth's home. Happy Holidays everyone!
  
Rotary e-Club Holiday Gathering 2019-12-22 06:00:00Z 0
Rotary Social Meeting - Thursday, Jan. 2nd  7pm CT 2019-12-03 06:00:00Z 0
Rotary Board of Directors Meeting - Thursday, Dec. 19th, 7 pm CT 2019-12-03 06:00:00Z 0
Program: More than 100 South Australian schools to close in catastrophic fire conditions | ABC News 2019-11-19 06:00:00Z 0
Song: Thankful, Josh Groban 2019-11-19 06:00:00Z 0
Program: Mind Blowing! ...Earth Compared To The Rest Of The Universe - Amazing Graphic Presentation 2019-11-19 06:00:00Z 0

Mediaton - a Sock Donation Campaign

Mediaton is a socks donation campaign organized by the Rotary Club of Pamplona Founder of Cities, in partnership with the Rotary e-Club of Houston and Hope For Venezuelan Refugees for the benefit of migrants, refugees and walkers Venezuelans, and Colombian returnees. Donate your socks at the establishments mentioned in the poster. Socks are very necessary to help protect the feet of walkers during their long pilgrimage in search of a better future. Many thanks for your generous donation!
Mediaton - a Sock Donation Campaign 2019-11-19 06:00:00Z 0

Hope For Venezuelan Refugees - Rotarians Provide Assistance to Migrants

Rotary e-Club of Houston is so proud of e-Club members, Cristal Montañez and Isis Mejias, who continue to serve the Venezuelan refugees and migrants and Colombian returnees affected by the humanitarian crisis. 
 
"The humanitarian crisis in Venezuela is unsustainable,” declares Cristal Montañez from the Rotary e-Club of Houston to the newspaper La Opinión  of Cúcuta, Colombia.
 
"It’s our duty as Rotarians and Venezuelans and citizens of the world. Through Rotary we can build strong alliances and build peace. I’m grateful to be a Rotarian member of the e-Club." Isis Mejias, Rotary e-Club of Houston.  
 
Hope For Venezuelan Refugees - Rotarians Provide Assistance to Migrants 2019-11-19 06:00:00Z 0

Rotary & Fellowship is Strong in Ethiopia’s Capital City

Hello Houston E-Club.....World Interact week was celebrated last week and I had the pleasure to participate in a #endpolionow fundraiser- walk with the Interact/Rotaract clubs of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (AAE). The walk began at the historical home of King Menelik II and ended with a nice brunch. I also was invited to the AAE's Rotary Club District Level meeting; attended by their former: Dist. Gov's, Club Presidents, and Office Holders. All Rotary Club Members were very hospitable and are open to visits and partnerships from our club.
VR
Rtn Rodney Ragsdale
Rotary e-Club of Houston 
Rotary & Fellowship is Strong in Ethiopia’s Capital City 2019-11-19 06:00:00Z 0

Deworming Venezuela Project

Dear e-Club members,
Attached is the newsletter from the Rotary Club of Somerset. It was wonderful to visit them. I thanked them for the contribution to the Hope for Venezuelan Refugees project during Phase 1. They were very impressed with our club and the things we are doing, and want to partner with us on the “Deworming Venezuela” project for next year. Find out more on their attached newsletter.
Isis Mejias
Rotary e-Club of Houston
 
Deworming Venezuela Project 2019-11-19 06:00:00Z 0

Update from Cristal Montanez - Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Phase 2

Hola Rotaríans, I am sharing a two minute video about the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and the response of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees team to support food distribution centers and shelters that prepare hot meals and serve migrants, refugees,  and Venezuelan walkers, and Colombian returnees. Thank you for your support!!!
 
Update from Cristal Montanez - Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Phase 2 2019-10-15 05:00:00Z 0

Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 2

 
This one minute video features e-Club's Cristal Montanez. Thank you Cristal for continuing to promote Rotary's Service Above Self!
Mr. Douglas González of the Douglas Hostel, is a humble man, a shoemaker by profession, who when seeing so many women, men and migrant children in the street going cold decided to make a space on his land and enabled a scrap yard so they could rest. Thanks to the Douglas Hostel, more than 250 refugees, returnees and Venezuelan migrants, and Colombian returnees, can rest and protect themselves from the cold every night before continuing their long journey to other cities or countries. Every afternoon at 5:00 pm the volunteers of the Hostel set up large pots of milk or hot chocolate pouring, serving the walkers with bread. We continue to work together and help alleviate hunger and build peace.
 
Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Phase 2 2019-10-15 05:00:00Z 0
Program: Brexit Dominates Queen's Speech to UK Parliament 2019-10-15 05:00:00Z 0

DRAFT - Ruby Powers Immigration Talk

October 2, 2019 
I am speaking to the RC o f University Area Houston tomorrow morning at 7:15am 

Immigration and the Law, the steps to legal residency and citizenship

Oct 02, 2019
Ruby Powers, attorney at law, Immigration
Immigration and the Law, the steps to legal residency and citizenship
DRAFT - Ruby Powers Immigration Talk 2019-10-15 05:00:00Z 0

Program: What Bruce Lee Can Teach Us About Living Fully

Most of us know Bruce Lee as the famous martial artist and action film star -- but he was also a philosopher who taught "self-actualization": the practice of how to be yourself in the best way possible. In this inspiring talk, Bruce's daughter Shannon Lee takes us inside the mind of her father, exploring how to use his philosophy in your daily life to achieve profound personal growth and make a lasting impact.
 
Program: What Bruce Lee Can Teach Us About Living Fully 2019-10-15 05:00:00Z 0

Beautiful Fall Colors in Colorado!

Robin Charlesworth, past e-Club President, sharing beautiful Fall colors with friends in Rotary from Lake City, Colorado.
Thanks Robin!
Beautiful Fall Colors in Colorado! 2019-10-15 05:00:00Z 0

DRAFT - e-Club Receives Presidential Citation!

"Congratulations to our Past President, Robin Charlesworth! Due to your leadership skills we are once again a Presidential Citation Club with THREE Presidential distinctions!"   Jimmy León, District Assistant Governor 2017-2020
 
*** ask about the 3 distinctions.
*** ask Mike or Robin if they received the cert yet.
DRAFT - e-Club Receives Presidential Citation! 2019-09-14 05:00:00Z 0

Planning for this year's Ride to End Polio

Our e-Club members, Ed Charlesworth and Wind Nguyen, finished a 35-mile bike ride recently. It was just for fun, health and planning for the Ride to End Polio this year (stay tuned for more information on this year's Ride to End Polio). The e-Club of Houston has many inspirational members like Ed and Wind who give service above self! 
Planning for this year's Ride to End Polio 2019-09-14 05:00:00Z 0

Graciela’s Cheese

David and wife Tanya, of Arlington, TX, had arrived at their vacation cottage west of Cobano, Costa Rica in the middle of the night in blinding rain. The next morning, as they were drinking coffee with John and Stephanie, the managers of the cottage they rented, they were introduced to Graciela, a woman living on a nearby farm who was selling milk, eggs, fresh chicken, and cheese. David and Tanya bought all she had, as they were going to be staying for the whole week and needed these basics.
 
The following morning when Graciela arrived, David asked her (through Stephanie’s translation) if she could teach him how to make the white cheese she sold them. She seemed puzzled, but also pleased, and she agreed. So the next morning she showed up at their cottage with 2 gallons of fresh milk, buckets, cheesecloth and a wooden press, and for the next four hours, they made cheese.
 
David was in Costa Rica for the ninth time that July and this was Tanya’s first time there. David had just come out of the jungle in the eastern mountain region where he had spent a week working with the indigenous Cabecar people through his church in Texas. Tanya joined him on the other side of Costa Rica for a little R&R after his mission work. David spoke very limited Spanish, so all his conversations with Graciela were through Stephanie or John.
 
They talked about Graciela living with her husband and teenaged daughters on their farm farther down the rough road. John told them, that in reality, her humble house could not be driven to in anything but a 4-wheel drive vehicle. In fact, getting out to sell her produce is usually quite a chore. She travels into Cobano sometimes, but usually sells to rural folks. They talked about their families – Tanya and David have a son, a daughter, two grandsons and a granddaughter. Graciela told about her twin sixteen-year-old daughters, but one was having to live with Graciela’s mother in Nicaragua because she was handicapped and life is hard on the farm.
 
Graciela’s Cheese 2019-08-15 05:00:00Z 0

Urgent Call to Action - Hope for Venezuelan Refugee Project

We have an urgent need for your support for the Hope for Venezuelan Refugee Project. Therefore this is a CALL TO ACTION request for all members of our E-Club.
 
There are several ways that we can use your talents to help with this effort (speaking/writing Spanish is not a requirement).  All project support/help can be done from a computer or smart phone from anywhere in the world.   
 
Please see Isis and Cristal's International Services Committee Report (attached) that gives the latest update on the status of this important project and what you can do to help. All specific areas of help are very well described so that you will know what is needed. 
 
The time is Now to help make this project a success- the duration is a short 13 weeks!
 
Please read the update and let Isis know in what area you can help. If we all pitch in, the project will be a success and we will have helped give humanitarian aid to thousands of people who are in desperate need. 
 
I challenge each one of you to get involved. As Rotarians, this is what we do and this is the opportunity to do it.
 
Yours in Service, 
 
Mike Miller
President, Rotary E-Club of Houston 
Ph. (503) 515-1983
Urgent Call to Action - Hope for Venezuelan Refugee Project 2019-08-15 05:00:00Z 0

Phase 2 - Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project

Isis Mejias announces with great pleasure that our second 40-ft container with Rise Against Hunger Meals arrived July 17th to Pamplona, Colombia to support our Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project. We are officially starting Phase 2 of this project and are very excited to lead this effort to build peace in the region by providing a hot meal to Venezuelan refugees. We are in need of help urgently (see message above). Please contact Isis if you are interested in participating. 
Phase 2 - Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project 2019-08-14 05:00:00Z 0
Program: Hong Kong's Huge Protest, Explained 2019-08-14 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary Ninja Theme

District 5890 Ninja theme! A fun theme the District used for all the people who volunteer at the District level. Rotary is fun!! 
Rotary Ninja Theme 2019-08-14 05:00:00Z 0
More Teddy Bears on the Way to Colombia! 2019-08-14 05:00:00Z 0

Martin Bailey Memorial Garden Presentation

Wind Nguyen in Austin to present the Martin Bailey Memorial Garden Project to 10 Rotary Districts and talk about our high impact District Grant from Rotary District 5890. Thank you Wind!
 
Martin Bailey Memorial Garden Presentation 2019-08-14 05:00:00Z 0

October/November Calendar

Thursday, October 17, 2019, 7:00 pm CT - e-Club Board of Directors Meeting, stay tuned for link to Zoom meeting.
Thursday, November 7, 2019, 7:00-8:00 pm CT - Online e-Club Social Meeting, stay tuned for link to Zoom meeting.
Thursday, November 21, 2019, 7:00 pm CT - e-Club Board of Directors Meeting. 
October/November Calendar 2019-07-30 05:00:00Z 0
Amazon.com Benefits Our E-Club - Use Link When Shopping 2019-07-15 05:00:00Z 0

Recognitions from Robin Charlesworth, Past President

Thank you ALL for an amazing year of service to others, fun and fellowship!  It has been my pleasure to serve as President and now we will continue into a new Rotary year with President Mike’s new board. Today I proudly recognized some deserving members for outstanding accomplishments:
 
Be The Inspiration Award - Nicole Bianchi
In her first year as Membership Chair she has given important support for the growth of 15 new members this year. She also accepted the charge to collect shoes for Venezuelan walkers, jackets and blankets for the homeless, and Teddy bears for children in both Fort Worth and Cucata, Columbia. She eagerly volunteered to help with the Open House for the Fireman’s House (long-term stays for cancer patients), and packing bags for sex-trafficked girls.
 
Vocational “Service Above Self” Award - Ruby Powers
Using her skills as an Immigration Attorney to help asylum seekers at the Texas and California borders.
 
Community “Service Above Self” Award - Wind Nguyen
Thank you for being a real champion with the Wisdom High School Martin Bailey Garden Project! 
 
International “Service Above Self” Award - Cristal Montanez
A true champion dedicated to giving hope for Venezuelans who have crossed the border into Columbia by designing a plan for nutritious meals, shoes for the barefooted, and Teddy bears for young children. 
 
Rotarian of the Year - Isis Mejias
A dedicated Rotarian who inspires and leads our club in International Service and is called upon by Rotary International to share her expertise in oversight of water projects in Uganda and Honduras. She also made two trips to Columbia to manage the Hope for Venezuelans project and has built a strong, trusting relationship with Rise Against Hunger. Congratulations and thank you for all you have accomplished as a Rotarian!
 
Together we can make a difference in this world!
Recognitions from Robin Charlesworth, Past President 2019-07-15 05:00:00Z 0
Music: To Welcome 2019-20 President, Mike Miller - Wynton Marsalis Flight of the Bumblebee 2019-07-15 05:00:00Z 0
E-club Rotarian, Ruby Powers, Running for State Rep. HD 134 2019-07-15 05:00:00Z 0

Hope for Venezuelan Projects Showcased at Sister Cities Inter. Conf.

Message from Cristal Montanez: 
Dear Rotary e-Club friends, I am thrilled to announce that our Hope For Venezuelan Refugees Projects will be showcased at the Sister Cities International 2019 Annual Conference in Houston July 17-19.  Kathleen Roche-Tansey, State Representative Sister Cities International & Member La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club is chairing the Sister Cities International - Rotary Partnerships Workshop "Expanding Your Opportunities - How to Partner with Your Rotary Club" on Friday, July 19 from 1:00 pm - 1:50 pm.  I have the honor to co-chair this workshop with Kathleen, and also, participate as a panelist. Our project is the only project included without a Sister City relationship. In this link you can find information on the panelists and their projects and how they work in partnership with Sister Cities around the world https://sci-rotary-partnerships.blogspot.com.  This the link to the Sister Cities International 2019 Annual Conference in Houston for more information on the Conference https://sistercities.org/annual-conference-2019.
Hope for Venezuelan Projects Showcased at Sister Cities Inter. Conf. 2019-07-15 05:00:00Z 0

Final President's Message 2018-19, Robin Charlesworth

This Rotary year has been so full of amazing events and service projects that time has absolutely flown by quickly. This is my final message as President. During our zoom meeting on June 29, for a summation of the year I reflected on the numerous deeds accomplished this year by dedicated members of our club. I am inspired by our members who share ideas to serve others and working together will find ways to take action on their ideas. Working together, respecting each other, we have grown in friendship. I know that our paths would have been unlikely to cross except for our common commitment to Rotary. Together we can create possibilities that may have seemed impossible if we attempted to pursue our ideas alone. Our e-club is still a “new” model of being in a vibrant Rotary club, and we are still learning how to really feel connected when we have a truly international membership. Yet, it also creates opportunities with feet on the ground in various states and countries. Our reach to others is expanded as we share club banners around the world in the name of the Rotary e-club of Houston. We have eyes around the world to follow-up on projects and see needs for new projects. For a variety of reasons, we are all busy with our lives and yet there is satisfaction and a sense of purpose being a part of Rotary International and giving back to others. Thank you, Paul Harris, the Founding Father of Rotary International, who on February 23, 1905, persuaded several businessmen to gather in downtown Chicago for the first Rotary meeting. Today our organization has about 1.2 million members worldwide. Below is a photo of Paul Harris and a quote which I feel is important in maintaining the success of each club in our organization, Rotary International.
As we have worked together this year, discussing, planning, and sharing, I feel that we are on the right road to build better friendships which will continue to build a bright future for our club.  Join us to install our new officers for 2019-20 with Michael Miller, President.  Share your thoughts, hopes, and dreams for our club and we will work together to make an effort to take action.  It has been a great pleasure to serve as the President of the Rotary e-Club of Houston this year, and I look forward to the future of our club as we continue to work together as friends, helping others.  
 
Yours in Rotary,
Robin Charlesworth
Final President's Message 2018-19, Robin Charlesworth 2019-07-15 05:00:00Z 0

2019-20 President's Message - Mike Miller

Dear Rotarians and friends,
 
I look forward to a new Rotary year and hope you will join me in supporting all of our club’s activities.  Whether it is working with your community to offer local support in one of the Rotary avenues of service, or by getting involved in one of our Club’s Global initiatives, there are many opportunities for your talents. Speaking of talents, we had our first monthly Rotary e-Club socials last Thursday, July 11 where many of our members shared their individual talents. I was struck by the general themes of helping and service above self that were reflected in everyone’s talents.  We certainly have an excellent club and our talents run deep. 
 
I invite you to stay tuned to this website for updates regarding club activities and opportunities to serve and meet on-line.
 
Remember, our e-Club socials occur on-line every First Thursday of the month from 7:00-8:00pm central, and our Board of Directors meet on the Third Thursday of the month from 7:00-8:00pm central.
 
Rotary truly connects the World!
 
Yours in Rotary Service,
Mike Miller
President - Rotary e-Club of Houston
2019-20 President's Message - Mike Miller 2019-07-15 05:00:00Z 0

Congratulations to Nguyen Nguyen!

Congratulations to Nguyen Nguyen for receiving a Certificate of Appreciation for Dedicated Leadership and Service to Rotary District 5890 "Promoting Peace" for his leadership on the Margaret Long Wisdom High School Memorial Garden and Mural Projects. Congratulations Wind - well deserved!  
District Gov. Carmen Cuneo, Nguyen Nguyen (Wind)
Congratulations to Nguyen Nguyen! 2019-07-15 05:00:00Z 0

Distribution of Donation of Rise Against Hunger - Cúcuta, Colombia

Cristal Montanez reports that on July 5, 2019, the Diocesan Food Bank of Cúcuta, with the support of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees team, representatives of the Rotary Club Cúcuta 1, Rotary e-Club of Houston, and the national police, made the first distribution of Rise Against Hunger fortified meals, and other food products in the following two institutions:
 
  1. Santa Laura Montoya Chapel in the Las Delicias Neighborhood: 63 boxes of 13,500 rations of Rise Against Hunger food were distributed to 150 families. Each family received 15 bags containing a total 90 servings of fortified meals.
  2. Parish Visitation of Our Lady in the Divina Pastora Neighborhood: 63 boxes of 13,500 rations of Rise Against Hunger food were distributed to 150 families. Each family received 15 bags containing a total 90 servings of fortified meals.
 
Distribution of Donation of Rise Against Hunger - Cúcuta, Colombia 2019-07-15 05:00:00Z 0
Program: Earthquake Readiness 2019-07-15 05:00:00Z 0

July Calendar

July 4 - USA National Holiday - Independence Day

July 11 -   On-line Social Meeting
Topic: Rotary On-Line Social:   What are your Talents?
Time: Jul 11, 2019 07:00 pm Central Time (US and Canada)
One tap mobile
+16699006833,,6215647957# US (San Jose)
+16468769923,,6215647957# US (New York)
Dial by your location
        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
        +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 621 564 7957
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/ab2YjamtZX
 
July 15 - Newsletter (counts as a regular club meeting)
 
July 17 to 19 - Sister Cities International 2019 Annual Conference, Houston https://sistercities.org/annual-conference-2019
 
July 18 - Board of Directors Meeting on-line (same login as above)
          7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
           *Open to all members
 
*Service activities - Please let us know what you are doing via social media or the attendance report.

 
July Calendar 2019-07-09 05:00:00Z 0

Zoom Meeting  Saturday, June  29th

On Saturday, June 29th, you are requested to attend our annual meeting of Installation of Officers for the Rotary year 2019-2020.  The meeting is online, Zoom meeting ID # 621 564 7957,  beginning at 10:00 am CST and ending at 11:30 am CST.   The agenda is shown below and you are welcome to have a beverage of your choosing to toast the newly installed officers.
 
Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/6215647957

One tap mobile

+16699006833,,6215647957# US (San Jose)

+16468769923,,6215647957# US (New York)

Dial by your location

        +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

        +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)

Meeting ID: 621 564 7957

Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/ab2YjamtZX

AGENDA:

10:00 am       Meeting called to order -      President Robin Charlesworth
10:02 am       Introductions of Rotarians and Guests
10:15 am       Wrap-up of 2018-2019       President Robin Charlesworth
10:30 am       Awards and Recognition      President Robin Charlesworth
10:50 am       Introduction of Installing Officer – AG Dei Murry
10:52 am       Introduction of Slate of New Officers  - Mike Miller
10:55 am       Installation of Officers
11:05 am       Preview of 2019-2020         Mike Miller1

11:20 am       Toast 
11:25 am       Free Chat                               Mike Miller
11:30 am       Adjourn                                  Mike Miller

We hope you will join us on Saturday and know you are welcome to invite guests, too.

Yours in Rotary,

Robin Charlesworth, President 2018-2019

Rotary e-Club of Houston

 
Zoom Meeting Saturday, June 29th 2019-06-24 05:00:00Z 0

Service Opportunity in Guatemala

My name is Jim Hunt, and I am a past District Governor and member of the Rotary Club of Ohio Pathways (D-6600). Joe Berninger, founder of the Guatemala Literacy Project (GLP), and I are organizing Rotary service trips to Guatemala and we are looking for interested Rotarians.                                                 
The GLP is the largest grassroots, multi-club, multi-district effort in the Rotary world not directed by RI itself—the “gold standard” of Rotary projects, according to former RI President Ian Riseley. Over 600 Rotary clubs from 8 countries have participated in the GLP since its inception in 1996. GLP Textbook, Computer, Teacher Training, and Youth Development programs currently serve more than 50,000 impoverished children.
We need Rotarians to join the following service trips to Guatemala:
·       July 21-27, 2019 
  • July 30-Aug 4, 2019
  • Nov 14-17, 2019
  • Feb 1-9, 2020
  • Feb 18-23, 2020
  • July 12-18, 2020
  • July 21-26, 2020
These trips offer a variety of experiences: Some are longer or shorter; some more “hands on”—and all of them give you the opportunity to be a meaningful part of Rotary’s work fighting poverty in Guatemala. Please visit the project’s website for more details.
 
Jim Hunt, PDG of D6600, Rotary Club of Ohio Pathways
Service Opportunity in Guatemala 2019-06-24 05:00:00Z 0

Mural Complete at ML Wisdom High School Garden Project

The mural at Margaret Long Wisdom High School in Houston is complete!! Thank you everyone for volunteering and putting in your sweat and tears, and a HUGE thank you to Nguyen Nguyen for his perseverance and leadership  in action! This will benefit the students for years to come. Ribbon cutting planning next! 
 
Beautiful job by the artists, Viktor Kopic and Betirri Bengtson! Vox Culture is part of the Stage 1 completion of the 'Martin Bailey Memorial Garden Project' at Margaret Long Wisdom High School. This long term urban garden project, in partnership with the Rotary E-Club of Houston, aims to build a model tackling several social issues, while providing students access to live education via innovation, green technology + environmentally conscious solutions, the arts, and more. In addition, the garden provides an affordable/self produced, organic, food resource for the students, the school, and in the long term, the surrounding community at large.

 
Mural Complete at ML Wisdom High School Garden Project 2019-06-15 05:00:00Z 0

June Calendar

June 1-5   2019 Rotary Convention in Hamburg, Germany
Please check our website soon for addtional June events. 
June 8 -  Books for the World Workday
June 15 - Join with Memorial/ Spring Branch Rotary Club to serve meals at Turning Point Community
June 17 - North American e-Club Leaders Meeting - 8 pm EDT - Topic "How to Engage our Members"
June 22 - Board of Directors Meeting @ 9:00 am
June 29 - Installation of New Officers - Zoom Meeting
June Calendar 2019-06-01 05:00:00Z 0
Program: Roz Savage: Why I Row Across Oceans 2019-06-01 05:00:00Z 0

2019 Rotary Convention in Full Motion

Photos are starting to come in from the Rotary Convention in Hungary, Germany. More than 24,000 Rotary members from 170 countries are gathering at the Convention from June 1 to 5, 2019 to attend the 110th annual Rotary International Convention. Stay tuned for more photos as they come in on our webpage and Facebook page! 
 
Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Caracas with Isis Mejias.
We partnered with the Caracas Club for the project Bear Hugs for Venezuela.
2019 Rotary Convention in Full Motion 2019-06-01 05:00:00Z 0

Welcome our Newest Member - Bhuvana Krishnan

Welcome our newest member - Bhuvana Krishnan! She is a physician in Houston and with her husband, GV, has been on the periphery of Rotary for some time.  GV will soon be inducted as President of the Rotary Club of University Area.  Robin and Ed Charlesworth met them on a Rotary Friendship exchange to South Africa.  Bhuvana was in attendance at our District Conference in Corpus Christi last month, too.  She has been a friend of Rotary and is now a Rotarian! 
Welcome our Newest Member - Bhuvana Krishnan 2019-06-01 05:00:00Z 0
Humanitarian Service Project of the Year 2019-06-01 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary Alumni "Meet & Greet"

The alumni meet and greet was held on May 26th at Harold's in the Heights. Great to see and catch up with people!
Rotary Alumni "Meet & Greet" 2019-06-01 05:00:00Z 0

Rise Against Hunger Food Delivered to Cucuta

Good news!!  356 boxes of fortified foods, Rise Against Hunger (RAH) (5,473.95 tons equivalent to 76,896 servings of food), were successfully delivered to the Food Bank in Cúcuta. The RAH food boxes are a donation from the Rotary e-Club of Houston to the Diocesan Food Bank COSPAS. Thanks to our ally Rotary Club of Cucuta 1, under the leadership of Diana Gamboa and our local coordinators Patrocinio Ararat y Mariness, for their commitment to facilitate and oversee the planning and implementation of this new project. This donation is destined to the Diocese of Cúcuta program that supports refugee and migrant families in vulnerable conditions who no longer receive the UN World Food Program (WFP)  bonds. Thus, these families can cook their meals over wood fire since gas is costly in Colombia. This donation is part of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees project.
 

 
Rise Against Hunger Food Delivered to Cucuta 2019-06-01 05:00:00Z 0
Ruby Powers Interview on Red, White & Blue - Immigration on the Texas Border 2019-05-17 05:00:00Z 0

Career Village

At CareerVillage.org we use crowdsourcing to provide personal career guidance to students at massive scale. We do this through an open access platform that anyone can use to ask a question related to a career. Our web platform matches the career questions students ask to our volunteer corps of over 15,000 working professionals with relevant expertise and a wealth of experiences to share. The advice students get is tailored for them, it’s reliable, and it’s encouraging and inspirational. The more students from different backgrounds use it, the more young people are exposed to careers they may never have dreamed existed.
 
To truly level the playing field, however, CV provides additional services through partners in communities in which the lack of resources (information, networking, mentoring, etc) is the largest and where students are underrepresented in their desired career, face discrimination in gaining access to their desired career, or face huge hurdles outside their control which block their ability to get into their desired career. We especially work to support youth in low-income communities, students who plan to become the first in their family to attend college, students who are first generation immigrants, young people of color, and young women interested in STEM careers. Working more intensively in communities traditionally lacking the most access reinforces the power of the CV website, enabling the most underserved youth to find new pathways, ask better questions, and forge more connections with peers and mentors using the website.
 
Our club has chosen Career Village as our banner Vocational Project this year. We have several members who have registered on their website (career village.org) and they receive questions from students weekly.  On the website, simply select "Sign Up" and then select "Professional" to begin your journey of providing information and advice to students as they plan their future.  They will need your email and additionally a LinkedIn.  Next, you will set up your Professional Profile so screening will direct appropriate questions to you for advice.  If you do not have time to answer three questions, then simply answer one.  Sometimes you may choose to answer more questions, or you may simply pass and someone else may address the questions.  Like our club, it is 100% flexible.  We do have the benefit of a monthly report on the time spent with Career Village and ask that you please complete our Attendance form on the website so we may track the time donated by our members.  
 
Special thanks to Nicole Wycislo, Vocational Director, for bringing us this online program!
Career Village 2019-05-16 05:00:00Z 0

Program:  How Your Brain's Executive Function Works - And How to Improve It

You use your brain's executive function every day -- it's how you do things like pay attention, plan ahead and control impulses. Can you improve it to change for the better? With highlights from her research on child development, cognitive scientist Sabine Doebel explores the factors that affect executive function -- and how you can use it to break bad habits and achieve your goals.

Sabine Doebel conducts research with children in an effort to understand the nature of the mind, with much of her work focusing on how children develop the cognitive abilities that serve us so well as adults, like controlling impulses, thinking ahead, and staying on task.

Doebel is an incoming assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, where she will direct the brand new Developing Minds Lab. She earned her PhD from the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota and subsequently was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in Psychological ScienceCognitionDevelopmental Psychology and Child Development.

Doebel is also a passionate advocate of open science and has received funding from the National Science Foundation to help developmental scientists adopt transparency-enhancing practices that will allow them to build more easily on each other's work.

 
 
 
Program:  How Your Brain's Executive Function Works - And How to Improve It 2019-05-16 05:00:00Z 0

Rotarians - People of Action

Rotarians share a unique passion for taking action to improve their communities and the world. Where others see problems, we see solutions. This is our chance to show others how Rotarians see what’s possible in their communities and to highlight what we can achieve when more community leaders join Rotary.
 

This campaign brings the Rotary story to life in a way that narrows the gap between public awareness and understanding.
The People of Action campaign communicates the essence of Rotary and reflects our values, such as:

  • We build lifelong relationships.
  • We honor our commitments.
  • We connect diverse perspectives.
  • We apply our leadership and expertise to solve social issues.

It tells our story in our own voice, which is:

  • Smart — we are insightful and discerning.
  • Compassionate — we tackle community challenges with empathy and understanding.
  • Persevering — we find lasting solutions to systemic problems.
  • Inspiring — we encourage others to take action, conveying hope, enthusiasm, and passion.

As a Rotarian, you’re also a brand ambassador. You can tell the story of Rotary and how we are people of action in communities worldwide.

Rotarians - People of Action 2019-05-15 05:00:00Z 0

Who are We?

Although the Rotary year is not yet over and we have a number of prospective members we hope will join us in our humanitarian effort and providing service to others, I want to give you a synopsis of where our members reside.  Our home Rotary District is 5890 which encompasses the Greater Houston area in Texas, USA.  We have members who live in Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Oregon, South Caroline, and Wyoming.  That is 27% of out total membership which is currently at 52 active members.   Another 6% live in other parts of Texas and outside of our Rotary district.  We also have 8% who are living and/or working outside of the USA in Bosnia, Cameroon, Sweden, and United Arab Emirates.  That is 41% do not live within the boundaries of our home district.
 
For this reason, our meetings are held online (Zoom meetings) and we send newsletters with programs (most often Ted Talks).  Our zoom meetings are netting small numbers, and we hope to improve our offerings of these meetings online for you to view anytime 24/7.  We have a very active SocialMedia presence with 1,566 Followers on Facebook. Our award-wining international service project "Hope for Venezuelan Refugees" is actively posting on Instagram, Blog, and WhatApp.  We encourage our members to join the club WhatsApp group for short updates on members.  It helps to get to know each other as well as providing information about service projects and meetings.  Projects may also be viewed on My Rotary in My Club Showcase.
 
Below the banner on our webpage is an Attendance form. We are flexible on attendance, although we encourage all members to participate in some form of service monthly (which counts as attendance, and it may simply be a donation), and hope that all members will find a committee or project to provide club service.  Some jobs are quite simple and require only a small amount of time, and of course, others are for dedicated champions.  On the attendance form you may also record your service activity.
 
We want to keep everyone engaged and feeling important to our club.  We have begun a new newsletter activity with is termed a "Scavenger Hunt" activity to promote sharing small things about where we live and to compare results with other members.  We hope you will enjoy this exchange and participate in sharing.
Who are We? 2019-05-15 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary Alumni Event - May 26th

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Our club boasts six Rotary alumni already, and we are going to meet more Rotary alumni who are prospects for active membership in our club on May 26th at Harold's in the Heights from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm.  It is located at 350 W. 19th St., Suite C in Houston (77008).
Founder and Owner, Alli Jarrett renovated the 95 year old building that formerly housed "Harold's in the Heights", an iconic clothing store owned and operated by Harold and Milton Wiesenthal.  The restaurant sources fresh and local ingredients to create the ultimate dining experience with exceptional Southern Hospitality.  

Who are alumni?

You are an alum if you participated in any of the following programs:

InteractRotaractRotary Youth Exchange, New Generations Service Exchange, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards(RYLA), Rotary Peace FellowshipsRotary Scholarships (funded by global grants or district grants), vocational training teams (members and leaders), Ambassadorial Scholarships, Grants for University Teachers, Group Study Exchange (members and leaders), and Rotary Volunteers.

Ruby Powers shared this idea with President Robin Charlesworth at District Conference and she began planning and connecting with friends who are fellow alumni.  Please join this Meet and Greet and share about the excitement of belonging to the Rotary e-Club of Houston.  Additionally, if you have other friends, business associates or family members who want to learn more about our club, please have them rsvp with our Evite so we will have a good head count, or contact Ruby Powers on WhatApp.

In our club we know of the following Alumni:  PDG Ed Charlesworth - GSE Team Leader to Romania 2001; Marc Mori - Peace Scholar; Ruby Powers - Ambassadorial Scholar (Spain); Isis Meijas - Ambassadorial Scholar (Brazil); Past President Wind Nguyen - Rotaract; Cimela Kidonakis - Rotaract.  If we have committed anyone it is not intentional.  Please let us know if you should be added to this list.

Rotary Alumni Event - May 26th 2019-05-14 05:00:00Z 0

Help the Immigrants at the Texas Border

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.
 
Help the Immigrants at the Texas Border 2019-05-01 05:00:00Z 0

MAY CALENDAR

May 2 - 5     District Conference
May 7.         International Service Committee Meeting - 6:30 pm CST.  Zoom meeting 
May 11        Gardening with DG Carme Cuneo at Herman Park (see Rotary District 5890 website for details)
May 18        Board of Directors Meeting @ 9:00 am (open meeting - all may join - Zoom meeting
May 20        Zoom meeting - International Service (Honduras or Africa) - Zoom meeting
May 26        Rotary Alumni "Meet & Greet" @ Harold's in the Heights from 3:00 - 5:00 pm. (see article)
                    
For all Rotary Join Zoom Meetings -
MAY CALENDAR 2019-05-01 05:00:00Z 0

NEW - Scavenger Hunt for Our Members

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.
NEW - Scavenger Hunt for Our Members 2019-05-01 05:00:00Z 0

Program - Why we ignore obvious problems — and how to act on them

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.
 

Why you should listen

Michele Wucker's term "gray rhino" has moved markets and shaped financial policies around the world. She is the author of the international bestseller The Gray Rhino: How to Recognize and Act on the Obvious Dangers We Ignore, which China's leadership has used to frame and communicate its efforts to crack down on financial risk.

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.

Wucker's first two books, Lockout: Why America Keeps Getting Immigration Wrong When Our Prosperity Depends on Getting It Right and Why the Cocks Fight: Dominicans, Haitians, and the Struggle for Hispaniola, continue to influence policy debates.

 
 
 
 
Program - Why we ignore obvious problems — and how to act on them TedTalk 2019-05-01 05:00:00Z 0

Snapshots of the Lunch Bunch in Houston

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.
Snapshots of the Lunch Bunch in Houston 2019-05-01 05:00:00Z 0

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Dear Rotarians and Guests,
 
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.
 
Yours in Rotary,
 
Robin Charlesworth
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 2019-05-01 05:00:00Z 0

Winner of the Raffle Announced

Posted by Robin Charlesworth
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.  
 
 
Winner of the Raffle Announced Robin Charlesworth 2019-04-13 05:00:00Z 0

April Calendar

April 2 - International Service Committee Meeting - Zoom meeting  6:30 pm CST - Anyone interested welcome to join -  The project "Hope for Venezuelan Refugees" needs more volunteers.  We also have other projects to review.
     http://zoom.us/j/6215647957                  Zoom Meeting ID#6215647957
April 6th - 8am to 1pm, Club Leadership Training at Houston Community College West Loop Center, 5601 West Loop South Freeway, Houston, Texas 77081
April 8th - Zoom Meeting 7:30 pm CST. "Museums Around the World" - Club Social for members to share their own travel experiences in a variety of museums any where in the world.
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         Meeting ID: 621 564 7957
April 11th - 12 pm to 1:30pm, Tibor P. Nagy, Jr., Assistant Secretary for African Affairs at the U.S. Department of State,  speaker at Rotary Club of Bellaire. Brae Burn Country Club
8101 Bissonnet St Ste A, Houston, Texas 77074
April 13th - Board of Directors Meeting - 9:30 am
April 22 - Zoom Meeting - Nicole Wycislo "Career Village" - Our banner Vocational Project - all members are encouraged to participate to provide brief online answers to questions from students about choosing colleges and careers
April 26 - Lunch Bunch - 12:30 pm. Picos Restaurant. 3601 Kirby.Dr. - Who?  All club members, guests welcome!
April 27, 2019, 8am to 2pm, Motorcycle Ride to End Polio, Rotary Club of Memorial-Spring Branch, 10709 Memorial Dr., Houston, Texas 77024
April Calendar 2019-04-01 05:00:00Z 0

Garden Updates at Wisdom High School!

The Wisdom High School garden is now a Certified Schoolyard Habitat! Since 1996, the National Wildlife Federation has worked to assist schools in the creation of Schoolyard Habitats, which create and restore wildlife habitat on school grounds while providing outdoor classrooms for learning across the curriculum. There are currently over 5,000 schools and counting that have been certified through this program.
Check out the garden update photos and thank you Wind Nguyen for living Service Above Self, and thanks to ALL of the helpers!
 
 
 
 
 
Garden Updates at Wisdom High School! 2019-04-01 05:00:00Z 0
Hope for Venezuelan Refugees - Houston Chronicle 2019-04-01 05:00:00Z 0
Motorcycle Ride to End Polio Now, April 27, 2019, 8am to 2pm  2019-04-01 05:00:00Z 0
Tibor P. Nagy, Jr., Assistant Secretary for African Affairs - April 11, 12 to 1:30pm 2019-04-01 05:00:00Z 0
Club Leadership Training - April 6  8am to 1pm 2019-04-01 05:00:00Z 0

Registration for the RI Convention e-club Party!

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!

Where: Oma's Apotheke Restaurant, Hamburg Germany 
When: June 3, 2019 6:30pm (18:30)
What: Food, Drinks, Music, Fun.

Ticket Includes: Dinner, Dessert, 2 Drinks
Organized by: Rotary E-Club of Houston - D. 5890 and Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone.

All Rotary Clubs welcome! #RIcon19 #Rotary #FindingRotary

Registration for the RI Convention e-club Party! 2019-03-16 05:00:00Z 0

Paul Harris Recognitions

Paul Harris once said, “Perhaps dreaming is not so bad if one dreams good dreams and makes them come true.” In Rotary, we make dreams a reality through extraordinary projects and activities here at home and around the world. These projects would not be possible without the generous support of Rotarians and friends of our Foundation. The Rotary Foundation recognizes those individuals who contribute US$1,000 or more annually to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus, or approved Foundation grants by inducting them into the Paul Harris Society.

Jimmy Leon was recognized for his generous contributions to support the Rotary Foundation as a Paul Harris Fellow +one.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Today we honor a dedicated friend of our Rotary Foundation whose annual generosity distinguishes Akin Olufowoshe as a member of the Paul Harris Society.  Akin is honored for his ongoing generosity in support of the Rotary Foundation and was honored with a Paul Harris +six pin.
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paul Harris Society gifts enable Rotary’s worldwide network of dedicated humanitarians to implement projects that address pressing needs in communities around the world. Because of these contributions:

  Children are vaccinated against polio and other diseases
  Adults and children alike can learn to read and write
  Women are given microloans and vocational training that enable them to support themselves and their families in a healthy and dignified way
  Teachers and schoolchildren have access to toilet facilities and clean drinking water
  Scholars are able to study ways to prevent maternal and child mortality
  Professionals from around the world convene to discuss strategies for resolving conflict and fostering peace
Paul Harris Recognitions 2019-03-07 06:00:00Z 0

District 5890 Conference

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!
 
Here is the link for Registration and Hotel Reservation: https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Event/district-conference---corpus-christi
District 5890 Conference 2019-03-04 06:00:00Z 0

Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project

The main objective of the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees pilot project is to help alleviate hunger and improve malnutrition among vulnerable Venezuelan refugees and ‘caminantes’ (walkers) in Cúcuta and Pamplona through the donation of 20 tons of Rise Against Hunger (RAH) meals. In response to this humanitarian crisis, two of our concerned Venezuelan Rotarians in Houston, human freedom activist and former Miss Venezuela Cristal Montañéz, and WaSRAG Ambassador Dr. Isis Mejías, created the Hope For Venezuelan Refugees pilot project. They visited the region, created the project proposal, and put together a coalition of allied organizations to develop the logistics and
successfully implement this project.
 
 
 
 
 
Hope for Venezuelan Refugees Project 2019-03-04 06:00:00Z 0

March Calendar

March 1 - March 9     OPEN WORLD DELEGATES FROM THE UKRAINE
March 9                       Ukrainian Dinner at Charlesworth's Home
March 9                       Newsletter
March 16                    Board of Directors Meeting
 
March Calendar 2019-03-04 06:00:00Z 0

PETS – Presidents-Elect Training Seminar

Congratulations to our incoming President for 2019/2020,  Mike Miller, husband of past-president Adriane Miller, for successfully completing PETS - Presidents-elect Training Seminar! Mike is the father of Tyler Miller, future father-in-law of Natasha Edwards, and brother of Lori Prouty, all members of our club! He is very excited about serving as our club President, and plans on engaging our members to do great service above self in Rotary.
 
We were also treated by a wonderful and emotional discussion by Past Rotary International President Rick King. He challenged us all to be an uncommon leader. You can watch the video at this link as posted on District Governor Carmen Cuneo's Facebook page.
 
 
 
PETS – Presidents-Elect Training Seminar 2019-03-04 06:00:00Z 0

Program: Why Noise is Bad for Your Health & What You Can Do About It

Silence is a rare commodity these days. There's traffic, construction, air-conditioning, your neighbor's lawnmower ... and all this unwanted sound can have a surprising impact on your health, says noise researcher Mathias Basner. Discover the science behind how noise affects your health and sleep -- and how you can get more of the benefits of the sound of silence.
 
Program: Why Noise is Bad for Your Health & What You Can Do About It 2019-03-04 06:00:00Z 0

OPEN WORLD UKRAINIAN TEAM
 Ukrainian LEADERS Examine Energy Efficiency in Houston

Open World Leadership Center, a legislative branch agency, sent a delegation of Ukraine civil servants and professionals focused on expanding energy efficiency programs in the Ukraine to Houston, Texas from March 1, 2019 to March 9, 2019.  While in Houston, the Open World delegates were hosted by the Rotary e-Club of Houston. The delegates also meet with the Rotary Club of Willowbrook, Rotary Club of Space Center, and the Rotary Club of Houston.
 
The delegation of six included: Yuliia Ivaninvna Demkovych, Oleksandr Valeriiovych Tulintsev,  Maksym Mykhailovych Vozniuk, Denys Oleksandrovych Nazarenko, and Natalia Oleksandrivna Babanina. The group was accompanied by Oleksandra Afanasieva, a biocultural facilitator, and Alexander Etlin, a bilingual translator who is a Rotarian in Cincinnati.
 
Prior to their arrival in Houston, delegates completed an orientation in Washington, D.C. on Capitol Hill. Delegates had policy meetings with several Members of Congress including staff from/or Representative Dan Crenshaw serving Texas’s 2nd Congressional District.
 
In Houston, delegates collaborated on best practices for Energy Efficiency. Delegates met staff of Rep. Dan Crenshaw and local leaders in the City Hall of Houston.  Additional activities included a tour of NASA, Texas Center for Superconductivity, the Green Building Resource Center, and HARC in The Woodlands.  Also in the Woodlands, they learned about the Texas Pace Program for Energy Efficiency, Water Conservation, and Renewable Energy Improvements to Commercial Properties. A video conference was held with Mayor Dale Ross of Georgetown since his city is recognized for its 100% renewable power and clean energy program.  The delegation stayed in the homes of local residents, serving as hospitality hosts.
 
For a taste of Texas culture, the group attended the Houston Livestock & Rodeo, toured the George Bush Library, and learned about Texas history at Washington-on-the Brazos during weekend celebrations for Texas Independence Day.  
 
More than 26,000 current and future leaders from post-Soviet era countries have participated in an Open World exchange program. Open World offers one of the most effective U.S. exchange programs to promote mutually beneficial options for depolarized engagement between future national leaders.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OPEN WORLD UKRAINIAN TEAM Ukrainian LEADERS Examine Energy Efficiency in Houston Robin Charlesworth 2019-03-01 06:00:00Z 0

WRAP UP FOR CAMP RYLA

Posted by Belinda Kaylani
 123+ high school sophomores and juniors attended
The 2019 RYLA leadership camp was held at Camp Caroline north of Huntsville, Texas beginning on Friday, February 15th and ending on Sunday, February 18th.  123+ high school sophomores and juniors attended from throughout our Rotary district.
 I’m grateful I was able to participate as a chaperone and observe and support all of the coaches, counselors and volunteers with their monumental job.  All Rotarians were volunteers and gave of their time, resources and energy, aka, act of love, for these teens. Lives were impacted and leaders developed. Below are photos of the students that participated.

Belinda Kaylani
Youth Services
Wisdom HS Interact Club Sponsor
WRAP UP FOR CAMP RYLA Belinda Kaylani 2019-02-20 06:00:00Z 0

A Conference for Peace 

A BIG round of applause to Wind Nguyen who exemplifies "Service Above Self!" Wind worked hard for the three days during last week's Peace Conference. He was there early in the morning, through lunch and dinner taking pictures. Thank you Wind - we look forward to seeing the rest of the event photos! And Marc Moro's name was mentioned numerous times with thanks for his consultation in planning this terrific Peace Conference. Kudos to both of you! 
 
Stay tuned for more event photos from the 2019 Peace Conference and Gala!
A Conference for Peace  2019-02-12 06:00:00Z 0
Program: Planting Seeds of Happiness The Danish Way 2019-02-08 06:00:00Z 0

President's Message - February, 2019

Dear Friends and Rotarians,
The month of February is marked by two dominant themes in 2019:  Peace and Love.  On February 9 our District 5890 is hosting a Peace Conference and an All-Club Gala Dinner.  "Peace"is one of the six major focus areas of Rotary International.   This will be an excellent program with inspiring speakers.  I will be there and hope you will join us, too, if you are in Houston.
 
Are you aware of the Rotary PeaceCenters program?  Rotary International  began this program in 2002 and has trained more than 1.100 Peace Fellows around the word who are now working as leaders in government, nongovernmental organizations, the military, law enforcement, education, humanitarian assistance, restorative justice, and international governance organizations.  The Rotary Peace Center’s mission is to promote world peace by educating and empowering peacebuilders through rigorous academic training, applied field experience, and global networking opportunities.  Rotarians share the task of recruiting qualified candidates for the program.   The Rotary Peace Fellowship is designed for professionals who have already worked in careers related to international relations or peace and conflict resolution and who are committed to community or international humanitarian service and working for peace. The fellowship is not intended for recent college graduates with little to no relevant professional experience.  Six Rotary Peace Centers operate in partnership with seven premier universities in six countries around the world (in the United States, the peace center is associated with both Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). Each Rotary Peace Center offers its own customized curriculum and field-based learning opportunities that examine peace and conflict theory through various frameworks.  The application is available only between February and July.
 
Also, this month is our traditional Valentine's Day.  In addition to the United States, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Australia.  Share the love with your family and friends on February 14th with the usual candy, flowers, and greeting cards, and also consider purchasing one or more Teddy bears to share with hospitalized children.  It warms a person's heart to give to others a message of caring.  As Rotarians, let us demonstrate how we care about helping others in some small way.  In Houston, you may deliver your bear(s) to a local hospital or deliver to my home for the Venezuelan children.  Travel is not recommended at this time to Venezuela for political reasons, but we do share the stuffed animals to comfort the refugee children in Columbia.  Enjoy your celebration of love this month and find an outreach to others to share your caring heart.
 
Yours in Rotary,
 
Robin Charlesworth, President
Rotary e-Club of Houston 2018-19 
President's Message - February, 2019 Robin Charlesworth 2019-02-02 06:00:00Z 0

And the moral of the story is...

Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn’t know how she was going to make it. She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed.

Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot, and ground coffee beans in the third pot.

He then let them sit and boil, without saying a word to his daughter. The daughter, moaned and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing.

After twenty minutes he turned off the burners. He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the boiled eggs out and placed them in a bowl.

He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup. Turning to her he asked. “Daughter, what do you see?”

“Potatoes, eggs, and coffee,” she hastily replied.

“Look closer,” he said, “and touch the potatoes.” She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Its rich aroma brought a smile to her face.

“Father, what does this mean?” she asked.

He then explained that the potatoes, the eggs and coffee beans had each faced the same adversity– the boiling water.

However, each one reacted differently.

The potato went in strong, hard, and unrelenting, but in boiling water, it became soft and weak.

The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard.

However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new.

“Which are you,” he asked his daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean? “

Moral:In life, things happen around us, things happen to us, but the only thing that truly matters is what happens within us.

Which one are you?

And the moral of the story is... Robin Charlesworth 2019-02-02 06:00:00Z 0

Rotary International Convention in Hamburg

The 110th Rotary International Convention 2019 will happen June 1-5 in Hamburg, Germany.  
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

 

HAMBURG MESSE WI-FI ACCESS
Network: Rotary_Guest
Password: endpolionow

BADGE PICKUP AND ON-SITE REGISTRATION

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.

Learn more about the HVV and get help planning your travel in and around Hamburg. You can also download the HVV app to navigate Hamburg’s transit system on the go:
•             In the Apple App Store for iPhone and iPad
•             On Google Play for Android

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
Rotary International Convention in Hamburg 2019-01-15 06:00:00Z 0
A Conference for Peace - February 9th  9 am to 4 pm 2019-01-15 06:00:00Z 0

What is Rotary?

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!
 
What is Rotary? 2019-01-15 06:00:00Z 0

Program: The Magic Ingredient that Brings Pixar Movies to Life

Danielle Feinberg, Pixar's director of photography, creates stories with soul and wonder using math, science and code. Go behind the scenes of Finding Nemo, Toy Story, Brave, WALL-E and more, and discover how Pixar interweaves art and science to create fantastic worlds where the things you imagine can become real. This talk comes from the PBS special "TED Talks: Science & Wonder."
 

 
Program: The Magic Ingredient that Brings Pixar Movies to Life 2019-01-15 06:00:00Z 0
Top 5 Rotary Membership Myths Exposed 2019-01-15 06:00:00Z 0

Gala for Peace Reception & Dinner - February 9th 6:15 pm

Rotary Districts 5890 & 5910 Present: 
Celebrating Peace Through Service 
February 9, 2019
VIP Reception 6:15 pm, Dinner 7 pm
Featured Speaker: Jennifer Jones
Crown Plaza Reliant Center
Cultural Attire / Black Tie Optional
$80 for individual seating (dress in festive cultural attire!)
Register at this link: https://goo.gl/HvwhVP
 
 
 
Gala for Peace Reception & Dinner - February 9th 6:15 pm 2019-01-15 06:00:00Z 0

February Calendar

February 9    PEACE CONFERENCE - Houston, Texas
                        Crowne Plaza Reliant Center     8686 Kirby 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. $75.00
                        GALA ALL CLUB MEETING -  5:30 pm - 10:00 pm.   $80 for individual seating (dress in festive cultural attire!)
 
February 8 - 10  Camp RYLA
 
February 14   Valentine's Day. (this month please collect Teddy bears to donate to children in a hospital)
 
February 16   Board of Directors meeting @ 9:00 am
 
February 18   Zoom Meeting - Social online  "Museums Around the World". *All participants to share personal experiences
 
PLUS our two newsletter during the month.  Please let us know if you would like to be added to our email list to receive our newsletter.  
 
 
February Calendar Robin Charlesworth 2019-01-14 06:00:00Z 0

A Message from Past Rotary International President, Frank Devlyn

“Good to see a Proactive Rotary E-Club. I liked all the messages given in your newsletter. Hope many of you also visit other Rotary Clubs in the Houston Area when your schedule allows openings in your respective schedules. Take a look at your app indicating what Rotary Clubs are meeting with info on time and where. Merry Christmas to all of you.”
 
We really appreciate the valuable feedback of a great leader and Past RI President Frank. Many of us in the Houston area are happy to engage in face-to-face service in Rotary as much as possible. And we love that he and many other Rotarians and non-Rotarians around the world are reading our newsletters. We are happy to share Rotary service and news to inspire others. If you would like to send us feedback on any service project, articles, or have any questions or comments, please see the left side column and click on the blue name “Adriane Miller” or “Lori Prouty” to send your message to our newsletter editors. Club members, we especially would like you to share your community service projects. Please send us a paragraph and a photo of your contribution to a better community and a better world. It is important to share good actions to spread goodness, inspiration, and a positive vibe to others.  
Best wishes of a happy 2019 to all our readers!
 
 
A Message from Past Rotary International President, Frank Devlyn 2018-12-31 06:00:00Z 0
Program: The Beauty of What We Will Never Know 2018-12-31 06:00:00Z 0

Club Member Ruby Powers on The Rotarian Magazine

Our own E-Club Rotarian Ruby was featured on The Rotarian magazine of January 2019, pages 44 and 45. The section of The Rotarian is about “ordinary Rotarians who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances. In their own words, they tell us what it’s like to…”. Ruby tells us “what is like to fight for families on the border”. We are so fortunate to have people with extraordinary hearts in our Rotary world. Thank you, Ruby!
 
 
 
Club Member Ruby Powers on The Rotarian Magazine 2018-12-31 06:00:00Z 0

A Joyful E-Club Holiday Party

Our club had an amazing get together to celebrate the holidays at our President Robin and PDG Ed Charlesworth’s home. We enjoyed delicious food, drinks, conversation, and met great new people. One of the highlights of the party was the donation of teddy bears for the children in Venezuela. The therapeutic power of this simple gesture will bring a bit of joy to the children facing the serious crisis in their country. #BearHugsForVenezuela.
 
 
 
A Joyful E-Club Holiday Party 2018-12-31 06:00:00Z 0

Martin Bailey Garden Project Continues

 
 
This past December, past president Wind Nguyen met with Wisdom High School teachers to discuss the plans for stage II of our Martin Bailey Memorial Garden.
 
About the Martin Bailey Garden Project: this eco-garden is a green space that will produce resources for students, including food and educational opportunities. It aims to develop a modern concept of an integrated urban garden that encourages sustainability, education, and healthy food options including vegetables, fruits, and herbs. The garden will also benefit educators by enhancing curriculum and live education options, with state-of-the-art green technology features and more. Furthermore, professional artists will collaborate with Wisdom HS students to design garden beautification projects with murals being part of the first stage of development.
 
 
 
Martin Bailey Garden Project Continues Adriane Miller 2018-12-31 06:00:00Z 0

President's Message

Dear Active Members and Guests,
 
Happy New Year!  2019 will hold great opportunities for us as Rotarians to become engaged in “Service Above Self” and strive to learn and appreciate other cultures.  We will have a few members visiting Cucuta, Columbia as our container of food arrives to help feed the hungry refugees crossing the border from Venezuela.  In March, we receive our six guests (5 delegates and one facilitator, and possibly a translator) from Ukraine through Open World. They will be here to focus on energy efficiency and we also want to show them Texas Hospitality with a chili cook-off, Texas BBQ and a visit to the Houston Livestock and Rodeo.  This is the 20thAnniversary of Open World.  We will need to submit host family forms by January 29th, so please let me know if you are interested in hosting.  This is limited to those members living in Northwest Houston, but we will have the team present a program online for all to meet them.  
 
Of course, Springtime will bring great opportunities for our garden project at Wisdom High School. We will work beside our Interactors to plant veggies and see other artistic plans take hold in the courtyard.  Thanks, Wind Nguyen and Belinda Kaylani, for your diligence in attending meetings at the school and working closely with our partners Vox Culture and Galleria Rotary.
 
We need everyone on board to sell tickets and find some silent auction items for our House Concert on January 26that my house with Rebecca Folsom.  Please send your list of names and auction items to me so I can prepare the signup sheets for the auction and keep a list of expected attendees.  I will send an email soon with an auction item request form for you to use in speaking to various shops, restaurants, etc.
 
It will be another busy year and as always, rewarding, and inspiring!  May we continue on our journey to build peace in this world, and hope to see you at the Peace Conference in Houston.
Districts 5890 and 5910 have teamed up to host a Gala for Peace on February 9th at Crowne Plaza Houston. The annual All Club Meeting will be held as part of the event. This will be a great opportunity to have a conversation about peace, obstacles and opportunities.
 
Looking forward to seeing you online and planning projects together in the New Year!
 
Yours in Rotary,
 
Robin Charlesworth, President 2018-19
Rotary e-club of Houston
 
 
President's Message Robin Charlesworth 2018-12-31 06:00:00Z 0

Zoom Meeting January 14th - 8:00 pm

story thumbnail
Save the date for this special zoom meeting with producer Cimela Kidonakis who will share her experiences in producing documentary films.  She has produced three films: Where There is Darkness (2018), Cross Mountain (2018), and Apparition Hill (2016).  
 

Filmmakers Sean Bloomfield, Cimela Kidonakis and Jessi Hannapel have been documenting the story about Father Rene Robert for over two years. Although they completed the final cut of the film just last month, Where There Is Darkness has already won a slew of film festival awards including Best Documentary and Best Director at the Los Angeles Crime and Horror Film Festival in November.

Join us as Cimela shares her story of creating compelling documentaries.  We will create a YouTube for those who are unable to attend "live".

Join Zoom Meeting. https://zoom.us/j/102678804

One tap mobile:  +16699006833,, 102078804# US (San Jose)

+164468769923,, 102678804# US (New York)

Dial by your location +1 669 900 6833 (San Jose)

   +1 646 876 9923 (New York)

Meeting ID 102-678-804

Find your local number:  https"//zoom.us/u/ad82v88T2r

 

 

Zoom Meeting January 14th - 8:00 pm 2018-12-23 06:00:00Z 0

FUNDRAISER JANUARY 26 - House Concert with Rebecca Folsom

Join us for a House Concert at the home of PDG Ed Charlesworth and President Robin Charlesworth to enjoy the music of Rebecca Folsom. "She takes you from subtle ballads to knock-you-to-your-knees blues." - KNUC Radio
Rebecca Folsom’s music is about liberation. Her songs crack open hearts, inspire hope, and leave listeners with a deeper perspective. Rebecca’s world-class voice traverses a near-four-octave range.  While her range is impressive, it’s the expression in her voice that rivets your attention and stays with you long after the show ends.
 
Rebecca is a true renaissance woman. Beyond her career as a recording artist and national touring musician, she is a published author with two books of poetry. She is also an oil painter with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and has shown in numerous galleries.  Rebecca lives in Colorful Colorado.
 
Tickets are $20 per person and we will begin with a Pot Luck Dinner (that is, you bring a dish to share) and BYOB other than coffee and iced tea which will be provided by hosts.  There will also be a SILENT AUCTION fundraiser to support our service projects.
 
Members - please help sell tickets and acquire items for the silent auction.  Auction items must be identified by January 21st so the sign-up sheets can be prepared.  Search for restaurant certificates, gift baskets, wine or beverage packages, movie tickets, experiences, and other creative ideas.  Maybe something in anticipation of Valentine's Day.  Please communicate these items to Robin Charlesworth @ 970-880-0960 (please text) or em the description to charlesworth@stresscontrol.com.
 
 
FUNDRAISER JANUARY 26 - House Concert with Rebecca Folsom 2018-12-23 06:00:00Z 0

Club Member News

Anniversaries celebrated in December included active members Ed and Robin Charlesworth, Nicole Bianchi, Jose Alves, and Dick Robie.
 
Ruby Powers is busy volunteering legal services with asylum seekers in Tijuana, Mexico.  She was interviewed by Maria Salazar with Fox 26 News and interviewed o NPR's All Things Considered by Alisa Change regarding immigrants entering at the border and the "Remain in Mexico" policy.  

Ruby makes this appeal - "please consider supporting our legal team this holiday season by purchasing items out of our wish list here: https://www.amazon.com/…/3FMBCXBJF…/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_mt__wl or by donating to the Border Rights Project here: https://alotrolado.networkforgood.com/…/63833-al-otro-lado-….

On Dec 17, 2018 Attorney Ruby Powers spoke on the topic of Asylum Bars, Withholding of Removal and Convention Against Torture at the Joe Vail Asylum Workshop at UH Law.  See her tv interviews on the Powers Law Group website.

 
Wind Nguyen and Ed Charlesworth used the Rotary trailer to help a woman move on short notice while her husband is unavailable due to treatment for opioid addiction.
 
Marcia Natali Allgayer created a fundraiser for Alpha-1 Foundation to celebrate her birthday.  This will promote research, improved health, worldwide detection, and a cure for Alpha -1 Antitrypsin Deficiency.  This is a genetic disease that can cause lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. It can also cause liver disease that leads to jaundice, which makes your skin look yellowish.  There's no cure, but treatments can help you manage your liver and breathing problems.  You may make a donation on her Facebook page.
 
Marcia Natali Allgayer, Marcio Natali de Assis (her brother) and Margareth Souza Natali (her mother) - all members of our e-club attended the Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker in Tucson, AZ to celebrate the holidays.
 
 

Mike and Adriane Miller jumping for joy with Tyler Miller and Natasha Edwards, all members of our club, and daughter Lexie Miller in Sandy, Oregon celebrations in the holiday spirit captured in this photo:
 
 
 
Paladin Hasty put his skills to use building a ramp in Dallas with the Team of Texas Ramp Project - Building Freedom for the Homebound.
 
Phillip Harris has helped several blind folks through Be My Eyes (currently living in Sweden).  
 
Please share your service to others with Adriane Miller or Lori Prouty to be posted In our newsletter.  We are scattered around the world, but there are always service opportunities where our eyes, hands, and feet can be useful to be true to the Rotary motto of "Service Above Self".
Club Member News 2018-12-23 06:00:00Z 0

January Calendar 2019

January  28         Zoom Social Meeting:  "Oh the Places our Rotarians Go" - An exchange of travel experiences shared by our own club members who are known to have interesting travel experiences.  We will hear about the Galapagos, the Azores, cruises, etc.
Join zoom meeting:  https://zoom.us/j/224361774
One tap mobile. +16699006833,,224361774#. US (San Jose)
                             + 16468769923,,224361774#. US (New York)
Dial by your location. +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
                                      +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
Meeting ID 224 361 774
Find your local number:  https://zoom.us/u/alSTQwteJ
 
Have you registered for the following? 
*Conference for Peace & Conflict Prevention and Resolution
February 9, 2019
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM


*Gala for Peace/All Club Meeting
February 9, 2019
6:15 PM Rotary VIP Reception
7:00 PM Dinner
 
*District Conference   May 2 - 4  Corpus Christi
*Rotary International Convention - June 1 - 5  Hamburg, Germany  *March 31 is last day for pre-registration discount.
 
 
January Calendar 2019 2018-12-22 06:00:00Z 0

Program: 100 Solutions to Reverse Global Warming

What if we took out more greenhouse gases than we put into the atmosphere? This hypothetical scenario, known as "drawdown," is our only hope of averting climate disaster, says strategist Chad Frischmann. In a forward-thinking talk, he shares solutions to climate change that exist today -- conventional tactics like the use of renewable energy and better land management as well as some lesser-known approaches, like changes to food production, better family planning and the education of girls. Learn more about how we can reverse global warming and create a world where regeneration, not destruction, is the rule.
 

Members, please share your service to be published to our newsletter by clicking on “Adriane Miller” on the left side of the page. Your service will inspire the world!


Program: 100 Solutions to Reverse Global Warming 2018-12-07 06:00:00Z 0

Bear Hugs for Venezuela Project

by Cristal Montanez
 
We are very pleased to share this testimonial from Sister Ana Maria from CAINA “We are thankful for the donation of nutritious rice-soy fortified nutritious RAH meal packs. The meals will be shared with the children from the nursery, integral classroom, and CAINA skills training school. Additionally, because is so much amount, we want to make sure this food gets to children from very, very poor communities who don’t have anything to eat. We plan the prepare an “Olla Solidaria” (a solidarity community meal) to bring happiness to that group of children.” 

Bear Hugs for Venezuela pilot project is a partnership between Rotary E-Club of Houston, Rise Against Hunger, Rotary Caracas, and beneficiary organizations in Venezuela.
Bear Hugs for Venezuela Project 2018-12-07 06:00:00Z 0

Martin Bailey Garden Project Stage 1 Completed

This past November 17, we finished the first stage of our garden project at Margaret Long Wisdom High School. Many thanks to all volunteers, including our district governor Carmen Cuneo, and several club members who helped to start building our eco-garden! 
 
ABOUT THE MARTIN BAILEY GARDEN PROJECT: This eco-garden is a green space that will produce resources for students, including food and educational opportunities. It aims to develop a modern concept of an integrated urban garden that encourages sustainability, education, and healthy food options including vegetables, fruits, and herbs. The garden will also benefit educators by enhancing curriculum and live education options, with state-of-the-art green technology features and more. Furthermore, professional artists will collaborate with Wisdom HS students to design garden beautification projects with murals being part of the first stage of development.
 

 
Martin Bailey Garden Project Stage 1 Completed 2018-12-07 06:00:00Z 0

December Calendar

Rotary E-Club of Houston Holiday Party!

A great evening of fun and fellowship inspired by shared friendship and the spirit of holiday giving. 

  • Gift bags for families vetted by N.A.M. will be available during the party.  

  • Teddy bears may be donated for Cristal Montanez to take to children in Colombia or Venezuela.

When: December 8, 2018 at 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm.

Where: 11407 Hylander – Houston 77070

Who: Rotarians and guests (spouses, children, and prospective members)

Please bring: A favorite dish to share. Beverages will be provided.

Donations requested for Service: New or gently used coats, blankets, or Teddy Bears.

Attire: Christmas casual

See you there!


December Calendar 2018-12-07 06:00:00Z 0

President's Message - December, 2018

Dear Rotarians and Guests,
 
Hope you are managing the stress of the holidays well and enjoying the many family and friend gatherings along with many opportunities to give and serve others!  Occasionally take a few slow deep breaths and reflect on your life and count your blessings as there are so many without....a roof over their heads, food to eat, toys for their children when classmates receive a bountiful, good health, gainful employment to support their family, transportation, and the list goes on.  Let's work together in the New Year to improve the lives of those in need, share books and teach others to read, provide clean water and food, and hope for peace in this world.
 
Yours in Rotary,
Robin Charlesworth, President

 
President's Message - December, 2018 2018-12-03 06:00:00Z 0
Inspiring Song - Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come 2018-11-03 05:00:00Z 0

Volunteer for the Martin Bailey Garden Project - Nov. 17th!

Join Vox Culture and volunteer for the Martin Bailey Garden Project at Margaret Long Wisdom High School! In partnership with the Rotary E-Club of Houston, we are developing a creative garden model that addresses the needs of Wisdom HS. 
 
Volunteers Needed: Stage 1 begins on Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 9 AM – 1 PM CST
WHERE: Margaret Long Wisdom High School
6529 Beverlyhill St, Houston, Texas 77057


Building a garden requires a strong group effort to make a difference! Therefore, we need your time and talent to make it happen. Volunteers will mainly be planting seeds and seedlings in the raised beds, but no experience is necessary, since there will be instructions provided on-site. Some gardening tools will be available but priority will be given to the students of the school. If you have your own tools, we recommend you bring them!

WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING & WEAR: Garden gloves, jeans or comfortable clothing you do not mind getting dirty in, hat and/or sunglasses, close toed shoes.

FOOD: Snacks will be served to all volunteers.

REGISTRATION/INQUIRIES: If you would like to volunteer - or if you cannot volunteer but wish to support the Martin Bailey Garden Project - please contact Vox Volunteer Coordinator, Nicole Kwan, at nicole.kwan@voxculture.org with your full name, phone #, and email. Please also let us know if you are coming by yourself, as a couple, or with a group. 

ABOUT THE MARTIN BAILEY GARDEN PROJECT: This eco-garden is a green space that will produce resources for students, including food and educational opportunities. It aims to develop a modern concept of an integrated urban garden that encourages sustainability, education, and healthy food options including vegetables, fruits, and herbs. The garden will also benefit educators by enhancing curriculum and live education options, with state of the art green technology features and more. Furthermore, professional artists will collaborate with Wisdom HS students to design garden beautification projects with murals being part of the first stage of development.


IN MEMORIAM: The garden is dedicated in the memory of Mr. Martin Bailey. Mr. Bailey was a alumni of the first graduating class of Wisdom HS and remained a highly active alumni board member who continuously advocated and strived for the embetterment of the students at Wisdom High School.

Thank you; we can’t wait to see you around the garden!

 
Volunteer for the Martin Bailey Garden Project - Nov. 17th! 2018-11-03 05:00:00Z 0

Program: What  Makes a Good Life? Lessons from the Longest Study on Happiness

What keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life? If you think it's fame and money, you're not alone – but, according to psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, you're mistaken. As the director of a 75-year-old study on adult development, Waldinger has unprecedented access to data on true happiness and satisfaction. In this talk, he shares three important lessons learned from the study as well as some practical, old-as-the-hills wisdom on how to build a fulfilling, long life.
 

 
Program: What Makes a Good Life? Lessons from the Longest Study on Happiness 2018-11-03 05:00:00Z 0
Inspirational Video: Teamwork Can Make a Dream Work 2018-11-03 05:00:00Z 0

Empowering Women on a Global Scale

Imagine, as a woman, you could not participate in life during ONE week of EVERY month.
 
• No school for one week.
• No work for one week.
• No grocery shopping for one week.
• No helping members of your family for one week.
 
This is what happens to girls and women, while having their periods in a majority of our world. Thankfully, in today’s modern society we don’t have this issue as we have disposable solutions. Traditional disposable tampons and pads are unattainable luxuries in places like Honduras, where money is more often used for food and survival. Reusable pads are an economical and acceptable solution to giving 12 weeks of life back to these women in Honduras. Christine Mercer, fellow Rotarian, has partnered with HOI.org and Keypreps.com to bring as many reusable pads as possible to the women of Honduras; and she has a challenge for you!
HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP!
 
Please help the women in Honduras take control of their own destiny by purchasing one of the reusable pad sets at this link. Click Here to reach a special link specifically for this project. Please have the order shipped to Christine Mercer at the below address, and she will take as many suitcases full of pads as she can on her next mission trip, March 16-23, 2019.
 
Ship to: Christine Mercer, 270 Doug Baker Blvd. Suite 700, Box 318 Birmingham, AL 35242.
Christine will update everyone with details about the program, while on her trip in March. Please feel free to forward this challenge to anyone you feel would enjoy helping.
Thank you!
 

 
Empowering Women on a Global Scale 2018-11-03 05:00:00Z 0
November Calendar 2018-11-03 05:00:00Z 0

Bear Hugs for Venezuela

Bear Hugs for Venezuela Pilot Project: Teddy Bear Distribution to Children in Venezuela 
 
This pilot project is bringing hope, joy and a smile to the faces of the children with the comfort and therapeutic power of teddy bears.The Rotary e-Club of Houston, in partnership with the Rotary Caracas, distributed 120 care packages containing teddy bears, coloring books, crayons, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and healthy high calorie/nutritious snacks. Find out more about this important project and how you can help at this link
 

 
Bear Hugs for Venezuela 2018-11-03 05:00:00Z 0

CAPTURE THE MOMENT - 2019 Intenational Rotary Convention

Join Rotary President Barry Rassin at the 110th Rotary International Convention in Hamburg, Germany, June 1st to 5th, 2019. The historic port city of Hamburg offers something for everyone. Germans call it “The Gateway to the World” — and the 2019 convention will be your gateway to the world of Rotary. At the convention, you’ll connect with people of action from across the globe while learning the latest news and strategies for keeping clubs strong. As a past convention attendee, you know that every convention is an opportunity to learn. Not only will you be inspired by the energy and enthusiasm that surrounds you, you’ll also make new, unforgettable memories that can last a lifetime. 
  
Join your Rotary friends in Hamburg at the 2019 Rotary Convention where together, we’ll Capture the Moment! Check out: The Germany You Don't Know.

REGISTER HERE - December 15th 2018: Last day for early-registration discount. June 5th, 2019: Last day for online registration.


 
CAPTURE THE MOMENT - 2019 Intenational Rotary Convention 2018-11-02 05:00:00Z 0

WORLD POLIO DAY - OCTOBER 24th

Watch the World Polio Day Live-Stream at www.endpolio.org 5:30 - 6:30 PM Wednesday October 24 from Philadelphia.
Rotarians are invited to donate $100+ to The Rotary Foundation for Polio Eradication which will be matched with 100+ Rotary Foundation Recognition Points and matched $2 to $1 by the Gates Foundation.  In addition they will receive District Raffle tickets in the amount of their donation.
Have you purchased your piece of our Polio Puzzle yet? It is a only $10 toward polio eradication.  Ask your business associates and friends if they would join us in our goal of eradicating polio for future generations.  There is a PayPal button on our website specifically for this donation.  On World Polio Day, Past President Wind Nguyen will draw the winning puzzle piece and post it on Facebook.
 
WORLD POLIO DAY - OCTOBER 24th 2018-10-21 05:00:00Z 0

Tech Workshop: Training for Our Members

This workshop was held live via zoom meeting on October 20th and was recorded for others to view on Facebook or WhatsApp.  The agenda is as follows: 
10:00   ClubRunner
            Banner – Stories, Our Club, Attendance Report, Rotary Foundation, Events Calendar
                            Membership Application, Service Opportunities, 501 ©(3) Foundation
                            Current Projects
            Member Area – My ClubRunner - login, change my password
    My Profile – add photo and bio
    Club Directory & Photo Club Directory
 
             My Rotary – login
                        Rotary Showcase - You will find Rotary Showcase under the Develop Projects section of the Take Action menu.
 
                        Rotary Showcase is an online application that allows Rotarians and Rotaractors to share stories of their clubs’ successful projects with people around the world. In addition, project stories are a source for features in Rotary International blogs and newsletters.
The Showcase’s Impact Tracker shows the impact of each Rotary project in terms of volunteers and volunteer hours, cash contributions, and in-kind donations. It also shows the collective impact of all reported projects.
Success stories posted on Showcase can serve as an inspiration and a model for other Rotary and Rotaractor clubs.
Showcase works best with Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.
                        Take Action – Ways to Give
            Giving works because Rotary works. We are proud that 90.8 percent of donations go straight to supporting our service projects.
            Our 35,000 clubs carry out sustainable humanitarian service projects. Using donations like yours, we’ve wiped out 99 percent of all polio cases. Your donations train future peacemakers, support clean water, and strengthen local economies.
            A child can be protected from polio with as little as 60 cents. Our partners make your donation go even farther. For every $1 Rotary commits to polio eradication, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed $2.
            Choices on Giving -  Annual Fund or Polio Fund
                        *You may honor someone or donate in memory of someone
                        *Donations are either made individually or on behalf of the club
                        *Donations may be one-time or set up as recurring
11:00  Adjourn
    
If you need a private lesson to add your photo or bio or need help to navigate through MyRotary, please reach out to Robin Charlesworth or Wind Nguyen. We will be glad to provide assistance.  It is really important for members of an e-club to be able to use resources in both ClubRunner and MyRotary.  Thanks!                      
Tech Workshop: Training for Our Members 2018-10-20 05:00:00Z 0

Inspirational Message

 
Bull’s Eye is a story of persistence, concentration and clarity that transforms professional and personal wishes into attainable goals. The lessons shared will inspire you to refine your aspirations into measurable actions. Empower yourself to elevate from a dreamer to a lifelong achiever. When you take a precise approach to your passion, you will discover that hitting the bull’s eye is an act of perseverance, not chance.
Inspirational Message Robin Charlesworth 2018-10-08 05:00:00Z 0

Inspirational Message

How about a break? Just relax, take deep breaths, and let the images and the music soothe you.

 
Inspirational Message 2018-10-04 05:00:00Z 0

How We Will Stop Polio For Good

Polio is almost completely eradicated, but as Bruce Aylward says, “Almost isn't good enough with a disease this terrifying.” Aylward lays out the plan to continue the scientific miracle that ended polio in most of the world – and to snuff it out everywhere, forever.

 
How We Will Stop Polio For Good 2018-10-04 05:00:00Z 0

October Calendar

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October 8     Zoom meeting - The Venezuelan Refugees  8:00 pm - 9:00 pm CST
Cristal Montanez and Dr. Isis Meijas
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/162424998
Or iPhone one-tap :  US: +16468769923,,162424998#  or +16699006833,,162424998# 
Or Telephone:  Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): 
US: +1 646 876 9923  or +1 669 900 6833 
Meeting ID: 162 424 998
International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/ace57Uk5Zi
 
October 14   Board of Directors Meeting 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm  CST
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/338807790
Or iPhone one-tap :   US: +16468769923,,338807790#  or +16699006833,,338807790# 
Or Telephone:  Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): 
US: +1 646 876 9923  or +1 669 900 6833 
Meeting ID: 338 807 790
International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/adlAZO8yHO
 
October 20  Zoom meeting - Tech Workshop to Explore ClubRunner and My Rotary  10:00 - 11:00 am CST
Hands on guided workshop to help members with login, where to upload photo, write biography, etc.
Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/765977208
Or iPhone one-tap :  US: +16468769923,,765977208#  or +16699006833,,765977208# 
Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 646 876 9923  or +1 669 900 6833 
Meeting ID: 765 977 208
International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/abN2mLq0U0
 
October 24  World Polio Day
Drawing for winner of the Polio Puzzle
Livestream on Rotary International website - streaming live from the College of Physicians, and aim to bring together more than 100,000 viewers around the world; also available to view later at your convenience.
 
October 25  Rotary Foundation Dinner
Open to all members - Past Rotary International Director and Rotary Foundation Trustee Sang Koo Yun from the Rotary Club of Sae Hanyang, Korea will be speaking.  The dinner venue is the Hotel ICON, 220 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002. The cost will be $75.00/person. There will be a cash bar.
 
October 27  Service Saturday
Food packaging event for Rise Against Hunger is set.  We will be packaging over 20,000 meals. This event is also a great way to involve your family and children, ages 4+.
Time:           9:00 to 1:00
 Location:   Rise Against Hunger 
                    8901 Jameel Ste 130
                    Houston, TX 77040
 
 There are only 100 spots available and last time, we had people begging to come join us.
October Calendar 2018-10-03 05:00:00Z 0

Eradicating Polio Worldwide

One benefit of being a Rotarian is that you can take pride in being part of an organization that truly makes a difference in the world. Since 1985, Rotarians have served as community-based mobilizers for polio eradication, motivating international groups, governments, private organizations, communities, and individuals to join the global effort to rid the world of polio. Rotary works with partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), including the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the governments of the world to achieve this historic public health goal.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
Rotary International began its fight against polio in 1979 with a multiyear immunization project in the Philippines.
 
As part of the effort, Rotarians contribute their time and money to the cause, raising funds, advocating for government support, serving as volunteers to help immunize children, and raising awareness in their communities. Rotary’s contributions to the global polio eradication effort now exceed $1.6 billion, including matching funds from the Gates Foundation. Hundreds of thousands of volunteers have supported National Immunization Days. Since 1988, more than 2 billion children have received oral polio vaccine, and we’ve achieved a 99.9 percent reduction in polio cases. It may be considered the greatest humanitarian service the world has ever seen, and every Rotarian can take pride in the achievement. To learn how you can support Rotary’s efforts to eradicate polio, visit endpolio.org.

 
Eradicating Polio Worldwide 2018-09-17 05:00:00Z 0

Why is our Pin a Rotary Wheel?

History and Meaning of the Rotary Wheel

 
A wheel has been the symbol of Rotary since our earliest days. The first design was made (1905) by Chicago Rotarian Montague Bear, an engraver who drew a simple wagon wheel, with a few lines to show dust and motion. The wheel was said to illustrate "Civilization, Movement and Service work in action." Most of the early clubs had some form of wagon wheel on their publications and letterheads.
 
In 1922, it was decided that all Rotary clubs should adopt a single design as the exclusive emblem of Rotarians. So, the present gear wheel, with 24 teeth and six spokes was adopted by the "Rotary International Association." The gear teeth around the outside represent the fact that work is to be done. The six spokes represent the inner direction and path of our Vocational Service, through the representation of our membership via the classification system. Similarly, these same spokes represent an outward distribution path of Rotary's ideals of service and the Four Way Test… going out toward the community, vocations and businesses that our members represent.
 
A group of engineers advised that the geared wheel was mechanically unsound and would not work without a "keyway" in the center of the gear to attach it to a power shaft. So, in 1923 the keyway was added to signify the wheel was a "worker and not an idler". The keyway in the center of the hub is of great significance, because it represents the individual Rotarian member, who is the key factor in every club. Quality members are the keys, needed for the hub to engage with the shaft and turn, putting the energy into motion and creating the power for the gears to do their work.
 
At the 1929 Rotary International Convention, it was determined that blue and gold would be the official colors of the organization, so the wheel was designed with these colors. The four blue bands within the outer radius of the gear represent our four avenues of service. And the design which we now know was formally adopted as the official Rotary International emblem.
 
Why is our Pin a Rotary Wheel? 2018-09-04 05:00:00Z 0
Short Funny Video: “Eggschange" 2018-09-01 05:00:00Z 0
Short Inspirational Video: Never Give up 2018-09-01 05:00:00Z 0

Program

The Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers
How do creative people come up with great ideas? Organizational psychologist Adam Grant studies "originals": thinkers who dream up new ideas and take action to put them into the world. In this talk, learn three unexpected habits of originals — including embracing failure. "The greatest originals are the ones who fail the most, because they're the ones who try the most," Grant says. "You need a lot of bad ideas in order to get a few good ones."
Program 2018-09-01 05:00:00Z 0

Past Events
 

District 5890 Technology Training
photo credit: DG Carmen Cuneo
 
This past August 25th our District held training in technology through District Technology & Social Media Committee members Wind Nguyen (past president of our club), Todd Breton, and Rosemary McGreer. The purpose of this training is to empower your club to make a greater impact in the community by using technology. Please stay tuned for future training opportunities.
Past Events  2018-09-01 05:00:00Z 0

Hope for Venezuela

Our club and many other clubs and organizations are still committed to help the Venezuelan refugees. Our program “Bear Hugs for Venezuela”, led by our members Cristal Montanez and Isis Mejias, our International Service members, was the pilot for our new program Hope for Venezuelan Refugees. The bears and food were delivered, but the situation in Venezuela is shocking, and people are starving. We are now trying to alleviate the humanitarian crisis that arose from the need of Venezuelans to seek other countries to be able to survive. Can you imagine not having food to eat? You can find out more information about the situation in Venezuela and make donations to our club’s project here: https://www.mightycause.com/story/29ixvf
 
Venezuelans are walking long distances to Cucuta, Colombia and other countries.
 
This is an interview by our member Cristal Montanez who was in Cucuta, Colombia early this month to make an assessment of the situation. The interview is in Spanish.
 
A message from Cristal Montanez:
Photo credit: Cristal Montanez
 
“A pair of tennis shoes for the walkers” - Friends we have seen the drama of the Venezuelan walkers who flee from the economic crisis and the violence in Venezuela. They walk many kilometers, from Cucuta to Bogota, and many continue to Ecuador and Peru in search of work to support their families, sending money, food, and medicine to those who stay in Venezuela. Do you want to help? Join the campaign 'A pair of tennis for walkers.' It's very simple:  Contact your family, friends, colleagues, Rotary Clubs and tennis shoes collectors to ask them to donate used tennis shoes that are comfortable and in good condition. Place each pair of shoes in a clear plastic bag and label it with the shoe size. Fill one or more boxes with the shoes collected. Send your box(es) through the mailing service of your choice to the following address: Restaurant Rodizio, Avenida Libertadores # 10-121, Malecón Second Stage. Cúcuta Colombia.”   #ParaLosCaminantes
Hope for Venezuela 2018-09-01 05:00:00Z 0

Service Saturdays

Rotary Books for the World
This past August 18th our member Vocational Service Chair Nicole Wycislo was in Pasadena donating books. Other members are collecting books in our fight against illiteracy. Between 2001 and 2016 the number of books shipped was 11,343,058, according to Rotarybooksfortheworld.org. It is a commendable effort by people from several Rotary clubs and districts and from other organizations, local and international communities. Please consider donating your books to those who need them, and not only you will be joining us in caring for education and literacy, but in helping the environment by reutilizing books. To find out more about this project, please visit Rotarybooksfortheworld.org.
Service Saturdays 2018-09-01 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary Basics – Part III – Areas of Focus, The Four-Way Test, Object of Rotary, Diversity, and Rotary International Offices.
 

Please stay tuned to learn about the Rotary Foundation in our next newsletter.
 
Rotary’s motto, Service Above Self, reflects our belief in unselfish volunteer service.
Source: Rotary.org
 
Areas of Service
The causes we target to maximize our impact are called our areas of focus. Our most successful and sustainable projects and activities fall within these areas. Through global grants and other resources, we help clubs focus their service efforts in the following areas:
   • Promoting peace
   • Fighting disease
   • Providing clean water
   • Saving mothers and children
   • Supporting education
   • Growing local economies
 
Projects that focus on these causes are eligible for global grant funding from The Rotary Foundation.
 
The Four-Way Test
Early Rotary members emphasized the importance of acting responsibly and ethically and using our professions as an opportunity to serve. Honoring our commitments, however bold, is an ideal characteristic of a Rotarian. In 1932, The Four-Way Test was developed by Herbert Taylor, a Rotary Club of Chicago member and 1954-55 RI president, to guide his attempt to save a faltering aluminum company. Rotary later adopted it, and it underscores Rotary’s value of integrity. The Four-Way Test has long served as an ethical guide for members to live by in their personal and professional relationships.
 
OF THE THINGS WE THINK, SAY OR DO:
   1. Is it the TRUTH?
   2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
   3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
   4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
 
Object of Rotary
In Rotary’s first decade, members set out guiding principles that evolved into what is now known as the Object of Rotary. They added the advancement of peace in 1921 and made the language more gender-neutral in 1989 and 1995.
 
The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:
 
FIRST: The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
SECOND: High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society;
THIRD: The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life;
FOURTH: The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
 
While your club may not emphasize all of these principles, understanding them puts your club experience into perspective and adds meaning to being a part of this organization.
 
Rotary Basics – Part III – Areas of Focus, The Four-Way Test, Object of Rotary, Diversity, and Rotary International Offices.   2018-09-01 05:00:00Z 0

President's Message

Dear Rotarians and Friends,
 
This has been a busy and rewarding month for a variety of activities in our Rotary e-Club of Houston.  I want you to know what our members have been up to and will spotlight some accomplishments.  Cristal Montanez and Isis Meijas have been working diligently on helping Venezuelans with a pilot project of proving meals for the refugees arriving across the border in Cucuta, Colombia.  Cristal traveled to Cucuta and joined with partner Rotarians in the Rotary Club of Cucuta to witness the needs of the numerous refugees.  They visited seven parishes where lines for meals are long, and she noticed that most were barefoot.  Our club has partnered with other Rotary clubs in our district to raise $11,500 for this project to send containers of meals (provided by Rise Against Hunger) to Colombia.  Our Membership Director, Nicole Bianchi, became inspired to begin a drive to collect gently used “walking shoes” as many refugees continue their journey to Bogota or even on to Peru.  Cristal and Isis have published on Flipboard, a digital magazine, about sharing the “Hope for Venezuelan Refugees” pilot project (http://flip.it/CfupTT).  They will present photos and progress of this project during our on-line meeting in October.  They have also made a blog to update everyone on the project: https://hopeforvenezuelanrefugees.blogspot.com/?view=magazine
Thank you, Cristal, Isis and Nicole!
 
Our Community Service Director, Brittany Johnson, is working on helping victims of Hurricane Harvey with their recovery.  We have applied for a grant made possible by generous Rotarians in District 6940 (Florida) and we are matching up to $1,000 to purchase furniture or appliances as families return to their remodeled homes one year later. 
 
Also, Past President Wind Nguyen led a successful Technology seminar on August 25th for Rotarians to learn about ClubRunner, Social Media, and Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Marketing/Media.  Wind also coordinated a joint meeting with the Houston Skyline Club  on August 14th  - a Multi-Club Social & Bond Discussion with  Harris County Judge Ed Emmett.  And he was the official photographer for DG Carmen Cuneo at the District Membership Kick-Off at August 16th.  A great example of Rotary engagement beyond club level!
 
I am proud to share that we approved 5 new members during August!  Our AG visit was online and on September 10th we will have an online meeting with DG Carmen Cuneo.  
 
Please take a look at the September calendar of activities below.  We require attendance at a minimum of two activities (two newsletters, service activity, and/or online meetings, and other opportunities with district activities or visiting other Rotary clubs.  Don’t forget to submit your attendance report which is located under the banner on our website.
 
We are a DYNAMIC club and encourage you to invite business associates and friends to participate in our online meetings or to receive our newsletters.  Share ROTARY because it is well-worth sharing!
 
Yours in Rotary,
 
Robin Charlesworth, President 2018-19
 
President's Message Robin Charlesworth 2018-08-29 05:00:00Z 0

Online Meeting - DG Carmen Cuneo's Official Club Visit - September 10th @ 7:00 pm

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Our Official Governor Club Visit - September 10th @ 7:00 pm CST

Carmen is a member of the Rotary Club of the University Area – Houston; Prior District positions include 2 years as District Secretary, 2 years as District Treasurer, 3 years as Youth Exchange Treasurer, 1 year as Assistant Governor.

Carmen is a Major Donor and has traveled with Rotary for a National Immunization Day to India and to Nicaragua Children of the Dump Project. She led an Inbound and Outbound Friendship Exchange with Russia in 2015 and 2016 respectively and will serve as Chair of the US Section of the Russia United States Intercountry Committee 2019-2020.

Carmen has a 23-year career in construction that has seen her travel to Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. During her construction career, Carmen worked as a Laborer, became a Master Electrician, and later served as a Project Manager on major construction projects including a strategic alliance for telecommunications facilities, a joint venture for a hotel reconstruction, and new construction for hospitals and outpatient surgery centers.

In 2014, Carmen was licensed as Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and currently works in private practice. Her accounting firm name is The Cuneo Firm of Public Accountancy.

Carmen has two daughters and seven grandchildren. She is a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Houston, Texas. Carmen enjoys gardening, bike riding, bird watching, photography, and Astros Baseball.

ZOOM MEETING:  Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/867127484

Or iPhone one-tap :
    US: +16468769923,,867127484#  or +16699006833,,867127484#
Or Telephone:
    Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
        US: +1 646 876 9923  or +1 669 900 6833
    Meeting ID: 867 127 484
    International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/cTT0psjRr

 

Online Meeting - DG Carmen Cuneo's Official Club Visit - September 10th @ 7:00 pm 2018-08-29 05:00:00Z 0

Online Meeting - September 6th @ 5:00 pm

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Meet Ruby Powers –
 
Ruby was a charter member of the Rotary e-Club of Houston, and is a Rotary Alumna, having served as an Ambassadorial Scholar in 2004-5 in Barcelona, Spain.  She became a Paul Harris Fellow in 2008.  Attorney Ruby L. Powers is Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. The child of a Mexican immigrant, Powers gravitated toward an international life by later marrying a Turkish immigrant. Having lived and studied in Belgium, Mexico, Turkey, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates, Powers speaks Spanish, French, and a hint of Turkish. With a passion for service and justice coupled with cultural understanding and an interest for immigrants, Powers dedicates her law practice to immigration law.  Outside of the office, she loves spending time and traveling with her family. She has been volunteering at the Texas border to reunite immigrant families.  Ruby has recently been interviewed on MSNBC, Fox 26 Houston, CNN, and Univision 45 Houston.   Her nonprofit and volunteer work with immigrants in detention centers has also been featured on the Texas Tribune, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, The Mercury News, and Brisbane Times.
 
During this online meeting, Ruby will share her recent experiences of assisting immigrant families and reuniting families for about 20 minutes.  We encourage you to interact with her and ask questions for the remainder of the hour.  If you have friends, business associates, or family members who would like to attend, please forward their email addresses to Robin Charlesworth (robinech1952@gmail.com ) so they may receive an invitation and the zoom meeting information to join us.
 
ONLINE MEETING - SEPTEMBER 6 @ 5:00 CST
Zoom meeting:  Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/234657216

Or iPhone one-tap :
    US: +16468769923,,234657216#  or +16699006833,,234657216#
Or Telephone:
    Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
        US: +1 646 876 9923  or +1 669 900 6833
    Meeting ID: 234 657 216
    International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/raPO5l5j
 
 
Online Meeting - September 6th @ 5:00 pm 2018-08-29 05:00:00Z 0

September Calendar

September 6 -  Online Meeting with Ruby Powers, Immigration Attorney  5:00 pm (see article above for log-in info)
 
September 10 - Online Meeting with District 5890 District Governor Carmen Cuneo  7:00 pm (see article above for log-in info)
 
September 15 - Board of Directors Meeting 9:00 am  Zoom meeting:  https://zoom.us/j/146623729
          Or iPhone one-tap :   US: +16699006833,,146623729#  or +16468769923,,146623729#
          Or Telephone:  Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
                    US: +1 669 900 6833  or +1 646 876 9923
          Meeting ID: 146 623 729
          International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/d4DtRlXl
September 22 - Books for the World
 
September 29 - Fundraising Committee Meeting @ 10:00 am and "Service Saturday" at 11:00 am.  Lunch will be provided for those who can stay.  Please rsvp to Robin Charlesworth, President (970-880-0960).
 
See the District Calendar for wherever you live to see additional meeting opportunities such as visiting other Rotary clubs, district committee meetings, Rotary fundraisers, etc.
***Reminder, please report at least two meeting credits for the month via the Attendance Form on our website.
 
September Calendar 2018-08-13 05:00:00Z 0

Service Saturdays

President Robin would love to see more members volunteering in our Service Saturdays, and there is work to be done everywhere.  The Rotary theme for September will be "Basic Education and Literacy".  For service related actions, consider donating books to a school libraary, perhaps one that was flooded during Hurricane Harvey, or collect books for Books for the World to be shipped to countries around the world.  We will hold a work party at President Robin Charlesworth's house on September 29th.  Let's gather at 10:00 am for a Fundraising Committee meeting about future fundraising for the club, and then begin sorting books.   Additionally, we have members who are collecting shoes (tennis) for Venezuelan refugees escaping to Columbia.  This can be accomplished by any Rotarians by placing the shoes in a gallon plastic baggie labeled with the sizes and shipped directly to:  Restaurant Rodizio, Avenida Libertadores #10-121, Malecon Second Stage, Cucuta, Columbia.
Or bring the shoes to this Service Saturday and will will box them and prepare them for shipping at no cost to Rotary (that is, your own money).
 
Please rsvp: 970-880-0960 to Robin Charlesworth, President
Be the inspiration!
 
SEPTEMBER 22, 2018  (one week prior to Service Opportunity at home of President Robin Charlesworth)
Address:  Rotary Books for the World Warehouse
203 Eagle Avenue, Pasadena TX 8:30AM to 10:30 AM
 
The entrance is on Eagle Ave. between Munger St & Main South of Hwy 225. You may park on Eagle Ave. or under 225.  Be careful crossing the street and do not leave valuables in your car. Questions? Terry Ziegler - bigzlumber@aol.com or 713-825-1176. 
Service Saturdays 2018-08-13 05:00:00Z 0

Inspirational Moment

This short video will make you think about our role in the universe. We are indeed small compared to the vast universe, but as Rotarians focused on helping other human beings, we become big and significant. Giving our time and sharing what we have makes us go from a tiny spec of light to a shiny beam that inspires others to do the same.   Adriane Miller
 
Inspirational Moment 2018-08-13 05:00:00Z 0

Funny Moment

It’s Smarter to VOLUNTEER in groups. More fun, too!
Funny Moment 2018-08-13 05:00:00Z 0

Program - Membership

MEMBERSHIP
As President Robin emphasized in her message, August is Membership Month! Membership is so important that we dedicate this month’s program to it with a great article written by Geoffrey Johnson featured at Rotary.org. Read on and be inspired!
 
Step right up: In Rotary’s membership game, everyone’s a winner
When it comes to finding new members for his Minnesota Rotary club, Tom Gump doesn’t just walk the walk, he trots the trot: the turkey trot. Gump is a former president of the Rotary Club of Edina/Morningside, which makes boosting membership a priority. In fact, that’s the fourth item on a list of 10 tips to attract and retain members which has been prepared – and practiced – by the club. It’s tip No. 10 that finds Gump clad in a turkey suit. More on that shortly.
 
The tips work: During Gump’s 2016-17 stint as club president, Edina/Morningside added 31 members. Eleven of them were women; 10 were under 40 years old. With 94 members, the club “went from being classified as a medium-size club to being one of District 5950’s large clubs,” says Gump, who will be the 2020-21 district governor. “There were 13 clubs larger than our club in our district, and now there are only four.”
 
The tips have proven so effective that Gump has taken the Edina/Morningside show on the road, using a PowerPoint presentation to coach other clubs on specific ways they can expand their membership. “I have been called a good salesman,” says Gump (who, for the record, is a real estate lawyer and a developer). “But to me, recruiting new Rotary members is not really selling. It’s matching up potential members with what he or she wants in a club.”
 
So if you’re looking to add members to your club, consider taking a page from the Edina/Morningside playbook. Read on for the club’s 10 tips, as well as five suggestions for increasing membership from other Rotarians and Rotary clubs.
 
Create a list of all the great things about your club
The point is not just growing your club, but boosting Rotary’s capacity to make a difference around the world.
Program - Membership 2018-08-13 05:00:00Z 0

Latest Events!

Wine Tasting and Dinner Fundraiser
August started well for our club with the Wine Tasting and Dinner Event put together by our Rotary E-Club of Houston and Vox Culture. The goal was to raise funds for our Martin Bailey’s Garden at Wisdom High School. If you missed the event and would like to contribute, please click on the PayPal yellow button to donate. The garden will provide nutritious food and education about food and the environment to the students. We need to purchase various types of material to build the garden, so any help is appreciated. Below are some photos of the event, which was held at the Archway Gallery in Houston this past August 5th. We had wonderful guests, including our District Governor Carmen Cuneo, PDG Bill Palko and spouse Debbie, PDG George Yeiter and spouse Beverly, and many more important guests who had their senses delighted with great wines, a delicious 6-course meal, while surrounded by beautiful art and great conversation. Great job to our club’s Past President Wind, Viktor from Vox Culture, and all volunteers who made this an unforgettable and sure to be repeated event!
 
 
Video: At this Dutch School Children Grow Their Own Food: https://youtu.be/uOMqTv3404s

Rotarians At Work
The Rotary Club of University area, home club of our super inspirational leader District Governor Carmen Cuneo, has a great program to help Firefighters with cancer who come to Houston to seek treatment. Thanks to the program, they can stay in a Houston apartment at almost no cost. This past July 27th there was an open house for the second apartment, where Rotarians from several clubs volunteered to help. Thank you, Brittany Johnson, our Community Service Chair for coordinating volunteers from our club, and to our club’s volunteers PP Wind Nguyen, Fabiola Giannone, and one of our newest members Nicole Bianchi, our Membership Chair, for donating your time and effort to this admirable cause.
 
Firefighters and First Responders give of themselves constantly. As the saying goes, “They run into a burning building while the rest of us are running out.” And, it is almost impossible to repay this type of bravery. 
 
Recognizing that these brave men and women sometimes need help themselves, the Rotary Fire Fighters Home (RFFH) strives to meet its mission of providing fully furnished, temporary housing to them at little or no cost, for use while they are undergoing treatment at the Texas Medical Center (TMC). Unfortunately, the majority of those in need of such housing are receiving cancer treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center, and temporary housing near TMC is both hard to find and expensive.
 
More information about the Rotary Firefighters home here: https://www.rotaryfirefightershome.org.
 
Latest Events! 2018-08-13 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary Basics – Part II Rotary History, Values and Avenues of Service
Source: Rotary.org
 

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How did We Get Here?
We’ve been making history and bringing our world closer together for over 100 years. The first Rotary club was started in Chicago, Illinois, USA, in 1905 by an attorney named Paul Harris. Harris wanted to bring together a group of professionals with different backgrounds and skills as a way to exchange ideas and form meaningful acquaintances. In August 1910, the 16 Rotary clubs then in the United States formed the National Association of Rotary Clubs, now Rotary International. In 1912, Rotary expanded to a few more countries, and by July 1925, Rotary clubs existed on six continents. Today, there are more than 35,000 clubs, in almost every country in the world. For more information about Rotary’s history, go to rotary.org/history.
 
What We value
Rotary was founded on principles that remain at the heart of the organization today. These principles reflect our core values — integrity, diversity, service, leadership, and fellowship, or friendship. Our core values emerge as themes in our guiding principles.
 
Avenues of Service
We channel our commitment to service through five Avenues of Service, which are the foundation of club activity.
Club Service focuses on making clubs strong. A thriving club is anchored by strong relationships and an active membership development plan.
Vocational Service calls on all Rotarians to work with integrity and contribute their expertise to the problems and needs of society.
Community Service encourages every Rotarian to find ways to improve the quality of life of people in their communities and to serve the public interest.
International Service exemplifies our global reach in promoting peace and understanding. We support this avenue by sponsoring or volunteering on international projects, using local member expertise to build long-term partnerships for sustainable projects, seeking service partners abroad, and more.
Youth Service recognizes the importance of empowering youth and young professionals through leadership development programs such as Rotaract, Interact, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, and Rotary Youth Exchange.
Rotary Basics – Part II Rotary History, Values and Avenues of ServiceSource: Rotary.org  2018-08-13 05:00:00Z 0

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

August is known as “Membership Month” in Rotary clubs around the world.  Rotary clubs are known for the high-impact service projects they undertake locally and globally.  Rotary members have pushed polio to the brink of eradication, delivered clean water to those in need, improved their local communities, provided scholarships to the next generation of peacemakers, and continued to do good in the world.  There are many opportunities to serve, and some members discover a true passion for specific projects.  There is much diversity in Rotary and we want to help each member plug into a project or committee of their choosing to discover a comfortable path to being engaged in our club.  When you feel that your membership is rewarding and that you benefit from leadership development, serving others, inspiring others, and supporting projects with sweat equity or dollars that really do change lives, then you are part of something that you want to share with others.  Let’s grown our team of Rotarians and invite others to share our focus on “Service Above Self” and “Be the Inspiration.”
 
Yours in Rotary,
 
Robin Charlesworth, President 2018-2019
Rotary e-Club of Houston
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 2018-08-08 05:00:00Z 0

August Calendar

August 5 - Wine Tasting Dinner Fundraiser
August 13 - On-Line Meeting with Assistant Governor Dierdre Murray
August 15 - Newsletter
August 16 -  Board of Directors Meeting @ 7:00 pm CST
August 18 - Service Saturday - Books for the World
Rotary Books for the World Warehouse
203 Eagle Avenue, Pasadena TX 
8:30AM to 10:30 AM
The entrance is on Eagle Ave. between Munger St & Main
South of Hwy 225
You may park on Eagle Ave. or under 225.  Be careful crossing the street and do not leave valuables in your car
Questions?  Terry Ziegler - bigzlumber@aol.com or 713-825-1176                  
August 30 - Newsletter
August Calendar 2018-08-04 05:00:00Z 0

We Want to Hear From You!

Members, please send us articles about your service or community projects and include a photo or video of you doing Rotary work. We would love to receive feedback from our subscribers on how we are doing, and content you would like to see published. Be the inspiration! Please send your info to Lori Prouty at lbprouty@comast.net. Thank you!

 
We Want to Hear From You! 2018-07-17 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary Basics

Welcome to the new section of our newsletter, Rotary Basics. We aim to provide basic education about Rotary to new members and guests to enrich their experience in our club. This will also help you be prepared when your friends ask you what is Rotary and what do you do? Stay tuned for more in our future newsletters.
 
What is Rotary?
Source: Rotary.org
 
“Whatever Rotary may mean to us, to the world it will be known by the results it achieves.” - Paul Harris, 1914
Rotary is an international membership organization made up of people who share a passion for and commitment to enhancing communities and improving lives across the world. Rotary clubs exist in almost every country. Our members change lives locally and connect with other clubs to work on international projects that address today’s most pressing challenges. Being a member is an opportunity to take action and make a difference, and it brings personal rewards and lifelong friendships in the process.
 
DID YOU KNOW? The name Rotary was selected by early members because meeting locations rotated among their offices.
 
How is Rotary Structured?
 
Rotary Basics 2018-07-17 05:00:00Z 0
Program: Victor Rios: How Can Mentors Guide Kids To Live Up To Their Full Potential?  2018-07-17 05:00:00Z 0
Inspirational Moment: The Story of Your Life 2018-07-17 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary Fire Fighters Home 

We have been blessed regarding the Rotary Fire Fighters Home second apartment!  Through the diligent efforts of Jerry Harris and Marsha, Mattress Mack of Gallery Furniture has committed to providing all the furniture for the second apartment! He is actually holding a press conference at the apartment the end of this month, to announce his donation and support of our project. We will be signing the lease on the second apartment the third week of July.  Then, we will begin moving in the dishes/housewares/wall decorations.  The weekend of July 27th, Gallery Furniture will deliver their furniture.  
 
Your help is needed in three ways: 
 
1) We still need houseware items for the apartment.  Please post the link to our Target Registry on your social media pages or make a purchase yourself.  The link is: 
 
2)  Volunteer to help us set up the apartment (we need two or three volunteers for this at most), and the date will be sometime between July 22nd and July 26th;
 
3)  Volunteer to help us with the Open House, which will be held on Sunday, July 29th from 2-4 PM. We need a couple of volunteers to help set up for the Open House and a couple of volunteers to help clean up afterwards. Set-up begins at 1:15 pm and clean-up should be completed no later than 5:00 pm. Please confirm with Brittany Johnson, Community Director, to sign up as a volunteer (832-725-0079).
 
FYI...Everyone is invited to attend the Open House, purpose of which is for you to see the apartment and to better understand the project in general.
 
We are excited to be expanding the number of apartments and we are excited to now be partnering with Gallery Furniture and Mattress Mack! Our first occupant, a firefighter from Beaumont, moves in on August 1st. The other apartment is occupied through September, as of right now.  Of course, this is a moving target because cancer is so unpredictable.
 
Thank-you for your support.  
Irene Hickey
Rotary Fire Fighters Home 2018-07-10 05:00:00Z 0

Wine Tasting Dinner Fundraiser - August 5th

You're cordially invited to a special dinner created by Chef Soren Pedersen to take you on a unique culinary adventure. He catered to those with a passion for fresh and natural cuisine from local farmers. This exquisite experience will feature 6-course dishes and pair with 6 different wines hand selected by Stephanie Earthman Baird, DWS, CWE to enhance your culinary pallet. This event is hosted by Rotary e-Club of Houston & Vox Culture in honor of Rotary Wine Appreciation Fellowship.  

In loving memory of Martin Bailey. We dedicate this fundraiser to raise funds for the Martin Bailey's Garden at Wisdom High School. This project will provide Wisdom High School with a sustainable green space in the school that can produce resources to students including food, educational, and employment opportunities. Upon creation, it can also be used as a space for live teaching, while building agricultural, business skills, a sense of personal responsibility and opportunities for teamwork.
 
Wine Tasting Dinner Fundraiser - August 5th 2018-06-30 05:00:00Z 0

Fun & Fellowship at the e-Club Party in Toronto

Our International E-Club annual party was again a success! We had a full house with Rotarians from at least 15 countries. It was a pleasure to have such fantastic people celebrating friendship across the globe. We had representatives of district 5890, including DG Bill Palko and Debbie, DG in a few days Carmen Cuneo, DGE Gary L. Gillen and Janice, PDG Nick Giannone and our club member Fabiola, PDG Bob Gebhard, Rotary Cadre Bill Davis and Joan, and many other great people from Texas! Two Rotary Global Scholars And Convention speakers, our member Isis Mejias and Anja Nikolova from Macedonia. A special thank you to our partner organizers Raffaella Ronzini Vinet, Jean Louis Nguyen Qui and Susumu Yamamoto from E-club 9920 Francophone. A big thank you to our club member Michael Miller for all the great work you did. Thank you all who attended - you are the reason the party was a success! Club member Charles Mickens from Michigan and Helen, we appreciate your attendance every year! We hope to see you all again in Hamburg, Germany next year! Rotary is peace. Rotary is love. 
Fun & Fellowship at the e-Club Party in Toronto Adriane Miller 2018-06-30 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary International Convention 2018 - Toronto

Toronto, the Capital of Nice, opened its arms this week to welcome 25,652 Rotarians from around the world, who came to Rotary’s annual convention looking for inspiration — and finding it.

Whether it was by seeing old friends in the hallways, making new connections in the House of Friendship, or listening to eloquent speakers at general sessions, attendees found plenty at the 109th Rotary International Convention to remind them of the fellowship that binds them and the diversity that Rotary embodies.

“Now, we are sisters forever,” said Rhonda Panczyk, of the Rotary Club of Rochester, Michigan, USA, after spotting and embracing Ijeoma Pearl Okoro, past governor of District 9141 (Nigeria). The two women had met at the West African Project Fair last year, partnered on an immunization drive, and kept in touch on Facebook.

First-time convention goer Serge Sourou OGA from Ghana said that meeting people from all over the world was definitely the highlight of the convention for him.

During the four-day event in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, speakers praised, prodded, and partnered with Rotary. Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, expressed thanks to Rotary for taking a central role in working to eradicate polio. Former first lady of the United States Laura Bush challenged Rotarians to keep early childhood education a priority.

Helen Clark, former prime minister of New Zealand and one of the architects of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, joined RI President Ian H.S. Riseley for a discussion about gender equality and the crucial link between the environment, poverty, hunger, and peace. 

In a video message, Haitian Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant addressed the convention before the announcement of the creation of HANWASH, a collaboration between Rotary and the Haitian government’s water agency that will tackle that nation’s water and sanitation challenges. 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, accepting Rotary’s Polio Eradication Champion Award, thanked Rotary for working with governments worldwide to eradicate polio. Rotarians play a critical role in the fight to end polio, Trudeau said. “Together we will make that happen.”

The convention got its unofficial start Friday, 22 June, with a two-day Rotary Peacebuilding Summit that featured a speech from Dr. Tererai Trent and insights into Rotary’s partnership with the Institute for Economics and Peace.

Monday’s general session included powerful personal stories from John Hewko, Rotary’s general secretary, and Caryl M. Stern, president and CEO of UNICEF USA. Both had parents who had fled Europe as refugees during wartime. In the sessions that followed, other speakers discussed various aspects of Rotary’s six areas of focus.

Rotary is about service, and Rotarians had plenty of opportunities to be inspired to do bigger and better projects during the general sessions and breakout sessions.

LeapFrog co-founder Jim Marggraff, of the Rotary Club of Lamorinda Sunrise, California, USA, described the Dari and Pashto versions of the popular education tablet that his company created to teach Afghan women literacy skills. Marggraff also talked about the ways his company has been partnering with Rotary to develop virtual reality technology to advance service efforts.

Dr. Isis Mejias, a former Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar and member of the Rotary E-Club of Houston, Texas, USA, stressed the importance of water, sanitation, and hygiene. And former Rotary Youth Exchange student Dr. Jane Nelson explained how Rotary can work with the business community to make a difference in economic development.   ***Outstanding presentation and know we are so proud of you, Isis!

The convention was also filled with enthusiastic young men and women who had gathered to celebrate Rotaract’s 50th birthday. 

The convention concluded Wednesday with an appearance by the Fab Fourever, who sang, in German, two early songs by the Beatles. The Beatles honed their performance skills in Hamburg, the site of next year’s convention.

John T. Blount, the 2019 Hamburg convention chair, encouraged each person at the Air Canada Centre to take a selfie with the person next to them and send it to a friend with the message, “We’re having a great time in Toronto and want to see you next year in Hamburg.”

Sixteen former Rotary presidents and their partners appeared on stage, and Rotary’s next president, Barry Rassin, motivated convention goers by speaking on his 2018-19 theme: Be the Inspiration.

And in a gracious gesture to his successor, Riseley finished his closing remarks by urging listeners: “It is vital that we be the inspiration.”

The 2019 Rotary International Convention will meet in Hamburg, Germany, 1-5 June.

Rotary International Convention 2018 - Toronto Arnold R. Grahl and Geoff Johnson 2018-06-30 05:00:00Z 0
Inspiration:  Goal Setting Growth Mindset 2018-06-30 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary works to alleviate refugee crisis 

The statistics are staggering. More than 28,000 people are uprooted from their homes each day as a result of war, oppression, and poverty. That’s nearly 20 people per minute. 

By the end of 2016, an unprecedented 68.5 million people, from West Africa to South Asia, have been forcibly displaced, making it the world’s worst migrant crisis in history. 

The wave of migrants and refugees has overwhelmed the international community, putting a particular strain on neighboring countries and Europe. Turkey hosts the largest number of refugees with nearly 3 million. Pakistan is second. Germany is the only high-income country in the top ten host nations, with about 700,000 refugees and asylum-seekers. 

The seven-year war in Syria has been the been the biggest driver of the refugee crisis, with millions fleeing the country since the conflict began in 2011.

A shockingly high percent of the world’s displaced are children. More than half the refugees are under age 18. 

Rotary clubs are doing their part to help alleviate the global refugee crisis with projects that help bring water and health care to refugee camps, funds for families to move to safer countries, and more. Over the last several years, clubs and districts have used roughly $3 million of global grant funds toward refugee-related projects and scholarships. 

On World Refugee Day, held every year on 20 June, people worldwide salute the strength, courage, and contributions of refugees who abandon their homes in a desperate search for safety. 

Here’s a sample of how Rotary members have changed the lives of thousands of refugees: 

• In Nova Scotia, Canada, the Rotary Club of Amherst brought two families from war-torn Syria to their country, where the refugees are starting a new life. The club galvanized other community groups to help the families assimilate with the town and culture. The Rotary Club of Merritt, British Columbia, also pooled resources to bring a family from Syria to Canada. 

• The Rotaract Club of Nakivale, Uganda, is raising funds to help residents of a huge refugee settlement start their own businesses. The club, based inside the settlement, also provided refugees with sugar, soap, and clothes. 

• Rotary member Pia Skarabis-Querfeld, a physician in Germany, built a network of volunteer doctors to help thousands of refugees that have streamed into Berlin, Germany. In 2015, during the peak of the refugee influx into Germany, her nonprofit, Medizin Hilft, had more than 100 volunteers at its clinic. Her club, the Rotary Club of Berlin-Teirgarten, sponsored a Rotary global grant of $160,000 to fund the project through March 2018. Also in Germany, the Rotary Club of Lemgo-Sternberg, provided resources to train 60 volunteers to teach German to about 600 refugees. 

Rotary works to alleviate refugee crisis Ryan Hyland 2018-06-30 05:00:00Z 0

Program:  Why the secret to success is setting the right goals

Our leaders and institutions are failing us, but it's not always because they're bad or unethical, says venture capitalist John Doerr -- often, it's simply because they're leading us toward the wrong objectives. In this practical talk, Doerr shows us how we can get back on track with "Objectives and Key Results," or OKRs -- a goal-setting system that's been employed by the likes of Google, Intel and Bono to set and execute on audacious goals. Learn more about how setting the right goals can mean the difference between success and failure -- and how we can use OKRs to hold our leaders and ourselves accountable.
Program: Why the secret to success is setting the right goals 2018-06-30 05:00:00Z 0
Program:  Who Would You Bet On? 2018-06-15 05:00:00Z 0

This Saturday - General Meeting

June 16th will me our last General Meeting for my term as your president. Please plan to attend as our very own member, Isis Mejias will give you a preview of her presentation at Rotary International Convention 2018. We hope to see you there!
 
Trini Mendenhall Community Center
  • June 16th, Saturday at 11 AM - 12 PM
  •  1414 Wirt Rd, Houston, TX 77055
Dr. Isis Mejias is a Venezuelan and U.S. national. Her involvement with Rotary includes her role as a Rotary Global Grant Scholar in Sao Paulo to do scientific research in water treatment. Her involvement also includes the generation of 4 global grants in the water and sanitation, the education and literacy, and the disease prevention and treatment areas of focus. She won the 2017-2018 Rotary Service to Humanity Award for Zone 21B and part of 27 and is currently a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Rotarian Action Group (WaSRAG) Ambassador.
 
Dr. Mejías will address the importance of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) education. “Universal and safe WASH coverage by 2030 is not achievable with the current global human resources. To find ways to reach universal and safe WASH coverage by 2030 we need to focus on bridging this larger gap. Rotary can! because of the large network of people, we have throughout the world. To bridge this education gap, we must focus on 4 things: INVEST, MEASURE, NETWORK, AND EMPOWER.” 
 
 
Sincerely,
 
 
 
NGUYEN T. NGUYEN
Rotary e-Club of Houston - President 
Disaster Aid USA - Ambassador 

Cell: (281) 827-5787  | Office: (731) 577-9463


 
This Saturday - General Meeting 2018-06-14 05:00:00Z 0

New Officer INSTALLATION - ONLINE June 19th

Please join us for the annual Installation of Officers to be held online (login information to follow soon for all Active members) June 19th (Tuesday) beginning at 6:30 pm CST and ending by 8:00 pm.   As an e-Club, not all officers reside in District 5890 and we want to enable all members to attend from wherever you are in the world.  Please confirm your local time for this meeting.  We will hear a wrap-up of this Rotary year from President Wind Nguyen and also hear about plans for the new Rotary year from Incoming President Robin Charlesworth.  It is BYOB, so if you would like to participate in a toast have a glass of cheer near you while you engage in this online Rotary meeting.  The installing officer will be PDG Nick Giannone, an avid supporter of our club.  All incoming officers are strongly requested to attend to be officially installed. We still need a few additional board members for the new year, too.  President-Elect Robin will be reaching out to our members to fill these positions so please consider these opportunities to serve.  Hope to see you online on June 19th!
New Officer INSTALLATION - ONLINE June 19th 2018-06-04 05:00:00Z 0

Every Rotarian, Every Year

A nine-minute inspirational overview of Rotary Foundation programs and grants supported by Annual Programs Fund contributions. We hope that every Rotarian will take the opportunity to participate in their Foundation every year, to help grow and sustain the Foundation's many wonderful programs.
Have you supported our Rotary Foundation this year?  Our grant application for District Designated Funds (DDF) is limited to $1,000 this next year based on our giving record this year.  If we could improve our record to every active member giving a minimum of $25 we could qualify as a 100% Paul Harris Rotary club.  We accomplished this goal in 2016-2017.  Let's do it again!  This would enable us to receive more DDF as matching funds for our community service project.
It's easy to do online -simply go to MyRotary (https://my.rotary.org/en) and click "Give",  It takes you to  "donation".  Please give to the ANNUAL FUND.  Thank you, Rotarians!
Every Rotarian, Every Year 2018-06-03 05:00:00Z 0
Today's Song - "The Garden Song" John Denver 2018-06-03 05:00:00Z 0

Why the focus on Gardening?

Posted by Robin Charlesworth
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Our club is exploring how to impact our community with gardening projects schools in the Houston area.  A committee has proposed a budget for a project to be discussed in our next Board of Directors meeting.  Fundraising will be necessary to support this project, too.  We have active members who already are passionate about gardening and providing healthy eating options for families.  Alexis Campestre, our club Treasurer, comments, "the direction I would ultimately envision this project would be one in which these students go home and actually setup micro-gardens or urban/indoor gardens that can provide their families with low-cost, replenishing, real food alternatives as well as a greater sense of connection to our Mother Earth and the human role in the maintenance of Her health."  President Wind Nguyen and Jimmy Trinh will take the lead on this with assistance on budget proposals by Nicole Wycislo, Secretary.  We have submitted a grant proposal for the new Rotary year to receive District Designated Funds to assist with this project.
We would like to provide health/nutrition information along with the hand-on gardening activity for students, mentor the students in gardening, share recipes for the bounty produced, and more. If you would be interested in helping with the project please contact Wind or Jimmy receive more information as the work days are planned.
Why the focus on Gardening? Robin Charlesworth 2018-06-03 05:00:00Z 0

Gardening Trends 2018

1. Small gardens are at the top of 2018 garden trends

Whether you’re working with a small patio area, a side yard, or a large open space, it’s all about creating cozy, intimate spaces in 2018. Got 150 square feet to work with? Then make it the loveliest small garden ever! You can still have a seating area, a water or fire feature, and plenty of greenery in the form of potted plants.

If you have a large, open area, this is the year to consider breaking it up into smaller spaces. Some ways you can do this is by:

  • Creating a sitting or dining area with fieldstone
  • Adding an arbor and vines, creating the illusion that you’re entering another world
  • Creating an outdoor dining spot under a trellis
  • Setting up a spot with chairs and a firepit

The key is to enclose the space a bit with potted plants, hedges, trees or vines, creating intimate settings that flow from one to the other.

2. Vertical gardens are hot right now

the living wall, or vertical garden, is a beautiful way to add some life to a wall. Here are a couple of ideas on how you can add one to your garden:

 

2018 garden trends
 

3. Eco landscaping is one of the biggest garden trends of 2018

Low-water landscaping saves you time and money. They require less maintenance and less watering. They’re also quite stunning. It’s all about geometry and architecture; for a striking effect, consider adding gravel, stone or rock among the eco-friendly plants like grasses and succulents.
 

4. Fire pits were last year, water features are this year

Still a huge fan of fire pits: check out this roundup of fire pits and you’ll understand why. But this year, the top landscapers and designers are opting for water features instead.

The water feature revival is likely due to the fact that nature-friendly, eco gardens are popular. And providing water for birds and wildlife, while enjoying the soothing look and sounds of flowing water, make the garden water feature both beautiful and practical.

5. Garden to table

Our favorite of the 2018 garden trends has got to be the edible garden. Regardless of what size your space is, you can probably manage room for a potted fruit tree, or a raised bed with veggies or lettuce, or even a small herb garden. Want to take it to the next level? Add some chickens for fresh eggs! Just be sure to check you local zoning laws first.
 
Shared from freshmen.com
Gardening Trends 2018 2018-06-03 05:00:00Z 0

What gardening taught me about life

Gardens are mirrors of our lives, says environmental artist tobacco brown, and we must cultivate them with care to harvest their full beauty. Drawing on her experience bringing natural public art installations to cities around the world, brown reveals what gardening can teach us about creating lives of compassion, connection and grace.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference, and was featured by our editors on the home page.

 
What gardening taught me about life TedTalk 2018-06-03 05:00:00Z 0

Membership Dues for 2018-2019 Rotary Fiscal Year – NOW DUE

You will notice that membership dues have increased by $20.00 this upcoming Rotary FY 2018-2019. The rationale for this minor increase is multi-fold. Our club has operated within a very tight budget since club inception and at times this has constrained our ability to make an impact when we wanted to. In addition, this increase in dues may provide us with alternative new membership programs/options that could improve our club's total membership. Despite this increase, we still maintain extremely low dues in comparison to other Rotary Clubs as our goal is to improve accessibility to any potential Rotarians.
 
Please do not hesitate to call/text or email me with questions. Alexis.Campestre@gmail.com and my cell: 979.248.5612
 
Pay by either check or debit/credit card.
 
Check made payable to:
Rotary e-Club of Houston 
c/o Club Treasurer, Alexis Campestre
 
OR
 
Electronically with credit/debit card: 
Go to: www.rotaryeclubhouston.org and look for "pay your membership dues" on the left side of screen.
 
Thank you for being a Rotarian!
Membership Dues for 2018-2019 Rotary Fiscal Year – NOW DUE 2018-06-03 05:00:00Z 0

Rotary International Convention in Toronto - Focus on e-Clubs

Breakout Session: Best Practices for E-Clubs
On Monday afternoon, June 25, in room 715 of the Metro Convention Center we will host a session from 1 pm until 2:30 pm. This room will hold about 300 people, but there is no reservation for breakout sessions, so make sure you are early enough to secure a seat. There appears to be a lot of interest. This session has been organized by E-Club members of 7 different clubs from around the world.
The meeting will be recorded and it is our plan to have it posted on our club's YouTube Channel within 24 hours: https://www.youtube.com/channel/Rotary E-Club Canada One.
More information can be found in the Convention Program.
 
Social for E-Club Rotarians
On Sunday, June 24, 2018, we are planning an informal gathering of especially Rotarians that are members of E-Clubs, but of course all Rotarians are welcome. It gives us a chance to meet face-to-face with those that we may have seen online and with other fellow e-clubbers. Starting at 4 pm you can go to the 2nd floor where we should have the space to ourselves for the next 3 - 4 hours. No tickets; cash bar only.
Location: The Office Pub, 117 John Street East, Toronto  M5V 2E2   http://john-street.theofficepub.ca   
 
 
Rotary International Convention in Toronto - Focus on e-Clubs 2018-06-03 05:00:00Z 0

Visiting a Traditional Club

All active Rotarians in the Rotary e-Club of Houston are always welcome to visit other Rotary clubs anywhere in the world.  If you do visit another club, please DO submit your attendance with the form on our club website. 
 
JUNE 8     Willowbrook Rotary Club - Meets Friday's for lunch at Campioni's (noon)
                 Speaker:  Gary Green will thrill gardeners with his soil worms to enhance plant growth.
 
 
 
Visiting a Traditional Club 2018-05-31 05:00:00Z 0

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

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It's not often I go back to look at my works, but it's refreshing for me to reflect back to my photograph to realized what I have become. All the people I photograph often help me realized what type of human being I want to be. I've once stood inside a cancer hospital, surrounded by pains and misery, and all I could do is offers them my tears.
We have a tradition started back in our Past-President, Adriane Miller's year called "My Rotary Moment." This was all done in video, but I can only share with you my Rotary Moment in my photograph. This is the moment I truly became a Rotarian when I found out Rotary Clubs around the world are chipping in to help people with cancer in Vietnam through a project called "ICU Unit Project."  
 
As your club president, I want to ask you to reach inside and find your "Rotary Moment" and share this to your social media, friends, family, and Robin Charlesworth, our incoming president/currently our newsletter editor. Let us know what makes you a Rotarian? What are you commit to do in our club? And find your passion for kindness to make a difference.
 
I believe leadership is about planning the seeds for the future and growing more leadership, not followers. The seeds are the passion we create to inspire more leadership. If we can reach this stage, imagine the possibility we can create for our club and the impact we can have on the world.      
 
General Meeting on Saturday, April 21st
Our very own Alexis Campestre will be speaking about Charitable Giving & Estate Planning 101. Alexis is an Economist and a Financial Adviser at Retirement Planning and Wealth Management. Please join us in learning about this important topic, meet our members in the Houston area, and find out more about the Rotary E-Club of Houston. Everyone is welcome! Please invite friends and family.
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
1414 Wirt Rd, Houston, TX 77055
 
Sincerely,
 
 
NGUYEN T. NGUYEN
Rotary e-Club of Houston - President
Disaster Aid USA - Ambassador
Cell: (281) 827-5787  | Office: (731) 577-9463
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Wind Nguyen 2018-04-16 05:00:00Z 0

Fundraiser for "Bear Hugs for Venezuela"

As the president of Rotary e-Club of Houston, I want to reach out to all of you for help and support with our International Project called "Bear Hugs for Venezuela." I have two passionate members from Venezuela, Isis Mejias & Cristal Montanez are leading this project. Please visit the link below for donation or contact them both if you would like to lend a hand.  
 
Please Visit Our Online Fundraiser Page To Donate
https://www.mightycause.com/story/Bear-Hugs-For-Venezuela
 
Dr. Isis Mejias
isis.mejias@gmail.com
+1.281.746.8271
International Services Committee
 
 
 
 
 
Cristal Montañez
cristalmontanezvenezuela@gmail.com
+1.713.483.4990
Hashoo Foundation
 
 
“Bear Hugs for Venezuela”
Give a teddy bear today Make a tear go away
A humanitarian program benefiting the children of Venezuela
THE PROGRAM
“Bear Hugs for Venezuela” for the Hospital de Niños J.M. de los Ríos is a humanitarian program benefiting the children of Venezuela with the objective to bring a smile to the face of a child with ‘the healing power of a teddy bear,’ and help improve their condition by providing the needed pediatric medical supplements: acetaminophen, probiotics, electrolytes, and delicious and nutritious snacks. For the last 17 years, Cristal Montañéz Baylor, in partnership with Good Bears of the World and other international organizations, has utilized teddy bears to help alleviate the trauma caused by humanitarian crises, natural disasters and emergency relief efforts in Pakistan, Jamaica, Seville, Houston and Venezuela; including refugees from Burma, Bhutan, and Congo.
The value of giving teddy bears to traumatized children stretched beyond simply providing them with something to hold; teddy bears meet the psychological needs of children experiencing sickness, loss, pain or shock.
THE BENEFITS
The care packages and the medical supplements are a charity donation of the participating organizations in an effort to provide relief to the children of Venezuela. Bear Hugs for Venezuela and the Rotary e-Club of Houston is the network by which these donations will be entrusted to the Hospital de Niños J.M. de los Ríos. The hospital agreed to distribute the care packages, and administer and manage the medical supplements while treating the children hospitalized in the Hospital de Niños J.M. de los Ríos. Members of the Rotary Caracas will coordinate the logistics to distribute the care packages to the children.
PARTNERS: The program ‘Bear Hugs for Venezuela” for the Hospital de Niños J.M. de los Ríos is possible for the collaboration of the following organizations:  
Rotary e-Club of Houston
Rise Against Hunger
District 5890
Rotary Caracas
Good Bears of the World
Hashoo Foundation
Houston-Karachi Sister City Association
Individual donors
 
 
Sincerely,
 
NGUYEN T. NGUYEN
Rotary e-Club of Houston - President
Disaster Aid USA - Ambassador
Cell: (281) 827-5787  | Office: (731) 577-9463
 
 
Fundraiser for "Bear Hugs for Venezuela" Wind Nguyen 2018-04-16 05:00:00Z 0

Interesting Facts About Dolphins

April 14th was National Dolphin Day and who wouldn’t want to swim with one?

They’re highly intelligent and social animals, which makes them so attractive to us humans.

Some interesting facts about dolphins:

  • There are 40 existing species of dolphins. Most species live in shallow waters of tropical and temperate oceans. Five species live in rivers.
  • Dolphins live in groups that hunt and even play together. Large pods or schools of dolphins can have 1,000 members or more.
  • Dolphins navigate and find their food using echolocation. This bounces noise off objects and their surroundings to ‘see’ in surround sound.
  • A baby dolphin is born tail-first to prevent drowning. After the mother breaks the umbilical cord by swiftly swimming away, she must immediately return to her baby and take it to the surface to breathe.
  • Dolphins get water from the foods they eat, so they don’t drink. They have the same reaction to drinking salt water as humans do: it would dry them out until they died of dehydration.
  • Among the different species of dolphins, life spans range between 12 and 80 years. Bottlenose dolphins live into their 50s, and orcas can live into their 80s. Typically, the bigger the dolphin, the longer the lifespan.
  • A dolphin spends most of its life holding its breath.
  • Dolphins can swim up to 30 miles (48.3 km) per hour.

Where to dive and swim with them:

1. The Bahamas

The Bahamas are not only famous for their magnificent underwater cave system, but also as a dolphin watching spot. Bimini is the place to see Atlantic spotted dolphins, which gather in the shallow warm water. You can snorkel and freedive with pods of a few dozen or more playful dolphins. Crystal clear water guarantees and amazing close up view on this creatures.

 

 

2. Maldives

When it comes to dolphins, Maldives are quite diverse. At any given time of the year, there are 10 to 12 different species of whales and dolphins that call the coral reefs of the Maldives home. In addition to spinner dolphins, Risso’s dolphins, pantropical spotted dolphins, indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins, striped dolphins, bottlenose dolphins are quite common. A single school of dolphins can contain more than 200 individuals.

3. Azores Islands, Portugal

During the summer months, from July until August, Atlantic spotted dolphins and striped dolphins can be witnessed during their migration pass through the islands.

 

 

 

4. The Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

The estimated age of the islands is between 3 and 10 million years. 19 islands and the surrounding marine reserve have been called a unique ‘living museum and showcase of evolution’. Over 400 species of fish have been recognized in the Galapagos, with 41 species unique to the islands. In 1978 Galapagos was designated as the first World Heritage site by UNESCO.

Quite a few species of dolphins, such as bottlenose, common, Risso’s, spinner and spotted dolphins can be found in the waters of this extraordinary place. Fernandina Island is especially popular with spinner dolphins.

 

 

5. Samadai Reef, Egypt

Six species of dolphins are known to be resident in the Red Sea: the bottlenose dolphin, Risso's dolphin, indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin, pantropical spotted dolphin, long-beaked common dolphin and spinner dolphin. Marsa Alam has one of the most important dolphin habitats in the Red Sea - Samadai reef, home to a large family of around one hundred spinner dolphins. Diving is banned and there are strict controls on where boats and snorkelers can access.

 

 

6. Ningaloo Reef, Australia

Like the Galapagos Islands, the Ningaloo Coast is also a World Heritage Site. The Ningaloo reef is around 260 km long and is one the largest fringing coral reefs in the world. During the winter months, the reef is part of the migratory routes for dolphins, dugongs, manta rays and humpback whales. The majority of the dolphins found in these waters are bottlenose dolphins, however the indo-pacific humpback dolphin and spinner dolphins are also frequent guests.

 

 

7. Socorro Island, Mexico

Sometimes nicknamed “The Mexican Galapagos” Socorro Island is one of the world's best dive destinations with some impressive large animals. Here, you can experience the giants of the ocean with manta rays, whale sharks, and humpback whales. During the high season, from January until the end of March, seeing a bottlenose dolphin in a regular occurrence.

For a more isolated location, choose San Benedicto island, where you can swim with friendly bottlenose dolphins.

Interesting Facts About Dolphins 2018-04-16 05:00:00Z 0

Service Providers Meet and Greet @ Wisdom High School

In honor of our service providers, we are hosting an evening of Service Providers’ Meet and Greet to recognize, appreciate, and celebrate their contribution in supporting our families and students in various capacities. Thus, on behalf of Principal Trinh at Wisdom HS, I would like to invite you to attend the event on Thursday, April 26th at 5 pm.  Please see attached flyer for more details.
We would also like to extend the invitation to your donors, funders, and staff members who have been directly and indirectly involved in supporting Wisdom HS. Please forward this email to them.
Kindly RSVP by April 18th at: www.eventbrite.com/e/wraparound-service-provider-meet-and-greet-tickets-44848158048
 
Hope you are able to attend and celebrate with us.
Looking forward to your company!
 
Wagma Isaqzoy, M.A.
Wraparound Resource Specialist, Wisdom High School
Wraparound Services - Office of Student Support
 
****This is the home school of our co-sponsored Interact Club and the site of our first community garden project.  It is also the opening night of District Conference, but is you are in town please try to attend.
Service Providers Meet and Greet @ Wisdom High School 2018-04-16 05:00:00Z 0
Changes Approved in By-Laws Robin Charlesworth 2018-04-16 05:00:00Z 0

An Astronaut's Perspective

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“You’ve got this planet beneath you, and a lot of what you see, especially during the day, does not necessarily point to a human presence. If you look at it on a geologic timescale, it’s almost like we are this flimsy presence, and we really have to stick together as a human family to make sure we are a permanent presence on this planet and not just this blink of an eye.”
Samantha Cristoforetti
 
The Italian astronaut holds the record for the second longest uninterrupted spaceflight by a woman, having spent 199 days on the International Space Station in 2015. (NASA’s Peggy Whitson topped that record by almost a hundred days in 2017.)
An Astronaut's Perspective 2018-03-26 05:00:00Z 0

An Invitation to become a WATER WARRIOR

Help save lives by providing the gifts of fresh water and sanitation to people all over the world — and have fun doing it!

Masaii children at the Nkenijii School near Narok, Kenya were able to get fresh water for the first time, thanks to a project by the Maywood, NJ Rotary Club that built a pipeline to the school from a spring 2-1/2 km away - with the help of WASRAG. While at the school, one of the volunteers taught the teachers and children some yoga. The kids loved doing the Warrior Poses. So, these children became the first "Water Warriors!"
 
To become a Water Warrior, try one of the three Warrior Poses pictured below, while symbolically offering a glass or cup of clean water to a child - and then make a donation to WASRAG's annual fund. Snap a photo or take a video of yourself doing the pose while you hold out a glass of water. You can do this by yourself, with a friend or two, or even invite a group like a yoga class or classroom or Rotary club to become "warriors" with you. Have fun!
 
If you choose to support clean water projects with WASRAG, go to http://www.wasrag.org/page/water-warrior to donate on-line.  Please send your photos to Robin Charlesworth, Editor, and you will see yourself in our newsletter with your permission.
An Invitation to become a WATER WARRIOR 2018-03-26 05:00:00Z 0

25th Anniversary of World Water Day

World Water Day, on 22 March every year, is about focusing attention on the importance of water.

The U.N. says 2.1 billion people live without clean drinking water at home, which affects health, livelihood and education.

The United Nations World Water Development Report says that nature-based solutions can improve the supply and quality of water and reduce the impact of natural disasters.

Our District participated in a Rotary Friendship Exchange with South Africa in 2015 and our trip began in Cape Town which is now in a water crisis.
Here is an excerpt fromManuel Crespo-Feliciano's article for Accuweather printed on February 27, 2018.

Cape Town, a cosmopolitan city of 3.7 million people on the west coast of South Africa, is about to run out of water.

Weeks ago, local authorities were predicting that “Day Zero” in Cape Town was going to arrive in late April, and that people will have to start procuring water from one of the 200 collection points throughout the city.

Now, after three postponements, the city calculates that it will reach that crisis point on July 9.

At that point, the remaining water will go to hospitals and certain settlements that depend on communal faucets. Most people in the city will run out of tap water for drinking, bathing or other uses.

In this way, Cape Town could be just the first of many other cities that could have no access to clean water.

However, the fact that the residents of the area have taken the necessary precautions to conserve the water could represent good news for Cape Town.

The winter season begins on June 21, and according to AccuWeather Meteorologist James Andrews, some precipitation could be expected at this time.

"The climate of Cape Town has parallels to that of Northern California’s Bay Area. Both are Mediterranean climates, marked by dry summers and relatively rainy winters," said Andrews.

Still, the problem appears to be more related to the demand of water in the area rather than the lack of significant precipitation in the Cape Town area.

"According to AccuWeather data, 2017 had 82 percent of normal rainfall (13.82 inches to be exact). This is, if accurate, a relatively small shortfall for a dry climate such as the Cape region. It could be that this is not representative of overall regional rainfall. Also, it could be that demand is more of a factor than the shortfall resulting from dearth of rainfall," Andrews added.

Although drought is but one of the many challenges facing the planet, it is necessary to highlight it within this context of major challenges because it will surely cause humanity to face great transformations and struggles for survival.

 
 
 
 

 
Rotarians, we say, "Water...that's what we do."  One of the Six Major Areas of Focus for sustainable projects worldwide.  Clubs choose how they want to make a difference and raise money to support water projects.  It is not just a problem in Africa or India, but following Hurricane Harvey we have had many illnesses locally due to water-borne viruses.  Objects that had been submerged in water can also cause infection if touched or used after.  Houses continue to be "gutted" and piles of debris remain in many neighborhoods.  We will continue to make a difference as Rotarians in our own community and abroad.

 
25th Anniversary of World Water Day 2018-03-26 05:00:00Z 0
Inspirational Quote Fred Rogers 2018-03-26 05:00:00Z 0

"A Life Lesson from a Volunteer Firefighter"

Volunteer firefighter Mark Bezos tells a story of an act of heroism that didn't go quite as expected -- but that taught him a big lesson: Don't wait to be a hero.
 
Mark Bezos is the SVP, Development, Communications & Events at Robin Hood, the leading poverty-fighting charity in New York City. Bezos joined Robin Hood following the sale of his advertising agency, excited to have found a way to use his powers of persuasion for good.

Bezos is the Assistant Captain of a volunteer fire company in Westchester County, New York, where he lives with his wife and four children. He is continuously amazed and motivated by the everyday acts of heroism--big and small--that surround him. Neer
 
Never underestimate the value of your time and effort as a Rotary volunteer.  Everything you do, however small, is greatly appreciated. So, remember "It's a good thing to save the shoes", says Robin Charlesworth.  Look for everyday heros around you in your community. They most likely do not think of themselves as "heroes", but others recognize the importance of what they do for others.
"A Life Lesson from a Volunteer Firefighter" Ted Talk March 2011 2018-03-26 05:00:00Z 0

Program:  "Literacy for All Students"

ABOUT TEAM FIRST BOOK HOUSTON

Team First Book Houston is a volunteer board working as a team since 2013 under First Book, an international literacy non-profit in Washington, D.C. First Book provides books, educational resources, and supplies to students in low-income areas.

 

  • Our mission is to dedicate our focus and hard work to provide "Literacy for All Students" ©2017 starting in low-income schools in the Greater Houston area.
     
  • We have developed a pilot program, "Literacy for All Students" ©2017 at Houston ISD's Neff Early Learning Center in the Sharpstown area of Houston, Texas. This incredibly impactful program will be implemented in more schools to serve even more of "our" children in need. 

Pictured: Pre-Kindergarten students of Neff Early Learning Center; (L-R) Sheila Armstrong, Houston Team First Book Chair; Molly Maria Flynn Vilaseca, Houston ISD Board Member; Cynthia Cisneros, abc Channel 13 Vice President of Community Affairs; Erik Barajas, abc Channel 13 Eyewitness News Reporter and Anchor; Grettel Monge, Neff ELC Teacher; Principal Gerardo Leal, Ed. D., Neff ELC Principal

Team First Book Houston donates 100% of all funds raised to purchase brand new books and supplies for Neff Early Learning Center and other schools. The need is great now because some of the books that were previously distributed have been damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Harvey.

 

  • We are focused on helping families in low-income areas who need to learn to read and speak English. We distribute these new books to children's hospitals, women's centers, and schools in Houston ISD as well as other school districts in the Greater Houston area.
     
  • Our students are 4 years of age to seniors in high school and they pledge to read to others and teach others to read. We record and maintain data collected through reading assessments and teacher feedback to track how our students are progressing. This data is proving that "our" students are making verifiable progress.
     
  • Since 2013, our team and partners have been able to obtain, sort and distribute $ 995,650 worth of books, retail value. We anticipate going over $1 million by May 2018.
     
  • Some of the first grade students at Neff Early Learning Center's reading scores are the highest for first grade students in Houston ISD. Data is so important to keep track of student progress. 

    The data collected from this pilot program for students in Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and First grades is proving that "Literacy for All Students" ©2017 is working.  38% of Houston children 5 years and younger live in poverty and that percentage have grown since Harvey.
  • Why We Do What We Do

     

    • A 7 year-old student in the 1st grade was asked what would he do now that he could take home his brand new books? 

      "I am a good reader now, but now I will become a great reader."  

      When he was asked, "what is your goal?" 

      "My goal is to become a heart doctor. I will fix people's hearts so they will feel good. And when they feel good, they will do good for others."  

      This is why our volunteers and partners work so hard.
       
    • Our students are traumatized by Harvey.  One students says he puts his books by the front door in plastic sacks so he will grab them when it starts to rain.

      These books are going to be the first thing they can call their own since Hurricane Harvey.  
    • Our Students Accept Their Responsibility

       

      Our students say the following "Promise" every morning and evening after they finish brushing their teeth. They put their right hand over their heart, look in the mirror, and say out loud:

      "I am smart.  I am important. I read to others. And I teach others to read. I promise."

    • Here is our 17-minute documentary, "Eradicating Illiteracy, 2015." 

      Team First Book Houston, the staff and students of the Jack J. Valenti School of Communication of the University of Houston have won 3 GOLD REMI AWARDS from the WorldFest International Film Festival. At the April 2017 Gala, there were attendees from 74 different countries with over 4,500 submissions! 

      DISNEY used this short documentary as part of their National Reading Campaign!

     
    Due to Hurricane Harvey, many children lost their home libraries.  If we are successful with our fundraising, this may be a project for our club to consider.

     

Program: "Literacy for All Students" Team First Book Houston 2018-03-20 05:00:00Z 0
Song of the Week - A song about depression 2018-03-09 06:00:00Z 0

Program:  Mental Health and Depression

Why you should listen

Winston Churchill called it "the Black Dog" -- a depression that settled over him and drained the flavor from life. Ruby Wax knows the Black Dog well; throughout the '80s and '90s, during a flourishing career as a brash comedian and interviewer in the UK, it trotted at her heels, even while she was interviewing the Duchess of York and sorting through Imelda Marcos' shoes.

After taking a timeout to learn how to manage the condition, Wax produced a stand-up comedy show called "Losing It" that directly addresses her mental health experiences, hilariously but powerfully. And she's started up a new social network called the Black Dog Tribe, which offers a community and support to people with depression. Meanwhile, she's working on her Master's in cognitive therapy.

Also, this year, Ruby was honored as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her mental health work.

As she says: "I've always said to myself, if you've got a disability, use it." 

Ruby is also a visiting professor at The University of Surrey.

Diseases of the body garner sympathy, says comedian Ruby Wax -- except those of the brain. Why is that? With dazzling energy and humor, Wax, diagnosed a decade ago with clinical depression, urges us to put an end to the stigma of mental illness.

 

 

IDEAS.TED.COM. "How should we talk about mental health?"  Dec 18, 2013 The Huong Ha

Mental health suffers from a major image problem. One in every four people experiences mental health issues — yet more than 40 percent of countries worldwide have no mental health policy. Across the board it seems like we have no idea how to talk about it respectfully and responsibly.

Stigma and discrimination are the two biggest obstacles to a productive public dialogue about mental health; indeed, the problem seems to be largely one of communication. So we asked seven mental health experts: How should we talk about mental health? How can informed and sensitive people do it right – and how can the media do it responsibly?

Program:  Mental Health and Depression 2018-03-09 06:00:00Z 0

District Training for 2018-2019 Club Officers 

If you have been selected as an officer/director for the Rotary year 2018-2019, please register for the District Training in D5890 to be held on April 7th.  Save the date - begins at 8:00 am and dismisses at 1:00 pm.  We may also go out for lunch together following the training, but not required.  The location is: 
 
Houston Community College
5601 West Loop S, 
Houston, TX 77081
United States

Bring club officers, committee chairs, board members and others to this valuable training program.

The fee is $20:00 per member, checks should be mailed to:

Alice Hastings-James
c/o The Rotary Club of University Area
PO Box 980834
Houston, TX 77098

You may register on the Rotary District 5890 website.  There will be break-out sessions for each officer and committee chairs.

If you reside in another district, as several of our officers in the upcoming Rotary year, it would be great if you could attend your local district training.   If you need help to identify your Rotary district, please contact President-Elect Robin Charlesworth (robinech1952@gmail.com) for assistance.  

District Training for 2018-2019 Club Officers 2018-03-09 06:00:00Z 0

RYLA Wrap-Up 2018

I’m thankful for RYLA
On Friday, February 9th, I went on a camping trip to Huntsville for RYLA. I was joined by two other students from my school, Erick Poz and Pascaline Chuma. We left school at 3:30 with Ms. Belinda. I met Ms. Belinda for the first time and it was wonderful. She talked with the three of us and told us something about herself. We went to restaurant called Fadi’s Mediterranean Grill and it was wonderful. The food was very delicious. Ms. Belinda was so generous that she even asked us if we wanted to get something for takeout just in case we feel hungry during the car ride. After Fadi’s we went to Niko Niko’s and waited for Dr. Isis. Ms. Belinda left and we drove with Dr. Isis. The ride was pretty long and we all took a little nap. Dr. Isis was friendly with us too. It was approximately 9:30 when we reached our camp, we all signed in and were put in different groups and cabins. Dr. Isis was in my group yay! The three of us became really good friends with our group mates, we had a lot of fun. If it wasn’t for RYLA, I would’ve never realized that people could get so close to each other in less than 24 hours. We did really fun activities that had a moral and thought us something about life, leadership and trust. There were speakers who spoke about their life experiences and careers. On Saturday night, we went to the campfire and did s’mores, sang and listened to campfire songs, our coaches told us about their first experiences at RYLA when they were our age. After that, we were all so exhausted and were just about to go to our cabins and sleep when our coaches said that a surprise party was held for everyone, it was a surprise to them too. We were all too tired to dance but we still went to the chapel. It felt like we were at a real dance floor because of the lights. I had never danced freely before, because I was always insecure about it since I don’t know how to dance. But I always wanted to dance at a party like I owned it, and I danced like I never did before. We all got our energy from the music and danced. It was the best night of my life. We never realized how time passed by so fast and it was already 1:00am and the party ended. Awwh, I still wanted to dance! But we went to our cabins and I packed my bags so I won’t have to pack the next day. The next morning, I was the first one to wake up at 6:40am. I went to take a shower and wore the RYLA tees we were given on Friday, I wore my group’s bandana. I wish we could stay longer… I called my family whenever I could, so I called them and we talked until everyone was ready. At 8, we went to have breakfast, I really loved it. If there is one thing I could change about RYLA, it’d be to extend the days because literally, we all wished that. My days at RYLA are unforgettable. My coaches, Paige, Chance, and Charlie are simply the best. They let us express our real selves to one another. While waiting for our rides, we had snacks and danced. I felt really emotional because I didn’t want to leave. Mr. Ngyuen came to pick us up, he signed us out and I hugged my coaches goodbye. We took photos and left the camp. Mr. Nguyen took us for pizza! We ate and talked about our camp experience with him. The three of us fell asleep in the car. We finally arrived at Houston and I called my parents. Erick walked home, while Pascaline and I took the bus. I am really thankful to Ms. Belinda for picking us up and taking us for a meal, Dr. Isis for driving us, Mr. Nguyen for picking us up and taking us for pizza, Rotary and RYLA for giving us a wonderful experience. It wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for any one of them. And a very big thank you to Lamisa Rehenuma, for believing in me and telling more about RYLA.
RYLA Wrap-Up 2018 Ammara Dagha, Interactor 2018-02-23 06:00:00Z 0

Coffee with Polio Experts: Dr Urs Herzog, Rotarian and polio survivor

We join Dr Urs Herzog, long-time Rotarian, polio eradicator, National PolioPlus Advocacy Advisor for Rotary Switzerland and polio survivor himself, as he explains the financial costs of the programme, and why it is critical that we eradicate every last trace of the virus until the disease is finished for good.  Published January 9, 2018
 
Rotary, along with , has reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent worldwide since our first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979. We are close to eradicating polio, but we need your help. Whether you have a few minutes or a few hours, here are some ways to make a global impact and protect children against polio forever.  Donate each year until we succeed in eradicating this dreadful disease.  Believe it - it will become a reality for future generations with the help of Rotarians worldwide.  Be a part of history!
Coffee with Polio Experts: Dr Urs Herzog, Rotarian and polio survivor 2018-02-23 06:00:00Z 0

Next Week - Scuba Diving in Iceland Talk @ Willowbrook Rotary

PDG Ed Charlesworth and Jake Stein will be sharing about their experience of scuba diving between two tectonic plates in Iceland after New Year's this year at the Rotary Club of Willowbrook next Friday.  Their club meets for lunch at noon on Friday, February 16th, at Campioni's Restaurant near Willowbrook Mall on Cutten Road.   Their club has also been collecting food to be sent to Venezuela each month.  If you attend this meeting it will be considered a make-up meeting and is eligible for meeting credit.  Simply complete the Attendance Form on our website.
Next Week - Scuba Diving in Iceland Talk @ Willowbrook Rotary 2018-02-11 06:00:00Z 0

General Meeting in Houston February 17th

Please join us for our monthly meeting and celebration of our 4th Anniversary. We have two special guests, Past District Governor Eric Liu and Dr. Barbara Conway. You will learn about Rotary's projects in Nicaragua presented by Dr. Barbara Conway.  Also, great information and a special presentation by our PDG Eric Liu can be anticipated.  As always, all in the best spirit of fellowship and fun!
 
When:  Saturday, February 17 at 11 AM - 12 PM CST
 
Where:  Bayland Park Community Center
6400 Bissonnet St, Houston, Texas 77074
 
 
General Meeting in Houston February 17th 2018-02-10 06:00:00Z 0

Report on the Sabin Center Visit for Rotarians

A fascinating tour and presentation by Rotary Club of Houston Rotarian Dr. Peter Hotez Texas Childrens Hospital's Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics and Director for the Center for Vaccine Development, to our District 5890's leaders on a very actual topic, vaccines. Did you know we have a vaccine development center right in the middle of the Texas Medical Center that not inky produces vaccines for the poorest of the poorest like the Chagas disease but also a few others. I learned that Mexico's Carlos Slim foundation has contributed to his research and Japan. It would be great to create a link between the Gates Foundation and TRF as well. We also listened to Dr. Allison Winnike from the Immunization Partnership on Texas policy making and vaccine enforcement situation at state level , there is so much to do, she was very knowledgeable. The center's outreach department has worked with Rotary Australia and our Rotary district in Africa building a center, distributing vaccines, etc. It is a small world. I enjoyed the explanation in the use if fermentation un the production if vaccines and the machinery and research team we got to meet. I hope we can find a way to work together since we are also in the business of helping to make this world a safer place one polio vaccine at a time and we are #thisclose to #Zeropolionow! Thank you Rtn. TRF Zone Dir. Terry Ziegler, DGE Carmen Cuneo and all awesome Rotarians in our group. I got to give an End Polio Now pin to Dr. Hoetz but did not take a picture. ❤😊 #Rotariansinaction You can read about Dr. Hoetz in this Texas Monthly magazine article...https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/scientist-stop-measles-texas/ where he talks about evidence if uncontrolled measles spreading in Texas. Imagine if we loose our battle with polio in a similar way. Thankful to have attended! 
Report on the Sabin Center Visit for Rotarians Lizette Odfalk 2018-02-10 06:00:00Z 0

Global Grant in UGANDA Update

Dr. Isis Meijas headed up this project and has traveled to Uganda on four occasions while taking time off from her full time job in Houston.  Since sanitary pads are not common in Uganda, girls regularly miss school which leads to early drop out from school.   This grant focused on girls in Kalisizo, Uganda who learned how to sew reusable sanitary pads and the importance of women’s health. ‘Water is Life- Sanitation is Health’ developed a training program with ‘Days for Girls’ to give girls the tools to sew and sell pads. But, most importantly to be Ambassadors and understand their rights as humans, their rights to have access to basic sanitation at schools and at home, their value as women, and their
reproductive system.
Thanks to the lovelies Rtn. Manon Mitchell and Rtn. Ann Dale for leading this training ! and all of the Rotarians from around the world who participated and believed in this effort.
 
Global Grant in UGANDA Update Isis Meijas 2018-02-10 06:00:00Z 0

International Service Project Ready for Shipment

 

New Clothes for Children in Africa

Past President Dree Miller has been busy sewing again for the children in Africa.  This is a great example of how any Rotarian in our club may select a specific focus and take action.  If you do, we would like to know about it, too.  Here is what Dree has to say:
"This is my carnival of colors. Today I finalized sewing the last of about 150 pieces of clothing to send to underprivileged children in Africa. Thanks to the blessed help of my friends Monica, Rosangela, Marcia, Damicela, Christiane, Janina, Maria Elisa and others, we will be sending close to 200 pieces! Now we need help paying for shipping to a distribution center in the US, or Is there anyone going to Africa soon that could take these? Please PM me if interested in helping. Last year Isis Mejias from our Rotary E-club took the clothes we made to Uganda, and the children were so happy!"
International Service Project Ready for Shipment 2018-02-10 06:00:00Z 0
INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGE 2018-01-24 06:00:00Z 0

PROGRAM:  HOW TO WAKE UP EARLY by Robin Sharma

"I shot this video on the island Paradise of Mauritius on a topic that seems to fascinate people: The 5 am Club. In it, I walk you through the best ways to get up early so you 20X your productivity and quality of life. Enjoy it!"
 
ABOUT OUR SPEAKER:
Robin Sharma is considered to be one of the top 5 leadership experts in the world. His work is embraced by rock stars, royalty, billionaires and many celebrity CEOs.  
As a presenter, Sharma has the rare ability to electrify an audience yet deliver uncommonly original and useful insights that lead to individuals doing their best work, teams providing superb results and organizations becoming unbeatable. For nearly 20 years, many of the most well-known organizations on the planet, ranging from Nike, GE, Microsoft, FedEx, PwC, HP and Oracle to NASA, Yale University and YPO have chosen Robin Sharma for their most important events, when nothing less than a world-class speaker will do.
Sharma's books such as The Leader Who Had No Title have topped bestseller lists internationally and his social media posts reach over six hundred million people a year, making him a true global phenomenon for helping people do brilliant work, thrive amid change and realize their highest leadership capacities within the organization so that personal responsibility, productivity, ingenuity and mastery soars. Sharma has been ranked as one of the Top 5 Leadership Experts in the World in an independent survey of over 22,000 businesspeople and appears on platforms with other luminaries such as Richard Branson, Bill Clinton, Jack Welch and Shaquille O'Neill.
 

Robin’s Global Impact

  • In an independent survey of over 22,000 businesspeople, Robin is ranked in The Top 5 of the world's leadership gurus along with Jack Welch, Jim Collins and John Maxwell. (Source: leadershipgurus.net)
  • Robin's books on Leadership and peak performance at work have sold over 15,000,000 copies in 75+ Countries.
  • Speaking.com voted Robin one of The Top 5 Leadership Speakers in the world.
  • The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is the 5th best selling book in the history of Israel. It has been on India's Top 10 bestseller list of over 2 years. Robin's books have been the fastest selling books in Turkish publishing history. His books have also been blockbusters in Japan, England, Dubai, Mexico, Singapore, Puerto Rico and throughout South America, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Serbia, Romania, Russia and Sweden.
  • Robin's runaway bestseller “The Leader Who Had No Title” was the #1 Business book on amazon.com
  • Robin's fans + endorsers include Nobel Prize winner Desmond Tutu, rock star Jon Bon Jovi, a member of The British Royal family and heads of state from around the world.
Robin's Mission Statement:    To help people and organizations around the world Lead Without a Title.

Giving Back

Every child needs a chance. The kid of today is the leader of tomorrow. Robin Sharma is deeply passionate about helping children in need live happier, healthier lives. He truly wants to make a giant difference in the lives of underprivileged children around the world. And guess what? He needs your help .
The Robin Sharma Foundation for Children (RSFC) is a registered charitable foundation founded by Robin Sharma. The Foundation raises funds from around the world and donates them to children's causes.
Do you want to make a bigger impact with your life? Just imagine how you will feel knowing that you’ve helped even one child live a better life and craft their dreams. As Robin says: “The only happiness that lasts is the happiness that comes from giving.” Help us help the kids of the planet.
 
 
 
PROGRAM:  HOW TO WAKE UP EARLY by Robin Sharma 2018-01-24 06:00:00Z 0

Human Trafficking News in Houston

Human Trafficking is an epidemic in Houston! This impacts all children. Join us on January 25, 2018 and learn how to protect your children from predators and recruiters. The YWCA of Houston's Advocacy Committee is sharing this film at 6300 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.  Houston, Texas. 77021.  Networking begins at 6:00 pm until 6:30 pm and the film begins at 6:30 pm.  
After the film screening of “I Am Jane Doe” an interactive panel discussion will be moderated by Jacqueline Bostic McElroy (member of Rotary e-club Houston), Jennifer Hohman and parents of #humantrafficking survivors. You can be the one that saves a child's life. #ywcaisonamission #fightforus
 
Watch the trailer: http://bit.ly/2DPDjrG:
 and register: http://bit.ly/2DrsH4D#OnAMission to ADVANCE
 
Read the following from The Houston Chronicle: 

Feds: Gang brothel enslaved women in Gulfton

By Gabrielle Banks, Houston Chronicle

January 19, 2018 Updated: January 20, 2018 11:05am
 
Maria Angelica "Patty" Moreno-Reyna walks into federal court Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, in Houston. Moreno-Reyna is one of 24 defendants facing federal charges in the sex trafficking operation ran by the Southwest.

For eight years, the shabby Carriage Way apartments in southwest Houston concealed a brothel run by a ruthless sex trafficking ring that lured undocumented women into prostitution with false promises of restaurant jobs.

 

The gang-affiliated family business was allegedly managed by a woman whose sons served as enforcers and another whose children were pimps and prostitutes. New recruits, including a 14-year-old runaway, were threatened, beaten, drugged and tattooed with their pimps' street names to remind them who owned them. One woman who didn't make her quota was forced to have liposuction and breast augmentation.

When trafficking victims escaped their clutches, gang members crossed borders to hunt them down and force them back into service, according to sworn testimony by two investigators at several federal court detention hearings last fall.

The dismantling of the gritty Gulfton brothel and two others purportedly operated by the Southwest Cholos gang and their associates offers a harsh view of the often violent, sprawling and lucrative sex trade that has flourished in Houston in a variety of settings.

The illicit sex business here now includes top-dollar call girl agencies, legions of street walkers, hundreds of massage parlors fronting for sex shops and cantinas where a beer can be followed by a "date" in room behind the bar.

"We have more brothels than we have Starbucks in our city," said Robert Sanborn, president and CEO of Children at Risk.

The demand is so pervasive that at any given moment there are over 400 storefront sex businesses operating in Houston, said Sanborn, whose nonprofit research and advocacy group routinely analyzes posts on Rubmaps.com where patrons rate and review illicit massage proprietors.

"Houston is fertile ground for trafficking because of its proximity to the border, its sexually oriented businesses, its diversity and the demand for sexual services," said Alfred T. Tribble Jr., an FBI supervisor who oversees the human trafficking unit in Houston.

FBI investigations into human trafficking have more doubled nationwide in the past decade and Texas has emerged as a major sex trafficking market, among the regions generating the most calls each year to the national trafficking hotline, Tribble said.

The Cholos brothel showed how the sex trade has also sprouted up in residential areas, as Tribble's team and investigators from the DEA, Homeland Security and the Harris County Sheriff's Office would discover. Neighbors who knew about the brothel at the two-story Carriage Way apartment complex -- seven miles from downtown, three miles from the glitzy Galleria -- were reportedly too spooked by the threat of gang retaliation to report it to the police.

Over two years, investigators tracked down evidence in Houston, the Rio Grande Valley, Mexico, Honduras and El Salvador.

The grand jury indictments - returned on Nov. 3 and Dec. 7 - of 24 members and associates of the Southwest Cholos provide a glimpse into the complex crime underworld that thrived behind closed doors. The case is unusual in that a Houston street gang is accused not only of peddling drugs and firearms but also running an international prostitution business and a human smuggling operation that transported immigrants from China across the U.S.-Mexico border for a whopping $40,000 per person.

A gang dabbling in sex trafficking is not an anomaly, said Tribble from the FBI. Gang leaders are savvy and they often experiment with new enterprises to increase their profits, he said.

 

"Trafficking in human flesh is a lot less risky than trafficking in firearms or illegal narcotics," Tribble explained. "The capital is abundant and renewable, people are sold over and over again."

"It's not like a kilo of cocaine where it's used and it's gone," he said. "You can use them and use them and then ship them off to another city and exploit them more."

That was exactly what happened in the Cholos case, an FBI agent on Tribble's team testified.

The agent told a Houston judge that several of the victims were groomed and trained at a family-run brothel in Cancun before being romanced, tricked, tattooed and shipped to three Cholos brothels in Gulfton where their services commanded a higher price.

The enforcers for the gang brothel were particularly merciless in controlling their money-making victims, Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Goldman told a judge at a November hearing.

"We're dealing with a group of individuals that branded women like cattle," Goldman told the court, adding they engaged in "exceptional violence." Five defendants, including the pimp who allegedly ran the Cancun brothel, remain fugitives, but Goldman convinced federal magistrates that 14 of 17 defendants rounded up by police were a danger or flight risk and should await trial in custody without bond.

While some declined to comment, citing reams of documents they'd just been handed, several defense lawyers said there is little evidence to support the sweeping federal indictment and poked holes in the government's case, including Andrew Williams, who represents a key defendant accused of managing the brothel.

Williams said his client, Maria Angelica "Patty" Moreno-Reyna, 51, had nothing to do with the scheme but got swept up in the prosecution because she lived in a gang-saturated building where a brothel was operating unchecked for years.

"Some of these claims are outrageous," said Williams. "She's a middle-aged woman. She has no power to make anyone do anything. They're making her out to be a kingpin."

The lawyer for Patty's son, Jose Luis "Lucky" Moreno who is accused of being an enforcer, said he looked forward to his client having his day in court.

"We suspect the government's evidence is contrived," said attorney Ali Fazel. "We suspect that a good number of witness for the government have been granted a great deal of leniency and provided favors for their testimony."

Williams, the lawyer for Lucky's mother Patty, agreed, saying prosecutors had cast a very wide net in hopes that some defendants would be snared, a strategy he said benefitted the government's witnesses.

"Some of these witnesses are going to be able to stay in this country for a long time," he said.

The gang's grim enterprise persisted for years amid the buzz of life at the urban apartment complex on Houston's southwest side, according to investigators.

On a sunny morning a week after the arrests, the people at the Carriage Way apartments on Dashwood quietly attended to their lives. A woman unloaded groceries in the carport as neighbors chatted in an interior passageway, paces from where the Cholos brothel operated for nearly a decade.

A sign posted in the parking lot reminded residents to keep their radios low as a courtesy to others. The enterprising residents of a nearby apartment had set up a makeshift convenience store, with handwritten signs taped in windows advertising chips, soda and candy.

But in an adjoining courtyard evidence remained of the recent FBI raid at an upstairs apartment: a cracked window pane and a boarded up door plastered with an eviction notice. The scheme, officials say, involved tenants who rented 10 of about 70 residential units in the complex.

Several neighbors at the complex said they saw a team of FBI agents combing through units at the two-story complex during the first week in November. Before the raid, they said, they claimed to know nothing about a busy brothel where up to seven women provided services to customers from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.

The building manager at the apartment complex declined to speak with a reporter about the protracted criminal enterprise alleged by police. A Houston attorney who represented the building owner in a 2012 nuisance lawsuit - involving complaints at another residential property - did not return calls for comment.

Human Trafficking News in Houston 2018-01-21 06:00:00Z 0

TOUR the Sabin vaccine INSTITUTE IN HOUSTON FRiDAY - JANUARY 26th 

On Friday January 26, 2018,  D5890 is sponsoring a tour of the Sabin Vaccine Institute where work is done on the development of vaccines for Neglected Tropical Diseases. Due to Rotary's great effort to eradicate Polio, we have a close association with the Sabin Vaccine Institute.  Meet in the lobby at the Children’s Nutrition Research Center, 1100 Bates Ave, Houston, TX 77030 in the Texas Medical Center at 11 AM on Friday., January 26, 2018. There is a parking garage in the Children's Nutrition Research building.

Children’s Nutrition Research Center, 1100 Bates Ave,
Houston, TX 77030 in the Texas Medical Center at 11:00 am
Friday., January 26, 2018.
 
*Let Terry Ziegler know if you are interested by this Monday 1/22!
 
TOUR the Sabin vaccine INSTITUTE IN HOUSTON FRiDAY - JANUARY 26th Liz Odfalk 2018-01-21 06:00:00Z 0

VOCATIONAL FOCUS

 

I am currently a Senior Sales Manager with Marriott International for our San Antonio/Austin Resorts and Convention Hotels.  I handle groups with 100-300 peak rooms, and up to 1,500 attendees.  I’ve been with Marriott almost ten years, and have worked in six different markets.  Currently I work remote from Fort Worth, and travel to my hotels about four times per year.  This year I am also on our Starwood Integration team, and we will begin selling our new Starwood (Westin, Sheraton, St. Regis, Aloft, 4 points) in April.  We are very excited about our new hotel partners!
 
 
Brittany Johnson
Senior Sales Manager 
P: 469-443-9498   
.
VOCATIONAL FOCUS 2018-01-21 06:00:00Z 0

Update Photo Directory and Basic Info in ClubRunner

Have you ever logged into the Member Area - Member Login of our webpage?  We would appreciate having every Active Member update their photo and contact information for our Club Directory/Photo Directory.  Look at the left hand column called My ClubRunner.  Explore this section this month.  Start with Edit My Profile - verify all information such as address,  phone numbers, email, work information and photo.  If you have difficulties getting this far, please contact a board member.  Also you may receive a phone call from Rtn. Charles Mickens who is contacting our members regarding these updates.   Since most of us have not met in person, we really hope to have a Photo Directory which is up-to-date. 
 
In this section of My ClubRunner you can take a look at your Attendance record. This is only a summary of your attendance.  To register your attendance please use the form in the banner of the club website.
Update Photo Directory and Basic Info in ClubRunner 2018-01-19 06:00:00Z 0

President's Message

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Being in the Rotary e-Club reminds me of a beautiful video on Youtube I've once seen about a virtual choir that sang together as strangers from location all over the world. These are ordinary people that want to be apart of something greater than themselves and offers their voice to something they believe in.
 
This was not an easy task to put together, especially for the video editor that has to goes in and synchronize all the video and sounds together. It's been viewed over 5 million times and was featured on TED talks.
 
Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir - 'Lux Aurumque'
 
As a member, and president of Rotary e-Club of Houston, I want to remind you that you're not limited to only our club or our district, you're limited only to your imagination. There are hundreds of eClub out there and 33,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries. You can visit their website and learns what they do to get inspires and bring it back to share our fellow members. In my beliefs, the best way to strengthen any company or organizations is to create more leaders, not followers. 
 
There are resources around, please ask for help. Please review your ClubRunner account at the link below.
 
Webinars
ClubRunner Support
Email Support: support@clubrunner.ca
Phone: 1-877-469-2582 Option 2
 
Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. Eastern Time (Toronto)
 
If you have time, please register for Rotary.org.
 
 
Sincerely,
 
NGUYEN T. NGUYEN
Rotary e-Club of Houston - President 
Disaster Aid USA - Ambassador 

Cell: (281) 827-5787  | Office: (731) 577-9463

President's Message Wind Nguyen 2018-01-18 06:00:00Z 0

Rotary at the Houston Rodeo - March 8th

SOLD OUT!!!  Plan B:   If folks want to participate in the Rotary fellowship at NRG Center, they could purchase a Grounds Pass for $15 (either online or at the gate) and email a request to me for a Meal-only ticket for the buffet. They will be welcome at the Rotary gathering whether they have a meal ticket or not. The Grounds Pass will allow entrance into everything except NRG Stadium for the Rodeo and concert. There are lots of other things to do while the performance is going on.
 
District 5890 is hosting Rodeo Night at the Rodeo at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Thursday March 8 for a great fellowship opportunity. We will have a delicious chicken enchilada and beef fajita Fiesta Dinner Buffet in a private room on the second floor of NRG Center and there will be a private cash bar. The Rodeo entertainer that night is the very popular Luke Bryan and this will probably be a sold-out performance. We have secured a block of 100 Loge Section 523 tickets. The Full Ride package including entry to grounds, buffet dinner and entry into NRG Stadium for the Rodeo and Luke Bryan performance with Loge seat tickets is $65 and we have 25 Dinner-only tickets for $35 for those who are already on-grounds with their own Rodeo tickets or HLSR badge entry privileges. The buffet dinner will be held in a private room located on the second floor of NRG Center, convenient to NRG Stadium and all other Rodeo activities. The room for the dinner will open at 4:30pm and we will have a cash bar available. We will have a social from 4:30 – 5:30 pm and the dinner buffet will open at 5:30 pm. Of course with your entry ticket you can come as early as you would like and enjoy other activities around the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo grounds.
Rotary at the Houston Rodeo - March 8th 2018-01-18 06:00:00Z 0

District 5890 Membership Meeting

Meeting Date & Time:  This Monday, JANUARY 22nd, 6:30PM (let's arrive at 6:00PM and order food/drinks). 
 
New! 
Venue:            Los Tios Mexican Restaurant  
                        9527 Westheimer Road
                       Houston, Texas 77063 
                       713-784-0380 
 
Growing Rotary enables us to do more good in our communities and the world.  Attendance at the D5890 Membership Meeting is a great opportunity to bond with your club's Area Membership Chair (AMC) & other district leaders.

Speaker - Carol Lester, D5890 Area Membership Chair & Past President, Rotary Club of West U 
  
Topic - Best Practices for Engaging Members

It's important to find ways to engage members at all stages of their membership in order to help maximize their Rotary experience.  Long term engagement is an integral component of member retention, resulting in successfully Growing Rotary; for new membership gains can quickly be wiped out by non-engaged members choosing to leave.  

 

We look forward to the attendance of at least one (1) representative from your club.  

 

Yours in Rotary service,

Ann Wright
D5890 Membership Committee Vice Chair 

 
Derrill Painter
D5890 Membership Committee Chair
2016-2018 
832-473-5729 - Cell
 
NOTE:  This counts as attendance credit for January, 2018.  Please submit form on our club's website (see beneath the banner).
District 5890 Membership Meeting 2018-01-18 06:00:00Z 0

MINI-CLASSIFICATION TALK

BRITTANY JOHNSON

I am currently a Senior Sales Manager with Marriott International for our San Antonio/Austin Resorts and Convention Hotels.  I handle groups with 100-300 peak rooms, and up to 1,500 attendees.  I’ve been with Marriott almost ten years, and have worked in six different markets.  Currently I work remote from Fort Worth, and travel to my hotels about four times per year.  This year I am also on our Starwood Integration team, and we will begin selling our new Starwood (Westin, Sheraton, St. Regis, Aloft, 4 points) in April.  We are very excited about our new hotel partners!
 
My career with Marriott began in 2008 following college graduation from The Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston.
 
 
 
 
MINI-CLASSIFICATION TALK 2018-01-12 06:00:00Z 0

January is VOCATIONAL Month

 

The Object of Rotary is a philosophical statement of Rotary’s purpose and the responsibilities of Rotarians. The concept of vocational service is rooted in the Second Object, which calls on Rotarians to “encourage and foster”:

  • High ethical standards in business and professions

  • The recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations

  • The dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society

    As a Rotarian, how can you put these ideals into action? Consider these suggestions:

  • Talk about your vocation in your club, and take time to learn about fellow members’ vocations.

  • Use your professional skills to serve a community.

  • Practice your profession with integrity, and inspire others to behave ethically through

    your own words and actions.

  • Help a young person achieve his or her career aspirations.

  • Guide and encourage others in their professional development. 

 

January is VOCATIONAL Month 2018-01-12 06:00:00Z 0

Social Media & Rotary

FOLLOW US

Social Media & Rotary 2018-01-12 06:00:00Z 0

Program:  Deep under the Earth's surface, discovering beauty and science

Cave explorer and geologist Francesco Sauro travels to the hidden continent under our feet, surveying deep, dark places inside the earth that humans have never been able to reach before. In the spectacular tepuis of South America, he finds new minerals and insects that have evolved in isolation, and he uses his knowledge of these alien worlds to train astronauts.

Why you should listen

Italian speleologist Francesco Sauro is fascinated by the tabletop mountains of South America, the tepuis. These plateaus, which tower over the Brazilian and Venezuelan rainforest, hide behind their dramatic landscape a lost world of extensive cave structures. They harbor unique geological and biological features that have evolved in isolation over millennia.

With nearly twenty years of caving experience, Sauro has participated in research in many cave systems all over the world, but keeps coming back to the tepuis, where he has led six expeditions since 2009. He leads also a caves training program for European astronauts.

 
Program: Deep under the Earth's surface, discovering beauty and science Ted Talk by Francesco Sauro 2018-01-12 06:00:00Z 0

Six volcanoes to watch in 2018

The eruption of Mount Agung on the island of Bali has sparked worldwide media interest, yet volcanic eruptions in Indonesia are nothing new. Of the country’s 139 “active” volcanoes, 18 currently have raised alert levels, signifying higher than normal seismic activity, ground deformation or gas emissions. On a global scale, in any week in 2017, there were at least between 14 and 27 volcanoes erupting.

Most observed volcanic activity takes place along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region around the Pacific Ocean where several tectonic plates meet, causing earthquakes and a chain of what geologists call subduction zone volcanoes. Other eruptions occur at volcanoes within continental interiors such as Ol Doinyo Lengai in Tanzania, or on oceanic islands like Hawaii. Many also take place hidden from view on the sea floor, with some of the most active underwater volcanoes located in the Tonga-Kermadec island arc in the south-west Pacific.

The current eruptions on land range from gentle lava effusions to moderate-sized explosions and are tiny compared to the largest in Earth’s history. Even the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora, also in Indonesia, arguably the largest eruption in recent recorded history, is dwarfed by super-eruptions in the geological past such as that of Toba volcano on Sumatra some 74,000 years ago. Toba erupted approximately 70 times more magma than Tambora, helped plunge the earth into another ice age and may have even created a genetic bottleneck in human evolution.

In fact, Toba was the largest eruption in the past 25m years, so there is little chance of a similar catastrophe any time soon. Nevertheless, it is the frequent, small- to moderate-sized eruptions that pose a constant volcanic threat. Around the globe today, about 800m people live within 100km, and 29m within 10km of active volcanoes.

“Volcanic threat”, a measure that combines the level of hazard and the number of people exposed to it, is by far the highest in Indonesia, followed by the Philippines, Japan, Mexico and Ethiopia. These five countries combine to make up more than 90% of the total global volcanic threat. However, as a proportion of population, volcanic threat is highest on small islands such as Montserrat, which are entirely volcanic.

Which are the volcanoes to watch in 2018? Some of the volcanoes that currently show signs of unrest may simply calm down without eruption, while others may enter a phase of eruption in the months to come and will need to be watched and monitored closely.

As well as Agung, here is our choice of some to keep an eye on:

Kirishima, Japan

One of Japan’s less known but most active volcanoes, Kirishima, is a group of several volcanic cones with eruptions recorded on and off since 742. An eruption at one of these cones, Shinmoedake, in 2011 was the largest at Kirishima for more than 50 years. Shinmoedake erupted for the first time in six years in October, with white plumes rising 200 metres above the crater rim. Presently, the alert level remains elevated.

Merapi, Indonesia

Merapi is one of the most dangerous volcanoes in Indonesia due to its frequent eruptions and densely populated slopes. With a death toll of nearly 400 people, its 2010 eruption is so far the deadliest of the 21st century. One may argue that another eruption of Merapi is overdue, although there are no immediate signs of increased volcanic activity or unrest.

Öræfajökull, Iceland

This ice-covered volcano has erupted twice since the early settlement of Iceland, including the country’s largest-ever explosive eruption in 1362 and another in 1727-28. In both cases the eruptions were followed by massive and lethal flooding, as meltwater from subglacial lakes on the mountain were suddenly released.

Öræfajökull appears to be waking up. Small seismic tremors inside the volcano have been recorded since August 2017 and, in November, a depression on the surface of the ice inside the main crater appeared – a phenomenon that is usually caused by ice melting below the surface as heat builds up.

Popocatépetl, Mexico

Mexico’s “smoking mountain”, pictured at the top of this article, lies 70km south-east of Mexico City and is the country’s most active volcano. The volcano is currently erupting – as it has done so intermittently since 2005 – with lava dome growth, explosions, ash plumes up to a few kilometres high and minor ash fall in surrounding areas.

Villarrica, Chile

Snow-covered Villarrica volcano is one of only a small number of volcanoes around the world with an active lava lake. A gradual increase in seismic and lava lake activity, producing lava fountains up to 150 metres high, have been documented since mid-November 2017.

Kilauea, US

Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island has spewed basaltic lava almost continuously for 35 years and there is no reason to expect this eruption will end any time soon. The volcano continues to erupt at its summit and from the Puʻu ʻOʻo vent on its East Rift Zone, producing lava flows that occasionally enter the ocean.

So these are some of the volcanoes that will need to be monitored closely over the next weeks and months. But volcanic unrest can also start suddenly at dormant volcanoes such as Hekla in Iceland which, based on its past record of decades of quiescence followed by sudden huge eruptions, may awake with little warning.

Ralf Gertisser is a Senior Lecturer in Mineralogy and Petrology at Keele University, Katie Preece is a Research Associate in Volcanology at University of Glasgow, and Sylvain Charbonnier is an Assistant Professor in Volcanology at the University of South Florida. This article was originally featured on The Conversation.

Six volcanoes to watch in 2018 By Ralf Gertisser, Katie Preece, and Sylvain Charbonnier/The Conversation January 2, 2018 - Popular Science 2018-01-12 06:00:00Z 0

Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Championing a nonviolent movement for social equality, Martin Luther King, Jr., became the catalyst for monumental change. In this powerful piece, filmmaker Salomon Ligthelm creates a visual interpretation of King's final speech, "I've Been to the Mountaintop," using found archive footage. King delivered the speech the night before his assassination in 1968.

The Short Film Showcase spotlights exceptional short videos created by filmmakers from around the web and selected by National Geographic editors. We look for work that affirms National Geographic's mission of inspiring people to care about the planet. The filmmakers created the content presented, and the opinions expressed are their own, not those of the National Geographic Society.

Know of a great short film that should be part of our Showcase? Email SFS@ngs.org to submit a video for consideration.   
In the United States of America, the Martin Luther King Day will be a holiday on January 15, 2018.  On Nov. 3, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill marking the third Monday of every January, as Martin Luther King, Jr., day, according to the center. The holiday was began in 1986.  It celebrates the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr., an influential American civil rights leader.  Martin Luther King Jr. took on many roles: he was a pastor, activist, humanitarian, and most widely known for his work and improvements to the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is famously known for his “I Have A Dream” speech, which he gave during the March on Washington in 1963.

LEGACY 

Remembered for its powerful imagery and its repetition of a simple and memorable phrase, King’s “I Have a Dream” speech has endured as a signature moment of the civil rights struggle, and a crowning achievement of one of the movement’s most famous faces. 

The Library of Congress added the speech to the National Recording Registry in 2002, and the following year the National Park Service dedicated an inscribed marble slab to mark the spot where King stood that day.

In 2016, Time included the speech as one of its 10 greatest orations in history. 

Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. 2018-01-12 06:00:00Z 0
Rotary - Make a World of Difference RotaryInternational 2018-01-12 06:00:00Z 0

JANUARY 20th MEETING  @ RIO RANCH RESTAURANT in Houston

Dear E-Club Rotarian,
 
This is your past president Adriane Miller and current Area Membership Chair for our District 5890. I am also serving as our club's membership chair until the end of the Rotary year.
 
I would like to invite you, if you are in town, to come to our next general meeting on January 20th 2018 to see a presentation about membership recruitment and retention. The person responsible for membership is… Guess who? It’s you. It’s me. It’s all of us. It is essential that we all learn a bit more about membership recruitment and retention so that we can be a Rotary club that rises and shines, and continues to be the indispensable task force of Rotarians who are making this world better.
 
Also,  mark your calendars for our celebration in February 17.  Our Past District Governor Eric Liu is scheduled to present our club with the Presidential Citation Award for 2016/2017 during this meeting.
 
Please come to our January 20 meeting to hear about membership recruitment and retention. 
 
Meeting date: 01/20/2018
Meeting time: 11 AM (please arrive early if you would like to order food 
Address: Rio Ranch Restaurant - 9999 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77042
 
Wishing you a 2018 full of joy and resolutions to serve humanity.
 
Thank you,
 
Past President Adriane Miller
AMC District 5890
Club Membership Chair
Charter Member
Rotary E-Club of Houston 
JANUARY 20th MEETING @ RIO RANCH RESTAURANT in Houston Adriane Miller 2018-01-11 06:00:00Z 0

POLIO UPDATE

Progress on polio

RI President-Elect Barry Rassin noted that one source of inspiration has been Rotary’s work to eradicate polio. He described the incredible progress made over the past three decades. In 1988, an estimated 350,000 people were paralyzed by the wild poliovirus; just 20 cases were reported in 2017 as of 27 December. “We are at an incredibly exciting time for polio eradication,” he said, “a point at which each new case of polio could very well be the last.”

He emphasized that even when that last case of polio is recorded, the work won’t be finished. “Polio won’t be over, until the certifying commission says it’s over—when not one poliovirus has been found, in a river, in a sewer, or in a paralyzed child, for at least three years,” he said. “Until then, we have to keep doing everything we’re doing now.” He urged continued dedication to immunization and disease surveillance programs.

POLIO UPDATE 2018-01-10 06:00:00Z 0

WASH and Health

Early Bird Registration to attend the World Water Summit 10, Friday, June 22, has been extended to January 31, 2018. The registration fee is $150 US for WASRAG members and $175 US for Non-WASRAG members (which includes a 1-year membership to WASRAG)
 
This year's theme is "WASH and Health."  Sessions will be focussed on WASH and Disease Prevention, and WASH in Healthcare Faciltities. The program includes round table discussions on current topics, panel discussions and break-out sessions. One of the highlights will be Rotary International President Elect Barry Rassin, who will speak on how WASH projects impact on millions of people.
 
To register visit WWS10 - WASH and Health
WASH and Health 2018-01-10 06:00:00Z 0

Plan ahead for 2018 - District Conference April 26 - 29th

This year’s District Conference is fast approaching and plans are being made to have an informative and useful program at our “Fiesta of Service” on the Riverwalk in San Antonio on April 26th through 29th.  Highly recommended for new Rotarians and seasoned Rotarians to attend.  Great information, inspirational, and FUN with Rotarians from all other clubs in our district.
 
ROTARY DISTRICT 5890 CONFERENCE
April 26, 2016 - April 29, 2018
Hyatt Regency Riverwalk
123 Losoya St. 
San Antonio, Texas 78205
 
 
To register for a room please go to:  Passkey Link:  https://aws.passkey.com/go/2018RotaryDistrict
Cancellation Policy:
No refund if cancelled after April 15, 2018
 
Our District 5890 has a tradition of doing a service project to benefit the local community where our conference is held, and we’ll have two wonderful District Conference Service Projects benefiting the military patients in San Antonio:
Cost:  $20,000  
This has been on the “wish list” of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, but could not be built due to a lack of funding.  They said this would be “an impactful donation of great value as it would be long-lasting” due to the fact that the PTRP facility helps military patients live independently while still receiving therapy to learn the skills needed to successfully reintegrate back into the community after their multiple injuries. 
Purpose:  Walking a labyrinth is a type of moving meditation for patients at the facility which can clear their mind for facing life’s challenges.  The spiritual benefits of walking a labyrinth include sensory awakening, reconnecting with self, sense of destination, restoration, and safety.  A “Rotary District 5890” recognition plaque will be placed near the labyrinth. 
How can you or your Rotary club help?  Make a contribution by issuing a check payable to:   District 5890 Charities, Inc., c/o Jackie Barmore, 3525 Preston Ave., Pasadena, TX 77505.
 
Items needed:  Socks, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, body wash (no bar soap), mouthwash (must be alcohol free), underwear (various sizes of briefs/boxers are needed). 
Visit this VA Hospital:  On Friday, April 27th, a group of thirty-five District 5890 Rotarians will be transported via vans to this VA hospital for an opportunity to visit patients, plus deliver much need comfort items that we’ll pack into bags.  Gift bags will be given to the patients, plus we leave additional bags that the hospital staff will distribute to patients.
How your club can help:  Collect items, and bring them to our District Conference Registration Desk in the hotel when you arrive in San Antonio.  We’ll collect the items and pack them into bags which we’ll take to the hospital on Friday, April 27th.
  
  • Service Project Contact:  Charlie Buscemi at cjsb@SuddenLink.net or 713-598-7129 (Cellular). 
  
 
    Plan ahead for 2018 - District Conference April 26 - 29th 2017-12-28 06:00:00Z 0

    About our e-club Houston Active Members

    A traveling bunch we are!  Isis -trekking in Brazil and Venezuela; Jake Stein in Italy and Iceland; Ed and Robin Charlesworth - Colorado and Iceland; Dree and Mike Miller - Montana and Utah to play in lots of snow!; Alexis Campestre - Hawaii; Barbara Conway - Nicaragua and Kentucky.
     
    Ruby Powers - Congratulations!  Named  2017 Top Lawyer in Immigration Law by Houstonian Magazine.
     
    Cristal Montana - Executive Director of Hashoo Foundation was at City Hall when Mayor Sylvester Turner honored the Houston Karachi sister City  Association with the 2017 Sister Cities International Award.  The Mayoral recognition was received by Consul General  of Pakistan Aisha Farooqui, HSKCA President Saeed Sheikh and Executive  Board members Cristal Montanez and AzamAkhtar.
     
    Belinda Postman-Kaylani - Met Wisdom High School Interactors to go iceskating at the Galleria,  Thanks for always being available for future generations!
     
    Barbara Conway -
    Traveled to Chinendega, Nicaragua to assist other Rotarians in distributing  Christmas gifts to school children.
     
    Isis Meijas - Congratulations on her invitation to speak during a general session at the Rotary International Convention in Toronto!  Outstanding!
     
     
     
    About our e-club Houston Active Members 2017-12-28 06:00:00Z 0

    Next General Meeting - January 20th

    Dear E-Club Rotarian,
     
    This is your past president Adriane Miller and current Area Membership Chair for our District 5890. I am also serving as club membership chair until the end of the Rotary year as of a month ago.
     
    I would like to invite you, if you are in town, to come to our next general meeting on January 20th 2018 to see a presentation about membership recruitment and retention. The person responsible for membership is… Guess who? It’s you. It’s me. It’s all of us. It is essential that we all learn a bit more about membership recruitment and retention so that we can be a Rotary club that rises and shines, and continues to be the indispensable task force of Rotarians who are making this world better.
     
    Another excellent reason for you to come to our meeting is that we will be celebrating our achievement of the Presidential Citation Award for 2016/2017. It is the highest honor given to a club by Rotary International! It is no small accomplishment, and you were part of every step as a Rotarian who supported our club’s goals. Past District Governor Eric Liu will be there to present us with the award. I hope many of you will come and participate in the group photo for this important milestone for our club.
     
    Meeting date: 01/20/2018
    Meeting time: 11 AM (please arrive early if you would like to order food 
    Address: Rio Ranch Restaurant - 9999 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77042
     
    Wishing you super happy holidays and a 2018 full of joy and resolutions to serve humanity.
     
    Thank you,
     
    Past President Adriane Miller
    AMC District 5890
    Club Membership Chair
    Charter Member
    Rotary E-Club of Houston 
     
    Next General Meeting - January 20th 2017-12-28 06:00:00Z 0

    District Foundation Seminar - Saturday, January 6th

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    Our rescheduled District Foundation Seminar is set for Saturday, January 6th, at 8:30 am at the South Main Baptist Church Youth Center located at 4200 Main Street.  District Foundation Chair Wally Kronzer has some great group and breakout sessions planned for us.
     
    Please see the attached flyer and the email below for more information about our seminar.   You may register at the link provided in the email below or at our District website.
     
     
    It’s important for our Rotarians to know and understand the value of our Foundation and the many ways that they can give and direct the use of their donations.  There are so many more ways than the Annual Fund and Polio Plus.  We can accomplish so many things through our Foundation.  But only if we have the knowledge and know-how of what it is our Foundation offers us.
     
    And our Foundation has a 4 Star rating from Charity Navigator.  There are no more effective or efficient means of using your charitable dollars than through our own Rotary International Foundation.
     
    Register now and come enjoy the company of your fellow district Rotarians while learning how to Make A Difference through our Rotary Foundation.  I look forward to seeing you all on Saturday, January 6th.
     
    When: Saturday, January 6, 2018, 8:30 am - 12:15 pm. Registration begins at 7:30.
     
     
    Sincerely,
     
    NGUYEN T. NGUYEN
    Rotary e-Club of Houston - President 
    Disaster Aid USA - Ambassador 

    Cell: (281) 827-5787  | Office: (731) 577-9463

    District Foundation Seminar - Saturday, January 6th 2017-12-28 06:00:00Z 0

    Program:  How Great Leaders Inspire Action

    Simon Sinek explores how leaders can inspire cooperation, trust and change. He's the author of the classic "Start With Why"; his latest book is "Leaders Eat Last."

    Why you should listen

    Fascinated by the leaders who make impact in the world, companies and politicians with the capacity to inspire, Simon Sinek has discovered some remarkable patterns in how they think, act and communicate. He wrote Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action to explore his idea of the Golden Circle, what he calls "a naturally occurring pattern, grounded in the biology of human decision making, that explains why we are inspired by some people, leaders, messages and organizations over others." His newest work explores "circles of safety," exploring how to enhance feelings of trust and confidence in making bold decisions. It's the subject of his latest book, Leaders Eat Last.

    An ethnographer by training, Sinek is an adjunct of the RAND Corporation. He writes and comments regularly for major publications and teaches graduate-level strategic communications at Columbia University.

     
    Program:  How Great Leaders Inspire Action 2017-12-27 06:00:00Z 0

    World Water Day Competition

    To celebrate World Water Day on March 22nd 2018, WaSRAG will be hosting a competition
    between Rotary clubs for a chance to win $500. Two prizes will be awarded: $500 US for the
    best project (i.e. the one with the most impact), $500 US for the most innovative project.
    Our Rotary e-club wants to participate! But would like to hear your ideas about a project to
    celebrate World Water Day and a chance to win! We can promote it at your regular club
    meeting closest to March 22nd, 2018. WASRAG will share some of them in its monthly
    newsletter. And - why not tell our story to the Rotary world ourselves?
    What could we do? We want to hear your ideas!
    The idea is to create awareness about WASH issues around the world. And it does not have to
    be about communities far away. It could involve, for example, calculating our water footprint and
    encouraging other Rotary clubs to do so:
    “Think you only consume a few glasses of water a day? Think again. The ‘water footprint’ of the
    average American is 32,911 glasses per day, according to an infographic by the Nature
    Conservancy and the Water Footprint Network. Where is all this water? It’s ‘hidden’ inside the
    food we eat, clothes we wear and more. And where does it come from? Nature.”
    Another example is to create awareness about protecting our water resources in Houston in the
    aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
    Who will judge the entries?
    The members of WASRAG's Membership Satisfaction Team, including Chris Etienne - USA
    (Chair) and Tom Bos - USA, Ada Cheng - Hong Kong, Rich Churchman - USA, Toro de Silva -
    Brazil, V.N. Singh - India, Ndukwe Chukwu - Nigeria and Rob Crabtree - New Zealand will
    review all applications and submit a short-list of finalists to WASRAG's Operations Team.
    How do we enter the competition? 
    We need to submit a brief description of a project, including what we have done (or plan to do),
    the target audience and the expected impact of the project. Some projects will be showcased on
    the WASRAG website.
    DEADLINE: Please submit all entries by May 1st, 2018. 
    AWARDS: Winners will be notified by May 31st, 2018. The awards will be presented at WASRAG'S ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
    Saturday June 23rd, 2018.
    For more info please go into the website www.wasrag.org or Isis Mejias (isis.mejias@gmail.com)
    World Water Day Competition 2017-12-27 06:00:00Z 0

    9 Things You Should Never, Ever Leave in the Car

    Your vehicle should be used for transportation, not storage. Keeping these items in the car could hurt your health and security.

    9 Things You Should Never, Ever Leave in the Car Reader's Digest 2017-11-30 06:00:00Z 0

    Bear Hugs for Venezuela

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    “Bear Hugs for Venezuela” for the Hospital de Niños J.M. de los Ríos is a humanitarian program benefiting the children of Venezuela. The program aims to address the following aspects of the beneficiary’s health:

    - Emotional: to bring a smile to the face of a child with ‘the healing power of a teddy bear,’ help improve their psychological condition and lessen the psychological trauma caused by the current humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. The value of giving teddy bears to traumatized children stretch beyond simply providing them with something to hold; teddy bears meet the psychological needs in children experiencing sickness, loss, pain or shock.

    For the last 17 years, Cristal Montañéz Baylor, in partnership with Good Bears of the World and other international organizations, has utilized teddy bears to help alleviate the trauma caused by humanitarian crises, natural disasters and emergency relief efforts in Pakistan, Jamaica, Seville, Houston and Venezuela; including refugees from Burma, Bhutan, and Congo. 

    Physical: to provide the needed pediatric medical supplements: acetaminophen, probiotics, electrolytes, delicious and nutritious snacks, and rice-soy fortified meal packs with vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients. These meal packs are expected to provide emergency relief to some of the malnutrition cases in the Hospital de Niños J.M. de los Ríos. Each meal pack contains 250 calories.

    Beneficiaries

    Direct Beneficiaries: 100 children hospitalized at the Hospital de Niños J.M. de los Ríos. Indirect Beneficiaries: 600 family members of the hospitalized children.

    Objectives

    The overall goal of “Bear Hugs for Venezuela” program for the Hospital de Niños J.M. de los Ríos is to acquire, pack and ship the following items, pediatric supplements and meals to Venezuela:

    •   100 Teddy bears

    •   100 Coloring books

    •   100 Boxes of crayons

    •   100 Blankets

    •   1,200 Units high calorie/ nutritious snacks (12 per child)

    •   100 Toothbrushes

    •   100 Boxes of toothpaste

    •   192 Bottles pediatric acetaminophen

    •   192 Bottles pediatric electrolytes

    •   40 Buckets pediatric probiotics

    •   4,700 Meal packs of rice-soy fortified meal packs with vitamins (actually a total of 28.200 servings)

      •  

        The “Bear Hugs for Venezuela” program has three main objectives:

        Objective 1.- To improve the psychological health to 100 hospitalized children by distributing 100 care packages containing the following items:

        •   1 Teddy bear

        •   1 Blanket

        •   1 Coloring book

        •   1 Box of crayons

        •   6 Units high calorie/ nutritious snacks

        •   1 Toothbrush

        •   1 Box of toothpaste

          Objective 2.- To improve the physical health of 100 children by distributing, administering, and managing the medical supplements, and treat the children hospitalized in the Hospital de Niños J.M. de los Ríos.

      “Bear Hugs for Venezuela” A humanitarian program benefiting the children of Venezuela

      Objective 3.- To improve the nutrition condition of 100 hospitalized children (direct beneficiaries) and the 600 family members (indirect beneficiaries) by:

      •   Increasing the protein, carbohydrate, and caloric intake of the hospitalized children by adding the rice-soy fortified meal packs to their regular diet.

      •   Increasing the protein, carbohydrate, and caloric intake of the family members by providing boxes of rice-soy fortified meal packs for the family to prepare at home.

        THE BENEFITS

        The care packages and the medical supplements are a charity donation of the participating organizations in an effort to provide relief to the children of Venezuela. Bear Hugs for Venezuela and the Rotary e-Club of Houston is the network by which these donations will be entrusted the Hospital de Niños J.M. de los Ríos. Members of the Rotary Caracas will coordinate with the Hospital personnel their participation to distribute the care packages to the children.

        PARTNERS
        The program ‘Bear Hugs for Venezuela” for the Hospital de Niños J.M. de los Ríos is possible for

        the collaboration of the following organizations:

      •   Rotary e-Club of Houston, District 5890

      •   Rotary Caracas

      •   Good Bears of the World

      •   Hashoo Foundation

      •   Houston-Karachi Sister City Association

      •   Rise Against Hunger

      •   Individual donors

    Bear Hugs for Venezuela Cristal Montanez 2017-11-28 06:00:00Z 0

    Giving to our club project - Children of the Dump Education Fund

    Yet another excellent choice for Giving Tuesday - support our club project of sending graduates of La Batania Vocational School to college in Nicaragua.  The candidates for these scholarships have been seen in their community as one of the "Children of the Dump" in Chinendega.  We want to make a difference in the lives of these students and help sponsor several students through a college education so that they may return to their community and truly make a difference as they "pass it on".  Donate as follows:   https://givingtuesday.razoo.com/story/Change-The-World-Through-Education.
    Giving to our club project - Children of the Dump Education Fund 2017-11-28 06:00:00Z 0

    Six Reasons to Give to Rotary International on Giving Tuesday

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    Why should Rotary be your charity of choice? 

    Because our 1.2 million members see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.

    Here are six reasons to donate to Rotary.

    1. We fight disease around the world

    For decades, Rotary has been a leader in the battle against polio and has kept the pressure on as worldwide cases plummeted from 350,000 in 1988 to only 15 cases so far this year. We’re closer than ever to ending this devastating disease. 

    Your impact will be even greater, thanks to a 2-to-1 match from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. All donations (up to $50 million) to end polio will be tripled, providing critical funding to our work to create a polio-free world. 

    2. We teach people to read

    Our goal is to strengthen the capacity of communities to support basic education and literacy, reduce gender disparity in education, and increase adult literacy. We support education for all children and literacy for children and adults through mentoring, scholarships, teacher training, and access to learning opportunities. 

    3. We build peace

    Each year, armed conflict and persecution displace, injure, or kill millions of people. More than 90 percent of them are civilians, and half are children. 

    Rotary projects provide training that fosters understanding and provides communities with the skills to resolve conflicts. Our members are taking action to address the underlying causes of conflict, including poverty, inequality, ethnic tension, lack of access to education, and unequal distribution of resources.

    4. We provide clean water, sanitation

    The statistics are alarming. Worldwide, one person in every 10 does not have access to safe water, and 2.3 billion people lack access to adequate sanitation. One consequence: 900 children under age five die each day from diarrheal diseases.

    Having clean water and sanitation is a human right. Rotary members integrate water, sanitation, and hygiene into education projects. When children learn about disease transmission and practice good hygiene, they miss less school. When people, especially children, have access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, they lead healthier and more successful lives. Rotary is helping to make clean water available to everyone by 2030.

    5. We grow local economies

    Nearly 800 million people live on less than $1.90 a day. Rotary is working to strengthen local entrepreneurs and community leaders.

    We know that one solution doesn’t fit every problem, so we work with people to help them help themselves. 

    We help Tanzanians with albinism find safe, healthy livelihoods. In Ecuador, Rotary has made 250 microloans and trained more than 270 people in job skills and business management. In Arkansas, USA, we worked with Heifer International to extend the growing season for farmers and help them find new customers.

    6. We save mothers and children

    An estimated 5.9 million children under the age of five die each year because of malnutrition, inadequate health care, and poor sanitation. More than 800 women die every day from birth- and pregnancy-related complications.

    Rotary is saving lives by supplying birthing kits, immunizations, neonatal care equipment, and medical training.

    With access to quality care, mothers and children live longer and healthier lives, and Rotary is providing that care.

    Donate NOW on My Rotary (Rotary International Website).  All active members of our club should have created their own My Rotary page which is your gateway to My Club Snapshot, What's New, Announcements, Rotary Spotlight, Group Discussions with Rotarians all around the world, and your easy portal for GIVING to the Rotary Foundation.  We hope that all Rotarians accept the responsibility to support our Rotary Foundation with a minimum gift of $100 annually to the Annual Fund - SHARE (which supports grants and activities in our own district as chosen by a district committee).  In addition, we also hope that you will help END POLIO NOW with a separate contribution annually until we have our world declared polio free.

    THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE ROTARY FOUNDATION!
    Six Reasons to Give to Rotary International on Giving Tuesday Rotary International 2017-11-28 06:00:00Z 0

    INTERACT  CLUB  REPORT

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    Our club sponsors the Wisdom Interact Club in partnership with the Galleria River Oaks Rotary Club.  Belinda Kaylani recently provided the following report to our board of directors.  New club officers are planning for a terrific year and have secured four applicants for RYLA.  Two of their graduates joined Galleria River Oaks Rotaract.  Service projects are being considered such as volunteering at Trinity Foster Homes - Christmas Party at St.  Basil's Greek Orthodox Church on Decemver 16th (may need help with transportation); voluntering to read and spend time at a senior citizens home; make bags of necessities to give to the homeless; and raise money to plant trees. 
     
    I’d love help, support, members who’d volunteer to attend one of their meetings,
    even once a year, volunteer to drive,
    donate money for their annual
    X-Mas-Winter Break ice skating party for pizza, beverages, ice skating rental.
    They are terrific young people and whatever you would be willing to donate or do has a huge ripple effect.  They appreciate everything.
    Make THIS a service project in your own life.
     
    Sincerely,
    Belinda Kaylani
    Youth Services
    Rotary E-Rotary Club of Houston
    713-854-8042
    INTERACT CLUB REPORT 2017-11-28 06:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Jack Johnson - "The Sharing Song" 2017-11-28 06:00:00Z 0

    Professional Training in Mind-Body Medicine December 7 - 10th

    The Greater Houston Healing Collaborative is offering The Center for Mind-Body Medicine (CMBM)'s Professional Training in Mind-Body Medicine for caregivers from mental health, social service, and faith-based organizations to help heal the hearts and minds of their Harvey impacted communities.
    December 7-10, 2017
    The Women's Home Whole Life Service Center
    1905 Jacquelyn Dr.
    Houston, TX 77055
    FREE of CHARGE
    Sponsored by the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund
    of the Greater Houston Community Foundation
     
    Learn more and apply at  cmbm.org/houston
     
    What You Will Learn:
    Science behind mind-body techniques and their impact on alleviating stress and trauma
    Evidence-based self-care tools and group support to deal with ongoing stress and meet future challenges
    How to facilitate a mind-body skills group to bring self-care tools to the community
    Mind-body techniques such as meditation, guided imagery, biofeedback, self-expression in words, drawing, movement.
     
    Dr. James S. Gordon, a psychiatrist and the CMBM Founder and Executive Director, is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Family Medicine at Georgetown Medical School and chaired the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy under Presidents Clinton and G.W. Bush.  Dr. Gordon has developed programs for population-wide trauma healing in communities impacted by natural disasters, terrorism, and war including in post-Katrina New Orleans and Haiti.
    CMBM's programs have demonstrated an 80% reduction in PTSD symptoms and seen significant improvement in depression with these populations.  To learn more about CMBM's trauma relief work around the world, visit cmbm.org.
    Professional Training in Mind-Body Medicine December 7 - 10th 2017-11-28 06:00:00Z 0
    Sister Club - Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone Invites s to Meeting on December 19th 2017-11-28 06:00:00Z 0

    Program:  Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

    In 2007,  Randy Pausch, who was dying of pancreatic cancer, delivered a one-of-a-kind last lecture that made the world stop and pay attention. This moving talk will teach you how to really achieve your childhood dreams.  Randolph Frederick "Randy" Pausch (Oct 23, 1960 - Jul 25, 2008) was an American professor of computer science, human–computer interaction, and design at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
    Program: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams 2017-11-28 06:00:00Z 0

    Meet Six Champions of PEACE

    Six Rotary members and Rotary Peace Center alumni were honored this November as People of Action: Champions of Peace. Their commitment to creating peace and resolving conflict was recognized during Rotary Day at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. 

    The honorees,  announced on International Peace Day, are all involved in projects that address underlying causes of conflict, including poverty, inequality, ethnic tension, lack of access to education, or unequal distribution of resources. 

    The six Champions of Peace are:

    Jean Best, a member of the Rotary Club of Kirkcudbright, Scotland —Best leads a peace project that is designed to teach teenagers conflict resolution skills they can use to create peace-related service projects in their schools and communities. Best worked with peace fellows at the University of Bradford to create the curriculum. She has also worked with local Rotary members and peace fellows to set up peace hubs in Australia, England, Mexico, Scotland, and the U.S.

    Best became a Paul Harris Fellow for contribution to developing peace strategies.

    Ann Frisch, a member of the Rotary Club of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, USA — Frisch believes unarmed civilians can protect people in violent conflicts. She collaborated with Rotary members in Thailand to establish the Southern Thailand Peace Process training program in 2015 in Bankok, Hat Yai, and Pattani in southern Thailand. The group brought together electrical and irrigation authorities, Red Cross staff, a Buddhist monk, and a Catholic nun to this border region to train civilians to build so-called safe zones. These are areas in which families, teachers, and local officials do not have to confront military forces every day. 

    Frisch, a UN delegate to Geneva, co-wrote the first manual on unarmed civilian protection, which was endorsed by the UN. Her training in a civilian-based peace process is administered by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, the department that trains all UN personnel. 

    Safina Rahman, a member of the Rotary Club of Dhaka Mahanagar, Bangladesh — Rahman is an important advocate for women’s rights in the workplace in Bangladesh. As a garment factory owner, she was the first to offer health insurance and maternity leave for her female employees. She worked with the Rotarian Action Group for Peace to organize the first international peace conference in Bangladesh. A policymaker for the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, she champions workplace safety and workers’ rights and promotes girls’ education and women’s rights. 

    Rahman is chair of two schools that provide basic education, vocational training, conflict prevention, and health and hygiene classes. 

    Alejandro Reyes Lozano, a member of the Rotary Club of Bogotá Capital, Colombia — Using a Rotary global grant, Reyes Lozano is training 27 women from six Latin American countries to develop skills in peace building, conflict resolution, and mediation to deal with conflicts in their communities. The project also will build an international network of women peacebuilders.

    Reyes Lozano, an attorney, was appointed by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos to assist with negotiations and set terms and conditions to end the 50-year conflict with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). 

    Kiran Singh Sirah, a graduate of the Rotary Peace Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — Sirah is president of the International Storytelling Center in Tennessee, USA, which uses storytelling as a path to building peace. The organization seeks to inspire and empower people everywhere to tell their stories, listen to the stories of others, and use storytelling to create positive change. 

    Kiran, the son of Ugandan refugees, created “Telling Stories That Matter,” a free guide for educators, peace builders, students, volunteers, and business leaders. The resource is now used in 18 countries.

    Taylor (Stevenson) Cass Talbott, a graduate of the Rotary Peace Center at the International Christian University in Japan — Stevenson developed a global grant to improve sanitary conditions for waste collectors in Pune, India. Waste collectors together handle 20 tons of unwrapped sanitary waste every day. Stevenson collaborated with SWaCH, a waste-collector cooperative, to create the “Red Dot” campaign, which calls for people to wrap their sanitary waste in newspaper or bags and mark it with a red dot.

    This helps waste collectors identify sanitary waste and handle it accordingly. Stevenson developed all the educational imaging for the campaign. She also secured in-kind offerings of support, including free training space and campaign printing. She is also a Global Peace Index ambassador. 

    Meet Six Champions of PEACE 2017-11-28 06:00:00Z 0

    General Meeting Announced - November 18th

    The official District Governor visit will be held at our monthly face-to-face meeting on November 18th beginning at 11:oo am.  Please come and meet DG Bill Palko!  The meeting takes place at the Trini Mendenhall Sosa Community Center located at 1414 Wirt Road in Houston, Texas 77056.
    General Meeting Announced - November 18th 2017-11-09 06:00:00Z 0

    Pakistan and Nigeria replace paper-based reporting with fast, accurate cellphone messaging

    Mobile phones and simple text messaging may be the keys to victory in the world’s largest public health initiative: the eradication of polio. 

    As the disease retreats from the global stage, thriving in only a few remote areas in three countries, it’s up to health workers to deliver vaccines and share information with speed and accuracy. 

    Health workers in Pakistan are receiving cellphone and e-monitoring training at the Rotary Resource Center in Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 

    Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative are strengthening the lines of communication by giving cellphones to health workers in Pakistan and Nigeria, where a single text message could save a life. 

    In Pakistan, Rotary has been working to replace traditional paper-based reporting of maternal and child health information, including polio immunization data, with mobile phone and e-monitoring technology. 

    Community health workers across the nation have received more than 800 phones through a partnership with Rotary, the Pakistani government; Telenor, the country’s second-largest telecommunications provider; and Eycon, a data monitoring and evaluation specialist. Organizers plan to distribute a total of 5,000 cellphones by the end of 2018. 

    Health workers can use the phones to send data via text message to a central server. If they see a potential polio case, they can immediately alert officials at Pakistan’s National Emergency Operations Center. They also can note any children who didn’t receive the vaccine or parental refusals – and record successful immunizations. In Pakistan, the polio eradication effort aims to reach the nation’s 35 million children under age five.

    The result is a collection of real-time information that officials can easily monitor and assess, says Michel Thieren, regional emergency director of the World Health Organization’s Health Emergency Program. 

    “Cellphone technology signals tremendous progress in the polio eradication program,” says Thieren, who has directed polio-related initiatives for WHO in Pakistan. “The data we collect needs to have such a granular level of detail. With real-time information that can be recorded and transcribed immediately, you can increase accuracy and validity.

    “This gives governments and polio eradication leaders an advantage in the decisions we need to make operationally and tactically to eliminate polio,” Thieren says.

    Beyond polio

    Health workers also are using mobile phones to monitor a multitude of maternal and child health factors. 

    Pakistan’s child mortality rate ranks among the highest in the world, according to UNICEF, with 81 deaths under age five per 1,000 live births. 

    But mobile technology can help reduce those deaths, says Asher Ali, project manager for Rotary’s Pakistan PolioPlus Committee. 

    “Our health workers, including community midwives, are tracking pregnant mothers,” Ali says. “When a child is born, they can input and maintain complete health records, not just for polio, but for other vaccines and basic health care and hygiene needs.”

    They also can monitor infectious diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis, and influenza-like illnesses, as well as child malnutrition and maternal health concerns. 

    “If there is a problem with the baby or the mother, we can send information to the government health departments immediately, so they can solve the issue quickly and adjust their strategies,” Ali says. 

    Cellphones also facilitate follow-up visits with families, because health workers can send appointment reminders over text message. 

     
    Pakistan and Nigeria replace paper-based reporting with fast, accurate cellphone messaging By Ryan Hyland Photos by Khaula Jamil 2017-11-09 06:00:00Z 0

    Stress Relief Songs: Music That Reduces Anxiet

    Music also can have a calming effect. Certain songs can distract us while also decreasing our levels of stress hormones. But what songs are the most soothing?

    Here are a few of the most popular responses. Some people named specific songs. Others cited their favorite artists. What do you think? What do you listen to when you want to calm down?

    It would be a good idea to create a playlist of music to de-stress as needed.
     
    Stress Relief Songs: Music That Reduces Anxiet 2017-11-09 06:00:00Z 0

    Program:  How to Make Stress Your Friend

    Stress. It makes your heart pound, your breathing quicken and your forehead sweat. But while stress has been made into a public health enemy, new research suggests that stress may only be bad for you if you believe that to be the case. Psychologist Kelly McGonigal urges us to see stress as a positive, and introduces us to an unsung mechanism for stress reduction: reaching out to others.
     
     
    Program: How to Make Stress Your Friend 2017-11-09 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Youth Exchange Interviews

    WHEN:  Saturday December 2nd, from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm
    WhERE:  San Jacinto College South (on Beamer)
     

    Rotary Youth Exchange builds peace one young person at a time.

    Students learn a new language, discover another culture, and truly become global citizens. Exchanges for students 15 to 19 years old are sponsored by Rotary clubs in more than 100 countries.

    What are the benefits?

    Exchange students unlock their true potential to:

    • Develop lifelong leadership skills
    • Learn a new language and culture
    • Build lasting friendships with young people from around the world
    • Become a global citizen

    How long do exchanges last?

    Long-term exchanges last a full academic year, and students attend local schools and live with multiple host families.

    Short-term exchanges last from several days to three months and are often structured as camps, tours, or homestays that take place when school is not in session.

    What are the costs?

    Room and board are provided, as well as any school fees. Each program varies, but students are usually responsible for:

    • Round-trip airfare
    • Travel insurance
    • Travel documents (such as passports and visas)
    • Spending money and any additional travel or tours
    If you know a student who would like to complete the application process, please contact President Wind Nguyen.
     
    Also, if you would like to volunteer to interview the candidates for the RYE Program, please contact:  alanwylie4@gmail.com
    Rotary Youth Exchange Interviews 2017-11-09 06:00:00Z 0

    Volunteer Opportunity @ NAM

    Northwest Assistance Ministries (NAM) is in need of volunteers to assist in their Thanksgiving food distribution program.
     
    Volunteers are needed to sort food on November 14th and 16th from 5 to 7 PM.
     
    Volunteers are also needed to distribute food on November 18th from either 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM or 12:30 PM to 4 PM, and
    on November 20th from 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM.
     
    If you, a friend, or someone in your family would like to volunteer,
    Please contact David Smith (Willowbrook Rotary Club) at 832-563-9820 ASAP.  
    Volunteer Opportunity @ NAM 2017-11-09 06:00:00Z 0

    Support Needed for Club Projects

    Our club is designed to keep costs of membership low, yet we still are involved in Rotary International because we want to make a difference in our community and make this world a better place.  We need your support for club projects and our commitment to eradicate polio.  Hre are the links so facilitate giving to our club, college scholarships for students in Nicaragua (students from the pool of "Children of the Dump", and to donate to end polio.
     
    Rotary e-Club of Houston
    https://www.razoo.com/organization/Rotary-E-Club-Of-Houston-Texas-Usa
     
    Children of the dump Campaign
    https://www.razoo.com/story/Change-The-World-Through-Education
     
    Ride To End Polio Campaign
    https://www.razoo.com/story/Endpolio#
     
    Shopping online through Amazon?  We are very thankful for your support!  Please choose Rotary e-Club Houston to be your charity by selecting this link -  https://smile.amazon.com/ref//navm_hdr_logo.  Help Rotary when you shop online this season.
     
    Thank you for your support!  Consider donating in the name of a family member, friend, or business associate during the holidays in lieu of a gift this year. 
    Support Needed for Club Projects 2017-11-09 06:00:00Z 0
    Inspirational Music - Change by Carrie Underwood 2017-10-23 05:00:00Z 0

    Program - Ideas Worth Spreading About Hope

    About our Speaker:  Sherwin Nuland, a surgeon and a writer, meditates on the idea of hope -- the desire to become our better selves and make a better world. It's a thoughtful 12 minutes that will help you focus on the road ahead. This was filmed following Dr. Nuland's attendance at a Ted Conference in 2003. 
     
     
    What do you hope for in the near future?  Many Rotarians hope to succeed in the eradication of polio and hope to participate in a worldwide celebration of no more cases of polio for future generations.  Hope may be collective, as the common dream to eradicate polio, or it may be personal.   

    Is hoping a good thing? In some aspects it is. It at least gives you strength or a reason to keep moving forward. If you didn’t at least think that there is some light at the end of the tunnel, you may decide to stop walking. On the other hand, hoping alone might not get you very far. You can hope for a better life but until you roll up your sleeves and get to work on creating a better future, chances are, it’s not going to just magically happen. We need to identify what we hope for and then search for an action plan to create the reality.  Hope can be a huge task, such as eradicating polio from the entire world, or it can be on a smaller scale, such as hoping to be accepted to college.  Rotarians often provide the means to change hope into reality.  Listen for what others share of their hopes and dreams, and explore options for changing lives and making dreams come true.

     

    Program - Ideas Worth Spreading About Hope 2017-10-23 05:00:00Z 0

    WORLD POLIO DAY - OCTOBER 24th

    For the first time, Rotary’s World Polio Day celebration heads to the West Coast of the United States. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one of our partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, will host the annual event at its campus in downtown Seattle, Washington, on 24 October. You can watch the event live at 14:30 Seattle time (UTC-7) or view a recording later.

    Sue Desmond-Hellmann, the Gates Foundation’s chief executive, will brief the supporters who attend — as well as the global audience watching via livestream — on progress in the eradication campaign. Only 11 new cases of polio caused by wild poliovirus have been reported this year, all in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

    At the 2017 Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, Bill Gates renewed and increased his foundation’s pledge to match, 2-to-1, all contributions to The Rotary Foundation that are designated for polio eradication efforts. Rotary’s commitments and pledges from world governments and corporate donors, counted along with the Gates Foundation’s pledge, have made the campaign to eliminate polio worldwide $1.3 billion stronger.

    Other speakers at this year’s World Polio Day event include Jay Wenger, director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s polio eradication efforts; Dean Rohrs, vice president of Rotary International; John Cena and Tiwa Savage, Rotary polio ambassadors; Ade Adepitan, a Paralympian and polio survivor; and Jeffrey Kluger, senior editor at Time magazine overseeing science and health reporting.

    Attendees may also draw inspiration from the setting — the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation headquarters, near Seattle’s iconic Space Needle.

    Last year, Rotarians in more than 90 countries registered over 1,400 events and fundraisers to mark World Polio Day in their communities and draw attention to Rotary’s leadership in the fight against polio. With your contributions and advocacy, as well as the Gates Foundation match, we’re aiming to raise $250,000 during this year’s celebration.  Rotary clubs across the globe have already registered more than 700 events.

    WORLD POLIO DAY - OCTOBER 24th 2017-10-23 05:00:00Z 0

    In Celebration of World Polio Day

    World Polio Day (24 October) was established by Rotary International to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against poliomyelitis.
    In Celebration of World Polio Day What is Today? 2017-10-23 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Cares - Backpacks for CFISD Students

     From West Virginia, the Summersville Rotary Club  loaded 1,200 backpacks with school supplies on a UHAUL truck and Rtn. Keith Butcher drove the truck straight to Houston in 23 hours. This morning at 10:00 am he delivered the backpacks to CFISD (the loading dock at the Berry Center). 
    Leslie Francis, CFISD Community Outreach, arranged for helpers at the Berry Center to unload the truck along with a representative of CFISD.
    Rtn. Keith Butcher is a member of the Rotary Club of Summersville who is now working as a visiting professor at the University of Houston.  He organized the effort of his club, partnering with the Rotary Club of Cy-Fair, a relief project called, "Backpacks for Houston".  They have provided students in Cy Fair ISD affected by Hurricane Harvey with new backpacks filled with school supplies. 
            
    Rotary Cares - Backpacks for CFISD Students 2017-10-23 05:00:00Z 0

    DISTRICT MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING TONIGHT

    Meeting Date & Time:  TONIGHT, Monday, OCTOBER 23rd, 6:30PM (let's arrive at 6:00PM and order food/drinks).  
     
    Venue:            Fratelli's Ristorante  
                            1330 Wirt Road
                           Houston, Texas 77055
                           713-263-0022
     
    Growing Rotary enables us to do more good in our communities and the world.  Attendance at the D5890 Membership Meeting is a great opportunity to bond with your club's Area Membership Chair (AMC) & other district leaders.
    Speaker - Tom English, AMC & Past President, Rotary Club of Houston Heights
     
    Topic - Building a Diverse Club
    Clubs must be healthy in all areas to be classified as a vibrant club, and that includes diversity.  Bringing together professionals from different industries, ethnicities, ages, genders, and cultures not only increases membership, but will also boost your club's capacity to serve locally and globally.  Tom will discuss in detail the steps in building a diverse club.
     
    We look forward to the attendance of at least one (1) representative from your club.  
     
    Yours in Rotary service,
    Ann Wright
    D5890 Membership Committee Vice Chair
    2014-2018
    832-647-4700 - Cell
    awright_tmg@yahoo.com
     
    Derrill Painter
    D5890 Membership Committee Chair
    2016-2018
    832-473-5729 - Cell
    derpaint@yahoo.com
            
    DISTRICT MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING TONIGHT Ann Wright 2017-10-23 05:00:00Z 0

    Books for the World Deliver to Kenya

    PDG Charlie Clemmons has shared that Books for the World has received confirmation from Kenya that the first container of books has been joyfully received.  PDG Charlie and his wife (also Rotarian) Barbara Clemmons served as the RI Representative to the District Conference in Mombasa in 2004 and have been attempting to accomplish sending books since their introduction to Kenya.  An earlier attempt some years ago  was aborted because of a demand to pay bribes in the Port of Mombasa.  This time the delivery was successful to the kids in Kenya with the assistance of Pastor Joe who will soon be in Texas .  If you encounter him, please congratulate him on his persistence.
     
    Here are pictures from Kenya:
    Books for the World Deliver to Kenya 2017-10-20 05:00:00Z 0

    About the Rotary E-Club of WASH

    The District 9980 WASH E-Club supports the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group (WASRAG) in facilitating happier,
    healthier lives and sustainably strengthening futures.  All our speakers will tend to be WASH relevant. They will often be world-leading thinkers and researchers or highly field-experienced.
    The following program is about an hour in length.  Please listen to all or part of it as your time permits.
     
    About the Rotary E-Club of WASH 2017-10-20 05:00:00Z 0
    Music to Make a Point - f Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" was about Food Waste 2017-10-20 05:00:00Z 0

    Hurricane Harvey by the Numbers

    Debris Collection in Houston -
    The City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department has completed the first round of debris collection across Houston.  Since August 30th, SWM crews have diligently worked to help clear debris from affected areas.  The second pass will continue through December 1st, and residents should properly separate their debris. Visit https://houstonrecovers.org/debris-first-pass/ for information.
     
    The total debris collected so far would fill 365 Olympic size swimming pools.
    The total debris collected so far would fill 8,954 buses.
    Trucks collecting debris today in Houston (Source: Solid Waste Management) = 223.
     
    Office Space for Displaced BusinessPosted in: Business Recovery, Business Updates, Recovery on October 13, 2017

    To assist those affected by Hurricane Harvey and expedite the recovery process, the City of Houston would like to help connect displaced businesses with free working/office space opportunities.

    If you are a business that has been physically displaced by Hurricane Harvey, or you are an organization with working or office space that can be made available for at least 30 days, we would like to hear from you.

    Interested parties should respond via email to carnell.emanuel@houstontx.gov, or by completing a response form found here.

    Disaster Aid USA Deployment Summary (Harvey) -

    • Pre-storm filled sandbags (too many to count) and delivered to houses in need in several areas of Texas and Louisiana.
    • During the storm, DAUSA was present and an active member of all homeland security and emergency management meetings (invitation only meetings).
    • Mayors, parish, County administration and emergency personnel know who Disaster Aid USA and Rotary are and their ability to respond.
    • Directly after storm and partially still during storm, Louisiana response boat went to Orange Texas and Katy Texas to help with recovery of people and animals from the flood waters. Carried children through flood waters and taking boat loads to evacuee centers.
    • Arranged and helped managed several distribution points for intake and distribution of supplies.
    • Handed out over 1000 Sawyer Filters (Donated by Sawyer!) to families without water (huge thanks to the Beaumont Texas Rotarians).
    • Distributed 1400 lbs of mosquito lotion and spray repellent, (donated by Sawyer) and being distributed by Beaumont area Rotarians.
    • Chainsaw crews cleared roads and then helped to gut houses. They also cleared several large drainage ditches with trees blocking flow.
    • Arranged for over 30 volunteers to set up shelters and help with intake of evacuees.
    • 3 teams were gutting houses in the Houston area.
    • 1 team in Orange Texas and 1 team in Southwest LA were gutting houses.
    • DAUSA’s commercial house drying unit went from house to house after gutting. This was donated by a Rotarian form California we met at the Atlanta Rotary International Convention.
    • Some teams are using large dehumidifiers and fans to dry houses after gutting, while other teams are spraying mold killing agents.
    • Another California Rotarian drove a 4×4 Suburban and a trailer cross country loaded with supplies and now has donated the 4×4 Suburban to DAUSA and will fly (incredible gifts from Rotarians a 1000 miles away).
    • DAUSA’s Executive Director (Larry Agee) arranged a district 6200 (South Louisiana) work day in the Beaumont TX Area in coordination with their District to get as many teams in the field as possible.
     
    Hurricane Harvey by the Numbers City Hall/Houston 2017-10-20 05:00:00Z 0

    Inspirational Music - Julia Cole "Be Someone"

    Julia Cole is a Houston native whose music blends soul, country, pop and rock.  This singer hails from NW Houston and wanted to use her music to help Houston following Hurricane Harvey.  The proceeds to to J.J. Watt's Fundraiser.  Julia Cole now lives in Nashville to further her music career.

    The Houston Texans incite a flurry of emotions in local fans: pride, hope, joy. Heart palpitations when it comes to defensive end J.J. Watt.

    But for Julia Cole, the hometown team inspired a new career path.

    "I started out playing every sport known to man. I was a super-involved athlete, and that was what I was really focused on," Cole, 20, says. She played basketball, volleyball and track at Klein High School. But amid the spikes and finish lines, another talent emerged.

     

    "My teammates and coaches would hear me humming and singing. They were like, 'You should sing the national anthem before our games.' It grew to all the varsity sporting events at my school," Cole says. "My volleyball coach encouraged me to enter a contest to sing it for the Texans. I ended up winning.

     

    "This was my junior year in high school, before I was writing my own songs or truly focusing on it. But after singing in front of 75,000 people in Reliant Stadium at a sold-out season closer (on Jan. 2, 2011), I was absolutely in love with the experience. I knew that singing was what I needed to do for the rest of my life."

    Inspirational Music - Julia Cole "Be Someone" 2017-10-20 05:00:00Z 0

    The Rise of Mindful Consumption

    Örn Bárður Jónsson feared that his country had lost its way. The Icelandic government had just approved the sale of the nation’s complete genetic profile to a corporation that would make it available to researchers at drug companies. As the global real-estate bubble inflated, Iceland’s historically cautious consumers were financing luxurious lifestyles by taking out massive loans from local banks that had thrown credit standards out the window. In Iceland, as in so many other countries around the world, most assumed that the party would go on forever.

    A Lutheran minister by profession and a writer by passion, Örn thought about his countrymen’s sudden obsession with money and sat down to write a fable, “Export Mountains Inc.” Published in the Reykjavik daily Morgunbladid, his essay described a mythical scheme to sell Mt. Esja, the iconic peak that’s visible from Reykjavik and defines the national landscape. Mt. Esja is so important to the Icelandic psyche that parents name their children after it. Selling it would be unthinkable to Icelanders, just as auctioning off the Statue of Liberty would be to Americans.

    Then the government released a study suggesting that it would be feasible to separate the mountain from its bedrock and tow it to mainland Europe, where it could be used to fill lowland areas prone to floods. Faced with this intriguing challenge, Örn wrote, Icelandic entrepreneurs founded a company called Export Mountains and launched a marketing campaign based on this catchy slogan: “Go, sell ’em all the mountains.”

    In Örn’s fable, there was drilling and sawing around the clock. Slowly, Mt. Esja budged from its bedrock and ships pulled it out to sea. Disaster struck somewhere south of the Faroe Islands, where the mountain capsized and sank. The buyers on the mainland canceled their €1 billion check. And as foreign investors balked, Örn asked who would be “crazy enough to invest in the nonsense of a nonsensical nation.”

    Last March, I met Örn in the sanctuary at his local parish church in Reykjavik. Warmly colored light streamed in through stained-glass windows positioned to maximize the precious few sunbeams that fall on the world’s northernmost capital. Icelanders are often confronted with forces beyond their control, including a harsh climate, active volcanoes that fill the sky with smoke, and earthquakes that make the ground shake. During the bubble years, Örn argued, Icelanders lost touch with the humility taught by an unrelenting natural environment. “We went a little crazy,” he told me.

    The Rise of Mindful Consumption John Germeza, Chairman BAV Consulting 2017-10-20 05:00:00Z 0

    General Meeting - Saturday, October 21st

    A General Meeting of the Rotary e-Club of Houston will be held at 11 am CDT at the Trini Mendenhall Sosa Community Center located at 1414 Wirt Road in Houston, Texas. 
    General Meeting - Saturday, October 21st 2017-10-20 05:00:00Z 0

    Program:  A Perspective on Mental Health in Africa

    When stress got to be too much for TED Fellow Sangu Delle, he had to confront his own deep prejudice: that men shouldn't take care of their mental health. In a personal talk, Delle shares how he learned to handle anxiety in a society that's uncomfortable with emotions. As he says: "Being honest about how we feel doesn't make us weak -- it makes us human."
     
    Sangu Delle is an entrepreneur and clean water activist. A TED Fellow who hails from Ghana, he sees incredible potential in the African economy.

    Filmed

    February 2017 at TEDLagos Ideas Search
    Program:  A Perspective on Mental Health in Africa 2017-10-10 05:00:00Z 0

    Disaster Aid USA Report

    Disaster Aid USA and our partner local Rotary Clubs and local VOAD partners have Mucked and Gutted over 100 homes. Starting with Coles Crossing on the west side to helping the Rotary Club of Katy,  From Bellaire to Wharton we have been on the run and having fun. Whats a little dust and dirt as we help both Rotarians and non Rotarians clean out their homes.  We mostly look for the uninsured and the underserved. We focused on the elderly and those unable to handle the stress and work load of mucking and gutting and in some cases ripping all items out of their homes .
     
    Rotarian Mark Mathews from La Mesa Calf   and his wife Nancy have helped lead the charge by going out everyday.  They have been in Houston for over a month. Mark and Nancy have trained the local Rotarians on proper Muck and Gut to the higher level of home remediation techniques.
    Leaving the home clean and contractor ready for repair.  Mark and Nancy have donated the drying trailer to DAUSA and it will be available for all water remediation tasks.  

    We have dried out over 20 homes to date. A professional service charges on the average $15,000 for this service. All done for free by your local Rotarians and Disater Aid USA.
     
    FedEx planned a worked day with over 60 FedEx employees.. Disaster Aid USA and our Communication Chair Patrick Lesley liaison the two groups proving homes for Fed Ex to help clean out. Mark and DAUSA were featured on Fed Ex TV for providing our knowledge of the effective area and home repair and clean up techniques.
     
    Want your club to be a trained Strike Team, trained on Muck and Gut, simple home repairs and remediation teachings?  Schedule DAUSA to come and speak at your club.
     
    A special thanks to the following Rotarians for stepping up and putting up with the madness. Rebecca Maddox, Irene Hickey, Ed Charlesworth, Greg Faldyn, Kent Hutchison, Angela Small, Charles Touchton, Graham Sharp. There were scores of Rotarians who came out daily and the names would be to long to list. The names above took a Chair role in this deployment and my simple thanks is not enough.

    A public "Thank You"  is much over due as we came together as a Disaster Committee to do "Service Above Self".  A special thanks to the Katy Club and President Jeff Thompson who lead by example and formed their own Strike Team that kept us busy working on homes in their area.
     
    Second phase is now Recovery and DAUSA has Donor money to partner with fellow Clubs as we will interview worthy candidates that fall through the cracks of FEMA and the SBA loan process . DAUSA will repair or replace Air Condition Units. Replace essential appliances and even help rewire and up grade the plumbing in homes if needed. Roof repair is also an option on the table.
     
    PDG Ed Charlesworth home hosted Rotarian Ashley Checa from Indiana who assisted with clean up from September 19th until September 22nd.  On Friday, September 22, Ed provided dinner for the work crew members who had worked hard all week. 
     
    Rotary e-club of Houston is proud to recognize the dedicated volunteers who have given of their time to assist with this major clean-up project following the devastation from Hurricane Harvey.
     
     
    Disaster Aid USA Report Wayne Beaumier 2017-10-10 05:00:00Z 0

    Kansas District 5710 Responds With Help for SouthTexas

    District 5710 was proudly quick to respond with assistance for our Texas neighbors after the effects of Hurricane Harvey.

    While we all know that Rotary is not a disaster relief agency, Kansas’ District 5710 is fortunate to house an agency that is. Lenexa-based Heart to Heart International was founded 25 years ago by Rotarians ̧ and several Rotarians are current executives and board members.  Rotary Clubs in District 5710 are strong advocates of Heart to Heart and have continued Rotary’s commitment since its inception through volunteer programs to build hygiene kits, mission trips to Guatemala, Haiti, Uganda and other countries while making signicant monetary donations especially during challenging times.

    District 5710’s effort for Hurricane Harvey relief was two-fold. First, the Lenexa Rotary Club organized a hygiene kit assembly effort. In concert with several other area vclubs and Interact clubs, thousands of kits were quickly on their way to Heart to Heart staff, already on the ground in hard- hit Texas areas. All volunteer spots for the warehouse effort booked within 24 hours!

    Secondly, the district leadership pledged to match a fundraising target of $5.00 per district member. In good faith of our members’ generosity, the district’s portion (nearly $12,000) was mailed within 48 hours of executive committee approval. And then the clubs went to work!

    Clubs large and small were eager for the opportunity, under Rotary’s broad umbrella, to be immediately making a difference in communities of dire need. In most cases, the $5.00/member target was happily eclipsed, with clubs tallying double, triple, and even more than ve-fold that amount.

    “Heart to Heart International was created 25 years ago with the help of Rotary clubs in the Kansas City area, and we continue to be a signi cant medical responder to disasters around the world. At this time, our focus is close to home...helping people in the U.S., as well as the Caribbean, recover from devastating hurricanes. Only with the nancial support and volunteers from groups like Rotary are we able to accomplish so much,” said Jim Mitchum CEO of Heart to Heart.

    The Village West club expanded their fundraising effort by posting volunteers at the Labor Day weekend games of their local minor league baseball team, the Kansas City T-Bones. While every nickel counted, perhaps the most noteworthy donation came from the actor Bill Murray.  Murray is co-owner of the visiting club, the St. Paul Saints (who did lose to the home team on that beautiful afternoon). When asked to pose for a photo with club members, Murray quipped, unprompted, that it would certainly be “fair for all concerned!”

     

    Kansas District 5710 Responds With Help for SouthTexas Adan Ehlert, DG D5710 2017-10-10 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Gulf Disaster Relief Fund Established

    A Rotary Foundation donor advised fund has been created to streamline the flow of contributions from Rotarians looking to assist victims of Hurricane Harvey. The fund was established by Rotary President Elect Barry Rassin and Past RI Director Greg Podd. A committee will be selected to manage the fund.

    Damage from Hurricane Harvey is predicted to as much as $160 billion, making it the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history “The fund advisors will be working with local Rotary clubs and districts, as well as relief agencies, to address the needs of people in affected areas, “ Podd said. “Cities like Rockport, Texas have been completely destroyed. Over 3.7 million people have left the Greater Houston area in the evacuation effort,” he said.

    Whenever possible, grants from the relief fund will be made to organizations that directly support the needs of individuals and communities through the Rotary volunteer structure and other aid organizations. Nearly 100 % of contributions will be granted to IRS-approved charitable organizations that are helping to provide relief and recovery.

    Contributions can be made by check, credit card, via wired funds or stock transfer. However, they are not eligible for Paul Harris or Major Donor recognition. To learn how to donate to the Rotary Gulf Disaster Relief Fund, go to the following link: https://www.rotary.org/en/rotary-districts-collect-emergency-funds-hurricane-harvey-victims

    Rotary Gulf Disaster Relief Fund Established 2017-10-10 05:00:00Z 0

    DISTRICT 5890 FOUNDATION SEMINAR - OCTOBER 14TH

    Saturday, October 14, 2017 is the date. The Houston Community College – West Loop Campus, 5601 West Loop South, Houston, TX 77081 is the place.
     
    The seminar will begin promptly at 8:30 AM, and will end no later than 12:15 PM. Doors open at 7:45 AM, complete with breakfast.
     
    A mixture of large group and break-out sessions will provide Rotarians opportunities to expand their Rotary Foundation knowledge as well as share ideas about topics ranging from handling District Grants to improving Legacy Donor opportunities.
     
    We will also be addressing Harvey relief efforts. This will include the “Big News” that District 5890 will be awarding additional District Grants. Normally this would not be possible as the Rotary Foundation has already acted on our District Grant application. However, upon our request the Rotary Foundation deviated from its standard procedures to help us address Harvey’s effects in our communities. The details will be announced at the seminar.
     
    By the way, donations to the Rotary Foundation made at the seminar will generate additional Paul Harris recognition points. Those recognition points earned from the donations will be matched one to one. You do not know about Paul Harris recognition points? We will cover that subject during the Rotary 101 session.
     
    Registration is $15. If you plan to pay by check at the door, choose the pay by mail option when you register. The link to register is https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Event/district-5890-foundation-seminar.
     
    Contact me if you have any questions.
     
    Wally Kronzer
     
    Wally Kronzer
    District Rotary Foundation Chair, 2016-2019
    District 5890 (Texas, USA)
    mobile 832-723-5766
    rotary@kronzer.com
    DISTRICT 5890 FOUNDATION SEMINAR - OCTOBER 14TH 2017-10-10 05:00:00Z 0

    A LIFE CHANGING TRIP TO NICARAGUA

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                               I hope you will join us for our December, 2017 trip to Nicaragua. We will be  leaving from Houston on Wednesday, December 13th on United flight # UA1421, at 4:20 p.m. and arriving in Managua at 7:30 p.m.
    We will return from Managua on Wednesday December 20th on United flight # UA1423 leaving Managua at 7:50 a.m. and arriving in Houston at 11:10 a.m.
     
    Getting group rates for tickets has gotten increasingly difficult.  People are coming from so many different places and usually you can get much better prices on line than we can get as a group rate.  So we are asking everyone to buy your own tickets directly but, you must coordinate your arrival and departure to match within an hour or so of the United flights shown above.  I know that American and some others have flights through Miami which closely match this schedule.  The ground travel, meals and hotel charges will be $775.00 per person (double occupancy in hotels). Add $210.00 per person if you require a private room. We will co-ordinate all of this as we always have in the past. If you will be on flights other than these United flights Please send me a copy of your tickets so that we will know when to meet you. Payments and sign-up sheets for this should be sent to:
     
                Hope & Relief International Foundation, Inc.
                10700 Gerke Rd.
                Brenham, Texas 77833
                      Fax  979-836-0614
     
    We will schedule everyone on a first come, first served, basis as of the date we receive your payment.  NO ONE will be scheduled before payment is received.  Attached is a reservation form which should be sent in by EVERYONE, with the information and your payment. Please provide ALL the information. In order to secure all the hotel reservations we need to have your registration by November 3,2017 or we will not be able to be sure that we can have hotel reservations for you. We will be staying at the same hotel in Managua that we have stayed at in the past few trips and our cut-off date for reservations is November3, 2017. This is a new and very nice hotel. AFTER THIS DATE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET ADDITIONAL RESERVATIONS.
     
    Remember this is a tropical climate so dress accordingly. Jeans and shorts are great but you need to not wear sandals or open toe shoes when we visit the dump and the more rural areas. We will be staying part of the time at a beach resort so remember to pack your swimsuit, etc. A copy of our planned itinerary will be sent nearer to our departure date to all those registered for the trip. Remember that you will need a passport that is not within 6 months of expiring and please use the name exactly as it is on the passport for your plane tickets and on the registration form that you send us. We will need a completed registration form with up to date information.
     
    We are planning on a large group and we really hope you can go with us.  Please let me know and call me if you have questions.
    Jim Kite
    home ph. 979-251-8225, cell ph. 979-251-0840
    e-mail jimkite@sbcglobal.net
    A LIFE CHANGING TRIP TO NICARAGUA Sandy Kite 2017-10-10 05:00:00Z 0

    Hurricane Harvey Relief Efforts

    District 5890 -
    Relax, Cook, Play, Drink and Have FUN with your fellow Rotarians from District 5890 while raising money for Harvey Relief Efforts:
     
    Attention to all players and chefs! The Rotary District 5890 Rag ball tournament and Food fest is rapidly approaching. Get your teams together and represent your Rotary club in this year's friendly competition. Do you think your team is the best? Well you have to participate to know. The date is Saturday, October 21, 2017 at North Shore Park, 14440 Wallisville Road, Houston, Tx 77049. It will start at 9 am. We will have a rag ball tournament. (A rag ball is just a softer softball, so as to not cause any injury to those of us not used to playing regularly.) There will be brackets and playing against the other teams to find the top 3. Cost per team is $200 plus umpire fees. We will have a Food Fest where your Rotary Club team will show off your best food bite or beverage in a crowd’s choice winner for the best serving and showmanship. Cost per booth is $25. Voting will be by donations to your booth. All proceeds from these events will go toward Harvey relief efforts throughout our district.
     
    Get your registration forms from the district website, find them attached, or from your club president. Contact Danna Lemmon 713-410-5352 for more information. You can register on line or by email or fax. The deadline to register your team is Friday, October 13, 2017. Is your club the best? Well sign up and come out and show us. Help us raise funds for the Harvey relief effort and have a good time with your fellow Rotarians of District 5890. Hope to see you there!
     
    Hurricane Harvey Relief Efforts 2017-10-06 05:00:00Z 0

    Outpouring of Support from the Family of Rotary

    Rotary Club of Eastwood )Adelaide, South Australia) - "The club just wanted to let you to know  that we are thinking of you as our friends in Rotary and hope you get through these difficult times in the best possible way.  Good luck and God bless."
     
    Rotary e-Club Francophone - Thank you for your inquiries of our well-being for club members and properties!  Also, we appreciate your involvement in our emergency planning meeting held earlier today to begin planning our emergency response plan for the Houston area.
     
    Rotarians from West Pennsylvania - Thank you for your expressed concern and interest to help!
     
    ROTARY DISTRICT 5610 - DG Steve Harrington  is looking into flood relief assistance.  Thank you!
     
    Berlin Rotary in New Jersey - Asks for needs assessment and declares that they want to help.  Message from VP Stephen Clyde.  Thanks!
     
    Covington Rotary Club in Louisiana - Started a gofundme page for District 5890.  Thank you!
     
    And the list grows!  Thank you to all of our fellow Rotarians and friends who have reached out to our club and our district with expressions of concern and sympathy, lifting up prayers, and offering  fundraising for relief efforts!  The devastating effects of Harvey have impacted Rotarians amongst many in our communities and it will take quite some time to stabilize our family life, professional life, schools, infrastructure, sports fields, and everything about daily life that had been taken for granted prior to the storm. 
     
    Outpouring of Support from the Family of Rotary 2017-08-31 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  How your pictures can help reclaim lost history

    Digital archaeologist Chance Coughenour is using pictures -- your pictures -- to reclaim antiquities that have been lost to conflict and disaster. After crowdsourcing photographs of destroyed monuments, museums and artifacts, Coughenour uses advanced technology called photogrammetry to create 3D reconstructions, preserving the memory of our global, shared, human heritage. Find out more about how you can help celebrate and safeguard history that's being lost.

     

    This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxHamburg, an independent event. TED editors featured it among our selections on the home page.

     
    This idea may also be relevant for the many families affected by Hurricane Harvey who have lost family photos due to flooding in their homes.  Photos touch emotions and tap memories and are a significant loss when lost due to fire or floods.  Hopefully, extended family will be able to share and help re-create photo album from the years to replace what has been lost.  Not the highest priority, yet something which may give hope to those who are beginning to face the reality of what has been lost. 
     
    Weekly Program: How your pictures can help reclaim lost history 2017-08-31 05:00:00Z 0

    Four Fast Facts about Wine Barrels

    1.  A person who makes oak barrels is called a cooper and his workshop is called a cooperage.
    2.  During oak aging, tannins and flavors are added to the wine through contact with the barrel.
    3.  Barrels are called barriques in France, but winemakers in Italy and Germany have also borrowed this term.
    4.  There are 3 main types of oak - French, American and Hungarian/Eastern European Oak. At Messina Hof, we have French and American oak.
    Four Fast Facts about Wine Barrels Messina Hof Winergy 2017-08-31 05:00:00Z 0

    DISTRICT GOVERNOR BILL PALKO'S MESSAGE

    I pray this email finds you and yours safe and sound.  I know that many in our family of Rotary have suffered property damage and loss.  Our district is mobilizing to assist those of you in need.   
     
    Disaster Aid USA under the leadership of Wayne Beaumier, Patrick Lesley, Graham Sharp and others has already deployed and is working on Rotarian Bill Hall’s flooded home.  Other Rotarian’s homes are on the list for help.  Volunteers are needed and may go through Patrick Lesley to sign up to work where needed.
     
    Fund raising for assistance to our district is on the top of our list as we will need money to assist our fellow Rotarians and Houstonians (Houstonians is to include as far out as our district reaches not just the city limits of Houston).
     
    As of now we have 3 fund raising efforts in affect.  First, we are accepting funds directly into our district via our own 501c3, Rotary District 5890 Charities, Inc.  Secondly, we are encouraging donations be made to Disaster Aid USA, Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund.  And finally, through RI President Elect Barry Rassin and PRI Directors Greg Podd and Bob Stuart, the Gulf Coast Disaster Relief Donor Advised Fund (Fund # 608) has been set up at the Rotary Foundation.  This DAF will be used for donations from Rotary districts, clubs, club foundations and members worldwide that want to contribute to Gulf Coast disaster aid.  The Fund will benefit the three Rotary Districts hit directly by Harvey.  Our Houston District 5890.  Galveston District 5910 and Corpus Christi/South Texas District 5930.
     
    Please see the two attachments for information on how to donate directly to Rotary District 5890 Charities, Inc (EIN # 76-0569758) and Disaster Aid USA.  More information will be forthcoming on the Disaster Aid Donor Advised Fund.  Please share our Charities and Disaster Aid information with anyone that is in contact with you seeking ways to assist our district and Houston with disaster relief.
     
    I am delighted to report that I have been inundated with offers of assistance from Rotary Districts, Clubs and Rotarians from every corner of the globe.  We truly are a Family or Rotary and the greatest service organization in the world.  Rotarians everywhere stand ready to serve us!  What a family!
     
    As we further develop our district plan for assistance and help, more information will be forthcoming.  Please remember that many of our roads are still not safe for travel. Please do not attempt to drive through any standing water.  That’s never a safe choice.  Be safe.
     
    Yours in Rotary Service,
    2017-18 District Governor Bill Palko
    Houston Rotary District 5890
    Cell: 713-582-7235
    T1718EN_Lockup-R_PMS-C
     
    DISTRICT GOVERNOR BILL PALKO'S MESSAGE 2017-08-31 05:00:00Z 0

    President's Message - Hurricane Harvey Shelters

    Posted on Aug 28, 2017
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    Dear Rotarians & Friends,
     
    For those of us that have been affected by Hurricane Harvey, I'll pray for you and your family safety. In time like these, I encourage you all to reach out to fellow Rotarians for help or to check-up on them and let them know someone out there is thinking about their safety. The magnitude of this hurricane destruction has not ended, and there's still tornadoes warning out there. If you need information and it's not an emergency, please call 311 hotlines. Below is a link to shelters if you need to evacuate on foot.    
     

    List of Hurricane Harvey shelters around Houston area: http://abc13.com/weather/list-of-shelters-around-houston-area/2341032/

    As an ambassador of Disaster Aid USA, we will dispatch a team to help clear debris soon. IF YOU LIKE TO DONATE TO OUR HURRICANE HARVEY RELIEF FUND, PLEASE CLICK TO THE LINK BELOW, AND ADD "HURRICANE HARVEY" ON THE PAYMENT NOTE: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=oPGV7-lswwnn54--dQ0lPWfj-7ipeLsTP9t5f9p3L70CXnByEssFpVovX5_e5pDhyBaaKG&country.x=US&locale.x=

     
    Please stay safe and dry,
     
     
    NGUYEN T. NGUYEN
    Rotary e-Club of Houston - President 
    Disaster Aid USA - Ambassador 

    Cell: (281) 827-5787  | Office: (731) 577-9463

    President's Message - Hurricane Harvey Shelters 2017-08-28 05:00:00Z 0

    CANCELLED EVENTS DUE TO HURRICANE HARVEY

    ALL=CLUB LUNCHEON MEETING - CANCELLED
     
    ZONE INSTITUTE - CANCELLED 
     
    If you registered and paid to attend Zone Institute, you will receive a refund directly from Zone Institute. If you registered and paid for a table or individual seat for the All Club Luncheon, they will be refunding your money as soon as we get back to normal operations at District.  
     
    GULF COAST LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE - CANCELLED
     
    ROTARY FIREFIGHTERS HOME 2nd ANNUAL GALA - CANCELLED
     
     
    CANCELLED EVENTS DUE TO HURRICANE HARVEY 2017-08-25 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - The Secret to Living Longer may be your Social Life

    he Italian island of Sardinia has more than six times as many centenarians as the mainland and ten times as many as North America. Why? According to psychologist Susan Pinker, it's not a sunny disposition or a low-fat, gluten-free diet that keeps the islanders healthy -- it's their emphasis on close personal relationships and face-to-face interactions. Learn more about super longevity as Pinker explains what it takes to live to 100 and beyond.
    About the Speaker - Susan Pinker reveals how in-person social interactions are not only necessary for human happiness but also could be a key to health and longevity.  She is the author of The Village Effect:  How Face-to-Face Contact Can Make us Healthier, Happier and Smarter (Penguin Random House, 2015).
     
    Weekly Program - The Secret to Living Longer may be your Social Life 2017-08-25 05:00:00Z 0

    District 5890 in Path of Hurricane Harvey

    The Houston Patch - August 25, 2017

    Hurricane Harvey is slowly churning in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to make landfall late Friday evening as a major hurricane.

    The National Weather Service is predicting that Harvey, the first hurricane to hit the Texas coast since 2008, could strike the coastline as a Category 3 hurricane with winds as high as 130 miles per hour, which could damage trees, power lines and homes.

    By comparison, Hurricane Ike was a Category 2 storm when it struck Galveston Island in September 2008, causing $38 billion in damages and killing dozens of people.

    The National Weather Services has issued Hurricane Warning from Port Mansfield north of South Padre Island, to Matagorda Island, and a Tropical Storm Warning from north of Matagorda, to High Island and Crystal Beach, KTRK reported.

    The constable’s office plans to deploy several 5-ton trucks for potential high-water rescues in the Greater Houston area.

    District 5890 in Path of Hurricane Harvey 2017-08-25 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotary District 5890 All Club Luncheon - September 15th

    Rotary District 5890
    ZONE ALL CLUB LUNCHEON: The Future is Now
    Friday, September 15, 2017
    Featured Keynote Speakers: Rotary International President Elect Sam Owori
    Crowne Plaza near NRG
     
    District 5890 Out of this World Exposition 10:30 – 11:45 a.m.
     
    Luncheon and Presentation 11:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
     
    The Rotary e-Club of Houston and Galleria River Oaks Club have a joint table planned.  If you are interested, contact President wind and send him a check for $75 payable to Galleria River Oaks Rotary Club.  The table is for ten Rotarians.  If you are unable to have a seat at this table, then arrange for your own individual ticket.
     
    Since the meeting is being held with Zone Institute you will need to be registered by Sept 1 in order to attend the event.  You will not be able to walk in and buy a seat or purchase a seat after Sept 1.  In order to enter the Luncheon you will need either a zone badge or a ticket or you will not be allowed to enter the room.
     
    To Register go to Club Runner or the link below:
    https://www.crsadmin.com/EventPortal/Registrations/PublicFill/EventPublicFill.aspx?evtid=f11e0231-8cc0-4e02-a876-61698b0ff77c
    Rotary District 5890 All Club Luncheon - September 15th 2017-08-24 05:00:00Z 0

    District Membership Meeting Cancelled on Monday, August 28th

    The District 5890 Membership Meeting scheduled to convene this coming Monday, August 28th, is CANCELED due to the forecasted weather conditions to impact Houston, the surrounding areas and beyond.
     
    Our next scheduled D5890 Membership Meeting is next month, per September 25th.  See you then!
     
    Stay safe!
     
    Yours in Rotary service,
    Ann Wright
    D5890 Membership Committee Vice Chair
    2014-2018
    832-647-4700 - Cell
    awright_tmg@yahoo.com
     
    Derrill Painter
    D5890 Membership Committee Chair
    2016-2018
    832-473-5729 - Cell
    derpaint@yahoo.com
    District Membership Meeting Cancelled on Monday, August 28th 2017-08-24 05:00:00Z 0

    General Meeting - August 19th

    A General Meeting of the Rotary e-Club Houston was held on August 19, 2017 @ 11:00 AM.  Our new physical meeting place is the Trini Mendenhall Community Center located on Wirt Road in Houston.
     
     
    Our assistant governor, Max Patterson was our speaker, and his topic focused on the current theme for this Rotary's year. Max, is a past president and a member of Galleria River Oak Rotary Club.
     
    NGUYEN T. NGUYEN
    Rotary e-Club of Houston - President
    Disaster Aid USA - Ambassador
    Cell: (281) 827-5787  | Office: (731) 577-9463
    General Meeting - August 19th 2017-08-20 05:00:00Z 0

    Flights & Bites Fundraiser - October 14th

    The first annual Flights and Bites was a huge success it Served Humanity and the Rotary Firefighters home.  Again this year half the net proceeds will go to the Rotary Firefighters home. 

    This home provides our First Responders a place to live while undergoing treatment for cancer. Rotary’s motto is Service Above Self - what better way to emulate this by giving back to our very own first responders who by nature in their job description put “Service Above Self”

    So we are going to do it again October 14 in the Flemings City Center Private Dining Room.  This will sell out so we are offering to all our fellow Rotarians first.  
     
    Ignore the save the date.  The eventbrite registration should be live so sign up before it sells out.
     

    Enjoy an exclusive evening with some of the top brewers in the country while enjoying a 5 course meal prepared by Flemings Prime Steakhouse - Town and Country.

    This will be an evening that you will remember, enjoy this exquisite setting in a private dining room of Flemings Prime Steakhouse - Town and Country. We are working with our partners in brewing to bring special cellar aged very hard to find (or impossible to find) beers which will compliment each course prepared by Flemings.

    We are limiting this event to 110 guests only and we will sell it out, grab your tickets today! As always, with any WWBF event, we we will donate 100% of the net proceeds to charities. Buy tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/flights-bites-2017-tickets-35459453179

    See you there, Cheers from the WWBF crew!

    **expected menu**

    Course 1 - Appetizer course which will be an amazing mushroom ravioli with a porcini butter sauce.

    Course 2 - Salad course - spinach salad with fruit / goat cheese hand made it's amazing with great creaminess.

    Course 3 - Seafood course – Grilled Scallops with risotto, with a very small glaze such that it will not overpower the seafood.

    Course 4 - STEAK! grilled whole tenderloins, with an amazing Kona Coffee rub. Not only does it impart great rich flavor and crust, but it also makes for perfect pairing with just about any dark beer, porter, etc.

    Course 5 - Dessert – will be a surprise!

    Remember, if you attend this fundraiser or another which is sponsored by a Rotary club, it does count as a make-up for a meeting.
    Flights & Bites Fundraiser - October 14th 2017-08-20 05:00:00Z 0
    CANCELLED - District 5890 Social Event - Rotary Night at the Dynamo's 2017-08-16 05:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week:  Total Eclipse of the Heart

    A universal pop song and the universe are about to align.

    Guests aboard the Royal Caribbean's Total Eclipse Cruise have an extra surprise in store for their once-in-a-lifetime viewing experience: Bonnie Tyler, the Welsh songstress of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" fame, will be on board to perform her 1983 hit just as the moon sails across the sun. (The cruise ship will be positioned in the path of totality for this critical moment. “Bonnie Tyler was a natural choice for this once-in-a-lifetime moment," said the president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, Michael Bayley.)

    Tyler's song launched her to stardom and remains a classic today, especially as a karaoke favorite. But this is the first time she'll be performing it during this highly anticipated astronomical event.

    " It’s going to be so exciting," Tyler told TIME, speaking from a brief stopover in Wales. "It doesn't happen very often, does it?"

     
    Song of the Week: Total Eclipse of the Heart 2017-08-16 05:00:00Z 0

    Program:  You Owe It to Yourself to Experience a Total Solar Eclipse

    About the Speaker:  David Baron writes about science in books, magazines, newspapers and for public radio. He formerly served as science correspondent for NPR and science editor for PRI’s The World.
     

    On August 21, 2017, the moon's shadow will race from Oregon to South Carolina in what some consider to be the most awe-inspiring spectacle in all of nature: a total solar eclipse. Umbraphile David Baron chases these rare events across the globe, and in this ode to the bliss of seeing the solar corona, he explains why you owe it to yourself to witness one, too.

     

    This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxMileHigh, an independent event. TED editors featured it among our selections on the home page.

    If you are making the effort to capture this experience, please share your location and experience with the newsletter editor for publication later this month.  Send your comments to Robin Charlesworth at charlesworth@stresscontrol.com.  Thank you!
    Program: You Owe It to Yourself to Experience a Total Solar Eclipse 2017-08-16 05:00:00Z 0

    2018-2019 Rotary International President Selected

    Barry Rassin, of the Rotary Club of East Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International for 2018-19.  Barry replaces the late Sam Owori.  Rassin’s nomination follows Sam F. Owori’s death in July, just two weeks into his term as Rotary International president-elect.
     

    Barry Rassin, of the Rotary Club of East Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International for 2018-19. He will be declared the president-elect on 1 September if no challenging candidates have been suggested.

    As president, Rassin aims to strengthen our public image and our use of digital tools to maximize Rotary’s reach.

    “Those who know what good Rotary clubs do will want to be a part of it, and we must find new models for membership that allow all interested in our mission to participate,” he says. “With Rotary more in the public eye, we will attract more individuals who want to be part of and support a membership organization that accomplishes so much good around the world.”

    Rassin earned an MBA in health and hospital administration from the University of Florida and is the first fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives in the Bahamas. He recently retired after 37 years as president of Doctors Hospital Health System, where he continues to serve as an adviser. He is a lifetime member of the American Hospital Association and has served on several boards, including the Quality Council of the Bahamas, Health Education Council, and Employer’s Confederation.

    A Rotarian since 1980, Rassin has served Rotary as director and is vice chair of The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees. He was an RI training leader and the aide to 2015-16 RI President K.R. Ravindran.

    Rassin received Rotary's highest honor, the Service Above Self Award, as well as other humanitarian awards for his work leading Rotary’s relief efforts in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake there. He and his wife, Esther, are Major Donors and Benefactors of The Rotary Foundation.

    Barry, along with RI General Secretary John Hewko, will be a Keynote Speaker at the All Club Luncheon on Friday, September 15th, 2017.
    District 5890 is hosting the Rotary Zone Institute the week of September 14th-17th.  WE NEED TO SHOW WHY WE ARE THE BEST DISTRICT IN OUR PAIRED ZONES BY HAVING EACH OF OUR CLUBS RESERVE A TABLE FOR THE ALL CLUB LUNCHEON AT THE NRG CROWNE PLAZA AT NOON ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH.  Table sponsorship levels are $750.00 and $1,000.00.  There are a limited number of individual seats available at $58.90 each.  Please go to our district website and reserve a table for your club today!  THE FUTURE IS NOW for District 5890.
    2018-2019 Rotary International President Selected 2017-08-16 05:00:00Z 0

    Board Meeting - Saturday, August 19th @ 10:00 am

    President Wind Nguyen has called for the monthly Board of Directors Meeting to be held at 10:00 am or one hour prior to the General Meeting this coming Saturday.  The meeting will be held at Trini Mendenhall Community Center, 1414 Wirt Road, in Houston, Texas 77055.  Any board members or committee chairmen must contact our club president with agenda items prior to the board meeting.  There will be much to cover and to plan for this year's projects.
    Board Meeting - Saturday, August 19th @ 10:00 am 2017-08-16 05:00:00Z 0

    How great leaders inspire action?

    Posted by Nguyen T. Nguyen
     
     
    Simon Sinek presents a simple but powerful model for how leaders inspire action, starting with a golden circle and the question "Why?" His examples include Apple, Martin Luther King, and the Wright brothers -- and as a counterpoint Tivo, which (until a recent court victory that tripled its stock price) appeared to be struggling.
    How great leaders inspire action? Nguyen T. Nguyen 2017-08-16 05:00:00Z 0

    Multi-Club Gathering August 11th

    WHERE:  Yellow Rose Distilling @ 1224 N. Post Oak Road #100  Houston, TX  77055
     
    Enjoy a tour of the first distillerty inside the Houston city limits and sampling, of course.  Contact Dan Monson @ 713.480.1061. Or
    Dan.Nomson@SentelMortgage.com.  Rotary should be shared - feel free to bring a guest!  They have a Yellow Rose Premium Whiskey, Rye Whiskey, Single Malt Whiskey. Outlaw Bourbon Whiskey, and more.
     
    The Story of the Yellow Rose Distilling -

    So the legend goes, in 1836 at the battle of San Jacinto, the Yellow Rose of Texas ensured General Sam Houston’s victory paving the way for the Republic of Texas.  Located in the heart of Houston, Texas, Yellow Rose Distillery proudly honors the history of this great state.

    Have you ever sat around with your friends, enjoying your favorite beverage, and had a dream to create something new?  Founded in 2010, Yellow Rose is the brain child of several friends after a night like that.  Yellow Rose launched into the Texas market in 2012.  We believe  it takes a lot more than talk to create something great.  After years of hard work and dedication, we are proud to be Houston’s first legal whiskey distillery!

    We are fresh off of a Best In Class award for our Yellow Rose Outlaw Bourbon at the American Distilling Institute and a Double Gold for our Yellow Rose Straight Rye Whiskey at the San Francisco Artisan Spirits. With accolades like these it’s no wonder Yellow Rose Distilling is making its mark in the artisan spirits sector. We’re quickly finding homes in markets throughout the US.

    While we started in Texas, we are growing quickly across the country. 

     
    Multi-Club Gathering August 11th 2017-08-10 05:00:00Z 0
    Meet the RI President Ian H. S. Risely 2017-08-10 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  Community Health

    Raj Panjabi was your typical science- and soccer-loving 4th grader in Monrovia, Liberia. But when a brutal civil war erupted in the country, normal life was upended.

    On the TED2017 stage, Panjabi recalls his mother knocking on his door, telling him to pack his things. They had to flee. One image from that day has stayed etched in his memory ever since. While his family was stuffed onto a rescue plane, a long line of Liberians formed, many of them with children. “When they tried to jump in with us, I watched soldiers restrain them. They were not allowed to flee.”

    Panjabi’s family eventually resettled in the United States and, with the help of their community in High Point, North Carolina, his father opened a clothing shop. In 2005, after Liberia’s civil war had ended, he returned to his country as a medical student, determined to serve. “I found utter destruction,” he says. “The war had left us with just 51 doctors to serve a country of 4 million people. It would be like if the city of San Francisco had just 10 doctors.”

    Panjabi felt like he was failing his patients, who were coming to him too late to save. Like one billion people around the world, many Liberians live in remote communities that are far from a health clinic. For them, getting medical care can involve canoeing across rivers and hiking through rainforests — sometimes for days. “Despite the advances we’ve made in technology and modern medicine, our innovations have not reached those in the last mile,” he says. “These people have been left behind.”

    Panjabi wondered: Could the health-care system be reorganized? What if community members could learn to diagnose and treat common medical problems, and perhaps even become the center of a health-care system for their communities? With a team of Liberian and American partners, he launched Last Mile Health to explore this.

    In the years since, Last Mile Health has designed a three-step process: They train community health workers to prevent, diagnose and treat the 10 most common diseases, including malaria and pneumonia; they equip workers with a backpack of modern diagnostic tests and medicines, plus a smartphone to report on epidemics; and they issue job contracts so these workers get paid. This last part is crucial, and something often overlooked in community health programs. Because a paycheck means dignified, professionalized work.

    That brings him to his TED Prize wish: “I wish that you will help me recruit the largest army of community health workers the world has ever known, by creating the Community Health Academy, a global platform to train, connect and empower.”

    “For all of human history, illness has been universal, but access to care has not,” says Panjabi. “My dream is that this Academy will contribute to the training of hundreds of thousands of community health workers, who’ll serve hundreds of millions … from the rainforests of Liberia, to the hilltops of Appalachia, to the mountains of Afghanistan.”

    Weekly Program: Community Health 2017-08-01 05:00:00Z 0

    Giving and the Cost of Membership" Rotarian Economist excerpt

    Posted by Quentin Wodon, Guest author on Jul 31, 2017
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    Apart from volunteering their time, another way through which Rotarians contribute to service projects is by giving money. This can be done through the Rotary Foundation, as well as through club foundations or the clubs themselves. Rotarians also pay dues for their membership. In some clubs these dues may be high, especially if weekly meetings involve lunches. In other clubs the dues may be lower. By adding up what Rotarians give to Rotary and their membership dues one can get an estimate of the overall cost of membership. Calculating this cost is important. Clubs should be aware of their cost of membership and they should regularly assess whether this cost is appropriate or too high. This exercise was done in my district through the membership survey already mentioned in previous posts (as before, for details see my book on Rotary).

     

    Giving and the Cost of Membership" Rotarian Economist excerpt Quentin Wodon, Guest author 2017-07-31 05:00:00Z 0

    Community Service - Wherever The Need is for e-club Rotarians

    Mrs. Maura Coutinho, a 75 years old person living in Brazil had to undergo several surgeries and amputate a foot. In her residence all the entrances have stairs. The Allgayer family in Houston donated an electric wheelchair and the material for the access ramps, and Rotarian from E-Club of Houston Marcio Natali de Assis volunteered to build the ramps and make some other improvements in Maura’s house.  It took 5 weeks to complete the work. Congratulations to Rotarian Marcio for the work he has done in helping Maura have more dignity and comfort.
    We would also like to thank Jorge Amorim de Assis and the transporting companies in Brazil, Rocha (Porto Alegre - RS), Pioneiro (SP) and Transcapixaba (Viana-ES) for moving the electric wheelchair for free to Mrs. Coutinho’s house over 1300 miles away.
     
    Vitoria Marchiolli is a little girl who has a rare health condition called Treacher Collins syndrome, has had several surgeries and needs constant special care, including having to wear diapers at age 9. Her family is underprivileged and they live in Brazil. Some of our members and other Rotarians joined hands to make sure these types of diapers, which are very costly in Brazil were brought to little Vitoria. E-Club member Ludmila Claro delivered a big suitcase full of diapers to Adriane and Mike Miller’s house so they could transport it with them to Atlanta during the RICON 2017. Then from Atlanta, Rotarians Helvio and his spouse Christiane from the Rotary Club of Vitoria - Praia do Canto - ES, district 4410, flew the suitcase to Brazil with them to be handed over to Vitoria Marchiolli. We thank everyone for their efforts so that this little girl can have a better quality of life. It is a great example of small actions making a difference for someone in need.
     
    Remember, the Rotary motto is "Service Above Self" and our active members who live all around the world are encouraged to identify a need and develop a plan to serve others in their community.  It may be a project just around the corner from where you live, or it may reach across continents with special connections bringing you together.  Also, you may join a project conducted by another Rotary club in your area.  Please do share your community service involvement as it does count as a commitment of time to Rotary for attendance purposes.
     
    Community Service - Wherever The Need is for e-club Rotarians 2017-06-30 05:00:00Z 0

    Awards & Member Recognitions - 2017

    It is customary for the outgoing President to recognize some members in appreciation for their service at the end of the official Rotary year which ends on June 30, 2017.  The following members received a certificate of appreciation and a special pin according to their service, hobbies or personality. 
     
    Wisdom HS Interactors and Interactor president Moni Giri, (the "I care" pin) was recognized for helping our Rotary E-Club with our care bags for the homeless project and many other projects in their Interact club.
     
    For continued work in promoting our club, mentoring the Interactors and helping so much with technology in our club, Wind Nguyen,  "You will be a very techy and artistic president," says President Dree Miller.   Presented with a Photography pin.
     
    For sharing Rotary and bringing in new ideas to make members feel included and connected in our club, you are the puzzle piece that fits perfectly! Barb Conway was presented with the  "Puzzle" pin.
     
    For being such a team player, volunteering for our projects, participating in exchanging ideas, always offering to help our club and buying so many mosaic raffle tickets to help our Rotary Foundation: Alexis Campestre. Honored with the "Team player" pin.
     
    For being the greatest example of leadership, calm, patient, bringing a positive light in everything you say and do, and for being the reason I joined Rotary and just for being so cool, Ed Charlesworth. He was presented with the "Cool sun" pin.
     
    Marcia Allgayer who lives in South Carolina (Community Service Chair) and Rachael Blair who lives in Maryland (International Service Chair) received their certificates and pins from President Dree in Atlanta during one of our club’s dinners.
     
    Two recognition certificates were mailed to Lori Miller who lives in Oregon and Belinda Kaylani (who couldn’t be at the installation due to health issues).   Their certificates and pins fare in appreciation of their outstanding service to the Club. Rachael was the best International services chair a club can have, a true Rotarian who practices service above self everyday. Lori was the creative mind behind our club’s brochures, updating our logo, designing the exchange banner for our club and other designs.
     
    Recognition for bringing in new members this year goes to Wind Nguyen, Robin Charlesworth, Barbara Conway, Tiffany Cady, Nicole Wycislo, Marcia Allgayer and LIzette Odfalk for bringing new members to the club. They each received a Rotary sponsor pin. 
     
    Exceptional Member recognitions: Excellence for going even beyond in service and support of the president
     
    1. She is the strongest promoter of Rotary, of our club and about the Rotary foundation on social media. She is so full of energy and she helped me and our club in so many aspects.  She is a special multitasker, a go getter and she deserves a certificate of excellence for her super powers in making our E-club known all over the world. I’ve never met anyone who has so many ideas on how to make things better: Keep your ideas flowing, Liz Odfalk. You get the "Light bulb" pin.
     
    2. For his excellent work in keeping our club’s finances in order for three full years, for his dedication in detailed work in spreadsheets, explaining to me with the most patience in the world about those spreadsheets and for never saying no to anything I asked of him as a treasurer of our club. There is more. Because you are my husband, a lot more was asked of you. You were always there for me so I was able to do my job as president of our club. You have a cool, mathematical, logical and musical brain, a super generous and warm heart and an evolved and wise soul; A perfect combination to help a club president and wife. I will give you this certificate of excellence, this special gift for you to sign your engineering projects and this "Music" pin, because you will always be a musician, now that you can take a break from being treasurer, Michael Miller. You get the music pin.
     
    3. Imagine being responsible for updating a Rotary club webpage with relevant content that is read in many parts of the world, keeping up with members and club activities to publish  the e-club newsletter.  That includes being the Program Chair, too.  Being on top of everything Rotary, everything E-club, editing, looking for pictures, and looking for music, searching for inspiration and motivation for our members and followers to engage. She is the soul behind all our weekly programs since our club started in February 2014. She is a dedicated Rotarian named Robin Charlesworth and she deserves nothing less than the Rotarian of the Year award and pin. You will also receive the excellence in communication plaque.
     
    From the bottom of my heart, I thank our members, my friends, family and all the Rotarians who supported our club and cheered me up during my year as president. I am happy you exist in my life.
     
    Presdent Dree Miller
     
    ***Photos are posted on our Facebook page.
     
     
     
     
    Awards & Member Recognitions - 2017 Adriane Miller 2017-06-30 05:00:00Z 0
    SAVE THE DATE - JULY 22nd for District Membership Training 2017-06-30 05:00:00Z 0

    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

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    We did it! As of June 26, 2017 our club qualifies for the Presidential Citation Award by Rotary International!
     
    Here are some of our goals. To see all the other goals we achieved and more details about our service projects, please go to the Rotary website and look for Rotary Central.
     
    We are a large club, so we needed net gain of 2 new members. We had net gain of 4 new members, and we inducted 5 new members under the age of 40 this year. We needed to increase member retention rate by 1% compared to last year’s and we increased it by 22%!.
     
    The Rotary Foundation giving goal was $536. We were able to give $6,720.43. There will be more donations by June 30th so the final number will be higher. Our contribution to Polio goal of $2,650 was surpassed, with a total $4,033.93 to help end polio in the world. All members of our club contributed at least $26.50 each to the Rotary Foundation.  District Governor presented our club with the 100% Sustaining Paul Harris Banner at our installation dinner.
     
    It is not the award itself that will tell us we are a great club. These goals served as a guide, and what we do as a team to achieve them is what counts. Each member of this club knows the contribution he or she has given to the club, to Rotary and to humanity, and that is what is behind those numbers, which are not comprehensive of all good our members have done in their communities and internationally.
     
    Think of all service projects we did this year and the lives we touched through them. There are those who shake their heads in helplessness when they look at so many parts of the world in poverty, disease, lack of basic education and clean water. Then there are those called Rotarians, who see opportunities to be effective through our compassion for others. We roll up our sleeves and lift our heads resolved that we are the agents of change. Those people whose lives we touched may not know who we are and never have an opportunity to thank us. This is "Service above Self". Our club has shown to the world we are here to make changes, we will keep going forward, planning, contributing with donations, ideas, being leaders, following leaders, being active and welcoming more like-minded individuals to join us. 
     
    It has been an honor to serve as President of Rotary E-Club of Houston. When I was nominated president, I was unsure due to a serious health diagnosis, but I accepted the position because I believed in the team of supporters I knew I would have around me. I also believed in my heart that focusing on others and dedicating my time to a greater cause could only bring positive things all around. I was right. It has been a learning journey, and yes I worked hard to overcome some difficult episodes in my health, but it has been rewarding. Not the paper awards, praises, numbers, but the amazing people who stayed by my side, and to mention just one example, the smiles of the children in Uganda receiving clothes made by my own hands and of others. We are never alone when we have an honest aspiration to serve; it forms a beacon of light that those with the same intent will follow.
     
    Rotarians of our vibrant E-Club of Houston, thank you for your dedication! Keep looking for beacons of light and if you don’t see one, be one! Help others see that they can be the hands and the brains that will promote change that will bring peace and love so we all can live in a better world. 
     
    With much love for humanity,
     
    Adriane Miller
    President 2016-2017
    Rotary E-Club of Houston
    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Adriane Miller 2017-06-30 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  "I Dream of an Empty Ward"

    Experience the world of Alokita, a young adult who was paralysed by polio as a child growing up in India, which has been polio-free since 2011.

    “Polio is a disease that keeps on affecting the person. It comes in childhood but it doesn’t stop there. It deteriorates the quality of our life,” Alokita says.

    Rotary, with the support of the US Fund for UNICEF, produced the VR (Virtual Reality) film, which debuted on World Polio Day 2016.

    ‘One Small Act’

    Rotary’s newest VR film takes you on the extraordinary journey of a child whose world has been torn apart by conflict.

    See firsthand how small acts of compassion, protection, and kindness can change lives forever.

    This four-minute film emphasizes the two themes of polio and peace, and how Rotary’s work to eradicate the disease is creating stability around the world.

    Rotary premiered its newest film on June 13 at its international convention in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.  More than 3,000 Rotarians  registered for the debut of this new virtual reality film, “One Small Act.” We succeeded in hosting one of the largest ever simultaneous viewings of a virtual reality production, with more than 2,100 Rotary members ultimately joining us on 13 June to see how Rotary is combining technology, innovation, and creativity to bring people together to experience what can be achieved through compassionate service.

    A special thank you to District 5160, whose generosity helped fund the project.

    The value of VR

    By connecting with people on a visceral, personal level, VR films can be a powerful advocacy tool.

    “The final push to end polio requires significant resources and emotional investment. This type of innovative technology has the potential to inspire that,” says Vincent Vernet, director of digital and publishing with Rotary’s communications team, who spearheaded the project.

    Get the Rotary VR app

    Combining the power of Rotary’s virtual reality app with a VR viewer and a smartphone, you can immerse yourself in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.

    Gain a 360-degree perspective on the causes Rotary champions – including polio eradication and peace-building – and learn how you can take action to change the world. 

     
    Weekly Program: "I Dream of an Empty Ward" 2017-06-30 05:00:00Z 0

    Recap of the e-club PARTY in Atlanta during the RI Convention

    What fun we all had!!! Thie combined party hosted by Rotary Club Francophone with President Raffaella Ronzini Vinet of France and Rtn, Jean Louis Nguyen Qui, also from France presided with our own Dree Miller.  Dignitaries from New Zealand were present to award Raffaella a Paul Harris Award.  There was a buffet dinner and a live band, and dancing.  This group's reputation is growing as THE party to attend during the Rotary International Convention,  Here are a few pics of the event:
     
    All Rotarian women in attendance were honored with roses from our dear friend Dr. Jean Louis Nguyen Qui.
     
    Recap of the e-club PARTY in Atlanta during the RI Convention 2017-06-30 05:00:00Z 0

    Proud of the Rotary e-club of Houston Rotarians!

    Conrith Davis - Reappointed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott as one of three to the Judicial Compensation Comission for a term to expire on February 1, 2023.  The commission recommends the proper salaries to be paid by the state for all  justices and judges of the Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals, and Courts of Appeals and state district courts.  From Sugar Land, Conrith previously served as a board member of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.  He retired from the US Air Force as a Lt. Colonel, having served 22 years on active duty.  During this time, Davis earned numerous awards meritorious awards and citations for excellence in leadership.  He also worked as a sales executive, consulting medium to large law firms.  He is the chairman of the Sugar Land Ethics Task Force, Multi-cultural Advisory Team,  and Parks Bond Committee.  He is a life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and a member of the Rotary c-Club of Houston.  Davis received a Bachelor of Arts from Fayetteville State University, and a Master's degree from Pepperdine University.  Additionally, he attended several executive education programs at the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business, and the Naval Graduate School, International Resource Management Program.
     
    Ruby Powers - On June 24, 2017, Ruby Powers was one of two awarded the Advocacy Award at the 2017 American Immigration Lawyers Association Annual Awards Ceremony.  She was in part honored for her rigorous influence from Austin to the US Congress, and her leadership to encourage others to be actively involved in being the change you want to see in this world.  Her law firm is Powers Law Group in Houston.  Ruby was also on 90.1 KPFT at 9 pm on June 28th with Jill Campbell to talk about recent immigration topics.  Congratulations, Ruby!
     
    Ed Nelson - At the Annual Texas Association of Sports Officials Scholarship Awards Banquet in Sugar Land on June 13, 2017, ,  Ed presented scholarships to 21 deserving students amounting to $45,000.  These scholars have dedicated themselves to their studies and to baseball.   Houston TASO Baseball Umpires raised the money with 83 applicants which started 17 years ago.  Over $625,000 has been awarded with funds raised in off-season baseball tournament with 96 teams, making this the largest single baseball tournament known.  Keep up the good work with our communities youth, Ed, in helping them make their college dreams come true!
     
     
     
    Proud of the Rotary e-club of Houston Rotarians! 2017-06-24 05:00:00Z 0

    Books for the World & the Hashoo Foundation

    On behalf of the Hashoo Foundation, I am very proud to share the Rotary Books for the World Completion Report. This report highlights the activities undertaken by Hashoo Foundation and Rotary Club Rawalpindi  to sort, classify, and distribute books from 5 containers (6-10) donated by Rotary Books for the World and The Second Wind Foundation.
    Hashoo Foundation and Rotary Club Rawalpindi distributed 190,578 books, desks and educational materials ranging from primary to higher education levels to 170 educational institutions, organizations, libraries and community reading rooms.
    Additionally, Hashoo Foundation implemented the USAID-funded Pakistan Reading Project (PRP) in 40 government schools in the slum areas of Islamabad. During this project, 300 Rotary Books were distributed to each one of the 40 schools for a total of 12,000 books. These books were specifically sorted to help improve the reading habits of Grade I and Grade II students through story books and Parental Engagement. The books were placed in the class libraries established during the project. HF monitored the utilization of Rotary Books for 6 months.
    The report illustrates our work and partnerships with other institutions as well as the impact Hashoo Foundation, Rotary Club Rawalpindi and the Rotary Books for the World are making in the lives of thousands of girls, boys, mothers, fathers, and teachers across Pakistan.
    To date, Rotary Books for the World and the Second Wind Foundation have donated 10 containers, 397,527 books and educational material which are making a remarkable difference in 391 educational institutions across Pakistan.
    Thank you, Charlie, Rotary Books for the World and Second Wind Foundation for your enormous contribution to literacy and education in Pakistan!!
    Warmest regards,

    Cristal Montañéz Baylor,  Executive Director
    Hashoo Foundation USA
    Direct +1 (713) 483 4990
    www.hashoofoundationusa.org
    www.hashoofoundation.org
    Empowering communities by facilitating equitable access to opportunities
    Books for the World & the Hashoo Foundation 2017-06-22 05:00:00Z 0

    District Membership Committee Meeting - Open to All

    Meeting Date & Time:  This Monday, JUNE 26th, 6:30PM (let's arrive at 6:00PM and order food/drinks)
     
    New Venue:    Fratelli's Ristorante  
                            1330 Wirt Road
                           Houston, Texas 77055
                           713-263-0022
     
    Growing Rotary enables us to do more good in our communities and the world.  Attendance at the D5890 Membership Meeting is a great opportunity to bond with your club's Area Membership Chair (AMC) & other district leaders.
    Speaker - Sandra Liu, President, Rotary Club of Houston Energy Corridor (recently chartered)
     
    Topic - Club Flexibility
    The Rotary Club of Houston Energy Corridor is implementing many of the 2016 Council on Legislation changes in policy allowing clubs more flexibility affecting when, where, and how clubs meet and the types of membership they offer.  You don't want to miss Sandra's presentation, for she will be elaborating per the frequently asked questions regarding the five new options available, and how your club can apply these flexible options.  One aspect of a vibrant club is its flexibility, and a vibrant club is integral to membership growth and retention.  This recently chartered club is already growing exponentially, so let's find out how the club's leadership, and the implementation of club flexibility have influenced its growth.
     
    We look forward to the attendance of at least one (1) representative from your club.  
     
    Yours in Rotary service,
    Ann Wright
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair
    2014-2017
    713-647-8400 - Direct
    awright_tmg@yahoo.com
     
    Derrill Painter
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair
    2016-2017
    832-473-5729 - Cell
    derpaint@yahoo.com
            
    District Membership Committee Meeting - Open to All 2017-06-22 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  Rotarians Joining the Fight vs.Human Sex Trafficking

    Human slavery and sex trafficking happens all around the world.  Last year we did have a program on sex trafficking in Houston and the State of Texas.  Rotary Peace Fellows have been working on this issue and many Rotary clubs have invited speakers on the topic to increase awareness of the problem.  In 2014, a speech was given by Geoffrey Ketchum on human trafficking in India. The talk concerns the global exploitation of labor generally but focuses on the trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation in India.  Ashlie Bryant spoke to the Rotary Club of Fair Oaks (California) in August, 2016.  Irene Hickey has held task force meetings in Houston to address this issue in Rotary District 5890.  Ashton Kutcher spoke to Rotarians at the Rotary International Convention 2017. 
    Weekly Program: Rotarians Joining the Fight vs.Human Sex Trafficking 2017-06-19 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Ashton Kutcher and Rotary address the global scourge of human trafficking

    Actor and philanthropist Ashton Kutcher took the stage today at the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, to address a major human rights issue: human trafficking and modern-day slavery.

    Kutcher, who rose to fame in the early 2000s with a series of hit film and television roles, is co-founder of Thorn: Digital Defenders of Children, an organization that combats human trafficking and the conditions that enable it. Trafficking in humans takes many forms but includes forced labor and sex slavery. It is among the world’s largest illicit trades, with many of the transactions happening online.

    “As a young man coming up in the public school system in the United States, I thought slavery was done, a thing of the past," Kutcher said. "When I realized this was happening – happening even right here in Atlanta, a hotbed for trafficking as a travel hub – I was floored, and set out to learn as much as I could about it.” 

    Thorn specifically works to address sexual exploitation and the proliferation of child pornography online. By exploring and supporting new digital strategies for identifying victims, deterring predators, and disrupting platforms, Thorn helps lead the global conversation on trafficking – a conversation that’s continuing at Rotary’s annual convention.

    More than 40,000 people, including Rotary members, partners, and friends from 175 countries and territories, have gathered in Atlanta this week to exchange ideas on how they can work together to improve lives in their communities.

    Kutcher joined other prominent voices for a panel discussion on trafficking and how communities can combat it. Gary Haugen spoke about his work as CEO of International Justice Mission, a nonprofit that aims to strengthen local law enforcement and support survivors of trafficking.

    Also at the panel, U.S. Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee discussed the legislative framework that allows traffickers to thrive in plain sight, and survivor Rebecca Bender offered moving testimony about the abuse she endured in the United States.

    Recognizing the role that vast global networks like Rotary play in sustainable social change, Kutcher encouraged attendees to join the fight.

    “There’s an inbound pipeline to trafficking," Kutcher said, "and that is vulnerability and poverty,” two issues that Rotary addresses through humanitarian projects and partnerships. Kutcher cited the example of the foster care system in the U.S. “Kids going into this system don’t have someone in their lives that loves them, which makes them vulnerable to someone who reaches out and shows them that attention. That’s how traffickers get in.”

    Haugen pointed out that Rotary is already connecting with vulnerable groups, building relationships, and improving lives.

    “What’s clear is this issue is everywhere around the world,” Haugen said. “There are survivors like Rebecca back home in your neighborhood and your country. Educate, serve survivors, and encourage local law enforcement, and Rotary can change this in our lifetimes.”

    Weekly Program - Ashton Kutcher and Rotary address the global scourge of human trafficking Sallyann Price 2017-06-14 05:00:00Z 0

    His Epic Message Will Make You Want to Save the World | Short Film Showcase

    As the human population continues to grow, so does our impact on the environment. In fact, recent research has shown that three-quarters of Earth’s land surface is under pressure from human activity. In this short film, spoken word artist Prince Ea makes a powerful case for protecting the planet and challenges the human race to create a sustainable future.
     
    The Short Film Showcase spotlights exceptional short videos created by filmmakers from around the web and selected by National Geographic editors. We look for work that affirms National Geographic's belief in the power of science, exploration, and storytelling to change the world. The filmmakers created the content presented, and the opinions expressed are their own, not those of National Geographic Partners.
     
    His Epic Message Will Make You Want to Save the World | Short Film Showcase 2017-06-13 05:00:00Z 0

    News from Rotary International Convention 2017

     We are well represented at the Rotary International Convention with at least 12 attendees or about 20% of our club.  We are all enjoying great programs, fun and fellowship.  If you are in attendance, you have no worries about attendance.  If you are not in Atlanta, it is worthwhile to share with you some of the inspirational programs.  Here are some highlights from Monday, June 12, 2017:

    Minda Dentler

    Insurance professional, triathlete, health advocate, and mother

    Despite her legs being paralyzed from contracting polio in India, Minda Dentler became the first female wheelchair athlete to complete the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii in October 2013. This accomplishment led her to be an ESPN ESPY Award Nominee for Best Female Athlete with a Disability. Dentler has been featured on CNN, NBC, Time, CCTV America and Glamour. She has also written articles for Time and Huffington Post on the importance of global childhood immunization and polio eradication.  Dentler is a 2017 Aspen Institute New Voices Fellow. She earned an MBA from Baruch College in New York and a BA in Management Information Systems from the University of Washington. She currently resides in New York City with her husband and daughter. 

    John Cena

    WWE Superstar, actor, Rotary polio ambassador 

    John Cena devotes much of his time working on behalf of numerous charitable causes. He joined Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign in 2015 as a celebrity ambassador and is Make-A-Wish’s most requested wish granter of all time and the only celebrity to grant 500 wishes. Cena also committed to Susan G. Komen and has helped raise more than $1.6 million for breast cancer research and awareness. He is a longtime supporter of the U.S. military, recently recognized by USO Metro as the recipient of their 2016 Legacy of Achievement Award. He recently starred in Ad Council’s Love Has No Labels campaign, We Are America, to further the message of acceptance and love for all communities across the United States. In addition to his work in the community, Cena is a powerhouse on social media with 44 million Facebook fans, making him the most popular active U.S. athlete on Facebook. He is also one of the most followed athletes on Twitter and Instagram with 9.5 and 6.8 million followers respectively.

    Cena’s well known acting credits include roles in The Wall, Trainwreck, Sisters, and Daddy’s Home. Cena is the host and executive producer of American Grit, the second season will premiere in June 2017.  Cena has hosted the ESPYS, the Teen Choice Awards, Saturday Night Live, and the Kids’ Choice Awards. He frequently co-hosts the 9 a.m. hour of TODAY. This Christmas, John will voice the title role of Ferdinand the bull in Ferdinand, the animated film based on the iconic children’s book.

    As the face of the WWE and a 16-time world champion, John Cena combines his athleticism, charisma, strong work ethic, and genuine personality to make him one of today’s brightest stars.

    Bill Gates

    Co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

    Bill Gates is co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Along with co-chair, Melinda Gates, he shapes and approves grant-making strategies, advocates for the foundation’s issues, and helps set the direction of the organization. Gates began his major philanthropic efforts in 1994, when he created the William H. Gates Foundation, focusing on global health. Three years later, he and Melinda created the Gates Library Foundation, which worked to bring public access computers with Internet connections to libraries in the United States. Its name changed to the Gates Learning Foundation in 1999 to reflect its focus on ensuring that low-income minority students are prepared for college and have the means to attend. In 2000, to increase efficiency and communication, the two groups merged into the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

    ill Gates, speaking on 12 June at the Rotary International Convention, highlighted the extraordinary progress that’s been made toward a polio-free world, along with challenges ahead. 

    Speaking at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, Gates reminded the audience of more than 22,000 attendees, who were given LED bracelets to wear, that the effort must continue and be strengthened before polio cases can be reduced to zero. 

    ill Gates, speaking on 12 June at the Rotary International Convention, highlighted the extraordinary progress that’s been made toward a polio-free world, along with challenges ahead. 

    Speaking at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, Gates reminded the audience of more than 22,000 attendees, who were given LED bracelets to wear, that the effort must continue and be strengthened before polio cases can be reduced to zero. 

     
     
    News from Rotary International Convention 2017 2017-06-12 05:00:00Z 0

    Welcome, New Members!

    Charles Mickens
    Our newest member is the Chief Information Officer & Associate Dean of Innovation & Technology at Western Michigan University - Cooley Law School.  His Rotary classification is "Legal Education - Technology". He and his wife, Helen, live is Lansing, Michigan.  Both Paul Harris Fellows and both in Rotary, although in separate clubs.  Charles first learned about the Rotary e-Club of Houston in June of 2015 when he attended the Rotary International Convention in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He and his wife attended a Rotary party and sat next to Adriane and Michael Miller.  They also attended the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta earlier this month and learned more about the e-Club of Houston from Nicole Wycislo.  They met other e-club Houston members at the joint party with our twin club at a German restaurant.

    Charles and Helen travel as a hobby. In addition to numerous trips to France, over the years, we have traveled in South Africa, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Canada, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Bangkok, Thailand, and Seoul, Korea. The last The last five countries included trips to Rotary International Conventions.

    Helen lived in Dakar, Senegal, West Africa and I lived in Bangkok, Thailand for six months during college, studying Thai language and culture.

    Charles looks forward to being part of a Rotary team with a task to accomplish.   WELCOME, to the Rotary e-club of Houston!

     
    TYLER MILLER & NATASHA EDWARDS
    Tyler is the son of our club treasurer, Mike Miller, and step-son of our retiring club president, Dree Miller.    He is a chef at a boutique hotel in Oregon and his girlfriend, Natasha Edwards, is a pastry chef at the same hotel.  They are planning to head to Australia soon which we expand our membership to another continent.  Of course, their sponsors are Mike and Dree Miller.  Welcome to the Family of Rotary! 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    ED NELSON -  A returning club member who is employed with the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston.  He works with Network Security at the museum.  Ed attended our Officer Installation party and is eager to re-join our club.  He lives in Cypress, Texas (a suburb of Houston).  Ed is seen if the video above handing our college scholarships from funds he helped raise as a baseball umpire.  Welcome, Ed!
    Welcome, New Members! 2017-05-27 05:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week

    Coca Cola has been one of the major sponsors of this year's Rotary International Convention in Atlanta and a dinner was held at the Coca Cola building as an optional ticketed event.  Enjoy this music from 2012 from this commercial released in Pakistan.  Even though most of us will not understand the words of "Reason to Believe in Pakistan", the visuals will likely leave you with a feeling of happiness.
     
    Song of the Week 2017-05-27 05:00:00Z 0

    Membership Drive

    Dear Rotary e-Club Houston, TX, USA members,
     
    We challenge you to bring a new member or more to our club by June 15th 2017.
     
    Awards*:
     
    1) Members who bring 1 new member will be given a sponsor pin + special mention by your president during the installation or the next available opportunity.
     
    2) Members who bring 2 or more new members will get the above awards plus a small gift of appreciation.
     
    Requirements:
    1. New members proposed must send the completed membership application form to Adriane Miller or Barb Conway and pay the $50 registration fee + $150 of annual dues by June 15th 2017.
     2. Members proposing a new member must fully explain to the new candidate what it means to be part of Rotary and how to do our club’s attendance.
    3. Anybody can join, as long as they are of good character, hold a profession or skill that can be used to serve Rotary and the local or international community, live anywhere in the world with Internet connection, pay membership dues accordingly, and are willing to engage in the club’s activities online or in person.
    4. Members bringing in new members must help the new member engage in the club’s activities and facilitate social interaction whenever possible, making the new member feel welcome.
    5. Retention: the new added member must remain in the club after June 30th 2017 and not be in arrears.
     
    Members who already brought new members since July 1st 2016 will also be awarded.  Members who qualify for the award so far:
    Marcia Allgayer: sponsored 3 new members
    Lizette Odfalk: sponsored 3 new members
    Wind Nguyen: sponsored 1 new member
    Robin Charleswhorth: sponsored 1 new member
    Barb Conway: sponsored 1 new member
     
    SHARE ROTARY!
     
    Membership Drive 2017-05-27 05:00:00Z 0

    MEMORIAL DAY - MONDAY< MAY 29th

    Memorial Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the last Monday of May.  It was also known as Decoration Day and originated at the end of the American Civil War (1868).  Memorial Day is reserved for those soldiers who gave their lives so that others may have a peaceful life.  This is a special day to pay tribute to those Americans whose indomitable will, eternal courage and great love for their nation are remembered by placing flags on grave sites of the fallen.  Many Americans display flags outside of their homes, and some organizations have community projects which display flags at the curbs of houses in many neighborhoods.  Our thoughts and prayers are lifted to those special men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation in hope of protecting their loved ones, family and friends. 
     
    MEMORIAL DAY - MONDAY&lt; MAY 29th 2017-05-27 05:00:00Z 0

    MEMORIAL DAY - MONDAY, MAY 29th

    American flags are placed on the grave sites of those who served and lost their lives in the service of our country, and many neighborhoods proudly display flags on homes this weekend to honor those veterans who died while serving the United States.  This is a federal holiday traditionally celebrated on the last Monday of May.  It was also known as Decoration Day, originated at the end of American Civil War (1868). Memorial Day is reserved for those American Soldiers who laid their lives so that the others may live a peaceful life, this is a special day to pay tribute to the indomitable will, eternal courage and great love for the nation that resonates in their heart.  Memorial Day is reserved for those American Soldiers who laid their lives so that the others may live a peaceful life, this is a special day to pay tribute to the indomitable will, eternal courage and great love for the nation that resonates in their heart.   Our thoughts and prayers are lifted to those special men and women who have given their lives in hope of protecting their loved ones, friends and family, and hope for one day to establish a peaceful world.
    MEMORIAL DAY - MONDAY, MAY 29th 2017-05-27 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: The Mothers who Found Forgiveness and Friendship

    Phyllis Rodriguez and Aicha el-Wafi have a powerful friendship born of unthinkable loss. Rodriguez' son was killed in the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001; el-Wafi's son Zacarias Moussaoui was convicted of a role in those attacks and is serving a life sentence. In hoping to find peace, these two moms have come to understand and respect one another.

    Why you should listen

    Phyllis Rodriguez is an artist, a teacher and a social justice activist. On September 11, 2001, her son Greg died in the attacks on the World Trade Center. Rodriguez and her husband wrote an open letter, "Not in Our Son's Name," calling on President Bush to oppose a military response in Afghanistan.

    Aicha el-Wafi is an activist with the French feminist group Ni Putes Ni Soumise, working with Muslim women. Her son, Zacarias Moussaoui, was tried in relation to the attacks on US soil, and faced the possibility of execution if convicted.

    In November 2002, Phyllis Rodriguez and several other relatives of victims of the attacks were invited to meet Aicha el-Wafi. Rodriguez and el-Wafi have since appeared together throughout Europe and the US, telling their story of reconciliation and forgiveness.

    What others say

    “Our suffering is equal. Yet I'm treated with sympathy; she is treated with hostility.” — Phyllis Rodriguez, on Aicha el-Wafi

    Rotary's Friendship Exchanges are conducted in peaceful nations, yet those of us in Rotary have built bridges and made friends across continents. Our Rotary Youth Exchange students choose several countries they would prefer to experience with the exchange program, and also meet many additional exchange students from all around the world.  Friendships are built for a lifetime.

    Ambassadorial scholars study abroad with all expenses paid thanks to Rotary and not only further their education, but participate in service projects and become immersed in another culture.  This, too, is peace-building.

    Rotary Peace scholars are trained specifically in conflict mediation and hone their verbal skills to help communities in turmoil.  

    Peace is promoted with new friendships across boundaries, whether they be country boundaries or cultural boundaries. 

    Weekly Program: The Mothers who Found Forgiveness and Friendship 2017-05-27 05:00:00Z 0

    JOIN US for an on-line SOCIAL MEETING - JUNE 3rd

    SAVE THE DATE - JUNE 3rd.  Our online social will begin at 10:00 am.  We will have a guest speaker, Dr. Jean Louis Nguyen Qui, Past President of Rotary E-Club Francophone.  His topic is "Can a 10)% E-Club achieve anything?"
     
    The last online meeting we had was fantastic and fun.  We talked about our hobbies and interests. This time, during the first half of the meeting I will ask you this: “What brings you happiness?” Your answer can be as simple as ice cream or as complex as solving Quantum Chromodynamics equations, but either way we would love to hear more from you about it.  As an e-club, these online meetings are important so we have a chance to get to know each other on more personal levels, not just as committee members or having a business agenda.
     
    This next online social meeting promises to be inspiring because we have a great guest speaker, Jean Louis Nguyen from our twin club Francophone E-Club. It is a great opportunity for us to boost even more the great relationship we have with our twin club, hear his message about what Rotary E-Clubs can achieve, and get to know about our club members in a relaxed fellowship atmosphere.
     
    To join the meeting:
    From PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/566825819
     
    Or iPhone one-tap (US Toll):  +16465588656,566825819# or +14086380968,566825819#
     
    Or Telephone:
        Dial: +1 646 558 8656 (US Toll) or +1 408 638 0968 (US Toll)
        Meeting ID: 566 825 819
        International numbers available: https://zoom.us/zoomconference?m=i-CEmAT6FyMYDLddmGru23UZ8OTi9LqS
     
    I expect great attendance from our club and that you all will help me in giving a warm welcome to our guest speaker. This is also my last online social as president of our club, and I’d love to use this opportunity to thank you for a most vibrant year in Rotary.
     
    JOIN US for an on-line SOCIAL MEETING - JUNE 3rd Adriane Miller 2017-05-27 05:00:00Z 0

    Ramadan’s spirit of gratitude, humility, and self-restraint

    Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic (lunar) calendar and represents the historic period during which the Koran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad. The Koran is “the sacred scripture that Muslims revere as the words of God,” Imam Sohaib Sultan, of Princeton University, wrote for Time magazine this week.

    “For most of the rest of July, it is Ramadan in the Islamic world, and the focus is on faith, humility, sacrifice, and forgiveness,” said Greg Mortenson, CAI Co-Founder. “Most of the communities we serve observe Ramadan. Even the schoolgirls and teachers observe the fast, but continue on with their education.”

    Wakil Karimi, a CAI manager in Afghanistan, said by phone, “Children are taught to observe Ramadan from an early age as one of the five pillars of Islam. But they also learn that the first word of the revelation of Allah in the holy Koran is Iqra – the Arabic word that means ‘read’ – and that education should be a top priority of all Muslims.”

    Ramadan’s spirit of gratitude, humility, and self-restraint Central Asia Institute 2017-05-27 05:00:00Z 0
    GOING TO ATLANTA?  THIS IS OUT PARTY on JUNE 12th 2017-05-26 05:00:00Z 0

    Tick Season 2017

    Health official predict tha this summer will be the worst tick season ever.     Most people in the United States are already familiar with  the tick-borne bacterium, which causes the Lyme disease.  However, this time the Powassan virus is grabbing all the recent headlines.  The virus causes the relatively uncommon disease Powassan, which can lead to serious neurological impairment and death if untreated. Approximately 1 in 15 people who contract the disease die from it.  There have been 75 cases of Powassan reported in the past decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  It can be difficult to detect Powassan at first.  The illness generally starts out with flu-like symptoms. Those milder symptoms eventually become severe, and include vomiting, seizures, and memory loss.  Thomas Mather, a professor at the University of Rhode Island, told Healthline that while it is important to be mindful of Powassan, it’s not the first time an obscure tick-borne disease has caused a scare, despite remaining relatively rare.   “We know that we are in a ‘more ticks in more places’ world,” Mather said.
     

    Cases of Lyme disease have tripled since the 1990s, but the CDC thinks that number is actually significantly higher.  Much of that is being driven by the blacklegged tick, sometimes called the deer tick.  “So many people generalize, and it runs into problems because they assume a tick is just a tick and it’s not that way,” he explained. “Different species of ticks — all have pretty much their own suite of germs that have pretty much adapted themselves to be propagated by that one type of tick.”  Lyme disease is so localized to particular areas of the United States that the CDC reports that 95 percent of cases occur within just 14 states located in the Northeast —like Maine and Vermont — and around the Great Lakes area in states like Wisconsin.

    Epidemiologists Rick Ostfeld, and his wife, Felicia Keesing, have been studying Lyme disease for more than two decades, and they are predicting 2017 will be risky. By measuring populations of wild mice — prominent carriers of Lyme disease — it is possible to predict an increased risk of tick-borne illness the following year.  So, with large populations of mice in 2016, they are predicting 2017 will yield a higher prevalence of Lyme disease.

    What you can do:  Basic steps to making yourself safer from ticks include performing a “tick check” after being outside.  First examine clothing — especially below the waistline — for ticks. Virus-carrying nymphs can be the size of poppy seeds.  Use tick-repellent sprays on clothing and shoes.  You can also, for a modest investment, have your clothes infused with insect-repellent technology through a company like Insect Shield.  For in-depth information and resources, Mather recommends checking out www.tickencounter.org.

     

     

    summer tick season
     

    Cases of Lyme disease have tripled since the 1990s, but the CDC thinks that number is actually significantly higher, NPR reports.

    Much of that is being driven by the blacklegged tick, sometimes called the deer tick.

    The issue is in understanding the lifecycle of a tick.

    Those that live through the winter will be dead soon, and their larvae will not be mature enough to spread disease until 2018.

    The ticks that people are seeing now “aren’t even going to make it to the summer. They will be lucky to make to Memorial Day,” he said.

    Nonetheless, he hopes that the news will serve as an important reminder for people to get “tick smart,” as he puts it.

    “You can either get tick bitten or you can get tick smart,” he said.

    Tick Season 2017 Healthline.com 2017-05-26 05:00:00Z 0

    Can YOU Be A Rotary HERO Before then End of June, 2017?

    Our eClub needs your help today, and I know you will help because Rotarians never say no, besides we hope we are not asking you for much.
     
    As our President Dree mentioned in our newsletter and website, we are very close to earning our Presidential Citation but we are quite behind, 40 members have not donated and we can change that today, yes! Please help!
     
    Its very easy! This is how you start if you have never donated before...thank you in advance.
     
    Please.....mail your check or international money order or donate thru Paypal, by June 30th or EARLIER!: $26.50 to get started!
     
    (1) Send your check payable to "The Rotary eClub of Houston, mail it to our Treasurer Michael Miller at 11 Beebrush Pl, The Woodlands TX, 77389 USA
     
    (2) Process your online payment through our eClub's Paypal. https://www.paypal.com/webapps/shoppingcart?flowlogging_id=718b4170d6b91&mfid=1495080127162_718b4170d6b91#/checkout/openButton
     
    Can I count on you helping us achieve our goal this way? Can we achieve 100% participation?
     
    Are Rotarians real Super Heroes in disguise?  Yes!
     
    Yours In Rotary Service,
    Liz
     
    Latest Rotary Foundation news:
    World polio update: 6 weeks with no new polio cases reported worldwide! Work remains still to close the $1.5 billion funding gap. Polio virus positive environmental samples continue. Zero is the magic number, could we the final polio case in 2017? There will be a major global polio event to be held at the Atlanta Rotary International Convention: http://polioeradication.org/news-post/drop-to-zero Watch this video: https://vimeo.com/200735939
     
    The final three Endemic Countries: PAKISTAN: no new Polio cases reported this week. Two cases reported in 2017 -the most recent from the Diamir district, Gilgit Baltistan province with an onset on 2/13/17. AFGHANISTAN: No new Polio cases reported this week. Three cases reported in 2017 - the most recent in the Kunduz province with the onset of paralysis on 2/21/17, NIGERIA: No new Polio cases reported this week.
     
    Can YOU Be A Rotary HERO Before then End of June, 2017? Liz Odfalk 2017-05-19 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Lanny Sherwin's "Everyone Is Different" 2017-05-19 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Convention Break-Out Sessions

    Plan to attend afternoon breakout sessions 12-14 June:
    • Rotary Friendship Exchanges: Enhancing the Rotary Experience Through International Exchanges: — participating in an exchange deepens global understanding, strengthens international ties, raises opportunities to explore vocations abroad, and even helps develop international service partnerships. Find inspiration from previous exchange participants, meet prospective exchange partners, and trade ideas on how you’ll join the program as a host or visitor.
    • Rotary Community Corps: Community Solutions for Community Challenges — a Rotary Community Corps consists of non-Rotarians who share our commitment to service and carry out community projects as well as support Rotary club projects. Nearly 8,500 RCCs in 90 countries are working to develop future leaders and conduct effective service. Learn about the role of RCCs in community development, along with how to form an RCC and how to team with RCCs on projects.
    • Vocational Service and Appreciation: Enhance Member Engagement — learn how recognizing the worth of members’ occupations, skills, and talents can improve member retention.
    • Rotary and Peace Corps: Partnering to Empower Communities — the service partnership formed in 2015 between Rotary and Peace Corps offers opportunities for clubs to work with active and returned Peace Corps volunteers. Learn how teaming with Peace Corps volunteers can address Rotary’s six areas of focus while enhancing goodwill, international understanding, and capacity building in more than 60 countries around the world.
    • Life as a ShelterBox Response Team Member — Rotary’s project partner for disaster relief, ShelterBox, will bring to life the mission of a response team and show what it takes to help on the ground immediately after a disaster.
    • These Rotarian Action Groups will host sessions about their service initiatives and opportunities to team with them on a related cause in your community: Clubfoot, Peace, Alzheimer’s and Dementia, Malaria, Hepatitis, Slavery, Literacy, and Family Health and AIDS Prevention.
    Rotary Convention Break-Out Sessions 2017-05-19 05:00:00Z 0

    Welcome, New Member!

    ROSE BAGLIA - Rose resides in Antigua, Guatemala and recently attend our District Conference.  Her classification is "Non-Profit" as she is the Executive Director of a non-profit called SANA Children's Project.  When asked how she would like to serve in Rotary, she replied:
    "Our program addresses healthcare (we operate a clinic for 7,000 patients each year), education (operate a preschool for 100 children and provide education to the community).  These programs affect Mayan mothers and their children in a rural, impoverished town of 30,000 in Guatemala.   Becoming a member of Rotary will provide me with additional information and experience so I can improve our programs.  I can also share our experiences with others. "   Rose lives in an area which is so remote that there is no mail service.  There is a branch office in Houston which brings Rose to our area on business, and we hope that she will soon be able to join us in person for a social meeting.  Welcome, Rose!
     
    Welcome, New Member! 2017-05-19 05:00:00Z 0

    Sister Club - Francophone Asks PDG Ed Charlesworth to Speak Next Week

    PDG Ed Charlesworth will be the speaker at the Rotary Club Francophone meeting online next week.  His talk will be entitled "Your Piece of Cloth is Not Enough".  Rotary e-Club of Houston (District 5890) and Rotary e-Club 9920 Francophone became official "Twin Clubs" on June 24, 2014 when Dr. Ed Charlesworth and Dr. Jean-Louis Nguyen Qui were both club presidents.  These two met in person last year while the Charlesworth's were on a river cruise in France, and Dr. Jean-Louis joined them for dinner on board the cruise ship, also meeting club member Linda Caruso (then Club President).  This meeting had been discussed since last year and we invite any of our club members to join this online meeting. 
    Please come on Tuesday, May 23rd, at 8pm, France time, on ZOOM.US...
    Come on Tuesday, 23 may at 20 H00, hour of France, on zoom. US...
    Image may contain: 1 person, smiling
     
    Sister Club - Francophone Asks PDG Ed Charlesworth to Speak Next Week 2017-05-16 05:00:00Z 0

    New Red Badge Program for New Members

    Many Rotary clubs require new members to complete certain tasks as a "Red Badge" member prior to gaining the status as an "Active" member ofthe club.  We aim to identify a mentor Rotarian to guide each new member through this step toward active membership.  The tasks are chosen to introduce the new member to the responsibilities of being a Rotarian, such as reporting attendance and supporting our Rotary Foundation.  We are also committed to "Service Above Self" and encourage members to spend time making a difference through service in their own community, joining another Rotary club service project either in your community or an international project, and it may be done individually or with a group.  It also must be reported so we may track our club's service hours.  Below are the steps in the program:
     
    Welcome to Rotary!  As a new member of the Rotary e-club of Houston we want you to have the opportunity to discover more about being an Active Member of our club.  We encourage your participation in our club’s projects and activities, although if you are distant from our programs we want you to know how you can be actively engaged in our club and Rotary International.
     
    Please review the list below, and know you are not expected to complete all activities.   Simply accumulate 7 points (each activity is one point) and submit your report to either your sponsor or designated mentor who will be willing to answer any questions you may have or offer additional explanations for your throughout your discovery process.
     
    Read three club newsletters.
     
    Submit three attendance reports.
     
    Set up your own My Rotary page on the Rotary International website.
     
    Write your biography and upload a photo for our club website.
     
    Interview 2 active members of our club (see interview questions).
     
    Visit one traditional Rotary club meeting anywhere in the world.
     
    Attend a board meeting (in person or online or video conference call)
     
    Submit an article for the newsletter about Rotary or another community service or leadership training or personal growth, etc.
     
    Attend an online social event – meet and greet our members.
     
    Donate to the Rotary Foundation.
     
    Attend a district committee meeting - listen and learn, and meet more Rotarians.
     
    Attend a meeting of New Generations – perhaps Interact, Rotaract, or even EarlyAct.
     
    Attend a District Conference or Zone Institute.
     
    Attend  Rotary International Convention (2017 in Atlanta, GA)
     
    Tour Rotary International Headquarters in Chicago, IL.
     
    Participate a minimum of two hours in a service project.
     
    Upon completion, we ask that you mentor the next new member through this process.
     
    Red Badge Member_______________________________________________________________________________
    Rotarian Mentor/Sponsor _______________________________________________________________________
     
     
    New Red Badge Program for New Members 2017-05-16 05:00:00Z 0

    WEEKLY PROGRAM:  The World Needs All Kinds of Minds

    Temple Grandin, diagnosed with autism as a child, talks about how her mind works — sharing her ability to "think in pictures," which helps her solve problems that neurotypical brains might miss. She makes the case that the world needs people on the autism spectrum: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, verbal thinkers, and all kinds of smart geeky kids.

    Why you should listen

    An expert on animal behavior, Temple Grandin has designed humane handling systems for half the cattle-processing facilities in the US, and consults with the meat industry to develop animal welfare guidelines. As PETA wrote when awarding her a 2004 Proggy: “Dr. Grandin's improvements to animal-handling systems found in slaughterhouses have decreased the amount of fear and pain that animals experience in their final hours, and she is widely considered the world's leading expert on the welfare of cattle and pigs.” In 2010, Time Magazine listed her as one of its most Important People of the Year. She is also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

    Grandin’s books about her interior life as an autistic person have increased the world's understanding of the condition with personal immediacy -- and with import, as rates of autism diagnosis rise. She is revered by animal rights groups and members of autistic community, perhaps because in both regards she is a voice for those who are sometimes challenged to make themselves heard. 

     
    WEEKLY PROGRAM: The World Needs All Kinds of Minds 2017-05-16 05:00:00Z 0

    Tracing a Gaze to Understand Language Delays

    Not everyone learns the same way and learning does not come easily for everyone.  There are various learning disabilities, and it important to diagnose learning difficulties and discover interventions to promote learning.
    Researchers use eye-tracking software to peek inside a child's mind when words fail, reading eye patterns to understand language production and combat conditions such as specific language impairment.
    Tracing a Gaze
    Tracing a Gaze to Understand Language Delays Scientific American 2017-05-16 05:00:00Z 0

    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

    Dear Members of the Rotary e-Club of Houston,
     
    We are well on our way to earn the Rotary International Presidential Citation Award for 2017.    A Presidential Citation is for achieving goals that strengthen Rotary and your club. Activities include growing your membership, developing sustainable service projects, giving to The Rotary Foundation, and building awareness of Rotary in your community.Yet, we need your help to complete our final task regarding donations to The Rotary Foundation.  We have 40 members who have not yet contributed to the foundation this year; some have never donated.  We need these 40 members to donate at least $27 to the Rotary Foundation, and $500.00 of these contributions need to go to the Polio Fund.
    You can look at the goals below and see all that we have done. If we meet those requirements and don't lose more than 3 members by the end of June we will for sure be awarded the presidential citation. I would really love if our club starts to get these awards every year from now on.
    Mandatory Activities:  Goals Set in Rotary Club Central    -   YES
                                            Pay July 2016 and January 2017 semiannual dues on time -   YES
    Membership Development:  Large club - net 2  (*we have net 5!)  -  YES
      Improve membership retention by 1% (we improved 30%!) -  YES
      Induct new members under age of 40 -  *need one more (need 4 and we now have 3)  -  NO
     *needed two of three in membership development - we did it!
    Foundation Giving:(must achieve 3 of the following 6 goals)
       Each member contributes at least $26.50 -  Not met
       Contribute to Polio Plus Fund  minimum of $2,650 (we have donated $2,152.93) -  Not met
       Contribute to Annual Fund a minimum of $100 per capita (we have only $36.41)  - Not met
    Humanitarian Service:
       Sponsor a Global Grant or District Grant -  YES
       One or more members attend Grant Management Seminars -  YES
       Implement a project with a Rotary service partner -  NO
       Partner on a project with a corporate or government entity - YES
       Partner with at least 5 clubs in your region on a project -  NO
      (Achieve 3 or more goals -  YES)
    Public Image: 
      Host event informing community about TRF centennial - NO
      Project covered in local media - YES
      Local media involved with event, project, or fundraiser - YES
     (Need to achieve 1 or more) - YES
     
    We are having an awesome year, so let's make our donations to the Rotary Foundation (minimum $26.50) and Polio Plus before June 30th.  The funds donated this year are the monies that will support our district grants in three more years, or global grants in the future.  We hope you will participate and support The Rotary Foundation and our imminent success to eradicate polio.
     
    Thank you,
     
    President Dree Miller
     
    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 2017-05-13 05:00:00Z 0

    JUNE 17th Installation of our own Club Officers

    Please mark your calendar for our Rotary e-Club of Houston Installation on June 17th, 2017, 6:00 pm at Dr. Ed & Robin's home. We will have catered Vietnamese cuisine, drinks, silent auction, and our Wisdom High School - Interactors will be joining us. Please let me know if you would like to donate anything for the silent auction, and I will also personally be donating one of my artwork for the auction.  Also, we will join with Rotary Club of Cy-Fair for  Installation of Officers. 
     
    To register for this event, please purchase the $25 per adult Eventbrite ticket linked below. Please RSVP soon for us to prepare an accurate number of foods/drinks.
     
    Eventbrite RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rotary-e-club-of-houston-installation-tickets-34395623235
     
    Club Executives & Directors 2017 - 2018
    President: Wind Nguyen
    President Elect: Robin Charlesworth (2018 - 2019)
    Secretary: Nicole Wycislo
    Treasurer: Alexis Campestre
    Community Service Chair: Tracy Darjean
    Vocational Service Chair: Debra Harper-LeBlanc, Ph.D.
    International Service Chair: Isis Mejias
    New Generation Chair: BELINDA KAYLANI
    Public Relations and Marketing: Rebecca McGee
    Membership Chair: Tiffany B. Cady
    E-Club 501c3 Foundation Chair: Dr. Ed
    Rotary Foundation Chair: Lizette Ödfalk
    Technology Chair: Klodian Ian Hoxha

    Sincerely,
     
    NGUYEN T. NGUYEN
    Rotary e-Club of Houston - President-Elect
    Disaster Aid USA Ambassador
    Cell: (281) 827-5787  | Office: (731) 577-9463
    JUNE 17th Installation of our own Club Officers 2017-05-08 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  The Price of Happiness

    Can happiness be bought? To find out, author Benjamin Wallace sampled the world's most expensive products, including a bottle of 1947 Chateau Cheval Blanc, 8 ounces of Kobe beef and the fabled (notorious) Kopi Luwak coffee. His critique may surprise you. Benjamin Wallace is a journalist and author of The Billionaire's Vinegar, the true story of the world's most expensive bottle of (possibly phony?) wine. He's been a contributor to GQ, Details, Salon and The Washington Post.

    Why you should listen

    A Washington D.C. native and a current Brooklynite, Benjamin Wallace is fast establishing himself a master of the brainy nonfiction thriller, rooting up feuds and controversies in pop and less-than-pop culture while buddying up with their embattled and larger-than-life personalities (whom he sometimes meets on their way down). He profiled conserative mouthpiece Glenn Beck for GQ in 2007 shortly after the pundit landed a controversial slot on CNN, and in 2002 looked at chef Georges Perrier of Philidelphia's then-five-star restaurant, Le Bec-Fin.

    Wallace's orderly, deadpan writing style hints at one of his secrets: his love (and talent) for playing the straight man to the once-mighty in downfall, right as they go aflame in tragicomic hubris. (The Billionaire's Vinegar is simply a pleasure, not least to schadenfreude junkies.) It's easy to imagine him, the bespectacled wallflower, watching as brouhaha over a wine bottle once valued at $165,000 -- the highest price fetched for a bottle, ever -- culimates in a court trial that reveals at least two of its main characters, a wine collector and a wine expert, to be frauds. Or at least emperors with no clothes.

    What others say

    “Ben Wallace has told a splendid story just wonderfully, his touch light and deft, his instinct pitch-perfect.” — Simon Winchester, author, The Professor and the Madman.

    Sooooooo.......Rotarians........some of us have sybaritic tastes and some of us work hard for the money to feed our families and also to give back to those in need.  We may certainly enjoy ourselves, but think about what we truly value in life and the world we want to leave to the next generation.  Do you want to make a difference in this world?  Assess your lifestyle, your willingness to help others, and your willingness to celebrate special moments in life.  Is it really worth the price?  Does the experience  you have paid for really induce a feel good moment or set up others for years to come?  Don't get me wrong - we need to have special celebrations, but we also need to fulfill our drive to inspire, to create, to motivate, to make a difference. That is why we are Rotarians, so if you believe this your brain chemistry will prove it.
    Weekly Program: The Price of Happiness 2017-05-08 05:00:00Z 0

    RI Convention Coming Soon - June 10 - 14

    From the breathtaking opening ceremony and world-renowned speakers to informative programs and spectacular entertainment, the Atlanta convention promises to be an unforgettable experience. Here are some highlights.

    All convention activities will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center unless otherwise noted.

    News briefs

     

    On Tuesday, 13 June, experience the power of virtual reality

    During “One Small Act: A Virtual Reality Experience,” you can be among the first to see Rotary’s new virtual reality film and participate in one of the largest simultaneous virtual reality viewings. You and your fellow Rotarians will use Google’s virtual reality viewer, Cardboard, to join the extraordinary journey of a child whose world has been torn apart by conflict. Plan now to attend and see for yourself the impact that small acts of compassion can have.

    You don’t want to miss this special event. Space is limited — Purchase your tickets today! Cost: $10

    Sign up for the convention orientation webinar

    Learn how to make the most of your convention experience during this live online event. Join us for the convention orientation webinar on Thursday, 11 May, at 11:00 Chicago time (UTC-5). If you miss the live event, you can view it online later.

    Bill Gates to address convention attendees

    Business magnate and philanthropist Bill Gates will talk about the importance of our continued commitment to a polio-free world. Read a letter from RI President John F. Germ.

    June 10            House of Friendship – 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
                              “ Grand Opening -                        10:30 am
     
    June 11            ·  Opening Ceremony – first seating | 10:00-12:30
    ·               Opening Ceremony – second seating | 15:30-18:00
     
    June 12            General Session 2 | 10:00-12:00
                             Breakout sessions | 13:00-17:00
     
                             6:30 – 10:00  Der Biergarten  E-Club Party
     
    June 13            General Session 3 | 10:00-12:00
                             One Small Act: A Virtual Reality Experience | 17:30-18:30
    (doors open at 17:00)
     
    June 14            General Session 4 | 10:00-12:00 
     

    AND a Book signing

    Have your copy of “Doing Good in the World: The Inspiring Story of The Rotary Foundation’s First 100 Years” signed by its author, David C. Forward. You can purchase the book in the Resource Center in the House of Friendship
    Book signings will take place in the House of Friendship, booth 2063.
    10 June | 11:00–12:00 & 13:00–14:00
    11 June | 11:00–12:00 & 13:00–14:00
    12 June | 09:00–10:00, 13:00–14:00 & 16:00–17:00
    13 June | 09:00–10:00, 13:00–14:00 & 16:00–17:00
    14 June | 09:00–10:00
     
              
    RI Convention Coming Soon - June 10 - 14 2017-05-08 05:00:00Z 0

    SERVICE OPPORTUNITY - NW HOUSTON

    Remember all of those wonderful baby blankets made by President Dree?  We are invited to share the assemblinh session to fill Rotary layette bags to be sent to Nicaragua on Saturday, May 27th.  This will begin at noon and should not take longer than 3 hours.  Whre?  At Luigi's Italiano Ristorante located at 12779 Jones Road.  This is the third and final work session to assemble these layette bags.  This is a great hands-on service project, and it does count as credit for weekly attendance. 
    SERVICE OPPORTUNITY - NW HOUSTON 2017-05-02 05:00:00Z 0
    Inspirational Message 2017-05-01 05:00:00Z 0

    Save the Date:  Installation Dinner of Rotary District 5890 District Governor, Bill Palko, and District Officers

    WHEN: Friday, June 23, 2017
    WHERE: OMNI Hotel & Resorts, Four Riverway, Houston 77056
    SCHEDULE: 6:00 pm Registration/Cocktails (cash bar), 6:45 pm Introductions/Dinner/Entertainment, 8:00 pm Installation Program, 9:00pm to midnight DJ/Dancing
    PAYMENT INFORMATION:
     Table of 10 $1,000 (Includes 10 drink tickets)
     Individual $100 (Includes 1 drink ticket)
     YOU CAN REGISTER ONLINE AT https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Event/boot-scootin-boogie--- district-installation
     Or Complete this registration form and return with your check by Friday June 9, 2017
     MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: North Shore Rotary
     
    Save the Date: Installation Dinner of Rotary District 5890 District Governor, Bill Palko, and District Officers Rebecca Maddox 2017-05-01 05:00:00Z 0

    Here's Why You Should Thank the Ancient Greeks for Your Birthday Cake

    White, marble, chocolate, German chocolate, ice cream: There are hundreds of types of birthday cake in the world, each beautiful in its own sugary way. Odds are, you’ve indulged in one during at least one (hopefully all) of your birthday parties. But in between delicious bites of cake and frosting, have you ever stopped and wondered, “Why am I eating this? What makes this dessert fit to commemorate the day of my birth?”

     

    It’s because you are as important and beloved as the gods. Kind of.

    The ancient Egyptians are credited with “inventing” the celebration of birthdays. They believed when pharaohs were crowned, they became gods, so their coronation day was a pretty big deal. That was their “birth” as a god.

    Ancient Greeks borrowed the tradition, but rightfully realized that a dessert would make the celebration all the more meaningful. So they baked moon-shaped cakes to offer up to Artemis, goddess of the moon, as tribute. They decorated them with lit candles to make the cakes shine like the moon. Hence, the reason we light our birthday cakes on fire.

    Modern birthday parties are said to get their roots from the 18th century German celebration “Kinderfeste.” On the morning of a child’s birthday, he or she would receive a cake with lighted candles that added up to the kid’s age, plus one. This extra candle was called the “light of life,” representing the hope of another full year lived.

    And then, torture—because no one could eat the cake until after dinner. The family replaced the candles as they burned out throughout the day. Finally, when the moment came, the birthday child would make a wish, try to blow out all the candles in one breath, and dig in. (Sorry to break it to you, but you’ve probably been cutting cake wrong your whole life.) Like modern tradition, the birthday girl or boy wouldn’t tell anyone the wish so it would come true.

    Since the ingredients to make cakes were pretty expensive, this birthday custom didn’t become popular until the Industrial Revolution. More ingredients were available, which made them cheaper, and bakeries even started selling pre-baked cakes.

     

    Here's Why You Should Thank the Ancient Greeks for Your Birthday Cake Reader's Digest 2017-05-01 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  Buddhism & Compassion

    In the previous newsletter our speaker, Pope  shared a message of hope for the future.  He suggests that we can build a brighter future by standing together, yet it can be sparked with the interests and actions of only one person.  He would like to see people build a sense of solidarity with the goal of helping each other with compassion and tenderness in our hearts.  We are encouraged to share our talents and resources, sometimes financial, to assist others. 
     
    In our Rotary family, we have active members around the world who practice varied religions.  Certainly there are differences, yet we put aside our religious practices to serve others as Rotarians.  Now let's explore the messages taught in some other world religions.  This newsletter will take a look at Buddhism and Compassion this week.  This is shared from the March 23, 2017 posting in ThoughtCo. online:
     

    The Buddha taught that to realize enlightenment, a person must develop two qualities: wisdom and compassion. Wisdom and compassion are sometimes compared to two wings that work together to enable flying, or two eyes that work together to see deeply.

    In the West, we're taught to think of "wisdom" as something that is primarily intellectual and "compassion" as something that is primarily emotional, and that these two things are separate and even incompatible.

    We're led to believe that fuzzy, sappy emotion gets in the way of clear, logical wisdom. But this is not the Buddhist understanding.

    The Sanskrit word usually translated as "wisdom" is prajna (in Pali, panna), which can also be translated as "consciousness," "discernment," or "insight." Each of the many schools of Buddhism understands prajna somewhat differently, but generally, we can say that prajna is understanding or discernment of the Buddha's teaching, especially the teaching of anatta, the principle of no self.

    The word usually translated as "compassion" is karuna, which is understood to mean active sympathy or a willingness to bear the pain of others. In practice, prajna gives rise to karuna, and karuna gives rise to prajna. Truly, you can't have one without the other. They are a means to realizing enlightenment, and in themselves they are also enlighenment  itself manifested.

    Compassion as Training

    In Buddhism, the ideal of practice is to selflessly act to alleviate suffering wherever it appears.

     

    You may argue it is impossible to eliminate suffering, yet the practice calls for us to make the effort. 

    What does being nice to others have to do with enlightenment? For one thing, it helps us realize that "individual me" and "individual you" are mistaken ideas. And as long as we're stuck in the idea of "what's in it for me?" we are not yet wise.

    In Being Upright: Zen Meditation and the Bodhisattva Precepts, Soto Zen teacher Reb Anderson wrote, "Reaching the limits of practice as a separate personal activity, we are ready to receive help from the compassionate realms beyond our discriminating awareness." Reb Anderson continues:

    "We realize the intimate connection between the conventional truth and the ultimate truth through the practice of compassion. It is through compassion that we become thorougly grounded in the conventional truth and thus prepared to receive the ultimate truth. Compassion brings great warmth and kindness to both perspectives. It helps us to be flexible in our interpretation of the truth, and teaches us to give and receive help in practicing the precepts."​

    In The Essence of the Heart Sutra, His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote,

    "According to Buddhism, compassion is an aspiration, a state of mind, wanting others to be free from suffering. It's not passive -- it's not empathy alone -- but rather an empathetic altruism that actively strives to free others from suffering. Genuine compassion must have both wisdom and lovingkindness. That is to say, one must understand the nature of the suffering from which we wish to free others (this is wisdom), and one must experience deep intimacy and empathy with other sentient beings (this is lovingkindness)."

    No Thanks

    Have you ever seen someone do something courteous and then get angry for not being properly thanked? True compassion has no expectation of reward or even a simple "thank you" attached to it. To expect a reward is to maintain the idea of a separate self and a separate other, which is contrary to the Buddhist goal. 

    The ideal of dana paramita--the perfection of giving--is "no giver, no receiver." For this reason, by tradition,  begging monks receive alms silently and do not express thanks. Of course, in the conventional world, there are givers and receivers, but it's important to remember that the act of giving is not possible without receiving. Thus, givers and receivers create each other, and one is not superior to the other.

    That said, feeling and expressing gratitude can be a tool for chipping away at our selfishness, so unless you are a begging monk, it's certainly appropriate to say "thank you" to acts of courtesy or help.

    Developing Compassion

    To draw on an old joke, you get to be more compassionate the same way you get to Carnegie Hall-- practice, practice, practice.

    It's already been noted that compassion arises from wisdom, just as wisdom arises from compassion. If you're feeling neither especially wise nor compassionate, you may feel the whole project is hopeless. But the nun and teacher Pema Chodron says, "start where you are." Whatever mess your life is right now is the soil from which enlightenment may grow.

    In truth, although you may take one step at a time, Buddhism is not a "one step at a time" process. Each of the eight parts of the Eightfold Path supports all the other parts and should be pursued simultaneously. Every step integrates all the steps.

    That said, most people begin by better understanding their own suffering, which takes us back to prajna--wisdom. Usually, meditation or other mindfulness practices are the means by which people begin to develop this understanding. As our self-delusions dissolve, we become more sensitive to the suffering of others. As we are more sensitive to the suffering of others, our self-delusions dissolve further.

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Weekly Program: Buddhism &amp; Compassion Barbara O'Brien/ThoughtCo. 2017-05-01 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  Why the only future worth building includes everyone

    A single individual is enough for hope to exist, and that individual can be you, says His Holiness Pope Francis in this searing TED Talk delivered directly from Vatican City. In a hopeful message to people of all faiths, to those who have power as well as those who don't, the spiritual leader provides illuminating commentary on the world as we currently find it and calls for equality, solidarity and tenderness to prevail. "Let us help each other, all together, to remember that the 'other' is not a statistic, or a number," he says. "We all need each other."

    Why you should listen

    Pope Francis was elected in March 2013, becoming the first Pope from the Americas and from the Southern hemisphere. He was born in 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, in a family of Italian immigrants. A Jesuit, he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires and then a Cardinal leading the Argentinian church. Upon election as the 266th Pope, he chose Francis as his papal name in reference to Saint Francis of Assisi.

    A very popular figure who has taken it upon himself to reform the Catholic Church, Pope Francis's worldview is solidly anchored in humility, simplicity, mercy, social justice, attention to the poor and the dispossessed -- those he says "our culture disposes of like waste" -- and in a critical attitude towards unbridled capitalism and consumerism. He is a strong advocate of global action against climate change, to which he has devoted his powerful 2015 encyclical, Laudato sì ("Praise be to you"). He invites us to practice "tenderness," putting ourselves "at the level of the other," to listen and care. He is committed to interfaith dialogue and is seen as a moral and spiritual authority across the world by many people who aren't Catholics.

    Weekly Program: Why the only future worth building includes everyone 2017-04-30 05:00:00Z 0

    Honor Roll of Rotary e-club Houston Rotarians

    Ruby Powers - Ruby is a Board Certified Immigration attorney, world traveler, past Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, wife, and mom who also finds time for Rotary.  She is being recognized with the 2017 American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Advocacy Award which will be presented to her in June at the annual conference in New Orleans.  She was selected from a pool of 14,000 attorneys.  Congratulations, Ruby!
     
    Michael Miller - Our club treasurer for three years,  has been selected to Chair the Electrical Transmission & Substation Structures Conference 2018 to be held in Atlanta, Georgia.  He is married to our club president, Dree, and they will both be in Atlanta this June for the Rotary International Convention.  On a site visit earlier to Atlanta, they selected the site for our joint Rotary e-club party during the RI Convention.  His work as Vice-President of Engineering gives him the responsibility for North America, Mexico and interfacing with his company's plants in Brazil and India.  With 20 years of experience working for the Department of Energy, plus some 10 years in the private sector, he is one of the best in the world as a Civil Structural Engineer.  Thank you, Mike, for all that you do for our club, and for being a leader in your chosen vocation!
     
    PDG Ed Charlesworth and Robin Charlesworth -  Returned to their alma mater, The University of Houston on April 28th, to present a the first awarded research grant  to a deserving first year graduate student in the Department of Psychology at the Annual Psychology Research Showcase.   The recipient, Liz Smith, B.A., presented her work on "Perceived Stress and Alcohol Dependence in Firefighters:  The Role of Posttraumatic Stress".  A synopsis of her study is shared below.  Thank you, Ed and Robin, for supporting the next generation of research on stress with clinical applications!
     
    RNASA - The prestigious awards night for honoring outstanding achievement in space which was founded by the Rotary Club of Space Center Houston in 1985.  Our e-club member Philip Harris (a Systems Engineer with NASA) was in attendance as a supportive Rotarian along with our District Governor Eric Liu and First Lady Sandra Liu.   The National Space Trophy is presented annually to an outstanding American who has made major contributions to our nation's space program. Dr. John Grunsfeld, NASA Associate Administrator of the Science Mission Directorate,  received the National Space Trophy (NST) on April 28, 2017 at the Houston Hyatt Regency.  See more in the video below.
     
     
    Honor Roll of Rotary e-club Houston Rotarians 2017-04-29 05:00:00Z 0

    Trauma & Stress Studies with Firemen

    Lia Smith is the student honored with a research grant by the Charlesworth's.  Her research study is shared below as Rotarians in our district have a special interest in firefighters.   The Rotary Club of University Area Houston is proud to be the leader in organizing and planning the much needed Rotary Firefighters Home in the Texas Medical Center in partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center, the Houston Fire Department, the International Brotherhood of Fire Fighters, Rotary International, and Rotary District 5890.  Xerox Corporation has been a tremendous help in this endeavor.
     
    "Perceived Stress and Alcohol Dependence in Firefighters:  The Role of Posttraumatic Stress"
     
    Authors:  Liz J. Smith, B.A., Anka A. Vujanovic, Ph. D., Daniel J. Paulus, M.A., Matthew W. Gallagher, Ph. D., Sonya B. Norman, Ph. D. & Jana Tran, Ph. D.
     
    Abstract:  Firefighters are at an elevated risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology and alcohol use, the combination of which is highly complex and difficult to treat.  One promising factor with relevance to alcohol use and misuse among firefighters is perceived stress, defined as the degree to which individuals experience life events as unpredictable, uncontrollable, or generally overloading.  As firefighters are at elevated risk for exposure to various occupational stressors, the current study examined the indirect effects of perceived stress on alcohol dependence via posttraumatic stress severity using structural equation modeling.  It was hypothesized that post-traumatic  stress would significantly mediate the association between perceived stress and alcohol dependence.  Participant data analyzed at the time of submission included 2,790 male urban firefighters employed by a large fire department in a major U.S. metropolitan area (62% White 25 - 34 years old).  Measures included the Perceived Stress Scale, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-IV, and the Rapid Alcohol Problems Screen-4.  Structural equation modeling results demonstrated that posttraumatic stress significantly mediated the association between perceived stress severity and alcohol dependence.  This model suggested that 70% of the effect of perceived stress on alcohol dependence was accounted for indirectly via posttraumatic stress.  Thus, perceived stress is associated with heightened posttraumatic stress severity, which in turn, is associated with greater level of alcohol dependence.  Furthermore, direct effects of perceived stress on alcohol dependence were statistically significant and a significant association was found between posttraumatic stress on alcohol dependence,  Results underscore the importance of considering symptoms of both perceived stress and posttraumatic stress in order to better understand alcohol use among firefighters.  Clinical interventions for AUD among firefighters may potentially integrate a focus upon perceived stress as well as PTSD symptom severity in order to maximize effectiveness and applicability.
    Trauma &amp; Stress Studies with Firemen Kia Smith, B.A. 2017-04-29 05:00:00Z 0
    What is RNASA? 2017-04-29 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotarians Volunteering in Communities

    Veronica Kerssemakers - Regularly commits her time to provide care and support to the elderly, and also creative arts classes for the elderly.  She taught meditation classes for the caretakers of the elderly, too.  Veronica is one of our distance members, residing in The Netherlands.
     
    Ruby Powers - Earlier this week Ruby read Granddaddy's Turn:  A Journey to the Ballot Box to Janowski Elementary School (in Houston) second graders on Law Day 2017.
     
    Brittany Johnson - Volunteering with the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Fort Worth, Texas, and planned the send-off party for a four-year old child to go to Disney World with his family. 
     
    Cristal Montanez - Attended America's Global Leadership Roundtable on Foreign Policy held in Houston on April 27th.  The USGLC is a broad-based influential network of over 500 business and NGO's; national security and foreign policy experts; and business, faith-based, academic, military, and community leaders in all 50 states who support strategic investments to elevate development and diplomacy alongside defense in order to build a better, safer world.  Thank you Cristal for attending as Rotarians are committed to peace-building and leadership training!
     
    Dree Miller - Dedicated many hours to creatively design and produce the millefiori reflections mandala mosaic to be auctioned as a fundraising project to support The Rotary Foundation.  And don't forget the blankets she has made for the infants in Nicaragua, and the lil dresses for children in Africa.  Thank you, Dree, for your leadership, role-modeling, and endless energy to support Rotary!
     
     
    LET US KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN YOUR COMMUNITY TO VOLUNTEER.  OUR CLUB MEMBERS ARE NOT LIMITED TO ROTARY SANCTIONED OR CLUB-SPONSORED EVENTS OR PROJECTS.  WE DO ENCOURAGE ALL ACTIVE MEMBERS TO VOLUNTEER IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.  WHEN YOU SUBMIT YOUR VOLUNTEER WORK ON THE ATTENDANCE FORM, IT DOES COUNT AS A WEEKLY COMMITMENT TO OUR ROTARY CLUB'S ATTENDANCE AND ENGAGED PARTICIPATION.
     
     
     
     
    Rotarians Volunteering in Communities 2017-04-29 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotary International Convention - WASRAG

    Are you looking for a way to make a difference? Take a minute to listen to Isis Mejia's invitation on Facebook (Rotary e-club Houston, WASRAG) to attend the World Water Summit June 9 in Atlanta. It's going to be a great opportunity to find inspiration, find projects, and connect with partners. Isis will be speaking about her work in water and sanitation as well as others. Don't miss it! https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx…

    WASRAG's Annual General Meeting
      Saturday June 10, 4.30 - 7.00 pm

    World Water Summit 9 - Atlanta, Georgia, USA
    Friday, June 09, 2017 7:30 AM - 12:30 PM (Eastern Time)

    Georgia World Congress Center
    285 Andrew Young International Blvd NW
    Atlanta, Georgia 30313
    United States

    This year's Summit will be held on the morning of Friday June 9th

    BUT!  When the formal Summit ends at 12.30 pm there will be more opportunities to learn about WASH. 

    Starting at 1.15 pm we'll feature a series of workshops.  Our sponsors will be available to talk about the wide range of services and products available to support your projects.  Members of WASRAG's Professional Services Team will be there to discuss your WASH challenges and facilitiate informal technical workshops. 
     
    Rotary International Convention - WASRAG 2017-04-26 05:00:00Z 0

    What is Rotary? - You Will be Asked When You Wear Your Pin

    Rotary is an international, non-political humanitarian service organization whose mission is advancing world understanding, goodwill and peace. We focus our efforts in six key areas including preventing diseases, providing access to clean water and sanitation, promoting peace, enhancing maternal and child health, improving basic education and literacy, and helping communities develop. We are especially dedicated to eradicating polio worldwide. Rotary members have persevered in this fight for more than 30 years, and have helped decrease the number of polio-affected countries from 125 to just three.
    What is Rotary? - You Will be Asked When You Wear Your Pin 2017-04-26 05:00:00Z 0

    Inspiration - When You Don't Give Up You Cannot Fail

    Rotarians - Let us be like this father who is supportive and encouraging, accepting another's goal and passion, and continue to help others to the finish line while allowing them to celebrate their victory.
    Inspiration - When You Don't Give Up You Cannot Fail 2017-04-26 05:00:00Z 0
    Inspiration of the Week - "Everything Happens for a Reason" 2017-04-25 05:00:00Z 0

    Our Fundraiser to Support The Rotary Foundation

    Rotary Foundation Fundraiser

    This beautiful Millefiori Reflection Mandala mosaic was hand-made by our own talented President Dree Miller to raise money for The Rotary Foundation.  Tickets are $10 each for a chance to win this piece and the drawing will be held at our installation of officers on June 17th.  This multi-media mosaic was inspired by the work Rotarians do around the world.  From the Italian word "mille" which means "a thousand" and  "fiori" meaning "flowers":.    Adriane sees Rotarians as thousands of flowers that bring life and color in the most needed places in the world.  Flowers can grow in between hard surfaces and harsh terrain as the flowers represented in this stained glass.   All that is needed is goodwill and action, represented by the Rotary "wheel" in the center. Adriane says, "Rotarians make the world go 'round spreading hope, peace, and love.  The mirrored pieces symbolize this evolution.  The result is the3 harmonious mosaic of kindness.  All proceeds from this go to The Rotary Foundation to fund service projects where most needed in the world.  This mosaic measures 24 inches in diameter. 
     
    Tickets were sold at the District Conference and will be available at the Rotary International Convention.  For a raffle ticket, please contact President Adriane Miller at eclubofhouston@yahoo.com. 
    Our Fundraiser to Support The Rotary Foundation Adriane Miller 2017-04-25 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  Becoming a Yo-Yo- Champion

     
     

    Did you ever try to yo-yo?  This speaker discovered his talent and with 10,000 hours of practicing became the world's expert.

    Why you should listen

    At 14, BLACK picked up his first yo-yo. Initially he couldn't do even the easiest trick -- but after one week of practicing, he realized: I could be good at this. Very good. Four years later (and 10,000 hours of practicing), he took the title of 2001 world champion. And then ... he gave it up. Went to school, got a job. But he missed the passion of performing. He realized: "I want to do this: Entertain, and bring excitement and joy to people with the yo-yo."

    Returning to competition after six years, he won the 2007 World Yo-Yo Contest in the artistic performance category. After that, he started dance and acrobatic training to create a new form of performing and art. Imagine a yo-yo performance graceful and thrilling enough to pass the audition for Cirque du Soleil ... while being fast and precise enough to pull a tablecloth out from under a stack of champagne glasses!

     
    Weekly Program: Becoming a Yo-Yo- Champion Ted Talk 2017-04-25 05:00:00Z 0

    A Lesson In Leadership - Be True to Character

    An excerpt from the book Becoming Your Best - The 12 Principles of Highly Successful LEADERS by Steven Shallenberger:
     
    A mother once brought her child to human and civil rights pioneer Mahatma Gandhi and asked him to tell the young boy to stop eating sugar because it was not good for his diet or his developing teeth.  Gandhi replied, "I cannot tell him that.  But you may bring him back in a month."   Gandhi then moved on, brushing the mother aside.  She was angry; she had traveled some distance and had expected the mighty leader to support her parenting.  But having little recourse, she left for her home. 
     
    One month later she returned, not knowing what to expect.  The great Gandhi took the small child's hands into his own, knelt before him and tenderly said, "Do not eat sugar, my child.  It is not good for you."  Then Gandhi embraced the boy and returned him to his mother.  Grateful but perplexed, the mother queried, "Why didn't you say that a month ago?"  "Well," said Gandhi, "a month ago, I was still eating sugar." 
     
    This is an example of the moral authority that comes from having a strong principle-based character.  Lead with bedrock principles which include integrity, honesty, trustworthiness, perseverance, humility, compassion, and respect for others.
     
    A Lesson In Leadership - Be True to Character Steven R. Shallenberger 2017-04-21 05:00:00Z 0

    Welcome, New Member!

    Ludmila Claro - Ludmila is President of the Brazilian Women Association and teaches Portuguese.   She is sponsored by Marcia Allgayer.  She is new to Rotary International and her leadership skills and interest in community service will readily sweep her into our Rotary projects.  Hope we see you, Ludmila, at our kayak event in May!
    Welcome, New Member! 2017-04-20 05:00:00Z 0

    Inspiration - Toasts to Rotarians Celebrating With Their Families

    To Jewish Rotarians around the world -  Thinking of our Rotarian friends celebrating Passover this week.  The name “Passover” is derived from the Hebrew word Pesach which is based on the root “pass over” and refers to the fact that God “passed over” the houses of the Jews when he was slaying the firstborn of Egypt during the last of the ten plagues. Passover is also widely referred to as Chag he-Aviv (the "Spring Festival"), Chag ha-Matzoth (the "Festival of Matzahs"), and Zeman Herutenu (the "Time of Our Freedom").  Probably the most significant observance involves the removal of chametz (leavened bread) from homes and property. Chametz includes anything made from the five major grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt) that has not been completely cooked within 18 minutes after coming into contact with water (Ashkenazic Jews also consider rice, corn, peanuts, and legumes as chametz). The removal of chametz commemorates the fact that the Jews left Egypt in a hurry and did not have time to let their bread rise. It is also a symbolic way of removing the “puffiness” (arrogance, pride) from our souls.
     
    To Christian Rotarians around the world - Happy Easter!  Easter Sunday is an important day in the Christian church calendar because it celebrates Jesus Christ's resurrection, according to Christian belief.  In Christian times, the spring began to be associated with Jesus Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. The crucifixion is remembered on Good Friday and the resurrection is remembered on Easter Sunday.  Many Christians worldwide celebrate Easter with special church services, music, candlelight, flowers and the ringing of church bells. Easter processions are held in some countries such as the Philippines and Spain. Many Christians view Easter as the greatest feast of the Church year.

    Many towns and villages in Italy have sacred dramas about the episodes of the Easter story – these are held in the piazzas on Easter Day. Pastries called corona di nove are baked in the form of a crown. Other traditional foods include capretto (lamb) and agnello (kid/goat). Easter in Poland is celebrated with family meals that include ham, sausages, salads, babka (a Polish cake) and mazurka, or sweet cakes filled with nuts, fruit and honey.

    Although Easter maintains great religious significance, many children in countries such as Australia, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, think of it as a time to get new spring clothes, to decorate eggs and to participate in Easter egg hunts where eggs are hidden by the Easter Bunny. Some children receive Easter baskets full of candy, snacks, and presents around this time of the year.

    Inspiration - Toasts to Rotarians Celebrating With Their Families 2017-04-14 05:00:00Z 0

    Grassroots Peacemaking & Rotary

    There is  great interest in Grassroots Peacemaking in many areas around the world.  Grassroots Peacemaking Groups, in different parts of the world, take advantage of formal and informal networks of leaders in Rotary, the United Nations, the Holy Sea and many NGO's.  There are more than 1.2 million Rotarians in more than 35,000 Rotary clubs in more than 215 countries and territories around the world.  Rotarians share a passion for enhancing communities and improving lives across the globe.  With clubs in almost every country, the members embrace their diverse backgrounds and unite to exchange new ideas, apply expertise, and implement improvements that transform communities. 
     
    Rotary's peacemaking history goes back to the days when Rotary was active in the creation of the United Nations.  The U.S. State Department asked Rotary International to help develop the Statutes of the United Nations.  Rotary also organized and managed the United Nations charter meeting in San Francisco in 1945.  Forty-nine of the delegates from different countries were also Rotarians.
     
    Rotary Grassroots Peacemaking Groups have made positive differences in conflicts between Argentina and Chile, Cyprus, India and Pakistan, and between China and Taiwan.  We have also seen interest in Grassroots Peacemaking in Zimbabwe, Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, Russia, Ukraine, and Mexico.  Our Grassroots Peacemaking Group on Facebook has more than 3000 members and it's still growing!
     
    It is a big challenge to develop peace and prosperity between nations that hate each other.  The only possibility would be for the parties to agree on a common philosophy and vision of peace and prosperity on a win-win basis.  It is in their self-interest to do so.  The Grassroots Peacemaking Process provides a solution to a widespread problem in many countries.  The problem is that the parties fail to agree on a common philosophy and vision.  The result is that they pursue uncoordinated missions and actions with many people continuously killed.  This also leads to a conflict escalation.  The longer such a conflict lasts, the parties dig in more and become increasingly bitter and hostile. 
     
    The Grassroots Peacemaking Process has the following four steps that the conflicting parties create and develop together:
    1.  Philosophy
    2.  Vision
    3.  Mission
    4.  Action
     
    For example:
    1.  Philosophy - In peace everybody wins and in war everybody loses.  Studies have shown that nowadays there are no winners in war.  Once the conflicting parties can agree to this, it becomes in their own self interest to pursue peace. 
    2.  Vision -  The parties will jointly develop a vision of peace and prosperity on a win-win basis.  Rotarians on each side of the conflict know each other and share the same values.  They can use their relationships with leaders of their countries to promote a win-win vision of peace and prosperity.
    3.  Mission - The conflicting parties develop a joint mission based on their win=win vision. Local Rotarians can create peacemaking projects between groups of people in the conflicting area.
    4.  Action - The conflicting parties act to implement their mission plan.  Rotarians can help by generating support from the United Nations, as well as different countries and NGOs around the world.
     
    With tensions continuing to escalate with different countries around the world, this major focus area of Rotary, PEACE, is  desperately needed.  Do you know about our Rotary Peace Scholars?   Each year, Rotary selects up to 100 individuals from around the world to receive fully funded academic fellowships to pursue a Professional Development Certificate Program or Masters Degree Program related to peace and conflict resolution and prevention at one of the participating peace centers around the world (USA, Japan, UK, Australia, Sweden, Thailand).  Up to 50 fellowships for master’s degree and 50 for certificate studies are awarded each year.
    ,
    Grassroots Peacemaking & Rotary Grassroots Peacemaking Newsletter 2017-04-14 05:00:00Z 0

    Five years since its debut, Rotary Club Central is getting a big upgrade

    When we introduced in 2012, it revolutionized goal tracking and planning for clubs and districts — no more filling out paper club-planning forms or passing along boxes of historical club information every time a new leader took office.

    Rotary Club Central offered clubs and districts a quantifiable way to begin measuring local and global impact, specifically membership initiatives, service activities, and Rotary Foundation giving.

    But as with any technological advancement, in a few short years, Rotary Club Central began to show its age, and Rotarians took notice. They wanted a tool that was more robust, faster to use, and easier to navigate. It was time for an upgrade.

    In July, we’ll unveil a new and improved Rotary Club Central. We’ve completely redesigned it with a fresh, modern interface. Pages load faster, navigation is more intuitive, and easy-to-read charts and graphs make past and current club data more accessible.

    Members and club leaders can view trends, plan for the future, and track progress in just minutes. Plus, Rotary Club Central offers an individual user experience, allowing club leaders to plan and evaluate what is important to their own clubs, like membership activities or Rotary Citation goals. You can even enter your Rotary Foundation giving goals in local currency.

    Rotary Club Central is also a great tool for succession planning. Club leaders change annually, so the historical record of goals and achievements eases the transition and ensures continuity. It’s just one way to boost trust between members and club leaders, because everyone has access to the same data and is working together to achieve the same goals.

    The Rotary Club Central upgrade will happen seamlessly, which means you don’t have to do anything. All data already in the platform will automatically migrate into the new system. Additional updates about the new Rotary Club Central will be posted on My Rotary in the near future.

    Five years since its debut, Rotary Club Central is getting a big upgrade 2017-04-09 05:00:00Z 0

    Blankets to be sent to Nicaragua

    President Dree Miller, "My small contribution of 54 blankets for Rotary Layette bags for Nicaragua I finished hemming today. I feel great that they will be wrapping up with love the tiny lives that will come to this world. Other Rotarians are doing the same, because we care that these newborns need all gestures of love they can get. If you are reading this and would like to know of big or small ways to make changes in the world, let me know and I'll tell you how to join a team of Rotarians."   Thank you, Dree, for being a great example of a Rotarian who is generous of her time and talent!

    Blankets to be sent to Nicaragua 2017-04-08 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  Clean Water

    Deepika Kurup has been determined to solve the global water crisis since she was 14 years old, after she saw kids outside her grandparents' house in India drinking water that looked too dirty even to touch. Her research began in her family kitchen — and eventually led to a major science prize. Hear how this teenage scientist developed a cost-effective, eco-friendly way to purify water. Water is the basis of life, and too many people around the world suffer from waterborne illnesses. Deepika Kurup is working to change that.

    Why you should listen

    Deepika Kurup is a scientist, speaker, social entrepreneur and student at Harvard University. She has been passionate about solving the global water crisis ever since she was in middle school. After witnessing children in India drinking dirty water, Kurup developed a water purification system that harnesses solar energy to remove contaminants from water.

    Recognized as "America’s Top Young Scientist" in 2012, Kurup won the grand prize in the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. In 2014 she was honored with the "United States President's Environmental Youth Award" and represented the United States in Stockholm, Sweden at the international Stockholm Junior Water Prize. Most recently Kurup was named one of the Forbes' "30 Under 30: Energy" and was the National Geographic Explorer Award Winner in the 2015 Google Science Fair. She attended the 2016 (and 2013) White House Science Fair. Currently she is CEO and founder Catalyst for World Water, a social enterprise aimed at deploying the technology she developed in water-scarce areas. 

    Along with research, Kurup is passionate about STEM education, and she feels that STEM education has the power to revolutionize the world. In her free time, she enjoys giving talks and writing articles to encourage students all around the world to pursue science, technology, engineering and math, and to increase awareness of the global water crisis. She has been invited to speak at schools, international conferences and the United Nations. 

     
    Weekly Program: Clean Water 2017-04-08 05:00:00Z 0

    BINGO!  APRIL 9th FUNDRAISER SUCCESSFUL!

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    Our Club Social & Bingo was a great Sunday gathering of friendship and fun!  The fundraiser supports Earn & Learn.  Earn & Learn is an after school program in India that provides kids from the slums with education and better nutrition.   If you were unable to attend the event, but would like to support this international project, please go to our website and make your donation online or send a check to our treasurer, Michael Miller. Here are some of our club members who enjoyed the fun at two fundraisers held at the Miller's and the Charlesworths homes:
    Here is the philosophy of the Earn N Learn Program which takes place every day at the Ghandi Ashram in Ahmedabad, India:
    Provide a safe environment where children can learn and socialize
    Provide children with tutorials
    Provide children with English lessons
    Provide children with a nutritional meal and a snack
    Teach children arts and crafts
    Teach children to care and nurture the elderly
    Teach children to value their community
    Teach children the value of mindfulness
    Expose children to volunteers from all over the world who teach them music and dance
    Description of the program:
    Children range from ages 8-16 (60-80 participants)
    Children attend school in the morning
    Children attend Earn n Learn in the afternoon for 4 hours
    Children work only 2 hours per day on handmade paper products (notecards, journals, calendars, invitations)
    Children are paid a fair wage for their work (meticulous records are kept on time spent and difficulty of task)
    Children are fed, engage in afternoon prayers, tutorials, fun events and
    Once a year they are taken on educational field trips
    The Earn ‘n’ Learn family spent one afternoon recnetly serving 60 elderly women, all of whom are widows struggling to support themselves. With kindness and joy, the children distributed 10​​ kilograms of grain to each woman, prepared and served a delicious Gujarati snack, and performed several bhajans, while the women sang and danced. 
     
    Fundraiser results:
    $548.11 from bingo at  President Adriane Miller's house
    $140 from fundraiser/social at PDG Ed and Robin Charlesworth's house 
    Subtotal $ 688.11  PLUS matching grant with Kindness in Action, Inc.
        Total: $1,376.22
     
    Special thanks to the combined efforts of President Dree and Michael Miller; PDG Ed and Robin Charlesworth; Rachael Blair, President of Kindness in Action; and sponsoring Rotarians and guests who made this international project possible!!! 
     
     
    BINGO! APRIL 9th FUNDRAISER SUCCESSFUL! 2017-03-31 05:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - I Am So Weary (Song for Refugees)

    Published on Mar 5, 2013

    A Cliff McAulay song, written in response to the problems of refugees throughout the world.
    Film by Andy Freegard.2012.
    Recorded in Melbourne Australia. Paul Richards Drums, Phil Smith Bass,Toni McDonald violin,Charlie

     
    Song of the Week - I Am So Weary (Song for Refugees) 2017-03-31 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  What it's like to be a parent in a war zone

    How do parents protect their children and help them feel secure again when their homes are ripped apart by war? In this warm-hearted talk, psychologist Aala El-Khani shares her work supporting — and learning from — refugee families affected by the civil war in Syria. She asks: How can we help these loving parents give their kids the warm, secure parenting they most need?

    Why you should listen

    Dr. Aala El-Khani develops and researches innovative ways to reach families that have experienced conflict with parenting support and training. She has conducted prize-winning field research with refugee families and families in conflict zones, exploring their parenting challenges and the positive impact parenting support can provide. Her work has significantly contributed to an agenda of producing materials which together form psychological first aid for families affected by conflict and displacement.

    El-Khani s a humanitarian psychologist, and she works as a consultant for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime as well as a Research Associate at the University of Manchester at the Division of Psychology and Mental Health. Her current work collaborates the efforts of the UNODC and the University of Manchester in developing and evaluating family skills programs in countries such as Afghanistan, Palestine, Syria and Lebanon.

    El-Khani is passionate about highlighting the significant role that caregivers play in protecting their children during conflict and displacement. She has trained NGO workers, school teachers and affected families internationally on family skills and research methods.

     
    Weekly Program:  What it's like to be a parent in a war zone 2017-03-31 05:00:00Z 0

    A Glimpse into the Friendship House at RI in Atlanta

    This is where the Rotary world comes together and where ideas, best practices, and project successes are proudly shared. You can:

    • Browse booths showcasing Rotary projects, Rotary Fellowships, and Rotarian Action Groups
    • Shop for Rotary-licensed merchandise, including pins, shirts, and banners
    • Meet with staff in the Resource Center about Rotary’s programs and services
    • Enjoy food and entertainment unique to the American South
    • Register for the 2018 convention in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    Hours of operation
    The House of Friendship is located in the Georgia World Congress Center, and is open:
    Saturday, 10 June | 10:30 (grand opening ceremony)
    Saturday, 10 June | 09:00-18:00
    Sunday, 11 June | 09:00-18:00
    Monday, 12 June | 09:00-18:00
    Tuesday, 13 June | 09:00-18:00
    Wednesday, 14 June | 09:00-16:00

    “Every convention breathes new life into your Rotary experience. I’m looking forward to welcoming you to the House of Friendship, where you quickly realize how international Rotary really is.”

    *****SPECIAL NOTE*****  After today the registration increases from $415 to $490.  This may be done via fax, online or mail.

    Carol Colon, Rotary Club of Gainesville, Georgia; House of Friendship Co-Chair, 2017 Atlanta Convention

     
    A Glimpse into the Friendship House at RI in Atlanta 2017-03-31 05:00:00Z 0

    Club Leadership Training TOMORROW

    This assembly is for every Rotarian in the club and especially for the incoming board under President-Elect Wind Nguyen.  The cost is $10 if you register in advance and $15 at the door.
     
    Where: Houston Community College West Loop
                  5601 West Loop South
                  Houston, TX  77013
    When:  April 1st  8:00 am - 2:00 pm
    Houston Community College West Loop
    5601 West Loop South
    Houston, TX  77013 - See more at: https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Event/club-leadership#sthash.pawv5BcF.dpuf
    Houston Community College West Loop
    5601 West Loop South
    Houston, TX  77013
    United States - See more at: https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Event/club-leadership#sthash.pawv5BcF.dpuf
     
    Below is some of the break out sessions and topics covered:
     
    President Nominees-Getting a Head Start for 2018-19
     
    Best Practices for the Club Secretary (2 part session)
     
    Best Practices for the Club Treasurer (2 part session)
     
    Club Membership Chairs & AMCs
     
    Club Rotary Foundation Chairs
     
    Club Vocational Service Chairs
     
    Club Community Service Chairs
     
    Club International Service Chairs
     
    Club Public Image Chairs
     
    Club Youth Services Chairs
     
    Rotary 101- The Basics of Rotary (Great for new members!)
     
     The Rotary Foundation 101: The Basics of the Foundation
     
                                          Grants Training - (2 part session)
     Membership Retention, Recruiting, and Planning
     Vibrant Club- Is your Rotary Club Vibrant?
    Public Relations- Getting the Word Out about Rotary
    Interact & Rotaract: How to sponsor a club?
    Youth Exchange- How does our club get involved?
    Fundraising- How to raise money for your club projects
    How to Conduct a Board Meeting
    Conflict Resolution-How to handle disagreements within your club effectively.
    Membership Relations: What should you say and not say from the podium?
    International Service Project Ideas
    Community & Vocational Service Project Ideas
    Club Leadership Training TOMORROW 2017-03-31 05:00:00Z 0

    Welcome New Members!

    John Allen - John studied Electrical Engineering at Texas A & M University and then Engineering Economic Systems at Stanford University.  John is the CEO of Delantero.  His classification is ITSystems Integration/Software Development.  He was raised in Lake Jackson and now divides his time between Folsom, California or New Braunfels, Texas.  He raised two daughters in Folsom.  He retired from IBM seven years ago.  His father, James B. Allen, was a well respected figure in the Brazosport Rotary Club.  Also, he is the cousin of Robin Charlesworth (first cousin) and second cousin of Brittany  (Charlesworth) Johnson.   John enjoys hiking in the Sierras, playing ball and training his black Lab, traveling, going to San Francisco Giants games, and Octoberfest.  He enjoys working with kids and seniors and supports programs of education.  Welcome, John!
     
    Marluce Whitley - Marluce is also new to the family of Rotary International and resides in Greenville, South Carolina.   She owns Rio Body Wax and is an Esthetician.  She is interested in traveling, reading, going to the movies, and having friends over.  Marluce has already expressed interest in attending the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, so our international group of members may meet her at the dinner for e-club members.  She in sponsored by Wind Nguyen.  Marluce was introduced to Rotary by Marcia Natali de Assis Allgayer.  Welcome, Marluce!
     
    Rebecca McGee - Rebecca is transferring from the Rotary Club of Kingwood within our district.    She joined Rotary in 2012 with a classification of Mobile Marketing & Digital Signage.  She enjoys kayaking, animal activism, environmental activisim, diversity awareness, and community service.  Rebecca has indicated a willingess to assist with technology needs for our club.  Welcome, Rebecca!
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Welcome New Members! 2017-03-26 05:00:00Z 0

    Lessons from Geese: Breakthrough Line of One

    Breakthrough Tool, Line of One is a team value, a practice, and a set of behaviours, that members of a team can take on to create powerful results. It exists and is present in any successful team.

    In the natural world, this team value of mutual support is illustrated by the behaviour and practices of Geese as they fly together.

    Line of One focusses on Lessons we can learn from Geese. Inspired by the words of Milton Olson.
    Lessons from Geese: Breakthrough Line of One www.breakthroughglobal.com 2017-03-26 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Clean Water released in Ghana on International Water Day 2007 2017-03-26 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  Toilet humor is Serious Business

    Published on May 7, 2015

    Sometimes life leads you to far flung places and puts you in positions that you never dreamed. When you follow the rabbit hole and embrace it with both arms you might never realize it how it might change your life. Mark Balla's simple and personal story is beautifully expressed from a guy who just wanted to do the right thing. Mark discovered something that could at the very least change people's lives when he started an organization called 'We Can't Wait'.

    After several years working as a travel writer and then establishing his own business, Mark found himself as a board member for a company...in India. During one of the frequent trips that he made from his home in Melbourne he unravelled an issue too large to ignore. Some years later Mark discovered that the best job he has ever had doesn't pay a cent but may just save lives.

    Mark Balla is a founding director of We Can’t Wait - a not for profit that works towards it's mission of providing clean, safe and sustainable sanitation solutions for schools and surrounding communities in the developing world.  Mark is a Rotarian and project director of Operation Toilets at the Rotary Club of Box Hill Central. He is a Board Member of the Water & Sanitation Rotarian Action Group - the peak global influencing body within the Rotary International focus area on Water and Sanitation.
    This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.  Filmed in Queenstown.

     
    Weekly Program: Toilet humor is Serious Business 2017-03-26 05:00:00Z 0

    About WASRAG

    The Water & Sanitation Rotarian Action Group (WASRAG) was formed in 2007 by a group of Rotarians, recognized by Rotary International, and focused on WASH projects.  Since then it has facilitated many hundreds of projects – helping clubs find partners, ensuring sustainability, stressing the importance of a needs-driven approach, and developing best practices.  We encourage a holistic, integrated approach in which water is not the end in itself, but is rather the means to a better life and livelihood in the community.  Most importantly WASRAG links water and sanitation to improved hygiene, better health, and empowerment of the community – especially women, irrigation and agriculture, education and literacy and, ultimately, child mortality.

    Vision Statement:  Health, education and prosperity for all through safe water, sanitation and hygiene. 


    Mission Statement:  Providing human,  technical and financial support to Rotary clubs and districts seeking to help communities to gain sustainable access to water, sanitation and hygiene.
    WASRAG Goals:

    Access and connect with experts in WASH

    Provide technical guides for all stages of WASH projects including program life cycle

    Seek funding outside the Rotary domain to complement internal resources

    Facilitate connections with other organizations sharing Rotary goals

    Alert Rotarians to the availability of expertise and financial resources

    Identify and share Rotary and other resources available to Rotarians.

    Assist and enable clubs to seek support from other clubs, from TRF and beyond Rotary

    Ensure clubs can learn of the needs of other clubs

    Maintain and build a collaborative working relationship with RI and TRF

    Implement appropriate processes to monitor and evaluate the impact , efficacy and sustainability of Rotary projects and programs

    Facilitate the exchange of idea and information

    Going to the RI Convention in Atlanta?

    Plan on attending the 9th annual WASRAG World Water Summit on Friday, June 9th beginning at 7:30 am with a light breakfast and speakers kicking off at 8:30 am.  This year's theme will focus on WASH and Women,  showing how women and girls are elevating their communities through water, sanitation and hygiene programs.  The opening speaker will be Kate Harawa, Malawi Country Chair of Water for People. 

    As a child in in Malawi, Kate experienced first-hand the challenges of fetching water from a distant, often contaminated water source.  Not surprisingly her university studies focused on WASH and she has dedicated her professional career to advocating for change and working to improve access to safe water.  As Country Program Director for Water for People her work has included such diverse areas as:

    • Leading an initiative to pilot composting toilets;
    • Conducting tests on the safety and nutritive value of compost;
    • Capturing lessons learned and sharing knowledge.
    Her talk will be "Motivated women will change the world through WASH".
     
    About WASRAG 2017-03-26 05:00:00Z 0

    Polio vaccination campaign to immunize millions in Africa

    More than 100 million children below the age of five will be vaccinated against polio in a synchronized campaign covering 20 countries in West and Central Africa starting on Friday.

    Tens of thousands of health workers and volunteers including Rotarians are uniting with health ministries, UN Agencies, and communities during four days of door-to-door vaccinations. Nigeria, one of three remaining polio-endemic countries along with Afghanistan and Pakistan, is aiming to get the two drops of oral vaccine into the mouths of 57.7 million children.

    This year’s progress in India has proven what is possible when we focus on the task at hand. In Africa, the end of polio is in sight, but we still have hard work ahead. Failure is not an option.

    From Rotary Voices - Stories of service from around the world

    Polio vaccination campaign to immunize millions in Africa By Ambroise Tshimbalanga Kasongo, chair of RI’s African PolioPlus Committee 2017-03-26 05:00:00Z 0

    Gangs of Houston: Law Enforcement Officials Cite Growth Of Criminal Gangs In Houston

    The recent arrest of two admitted members of the MS-13 gang, and the shooting earlier this month that injured two Houston police officers and killed one member of the the 52 Hoovers, also known as five-deuce Hoovas gang, is raising public awareness for an issue that has been present in Houston for many years.

    Long considered just an inner-city problem, criminal gangs have spread to suburban and rural areas in many regions, and that includes the Greater Houston area.

    Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Sam Cerda, who currently works as part of the department's auto theft task force, has a lot of experience with criminal gangs — or “Clicks” — as they are commonly referred to by law enforcement.  In fact, there are hundreds of gangs in Houston, with membership nearing 20,000.  The gang problem has become an issue that affects the whole of the Houston area, and not just isolated pockets, or a block or two that might be claimed as turf. They might be identified by the clothing they wear, the tattoos they have on their bodies, or how they communicate, such as with hand signs.

    In January, the Texas Department of Public Safety released an overview of gang activity in Texas that includes threats from terrorism, Mexican Cartels, Human Trafficking and gang activity.  This report disclosed the following: 

    All eight of the major Mexican cartels operate in Texas, and they have enlisted transnational and
    statewide gangs to support their drug and human smuggling and human trafficking operations on both
    sides of the border.
    Gangs continue to pose a significant public safety threat to Texas, and their propensity for violenceand many kinds of criminal activity is persistent. While the greatest concentrations of gang activity tendto be in the larger metropolitan areas, gang members are also present in the surrounding suburbs, and inrural areas. Gang activity is especially prevalent in some of the counties adjacent to Mexico and along key smuggling corridors, since many Texas-based gangs are involved in cross-border trafficking.

     

    According to the report, MS-13 is gaining influence and membership, and poses the greatest criminal threat because of their relationship with Mexican Cartels.  However, MS-13 is far from the only gang in town.  In fact, there are more than 350 gangs in Houston and Harris County, with roughly 19,000 members, according to a KPRC report.

    Gangs of Houston: Law Enforcement Officials Cite Growth Of Criminal Gangs In Houston Houston Patch 2017-03-17 05:00:00Z 0
    Music of the Week - An Irish Blessing 2017-03-17 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - "Let's Work Together" by Canned Heat 2017-03-17 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  4 Reasons to Learn a New Language

    English is fast becoming the world's universal language, and instant translation technology is improving every year. So why bother learning a foreign language? Linguist and Columbia professor John McWhorter shares four alluring benefits of learning an unfamiliar tongue.

    Why you should listen

    John McWhorter is Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University, teaching linguistics, Western Civilization and music history. He is a regular columnist on language matters and race issues for Time and CNN, writes for the Wall Street Journal "Taste" page, and writes a regular column on language for The Atlantic. His work also appears in the Washington Post, the Chronicle of Higher Education, Aeon magazine, The American Interest and other outlets. He was Contributing Editor at The New Republic from 2001 until 2014.

    McWhorter earned his PhD in linguistics from Stanford University in 1993 and is the author of The Power of BabelDoing Our Own ThingOur Magnificent Bastard TongueThe Language Hoax and most recently Words on the Move and Talking Back, Talking Black. The Teaching Company has released four of his audiovisual lecture courses on linguistics. He guest hosted the Lexicon Valley podcast at Slate during the summer of 2016.

    Beyond his work in linguistics, McWhorter is the author of Losing the Race and other books on race. He has appeared regularly on Bloggingheads.TV since 2006, and he produces and plays piano for a group cabaret show, New Faces, at the Cornelia Street Cafe in New York City.

     
    Weekly Program: 4 Reasons to Learn a New Language 2017-03-17 05:00:00Z 0

    General Meeting of the Rotary e-Club Houston - March 18th

    Join active members and guests of the Rotary e-Club Houston on Saturday, March 18th at 11:30 am.  Arrive early to order lunch at Caliente restaurant located in Town & Country Shopping Center next to Flemings.  Garage parking can be validated - bring your ticket with you into the restaurant.  The address is 790 W. Sam Houston Parkway, Suite 112 (Houston, TX 77024).   This meeting is for everyone in Houston to meet face-to-face and have great Rotarian fellowship.
     
    Come learn about learning differences with speaker Gayle Fisher.  Gayle has a Master's degree in Educational Technology from Texas A&M University, and she has a passion for advocating for the rights of those with learning differences.  Her presentation:  Self-Directed Learning, Platform Building and Intrinsic Motivation Lead to "In the Flow" of Learning.  This same talk was presented at EduCon 2016.
     
    We also need to discuss selling tickets for the Kayak Fundraiser and other Rotary business for the remainder of this year.  Hope to see you there! Next month we will have another on-line social/meeting,
    General Meeting of the Rotary e-Club Houston - March 18th 2017-03-17 05:00:00Z 0

    How to celebrate St. Patrick's Day the Authentic Way

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    Early Irish-American immigrants couldn't foresee the St. Patrick's Day celebrations of today: Hoards of drunken people elbowing their way to the bar for another green Bud Light.

    After all, 19th Century immigrants celebrated St. Patrick's Day — always March 17 on the Feast of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland — as a way to honor their heritage while embracing their new homeland. It often came with parades, food and a little bit of partying.

    It wasn't until later on that St. Patrick's Day was celebrated in Ireland. There it's a national holiday with schools and government buildings closed. Eamonn McGrath, a native Irishman and executive director of the Irish Cultural Center of New England, equates the day to the Fourth of July, where people spend time with family, attend a special Catholic mass, drink, eat and go to a parade.

    McGrath claims St. Patrick's Day is "more raucously and widely" celebrated outside of Ireland than inside, a phenomenon he said makes sense. All people with Irish heritage, he said, long for home."

    "Pub culture was never about getting drunk," said Professor Christopher Dowd of the University of New Haven, "It was about socializing, usually around music or storytelling."

    That means any St. Patrick's Day revelry should be kept social and celebratory. Here are other ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day the right way.

    Eat Irish -

    It's peasant food, but a perfect meat and potato base for your celebration.

    Shepherd's Pie is made with beef and vegetables and topped with mashed potatoes. There's colcannon, mashed potatoes mixed with a type of green, often cabbage. Irish soda bread is a simple, dense, not-too-sweet bread that goes well with corned beef and cabbage.  That dish, it turns out, may be more American than Irish. McGrath said Irish immigrants ate bacon and cabbage in the homeland. But they couldn't afford bacon in America, so they opted for the cheaper corned beef.

    Don't forget about Irish boxty, a potato pancake, and Dublin coddle, a mixture of potatoes, onions and sausage topped with bacon.

    Drink Irish

    The Irish are known for their Guinness, but there's plenty of other beer options such as Harp, Murphy's, Smithwick's and Beamish & Crawford. If it's in the cards, Irish whiskey is always popular. Try Jameson, Bushmills and Tullamore D.E.W. For those early starters, Bailey's Irish Creme goes well in coffee.

    The raucous nature of today's St. Patrick's Day celebrations, McGrath explained, doesn't rattle the Irish.

    "I think people want to feel Irish for the day and feel part of the Irish diaspora," he said, but added, "it kind of feeds that old stereotype that the Irish are drunks. That's probably not a good thing."

    Jam Irish

    Upbeat traditional Irish music is crucial, McGrath said, to a proper St. Patrick's Day. Some Irish classics to consider: "Skibbereen," "Finnegan's Wake," and "The Fields of Athenry." Crank up the Clancy Brothers, The Dubliners and The Wolf Tones. When the fiddle and banjos wear off, there's always other Irish artists Van Morrison, The Pogues, U2 and The Cranberries.

    Watch an Irish movie classic

    Dowd suggests people pay homage by watching a movie rooted or set in the Emerald Isle, such as The Quiet Man, which according to IMDB, features John Wayne as a boxer who returns home to Ireland, where he falls in love. Dowd, who teaches Irish literature, also recommends The Commitments, about a Dublin soul band, andThe Wind that Shakes the Barley, a story of two brothers during the Irish War of Independence.

    Read like the Irish

    Dig up some Irish poetry or gothic literature. There's always James Joyce, the author of great Irish novels such as Dubliners and Finnegans Wake. There's also Bram Stoker, who brought us Dracula.
     

    Watch Gaelic hurling and football

    The two sports unique to Ireland, Gaelic hurling and Gaelic football, host championship games on St. Patrick's Day.
     
    How to celebrate St. Patrick's Day the Authentic Way USA Today Network 2017-03-17 05:00:00Z 0

    Some Rotarians Literally give their Blood to Help Others in Need

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    This is what one of our most recent members Marcio de Assis did. Marcio lives in Brazil, and he is the brother of our member Marcia Allgayer and son of our member Margareth Natali who live in South Carolina. We are so happy many of our members are families that are part of a bigger family: Rotary. Yesterday a friend posted on Facebook about an elderly lady, Mrs. Zamboni, who is in the ICU at a hospital in Brazil with a life threatening condition. She had a serious complication and needed urgent donation of platelets. Adriane Miller tagged Marcio and his sister in that post because he lives near the town where Mrs. Zamboni was, and Adriane hopped he would share the post further to get donors from their city. But Marcio did made more than that. He took action. He actually went all the way to the hospital himself and donated blood. This is what Rotarians do. They see a need and they act. How are you serving humanity as a Rotarian? Please let us know so we can show examples of service to humanity and inspire others in creating a better world for all. Please send your story to newsletter editor Robin Charlesworth. Thank you Marcio and thanks to all of you who donate blood to save lives.
    Some Rotarians Literally give their Blood to Help Others in Need 2017-03-11 06:00:00Z 0

    District Conference 2017

     
     

    HURSDAY APRIL 20 – SUNDAY APRIL 23 2017.

    LA TORETTA LAKE RESORT AND SPA (www.latorrettalakeresort.com)

    47 MINUTES FROM 610 NORTH TO THE FACILITY

    OUSTANDING ROOM RATEALL SUITES MAIN TOWER @ $139 OR LAKE VILLAS @ $159 / NIGHT (LAKE VILLAS CONSIST OF 2 ROOMS, $159 EACH). GOLF COTTAGES (2 ROOMS IN EACH) ALSO AVAILABLE AT $139 PER ROOM PER NIGHT.

    MAKE CAREFUL NOTE THAT WE HAVE ONLY 32 GOLF COTTAGES AND 10 LAKE VILLAS AVAILABLE. WE HAVE 288 ROOMS IN THE MAIN TOWER. TOWER, ROOMS ARE ALL SUITES, 2 X QUEEN OR 1 X KING BED ROOMS. BOOK EARLY!!!!

    ALL CONFERENCE FACILITIES IN ONE CONCISE AREA, REGISTRATION, MEALS, MEETINGS AND HALL OF FRIENDSHIP. ALL MEALS INClUDED FROM THURSDAY PM THRU SATURDAY PM.

    MAXIMUM TIME TO ENJOY THE FACILITY WILL BE BUILT INTO OUR AGENDA. MAJOR SPOUSES PROGRAM UNDER CONSTRUCTION!!! FIRST TIME ATTENDEES SPECIAL CHECK IN AND ASSISTED THROUGHOUT CONFERENCE.

    GOLF COURSE ONSITE, PROBABLE FISHING COMPETITION!! NO NEED TO LEAVE THE FACILITY.

    MAGNIFICENT POOL AND LAZY RIVER!!

    WE GUARANTEE GREAT WEATHER!!!!

    BOOKING PORTAL : https://aws.passkey.com/event/14145764/owner/10957635/home

     

    Thursday, April 20th
    Golf Tournament - Registration  9 - 10:30 am
                                      Entry Feeds:  $125 per person/4 person scramble
                                      Shotgun Start 11:00 am
                                      For more inforation:  Contact Steve Bohreer  sbohreer@aol.com
     
    Friday night, April 21st
    DISTRICT CONFERENCE DUCK RACE!  First 10 ducks across the finish line win a prize.  $10 for one or $20 for three ducks.  Rotarians and family/guests only.  Need not be present to win.  First 10 across the finish win a prize for their sponsor.   All proceeds benefit the Rotary Foundation.
    La Torretta Lazy River
     
    The Aggies of Rotary District 5890 - Please join us on Friday, April 21, 2017 at 6pm in The Concierge Room on the second floor of the hotel.
    If you have not experienced Aggie Muster before, please join us to participate or just watch.
    Dress is casu.  Every year on April 21st in over 300 locations around the world the Aggie family gathers to celebrate their time on campus, mourn the loss of current students and alumni who have died during the previous year and, most moving, answer the Roll Call for the Absent with a “Here” symbolizing that while that Aggie is no longer with us physically they are always present in spirit.
    The largest Muster ceremony in the world is held on campus at College Station where 12,000 people will attend. At that Muster the names of all Aggies who have died in the world during the previous year will be called and answered with a “here” by family, friends or sometimes strangers.  This symbolizes that all Aggies are family.
    This tradition, started April 21, 1903, truly sets Texas A&M apart from other institutions of higher learning.  The most famous Muster in history took place in 1942 on the island of Corregidor where Brigadier General George F. Moore ’08 and Major Tom Dooley ’35 gathered 25 other Aggies on the Island.  Despite fierce fighting as the Japanese laid siege to the island, a roll call was held.  Ultimately 12 of the 27 survived the battle and the P.O.W. camps to which the survivors were sent.
    A reporter sent the story to the US and the event captured the imagination of the public.  It is said that the Muster helped boost the spirits of Americans at a time it was badly needed. In recognition, on Easter morning in 1946  15,000 Aggies gathered at Kyle Field to hear General Dwight D. Eisenhower speak and the World War II Roll Call of the Absent as comrades answered “Here” for 900 Aggies killed in the war. Four Aggies who received the Medal of Honor were among the names called.  
    Because we realize that District Conference is tightly scheduled and very busy, our ceremony will be brief.  Anyone, Aggie or not, may add the name of an Aggie who has died during the previous year and can answer the roll and hold a carnation for them.  We appreciate District Governor Eric Liu for his willingness to allow us to participate in this time honored tradition without leaving the facility.
     
    Hall of Friendship Featured Projects
    Come by and meet from Guatemala Rose Baglia, Executive Director, and from Houston, Becky Lanier. Programs: Community, Health Care, Children’s Learning Center.  Learn about Disaster Aid USA and our 9 Rotary country partners. Tents, Home Repair Kits, Water filtration solutions: Sawyer Products, SkyHydrant.  Shirts, Pins, Hats, Coins, Flags, Club Awards, and much more may be purchased from National Awards.   Our Rotary e-club of Houston will have a table promoting our Kayak event.
    District Conference 2017 2017-03-09 06:00:00Z 0
    District 5890 Rotary Foundation Centennial Celebration 2017-03-09 06:00:00Z 0

    Tanzania:  Rotarians Making a Difference

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    Read on to learn about her trip and how Paula Schwartz and her fellow Rotarians are making a difference in the world. 

    "My husband and I joined 8 other Rotarians on a 12 day trip to Tanzania in January.  Part of this trip was a safari and part of the trip was Rotary service.  I could go on for days about the safari, but to suffice it to say we saw some amazing animals in their own environments.  As me later about the elephant and the tent story!  Everyone should put a safari on their bucket list.

    Wanzita is the scholarship exchange student from Tanzania who is currently staying in Northfield and having a wonderful exchange year.  We visited her mother and family on their rural "farm" in Tanzania.  The extended family of 10 lives in a 8 x 12 hut without running water or electricity.  Can you all imagine the culture shock Wanzita went through coming to the United States?  She plans on returning to her village and studying to become a nurse.  

    We spent four days in various service opportunities.  Edina Morningside has participated in a small international grant funding Project Zawadi and the bunkbeds.  PROJECT ZAWADI’s mission is to provide educational opportunities within a nurturing environment to orphaned and other vulnerable children in Tanzania, so that they become self-reliant and active members of their communities. Children were walking miles to get to school, so the building of a dormitory has made it possible for them to stay at the school during the week. Our traveling team spent a day handing out shoes, school uniforms and school supplies to the 250 children that Project Zawadi supports...... in addition to visiting 3 of the schools.

    The women of our traveling team also spent one day teaching the young girls of ProjectZawadi how to sew their own menstrual kits. This is a project initiated by Districts 5950 and 5960.  Being that there was no electricity, the sewing machines were the old treadle machines but our mission was successful!

    We attended the Rotary meeting of Tanzania.  We spent the day visiting the three projects that that club is involved in.

    1. This project is a school for Albino children. Apparently Albino'ism is very prevalent in Africa and not surprisingly, these children are ostracized.

    2. We visited a school run by Catholic nuns for young girls running away from genital mutilization..... which is still common in Africa. The Rotarians provided a fish pond for tilapia to help feed the girls.

    3. The Rotary Club of Tanzania also has a micro economics program where they give about $300.00 US each month to several Albino adults. This money is used to fund a business such as basket weaving. Each month the business owner pays Rotary back from the proceeds of their business and lives off the other profits. This business model provides an opportunity for self reliance to individuals not otherwise able to support themselves and their families."

    Tanzania: Rotarians Making a Difference 2017-03-08 06:00:00Z 0

    On-line Meet & Greet Successful!

    A FIRST for the Rotary e-club Houston - an online social event held last night.  Thank you President Adriane Miller and Treasurer Mike Miller for organizing this event1  Attendees included Marcio, Marc, Lori, Barb, Dree, Mike, Wind, Nicole, Alexis, Debra, and Lizette.  The exchange of ideas about their professions and hobbies builds better friendships in our club as we get to know each other online since we do not hold traditional meetings.  This event will be continued and we hope more members will join us next time.
    On-line Meet &amp; Greet Successful! 2017-03-08 06:00:00Z 0

    International Women's Day 2017

    International Women's Day, which started in the early 1900s, is an annual celebration recognizing women's economic, political and social achievements. It also serves to highlight the ongoing struggle for gender equality worldwide.  In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women's Day is a national holiday. The 2017 theme focuses on "Women in the Changing World of Work:  Planet 50-50 by 2030". Only 50% of the working age women are represented in the labor force globally, compared to 75% of men.
     
    What role does Rotary International play in promoting women in the work force?  Rotary’s partnerships have allowed communities to restore social bonds, empower women, and decrease marital abuse.   Rotarians have been helping to empower women through micro-lending, vocational training, education and basic literacy skills, mentoring, and much more,  See below just a sample of some Rotary projects.
     
    The Rotary Club of Gbagada South (NIGERIA), has empowered some women traders in Ifako-Gbagada, with soft loans ranging from N25,000 to N50,000.
     
    The Rotary Club of Honolulu (Chartered in 1915) supports Women Helping Women shelter on Lana'i.
     

    Visionaria Perú – a Rotary Foundation-supported leadership and self-empowerment project in Peru’s Sacred Valley. Colorado Rotarians launched the summer program for adolescent girls with career and community-service aspirations. The project team hopes to generate measurably effective and sustainable empowerment projects worldwide. Peru is the first step on that ambitious journey. 

    Rotary Club of Boulder - In Peru, women suffer higher rates of poverty and unemployment than men. About 50 percent of Peruvian women in the Sacred Valley region, which lies outside Cusco, will suffer severe physical or sexual intimate-partner abuse during their lifetimes, the World Health Organization reports. Peruvians – particularly in rural areas – endure high levels of smoke from cooking over indoor fires. About 4 million of the country’s 30 million residents lack access to clean water. Untangling such a knot is difficult.  In 2012, members of the Rotary Club of Boulder’s New Generations pilot satellite club came up with a plan to address all of those problems by concentrating on empowering local women – specifically in their ability to make and act upon their decisions.

    On an early January morning in Urubamba’s La Quinta Eco Hotel, young women gather for a weeklong leadership training institute through Visionaria Perú. The girls – the team calls them visionarias (female visionary, in Spanish) – come from both the bucolic Andes and the noisy city. Most receive tutoring, scholarships, and other help from Peruvian nonprofits such as project partner Peruvian Hearts, which supports Rosa.

    Sitting in a circle, the young women each take a small piece of paper and write a fear they harbor. They put their paper in a hat, and each (anonymous) fear is read aloud and discussed. Genevieve Smith, a Rotarian and program director of Visionaria Perú, works with them to understand that shame and fear need not stifle their personal or professional growth.

    This “fears in a hat” exercise is one of the lessons taught during the institute, in which visionarias are coached on leadership skills, professional growth, environmental awareness, and self-esteem. The training follows a 150-page curriculum developed by Colorado Rotarians in partnership with local Peruvian professors and experts.

    “Before, I never really thought much about how I treated myself. I always used to tell myself  ‘You can’t’ and ‘You’re so stupid because you messed up,’ ” one participant says after the training. “But not now. Now I know I should treat myself better. And I know that when I fail, it’s just a chance to learn how to do something  better the next time around.”

    At the end of the institute, the visionarias form teams and enter one of three activism tracks: improved cookstoves, water and sanitation, or solar lighting. The activism tracks give participants the chance to exercise their skills by working on sustainable development projects they envision and carry out from beginning to end.

    Members of the Rotary Club of Cusco attend portions of the leadership institute to review and provide feedback on the girls’ community project plans. They also participate during implementation of the projects and attend the final celebration to review and support the girls’ achievements. A mentor and local NGOs assist each team in project planning and implementation, and Rotary Foundation-supported vocational training team members such as Smith participate.

    The project started in 2012 when Smith, then a Rotaractor, was in Peru through her studies at the University of Colorado Boulder and visited a hogar (home for girls) supported by Peruvian Hearts. There, she asked the girls what kind of support they would need as they got older. She found out that while the students in Peruvian Hearts’ college prep program were smart and qualified to attend a university, they lacked confidence and felt discriminated against because of their indigenous, and often troubled, backgrounds. Smith crafted a project plan to support the girls by the time her bus took her back to where she was staying.

    Marika Meertens, a Rotarian with experience at Engineers Without Borders, pitched the Peru project to the Rotary Club of Boulder’s New Generations members. And Abigale Stangl, who has been working alongside one of her instructors at the University of Colorado to produce metrics that show how well the project works, “got on board as soon I heard about the project,” she recalls.

    The trio is the driving force behind the project. They assumed roles reflecting their strengths: Smith with planning, Meertens in fundraising (including two global grants totaling $55,000 from The Rotary Foundation), Stangl with project evaluation.

     
    only 50 per cent of working age women are represented in the labour force globally, compared to 76 per cent of men. - See more at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/international-womens-day#sthash.2s0I2FK6.dpuf
    he 2017 theme for International Women’s Day, 8 March, focuses on “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030”. - See more at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/international-womens-day#sthash.2s0I2FK6.dpuf

    Against this backdrop, only 50 per cent of working age women are represented in the labour force globally, compared to 76 per cent of men. What’s more, an overwhelming majority of women are in the informal economy, subsidizing care and domestic work, and concentrated in lower-paid, lower-skill occupations with little or no social protection. Achieving gender equality in the world of work is imperative for sustainable development.

     

    - See more at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/international-womens-day#sthash.2s0I2FK6.dpuf
    Against this backdrop, only 50 per cent of working age women are represented in the labour force globally, compared to 76 per cent of men. What’s more, an overwhelming majority of women are in the informal economy, subsidizing care and domestic work, and concentrated in lower-paid, lower-skill occupations with little or no social protection. Achieving gender equality in the world of work is imperative for sustainable development. - See more at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/international-womens-day#sthash.2s0I2FK6.dpuf
    Against this backdrop, only 50 per cent of working age women are represented in the labour force globally, compared to 76 per cent of men. What’s more, an overwhelming majority of women are in the informal economy, subsidizing care and domestic work, and concentrated in lower-paid, lower-skill occupations with little or no social protection. Achieving gender equality in the world of work is imperative for sustainable development. - See more at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/international-womens-day#sthash.2s0I2FK6.dpuf

    The 2017 theme for International Women’s Day, 8 March, focuses on “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030”.

    The world of work is changing, with significant implications for women. On one hand, technological advances and globalization bring unprecedented opportunities for those who can access them. On the other hand, there is growing informality of labour, income inequality and humanitarian crises.

    - See more at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/international-womens-day#sthash.2s0I2FK6.dpuf
    International Women's Day 2017 2017-03-08 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  Sakena Yacoobi: How I stopped the Taliban from shutting down my school

    When the Taliban closed all the girls' schools in Afghanistan, Sakena Yacoobi set up new schools, in secret, educating thousands of women and men. In this fierce, funny talk, she tells the jaw-dropping story of two times when she was threatened to stop teaching — and shares her vision for rebuilding her beloved country.

    Why you should listen

    Sakena Yacoobi is executive director of the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL), an Afghan women-led NGO she founded in 1995. After the Taliban closed girls’ schools in the 1990s, AIL supported 80 underground home schools for 3,000 girls in Afghanistan. Now, under Yacoobi’s leadership, AIL works at the grassroots level to empower women and bring education and health services to poor women and girls in rural and urban areas, serving hundreds of thousands of women and children a year through its training programs, Learning Centers, schools and clinics in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

    Yacoobi is the founder of the Afghan Institute of Learning, the Professor Sakena Yacoobi Private Hospital in Herat, the Professor Sakena Yacoobi Private High Schools in Kabul and the radio station Meraj in her hometown of Herat, Afghanistan.

     
    Weekly Program: Sakena Yacoobi: How I stopped the Taliban from shutting down my school 2017-03-08 06:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - "Rotarian Women" 2017-03-08 06:00:00Z 0

    How do Facebook Hacks Lead to Identity Theft?

    There’s been a lot of attention paid to Facebook and possible links to identity theft over the past year.  Facebook now claims a Billion (with a B) users worldwide and users share information about their lives to a greater or lesser degree, based on what they post on Facebook. Each user also may have a varied understanding of Facebook privacy settings and how they may affect the distribution of our information.  Something to consider: where else can identity thieves go to potentially gain access to 1 billion user identities?  What this means to criminals is that any effort they expend to exploit Facebook users can then be used successfully many, many times.  Facebook is a big target, and worth the effort. Access/modification and use of information found on a Facebook profile not belonging to you may result in criminal charges against you. 

    So how can identity thieves attack you through Facebook? Here are some examples:

    • Realize that each person you “friend” now obtains access to significant information about you, as well as ability to interact with you in a manner that may make exploits against you possible.   Just because they are a “friend of a friend” does not mean that person is somehow legitimate to be your friend.
    • Malware injection is that procedure where a “friend” in some way convinces you to click a link or run a program that installs malware on your computer.  Your computer and possibly your FB account can now be partially controlled by external users, and they will use this control to send spam, advertise illicit products, or otherwise, interact with your friend's list.
    • Linkjacking is a Facebook threat where the account is hijacked in a manner that allows the thief to “message” other users with viruses, ads, links, etc.
    • Social Engineering is common on social networking sites and a common outgrowth of the spread of your personal information.  It is human nature to be more likely to respond to an email when the sender includes information that shows they know a lot about you.  A phishing email sent to you that gets you to respond, and compromise your security, is much more convincing when it appears that the sender knows you in some way. 
    • Account Access is when criminals obtain access to Facebook accounts using brute force tools to guess the password, or using compromised credentials.  Regardless of how it’s done, the criminal now has access to your friend's list, and an authentic cyber identity that can be used for cons, scams, and other exploits, all based on the fact that the targets would not expect that of you.
    • Cloning – It is often far too easy to collect images and other information from your Facebook user profile in order to create a new Facebook account that is similar in many ways to your current account.  Then all those appearing on your friend's list are sent a new invitation from the clone account, and some of those will reply, due to the familiarity of the images and information.  They are then open to use by the criminal.

    The list above is not intended to be all-inclusive, rather it is to show that criminals do want your information, and will use it in many ways you probably have not thought of.  It is important to protect your user credentials, limit your friends to those you really do know, and be suspicious of links, games, and other enticements which may be linked to security problems.  Clicking that link to the Free Grand Prize might be an expensive trip.     

    How do Facebook Hacks Lead to Identity Theft? 2017-03-08 06:00:00Z 0

    What our Rotary e-Club Members Have Been Doing...

    Raymond Davis – Gifted the RI President John Germ with a box of homemade delicious chocolates for the Valentine’s All-Club Dinner.
     
    Liz Odfalk – Volunteered for the SuperBowl LI event held in Houston.
     
    Wind Nguyen – Attended PETS to become well-prepared for taking the helm as our club president in 2017-2018.
     
    Veronica Kerssemakers – Volunteered caring for the elderly.
     
    Christine Mercer – Volunteered at Special Equestrians of Alabama.
     
    Melissa Willis – Spent endless hours helping with the International Assembly which is the training program conducted by Rotary International for next year’s class of district governor’s from all around the world (our own Bill Palko and Debbie were there, of course!).
     
    PDG Ed Charlesworth – Presented at Camp RYLA a module on Dealing with  Different Personalities on Leadership Teams.
     
    Priyamvada Singh – Celebrated Shivratri and Holi, a Hindi festival,  by donating to educate poor rural children in India.
     
    Maria Zancanaro-Castillo and Marcia Natali de Assis Allgayer – Volunteered at a garage sale and other efforts including social media to assist a Brazilian child, Camille, who is bravely fighting a brain tumor,  To make a donation, please see helpcamille.org.
     
    Brittany Johnson - Volunteered at a spin class at Cycle Bar in Fort Worth, Texas, with all proceeds benefiting Alliance for Children.
    What our Rotary e-Club Members Have Been Doing... 2017-02-28 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary International Convention Atlanta 2017 - Schedule Highlights

    From the breathtaking opening ceremony and world-renowned speakers to informative programs and spectacular entertainment, the Atlanta convention promises to be an unforgettable experience. Here are some highlights.

    All convention activities will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center unless otherwise noted.

    Thursday, 8 June

    Friday, 9 June

    Saturday, 10 June

    Sunday, 11 June

    • Interfaith service | 08:30-09:15
    • House of Friendship | 09:00-18:00
    • Opening Ceremony – first seating | 10:00-12:30
    • Opening Ceremony – second seating | 15:30-18:00

    Monday, 12 June

    Tuesday, 13 June

    Wednesday, 14 June

     
    Rotary International Convention Atlanta 2017 - Schedule Highlights 2017-02-27 06:00:00Z 0

    Teens From Around the World Skype Each Other. This Is What Happens

    Teens in Philadelphia connect with peers from around the world as part of a unique program called Do Remember Me. Through the use of video chat and other technology, a student learns about a partner’s culture and discovers the similarities they share. Produced by Loki Films for the Sundance Institute’s Short Film Challenge, The World Is as Big or as Small as You Make It offers valuable insights into the lives of today’s global youth.

    The Short Film Showcase spotlights exceptional short videos created by filmmakers from around the web and selected by National Geographic editors. We look for work that affirms National Geographic's mission of inspiring people to care about the planet. The filmmakers created the content presented, and the opinions expressed are their own, not those of the National Geographic Society.

    Know of a great short film that should be part of our Showcase? Email SFS@ngs.org to submit a video for consideration.    
    Teens From Around the World Skype Each Other. This Is What Happens 2017-02-27 06:00:00Z 0

    Jennifer Jones: The Power of Rotary Moments

    Jennifer Jones: The Power of Rotary Moments from Rotary International on Vimeo.

    Our PETS (President-Elects Training Seminar) was held last weekend and Jennifer Jones, Vice-President of Rotary International, was present to inspire and motivate next  years' leaders.   Jennifer is a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. She was president of her club in 2001-02, is a past district governor of Rotary District 6400 and is particularly proud of having installed both her husband and mother into Rotary (despite, she says, not having sponsored either).

    Jennifer is president and CEO of Media Street Productions Inc., a television and video production company in Windsor serving customers on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border. Media Street’s specialties include commercial production (radio and television), corporate sales and training videos, not-for-profit awareness videos, live show production and full post production services. Jennifer’s husband Nick Krayacich is a family physician in Windsor who belongs to the Rotary Club of La Salle Centennial there.

    What are two of your most memorable Rotary experiences?
    How do you select just two…. there are so many Rotary experiences that have framed the way I think, feel and act. I think for most of us it’s the intimate, shared experiences as a Rotarian…the joys and the sorrows of life are that much richer when you walk alongside those who you cherish.
     
    A day I will never forget was being a club president on 9/11. By about 10am I began receiving emails and phone calls asking if we would be cancelling our meeting. I knew this was an important time for us to be together and share our feelings…so the meeting went on, but certainly not as had been planned.  Our members all arrived that day and as Canadian’s we stood belting out the Star Spangled Banner and weeping with our neighbors to the south.  Rotary punctuates more than anything that we exist without boundaries and borders and that day as human beings we were all united.  She shared this story at one of the luncheon meetings at PETS.
     
    A second memorable experience that I have been recently reflecting upon was being the Host Organizing Chair of the Rotary World Peace Summit in April 2008 in Windsor, ON. It was a dynamic, three-day event in which over 1000 people attended including 400 young people. Rotarians came from far corners of the world and we opened the doors to the community to attend. More than 3500 people participated in a parade of flags along the Detroit River and an outdoor opening ceremony. It was breathtaking.  There were many notable speakers including UN Ambassadors, Nobel Nominees, Rotary Senior Leaders and on Sunday morning a “spirited” keynote address from Robert Kennedy Jr.
     
     
    Jennifer Jones: The Power of Rotary Moments 2017-02-27 06:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Paul Simon's "Rewrite" 2017-02-27 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  An Ultra-Low-Cost-College Degree

    At the online University of the People, anyone with a high school diploma can take classes toward a degree in business administration or computer science — without standard tuition fees (though exams cost money). Founder Shai Reshef hopes that higher education is changing "from being a privilege for the few to a basic right, affordable and accessible for all."

    Why you should listen

    Reshef is the president of University of the People, an online school that offers tuition-free academic degrees in computer science, business administration and health studies (and MBA) to students across the globe. The university is partnered with Yale Law School for research and NYU and University of California Berkeley to accept top students. It's accredited in the U.S. and has admitted thousands of students from more than 180 countries. Wired magazine has included Reshef in its list of "50 People Changing the World" while Foreign Policy named him a "Top Global Thinker." Now Reshef wants to contribute to addressing the refugee crisis. "Education is a major factor in solving this global challenge," he says. UoPeople is taking at least 500 Syrian refugees as students with full scholarship. Before founding UoPeople, Reshef chaired KIT eLearning, the first online university in Europe.

    What others say

    “His audacious goal is nothing less than to change how the world learns.” — Foreign Policy, November 26, 2012

     
    Weekly Program: An Ultra-Low-Cost-College Degree 2017-02-27 06:00:00Z 0

    District 5890 Membership Committee Meeting TONIGHT

    TONIGHT, Monday, FEBRUARY 27th, at 6:30PM (6:00PM, if you want to order food)
     
    New Venue:    Fratelli's Ristorante  
                            1330 Wirt Road
                           Houston, Texas 77055
                           713-263-0022
     
    Growing Rotary enables us to do more good in our communities and the world.  Attendance at the D5890 Membership Meeting is a great opportunity to bond with your club's Area Membership Chair (AMC) & other district leaders.  Any of our active members and/or guests are welcome to attend this meeting and it does count as a make-up meeting so submit your attendance for credit.
     
    Speaker - Michael McGaha, Rotary Club of Katy, Membership Chair
     
    Topic - Membership Matters
    How the Rotary Club of Katy has increased membership to be the current District 5890 leader in net new member recruits.  
     
    We look forward to the attendance of at least one (1) representative from your club.  We can all learn from shared perspectives per membership development and retention.  We can only effectively deliver significant service, if we have a growing and vibrant membership.  Rotary is amazing and membership matters.  
     
    Yours in Rotary service,
    Ann Wright
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair
    2014-2017
    713-647-8400 - Direct
    awright_tmg@yahoo.com
     
    Derrill Painter
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair
    2016-2017
    832-473-5729 - Cell
    derpaint@yahoo.com
    District 5890 Membership Committee Meeting TONIGHT 2017-02-27 06:00:00Z 0

    Camp RYLA WRAP-UP

    Posted by Robin Charlesworth
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    What is RYLA?  At Camp RYLA students have the opportunity to learn more about themselves through the voices and eyes of people who have experienced life, people who can help them see things from a different viewpoint. They learn not only from special speakers, volunteer Rotarians and non-Rotarians, but by interacting with other scholarship winners.  Our Rotary District 5890 offers full scholarships to this camp each year to deserving students identified by a selection committee of Rotarians and the students must be sponsored by a Rotary club.  Our students are mostly juniors, but some may be sophomores or perhaps seniors.  We seek students who have demonstrated leadership potential and will benefit from an opportunity to attend a leadership camp.
     
    We sponsored a junior from Cypress Creek High School, Kayla Saunders.  She is an active member of the Cypress Creek Interact Club, HOSA, Student Council, Key Club, Space Club, and UNITY.   A short essay is part of the application process, and is an excerpt from Kayla's essay:
         "When I was in fifth grade my parents got me involved in community service by taking me to our church Saturday mornings to bag food and clothes for those in need of them.  I noticed my brother, Al, who is diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, was having a slight difficulty moving about and doing as he pleased.  It was at that point that I decided I want to be an architect that focuses on the needs of all, especially those who are not fortunate enough to function like most on a daily basis.  I've been taking classes to set the foundation for my future studies in architecture such as "Principles of Architecture" and "Architectural Design".  This past year I became OSHA certified".
     
    Kayla hopes to attend either Rice University or University of Texas in Austin to study architecture.  Her ambition is to one day have her own firm in partnership with her brother who holds similar interests so they can build homes and community structures for the disabled and the elderly.
     
    Kayla wrote the following about her RYLA experience:
    RYLA was by far one of the best things that I have ever experienced. In the course of just three days I built relationships with people I would have never imagined and I've grown as a person because of it. I was a member of the Rolling Thunder Rockstars (the best team out there!) and we were like an instant family. It didn't take long to break the ice and for us to get comfortable with one another. Our coaches, Mark and Allison were really fantastic and I appreciate the both of them a lot!
    The speakers that came in throughout the weekend who shared their stories and life experiences were probably my favorite part. The different service projects featured and the different backgrounds and lessons really reminded me not only why I love Interact by why I fell in love with serving my community and others around the globe. The different presentations made me want to start up my own project and make a difference in the world.
     
    I'm socially awkward so I was a bit worried about how I'd be in a group of people I'd never met before. But my team made me realize I had nothing to worry about. They made sure I felt like I belonged and I appreciated that quite a bit! I grew particularly close to Elisse, who was in my group as well as the same room in the cabins. Since we used to buddy system she was my buddy and we still talk everyday. I'm going to be forever grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity at RYLA because it definitely built good will and better friendships! I came out of my shell and grew as a person at RYLA. Honestly, the entire experience was life-changing and I feel like a entirely different person. I highly recommend that if you can, apply to RYLA. I hope I can return as a counselor one day because I want to relive the magic!
     
    Kayla - We are proud of your accomplishments and have confidence that you will work toward making this world more accessible for the handicapped and the elderly!  Congratulations on your RYLA Aware and thank you for sharing your experience with our Rotary e-club of Houston!
    Camp RYLA WRAP-UP Robin Charlesworth 2017-02-20 06:00:00Z 0

    The Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professionals

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    The Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professionals was adopted by the Rotary International Council on Legislation in 1989 to provide more specific guidelines for the high ethical standards called for in the Object of Rotary:
     
    As a Rotarian engaged in a business or profession, I am expected to:
    • Consider my vocation to be another opportunity to serve;
    • Be faithful to the letter and to the spirit of the ethical codes of my vocation, to the laws of my country, and to the moral standards of my community;
    • Do all in my power to dignify my vocation and to promote the highest ethical standards in my chosen vocation;
    • Be fair to my employer, employees, associates, competitors, customers, the public, and all those with whom I have a business or professional relationship;
    The Declaration of Rotarians in Businesses and Professionals 2017-02-20 06:00:00Z 0
    Celebrate - It's the Birthday of our Rotary e-Club of Houston! Liz Odfalk 2017-02-20 06:00:00Z 0

    Keynote Speaker at RI Convention in Atlanta - Bill Gates

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    Rotary’s 108th annual international convention June 10–14 is expected to attract 40,000 Rotary club members from over 160 countries, and will inject an estimated $52.3 million into Atlanta’s economy.

    Bill Gates will speak at this year's Rotary International Convention. 

     

    Often described as a “mini-United Nations”, Rotary’s third convention in Atlanta will transform the Georgia World Congress Center into a cultural kaleidoscope as the organization’s global network of volunteers gather to exchange ideas on how to improve lives and bring positive, lasting change to communities around the world. 

    Registrants will engage in workshops and hear from a lineup of world-class speakers, including Bill Gates, co-chair, of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Gates Foundation and Rotary International have an ongoing match of 2:1 to support polio eradication efforts up to $35 million a year. Today in Bill and Melinda Gates’ Annual Letter they reaffirmed the important role Rotary has played in polio eradication.  

    “Rotary and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have been working together on polio eradication for a long time, and our strong partnership will continue through the final years of the effort,” said Rotary International President John Germ.  “With the most effective resources in place, it’s possible that we will soon see the last case of polio in history. At the convention, Bill will say more about how we can — and will — end polio.” 

    Organized by Rotary International in conjunction with the Atlanta Host Organizing Committee of local Rotary members, registrants of the convention will also get to experience Atlanta’s southern charm with visits to the World of Coca-Cola, the College Football Hall of Fame and an Atlanta Braves game.  

    “The Rotary International Convention provides an exceptional opportunity to bring together more than 40,000 civic and business community leaders from throughout the world to Atlanta to enjoy our unique brand of southern hospitality,” said William Pate, president and CEO of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The addition of Microsoft founder Bill Gates as a keynote speaker reflects the importance and good work that Rotary does worldwide.”

    The global eradication of polio has been Rotary’s top priority since 1985. Through the Global Polio Eradication Initiative – a public-private partnership that includes Rotary, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) – the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99.9 percent, from about 350,000 cases a year in 1988 to just 37 confirmed in 2016. Rotary, including matching funds from the Gates Foundation, has donated $1.6 billion to polio eradication. 

    Atlanta’s first Rotary convention took place 100 years ago, when The Rotary Foundation was established with its first contribution of $26.50. The Rotary Foundation’s assets have grown to approximately $1 billion, and more than $3 billion have been spent on projects and scholarships that promote peace, fight disease, provide clean water, support education, save mothers and children, and grow local economies.

    Keynote Speaker at RI Convention in Atlanta - Bill Gates 2017-02-20 06:00:00Z 0
    Weekly Program: "There's an App for That - Saving the World" National Geographic 2017-02-20 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - "The Face of Power"

    Renowned photographer Platon has taken portraits of world leaders ranging from Barack Obama to George W. Bush to Vladimir Putin. He has also shot industry leaders like Apple’s Tim Cook, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, and Instagram’s Kevin Systrom. Along the way he has learned a lot about how people try to project power, along with some surprising lessons about where true power comes from.
    Weekly Program - "The Face of Power" 2017-02-20 06:00:00Z 0

    "Streaming Music" Changes Music Industry

    In the early 1920s, George O. Squier was granted patents for a system for the transmission and distribution of signals over electrical lines which was the technical basis for what later became Muzak, a technology streaming continuous music to commercial customers without the use of radio.  In the 1930s elevator music was among the earliest popularly available streaming media; nowadays Internet television is a common form of streamed media.  The term "streaming media" can apply to media other than video and audio such as live closed captioning, ticker tape, and real-time text, which are all considered "streaming text". The term "streaming" was first used for tape drives made by Data Electronics Inc. for drives meant to slowly ramp up and run for the entire track; the slow ramp times resulted in lower drive costs, making a more competitive product. "Streaming" was applied in the early 1990s as a better description for "video on demand" on IP networks; at the time such video was usually referred to as "store and forward video",[1] which was misleading nomenclature.
     

    As of 2017, streaming is generally taken to refer to cases where a user watches digital video content and/or listens to digital audio content on a computer screen and speakers (ranging from a desktop computer to a smartphone) over the Internet. With streaming content, the user does not have to download the entire digital video or digital audio file before they start to watch/listen to it. There are challenges with streaming content on the Internet. If the user does not have enough bandwidth in their Internet connection, they may experience stops in the content and some users may not be able to stream certain content due to not having compatible computer or software systems. As of 2016, two popular streaming services are the video sharing website YouTube, which contains video and audio files on a huge range of topics and Netflix, which streams movies and TV shows.

    Live streaming refers to Internet content delivered in real-time, as events happen, much as live television broadcasts its contents over the airwaves via a television signal. An example of live streaming is Metropolitan Opera Live in HD, a program in which the Metropolitan Opera streams an opera performance "live", as the performance is taking place; in 2013–2014, 10 operas were transmitted via satellite into at least 2,000 theaters in 66 countries.[2] Live internet streaming requires a form of source media (e.g. a video camera, an audio interface, screen capture software), an encoder to digitize the content, a media publisher, and a content delivery network to distribute and deliver the content. Live streaming does not need to be recorded at the origination point, although it frequently is.

    'MUSIC FOR THOUGHT"  instead of "Food for Thought" - A challenge to Rotary International - Why not have a streaming Rotary channel available with projects shared from various Rotary clubs, inspirational music along the lines of serving others or music sharing the plight of people in need around the world, interviews with ambassadorial scholars and peace scholars, etc.  With 2.1 million Rotarians in this world we have plenty of materials which simply needs to be organized and shared.  This could lead to an explosion of new members, too!

    "Streaming Music" Changes Music Industry Robin Charlesworth 2017-02-20 06:00:00Z 0

    Thoughts about Effective Communication

    The ability to communicate a vision and purpose to individuals and groups will help Rotarians gain support and accomplish goals in both Rotary and their professions.  Rotarians build trust and fellowship by listening, understanding, and providing feedback. Different communication styles may be described as follows:
     
    Direct:  Speaks decisively, states positions strongly, gets to the point
    Spirited:  Readily expresses opinions, focuses on the big picture, can be persuasive
    Systematic:  Focuses on specific details, uses precise language, emphasizes facts instead of emotions
    Considerate:  Listens well and uses close, personal, supportive language
     
    Effective communication also includes active listening, providing feedback, and recognizing barriers to understanding.  Interpretation of nonverbal communication methods, including facial expressions, gestures, silence, eye contact and use of personal space further enhances effective communication. 
     
    *Based on research from the Human Resource Development Quarterly.
    Thoughts about Effective Communication 2017-02-20 06:00:00Z 0

    We Celebrate New Ways of Thinking. Are you Ready?This


    This short video is shared from Harvard Business School published on February 18. 2016 with a message of "thrive in a learning environment that welcomes diverse ideas and perspectives".  We could easily substitute Rotary International for "learning environment" as Rotarians also welcome diverse ideas and perspectives to develop service projects in our communities and around the world.  Let's strive to create a welcoming environment in our club meetings, seek new members with a wealth of experience or those who are millennials who want to be mentored, and create a magical experience together to make this world a better place.
     
    We Celebrate New Ways of Thinking. Are you Ready?This 2017-02-08 06:00:00Z 0

    Fall in Love with Rotary All Club Dinner on Valentine's Day

    The annual All-Club Meeting is Tuesday, February 14th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (across from NRG Stadium). This is a great opportunity to gather with Rotarians from throughout the Greater Houston area to exchange ideas and learn more about what is being done to serve humanity here and abroad. John Germ, President of Rotary International, will be in attendance and is the keynote speaker.

    The reception begins at 6 p.m. and the dinner/program will start at 7 p.m. Please let me know as soon as possible if you'd like to attend and how many seats you need. We currently have one table that is full and have reserved a second table of 10 that is filling up as well. The cost is $150 per person. You are welcome to call (713 787-2171 ) or email me (Thomas.Vann@RaymondJames.com ) or Deanna (administrator@rotaryhouston.org ) to reserve seats.

    - See more at: http://www.rotaryhouston.org/Stories/all-club-meeting-with-ri-president-john-germ#sthash.25zcElZA.dpuf

    The annual All-Club Meeting is Tuesday, February 14th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (across from NRG Stadium). This is a great opportunity to gather with Rotarians from throughout the Greater Houston area to exchange ideas and learn more about what is being done to serve humanity here and abroad. John Germ, President of Rotary International, will be in attendance and is the keynote speaker.

    The reception begins at 6 p.m. and the dinner/program will start at 7 p.m. Please let me know as soon as possible if you'd like to attend and how many seats you need. We currently have one table that is full and have reserved a second table of 10 that is filling up as well. The cost is $150 per person. You are welcome to call (713 787-2171 ) or email me (Thomas.Vann@RaymondJames.com ) or Deanna (administrator@rotaryhouston.org ) to reserve seats.

     

    - See more at: http://www.rotaryhouston.org/Stories/all-club-meeting-with-ri-president-john-germ#sthash.25zcElZA.dpuf

    The annual All-Club Meeting is Tuesday, February 14th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (across from NRG Stadium). This is a great opportunity to gather with Rotarians from throughout the Greater Houston area to exchange ideas and learn more about what is being done to serve humanity here and abroad. John Germ, President of Rotary International, will be in attendance and is the keynote speaker.

    The reception begins at 6 p.m. and the dinner/program will start at 7 p.m. Please let me know as soon as possible if you'd like to attend and how many seats you need. We currently have one table that is full and have reserved a second table of 10 that is filling up as well. The cost is $150 per person. You are welcome to call (713 787-2171 ) or email me (Thomas.Vann@RaymondJames.com ) or Deanna (administrator@rotaryhouston.org ) to reserve seats.

    - See more at: http://www.rotaryhouston.org/Stories/all-club-meeting-with-ri-president-john-germ#sthash.25zcElZA.dpuf
    The Annual All-Club Dinner for D5890 will be Tuesday, February 14th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (across from NRG Stadium).  This is a great opportunity to gather with Rotarians from throughout the Greater Houston Area to exchange ideas and learn more about what is being done to serve humanity here and abroad.  The keynote speaker is Rotary International President John Germ.  It will be inspirational!  "We have a great honor for our RI President John and his wife Judy to visit  us for five days," says DG Eric Liu. 
     
     
    ***The reception begins at 6:00 pm and the program begins at 7:00 pm.  The evening should conclude at 9:00 pm. 
     
    Our club members will assist with the distribution of  care bags for the homeless at Loaves and Fishes in Houston with RIP John Germ early in the morning on Tuesday, February 14
     
    To register for the All-Club Dinner go to the following link:
     
    or Contact Rebecca Maddux at rebecca@pmhvac.com  or 713-644-9285
    Fall in Love with Rotary All Club Dinner on Valentine's Day 2017-02-08 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary President Chosen for 2018/2019

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    The 2016-17 Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International has unanimously nominated Samuel Frobisher Owori, of the Rotary Club of Kampala, Uganda, to be the president of Rotary International in 2018-19.President nominee Sam Owori is promising the entire Rotary world a vibrant and scintillating Rotary year. Those who know the President in-waiting pretty well and those who were meticulously observing his ascendancy in Rotary are predicting a successful outing for this 'world figure' of African extraction.   Owori says he sees in Rotary "an incredible passion to make a difference." As president, he plans to "harness that enthusiasm and pride so that every project becomes the engine of peace and prosperity."

    Owori's chief concerns as a Rotary leader are membership and extension. Since he served as district governor, the number of clubs in Uganda has swelled from nine to 89. He urges past, present, and future leaders to work together to engage more women, youth program participants, alumni, and community members to increase Rotary's membership in the coming years.  "There are many places which need Rotary and numerous potential members who have never been invited," he says. "The problem is Rotarians who got in and closed the doors."

    Owori is chief executive officer of the Institute of Corporate Governance of Uganda. Before that, he was executive director of the African Development Bank, managing director of Uganda Commercial Bank Ltd., and director of Uganda Development Bank. He has studied law, employment relations, business management, corporate resources management, microfinance, and marketing at institutions in England, Japan, Switzerland, Tanzania, and the United States, including Harvard Business School.  President Nominee Sam Owori is an unrepentant workaholic who believes in working in the day time to enjoy at night.

    Rotarians should be ready to embrace innovations and an implosion in membership.

     

    The Nominating Committee members are Sudarshan Agarwal, Rotary Club of Delhi, Delhi, India; Şafak Alpay, Rotary Club of Istanbul-Sisli, Turkey; Ronald L. Beaubien, Rotary Club of Coronado, California, USA; John B. Boag, Rotary E-Club of District 9650, New South Wales, Australia; Elio Cerini, Rotary Club of Milano Duomo, Italy; Luiz Coelho de Oliveira, Rotary Club of Limeira-Leste, São Paulo, Brazil; Frank N. Goldberg, Rotary Club of Omaha-Suburban, Nebraska, USA; Kenneth W. Grabeau, Rotary Club of Nashua West, New Hampshire, USA; Jackson S.L. Hsieh, Rotary Club of Taipei Sunrise, Taiwan; Mark Daniel Maloney (chair), Rotary Club of Decatur, Alabama, USA; Barry Matheson, Rotary Club of Jessheim, Norway; Kazuhiko Ozawa, Rotary Club of Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan; Ekkehart Pandel, Rotary Club of Bückeburg, Germany; Noraseth Pathmanand, Rotary Club of Bang Rak, Thailand; Robert S. Scott, Rotary Club of Cobourg, Ontario, Canada; John C. Smarge, Rotary Club of Naples, Florida, USA; Michael F. Webb, Rotary Club of Mendip, Somerset, England.

    Rotary President Chosen for 2018/2019 2017-02-08 06:00:00Z 0
    Introduction of RI President-Elect Ian Riseley and the New Theme for 2017-2018 2017-02-08 06:00:00Z 0
    Rotary Doing Good in the World for 100 Years Liz Odfalk 2017-02-08 06:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Month -  Acapella-The millennials song parody 2017-02-08 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  It's About Time We Stop Shaming Millennials | Lindsey Pollak

    Published on Nov 15, 2016


    Lindsey Pollak is widely recognized as the leading voice on millennials in the workplace. Often called a “translator,” Lindsey advises both young professionals looking to succeed in today’s work environment and the organizations that want to recruit, retain and engage them. She is the New York Times bestselling author of Becoming the Boss: New Rules for the Next Generation of Leaders and Getting from College to Career: Your Essential Guide to Succeeding in the Real World. Lindsey’s consulting clients and keynote speaking audiences have included over 200 corporations, conferences and universities, including Barclays, Citi, Estee Lauder, GE, Lazard, LinkedIn, Yale, Harvard, Wharton and MIT. Her advice and opinions have appeared in such media outlets as The TODAY Show, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN and NPR. Lindsey’s passion for supporting young people goes back to her student days as a dorm RA at Yale University. She also holds a Master’s degree in women’s studies from

    This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

    Some Rotary training sessions cover information about understanding younger generations and we need to pay attention to understanding how to attract future Rotarians into our clubs from Millennials.  As our speaker shared "I had to change my style" as she mentioned the football coach, Rotary has initiated changes in the traditional format of club meetings to provide flexibility, providing opportunities for a sense of purpose, leadership development or coaching/guidance in their vocation and feedback on their progress.  Our e-club which offers meetings 24/7, integration of social media and technology in announcing who we are and what we go as Rotarians, and providing the "why" we commit to "Service Above Self" demonstrates how we can embrace Millennials.  Changing our style with the times will keep our club VIBRANT!
    Weekly Program: It's About Time We Stop Shaming Millennials | Lindsey Pollak 2017-02-08 06:00:00Z 0

    Some Notes About Leadership

    • Lead by Example
      This is one of the most important leadership skills. If you demonstrate a strong work ethic, your staff will follow. As an executive, you have a responsibility manage and guide the staff, to inspire enthusiasm and stimulate their interests. Make sure you look out for their welfare and they will be appreciative of your efforts by being productive and maintaining high company standards.
    • Ensure Long-Term Organizational Success
      Focus on the long term. While there are numerous factors that could steer your company off-track – the changing economy, the board of directors or technology in your industry – you need to stay focused on the long-term success of your organization. Otherwise, there will be no roadmap or plan of attack.
    • Improve the Organization from Day 1
      From the day you start your position, it’s up to you to ensure that you grow your organization. Work on making your company more streamlined, fiscally sound and more respected than the day you walked in the door.
    • Focus on the Big Picture
      Because boards prefer to operate at the micro level working on minor details and small projects, you’ll have to work at refocusing them on larger strategic issues with abstract or undefined results. This will take effort on your part, but if you don’t push them to do it, nobody will be doing the board’s job.
    • Ask Tough Questions
      Part of your role as an executive is to ask the tough questions, even if it risks putting your job in jeopardy. Hard-hitting questions such as, “Is this in the budget?” or “Is this ethical?” can stir up controversy, but it’s better to ask than hold your silence and violate the trust to strengthen the company.
    • Have a Basic Understanding of the Job and Organization
      It’s simply not possible to know all the ins and outs of every position within the company. Try to have a basic understanding of key roles within your organization, and make sure to keep informed of the growth and changes within your industry through local executive societies and publications.
    • Be Committed
      Who cares? You do! By demonstrating commitment to your organization, your staff, your profession and your industry, others will be inspired to stay enthusiastic about their roles and contributions to the company. If you demonstrate any sort of negativity, others will soon follow.
    • Maintain Integrity
      Much like leading by example, you always want to keep operations above board. Don’t conduct any business in secret or that you wouldn’t want the media to cover. Speak up about processes or issues that you know do not follow the company’s ethical standards. While speaking up takes a great deal of courage, keeping silent can destroy your company and your career.


    Shared from University of Notre Dame - Mendoza College of Business Online Resources - "The Responsibilities of a Team Leader" by Bisk

     
     
    Some Notes About Leadership 2017-01-30 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotarians are Happy People!

    THE ACHIEVEMENT OF HAPPINESS
    How do you achieve happiness? In its simplest terms, happiness is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal. It is only when you feel that you are moving step by step toward the accomplishment of something that is important to you that you feel genuinely fulfilled and happy. Everyone wants to be a "winner." They want to be seen and thought of as a winner by others. How do you achieve this? Simple–you win!
    What is winning? In running when you cross the finish line before any of the other runners, you win. In life you win when you start and complete your most important tasks on time and, ideally, before anyone else–you cross the finish line first. As a result you feel wonderful about yourself. Your brain releases endorphins, nature's "happy drug," which gives you an overall sense of peace and well-being. You feel like a winner.
    What is your main goal in life? According to Aristotle, behind every goal there is another goal until you finally reach the main goal, which is to be happy. Everything you do is an attempt, successful or not, to achieve happiness in some way. In fact, you can measure your level of success by what percentage of time you are genuinely happy person. This is more important than all the money and accomplishments in the world.
     
    Rotarians are happy people!  We all share a common goal of helping others and with our combined talents and resources, and that does include money, we accomplish great things in this world.  We work together to generate new ideas which are worthy goals to improve health of newborn babies, educate women in countries where they  are actually discouraged from learning, feed the hungry, train new leaders, create a forum to discuss peaceful resolution of conflicts, and much more.  Our fellow Rotarians listen to our ideas and support us in achieving our goals.  Share this message with others who would like to participate in changing the world.  Add friends or business associates names to our mailing list to introduce them to Rotary or invite them to attend a conventional meeting in your hometown.
     
     
    Rotarians are Happy People! 2017-01-30 06:00:00Z 0
    Why Zero Matters Rotary International videos 2017-01-30 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  How Social Networks Predict Epidemics

    After mapping humans' intricate social networks, Nicholas Christakis and colleague James Fowler began investigating how this information could better our lives. Now, he reveals his hot-off-the-press findings: These networks can be used to detect epidemics earlier than ever, from the spread of innovative ideas to risky behaviors to viruses (like H1N1).

    Why you should listen

    People aren't merely social animals in the usual sense, for we don't just live in groups. We live in networks -- and we have done so ever since we emerged from the African savannah. Via intricately branching paths tracing out cascading family connections, friendship ties, and work relationships, we are interconnected to hundreds or even thousands of specific people, most of whom we do not know. We affect them and they affect us.

    Nicholas Christakis' work examines the biological, psychological, sociological, and mathematical rules that govern how we form these social networks, and the rules that govern how they shape our lives. His work shows how phenomena as diverse as obesity, smoking, emotions, ideas, germs, and altruism can spread through our social ties, and how genes can partially underlie our creation of social ties to begin with. His work also sheds light on how we might take advantage of an understanding of social networks to make the world a better place.

    At Yale, Christakis is a Professor of Social and Natural Science, and he directs a diverse research group in the field of biosocial science, primarily investigating social networks. His popular undergraduate course "Health of the Public" is available as a podcast. His book, Connected, co-authored with James H. Fowler, appeared in 2009, and has been translated into 20 languages. In 2009, he was named by Time magazine to its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, and also, in 2009 and 2010, by Foreign Policy magazine to its list of 100 top global thinkers

    What others say

    “'Connected' is [in the category of] works of brilliant originality that stimulate and enlighten and can sometimes even change the way we understand the world” — NY Times Book Review

     
    Weekly Program: How Social Networks Predict Epidemics 2017-01-26 06:00:00Z 0

    Could we see the last reported Polio case in 2017?

    The Final Three Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - No new Polio cases reported this week.  Twenty Polio cases reported in 2016 with 54 cases recorded in 2015  The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 12/22/16 was from the Killa Abdullah, Balochistan area.  One new Polio-positive environmental sample was collected from the Killa Abdullah, Balochistan area on 1/1/17.  A total of 50 environmental samples were tested positive for Polio Virus in Pakistan in 2016.     
    Afghanistan - No new Polio cases reported this week.  Thirteen Polio cases reported in 2016 with 20 cases recorded in 2015. The most recent cases, with an onset of paralysis on 12/16/16 was from the Bermal district, Paktika Province - near the Pakistan border. One new Polio-positive environmental sample was collected in the Hilmand Province on 12/23/16.    
     
    Nigeria - No new Polio cases reported this week.   Four Polio cases reported in 2016 - with no cases reported in 2015.  The most recent case was reported on 8/2016 on Borno State.  The detection of polio in Nigeria was a serious setback for the polio eradication program. With no cases detected in Nigeria or any other African country for two years, there was hope that Africa was polio-free.   
    But, the outbreak response was swift and comprehensive, with Rotary, the Governments of Borno and Nigeria, the World Health Organization, and UNICEF conducting an immediate emergency vaccination response.             
    Could we see the last reported Polio case in 2017? Terry Zigler 2017-01-26 06:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - "You've Got a Friend in Me"

    Published on Oct 4, 2016

    You've Got a Friend in Me by Claire Ryann and Dad. We decided to do one more Disney cover song with our little Claire as a 3-Year-Old! This is the song in Toy Story, written by Randy Newman.

    Being a Rotarian is being a friend to people you know in your own Rotary club, meeting international friends, and knowing that you are being a friend to those in need whom you have not even met and may well never meet.
    Song of the Week - "You've Got a Friend in Me" 2017-01-26 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary E-Club Party in Atlanta on June 12th

    Hosted by the Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone and the Rotary E-Club of Houston D5890, Texas USA, the party was a huge success!  Many e-club Rotarians from around the world networked together, sang together, danced together, and shared Rotary stories together.   A fun evening was had by all!  President Raffaella Vinet and Dr. Jean-Louis Nguyen Qui of Rotary Club of 992- Francophone, and President Dree Miller, Michael Miller, and Marcia Natali de Assis Allgayer all provided the leadership across continents to create the detailed planning for this successful evening.  President Raffaella was awarded a Paul Harris Fellow award which makes her a two sapphire Major Donor of The Rotary Foundation.  Guests from New Zealand and the Francophone club's home district 9920 were present to officially pin Raffaella.  Also, Robin Charlesworth  presented Raffaella with a "Texas" necklace as a gesture of friendship and good will between our twin clubs.  At the end of the evening, all women Rotarians were honored with red roses and a group photo is shown below.  The group sang together, danced together, met new friends from all around the world, enjoyed good German brew and food, and shared about various Rotary projects.  All have a common bond to serve others. 

     

     

     

     
    Rotary E-Club Party in Atlanta on June 12th 2017-01-24 06:00:00Z 0

    Kayak Together Fundraiser - May 20th

    This is a Rotary fundraiser event open to the public to be held on Saturday, May 20th, from 3:00 pm until 5:00 pm at the Riva Row Boat House (2101 Riva Row, Spring, Texas).
    Single Kayak
    $37.92 each
     
    Tandem two person -  $43.19
     
    Paddle Board - $43.19
     
    Tickets will not be available the day of the event so purchase your tickets today! Bring your favorite snack. Dogs are welcome in kayaks too! (space permitting).  Active members - please sell tickets to your friends and business associates.  A valid ID is required for participation and participants will need to sign a liability waiver.

    The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into projects that change lives both close to home and around the world. As the charitable arm of Rotary, we tap into a global network of Rotarians who invest their time, money, and expertise into our priorities, such as eradicating polio and promoting peace. Foundation grants empower Rotarians to approach challenges such as poverty, illiteracy, and malnutrition with sustainable solutions that leave a lasting impact.
    For those who are participating:
    Check in at the Riva Row Boathouse at 3pm.  Riva Row Boat House is located at 2101 Riva Row, The Woodlands, TX 77380. It is east of the Boardwalk Apartments and across The Waterway from Town Green Park.  We reserved the kayaks from 3:30 to 5:30 pm. Feel free to bring a snack and water. The boathouse sells water bottles for $1.50 and Gatorade for $2.00.  It’s a good idea to wear a hat and sunscreen, and keep hydrated. Life jackets will be provided. Parking is at Riva Row Street. There is parking also behind Riva Row Street (Green and Orange parking lots).
     
    Very important: please fill out the online waiver/release of liability and bring your ID.  This waiver is valid for a year. You will leave your ID at the boathouse and pick it up when you are done kayaking.  It is a short online form and it takes one minute to complete. Once you submit it you will receive a confirmation email and you can show this email when you check in at the boathouse. Alternatively you can print the email confirmation and bring it to the boathouse. Kayaking is a very popular activity at the boathouse and most likely there will be a long line, so I strongly suggest you have submitted this form online to save time. All participants need to fill out the form and bring ID.
     
    Kayak Together Fundraiser - May 20th 2017-01-24 06:00:00Z 0

    President's Message

    story thumbnail
    Greetings from Florida (not on vacation, though)!
     
    I'd like to thank all who are helping with the care bags to the homeless service project. Some of you donated items and/or showed up at our meeting at my house last Saturday, rolled up your sleeves and worked happily! We still need some items; we didn't finish all the bags. If you still want to participate in this, there is no more time to mail items, but you can still make a donation via Paypal on our website. If you make a donation, please make a note saying "care bag for the homeless".
     
    The distribution of the care bags: February 14 at around 6:30 am. I know, super early, but it will be breakfast for the homeless at Loaves and Fishes soup kitchen in Houston. RI President John Germ will be there! Other RC clubs will be there, too and they too have stuff to give the homeless. Mike and I will be there by 6:15-6:30 AM to help prepare food. We will need help unloading the 250 bags from the car. Please join in and wear Rotary shirts if you have one. Location: 2009 Congress Ave.
     
    In the evening we have a district event, Fall in Love with Rotary All Club Meeting. If you have attended before you know how inspiring it can be! RIP John Germ will be the speaker. We are getting a table and we only have one seat left. Who would like to take it? If we have more members we can start another table. It costs $75 per person. The event will be at the Crowne Plaza near NRG stadium. Time: 5pm - 9 pm.
     
    Our club meeting for February will be the distribution of the care bags on Feb 14 at Loaves and Fishes at 6:30 AM and the All Club Meeting that same evening at 5pm. Our club has a table and one seat still available $75. Members can choose either or both meetings and it counts as one or two meeting attendances accordingly. Mike and I will be present on both occasions.  Contact either Linda Caruso or myself for the All-Club ticket reserved table ($75) or individual tickets may be purchased for General Admission Love Rotary Partner $58.90.
    Thanks,
     
     
    Thank you!
     
    Adriane Miller
    President of the Rotary E-Club of Houston
    Charter Member
    Rotary E-Club of Houston, Texas, USA
    Mobile: (503) 593-4364
    Rotaryeclubhouston.org
    President's Message Adriane Miller 2017-01-24 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - "Maps That Show Us Who We Are (Not Just Where We Are)"

    Published on Dec 21, 2016

    What does the world look like when you map it using data? Social geographer Danny Dorling invites us to see the world anew, with his captivating and insightful maps that show Earth as it truly is -- a connected, ever-changing and fascinating place in which we all belong. You'll never look at a map the same way again.

    Introducing our Speaker - Danny Dorling

    Danny Dorling has invented new map projections and new ways of measuring and describing inequality -- and analyzed thousands of datasets about people and the planet. He is the Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography at the University of Oxford, UK. His work concerns issues of housing, health, employment, education, wealth and poverty.

    In the press, Dorling has been described as "that rare university professor: expert, politically engaged and able to explain simply why his subject matters," and as one who has made it "his life's work to dig through the layers that make up Britain's human landscape, and then map it in ways nobody else had thought to do." Working with many others, he has done the same for all the countries of the world "giving a strikingly different perspective from the Mercator projection most commonly used." All this mapping lead him to worry more about inequality.

    His recent books include co-authored texts The Atlas of the Real World: Mapping the Way We LiveBankrupt Britain: An atlas of social change, and People and Places a 21st-century Atlas of the UK. Recent sole-authored books include So You Think You Know about Britain and Fair Play, both in 2011; in 2012 The No-nonsense Guide to Equality, The Visualization of Spatial Social Structure and The Population of the UK; Unequal Health: The Scandal of Our Times, The 32 Stops and Population Ten Billion in 2013; All That Is Solid in 2014; Injustice: Why social inequalities persist in 2015; and A Better Politics: How Government Can Make Us Happier in 2016.

    Why you should listen Danny Dorling has invented new map projections and new ways of measuring and describing inequality -- and analyzed thousands of datasets about people and the planet. He is the Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography at the University of Oxford, UK. His work concerns issues of housing, health, employment, education, wealth and poverty. In the press, Dorling has been described as "that rare university professor: expert, politically engaged and able to explain simply why his subject matters," and as one who has made it "his life's work to dig through the layers that make up Britain's human landscape, and then map it in ways nobody else had thought to do." Working with many others, he has done the same for all the countries of the world "giving a strikingly different perspective from the Mercator projection most commonly used." All this mapping lead him to worry more about inequality. His recent books include co-authored texts The Atlas of the Real World: Mapping the Way We Live, Bankrupt Britain: An atlas of social change, and People and Places a 21st-century Atlas of the UK. Recent sole-authored books include So You Think You Know about Britain and Fair Play, both in 2011; in 2012 The No-nonsense Guide to Equality, The Visualization of Spatial Social Structure and The Population of the UK; Unequal Health: The Scandal of Our Times, The 32 Stops and Population Ten Billion in 2013; All That Is Solid in 2014; Injustice: Why social inequalities persist in 2015; and A Better Politics: How Government Can Make Us Happier in 2016.
     
    Weekly Program - "Maps That Show Us Who We Are (Not Just Where We Are)" 2017-01-24 06:00:00Z 0

    Music for This Week

    This unique winter experience featured live music by acclaimed Norwegian composer and instrumentalist Terje Isungset using instruments of pure ice such as ice horns, an iceophone and ice percussion brought from the mountains of Norway. Using these fragile instruments, some carved from ancient glaciers, Terje gave three concerts a day together with the Norwegian singer Lena Nymark in the intimate setting of an urban igloo or geodesic dome on Somerset House's River Terrace.

    At other times throughout the day an ethereal sound and video installation animated the space. The Idea of North, commissioned by Opera North Projects, saw Terje Isungset join forces with Phil Slocombe from Lumen to create a distinctive experience evoking the lands far to the North. Using rare archive film and footage, Phil’s intricately patterned, often mysterious imagery combined with Terje’s intensely physical soundscape created purely from ice.

     
    Music for This Week 2017-01-24 06:00:00Z 0

    WELCOME To Our New Members!

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    Marcio Natali de Assis - Marcio is an experienced Rotarian from the Rotary E-club do - Novas Gerações in District: 4410 (Brazil).  His classification is Logistic Analyst and he is employed by Instituto Tamo Junto - PMV and Projetta Interiores.  Marcio is the brother of our fellow Rotarian Marcia Natli de Assis Allgayer, and they have known about Rotary International all of their lives growing up in Brazil.  Marcio holds an MBA in Strategic Administration and is a Professional Coach of IBC.  He enjoys reading and studying more about administration, coaching and personal development; enjoys math; and enjoys exercising outdoors.
     
    DeeOnda Ahadi - Another transferring Rotarian who lives in Port Isabel, Texas.  She was active in the Port Isabel Rotary Club since 2005.  Her classification is Hospitality/Tourism and her employer is Pearl South Padre where she serves as Sales Manager.  DeeOnda shares, "My community is important to me. I show that by being active in different avenues by fundraising for teens in foster care, and Surfrider. Also, I serve on the board of El Paseo Arts Foundation and on city committees." In addiion, she says, "My passion is to make my corner the world a better place. Rotary allows me to meet people with the same goals and different talents and when you combine those two things anything is possible."  DeeOnda has served as President of her previous club in 2015-2016, and told our Membership Chair, Barb Conway, that she is excited to be a part of this cutting edge club.
    WELCOME To Our New Members! Barb Conway 2017-01-24 06:00:00Z 0

    Kudos to our Facebook Page!!!

    Outstanding Public Relations for Rotary e-club of Houston!!!  We are proud to have been listed first in this list as a local organization in our community worthy of some extra media attention!  This looks like a good place to list our fundraisers on local calendars and photos of our events and service projects.

    10 Houston Facebook Pages You Need to Follow

    Stay in the loop. Patch shares a list of 10 Facebook pages for readers to follow for the latest in the Houston-related information.

    Kudos to our Facebook Page!!! Robin Charlesworth 2017-01-14 06:00:00Z 0

    What Rotary e-Club Members are Doing

    Ruby Powers - Volunteered for speaking to 10-year old students for a Career Day.  "Fun job trying to make law and immigration law interesting for kids but I think I succeeded."
     
    Brittany Johnson - Congratulations to Brittany and husband Josh on the birth of their second child!  Proud grandparents are PDG Ed Charlesworth and Robin Charlesworth
     
    Marc Prevot - Spending long days in San Diego preparing to train next years District Governors at the Rotary's International Assembly.
     
    Alexis Campestre - Visited the Brazosport Rotary Club
     
    Isis Mejias - Exploring the Brazilian Amazon, Presidete Fuigueiredo, with more information soon about sustainable tourism.  2017 has been designated by the United Nations as the International Year of #Sustainable #Tourism for Development.
     
    Melissa Willis - Volunteered in Curacao.
     
    Veronica Kerssemakers - Volunteered to cook meals for the elderly, assisted with admission to a resthouse, and taught free classes to caregivers.
     
    Tiffany Cady - Attended Willowbrook Rotary club to hear a student share about MOSAIC/Allied Voices, a group of volunteers promoting public awareness of disability issues, advocating for equality and advancing strategies that shape public policy for people with intellectual disabilities so that these individuals are valued in their communities.
     
     
    What Rotary e-Club Members are Doing 2017-01-14 06:00:00Z 0

    A Rotary Peace Fellow and Refugees in Germany

     
    Shared from FORBES.com

    You can download an audio podcast here or subscribe via iTunes.

    Anne Kjaer Riechert, a young, Danish entrepreneur living in Germany saw the flood of refugees arriving in 2015 and did something about it. [Full disclosure: I have written about polio eradication for Rotarian Magazine.]

    Riechert, a past Rotary Peace Fellow, moved to Berlin in 2012 to set up the Berlin Peace Innovation Lab in collaboration with Stanford University. When she observed what ultimately became 1.1 million asylum seekers, mostly from Syria, she saw an opportunity.  "Currently, there are 43,000 open jobs in IT in Germany," she says.

     

    John Hewko, general secretary of Rotary International, who spent much of his career in Europe, commenting on the refugee situation there, says, “If we don’t act now to build the conditions for sustainable peace, then the likelihood of events that undermine it, such as profound social instability, a lack of integration of migrant populations into their new host countries, and failures of national governance will only increase.”

    So, she created a coding school called ReDI School of Digital Integration to train refugees to fill some of those jobs. Partnering with German companies, including Daimler AG, she is providing training in coding languages "like Ruby on Rails, CSS, HTML, Python" along with "skills like entrepreneurship and business intelligence," she says.

    A Rotary Peace Fellow and Refugees in Germany 2017-01-14 06:00:00Z 0

    Music Selection for this Week - "Help is Coming" by Crowded House

    Published on Sep 10, 2015 with an introduction by Benedict Cumberbatch. 
    Originally Uploaded on Oct 4, 2011

    This sensitive track from Crowded House's compilation album Afterglow (1999). Music of UMG Tahon CAPITOL CATALOG MKT (C92) puolesta.

    This is a fundraising effort to assist the refugees although it is not a Rotary project.  Our club has previously held a talent show to raise funds for school supplies for refugee camps in Turkey.
    Music Selection for this Week - "Help is Coming" by Crowded House 2017-01-14 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  Spotlight on a Successful Refuge Story

    This video is shared from National Geographic's Magazine - "This Italian Village Was Dying...Until the Refugees Came"
    Centuries-old Italian villages were becoming ghost towns. Refugees were fleeing conflict and seeking new homes. The needs of each have come together in Camini, a 12th-century town whose population has dwindled to about 280 people—a quarter of what it once was. In hope of breathing new life into deserted neighborhoods, Camini has welcomed more than 80 refugees and immigrants from Africa and the Middle East. Just a few miles away, refugees are landing on the coastline in droves. As of August 2016, more than 115,000 people had successfully made the harrowing journey across the Mediterranean to Italy. In 2014, a young Senegalese man named Assan Baldé crossed the most deadly route, from Libya, and was sent to Camini’s budding refugee program. There he found a second home and a second family with Cosmano Fonte. Fonte and Baldé, along with several other immigrants and natives of Camini, are restoring abandoned houses in order to provide new homes for arriving refugees. Their friendship is emblematic of the village’s reception to the immigrants. Refugees and locals live as neighbors and friends and have shaped a community of people who support one another like family regardless of race or religion. The town’s refugee program, Eurocoop, has brought the refugees together with the people who have lived in Camini their entire lives, offering courses ranging from Italian language to pasta-making. For Fonte, the program is the town’s hope: “Thanks to this emergency that has reached Camini, little by little, things in the village are changing.”
    Weekly Program:  Spotlight on a Successful Refuge Story 2017-01-14 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: A Focus on Maternal Health & Newborns

    Sue Desmond-Hellmann is using precision public health — an approach that incorporates big data, consumer monitoring, gene sequencing and other innovative tools — to solve the world's most difficult medical problems. It's already helped cut HIV transmission from mothers to babies by nearly half in sub-Saharan Africa, and now it's being used to address alarming infant mortality rates all over the world. The goal: to save lives by bringing the right interventions to the right populations at the right time.
     
     
    Weekly Program: A Focus on Maternal Health &amp; Newborns 2017-01-14 06:00:00Z 0

    SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

    *****Bags for the Homeless - Either donate monetarily through PayPal or send a check to our club treasurer, Mike Miller, OR attend the meeting next Saturday at the home of President Dree Miller and Treasurer Mike Miller beginning at 11:30 am to assemble the care bags.  Be sure to rsvp as food will be ordered for lunch.  Items still needed include warm gloves, stamps, disposable razors, travel size deodorants, small packs of 10 facial tissues, Hanes T-shirts, $250 of quarters ($1 per bag for laundry), small snack packs such as pretzels or trail mix.   For those unable to attend the hands-on service project, your monetary donations of any amount would be appreciated.
     
    *****ROTARY BOOKS FOR THE WORLD PROJECT

    Dates:
    Time: 10 AM to Noon
    At: 116 Main Street, Pasadena, TX
    DIRECTIONS to Rotary Books for the World Warehouse which is located on the corner of MAIN STREET and EAGLE AVENUE.
    ***Google Maps and vehicle GPS systems sometimes gives the incorrect location of 116 Main Street, so instead input "203 EAGLE AVENUE" as the destination. It is one block past the intersection of "Shaver Street" and the feeder/service road, and you'll turn right on Munger Street, then left on Eagle Avenue.

    The entrance to our warehouse is on Eagle Avenue which is across the street from the Pasadena Historical Museum.

    *****Let us know of opportunities needing volunteers to be published.

    Rotarians may volunteer in schools, nursing homes, food pantires, health clinics, fun runs, etc.

     
     
    SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES 2017-01-14 06:00:00Z 0

    RAGES - A Rotary Action Group for Endangered Species

    Our Board of Directors has approved a $1,000 DONATION to sponsor two RISK boxes.  An Endangered (EN) species is a species which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as likely to become extinct. "Endangered" is the second most severe conservation status for wild populations in the IUCN's schema after Critically Endangered (CR).  The Black Rhino is a Critically Endangered animal; White Rhino is nearly threatened; and Javan Rhino is Critically Endangered; Sumatran Rhino is Critically Endangered.
     
    These boxes or kits are available for Rotary and Rotaract Clubs and Districts to support. These RISK Boxes will contain equipment that will go to various projects engaged in the protection and survival of rhinos, pygmy elephants and orangutans in areas of South Africa, Borneo and Indonesia that are currently under threat by poaching, loss of habitat and human wildlife conflict. RAGES is looking at sourcing these RISK Boxes in the area of most need so as to keep the economic benefits in that country. These RISK Boxes will start at $500 for the entry level. There are three other levels that will be available.
     
    These projects are in partnership with the Chipembere Rhino Foundation in South Africa, the Pygmy Elephant Project in Borneo and the United Kingdom Orangutan Appeal for Borneo. 

    RHINO INTERNATIONAL SURVIVAL KITS

    Together with the Rotary Club of Kenton-on-Sea South Africa and our Projects Director Jo Wilmot, we are developing RAGES International Survival Kits or RISK Boxes. These boxes or kits will be available for Rotary and Rotaract Clubs and Districts to support.  PDG Ed Charlesworth and Robin Charlesworth have attended a meeting of the Rotary Club of Kenton-on-Sea and are excited to be a part of a partner club to support this project!  From the Rotary Club of Kenton-on-Sea:  27 March 2016 Our Club is devastated by the news of 3 rhino being poached at nearby Sibuya Game Reserve. These were ‘our’ rhinos and we share the grief and outrage of the Sibuya team. Well done to the team of dedicated professionals who were able to capture and relocate two surviving youngsters to a nearby rhino orphanage, and to Dr Will Fowlds and his team for all they tried to do to save their dad, Bingo. In keeping with our pledge to support the anti-poaching initiative, we are talking with both the Sibuya Rhino Foundation and our partner, Chipembere Rhino Foundation, to establish what we can do to help. This project is essentially about creating awareness through the worldwide web of Rotary. Dr William Fowlds gave a presentation to the club on the story of Thandi and Temba, two rhinos from a nearby Reserve, who were targeted by poachers for their horns. Dr Fowlds tells the incredibly moving story of how he was called in when the rhinos were found badly wounded but still alive. Despite all his efforts, it was not possible to save Temba, but Thandi has become a household name as a result of his care which ultimately saved her. When asked what we, as a club, could do, Dr Fowlds’ response was – Create Awareness. To this end his story was taken by our Club to District Conference in East London where the District was also treated to the presentation – leaving almost everyone reaching for tissues. The motion to take this ‘create awareness’ campaign to the RI International Conference in Lisbon, June, 2013, was passed unanimously.  Jo Wilmot and Bruce and Pippa Steele-Gray went on to attend this conference where their Save the Rhino stall in the House of Friendship achieved all they set out to do – create awareness. The Club’s grateful thanks go to Investec and Chipembere Rhino Foundation for their hugely effective sponsorship.

    These RISK Boxes will contain equipment that will go to various projects engaged in the protection and survival of rhinos in areas of South Africa that are currently under attack by well organised poaching gangs and syndicates.  For more detailed information on what is needed for these survival kits see below.

    Some of the items required in RISK Boxes will include the following:

    Bullet proof vest
    Rand 4,000.00  US$390
    Uniform Shirt
    Rand 225.00  US$22
    Uniform Pant
    Rand 195.00  US$19
    Uniform Shorts
    Rand 155.00  US$15
    Uniform Jacket
    Rand 349.00  US$33
    Uniform Boots
    Rand 469.00  US$46
    Handheld radio
    Rand 2,200.00  US$216
    Night Vision Binoculars
    Rand 17,000.00  US$1665
    Binoculars
    Rand 2,000.00  US$196
    Flir Thermal Imagery vehicle Pathfinder camera
    Rand 36,000.00 US$3,500
    Flir Handheld Thermal Imaging camera
    Rand 68,000.00  US$6,660
     
    Cellphone airtime per month
    Rand 500.00  US$50
    Head Torch
    Rand 360.00  US$35
    Handheld Torch
    Rand 450.00  US$44
    Spotlight
    Rand 1,500.00  US$147
    Telonics Telemetry Receiver
    Rand 7,000.00  US$685
    Telonics Telemetry Aerial
    Rand 1,200.00  US$118
    Telonics Horn Implant device
     
    Rand 2,750.00  US$269

    VHF Tracking collar – Rand 3,000.00 US$291
    VHF Horn implant – Rand 3,900.00 US$378
    GPS Satellite collar – Rand 23,000.00 US$2,230
    Handheld VHF Receiver – Rand 9,000.00 US$872
    Antennae Short Range (compact) – Rand 3,000.00 US$291
    Antennae Long Range – Rand 1,500.00 US$145
    Ground to Air Handheld Radios – Rand 10,000.00 US$969
    Night Vision Generation 1 Handheld Scope – Rand 6,500.00 US$630
    Camera Traps with Realtime MMS and Infrared Black Flash – Rand 5,000.00 US$485
    Rhino DNA Kits – Rand 600.00 US$58
    Micro-Chips (3 per Rhino) – Rand b400.00 US$39
    Helicopter Surveillance Flights – Rand 3,000.00/Per Hour US$291
    Emergency Helicopter on Standby – Rand 25,000.00 US$2,423

     

    RAGES - A Rotary Action Group for Endangered Species 2017-01-14 06:00:00Z 0

    POLIO UPDATE

    The Final Three Endemic Countries:
    Quote of the day - "Everybody can be great because anybody can serve.  You don't have to have a college degree to serve.  You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve...You only need a heart full of grace.  A soul generated by love."  Martin Luther King, Jr         
    The Final Three Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - One new Polio case reported this week - from 2016.  Twenty Polio cases reported in 2016 with 54 cases recorded in 2015  The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 12/22/16 was from the Killa Abdullah, Balochistan area.  One new Polio-positive environmental sample was collected last week.  A total of 50 environmental samples were tested positive for Polio Virus in Pakistan in 2016.     
    Afghanistan - One new Polio case reported this week - from 2016.  Thirteen Polio cases reported in 2016 with 20 cases recorded in 2015. The most recent cases, with an onset of paralysis on 12/16/16 was from the Bermal district, Paktika Province - near the Pakistan border. One new Polio-positive environmental sample was collected in Jalalabad on 12/26/16.    
     
    Nigeria - No new Polio cases reported this week.   Four Polio cases reported in 2016 - with no cases reported in 2015.  The most recent case was reported on 8/2016 on Borno State.
     
               
               
               
               
     

       Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!
    Terry Ziegler, Rotary District 5890 Polio Eradication Chair & Zone 21B/27 PHS Coordinator
     
     
    POLIO UPDATE 2017-01-12 06:00:00Z 0

    SAVE THE DATES - UPCOMING EVENTS

    February 14 - "Fall in Love with Rotary" All Clubs Meeting @ Crowne Plaza Hotel (near NRG Stadium) - Featured Speaker is RI President John Germ
                          5:15 - 6:30 pm  Major Donor/Bequest Society and VIP Reception with Cash Bar
                          5:00 - 7:00 pm - General Rotary "Lovefest"
                          7:00 - 9:00 pm - Dinner and Presentation
                          *Individual tickets cost $58.90
                          *Love My Club - table of 10 and one exposition table $750
                          *Rotary Power Couple - premium seating, admission to VIP reception, and two drink tickets - $300
     
    APRIL 20 – APRIL 23 2017 "A Little Monkey Business" - District Conference @LA TORETTA LAKE RESORT AND SPA (www.latorrettalakeresort.com)
                         

    BOOKING PORTAL : https://aws.passkey.com/event/14145764/owner/10957635/home

    OR CALL : 936-448-3024 – Rotary District 5890 Conference.

     

    JUNE 10 - 14, 2017    ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION 2017 IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA, USA

                          *****CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF DOING GOOD IN THE WORLD - That's a century of Rotarians improving lives and communities all over the world!

     

    SAVE THE DATES - UPCOMING EVENTS 2017-01-07 06:00:00Z 0
    Mark Your Rotary Calendars Robin Charlesworth 2017-01-07 06:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - "A Song of Peace" 2017-01-07 06:00:00Z 0

    A Timeline of Rotary and Peace

    Rotary has long played a role in promoting world peace:

    • In 1921, it adopted the following as one of the objects of Rotary: The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world of fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
    • At Rotary’s 1940 convention in Havana, Cuba,delegates adopted the “Respect for Human Rights Resolution,” which was a precursor to the UN’s 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
    • Today, the Rotarian Action Group for Peace serves as a resource to Rotarians, Rotary clubs and districts by supporting the peace work of Rotarians worldwide.
    • Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation have made incredible investments in the field of peace and conflict education through the Rotary Peace Centers.

    The Rotary Peace Conference 2017 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA is part of this effort.

    Rotary's Mission: "Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that:
    • provides humanitarian service,
    • encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and 
    • helps build goodwill and peace in the world."
     
    A Timeline of Rotary and Peace 2017-01-07 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Works for Peace: March 31 - April 1, 2017, Michigan League, University of Michigan

     
     
     
     

    A Peace Conference for all of us!  Rotarians interested in working for peace are invited to come together with those already engaged in the field.  The ROTARY WORLD PEACE CONFERENCE 2017 will discuss how Rotary and Rotarians can prevent and mediate conflict.

    Save the date!  The two-day event March 31 – April 1, 2017 will be hosted by the Rotary Clubs and Districts of Michigan, northern Indiana and southern Ontario representing over 10,000 Rotarians.  All are invited to attend including the general public and youth from universities and high schools including Rotaractors and Interactors.

    The objective of the Peace Conference is to empower community leaders, Rotarians and others to participate in and actively propagate peace activities in their community.  It will be held in our home town at the Michigan League on the University of Michigan campus.  Leading experts, authors and scholars specializing in peace and conflict resolution are coming from government, business, health care, media and faith-based organizations to discuss these complex issues.

    We are especially pleased to announce that Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1997) will be the plenary speaker on  Saturday, April 1.  There is a unique lineup of dignitaries from Rotary International speaking on Friday, March 31 including President John Germ.  Peace scholars and activists from the US, Canada, United Kingdom and India are also on the program.

    This is a unique opportunity for Rotarians in our area to get involved in Rotary’s Peace Efforts.    Help organize the Peace Conference through individual and Club participation on the Organizing Committee.  You can volunteer to be involved in overall planning, soliciting speakers, conference venue management, publicity, fund raising and many other aspects of the conference organization.  Won’t you join us?

    For more information and registration: www.2017peaceconference.org

    Contact:

    Ashish Sarkar, Convener, World Peace Conference 2017, adsarkar@comcast.net 
    Rosemarie Rowney, Co-Chair, World Peace Conference 2017, rrowney@comcast.net

    Rotary Works for Peace: March 31 - April 1, 2017, Michigan League, University of Michigan 2017-01-07 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  Fighting with Non-Violence

    How do you deal with a bully without becoming a thug? In this wise and soulful talk, peace activist Scilla Elworthy maps out the skills we need — as nations and individuals — to fight extreme force without using force in return. To answer the question of why and how nonviolence works, she evokes historical heroes — Aung San Suu Kyi, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela — and the personal philosophies that powered their peaceful protests.

    Why you should listen

    When Scilla Elworthy was 13, she sat in front of her television set watching as Soviet tanks rolled into Budapest. Immediately she started packing her bags. "What are you doing?" her mother said. "I'm going to Budapest," she said. "They're doing something awful and I have to go." Years later, Elworthy is a three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee and a recipient of the Niwano Peace Prize. In 2002 Elworthy founded Peace Direct, which supports local action against conflict, and in 1982 founded Oxford Research Group, a think-tank devoted to developing effective dialogue between nuclear weapons policy-makers and their critics. Beginning in 2005 she helped set up The Elders initiative as an adviser to Sir Richard Branson, Peter Gabriel and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

     
    Weekly Program: Fighting with Non-Violence 2017-01-07 06:00:00Z 0

    Upcoming Rotary Fundraisers

    University Area Rotary Club's fundraiser to be held at Saint Arnold's Brewing Company in Houston, Texas. IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR WHERE THE UNIVERSITY AREA ROTARY CLUB HOSTS ITS ANNUAL FUNDRAISER AT ST. ARNOLD'S. WHERE YOU WILL GET FUN AND FELLOWSHIP ALONG WITH BEER AND BBQ. THIS YEAR THERE WILL BE LIVE MUSIC, too!
     
     
    Willowbrook Rotary Club's MONTE CARLO NIGHT - February 25, 2017 @ The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center   6 pm - 11 pm
         Fundraising event with Live Auctions, Silent Auctions, Casino Tables and Dancing
     
    Upcoming Rotary Fundraisers 2017-01-06 06:00:00Z 0

    Polio Update

    The Final Three Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - No new Polio cases reported this week.  Nineteen Polio cases reported in 2016 with 54 cases recorded in 2015  The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 11/03/16 was from the Badin district, southeast Sindh.  Three new Polio-positive environmental samples were collected last week.  A total of 50 environmental samples have tested positive in Pakistan in 2016.     
    Afghanistan - No new Polio cases reported this week.  Twelve Polio cases reported in 2016 with 20 cases recorded in 2015. The most recent cases, with an onset of paralysis on 09/28/16 was from Paktika - near the Pakistan border. No new Polio-positive environmental samples have been collected in Afghanistan in 2016.    
     
    Nigeria - No new Polio cases reported this week.   Four Polio cases reported in 2016 - with no cases reported in 2015.  The most recent case was reported on 8/2016 on Borno State.
     
    Importation Countries - Ethiopia (0-2015, 1-2014), Cameroon (0-2015, 5-2014), Somalia (0-2015, 5-2014), Iraq (0-2015, 2- 2014), Syria (0-2015,1-2014), & Equatorial Guinea (0-2015, 5-2014).
     
    Could we see the last reported Polio case in 2017?
     
    Polio Update Terry Zeigler 2017-01-06 06:00:00Z 0

    Face-to-Face Meeting on January 21st

    Our next face-to-face meeting is January 21st at 11:30 AM at the home of President Dree Miller and Treasurer Mike Miller.  Soup & sandwiches and hot beverages will be served. Please come ready to work because we will be assembling the care bags for the homeless. We don’t yet have all items, so you can still bring the ones listed below. We’d appreciate if you confirm your presence no later than 01/18/2017 – we need to know how many people are coming. 
     
    Meeting starts at 11:30 AM
    Care bags assembling: 12:00 PM
    Lunch served at 1:00 PM or earlier if most are speedy workers! : )

    We will have happy music to keep you motivated - and dancing if you want; we will make you famous on Facebook!

    Thank you for all that you do for Rotary and have wonderful holidays!

    Adriane Miller
    President of Rotary E-Club of Houston
    Face-to-Face Meeting on January 21st 2017-01-02 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Impacts Entire Family

    The Miller's Christmas Celebration in Snowy Oregon
     
    The Miller family (over 30 people) does a holiday gift exchange every year in Portland, Oregon. But this year they decided to do something different. They donated half of the amount of their gifts to different charities, including our E-Club. During the celebration, each person described their charity and spoke on why it is important to them. Our E-club Rotarian Lori Miller Prouty talked about the Layette Bags Project to help new mothers and their babies in Nicaragua. Other donations were made to cancer treatment, environmental issues, Zarephath Kitchen and Boxes of Love.  
    It is wonderful to involve our families in Rotary projects! Kudos to Lori for her leadership in sharing our club’s projects and for fundraising! We thank the Millers for their generous hearts. Love for humanity is the true sense of charity, which will now become part of the Miller holiday celebration tradition.
    Adriane and Mike Miller could not attend the party this year, but they joined the gift exchange and donations from where they live in Texas.
     
    Rotary Impacts Entire Family 2017-01-02 06:00:00Z 0

    2017 Rose Bowl Parade Rotary Float

    Traditionally, the annual parade takes place on New Year’s Day. But as the holiday fell on a Sunday this time around, both the parade and the bowl game itself were pushed to Monday, the second day of the year, according to the so-called “Never On Sunday” policy. No matter, the Tournament Of Roses Parade will be as festive as ever.

    Now in its 128th year, the theme of the 2017 parade is “Echoes Of Success.” There will be more than 40 floats from a variety of organizations, ranging from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation to China Airlines to one even inspired by “The Bachelor.” And since the floats are typically adorned with flowers, the ABC show fits right in given the role roses play in the reality competition.

    The festivities, nicknamed “America’s New Year Celebration,” are slated to be broadcast on ABC beginning at 11 a.m. Eastern time. Later, after two-hour parade, the Penn State Nittany Lions and USC Trojans will compete in the highly-anticipated football game.

    Rotary International has participated for 39 years in the Rose Bowl Parade.  Paul Harris, Founder Father  of Rotary, said, "In the promotion of ROTARY, it is important to reach large numbers and you cannot reach them privately."

    Our annual participation in the Rose Parade is unquestionably the highest visibility Rotary promotion in the world.

    According to the Pasadena Tournament of Roses 2016 statistics, 70 million US and international households viewed the parade on television; and over 700,000 attended the 2016 Rose Parade. 

    People in 243 countries and territories viewed the parade.  It is nearly impossible to estimate how many people saw and heard something about Rotary. What an outstanding opportunity to promote Rotary to the world!

    John Germ, Rotary International President said "Today, our work on Rotary's public image is more important than ever.  The work of Rotarians on the Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee is a good example of Rotary creativity and resourcefulness."

    Did you see the Committee's ad in the December, 2016, Rotarian Magazine?

    Rotary Clubs and Districts in North America provide all of the funds to build the float.  No funds are received from Rotary International.

    Your help is needed to pay for the 2017 Float!  You may donate online at http://rotaryfloat.org/.

    The 2017 Float promotes and celebrates the 100 years of The Rotary Foundation. The Foundation empowers Rotarians to travel throughout the world and create and complete projects which serve people in need in six areas of focus which are: promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, saving mothers and children, supporting education, and growing local economies.  The spectacular and colorful dragon is clearly a world traveler carrying luggage decorated with the six symbols of the areas of focus.  The Dragon also is proudly wearing a necklace with a medallion marked 100 for the 100 years of service.

    2017 Rose Bowl Parade Rotary Float 2017-01-02 06:00:00Z 0
    Angel in Disguise - Songs for the Homeless 2017-01-02 06:00:00Z 0
    We're Rotary - There's No Limit To What We Can Do 2017-01-02 06:00:00Z 0

    Progress Report on Items for the Homeless - Needed by Jan 21st

    Image may contain: textWe are still collecting donations to include in the 250 care bags we will distribute to the homeless people in Houston on Valentine's Day.  We thank all of you who already donated or pledged to donate to help the homeless feel loved and cared for.
    Progress Report on Items for the Homeless - Needed by Jan 21st 2017-01-02 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - The Power of Time Off

    Every seven years, designer Stefan Sagmeister closes his New York studio for a yearlong sabbatical to rejuvenate and refresh their creative outlook. He explains the often overlooked value of time off and shows the innovative projects inspired by his time in Bali. Stefan Sagmeister is no mere commercial gun for hire. Sure, he's created eye-catching graphics for clients including the Rolling Stones and Lou Reed, but he pours his heart and soul into every piece of work. His design work is at once timeless and of the moment, and his painstaking attention to the smallest details creates work that offers something new every time you look at it. Renowned for album covers, posters and his recent book of life lessons, designer Stefan Sagmeister invariably has a slightly different way of looking at things.
     
     
     An article in US NEWS by Patricia Quigley in August 13, 2011 focused on the benefits of taking time off from work. 

    "Rest, relaxation, and stress reduction are very important for people's well-being and health. This can be accomplished through daily activities, such as exercise and meditation, but vacation is an important part of this as well," said primary care physician Natasha Withers from One Medical Group in New York. Withers lists a decreased risk of heart disease and improved reaction times as some of the benefits from taking some time off.

    "We also know that the mind is very powerful and can help with healing, so a rested, relaxed mind is able to help the body heal better," said Withers.

    Psychologists echo the value of vacations for the mind.

    "The impact that taking a vacation has on one's mental health is profound," said Francine Lederer, a clinical psychologist in Los Angeles who specializes in stress and relationship management. "Most people have better life perspective and are more motivated to achieve their goals after a vacation, even if it is a 24-hour time-out."

    The online travel agency Expedia conducted a survey about vacation time in 2010, and according to their data the average American earned 18 vacation days—but only used 14 of them. Every European country included in the survey reported both more vacation days earned and used. France topped the list, with the average worker earning 37 vacation days and using all but two of them. And according to Expedia's data, only 38 percent of Americans said they used all of their vacation time, compared to 63 percent of French respondents.

    Editorial comment:  Now that the holidays are over and hopefully you enjoyed time with family and friends, indulged in repeated celebrations with food and drink, it is time to resume more common routines.  If you also took time off for travel or simply stayed at home from work for a few days, do not feel guilty if you are American.  Embrace the new year with renewed energy to release your creativity, enhance problem-solving, and juggle the many "hats" you wear. 

    Weekly Program - The Power of Time Off 2017-01-02 06:00:00Z 0

    Innovate Through Imagination

    How can you fire up your imagination?
     
    Imagination is a gift given to every person--you simply need to find ways to stimulate it, use it, and let it serve you.
    Be curious and ask questions--What does the best look like? Questions help produce answers. So ask! Who? What? Why? Where? When? How? Is it ethical and in line with your character? Then dream, dream, dream!
    Collaborate and Brainstorm--Consider all options. Everything is game. Invite others to join in the creativity.
    Use Mind-Mapping to stir your imagination and clarity.
    Walk Away-- Relaxation and breaks can help generate new ideas.
    Write - Use a Thought Book to record your ideas, bursts of imagination, discoveries, thoughts, and dreams throughout the entire process of creating the best.
     
    Innovate Through Imagination 2017-01-02 06:00:00Z 0
    We're Rotary - There's No Limit To What We Can Do 2017-01-01 06:00:00Z 0

    Happy  New Year!

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    A time for remembering as the year 2016 comes to an end, and a time for projecting our wishes and dreams for the New Year 2017.  Did you feel proud of being a part of Rotary International? 

    The has recognized The Rotary Foundation with its annual Award for Outstanding Foundation.

    The award honors organizations that show philanthropic commitment and leadership through financial support, innovation, encouragement of others, and involvement in public affairs. Some of the boldest names in American giving — Kellogg, Komen, and MacArthur, among others —are past honorees.

    “We are honored to receive this recognition from the AFP, which gives us even more reason to celebrate during our Foundation’s centennial year,” says Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair Kalyan Banerjee. “The continued strong support of Rotary members will help us keep our promise of a polio-free world for all children and enable the Foundation to carry out its mission of advancing world understanding, goodwill, and peace. We look forward to another 100 years of Rotary members taking action to make communities better around the world.”

    The announcement came on 15 November, known to industry professionals since the 1980s as National Philanthropy Day. The award will be presented in early 2017 at the AFP’s annual conference in San Francisco.

    At the club level, did you make connections as a Rotarian?  Read the newsletters and submit your attendance?  Have you attempted to connect with others in our e-club?  Have you supported our club projects financially, served on committees, shared a tidbit about what you are doing for others to get to now you?  Have you worn your Rotary pin and told others about Rotary?  Have you had someone approach you in the airport because of your Rotary pin or Rotary bag, sharing that they had been a Rotary exchange student, attended RYLA, or served a a Peace Scholar or Ambassadorial Scholar?  Have you visited another Rotary club in your hometown or abroad, and shared information about your e-club? 

    Looking forward to 2017, if you answered "no" to some of the above questions there will be opportunities for the answers to change.  Also, you may look forward to attending a district conference and/or Rotary International Convention.  We hope you are interested in community and international service!  If you know of a community leader whom you feel is a good candidate to introduce to Rotary, you can help our club grow in membership and increase the helping hands needed to make this world a better place.  Is this the final year for new polio cases?  Let's work together to serve humanity!

    RI President John F. Germ chose Rotary Serving Humanity as his theme for 2016-17. Noting Rotary’s unique ability to bring together committed professionals to achieve remarkable goals, Germ believes that “now is the time to capitalize on our success: as we complete the eradication of polio, and catapult Rotary forward to be an even greater force for good in the world.”

    Happy New Year! 2017-01-01 06:00:00Z 0

    President's Message

    Thank you for your donations to the Movie Night for the Layettes fundraiser we did last month. Your work and caring hearts and those of other Rotarians will make it possible to send over 70 Layette bags to Nicaragua with this fundraiser alone, and we have another one coming, so we can send more bags to the mothers and babies. Our club has had great visibility during this event and others, and we are establishing great connections with other Rotary clubs and our District 5890.
     
    Thank all of you who came to our Christmas celebration or contributed by donating to the silent auction or volunteered to help. Due to weather conditions, we didn’t have the number of guests expected, but we showed that a small group can be mighty strong! We raised some funds for our club’s projects, and that is another chapter in our success story! I am also thrilled that so many of you are donating items for our care bags to the homeless project.
     
    We are planning great things for 2017, and we need each and every one of you to help us accomplish them. Our club has been so active and that is because we have so many generous people and hard workers in this team. Please read below a long list of reasons I am proud of you.  
     
    Summary of the first 6 months of 2016 club achievements:
     
    • We physically met every month, which means we had an extra program per month so local members and guests can get together
    • Weekly website and newsletter updates that members anywhere in the world can visit online
    • Frequently updated Facebook page and Facebook group page where we share events and meetings. Our Facebook page has over 1,100 followers around the world
    • Membership increased by 5 new members
    • A warm and fun meeting welcoming to our DG Eric Liu when he visited our club in November
    • Seven members received the Paul Harris Fellow Award
    • Participation of 8 members at the Rotary Foundation Seminar District 5890
    • RI dues, District dues and all other financial commitments met on time
    • All Humanitarian and membership goals achieved, which counts for the presidential citation award
    • Sponsored a $2,420 District Grant for 3 college students in Nicaragua
    • IRS forms sent on time, as we have a 501c3 foundation
    • Co-sponsorship of Wisdom Interact Club
    • Several Members volunteering in Community Services where they live, in different cities, states and countries
    • At least 4 members in Rotarian Action Groups and Rotary Fellowships
    • At least 2 members engaged in My Rotary discussions on the RI website
    • Taught a My Rotary and our club’s website workshop for members
    • 100 Lovely Handmade Dresses and more items distributed to underprivileged children in Uganda
    • Hosted a World’s Greatest Meal Virtual Event to End Polio with worldwide participation
    • Participated at MS Walk The Woodlands fundraising to find a cure for MS
    • Co-hosted the Movie Night fundraiser for the Layettes for Nicaragua and celebrated 30 years of Women in Rotary in partnership with the Houston NW Sunset and University Area Rotary Clubs.
    • Held a Christmas Party and fundraiser for our club and projects
    • Currently gathering donations for 250 care bags for the homeless in Houston
    • Currently donating $1,000 to help critically endangered species, the black rhino in South Africa and the orangutans in Borneo.
     
    And, wait for it…. Planned for 2017:
     
    • January 21st meeting: assemble the care bags for the homeless
    • Pay RI dues on time
    • Sponsor a high school student to go to RYLA camp
    • February 11th (to be confirmed) Dinner fundraiser to send Layette bags to the new mothers in Nicaragua
    • February 14th Distribute 250 care bags to the homeless at Loaves & Fishes Soup Kitchen along with Rotary International president John Germ
    • Sponsor our President Elect for training (PETS)
    • March: Bingo Fundraiser to help the Earn and Learn program which provides kids from the slums in India better nutrition and education
    • April 20 to 23: 5890 District conference at La Torreta. Expected participation of at least six members from our club
    • May 20th Host the Kayak for The Rotary Foundation at the Lake Woodlands in The Woodlands, TX
    • June 10 to 14: Rotary International Convention. Expected participation of at least ten members of our club
    • June 12: E-club party night at Der Biergarten Atlanta in partnership with our twin E-club Francophone
    • End of June: Installation of 2017-2018 Board of Directors
     
    I feel honored to be part of Rotary. Those who make Rotary a respected and vital organization are its members. Your dedication to improve the lives of others is what makes the world go round in a happy rotation in the universe. Keep spreading the light of hope!
     
    Happy Holidays and a wonderful 2017!
     
    Thank you,
    Adriane Miller
    President 2016-2017
    President's Message Adriane Miller 2016-12-19 06:00:00Z 0
    About Santa Claus School 2016-12-19 06:00:00Z 0
    Rotary - Make a World of Difference 2016-12-19 06:00:00Z 0

    A poem about Camels

    Don’t Bring Camels in the Classroom (From the book The Aliens Have Landed at Our School!)

    Don’t bring camels in the classroom.
    Don’t bring scorpions to school.
    Don’t bring rhinos, rats, or reindeer.
    Don’t bring mice or moose or mule.

    Pull your penguin off the playground.
    Put your python in a tree.
    Place your platypus wherever
    you think platypi should be.

    Lose your leopard and your lemur.
    Leave your llama and your leech.
    Take your tiger, toad and toucan
    anywhere but where they teach.

    Send your wombat and your weasel
    with your wasp and wolverine.
    Hide your hedgehog and hyena
    where you’re sure they won’t be seen.

    Please get rid of your gorilla.
    Please kick out your kangaroo.
    No the teacher didn’t mean it
    when she called the class a “zoo”.

     --Kenn Nesbitt

     

    Perhaps you may enjoy reading this to your children or grandchildren or to those who are "kids at heart"!  Or be the listener as someone share this aloud with you.  Rotarians are committed to improving literacy in this world and it begins with our role-modeling at home or in our schools, and creating opportunities for those in impoverished environments to hold books and go to schools.

    A poem about Camels 2016-12-19 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  You have no idea where camels really come from

    Camels are so well adapted to the desert that it's hard to imagine them living anywhere else. But what if we have them pegged all wrong? What if those big humps, feet and eyes were evolved for a different climate and a different time? In this talk, join Radiolab's Latif Nasser as he tells the surprising story of how a very tiny, very strange fossil upended the way he sees camels, and the world. This talk comes from the PBS special "TED Talks: Science & Wonder."  Filmed in 2015 at Ted Talks Live.  This talk made the list of Top Ted Talks of 2016 (a group of 17 talks).

    Why you should listen

    The history of science is "brimming with tales stranger than fiction," says Latif Nasser, who wrote his PhD dissertation on the Tanganyika Laughter Epidemic of 1962. A writer and researcher, Nasser is now the research director at Radiolab, a job that allows him to dive into archives, talk to interesting people and tell stories as a way to think about science and society.

    Hope you enjoyed this light-hearted program this week.  Many of our members and Rotarians will be viewing live nativity scenes to celebrate the birth of Jesus, so if you do see a camel you may find a smile crossing your face as you recall this newsletter from the Rotary e-club of Houston.  To all - may you experience JOY this season and may you prepare yourself to become a dynamic Rotarian - engaged and full of ideas to help make this world a better place.
    Weekly Program: You have no idea where camels really come from 2016-12-19 06:00:00Z 0

    About Wine Ratings

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    Shared from the recent newsletter from Conrad Heede, President of the Rotarian Wine Appreciation Fellowship.  Look for their booth in the Hall of Friendshp at the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta.  June 11-14, 2017: Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Register early so there will be less chance of a conflict between our dinners and the opening and closing ceremonies. We are planning to have another good convention experience for RWAF members.
     
    One of the special things that happen now are all the “Best of the Year” lists that one sees published. This is also true in the wine business where the “experts” have been rating all the wines released during this year and now take a second look at them to come up with their “best”. As we have said before, a rating is simply some wine “expert’s” idea of how a particular wine scores relative to that person’s opinion of the characteristics of the ideal wine that would receive a perfect score in that wine category, using whatever scale they want to use.
     
    Robert Parker, who publishes the “The Wine Advocate” and who is considered to be one of the most respected wine experts in the world, uses a 100-point scale that is widely used in the wine world and is sometimes called the “Parker Scale”.
     
    The “Wine Spectator” uses this 100-point scale in its ratings. They discuss their scale stating: “Ratings reflect how highly our editors regard each wine relative to other wines in its category and are based on potential quality-how good the wine will be when at its peak. The score summarizes a wine’s overall quality; the tasting note describes the wine’s style and character.” The wine scores reflect the following:
     
                            95-100 points            Classic: a great wine
    1. Outstanding: a wine of superior character and style
    2. Very Good: a wine with special qualities
    3. Good: a solid, well-made wine
    4. Average: a drinkable wine that may have minor flaws
    5. Below average: drinkable but not recommended
    6. Poor, undrinkable: not recommended
     
     The main objective of looking at wine scores is to help us determine value. You want to find wines that are worth the price you pay for them, in your opinion. You would like to be able to find a wine to complement the food you are enjoying, at a reasonable price. You can find “deals” or at least value, if you know your wines.
     
    About Wine Ratings Conrad Heede 2016-12-19 06:00:00Z 0

    Enjoy the Holidays!

    Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, Happy Festivus and we hope that all will enjoy a Happy, Healthy, Productive and Prosperous New Year! Joyeuses Fêtes de fin d'année !!!!!!
    Enjoy the Holidays! 2016-12-19 06:00:00Z 0

    Planning on the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta?

    18 December 2016: Last day for early-registration discount ($340 Rotarians/$70 Rotaractors)
     

    Your registration includes:

    • Inspiring and entertaining speakers, including top leaders in our organization
    • Informative breakout sessions to help you build your communication, leadership, and project management skills
    • Opportunities to network and exchange ideas while browsing the project and fellowship booths in the House of Friendship
    • Entertainment provided by local artists and musicians in the House of Friendship and at the general sessions
    Planning on the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta? 2016-12-10 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  Kio Stark: Why you should talk to strangers

    "When you talk to strangers, you're making beautiful interruptions into the expected narrative of your daily life — and theirs," says Kio Stark. In this delightful talk, Stark explores the overlooked benefits of pushing past our default discomfort when it comes to strangers and embracing those fleeting but profoundly beautiful moments of genuine connection.

    Why you should listen

    Kio Stark has always talked to strangers. She started documenting her experiences when she realized that not everyone shares this predilection. She's done extensive research into the emotional and political dimensions of stranger interactions and the complex dynamics how people relate to each other in public places.

    Her novel Follow Me Down began as a series of true vignettes about strangers placed in the fictional context of a woman unraveling the eerie history of a lost letter misdelivered to her door.

    Stark did doctoral work at Yale University’s American Studies program, where she thought a lot about the history of science and medicine, urban studies, art, and race -- and then dropped out. Because she also taught graduate courses at NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program, numberless people consulted her about whether or not to go back to school. Those conversations inspired Don't Go Back to School, a handbook for independent learners.

    Stark is the author of the TED Book When Strangers Meet, in which she argues for the pleasures and transformative possibilities of talking to people you don’t know. 

    Beyond strangers, Stark's abiding fixations include the invisibility of technology; how people learn; practices of generosity and mutual aid; the culture, infrastructure and ephemera of cities; mythology and fairy tales; and advocating for independent learning, data literacy, social justice and feminism. Fiction writers get to dive down wonderful rabbit holes, and some of her favorites have been the forging and stealing of art, secret societies, the daily lives of medical examiners, the physics of elementary particles, bridge design, the history of maps, the mechanisms of wrongful conviction and psychoanalysis.

    When not writing books, Stark has worked in journalism, interactive advertising, community research and game design. She writes, teaches and speaks around the world about stranger interactions, independent learning and how people relate to technology. She also consults for startups and large companies helping them think about stranger interactions among their users and audiences.

     
     
    Do you wear you Rotary pin every day?  Wearing your pin can draw questions from strangers you meet as you walk through your day.  It happened only yesterday in Costo and has happened at the grocery store while waiting in line.  It can happen anywhere, anytime, but only when you are wearing the Rotary pin which sparks some curiosity in strangers.  Be prepared with your "elevator talk" or a short summation of what Rotary means to you because you may only have their attention for a minute.  If you have the gift of more time to explain about Rotary, then your introduction of Rotary may be so enlightening and motivating that the stranger may go home or back to work and do research on the internet about Rotary International or even your Rotary club.  Even in other countries where talking to strangers is uncommon, it is surprising that they can be engaged if someone simply attempts to share some worthwhile thoughts.   In airports when traveling around our world, the Rotary pin often elicits conversations with others who have been exchange students or scholarship recipients through Rotary.  Aren't you proud to be a Rotarian?  Then, today and every day remember to " don your gay apparel" for the holidays and don your Rotary pin. 
    Weekly Program: Kio Stark: Why you should talk to strangers 2016-12-10 06:00:00Z 0

    The Heart of Rotary - Our Foundation

    Join the Rotary eClub of Houston and District 5890 as a Centennial supporter of our Rotary Foundation! Give to our Annual Fund - SHARE &
    District Designated Funds to bring back resources to our district and help more people in our communities and around the world!
     
    What a better way to celebrate our Rotary Foundation's centennial by having all members in our eClub contribute $26.50, the initial amount that was once contributed to our Rotary Foundation in 1917!  If you are a member or friend of the Rotary eClub of Houston, you are immediately a member of District 5890 and can help our district projects needing grants have funding.
    Kindly choose the "Annual Fund-Share" category when donating online or by check to our Rotary Foundation between December 2016 and May 2017. If you donate this month it will be part of your charity tax deductible for 2016.
    "Your gift to the Annual Fund helps Rotary clubs take action today to create positive change in communities at home and around the world. Your contributions help us strengthen peace efforts, provide clean water and sanitation, support education, grow local economies, save mothers and children, and fight disease.
    Through the SHARE system, contributions to The Rotary Foundation are transformed into grants that fund local and international humanitarian projects, scholarships, and activities, such as vocational training teams. At the end of every Rotary year, contributions directed to the Annual Fund-SHARE from all Rotary clubs in the district are divided between the World Fund and the District Designated Fund, or DDF.
    At the end of three years, your district can use the DDF to pay for Foundation, club, and district projects that your club and others in the district choose. Districts may use up to half of their DDF to fund district grants. The remaining DDF may be used for global grants or donated to PolioPlus, the Rotary Peace Centers, or another district."
    Donate here: www.rotary.org/en/annual-fund-and-share
    Visit us: www.RotaryeclubofHouston.org
    Thank you!
    Yours In Rotary Service,
    Lizette Odfalk
    Centennial Rotary Foundation Chair
    Rotary eClub of Houston
     
    The Heart of Rotary - Our Foundation Liz Odfalk 2016-12-10 06:00:00Z 0

    What are our members doing?

    Martine Stolk - Volunteered 20 hours at Brazos Bend State Park this month.
     
    Marc Prevot - Attended Zone Institute in Madrid, Spain.
     
    Corinth Davis - Volunteered at the iFest held in Sugar Land, Texas.
     
    Vivian Smith - Explains the power of networking in Rotary:  Justin Mercer, her grandson, is teaching in American samoa with World Teach.  He accidentally cut under his chin shaving and then went swimming in the Pacific Ocean the same day.  The following day his face was quite swollen and he went to the ER and was diagnosed with a bacterial infection.  She was unable to contact the head of World Teach, so she called a Rotarian friend in South Caroline who gave her the name of a Rotarian in the Pago Pago club.  He was able to make the necessary contacts and pledged that he would do anything he could to help us further.  Justin flew out of Pago Pago on November 18 with swollen lymph glands to seek further medical treatment.  All with the help of a friend in Rotary who others may have viewed as a total stranger, yet through Rotary we all share a commonality and the desire to help others. 
     
    Veronica Kerssemakers - Volunteered with the elderly in Holland.  She also teaches free meditation and mindfulness lessons to a group of 15 caretakers.
     
    Chris Ajayi- Congratulations to Chris who is the proud new father of a baby boy born recently and the baby's Christening iwas December 3rd.
     
     
     
     
     
     
    What are our members doing? 2016-12-02 06:00:00Z 0

    Recent Visitors to our Rotary E-Club Houston

    Jayprakash Deshpande - Past President of Rotary Club of Poona, District 3131, India.  Commented:  "For a relatively new club, you are doing well."  Also, he likes the format of the meeting.
     
    PDG George Yeiter - A frequent visitor to our club and Past District Governor of Rotary District 5890. 
     
    Thank you for choosing our Rotary club for your make-up meeting!
    Recent Visitors to our Rotary E-Club Houston 2016-12-02 06:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - If Everyone Cared 2016-11-28 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  The power of believing that you can improve

    Carol Dweck researches “growth mindset” — the idea that we can grow our brain's capacity to learn and to solve problems. In this talk, she describes two ways to think about a problem that’s slightly too hard for you to solve. Are you not smart enough to solve it … or have you just not solved it yet? A great introduction to this influential field.

    Why you should listen

    As Carol Dweck describes it: "My work bridges developmental psychology, social psychology, and personality psychology, and examines the self-conceptions (or mindsets) people use to structure the self and guide their behavior. My research looks at the origins of these mindsets, their role in motivation and self-regulation, and their impact on achievement and interpersonal processes."

    Dweck is a psychologist and professor at Stanford and the author of Mindset, a classic work on motivation and "growth mindset." Her work is influential among educators and increasingly among business leaders as well.  Carol Dweck is a pioneering researcher in the field of motivation, why people succeed (or don't) and how to foster success.

     
    Weekly Program: The power of believing that you can improve 2016-11-28 06:00:00Z 0

    Cyber Monday & Giving Tuesday

    Remember, when you order gifts on Amazon Smile our club will benefit from a percentage of dollars spent. 
    What is AmazonSmile?
    AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization.
    How do I shop at AmazonSmile?
    To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.se price to your favorite charitable organization.
     

    #GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration.

    Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving.

    Giving Tuesday on November 29th is the biggest day of donations in the year. Yet how do you give wisely on Giving Tuesday?

    There are millions of charities out there. Some charities are hundreds of times better than others at doing good by addressing suffering and increasing flourishing around the world.  We have recently shared the accolades received by Rotary International.  Also, there are many partners with Rotary International that you may choose to support.  The choice is yours.  Choose wisely.

    Cyber Monday &amp; Giving Tuesday 2016-11-28 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary e-Club Houston's Holiday Gathering - December 3rd

    We will have a Christmas Celebration on December 3rd at 5pm at the house of our PDG Ed and Robin Charlesworth, at 11407 Hylander, Houston-TX.
    The party is potluck style, so we ask our members to please bring a dish of food to share.  We will have a silent action to fundraise for our club and our projects, and if you have any items to donate, it will be greatly appreciated. If you donate items, please bring them to the party no later than 4:30 pm so we can display them before guests arrive.   Also, we will charge $25 for tickets for this event.  Tickets will be available on Eventbrite, or payable by PayPal on our website.  Please bring family and friends!
     
    This party will also be considered our general meeting for the month of December. If you are a member of the Board, please remember we have a Board of Directors meeting at 3:00 pm at the same location. We will send a zoom ID to non-local BOD members to join online.
     
    We will have a box to collect any donations for the homeless care bags if you have any items to bring. Thank you, all of you who already donated or pledged to donate.
    Here is the list of items we still need for the Heart to Heart Care Bags to the Homeless (distribution will be February 14th 2017 with RIP John Germ):
     
    250 pairs of winter gloves
    106 disposable razors
    67 plastic combs
    90 travel size shampoo
    38 hair conditioners
    234 travel size deodorants
    243 facial tissue small packs of 10
    250 OTC medicine packs of 2 (Tylenol or other)
    250 Small snack packs (pretzels, etc.)
    154 Granola bars
    500 sheets of lined paper
    500 stamps
    90 pens
     
    Thank you for being part of a team of people who are changing the world!
     
    Oh what fun
    It is to come
    To our Christmas party,
    Yay!

     
    Adriane Miller
    President
    Rotary E-Club of Houston
     
    Rotary e-Club Houston's Holiday Gathering - December 3rd 2016-11-28 06:00:00Z 0

    TONIGHT - District Membership Committee Meeting 6:30 pm

    Meeting Date & Time:  TONIGHT, Monday, November 28th, at 6:30PM (6:00PM, if you want to order food)
     
    New Venue:    Fratelli's Ristorante  
                            1330 Wirt Road
                           Houston, Texas 77055
                           713-263-0022
     
    Growing Rotary enables us to do more good in our communities and the world.  Attendance at the D5890 Membership Meeting is a great opportunity to bond with your club's Area Membership Chair (AMC) & other district leaders.
    Speaker - Bill Griffin, Sugar Land Rotarian & District 5890 Scouting Programs Chair
     
    Topic - "2016-2017 Recipe for Growing & Retaining New Members"
    Member recruitment is only part of the membership formula. The high turnover rate in existing clubs is the most pressing membership issue facing Rotary today.  Retention starts the first time a prospective member meets your Rotary club.  Membership retention is not a once-a-year crash program implemented in desperation to boost numbers, but should be an ongoing and methodical activity to ensure the member's sense of belonging and to enlist his/her participation.  Active new members are more likely to renew than those that remain on the sidelines.
     
    We look forward to the attendance of at least one (1) representative from your club.  You don't want to miss Bill's cogent presentation!
     
    Yours in Rotary service,
    Ann Wright
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair
    2014-2017
    713-647-8400 - Direct
    awright_tmg@yahoo.com
     
    Derrill Painter
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair
    2016-2017
    832-473-5729 - Cell
    derpaint@yahoo.com
             
     
     
    TONIGHT - District Membership Committee Meeting 6:30 pm 2016-11-28 06:00:00Z 0

    New Members - WELCOME!

     
     
     
    At the meeting last Saturday with DG Eric Liu, Scott Ellis chose to join our e-club!  Scott has been a familiar face to our members as he is the fiance of Rotarian Tiffany Cady.  He is employed by Dril-Quip and hold the classification of "Professional".  He is a Customer Property Coordinator.  Scott has always enjoyed hearing about the good Rotary does in our community and the world, and looks forward to becoming actively involved with our projects.  Scott and Tiffany are outgoing individuals full of energy and enjoy helping others.  Also, they enjoy cruising and traveling.  Tiffany is excited to share Rotary with Scott.  Welcome, Scott!
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Dr. Debra Harper-LeBlanc has also joined our Rotary e-club Houston.  She is a college professor at Lone Star College - Greenspoint and Victory Center.  She is teaching
    Computer Technology and Speech and is currently faculty lead over Accounting, Business, Computer Technology, Foreign Languages, Professional Office and Speech. 
    She has over 16 years of higher education experience and 6 years of K- 12 experience. I have a Ph.D.(Doctor of Philosophy) in Education with a concentration in Community College Leadership from Walden University. She also earned a M.A.T. (Masters in Arts and Teaching) degree with an emphasis in Computer Applications and a concentration in Communications from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri.  Her experience includes  26 years of teaching, 23 years of development/curriculum,  23 years of technology and 17 years in academic leadership positions such as a Dean, Director, and Chair prior to going back to the classroom as a professor in fall 2009 teaching computer technology and speech classes.  Debra is an experienced Rotarian with prior membership in Greenspoint Rotary Club.
    New Members - WELCOME! 2016-11-27 06:00:00Z 0

    Giving Days - Want the Tax Donation in 2016?

    story thumbnail
    Hohoho! Making a list, checking it twice! Help our Rotary Foundation bring a smile to all the children and people around the world receiving food, warm clothes, toys, shelter, vaccines, education, emergency relief, and so many great gifts that often go unnoticed but by the recipients. Yes, Rotarians are year-round Santa Clauses serving above self! :)
    Are you a Rotary Foundation donor? Have you donated this month? December will be the last chance for 2016. Please visit www.MyRotary.org/give and chose to "give". God bless.
    Lizette G.Ödfalk
    ​Centennial Rotary Foundation Chair 2016-17
    Rotary eClub of Houston, TX USA
    District 5890
    ​Eclub URL: www.RotaryeClubofHouston.org
    “We should not live for ourselves alone, but for the joy in doing good for others.”– Arch Klumph, founder of The Rotary Foundation
     
    Giving Days - Want the Tax Donation in 2016? Liz Odfalk 2016-11-27 06:00:00Z 0

    Member News:  Spotlight on JIM WELLS

    Jim Wells -  Congratulations to Jim and his wife, Pam,  as it has been announced that will have a Cy-Fair ISD school named in their honor! 

    CFISD namesakes were chosen for future and existing campuses during the CFISD Board of Trustees meeting on Nov. 14. Pictured, from left, are Jim and Pam Wells, namesakes for Elementary School No. 55; Janet Hoover, namesake for Elementary School No. 56; and Maybelline Carpenter, namesake for the former Adaptive Behavior Center. 

    Nov. 14, 2016—The CFISD Board of Trustees approved the namesakes for Elementary School Nos. 55 and 56 and the Adaptive Behavior Center during its regularly scheduled meeting on Nov. 14.

    Elementary No. 55 will be named after Jim and Pam Wells. Pam spent 33 of her 41 years in education in CFISD. She began her teaching career in 1975 at Landrum Middle School in Spring Branch ISD. She served in CFISD from 1979-2012 as a teacher at Arnold Middle School for six years, director of instruction at Cy-Fair High School for 13 years, an assistant to the superintendent for three years and an associate superintendent for 13 years at the Instructional Support Center. She also was interim superintendent from January-June 2004. She currently serves as the executive director of the Region 4 Education Service Center.

    Jim also spent 33 of his 37 years in education in CFISD. He began his teaching career at Spring Woods Junior High School in Spring Branch ISD from 1975-1979. Beginning in 1979, Jim served in CFISD for two years as a teacher and seven years as an assistant principal at Cypress Creek High School. He continued his career in education as an assistant principal at Watkins Junior High School for five years then became principal of Thornton Middle School for 10 years and principal at Cypress Creek from 2002-2012 before retiring in June 2012.

    Designed by IBI Group, Inc., and built by Gilbane Building Co., Jim and Pam Wells Elementary School will open in August 2017 at a multi-campus site that will include Bridgeland High School and a future middle school at 10607 Mason Road.

    “There is no greater honor for an educator than to be chosen as a namesake for a school. We humbly thank the Board of Trustees, Dr. Henry and the administration,” the Wellses said. “We were honored to be able to serve the CFISD students, staff and community for 33 years. We have always been so proud of this district where we lived, worked and raised our two sons. They were both fortunate to have excellent teachers and mentors, many of whom have become school namesakes themselves. Cy-Fair ISD will always be home to us. Our colleagues whom we had the privilege to work with will always be like family. We have been truly blessed in our careers.”

    1114 School Namesakes.jpg

    Also, condolences to Jim Wells on the passing of his mother yesterday.  She enjoyed living 90 years and following a major surgery in the last year struggled with physical decline.  Always a strong woman admired and loved by her family, she will be missed.  Our sympathy is extended to Jim and his family at this time of loss.

    Member News: Spotlight on JIM WELLS 2016-11-27 06:00:00Z 0

    Polio News!!!

    Pakistan - No new Polio cases reported this week.  Eighteen Polio cases reported in 2016 with 54 cases recorded in 2015  The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 11/03/16 was from the Sujawal, Sundh Southwest of Karachi.  Two new Polio-positive environmental samples were collected last week.  The two positive samples were reported from Peshwar, Khyber Pakthunkwa and Multan, southern Punjab.  A total of 50 environmental samples have tested positive in Pakistan in 2016.
         
    Afghanistan - No new Polio cases reported this week.  Twelve Polio cases reported in 2016 with 20 cases recorded in 2015. The most recent cases, with an onset of paralysis on 09/28/16 was from Paktika - near the Pakistan border. No new Polio-positive environmental samples have been collected in Afghanistan in 2016.    
     
    Nigeria - No new Polio cases reported this week.   Four Polio cases reported in 2016 - with no cases reported in 2015.  The most recent case was reported on 8/2016 on Borno State.
     
    After the final Polio case is recorded, it will take three years to ensure that the Polio Virus has been eradicated.  The recent cases in Nigeria, after two years without a recognized Polio case, are a reminder of the need to continue high quality surveillance and immunization campaigns for three years after the last case is identified.  We will need to continue immunizing (and funding those immunizations) worldwide, which is estimated to cost $1.5 billion for the three years.       
     
    Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!
    Terry Ziegler, Rotary District 5890 Polio Eradication Chair & Zone 21B/27 PHS Coordinator
    Polio News!!! TERRY ZIGLER 2016-11-17 06:00:00Z 0

    International Service - Destination NICARAGUA

                               I hope you will join us for our January, 2017 trip to Nicaragua. We will be  leaving from Houston on Wednesday, January 4th on United flight # UA1421, at 5:40 p.m. and arriving in Managua at 8:55 p.m.   While in Chinendega, Nicaragua, the group will deliver gift boxes to students, visit La Batania (vocational school), see where the layette bags are delivered to expectant mothers, tour village with housing and clean water projects developed by Rotarians, and more.
     
    We The return from Managua on Wednesday January 11th on United flight # UA1423 leaving Managua at 7:00 a.m. and arriving in Houston at 10:20 a.m.
    The groThe ground travel, meals and hotel charges will be $775.00 per person (double occupancy in hotels). Add $210.00 per person if you require a private room. We will co-ordiccoordinate all of this as we always have in the past. If you will be on flights other than these United flights Please send me a copy of your tickets so that we will know when to meet to meet you. For more information come to the movie night to hear Jim Kite discuss our projects.  Contact Jim Kite for more information cell  979-251-0840.
     
                Hope & Relief International Foundation, Inc.
                10700 Gerke Rd.
                Brenham, Texas 77833
                      Fax  979-836-0614
     
     
     
     
    During
    International Service - Destination NICARAGUA 2016-11-17 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  Let's teach for mastery -- not test scores

    Would you choose to build a house on top of an unfinished foundation? Of course not. Why, then, do we rush students through education when they haven't always grasped the basics? Yes, it's complicated, but educator Sal Khan shares his plan to turn struggling students into scholars by helping them master concepts at their own pace.
     

    Why you should listen

    Salman "Sal" Khan is the founder and chief executive officer of Khan Academy, a not-for-profit with a mission of providing a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.

    Khan Academy started as a passion project in 2004. Khan's cousin was struggling with math, so he tutored her remotely and posted educational videos on YouTube. So many people watched the videos that eventually Khan quit his job at a hedge fund and pursued Khan Academy full time. Today Khan Academy has more than 100 employees in Mountain View, California. Khan Academy believes learners of all ages should have unlimited access to free educational content they can master at their own pace. Its resources cover preschool through early college education, including math, grammar, biology, chemistry, physics, economics, finance and history. Additionally, Khan Academy offers free personalized SAT test prep in partnership with the test developer, the College Board. More than 42 million registered users access Khan Academy in dozens of languages across 190 countries.

    Khan has been profiled by "60 Minutes," featured on the cover of Forbes, and recognized as one of TIME’s "100 Most Influential People in the World." In his book, The One World Schoolhouse: Education Reimagined, Sal outlines his vision for the future of education.

    Khan holds three degrees from MIT and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

     
    Weekly Program: Let's teach for mastery -- not test scores 2016-11-17 06:00:00Z 0

    Community Service Project Underway

    Our club is participating in the Heart to Heart Care Bags for the Homeless project. Attacking any societal issues feels overwhelming, yet Rotarians are always eager to step up and help other in need.  The scope and magnitude is never ending.  Almost daily, we pass homeless men or women panhandling on street corners.  We have heard, "do not give them money because you do not know is they will spend it wisely or even be forced to give it to another they are working for with little to keep for themselves."
    How can one person make a difference to these less fortunate folks on the streets?   We are collecting items for care packages and ask they you bring them to the meting on Saturday with DG Eric Liu where we will have a box for our collection.  A work party is planned for January 21st to assemble these items for distribution.  On February 14th we will distribute the bags to the homeless at Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen, with the possibility of RIP John Germ's participation (not confirmed if he will be there yet).

     


    update - 500 envelopes have been donated.

    I would like to thank all of you who already donated or committed to donate items: Ed and Robin Charlesworth (all Hershey’s Kisses, soaps, shampoos, hair conditioners, body lotions), Barb Conway (all Ziploc bags), Marcia Allgayer (socks and multiple items), Rosangela Catunda and Almir Menezes (razors), Nicole Wycislo (all hand sanitizers and lip balms), Lolita Cardenas (multiple items), Jake Stein (small soaps, shampoos, hair conditioners), Adriane and Mike Miller (all bandages, all q-tips and some other items), Martine Stolk (multiple items), friends of the e-Club Rosangela Xavier and Christiane Andrade for donating multiple items, Bill Davis from Humble RC (250 combs), and Joshua Moreno from Galena Park/Jacinto City RC (250 dental kits).
     
    Thank you all for your effort and generosity!
     
    Adriane Miller (Dree)
    President of Rotary E-Club of Houston
    Rotaryeclubhouston.org

    Community Service Project Underway Adriane Miller 2016-11-16 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Tradition

    One of the more colorful traditions of Rotary is the exchange of club banners. Rotarians traveling to distant locations often take banners to exchange at make-up meetings as a token of friendship. Many clubs use the decorative banners they have received for attractive displays at club meetings and district events.

    By 1959, exchanging banners had become so popular that the RI Board of Directors was concerned the practice would be a financial burden on clubs. It urged Rotarians to "exercise discretion, moderation, and measured judgment in making provision for such exchanges."

    The approximately 20,000 banners in the Rotary History and Archives collection reflect clubs' hometown pride and their connection with the international organization.

    In addition to incorporating the Rotary emblem, banners often include symbols or imagery of a club's town, region, or country. Others represent local craftsmanship or cultural traditions by displaying leatherwork, weaving, embroidery, or hand-painted designs.

     

    On Facebook, there is a page you may view with photos of Rotarians exchanging banners all around the world.  The page is named "Rotary Club Banner Exchange".  Their mission is to preserve and share banners of Rotary clubs around the world.  On this page you may view a collection of banners in the USA, Asia, and banners of Rotary International Presidents.

    Rotary e-clubs also have a chance to participate in this tradition when visiting another club while traveling or even sharing banners on-line.  If you would like to have a banner to exchange with another club, please contact President Dree Miller.  In our club we ask that you pay for the banner which will then be mailed to you.  Below are our collection of banners as shared by Treasurer Michael Miller:
     
    Rotary Tradition 2016-11-16 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary International Convention 2017: Atlanta

    TOP FIVE REASONS TO ATTEND:
     

    1. Meet the most inspiring people in the world

    Rotary members from more than 130 countries meet at the convention every year. This is your unique opportunity to connect with old friends, make new ones, and share stories about your club’s current and future projects.

    2. Strengthen your club and your passion for Rotary

    The general sessions and breakout sessions offer countless ways to help you get the most from your Rotary membership and make your club stronger. In the House of Friendship, you’ll find new ideas, learn best practices, and share project successes — it’s where the Rotary world comes together!

    3. Join The Rotary Foundation celebration

    The culmination of a yearlong celebration of the Foundation’s centennial takes place in the city where it all began. Join the festivities at The Rotary Foundation’s 100th Birthday Party. Attend a book signing and meet the author of “Doing Good in the World: The Inspiring Story of The Rotary Foundation’s First 100 Years.” See all the activities we have planned.

    4. Explore the American South

    Bask in the sun on the Atlantic and Gulf shores. Test your game at some of the world’s most celebrated golf courses. Experience the magic of Florida’s Disney World, Universal Studios, and Sea World.

    Explore the natural wonders of the Appalachian Trail and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Step back in time at Colonial Williamsburg. Sample the sophisticated charms of New Orleans, Savannah, and Charleston. Learn more

    5. Enjoy special tours and events offered by the Host Organization Committee

    Watch for more information about special activities like Restaurant Night, Host Hospitality Night, and a screening of "Gone With the Wind" at the historic Fox Theatre. Visit the Host Organization Committee site to find more activities.

     
     
    Rotary International Convention 2017: Atlanta 2016-11-10 06:00:00Z 0

    District Governor Visit on November 19th

    November 19th at 11:30 AM - our District Governor Eric Liu will make his official visit to our club. WE REALLY want a huge attendance in this meeting to show the awesomeness of our club to the district. Please come and help us give a big warm welcome to our DG Eric!  This meeting will be recorded for our members who do not reside in the Houston area to view at a later date.
     
    Where: 
    Boca2 Gastro Bar & Bites
    7951 Katy Fwy, Houston, Texas 77024
    District Governor Visit on November 19th 2016-11-10 06:00:00Z 0

    Honoring our Veterans - November 11th

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    November is the month to remember our war heroes. Every year we celebrate the Veterans Day 2016 on 11th November to pay our tribute the military veterans, the persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. Former US President Woodrow Wilson first started this ritual, and after 96 years we still celebrate the day with utmost respect.
     

    Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislation that was passed in 1938, November 11 was "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.'" As such, this new legal holiday honored World War I veterans.

    In 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress -- at the urging of the veterans service organizations -- amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, Nov. 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

    On Wednesday, November 10th, the Rotary Club of Houston luncheon at the junior League co-sponsored with the West Point Society a special program to celebrate Veteran's Day.  The honored guest speaker was General Mark Welsh, former Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

    The Sugar Land Rotary Club's speaker this week was Jim Moriarty, a Vietnam Vet himself, lost his Green Beret son 'Jimbo' in Jordan last week. "We were moved beyond words by Jim's presence and his strength."   Please remember to honor our Veterans this week, and keep the Moriarty family in your thoughts and prayers. Their meeting was held on this week at Sweetwater Country Club with registration and reception beginning at 11:00 am and the Recognition of Veterans ending approximately 1:20 pm.

    Many other Rotary clubs plan to honor club members and guests this week as they pay tribute to those who have served.  From our Rotary e-club of Houston, we thank you and express our appreciation for your service -  to all Veterans in our club and in other Rotary clubs.
     
     

     


     
     

     

     
     
     
     
     
     
    Honoring our Veterans - November 11th Robin Charlesworth 2016-11-10 06:00:00Z 0

    Visit Another Rotary Club

    Rotary Club of Houston Skyline - Tuesday, Nov. 15th (6pm-7:30) - Club Meeting with Speaker Vicki Brentin, Discussing Her Recent Trip Working with Rotary and Disaster Aid intl in Petionville and in Les Cayes HAITI to provide clean bacteria free water and shelter repair.
     

    When & Where: Tuesday from 6:00pm - 7:30pm in Downtown Houston

    43rd Floor Bar & Lounge atop the Wedge Bldg at 1415 Louisiana St, 77002 (Parking is FREE, as is first drink for first time visitors)

    Contact Club President Koy Muyrphy at projectwideawake@att.net or 713-582-0649

     

    ***If you have visited another Rotary club either locally or elsewhere in your travels, please send information about your visit to Newsletter Editor, Robin Charlesworth -

    charlesworth@stresscontrol.com

     

    Visit Another Rotary Club 2016-11-10 06:00:00Z 0

    Do you LIKE us on Facebook?

    Our Facebook page is VIBRANT and DYNAMIC!  We currently have 1,211 LIKES!!!  If you enjoy social media and the connections of Facebook, be sure to check this out and invite your friends, too.  It is a terrific tool to introduce folks to Rotary - who we are and what we do. Thank you to Rotarians Wind Nguyen and Lizette Odfalk for their interest in sharing Rotary updates and interesting information!
     
    Do you LIKE us on Facebook? 2016-11-10 06:00:00Z 0

    #actsofgood

    It is a simple thing to see the opportunity to share kindness and then being a good role model; others will then seek the opportunity to demonstrate kindness to others.
    Pass it on...
    #actsofgood 2016-11-10 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  Can we use trade to fight terrorism?

    Can we use trade to fight terrorism? Romaine Seguin believes that when communities are isolated from the global economy, they risk becoming breeding grounds for terrorist groups -- and trade may be a way to ward off this isolation. Seguin illuminates home grown global businesses, like the Haiti-based Deux Mains, which can provide the jobs and security that are the most impactful tools of humanitarian aid. 
     
    About our Speaker:  Romaine Seguin, president of UPS Americas Region, is responsible for all UPS package and cargo operations in Canada and more than 50 countries and territories across Latin America and the Caribbean. Additionally, she has oversight of the UPS Supply Chain Solutions operations throughout Latin America, Miami and the Caribbean.  Romaine is an active board member of the Florida International University (FIU) School of Business Dean’s Council and sits on the Transportation Advisory Board for Best Buy Inc. She is also a board member of Conferencia Latinoamericana de Compañías Express (CLADEC) – Latin America Conference of Express Companies. Romaine holds a degree in Marketing Management from William Woods College in Fulton, Missouri and an MBA from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri. She is an avid runner, golfer and sports enthusiast.

    TED@UPS Atlanta unlocked the opportunities of the question “What if?” Daring to engage with the boundless future, speakers explored innovations in language, trade and technology to imagine a future full of possibilities for all.
     
    Sharing her vision for the potential for greater peace in this world, Romaine shares a common vision with Rotarians around the world.  Many Rotary clubs do facilitate small business enterprise in developing countries and provide training in how to run a business along with small business loans. 
     
    There is an interesting program about microeconomics sponsored by the Twin Falls Rotary Program (recorded April 23rd, 2014) utilizing the Kiva loan program. 5th grade students from Immanuel Lutheran School helped others by lending budding entrepreneurs in other lands money to help with their business.
    Darlena Ohlensehlen is the instructor for the kids and wife of then club president Bob Ohlensehlen.  We do not have permission to share the YouTube program, but you are invited to view the YouTube Kiva Micro Economics by the Rotary Club of Twin Falls (https://youtu.be/2QbsDxjfGxA) to see the lessons learned and explained at these amazing students.The video is approximately 15 minutes.  An outstanding Rotary program showing Rotarian support in local education with an international reach improving lives of all involved in the project.
     
    Weekly Program: Can we use trade to fight terrorism? 2016-11-10 06:00:00Z 0

    Camp RYLA Announcement

    Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is a program that originated with Rotary International and has subsequently been specifically designed by Rotary District 5340 for the students in San Diego and Imperial Counties. RYLA encourages servant leadership in youth by recognizing and rewarding deserving 11th grade students who are chosen to attend RYLA as an "award" for their past and present leadership and service activities. These select young people attend an all-expenses-paid camp where they are inspired by a diverse group of exceptional speakers, make life-long friends through fellowship activities, and discuss the ethical and social issues of today. These activities are conducted in an atmosphere of trust and respect. The result is that these students return to their schools and communities motivated to take on additional leadership roles and to find additional ways to serve.
     
    This program is for sophomores and juniors in high school and is one of the few Rotary programs that is open to the children of Rotarians.  A Rotary club sponsors each student selected, and the cost of $225.00/student is paid by the sponsoring Rotary club.  Also, the RYLA committee will cover the cost of all Youth Exchange Students to attend RYLA. 
     
    If you know of a student who may be interested in this program. please forward the name and contact information to Wind Nguyen, our New Generations Chair and President-Elect.  
     
    Camp RYLA Announcement 2016-11-07 06:00:00Z 0

    Russian Vocational Training Team Visits D5890

    A Rotary Vocational Training Team of Russian Medical Professionals visited the Texas Medical Center on 11/2-4/2016. The team included Churakov Clinic Director Aleksei Churakov from Saratov, Russia; Lena Novomeyskaya, (rest of names pending) and Medical Interpreter Ilya Zlotnikov from Oregon, USA. The hospitals they visited included UTMB, Texas Children’s Hospital, TIRR, MD Anderson and Memorial Hermann TMC. The group visit to Houston was coordinated by Rotarian Glen Faldyn, of the West University Rotary Club and the visit to the Memorial Hermann Hospital TMC campus and Life Flight helipad tour was coordinated by Lizette Odfalk, of the Rotary eClub of Houston and Interpreter Services staff member. The tour included the oldest sections of our hospital from 1925 in the east Cullen building to our newest remodeling at the Children’s Herman Pavilion 10th floor. They learned facts about the history of Mr. George Hermann, the Texas Medical Center, the Memorial Hermann TMC hospital, Dr. Red Duke’s life and the “Life Flight” emergency helicopters . Things would not have worked out as great without the help of Memorial Hermann TMC’s Marketing department members, past Rotarian Shelby Pulverenti and Tina Chen; and without the help of Life Flight Coordinator Erin Rosales.
     
     
    Russian Vocational Training Team Visits D5890 Lizette Odfalk 2016-11-07 06:00:00Z 0

    Board of Directors Meeting - Saturday, November 12th

    Dear Board of Directors, Committee Chairs and Committee Members,
    Please attend our BOD meeting online via Zoom November 12th at 10 am to 11am. Links and instructions to join are below. Please don't reply all to this email, unless your message is intended to all.
    Topic: Rotary BOD Meeting
    Time: Nov 12, 2016 10:00 AM (GMT-6:00) Central Time (US and Canada)
     
    Yours in Rotary Serving Humanity,
    Adriane "Dree" Miller
    Club President
    Charter Member
    Rotary E-Club of Houston, Texas, USA
    Mobile: (503) 593-4364
    Rotaryeclubhouston.org
    Board of Directors Meeting - Saturday, November 12th 2016-11-07 06:00:00Z 0

    Polio Update

    The Final Three Endemic Countries
    Pakistan - One new polio case reported this week.  Sixteen cases have been reported in 2016 with 54 cases reported in 2015. 
    Three new polio-positive environmental samples were collected last week.  In Pakistan, both the oral polio vaccine and the inactivated poliovirus vaccine are being used hand in hand to boost immunity; and committed healthcare workers are going to great lengths to build trust and to ensure every child is vaccinated.
    Afghanistan - Three new polio cases reported this week.  Twelve polio cases reported in 2016 with 20 cases recorded in 2015.  The most recent cases involved an onset of paralysis and was located near Paktika near the Pakistan border.
    Nigeria - No new polio cases reported this week.  Four have been reported in 2016 and none reported in 2015.  The most recent case was reported on August 20th in Borno State.  A regional outbreak response in northeastern Nigeria continued to be implemented, both in response to the WPV1 cases detected in August and the circulating vaccine-deprived poliovirus type 2 isolates, detected in Borno from an environmental sample (collected in MARCH) and a healthy contact of one of the WPV1 cases (from (AUGUST).  
     
    Terry Zigler, Rotary District 5890 Polio Eradication Chair and Zone 21B/27 PHS Coordinator
    Polio Update Terry Zigler 2016-11-03 05:00:00Z 0

    Guinness World Record for Rotary - October 29thth

    On Saturday afternoon during the Zone Institute Rotarians helped Interactors and Rotaractors fill the football field of a local high school in Salt Lake City and they formed the Rotary Wheel.  This earned a Guinness World Record for Rotary and earned some great media coverage for the event.  Participants all received matching yellow T-shirts and green baseball caps.
    Guinness World Record for Rotary - October 29thth 2016-11-03 05:00:00Z 0

    Congratulations, Dr. Isis Meijas!

     
     
    Join us in congratulating eClub of Houston Rotarian Isis Mejias. She received the Rotary Alumni Service to Humanity Award at our Rotary Zones # 21B & 27 Institute meeting in Salt Lake City! As a finalist and our Zone candidate she will also be announced at the Rotary Convention in Atlanta in May when the finalist for Rotary International will be announced!  She is a former Rotary Global Scholar to Brazil, and earned a joint PhD from the Universities of São Paulo and Houston. Isis returned recently from a week in Uganda where she took the 100 small dresses made by our Rotary President Adriane Miller and her team and distributed them to the children there. She also connected with the volunteers monitoring the progress of our district/zone's $300,000 water, sanitation and education project.  She is pictured here with PDG Ed Charlesworth and Rotary Regional Foundation  Coordinator PDG Susie Howe. Isis commented, "Thank you!! It really is an honor to work with people that care to make the world a better place."
    Congratulations, Dr. Isis Meijas! 2016-11-01 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week:  "The Garden Song" by John Denver 2016-11-01 05:00:00Z 0
    100 years of the Rotary Foundation 2016-11-01 05:00:00Z 0
    "Whosoever plants a tree" a poem by Felix Dennis 2016-11-01 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: How we're harnessing nature's hidden superpowers

    What do you get when you combine the strongest materials from the plant world with the most elastic ones from the insect kingdom? Super-performing materials that might transform ... everything. Nanobiotechnologist Oded Shoseyov walks us through examples of amazing materials found throughout nature, in everything from cat fleas to sequoia trees, and shows the creative ways his team is harnessing them in everything from sports shoes to medical implants.
     
    About our speaker - Oded Shoseyov
    Oded Shoseyov’s researches plant molecular biology protein engineering and nanobiotechnology, creating super-performing materials that are could change the way we build our future products.  A professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Oded Shoseyov is an expert in nanobiotechnology; he has authored or co-authored more than 160 scientific publications and is the inventor or co-inventor of 45 patents. Shoseyov received the Kaye Innovation Award from the Hebrew University in 2010, and an honorable mention from the Israeli Prime Minister for his contributions in entrepreneurship and innovation in 2012. He has founded ten companies, several of which are focused on engineering new materials for use in human tissue, jet fuel and food packaging.
     
    This TedTalk was filmed in Paris in May, 2016 and released in September, 2016.
     
    Weekly Program: How we're harnessing nature's hidden superpowers Oded Shoseyov 2016-11-01 05:00:00Z 0

    Update on Club Attendance and Meetings

    We have updated our Attendance Form which is just below the banner on the website for Rotary e-club Houston.  It is stream-lined for an easy, quick report.  Remember, to achieve 100% attendance your participation is weekly OR within two weeks prior and two weeks after for a missed week.   There is a menu for you to click on the method of your attendance as well as an option to write in your participation in an alternative make-up opportunity. 
     
     
    As always, we appreciate your feedback and communication of your activities including make-ups at other Rotary clubs and volunteer activities.
    Update on Club Attendance and Meetings 2016-10-27 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Driverless Cars Are a Reality

    What if traffic flowed through our streets as smoothly and efficiently as blood flows through our veins? Transportation geek Wanis Kabbaj thinks we can find inspiration in the genius of our biology to design the transit systems of the future. In this forward-thinking talk, preview exciting concepts like modular, detachable buses, flying taxis and networks of suspended magnetic pods that could help make the dream of a dynamic, driverless world into a reality.

    Why you should listen

    As the director of global strategy for healthcare logistics at UPS, Wanis Kabbaj finds ways for organizations to transport their temperature-sensitive medicines and biotechnologies safely around the world. For more than 16 years, Kabbaj's professional engagements have always revolved around transportation and innovation. Some of his ventures involved helping EADS Astrium use its satellite space transportation expertise in unexpected markets or participating in the global launch of Logan, a revolutionary low-cost vehicle, that helped Renault-Nissan harness a surprising growth in emerging markets.

    Kabbaj is a dual citizen of Morocco and France and lived in four continents. Experiencing constant cultural transitions throughout his life gave him a real taste for analyzing problems through non-traditional lenses and blending disciplines that are usually kept separate.

    Just this week there was an announcement of the reality of a driverless truck making a Colorado beer delivery from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs.The 18-wheel semi loaded down with Budweiser made the 120 mile (200 km) trip through the center of crowded Denver using only the panoply of cameras, radar and sensors to read the road.  A professional driver was on board, but he simply monitored the progress from the truck's sleeper berth behind the driver's seat. "With an Otto-equipped vehicle, truck drivers will have the opportunity to rest during long stretches of highway while the truck continues to drive and make money for them."  "When you see a truck driving down the road with nobody in the frong seat, you'll know that it's highly unlikely to get in a collision, drive aggressively, or waste a single drop of fuel," Otto said.
     
    The test came just six weeks after Uber launched its demonstration self-driving car service in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, gaining a jump on the many auto makers that are now  developing systems for cars and trucks to pilot themselves.  (http://phys.org/news/2016-10-driverless-truck-uber-otto-colorado.html)
     
    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/)
     

    Ford Motor Co. intends to start selling driverless cars to the public by about 2025, its chief executive officer said.

    The goal is to lower costs enough to make autonomous vehicles affordable to millions of people, CEO Mark Fields said in a speech Monday at company headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. After starting with sales of robot taxis to ride-hailing services by 2021, “around mid-decade we’ll make vehicles available for people to purchase for themselves,” he said.

    “We’re dedicated to putting autonomous vehicles on the road for millions of people, not just those who can afford luxury cars,” Fields said.

    Others are putting driverless cars on the road ahead of Ford. Singapore last month unveiled the first autonomous taxi service, run by NuTonomy, a small startup. Uber Technologies Inc., founded in 2009, will soon let users of its popular ride-sharing app hail autonomous Volvo sport utility vehicles in Pittsburgh. Alphabet Inc.’s Google self-driving car project also has indicated it will move from testing to commercialization by the end of the decade.

    "With an Otto-equipped vehicle, truck drivers will have the opportunity to rest during long stretches of highway while the truck continues to drive and make money for them."

    Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-10-driverless-truck-uber-otto-colorado.html#jCp

    The 18-wheel semi loaded down with Budweiser made the 120 mile (200 kilometer) trip from Fort Collins through the center of crowded Denver to Colorado Springs using only its panoply of cameras, radar and sensors to read the road.

    The truck carried a professional driver, but he simply monitored the progress from the truck's sleeper berth behind the driver's seat.

    The trip was a fairly straight two-hour drive south on the I-25 highway, "exit-to-exit", the company said in a statement, suggesting the initial and final stretches off the highway were handled by a driver.



    Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-10-driverless-truck-uber-otto-colorado.html#jCp

    The 18-wheel semi loaded down with Budweiser made the 120 mile (200 kilometer) trip from Fort Collins through the center of crowded Denver to Colorado Springs using only its panoply of cameras, radar and sensors to read the road.

    The truck carried a professional driver, but he simply monitored the progress from the truck's sleeper berth behind the driver's seat.

    The trip was a fairly straight two-hour drive south on the I-25 highway, "exit-to-exit", the company said in a statement, suggesting the initial and final stretches off the highway were handled by a driver.

    The test came just six weeks after Uber launched its demonstration self-driving car service in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, gaining a jump on the many automakers that are now developing systems for cars and trucks to pilot themselves.

    "This shipment is the next step towards our vision for a safe and productive future across our highways," Otto said.

    "With an Otto-equipped vehicle, truck drivers will have the opportunity to rest during long stretches of highway while the truck continues to drive and make money for them."



    Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-10-driverless-truck-uber-otto-colorado.html#jCp

    The 18-wheel semi loaded down with Budweiser made the 120 mile (200 kilometer) trip from Fort Collins through the center of crowded Denver to Colorado Springs using only its panoply of cameras, radar and sensors to read the road.

    The truck carried a professional driver, but he simply monitored the progress from the truck's sleeper berth behind the driver's seat.

    The trip was a fairly straight two-hour drive south on the I-25 highway, "exit-to-exit", the company said in a statement, suggesting the initial and final stretches off the highway were handled by a driver.

    The test came just six weeks after Uber launched its demonstration self-driving car service in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, gaining a jump on the many automakers that are now developing systems for cars and trucks to pilot themselves.

    "This shipment is the next step towards our vision for a safe and productive future across our highways," Otto said.

    "With an Otto-equipped vehicle, truck drivers will have the opportunity to rest during long stretches of highway while the truck continues to drive and make money for them."



    Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-10-driverless-truck-uber-otto-colorado.html#jCp
    Weekly Program - Driverless Cars Are a Reality 2016-10-27 05:00:00Z 0

    Fundraiser - 11th Annual Katy Wine Fest November 4th

     The Katy Wine Fest will offer wine tastings, light bites from several Katy and West Houston eateries, musical entertainment by Chris Austin Martinez, an exciting 50/50 Raffle, and a silent and Big Board auction featuring unique items.  Proceeds of the Katy Wine Fest directly benefit The Brookwood Community and the Brookwood Center for Learning. 

    Please join the Cinco Ranch Rotary on Friday, November 4, 2016, for an evening highlighting wines from Australia and New Zealand.

    Proceeds from the Katy Wine Fest will directly benefit The Brookwood Community’s ongoing training and outreach programs and to continue the growth of the Center for Learning to share Brookwood’s model with others.  As a result, Brookwood will no longer be the exception to the rule in the broader field of disabilities, but will be a new norm enhancing the lives of adults with special needs across the nation and around the world.
    Brookwood is currently developing and testing new training curriculum for our next generation of teachers and team members.  It is their plan to make these resources available to share with other organizations over time.  Brookwood is also seeking to augment its hands-on, working internship program, acquainting more students from around Texas and beyond with the Brookwood model.  This kind of community-wide sharing produces an exponential ripple effect across the world, as its model is shared and replicated.  In addition, quarterly Network Days at Brookwood offer peer organizations a two-day Brookwood experience including one-day intensive seminars, to foster collaboration to advance and share knowledge, techniques and visions in the field of caring for adults with disabilities.
     

     

     

     

     

    Fundraiser - 11th Annual Katy Wine Fest November 4th 2016-10-27 05:00:00Z 0
    Tour of Rotary International Headquarters 2016-10-27 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Theme Song from "The Jetsons" 2016-10-21 05:00:00Z 0

    World's Greatest Meal Virtual Fundraiser

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    All YA"LL are invited to participate in the World's Greatest Meal to raise money for polio eradication.  Did you know that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is tripling every dollar we raise until 2018? So, if you donate $10.00 USD, you are really donating $30.00 that will help vaccinate 50 children around the globe! Yes!  Raising money virtually through the WGMeal and help End Polio Now is easy as 1-2-3! ...Do-Re-Mi! ;)  Here's how to participate:
     
    (1) Take a moment to donate online, every dollar helps. Say you donate $10.00. Donate here: https://map.rotary.org/en/securememberservices/pages/SelectFundR.aspx?FUND=PP
    (2) Send me your total donation numbers, yes if you are a Rotarian your club and you will be benefited, we just need the amount for our award recognitions and to report to the World's Greatest Meal! Don't forget! The amount will not be public.
    (3) Take a picture of your food, a selfie with your food or a picture of you and your friends eating together and share it here or send it to me (with the info above) to lizodfalk@gmail.com no later than the morning of 10/25/16.
     
    You can start participating anytime, just post your food pic, selfie eating or group pic at the table and let us know how much you donated to the End Polio Now fund. https://www.facebook.com/events/368693313521251/?ti=cl We will do the math and let you know how many children you're helping to walk! Give us your full name, District and Rotary club (if applicable), or if it's a company, country, individual, etc. These will be issued after October 24th, when the total donation will also be reported here and at the WGMEAL! Do register your interest above! #WGMeal #endpolionow #RotaryFoundation #RotaryeClubofHouston
    Thank you in advance! Can't wait to see what everyone will be eating! http://wgmeal.com willhave a report of our donation as this event is registered!
     
    This is an opportunity for all e-club members as well as our supporters to unite together in the effort to eradicate polio from this world for future generations.  Let's try for the highest percentage in participation of all of our projects.  It is so easy - you know you will eat every day and this World's Greatest Meal simply requires that you raise awareness of Rotary's efforts to eradicate polio when you dine with friends and/or family and share that you plan to donate to the Rotary Foundation - and don't forget to send in your photo of the meal.  If you are solo, that counts, too!  Some will gather friends and family to the table for a special meal for the occasion, but whatever your meal plan, we hope you will join our effort and DONATE some amount to Polio Plus.
     
    We've had many asking how to donate by phone, so here's is how you can donate:
    By phone: Rotary Polio Plus offices: (USA )1-866-976-8279
    or (World) 1-847-866-3000.
    Online through Rotary International: https://www.rotary.org/MyRotary/en/take-action/give#pp
    Choose Polio Plus and if there's space you can add WGMEAL#
     
    On behalf of our eClub of Houston President Dree Miller and all our members, Thank You!
     
    Lizette Odfalk, Centennial Rotary Foundation Chair
    Rotary eClub of Houston, District 5890
    Houston, Texas USA
    www.RotaryeClubofHouston.org
    This event is registered here as well: http://www.endpolio.org
    #endpolionow #RotaryFoundation #RotaryeClubofHouston #
     
    World's Greatest Meal Virtual Fundraiser 2016-10-21 05:00:00Z 0

    District Membership Meeting - Monday, October 24th

    Meeting Date & Time:  This Monday, October 24th, at 6:30PM (6:00PM, if you want to order food) 
     
    New Venue:    Fratelli's Ristorante  
                            1330 Wirt Road
                           Houston, Texas 77055 
                           713-263-0022 
     
    Growing Rotary enables us to do more good in our communities and the world.  Attendance at the D5890 Membership Meeting is a great opportunity to bond with your club's Area Membership Chair (AMC) & other district leaders.
    Speaker - Susan Milner - District 5890 Secretary & Past President of the Rotary Club of Baytown (received D5890 President of the Year award for large clubs)
      
    Topic - "Matching Club & RI Membership Numbers - 
    Susan will present integral information per the club's membership and RI membership matching, not only in number, but in member names; and per the steps that clubs must implement using ClubRunner when adding and deleting members.  The clubs that do not use ClubRunner, Susan will provide steps that these clubs must take when adding and deleting members.  
     
    Susan will answer your questions per club reports due to her by the 10th of each month and per checking club reports with her reports that club secretary's receive on the 15th of each month. 
     
    We look forward to the attendance of at least one (1) representative from your club! 
     
    Yours in Rotary service,
    Ann Wright
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair
    2014-2017
    713-647-8400 - Direct
    awright_tmg@yahoo.com
     
    Derrill Painter
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair
    2016-2017 
    832-473-5729 - Cell
    derpaint@yahoo.com
             
     
    District Membership Meeting - Monday, October 24th 2016-10-21 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - 5 Ways to Lead in an Era of Constant Change

    Who says change needs to be hard? Organizational change expert Jim Hemerling thinks adapting your business in today's constantly-evolving world can be invigorating instead of exhausting. He outlines five imperatives, centered around putting people first, for turning company reorganization into an empowering, energizing task for all.

    Why you should listen

    Jim Hemerling is a Senior Partner and Managing Director in The Boston Consulting Group's People & Organization and Transformation Practices. He is a BCG Fellow with a focus on high-performance organization transformation. He also leads BCG's global Behavior & Culture topic.

    Hemerling has published extensively on transformation, organization effectiveness and culture. He is co-editor of Transformation: Delivering and Sustaining Breakthrough Performance, a synthesis of BCG's latest thinking on transformation to be published in November 2016.   

    His previous book, Globality: Competing with Everyone from Everywhere for Everything, coauthored with Arindam Bhattacharya and Harold L. Sirkin, was chosen by The Economist for their Best Books of the Year in 2008. He has coauthored columns for Bloomberg and Businessweek and has been featured in Fortune, Manager magazine and on CNBC.

    Hemerling holds a BASc and M. Eng degrees and an MBA with distinction. He is a member of the board of governors of Opportunity International.

    Weekly Program - 5 Ways to Lead in an Era of Constant Change 2016-10-19 05:00:00Z 0

    WORLD POLIO DAY 2016 - Monday, October 24th

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    On 24 October, join us for our fourth annual World Polio Day event, co-hosted with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We’ll be streaming live from CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, to bring together more than 50,000 viewers around the world. We’ll be joined by celebrities and experts to share our progress on the road to polio eradication.  On 24 October, tune in at endpolio.org to follow and join the global conversation on social media.
    WORLD POLIO DAY 2016 - Monday, October 24th 2016-10-17 05:00:00Z 0

    Support The Rotary Foundation

    The easy way to donate to The Rotary Foundation is to make recurring gifts (what we call Rotary Direct) on a credit card.  It is soooo easy - just click on the Give tab at www.rotary.org/myrotary and follow the easy instructions.  Do it once for the Annual Fund and again for PolioPlus.  When Rotarians ask me for advise on what % to give to each fund, I suggest 80% to the Annual Fund (as 1/2 comes back to your District to be used for Grants, Peace Programs and Polio) and 20% to Polio (which is matched $2 to $1 by the Gates Foundation until 2018 as we push to End Polio Now!
    Support The Rotary Foundation 2016-10-13 05:00:00Z 0

    Post Hurricane Matthew in Haiti - A Report from Disaster Aid USA

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    Rotarians Wayne Beaumier (Rotary Club of Bear Creek Copperfield) and Vicki Brentin (Rotary Club of Houston) are on the ground in Haiti now to provide assistance.   Within 45 minutes of their arrival they were meeting with the top Rotary leader for disaster relief and began making plans.  Earlier today they were meeting with representatives of other NGO's representing Disaster Aid International.  Wayne is the District 5890 Disaster Relief Chair and very hands on with his special training from both Boy Scouts of America and Disaster Aid USA.  Disaster Aid USA has deployed to Haiti for assistance with other disasters.  Their focus will be on providing emergency shelters and providing clean drinking water.  Your donation would be appreciated to purchase Family Survival Packs, Home Repair Kits, and most importantly, SkyHydrant water purification systems and Sawyer water filters.
     
    Post Hurricane Matthew in Haiti - A Report from Disaster Aid USA 2016-10-12 05:00:00Z 0

    President's Message

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    President's Message

    I hope you can join us this Saturday October 15th at 5:30pm at Boca2 Bar and Bites at 7951 Katy Freeway for our informal gathering. This meeting is for us to get to know each other a little, and you will have the opportunity to be updated on our club's projects. Each member is responsible for his/her own bill, but Frank's prices are very reasonable. So come have a glass of wine or beer and have some delicious food.
     
    Please remember November 19th at 11:30 AM our District Governor Eric Liu is making his official visit to our club. Same place, Boca2. I expect great member attendance for this meeting. Please feel free to bring your spouses and significant others, friends, and family to hear Eric Liu's message to our club. I'm counting on you to help me give a warm welcome to DG Eric.
     
    Thank you and I will see you all Saturday!
     
    Adriane Miller (Dree)
    President of Rotary E-Club of Houston
    Rotaryeclubhouston.org
    President's Message 2016-10-12 05:00:00Z 0
    A Special Message  From RI President-nominee Sam Owori 2016-10-12 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Be Our Guest 2016-10-12 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Progam:  The Story of Airbnd

    Joe Gebbia, the co-founder of Airbnb, bet his whole company on the belief that people can trust each other enough to stay in one another's homes. How did he overcome the stranger-danger bias? Through good design. Now, 123 million hosted nights (and counting) later, Gebbia sets out his dream for a culture of sharing in which design helps foster community and connection instead of isolation and separation.

     

     
    Weekly Progam:  The Story of Airbnd 2016-10-12 05:00:00Z 0

    Movie Night Fundraiser at the Sundance Cinemas - Dec 1st

     
    Early purchase of tickets to guarantee seats will be November 1st.  During the month of November tickets will be promoted widely and it will be SOLD OUT.
     
    Main Partner Club: Rotary Club of University Area.  The NW Sunset Club is also joining.
    Event overview: A movie about a great Texas lady; Blossoms in the Dust, to celebrate women in this 30th year of Women in Rotary. The University Area Rotary Club will pay for the venue and manage tickets sale and keep revenue from tickets. The partner clubs could set up a table to showcase the project in order to raise funds. There will also be 15 - 20 minutes of speaking time, and Jim Kite has agreed to attend and assist in promoting the project. The partner clubs would keep all funds not raised through ticket sales.
     
    Area of Focus:  Child and Maternal Health
    We need your help to improve lives of newborns in Chinendega, Nicaragua. Small actions can make a big difference! Our club will be partners with two Rotary clubs for two fundraiser events to send Rotary Layette bags to the women’s shelter in Nicaragua.  The women arrive at the shelter from remote mountain villages to give birth in the government hospital, but do not have funds to stay safely in hotels.  Many had been sleeping on park benches alone near the hospital.  A shelter has been built to house these women which also provides prenatal care, medical evaluation (including untrasound), hot meals, hot showers, and a brief return to the center after giving birth to assure the new mom that she has the skills to care for her newborn. 
     
    The impact of our help
    The layette bag program and the education provided at the Women’s shelter saves hundreds of lives each year. The infant mortality in the area is 50%. But Jim Kite advises that none of the children whose mothers stayed at the shelter have died in infancy. So you are really going to be part of something special.

    Rotary Layette Bags: A collection of clothing for a newborn child, shampoo, ointment, diapers, towels, etc.  A specified list of contents so all receive the same items.   The Rotary emblem is prominent on the front side of a nice zippered blue canvas bag.
     
    Sundance Cinema:  510 Texas Ave, Houston, TX 77002
    With the purchase of a movie ticket, Sundance Cinemas provides validation for three (3) hours of free parking upon presentation of your white Theatre District parking ticket at the box office. Upon presentation of your “blue” Theatre District parking ticket, Sundance Cinemas will reimburse $10.00 of the event parking fee.
     
     
     
    Movie Night Fundraiser at the Sundance Cinemas - Dec 1st 2016-10-07 05:00:00Z 0

    Believe in Yourself

    Welcome to today’s coaching session from MyInspiration4Life.

    If you believe yourself to be an exceptional person, with talents and
    abilities, one who is friendly and kind, healthy and energetic and
    destined to have a terrific life, this belief will lead you to set
    goals, work hard, develop yourself, treat others well, bounce back from
    adversity, and ultimately succeed in any endeavor you choose.

    Doug Westmoreland Co-Founder
    GetMyInspiration4Life.com

     
    Believe in Yourself 2016-10-07 05:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - The DNA Song

    Actually, there is some good research on the pairing of music and learning.  All of our children learn the ABC song to music in early childhood.  There are songs to teach math facts and concepts, and then I found this one about DNA.   It is difficult to follow the words alone if you are just listening, so try to read the lyrics as you listen. 
     
    This is an interesting read:  Songs for Teaching - Using Music to Promote Learning (http://www.songsforteaching.com/teachingtips/usingmusictocarrythemessage.php):
         Chris Brewer, M.A., a noted authority on the integration of music throughout the curriculum, discusses the benefits of of music in our daily lives -- and the similar benefits of using music to enhance the learning environment.
         She discusses the use of music to elicit specific reactions that energize, focus, inspire and create other positive states of mind.

    Music is one of the most powerful ways we have of understanding one another because it provides a connection in a way that words cannot. Some say it is created 90 percent from the heart and 10 percent from the mind. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the famous German writer, once stated that music is “the language of the heart.”

         I believe that all music is a message from the people in the time and place in which it was written. Information communicated through musical sound carries with it an emotional content that reveals the impact of a person’s or society’s experience. For instance, one hears within the righteous tunes and ballads of Celtic music the breadth of the culture’s history. There is Celtic music that sonically upholds a valiant fight for freedom, and lilting ballads that speak passionately about human rights. The haunting melodies of some Celtic songs express the universal longing for love, life, and happiness. Listen or dance to a popular Celtic jig and you will experience the Celtic exuberance for life. The sum of this culture’s existence is expressed fully within its music.

         Every culture creates a unique musical version of life. The sounds vary with the personality of the culture and the environment in which it has evolved. The music of a society often mimics the qualities of the landscape the culture inhabits. For example, seagoing people often incorporate pleasant flowing sounds, playful ebb and flow, grand tempestuous music, and songs of the sea. Mountain culture music provides grand vistas of sound, the gentle music of whispering pines, and sonic depictions of journeys to great heights. Urban cultures express the rapid rhythm of city lifestyles, emphatic ballads about tight community, and intense songs portraying cultural clashes.

         Playing the musical messages of a culture to our students conveys the essence of that society in a deep and meaningful way. When we have listened to the music of another culture, we have gained a sense of what they have experienced in their own lives.

         All music speaks of the human experience. People orchestrate their sorrows, joys, challenges, and desires in sound. Play a song of celebration from Peru and another from Russia, and you will experience the same festive sensation of joy dressed in unique harmonies, but shared in the universal language of music.

    Song of the Week - The DNA Song 2016-10-07 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  The era of personal DNA testing is here

    From improving vaccines to modifying crops to solving crimes, DNA technology has transformed our world. Now, for the first time in history, anyone can experiment with DNA at home, in their kitchen, using a device smaller than a shoebox. We are living in a personal DNA revolution, says biotech entrepreneur Sebastian Kraves, where the secrets buried in DNA are yours to find.  Our speaker is Sebastian Kraves, a Biotech entrepeneur and he wants to bring DNA testing to more people in new places.

    Why you should listen

    Dr. Sebastian Kraves co-founded the Cambridge-based start-up miniPCR to help bring DNA analysis technology to the masses. Kraves was previously a principal at BCG, where he spent more than six years working on health care challenges, such as how to make biomedical technology accessible in sub-Saharan Africa. A molecular neurobiologist who trained at Harvard, Kraves has published research on optogenetics and the genetic regulation of behavior, but is now focused on his dream to make DNA analysis tools accessible to everyone, everywhere.

     
    Weekly Program:  The era of personal DNA testing is here 2016-10-06 05:00:00Z 0

    WASRAG - What our e-club member is doing about clean water

    On October 1st, Rtn. Isis Mejias spoke for the organization "Go Blue for Clean Water".  Isis is a member of the Water and Sanitation Rotarians Action Group (WaSRAG). They are trying to raise some funds for a project in Cameroon.
     
    At  the  request  of  Wasrag  and  Rotary  International,  a  team  headed  up  by  former  Ambassadorial Scholar to Brazil and a member of the Rotary E-club of Houston, Dr. Isis E. Mejias, visited Uganda with the objective of developing a water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) needs assessment in the Rakai and Kalungu Districts in June 2014. After meeting with 100+ stakeholders in Uganda, the team found a profound neglect in the WASH area in 10 primary schools and the surrounding communities. The following needs were identified:
    1. Establish more water access points
    2. Establish operation and maintenance of water access points
    3. Establish sustainable water management structure: water usage committees
    4. Design and install water quality equipment with the supervision of a technical person
    5. Reduce turbidity in drinking water
    6. Reduce fecal contamination in drinking water
    7. Reduce the toxic chemicals in the drinking water
    8. Train local stakeholders to maintain/repair water quality equipment
    9. Establish a training program for school teachers, parents and pupils to learn hygiene management
    10. Reduce diseases related to sanitation
    11. Increase the number of stances in schools
    12. Decrease the open defection in villages
    13. Increase  the  continued  enrollment  and  retention  of  girls  in  schools  through the management of menstrual hygiene
    1. On September 26th, 2015 the RC of Kalisizo and the RC of Calgary launched the project “Water is Life- Sanitation is Health”, GG 1525222 (USD$301,377), with the help of 21 Clubs and 17 Districts from 8 countries around the world. This project, directed to 10,000+ beneficiaries, comprises 3 phases:
    2. Phase 1 includes a baseline development, education and training of water supply management, sanitation, and hygiene components in schools.
      Phase 2 includes the construction and retrofitting of water supply and sanitation systems, and practical training of village health teams (VHTs), water usage committees, and sub county health assistants.
      Phase 3 includes and waste management training program, as well as an income generating program to ensue sustainability of the program.
       
      During Phase 1, which concluded in April 2016, the RC of Kalisizo provided training to Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) members, school administrators, School Management Committee (SMC) members, local professionals, health inspectors, senior women, health club patrons and health club executive members and distributed reusable sanitary pads to adolescent girls. They also partnered with the University of Makerere to generate WaSH data in 20 additional primary schools and 5613 households from 60 villages.
      The project just started Phase 2 in September this year and will begin the installation of all the hardware:
      I) Construction of 9 new tanks and retrofitting of 4 existing tanks.
      II) Protection of ponds and springs.
      III) Repair of existing rain water harvesting systems.
      IV) Installation of 50 Biosand filters in all schools
      V) Installation of 50 latrine stances (5 latrine stances/school in 10 schools)
      VI) Practical education on the construction   and   maintenance   of   the   water   supply   and   quality   systems   as strict measure for sustainability.
    WaSH education is part of the UN's Milenium Development Goals, as they are direct causes of poverty in many countries. The biggest gap in sustainability in Africa is not the lack of water sources, or the water quality. It is the lack of capacity development in the most vulnerable communities about WaSH practices. This is why the Rotary GG# 1525222 approached the training and education component in Phase 1, before moving on to the infrastructure installation and retrofit in Phase 2.
     
    Isis will depart to Uganda on October 14th to meet with the RC of Kalisizo, and John Ridge, the primary contact of the RC of Calgary, to launch Phase 2 and bring news about the project to our local donors. In addition, our lovely President Adriane Miller, will be sawing some dresses to donate to the girls in the primary schools. If you have any interest in helping in this effort, either by donating cash, material, or sawing some dresses, or even small school supplies: pencils, notebooks, etc, please contact Dree or Isis. Isis will personally take all of these gifts to the schools herself. 
     
     
    WASRAG - What our e-club member is doing about clean water 2016-09-30 05:00:00Z 0

    #100actsofgood

     
     
     
     
    Raymond Davis - Took a course in Chicago as a chocolatier and now produces the best quality chocolates which he shares for Rotary causes and other non-profit organizations.  He is a pilot for Southwest (what he calls his day job) and serves our club as our PR Chair.  Raymond lives in Chappel Hill, Texas (near Brenham).  The Davis couple shares the same date as the Charlesworth's to celebrate wedding annirversaries. Raymond joined the family of Rotary in 2011 and transferred to the e-club Houston in 2016.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Wrap-up on Global "Virtual World's Greatest Meal" - Raised $450 for polio eradication which means 2,250 children will receive the polio vaccine.  This is matched by the Gates Foundation to amount to $1,350 USD.  Participants in this event were from the USA, Canada, Australia, India, Sweden, Turkey and Mexico.  Thank you Debbie Vance, Drew Antrobus, Ed and Robin Charlesworth, Priyamvada Singh, Gosta Malmer, Susanne Rea (WGM Founder), Necdet Buyukbay, Martine Stolk, President Dree and Michael Miller, Liz and Mikael Odfalk, Mary Gembecki, Junny Parrales, and Carlos Guerra!
     
    PDG Ed and Robin Charlesworth - Attending the Zone Institute  (Zones 21b & 27) in Salt Lake City.
     
    Maria Zancanaro -Helping to sell T-shirts ($22.99) as a fundraiser  to assist in medical treatment of Camille, a ten-year old female child who is bravely fighting cancer which was only diagnosed in May, 2016.  She has a very aggressive brain tumor  and has already undergone three brain surgeries.  She is from Brazil and is now receiving treatment at the Burzynski Clinic in Houston which began in August, 2016.  To help this child and her family, see http://helpcamille.org/.
     
    Linda Caruso - Volunteered at the Italian Festival in Houston in October, 2016.
     
    Isis Mejias - Received a beautiful portait made with banana fiber from the Rotary Clubs of Kalisizo and Lukaya during her visit in Uganda.  She has kept busy with service projects related to clean water and dresses/shorts for children in Kyambala Muslim Primary School.   She also went to the Lwankoni Primary School, another of 30 schools of the Rotary school WASH program "Water is Life-Sanitation is Health".  You can see she has had a rewarding and highly productive trip serving others representing Rotary!
    Please email Robin Charlesworth, Newsletter Editor, to contribute to this weekly article about #100actsofgood.  Send your information to:
    charlesworth@stresscontrol.com
    #100actsofgood 2016-09-24 05:00:00Z 0

    DATES TO REMEMBER - FOR ACTIVE MEMBERS

    November 19th - District Governor Eric Liu's official visit with Rotary e-Club Houston 11:30 am - 12:30 pm at Boca2 located at 7951 Katy Fwy.  This meeting will be recorded for all members unable to attend in person.   Our membership has a far reach across the United States and across the world and we want you to share to the extent possible in all e-club activities.
     
    December 1st - Movie Night Fundraiser at the Sundance Cinema
     
    December 3rd - Rotary e-club Houston Christmas Party
     
    February 11th - Layettes of Love Fundraiser @ Cypress Creek Christian Community Center
    DATES TO REMEMBER - FOR ACTIVE MEMBERS 2016-09-23 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - "Money, Money, Money" by ABBA 2016-09-23 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  "The Future of Money"

    Neha Narula is described as a "currency futurist".  She is helping redefine the future of money by researching cryptocurrencies and providing clarity on how digital currencies will transform our world.  This TedTalk was recorded in Paris in May, 2016.
     
    What happens when the way we buy, sell and pay for things changes, perhaps even removing the need for banks or currency exchange bureaus? That's the radical promise of a world powered by cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. We're not there yet, but in this sparky talk, digital currency researcher Neha Narula describes the collective fiction of money — and paints a picture of a very different looking future.

    Why you should listen

    Neha Narula is director of research at the Digital Currency Initiative, a part of the MIT Media Lab where she teaches courses and leads cryptocurrency and blockchain research. While completing her PhD in computer science at MIT, she built fast, scalable databases and secure software systems, and she spoke about these topics at dozens of industry and research conferences.

    In a previous life, Narula helped relaunch the news aggregator Digg and was a senior software engineer at Google. There, she designed Blobstore, a system for storing and serving petabytes of immutable data, and worked on Native Client, a system for running native code securely through a browser.

     

    Weekly Program:  "The Future of Money" 2016-09-23 05:00:00Z 0

    About Walk MS 2016

    More than 2.3 million people worldwide are affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS).   It's why Walk MS matters so much.  Symptoms of MS range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are leading to better understanding and moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 2.3 million worldwide, and there is not yet a cure. Every dollar raised matters to those affected by MS. Thank you for your support.
     
    President Dree Miller will be walking in The Woodlands on October 29th from Town Green Park beginning at 9:00 am.  Now three additional Rotarians in our e-club will be joining her - Lizette Odfalk and Martine Stolk and Michael Miller, her husband.   Join them in  fundraising by donating to this walk which supports MS research, programs, patient services, and more. You can learn more about the walk at walkMS.org.  The team has raised $630 to date.  Thank you for your support!
     
    Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system which interrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 2.3 million people worldwide.
    The first Walk MS event was in 1988, and since then more than $920 million has been raised for research and programs to improve the lives of people living with MS. Today, there are treatments where there weren't any before, and the dream of ending MS is becoming a reality. But there is still so much to do.
    About Walk MS 2016 2016-09-22 05:00:00Z 0

    Polio Update

    The Final Three Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - No new Polio cases reported this week.  Fifteen Polio cases reported in 2016 with 54 cases recorded in 2015  The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 10/02/16 was from the Sujawal, Sundh Southwest of Karachi.  No new Polio-positive environmental samples were collected last week.  In Pakistan, both the oral polio vaccine and the inactivated poliovirus vaccine are being used hand in hand to boost immunity; and committed healthcare workers are going to great lengths to build trust and to ensure every child is vaccinated.     
    Afghanistan - No new Polio cases reported this week.  Eight Polio cases reported in 2016 with 20 cases recorded in 2015. The most recent case, with an onset of paralysis on 08/11/16 was from Paktika - near the Pakistan border. No new Polio-positive environmental samples have been collected in Afghanistan in 2016.    
     
    Nigeria - No new Polio cases reported this week.   Four Polio cases reported in 2016 - with no cases reported in 2015.  The most recent case was reported on 8/2016 on Borno State.  In response to the Polio cases reported in Borno, the government of Nigeria has declared a national public health emergency along with the governments of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, and Niger.
     
    Importation Countries - Ethiopia (0-2015, 1-2014), Cameroon (0-2015, 5-2014), Somalia (0-2015, 5-2014), Iraq (0-2015, 2- 2014), Syria (0-2015,1-2014), & Equatorial Guinea (0-2015, 5-2014).
       Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!
    Terry Ziegler, Rotary District 5890 Polio Eradication Chair & Zone 21B/27 PHS Coordinator
    Polio Update Terry Zigler 2016-09-18 05:00:00Z 0

    Focus on Children's Health Problems in USA

     
    TOP HEALTH CONCERNS LISTED BY PARENTS IN THE USA (2013 report from C.S. Mott National Poll, August 19, 2013 Volume 19 Issue 2 )
    *Adults across the US rate childhood obesity at the top of the list of big health problems for children in their communities.
    *Hispanic adults rate bullying as the #2 health concern for children in their communities.
    *Black adults rate school violence as the #3 health concern for children in their communities; Hispanic adults also rate school violence in their top 10.
     
    And from the National Institute on Environmental Health Sciences (July, 2016):

    New research centers connect environment and children’s health

    A new phase of Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers, or Children’s Centers, has been funded by NIEHS and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The five centers, part of a program originally established in 1998, will study the unique vulnerability of children to pollutants in the environment, which is a perennial priority for NIEHS.

    “We know that environmental factors can interfere with development, both in the womb and during childhood, which can have short-term and long-term health effects,” said NIEHS Children’s Centers Program Director Kimberly Gray, Ph.D. “The Children’s Centers have been instrumental in identifying environmental stressors that we should be concerned about.”

    New centers to study the influence of early life environments

    The Center for Children’s Health, the Environment, the Microbiome, and Metabolomics, known as C-CHEM2, will be the first Children’s Center to study how the microbiome, or the millions of microorganisms that live in and on our bodies, affects preterm birth and infant health.

    The center plans to follow 300 pregnant African-American women through birth and for 18 months afterwards, measuring physical, social, and behavioral factors in the environment, and brain development in the children.

    It will be led by Linda McCauley, Ph.D., and P. Barry Ryan, Ph.D., of Emory University. “The type of delivery, genetics, feeding, postnatal stress, and maternal-infant interaction are all vital aspects that affect long-term health outcomes,” McCauley explained.

    The new Center for Research on Early Childhood Exposure and Development, or CRECE, based at Northeastern University, is also interested in how an expectant mother’s environment during pregnancy may influence early childhood health. CRECE, which means grow in Spanish, will follow the health of approximately 800 children through age four years in Puerto Rico, where there are numerous Superfund and hazardous waste sites. The pregnant mothers’ levels of exposure to hazardous chemicals were documented in a previous study and will be compared with the children’s health under the leadership of Akram Alshawabkeh, Ph.D.

    Efforts to understand childhood leukemia, asthma, and brain development

    According to Gray, the three renewed Children’s Centers all study health conditions that substantially burden children’s health. The University of California at Berkeley-based Center for Integrative Research on Childhood Leukemia and the Environment (CIRCLE) will explore how environmental factors and immune system changes may combine to contribute to childhood leukemia, the incidence of which has increased by approximately 35 percent since 1975, according Catherine Metayer, M.D., Ph.D., CIRCLE director.

    Asthma is another major children’s health concern. The Johns Hopkins Center for the Study of Childhood Asthma in the Urban Environment (CCAUE) will study how obese children with asthma respond to air pollution. Under the leadership of Nadia Hansel, M.D., and Greg Diette, M.D., the center has already shown that replacing unvented gas stoves can reduce indoor air pollution, and that consumption of broccoli sprouts may be insufficient to prevent lung inflammation from indoor air pollutants.

    The Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH), led by Frederica Perera, Dr.P.H., Ph.D., and Brad Peterson, M.D., is studying how air pollution affects children in other ways. By following a group of inner city children from the womb through adolescence, they found that high prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), common air pollutants from combustion of fossil fuels, may be linked to problems with brain development and obesity. In the next phase of the center, they will study how these prenatal air pollution exposures may affect adolescent health, including mental health and high-risk behaviors.

    Priority on community engagement

    All of the projects engage the public through Community Outreach and Research Translation Cores. CCCEH researchers, for example, continually inform their local communities, policymakers, and the wider public about the varied ways that exposure to PAHs can harm children’s health. At Northeastern, NIEHS council member Phil Brown, Ph.D., leads efforts to enhance environmental health education by reporting research results in a way that parents can understand.

    Ryan, the co-director of C-CHEM2 at Emory, emphasizes the importance of this aspect of the Children’s Centers. “We listen and provide feedback to community members. They listen and provide feedback to us. And in both cases, we learn something,” he said.

    (Virginia Guidry, Ph.D., is a technical writer and public information specialist in the NIEHS Office of Communications and Public Liaison and a regular contributor to the Environmental Factor.)

    Focus on Children's Health Problems in USA 2016-09-18 05:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    "Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."
    ---Maria Robinson
    Quote of the Week 2016-09-18 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Young Professionals Summit - Apply by September 25th
     

     Inviting all under-40 Rotarians to the Rotary Young Professionals’ Summit at the Rotary Zone Institute in Salt Lake City. … The purpose of the summit is to bring together younger Rotarians and get them fired up about becoming more engaged in their clubs and districts. We want these Rotarians to come back excited about helping Rotary clubs grow both in size and relevance in our communities.
    The best thing about the Rotary Young Professionals Summit is that it gives young Rotarians the opportunity to experience Rotary Zone for only $50. Our Young Professional organizers were blown away by the caliber of speakers and the fellowship at Rotary Zone Young Professionals last year!  …   Applicants or their districts/clubs are responsible for lodging and travel costs. To keep costs low, home stays will be available for free to those who want them, and some travel scholarships will be available based on need. 
     
    What does it cost?    Registration is only $50! You're responsible for the cost of lodging and airfare, but we've done a lot of fundraising already, and we plan to offer seriously discounted airfare through reimbursements. We're also offering home stays to eliminate lodging costs for those who want that option. The registration fee is payable by you or your district/club. Most clubs and districts are sponsoring attendees partially or in full, so be sure to reach out to yours to ask for assistance!
    When should I arrive?     You are welcome to come anytime the week before Rotary Zone Young Professionals Institute in order to take advantage of the social and business events offered all week long. However, we're asking all Summit attendees to arrive by 9:00 a.m. on Friday morning. Programming will run through early afternoon on Sunday.
    Lodging deets?    The Rotary Zone YP Institute hotel is the Salt Lake Marriott Downtown at City Creek. Rotarians can book at a rate of $139 if booked before Oct 10, 2016. Alternatively, we'll be offering host-family stays for anyone who prefers that option. Host family stays will be free, and will include transportation to and from the venue.
     
    You can also learn more at www.SLCYoungProfessionalSummit.com We also have a facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/yp21b27
    Rotary Young Professionals Summit - Apply by September 25th   2016-09-18 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  Alison Gopnik: What do babies think?

    "Babies and young children are like the R&D division of the human species," says psychologist Alison Gopnik. Her research explores the sophisticated intelligence-gathering and decision-making that babies are really doing when they play.  Alison Gopnik takes us into the fascinating minds of babies and children, and shows us how much we understand before we even realize we do.
     

    Why you should listen

    What’s it really like to see through the eyes of a child? Are babies and young children just empty, irrational vessels to be formed into little adults, until they become the perfect images of ourselves? On the contrary, argues Alison Gopnik, professor of psychology and philosophy at the University of California at Berkeley.

    The author of The Philosophical BabyThe Scientist in the Crib and other influential books on cognitive development, Gopnik presents evidence that babies and children are conscious of far more than we give them credit for, as they engage every sense and spend every waking moment discovering, filing away, analyzing and acting on information about how the world works. Gopnik’s work draws on psychological, neuroscientific, and philosophical developments in child development research to understand how the human mind learns, how and why we love, our ability to innovate, as well as giving us a deeper appreciation for the role of parenthood.

    She says: "What's it like to be a baby? Being in love in Paris for the first time after you've had 3 double espressos."

     
    This TedTalk was filmed in July, 2011.
    Weekly Program:  Alison Gopnik: What do babies think? 2016-09-18 05:00:00Z 0
    A Polio Survivor's Testimonial from World Polio Day 2014 2016-09-18 05:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    "Friendship is born at that moment when on person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one."
    ~C.S. Lewis
     
    Some friendships grow over years. Others form in an instant. The commonality of all these friendships is - well commonality: the recognition of the special things we share in common.  One thing consistent with Rotarians you meet all around the world is that they cherish the friendships they have made through Rotary all around the world. 
     
    Quote of the Week 2016-09-07 05:00:00Z 0

    Community Service in Rotary E-Club Houston

    Marcia Allgayer shares:
    Fellow Rotarian Jorge Amorim de Assis , member of the Rotary Club of Cariacica - Campo Grande ( D4410 - Brazil ), served with excellence during one of the tasks carried out by Brazilian volunteers and Rotarians of the e-club of Houston  - Texas (D5890).  A group of Brazilians living in Houston and surrounding cities collected 32 lbs. of diapers and sent it to Vitoria Marchioli, carrier of the Treacher-Collins syndrome.  To deliver the bag of diapers to Vitoria’s family, it took a coordinated effort from everyone involved.  In particular, we would like to thank our Fellow Rotarian Jorge, who received the bag in Sao Paulo, Brazil and personally delivered it to Vitoria Marchioli’s uncle in Vitoria, Espirito Santo.
     
    Priyamvada Sigh - Celebrated Indian Independence Day with school children. The school is Bal Sansar Sanstha for rural poor children in the age group of 2 1/2  to eleven years in Ajmer City of Rajasthan.
     
    Veronica Kerssemakers - From The Netherlands, continues to serve the elderly, disabled, and share her creative talents with various groups in her community.
     
    Tiffany Cady -  Volunteered four full 7-hour days at the Reliant Dog Show in July. The event is huge and promotes responsible pet ownership, responsible breeding, and healthy humane care of pets. I clip nails for a donation in the Friends of BARC (FOB) booth. Mike and Tim Kinsella are FOB Directors and brothers who have been volunteering at the City of Houston Animal Shelter every weekend for 20 years. I worked with them when I was the Volunteer Manager at BARC. Now I volunteer with them at pet events around Houston and donate all proceeds to FriendsofBARC.org, a 501c3. I am doing the PetFest Old Town Spring event with them on Oct 15th and 16th. I will be clipping nails for $5 at that event and donating all proceeds to FOB. I am also doing the DREAM Dachshund Fall Fundraiser Event on 9/25. I clip nails, paint kids faces, and make sno cones and I donate all proceeds to the DREAM Dachshund rescue. The guys at FOB also do microchip implants right in our booth for only $20. It is a great way to help dogs stay out of the shelters
     
    My donations are used to make the lives of shelter pets better by providing toys to chew on and extra supplies such as Clorox to clean the kennels.   The money donated to FOB is also used to help the homeless pets at BARC find homes by paying for spay/neuter surgeries, paying for heartworm treatments, and other medical care that may be needed but the City did not budget for.
     
    Community Service in Rotary E-Club Houston 2016-09-06 05:00:00Z 0

    District 5890 Rotary Foundation Seminar - September 17th

    At Rotary Foundation Seminar on September 17th, President Dree Miller shared how happy she is to belong to a group of people who are helping humanity - Rotary. I'm proud that 8 members of our club attended this event today. We inducted 3 new members today! What a a great way to start life as Rotarians for these 3 talented people! Marc Prevot, Bryan Mejia and Margot Bouassa, welcome to the Rotary E-Club of Houston! Another new member is Sid Davis, who couldn't be here because he lives a bit far from us. Welcome to our team, Sid! Greatly organized seminar, Wally Kronzer! Great job, district 5890! Let's End Polio!
    District 5890 Rotary Foundation Seminar - September 17th Adriane Miller 2016-09-04 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program:  Ending infectious diseases - Susan Descmond-Hellman, CEO Gates Foundation

    Why are babies dying? Before Sue Desmond-Hellmann worked in public health, she was an oncologist. Now, the CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is turning to infant mortality. Being a scientist at heart, she’s been shocked by how little we really know about what’s killing the world’s 2.6 million babies that die before they’re even a month old. A surprisingly large number of these babies die from what’s logged as “neonatal”—except, as Desmond-Hellmann says, “’Neonatal’ is not a cause of death; it’s simply an adjective.” It means: We don’t know why. We can’t be precise. So Sue is advocating for a new approach to “precise public health,” to use data to find where treatment is needed most. The method has been effective before, in reaching pregnant HIV-positive mothers. To apply that approach to the death of babies, Desmond-Hellmann and her team are working to painstakingly collect and log information on neonatal deaths in the developing world, through difficult conversations with mothers. If they meet their goals in the next 15 years, says Desmond-Hellmann, they can save 1 million babies’ lives every year. But first: They need more data. Because, as she says, “You can’t fix what you can’t define.”

    AUDACIOUS AND AMBITIOUS

    Some people used to see philanthropy as not especially rigorous or not willing to throw elbows to make good things happen.

    Bill and Melinda wanted to do something different. They wanted a foundation that focused on clear goals and measurable results. They wanted to identify the world’s most important problems — and solve them.

    Fundamentally, our goal is to level the playing field for people who may be left behind without access to healthcare, education, or pathways to escape extreme poverty.

    We aim for nothing short of changing the world. You can’t do this until you’ve first opened people’s imagination to consider how much more is possible.

    I think the biggest achievement in the foundation’s first 15 years is the extent to which its approach has changed expectations. No problem that leaves a person mired in suffering should be considered unsolvable.

    See below:  Published on Jun 14, 2016

    Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation CEO Susan Desmond-Hellmann talks with The Verge's Walt Mossberg and Recode's Kara Swisher about her efforts to stop Ebola, Dengue fever and the Zika virus in the poorest parts of the world. She explains why Zika rose so rapidly without warning and what affected countries like Brazil and Colombia can do to slow it down. Next on the to-do list: Wiping out African sleeping sickness.

     
    Weekly Program:  Ending infectious diseases - Susan Descmond-Hellman, CEO Gates Foundation 2016-09-02 05:00:00Z 0

    Polio Eradication Update

    On The Ground In Nigeria - Thanks to Rotarians in Africa, including PDG Chris Offer, Rotary's response to the outbreak in Borno, Nigeria is underway - "The Nigerian polio external review surveillance project is complete just the reports to do. One of the interesting facets of the polio campaign in Nigeria I was able to see is the use of technology. In some areas vaccinators are given a GPS enable phone that acts as a transponder and uploads a GPS location every 2 minutes. This gives a clear map of where they vaccinated children and areas that may have been missed. Another important area of technology is the use of high resolution satellite images to give population estimates. Algorithms have been developed based on type of buildings to estimate population. This is important to ensure the right number of vaccinators and vaccine is assigned to each ward (neighborhood) and determine how many children under 5 may have been missed. The geomapping has proved substantially more accurate than dated census information."  PDG Chris Offer
    Rotary International provided a $500,000 grant for Polio eradication activities in the Borno, Nigeria and Lake Chad areas this week.
    The Final Two Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - No new Polio cases reported this week.  Thirteen Polio cases reported in 2016 with 54 cases recorded in 2015  The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 06/18/16 was from the South Waziristan agency of FATA.  One new Polio-positive environmental sample was collected last week.  In Pakistan, both the oral polio vaccine and the inactivated poliovirus vaccine are being used hand in hand to boost immunity; and committed healthcare workers are going to great lengths to build trust and to ensure every child is vaccinated.     
    Afghanistan - Two new Polio cases reported this week.  Eight Polio cases reported in 2016 with 20 cases recorded in 2015. The most recent case, with an onset of paralysis on 08/08/16 was from Paktika - on the Pakistan border. No new Polio-positive environmental samples were collected in Afghanistan in 2016.    National Immunization Days were completed last week and another is planned for October 3-7.  
     
    Nigeria - No Polio cases reported this week.  The onset of the most recent cases, with the onset of paralysis on 7/6/16 and 7/13/16 were from the Borno state in northeast Nigeria. Zero cases were recorded in 2015.  The outbreak response is being coordinated with neighboring countries in the broader humanitarian emergency response context affecting the region.   
    Importation Countries - Ethiopia (0-2015, 1-2014), Cameroon (0-2015, 5-2014), Somalia (0-2015, 5-2014), Iraq (0-2015, 2- 2014), Syria (0-2015,1-2014), & Equatorial Guinea (0-2015, 5-2014).
       Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!
    Terry Ziegler, Rotary District 5890 Polio Eradication Chair & Zone 21B/27 PHS Coordinator
    Polio Eradication Update 2016-09-02 05:00:00Z 0

    Gulf Coast Leadership Institute - September 10 - 11th

    Rotary and Rotaract Clubs in District 5890 are invited to send participants to an interactive leadership workshop in northwest Houston on September 10-11, 2016. In this workshop participants will learn how to improve their personal leadership skills that can be used in their club, their vocation and in any community organizations in which they hold a leadership position.

    The Leadership Institute will be very interactive and will cover material in the following general topic areas:

    Social Styles, Listening Skills, Challenges in Leading Diversity, Group Activities and Presentations, Problem Solving, Empowerment of Others, Inspiring Leadership, Team Building, Conflict Management, Meeting Management, Skills Ethics, Visioning Boards.

    - See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Event/gulf-coast-leadership-institute-2016#sthash.1nvPV87b.dpuf

    Rotary and Rotaract Clubs in District 5890 are invited to send participants to an interactive leadership workshop in northwest Houston on September 10-11, 2016. In this workshop participants will learn how to improve their personal leadership skills that can be used in their club, their vocation and in any community organizations in which they hold a leadership position.

    The Leadership Institute will be very interactive and will cover material in the following general topic areas:

    Social Styles, Listening Skills, Challenges in Leading Diversity, Group Activities and Presentations, Problem Solving, Empowerment of Others, Inspiring Leadership, Team Building, Conflict Management, Meeting Management, Skills Ethics, Visioning Boards.

    - See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Event/gulf-coast-leadership-institute-2016#sthash.1nvPV87b.dpuf
    Rotary and Rotaract clubs in D5890 are invited to send participants to an interactive leadership workshop in northwest Houston on September 10 - 11th.  In this workshop participants will learn how to improve their personal leadership skills that can be used in their club, their vocations and in any community organization in which they hold a leadership position.  There are only 24 spots for the class. What better way to invest in your own club by investing in your club's future leaders. 
    The Institute will be held at the Courtyard Houston Northwest – Marriott located at 11050 Louetta Rd., Houston, Texas 77070. - See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Event/gulf-coast-leadership-institute-2016#sthash.1nvPV87b.dpuf
     
    Club members who have already completed the program include President Dree Miller, Treasurer Mike Miller, and Newsletter Editor & twice Past President Robin Charlesworth.  Our Charter President and Past District Governor Ed Charlesworth is one of the trainers for the weekend.
     
    The Leadership Institute will be very interactive and will cover the following general topic areas: social styles, listening skills, challenges in leadership, diversity, group activities and presentations, problem solving, empowerment of others, inspiring leadership, team building, conflict management, meting management, skills ethics, and visioning boards.  The Institute will be held at the Marriott Courtyard Houston NW.  Attendees must attend both days and stay overnight for the training.
     
     

    Rotary and Rotaract Clubs in District 5890 are invited to send participants to an interactive leadership workshop in northwest Houston on September 10-11, 2016. In this workshop participants will learn how to improve their personal leadership skills that can be used in their club, their vocation and in any community organizations in which they hold a leadership position.

    The Leadership Institute will be very interactive and will cover material in the following general topic areas:

    Social Styles, Listening Skills, Challenges in Leading Diversity, Group Activities and Presentations, Problem Solving, Empowerment of Others, Inspiring Leadership, Team Building, Conflict Management, Meeting Management, Skills Ethics, Visioning Boards.

    - See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Event/gulf-coast-leadership-institute-2016#sthash.1nvPV87b.dpuf

    Rotary and Rotaract Clubs in District 5890 are invited to send participants to an interactive leadership workshop in northwest Houston on September 10-11, 2016. In this workshop participants will learn how to improve their personal leadership skills that can be used in their club, their vocation and in any community organizations in which they hold a leadership position.

    The Leadership Institute will be very interactive and will cover material in the following general topic areas:

    Social Styles, Listening Skills, Challenges in Leading Diversity, Group Activities and Presentations, Problem Solving, Empowerment of Others, Inspiring Leadership, Team Building, Conflict Management, Meeting Management, Skills Ethics, Visioning Boards.

    - See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Event/gulf-coast-leadership-institute-2016#sthash.1nvPV87b.dpuf
    Gulf Coast Leadership Institute - September 10 - 11th 2016-08-31 05:00:00Z 0

    Louisiana Flood Relief - Donate to Rotary

    If any of your members would like to help out the Rotarians in Louisiana, please send a check to District Treasurer Jackie Barmore. Please make check payable to Rotary District 5890 Charities for Tax deduction purpose.  Mark a memo for the Disaster Relief for LA. Thank you for your help.
    For the LA flood relief, please send checks to:
    Jackie Barmore
    3525 Preston Ave.
    Pasadena, Texas 77505
    and put LA flood relief on Memo
    Louisiana Flood Relief - Donate to Rotary 2016-08-31 05:00:00Z 0

    US Disaster Aid in Louisiana

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    August 21 - Day one is complete in Denham Louisiana! Texas Rotary District 5890 and Louisiana Rotary District 6200 help set up a distribution point under the direction of Operation Blessing. We delivered rental equipment to a family to help tear their floor up in Baker, delivered donated food and cleaning supplies to shelter in Zackary, delivered school supplies to a local Rotary club, worked on Southland Christian academy ripping drywall, tearing door frames out, power washing everything, delivered donated clothes to another church, help muck out a home so they could start tearing drywall out. We worked in the middle of a rain storm, checked in and helped Operation Blessing unload tools for more work tomorrow.
     
    August 22 - Day 2 We stayed at one house all day. You can see the progress of tearing a whole kitchen out including (cabinets, appliances, drywall insulation etc) Over 5.5 Feet of Water was in this house. You can also see the house almost totally gutted as the day progressed. A short video is also included. Plus pictures of the neighborhood. Alot of work in one day. DAUSA, Rotary, and Southwest Louisiana Home school Athletic Club, Service above Self. The Owner a Police officer and his family have had a tough 2 months with 2 of his close friends and fellow officers murdered in the line of duty recently and now this devastating flood. A strong family we truly were honored in helping. Please keep them in your Prayers
     
    Approximately 90 percent of the homes in Denham Springs, Louisiana have taken on water in a flood of historic and devastating proportions, according to Mayor Gerard Landry. Highway 190 in Denham Springs, the main thoroughfare in the city, has been washed out by the floodwaters. Landry estimated that only 7 businesses in the city were open for business. Aerial photos and videos showed much of the city still under water. “It’s just devastating,” he said. “You see nothing but water.” City Hall and the police department were among the places under water. As of 1 pm. Monday, water continued to rush over the highway, though it was much lower than before. However, the DOTD says that the road has suffered physical damage and it will have to be repaired before it can handle travel again, something that could set its use back for quite a while.
     
    The Disaster Aid USA Domestic Response Trailer is stationed in Lake Charles LA. It is loaded with chainsaws, generators, water pumps, tools, muck out gear, Water One Solar Power water filtration system. DAUSA has notified local Rotary District Governors and local govt officials of DAUSA’s readiness. Over 20” of rain fell in southern Louisiana in less than 24 hours, with rivers already at historic level. There is an immediate need for donations! Please DONATE and and earmark “Louisiana Flooding”. Donations received will be used to aid in the flood relief efforts in Louisiana. 
    US Disaster Aid in Louisiana 2016-08-27 05:00:00Z 0

    National Parks Celebrate 100th Birthday!

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    The National Park Service turns 100 on Thursday marking a century since Woodrow Wilson signed into law the act creating the agency. Celebrations begin with free entry Thursday through Sunday at the 124 parks that charge fees.

    In addition, parks, historic sites, seashores and other public lands are planning celebrations too on what’s also called Founders Day.  

    In Washington, D.C., more than a thousand people are expected to show up at the Washington Monument on Thursday morning to form a Centennial Living Arrowhead, the symbol of national parks, using brown, green and white umbrellas. 

    The national parks have been woven into the fabric of American life for so many generations that it’s hard to imagine the nation without them.

    But the decision to set these special places aside was not an obvious, or easy, one. No road map existed for the journey that created the national parks because no places quite like them existed anywhere in the world.

    The parks were born because in the mid-1800s a relatively small group of people had a vision—what writer Wallace Stegner has called “the best idea we ever had”—to make sure that America’s greatest natural treasures would belong to everyone and remain preserved forever.

    “Americans developed a national pride of the natural wonders in this nation and they believed that they rivaled the great castles and cathedrals of Europe,” explains David Barna, National Park Service Chief of Public Affairs.

    Early Efforts

    Yosemite was at the heart of America’s nascent national parks movement. The California valley’s splendor inspired some of its earliest European visitors to demand protection, even as settlers moved ceaselessly westward, “civilizing” the West and displacing native peoples.

    Elegant voices, like that of naturalist John Muir, brought the grandeur of such lands to those who had never seen them. His prolific and widely published writings stressed how such wild places were necessary for the soul, and his advocacy later became the driving force behind the creation of several national parks.

    Responding to such calls, Congress and President Abraham Lincoln put Yosemite under the protection of California during the Civil War. In 1872 Lincoln’s former general, President Ulysses S. Grant, made Yellowstone America’s—and the world’s—first truly national park. More parks soon followed suit and, beginning in the late 19th century, cultural sites like Arizona’s prehistoric Casa Grande were honored as well.

    President Theodore Roosevelt was one of the park system’s greatest patrons. During his administration (1901-09) five new parks were created, as well as 18 national monuments, four national game refuges, 51 bird sanctuaries, and over 100 million acres (40 million hectares) of national forest.

    http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/national-parks/early-history/

    National Parks Celebrate 100th Birthday! 2016-08-27 05:00:00Z 0

    An Invitation - Celebrating Women in Rotary

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    DISTRICT 5890 INVITES

    YOU

    TO JOIN IN CELEBRATING Women in Rotary

    Guest speaker – Sylvia Whitlock

    Saturday, October 1st, 2016

    6:30 PM OMNI Houston Four Riverway

    Houston, Texas 77056

    $75 per person or $1000 for table of 10

    Register now! Space is limited.

    Any proceeds will be given to PACE Universal

     

    About our Speaker: 

    Dr. Whitlock has been in Rotary for over 25 years. When Dr. Whitlock was a principal in Duarte Unified School District, she was asked to join the Rotary of Duarte. She was the second woman to join the Duarte Club and it was because of the membership of women that Duarte was removed as an official Rotary Club. At that time, women we not allowed membership in the Rotary Club. Duarte sued Rotary International and won which changed the face of Rotary forever and for the better! Dr. Whitlock went on the be the first woman Rotary President and has served as a District Governor (2012-2013).

    Dr. Whitlock grew up in Jamaica with her grandmother. Her grandmother was a tremendous example of service above self to Sylvia from a very early age. She would shop for others, cook for others, and give freely of the things that she had. Sylvia asked her grandmother, “Why are you doing this?” Her grandmother said, “Because people with do the same thing for you and your children. And you just pass it on.”  Sylvia’s grandmother was passing on what she knew she wanted to world to be. Sylvia says, “We weren’t rich or privileged, but we had enough to share and isn’t that what it’s all about… having enough to share.” Years later Dr. Whitlock worked for the United Nations. It was then that she started donating blood as a way of giving back. Little did she know then that she would have a child that would be dependent on blood transfusions for her very life. Dr. Whitlock experienced the blessing in return.

    Joining Rotary intensified her need to be involved in service. By joining, she was given the gift of being a service-oriented member of society.  “In Rotary we have the ability to address many of the heart-wrenching needs we see in society,” says Dr. Whitlock. “We respond with our hands and feet in places like Tecate, India, and Costa Rica. We respond to the needs wherever they may be.”

    So why doesn’t everybody know about Rotary? We need to share with others this great way to collectively give back and make a difference in the world. “Our goal in Rotary is to make the world a better place: cleaner, healthier, more self-sustaining, happier and more peaceful that when we came into it.

    Proceeds to support PACE Universal:

    Change begins with girls.Girls suffer the most in poverty, yet they have the greatest potential to end it. PACE educates and nurtures the holistic development of girls in the world’s poorest regions. Through education, girls become confident. They become empowered to change the world.

    PACE is the product of one woman’s dream.  Deepa Biswas Willingham was born and raised in Kolkata (Calcutta). She saw the poverty that crippled her own community and vowed to make a change. Through PACE and the Piyali Learning Center, Deepa has poured every privilege back into the hands of the most vulnerable yet valuable members of society—girls. The result has transformed not just the lives of those girls, but that of entire communities. Deepa’s example is a testament to PACE’s cause. She is proof that when girls are empowered with education, they grow into agents of change for their communities. This is her story:

    Deepa’s love for education is rooted in her childhood. Deepa’s father, a teacher, and her mother, a humanitarian, risked their lives to harbor Muslim refugees in a Christian college when conflict between Hindus and Muslims broke out in Kolkata in 1946. Their example instilled in Deepa the necessity to respect all human beings, regardless of caste, color, religion or gender.

    Deepa’s early childhood education began under the stewardship of the woman who later became known as Mother Teresa. Through her studies, Deepa came to understand that education engenders freedom. She saw that those who are most deprived of education are the most vulnerable. But, more importantly, they are the key to significant change. Who are the most deprived in any impoverished society? Girls.

    So, when Deepa left India to pursue a graduate degree in the United States, she made a vow to return to her home and effect real, tangible change for the girls there.

    Today, Deepa’s promise to girls born into poverty is realized in the Piyali Junction Learning Center. The center is now a prototype for others to emulate. There, she can stretch out her arms to receive the hugs of laughing girls who now have hope, dreams and a real future.

    An Invitation - Celebrating Women in Rotary Rotary D5890 2016-08-27 05:00:00Z 0

    Women in Rotary - A Historical Perspective

    The 1989 Council on Legislation vote to admit women into Rotary clubs worldwide remains a watershed moment in the history of Rotary.

    "My fellow delegates, I would like to remind you that the world of 1989 is very different to the world of 1905. I sincerely believe that Rotary has to adapt itself to a changing world," said Frank J. Devlyn, who would go on to become RI president in 2000-01. 

    The vote followed the decades-long efforts of men and women from all over the Rotary world to allow for the admission of women into Rotary clubs, and several close votes at previous Council meetings.

    The response to the decision was overwhelming: By June 1990, the number of female Rotarians had skyrocketed to over 20,000. By 2010, the number of women was approaching 200,000.

     

    1950

    An enactment to delete the word “male” from the Standard Rotary Club Constitution is proposed by a Rotary club in India for the Council on Legislation meeting at the 1950 RI Convention.

    1964

    The Council on Legislation agenda contains an enactment proposed by a Rotary club in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to permit the admission of women into Rotary clubs. Delegates vote that it be withdrawn. Two other proposals to allow women to be eligible for honorary membership are also withdrawn.

    1972

    As more women begin reaching higher positions in their professions, more clubs begin lobbying for female members. A U.S. Rotary club proposes admitting women into Rotary at the 1972 Council on Legislation.

    1977

    Three separate proposals to admit women into membership are submitted to the Council on Legislation for consideration at the 1977 RI Convention. A Brazilian club makes a different proposal to admit women as honorary members. 

    The Rotary Club of Duarte, California, USA, admits women as members in violation of the RI Constitution and Standard Rotary Club Constitution. Because of this violation, the club's membership in Rotary International is terminated in March 1978. (The club was reinstated in September 1986.)

    1980

    The RI Board of Directors and Rotary clubs in India, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States propose an enactment to remove from the RI and club constitutions and bylaws all references to members as “male persons.” 

    1983-86

    In a lawsuit filed by the Duarte club, the California Superior Court in 1983 rules in favor of Rotary International, upholding gender-based qualification for membership in California Rotary clubs. In 1986, the California Court of Appeals reverses the lower court's decision, preventing the enforcement of the provision in California. The California Supreme Court refuses to hear the case, and it is appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

    1987

    On 4 May, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that Rotary clubs may not exclude women from membership on the basis of gender. Rotary issues a policy statement that any Rotary club in the United States can admit qualified women into membership. 

    The Rotary Club of Marin Sunrise, California (formerly Larkspur Landing), is chartered on 28 May. It becomes the first club after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling to have women as charter members.

    Sylvia Whitlock, of the Rotary Club of Duarte, California, becomes the first female Rotary club president.

    1988

    In November, the RI Board of Directors issues a policy statement recognizing the right of Rotary clubs in Canada to admit female members based on a Canadian law similar to that upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

    1989

    At its first meeting after the 1987 U.S. Supreme Court decision, the Council on Legislation votes to eliminate the requirement in the RI Constitution that membership in Rotary clubs be limited to men. Women are welcomed into Rotary clubs around the world.

    1990

    As of June, there are about 20,200 female Rotarians worldwide. The Rotarian runs a .

    1995

    In July, eight women become district governors, the first elected to this role: Mimi Altman, Gilda Chirafisi, Janet W. Holland, Reba F. Lovrien, Virginia B. Nordby, Donna J. Rapp, Anne Robertson, and Olive P. Scott.

    2005

    Carolyn E. Jones begins her term as the first woman appointed as trustee of The Rotary Foundation.

    2008

    Catherine Noyer-Riveau begins her term as the first woman elected to the RI Board of Directors.

    2010

    More than 199,000 women are members of Rotary clubs worldwide, with an increasing number serving as district governors.

    2012

    Elizabeth S. Demaray begins her term as treasurer, the first woman to serve in this position.

    2013

    Anne L. Matthews begins her term as the first woman to serve as RI vice president.

    Women in Rotary - A Historical Perspective 2016-08-27 05:00:00Z 0

    Women’s Suffrage, Equal Pay, And Finding a Voice

    Women’s Equality Day, established on August 26, 1971, celebrates the day women earned the right to vote in the U.S. (August 26, 1920). The day continues to highlight the need for equal representation of women all over the world. As a nation, we have made huge strides in equality in the workplace, education and government. In other areas of the world, women are starting to demand equality. Central Asia Institute is working to help women in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan access education and work towards equality in their own communities.

    Educating women is one of the most impactful ways to change societies. It can decrease early childhood mortality rates; studies show children of literate mothers have a 50 percent greater chance of living past the age of five. Women who are educated bring in 10 to 20 percent higher earning potential for every year of school completed. That additional income could be enough to bring a family out of extreme poverty.

    Women’s Suffrage, Equal Pay, And Finding a Voice Central Aisia Institute 2016-08-27 05:00:00Z 0

    Attack on American University of Afghanistan

    This letter is shared from CentralAisia Institute:
     
    The morning of August 25, a 10 hour assault on the American University of Afghanistan by unidentified militants came to an end. At least 13 people, including seven students, were killed and some 44 people were injured, none of them associated with CAI.
    Witnesses recounted that the attack began with an explosion, which allowed militants to breach the campus gate and enter the premises. Gunmen in plain clothes then attacked students, teachers, and staff.
     
    Witnesses recounted that the attack began with an explosion, which allowed militants to breach the campus gate and enter the premises. Gunmen in plain clothes then attacked students, teachers, and staff. Students and teachers reportedly jumped out of second-story windows and leapt walls in an effort to escape.
     
    The University is a growing hub for Afghan intellectualism, and boasts more than 1,700 students (many of whom are women). It was not surprising then that the U.S. State Department labeled the incident "an attack on the future of Afghanistan." Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also spoke out about the incident saying in a statement, this "will not only fail to shake our determination, but will further strengthen it to fight and eradicate terror."
     
    This assault on education and peace hits at the core of our mission and our hearts. Central Asia Institute condemns this heinous act in the strongest possible way. But in this time of grief we would like to share our condolences with those families who lost someone and send our wishes for the speedy recovery of those who were wounded.
     
    The founder of Central Aisia Institute, Greg Mortensen, was a speaker at the Rotary International Convention in Montreal, Canada, in 2010.  This organization shares common goals of concerns with peace and conflict resolution and basic literacy/education.
     
    Attack on American University of Afghanistan Centrail Aisia Institute 2016-08-27 05:00:00Z 0

    Body Language Cues

    When it comes to communication, body language is just as important as the words you speak. And poor body language will cost you sales, no matter how great your pitch is.

    The good news: You can learn to control your body language. And to help you figure out where you may need to improve, we’ve compiled seven of the worst ways you can handle your body when engaging with customers:

    1. Avoiding eye contact

    In the U.S., it’s good to maintain eye contact 70% to 80% of the time. Any more and you might appear threatening, any less and you may appear uncomfortable or disinterested.

    Good eye contact exudes confidence, engagement and concern. Plus, it’ll help you read your customers’ emotions and body language.

     2. Bad posture 

    Whether at your desk or on your feet, posture matters. Hanging your head or slouching your shoulders can make you look weary and unconfident. Instead, keep your back straight and chest open.

    When sitting with a client, it’s okay to lean slightly forward to show interest. However, leaning too far forward can make you look like you’re groveling, and sitting too far back can make you look like you’re domineering.

    3. Extra mouth movement

    Some people move their mouths around even when they aren’t talking.

    Biting or twisting your lips often makes you look uncomfortable or like you’re holding something back, such as a retort or insult. And if you’re giving a smile, remember: A real smile incorporates your teeth and eyes.

    4. Fleeting hands

    Keep your hands in sight. Shoving them in your pockets will make people think you’re disengaged or hiding something.

    Try keeping them open with the palms up to show you’re receptive and friendly. And always avoid balling your hands into fists.

    5. Invading personal space

    When engaging with customers, it’s generally best to stand within one to four feet of them. This will put you close enough to interact without making them uncomfortable.

    Areas closer than one foot are usually reserved for family and friends.

    6. Holding a defensive stance

    Crossing your arms or legs often appears defensive.

    If you find you need to cross your arms because you’re cold, be sure to smile and appear welcoming. When standing, try to keep your legs shoulder-width apart.

    7. Excessive movement

    Unconscious actions like twirling a pen or tapping your feet are common indications of impatience. The same is true for tapping your fingers or twiddling your thumbs.

    Become mindful of your own personal ticks and the way they might come across to others.

    Shared from 4-Newsletter "Customer Experience INSIGHT" (August 15, 2016)
    Body Language Cues 2016-08-27 05:00:00Z 0

    2017-2018 D5890 Global Grant Scholarships

    Club members are asked to identify, recruit and sponsor a post-baccalaureate candidate for studies abroad during academic year 2017-2018, in advance of our October 21, 2016 application deadline.  Remember that candidates related to Rotarians are not eligible for these scholarships.  Each club may sponsor one candidate. The District interviews of all candidates will be held in Houston, Texas on November 19, 2016.
     
    Popular destinations for students, such as London and Paris, have very limited availability.  Last year, for example, the London Rotary District hosted only 30 Global Grant Scholars from countries worldwide.  We would recommend that your candidates who are interested in studying in London or Paris also have a contingency plan for similar studies at other institutions in other cities. 
     
    General Qualifications:
    • The academic program must be located in a foreign country.
    • Applicant must complete a D5890 Scholarship Application.
    • The scholar must have selected the university that he/she wants to attend.
    • The scholar must be studying within one of the six Areas of Focus established by Rotary International (see attached list).
    • The academic program must be no less than one academic year.
    • The program must be a graduate level program only.
    • The scholar must begin his/her academic program during the 2017-18 Rotary year.
    • The applicant must complete all required reports during and after his/her scholarship time.
    • Applicant should submit as detailed a budget as possible of the expected expenses for the scholarship period, including details of any other scholarships and/or sources of funding.
    • Scholar must outline a service project in their study country (it will be discussed during the district interview), and execute the service plan in the study country during scholarship time within the 6 Areas of Focus, if the tuition and living expenses do not exceed USD$30,000.
      • Scholar may NOT be (1) a Rotarian; (2) an employee of a club, district, or other Rotary entity, or of Rotary International; (3) the spouse, a lineal descendant (child or grandchild by blood or stepchild legally adopted or not), the spouse of a lineal descendant, or an ancestor (parent or grandparent by blood) of any person in the foregoing two categories.
      • Scholar should live in the vicinity of approved study institution, preferably in the host district, so that he/she can participate in the Rotary club and district activities of the host district.
    *The scholar may not cohabitate with a person of the opposite gender while living in his/her host country.
     
    A New Focus on Service Learning
    If the total cost of a Scholar’s academic fees and living expenses do not exceed USD$30,000, they must complete a service project in their host community.  This project must be presented at the District interview.  If accepted, the scholar must take the initiative to make contacts in his/her host country and secure funding for the project. The service project MUST fall within the scholar’s study area, and thus within the above Six Areas of Focus.
     
    A good service project should:
    • Incorporate local Rotary clubs and Rotarians
    • serve a specific population within the host country.
    • plan for public relations, press releases, and community announcements within the host community and at home
    • be documented and photographed
    • plan for funding options or incorporate fund-raising
    • uncover a need within the host community based on local feedback and appropriate research
    • be measurable and sustainable
    • reflect an interest of the scholar while meeting a need within the host community
    • meet the 4-Way Test of ethical standards
    The students must be prepared to study in one of Rotary's areas of focus:  Peace and conflict prevention/resolution; Disease prevention and treatment; Water and sanitation; Maternal and child health; Basic education and literacy; Economic and community development.  This is for international studies in a university of the candidate's choosing. 
     
    For more information, contact Bill Barmore, Co-Chair Rotary District 5890 Scholarships
    bbarmore5890@gmail.com
     
     
    Students receiving the scholarship will be required to present to Rotary Clubs about their experience performing a 400-hour internship with an organization in one of Rotary's areas of focus:

    Peace and conflict prevention/resolution
    Disease prevention and treatment
    Water and sanitation
    Maternal and child health
    Basic education and literacy
    Economic and community development

    - See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/SitePage/district-endowed-scholarship#sthash.sbAKTDjS.dpuf
     
    Students receiving the scholarship will be required to present to Rotary Clubs about their experience performing a 400-hour internship with an organization in one of Rotary's areas of focus:

    Peace and conflict prevention/resolution
    Disease prevention and treatment
    Water and sanitation
    Maternal and child health
    Basic education and literacy
    Economic and community development

    - See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/SitePage/district-endowed-scholarship#sthash.sbAKTDjS.dpuf
     
    Students receiving the scholarship will be required to present to Rotary Clubs about their experience performing a 400-hour internship with an organization in one of Rotary's areas of focus:

    Peace and conflict prevention/resolution
    Disease prevention and treatment
    Water and sanitation
    Maternal and child health
    Basic education and literacy
    Economic and community development

    - See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/SitePage/district-endowed-scholarship#sthash.sbAKTDjS.dpuf
     
    2017-2018 D5890 Global Grant Scholarships 2016-08-27 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - What is a Rotary International Convention?

    Our program this week is presented by Michael Miller who is ouw own Rotary e-club treasurer.  He is sharing his experience at the Rotary International Convention 2016 in Korea.  Since our club has so many new to Rotary, this is an excellent preparation for introducing the scope of Rotary International and our convention gathering which will be held this Rotary year in Atlanta, Georgia.  We hope it inspires many of you to register and attend this Centennial Rotary Convention 2017!
    Weekly Program - What is a Rotary International Convention? Michael Miller 2016-08-27 05:00:00Z 0

    Welcome New Members!

    Dr. Sid Davis -   Welcome to our Rotary e-club of Houston!  Sid is an experienced Rotarian and previously served as President of the Rotary Club of Cleburne in District 5790 as the club's Centennial President.  He joined Rotary in 2008. Sid is a dentist with his own practice in Cleburne, Texas.  He was introduced to our club by fellow Rotarian and friend Raymond Davis.  They met at Lone Star PETS - the President Elect Training Seminar held annually.  Sid enjoys the social connections made through Rotary membership as he has found membership to be a great way to meet new friends.
     
    BRYAN MEJIA - Welcome, Bryan!  Bryan is a Marketing Director in the entertainment world.  His sponsor is Lizette Odfalk who brought him to the August General Meeting.  He is eager to help others and grow his circle of friends like our Founder of Rotary International, Paul Harris.  He has volunteered in the community with Hunger Plus and a cell generation/expression program which  promotes relaxation and rejuvenation of energy.  His uncle is a Rotarian in Honduras, but Bryan is new to the Rotary family.  Bryan is pictured below on the left:
    Dr. Sid Davis - Dr. Sid Davis -   Welcome to our Rotary e-club of Houston!  Sid is an experienced Rotarian and previously served as President of the Rotary Club of Cleburne in District 5790 as the club's Centennial President.  He joined Rotary in 2008. Sid is a dentist with his own practice in Cleburne, Texas.  He was introduced to our club by fellow Rotarian and friend Raymond Davis.  They met at Lone Star PETS - the President Elect Training Seminar held annually.  Sid enjoys the social connections made through Rotary membership as he has found membership to be a great way to meet new friends.
    Welcome New Members! 2016-08-24 05:00:00Z 0

    The Rotarian Magazine - Digital Version Available

    The Rotarian is the official magazine of Rotary International and is available in a digital/electronic version.  You may browse back issues of The Rotarian on Google Books.  You may prescribe for the paperless form and receive a link to the new issue in your e-mail inbox each month from Zinio, the world's largest digital newstand.  Plus download the Zinio app on your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, or Samsung Galaxy to take The Rotarian digital magazine wherever you go.  If you are a Rotary member who subscribes to The Rotarian and would like to change your print subscription to digital, please compete the form onine at Rotary.org - My Rotary - Rotarian Digital Edition or data@rotary.org.  If you know someone who would enjoy this publication, the digital subscription costs US$ 12 (US$ 16 for Canada).  Another option is for a Rotarian to subscribe to both the paper and the digital editions.
    Thank you, Rtn. Wind Nguyen, for sharing this information!
    The Rotarian Magazine - Digital Version Available 2016-08-21 05:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - Jackson Browne's "Doctor My Eyes"

    Lyrics

    Doctor, my eyes have seen the years
    And the slow parade of fears without crying
    Now I want to understand

    I have done all that I could
    To see the evil and the good without hiding
    You must help me if you can

    Doctor, my eyes
    Tell me what is wrong
    Was I unwise to leave them open for so long

    'Cause I have wandered through this world
    And as each moment has unfurled

    I've been waiting to awaken from these dreams
    People go just where they will
    I never noticed them until I got this feeling
    That it's later than it seems

    Doctor, my eyes
    Tell me what you see
    I hear their cries
    Just say if it's too late for me

    Is it too late
    Is it too late for me
    Tell me doctor
    Doctor, my eyes
    Cannot see the sky
    Is this the price for having learned how not to cry

    Songwriters: JACKSON BROWNE
    © Universal Music Publishing Group
    For non-commercial use only.
    Data From: LyricFind

     

     

    Song of the Week - Jackson Browne's "Doctor My Eyes" 2016-08-20 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - The Dangers of Willful Blindness

    Gayla Benefield was just doing her job — until she uncovered an awful secret about her hometown that meant its mortality rate was 80 times higher than anywhere else in the US. But when she tried to tell people about it, she learned an even more shocking truth: People didn't want to know. In a talk that's part history lesson, part call-to-action, Margaret Heffernan demonstrates the danger of willful blindness, and praises ordinary people like Benefield who are willing to speak up.
     
    Our speaker is the former CEO of five businesses.  Margaret Heffernan explores the all-too-human thought patterns — like conflict avoidance and selective blindness — that lead organizations and managers astray. 

    How do organizations think? In her book Willful Blindness, Margaret Heffernan examines why businesses and the people who run them often ignore the obvious -- with consequences as dire as the global financial crisis and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

    Heffernan began her career in television production, building a track record at the BBC before going on to run the film and television producer trade association IPPA. In the US, Heffernan became a serial entrepreneur and CEO in the wild early days of web business. She now blogs for the Huffington Post and BNET.com. Her latest book, Beyond Measure, a TED Books original, explores the small steps companies can make that lead to big changes in their culture.

    What others say

    “So how can we combat willful blindness? Heffernan believes that we need a system of incentives that values vigilance and oversight as much as we value the bottom line.” — The Current, on CBC Radio

    Rotarians - reflect on this message of willful blindness.  As a group devoted to improving the welfare of others, we must keep our eyes open and become aware of issues that others may be unwilling to see or to tackle.  Together we can find a solution and make this a better world for future generations.
    Weekly Program - The Dangers of Willful Blindness 2016-08-16 05:00:00Z 0

    Zone Institute's Young Professional Summit 2016

    In our ongoing journey to “Rethink Rotary” we will be having for the very first time a "Young Professional Summit" and a "Rotaract Summit" in conjunction with our Rotary Institute 2016. We're on a mission to tackle membership, mentoring and how Rotary can change the world, one person at a time. We’re looking for individuals who are committed to Rotary and eager to connect with others who feel the same way. People who lead by doing, regardless of what Rotary title they hold. We want to find inspiring and motivating young professionals under the age of 40 who know that problems are just an opportunity in disguise. Young Professionals are invited to join us at the Zone 21b-27 Young Professionals Summit October 28-30 at the Zone Institute in Salt Lake City. Go to http://www.slcyoungprofessionalsummit.com/ <http://www.slcyoungprofessionalsummit.com/> to fill out a short application.  You must apply by September 5, 2016 so get your application in as soon as possible!  If you’re selected for the Young Professionals Summit, the cost for registration is only $50 and there is grant money available to help cover some expenses! Many clubs and districts are also covering costs, so be sure to ask! FREE Home Hosted Housing is available
     
    Zones 21b & 27 have established the ONLY Rotaract Multi District Informational Organization (MDIO) in the Rotary world.  Our Rotaract Summit will allow Rotaractors to:
    Expand your Leadership and Personal Development
    Connect with Rotaractors from around the world
    One on One with Top Rotary Leadership
    See the Bigger Picture of what you can do
    Be a part of a Guinness World Record attempt for Rotary
    Training for Clubs, Networking with Rotaractors and Rotarians
    Service Projects
    Best Practice
    Refugee Service Experience
    Have Fun!!!
     
    If you have any suggestions on a well-qualified Rotaractor or Young Professional (under the age of 40), please encourage them to complete an application for this amazing opportunity.
    Zone Institute's Young Professional Summit 2016 Greg E. Podd, Rotary International Director 2014-16 2016-08-16 05:00:00Z 0

    August is Membership & New Club Development Month

    RI President John F. Germ shares his thoughts about membership in Rotary International.  Each Rotarian is challenged to identify prospective members and extend an invitation to a friend or business associate who would enjoy getting involved in volunteering and "giving back" to the world in which we live to help others and make this world a better place for future generations. 

    August is Membership & New Club Development Month 2016-08-16 05:00:00Z 0

    A School in India Preparing the Blind for Life

    In West Bengal, India, a residential school for young people with visual impairments is providing its students not just hope but also joy. Some would face a bleak life if not for the care and instruction that they’re receiving. Faculty and staff guide the children through a rich curriculum of classroom learning, skills training, music, and even cricket and other sports.
    Published in National Geographic Videos on August, 15, 2016
    A School in India Preparing the Blind for Life National Geographic Videos 2016-08-16 05:00:00Z 0
    History of the Banana National Geographic Videos 2016-08-16 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Foundation Centennial Pin

    story thumbnail
    "In 2016-17, our Rotary Foundation turns 100. That’s a century of Rotary members changing lives and improving communities all over the world. And that’s definitely something worth celebrating."  Join us in celebrating this throughout the year! 
     
    This significant Rotary pin is yours in Appreciation of your kind donation of the symbolic sum of USD $26.50 (the first donation given in 1917 by the RC of Kansas), or more given to the Rotary Foundation on your behalf and our eClub's. Ask me how!
     
     
    Rotary Foundation Centennial Pin Liz Odfalk 2016-08-16 05:00:00Z 0

    The Story Behind the Rotary Pin

    Rotary Club of Oakland, California, the third oldest club in the world
    Paul Harris Fellow and Society pins, Rotary Fellowship pins, Rotary International theme pins, Rotary District pins, Rotaract and Interact pins, and the Rotary Wheel…Each of these pins tells a unique Rotary story!
    What is the story behind the Rotary wheel pin?
    The first lapel pin in the history of the Rotary was designed and made by New York Rotary Club member, John Frick on October 14, 1909 and worn by the club’s first president Bradford Bullock from 1909 until his premature death in 1911 (At the time, he was serving as VP of the National Association of Rotary Clubs). The forerunner of the traditional Rotary pin worn today, it features the Rotary wheel has it appeared in its earliest representation with eight spokes, no cogs, and no keyway.
    The wheel itself became the symbol of Rotary in 1906, a year after the club’s formation in Chicago. Asked to design a symbol for the new club, Chicago Rotarian Montague Bear, an engraver, drew a simple wagon wheel with a few lines to show dust and motion (14 spokes, no cogs, no keyway). Paul Harris reasoned that the wheel symbolized "Civilization and Movement." One observant Rotarian pointed out that a wheel would not generate clouds of dust in front of it, so Montague removed the offending cloud and that design remained the emblem for Chicago until 1912.
    When new clubs formed, they adopted the wheel in symbols of their own. Our club integrated the New York wheel and an oak tree as our symbol. It appears on the top of our first Live Oak newsletter in 1914.
    In 1910, the Rotary Club of Philadelphia added cogs to create a working wheel, symbolizing members working together, literally interlocked with one another to achieve the organization's objectives. They used 19 cogs in honor of their club, the 19th in Rotary. They created hundreds of metal pins with this design and successfully pitched it as the new official international wheel in 1912. It didn’t hurt that the president of the Philadelphia club [who had designed that club's emblem] became president of the International Association of Rotary Clubs at the 1912 Duluth convention.
    In 1918, two Rotarian engineers from the Duluth Club Charles Henry Mackintosh and Oscar Bjorge (formally of Minnesota) petitioned Rotary to amend the design of the wheel. They argued that a cogwheel with 19 cogs would not work. Also, the emblem had square-cornered teeth of disproportionate size, and the cogs were irregularly spaced. Charles called it, “An anachronism to engineers.” Oscar called it "an insult to engineering that only the brain of an artist could conceive." Oscar sketched a new wheel, with 6 spokes (symbolizing the 6 Objects of Rotary at that time) and 24 cogs or teeth. This design was presented to the Rotary world in 1920.
    However, there remained many versions of the Rotary wheel in use around the world by the different clubs. The Oakland Club was still using its 1914 wheel and oak tree in 1922. It wasn’t until 1922 that the Rotary International Association declared that all Rotary clubs should adopt a single design as the exclusive emblem of Rotarians. But, before the approval of Charles and Oscar’s gear wheel, the President of Rotary Club of Los Angeles, Will Forker submitted one change: “The ‘hub’ design of the new ‘wheel’ is that of an ‘idler’ wheel or gear, there being no provision for the reception or transmission of power to or from a shaft,” he argued. But, he said, incorporating a keyway would make the new wheel “a real worker[LH1].” Oscar and Charles heartily agreed. So, in 1923 the keyway was added and the design, which we see on our pins was formally adopted as the official Rotary International emblem.
    Why wear a Rotary pin?
    Reasons for wearing a pin varied: for publicity of Rotary, for pride, for acceptance and recognition, for the start of easy conversation with other Rotarians wherever you go. Wearing a Rotary Fellowship pin shows a Rotarian’s vocation, hobby or recreational interest.
    Past RI President Bob Barth (1993-94, from the Rotary Club of Aarau, Switzerland) felt that a Rotary pin says this about the wearer: “You can rely on me, I am dependable, I am reliable, I give more than I take, and I am available.”
     
    Lizette G.Ödfalk
    ​Centennial Rotary Foundation Chair 2016-17
     
     
    The Story Behind the Rotary Pin Linda Parker Hamilton 2016-08-16 05:00:00Z 0

    Polio Eradication Update

    On The Ground In Nigeria - Thanks to Rotarians in Nigeria, including PDG Chris Offer who sent this update yesterday, Rotary's response to the outbreak in Borno, Nigeria is underway - "Today our polio surveillance team visited a local health office, a hospital and small village about 100 km from Kano, Nigeria. The task was to review the records related to AFP (Acute Flaccid Paralysis). This is the primary indicator of polio. The paralysis of the legs and arms can be caused by several medical conditions including polio. The team members are from WHO, Gates Foundation and state health officer. We check that the health workers are looking for cases of AFP and doing the correct follow up including collecting stool samples for analysis.  We found good records and follow up with only a few errors. We always attract curious children. The children are a good reminder of the purpose of the polio campaign and Rotary’s promise to these children."  PDG Chris Offer
     
    A Message from  Michael K. McGovern - Chairman, International PolioPlus Committee
    The World Health Organization has confirmed two cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in Nigeria, the first cases in the country since July 2014. After passing a year without a case of the wild poliovirus, Nigeria was removed from the list of polio-endemic countries in September 2015. These cases – from two local government areas of Borno state – occurred in July 2016.
    The Government of Nigeria – in partnership with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative – will take immediate steps to respond quickly to the outbreak to prevent further spread of the disease. This response will include emergency vaccination campaigns to boost immunity in impacted and at-risk areas, and reinforced surveillance activities to ensure we detect all strains of polio. Because polio knows no borders, steps will also be taken to protect surrounding countries, to ensure all children are vaccinated and to reduce the risk of the spread of the disease.
    This news is disappointing for all Rotary members - and particularly those in Nigeria - who worked so hard to help the country stop polio. However, Rotary remains steadfast and fully committed to fighting polio anywhere children remain at risk, including Nigeria and Africa.
    Rotary members remain resilient in the face of challenges. Today, we roll up our sleeves and redouble our effort to rid the world of this devastating disease. Rotary members in Nigeria are already hard at work to support the outbreak response, and our network will also be tapped to quickly protect children in surrounding countries.
    The World Health Organization is confident Nigeria can end polio. The program has overcome outbreaks before, and we have the tools to do so again in Nigeria. Rotary will not stop its efforts to ensure that every child is born into a polio-free world where they are safe from this paralyzing disease.  
    Polio Eradication Update Terry Zigler 2016-08-15 05:00:00Z 0

    August 20th Second Face-to-Face General Meeting of the Rotary e-Club of Houston

    On August 20, 2016, a general meeting & Mini-workshop on the Basics of Navigating the E-Club and RI Websites was held at Boca2 Bar & Bites in Houston, Texas.
    President Dree Miller and Treasurer Mike Miller presented an excellent workshop on the basics of navigating our e-club and RI websites.  We were shown how to create a "My Rotary" account and profile and reviewed Rotary Central with club goals, RI forums, RI resources, etc.   President Dree presented the bullet points for our club to receive the Rotary International Presidential Citation and we are already doing quite well toward accomplishing many of these goals.  All club members are encouraged to go online and create their own "My Rotary" account along with a profile including talents and interests.  Rotary Fellowship opportunities and Rotary Action Groups were also introduced.  A live streaming of the meeting was available for club members unable to attend and the video of the meeting is available on Facebook for all to see.  If you have any questions about our website or the RI "My Rotary" please direct them to our Board of Directors for clarification.  We also have three guests who all shared their intent to join our club today!  Hopefully, they will be introduced in our newsletter soon.
    Winners of the door prizes were Robin Charlesworth and Tiffany Cady.  Positive comments regarding the detailed program were heard along with compliments on the venue and the great food!
    REMEMBER - Each Active Rotarian in our e-club needs to input their attendance on the website or simply complete the attendance form beneath the banner on our website.  If you need assistance, please contact our Club Secretary Rosangela Catunda.
    August 20th Second Face-to-Face General Meeting of the Rotary e-Club of Houston Adriane Miller 2016-08-15 05:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - Library Song by Tom Chapin

    A cute song about checking out books at the library in honor of many children in America returning to school and in honor of our program today, "Books for the World" which shares books with communities in countries where there are few to no books available to read.  Creating new libraries in shipping containers or other structures is a great Rotary project with opportunities at various levels for making contributions and getting involved.
     
    Song of the Week - Library Song by Tom Chapin 2016-08-15 05:00:00Z 0

    August Centennial Rotary Foundation Video Challenge

    Here's our August video! We at the Rotary eClub of Houston are always doing our best to Serve Above Self and have fun! We do this not only because we love what the Rotary Foundation does for millions of people, but also we love the great global fellowship we share with like-minded professionals around the world. So join us!
    Support the Rotary Foundation on our behalf for at least $50.00 USD, and accept our colorful Tshirt gift!
    Let me know and we can bring your t-shirt to next month's meeting, or if you pay for shipping we can mail it to you!
    Happy to answer any questions! Thanks in advance!
    Thank you Charter Prez & PDG5890 Ed Charlesworth for designing our awesome tshirt! :)
    Please share with the rest of our members. I do not have everyone's email. Thanks!
    Yours in Rotary Service,
    Lizette  
    Lizette G.Ödfalk
    Centennial Rotary Foundation Chair 2016-17
    Rotary eClub of Houston, TX USA
    District 5890
    August Centennial Rotary Foundation Video Challenge Liz Odfalk 2016-08-15 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: Books for the World

    Rotary E-Club of Houston Rotarian Cristal Montanez presents Rotary Books for the World  -

    This presentation occurred during the month of May, 2016 at a General Meeting in Houston, Texas. 
    Weekly Program: Books for the World 2016-08-15 05:00:00Z 0
    President's Message August 2016 2016-08-12 05:00:00Z 0
    Member Cristal Montanez talks about Rotary Books for the World 2016-08-12 05:00:00Z 0

    World Peace Index 2016

    There are now only 10 countries in the world that are actually free from conflict

    We are now further away from world peace than at any time in the past 10 years - and it’s creating a global ‘peace inequality’ gap

    • @adamwithnall
    • -  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/global-peace-index-2016-there-are-now-only-10-countries-in-the-world-that-are-not-at-war-a7069816.html

    The world is becoming a more dangerous place and there are now just 10 countries which can be considered completely free from conflict, according to authors of the 10th annual Global Peace Index.

    The worsening conflict in the Middle East, the lack of a solution to the refugee crisis and an increase in deaths from major terrorist incidents have all contributed to the world being less peaceful in 2016 than it was in 2015.

    And there are now fewer countries in the world which can be considered truly at peace – in other words, not engaged in any conflicts either internally or externally – than there were in 2014.

    According to the Institute for Economics and Peace, a think tank which has produced the index for the past 10 years, only Botswana, Chile, Costa Rica, Japan, Mauritius, Panama, Qatar, Switzerland, Uruguay and Vietnam are free from conflict.

    But perhaps the most remarkable result from this year’s peace index, he said, was the extent to which the situation in the Middle East drags down the rest of the world when it comes to peacefulness.

    “If we look at the world overall, it has become slightly less peaceful in the last 12 months,” Mr Killelea said.

    “But if we took the Middle East out of the index over the last decade – and last year – the world would have become more peaceful. It really highlights the impact the Middle East is having on the world.”

    The index shows that 81 countries became more peaceful in the past year, while the situation deteriorated in 79.

    Unlike with previous years, however, the IEP noticed a clear trend where the more peaceful countries improved further while the less peaceful countries got even worse – producing what they called greater “peace inequality” across the world.

    “The key reason behind it is our inability to solve the conflicts which are emerging," Mr Killelea said. The conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq have been going for well over a decade, then it spilled into Syria in 2011, and afterwards into Libya and Yemen. That [failure] is really the key to the problem.

    “If we take battlefield deaths for example, they are up at 112,000 – a 20-year high. But again, if you took out Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, they count for 75 per cent of those deaths.”

    The index shows that political instability worsened in 39 countries in the last 12 months, including what the report described as the “striking case” of Brazil.

    It has fallen five places to 105th out of the 163 countries included in the study, due to increases in the number of people jailed, the number of security officers deployed by the state and also a slight increase in terrorist activity.

    “It is very difficult to say how that will play out in terms of the Olympic Games,” said Mr Killelea. “It’s obviously a very volatile situation.”

    Iceland was once again named the world’s most peaceful country, followed by Denmark, Austria, New Zealand and Portugal, the latter improving nine places. Syria was once again named the least peaceful country.

    Asked how the rest of the world can learn from Iceland, Mr Killelea said: “It’s not just Iceland, it’s a whole range of countries which we can learn from. They are practising what we call positive peace, which are factors which create and sustain peaceful societies.”

    The IEP tries to define positive peace in numerical terms, giving countries scores for a range of factors including “acceptance of the rights of others”, “low levels of corruption”, “the free flow of information” and a “well functioning government”.

    “If positive peace is strong enough, then a country which is presented with shocks won’t actually have a deterioration in peace [as measured by violence],” he said.

    Finally, the index identified Europe once again as the most peaceful region in the world, and by some margin, home to seven of the top 10 countries on the list.

    Yet the continent is not immune to war – Britain, France, Belgium and others are heavily involved in external conflict in the Middle East, and face a growing threat to peace from international terrorism.

     

    World Peace Index 2016 2016-07-31 05:00:00Z 0

    Can a song really help change the world?

    Instead of choosing a song for this week, the following may hold some interest to Rotarians and guests:
     

    Fifty years ago, Barbara, a French singer of Jewish descent, wrote the song Goettingen about a German city she loved. Many believe her song helped build a new relationship between Germany and France. Here are some of the songs that you think also changed the world:

    1. "For me and for my generation it was Free Nelson Mandela by The Specials (1984). I was born in 1960 and had no memory of Mandela being sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964. So when we heard the song on the radio, it was a case of who is this guy and what has he done? Before long I was a member of Anti-Apartheid Movement, taking part in boycotts whilst apartheid, Desmond Tutu, Winnie Mandela and Steve Biko all became household names and in the national news." Barry King, Walsall, UK

    2. "I am a fan of Barbara, but feel you have made far too much of it. The important one is Jean Ferrat's Nuit et Brouillard, or Night and Fog (1963). It talks about the trains that took Jews, like his father, to the concentration camps and is very powerful. De Gaulle did not like it as it interfered with his rapprochement with Adenauer. Ferrat says let the young dance the twist if they like, but the world should know who you - the people in the trains - were." Irene Ball, London

    3. "Curtis Mayfield's People Get Ready (1965), a hymn of the civil rights movement and taken up in other places of struggle such as South Africa. The song has been covered by many, but the original still inspires, unites and reminds all of the human struggle for equality. It's also been used and played by many LGBT groups and causes." Cookie Schwartz, US

    4. "It may be cheesy and too popular for consideration, but maybe Band Aid's Feed the World (1984) is important for just that reason. Until the song was released, with its videos of starving children, the plight of millions of African families was seen as just a footnote in the news. Live Aid generated revenue, but it was the song which caught people's imagination and made us realise that famine abroad was a problem for all of us to fight, not just the people suffering. The response to other subsequent disasters has been markedly different to before, and millions have benefitted as a result." Jamie, Aylesbury, UK

    5. "Ben Kayiranga's Freedom was a daring song in 1997 right in the aftermath of the genocide in Rwanda, not much for the bits of dancehall and reggae there, but the lyrics. It's not just that the lyrics were in Kinyarwanda, French and English either. But the message - freedom for people, freedom forever, freedom. The youth wants freedom, children want freedom. And maybe not the message either, because it was not that new in Rwandan music. But the moment, the timing - that fresh message of hope when a country is still mourning. The song gave a smile to a whole nation, so if Rwanda is the world, then that song changed the world." Rafiki Ubaldo, Knivsta, Sweden

    6. "The anthem of the incredible movement that rescued almost two million Soviet Jews from oblivion and launched an effective human rights push that was the demise of the Iron Curtain was launched with a repetitive, easy Hasidic-style song that ignited people in Britain, the US and, most of all, the silenced Jews in post-Stalinist, atheistic USSR. In 1965, Shlomo Carlebach, an American Jewish rabbi/singer-songwriter, debuted the song Am Yisrael Chai (The People of Israel Live, the Father Lives). Almost a decade later, I was a student at UCLA in California, protesting the continued gulag internment of Jews and other human rights protestors, and we danced to that anthem. At the same time, in protest, young Jews were courageously gathering outside boarded-up synagogues across the USSR and danced too. A few years later, I married one of them!" Racelle Weiman, Charlotte, NC, US

    7. "Billie Holiday's Strange Fruit (1939). There's racism in the world, but for many it's far too easy to mentally block out. This song kept it in your face, dangling from the tree, completely unable to be ignored. A brutal awaking to what was still transpiring in the southern parts of the United States long after the emancipation." Michelle, Iowa

    8. "The Japanese song Ue O Muite Aruko (I Will Walk Looking Up, 1961) - but inexplicably known in the US and UK as Sukiyaki (1963) - did as much or more to change the attitudes of Americans toward their former enemies as any policy or speech. I am not old enough to remember the song coming out in 1963, but many older Americans have said this song marked the first instance where they began to see Japanese people not just as a former enemy or some mysterious, exotic race, but as people with feelings no different from their own, and capable of expressing beautiful, tender emotions. The effect went both ways. I lived in Japan for about five years, and many older Japanese shared with me how moved they were at the reception this song received in America, and this made them feel more positive toward their former foes. It is still to this date the only Japanese song to ever top the American charts. I do think it helped accelerate the alliance between Japan and the US that has maintained peace in the Pacific for over 50 years." John Taylor, Washington, DC

     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Can a song really help change the world? 2016-07-31 05:00:00Z 0

    THE FIRST FOUR ROTARIANS

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    On 23 February 1905, Paul P. Harris, Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, and Hiram E. Shorey gathered in Loehr’s office for what would become known as the first Rotary club meeting.

    Harris’s desire for camaraderie among business associates brought together these four men and eventually led to an international organization of service and fellowship.

    Read about each of the first four Rotarians below, and about Harry L. Ruggles, who is often called the "fifth Rotarian."

    Rotary’s founder, Harris, was born in Wisconsin, USA, on 19 April 1868. He was raised by his paternal grandparents in Vermont and attended the University of Vermont, Princeton, and the University of Iowa. He was Rotary president from 1910 to 1912 and a member of the Rotary Club of Chicago until his death on 27 January 1947. Learn more .

    Loehr, a mining engineer, was born on 18 October 1864 in Carlinville, Illinois. He was a Rotarian for only a few years, never holding office at the club or international level. But that first Rotary meeting was held in his office, Room 711 of the Unity Building in downtown Chicago. He died in Chicago on 23 May 1918.

    A Rotarian for only a few years, Shorey served as recording secretary during the club’s first year. He was born in Maine in August 1862 and died in March 1944.

    Schiele, a coal dealer, served as the Chicago club’s first president in 1905 and Rotary International’s third treasurer in 1945. Born in Terre Haute, Indiana, in June 1870, Schiele attended Terre Haute Business College and served in the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American War. He was president of the Schiele Coal Company from 1902 until his retirement in 1939. He and Harris became lifelong friends and lived near each other on the South Side of Chicago. Schiele died on 17 December 1945 and is buried near Harris at Mount Hope Cemetery.

    Originally from Michigan, Ruggles was a graduate of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and joined Rotary at its second meeting. He was treasurer of the Chicago club during its first year, president from 1908 to 1910, and a Rotary director from 1912 to 1913. He is known for having introduced singing to Rotary club meetings. His printing company, H.L. Ruggles & Co., printed the first issue of The National Rotarian and the first Rotary songbook. He died on 23 October 1959, an honorary member of seven clubs in addition to his home club, the Rotary Club of Chicago.

    Rotary News

    14-Feb-2014
    THE FIRST FOUR ROTARIANS 2016-07-31 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Foundation Centennial Year

    Inviting all Rotarians to watch this first July 2016 Centennial Rotary Foundation video (made by yours truly, for the Rotary eClub of Houston). ☆Hope it helps many donate $26.50 or more, as a beginner's donation this month. I will be sending (or pinning) a Rotary Foundation Centennial pin to/on those donating this amount in July or August! ~ Rotarian Lizette Ödfalk Cmi, Centennial Rotary Foundation Chair ‪#‎RotaryeClubofHouston‬ ‪#‎Rotary‬ ‪#‎endpolionow‬ ‪#‎RotaryFoundation‬
     
    Rotary Foundation Centennial Year Liz Odfalk 2016-07-31 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: How we can make crops survive without water

    Our speaker:  Jill Farrant

    As the world's population grows and the effects of climate change come into sharper relief, we'll have to feed more people using less arable land. Molecular biologist Jill Farrant studies a rare phenomenon that may help: "resurrection plants" — super-resilient plants that seemingly come back from the dead. Could they hold promise for growing food in our coming hotter, drier world?

    Why you should listen

    A professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa, Jill Farrant researches the remarkable (and little known) world of resurrection plants. These are plants that can survive extreme drought, “resurrecting” when moistened or irrigated. If we can better understand their natural preservation mechanisms and their key protectants, she suggests, it could help us develop more drought-tolerant crops to feed populations in increasingly dry and arid climates around the world. Her research may also have medical applications.

    Farrant was the African/Arab States recipient of the 2012 L'Oreal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science, one of only five scientists worldwide who were selected by an international jury as "researchers who will have a major impact on society and help light the way to the future." In 2009, she was awarded an A-rating by the National Research Foundation (the first female researcher at UCT ever to receive such a rating) as well as being made a member of the UCT College of Fellows.

    Weekly Program: How we can make crops survive without water 2016-07-31 05:00:00Z 0

    Did you Know? What is the Longest Distance to Travel without Crossing Any Ocean?

    The longest distance you can travel between two points in straight line without crossing any ocean or any major water bodies goes from Liberia to China. It starts at 5°2’51.59″N 9°7’23.26″W about 10 Km north of Greenville, Liberia and ends at 28°17’7.68″N 121°38’17.31″E near Wenling, China. A 13,589.31 Km walk in a straight line, it crosses 9 time zones and 18 countries and territories: Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Burkina Faso again, Niger, Chad, Libya, Egypt, Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan again and finally China.
    Did you Know? What is the Longest Distance to Travel without Crossing Any Ocean? 2016-07-31 05:00:00Z 0

    Overview of 2016-17 Year for our Rotary e-Club of Houston

    • Club goals are available at the RI website>My Rotary>Rotary Club Central. All members are encouraged to look at these goals for our club and work together to attain them, as they also reflect on the presidential citation for our year. This is a very important goal for the whole club.
    • The MMS (Membership Meeting Survey) was introduced – In all General meetings, members and guests can fill out a satisfaction survey about the meeting and/or activities as opportunities to give and receive feedback from our club to keep face-to-face meetings interesting and fun.
    • Agreement to cosponsor Wisdom Interact Club with River Oaks Galleria Rotary is a reality! Adriane had a meeting online with Viktor (Galleria), Wind and Belinda from our club to discuss the Agreement. Adriane and Victor signed the agreement. Waiting for new generation members from both clubs to follow up and finalize it.
    • Our Club applied for the third year for the District Grant Application for Nicaragua Scholarship. Martine Stolk volunteered to do the verbal presentation, which is today. Results will be shared with the club.
    • A raffle of a mosaic made by Adriane Miller is running to celebrate the 100 years of Rotary Foundation to fundraise 1,000 USD to the foundation, and to celebrate our E-club’s goal accomplishments for the year. Raffles are $10 each. We will have a special Rotary day event for the centenary celebration, unveil the mosaic and draw the winner’s name.
    • BOD Meeting minutes will be sent to all members no later than a month after the meeting.
    • Financial updates will be sent to all members quarterly. Any member of this club or the district can ask treasurer Michael Miller for monthly reports and the club’s budget for the year.
    • There will be a speaker or an activity every month for the general meeting. Presentations will be recorded and made available for all members. This will be a feature exclusive for our members.  Also, members who are unable to attend in person are always welcome to join via "gotomeeting".  Please inquire how to join our meetings on your own phone or computer.
    Dree Miller, President 2016-2017
    Overview of 2016-17 Year for our Rotary e-Club of Houston President Dree Miller 2016-07-23 05:00:00Z 0

    Healthy Children Need Healthy Mothers

    Maternal and Child health (MCH) care is the health service provided to mothers (women in their child bearing age) and children. The target for MCH are all women in their reproductive age groups, i.e 15 - 49 years of age, Children, School age population and adolescents. We should note that mothers and Children make up over 2/3 of the world's population.

    Health is a complete physical, mental and social well-being state and not only absence of disease or ailment. Motherhood for too many women is associated with suffering, ill-health and death. Maternal health is a concept that encompasses family planning, preconception, prenatal and postnatal care.

    Prenatal care is the comprehensive care that women receive and provide for themselves throughout their pregnancy. Women who begin prenatal care early in their pregnancies have better birth outcomes than women who receive little or no care during their pregnancies.

    Postnatal care issues include recovery from Childbirth, concerns about newborn care, nutrition, breastfeeding and family planning. The first 24 hours after delivering is especially critical for newborns and mothers. Two-thirds of all maternal deaths occur in this postnatal period.

    Most women in Sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to health care and sexual health education services. They receive insufficient or no prenatal care and deliver without help from appropriately trained health care providers. They have a 1 in 16 chances of dying in pregnancy or Childbirth compared to a 1 in 4,000 risk in developed worlds.

    At least 20% of the burden of disease in Children below the age of 5 is related to poor maternal health and nutrition as well as quality of care at delivering and during the newborn period. Bad maternal conditions account for the fourth leading cause of death for women after HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Each year more than 10 million Children under the age of 5 die. Majority of them from preventable if affordable health interventions are made available to the mothers and Children who need them. Rotary Clubs and Districts should consider equipping primary health centers and hospitals that are lacking the basics in partnership with The Rotary Foundation.

    Healthy Children need healthy mothers.

    Healthy Children Need Healthy Mothers ROTA April, 2016 Newsletter 2016-07-23 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: "What We're Learning from Online Education"

    Daphne Koller is enticing top universities to put their most intriguing courses online for free — not just as a service, but as a way to research how people learn. With Coursera (cofounded by Andrew Ng), each keystroke, quiz, peer-to-peer discussion and self-graded assignment builds an unprecedented pool of data on how knowledge is processed.

    Why you should listen

    A 3rd generation Ph.D who is passionate about education, Stanford professor Daphne Koller is excited to be making the college experience available to anyone through her startup, Coursera. With classes from 85 top colleges, Coursera is an innovative model for online learning. While top schools have been putting lectures online for years, Coursera's platform supports the other vital aspect of the classroom: tests and assignments that reinforce learning.

    At the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, computer scientist Daphne Koller studies how to model large, complicated decisions with lots of uncertainty. (Her research group is called DAGS, which stands for Daphne's Approximate Group of Students.) In 2004, she won a MacArthur Fellowship for her work, which involves, among other things, using Bayesian networks and other techniques to explore biomedical and genetic data sets.

    What others say

    “Classes involve recorded lectures and quizzes in which the video pauses to let students answer questions.” — Ari Levy in Bloomberg BusinessWeek

    Weekly Program: "What We're Learning from Online Education" 2016-07-23 05:00:00Z 0

    Shoes for Orphaned Souls

    Published on Feb 4, 2014

    One donation. One volunteer. One traveler. Thousands of changed lives.
    Learn how a simple donation of one pair of shoes can mean so much to so many people -- and, most importantly -- provide hope to an orphan or a vulnerable child.

     
    Shoes for Orphaned Souls 2016-07-23 05:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - "Keep Changing the World"

    Uploaded on Sep 22, 2010

    The is the official music video for MIKESCHAIR's song "Keep Changing The World." This video is courtesy of Buckner International. The footage is comprised entirely from our mission trip to Peru in December 2009 with Buckner International, Shoes For Orphaned Souls, and The JoyFM in Tampa, FL. Keep Changing the world peeps!

     
    Song of the Week - "Keep Changing the World" 2016-07-23 05:00:00Z 0

    General Meeting - July 16th

    You are invited to attend our first face-to-face meeting of the new Rotary year!
     
    When: July 16th 2016 at 11:30 am to 12:30pm
    Where: Boca2 Gastro Bar & Bites at 7951 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77024
     
    One great thing about this and all other general meetings we plan for this year: we will have either a speaker or another interesting feature for all members and guests. This Saturday, our treasurer Michael Miller will be making a presentation about the highlights of the International Convention in Seoul, and also about the next RICON in Atlanta 2017.
     
    Please plan on attending and having lunch (pay on your own), so you can stay tuned in for all the good things we will have planned for this year. Yes, you may bring friends and prospect members. Please let me know in advance if you are bringing guests so we can arrange for them to be properly introduced.
     
    For those of you not in the Houston area, please let us know if you would like to join us online so our club’s secretary can send you a Zoom meeting ID. Her email is rocatunda@hotmail.com.
     
    See you all Saturday!
     
    Yours in Rotary Serving Humanity,
     
    Adriane "Dree" Miller
    Club President
    Charter Member
    Rotary E-Club of Houston, Texas, USA
    Mobile: (503) 593-4364
    Rotaryeclubhouston.org
     
    General Meeting - July 16th 2016-07-11 05:00:00Z 0
    "Spmeday Never Comes" 2016-07-11 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Adam Grant - The Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers

    How do creative people come up with great ideas? Organizational psychologist Adam Grant studies "originals": thinkers who dream up new ideas and take action to put them into the world. In this talk, learn three unexpected habits of originals — including embracing failure. "The greatest originals are the ones who fail the most, because they're the ones who try the most," Grant says. "You need a lot of bad ideas in order to get a few good ones."
     

    Why you should listen

    In his groundbreaking book Give and Take, top-rated Wharton professor Adam Grant upended decades of conventional motivational thinking with the thesis that giving unselfishly to colleagues or clients can lead to one’s own long-term success. Grant’s research has led hundreds of advice seekers (and HR departments) to his doorstep, and it’s changing the way leaders view their workforces.

    Grant’s new book Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World examines how unconventional thinkers overturn the status quo and champion game-changing ideas.

    What others say

    “For Grant, helping is not the enemy of productivity, a time-sapping diversion from the actual work at hand; it is the mother lode, the motivator that spurs increased productivity and creativity.” — New York Times Magazine, March 27, 2013

    Weekly Program - Adam Grant - The Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers 2016-07-10 05:00:00Z 0

    What are our members doing?

    PDG Ed and Robin Charlesworth - Volunteered with the Chamber of Commerce Hinsdale County 9Colorado) on the Fourth of July selling Jambalaya and Nachos.
     
    "Yesterday (July 6th) our very efficient past secretary Martine Stolk taught a great hands on training to the incoming secretary Rosangela Catunda and assistant secretary Tatiana Berardi. We know the new secretaries will continue to do a fantastic job. They are already busy making plans and adding a new member, Dr. Isis Mejias".
     
     
    Jake Stein and his wife Alli celebrated their 1ST Anniversary in the Bahamas.
     
     
    What are our members doing? 2016-07-07 05:00:00Z 0

    2015-16 Congratulations on Polio Eradication Fundraising!

    I'm happy to report that Rotary reached our $35 Million PolioPlus Fundraising Goal for the just ending Rotary year - earning the full $70 Million match from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation!  In addition, for the first time since the end of the $200 million challenge, we met and exceeded the world fund match for DDF.
    As a consequence of your generosity and the effort of your clubs' Rotarians, Rotary will be able to allocate a full $105 million in polio grants this coming year.
     The bar has been raised even higher for the 2016-17 Rotary Foundation Centennial Year with a per-Rotary Club Goal of $2,650 and a total Rotary raised Polio giving goal of $45 Million.  What a great gift we are giving to the children of the world - with over 15 million children walking which would have been paralyzed by Polio without your help!
     
    Quote of the day - I thought this one was worth keeping for two weeks!  "Every Day that you serve in Rotary, you have the opportunity to change lives.  Everything you do matters; every good work makes the world better for us all.  In this new Rotary Year, we all have a new chance to change the world for the better, through Rotary Serving Humanity."  John Germ, 2016-17 Rotary International President  
     
    The Final Two Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - One new Polio case reported this week.  Thirteen Polio cases reported in 2016 with 54 cases recorded in 2015  The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 06/18/16 was from the South Waziristan agency of FATA.  No new Polio-positive environmental samples were collected this past week.  National Immunization Days are planned for August 18-19.      
    Afghanistan - No Polio cases reported this week.  Six Polio cases reported in 2016 with 20 cases recorded in 2015. The most recent case was reported on 05/29/16 from the Shigal Wa Sheltan district of Kunar. No new Polio-positive environmental samples have been collected in Afghanistan in 2016.    National Immunization Days are planned for August 15 - 19. 
    2015-16 Congratulations on Polio Eradication Fundraising! Terry Ziegler 2016-07-07 05:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - Kate Perry "Fireworks"

     
    Uploaded on YouTube Nov 1, 2010
    katy perry's firework music video with lyrics
    dedicated to everyone that feels wierd...this song talks about being different from the society doesnt mean you are strange or stupid , it just means you are original in your own way
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Song of the Week - Kate Perry "Fireworks" 2016-07-01 05:00:00Z 0

    Video Recap of the Luau Installation Party

    Please watch the video of our installation of the new board of directors and officers for 2016-2017. You will see our Past President Linda Caruso presiding the last meeting for 2015-2016, Past District Governor Nick Giannone doing the installation ceremony, President Adriane Miller giving her first address to club members, and some of the best moments of the luau party.
     
    Video Recap of the Luau Installation Party Dree Miller 2016-07-01 05:00:00Z 0

    Welcome New Member!

    Dr. Isis Mejias Carpio holds a Chemical Engineering Degree from University of Houston and joint PhD from Universities of Sao Paulo and Houston.  She is currently working with Forum Energy Technologies as a Sales/Process Manager based in Houston.  Her Rotary classification is Oil and Gas
           Dr. Mejias, a Rotary Global Scholar to Brazil sponsored by the Humble Rotary Club, was invited by Rotary to lead a team of six to Uganda to identify a large water project. She submitted a 115 page report to WASRAG which led to the $301,000 water, sanitation and education Global Grant that attracted funding from 21 Rotary Clubs and 17 Districts in 8 Countries.
           Isis was recently one of two panelists on a Rotary Webinar talking about her experiences as a scholar in Sao Paulo and developing Global Grants in Brazil, Kenya and Uganda and her trips to Uganda to help prepare a $300,000 water, sanitation and health Global Grant for that country.  See photo below.
           She has spoken at District Conferences of D 5630 in Calgary and D 5890 in Houston. She also appeared on two panels at the Rotary Convention in Sao Paulo and has been the subject of a story on the Rotary website.
          We are pleased to accept her transfer of active membership from the Rotary Club of Humble.  Why did she transfer?  She explains, "I now have a very
    demanding job that will require some travel, so the e-club works perfectly for me."  What are her interests in being an Active Rotarian?   "I would be
    interested in creating new global grants within the water and sanitation or the education and literacy areas of focus. I would also like to create new partnerships with other Rotary clubs and engage more with Wasrag activities.
    Welcome to our Rotary e-club of Houston!

     
     
    Welcome New Member! Adriane Miller 2016-06-30 05:00:00Z 0

    President's Message

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    Dear E-Club of Houston Rotarians,
     
    Happy New Rotary Year! It is the first day of our Rotary year, and the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of Rotarians worldwide. As president of our club, I invite you to write our chapter together. Let us all take some time and think about what we want to write on this new chapter. It is the continuation of the great work many leaders have done before us, and a strong bridge that will connect us to a bright future.
    Please think about what we want others to read later. What stories we want to share with the world. What footprints we will leave behind for others to follow. Our story will not need to be a magnificent work of literature, but a simple story. A story that creates a positive impact in the world can be written little by little, everyday. With persistent group effort it will be a story that changes lives.
    Thank you for the trust you have put in me. I am proud of our E-Club and I am proud of you to be in Rotary. I am honored that you selected me to lead our club during this New Year. I will serve our club and serve Rotary by offering my very best. I need each one of you to contribute and support our club, and together we will complete the chapter that will talk about the priceless work Rotarians do. A work that passes the highest ethical standards, as of the things Rotarians say and do they must ask: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
    When we put the final period in this chapter a year from now, we will have made our Rotary E-club even more successful, we will have gained better skills, we will be better in our professions and in our lives, and we will have served humanity, which I believe it’s the purpose of all humans in this world. Serving others is a guaranteed source of happiness!
     
    Thank you and let’s get to work!
     
    Adriane “Dree” Miller
    President 2016-2017
    Rotary E-Club of Houston
     
    President's Message Dree Miller 2016-06-30 05:00:00Z 0

    Nine Words Customers Want You to Say More Often

    When it comes to wowing customers, it’s the little things that make a big difference. Sometimes, it can be as little as this three-letter word … 

    You.

    That’s just one of nine words that have positive effects on customers.

    Some of these words will make customers feel special and happy that they do business with you. Others will motivate them to take your expert advice, see things in a new way or buy more.

    Here are some powerful words you want to emphasize when you talk to customers — and why:

    1. You

    There’s plenty of research that people are persuaded to spend more, change their minds and become agreeable when their experience is personalized. Thus, the word “you” is very powerful.

    Why? It puts the focus on others. It shows you’re empathetic and compassionate, which is at the heart of great customer service.

    Plus, you can boost the power of you by using people’s names.

    Example: “You know, Bruce, that we value the loyalty you’ve shown us through the years.”

    2. Imagine

    Imagine can open customers’ minds to what’s possible. It helps them see opportunities and suggests they can skip the worries.

    Use imagine when you want to introduce them to something that is different, but well-fitted to their needs — whether it’s a solution to a problem, a product or a change in service.

    Example:Imagine if you had just a day to choose the solution. What would be at the top of your must-have list?”

    3. Because

    Because helps logical thinkers connect cause and effect. It also helps emotional thinkers connect feelings and logic.

    Give people reasons – connected by because – when you need to get them to respond quickly.

    Example: “We’ll need you to submit the special request by noon because that gives us enough time to start your order and have it ready for approval.”

    4. Now

    Most customers want immediacy. Tell them what can happen now, not what already took place or will take more time. Tell them how they’re affected now, not what they could’ve or should’ve done.

    Example: “I can stop the order right now, and you’ll just be charged the special request fee. Is that what you’d like to do now?”

    5. Believe

    Believing is the first step in making almost everything in the customer relationship happen. When customers believe in what you can do, they see fewer limits on what’s possible with your company.

    Remind them to believe in your expertise, your products and your company.

    Example: “You can believe what I suggested is the best solution. I’ve been the department expert on billing questions for 10 years.”

    6. Act

    Act is a call for urgency and appeals to customers because it suggests good things will happen. By acting, customers can move people more closely and quickly to what they want.

    Example: “If we act immediately on the changes, I’m confident we’ll still finish ahead of time.”

    7. Help

    Help creates connections with customers.

    When you ask customers for help, you make them feel like they’re working together with you to get things done. They aren’t just waiting on you to do it. And when you acknowledge something they’ve done to help you, you recognize their value.

    Examples: “I’d like your help on this situation. What do you think of this possible solution …?” or “Your loyalty is a real help to our continued success in this industry.”

    8. Proven

    When you say proven, you quickly remove customers’ fears of trying something new. Whether it’s a product, maintenance plan, shipping date or color, if it’s proven, it means they’re taking less of a risk.

    Examples: “Industry tests have proven our new version lasts longer than the previous,” or “We’ve proven that the software blocks 80% more spam.”

    9. Love

    Just suggesting customers will love something warms them up to it.

    Examples: “You’re going to love this color!” or “Other customers have already fallen in love with the faster service schedule.”

    *This is shared from the Bentley University Customer Experience Insight Newsletter, Jun 27, 2016

    Nine Words Customers Want You to Say More Often 2016-06-30 05:00:00Z 0

    Polio Update

    Team Rotary's Race Across America to End Polio Now bicycle team left Oceanside, California on 6/18/16 and arrived in Annapolis, Maryland on Sunday 6/26. Billed as The "World's Toughest Bicycle Race", the four rider and 12 crew team covered the 3,000 mile route and climbed  175,000 feet as they crossed 12 states averaging about 20 miles per hour, riding around the clock in shifts for 7 days, 1 hour, and 16 minutes. Team Rotary RAAMs Polio elite cyclists represent three countries and each have multiple cycling accomplishments.  The Team's Goal is to raise $10 million for Polio and raise awareness of how truly close we are to eradicating this disease. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are matching 2 to 1 for every dollar we raise.  So, our $10 million could become $30 million.  You can still donate to their End Polio team at http://ideas.rotary.org/Project/Profile/045759a7-59f7-4b3a-90d2-84a812939125?ct=t%2812%3A19pm+PST+Start+Time+Tomorrow%29&mc_cid=bd3df6ea80&mc_eid=%5BUNIQID%5D
    Goals!  Congratulations! To every Rotarian in every Rotary Club which donated to the PolioPlus Fund of The Rotary Foundation this Rotary Year (7/1/15-6/30/16).  IPPC Chair Mike McGovern announced yesterday that we have reached our $35 Million PolioPlus Fundraising Goal for the just ending Rotary year - earning the full $70 Million match from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation!  In addition, Rotary's District 5890 exceeded our $150,000 goal for the 2015-16 Year (having raised over $160,000) and recently surpassed the $2-1/2 Million level for total giving to PolioPlus from District 5890!
     
    The Final Two Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - One new Polio case reported this week.  Twelve Polio cases reported in 2016 with 54 cases recorded in 2015  The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 04/26/16 was from the Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.  No new Polio-positive environmental samples were collected this past week.  National Immunization Days are planned for August 18-19.      
    Afghanistan - No Polio cases reported this week.  Six Polio cases reported in 2016 with 20 cases recorded in 2015. The most recent case was reported on 05/29/16 from the Shigal Wa Sheltan district of Kunar. No new Polio-positive environmental samples have been collected in Afghanistan in 2016.    National Immunization Days are planned for August 15 - 19.  
     
    Post Endemic - Nigeria - No Polio cases reported in 2016 with 0 cases recorded in 2015.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14.  
     
    Importation Countries - Ethiopia (0-2015, 1-2014), Cameroon (0-2015, 5-2014), Somalia (0-2015, 5-2014), Iraq (0-2015, 2- 2014), Syria (0-2015,1-2014), & Equatorial Guinea (0-2015, 5-2014).
       
    Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!
    Terry Ziegler, Rotary Foundation Committee Chair, District 5890
    Polio Update Terry Zigler 2016-06-30 05:00:00Z 0
    Quote of the Week 2016-06-25 05:00:00Z 0

    5 of the Most Difficult Customers & How to Help Them

    *This article is shared from the Bentley University Online Degree Completion Program Newsletter "Customer Experience INSIGHT":

    Dealing with difficult customers is one thing. Actually helping them is the ideal thing. Here’s how to make it happen with five of the most difficult customers you’ll come across. 

    Many service pros agree that their job would be just about perfect if they didn’t have to work with difficult customers. But they also recognize that those customers will always be part of the customer experience landscape.

    Knowing what to expect, and how to deal with them in a way that eventually helps the customers and improves the relationship with them, will make the experience better for everyone involved.

    These are five of the toughest customers to work with — and solid ways to keep the situation on track so you can continue to deliver excellent customer experiences to everyone:

    The Blamer

    It’s never The Blamer’s fault. In fact, it’s always someone else’s fault that something went wrong. She’s quick to point the finger at you and not likely to tell the full truth when you have to trouble shoot and ask questions such as “What happened?” She won’t be accountable in any way.

    Your strategy: Focus on facts. You don’t have to get her to take responsibility for an error or miscommunication, but you do need to get to the bottom of when and where something went wrong. Be specific to get times, places and actual occurrences.

    For instance, “What time did you finish the inspection of our product?” “Did you follow the 10-point checklist?” “What time did the unit break down?” “Was it an immediate stop or was there a slowing before the stop?”

    The Ego

    He’s full of himself. He knows everything that needs to be known about your products and services, and how they should be used. He’s usually reluctant to hear your suggestions or change his mind based on your expertise because … well, he knows everything.

    Your strategy: Compliment him on his deep knowledge and decision-making. Then maintain your authority on issues that matter, such as a remedy that will work best or a product that meets his specific needs.

    For instance, “You’re on to something with your ideas on fixing the technical hiccup you’ve experienced. What do you think is the benefit of doing that over what I’ve suggested?”

    The Victim

    The Victim thinks he does nothing wrong. If something goes wrong, it’s because you have sabotaged him — sent him the wrong product, gave him bad information or slighted him otherwise. He won’t let go of a mistake that happened years ago and still blames it for any little thing that goes wrong.

    Your strategy: Empathize without enabling. He believes he is victimized, so listen to the issues. Acknowledge his feelings, but stop short of validating them. Encourage him to do something along with you about the situation.

    For instance, “I understand that you’re upset that we couldn’t perform maintenance over the weekend. It’d be a good idea to contact us the moment you suspect there’s a problem, rather than wait a few days. Then we can get an almost immediate fix. Now let’s work on getting it fixed in the next 24 hours.”

    The Bully

    Some bullies are just mean. Others are passive-aggressive, subtly trying to push you around and undermine you. Even worse, many of them don’t necessarily break rules. Instead, their toxic personalities put you on edge and create a state of unhappiness.

    Your strategy: Tackle bullying straight-on. If you don’t, it’ll likely get worse. Point out behaviors that aren’t acceptable in your business, plus exact incidents. Explain consequences for the behavior.

    For instance, “You shouted three times at me, insulted my abilities and have made me upset. If you shout again, I’ll end this call and explain to my supervisor what’s happened. Another incident like this, and we’ll have to part ways.”

    The Waffler

    The Waffler has a tough time making up her mind. She says she wants your advice on what to do, and she’ll listen to it. She’ll also listen to her inner voice. But neither seem to help her make a decision on which product to get or solution to choose. She unnecessarily will waste a lot of time.

    Your strategy: When possible, try what worked in the past in a similar situation. Remind how well everything went with that product or solution, and how good she felt about it. In a more complex situation, give her all the information you can, and a deadline on a final decision. Then invite her to mull it over with trusted colleagues, friends or family members.

    For instance, “Sidney, the last time you were deciding if you should update the software or upgrade, you decided on the upgrade. After it was implemented, you told me you immediately noticed fewer errors. That suggests to me that you should go with the upgrade again.” Or “I’ve given you all the specs and the order process timing. Take a few days to consult with your team and give me your final decision on Monday at 10 a.m.”

    5 of the Most Difficult Customers & How to Help Them 2016-06-24 05:00:00Z 0

    Installation/Luau Party - June 25th

    Posted by Adriane Miller
    story thumbnail
    Dear e-Club Rotarians,
    Only a few days left until our great event on June 25th! Please confirm if you are coming and how many guests you are bringing so we can better organize everything. We are very excited to begin our new Rotary year! Don't miss this important event for all members, especially our incoming directors, who will have the honor to be installed by our District Governor Nick Giannone. As your incoming president, it will be an honor for me to serve our club with you and serve Rotary. I hope our team continues to grow strong and to positively impact our community here and internationally. Together we can do it all! 
     
    We will have Hawaiian style food, drinks, music, silent auction, and it's a wonderful social event for club members, Rotarians from other clubs, friends and family. 
    Location: Club member PDG Ed and Robin Charlesworth's house 
    11407 Hylander Dr, Houston, TX 77070 
    June 25 at 6:00pm
    $25 per adult - children 12 and younger: free. 
    Dress code: Casual/Hawaiian/island/colorful (you get the picture) 
    If you are a current or incoming Director, we have a BOD meeting at 4:30pm so please arrive earlier. 
     
    Facebook link to the event:
    Our website's link to the event:
     
    Let's start the Rotary year on a very happy note! Non-local members, please send us good vibrations!  
     
    Yours in Rotary Serving Humanity,
     
    Adriane Miller (Dree)
    President Elect 
    Charter Member
    Rotary e-Club of Houston 
     
     
    Installation/Luau Party - June 25th Adriane Miller 2016-06-22 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: "Let's Prepare for Our New Climate"

    As Vicki Arroyo says, it's time to prepare our homes and cities for our changing climate, with its increased risk of flooding, drought and uncertainty. She illustrates this inspiring talk with bold projects from cities all over the world — local examples of thinking ahead.

    Why you should listen

    The climate is quickly changing. Scientists increasingly talk of a new period in the Earth's history, the "anthropocene", in which human impact on the planet has become dominant. Yet we remain unprepared to deal with the consequences: specifically, the disruption and cost. Lawyer Vicki Arroyo, the executive director of the Georgetown Climate Center, works on climate mitigation and adaptation policies as viable solutions to climate change’s inevitable disruptions to current practices. Using the best available science, Arroyo collaborates with US policymakers at both the state and federal level to develop "planetary management" strategies.

    This talk seems relevant to our members residing in the Houston - Rosenberg area with extreme flooding in recent weeks. 

    The April 18, 2016 flood event - An estimated 140 billion gallons of water rained over the Cypress Creek, Spring Creek, and Adicks watersheds in just 14 hours ending at 10 a.m. CT, April 18, 2016, according to Jeff Lindner, meteorologist with the Harris County Flood Control District. Freeways, homes and buildings were flooded, trapping vehicles and triggering gridlock. 

    And again in late May, 2016 (Memorial Day Flood Event) the rains were excessive and created unusual difficulties, particularly with the Brazos River (shown in video below).  City officials estimate that at least 70 homes in Rosenberg were damaged in the flooding from the Brazos River. They acknowledge that cleaning up debris is going to be a meticulous task that takes time. Only three days ago the mandatory evacuation was lifted so residents could begin the clean-up operation.  See the following article for the Rotary response and planned clean-up on June 25th.

     
     
     
     
    Weekly Program: "Let's Prepare for Our New Climate" 2016-06-11 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Rod Stewart "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" 2016-06-11 05:00:00Z 0

    Special End Polio Now - Butterfly Release June 25th

    On June 25, 2016, District Governor Nick Giannone & Fabiola Giannone like to invite you to gather at McGovern Centennial Gardens to release butterflies to symbolize the freedom from the crippling polio.
    For a $20, you receive a Butterfly to release and an End Polio Now T-shirt. Any additional donation will go toward End Polio.
     
    Eventbrite RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-polio-day-tickets-25664281557
     
    Saturday, June 25 at 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
         
    McGovern Centennial Gardens
    1500 Hermann Drive, Houston, Texas
     
    Special End Polio Now - Butterfly Release June 25th 2016-06-11 05:00:00Z 0

    Members of US Congress Recognized

    In May, IPPC Chair Mike McGovern, representing Rotary, recognized five members of Congress for their support of the humanitarian service organization’s top priority to eradicate polio.
     The following lawmakers were presented with Rotary’s Polio Eradication Champion Award during an event at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. on May 11, 2016: Sen. Roy Blunt (MO.), Sen. Jeff Merkley (OR.), Sen. Brian Schatz (HI), Rep. Tom Cole (OK), and Rep. Dave Reichert (WA).
      These five lawmakers serve as advocates for securing U.S. government funding for polio eradication activities through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).  As key allies, they influence both their constituents at home and congressional colleagues to support a polio-free world.
      As the world’s largest funder of polio eradication, the U.S. government has contributed more than $2.8 billion since the mid-1980s. To support the final push to end polio, Rotary and its partners are asking for $234 million in U.S. funding in 2017 through the CDC and USAID.
    Members of US Congress Recognized Terry Zigler 2016-06-11 05:00:00Z 0

    Volunteers Needed for Recent Flood Clean-Up in Rosenburg, Texas

    Dear Rotarians,
     
    I am sure I do not need to explain the havoc the flood has generated in our community.  And should come as no surprise that N. Rosenberg is the area that has been hardest hit.   As an organization that puts "Service Above Self", it is our mandate to respond in a timely and aggressive manner.
     
    I am proposing:  1. That we declare Sat. June 25th a work day for our club in N. Rosenberg, to work along side Barry and The Friends of N. Rosenberg to help prepare for Mission Week in N. Rosenberg, that is to begin on June 27th. (See Barry's email as of yesterday in support of this proposal that defined potential jobs for our club on this date.)
    2.  We invite all clubs and Rotarians in District 5890 to join us in this effort, by piggy-backing off of the organizational structure established by the Ft. Bend Strong Coalition.   (you can go to the Central Ft Bend Chamber of Commerce web site for more info:  http://www.cfbca.org/ )  The short story is that they are keeping up with the flood response needs on a dynamic basis.  Any volunteer can report to BF Terry HS, at any time (7 AM to 7 PM I believe) during the next 30 days, and receive directions on what the current volunteer needs are, and be given a job.  There is also a dynamic list of items that need to be donated to help families in need if Rotarians want to help but can not be present on June 25th.
     
    YIRS,
    Hugh Conway, President
    Rotary  Club of Rosenburg
    Volunteers Needed for Recent Flood Clean-Up in Rosenburg, Texas Hugh Conway 2016-06-07 05:00:00Z 0

    Volunteers Neded - AAU Junior Olympic Games

    With an estimated 18,000 youth athletes coming to town to complete, they will need over 1,200 volunteers to help in making this a memorable event.  The games will be held at 5 different locations across the area.  Volunteers are able to choose which location, time and date they want to help with.

    Volunteer registration is now open for a variety of positions, based on venue:

    George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, TX

    Baton Twirling, Cheerleading, Jump Rope, Karate, Kung Fu, Sport Stacking, Strength Sports, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Trampoline & Tumbling, and Wrestling.

     
     
     

    Turner Stadium, Humble, TX

    Track & Field, Multi-Events

    Joe K. Butler Sports Complex, Houston, TX

    7 on 7 Flag Football

    Opportunities to assist include:

    •   Pre-Event Assistance

    •   Athlete Check-In / Registration

    •   Competition / Event Assistance

    •   Entry Gates

    •   Hospitality & MORE!

    To volunteer visit: https://2016aaujuniorchampvolunteers.my-trs.com/ and click on Register Now and General Volunteers to get started! We ask that each volunteer register for a minimum of two (2) shifts. Please be advised that all volunteers must complete a background check at the end of the registration process. Volunteers who register for four (4) shifts or more by June 17th will receive a pair of FREE Houston Astros tickets!

    Remember, If you do participate as a volunteer please submit your volunteer hours so we may track our members' involvement in community service.
    Volunteers Neded - AAU Junior Olympic Games 2016-06-07 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Gary Knell - CEO, National Geographic Society

    This program was presented on May 31, 2016 at the Rotary International Convention in Korea.  Our e-club had two representatives attending the convention, President Elect Dree Miller and her husband, Treasurer Mike Miller, and they have posted photos on our club Facebook page during their trip.  Since we have shared other videos from National Geographic in our newsletter, I thought this program from the convention would be of interest to our newsletter recipients. 
    Weekly Program - Gary Knell - CEO, National Geographic Society 2016-06-03 05:00:00Z 0

    DGE Eric Liu's Governor Installation Dinner - June 17th

    We have ONE seats remaining at our table for the DG Installation of Eric Liu on June 17th.  Please confirm if you are going to the event and if you are sending me the $100 check so I can register us and get a table for the E-club. DG Nick and Fabiola will be at our table.  Please mail a check payable to Michael Miller, Treasurer.
     
     
    Date:  June 17, 2016
    Time: 5:30pm
    Location: Hilton of the Americas
    1600 Lamar St.
    Houston, TX  77002
     
    DGE Eric Liu's Governor Installation Dinner - June 17th Dree Miller 2016-06-02 05:00:00Z 0
    We're Rotary - There's No Limit To What We Can Do 2016-06-02 05:00:00Z 0

    RI President Ravindran at the RI Convention in Seoul

    RI President Ravindran moves audience with personal story (Photo Credit: SJ Cho)

    RI President K.R. Ravindran closed the convention in Korea on Wednesday, 1 June, with a poignant story about his mother's fight to survive polio at age 30.

    When Ravindran was 11 years old in his native Sri Lanka, his mother awoke one day feeling weak and short of breath. Sitting down to rest, she found herself unable to move. The polio virus had quickly invaded her nervous system, resulting in paralysis.

    She was placed in an iron lung at the hospital to enable her to breathe, and was told that her chances of walking, or even surviving without a ventilator, were slim. But most Sri Lankan hospitals were not equipped with ventilators in 1963.

    Ravindran's grandfather, a Rotary member, hosted a club committee meeting in his living room the evening after his daughter was rushed to the hospital. Rather than simply offer consolation, his fellow members went to work, using their business acumen and professional connections to find a ventilator.

    One of the members was a bank manager who called a government minister to facilitate a quick international transfer of funds. Another member, a manager at SwissAir, arranged to have a ventilator flown in. The next day, it arrived at the hospital.

    "There was so much red tape at the time in Sri Lanka, but somehow, those Rotarians made it all fall away," Ravindran told the packed audience at the KINTEX Convention Center in Goyang city.

    Ravindran's mother spent a year-and-a-half in a hospital bed, but her condition gradually improved. She eventually left the hospital walking -- with a walker, but upright, on her own two feet.

    "Fifty-three years ago, my mother's life was perhaps one of the very first to be saved from polio by Rotarians," Ravindran said. "We have saved millions of lives since then.

    "Tonight, I stand before you as her son, and your president, to say that soon -- perhaps not in years but in months -- Rotary will give a gift that will endure forever: a world without polio."

    At the convention's general session the day before, Rebecca Martin, director of the Center for Global Health at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, had . Earlier that day, Rotary released an additional $35 million in grants to support global efforts to end the crippling disease.

    This year's convention, one of the largest in Rotary history, attracted more than 43,000 attendees from over 150 countries. Ravindran, in his final speech to members as their president, emphasized what it really means to be a Rotarian.

    "There are people on this planet whose lives are better now because you traversed this earth," he said. "And it doesn't matter if they know that or not. It doesn't matter if they even know your name or not. What really matters is that your work touched lives; that it left people healthier, happier, better than they were before."

    Looking ahead to next year

    Following Ravindran's remarks, members of Ravindran's Rotary Club of Colombo, Sri Lanka, and RI President-elect John Germ's Rotary Club of Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA, took the stage to exchange club banners, a tradition that unofficially marks the changing of the guard.

    Germ told the audience that Rotary is about to begin the most progressive year in its history.

    "You told us that we need to change and become more flexible so that Rotary service will be attractive to younger members, recent retirees, and working people," Germ said. "You spoke with clarity, and groundbreaking legislation was passed this year at the Council on Legislation.

    "Clubs now have the opportunity to be who they want to be, but at the same time remain true to our core. I'm pleased to share with you that Rotarians all over the world are responding with great excitement."

    RI President Ravindran at the RI Convention in Seoul 2016-06-02 05:00:00Z 0

    Save Now for Next Year's Rotary International Convention in Atlanta

    REGISTER AND PAY TODAY TO GET THE $265 RATE
     
    Celebrate the centennial of The Rotary Foundation with us in Atlanta. The last day to take advantage of the extra-special early registration rate of $265 for the 2017 Rotary Convention is 6 June.
    At the 1917 Rotary Convention in Atlanta, President Klumph spoke about his dream of creating a Rotary endowment fund. A century later, we're celebrating The Rotary Foundation and all the good work Rotarians have been able to do since then--because one man dared to dream.
    The limited-time rate honors Rotary Foundation visionary Arch Klumph's 6 June birthday, and the $26.50 first contribution to Rotary's endowment.
    Join the celebration in Atlanta. Register and pay today, because this special price of $265 will end on 6 June!
    Save Now for Next Year's Rotary International Convention in Atlanta 2016-06-02 05:00:00Z 0

    Polio Plus Update

    Did You Know? 1-1/2 million childhood deaths have been prevented by the PolioPlus program since 1988 - and that the number is growing each year?   
    Quote of the day -  "We have seen stronger cooperation between the two governments (Afghanistan & Pakistan) at all levels. Children crossing the borders are vaccinated, and surveillance data are being shared. This is the only way we will see these two countries achieve polio-free status.".  — Rebecca Martin, Director of the Center for Global Health at the CDC - from her presentation at the 2016 RI Convention    
    The Final Two Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - No Polio cases reported this week.  Eleven Polio cases reported in 2016 with 54 cases recorded in 2015  The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 04/26/16 was from the Bannu district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.  No new Polio positive environmental samples reported this week.  National Immunization Days are planned for August 18-19.      
    Afghanistan - No Polio cases reported this week.  Five Polio cases reported in 2016 with 20 cases recorded in 2015. The most recent case was reported on 04/04/16 from the Shahwalikot district of Kandahar. No new Polio-positive environmental samples collected this week.    National Immunization Days are planned for August 15 - 19.  
     
    Post Endemic - Nigeria - No Polio cases reported in 2016 with 0 cases recorded in 2015.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14. 
     
    Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!
    Terry Ziegler, Rotary Foundation Committee Chair, District 5890
     
    Polio Plus Update Terry Zigler 2016-06-02 05:00:00Z 0
    Quote of the Week 2016-05-27 05:00:00Z 0
    In Closing, the Rotary Four-Way Test 2016-05-16 05:00:00Z 0
    A Rotary Minute 2016-05-16 05:00:00Z 0

    Look for Special Banners at Rotary Club Meetings

    Next visit to a traditional Rotary club meeting, take a look at the club's banners.  You will usually find a felt banner with the club name and a Four-Way Test banner.  Now there are three new banners which you may see:
     
    The first is the 100% EREY Sustaining Banner which goes to each Club in which each Active member has personally contributed $100+ to the Annual Fund since 7/1/15.
     
    The second is the 100% Foundation Giving Banner which goes to each Club in which each of their members have personally given any amount to the Annual Fund or Polio AND the Club reaches and average of $100+ per capita.   
     
    The third is a really tough one - the 100% Paul Harris Society Club Banner - which requires each active member to be a member of the Paul Harris Society - pledging to personally donate $1,000+ per year to the Annual Fund or Polio (or an approved Global Grant) each year in the future in which they are financially able.  I told you that was a tough one!
    Look for Special Banners at Rotary Club Meetings 2016-05-13 05:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    "Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."
    ~John Wooden
    Quote of the Week 2016-05-13 05:00:00Z 0

    Polio Plus Update

    The Final Two Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - No Polio cases reported this week.  Eight Polio cases reported in 2016 with 54 cases recorded in 2015  The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 03/22/16 was from the Bannu district, Khyber Paktunkhwa.  No new Polio positive environmental samples reported this week.  Efforts continue to increase surveillance to make sure no unvaccinated child is missed.    
    Afghanistan - One Polio case reported in Afghanistan this week.  Three Polio cases reported in 2016 with 20 cases recorded in 2015. The most recent case was reported on 03/27/16 from the Khyber Province. No new Polio-positive environmental samples collected this week.    National Immunization Days are planned for May 17-20.  
     
    Post Endemic - Nigeria - No Polio cases reported in 2016 with 0 cases recorded in 2015.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14.  
     
    Importation Countries - Ethiopia (0-2015, 1-2014), Cameroon (0-2015, 5-2014), Somalia (0-2015, 5-2014), Iraq (0-2015, 2- 2014), Syria (0-2015,1-2014), & Equatorial Guinea (0-2015, 5-2014).
      
    Polio Plus Update 2016-05-13 05:00:00Z 0

    Important Lessons about Leadership - "Leadershp and the Janitor"

     

    William “Bill” Crawford was an unimpressive figure, one you could easily overlook during a hectic day at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Mr. Crawford, as most of us referred to him back in the late 1970s, was our squadron janitor.Army Master Sergeant William J. Crawford (Ret.), poses for a photo for a Denver Post photographer shortly before a Fourth of July parade in Denver, Colorado. Photo courtesy of Beverly Crawford-Kite.

    While we cadets busied ourselves preparing for academic exams, athletic events, Saturday morning parades, and room inspections -- or never -- ending leadership classes—Bill quietly moved about the squadron mopping and buffing floors, emptying trash cans, cleaning toilets, or just tidying up the mess 100 college-age kids can leave in a dormitory.

    Sadly, and for many years, few of us gave him much notice, rendering little more than a passing nod or throwing a curt, “G’morning!” in his direction as we hurried off to our daily duties. Why? Perhaps it was because of the way he did his job -- he always kept the squadron area spotlessly clean, even the toilets and showers gleamed. Frankly, he did his job so well, none of us had to notice or get involved. After all, cleaning toilets was his job, not ours.

    Maybe it was his physical appearance that made him disappear into the background. Bill didn’t move very quickly, and in fact, you could say he even shuffled a bit, as if he suffered from some sort of injury. His gray hair and wrinkled face made him appear ancient to a group of young cadets. And his crooked smile, well, it looked a little funny. Face it, Bill was an old man working in a young person’s world. What did he have to offer us on a personal level?

    Maybe it was Mr. Crawford’s personality that rendered him almost invisible to the young people around him. Bill was shy, almost painfully so. He seldom spoke to a cadet unless they addressed him first, and that didn’t happen very often. Our janitor always buried himself in his work, moving about with stooped shoulders, a quiet gait, and an averted gaze. If he noticed the hustle and bustle of cadet life around him, it was hard to tell. For whatever reason, Bill blended into the woodwork and became just another fixture around the squadron. The Academy, one of our nation’s premier leadership laboratories, kept us busy from dawn till dusk. And Mr. Crawford... well, he was just a janitor.

    That changed one fall Saturday afternoon in 1976. I was reading a book about World War II and the tough Allied ground campaign in Italy, when I stumbled across an incredible story.

    On September 13, 1943, a Private William Crawford from Colorado, assigned to the 36th Infantry Division, had been involved in some bloody fighting on Hill 424 near Altavilla, Italy. 

    The words on the page leapt out at me, “in the face of intense and overwhelming hostile fire... with no regard for personal safety... on his own initiative, Private Crawford single-handedly attacked fortified enemy positions.” It continued, “for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, the President of the United States...”

    “Holy cow,” I said to my roommate, “you’re not going to believe this, but I think our janitor is a Medal of Honor recipient.” We all knew Mr. Crawford was a World War II Army vet, but that didn’t keep my friend from looking at me as if I was some sort of alien being. Nonetheless, we couldn’t wait to ask Bill about the story.

    We met Mr. Crawford bright and early Monday and showed him the page in question from the book, anticipation and doubt on our faces. He stared at it for a few silent moments and then quietly uttered something like, “Yep, that’s me.” Mouths agape, my roommate and I looked at one another, then at the book, and quickly back at our janitor. Almost at once, we both stuttered, “Why didn’t you ever tell us about it?” He slowly replied after some thought, “That was one day in my life and it happened a long time ago.” I guess we were all at a loss for words after that. We had to hurry off to class and Bill, well, he had chores to attend to.

    After that brief exchange, things were never again the same around our squadron. Word spread like wildfire among the cadets that we had a hero in our midst -- Mr. Crawford, our janitor, had been bestowed The Medal! Cadets who had once passed by Bill with hardly a glance, now greeted him with a smile and a respectful, “Good morning, Mr. Crawford.”

    Those who had before left a mess for the “janitor” to clean up, started taking it upon themselves to put things in order. Cadets routinely stopped to talk to Bill throughout the day and we even began inviting him to our formal squadron functions. He’d show up dressed in a conservative dark suit and quietly talk to those who approached him, the only sign of his heroics being a simple blue, star-spangled lapel pin. Almost overnight, Bill went from being a simple fixture in our squadron to one of our teammates.

    Mr. Crawford changed too, but you had to look closely to notice the difference. After that fall day in 1976, he seemed to move with more purpose, his shoulders didn’t seem to be as stooped, he met our greetings with a direct gaze and a stronger “good morning” in return, and he flashed his crooked smile more often. The squadron gleamed as always, but everyone now seemed to notice it more. Bill even got to know most of us by our first names, something that didn’t happen often at the Academy. While no one ever formally acknowledged the change, I think we became Bill’s cadets and his squadron.

    As often happens in life, events sweep us away from those in our past. The last time I saw Bill was on graduation day in June 1977. As I walked out of the squadron for the last time, he shook my hand and simply said, “Good luck, young man.” With that, I embarked on a career that has been truly lucky and blessed.

    Mr. Crawford continued to work at the Academy and eventually retired in his native Colorado, one of four Medal of Honor recipients who lived in the small town of Pueblo.

    A wise person once said, “It’s not life that’s important, but those you meet along the way that make the difference.” Bill was one who made a difference for me. Bill Crawford, our janitor, taught me many valuable, unforgettable leadership lessons, and I think of him often.

    Here are ten I’d like to share:

    1.) Be Cautious of Labels. Labels you place on people may define your relationship to them and bind their potential. Sadly, and for a long time, we labeled Bill as just a janitor, but he was so much more. Therefore, be cautious of a leader who callously says, “Hey, he’s just an Airman.” Likewise, don’t tolerate the O-1, who says, “I can’t do that, I’m just a lieutenant.”

    2.) 
Everyone Deserves Respect. Because we hung the “janitor” label on Mr. Crawford, we often wrongly treated him with less respect than others. He deserved much more, and not just because he was received the Medal of Honor. Bill deserved respect because he was a janitor, walked among us, and was a part of our team.

    3.) 
Courtesy Makes a Difference. Be courteous to all around you, regardless of rank or position. Military customs, as well as common courtesies, help bond a team. When our daily words to Mr. Crawford turned from perfunctory “hellos” to heartfelt greetings, his demeanor and personality outwardly changed. It made a difference for all of us.

    4.) Take Time to Know Your People. Life in the military is hectic, but that’s no excuse for not knowing the people you work for and with. For years a hero walked among us at the Academy and we never knew it. Who are the heroes that walk in your midst?

    5.) 
Anyone Can Be a Hero. Mr. Crawford certainly didn’t fit anyone’s standard definition of a hero. Moreover, he was just a private on the day he earned his Medal. Don’t sell your people short, for any one of them may be the hero who rises to the occasion when duty calls. On the other hand, it’s easy to turn to your proven performers when the chips are down, but don’t ignore the rest of the team. Today’s rookie could and should be tomorrow’s superstar.

    6.) Leaders Should Be Humble. Most modern day heroes, and some leaders, are anything but humble, especially if you calibrate your “hero meter” on today’s athletic fields. End zone celebrations and self-aggrandizement are what we’ve come to expect from sports greats. Not Mr. Crawford—he was too busy working to celebrate his past heroics. Leaders would be well served to do the same.

    7.) 
Life Won’t Always Hand You What You Think You Deserve. We in the military work hard and, dang it, we deserve recognition, right? However, sometimes you just have to persevere, even when accolades don’t come your way. Perhaps you weren’t nominated for junior officer or airman of the quarter as you thought you should -- don’t let that stop you. Don’t pursue glory; pursue excellence. Private Bill Crawford didn’t pursue glory -- he did his duty and then swept floors for a living.

    8.)  No Job is Beneath a Leader. If Bill Crawford, a Medal of Honor recipient, could clean latrines and smile, is there a job beneath your dignity? Think about it.

    9.) 
Pursue Excellence. No matter what task life hands you, do it well. Dr. Martin Luther King said, “If life makes you a street sweeper, be the best street sweeper you can be.” Mr. Crawford modeled that philosophy and helped make our dormitory area a home.

    10.) Life is a Leadership Laboratory. All too often we look to some school or class to teach us about leadership when, in fact, life is a leadership laboratory. Those you meet everyday will teach you enduring lessons if you just take time to stop, look, and listen. I spent four years at the Air Force Academy, took dozens of classes, read hundreds of books, and met thousands of great people. I gleaned leadership skills from all of them, but one of the people I remember most is Mr. Bill Crawford and the lessons he unknowingly taught. Don’t miss your opportunity to learn.

    Bill Crawford was a janitor. However, he was also a teacher, friend, role model, and one great American hero.

    Thanks, Mr. Crawford, for some valuable leadership lessons.

    Crawford retired from the Army after 23 years and went to work as a janitor at the U.S. Air Force Academy so that he could remain close to the military. Master Sergeant William J. Crawford passed away in 2000. He is buried on the grounds of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

     

    Important Lessons about Leadership - "Leadershp and the Janitor" James Moschegat, USAF (Ret.) 2016-05-09 05:00:00Z 0

    Registration for District Conference 2017 - EARLY BIRD SPECIAL

    Register by Sunday, May 8th, at the discounted conference rate of $195.00!  That is a $40 discount over the regular conference price for next year  Please email Rebecca Maddox for a registration form  This is being offered in an effort to be fair to those who were unable to attend this year's conference in Galveston.  Incoming DG Eric Liu will have a fun-filled and informative conference for us all to enjoy next year!
    Registration for District Conference 2017 - EARLY BIRD SPECIAL 2016-05-06 05:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    “Human beings invented reading only a few thousand years ago. And with this invention, we rearranged the very organization of our brain, which in turn expanded the ways we were able to think, which altered the intellectual evolution of our species.”  Maryanne Wolf
    Quote of the Week 2016-05-03 05:00:00Z 0

    The Reading Crisis

    Is there really a reading crisis in the United States? Recent National Assessment of Educational Progress, an assessment that compares all students in all US states,  shows that 36% of fourth-grade and 34% of eighth-grade students perform at or above the proficient level in reading.

    The Reading Crisis 2016-04-30 05:00:00Z 0

    Phyllis Hunter: Teaching Reading

    "Reading is a civil right," says Phyllis C. Hunter, an internationally known literacy expert who has served as an advisor to the President of the United States and the Secretary of Education. How can we, as Rotarians passionate about the right to literacy for all, best contribute to this noble but daunting goal? Research has shown that above all things that contribute to student success inside a school, one stands out as the most important — the teacher. Kids learn best when the teacher has knowledge of best practice, especially when it comes to reading and writing. Watch this interview by Phyllis Hunter and think: How can Rotary invest in our most valuable literacy resource — teachers across the world?
    Phyllis Hunter: Teaching Reading 2016-04-30 05:00:00Z 0

    De-Coding English

    Literacy unlocks doors for everyone, including those who live in poverty and lack of opportunity. You're reading this, so you're a proficient reader, but did you ever stop to think about what it takes to read a word? It's more complicated than you might think! English is the most complicated Language of all alphabetic languages in the world, and so it is the hardest to learn to read. Reading Comprehension, understanding what you read, is the ultimate goal, but just decoding the words is quite a process for young learners or older learners who struggle. As Rotarians who value and focus on the gift of literacy, it is important to have an understanding of what it takes to read a word. 
    De-Coding English 2016-04-28 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - "Where's Google Going Next?"

    Larry Page is the CEO and cofounder of Google, making him one of the ruling minds of the web.  Onstage at TED2014, Charlie Rose interviews Google CEO Larry Page about his far-off vision for the company. It includes aerial bikeways and internet balloons … and then it gets even more interesting, as Page talks through the company’s recent acquisition of Deep Mind, an AI that is learning some surprising things.

    Why you should listen

    Larry Page and Sergey Brin met in grad school at Stanford in the mid-'90s, and in 1996 started working on a search technology based on a new idea: that relevant results come from context. Their technology analyzed the number of times a given website was linked to by other sites — assuming that the more links, the more relevant the site — and ranked sites accordingly. In 1998, they opened Google in a garage-office in Menlo Park. In 1999 their software left beta and started its steady rise to web domination.

    Beyond the company's ubiquitous search, including AdSense/AdWords, Google Maps, Google Earth and the mighty Gmail. In 2011, Page stepped back into his original role of chief executive officer. He now leads Google with high aims and big thinking, and finds time to devote to his projects like Google X, the idea lab for the out-there experiments that keep Google pushing the limits.

    Weekly Program - "Where's Google Going Next?" 2016-04-25 05:00:00Z 0
    Active Rotarians Sharing Their Stories 2016-04-24 05:00:00Z 0
    Weekly Program - The Unexpected Benefit of Celebrating Failure 2016-04-24 05:00:00Z 0
    An Inspirational Story - Carrots, Eggs, and Coffee Beans 2016-04-22 05:00:00Z 0

    Nurturing Relationships in e-Clubs

    Find small ways to nurture relationships. Relationships can be challenging at a distance. Find ways to engage people with each other beyond the business and tasks.  Communicate with team members in the way they prefer. Send a tweet, connect on Facebook, call unexpectedly to check in, or send a text. Whatever you do, make sure you are making time to build relationships with each team member and helping team members connect with each other, also. Do it proactively; don’t wait until you have fractured relationships to get started.
    As you’ve read this you may think that many of these things would be true for a “normal” team too. If you are thinking that you would be completely correct! Many of the items here do apply to all teams. Why? Because virtual or remote teams are still teams of people first. Remembering that is the first step towards success. Focus on team first, and virtual second.
     
    Shared from the Remote Leadership program offered by Kevin Elkenberry.
     
    Nurturing Relationships in e-Clubs 2016-04-22 05:00:00Z 0

    South Coast Hospice Counseling

    This project is not shared with Rotary as far as I know, but is an excellent example of how Rotary clubs can look for partners who are doing good in the community.
    South Coast Hospice Counseling 2016-04-22 05:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    "Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us."
    - Wilma Rudolph: American track and field sprinter
    Quote of the Week 2016-04-22 05:00:00Z 0

    Flooding Disaster Within District 5890 - Greater Houston Area

    For all of those club members who reside in Houston, we have been consumed with following this historic flooding all around Houston.  Wayne Beaumier volunteers with Disaster Aid USA and is a Rotarian in the Rotary Club of Cypress-Fairbanks.  He says, "Rotarians in Houston and Harris County can call into 311 to report damage or ask  assistance or dial 1-800-451-1954. Ft Bend County has added a support area to their web site. If Rotarians or their families have specific needs, please have them contact me directly to  see if we can help."  Jim Wells, one of our own members,  has opened his home to assist his wife's sister and family after their home in Stablegate was flooded earlier this week.  Jim comments, "This is unparalleled in scope.  So many Houston communities and residents have been affected."   Tiffany Cady, another one of our members, and the Charlesworth's have offered housing to victims of the flooding.  Also, Tiffany has offered to care for pets of those who have been affected by flooding while they are working on home repairs.  Many families are being evacuated by airboats, kayaks or canoes and Red Cross Centers have been organized to assist those who have no where else to go for the time being.  Several Rotarians in Willowbrook Rotary are know to have experienced their homes flooding.   While the freeways have been somewhat open, depending on the part of town you are trying to navigate, the many office buildings on the feeder streets next to the freeways are inaccessible due to extensive flooding of the Cypress Creek and Spring Creek in Northwest Houston.  An estimated 140 billion gallons of water rained over the Cypress Creek, Spring Creek, and Addicks watersheds in just 14 hours ending at 10 a.m. CT, April 18, 2016, according to Jeff Lindner, meteorologist with the Harris County Flood Control District. Freeways, homes and buildings were flooded, trapping vehicles and triggering gridlock.  Many families have also lost electricity this week.  If you know of someone in need of assistance, please get in touch with Wayne Beaumier (281-923-4085). 
     
    A few years ago, our Rotary district held workshops on how to develop a disaster plan for your Rotary club.  It included a telephone pyramid calling list, and how to organize to assist fellow club members in need during a disaster which affected either their home or workplace.  This occurred following a team of volunteers of Rotarians from our district who landed in Haiti shortly before a major earthquake.  While our goal is not to train Rotarians to become First Responders, knowing who are may be helpful information to identify needs in the community.   Rotarians are eager to help others - it's what we do.
     
    Craft Grill in Tomball is also hosting a fundraising effort from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. April 25 at 25219 Kuykendahl Road, Ste. G110. The restaurant will donate 10 percent of all sales that day to the American Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast Region in Houston. For more details, visit www.facebook.com/CraftGrill.
     
    Klein ISD is collecting donated items during the day tomorrow and Saturday from 10 am until 4 pm at the Klein Multipurpose Center at 7500 FM 2920.  Items needed include diapers (all sizes), wipes, unopened/unexpired formula, new underwear, gently used clothing, toiletries, cleaning & laundry products, seets and comforters, backpacks, bottled water, hand sanitizer, dog food, bags & boxes to carry out these items and furniture in good condition.
     
    Food items will be accepted at Northwest Assistance Ministries, located at 15555 Kuykendahl Road, Ste. 255, Houston.
     

    According to NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, there were 96 days with at least one report of flooding or flash flooding in Harris County from 1996 through 2015. This equates to an average of 4-5 days of flooding each year over that time period.  Of course, not all of these flood events are as severe as April 2016, Memorial Day 2015, or Allison in 2001.  Here is a glimpse into what has paralized the city of Houston and surrounding areas:

    Business and commerce have been slowed down if not shut down altogether.  Many school districts have closed for the entire week.  Klein ISD conducted surveys the last couple of days to verify how many teachers could be expected to be on duty if schools opened, only to find the numbers insurmountable and then chose to close.  With children at home, some parents who could have otherwise made it to their offices needed to remain at home.  Many are volunteering at shelters and delivering water or ready-meals to others.  Wrecker drivers are quite busy hauling off cars that have been submerged.  Our police and fire departments and other city workers have been getting very little sleep while conducting rescue operations.  Communities have pulled together, neighbors helping neighbors, and we look forward to more sunshine soon.
     
     
     
     
    Flooding Disaster Within District 5890 - Greater Houston Area 2016-04-21 05:00:00Z 0

    Earth Day 2016 - April 22nd

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    In the year 1970, the year of the first Earth Day, the movement gave voice to an emerging consciuosness, channeling human energy toward environmental issues. Forty-six years later, we continue to lead with groundbreaking ideas and by the power of our example.  The challenge this year is to plant 7.8 billion trees for the Earth.  Let's take the momentum from the Paris Climate Summit and build on it.  Thus, the theme for this year is "Trees for the Earth".
     
    The USGS is joining people across the world to celebrate Earth Day on April 22, 2016. To help build environmental awareness, the USGS has outlined some of the critical issues facing our planet as well as science projects underway to address these challenges. Starting with science provides a valuable foundation for managers, policymakers, and other decision makers to make the most informed decisions to protect our changing world.
     

    Sea-level Rise

    Even small amounts of sea-level rise can have significant societal and economic impacts. Think about coastal erosion, vulnerability to storms, saltwater intruding into groundwater, loss of wetlands, and stresses on infrastructure. Two of the main causes of sea-level rise are the warming of oceans and the melting of land-based ice sheets and glaciers. The USGS calculates coastal vulnerability levels and provides science on historical, present, and potential future conditions. The USGS Coastal Change Hazards Portal allows people to visualize these changes.

    “The ability to easily locate and access USGS research and data through the new Coastal Change Hazards Portal is of great value for coastal managers. This information directly supports our work with local cities and towns to assess risk and communicate current and future hazards.” — Bruce Carlisle, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management

    Water Availability

    Water is critical for human consumption, agriculture, energy, and industry; it is fundamental for ecosystem health, biodiversity, and resilience. USGS scientists study all aspects of water, including its quality and quantity, its location and flow, its use, and even its history. The USGS is the primary Federal science agency for water information.

    “USGS’s data and information are relied upon by groundwater professionals as they work to meet the Nation’s water supply needs. The planned National Ground Water Monitoring Network data portal will enhance the ease with which USGS data can be integrated with State and other comparable data for informed decision-making.” — Kevin B. McCray, Chief Executive Officer, National Ground Water Association

    Geothermal Energy

    Deep within the Earth’s crust lies an extremely important but underutilized renewable energy resource: geothermal energy. In 2008, the USGS released a national assessment of geothermal power resources, showing more than 550,000 Megawatts–electric power–generating potential. Since then, the USGS has continued to research and assess geothermal power potential all over the country.

    “Interest in geothermal energy has rapidly grown. Recent permitting activity has seen dozens of applications for geothermal leases. All of this is based on the fundamental resource assessment efforts of the USGS – without that basic research, the benefits of this renewable energy resource would be achieved much more slowly and at much greater expense.” — William Glassley, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Davis

    Pollination

    Nations would crumble without pollination by bees, birds, butterflies, bats, and beetles, which provide vital but often invisible services. Wherever flowering plants flourish, pollinators are hard at work. USGS and partners study monarch butterflies, native bees, and other pollinators to help sustain and keep ecosystems resilient. For example, bee pollination is responsible for $15 billion in increased crop value each year in the United States.

    “Monarch conservation is a truly intricate issue, requiring consideration of many ecological dimensions. The Monarch Joint Venture is excited that USGS is applying their breadth of science in innovative ways to help manage this iconic species.” — Dr. Karen Oberhauser, Monarch Joint Venture Committee Chair and University of Minnesota Monach Lab Director

    Wildfire

    Wildfire is an integral part of ecosystem processes, but it poses a significant hazard to human life, property, and natural resources. Based on data from the USGS-NASA Landsat series of earth-observing satellites, fire management agencies are provided with critical information to calculate risk, prevent fires, reduce suppression costs, and restore ecosystems in the aftermath of wildfires.

    “Imagery from Landsat allows us to view the extent and severity of current wildfires in the context of fires that have occurred over the lifespan of the Landsat series of satellites. The data derived from Landsat are critical to our efforts to prepare for, respond to, and recover from wildfires across the United States.” — Tom Harbour, National Fire and Aviation Management Director, U.S. Forest Service

    Hydraulic Fracturing

    Hydraulic fracturing—or fracking— involves injecting water, sand, and chemicals at high pressure into wells to increase oil and gas flow. Fracking combined with directional drilling has made “unconventional” resources like shale gas and shale oil among the fastest growing energy sources in the Nation. The USGS researches the formation, occurrence, and exploitation of unconventional oil and gas as well as potential environmental impacts and associated waste disposal activities.

    Droughts & Floods

    Droughts and floods rank first and second, respectively, as the most costly natural hazards the Nation faces. The USGS provides unbiased information about the Nation’s rivers and streams from more than 8,000 carefully sited streamgages and tracks the status of the Nation’s aquifers by monitoring more than 20,000 wells. Reliable and immediate, this information can help save lives and property from floods and help mitigate the costly effects of drought.

    “USGS research on the role of atmospheric river storms in contributing to California’s water supply and ending drought cycles has been instrumental in our efforts to find ways to improve seasonal forecasting for drought preparedness.” — Mark Cowin, Director, California Department of Water Resources

    Earthquakes

    Imagine if doctors could stop procedures before an earthquake. Imagine if emergency responders had a few extra moments to gear–up, trains could be slowed or stopped, airplane landings could be redirected, and people could move to safer locations. The USGS and its partners are working to develop a prototype Earthquake Early Warning System for the U.S. West Coast, called ShakeAlert.

    “Los Angeles is a global city with the Nation’s largest port and greatest seismic risk. Earthquake early warning could not be more imperative for LA, and we are proud to have partnered with the USGS and others to start developing a warning system which stands to save lives and reduce losses.” — Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles,

    These concerns about our Mother Earth inspire educated scientists and engineers to explore ways to preserve our planet for future generations.  While observation is important, a comprehensive education and educating others can lead to a brighter future for all inhabitating this planet.  Rotary grants make a difference by providing Ambassadorial Scholarships for outstanding students to further their education as well as creating service projects related to many issues related to water and disasters around the world. 

    The movement continues.

    We are now entering the 46th year of a movement that continues to inspire, challenge ideas, ignite passion, and motivate people to action.

    In 1970, the year of our first Earth Day, the movement gave voice to an emerging consciousness, channeling human energy toward environmental issues. Forty-six years later, we continue to lead with groundbreaking ideas and by the power of our example.

    - See more at: http://www.earthday.org/#sthash.mke3T8Do.dpuf

    The movement continues.

    We are now entering the 46th year of a movement that continues to inspire, challenge ideas, ignite passion, and motivate people to action.

    In 1970, the year of our first Earth Day, the movement gave voice to an emerging consciousness, channeling human energy toward environmental issues. Forty-six years later, we continue to lead with groundbreaking ideas and by the power of our example.

    - See more at: http://www.earthday.org/#sthash.mke3T8Do.dpuf
    Earth Day 2016 - April 22nd 2016-04-21 05:00:00Z 0

    GROWING ROTARY - District Membership Meeting Monday, April 25th

    Meeting Date & Time:  This Monday, April 25th, at 6:30pm (6:00pm, if you want to order food)
     
    Venue:    Los Tios Mexican Restaurant  
                    4840 Beechnut St.  
                    Houston, Texas 77096
                    713-660-6244
     
    Growing Rotary enables us to do more good in our communities and the world.  Attendance at this D. 5890 Membership Meeting is also a great opportunity to bond with your club's Area Membership Chair (AMC).
    Speaker - Dee Ullrich, Rotary Club of West U  
    Topic - "Effective Mentoring, an Integral Component of Member Retention" -
    When asked to be a mentor, some Rotarians only think of the time, energy, and toil of it.  There is even confusion as to what it involves.  This two (2) part presentation reminds both mentors and new members of the tasks each face in their respective roles, told in a way meant to show the ease, importance, and fun that can be had as they walk side by side towards the Blue Badge graduation ceremony.
    GROWING ROTARY - District Membership Meeting Monday, April 25th Ann Wright 2016-04-21 05:00:00Z 0

    Contribute to Every Rotarian Every Year [EREY]

    The Every Rotarian, Every Year (EREY) initiative encourages all Rotary club members to contribute $100 every year to help us reach our goal to support the Rotary Foundation financially each year.  The Annual Fund makes it possible for Rotary clubs to transform lives worldwide. Your generous support funds local and international projects that advance The Rotary Foundation’s mission. All contributions to the international fund are spent on quality international Rotary projects.

     

    Contribute to Every Rotarian Every Year [EREY] 2016-04-19 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Climate Change Song 2016-04-19 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - "The Inside Story of the Climate Agreement"

    What would you do if your job was to save the planet? When Christiana Figueres was tapped by the UN to lead the Paris climate conference (COP 21) in December 2015, she reacted the way many people would: she thought it would be impossible to bring the leaders of 195 countries into agreement on how to slow climate change. Find out how she turned her skepticism into optimism — and helped the world achieve the most important climate agreement in history.

    Why you should listen

    Christiana Figueres has been the executive secretary of the UNFCCC since July 2010. She has directed five consecutive successful Conferences of the Parties, and is now charged with the intergovernmental process to deliver the 2015 Paris agreement on climate change.

    Figueres has a long trajectory in the field of global climate change, having been a member of the Costa Rican negotiating team 1995- 2009, and having played a number of key roles in the governance of the UNFCCC before formally joining the secretariat. She initiated her life of public service as Minister Counselor at the Embassy of Costa Rica in Bonn, Germany in 1982. Moving to the USA, she was Director of Renewable Energy in the Americas (REIA) and in 1995 founded the nonprofit Center for Sustainable Development of the Americas (CSDA) which she directed for eight years. She designed and helped to establish national climate change programs throughout Latin America and served as high level advisor to both governments and private companies. In 2001 she received the Hero for the Planet Award from National Geographic. This TedTalk was filmed in February, 2016.

     
    Weekly Program - "The Inside Story of the Climate Agreement" 2016-04-19 05:00:00Z 0

    "A Tale to Tell" - By an HIV Positive Mother in India

    ‘A tale to tell’, by India Health Action Trust (IHAT) is a Story of a Beneficiary HIV Positive Mother from Dungarpur, Rajasthan India. In her own words: "In many ways, I am one amongst many women of my village. But, I believe that there is something special in me as a mother, which makes me distinguish. I also believe that while sharing my transformed life story, I might be helping many women like me, transforming their lives in a positive manner. Today, we are the happiest parents while seeing our child negative……………..So, I have a tale to tell."
     
    India Health Action Trust (IHAT) is participating in the “Every Footstep Counts Film Competition-2016”
    Public voting is open now, and gets closed on Friday 6th May 2016.  Your support will be appreciated by Priyamvada Singh and the team IHAT.  Priyamvada is a member of our own Rotary e-club Houston although she resides in Jaipur, Rajasthan, INDIA.  She says, "Our video is visible at the 10th place in the row of all other videos."  You may give One Vote Daily till 06 May 2016.  Also, you may use all your net connected devices (as many you have….cell phone, desktop, laptop, iPod). Each separate device used will be allowing us casting one Vote daily. So please cast your vote daily and through multiple devices.".  Thank you!
    "A Tale to Tell" - By an HIV Positive Mother in India Priyamvada Singh, Ph. D. 2016-04-18 05:00:00Z 0
    Music to Celebrate Earth Day - David Elias 2016-04-18 05:00:00Z 0

    How Can I Turn $250 into $1000?

    At our last meeting, Martine Stolk, our Club Secretary, became a Paul Harris Fellow for the second time!  Through regular donations to Rotary International, Martine commits funds each month so that her Paul Harris Fellow pin is upgraded each year with another stone.    Through the memorial point fund established by the wife of Barry Smith, all Rotary eClub Active members have the opportunity to use points to match their contribution to Rotary International and then we will use the Barry Smith Memorial Fund Points to match those points.  Example:  You donate $ 250, which is matched by another  250 points to make 500; then the 500 points are matched by the BSMF with 500 points so you end up with 1000 Paul Harris points - and earn your first Paul Harris pin!  
     
    By the way, if you already have a Paul Harris Fellow pin, you will be able to add an additional level to your Paul Harris pin using the same method.   Remember that you must make the initial cash contribution of at least $250.   We will make sure that you get up to 500 points by using your donation and any current points that you or another Rotary eClub of Houston donor has so that your total of 500 points can be matched by the Barry Smith Memorial Fund.   We will be able to match your contributions through the end of April to turn $250 into $1000!    Don't wait to turn your $250 into $1000 as this offer is valid only for the first 26 Rotary eClub members!
     
    This is truly a great opportunity  - now is the time to become a Paul Harris fellow and show the world how you live "Service Above Self".
    How Can I Turn $250 into $1000? 2016-04-17 05:00:00Z 0

    Club Leadership Training - April 16th (Incoming Officers)

    District 5890 Club Leadership Training will be held tomorrow, April 16th, at the Houston Community College - Spring Branch Campus (1010 West Sam Houston Parkway) beginning at 8:01 am until 1:00 pm.  Join District Governor-Elect Eric Liu as he unveils the 2016-17 Rotary International theme and share the goals of R.I. President-Elect John Germ for the upcoming Rotary year.  A Continental breakfast and networking precede the training which will begin at 8:30 am.  If not pre-paid, then the fee is $25 at the door.  Each club officer will receive training on their office duties and a Rotary 101 will be offered to new Rotary club members.  It is also a great opportunity to meet Rotarians in others clubs and hear about what other clubs are planning for the new year.  Incoming President Dree Miller has already invited her team of officers to join her in this training.  Have fun ya'll!
    Club Leadership Training - April 16th (Incoming Officers) 2016-04-15 05:00:00Z 0

    Take Me Out to the Ball Game - May 22nd

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    Join us at Minute Maid Park for Rotary Night at the Astros on Sunday, May 22nd, 1:10pm.  Inside Champion Pavilion, Rotarians and their guests will enjoy an exclusive reception with snacks, drinks, and cash bar. The great location  overlooks the ballpark and provides a unique view of the Downtown Houston skyline.
     
    CHEER ON DG NICK GIANNONE AS HE THROWS OUT THE FIRST PITCH!
     
    Special Mezzanine seating is priced at $30 per person. 
    For more information, contact David.Frishman@DavidFrishmanLaw.com (281-391-2147). Christian Liebenow (713-259-8315) of the Astros organization, cliebenow@astros.com, indicates that tickets will be available for purchase online.
    Take Me Out to the Ball Game - May 22nd 2016-04-15 05:00:00Z 0

    District Leadership Training - April 16th

    District 5890 "Club Leadership Training" will be held April 16, 2016.   This is a team leadership training for all 201-62017 Club Officers and members. Each officer will receive training on their specific officer duties as well as a "Rotary 101" class for new members. This is your chance to hear about all of the exciting things that will be happening in the Rotary world for the Rotary Year of 2016-2017. 
     
    Join District Governor-Elect Eric Liu as he unveils the 2016-17 Rotary theme and delivers the goals of R.I. President-elect John Germfor  the upcoming Rotary Year. 

    Registration begins at 8:00 am, Continental Breakfast and Networking. Training begins at 8:30 am and should conclude around 1:00 pm. 

    $20.00 per person in advance, $25.00 at the door 

    Please send attached form and check for all registrations to:
    Rotary Club of Memorial Spring Branch
    ATTN: 2016 Club Leadership Training
     PO  Box 19413
     Houston, Tx  77024 
     

    Make checks payable to: Rotary Club of Memorial Spring Branch
    NOTE: We can no longer bill clubs. 

    Join the District 5890 Leadership Team and let us serve you with training! 

    - See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Event/club-leadership-training-for-2016-17#sthash.CMIT5t8o.dpuf
    District Leadership Training - April 16th 2016-04-15 05:00:00Z 0

    POLIO UPDATE

    Could 2016 be the year of the final Polio case?  One Polio Case reported this week.  Sad news - Seven policemen, working to protect Polio Vaccination Teams in Pakistan, were killed yesterday by a splinter group of the Taliban in Karachi's Orangi Town area.  Pakistan's Prime Minister released a statement saying "The officers sacrificed their today to secure the future of our coming generations."   
     
    Council On Legislation - "The big news last Thursday was the resolution proposal 16-118 to the RI Board presented by RIPE Germ.  This resolution affirmed the eradication of Polio as a goal of the highest order of RI and passed unanimously & with a resounding ovation.  For me, this was one of the most special moments of this Council."  District 5890's PDG D'Lisa Simmons
     
    The Big Switch -   April 17 marked the beginning of the largest and fastest globally coordinated rollout of a vaccine into routine immunization programs in history. Between 17 April and 1 May, 155 countries and territories around the world will stop using the trivalent oral polio vaccine (tOPV), which protects against all three strains of wild poliovirus, and replace it with bivalent OPV (bOPV), which protects against the remaining two wild polio strains, types 1 and 3. This effort will provide better protection for children against polio, particularly those most vulnerable to infection and will reduce the number of vaccine induced Polio infections.
     
    The Final Two Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - No Polio cases reported this week.  Eight Polio cases reported in 2016 with 54 cases recorded in 2015  The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 03/22/16 was from the Bannu district, Khyber Paktunkhwa.  One new Polio positive environmental sample reported this week.  Sub-National Immunization Days are under way this week using Bivalent OPV - but were suspended in some security compromised areas due to the attacks on policemen.    
    Afghanistan - One Polio case reported in Afghanistan this week.  Three Polio cases reported in 2016 with 20 cases recorded in 2015. The most recent case was reported on 03/27/16 from the Kunar Province. No new Polio-positive environmental samples collected this week.  Sub-National Immunization Days and are underway this week.  National Immunization Days are planned for May 17-20.  
     
    POLIO UPDATE Terry Zigler 2016-04-14 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - A Tiny House Project

    Have you heard about "Tiny Houses"?  Given the state of the current economy, a growing number of Americans with ordinary lives are choosing to scale down — way down. They call themselves the "tiny house" movement. Need to Know visited one of the movement's proponents, Dee Williams, at her small home in Olympia, Washington. This is not limited to the USA.
     
    The tiny house movement is a reality more Australians are adopting as an alternative to decades of mortgage repayments.  Having first attracted wide-scale media attention when used to accommodate victims of Hurricane Katrina after it devastated New Orleans in 2005, tiny houses have attracted little interest in Australia where homes are among the largest in the world.   
    Weekly Program - A Tiny House Project 2016-04-14 05:00:00Z 0

    Inspiration for the Week

    story thumbnail
    This is shared from Nick Shrader, President of Katy Rotary:There was a farmer who grew excellent quality corn.  Every year he won the award for the best grown corn.  One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it.  The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.  "How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?" the reporter asked.
    Inspiration for the Week 2016-04-14 05:00:00Z 0

    Update on Council of Legislation at Rotary International

    For the first time, proceedings are being followed on an app which you are able to enter and access.  Please go to www.login.crowdcompass.com and register.  We have daily updates by 7pm, including the proposals considered, the voting splits, and whether the legislation passed.
     
    Enactment 16-07 amending the Bylaws of the RI Constitution removed the payment of admission fees.  This Enactment passed with a 4 vote split (232 to 228).  There has been quite a bit of discussion amongst the Delegates post-vote.  Please note that Article 6, Section 1 of  the Standard Club Bylaws will still allow a club to assess an admission fee, if approved by its Board.
     

     

    Update on Council of Legislation at Rotary International 2016-04-14 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Pete Seeger's "Little Boxes" 2016-04-14 05:00:00Z 0

    Community Service Projects @ District Conference

    Rotary's Area of Focus:  "Basic Education and Literacy"
    Project:  Educational Material for Parker Elementary School for International Studies in Galveston ISD:
    Cost:  From $2.27 to $42.24 (please order soon since delivery to the school is via UPS Ground)
    Details:  On the morning of Friday, April 29th, our Inbound Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) Students will visit the students at this elementary school as ambassadors for Rotary District 5890, and their home countries.  On behalf of Rotary District 5890, our RYE Students will present education items we order to the teachers and students during their visit.  
     
    Here's how you and your Rotary club can help:
    We've spoken to the school counselor, and she says that their teachers need educational materials for their classrooms.
    She gave us the following links for specific items in the "Teachers Store" at Scholastic.Com.
    Steps for placing an order: (It only took 5-minutes for me to set-up an account, order, and pay with my credit card.)
    1.  You and your Rotary club can order Reading Games, Educational Puzzles, and Math Games at the links below.
    2.  Since the items will be shipped directly to Parker Elementary, the counselor gave authorization to register as a educator at their school to order items.
    3.  To set-up your account, click one of highlighted links below.
          Enter "Rotarian" in front of your first name so it appears on the shipping label and the school will know it's a donation from a D5890 Rotarian.
          Example:  "Rotarian Michael" or "Rotarian Mary", then continue with your last name as usual.
    4.  Enter your email address, and a password, then for "School Location" select "United States School".
          Then State:  "TX", City: "Galveston", and scroll down in the dropdown menu and select "Parker Elementary School, 6802 Jones Rd".
          On the next page under "Administrator", select "Other Educator", and on the next page you can skip the questions by clicking continue.
    5.  Once you've registered, order several of your favorites using your personal credit card (the school won't have access to your credit card details):
          Click here to for Reading Games.    Click here for Educational Puzzles.    Click here for Math Games.
    6.  Once you've placed the order, Scholastic.com will then ship the items you order directly to Parker Elementary.  
          The counselor will store the items until our RYE students arrive on April 29th.
    7.  Don't want to order from Scholastic.Com?  Then you could purchase quality educational puzzles at your local Barnes & Noble, Half Price Books, etc.
          However, you'll need to bring the items with you to the conference and drop them off at our Rotary 5890 District Conference Registration Desk (2nd floor) on:
          Thursday, April 28th or before breakfast on Friday, April 29th.
    8.  The morning of Friday, April 29th, our Inbound Rotary Youth Exchange Students will officially present all items to Parker Elementary School.
     
    Rotary's Area of Focus:   - "Disease Treatment and Prevention"
    Project:  Community Blood Drive - Roll Up Your Sleeves and "Be A Gift To The World by Giving The Gift Of Life":
    DG Nick asked our D5890 Rotary clubs to hold blood drives in our communities, and we're having one at the conference!
    Blood donations made by your Rotarians at the conference will be credited to your Rotary club!
    With:  Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, Galveston
    Where:  At the San Luis Hotel in our District Conference Expo Room on the 2nd Floor
    Date:  Friday, April 29th
    Time:  1 PM until 5:30 PM
    The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center staff will set-up their equipment inside our District Conference Expo Room on the 2nd floor of the San Luis Hotel.
    The Plenary Sessions on Friday end for the day around 3 PM, so encourage your family members to donate between the 1 PM - 3 PM, then you can donate before 5:30 PM.
    Walk-ins will be welcome, or you can reserve your time by clicking here.
    "Frequently Asked Questions" about donating blood (medications, illnesses, travel, etc):  http://www.giveblood.org/faq.aspx   
     
    For details, please click here for a story on the D5890 website, or copy and paste this link to your browser:  http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Stories/two-great-community-service-projects-at-our-2016-district-conference-in-galveston
    For a Project Fact Sheet about both projects, please click here or copy and paste this link to your browser:  https://clubrunner.blob.core.windows.net/00000050025/en-ca/files/homepage/2016-district-conference-service-projects/D5890-Conference-Service-Projects.pdf
     
    Please contact me with any questions at (713) 598-7129 (Cellular), or cjsb@suddenlink.net.
     
    For the love of Rotary,
    Charlie Buscemi  
    Deirdre Murray
    James Alfaro
    Tommie Buscemi
    2016 District Conference Service Project Committee
    Community Service Projects @ District Conference Tommie Buscemi 2016-04-14 05:00:00Z 0

    District Conference in Galveston April 29-30th - "Sun, Fun & Rotary"

      What happens at our District Conference?  District Governor Nick Giannone and his Conference Comittee led by Bill Haglund have prepared a agenda of great programs and speakers, a House of Friendship, gold tournament at Moody Gardens, Hospitality Suites in the evenings, and more FUN!  Our Rotary International Representative is PDG Charlie Rogers from Celebration, Florida (District 6980) and also RIVP Greg Podd from Phoenix, Arizona (District 5510) will share the about future of Rotary.  There is a "Future Governor's Banquet" for children of attendees.  And more...
     
    For the spouses, please note the Spouses' Reception at the San Luis Pool on Thursday, April 28, from 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM, just prior to the Welcome Dinner at 6:30 PM at the hotel.  The spouses will also have a special separate Spouses' Luncheon, with games, on Saturday from 11:30 AM -1:00 PM, which the Spouses' Activities Committee promises will be a memorable event.  Also, the spouses' goodie bags will have many more goodies in them than the rest of our bags, courtesy of the Spouses' Committee.
          Speaking of receptions, First-Time Attendees will be treated to a reception from 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM on Thursday, and those Rotarians who have contributed to The Rotary Foundation to the level of having become a Major Donor or Bequest Society Member will be hosted at a reception from 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM on Friday afternoon.  Please check the agenda for the location of these receptions.
          Finally, for the partiers in our ranks, the Hospitality Suite Committee has arranged to have 10 Rotary clubs host 5 hospitality suites, all on the 4th floor of the hotel.  The entire 4th floor of the hotel will be hospitality suites for your partying pleasure.  The very gracious clubs that have agreed to host hospitality suites, and the themes of their suites, are listed in the agenda, and there will be a competition between the suites, benefiting Polio Plus, for the Best Hospitality Suite. which will be announced after the Conference.
          So, for those of you who are going to the Conference, this is just a little more of what you will experience at another great District 5890 Conference.  And, for those who may have not yet signed up, it is not too late to register and come on down for some Sun, Fun & Rotary on beautiful Galveston Island.

    Galveston Island has SUN, FUN and sea galore, but that’s just for starters.  Escape with your fellow Rotarians to the perfect year-round destination, a great resort, and an outstanding ROTARY District 5890 Conference at The San Luis Hotel, Spa and Conference Center, April 28-30, in Galveston.  To register now, Click on REGISTER ON LINE

     

    Our 2016 Conference Committee is busy putting together a fun and information-filled adventure for us all to enjoy.  The festivities will begin with a Barbecue Dinner at the San Luis on Thursday night to welcome all of the Conference attendees.  The Plenary Sessions will begin on Friday morning after breakfast, and will conclude shortly after lunch, giving everyone the rest of Friday evening to enjoy the sights of the island.  The grand finale Governor’s Banquet will be held on Saturday evening at the majestic Galveston Island Convention Center, just a city block away, with transportation provided by buses from the San Luis Hotel. Thursday night’s dinner, Friday and Saturday’s breakfasts, Friday’s lunch, and the Governor’s Banquet are all included in the very reasonable registration fee on the Registration Form link.

    For later evening fun and festivities on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, the fourth floor of the San Luis hotel has been reserved exclusively for our Hospitality Rooms.  There will be five suites, hosted by two Rotary clubs each, each with their own individual theme.  You will definitely want to visit them all, and enjoy their food, beverages and hospitality.

    Of course, no District Conference would be complete without golf and tennis tournaments.  The golf tournament will be held at the beautiful Moody Gardens Golf Course on Thursday morning, April 28th, under the direction of PDG Lisa Faith Massey, a master of fun and frolic on the course.  The tennis tournament will be held Friday or Saturday afternoon, and will be chaired by big-time tennis guy, Lindsey Kroll.

    We'll have two great community service projects on Friday, April 29th, so click here to learn moreClick here for a Fact Sheet to share with your Rotary club.

    Finally, we are required by Rotary International to have an adequate amount of up-to-date information about Rotary and our fantastic district and its clubs, which will be shared with all present at our Plenary Sessions on Friday and Saturday mornings.

    The room block that we had reserved at the San Luis is now FULL, but there are still rooms available in our Conference Block at the nearby Hilton Galveston Island Resort and the Holiday Inn Resort on the Beach.  Please use the links available, or call the numbers provided, in order to make your reservations at one of these hotels before they sell out as well.  The advantage to these hotels is that the rates are $10.00 - $20.00/night less expensive.

    So, prepare for another Island Adventure with several hundred of your closest friends – your fellow Rotarians.  We look forward to seeing you in Galveston.

    - See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Event/district-conference-in-galveston#sthash.c8klQXTL.dpuf

    Galveston Island has SUN, FUN and sea galore, but that’s just for starters.  Escape with your fellow Rotarians to the perfect year-round destination, a great resort, and an outstanding ROTARY District 5890 Conference at The San Luis Hotel, Spa and Conference Center, April 28-30, in Galveston.  To register now, Click on REGISTER ON LINE

     

    Our 2016 Conference Committee is busy putting together a fun and information-filled adventure for us all to enjoy.  The festivities will begin with a Barbecue Dinner at the San Luis on Thursday night to welcome all of the Conference attendees.  The Plenary Sessions will begin on Friday morning after breakfast, and will conclude shortly after lunch, giving everyone the rest of Friday evening to enjoy the sights of the island.  The grand finale Governor’s Banquet will be held on Saturday evening at the majestic Galveston Island Convention Center, just a city block away, with transportation provided by buses from the San Luis Hotel. Thursday night’s dinner, Friday and Saturday’s breakfasts, Friday’s lunch, and the Governor’s Banquet are all included in the very reasonable registration fee on the Registration Form link.

    For later evening fun and festivities on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, the fourth floor of the San Luis hotel has been reserved exclusively for our Hospitality Rooms.  There will be five suites, hosted by two Rotary clubs each, each with their own individual theme.  You will definitely want to visit them all, and enjoy their food, beverages and hospitality.

    Of course, no District Conference would be complete without golf and tennis tournaments.  The golf tournament will be held at the beautiful Moody Gardens Golf Course on Thursday morning, April 28th, under the direction of PDG Lisa Faith Massey, a master of fun and frolic on the course.  The tennis tournament will be held Friday or Saturday afternoon, and will be chaired by big-time tennis guy, Lindsey Kroll.

    We'll have two great community service projects on Friday, April 29th, so click here to learn moreClick here for a Fact Sheet to share with your Rotary club.

    Finally, we are required by Rotary International to have an adequate amount of up-to-date information about Rotary and our fantastic district and its clubs, which will be shared with all present at our Plenary Sessions on Friday and Saturday mornings.

    The room block that we had reserved at the San Luis is now FULL, but there are still rooms available in our Conference Block at the nearby Hilton Galveston Island Resort and the Holiday Inn Resort on the Beach.  Please use the links available, or call the numbers provided, in order to make your reservations at one of these hotels before they sell out as well.  The advantage to these hotels is that the rates are $10.00 - $20.00/night less expensive.

    So, prepare for another Island Adventure with several hundred of your closest friends – your fellow Rotarians.  We look forward to seeing you in Galveston.

    - See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Event/district-conference-in-galveston#sthash.c8klQXTL.dpuf
    District Conference in Galveston April 29-30th - "Sun, Fun & Rotary" 2016-04-09 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Paul Simon's "Rewrite" 2016-04-09 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: Do What You Want to: One Doctor's Advice

    Dr. John Kitchin traded a lucrative career as a neurologist for the chance to pursue a lifelong passion: rollerblading. Every day Kitchin skates along San Diego’s Pacific Beach boardwalk practicing his unorthodox form of meditation. His unique style of skating has earned him the nickname "Slomo." Josh Izenberg's documentary by the same name takes a closer look at the man and his method.

    The Short Film Showcase spotlights exceptional short videos created by filmmakers from around the web and selected by National Geographic editors. We look for work that affirms National Geographic's mission of inspiring people to care about the planet. The filmmakers created the content presented, and the opinions expressed are their own, not those of the National Geographic Society.
     

    "Time Out" to check if you feel that your life is balanced.  Some folks decide to rewrite their lives as Dr. Kitchin did to be certain there is an opportunity to wear a smile each day of living.  Rotary offers opportunities for finding your own smile as you help put smiles on others through service projects, mentoring, educating, improving health, etc.  Are you doing what you want to do?  Or are you waiting for the right time, the right amount of money, or the right group of people to join in your project or activity.  Chances are you will find opportunities in Rotary with people who have a "Can do" attitude and the means with district or larger grants to make dreams come true.  Rotarians traditionally recite the Four-Way Test in meetings, and many clubs add a fifth, "Is it FUN!!!?"  Enjoy life, and if life hands you lemons simply make some excellent lemonade and don't forget to share! 
    Weekly Program: Do What You Want to: One Doctor's Advice 2016-04-09 05:00:00Z 0

    For Active Members - More About our Bulletins

    1.  If you receive the bulletin via emails and a "story" does not open for you, simply click on the title and it will transfer you to the website and should then open the "story".  This is apt to occur with videos such as music or even our weekly program.
     
    2.  If you are interested in reading prior issues of the bulletin, simply log-in as a member.  Begin on Home page - then click on Member Area and enter required information.  Next, lower left hand column is titled "Club eBulletin" and then "Archived Bulletins".  Here you will find all prior bulletins.
     
    3.  If you are time pressured or feel over-extended, you may utilize modern technology to listen to the bulletin while you are driving in the car traveling to a meeting or perhaps going to or from work in heavy traffic.  With "smart" phones, Siri can be set up to read your emails.  Requirements:  iOS7. 

    To read email, click and hold the Home key to enable Apple’s personal assistant, and then say, “read my email.” Siri will then ask you to unlock your iPhone if it’s protected with a passcode, and will then pull up the email in your Mail app and read it to you. Siri will tell you who the email is from, who it is to, and tell you the date it was received. Siri will then read the whole email, including any numbers or web addresses, which can get annoying, but hey–this is the future people.

    Siri will then ask if you want to reply, and you can say “yes” or “no.” If you say yes, Siri will take your dictation and allow you to send an email reply.

    The same thing goes for iMessages. Say, “read iMessages,” and Siri will read the latest one to you, and ask if you’d like to reply. You can do so, and then verbally get her to send it.

    For Active Members - More About our Bulletins 2016-04-05 05:00:00Z 0

    Council on Legislation to meet in Chicago April 10 - 15

    Representatives from Rotary clubs worldwide will gather in Chicago 10-15 April to consider changes to the policies that guide Rotary International and its member clubs.

    The Council on Legislation meets every three years and is an essential part of Rotary's governance. The representatives -- one from each Rotary district -- review and vote on proposals that seek to change Rotary's and on resolutions that express an opinion or make a recommendation to the Rotary International Board of Directors.

    on My Rotary beginning 11 April.

    Many of this year's proposed changes are designed to increase membership by giving clubs greater flexibility in the timing and the nature of their meetings. Other proposals would amend membership requirements.

    Over the decades, Council representatives have debated virtually every nuance of Rotary policy and membership and attendance rules. The five-day meeting is one of Rotary's primary agents for change, allowing the organization to evaluate and enhance its relevance in a rapidly changing world.

    Council on Legislation to meet in Chicago April 10 - 15 Rotary News 2016-04-04 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Festivals in Humble and Tomball - April 16th

    The 47th Annual Tomball Rotary Fish Fry will be on April 16th from 4 - 8 pm at the Tomball Depot (201 S. Elm Street in Tomball) and will feature Shay Domann and his Band.  Great fish will be cooked and served by the Tomball Rotarians who proclaim to be "The Friendliest Club ON the Earth".  Gold tickets are $100 for a drawing for a 1967 Mustang.  A live and silent auction along with children's activities will raise money for service projects.
     
    ***REMEMBER - REPORT YOUR ATTENDANCE AT DISTRICT EVENTS AND FUNDRAISERS FOR ANY ROTARY CLUB.  THIS SUBSTITUTES FOR YOUR OWN CLUB MEETING BUT YOU MAY READ THE NEWSLETTER AT YOUR CONVENIENCE ANYTIME. 
    The 47th Annual Tomball Rotary Fish Fry will feature Shay Domann and his band. Great fish will be served and the drawing for the 1967 Mustang will be held. We also have a beautiful ladies ring along with a wine tasting for 10 as part of the Gold Ticket raffle. We will have a live auction, silent auction and children's activities. All monies raised goes back into the community through scholarships, projects and support of other non-profit groups. Gold tickets are $100 which include a chance to win the Mustang, ring or wine tasting and 2 dinner tickets. Dinner tickets are also available and are $10. - See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Event/47th-annual-fish-fry#sthash.dGkaN67i.dpuf
    Rotary Festivals in Humble and Tomball - April 16th 2016-04-03 05:00:00Z 0

    A Rotarian Couple Dedicated to Making a Difference

         Does the name seem familiar?  Yes, this couple is related to Dr. and Mrs. Edward Charlesworth of our Rotary e-Club Houston.  They have just begun their journey and we will be following their progress daily.  When you think of sharing Rotary, do not overlook your own family members and multi-generations who share common values and the desire to help others.  The Charlesworth's have shared Rotary together in support of fundraisers between Houston and San Angelo through attending events and donating to great causes in each other's clubs.   
    A Rotarian Couple Dedicated to Making a Difference 2016-04-03 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - "Yucki Sushi" by Chuck Pyle 2016-04-03 05:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    "Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple."
    ~C.W. Ceram
     
    Your Inspiration For Today!
    Albert Einstein's theory of relativity is one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th century, and even scientists agree the formula is complex. Einstein disagreed. Explaining the basic theory to a non-scientist one day he said, "Have you ever spent time with a pretty girl and time just flew by? Have you ever spent time with someone you didn't like and time seemed to drag on forever? That's relativity."
    *Borrowed from Get My Inspiration 4 Life Quotes
    Quote of the Week 2016-03-31 05:00:00Z 0

    Top 10 Cities for Energy Efficiency in 2016

    Are you living in one of EPA’s ENERGY STAR Top Cities? Find out below and then spread the word on social media to show your hometown pride! These metropolitan areas continue to make impressive strides in cutting emissions through energy efficiency. Their efforts contribute to stronger economies, healthier communities, and cleaner air for all of us.
     

    For the 2nd time, DC ranks #1 on EPA's list of cities w/the most ENERGY STAR buildings in 2015: a record 686!

    DC, LA, San Fran, Atlanta, and NYC top EPA's list of cities w/the most ENERGY STAR buildings!

     

    More than 28,000 buildings have earned EPA's ENERGY STAR since 1999!
     
    San Jose, California, tops EPA's list of mid-sized cities w/the most ENERGY STAR buildings in 2015: 114!
     

    Midland, Texas, is 1st on EPA's list of small towns w/ the most ENERGY STAR buildings in 2014, with 34!

     

              Metro Area         Building    Total         Cost         Eqiivalent homes'
                                        Count     Floor Area   Savings    electricity use in one year
    1 Washington, DC 686 154 $179 91,000
    2 Los Angeles 527 115 $177 46,000
    3 San Francisco 355 85 $155 39,000
    4 Atlanta 311 71 $60 52,000
    5 New York 303 144 $186 68,000
    6 Chicago 281 133 $101 115,000
    7 Dallas-Fort Worth 249 67 $46 43,000
    8 Houston 231 91 $74 67,000
    9 Denver 215 47 $52 58,000
    10 Phoenix 190 29 $32
    24,000
               
    Top 10 Cities for Energy Efficiency in 2016 2016-03-30 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - "Chinese Food" 2016-03-29 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - "The Hunt for General Tso"

    Why you should listen

    Jennifer 8. Lee is an American journalist who previously worked for The New York Times. She is also the co-founder and president of the literary studio Plympton, as well as a producer on The Search for General Tso, which premiered at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival. As a metropolitan reporter for the New York Times, shewas known for turning in sparkling and intricately reported stories of city life. NPR called her a "conceptual scoop" artist -- finding and getting details on new lifestyle trends that we all want to talk about.

    Her fascination with American Chinese food led her to research and write The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, in which she solves some of the enduring mysteries around this indigenous cuisine, including such questions as: "Who is General Tso and why are we eating his chicken?" and "Why do Jews eat Chinese food on Christmas?"

    Jennifer was born in New York City, and educated at Harvard University.  In addition to her move, "The Search for General Tso", she has written works including The Fortune Cookie Chronicles; Adventures in the World of Chinese Food.  The literary studio, Plympton, innovates in digital publishing. Through partnerships, they are behind Recovering the Classics, helped launch the Twitter Fiction Festival, run the literary CODEX Hackathon, and have created a curated mobile reading service called Rooster.

    Their partners span the gamut from large to small, established and emerging. They include the New York Public Library, Amazon, the White House, Audible, Twitter, Harvard Book Store, HarperCollins, Warby Parker, the Digital Public Library of America, the Creative Action Network, Worb Corp, among many others. Always, their mission is to push the edge in what the next generation of great storytelling should be in the digital age.  A number of their DailyLit stories have been noted in The Best American Short Stories series. A Rooster app has been developed and is called a “game changing startup.”

    This TedTalk was filmed in July, 2008.  Still entertaining!  Chinese food can be found all around the world, even in Antarctica.
    Weekly Program - "The Hunt for General Tso" 2016-03-29 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: "The Walk from No to Yes"

    Our speaker this week will share stories about resolving conflicts as an anthropologist. William Ury, author of "Getting to Yes," offers an elegant, simple (but not easy) way to create agreement in even the most difficult situations -- from family conflict to, perhaps, the Middle East.  Conflicts typically have two sides, and he helps us identify a third side. This TedTalk was published in December, 2010.
     
    While this talk references the Walk of Abraham, a cultural walking route that traces the journey of Abraham, there are many other spiritual journeys.  There is the well-known El Camino de Santiago de Compostela across northern Spain.  It began as a pilgrimage to the relics of the Apostle James, interred in the grand old Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.  Rotarians Ernest and Margaret Charlesworth (yes, PDG Ed's brother) will be walking this route in April, 2016, with a fundraising focus of raising money for international Rotary projects.  Specifically,  they want to support Casa de Jesus, a girls orphanage in Mexico in need of a vocational training program.  At no cost to Rotary,  every dollar donated will support projects of the San Angelo Sunrise Rotary club.
     
    The Hajj is a yearly pilgrimage to Mecca and is presently the greatest yearly pilgrimage worldwide - and also the fifth pillar of Islam. It is a religious obligation that should be performed at least one time in every Muslim’s life. The Mecca Pilgrimage is an expression of the unity of the Muslims, and their compliance to God. The pilgrimage takes place from the 7th - 13th day of Dhu al-Hijjah which is the 12th month of the Islamic calendar.
     
    Many of our conflicts today are due to differences in religious beliefs.  In Rotary, we accept that we are different and embrace our cultural diversity, including religious and political differences.  We work together in peace and with common goals of serving others to improve the life experience of all. 
     
    In closing, to all Christians celebrating Easter this coming Sunday, may you experience joy with your family and friends and Happy Easter!
    Weekly Program: "The Walk from No to Yes" 2016-03-25 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotarians Offer Support to Those Affected by Tragedy

    Rotarians around the world offer condolences to those in Brussels, Belgium,  affected by terrorist bombings.  It is tragic that so many lives were lost and the anxiety felt by others who knew of family and friends living in Brussels or traveling at that time affected many around the world.  International Business Times  shared, "
    As leaders worldwide warn of a mounting terror threat in Europe following attacks on Brussels Tuesday that left dozens dead, the continent’s history shows it is no stranger to acts of terrorism. From the recent rise of Islamic extremism to decades-old hostilities from nationalist groups, more than 500 people have been killed in terror attacks on European soil in the past 20 years alone."
     
    Rotarians have chosen to focus on "PEACE AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION" to strive for a better world for future generations.  We tackle huge issues, such as eradicating polio, and we work diligently with our sights on attainable and sustainable goals.  Together we can make a difference. Clearly, there is much work ahead of us.  While Rotarians are not First Responders we also do not expect to alter the thinking of ISIS leaders.  Yet, we can work toward educating communities, improving health standards, clean water, building new economic opportunities, and strive for peace as communities grow stronger internally.  We provide training to grow the numbers of influential citizens committed to peace-building.
     
    As a Rotarian, you may ask  "How can I help?".  It may be as simple as making a donation to The Rotary Foundation.  The money is well-spend on programs described above.  In the face of disasters which occur around the world for a variety of reasons, we often feel the need to do something.  Phone calls to someone to be certain they are safe, expressions of solidarity on Facebook, volunteering with our time and talents either directly (hands-on - on the ground at the site) or indirectly (holding a fundraiser or writing a grant, or donating to the Rotary Foundation), all connect us to those in need.
     
     

     

    Rotarians Offer Support to Those Affected by Tragedy 2016-03-25 05:00:00Z 0

    Tips to Increase Productivity

    Kevin Elkenberry wrote an article, "Don't Let Interruptions Kill Your Productivity and Momentum" for the Remote Leadership Institute.  I'd like to share his suggestions with you to help you increase your productivity.  Rotarians are busy with work, family, social, religious, physical fitness, and Rotary activities every week.  To get it all done and have a little personal relaxing time as well we can appreciate tips on becoming more productive in our lives.
     
    The average worker experiences roughly 56 interruptions a day—or one every 8 minutes. Employees who work from home likely experience more than that. They often feel compelled to respond immediately to every email as it comes in because they fear someone will think they aren’t working if they don’t.
     
    • Stop multitasking. You can’t do it anyway. What you actually do is rapidly switch from one task to the next, and with each switch, your productivity drops. The distraction of one item (e.g., the email ding or text beep) causes you to shift and destroys your momentum. Researchers say the best you can achieve when you switch between tasks is about 70% effectiveness on each task. Just do one thing at a time.
    • Schedule email. I travel a great deal and spend large chunks of time with clients or delivering training. During those times, I can’t check email even if I want to. On those days, I process email in batches at planned times, and I spend far less time on email. Schedule time for email and put those times in your calendar. Then process email then (and only) then.
    • Turn down the ringers, alerts and notifications. You turn down your ringer when you don’t want to be disturbed, right? That should be most of the time because you are doing something important like talking to someone, participating in a meeting or working on a project. Turn off the email alert and silence all the notifications on your phone, and you will immediately reduce your biggest source of distractions.
    • Make meetings no phone and email zones. Everyone I talk to about meetings feels they have too many of them and they take too long. Ban those devices from your meetings, and focus on finishing meetings earlier.
    • Shut off the Internet. Operate your PC or tablet without the Internet on or put your phone in airplane mode or turn it off. You aren’t the President of the United States, and you can cut yourself off from the rest of the world for a short time.
    • Pick up the phone. Email isn’t always ideal for communication. Quicken problem solving and decision-making by picking up the phone to clarify an issue or talk through a problem. That reduces the need for several rounds of back-and-forth emails and the number of interruptions you will experience.
    ake action now to take back your time, and start by eliminating the power interruptions have over your day.
    Tips to Increase Productivity 2016-03-25 05:00:00Z 0

    District 5890 Membership Committe Meeting - Monday, March 28th

    Meeting Date & Time:  This Monday, March 28, 2016, at 6:30pm (6:00pm, if you want to order food)
     
    Venue:    Los Tios Mexican Restaurant  
                    4840 Beechnut St.  
                    Houston, Texas 77096
                    713-660-6244
     
    Growing Rotary enables us to do more good in our communities and the world.  Attendance at this D. 5890 Membership Meeting is also a great opportunity to bond with your club's Area Membership Chair (AMC).
    Speaker - Tom English, President of the Rotary Club of Houston Heights & District 5890 Area Membership Chair - Topics - 1.) "Why? Not Rotary.....or "Would You Miss Me When I'm Gone?" - This topic deals not so much with what distinguishes Rotary from other organizations, but poses the question of what the world and our community would be like if there were no Rotary (could that happen?).  How can we make sure that Rotary is around tomorrow?  2.) The "Five-Legged Stool".....Effective Elements In Recruiting New Members - Discover the elements of Prospecting, Value Proposition, Asking the KEY question, Cultivating Fellowship, and Promising the Deliverables.  No effort can be fully successful without a "road map" that is duplicable and transferable.  
     
    You do not want to miss the aforementioned presentation!
     
    We look forward to the attendance of at least one (1) representative from your club!  
     
    Thank you, clubs, for your effort per membership growth and retention!  
     
    Yours in Rotary service,
    Ann Wright
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair, 2015-16
    713-647-8400
    awright_tmg@yahoo.com
     
    District 5890 Membership Committe Meeting - Monday, March 28th 2016-03-23 05:00:00Z 0

    Put a Little Hope in Your Easter Basket

    Easter gifts can be found in aisles filled with chocolate bunnies and marshmallow Easter eggs or a whole lot more meaningful than that. Did you know the eggs from a flock of chicks can give vital nutrition to a family fighting hunger? Through Heifer International gifts you may choose a flock of chickens for $20 or a trio of bunnies for $60 to give to your friend, colleague, or grandchild.  Gifts range from below $100 to Above $500  and may also include stoves in a village, clean water, a gardening basket, trees, help a woman launch a small business, send a girl to school, and much more.
    Choose a meaningful gift to give a loved one and help children and families around the world receive training and animal gifts that help them become self-reliant.

    Heifer International's mission is to work with communities to end world hunger and poverty and to care for the Earth.

    Dan West was a farmer from the American Midwest and member of the Church of the Brethren who went to the front lines of the Spanish Civil War as an aid worker. His mission was to provide relief, but he soon discovered the meager single cup of milk rationed to the weary refugees once a day was not enough.

    And then he had a thought: What if they had not a cup, but a cow?

    That "teach a man to fish" philosophy is what drove West to found Heifer International. And now, nearly 70 years later, that philosophy still inspires our work to end world hunger and poverty throughout the world once and for all.

    How it Works

    We empower families to turn hunger and poverty into hope and prosperity – but our approach is more than just giving them a handout. Heifer links communities and helps bring sustainable agriculture and commerce to areas with a long history of poverty. Our animals provide partners with both food and reliable income, as agricultural products such as milk, eggs and honey can be traded or sold at market.

    When many families gain this new sustainable income, it brings new opportunities for building schools, creating agricultural cooperatives, forming community savings and funding small businesses.

    Put a Little Hope in Your Easter Basket 2016-03-23 05:00:00Z 0

    Good for a Laugh

    A plane leaves Heathrow Airport under the control of a Jewish captain. His co-pilot Is Chinese. It's the first time they've flown together and an awkward silence between the two seems to indicate a mutual dislike.
    Once they reach cruising altitude, the Jewish captain activates the Auto-pilot, leans back in his seat, and mutters,'I don't like Chinese.. .'   
    'No like Chinese?' asks the co-pilot, 'why not?'   
    'You people bombed Pearl Harbor , that's why!'   
    'No, no', the co-pilot protests, 'Chinese not bomb Peahl Hahbah! That Japanese, not Chinese.'   
    'Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese...Doesn't matter, you're all alike!'
    There's a few minutes of silence...   'I no rike Jews!' the copilot suddenly announces.   
    'Oh yeah, why not?' Asks the captain.   
    'Jews sink Titanic!' says the co-pilot.  
    'What? That's insane! Jews didn't sink the Titanic!' exclaims the captain,'It was an iceberg!'   
    'Iceberg, Goldberg, Greenberg, Rosenberg , no mattah...all de same
    Good for a Laugh 2016-03-22 05:00:00Z 0

    Call for District Conference Gift Basket Items

    Willing to part with that gift card to a store you never frequent?   Interested in donating Paul Harris Points or other Rotary items?   Ready to put together a basket that will represent your company to thousands of Rotarians in the Houston area?    Well we have the perfect opportunity for you!    Rotary District 5890 members from all over the Gulf Coast region will be convening in Galveston for the District conference and we are looking for donations of gift cards, gift baskets, dinner cards,
    Call for District Conference Gift Basket Items 2016-03-20 05:00:00Z 0

    How Can I Turn $250 into $1000?

    At our last meeting, Martine Stolk, our Club Secretary, became a Paul Harris Fellow for the second time!  Through regular donations to Rotary International, Martine commits funds each month so that her Paul Harris Fellow pin is upgraded each year with another stone.    Through the memorial fund established by the wife of Barry Smith, all Rotary eClub Members have the opportunity to use points to match their contribution to Rotary International and then we will use the Barry Smith Memorial Fund Points to match those points.  Example:  You donate $ 250, which is matched by another  250 points to make 500; then the 500 points are matched
    How Can I Turn $250 into $1000? 2016-03-19 05:00:00Z 0

    Business Policies on Social Media

    Does your company already implement a social media policy or perhaps wold like to create such a policy?  It is important to have a good sense of the company’s culture and business objectives.  Here are some examples of some company policies to review:
     
    Best Buy - The company does not want information shared that isn’t meant to be public.   Tweeters cannot share Best Buy logos and other items related to the company. Does this smack of being too cautious? I guess that depends on the industry you are in. Best Buy wants each employee to differentiate themselves and
    state their tweets and posts are theirs -- and theirs alone -- and not associated with Best Buy. If an unscrupulous employee crosses a line, Best Buy won't experience such harsh brand backlash.
     
    Oracle - Oracle’s approach to social media is a little on the stricter side. Here are some of the highlights of Oracle's social media policy.
    • Oracle appears to be of the ilk that using social media in the workplace is a hinderance to productivity because it could lead to too much personal use. Understandable? Yes. Too strict? Debatable. While it can be good to blur the line between personal and professional in social media, that balancing act isn't always appropriate in regulated industries.
    • Employees must establish that all opinions are their own and not Oracle’s, but at the same time, distinguish that they are indeed employees of Oracle. Contradictory? No. Blog posts can increase brand exposure, but employees must be careful with what they say and how they say it, not divulging new features, products, and confidential information is key.
     
    Ford - Use your common sense.
    • Beware of privacy issues.
    • Play nice, and be honest.
    As long as your employees understand what common sense is and how to use it, this policy is A-okay.
     
    WalMart - Walmart is dedicated to Twitter and believes in it as an avenue for customer service. Because of this dedication, there is one slightly surprising aspect of the Walmart social media policy.
    • Walmart wants to make sure its employees who are “official” Twitter users for Walmart are identified as such, stick to customer replies, and focus on this alone. Walmart's Twitter users should only talk about Walmart and not engage in unnecessary banter.
    Too strict? Well, Twitter is a great way to humanize your brand and put a real face behind your company's social media presence. And people don't just talk business all the time, right? However, if they are providing excellent customer service and it is helping them advance their business objectives, can you really blame them?
     
    IBM -    *Clear cut guidelines regarding what cannot be shared and how the company communicates.
    *However, IBM also encourages “IBMers” to express themselves, let their voice shine, and demonstrate their skills and creativity on social media.
    *Employees are encouraged to inspire discourse and share ideas via blogging and social media.
     
    Social media policies are important in order to avoid the “lack of common sense” mistakes. However, the degree of leniency is up to you and your management team to decide based on the structure of your company. Pick and choose what works best for your brand and company culture. Consider that, in an age where social media is playing a notable part in many companies' inbound marketing strategies, does it really make sense to completely stifle your employees' freedom and ability to share your content and spread your messages?
    Business Policies on Social Media 2016-03-18 05:00:00Z 0

    What Rotary e-club Houston Active Members are Doing

    Jake Stein - Loves skiing and took his wife, Alli,  to the Rocky Mountains to teach her how to ski, too.
     
    PDG Ed Charlesworth and Robin Charlesworth - Celebrated Ed's birthday in Las Vegas and enjoyed music by Rod Stewart and The Beatles, "Love 2016" - a Cirque du Soleil show, and another magical Cirque du Soleil Show, Zarkana. 
     
    Dree Miller and Michael Miller - Planning a trip to China!
     
    Wind Nguyen - Celebrated Lunar New Year culture with family and friends fiesting on foods from Vietnam.  He also had fun flying to Galveston in a small plane,
     
    Barbara Conway -  Spending Easter with her daughter, husband, and grandchildren in Kentucky.
     
    Raymond Davis - Attended Washington County Rotary this week - a make-up meeting!
     
    Lizette Odfalk - Attended an on-line Facebook fellowship organized by The Rotary eClub of D3170 led by their President Nischal Pandey.
     
    ***Please send your interests/activities/ "GOOD NEWS" to editor Robin Charlesworth (charlesworth@stresscontrol.com).  Thank you!
    What Rotary e-club Houston Active Members are Doing 2016-03-17 05:00:00Z 0

    World Water Day - March 22nd

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    In 1993, the United Nations designated March 22 as World Water Day to highlight global issues associated with water. UN Water is coordinating March 22, 2016 with an emphasis on water and jobs. This is a great opportunity for clubs to focus on WASH and UN Water's site is a great place for ideas!  Their resources are available here.
     
    End Water Poverty is promoting a month long awareness of water and sanitation issues. Visit their website to find resources and learn more about their activities including the Walking for Water Challenge.
     

    Concept: Walk This Way
    Production & illustrations: La Pompadour
    Music & Sound Design: Mooders

     
    World Water Day - March 22nd 2016-03-17 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - The Social and Economic Impact of Evolving Family Dynamics

    The structure of the American family has undergone fundamental changes over the last 50 years. To discuss the social implications of these changes, Goldman Sachs welcomed Stew Friedman, director of the Wharton Work/Life Integration Project; Betsey Stevenson, professor of public policy at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy; and Neera Tanden, president of the Center for American Progress, to a Talks at GS (Goldman Sachs) session in New York.   The following video was published on January 27, 2016.
    One important challenge for Rotary to attract young professionals with families is how to balance life activities with work, volunteerism, social life, spiritual/religious self, and, of course, family.  It is important for us to understand that Rotarians need the support of their families to remain active in our organization.  Some clubs have the spouse attend the pinning ceremony so they feel part of the team from the beginning of Rotary membership.  It is also important to become successful role models for children to see how to balance work, play, and giving/serving others in need.  As times have changed, the spouse is often now the husband rather than the wife.  Rotary's goal is to demonstrate equal rights and inclusive membership of women into Rotary all around the world.  Women continue to appeal for equal compensation.  RI President Ravi is strongly supporting inclusion of women in Rotary around the world and it is a requirement of earning the Presidential Citation this Rotary year.  Share Rotary with talented individuals in our communities to expand our reach to identify prospects for membership in the world's greatest service organization in the world!
    Weekly Program - The Social and Economic Impact of Evolving Family Dynamics 2016-03-17 05:00:00Z 0
    Happy St. Patrick's Day! - A Wee Bit of Music to Share 2016-03-17 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone Booth at RI Convention

    The Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone Booth will be Booth N° 2709 at the House of Friendship (HOF) in Seoul, just in front of the 2017 Convention Promotion booth! It is also your Booth as you are part of our “Circle of Twin Clubs”.

    There will be music, video, refreshments…, and most of all : FELLOWSHIP !
    Our Booth will be connected online to the whole World during the Seoul RICON.
    We will be looking forward to see all of you there!
    Yours In Rotary Service,
    Jean Louis Nguyen Qui
    President of the Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone
    Email : jl.nguyen1@orange.fr
    Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone Booth at RI Convention 2016-03-17 05:00:00Z 0

    Katy Rotary's Brewfest - April 23rd

    The 2016 Katy Wild West Brewfest will be held at the Katy Mills mall in Katy, TX – a suburb of Houston. This will be the fifth annual occurrence of this non-profit event, and the first held at Katy Mills mall. According to event organizer David Loesch, the reason for the move was simple: “We outgrew our old space; it simply could not handle our capacity anymore.”
     
    All net proceeds of the event go to both local charities in the Houston-Katy area as well as other charities around the world. A few of the charities represented are: The Rainbow Room, Future Farmers of America, The Shaw Center, along with various disaster relief efforts and fine arts programs locally. The event is fully staffed by volunteers, which means that no one works the event to turn a profit, and 100 percent of the net gross goes back to the community. Not many events can say that. Over 6,300 people traveled from as far as the Netherlands to enjoy the raucous atmosphere and wide beer selection at the WWBF in 2015, and event organizers are hoping for an even better turnout this year.
     
    April 23rd, at 4 PM (3 PM for VIP admission)  the event opens to the public. For those that don’t want to make the drive to Katy Mills Mall, the “Texas Beer Bus” will pick up throughout the day at various locations around the event. While Uber or a designated driver is always an option, why not hop on a bus with fellow festgoers and perform an out-of-tune version of “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” before or after the event? Sounds like a blast to me.
     
    The 2016 WWBF will feature over 150 breweries bringing over 500 (!) beers for your perusal. “With over 143,000 square feet of beer nirvana, every style you can imagine will be represented,” according to a WWBF press release. The VIP tent alone is over 10,000 square feet and will feature rare and one-off beers that will be made available for this event only.
    * website:www.katybrewfest.com for tickets
    Katy Rotary's Brewfest - April 23rd 2016-03-13 06:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Michael Jackson's "Heal the World" 2016-03-13 06:00:00Z 0

    A Polio Story - Taliban Father with a Polio-stricken Child

    Pakistan, which had 51 of those cases, is the center of the fight to bring the global case count down to zero. On Jan. 14, the country completed a National Immunization Day, distributing one dose of vaccine to each of the 35.5 million children under five in the country. A second dose will follow in March, and three regional immunization days in February, April and May aim to reach 5 million children each time. In all, 86 million doses of vaccine could be delivered and administered. Armed forces were dispatched last year to contain the Taliban when vaccinations are under way and imams have been enlisted to spread the word that the drops are safe and to remind parents that the Qur’an instructs them to safeguard the health of their children.
     
    But if the campaign is going to succeed, hearts and minds in the tribal regions will also have to be changed. That’s something Aziz Memon, a leading Pakistani textile manufacturer and a chairman of Rotary International’s campaign to wipe out polio, knows something about. It is Rotary that got the global eradication movement started in 1988, and has done more than any other organization to see it through, raising and distributing $1.5 billion to vaccination efforts over the years.
     

    In a recent conversation with TIME, Memon described an experience he had when he visited a hospital in Peshawar to drop off some wheelchairs and took a break to have tea and a biscuit. A hospital worker told him that a Taliban chief and his 18-month old son—who had been stricken with polio and lost the use of his legs—were in a room nearby. This was the kind of man who could make a difference if he could be persuaded to support vaccinations. Memon went into the room to have his tea and chat with the man while the child played on the floor.

    Eventually the topic of the boy’s illness came up and Memon chose to tell the father a hard and candid truth. “If you had given this baby two drops,” he said, “he’d be running now.”

    The man, who was wearing a gun on his hip, grew visibly angry. “Are you God?” he demanded. “It was his destiny to suffer this way, and now you are challenging me.”

     

    Memon apologized for giving offense and the two fell silent. At length he noticed that the room had become overly hot and that the boy, who was wearing two sweaters, looked uncomfortable. He recommended that the father remove the sweaters but the father refused, saying that his family came from a cold, mountainous region where the boy was used to bundling up, and he didn’t want him to get flu or pneumonia. Memon saw his moment.

    “But wouldn’t that be his destiny?” he asked. “Now I am challenging you.”

    The Taliban chief, hardly a sympathetic figure, nonetheless did what an ordinary father would do, which was to grow teary. “You said you could have given him two drops before,” he said. “Could you give him four drops now?”

    Memon nodded his head. “No,” he said. “It’s too late.”

    Nonetheless, Memon did extract a promise from the man: that he would take some vaccine with him when he left the hospital, vaccinate the rest of his family and offer the drops to his neighbors as well. The man promised he would, then asked Memon for his cellphone number, explaining that he would be sending him a message within the week, and when he got it, he was to read and delete it. Memon agreed. Six days later a text arrived saying that the man had fulfilled the promise he’d made. Memon, as he’d promised in return, erased the message from his phone.

    There may never be a way to verify Memon’s tale, but even if it is destined to become merely a part of polio apocrypha, its larger lesson is important. In a world of the bloody and bad, it may take only a single human exchange to produce bits of fragile good.

    A Polio Story - Taliban Father with a Polio-stricken Child 2016-03-13 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Friendship Exchange Trip FROM South Africa

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    Last Sunday our Rotary friends from East London, South Africa arrived in Houston to reunite with old friends and to make new Rotary friends.  Our visitors include Willie Orsmond, Mark and Noel Meyer.  Special thanks to the RFE Coordinators Irene Hickey (University Area Rotary Cub), Lindsey Kroll (Memorial-Spring-Branch Rotary Club), and Wendy Yates (Brenham Rotary Club) for all communications to plan the trip, details of the itinerary and transportation, home hosting arrangements, and entertainment.  PDG Ed Charlesworth and Robin hosted Willie since they were his guests in South Africa last March. The trip began with a taste of Texas history as they toured the San Jacinto Monument and the Battleship of Texas.  The next day the RFE team were introduced to local politics with a tour of City Hall, the downtown tunnel system and then our Texas Medical Center.  G.V. and Bhuvana Krishnan hosted an Indian dinner with assistance from Julia Maldonado one evening (all three had made the trip to South Africa). Rotarians are interested in service projects so we toured Northwest Assistance Ministries followed by lunch and tastings at Karbach Brewery.  We enjoyed the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo even though it was a rainy evening.  However, some of the most favored moments were simply at home sipping wine or scotch together!  In Brenham our friends toured the Bluebell Ice Cream Factory, Boys & Girls Club, George Bush Library, Large Animal Clinic at Texas A & M University's Vet School and the Miracle Farm.  Hope the rain didn't beat up the bluebonnets so they could take a traditional photo in a field of Texas bluebonnets!  Of course, a tour of NASA is on their itinerary and a quick visit to Galveston.  Thanks for all who shared in this Friendship Exchange which is really a great program for those interested in traveling and building a network of friends all around the world!
     
    Rotary Friendship Exchange Trip FROM South Africa 2016-03-13 06:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    "Books are companions, teachers, magicians, bankers of the treasures of the mind. Books are humanity in print."
    ~Barbara Tuchman
    Quote of the Week 2016-03-12 06:00:00Z 0

    How to Handle Money Safely While Traveling

    Posted by Robert Mintz - Travel Security Specialist with Rotary International
    •   Beware of pickpockets. Anyone can be a pickpocket. Generally, a pickpocket will use an accomplice to distract you while your pocket is being picked. Men should not carry there wallet in their back pocket. Women should carry their purses over their shoulders on the side farthest from the street with the bag in front and their hand on the clasp.

    •   To avoid carrying large amounts of cash, change your travelers’ checks or withdraw money from ATMs, as you need currency. The safest place to exchange currency is at the airport upon arrival. Anticipate your local currency and change what is required upon arrival. Many of the banks are located within the secure area of the airport allowing you to place a small amount of currency in your wallet while hiding the balance in a money belt or other device.

    •   Do not flash large amounts of money when paying a bill. Make sure your credit card is returned to you after each transaction. Use only one card during the trip keeping the other as a backup if fraud occurs on the card in use. Establish online access to your credit card accounts so you can monitor for unauthorized charges while traveling.

    •   Deal only with authorized agents when you exchange money. Do not change money on the black market.

    •   If your possessions are lost or stolen, report the loss immediately to the local police. Keep a copy of the police report for insurance claims. After reporting missing items to the police, report the loss or theft of credit cards, traveler’s checks, airline tickets and your passport. This will be much easier to accomplish if you have remembered to photocopy the contents of your wallet and if you have written down the overseas contact numbers of your credit card companies. Contact the local embassy or consulate to replace your passport. Items of great personal or sentimental value should not be taken on trips.

    How to Handle Money Safely While Traveling Robert Mintz - Travel Security Specialist with Rotary International 2016-03-12 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Storytelling As An Agent of Change - Panel Discussion

    Published on Dec 1, 2015 by Goldman Sachs

    Storytelling is fundamental to the mission of National Geographic Society, which it leverages to impact global change. Panelists Marcus Bleasdale, contributing photographer for National Geographic; Susan Goldberg, editor-in-chief and editorial director of National Geographic; and Dr. Enric Sala, marine ecologist and National Geographic Society explorer-in-residence, along with moderator Claudia Malley, National Geographic's executive vice president of Global Corporate Partnerships, share their perspectives on storytelling and how science and exploration work to help readers understand the economic and social change it can create. Learn more: http://link.gs.com/XAzo

    Weekly Program - Storytelling As An Agent of Change - Panel Discussion 2016-03-12 06:00:00Z 0

    Polio Eradication Update

    Eradicating polio is a particularly unforgiving task. While the virus remains anywhere in the world, it has the potential to spread around the globe to any vulnerable child or community. As the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) zeros in on polio, it becomes more important than ever that every last virus is found and rapidly stopped in its tracks.
     
    We are now 7 weeks until the globally synchronized switch from the trivalent to the bivalent oral Polio vaccine, an important milestone in achieving a Polio-free world.
     
    The Final Two Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - Three Polio cases reported this week.  Five Polio case reported in 2016 with 54 cases recorded in 2015  The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 02/12/16 was from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.  Four new Polio positive environmental samples reported this week.  National Immunization Days are planned for March.    
    Afghanistan - No Polio cases reported in Afghanistan this week.  No Polio cases reported in 2016 with 20 cases recorded in 2015. The most recent case was reported on 12/20/15 from the Kandahar Province. No new Polio-positive environmental samples were collected this week.  National Immunization Days and are planned for March 15-18.
     
    Post Endemic - Nigeria - No Polio cases reported in 2016 with 0 cases recorded in 2015.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14.  
     
    Importation Countries - Ethiopia (0-2015, 1-2014), Cameroon (0-2015, 5-2014), Somalia (0-2015, 5-2014), Iraq (0-2015, 2- 2014), Syria (0-2015,1-2014), & Equatorial Guinea (0-2015, 5-2014).
    Polio Eradication Update Terry Zigler 2016-03-03 06:00:00Z 0

    Building an Effective International Team

    Our Rotary e-club of Houston is comprised of an international membership.  Some ask how this can possibly work with members all around the world.  Here are some ideas shared Remarkable Leadership on building effective remote or virtual teams:
     
    Recognize both the challenge and opportunity. There are clearly challenges when your team members are scattered across time zones and space. Remember, there are opportunities too. People who are remote have been found, in most cases, to be individually more productive. When your team isn’t together you will have different perspectives and inputs (and perhaps more cultural diversity too), which means you should get more varied ideas and be less susceptible to group think. Remote teams bring great opportunity; make sure you are capitalizing on those opportunities.
    Have clear goals. Along with clear expectations, we must have well-defined goals. What is the team trying to accomplish? Do they all know, and can they all consistently describe, the goals? What are you doing to remind people of these goals and keep them in front of them? While this is always important, it is especially so when people are not in consistent contact with each other. As a leader you must make sure the goals are clear and everyone is focused on moving towards them.
    Manage team dynamics. Make sure you are thinking about team dynamics. On conference calls, is everyone participating? Do you have people checking out or disengaging? Is your team the right size for achieving the desired work product? Are there better ways to manage various pieces of the work? Is there another means of communication that might work better?
    Find small ways to nurture relationships. Relationships can be challenging at a distance. Find ways to engage people with each other beyond the business and tasks.  Communicate with team members in the way they prefer. Send a tweet, connect on Facebook, call unexpectedly to check in, or send a text. Whatever you do, make sure you are making time to build relationships with each team member and helping team members connect with each other, also. Do it proactively; don’t wait until you have fractured relationships to get started.
     
    As you’ve read this you may think that many of these things would be true for a “normal” team too. If you are thinking that you would be completely correct! Many of the items here do apply to all teams. Why? Because virtual or remote teams are still teams of people first. Remembering that is the first step towards success. Focus on team first, and virtual second.
    Building an Effective International Team 2016-03-03 06:00:00Z 0
    Refresher Course - Why does our calendar have a Leap Year? 2016-03-03 06:00:00Z 0

    Membership Continues to GROW!!! Sharing ROTARY!

    Welcome to our newest members -
     
    Anastasia Ray  - She is interested in global grants and is from Namibia.  She is an investor relations manager at Impact Tank.  She was introduced to Rotary by Robert Brauback, Honorary Consul to Namibia for San Antonio.  Welcome!
     
    Marcia Natali de Assis Allgayer - Welcome back to the e-club!  She was previously a member of our club and we are delighted to have her re-join our group.  In the interim she was an active member in a Florida Rotary club.  She lives in West Melbourne, Florida and is an HR Specialist.
     
    Van Quyen Nguyen - Recently joined our satellite club - Rotary Club of Houston Lotus.  He is a taxi driver.
    Membership Continues to GROW!!! Sharing ROTARY! 2016-03-02 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: Robots for Humanity

    Paralyzed by a stroke, Henry Evans uses a telepresence robot to take the stage — and show how new robotics, tweaked and personalized by a group called Robots for Humanity, help him live his life. He shows off a nimble little quadrotor drone, created by a team led by Chad Jenkins, that gives him the ability to navigate space — to once again look around a garden, stroll a campus … (Filmed at TEDxMidAtlantic, October, 2013.)

    Why you should listen

    At age 40, Henry Evans was left mute and quadriplegic after a stroke-like attack caused by a hidden birth defect. Years of therapy helped him learn to move his head and use a finger -- which allows him to use a head-tracking device to communicate with a computer using experimental interfaces.

    Now, Evans is a frequent and enthusiastic collaborator with robotics teams who are developing tools to help the severely disabled navigate their lives. He collaborates with Georgia Tech professor Charlie Kemp on using the Willow Garage PR2 robot as a surrogate, as well as Chad Jenkins' RLAB at Brown on quadrotors for expanding range of motion.

    As the Willow Garage blog post says: "Every day, people take for granted the simple act of scratching an itch. In Henry's case, 2-3 times every hour of every day he gets an itch he can't scratch. With the aid of a PR2, Henry was able to scratch an itch for himself for the first time in 10 years."

    Henry Evans is an enthusiastic world traveler. In the past year, he has visited Vermillion, South Dakota; Sydney, Australia; and Qusar, Azerbaijan. He’s explored halls of the Smithsonian, gone scuba diving in California, and flown over Bora Bora. He is in the midst of finagling a trip to space.

    Evans, it should be noted, does all this traveling from his home in Palo Alto, California. Each trip is a technological feat. Quadriplegic after a stroke in 2002, Evans is a pioneer of “tele-tourism.” Using new technology, he is finding ways to travel and experience the bounty of the world.

    In 2013, Evans gave the TED Talk “Meet the robots for humanity.” In it, he demonstrated how PR2 robots can be “body surrogates” for the disabled. “I shaved myself for the first time in 10 years,” said Evans of this robot. “I opened my refrigerator on my own.”

    Then, with collaborator Chad Jenkins, Evans showed how aerial drones were pushing the idea of body surrogacy further. Using a mouse controlled by his subtle head movements, Evans showed how he could both send commands to the drone to control its movement and simultaneously see its video feed as it moved.

    But telepresence technology is evolving quickly and a lot has changed in the two years since this talk. And Evans wanted to give an update. So he created the presentation above to show five new robotic innovations that have allowed him to move from exploring his immediate surroundings to traveling around the world.

    Evans’ TED Talk  has been viewed more than a million times. He gets emails from people all around the world, and has received numerous invitations to speak at conferences. After his talk, he was even asked to recreate the drone demonstration for the United States House of Representatives during a Congressional retreat. In March, Evans was the subject of a CBS Sunday Morning story about his use of telepresence robots. This month, he and his wife are featured in the Reader’s Digest story “How a Quadriplegic Man Helped Pioneer His Own Life-Changing Robot.”

    The biggest change of the past two years? “People the world over are growing more accustomed to telepresence robots,” says Evans. And while he credits Suitable Technologies, maker of the Beam telepresence robot, for this — he has been a part of this changing of perceptions too. Evans is an outspoken advocate for telepresence and making sure that others understand its potential to, as he puts it in the video above, “help the disabled or bedridden experience the world again.”

    This idea is just beginning to emerge. Evans wonders: could outfitting buildings and public spaces for telepresence become the new standard for accessibility, as widespread as wheelchair ramps and closed captioning?

    Telepresence, says Evans, is an assistive device that helps human being transcend the limitations of their physical being. Some other examples: cars, airplanes, contact lenses. Evans explains, “Using assistive devices doesn’t make you less human.”

    Hope you have found this story to be inspiring and providing hope for the future with the continuing development of telepresence technology.  Perhaps this opens up opportunities for inventive minds to expand on services needed in remote areas and possibilities for sharing medical training and even basic education in third world countries.  Put on your thinking caps, Rotarians!
    Weekly Program: Robots for Humanity 2016-03-02 06:00:00Z 0

    Guidelines for an Effective Service Project

    Effective service projects do more than just offer a quick fix for problems. The most effective service projects

    • ¢  Respond to real issues

    • ¢  Improve community members’ lives

    • ¢  Incorporate the abilities of those who are served

    • ¢  Recognize the contributions of all participants as important and necessary

    • ¢  Are based on a realistic assessment of available resources

    • ¢  Aim for specific goals and objectives with measurable results

    • ¢  Build effective networks

    Rotarians speak of "service".  What is service through Rotary?   In a broad sense, any action by one or more people that benefits another person or people. Rotary has five Avenues of Service:

    • Club Service focuses on strengthening fellowship and

      ensuring the effective functioning of the club.

    • Vocational Service encourages Rotarians to serve others through their vocations and to practice high ethical standards.

    • Community Service covers the projects and activities clubs undertake to improve life in the community.

    • International Service encompasses actions taken to expand Rotary’s humanitarian reach around the globe and promote world understanding and peace.

    • New Generations Service recognizes the positive change implemented by youth and young adults through leadership development activities, service projects, and exchange programs.

      What is sustainability? The ability of a project or program to operate on its own without outside support or intervention. Sustainability is often used as a measure of a project’s long-term effectiveness.

    • ¢  Empower people and communities

    Guidelines for an Effective Service Project 2016-03-02 06:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - I Believe I Can Fly

     
    Lyrics

    I used to think that I could not go on
    And life was nothing but an awful song
    But now I know the meaning of true love
    I'm leaning on the everlasting arms

    If I can see it, then I can do it
    If I just believe it, there's nothing to it

    [1] - I believe I can fly
    I believe I can touch the sky
    I think about it every night and day
    Spread my wings and fly away
    I believe I can soar

    Song of the Week - I Believe I Can Fly 2016-03-02 06:00:00Z 0

    A Special Jubilee of Rotarians to be Celebrated with Pope Francis

    Rotary members worldwide are invited to join President K.R. Ravindran in Rome on 30 April to celebrate the Jubilee of Rotarians, a special event hosted by District 2080 and the Vatican. His Holiness Pope Francis will celebrate a Jubilee mass in St. Peter's Square, where 8,000 seats will be reserved for Rotary members, friends, and family.
    This Jubilee, as established by Pope Francis, is a commitment to serve with joy and in peace across the world.
    More information is available on the Jubilee of Rotarians website. The registration deadline is 15 March.
    A Special Jubilee of Rotarians to be Celebrated with Pope Francis 2016-02-26 06:00:00Z 0
    Get Inspired to Serve 2016-02-26 06:00:00Z 0

    Polio -The Final Steps Reviewed in The New England Journal of Medicine

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    A World Free of Polio — The Final Steps

    Manish Patel, M.D., and Walter Orenstein, M.D.

    N Engl J Med 2016; 374:501-503February 11, 2016DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp1514467

    Global polio-eradication efforts have led to a dramatic decrease in polio cases, from an estimated 350,000 cases in 125 countries in 1988 to 72 cases in 2015. As of January 2016, endemic transmission of polio caused by wild polioviruses (WPVs) had been interrupted in all countries except Pakistan and Afghanistan. Indeed, the Global Commission for Certification of the Eradication of Poliomyelitis recently certified that type 2 wild poliovirus, one of three strains responsible for centuries of human paralysis and disfigurement, has been eradicated. Type 2 poliovirus now exists only in laboratories and in trivalent oral polio vaccine (tOPV) in an attenuated form, though in rare circumstances it surfaces in the community, through persistent transmission, in the form of outbreaks of vaccine-derived viruses. Getting to this point has not been easy. Sustaining our wins and traversing the last mile of the eradication journey calls for escalation of global immunization activities on an unprecedented scale.

    Oral polio vaccine (OPV) has been the lynchpin of successful control of paralytic polio. However, in very rare instances, it has been associated with cases of paralysis caused by vaccine-associated paralytic polio (VAPP) or circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPVs) — the latter when the viruses included in the vaccine have mutated over time, acquiring the neurovirulence and transmissibility of WPV. For this reason, it is of paramount importance to discontinue the use of OPV after polio eradication has been certified. Since the last case of naturally occurring type 2 WPV in 1999, continued use of OPV2 (the type 2 component of tOPV) has paralyzed an estimated 1600 to 3200 people with VAPP and more than 600 people with type 2 cVDPV.1 Because routine use of type 2–containing vaccine is no longer needed, the global community has a moral imperative to discontinue it as soon as programmatically feasible. Because WPV types 1 and 3 have not yet been eradicated, however, the phased withdrawal of OPV antigens will begin with a shift from tOPV (containing types 1, 2, and 3) to bivalent OPV (bOPV, containing types 1 and 3).

    Global cessation of OPV2 use poses a low but real risk of outbreaks of cVDPV2 or WPV infections associated with declining immunity to type 2 poliovirus.2 The overarching strategy for reducing this risk is to maximize immunity against type 2 before and after withdrawal of the vaccine and to prepare for an appropriate outbreak response. Doing so requires a comprehensive, multipronged approach.

    First, it is important to stop current cVDPV2 outbreaks in advance of the switch, through aggressive tOPV vaccination in any place where cVDPV2 is detected. Programs with lower routine coverage will have to boost type 2 immunity through additional tOPV campaigns just before OPV2 withdrawal.2 A high level of immunity, especially OPV2-induced intestinal immunity, will prevent sustained transmission of vaccine viruses, which could lead to generation of new cVDPV2s.

    Second, all countries should have access to enough inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) to administer at least one dose to all children through the routine immunization program. IPV provides immunity against all three polioviruses without generating any infectious vaccine-associated polioviruses. Introduction of IPV is intended to provide some immunity against type 2 viruses in new birth cohorts to mitigate future outbreaks of type 2 WPV and type 2 cVDPVs, should the viruses be reintroduced.3 IPV, however, may not prevent cVDPV2 emergence, which will be greatest during the first 6 to 12 months after OPV2 withdrawal.

    Third, there had to be certified eradication of type 2 WPV, which has been accomplished.

    Fourth, all countries must have destroyed type 2 WPV or securely contain it in essential laboratory and vaccine-production facilities by the end of 2015 and must do the same with OPV2 within 3 months after it is withdrawn.

    Fifth, a global stockpile of monovalent type 2 OPV should be available to control outbreaks of type 2 polio, should type 2 viruses be reintroduced.

    Finally, leaders of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) should finalize a protocol for surveillance of and response to such outbreaks.

    Coordinated communication among global health organizations, countries, manufacturers, and funders is imperative to ensure synchronized OPV2 withdrawal with minimal disruption in vaccination services to children worldwide. Successful synchronization also requires GPEI leaders and countries to monitor the timely completion of preparatory steps both globally and within each country (e.g., managing of tOPV inventories; bOPV licensure, procurement, and shipment; securing of financial resources; establishment of communication; and training of logisticians, health workers, and monitors). Equally, if not more, important, however, will be the monitoring of outcomes of withdrawal of the vaccine in April 2016. Although it is nearly impossible to monitor every vaccination service point — India alone has more than 26,000 — a targeted monitoring strategy for high-risk areas, such as facilities storing large stocks of tOPV, could provide further reassurance of low risk of cVDPV2 reemergence. Countries will need to dispose of residual tOPV stocks using their existing pharmaceutical-waste-disposal procedures to avoid continued use of the discontinued vaccine.

    More preparation for the switch is required in the coming months, and for completing polio eradication in the coming years. But collaboration in eradication efforts has reached a high point never before achieved by the immunization community. Getting here has required tireless effort and practical innovation in science, policy, and implementation. Capitalizing on the gains made to date should push overall polio eradication over the finish line and may pave the way for measles eradication and future global health initiatives.

    The Final Two Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - One Polio case reported this week.  Two Polio case reported in 2016 with 54 cases recorded in 2015  The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 01/22/16 was from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.  One new Polio positive environmental samples reported this week.  National Immunization Days are planned for March.    
    Afghanistan - No Polio cases reported in Afghanistan this week.  No Polio cases reported in 2016 with 20 cases recorded in 2015. The most recent case was reported on 12/20/15 from the Kandahar Province. No new Polio-positive environmental samples were collected this week.  National Immunization Days and are planned for March 16-18.
    Polio -The Final Steps Reviewed in The New England Journal of Medicine 2016-02-26 06:00:00Z 0

    Music for the Week - Mariachi Music

    Mariachi is a genre of music that originated in the State of Jalisco, in Western Mexico. It is an integration of stringed instruments highly influenced by the cultural impacts of the historical development of Western Mexico. Throughout the history of mariachi, musicians have experimented with brass, wind, and percussion instruments. In addition, sociohistorical factors have influenced the repertoire in terms of the performance of diverse regional song forms as well as the evolution of the performance attire. Mariachi is important to the study of Mexican music because, as an ensemble created during the colonial period, it found its essence during the postcolonial era, blossomed during the nationalist era, and made a global impact during contemporary times. Throughout this development, particularly since the nationalist era, mariachi music has become emblematic of Mexican music by appropriating various Mexican regional song forms, experimenting in popular radio programs, appearing in the first Mexican films, and performing during presidential campaigns (Loza 1993, Turino 2003, Sheehy 2005, de la Mora 2006, Jáuregui 2007).

    The mariachi ensemble generally consists of violins, trumpets, a classical guitar, a vihuela (a high-pitched, five-string guitar), a guitarrón (a large acoustic bass) and, on occasion, a harp or two. They dress in silver studded charro outfits with wide-brimmed hats. The original Mariachi were Mexican street musicians or buskers. Many mariachis are professional entertainers doing paid gigs in the mainstream entertainment industry. Professionals are normally skilled at more than one instrument, and they also sing. They sometimes accompany ranchera singers such as Vicente Fernandez or even pop star Luis Miguel. Although ranchera singers dress in a traje de charro (Charro suit), they are not mariachis. Besides the typical instrumentation, mariachi music, as well as many other forms of traditional Mexican music, is also noted for the grito mexicano, a yell that is done at musical interludes within a song, either by the musicians and/or the listening audience.
     
    Here is Linda Ronstadt with Mariachi Los Camperos performing "La Charreada" for President Clinton and his wife Hillary.
     
    Music for the Week - Mariachi Music 2016-02-26 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: Making a Difference in this World

    Published on Jan 30, 2014 - TEDxUniversity of Nevada

    Barry Posner is the Accolti Endowed Professor of Leadership at the Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University. In this talk he discusses two truths from his book with co-author Jim Kouzes, "The Truth About Leadership;" you make a difference and you can't do it alone.

    Rotarians can effectively make a difference because we have strength in numbers - club level to district level (grants and/or partnerships with other clubs) to connections with Rotarians all around the world.  One person may discover his or her passion, dream of a project to help others, share it with other Rotarians, pool time, talent and treasures to make the dream become a reality.  Each Rotary club may celebrate a number of local and international projects, yet there is so much more happening which you can hear about at district conference, Zone meetings, or the Rotary International Convention.   Together we can change the world!
    Weekly Program: Making a Difference in this World 2016-02-26 06:00:00Z 0

    Cell Phone Do's and Don'ts

    What would we do without our cell phones? Wow, there’s a scary question. It’s hard to imagine a world without them. But cell phones, connected as they may keep us, seem to have an amazing power to disturb and trump face to face interaction. For example, why is it that during a meal or a meeting, people insist on taking every call? Even worse, just let the phone ring? They forget all about the person across the table as if they were invisible! –
     
    This violates the golden rule of interpersonal communication, which is to make the other person feel like the most important person in the world.
    The following is a list of cell phone do’s and don’ts that will help you avoid embarrassing yourself while still honoring the person across the table. (This information is NOT found in the 147 page Sprint PCS handbook.) Whether you’re at lunch or in a one-on-one meeting, use these etiquette tips to combat even the most enticing barriers that stand in your way of being an effective communicator.
    DO…Be Subtle Yet Accessible
    The three possible locations to keep your phone are: bag, belt or pocket. Many people chose to keep cell phones in their bags because of pocket-less wardrobes. If this is the case for you, be sure to choose a vibrating or single beep ring that is audible, yet minimal so it doesn’t ring seven times while you search through your bag.
    Pockets and belt clips are the most efficient places to keep your phone because you are able to answer the ringer right away. Also you can silence the ringer right away. Remember, the last thing your friend or colleague wants to hear during the meeting is an annoying MIDI version of Beethoven’s 9th piercing his ears.
    DO NOT…Lay Your Phone on the Table
    The moment you sit down to lunch with someone, what’s the first thing you do? Check out the menu? Take a sip of water? Unfold your napkin? If you’re like me, you succumb to the power of the almighty carbohydrate and go to town on the rolls.
    But imagine this: you sit down to eat only to watch the person across the table reach into her pocket, grab her cell phone, and smack it right down next to the salt shaker. Ouch.
    Does that mean she has an emergency call coming in? Probably not. It sounds more like, as Jerry Seinfeld says, “I have 62 other people on speed dial that I could call if I wanted to; so you better be interesting.” That is not the way to make someone feel important.
    DO…Take Emergencies
    If you know ahead of time that an incoming call is a business or personal emergency, answer it. This is what cell phones are for. But other than an emergency message or a call that directly affects all people the conversation at hand, there’s nobody calling you that can’t wait an hour for you to call him back. In the history of cell phones, nobody has ever said, “You were in a meeting?! And THEN you called me back?! How rude!”
    DO NOT…Wear Phone Accessories During the Meeting
    If you sit through an entire meeting wearing an earpiece, headset or any other hands-free-time-saving-quick-answer-annoying-accessory, you should be ashamed of yourself. That’s like taking your spouse to a singles bar!
    Nonverbal communication speaks before you do. It accounts for 93% of your communication. So, along with eye contact, smiling and open body language – involvement shields like cell phone headsets can nonverbally send the wrong message, for example: “Please anticipate our meeting being interrupted by somebody more important than you.”
    DO NOT…Let Your Phone Ring Twelve Times
    Especially if your cell phone ring is audible from Jupiter, always silence the ringer after three beeps - or in some cases, symphonies. Odds are you’re annoying the heck out of someone else in the room, namely, the person sitting two feet across the table. Most cell phones have buttons on the outside that double as ring silencers. Use ‘em. Consult your manual and learn how to quickly silence your phone while it’s still in your pocket. If you happen to sport the Clint Eastwood Quick Draw Cell Phone Holster, great! Silencing should be even easier. No excuses.
    DO…Turn It Off
    A fool-proof solution to cell phone interruption is best personified by the words of Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid II. He said, “The best way to block a punch is to not be there.” In other words, just turn your phone off. This is a great way to avoid incoming calls or the temptation to make outgoing calls.
    DO NOT…Insult the Absent
    Some people answer their phones during a meeting or meal and try to compensate for their rudeness by insulting the person on the other line – as if this makes up for it. They roll their eyes. They give you the “just a minute” index finger. They impatiently bob their head back and forth to the rhythm of their boring conversation while forming their non-phone hand into the “Quack Quack” gesture which symbolizes someone on the other line who won’t shut up. Meanwhile you’re sitting there like an idiot, feeling bad for the person on the other end of the phone, deciding whether or not you should have another roll.
    DO…Wait for the Right Time
    The best time to check missed calls that you politely silenced is when you or your colleague is away from the table. This will give you enough time to see what you missed, and if need be – return an emergency call. And if you must return the call immediately, don’t do it at the table. Politely say, “Please excuse me for a minute, but I have to take this call.”
    Some sneaky people – my last date for example - pretend to use the bathroom for the sole purpose of making a phone call. This is an effective technique, but be careful. If you’ve had a few glasses of water, ten minutes later when you really do have to go, you’ll turn into “The Boy Who Cried Hello.”
    DO NOT…Debate the Caller ID
    Nothing is more frustrating than to be on the other end of the “Caller ID Debate.” If you’re not familiar with this atrocity, here are the four steps. (1) They give you the “just a minute” index finger, (2) They check their caller ID, (3) They tilt their head and stare at the phone for 2-5 seconds, and (4) They make a decision to answer the call or return to your conversation. This is terribly uncomfortable. You actually watch your friend (?) decide whether or not there’s someone else she’d rather talk to. Ouch.
    The Bottom Line
    Cell phones have become a primary form of communication. In fact, manufacturers will ship 585 million phones in 2004, according to a study from market watcher Strategy Analytics. But with every phone shipped comes a coefficient of frustration caused by improper etiquette. Show consideration for the person joining you and be mindful of ringers, accessories and incoming calls. And if you use your cell phone at the right time for the right reason, you will honor your company as an effective communicator.
    Remember: don’t incur the opportunity cost of cell phone convenience at the expense of someone sitting right across the table. You’re sitting down with him.
     
    About Deskdemon:  Launched in the U.K. in August, 2000, DeskDemon is developed in close collaboration with PA’s, Office Manager, secretaries and administrative staff to offer you a single web site encompassing all aspects of office management.
    Cell Phone Do's and Don'ts Scott Ginsberg (us.deskdemon.com) 2016-02-26 06:00:00Z 0

    The Impact of Visualization

    Bo Bennett said, “Visualization is daydreaming with a purpose.”

    If you were to hold a vivid, fearful picture in your imagination, your body would respond through the autonomic nervous system, with a feeling of uneasiness, upset stomach, elevated pulse and blood pressure, sweating and dryness of the mouth.

    However, if you were to hold a pleasant, relaxing image in your mind, your body would respond with a lowered heart rate, decreased blood pressure, and relaxed muscles.

    Remember, what the mind pictures and harbors, the body manifests.

     
    The Impact of Visualization 2016-02-24 06:00:00Z 0

    Attention Pollution

    What is "attention pollution"?  This term is used by Kevin Eickenberry who believes that attention pollution may well be the most important type of pollution you experience in your lifetime.  We have had articles about environmental pollution, reduce, reuse, recycle,  pollution in our oceans, etc.   He says, “Our attention allows us to think, learn, solve problems, show gratefulness, love, and much more.”   It also allows us to create and recall what our thoughts were to share with others or to record for more in-depth exploration at a later time.  Eikenberry has a short list of what may constitute our attention pollution:
     
    *Other people
    *Phone calls or text messages
    *Music in our surroundings (perhaps streaming from a music service or your personalized playlist)
    *television, NetFlix, YouTube, Hulu, etc.
    *breaking news/catastrophic event dominating radio, television, apps
    *Email
    *Cell phone constantly in hand (multitasking!!!)
    *Buzzes, beeps, notifications on misc electronic devices
    *Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Blogs
    *Your favorite apps or video games
    *the internet in general
     
    *The following is shared from an article on kevineikenberry.com.  The article published on December 7, 2015 entitled “Is Your Attention Polluted/”:
    It is clear that the negative personal impacts of attention pollution are at least as dire as the pollution in our air or water. Yet, we seem to largely ignore these, or call these polluters “progress.” I’m neither a technophobe nor an extreme environmentalist. I care about the purity of our air and water, and I care about the purity of my attention too. Of course there are trade-offs that come with some of the industries and situations that are impacting our natural resources – and the same is true with the technologies and advances that are impacting our attention.
    The pollution I am describing here is subtler than some trash on the side of the road or an obvious spill in the water. And in most all of these situations you could say these aren’t polluters, but enhancers to our lives. Certainly a distraction of a loved one diverting our attention might not be seen as “pollution.”
     
    But not all distractions are created equal; and when the number of and number of sources of distractions grows to the point that we seldom (never?) have time to stop and think about important (or even random) things in our lives, it has long term and unforeseen effects on our life, our health and our success. Let me be direct:
    When do you stop and think?
    When do you reflect on your day, year, choices or life?
    If you don’t like your answers; it’s time to consider what is polluting your attention. And it is time to take responsibility for guarding your attention with the fervor it deserves.
    I opened by saying that through a variety of means we have become quite aware of several types of pollution; and that awareness begins to create change. This article is meant to create a new awareness and perhaps some new language for you. Your attention is valuable, and it is polluted.
    If you find your attention is polluted more than you’d like, the choices are yours. The “clean up” in your hands.
    In our psychology practice (Willowbrook Psychological Associates/Edward A. Charlesworth, Ph. D. and Robin Charlesworth, M.A., L.P.A.), we often hear complaints in family sessions that the kids never put down their cell phones or their electronic games.  Some families have the experience of dad being at work all day only to come home and relax by playing solo video games rather than engaging with his children.  In restaurants, while waiting for a table or even at the table, it is not uncommon to see most if not all at the table with phones in hand rather than establishing eye contact and engaging in conversation to share their thoughts and feelings.  When did everything become URGENT and require our immediate response?   While there are certainly many pluses with the spurious development of technology, it definitely has an impact on quality of family time.  Take a TIME OUT to examine the attention pollution in your family.
     
    A person does not have to be diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) to be distracted in a Rotary meeting by a cell phone ringing even after an announcement/reminder has been verbalized at the beginning of the meeting.   Such attention pollution continues to occur in theaters, ballets, symphonies, etc., where there is both a written and verbal reminder to silence the cell phones.  It appears that some folks who are surprised that their phone has rung because no one ever calls them do not even know who to silence their phones but continue to stare at the device and wait for it to go quiet.  Apparently some believe they are entitled to take their phone calls whenever and where ever they happen to presently be.  These same folks sometimes appear to be somewhat deaf because they go ahead and answer their phone with loud voices.  
     
    Some businesses have policies to attempt to control the attention pollution.  After all, an employee is expected to work for his salary and not seek out social media during business hours.  Next week we will continue to explore this area and share what some companies are doing to set some limits.  If you would like to contribute some information, either personal thoughts or your own company policy, please share with your attendance report. And, in closing, THAN YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!!
    Attention Pollution 2016-02-23 06:00:00Z 0

    How e-club members do SERVICE

    Our Membership Chair and President-Elect, Adriane Miller, shares how she became involved with Rotary:  Four years ago Dree and her husband Mike went to a fundraiser gala for Rotary Club of Willowbrook. Dree says, "That's when my friend, Rosangela Catunda, introduced me to Edward A Charlesworth." The Charlesworths and Millers won a life auction bid to travel to Bali, and while enjoying the sights  the opportunity to discuss Rotary repeated.  "I then started considering joining Rotary. When Ed formed the Rotary e-club of Houston and invited me to join I loved the idea of an e-club because it fit perfectly into my lifestyle, so I did. It's one of the best decisions I've made. The work Rotarians do around the world is priceless. Would you like to be part of this team of 1.2 million? Talk to me."
     
     
    The motto of Rotary is "Service Above Self" and while traditional clubs coordinate community service projects, e-club members find opportunities to serve wherever they live.   Here is a challenging example of a successful service project including fundraising in support of the same project recently accomplished by Dree:
     
     
    Great job and thank you for your courageous example to help others with fundraising for H.E.A.R.T!!!
    How e-club members do SERVICE 2016-02-19 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - The Story of Uber

    On a snowy Paris evening in 2008, Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp had trouble hailing a cab. So they came up with a simple idea—tap a button, get a ride.  Garrett Camp has sold StumbleUpon to Ebay, and was handing around with entrepreneur Travis Kalanick.  The original pitch involved splitting the costs of a driver, a Mercedes S Class, and a parking spot in a garage, alongside an i-Phone app, of course.  My March 2009, Camp developed a prototype named UberCab. In June, Camp was busy full-time running StumbleUpon after spinning it back out of eBay and taking over once again.  He hires Kalanick as the UberCab's chief incubator to see the company through its San Francisco launch.  In January, 2010 the prototype hit the streets of New York with three cars to test the service. In July, 2010, Uber was initiated in San Francisco and Ryan Graves became CEO in August.  In October, 2010, Uber closes a $1.25 million angel financing round.  In October, 2010, UberCab receives a C&D order from the San Francisco Metro Transit Authority & Public Utilities Commission of California for seeming to operate like a cab company without the proper licensing.  This is when the named changed to be simply Uber.  November, 2010 Uber goes live on Android.  A change of CEO to Kalanick with Graves remaining on the Board occured in November, 2010.  An amazing year for a young company growing exponentially in 2010!
     
    In 2011, investors were eager for a piece of the pie and $11 million Series A lead by Benchmark Capital marked the month of February.  Expansion began to other cities including Boston, Chicago, Seattle and Washington, D.C. an even an international presence in Paris.  At LeWeb in December, 2011, where the idea was born, Kalanick announces that Uber raised $37 million in Series B from Menio Ventures, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Goldman Sachs.  Here is a video from December 7, 2011 at the LeWeb Conference with Travis Kalanick, Co-Founder & CEO of Uber:
     
     

    What started as an app to request premium black cars in a few metropolitan areas is now changing the logistical fabric of cities around the world. Whether it’s a ride, a sandwich, or a package, we use technology to give people what they want, when they want it.

    For the women and men who drive with Uber, our app represents a flexible new way to earn money. For cities, we help strengthen local economies, improve access to transportation, and make streets safer. When you make transportation as reliable as running water, everyone benefits. Especially when it’s snowing outside.

    Across borders, cultures, and languages, we’re proud to connect people who need a reliable ride with people looking to earn money driving their car. Julian Chokkattu and Jordan Crook wrote about Uber for TechCrunch.com, stating "Uber epitomizes disruption.  The company has changed the way we think about grabbing a ride, incorporating the same technology we take for granted today into a brand new experience for consumers and an opportunity for producers."

     
    Weekly Program - The Story of Uber 2016-02-19 06:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - 75 Septembers by Cheryl Wheeler & John Gorka 2016-02-19 06:00:00Z 0
    What Can Social Media Do for You? 2016-02-19 06:00:00Z 0

    Ebay to donate share of Live Auctions proceeds to Rotary

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    Rotary members, their families and friends can support Rotary’s work by bidding on antiques, artwork, jewelry, and collectibles through eBay Live Auctions events.

    Each month, Rotary will promote on its social media outlets a set of upcoming s events, and eBay, the world’s largest auction website, will donate a portion of all sale proceeds from those events to Rotary.

    Live Auctions events enable buyers to participate in auctions across the United States -- held at such auction houses as Sotheby’s, Swann, and Freeman’s -- without leaving home. Under this proceeds-sharing agreement, only U.S. auction sales are eligible.

    Linda Campbell, eBay's Divisional Merchandising Manager for Live Auctions, Collectibles and Art, published about this new partnership:

    For all of us at eBay Live Auctions, 2016 is shaping up to be a year of opportunities: a time to overcome old challenges, a time to set ambitious goals, and a time to try bold, new ventures. In that spirit, we are excited about the partnership between eBay Live Auctions and Rotary International.

    What is Live Auctions?

    When I talk about Live Auctions, people usually ask what it is and how the experience is different from regular eBay auctions.  Live Auctions gives buyers the opportunity to participate in just that – live auctions – which are happening in real time all over the country in auction houses like Sotheby’s, Swann’s and Freeman’s. While others are raising their paddles in auction halls, you are bidding with the click of a mouse in the comfort of your own home or office. It is a completely different way to participate in auctions, whether you are a bidding novice or an aficionado.

    It is our absolute honor to be able to donate a portion of Live Auctions proceeds to help Rotary International sustain its humanitarian efforts in communities all over the world.

    Bidding through Live Auctions gives you an opportunity to “virtually” attend auctions that are too far or too inconvenient for your schedule. Not only that, but we bring together auction houses with diverse inventories that span everything from fine jewelry, to vintage toys, to art, coins and antiques. For pop culture lovers, we have hosted events with Elvis and Star Wars memorabilia!

    Dozens of auctions happen every day, so make sure to check out our homepage and calendar often. You will also be able to find a curated list of the best Live Auctions events on Rotary social channels and emails. For instance, in the coming weeks we will be hosting two vintage photography auctions, one for fine jewelry and one that is offering a selection of vintage toys. Oh, and there will be another Star Wars memorabilia auction to close out the month.

    It is our absolute honor to be able to donate a portion of Live Auctions proceeds to help Rotary International sustain its humanitarian efforts in communities all over the world. We look forward to bringing you the best Live Auctions from around the country while also supporting Rotary’s causes across the globe.

    Ebay to donate share of Live Auctions proceeds to Rotary 2016-02-19 06:00:00Z 0

    D5890 Membership Committee Meeting - February 22nd

    Meeting Date & Time:  This Monday, February 22nd, at 6:30pm (6:00pm, if you want to order food)
     
    Venue:    Los Tios Mexican Restaurant  
                    4840 Beechnut St.  
                    Houston, Texas 77096
                    713-660-6244
     
    Growing Rotary enables us to do more good in our communities and the world.  Attendance at the D. 5890 Membership Meeting is also a great opportunity to bond with your club's Area Membership Chair (AMC).
    Speakers - Rosemary Lengefeld, District 5890 Rotary Young Professionals Chair & James Miranda, Rotary Club of Memorial-Spring Branch   
    Topic - "Where are the Young Professionals under the age of 40?" - Did you know that 90% of Rotarians are age 40 plus?  The Good News is that there are enough young professionals out there for all clubs.  Join us as our speakers discuss how to engage, recruit and retain young professionals.  Attendees are also welcome to share their success stories.
     
    Thank you, clubs, for your effort per membership growth and retention!   
     
    We look forward to the attendance of at least one (1) representative from your club.  See you there!
     
    Yours in Rotary service,
    Ann Wright
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair, 2015-17
    713-647-8400
    awright_tmg@yahoo.com
     
    D5890 Membership Committee Meeting - February 22nd 2016-02-19 06:00:00Z 0

    SAVE THE DATE - MARCH 5th General Meeting & Fundraiser

    The general meeting is on March 5 and we are encouraging all members new and old as well as supporters and potential members to attend the March meeting.  
    Remember to bring your items for the Silent Auction, but most of all, BRING GUESTS TO THE FUNDRAISER1  More about the fundraiser below.
     
    Linda Caruso, President 2015-2016
    SAVE THE DATE - MARCH 5th General Meeting & Fundraiser 2016-02-18 06:00:00Z 0

    Membership Continues to GROW!!!

    Please welcome our new members to the Rotary eClub of Houston: 
     
    Jacqueline Bostic
    Robin Charlesworth
    Eli Chew
    Susan Downs
    Belinda Kaylani
    Randolph McKinney
    Christine Mercer
    Lydia Pinto
    Molly Smith
    Nicole Wycislo
    Membership Continues to GROW!!! 2016-02-18 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary's 111th Anniversary - February 23, 2016

     
    Rotarians around the world will be celebrating the 111th anniversary of the first and greatest service organization, Rotary International, on February 23rd. 

    The first Rotary club was founded in 1905 when four friends met in Chicago to discuss how they could work together to help the wider community. Rotary has since grown internationally to more than 1.2 million members across 200 countries.

    “Whatever Rotary may mean to us, to the world it will be known by the results it achieves”
    —PAUL HARRIS

    Our organization started when Paul Harris, a Chicago attorney, had an idea of forming a club where professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. Rotary’s name came from the early practice of rotating meetings between the offices of each member.

    In 1914 the organization moved across the Atlantic and the British Association of Rotary Clubs was established. The association was renamed Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland in 1924.

    Today Rotary continues to respond to the needs of an ever changing world, whilst retaining its strong founding principles.

    Here are a few of the celebrations we discovered:  In Washington, USA, the Rotary Club of Gateway - Thurston County (Olympia area) will hold an all Thursday County Rotary Clubs get- together to celebrate Rotary’s 111th Birthday. The cost of the Birthday Celebration event is $10 per person (guests are welcome).  This covers the expense of two hors d’ oeuvres, a birthday cake that will serve 100, room use, sales tax and a required gratuity.  A no host bar will be set up. The Rotary Club of Chicago will hold a celebration dinner on the 23rd at the Gaylord India Restaurant with music by The Piano Man.  Reservations must be made by 3:00 pm Monday and tickets are $40 per person.  In South Australia, Districts 9500 & 9520 will be celebrating Rotary’s 111th Anniversary of the Founding of Rotary. We’re taking the opportunity to tell everyone who comes to our marquee all about Rotary and what we do! Our Rotary Volunteers will have their “ASK ME ABOUT ROTARY” badges on, they’ll hand out Birthday Cup Cakes and SHARE THEIR ROTARY STORIES.  In British Columbia, Canada, Rotarians will "Give the Gift of Rotary" by donating to the Rotary Foundation.  When you give to Rotary, you empower your fellow leaders to improve their communities and make a lasting impact.
     
    Ladysmith Rotary is once again going to "Light Up the Night with Rotary" to celebrate Rotary's 111th Birthday on February 18th.
    We will be selling biodegradable Chinese Lanterns
    at Transfer Beach for $5 to aid in Polio Eradication. - See more at: http://yourwestcoast.com/festivals-events/light-night-rotary#sthash.Bu2NKd2i.dpuf
    Rotary's 111th Anniversary - February 23, 2016 2016-02-18 06:00:00Z 0
    Leadership and the Importance of Followers 2016-02-18 06:00:00Z 0

    Service Projects @ D5890 Conference

    At our district conference each year, the Rotary district governor selects a service project so our D5890 Rotarians can make a positive impact in the local community.  At this year's conference, District Governor Nick has selected TWO great community service projects benefiting the Galveston community.  Since some Rotary clubs have blood drives in their own community 12-weeks before or after the district conference, they won't be able to donate blood.  Another option for your club would be to participate in our "Educational Supplies for Parker Elementary School for International Studies" Service Project.
     
     
    PARKER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, GALVESTON
    :
    Our  Inbound D5890 Rotary Youth Exchange Students will be speaking to the students at
    this elementary school on Friday morning, April 29th, and will present gifts to the school on
    behalf of Rotary District 5890.  How can D5890 Rotarians AND Rotary clubs help?
    We've asked the school counselor for a list of educational supplies that the school needs.
    .
    1. Everything they need is available online at Scholastic.com & many are on SALE!
    Visit www.rotary5890.org.
     
    2. We encourage Rotarians and Rotary clubs to purchase reading games, puzzles,
    math games, etc., at Scholastic.com and have them delivered to your home or office.
     
    3. If you don't want to order from Scholastic.com, you can purchase puzzles
    for children between the ages of 5 and 11 at your local Half Price Books, Barnes and Noble, Target,WalMart, etc.
     
    4.Bring items to our D5890 Conference Check-in desk on Thursday, April 28th.
    Service Projects @ D5890 Conference 2016-02-12 06:00:00Z 0

    Polio Update

    The Final Two Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - One Polio case reported this week (first 2016 case). One Polio case reported in 2016 with 54 cases recorded in 2015  The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 01/17/16 was from Karachi Gadap, Sindh.  No new Polio positive environmental samples reported this week.  Sub-national Immunization days are planned for high-risk areas in February and National Immunization Days for March.    
    Afghanistan - One Polio cases reported in Afghanistan this week (a 2015 case).  No Polio cases reported in 2016 with 20 cases recorded in 2015. The most recent case was reported on 12/20/15 from the Kandahar Province. No new Polio-positive environmental samples were collected this week.  Sub-National Immunization Days and are planned for Feb.16-18 using Bivalent OPV.
     
    Post Endemic Countries -
    Nigeria - No Polio cases reported in 2016 with 0 cases recorded in 2015.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14.  
     
    Importation Countries - Ethiopia (0-2015, 1-2014), Cameroon (0-2015, 5-2014), Somalia (0-2015, 5-2014), Iraq (0-2015, 2- 2014), Syria (0-2015,1-2014), & Equatorial Guinea (0-2015, 5-2014).
     
     Total paralysis cases
    Year-to-date 2016
     
    LY to D 2015
    Total
    2015
     
    Total
    2014
    Total
     2013
    Globally
    1
    7
    74
    359
    416
    - in endemic countries:
    1
    7
    74
    340
    160
    - in non-endemic countries:
    0
    0
    0
    19
    256
     
    Polio Update Terry Zigler 2016-02-12 06:00:00Z 0
    Love Rotary!!! 2016-02-12 06:00:00Z 0

    Best Love Songs 2016 - Top Romantic Songs

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    Love Songs or romantic songs are always in demand as this is the best way to express all your feelings and deepest emotions of heart to your love interest. If you have just fallen in love but couldn’t say those three golden words, ‘I Love You’ to someone who has stolen your sleep in night and makes you restless in day time, then there are thousands of popular love songs/romantic songs that can help you to win the heart of your sweetheart. But question is what are the best love songs? As you can’t select any common type love song but the top love songs for your lover or would-be-lover.  Love songs have a unique magic, the magic of love that brings feelings of deepest love and sweetest memories in our heart, and makes every moment as a romantic moment. We have got a list of top romantic songs in which you will find all the best love songs ever. Scroll down a little more for soulful and heart touchy romantic ballads that can easily make your love interest crazy for you.

    List of Best Love Songs Ever 2016

    • Everything I Do, I Do It for You – Bryan Adams
    • Love Me Tender – Elvis Presley
    • When a Man Loves a Woman – Percy Sledge
    • You’re The First, The Last, My Everything – Barry White
    • Can’t Help Falling in Love – Elvis Presley
    • Something – The Beatles
    • My Heart Will Go On – Celine Dion
    • Let’s Stay Together – Al Green
    • Endless Love – Lionel Richie & Diana Ross
    • Every Breath You Take – The Police
    • God Only Knows – The Beach Boys
    • Your Song – Elton John
    • Truly Madly Deeply – Savage Garden
    • Crazy in Love – Beyonce
    • Love to Love You Baby – Donna Summer
    • At Last – Etta James
    • I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston
    • (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman – Aretha Franklin
    • With or Without You – U2
    • Fallin’ – Alicia Keys
    • Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers
    • The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – Roberta Flack
    • Just the Way You Are – Bruno Mars
    • The Power of Love – Celine Dion
    • Love Song – The Cure
    • Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
    • Here, There and Everywhere – The Beatles
    • Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton
    • Everything I Do, I Do It for You – Bryan Adams
    • Forever and Always – Shania Twain
    • Crazy for You – Madonna
    • I Can’t Stop Loving You – Ray Charles
    • You are So Beautiful – Joe Cocker
    • Lady – Styx
    • Endless – Lionel Richie and Diana Ross
    • I’ll Be There – The Jackson Five
    • You’re Beautiful – James Blunt
    • Best of My Love – The Emotions
    • Eternal Flame – The Bangles
    • I Just Called to Say I Love You – Stevie Wonder
    Go through this best love songs list and choose the right love songs that can play cupid for you.  You can use all these songs as soft romantic background music on your date as it will create the perfect ambiance for a romantic evening at your place. Hope these best love songs 2016 will do the same magic for that these are famous in youth as well as in grown-ups.

    It is not an easy task for anyone to decide which particular song is the best love song of all time. There are so many songs about the first kiss in the rain or at some romantic place. When you  listen to best love songs about kiss, their meaningful lyrics reminds you sweet moments of the first kiss of your life.

     
     
    Best Love Songs 2016 - Top Romantic Songs billboard music.org 2016-02-12 06:00:00Z 0

    Over the Edge Event Tomorrow

     
    Best of Luck to Dree Miller!!!  She will rapell down 14 stories supporting Houston's workers with disabilities!  Dree Miller is our President-Elect of the e-club Houston and has done an outstanding job as Membership Chairman.  This is a great example of how individual members may pursue fundraising for community projects.
    Over the Edge Event Tomorrow 2016-02-11 06:00:00Z 0

    Why Join Rotary?

    *Taken from the Rotary Club of Redding West (in California, USA):
     
    1. Friendship. In an increasingly complex world, Rotary provides one of the most basic human needs: the need for friends and fellowship. It is one of the two reasons why Rotary began in 1905.
    2. Business Development. The second original reason for Rotary’s beginning. Everyone needs to network. Rotary consists of a cross section of every business community. Its members come from all walks of life. Rotarians help one another, and collectively help others.
    3. Personal Growth and Development. Membership in Rotary continues one’s growth and education in human relations and personal development.
    4. Leadership Development. Rotary is an organization of leaders and successful people. Serving in Rotary positions is like a college education in Leadership: learning how to motivate, influence and lead leaders.
    5. Citizenship in the Community. Membership in a Rotary club makes one a better community citizen. The average Rotary club consists of the most active citizens of any community.
    6. Continuing Education. Each week at Rotary there is a program designed to keep one informed as to what is going on in the community, nation and world. Different speakers, different topics.
    7. Fun. Rotary is fun. A lot of fun. each meeting is fun. The club projects are fun. Social activities are fun. And the service is fun.
    8. Public Speaking Skills. Many an individual who joined Rotary was afraid to speak in public. Rotary develops confidence and skill in public communication. And opportunity.
    9. Citizenship in the World. Every Rotarian wears a pin that says: “Rotary International.” And every Rotarian is welcome – even encouraged to attend – at 29,000 clubs in 195 nations and geographical regions. There are few places on the globe which do not have a Rotary club. Instant friends in both one’s own community and in the world community.
    10. Assistance when Traveling. Because there are Rotary clubs everywhere, many a Rotarian who has needed a doctor, lawyer, hotel, dentist, advice, etc., while traveling has found same quickly through Rotary.
    11. Entertainment. Every Rotary club and district has parties and activities which provide diversion in one’s business life. Rotary has conference, conventions, assemblies and institutes which provide entertainment in addition to Rotary information, education and service.
    12. The Development of Social Skills. Every week and at various events and functions, Rotary develops one’s personality, social and people skills. Rotary is for people who like people, or who want to.
    13. Family Programs. Rotary provides one of the world’s largest youth exchange programs; high school and college clubs for future Rotarians; spouse clubs and programs, and a host of activities designed to assist family members in growth and the development of family values.
    14. Vocational Skills. Every Rotarian is expected to take a part in the growth and development of his or her own profession or vocation; to serve on committees and to teach youth about one’s job or vocation. Rotary helps to make one a better doctor, lawyer, teacher (or whatever one does for a living) etc.
    15. The Development of Ethics. Rotarians practice a 4-Way Test which governs one’s ethical standards. Rotarians are expected to be ethical in business and personal relationships.
    16. Cultural Awareness. Around the world, practically every religion, country, culture, race, creed, political persuasion, language, color and ethnic identity is found in Rotary. It is a cress section of the world’s most prominent citizens from every background. Rotarians become aware of other cultures and learn to love and work with people everywhere. They become better citizens of their countries in the process.
    17. Prestige. Rotary members are prominent people: leaders of business, the professions, art, government, sports, military, religion and all disciplines. Rotary is the oldest and most prestigious service club in the world. Its ranks are executives, managers, professionals: people who make decisions and influence policy. Not every one is invited to join Rotary.
    18. Nice People. Rotarians above all are nice people; the nicest people on the face of the earth. They are important people who adhere to the policy that while it is nice to be important, it is more important to be nice.
    19. The Absence of “official creed. Rotary has no secret handshake, no secret policy, no official creed, no secret meeting or rituals. It is an open society – of men and women who simply believe in helping others.
    20. The Opportunity to Serve. Rotary is a service club. Its business is mankind; its product is service. Rotarians provide community service – to both the local and international communities. This is the best reason perhaps for becoming a Rotarian: the chance to do something for somebody else. And to sense the self-fulfillment which comes in the process. And the return to one’s own life. Rotarians believe in service above self; it is richly rewarding. “HE PROFITS MOST WHO SERVES THE BEST.”
    Why Join Rotary? 2016-02-11 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - What Makes a Good Life?

    What keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life? If you think it's fame and money, you're not alone – but, according to psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, you're mistaken. As the director of a 75-year-old study on adult development, Waldinger has unprecedented access to data on true happiness and satisfaction. In this talk, he shares three important lessons learned from the study as well as some practical, old-as-the-hills wisdom on how to build a fulfilling, long life.

    Why you should listen

    Dr. Robert Waldinger is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Director of the Center for Psychodynamic Therapy and Research at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development. The Study has tracked the lives of two groups of men for over 75 years. Dr. Waldinger is now expanding the Study to the Baby Boomer children of these men to understand how childhood experience reaches across decades to affect health and wellbeing in middle age.

    Dr. Waldinger received his A.B. from Harvard College and his M.D. from Harvard Medical School. He is the author of numerous scientific papers as well as two books. He is a practicing psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, he teaches Harvard medical students and psychiatry residents, and he is on the faculty of the Boston Psychoanalytic Institute. He is also a Zen priest.

    To learn more about The Good Life and keep abreast of research findings, insights and more, visit. www.RobertWaldinger.com.

    This coming Sunday, will be Valentine's Day.  We make an extra effort to demonstrate our love to spouses, significant others, children, and perhaps friends or other family members.  Some receive flowers or are taken to a special dinner. Some receive special boxes of chocolates.  Some Rotary clubs provide an evening of dining and entertainment as a fundraising activity. 
     
    Are you in love with Rotary?
    Rotary provides a social opportunity which leads to long-term relationships which are beneficial to all concerned.  It leads to relationships which are supportive of good health and happiness.  Simply stated, it feels good to provide needed assistance to others, to make a real difference in the future of others, and to feel welcomed into a group of like-minded individuals with common commitments. 
    Weekly Program - What Makes a Good Life? 2016-02-11 06:00:00Z 0

    Valentine Stories in e-Club Houston

    Veroniek Kerssemakers - A name change required?  Veroniek was a beautiful bride on 31 January, 2016 in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India.  Congratulations to Vroniek and Her husband, Dharm Pal, from Kerala, India.  The wedding was attended by about 30 guests, mostly family and close friends from all around the world. 
    Priyamvada Singh attended the wedding and shared, "It was a great experience to be a part of this group of friends, wonderful people full of emotional energies and warmth of afection and true bondings.  Other Rotarians in the group included Surender Talwar (Houston), Shailja Vijayvargia (Rotary Club Padmini Kota, Rajasthan, India), and Dick from The Netherlands.  The honeymooners have been traveling in India - Taj Mahal, Agra, , Pushkar, Ajmer City (visited a project Bal Sansar Ajmer for village children with Priyamvada).  We send our Best Wishes for Much Happiness in celebration of your marriage!!! 
     
    Priyamvada Singh reported that the newlyweds attended a charity ball, Bai sansar Sanstha' in Ajmer Rajasthan.  The Kids of Bai Sansar Public School remembered Veroniek's visit with the D5890 Rotary Friendship Exchange to their school in November, 2014 and expressed their love and gratitude with dancing performances and dialogue with the students.  Veroniek addressed the students with words of encouragement and words of appreciation for the work of NGO 'Bai Sansar Sanstha to educate the poor rural kids (90% are first generation learners in their families as their parents are mostly day workers in an unorganized labor sector).
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Cagatay (Ty) Atmaca and Elif Esra Ozyurt are planning their wedding ceremony in May, 2016.  Cagatay Ty Atmaca, who is a Houston Rotary E-club member, a consultant geophysicist at Paradigm Geophysical Corporation and  Elif Esra Ozyurt, UhD student, an intern at a financial office, are getting married on the 8th of May, 2016 in Houston, TX. They decided to have a charitable wedding and added Houston Rotary E-Club to their registry page (www.elif-cagatay.com/registry). They both believe that "true hearts can make big changes in the world" and they also say "we all live under the same sun". They will ask their guests to make donations to three different non profit organizations (1: Houston Rotary E-Club, 2: The TEMA Foundation: The Turkish Foundation for Combating Soil Erosion, for Reforestation and the Protection of Natural Habitats. 3: EWTF: Education for Women in Turkey Fund. ). They really hope that all of the three non profit organizations will get donations from their good hearted guests.  They are wishing a happy Valentine's Day to the Rotarians around the global.   Thank you both for choosing Rotary for your celebration in marriage! 
     
     
    Valentine Stories in e-Club Houston 2016-02-06 06:00:00Z 0

    Camp RYLA - District 5890

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    Camp RYLA strengthens leadership skills and capabilities of high school students through three days of physical, mental, emotional, and intellectual challenges through problem solving, teamwork, and interaction with other outstanding students, volunteer counselors and motivational speakers. 

    Our District 5890 RYLA Camp started Friday, February 5-7, 2016, and the $225 fee is paid by the sponsoring Rotary Club, not the student, parents, or Interact club. 

    They gain an appreciation for how important the Object of Rotary and the Rotary 4-Way Test are in establishing moral and ethical values and the ideals of Service Above Self.  RYLA includes programs on topics designed to teach those things seen as vital ingredients in successful leaders such as fundamentals of leadership, problem solving and conflict management, building self-confidence and self-esteem, elements of community and global citizenship, sportsmanship, competition, physical fitness, spirituality and character. 

    By working with today's leaders, Camp RYLA is trying to help guarantee a bright future for today's and tomorrow's generations.  The sessions at Camp RYLA provide informal talks by selected speakers followed by discussion groups.  Camp RYLA looks to remove the "generation gap" between adult and youth leaders and to foster understanding and goodwill for those who participate through its rap sessions and recreational activities in a beautiful setting. RYLA Scholars are selected through a 200 word essay as part of the application process. 

    RYLA Scholars are recognized by the District Governor at completion of the program during the presentation of "Certificate of Attendance" ceremony. 
    The following are Rotary objectives for RYLA:
    * To further demonstrate Rotary’s respect and concern for youth.
    * To encourage and assist selected youth leaders and potential leaders in methods of responsible           
                    and effective voluntary youth leadership by providing them with a training experience.
    * To encourage continued and stronger leadership of youth by youth. (To that end, we are including
                   the leadership of our District Interact Clubs.)
    * To encourage youth to become role models for their friends facing decisions and important social issues.
    * To publicly recognize the high qualities of many young people who are rendering service to their communities as youth leaders.
       - See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/SitePage/ryla/rotary-youth-leadership-awards#sthash.uiHn9A70.dpuf
     
    Camp RYLA - District 5890 2016-02-06 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary's Avenues of Service

    Rotary's motto is "Service Above Self". Rotarians efforts are channeled through five primary activities referred to as the Avenues of Service.  Below is an overview of these avenues of service which guides the activities of Rotarians around the world:
     
    Club Service
    Club Service promotes the development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service.  It involves the activities necessary to make the Club function successfully and achieve its goals.
     
    Community Service
    Community Service relates to the activities that Rotarians undertake to improve the quality of life in their community.  Particular emphasis is given to helping children, needy families, the aged, the handicapped, and those most in need of assistance.  Rotarians strive to promote the ideal of service in their personal, business, and community lives.
     
    International Service
    Via International Service, Rotarians strive for the advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.  International Service Projects are designed to meet the humanitarian needs of people in many lands, with particular emphasis on the most underprivileged children and families in developing countries.
     
    Vocational Service
    Vocational Service represents the opportunity that each Rotarian has to represent the dignity and utility of one's vocation as an opportunity to serve society.  Rotarians promote and foster high ethical standards in business and professions and promote the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations.
     
    Youth Service
    Thousands of people age 30 and younger participate in Rotary programs to learn skills that will help them become future leaders. Youth Service programs allow participants to discover more about themselves and the world by participating in community projects, leadership training or cultural exchanges. Young people also learn about the principles of ethics, service, and fellowship that Rotarians exemplify.
    Rotary's Avenues of Service 2016-02-06 06:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - "Nobody Said it was easy: by Coldplay

    Global superstars COLDPLAY, winners of seven Grammy Awards, will perform at the PEPSI SUPER BOWL 50 HALFTIME SHOW on CBS Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016.
    The Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show is the most-watched musical event of the year. More than 118.5 million viewers in the U.S. watched last year's show, marking the most-watched Halftime Show ever. The Super Bowl and Halftime Show will be broadcast worldwide from Levi's Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area.
    Song of the Week - "Nobody Said it was easy: by Coldplay 2016-02-06 06:00:00Z 0

    Chinese New Year 2016 - The Year of the Monkey

    BEIJING — The new Chinese year begins Monday, Feb. 8, when the zodiac calendar enters the Year of the Monkey — the ninth of 12 animal signs. Plastic monkeys are adorning shopping centers and office buildings, and government departments have been giving out toy monkeys.
    Having a baby in the Year of the Monkey is generally thought to be more auspicious than in that of its predecessor, the sheep, and the cute creature is in any case largely beloved by the masses for its playful and human-like characteristics, despite a penchant for stealing food.
    The new lunar year is already boosting a fighting style that imitates the movements of a monkey. It also offers an excuse to cash in on China's most famous monkey — Sun Wukong, or the Monkey King — a fabled demon-slayer.
    Less happily, feng shui predictions foresee fire, disease and volatile stocks.
    A look at what mischief the Year of the Monkey may have in store and how some will be celebrating:
    MISCHIEF
    Those born in the Year of the Monkey are held to be playful, mischievous and clever — much like a monkey.
    "Many people say people born in the Year of the Monkey are smart and have a very good imagination, but it is thought that their chances of achieving success are not very good as they are less capable of executing things," said Beijing resident Wang Jinping, whose zodiac sign is the monkey.
    MORE BIRTHS EXPECTED
    This year, not only has China's one-child policy been loosened to a two-child policy, but some superstitious Chinese will be raring to give birth. During the previous 12 months, the Year of the Sheep or Goat (it's the same character in Chinese), some people were reluctant to have children as they considered the year inauspicious and believed sheep babies would be more likely followers than leaders.
    According to China's national statistics, there were 16.55 million births in 2015, compared with 16.87 million in 2014. Some state media reports have attributed the drop in births last year to the Year of the Sheep.
    FIRES AND VIRUSES
    Market ups and downs, fires and viruses, the Year of the Monkey is predicted to have them all.
    Hong Kong feng shui master Louis Wong foresees "a lot of fires happening around the world, especially in the forests. So we need to watch out for fire hazards," he said. "Southeast Asia will see a lot of viruses or disease, so we need to be very careful about the Zika virus now."
    To enhance a couple's relationship this year, Wong advises placing a pink crystal on the woman's side of the bedroom and a purple crystal on the man's side. He added: "And if we want them to have fewer quarrels and arguments, we can put a firecracker behind the door." While watching out for fire risks, of course.
    Wong cautioned that bad luck is more likely to befall those who are monkeys — "they need to be careful about their career and wealth" — and tigers — "they need to be careful about accidents, especially car accidents."
    Wong says the lucky signs in the coming year will be the dragon and rat. "For the people born in theYear of the Dragon it will be good for their career and wealth, while for the rat it is good for their relationships with people," he said.
    JUNGLE OUT THERE
    Also on the agenda: A revival in houquan, or monkey kung fu. Practitioners imitate monkey moves, in the same way as other strands of martial arts are based on animals such as tigers and white crane.
    The monkey style dates to China's Western Han Dynasty around 200 B.C., said Chen Qifang, the head of Lin'an City Martial Arts Council in Zhejiang province. "It's a kind of kung fu that attempts to imitate a monkey's lively, mischievous and cute features with some of its typical moves like leaping, somersaulting, scratching ears and looking around as if for peaches or to see if someone is attacking its territory."
    Because of its somersaults and other challenging moves, it's not as popular as other styles, says Chen.
    MONKEY BUSINESS
    The Year of the Monkey gives a little-needed excuse to reference the much loved Monkey King character from the 16th century adventure novel "Journey to the West." The supernatural Monkey King, also known as Sun Wukong, accompanied a monk on a journey to retrieve sacred scriptures and the story has inspired countless TV shows and movies over the years.
    Unashamedly trying to capitalize on the new zodiac year, yet another Monkey King adaptation will be released on the first day of the lunar new year — Feb. 8. The 450 million yuan ($68 million) budget movie stars Aaron Kwok as Sun, Feng Shaofeng as the monk and Gong Li playing the skeleton demon.
    Chinese New Year 2016 - The Year of the Monkey 2016-02-06 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Special Olympics

    How much do you know about intellectual disabilities? Special Olympics champion and ambassador Matthew Williams is proof that athletic competition and the camaraderie it fosters can transform lives, both on and off the field. Together with his fellow athletes, he invites you to join him at the next meet — and challenges you to walk away with your heart unchanged. Matthew Williams believes that sport has the power to change lives.
     
    Why you should listen
    Prior to finding Special Olympics, Matthew Williams struggled to fit in and keep up with his peers. When he joined Special Olympics in eighth grade, it had a profound impact on his life, helping him make friends, providing him with self-confidence and giving him an opportunity to participate in sports. Williams has achieved a great deal in his decade with Special Olympics. He competed in the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in basketball, where the first-ever Canadian basketball team to participate in a World Games finished fourth. He has also participated in track and field, swimming, floor hockey and curling.
    Williams is a Special Olympics International Sargent Shriver Global Messenger and a member of the Special Olympics International Board of Directors, where he shares athlete perspectives with leaders of this global movement. His goal is to spread the message and vision of Special Olympics far and wide.
     
     
    Rotarians have a history of supporting Special Olympics in their own communities.  This may be service such as referees for practice games, interaction with warming up the athletes with practice or perhaps coaching teams, providing lunches or transportation.  At the Opening Ceremonies in July, 2015 at the LA Colisium Rotary District 5280 had 1,000 seats reserved for Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors, friends and family to enjoy the games. Springfield Rotary Club (Flourtown, PA) held a St. Patrick’s Day Dance and sponsored Special Olympics athletes.  They felt the event was a success, enjoyed by over 135 athletes and family members. In the USA state of Washington, an event was just cancelled due to poor snow conditions which would have been the 15th year of Bellevue Rotary and Rotaract  providing volunteers for the King County Special Olympics Regional Ski Competition.  In their event, hundreds of disabled athletes compete in downhill and snowboarding events, with Bellevue Rotarians and Rotaracters keeping track of the athletes’ performance times. Their report reads, "The talent and enthusiasm displayed by the athletes is wonderful to watch, and the award presentation is incredibly moving.  It’s always a fun day for skiers and non-skiers and a great opportunity to enjoy these special athletes and volunteering with the Rotaracters."  These are just a few examples of Rotarians engages with special needs youth and adults - giving the gifts of our time, talent and money.  Actually, we benefit as we receive their gifts of smiles and laughter!!!
    Weekly Program - Special Olympics 2016-02-06 06:00:00Z 0

    Pakistan Reading Project Granted Funding

    Hashoo Foundation was successfully granted the USAID-funded Pakistan Reading Project (PRP) to be executed in rural areas Bara Kahu and Nilor of Islamabad.
     
    An agreement was signed between Hashoo Foundation and USAID-funded Pakistan Reading Project in PRP Regional office Islamabad.  The project was kicked-off on Jan 1st, 2016.  This initiative was shared with Rotary Club Rawalpindi and all members are excited to support this literacy mission in the rural villages of Islamabad.
     
    The overarching goal of this project is to improve the quality of reading in 40 public schools (boys 16, girls 24) of rural areas of Islamabad i.e. Bara Kahu and Nilore by reaching over 800 Grade 1 and 2 students.
     
    The project we have following major activities:
    Develop small libraries in 40 government schools.  Hashoo Foundation staff, volunteers, and Rotarians will facilitate and engage student and teachers to improve reading habits.
    Develop reading corners at village level for parents and communities.
    We are closely working with Federal Director of Education in Islamabad and they have requested books for their schools and college other than above 40 schools.
     
    In summary, the USAID- Pakistan Reading Project (PRP) will benefit approximately 1,640 individuals:
    800 parents and 800 students  (At least one member, mother or father, or both, from must participate from each family).
    40 teachers (male 16 / female 24) from 40 schools.
    800 students (girls 560 (70%), /boys 240, (30%) from Grade I and Grade II from 40 schools, which constitutes an average of 20 student per school.
    This project will support the establishment of Children Reading Places (small libraries) in the 40 selected schools. These libraries will be furnished with safe wooden bookshelves. Each school will be provided with 5 sets of 20 different storybooks (total 100) in Urdu along with the pictorial charts of different types (e.g. Flags of Countries, Vegetable Charts, Fruit Chart, Animal Charts, National Heroes etc.). Additionally, Hashoo Foundation will provide approximately 300 reading books in English of Grade 1 and Grade 2 level, donated by “Rotary Books for the World Program”. In overall each school library will be having around 400 books in total.
     
    We are very excited to work with Rotary Club Rawalpindi in this USAID-Pakistan Reading Project. My colleague Shukoor Ullah Baig, Hashoo Foundation’s Education Senior Program Officer, is leading the team implementing this project.
    Warmest regards,
    Cristal
     
    Cristal Montañéz Baylor I Executive Director
    Hashoo Foundation USA
    Pakistan Reading Project Granted Funding Cristal Montañéz Baylor 2016-02-06 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary in Taiwan

    THE ROTARY CLUB OF TAIPEI was the first Rotary Club established on the island of Taiwan, with a charter date of October 9, 1948. Our Charter President was C.K. Yen, who is also a past President of the Republic of China (Taiwan). The club was founded just three years after the end of World War II, and only one year before Taipei was made the provisional capital of the Republic of China upon the withdrawal of the Nationalist government in mainland China to Taiwan.  In the early days, the main emphasis of our club was on assisting orphanages and underprivileged children amid the difficult economic circumstances in those days.  Our club continues to support the underprivileged in Taiwan, as well as disaster victims, the aged and the handicapped. Since those early years, our club has continued to provide substantial monetary and human support to important causes both within Taiwan and in the Asia-Pacific region. Although Taiwan’s economy has grown substantially since the 1940s when our club was founded, significant needs still exist among the underprivileged in our society, victims of natural disasters, the young, the aged and the physically challenged. Within Asia, we continue to work to improve healthcare and address other challenges. We welcome all residents in Taiwan, and those visiting from abroad, to visit our club and learn more about our activities and our Rotary Club of Taipei family.
     
    We are the FIRST Rotary Club in Taiwan and one of only two English-speaking clubs in D3480.  As of October 31, 2015, we have total 98 members (69 active members and 29 honorary members), from over 23 nationalities, including 13 female members. Rotary Year 2014-15 was very special: the president for Rotary International for that year was RC Taipei’s own Past President, Rtn. Gary Huang. 
     
    Their hallmark project is a speech contest.  The English Speech Contest (ESC) is hosted by the Rotary Club of Taipei, now in its 66th year of service to the community. The ESC is in its 61st year having begun modestly in 1955, when the Rotary Club of Taipei sponsored two separate oratory competitions celebrating the theme that “He profits most who serves the best”. The following year saw the birth of the Inter-Collegiate English Oratory Contest which evolved to the current ESC format. Open to students at Taiwan ROC’s universities, the ESC continues to be a major service activity of the Rotary Club of Taipei. Over the years, thousands of students have benefited from the opportunities provided by the competition and have continued on to important professional and community leadership positions.Purpose of ESC 2016: to provide Taiwanese College and University Students with an opportunity to practice their English speaking skills and to express themselves and practice their public speaking by giving a speech in front of an audience on a topic chosen and researched by themselves in relation to the general topic of the ESC 2016: Be a Gift to the World – which is in line with this year’s Rotary International Theme.
     
    Rotary Club of Taipei
    District number: 3480
    Club Number: 16383
    Every Thursday 12:00 pm
    Formosa Room 4F,
    Caesar Park Hotel Taipei
     
    The Rotary family extends sympathy to our friends after a magnitude-6.4 earthquake struck southern Taiwan yesterday (Taipei is in northern Taiwan).  Usually Rotarians are not expected to be First Responders.  In Disaster Relief Preparation discussions in D5890 we learned to check on each club member to assess needs for family or business damages.  We may anticipate needs in southern Taiwan and will keep our ears open for communications regarding their needs. 
    The earthquake disrupted travel in Taiwan just before the start of the Lunar New Year holiday, when large numbers of people travel between the island’s largest cities on the west coast to join family.
    The New York Times by Keith Bradsher on February 6, 2016:
    Early Saturday, the Ministry of Transportation suspended operation of Taiwan’s popular high-speed rail service in the southern half of the island because of damage to the tracks about 20 miles north of Tainan, adding to congestion on the roads already choked by holiday travelers.
    Tainan residents said the tremor had felt considerably stronger than any they could remember on this island where earthquakes are frequent. At a magnitude of 6.4, according to the United States Geological Survey, the quake was not especially intense, but it was very shallow — just 6.2 miles deep. Shallow earthquakes frequently do more damage at the surface.
    Rotary in Taiwan 2016-02-04 06:00:00Z 0

    Email Etiquette

    There are many good uses for email.  It allows near-instant communication across organizations and long distances. As well, it permits workers to time-shift their schedules and hours.  However, just as email can be used for productivity, email can also be abused.  For example, the other day I received an urgent email.  The message inside read, “We need an immediate solution to this problem.”  This was a time-sensitive matter and the author was expecting action within minutes, not hours or days. Yet, sending an email was probably not the most prudent communication method under those circumstances.  In this case, the author got lucky. Even though I check my email only a couple of times a day, I happened to catch this email a short time after it arrived. Otherwise, it would have sat unnoticed for quite some time.  If immediate action was required, this person should have picked up the phone and called.
     

    Here are 7 Bad Emails You Need to Avoid Sending:

    1. The Urgent Email – Email is the new snail mail. People are not sitting at their desks awaiting your messages. If something is truly urgent, email is not the medium you should be using. Call, text, tweet, or anything more immediate.
    2. The Reply All – Everyone does not need to see your “Thank You” to the original sender. When thanking someone, “Reply” directly to that individual. Otherwise, 57 people suddenly end up with 57 “Thank You” emails cluttering their inboxes. (True Story: I have seen a Fortune 20 company have to shut down their email due to a company-wide “Reply All” message run amok.)
    3. The Email to Too Many People – Avoid sending emails to more than 2–3 people. Copying the whole gang only creates confusion and clutters inboxes. Only send emails to the individuals that directly need the information. Avoid using CC, and never use BCC (ever!).
    4. The Email to No One – I recently received an email addressed to 8 people. The message said, “Can someone please make sure this gets done?” Yet, the email did not say which person should take the action. In essence, it was addressed to no one and everyone at the same time. As you can guess, everyone assumed that someone else was going to do the task, and it didn’t get done at all.
    5. The Spam Email – People can find enough random stuff to surf on the Internet, they don’t need your topics, as well. Passing along random articles, gossip, and websites only clutters up others’ inboxes.
    6. The Conversation Email – If your email message cannot be conveyed in less than half a page, then it probably shouldn’t be an email. It is probably better handled as a direct conversation. As well, if your email is going to require more than 2–3 back-and-forth responses, it is better to talk to the person than play email Ping-Pong.
    7. The Bad News Email – Never deliver criticism via email. Never. Ever. Never. Bad news should always be delivered in person, not in a bad email. Even constructive criticism can easily be taken out of context or be misunderstood.

    Use Email for Good

    Email can be an effective communication method and a huge timesaver in many situations.

    However, email can also be abused and end up creating communication confusion.

    Most problems are better solved by speaking to someone directly rather than blasting off an email volley. And if something is truly urgent, reach out and touch someone instead of sending an email into their inbox.

    Email Etiquette 2016-02-03 06:00:00Z 0

    Change the World Thru Education FUNDRAISER - March 5th

     
     
    On Saturday, March 5th, the Rotary eClub of Houston will hold a fun raiser for the "Children of the Dump" in Nicaragua to raise funds for three college scholarships.    We need your support and help in this endeavor as we have been able to send students to college for the past two years and it is critical that we continue to support their education through the years of their education.    Many of you are aware of the success of this program through Rotary District 5890.   For those that are not, Jim Kite, a long time supporter of this project will be with us on Saturday to answer your questions and update all of us on the progress in Nicaragua.  
     
    Join us as Ed and Robin Charlesworth graciously share their home with us to host this event.  We will have food, entertainment, and lots of Rotary fellowship.    All of the funds raised will go to the scholarships as most of our costs have been donated by Rotarians and friends.    We will also have a silent auction including great gifts such as a meditation garden, a tea set, rod iron candelabras, wine with wood holder and even a five night stay at a Hilton resort in Orlando and many more items.  Our event will feature: Fantastic guest speakers, great entertainment, delicious food & drinks, fun games and many prizes! It is an all ages event! Professional musician Andrea Galindo will provide Spanish music and our own club member Cagatay (T) Atmaca will provide Turkish music.   
     
    Our District Governor, Nick Giannone will share a message about Rotary International and some great news for the future of Rotary in Houston.  
     
    Lounge by the pool, relax in the media room, shop in the entry, or graze in the dining room.    Stop by any time from 3 to 7 and help us change the world through education.       
     
    Linda Caruso, President
    Rotary eClub of Houston
    100th President Rotary Club of Houston (2011-12)
    Rotary District Foundation 100% PHF Chair
    Rotary 5890 AG (2013-14)

    Appeal:
    Please help us help our "Children of the Dump" in Nicaragua with scholarships for college education.  It only costs about $1500 per child for a college education each year.   The first scholarship provided through Rotary benefited a young woman who is now a Chief Financial Officer of a bank!   You can change a childs' future through the gift of education.  Join us on March 5th or donate on-line via PayPal  to help these young men and women build a future  - from selling trinkets found in the dump and finding food to eat from the same city dump into a life filled with potential with a good education.

    VIP Sponsor levels include: 
    1) Freshman Sponsorship (1 year) $375.00 USD
    2) Sophomore Sponsorship (2 years) $750.00 USD
    3) Junior Sponsorship (3 years) $1125.00
    4) Senior Sponsorship (4 years) $1500.00

    Tickets available online through EventBrite:
    Advance: $30.00
    At the door: $45.00
    Teens: $10.00
    Children free!

    All donations are tax deductible. 
    We're a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization
    When:
    Where:  11407 Hylander Drive Houston, TX 77070
     
    Change the World Thru Education FUNDRAISER - March 5th 2016-01-30 06:00:00Z 0

    When in Ireland - Visit Rotary

    The Rotary Club, Dublin was the first Rotary club to be formed outside of North America. Our first meeting in 1911 was held in Jury's Hotel in Dublin.

    For over 100 years, we have changed hotel a few times.

    Fun at our yearly barbecue

    Today we meet in the Grand Canal Hotel, a couple of miles from our original city centre location in the leafy inner suburb of Ballsbridge, next to the Grand Canal itself and close to the southern docks.Eradicating polio in Afganistan

     

    Our club has a long tradition of community involvement and visitor hospitality. Almost every week we welcome guests from all over the Rotary world to our meetings. We are always delighted to meet new Rotarians (and their family and other guests) and to make new friends. So if you are in Dublin on a Monday, do join us for lunch and I can assure you of good fellowship and a really warm Irish welcome.

    Tom O'Neill

    President

    When in Ireland - Visit Rotary 2016-01-30 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Fundaiser February 5th - Rotary Cub of Rosenburg

    Rotary Club of Rosenburg is holding a fundraiser next Friday night, February 5th at the Fort Bend Fairgrounds.  The event will feature the best gumbo (all you can eat) on the planet, silent and live auctions, games for the kids and beer and wine are included.  Cajun music and Mardi Gras fun all happening in Building B at the Fairgrounds.  Individual tickets are available for a $25 contribution. 
    Rotary Fundaiser February 5th - Rotary Cub of Rosenburg 2016-01-30 06:00:00Z 0

    Needs in Nepal Continue Following the Great Earthquake


    As members of our Rotary Club, we are all aware that any projects undertaken in the name of Rotary are always administered with oversight of local Rotarians. We also know that Rotarians worldwide are ready to respond to cries for help.
     
    HELP IS NEEDED IN NEPAL
    On the 25th of April 2015 through May 12th a catastrophic earthquake hit Nepal. It measured 7.6 on the Richter scale followed by a series of aftershocks including a 6.8 magnitude on April 26th and a 7.5 magnitude on May 12th.
     
    Statistics give us factual information on structural damage such as  that 2,688 Government houses were destroyed, 3776 partially damaged, 602591 private homes and 32145 classrooms.
    That was the tip of the iceberg. 8959 people lost their lives and 22,322 people injured.
    What has happened to all of these survivors? Since the earthquake most of them have been living in tents for the last 8 months. The weather at the moment is severe Many of the tents are in tatters and the population is suffering from lack of shelter, food and clean water.
    It is now winter with rain, snow and winds whipping down from the Himalayas.
     
    APPEAL!!!!
    Rotary District 3292 in Nepal appeals to everyone to come together in this dire situation to rebuild Nepal. The tentative cost details are as follows:
    Cost per house $4000.00 (they will be earthquake proof
    Cost per primary school: $15000.00 - $20,000.00
    Cost per school room: $3000.00
    Cost per school toilet complex: $4000.00
     *Details for the bank to make contributions individually may be requested by contacting our e-club via email.
    Our hearts go out to the proud people of Nepal who are working hard to rebuild their country - but they need funds
     
    Needs in Nepal Continue Following the Great Earthquake Vivian Smith 2016-01-30 06:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - "Say What You Need to Say" by John Mayer 2016-01-30 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - "How My Mind Came Back to Life - and No One Knew"

     
    Tatiana Berardi suggested this TedTalk for our weekly program.  She shared,  "I watched it and think it's a very powerful message about communication."   Thank you, Tatiana, for organizing our program this week!
     
    At age 12, Martin Pistorius fell into a coma, and spent 13 years locked inside his body, unable to communicate — until a caregiver noticed his eyes responded to her. His book "Ghost Boy" tells his story of his return to consciousness after a horrible illness ... and his struggle to tell the world that he was still there, inside his body, hoping to communicate.  Martin Pistorius is a web designer and author whose personal story borders on the unimaginable.
     

    Imagine being unable to say, "I am hungry," "I am in pain," "thank you," or "I love you,” — losing your ability to communicate, being trapped inside your body, surrounded by people yet utterly alone. For 13 long years, that was Martin Pistorius’s reality. After contracting a brain infection at the age of twelve, Pistorius lost his ability to control his movements and to speak, and eventually he failed every test for mental awareness. He had become a ghost. But then a strange thing started to happen — his mind began to knit itself back together. In this moving talk, Pistorius tells how he freed himself from a life locked inside his own body.

     
     
     
    Weekly Program - "How My Mind Came Back to Life - and No One Knew" 2016-01-30 06:00:00Z 0

    Welcome NEW Members!

    Molly Smith - Previously a Rotarian in the Rotary Clubs of Humble Intercontinental (D5890) and Tyler Sunrise (D5830).  Molly's classification is Utility and she is a
    Claims Representative with  CenterPoint Energy.  Molly says,   "I have been interested in reconnecting with the Rotary “family” and feel this is a way to coordinate both my busy work schedule and my desire to volunteer and make a difference.  I am interested in youth related organizations and areas of volunteering. 
    Due to a job change in 2012, I had to discontinue attending in person weekly Rotary meetings here in the greater Houston area.  Having been involved in Rotary and RYLA since around 2006, I missed the commradery, involvement and networking that Rotary provided.  I decided to search out other options for Rotary membership on the Rotary website and located this E-Club."  We hope that Molly will again become involved in RYLA (which is occuring this weekend in District 5890).
     
    Welcome NEW Members! 2016-01-29 06:00:00Z 0
    Music for the Week - Folk Music of West Africa 2016-01-22 06:00:00Z 0

    New Rotary Theme Announced by RI President-Elect John Germ in San Diego

    Rotary’s founder, Paul Harris, believed that serving humanity is “the most worthwhile thing a person can do,” RI President-elect John F. Germ said, and that being a part of Rotary is a “great opportunity” to make that happen.

    Germ unveiled the 2016-17 presidential theme, Rotary Serving Humanity, to incoming district governors on 18 January at the International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA.

    “I believe everyone recognizes the opportunity to serve Rotary for what it truly is: not a small opportunity, but a great one; an opportunity of a lifetime to change the world for the better, forever through Rotary’s service to humanity,” said Germ.

    Rotary members around the globe are serving humanity by providing clean water to underdeveloped communities, promoting peace in conflict areas, and strengthening communities through basic education and literacy. But none more important than our work to eradicate polio worldwide, he said.

    After a historic year in which transmission of the wild poliovirus was stopped in Nigeria and all of Africa, Germ said we are closer than ever to ending polio.

    “We are at a crossroads in Rotary,” he added. “We are looking ahead at a year that may one day be known as the greatest year in Rotary’s history: the year that sees the world’s last case of polio.”

    Last year’s milestones leave just two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the virus still circulates. Polio would be only the second human disease ever to be eradicated.

    When that moment arrives, it’s “tremendously important” that Rotary is ready for it, said Germ. “We need to be sure that we are recognized for that success, and leverage that success into more partnerships, greater growth, and even more ambitious service in the decades to come.”

    Germ, a member of the Rotary Club of Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA, encouraged attendees to return to their clubs and communities and spread the word about Rotary’s role in the fight for a polio-free world.

    “People who want to do good will see that Rotary is a place where they can change the world. Every Rotary club needs to be ready to give them that opportunity,” Germ said.

    Enhancing Rotary’s image isn’t the only way to boost membership. “We need clubs that are flexible, so our service will be more attractive to younger members, recent retirees, and working people.”

    He added: “We need more willing hands, more caring hearts, and more bright minds to move our work forward.”

    New Rotary Theme Announced by RI President-Elect John Germ in San Diego 2016-01-21 06:00:00Z 0

    Travel with Rotary D 5890 - Guerrero Eye Clinic

    THE GUERRERO CLINIC
    Spring 2016 Eye /Dental Clinic will be held
    Wednesday March 30th - Saturday April 2nd.
    Orientation takes place Tue afternoon 3/29.
    Travel
    Via Houston on United leaves Monday 3/28.
    Via Dallas on American leaves Monday 3/28.
    All Volunteers return to the U.S. Sunday morning 4/3
    Spring Application is Now Posted on the website at
    www.guerreroclinic.org
    For More Information, Contact:
    Robert@GuerreroClinic.org or
    Walter@GuerreroClinic.org
     
    Travel with Rotary D 5890 - Guerrero Eye Clinic 2016-01-21 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Peace Conference Notes

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    On January 15-16, 2016 a Rotary World Peace Conference was held in Ontario, California.  The mission of the Rotary World Peace Conference 2016 - to bring together experts with solutions to major issues that are occurring in our personal lives, homes, schools, businesses and communities, not just in Southern California, but around the world.  Leaders from health care, academia, government, public safety, religions, business, and communities met together to share the solutions presented by experts. The format allowed for action plans to be developed such that real and measurable actions can be undertaken when attendees return home", says Rudy Westervelt - Conference Convenor.
     
    A special session was held on the refugee crisis (Syria and Beyond).  Some of the keynote speakers included Carrie Hessler-Hadelet, Director of Peace Corps; Judge Daniel Nsereko, Judge of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon; Gillian Sorenson, United Nations Foundation; Bazzel Baz, Founder of the Association for the Recovery of Children; Claus Nobel, a senior member of the famed Swedish Nobel family; Ambassador Mary Peters who received the Rotary Peace Keeper Awardand Steve Killelea, founder of the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) which is an international think tank dedicated to building a greater understanding of the interconnection between business, peace and economics with particular emphasis on the economic benefits of peace.    The IEP ground-breaking research includes the global Peace Index, the world's leading measure of peacefulness.  The line-up of speakers continued with Jason Gurvitz, founder of Green Dog films who directed the anti-trafficking short documentary film "Until they All Come Home."  DFr. Gil Reyes spoke as an expert in the psychology of trauma and disasters.  Father Boyle, founder and executive director of Homeboy Industries, shared about gang intervention, rehabilitation and re-entry program in the United States.  The role of media in reporting, solving and causing conflict was discussed.  Solutions that work globally were explored and much, much more.  Additionally, a tribute to the First Responders of the San Bernardino Massacre was made at the Saturday evening dinner.  
     
    If you have an opportunity to attend a Rotary Peace Conference, it wil be an experience to be remembered!   
    Rotary Peace Conference Notes 2016-01-21 06:00:00Z 0

    10 Things to Bring on Every International Flight

    Advice written for Forbes by Geoffrey Morrison:
    fly a lot, mostly long-haul international flights. I’ve got a short list of items I have with me on every one. I also keep an eye on what other, seemingly seasoned, travellers bring with them, so I have a few of those on this list too.

    And perhaps just as important, I’ve got 3 things here that you shouldn’t bring on a flight.

    There’s a bit of overlap here with my 8 Long Flight Tech Tips, but that was more about being entertained, this is more practical (and mostly not tech).

    1. Noise Cancelling headphones (or earplugs)

    Airplanes are loud. Good noise cancelling headphones can cut the engine noise down significantly, making the whole flight a lot more relaxing. They won’t help with the crying baby, or talkative neighbors, nor are all noise cancelling headphones the same. Check out Why Headphone Specs are Worthless and Noise Cancelling vs Noise Isolating Headphones.

    My pick is the Bose QuietComfort 20 (though the over-ear 25s are also good). Best noise cancelling available right now, plus they’re tiny.

    If you don’t want to invest in some NC headphones (the cheap ones are rarely worth it), some ear plugs are certainly a cheap alternative. Not quite as good, and not nearly as comfortable as the QC20s, they’ll at least dim the din.

    2. USB cable

    Many new planes have USB plugs at every seat. They won’t recharge your phone/tablet very quickly, but they should keep it from running low. A cable long enough for you to still use your phone comfortably, or store the phone in the seat pocket, is ideal.

    Not all USB cables are the same, however. Some don’t let your phone charge at it’s maximum. Check out Wirecutter’s pick for some cheap cables that do.

    If you’re an Apple user, this counts for Lightning cables too (as they’re basically just USB with an expensive connector).

    3. USB battery pack

    I’m pretty sure I recommend these in every article. They’re an external battery to recharge your various mobile devices. Never run out of juice again. An easy add if you plan on watching movies on your tablet for the whole flight. Check out Best USB Battery Packs.

    4. Camera (or your phone)

    I’ve seen many people, those who don’t use their phone for entertainment on a flight, store their phones in the overhead bins. Big mistake, especially if you’re in the window seat.  If you’re on the aisle, well, maybe this is more optional.

    5.  An extra layer

    Airplanes can get cold, especially at night. I’ve seen people fly in shorts, and I just don’t get that. Some long flights will give you a hankie they optimistically call a “blanket” but others don’t. Personally, I bring a Smartwool long-sleeve pullover, which is warm but breathes.

    It’s worth noting that being on the window, unless the sun is on that side, is likely colder than the aisle. If you’re in an exit row, that window is is almost always a LOT colder.

    6. Travel Pillow (optional)

    If they give you a blanket, they’ll probably give you a flat synthetic cotton ball claiming to be a pillow. I know some people who swear by those neck half-donuts, but I can’t get comfortable with them. I like myREI roll-up foam pillow, though it’s a little bulky. Wirecutter recommends a similar one that’s half-inflatable.

    7. Eyemask (optional)

    This is one I know other people like, but I don’t use. Honestly, they freak me out a bit. I don’t like waking up, opening my eyes, and not being able to see. But that’s just me. Most long-haul flights will require the window shades to be pulled down (or an a 787, automatically dimmed), but the cabin lights will still be on (a little) so people can see as they get up to pee. Wirecutter has a pick for that too.

    8.  Pen

    Most countries require you to fill out a short (and sometimes, not so short) form with some basic info. Flight attendants almost never have spare pens, and even if they do, they probably won’t give them to you (they need them!). Most, but not all, airports will have a place after you arrive where you can fill out this form. But often these won’t have pens either.

    It’s just easier to have a pen with you (blue or black ink only). Who knows, maybe you’ll make new friends with your seatmates as everyone asks to borrow your beloved ballpoint.

    9. Passport

    Mostly just to have the number and valid dates for the immigration form.

    10. Address where you’re staying

    Again, most forms require you to list where you’re staying, including the address. Some countries are more strict about this than others. “Is this where you’ll be staying for your whole trip?” is a common question. Generally you only need that first place you’re staying, but you might get asked about others. My guess is they just want to make sure you have an answer.

    Also, DO NOT BRING THE FOLLOWING:

    1.Fruit (and often nuts and seeds)

    This might vary a bit per country, but more often than not, this is a no-no. I once saw a woman try to bring a bag of oranges on a flight from Mexico to LA, and she freaked out when they told her she had to dump them. And she absolutely had to dump them.

    New Zealand actually x-rays bags coming into the country, searching for, among other things, fruits, nuts, and seeds. It’s not hard to understand why. They don’t want to risk contaminating what they grow in their country with the bugs, fungus, bacteria, you name it, that your local produce has somehow handled.

    2.Water/beverages

    If you haven’t flown in a while, you can’t bring big containers of liquids through security. Only under 30ml/1oz. I thought this was well known, but nearly every time I fly there’s someone who has to dump their water bottle or soda in a bin. You can fill an empty water bottle after you clear security.

    3. Anything that smells

    Seriously. This means everything from that homemade kimchi curry to the durian you bought on a dare. It also very much includes yourself (and your feet). Please shower well before your flight, for the good of humanity, especially those stuck nearby in a nearly-sealed tube for 10 hours.

    I’m sure you’re all minty fresh, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to sit next to someone who apparently hasn’t showered since Bush was president. So really this is more just a plea for my own sanity.

    10 Things to Bring on Every International Flight 2016-01-21 06:00:00Z 0

    District 5890 Membership Committe Meeting - Monday, January 25th

    Meeting Date & Time:  This Monday, January 25th, at 6:30pm (6:00pm, if you want to order food)
     
    Venue:    Los Tios Mexican Restaurant  
                    4840 Beechnut St.  
                    Houston, Texas 77096
                    713-660-6244
     
    Growing Rotary enables us to do more good in our communities and the world.  Attendance at the D. 5890 Membership Meetings is also a great opportunity to bond with your club's Area Membership Chair (AMC).
    Speakers - Sheila Armstrong & Karen Blakeman, Rotary Club of Sharpstown  
    Topic - "PARTNERSHIP as a means to INCREASE & RETAIN MEMBERS" - Let's learn specific information about the Literacy Project Partnership with FIRST BOOK, HOUSTON TEAM that includes involvement with the following: Disney, other community service groups for financial support, Home Depot, Houston Food Bank & Kroger per in-kind donations, literacy groups per manpower, Jack J. Valenti School of Communication at U of H per the filming of the entire process, entering the video into the World/Fest International Film Festival, and using the Award-Winning video to raise money to continue and expand the Program.
    Per Membership Recruitment & Retention, all Partnerships include member participation, involvement per potential members, and, importantly, follow-up with letters of thanks, pictures, videos and a call to action.  
     
    Thank you, clubs, for your effort per membership growth and retention!   
     
    We look forward to the attendance of at least one (1) representative from your club!  The aforementioned presentation will be extremely beneficial per learning about member recruitment and retention through partnerships.  See you there!
     
    Yours in Rotary service,
    Ann Wright
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair, 2015-16
    713-647-8400
    awright_tmg@yahoo.com
     
    District 5890 Membership Committe Meeting - Monday, January 25th 2016-01-21 06:00:00Z 0
    Being a Good Leader - Inspire Innovation 2016-01-21 06:00:00Z 0

    WEEKLY PROGRAM - THE EBOLA OUTBREAK IN AFRICA

    Published on Oct 29, 2015

    Dr Bruce Aylward, Special Representative of the Director-General for the Ebola Response and Assistant Director-General of WHO, reminds us in this interview about the Ebola crisis situation in West Africa in late 2014; and how the international community has faced this huge public health challenge since then. His interview ends with a series of key lessons learned that must be applied next time the world faces a pathogen like Ebola.

     
     
    Published on Jun 26, 2015
    Produced by Global Health Media Project in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, UNICEF, and Yoni Goodman.

    Liberia was declared free of Ebola by world health experts on Thursday (JANUARY 14,  2016)signaling an end to an epidemic that has killed more than 11,000 people in West Africa.  By , Contributor , Correspondent

    UPDATE 10:00 a.m. EST Friday (JANUARY 15, 2016): A dead woman’s body tested positive for Ebola in Sierra Leone just hours after the World Health Organization declared the region Ebola-free on Thursday, underscoring the need for vigilance in the fight against the deadly epidemic. 

    Mariatu Jalloh, a 22-year-old student --who died on Jan. 12 --began showing symptoms at the start of the year and may have been exposed to at least 27 more people, Reuters reports. She went to receive treatment on Jan. 8 at a local hospital, where she was treated as an outpatient then sent home. She also traveled around Sierra Leone in December, even making a stop in a town close to the Guinean border. Sierra Leone was declared Ebola-free on Nov. 7.

    Thursday, however, marked a new and momentous threshold – 42 days, or twice the disease’s incubation period, without an active case anywhere. That was enough for the global health community to make a long-awaited declaration: Two years, ten countries, and 11,000 deaths later, the world’s worst Ebola outbreak was officially over.

    “We don’t want to say ‘Ebola is gone,’” says Dr. Alex Gasasira, director for the World Health Organization office in Liberia, the last country to have an active Ebola case. “Rather, we are declaring that this particular epidemic appears to be over. But that doesn’t mean it won’t come back, so we must continue to be prepared and to be vigilant.”

    ​Now, the region faces its greatest public health challenge: to transform the lessons of ​the epidemic​'s darkest days into long-term public health gains. ​​This means addressing the cracks in public infrastructure, local governance, and international public health response​- and making  to keep those systems from buckling again.  

    One crucial lesson that applies to all infectious diseases is a simple one, says Axelle Ronsse, an Ebola emergency response coordinator for Doctors Without Borders (MSF): Get there faster.

    The sluggish response by both local governments and the international community to the first reports of confirmed Ebola cases in early 2014 allowed the disease to slip unnoticed over the border from rural Guinea into neighboring Liberia and Sierra Leone, and from there on to overcrowded cities. 

    “One key lesson … is that we are dependent on each other and disease has no borders,” says Dr. Foday Dafae, director of disease prevention and control in the Sierra Leonean Ministry of Health. “Equally so we need to train our work force to be prepared at all times to be able to respond as soon as there is an outbreak.”

    The immunization clinics and centers established by Rotarians, UNICEF, World Health Organization, and CDC were valued greatly by the health care workers working on the Ebola outbreak.  These health facilities will continue to be useful to many African communities. 
    WEEKLY PROGRAM - THE EBOLA OUTBREAK IN AFRICA 2016-01-15 06:00:00Z 0

    Diversity - It Makes Us Unique

    The noted author Richard Florida argues that the key to economic growth lies in the ability of a city, region, or country to attract a “creative class” of people and to translate that underlying advantage into creative economic outcomes in the form of new ideas, new high-tech businesses, and regional growth. One important factor in attracting the creative class is diversity—that is, an area’s openness to different kinds of people and ideas.
    Diversity - It Makes Us Unique 2016-01-15 06:00:00Z 0

    Membership Moment - "My Motivation to be a Rotarian"

    Being in the social development sector for almost three decades now, I have been hearing, seeing and admiring the services that many of my Rotarian friends have been rendering to the communities. Very systematically, passionately and silently. I have been asked for and thought of joining the Rotary many times but, it was kept on postponing.
    In November 2014, a group of my Rotarian friends came to Rajasthan as part of ‘Friendship Exchange Programme’ and visited my non-profit organization Bal Sansar Sanstha in Ajmer. Nalin, Surender, Lynn, Janice, Jac and Veroniek impressed me by their enthusiasm for exploration, spirits to help and serving to the humanity. In turn, I visited them back in Houston in July 2015, attended their club meetings, met with many fellow Rotarians and was very much impressed with the services / activities they are engaged in. In one of the clubs meetings, Nick Giannone had opened the doors and invited me to join the e-club of Houston and thus, I became a part of the global community of the kind hearted Rotarians, deeply inspired to serve the humanity globally, in whichever way it’s possible!
    I feel proud, honored and deeply inspired by the humanitarian spirits of my fellow Rotarians!
    - Priyamvada Singh, Rotarian in Rotary e-club of Houston
    Membership Moment - "My Motivation to be a Rotarian" 2016-01-15 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Club Central

    How do I get to Rotary Club Central? Go to www.rotary.org/clubcentral.

    Who can use Rotary Club Central?

    All Rotarians can view the goals and achievements for their club. The current and incoming club president, secretary, executive secretary, treasurer, Foundation chair, and membership chair can add and edit the goals and achievements for their club.

    Sign up for MyRotary to learn more about your organization, donate to thr Rotary Foundation, read news about activities worldwide, locate clubs to visit while traveling, explore potential projects, and MORE.

    Rotary Club Central 2016-01-15 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary gives US$35 million to end polio worldwide

    EVANSTON, Ill. (13 January 2016) — Rotary announces $35 million in grants to support the global effort to end polio. In 2015, the world saw historic progress against the paralyzing disease, with just two countries – Afghanistan and Pakistan – reporting a single strain of the wild virus. If the current momentum is strengthened, this year may mark the last case of wild poliovirus.

    "We are closer than ever to achieving a polio-free world," said Michael K. McGovern, chair of Rotary's International PolioPlus Committee. "To ensure that no child ever again suffer the devastating effects of this disease, we must all ensure that the necessary funds and political will are firmly in place in 2016."

    2015 Milestones

    Nigeria – the last polio-endemic country in Africa – was removed from the World Health Organization's list of endemic countries in September, following one year without a new case of the wild virus. The last wild polio case anywhere on the African continent was in August 2014.

    In September 2015, one of the three strains of the wild poliovirus – Type 2 – was certified as eradicated, with no cases since 1999. Type 3 has not been seen anywhere in the world since November 2012.

    Pakistan, which continues to report the majority of the world's polio cases, reduced its caseload by 82 percent in 2015 over the previous year.

    Funds Needed

    To sustain this progress, and protect all children from polio, experts say $1.5 billion is urgently needed. Without full funding and political commitment, the disease could return to previously polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk.

    Rotary's funds will support efforts to end polio in Pakistan ($11.4 million) and Afghanistan ($6 million).

    Additional funds will support efforts to keep other at-risk countries polio-free: Nigeria ($5.5), Cameroon ($1.6 million), Chad ($2 million); Ethiopia ($4.1 million), Somalia ($1.8 million), Iraq ($1.6 million) and India ($618,000). Finally, $355,000 in funds will be dedicated to polio research.

    Rotary launched its polio immunization program in 1985 and in 1988 became a spearheading partner in the with the WHO, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which was later joined by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Since the initiative launched, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99.9 percent, from about 350,000 cases a year to 70 confirmed to date in 2015.

    Rotary has contributed more than $1.5 billion and countless volunteer hours to fight polio. Through 2018, every dollar Rotary commits to polio eradication will be matched two-to-one by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation up to $35 million a year.

    News Release Jan 13, 2016

    Rotary gives US$35 million to end polio worldwide 2016-01-15 06:00:00Z 0

    Firefighters Gala - February 12th TONIGHT

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    RFFH will have their gala fundraising event on 2/12/2016 at the Royal Sonesta Houston Hotel to raise funds to build a 40 unit apartment complex in the Texas Medical Center. The Rotary Firefighters Home will be a temporary shelter for Firefighters that have cancer and travel to Houston to receive medical treatment at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Individual tickets are $150.00 Dlls. www.rotaryfirefightershome.org
     
    The vision of this project is to provide temporary, fully furnished housing to firefighters and other first responders at little or no cost, for use while they are undergoing treatment at the Texas Medical Center for any on- job injury or resulting work-related medical condition.

    The Rotary Club of the University Area is proud to announce the Rotary Firefighters Home (“RFFH”) is holding its first (annual) Gala on Friday, February 12, 2016, at 6:00 p.m., at the Royal Sonesta Hotel located at 2222 W. Loop South, Houston, Texas 77027. This event is the first major fundraiser for the building of the home.  The theme for the Gala is "Hope Rises!" This year’s gala promises to be a superb event.  Our keynote speakers are Helen Reisler and Retired District Chief Steve Sparks.  Our MC is Emmy award winning talk show host, Houston's own Ernie Manouse.

     

    Helen was the president of the Rotary Club of NYC on 9/11 and is the Rotary Alt. International Representative to the United Nations (2007-present).   Chief Sparks worked at "ground zero" on 9/11.  Both will bring their own unique personal perspectives about 9/11 and about firefighters and first responders.  We are thrilled to have these two distinguished speakers and of course, to have Ernie Manouse as our MC.

     
    The theme is based on a Phoenix rising out of the ashes like NYC and America did after 9/11, on the hope cancer patients have when they begin treatment, on the hope people have when they are in a disaster and in need of rescuing, and of course, on our hopes to get the home built! 
     
    For those of you who are not familiar with the project, the project vision is to provide temporary, fully-furnished housing to firefighters and other first responders at little or no cost, for use while they are undergoing treatment at the Texas Medical Center for any on-job injury or resulting work-related medical condition.
     
    The Rotary Firefighters Home motto is "You were there for us; We are here for you."   It speaks to the ongoing and never failing commitment which firefighters give to the community, and of our commitment to help them when they fight their personal battle against cancer (the most common work-related injury firefighters face).
     
    We are respectfully requesting that you become one of this very special year’s sponsors.  Being the first is a unique recognition on many levels, not the least of which, is your showing of support for this endeavor. For detailed information on what being a sponsor/underwriter entails, see the attached forms and for detailed information on the project itself, see the enclosed brochure. Please note RFFH is a 501(c)(3).
     
    Please help us make this an evening to remember! To sponsor a table or to purchase individual tickets, please go to this website http://www.rotaryfirefightershome.org/  and then click on Gala (on the right side of the screen).
     
    For any questions or further details, contact Gala Chair Sonya Heath at 281-507-2424;
     
    - See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Stories/univ-area-s-rotary-firefighters-home-gala-feb-12#sthash.6uctsHym.dpuf

    The Rotary Club of the University Area is proud to announce the Rotary Firefighters Home (“RFFH”) is holding its first (annual) Gala on Friday, February 12, 2016, at 6:00 p.m., at the Royal Sonesta Hotel located at 2222 W. Loop South, Houston, Texas 77027. This event is the first major fundraiser for the building of the home.  The theme for the Gala is "Hope Rises!" This year’s gala promises to be a superb event.  Our keynote speakers are Helen Reisler and Retired District Chief Steve Sparks.  Our MC is Emmy award winning talk show host, Houston's own Ernie Manouse.

     

    Helen was the president of the Rotary Club of NYC on 9/11 and is the Rotary Alt. International Representative to the United Nations (2007-present).   Chief Sparks worked at "ground zero" on 9/11.  Both will bring their own unique personal perspectives about 9/11 and about firefighters and first responders.  We are thrilled to have these two distinguished speakers and of course, to have Ernie Manouse as our MC.

     
    The theme is based on a Phoenix rising out of the ashes like NYC and America did after 9/11, on the hope cancer patients have when they begin treatment, on the hope people have when they are in a disaster and in need of rescuing, and of course, on our hopes to get the home built! 
     
    For those of you who are not familiar with the project, the project vision is to provide temporary, fully-furnished housing to firefighters and other first responders at little or no cost, for use while they are undergoing treatment at the Texas Medical Center for any on-job injury or resulting work-related medical condition.
     
    The Rotary Firefighters Home motto is "You were there for us; We are here for you."   It speaks to the ongoing and never failing commitment which firefighters give to the community, and of our commitment to help them when they fight their personal battle against cancer (the most common work-related injury firefighters face).
     
    We are respectfully requesting that you become one of this very special year’s sponsors.  Being the first is a unique recognition on many levels, not the least of which, is your showing of support for this endeavor. For detailed information on what being a sponsor/underwriter entails, see the attached forms and for detailed information on the project itself, see the enclosed brochure. Please note RFFH is a 501(c)(3).
     
    Please help us make this an evening to remember! To sponsor a table or to purchase individual tickets, please go to this website http://www.rotaryfirefightershome.org/  and then click on Gala (on the right side of the screen).
     
    For any questions or further details, contact Gala Chair Sonya Heath at 281-507-2424;
     
    - See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50025/Stories/univ-area-s-rotary-firefighters-home-gala-feb-12#sthash.hyhEorjY.dpuf
    Firefighters Gala - February 12th TONIGHT 2016-01-09 06:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - "In Your Hands" written for a teacher 2016-01-09 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Focus on Teachers

    Until recently, many teachers only got one word of feedback a year: “satisfactory.” And with no feedback, no coaching, there’s just no way to improve. Bill Gates suggests that even great teachers can get better with smart feedback — and lays out a program from his foundation to bring it to every classroom.

    Why you should listen

    Bill Gates is the founder and former CEO of Microsoft. A geek icon, tech visionary and business trailblazer, Gates' leadership -- fueled by his long-held dream that millions might realize their potential through great software -- made Microsoft a personal computing powerhouse and a trendsetter in the Internet dawn. Whether you're a suit, chef, quant, artist, media maven, nurse or gamer, you've probably used a Microsoft product today.

    In summer of 2008, Gates left his day-to-day role with Microsoft to focus on philanthropy. Holding that all lives have equal value (no matter where they're being lived), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has now donated staggering sums to HIV/AIDS programs, libraries, agriculture research and disaster relief -- and offered vital guidance and creative funding to programs in global health and education. Gates believes his tech-centric strategy for giving will prove the killer app of planet Earth's next big upgrade.

    What others say

    “When Gates looks at the world, a world in which millions of preventable deaths occur each year, he sees an irrational, inefficient, broken system, an application that needs to be debugged. It shocks him -- his word -- that people don't see this, the same way it shocked him that nobody but he and [Paul] Allen saw the microchip for what it was.” — Time

    Next...

    What do rap shows, barbershop banter and Sunday services have in common? As Christopher Emdin says, they all hold the secret magic to enthrall and teach at the same time — and it’s a skill we often don't teach to educators. A longtime teacher himself, now a science advocate and co-founder of Science Genius B.A.T.T.L.E.S. with the GZA of the Wu-Tang Clan, Emdin offers a vision to make the classroom come alive.

    Filmed October 2013 at TED@NYC

    Christopher Emdin: Teach teachers how to create magic

     
    Rotarians are focused on education around the world, but sometimes we need to take a closer look in our own backyard.  There are often opportunities to mentor students, mentor scholarship recipients as they transition from high school to college, donate to after-school programs, purchase dictionaries or other books (such as the Dolly Parton Imagination book program).  Perhaps we can also consider how to impact the teachers with communication tools to motivate students to learn.  Learning is a gift and Rotarians are challenged by RI President "Ravi" to "Be a Gift to the World".  Gifts take many forms, some tangible and some inspirational.  Let's share our gifts, whether it be monetary or the gift of our time or talent, to promote education of the next generation.
    Weekly Program - Focus on Teachers 2016-01-09 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Community Corps Event: "Tame our Wild Hearts" February 13th

    Your District 5890 Rotary Community Corps is cordially inviting you to a fun-filled event with music, games, dancing, silent and live auction, dinner, and drinks!    This year we are honored to host our annual fundraiser in support of an incredible organization, Special Cheers, on February 13, 2016. Our theme is “Tame Our Wild Hearts” and with all the love in the air, keep some room in your heart and come out to support such a great cause.
    About Special Cheers: 

    Since 2002, Special Cheers (Special ​C​hildren with ​H​orses for E​valuation, ​E​ducation, ​R​ehabilitation, and ​S​ocialization) has treated over 800 children and young adults ​with physical and mental challenges through functional living skills and Equine therapy in a natural environment. The organization has also rescued rehabilitated and adopted horses, goats and dogs. Located on a 240 acre farm on the West side of the energy corridor, off of Clay Road, children and young adults participate in therapeutic riding, sensory integration, social interaction and job skills.

    From  our  tour  of  the  facility,  here  are  some  areas  of  need:   

    • ●  Repair:  Roof  is  priority,  floors,  ramps,  decks,  and  siding  

    • ●  Renovate  the  Gym  and  Camp  Rooms  including  replacing  floors,  roof,  and  other  minor  repairs  

    • ●  Expansion  of  Summer  Camp  Room  

    • ●  New  Springs  for  the  Trampoline    

    • ●  Ceiling  track  to  help  therapeutic  process  for  children  on  Trampoline  

    • ●  Special  Needs  Equipment:  Adult  Size  Quadriciser  Motorized  Therapy  System    

    • ●  Safety  Belts  for  children    

    • ●  Horse  blankets,  equipment,  and  saddles  

    • ●  Special  Needs  Playground    

    • ●  Portable  Bathroom  and/or  Special  Needs  Bathroom  Built  

    • ●  Housing  Built  for  Rabbits  

      No  Donation  is  Too  Small  to  Make  a  Difference  ... 
      Other  Donations:     Reams  of  paper,  work  gloves,  rubber  rain  boots  (all  sizes),  garden  tools,  paper  towels,   toilet  tissue,  Deet Free  mosquito  spray  and  lotion,   Home  Depot gift cards,  Lowes gift cards,  and  Ace  Hardware gift cards (building  repairs),   Michael's gift cards (summer  camp  supplies),  Hobby  Lobby gift cards  (summer  camp  supplies), Office  Depot gift cards  (office  supplies), Steinhausers  (horse,  sheep,  goat,  pig,  and  chicken  feed)  
       

     
     
    Rotary Community Corps Event: "Tame our Wild Hearts" February 13th 2016-01-08 06:00:00Z 0

    More Rotary Events in January, 2016

    January 25th - Rotary District Membership Meeting (see more information below)
     
    January 26th Webinar - "All About the Rotary Peace Fellowship"  9:00 am - 10:00 am

    Level: Beginner

    Audience: Peace Fellowship applicants

    Learn all about the Rotary Peace Fellowship during this webinar and question and answer session. Rotary Peace Centers staff will be discussing the background of the program, the Rotary Peace Centers around the world, and how applicants can start the process of becoming a potential fellow!

    Can't join during the time of the webinar? Register anyway and we will send you a link to the recording.

    Language: English

    January 30th - Super Bowl Texas Holdem Poker Tourney beginning at noon until 4:00 pm. Come join the fun for a $50 buy in which includes lunch and drinks. It will be held at the Oxford Condos located at 5150 Hidalgo in Houston.  "I'm ALL IN, how about you?", says Rtn. Jac Wallace.  Contact Jack for more information at 713-705-8661. This is a fundraiser for the Rotary Club of West University.


     
    More Rotary Events in January, 2016 2016-01-08 06:00:00Z 0

    Quotes Reflecting on Teaching

    “I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well”
    Alexander the Great

    “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”
    Henry Adams
     
    “The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future life.”
    Plato
     
    “The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives.”
    Robert M. Hutchins
    Quotes Reflecting on Teaching 2016-01-08 06:00:00Z 0

    Disaster Relief for North Texas

    Violent storms ripped through the North Texas area shortly after Christmas, spawning tornadoes that killed 11 people and severely damaged and/or destroyed many businesses and homes.  DG Nick Giannone shares that Rotarian Wayne Beaumier (Rotary Club of Bear Creek Copperfield) is assisting with Disaster Aid.  He led a group from our district to volunteer in Rowlett, Texas, on January 1st.  They plan to assist with downed tre removal, debris removal, clean-up, point of distribution management POD, and volunteer management as directed by local authorities.
     
    Rowlett property assessment:  1145 homes and businesses impacted by the storm.  Out of 1110 homes mpacted, 159 were totally destroyed, 311 had major damage and will need to be demolished; 434 were damaged but still habitable; and 206 had minimal damage. Out of 35 businesses iimpacted, three were totally destroyed, eight had major damage and are structurally unsound, five had minor damage but still habitable, and nineteen others had minor damage to be repaired.
     
    D
    Disaster Relief for North Texas 2016-01-08 06:00:00Z 0

    "Pay it Forward" or Getting to Know our RI President

    K.R. Ravindran is CEO and founder of Printcare PLC, a publicly listed printing, packaging, and digital media solutions company. It is arguably the world's largest supplier of tea bag packaging, catering to nearly every major tea brand, with manufacturing facilities in Sri Lanka and India. Printcare is the winner of national and international awards of excellence. Ravindran has been a featured speaker at several international print and packaging forums.

    Ravindran also serves on the board of several other companies in Sri Lanka and India and charitable trusts, including the MJF (Dilmah) Charitable Foundation. He is the founding president of the Rotary-sponsored Sri Lanka Anti Narcotics Association, the largest such agency in Sri Lanka. During the country's civil war, Ravindran was involved in the business community efforts to find peaceful solutions to the conflict and was a featured speaker at the United Nations-sponsored peace conference in New York for the Sri Lankan diaspora in 2002.

    A third generation Rotarian and a member himself since the age of 21, Ravindran has served on the Rotary International Board of Directors and The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees and as RI treasurer.

    As his country's national PolioPlus chair, Ravindran headed a joint task force of the Sri Lankan government, UNICEF, and Rotary and worked closely with UNICEF to successfully negotiate a ceasefire with the northern militants during National Immunization Days. Aided by Rotary's efforts, Sri Lanka reported its last case of polio in 1994.

    He also chaired the Schools Reawakening project, in which Rotary District 3220 raised more than $12 million to rebuild over 20 tsunami-devastated schools to benefit 14,000 children. He continues to play a role in his club's project to build a cancer prevention and early detection center in Sri Lanka. Once completed, it will be the only dedicated national facility to offer comprehensive screening and early detection services.

    Ravindran is a recipient of The Rotary Foundation's Citation for Meritorious Service, Distinguished Service Award, and Service Award for a Polio-Free World.

    He and Vanathy have been married since 1975, and they have two children and a recently born grandchild.

    "Pay it Forward" or Getting to Know our RI President 2016-01-08 06:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - Jewel singing "Hands"

    Lyrics

    If I could tell the world just one thing
    It would be that we're all ok
    And not to worry because worry is wasteful
    And useless in times like these
    I will not be made useless
    I won't be idled with despair
    I will gather myself around my faith
    For light does the darkness most fear

    My hands are small, I know,
    But they're not yours they are my own
    But they're not yours they are my own
    And I am never broken

    In the end only kindness matters
    In the end only kindness matters

    I will get down on my knees and I will pray
    I will get down on my knees and I will pray
    I will get down on my knees and I will pray

    My hands are small, I know,
    But they're not yours they are my own
    But they're not yours they are my own
    And I am never broken

    My hands are small, i know,
    But they're not yours they are my own
    But they're not yours they are my own
    And I am never broken
    We are never broken

    We are God's eyes God's hands God's mind
    We are God's eyes God's hands God's heart
    We are God's eyes God's hands God's eyes God's hands
    We are God's hands God's hands We are God's hands

    Songwriters: Kilcher, Jewel / Leonard, Patrick
    © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, DOWNTOWN MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
    For non-commercial use only.
    Data From: LyricFind

     
    Song of the Week - Jewel singing "Hands" 2016-01-08 06:00:00Z 0

    2016 Monte Carlo Event - Willowbrook Rotary Fundraiser

    On February 20th the Willowbrook Rotarians invite you to the Woodlands Waterway Marriott for the 29th Annual Monte Carlo Night.  Bring your Mardi Gras beads and ENJOY thE FUN with a spirited LIVE AUCTION, fabulous live entertainment, silent auction, and professional casino style gaming.  Tickets are $100 per person (including dinner).  Contact a Willowbrook Rotarian or call 281-370-4200 for more information.
    2016 Monte Carlo Event - Willowbrook Rotary Fundraiser 2016-01-08 06:00:00Z 0

    A Short Story on Self-Confidence

    There was a business executive who was deep in debt and could see no way out.

    Creditors were closing in on him. Suppliers were demanding payment. He sat on the park bench, head in hands, wondering if anything could save his company from bankruptcy.

    Suddenly an old man appeared before him. “I can see that something is troubling you,” he said.

    After listening to the executive’s woes, the old man said, “I believe I can help you.”

    He asked the man his name, wrote out a check, and pushed it into his hand saying, “Take this money. Meet me here exactly one year from today, and you can pay me back at that time.”

    Then he turned and disappeared as quickly as he had come.

    The business executive saw in his hand a check for $500,000, signed by John D. Rockefeller, then one of the richest men in the world!

    “I can erase my money worries in an instant!” he realized. But instead, the executive decided to put the uncashed check in his safe. Just knowing it was there might give him the strength to work out a way to save his business, he thought.

    With renewed optimism, he negotiated better deals and extended terms of payment. He closed several big sales. Within a few months, he was out of debt and making money once again.

    Exactly one year later, he returned to the park with the uncashed check. At the agreed-upon time, the old man appeared. But just as the executive was about to hand back the check and share his success story, a nurse came running up and grabbed the old man.

    “I’m so glad I caught him!” she cried. “I hope he hasn’t been bothering you. He’s always escaping from the rest home and telling people he’s John D. Rockefeller.”

    And she led the old man away by the arm.

    The astonished executive just stood there, stunned. All year long he’d been wheeling and dealing, buying and selling, convinced he had half a million dollars behind him.

    Suddenly, he realized that it wasn’t the money, real or imagined, that had turned his life around. It was his newfound self-confidence that gave him the power to achieve anything he went after.

    Author Unknown
    Shared by Stephen on September 2, 2013

    in Motivational Stories

    A Short Story on Self-Confidence 2016-01-08 06:00:00Z 0
    Weekly Program - Listening to the World Around You 2016-01-05 06:00:00Z 0

    ALL-CLUB Dinner with RI President "Ravi" Ravindran - JANUARY 12th

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    ALL-CLUB DINNER - Rotary Districts 5890 and 5910 have the honor of hosting our Rotary International President "Ravi" Ravindran and his lovely wife starting Sunday, January 10 and culminating on  January 12,  with our  All Club Celebration of Gifts Dinner, which will feature Rotary International President Ravi as our Key Note Speaker.   This spectacular event will begin at 5:00 p.m.
     
    Time:   5:00 Exhibits open (cash bar)
                5:15 - 6:30  Major Donor/Bequest Society and VIP Reception
                6:30 - 6:55  RI President Ravi & DGs tour Expo
                7:00 - 9:00  All Club Meeting convenes
     
    The event will be held at the Crown Plaza NRG.  The evening promises to be extraordinary and one not to be missed. All registration details are on the District 5890 website.   Our member, PDG Ed Charlesworth, will be introducing our DG Nick Giannone.  All members are invited to attend and hear directly from our RI President.  We have 62 clubs in our Rotary District 5890 and representatives from all clubs will be present, in addition to our neighboring Rotarians from District 5910.  It's a great opportunity to meet Rotarians across our district, make new friends and renew acquaintances. The event chair is Michelle Bohreer in the Rotary Club of Houston.
     
    ALL-CLUB Dinner with RI President "Ravi" Ravindran - JANUARY 12th 2015-12-27 06:00:00Z 0

    Christmas Fun Facts 

    Researched from randomhistory.com:
    •The traditional three colors of Christmas are green, red, and gold. Green has long been a symbol of life and rebirth; red symbolizes the blood of Christ, and gold represents light as well as wealth and royalty.
    •All the gifts in the Twelve Days of Christmas equal 364 gifts.
    •Each year more than 3 billion Christmas cards are sent in the U.S. alone.
    •Christmas trees have been sold in the U.S. since 1850.
    •Christmas trees usually grow for about 15 years before they are sold.
    •Bolivians celebrate Misa del Gallo or “Mass of the Rooster” on Christmas Eve. Some people bring roosters to the midnight mass, a gesture that symbolizes the belief that a rooster was the first animal to announce the birth of Jesus.
    •The British wear paper crowns while they eat Christmas dinner. The crowns are stored in a tube called a “Christmas cracker.
    •n Poland, spiders or spider webs are common Christmas trees decorations because according to legend, a spider wove a blanket for Baby Jesus. In fact, Polish people consider spiders to be symbols of goodness and prosperity at Christmas.
    •The poinsettia is native to Mexico and was cultivated by the Aztecs, who called the plant Cuetlaxochitl (“flower which wilts”). For the Aztecs, the plant’s brilliant red color symbolized purity, and they often used it medicinally to reduce fever. Contrary to popular belief, the poinsettia is not poisonous, but holly berries are.
    Christmas Fun Facts 2015-12-21 06:00:00Z 0

    All About Santa Claus

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    Who Is Santa Claus Anyway?

    Santa Claus And His Connection To Christmas

    By David Stevens
    Published in Lifescript September 26, 2007
     
    Santa Claus is a major figure in the folklore of the Western world. His image has even spread to a few Asian countries such as Japan, whose connections with the West are quite deep and intricate. He has acquired his persona and lifestyle from a number of different cultures over the years, just as Christmas has gathered to itself many aspects that have little to do with the birth of Jesus. Christmas and Santa Claus have much in common in their development from primarily religious origins into the largely secular ideas that they are today. Let us have a meander through history and see just how the legend of Santa Claus, and particularly the Christmas Santa Claus, developed into such an integral part of our culture.
     
    The Beginnings
    It would appear that the template for Santa Claus was a 4th century Christian bishop called Saint Nicholas of Myra. Myra was then part of the Byzantine Empire situated in, what is now, Turkey. What connects him to our modern figure is his generosity to the poor in the form of gifts. The key story that caused him to be remembered was his gift of wedding dowries to three impoverished sisters, which saved them from the only other life open to poor, unwedded girls of the time: prostitution. His name and fame filtered into Europe over the centuries and he was particularly revered in the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, and Germany. We shall see later that the Dutch brought him to America in the 17th century. Their spelling of his name: Sinterklaas, is the ancestor of our Santa Claus.
     
     
    All About Santa Claus 2015-12-21 06:00:00Z 0

    Welcome & Holiday Greetings!

    Warmest Wishes for Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!  Our Jewish friends have celebrated Hanukkah from December 6th to December 14th.  Our Christian friends will be celebrating Christmas this week on December 25th.  Kwanzaa will be  celebrated beginning December 26th through January 1st.  Rotary International is an international service organization whose stated human rights purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders in order to provide humanitarian services, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and to advance goodwill and peace around the world. It is a secular organization open to all people regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, or political preference. There are 34,282 member clubs worldwide. 1.2 million individuals called Rotarians have joined these clubs.  We are committed to "SERVICE ABOVE SELF" as our motto.  During the holidays Rotarians are quite visible in their communities spreading goodwill and building better friendships, honoring senior citizens, sharing gifts with children from families in need, feeding the hungry, adopting families and more.  It simply feels good to know that you have made a difference to others.  Wishing you and yours a joyous time with family and friends during our holidays and a prosperous new year to continue serving others through our gifts of time & talent and money we have earned to support club projects and the Rotary Foundation. 
    Welcome & Holiday Greetings! 2015-12-21 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotarians at Work for Christmas Cheer

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    Rotary Club of Santa Rosa (California): The Rotary Club of Santa Rosa's 2015/16 theme is “Real People, Real Impact”!
      (1)  Children's Christmas Program:  Each year the club sponsors  a group of local children to attend the Nutcracker at the Spreckle’s Theatre.  Prior to the performance, club members shop for Christmas gifts for the children and then wrap them at one of our club meetings. After the performance, Santa Clause will be in attendance handing out gifts. A good time is had by everyone.
     (2) Poinsettias for Vigil Lights Senior Housing - Members donate poinsettia plants for the seniors at this facility
     (3) Christmas Feast - Each year, Santa Rosa Rotarians and family members descended on the Sonoma County Fairgrounds to participate in another Hands On Project. This project involved helping the combined Redwood Gospel Mission and Salvation Army to provide hot meals, haircuts, food boxes, and Christmas gifts to those in need in our community.

    A blue sea of Rotarian At Work shirts could be seen at the food boxing area where members placed a frozen chicken and other food staples into a cardboard box for families to take home to make a Christmas dinner. After the food was boxed, some more members rolled the boxes down a conveyor line where yet some more members had the filled boxes placed in a shopping cart. Each Rotarian is then assigned a family to either deliver the box of food to the family’s car, or to take the shopping cart to receive bags of gifts for children of all ages.

    The event is a huge success each year.  Attendance at the event has been estimated to be approximately 5,000 people, not including all of the hundreds of volunteers. The sparkle of eyes and huge grins of children learning that the bags are full of Christmas presents is a sight that none of the members there will ever forget. The shopping carts full of boxes of food and Christmas gifts are then wheeled by Rotarians all of the way out into the recipients’ cars.

    Rotary Club of Toronto (Canada) - We held our 86th annual Christmas Party for Children with special needs.  For all the children and their families, there was face painting, crafts, scrapbooking, and a raucous snowball fight with the police.  Fortunately the police men and women wore their vests as they took quite a beating from the kids.  Several Rotary exchange students became clowns and elves for the day and added a truly international flavour to the party. Santa arrived to make sure all had presents and a chance to have a photograph with Santa.   
    This year’s party drew 235+ children and their families from the following groups:
    • Easter Seals Society
    • Canadian National Institute for the Blind
    • Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf
    • Holland Bloorview
    • Gilda’s Club of Greater Toronto
    • Starlight Foundation of Canada
    If we ever get to wondering whether it is all worthwhile to take the time we do, away from work and family to do the great work of Rotary, I leave you with a note of appreciation that we received from the parent of one of our disabled child guests: “I just wanted to say a big thank you for the opportunity to attend Saturday's party. My son and I had a great time and made some great memories with friends. It was our first time attending, but won't be our last.
    I don't know who to ‎share our gratitude with so am hoping you can get this note of thanks to the right folks.
    All of the volunteers were so kind and warm at each turn. Hotel staff made us feel welcome and special the moment we entered to time we left. Our police escort to the party was lovely. He especially loved the "snowball" fight, dancing and story time. Sometimes the thought of attending stuff like this can be stressful, but nothing about this was stressful. Well, except sitting on Santa's knee, but my son did it after not doing it for three years so big deal for us and we now have a great photo memory of his uncertain, but very brave moment. He has proudly looked at that picture a few times since the party. Big thank you to everyone involved. Everyone helped make a very special day for at least one four-year-old and his Mom. Thanks again!”
     
    Rotary Club of Battersea Park (United Kingdom)- In London area alone there are over 60 clubs, of which the Rotary Club of Battersea Park and other Rotary clubs in the Wandsworth area – Balham, Putney, Tooting and Battersea – are some of the most active, particularly at Christmas.
    What volunteers do:
    • On Christmas Eve we set up in the morning and make sure all is ready for the great day ahead.
    • On Christmas Day we will be sending out about 60 buses to pick up our guests, many of whom will be in wheelchairs.
    • Making fresh sandwiches as a take away supper for our guests.
    • Help is needed in the kitchen working with the chefs to prepare lunch.
    • Bring good cheer with a happy Christmassy welcome when the guests arrive.
    • Serve tea and coffee and, later on, sherry before lunch.
    • Help serve lunch – no joke when 450+ full 3-course Christmas dinners need to arrive on the table at the same time hot and delicious.
    • Serve a glass or two of wine with lunch.
    • Help clear tables and help with the washing-up
    • Have lunch yourself – the full works and its absolutely free (well, it is your Christmas Day too!).
    • Help the elderly guests enjoy the afternoon’s entertainment which is great fun – dancing, sing-alongs and bingo. They love to have a chat with a friendly person, so sit down and listen.
    • Clear tables at the end of the day and ensure the marquee and kitchens are left spotless.
    • On Boxing Day you can help finish off tidying up followed by a pub lunch to celebrate a successful Christmas Day for the Elderly.
    Rotarians at Work for Christmas Cheer 2015-12-21 06:00:00Z 0

    Music for the Week

    "Everybody can be somebody who can really make a difference in this world" and "Peace on Earth" are the messages shared by Raul Midon (filmed in March 2007 at TED2007).  Guitarist and singer Raul Midon blends flamenco, jazz and R&B to create a category-defying sound. His life story is as inspiring as his musical vision.

    Why you should listen

    Raul Midon is into beating the odds, shattering stereotypes, and making category-defying music. "I was told as a child, 'You're blind; you can't do this,'" Midon told an interviewer in 2005. "I was told when I moved to New York, 'You can't do that, you're not going to make it.'" At 40, however, Midon has clearly made it.

    After singing backup vocals for stars like Shakira, Julio Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez and Christina Aguilera, Midon released his major-label solo debut, State of Mind, with help from guest artist Jason Mraz. Midon's innovative songwriting incorporates his lyrics, guitar handiwork (jazz, classical, flamenco, R&B) and "vocal trumpet" improvisation. Though he draws comparisons to Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway and Richie Havens, Midon is the rare original in an industry of few.

    His latest album is A World Within a World.

    Music for the Week 2015-12-21 06:00:00Z 0
    Our Water Footprint - A National Geographic Video 2015-12-14 06:00:00Z 0

    What Rotary e-club Houston Rotarians are Doing

    Marcia Allgayer - Busy organizing a fundraiser for Vitoria Marchioli. See GoFundMe
    Vitória is a 6 year old girl from Brazil. She has a very rare syndrome known as Treacher-Collins Syndrome. Since she was born she has gone through various surgeries to rebuild her nose, rebuild hereyes and mouth and to stimulate her motor skills.
    Multiple surgeries in Galveston, TX are in progress to close a cavity in her face.   Marcia has hosted this child's family in her home to defray expenses.  Yesterday Vitoria had a planned surgery.  She is very fortunate to have the Shriner's Hospital for Children in Galveston, Texas paying for all the surgeries. However, the family still has expenses for their accommodations in Galveston and for Vitoria's special diet. Vitória needs all the help she can get to make these surgeries possible. Any donations will be greatly appreciated!
     
    Dree Miller -
    H.E.A.R.T. Is Going Over The Edge!
    2/13/2016
    Fundraising for people with disabilities. Would you like to see me rappel down a 14-story building in Houston? I have the courage, but I need your support!  Your generous donation will help raise funds for training and employment program for adults with developmental disabilities. Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure:  http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/adriane-miller/heartote2016
    Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too!
    Your donation of any amount will help provide training and employment programs for people with disabilities. Let's change the world by giving better opportunities to those who don't have much.
     
    Lizette Odfalk -  Assisting a friend who is waiting for a second kidney transplant.  Currently all her family and friends are doing a fundraiser to pay for the potential donor's expenses (travel, lodging and work days off) thru their Eventbrite page). If you know of a healthy donor, or any suggestions on how we can also help thru our Rotarian or Medical Interpreter professions, please get in touch with Liz.
     
    What Rotary e-club Houston Rotarians are Doing 2015-12-13 06:00:00Z 0

    Visiting Rotary - When in Seoul

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    As the Rotary Clubs in Korea have grown with the number of clubs in the hundreds and individual membership in thousands, Seoul Rotary Club is proud of its unique status in that history. As the first Rotary Club in Korea, and one which continues to use English as the official language, Seoul Rotary Club continues its proud tradition within the larger Rotary International organization. As we progress into the twenty-first century, Seoul Rotary Club plans to transform itself as the vibrant and welcoming gateway between the global Rotary International membership and the local Korean Rotary Clubs.
     
    The history of the Seoul Rotary Club embodies the history of Rotary Club in Korea as well a slice of twentieth century Korean history itself. As the first Rotary club in Korea, Seoul Rotary Club had its genesis during the Japanese colonial period under a different club name - Keijo Rotary Club. The club was dissolved under Japanese military pressure during the Second World War. However, this allowed its reestablishment under the new Republic of Korea under its current name of the Seoul Rotary Club. A year after the rebirth of the Seoul Rotary Club, the outbreak of the Korean War and its turmoil caused the members to temporarily flee to Busan. Like Korea itself, the Seoul Rotary Club has weathered these hardships and continued to grow and prosper, accomplishing its mission for the betterment of society through its credo: "Service Above Self". 

    The genesis of the Seoul Rotary Club can be traced to the initiative of Bishop H.R. Boaz of the Southern Methodist Church, who was assigned to Seoul. In 1922, Bishop Boaz wrote to Rotary International to inquire into the possibility of forming a Rotary Club in Seoul with his friends and associates. Bishop Boaz and his group were planning to call it the ¡°Seoul Rotary Club¡±. However, this original plan never came to fruition due to intervening events. 
     
    A group of Japanese businessmen heard about the plan of Bishop Boaz and formed an alternative plan to start a Rotary Club. These businessmen approached the Japanese Governor-General, Saito Minoru, to enlist his support for their plan. The plan was to name the club the ¡°Keijo¡± (pronounced ¡°Kyung Sung¡± in Korean) Rotary Club, which was the name for Seoul during the Japanese colonial period. These Japanese businessmen advocated against Bishop Boaz¡¯s plan, arguing that a Rotary Club centered on a Christian missionary would not be beneficial and only attract second-tier businessmen. They advocated a plan to form a club made up of elite businessmen of their day. Governor-General Saito took the lead in promoting their plan, which eventually led to the establishment of the Keijo Rotary Club in 1927. 

    The Keijo Rotary Club, the predecessor to the Seoul Rotary Club, filed for membership with Rotary International on August 27, 1927, and received its official Charter on November 10, 1927. It was granted the Rotary International club number 2703. The original charter membership consisted of 21 members, of which 17 members were Japanese, and 4 members were Korean. The 4 Korean members were: Sung Soo Kim (President of Dong-A Ilbo Daily and Founder of Korea University), Sang Yong Han (President of Chosun Fire Insurance), Yong Joo Kim (Editor-in-Chief of Seoul News), and Sang Kyu Baek. The membership grew steadily to 52 members by 1934. 

    The advent of the Second World War brought an end to the Keijo Rotary Club with the formal cancellation of its charter by Rotary International on February 14, 1941. The Japanese military put pressure on the government to close down organizations that were deemed to promote western ideas or culture. Bowing to such pressure, the Keijo Rotary Club filed for cancellation of its charter, thus formally ending its existence under the Japanese colonial period. However, while there was no longer any official ¡°Rotary¡± club in Korea, many members continued to meet regularly under the new name of ¡°Wednesday Club¡±. 

    After the end of the Second World War, Korea gained its independence as the Republic of Korea, and with it the reestablishment of the Seoul Rotary Club. In March 29, 1949, a group of 38 organizing members, including Dr. George Fitch of YMCA, met to agree on the reestablishment of the Rotary Club in Korea. On November 10, 1949, they received a reinstatement of the original charter and number from Rotary International under the new name of Seoul Rotary Club. The inaugural president of the Seoul Rotary Club was Dr. Soon Ju Chey (PhD, New York University, 1930), who served as the Governor of the Bank of Korea under the government of President Syngman Rhee, while the Vice-President was Mr. Young Seol Lee. 

    When the Korean War broke out in 1950, it forced many members of the Seoul Rotary Club to flee to other Korean cities like Busan. The members of the Seoul Rotary Club continued to meet in Busan to hold regular meetings. Members of the Seoul Rotary Club were instrumental in the reestablishment of the Busan Rotary Club in 1952. Seoul Rotary Club and its members have played an important role in the growth of Rotary Clubs in Korea. 
     
    These Rotarians are pictured here in a Christmas Party they held at the Sundeaokwon Orphanage.
     
    Seoul Rotary Club has over 50 members including nationals from Korea, U.S.A., Japan, Germany, Ireland and Belgium.  The Club language is English.  You could also hear Korean, Chinese, Japanese, French, Dutch, German, Italian, and Russian.
     
    Visiting Rotary - When in Seoul 2015-12-13 06:00:00Z 0
    How to Report Attendance for Rotary e-Club Houston Dr. Barbara Conway and Dree Miller 2015-12-13 06:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Toyland 2015-12-13 06:00:00Z 0

    Membership Update

    Welcome to the Rotary e-Club of Houston, ROWDY SLENZ!  Rowdy is the Assistant General Manager of Graham Pharmacy in Midland, Texas.  He is married to Stephanie (a ROTEX - previously a Rotary Youth Exchange Student) and his lovely bride is the daughter of DG Nick Giannone and First Lady Fabiola Giannone.  DG Nick comments, "I want to welcome my son-in-law to the Family of Rotary. Rotary is new to Rowdy, even though his family is active in the community none have joined Rotary.  Most of his family lives in the community. Presently they are waiting the arrival of their Bird Dog. They have 2 other dogs, but they do not retrieve and he was losing too many birds. They are a great couple and I hope that both will get involved in Rotary in the Midland (TX)  Community."
    Membership Update 2015-12-13 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Club Collects for Toy Drive

    The Rotary Club of Houston NW Sunset has geared up for their Second Annual Toy Drive through NAM (Northwest Assistance Ministries).
    We sponsor toys for underprivileged kids which are handed over to them on the Christmas Eve. What a nice and simple way to get smiles on the faces of small little kids who won't otherwise receive gifts during the Holiday Season!!! Last year our club sponsored toys for more than 120 kids by collecting $1,250. This time, we target to bring smile on lot more small little faces than we did last year. We plan to raise at least $2,000 for this project, hence the reason it has been termed at "Toy Drive - 2.K".  Let's send more children back to school in January with stories of receiving special gifts like to others they attend school with in communities which have families which are middle-class or above sharing the same classrooms with poorer families.
     
    In case you need any additional information, feel free to contact: Bhagyashree Patki - Club Secretary & Project Lead for Toy Drive 2.K
    Rotary Club of Houston NW Sunset
    Email: bhagyashreepatki@gmail.com
    Rotary Club Collects for Toy Drive 2015-12-13 06:00:00Z 0

    Holiday Shopping with District 5890 @ Rice Village - December 15th

    Our second annual District 5890 Holiday Shopping Night at 10,000 Villages in Rice Village, on Tuesday evening, December 15th, from 6 - 8 PM.  15% of the evening's net sales will be donated to Rotary International Foundation.
     
    Come and enjoy Rotary camaraderie, light refreshments while shopping these beautiful handmade items.
     
    "Nationally recognized for their commitment to social responsibility, Ten Thousand Villages creates opportunities for artisans around the globe to earn a fair wage. Artisans use this income to pay for food,education, healthcare, and housing for themselves and their families.
     
    Ten Thousand Villages' mission is to create opportunities for artisans in developing countries to earn income by bringing their products and stories to markets through long-term fair trading relationships." (10,000 Villages website)
     
    The Holiday Season is upon us and what better way to do your holiday shopping that by buying handmade items from around the globe, while benefiting the Rotary International Foundation?
     
    Irene Hickey
    Family of Rotary Chair
    281-693-7162
     
    Holiday Shopping with District 5890 @ Rice Village - December 15th Irene Hickey 2015-12-13 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - The Future of News & Virtual Reality

    What if you could experience a story with your entire body, not just with your mind? Nonny de la Peña is working on a new form of journalism that combines traditional reporting with emerging virtual reality technology to put the audience inside the story. The result is an evocative experience that de la Peña hopes will help people understand the news in a brand new way.

    TEDWomen 2015 · Filmed May 2015 · 9:27
    Nonny de la Peña: The future of news? Virtual reality
    Weekly Program - The Future of News & Virtual Reality 2015-12-13 06:00:00Z 0

    Polio Update - Bloomberg Business December 15, 2015

    story thumbnail
    Taliban Join Global Effort to Kill Off Polio in 2016
     
    n the final battle against one of humanity’s oldest and most-feared maladies, an unlikely ally has emerged: the Taliban.

    The insurgent group, whose anti-government attacks have stoked insecurity in Afghanistan and hampered vaccinators, is working alongside local and international health authorities to wipe out the last vestiges of polio, marshaling thousands of people to immunize vulnerable children.

    In the country’s Taliban-controlled areas, their cooperation is crucial. Cases worldwide of poliomyelitis, as the disease is known, have dropped this year to the lowest in history. The crippling disease may be eradicated entirely by the end of next year if children can be protected where they were previously deemed too risky or difficult to reach. Villagers in some of the most remote areas are now “very willing” to be freed from the ancient scourge, said Obaidullah Elaj, a doctor working for the Taliban in southern Afghanistan.

    “It’s a dreaded disease and requires collaboration from all parties to fight,” said Elaj, who acts as an intermediary between the group’s negotiators and World Health Organization officials. “I am 100 percent happy to work alongside WHO and the government to fight polio, a disease affecting children in our isolated areas.”

    High Stakes

    After 26 years and an investment of more than $11 billion, polio cases worldwide were reduced to 359 in 2014, from an estimated 350,000 in 1988. Apart from 17 wild poliovirus cases in Afghanistan, only 49 others have been reported this year -- all of them in neighboring Pakistan. That leaves only two countries where polio transmission has never been stopped.

     

    After the death of Osama bin Laden in 2011 by U.S. forces with the cooperation of a doctor in Pakistan, polio workers and doctors were seen as spies by the Taliban and became specific targets with more than 100 of them killed or wounded in Afghanistan, said Hedayatullah Stanekzai, a senior adviser with the country’s health ministry. Since 2012, 32 health care workers and other personnel involved in polio eradication have been killed in neighboring Pakistan, the WHO said this month.

    That suspicion no longer exists in Afghanistan, said Elaj, the Taliban doctor.

     

    The Taliban in Afghanistan released a statement in 2013 supporting all health programs in the country, including polio eradication. The cooperation is part of an effort to build trust among the general population, researchers said in a 2013 study on the challenge of violence in the final push to snuff out the disease, which has maimed and killed for much of human history.

    No Spies

    “We are not worried about the possibility of spies being among vaccinators because these are trusted people, introduced and hired on our recommendation,” Elaj said in a telephone interview from Kandahar. The following day, the medic appeared at a public health office in the city. A tall, bearded man, he wore a long tunic over trousers with a traditional blanket scroll tied to his body.

    The “quality” of the Taliban’s polio campaign can’t be verified because there is no way to check that every vulnerable child is being vaccinated, the health ministry’s Stanekzai said.

    That’s because the Taliban’s participation in the program, negotiated with public health officials and the International Committee of the Red Cross, comes with a condition: that their own people do the vaccinating in Taliban-controlled areas, said Mohammed Soghaier, a WHO doctor in an interview in his office in Kandahar.

    Own Vaccinators

    “Some areas are inaccessible except for Taliban, so we are requesting them to provide their own people or offer local people from these faraway areas to work with us,” Soghaier said. “Not one of these groups is against polio vaccination. They are cooperatives, they trust us.”

    In the 1990s, the United Nations Security Council criticized the Taliban regime for abusing women and harboring members of al-Qaeda. The Taliban and other illegal armed groups in Afghanistan still threaten locals, foreigners and security forces operating in the country, the council said on Friday.

    Still, polio won’t be eradicated without the Taliban’s help. There are about 500,000 children younger than 5 years in Afghanistan who aren’t fully immunized against the virus, a quarter of whom live in areas deemed inaccessible to vaccinators, according to the WHO. Decades of war, insurgencies and border skirmishes, combined with one of the weakest health systems in the world, have allowed the virus to persist.

    “There is no clinic or hospital in the Taliban-controlled areas,” said Elaj, the Taliban doctor. “Health services are in devastating condition and people die from sickness at home or on the way to health facilities in the city.”

    Two Taliban Groups

    While Taliban groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan share the same name, operationally they have different goals and structures. The Afghan Taliban took power in the 1990s and received diplomatic backing from only two countries, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, before the U.S. invasion in 2001. Top members received shelter in Pakistan for years, and the U.S. State Department now sees the group as being an “important partner” in a peaceful Afghan-led reconciliation process.

    The Pakistani Taliban, on the other hand, is a collection of militant groups along the Afghan border that united in 2007 under the name Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. The group, which the U.S. considers to be a terrorist organization, regularly attacks Pakistan government and military installations, and wants to impose its version of Sharia law in the country.

    A spate of attacks this month show that parts of Afghanistan remain an active battle zone, even after gains made this year by the Afghan Taliban prompted the U.S. to reverse plans to withdraw most troops from the country by the end of 2016.

    Taliban’s Birthplace

    Kandahar, the Taliban’s birthplace, was at the center of a polio outbreak in 2011 that infected 80 people. Now, Afghanistan’s second-largest city and its province are free of the virus, an achievement gained with the cooperation of Taliban fighters, said Stanekzai, the health ministry adviser.

    In male-dominated Kandahar, about 100 women dressed in blue burqas that cover their faces and bodies, move from house to house to find children to vaccinate.

    Beheading Risk

    “Working within the city is safer for us than going out to the villages,” said Wajia, a 19-year-old student, as she administered a dose of vaccine to a child on a dusty, unpaved lane bordered by a fetid sewer. “The Taliban would have already beheaded me if I’d gone there to vaccinate their children.”

    About 80 percent of the 10,000 people immunizing children in southern Afghanistan are Taliban-appointed, said Najibullah Zafarzay, a WHO health coordinator in Kandahar. Besides “well-trained” vaccinators, the Taliban’s polio teams include supervisors, coordinators and social mobilizers who raise awareness about the disease, he said.

    A polio team in Kandahar
    A polio team in Kandahar
    Photographer: Eltaf Najafizada/Bloomberg

    Vaccinators, who are paid 300 Afghanis ($4.50) a day, go from house to house in hundreds of southern villages, delivering two drops of oral polio vaccine in the mouths of every baby younger than a year old -- or about 1.6 million infants, Zafarzay said. Children under 5 receive an inactivated polio virus shot in village health facilities.

    Bill Gates

    Eight to 12 vaccination rounds are planned for Afghanistan this year. Each will deploy some 54,000 vaccinators, target 9 million children, and cost international donors, which include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Rotary International and USAID, about $3.6 million, Stanekzai said. Active fighting and hostilities caused by the Islamic State threaten the security of polio workers and deprive about 120,000 children of vaccine, he said.

    Immunization coverage averages about 60 percent nationally, but drops as low as 40 percent in some southern areas -- well below the 80 percent needed to stop transmission.

    New Weapon

    Polio paralyzed millions of people worldwide in the 20th century before vaccines became widely available from the mid-1950s. In 1952, almost 60,000 cases with more than 3,000 deaths were reported in the U.S. alone.

    World leaders resolved in 1988 to wipe out polio, prompting the WHO, United Nations Children’s Fund, Rotary International and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to form the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. They expected to finish the job in 12 years -- the same time it took to stop smallpox.

    Polio, though, is a more difficult virus to eradicate because fewer than 1 in 100 people who catch it show signs of illness or are aware of the infection, enabling the virus to spread undetected, usually when someone eats food or drinks water contaminated with the feces of an infected person.

    The virus’s most stubborn stronghold is Pakistan’s Peshawar region. Bordering Afghanistan, it’s a vast interconnected area described as the “conveyor belt” of polio transmission because of the ease in which the virus has moved between both countries, creating a viral reservoir.

    “The large population movements from Afghanistan and Pakistan pose an incredible risk of international spread of polio beyond those two countries,” said Annelies Wilder-Smith, a professor of infectious diseases at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, who has served on a WHO emergency committee for polio. “In the past years, great efforts have been undertaken to increase vaccination coverage, but still more needs to be done.”

    Exported to Syria

    Infected travelers from the two nations threaten to seed outbreaks in countries where protection from immunization is weak. In 2013, 35 children were paralyzed in Syria after a virus originating from Pakistan touched off the Mediterranean country’s first polio outbreak in 14 years.

    If the virus isn’t stopped next year, with global eradication officially certified by 2019, governments and donors will be hobbled with about $800 million a year in costs associated with continued vaccination and surveillance, said Sona Bari, a spokeswoman for WHO’s polio program in Geneva.

    Afghanistan now requires all travelers younger than 5 years entering the country from Pakistan to receive the polio vaccine. At certain border points between Afghanistan and Pakistan, all travelers under 10 are being immunized to protect refugee populations who have a history of missed vaccinations.

    Dangerous Work

    The constant flow of people across the border is a major challenge, said Soghaier, the WHO doctor in Kandahar. At police check points, teams vaccinate about 3,000 children a day.

    It’s dangerous work. One member of the transit team was killed after a Taliban suicide attacker targeted police checkpoint in Helmand province, he said.

    Soghaier says he tries not to allow politics to get in the way of achieving the common goal of eradicating polio. “By collaborating with different groups and parties, we are simply implementing the operational guidelines,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if a village is controlled by anti-government elements, the government, or the Islamic State -- this is a social issue and we are keeping our program neutral to save every vulnerable child.”

    Polio remains endemic in two countries – Afghanistan and Pakistan. Until poliovirus transmission is interrupted in these countries, all countries remain at risk of importation of polio, especially vulnerable countries with weak public health and immunization services and travel or trade links to endemic countries. Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus is causing an outbreak in Madagascar, Guinea and Ukraine.
    - See more at: http://www.polioeradication.org/Keycountries.aspx#sthash.nOrZJQBj.dpuf
    Polio remains endemic in two countries – Afghanistan and Pakistan. Until poliovirus transmission is interrupted in these countries, all countries remain at risk of importation of polio, especially vulnerable countries with weak public health and immunization services and travel or trade links to endemic countries. Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus is causing an outbreak in Madagascar, Guinea and Ukraine.
    - See more at: http://www.polioeradication.org/Keycountries.aspx#sthash.nOrZJQBj.dpuf
     

      
    Polio Update - Bloomberg Business December 15, 2015 2015-12-03 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Suri school projects bring international reinforcement

    If teenage girls from a barrio of suburban San Jose, Costa Rica, earn a high school diploma, they are likely to have a better life. And if their mothers learn cooking skills, their lives, too, will be changed. Those have been the goals of two successful projects— both with Rotary Foundation funding—that have resulted from the combined effort of the Portland Pearl and Belen Rotary Clubs.
     

    The teaching kitchen came first. Four years ago, a $54,000 project equipped a culinary room at the Suri School, just outside of Costa Rica’s capital. The vocational training for women offers an opportunity to learn a skill that could lead to work in the restaurants or hotels of San Jose or as paid domestic help. “The culinary kitchen gives them an opportunity for better jobs,” said Maria Eugenia Mondragon (“Maru”), Past President of the Belen Club. Her husband, Victor Mata Chacon (also a Past President), said the quality of the installation, and the quantity of equipment, bring praise from outside food experts: “Renowned chefs have come in to teach classes here. They say they don’t have anything like this in their kitchens. They should be very proud of it.” On the wall near the entrance door is a plaque commemorating Rotarians’ contribution.

    Club members in the two countries, linked first at a project fair that Central America Rotarians host to seek support, forged a friendship that led to a second effort: a computer lab for the 130 female students (ages 13-­‐18) with a total Rotary investment of $18,500. Nineteen workstations and two printers were planned.

    These women and teenage girls come to Suri School from a community where unemployment, poverty, crime, drugs, teen-­‐age pregnancy and single parenting could dictate their lives. But today, mothers will find jobs…and some girls will go to university thanks to this Rotary project.

    Rotary Suri school projects bring international reinforcement 2015-12-03 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - "My Year Reading a Book from Every Country in the World"

    Ann Morgan considered herself well read — until she discovered the "massive blindspot" on her bookshelf. Amid a multitude of English and American authors, there were very few books from beyond the English-speaking world. So she set an ambitious goal: to read one book from every country in the world over the course of a year. Now she's urging other Anglophiles to read translated works so that publishers will work harder to bring foreign literary gems back to their shores. This TedTalk was filmed in September, 2015 in London.
    Her experience inspired her book Reading the World (US title: The World Between Two Covers). She blogs about international literature, and her first novel, a psychological literary thriller called Beside Myself, will be published in January 2016.  Check out her blog, where you can find a complete list of the books I read, and what I learned along the way.
    Weekly Program - "My Year Reading a Book from Every Country in the World" 2015-12-03 06:00:00Z 0
    Give the Gift of Rotary 2015-12-03 06:00:00Z 0

    Leadership Tip

    Apology is a powerful — and often under-used — conflict resolution tool. One reason for not apologizing that I often hear in my work with clients is the concern that apologizing either totally admits fault for the conflict or reveals a weakness.
    While these concerns may be legitimate in some situations, they are overblown in most cases.
    The perception of threat is the primary reason for conflict escalation, and removing this perception is the leverage point for conflict de-escalation. Apology works so well because it makes you less threatening to the other person.
    Here are three tips for apologizing in a way that leads to de-escalation...
    1. Only apologize for your behaviors, words and actions, and never apologize for the other person’s feelings or interpretations.
    While it can happen, I seldom see situations where a conflict starts and escalates due solely to the actions of one person. So, there is likely some word choice, tone, or action that you contributed to the conflict escalation. When you are willing to take responsibility for your contribution, you tend to reduce the perception the other person has that you are a threat to them. Likewise, when you apologize for the other person’s feelings, you subtly imply that you are in control of their emotional state. For many people, when you claim ownership for their feelings, you convey a threat signal.
    2. Maintain appropriate eye contact.
    Appropriate eye contact conveys respect and trustworthiness. As a result, good eye contact is a critical component of an effective apology.
    3. Make sure your tone and body language match your message.
    In his often quoted (and misquoted) communication study, Albert Mehrabian found that body language and tone are the majority contributors to the received message in face-to-face communication. For the purpose of this, the key observation is that when the message conveyed by tone and body language does not match the message sent by your word choice, the listener tends to believe the tone and body language in preference to the words.
    With these tips in mind, here are some suggested ways to successfully phrase an apology…
    "I apologize for the tone I used."
    "I am sorry that I spoke in a way that was offensive to you."
    "I am sorry that I said/did ______."

    From Guy Harris - Remarkable Learning
    Leadership Tip 2015-12-03 06:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    "I believe there's a calling for all of us. I know that every human being has value and purpose. The real work of our lives is to become aware. And awakened. To answer the call."
    - Oprah Winfrey:  American media proprietor
    Quote of the Week 2015-12-03 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - "The Why and How of Effective Altruism"

    If you're lucky enough to live without want, it's a natural impulse to be altruistic to others. But, asks philosopher Peter Singer, what's the most effective way to give? He talks through some surprising thought experiments to help you balance emotion and practicality — and make the biggest impact with whatever you can share. NOTE: Starting at 0:30, this talk contains 30 seconds of graphic footage.
     
    Question #1- How much of a difference can I make? With our Bike Rides and Party to End Polio last weekend, and thanks to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 20,000 children will be vaccinated! Does the Rotary e-Club of Houston make a difference? Yes, we do!
    Question #2- Am I expected to abandon my career? Most of us in the Rotary e-Club of Houston are still working, living in different places throughout the world. We are embracing our careers, and use our resources to make the world a better place.
    Question #3- Isn't a charity ineffective and bureaucratic anyway? The Rotary e-Club of Houston has been responsive to the needs of the membership, and if you are interested in eradicating polio, providing educational opportunities to those who have grown up in poverty, supporting water projects, planting trees, etc. We are effective and responsive to your needs and passions.
    Question #4- Isn't it a burden to give up so much? Our lives are so much richer for our service to others. We are less burdened because we lead so much richer lives of meaningful and purposeful actions.
    The Rotary e-Club of Houston is a great example of men and women committed to effective altruism.
    Weekly Program - "The Why and How of Effective Altruism" 2015-11-28 06:00:00Z 0

    Celebrate the Season - December 13th

    Members of the Rotary e-Club of Houston are invited to a holiday party on December 13th at the home of Ed and Robin Charlesworth.   The celebration will begin at 3:00 pm and all are requested to bring a potluck dish to share.  We recommend a $20 donation to the club to be used for our service projects, and we will make your Christmas shopping easy with a Silent Auction table.  Members are asked to consider donations for the Silent Auction to support our service projects with the funds raised.   Hope to see you on Sunday, December 13th!
    Celebrate the Season - December 13th 2015-11-28 06:00:00Z 0
    A Song of Thanksgiving 2015-11-28 06:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Grateful 2015-11-28 06:00:00Z 0

    Update on the Ride to End Polio

    We all had a great day riding to "End Polio Now", in spite of it being very cold and windy. Our DG Nick Giannone presented us with a Certificate of Appreciation to our financial support in helping to End Polio Now! Our eClub members and members of fellow District 5890 clubs including PDG Edward A Charlesworth and PDG Sunny Sharma rode bicycles.  Some Rotarians including  PDG Christopher Schneider and Ute Schneider, PDG John Painter,  DGN Bill Palko and others rode their motorcycles. We all enjoyed a picnic lunch donated by the Charlesworth's and delivered by Chief of Staff Ronnie Hallenberger who brought the food catered by Skeeters. Great fun and fellowship continued as the sun started to shine.   Our event raised approximately $11,000 USD (some in cash some in pledges), and with the Gates Foundation match it will become $33,000. Thank you all for your support! This will sponsor almost 20,000 immunizations to eradicate polio!
     
    Terry Zeigler, 2012-16 District 5890 Rotary Foundation Committee Chair and 2015-18 Rotary Zone 21b/27 Paul Harris Society Coordinator, shared the following:   Thanks to all of you for this great effort.  It appears that we raised a total of almost $34,000 for Polio eradication between the Party at the Park/Bike Ride/Motorcycle Ride and the PolioPlus Society Dinner that same night.  We also received considerable social media attention due to your efforts.
      It's critical that we continue to fund the Global Polio Eradication Effort - and that we earn the full $35 Million per year Gates Match - until we reach eradication.  Thanks for all that you have done to move us one step closer to that goal!
     
    See photos of this event on our Facebook page.  WE ARE THIS CLOSE!
     
     
     
    Update on the Ride to End Polio 2015-11-27 06:00:00Z 0
    How Have you Provided Service? 2015-11-20 06:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Changes in Latitides, Changes in Attitudes 2015-11-20 06:00:00Z 0
    Weekly Program - About the Solomon Islands 2015-11-20 06:00:00Z 0

    Polio Eradication Update

    Four New Wild Polio cases reported this week.
    Pakistan - One new Polio case reported in Pakistan this week.  Forty Polio cases have been reported in 2015 compared to 245 at this time, last year.  One new Polio positive environmental sample was collected this week.    
    Afghanistan - Three new Polio cases reported in Afghanistan this week. One new Polio-positive environmental sample was collected this week.  Sub-National Immunization Days are planned for 11/29-12/1 using Bivalent OPV.
     
    The Final Two Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - Forty Polio cases reported in 2015 with 306 cases recorded in 2014  The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 10/22/15 is from Peshawar in FATA.    
    Afghanistan - Sixteen Polio cases reported in 2015 with 28 cases recorded in 2014. The most recent case was reported on 10/27/15 from the Nangarhar Province.   
    Post Endemic - Nigeria - Zero Polio cases reported in 2015 with 6 cases recorded in 2014.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14.  
     
    2014 Importation Countries:
    Ethiopia (1 case in 2014), Cameroon (5 cases in 2014), Somalia (5 cases in 2014), Iraq (2 cases in 2014), Syria (1 case in 2014), & Equatorial Guinea (5 cases in 2014) - all report no Polio cases in 2015.
       
     
    Polio Eradication Update 2015-11-20 06:00:00Z 0

    District 5890 Membership Meeting - Monday, November 23rd

    Meeting Date & Time:  This Monday, November 23rd, at 6:30pm (6:00pm, if you want to order food)
     
    Venue:    Los Tios Mexican Restaurant  
                    4840 Beechnut St.  
                    Houston, Texas 77096
                    713-660-6244
     
    Growing Rotary enables us to do more good in our communities and the world.  Attendance at this D. 5890 Membership Meeting is also a great opportunity to bond with your club's Area Membership Chair (AMC).
    Keith Cox, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, C.T. Bauer College of Business, at the University of Houston.  Dr. Cox served as chair of the Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship from 1981 to 1996 & as Interim Dean in 1988.  
    Topic - "Creative Ideas & a Change of Strategies" - Presentation will include unique concepts, including the value of mistakes, and a change of strategies per Growing Rotary.
     
    Thank you, clubs, for your effort per membership growth and retention!   
     
    We look forward to the attendance of at least one (1) representative from your club!  You do not want to miss Keith's presentation!
     
    Yours in Rotary service,
    Ann Wright
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair, 2015-16
    713-647-8400
    awright_tmg@yahoo.com
     
              and
                       
    Jon McKinnie
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair, 2015-16
    713-315-0220
    jmckinnie825@yahoo.com
     
    District 5890 Membership Meeting - Monday, November 23rd Ann Wright 2015-11-20 06:00:00Z 0

    Condolences to the People of France and All Affected by Terrorism

    Rotarians strive to teach peace and conflict resolution skills.  Yet, yesterday in Paris, a tragic attack on innocent people has resulted in nearly 130 deaths in an attack claimed by ISIS.  We offer our prayers and condolences to all affected by this event as it reaches far beyond the boundaries of Paris, France or even Europe.  It affects all of us in this world and threatens our existence in a peaceful world tolerant of differences and respectful of all people of different cultures, religions, and politics.  Rotary International is one place where we respect humanity without regard to these differences.  It is heart-warming to see the offerings so quickly offered to care for those who had no place to go and the solidarity of the good people across the globe shining lights onto buildings with colors of the French flag.  Rotarians are not expected to be first-responders, yet some are.  Rotarians are committed to train peacemakers and help spread peace around the world.  We are greatly saddened by many events occurring in this world, such as the Syrian refugees, Sudanese refugees, the downed Russian airplane, and now the attacks throughout Paris.  
     
    What Do Rotarians do for Peace and Conflict Resolution?
    The Rotary Action Group for Peace strives to create dialogue with others, learn and understand cultural perspectives, and resolve conflicts.  Inter-Country Committees promote peace, friendship, and long-term relationships between Rotarians in two countries. An ICC between two countries at peace is primarily social and cultural and an ICC with a developing country will more likely involve service projects. Service projects in any of the areas of focus can promote peace.  Rotary scholarships are provided to educate peacemakers and equip them with skilled negotiation and communication skills.  In just over a decade, the Rotary Peace Centers have trained more than 900 fellows for careers in peace building. Many of them go on to serve as leaders in national governments, NGOs, the military, law enforcement, and international organizations like the United Nations and World Bank.Rotarians, Rotary Clubs and Districts that wish to pursue peace projects may apply to the Rotary Foundation for Global Grants in the area of focus under Peace, Conflict Prevention and Resolution. Peace Projects may be undertaken by Rotarians alone or collaboratively with Rotary Peace Fellows and Peace organizations with expertise in the area concerned.
    Condolences to the People of France and All Affected by Terrorism 2015-11-14 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - A Panel Discussion on English Language

    Patricia Ryan is a longtime English teacher who asks a provocative question: Is the world's focus on English preventing the spread of great ideas in other languages? In other words: What if Einstein had to pass the TOEFL? It's a passionate defense of translating and sharing ideas.  This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxDubai, an independent event.
     
    Now, our second speaker, Jay Walker, on "The world's English mania". 
     
    Weekly Program - A Panel Discussion on English Language 2015-11-13 06:00:00Z 0

    About Rotary Action Group for Population & Development

    story thumbnail
    Rtn. Missy Willis is a member of our Rotary e-club Houston and is the Executive Director of this group.  She lives in Lawrenceville, Georgia.  Since this is Rotary Foundation Month, the editor thought it worthwhile to share how the dollars donated to the Rotary Foundation are put to use.  The Rotary Foundation (TRF) offers an array of programs that help Rotary Clubs maximize their World Community Service work. (www.rotary.org) The Foundation’s Global Grants program encourages Rotary clubs in Developed Countries and Rotary clubs in Developing Countries to partner in projects that improve their communities. The clubs commit funds for a project, and that amount is matched 50 cents on the dollar by TRF. District Designated Funds used for projects are matched dollar for dollar. The RFPD Project Database has projects which follow the TRF guidelines for population Global Grants and can be sponsored by your club.

    District Project 9125

    Scaling up project - Maternal and Child Health 

    Club/District Partner(s): District 9125, RC Samaru (Nigeria) , RC Bottrop-Writtringen (Germany), RC Bielefeld- Sued (Germany)
    Other organizations involved:  German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ); also involved through in kind donations: ICA Foundation (Bayer Healthcare), BASF
    Project location: Sate of Kano, Kaduna FCT Abuja and Ondo, Nigeria
    Project budget: $680,000.00

    This project is fully covered by the Rotary Area of Focus, Maternal and Child Health. The overall goal of this project is for the state government health system to take over this Rotary model to reduce maternal and newborn health. 

    Goals: 

    • Scaling up/Replication of the pilot project MG #(2005-2010) in the new states FCT Abuja and Ondo, Nigeria.
    • Reduction of maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity through implementation of quality assurance in obstetrics in twenty selected rural hospitals in the state of Kano, Kaduna, FCT Abuju and Ondo. 

    Measures: 

    • Intensification and upgrading of quality assurance in obstetrics in the selected hospitals in Kano State and in Kaduna State, as well as scaling up of the model in five rural hospitals in FCT Abuja and five hospitals in Ondo State, including the provision of necessary equipment and infastructure.
    • Statistical data collection in all selected hospital - documented in semiannual hospital reports.
    • Conducting meetings for results analysis ("Review Meetings") for the exchange of experiences and know-how among the doctors and midwives involved, benchmarking and elimination of deficits.
    • Informing the population about sexual and reproductive health and rights through village gatherings ("Community Dialogues") with distributions of birth kits and mosquito net for traditional birth attendants.

    Target Group:

    • Approx. 64,000 pregnant and childbearing women, who seek care in twenty hospitals in the states of Kano, Kaduna, FCT Abuja and Ondo during the project term.  Indirect target group is a population of five million 
    About Rotary Action Group for Population & Development 2015-11-13 06:00:00Z 0

    Homework for e-Club Houston Members

    Homework assignment:  Your choice of projects for us to share information and get to know each other as we are scattered across the globe.
     
    #1     Create a video about Why You Joined Rotary to send to Adriane Miller (Dree), Membership Chair 2015-16.  Several examples have already been published in our newsletters.
     
    #2     Sign in as an Active Member of our club, go to the Active Member List, find your name, update your Member Profile (include your photo), and write a brief Biography.
     
    Many thanks!
    Homework for e-Club Houston Members 2015-11-13 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Dreams from Endangered Cultures by Wade Davis

    With stunning photos and stories, National Geographic Explorer Wade Davis celebrates the extraordinary diversity of the world's indigenous cultures, which are disappearing from the planet at an alarming rate.

    Why you should listen

    Wade Davis is perhaps the most articulate and influential western advocate for the world's indigenous cultures. A National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, he has been described as “a rare combination of scientist, scholar, poet and passionate defender of all of life’s diversity.” Trained in anthropology and botany at Harvard, he travels the globe to live alongside indigenous people, and document their cultural practices in books, photographs, and film. His stunning photographs and evocative stories capture the viewer's imagination. As a speaker, he parlays that sense of wonder into passionate concern over the rate at which cultures and languages are disappearing -- 50 percent of the world's 7,000 languages, he says, are no longer taught to children. He argues, in the most beautiful terms, that language is much more than vocabulary and grammatical rules. Every language is an old-growth forest of the mind.  

    Indigenous cultures are not failed attempts at modernity, let alone failed attempts to be us. They are unique expressions of the human imagination and heart, unique answers to a fundamental question: What does it mean to be human and alive? When asked this question, the peoples of the world respond in 7,000 different voices, and these collectively comprise our human repertoire for dealing with all the challenges that will confront us as a species over the coming centuries.

    Davis is the author of 15 books including The Serpent and the RainbowOne River, and The Wayfinders. His many film credits include Light at the Edge of the World, an eight-hour documentary series produced for the National Geographic. In 2009 he received the Gold Medal from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society for his contributions to anthropology and conservation, and he is the 2011 recipient of the Explorers Medal, the highest award of the Explorers’ Club, and the 2012 recipient of the Fairchild Medal for Plant Exploration. His latest books are Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory and the Conquest of Everest and The Sacred Headwaters: the Fight to Save the Stikine, Skeena and the Nass.

     
    Weekly Program - Dreams from Endangered Cultures by Wade Davis 2015-11-13 06:00:00Z 0

    Sad News - Passing of e-Club of Houston Rotarian Chuck Pyle

    “Zen Cowboy” and fellow e-Club Member Chuck Pyle of Palmer Lake, Colorado has died
    With great sadness, we announce the passing of our friend and fellow Rotary E-Club of Houston member, Chuck Pyle. Chuck passed away of unknown causes while fly-fishing on November 6th in his hometown of Palmer Lake, Colorado. He was 70.  Our club had planned a fellowship outing for this weekend to hear Chuck perform at the Millbend Coffehouse, so please know that the plans are cancelled.  There will be another musician entertaining, but our interest was to share the evening listening to Chuck's music.  If you had already purchased tickets, please contact Teresa Allen at the Millbend Coffeehouse.  Of course, you may still attend to hear another performer.
     
    Chuck was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and raised in Newton, Iowa. Chuck moved to Boulder in 1965 seeking to immerse himself in the rich Colorado culture of music, poetry, and outdoorsmanship of the late 1960's and wishing to hone his guitar playing and songwriting talents. Chuck moved to Amsterdam in 1972 to sample its then-thriving folk scene. Returning to the United States circa 1974, he went on to play solo gigs. In 1985, Chuck recorded his first widely released album, Drifter's Wind. The 1990 release of the acoustic-only Step By Step was followed by Endless Sky, Camel Rock, and Affected By The Moon; all critically acclaimed and cherished by his fans.
     
    Pyle was affectionately dubbed the "Zen Cowboy" and known for his songwriting and finger picking. Pyle performed for more than four decades around the country and many musicians, including John Denver, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Suzy Bogguss and Chris LeDoux, have covered his music.
    Pyle released his latest album, titled "Cover Stories," last January.
     
    Chuck spent much of his career traveling to gigs all over the country. He participated in Rotary fundraisers for replanting trees after the brutal Texas droughts and also to raise money for Rotary water projects. This summer several Rotarians joined Chuck’s performance in Spring, Texas where he introduced his new CD and shared many old favorites. He was always excited to be performing at the next venue, an excitement he never lost. Over the last thirteen years, Chuck shared his travels and experiences with his partner, Terri. She would sit in the back of the hall, and Chuck could look up to see her smiling face and know that he would not be headed back to an empty room.
     
    All of Chuck's fans had a personal connection to him, one they will always have. Although the pain of his leaving much too soon will take time and tears to ease, we will continue to listen to our favorite songs and know that he is still with us.
     
    His widow Terri Watson, son Keegan Pyle, and stepdaughter Molly Watson  survive Chuck. Chuck we thank you for the years as a troubadour extraordinaire. The world was truly a better place for you, and you will live on through your many songs.
     
    A Celebration of Life is scheduled for Saturday, November 14th 2015, at 11 a.m., at the Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts, 304 State Hwy 105, Palmer Lake, CO 80133.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Chuck Pyle Memorial Fund. Donations can be mailed to:
     
    The Chuck Pyle Memorial Fund
    PO Box 726
    Palmer Lake, CO 80133
    Sad News - Passing of e-Club of Houston Rotarian Chuck Pyle 2015-11-12 06:00:00Z 0

    District Conference Registration Open - Galveston 2016

    It may seem like April is a long way away, but to the 2016 District Conference Committee, it is just around the corner.  Our 2016 District Conference will be held in Galveston from April 28-May 1 at the San Luis Hotel, Spa and Conference Center.
     
    Now, there are two important points that I must let you know about at this time:  
          1)  The registration fee for the Conference goes up from $195 per person to $205 per person on December 1  So, if you want to save $10, you may either go on to the district web site, www.rotary5890.org and register.
          2)  The room block at the San Luis has been sold out, but there are still plenty of rooms available at the Holiday Inn, which is pretty much on the same site, and at the Hilton, which is by the Convention Center about a block away, where Governor Nick will be having his Governor's Banquet on Saturday night.  A plus about the Holiday Inn and Hilton is that both hotel rates are less that the Conference rate at the San Luis.
     
    Every District Conference is unique in its own way, and this Conference will be special also.  The Conference Committee is working very hard to put together a memorable experience for all of us to enjoy, and a program for all of us to learn from and become more active and involved Rotarians.  So, please consider registering for the Conference, and for your hotel rooms, soon, and then you won't have to worry about anything except how much fun you are going to have in Galveston!
     
    Thanks,
    Bill Haglund, 2016 Conference Chair
    District Conference Registration Open - Galveston 2016 2015-11-12 06:00:00Z 0

    5 Strategies for Getting the Most Out of Meetings

    Shared from BUD TO BOSS  - How to Survive and Thrive as a New Supervisor
     

    Many employees probably groan and grumble when they see that you have scheduled yet another meeting. But Cameron Herold, a business development expert and author of Double Double: How to Double Your Revenue and Profit in 3 Years or Less, insists it doesn’t need to be that way.

    “Meetings aren’t terrible,” Herold says. “We’re just terrible at running meetings.” He says you can make better use of the time your team spends in meetings, and improve employee morale and productivity in the process, if you follow five simple steps.

    1.  Have an agenda.  Meetings that don’t have a clear agenda tend to get off track easily. They also often include people who don’t need to be there and would be better off back at their desks, completing important projects, Herold says. The agenda can be short, but should include the main purpose of the meeting, the possible outcomes and the action items to be covered.

    “An agenda prevents the meeting from being hijacked by some random topic,” Herold says. “It also allows your more introverted team members to prepare what they want to say in the discussion. Most introverts won’t chime in when they don’t know the agenda ahead of time and you could miss some great ideas.”

    2.  Develop a meeting style.  There are basically three styles of meetings: information share, creative discussion and consensus decision. In an information-share meeting, the information flows in one direction. Either employees tell the leadership something, or senior management has something to say to employees.

    Creative discussions are brainstorming sessions. People toss out ideas without any judgments made about feasibility or validity, and decisions come at a later date. Consensus-decision meetings are held when a decision is needed. Herold warns that these can get testy, but eventually the participants need to reach a consensus. “Once you’ve concluded the meeting, put it behind you,” he says. “Don’t continue the discussion outside the meeting.”

    3.  Start on time and end early.  If you scheduled the meeting for 10 a.m., start at 10 a.m. “This shows respect for people’s time, and also reflects something much bigger,” Herold says. “If you can’t start a meeting on time, why would it be any different for anything else that’s going on in a company?” End the meeting five minutes early. That gives people time to grab a cup of coffee, check emails, go to the restroom or chat with colleagues before their next meeting.

    4.  Foster useful communication.  Some people talk a lot in every meeting. Others rarely speak. For a meeting to be successful, you need to get everyone engaged, Herold says. Foster dialogue with newcomers or quiet people first, and then go around the table, moving up in seniority as you solicit feedback or ideas. Also, make sure people are not distracted because they are responding to email on their cell phones or laptops.

    5. Know your role.  Every meeting should have a chair, a timekeeper, participants and a closer. The chair announces the type of meeting it is and makes sure everyone sticks with the agenda. “The job of the chair is to prevent the meeting from going sideways,” Herold says. The timekeeper does what the name implies, making sure everyone stays on schedule and that no one lingers too long on any one point. The participants should not be passive observers. They need to arrive prepared to contribute and to remain interested throughout the meeting. The closer generally is going to be the chair.

    Herold says meetings should always end with the chair posing the question: “Who’s doing what, and by when.” That way each person acknowledges their assignment and their deadline for achieving it.

    “Employee frustration will drop drastically if you can keep meetings focused on the task at hand and avoid wasting time,” Herold says. “You should be able to get more done faster, and with fewer people involved.”

    Cameron Herold, author of  Double Double: How to Double Your Revenue and Profit in 3 Years or Less, began his first business at age 21. He has been instrumental in the successful sale, branding and integration of 500 business locations with three major companies. He’s best known as the driving force behind 1-800-GOT-JUNK?’s spectacular growth from $2 million to $106 million in revenue in six years. His range of executive roles includes strategic planning, negotiating corporate acquisitions, operations, people, sales, marketing, call centers and public relations. Herold is a top-rated lecturer at the EO/MIT Entrepreneurial Masters Program and a powerful and effective speaker at EO/YPO & Vistage events around the world.

    Where to Find Us

     

     

     

    5 Strategies for Getting the Most Out of Meetings 2015-11-11 06:00:00Z 0

    What Rotary e-club Houston Rotarians are Doing

     
    Vivian Smith - Thoughts and prayers are requested for Vivian as her husband, Barry, departed this life on Tuesday, November 24th.  Barry Smith, Past District Governor of D6900 has served with 37 years of perfect attendance.  Barry received phone calls earlier from PRIP Herb
    Brown and RIPE John Germ.  That made them both very happy.  Barry was the recipient of the highest honor bestowed by Rotary International, the "Service Above Self" award.  A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 5th.
     
    Jim Wells - Although a retired high school principal and avid sports enthusiast, Jim and his wife, Pam, attended the University of Houston vs. Navy football game yesterday.  He often finds graduates of Cypress Creek High School at such events, and this was once again an additional perk for Jim enjoyed the exciting game.
     
    Lisa Bunse - Celebrated her birthday this week.  Happy Birthday, Lisa!
     
    PDG Ed Charlesworth, Brittany Johnson, and Jake Stein all celebrated Thanksgiving together as they are all together in Houston for family gatherings.
     
    Maria Jose Perez Lopez graduated Cum Laude with her MBA from La Universidad Iberoamericana de Ciencia y Tecnologia UNICIT on November 20th in Nicaragua.  Rotarians applaud your success and send Congratulations!
     
    Lizette Odfalk -  Held a small World's Greatest Meal at the Rotary House in Houston on behalf of End Polio with Susanne Rea, Rotarian and Polio Eradication Advocate.  Susanne shared her story at the Polio Plus Society Dinner on November 21st.   
     
     
     
    What Rotary e-club Houston Rotarians are Doing 2015-11-06 06:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Day at the United Nations - November 7th

     Rotary International helped draft the United Nations Charter in the 1940s and the organization has had a close partnership with the UN throughout its history. It is considered to have “the highest consultative status offered to a non-governmental organization by the UN’s Economic and Social Council,” according to the Rotary website. A day is set aside each year for Rotarians to tour UN headquarters in New York City and to lead panel discussions on topics of high priority to the organization.  This year, Rotary Day at the United Nations will take place on November 7, 2015.

    This unique opportunity offers both a visit to the United Nations Headquarters in New York City as well as participation in panel discussions featuring leaders and officials from the Rotary International, the United Nations and its affiliated Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).

    Rotary Day at the United Nations also includes a special program for youth interested in humanitarian service. Youth have the opportunity to hear about some projects that Interact Clubs are working on, an overview of the UN and much more.  The keynote address for youth will be "Overview of Gender Equality." The youth program will also hear addresses from RI President Ravi and General Secretary John Hewko.

    This year, human trafficking will be a primary subject on that day.  Georgia Rotarian Dave McCleary will moderate a panel on the topic of human trafficking when he takes part in the annual Rotary Day at the UN on Nov. 7, and on Wednesday talked on that topic as guest speaker at the Marianna Rotary Club’s monthly meeting. McCleary offered local Rotarians some sobering statistics. One in six runaways are trafficked, he said, with the numbers in America translating to about 1.6 million. Within three days of running away, one in three will have been approached by a potential trafficker. Rotary has decided to take the problem on in a big way. It’s a priority of the international leadership, and the club is already distributing materials to local chapters for the education of their members. “Chosen” is a DVD chronicling the various ways in which young women have been lured into the trap of human trafficking. Girls who have escaped the cycle tell their stories.
     
    Deb Walters, a member of the Rotary Club of Unity who is on a solo kayak expedition from Maine to Guatemala to raise awareness for Safe Passage, was chosen as one of six Rotary Global Women of Action.  She will be recognized on Nov. 7, World Rotary Day, at the United Nations in New York for her service to the people of Guatemala and her efforts to help break the cycle of multi-generational poverty.   Additional Rotarian women being honored include Kerstin Jeska-thorwart from Nuremberg, Germany of the Rotary Club of Nurnberg-Sigena; Dr. Hashrat Begum from Bangladesh, Rotary Club of Dhaka North West; Razia Jan from Wellesley, MA and the Rotary Club of Duxbury (an Afghan native); Stella Dongo from Zimbabwa and the Rotary Club of Highlands; and Lucy Hobgood-Brown from Australia and the Rotary e-club of Greater Sydney. 
     
    On the morning of November 7th, be sure to watch the Today Show live from Rockefeller Center in New York City.  Rotarians will be wearing "End Polio Now" aprons or shirts.
     
    It will be a full day of activities and more than 1,500 partcipants.
     
     
    Rotary Day at the United Nations - November 7th 2015-11-06 06:00:00Z 0

    Visiting Rotary - When in the Hague

    Rotary Club The Hague Metropolitan - the oldest English speaking club in the Netherlands.
    Rotary Club The Hague Metropolitan (RCTHM) is one of four English speaking Rotary Clubs in the Netherlands, out of a total of around 350 clubs in the country. We have 38 members, from 22 nations; our members come from the diplomatic corps, international courts and tribunals, other international organizations and various multinational companies.
     

    RCTHM is the oldest English speaking RC in the Netherlands and will celebrate its 25th anniversary in October 2015. We have been honoured, on numerous occasions, with the annual Rotary Netherlands award as the club providing the largest charity contributor per capita. In some years we have exceeded 1000 € per member, all obtained through various events organized by the membership in and around The Hague.

    The Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC)  organized an event in partnership with the Rotary Club The Hague (RCTHM) Metropolitan in 2014 to fundraise for a new publication in our People Building Peace series. This issue focused on stories from the Middle East and North Africa, providing a counter narrative to the daily stories of bloodshed and strife. It highlighted the positive stories of dialogue, nonviolence and understanding, and amplify the voices of those in the region who are working for peace.  Activities included performances from musicians and dancers from the region, and a GPPAC member from Lebanon was available to provide information. There was an opportunity to meet peacebuilders from Lebanon, Kyrgyzstan, South Africa, Mexico, Argentina, Sri Lanka, Japan and Fiji. The event was held at the Humanity House in The Hague. It provided a cultural evening, combining performances and reflection on topical issues relating to the Middle Eastern region.

    A Christmas Charity Concert by soloist Karina Kaminska accompanied by Latvian Choir in the Netherlands and conducted by Anna Fogelmane,
    will be held on Monday December 14, 2015, at 20.00-22.00 (doors open at 19.30) at the Church of Our Saviour, Bezuidenhoutseweg 157, 2594 AG The Hague.  All proceeds from the concert will be used to purchase medical equipment for the Bamalete Hospital, Ramotswa, Botswana.

     

     

    Visiting Rotary - When in the Hague 2015-11-05 06:00:00Z 0

    Club Meeting Saturday, November 21st

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    All members who are in the Houston area on November 21st are requested to attend our event in the George Bush Park beginning at 10 am and ending at 3 pm.  This is the "Party to End Polio" day and many Rotarians, family members, and friends will be riding their bicycles in the park to raise money for eradicating polio.  PDG Chris Schneider is also leading a group of motorcyclists who have also raised funds to fight polio and they will join us for lunch in the park.  In this newsletter and on the website is a form to be used to request donations or you may go to My Rotary on the Rotary International website and donate to the Ride to End Polio.  Please send an em to PDG Ed Charlesworth (charlesworth@stresscontrol.com to let us know the amount you have raised for this event.  We want you and your club to get credit but would like to announce the grand total of this fundraiser for eradicating polio at our event and at the Polio Plus Society Dinner.  This is going to be a fun party and with the Gates Foundation matching program every $100 turns into $300!!!
     
    Rotarians from across our district will share in this activity. We will have family entertainment such as Bingo, giant Jenga, music, and a $10/person picnic lunch.  You will have a chance to meet ten visiting Russian Rotarians who are participating in the Russian USA Intercountry Committee Cultural Exchange.  This Russian Delegation is from Yekaterinburg and Volgograd in the Russian Federation and will be in our Rotary District 5890  November 16-28, 2015.
     
    A club meeting will be held at 12:30 pm including our District Governor Nick Giannone.  Special Rotarian guest Suzanne Rea who shares the Rotary Flame at our event.   This Rotary “flame” was launched in Chennai, India, in December, 2014 to commemorate India becoming polio-free and to promote the need to go the last mile in the battle to eradicate this horrible crippling disease. The torch has made its way through Rotary countries, and passed through all three polio endemic countries  – Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria.  Have your photo taken with the Rotary flame!
     
    If you are unable to come to the park on the 21st, please know that you may still participate at any YMCA in the Houston area.  Blake Knight, Community Executive Director at the San Jacinto & Baytown Family Y's, says, "I’m happy to announce that we have decided to open all of the Y’s here in Houston to Rotarians the week of November 14-20th."  He adds, "We are excited to partner on this and look forward to the opportunity to help in the fight to end polio." So check with your local YMCA about this opportunity to raise funds to End Polio Now.
     
    If you are coming for lunch, we must know in order to have enough food.  Please register or contact PDG Ed Charlesworth.
     
    Club Meeting Saturday, November 21st Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2015-11-05 06:00:00Z 0

    Introducing our New Members

    Meet our New Members

    Wayne Beaumier is an Assistant Governor from the Rotary Club of Bear Creek Copperfield in our same Rotary District and he has recruited yet another member for our club.  Thanks, Wayne!  Another associate through baseball, we warmly welcome Ed Nelson whose classification is "Network Security".  He is employed by the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and lives in Cypress, Texas.  When asked how he found out about Rotary, he replied, "I have been involved with many baseball organizations over the years.  This has allowed me to serve with many great people. Many of them Rotarians. Over the past 9 months I have spoken to a few friends that are Rotarian, and it appears that your organization is my future. I believe in service and sharing ones talents with others."  Ed is married and has a 12-year old daughter.  Ed says, "Without their support I would not be able to give of my time and effort."  Welcome to the family of Rotary, Ed!
     
     
    Welcome to Chris Ajayi to our Rotary e-club Houston, also!  Chris joined our club in October under the classification of Vocational Nurse and works with the Fort Bend Sheriff Office.  He was previously a Rotarian, joining Rotary in Nigeria in 2007.  Chris Ajayi has been actively fighting Polio in Nigeria. He was previously a Rotaractor. Chris is sponsored by Terry Ziegler and together they recently did an interview for Houston Chronicle regarding Polio in Nigeria.  Chris lives in Richmond, Texas.  Great to have Chris join us and sharing his experiences in Nigeria!
     
     
     
     
    Introducing our New Members 2015-11-05 06:00:00Z 0

    Bicycle Ride to End Polio Sponsor Sheet

    Dear Potential Sponsor,
    I am participating in the Rotary e-Club of Houston, Texas USA bicycle Ride to End Polio. During the month of November I will be riding my bicycle inside and outside to reach my goal of _______ miles. You can sponsor me for an amount per mile and can name a maximum amount that you are willing to contribute. All proceeds will help fund Rotary International’s Campaign to End Polio. Please make checks out to The Rotary Foundation. All contributions are tax deductible. Cash is also accepted.
    On Saturday, November 21, 2015 we will celebrate at a “Party to End Polio” hosted by the Rotary e-Club of Houston, Texas USA at the George Bush Park, Pavilion One from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with games, music, and $10 picnic.
    Participants:
    To reach our goal, we hope that each participant reaches $ 100.00 per bicycle. Please send record of the total of your contributions to PDG Ed Charlesworth (charlesworth@stresscontrol.com) to help us track our District contributions to make this a polio-free world. If you are a Rotarian or club you can deposit the contributions directly into you’re “My Rotary” account so that you and your club receive the credit. Just help us track your great success!
     
    Thank you!
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    Bicycle Ride to End Polio Sponsor Sheet 2015-11-05 06:00:00Z 0
    What is Leadership? Rotary International 2015-11-05 06:00:00Z 0
    Proud to be a Rotarian & Calling for More To Join Us 2015-11-05 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - How to Manage for Collective Creativity

    What's the secret to unlocking the creativity hidden inside your daily work, and giving every great idea a chance? Harvard professor Linda Hill, co-author of "Collective Genius," has studied some of the world's most creative companies to come up with a set of tools and tactics to keep great ideas flowing — from everyone in the company, not just the designated "creatives."

    Why you should listen

    Linda A. Hill is the Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. In 2014, Professor Hill co-authored Collective Genius: The Art and Practice of Leading Innovation. It features thick descriptions of exceptional leaders of innovation in a wide range of industries—from information technology to law to design—and geographies—from the US and Europe to the Middle East and Asia. Business Insider named Collective Genius one of “The 20 Best Business Books” in summer 2014.

    She is the faculty chair of the Leadership Initiative and has chaired numerous HBS Executive Education programs, including the Young She is the co-author, with Kent Lineback, of Being the Boss: The 3 Imperatives of Becoming a Great Leader and Breakthrough Leadership, a blended cohort-based program that helps organizations transform midlevel managers into more effective leaders. Breakthrough Leadership was the winner of the 2013 Brandon Hall Group Award for Best Advance in Unique Learning Technology. The book was included in the Wall Street Journal as one of the “Five Business Books to Read for Your Career in 2011." She is also the author of Becoming a Manager: How New Managers Master the Challenges of Leadership (2nd Edition). She heads up Harvard's Presidents' Organization Presidents' Seminar and the High Potentials Leadership Program, and was course head during the development of the new Leadership and Organizational Behavior MBA required course.

    Application to Rotary - We aim to change the world and improve the quality of lives of those in need.  Sometimes this is in challenging environments along with challenging circumstances and perhaps where others have attempted and failed.   Yet, collectively we can pool our talents and ideas to discover whatever it takes to accomplish our goals.  When told that it was impossible to eliminate polio from this world, Rotarians said "Yes we can!".  And soon the world will celebrate the end of polio for future generations.  Keep on inspiring others Rotarians, as we promote leadership training and motivate others to partner with us to change the world.

     

    Weekly Program - How to Manage for Collective Creativity 2015-11-05 06:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - The Secret Structure of Great Talks

    Nancy Duarte believes that ideas are the most powerful tools people have. Her passion is to help every person learn to communicate their world-changing idea effectively.

    Why you should listen

    Nancy Duarte is an expert in presentation design and principal of Duarte Design, where she has served as CEO for 21 years. Nancy speaks around the world, seeking to improve the power of public presentations. She is the author of Slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations as well as Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences and the recent HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations.

    Watch Duarte's recent webinar on making presentations remotely >>

    What others say

    “Finally! Someone has incorporated the power of story into presentation!” — Damon Lindelhof, co-creator of "Lost"

    From the "I have a dream" speech to Steve Jobs’ iPhone launch, many great talks have a common structure that helps their message resonate with listeners. In this talk, presentation expert Nancy Duarte shares practical lessons on how to make a powerful call-to-action. This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxEast, an independent event. TED editors featured it among our selections on the home page.

     
    Rotarians have stories to tell about changing the world.  Hope some of these pointers will be helpful.  Our service projects are great stories to share where we first share what is and then what will be.  We show the world that we are fearless in the face of roadblocks.  Proof of conquering those fears will be our world celebration when polio is eradicated for future generations, and Rotarians have driven this idea and set goals when others said it couldn't be done.  Believing it can be done is more than half the battle.  Each service project in Rotary needs at least one hero who drives the idea, sets goals, and tells the stories to engage others.  Let's learn to tell our story well.
    Weekly Program - The Secret Structure of Great Talks 2015-10-29 05:00:00Z 0

    World Toilet Day - November 19th

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    World Toilet Day is a day to take action. It is a day to raise awareness about all the people who do not have access to a toilet - despite the human right to water and sanitation. Of the world's seven billion people, 2.5 billion people do not have improved sanitation. One billion people still defecate in the open. Women and girls risk rape and abuse because they have no toilet that offers privacy.
    Taken from the WASRAG Newsletter(October, 2015)
    The Water & Sanitation Rotarian Action Group is a group of Rotarians whose purpose is to support Rotary clubs to effectively plan, finance, implement, monitor and evaluate water, sanitation, and hygiene programs, where they are most needed in a collaborative, cost-effective, timely, and sustainable manner, true to the principles of Rotary International. Wasrag operates in accordance with Rotary International policy but is not an agency of, or controlled by, Rotary International.
     
    Do you know?  Early on, Paul Harris (Founder of Rotary) realized that Rotary needed a greater purpose. While Harris served as president of the Chicago Rotary Club in 1907, the club initiated its first public service project, the construction of public toilets in Chicago. This step transformed Rotary into the world’s first Service Club.  The Rotary Club of Chicago performs one of its first acts of community service. The club calls a meeting of civic organizations to establish a committee for installing city comfort stations, or public toilets, to improve sanitation.

    It was this same concept of promoting business which led to the first community service project of the original Chicago Rotary Club. In their effort to promote more business, the members decided that since the women did most of the shopping in downtown Chicago, they would do even more if they stayed downtown longer. So, what was the answer? If they put public toilets in downtown Chicago – the shoppers would not have to go home so soon. And that is what they did — installed the first public restrooms in downtown Chicago. When service is provided — business is enhanced. It was on that basis that the world’s service club movement was launched.

    In such atmosphere, Rotary’s first public service was rendered. It consisted of initiating and promulgating the establishment of public comfort stations in Chicago. Of all the multitudinous undertakings of Rotary, the writer can not recall one more ambitious. Rotary’s first public undertaking resulted in the enrollment of every important civic organization in the city of Chicago, and also the city and county administrations, in its support. For more than two years the battle against indifference, vested interests, and so forth continued until eventually Chicago’s first public comfort station was established on the northeastern corner of Washington and LaSalle streets. The greater significance however, was in the fact that it was the precursor of thousands of similar services rendered by Rotarians throughout the world. Its lesser significance is to be found in the fact that the Rotary Club was raised to the rank of a civic organization in Chicago, to be counted on, henceforth, as an asset in the city. The head of the Y.M.C.A. expressed the prevailing sentiment when he said, “The Rotary Club of Chicago has now shown reason for its existence.”
    World Toilet Day - November 19th 2015-10-29 05:00:00Z 0
    Have you benefitted from being a Rotarian? 2015-10-29 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Communication Song 2015-10-29 05:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    "The cost of regret far exceeds the price of discipline."
    ~Dan Green
     
    Quote of the Week 2015-10-29 05:00:00Z 0

    Leadership and Communication Skills

    In workshops and coaching conversations, many questions are about the right way to communicate an idea. And while there is no "right" answer for every single situation, there are definitively wrong ways to do it. So today, I've asked my colleague and Master Trainer, Guy Harris, to help us out by sharing three communication strategies that are virtually guaranteed to irritate other people, and what to do instead...
    If you really want to irritate another person, use these three “I” communication strategies*…
    Insinuation – to say (something, especially something bad or insulting) in an indirect way
    Innuendo – a statement which indirectly suggests that someone has done something immoral, improper, etc.
    Implication – something that is suggested without being said directly
    * Definitions from Merriam-Webster.com
    When you look closely at each of the definitions, you’ll note that the word “indirect” appears in each of them, and, from an emotional perspective, that is the problem with each of these communication techniques.
    Most people resort to one or more of these strategies in conflict situations because they feel a need to have their point heard, and they want to avoid upsetting the other person. As a result, they use an indirect approach in an effort to strike the balance between making their point and avoiding the pain of offending the other person.
     
    And, it doesn’t work that way.
    Here’s why.
    Indirect communication approaches leave a gap between the words used and the real message. The danger lies in the fact that the gap will be filled by the person hearing the message. In most cases, it will be filled with their assumptions about the real message, and their assumptions will generally be more negative than the intended message. A message intended to convey mild irritation sounds – to the person hearing the message – like a strong personal attack.
    A better, and a slightly counterintuitive, approach is to speak directly with people. It is more powerful, more persuasive, and less irritating to say exactly what you mean than it is to insinuate, infer, or imply.
    As with any technique or tactic for working with people, this one can be taken to a ridiculous extreme. Yes, I am advocating direct, honest communication as a way to reduce and resolve conflicts. I do not advocate taking the approach to the extreme of rude and aggressive communication.
    To minimize misinterpretation, misunderstanding, and miscommunication, learn to use assertive and direct communication approaches that make your point clearly, concisely, and confidently.
    The Kevin Elkenberry Group
    Leadership and Communication Skills 2015-10-29 05:00:00Z 0
    Weekly Program - Polio Keynote Address from RI Convention 2015 2015-10-23 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotary and Polio Fact Sheet

    Polio

    Rotary and Polio Fact Sheet

    Poliomyelitis (polio) is a paralyzing and potentially fatal disease that still threatens children in some parts of the world. The poliovirus invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours. It can strike at any age but mainly affects children under five. Polio is incurable, but completely vaccine-preventable.

    PolioPlus

    In 1985, Rotary launched its PolioPlus program, the first initiative to tackle global polio eradication through the mass vaccination of children. Rotary has contributed more than $1.3 billion and countless volunteer hours to immunize more than 2.5 billion children in 122 countries. In addition, Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by donor governments to contribute more than $9 billion to the effort.

    Global Polio Eradication Initiative

    The Global Polio Eradication Initiative, formed in 1988, is a public-private partnership that includes Rotary, the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and governments of the world. Rotary’s focus is advocacy, fundraising, volunteer recruitment and awareness-building.

    Polio Today

    Today, there are only three countries that have never stopped transmission of the wild poliovirus: Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Less than 370 polio cases were confirmed worldwide in 2014, which is a reduction of more than 99 percent since the 1980s, when the world saw about 1,000 cases per day.

    Challenges

    The polio cases represented by the remaining one percent are the most difficult to prevent, due to factors including geographical isolation, poor public infrastructure, armed conflict and cultural barriers. Until polio is eradicated, all countries remain at risk of outbreaks.

    Ensuring Success

    Every dollar Rotary commits to polio eradication will be matched two-to-one by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation up to $35 million a year through 2018. These funds help to provide much-needed operational support, medical personnel, laboratory equipment, and educational materials for health workers and parents. Governments, corporations and private individuals all play a crucial role in funding.

    Rotary in Action

    More than one million Rotary members have donated their time and personal resources to end polio. Every year, hundreds of Rotary members work side-by-side with health workers to vaccinate children in polio-affected countries. Rotarians work with UNICEF and other partners to prepare and distribute mass communication tools to reach people in areas isolated by conflict, geography, or poverty. Rotary members also recruit fellow volunteers, assist with transporting the vaccine, and provide other logistical support.

    ‘This Close’ Campaign

    Rotary has a growing roster of public figures and celebrities participating in its “This Close” public awareness campaign, including Bill Gates, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, actress Archie Panjabi, action star Jackie Chan, golf legend Jack Nicklaus and South Korean pop-star Psy. These ambassadors help educate the public about polio through public service announcements, social media and public appearances.

    Rotary and Polio Fact Sheet 2015-10-23 05:00:00Z 0

    Community Service - Little Dresses for Africa

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    E-club Rotarian Adriane Miller formed an arts and crafts group in The Woodlands, TX, to connect ladies who love to use their creativity for the good of the humanity. They meet twice a month to craft beautiful things while having enjoyable discussions. Their latest project is a wonderful effort to help a non-profit organization called Little Dresses For Africa, whose mission is to provide relief to children throughout the continent of Africa and beyond. Adriane’s group recently made 72 dresses out of pillowcases to girls in African villages who are in orphanages, hospitals and areas of extreme poverty who have nothing but rags to wear. The initial goal was to make 50 dresses, but they are happy to have surpassed this number and eager to continue on. They will now make shorts for boys, sanitary pads (sani-panties) for women and continue making the adorable little dresses. The boxes are sent to Michigan’s Little Dresses for Africa headquarters and from there shipped to Africa and other places. Adriane says “Every time I'm making a dress I am picturing a little girl’s smile when she puts it on. It fills my heart with love and hope. We all feel the same way. When these boxes of dresses are opened in Africa I think there will be a lot of good energy spreading in the air.”
    One photo shows the girls in Africa wearing dresses sent from other groups. The other photo shows our group of Brazilian ladies happy to give hope to the children in Africa with the first 72 dresses. From left to right: Marcia Monus, Christiane Andrade, Adriane Miller, Monica Lucena, Rosangela Xavier, Maria Elisa Murad, Mariza Videla, Janina Silva and Myriam Cury. Others not shown on the photo are also helping with their sewing abilities or with material and money donations.
    To know more about Little Dresses for Africa and their ongoing projects, please go to littledressesforafrica.org.

     
    E-club members, please tells us about the community services you are involved in so we can publish your Service Above Self efforts and inspire others.
    Community Service - Little Dresses for Africa 2015-10-23 05:00:00Z 0
    Rotary's Four-Way Test 2015-10-20 05:00:00Z 0

    Operation Military Embrace - Community Service

    Our most eventful of all our quarterly trips will be held December 6-7, 2015 when we not only visit inpatients and host a dinner for outpatients and their families on Sunday, but for this December trip only, we also set up a Christmas free PX (Post Exchange/Military Store), a drawing, and serve a breakfast on Monday morning for our injured and ill military who are patients there at SAMMC.  This breakfast will also be provided for our volunteers. 
     
    As in the past, OME Officers, Directors, and volunteers will be asked to pay for their dinner on Sunday afternoon, which will be $12.00 per person.  OME will cover the cost for all Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen and their families in attendance.
     
    The free PX donations of all-new goods continue to flow in from a very generous donating public, and we pray that this will require our usual two 26' U-Haul trucks plus p/u trucks to transport all the goods that are being collected!
     
    If you know of anyone or any group that is interested in holding a drive for us, the items that we still need the most are: toys (new only!), diapers & baby wipes, clothing (kids and adults--new only!), personal care items, and laundry detergent.  Loading of the 2 U-Haul trucks will take place on Friday, December 4, 2015.
     
    Mission of Operation Military Embrace:  Remembering Vietnam, "OME" is dedicated to ensuring that OIF (Iraq) and OEF (Afghanistan) veterans and all who served during this period of war are not treated with hostility and disrespect as were those who served with honor and distinction in Vietnam. Operation Military Embrace, a Christ-centered 501(c)(3) military-support charity, achieves this objective through the grace of God by working to increase public awareness regarding the challenges faced by America's military & their families while providing financial assistance, direct support via the nation's only free PX (Post Exchange), and motivational activities & programs for seriously wounded, ill or injured service members & their families across all of America's combat arms for up to 10 years after EAS/discharge.
     
    Donations may be made online or checks can be made payable to "OME" and mailed to:
    OME
    P.O. Box 149
    Hockley, Texas
    77447-0149
     
    Operation Military Embrace - Community Service 2015-10-20 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - How We Can Make The World A Better Place

    Can we end hunger and poverty, halt climate change and achieve gender equality in the next 15 years? The governments of the world think we can. Meeting at the UN in September 2015, they agreed to a new set of Global Goals for the development of the world to 2030. Social progress expert Michael Green invites us to imagine how these goals and their vision for a better world can be achieved.
     
     
    Weekly Program - How We Can Make The World A Better Place 2015-10-20 05:00:00Z 0

    International Service - Pakistan

    Rotarian Cristal Montanez Baylor, Executive Director of the Hashoo Foundation USA and Rotary Houston e-Club member, shared the following:
    Thanks to The Second Wind Foundation, Rotary Books for the World Program and the hard hard work of all the Rotarians committed to promote education and literacy, Hashoo Foundation and Rotary Clubs in Pakistan are advancing in this important task.
    We are still sorting and classifying books from the last 5 containers. I will keep you posted of the distribution of these books. Also,  45 school desks have been donated to the Rotary Pakistan Literacy Mission Karachi.
     
    Rotary books for the world program’s project following activities has accomplished.
                        
    1.       We are searching new educational institutions and organizations with help of Rotary clubs across Pakistan.
    2.       Container # 1 70% of books have been dispatched to regional offices (ROG and ROC), regional team will distribute books among organizations and they will share report on it.
    3.       Container # 2 100% books unloaded from container to distribution center, where volunteers will sort books for further distribution
    4.       Next week we will handover school desks to Rotary club, these school desks  will be received by Dr Pervez Ahsan and Mr Masrur on behalf of Rotary Pakistan Literacy Mission.
    5.       Container #3, 4 and 5 will start work accordingly.
     
    The containers were shipped to the Islamabad port.
    International Service - Pakistan 2015-10-20 05:00:00Z 0

    UPDATE on POLIO Eradication

    Pakistan - One new Polio case reported in Pakistan this week.  Thirty-nine Polio cases have been reported in 2015 compared to 235 at this time last year.  In October and November of 2015, there were five Type 1 Wild Polio cases - compared to 79 in that same period of 2014.    
     
    Afghanistan - No new Polio cases reported in Afghanistan this week. No new Polio-positive environmental samples were collected this week.  Sub-National Immunization Days are planned for 11/29-12/1 using Bivalent OPV.
     
    Ukraine - In response to the vaccine derived Polio cases there, the Ukraine Ministry of Health has established daily reporting for obtaining operational data on the implementation of campaign activities. The cumulative report covering the period from 19 October to 3 November showed that 779,442 children under 6 years of age were vaccinated with tOPV in all 24 oblasts and Kiev City. - info thanks to Carol Pandak - Director of Rotary's PolioPlus Program
     
    The Final Two Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - Thirty-nine Polio cases reported in 2015 with 306 cases recorded in 2014  The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 10/21/15 is from Khyber in FATA.    
    Afghanistan - Thirteen Polio cases reported in 2015 with 28 cases recorded in 2014. The most recent case was reported on 09/06/15 from the Nangarhar Province.   
    Post Endemic - Nigeria - Zero Polio cases reported in 2015 with 6 cases recorded in 2014.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14.  
     
    UPDATE on POLIO Eradication Terry Zigler 2015-10-16 05:00:00Z 0

    World Polio Day - October 23rd

     

    How close are we to a polio-free world? What’s needed to finish the job? Can we make history together?

    Join us on 23 October (TODAY) for our third annual World Polio Day event. We’ll be streaming live from New York City, so tune in at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time to watch a global status update on the fight to end polio and take part in the conversation. 

    Time magazine Senior Editor Jeffrey Kluger is our moderator, and UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake is a keynote speaker. The webcast features appearances by Emmy Award-winner Archie Panjabi, Grammy Award-winner Angelique Kidjo, actress Kristen Bell, WWE Superstar John Cena, The Doctors co-host Dr. Jennifer Berman, CDC Polio Eradication Branch Chief John Vertefeuille, and other special guests.

    If you can’t join us live, you can still be a part of this moment in history. Share your voice online, advocate with your government, or create your own World Polio Day event.

     
     
     
    World Polio Day - October 23rd 2015-10-16 05:00:00Z 0

    Space Center Rotary's Shrimporee - October 24th

    Space Center Rotary Club's annual fundraiser, Shrimporee, will be held at Clear Lake Park on NASA Parkway  Saturday, October 24 (11am-4:00pm) 
     
    This year's Shrimporee will be the best ever, with educational, interactive presentations that will intrigue kids and educate parents.  Each year, the Shrimporee is Space Center's major event, lots of food & beverages, shrimp and BBQ brisket lunch, live and silent auctions, entertainment, games for the kids and fellowship.
     
    The event is free; meals are $15 each.
    Raffle tickets for outstanding items are available for $10 each, 6 for $50.
     
    Space Center Rotary's Shrimporee - October 24th 2015-10-16 05:00:00Z 0

    The Rotary Flame

    A Rotary “flame” was launched in Chennai, India, in December, 2014 to commemorate India becoming polio-free and to promote the need to go the last mile in the battle to eradicate this horrible crippling disease. The torch has made its way through Rotary countries, and passed through all three polio endemic countries  – Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria – before arriving at the 2015 Rotary Convention in São Paulo.
     
    Just like an Olympic torch relay, this flame shines light on the great humanitarian service Rotary has done by taking on the challenge to eradicate polio. It is inspiring to be part of the flame’s journey as it comes to the Rotary e-Club of Houston’s “Party to End Polio.” Come to our celebration on November 21st and As an feel the energy the “flame” has to focus our efforts on polio awareness.
     
    Come to the “Party to End Polio” on November 21st and get your photo taken with “the flame” while bringing pledges to help eradicate polio. To learn more about how to help our efforts see: http://www.endpolio.org/take-action
     
    Remember, for as little as US60 cents, a child can be vaccinated against polio for life. Your donation now works even harder. From 2013 to 2018, every US dollar Rotary commits to polio eradication will become three dollars, thanks to a 2-to-1 match from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Register for the “Party to End Polio” at www.rotaryeclubhouston.org.
     
    Send your pledges to PDG Ed Charlesworth at charlesworth@stresscontrol.com
     
     
    The Rotary Flame Ed Charlesworth, Ph. D. 2015-10-12 05:00:00Z 0

    AmazonSmile

    Link: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/38-3915709
     
    What is AmazonSmile?  Amazon.com now has a new website that allows users to pick a charity and donate .5% of every purchase to it. The above information is needed to register to pick our Rotary e-Club Houston.  PDG Ed Charlesworth says, "I had to go to the charity # since it did not show up with my "rotary" key word choices, but found it. We need to capitalize all letters in USA."   Those purchases you make on Amazon can bring valuable dollars to our club to be spent on our service projects.  If you are shopping this Holiday Season, please remember to help us out with this simple fundraising to benefit our Rotary projects at no additional cost to you.
    AmazonSmile 2015-10-11 05:00:00Z 0

    Fellowship - Enjoy Music of Chuck Pyle (Rotarian in our e-club)

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    Millbend Coffeehouse presents Chuck Pyle  on Saturday, Nov. 14th at 7:30pm.  "The Zen Cowboy!  Yeee haaaaa!  He is so much fun!"  Teresa Allen  Visit www.millbend.org or call 281-350-3052.  Contact Teresa Allen to reserve a table (281) 350-3052 with Rotary.  Millbend Coffeehouse, a part of the social outreach of Northwoods Unitarian Universalist Church, meets the 2nd Saturday of every month and is a smoke free, family friendly environment.  Gourmet Fair Trade coffee and a variety of pastries and snacks are available in our Kitchen during each show.  All proceeds after expenses benefit a local charity decided by audience vote.   Let's support Chuck while he is touring in the Houston area and it will be a fun evening for members to get to know each other and have fun!
    About Chuck Pyle:

    Chuck Pyle has won high praise from both fans and peers alike throughout an inspired performance career of over 40 years. When reviewers first gave him the "Zen Cowboy" moniker, he decided to, as he says, "Always ride the horse in the direction it's going," and took the nickname to heart, shaving his head and blending his upbeat perspective with old-fashioned horse sense. He mixes infectiously hummable melodies with straight-from-the-saddle poetry, quoting bumper stickers, proverbs, world leaders and old cowboys.

    An accomplished songwriter, Chuck's songs have been recorded by John Denver, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Suzy Bogguss. Country fans know him best for writing, "Cadillac Cowboy", recorded by the late Chris LeDoux, and "Jaded Lover", recorded by Jerry Jeff Walker.

    While fans love his recordings, they adore Chuck's live performance. The first time he made an audience laugh, he was "hooked". A nimble guitarist, critics say his sense of rhythm is more like a fine classical, or jazz, soloist, his songwriting musically sophisticated yet full of uncluttered space. The Chuck Pyle Finger-Style approach to guitar has distinguished him as a true original, earning him invitations to teach at such prestigious events as The Puget Sound Guitar Workshop and The Swannanoa Gathering. His music has made him a favorite of Bill & Melinda Gates who have had him play at their home in Seattle. Since writing the theme-song for a PBS series called Spirit of Colorado, he's attained local fame, and even sings for the opening session of the Colorado State Legislature.

    Chuck's new album Cover Stories is a collection of tunes by some lesser-known songwriters - like Pete & Lou Berryman, Walt Wilkins, Lynn Miles and Hayes Carll - songwriters whose work has been admired by other songwriters for years. These are 12 well-crafted songs beautifully rendered in 12 great performances by Chuck Pyle in his innovative finger-style, accompanied by Gordon Burt on fiddle and Don Richmond on steel guitar, dobro & mandolin.

     
     
    Fellowship - Enjoy Music of Chuck Pyle (Rotarian in our e-club) 2015-10-11 05:00:00Z 0
    Inspiring Others to Join Rotary 2015-10-11 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Home is a Song I've Always Remembered & More About Home

    For musician Teitur, singing is about giving away a piece of yourself to others. "If your intentions are to impress people or to get the big applause at the end," he says, "then you are taking, not giving." Listen as he plays on stage at TED2015, offering two songs about love, distance and home.

    Why you should listen

    Teitur crafts songs with unexpected lyrical twists portraying everything from awkward love affairs to lost weekends. Although he’s written hits for singers like Seal and Corinne Bailey Rae, the best interpreter for Teitur’s songs is himself: his half-dozen solo albums have won him accolades from the Danish Royal family, the Guardian and fans around the world.

    His album Story Music (recorded in a former ice factory) features contributions from legendary Beach Boys arranger Van Dyke Parks and 78 musicians gathered from his native Faroe Islands.

    What others say

    “Teitur has a majestic way with storytelling, conjuring up imagery as vivid as the vocal is emotive.” — contactmusic.com, April 1, 2009

    The Long and Winding Roads
    The wisdom of living is discovered via a journey that we each must take.  Just as we each travel a different road, we also each possess a unique potential to develop our body, mind and spirit into a whole person.  We can begin building the fully functional lifestyle that nurtures our total being.  No one else can walk the exact same roads of our personal journey.  And no one can spare us.
    In order to discover the different roads available to us we may all need to travel far from our homes and learn how to read the various signs of navigation of the different long and winding roads of life.  Sometimes there is difficulty in reading the signposts of life because we may be unfamiliar with their symbols and meanings.  If this is the case then we may need to take a basic course in the navigation of paradigms for living, one of which is Rotary's motto of "service above self." In our e-club we may all call "home" a different city, state or even country, but our real home is mother earth and serving others is the rent we pay for living on this great planet.
     
    "There are many truths of which the full meaning cannot be realized until personal experience has brought it home."
     
     
    I always like Aesop's fables and one of the best related to our home goes like this:
    The Country Mouse And The City Mouse
    A quiet, Country Mouse once entertained an old playmate who had gone to the city to live.  Though his wealth was very little, the Country Mouse saved up so that dinner for his City Mouse friend would be a good one.  He had put away some very nice peas and cheese, and a tasty ripe apple for dessert.
    When he and his friend sat down to dinner, the Country Mouse didn't eat any food, but politely chewed away at a piece of straw, so that his City friend would be sure to have enough.
    When they had finished, the City Mouse said in a very superior way,  "How can you bear to live in such a dismal place?  Nothing but woods, meadows, mountains and streams.  Don't you get bored with no society, and no lively conversation?  It must be awfully dull.  Why don't you come to the city with me tonight?  I'll show you how you can have a great time all of the time."
    The little Country Mouse had always been perfectly contented where he was, but he was willing to try something that sounded so good.
    So they set out that evening for the city.  About midnight they walked into the beautiful mansion where the City Mouse lived. There had been a great party the day before and bits of food were waiting for the picking.
    They sat on beautiful Persian rugs and nibbled this and that until the Country Mouse was pleasantly full.  He began to think maybe his life was pretty dull down there in the country.
    Just then there was a bang and a crash that made them jump a mouse mile.  The master of the house had come home.  With him came two enormous dogs that barked and ran round, nearly scaring the life out of both the mice, who scurried for safety.
    "Thank you ever so much," said the Country Mouse to his City friend, "That was fine while it lasted, but I think I'll just keep right on moving until I reach my quiet, dull little home back in the country.  A few dry peas will do me very well as long as I can enjoy them quietly and not have my appetite scared out of me.  You are welcome to your exciting city life, I'll take the country."
     
    "It's a wise person who has enough and is happy with it."
     
    Most of our e-club members have enough, but we are truly growing rich through our vibrant Rotary community and helping to serve all of humanity.
     
    Sometimes finding our values amidst our confusion and conflicts, is the catalyst to turn our lives around.  I was reminded of this by a story about Darrel Teel, a drifter with only nine cents to his name.  Darrel didn't have a home or job, and what money he did get was used to buy alcohol.
    Then he found a handbag bulging with $29,200 cash in a field while he looked for cigarette butts.  The money was the lost life savings of an elderly lady, who just did not trust banks.  The excitement and feeling of greed, changed into soul-searching, and then transformed into ethics.  Darrel turned the money in to the Sheriff's Department after thinking "I don't steal.  I'd like to earn this kind of money, but I don't steal."
    This one act of honesty seems to have turned Darrel's life around.  He received a citizen's award, the community raised $3,000 to help him start his life anew, and he had several job offers to select from.  He quit drinking.  "Even his personality changed."  With this one act of honesty, Darrel regained his self-respect, pride and dignity.
     
    "You are what you are when nobody's looking."
    Ann Landers
    The City of Our Dreams
    In the hiddenness of time there was a poor man who left his village, weary of his life, longing for a place where he could escape all the struggles of this earth.  He set out in search of a magical city - the heavenly city of his dreams, where all things would be perfect.  He walked all day and by dusk found himself in a forest, where he decided to spend the night.  Eating the crust of bread he had brought, he said his prayers and, just before going to sleep, placed his shoes in the center of the path, pointing them in the direction he would continue the next morning.  Little did he imagine that while he slept, a practical joker would come along and turn his shoes around, pointing them back in the direction from which he had come.
    The next morning, in all the innocence of folly, he got up, gave thanks to the Lord of the Universe, and started on his way again in the direction that his shoes pointed.  For a second time he walked all day, and towards evening finally saw the magical city in the distance.  It wasn't as large as he had expected.  As he got closer, it looked curiously familiar.  But, he pressed on, found a street much like his own, knocked on a familiar door, greeted the family he found there - and lived happily ever after in the magical city of his dreams.
    Perhaps it is time to retrace our steps and rediscover the roots that have served families well for generations.
    "While our treasures may be at home all along, that knowledge may require distant wanderings."
     
    The Treasure In The Kitchen
    In a far-off country, there lived a poor man whose family seldom ate their fill.  One night in a dream he saw a distant city and noticed a certain bridge with a treasure buried beneath it.  The dream was so vivid that he couldn't forget it. So finally, he decided to walk all the way to the city to see for himself.
    When he arrived in the city, he recognized it from his dream. He found the bridge and went under to locate the treasure.  Suddenly a soldier grabbed him and took him away for questioning.  He was asked what he was doing prowling under the bridge.  He said he was looking for treasure that he had seen in a dream.
    The soldier broke into laughter and said " You idiot!  You can't trust what you see in  dreams?  Why, for the last two weeks I have dreamt that far away in the country, there is a treasure buried under the stove in a poor man's kitchen.  Wouldn't it be stupid if I were to go looking for it?  One could waste a lifetime looking for a treasure that doesn't exist!"  Still  laughing, the soldier gave him a swift kick and let him go.  Then the poor man returned to his own home, where he moved the stove in his kitchen. He found the treasure buried there, and lived to a ripe old age as a rich man.
     
    "The presence of eternity is hidden within every present moment, but the freedom to grasp it comes only by risking oneself to an uncertain future."
    Weekly Program - Home is a Song I've Always Remembered & More About Home Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2015-10-11 05:00:00Z 0

    FACEBOOK UPDATE - MORE THAN 1,000 LIKES!!!

    The Rotary E-Club of Houston has surpassed 1,000 LIKES on our Facebook page!  Kudos to Wind Nguyen who manages our Facebook page and keeps it fresh and informative.  It is a great way to inform others who are not Rotarians about Rotary.  Recently Klodian Ian Hoxha of our e-cluvb posted pics of a Rotary event he attended in Tirana Albania.  See our Facebook page to learn more.  See pics of our club members attending the Gul Coast Leadership Institute last month.  See what club members are doing, read more about the work of Rotarians, and get motivated when you view our Facebook page.  AND recommend it to your friends, business associates, and family!
    FACEBOOK UPDATE - MORE THAN 1,000 LIKES!!! 2015-10-11 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Foundation Seminar - October 17th

    Dear Rotarians,
     
    Want to help make your Rotary Club a more Vibrant Club?
     
    Then you won't want to miss this Saturday's Rotary Foundation Seminar (Registration & light breakfast 7:45 AM - Seminar 8:30 AM - 1 PM at Houston Community College 5601 West Loop 610 South).
     
    If you miss this year's Seminar, you will miss:
     
    1.  An opportunity to increase your knowledge about Our Rotary Foundation - which you can share with your club members to make your club a more vibrant club.
    2.  Inspiration from a Rotary Peace Scholar who has served as a teacher in Afghanistan and Katy and from a Global Grant Scholar from Macedonia who is currently studying at Yale.
    3.  Foundation Recognition Point Matching of all Annual Fund Donations made at the Seminar plus additional matching for new Rotary Direct and Paul Harris Society Members enrolling at this Seminar
    and last, you will miss 4.  Polio Eradication, Annual Fund, Rotary.org/Rotary Direct/Rotary Club Central, District/Global Grants, and GEPP/Endowment breakout sessions to learn more about Rotary's service and support opportunities.
     
    Registration is open now at www.rotary5890.org.
     
     
    Terry Ziegler, District 5890 Rotary Foundation Committee Chair, Cell 713-825-1176    
     
    Rotary Foundation Seminar - October 17th Terry Ziegler 2015-10-04 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - All About Malaria

    Science historian Sonia Shah explores the surprisingly fascinating story behind an ancient scourge: malaria.
     

    Aided by economics, culture, its own resilience and that of the insect that carries it (the mosquito), the malaria parasite has determined for thousands of years the health and course not only of human lives, but also of whole civilizations. In her book The Fever, author Sonia Shah outlines the epic and devastating history of malaria and shows how it still infects 500 million people every year, and kills half a million, in a context where economic inequality collides with science and biology.

    Shah’s previous book The Body Hunters established her as a heavy hitter in the field of investigative human rights reporting. She is a frequent contributor to publications such as Scientific American, The Nation and Foreign Affairs.

    Weekly Program - All About Malaria 2015-10-04 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Malaria Song 2015-10-04 05:00:00Z 0
    Membership Moment - by Martine Stolk 2015-10-04 05:00:00Z 0

    From the Editor

    Apologies for the delayed newsletter - unavoidable interruption due to the internet provider dropping service without notification to the small Colorado town of Lake City where I still reside until mid-October.  While the internet connection has been sketchy all summer, now the provider will no longer provide service at all.  An alternate provider will be unavailable for two weeks as the installer has left town and then when he returns I will be heading back to Houston, Texas.  Needless to say, there are challenges to running a business with on-line bookings with no access other than on my i-phone.  Sorry, but I simply cannot produce a newsletter on my i-phone.  When I return to Houston I will arrange a meeting with those Rotarians in the e-club who have offered assistance to provide training to prepare the newsletter so in the future we will have greater depth and avoid delays such as this.  It will be good news to develop a contingency plan!
     
    Robin Charlesworth, Newsletter Editor
    From the Editor 2015-10-04 05:00:00Z 0

    Polio Update

    Posted by Terry Zeigler, District 5890 Foundation Chair on Sep 25, 2015
    Nigeria Taken Off Endemic List!!!  - The World Health Organization (WHO) this week announced that it has officially removed Nigeria from the list of countries where polio is endemic. It’s been 14 months since a case of polio caused by the wild virus was reported there. That leaves only two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, where transmission of the virus has never been stopped.
    Quote of the day - "It's not what you say, but how you say it!"  Mae West, Actress
    Pakistan - No new Polio cases reported in Pakistan this week.  Thirty-two Polio cases have been reported in 2015 compared to 173 at this time last year.  No new Type 1 polio positive environmental samples were reported in the last week.
    Afghanistan - Three new Polio cases reported in Afghanistan this week.  National Immunization Days will take place Oct. 18-20 using trivalent OPV.
    World Polio Day Live Stream - Friday 10/23/15 - See information about tuning in and donating at http://www.endpolio.org/worldpolioday
    The Final Two Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - Thirty-two Polio cases reported in 2015 with 306 cases recorded in 2014  The most recent case was reported on 08/22/15.    
    Afghanistan - Twelve Polio cases reported in 2015 with 28 cases recorded in 2014. The most recent case was reported on 09/06/15 from the Nangarhar Province.   
    Post Endemic - Nigeria - Zero Polio cases reported in 2015 with 6 cases recorded in 2014.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14.  
     
    Importation Countries:
    Ethiopia (1 case in 2014), Cameroon (5 cases in 2014), Somalia (5 cases in 2014), Iraq (2 cases in 2014), Syria (1 case in 2014), & Equatorial Guinea (5 cases in 2014) - all report no Polio cases in 2015.
       
     
    Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!
    Terry Ziegler, Rotary Foundation Committee Chair, District 5890
     
    Polio Update Terry Zeigler, District 5890 Foundation Chair 2015-09-25 05:00:00Z 0

    WEEKLY PROGRAM - EDUCATING GIRLS IN AFGHANISTAN

    Posted by Sakena Yacoobi on Sep 25, 2015
    When the Taliban closed all the girls' schools in Afghanistan, Sakena Yacoobi set up new schools, in secret, educating thousands of women and men. In this fierce, funny talk, she tells the jaw-dropping story of two times when she was threatened to stop teaching — and shares her vision for rebuilding her beloved country.
     

    Sakena Yacoobi is executive director of the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL), an Afghan women-led NGO she founded in 1995. After the Taliban closed girls’ schools in the 1990s, AIL supported 80 underground home schools for 3,000 girls in Afghanistan. Now, under Yacoobi’s leadership, AIL works at the grassroots level to empower women and bring education and health services to poor women and girls in rural and urban areas, serving hundreds of thousands of women and children a year through its training programs, Learning Centers, schools and clinics in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

    WEEKLY PROGRAM - EDUCATING GIRLS IN AFGHANISTAN Sakena Yacoobi 2015-09-25 05:00:00Z 0

    TRIP TO NICARAGUA

    Posted by Jim Kite on Sep 25, 2015

    I hope you will join us for our December, 2015 trip to Nicaragua. We will be  leaving from Houston on Wednesday, December 2nd at 6:22 p.m. and arriving in Managua at 9:42 p.m.  The return flight from Managua will be on Tuesday, December 9th leaving Managua at 7:08 a.m. and arriving back in Houston at 10:33 a.m.

     
    TRIP TO NICARAGUA Jim Kite 2015-09-25 05:00:00Z 0

    District 5890 Membership Meeting - September 28th

    Meeting Date & Time:  This Monday, September 28th, at 6:30pm (6:00pm, if you want to order food)
     
    Venue:    Los Tios Mexican Restaurant  
                    4840 Beechnut St.  
                    Houston, Texas 77096
                    713-660-6244
     
    Growing Rotary enables us to do more good in our communities and the world.  Attendance at this D. 5890 Membership Meeting is also a great opportunity to bond with your club's Area Membership Chair (AMC).
    Karri Axtell, Membership Chair, Rotary Club of 288 Corridor - Topic - "Fostering the Gift of Membership" - Presentation to include strategies that the 288 Corridor Rotary Club members have found successful in their quest to add net 10 members to their club this Rotary year.  Also, Pam McDowell, the club's first member to be both inducted as a new Rotary member while also sponsoring another new member during the same induction ceremony on September 10, 2015, will contribute to the discussion.
     
    Thank you, clubs, for your effort per membership growth and retention!   
     
    We look forward to the attendance of at least one (1) representative from your club!  
     
    Yours in Rotary service,
    Ann Wright
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair, 2015-16
    713-647-8400
    awright_tmg@yahoo.com
     
              and
                       
    Jon McKinnie
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair, 2015-16
    713-315-0220
    jmckinnie825@yahoo.com
     
    ******Attendance at this meeting may be reported as a make-up meeting
     
     
     
    District 5890 Membership Meeting - September 28th 2015-09-25 05:00:00Z 0
    ROTARY EXCHANGE STUDENT SHARES HER EXPERIENCE 2015-09-24 05:00:00Z 0

    ROTARY eCLUB OF HOUSTON VIDEO PROJECT

    Posted by Adriane Miller on Sep 24, 2015
    In September the Membership committee started a video project asking members to send in a video to help inspire others to join Rotary.  It is a great pleasure to present you with the first one sent by our member Veroniek Kerssemakers from The Netherlands.   If I wasn't already in Rotary I would want to join after listening to her message! Please send me your recording as soon as possible so I can make it into a presentation, and publish a new video with each newsletter. Thank you for your participation!
     
     
     
     
    ROTARY eCLUB OF HOUSTON VIDEO PROJECT Adriane Miller 2015-09-24 05:00:00Z 0

    FIVE INCREDIBLE WOMEN CHANGING THE WORLD

    Posted by Bill Davis, Grant Stewardship Chair 5890 on Sep 24, 2015
    Over the past six or seven years I have enjoyed the privilege of working with five young women who have been responsible for creating  TWENTY Rotary water, sanitation, education and health projects around the world with a value of $979,000.  These projects took place in El Salvador, Bolivia, Uganda, Kenya, Brazil, Afghanistan, Botswana, South Africa and Ghana.  In addition six scholarships were funded for studies towards Master’s Degrees in Nepal, Brazil, Chile, Austria, Yale University and Scotland.
     
    Read more about these five women and where they are now..
     
                      
    FIVE INCREDIBLE WOMEN CHANGING THE WORLD Bill Davis, Grant Stewardship Chair 5890 2015-09-24 05:00:00Z 0
    SONG OF THE WEEK - ANGELS AMONG US BY ALABAMA 2015-09-24 05:00:00Z 0

    From a Student's Perspective

    Uploaded on Oct 4, 2008
    Dalton Sherman, an 11 year old 5th grader, inspires 20,000 educators of Dallas ISD at their back-to-school pep rally. "Do you believe in me? *I* believe in me!"
     
     
    From a Student's Perspective 2015-09-17 05:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - Walking on Sunshine

    As Rotarians, don't you just wish you could create this feeling of walking on sunshine in someone less fortunate as they anticipate your visit or some other way of showing that you care?
    Song of the Week - Walking on Sunshine 2015-09-17 05:00:00Z 0

    Make A World of Difference Through Rotary

    Uploaded on Feb 21, 2011
    Join Rotary and make a world of difference to your own community, to the lives of those less fortunate around the world, to your fellow club members - like-minded men and women of all ages - and, just as important, to yourself! The projects Rotarians get involved in are incredibly fulfilling, worthwhile and rewarding - and there's plenty of fun involved.
     
     
    Make A World of Difference Through Rotary 2015-09-17 05:00:00Z 0

    Winston's Children

    story thumbnail
    Nicholas Winton is dead at 106; saved children from the holocaust
    Nicholas Winton, a Briton who said nothing for a half-century about his role in organizing the escape of 669 mostly Jewish children from Czechoslovakia on the eve of World War II, a righteous deed like those of Oskar Schindler and Raoul Wallenberg, died on Wednesday in Maidenhead, England. He was 106.

    The Rotary Club of Maidenhead, of which Winton was a former president, announced his death on its website. He lived in Maidenhead, west of London.

    It was only after Winton's wife found a scrapbook in the attic of their home in 1988 — a dusty record of names, pictures and documents detailing a story of redemption from the Holocaust — that he spoke of his all-but-forgotten work in the deliverance of children who, like the parents who gave them up to save their lives, were destined for Nazi concentration camps and extermination.

    For all his ensuing honors and accolades in books and films, Winton was a reluctant hero, often compared to Schindler, the ethnic German who saved 1,200 Jews by employing them in his enamelware and munitions factories in Poland and Czechoslovakia, and to Wallenberg, the Swedish businessman and diplomat who used illegal passports and legation hideaways to save tens of thousands of Jews in Nazi-occupied Hungary.

    Winton — Sir Nicholas in England since 2003, when he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II — was a London stockbroker in December 1938 when, on an impulse, he canceled a Swiss skiing vacation and flew to Prague at the behest of a friend who was aiding refugees in the Sudetenland, the western region of Czechoslovakia that had just been annexed by Germany.

    "Don't bother to bring your skis," the friend, Martin Blake, advised in a phone call.

    Winton found vast camps of refugees living in appalling conditions. The pogroms of Kristallnacht, the "Night of Broken Glass," had recently struck Jewish shops, homes and synagogues in Germany and Austria. War looked inevitable, and escape, especially for children, seemed hopeless, given the restrictions against Jewish immigration in the West.

    Britain, however, was an exception. In late 1938, it began a program, called Kindertransport, to admit unaccompanied Jewish children up to age 17 if they had a host family, with the offer of a 50-pound warranty for an eventual return ticket. The Refugee Children's Movement in Britain sent representatives to Germany and Austria, and 10,000 Jewish children were saved before the war began.

    But there was no comparable mass-rescue effort in Czechoslovakia. Winton created one. It involved dangers, bribes, forgery, secret contacts with the Gestapo, nine railroad trains, an avalanche of paperwork and a lot of money. Nazi agents started following him. In his Prague hotel room, he met terrified parents desperate to get their children to safety, although it meant surrendering them to strangers in a foreign land.

    As their numbers grew, a storefront office was opened. Long lines attracted Gestapo attention. Perilous confrontations were resolved with bribes. Eventually he registered more than 900 children, although he had names and details on 5,000. In early 1939, he left two friends, Trevor Chadwick and Bill Barazetti, in charge in Prague and returned to London to find foster homes, raise money and arrange transportation.
     

     
    Winston's Children 2015-09-17 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Linda Cliatt-Wayman: How to fix a broken school? Lead fearlessly, love hard

    Our speaker: 
    Linda Cliatt-Wayman is a Philadelphia high school principal with an unwavering belief in the potential of all children.

    Why you should listen

    Linda Cliatt-Wayman grew up in poverty in North Philadelphia, where she experienced firsthand the injustice being perpetrated against poor students in their education. She has dedicated her career and her life to ending that injustice, working within Philadelphia's fractured public-school system. She spent 20 years as a special-ed teacher before becoming a principal, leading two low-performing urban high schools to success with improved test scores and increased college admissions among students.

    Now at Philadelphia's Strawberry Mansion High School, Wayman and her team are once again proving what is possible for low-income children. Test scores have improved every year since Wayman took over, and the school was removed from the federal Persistently Dangerous Schools List for the first time in five years. Diane Sawyer and her team spent the 2012-2013 school year documenting Wayman’s efforts for ABC World News Tonight and Nightline.

     
    Weekly Program - Linda Cliatt-Wayman: How to fix a broken school? Lead fearlessly, love hard 2015-09-17 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotary International Convention - Seoul, KOREA 28 May - 1 June, 2016

    The Korea convention’s Host Organization Committee (HOC) is giving us a red-carpet welcome with events that include a 3K Walk for Peace, an evening at the symphony, a contemporary ballet performance, a talent contest, and a welcome festival that will blend modern and traditional Korean music and dance.

    Purchase tickets online or download the host event and tour ticket form and email to 2016hocevent@riconvention2016.org or fax it to +82-2-732-2016.

    Our Rotarian hosts in Korea have also organized tours of the country before and after the convention, as well as half- and full-day tours in and around Seoul. For details on events and tours, visit the HOC website.

    Rotary International Convention - Seoul, KOREA 28 May - 1 June, 2016 2015-09-11 05:00:00Z 0

    UPDATED TIME & LOCATION - Board of Directors Meeting Saturday, September 19th

    Our board meeting is still at 10:00 to 11:00 am. (for BDO members only)
    Our general meeting changed to 11:30 to 12:30 am. (all members and guests can join online and in person)
    Rotary eClub of Houston has a general meeting on Saturday September 19th at 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM. Please join so you can actively help us to focus on the activities that are important to you! The agenda will be shared as soon as possible.
    For those of you in the Houston area who want to join face to face, please come to:
    16945 Northchase Dr
    Suite 1910
    Parking at Hilton or in visitors lot behind  the hotel. Enter building through he Hilton lobby.
    Please be there 10 minutes early and wait in the lobby for Mike Miller to escort you to the conference room.
    A simple lunch will be available.
     
    We will also be using a Zoom meeting you can call in to:
    Topic: Rotary eClub of Houston - meeting
    Time: Sep 19, 2015 11:30 AM (GMT-5:00) Central Time (US and Canada)
    Join from PC, Mac, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/372997364
     
    Or join by phone:
        +1 415 762 9988 (US Toll) or +1 646 568 7788 (US Toll)
        Meeting ID: 372 997 364
        International numbers available: https://zoom.us/zoomconference?m=N0dVPf-QFe1ooh2axDzT0O6z3Gex-mO8
     
    Please let me know if you have any questions!
    Martine Stolk
    Secretary e-club of Houston 2015-2016
     
     
     
     
    UPDATED TIME & LOCATION - Board of Directors Meeting Saturday, September 19th 2015-09-11 05:00:00Z 0
    Closing - The Four-Way Test 2015-09-11 05:00:00Z 0

    We Remember 911- Katy Rotary Club

    Freedom Park Memorial Tower Dedication on 9/11

    Fort Bend County, the Katy Rotary Club, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9182 will dedicate the Freedom Park Memorial Tower on Friday, September 11, 2015 at 10:00 am at the Fort Bend County Freedom Park fields on the south side of Westheimer Parkway, just east of Fry Road with music by the Katy High School Band beginning at 9:30
     
    The purpose of the Freedom Park Memorial Tower is to honor the women and men who have served our county in the five
    branches of our Military Services: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, as well as those who died on
    September 11, 2001.

    Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Commissioner Andy Meyers commented, “We have looked forward to this day, to celebrate with the Katy Rotary Club, Katy Rotary Fund, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, their service and work, on behalf of our community and our nation. They have spent many years in the planning and now completion of the Freedom Park Memorial Tower.”

    Ken Burton, VFW State Judge Advocate, and Katy Rotary Club member said, “On behalf of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Katy VFW Post 9182 we built this tower dedicated to the men and women who have served and will serve our Country. In the years to come, many will come here and remember why we built this tower.”

    Nick Schrader, Katy Rotary Club President, remarked, “Our Rotary Club has been in the lead for this project since 2011 and we are so pleased to have helped create this memorial for those who served our country. We remember the 9/11 attack on our Country.”
    Rhonda Walls, Master of Ceremonies and Katy Rotary Club member, invited the public, “Please join us, together with Col. Rich Pannell, Division Commander Galveston District USACE, Commissioner Andy Meyers, Katy Mayor Fabol Hughes, State and local representatives of the VFW, Katy High School Band, educators, students, and our honored guests, for this wonderful celebration of our heroes. We will also be honoring our friends, sponsors and all the people who made this possible.”

    Memorial Pavers to identify your family with this memorial may be purchased on the Katy Rotary Club website, from any Rotarian, and at the park on September 11.”

    David Frishman concluded, “For decades to come, as people pass this tower, we hope parents tell their children, “This tower is to honor the women and men who have served our nation, and those who died on September 11, 2001. We will never forget.”

    Attached are photos of the Freedom Park Memorial Tower under construction. Pictured from left to right:

    1. Ken Burton, Commissioner Andy Meyers, Jeff Pantle, and David Frishman

    2. Stainless steel star, hand-crafted by David Baker, as it was being raised to the top of the tower on Tuesday, August 25.

    Artifacts within the base of the tower include; the Holy Bible, an American flag pin, items from the three 9/11 crash sites, U.S. Army Purple Heart medal, Fort Bend County flag, VFW roster, Katy Rotary Club roster, and other artifacts donated by our partners and our community.

    The dedication will include; Presentation of Colors by the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Department Honor Guard, a Helicopter Fly-Over, courtesy of the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Department, Laying of Wreaths, Taps and 21 Gun Salute.

     
    September 08th 2015 Posted to Community News,Katy News |
    We Remember 911- Katy Rotary Club 2015-09-11 05:00:00Z 0
    A Major Area of Focus - Maternal & Child Health 2015-09-10 05:00:00Z 0
    "Rotary Smiles" - Rotary International 2015-09-10 05:00:00Z 0

    District Foundation Dinner - Save the Date - September 25th

    The District Foundation Dinner has been scheduled for Friday, Sep 25 2015 at Maggiano’s Little Italy, 2019 Post Oak Blvd., Houston, TX 77056  Cocktails (Cash Bar) and Fellowship 6:00pm, Dinner 7:00pm.  Cost: $75 per person.  Featured Guest - PDG Aziz Memon - Pakistan’s National PolioPlus Chair  Please RSVP with your payment (made payable to Rotary District 5890) to 4903 Pine St, Bellaire, TX 77401 or on-line at Rotary5890.org  ASAP

    The Foundation Dinner is limited to Arch Klumph Society Members, Major Donors,  Bequest Society Members, Paul Harris Society Members, and their spouse/guest  Not a member of one of these exclusive groups?  Contact Terry Ziegler to learn about joining one - email bigzlumber@aol.com or 713-825-1176  

    District Foundation Dinner - Save the Date - September 25th 2015-09-10 05:00:00Z 0

    Regarding Syrian Refugees & Germany & ROTARY

    Franziska Luxhøj, Rotary Club Utrecht International
    "There are several ways of helping these people. As the Rotary Club Berlin International (RCBI) we and our city are politically, regionally and locally in the middle of the biggest humanitarian challenge since World War 2. The main contribution we are currently focussing on is HELP THE HELPERS. It is almost impossible for us to be "first responders", social workers, care givers etc. as we do not have the appropriate education.
    As the Director of Community Services of my club you are invited to join us in our efforts to supply the HELP FOR HELPERS. Moreover, your ideas and thoughts for an improved support are absolutely more than welcome as this humanitarian challenge is not only a tragedy but also a chance for us Europeans to prove and live humanistic values."
    Best Rotarian regards from Berlin Ufu Ebcinoglu
     
    Regarding Syrian Refugees & Germany & ROTARY 2015-09-10 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Everyday People by Sly & the Family Stone 2015-09-10 05:00:00Z 0

    Timeline of Women in Rotary

    The 1989 Council on Legislation vote to admit women into Rotary clubs worldwide remains a watershed moment in the history of Rotary.

    "My fellow delegates, I would like to remind you that the world of 1989 is very different to the world of 1905. I sincerely believe that Rotary has to adapt itself to a changing world," said Frank J. Devlyn, who would go on to become RI president in 2000-01. 

    The vote followed the decades-long efforts of men and women from all over the Rotary world to allow for the admission of women into Rotary clubs, and several close votes at previous Council meetings.

    The response to the decision was overwhelming: By June 1990, the number of female Rotarians had skyrocketed to over 20,000. By 2010, the number of women was approaching 200,000.

    Timeline of women in Rotary

    1950

    An enactment to delete the word “male” from the Standard Rotary Club Constitution is proposed by a Rotary club in India for the Council on Legislation meeting at the 1950 RI Convention.

    1964

    The Council on Legislation agenda contains an enactment proposed by a Rotary club in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to permit the admission of women into Rotary clubs. Delegates vote that it be withdrawn. Two other proposals to allow women to be eligible for honorary membership are also withdrawn.

    1972

    As more women begin reaching higher positions in their professions, more clubs begin lobbying for female members. A U.S. Rotary club proposes admitting women into Rotary at the 1972 Council on Legislation.

    1977

    Three separate proposals to admit women into membership are submitted to the Council on Legislation for consideration at the 1977 RI Convention. A Brazilian club makes a different proposal to admit women as honorary members. 

    The Rotary Club of Duarte, California, USA, admits women as members in violation of the RI Constitution and Standard Rotary Club Constitution. Because of this violation, the club's membership in Rotary International is terminated in March 1978. (The club was reinstated in September 1986.)

    1980

    The RI Board of Directors and Rotary clubs in India, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States propose an enactment to remove from the RI and club constitutions and bylaws all references to members as “male persons.” 

    1983-86

    In a lawsuit filed by the Duarte club, the California Superior Court in 1983 rules in favor of Rotary International, upholding gender-based qualification for membership in California Rotary clubs. In 1986, the California Court of Appeals reverses the lower court's decision, preventing the enforcement of the provision in California. The California Supreme Court refuses to hear the case, and it is appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

    1987

    On 4 May, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that Rotary clubs may not exclude women from membership on the basis of gender. Rotary issues a policy statement that any Rotary club in the United States can admit qualified women into membership. 

    The Rotary Club of Marin Sunrise, California (formerly Larkspur Landing), is chartered on 28 May. It becomes the first club after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling to have women as charter members.

    Sylvia Whitlock, of the Rotary Club of Duarte, California, becomes the first female Rotary club president.

    1988

    In November, the RI Board of Directors issues a policy statement recognizing the right of Rotary clubs in Canada to admit female members based on a Canadian law similar to that upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

    1989

    At its first meeting after the 1987 U.S. Supreme Court decision, the Council on Legislation votes to eliminate the requirement in the RI Constitution that membership in Rotary clubs be limited to men. Women are welcomed into Rotary clubs around the world.

    1990

    As of June, there are about 20,200 female Rotarians worldwide. The Rotarian runs a .

    1995

    In July, eight women become district governors, the first elected to this role: Mimi Altman, Gilda Chirafisi, Janet W. Holland, Reba F. Lovrien, Virginia B. Nordby, Donna J. Rapp, Anne Robertson, and Olive P. Scott.

    2005

    Carolyn E. Jones begins her term as the first woman appointed as trustee of The Rotary Foundation.

    2008

    Catherine Noyer-Riveau begins her term as the first woman elected to the RI Board of Directors.

    2010

    More than 199,000 women are members of Rotary clubs worldwide, with an increasing number serving as district governors.

    2012

    Elizabeth S. Demaray begins her term as treasurer, the first woman to serve in this position.

    2013

    Anne L. Matthews begins her term as the first woman to serve as RI vice president.

    Timeline of Women in Rotary 2015-09-10 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Do you know about the HeForShe Movement?

    Around the world, women still struggle for equality in basic matters like access to education, equal pay and the right to vote. But how to enlist everyone, men and women, as allies for change? Meet Elizabeth Nyamayaro, head of UN Women’s HeForShe initiative, which has created more than 2.4 billion social media conversations about a more equal world. She invites us all to join in as allies in our shared humanity.

    Why you should listen

    Political scientist Elizabeth Nyamayaro is the senior advisor to the Under Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women. She has worked at the forefront of Africa’s development agenda for more than a decade in both the public and private sector, and has held positions with UNAIDS, the World Health Organization and the World Bank.

    Nyamayaro is founder of Africa IQ, an innovative social impact organisation with a mission to promote Africa’s sustainable economic growth and development. She is also the driving force behind the @HeForShe campaign, which mobilized more than 100,000 men in every country around the globe. The campaign created 1.2 billion Twitter impressions in just one week, rallying men as advocates and change agents in ending the persisting inequalities faced by women and girls globally.

     
     
    Weekly Program - Do you know about the HeForShe Movement? 2015-09-10 05:00:00Z 0

    From the Editor

    Please accept my apology for this late newsletter.  I was attempting to set-up our domain name and made beginner errors which led to blocking myself from sending the newsletter.  The complications are now resolved and we now can simply tell anyone that our website is :
    www.rotaryeclubhouston.org.  ClubRunner support is great!  I didn't realize that my changes in an attempt to set up the domain were connected to my inability to access the newsletter.  I am in the most remote county of the continental United States where we have slow and intermittent internet and sometimes don't even have cell phone service.  Later in October I will return to Houston with hopefully better technology.
     
    Good news is that I do have a couple of club members who have stepped forward to assist with newsletter articles!  Special thanks to Ruby Powers and Vivian Smith!
     
    Remember, the newsletter and the website are identical so if you do not receive the newsletter or are unable to open a video try to acccess the same information on the website.
     
    Sincerely,
     
    Robin Charlesworth, Editor
    From the Editor 2015-09-09 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the week - Antibiotics 2015-09-04 05:00:00Z 0
    Message from Rotary International President "Ravi" Ravindran 2015-09-04 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - "What do we do when Antibiotics Don't Work Anymore?"

    Penicillin changed everything. Infections that had previously killed were suddenly quickly curable. Yet as Maryn McKenna shares in this sobering talk, we've squandered the advantages afforded us by that and later antibiotics. Drug-resistant bacteria mean we're entering a post-antibiotic world — and it won't be pretty. There are, however, things we can do ... if we start right now.

    Why you should listen

    Maryn McKenna’s harrowing stories of hunting down anthrax with the CDC and her chronicle of antibiotic-resistant staph infections in Superbug earned her the nickname “scary disease girl” among her colleagues.

    But her investigations into public health don’t stop there: she blogs and writes on the history of epidemics and the public health challenges posed by factory farming. For her forthcoming book, McKenna is researching the symbiotic history of food production and antibiotics, and how their use impacts our lives, societies and the potential for illness.

     
    Weekly Program - "What do we do when Antibiotics Don't Work Anymore?" 2015-09-03 05:00:00Z 0

    Human Trafficking (TIP) Report - 2015

    The TIP Report analyzes the efforts of 188 countries to comply with minimum standards required to eliminate human trafficking for sexual exploitation or forced labor.

    Countries are ranked into three groups, or “tiers”. Tier 1 countries are doing a good job of responding to trafficking and slavery; Tier 2 countries are trying but not doing enough; and Tier 3 countries have serious trafficking problems and are not doing anything about them, or are making matters even worse. There is also a special “Tier 2 Watch List” for countries that need a warning to get their act together. Being on the Watch List means that a country is in danger of being relegated to Tier 3.

     

    Tier 1: 31 countries are listed. These include Australia, Belgium, France, Israel, Italy, Sweden, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States.

    “If we are going to stop slavery, we must first convince the world that human rights need even more protection than property rights”

    (Kevin Bales)

     

    Tier 2 : 89 countries are listed. These include Afghanistan, Argentina, Brazil, Cote D’Ivoire, Croatia, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Nepal , Morocco, Nigeria, Serbia, Zambia.

     

    Tier 2 Watch List: 44 countries are listed. These include China, Cuba, Democratic Rep of Congo, Ghana, Malaysia, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Uzbekistan

     
     

    Tier 3: 23 countries are listed. These are Algeria, Belarus, Belize, Burundi, Central African Republic, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Korea North, Kuwait, Libya, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Russia, South Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Yemen, Venezuela, Zimbabwe.

    NB Somalia is not classified. According to the US State Department, the Somalia Government “possessed minimal capacity to investigate and prosecute most crimes, including human trafficking. In addition, officials across Somalia generally lacked an understanding of trafficking crimes, which they often conflated with smuggling. Justice was primarily provided through military courts”.

     

    The countries upgraded from Tier 3 up to the Tier 2 Watch List are Cuba, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan..

    Belarus, Comoros and the Marshall Islands were automatically downgraded to Tier 3 after being on last year's Tier 2 Watch List.

    Thailand, Venezuela and Gambia were downgraded from Tier 2 to Tier 3 in last year's report and remain in the same ranking in 2015.

    Whilst a Tier 3 ranking can trigger sanctions limiting access to aid from the US, the International Monetary Fund or the World Bank, such action is frequently waived. The real power is its ability to embarrass countries into action.

    Human Trafficking (TIP) Report - 2015 2015-09-02 05:00:00Z 0

    Why I Joined Rotary?

    All my life I watched my dad enjoy his contribution to Houston Rotary. I joined Rotary because my friends Ed and Robin invited me! Through the two things that are most important to me, friends and family, I made the decision to make Rotary one of my ways of giving back.
     
    Barbara Conway, Ph. D.
     

     
    Why I Joined Rotary? Barb Conway 2015-09-02 05:00:00Z 0

    Polio Eradication Update

    Quote of the day - "Happiness is not to be found in possessions.  That truth has been borne home to us time and again.  Happiness is a state of mind, it comes unsought and it is the by-product of wholesome, sensible and unselfish living and thinking."  Paul Harris - 1943 RI Convention
    Pakistan - One new Polio case reported in Pakistan this week.  Thirty Polio cases have been reported in 2015 compared to 137 at this time last year.  Two new polio positive environmental samples were reported this week
    Afghanistan - One new Polio case reported in Afghanistan this week.  Subnational Immunization Days will take place in the South & East of the country on Sept. 20-22 using bivalent OPV and National Immunization Days will take place Oct. 18-20 using trivalent OPV.
    Ukraine - 2 cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) have been confirmed, with dates of onset of paralysis of 30 June and 7 July 2015. Both are from the Zakarpatskaya oblast, in south-western Ukraine, bordering Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. One child was 4 years old and the other 10 months old at the time of onset of paralysis.  . In 2014, only 50% of children were fully immunized against polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases.  Discussions are currently ongoing with national health authorities to plan and implement an urgent outbreak response.
    Mali - a case of circulating Vaccine derived polio has also been reported in Mali.  More information to follow.
    The Final Three Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - Thirty Polio cases reported in 2015 with 306 cases recorded in 2014  The most recent case was reported on 08/17/15 in Quetta district.    
    Afghanistan - Nine Polio cases reported in 2015 with 28 cases recorded in 2014. The most recent case was reported on 08/07/15 from the Zaranj District.   
    Nigeria - Zero Polio cases reported in 2015 with 6 cases recorded in 2014.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14.  
     
    Importation Countries:
    Ethiopia (1 case in 2014), Cameroon (5 cases in 2014), Somalia (5 cases in 2014), Iraq (2 cases in 2014), Syria (1 case in 2014), & Equatorial Guinea (5 cases in 2014) - all report no Polio cases in 2015.
       
     
    Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!
    Terry Ziegler, Rotary Foundation Committee Chair, District 5890
     
     
    Polio Eradication Update Terry Zigler 2015-08-28 05:00:00Z 0

    Wanted - Newsletter Committee Members

    Would you like to become a part of the heartbeat of the Rotary e-club Houston?  The connections made weekly with members all around the world truly exemplify the meaning of Rotary International.  Share your stories or research articles from Rotary International, recommend TedTalks or other videos for programs.  With email or phone communication, you can learn how to submit your stories for publication.  We need more depth and want to establish a committee to keep this newsletter VIBRANT.  This can be done by any club member anywhere in the world anytime between the hours of midnight until 11:59 pm.  You see - anytime of day, anywhere in the world.  A committee of one is not a true committee and as recently seen, one volunteer can sometimes become overwhelmed with the responsibility to publish this important link which is our weekly meeting.  My apologies for the inconsistency in publication earlier this month, but life simply became too busy with work and family.  Please consider becoming part of our committee to help produce an appealing, educational, entertaining, and intriguing newsletter for our members and others.  Our reach exceeds 450 and it will surely continue to grow.  To volunteer, please contact Robin Charlesworth, Editor, at charlesworth@stresscontrol.com or call 970-944-5200.
    Wanted - Newsletter Committee Members 2015-08-28 05:00:00Z 0

    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

    The Rotary eClub of Houston board established goals for the continuation and growth of the club during the online August Board meeting.   The five goals outlined include:    
     
    -   Expand global access and global impact through online meetings, for education, membership development, as well as club operations for worldwide membership.  
     
    -     Clarify our web presence through more robust web site adding eClub url and links to Rotary information, service projects, meetings and forums connecting members worldwide in a more integrated approach.  
     
       -   Identify and document procedures for the selection, implementation and marketing of service projects to increase structure and sustainability, while identifying and supporting interests of global members.  
     
    -   Increase communications and marketing with new logo, project fliers, newsletter expansion with member contributions and integration with social media technologies.
     
    -      Increase collaboration with other Rotary Clubs and the District through projects that unite and build on the local work of our worldwide Rotary members working together to create global impact.
     
    It is my hope that each of you will think about the gift that you bring to the world through Rotary and that at this time, this year, you share your gift as we build on the great work of Rotarians around the globe.     There are already discussions and plans for service projects like the Ride to End Polio, Assistance for Education in Mexico, Scholarships for Nicaragua, and many more.   Let us know your interests, your passion, your gift and let's make the world a better place starting today through Rotary.   
     
    I look forward to hearing from each of you and working with all of you this year.   Thank you for the honor of serving.  
     
    Linda Caruso, President
     
    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 2015-08-28 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program

     Organizations are often run according to “the superchicken model,” where the value is placed on star employees who outperform others. And yet, this isn’t what drives the most high-achieving teams. Business leader Margaret Heffernan observes that it is social cohesion — built every coffee break, every time one team member asks another for help — that leads over time to great results. It's a radical rethink of what drives us to do our best work, and what it means to be a leader. Because as Heffernan points out: “Companies don’t have ideas. Only people do.”
     

    Why you should listen

    How do organizations think? In her book Willful Blindness, Margaret Heffernan examines why businesses and the people who run them often ignore the obvious -- with consequences as dire as the global financial crisis and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

    Heffernan began her career in television production, building a track record at the BBC before going on to run the film and television producer trade association IPPA. In the US, Heffernan became a serial entrepreneur and CEO in the wild early days of web business. She now blogs for the Huffington Post and BNET.com. Her latest book, Beyond Measure, a TED Books original, explores the small steps companies can make that lead to big changes in their culture.

    What others say

    “So how can we combat willful blindness? Heffernan believes that we need a system of incentives that values vigilance and oversight as much as we value the bottom line.” — The Current, on CBC Radio

    This Ted Talk was filmed in May, 2015:
     
    Weekly Program 2015-08-27 05:00:00Z 0

    Why Did I Join Rotary?

    BEING ALONE IN THE UNITED STATES AND  KNOWING NOT MANY PEOPLE,  I WAS INTRODUCED TO ROTARY AND I FELT SUCH GOOD FEELING BEING CONNECTED WITH PEOPLE WITH THE SAME MISSION.  SO I REALLY WANTED TO JOIN AND BE PART OF IT.  BEING AN E -MEMBER IS STILL BEING CONNECTED EVEN IF I LIVE FAR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD.
    IT IS LOVELY TO SEE HOW MEMBERS  HELP THEIR COMMUNITY.   IT ENCOURAGES ME TO DO MY PART.  I AM HAPPY TO BE PART OF IT.

    VERONICA KERSSEMAKERS
    THE NETHERLANDS
    Why Did I Join Rotary? 2015-08-27 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week 2015-08-27 05:00:00Z 0

    KNOWLEDGE IS NOT POWER

    We’ve all heard the old saying, “Knowledge is Power.”
     
    Contrary to popular belief, knowledge is not power—it’s only potential power. Knowledge is not mastery. Action is mastery. Action will win over knowledge every time.
     
    Too many good hearted people will have sincere intentions of doing something great with their lives, after they figure out how to do it. Sorry, it doesn’t work that way.
     
    To move ahead in life quickly, we need to come to a decision and get into action. Without action, regardless of how much knowledge we acquire, you will have no progress.
     
    Most successful people gain the majority of their knowledge along the way. This approach will expedite the process of success more quickly. It’s not as crazy as it seems. The approach is quite simple.
     
    Decide what you want.
    Decide on what are your first three steps in acquiring what you want.
    Determine if you need more knowledge to take those three steps.
    Get as much knowledge about those three steps (quickly) and then complete them.
    Repeat this process to succeed at anything quickly.
     
    Taking action toward your desired outcome is the key to mastery in any area of life.
     
    In Loving Service,
    Dr. Michael J. Duckett
    *shared from One Minute Mental Break Newsletter
    KNOWLEDGE IS NOT POWER 2015-08-26 05:00:00Z 0

    The Parable of the Frog: A Story of Change


    "Do not consider painful what is good for you."
    -- Euripides

    A few years ago scientists conducted an experiment involving frogs. They wanted to determine how a frog would react when dropped into a vat of boiling water. When they dropped a frog into the boiling water it blasted from that vat like a bat out of Hades!
     
    The scientists decided to take the experiment a step further. They took the frog, and held it over a different vat of water. Only this time the water was lukewarm. They dropped the frog and it just laid there, floating lazily on the water's surface. The frog laid in the water contented, happy, and relaxed. But - What the frog didn't know was that underneath the vat was a raging fire. It was slowly, but surely, heating the vat of water. The contented frog, oblivious to the changing temperature, boiled to death.
     
    You're probably thinking to yourself: what a terrible story.  Think again. Apply this story of the frog to that of your own life and Rotary right now. If we and Rotary are really serious about being successful we need to make some changes sometimes. If you're not moving in the direction you need to go in order to realize your visions, you'll end up like our little frog. You'll die in your own complacency, mediocrity and contentment.
     
    Some Rotary clubs could be dying a slow death from not embracing change. Our RI President Ravi has said he will pull the charter of any club who does not welcome women. Good for him! I (PDG Ed Charlesworth) had the honor of bringing in the first women in my previous club, and those women have gone on to make tremendous influence in the world of Rotary. Now we have chartered the first e-club in District 5890, and we are making incredible changes in bringing the great works of Rotary to those who could not attend traditional meetings.
     
    Read the quote at the beginning of this article. For our club the quote is quite profound. Our recent changes in leadership have been painful. But they have also been good for us. We have seen the club BOD and members came together in a time of crisis to embrace change and grow. Thanks to all of you for being part of the solution, and not part of the problem. Our program this week gives six keys leaders use to create positive change: show up, speak up and influence our agenda to positive action, look up to a vision of hopeful change and stay mindful of our mission, team up with our partners, never give up and “find your inner Mandela,” and lift others up and share success.
     
     
     
    The Parable of the Frog: A Story of Change Ed Charlesworth 2015-08-24 05:00:00Z 0

    The Black Dot Story

    The Black Dot
    One day, a professor entered the classroom and asked his students to prepare for a surprise test. They all waited anxiously at their desks for the exam to begin. The professor handed out the exams with the text facing down, as usual. Once he handed them all out, he asked the students to turn over the papers. To everyone’s surprise, there were no questions – just a black dot in the center of the sheet of paper. The professor, seeing the expression on everyone’s faces, told them the following: “I want you to write about what you see there.” The students, confused, got started on the inexplicable task. At the end of the class, the professor took all the exams, and started reading each one of them out loud, in front of all the students. All of them, with no exception, defined the black dot, trying to explain its position in the center of the sheet. After all had been read, the classroom silent, the professor started to explain: “I’m not going to grade you on this, I just wanted to give you something to think about. No one wrote about the white part of the paper. Everyone focused on the black do – and the same happens in our lives. We have a piece of paper to observe and enjoy, but we always focus on the dark spots. Our life is a gift, and we always have reasons to celebrate – nature renewing itself daily, friends around us, the job that provides our livelihood, etc.
    However, we insist on focusing only on the dark spot – the health issues that bother us, the lack of money, the complicated relationships with others, or the disappointment with a friend. The dark spots are very small when compared to everything we have in our lives, but they’re the ones that pollute our mind. Take your eyes away from the black dots in your life. Enjoy each one of your blessings and each moment that life gives you. Be happy and live a life such that even the undertaker will be disappointed when it is your time to go.
     
    The Black Dot Story 2015-08-24 05:00:00Z 0

    Change in Leadership of Rotary e-Club of Houston

    Earlier this week Dr. Michael Mebes and Dr. Sofka Werkmeister submitted their resignations to the Rotary e-Club of Houston.  We thank them both for their service to our club and they will be missed.  Stepping into the role as President is Linda Caruso.  Linda has previously served as President of the Rotary Club of Houston and has been our Foundation Chair.  We appreciate the willingness to step into this position and ask all members to offer encouragement and support to Linda.  The Rotary e-Club of Houston has been and will continue to be a VIBRANT club providing service to others and providing an avenue to truly make a difference in this world. 
    Change in Leadership of Rotary e-Club of Houston 2015-08-20 05:00:00Z 0

    Brazosport Shrimp Boil - Saturday, August 22nd

    Come one, come all to the Brazosport Rotary Shrimp Boil this Saturday, August 22nd from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at Freeport Municipal Park. Delicious shrimp and fish await you, as well as some of our best auction items ever!! We will give away a 2015 Honda Accord, as well as 9 other prizes, ranging in value, at the conclusion of the live auction. Car raffle tickets are still available for $100 each. Meal tickets for the event are $15.
    The program will begin at noon, with the live auction starting shortly afterward. Here are just a few of the exciting items that will be featured in the auction:
    A September to Remember: The Ultimate Houston Fan Package - includes tickets for 4 to 3 different Astros games on September 1st (Seattle Mariners), September 21st (LA Angels), September 25th (Texas Rangers), 2 tickets to the Houston Texans vs. Tampa Bay game on September 27th, a Jon Weeks signed football, and an Andre' Johnson signed football.
    Duck Hunt for 4 at Halls Bayou Ranch Hunting Club
    JJ Watt Signed Jersey
    Fire pit and cooker
    2 Fisher Price Power Wheels Jeeps (Jeep Wrangler and Dora the Explorer)
    Large Big Green Egg
    Surf and Turf for 8 at the Wurst Haus
    64GB iPad Air 2 with Wifi and case
    This is just a sample of the items you might just walk away with on Saturday if you are the lucky winning bidder!!
    Brazosport Rotary supports more than 50 local nonprofit organizations and awards $35,000 in scholarships to high school students each year. Our community support is only possible with a successful Shrimp Boil - come out, fellow Rotarians, and help make it our best ever!! We look forward to seeing you there.
    For more information, or to buy a car raffle ticket, call Lisa Pauls at 979-299-7172 or any Brazosport Rotarian.
    - See more at: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/2343#sthash.qxl70r3x.dpuf
     
    Brazosport Shrimp Boil - Saturday, August 22nd 2015-08-20 05:00:00Z 0

    RAGES - A Rotary Action Group

    RAGES - A Rotary Action Group

    Endangered Species

    Our purpose is to mobilize Rotarians and provide global awareness and focused ACTION in the continuing struggle to preserve and protect endangered species. Our efforts will start with a particular focus on the rhinos, elephants and mountain gorillas in Africa, where poaching is a danger not only to these rare animals, but to the economic survival of the indigenous people who rely on eco-tourism for their livelihood.

     If you are a Rotarian, Rotaractor or family member of a Rotarian, then you are eligible to join our Rotarian Action Group for Endangered Species or RAGES.

    Recently a RAGES team visited Hout Bay in Cape Town and then traveled  to Port Elizabeth and the Rotary Club of Kenton-on-Sea where two fellow RAGES Directors, Jo Wilmot Projects Director and DGE Bruce Steele-Grey as well our two rhino advisers Dr. William Fowlds of Investec Rhino Lifeline Foundation and Brent Cook the founder of the Chipembere Wilmo Projects Director and DGE Bruce Steele-Grey.

    Watch the video of Thandi & Thembi featuring Helping Rhinos Founder & Chairman Simon Jones & wildlife vet Dr William Fowlds at Kariega Game Reserve near Port Alfred South Africa:

    The Black and White rhinoceros of Africa are under severe threat and potentially on the verge of extinction in their wild habitat due to excessive poaching, driven by a burgeoning market for rhino horn in China and Vietnam. Despite continued efforts from the South African government and other in situ conservation attempts in African nations, the situation continues to deteriorate. We have now reached the tipping point where more rhinos are killed each year than are born and extinction becomes a real possibility.

    The Australian Rhino Project has the primary objective to establish a breeding herd of rhinoceros in Australia as an “insurance population” in the event of extinction of the species in South Africa. The first shipment of rhinos has now been identified and we are working with the Governments of Australia and South Africa to bring the rhinos to Australia. We need your help in raising the necessary funds to make this project a reality. We ask you to please donate today to help save the rhinos and create an insurance population of rhinos in Australia.

    As Dame Jane Goodall DBE said “What will future generations think of us when they look back and the rhino is only in a picture book?
    I don’t want my great grandchildren to say ‘why did they let this happen’ because by then it will be too late.”

    Not on our watch.

     
    RAGES - A Rotary Action Group 2015-08-20 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Build A Better World 2015-08-20 05:00:00Z 0

    Getting to Know You...

    Let's share more about our e-club members by having you write to the editor, Robin Charlesworth, and answer this question:   WHY DID YOU JOIN ROTARY? 
     
    Our Rotary e-club of Houston has acquired members in various states in the U.S. and many international members, too.  We want to know your thoughts and activities and experiences.  An exchange of ideas and a brief introduction will help us feel connected even though we are not face-to-face.  Please email your reply to:  charlesworth@stresscontrol.com
     
    The Rotarian magazine recently asked members around the world to share their reasons for joining, and for staying in, their club. Here are some of their responses:
     
    I joined Rotary to be a part of our collective humanitarian projects, and I have stayed because of the joy on the faces of beneficiaries each time we solve a need.
    Chibuzo Hilary Asogwa
    Rotary Club of Ekulu, Enugu State, Nigeria
     
    I had a desire to give back to my community and the world. My father was a Rotarian, so I knew a lot about it. That was about nine years ago. I think what keeps me there is the friendships, not only with people in my local club but with Rotarians I’ve met from around the world.
    Elizabeth Cohoe
    Rotary Club of Cataraqui-Kingston, Ontario, Canada
     
    I sat down and figured out how much time I was donating, and how much more effective it would be as part of a club instead of doing it all myself. I joined for the service and stay for all the friends I’ve made. It’s nice to travel and instantly have friends wherever I go.
    Aur Beck
    Rotary Club of Carbondale Breakfast, Illinois, USA
     
    Getting to Know You... 2015-08-20 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Membership - Rotary Global Rewards

    The good you do comes back to you.
    Rotary’s new member benefits program gives Rotary members access to discounts on a variety of products and services selected with their interests in mind.  Rotary Global Rewards offers discounts on car rentals, hotels, dining, and entertainment. United Airlines offers a discount and there is a discount for airport parking, too. More products and services from companies around the world will be added throughout the year. Check back often to see what’s new in Rotary Global Rewards.
     
    HOW IT WORKS
    Anyone can view the offers and discounts on Rotary Global Rewards. But only Rotary club members who are signed in to their My Rotary accounts can redeem them. You can access and redeem rewards from your computer, smartphone, or tablet.
    Create a My Rotary account now to take advantage of the new member benefits program. If you need help creating an account, see the How to Create a My Rotary Account quick guide (PDF).
    Rotary Membership - Rotary Global Rewards 2015-08-20 05:00:00Z 0

    How to Describe Rotary to Others

    These three core ideas may help you describe Rotary to a new audience of family, friends, business acquaintenances, or just someone you meet "on the elevator":
     
    1.  Rotary joins leaders from all continents, cultures, and occupations.
    2.  Rotary exchanges ideas, bringing our expertise and diverse perspectives to help solve some of the world’s toughest problems.
    3.  Rotary takes action to bring lasting change to communities around the world.
     
    The "elevator" speech is commonly referred to in Rotary training to emphasize that when someone asks you "What is Rotary?" you can have a good idea of how to summarize Rotary in only a minute, as if you were riding on an elevator.
     
    How to Describe Rotary to Others 2015-08-20 05:00:00Z 0

    District 5890 Membership Meeting - August 24th

    story thumbnail
    Meeting Date & Time:   Monday, August 24th, at 6:30pm (6:00pm, if you want to order food)
     
    Venue:    Los Tios Mexican Restaurant   
                    4840 Beechnut St.  
                    Houston, Texas 77096  
                    713-660-6244
     
    Growing Rotary enables us to do more good in our communities and the world.  Attendance at this D. 5890 Membership Meeting is also a great opportunity to bond with your club's Area Membership Chair (AMC).

    Susan Milner, District 5890 Secretary - Topic - "Club Membership Reporting" - Susan will demonstrate how each AMC can assist clubs in need of membership clean-ups, and will discuss the importance of monthly reporting and keeping the club's membership updated per new member installations and/or member resignations.  Our district club membership numbers must match RI's membership numbers, ergo the importance of attending this meeting.  
     
    Thank you, clubs, for your effort per membership growth and retention!   
     
    We look forward to the attendance of at least one (1) representative from your club!   Club secretaries are also encouraged to attend to learn more about reporting membership numbers.
     
    Yours in Rotary service,
    Ann Wright
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair, 2014-15
    713-647-8400
    awright_tmg@yahoo.com
     
              and
                       
    Jon McKinnie
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair, 2014-15
    713-315-0220
    jmckinnie825@yahoo.com
     
     
           
    District 5890 Membership Meeting - August 24th 2015-08-20 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - The amazing story of the man who gave us modern pain relief

     Our speaker from Ted Talk filmed in March, 2015Latif Nasser is the director of research at Radiolab, where he has reported on such disparate topics as culture-bound illnesses, snowflake photography, sinking islands and 16th-century automata.
    Why you should listen
    The history of science is "brimming with tales stranger than fiction," says Latif Nasser, who wrote his PhD dissertation on the Tanganyika Laughter Epidemic of 1962. A writer and researcher, he's now the research director at Radiolab, a job that allows him to dive into archives, talk to interesting people and tell stories as a way to think about science and society.
    For the longest time, doctors basically ignored the most basic and frustrating part of being sick — pain. In this lyrical, informative talk, Latif Nasser tells the extraordinary story of wrestler and doctor John J. Bonica, who persuaded the medical profession to take pain seriously — and transformed the lives of millions.
     
     
    Weekly Program - The amazing story of the man who gave us modern pain relief 2015-08-19 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotary eClub of Houston BOD and General Meeting - On Line AUGUST 22nd

    Dear Rotarians,
     
    The Rotary eClub of Houston is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
     
    Topic: Rotary eClub of Houston BOD and General  Meeting - On Line
    Time: Aug 22, 2015 10:00 AM (GMT-5:00) Central Time (US and Canada)
     
    Join from PC, Mac, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/6215647957
     
    Or join by phone:
     
        +1 415 762 9988 (US Toll) or +1 646 568 7788 (US Toll)
        Meeting ID: 621 564 7957
        International numbers available: https://zoom.us/zoomconference
     
    Please review the attached agenda.
     
    Yours in Rotary Service,
    President Michael
    Rotary eClub of Houston BOD and General Meeting - On Line AUGUST 22nd 2015-08-17 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - The Beatles "Here Comes the Sun" 2015-08-17 05:00:00Z 0

    Update from Pure Water for the World

    Pure Water for the World teams in Haiti and Honduras:
    Partnered with 58 schools and 1,515 homes, installing 1,573 filters and 305 latrines. Served 15,474 individuals.
    Conducted 158 hygiene and sanitation workshops for beneficiaries.
    Trained 607 volunteer Community Agents.
    Completed monitoring and evaluation visits to 1,444 households and schools.
     
    The WASH Training and Consulting Teams (water, sanitation and hygiene) conducted 13 workshops, reaching more than 100 different organizations, including other NGOs, schools, government agencies, and more. Participants take lessons learned back to the communities they serve, providing exponential reach of safe water programs and practices.
    Update from Pure Water for the World 2015-08-17 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Innovations in Solar Energy

    "It's a whole new way of thinking about solar energy," says startup CEO about using transparent solar cells on buildings and electronics.  Picture below  of Vladimir Bulović (left), Miles Barr PhD ’12 (right) are making transparent solar cells
    Vladimir Bulovic (left) and Miles Barr (right), co-founders of Ubiquitous Energy, are making transparent solar cells that could eventually be placed on everyday objects such as phones and windows so these surfaces could produce energy.
    PHOTOGRAPH BY JUSTIN KNIGHT
     
    By Marianne Lavelle, for National Geographic
    PUBLISHED AUGUST 05, 2015
     
    Anyone who has sweltered in a south-facing office during the summer knows the power of solar energy streaming through a window.  In fact, no reputable urban architect today would design such a workspace without treated windows to reduce the sun's glare and heat.  But what if the window coating could do better than keep out the sun? What if that thin film could capture the solar energy for lighting the office, running the computers, and best of all, firing up the air conditioning?
    That's the idea behind "transparent" solar, a technology that startup companies hope to bring to market soon, after at least two decades of U.S. government-backed and university research.
     
    With the help of organic chemistry, transparent solar pioneers have set out to tackle one of solar energy's greatest frustrations. Although the sun has by far the largest potential of any energy resource available to civilization, our ability to harness that power is limited. Photovoltaic panels mounted on rooftops are at best 20 percent efficient at turning sunlight to electricity.
    Research has boosted solar panel efficiency over time. But some scientists argue that to truly take advantage of the sun's power, we also need to expand the amount of real estate that can be outfitted with solar, by making cells that are nearly or entirely see-through.
    "It's a whole new way of thinking about solar energy, because now you have a lot of potential surface area," says Miles Barr, chief executive and co-founder of Silicon Valley startup Ubiquitous Energy, a company spun off by researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and  Michigan State University. "You can let your imagination run wild. We see this eventually going virtually everywhere."
     
    Invisible Spectrum Power
    Transparent solar is based on a fact about light that is taught in elementary school: The sun transmits energy in the form of invisible ultraviolet and infrared light, as well as visible light. A solar cell that is engineered only to capture light from the invisible ends of the spectrum will allow all other light to pass through; in other words, it will appear transparent.
    Organic chemistry is the secret to creating such material. Using just the simple building blocks of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and a few other elements found in all life on Earth, scientists since at least the early 1990s have been working on designing arrays of molecules that are able to transport electrons—in other words, to transmit electric current.
    "The beauty of organic chemistry is there is a big variety of materials available," says Nikos Kopidakis, senior research scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado. "The sky's the limit. It can't be just anything, but we have a decent understanding of the requirements. You can design the material to look green to the eye, blue, any other color, or transparent."
     
    Harvesting only the sun's invisible rays, however, means sacrificing efficiency. That's why Kopidakis says his team mainly focuses on creating opaque organic solar cells that also capture visible light, though they have worked on transparent solar with a small private company in Maryland called Solar Window Technologies that hopes to market the idea for buildings.
    Ubiquitous Energy's team believes it has hit on an optimal formulation that builds on U.S. government-supported research published by the MIT scientists in 2011.
    "There is generally a direct tradeoff  between transparency and efficiency levels," says Barr. "With the approach we're taking, you can still get a significant amount of energy at high transparency levels."
    Barr says that Ubiquitous is on track to achieve efficiency of more than 10 percent—less than silicon, but able to be installed more widely. "There are millions and millions of square meters of glass surfaces around us," says Barr.
     
    Organic Advantage
    Kopidakis notes that organic solar has another advantage over conventional silicon solar panels, which typically are manufactured by treating the silica in quartz sand in a high-temperature furnace. It requires far less energy to make organic solar coatings, and should cost far less once manufacturing is underway.
    "You do not need an ultra-high-vacuum chamber, and you don't need to heat anything to 300 to 400 degrees," says Kopidakis. The solar material is deposited using a standard film coating process, all at ambient temperatures. Ubiquitous engineers are building organic photovoltaic structures 1,000 times thinner than a human hair.
     
    Shayle Kann, senior vice president of GTM Research market research firm, noted the process cost advantage in a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" earlier this month. But he said may be hard for transparent solar companies to gain access to enough capital to ramp up manufacturing, when their product will be pitted against well-established, more efficient conventional panels.
    Barr says Ubiquitous plans to prove its technology first on a small scale. The company's pilot production facility in Redwood City, California, is currently working with mobile device manufacturers to design prototype smartphones, watches, and other small electronics powered by Ubiquitous technology.
    "We think providing battery-life extension and solving battery life problems will be a very good entry point for us," he said.
     
    It's not yet certain when transparent solar-powered mobile devices will be available or what prices will be. But Barr says the Ubiquitous team doesn't expect the technology to change the cost of the mobile devices significantly. And don't look for a solar panel on your new sun-powered smartphone. If everything works out as the company hopes, the solar material will be an invisible coating under the glass over the device display.  "Ideally," Barr said, "it doesn't look like anything."
    The following Ted Talk was filmed in 2003 and continues innovations in solar energy.
     
    Why you should listen
    Bill Gross is the founder of Idealab, a business incubator focused on new ideas. (He's now the chair and CEO.) He helped create GoTo.com, the first sponsored search company. He also created the Snap! search engine, which allows users to preview hyperlinks.
    Gross has been an entrepreneur since high school, when he founded a solar energy company. In college, he patented a new loudspeaker design, and after school he started a company that was later acquired by Lotus, and then launched an educational software publishing company. Now, he serves on the boards of companies in the areas of automation, software and renewable energy.
    Bill Gross, the founder of Idealab, talks about his life as an inventor, starting with his high-school company selling solar energy plans and kits. Learn here about a groundbreaking system for solar cells — and some questions we haven't yet solved. 
     
    Weekly Program - Innovations in Solar Energy 2015-08-15 05:00:00Z 0

    "My Inspiration " Message

    From Dave Hamilton
    GetMyInspiration4Life.com
     
    "I believe we can all agree with the words of William James, spoken many years ago, when he said, "The deepest principle of human nature is a craving to be appreciated."  - Dave Hamilton
    Watch the story he tells about how a simple act of appreciation turned a young man's life around.
    "My Inspiration " Message 2015-08-10 05:00:00Z 0

    Volunteers Needed at Houston Food Bank

    *Notify Dan Stark, Rotary Club of Houston Skyline by August 15th - daniel.j.stark@gmail.com
    We have an opportunity to volunteer during the Halliburton Family Volunteer Day at the Houston Food Bank on Saturday, Aug. 29.
     
    During this large-scale volunteer initiative, volunteers will help inspect, sort and package donated food items from 8:00 a.m. to noon at the food bank’s main warehouse, located at 535 Portwall Street, Houston, Texas.
     
    The Houston Food Bank feeds 137,000 people challenged with hunger each week by distributing food through nearly 600 hunger relief agencies in 18 southeast Texas counties. The organization also services the Houston community directly by preparing meals for school-aged children at its Kids Café, and by allowing clients to shop for food items through its Emergency Food Pantry.
     
    T-shirts may be provided to each registered volunteer (supplies limited). Family members and friends are encouraged to attend. Volunteers must be at least six years old to participate. There will be enough space to accommodate 200 adults and 75 minors.
     
    Volunteers Needed at Houston Food Bank 2015-08-10 05:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - "Keep on Trying" by Marjit Vinjerui

    Uploaded on Nov 18, 2011
    Musicians: John Olav Hovde, Jan Birger Akerhaugen, Knut Olav Sandvik, Åsmund Stendahl and Line Kåsa
    Norwegian singer/songwriter Marjit Vingerui becomes the first international performer to play at one of the San Diego County Library's Acoustic Showcase concerts to a small, intimate gathering at the Encinitas branch.
     
    Song of the Week - "Keep on Trying" by Marjit Vinjerui 2015-08-07 05:00:00Z 0

    District Foundation Dinner - Save the Date - September 25th

    The District Foundation Dinner has been scheduled for Friday, Sep 25 2015 at Maggiano’s Little Italy, 2019 Post Oak Blvd., Houston, TX 77056  Cocktails (Cash Bar) and Fellowship 6:00pm, Dinner 7:00pm.  Cost: $75 per person.  Featured Guest - PDG Aziz Memon - Pakistan’s National PolioPlus Chair  Please RSVP with your payment (made payable to Rotary District 5890) to 4903 Pine St, Bellaire, TX 77401 or on-line at Rotary5890.org  ASAP
    The Foundation Dinner is limited to Arch Klumph Society Members, Major Donors,  Bequest Society Members, Paul Harris Society Members, and their spouse/guest  Not a member of one of these exclusive groups?  Contact Terry Ziegler to learn about joining one - email bigzlumber@aol.com or 713-825-1176  
    Please respond promptly – Event is limited to 100 guests.  Dress: business attire.  Questions? Please contact Terry Ziegler at 713-825-1176 orBigZlumber@aol.com
    District Foundation Dinner - Save the Date - September 25th 2015-08-07 05:00:00Z 0

    TONIGHT - Turning Challenge into Opportunity Rotary Fundraiser

    Looking for niche market insights?                                             
    Want to expand your business?                                                          
    Want to learn Smart ways to deal with challenges?                          
    The Rotary Club of Houston NW Sunset with participation from SBA (Small Business Administration) & SCORE  is excited to invite you for a unique business Mentoring and Networking event. (See attached flyer below)
    Join us interact with business mentors, leverage their rich experience and expert advice in-order to take your business to next level.
    In addition to this we offer you a chance to promote your business. Sponsor a table and exhibit your merchandise and/or services. A win-win situation created to learn from others and promote your business.  
    Experienced speakers from: SBA - Mark Winchester, Deputy District Director and Nick Tarte, Business Mentor & Councillor from SCORE,  will share their insights  on how to access business capital, brand and market your product, acquire skill sets necessary to maximize the revenues,  thus ultimately transform challenges into opportunities.
    We set the stage for you to network with like-minded professionals and entrepreneurs-showcasing their merchandise/services, which may be valuable for your business.
             RSVP now @  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/turning-challenge-into-opportunitythrough-guidance-networking-tickets-17886863089
              
    Speakers for the evening are:
    Mark Winchester, the Deputy District Director of SBA (Houston District) is an authority on thriving Houston Economy. His areas of expertise include Insurance, Risk management, Underwriting and Complex Litigation.  
    Mark will educate us on financing options, resources and paperwork involved.
    Nick Tarte,  Business Mentor & Counselor from SCORE specializes in Business Planning & Operations, Branding, and Accelerating revenues by effective use of cutting edge Marketing Techniques. Nick has devised innovative strategies to recruit and retain key personnel in-order to achieve higher returns.
    Presentation will be followed by Q&A session.
     
    Venue - Hilton Garden Inn, 14919 Northwest Freeway Houston, Texas 77040
           
    Date & Time - August 20, 2015 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
     
    Agenda -
    Greetings and on-site registration: 4.00 PM onward
    Speaker Session 1: Starts at 4.30 PM
    Sponsors' introduction & acknowledgement
    Speaker Session 2: Starts 5.20 PM
    Followed by Q & A session
    Networking: 6.00 PM onward

    Tickets -
    Individual: $15
    Table Sponsor: $100 Gold Sponsor: $500
              Contact details for additional information -
                     Dale Mellencamp: dmellencamp@att.net
                     Bhagyashree Patki: bhagyashreepatki@gmail.com    
                     Sachin Dashputre: sdashputre@gmail.com / 832-817-0052

    Our Gold Sponsors -
    Total Choice Tech Solutions: Total Choice Tech Solutions (TCTS) is a dynamic, costumer focused, IT Managed Service Provider (MSP) delivering a wide variety of Information Technology consulting solutions and strategic products proven to benefit our clients’ needs.  TCTS is proudly to featuring  SMASHDisk.com, an encrypted collaboration and synchronization tool for both businesses and personal use.
    The Loken Group: The Loken Group strives to be the superior real estate service provider in the greater Houston area. We take a different approach to real estate. One that is built on personal touches, win-win deals and positive results. By utilizing the latest technologies, market research and business strategies, we are able to provide you with exceptional customer service. Most importantly, we listen, and that means we find solutions that are tailored to you. The Loken Group – Your real estate solution.  
    TONIGHT - Turning Challenge into Opportunity Rotary Fundraiser 2015-08-06 05:00:00Z 0

    POLIO ERADICATION UPDATE

    Posted by Terry Ziegler, Rotary Foundation Committee Chair, District 5890
    Pakistan - No new Polio cases reported in Pakistan.  Twenty-eight Polio cases have been reported in 2015 compared to 104 at this time last year.
    Yemen - Despite the deteriorating security situation in Yemen, a humanitarian pause enabled 50,000 children to be reached with the oral polio vaccine during the final week of Ramadan - See more at: http://www.polioeradication.org/Dataandmonitoring/Poliothisweek.aspx#sthash.bmLGC0xA.dpuf  
     
    The Final Three Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - Twenty Eight Polio cases reported in 2015 with 306 cases recorded in 2014  The most recent case was reported on 06/30/15 in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.    
    Afghanistan - Six Polio cases reported in 2015 with 28 cases recorded in 2014. The most recent case was reported on 06/27/15 from the Shindand District of the Hirat Province.   
    Nigeria - Zero Polio cases reported in 2015 with 6 cases recorded in 2014.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14. 
     
    Importation Countries:
    Ethiopia (1 case in 2014), Cameroon (5 cases in 2014), Somalia (5 cases in 2014), Iraq (2 cases in 2014), Syria (1 case in 2014), & Equatorial Guinea (5 cases in 2014) - all report no Polio cases in 2015.
      
    POLIO ERADICATION UPDATE Terry Ziegler, Rotary Foundation Committee Chair, District 5890 2015-08-06 05:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    "One's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains it's original dimensions."   
    Oliver Wendell Holmes
    *Shared by Terry Ziegler, Rotary Foundation Committee Chair, District 5890   
    in his Polio report
    Quote of the Week 2015-08-06 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Infrastructure - Who Cares?

    This week's program reviews concerns for infrastructure in several parts of the world.  It is not a problem confined to any one country, but a problem relevant to well developed countries as well as third world countries.  It may be useful for future planning of projects.
     
    Published on Mar 19, 2013
    ASCE has given America's infrastructure a "D+". The 2013 Report Card for America's Infrastructure provides a comprehensive look at America's infrastructure conditions across sixteen categories. To learn more about where our country's needs lie and how you can be part of the solution, please visit www.infrastrcturereportcard.org.
    Category
    Nonprofits & Activism
     
    Published on Jun 20, 2013
    This video explores the implications of China's rapid development in infrastructure, its extreme diversity, and its differences with the U.S.'s infrastructure. This video is part of the requirement for INSC 40353 Business in China of the Neeley School of Business at TCU.
     
     
    From CNBC:Is AIIB the answer to Asia’s infrastructure needs?
    Christine Tan     | See Kit Tang
    Thursday, 25 Jun 2015 | 11:01 PM ET
    Asia's ability to finance infrastructure projects has failed to keep pace with the region's booming needs, but market players are optimistic the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will help plug the gap.
    "Infrastructure projects have been slow because they are not bankable due to high risks. Developers also have limited capacity to raise funds from the capital market. Due to this lack of financial support, many infrastructure projects can't proceed," Liew Mun Leong, chairman of urbanisation and infrastructure consultancy Surbana Jurong, told CNBC's "Managing Asia" as part of the special series "Asia Builders."
    There's a pressing need for "something higher order than capital markets" to help fill the region's gaping funding gap, Liew added.
    The $50 billion AIIB, which aims to support infrastructure development in lower- and middle-income Asian countries, received enthusiastic support from more than 50 nations. However, the U.S. and its ally Japan have stayed away from the Beijing-led economic outreach project that is seen as rivalling the U.S.-based World Bank, as well as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Asian Development Bank (ADB), which are led by Europe and Japan, respectively.
     
    Published on Apr 7, 2015
    South Africa’s aging infrastructure is a cause for concern. Power shortages curbed economic growth to 1.5% last year, its slowest since the recession in 2009. While the country struggles to keep the lights on it is now also battling to keep water flowing as infrastructure deteriorates due to poor maintenance. Pravin Gordhan, South Africa’s Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs tells us more.
    Ageing Electricity And Water Infrastructure Hurting Growth In South Africa
    BloombergTV Africa
     
    Infrastructure in India:
     
    Following this review of infrastructure around the world, take some time to explore the current situatation in your own community.  Grants may be used in your own community with partners and not always directed to other countries.
     
    Weekly Program - Infrastructure - Who Cares? 2015-08-03 05:00:00Z 0

    Ideas Needed - Call from Club Secretary

    Dear fellow e-club members,
    As you may have read in the Minutes of our July 25th Board of Directors meeting, we need to generate funds to build a buffer on our bank account, so that we can easier pay our dues, pre-pay the whole amount to the Children of the Dump (we get District Grant reimbursement afterwards) etc. Several ideas were shared during the meeting, like working with a restaurant to encourage members and friends to go there during a certain period of time and the e-club gets a percentage for the revenue, but we like to hear proposals from those who were not able to attend that meeting as well. Be creative, and let us know your ideas! Don't feel limited to face-to-face events in the Houston area, we are an e-club with members in many geographies, so if we can come up with a way for people in other locations to participate, that is great.
    Please send me your thoughts by August 18th at the latest, so that I can compile all proposals, and we can discuss them during our next virtual BOD meeting on August 22nd (a good reason to join for that meeting). You'll receive call-in information for that meeting together with the agenda during that week.
    Thank you for your participation!
    Martine Stolk
    secretary e-club of Houston 2015-2016
    Ideas Needed - Call from Club Secretary Martine Stolk 2015-08-03 05:00:00Z 0

    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

    Dear Rotary E-Club of Houston, TX Members and Guests,
     
    August is Membership Month, which means it’s time to celebrate our Rotary club, our members and the good we do in our communities and around the world.
     
    We can celebrate our members by sharing with you that our 65 members are from 6 different countries: USA, Holland, Bulgaria, India, Ecuador and Nicaragua. We are vibrant club which engages its members, conducts meaningful projects, and explores new ideas. Our club’s activities reflect the diversity and personality of our members.
     
    We, at Rotary eClub of Houston are celebrating our members for reaching out in their own community and participating in global projects.  Thank you for being part of this young and growing club!
     
    Yours in Rotary Service,
    President Michael
    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Michael Mebes 2015-08-02 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotary's Four-Way Test

    Rotarians...Here's a 40-second video with half of the 620 elementary students reciting Rotary's Four-Way Test at one of our six EarlyAct FirstKnight (EAFK) Knighting Ceremony held each school year. 100% of the 620 K-5th graders recite it each school day, and their daily, 10-minute EAFK curriculum teaches them strong morals and ethics like honesty, responsibility, service, tolerance, etc. In Rotary District 5890, we have 15 EAFK campuses with nearly 13,000 students, and more schools will be added for 2015-2016!
     
     
     
    Rotary's Four-Way Test 2015-07-25 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - "First step- never stop learning" 2015-07-25 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - On-line Learning

    Some of us learn best in the classroom, and some of us ... well, we don't. But we still love to learn — we just need to find the way that works for us. In this charming, personal talk, author John Green shares the community of learning that he found in online video.  This Ted Talk was filmed in November, 2012 at TEDxIndianopolis.
     
    Why you should listen
    John Green is the author of Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, and The Fault in Our Stars. He is also the coauthor, with David Levithan, of Will Grayson, Will Grayson.
    In 2007, Green and his brother Hank ceased textual communication and began to talk primarily through videoblogs posted to YouTube. The videos spawned a community of people called nerdfighters who fight for intellectualism and to decrease the overall worldwide level of suck. (Decreasing suck takes many forms: Nerdfighters have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight poverty in the developing world; they also planted thousands of trees around the world in May of 2010 to celebrate Hank’s 30th birthday.) Although they have long since resumed textual communication, John and Hank continue to upload two videos a week to their YouTube channel, vlogbrothers. Their videos have been viewed more than 500 million times, and their channel is one of the most popular in the history of online video.
    Weekly Program - On-line Learning 2015-07-25 05:00:00Z 0

    It's Time - Seeking Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars

    Our District's campaign for candidates for the 2016-2016 Rotary Ambassadorial/Global Grant Scholaships is now underway.
    Application materials have been e-mailed to all club presidents and club foundation chairs.
    We are seeking your help in promoting the program, and in identifying, recruiting and sponsoring (through your club) a post-graduate candidate, well in advance of the October 23, 2015 applicaton deadline.
    Each club may sponsor one candidate.
    The District interviews will be held in Houston on November 21, 2015.
    The application materials have been posted on the District 5890 website.
    If you have any questions, please let me know.
    Thank you for your support of the program.
     
    Yours in Rotary,
    Bill Barmore
    District 5890 Scholarships Co-Chair
     
    It's Time - Seeking Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars 2015-07-23 05:00:00Z 0
    AFRICA Marks One Year With NO POLIO RI President Ravindran 2015-07-22 05:00:00Z 0

    The Power of Jumping Into Your Life

    What would happen if you just jumped into your life and went “all out” toward achieving and creating a dream life?
     
    What if you didn’t hold back because of fear, limitations, or obstacles? As a matter of fact, what if you simply ignored these negative things and only focused on what you wanted?
     
    What if you didn’t worry about being tired or working too hard?
     
    What if you did what you could with what you have to work with at this time?
     
    What if you just did one to three simple things every day toward creating your dream life, and when the next one to three things appeared you did them quickly as well?
     
    What if you lived by the motto, “Do It Now?”
     
    What if you temporary stopped doing the things you know are contrary to your well-being and counter productive toward your dream life? What if you just stopped doing them for even a period of 90-days?
     
    What if you ignored what other people thought about you, and instead, lived according to what you want to be?
     
    What if you stopped needing other people’s love and acceptance because you decided to love yourself to the maximum?
     
    What if you stopped complaining about life, people, and situations, and instead, only lived in Gratitude for everything—good or bad?
     
    What if you started looking throughout each day for the most miniscule miracle?
     
    The answer to all of these questions is the same. If you did these things, you would succeed in experiencing your highest GOOD LIFE that God has waiting for you.
     
    In Loving Service,
    Dr. Michael J. Duckett
     
    Taken from One Minute Mental Break Newsletter (July 22, 2015) - Dr. Michael J. Duckett
     
     
     
     
    The Power of Jumping Into Your Life 2015-07-22 05:00:00Z 0

    Fruit Trees in the Future

    From National Geographic videos July 20, 2015 - Sam Van Aken, an artist and professor at Syracuse University, uses "chip grafting" to create trees that each bear 40 different varieties of stone fruits, or fruits with pits. The grafting process involves slicing a bit of a branch with a bud from a tree of one of the varieties and inserting it into a slit in a branch on the "working tree," then wrapping the wound with tape until it heals and the bud starts to grow into a new branch. Over several years he adds slices of branches from other varieties to the working tree. In the spring the "Tree of 40 Fruit" has blossoms in many hues of pink and purple, and in the summer it begins to bear the fruits in sequence—Van Aken says it's both a work of art and a time line of the varieties' blossoming and fruiting. He's created more than a dozen of the trees that have been planted at sites such as museums around the U.S., which he sees as a way to spread diversity on a small scale.
     
    Fruit Trees in the Future 2015-07-22 05:00:00Z 0
    Congratulations Rotarians on Rotary Foundation GIVING! 2015-07-22 05:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - A Tribute To Disaster Relief Workers

    Uploaded on May 21, 2011
    Medical Teams International: This music video is a tribute to all of the volunteer doctors, nurses, and EMTs of Medical Teams International who risked their lives to travel to war torn regions and locations of natural disasters to care for the sick and the wounded.
     
    Song of the Week - A Tribute To Disaster Relief Workers 2015-07-17 05:00:00Z 0
    Photos from the fundraiser" Our Gift to Nepal" 2015-07-17 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: A Documentary on the Nepal Earthquake

    Published on May 8, 2015
    The 2015 Nepal earthquake (also known as the Gorkha earthquake),which killed more than 7,000 people and injured more than twice as many, occurred at 11:56 NST on 25 April, with a moment magnitude (Mw) of 7.8Mw or 8.1Ms and a maximum Mercalli Intensity of IX (Violent). Its epicenter was the village of Barpak, Gorkha district, and its hypocenter was at a depth of approximately 15 km (9.3 mi).
    It was the most powerful disaster to strike Nepal since the 1934 Nepal-Bihar earthquake. Some casualties were also reported in the adjoining areas of India, China, and Bangladesh.
    The earthquake triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest, killing at least 19, making it the deadliest day on the mountain in history.] It triggered another huge avalanche in Langtang valley, where 250 were reported missing.
    Hundreds of thousands of people were made homeless with entire villages flattened,across many districts of the country. Centuries-old buildings were destroyed at UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Kathmandu Valley, including some at the Kathmandu Durbar Square, the Patan Durbar Square and the Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Geophysicists and other experts had warned for decades that Nepal was vulnerable to a deadly earthquake, particularly because of its geology, urbanization, and architecture.
    Continued aftershocks occurred throughout Nepal within 15-20 minute intervals, with one shock reaching a magnitude of 6.7 on 26 April at 12:54:08 NST.The country also had a continued risk of landslides.
    Nepal earthquake death toll rises to 8,413 - The Times of India
    Nepal earthquake: 'Million children left out of school' - BBC
     
     
    Weekly Program: A Documentary on the Nepal Earthquake 2015-07-17 05:00:00Z 0

    Polio Plus Society Dinner - Save the Date - November 21, 2015

    November 21, 2015  Polio Plus Society Dinner – featuring Susanne Rea – Founder of World’s Greatest Meal – from Australia – and recipient of the International Service Award for a Polio Free World at the 2015 RI Convention in Sao Paulo.
     
    Polio Plus Society Dinner - Save the Date - November 21, 2015 2015-07-17 05:00:00Z 0

    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

    story thumbnail
    Dear Rotarians of E-Club of Houston and Guests,
     
    I want to thank everyone for their warm welcome and hope that I can count on each and every member to support me and our club throughout the year. Working together, I know we can make our club better and stronger than ever.
     
    The “Our Gift to Nepal” Fundraiser is quickly coming our way. Our Club, Rotary E-Club of Houston, TX, USA is working with Disaster Aid USA and other partners to provide help for the victims in Nepal. The event will take place on July 16th, 2015. 100% of the proceeds from this fundraiser will be given to Disaster Aid USA. Contact Nguyen T. Nguyen if you can help out.
     
    This month is going to be busy. On July 25th, we will have our first Board of Directors and general meeting of the year. For newcomers, this is like the “State of the Nation” for our club. We will go over upcoming events, responsibilities, and budget.
     
    Thank you to all our current members and I hope to see many new members join our Club in the current year.
     
    Yours in Rotary,
    President Michael
    PRESIDENT&#39;S MESSAGE Sofka Werkmeister 2015-07-09 05:00:00Z 0

    Education for Girls in Afghanistan (notes from RI Convention 2016)

    Posted by Vivian Smith
    GIRLS'SCHOOLS IN AFGHANISTAN WONDER "WHAT TOMORROW BRINGS"
     
    Beth Murphy , a Documentary Film Maker, Journalist Founder , Principle Pictures, shared her experiences in Afghanistan with regard to  education for girls.
     
    The Founder of the first girls' school in Kabul was Razia Jan who was born in Afghanistan and received a scholarship to Georgetown University. This was before the invasion by Russia. Her parents told her to remain in the U.S.A.
    Later in life she returned to Afghanistan determined to establish a school for girls. The male elders insisted that the school should be for boys, but Razia refused and so the school was started.
     
    Many difficulties were faced along with six brutal attacks including bombing, gas and poison.  In one attack the water supply was poisoned and 100 girls died. Now one elderly woman from the community tastes the water every day and states, " I am only one person at risk but I will save the  girls".
     
    Today there are 200 girls enrolled and the first class graduates this year. As one student stated, " I have some education now. I know how a woman should live. I have learned what is right and what is wrong. "
     
    There are a number of challenges. One is that some of the girls are forced into marriage as young as 13 years of age which forces them to abandon school. There are severe threats to the families from the Taliban to attempt to stop the girls going to school. A fear that once the U.S. withdraws from Afghanistan the Taliban will take over the government.
     
    The plan for the future is to build a college so the girls can continue their education. At the moment there is no college  close enough for these girls to attend and parents will not allow them to leave their homes to travel to the nearest college which is many kilometers away.
     
    This could be a great opportunity for Rotarians to join in this effort.
     
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Education for Girls in Afghanistan (notes from RI Convention 2016) Vivian Smith 2015-07-02 05:00:00Z 0

    Fourth of July Celebrations in the United States

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    July 4th has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution (1775-83). In June 1776, representatives of the 13 colonies then fighting in the revolutionary struggle weighed a resolution that would declare their independence from Great Britain. On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later its delegates adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 until the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with typical festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues.
     
    THE BIRTH OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE
    When the initial battles in the Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain, and those who did were considered radical. By the middle of the following year, however, many more colonists had come to favor independence, thanks to growing hostility against Britain and the spread of revolutionary sentiments such as those expressed in Thomas Paine’s bestselling pamphlet “Common Sense,” published in early 1776. On June 7, when the Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, the Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colonies’ independence. Amid heated debate, Congress postponed the vote on Lee’s resolution, but appointed a five-man committee–including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York–to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain.
     
    Did You Know?
    John Adams believed that July 2nd was the correct date on which to celebrate the birth of American independence, and would reportedly turn down invitations to appear at July 4th events in protest. Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826--the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
     
    On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of Lee’s resolution for independence in a near-unanimous vote (the New York delegation abstained, but later voted affirmatively). On that day, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that July 2 “will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival” and that the celebration should include “Pomp and Parade…Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other.” On July 4th, the Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, which had been written largely by Jefferson. Though the vote for actual independence took place on July 2nd, from then on the 4th became the day that was celebrated as the birth of American independence.
     
    EARLY FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS
    In the pre-Revolutionary years, colonists had held annual celebrations of the king’s birthday, which traditionally included the ringing of bells, bonfires, processions and speechmaking. By contrast, during the summer of 1776 some colonists celebrated the birth of independence by holding mock funerals for King George III, as a way of symbolizing the end of the monarchy’s hold on America and the triumph of liberty. Festivities including concerts, bonfires, parades and the firing of cannons and muskets usually accompanied the first public readings of the Declaration of Independence, beginning immediately after its adoption. Philadelphia held the first annual commemoration of independence on July 4, 1777, while Congress was still occupied with the ongoing war. George Washington issued double rations of rum to all his soldiers to mark the anniversary of independence in 1778, and in 1781, several months before the key American victory at Yorktown, Massachusetts became the first state to make July 4th an official state holiday.
    After the Revolutionary War, Americans continued to commemorate Independence Day every year, in celebrations that allowed the new nation’s emerging political leaders to address citizens and create a feeling of unity. By the last decade of the 18th century, the two major political parties–Federalists and Democratic-Republicans–that had arisen began holding separate Independence Day celebrations in many large cities.
    JULY 4TH BECOMES A NATIONAL HOLIDAY
    The tradition of patriotic celebration became even more widespread after the War of 1812, in which the United States again faced Great Britain. In 1870, the U.S. Congress made July 4th a federal holiday; in 1941, the provision was expanded to grant a paid holiday to all federal employees. Over the years, the political importance of the holiday would decline, but Independence Day remained an important national holiday and a symbol of patriotism.
     
    Fourth of July Celebrations in the United States 2015-07-02 05:00:00Z 0
    About Teamwork: A Rewrite of a Well-Known Fable 2015-07-02 05:00:00Z 0
    Weekly Program: Talks@GS: Session Highlights with Deepak Chopra, M.D. 2015-07-02 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Song - “Best Day of My Life” by American Authors

    This is a great song to begin our Rotary year with the theme of "Be a Gift to the World" - enjoy!  Hope each day you can embrace this message of "This if going to be the best day of my life".  In Rotary, it feels good to make a difference and help others.
     
     
    Weekly Song - “Best Day of My Life” by American Authors 2015-06-26 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Ben Saunders: To the South Pole and back

    In 2014 explorer Ben Saunders attempted his most ambitious trek yet. He set out to complete Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s failed 1912 polar expedition — a four-month, 1,800-mile round trip journey from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole and back. In the first talk given after his adventure, just five weeks after his return, Saunders offers a raw, honest look at this “hubris”-tinged mission that brought him to the most difficult decision of his life.  This Ted Ta;l was filmed in March 2014.  n 2004, Ben Saunders became the youngest person ever to ski solo to the North Pole. In 2013, he set out on another record-breaking expedition, this time to retrace Captain Scott’s ill-fated journey to the South Pole on foot.
    Why you should listen
    Although most of the planet's surface was mapped long ago, there's still a place for explorers in the modern world. And Ben Saunders' stories of arctic exploration -- as impressive for their technical ingenuity as their derring-do -- are decidedly modern. In 2004, at age 26, he skied solo to the North Pole, updating his blog each day of the trip. Humble and self-effacing, Saunders is an explorer of limits, whether it's how far a human can be pushed physically and psychologically, or how technology works hundreds of miles from civilization. His message is one of inspiration, empowerment and boundless potential.
    He urges audiences to consider carefully how to spend the “tiny amount of time we each have on this planet.” Saunders is also a powerful advocate for the natural world. He's seen first-hand the effects of climate change, and his expeditions are raising awareness for sustainable solutions.
    Being the youngest person to ski solo to the North Pole did not satiate Saunders' urge to explore and push the boundaries. In 2008, he attempted to break the speed record for a solo walk to the North Pole; however, his journey was ended abruptly both then and again in 2010 due to equipment failure. From October 2013 to February 2014, he led a two-man team to retrace Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s ill-fated 1,800-mile expedition to the South Pole on foot. He calls this journey the hardest 105 days of his life.
    Weekly Program - Ben Saunders: To the South Pole and back 2015-06-26 05:00:00Z 0
    Inspiration Story - The Empty Pickle Jar 2015-06-25 05:00:00Z 0

    News from Books for the World

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    From Rtn. Bill Draper in South Africa:
     Hi Gentlemen,
    Your Container of books has arrived. Here it is, just opened.  Words cannot express the delight in them - the cartons are clearly marked on
    the top, thus making it easy to find the type of book the teachers want. The  selection is perfect for our range of needs.  The lady in the pic. Is Rotarian Cheryl Marx. She & her husband have just returned from the Transkei coast - one of the poorest areas in South Africa (deeply rural, lovely scenery, delightful people, fantastic beaches & fishing. Very basic, incredibly cheap).  While there they visited the local school - almost no books, no library within 100 km. I asked her to come & chose some.  As you can see from my trousers, I did the looking - good American dust!
    She took 4 cartons away & will get them to the school.  We now will get them to local schools.

    Please pass on our thanks to all concerned - you have made a huge improvement to the ability of our Teachers to teach. Since I am second only to Oliver Twist, I attach brief details of two projects for which we are collecting funds for a Global Grant. If any of you know of a Club or District that has funds to spare, I would be delighted to liaise with them & give them further details.
    Again our Thanks -
    Bill
    News from Books for the World 2015-06-25 05:00:00Z 0

    A Plea for Funds for Pure Water for the World

    A generous supporter, eager to stamp out cholera in Haiti, has provided a $15,000 matching grant, through June 30th only!
    We have 5 days to raise the final $3,000 to release the $15,000 matching fund!
    We can do it with your help.
    Every dollar will be doubled! (up to $15,000)
    Every dollar will make a difference!
    Together, we will bring life-changing safe water and hygiene to 100 families in Bouda Chita, Haiti, who needlessly suffer from deadly cholera and other waterborne illnesses.
    Please share this message with your families and friends to ensure we reach our goal!
     *Visit our website for more information on our work in Haiti and Honduras
    www.purewaterfortheworld.org
    Thank you so much for your generosity and support!
    A Plea for Funds for Pure Water for the World 2015-06-25 05:00:00Z 0

    Microfinance Program - "Launch Detroit"

    Posted by Vivian Smith
    LAUNCH DETROIT: At the height of the auto industry Detroit had a population of over a million. Then came the  recession in the auto industry and now there is a population of 70,000.
     
    The Rotarians in the Detroit area and parts of Ontario Canada did some "brainstorming" and decided that there had to be a way to  begin restoring the area.  John Louttit, the Past President of the Rotarian Action Group for Microfinance and Community Development, visited Yunis (Nobel prize winner) who started Micro Finance in Bangladesh and learned the model for this movement.
     
    Rotarians in Detroit first advertised for applicants for the program and they had applications from 39 people and chose 13 for the first class.
    These are the methods used : "The Four Legged Stool" 1) Each applicant had a mentor to learn successful business practices. 2) Net working 3) loan 4) loan.  Each applicant must attend 8 classes - miss one and you are out. The must come up with their plan for a successful business. The loan is between $1,000.00 to $2,500.00. This must be paid back within 12 months at 5% interest.
     
    So far the success rate has been 98%. The additional requirement is that they must build a business that will hire additional workers.
    The entrepreneurs range from production of BBQ sauce, Pies, hairdressing,  to name a few.  The motto: "One entrepreneur at a time.
     
    It raises the question of  the need assessment in cities/ towns in the United States as well as third world countries.
     
    *Rtn. Vivian heard this program and summarized it for us following her attendance at the Rotary International Convention in Sao Paolo.
    Microfinance Program - "Launch Detroit" Vivian Smith 2015-06-25 05:00:00Z 0

    Father's Day Celebrations

    On July 19, 1910, the governor of the U.S. state of Washington proclaimed the nation’s first “Father’s Day.” However, it was not until 1972, 58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official, that the day became a nationwide holiday in the United States.  On July 5, 1908, a West Virginia church sponsored the nation’s first event explicitly in honor of fathers, a Sunday sermon in memory of the 362 men who had died in the previous December’s explosions at the Fairmont Coal Company mines in Monongah, but it was a one-time commemoration and not an annual holiday. The next year, a Spokane, Washington woman named Sonora Smart Dodd, one of six children raised by a widower, tried to establish an official equivalent to Mother’s Day for male parents. She went to local churches, the YMCA, shopkeepers and government officials to drum up support for her idea, and she was successful: Washington State celebrated the nation’s first statewide Father’s Day on July 19, 1910. Slowly, the holiday spread. In 1916, President Wilson honored the day by using telegraph signals to unfurl a flag in Spokane when he pressed a button in Washington, D.C. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge urged state governments to observe Father’s Day. However, many men continued to disdain the day. As one historian writes, they “scoffed at the holiday’s sentimental attempts to domesticate manliness with flowers and gift-giving, or they derided the proliferation of such holidays as a commercial gimmick to sell more products–often paid for by the father himself.”
     
    Around the world, people celebrate Fathers Day to honor dads and to express their love and affection for them. It may be noted that the date of Father's Day festival in not fixed and different countries around the world celebrate Father Day on different times of the year.  As a Father's Day tradition, people in US and Canada, along with their Dads, pay tribute to grandfather, stepfather, foster father, uncle or men who plays the Father figure role in their lives. The tradition of celebrating Fathers Day in Canada has been influenced from US. People in Canada too wear roses to express gratitude and love for their father as their US counterparts. The event is popularly observed as a time for family reunion as well, with children staying away from families coming together to celebrate the day with their fathers and other loved ones; Paying tribute by giving out donations in the name of their fathers or by performing acts of service; Dining out. Business in restaurants and eating joints witness a huge rush on the occasion.
    Sometimes, even the manner of Father's Day celebration differ, what is common everywhere though is the spirit of the festival. In countries across the globe people take opportunity of Father's Day to honor their dad with cards, chocolates, flowers and other gift of love. Spending time with dad and indulging in fun-filled activities is another common feature of Father's Day celebration around the world.
     
    Several clubs, schools and cultural societies in United Kingdom and Ireland, Australia, South Africa organize Fathers Day parties and get-togethers and provide people an opportunity to celebrate the day in a wide scale to stress the importance of Father's role in the development of the family and the society as a whole. The effort to spread a sense of responsibility and devotion to fathers are also made besides, children who in turn are encouraged to pay full attention and respect to their father.
    The occasion in Australia is celebrated privately in households. Breakfast meeting for families is also a common affair of Father Day celebrations in Australia.
     
    Many in South Africa go out for picnic, fishing or just for a meal in restaurant.
     
    Celebrating Father's Day is a new concept in India and highly influenced by the U.S. celebrations. It is perhaps not even a decade old. The idea of honoring fathers has been appreciated by Indians as well to a large extent like all other countries. The event is marked by expressing gratitude for fathers. Father's Day celebration in India takes place in the same way as in UK or US though in a limited way. Awareness about Fathers Day festival is much greater in metropolitan cities and bigger towns due to the greater exposure of people to the western cultures and is fast catching up with people in smaller towns and cities of India as well. The idea is to instill noble values and principles in children to pay due respect to the elders especially dads and understand the importance of a family.
     
    Father's Day Celebrations 2015-06-19 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotarians at Work in Texas Hill Country

    Dear Rotary friends ... For those who wish to volunteer with clean up in Wimberley & the Hays County area, please go to the Official Volunteer Resource Center at the Cypress Creek Church, 211 Stillwater, Wimberley, TX (located in central Hays County in the heart of the Texas Hill Country between Austin & San Antonio, only 16 miles from San Marcos):  www.CityOfWimberley.com  Please sign in & track your hours as a volunteer. There is limited access to the area on the roads. Please go in groups, so that there are fewer cars.  Wear proper clothing (Rotary shirts & hats), take bug repellent & sunscreen. Your best way is to go to Kyle, TX & then go through Kyle to Wimberley:  www.gosur.com/map/  It takes longer, but roads are in good condition.  Local Rotarian contact: Assistant District 5840 Governor Jeremiah Pizana:  512-787-7159.
     
    DONATION$:  A collaborative team of D5840, D5870 & D5890 is establishing a Special Fund  to receive donations. The Special Fund will support long-term Community needs. Clubs may help by fundraising in their geographical areas & in their other areas of influence … & sending donations &/or directing donors to the Special Fund (as soon as the specifics are announced at www.Rotary5840.org).   
     
    Yours in Rotary Service-     Janet Livingston   District Governor, 2014-2015   D5840
    Rotarians at Work in Texas Hill Country 2015-06-19 05:00:00Z 0

    Old Man and a Bucket of Shrimp

    Posted by Barry Smith
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    This is a wonderful story and it is true. You will be glad that you read it, and I hope you will pass it on.

    It happened every Friday evening, almost without fail, when the sun resembled a giant orange and was starting to dip into the blue ocean.  Old Ed came strolling along the beach to his favorite pier. Clutched in his bony hand was a bucket of shrimp. Ed walks out to the end of the pier, where it seems he almost has the world to himself. The glow of the sun is a golden bronze now.
    Everybody's gone, except for a few joggers on the beach. Standing out on the end of the pier, Ed is alone with his thoughts...and his bucket of shrimp.  Before long, however, he is no longer alone. Up in the sky a thousand white dots come screeching and squawking, winging their way toward that lanky frame standing there on the end of the pier.

    Before long, dozens of seagulls have enveloped him, their wings fluttering and flapping wildly. Ed stands there tossing shrimp to the hungry birds.  As he does, if you listen closely, you can hear him say with a smile, 'Thank you. Thank you.'
    In a few short minutes the bucket is empty. But Ed doesn't leave. He stands there lost in thought, as though transported to another time and place.  When he finally turns around and begins to walk back toward the beach, a few of the birds hop along the pier with him until he gets to the stairs, and then they, too, fly away. And old Ed quietly makes his way down to the end of the beach and on home.

    If you were sitting there on the pier with your fishing line in the water, Ed might seem like 'a funny old duck,' as my dad used to say. Or, to onlookers, he's just another old codger, lost in his own weird world, feeding the seagulls with a bucket full of shrimp.
    To the onlooker, rituals can look either very strange or very empty. They can seem altogether unimportant ....maybe even a lot of nonsense.

    Old folks often do strange things, at least in the eyes of Boomers and Busters.  Most of them would probably write Old Ed off, down there in Florida ...  That's too bad. They'd do well to know him better.

    His full name: Eddie Rickenbacker. He was a famous hero in World War I, and then he was in WWII. On one of his flying missions across the Pacific, he and his seven-member crew went down. Miraculously, all of the men survived, crawled out of their plane, and climbed into a life raft.

    Captain Rickenbacker and his crew floated for days on the rough waters of the Pacific. They fought the sun. They fought sharks. Most of all, they fought hunger and thirst. By the eighth day their rations ran out. No food.
    No water. They were hundreds of miles from land and no one knew where they were or even if they were alive. Every day across America millions wondered and prayed that Eddie Rickenbacker might somehow be found alive.

    The men adrift needed a miracle. That afternoon they had a simple devotional service and prayed for a miracle. They tried to nap. Eddie leaned back and pulled his military cap over his nose. Time dragged on.
    All he could hear was the slap of the waves against the raft...suddenly Eddie felt something land on the top of his cap. It was a seagull!

    Old Ed would later describe how he sat perfectly still, planning his next move. With a flash of his hand and a squawk from the gull, he managed to grab it and wring its neck. He tore the feathers off, and he and his starving crew made a meal of it - a very slight meal for eight men. Then they used the intestines for bait. With it, they caught fish, which gave them food and more bait....and the cycle continued. With that simple survival technique, they were able to endure the rigors of the sea until they were found and rescued after 24 days at sea.

    Eddie Rickenbacker lived many years beyond that ordeal, but he never forgot the sacrifice of that first life-saving seagull... And he never stopped saying, 'Thank you.' That's why almost every Friday night he would walk to the end of the pier with a bucket full of shrimp and a heart full of gratitude.

    Reference: (Max Lucado, "In The Eye of the Storm", pp...221, 225-226)

    PS: Eddie Rickenbacker was the founder of Eastern Airlines. Before WWI he was race car driver. In WWI he was a pilot and became America's first ace.
    In WWII he was an instructor and military adviser, and he flew missions with the combat pilots. Eddie Rickenbacker is a true American hero. And now you know another story about the trials and sacrifices that brave men have endured for your freedom.

    As you can see, I chose to pass it on. It is a great story that many don't know...You've got to be careful with old guys; you just never know what they have done during their lifetime.
     
    Shared by J. Barry Smith (spouse of our e-club member Vivan Smith)
    Governor District 6900 in 1995-96 www.district6900.org
    Member: Sandy Springs Rotary Club President: 1985-1986 & 2012-2013: www.sandyspringsrotary.org
    International Service Chair 2014-15.
    Honorary Member: Emory-Druid Hills Rotary Club
    D6900 Future Planning Committee
    Treasurer: Rotarian Action Group for Literacy. www.litrag.org
    Executive Comm, POR Chair 2015 - Past Officers Reunion. www.rotaryreunion.org
    Old Man and a Bucket of Shrimp Barry Smith 2015-06-19 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - "Here's Hope" by Owl City 2015-06-19 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Man in the Mirror 2015-06-19 05:00:00Z 0

    Bakhita House – a Trafficking Shelter in London

    Mark Little ( Rotary Club of Norwich St Edmund, England ) shares this story after visiting the Bakhita House - a trafficking shelter in London.  There is a Rotary Action Group called "Rotarians against Child Slavery" and many Rotarians have taken an active interest in protecting children from abuse and slavery.  In District 5890 Rtn. Irene Hickey is investigating what we can do in the Houston area to assist victims of sex  trafficking.
    Written by Mark Little for the RAGCS newsletter:

    I hadn’t heard of Bakhita House, until I attended the Santa Marta Conference on Human Trafficking in London last December. I learnt that Bakhita House is a Shelter in London which will soon be providing accommodation, care and rehabilitation for up to 12 female survivors of human trafficking and slavery. Now a Trafficking Shelter is quite a unique feature in the UK, so I promised myself that I would check the place out.

    On 28th May three RACSRAG members accompanied me to Bakhita House where we were given a tour of the House and its facilities by Project Manager, Karen Anstiss. The House, which takes its name from St Josephine Bakhita, a former Sudanese slave, is owned by the Archdiocese of Westminster and managed by Caritas Westminster. It will provide assistance to the most vulnerable and traumatised individuals who have experienced human trafficking, especially those who fall outside the existing structures of support.

    Karen Anstiss provides a powerful and wonderful insight into the work of Bakhita House.

    Now to hear from the Project Manager of the Bakhita House, Karen Anstiss:

    Welcome to Bakhita House. We hope this will be a home for many over the coming years, a place to rest and be respected. A community atmosphere which encourages restoration.

    Why is Bakhita House necessary? Well let me take an example of my everyday life which I can easily take for granted but let’s compare it to Kasia’s, a trafficked victim.

    My Journey to work.

    When I wake up, I have normally had eight hours sleep, I am in a safe warm cosy place. I walk to the bathroom and as I do I look down, I am reminded that this seasons colour is orange by the paint on my nails!

    Kasia is woken up by Sebastian her trafficker. She is in a room with three other women and two beds, no heating. She has had three hours sleep having worked the previous day from 10am until 10pm in a brothel and then on the streets from 11pm until 3am. Kasia looks down as she walks to the bathroom and sees fresh bruises barely covering old bruises from clients the day before. The bruises remind her that Sebastian owns her but if a client pays for her services for a short time he owns her, she has no rights to say no to anything and the bruises are proof of this.

    After a hot shower I choose something to wear for the day, it will be the colour for the season clean and appropriate for the weather conditions. On the way to the bus stop my head is full, hoping I get a seat and then when I change to the tube upping my hopes to a seat and a free newspaper.

    Kasia has had a cold shower and is putting on clothes chosen by Sebastian. She would never have picked such clothes and they were not even warm enough for this country. Although 

    skimpy they did hide much of her bruising, so at least she would not put off the clients. She struggles to dress as the last client of the night punched her in the ribs when she indicated to him he should use a condom. She would never dare ask to go to a doctor even though each day a bit more of her body hurt inside and out.

    I am on the tube, it’s a good day, a seat a free paper and relative peace whilst I travel to work. Now my thoughts are of what I will eat for breakfast and if AJ and Anna will want to pop out for lunch, my thoughts revolve happily around food, my dreams today easily achievable.

    Kasia is squeezed into the back of a car with three other women, no one talks, no one wants to upset Sebastian or his girlfriend, both being more than capable of dealing out instant punishment as already proved on several occasions. Kasia’s thoughts today are, can she make enough money so Sebastian is not angry and won’t therefore send someone to punish her family in her own country. Her family did not deserve to be hurt because she did not work hard enough. Her thoughts are if enough clients buy me my family stay safe, her own safety never enters her mind.

    I arrive at Bakhita House, the calm peaceful atmosphere envelopes me as I walk through the door, kick off my shoes and put my slippers on. Smell of fresh flowers and of breakfast cooking make me smile. Women’s chatter drifting through the house makes me think about family and friends I feel like I am home, it’s safe and filled with people who care about each other.

    Kasia enters the brothel, the smell of last night’s activities and very cheap perfume fills the air, stale cigarette smoke hangs in the air. In the room which is hers for the next twelve hours the bin overflows with used condoms, a relief that at least some men are using them. The woman in charge is barking orders to Kasia and the others about cleaning duties. All the women have the same haunted look, Kasia’s thoughts are ,only nineteen working hours ahead and may be today a small gap for resting.

    So for many years Kasias story has been a reality in this country and many others. Whilst a Police officer I often worked alongside people from the church, whilst working together we came to realise that a Bakhita House was very much needed.

    A place to be safe, where the church and the Police can work together over a period of time to enable those like Kasia to move on, to restore themselves and so have a future.

    To try and combat the crime by taking Kasia’s story and finding all the Sebastian’s that need to be dealt with.

    To have the calm caring nature of the sisters to restore faith to the Kasia’s so they can move on independently.

    The best thing in life is actually life. So Bakhita House wants Kasia’s daily journey to be like that of mine, a journey worth living for all the right reasons.

    So when you go away today try to not take anything for granted in your own lives, and spare a thought for how you can help the Kasias that are still out there.

     

    Bakhita House – a Trafficking Shelter in London 2015-06-18 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - "Your Elusive Creative Genius" by Elizabeth Gilbert

    This week's speaker seems timely with the installation of new Rotary club officers and the new Rotary theme of "Be a gift to the World".  The new Rotary year brings new opportunities for serving others in need, developing leadership skills, touching the lives of younger generations, modeling ethics and sharing the Rotary Four-Way-Test, and creating new ideas about sharing Rotary.   Incoming officers are ready to assume leadership for their clubs and all members may contribute to the direction the club moves toward growing membership, selecting service projects, and fully participating in club activities.  Look at yourself and how you have something worthwhile to share and contribute.  After all, that is why you joined Rotary!  
     
    Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses — and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person "being" a genius, all of us "have" a genius. It's a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk. She is the author of 'Eat, Pray, Love,' Elizabeth Gilbert has thought long and hard about some big topics. Her fascinations: genius, creativity and how we get in our own way when it comes to both.  This Ted Talk was posted in February, 2009.
     
    Why you should listen
    Elizabeth Gilbert faced down a premidlife crisis by doing what we all secretly dream of -- running off for a year. Her travels through Italy, India and Indonesia resulted in the megabestselling and deeply beloved memoir Eat, Pray, Love, about her process of finding herself by leaving home.
    She's a longtime magazine writer -- covering music and politics for Spin and GQ -- as well as a novelist and short-story writer. Her books include the story collection Pilgrims, the novel Stern Men (about lobster fishermen in Maine) and a biography of the woodsman Eustace Conway, called The Last American Man. Her work has been the basis for two movies so far (Coyote Ugly, based on her own tale of working at the famously raunchy bar in New York City), and Eat, Pray, Love, with the part of Gilbert played by Julia Roberts. Not bad for a year off.
    In 2010, Elizabeth published Committed, a memoir exploring her ambivalent feelings about the institution of marriage. And her 2013 novel, The Signature of All Things, is "a sprawling tale of 19th century botanical exploration."
    Gilbert also owns and runs the import shop Two Buttons in Frenchtown, New Jersey.
     
     
    Weekly Program - "Your Elusive Creative Genius" by Elizabeth Gilbert 2015-06-18 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: Newly Discovered Amelia Earhart Film Reignites Mystery

    Nearly 80 years after her final flight, the mystery of Amelia Earhart's disappearance endures.
    Recently discovered footage showing Earhart preparing for one of her last flights is going viral online, reigniting interest in the woman who was first to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
    The grainy film, believed to have been shot in May 1937, shows Earhart posing for photographer Albert Bresnik, climbing into the cockpit of her twin-engine Electra and walking on a tarmac in California. Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, took their final flight on July 2 of that year from New Guinea, as part of an attempt to fly around the world.
    Found by Bresnik’s nephew, the film had sat on his father’s shelf for more than 50 years. It accompanies a new e-book published by The Paragon Agency called “Amelia Earhart’s Last Photo Shoot.” We talked to the author, Nicole Swinford, about what this footage means for the Earhart enigma.
    Does this footage offer anything new for our understanding of Earhart's Amelia’s last flight?
    You do notice differences in this moment at the beginning of the flight versus photos that we see throughout the [final] flight with the plane. You start to notice that she had been making changes specifically to radio equipment in the antennas. And you ask, why did she do these things? Because looking back, we see that these choices inhibited her communication ability. It significantly shortened the range that she was able to communicate with. It could have been the difference between a success and failure.
     
    The film, "Amelia Earhart's Last Photo Shoot," is being released this month by The Paragon Agency publishing house, along with an 80-page book of the same name that documents a journey that ended tragically short of the finish line when Earhart's plane vanished somewhere over the Pacific Ocean.
    A downloadable copy of the film is being provided to those who buy the book. Paragon publisher Doug Westfall said he eventually plans to donate the fragile original given to him by John Bresnik's son to an archive or museum.
    The film, taken with a 16-milimeter camera, sat on a shelf in the office of his father for more than 50 years until his death in 1992, said Bresnik's son, also named John. After that, it sat in the younger man's home in Escondido, California, for about 20 more years.
    "I didn't even know what was on the film until my dad died and I took it home and watched it," Bresnik said recently. "It just always sat it in a plain box on a shelf in his office, and on the outside it said, 'Amelia Earhart, Burbank Airport, 1937.' "
     
    The following is a long video about Amelia Earhart which I hope you enjoy.  Please watch as much as you have time to dedicate to this program.
    Published on Aug 6, 2014
    Weekly Program: Newly Discovered Amelia Earhart Film Reignites Mystery By Greta Weber, National Geographic PUBLISHED JUNE 10, 2015 2015-06-11 05:00:00Z 0

    NOTABLE ROTARIANS

    Rotarians are your neighbors, your community leaders and some of the world’s greatest history-makers:
    Warren G. Harding, U.S. president
    Jean Sibelius, Finnish composer
    Dr. Charles H. Mayo, co-founder of Mayo Clinic
    Guglielmo Marconi, Italian inventor of the wireless radio and Nobel laureate
    Thomas Mann, German novelist and Nobel laureate
    Friedrich Bergius, German chemist and Nobel laureate
    Admiral Richard E. Byrd, American explorer
    Jan Masaryk, foreign minister of Czechoslovakia
    H.E. Soleiman Frangieh, president of Lebanon
    Dianne Feinstein, U.S. senator
    Manny Pacquaio, Filipino world-champion boxer and congressman
    Richard Lugar, U.S. senator
    Frank Borman, American astronaut
    Edgar A. Guest, American poet and journalist
    Sir Harry Lauder, Scottish entertainer
    Franz Lehar, Austrian composer
    Lennart Nilsson, Swedish photographer
    James Cash Penney, founder of JC Penney Co.
    Carlos Romulo, UN General Assembly president
    Sigmund Sternberg, English businessman and philanthropist
     
    NOTABLE ROTARIANS 2015-06-11 05:00:00Z 0

    EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PASSES WRITTEN DECLARATION ON POLIO

    EVANSTON, Ill. (11 June 2015) — Today the European Parliament announced the passage of a written declaration in support of the global effort to eradicate the crippling disease polio. The declaration, signed by 404 signatories within Parliament, underscores the critical importance of supporting efforts to eradicate polio from the few remaining pockets of the world where the virus still exists.
    In the European Parliament, a written declaration – a text of no more than 200 words – relates to a matter falling within the competence of the European Union. The declaration does not represent an act of Parliament, but rather reflects the support of its authors and signatories. A declaration receiving the requisite number of signatories, as the polio declaration did, is published in Parliament's minutes and also sent to the European Commission.
    Rotary, which launched the global effort to eradicate polio in 1985, has thousands of members throughout the European Union. Since the written declaration's entry into the official register in early March, Rotary members have contacted their respective Members of Parliament to communicate the importance of supporting polio eradication.
    The poliovirus still flourishes in just a few corners of the three remaining polio-endemic countries: Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Recent progress shows these geographic pockets containing the virus are getting smaller and smaller. Nigeria, for example, sits poised to mark one-year without a single case of polio within its borders on 24 July, 2015. Pakistan, which accounted for 90% of the world's polio cases in 2014, has shown a 70% reduction in cases over this same time last year.
    However, experts caution we cannot become complacent in the face of such progress. As stated by the written declaration, global polio eradication still face challenges, particularly in delivering the vaccine to hard-to-reach and underserved children. Ongoing support and funding is needed from the European Union over the next several years to ensure a polio-free world.
    The authors of the declaration included the following ten Members of Parliament: Linda McAvan, Elmar Brok, Davor Ivo Stier, Enrique Guerrero Salom, Mairead McGuinness, Michael Gahler, Maria Heubuch, Louis Michel, Nirj Deva and Charles Goerens.
    Rotary launched its polio immunization program PolioPlus in 1985 and in 1988 became a spearheading partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative with the WHO, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rotary's partners in the GPEI supported efforts to have the written declaration passed, emphasizing to policymakers the broad impacts polio eradication will have, including $US50 billion in direct and indirect healthcare savings by 2035, and healthcare infrastructure which is already being used to address other health issues, such as Ebola.
    Rotary's roles within the GPEI are fundraising, advocacy, and social mobilization of volunteers. To date, Rotary has contributed more than $1.4 billion and countless volunteer hours to fight polio. Through 2018, every new dollar Rotary commits to polio eradication will be matched two-to-one by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation up to $35 million a year.
    About Rotary
    Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world's most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 34,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work improves lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. In 1988, Rotary was joined by the WHO, UNICEF and the CDC to launch the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Visit rotary.org and endpolio.org for more about Rotary and its efforts to eradicate polio. Video and still images will be available on the Rotary Media Center.
     
    EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PASSES WRITTEN DECLARATION ON POLIO 2015-06-11 05:00:00Z 0

    WATER SUMMIT URGES ROTARY MEMBERS TO INVEST IN YOUTH

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    Almost 200 million days of school attendance are lost every year because of the lack of proper sanitation. Many  diarrhea cases in children result from transmission of disease in schools rather than at home.
    “A school is a place where children should feel safe, not a place where they are susceptible to infection,” says Lizette Burgers, senior adviser of UNICEF’s Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools program.
    But the message at the World Water Summit on 4 June in São Paulo was positive: Rotary members and their clubs can make schools healthier places through programs that provide clean water and better sanitation.
    “WASH in Schools is about addressing the rights of the children. This forum can help us all learn how to provide a healthy, safe, and secure school environment,” said Burgers. “This will help ensure quality education, because healthy, well-nourished children can fully participate in schooling. It increases school attendance, because students have to spend less time traveling long distances to fetch water. And it encourages children to take pride in their school and community by providing them with a renewed sense of dignity.”
    The water summit, the seventh convened by the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group, focused on water, sanitation, and hygiene in schools and provided Rotary members with resources and tips for starting their own projects.
    Sushil Gupta, The Rotary Foundation’s WASH in Schools committee chair, explained that these projects aren’t just about investing in infrastructure and improving sanitation facilities. A successful WASH in Schools project is also about advocacy. Rotary members were encouraged, when considering a new project, to focus on hygiene education by finding ways to develop healthy behaviors in youths. Gupta said that children are generally more receptive to new ideas than adults are, and they can more easily change their habits and improve practices within families and their communities.
    “WASH in Schools is about revitalizing and bringing revolution in societies,” Gupta said. “These young children can become our agents of change, and help us reach our goal of a cleaner, better, and more educated world.”
    At a breakout session, Greg Allgood, vice president of World Vision, a leading nongovernmental provider of clean drinking water in rural areas of the developing world, discussed how Rotary members can develop more sustainable and effective WASH in Schools projects by partnering with NGOs and the private sector. With the support of Rotary-collaborated projects, World Vision helped more than 845,000 children gain access to clean water through $85 million in project funding in 2013 alone.
    Other breakout sessions focused on the basics of conducting a WASH in Schools program, the importance of changing behavior through hygiene education, and how to address sanitation needs in schools. Carlos Rossin, director of sustainability solutions for PricewaterhouseCoopers, also provided an update on São Paulo’s current drought and water resources issues.
    “Rotarians are dedicating their time and leadership to address the need for basic WASH in Schools programs, and the results are already inspiring,” said John Hewko, general secretary of Rotary International. “These programs create a cycle of opportunity. It reduces hygiene-related disease, it increases attendance in school, it enhances the learning environment, and it contributes to a student’s dignity. This is an opportunity for Rotary to showcase what we’re all about. And through your work, we will be impacting generations to come.”
    Learn more about the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group
    Follow all the coverage from the convention
    Go behind the scenes on Convention Insider
    By Megan Ferringer
    Rotary News
    7-Jun-2015
     
    WATER SUMMIT URGES ROTARY MEMBERS TO INVEST IN YOUTH 2015-06-11 05:00:00Z 0

    "Our Gift to Nepal" Fundraiser - SUCCESSFUL EVENT!!!

    Rotary eClub of Houston hosted a fundraiser for Nepal disaster relief on Jul 16 at Lee High School, Houston, Texas.   Rotary E-Club of Houston, TX, USA is working with Disaster Aid USA and other partners to provide help for the victims in Nepal.   A very special thank you to Wind Nguyen for organizing this event and also to his committee.  Rtn. Lizette Odfalk said, "Impressive! We could not have done it without your amazing leadership! "   Also, Rtn. Cristal Montanez said, "Congratulations to all of you for a wonderful, well organized and executed avery successful 'Our Gift to Nepal Fundraiser' event last night. The food was delicious, the photo booth was su much fun, and I love my new T-shirt!! Thank you to our Chairman Nguyen T. Nguyen and the organizing team for their hard work and determination in bringing together organizations, volunteers and performers and making sure that everything works timely and efficiently to help the people of Nepal.
     
    This details the events of the evening;
    6:00 pm: Greetings and Reception
    6:00 pm: Information Center - Information on Nepal earthquakes and avenues to help the disaster victims will be available. Attendants can meet and greet corporate and community sponsors.
    6:00 pm to 8:30 pm: Silent auction. Art and other treasured items auctioned.
    7:00 pm: Ceremony, Special Speakers
    7:30 pm: Entertainment. Music, dance, drummers, comedy acts, martial arts performances.
     
    PDG Ed Charlesworth was the emcee for this event and welcomed special guests including State Representative Gene Wu, DG Nick Giannone, Lee High School principal, Mr. Johnathon Trinh, Dr. Tara Nath Sharma, and Saras Paudel (Lee High School Graduate from Nepal). 
     
    Dr. Tara Nath Sharma is a well-known litterateur of Nepal. He is recognized as a travel writer, essayist and literary critic. Dr. Sharma has authored over 112 books in Nepali language.  He has been a writer of Nepali literature for over five decades.  Mr. Sharma has been received the Madan Puraskar Award 1969 for 'Belayat tira baralida' travelogue, Saajha Award 1972 for 'Sama ra samaka kriti' critic, and Aadi kabi Bhanubhakta award 2013.
     
    Saras Paudel led the audience in a special candle ceremony to honor the victims of the earthquake.  See photo below.
     
    The musical entertainers provided a world tour of talent and exposed out guests to a great cultural experience!  Some of the performers included: 
    Ryukyu Kingdom Festival Drums - choreography is created in Okinawa. It is a dynamic blend of traditional Eisa and Karate forms with contemporary influences incorporating both traditional folk music and modern rock music.
     
    A Nepali remix song performed by the Nepali Student Association of Houston and a Hawaiian dance group.
     
    The Texas Yuanji Dance Association is dedicated to the introduction of Yuanji Dance exercise to all people and to increase an awareness of Asian American culture.  A Yuanji Dance combines serene music and therapeutic movements to enlighten the person's mind, body and soul and was also performed at this event.
     
    In addition, a classical Vietnamese instrument orchestra, a Turkish singer, a 10-year old talented violinist, a Hindu (Odissi) classical dance and even more kept the audience intrigued.
     
    A Magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Nepal on April 25, 2015 killing more than 8,800 people and injuring more than 23,000. Hundreds of thousands of people were made homeless with entire villages flattened across the country. In addition, hundreds of aftershocks have occurred to date from this event, including a magnitude 7.3 earthquake and a magnitude 6.3 earthquake both on May 12, 2015, which further devastated Nepal.  

    Rotarians exemplify Rotary's motto of ''Service Above Self'' with local and international projects. Due to the major earthquakes that happened recently in Nepal, Rotary E-Club of Houston, TX, USA leads the  event “Our Gift to Nepal Fundraiser”. Corporate and community partners within the Houston city and beyond collaborate to raise funds to provide relief for the victims. 100% of the funds raised will be presented to Disaster Aid USA for their current efforts in Nepal. Disaster Aid USA will join forces with Disaster Aid International, Rotary Clubs in Nepal, and other non-governmental organizations around the world to provide immediate relief supplies and funding to help the victims of the earthquake. Other collaborating partners include: International Nepali Literary Society (INLS), Napalese Association of Houston (NAH), Vox Culture, Junior Chamber International - Houston, and Hashoo Foundation USA.
     
    Event Chairman Wind says,  "Thank you everyone for making this community fundraiser for Nepal a successful event. We could not have done it without your support. Please stay connected and continue making our Houston community stronger. Be the light and share your light with people around you. #LightUpRotary #GiftToNepal".
     
    The monies are not finalized, but the results already look quite good.  The following Rotary clubs in D5890 contributed as follows:  Houston - $10,000; West University Area  - $5,000; Memorial Spring Branch - $1,500.  Other donations amount to about $1405.00 and another donation specifically designated for a mobile clinic in Nepal amounting to $30,000.  That means, the efforts of the e-club of Houston fundraiser has already acquired about  $48,000. 
     
    Well done, Rotarians!
     

     
     
    "Our Gift to Nepal" Fundraiser - SUCCESSFUL EVENT!!! 2015-06-10 05:00:00Z 0
    Rotary Membership in the 21st Century - From RI Convention June 1st 2015-06-04 05:00:00Z 0

    Overview of the Rotary International Convention

    Rotary Brazil is proud to host the International Convention for the third time. But more than pride, what should bring all Rotary members to São Paulo is the OPPORTUNITY.

    It is a unique time to celebrate and debate at a global level. This is a time to exchange learning experiences and ideas, attend remarkable sessions, learn about new projects and, of course, have a lot of fun.

    In 2015 there will be 30 speakers, among them:

    Dr. Óscar Arias Sánchez, former president of Costa Rica and Nobel Peace Prize winner
    Dr. Geetha Jayaram, winner of the Rotary Foundation Global Alumni Service to Humanity Award in 2014-15
    Steve Killelea, founder and executive chairman of Integrated Research Ltd., of the Charitable Foundation and of the Institute for Economics and Peace

    All Rotary members are aware that the largest Rotarian projects need partners in other countries. The International Convention is the best opportunity for attendants to meet people of different cultures and ethnicities and form partnerships for their projects.

    Brazil’s greatest pop singer Ivete Sangalo will close the Convention with a great show in the Closing Plenary Session. The show is included in the registration and is open to all registered Rotary members.

    Register now and be part of another successful chapter of Rotary’s history in Brazil. Come join the debates and sessions, present your project and make new partners.

    Host Commission 2015:
    Convention Chair: José A. Pretoni
    Co-Chairs: Carlos J. S. Gueiros, Mario C. Camargo and José L. Toro
    Vice-chairs: Ronald D’Elia, Amilton Medeiros, José C. Carvalho

    Overview of the Rotary International Convention 2015-06-04 05:00:00Z 0

    POLIO ERADICATION UPDATE

    Posted by Terry Zigler
    Africa - It has been over 10 months since the last Polio case was reported in Somalia,  10 months for Nigeria, and over 11 months for Cameroon.  Can Nigeria, Somalia, and Cameroon go 12 months with quality surveillance detecting no Wild Polio Virus?  If so, they will join the countries which have stopped Polio transmission.  And if after an additional two years, no Wild Polio Virus has been detected, Africa could be certified as Polio - Free!
     
    Pakistan - No new Polio cases were reported in Pakistan this past week.  Two new environmental samples this week from the Karachi & Sindh, collected on May 5 & 11, tested positive for the Wild Polio Type 1 Virus.
     
    The Final Three Endemic Countries:
     
    Pakistan - 24 Polio cases reported in 2015 with 306 cases recorded in 2014  The most recent case was reported on 05/06/15 in North Waziristan, FATA.    
    Afghanistan - Three Polio cases reported in 2015 with 28 cases recorded in 2014. The most recent case was reported on 05/05/15 from the Gulestan District of the Farah Province.   
    Nigeria - Zero Polio cases reported in 2015 with 6 cases recorded in 2014.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14.  
     
    Importation Countries:
     
    Ethiopia - Zero Polio Cases reported in 2015 with 1 case in 2014.
    Cameroon - Zero Polio Cases reported in 2015 with 5 cases in 2014
     
    Somalia - Zero Polio Cases reported in 2015 with 5 cases in 2014.   
    Iraq - Zero Polio cases reported in 2015 with 2 cases in 2014
    .
    Syria - Zero Polio cases reported in 2015 with 1 case in 2014.
    Equatorial Guinea - Zero Polio Cases reported in 2015 with 5 cases in 2014.
       
     


     
     
    POLIO ERADICATION UPDATE Terry Zigler 2015-06-03 05:00:00Z 0

    Focus on Women as Entrepeneurs in Developing Countries

    Well done, Goldman-Sachs!   The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm that provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and high-net-worth individuals. Founded in 1869, the firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices in all major financial centers around the world.
     
    Economic development is a major focus area of Rotary International, too.  Nearly 1.4 billion employed people live on less than $1.25 a day. We carry out service projects that enhance economic and community development and develop opportunities for decent and productive work for young and old. We also help strengthen local entrepreneurs and community leaders, particularly women, in impoverished communities.
    Focus on Women as Entrepeneurs in Developing Countries 2015-06-03 05:00:00Z 0

    New Generations Helping "Plan Bee"

    Klein Forest High School PISA and Hashoo Foundation Help Promote United Nations MDGs in Pakistan
    Houston, TX.- The Klein Forest High School Pakistani Indian Student Association (PISA) held its 2015 Culture Shock Charity Show benefitting the Hashoo Foundation’s Women Empowerment through Honey Bee Farming project "Plan Bee" in Pakistan.
    Hashoo Foundation USA has provided PISA students with a platform to engage in sustainable honey micro-enterprises to help women become self-sufficient as they develop a compassionate and philanthropic perspective of the global community. Thus, helping promote three of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UN MDGs).

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    At the beginning of the Spring semester, under the leadership of sponsor Mr. Alvin Moses and Co-Sponsor Mrs. Michelle Hart, PISA students began the planning for the 2015 Culture Shock Charity Show.  In the picture below are PISA sponsor Mr. Alvis Moses, PISA co-sponsor Mrs. Michelle Hart, Klein Forest Interact members and volunteers the day of the Show.
    Hashoo Foundation USA set up a display of pictures of the beekeepers sponsored by PISA. The guests had opportunity to taste the "Plan Bee" honey produced by refugee women in Houston sponsored in part by the PISA students.
     
    The Culture Shock Charity Show was filled with live music performed by Klein Forest students from funky reggae to pop music. The talent and creativity of the performers amazed family members, staff and friends.  There were both solo and group performances including dance performances ranged from Pop and Bollywood to Belly dancing. Additionally, the fashion show featured beautiful fashions from Pakistan and Indian influences and styles.
     
    It was a very successful evening, a great example of discipline and commitment to philanthropy. The money raised by the Culture Shock Charity Show will support the Hashoo Foundation’s "Plan Bee" project in Pakistan. "Working with the Hashoo Foundation as PISA president has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. Being able to help so many people is an opportunity not many have, and both the Hashoo Foundation and PISA have helped me experience it. This foundation serves a great cause and is definitely something many should become a part of," said Zoya Ayaz.
     
    Cristal Montañéz Baylor, Hashoo Foundation USA Executive Director, stated, “We are very grateful to the PISA students for their commendable work and contribution to Hashoo Foundation to help alleviate poverty by empowering more women though honey bee farming and providing children with quality education in the remote areas of northern Pakistan.”
    100% of the funds donated by PISA are used to purchase beehives and productions kits (boxes and bees, bee suits, beekeeping gloves, bee smokers, hive tool, bee brush, uncapping knife).
     
    Hashoo Foundation mobilizes and trains the women (men), organized them in honey business groups and links them to profitable markets. Thus, enabling these beekeepers to earn a sustainable income to provide their families with better nutrition, basic health care and access to quality education.
    Project Background
    PISA has organized and executed its annual Culture Shock Charity Show at Klein Forest High School for the last thirteen years benefiting a variety of charities that have included aid for the Indian Ocean tsunami relief, Punjab earthquake relief, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and Texas Children’s Hospital.
    In 2011, PISA students under the sponsorship of Dr. Norman LaFave, partnered with the Hashoo Foundation USA to promote women empowerment and education in remote areas of northern Pakistan.  The following links highlight impact of the student’s contribution to date.
    2014 - Plan Bee Houston Honey Business Group Launched in Houston to Empower Five Women Refugees
    2014 - Houston Students Help Improve Livelihood of Women Beekeepers in Pakistan
    2013 - Students Invest in Honey Micro-Enterprises to Help Empower Refugee Women in Houston
    2013 - What an Amazing Show…Thank you Culture Shock Charity Show Team for Supporting Plan Bee!!
    2013 - Another Great Show by Klein Forest High School PISA Benefiting Hashoo Foundation's "Plan Bee"
    2013 - Students Partner with Hashoo Foundation USA to Help Empower Women through Honey Producing Micro-Enterprises
    2013 - Spring PISA Culture Show Charity Show to Benefit Hashoo Foundation
    2012 - PISA Culture Shock Charity Show Benefits Hashoo Foundation’s “Plan Bee”
    2011 - Houston Students Help Women Beekeepers Rebuild Their Lives
     
    A great service project undertaken by students at Klein Forest High School!  Thank you, Rtn. Cristtal Montanez Baylor (e-Club member) for sharing!  Cristal is the Executive Director of Hashoo Foundation.
    New Generations Helping "Plan Bee" Cristal Montañéz Baylor 2015-06-01 05:00:00Z 0

    The Domes of Africa

    Geometrica's domes and vaults are highly favored for a variety of uses, from raw material storage to worship venues. These long span structures appear from Tunisia in the north to South Africa in the, well,south, of this, the second largest continent in the world.
    Geometrica's exclusive Freedome® technology makes it possible to cover areas of any shape: circular, rectangular, or even freestyle. The structure may rise from the ground, or it may rest on material containing walls. A Freedome may be adapted to cover building courtyards or sloping mountainsides. There is no need for costly modifications to existing facilities; a Freedome can be designed to spring from them.
    Architectural Wonder in Ghana
    Aside from Geometrica's industrial and commercial application throughout Africa, some notable architectural feats have been developed. For instance, the “7th Wonder” of Ghana is located in sub-Saharan Africa.  For a while, the immense 14,000-seat auditorium spanning 59m sat roofless. No contractor in West Africa had the means to design a cover. It took Geometrica’s trademarked Freedome system to lay out a custom-geometry roof that replaced a conventional truss, where the size of every one of the tubes needed to be different. Using bar-coding, tracking and control of the parts quality at every stage in the production process, the  congregation's ambitious design became a reality.
    Now known as the Perez Dome, this gold-anodized aluminum-clad structure ranks among Geometrica’s portfolios of houses of worship countries around the world, including places as remote as Honduras and the Maldives.
     
    Mining in Mauritania
    The cradle of humanity, Africa also has some of the largest mineral reserves, including bauxite, phosphate, copper, gold, iron ore, zinc, limestone and coal. Top producers in the mining industry prefer Geometrica as their supplier based on the advantages not available from conventional structures: long span, light weight and ease of construction. Galvanized steel offers a clean, strong structure that needs a minimum of maintenance over the years.
    Mining is one of the Mauritania's the most important sectors to the national economy, including yields of iron ore, copper and gold. Geometrica designed and installed a circular mineral storage dome for Mauritanian Copper Mines spanning 68m. The Guelb Moghrein copper-gold operation is 100% owned by Mauritanian Copper Mines (MCM), a First Quantum subsidiary. The mine is located 250 kilometres northeast of the nation’s capital, Nouakchott, near the town of Akjoujt.
     
    Geometrica's software generates geometries exactly suited to specific building requirements, resulting in an inherent economy of the dome shape that conserves materials and eliminates wasted space. Freedomes are especially suited for established facilities that may be surrounded by roads or other buildings, making the construction of a new cover difficult. Geometrica can design a Freedome to fit the pre-existing shape of the area, eliminating the need to relocate the stock pile or build a new facility. Only Geometrica can provide this kind of versatility.
     
    Carthage Cement, Tunisia: Geometrica supplied three bulk-storage structures at Tunisia’s largest and most technologically advanced cement plant in Djebel Ressas. Carthage Cement required the design and installation of an immense, 300m longitudinal coal storage, a 200m longitudinal dome for additives storage, and a 90m circular limestone dome.
    To complete the plant, Carthage Cement entrusted FLSmidth (FLS), a global engineering company based in Copenhagen, to supply machinery and engineering. Turkish contractor, EKON, was FLS's partner for the civil works, including civil design, supply of structural steel and plate work, site preparation, plant erection. The civil work compares in scale to that required to build a small town.
     
    Since 1992, Geometrica has led the world in the manufacture and construction of bulk storage enclosures for the cement industry, specializing in domes and covers for the protection of limestone, clinker, coal, fly ash, and other raw material used in the production of cement and concrete. The domes are made of galvanized steel and/or aluminum and are lightweight, yet incredibly strong and durable. They are an "all-terrain" solution to brutal slopes, typhoon-force winds, corrosive saltwater and torturous snow loads, and can be economically installed in any topography.
    Geometrica has provided bulk material storage solutions for the cement industry throughout Africa, as described below.
      The environment, including its orchards, livestock and nature preserve, are protected through Freedome technology, and Carthage Cement helps Tunisia continue on its growth path. This tri-structure project helped create the plant infrastructure to spur over 400 direct jobs. Tunis, the national capital and source of 50 percent of Tunisia's cement demand, is now well supplied with product.
     
    Limestone in Lichtenburg, South Africa: The cement industry in the North West Province of South Africa is ever growing. Building materials producer Lafarge required the construction of two steel domes to cover limestone stockpiles at its Lichtenburg plant after production was being affected by rain.  Of course, cement manufacturers must insure their product has consistent properties over time. Geometrica's expertise in blending bed covers, limestone storage, homogenizing, and dust control made them the ideal candidate to design twin circular domes, which serve several purposes. Each protects the raw material from the elements, safeguards its chemical properties, and protects the surrounding landscape from dust and runoff.  UPS power is supplied for emergency lighting, and each dome is earthed and designed to withstand severe weather conditions and even lightning strikes.
     
    Engineering inguinity working across the globe to improve business, create economic development and jobs for locals to raise the standard of living in communities. 
    The Domes of Africa 2015-06-01 05:00:00Z 0

    How to Assist Flood Victims - The Houston Food Bank

    Posted by Helga Mattei
    Here's how you can assist the Houston Food Bank with disaster recovery:
     
    Donate Cleaning Supplies - These are our most-needed items right now.
    Donate by dropping off at our main warehouse on Portwall St or in the
    Red Barrel at your neighborhood grocery store.
    Volunteer at the Food Bank - Register to volunteer on our website or
    by calling Millie Jones at 713-547-8604.
    Make a Financial Donation - Please select either "Area of Greatest
    Impact" or "Disaster Response" under Available Programs.
    Host a Food Drive - Remember to ask your participants to include
    cleaning supplies in their donated items.
     
    Houston Food Bank
    535 Portwall, Houston, TX 77029 tel: 713.223.3700
     
    How to Assist Flood Victims - The Houston Food Bank Helga Mattei 2015-06-01 05:00:00Z 0

    2022- Houston will Host the Rotary International Convention!

    District Governor Lisa Faith Massey officially announced, "It is with great excitement and honor to announce that HOUSTON has been selected as the 2022 convention city!"
    This was a lengthy process that involved many people throughout our District and this selection could not have happened without their dedication to presenting Houston and District 5890 as the only choice for Rotary International.  I would like to thank PDG Rhonda Kennedy for her leadership as the Bid Committee Chair and all of the members of the committee  who worked tirelessly to make this selection possible.
    Rotarians this is just the beginning of our road to 2022.  Over the next six years we will be planning a convention that shows Rotarians from around the world exactly why Houston was not only the right choice but the only choice for the best International Convention possible.  District 5890, you are the best and we are going to be depending on you to help make this happen so when the time comes please volunteer your time and expertise by serving on one of the many committees that will be available.
    Again, congratulations District 5890 on being selected as the 2022 Rotary International Convention site!   

    Lisa Faith
    Lisa Faith Massey
    District Governor 5890
    2014-2015
     
    2022- Houston will Host the Rotary International Convention! 2015-06-01 05:00:00Z 0

    Pints (of blood) for Polio

    The Texas Gulf Coast After 5 club requests that you please save the date 6/11/15 for Pints For Polio.  It will be hosted at our club's hideout, Wurst Haus from 6-8 pm.
    Pints (of blood) for Polio 2015-05-31 05:00:00Z 0

    Blog: Dr. Shannon Kolakowski – Emotional Wellness: Seven Daily Signs

    From Psychology Tomorrow magazine -  (Issue #16)
    Have you ever wondered what it really means to be emotionally healthy? Have you ever wondered how your psychological well-being compares to others around you?

    When I meet new people in social settings, the conversational question of, “What do you do for a living?” often leads people to ask me the follow-up question, “So are you analyzing me?” While it’s said in a fun, playful manner, I think it speaks to a deeper question that all of us face.

    Am I emotionally healthy? Are my problems so much worse than what others are dealing with? How am I doing at life?

    I remember being a teenager and going to visit my aunt, a child psychologist, and having the eerie sense that she must be able to see right through me and into my problems. What I didn’t know then, which I now understand, is that emotional wellness isn’t really about the problems you have in your life – everyone has those. It’s more about how you approach the problems in life, and how much you’re able to embrace the parts of life you do love.

    This list is a guide to the most salient factors psychologists have found in people who are emotionally well. Most of us will continue to cultivate these qualities throughout our life, as opposed to ever reaching a point where we stop and say, “Okay, I’m done now – I’ve reached emotional wellness.” Here’s the list:

    1. You treat others well. Viewing other people with compassion and treating them with kindness is a hallmark of your own well-being. Psychologists call this prosociality. It means you tend to be sensitive to the needs and feelings of other people, and you think it’s important to help others. It’s basically the idea that you’ll lend a hand to someone in need – even if it’s as simple as returning a lost wallet to the front desk of a hotel lobby, or smiling and making friendly conversation with the person standing next to you in line.

    2. You like who you are. When you’re emotionally healthy, you generally feel pretty good about who you are. You know yourself – foibles, quirks and strengths and you’re okay with what’s inside. You’re also congruent: congruency means that the person you show to the outside world is reflective of who you are on the inside. While there are situations where you naturally shift your attitude or behavior a bit depending on the social situation (i.e., it’s normal to behave differently at a work luncheon then at a weekend picnic with friends), congruence means your overall sense of who you are feels in line with what you show others. It’s the opposite of feeling like you have to wear a mask or pretend to be someone you’re not. Instead, you’re able to be genuine with yourself and others. You feel like you’re living the life you want, not living the life that others want you to have.

    3. You’re flexible. People who have emotional wellness have an ability to adapt to all kinds of situations that life throws at us. You’re able to assess a situation mindfully – you notice your surroundings, your emotions and other’s reactions to a given situation – and then you use these factors to decide what the best course of action is. With colleagues, friendships, or your kids, flexibility is knowing that sometimes you need to talk things out, and sometimes it’s best to let a situation cool off. You stand up for yourself when need be, but you’re also able let others have the last word. You know how to have tough conversations and set boundaries, but you also know when to let things go. You approach life and relationships with an openness and sense of curiosity, knowing that you might need to adjust your course of action when one strategy isn’t working. Flexibility is the core component of current psychological treatments because it allows you to make decisions based on your values and to make choices that will serve you well in life.

    4. You hold gratitude for your loved ones. If you’re emotionally healthy, it’s likely you easily feel and show gratitude for the people and the things in your life. Holding gratitude is a way of purposefully looking at your life with a sense of appreciation for what you have, rather than focusing on what you are lacking. And indeed, research has shown that counting your blessings has strong benefits for emotional well-being.

    Showing appreciation for your loved ones is a key factor in relationship well-being. When you show gratitude, it means that your husband or wife, your kids, your parents – the people who matter to you – know you love them and feel valued by you. It doesn’t mean you don’t fight or say things your regret at times, and it doesn’t mean you always be have the perfect relationship. But when it comes down to it, you’re able to show unconditional love and affection for your family. You give hugs, warmth, appreciation and attention freely, and you share in your triumphs together.

    Next, emotional well-being depends on your receiving social support. We all need a nurturing, loving environment to thrive. This means you have people you can depend on, friends and family who have your best interest at heart. In your relationships, you feel safe to express how you feel and you feel respected and validated by those closest to you.

    5. You’re in touch with your emotions. Another sign of emotional wellness is that you embrace your emotions – sadness, anger, anxiety, joy, fear, excitement – as a natural and normal part of life. You handle and acknowledge your difficult emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them or by denying that your emotions exist. You know it’s normal to have periods of stress, you know how to manage and express yourself when you feel upset, and you know who you can go to get comfort or help. Your feelings of sadness, anxiety and fears – while acknowledged – also aren’t getting in the way of what you love to do. So if you’re afraid of flying or public speaking, you manage to take the flight or give the speech regardless. Emotional health comes from being able to label, acknowledge and accept tough emotions, but also move forward from them without getting stuck. This means you might get nervous before going on date, but you don’t let the nerves stop you from going out altogether.

    At the same time, savoring your positive emotions – reveling in those moments of pleasure, happiness and joy when they come your way – is also linked to well-being.

    6. You have meaning in your life. Leading a purposeful life is about having a passion, a mission or larger meaning to your life. This happens when you use your strengths to help something you believe in. It might be volunteering with kids, being involved in politics, being an active part of your religious group, contributing to your neighborhood or child’s school, or competing in a marathon or triathlon for a good cause. Regardless of the cause, being part of something you connect with and care about is largely associated with well-being, and volunteerism is even associated with living a longer life.

    7. You value experiences more than possessions. The final component is considering the types of values you have in life. People who tend to highly value attaining wealth, popularity, or attractiveness tend to be less well-off emotionally than people who value self-fulfillment and being there for others. This means that while you might have goals for career and financial security, you also may highly value time with your family and friends. Additionally, people with high levels of well-being tend to spend their money on experiences, like going to a concert or going on a trip, rather than material possessions such as clothes or furniture. Experiences may be more meaningful than possessions because they lead to shared experiences and bonding with people, help you enjoy the beauty in the world and cultivate the positive emotions that come with new experiences.

    So the mystery is revealed – emotional wellness is no longer elusive, vague or daunting. And to answer the dinner party question – no, I’m not analyzing you. I’m just enjoying our conversation with my psychologist thinking cap off, and at the most I’m deciding if we might become good friends.

    Dr. Shannon Kolakowski

    For more by Shannon click hereFollow Shannon on Twitter, Facebook, or visit her website to learn more about her upcoming books on relationships and dating.

    First published in The Huffington Post Healthy Living Blog on August 9th, 2013.

    Blog: Dr. Shannon Kolakowski – Emotional Wellness: Seven Daily Signs 2015-05-29 05:00:00Z 0

    Visiting Greeter - Jeetendra Sharma - RGHF Editor in Chief

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    Have you played your part for Doing Good in the World? Have you done your bit to Light Up Rotary?
     
    As we enter into the final month of this Rotary Calendar year, these are the questions we should be asking ourselves and making another attempt to meet or exceed our goals.
     
    Many of our readers would be getting ready to travel and attend the 2015 Rotary International Convention being held in Sao Paulo, Brazil between 6th and 9th June 2015. A great occasion to meet Rotary leaders and friends from all over the globe. We wish you safe travels!
     
    Rotary regards,
     
    Jeetendra Sharma
    Editor in Chief - RGHF's Our Foundation Newsletter
    Visit www.ourfoundation.info for the current issue (in PDF format), please click on the month, next to the "new" icon.
    Visiting Greeter - Jeetendra Sharma - RGHF Editor in Chief 2015-05-29 05:00:00Z 0
    Quote of the Week 2015-05-29 05:00:00Z 0

    Sao Paolo - RI Convention House of Friendship - e-Clubs

    Joint Club meeting , “live” from the House of Friendship, BOOTH 264
     
    ROTARY E-CLUB 9920 FRANCOPHONE / ROTARY E-CLUB of D.4420 (Sao Paulo)
     
    On ZOOM.US / join a meeting-rejoindre une réunion / 345 918 163
     
    Tuesday, June 9th , 2015           Le Mardi 9 Juin 2015
     
    8pm, France time, “Live” from the “HOUSE of FRIENDSHIP”/ 20h00, heure de France, en direct de la « MAISON de l’AMITIE »
     
    Sao Paolo - RI Convention House of Friendship - e-Clubs 2015-05-29 05:00:00Z 0

    WASRAG @ Rotary International Convention

    The RI Convention is the most exciting event in Rotary's annual calendar.  If you are packing your bags for Sao Paulo, be sure to schedule some time with WASRAG.  We've got lots of great events lined up for you!

    A highlight will be World Water Summit 7.  This year's theme of WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) in Schools is one of the most exciting trends in humanitarian service.  It's an all-day session on Thursday June 4th and we still have spots available.  Go to WWS7 for more information and to register.
    Even if you can't join us at the Summit, there are lots of other opportunities to learn more about WASH.  We have some great Breakout Sessions scheduled:
    Mexico WASH+ Initiative:  Sunday June 7, 2.00 - 3.00 pm,
    Palacio das Convencoes, Modular Room 3.
     
    WASH in Schools 101:  Monday June 8, 1.00 - 2.30 pm, Palacio das Convencoes,
    Modular room 4.
     
    Changing Behaviour - What Does It Mean and How Do We Do It?
    Monday June 8, 4.00 - 5.30 pm, Palacio das Convencoes, Modular Room 4.
     
    Strategies for Developing a Global Grant for WASH:
    Focus on Mali, Uganda and Mexico
    Tuesday June 9, 2.00 - 3.30 pm, Palacio das Convencoes, Auditorium 8.
    If you are a WASRAG member, please join us for the Annual General Meeting.  Non-members are welcome too.
     
    When:  Saturday June 6th
    Time:    9.15 - 10.15 am
    Where:  Ipe Branco Room, Holiday Inn, Parque Anhembi, Sao Paulo.
     
    And remember to come and visit us in the House of Friendship.  You'll find us at Booth 246.
     
    Travel safely - we look forward to seeing you!   
     
    WASRAG @ Rotary International Convention 2015-05-29 05:00:00Z 0

    Sao Paolo - Wine Fellowship Events at Rotary Convention

    This is an update to our events in Sao Paulo. These events are filling up and once we get to the convention they will be sold out – so please make your reservation now. Note: We selected the best wines available at each venue and they are included in the meal prices along with the tax and gratuity.

    1. Friday, 20:00 (8 PM): “From the Galley” Restaurant. Gourmet French Cuisine prepared by internationally known chef Ton Vasconcelos, paired with superior international wines. Lifetime Members Only. Limited to just 20 guests. $154 USD per person, inclusive (food, wine, tax and gratuity). This is very special, well worth the expense! Register and pay at: http://www.fromthegalley.com.br/o_from.php. Note: There is a special registration page just for RWAF. Make sure you click on the Rotary Emblem at the top of the page to get to our own registration view. There are still a few seats available. Dress code: Business casual.

    2. Sunday, 21:30 (7:30 PM): Cooking Class with Ton Vasconcelos in his home. Learn how to prepare a 5-course gourmet meal. Limited to 8 Attendees. $130 USD per person, inclusive (served with two wines). Bring an extra bottle of something special if desired. Register and pay at http://www.cookingschool.com.br Note: There is a special registration menu pick just for RWAF. Make sure you click on the words “Rotary Club” in the red banner on the page to get to our own registration view”. SOLD OUT. Dress code: Casual.

    Sao Paolo - Wine Fellowship Events at Rotary Convention 2015-05-29 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Please Check My Blog 2015-05-29 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Why Blog?

    Why you should listen
    Neil Pasricha never imagined that writing about the smell of gasoline, thinking it’s Thursday when it’s really Friday, or wearing underwear just out of the dryer would amount to anything. A self-described “average guy” with a typical 9-to-5 job in the suburbs, Neil started his blog 1000 Awesome Things, as a small reminder — in a world of rising sea levels, global conflict, and a troubled economy — of the free, easy little joys that make life sweet.
    He certainly didn’t anticipate that his site would gain a readership of millions of people, win two Webby Awards (“the Internet’s highest honor” according to The New York Times), be named one of PC Magazine’s Top 100 Sites On the Internet, or become a place where people from around the world would come to celebrate the simple pleasures of daily life. His just released first book The Book of Awesome has become a #1 International Bestseller and The Book of Awesome 2 came out in Spring, 2011.
    What others say
    “1000 Awesome Things might be described as optimism for the rest of us. Sunny without being saccharine, it’s a countdown of life’s little joys that reads like a snappy Jerry Seinfeld monologue by way of Maria Von Trapp.” — The Vancouver Sun
     
    Weekly Program - Why Blog? 2015-05-29 05:00:00Z 0

    CELEBRATE 2015-16 DISTRICT 5890 GOVERNOR/OFFICERS INSTALLATION JUNE 26 AT SAFARI TEXAS RANCH

    Tonight is the kick-off of the new Rotary Year with a wonderful installation gala at Safari Texas Ranch for incoming District Governor Dr. Nick Giannone, First Lady Fabiola Giannone, and your 2015-16 team of District officers!  Some Rotarians in Northwest Houston are carpooling from the office of Dr. Ed Charlesworth leaving at 5:30 pm.  The event begins at 6:30 for fun and fellowship with a tasty appetizer table and cash bar.  At 7:00 p.m. begins the delectable seated dinner, featuring Safari Salad, Beef and Chicken Marsala, with potatoes, mixed vegetables, rolls, tea, coffee, and two bottles of wine (1 white/1 red).  As you top it all off with Chocolate Decadence Cake, the installation program will begin, which will be followed by dancing from 10:00 p.m. until you’re ready to call it a night. Now it's too late to register, so hope you are already on the list to attend.   Don't forget your tickets.
     
    CELEBRATE 2015-16 DISTRICT 5890 GOVERNOR/OFFICERS INSTALLATION JUNE 26 AT SAFARI TEXAS RANCH 2015-05-28 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Meet the Founder of Blogging

    Mena Trott and her husband Ben founded Six Apart in a spare bedroom after the blogging software they developed grew beyond a hobby. With products Movable Type, TypePad, LiveJournal and Vox, the company has helped lead the "social media" revolution.
    Why you should listen
    Time's 2006 Person of the Year is "You," which is to say, everybody: "The many wresting power from the few and helping one another for nothing." The tools of this revolution have come in no small part from Six Apart, a 2002 startup that helped enable the blogging boom with its products. And co-founder Mena Trott, who rose to Internet fame with her own blog, DollarShort, has become a strong voice explaining the role of personal blogging in today's culture.
    Trott and her husband Ben developed Movable Type for their own use in 2001, but it became immensely popular and they dove in full-time. By the time they were preparing their blog-hosting service TypePad, investors were knocking on the door. In 2004, the company grew from seven employees to 50, with Mena Trott serving as chief executive, as well as an interface designer. Today, having acquired LiveJournal and introduced rich-media sharing platform Vox, Six Apart's software gives online voice to millions of people and organizations worldwide.
    What others say
    “Like Ms. Trott, Vox is unpretentious and accessible. ... She increasingly has the attention of elder statesmen who are baffled by the rise of blogging and need help in 'getting it.'” — The Economist
     
    Enjoy this Ted talk from August, 2006:
     
     
    Weekly Program - Meet the Founder of Blogging 2015-05-28 05:00:00Z 0

    Disaster Relief for Rotarians Affected by Recent Flooding in Houston

    Our local news reports over 4,000 homes have been damaged due to Houston's historic rains Monday night & we know that some Rotarians have suffered damages. Rtn. Lindsey Kroll and Rtn. Irene Hickey are helping out a fellow Rotarian in our district with housing following the flooding event.   PDG Ed Charlesworth has offered home hosting for any Rotarian who has suffered damage to their homes during the recent flooding & storms.  For more details, you can contact PDG Ed Charlesworth at charlesworth@stresscontrol.com or (281) 469-6395.

    Also, District 5890 leadership & Disaster Aid USA are working on additional disaster relief & additional details will be forthcoming.
    Thanks PDG Ed for your kind offer, truly "Service Above Self".

    If there are other Rotarians willing to offer assistance or home hosting, please let us know. 
    Disaster Relief for Rotarians Affected by Recent Flooding in Houston 2015-05-28 05:00:00Z 0

    A LIFE CHANGING TRIP TO NICARAGUA

    I hope you will join us for our August, 2015 trip to Nicaragua. We will be  leaving from Houston on Wednesday August 5,2015 on United flight # UA1421, at 6:10 p.m. and arriving in Managua at 8:25 p.m.
    We will return from Managua on Tuesday August11th on United flight # UA1423 leaving Managua at 7:15 a.m. and arriving in Houston at 11:40 a.m.
     
    Getting group rates for tickets has gotten increasingly difficult.  People are coming from so many different places and usually you can get much better prices on line than we can get as a group rate.  So we are asking everyone to buy your own tickets directly but, you must coordinate your arrival and departure to match within an hour or so of the United flights shown above.  I know that American and some others have flights through Miami which closely match this schedule.  The ground travel, meals and hotel charges will be $640.00 per person (double occupancy in hotels). Add $200.00 per person if you require a private room. We will co-ordinate all of this as we always have in the past. If you will be on flights other than these United flights Please send me a copy of your tickets so that we will know when to meet you. Payments and sign-up sheets for this should be sent to:
     
                Hope & Relief International Foundation, Inc.
                10700 Gerke Rd.
                Brenham, Texas 77833
                      Fax  979-836-0614
     
    We will schedule everyone on a first come, first served, basis as of the date we receive your payment.  No one will be scheduled before payment is received.  Attached is a reservation form which should be sent in by everyone, with the information and your payment. Please provide ALL the information. In order to secure all the hotel reservations we need to have your registration by July 5,2015 or we will not be able to be sure that we can have hotel reservations for you.  
    A LIFE CHANGING TRIP TO NICARAGUA 2015-05-28 05:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Night at the ASTROS

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    THE ROTARY DAY AT MINUTE MAID PARK
    SATURDAY, MAY  30th ASTROS VS WHITE SOX AT 3:10 PM
     
    Join us at Minute Maid Park for Rotary Day at the ballpark. Rotarians  and their guests are invited to an exclusive reception inside Champions Pavilion, which overlooks the ballpark and provides a unique view of the Downtown Houston skyline. Food and drinks will be available to Rotarians and their guests.
    Help Rotary eradicate Polio worldwide.
    *District Governor Lisa Massey will be throwing out the first pitch!
    Come early to get your George Springer Jersey giveaway to first 10,000 fans. (See attached)
    For more information about Rotary Night at Minute Maid Park, contact:
    David Frishman at 281.391.2147 or david.frishman@davidfrishmanlaw.com
     
    Rotary Night at the ASTROS 2015-05-27 05:00:00Z 0

    Installation of Officers - June 20th

     
    Rotary e-Club of Houston Installation 2015-2016 Officers
        Saturday, June 20 at 11:00am in CDT
        11407 Hylander, Houston, TX 77070 (home of PDG Ed Charlesworth and Robin Charlesworth)
     
    Our installation of officers will be conducted by AG Wally Kronzer and it will be a joint installation for the Rotary e-Club of Houston and the Rotary Club of Houston NW Sunset.  The lunch will be catered by Soto's Cantina, owned by Rtn. Juan Soto in the Houston NW Sunset Club.  Rtn. Dree Miller  has issued an invitation to club members so please remember to rsvp.  Since we have food to be catered we must know how many are attending.  Hope to see you this coming Saturday!
     
    Installation of Officers - June 20th 2015-05-21 05:00:00Z 0

    Memorial Day Weekend in the USA

    Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States of America. Over two dozen cities and towns claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it’s difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day.
    Regardless of the exact date or location of its origins, one thing is clear – Memorial Day was borne out of the Civil War and a desire to honor our dead. It was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11. “The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,” he proclaimed. The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle.
    On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there.
    The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war).
    It is now observed in almost every state on the last Monday in May with Congressional passage of the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 – 363). This helped ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays, though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19th in Texas; April 26th in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10th in South Carolina; and June 3rd (Jefferson Davis’ birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.
     
    Thank you to all who have served! 
    Memorial Day Weekend in the USA 2015-05-21 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - You've Got a Friend 2015-05-21 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Leadership, Happiness & Hospitality

    When the dotcom bubble burst, hotelier Chip Conley went in search of a business model based on happiness. In an old friendship with an employee and in the wisdom of a Buddhist king, he learned that success comes from what you count.  Our speaker, Chip Conley, creates joyful hotels, where he hopes his employees, customers and investors alike can realize their full potential. His books share that philosophy with the wider world.
     
    In 1987, at the age of 26 and seeking a little "joy of life," Chip Conley founded Joie de Vivre Hospitality by transforming a small motel in San Francisco’s seedy Tenderloin district into the now-legendary Phoenix. Today, Joie de Vivre operates nearly 40 unique hotels across California, each built on an innovative design formula that inspires guests to experience an "identity refreshment" during their visits.
     
    During the dotcom bust in 2001, Conley found himself in the self-help section of the bookstore, where he became reacquainted with one of the most famous theories of human behavior -- Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which separates human desires into five ascending levels, from base needs such as eating to the highest goal of self-actualization, characterized by the full realization and achievement of one’s potential. Influenced by Maslow's pyramid, Conley revamped his business model to focus on the intangible, higher needs of his company's three main constituencies -- employees, customers and investors. He credits this shift for helping Joie de Vivre triple its annual revenues between 2001 and 2008.
     
    Conley has written three books, including his most recent, PEAK: How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow, and is at work on two new ones, Emotional Equations and PEAK Leadership. He consults widely on transformative enterprises, corporate social responsibility and creative business development. He traveled to Bhutan last year to study its Gross National Happiness index, the country's unique method of measuring success and its citizens' quality of life.
     
    What others say:
    “Chip Conley is that rare breed of CEO who possesses both a brilliant business mind and a very big heart. He’s a true role model for anyone who wants to lead.” — Gavin Newsom, Mayor of San Francisco
     
    Weekly Program - Leadership, Happiness & Hospitality 2015-05-21 05:00:00Z 0

    Friendship Exchange - South African Rotarians in District 5890

    When our South African friends, Roger and Brigette, first arrives, Elaine Combs and her husband Paul were their host family for the  3 nights.  Highlights on their tour of Greater Houston included the San Jacinto Battleground and the Battleship Texas.  A tour of the Houston Medical Center and the downtown tunnel system was followed by a tour of the Karbach Brewery.  Service projects which were spotlighted included the Northwest Assistance Ministries and Brookwood Community for adults with disabilities.  A Texas steak was served at the Taste of Texas restaurant. 
     
    They transferred to the Brenham Rotary Club and from there toured the Bush Library and the Texas A&M University's Veterinary School of Medicine for Large Animals.   Rotarians Wendy Yates and Becky Bosse handled that portion of it.  They spent three nights in the Brenham/Washington County area.  The only thing I removed, sadly, is the tour of the Blue Bell plan:(
     
    Returning to Houston they went to a Houston Astros baseball game. G.V. and Bhuvana will host them the last 3 nights.  Then they head to Galveston for a fishing trip, then we hit the road for their add-on trip to Colorado.  Elaine hosted them in Galveston where they enjoyed bay fishing and a tour of the Strand. 
     
    Lindsey Kroll (Houston Rotary Club) and Irene Hickey (University Area Rotary Club) will continue to escort our guests through Fredericksberg, Texas en route to Colorado.    Ed and Robin will be hosting in Lake City, CO for three nights at their lodge.  Irene and Lindsey will also take them to Crested Butte, Colorado Springs (Air Force Academy, Pikes Peak Railroad tour, and Valley of the Gods) and then end the exchange trip in Denver.
     
    Rotary Friendship Exchanges are really a great way to travel and make new friends across the globe! 
    Friendship Exchange - South African Rotarians in District 5890 2015-05-21 05:00:00Z 0

    Special Report: THE WORLD SUMMIT: END SEXUAL EXPLOITATION 2025 – MAY 11TH & 12TH 2015

    Posted by Vivian Smith
    Rtn. Vivian Smith attended the "World Symposium on Stopping Sexual Exploitation  held at the Carter Center with President Carter as the Convener along with Rotary International President-Elect Ravi who attended  for the 2 days and also addressed the  group.  Here is a brief summary prepared by Vivian to share some news from the symposium:
     
    This summit was held at the Carter Center in Atlanta Georgia. The Conveners were Rotarians Against Child Slavery and the Carter Center.  We had speakers from Dublin, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Canada  and Great Britain.  A plea was made from some of the survivors that in our planning we must not ignore the fact that victims over the age of 18 were probably exploited when they were children and MUST be viewed as victims.  Our visitor from Ireland explained that for certain reasons she ran away from home and finished up on the streets of Dublin, sleeping on a park bench. As a youngster the offer of a place to live seemed a better alternative at the time – only to finish up in HELL.
     
    We heard many stories of survival from former victims and the fact that they are all now working to rescue victims from their predators.
     
    The representatives from Sweden and Norway explained the Nordic /Swedish Model. This addresses the demand for commercial sex which is the key component of any plan to prevent sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. The law in both countries is to pursue the buyers –( “john’s) and prosecute them to the greatest extent of the law including incarceration. If there were no buyers the trade – which is in the billions of dollars – would disappear.
     
    A stunning and thought provoking and disturbing address was presented by Professor Gail Dines on the pervasive damage that pornography is doing to our young men. She showed examples of the Hard Porn  which is available on line. It depicts the violence which can accompany sexual degradation of women. This is corrupting our young male population to commit these heinous acts in the name of sex.
     
    We were divided into groups and I attended the Business group. It was stated that participants in “Sex for Sale” , if convicted can harm the Corporate Brand. The use of Company computers  to view pornography or arrange  meeting with sexual victims is taking away from the work which should be addressed and costing companies money.
    One amazing study found that sexual meeting s were mainly arranged at 2 p.m. for time after work.
    Our President – elect of Rotary International K.R. “Ravi” Ravindran addressed the Summit and stated that he had no idea of the extent of this problem until he heard the presentations and vowed that Rotarians would become more involved.
    President Carter was a gracious host and an avid supporter of this work
    Finally – please do not refer to victims as prostitutes  although used as a verb it means “To sell) nor as a Sex worker. These are human beings who are being hideously exploited. One recommendation was that in any program a survivor should be included.
    Special Report: THE WORLD SUMMIT: END SEXUAL EXPLOITATION 2025 – MAY 11TH & 12TH 2015 Vivian Smith 2015-05-21 05:00:00Z 0

    Results of the T-Shirt Contest

    Dear Rotarians,
     
    Five proposals for club T-Shirt were received (see attached e-document).
     
    On Saturday May 16th, our Board of Directors reviewed the proposals. Design #2 from fellow Rotarian Vivian Smith and design #5 from fellow Rotarian Wind Nguyen were favored.
     
    It was proposed to have a polo shirt instead of T-Shirt and design #5 to be modified to a polo shirt with elements from design #2. Rtn Wind will design the polo shirt and send to the club for approval.
     
    Yours in Light Up Rotary,
    President Sofka
    Results of the T-Shirt Contest 2015-05-21 05:00:00Z 0

    Did you Know? Rotary has a Blog

    The Rotary Blog is called Rotary Voices - Stories of Service from around the world.  All you need to do is enter your email address to follow this blog and then you will receive notifications of new postings by email.  Join the 2,617 folks already engaged with this method of sharing our Rotary stories.  The stories are archived and include the following topics:
      TOPICS
    Aiding disaster recovery
    Building community
    Developing leaders
    Empowering youth
    Eradicating polio
    Fighting disease
    Growing local economies
    Promoting peace
    Providing clean water
    Saving mothers and children
    Supporting education
    Uncategorized
     
    If you want to share an article, it can easily be with Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, Linkedin, Google, Tumbir, email, etc.
     
    Something new to explore our common interests as Rotarians with social media and to experience more feel good moments as you take pride in your membership of such a generous and committed service organization.
    Did you Know? Rotary has a Blog 2015-05-14 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - What we Think we Know

    Why you should listen
    Jonathan Drori has dedicated his career to media and learning. As the Head of Commissioning for BBC Online, he led the effort to create bbc.co.uk, the online face of the BBC (an effort he recalls fondly). He came to the web from the TV side of the BBC, where as an editor and producer he headed up dozens of television series on science, education and the arts.
    After almost two decades at the BBC, he's now a director at Changing Media Ltd., a media and education consultancy, and is a visiting professor at University of Bristol, where he studies educational media and misperceptions in science. He continues to executive produce the occasional TV series, including 2004's award-winning "The DNA Story" and 2009's "Great Sperm Race." He is on the boards of the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Woodland Trust.
     
    Starting with four basic questions (that you may be surprised to find you can't answer), Jonathan Drori looks at the gaps in our knowledge — and specifically, what we don't about science that we might think we do.  Enjoy! - TED2007 · 12:28 · Filmed Feb 2007.
     
     
    Weekly Program - What we Think we Know 2015-05-14 05:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Nora York singing "What I Want" 2015-05-14 05:00:00Z 0

    District 5890 Membership Meeting - May 18th

    The scheduled Membership Meeting has been changed from May 25th (Memorial Day) to the following:
     
    Meeting Date & Time:  This Monday, May 18th, at 6:30pm (6:00pm, if you want to order food)
     
    Venue:    Los Tios Mexican Restaurant   
                    4840 Beechnut St.   
                    Houston, Texas 77096  
                    713-660-6244
     
    Growing Rotary enables us to do more good in our communities and the world.  Attendance at this D. 5890 Membership Meeting is also a great opportunity to bond with your club's Area Membership Chair (AMC).

    Henry Buchanan, Rotary Club of Harrisburg - Topic - "The Competition" - Learn the details about a membership/attendance contest per point values assigned to various Rotary activities..... and about "the prize" awarded to the winning team!  
     
    Jon McKinnie, District 5890 Membership Co-Chair - Topic - "What's in a Number?" - How our district membership growth numbers compare with other clubs in our zone. Great News!  Additionally, the most recently available membership materials will be presented.
     
    Thank you clubs for your effort per membership growth and retention!   
     
    We look forward to the attendance of at least one (1) representative from your club!  
     
    Yours in Rotary service,
    Ann Wright
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair, 2014-15
    713-647-8400
    awright_tmg@yahoo.com
     
              and
                        
    Jon McKinnie
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair, 2014-15
    713-315-0220
    jmckinnie825@yahoo.com
     
     
                   
     
    District 5890 Membership Meeting - May 18th 2015-05-14 05:00:00Z 0
    Inventive Minds at Work 2015-05-14 00:00:00Z 0

    WEEKLY PROGRAM - NEPAL'S EARTHQUAKE DISASTER

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    DIsasterAid USA is a Rotarian Operated Project. We provide shelter, clean water systems, tools, mosquito nets and other items to survivors of disasters.  DAUSA also partners with others to provide water filtration projects wherever needed.  We vow to be completely transparent and welcome inquiries about how we use donations. We are partnered with Disaster Aid Australia, and Disaster Aid UK and Ireland.
    Our boxes are blue and yellow to  better reflect our Rotary roots and connections, and equipped with wheels and handles for easier movement; they are sturdy and not susceptible to breakage.
    OUR TENT
    The tent was designed by an experienced DART Team Leader based on his experiences out in the field and the needs he saw there. For example, many cultures  require a distinct separation of sleeping areas for women and children, especially in disaster zones where they are particularly vulnerable. Our tent provides three separate areas, each with its own entry with privacy and mosquito screening.
    Tent material:
    Google “Oxford tent material”- you will find that it is a preferred material for this type of tent because it is durable yet lightweight. Ours is 210D Oxford material with a waterproofing factor of PU4000mm and silver coated UV50 protection.
    Most relief tents are designed with sleeping areas on each side and a hallway down the centre. This makes it difficult for children, or the elderly for example to sleep while other family activities are going on. Our sleeping area is designed to be completely separate from the living area.
    Many relief tents are stifling hot during the day; we have made the whole front section able to be rolled up as you see in the sample photo so that combined with the other two doors on either side there is a constant airflow. All the doors are netted for mosquito protection.
    NEPAL SITUATION REPORT:
    After a week of disastrous earthquake, people are still waiting for food and shelter; most of them are from remote hard-to-reach areas. Humanitarian reliefs are still beyond the reach especially in remote villages of Kavre, Sindhupalchok and Nuwakot districts where the earthquake hit the most. It is said that in Sindhupalchok only, the casualties might reach about 5,000. In this area, even after 9 days of earthquake, 2 men and 1 woman are rescued.
     
    Rotary Club of Butwal supported with tent, mat and food to Baireni Village-4.
    ICA Nepal and Rotary Rudramati delivery food and logistics at Kallerai, Gagan Pani.
    Banepa Leo Club and Rotaract Club of Kavre Banepa providing food and tent in villages of Kavre and Sindhupalchok.
    Activities by RC Kavre Banepa/Rotaract Kavre Banepa:  Medicine supplies and food distribution in Bhimtar Village.
    Rotary Madhyapur offering food feeding for 1000 people. Also,Health camp and medicine (Taiwanese medication): Distribution of mineral water
    Rotary Club of Dang deployed 4 medical team to Gorkha.
    Rotary Club of Dhangadhi send medical team to Gorkha.
    Rotary Club of Baglung providing relief materials in earthquake affected area in Baglung.
    Rotary Club of Mahaboudha distributed food and tent in Sindhupalchok.
    Activities by Rotaract Club of Dhulikhel:
    Earthquake relief materials distribution at Chapabot, Baluwa, Panchkhal in collaboration with Aid for Nepal. The relief package was specially focused for lactating women of this village. Around 64 packages among 178 families were distributed. Package consists of rice, cooking oil, salt, biscuits, warm clothes and tent.
    Disaster Aid is in communication with organisations in Nepal, to work out what aid they require from us and the most effective way of delivering it, given the transport challenges.
    As we know from heartbreaking media reports, access is extremely difficult and indications are that as well as non-perishable food items, safe water and shelter are the vital aid items. And it is those latter two where we can provide effective assistance, just as we recently did in Vanuatu* and before that, in the Philippines (where, in both countries, our work goes on.)
     
    Food in Daily Life. Many Nepalis do not feel that they have eaten a real meal unless it has included a sizable helping of rice. Most residents eat a large rice meal twice a day, usually at midmorning and in the early evening. Rice generally is served with dal, a lentil dish, and tarkari, a cooked vegetable. Often, the meal includes a pickle achar, made of a fruit or vegetable. In poorer and higher-altitude areas, where rice is scarce, the staple is dhiro, a thick mush made of corn or millet. In areas where wheat is plentiful, rice may be supplemented by flat bread, roti. Most families eat from individual plates while seated on the floor. Though some urbanites use Western utensils, it is more common to eat with the hands.
     
    Conventions regarding eating and drinking are tied to caste. Orthodox high-caste Hindus are strictly vegetarian and do not drink alcohol. Other castes may drink alcohol and eat pork and even beef. Traditionally, caste rules also dictate who may eat with or accept food from whom. Members of the higher castes were particularly reluctant to eat food prepared by strangers. Consequently, eating out has not been a major part of the culture. However, caste rules are relaxing to suit the modern world, and the tourist economy is making restaurants a common feature of urban life.
     
    Etiquette
    The customary greeting is to press one's palms together in front of the chest and say namaste ("I greet the god within you"). Men in urban areas have adopted the custom of shaking hands. In the mainstream culture, physical contact between the sexes is not appropriate in public. Although men may be openly affectionate with men and women with women, even married couples do not demonstrate physical affection in public. Some ethnic groups permit more open contact between the sexes.
    Hospitality is essential. Guests are always offered food and are not permitted to help with food preparation or cleaning after a meal. It is polite to eat with only the right hand; the hand used to eat food must not touch anything else until it has been thoroughly washed, for saliva is considered defiling. When drinking from a common water vessel, people do not touch the rim to their lips. It is insulting to hit someone with a shoe or sandal, point the soles of one's feet at someone, and step over a person.
     
    Medicine and Health Care in NEPAL
    Infant mortality is high, respiratory and intestinal diseases are endemic, and malnutrition is widespread in a country where life expectancy is fifty-seven years. Contributing to this situation are poverty, poor hygiene, and lack of health care. There are hospitals only in urban areas, and they are poorly equipped and unhygienic. Rural health clinics often lack personnel, equipment, and medicines. Western biomedical practices have social prestige, but many poor people cannot afford this type of health care. Many people consult shamans and other religious practitioners. Others look to Ayurvedic medicine, in which illness is thought to be caused by imbalances in the bodily humors. Treatment involves correcting these imbalances, principally through diet. Nepalis combine Ayurvedic, shamanic, biomedical, and other systems.
    Although health conditions are poor, malaria has been eradicated. Development efforts have focused on immunization, birth control, and basic medical care. However, the success of all such projects seems to correlate with the education levels of women, which are extremely low.
     
    Animal Survivors Rescued in Nepal
    The devastating human toll of the Nepal earthquake has been well documented, but the quake also wreaked havoc on many animals, which will make the return to normalcy for people that much harder.
    In rural Nepal, domestic animals are traditionally kept below the house, which means many were killed when their homes collapsed. So many rural survivors of the quake are now without a primary source of food and income.  Many of the animal survivors, including pets, are left with no one to care for them. They're in need of the same assistance as humans: food, water, and shelter.

    Humane Society International has dispatched a rescue team to provide emergency veterinary aid and care for the earthquake's animal survivors, including  baby goats, cows, and dogs.  The society and other relief organizations, such as the Animal Welfare Network of Nepal in Kathmandu, are working to provide the basic necessities to both people in Nepal and to their livestock and pets.  Their work also benefits the human survivors, many of whom have a close emotional bond with their furry companions and would go to great lengths to save them.  "People are willing to put their own lives at risk to stay with their companion animals," said Joann Lindenmayer, senior manager of disaster operations at Humane Society International. "They're family members."
     
    Tourism and Mount Everest Base Camp
    Analysis: Richard Galpin, BBC News, Kathmandu
    At the moment the Nepalese government is refusing to officially announce that there will be no more climbing on Everest this year.
    It knows it would be an unprecedented move because it would be the second year in a row. 
    Climbing Mount Everest this season is "almost impossible" because the routes have been damaged by avalanches triggered by last month's earthquake, officials in Nepal say.  They warn that it will take time for the routes to be remade.   At least 19 people were killed in the avalanches.
    Closing the mountain could have implications for the country's vital tourism industry of which mountaineering and trekking are major parts.
    Those climbers who had wanted to continue their Everest expeditions will be frustrated, while many of the teams will want their permits carried over to next year, which will mean a loss of revenue for the government.  A senior official had also told the BBC earlier that they wanted to normalize the situation in the country as quickly as possible after the earthquake to minimize the damage to the tourism industry.
    The government appears to be leaving the decision about scaling Everest to individual climbers - 357 were registered for this climbing season.
    The government says much of the rescue work after the quake is over, and the remaining operations can be handled mostly by local teams.
    But it says that it will require huge international support for reconstruction and rehabilitation.  More than 4,000 aid workers from around the world have been helping with relief and rescue operations.
     
    NASA and Rescue Operations
    “NASA technology plays many roles: driving exploration, protecting the lives of our astronauts and improving—even saving—the lives of people on Earth,” David Miller, NASA’s chief technologist, said in a press statement. “FINDER exemplifies how technology designed for space exploration has profound impacts to life on Earth.”  A technology developed by NASA and the US Department of Homeland Security designed to save people trapped by debris in natural disasters has been used in the field for the first time. FINDER (Finding Individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response) lived up to its name, locating and saving four people trapped under rubble for days after the 7.8 earthquake in Nepal.  FINDER is a radar machine that sends a continuous microwave signal through the rubble, and can detect a human’s breathing or heartbeat (and distinguish it from the movement of an animal). It can locate people hidden behind 20 feet of solid concrete or buried beneath 30 feet of rubble, and the person doesn’t need to be conscious to be detected. It was deployed with search and rescue teams to Nepal on April 29, four days after the earthquake struck. It had been tested many times before, but had yet to be implemented in a real-life emergency.
     
    Rotarians always are eager to help, yet we are not "First Responders".  Our resources may be committed to supporting immediate needs for shelter by donating to Disaster Aid or ShelterBox, or supporting the Red Cross or other recognized organizations.  Our major role will be planning redevelopment and reconstruction projects with Global Grants.   Our e-club of Houston is planning toward a fundraiser in mid-July to raise funds for Nepal.
     
    WEEKLY PROGRAM - NEPAL'S EARTHQUAKE DISASTER 2015-05-07 00:00:00Z 0

    Getting to Know You...

    Vivian Smith - Probably holds the record in our e-club for most Rotary International Conventions attended with 27 to date and I'm sure more to come.  She has traveled to all 50 states in the USA and all continents with the exception of Antarctica.  She transcribed her father's Diary from the First World War  which told of his service at Gallipoli and later in France.  She was born in the U.K. and now lives in Georgia (USA).  Married to PDG Barry Smith.  Vivian assembled a cookbook, " Tried and True Recipes", mainly for family but did sell 5 copies at the Rotary Ball Fund Raiser.  Also, she is interested in genealogy and has compiled three books of the History of the Ellis and Smith Families. (Ellis is her maiden name)
     
    Lizette Ödfalk  - Previously a member of another e-club in India, Rotary eClub of D3170, India 2010-14.  She may hold the club record for having been a members of the most Rotary clubs:  
    - San Antonio Stone Oak RC (D5840,TX) 2008-09
    - Ithaca RC (D7170): 2006-08 Intl.Chair & Editor
    - Mansfiled RC (D5790,TX): 2001-03 Editor
    - Gainesville RC (D6790,FL): 2000-01 Editor 
    - Goteborg-Vinga Rotary Klubb (D2367,Sweden):  1997-2000 Charter Member, Intl. Chair & President Elect.
    Liz has attended two Rotary Days at the United Nations.  She is from Mexico City and married to Carl Odfalk who is Swedish.  She is a Certified Medical Interpreter at Memorial Hermann Hospital.
    Getting to Know You... 2015-05-07 00:00:00Z 0

    T-Shirt Design Contest for e-Club Houston Active Members

    Between now and May 15, 2015, Rotary E-Club of Houston is accepting submissions for t-shirt designs for our E-Club. Show off your creativity and enter the E-Club T-Shirt Contest and your design could be chosen as the official Rotary E-Club of Houston, TX T-Shirt.
    One free T-shirt will the new design will be provided to the current members of the Rotary E-Club of Houston, TX on June 20, 2015 during the Installation of 2015-2016 Officers, if they will provide their T- shirt size to President Sofka by May 16th, 2015.
    T-Shirt Design Contest Guidelines
    1st Place – This design will be featured as the official Rotary E-Club of Houston, TX t-shirt.
    2nd Place – This design will receive recognition item
    3rd place - This design will receive recognition item
    Deadline: May 15th, 2015
    Winner will be chosen and announced on May 16th, 2015.
    Here are the rules:
    1. Design will appear on the front and/or back of the shirt or only on the front of the shirt, in color and may not to exceed 11” wide, 12” high.
    2. The design must include a reference to Rotary E-Club of Houston, TX as well as the T-shirt style and color.
    3. Your design must be wholly original. By submitting a design you are guaranteeing that you hold rights to everything in it and that it does not contain any copyright material.
    4. It’s best if you create your design in Photoshop or Illustrator or another professional design program. Submit entries as medium resolution JPEG or pdf files. Please be prepared to submit the original Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop file in the case your artwork is chosen. Design must be easy to reproduce by silkscreen. We reserve the right to make adjustments to the winning design.
    5. Entries must be received by May 15th, 2015 and sent to President Sofka.
    6. All entry emails should have the subject line “T-shirt Design Contest”.
    7. Include your name, and telephone number.
    8. Entries become the property of Rotary E-Club of Houston, TX.
    We will be announcing the winner on May 16, 2015. By submitting you are agreeing to all contest rules.
    T-Shirt Design Contest for e-Club Houston Active Members 2015-05-07 00:00:00Z 0

    Announcements - Active Members of e-Club Houston

    *Our next BOD and General meeting will be held on May 16, 2015 from 11:00AM till noon (CT) in the Rio Ranch Restaurant (9999 Westheimer Houston, TX 77042
     
    *Installation of 2015-2016 Officers on June 20th, 2015
     

     
    Announcements - Active Members of e-Club Houston 2015-05-07 00:00:00Z 0

    Club Leadership Training - May 9th

    ATTEND ROTARY DISTRICT 5890 ASSEMBLY THIS SATURDAY, MAY 9 - It's from 8am - 1pm at HCC Southwest Campus on the West Loop (5601 West Loop South). ALL ROTARIANS are invited, and it is especially important for next year's officers to attend. It provides training for most leadership positions and even includes a PETS makeup session. Register now at http://tinyurl.com/q4amz8m (cost $15 in advance, $20 at door). Please do let your Club President know that you are attending.  See ya'll on Saturday!
    Club Leadership Training - May 9th 2015-05-07 00:00:00Z 0

    Cody Stephens Go Big or Go Home Memorial Foundation

    On May 6, 2012, Cody Stephens was a few weeks from graduating from Crosby High School, and looking forward to showing his pig, steer and lamb at the Crosby Fair and Rodeo in June. He was also excited to be headed to Tarleton State University on a football scholarship, and working to stay in good physical condition to be prepared for college football practices.

    At 6’9″ and weighing 289 lbs, he seemed to be in perfect health, and had no idea that he had a fatal heart problem. On that Sunday afternoon, Cody came in, kicked back in his dad’s recliner, clicked the TV on, said he was tired and dozed off for a nap. He never woke up but died in his sleep, from Sudden Cardiac Arrest. This was something that we had never heard of and had no idea that young, seemingly healthy children were at risk of, with relatively few or no warning signs.
     
    The purpose of this foundation is to provide assistance to the students of Texas School districts to implement a ECG screening program, to help implement and facilitate improved physicals to middle and high school student athletes, to include education and raise awareness of Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) among young seemingly healthy students. The foundation is endorsing the availability of low cost ECGs as a part of sports pre-participation physicals for all athletes and available to all students if requested. The foundation also supports Crosby High School with academic scholarships for graduates to attend a college or university.
     
    Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. If this happens, blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs.  SCA usually causes death if it’s not treated within minutes.Warning signs and symptoms of a heart condition:
    Fainting or seizure during or after physical activity or resulting from emotional excitement, emotional distress or startle.
    Chest pain or discomfort/racing heartbeat.
    Unexplained fainting or seizures.
    Unusual shortness of breath, fatigue.
    Dizziness or lightheadedness during or after physical activity.
    Family history of heart disease, unexpected sudden death during physical activity or during a seizure or any other sudden, unexplained death of a healthy family member under age 50.  For more information, please visit www.parentheartwatch.org .
     
    How often should my child's heart be checked/screened?
    Your child's heart should be checked/screened at least every two (2) years, unless he/she is exhibiting any signs and symptoms (see below).  Keep in mind that some heart conditions are congenital (from birth) and others are acquired (i.e., virus, medication).  Your screening is only a brief snapshot of the well being of your heart health. Saving Young Hearts advocates that all children and teens be screened a minimum of every two years.
     
    During the Rotary District 5890 District Conference 2014 (yes, on the cruise ship), Rtn. Scott Stephens of North Shore Rotary Club, shared his story and his ambition to prevent deaths of unsuspecting athletes due to heart defects which could be identified with ECGs.  Yesterday, I heard Scott interviewed on the radio show Houston Standard 88.7 on the third anniversary of his son's death.  Many schools are onboard with the expanded physicals already.  There are at least two bills working in Austin at this time - HB 767 and SB 602.  Scott says, "Seems pretty easy to me, as a parent who lost my hero to sudden cardiac arrest.  I want our student athletes to have the opportunity to receive a physical enhanced by an ECG screening and I’m willing to Go Big or Go Home to see that it happens!  Pass Cody’s Law, Screen ‘em all!  Cody doesn’t need any more teammates in heaven.  I will no longer accept the things I cannot change; I will change the things I cannot accept."
     

     
    Cody Stephens Go Big or Go Home Memorial Foundation 2015-05-07 00:00:00Z 0

    Fundraiser for NEPAL by Nepal ESE Association of Houston

    Nepal Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund Concert
    ​Date: May 8th 2015, Friday
    Time: 7:30PM - 8:30PM​ Dinner: Nepali dinner will be served​ ​(Please be advised that there will be no dinner after 8:30PM)
    Venue: Taj Hall (5615 Savoy Dr, Houston, TX-77036)
    Donation Price: $25 (adults), $15 (age 6 - 12), Free for age below 5​
    http://www.nepaleseassociationofhouston.org/community/community-news/nepalearthquakedisasterrelieffundconcert
    Fundraiser for NEPAL by Nepal ESE Association of Houston 2015-05-07 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Brandi Carlile - "The Story" 2015-05-07 00:00:00Z 0

    POLIO PLUS UPDATE

    Africa - It has been over 9 months since the last Polio case was reported in Somalia,  almost 10 months for Nigeria, and over 10 months for Cameroon.  If Nigeria can go 12 months with quality surveillance detecting no Wild Polio Virus, they will join the countries which have stopped Polio transmission.  And if after an additional two years, no Wild Polio Virus has been detected, Nigeria could be certified as Polio - Free!

    Liberia and Sierra Leone have both conducted Polio and Measles vaccination campaigns during April and May.  These are the first campaigns conducted in these countries since 2013 (due to the Ebola outbreak).  Polio staff in these countries continue to assist in the Ebola outbreak response efforts    
     
    Pakistan - One new Polio case were reported in Pakistan this past week.  A new environmental sample this week from Quetta, Balochistan and Lahore tested positive for the Wild Polio Type 1 Virus.
     
    The Final Three Endemic Countries:
     
    Pakistan - 23 Polio cases reported in 2015 with 306 cases recorded in 2014  The most recent case was reported on 04/20/15 in the Khyber, FATA.    
    Afghanistan - One Polio case reported in 2015 with 28 cases recorded in 2014. The most recent case was reported on 01/21/15 from the Hilmand Province.   
    Nigeria - Zero Polio cases reported in 2015 with 6 cases recorded in 2014.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14. 
    POLIO PLUS UPDATE 2015-05-06 05:00:00Z 0

    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

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    Dear Rotarians and Guests,
     
    On June 20th, from 11:00AM CT till 2:00PM CT, we will have our club ceremony for installing 2015-2016 officers following with lunch and fellowship.
     
    Please join us in this event to recognize outstanding contributions, honor the new officers and directors as well as to acknowledge the officers they succeed.
     
    The event will be held in the house of Dr. Ed and Robin Charlesworth in 11407 Hylander, Houston, TX 77070.
     
    Below is the Leadership 2015-2016 for our Rotary e-Club of Houston, Texas
     
    Officers
    President Elect                                       Michael Mebes
    Secretary                                                Martine Stolk
    Treasurer                                                Mike Miller
     
    Directors
    Membership                                            PN Dree Miller
    Membership Committee                          Tatijana Berardi               
    Director - New Generations                     Wind Nguyen
    Director – International Service               Helga Mattei
    Director – International Service               John Caruso
    Director – International Relations            Sukru Sen                                           
    Publicity/WebSite/Newsletter                   PP Robin Charlesworth
    Public Relations                                        Liz Odfalk
    Service                                                     PDG Ed Charlesworth
    Rotary Foundation Chair/Polio Plus         PP Linda Caruso
    Fundraising                                              Wind Nguyen
    Interact & Rotaract                                   Wind Nguyen
                                                   
    Yours in Light Up Rotary,
    President Sofka
    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Sofka Werkmeister 2015-05-06 05:00:00Z 0

    Getting to Know You.....

    Tidbits  as we build better friendships with each other in our e-club:
     
    Martine Stolk - She enjoys birdwatching!
     
    Jim Wells - Plays senior basketball at the Texas Senior Games, and in February a three on three tournament at the Brazos Valley Senior games in College Station - "we had some pretty tough competition! We had to play the number two nationally ranked 60 plus team - the Ball Hawgs -twice. We lost to them by 7 in the first game and by 12 in the final round, but we did capture the silver medal."  Keep playing, Jim!
     
    Mache Perez-Hidalgo - Congratulations on your recent graduation from Universidad Iberoamericana de Ciencia y Technologia UNICIT!
     
    Brandt Smith - Enjoys a good game of racquetball!
     
    Olga Bautista - Lives the Rotary motto of "Service Above Self" - serves lunch at Loaves & Fishes Soup Kitchen.
    Getting to Know You..... 2015-04-30 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Skin (Sarabeth) by Rascal Flatts 2015-04-30 00:00:00Z 0

    Coming Soon - Beer Fest sponsored by Katy Rotary Club May 1-2

    Beer Lovers Gear Up For Big Event That
    Gives Back To The Community

    By Melanie Saxton

    David Loesch once attended a Brew Fest in Breckenridge, Colorado that raised money for foster homes. The concept of “fun for a cause” resonated deeply, and he thought it would be an awesome idea for the City of Katy. Three years ago he arranged the first Katy Wild West Brew Fest that drew 1,700 people. The second year attracted 2,700 and more than 4,000 the third year!

    The growing popularity of the Brew Fest required a new location to accommodate an anticipated capacity crowd of 7,000 this year. The 2015 event will be held at Katy Mills Mall between Bass Pro Shop and Sun and Ski. This allows fans to enjoy an abundance of craft brews and then conveniently walk to a nearby hotel if they wish (discounted for the event).

    Launch Party: Show Me Your Taps!

    The 2015 Launch Party kicks off May 1 and will feature new and unique beers that can’t be found anywhere else in town. These special on tap brews are exciting, such as Karbach’s Single Barrel aged in Jack Daniels single barrels. Saint Arnolds will debut a special cask. No Label is brewing up something special with its Don Jala­peño. Fort Bend Brewing is bringing a limited release “heavy” brew. This is an opportunity to enjoy some “one off” beers with the brewers themselves. On May 2, fans can return for one more day at the ever-popular Brew Fest.

    In fact, beer lovers will enjoy an astounding 220 beers from 110 brewers, from Angry Orchard to Fruli to Magic Hat to Pedernales to Spoetzl to Wyder’s Cider — a dream come true for those who crave unique craft beers. Notably, the Feb. 25 issue of the Houston Chronicle heralded the most popular beers across the Lone Star State and all will be featured at the Brew Fest:

    • Saint Arnold Divine Reserve Series
    • Buffalo Bayou Secessionist Series
    • Karbach FUN Series
    • Don Jalapeño Ale
    • Blood & Honey
    • Devil’s Backbone
    • Deep Ellum IPA
    • Fire Eagle American IPA
    • Boxer’s Revenge
    • Old Bat Rastard
    • Black Crack

    A Booming Industry Gives Back

    According to the Brewer’s Association, small and independent American craft brewers make a big economic impact. Beer moves through the three-tier system (breweries, wholesalers and retailers) and includes all non-beer products such as food and merchandise sold by pub restaurants and brewery taprooms. In 2012, the craft brewing industry contributed $33.9 billion to the U.S. economy and more than 360,000 jobs.

    Locally, the popularity of craft beer creates an opportunity to give to charities and other organizations such as Brookwood Community, Rain­bow Room and Casa de Esperanza. “Our main mission is to support organizations that really try to look after kids — kids who want to do well in life but may have economic obstacles or family situations to overcome,” says Loesch. Brew Fest recently supported the Katy ISD FFA Auction by purchasing three steers, four pigs and three goats and gave all the meat to local food pantries.

    It supports Katy ISD scholarship commitments, extracurricular organizations, campus clubs and the annual “Take Me Fishing Day” at Hutsell Elementary. Other beneficiaries include Katy Christian Ministries, the Annual Rotary Katy Toy Drive and the Katy Freedom Pavilion remembering 9/11. Loesch notes that Mayor Fabol Hughes and the city councilmen are 100 percent on board, as well as 300 volunteers who make the nonprofit Brew Fest event possible. To date, $115,000 has been donated back to the community.

    It isn’t just beer that draws people to this event. Music definitely ramps up the festive atmosphere, and crowds have come to expect popular artists. This year is no exception. JT Hodges and Curtis Grimes will perform great Texas country music under the stars. Both have won multiple awards and have held the No. 1 Texas Country Single several times. Two additional bands, Kaos and Horizon, will entertain the daytime crowds and play at the after party.

    Notable Sponsors

    The Wild West annual craft beer tasting event is sponsored by the Katy Texas Rotary Club. Loesch is a member and notes that Rotarians are great people who generously support worthy causes. Other sponsors in­clude the City of Katy, Beer Connoisseur Magazine, Katy-Fulshear Lifestyles & Homes, 93Q Country, Cane Island, Karbach Brewing, No Label Brewing, Jack Daniel’s No. 7, Loesch Luxury Properties, H-E-B, Chef Martinez, Flemings, 3 Olives, Bistro 829, Babaloo, Texas Mesquite, Frontier Title, Blizzard Blaster, Total Foot Care, Toyota Lift of Katy, Houston New Home Team, Light It Right, Farmer’s Insurance, Papa Murphy’s, Yummy Dog Gourmet Sausage, ER Katy, Extreme Offroad Performance, Frontier Title, Your Total Foot Care Specialist, HoustonsEagle.com, ReMax, Seavers Landscape, Aspen Leaf Design, BB&T, Blizzard Blas­ter, Don McGill Toyota of Katy, HomeWatch Caregivers, SWBC Mortgage, Wrights of Texas, Ace Hardware Cinco Ranch, Brock Orthodontics, Brookwood, Pepper Lawson Construction and Sowell, Alavares & Walls. Additional sponsors may sign on before the event commences.

    Visit katybrewfest.com to order your tickets and discover more about this annual celebration. You can also connect on Facebook with 6,000 other fans! The experience will be amazing for those who simply want to mingle and sample beer, as well as aficionados and diehard hobbyists who avidly seek the newest products offered by craft breweries. See you there!

    Coming Soon - Beer Fest sponsored by Katy Rotary Club May 1-2 2015-04-30 00:00:00Z 0

    North Shore Rotary's 40th Annual Catfish & Crawfish Boil & Auction

    May 16th join in the fun, fellowship, and personal reward of being a part this great fundraiser to be held at the North Shore Rotary Pavilion located at 14560 Wallisville Road, Houston, 77049.  Food service begins at 11:00 am and the live auction starts at 12:30 pm.  There will also be a terrific Silent Auction.  This is always a highly successful event and a model event of successful fundraising.  You can even order your food "To Go"! 
    North Shore Rotary's 40th Annual Catfish & Crawfish Boil & Auction 2015-04-30 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Is a vaccine for cancer possible?

    Published on Oct 27, 2014 - TedxTalk
    This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Sonia Trigueros designs novel nanostructures capable of delivering drugs directly to a targeted area of the human body. This revolutionary technology may be able to treat everything from antibiotic resistant bacteria to cancer.
    Sonia Trigueros’s research focuses on the design of novel nanostructures to target DNA biomolecular motors and DNA conformational states in dividing cells, specifically cancer cells. She is developing nanomedicines to tackle bacterial antibiotic resistance. A PhD in molecular biology from IBMB-CSIC and Universidad de Barcelona, Trigueros was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard and Oxford, and a research visitor to many academic institutions including NIH-Washington and Havana University. She is an associated professor at the Physics Department and co-director of the Oxford Martin Institute of Nanoscience for Medicine at University of Oxford.
     
     
    Weekly Program - Is a vaccine for cancer possible? 2015-04-30 00:00:00Z 0

    Gotomeeting Scheduled April 30th (Thursday)

    Dear Fellow Rotarians from Rotary E-Club of Houston, TX USA,
     
    We will be having our catch-up online Rotary E-Club BOD and General meeting on Thu, Apr 30, 2015 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM Central Daylight Time.
    Here are the connection details (please download GoToMeeeting software):
     
    Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
    https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/148727893
    You can also dial in using your phone.
    United States : +1 (571) 317-3122
    Access Code: 148-727-893
     
    This meeting is called due to cancellation of the meeting scheduled last Saturday when we had tornadic weather.  Hope you can join us tomorrow!
     
    Kind regards,
    President Sofka
    Gotomeeting Scheduled April 30th (Thursday) Sofka Werkmeister 2015-04-30 00:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    "You don't need another Human Being to make your life complete, but let's be honest. Having your wounds kissed by someone who doesn't see them as disasters In your soul, but cracks to put their love into, Is the most calming thing In this World.”
    ― Emery Allen
    Quote of the Week 2015-04-29 00:00:00Z 0

    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

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    Dear Fellow Rotarians of the E-Club of Houston, TX,
     
    Rotary International is an international service organization whose stated purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders in order to provide humanitarian services, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.
     
    We know that Rotary International can’t accomplish anything without people.  People are doing the good work for the people that need our help.   As the past Rotary International President Ron Burton stated in his final address in Sydney “Being a Rotarian isn't about our own achievements, it isn't about our own careers, it really isn't about us at all. It's about the people we help.  At the end of the day, the only thing that matters in Rotary is how much better the world becomes because Rotary is in it."
     
    Look at the great things our club has done for our communities and at places we have never visited in the short period of existence of only 14 months. I added the activities and projects completed by you since July 1st, 2014 in the document “Humanitarian footprint of E-Club of Houston” posted on our WebSite in the section “Home Page Download Files”. So while we may not have the luxury like other Rotary clubs of a meal together with all club members, the work of our club is impressive.
     
    I want to say “thank you” for being part of this amazing and vibrant club.
     
    Yours in Light Up Rotary,
    President Sofka
     
    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Sofka Werkmeister 2015-04-28 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Aid to Nepal - Rotarians Eager to Help

    Posted by Vivian Smith
    I was attending District 6900's District Conference in Jekyll Island, Georgia. Saturday morning we were honored to have the CEO of MAP International - a non-profit organization which ships medical supplies  which are donated by numerous pharmaceutical companies as our Speaker. The headquarters are located in Brunswick Georgia, just across the bridge from Jekyll Island.

    Saturday evening our DG Alicia Michaels made the announcement of the devastating earthquake which had struck Nepal. MAP International had a container  ready to be shipped with $2.1 million dollars of medical drugs on board. The one problem it was going to cost $25,000 to ship them by air.
    The largest club in the District donated $5,000 and challenged the rest of the clubs to also donate.  Sunday morning it was announced that $28,500 had been donated.
     
    And that, my friends, is how Rotarians are eager to assist those in crisis. 
    Rotary Aid to Nepal - Rotarians Eager to Help Vivian Smith 2015-04-28 00:00:00Z 0

    Summary Report of the District Conference 2015

    Posted by Martine Stolk
    Highlights from the plenary sessions at the District 5890 conference 2015 in New Orleans
    The plenary sessions on Friday April 16 and Saturday April 17 were filled with great speakers. Below is a summary of some of these presentations.
    Hank Moore talked about how Rotarians inspire each other, which results is significant global impact. In line with his new book about Houston legends, he stated that Rotarians have the quality of legends within them; we have a significant impact on communities, and we do it from the heart, not for recognition.
    RI President’s Representative Allan Jagger shared examples of how a Rotarian’s idea is being embraced and implemented by a group of fellow Rotarians, resulting in global impact. Share your ideas, together we can realize them! He further talked about the fact that Rotary membership is dwindling in North America, Japan and Australia, it is steady in Europe, and other geographies are growing. Every year Rotary welcomes more than 120,000 new members, but loses more than that. The average club size is currently at 34 members. RI needs to change to appeal to younger generations, they like making contributions instead of joining a club, and communication needs to be adjusted to catch their attention.
    Darren Hightower of the Children’s Music Foundation shared the amazing work they are doing with and for children. They for instance hand out guitars at Ronald McDonald houses and teach children to play. This brings enormous joy to the children, who go through very difficult phases in their lives, and it is proven that the brains of people who play music are different, resulting in a higher success rate.
    Melissa Williams shared the work she is doing with Read 3 Zero to bring books in children’s lives. The ultimate goal they work towards is to get children to write, and to get their work published. They organize book signing events for these children, to celebrate their success. 
    Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia talked about his challenges to keep Harris County safe. He for instance uses technology (an app) to minimize the impact of the reduced number of officers due to budget cuts. He also explained that about 30% of the people in Harris County’s jails suffer from some form of mental issue. Texas is among the states who spend the lowest amount of money on mental health care. After 30 days in a correctional facility people for instance lose Medicaid, and therefore access to their medication. They have to reapply and requalify, which in quite a few cases is unsuccessful and results in recidivism.
    Irene Hickey presented the data on sex trafficking in Houston, which is the highest in the nation. This impacts American women as well as women from other geographies. The huge amount of money that this activity generates makes it difficult to fight. The task force Irene is leading is currently identifying options on how Rotary can help.
    Besides these thought provoking presentations and discussions there of course were the Second Line Band Escort through the city, a boat ride on the mighty Mississippi, great meals with friends, a pub crawl in the French Quarter, and the Governor’s Masquerade Ball.  And as always, great fun and fellowship with fellow Rotarians throughout our great district!
    Summary Report of the District Conference 2015 Martine Stolk 2015-04-27 00:00:00Z 0

    Welcome new Members!

    We welcome our new members Siyka Nikolova and Stoyan Nikolov. Stoyan is a business owner and Siyka is a health manager. They are excited and happy to join Rotary.
     
    Welcome new Members! 2015-04-24 00:00:00Z 0

    Polio Update

    Two Polio Workers Killed in Garowe, Somalia - Four UNICEF colleagues were killed in the attack on a UN vehicle in Garowe, Somalia on 20 April. Among them were two staff working in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative - and for some, our cherished friends - delivering Polio, Routine Immunization and Communication programs in Somalia. Payenda Gul had been a polio eradicator since 1999, working to protect children in Afghanistan, Nigeria and Somalia. Brenda Kyeyune had joined the team in 2014, working to make sure communities are engaged in polio eradication. The commitment of these colleagues to achieving polio eradication and improving children’s lives was tested in the most challenging circumstances and they were never found wanting. They are true heroes. This is a tremendously difficult time but we are deeply thankful for their accomplishments, and remember them with respect and gratitude.
     
    Rotary Books for the World Shipping Containers to be used for Polio Campaign  - Two shipping containers used to ship donated books from the Houston, TX based literacy project Rotary Books for the World, will be used as immunizations centers in Pakistan soon.  A total of 14 containers filled with books and teachers supplies have been shipped to Rotary Clubs in Pakistan since 2012, including eight to the Hashoo Foundation in Islamabad, five to Karachi, and one to Lahore.  The other containers have been used for medical clinics, libraries, community hospital support rooms, and for a canteen for children with special needs after the books were unloaded.
     
    Iraq - A 5-day nationwide polio immunization campaign targeting 5.8 million children began in Iraq on 12 April. It is over a year since the last case of polio had onset of paralysis in Iraq, and the new campaign aims to vaccinate every child under 5 throughout the country.    
    Africa - It has been over 8 months since the last Polio case was reported in Somalia,  over 9 months for Nigeria, and over 9 months for Cameroon.  If Nigeria can go 12 months with quality surveillance detecting no Wild Polio Virus, they will join the countries which have stopped Polio transmission.  If after an additional two years, no Wild Polio Virus has been detected, Nigeria could be certified as Polio - Free!   
     
    A Polio-Free Pakistan - No new Polio cases reported in Pakistan this past week.  Strategies are focusing on clearly identifying reasons for missed children, and on strengthening independent monitoring to provide a clearer picture of immunization quality gaps.
     
    The Final Three Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - 21 Polio cases reported in 2015 with 306 cases recorded in 2014  The most recent case was reported on 03/17/15 in the Khyber, FATA.    
    Afghanistan - One Polio case reported in 2015 with 28 cases recorded in 2014. The most recent case was reported on 01/21/14 from the Hilmand Province.   
    Nigeria - Zero Polio cases reported in 2015 with 6 cases recorded in 2014.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14.  Sub-National Immunization Days were completed on March 14-18 using trivalent vaccine.
     
    For the first time in recent history, there have been NO new Polio Cases reported for two consecutive weeks.
    Polio Update 2015-04-24 00:00:00Z 0

    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

    Dear Fellow Rotarians,
    I became a Rotary member in late 2011. Over the past four years, I have seen how small group of individuals can accomplish big things together changing the lives of the people in their community as well as in places around the world they never have visited.
    Our club is young, just chartered in February last year; however, our commitment to one another, to our communities, to our District and to our International Rotary leadership is strong. I witness this commitment during each meeting, e-mail exchange, phone calls, and conversations among club members. 
    Rotary International President Gary Huang has chosen “Light Up Rotary” as our International theme this year. President Huang states “The Rotary way is to light a candle. I light one, you light one, 1.2 million Rotarians light one. Together, we light up the world.”
    We have still two months in this Rotarian year.  Let’s finish it strong.
    There are four areas of focus for our club this year
    1. Membership – deliver on our membership plan of action as presented to our District Governor Lisa Faith on July 19th, 2014.
    2. Club Administration – build a solid club administration to ensure club’s future growth
    3. Service – Increase volunteer opportunities for our membership
    4. Donations - Our generous donation to The Rotary Foundation will support projects in our communities at home and around the world
    When I accepted the position of the club’s president in June 2014, I gave you my commitment to uphold to the ideals of Rotary and to support each individual member of our Club. I’m looking forward to your inputs and suggestions on how to make the rest of this Rotarian year a memorable and fulfilling year for you.
    Yours In Light Up Rotary,
    President Sofka
     
    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 2015-04-23 00:00:00Z 0

    DISTRICT 5890 MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING - APRIL 27th

    Meeting Date & Time:  This Monday, April 27th, at 6:30pm (6:00pm, if you want to order food)
     
    Venue:    Los Tios Mexican Restaurant   
                    4840 Beechnut St.  
                    Houston, Texas 77096  
                    713-660-6244
     
    Growing Rotary enables us to do more good in our communities and the world.  Attendance at this D. 5890 Membership Meeting is also a great opportunity to bond with your club's Area Membership Chair (AMC).
    Tom English, District 5890 Area Membership Chair - Topics - 1.) "Why? Not Rotary.....or "Would You Miss Me When I'm Gone?" - This topic deals not so much with what distinguishes Rotary from other organizations, but poses the question of what the world and our community would be like if there were no Rotary (could that happen?).  How can we make sure that Rotary is around tomorrow?  2.) The "Five-Legged Stool".....Effective Elements In Recruiting New Members - Discover the elements of Prospecting, Value Proposition, Asking the KEY question, Cultivating Fellowship, and Promising the Deliverables.  No effort can be fully successful without a "road map" that is duplicable and transferable.  
     
    DISTRICT 5890 MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING - APRIL 27th 2015-04-23 00:00:00Z 0

    How to Inspire Creativity

     
    Last week we heard a program about looking at the data, and this week we hear about ignoring the data.  Both may be appropriate in the right context so keep the end goal in mind when choosing to use data or not.  Rotarians can always use new ideas to spread the word about Rotary and new ideas to find new Rotarians who truly want to make a difference in this world. 
     
    How to Inspire Creativity 2015-04-22 00:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    "In each of us are places where we have never gone. Only by pressing the limits do you ever find them."
    - Dr. Joyce Brothers: American psychologist, television personality and columnist
    Quote of the Week 2015-04-22 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - "Don't Mess with Texas"

    WHEN THE SLOGAN “DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS” FIRST APPEARED, IN JANUARY 1986, NO ONE COULD HAVE GUESSED JUST HOW POPULAR A MESSAGE FROM THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WOULD BE—OR HOW EFFECTIVE. A LOOK BACK AT THE MOST SUCCESSFUL ANTI-LITTERING CAMPAIGN EVER.  *This article is shared from Texas Monthly magazine
     
    We hold these truths to be self-evident: Never kick a cow chip on a hot day. Always dance with the one that brung ya. And don’t mess with Texas. But where does this wisdom come from? In the case of that last one, it began in 1985, when Tim McClure, of the Austin advertising giant GSD&M, was trying to devise a slogan to pitch to the State Department of Highways and Public Transportation—now the Texas Department of Transportation—for its new anti-littering campaign. Research showed that the main culprits were young truck-driving males, and McClure needed a catchphrase that would grab their attention.
    “I was up before dawn one day, walking outside and racking my brains for the right words,” recalls McClure, who grew up in East Texas. “As I was walking, I noticed that even the sides of the road in my nice neighborhood were piled with trash. It made me mad. That’s when it hit me: Texans wouldn’t call this litter. The only time I’d ever used the word ‘litter’ was with puppies and kittens. Instead I was reminded of what my mom used to say about my room growing up. Real Texans would call this a mess.”
    Almost immediately, four simple words—“Don’t mess with Texas”—coalesced in his mind, and a battle cry was born. Since then, the phrase has become embedded in the collective psyche not just of Texans but of the whole country. The motto has been adopted by presidents (George W. Bush), borrowed by the media (“Gov. Perry to EPA: Don’t Mess With Texas”), and parsed by talk show hosts ( The Daily Show With Jon Stewart explored the meaning behind the message in 2004). It has even been voted America’s favorite slogan, beating out commercial marketing behemoths “Just Do It” and “Got Milk?” in the 2006 Walk of Fame contest by Advertising Week. More importantly, it has worked. Even factoring in the increases in population and roads, the stats are impressive: In 1986 TxDOT was spending $2.33 per person picking up roadside litter. Twenty-five years later, the agency spends $1.90.
    The success of the campaign wasn’t always a given. Doris Howdeshell, the director of TxDOT’s travel information division, remembers when the kickoff TV spot—which featured blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan playing an electrifying rendition of “The Eyes of Texas”—was previewed at the agency’s headquarters. “This was still the conservative eighties, and the image of shaggy-haired, earring-wearing Stevie made the executive director nervous. When the spot was over, he was silent. Then he said, ‘Well, I don’t think I like it.’ ”
    “Good!” came the response. “You’re not the target audience!” Sure enough, in the minutes after Vaughan’s performance was first televised, during the 1986 Cotton Bowl, TV stations across the state were flooded with calls from viewers requesting that the new “music video” be shown again. It wasn’t long before an entire host of Texas celebrities, from the Texas Tornados and Willie Nelson to Warren Moon and George Foreman, were volunteering their time and image for anti-littering ads. They would be followed over the years by the likes of Joe Ely, LeAnn Rimes, Erykah Badu, Owen Wilson, Matthew McConaughey, Chamillionaire, and, most recently, George Strait.
    The campaign has evolved over time: In 1998 it left the auspices of GSD&M and came under the purview of Austin-based EnviroMedia Social Marketing; it has broadened its focus to target school-age children with the help of a superhero team called the Litter Force; and the advent of the Internet, Facebook, and Twitter has meant less emphasis on TV and radio spots. Yet it is undeniable that one major reason for its staying power—and effectiveness—has been its star power. To celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the most successful anti-littering campaign in world history, we’ve collected photographs from some of its best-known moments, as well as behind-the-scenes anecdotes from those closest to it: McClure, Howdeshell, and the CEO of EnviroMedia, Valerie Davis. And, to refresh your memory, we’re featuring some of the original TV spots (as well as some outtakes with George Strait) for you to watch at texasmonthly.com.
     
    Don't Mess with Texas Trash-Off
     
    The Don't mess with Texas Trash-Off serves as Texas’ signature event for the Great American Cleanup, the nation's largest community improvement program, held annually from March 1 through May 31.  The Don't mess with Texas Trash-Off is part of the partnership between Keep Texas Beautiful and the Texas Department of Transportation. Participants can receive trash bags, volunteer giveaways, promotional items, and more.
     
     
     
     
    Following is a TEDx Talk published on Jan 17, 2013.  Zach Hyder shares the different strategies used for different audiences with a campaign initiated in the state of Texas that aimed to reduce the costs involved in picking up litter.  While the slogan has been highly successful, there may actually be some thought provoking messages here about reaching the right audience and being relevant.  Think about our own Rotary branding, our reach out to younger successful businessmen and businesswomen, and our message of being vibrant and relevant in today's world.
    If you have any ideas about being relevant in Rotary to robust rockin' future Rotarians, please comment on your attendance form for further discussion with membership committees or Board of Directors meetings.   Membership growth needs to focus on our branding recognition and desirability for demographics identified by active Rotarians as prospective members.  That is, who do we want to reach out to and invite into Rotary?  Increasing diversity and reaching out to younger successful professionals and workers in our community are good starting points.  Btw - our club has doubled its membership this year!
    Weekly Program - "Don't Mess with Texas" 2015-04-18 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly song - Lyle Lovett's "That's Right (You're Not From Texas)"

    Proud to share that our e-club Houston is truly an international club with members not only from Texas, but also from other USA states including Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota, Illinois; and other countries including Ecuador, Nicaragua, The Netherlands.  That's right, you may not be from Texas but we DO want you anyway!
    Weekly song - Lyle Lovett's "That's Right (You're Not From Texas)" 2015-04-18 00:00:00Z 0

    Next Board of Directors Meeting - Open Meeting

    Our next BOD and General meeting will be on 4/25/2015 starting at 11:00AM till 12:30PM at the Rio Ranch Restaurant in Houston http://www.rioranch.com/ Looking forward to see you there along with your guests.  Here is the proposed agenda: 
     
    Welcome,  Introductions and Recognitions – Sofie Werkmeister
    Secretary – Mike Mebes - % Attendance, approval from the minutes from the last meeting
    Treasurer – Mike Miller; Status of Funds
    Rotary Foundation Chair – Linda Caruso; Status of Goals
    Service Chair – Lisa Bunse; Status of Service Projects
    Membership – Dree Miller ; Update on Goals; # of members
    Grants – Martine Stolk; Update on the District Grant; Update on the District Conference
    New Generations – Wind Nguyen: Updates
    International Service - Helga Matei/ Sukru Sen/John Caruso –
    Update on the club relationship with Rotary Culiacan Club; Update on the project for Syrian Children
    General Business/Upcoming Events
    • www.gofundus.org ---- Update from Sofka and Mike
    • Thank you letter for the donation to the Westview School in Houston
    • Pledged to give $200 on an Emergency Call from our twin club Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone  to help people on Vanuatu islands.
    • Rotary International Convention - Sao Paolo, Brazil 2015 6 June through 9 June
    • Proposal for Fundraiser after our BOD in May
    • Other new Business?
    Good News
    Close with the 4-Way Test
     
    Next Board of Directors Meeting - Open Meeting 2015-04-17 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Flowers are Red by Zain Bhikha 2015-04-17 00:00:00Z 0

    Welcome New Members!

    Dr. Roseangela Catunda, Owner of Zada Consulting, has rejoined Rotary and was previously active in Rotary Club of Willowbrook (2010 – 2014).  Her business travels made it difficult to attend regularly at a traditional luncheon club.  Also, she is the wife of e-club member Almir Menezes and already a familiar face to many of our members.  Roseangela is sponsored by Almir and Dree Miller.
     
    Ty Atmaca is a Consultant Geophysicist with Paradigm Geophysical Corporation and also the talented guitarist who performed at the fundraiser for Syrian Refugees.  Ty is new to Rotary yet clearly exhibits qualities of Rotarians such as a strong commitment to helping others.  President Sofka and Dree encouraged Ty to join Rotary upon seeing his passion to help others.
     
    Holly Maria Ocampo joined the e-Club Houston in March, 2015, and is employed by K12, Inc. as a Senior Implementation Researcher.  Thank you to Helga Mattei for sharing Rotary with Holly!
     
    Nelson Ocampo is married to Holly and the two now add to our list of Rotary couples in the e-Club.  He is self-employed as an attorney and also sponsored by Helga Mattei. 
     
    Great job, Dree Miller (Membership Chairman), as our numbers now have hit 60 members! 
    Welcome New Members! 2015-04-16 00:00:00Z 0

    What’s Happening with E’s

    Jake Stein has relocated to Chicago with his employer, CB & I, and has become a Project Manager.  Congratulations, Jake!
     
    Marcia Allgayer has been taking photos again, this time for the Brazilian Frends Foundation (www.bffoundation.org).
     
    Michael and Dree Miller have traveled to Brazil this week unexpectedly due to the passing of Dree’s father.  Our sympathy is extended to you and your family, Dree.
     
    Veroniek Kerrsemaker has recently returned to The Netherlands from another trip to India.  Welcome home, Veroniek!
     
    Brittany Johnson came to Houston last weekend to host and coordinate a Couples Shower for her sister, Alli Charlesworth (yes, Ed and Robin’s daughter) and fiancé, Jake Stein (fellow e-Club member).
    What’s Happening with E’s 2015-04-16 00:00:00Z 0

    Did you ever want to learn how to make tamales?

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    Houston NW Sunset Rotary Club is holding a FUN FUNDRAISER - a Tamale Making 101 Class on May 3rd, just in time to a Cinco de Mayo Party!  It will be limited to 15 people each session with sign up times from 10:30 - 12:30 pm; 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm; and 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm.  Tickets are $30/person.  Tickets include fee for the class, and self-cooked tamale.  Drinks may be purchased.  The address is:  Soto's Cantina, 10609 Grant Road, Houston, Texas (near Jones Road).  Contact Robin Charlesworth ASAP for tickets and identify your preferred time slot (970-944-5200).  Hope to see you there!
    Did you ever want to learn how to make tamales? 2015-04-15 00:00:00Z 0
    The Story of Rotary's End Polio Now Campaign 2015-04-15 00:00:00Z 0
    Closing the Meeting of the Rotary e-Club of Houston - Please Read or Recite 2015-04-15 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - A New Assessment & International Comparison of Students

    Why you should listen
    First, a few acronyms: Andreas Schleicher heads the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). What it means is: He's designed a test, given to hundreds of thousands of 15-year-olds around the world (the most recent covered almost 70 nations), that offers unprecedented insight into how well national education systems are preparing their students for adult life. As The Atlantic puts it, the PISA test "measured not students’ retention of facts, but their readiness for 'knowledge worker' jobs—their ability to think critically and solve real-world problems."
    The results of the PISA test, given every three years, are fed back to governments and schools so they can work on improving their ranking. And the data has inspired Schleicher to become a vocal advocate for the policy changes that, his research suggests, make for great schools.
     
     
    What's going on in education achievement around the world?
    Two blogs on what's working in different school systems.
    item
    OECD Blog: Education Today
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    Andreas Schleicher in The Huffington Post
     
    Hope you enjoyed this perspective on education.  Rotarians are committed to improving literacy worldwide and equal rights for education.
     
    Weekly Program - A New Assessment & International Comparison of Students 2015-04-15 00:00:00Z 0

    A successsful Global Grant in India

    Two years ago, U.S. Rotary members in Maine set out to improve the education system in Bikaner, Rajasthan, an Indian city near the border of Pakistan.

    The Rotary Club of Kennebunk Portside chose Bikaner because club member Rohit Mehta was originally from the area and had connections there. Mehta put the club in contact with Rotarians in India to provide desks for four government-run schools.

    But when community leaders returned with a request for more desks, the Maine Rotarians decided they had to think bigger. The Rotary Foundation had rolled out its new grant model, which required that the club do more than just purchase school furniture to qualify for global grant funding. Club leaders put their heads together and turned a simple project to provide school desks into a global grant project by adding a campaign to recruit new students and professional development for teachers.

    The Rotary clubs worked with School Management Committees — teams of school administrators, community leaders, and Bikaner Rotary members — to determine what each school needed most. They discovered that the children were unschooled and had never sat in a classroom before. So the committees decided it would be easier to get the students to commit to a three-day-a-week lesson plan. That left the other two days for the same benches to be used for teacher training.

    The global grant will provide desks for 1,685 students. The training will target 240 teachers. In addition to instruction in basic subjects, the curriculum aims to improve students' self-confidence, communication skills, leadership skills, and personality development. The clubs expect the program will have even better results than the earlier shipment of desks, which helped improve grades by 23 percent in the four recipient schools. Those results alone led regional authorities to select two of the schools as sites for annual examinations, meaning local students did not have to travel 15 miles to another city to take the exam.

    Stockman said local families who can afford it send their children to private schools with classrooms and desks. By contrast, students at the government-owned schools sit on the ground in an open area surrounded by security walls and gates. There is no compulsory attendance beyond sixth grade. The local education experts insist the students are more likely to stay in school if they have a desk to sit at, Stockman says.

    Mehta is thankful the grant was able to help his native country.

    A successsful Global Grant in India 2015-04-14 00:00:00Z 0

    A Work of Art Prepared for District Conference Next Week

     
    Peace & Love Guitar Mosaic

    This video shows how we decorated the guitar that will be auctioned at the District 5890 Conference in New Orleans this month. The proceeds of the auction will go to the Rotary Foundation, and help important causes around the world. We are thankful to the members of our Rotary e-Club of Houston for sending the embellishments for the guitar.

    Posted by Rotary E-Club of Houston on Sunday, April 5, 2015
     
     
     
     
     
    A Work of Art Prepared for District Conference Next Week Dree 2015-04-09 00:00:00Z 0

    Polio Plus Update

    A Polio-Free Pakistan - One new Polio cases was reported in Pakistan this past week - in the Peshawar District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.  Efforts are ongoing to strengthen vaccination delivery during the "low season" as part of the emergency operations plan.  Activities are focusing on known infected areas, but also areas deemed at high-risk but which have not reported polio cases.
     
    Africa - It has been over 7 months since the last Polio case was reported in Somalia,  over 8 months for Nigeria, and over 9 months for Cameroon.  If Nigeria can go 12 months with quality surveillance detecting no Wild Polio Virus, they will join the countries which have stopped Polio transmission.  If after an additional two years, no Wild Polio Virus has been detected, Nigeria could be certified as Polio - Free!   
     
    2015 will mark the largest vaccine introduction in history as 120 countries add the Inactivated (injected) Polio Vaccine (IPV) to their routine immunization activities.   Nigeria was the first of the Polio Endemic countries to include IPV with their routine immunizations.  Bangladesh launched IPV on March 21, 2015.  Canada recently agreed to contribute $20 Mil for the introduction of IPV in non-GAVI countries.   
    Polio Plus Update 2015-04-09 00:00:00Z 0

    Tomball Rotary's Annual Fish Fry April 25th

    Tomball Rotary Club's 46th Annual Fish Fry and Gold Ticket Raffle will be held April 25th 2015 from Noon – 6:00pm at the Depot in Tomball
     
    Raffle prizes include the following: 
    First Prize is this 1965 Ford Mustang, 351-V8 automatic with cold a/c
    Second Prize is this ladies 14k yellow gold 1 carat TW diamond ring from Golden Nonsense in Tomball (see attached photo)
    Third Prize is a wine tasting for 20, by YAWL (Your All-Texas Wine Lady).
     
    All profits from this event will be used to fund local scholarships and charities.
    For your opportunity(ies) to win call Barry at 281-686-3587 or barry_doering@ml.com     (need not be present to win!)
    If you don't want to buy a $100 Gold Ticket (which includes two meal   tickets), individual meal tickets are available for $10 each.  Please note we are moving the day to Saturday and the location to the Tomball Depot area so there are shopping opportunities and, for the first time, adult beverages available for purchase.  There are also some great live auction and silent auction items, a children's auction, children's activities and a band.
    This is Tomball Rotary's only fundraiser.
     
    Tomball Rotary's Annual Fish Fry April 25th 2015-04-08 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - The Danger of a Single Story

     
     
    In Nigeria, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel Half of a Yellow Sun has helped inspire new, cross-generational communication about the Biafran war. In this and in her other works, she seeks to instill dignity into the finest details of each character, whether poor, middle class or rich, exposing along the way the deep scars of colonialism in the African landscape.
    Adichie's newest book, The Thing Around Your Neck, is a brilliant collection of stories about Nigerians struggling to cope with a corrupted context in their home country, and about the Nigerian immigrant experience.
    Adichie builds on the literary tradition of Igbo literary giant Chinua Achebe—and when she found out that Achebe liked Half of a Yellow Sun, she says she cried for a whole day. What he said about her rings true: “We do not usually associate wisdom with beginners, but here is a new writer endowed with the gift of ancient storytellers.”
    What others say
    “When she turned 10 and read Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, about the clash between Igbo tradition and the British colonial way of life, everything changed: ‘I realized that people who looked like me could live in books.’ She has been writing about Africa ever since.” — Washington Post
     
    Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice — and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding. (Recorded at TEDGlobal, July 2009, Oxford, UK. Duration: 18:49) Twitter […]
    Weekly Program - The Danger of a Single Story 2015-04-07 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - The Circle of Life by Elton John 2015-04-07 00:00:00Z 0

    Helpful Hints: Credit Card Protection

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    The issue of credit card protection online and offline remains inadequately addressed. And the scourge of ID theft requires immunity which means more complex passwords.

    Let’s face it. It is the age of smart money and easy communication over long distances via email and Skype. But it is precisely here that the criminal element is waiting in tow. It is ready to pounce and surprise the decent law abiding citizens by its cunning nature and cleverness. The designs of the dastardly have everything to do with using the rules of the system against the system. Thus is you have a credit card, they may gain access by hook or crook to its number. And similarly, ID theft is a commonplace occurrence where your basic personal data gets stolen by shady people who then use it for their own heinous purposes. 

    There are a few things you may do to avoid the deleterious effects of these saboteurs. The credit card protection tips are listed below: 

    • Never let your credit card stray from your line of vision.
    • Don’t let any cashier swipe the credit card twice for it may be a scam.
    • Avoid shopping online at sites that look unreliable at first blush.
    • Search for companies that offer credit card security via hidden identity and lengthy passwords.
    • Have your signature on the credit card so that counterfeiting it becomes an extremely difficult task.
    • Never have duplicate credit cards since they may prove a dangerous venture in the end.
    • And try to make your handle and password as weird and offbeat as possible so that no one can even think it up on their own.

    Well, these were the best tips for protecting your credit card or preventing ID theft from taking place. Apply them consistently and your finance and personal data will remain safe and secure.

    Helpful Hints: Credit Card Protection 2015-04-07 00:00:00Z 0
    Inspirational Video Message - "Discover your Untapped Potential" 2015-04-07 00:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    "Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment."
    ~Jim Rohn
    Quote of the Week 2015-04-07 00:00:00Z 0

    About the Easter Holiday

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    Happy Easter to all Rotarian Christians!  Although Rotary is non-religious and non-political, we also promote world understanding and acceptance of different cultures.  If you are not Christian, and our club is comprised of diverse religions, perhaps this short video will help you to understand what all the fuss is about Easter.  We will embrace other religious holidays as well to share and educate in an effort to build good will and better understanding of each other in this world we share.
     
    If you are interested in viewing this video, please see http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/history-of-easter.
     
    About the Easter Holiday 2015-04-02 00:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week

    Chuck Pyle is a singer/songwriter and a member of the Rotary e-club of Houston. He was inspired to write this song about a tragedy of flooding waters in Colorado in 1976 in the same area as the flood in the following article about a global grant and in memory of one particular hero, Sgt. Purdy, who made a significant difference to his community in the midst of chaos. For more information about Chuck's concert tours see http://www.chuckpyle.com/schedule.php
    Song of the Week 2015-04-02 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - "Let's Go All-In on Selling Sustainability"

    The big blue buildings of Ikea have sprouted solar panels and wind turbines; inside, shelves are stocked with LED lighting and recycled cotton. Why? Because as Steve Howard puts it: “Sustainability has gone from a nice-to-do to a must-do.” Howard, the chief sustainability officer at the furniture megastore, talks about his quest to sell eco-friendly materials and practices — both internally and to worldwide customers — and lays a challenge for other global giants.
     
    Coming to Ikea from the nonprofit consultancy Climate Group, Howard has embraced the challenge of working with a single big company, and the improvements he's made so far include helping farmers grow more-sustainable cotton around the world, remaking classic products to use fewer parts, and investing €1.5 billion through 2015 in renewable energy sources, notably wind and solar. (Like the rollout in the UK of Ikea solar panel systems for the home.) And if you've been to an Ikea lately, you probably already know this, through signs and explainers posted all over the store. Telling the story of sustainability is key, Howard believes, as companies like his become agents of transformative change. As he says: "I don't think we've fully realized the extent to which sustainability is going to shape society and the business landscape over the next couple of decades."
     
    Sustainability is now a requirement for most Rotary projects.  Sustainability means different things to different organizations. For Rotary, sustainability means providing long-term solutions to community needs that the beneficiaries can maintain after grant funding ends. Here are six steps that can make your project sustainable:
    1) Assess community needs
    Have local sponsors conduct a thorough assessment to identify a community need that the sponsors can address in a way that fits beneficiaries’ values and culture. Involve multiple community partners in the planning process.
    2) Use local materials
    Purchase equipment and technology from local sources when possible. Be sure that spare parts are readily available. Involve community members in the selection of technology and equipment, and train them to operate, maintain, and repair it on their own.
    3) Identify a local funding source
    Confirm the existence of a local funding source to support a project’s long-term operation, maintenance and repair. Compensate the project’s suppliers and vendors appropriately so they will have an incentive to continue providing services.
    4) Provide training, education, and outreach
    By providing training, education, and community outreach you will strengthen beneficiaries’ ability to meet project objectives. Confirm that there is a plan in place to transfer knowledge to new beneficiaries. Collaborate with local agencies and organizations to supply needed expertise.
    5) Motivate beneficiaries to take ownership
    Provide incentives for beneficiaries and project participants to continue their support. Identify individuals willing to lead beneficiaries in sustaining project outcomes. Prepare the community to assume ownership of the project once grant funds are expended.
    6) Monitor and evaluate
    Develop clear and measurable project objectives, and identify methods for collecting project data. Establish baseline data that can be used to demonstrate significant change for at least three years.
    *These Rotary guidelines were published in July, 2014.
     
    Hope you enjoyed our program and will work toward building more sustainable Rotary projects with your club.
     
     
    Weekly Program - "Let's Go All-In on Selling Sustainability" 2015-04-02 00:00:00Z 0

    288 Corridor Rotary Club's Garage Sale - April 11th

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    The 288 Corridor Rotary Club will be hosting their inaugural Garage Sale fundraiser, benefiting the Dare to Excel Scholarship Program on Saturday April 11th. Gently used items in working condition can be dropped off at the ACU of Texas main branch, located at 6306 W. Broadway in Pearland during regular business hours. These items can be dropped off until April 9th.
     
    The Dare to Excel scholarships help Glenda Dawson, Pearland, and Turner High School seniors.
     
    288 Corridor Rotary Club's Garage Sale - April 11th 2015-04-02 00:00:00Z 0

    Global Grant Benefits Rocky Mountain Community

    by Michael Wailes, PR Chair, District 5440 - published in he Zones 21-27 Newsletter
     
    “Water can be very gentle,” says Julie Phares, Past District Governor of Rotary District #5440, “it can be soothing and relaxing, but it can also destroy.” 
     
    As storm clouds gathered over the Rocky Mountains in early September 2013, no one really thought that much would come from the darkening skies but a late summer’s drizzle. Within days the storm would cast the Colorado Front-Range onto the world stage and would be described with words like “historic”, “epic”, and “biblical”.  In just over 24-hours, rainfall amounts totaled over 20 inches in some communities along the Front Range. The flood waters spread across an area of almost 200 miles from north to south, affecting 17 counties, causing an estimated $1-billion worth of damage, and claiming the lives of eight individuals. Hit particularly hard was the small mountain community of Glen Haven, situated between the cities of Loveland and Estes Park, nestled along the Big Thompson River. Phares, a member of the Longs Peak Rotary Club of Estes Park, was traveling in Wyoming, making club visits as District Governor when the flood waters hit.  “I started getting text messages from family and friends telling me I need to come home now," she recalls.
     
    On her return trip, she stopped off in Casper and with the help of Past District Governor Dave Scriven (a classmate and friend of PDG Ed Charlesworth and Robin), loaded her car with basic supplies  including bottled water and diapers. What would normally be a 3-hour drive to return home took an excruciating 9 hours as many of the highways and roads leading into Estes Park had been closed or destroyed by the flood waters.
     
    No sooner did the waters recede then a flood of support began flowing downstream to Glen Haven, originating in the three Rotary Clubs in Estes Park – the Rotary Club of Estes Park, the Estes Valley Sunrise Rotary Club, and the Longs Peak Rotary Club.  A committee to prepare a Rotary International Global Grant was formed under Phares’ leadership.
     
    The entire infrastructure of Glen Haven had been destroyed by the flood waters. In addition to the swell from the river, excessive rainfall had washed down the draws and gullies, bringing mud, rocks, and debris. A fire in the preceding year had left the mountainous area with little vegetation, only adding to the devastation. While local, State, and Federal funds were available to repair damage to corresponding infrastructure, the damage to the local residents’ personal property was exempt from any available relief funding.
     
    Because of the myriad of entities involved in the Glen Haven cleanup process, the Rotary project focused on cleaning, servicing, repairing, and/or replacing the water systems that had been damaged in the flood – primarily the fresh water systems and septic systems of the area residents. One of the goals of the project was to ensure each property was safe, livable, and comfortable for the owner.
     
    Rotary International’s Global Grants are intended to support large international projects that have sustainable and measurable outcomes within Rotary’s six areas of focus.  Traditionally, Global Grants have supported projects outside of the United States – only 11 Global Grants in Rotary’s history have been used to fund projects within the Continental United States.
     
    Rotary District #5440 from Wyoming and Northern Colorado found two International Districts to partner with for the project: District #5570 in Brazil and District #3108 in India. With matching funds from Rotary International the total grant was funded with $168,055. To date, 29 residents of Glen Haven have submitted applications and 27 have met the criteria with projects on eight properties being completely finished.
     
    “It’s because of you; those of you who give to the Foundation,” Phares says, “that we were able to help those families in Glen Haven.”
    Global Grant Benefits Rocky Mountain Community 2015-04-01 00:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    We are not here on earth to see through each other, we are here to see each other through.
    - Unknown
    Quote of the Week 2015-04-01 00:00:00Z 0

    Ellis Marsalis Center for Music -District Conference Service Project

    What is the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music? 
    After school until 7 PM, each student has music or dance, computer, homework tutoring, vocational training, and they get a hot meal (maybe their only hot meal of the day).  It is changing the lives of 175 extremely economically challenged children on a weekly basis.
    The center is the heartbeat of the Upper Ninth Ward of New Orleans which was the hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina.
     
    They have a few old iPads, but more are needed since they've started a state-of-the-art pilot program of Music Production classes (referenced in the above video) which incorporates music composition and music arrangement as career training for their students.  The TV, movie and recording industry is now active in New Orleans, so the center is preparing the students for a creative job market with audio, video, and lighting training.  The center also has a state of the art recording studio so students also receive technical training for that industry.
     
     
     
    District 5890 has a rich tradition of doing a community service project where our conferences are held.
    This year, it will be at the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music located in Habitat for Humanity's "Musician's Village" which is a project started by singer/actor Harry Connick, Jr. and musician Branford Marsalis.
    DG Lisa Faith, PDG Bob Gebhard, and other D5890 Rotarians toured the facility, and met with their director several weeks ago, and this center is doing remarkable work.
     
    How can your Rotary club and Rotarians help?    
    Sponsor one or more Apple 32GB Wi-Fi iPads at $499 each.
    Our Rotary District 5890 Charities, Inc. will order the iPads from Apple...and the more we order, the better the price, thus making your money stretch even further.
    1/2 or 3/4 (child-size) acoustic guitars or violins are also needed.
     
    What's the cost, and how do I donate?
    Sponsorship of each iPad is $499.00 (includes shipping, handling, etc.)  If you can't fully sponsor an iPad, we'll gladly accept a partial sponsorship.
    Checks payable to: "Rotary District 5890 Charities, Inc" which is a 501(c)(3 ) organization that will purchase all the iPads in one lot.
    Mail your check to:  Rotary District 5890 Charities, Inc. C/O Jackie Barmore, 3525 Preston, Pasadena, TX 77505
    Let us know you want to be a sponsor, and mail your check immediately.
     
    Come with us to deliver the iPads during the conference on April 18th!
    During the conference on Saturday, April 18th at 2:30 PM, we'll have a bus transport D5890 Rotarians and guests from the Hilton Riverside to the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music to deliver the iPads, guitars and violins, plus meet residents and hear a special performance.  All donations will bear the Rotary logo!
     
    Questions about this community service project?
    Give me a call, or send me an email:  Phone:  281-359-7193 (Office), (713) 598-7129 (Cellular), Email:  cjsb@suddenlink.net
     
    See you in New Orleans!
    Charlie Buscemi
    District 5890 Geaux Rotary Conference Service Project Coordinator
     
    Ellis Marsalis Center for Music -District Conference Service Project 2015-04-01 00:00:00Z 0

    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

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    Dear Rotarians and Guests,
     
    I cannot believe that we have only 3 more months until the end of this Rotarian year. The time went really fast; it was like yesterday, when I stepped as President of this club. The psychological scientist Philip Gable of the University of Alabama concluded based on recent studies that: "Although we tend to believe that time flies when we're having a good time, these studies indicate what it is about the enjoyable time that causes it to go by more quickly. It seems to be the goal pursuit or achievement-directed action we're engaged in that matters. Just being content or satisfied may not make time fly, but being excited or actively pursuing a desired object can."
     
    In this weekly message, I’m providing key suggestions to our e-club members to help them have a great experience, more engagement and impact in our communities as well as enjoyment as Rotarian.
     
    Here are key points that we encourage you to do as an E-Club member in order to get the most out of your experience as a Rotarian.
     
    1. Read the weekly program on our club WebSite – Our Website is our major method of providing information in the place of a regular meeting. It is where we put up all information such as weekly program, updates, messages, upcoming events and general discussion.
    2. Be a Greeter – We are trying to feature all of our members on the website. Please tell us about yourself, add a photo and send this information to the club secretary to be added to the weekly program
    3. Participate in a BOD and General Meeting – Participate in the Monthly BOD and General Meeting. Let us know if you want to have an online option for your participation soon. We plan to record these meetings in the future and make the videos accessible to all Rotarians in our club.
    4. Contribute to project fundraising through donations – Fundraising helps our club to fund many projects through the years. We are aware not everyone has available funds to donate, but we all have networks to approach in regards to fundraising for projects.
    5. Attend E-Club events where possible – Each year our club is holding 3-4 major events like fellowships, fundraisings, end of year party, etc., where we can meet face-to-face. These are a great opportunity to meet your fellow club members, share your experiences and a have the opportunity to discuss all things related to the club.
    6. Attend District Events – District events such as the All Clubs Dinner or District Conference are a chance to meet with Rotarians from other clubs and find out more about Rotary. I love participating in the district events and truly believe that these events are greatly beneficial, especially for those who are new to Rotary.
    7. Attend Club Service Projects or Service Projects in your area - Rotary clubs engage in service projects in thousands of communities all over the world. Rotary club members form a diverse, global network of volunteers united through a common commitment to the advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through service. Please enter your service hours on our WebSite using the “Service Above Self” feature.
    8. Visit other Rotary clubs in your local area – It is a great opportunity to find out about what is happening in your community and a great chance to share in fellowship with others.
     
    We need your help further to make our club a successful and thriving organization.
     
    Please let me know how I can support you in your Rotary journey,
     
    Yours in Light Up,
     
    President Sofka
    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Sofka Werkmeister 2015-03-26 00:00:00Z 0

    Interact Supports our Syrian Children Refugee Program

    Interactor Evan Michael Lewis emailed President Sofka Werkmeister that he has collected a total of $625 to support the Syrian children in a Turkey refugee camp!  He will attend our next Board of Director's meeting with his teacher sponsor to present the check.  The meeting will be held on April 25th at the Rio Ranch Restaurant on Westheimer.  Although the e-club does not have an Interact Club of its own, we are so pleased to have the support of Evan and his fellow Interactors in our district.  THANK YOU!
     
    Interact Supports our Syrian Children Refugee Program 2015-03-26 00:00:00Z 0
    Crawfish Boil Fundraiser - April 11th 2015-03-26 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week 2015-03-26 00:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    "To listen closely and reply well is the highest perfection we are able to attain in the art of conversation."
    ~Francois de La Rochefoucauld
     
    Quote of the Week 2015-03-26 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: Humanity Needs Water

    A drop of water is flexible. A drop of water is powerful. A drop of water is in demand.

    Water is at the core of sustainable development. Water resources, and the range of services they provide, underpin poverty reduction, economic growth and environmental sustainability. From food and energy security to human and environmental health, water contributes to improvements in social well-being and inclusive growth, affecting the livelihoods of billions.  On March 22 thw world celebrated an International Water Day.  Did you know the theme of the United Nation for this year?

    The United Nation's 2015 Theme: Water and Sustainable Development

    Well, all Rotarians have embraced the need for sustainable water projects around the world and promote many worthwhile projects to provide humanity clean drinking water and water sanitation projects. This is one of the six major focus areas of Rotary International.

    Clean water is a basic need for human beings. When people, especially children, have access to clean water, they live healthier and more productive lives. However, at least 3,000 children die each day from diseases caused by unsafe water, which is what motivates our members to build wells, install rainwater harvesting systems, and teach community members how to maintain new infrastructure.

    While very few people die of thirst, millions die from preventable waterborne diseases, providing the impetus for our members to also improve sanitation facilities in undeveloped countries. Members start by providing toilets and latrines that flush into a sewer or safe enclosure and then add education programs to promote hand-washing and other good hygiene habits.

    Investing in clean water could save 2.5 million lives a year. We can't afford not to protect the world's water supply. Take action with Rotary to create access to clean water.  This was published on March 23, 2015 on You Tube:

     
    The Project Enhancement Process (PEP) is an initiative by The Rotary Foundation (TRF) to strategically utilize its volunteer and staff resources to sharpen Rotary’s focus, enhance the technical quality of projects, support sound project design, make effective grants, and measure our impact in the areas of focus. The pilot will concentrate on achieving these objectives in the water and sanitation area of focus.   This was a pilot program which ended in 2014, and developed some guidelines worth considering for developing water projects.   Put some PEP in your water projects -
     
    PEP Goals are to: 

    • increase the quality and likelihood of sustainability of Rotarian-led water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) projects 

    • enhance Rotary’s profile, reputation, and image 

    • utilize and leverage Rotarian expertise to enhance and improve project design 

    • increase external funding as a result of strong projects and enhanced public image 

    • transition from short-term projects to long-term and more comprehensive programs that holistically address community needs. 

    ++++++++++++

    During the twin tragedies of the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, Ipswich water-treatment expert Michael Pritchard winced helplessly at televised coverage of throngs of refugees waiting for days for a simple drink of clean water. Stricken by the chronic failure of aid agencies to surmount this basic challenge, Pritchard decided to do something about it.

    Using a non-chemical nano-filtration hollow fiber membrane with 15 nanometer pores (it is designed to block viruses), the Lifesaver bottle can make the most revolting swamp water drinkable in seconds. Better still, a single long-lasting filter can clean 6,000 liters of water. Given the astronomical cost of shipping water to disaster areas, Pritchard's Lifesaver bottle could turn traditional aid models on their heads.

    What others say

    “On the outside, it looks like an ordinary sports bottle. On the inside, there's a miracle: an extremely advanced filtration system that makes murky water filled with deadly viruses and bacteria completely clean in just seconds.” — Allison Barrie, FoxNews.com

    Rotary clubs do not have to re-invent the wheel on how to provide clean water to others.  Partnerships are encouraged with organizations such as Clean Water for the World, Pure Water for the World, and many more. 

    Here are some compelling facts about why we support water projects taken from the website of Pure Water for the World:

    *780 million people have only dirty water to drink, with no viable way to make it potable. Their water regularly makes them sick.

    *Dehydration and malnutrition from resulting diarrheal disease kill 2.4 million people every year – almost three times the deaths from malaria. 90% of these deaths are in children under the age of 5.

    *Over one third of the people on Earth lack adequate sanitation, so waterborne diseases are easily transmitted from person to person.

    *Unsafe water and unhygienic living conditions hit children hardest.

    *They kill a child every 15 seconds.

    Thank you, Rotarians, for accepting the challenge to make a difference in this world!

     

     
    Weekly Program: Humanity Needs Water 2015-03-26 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Training Opportunity - "Seeing Systems" online course

     
     
     
    Peace is an ideal, but it is also a process that Rotary members can engage in daily. Join the online discussion course Seeing Systems: Peace, Justice & Sustainability and discover ways to create a more peaceful, just, and sustainable future. The Rotarian Action Group for Peace has partnered with Northwest Earth Institute, the Jubitz Family Foundation, and the War Prevention Initiative to offer this six-week action-oriented discussion course. Register now:
    8 April-13 May (six Wednesday sessions, 18:00-19:00 Chicago time/UTC-5); check your local time
    Rotary Training Opportunity - "Seeing Systems" online course 2015-03-19 00:00:00Z 0

    Tragedy in Vanuatu Islands

    Everyone of us has heard about the tragedy in Vanuatu islands . These islands are located in D.9910 which is the other District of New Zealand and Pacific Islands , apart from D.9920.  Being part of D.9920 , the Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone would like to try to help the people of Vanuatu by raising some funds through our "Circle" of Twin Clubs , funds that would be sent to D.9910 through our D.9920 which is working hand in hand with its counterpart D.9910.
     
    We would like to know if your Club (and your District) would eventually participate to this Emergency help Raising Funds process by contributing with only 200 USD (or more) ; in our "Circle" of Twin Clubs , there are already 26 Twin Clubs X 200 USD ; total = at least 5000 USD cash. Even though this is not a great amount , it would certainly be of great help to the disastered people of Vanuatu ; it is a very small amount for each of us , but a very big help for the people of Vanuatu. Please let me know if you would agree to join us in this Emergency Raising Funds , and how much your Club would be able to contribute with.
     
    Yours In Rotary Service,
     
    Jean Louis Nguyen Qui
    President of the Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone
    President Elect
    Email : jl.nguyen1@orange.fr
    Tragedy in Vanuatu Islands 2015-03-19 00:00:00Z 0
    An Irish Blessing in Honor of St. Patrick's Day 2015-03-13 00:00:00Z 0
    Heights Rotary's Fundraiser - April 11th 2015-03-12 00:00:00Z 0

    First Anniversary Celebration Party & Open Board Meeting - March 21st

    It is a pleasure to invite you to the celebration of our e-club’s first anniversary. We will have a potluck party at the home of our fellow Rotarian Brandt Smith, who generously offered to host.
     
    Date: March 21st, 2015
    Time: 11:00-12:00 pm Open Board Meeting
               12:00-3:00 pm fellowship and fun
     
    There are four reasons to attend our fellowship party on March 21st:
    (1)  We will celebrate our 1st anniversary as Rotary e-Club of Houston.
    (2)  We will have our board of directors meeting
    (3)  We will start the decoration of a guitar. (More details below)
    (4)  We will relax and have fun!

    As part of this year’s 5890 District Conference, all Rotary clubs in our district will take part in a friendly competition. Clubs are asked to decorate a musical instrument and bring it to New Orleans where the conference will be held. There will be a silent auction, and proceeds will be donated to the Rotary Foundation. District Governor Lisa Massey handed us a guitar during our e-club’s fundraiser this past Saturday, and we accepted to join in this artistic endeavor!
     
    In my spare time I make mosaics so I thought it would be a great idea to decorate the guitar with a mixed media mosaic. The idea is that each one of us will contribute with one piece for this mosaic, and then I will complete the artwork around the entire piece. The pieces  can be anything you think represents the idea of our e-Club or Rotary in general, service above self, anything inspirational, humanitarian, friendship, love, piece, goodness, charity, volunteerism. The pieces can be of any hard material: glass, wood, metal, tile, ceramic, but no bigger than 2 inches and no thicker than ¼ inch so they will fit and be secure.
     
    If you are coming to the celebration, please bring:
           A dish of food to share with everyone
           Your own drink
           Something to contribute to the guitar decoration
    Kindly RSVP if you plan to attend.
     
    Please feel free to bring your family along! I highly recommend you bring a prospective member for our e-Club!
     
    Yours in Rotary Service,
     
    Adriane Miller (Dree)
    Membership Chair
    Rotary e-Club of Houston
    http://portal.clubrunner.ca/10506
    First Anniversary Celebration Party & Open Board Meeting - March 21st Adriane Miller 2015-03-12 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Endangered Species 2015-03-12 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - First Project of RAGES

     

    This Rotarian Action Group for Endangered Species or RAGES is a Rotarian Action Group and operates in accordance with Rotary International policy but is not an agency of, or controlled by Rotary International.

    1.  MARCH CHAIR REPORT

    Things are moving along at a fast pace at the moment with plans on our first proposed project at the Oloimugi Maasai Village in conjunction with Roots & Shoots Kenya talking up a lot of my time.  This is a complex issue however once put into place it will yield good results and hopefully a model of how RAGES and Roots & Shoots can work together with Rotarians and Rotaractors on the ground.

    Oloimugi is situated on the Laikipia Plateau of Kenya and is a fertile place for poaching and wild life conflict between humans and elephants in particular. There is also a big need for basic education and literacy coupled with community and economic development. There is a huge need for basic schools for both children and adults.

    The Laikipia Plateau

     

     

    This area of Kenya also has the last remaining Northern White Rhino almost extinct now with only 5 left on the planet of which 3 are at the Ol Pajeta Conservancy and two are in zoos one in San Diego and the other in Czechoslovakia.

    Also found here are the Grevy’s Zebra with only 2,500 left on the planet.

     

     

    Published on YouTube on Mar 3, 2015

    The World Wildlife Day celebrations in Kenya included the burning of 15 tonnes of ivory by His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta. This was a symbolic move by the Kenyan government to stamp its commitment to wildlife conservation and especially, to the protection of endangered species.

     
    Weekly Program - First Project of RAGES Vivian Smith 2015-03-12 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program -A Child Proodigy with Sickle Cell Disease

    Our program is shared from National Geographic's videos published on March 12, 2015 - Caesar Sant of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, began playing the violin at age two and as a toddler amazed his music teachers with his advanced abilities. But by the age of five, he had suffered three debilitating strokes due to sickle-cell anemia. His third stroke left him unable to walk or play the violin. Now, as he tries to regain his musical abilities, he has a newborn sister who can provide a bone marrow transplant that could be lifesaving and could ensure he'll always be able to play the violin. Visit Caesar's Bone Marrow Foundation page and his GoFundMe page for more information.
     
    Weekly Program -A Child Proodigy with Sickle Cell Disease 2015-03-12 00:00:00Z 0

    Polio Update - March 12th

    Africa - It has been over 13 months since the last Polio case was reported in Ethiopia,  over 8 months for Cameroon, over 7 months for Somalia and over 7 months for Nigeria.  If Nigeria can go 12 months with quality surveillance detecting no Wild Polio Virus, they will join the countries which have stopped Polio transmission.  If after an additional two years, no Wild Polio Virus has been detected, Nigeria could be certified as Polio - Free!    
    A Polio-Free Pakistan - Don't Think They Are Serious?  Pakistani authorities have conducted their first-ever mass arrest of parents for refusing to allow their children to be vaccinated against Polio.  In January of this year, 54,061 parents rejected the vaccine.  In February, 36,510 did so.  Authorities in Peshawar, in the north-west of the country, detained 471 people and charged them with "endangering public security".  The local government says they will only be freed once they have pledged in writing to vaccinate their children.  The Taliban prohibit vaccinations and have attacked health workers.
    The Pakistani government has declared "war" on the disease. "We have decided to deal with the refusal cases with iron hands. Anyone who refuses will be sent to jail," said Riaz Khan Mehsud, deputy commissioner of Peshawar.  With 85% of the world's 2014 Polio cases occurring in Pakistan, it's clear that evidence of increased commitment from the government of Pakistan at all levels is crucial for turning the tide on Polio.  
     
    The Final Three Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - 16 cases reported in 2015 with 306 Polio cases recorded in 2014  The most recent case was reported on 02/10/15 in the Dadu district.    
    Afghanistan - One case reported in 2015 with 28 Polio cases recorded in 2014. The most recent case was reported on 01/21/14 from the Hilmand Province.   
    Nigeria - Zero cases reported in 2015 with 6 Polio cases recorded in 2014.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14.  Sub-National Immunization Days are planned on March 14-18 using trivalent vaccine.
    Importation Countries:
    Ethiopia - Zero Polio Case reported in 2015 with 1 case in 2014.
    Cameroon - Zero Polio Cases reported in 2015 with 5 cases in 2014.
    Somalia - Zero Polio Cases reported in 2015 with 5 cases in 2014.   
    Iraq - Zero Polio cases reported in 2015 with 2 cases in 2014.  
    Syria - Zero Polio case reported in 2015 with 1 case in 2014.
    Equatorial Guinea - Zero Polio Cases reported in 2015 with 5 cases in 2014.
    Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!
    Terry Ziegler, Rotary Foundation Committee Chair, District 5890
    Polio Update - March 12th 2015-03-12 00:00:00Z 0

    Understanding More about Afghanistan

    Photographer Monika Bulaj shares powerful, intimate images of Afghanistan — of home life, of ritual, of men and women. Behind the headlines, what does the world truly know about this place? 
    Monika Bulaj is a photographer and writer who explores -- in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe -- the dim areas of monotheism, where the sacred can transcend borders: Bonfires, dances, cults of the dead, possession rites. She describes outskirts and deserts, frontiers and megalopolis. And the world of the last ones: nomads, farmers, immigrants, outcasts, untouchables and impure.
    Her photos and reportaging have been published by GEO, National Geographic (Italy), La Repubblica, periodicals by Gruppo Espresso and Rcs, Courrier International, Gazeta Wyborcza (Poland), Internazionale, Freundin, Teatr (Poland) and other international magazines.
    She has displayed more than 50 personal exibitions in Italy, Germany, Ungheria, Bulgaria, Egypt.
    Understanding More about Afghanistan 2015-03-12 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotary International Convention Committee Coming to Houston

    To All District Rotarians,
           
    The District 5890 International Convention Committee would like to invite you to a Reception at the Hilton of the America in the Skyline Ballroom on Sunday evening March 15th from  5 pm until 7 pm . This receptions is our chance to show Rotary International that Houston and District 5890 not only wants but  would also  be a great city to host a Rotary International Convention.
     
    Our District received the great news that only four cities were selected to receive a site visit from RI and we are one of the four! Furthermore we are the only US city selected to receive one of 3 RI convention appointments.  The District Convention Committee submitted a bid for the 2021 or the 2022 RI Convention.  While our bid is strong, we need you to help seal the deal.
     
    Please join us on Sunday March 15th for this special reception.  Space is limited to 175 people so register now through the District website.  This reception is only 1 week away and we want every club represented.  The cost is only $20.00 per person.  All attendees must be in place in the Skyline Ballroom by  5:00 pm.  The RI Site Selection Committee will arrive shortly thereafter.    Start practicing you cheer…  Houston, Houston, Houston!
      
    Thank You
    PDG Rhonda Kennedy
     
    Rotary International Convention Committee Coming to Houston 2015-03-12 00:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    The great artist Salvador Dali once observed, “Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings.”
    Quote of the Week 2015-03-12 00:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - "Lay Me Down"

    Soulful crooners John Legend and Sam Smith have collaborated for a duet of Smith's "Lay Me Down" in honor of Comic Relief's Red Nose Day, which is this Friday, March 13. The music video has been released, and it really is quite emotional — perhaps even more than the original. Smith and Legend are recording in the studio, while footage of young children playing and smiling is shown. The charity was originally founded to support children who are victims of famine, mainly in Ethiopia, which makes the video all the more poignant. Take a look.
     
    WHAT IS RED NOSE DAY?
    Since its launch in 1988, Red Nose Day has become something of a British institution. It’s the day, every two years, when people across the land can get together and do something funny for money at home, school and work.
    There’s a fantastic night of TV on the BBC, with comedy and entertainment to inspire the nation to give generously.
    Comic Relief spends the money raised by Red Nose Day to help people living tough lives across the UK and Africa.
    From Iceland to South Africa, events based on Red Nose Day and Sport Relief have popped up all over the place.
     
    Red Nose Day in the US is starting with a bang in 2015. It aims to drive the involvement of millions of Americans through watching the TV show, making a donation and having some fun. It hopes to raise millions of dollars to help to lift children out of poverty in the US and in the poorest communities around the world.
     
    Song of the Week - "Lay Me Down" 2015-03-10 00:00:00Z 0

    It's Time to Rodeo in Houston - Are you Branded?

    Howdy from Rotary District 5890 where the trailriders have arrived, BBQ cookoff completed, and all animals are ready for judging and competing cowboy style!  Are you branded?  That is, do you wear your Rotary pin proudly during your workday and social events?  The pin may draw questions from others who see you even on an elevator and you may then have an opportunity to share your Rotary story. 

    Applying a consistent Rotary look and voice in all of our communications is vital to strengthening our image and enhancing our reputation.  “The Brand Center enables everybody to play an active role in promoting Rotary to the world,” says Alan Buddendeck, general manager and chief communication officer for Rotary International.  

    Here are five reasons you should use the Brand Center:
    You can create your own club and district logos featuring Rotary’s masterbrand signature and see your edits in real time.
    You can develop professional-looking PowerPoint presentations, press releases, and newsletters that incorporate Rotary’s visual identity. Templates can be customized as much -- or as little -- as you want.
    You can find guidelines for using Rotary’s logos and answers to frequently asked questions about our new visual identity. For instance, did you know that your member pin remains unchanged? Or that free fonts are available along with the commercially licensed options?
    You can upload and store the materials and logos you create for future use by creating a basket. Use the Quick Share function to email your basket and share your new materials with members.
    You can download broadcast-quality public service announcements, videos, and images to help tell Rotary’s story. Choose from a variety of topics to illustrate including Join Leaders, Exchange Ideas, and Take Action -- our three organizing principles.
     
    Our identity is the essence of who we are and what we do. By providing a clear and consistent image of what Rotary stands for and how we differ from other charitable organizations, we offer prospective members, donors, and other stakeholders a compelling reason to engage with us. Rotarians are:
    *Responsible leaders, both socially and ethically.
    *Connected with each other and our communities.
    *Affect local communities on a global scale to create lasting change.
     
    Three core ideas help you describe Rotary to a new audience:
    (1) Rotary joins leaders from all continents, cultures, and occupations.
    (2) Rotary exchanges ideas to help solve some of the world’s toughest problems.
    (3) Rotary takes action to bring lasting change to communities around the world.
     
     Our story hasn’t changed. But how we share it with the world is vital to our future. Through a unified Rotary look and clear and compelling voice, we are enhancing our legacy as one of the most widely recognized and respected organizations in the world.
     
     
    Let it begin with you each day as you prepare for work - add your Rotary pin to your attire or wear a Rotary branded article of clothing such as a jacket, windbreaker, scarf or tie, etc.  Invite the opportunity for others to ask you, "What is that pin you are wearing?"  Share Rotary stories and why you have chosen to join 1.2 million others to make a difference in this world.  Explore My Rotary and read more about the branding of Rotary international so that you may become aware of guidelines which will maintain respect and honor for Rotary logos. 

     

    It's Time to Rodeo in Houston - Are you Branded? 2015-03-06 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotarians go RODEO - March 12th

     
    You might have heard District 5890 is bringing back Rodeo Night at the Rodeo at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. District Rotarians and their guests are invited to join us Thursday March 12 for a great fellowship opportunity. We will have a delicious chicken and beef fajita Fiesta Dinner Buffet in a private room on the second floor of NRG Center. The Rodeo entertainer twill be the very popular Zac Brown Band. This performance is almost sold out, but we have secured a block of Loge Section tickets (Section 523). You can get more information by going to the District 5890 website link RNR March 12 . Then click on the link at the bottom of the page to sign up. Full Ride package is $50 and Dinner only is $30.
     
    We have 150 Full Ride packages that include a Rodeo ticket and meal ticket. We have an additional 100 Dinner only tickets available for those who already have Rodeo tickets or HLSR badge privileges. The Rodeo tickets will be transmitted to you electronically and your name will be placed on a check-in list for the Dinner. We only have a total of 250 available dinner slots, so please get your order in early. Our private room will be located on the second floor of NRG Center, convenient to NRG Stadium and all other Rodeo activities. Doors will open at 4:30pm and we will have a cash bar available. We will have a social from 4:30 – 5:30 pm and the dinner buffet will open at 5:30 pm.
     
    Since we are located in NRG Center, there are many convenient opportunities for activities other than going to the Rodeo. Many people will be interested in enjoying the HLSR Champion Wine Garden nearby or look through the Livestock Show and commercial exhibits downstairs in NRG Center. Most of all, this is an opportunity to socialize with fellow Rotarians at the truly iconic RodeoHouston.
     
    You can go straight to the registration page at RNR Registration . When you click the link to register, you may log in with your Rotary information and then “select option”. Check the type of package you want (Full Ride or Dinner Only). Then go the Optional Add-ons and insert the number of additional packages you want for your guests. You then click to the payment options of credit card or check. We prefer credit card for quick response. For any questions or additional information contact John Cotterell at rotary@johncotterell.com or 281-496-6666
    John M. Cotterell
    District 5890 Rotary Night at the Rodeo
    Rotarians go RODEO - March 12th 2015-03-05 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Song

     
    This song is in honor of the United Nation's International Women's Day 2015 which is March 8th.    Also  Rotary's area of focus on maternal health and an emphasis on educating women and reduce gender disparity in education as seen in some countries.  Enjoy this song by Colbie Caillat entitled "Try" which as one reviewer says, "shows that we are all equal by using women with different sizes and races."
    Weekly Song 2015-03-03 00:00:00Z 0

    Inspirational Message - What's Your Excuse

    Jack Canfield, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul and author of the best-selling book The Success Principles, jump-started his career with his mentor, W. Clement Stone, who taught him the fundamental success principles that he still operates from today.
    Inspirational Message - What's Your Excuse 2015-03-03 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Emotional First Aid Needed, Too

    Introducing our speaker:  Guy Winch is a licensed psychologist who works with individuals, couples and families. His most recent book is Emotional First Aid: Healing Rejection, Guilt, Failure, and Other Everyday Hurts. He writes the popular Squeaky Wheel Blog on PsychologyToday.com, and is the author of The Squeaky Wheel: Complaining the Right Way to Get Results, Improve Your Relationships and Enhance Self-Esteem. (He also blogs for Huffington Post.)
     
    We'll go to the doctor when we feel flu-ish or a nagging pain. So why don’t we see a health professional when we feel emotional pain: guilt, loss, loneliness? Too many of us deal with common psychological-health issues on our own, says Guy Winch. But we don’t have to. He makes a compelling case to practice emotional hygiene — taking care of our emotions, our minds, with the same diligence we take care of our bodies.  Enjoy this Ted Talk filmed in November, 2014 - subtitles also available in Hebrew and Thai.
     
     
    Weekly Program - Emotional First Aid Needed, Too 2015-03-03 00:00:00Z 0

    Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!)

    The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) is a groundbreaking and exciting year long class that transforms middle and high school students into real, confident entrepreneurs. Throughout the class, students develop business ideas, write business plans, conduct market research, pitch their plans to a panel of investors, and actually launch and run their own real, legal, fully formed companies and social movements. Complete with dynamic guest speakers from the local business community and exciting behind-the-scenes trips to local companies, the fun, projects-based YEA! approach empowers students to take charge of their futures in a profound way.
     
    This is my first year helping out with this program and I have had a blast. At least three hours weekly for about eight weeks I meet with two students from Brazosport Christian School and mentor them in creating a business plan for a clothing line that's mission is to help people rise above the negativity that is ever present in our day-to-day lives. Their slogan, "Rise Above" is in many ways in-line with the goals of Rotary; both seek to leave the world a better place.
    "I am proud to be participating in this program and impacting the lives of the two students that are both 15 years old.  I find that they are both committed to realizing their dreams of a owning a business with a socially responsible mission."  Alexis joined the e-Club of Houston in December, 2014.  He is the Director of Client Services for Retirement Planning & Wealth Management in Lake Jackson, Texas.  He was sponsored by our President Sofka.
     
    Thank you, Alexis Campestre, for your community service as a Rotarian!  Here he is with the YEA! class of students.
     
    Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) 2015-02-26 00:00:00Z 0

    POLIO Update - February 26, 2015

    The 30th Year - As we celebrate the 110th Anniversary of Rotary this month, we also recognize the 30th year of our battle for Global Polio Eradication.  We have never been closer to our goal.  But "This Close" is not close enough.  Please continue to Donate (to reach our $35 million goal this year - to be matched by $70 million from the Gates Foundation), to Educate (so Rotarians and non-Rotarians alike may be united behind this effort), and to Advocate (encouraging each government, foundation and NGO to support us) until we reach Zero Polio Cases worldwide for 3 Years!
     
    Africa - It has been over 13 months since the last Polio case was reported in Ethiopia,  over 7 months for Cameroon, over 6 months for Somalia and over 7 months for Nigeria.  If Nigeria can go 12 months with quality surveillance detecting no Wild Polio Virus, they will join the countries which have stopped Polio transmission.  If after an additional two years, no Wild Polio Virus has been detected, Nigeria could be certified as Polio - Free! 
       
    A Polio-Free Pakistan - With 85% of the world's 2014 Polio cases occurring in Pakistan, it's clear that evidence of increased commitment from the government of Pakistan at all levels is crucial for turning the tide on polio. The emergency activities will in the future be directly overseen by the Office of the Prime Minister, which will monitor progress on a regular basis and redirect the plan as needed based on evolving epidemiology.  In the long history of the polio eradication effort, countries that seemed to have insurmountable problems have made a dramatic turnaround following a similar commitment from their governments.  
     
    The Final Three Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - 9 cases reported in 2015 with 306 Polio cases recorded in 2014  The most recent case was reported on 01/31/15 in Peshawar.    
    Afghanistan - Two cases reported in 2015 with 28 Polio cases recorded in 2014. The most recent case was reported on 01/21/14
    from the Hilmand Province.   
    Nigeria - Zero cases reported in 2015 with 6 Polio cases recorded in 2014.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14.  Sub-National Immunization Days are planned on March 14-18 using trivalent vaccine.
     
    Importation Countries:
    Ethiopia - Zero Polio Case reported in 2015 compared to 1 in 2014.
    Cameroon - Zero Polio Cases reported in 2015 compared to 5 in 2014.
    Somalia - Zero Polio Cases reported in 2015 compared to 5 in 2014.   
    Iraq - Zero Polio cases reported in 2015 compared to 2 in 2014.  
    Syria - Zero Polio case reported in 2015 compared to 1 in 2014.
    Equatorial Guinea - Zero Polio Cases reported in 2015 compared to 5 in 2014.
      
    POLIO Update - February 26, 2015 Terry Zigler 2015-02-26 00:00:00Z 0

    2015 Charity Poker Tournament - March 28th

     
     
     
    On March 28, join the Rotary Clubs of West U (Houston) and River Oaks as they host their 2015 Charity Poker Tournament.  Proceeds will benefit various charities the two clubs support.  Lunch begins at noon, poker at 1:00 PM - $50 buy in.  The location is the Oxford Condos Community Room, 5150 Hidalgo (just behind the Galleria).
     
    Contact Jack Wallace at 713-705-8661 for more details.
    *This would count for weekly attendance for the e-club.
    2015 Charity Poker Tournament - March 28th 2015-02-25 00:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    “One of the most courageous things you can do is identify yourself, know who you are, what you believe in and where you want to go.” — Sheila Murray Bethel
     
    “To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh
     
    "You are more powerful than you know; you are beautiful just as you are." — Melissa Etheridge
    Quote of the Week 2015-02-24 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Positive Uses of Drones

    Ecologist Lian Pin Koh makes a persuasive case for using drones to protect the world's forests and wildlife. These lightweight autonomous flying vehicles can track animals in their natural habitat, monitor the health of rainforests, even combat crime by detecting poachers via thermal imaging. Added bonus? They're also entirely affordable.
     
    Meet Lian Pin Koh, a relentless tinkerer and science fiction movie geek, though most know him as an environmental scientist. His dreams of combining these interests led him to co-found, with colleague Serge Wich, the site ConservationDrones.org, a project dedicated to gathering intelligence on forests and wildlife through the use of low-cost unmanned flying machines.
    Ground surveys are expensive, and are not conducted at a sufficient frequency. Furthermore, some remote tropical forests have never been really surveyed for biodiversity. Koh's machines have already collected valuable information in Sumatra, Congo, Gabon, and Madagascar.
    He is an assistant professor of applied ecology and conservation at the ETH Zurich.
    What others say:  “Although it's still the "dawn of drone ecology," as one innovator calls it, these unmanned aerial vehicles are already skimming over Indonesia's jungle canopy to photograph orangutans, protecting rhinos in Nepal and studying invasive aquatic plants in Florida... A conservation drone pioneer, Lian Pin Koh of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, says the idea came to him after another sweaty, jungle slog in Sabah, Malaysia, hauling heavy equipment for his field work.” — Denis D. Gray, USA Today

    This Ted Talk was filmed in June, 2013:  A Drone's -Eye View of Conservation.
     
     
    A billion people in the world lack access to all-season roads. Could the structure of the internet provide a model for how to reach them? Andreas Raptopoulos of Matternet thinks so. He introduces a new type of transportation system that uses electric autonomous flying machines to deliver medicine, food, goods and supplies wherever they are needed.  Another positive creative use of drones shared by Ted Talks in June, 2013.
     
     
    Weekly Program - Positive Uses of Drones 2015-02-24 00:00:00Z 0

    Why Help the Syrian Refugees in Turkey?

    Over 1.6 million Syrians have taken refugee in Turkey since the outbreak of the crisis in March 2011.
    Around 30 percent of these live in 22 government-run camps near the Syrian-Turkish border. The rest do their best to make ends meet in communities across the country.
    Such a response has come with substantial cost, and by May 2013 the Turkish government had spent around $1.5 billion (€1.6 billion) on accommodating Syrian refugees. The rising price tag has now forced the Turkish government to seek international support for an operation that, at the beginning, was guarded as a government responsibility. Now UNHCR and other groups have much greater access to the refugees than they did at the beginning, but the Turkish government still maintains a large degree of control over the camps.
    Turkey has accorded temporary protection to Syrians on their territory, which precludes forced repatriation, however legally they are not refugees in Turkey but ‘guests’. Turkey is a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees, however because of a geographic exception written into the original document it is only obligated to accept refugees from European nations. Thus, Syrians in Turkey do not have access to all the legal safeguards accorded to refugees elsewhere, and those seeking permanent resettlement must look to a third nation. Turkey long-maintained an open border for fleeing Syrians, although that policy has changed somewhat as the crisis has grown. For this reason, a substantial number of people are now camped on the Syrian side of the border, waiting for an opportunity to cross.
    In September 2014, attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant against Kurdish towns and villages near the Turkish border caused hundreds of thousands of Kurds to flee to Turkey.

    Refugees in Turkey from Syria’s Kobani area are being encouraged to move into the newest and largest camp which opened in Suruς in late January 2015. To date, 5,000 people have moved into the camp, managed by the government’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, which has a capacity to shelter 35,000 of the estimated 192,000 people who fled to Turkey from Kobani during fighting between militants and Syrian Kurdish forces last year.

    Over 200 agencies and aid groups, together with the governments of neighboring countries, are working together to protect Syrian refugees and assist them with meeting their basic needs, improve access to education and medical care, and provide basic goods such as tents, food and safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities.

     
    Rotarians want to help, too.  If you unable to attend the fundraiser this coming Saturday, please know that you may donate online on our club's website.

    Thank you!
    Why Help the Syrian Refugees in Turkey? 2015-02-24 00:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - "I am so Weary" (Song for Refugees by Cliff McAulay

    A Cliff McAulay song, written in response to the problems of refugees throughout the world.
    Filmed by Andy Freegard.2012. Recorded in Melbourne Australia. Paul Richards Drums, Phil Smith Bass,Toni McDonald violin,Charlie.
    Here are the lyrics:
     
    I am so weary, so very tired. I Can’t even say my name.
    I am so hungry, so sick and frightened. I Can’t even hold my head up.
    I’m not an animal. Not some strange creature. I am a human..
    I have such dreams I can tell you about, I have such love I can tell you about,
    If you would listen.
    I  am unwanted, my land is a desert, and all of my life a nightmare.
    I’m not an animal, not some strange creature, I am a human.
     
    I have such dreams I can tell you about, I have such love I can tell you about,
     If  you would listen.
    So stop all the fighting, I’ll care for my children, let’s burn all the guns and rockets.
    We’ll paint the world kindly, use many colours, and light up the sky with magic.
     I’m not an animal, not some strange creature, I am a human.
    And I have such dreams I can tell you about, I have such joy I can tell you about.
    If you would listen.
    I am the frightened, I am your sister.
    I am the homeless, I am your brother.
    I am the future, I am the children.
     
     
     
    Song of the Week - "I am so Weary" (Song for Refugees by Cliff McAulay 2015-02-24 00:00:00Z 0

    Fundraiser for Marine Moms - April 11th

     
    Fundraising for supplies/shipping costs for deployed military in all branches sponsored by the Marine Moms.  This is the group we assisted with our own fundraiser earlier this year.  There will be good BBQ, a raffle, silent auction, and a competition for the best in each category of brisket, ribs, and chicken.
     

    BBQ COOKOFF -

     

    Saturday, April 11th

     

    2015 Cross Track Ice House

     

    200 Magnolia St., Spring (Old Town Spring) 77373

    (281) 907-0711

    $10.00 = ALL YOU CAN EAT WITH WRISTBAND

     

    3:00 Start eating BBQ!

    5:00 Auction & Awards Trophies

     

    Contact the following for more information:

    Fae Morris Houston Marine Moms 832-248-2126

    Gina Wilson Houston Marine Moms 832-455-7598

     
    Fundraiser for Marine Moms - April 11th 2015-02-20 00:00:00Z 0
    A Look Back at the e-Club's First Year 2015-02-20 00:00:00Z 0

    District Membership Meeting - Feb 23rd

    Meeting Date & Time:  This Monday, February 23rd, at 6:30pm (6:00pm, if you want to order food).  *This counts for weekly ATTENDANCE.
     
    Venue:    Los Tios Mexican Restaurant   
                    4840 Beechnut St.  
                    Houston, Texas 77096
                    713-660-6244
     
    Growing Rotary enables us to do more good in our communities and the world, so you do not want to miss this D. 5890 Membership Meeting.  This is also a great opportunity to bond with your club's Area Membership Chair (AMC).
    Ed Socha, President, Rotary Club of Houston Heights - Topic - "Awakening & Rebirth: Rotary Club of Houston Heights Builds Relationships" - Rebuilding Rotary Clubs starts with action beyond planning.  It involves renewing service ....... digging deeper into the club for new relationships ....... and forming community alliances.  Learn how relationship renewal drives membership retention and attracts new members!
     
    If your club wants to increase membership and retain members, you definitely do not want to miss Ed Socha's "chock-full of creative ideas" presentation!
     
    We look forward to the attendance of at least one (1) representative from your club!   
    Yours in Rotary service,
    Ann Wright                                                                                            Jon McKinnie
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair, 2014-15                            D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair, 2014-15
    713-647-8400                                                                                        713-315-0220
    awright_tmg@yahoo.com                                                                      jmckinnie825@yahoo.com
     
     
    District Membership Meeting - Feb 23rd 2015-02-20 00:00:00Z 0

    Congratulations, Rtn. Brittany Johnson!

     
    Congratulations to Brittany Johnson.  She recently received two prestigious annual awards for 2014 for the Marriott South Central Region.  Brittany was awarded the Breakthrough Leadership Training award, which recognized her leadership and training skills among an office with a staff of 100 employees.  She also received a Spirit to Serve award, which recognized her participation in volunteer events and fundraising.  She has served as the Spirit to Serve Chairman for 3 years in the South Central Region for Marriott Hotels and Resorts.  As chairman she has increased employee participation by 200% as well as increasing fundraising for Children’s Miracle Network from $1,800 to $10,000! Also, her proud parents are PDG Ed Charlesworth and Rtn. Robin Charlesworth.  Pictured here with a co-worker, Jacob Kendrick, also an award winner.
    Congratulations, Rtn. Brittany Johnson! 2015-02-19 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - "Celebration" by Kool & the Gang 2015-02-19 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - How Childhood Trauma affects Health across a Lifetime

    Childhood trauma isn’t something you just get over as you grow up. Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris explains that the repeated stress of abuse, neglect and parents struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues has real, tangible effects on the development of the brain. This unfolds across a lifetime, to the point where those who’ve experienced high levels of trauma are at triple the risk for heart disease and lung cancer. An impassioned plea for pediatric medicine to confront the prevention and treatment of trauma, head-on.
     
    Why you should listen
    Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris noticed a disturbing trend as she treated children in an underserved neighborhood in San Francisco: that many of the kids who came to see her had experienced childhood trauma. She began studying how childhood exposure to adverse events affects brain development, as well as a person’s health as an adult.
    Understanding this powerful correlation, Burke Harris became the founder and CEO of the Center for Youth Wellness, an initiative at the California Pacific Medical Center Bayview Child Health Center that seeks to create a clinical model that recognizes and effectively treats toxic stress in children. Her work pushes the health establishment to reexamine its relationship to social risk factors, and advocates for medical interventions to counteract the damaging impact of stress. Her goal: to change the standard of pediatric practice, across demographics.
     
    This talk is relevant to Rotarians who understand the Six Major Areas of Focus, including Maternal and Child Health.
     
     
     
    Filmed September 2014 at TEDMED 2014
    Weekly Program - How Childhood Trauma affects Health across a Lifetime 2015-02-19 00:00:00Z 0

    We are THIS CLOSE - Polio Eradication

    The 30th Year - As we celebrate the 110th Anniversary of Rotary this month, we also recognize the 30th year of our battle for Global Polio Eradication.  We have never been closer to our goal.  But "This Close" is not close enough.  Please continue to Donate (to reach our $35 million goal this year - to be matched by $70 million from the Gates Foundation), to Educate (so Rotarians and non-Rotarians alike may be united behind this effort), and to Advocate (encouraging each government, foundation and NGO to support us) until we reach Zero Polio Cases for 3 Years!
    Africa - It has been over 13 months since the last Polio case was reported in Ethiopia,  over 7 months for Cameroon, and over 6 months for Somalia and Nigeria.  If Nigeria can go 12 months with quality surveillance detecting no Wild Polio Virus, they will join the countries which have stopped Polio transmission.  If after an additional two years, no Wild Polio Virus has been detected, Nigeria could be certified as Polio - Free!    
    Pakistan - With 85% of the world's 2014 Polio cases occurring in Pakistan, it's clear that evidence of increased commitment from the government of Pakistan at all levels is crucial for turning the tide on polio. The emergency activities will in the future be directly overseen by the Office of the Prime Minister, which will monitor progress on a regular basis and redirect the plan as needed based on evolving epidemiology.  In the long history of the polio eradication effort, countries that seemed to have insurmountable problems have made a dramatic turnaround following a similar commitment from their governments. 
     
    The Final Three Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - 7 cases reported in 2015 with 306 Polio cases recorded in 2014  The most recent case was reported on 01/107/15 in Peshawar.    
    Afghanistan - Zero cases reported in 2015 with 28 Polio cases recorded in 2014. The most recent case was reported on 12/04/14 from Kandahar.   
    Nigeria - Zero cases reported in 2015 with 6 Polio cases recorded in 2014.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14.  Sub-National Immunization Days are planned on March 14-18 using trivalent vaccine.
     
    Importation Countries:
    Ethiopia - Zero Polio Case reported in 2015 compared to 1 in 2014.
    Cameroon - Zero Polio Cases reported in 2015 compared to 5 in 2014.
    Somalia - Zero Polio Cases reported in 2015 compared to 5 in 2014.   
    Iraq - Zero Polio cases reported in 2015 compared to 2 in 2014.  
    Syria - Zero Polio case reported in 2015 compared to 1 in 2014.
    Equatorial Guinea - Zero Polio Cases reported in 2015 compared to 5 in 2014.
     
    We are THIS CLOSE - Polio Eradication 2015-02-19 00:00:00Z 0

    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

    I’m asked frequently about the impact that we as one engaged Rotary club or as individuals can make. While I know that we can't technically "save" the world, we can still make a positive difference, one person at a time. Below is the wisdom of “The Power of One” Poem from unknown author:
     
    One song can spark a moment -
    One whisper can wake the dream -
    One tree can start a forest -
    One bird can herald spring -
    One smile can start a friendship -
    One hug can lift the soul -
    One star can guide a ship at sea -
    One word can frame the goal -
    One vision can change a nation -
    One sunbeam lights a room -
    One candle wipes out darkness -
    One laugh will win over gloom -
    One step starts each journey -
    One word starts each prayer -
    One hope will raise our spirits -
    One touch can show you care -
    One voice can speak with wisdom -
    One heart can know what’s true -
    One life can make a difference.
     
    What one thing can you do today to make a difference?
     
    Yours in Light Up Rotary,
    President Sofka
    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Sofka Werkmeister 2015-02-12 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Trivia

    • India has 3357 clubs at the rate of 38 Rotarians per club while Africa has 1215 clubs at the rate of 22.7 Rotarians per club.

    Rotary Trivia 2015-02-11 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotary International's 110th Anniversary

    Most, if not all Rotarians are aware that Monday 23rd February 2015, will be Rotary’s 110th Anniversary. To commemorate this historic date, R.I President Gary Huang has decided to organise a special Rotary Day in Rome, Italy, on 23rd February, at which a high profile event will take place at the FAO Headquarters under the theme “Hunger Alleviation” and will focus on reducing malnutrition, supporting agricultural efforts and encouraging economic development.

    President Gary has honored ROTA (Reach Out to Africa) in this regard by inviting PDG Patrick D. Chisanga, current ROTA Chair, to participate in this historic event. He will speak on Rotary projects in Africa that promote economic and agricultural development, nutritional education and support for the hungry.

    Rotary International's 110th Anniversary 2015-02-11 00:00:00Z 0

    Valentine Couples in our e-Club

    PDG Ed Charlesworth was the Rotary e-Club of Houston's Charter President as this club chartered only one year ago at the District All-Club Meeting.  His wife, Robin Charlesworth, produces our weekly newsletter and manages the website although she is an active member and was charter president of the Rotary Club of Houston NW Sunset.  Ed and Robin recently celebrated their 40th Anniversary by traveling to Machu Picchu in Peru and a vow renewal planned by their two lovely daughters.  "I have found that if you love life, life will love you back".  Arthur Rubenstein - 
     
     
    Sofka is currently serving as President of the e-Club of Houston and Michael as Secretary.  Michael is also President-Elect of the club.  As you can see, both are quite committed to the ideals of Rotary and eager to serve.  Sofka is from Germany and Michael from Tucson, Arizona.  Both work at Dow Chemical and their jobs require frequent travel which is why the e-Club fits their schedule better than their previous club, the Rotary After 5 Club near Brazosport.  They were married in March, 2001. Thank you for your leadership!  “Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.”
    ― Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land
     
     
     
     
    Another "power" couple are Michael and Adriane Miller.  Michael is currently serving as our club' treasurer and "Dree" is our dynamic membership chairman.  Again, two amazing people who devote time and talent to "Service Above Self" and our e-Club.  These two share an exciting life together which often involves traveling, and with a 24-7 e-Club both can fully engage in Rotary activities and enrich not only the lives of others, but their own lives are enriched by the many new friendships and service opportunities. "Where  there is love there is life".  Mahatma Gandhi.
     
     
     
    Another couple, both Brazilians, Husein and Marcia Natali de Assis Allgayer, were recruited by Dree Miller to join Rotary.  A friendly and fun couple who enjoy making new friends in Rotary and serving others through our local and international projects.   Marcia is typically the face behind the camera at many of our events.   "Life is the flower for which love is the honey".  Victor Hugo
     
     
     
     
      John and Linda Caruso are both committed Rotarians and Major Donors of the Rotary Foundation.  Linda is a Past-President of the Rotary Club of Houston and serves on the Gulf Coast Leadership Institute team which holds annual leadership development training for Rotarians in our district.  John and Linda traveled with Ed and Robin in 2013 to volunteer on the Rose Bowl Parade Committee and enjoyed working behind the scenes on our Rotary float.  John was previously in the Rotary Club of Willowbrook.  Linda is currently serving as the e-club's Foundation Chair.  "La vita non e che un sogno."  Translated from Italian - Live is but a dream.
     
    Tatiana and Andre Luis Berardi are another Rotarian couple serving together in the e-Club of Houston.  They live in the Woodlands near Michael and Dree Miller.  Tatiana studied Nutrition at USC- BAuru, Sao Paulo, Brazil, which is the location of our upcoming Rotary International Convention.  Andre is a naval architect who enjoys hosting friends in their home.  Also, they often foster dogs until they can their "forever home".  They contributed to a fundraiser in Houston to help build a kitchen in a women’s shelter in Brazil,  helped a friend in the local community who is below the poverty line and has cancer, and are always ready to offer assistance to others.
    "Where so ever you go, go with all your heart."  unknown
     
     
     
     
    Valentine Couples in our e-Club 2015-02-09 00:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - "Ukelele" by JP Lane

     
    Meet JP Lane - a US veteran who served in Afghanistan, lost both legs, and is now a motivational speaker and singer.  J.P. Lane (Justin Lane), 25 years old, originally from Green Bay, Wisconsin now lives in San Antonio, Texas. As a U.S. Army soldier he has been selected to  be a Home Recipient from the HelpingaHero.org.  At the Helping a Hero Gala in October, 2014, he received his house keys with special guests present including President George W Bush, Dennis Miller and Lee Greenwood... it was awesome!!! He shared his story last weekend at Camp RYLA for District 5890 with 130 talented and future leaders from high schools in our greater area of Houston.  Thanks, JP, for your service to our country and for your service to our youth! 
     
    He wrote this song last year -" I woke up last Valentines day and didn't like being alone on that day so I decided to right a song to cheer myself up....this is what came out. ENJOY ;)". 
    Song of the Week - "Ukelele" by JP Lane 2015-02-09 00:00:00Z 0

    What is EREY?

    Your gift to the Annual Fund helps Rotary clubs take action today to create positive change in communities at home and around the world. Your contributions help us strengthen peace efforts, provide clean water and sanitation, support education, grow local economies, save mothers and children, and fight disease.
     
    The Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) initiative asks every Rotarian to support The Rotary Foundation every year. In addition to contributing to the Annual Fund on a regular basis, members are encouraged to get involved in a Foundation project or program.  This can be accomplished online via My Rotary or just search for The Rotary Foundation and the "Give Now" box.   A goal which many set for themselves is $100 per year.  It may be more or it may be less.  Let's try for 100% of our club to give something.
     
    At the end of every Rotary year, contributions directed to the Annual Fund-SHARE from all Rotary clubs in the district are divided between the World Fund and the District Designated Fund, or DDF.  At the end of three years, your district can use the DDF to pay for Foundation, club, and district projects that your club and others in the district choose. Districts may use up to half of their DDF to fund district grants. The remaining DDF may be used for global grants or donated to PolioPlus, the Rotary Peace Centers, or another district.  This amount is separate from the Polio Plus giving.  A percentage of the Polio Plus money does not return to our district to be used as DDF.  The DDF is used for our smaller projects as opposed to minimum $30,000 projects which are Global grants.  Let's support our district so we can ask the district to support our projects!
    What is EREY? 2015-02-09 00:00:00Z 0

    Save the Date - FEB 21 - BOD Meeting (new location)

    The next Board of Directors and General meeting will be held on February 21st from 10:00AM till 11:00AM at the Raindrop Turkish House (9301 West Bellfort Street, Houston, TX 77031). The main focus will be the upcoming fundraiser (February 28th) to be held at the same location.
     
    Yours in Rotary Service,
    President Sofka
     
    Save the Date - FEB 21 - BOD Meeting (new location) 2015-02-08 00:00:00Z 0

    For Active Members, only

    Have you set up your own account on the Rotary International website?  Go to Rotary.org - MY ROTARY.  Here you will find information about our club in the section "My Club Snapshot".  You will find interesting information about Rotary projects, announcements, messaging with other Rotarians around the world, and can even register for the International Convention here. If you are traveling, it's easy to locate another Rotary club to attend for a make-up meeting which should be reported for your monthly attendance report.  Investigate how to build your own profile and it may help identify partners with common interests for projects.  This is really your gateway to connecting with others and what Rotarians are doing beyond our own club. If you are a new Rotarian, your questions can be answered here, such as guidelines for using the Rotary logo.  When you want to make donations to the Rotary Foundation for the Every Rotarian Every Year or to Polio Plus, this is where you can easily donate online.  Go on, explore the World of Rotary!
    For Active Members, only 2015-02-06 00:00:00Z 0

    February - World Understanding Month

    Excerpts taken from "Suggestions on the Teaching of History" by C.P. Hill and published  by the United Nations in 1953 by Unesco, Paris.
    The main emphasis here, as at the seminar, is placed on the contribution which the teaching of history can make to international understanding.
     
     
    History properly taught can help men to become critical and humane, just as wrongly taught it can turn them into bigots and fanatics. For the child can begin to develop, even from an elementary historical training, qualities and attitudes of mind which all aid international understanding. He can acquire an abiding interest in the lives and achievements of peoples outside his own homeland and realize what they have contributed to the common cultural inheritance of man; he can learn to be accurate and critical and grasp the idea of change as a factor in human affairs; he will be able to see that the civilization of the present is only one of many civilizations that have existed on this planet, and that for all our marvels we may lack certain qualities which some former age had in abundance.  The cause of international understanding benefits yet further when children reach adulthood knowing something of the causes and results of past human conflicts, and something of the history of man's efforts international cooperation, and when the history they have learned teaches them both about the growing interdependence of nations and about the strenuous efforts of millions of individual men to establish human freedoms.
     
    Few would deny that teaching international understanding is a desirable result of history teaching,and that the teacher who strives to promote it is pursuing a laudable end.
    February - World Understanding Month 2015-02-06 00:00:00Z 0
    Weekly Program - "The Brain in Love" 2015-02-06 00:00:00Z 0

    Galleria Area Fundraiser - "Romantic Taste of Italy" February 13th

    An exquisite evening of Romance, Italian Wine, Delicious Heavy Hors d’Oervres, and an Evening of Romantic Music & Love Songs performed by concert pianist Francesco Attesti,  tenor Angelo Ferrari, and soprano Mariam Haddad. 
     
    OUR CAUSE
    The Rotary Fire Fighters Home of Houston provides low-cost housing to fire fighters and first responders while they undergo treatment in the Texas Medical Center, and The Pan American Round Table Scholarship Fund supports graduates that live the words of William Feather, “Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go”, and provides a grassroots opportunity for local women scholars on their way to becoming self-sustaining, productive adults who would likely, ultimately, pay it forward.
     
     
            *  The Houstonian Estates
    • 121 N Post Oak Ln
    • Houston, Texas 77024
    • 7:30 pm
    Cocktails start at 7:30 o' clock in the evening
    Performance Seating at 8:15 pm
    Complimentary Valet Parking
    Business Attire
    www.ANightInItaly.com
    Hosted by the Rotary Club of the Galleria Area and the Pan American Round Table, with proceeds going to the Rotary Firefighters Home and the Pan American Round Table Scholarship Fund!  Tickets are $100 per person.  May be ordered online.
    Galleria Area Fundraiser - "Romantic Taste of Italy" February 13th 2015-02-06 00:00:00Z 0

    Quotes for a Better World

    Our only hope lies in the power of our love, generosity, tolerance and understanding and our commitment to making the world a better place for all...
    -- Muhammad Ali
     
    "Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.
    -- Maya Angelou
     
    "There are no nations! There is only humanity. And if we don't come to understand that right soon, there will be no nations, because there will be no humanity."
    -- Isaac Asimov
    Quotes for a Better World 2015-02-06 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - John Lennon's "Imagine" 2015-02-06 00:00:00Z 0

    The Polio Story This Week

    Three Polio Cases reported this week - all in Pakistan
     
    Africa - It has been over a year since the last Polio case was reported in Ethiopia, and over 6 months since the last reported case in Syria, Cameroon, Somalia, and Nigeria.  Nigeria must go 12 months with quality surveillance detecting no Wild Polio Virus before they are considered to have stopped Polio transmission.  If after an additional two years, no Wild Polio Virus has been detected, Nigeria could be certified as Polio - Free!    
    Pakistan - Of the 305 Polio cases reported in 2014 in Pakistan, 178 were in the FATA & 68 in the Khyber Province.
    Sub-National Immunization Days are scheduled for Ethiopia, Somalia, and Uganda in February and a National Immunization Day will take place on February 22 in India. 
     
    Just how close are we to wiping out polio? If you use 350,000 as the starting point (the number of polio cases per year before Rotary started the PolioPlus effort) and compare it to the 356 cases we had last year you can come up with an interesting fact. If the 350,000 cases at the peak represent 1 mile we only have 5 feet 4 inches to go to finish the mile. [350,000 polio cases is to 356 polio cases as 5,280 feet (1 mile) is to 5 feet 4 inches.] We are even closer than the pictures of people holding their fingers close together depict.  Wow! We are close! - from Mike Berger - Polio Plus Chair 2012-15, District 5910.
    The Polio Story This Week 2015-02-05 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - The Curious Life of a Mars Rover

    Having helped design the Mars rovers Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity, NASA engineer Kobie Boykins reveals what these robots are telling us about the existence of life on the red planet.
     
    The National Geographic Live series brings thought-provoking presentations by today’s leading explorers, scientists, photographers, and performing artists right to you. Each presentation is filmed in front of a live audience at National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C. New clips air every Monday.
     
     
    Hope you enjoy this presentation!  In Rotary District 5890 we often schedule special tours of NASA for our guests.   Recently, during the visit of RI President Gary Huang to our D5890, such a special tour was scheduled for him and his wife, Corinna Yao,  which he thoroughly enjoyed.
     
    Weekly Program - The Curious Life of a Mars Rover 2015-02-05 00:00:00Z 0

    Support the Firefighter's Home in Our Home District

    Get your tickets for That’s Amore!  http://www.anightinitaly.com
     
    What’s Amore?
    It’s a night of Romance, Wine, Food and beautiful music from Italian PH Rotarian Francesco Attesti, Soprano Mariam Haddad and Tenor Angelo Ferrari.
    Friday, February 13, 7:30 pm Wine and Hors d’oeuvres; 8:15 pm Seating for Performance
    Silent Auction - Complimentary Valet Parking - Ladies Coat Check
     
    Where’s Amore?
    The Garden Room in The Houstonian Residence Condominiums
     

    Support Our Efforts of The Rotary Firefighters Home of Houston & The Pan American Round Table Scholarship Fund...

    The Rotary Firefighters Home of Houston provides low-cost housing to fire fighters and first responders while they undergo treatment in the Texas Medical Center, and The Pan American Round Table Scholarship Fund supports graduates that live the words of William Feather, “Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go”, and provides a grassroots opportunity for local women scholars on their way to becoming self-sustaining, productive adults who would likely, ultimately, pay it forward.

     
    Support the Firefighter's Home in Our Home District 2015-01-31 00:00:00Z 0

    President's Message

    Dear Fellow Rotarians and Friends,
     
    It is almost the end of January and this month went very fast for me. January is Rotary Awareness Month and it’s a time to think and continue sharing Rotary with our families, colleagues, friends, neighbors even strangers around us.
     
    Here are some interesting facts about Rotary
    • There are more than 1.2 Million Rotarians all over the world in more than 34,282 Rotary Clubs in more than 200 countries in all geographic areas.
    • The Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarships is the world's largest, privately funded scholarship program.
    • Providing vitamin A supplements during polio National Immunization Days has averted an estimated 1.5 million childhood deaths since 1998 – testimony to the "plus" in PolioPlus.
    • The first project of the first Rotary club of Chicago was installation of public toilets in the city.
    • The first Rotaract Club was formed in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.
    • The first women joined Rotary in 1987. By 2010, the number of women in Rotary International was approaching 200,000.
    • Since 1978 under the Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) Program, 340 projects in 78 countries have been funded from Rotary International totaling $ 87 million.
    • As of January 2012, India was declared polio free for the first time in history, leaving just Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan with endemic polio. As of June 2011, Rotary has committed more than US$850 million to global polio eradication. Rotary has received $355 million in challenge grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Rotary committed to raising $200 million by June 30, 2012 and met that goal by January 2012. This represented another $555 million toward polio eradication.
    When we see the Rotary International wheel, we think of
    • Service Above Self
    • The 4-Way Test
    • Ending polio worldwide
    • Committed to fostering peace and building international friendships
    • Nonpolitical; nonsectarian; effective at doing good works.
    I frequently get the question "What is Rotary, anyway? I seize the opportunity to give the "elevator speech" (the one you give when you have 15 seconds on an elevator). I’m telling the story about a place in India, where one of our Rotarian donated funds to purchase sewing machines to young girls so that they can learn sewing and become financially independent; or about the children from the dumps in Nicaragua, receiving scholarships from many Rotary clubs so that they can continue their education or the help that our fellow Rotarians provide to elderly or sick people and their families in the communities.

    All around the world, Rotary makes a difference. And part of our job is to tell the story throughout the year.
     
    Thank you very much for everything you do for Rotary!
     
    Yours in Rotary Service,
    President Sofka

    President's Message Sofka Werkmeister 2015-01-29 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Fellowships at a Glance

    Historical Background
    Rotary Fellowships began informally in 1928 when Rotarians with a shared interest in the language Esperanto
    joined together. In 1947, a group of Rotarian boating enthusiasts began flying the Rotary flag from their crafts,
    calling themselves the International Yachting Fellowship of Rotarians; this fellowship now boasts the longest
    continuous existence. The scope of Rotary Fellowships has changed much over the years, but today their
    purpose is still to unite Rotarians in friendship and provide venues for enjoying their favorite recreational or
    professional activities.
     

    Rotary Fellowships are groups of Rotary members who

    •   Share a common interest in recreational activities, sports,

      hobbies, or professions

    •   Further their vocational development with others in the

      same profession or field

    •   Enhance their Rotary experience by exploring new

      opportunities and making connections around the world

      HOW ROTARY FELLOWSHIPS OPERATE

    •   Each fellowship functions independently of Rotary International, establishing its own rules, dues requirements, and administrative structure.

    •   Membership is open to Rotarians, spouses of Rotarians, and Rotaractors.

    •   Fellowships must have an international scope, with active members in at least three countries.

      BENEFITS OF ROTARY FELLOWSHIPS

      Fellowships:

    •   Enable Rotarians to make lasting friendships outside their

      own club, district, or country

    •   Contribute to the advancement of Rotary’s public image

      and identity

    •   Serve as an incentive for joining Rotary and for continuing

      as a member

    Examples of Fellowships today:

    ROTARY FELLOWSHIPS

    Interested in a particular subject? Visit the group’s website to learn more.

    Interested in a particular subject? Visit the group’s website to learn more.
    Amateur Radio             www.ifroar.org
    Italian Culture               www.icwrf.org
    Antique Automobiles    www.achafr.eu
    Jazz                              www.rotaryjazz.com
    Authors and Writers     www.authorsandwritersrif.org   
    Latin Culture                www.rotarioslatinos.org
    Beer                             rotarymartin@comcast.net
    Lawyers                        www.rotarianlawyersfellowship.org
    Bird Watching               www.ifbr.org   
    Magicians                     www.rotarianmagician.org
    Bowling                        fratev@noviz.com
    Magna Graecia            www.fellowshipmagnagraecia.org
    Canoeing                     www.rotarybrew.org   
    Marathon Running       www.rotarianrun.org
    Caravanning                www.rotarianscaravanning.org.uk
    Chess                          www3.sympatico.ca/brian.clark
    Motorcycling                www.ifmr.org
    Old and Rare Books    www.rotaryoldbooks.org
    Carneval Parades and Festivals www.ifcpf.org
    Music                               www.ifrm.org
    Computer Users              jkalassery@gmail.com   
    Past District Governors    www.pdgsfellowship.org
    Cooking                            www.rotariangourmet.com
    Photographers                  www.ifrp.info
    Convention Goers             www.conventiongoers.org   
    Police and Law Enforcement    www.polepfr.org
    Cricket                              www.rotarycricket.org
    Scouting                           www.ifsr-net.org
    Wine                                 www.ifmr.org
     
    AND there are more!  If you don't find your passion listed, you may always begin a new fellowship, too.  A small amount is paid to the group and probably another Rotary pin to signify your interest in the particular fellowship. 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Rotary Fellowships at a Glance 2015-01-29 00:00:00Z 0

    The Magic Bank Account

    Bear Bryant, the legendary Alabama football coach, used to carry around in his billfold two slips of paper. On one was written the prayer below.  The other told a story about the magic bank account.   Both are excellent descriptions of  “why time counts.”  Because this weekend is the biggest football game in America, I thought it may be a good time to share something of value for all of us from this endeared football coach.  May your team always be winners in the game of life!

    Imagine that you had won the following *PRIZE* in a contest:
    Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400 in your private account for your personal use.
    However, this prize has rules.  The set of rules are as follow:
    Everything that you don’t spend each day will be taken away from you.
    You may not simply transfer money into some other account.
    You may only spend it.
    Each morning,  upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400 for the new day.
    The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say,“Game Over!”   It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.
    What would you personally do with your prize?
    You would buy anything and everything you wanted right? Not only for yourself, but for all the people you love and care for. Even for people you don’t know, because you couldn’t possibly spend it all on yourself, right?   You would try to spend every penny, and use it all, because you knew money would be replenished in the morning, right?
    Actually, THIS GAME IS REAL.  Shocked ? Yes!   Each of us is already a winner of a much more valuable *PRIZE*.   We just don’t seem to realize it.
    The prize is *TIME*
    Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life.
    And when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is NOT credited to us.
    What we haven’t used up that day is forever lost.
    Yesterday is forever gone.
    Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your account at any time WITHOUT WARNING.
    So, WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH YOUR 86,400 seconds today?
    Those seconds are worth much, much more than the same amount in dollars.  Think about it and remember to enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think.
    So take care of yourself, be happy, love deeply and enjoy life!  Here’s wishing you a wonderful and beautiful day. Start “spending” your valuable *PRIZE* wisely.
     
    The Magic Bank Account 2015-01-29 00:00:00Z 0

    POLIO UPDATE - January 29, 2015

    Africa - It has been over a year since the last Polio case was reported in Ethiopia, and over 6 months since the last reported case in Syria, Cameroon, Somalia, and Nigeria!  Nigeria - Zero cases reported in 2015 with 6 Polio cases recorded in 2014.  The most recent case was reported on 7/24/14.  Sub-National Immunization Days took place in January 24-28 using bivalent vaccine and are planned on March 14-18 using trivalent vaccine.
     
    Rotary Releases $34.8 Million for Polio Eradication - The funds will be used by WHO & UNICEF for Polio immunization activities, surveillance, and research activities in 10 countries as well as to provide technical assistance in Africa.
    Sub-National Immunization Days are scheduled for Ethiopia, Somalia, and Uganda in February. 
     
    Four Polio Cases reported this week - all in Pakistan.
     
    Afghanistan - Zero cases reported in 2015 with 28 Polio cases recorded in 2014. The most recent case was reported on 12/04/14 from Kandahar.  
     
    Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!
    Terry Ziegler, Rotary Foundation Committee Chair, District 5890
     
    POLIO UPDATE - January 29, 2015 2015-01-29 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - A Model of Food for the Future

    Homaro Cantu and Ben Roche come from Moto, a Chicago restaurant that plays with new ways to cook and eat food. But beyond the fun and flavor-tripping, there's a serious intent: Can we use new food technology for good? (Recorded at TED2011, March 2011, in Long Beach, California. Duration: 9:34) 
     
    Why you should listen
    Homaro Cantu is a chef and an inventor of futuristic food delivery systems. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Portland, Oregon, he's an alum of Charlie Trotter’s restaurant in Chicago, where he rose to the position of Sous Chef. After he left Charlie Trotter’s, he concentrated on the development of his concept of an experiential design-based restaurant with a molecular gastronomy approach. Moto Restaurant puts Cantu’s concepts and creations into practice by melding food with science, technology and art. Michael Eisner once described Cantu as the most revolutionary person in food since Ray Kroc.
     
    Through his company Cantu Designs, Chef Cantu has filed numerous patent applications covering dining implements, cookware, printed food and is working on developing his inventions for commercial, humanitarian and aerospace applications.
    He says: "Any idea's a great idea as long as it tastes great."
     
    Ben Roche is the pastry chef of Moto restaurant in Chicago and co-host of the series "Future Food" on Discovery’s Planet Green network. Classically trained, he comes up with food concepts and/or dishes that draw inspiration from all over: as he says, "mechanical, artistic, experimental, etc."
     
    Ben Roche is the pastry chef of Moto restaurant in Chicago and co-host of the series "Future Food" on Discovery’s Planet Green network. Classically trained, he comes up with food concepts and/or dishes that draw inspiration from all over: as he says, "mechanical, artistic, experimental, etc."
     
     
    Weekly Program - A Model of Food for the Future 2015-01-27 00:00:00Z 0

    More Booklegger Work Party Dates in 2015

    2015 Rotary Books For The World Sorting and Palletizing – An International Service Project, started in 2000 and supported by Houston area Rotary Clubs, Rotaract Clubs, and Interact Clubs, is proud to announce the shipment of our 250th 40’ shipping container of books (for a total of over 10 million pounds), as well as several containers of bicycles & bicycle parts to Rotarian led literacy projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and around the world.
     
    Saturdays Feb 14 and March 21
     
    Bring books you have collected to give away which will find good homes with eager readers elsewhere in this world.  The organizers ask that you wear closed toed shoes as you assist with palletizing of books and shrink wrapping the pallets in preparation for shipping.
    More Booklegger Work Party Dates in 2015 Ed C 2015-01-21 00:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    Life is a struggle. Life will throw curveballs at you, it will humble you, it will attempt to break you down. And just when you think things are starting to look up, life will smack you back down with ruthless indifference.
    The reason most people never achieve their dreams is because they simply give up. Life was never meant to be easy – its a constant struggle, with extreme lows and extreme highs. Remember that the times when its most important to persevere are the times that you will be most tested.
     
    To be a champ, you have to believe in yourself when nobody else will.
    – Sugar Ray Robinson
     
    When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.
    – Franklin D. Roosevelt

    Rotary Is a lifeline for many in this world who need clean water, education, wellness, job training, economic development, and peace and conflict prevention/resolution in their communities.  Many have felt they had reached the end of their rope until Rotarians taught them how to tie knots and hang on with hope for a better life. 

     
    Quote of the Week 2015-01-21 00:00:00Z 0

    Facebook Update

    Our social media presence is STRONG thanks to Wind Hguyen!  Our "Likes" now number 713 and continues to grow in number.  This is great in that so many people will ex exposed to the good done in this world by Rotarians and how we can multiply our dollars with district and global grants.  The information keeps everyone informed, such as the announcement of the new theme for the Rotary Year 2015-16, "Be a Gift to the World".  Incoming RI President Ravindran is holding training for all world-wide incoming District Governors this week in San Diego, California.  Wind posts photos of Rotarians having fun at the All-Club Meeting in Houston when current RI President Gary Huang visited prior to going to San Diego for meetings.  Information is kept current such as the District 5890 Leadership Team Training to be held on Saturday, February 14 at 8:30 am at Houston Community College-Southwest in Houston, Texas.   Share our Facebook page with others.  Even if they may not be prospective Rotarians, everyone can spread the world about Rotary.  Here is the new theme banner for the new Rotary year 2015-16:
     
    Facebook Update 2015-01-21 00:00:00Z 0
    Motivational Message - Just Keep Swimming 2015-01-21 00:00:00Z 0

    New Rotarian in Texas Lives in an Iron Lung

     
    One might think a man living with polio in an iron lung would know about Rotary. But it wasn't until Paul Alexander had a business meeting with a member in Duncanville, Texas, earlier this year that he learned Rotary fights to eradicate the very disease that left him almost completely paralyzed.
    "I was completely blown away by the idea. For all these years, I didn't know the work they were doing," says Alexander, a practicing attorney in Dallas. "It's such a perfect fit for me."
    Alexander contracted polio during a major U.S. outbreak of the disease in the late 1950s when he was six years old, and almost died in the hospital before a doctor noticed he wasn't breathing and rushed him into an iron lung, an airtight metal tank that encloses all of the body except the head and uses regulated changes in air pressure to force the lungs to inhale and exhale. Alexander is among a small number of people in the world today still using an iron lung to assist his paralytic polio. The need for the 800-pound machines declined dramatically after the polio vaccine became widely available in the early 1960s.
    In October, Alexander became a member of the Rotary E-Club of District 5810 during an induction ceremony held in his home, attended by Rotary's President Gary C.K. Huang through an online connection. Alexander is writing a book about his experience and wants to be an ambassador for Rotary promoting the benefits of eradicating polio.
    FREED FROM THE LUNG
    For 10 years, Alexander never left the device or his house. But then he had a breakthrough, teaching himself to breathe on his own by forcing air into his lungs. That allowed him to get around in a wheelchair for up to eight hours.
    "The first day I was outside the house was extraordinary. It was a 100 percent improvement," he recalls.
    Determined to go to college, he moved onto campus and with the help of a nursing assistant attended classes, earning a degree from the University of Texas. He eventually went on to earn a law degree, passed the bar, and practices civil and criminal law.
    He has a computer keyboard and a touchtone phone by his head which he can manipulate with a plastic stick held in his mouth. When he goes to court for a case, he has assistants who help him. He's traveled farther from his home on rare occasions. The iron lung, which has wheels, is shipped to meet him at his destination.
     
    LONG LOST CONNECTION TO ROTARY
    His father was president of a Dallas Rotary club in the 1960s, but Alexander says he doesn't remember it. His introduction to Rotary began when he met Duncanville member Alexander Peralta. Peralta told the Rotary District 5810 governor, Bill Dendy, who immediately decided Alexander would be the perfect subject of a video his wife was making on polio eradication. Alexander agreed, and a film crew from the district's e-club came out to shoot the interview.
    "I visited him weekly after that," Dendy says. "One day, I said to him, 'Paul, you could be a contributing member of Rotary.' He asked me how that would be possible. And I told him with an e-club, which meets online, it would be very possible."
    Since joining Rotary, he's become a popular speaker in the Dallas Rotary community. He's already addressed two large gatherings and is scheduled to speak at the next district conference. The Waxahachie Rotary Club, which builds wheelchair ramps as a project, built him a new one when they heard he transports his iron lung to the hospital or for longer trips.
    "It means so much to me to belong to this organization," Alexander said during a phone call to his home recently. "I'm having a great time and staying awake at night thinking of ideas. So many people have come into my life. I never knew there were so many caring people out there."
     
     
    New Rotarian in Texas Lives in an Iron Lung 2015-01-21 00:00:00Z 0

    Fundraiser for the Education of Syrian Children in Refugee Camps in Turkey - New Generations Lunch

    You are invited to the Rotary E-Club Of Houston, Texas, USA Fundraiser for New Generations Lunch Come and help raise funds for the education of the Syrian children in the refugee camps in Turkey.  Mark your calendar for Saturday, February 28. 2015 beginning at 11:30 am.  Rtn. Sukru Sen confirmed the location to be the Ballroom of the Raindrop Turkish House in Houston at 93301 W. Bellfort Ave, Houston - TX - 77301.  Please spread the word and ask your families, friends, colleagues, etc. to come and help raise funds for the education of the Syrian children in the refugee camps in Turkey.
     
    “As the eyes of the world focus on the mounting violence in Syria, we must not overlook the fact that while children are not responsible for this tragedy, they’re paying a terrible price.”
    Children are losing their lives, losing their homes, losing their parents and losing their schooling.  
                Anthony Lake, Executive Director UNICEF
     
     
    Fundraiser for the Education of Syrian Children in Refugee Camps in Turkey - New Generations Lunch Adriane Miller 2015-01-21 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - A Model of Motivation

    In the pitch-black night, stung by jellyfish, choking on salt water, singing to herself, hallucinating … Diana Nyad just kept on swimming. And that's how she finally achieved her lifetime goal as an athlete: an extreme 100-mile swim from Cuba to Florida — at age 64.

    For ten years (1969-1979), Diana Nyad was known as the greatest long-distance swimmer in the world. In 1979, she stroked the then-longest swim in history, making the 102.5-mile journey from the island of Bimini (Bahamas) to Florida. She also broke numerous world records, including what had been a 50-year mark for circling Manhattan Island, setting the new time of 7 hrs 57 min. She is a member of the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

    At age 60, having not swum a stroke in decades, she began planning for her white whale of distance swims: the 110-mile ocean crossing between Cuba and Florida. She'd tried it once, in her 20s, and severe jellyfish attacks had defeated her then. But now, with a strong team and a new commitment to her vision, she stepped back into the salt. She spoke about this second attempt at TEDMED 2011. And at TEDWomen 2013, in December, she talks about how it feels to have finally done it.  Hear her story.

     
     
    Weekly Program - A Model of Motivation 2015-01-21 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Peace

    As we have recently seen in current events, the focus on PEACE in our world remains a vigorous challenge.  Our sympathy is extended to those in France who lost loved ones last week in the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo, and our applause goes out to the peaceful solidarity of the nation with a highly successful peaceful anti-terror rally last Sunday.   Our program this week is Boyd Varty’s talk which brings together many fascinating moments: a tribute to Nelson Mandela (who passed away just hours before Varty took the stage at TEDWomen 2013), incredible footage of animals shot on the Londolozi Game Reserve (which Varty’s family transformed from a hunting ground to a game reserve in 1973, and where Varty works.
    and memories of a dear tracker friend named Sully (who greeted everyone at his door with the words, “Hello, I love you” and once saved Varty from the jaws of a crocodile). Varty’s talk brings together these threads to illuminate a concept.
    “While it’s true that Africa is a harsh place, I also know it to be a place whose people, animals and ecosystems teach us about a more interconnected world,” says Varty in this emotional talk. “[Nelson] Mandela said often that the gift of prison was the ability to go within and to think, to create within himself the things he most wanted for South Africa: peace, reconciliation, harmony. Through this act of intense open-heartedness, he was to become the embodiment of what in South Africa we call Ubuntu. ‘I am; because of you.’”
    Ubuntu is a beautiful — and old — concept. According to Wikipedia, at its most basic, Ubuntu can be translated as “human kindness,” but its meaning is much bigger in scope than that — it embodies the ideas of connection, community, and mutual caring for all. Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee (watch her TED Talk) once defined using slightly different words than Varty: “I am what I am because of who we all are.”
     
     
    Weekly Program - Peace 2015-01-13 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of th Week - Peace Lyrics 2015-01-13 00:00:00Z 0

    President's Message

    Dear Rotarians and Friends,
     
    As we start the New Year 2015 with hope, I am thanking you all for the service and opportunities you have given to the local communities and the Rotary International. I wish a great new year for you and your families.
     
    On January 15th is the 2014-2015 All Club Meeting in Houston (http://www.clubrunner.ca/portal/Events/EVPEventDetails.aspx?accountid=50025&eid=fabcf3ed-8c39-47c4-8e09-7e4d48bb2dfd&tid=2). Our club will have a presentation on the expo booths. Please participate in this meeting if you can. I will send the presentation for your review in the next few days.
     
    On January 17th (3rd Saturday of the month) is our Board of Directors and General meeting. It will be held in the Venetian Room of the Maggiano’s Restaurant in Houston (starting at 11:00AM, official part 11:30AM-12:30PM). If you want to join online, please send me an e-mail and I will send the details of the online conference.
     
    Looking forward to an amazing 2015,
     
    Yours in Rotary Service,
    President Sofka
    Rotary E-Club of Houston, TX, USA
     
    President's Message 2015-01-08 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - "You, the Human Animal" by Cliff Edwards & The Mouseketeers" 2015-01-08 00:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    Circumstances do not make the man, they merely reveal himself to himself.
    Taken from a Chinese fortune cookie.
    Quote of the Week 2015-01-08 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - What Veterinarians Know that Physicians Don't

    About our speaker:  Barbara Natterson-Horowitz is a cardiologist whose patients include gorillas, lions, wallabies and humans. Her medical rounds sometimes take place at the Los Angeles Zoo, or might include veterinarians in a discussion of human health at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, but always channel the perspective of Charles Darwin. A professor in UCLA’s Division of Cardiology and in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Natterson-Horowitz's medical specialty is cardiac imaging -- but her academic passion is the evolutionary connection between human and animal bodies and minds. In 2012, she co-authored the book Zoobiquity: The Astonishing Connection Between Human and Animal Health, advocating a “One Health” approach to medicine. She founded the Zoobiquity Conferences to bring veterinarians and physicians together for “species-spanning” debates and collaborations.
    Weekly Program - What Veterinarians Know that Physicians Don't 2015-01-08 00:00:00Z 0

    Booklegger Summit This Weekend

    Please register NOW for the exciting BOOKLEGGER SUMMIT, to be held at the South Shore Hotel and Conference Center in League City on Saturday and Sunday, Jan 10-11.  This is a District Event, chaired by PDG Charlie Clemmons of the Seabrook Rotary Club, and is international in scope. Not only will you hear from DG Lisa Massey and PDG Charlie Clemmons, but you'll also enjoy presentations by the District Governor Elects from South Africa and Pakistan and Past District Governors and Rotary Partners in many parts of the USA. Have dinner with Booklegger friends on January 10, 2015 for only $35, and hear dinner speaker Rotary International Polio Plus Chair & VP of the Rotary Foundation Mike McGovern!  His photo is show to the left.  Contact Event Chair PDG Charlie Clemmons with any questions at c.clemmons@att.net  (281-291-7373 or cell 713-542-1339).
     
    The prices are:  Summit IV - NO reservation fee.  Saturday Booklegger’s Dinner costs $35.  Also no charge for the January 12th tours assuming there is room.  A visit to the Space Center is on your own cost – check on-line for tickets.  All Club Dinner tickets are To be announced. Hotel rooms at the South Shore Hotel are $95 single or double rate, plustax (currently 12%). Please note, based upon availability rates will apply two days before and after your scheduled function dates.CHECK-IN: 4PM CHECKOUT: By Noon.  Hotel RESERVATIONS: All reserved guest rooms are guaranteed for late arrival to your organization “No-Shows” will be billed for the first night’s stay to the individual guest with a personal credit card provided. Individual cancelation of guest rooms must be made at least 48 hours prior to arrival.
     
    Some of the programs you may hear:  School libraries in  Manzini, Swaziland; Pakistan, Johannesburg, South Africa; and a summary of countries currently served as well as potential growth for books projects.  Hear about book collections in New York, Wisconsin and our own district. Our Interactors have spent 1100 hours of volunteer labor on our books this year with collections and palletizing the books or shipping.
     
    MICHAEL K. MCGOVERN's Biography:
    VICE CHAIR 2014-15
    ROTARY CLUB OF SOUTH PORTLAND-CAPE ELIZABETH
    MAINE, USA
    Michael K. McGovern has been the town manager of Cape Elizabeth since 1985. He currently serves as treasurer of the Museum at Portland Head Light and the Thomas Jordan Trust. He is a past board chair of EcoMaine.
    McGovern has been a Rotarian since 1986 and has served RI as vice president, director, RI Board Executive Committee member, Permanent Fund national adviser, RI membership zone coordinator, RI training leader, and district governor. A past Council on Legislation representative, he is also a past chair of Rotarians for Fighting AIDS: A Rotarian Action Group.
    He is a Major Donor and Bequest Society member of The Rotary Foundation and a recipient of its Citation for Meritorious Service.
     
    For more information:
    Chairman:  Charlie Clemmons PDG    
    Dates:        Jan 10, 2015 and Jan 11, 2015 beginning at 9:00 am
    Location:    South Shore Harbour Hotel and Conference Center
         2500 South Shore Boulevard
         League City, Texas  77573
    Booklegger Summit This Weekend 2015-01-08 00:00:00Z 0

    2014-2015 All Club Meeting - January 15th

    District 5890 All Club Meeting
    January 15, 2015
    Crowne Plaza Hotel NRG Stadium
     
    District 5890 Salute to Service Exposition 5-9
    Major Donor/Bequest Society Reception with Cash Bar 5:00 -5:45
    VIP Reception with Cash Bar 5:45-6:30
    General Reception with Cash Bar 5:00 -7:00
    Dinner and Presentation 7:00 - 9:00
     
    *****Special guest speaker is our Rotary International President Gary Huang.
    You may register individually on the District 5890 website or if we want to have a group table, the names must be submitted together to Rebecca Maddox, Chairman of All-Club Meeting.
    2014-2015 All Club Meeting - January 15th 2015-01-08 00:00:00Z 0

    Sex - Trafficking Task Force Meeting - January 13th

     
     
     
     
    January 13, 2015 (Tuesday), from 6:30
    8:30 PM, Education
    -
    Pt. 1
    Speakers will include representatives from Elijah Rising, Free the Captives and United
    Against Human Trafficking
     
    March 10, 2015 (Tuesday), from 6:30 - 8:30 PM, Education
     
    Speakers will be from HPD, FBI, Harris County and City of Houston, all of whom will educate us about the problem and solutions from their perspective.  We are proud to be partnering in the venture with the Dominican Sisters who offered the use of their building for our initial meeting..
     
     
    After we have gathered our facts (Pts. 1 and 2), we will brainstorm about our next steps and
    start to build our Plan of Action. We are a large task force with 50 already interested.
    This meeting will enable us to subdivide into committees and move forward.
     
    Location:
    The Dominican Center for Spirituality
    Meeting Room
    6501 Almeda Rd, Houston
     
    If you plan to attend, please rsvp to Irene Hickey at her email:
    hickey.irene@gmail.com  or call her at 281-693-7162 for more information.
     
    Sex - Trafficking Task Force Meeting - January 13th 2015-01-08 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotary leaders under 40 exchange ideas at Young Professionals Summit

    Rotary Young Professionals Summit from Rotary International on Vimeo. - Membership Moment

    Young Professionals Summit, held in Chicago in September, gave Rotary leaders ages 25 to 40 the chance to share their Rotary experiences, reflect on their stories, and exchange ideas.
     The event, which included 32 Rotary and Rotaract members as well as Rotary program alumni, was organized and moderated by Rotary staff. During the discussions, a professional sketch artist illustrated the participants' ideas on whiteboards.
    "The energy and ideas that have flowed in this room over the last two days are so refreshing," said Kathryn Fahy, governor of District 5970 and a member of the Rotary Club of Iowa Great Lakes, Iowa. "We've exchanged actual hands-on ideas that we can take back to our clubs and really change momentum in Rotary."
    Read a blog post from one Rotary member who attended the summit.
     
    Rotary leaders under 40 exchange ideas at Young Professionals Summit Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-12-17 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Chicago's "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" 2014-12-13 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - How Different Cultures Understand Time

    Richard Lewis is an internationally renowned linguist and the founder of Richard Lewis Communications. He founded the Berlitz schools in East Asia, Portugal, and Finland and spent several years in Japan, where he was personal tutor to Empress Michiko and five other members of the Japanese Imperial family. He is the author of the award-winning book "When Cultures Collide," and lectures on cross-cultural issues around the world.  He has published an article in Business Insider about how different cultures understand time which was published in June, 2014.  Since Rotarians often travel internationally for business, pleasure or a combination thereof, I hope you enjoy this presentation.
     
    Time is seen in a particularly different light by Eastern and Western cultures, and even within these groupings assumes quite dissimilar aspects from country to country. In the Western Hemisphere, the United States and Mexico employ time in such diametrically opposing manners that it causes intense friction between the two peoples. In Western Europe, the Swiss attitude to time bears little relation to that of neighboring Italy. Thais do not evaluate the passing of time in the same way that the Japanese do. In Britain the future stretches out in front of you. In Madagascar it flows into the back of your head from behind.
     
    Multi-Active Time
     
    Linear Time
    Let us begin with the American concept of time, for theirs is the most expensive, as anyone who has had to deal with American doctors, dentists or lawyers will tell you.
    For an American, time is truly money. In a profit-oriented society, time is a precious, even scarce, commodity. It flows fast, like a mountain river in the spring, and if you want to benefit from its passing, you have to move fast with it. Americans are people of action; they cannot bear to be idle. The past is over, but the present you can seize, parcel and package and make it work for you in the immediate future. Figure 4.1 illustrates how Americans view time, and Figure 4.2 shows how they use it.
     
    Figure 4.1: American flow of time.   by Richard Lewis
     
     
     
    Figure 4.2: Carving up American time.
    by Richard Lewis
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    In the U.S. you have to make money, otherwise you are nobody. If you have 40 years of earning capacity and you want to make $4 million, that means $100,000 per annum. If you can achieve this in 250 working days, that comes to $400 a day or $50 an hour. With this orientation Americans can say that their time costs $50 an hour. Americans also talk about wasting, spending, budgeting and saving time.
    This seems logical enough, until one begins to apply the idea to other cultures. Has the Portuguese fisherman, who failed to hook a fish in two hours, wasted his time? Has the Sicilian priest, failing to make a convert on Thursday, lost ground? Have the German composer, the French poet, the Spanish painter, devoid of ideas last week, missed opportunities that can be qualified in monetary terms?
     
    The Americans are not the only ones who sanctify timekeeping, for it is practically a religion in Switzerland and Germany, too. These countries, along with Britain, the Anglo-Saxon world in general, the Netherlands, Austria and Scandinavia, have a linear vision of time and action. They suspect, like the Americans, that time is passing (being wasted) without decisions being made or actions being performed.
    These groups are also monochronic; that is, they prefer to do only one thing at a time, to concentrate on it and do it within a fixed schedule. They think that in this way they get more things done — and more efficiently. Furthermore, being imbued with the Protestant work ethic, they equate working time with success: the harder you work — the more hours, that is — the more successful you will be and the more money you will make. This idea makes perfect sense to American ears, would carry less weight in class-conscious Britain, and would be viewed as entirely unrealistic in Southern European countries, where authority, privilege and birthright negate the theory at every turn. In a society such as existed in the Soviet Union, one could postulate that those who achieved substantial remuneration by working little (or not at all) were the most successful of all.
     
    Multi-Active Time
    Southern Europeans are multi-active, rather than linear-active [read Lewis's analysis of cultures as multi-active, linear-active, and reactive]. The more things they can do at the same time, the happier and the more fulfilled they feel. They organize their time (and lives) in an entirely different way from Americans, Germans and the Swiss. Multi-active peoples are not very interested in schedules or punctuality. They pretend to observe them, especially if a linear-active partner or colleague insists on it, but they consider the present reality to be more important than appointments. In their ordering of things, priority is given to the relative thrill or significance of each meeting.
     
    Spaniards, Italians and Arabs will ignore the passing of time if it means that conversations will be left unfinished. For them, completing a human transaction is the best way they can invest their time. For an Italian, time considerations will usually be subjected to human feelings. “Why are you so angry because I came at 9:30?” he asks his German colleague. “Because it says 9:00 in my diary,” says the German. “Then why don’t you write 9:30 and then we’ll both be happy?” is a logical Italian response. The business we have to do and our close relations are so important that it is irrelevant at what time we meet. The meeting is what counts. Germans and Swiss cannot swallow this, as it offends their sense of order, of tidiness, of planning.
     
    Spaniard would take the side of the Italian. There is a reason for the Spaniard’s lax adherence to punctuality. The German believes in a simple truth — scientific truth. The Spaniard, in contrast, is always conscious of the double truth — that of immediate reality as well as that of the poetic whole. 
    As far as meetings are concerned, it is better not to turn up strictly on time for Spanish appointments. In Spain, punctuality messes up schedules.
    Few Northern Europeans or North Americans can reconcile themselves to the multi-active use of time. Germans and Swiss, unless they reach an understanding of the underlying psychology, will be driven to distraction. Germans see compartmentalization of programs, schedules, procedures and production as the surest route to efficiency. The Swiss, even more time and regulation dominated, have made precision a national symbol. This applies to their watch industry, their optical instruments, their pharmaceutical products, their banking. Planes, buses and trains leave on the dot. Accordingly, everything can be exactly calculated and predicted.
    In countries inhabited by linear-active people, time is clock- and calendar- related, segmented in an abstract manner for our convenience, measurement, and disposal. In multi-active cultures like the Arab and Latin spheres, time is event- or personality-related, a subjective commodity which can be manipulated, molded, stretched, or dispensed with, irrespective of what the clock says.
    “I have to rush,” says the American, “my time is up.” The Spaniard or Arab, scornful of this submissive attitude to schedules, would only use this expression if death were imminent.
     
    Cyclic Time
    Both the linear-active northerner and the multi-active Latin think that they manage time in the best way possible. In some Eastern cultures, however, the adaptation of humans to time is seen as a viable alternative. In these cultures, time is viewed neither as linear nor event–relationship related, but as cyclic. Each day the sun rises and sets, the seasons follow one another, the heavenly bodies revolve around us, people grow old and die, but their children reconstitute the process. We know this cycle has gone on for 100,000 years and more. Cyclical time is not a scarce commodity. There seems always to be an unlimited supply of it just around the next bend. As they say in the East, when God made time, He made plenty of it.
     
    It’s not surprising, then, that business decisions are arrived at in a different way from in the West. Westerners often expect an Asian to make a quick decision or to treat a current deal on its present merits, irrespective of what has happened in the past. Asians cannot do this. The past formulates the contextual back- ground to the present decision, about which in any case, as Asians, they must think long term—their hands are tied in many ways. Americans see time passing without decisions being made or actions performed as having been “wasted.” Asians do not see time as racing away unutilized in a linear future, but coming around again in a circle, where the same opportunities, risks and dangers will re- present themselves when people are so many days, weeks or months wiser. As proof of the veracity of the cyclical nature of time, how often do we (in the West) say, “If I had known then what I know now, I would never have done what I did?”
     
    Figure 4.6 compares the speed of Western action chains with Asian reflection. The American, German and Swiss go home satisfied that all tasks have been completed. The French or Italian might leave some “mopping up” for the following day. John Paul Fieg, author of A Common Core: Thais and Americans, describing the Thai attitude toward time, saw it as a pool one could gradually walk around. This metaphor applies to most Asians, who, instead of tackling problems immediately in sequential fashion, circle around them for a few days or weeks before committing themselves. After a suitable period of reflection, tasks A, D and F may indeed seem worthy of pursuing (refer to Figure 4.6). Tasks B, C and E may be quietly dropped. Contemplation of the whole scene has indicated, however, that task G, perhaps not even envisaged at all earlier on, might be the most significant of all.
    In a Buddhist culture (e.g., Thailand, Tibet), not only time but also life itself goes around in a circle. Whatever we plan, however we organize our particular world, generation follows generation; governments and rulers will succeed each other; crops will be harvested; monsoons, earthquakes and other catastrophes will recur; taxes will be paid; the sun and moon will rise and set; stocks and shares will rise and fall. Even the Americans will not change such events, certainly not by rushing things. Figure 4.6: Western action chains/Asian reflection follows:
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chinese
    The Chinese, like most Asians, “walk around the pool” in order to make well- considered decisions, but they also have a keen sense of the value of time. This can be noticed especially in their attitude toward taking up other people’s time, for which they frequently apologize. At the end of a meeting in China, it is customary to thank the participants for contributing their valuable time. Punctuality on arrival is also considered important—more so than in many other Asian countries. Indeed, when meetings are scheduled between two people, it is not unusual for a Chinese to arrive 15 to 30 minutes early “in order to finish the business before the time appointed for its discussion,” so not stealing any of the other person’s time! It is also considered polite in China to announce, 10 or 15 minutes after a meeting has begun, that one will soon have to be going. Again, the worthy aim involved is to economize on their use of your time. The Chinese will not go, of course, until the transaction has been completed, but the point has been made.
     
    This is indeed a double standard. The Chinese penchant for humility demands that the other person’s time be seen as precious; on the other hand, the Chinese expect a liberal amount of time to be allocated for repeated considera- tion of the details of a transaction and to the careful nurturing of personal relationships surrounding the deal. They frequently complain that Americans, in China to do business, often have to catch their plane back to the U.S. “in the middle of the discussion.” The American sees the facts as having been ade- quately discussed; the Chinese feel that they have not yet attained that degree of closeness—that satisfying sense of common trust and intent—that is for the Chinese the bedrock of the deal and of other transactions in the future.
     
    Japanese
    The Japanese have a keen sense of the unfolding or unwrapping of time — this is well described by Joy Hendry in her book Wrapping Culture. People familiar with Japan are well aware of the contrast between the breakneck pace maintained by the Japanese factory worker on the one hand, and the unhurried contemplation to be observed in Japanese gardens or the agonizingly slow tempo of a Noh play on the other. What Hendry emphasizes, however, is the meticulous, resolute manner in which the Japanese segment time. This segmentation does not follow the American or German pattern, where tasks are assigned in a logical sequence aimed at maximum efficiency and speed in implementation. The Japanese are more concerned not with how long something takes to happen, but with how time is divided up in the interests of properness, courtesy and tradition.
     
    For instance, in most Japanese social gatherings, there are various phases and layers — marked beginnings and endings — for retirement parties, weddings, parent — teacher association meetings and so on.
    In Japan’s conformist and carefully regulated society, people like to know at all times where they stand and where they are at: this applies both to social and business situations. The mandatory, two-minute exchange of business cards between executives meeting each other for the first time is one of the clearest examples of a time activity segment being used to mark the beginning of a relationship. Another example is the start and finish of all types of classes in Japan, where the lesson cannot begin without being preceded by a formal request on the part of the students for the teacher to start. Similarly, they must offer a ritualistic expression of appreciation at the end of the class.
     
    Other events that require not only clearly defined beginnings and endings but also unambiguous phase-switching signals are the tea ceremony, New Year routines, annual cleaning of the house, cherry blossom viewing, spring “offensives” (strikes), midsummer festivities, gift-giving routines, company picnics, sake-drinking sessions, even the peripheral rituals surrounding judo, karate and kendo sessions. A Japanese person cannot enter any of the above activities in the casual, direct manner a Westerner might adopt. The American or Northern European has a natural tendency to make a quick approach to the heart of things. The Japanese, in direct contrast, must experience an unfolding or unwrapping of the significant phases of the event. It has to do with Asian indirectness, but in Japan it also involves love of compartmentalization of procedure, of tradition, of the beauty of ritual.
    To summarize, when dealing with the Japanese, you can assume that they will be generous in their allocation of time to you or your particular transaction. In return, you are advised to try to do the “right thing at the right time.” In Japan, form and symbols are more important than content.
     
    Weekly Program - How Different Cultures Understand Time 2014-12-13 00:00:00Z 0

    Polio Update - December 11th

    Africa - It has been over 4 months since the last reported Polio case in Africa on July 24, 2014.
    Pakistan - A nation-wide Polio Immunization Drive started this past Monday in 158 Districts around Pakistan with 99,739 immunization teams targeting a total of 34 million children.    
     
    The Final Three Endemic Countries:
    Pakistan - 276 Polio cases recorded in 2014, compared to 74 on this date in 2013, with the most recent case reported on 11/22/14 in Bannu, FATA.    
    Afghanistan - 24 Polio cases recorded in 2014 compared to 11 on this date in 2013, with the most recent case reported on 11/05/14 from Kandahar.   
    Nigeria - 6 Polio cases recorded in 2014 compared to 50 on this date in 2013, with the most recent case reported on 7/24/14.  Large-scale Sub-National Immunization Days are planned for Northern Nigeria December 13-16.
    Importation Countries:
    Ethiopia - 1 Polio Case reported in 2014 compared to 9 in 2013.
    Kenya - 0 Polio cases reported in 2014 compared to 14 in 2013.
    Cameroon - 5 Polio Cases reported in 2014 compared to 4 in 2013.
    Somalia - 5 Polio cases recorded in 2014 compared to 194 in 2013.   
    Iraq - 2 Polio cases reported in 2014 compared to 0 in 2013.  
    Syria - 1 Polio case reported in 2014 compared to 35 in 2013.
    Equatorial Guinea - 5 Polio Cases reported in 2014 - 0 in 2013.
      
    New Polio cases reported this week:
    Pakistan 8, Afghanistan 1, Nigeria 0
     
    2014 Polio Case Breakdown by Country (Green Numbers are 2013 Totals)
    Endemic Countries –276 Pakistan(2013-93), 24 Afghanistan (2013-14), 6 Nigeria(2013-53)
    2013&2014 Importation Countries – 5 Cameroon (2013-4), 5 Eq. Guinea (2013-0)
    5 Somalia (2013-194), 0 Kenya (2013 –14), 1 Ethiopia (2013-9), 1 Syria (2013-35), 2 Iraq (2013-0)
     
    Polio Update - December 11th Terry Zigler 2014-12-11 00:00:00Z 0

    Friendship Exchange India 11 Nov-24 Nov.2014


    As a new E- Rotarian, who never went to any of these outings before, I was very curious how this trip would be.
    I joined the “ Houston - Texas “group in Delhi on 10 November, along with  5 Rotarians of different Rotary clubs in the Houston area (District 5890).  From the first day, we were welcomed by Rotary Jaisalmer 3052 with so much hospitality and warmth, I cannot express. The host families in Jaisalmer, Kota and Udaypur were very loving and made our stay extraordinary beautiful.
     
    In Udaypur they even arranged for us meet the Maharadja of Udaypur were we had tea in his palace.
    The program offered was very busy and sometimes too many clubs to see for one day, and arriving very late, we had late, but tasty Indian diners. I think one day we saw 7  different Rotary clubs.
    We got so used to all photographers, interviews for the local TV and newspaper and being covered with marigold wreaths, that after 12 days I was wondering why nobody was giving me such attention any more. (Smile)
    But I know that when our queen from The Netherlands  Maxima can take a holiday, I can stand in for her! I was trained in these days to be treated like a queen.
     
    Friendship was the main item; well I did enjoy the conversations and interactions with the Rotarians and people on the various projects very much.
    We visited an eye surgery hospital were the local Rotary club gave a German made operating machine for cateract operations.  We visited a college were we interacted with the students; many wanted to study in USA for several reasons. We went to see a small but very nice blind and deaf project that impressed me, and a project for education in Pushkar where we interacted with village woman and visited school classes, very down to earth and well structured.
     
     
    I do think Rotary makes a difference in peoples life.  Talking to people in India made me once more convinced that we as Rotarians can contribute to better lives.
     
    Thanks to Rotarian Surender Talwar who made the program and organized the trip, we all had a lovely interesting time.
    Veroniek Kerssemakers
    E -Rotary Houston .
     
     
     
     
    Friendship Exchange India 11 Nov-24 Nov.2014 Veroniek Kerssemakers 2014-12-11 00:00:00Z 0

    PDG Ed Did 75 Miles to END POLIO NOW!

    Dr. Ed participated in the Ride for polio in Tucson, Arizona - Along with a strong team from Rotary International Headquarters led by General Secretary John Hewko, Ed completed the 75 mile route with an average speed of 15 mph.  His efforts resulted in about $10,000 to the effort to end polio!  Overall, the ride surpassed their goal of $2,000,000 and raised $6,000,000!  He began the ride with PDG Joe Williams of Durango, CO, who brought along a team of Rotarians and an exchange student from Hungary for the ride.  PDG Joe is the father-in-law of President-Elect Massey Williams of the Rotary Club of Willowbrook.  I was grateful for the customized arm warmers which were needed for the crisp, cool morning start.
     
    Rotarians throughout our District 5890, friends and family members helped to raise funds in support of Rotary International's global quest to End Polio NOW!  Special thanks to to the Rotary e-Club of Houston and the Bill & Linda Gates Foundation (with a match of $2 for each $1 raised), for their generosity resulting in the $10,000 contributed by this ride from just one rider!  Ed says, "Many thanks for your support and words of encouragement.  You were all in my thoughts as the miles rolled by, and I knew the world was a better place because of all the Rotarians giving us hope for the future of a polio-free world."
     
     
     
    PDG Ed Did 75 Miles to END POLIO NOW! 2014-11-27 00:00:00Z 0

    On This Thanksgiving Day - Reflections on Rotary

    Let's Give Thanks this Thanksgiving Day for Rotary - Sustainable solutions that address the world's toughest challenges in communities everywhere.
    Terry R. Ziegler
    District 5890 Rotary Foundation committee Chair
     
    Heartfelt thanks for our extended Rotary "Family" - our friends around the world whom we have met only through the opportunities of membership in Rotary International. 
    PDG Ed and Robin Charlesworth
     
    Our e-club’s membership accomplishments are the result of a collective effort and we would like to thank all of you for making our e-club a place where members feel welcome to stay and happy to serve above self.
    Adriane Miller
    Membership Committee Chair 2014/2105
     
    May the good things of life be yours in abundance not only on Thanksgiving but throughout the coming year!
    President Sofka and Secretary Michael
     
     
     
    On This Thanksgiving Day - Reflections on Rotary 2014-11-27 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Being Grateful

    The one thing all humans have in common is that each of us wants to be happy, says Brother David Steindl-Rast, a monk and interfaith scholar. And happiness, he suggests, is born from gratitude. An inspiring lesson in slowing down, looking where you’re going, and above all, being grateful.
     
    Many first met Brother David Steindl-Rast through a viral video called "Nature. Beauty. Gratitude," where Louie Schwartzberg's footage of time-lapse flowers in bloom is narrated by Brother David's moving words asking us to simply be ... grateful. Since 1953, Brother David has been a monk of Mount Saviour Benedictine monastery in New York, dividing his time between hermitic contemplation, writing and lecturing. He's the cofounder of gratefulness.org, supporting ANG*L (A Network for Grateful Living).
    He was one of the first Roman Catholics to participate in Buddhist-Christian dialogue, and is the author of The Ground We Share, a text on Buddhist and Christian practice, written with Robert Aitken Roshi. His other books include Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer and Deeper Than Words. His most recent book is 99 Blessings, a series of prayers for the general reader -- whether people of faith, agnostics, or uncertain.
    Weekly Program - Being Grateful Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-11-27 00:00:00Z 0

    Update from the Membership Committe

    We have adapted the Rotary membership satisfaction questionnaire to fit the e-Club nature of our Rotary club and also changed its name to “Help to Make Rotary e-Club of Houston the Greatest Club in the World”. This survey will be available online to our members December 1st 2014.
     
    We recently formed our membership committee when Tatiana Berardi and Dana Haas volunteered to assist. They are new members, and they are being involved with identifying future members. We meet regularly to discuss membership goals, member orientation, and to informally introduce prospective members.
     
    Our committee is motivated to keep bringing in new members. We encourage all team members to help identify those who could help us make positive changes in the world. There may be a potential Rotarian near you, so please share Rotary, tell your neighbors, colleagues, friends and relatives the good things you do for Rotary. We will be more than happy to assist you with anything you need during this process and after so together we will continue to develop a strong membership.
     
    Our membership now totals 49!  We began this year with 27 members and growing rapidly. 
    Update from the Membership Committe Dree Miller 2014-11-27 00:00:00Z 0

    Inspiration Message

    Thanksgiving…..
    For each new morning with its light,
    For rest and shelter of the night,
    For health and food,
    For love and friends,
    For everything Thy goodness sends.
    - Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)
     
    Inspiration Message Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-11-25 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Thank You fo Being my Friend 2014-11-25 00:00:00Z 0

    Message from the Rotary eClub of Houston Foundation Chair


    I am honored to work with the eClub as Foundation Chair.  It is my responsibility to educate membership about the foundation and the importance of contributions to the Rotary International Foundation on a consistent basis.   The Rotary Foundation is the charitable arm of Rotary International for Polio Plus, International Grants through the Annual Fund, and Scholarship and Peace Centers through the Permanent Fund.   Through Polio Plus, RI has provided vaccines to over 1 million people in the last quarter, with over 800,000 of those being children under the age of 10 years old.   Although polio is one of the most well-known and well financed operations, RI continues to make the world a better place through Global Grants impacting the six main areas of need in the world.   Those include Peace & Conflict resolution; Disease Prevention; Water and sanitation; Maternal and child health; Basic education and literacy; and Economic and community development.   
    In addition to educating members and the community about the Foundation, it is my honor to help the club, and each Rotarian build your own personal goals for giving.   As each member contributes, I work with the leadership to ensure that members are recognized for their contributions as Paul Harris Fellow, Benefactors,  and even Major Donors.  Representing the eClub of Houston at District events such as the Million Dollar Dinner and District Assembly, our members are recognized for the financial and time resources that they complete through Rotary.    I am also charged with helping the leadership identify and obtain speakers and stories about the good work that is being done by Rotary throughout the world, in addition to the wonderful work that you have already adopted like the polio bike ride, scholarships for Nicaragua, supplies for Brazil, and many more.    Assisting with good stewardship of the funds that our club earns, helping you find projects that ignite your own passions, and recognizing our contributions to the world...not a bad job.   Simply put, the Rotary Foundation promotes world peace and prosperity and I thank you to be a small part of that awesome goal.
     
    Linda Caruso, Foundation Chair 2014-15
    Message from the Rotary eClub of Houston Foundation Chair 2014-11-24 00:00:00Z 0

    Holiday Fun-d-Raiser for Marine Moms - December 13th

    You are invited to the Rotary E-Club of Houston , Texas, USA Fundraiser for Houston Marine Moms with Fellowship, Bingo with Prizes, Food and Drinks, a great Silent Auction, live Brazilian Music with Sergio Santos and a lot of fun!  Tina M. Gorcie who currently serves as President of the Houston Marine Moms, will share with us about this organization and how our fundraising will support our troops overseas this holiday season.
     
    Please joins us on Saturday, December 13, 12:00PM – 3:00PM at Dr. Ed and Robin Charlesworth’s house: 11407 Hylander, Houston, TX 77070
     
    Suggested donation: $14 per adult (children: free) Bingo card costs $14 ($14 is the cost of one package for a soldier) Please help us make the holidays brighter for our troops this year.
     
    Holiday Fun-d-Raiser for Marine Moms - December 13th 2014-11-20 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotary's Partners

    When Rotary partners with other organizations, we multiply the impact made by either group on their own. We call this “the Rotary effect.” From local food banks to global humanitarian organizations, we work with a wide variety of partners, including:

    Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    Global FoodBanking Network
    Goodwill
    Mercy Ships
    ShelterBox
    UNESCO-IHE
    UNICEF
    United Nations
    World Health Organization
    Looking to partner with a local club, or even the global organization?
    Visit My Rotary to learn more about becoming a Rotary partner.   We may also partner with other clubs in our own district or join with international partner clubs for service projects.  Working together we can accomplish much more than if we were to work alone.
    Rotary's Partners 2014-11-20 00:00:00Z 0

    The Basic Structure of Rotary

    Rotary is made up of three parts: at the heart of Rotary are our clubs, that are supported by Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation.
    Rotary clubs bring together dedicated individuals to exchange ideas, build relationships, and take action.
    Rotary International supports Rotary clubs worldwide by coordinating global programs, campaigns, and initiatives.
    The Rotary Foundation uses generous donations to fund projects by Rotarians and our partners in communities around the world. As a nonprofit, all of the Foundation's funding comes from voluntary contributions made by Rotarians and friends who share our vision of a better world.
    Together, Rotary clubs, Rotary International, and The Rotary Foundation work to make lasting improvements in our communities and around the world.
     
    The Basic Structure of Rotary 2014-11-20 00:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    “If you want to listen, don't talk.
    If you want to talk, listen first.”
    ― Norbert Harms
    Quote of the Week Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-11-20 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Enya's "Only Time" Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-11-20 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - How to Take Back Your Calendar

    TED@State Street Boston · Filmed October 2013 · 6:34
    David Grady: How to save the world (or at least yourself) from bad meetings
    Why you should listen:
    David Grady is an information security manager who believes that strong communication skills are a necessity in today’s global economy. He has been a print journalist, a “PR guy” and a website producer, and has ghostwritten speeches and magazine articles for Fortune 500 company executives. A mid-life career change brought him into the world of information risk management, where every day he uses his communications experience to transform complex problems into understandable challenges.
     
     
    Weekly Program - How to Take Back Your Calendar 2014-11-20 00:00:00Z 0

    Membership Moment

    What could Rotarians be doing at any given day, let’s say on a Saturday afternoon? This past Saturday a group of our Rotary e-Club of Houston members contributed to a fundraiser in Houston to help build a kitchen in a women’s shelter in Brazil, and also to help a friend in the local community who is below the poverty line and has cancer. The photos show Rotarians Michael Miller, Adriane Miller, Marcia Allgayer, Maria Zancanaro, Tatiana Berardi and Andre Berardi. Not present during this event, but who also made donations were Rotarians Ed and Robin Charlesworth, Husein Allgayer, Sofka Weirkmeister and Michael Mebes. Rotarian Adriane Miller raised about $800 by selling tickets, raffles and silent auction donations, and she was awarded the “best seller award prize”. Rotarian Maria Zancanaro was one of the fundraiser organizers who worked hard, and Rotarian Marcia Allgayer made sure her camera captured great moments.
     
    The event was a success and our group had a lot of fun! The non-Rotarian friends who organized this event deserve our congratulations for the initiative, and so do all the people in our community who contributed in one way or another. Isn’t it great to be united to help others in need? This is what Rotarians are happy to do. If you wish to join our fantastic group, please let any of us know and we will talk about all the good Rotary does in the world.
     
    Membership Moment Adriane Miller 2014-11-20 00:00:00Z 0

    Leadership Needs Followers

     
     
    First, there is a leader.  Next comes the first follower with a crucial role: he publicly shows everyone how to follow. Notice the leader embraces him as an equal, so it's not about the leader anymore - it's about them, plural. Notice he's calling to his friends to join in. It takes guts to be a first follower! You stand out and brave ridicule, yourself. Being a first follower is an under-appreciated form of leadership. The first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader. If the leader is the flint, the first follower is the spark that makes the fire.
     
    The 2nd follower is a turning point: it's proof the first has done well. Now it's not a lone nut, and it's not two nuts. Three is a crowd and a crowd is news.  A movement must be public. Make sure outsiders see more than just the leader. Everyone needs to see the followers, because new followers emulate followers - not the leader.  Now we've got momentum with more joining in the fun. This is the tipping point! Now we've got a movement!
     
    If you are a version of the shirtless dancing guy, all alone, remember the importance of nurturing your first few followers as equals, making everything clearly about the movement, not you.
    Yes it started with the shirtless guy, and he'll get all the credit, but you saw what really happened:  It was the first follower that transformed a lone nut into a leader.  There is no movement without the first follower.  We're told we all need to be leaders, but that would be really ineffective.  The best way to make a movement, if you really care, is to courageously follow and show others how to follow.
     
    When you find a lone nut doing something great, have the guts to be the first person to stand up and join in. Key to leadership - Be easy to follow!
    Leadership Needs Followers Helga Mattei 2014-11-19 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotary District Conference - April 16 - 20th

    Rotary District 5890 Conference   April 16-20 2015 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside in New Orleans, LA
     
    District 5890 Rotarians are invading New Orleans with spouses and children.   LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULEZ!  It starts with a Second Line Stroll with Second Line Band escorting us and led by District Governor Lisa Faith Massey. We'll stroll to a "kick-off jazz dinner cruise" on the Riverboat Natchez for dinner and cruising the Mississippi River - a great Welcoming Reception to kick off the conference.  The RI President's Representative is Allan Jagger and Rose from from the United Kingdom.  Serving as DG of District 1040 in 1999-2000, RIBI President in 2007-208, and RI Director in 2011-2013, we are most fortunate to host such a dedicated Rotarian.  April 16-19 will be filled with fun and fellowship, not to mention great speakers talking about the power and import of Service!  We have Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia lined-up to speak, and Culture Map Houston founder and publisher Nic Phillips will join us to talk about the best way to reach the "next generation of Rotarians". Oh, and did we mention that a former White House Chief of Staff is also coming?  Hank Moore, Former White House Advisor, is scheduled to speak prior to lunch on Friday.  You will learn about our District’s impressive literacy-projects, and on Saturday, we’ll go to the historic 9th ward of New Orleans for a "hands on project" in Musician's Village. A cooking class in the French Quarter on Friday for all registered spouses and guests is sure to be a hit, and other spectacular activities have been planned to coincide with the plenary sessions.  Also, the bidding will start for the decorated musical instruments that DG Lisa has taken to each club this year.  The conference ends with a true NOLA District Governor's Masquerade Ball (that's right ball gowns and tuxedos adorned by fabulous masks) and the formal introduction of the 2015-16 Presidents and Spouses. And Rebecca Maddox, on Saturday night, draw the winning ticket for the District Raffle.  Hospitality suites will be open each night to continue the fun & fellowship.  A tradition on Sunday morning will be the College of Governors Breakfast and final comments shared by our RI Representative Allen regarding the state of our district and success of the conference.
    Geaux Rotary!!  (e-club Rotarians in photo:  (Martine Stolk, PDG Ed Charlesworth, Barbara Conway, incoming President Hugh Conway of Rosenburg Rotary)

     
    Rotary District Conference - April 16 - 20th Ed C 2014-11-15 00:00:00Z 0

    Facebook Rotary e-Club Houston - Be a Friend in Rotary!!!!

    Facebook "Likes" Exceeds 500!


    Hats off to Wind Nguyen for managing our Facebook page and breaking 500 "LIKES" this week!  He keeps the page interesting with new stories and interesting Rotary information.  Currently you may enjoy the story about restoring vision to hundreds in China (China is not active in the Rotary world except for ex-pats who gather, but may be another Rotary country in our future).  Share Rotary with your friends and business associates so the word will spread about what Rotarians do.  It's contagious and we need to grow in numbers because there is so much need in this world.
     
    Facebook Rotary e-Club Houston - Be a Friend in Rotary!!!! 2014-11-13 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - "I Can Help" by Billy Swann 2014-11-13 00:00:00Z 0

    MORE ABOUT THE ROTARY FOUNDATION - POINTS EARNED

    UNDERSTANDING FOUNDATION RECOGNITION POINTS

    What are Foundation recognition points and how are they accumulated?

    Foundation recognition points are awarded to donors who contribute to The Rotary Foundation through the Annual Programs Fund or PolioPlus, or as a sponsor portion to a Foundation grant. Donors receive one Foundation recognition point for every U.S. dollar contributed to these funds. Contributions to the Permanent Fund are not eligible.

    Donors can extend Foundation recognition points to others to help them become or to name them as a Paul Harris Fellow or Multiple Paul Harris Fellow. Foundation recognition points belong to the original donor until the donor’s death, or until the donor uses the points (the surviving spouse of a Major Donor may also use the points).

    How do you transfer Foundation recognition points?

    A minimum of 100 Foundation recognition points must be transferred at a time, and an authorizing signature is required when completing the Recognition and Transfer Request.

    •  Individual donors are the only ones authorized to transfer Foundation recognition points from their individual account.

    •  Club presidents are the only ones authorized to transfer Foundation recognition points from the club’s account.

    •  District governors are the only ones authorized to transfer Foundation recognition points from the district account.

      Foundation recognition points may not be transferred from individuals to a club or district.

      Can Foundation recognition points of deceased Rotarians be transferred?

      No. Foundation recognition points of deceased Rotarians expire unless the deceased is a Major Donor, in which case, the spouse/partner maintains control of the Foundation recognition points during their lifetime.

      Can a business or organization become a Paul Harris Fellow?

      No. Paul Harris Fellow awards are issued only to individuals. However, businesses and organizations can be recognized for contributions of US$1,000 or more with a Certificate of Appreciation.

      Can someone deceased become a Paul Harris Fellow?

      Yes. A donor can recognize a deceased individual by requesting a Memorial Paul Harris Fellow.

    1. Do Foundation recognition points count toward Major Donor recognition?

      No. Only cumulative personal outright contributions count toward Major Donor recognition.

      What report tracks Foundation recognition points?
      Through Member Access, your club and district leadership can view the Club Recognition Summary, which provides the recognition amount, Foundation recognition points, current Paul Harris Fellow level, and date that Paul Harris Fellow level was achieved.

    Through Member Access, you can view your personal contribution history, recognition amount, and available Foundation recognition points. You can request a copy of your Donor History Report from the Foundation at contact.center@rotary.org.

    MORE ABOUT THE ROTARY FOUNDATION - POINTS EARNED Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-11-13 00:00:00Z 0

    Polio Update

    Polio infrastructure helps combat Ebola in Nigeria -Rotary’s investments in polio eradication infrastructure in Nigeria has helped the government stop the Ebola outbreak there. The polio surveillance network, which is used to monitor incidence of polio, is now also being used to identify and track suspected Ebola.
    Wild Polio Virus Type 3 - Two Down and One To Go! - It has been two years since the last case due to wild poliovirus type 3 (WPV3) was reported. WPV3 was last detected globally on 10 November 2012, in Yobe, Nigeria. In Asia, the last WPV3 was detected in April 2012, in Khyber Agency, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Pakistan. All cases due to wild poliovirus in the past two years have been caused by wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1). Wild poliovirus type 2 (WPV2) has not been detected since 1999.
    Africa - It has been over 3 months since the last reported Polio case in Africa on July 24.
    Pakistan - The UAE has agreed to provide an additional $21 Million to Pakistan for Polio Eradication in Kyber-Pakhtunkhwa and FATA over the next year.  Over 750,000 people have been immunized at transit points in the last few months.
    Only One Polio Case was reported this week!
    New Polio cases reported this week:
    Pakistan 1, Afghanistan 0, Nigeria 0
     
    2014 Polio Case Breakdown by Country (Green Numbers are 2013 Totals)
    Endemic Countries –235 Pakistan(2013-93), 18 Afghanistan (2013-14), 6 Nigeria(2013-53)
    2013&2014 Importation Countries – 5 Cameroon (2013-4), 5 Eq. Guinea (2013-0)
    5 Somalia (2013-194), 0 Kenya (2013 –14), 1 Ethiopia (2013-9), 1 Syria (2013-35), 2 Iraq (2013-0)
     
    Report submitted by Terry Ziegler, Rotary Foundation Committee Chair, District 5890
     
    Polio Update 2014-11-13 00:00:00Z 0

    Spotlight on The Rotary Foundation

    This is Rotary Foundation Month!  Our District 5890 hosted a dinner last Saturday to honor all major contributors in our district who support the Rotary Foundation.  It begins as simply as $25 each quarter for a total of $100 to the Annual Fund during the Rotary year and this member is termed "Paul Harris Sustaining."  When the donation adds up to $1,000 the member is recognized as a "Paul Harris Fellow".  The donation may be made to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus, or an approved Foundation grant. To recognize someone else as a Paul Harris Fellow, you can give that amount in their name. You are recognized as a Multiple Paul Harris Fellow with each additional gift of $1,000.  Recognition as a Paul Harris Society member is when you give $1,000 or more annually to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus, or an approved Foundation grant. 
       
       

    Multiple Paul Harris Fellow

    Multiple Paul Harris Fellow recognition is extended at subsequent US$1,000 levels ($2,000, $3,000, and so on). Recognition consists of a pin with stones corresponding to the recipient’s recognition amount level.

    US$2,000 to 2,999.99 one sapphire

    3,000 to 3,999.99 two sapphires

    4,000 to 4,999.99 three sapphires

    5,000 to 5,999.99 four sapphires

    6,000 to 6,999.99 five sapphires

    7,000 to 7,999.99 one ruby

    8,000 to 8,999.99 two rubies

    9,000 to 9,999.99 three rubies

     
    As the years go buy and amount to 10 years or earlier if additional monies are donated totaling $10,000, the member is recognized as a "Major Donor".   You can choose to receive a crystal recognition piece and a Major Donor lapel pin or pendant. Recognition items commemorate giving at these levels:
    Level 1: $10,000 to $24,999
    Level 2: $25,000 to $49,999
    Level 3: $50,000 to $99,999
    Level 4: $100,000 to $249,999
     
    Arch C. Klumph Society, when your cumulative giving reaches $250,000. We will invite you to an induction ceremony at the Rotary International headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA and include your picture and biography in the Arch C. Klumph Society interactive gallery. You will also receive invitations to society events, along with membership pins and crystals that commemorate giving at these levels:
    Trustees Circle: $250,000 to $499,999
    Chair’s Circle: $500,000 to $999,999
    Foundation Circle: $1 million and above
     
    Another way of giving is as a Benefactor.  Benefactor, when you include the Endowment Fund as a beneficiary in your estate plans or when you donate $1,000 or more to the fund outright. Benefactors receive a certificate and insignia to wear with a Rotary or Paul Harris Fellow pin.
     
    Bequest Society member, when you give $10,000 or more via your estate plans. All society members receive recognition from the Trustees of The Rotary Foundation, and donors can choose to receive an engraved crystal recognition piece and a Bequest Society pin.
     
    NAMED GIFT OPPORTUNITIES
    With an endowed or term gift, you can apply a specific name to your donation. Endowed gifts are invested in perpetuity, while a portion of their earnings are spent on a designated program. Term gifts are spent in their entirety on a specific program over an agreed period of time.
    ENDOWMENT NAMING OPPORTUNITIES
    $1 million or more: Fund established in consultation with the donor
    $500,000 or more: Fund that includes a specific area of focus and location
    $250,000 or more: Fund that specifies the participating district
    $100,000 or more: Fund that includes a general area of focus
    $25,000 or more: Fund designated to the World Fund or SHARE
    TERM GLOBAL GRANTS NAMING OPPORTUNITIES
    $30,000: One-time gift designated to an area of focus and may be district specific
    $15,000: One-time gift designated to an area of focus and available worldwide
    ROTARY PEACE CENTERS ENDOWMENT OPPORTUNITIES
    $1.5 million: One two-year fellow at a Rotary Peace Center every year
    $1 million: One two-year fellow at a Rotary Peace Center every two years
    $1 million: A visiting lecturer at a Rotary Peace Center every year
    $750,000: One two-year fellow every three years
    $500,000: One two-year fellow at a Rotary Peace Center every four years
    $250,000: General support to the Rotary Peace Centers at Arch C. Klumph Society level
    $250,000: One certificate program fellow every year
    $100,000: Annual seminar at a Rotary Peace Center every year
    $25,000 and up: General support to the Rotary Peace Centers endowment
    ROTARY PEACE CENTERS TERM GIFT OPPORTUNITIES
    $75,000: A term two-year Rotary Peace Fellow at a Rotary Peace Center
    $75,000: Up to 10 applied field internships or research projects for a class of fellows at a Rotary Peace Center
    $60,000: One year of funding for five certificate program fellows
    $10,000: General support of the program
     
     
     
    Spotlight on The Rotary Foundation 2014-11-12 00:00:00Z 0
    The Rotary Foundation 2014 Vision 2014-11-12 00:00:00Z 0
    Could you guess? What is the image of the most typical person today? 2014-11-07 00:00:00Z 0

    Message from our Director of New Generations

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    Dear fellow Rotarians, Friends, and family,
     
    When I first got involved with Rotary, and helped charter the Galleria Rotaract in 2012, I did not know much about Rotary nor had any Rotaract training prior to being the charter president. "Service Above Self," and The Four Way Test was the only guideline I had to follow. As I’ve learn more about Rotary, I’ve found out there’s a shortage of (Young Professional Rotaracts) transition into Rotary (New Generation Rotarians). New Generations refers to the youngest generation in the family of Rotary. Many are participants in Rotary’s youth and young adult programs: Interact, Rotaract, Rotary
    Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), and Rotary Youth Exchange. Others are service minded young people involved in Rotary club and district activities.
     
    Past RI President Luis Vicente Giay coined the term New Generations when he shared his belief that the future of Rotary relied on involving young people in the organization’s programs and activities. At the 1996 RI Convention in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he said:
    “Our vision for the future, now more than ever, is the difference between success and failure. The New Generations are our investment in the future. Let us begin to build that future today.”
     
    New Generations Service became Rotary’s fifth Avenue of Service in 2010. It is defined in article 5 of the Standard Rotary Club Constitution:
     
    New Generations Service recognizes the positive change implemented by youth and young adults through leadership development activities, involvement in community and international service projects, and exchange programs that enrich and foster world peace and cultural understanding. Rotary clubs should be committed to involving youth and young adults in their vocational, community, and international service projects, and to providing programs and resources that support them.
     
    New Generations and Membership
    Reaching out to New Generations is a commitment to the future of your Rotary club. Clubs that build ties with youth in their communities cultivate future members and become rejuvenated by the energy and new perspectives that young people have to offer. Share Rotary’s ideal of service through vocational and community service projects that target youth, such as career days and mentoring programs. In some communities, New Generations Rotary clubs are chartered to offer young adults an alternative to existing clubs. These clubs can be valuable tools for encouraging younger people to join Rotary.
     
    Promoting New Generations Service to Rotarians
    There are many ways to promote New Generations Service among club members, such as:
    • Including articles about New Generations in your club newsletter
    • Sharing details about New Generations projects on your club website and
    through social networks
    • Contacting local media to cover Interact and Rotaract club service projects and
    sharing the stories with fellow Rotarians
    • Recognizing Rotarians who demonstrate outstanding commitment to New
    Generations
     
    I hope my position as the Director for New Generations can make a difference based on my experience as a Rotarian and charter-president of Galleria Rotaract.
     
     
    Sincerely,
     
    Nguyen T. Nguyen
    Director of New Generation 2014-2015
     
    Message from our Director of New Generations Wind Nguyen 2014-11-07 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - "The Password Song" by Christine Lavin 2014-11-05 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - What's wrong with your pa$$wOrd?

    Lorrie Faith Cranor studied thousands of real passwords to figure out the surprising, very common mistakes that users — and secured sites — make to compromise security. And how, you may ask, did she study thousands of real passwords without compromising the security of any users? That's a story in itself. It's secret data worth knowing, especially if your password is 123456 ...
    About our speaker: 
    Lorrie Faith Cranor is an Associate Professor of Computer Science and of Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University, where she is director of the CyLab Usable Privacy and Security Laboratory (CUPS) and co-director of the MSIT-Privacy Engineering masters program. She is also a co-founder of Wombat Security Technologies, Inc. She has authored over 100 research papers on online privacy, usable security, phishing, spam, electronic voting, anonymous publishing, and other topics.
    Cranor plays a key role in building the usable privacy and security research community, having co-edited the seminal book Security and Usability and founded the Symposium On Usable Privacy and Security (SOUPS). She also chaired the Platform for Privacy Preferences Project (P3P) Specification Working Group at the W3C and authored the book Web Privacy with P3P. She has served on a number of boards, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation Board of Directors, and on the editorial boards of several journals. In 2003 she was named one of the top 100 innovators 35 or younger by Technology Review.
     TEDxCMU · Filmed March 2014
     
    Hope this information will be helpful to our Rotarians and guests and inspire you to review your password (s).  Choosing passwords has been growing in complexity and we are sometimes given specific rules to follow.   There have been more and more security breaches by easily guessed passwords which are used exclusively for everything.  I know this hits home for more than a few of us!
    Weekly Program - What's wrong with your pa$$wOrd? 2014-11-05 00:00:00Z 0

    Fundraiser for Rotary Club of Cinco Ranch - Nov 7th

    The Rotary Club of Cinco Ranch would like to invite everyone to join them at their 9th Annual Katy Wine Fest this Friday, November 7th.  The event will begin at 7pm and continue until 11pm.  The Katy Wine Fest will offer wine tastings, light bites from several Katy and West Houston eateries, musical entertainment by Chris Austin Martinez, an exciting 50/50 Raffle, and a silent and live auction featuring one-of-a-kind items you won’t find anywhere else. All proceeds benefit the Brookwood Community.  Tickets are $60 in advance and $75 at the door.  This year the event will be held at The Café at Brookwood at 1752 FM 1489, Brookshire, TX  77423.  Please see the attached flyer for more information, or go to http://katywinefest.com/ to purchase your advance tickets!
     
    Remember - If you attend this event or another similar event sponsored by a Rotary club then please report your attendance - it does count toward your attendance credit.
     
     
    Fundraiser for Rotary Club of Cinco Ranch - Nov 7th 2014-11-05 00:00:00Z 0

    About Disaster Aid USA

     

    Disaster Aid USA (DA USA), a Rotary Club project that began in 2010 (Incorporated in the District of Columbia and is a registered 501-c3 charity) is a member of the over-arching body known as Disaster Aid International (DAI). Other members of DAI are Rotary Club projects in Malaysia, UK & Ireland, Australia and soon, from other countries.  The President and chairman of DA USA is PDG Bob Grill (a member of the Historic Rotary Club of P.G. County MD, Rotary District 7620) DA USA's Executive Director is Kenneth Larry Agee (a member of the Sulphur Sunrise Rotary Club, Sulphur, LA, Rotary District 6200.   Larry is also the designer of the DAI's Family Survival 8 Person Tent.October 2014

    DA USA's board of officers and directors (all Rotarians) meet monthly by teleconference with directors in six of the 11 U.S. Rotary zones (21-B, 25, 26, 31, 32 & 33) with two directors in zone 26 (California and Hawaii.) It's board also includes advisors (Rotarians & non-Rotarians)

    DARTs Disaster Aid Response Team members are a vital part of our organization. We have highly trained American volunteers (many are Rotarians) who have worked in Haiti, Sudan, Pakistan, Philippines and Malaysia delivering aid and "rebuilding communities" to those who are suffering and in desperate need.   They work with locals (including NGOs, government and other agencies, Rotary clubs and Rotarians) as they rebuild their lives and communities. Those deployments have taught us a lot. In particular, working in the Philippines with local NGO The Balay Mindanaw Foundation after two massive Typhoons (preceded by an earthquake), we asked affected local people what they needed most.

    Rather than provide them with a box of aid that "we" considered they would need, we found by asking, that they wanted (for example) tarpaulins ... not tents ... and basic building materials. So that is exactly what we did. Importantly, we (our DARTs) stayed on, living in the villages with local people and providing direct and extensive assistance.

    We work closely with the Australian not-for-profit organisation, SkyJuiceTM Foundation, along with others to provide clean, safe water to those in need in developing countries. We also arrange training in the operation of the remarkable SkyHydrantTM water filtration unit; a lightweight, sustainable and affordable water filtration system for humanitarian projects, emergency and disaster relief.

    Rtn. Wayne Beaumier from Rotary Club of Bear Creek Copperfield will soon be traveling to India to assist with disaster aid. Landslides and flash floods triggered by massive monsoon rains killed hundreds in northern India, Jammu & Kashmir, and Nepal. Reports in Associated Press said, "Five days of incessant rain (in the area) has seen the worst flooding in more than five decades." 

    Our Rotarian friends in India sought our help and we sent in aid materials to Mumbai for distribution by the locals. We were advised that it is unsafe to send our DARTs into many of the affected areas so we directed our aid efforts to provision of materials, and to training locals in the Mumbai precinct. However, we are working on the ground in Nepal, where DAI's Deployment Manager (and Rotarian) Ed Cox is now based.

    For more information, please go to: https://www.facebook.com/disasteraidusa 

    About Disaster Aid USA 2014-11-04 00:00:00Z 0

    The Kids Unlimited Foundation

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    Rtn. Martine Stolk is a frequent volunteer for The Kids Unlimited foundation.  She shares some information about this organization below:
     
    The Kids Unlimited foundation is an organization which organizes events for kids with cancer and their families, to help them forget about this awful illness for a few hours. The foundation owns a 12.5 acre ranch in Pearland where celebrations like Easter, Christmas, an annual catfish tournamen,t etc. take place. They also organize several events at other locations, like a bass fishing tournament at Fayette Lake, during which about 50 fishermen volunteer their time and the use of their boats for the kids to have a great time.  Each year various sports organizations donate group tickets for the kids and their families to come and enjoy together with other members.  Most recently the families have enjoyed attending games for the Houston Aeros, the Houston Rockets, and the Houston Dynamos.  A special feature of the Houston Aeros game has been a check presentation made during the game to the Kids Unlimited Foundation from the Houston Aeros Booster Club, proceeds from their annual Houston Aeros Player Appreciation Banquet. The Kids Unlimited foundation is run by volunteers only.
     
    Thank you, Martine, for your "Service Above Self"!
    The Kids Unlimited Foundation 2014-11-03 00:00:00Z 0

    Mark your Calendars - Board of Directors Meeting - Nov 15th

    Our next BOD and General Meeting will be held on Saturday, November 15th, 2015, at Maggiano's Little Italy Restaurant (2019 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056 Tel .(713) 961-2700) starting at 11:00AM.  Rtn. Nguyen has created an Event Invitation for you to rsvp and for us to obtain a fairly accurate headcount for the restaurant.  It is an OPEN meeting and all members are invited as well as guests or prospective members.  We are growing strong in membership - now numbering 45!  Of course, some of our members are international.  If any international members would like to join us as well, please arrange to SKYPE during the meeting. 
    President Sofka
    Mark your Calendars - Board of Directors Meeting - Nov 15th 2014-11-03 00:00:00Z 0

    Malala is One of Us - Article adapted from The Rotarian Magazine one month prior to our club's charter

     
     
     
    Malala Yousafzai is a Pakastini activist advocating for female education and the youngest ever Nobel Prize recipient.  On 10 October 2014, Yousafzai was announced as the co-recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for her struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education. At age 17, Yousafzai is the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate.[13][14][15] Yousafzai shared the prize with Kailash Satyarthi, a children's rights activist from India.[16] She is the second Pakistani to receive a Nobel Prize and the only Pakistani winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.  On 12 July 2013, Yousafzai spoke at the headquarters of the United Nations to call for worldwide access to education, and in September 2013 she officially opened the Library of Birmingham.[9] Yousafzai is the recipient of the Sakharov Prize for 2013. On 16 October 2013, the Government of Canada announced its intention that the Parliament of Canada confer Honorary Canadian citizenship upon Yousafzai.[10] In February 2014, she was nominated for the World Children's Prize in Sweden.[11] On 15 May 2014, Yousafzai was granted an honorary doctorate by the University of King's College in Halifax.  In the 29 April 2013 issue of Time magazine, Yousafzai was featured on the magazine's front cover and as one of "The 100 Most Influential People in the World". She was the winner of Pakistan's first National Youth Peace Prize. 
     
    On the afternoon of 9 October 2012, Yousafzai boarded her school bus in the northwest Pakistani district of Swat. A gunman asked for her by name, then pointed a pistol at her and fired three shots. One bullet hit the left side of Yousafzai's forehead, travelled under her skin through the length of her face, and then went into her shoulder.[5] In the days immediately following the attack, she remained unconscious and in critical condition, but later her condition improved enough for her to be sent to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, England, for intensive rehabilitation. On 12 October, a group of 50 Islamic clerics in Pakistan issued a fatwā against those who tried to kill her, but the Taliban reiterated their intent to kill Yousafzai and her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai.
     
    Following was an adapted story printed in The Rotarian Magazine in January, 2014 written by Kevin Cook:
    The Swat Valley of northern Pakistan, in the highlands between Kashmir and the Khyber Pass, was once a lush, peaceful place. It was ruled by Miangul Abdul Haq Jahanzeb — the Wali, or absolute monarch, of Swat. A modernizer, the Wali built schools for his subjects — girls as well as boys — and toured remote regions where no one had ever seen an automobile.
    "A beautiful, pristine place where mountains climbed to the clouds," Zebu Jilani calls the land of her childhood. "People called it the real Shangri-La." The Wali was her grandfather. Princess Zebu, as Swatis still refer to her, recalls playing with shiny rocks that resembled chunks of green glass. "They were emeralds from my family's mines." Then, in 1969, Swat relinquished its sovereignty to the government of Pakistan. So began a 40-year period of decline that led to the rise of the Taliban in 2008. For two years, the people of Swat endured a reign of terror as the Taliban imposed their brutal version of Islamic law. They rounded up political opponents, beheaded some, and flogged others. They held public executions, beat women, blew up schools.
    Jilani moved to the United States in 1979. During her yearly visits to her homeland, she couldn't stand seeing it overrun. The money from her family's emerald mines was gone, so she raised money from scratch and soon was opening schools, delivering shelter and medicine to Swati refugees, and founding Swat's first Rotary club. Among the first people she asked to join was Ziauddin Yousafzai, an educator and activist who had a teenage daughter named Malala.
     
    Malala, at the age of 15, was a star student at the Khushal School and College in the Swat Valley town of Mingora. A voracious reader of everything from Pashto poetry to the Twilight saga, she wore a navy blue school uniform to her classes in science, math, Islamic studies, English, and Urdu, the language in which she wrote a blog about life under threat from the Taliban. She blogged about battles between Pakistan's army and the Taliban ("The night was filled with the noise of artillery fire"), about helicopter gunships buzzing overhead, about book shortages, her dreams, her favorite pink dress, and about the possible end of her schooling:"The Taliban have issued an edict banning all girls from attending school."
     
    On her blog, Malala used the pseudonym Gul Makai, the name of a heroine of Pakistani folklore, but her identity was an open secret. "I will get my education. And this is our request to all the world: Save our schools. Save our Swat."  Her father was doing his part to keep the traditions of Swat alive. In 2010, after Pakistan's army restored partial order in Mingora, he helped his Rotary club stage the first public musical performance in the town since the Taliban takeover. "We Rotarians were proud to arrange such a show. It was a brave thing to do, since the Taliban influence was still there," says Yousafzai, a member of the Rotary Club of Mingora Swat. "Things were uncertain, with many threats and frequent assassinations. But we put on a good show."
     
    On a Tuesday in October 2012, Yousafzai was in Mingora, leading a rally of more than 300 principals and teachers to promote education for all. "My friend Ahmad Shah, a fellow Rotarian, spoke before me," he says. "I was on my way to the podium when my phone rang. I handed the phone to Ahmad. A moment later, he whispered the news: The Khushal school bus had been attacked. My heart sank. I could guess who the target was. 'It must be Malala,' I thought. At that moment, the moderator announced my name. With sweat on my forehead, I spoke for about six minutes. As I finished, Ahmad said, 'We must rush to the hospital.'"   He learned that Malala had been shot.
     
    Six days after her shooting, the comatose patient was flown to a hospital in Birmingham, England, that specializes in treating wartime casualties. It was there that she opened her eyes.  "What country am I in?" she asked.  Malala stayed humble. She referred to Jilani as "Bi Bi Sahiba" (Revered Madam). And she stayed resolute. "The Taliban thought they would stop me," she said from her hospital bed. "But they won't."  To her father she said, "Be peaceful."  To Jilani she said, "God will help me help people."
     
    In March, Malala reported to her first day of school in Birmingham, a city with the second-largest Pakistani population in Britain. She had a custom-made titanium plate covering the hole in her skull and an electronic hearing device in her left ear, but otherwise she was like any other teen. She wore a green sweater and a pink backpack. "I am one girl among many," she says. During her first days of classes in England, she gathered signatures for a petition supporting the right of every child to go to school.
    Her father now serves as an adviser to former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the UN special envoy for global education. And while Malala stepped onto the world stage, she kept her focus on Swat and stepped up her day-to-day efforts to restore some of its former glory.
    Jilani continues to carry out the often unglamorous task of getting necessities — from tents to antibiotics to bulldozers and steamrollers — to the people of Swat. "Malala's suffering was horrible, but it made the whole world listen to her," Jilani says. "Her fame became a great gift to her cause. I hope that one day she can return to her home and find that our combined efforts have made a difference."  That's Malala's goal too. The other day her father, reflecting on his family's remarkable trajectory, said he hoped to go home someday.  "I dream of a time when we will go back to Swat, our dream valley," Yousafzai says. "And I will ask Malala to join our Rotary club."
     
     
    Malala is One of Us - Article adapted from The Rotarian Magazine one month prior to our club's charter 2014-10-30 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - "Save the World" - Eric Clapton 2014-10-30 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Where is Home?

     
    More and more people worldwide are living in countries not considered their own. Writer Pico Iyer — who himself has three or four “origins” — meditates on the meaning of home, the joy of traveling and the serenity of standing still. 
    Acclaimed travel writer Pico Iyer began his career documenting a neglected aspect of travel -- the sometimes surreal disconnect between local tradition and imported global pop culture. Since then, he has written ten books, exploring also the cultural consequences of isolation, whether writing about the exiled spiritual leaders of Tibet or the embargoed society of Cuba.
    Iyer’s latest focus is on yet another overlooked aspect of travel: how can it help us regain our sense of stillness and focus in a world where our devices and digital networks increasing distract us? As he says: "Almost everybody I know has this sense of overdosing on information and getting dizzy living at post-human speeds. Nearly everybody I know does something to try to remove herself to clear her head and to have enough time and space to think. ... All of us instinctively feel that something inside us is crying out for more spaciousness and stillness to offset the exhilarations of this movement and the fun and diversion of the modern world." From TedGlobal2013 filmed in June, 2013:
     
     
     
     
     
    Weekly Program - Where is Home? 2014-10-29 00:00:00Z 0

    Message from our International Director

    Dear Fellow Rotarians and Guests,
    We are a relatively new club, an eClub (virtual) actually, which represents both a challenging and exciting opportunity. I recently got elected chair of the International Service Committee and am new to Rotary. And, although new to the organization, believe in and practice serving others ( by helping others as a volunteer to many local and statewide organizations for more than 25 years).
    So, what is International Service? As I recently learned, it is one of the five Avenues of Service, and it will guide our efforts in this area.
    International Service exemplifies our global reach in promoting peace and understanding. We support this service avenue by sponsoring or volunteering on international projects, seeking partners abroad, and more.
    Some of our members are already participating in international projects. There is a trip to Nicaragua in November. Others are involved in Guatemala or Mexico. Are you? Would love to hear from you! If you are interested in participating in our committee, please contact me no later than November 15, 2014. One of our first projects that we have identified for possible collaboration is with the Rotary Club of Culiacan, State of Sinaloa, Mexico. They have identified a school about five kilometers from Culiacan and have requested our assistance. For those interested in working with us in this particular project, have available a video clip of the current conditions of the school, and the club has also provided the program they are currently implementing at the school.
    And, in order to better serve, would like to share the Guiding Principles and Object of Rotary from Rotary International:
    GUIDING PRINCIPLES
    These principles have been developed over the years to provide Rotarians with a strong, common purpose and direction. They serve as a foundation for our relationships with each other and the action we take in the world.
     
    OBJECT OF ROTARY
    The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and,
    in particular, to encourage and foster:
    * FIRST: The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
    * SECOND: High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society;
    * THIRD: The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life;
    * FOURTH: The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
    And, as the newest member of the board, look forward to getting to know each of our club’s members, working together on international service projects as the Rotary Motto is "Service Above Self".
    Yours in Rotary Service,
    Helga Mattei
    International Service Chair, 2014-2015
    Message from our International Director 2014-10-28 00:00:00Z 0

    Did you Know? Newsletters & Rotary International

    There are many different newsletters available to you if you would like to explore more about Rotary. These newsletters help you stay current on the topics that interest you most. Anyone can subscribe once they create an account and sign in. To get started as a new subscriber, or to make changes to your existing subscriptions, search for Rotary Newsletters and there you will find a button to click - MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS.  Some of these include:
    END POLIO NOW
    An update about Rotary’s polio eradication efforts that includes inspiring stories and the latest statistics.
    ROTARY GIVING & GRANTS
    Information to help you support Rotary's work through contributions and grant-funded activities, published quarterly.
    MEMBERSHIP MINUTE
    Rotary stories and the latest membership development ideas, strategies, and resources.
    NEW GENERATIONS
    News and developments about Rotary's youth and young adult programs: Interact, Rotaract, and RYLA.
    PEACE NET
    A forum for the Rotary Peace Centers community, published every other month.
    RECONNECTIONS
    News about Rotary alumni.
    RI CONVENTION UPDATE
    News, updates, and deadline information about Rotary's annual convention.
    ROTARY LEADER
    Practical information to help club and district leaders achieve success, published every other month.
    ROTARY SERVICE UPDATE
    Information to help Rotary members plan effective and inspired service projects.
    ROTARY TRAINING TALK
    The latest RI training news, including RI mailings, RI Board decisions that affect training, and training tips.
    ROTARY WEEKLY
    An update on news and information for Rotary members, as well as developments from around the Rotary world.
    ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER
    Information and updates on current Youth Exchange events and resources.
    VISIONS
    Information about the benefits of charitable estate and financial planning. Primarily intended for a U.S. audience.
    VOCATIONAL SERVICE UPDATE
    News and resources related to vocational service, published quarterly.
    ROTA - REACH OUT TO AFRICA NEWSLETTER
    Current information on polio eradication, educational programs, water programs, health programs, and projects needing funding in Africa.
    Did you Know? Newsletters & Rotary International 2014-10-24 00:00:00Z 0

    Message from the Treasurer

    Dear Fellow Rotarians and Guests,
    As Treasurer, I am responsible for the the following in our eClub:
    - Managing eClub funds
    - Collecting and submitting dues and fees
    - Reporting on the state of the eClub's finances
    - Working with the Rotary Foundation
    - Developing budgets
    - Preparing a successor
    As a new Rotary club, we are still starting some of these processes however we have committed to use electronic means for processing payments and managing our accounts which is consistent with being an eClub.
    Our membership dues go to fund various Rotary activities and are collected semi-annually (January & July).  The dues amount is lower than regular Rotary clubs, however because we do not have face to face meetings we all need to be diligent and make sure that our eClub dues are current. Dues can be paid by Paypal through the website or by check.  Please contact me if you would like more information on our current finances.  
    Yours in Rotary Service,
    Mike Miller
    eClub of Houston Treasurer 2014-2015
     
    *Continuing series presented by club officers
    Message from the Treasurer 2014-10-24 00:00:00Z 0

    Fundraising w/ Rotary District 5500 - Ride to End Polio Nov 22nd

    Dear Rotarians and friends,
     
    I am seeking your financial support of my Ride to End Polio. I will be one of up to 200 Rotarians and friends of Rotary riding in the D5500 Ride to End Polio in conjunction with El Tour de Tucson on Nov 22 to raise funds in support of Rotary International’s global quest to eradicate polio in the world.  Our End Polio Now team, representing Rotary Clubs from around the world, will ride distances from 40 miles to 111 miles in one of the largest cycling events in the US.  My personal goal is 75 miles, and I am training to meet that goal.
     
    With the help of friend’s and family I met my original goal of raising $1,000 quickly. Since the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is matching each dollar with two dollars, that translated into $3,000. I decided that with the Rotarians and clubs in District 5890 being so committed to eradicating polio that we could easily raised $5890 for District 5890. Ten clubs donating $589 would reach the goal. Or 100 Rotarians donating $58.90 would lead to success. This would translate to $18,000 with the match from the generous Gates Foundation.
     
    If you would like to help, please consider a contribution of any amount from $5 to $100 or more.  For example, $1.00 per mile would be $75 in support of my ride of 75 miles.  You get Rotary Foundation credit and your dollar gets multiplied by three!
     
    How to Donate to Ride for Polio: go to https://www.rotary.org/myrotary
    Find “GIVE” box on upper right side –
    “What do you want to do?”  on the right side –
    Click “Make a donation” –“I want to support….. a Polio Free World” and select “Miles to End Polio”
    Continue to enter amount, credit card info, etc.

    If you prefer to pay by check, please make a check payable to The Rotary Foundation.  Send the check to me at:
    Ed Charlesworth
    11407 Hylander
    Houston, TX 77070
     
    Please let me know if you contribute let me know so I can record the pledge. All funds received will go to The Rotary Foundation to support polio eradication. If you prefer, just make a pledge now and plan to pay after I complete the Ride to End Polio.  You can return the pledge to me at the address above.
     
    Many thanks for your consideration of my request.
    Thank you for your donation!
    PGD Ed
    Rotary E-Club Club of Houston, Texas USA
    Rotary International District 5890
    charlesworth@stresscontrol.com
    281-890-8575
     
    Fundraising w/ Rotary District 5500 - Ride to End Polio Nov 22nd Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-10-23 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Sleep, Memory and Dreams

    Dr. Stickgold studies the role of sleep and dreaming in learning and memory processes. He has studied how dreams change in response to mental challenges, ranging from computer games to living in a zero gravity environment on the International Space Station.  This Tedx RiverCity Talk was uploaded on July 16, 2010.
    About our speaker:  Bob Stickgold is a native of Chicago. He attended college at Harvard University, and received his PhD in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He is currently an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and serves as the Director of Harvard's Center for Sleep and Cognition. He is the author of numerous scientific articles, as well as two science fiction novels, and his work is frequently cited in both leading scientific journals and the popular press.
     
    Many of us across the United States viewed a television spot about the safety of driving while sleep deprived.  What AAA had to share was somewhat startling as their auto towing service yielded data with huge numbers of accidents related to folks falling asleep at the wheel.  While professional drivers have regulations about how long they may drive commercially before they have to rest, the general public has no such requirement.  We often tend to push ourselves to the limit and maybe even exceed our personal limits at times.  The ABC reporter: "One startling statistic to remember, two hours of sleep missing in one night can cut your reaction time, decision-making by 20 to 50%." David kerly, ABC news, Washington. The news report also told of new technology which can be installed in cars to cause the seat to vibrate, attempting to alert the driver, when the car's data indicates weaving or drifting.
     
    Rotarians tend to be busy people with calendars full of activities balanced with family, work, and volunteering through Rotary and/or religious affiliations and perhaps additional community involvements, e.g. Scout leaders, water board for the neighborhood, etc.  We may often feel somewhat sleep-deprived due to our busy schedules.  This week's theme on the importance of sleep reminds us that we should take care of ourselves to not only re-energize our physical self, but to also promote creativity for our service to others. 
     
     
     
    Weekly Program - Sleep, Memory and Dreams 2014-10-23 00:00:00Z 0

    What Happens in our Brains when we Dream

    When we slip into sleep and embark on a subconscious journey through our dreams, what exactly is our brain up to at that point?  Theoretical physicist, best selling author, and all around cool guy Michio Kaku shares on this Big Think video about the science of dreaming, as well as everything Freud got right about our subconscious.
     
     
     
     
     
    What Happens in our Brains when we Dream 2014-10-23 00:00:00Z 0

    History of Rotary's Motto's

    Rotary’s official mottos, Service Above Self and One Profits Most Who Serves Best, trace back to the early days of the organization.
    In 1911, He Profits Most Who Serves Best was approved as the Rotary motto at the second convention of the National Association of Rotary Clubs of America, in Portland, Oregon. It was adapted from a speech made by Rotarian Arthur Frederick Sheldon to the first convention, held in Chicago the previous year. Sheldon declared that "only the science of right conduct toward others pays. Business is the science of human services. He profits most who serves his fellows best."
    The Portland convention also inspired the motto Service Above Self. During a convention outing on the Columbia River, Ben Collins, president of the Rotary Club of Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, talked with Seattle Rotarian J.E. Pinkham about the proper way to organize a Rotary club, offering the principle his club had adopted: Service, Not Self. Pinkham invited Paul P. Harris, who also was on the boat trip, to join their conversation. Harris asked Collins to address the convention, and the phrase Service, Not Self was met with great enthusiasm.
    At the 1950 RI Convention in Detroit, slightly modified versions of the two slogans were formally approved as the official mot­toes of Rotary: He Profits Most Who Serves Best and Service Above Self. The 1989 Council on Legislation established Service Above Self as the principal motto of Rotary, because it best conveys the philosophy of unselfish volunteer service. He Profits Most Who Serves Best was modified by the 2004 Council to They Profit Most Who Serve Best and by the 2010 Council to its current wording, One Profits Most Who Serves Best.
     
    History of Rotary's Motto's Ed C 2014-10-17 00:00:00Z 0

    Children's Miracle Network Fundraiser

    Active Rotarian Brittany Johnson in Fort Worth, Texas, will be participating in the Children's Miracle Network Torch Relay tomorrow.
    Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $5 billion—most of it $1 at a time—for 170 children’s hospitals across the United States and Canada, which, in turn, use the money where it’s needed the most. These donations have gone to support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible.
     
    Brittany says, "At my local Children's Miracle Network Hospital, thousands of children are treated each year with illnesses and injuries of all kinds. Whether they suffer from normal childhood afflictions like asthma and broken bones or fight bigger challenges like birth defects or cancer, my Children’s Miracle Network Hospital provides comfort, treatment and hope to thousands of sick kids each year. These kids aren’t in faraway countries or from opposite sides of the nation, they’re in my community. They’re my neighbors, and maybe even your very own children."
     
    Please support me in my efforts to raise more money by donating to my fundraising page.  
     
    Follow This Link <http://www.torch-relay.org/faf/r.asp?t=4&i=1097564&u=1097564-368290624&e=7964625178>  to visit my personal web page and help me in my efforts to support The Torch Relay for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.
     
    Your donation is tax-deductible and the proceeds go to help kids.
     
    Last year, The Torch Relay raised more than one million dollars to save kids, but in 2014 our goals, just like the needs of the kids we serve, are much, much higher.

     



     
    Children's Miracle Network Fundraiser 2014-10-16 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - the fight to end polio 2014-10-16 00:00:00Z 0

    Building PEACE through Storytelling

    Rotary Peace Fellow Kiran Singh Sirah (Duke-UNC, 2011-13) is the executive director of the International Storytelling Center, located in Jonesborough, Tennessee, USA, which promotes the power of storytelling to enrich the human experience.
    Kiran explains in a recent Rotary Voices blog post that “there are moments in our lives that we remember forever. These moments become our stories and help us understand and connect with a larger global community. When we tell our stories, we inspire others to tell their stories, and that produces positive change. Ultimately, through the power of storytelling, we build healthier communities, more effective workplaces, and schools of learning that enrich our lives.” Read more of Kiran’s post, “Building peace through storytelling.”

    By Kiran Singh Sirah, 2011-13 Rotary Peace Fellow, Duke University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

    There are moments in our lives that we remember forever. These moments become our stories and help us understand and connect with a larger global community. When we tell our stories, we inspire others to tell their stories, and that produces positive change. Ultimately, through the power of storytelling, we build healthier communities, more effective workplaces, and schools of learning that enrich our lives.

    My own story began when my family was forced to flee Uganda in 1972. Then President Idi Amin ordered the expulsion of the Indian minority from his country. My father, a young architect, received a job offer in south England from a sister company of the one he had worked for in Kampala, and there I was born. The refugees took with them stories of the lives they’d lived with classmates, coworkers, family members, and friends. They became a part of their new communities and identities. I grew up around these stories, and they became part of my story.

    Growing up in England, I learned to tell these stories in my own voice, and they helped me navigate my own sense of belonging. We faced racism, but my parents encouraged me to pursue an education and embrace opportunity. I became an art teacher, and began to use storytelling and the power of visual and performing arts to enable young people to escape their feelings of marginalization, loneliness, and isolation.

    After moving to Scotland, I established a number of art programs with the aim of fostering peace in Edinburgh and Glasgow. It was there that two retired police officers and members of Rotary noticed what I was doing, became my friends, and encouraged me to think of myself as a global citizen.

    After a Rotary-backed cultural exchange, I applied for the Rotary Peace Centers program, and received a fellowship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, pursuing a master’s degree in folklore, peace, and conflict resolution. I further developed my understanding of storytelling. And I met many Rotary members, who I worked with to build local community partnerships, develop grassroots programs for schools, and serve in advisory roles at the United Nations.

    When I left Scotland for the United States, I made a commitment to myself to dedicate my life toward peace. I have been given a great opportunity to advance storytelling at the International Storytelling Center. When we engage in storytelling, we experience new worlds, and draw closer to others, who are traveling similar paths to our own. These are the roots that build peace. Please join me in using your story to promote peace.

    On 21 September, millions of people around the world will celebrate the International Day of Peace through activities, events, concerts, and festivals. What will you or your club be doing? Let us know below, and learn more about how Rotary Peace Centers equip leaders to be catalysts for peace in their communities. 
    _____

    Building PEACE through Storytelling Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-10-16 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Do Sweat the Small Stuff

    It may seem that big problems require big solutions, but ad man Rory Sutherland says many flashy, expensive fixes are just obscuring better, simpler answers. To illustrate, he uses behavioral economics and hilarious examples. This is taken from another recorded TedTalk  June, 2010. 

    From unlikely beginnings as a classics teacher to his current job as Vice Chairman of Ogilvy Group, Rory Sutherland has created his own brand of the Cinderella story. He joined Ogilvy & Mather's planning department in 1988, and became a junior copywriter, working on Microsoft's account in its pre-Windows days. An early fan of the Internet, he was among the first in the traditional ad world to see the potential in these relatively unknown technologies.

    An immediate understanding of the possibilities of digital technology and the Internet powered Sutherland's meteoric rise. He continues to provide insight into advertising in the age of the Internet and social media through his blog at Campaign's Brand Republic site, his column "The Wiki Man" at The Spectator and his busy Twitter account.

    What others say

    “Rory is the original advocate of '360-degree branding,' a persuasive and charismatic speaker and has a tremendous knack for making ideas come to life in an easily digestible way. He has been walking the walk longer than anyone.” — Gary Leih, Ogilvy Group Chairman

     
    Weekly Program - Do Sweat the Small Stuff 2014-10-16 00:00:00Z 0

    Seeking Applicants for RYLA '15

    RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) Camp applications are now available.  The winners of our club's award will be selected at the board meeting on Saturday.  All applications must be presented prior to the board meeting to President Sofka.  This is a great leadership development retreat for high school juniors with a limit of 150 participants.  Dates are February 6-8th, 2015 (Friday-Sunday) with  check in beginning at 7PM Friday and programs beginning @ 8pm.  The students will be released around 12 noon on Sunday.
    What is RYLA?
    RYLA is appropriate for any sophomore or junior in a home-school or a private or public school as well as public schools.
    Family members of Rotarians (children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, etc.) can also apply.
     
    FIRM DEADLINES APPLY DUE TO ALL ROTARY CLUBS:
    - November 15th, 2014 - Deadline for students to submit applications to local Rotary club
    - December 5, 2014 - Deadline for Rotary Club to submit student's application(s) to the RYLA committee
    - December 5, 2014 - Deadline for Rotary clubs to submit $225 per student to the RYLA Committee
    - December 10, 2014 - Acceptance letters mailed to the student by the RYLA committee
    Seeking Applicants for RYLA '15 2014-10-09 00:00:00Z 0

    Viva Fiesta - The Hot Pink Party Oct 25th

     

    RCC of District 5890 -

    A Rotary Community Corps (RCC) is a group of non-Rotarian men and women who share Rotarians’ commitment to service and creating a better world for us all. Under the guidance of a sponsoring Rotary Club, dedicated RCC members put their own skills to work to improve the quality of life right in their own community.

    Saturday, October 25, 2014 at 6:30 PM (PDT)

    Houston, TX

    More information about our cause for fundraising:   Causes for a Cure
     
    The mission of Causes for a Cure is to secure funds by events and donations to benefit research specifically for Triple Negative and Metastatic Breast Cancers.
    Currently, there is no targeted therapy reaching these types of cancers.  Triple Negative typically targets young women (many with families), and only a few survive. Women do not die of breast cancer, they die of metastatic breast cancer, when the cancer reappears in a distant organ.
     
    All research funds stay local.  The founder, Betty Sommer, has a "hands on" connection with The Methodist Cancer Center where she serves on The Cancer Task Force Team and The President's Leadership Council at Methodist.  Dr. Jenny Chang, a world-renown physician and researcher and her team, are passionate about discovery of a successful treatment for Triple Negative.  
     
    Causes for a Cure is also passionate about assisting community...local families in financial stress as a result of a cancer diagnosis.  The organization has contributed $108,000 to research and $173,000 to our local families in need of financial assistance.
     
    Tickets to the event cost $50 for a single and $90 for a couple. 
    Join the newly formed RCC for an evening of cocktails, food and fellowship, music, live and silent auctions and support a good cause all at once!!  p.s.  Attendance at a fundraiser for any other Rotary group does count as an attendance credit, too.
    Viva Fiesta - The Hot Pink Party Oct 25th 2014-10-09 00:00:00Z 0

    About the Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone Special Meeting

    The Rotary Club of e-Club 9920 Francophone held a special meeting with RI President Gary Huang on Tuesday, September 30th at 8 pm (time in France) or 1 pm (time at RI Headquarters in Evanston, IL).  The meeting was attended by 133 participants via gotomeeting link on 101 different computers.  President Jean Louis Nguyen Qui of the host club invited PDG & Charter President of our own e-Club of Houston to ask one of the four questions addressed to our RI President.  The question was presented as "In my opinion, allowing women into Rotary in the 1980's helped keep Rotary relevant at the end of the 20th Century. Now we have allowed for e-clubs with members from all over the world, meeting at anytime, and from any place. In my opinion, this will keep Rotary relevant in the first part of the 21st Century. What else in the future of Rotary do you see as important to keep us relevant in a world that desperately needs the humanitarian service we have to offer."  RIP Gary commented on the significant contributions of women since women have joined Rotary.  Also, he is very supportive of the use of technology (e-clubs, gotomeeting, etc.) in Rotary today.
     
    PDG Ed said to President Jean Louis "I really appreciate your actions to make this meeting possible. I was in Denver with President Gary last week for Zone leadership training and every time I hear him speak I am more impressed by his leadership."  A governor classmate from 09-10, PDG Russ Davoren, took the following photo of PDG Ed with RI President and his First Lady of Rotary:
     
    About the Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone Special Meeting Ed C 2014-10-09 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Choice, Happiness and Spaghetti Sauce

    About our speaker:
     
    Malcolm Gladwell searches for the counterintuitive in what we all take to be the mundane: cookies, sneakers, pasta sauce. A New Yorker staff writer since 1996, he visits obscure laboratories and infomercial set kitchens as often as the hangouts of freelance cool-hunters -- a sort of pop-R&D gumshoe -- and for that has become a star lecturer and bestselling author.
    Sparkling with curiosity, undaunted by difficult research (yet an eloquent, accessible writer), his work uncovers truths hidden in strange data. His always-delightful blog tackles topics from serial killers to steroids in sports, while provocative recent work in the New Yorker sheds new light on the Flynn effect -- the decades-spanning rise in I.Q. scores.
     
    Gladwell has written four books. The Tipping Point, which began as a New Yorker piece, applies the principles of epidemiology to crime (and sneaker sales), while Blink examines the unconscious processes that allow the mind to "thin slice" reality -- and make decisions in the blink of an eye. His third book, Outliers, questions the inevitabilities of success and identifies the relation of success to nature versus nurture. The newest work, What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures, is an anthology of his New Yorker contributions.
     
    In this Ted Talk which was filmed in February, 2004, author Malcolm Gladwell gets inside the food industry's pursuit of the perfect spaghetti sauce — and makes a larger argument about the nature of choice and happiness.
     
     
    In Rotary, we want to help others, often in cultures and communities quite different from our own.  This presentation may give us some food for thought as we approach projects.  Do we enter into a community with our own ideas of what they need to improve their lives and increase happiness?   How well do we listen to what they think they need?  Do we help them to determine what it actually is that they really want?   Reflect on how a needs assessment prior to a project is typically accomplished, and examine the potential for improvement.
    Weekly Program - Choice, Happiness and Spaghetti Sauce 2014-10-09 00:00:00Z 0
    Time for a Good Laugh - On Decision Making 2014-10-08 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotarians Recognition at the WHITE HOUSE

    A note from Terry Zigler (District 5890 Foundation Chair):  Thought you (especially all of you were able to attend last week's Rotary Foundation Seminar) would like to know that two special friends of District 5890 will be honored at the White House on Tuesday.  Honored as "Women of Action", Marion Bunch, our 2014 Rotary Foundation Seminar Keynote Speaker, and Deepa Willingham, spouse of Rotary Club of University Area Rotarian Dick Willingham, will be recognized both for their professional achievements and for their volunteer efforts to improve the lives of others in their communities and around the world.  Congratulations to Marion and Deepa!
    Rotarians Recognition at the WHITE HOUSE 2014-10-03 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - "Impossible Dream" 2014-10-03 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Innovative Minds

    About our speaker:
    Elon Musk was born in South Africa, in 1971. His father was an engineer and his mother a nutritionist. An avid fan of computers, by the age of twelve Musk had written the code for his own video game, a space game called Blastar, which the preteen sold for a profit.
    Elon Musk attended Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and transferred to the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned two bachelor's degrees, economics and physics. He was admitted to Stanford University in California, with the intention of earning a PhD in energy physics, however, Musk's life was about to change dramatically.
     
    Elon Musk is best known for being the co-founder of PayPal, a money-transfer service for Web consumers, for founding Space Exploration Technologies or SpaceX, the first private company to launch a rocket into space, and for founding Tesla Motors, which builds electric cars."
     
    Elon Musk discusses the innovative thought processes behind some of his greatest ventures: Tesla, SpaceX and SolarCity. He also explores the future of sustainable energy — and the necessity of solar energy in the future.
     
     
     
     
    Weekly Program - Innovative Minds 2014-10-03 00:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - "Where We Going to Go" by David Todd

    "Where We Going To Go has been written to help people become aware what may happen to the planet if Global Warming is not curtailed. David is a talented singer songwriter musician who is concerned about the future of the planet. He is not a professional musician and does not perform publicly therefore very little is known about him. However, he has a talent many desire and few achieve. He has written many beautiful songs which at this stage have only been heard by family and friends."
     
     
    Song of the Week - "Where We Going to Go" by David Todd 2014-09-26 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Climate Change!?

    About our Speaker:  

    Lord Nicholas Stern is the author of the seminal 2006 Review on the Economics of Climate Change, one of the most influential papers discussing the real economic implications of addressing (or not addressing) climate. The former Chief Economist at the World Bank, Lord Nicholas is now the IG Patel Professor of Economics and Government at the London School of Economics and Chairman of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. Since 2013, he has been President of the British Academy. His research and publications have focused on the economics of climate change, economic development and growth, economic theory, tax reform, public policy and the role of the state and economies in transition.

    In 2014, as part of a commission chaired by Felipe Calderon, Lord Nicholas hepled produce a report titled "The New Climate Economy," laying out an economic plan for countering climate change.

     
     
     
     
    Weekly Program - Climate Change!? 2014-09-26 00:00:00Z 0

    Trip to Nicaragua December 3 - 10, 2014

    A Life Changing Trip to Nicaragua

    Two of our members have been to Nicagua - PDG Ed Charlesworth and Barb Conway.  We also have a club member in Chinendega, Maria Jose Perez de Hidalgo.
     
    About Nicaragua:  Nicaragua is a country about the size of Alabama. The population is 5.3 million with 4 million living in poverty earning less than $1.00 per day; that translates to 75% of the population is in dire need. In the Western Hemisphere, Nicaragua is the poorest nation second only to Haiti. The adult population suffers from a 33% illiteracy rate with 50% of the children dropping out of school before completing the 5th grade, usually because the parents cannot afford school supplies. There is 1 doctor for every 2,700 people and only 50% of the population has access to the most basic of medical supplies.
     
    We will be  leaving from Houston on Wednesday December 3rd on United flight # UA1421, at 4:00 p.m. and arriving in Managua at 7:27 p.m.We will return from Managua on Tuesday December 10th on United flight # UA1423 leaving Managua at 8:15 a.m. and arriving in Houston at 11:45 a.m.   Cost of hotels, most meals and ground transportation, etc. is $665.00 per person (add $180.00 if you require a private room).  Please send payment to: Hope Relief International Foundational Inc., 10700 Gerke Rd. Brenham,Texas 77833 no later than November 1st.  A Valid Passport with at least 6 months before it expires (US citizens and residents are not required to have a Visa)
     
    We  Everyone  should buy your own tickets but you must coordinate your arrival and departure to match within an hour or so of the United flights sho  above.  I know that American and some others have flights through Miami which closely match this schedule.   If you will be on flights other than these United flights Please send me a copy of your tickets so that we will know when to meet you. Payments and sign-up sheets for this shoushould be sent to:
     
                      Hope & Relief International Foundation, Inc.
                      10700 Gerke Rd.
                      Brenham, Texas 77833
                      Fax  979-836-0614
     
     
     
     
     
    We
     
    Trip to Nicaragua December 3 - 10, 2014 Ed C 2014-09-25 00:00:00Z 0

    Friendship Exchange to District 3052 (Jaipur, India)

    A Friendship Exchange Group is ready to leave on November 8/9 from Houston.  We will be hosted by Rotary District 3052 of Jaipur, India, and they plan to show us the entire State of Rajasthan  covering more than 5 cities. We start our this trip from New Delhi on November 11th and we come back and fly back home on November 24th.
     
    We have just few slots available  now so please call Rebecca Maddox or me for any further information and join us to travel thru a very colorful State in India.and see  our Rotarians doing great work in India.
     
    The Friendship Team from India will visit our District during April 2015.
    Friendship Exchange to District 3052 (Jaipur, India) Ed C 2014-09-19 00:00:00Z 0

    Guest Rotarian Message

    Rtn Ashok Mahajan Alpay

    Chairman, Rotary Foundation India 2012-15

    Celebrate+ diversity

    But if we find them different from us or from our expectations we try to prejudge them and develop certain stereotypical opinions about them. These prejudge can often lead to unjustified emotional and physical injuries to them.

    The principle "survival of the fittest" makes competition the yardstick for thriving in the world. There is too much that is competitive about our attitude that causes us to always view certain qualities as "better than" or less than" in relation to others. Consequently we develop an attitude of antagonism towards them.

    Audre Lorde reminds us, "In our work and in our living, we must recognize that difference is a reason for celebration and growth rather than a reason for destruction." 

    It is not our differences that divide us, but our inability to celebrate those differences.

    Have you ever considered how fortunate we are to be part of the organization called Rotary, where we can freely interact with people of different cultures, religions, races, opinions, and lifestyles? World Peace is our ultimate goal. However, we view the others with fear and suspicion, building up a prejudicial and competitive attitude on our part. When we think of all the differences we have whether they are local, regional, or global they are often over the management or the distribution of resources. If these resources are very valuable and scarce and if these resources get depleted, then there is bound to be competition.

    Generally, we prefer to be around people who think or act like us or who are to our liking or who could favour us in one form or the other.

    But if we find them different from us or from our expectations we try to prejudge them and develop certain stereotypical opinions about them. These prejudge can often lead to unjustified emotional and physical injuries to them.

    The principle "survival of the fittest" makes competition the yardstick for thriving in the world. There is too much that is competitive about our attitude that causes us to always view certain qualities as "better than" or less than" in relation to others. Consequently we develop an attitude of antagonism towards them.

    Audre Lorde reminds us, "In our work and in our living, we must recognize that difference is a reason for celebration and growth rather than a reason for destruction." Rotary would be a better Organization to work in if we could but stand for and work in solidarity , friendship , interdependence , and complimentarily. Instead of spending time focusing on where we differ and what we disagree about, we need to focus on the positives.

    We can consciously seek and define strategies to celebrate our differences by acknowledging, respecting and appreciating the others. When you have a difference, it means there are truths that are to be addressed on each side of the difference. And when you have a difference, then it is an educational process to try to resolve the difference. And to resolve that you should get people on both sides of the difference involved, so that they can have free dialog.

    When God has created us unique, why should we not celebrate the differences? After all, it is our differences that actually enrich and contribute towards our uniqueness.

     

     

     
    Guest Rotarian Message 2014-09-19 00:00:00Z 0
    Wine Tasting Event - Sept 26th 2014-09-19 00:00:00Z 0

    ILLNESS LEADS FORMER NAVY CODE BREAKER TO FORM WORLD’S FIRST FACEBOOK-BASED ROTARY CLUB

    When a life-threatening illness stripped away many of her professional ambitions, Amanda Wirtz, a former U.S. Navy code breaker and professional violinist, turned to humanitarian service and Facebook to give her life new purpose.
    Wirtz was in her twenties and pursuing a career as a fitness trainer when a sharp pain in her abdomen sent her to the emergency room. Expecting something manageable like appendicitis, she instead found herself facing a rare tumor disorder that required her to undergo 30 surgeries over the next several years.
    Forced to rethink her life plans, Wirtz began focusing on how to help others, a quest that led her to Rotary.
    "I met an older man with a Rotary pin," Wirtz recalls, "and I said, 'I love Rotary.' Ten years earlier as a Rotary Youth Exchange student, Rotary had helped build a hope and a future for me. Now, I found that through Rotary I could build hope and a future for others. And doing that, I found that I actually received it myself."
    Wirtz launched the world's first Facebook-based Rotary club last year, United Services Rotary, after being approached by Rotary leaders who were seeking ways to make membership more convenient for U.S. military personnel. Their need to travel and relocate frequently can make it difficult for members of the military to commit to the weekly attendance that most Rotary clubs require. The leaders came to Wirtz because of her passion for service and her military background.
    The club differs from a traditional Rotary club in that members log in to Facebook at any time during the week to view a high-definition video that reproduces many of the elements of a typical meeting: The Four-Way Test, sharing of Rotary moments, announcements, and a presentation by a main speaker. If there hasn't been time to record an original program, the weekly presentation may be a TED talk or other video on a Rotary-related topic that's available online. Members keep in touch through Facebook updates and by posting on each other's timelines.
    Wirtz admits that meeting online comes with some drawbacks.
    "There is nothing like being in the same room with another person. I don't think anything can replace one-on-one interaction," she concedes. "So it's, 'How can I get a sense of you truly to have the feeling of real fellowship in a remote location?' And honestly, that's something we are continuing to work on."
    But she feels social media is too big a phenomenon for Rotary not to embrace it.
    "I see a lot of missed opportunities, and my pain reminds me that time is short," Wirtz says. "Social media is a powerful tool. But it is more about embracing whatever strategy brings innovation, opportunity, and change. If we are to do anything about the mounting problems in the world, and the problems within Rotary regarding keeping members, we need to do whatever it takes to fully engage our evolution."
    HOW WIRTZ BROUGHT THE IDEA TO LIFE
    Wirtz used focus groups on military bases to discover what people would want in an online meeting. They didn't want to read a lot of text, they wanted to communicate very quickly, and they didn't want to go to a lot of places to do that.
    On all counts, a Facebook platform seemed to fit the bill. It was convenient: Members can sign in to Facebook from anywhere in the world and stay connected without having to attend an in-person meeting in a set location every week. It cost nothing to set up. And because there's no meal, the club can keep expenses down.
    Wirtz said she expanded the membership target beyond the U.S. military because she wanted to have as big an impact as possible and promote peace among military personnel everywhere. Through the focus groups and by promoting the idea heavily on social media, she assembled a core of members in and around San Diego, California, USA. Members in other countries, including Afghanistan, Germany, and Japan, signed up as they learned about it. Though military personnel were the initial focus, she notes that membership is open to anyone who shares the club's vision of building hope through peace.
    SERVICE ITS OWN REWARD
    Wirtz's quest to help others has meant learning new skills. After working with an exercise physiologist to manage her pain, she enrolled at the University of Illinois to earn a degree in health education and graduated with top honors. She followed that with an advanced degree at the University of California, Santa Barbara. A motivational speaker, Wirtz now shares her story with audiences around the U.S., combining her new life philosophy with her other passion, playing the violin.
    Before forming the Facebook club, Wirtz had already taken part in a trip to South America to help orphans find homes. She also participated in projects to rehabilitate a homeless shelter and distribute backpacks to low-income families.
    "When I hear our motto Service Above Self, I am reminded of the words of Mahatma Gandhi, who said, 'the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.' I feel passionately that by serving we answer the most important question -- and that is, Who do we want to be?"
    In its first year, United Services Rotary received a grant to build a memorial wall at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton for those killed in combat. It has renovated elementary schools in San Diego and provided tsunami relief in Japan. It is also organizing a larger project that would gather Rotary members from all over southern California for an annual day of international service in Baja California, Mexico.
    For other projects, members assist each other remotely.
    "We have a member in Germany. If he wants to do a project for schools in Germany, I can find some way to facilitate that. Maybe some kind of exchange, maybe we get students talking to each other," Wirtz says. "It's a creative world. There are no restrictions to it."
    "We are bringing social media and Rotary together in a way that has never been done before. Paul Harris said, 'This is a changing world; we must be prepared to change with it. The story of Rotary will have to be written again and again.' I think Paul Harris would have liked social media."
     
     
    Check out "Amanda Wirtz on serving through Rotary" on Vimeo http://vimeo.com/103543832 #Vimeo #rotary #facebook #amandawirtz
    ILLNESS LEADS FORMER NAVY CODE BREAKER TO FORM WORLD’S FIRST FACEBOOK-BASED ROTARY CLUB 2014-09-19 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Own Your Body's Data

    About the speaker: 
    Dr. Talithia Williams is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College. Her professional experiences include research appointments at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the National Security Agency (NSA), and NASA. Dr. Williams develops statistical models that emphasize the spatial and temporal structure of data with environmental applications. She has been recognized for the development of a cataract model used to predict the cataract surgical rate for developing countries in Africa.
    In addition to her academic accomplishments, Dr. Williams and her husband, Donald, actively teach and share foundational principles regarding the joys of Christian marriage. Dr. Williams’ talk will explore how each of us can begin to collect data about ourselves that can provide insight into our personal health.
     
    The new breed of high-tech self-monitors (measuring heartrate, sleep, steps per day) might seem targeted at competitive athletes. But Talithia Williams, a statistician, makes a compelling case that all of us should be measuring and recording simple data about our bodies every day — because our own data can reveal much more than even our doctors may know.  This TedX Talk Claremont Colleges was filmed in February, 2014 and is available with six different languages in subtitles:
     
     
     
    Weekly Program - Own Your Body's Data 2014-09-19 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - PEACE

    On the anniversary of 9/11 in America, it seems appropriate to focus on peace. There are many struggles for peace in this world.  Yet, today we remember a tragedy on our own soil like we had never before experienced.  On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Often referred to as 9/11, the attacks resulted in extensive death and destruction, triggering major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism.  New York City commemorated the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks Wednesday night, powering on nearly 100 7,000-watt xenon bulbs to illuminate into the sky two beams indicating where the Twin Towers once stood.  On the 13th Anniversary of 9/11 attacks, New York's World Trade Site Is nearly rebuilt. 
    Two of the new skyscrapers built around the site of the fallen twin towers are now open, while 1 World Trade Center, the tallest skyscraper in the Western hemisphere, is due to open next year. 
     
    The program this week gives an interesting perspective on choosing peace even when in the midst of hostile and terroristic thinking within the family and support system.
     
    "I am the son of a terrorist. Here's how I chose peace."- Zak Ebrahim
    If you’re raised on dogma and hate, can you choose a different path? Zak Ebrahim was just seven years old when his father helped plan the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. His story is shocking, powerful and, ultimately, inspiring. This talk was presented at an official TED conference, and was featured by our editors on the home page.  It was filmed in March, 2014 and subtitles are available in 24 languages.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Weekly Program - PEACE 2014-09-11 00:00:00Z 0

    New Generations Ideas on Peace

    Published on Dec 9, 2012 from Rotary Peace Forum, Berlin, Germany, 2012
    Brittany Arthur, Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar, submits some "New Generation"-Ideas for Peace.
     
     
     
    New Generations Ideas on Peace Ed C 2014-09-11 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Fire Fighters Fundraiser - September 14th

    The Rotary Fire Fighters Home Project is hosting a Piano Concert by Francesco Attesti on Sunday, September 14, at 7:00 pm.  
    Proceeds will help fund a Firefighters stay in the Jesse Jones Rotary House Hotel  immediate help) while we continue to raise project funds.  The firefighter guests will be in treatment at MD Anderson Center and may be international guests.  The University Area Rotary Club is organizing this project.  This concert will be held at the Christ The King Lutheran Church (in WEST UNIVERSITY) 2533 Rice Blvd (corner of Greenbriar and Rice) in the Parrish Hall.  Recommended donation is $20.  Francesco Attesti is a world renown Italian concert pianist. 
    Rotary Fire Fighters Fundraiser - September 14th 2014-09-11 00:00:00Z 0

    the Project CURE Fundraising Mixer - September 24th

    The Galleria Rotaract cordially invites you to join the Galleria Rotaract Club for the next installment of their Health Series, the Project C.U.R.E. Fundraising Mixer!  This event will take place on Wednesday, September 24, from 6:00PM to 8:00PM at the Revelry on Richmond (1613 Richmond Ave.,Houston, TX 77006).
     
    RSVP for this event by claiming a ticket via the Eventbrite link, which will let us know that you will be paying at the door. Tickets are $12 per person and includes 1 free drink token plus free bites! 
    http://www.eventbrite.com/e/project-cure-fundraising-mixer-tickets-12960556373
     
    All proceeds from this fundraising mixer will go to Project C.U.R.E, a national organization that is the largest provider of donated medical supplies and equipment to developing countries around the world.  With numerous global health issues making front page headlines lately, such as the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, it is important to show support to organizations such as Project C.U.R.E. that are working hard to ensure that hospitals in impoverished nations have the basic health necessities to take care of their patients.
     
    Mix and mingle with friends and other professionals, while having a good time, learning about a great organization, and contributing towards making a global impact!
     
    the Project CURE Fundraising Mixer - September 24th Ed C 2014-09-11 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotary International Convention - Sao Paolo, Brazil 2015

    If you are going to Rotary International Convention in Sao Paolo, check this out -

    Learn how to make the most of your convention experience in São Paulo in this orientation webinar now available on demand in English. The webinar will offer you:
    Tips for finding your way around São Paulo and the convention venue
    Highlights of convention plenary sessions and breakout programs
    Advice on how to use Rotary’s convention mobile app
    Tips for travel and safety
    Resources to help you before and during the convention
    View the webinar, or view the slides on slideshare.
     
     
    São Paulo will be the last stop for a Rotary torch, launched in December in Chennai, India, to commemorate India becoming polio-free and to promote the need to go the last mile in the battle to eradicate this horrible crippling disease. Find out more about the torch, and how it inspired members of a new club in Afghanistan, in Luke Beer’s post for Rotary Voices, and register today to join the torch in São Paulo.
     
     
    Rotary International Convention - Sao Paolo, Brazil 2015 2014-09-10 05:00:00Z 0

    Successful World Polio Day Fundraiser OCTOBER 25th

    On 24 October, members of Rotary clubs around the world – including over 34,000 clubs throughout the world celebrated World Polio Day. Polio eradication has been Rotary International’s top priority since 1985. World Polio Day is an opportunity to celebrate the 99% of countries that have eliminated polio, and also to reaffirm our commitment to seeing the last 1% of cases eliminated.
    Our e-Club of Houston held a special event full of fun and fellowship - great Turkish food, live music by Les Thompson, and bingo games with many prizes awarded. 
    Successful World Polio Day Fundraiser OCTOBER 25th Nguyen Nguyen 2014-09-04 00:00:00Z 0

    Next Board of Directors and General Meeting - Sept 20th

    The next Board of Directors and General meeting will be held on September 20th from 1:00PM till 2:00PM in the Maggiano's Little Italy 2019 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056, after the 2014 District 5890 Rotary Foundation Seminar. Please plan to attend this seminar as well as the Board of Directors and General Meeting. The seminar will be held from 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM at the Houston Community College Southwest Building, I-610 Service Road, Houston, TX, United States.
     
    Next Board of Directors and General Meeting - Sept 20th Sofka Werkmeister 2014-09-04 00:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    "Happiness is prosperity combined with virtue."
    - Aristotle: Greek philosopher and scientist
     
    Quote of the Week 2014-09-04 00:00:00Z 0

    Update on Rotary Books for the World

    PDG Charlie Clemmons had a vision to collect books and send them to other countries.  We mention the dates for volunteering to pallatize donated books. 
    Jesus Tellez reports that there are about 600 pallets of books in the Exel warehouse and more coming so we need to move some of them.  To date we have load 24 40’ containers at Exel and have placed 21 of them.  We are within 100,000 pounds of having sent 9,000,000 pounds of books that we can account for.  The shipments during the time Skip Comsia’s company keep the records were lost when that company was dissolved.
    Wisconsin reports that they have acquired a new warehouse. We salute their diligence and all their shipments this year.  New York will be looking for a new warehouse and a new freight company but that too will come.  Nebraska is ready for the first shipment and we have renewed our shipping agreement with Union Pacific which maybe a way for Beaverton, Oregon to get books here.  Beaverton currently ships from the West Coast.  We send our congratulations to PDG Chuck Mason for his work at Lonestar PETS.  Many of the Rotary clubs in Texas have started participating in the project.  We have received books from Missouri and Louisiana again this year.
     A very special thank you to PDG Charlie and Barbara Clemmons for "birthing" this project which truly does make a difference!
     
    We (Rotary Books for the World) have signed a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the Pakistani Rotary Education Trust representing the 160 Rotary Clubs of Districts 3271 and 3272.   While we continue to check them out, we will send an initial container of library books to Karachi and another to Lehore.  The Pakistani Rotarians will get the containers from the seaport in Karachi to the Karachi warehouse and the Lehore warehouse.  We will continue our support of the Hashoo Foundation in Islamabad and Rawalpindi with the agreement and support of the Rotarians.  I believe that this will benefit the children of Pakistan as well as our need to move books.
     
    SAVE THE DATE for a Booklegger Summit in January 10-11 in Houston.  More details to follow.
    Update on Rotary Books for the World 2014-09-03 00:00:00Z 0

    Gulf Coast Leadership Weekend - September 6 & 7

    Rotary District 5890’s 2014 Gulf Coast Leadership Institute will be held this coming weekend.  The Institute is 2 days in length with an overnight stay required.  One of the benefits of being a part of Rotary is the opportunity for leadership training.  PDG Jon Eiche leads the charge for training and our own PDG Ed Charlesworth is one of the group facilitators.  Participants are expected to attend both days and the evening event on Saturday night.  Two Rotarians from the same Rotary club will be split up for the overnight stay so that they will get to know others in the District.   Coffee and donuts will be served upon arrival, lunch and dinner on Saturday and breakfast and lunch on Sunday.  For those who like to get up early, yoga and a nature walk will be offered at 7 a.m. on Sunday morning.  Each participant will receive all materials needed for the Institute.  Much of the training is interactive and all facilitators are experienced Rotarian leaders in our own district.
    Participants will have an opportunity to meet, get to know, and interact with members of 16 different Rotary clubs in our District.  District Governor Lisa Faith Massey will be our special guest for the Saturday evening dinner.
     
    Gulf Coast Leadership Weekend - September 6 & 7 2014-09-03 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: "Inclusion, Exclusion, Illusion and Collusion"

    TedXTalk Published on Sep 18, 2013

    CEO of Human Facets, Helen has a 25+ year successful track record in the field of Global Inclusion. She is an internationally recognized Thought Leader on Unconscious Bias, global inclusion and diversity. As creator of "Cognizant" -- Unconscious Bias assessment tool and the "ISM Profile" for measuring Inclusion Skills gaps, her work has contributed to clients winning the Catalyst Award for Gender improvements. Helen is passionate about Inclusion work and relaxes by watching and playing golf.

    In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

     

     
    Weekly Program: "Inclusion, Exclusion, Illusion and Collusion" Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-09-03 00:00:00Z 0

    President's Message

    Dear Fellow Rotarians and Prospective Members,
     
    September is Rotary New Generations Month. New Generations refers to the youngest generation in the family of Rotary. Many are participants in Rotary’s youth and young adult programs: Interact, Rotaract, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), and Rotary Youth Exchange. Others are service minded young people involved in Rotary club and district activities.
     
    * Interact is the service club for young people ages 12 to 18;
    * Rotaract clubs are for 18 to 30 year olds and are either community or university based;
    * RYLA is the leadership training program for ages 14 to 30; and
    * Rotary Youth Exchange is an opportunity for selected students to spend up to one year living with host families and attending school in a different country.
     
    Let's take a step to enjoy the youth of our communities by inviting them to our meetings, fellowship events, and service projects. We will be pleasantly surprised at the enthusiasm, joy and hope we gain by their presence.
     
    To prospective members checking out and reading through our website, please join us if you can on our Board of Directors and General Meeting. The time and place of this meeting is provided on our WebSite. I promise you that you will experience a group of men and women that have great fellowship and fun working together with the ideal of “Service above Self”. If coming in person is not possible, please contact any Board of Directors member to make the connection with the club. We are excited to have you join us while bringing your passion, energy and ideas to our Club.
     
    Yours in Rotary,
    President Sofka
     
    President's Message Sofka Werkmeister 2014-08-29 00:00:00Z 0
    Quote of the Week 2014-08-26 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: Bullying in Schools

    Many children have begun their first week of school or soon will begin a new school year.  In America, we have seen many programs introduced in the classroom to increase awareness of bullying and character education programs to instill respect for others.  Read below the definition of "bullying" and the frequency may be alarming to discover.  Our "Song of the Week" clearly indicates that this is not a problem we experience only in America, but is a concern around the world.
     
    Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.
    In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:
    An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
    Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.
    Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.
    Types of Bullying
    Where and When Bullying Happens
    Frequency of Bullying
    Types of Bullying
    There are three types of bullying:
    Verbal bullying is saying or writing mean things. Verbal bullying includes:
    Teasing
    Name-calling
    Inappropriate sexual comments
    Taunting
    Threatening to cause harm
    Social bullying, sometimes referred to as relational bullying, involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships. Social bullying includes:
    Leaving someone out on purpose
    Telling other children not to be friends with someone
    Spreading rumors about someone
    Embarrassing someone in public
    Physical bullying involves hurting a person’s body or possessions. Physical bullying includes:
    Hitting/kicking/pinching
    Spitting
    Tripping/pushing
    Taking or breaking someone’s things
    Making mean or rude hand gestures
    Back to top
    Where and When Bullying Happens
    Bullying can occur during or after school hours. While most reported bullying happens in the school building, a significant percentage also happens in places like on the playground or the bus. It can also happen travelling to or from school, in the youth’s neighborhood, or on the Internet.
    Back to top
    Frequency of Bullying
    There are two sources of federally collected data on youth bullying:
    The 2010–2011 School Crime Supplement (National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics) indicates that, nationwide, 28% of students in grades 6–12 experienced bullying.
    The 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) indicates that, nationwide, 20% of students in grades 9–12 experienced bullying.
    Research on cyberbullying is growing. However, because kids’ technology use changes rapidly, it is difficult to design surveys that accurately capture trends.
     
    Risk Factors
    No single factor puts a child at risk of being bullied or bullying others. Bullying can happen anywhere—cities, suburbs, or rural towns. Depending on the environment, some groups—such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT) youth, youth with disabilities, and socially isolated youth—may be at an increased risk of being bullied.

    Children at Risk of Being Bullied
     
    Generally, children who are bullied have one or more of the following risk factors:
    Are perceived as different from their peers, such as being overweight or underweight, wearing glasses or different clothing, being new to a school, or being unable to afford what kids consider “cool”
    Are perceived as weak or unable to defend themselves
    Are depressed, anxious, or have low self esteem
    Are less popular than others and have few friends
    Do not get along well with others, seen as annoying or provoking, or antagonize others for attention
    However, even if a child has these risk factors, it doesn’t mean that they will be bullied.
     
    Children More Likely to Bully Others
    There are two types of kids who are more likely to bully others:
    Some are well-connected to their peers, have social power, are overly concerned about their popularity, and like to dominate or be in charge of others.
    Others are more isolated from their peers and may be depressed or anxious, have low self esteem, be less involved in school, be easily pressured by peers, or not identify with the emotions or feelings of others.
    Children who have these factors are also more likely to bully others;
    Are aggressive or easily frustrated
    Have less parental involvement or having issues at home
    Think badly of others
    Have difficulty following rules
    View violence in a positive way
    Have friends who bully others
    Remember, those who bully others do not need to be stronger or bigger than those they bully. The power imbalance can come from a number of sources—popularity, strength, cognitive ability—and children who bully may have more than one of these characteristics.
     
    Some Ideas for Prevention of Bullying
     
    Be Aware of What Your Kids are Doing Online
    Talk with your kids about cyberbullying and other online issues regularly.
    Know the sites your kids visit and their online activities. Ask where they’re going, what they’re doing, and who they’re doing it with.
    Tell your kids that as a responsible parent you may review their online communications if you think there is reason for concern. Installing parental control filtering software or monitoring programs are one option for monitoring your child’s online behavior, but do not rely solely on these tools.
    Have a sense of what they do online and in texts. Learn about the sites they like. Try out the devices they use.
    Ask for their passwords, but tell them you’ll only use them in case of emergency.
    Ask to “friend” or “follow” your kids on social media sites or ask another trusted adult to do so.
    Encourage your kids to tell you immediately if they, or someone they know, is being cyberbullied. Explain that you will not take away their computers or cell phones if they confide in you about a problem they are having.
     
    Establish Rules about Technology Use
    Establish rules about appropriate use of computers, cell phones, and other technology. For example, be clear about what sites they can visit and what they are permitted to do when they’re online. Show them how to be safe online.
    Help them be smart about what they post or say. Tell them not to share anything that could hurt or embarrass themselves or others. Once something is posted, it is out of their control whether someone else will forward it.
    Encourage kids to think about who they want to see the information and pictures they post online. Should complete strangers see it? Real friends only? Friends of friends? Think about how people who aren’t friends could use it.
    Tell kids to keep their passwords safe and not share them with friends. Sharing passwords can compromise their control over their online identities and activities.
     
    Understand School Rules
    Some schools have developed policies on uses of technology that may affect the child’s online behavior in and out of the classroom. Ask the school if they have developed a policy.  Many parents are receiving pages and pages of school information on policies which must be signed and returned to the homeroom teachers.  These papers typically come home the first few days of school.  Really take the time to read them and discuss them within the family.
     
    Parents, school staff, and other caring adults have a role to play in preventing bullying. They can help kids understand bullying, keep the lines of communication open, encourage kids to do what they love, and model how to treat others with kindness and respect.
     
    Bullying can threaten students’ physical and emotional safety at school and can negatively impact their ability to learn. The best way to address bullying is to stop it before it starts. There are a number of things school staff can do to make schools safer and prevent bullying.
     
    Bullying can be prevented, especially when the power of a community is brought together. Community-wide strategies can help identify and support children who are bullied, redirect the behavior of children who bully, and change the attitudes of adults and youth who tolerate bullying behaviors in peer groups, schools, and communities.
     
    When adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time. There are simple steps adults can take to stop bullying on the spot and keep kids safe.
    Do:
    Intervene immediately. It is ok to get another adult to help.
    Separate the kids involved.
    Make sure everyone is safe.
    Meet any immediate medical or mental health needs.
    Stay calm. Reassure the kids involved, including bystanders.
    Model respectful behavior when you intervene.
    Avoid these common mistakes:
    Don’t ignore it. Don’t think kids can work it out without adult help.
    Don’t immediately try to sort out the facts.
    Don’t force other kids to say publicly what they saw.
    Don’t question the children involved in front of other kids.
    Don’t talk to the kids involved together, only separately.
    Don’t make the kids involved apologize or patch up relations on the spot.
    Get police help or medical attention immediately if:
    A weapon is involved.
    There are threats of serious physical injury.
    There are threats of hate-motivated violence, such as racism or homophobia.
    There is serious bodily harm.
    There is sexual abuse.
    Anyone is accused of an illegal act, such as robbery or extortion—using force to get money, property, or services.
     
    YOUTH MORE LIKELY TO BE BULLIED AT SCHOOLS WITH ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAMS, UT ARLINGTON RESEARCHER FINDS
    Anti-bullying initiatives have become standard at schools across the country, but a new UT Arlington study finds that students attending those schools may be more likely to be a victim of bullying than children at schools without such programs. The findings run counter to the common perception that bullying prevention programs can help protect kids from repeated harassment or physical and emotional attacks.  “One possible reason for this is that the students who are victimizing their peers have learned the language from these anti-bullying campaigns and programs,” said Seokjin Jeong, an assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice at UT Arlington and lead author of the study, which was published in the Journal of Criminology.

    “The schools with interventions say, ‘You shouldn’t do this,’ or ‘you shouldn’t do that.’ But through the programs, the students become highly exposed to what a bully is and they know what to do or say when questioned by parents or teachers,” Jeong said.
    The study suggested that future direction should focus on more sophisticated strategies rather than just implementation of bullying prevention programs along with school security measures such as guards, bag and locker searches or metal detectors. Furthermore, given that bullying is a relationship problem, researchers need to better identify the bully-victim dynamics in order to develop prevention policies accordingly, Jeong said.

    Communities across various race, ethnicity, religion and socio-economic classes can benefit from such important, relevant Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice research, said Beth Wright, dean of the UT Arlington College of Liberal Arts.
    “This important discovery will result in improvements in health, in learning, and in relationships, with unlimited positive impact,” Wright said.

    A growing body of research shows that students who are exposed to physical or emotional bullying experience a significantly increased risk of anxiety, depression, confusion, lowered self-esteem and suicide. In addition to school environmental factors, researchers wanted to know what individual-level factors played a key role in students who are bullied by peers in school.
    For their study, Jeong and his co-author, Byung Hyun Lee, a doctoral student in criminology at Michigan State University, analyzed data from the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children 2005-2006 U.S. study. The HBSC study has been conducted every four years since 1985 and is sponsored by the World Health Organization. The sample consisted of 7,001 students, ages 12 to 18, from 195 different schools.

    The data preceded the highly publicized, 2010 “It Gets Better” campaign founded by syndicated columnist and author Dan Savage and popularized by YouTube videos featuring anti-bullying testimonials from prominent advocates.
    The UT Arlington team found that older students were less likely to be victims of bullying than younger students, with serious problems of bullying occurring among sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders. The most pervasive bullying occurred at the high school level.
    Boys were more likely than girls to be victims of physical bullying, but girls were more likely to be victims of emotional bullying. A lack of involvement and support from parents and teachers was likely to increase the risk of bullying victimization. These findings are all consistent with prior studies.

    Notably, researchers found that race or ethnicity was not a factor in whether students were bullied.
    The University of Texas at Arlington is a comprehensive research institution of more than 33,000 students and more than 2,200 faculty members in the heart of North Texas. It is the second largest institution in The University of Texas System. Visit www.uta.edu to learn more. 
     
    *The above information was taken from the website stopbullying.gov and the University of Texas - Arlington website.  There are many character education programs and specifically anti-bullying programs available.  One program used in early childhood programs is "Let's Be Friends".     In Rotary District 5890 we support many schools with the EarlyAct FirstKnight Program.   There are others such as "Project Wisdom, Inc.",   "It Gets Better", Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, etc.  Yet, we we see from the research the end result may be that we are simply teaching students to use the language of bullying and there is risk in the information being useful in manipulating others. 
     
    Around the world we want our children to feel safe going to and from school as well as during the school day.  Rotary has supported the education of girls in countries where only boys were encouraged or even allowed to attend school.  One of our major areas of focus in school is "Literacy" and offering an education to all children and adults.  An education opens many doors for a brighter future in every country in the world.  May your children and those in your community enjoy their new school year and feel safe each day as they gro and learn.  Our future will be in their hands one day.
     
    Weekly Program: Bullying in Schools 2014-08-25 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - on Anti-bullying 2014-08-25 00:00:00Z 0

    POLIO Update - August 28, 2014

     Polio Eradication Update
    For The Week Ending 08/30/14
    Total paralysis cases
    Year-to-date 2014
     
    LY to D 2013
    Total
    2013
     
    Total
    2012
    Total
     2011
    Globally
    149
    214
    416
    222
    642
    - in endemic countries:
    131
    72
    160
    216
    335
    - in non-endemic countries:
    18
    142
    256
    6
    307
    New Polio cases reported this week:
    Pakistan 2, Afghanistan 0, Nigeria 1   
    2014 Polio Case Breakdown by Country (Green Numbers are 2013 Totals)
    Endemic Countries – 117 Pakistan (2013-93), 8 Afghanistan (2013-14), 6 Nigeria (2013-53)
    2013&2014 Importation Countries – 5 Cameroon (2013-4), 5 Eq. Guinea (2013-0)
    4 Somalia (2013-194), 0 Kenya (2013 –14), 1 Ethiopia (2013-9), 1 Syria (2013-33), 2 Iraq (2013-0)
     
    Terry Ziegler, bigzlumber@aol.com District 5890 Rotary Foundation Committee Chair
    POLIO Update - August 28, 2014 Terry Ziegler 2014-08-23 00:00:00Z 0
    Rotary's Four-Way Test 2014-08-23 00:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    "Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted."
    ----Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955, German-born brilliant American theoretical physicist)
    Quote of the Week 2014-08-23 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Anonymous Companies

    Anonymous companies protect corrupt individuals – from notorious drug cartel leaders to nefarious arms dealers – behind a shroud of mystery that makes it almost impossible to find and hold them responsible. But anti-corruption activist Charmian Gooch hopes to change all that. At TED2014, she shares her brave TED Prize wish: to know who owns and controls companies, to change the law, and to launch a new era of openness in business.
     
    Global Witness co-founder Charmian Gooch is the 2014 TED Prize winner. At her NGO she exposes how a global architecture of corruption is woven into the extraction and exploitation of natural resources.  Charmian Gooch co-founded watchdog NGO Global Witness with colleagues Simon Taylor and Patrick Alley in 1993 in response to growing concerns over covert warfare funded by illicit trade in timber and other industries.
     
    Since then, Global Witness has captured headlines for their exposé of “blood diamonds” in Uganda, minerals in the Congo and illegal timber trade between Cambodia and Thailand, and more. With unique expertise on the shadowy threads connecting corrupt businesses and governments, Global Witness continues their quest to uncover and root out the sources of exploitation and conflict. As they said to the Daily Telegraph: "Consumers have a right to know what they're buying, and what was done to obtain it."
    In 2014 Gooch was awarded the TED Prize (as well as the $1 million Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship). Her Prize wish: to know who owns and controls companies, to change the law, and to launch a new era of openness in business.
     
    What is the Ted Prize? 
    The TED Prize is a cash award, currently for $1,000,000, given annually to a forward-thinking individual with a fresh, bold vision for sparking global change to make the world a better place.  The Prize begins with a big wish – one that will motivate people around the world to get involved. Imagine an inspiring, high-impact idea that needs the support of a global community of activists, big thinkers and social entrepreneurs. Each TED Prize winner is a rare and powerful combination: someone who knows how to capture imaginations as well as how to make a measurable impact. From Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution (2010) to Sugata Mitra’s School in the Cloud (2013) to our most recent Prize winner Charmian Gooch and her campaign against anonymous corporations, the TED Prize has helped to tackle child obesity, advance education, improve global health and inspire art around the world.
     
    This talk was presented at an official TED conference, and was featured by our editors on the home page.
     
     
    Weekly Program - Anonymous Companies Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-08-23 00:00:00Z 0

    District Membership Meeting - Monday, August 25th

    Venue:    Los Tios Mexican Restaurant   
                    4840 Beechnut St.  
                    Houston, Texas 77096
                    713-660-6244
    Time:       6:30pm (6:00 pm if you want to order food)
     
    Growing Rotary enables us to do more good in our communities and the world, so you do not want to miss this D. 5890 Membership Meeting that will be chock-full of relevant and applicable information per Membership Growth and Retention.  As well, this is a great opportunity to bond with your club's Area Membership Chair (AMC).
    Derrill Painter, Area Membership Chair, will share information per his Club Membership Chair Binder.  This information is vital per our mutual endeavor to increase & retain members;
    Scott Rainey, Rotary Club of Space Center President, has had exponential success in Membership Recruitment and will expound on this topic; and
    Jon McKinnie, D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair, will discuss the steps per uploading your club's Membership Initiatives to Rotary Club Central.  
     
    It takes expended effort to increase our membership, so let's all join together in this noble cause of increasing our ability per helping others by Growing Rotary!
     
    We look forward to the attendance of at least one (1) representative from your club!   
    Yours in Rotary service,
    Ann Wright
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair, 2014-15
    713-647-8400
    awright_tmg@yahoo.com
     
              and
                        
    Jon McKinnie
    D. 5890 Membership Committee Co-Chair, 2014-15
    713-315-0220
    jmckinnie825@yahoo.com
    District Membership Meeting - Monday, August 25th 2014-08-23 00:00:00Z 0

    Message from Club Secretary

    This past weekend we had a very successful fundraiser. Along with playing bingo and having a silent auction we enjoyed great tasting Brazilian and Turkish food. While listening to Brazilian music, we had a great time with Rotarians, Rotaracts, and family, friends both new and old. The funds raised go to scholarships for Nicaraguan Children of the Dump and to support research for helping find a cure for Malaria. The world over, fellow Rotarians, join together to combat hunger, provide educational opportunities and stamp out diseases. It is a happy thought to think that countless children in the world will never experience the ravages of polio or other diseases. The children and their families have access to drinking water and portable solar ovens to cook their food. The children will enjoy getting lost in a fascinating story while reading their first book because of an improved education. There are countless other examples of the great work Rotarians do. Thank you for your contributions to our club to support these programs we are sponsoring. We look forward to our next fundraiser in October. I hear a concert is in the making. See you there.
    Yours in Rotary,
    Michael Mebes
    Club Secretary
    Message from Club Secretary 2014-08-23 00:00:00Z 0

    Paul Harris Speech 1933 Rotary International Speech

    In 1933 Paul harris gave a speech at the 24th annual Rotary International Convention. It was aired around the world. There was no video of this event, so i decided to animate a picture of Paul and have him give the speech in a visual context. Thanks go to rotaryfirst100.org for the audio portion.
    Paul Harris Speech 1933 Rotary International Speech Ed C 2014-08-15 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Membership: Orientation & Retention

        Our Founder, Paul Harris

     
    In 1905 37-year old attorney Paul Harris changed the world
    “This is a changing world; we must be prepared to change with it.”1
    From the years 1891-1896, Paul Harris was raised by his New England Grandparents with values of tolerance toward all.  He gained his law degree in 1891 and had a wide variety of jobs before settling down in Chicago to practice law.  
    1896-1905 In 1896, he did go to Chicago to practice law. One evening, in 1900, Paul went with a professional friend to his suburban home. After dinner, as they strolled through the neighborhood, Paul’s friend introduced him to tradesmen in their stores. This reminded Paul of his Grandparents home in New England. "Why not have a fellowship composed of businessmen from different occupations, without restrictions of politics or religion?" he thought.
     1905-1908  On February 23, 1905, Paul Harris had dinner with his closest friend, Chicago coal dealer Sylvester Schiele. Afterwards they walked over the river to Room 711 of the Unity Building where they met their host, Gustavus Loehr, a mining engineer; and another friend, Hiram Shorey, a merchant tailor. Harris proposed that they form a club. No name was chosen for the group. The second meeting was March 9th.
    Paul was very interested in starting Rotary in other cities. The second Rotary club was founded by Homer Wood in San Francisco in 1908hem.  Rotary Harry Ruggles was a printer, and created the "name badge" version of the Rotary "wheel" and also started singing in Rotary.
    Paul Harris had a vision of "Around the World Rotary" which was opposed by many of his fellow Rotarians.  It was not until he won the loyalty of the man who was to be Rotary secretary from 1910-1942 that Rotary became organized and international. That man was Chesley Perry, whom Paul called the "Builder of Rotary.”
    1910-1911   By August 1910 there were sixteen clubs and the National Association of Rotary Clubs was organized and held its first convention that year, in Chicago. At the 1911 Portland Convention, "Service, Not Self" was introduced by Frank Collins of Minneapolis. It later became "Service Above Self." The slogan "He profits most who serves best," was also read there.
     
    In 1917, Arch C. Klumph, Rotary’s sixth president, proposed to the R.I. Convention  in  Atlanta, Georgia,  USA, the creation of an "endowment fund for Rotary . . .for the purpose of doing good in the world in charitable, educational, and other avenues of service.  A few months later, the endowment received its first contribution of $26.50 from the Rotary Club of Kansas City, Missouri. 
     
    1912-23    When clubs were formed in Canada and Great Britain in 1912, the name was changed to the International Association of Rotary Clubs.  Paul Harris served two terms, was named President Emeritus, and served until his death January 27, 1947. 
    1989-2005 Rotary came close to removing polio from the face of the earth and, in 2005, returned again to Chicago to celebrate the first 100 years.
     

    Rotary:   Orientation and Retention

     
    Introduction:  Orientation and Retention sound like two separate issues, but they are linked together in keeping Rotary a viable and active Worldwide Organization.  How can Rotary hope to grow as envisioned by RI President Gary (Wang) if we don’t Orient New Rotarians on how Rotary works and retain those and current members ?
     
    As Past RI President Frank Devlyn, 2000-2001, said “have you considered that if persons coming into Rotary stayed in Rotary, we would solve all of our membership problems and be ever-growing.”
     
    Learning The Object of Rotary will provide the roadmap for a successful Rotary career, and is the “key” to successfully orienting new members.   As each club independently operates its ‘own way, within the framework of Rotary, this overview is designed to broadly outline the Object of Rotary and to support the learning process within each club.
     
    The birthday of Rotary, February 23rd, is celebrated throughout the length and breadth of the movement.
     
    The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular to encourage and foster:
     
    1.  The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service.
     
    1.   High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarians occupation as an opportunity to serve society.
     
    1.    The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarians personal, business and community life.
     
     
    1.   The advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
     
    Let’s look at each of these Objectives
     
    1. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service.
     
    Paul Harris, the Founder of Rotary, and his 3 friends didn’t get together to talk only business. They met as friends to establish a relationship for to discuss service opportunities to the community in Chicago.
     
    The first service project was in Chicago.  It consisted of initiating and promulgating the establishment of public comfort stations in Chicago.  The greater significance however, was the fact that it was the precursor of thousands of similar services rendered by Rotarians throughout the world.
     
    2. High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarians occupation as an opportunity to serve society.
     
    When a person inducted into Rotary, they are assigned a Classification based on their work being performed.   Ethical standards for every job are critical.  There is a Standard that Rotarians live by each day…. not only in our business lives but also in our private lives.  This “Standard” is known as The Four Way Test and it is repeated during every club meeting.
                                      
                                       The Four Way Test
     
    1.  Is it the Truth…………………………………………..
    2.  Is it FAIR to all concerned…………………………….
    3. Will it build Goodwill and better Friendships………...
    4. Will it be Beneficial to all concerned…………………..
     
    This standard sets the bar high for Rotarians and it validates the worthiness of each and every job of Rotarians.  With high ethical standards, the services Rotarians perform in our communities are recognized quickly.
    3.   The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarians personal, business and                                 community life.
    “If Rotary says we’ll do it, it will get done.
     
    Sharing fellowship while doing community service projects builds the bond of friendship. The ideal of service to the community in our personal, business and Community life is the heart of Rotary.
     
    “Giving back” is what makes Rotary one of the most significant organizations in the world.  Rotary Clubs do an enormous amount of good locally and around the world.  Rotary projects have been prioritized within six areas that receive additional focus.
     4.  The advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of business and professionals united in the ideal of service.
     
    Worldwide service through fellowship in all clubs is the key to advancing international understanding, goodwill and peace.  Rotary demonstrates Fellowship not only at club meetings      but through Fellowship Groups worldwide.
     
    The Council on Legislation is an important part of Rotary’s governance process.   The Council comprises              more than 500 representatives from every part of the Rotary world. Voting members include one elected representative of the clubs of each Rotary district.  While the Board of Directors sets policies for Rotary International, the Council is where Rotary clubs have their say in the governance of the association.
    Every three years, each district sends a representative to the Council, which reviews proposed legislation.  The introduction of women into Rotary and the flagship program of Rotary, Polio Plus occurred with approval from the Council on Legislation. 
     
    A Rotarian doesn’t necessarily have to get into a Worldwide Group to join in the activity, do it at your club level.   I had a Rotarian friend from the San Antonio Downtown Club who was a member of a group who bowled every Thursday morning. The number of fellowships is numerous.   By becoming active in a Fellowship Group, one can develop friendships from all over the world.  Fellowship is the key to enhance retention. 
     
    Rotary’s program of promoting better understanding between different racial groups and between devotees to different religious faiths, so simply and yet so auspiciously begun in the year 1905. It has been the way of Rotary that has met with greater success thus far than the negotiations of diplomats….focus thought upon matters in which members are in agreement, rather than upon matters in which they are in disagreement. 
    Members may make selection of their activities according to their special tastes and aptitudes.  An all-round Rotarian is interested in Club Service, Vocational Service, Community Service, and International Service.  Get to know the activities within your club and volunteer to help out.  There are few Rotarians who do all of the recognized activities initially, but grow into greater responsibilities as their Rotary experiences develop.
     
    Rotary funds local and international projects through its Foundation.  Although a voluntary contribution, the Foundation suggests that every Rotarian donate $100 to the EREY program.  It is also suggested that you share the concept of Rotary with friends, family, business and church leaders.  Remember, each Rotary Club must approve every application for membership so the best approach is simply to invite your friend to a club meal/meeting to meet your club members and so they may have an opportunity to get to know your friend.
     
    Note:  With gratitude and acknowledgement, much of the material content of this article was provided in the Rotary Global History Fellowship (RGHF).  Tony Touchan from the Rotary Club of Bouerne, Texas helped compile this article and the Rotary e-Club of Houston, Texas is grateful for his contributions. Go to www.rghf.org and also to www.rotary.org to expand your knowledge about Rotary.
    Rotary Membership: Orientation & Retention 2014-08-15 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Global History Fellowship

    In 1905....37 year old attorney Paul Harris, our Founding Father of Rotary, changed the world.
    “This is a changing world; we must be prepared to change with it.”1
    From the years 1891-1896, Paul Harris was raised by his New England Grandparents with values of tolerance toward all.  He gained his law degree in 1891 and had a wide variety of jobs before settling down in Chicago to practice law.  
    1896-1905 In 1896, he did go to Chicago to practice law. One evening, in 1900, Paul went with a professional friend to his suburban home. After dinner, as they strolled through the neighborhood, Paul’s friend introduced him to tradesmen in their stores. This reminded Paul of his Grandparents home in New England. "Why not have a fellowship composed of businessmen from different occupations, without restrictions of politics or religion?" he thought.
     1905-1908  On February 23, 1905, Paul Harris had dinner with his closest friend, Chicago coal dealer Sylvester Schiele. Afterwards they walked over the river to Room 711 of the Unity Building where they met their host, Gustavus Loehr, a mining engineer; and another friend, Hiram Shorey, a merchant tailor. Harris proposed that they form a club. No name was chosen for the group. The second meeting was March 9th.
    Paul was very interested in starting Rotary in other cities. The second Rotary club was founded by Homer Wood in San Francisco in 1908hem.  Rotary Harry Ruggles was a printer, and created the "name badge" version of the Rotary "wheel" and also started singing in Rotary.
    Paul Harris had a vision of "Around the World Rotary" which was opposed by many of his fellow Rotarians.  It was not until he won the loyalty of the man who was to be Rotary secretary from 1910-1942 that Rotary became organized and international. That man was Chesley Perry, whom Paul called the "Builder of Rotary.”
    1910-1911   By August 1910 there were sixteen clubs and the National Association of Rotary Clubs was organized and held its first convention that year, in Chicago. At the 1911 Portland Convention, "Service, Not Self" was introduced by Frank Collins of Minneapolis. It later became "Service Above Self." The slogan "He profits most who serves best," was also read there.
     
    In 1917, Arch C. Klumph, Rotary’s sixth president, proposed to the R.I. Convention  in  Atlanta, Georgia,  USA, the creation of an "endowment fund for Rotary . . .for the purpose of doing good in the world in charitable, educational, and other avenues of service.  A few months later, the endowment received its first contribution of $26.50 from the Rotary Club of Kansas City, Missouri. 
     
    1912-23    When clubs were formed in Canada and Great Britain in 1912, the name was changed to the International Association of Rotary Clubs.  Paul Harris served two terms, was named President Emeritus, and served until his death January 27, 1947. 
    1989-2005 Rotary came close to removing polio from the face of the earth and, in 2005, returned again to Chicago to celebrate the first 100 years.
    Rotary Global History Fellowship 2014-08-15 00:00:00Z 0

    About our Sister Club - Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone

    The Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone is based in Rotary District 9920 located in New Zealand.  Like our own club, their membership is international.  President Jean Louis Nguyen Qui lives in Provence, France, along with two other club members.  They, too, have a Facebook presence with 6,485 "Likes".  Our club will work together to fight malaria this year.  The Rotary Club of Oeiras in Lisbon is the Host Club for this grant.  To visit our sister club plan on attending via gotomeeting for an online meeting held Tuesdays at 8:00 pm Paris-time: https://global.gotomeeting.com/meeting/join/844-274-221.
    About our Sister Club - Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone 2014-08-15 00:00:00Z 0

    The Younger Generations Prepare to Return to School

    This young boy addressed the Dallas Independent School District employees with this powerful speech about believing in younger generations.  It was uploaded to YouTube on September 8, 2008.  As we have focused on "New Generations" in Rotary, it seems fitting to listen to this young man.  Rotarians, as well as teachers who are preparing now to begin the new school year, have opportunities to make a difference in the lives of young people.  We can mentor youth or young professionals, we can provide quality leadership training, we provide character education programs, and teach new generations our "Rotary Four-Way Test" to provide a moral compass for life.  We can show the new generations that we do believe in them and invest our time, talent, and financial gifts to insure them a brighter future.
    The Younger Generations Prepare to Return to School 2014-08-08 00:00:00Z 0

    What is RYLA?

    Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is an international program that was created by Rotary International to encourage strong leadership in youth. Young people chosen for their leadership potential attend an all-expenses-paid camp to develop and enhance leadership skills through activities conducted in an atmosphere of trust and respect.  RYLA aims to teach what it takes to be an effective leader.
    Leadership
    Communication
    Decision Making
    Problem Solving
    Self Esteem
    Trust
    Teamwork
     
     
    What is RYLA? Ed C 2014-08-08 00:00:00Z 0

    Polio Update - August 14, 2014

     In today's picture, we focus on the Polio Survivors.  These from Sierra Leone are just a few of the thousands who are suffering and will suffer the effects of Polio and Post Polio Syndrome for a lifetime.  We were too late for those in this picture, but the sooner we can reach Worldwide Polio Eradication, the fewer children will be known as Polio Survivors.  Let's END POLIO NOW.
    One More + of PolioPlus - In West Africa, polio staff are supporting efforts to curb the Ebola outbreak affecting the region. Staff are actively engaged in helping preparedness planning, social mobilization, surveillance of suspected cases, contact tracing and assisting with outbreak logistics - See more at: http://www.polioeradication.org/Dataandmonitoring/Poliothisweek.aspx#sthash.fvAaRwvT.dpuf
    IRAQ - Iraq was free of polio for nearly 14 years – until March, when the crippling disease paralyzed two children and set alarm bells ringing.  Now, a massive immunization campaign is underway in the war-torn country. The effort – spearheaded by the Iraq Ministry of Health, with support from Rotary International, the WHO and UNICEF – aims to reach more than 4 million children under age 5.  
       WHO - Polio Public Health Emergency Measures Confirmed 7/31/14 - On May 5, 2014, the Director General of the WHO declared the international spread of Wild Poliovirus to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.  These concerns were confirmed as continuing on 7/31/14.  Countries which are currently exporting Wild Poliovirus (Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Pakistan, & Syria) are required to ensure all residents & visitors (of over 4 weeks) receive a dose of Polio Vaccine 4 to 12 weeks before leaving the country and to ensure that each international traveler receives proof of vaccination.  In addition, the countries of Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, Nigeria, & Somalia are also encouraged to make sure their residents & long term visitors are vaccinated before international travel.       
     
    The Final Three Endemic Countries
    Pakistan - 108 Polio cases have been reported in 2014 with the most recent on 7/16/14 in North Waziristan.  Pakistan National Immunization Days have been announced for 9/29-10/1/14 and 12/8-12/10/14 and Sub-National Immunization Days for 8/18-8/20/14, 9/1-9/3/14, 10/13-10/15/14, 11/10-11/12/14, & 12/22-12/24/14.               
    Afghanistan - 8 Polio cases reported in 2014 with the most recent on 06/16/14 from the Khost Province. Over 35,000 children of recently displaced families have recently been vaccinated.  14 cases recorded in 2013.  National Immunization Days are planned for August 18-20.          
    Nigeria - 5 Polio cases reported in 2014 - the most recent on 05/27/14 in Kano state.  53 cases recorded in 2013.  Sub-National Immunization + Days are scheduled for Northern Nigeria again in August.
     
    Importation Countries:
    Syria - 1 Polio case reported in 2014 - 35 cases recorded in 2013.  
    Somalia - 4 Polio cases reported in 2014 - 194 cases recorded in 2013.     
    Kenya - Zero Polio cases reported in 2014 - 14 cases recorded in 2013.  
    Ethiopia - 1 Polio cases reported in 2014 - 9 Cases recorded in 2013.
    Cameroon - 5 Polio cases reported in 2014 (most recent on 7/09/14 at a Refugee Camp for families from the Central African Republic)  - 4 Cases reported  in 2013.
    Equatorial Guinea - 5 Polio cases reported (most recent on 5/28/14).  Zero cases reported in 2013.
    Iraq - 2 Polio cases reported on 4/07/14 in Baghdad - 0 cases reported in 2013.
      
    Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!
    Terry Ziegler, District 5890 Rotary Foundation Committee Chair, Email BigZLumber@aol.com
     
     
    Polio Update - August 14, 2014 2014-08-07 00:00:00Z 0
    New Generations in Rotary Ed c 2014-08-07 00:00:00Z 0

    What is EarlyAct?

    EarlyAct FirstKnight® (or EAFK) is a proprietary program of The Knights of The Guild. Sponsored by Rotary Clubs, EAFK motivates and teaches elementary and middle school children to become civil, service-oriented people during their most formative years.  Schools are interested in character education programs for students and many have embraced this program.  Experts agree (Gibbon, 1776; Black, 1995; Bonta, 2005.) that the survival of any culture depends upon the ethical strength and moral courage of its people. Just as these historians attribute the fall of ancient Rome to moral decline, any society can be destroyed from the inside if the character values of its citizenry are compromised. Once part of a traditional family upbringing, studies show that healthy values are being taught less today than ever before (Damon, 2005; Elliott, 2004; Greenwalt, 1996; Wakefield, 1997; Burke et al, 2001). Basic concepts like respect, personal responsibility, honesty, compassion, fairness, tolerance, and service to others are becoming increasingly unfamiliar to young people. To arrest this decline, the instruction of character values must be integrated into daily mainstream public education and treated as important as reading, writing, math, or science. So urgent is this need, that 36 states have enacted bipartisan legislation that either mandates or strongly encourages character education in their public school curriculum. Seven additional states are on record for supporting character education in their public schools, but have not yet created legislation.
     
    Why "knights"?  The word, “knight”, means “servant”, and every major culture in the world had its equivalent of the knightly class, such as the Samurai of Japan, the Han Warrior of China, the Bengal Lancers of India, the Knights of Islam, the African Cavalry, and the Native American brave. The common threads between all these groups, as well as their modern contemporaries, are that they each had collective codes of noble conduct, and all of their members were imperfect human beings. So yes, the knightly class has their share of poor examples in history, but so does politics, the clergy, the military, law enforcement and every other institution comprised of people. We don’t negate them all just because of a few bad actors; instead, we celebrate the best of all chivalric cultures that lived by a code of honor.  It is not the imperfect individual we esteem, but rather the chivalric ideals that inspired and guided the best of them.
    What is EarlyAct? 2014-08-07 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotaract District Conference August 16th

     
     
     
    Date:  Saturday, August 16, 2014
    Time:  9 a.m. - Noon (Official Business Meeting)
             Noon - ??? :  BBQ, Pool Party, and Social Time
    Location:  Homewood Suites Kingwood, 3320 Highway 59 North, Kingwood
                   (Hotel phone number: (281) 358-5566)  
    RSVP to:  Philippe Cras (D5890 Rotaract Committee Chair
               Email:  Philippe@CrasUSA.com
    At the Rotaract district conference, Rotaractors from around the district will get a chance to meet each other, exchange information about local service projects, share ideas about membership and leadership training, and provide an opportunity for Rotaractors to connect socially.
    If you are interested in joining Rotaract, or if you are a Rotarian interested in starting a Rotaract club or would like to learn more about Rotaract, please attend!  This will be a great opportunity to see what other clubs are doing and of course, enjoy the fellowship with your fellow Rotaractors!
    Rotaract District Conference August 16th 2014-08-07 00:00:00Z 0

    Congratulations to Rotary Club of Space Center!

    The Rotary Club of Space Center celebrated their 50th Anniversary this week!  At a special celebration dinner on Wednesday, August 6, 2014 Noel Bajat, Rotary International Foundation Trustee  2013 - 2017, was the honored guest speaker.  Congratulations to all present and past Rotarians of Space Center for 50 years of community service and many successful international projects!
    Congratulations to Rotary Club of Space Center! 2014-08-07 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - John Sebastian's "Younger Generation" 2014-08-05 00:00:00Z 0

    President's Message

    Dear Fellow Rotarians,
    Over the last few weeks, I got few questions from our members related to “How to” get the best out of their Rotary e-club membership. In this weekly message, I’m providing key suggestions to our e-club members to help them have a great experience, more impact in our communities and enjoyment as Rotarians.
     
    Here are key points that we encourage you to do as an E-Club member in order to get the most out of your experience as a Rotarian.
     
    1. Read the weekly program on our club WebSite – Our Website is our major method of providing information in the place of a regular meeting. It is where we put up all information such as weekly program, updates, messages, upcoming events and general discussion.
    2. Be a Greeter – We are trying to feature all of our members on the website. Please tell us about yourself, add a photo and send this information to the club secretary to be added to the weekly program
    3. Participate in a BOD and General Meeting – Participate in the Monthly BOD and General Meeting. We will be adding an online option for the participation soon. Stay tuned for more details.
    4. Contribute to project fundraising through donations – Fundraising helps our club to fund many projects through the years. Since the club chartering in February 2014, our club has been able to obtain over $3,000 and $10,000 worth of bicycle materials to fund and execute various projects. This was possible with the help of club members, businesses, and other Rotary Clubs. This year, our club has applied for two grants through The Rotary Foundation Matching Grants program.
    • Grant for Nicaragua Scholarship: One Year College Sponsorship for 3-4 former children of the Dump in Nicaragua; The Grant Request is for $6000 (Club Funds: $3000, District Funds: $3000); Clubs will be informed whether their grant request will be honored or not by early August.
    • Malaria Global Grant: Our twin e-club in Paris invited us to participate in this global grant, to fight malaria. Our club will contribute with $1,000, which will yield $3,500 in total for a project though various matching programs.
    We are aware not everyone has available funds to donate, but we all have networks to approach in regards to fundraising for projects.
    5. Attend E-Club events where possible – Each year our club will try to hold 3-4 major events like fellowships, fundraisings, end of year party, etc., where we can meet face-to-face. These are a great opportunity to meet your fellow club members, share your experiences and a have the opportunity to discuss all things related to the club.
    6. Attend District Events – District events such as the All Clubs Dinner or District Conference are a chance to meet with Rotarians from other clubs and find out more about Rotary. I love participating in the district events and truly believe that these events are greatly beneficial, especially for those who are new to Rotary.
    7. Attend Club Service Projects or Service Projects in your area - Rotary clubs engage in service projects in thousands of communities all over the world. Rotary club members form a diverse, global network of volunteers united through a common commitment to the advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through service. Please enter your service hours on our WebSite using the “Service Above Self” feature.
    8. Visit other Rotary clubs in your local area – It is a great opportunity to find out about what is happening in your community and a great chance to share in fellowship with others.
    We need your help to make your club a successful and thriving organization.
    Please let me know how I can support you in your Rotary journey,
     
    Yours in Rotary,
     
    Sofka Werkmeister   
    President's Message Sofka W 2014-08-05 00:00:00Z 0

    2014 District 5890 Rotary Foundation Seminar - September 20th

    8:00 AM - 12:30 PM
    Houston Community College  -  5601 West Loop 610 South - Houston 77081 Campus

     
    Why should all Rotarians (including you) attend?  See the many reasons below.
    Special Note: Three of our 4 Keynote Speakers are outstanding Female Rotary Leaders - Every Female Rotarian and any prospective Rotarians you know should attend!
    Cost - only $10 per person! Registration & Snacks 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM (On-Line Registration is open now at www.rotary5890.org and the paper form is attached).
    In addition to the great speakers - 1) Attend and personally donate At the Seminar (to the Annual Fund or PolioPlus) to Double your Paul Harris Credit, 2) Hear How They Did It -  from some of our District's Top Rotary Foundation Clubs, 3) Learn about the World's Greatest Meal - for PolioPlus, 4) Hear about the new Triple Crown Club Challenge and become a Benefactor at this Seminar and 5. Learn about The Rotary Foundation's New Funding Plan to take place in 2015.
    All-Star Speakers Line-up Announced:
    Featured Speaker: Marion Bunch - Founder of Rotarians for Family Health & AIDS Prevention - A Rotarian Action Group, which has provided health care, support and education to hundreds of thousands of orphans and vulnerable children and adults in Africa
    And - Dr. Isis Mejias Carpio, District 5890 Global Grant Scholar, who has been instrumental in Global Grants in Brazil and Kenya and recently lead a team of engineers in Uganda to explore large scale Rotary water projects in that country.  Isis's work was recently featured on the front page of the Rotary International website.
    And - Nicole Heydari , who received her Masters Degree at the Diplomatic Academy in Vienna with the assistance of a District 5890 District Grant, managed the Cheheltan School project in Afghanistan in 2012 (funded by 9 of our District 5890 Rotary Clubs), and recently returned from Timor-Leste where she was a consultant for DynCorp.  Nicole was featured on the cover of a book on Human Terrain Teams authored by the National Defense University.
    And - Andy Smallwood, our token male speaker, and Past Rotary International Director and Treasurer who will explain the New Rotary Foundation Funding Plan
    Questions?  Terry Ziegler, Rotary Club of West U, District Rotary Foundation
     Committee Chair bigzlumber@aol.com, cell 713-825-1176
     
    2014 District 5890 Rotary Foundation Seminar - September 20th ed c 2014-08-05 00:00:00Z 0

    Service Opportunity - Books for the World

    An International Service Project, started in 2000 and supported by Houston Area Rotary Clubs, Rotaract Clubs, and Interact Clubs, is proud to announce the shipment of our 205th 40’ shipping container of books (for a total of over 6-3/4 million pounds), as well as several containers of bicycles & bicycle parts  to Rotarian led literacy projects in Africa and countries around the world.  Would you & your club like to help with the shipment of the next container?
               
    Rotary Books For The World – Please bring a group of your club members, Interactors, Rotaractors, friends and family members to help sort and palletize books on the following dates:
     
    *Saturday, September 6, 2014   9:00 AM – 11:00 AM  *corrected date
    Saturday, October 18, 2014      10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
    Saturday, November 15, 2014  10:00 AM – 12:00 PM      
    Saturday, December 13, 2014  10:00 AM – 12:00 PM    
     
    This is a non- air-conditioned/non-heated warehouse.  Please dress appropriately.
    Yes, you are welcome to bring used books (of any type as long as they are in good condition) to donate to this project.
    Where?
    116 Main St.  Pasadena, TX
    Park on Eagle St. or under Hwy 225
    Be careful crossing the street and do not leave valuables in your car
     
    Questions?  Terry Ziegler - bigzlumber@aol.com or 713-825-1176.
     
    We always need more funding to purchase containers and to pay for shipping.  Please consider asking your club to donate to this great project at the project. See more of the project on the website www.rotarybooksfortheworld.org.  
     
    Service Opportunity - Books for the World 2014-08-01 00:00:00Z 0

    Editor's Message - “Diversity in Rotary"

    Rotary takes pride and remains relevant to society by its diversity of culture, gender, religion & politics.  Rotary is poised for greatness by such diversity and now also places emphasis on younger generations. Having identified the need to emphasize new generations, we now have EarlyAct ethics and character education programs for elementary students, Interact for middle and high school students, and Rotaract for the college-aged generation and young professionals.   In recent years Rotary has coined the term  “New Generations”. 
     
    New Generations refers to the youngest generation in the family of Rotary. Many are participants in Rotary’s youth and young adult programs: Interact, Rotaract, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), and Rotary Youth Exchange. Others are service- minded young people involved in Rotary club and district activities.
     
    Past RI President Luis Vicente Giay coined the term New Generations when he shared his belief that the future of Rotary relied on involving young people in the organization’s programs and activities. At the 1996 RI Convention in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he said: “Our vision for the future, now more than ever, is the difference between success and failure. The New Generations are our investment in the future. Let us begin to build that future today.” New Generations Service became Rotary’s fifth Avenue of Service in 2010. It is defined in article 5 of the Standard Rotary Club Constitution:
    New Generations Service recognizes the positive change implemented by youth and young adults through leadership development activities, involvement in community and international service projects, and exchange programs that enrich and foster world peace and cultural understanding. Rotary clubs should be committed to involving youth and young adults in their vocational, community, and international service projects, and to providing programs and resources that support them.
     
    How is diversity of generations best managed? How is generational diversity related to creativity and innovation, and what might be the problems created by the management of diversity? Diversity is a recognizable source of creativity and innovation that can provide a basis for competitive advantage. On the other hand, diversity may, at times,  cause some misunderstandings, suspicions and conflicts that can potentially result in loss of membership, poor quality relationships, low morale and loss of competitiveness.
     
    Organizations seeking a competitive advantage face a paradoxical situation. If they embrace diversity, they risk conflict, and if they avoid diversity, they risk loss of competitiveness. The advantages and disadvantages associated with diversity puts organizations in a position of managing a paradoxical situation. As Rotary grows in relevance in the world of the 21st Century our leadership must take “the Future of Rotary” into their hands to struggle with inclusion and diversity practices, especially as we mentor the younger generations into the greatest service organization in the world.
     
     
    For those who have seen the Earth from space, and for the hundreds and perhaps thousands more who will, the experience most certainly change your perspective. The things that we share in our world are far more valuable than those which divide us. -Donald Williams
     
    Editor -
    PDG Ed Charlesworth
    Editor's Message - “Diversity in Rotary" 2014-08-01 00:00:00Z 0

    Inspirational Message - Believe in Yourself

    Welcome to today's coaching session from MyInspiration4Life -
    If you believe yourself to be an exceptional person, with talents and abilities, one who is friendly and kind, healthy and energetic and destined to have a terrific life, this belief will lead you to set goals, work hard, develop yourself, treat others well, bounce back from adversity, and ultimately succeed in any endeavor you choose.
     
     
    Inspirational Message - Believe in Yourself 2014-08-01 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Autonomous Cars are Coming - Dr. Chris Gerdes

    Autonomous cars are coming — and they’re going to drive better than you. Chris Gerdes reveals how he and his team are developing robotic race cars that can drive at 150 mph while avoiding every possible accident. And yet, in studying the brainwaves of professional racing drivers, Gerdes says he has gained a new appreciation for the instincts of professional drivers. (Filmed at TEDxStanford.) 
     
    Why you should listen
    Imagine a car that can drive itself -- that with the push of a button can get you home safely when you’re too tired to drive or have had a night of one too many drinks. Dr. Chris Gerdes , the Director of the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford (conveniently acronymed CARS), and his team are developing a robotic race car, capable of driving at outrageous speeds while avoiding every possible accident. Gerdes’ research focuses on the development of driver assistance systems for collision avoidance, as well as on new combustion processes for engines.
    Prior to teaching at Stanford, Gerdes was the project leader for vehicle dynamics at the Vehicle Systems Technology Center of Daimler-Benz Research and Technology North America. His work at Daimler focused on safety analysis.
     
     
    Weekly Program - Autonomous Cars are Coming - Dr. Chris Gerdes Ed Ch 2014-08-01 00:00:00Z 0
    Humanity in Motion - Rotarians 2014-08-01 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Tracy Chapman Singing "Fast Car" Ed C 2014-08-01 00:00:00Z 0

    Club Dues are now Due

    Please check the Pay Your Dues / Invoices feature on our WebSite (look on the left side).  You may now use PayPal to pay your Club dues online.  Our club pays annual dues to our district and bi-annual dues to Rotary International.  Your dues are needed to cover these expenses.  Our fundraising monies are not used to pay club members dues. 
     
    Club Dues are now Due Michael Mebes 2014-07-26 00:00:00Z 0

    FUNDRAISER for the Rotary e-Club of Houston - August 17th

    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rotarys-family-bingo-night-tickets-12485292847

    Bingo (*cards @$10) with Prizes & Brazilian Food

    AND Pool Party and a lot of FUN!

     

    Please join us on  Sunday, August 17

    WHEN:   3:00PM 6:00PM

    WHERE: Dr. Ed and Robin Charlesworth’s house

    11407 Hylander, Houston, TX 77070

     

    Suggested donation: $25 per adult (children: free) (includes food and non-alcoholic beverages); Alcoholic beverages BYOB
     

    FUNDRAISER for the Rotary e-Club of Houston - August 17th Sofka Werkmeister 2014-07-26 00:00:00Z 0

    A Major Area of Focus - WATER

    Posted by Sandra Postel of National Geographic's Freshwater Initiative in Water Currents on January 2, 2014:
     
    Some months ago, I was asked to contribute to an anthology focused on a basic question about our planet’s future.
    The question was this:  “Do you think that humanity can find a way past the current global environmental and social crises? Will we be able to create the conditions necessary for our own survival, as well as that of other species on the planet? What would these conditions look like? In summary, then, and in the plainest of terms, do we have hope, and can we do it?”
    My charge was to respond with no more than 250 words; of course, I chose to write about water.
    As 2014 begins, I thought I’d share these words.  They reflect, I hope, the profound shift in consciousness that is needed if we are to ensure that enough water is provided for all living things long into the future.
    In a world divided by race, tribe, gender, religion and so much more, it is water that connects us all.
     
    The molecules of H2O that comprise sixty percent of each of us have circulated across space and time throughout the ages.  They move through the air, the trees, the birds and bees, and through you and me – and may have quenched a dinosaur’s thirst so very long ago.
    So, yes, there is hope.  It is that we will know the soft rain and flowing water as the undeserved but precious gifts of life that they are – gifts to be shared among all living things.  And that this knowing will unite us to humbly take our place in the planet’s great cycles with respect for all that is, has ever been, and will ever be.
    If we let it, this knowing changes everything.
    As I reach to buy a cotton shirt, I think of the plants and insects whose existence might have been sustained by the seven hundred gallons of water consumed to make the shirt, and I retract my arm, go home filled with gratitude, and enjoy the evening birdsong with new depths of pleasure.
    – Sandra Postel, invited contribution to the Global Chorus, Rocky Mountain Books, expected release in Fall 2014.
     
    Sandra Postel is director of the Global Water Policy Project, Freshwater Fellow of the National Geographic Society, and author of several books and numerous articles on global water issues.  She is co-creator of Change the Course, the national freshwater conservation and restoration campaign being piloted in the Colorado River Basin.
     
    What Is Your Water Footprint?
    Take a water tour with us through your home, yard, diet, energy, and consumer choices! Then, pledge to cut your water footprint and help return more water to rivers, lakes, wetlands, underground aquifers, and freshwater species.
    The bright side: By pledging to cut your water footprint, you can help restore freshwater ecosystems.
     
    What may come as a surprise is that very little of that—only five percent—runs through toilets, taps, and garden hoses at home. Nearly 95 percent of your water footprint is hidden in the food you eat, energy you use, products you buy, and services you rely on.
     

    Water Conservation Tips

    Toilets, Taps, Showers, Laundry, and Dishes
    1994 was the year that federally mandated low-flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets started to appear on the scene in significant numbers.
    On average, 10 gallons per day of your water footprint (or 14% of your indoor use) is lost to leaks. Short of installing new water-efficient fixtures, one of the easiest, most effective ways to cut your footprint is by repairing leaky faucets and toilets.
    If you use a low-flow showerhead, you can save 15 gallons of water during a 10-minute shower.
    Every time you shave minutes off your use of hot water, you also save energy and keep dollars in your pocket.
    It takes about 70 gallons of water to fill a bathtub, so showers are generally the more water-efficient way to bathe.
    All of those flushes can add up to nearly 20 gallons a day down the toilet. If you still have a standard toilet, which uses close to 3.5 gallons a flush, you can save by retrofitting or filling your tank with something that will displace some of that water, such as a brick.
    Most front-loading machines are energy- and water-efficient, using just over 20 gallons a load, while most top-loading machines, unless they are energy-efficient, use 40 gallons per load.
    Nearly 22% of indoor home water use comes from doing laundry. Save water by making sure to adjust the settings on your machine to the proper load size.
    Dishwashing is a relatively small part of your water footprint—less than 2% of indoor use—but there are always ways to conserve. Using a machine is actually more water efficient than hand washing, especially if you run full loads.
    Energy Star dishwashers use about 4 gallons of water per load, and even standard machines use only about 6 gallons. Hand washing generally uses about 20 gallons of water each time.
     
    Yards and Pools
    Nearly 60% of a person's household water footprint can go toward lawn and garden maintenance.
    Climate counts—where you live plays a role in how much water you use, especially when it comes to tending to a yard.
    The average pool takes 22,000 gallons of water to fill, and if you don't cover it, hundreds of gallons of water per month can be lost due to evaporation.
     
    Diet
    The water it takes to produce the average American diet alone—approximately 1,000 gallons per person per day—is more than the global average water footprint of 900 gallons per person per day for diet, household use, transportation, energy, and the consumption of material goods.
    That quarter pounder is worth more than 30 average American showers. One of the easiest ways to slim your water footprint is to eat less meat and dairy. Another way is to choose grass-fed, rather than grain-fed, since it can take a lot of water to grow corn and other feed crops.
    A serving of poultry costs about 90 gallons of water to produce. There are also water costs embedded in the transportation of food (gasoline costs water to make). So, consider how far your food has to travel, and buy local to cut your water footprint.
    Pork costs water to produce, and traditional pork production—to make your sausage, bacon, and chops—has also been the cause of some water pollution, as pig waste runs into local water sources.
    On average, a vegan, a person who doesn't eat meat or dairy, indirectly consumes nearly 600 gallons of water per day less than a person who eats the average American diet.
    A cup of coffee takes 55 gallons of water to make, with most of that H2O used to grow the coffee beans.
     
    Electricity, Fuel Economy, and Airline Travel
    The water footprint of your per-day electricity use is based on state averages. If you use alternative energies such as wind and solar, your footprint could be less. (The use of biofuels, however, if they are heavily irrigated, could be another story.) You would also get points, or a footprint reduction, for using energy-star appliances and taking other energy-efficiency measures.
    Washing a car uses about 150 gallons of water, so by washing less frequently you can cut back your water use.
    A gallon of gasoline takes nearly 13 gallons of water to produce. Combine your errands, car pool to work, or take public transportation to reduce both your energy and water use.
    Flying from Los Angeles to San Francisco, about 700 miles round-trip, could cost you more than 9,000 gallons of water, or enough for almost 2,000 average dishwasher loads.
    A cross-country airplane trip (about 6,000 miles) could be worth more than 1,700 standard toilet flushes.
    Traveling from Chicago to Istanbul is just about 10,000 miles round trip, costing enough water to run electricity in the average American home for one person for more than five years.
     
    Industry—Apparel, Home Furnishings, Electronics, and Paper
    According to recent reports, nearly 5% of all U.S. water withdrawals are used to fuel industry and the production of many of the material goods we stock up on weekly, monthly, and yearly.
    It takes about 100 gallons of water to grow and process a single pound of cotton, and the average American goes through about 35 pounds of new cotton material each year. Do you really need that additional T-shirt?
    One of the best ways to conserve water is to buy recycled goods, and to recycle your stuff when you’re done with it. Or, stick to buying only what you really need.
    The water required to create your laptop could wash nearly 70 loads of laundry in a standard machine.
    Recycling a pound of paper, less than the weight of your average newspaper, saves about 3.5 gallons of water. Buying recycled paper products saves water too, as it takes about six gallons of water to produce a dollar worth of paper.
     
    Now that you have read more about conserving water, are you prepared to take some small steps to reduce your "water footprint"?  Rotary projects aim to bring clean water to people around the world to improve health and to improve agriculture and economics of communities.  While this will keep us busy for years to come, we can also take a closer look at our own water footprint and educate others to conserve.  With our own two hands, we can create the possibility of implementing clean water programs where needed and also improve water usage in our own homes, businesses, and communities.
     
     
     
     
    A Major Area of Focus - WATER ed c 2014-07-26 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Jack Johnson's "My Own Two Hands" ed c 2014-07-26 00:00:00Z 0

    Editor's Message - “The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands”

    “The future of Rotary is in Your Hands” was the Rotary theme during my year as District Governor. I liked the theme.  First the word future is a word worthy of reflection. John Kennedy once said, “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” I would regret missing the enormous future potential for our Rotary e-club by only reflecting on our brief history. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said,  “The future belongs to those who give the next generation reason to hope.” I know of no other organization that can offer the world more hope. When things were not going as well as we would have liked during a National Polio Immunization Day in India, I was able to sit down with the local Muslim spiritual leader with two other Rotarians and to cross all religious and political barriers to form a working relationship that led to huge successes and changes the following day. Rotary can do this in a way few other organizations can do.
     
    Abraham Lincoln once said, “The best thing about the future is that it only comes one day at a time.” I am fond of saying you “eat the elephant one bite at a time,” but old Abe’s phrasing is much more eloquent. If each day we can take a small bite of all those tasks we have been putting off that will make Rotary better and more relevant, then it will be a day well lived in our “Service above Self” lifestyles. Do a small thing every day. Call a member who has been ill. Invite a person to visit your club. Share your enthusiasm.
     
    Now is the time to focus on how will we make our Rotary e-club relevant in the world. Each and every Rotarian is important to our success as servants. Remember the words of Elaine Maxwell who said, “My will shall shape the future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man’s doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost to my destiny.” in the maze. My choice; my responsibility; win or lose, only I hold the key.
     
    The second part of the theme made me reflect on hands. I have always liked the theme of hands in songs. Some songs speak of the aging hands of a benevolent mother, some of the rough hands of a workingman. Guy Clark told us to, “always try to keep you heart connected to your wrist, cause everybody knows that you can't shake hands with a fist.” But I thought the perfect anthem for this theme was the Jack Johnson’s song “My own two hands.” This first time I heard the song it grabbed me in a way few songs do. Take the time to listen to his voice as it shares the values of Rotary to change the world to make it a better and kinder place. He sings we can make peace and clean up the earth. He sings we can hold and reach out to others and help the human race. And he sings that we can make the world a brighter and safer place, but we have to use our own two hands. When I heard his words I thought he must have been reading about all the great things Rotarians do everyday to make this world a better place.
     
    Let’s celebrate Rotary daily. Let’s share our own two hands to make the world a better place. Vernon Cooper said, “These days people seek knowledge, not wisdom. Knowledge is of the past, wisdom is of the future.” Let us be wise as we reflect and take action to insure that the future of Rotary in our e-club is relevant.
     
    W. E. B. Du Bois said, “Now is the accepted time, not tomorrow, not some more convenient season. It is today that our best work can be done and not some future day or future year. It is today that we fit ourselves for the greater usefulness of tomorrow. Today is the seed time, now are the hours of work, and tomorrow comes the harvest.”
     
    I look forward to serving President Sofka and each of you thus Rotary year and years to come.
    Yours in Rotary service - Ed Charlesworth, Charter President 2013-14; PDG 09-10
    Editor's Message - “The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands” ed c 2014-07-26 00:00:00Z 0

    President's Message

    Dear Fellow Rotarians,
    Last Saturday was our Board of Directors and General Meeting. It was an amazing experience to be part of a group of people all pulling together for the greater good. There was so much energy and momentum in the room as well as love and respect for each other. Many ideas were exchanged on how to increase our club’s footprint and make bigger difference in our communities. Please let me know how you, your family, your friends, our coworkers want to get involved further in the activities of our club. I would love to hear back from you. It only takes a little time to do a lot of good.
    Yours in Rotary, Sofka Werkmeister, President
    President's Message Sofka Werkmeister 2014-07-25 00:00:00Z 0

    POLIO UPDATE

    Do You Know the Top 5 Reasons to Eradicate Polio?   #4 - It Strengthens The Health System! - The active disease surveillance system, built as a result of our Polio eradication effort, is being used worldwide to increase the quality of healthcare (particularly among children) through such methods as measles vaccinations, de-worming treatments, vitamin distribution, and mosquito net distribution.  The "pluses" of PolioPlus will benefit many future generations.
     
    WHO - Polio Public Health Emergency Measures - On May 5, 2014, the Director General of the WHO declared the international spread of Wild Poliovirus to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.  Countries which are currently exporting Wild Poliovirus (Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Pakistan, & Syria) are required to ensure all residents & visitors (of over 4 weeks) receive a dose of Polio Vaccine 4 to 12 weeks before leaving the country and to ensure that each international traveler receives proof of vaccination.  In addition, the countries of Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, Nigeria, & Somalia are also encouraged to make sure their residents & long term visitors are vaccinated before international travel.      
     
    The Final Three Endemic Countries
    Pakistan - 99 Polio cases have been reported in 2014 with the most recent on 6/28/14 in South Waziristan.  Pakistan National Immunization Days have been announced for 9/29-10/1/14 and 12/8-12/10/14 and Sub-National Immunization Days for 8/18-8/20/14, 9/1-9/3/14, 10/13-10/15/14, 11/10-11/12/14, & 12/22-12/24/14.  With many moving out of North Waziristan due to recent military activity against insurgents, over 800,000 children from those areas have been vaccinated recently.             
    Afghanistan - 8 Polio cases reported in 2014 with the most recent on 06/16/14 from the Khost Province. Over 35,000 children of recently displaced families have recently been vaccinated.  14 cases recorded in 2013.  National Immunization Days are planned for August 18-20.          
    Nigeria - 5 Polio cases reported in 2014 - the most recent on 05/27/14 in Kano state.  53 cases recorded in 2013.  Sub-National Immunization + Days are scheduled for Northern Nigeria again in August.
    Importation Countries:
    Syria - 1 Polio case reported in 2014 - 35 cases recorded in 2013.  
    Somalia - 4 Polio cases reported in 2014 - 194 cases recorded in 2013.     
    Kenya - Zero Polio cases reported in 2014 - 14 cases recorded in 2013.  
    Ethiopia - 1 Polio cases reported in 2014 - 9 Cases recorded in 2013.
    Cameroon - 3 Polio cases reported in 2014 (most recent on 1/25/14)  - 4 Cases reported  in 2013.
    Equatorial Guinea - 5 Polio cases reported (most recent on 5/28/14).  Zero cases reported in 2013.
    Iraq - 2 Polio cases reported on 4/07/14 in Baghdad - 0 cases reported in 2013.
      
    Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!   Terry Ziegler,  District 5890 Rotary Foundation Committee Chair,
    Email BigZLumber@aol.com
    POLIO UPDATE ed c 2014-07-25 00:00:00Z 0

    District Membership Seminar - July 26th

     

    Mark Your Calendars - District Membership Seminar  July 26th

    August is Membership Month, a special time of the year when the entire Rotary family focuses on Membership Recruitment & Retention. What better way to jump-start your membership efforts than attending the District Membership Seminar on July 26 2014, at HCC Southwest Campus, 5601 West Loop South, Houston TX 77081  Registration starts at 7:45 AM;
    Seminar 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM
     
    Our Rotarian of the Year, Nguyen Nguyen, will be presenting about our own Rotary e-club.  He will explain how Rotarians can attend an on-line meeting as well as share how our club has successfully grown membership.
     
    Breakfast snacks, snacks, coffee, soda, water will be furnished.  No lunch this year.
    Club Presidents are encouraged to personally lead a delegation of their club membership committee, along with President-elect, secretary, membership chair and any other interested members. (Especially the "Newbees") Our District Membership Co-Chairs, Jon McKinnie & Ann Wright, have developed an agenda of top speakers who will offer creative and innovative ideas to help your club meet its 2014-15 membership target.
    Take this opportunity to spend quality time with District Leaders, your Asst Governor and your Area Membership Chair. Location: Houston Community College - Southwest Campus, 5601 West Loop South, Houston TX 77081
    The cost of the event is $10 registration. We encourage clubs to pay the registration fee for all its attending members.
    District 2014-15 Membership Co-Chairs
    Jon McKinnie                                         Ann Wright
    713-315-0220 (cell)                               832-647-4700 (Cell)
    jmckinnie825@yahoo.com                    awright_tmg@yahoo.com
    District Membership Seminar - July 26th Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-07-18 00:00:00Z 0
    Humanity in Motion - Rotarians 2014-07-18 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Human Trafficking

    Human trafficking is not just a problem in Asian countries or just involving adult women.  It is most likely in your own community.
    Did you know that there are more slaves today than ever before in history? These are 25 painfully disturbing facts about human trafficking.  This was published on June 4, 2014:
     
    There are more people in slavery today than any other time in history. Estimates are that as many 27 million people are enslaved. Human trafficking is a topic that need our attention and we need to be having conversations around.
     
     
    Born in a village deep in the Cambodian forest, Somaly Mam was sold into slavery by her grandfather when she was twelve years old. For the next decade she was shuttled through the brothels that make up the sprawling human trade of Southeast Asia.  Her story has a positive outcome which demonstrates quite well how one person can make a real difference in this world.  The following was uploaded to YouTube on September 21, 2009:
     
    In our own backyard - Human Trafficking in Texas (June 3, 2014):
    The FBI, United Against Human Trafficking, and Clear Channel Outdoor joined local, state, and federal partners today to call upon Texans to unite against human trafficking and help put a stop to modern day slavery throughout Texas. The unified group of agencies announced a statewide campaign and unveiled billboards and a host of public service advertisements to raise awareness about human trafficking and encourage reporting. The FBI also released a list of Most Wanted Human Traffickers in Texas. A reward up to $10,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of fugitives on the Most Wanted Human Traffickers list.
    Texas ranks second in the nation in total calls to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) hotline, with only California ranked higher. In 2013, a total of 436 potential trafficking cases were reported through the hotline from Texas; 144 of those cases were from Houston. Texas’ geographic location, proximity to the border, demographics, and large migrant work force make the state a popular point of entry for human trafficking.
    Since the Polaris Project began operating the NHTRC in December 2007, the anti-trafficking hotline has taken over 110,000 calls nationally, including more than 9,500 from Texas. The NHTRC has received reports of more than 1,500 potential cases of human trafficking in Texas. The billboard and public service ad campaign is aimed at reaching trafficking victims who need help, as well as Texans who are being encouraged to report any signs of human trafficking.
    “Traffickers are preying on the vulnerable and enslaving them right here within our own communities,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Carlos J. Barron. “Human beings are not a commodity to be bought and sold. The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute these cases with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners.”
    Beginning today, educational messages about human trafficking will be displayed on both traditional and digital billboards across the Houston area and throughout Texas. Advertising space and time are being donated by the Outdoor Advertising Association of Texas (OAAT) and its member companies, Clear Channel Outdoor and Lamar Advertising. Public service ads will appear on Houston-area Yellow Cabs, Metro buses, and area shopping malls. Similar public service announcements will also air on Univision television, Univision radio, and Clear Channel-owned radio stations throughout Texas. All public service ads promote the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline (1-888-3737-888) or Polaris Project’s texting short code “BeFree” (233733).
     
    Weekly Program - Human Trafficking 2014-07-18 00:00:00Z 0

    Announcement - Monthly OPEN Board of Directors Meeting THIS SATURDAY

    All members of the Rotary e-Club of Houston and guests are invited to attend our face-to-face monthly meeting beginning at 10:30 am at the Rio Ranch Restaurant located at 9999 Westheimer Road on Saturday, July 19, 2014.  Past President Ed Charlesworth will review the presentation made to the District 5890 Grants Committee by Martine Stolk last Saturday for a scholarship program to send a student from Chinendega, Nicaragua to college.  Dree Miller will be presenting a comprehensive Membership Plan and reports that she is discussing membership with five additional prospects at this time.  Marcia Allgayer is also assisting with making connections for prospective members and working closely with Dree.  If you are coming to the meetings, remember to bring your checkbook to pay your dues.  Hope to see many of you this coming Saturday!
    Announcement - Monthly OPEN Board of Directors Meeting THIS SATURDAY 2014-07-18 00:00:00Z 0

    This Week's Greeter - Brittany Johnson

    My name is Brittany Johnson (Maiden Name – Charlesworth).  My husband and I live in Fort Worth, TX with our amazing one year old boy, Walker, and our black lab, Shiner.  I became active in Rotary through my parents.  Ed and Robin Charlesworth have been involved in Rotary my entire life, and it has been a wonderful example as to how to live and give back in this crazy world.  Luckily, my work allows me to stay involved with community services as well.  I am a Regional Sales Specialist for Marriott International in TX/OK/NM, and have served as the Spirit to Serve Community Service Chairman for 6 years.
     
    Growing up I was very fortunate to have many opportunities to see and interact with the less fortunate through my parent’s Rotary involvement.  This left a huge impact on me and I wanted to become more involved as soon as I could.  With my parents back ground and support, I rebuilt the Interact club at Tomball High School and was president from 2001-2003.  After high school, I became involved with Roteract from 2004-2012 in Tomball, Houston, San Antonio, and Boston.
     
    Marriott International believes in helping others and they have a very strong sense of community.  Career wise I started out as a Sales Manager in San Antonio for the Texas Region.  I transferred and opened the Northeast Regional Office in Boston.  While there I was a Senior Sales Manager for New York City and a Regional Sports Sales Specialist for the East Coast.  I transferred back to Texas in 2012 as a Regional Sales Specialist, which involves a lot of project development and filling in for Sales Managers across the region when they are out for extended periods of time.
     
    Throughout my time with Interact/Rotaract and Marriott I have had the opportunity to work with many different organizations.  However, some of my favorite time has been spent with Make-A-Wish Foundation, Boston Children’s Hospital, Children’s Miracle Network, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and Habitat for Humanity.
     
    I look forward to getting to know everyone better and helping make the world a better place!
     
    This Week's Greeter - Brittany Johnson 2014-07-18 00:00:00Z 0

    POLIO UPDATE

    Do You Know? The Top 5 Reasons to Eradicate Polio?  It's A Great Investment! - An independent study, published in the medical journal Vaccine, estimates that our Global Polio Eradication Investment will net an economic benefit of $40 - $50 Billion over the next 20 years.  
     
    WHO - Polio Public Health Emergency Measures - On May 5, 2014, the Director General of the WHO declared the international spread of Wild Poliovirus to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.  Countries which are currently exporting Wild Poliovirus (Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Pakistan, & Syria) are required to ensure all residents & visitors (of over 4 weeks) receive a dose of Polio Vaccine 4 to 12 weeks before leaving the country and to ensure that each international traveler receives a proof of vaccination.  In addition, the countries of Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, Nigeria, & Somalia are also encouraged to make sure their residents & long term visitors are vaccinated before international travel.  
     
    The Final Three Endemic Countries
    Pakistan - 94 Polio cases have been reported in 2014 with the most recent on 6/24/14 in the Kyber, FATA.  With many moving out of North Waziristan due to recent military activity against insurgents, over 800,000 children from those areas have been vaccinated there in recent weeks.             
    Afghanistan - 8 Polio cases reported in 2014 with the most recent on 06/16/14 from the Khost Province. Over 35,000 children of recently displaced families have recently been vaccinated.  14 cases recorded in 2013.  National Immunization Days are planned for August 18-20.          
    Nigeria - 5 Polio cases reported in 2014 - the most recent on 05/27/14 in Kano state.  53 cases recorded in 2013.  Sub-National Immunization + Days are scheduled for Northern Nigeria again in August.
    Importation Countries:
    Syria - 1 Polio case reported in 2014 - 35 cases recorded in 2013.  
    Somalia - 4 Polio cases reported in 2014 - 194 cases recorded in 2013.     
    Kenya - Zero Polio cases reported in 2014 - 14 cases recorded in 2013.  
    Ethiopia - 1 Polio cases reported in 2014 - 9 Cases recorded in 2013.
    Cameroon - 3 Polio cases reported in 2014 (most recent on 1/25/14)  - 4 Cases reported  in 2013.
    Equatorial Guinea - 5 Polio cases reported (most recent on 5/28/14).  Zero cases reported in 2013.
    Iraq - 2 Polio cases reported on 4/07/14 in Baghdad - 0 cases reported in 2013.
      
    Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!
    Terry Ziegler, District 5890 Rotary Foundation Committee Chair, Email BigZLumber@aol.com
     
    POLIO UPDATE Terry Zeigler 2014-07-18 00:00:00Z 0

    Editor's Message - Finding Happiness Through Sharing Rotary

    President Sofka and Membership Chair Dree are encouraging us today to share Rotary: find new members to join this fantastic e-club. Why? People are busy with work and family. We are time pressured and have time poverty. Why put something else on our plate? These questions reminded me of a rabbinical story. A Rabbi asked the Lord about Heaven and Hell.  "First," answered the Lord, "I will show you Hell."  The Rabbi followed the Lord down a long hallway and a door opened and he found himself in a room where a dozen people were seated around a large round table.  The people were moaning from the pain of starvation.  In the middle of the table there was a great pot of stew with more than enough for everyone.  The delicious smell of the stew made the Rabbi's mouth water.  The people around the table held spoons with very long handles.  Each could reach the pot to take a spoonful of the stew, but because the spoon handles were longer than a man's arm, no one could position the food back into their mouth.  Some were so frustrated they were hitting one another.  The Rabbi saw that the suffering was terrible.
     
    "Now," said the Lord, "I will show you Heaven."  The Rabbi followed the Lord down another hallway and entered one more room matching the first.  There in the middle of the room sat the identical large, round table and the same big pot of stew.  The people were holding the same long-handled spoons, but here they were all well nourished and healthy, laughing and talking.  For a moment the Rabbi was confused. "It is simple," said the Lord.  "You see, they have learned to feed each other."
    I challenge each of you to bring in a new member this Rotary year. When you do you not only feed yourself the nourishment from serving others, but you will feed someone else what we have all discovered helps us be nourished with a meaningful and purposeful life of making the world a better place.
     
    "Unhappiness is the hunger to get; happiness is the hunger to give." - William George Jordan
    (1864-1928)
    "The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve." - Albert Schweitzer
     
    PDG & Charter President Ed Charlesworth
    Editor's Message - Finding Happiness Through Sharing Rotary Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-07-18 00:00:00Z 0

    Editor’s Message - Positive Mental Attitudes For A Great Rotary Year

    A few years ago I had the pleasure of listening to Art Linkletter tell a story about when he was doing the television show "Kids Say the Darndest Things."  He described how he had presented a problem to a group of children.  They were to imagine being in an airplane high over the ocean.  Suddenly, one of the four engines began to make an unusual noise, started to sputter and then abruptly stopped.  A few minutes later a second engine made the same strange noise, sputtered and stopped.  Fortunately, airplanes with four engines can fly with only two engines.  You are still safe, but then the third engine repeated the now familiar routine.  Now you are definitely concerned because it is very hard for a four engine plane to fly with only one engine.  Then the last engine stopped.  "What would you do?" asked Art Linkletter.  A little boy quickly raised his hand and responded, "I'd unbuckle my seat belt and get a parachute."  Art Linkletter responded "So you'd get a parachute and jump out?"  The little boy quickly added, "Yes sir, but I'd get some gas and come back."  Ah, if we could all have such a positive outlook in the face of our anxieties. 
      The most basic requirement for a successful Rotary year is a positive mental attitude.  You have heard Rotarians talk about “service above self.” You have heard DG Lisa Faith discuss the exciting year ahead, Rotary’s quest for new members and service in the district, and RI President Gary Huang’s theme to “Light up Rotary.” These all remind me of a "can do" attitude that will allow you to believe that change can happen in a world desperately in need of what Rotary offers. Leo Tolstoy said, "The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity."
    Please help our club president, Sofka Werkmeister, have a successful year, so that we all look back on the 2014-15 Rotary year and feel that the world is a better place because of the Rotary E-Club of Houston and what we have accomplished. If you are asked to help, find a way to say “yes.”
     
    "Help thy brother's boat across and lo! thine own has reached the shore." - Hindu Proverb
     
    I worked in a factory while going to college.  We made cans and my job was to put sheets of metal into a machine and press out the ends of the cans.  I guess I will always remember this job since it was the place where I was when I saw the live coverage of Neil Armstrong becoming the first man to step on the moon.
    The shop foreman was a wrinkled man who had spent his life working in this factory.  He had previously worked every job there, and would sometimes do so again if someone did not show up for work.  He always seemed content with a positive attitude.
    One day at lunch a new employee asked questions about what it was like to work for the factory.  My foreman was at the same table and asked the new employee, "What was it like at your last job?"  He replied, "It was terrible.  The working conditions stunk, and the boss was unfair."  My supervisor said, "Unfortunately, you'll find it is very similar here."
    Another time I heard him talking to a different new employee and somehow my foreman worked the conversation around to ask "What was it like at your last job?"  This new employee without hesitation said,  "It was pretty good.  The work was interesting, and there were good people working there.  My boss was real fair."  To this my supervisor responded,  "You'll like it here.  It's just like the last place you worked."
    Our Rotary year will be what our vision of it will make it. Envision great things! I see the Rotary E-Club of Houston as the leader in the future of Rotary. Inclusive of all who want to serve others, from anywhere in the world, 24/7 anytime, we will make the world a better place.
     
    PDG Edward Charlesworth
     
    "Our life is what our thoughts make it" - Marcus Aurelius
     
    Editor’s Message - Positive Mental Attitudes For A Great Rotary Year Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-07-10 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Literacy and Rotarians

    Rotarians are involved with many types of literacy projects around the world.  Our president mentioned some literacy projects our members have already been engaged with in our own district, such as collecting and pallatizing books to be shipped around the world with the "Books for the World" project.  We have committed our club o a scholarship program to sponsor a student in Nicaragua through college.  One of our members initiated a new library program for a local non-profit for women with a special emphasis on self-help skills.   In our Rotary District we also have clubs embracing the "Dolly Parton Reading Program" to provide a home library for young students to encourage an interest in reading.  Some clubs participate in a school dictionary program.  There are programs designed to improve literacy for all ages - beginning school years to teaching illiterate adults.  Rotary indeed makes a difference!
     
    Following are ideas for how to get involved in your community as suggested in the

    Rotary International and the International Reading Association Literacy

    Project Guide:

    Improve access to books and learning materials 

    Support schools and teachers 

    Adopt a school
    Teacher training 9

    Enhance classroom learning
    Early childhood literacy
    Adult literacy
    Student mentoring
    Concentrated Language Encounter (CLE)

    Promote community development

    Improve community health
    Address special needs

    For most of us, reading and writing are as natural as breathing. But nearly 800 million adults worldwide lack the literacy skills needed to complete a job application, understand a child’s report card, or read a prescription.

    Rotary International and the International Reading Association know that literacy is an essential ingredient for reducing poverty, improving health, encouraging community and economic de- velopment, and promoting peace. Since 2002, RI and the IRA have combined their resources and skills to advance literacy in communities worldwide by

    • Providing books and educational materials

    • Building and supporting schools

    • Mentoring students

    • Training teachers

    • Establishing literacy programs for children and adults

    Whether through volunteering your time and expertise, providing financial support, or building awareness, you can empower people and communities through literacy.  In additional to the projects supported by our club and our district, following is another example of a fine project in Brazil:

     

    Concentrated language encounter (CLE)

    CLE projects in Brazil

    Rotary Districts 4520, 4560, and 4760 (Brazil); 6900 (Georgia, USA), & 7080 (Ontario, Canada)

    The concentrated language encounter (CLE) method teaches reading and writing through group activities. This process is supplemented by developmental language exercises that teach sentence construction, grammar, and spelling. The method requires only basic supplies, including paper, scissors, binding material (such as yarn or twine), colored pencils or crayons, and cardboard, making it a low-cost way to boost literacy.

    In 1997, a nearly $400,000 pilot CLE project was launched in the city of Contagem, Brazil, with the support of The Rotary Foundation and Rotary districts in Brazil, Canada, and the United States. As of 2008, about 1,900 teachers trained in the CLE method have taught more than 72,600 Brazilian students how to read and write.

    This YouTube video is an exploration of the definition of literacy: more specifically, of what it means to be a literate person in the 21st Century. Both producers are reflective practitioners who have strong literacy backgrounds. As practising teachers they have a vested interest in this subject. The producers realize that new media in a technological world is shaping the lives of youth and that as a result, redefining the literacy skills that will be necessary for youth to be able to function successfully in the world they are growing up in. The latter implies, by necessity, that the how, what and why of teaching literacy must also change. As a result of having the supposed static, print-centric notion of literacy upturned, the producers became interested in finding out if other educators at their worksites were experiencing this shift and in exploring how these educators were grappling with the notion of what it means to be a literate person and the corresponding implications in terms of their own teaching practise. Were they indeed rethinking what it means to be literate in an information and communication technological world, or upholding the traditional print-centric, paper and pencil viewpoint?
    What Does it Mean to be Literate in the 21st Century? is an important and relevant issue that invites dialogue from all practising educators who work with youth. The world is changing and schools are required to make those changes necessary to help youth become fully competent, critical, and thoughtful citizens in the world they live in.
     
    Thank you for your attention.  There is much to do to improve literacy, modify teaching to meet the needs in the community, and improve lives to make this world a better place for future generations with improved health and ability to support families.  There is something you can do either via "sweat" equity or financial support for a viable program.
    Weekly Program - Literacy and Rotarians 2014-07-10 00:00:00Z 0

    Editor's Message - Edward A. Charlesworth, Ph. D.

    Today I am your e-club editor and your past president. Sofie took over the helm as our president July 1 and I am excited about her year of leadership. In the first four months since we have been chartered we have grown as a club in numbers and service to humanity. Our Membership Chair Dree has done a fantastic job sharing Rotary.  I thought I might give you a long speech about all the great aspects of Rotary and try to convince each of you to  also “share Rotary.” This might be similar to how Sam sold Bibles in his church. Sam’s church fell on hard times and their flock had declined in membership and financially. The pastor got a group together to commit to selling 10 Bibles each to raise funds and meet new members of the community. Sunday afternoon, after the regular service the group of volunteers went out to start selling Bibles. The pastor was very worried that Sam had committed to help with this project, since he had a speech impediment, stammered and stuttered. As the dedicated volunteers returned to the church in the late afternoon, they reported their success. In general, two to four Bibles were sold. Sam had not returned and it was getting late. The pastor was worried, when finally Sam shows up. The pastor asked had he did and Sam replied, “I..I..I..so..so..so..ld a..a...a..ll th..th..th..em.” The pastor looked incredulous and said, “That’s great Sam. How did you do it?” Sam replied, “I..I..I.. a..a..a..sked i.i..if th..th..th..ey wa..wa..wa..nted t..t..to b..b..b..buy a…a..a.. Bi..Bi..Bi..ble or ..f..f..f..or m..m..me t..t..t..to r..r..r..ead it to them.
     
    So with Sam in mind,  would like to know who is the most important Rotarian in our club and in Rotary? Is it our club president? Is it our District Governor? Is it Rotary International’s President? Do you remember the Rotary International President from when you were inducted into Rotary? Do you remember the theme for the year you were inducted? I will be honest, I am lucky to remember this year’s president and theme, much less a theme from 20+ years ago when I joined Rotary. But I do remember who invited me to join Rotary. Tom Jackson invited me to give a speech at local Rotary club and later invited me to be part of forming a Rotary club. I don’t remember what the theme was or who the president was, but the most important person in Rotary was the person who asked me to join. If not for that invitation, I have no doubt my life would be less meaningful, my friendships would be less genuine, my travels would have been fewer and less rewarding, and I would have more “I wish I had’s” echoing in my mind on my death bed. I am so grateful I was asked to join Rotary. The most important person in Rotary is the person who asks you to join!
     
    Let us consider the importance of membership development and let’s begin to think about who and what a good new Rotarian should be.  Let me borrow a metaphor from a black orator to make some points about why I feel it is so important to grow this club. There have been many black orators that have had the talent to stir our souls. Through the resonance of her voice and articulate use of the language, I never grew tired of hearing Barbara Jordan discuss a topic or even comment on the behaviors that led to the impeachment and resignation of a president. Martin Luther King, Jr. could stir us to a committed action to create peaceful change. Another black orator spoke of his grandmother’s creative use of scraps of cloth from a myriad of sources as diverse as silk and burlap. These scraps alone were not “big enough” to protect and warm her children or grandchildren from the cold winter nights, but when combined together these diverse scraps could form a beautiful and functional quilt.  I wish to borrow this metaphor to make a point about the importance of promoting a growing and diverse membership. Each of us, in our own way, may only be a scrap of cloth “that is not big enough,” but together we can form the beautiful tapestry of Rotary.
     
    One of you has been passionate about eradicating polio or inoculating the children of our community from terrible childhood diseases, but alone your cloth is not big enough.  One amongst us is one of the best friends a person could ever ask for and will be there when you are sick or had surgery, hurt or needing a companion to share your trials with, to give good practical advice, or just celebrate the seasons of life, but alone your cloth of friendship is not big enough.  One of you has been passionate about increasing literacy in our own community or sending books as far away as Africa, but alone your cloth is not big enough.  One of you has been passionate about the mentally challenged who need a structured environment to work and life, but alone your cloth is not big enough.
     
    One of you has been passionate about establishing a foundation for scholarships for those amongst our children who have had to overcome a challenge to continue their education, but alone your cloth is not big enough.
    One of you has been passionate about lending a hand up through vocational training and mentoring to those whose lives were devastated by hurricanes and other natural disasters, but alone your cloth is not big enough.
    One of you has been passionate about building homes for Habitat for Humanity or shower houses for volunteers in Port Arthur who needed a place to get a refreshing and reinvigorating shower after a hard day working in the sun and heat, but alone your cloth is not big enough.
    One of you has been passionate about helping students from around the world study in different countries as a way of fostering goodwill and cultural exchanges, but alone your cloth is not big enough.
    One of you has been passionate about leading or helping young professionals study their skills and exchange their knowledge with similar professionals in faraway countries, but alone your cloth is not big enough to warm and protect the family of Rotary.
    One of you has been passionate about finding a cure for leukemia and blood related cancers as way of finding a cure for all cancers, but alone your cloth is not big enough.
    One of you has been passionate about club fellowship and the challenge of getting people from divergent professions to better know each other and become close friends in the pursuit of service above self, but alone your cloth is not big enough.
    And one of you has been passionate about mentoring our youth, especially those at risk of dropping out of school, but alone your cloth is not big enough.
     
    The family of Rotary includes doctors trained to help both with physical and mental illnesses, lawyers trained to help prevent or resolve conflicts, teachers trained to help children know how to fish and not just eat the fish they are given, engineers trained to help design factories and widgets, as well as the community we live in, interior designers trained to decorate the homes and offices we occupy to help our environments sooth our stress or motivate our drives, professionals trained to help us manage our finances to protect us from the ravages of economic pitfalls, and many other worthy vocational pursuits. But alone or collectively our cloth is not big enough.
     
    One of you has a political orientation that can be categorized as Republican, Democratic, Independent or otherwise, but alone your cloth is not big enough.  One of you practices a spiritual pursuit defined most closely by values of being a Protestant, Catholic, Buddhist, Baptist, Muslin, Hindu or Jew, but alone your cloth is not big enough.
     
    To borrow Martin Luther King, Jr.’s most famous line: “I have a dream.”  I dream that the tapestry of our Rotary club grows into a majestic quilt to protect mankind, whether in our club, community, vocation or the world. I dream that the silk amongst us can reside side-by-side with the burlap to form a pattern of hope, and a quilt of service to all of mankind without regard for political or religious differences. The thread that stitches these diverse and individually insignificant pieces of cloth together is made of a strong fiber – “service above self.” That fiber connects pieces of cloth from within out club, community, vocations, and the world to form a comfort from the cold, a humanitarian time saver, and a vehicle for peaceful change in a world desperately in need of change.
     
    Members do not just join, but they have to be invited. Think about someone you really, really like in the community. Or someone you would really enjoy getting to know better. Consider your insurance agent, doctor, minister, auto mechanic, retail storeowner, neighbor, school administrator, teacher, social service director, etc. Be creative, but remember a good Rotarian is someone you like, has similar values to you, is a good ambassador, and whether a pragmatist or idealist, somewhere in the back of their mind they believe in “service above self” as a vehicle of change in a world desperately in need of change. And the Rotary e-Club of Houston, Texas USA meets 24/7 from anywhere in the world.
     
     
    Editor's Message - Edward A. Charlesworth, Ph. D. 2014-07-04 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Thoughts on Multitasking

    We have the illusion that multitasking makes us more efficient, but it only makes us unhappy. SHARON SALZBERG shares some tips for getting work done well without getting worked up.  
    We would like to believe that attention is infinite, but it isn’t. That is why multitasking is a misnomer. The brain can focus only on one thing at a time. We take in information sequentially. When we attempt to focus on multiple tasks simultaneously, what actually happens is that we switch back and forth between tasks, paying less attention to both. This does not mean that we can’t walk and chew gum at the same time, of course. What we cannot do is concentrate in the same moment on two distinct, input-rich activities that require our attention. While we may be able to talk on the phone and stir coffee simultaneously, we can’t carry on a conversation and text at the same time without losing information and time. Studies show that when people are interrupted and have to switch their attention back and forth, they take—on average—
    50 percent longer to accomplish the task and make up to 50 percent more errors. That’s because each time you switch tasks, your brain has to run through a complex process to disengage the neurons involved in one task and activate the neurons needed for the other. The more you switch back and forth, the more time you waste and the lower your quality of work.
    Strung out by information overload, however, many of us are becoming habituated and addicted to distraction. “Successful” multitasking has been shown to activate the reward circuit in the brain by increasing dopamine levels—the brain chemical responsible for feelings of happiness. The danger of this is that the dopamine rush feels so good that we don’t notice we’re making more mistakes. This is comparable to the rush you might feel while playing the slot machines in a casino. Stimulated and entertained by the flashing lights, the ringing bells, and the distracting, carnival-like atmosphere, gamblers go into a pleasure trance, addicted to the illusion of winning money when, in fact, they’re going broke. It’s important to be aware of how multitasking can stimulate us into mindlessness, giving the illusion of productivity while stealing our focus and harming performance. “When you are walking, walk. When you are sitting, sit,” is ancient wisdom. Hopping rapidly from one thing to the next, answering the phone while we’re shuffling papers while we’re sipping a latte, we fritter away our attention and forget more easily. In addition to dopamine, multitasking prompts the release of adrenaline and other stress hormones, which contribute to short-term memory loss as well as long-term health problems. This also means that the information we take in while multitasking is harder to retrieve later than information we take in while concentrating. That is why learning to be a unitasker in a multitasking world is so vital.
    Rather than divide our attention, it is far more effective to take frequent breaks between intervals of sustained, one-pointed attention. A Web designer named Brian figured this out for himself with no knowledge of neuroscience. “I work for a community news site and have to be online from nine to five,” Brian says. “It can really fry the brain and get tedious. I’ve found that if I take ten minutes or so for every hour of work to do something for myself, like read somebody’s blog or take a walk, it helps me concentrate when I turn back to my duties.” Although this may sound difficult, Brian’s increased focus enables him to return to the task at hand with surprising ease. “Instead of hopping from thing to thing—which is so tempting with the Internet—I focus on what’s in front of me. Then I let myself dillydally to give my brain a rest. When it comes to work, less is definitely more in terms of feeling satisfied. And efficient.” While this may sound counterintuitive, relaxing our focus for regular intervals and pacing our sustained concentration sharpens attention and renders the mind more flexible.
    Debunking the myth of multitasking, we become much better at what we do and increase the chance of being able to remember the details of work we have done in the past.
     
    The Pauses That Refresh Us
    Being more in touch with our motivations or intentions will reveal a lot about the ethical dimension of our actions. Before a conversation, pause for a few moments to determine what you would most like to come out of it. Do you want most to be seen as right or as helpful? Do you want to foster progress or hinder it? Also pause before sending an email, with the same reflection: What do I most want to see come from this communication? The other party to feel diminished or encouraged? Them to go away or increase their involvement in my project? And do the same thing before a specific choice or decision—What do I most want to see as the outcome? Peace or excitement? Ease or stimulation? You don’t need to condemn what you see or decide you’ll always see the same thing inside yourself, like a fixed characteristic, but try to become more sensitive to what is motivating you in this moment before you speak or act.
     
    One Thing at a Time
    In this meditation, we try to be more fully present with every component of a single activity. At a time when you’re not likely to be distracted or disturbed by obligations, make yourself some tea. Fill the teakettle slowly, listening to the changing tone of the water as the level rises, the bubbling as it boils, the hissing of steam, the whistle of the pot. Slowly measure loose tea into a strainer, place it in the pot, and inhale the fragrant vapor as it steeps. Feel the heft of the pot and the smooth receptivity of the cup. Continue the meditation as you reach for a cup: Observe its color and shape and the way it changes with the color of the tea. Put your hands around it and feel its warmth. As you lift it, feel the gentle exertion in your hand and forearm. Hear the tea faintly slosh as you lift the cup. Inhale the scented steam and experience the smoothness of the cup on your lips, the light mist on your face, the warmth or slight scald of the first sip on your tongue. Taste the tea; what flavor do you detect? Notice any leaf bits on your tongue, the sensation of swallowing, the warmth traveling the length of your throat. Feel your breath against the cup creating a tiny cloud of steam. Feel yourself put the cup down. Focus on each separate step in the drinking of tea.
     
    9 Tips for Stealth Meditation at Work
    1. As you sit down to work, scan the sensations in your body, from your head to your feet. Notice areas of tension and breathe into them.
    2. Nourish yourself! Eat a meal mindfully, noticing the colors, the flavors, the textures of what you are eating. 
    3. Try to perform a simple, conscious act of kindness every day. It can be as simple as holding an elevator door or saying thank you in a sincere manner.
    4. Mentally acknowledge those who have helped you learn the skills you have, who have taught you to be better at your job. We are all part of a larger web. 
    5. Notice how you are holding something in your hand—a pencil or a cup, for instance. Sometimes we exert so much force holding things it exacerbates tension without our realizing it.
    6. Every time you feel bored, pay more attention to the moment. Are you listening carefully or are you multitasking?
    7. Read an entire email twice before composing a response. 
    8. Travel to work some days without your iPod, book, or phone. Experience the transition to work as a journey.
    9. For an upcoming one-on-one conversation, resolve to listen more and speak less.
     
    Reprinted from Real Happiness at Work by Sharon Salzberg, with permission of Workman Publishing

    Illustration by Andre Slob.
     
    People aren’t just cooking anymore — they’re cooking, texting, talking on the phone, watching YouTube and uploading photos of the awesome meal they just made. Designer Paolo Cardini questions the efficiency of our multitasking world and makes the case for — gasp — "monotasking." His charming 3D-printed smartphone covers just might help.
     
    Paolo Cardini is a product designer who asks serious questions about how we live — and answers them with whimsical and playful designs.  How far will social networking go? Who are the players in the myriad conflicts in the Arab world? What is the next frontier in product development? -- and trying to answer them with playful designs, like his I Like Sit chaise lounge, which updates your Facebook status depending on your position, and MiddleField, a foosball table depicting different players in the Middle East. For TEDGlobal 2012 Cardini created a unique product called the MONOtask project. To help you deal with your overly multitasked life, Cardini has designed 3D-printed smartphone covers that "downgrade" your phone to be much dumber.
     
     
     
    Weekly Program - Thoughts on Multitasking 2014-07-04 00:00:00Z 0

    Leadership Team 2014-2015

    Officers
    President                                     Sofka Werkmeister
    Secretary                                     Michael Mebes
    Co-Secretary                                Martine Stolk
    Treasurer                                     Mike Miller
    Past President                              Ed Charlesworth
    Directors
    Director - New Generations           Wind Nguyen
    Director - Fundraising
    Committee Chairs
    Programs & Club Administration
    Public Relations
    Publicity/WebSite/Newsletter          Ed/Sofka/Robin
    Membership Chair                          Dree Miller
    Service Chair
    Rotary Foundation Chair/Polio Plus
    International Services                    Wind Nguyen
    Interact & Rotaract
    New Member Orientation
    Nominations
    Rotary 101
     
     
    As you can see, we have a number of positions vacant at this time.  If you have an interest in one of these committees, please contact President Sofka Werkmeister.  Thank you!
    Leadership Team 2014-2015 Sofka Werkmeister 2014-07-03 00:00:00Z 0
    Inspirational Message - Optimism on Purpose Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-07-03 00:00:00Z 0

    Greeter

    Hello fellow Rotarians!
     
    It was lovely to have met some of you along with Rotaractors and Interactors on June 29th at the Rotary Mixer.
    Thank you to both Dr. Ed and Robin Charlesworth for opening their home to us! Please allow me to take this opportunity to say a big “Thank You” to those traditional Rotary Club members who may follow the e-Club newsletter. On behalf of the Rotary e-Club, your support is sincerely appreciated!
     
    It’s an exciting time for Rotary District 5890 with additions of new clubs, including the newest charter- the Rotary e-Club of Houston!
    There are already some service projects in the works and I encourage you to please share your thoughts and ideas on projects of which you are passionate with me. The more opportunities to serve, whether individually or as a club, the merrier! In addition, please refer friends, colleagues and those in your social network who may have a heart for service but are unable to commit to the traditional boundaries of Rotary to the e-Club either through the Facebook or Twitter accounts. One of the club leaders will be happy to communicate and provide more information about how to get involved. In the near future, we will be working on ways to report your donations of goods and services in-kind. We also would like to have a different member serve as greeter in our weekly newsletters. It is as a great way to learn about one another and share areas of interests and volunteer opportunities with other members. Individually we do such good work that sometimes is unknown to the club collectively. Imagine the possibilities when you share those experiences? Your single service project could become a club project!
     
    Since moving to Houston in 2010, Rhonda Vickery has worked with the YMCA Refugee Resettlement Program, operates an annual blanket and coat drive for the homeless and has worked with other charities/fundraisers such as Lamborghini Festival Houston, Coalition for the Homeless and the Houston Food Bank. By day, she works in financial services with FOCUS Wealth Advisors, a private wealth management firm in operations and compliance. By evening, she spends time volunteering with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Wine Sales & Events Committee, learning new recipes, being a novice photographer and writing a blog. She and her daughter, along with their Jack Russell Terrier reside in the Memorial area and thoroughly enjoy the entertainment, festivals, culture and parks that Houston offers. Rhonda is excited to now be part of the Rotary e-Club of Houston and participate as Service Projects Chairperson.
     
     
    Hope to see you all soon at Rio Ranch!
    Rhonda
     
    Greeter 2014-07-03 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: The Power of Vulnerability

    TEDxHouston · Filmed June 2010 · 20:19
    Brené Brown: The power of vulnerability
     
    Brené Brown studies human connection — our ability to empathize, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity.
     
    Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. She has spent the past ten years studying vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame. She spent the first five years of her decade-long study focusing on shame and empathy, and is now using that work to explore a concept that she calls Wholeheartedness. She poses the questions:
    How do we learn to embrace our vulnerabilities and imperfections so that we can engage in our lives from a place of authenticity and worthiness? How do we cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection that we need to recognize that we are enough – that we are worthy of love, belonging, and joy?
     
    Weekly Program: The Power of Vulnerability ed c 2014-06-27 00:00:00Z 0
    Song of the Week - Barbra Streisand's "People Who Need People" 2014-06-27 00:00:00Z 0

    Giving Opportunities to the Rotary Foundation

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    Many of us Rotarians would like to assist the great work of the Rotary Foundation beyond our normal levels of Club and District support. I like to think of this as, “Service Beyond Self” not just, Service Above Self.”  There is a team of Rotarian that are available to assist us in expediting this support. Among the ways that the Rotary Foundation is unique is that every dollar of principal contributed is spent for the good works of the Rotary Foundation. The few overheads needed to run and maintain the Rotary Foundation are paid for out of interest and never out of principal, so that every dollar contributed to principal is part of an endowment used to fund the programs of the Foundation. Not only are we unique as Rotarians, but our Foundation is unique as well. Recognizing that Rotary has members and friends of different vocations, incomes, and means, there are a variety of giving programs available to assist those of us who “want to go the extra mile.”
                For as little as a $1,000 bequest in your will or beneficiary designation in your insurance policy, you can be recognized as a Bequest Society member, which is a direct contribution to the general endowment of the Fund. Endowed gift opportunities include: cash gifts that carry different levels of recognition (includes $10K for Major Donor Status and $25K for Major Donor Level 2 status that permits the donor to establish a named fund within the Rotary Foundation and even split incomes between the Foundation and the District if desired). Yet larger donations permit the donor to establish Donor Advised Funds with yet more direction as to how the income of the gift may be used.
    In addition to present cash gifts, future gifts may be made through life insurance, by making a bequest in a will, or by gift through a trust. Gifts of securities and/or real estate may also be made, including the ability to continue to live in your home during your lifetime. Gifts of income may be made through annuities, charitable remainder trusts, a charitable IRA remainders or rollovers.   
    The point is that every Rotarian and every friend of Rotary may further the works of the Rotary Foundation in different ways and at any level that suits your individual circumstances. Please consider some of these giving opportunities in consultation with your financial advisor, insurance agent, banker, or attorney. Your desire, not just your present ability to give, can forever benefit the greatest number of people worldwide.
     
    By Stu Levin, Attorney at Law
    District 5890 Endowments Chair and Major Donor Advisor
     
    Giving Opportunities to the Rotary Foundation Stu Levin 2014-06-26 00:00:00Z 0

    Song of the Week - Chuck Pyle's "Step by Step"

    A song that gets into your head and inspires us to take just one step and then another step to make a difference.  It begins with the first step and in the fellowship of other caring Rotarians, the steps we take allow us to reach more people and do more than we would have dreamed possible once we started our journey with just one step. New Rotarians may take some time to find the direction they wish to travel and may explore various avenues until one day when a passion is ignited and the steps taken enrich the lives of others as well as our own.
     
    Dedicated to the incoming leaders of our Rotary e-Club who have chosen to commit some of their steps each week to club service.  Remember, you will have other active members by your side this year who are willing to assist and we will be seeking others to join with us and go the distance step by step to accomplish our service goals.
     
    Song of the Week - Chuck Pyle's "Step by Step" Ed C 2014-06-20 00:00:00Z 0

    President's Message

    President's Message

    Dear Fellow Rotarian,
     
    As I was reflecting on the potential messages for this week, the word “literacy” came to my mind. As I travel frequently, many times on overseas flights, some passengers are asking for help to fill out the necessary documentation. Sometimes, they have a letter from their loved ones explaining that the person doesn’t have the ability to read or write. I’m always amazed by the grace and the compassion displayed by the people helping these passengers.
     
    The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines literacy as the "ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society".
     
    Here are only few facts about the literacy as food for thought: Worldwide, approximately 800 million adults (11 percent of the world’s population) are considered functionally illiterate, with only basic or below-basic literacy levels in their native languages. 16.8% of US adults ages 18-24 did not graduate high school or obtain equivalency. (Source:  Education Attainment table, 2010 American Community Survey (U.S. Census Bureau)). 1 in 3 high school students drop out each year. (Source: 2008 Report of the National Commission on Adult Literacy).
     
    On the bright side, it was been reported that for every dollar that gets spent on adult illiteracy, society reaps $7.14 in returns, whether through increased revenues or decreased expenditures (Source: literacypartners.org).
     
    As the literacy is one of the essential ingredients for reducing poverty, improving health, and encouraging community’s economic development, Rotary International has adopted basic education and literacy as one of the areas of focus. Rotary clubs support literacy and education through local and international service initiatives like
    • Providing books and educational materials
    • Building schools
    • Mentoring students
    • Helping schools and other literacy agencies do their jobs by providing financial support, in-kind gifts and personal services of Rotarians
    • Promoting a local community culture of educational excellence and inclusion. Projects such as student and teacher recognitions, scholarships, contests and competitions are examples and many more initiatives.
     
    Our club has already been involved in literacy projects like Books for the World, Essay Contest in Schools, Science Judges, and building a library. We applied for a 2014-2015 district grant for scholarship for the Children of the Dump in Nicaragua. For less than $1,430 we plan to sponsor a former child from the dump to attend college for one year. Through the grant, we want to provide sponsorship for 3-4 children.
     
    Let’s make further acquaintances with opportunities for service in the area of literacy projects.  Perhaps this message will be a catalyst allowing us to expand our involvement with literacy projects as we carry on the Rotary’s great tradition of “Service Above Self.”
     
     
    Sofka Werkmeister
    President 2014-2015
    Rotary e-Club of Houston, TX, USA
     
    President's Message ed c 2014-06-19 00:00:00Z 0

    Inspirational Video - The Power of Teamwork - Inspired by the Blue Angels

    The Rotary year  2013-2014 is about to end and a new team of leaders will be installed on Saturday for the new year in Rotary.  As a new "team" of Rotarians, we have just begun.  If there are questions you have about being an active member of the club, such as how to report attendance for attending an on-line meeting, then please do not hesitate to ask.  We will grow together and become even stronger as we develop our vision of what we want to accomplish as a club and as individuals serving others as Rotarians.
    Inspirational Video - The Power of Teamwork - Inspired by the Blue Angels 2014-06-19 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Leadership and Serving Others

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    YouTube published on January 28, 2013 by Tony Robbins.  What makes a great leader an a hero to others?  Watch as Tony shares that being a hero actually means being a servant to something bigger than one's self, and that focusing on the greater good as opposed to just your needs will reap massive rewards.
     
    Now to continue our focus on messages conveyed by singer/songwriters (if you have been following our recent newsletters).  This is really good, so take the time to sit in front of your computer and read the inspirational quotes as you enjoy music by Eric Clapton:
     
    Have you thought about the difference between leadership and management?  Rotary provides opportunities for leadership training for young and seasoned Rotarians. 
     
    The following is adapted from “The Wall Street Journal Guide to Management” by Alan Murray, published by Harper Business.
    Leadership and management must go hand in hand. They are not the same thing. But they are necessarily linked, and complementary. Any effort to separate the two is likely to cause more problems than it solves.
    Still, much ink has been spent delineating the differences. The manager’s job is to plan, organize and coordinate. The leader’s job is to inspire and motivate. In his 1989 book “On Becoming a Leader,” Warren Bennis composed a list of the differences:
     
    – The manager administers; the leader innovates.
    – The manager is a copy; the leader is an original.
    – The manager maintains; the leader develops.
    – The manager focuses on systems and structure; the leader focuses on people.
    – The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust.
    – The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective.
    – The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.
    – The manager has his or her eye always on the bottom line; the leader’s eye is on the horizon.
    – The manager imitates; the leader originates.
    – The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it.
    – The manager is the classic good soldier; the leader is his or her own person.
    – The manager does things right; the leader does the right thing.
     
    Perhaps there was a time when the calling of the manager and that of the leader could be separated. A foreman in an industrial-era factory probably didn’t have to give much thought to what he was producing or to the people who were producing it. His or her job was to follow orders, organize the work, assign the right people to the necessary tasks, coordinate the results, and ensure the job got done as ordered. The focus was on efficiency.
    But in the new economy, where value comes increasingly from the knowledge of people, and where workers are no longer undifferentiated cogs in an industrial machine, management and leadership are not easily separated. People look to their managers, not just to assign them a task, but to define for them a purpose. And managers must organize workers, not just to maximize efficiency, but to nurture skills, develop talent and inspire results.
    The late management guru Peter Drucker was one of the first to recognize this truth, as he was to recognize so many other management truths. He identified the emergence of the “knowledge worker,” and the profound differences that would cause in the way business was organized.
    With the rise of the knowledge worker, “one does not ‘manage’ people,” Mr. Drucker wrote. “The task is to lead people. And the goal is to make productive the specific strengths and knowledge of every individual.”
     
    May the leadership of Rotary International and the leadership of each club, particularly our own club, strive to utilize the strengths and talents of each active member to benefit mankind and contribute to making this world a better place for future generations. 
    Weekly Program - Leadership and Serving Others Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-06-19 00:00:00Z 0

    Do-It-Yourelf Libraries

    When the editors at Reader's Digest made a list of the "50 Surprising Reasons We Love America" for their July 2013 cover story, they placed Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi at No. 50, Bill Gates at No. 25, and at No. 11, sandwiched between sliced bread and tumbleweeds, was Little Free Library, a homespun-tribute-turned-international-phenomenon started by Rotary member Todd Bol.
    People in 55 countries have installed more than 16,000 Lilliputian lending libraries, run on the premise of "take a book, return a book," since Bol built his first in 2009 in memory of his mother, a teacher who loved to read. Called an "international movement" by the New York Times and a "global sensation" by the Huffington Post, the libraries have garnered coverage from media outlets including Japanese public television and French and Italian fashion magazines.
    Participation is simple: Mount a wooden box (many of them look like birdhouses) on a post in front of your home, workplace, or school. Fill it with books. Delight as neighbors stop by to browse your selections or leave books of their own.
    Bibliophiles aren't the only ones willing to trade a patch of lawn for a box of books. Bol, of Hudson, Wisconsin, calls Little Free Library "a new canvas for community groups" – such as artists in New York City, who held a competition to design the boxes; inmates at a Wisconsin prison, who are constructing them as part of vocational training and community service; and corporations, which are building them on service days to give back to their communities. Rotary and Rotaract clubs from the United States to Canada, Mauritius to Ghana, are installing the libraries in their areas too.
    About three-quarters of the operators build their own libraries; plans are available on the nonprofit's website, www.littlefreelibrary.org. The rest purchase readymade ones for $175 and up, depending on the model. The proceeds fund the staff, website, and educational outreach, as well as the organization's programs to build more libraries for people in need.

    Do-It-Yourelf Libraries ed c 2014-06-14 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program

    In the new year, DG (soon to be PDG) Bob Gebhard will be our district's "Visioning" chair.  Rotarians and their clubs are asked to participate in visioning with their club in mind to project hopes and dreams of what the club could accomplish.  The following story shared by "Sting" is a success story of visioning:
     
     
    Weekly Program ed c 2014-06-13 00:00:00Z 0

    Inspirational Message - Visioning

    Taken from GetMyInspiration4Life:
     
    Bo Bennett said, "Visualization is daydreaming with a purpose."
    If you were to hold a vivid, fearful picture in your imagination, your body would respond through the autonomic nervous system, with a feeling of uneasiness, upset stomach, elevated pulse and blood pressure, sweating and dryness of the mouth.
    However, if you were to hold a pleasant, relaxing image in your mind, your body would respond with a lowered heart rate, decreased blood pressure, and relaxed muscles.
    Remember, what the mind pictures and harbors, the body manifests.
    So sit back, turn up your speakers enjoy the session and share it with those you care about!
     
     
    Inspirational Message - Visioning Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-06-13 00:00:00Z 0

    New Sister Club - Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone District 9920

    "TWIN CLUB" Agreement
    This is an agreement to confirm that The Rotary eClub of Houston, District 5890 & The Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone, District 9920
    are now Twin Clubs with the common aims of :
    1. Providing an opportunity of friendship between Rotarians and partners of each club.
    2. Developing joint programs with humanitarian, health, hunger, and educational purposes.
    3. Hosting individual or groups of Rotarians and partners when visiting each other.
    4. Maintaining correspondence between each club relating to the Five Avenues of Rotary Service.
    This Agreement will be effective immediately.
     
    This agreement was formalized on June 24th at 1:00 pm CST and 8 pm in France.  The participants shared that "we were speaking half French and half English during the meeting, but connected because we are all Rotarians."   Participating in the go-to-meeting were representatives from the following countries:  Canada, France, USA, Brazil, Tahiti, Japan, and Morac.  Special thanks to incoming AG Wally Kronzer from Rotary Club of West University for joining us in our Twin E-Club Ceremony.   "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" was sung to a notre membre d'Honneur , le PP Susumu Yamamoto au Japon!
     
    Our clubs are already planning on sharing in a grant to fight malaria together as we embrace the new Rotary theme of "Light up Rotary" around the world.
     
     
     
     
    New Sister Club - Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone District 9920 2014-06-05 00:00:00Z 0

    Editor's MESSAGE

    Greetings Rotarians and Guests!  Each Rotary year the Rotary International President pins a "motto" for the Rotary year.  There have been many great ones, some short and some long, yet all that sum up the vision of Rotary.  In 1998-99 the motto was "Follow Your Rotary Dream" chosen by PRIP James Lacy of Cookeville, TN.  In 2008-2009, PRIP Kurn Lee Dong of Seoul, Korea chose "Make Dreams Real".  In recent years, advanced Rotary leadership training has offered training in "Visioning."   Visioning for leadership may be defined as the process of forming a mental image in order to set goals, make plans, and solve problems that guide the organization into the future. Thus, it is the first step in goal-setting. While mission statements guide the organization in its day-to-day operations, visions provide a sense of direction for the long term — the means to the future. Visions are quite often the simple part, with the hard part being the execution—turning the vision into reality. A popular saying, "If you can dream it, you can do it".  But first, you must hold the dream and remain focused on what is desired.  Rotary provides many Rotarians the means to accomplish their dreams.  It begins with only one Rotarian with a vision, and who then shares his or her vision with another Rotarian, who presents it at a Board of Directors meeting with specific needs and goals, and then the vision begins to become reality.  Rotarians often find a particular program which becomes a passion.  It may be to create a literacy program, build a library. build a home for firemen seeking medical treatment far from home, providing clean water to orphans in Haiti, etc.  As you learn more about Rotary perhaps you, too, will discover a passion for helping others.  It may be supporting our Rotary Foundation in general or designating funds for a specific program.  Let us know if you have a vision for our e-club.
     
    Enjoy this week's program!
     
    Yours in Rotary,
     
    Robin Charlesworth, Editor
    Editor's MESSAGE ed c 2014-06-05 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program

    The focus of this week's program is "Mental Health Issues in Youth".  No matter where in the world you live, there are concerns about mental health and  emotional stability due to depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and other issues affecting school performance and family life of our youth.  Sometimes the pressures build up to the point of suicidal ideation in some teen's minds.  We want to share two videos which will (1) share the emotional overload and thought processes of a suicidal teen as presented by Canadian Alicia Raimundo, and (2) a groundbreaking youth forum highlighting mental health issues of students in Sydney, Australia. 

    A TedTalk Published on Jun 12, 2012

    Alicia Raimundo has been a mental health advocate since she was 13, after she experienced serious bouts of suicidal ideation as the result of her depression and anxiety. She knows she came perilously close to being part of Canada's grim suicide statistics. Ten years later, she spends her days finishing her undergrad degree in psychology, while volunteering at half a dozen mental health-related causes. She co-founded the online portion of Almond Health emotional wellbeing community website and is a member of a young adult team that works to translate academic mental health information into language that resonates with young people. She is also a facilitator of a "young survivors of suicide loss" group and takes every opportunity to speak publicly about mental health. Last October, she was on a panel of speakers for Canada AM's Speak Out On Suicide program and contributed to MTV's Let's Talk mental health campaign. Alicia's goal is to make people more connected to mental health issues while helping to eliminate the stigma attached to it.
     
     
    While in Sydney, Australia for the Rotary International Convention held from June 1 - 4, 2014, President Ed and his wife, Robin, visited the KYDS facility and visited with David Citer, Manager of KYDS, and David Morris, a member of the Rotary Club of Lindfield and also a Board Member of KYDS.  Following is an introduction of KYDS which provides free mental health services to youth ages 12 - 18 and families nearby Sydney with no waiting list:
     
    Earlier this year a youth forum on mental health issues was held on the North Shore of Sydney with 370 students, and 50 teachers from 28 schools in attendance.  The aim of the forum was to give participants a better understanding of mental health issues and to help de-stigmatise conditions like depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety.  A panel of industry professionals along with local MPs presented along with a mentla health advocate, Bronte O'Brien, who spoke to the students about her battle with bipolar disorder.  The students also took part in a one hour Q & A panel that included Police Officer Stephanie Murray and KYDS Manager David Citer.  Next they brainstormed strategies that they could not only use themselves but that they could take back to their schools to help and support their friends suffering from depression and anxiety. 
     
    Weekly Program Ed C 2014-06-05 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program

    SHELTERBOX

    Every year thousands of communities, often with no warning, lose their homes, their possessions and their livelihoods. Every day they are faced with a battle for survival.  We provide emergency shelter and vital supplies to support communities around the world overwhelmed by disaster and humanitarian crisis.  Since we began in 2000, we have responded to earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, landslides, typhoons and conflict, delivering emergency humanitarian aid to communities in need.
     
    The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Syria crisis, and the biggest storm to ever make landfall – Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines; we have responded to some of the largest humanitarian crises the modern world has ever known. Alongside this, we have also helped many thousands of people displaced by disasters that are not featured in the media. Simply put, if there are families in need of emergency shelter, we will do everything we can to help them.
    Our vision
    A world in which all people displaced by disasters and humanitarian crises are rapidly provided with emergency shelter and vital aid, which will help rebuild their communities and lives.
     
    Our mission
    To rapidly provide emergency shelter and vital aid to stabilise, protect and support communities overwhelmed by disaster and humanitarian crisis.
     
     
    In 2012, Shelterbox became Rotary International's first project partner. This agreement offers opportunities to collaborate and combine resources to provide emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies for families around the world who are affected by disasters and humanitarian crises.
     
    The fundraising efforts by Rotarians make up a significant proportion of donations received by ShelterBox. Alongside this, Rotary Clubs provide invaluable logistical support to our field operations.
    Rotarians will often be the people who ensure our aid can be delivered into a country by acting as consignees. These essential acts mean we can deliver aid to people in need as quickly as possible.
    More often than not, it will be Rotarians who are the first point of contact for the SRT members when they arrive in a country that has been devastated by a disaster. They provide everything from logistical support, translators, local knowledge to a bed to sleep in.
     
    The global Rotary network has been key in our international growth. At present, all of our affiliates have been set up by Rotarians or Rotaracters and the growth has been phenomenal.
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Weekly Program 2014-05-22 00:00:00Z 0
    Inspirational Moment - Overcoming Adversity 2014-05-22 00:00:00Z 0

    June 19th (Thursday) - BINGO NIGHT in the Heights

    Join Rotary E-Club of Houston fellowship night as we play Bingo in the Heights. Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors are all invited. Bring your friends and family...

    $7.00 Pitchers of Shiner Bock, Miller Lite or Bud Light can be purchased. They also sell soft drinks, water, mixers, and snacks. Outside beverages and ice (except wine or liqour) are not permitted and will be checked at the door. No coolers of any kind are allowed in the lodge building.

    Bingo pads are $5.00 each. Doors open at 5:15pm. Early bird special starts at 7:00 pm with regular bingo games beginning at 7:30 pm.

    * Once capacity of 700 people is reached they will close the doors to unaccounted players.
    June 19th (Thursday) - BINGO NIGHT in the Heights 2014-05-22 00:00:00Z 0

    June 20th (Saturday) Club Installation Event

     
    Our Club Installation of Officers for the 2015-2016  Rotary Year will be conducted on June 20th, 2015 beginning at 11:00 am and ending at 1:00 pm;  Lunch will be served by Soto's Cantina and the cost will be $15/person.   AG Wally Kronzer will conduct the installation of officers.  This will be a joint meeting with the Rotary Club of Houston NW Sunset. 
    June 20th (Saturday) Club Installation Event Sofka Werkmeister 2014-05-21 05:00:00Z 0

    OPEN BOARD MEETING - Saturday, May 17th

    All Active Members and guests are invited to attend an OPEN Board of Directors Meeting this coming Saturday beginning at 10:30 am at the Rio Ranch Restaurant located at 9999 Westheimer Road.  If you have items for the agenda, please email directly to President Ed Charlesworth.  We hope to introduce our club banner and are working on a "Sister Club" relationship with Rotary E-Club 9920 Francophone. Attendance at this meeting does count as your attendance at a weekly meeting.  Remember to report your attendance so you will get credit for participating as an Active Member.  Members must attend 50% of the meetings.  It only requires visiting our website or reading the newsletter.  If you read or view the program on the website, there is now a new COMMENT section following the program.  This is only available on the website.  Hope to see you on Saturday!
    OPEN BOARD MEETING - Saturday, May 17th 2014-05-15 00:00:00Z 0

    President's Message - Ed Charlesworth

    I hope you enjoy our program on “shelter box” this week. So often a shelter in the form of what we might only think of as a “tent” can provide hope for the future. So often it seems in our large houses with garages we do not have what we need. The “shelter box” story shows how much can be packed into a small space to provide us with what we truly need. This week’s program reminded me of a speech I heard by past Rotary International President Richard King.  He told a story about a trip he took to India for a Health, Hunger and Humanity project with Rotary International.  He described visiting a very small, very poor village where the homes were cow dung huts.
    It was the custom to give a gift to a guest in your house.  Knowing this custom prompted one of the members of the project to secretly give a gift to the guide, to be given to the chief.  Then the chief would have a gift to give away, and no one would have to know where it came from.  The chief refused.
    When the guests arrived to the chief's hut, they saw the chief, his wife holding a newborn baby, and their many children.  The chief spoke through the interpreter and said, "A guest in your home is a God."  He then looked around the barren hut, picked up and gave to the guests a banged up milk pail that was used to feed the children.  President King reflected that the real gift that day was the handshake of a man of integrity and ethics. The Rotarians who founded the “shelter box” project have given us all a gift through an ability to respond to catastrophes around the world. This gift provides hope and a way of meeting our simplest of needs. Perhaps we often confuse our needs and wants, but in a time of crisis we understand what is truly important.
    People who have found peace of mind often lived lives where their actions and behaviors were in balance with their beliefs and values.  And many successful people may die with few material possessions.  Mahatma Gandhi died possessing a pair of sandals, a staff, a spinning wheel, and glasses to read his prayer book. Yet we may all see him as a very successful person.
     
    "And there are those who have little and give it all. These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty." - Kahil Gibran
     
     
    Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-05-14 00:00:00Z 0

    More about the Rotary Foundation

    June 30 will mark the end of the Rotary year and I encourage you each to consider a donation to The Rotary Foundation. This is the vehicle that we are using to eradicate polio, provide for international and community service grants, and in general make the world a better place. Rotary encourages each member to donate $100 per year to the annual fund and $20 to the polio eradication program. The great news is that 100% or your donation will be used for humanitarian service. The Rotary Foundation invests the donations for three years and the income covers operating expenses. Then three years later 100% of your dollar is returned for humanitarian services. Three years later what our Rotary district has contributed to The Rotary Foundations comes back to our clubs in the form of grants. We will be eligible for these grants based on our club’s contributions, and trained members to administer the grant (we have already done this). Our club signs a “memorandum of understanding” stating our commitment to be good stewards of the grant moneys. Let’s be proactive and make our donations multiply through the use of district grants.  To make a donation to the Rotary Foundation, visit the Rotary International website and open your own My Rotary log-in.  There you will find user friendly links to make your contributions.
    More about the Rotary Foundation Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-05-14 00:00:00Z 0

    Comments:

     
    Comments: Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-05-13 00:00:00Z 0

    HOWARD BUFFETT WANTS TO END HUNGER BY 2046

    Howard Buffett is on deadline. In 2006, his father, U.S. investor and philanthropist Warren Buffett, challenged him to do something great in the world – and gave him $1 billion to do it. So he gave himself 40 years to spend every penny in a bold attempt to end global hunger. After a second stock gift in 2012 and favorable returns, he has about $3 billion now. An Illinois farmer, Buffett spends part of the year in the cab of his tractor and the rest of his time leading the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. He's barreled headfirst into his task, visiting more than 100 countries to research the scope of the issue. So far, his work has funded research into drought-tolerant crops, supported the mapping of food insecurity in America, and will pull nearly 50,000 Central American farmers out of poverty.
    The Rotarian: How does your experience as a farmer tie into your foundation? I understand there's research happening on your farms.
    Howard Buffett: We're working with a lot of different universities to learn. For example, we are trying to figure out how to grow rice and corn with significantly less water. That will help in water conservation, and it also will help in areas of the world where you have less water. We're looking at different farming systems in terms of carbon release, in terms of yield, in terms of soil erosion. We have plots in South Africa, in Illinois, and in Arizona. We're doing a study on African agricultural productivity based on a number of issues, including political restraints and productivity of soil. We'll have that out in 2014, and it will contradict some of the mainstream thinking that Africa can feed the world. We'll go in-depth in 10 countries and talk about the things that have to happen if these countries are even going to feed themselves. Our plan is to challenge the status quo.
    What has been your biggest success so far?
    We've had huge success with something called P4P, or Purchase for Progress, with the World Food Programme. We'll pull close to 50,000 farmers across four countries in Central America permanently out of poverty. We train farmers in business and production methods, and then WFP guarantees that it will buy from those farmers for things like school feeding programs and emergency relief. WFP buys thousands of tons of food. Because they guarantee they'll buy it, we don't have to worry about what happens if we train all these farmers and they can't sell something. When we walk away from this program, most of those farmers will be in the marketplace. In fact, almost half those farmers are already selling to other entities. They don't need us anymore. That's the beauty of the program.
    Rotary is also shifting toward more sustainable projects. How do you think Rotarians could help with your efforts?
    I've actually thought about how great Rotary would be in eastern DRC because when you're trying to rebuild a society, what's the first thing you do? You have to build camaraderie. You have to build trust. You have to build a social conscience. Rotary clubs do that.
    You decided that your foundation would go out of business in 40 years – is that to maintain a sense of urgency?
    If you think that way, you're going to act differently. We will go out of business in 40 years from 2006. That's set in stone.
    What do you hope to accomplish by then?
    I hope we will have shaken up the conversation, challenged people, and challenged processes. I hope we help people think about issues differently and even change the mindset a little bit – like that it's OK to fail.
    Your dad calls you the Indiana Jones of philanthropy. What drives you to work in some of the world's most dangerous places?
    I want to understand the full picture of hunger, and conflict is a main cause. Nearly 60 percent of the hunger in Africa is caused by conflict.
    But why is alleviating hunger so important to you that you'd risk your own life by going into a conflict zone?
    People are living in these circumstances. That's their life. I get to go home. When you start doing things in areas that are difficult, you find people who are so committed, and you feel like, "Well, if they're not giving up, I can't give up."
    Adapted from an interview in the April 2014 edition of The Rotarian
    Vanessa Glavinskas
     
    HOWARD BUFFETT WANTS TO END HUNGER BY 2046 2014-05-13 00:00:00Z 0

    Peace Corps & Rotary - Historic Collaboration

     
    In an effort to promote global development and volunteer service, Rotary and Peace Corps have agreed to participate in a one-year pilot program in the Philippines, Thailand, and Togo.
    Under the agreement, Rotary clubs and Peace Corps volunteers are encouraged to share their resources and knowledge to boost the impact of development projects in these three countries.
    Opportunities for collaboration include supporting community projects, training, networking, and community education. Through the Peace Corps Partnership Program, Rotary clubs can continue to provide small grants to support volunteers and their communities.
    Peace Corps Acting Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet and Rotary International General Secretary John Hewko signed the letter of collaboration on Monday, 5 May, at Rotary's headquarters during a ceremony that was attended by RI President Ron Burton and RPCV Rotary staff. In his remarks to the audience, Burton applauded the collaboration and both organizations' commitments to service.
    "Today's announcement is particularly meaningful for me because I come from a family of Rotarians," said Hessler-Radelet, referring to her father, grandfather, and aunt. "We are eager to join together in common efforts to inspire volunteerism across the country and around the world."
    Hewko noted how both organizations are committed to improving lives and building stronger communities by addressing the root causes of violence and conflict, such as poverty, illiteracy, disease, and lack of access to clean water and sanitation.
    The two organizations also agreed to explore expanding the collaboration to more countries based on the results of the pilot. Rotary will enlist the support of its members in recruiting Peace Corps volunteers and involving returned Peace Corps volunteers in service projects at home.
    ROTARY MEMBERS MADE COLLABORATION POSSIBLE
    Hessler-Radelet credited Rotary members in the Denver area, particularly returned Peace Corps volunteers Sue Fox, Valerie Hopkins, and Steve Werner, with helping to make the collaboration possible.
    The three Rotarians, who attended the signing, are members of the District 5450 Rotary-Peace Corps Alliance Committee, which has sought a formal agreement between the two organizations since 2010.
    Werner said they wanted to create an official relationship to make it easier for Rotary clubs and Peace Corps volunteers to connect. "[The letter] ensures compatibility and a shared value system," he added.
    Jesse Davis, one of more than a dozen Rotary employees who are returned Peace Corps volunteers, said he hopes the partnership inspires more like it around the world.
    "While serving as a Peace Corps response volunteer in Panama, I found myself working with the local Rotary club on countless occasions. They were an integral partner in my work," he said.
    STRENGTHENING CONNECTIONS
    The letter of collaboration not only officially recognizes the partnership between the two organizations, but also encourages Rotary clubs and Peace Corps volunteers to expand the connections already in place.
    In Togo, Peace Corps volunteers Daniel Brown and David Gooze have teamed up with Rotary and other partners in the United States and Togo to distribute more than 5,000 soccer balls to disadvantaged youth. They are organizing 'More Than Just a Game' sessions, which use soccer as a medium to teach children about malaria prevention.
    "It's just one example of how Rotary and Peace Corps can collaborate on the ground to achieve lasting impact in the communities where we work," Hessler-Radelet said.
    Within the Philippines, Thailand, and Togo, Peace Corps posts and Rotary districts will coordinate at the country level with support from the headquarters of both organizations. Local Rotary clubs interested in working with Peace Corps volunteers should contact their district governors. Clubs located elsewhere should work through their Rotary counterparts in the pilot countries.
     
    By Maureen Vaught (Published in Rotary.org - My Rotary)
    Peace Corps & Rotary - Historic Collaboration 2014-05-13 00:00:00Z 0
    Inspirational Quote - Why We Are Rotarians 2014-05-12 00:00:00Z 0

    WEEKLY PROGRAM - CLEAN WATER & ROTARY

    CLEAN WATER is a major focus area of Rotary International.  Did you know 5000 children die daily due to water and sanitation Issues? Disease from water and sanitation issues kill more people than all other forms of violence, including war. Our projects give communities the ability to develop and maintain sustainable water and sanitation systems and support studies related to water and sanitation.  To date, Rotary Clubs have donated more than US$20 million to address water issues.
     
     
    About Wasrag and the World Water Summit:
     
    The Water & Sanitation Rotarian Action Group (Wasrag) has more than 1600 members in 90 countries and focuses on water, sanitation and hygiene. Rotarians have delivered sustainable solutions by working within the culture and values of the local communities. They are attuned to political situations while they take into consideration the complex realities of geography, geology and climate. Wasrag provides all Rotarians with the know­how, consistency and credibility essential to conduct sustainable successful WASH projects. 
     
    Wasrag (Water & Sanitation Rotarian Action Group) was formed on March 22nd, 2007 and recognized by Rotary International.
    Wasrag is the response to Rotarians’ desire to have a major impact on the life and livelihood of people by helping to provide lasting and sustainable safe water and sanitation solutions.
     
    The world is discovering that effective programs take 3 to 5 years to be sustainable – local community engagement and appropriate technologies are keys to success. Solutions need to consider complex realities: geography, geology, climate, local culture for example. Ensuring a project is based on best practices isn’t easy, requiring skills often not readily available to Rotary Clubs.
    Wasrag was created to provide the know-how, consistency and credibility essential to success over the long term.
    Why will this work?
    The basis of the Wasrag approach is a comprehensive Needs Assessment for every affected area. Wasrag is coordinating new evaluation methods and universally-accessible tools to help every project use the assessments to be more successful.
    The key aspects of Wasrag are:
    · Large scale needs assessments reflecting local realities such as watersheds, flow issues and political boundaries;
    · Wasrag-endorsed project listings that Rotary Clubs,
    Districts and even non-Rotarian groups can rely on,
    knowing they fit into larger sustainable programs;
    · Up-to-the-minute guidance on best practices in water & sanitation work: community participation, needs-driven, sustainable technologies, education, long-term monitoring, evaluation and continuous learning;
    · Experts network and technical support;
    · Awareness building about the crisis facing the world;
    · Sourcing external funding; and building relationships with reliable partners.
     
     
    ROTARY WATER PROJECT IN GHANA:
    For over 20 years, Michael Anyekase has crisscrossed Ghana drilling boreholes and installing hand pumps on wells to provide clean water. Water for drinking, washing, and flushing toilets. "There is nothing more satisfying than when fresh water comes out of the well and the children shout, 'Hey, water! Water!'" says Anyekase, who works for Water in Africa, a nongovernmental organization (NGO).
     
    In partnership with Rotary members from across the globe, Anyekase's dedication has helped eradicate Guinea worm disease and lessen the cases of dysentery, diarrhea, and other common diseases associated with dirty water. In fact, Rotary has provided more sources of drinking water in Ghana than any other NGO, Anyekase says.  Many water projects in Ghana are being carried out as part of the Rotary International/USAID H2O Collaboration. The effort is providing more than 100 villages with clean water through installation of boreholes with hand pumps, along with sanitation facilities and hygiene training. According to a review of the partnership by Aguaconsult, an independent contractor, more than 85 percent of Ghanaians now have access to clean water, surpassing the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of 78 percent by 2015.
     
    ANOTHER ROTARY PROJECT IN GHANA
    Rotary District 1290, specifically Rotary Club of Falmouth and 11 additional clubs, worked with Rotarians in Ghana to accomplish this project for clean water.  This project has achieved so much more than its initial objectives.  It has created a level of cooperation between the communities, the different levels of local government, DWE and Rotary which did not exist previously which has greatly assisted the understanding of the problems and their solution. The contribution of all Rotarians in this District has been very significant.  Their money paid in District to Foundation over the past 4 years has been returned to this project and has tripled the amount of £35,000 raised by RC Falmouth and 11 other clubs in this District to £122500 .  TRF added a further £17,500.   The people of Bukomansimbi and Kamuzinda give you their grateful thanks.  This was a Rotary Global Grant Wash Project with Rotary partner clubs of Masaka and Kaliziso (both in Ghana).  Rotarians witnessed how lives were being changed, the hope and joy it was bringing to young and old. There is hope for a better future after so many broken promises from governments where the money simply ran out, yet Rotary is delivering.
     
    Seven protected wells have been constructed – the water is clean and proving so popular that people are coming from other villages. Under Rotary guidance local village committees have been formed to ensure proper usage and to collect small monthly sums from users to pay for maintenance of the pump.  The elderly are revered in the community and find it difficult to fetch water for themselves.  40 rainwater tanks are being built for the elderly and infirm.  A typical scenario is granny looking after 4 children whose parents have died of AIDS or malaria.  The tank is now filling and so freeing her grandchildren from fetching heavy jerry cans of water enables them to go to school. 
     
    The other problem the Project addressed was latrines for the elderly.   Ugandan Government rules required that we provided 2 stances, boys and girls, and a bathroom. We had originally expected and budgeted for the community to do the construction of the tanks and latrines and were surprised to discover that they lacked the skills. The local Rotary clubs arranged for masons to be specially trained and apprenticed to approved contractors. The result being that the masons have been promised further work after the project is finished. The letting of contracts, and control and supervision of teach contract is under the close supervision of Rotarian Josephine, a fully qualified accountant and member of Kaliziso, and the contracts committee formed from members of both Masaka and Kaliziso Rotary clubs.
     
    The DEW has drilled a borehole in each community and we are to supply the reservoir tanks, 10 kiosks and the connecting pipework.   The kiosks will be sited wherever there are 100 houses within half a kilometre of the kiosks.  Water will cost 50UGS for 20 litres, just over 1p, of which 20UGS goes to the seller and 30UGS for repair and maintenance, thus ensuring the life of the system.
     
    Economic empowerment has been a key element of the project.  Uganda has just experienced 7 months of drought and even the better off have had to sell livestock at rock bottom prices because there was no fodder. In future people will be able to  plant crops in the dry season and this, combined with improved marketing will enable them to get better prices for their produce.  Rotarians are working with 2 charities FSD and MADDO to train groups in better farming methods, irrigation and marketing. Thus it is hoped that the people in these groups will be able to lift themselves out of poverty and develop viable businesses. We made it very clear that whilst Rotary had provided clean water and training there would be no hand outs  and the future lay in their hands.
     
    WATER MISSIONS INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS WITH ROTARY
    After a 30 minute boat ride down the Amazon River from the city of Iquitos, Peru, the six member Rotary GSE Team from South Carolina, along with the local Iquitos Rotarians reached the entrance to a tributary creek that would take them to the village of Centro Union Aucayo. During normal times, navigating this winding creek through the Peruvian Amazon jungle would be easy, but these were not normal times.  The Amazon River was at its highest level in 60 years, around two feet above normal seasonal flood levels affecting an estimated 200,000 people. The water had engulfed the natural jungle navigational markers.
     
    After 45 minutes of winding through the jungle, their wooden boat finally arrived. The team was greeted at the “port” of Centro Union Aucayo by locals who were excited to see them, especially the Iquitos Rotarians. The Iquitos Rotarians, with the help of the Lakewood Ranch Florida Rotarians, and Water Missions International (WMI) were in the implementing stages of a Rotary International Matching Grant Project that was bringing safe water to this community.  Water Missions International is a non-profit Christian Engineering organization located in Charleston, SC. 
    The team immediately went to the local community school where class was in session. After some warm greetings the Rotarians pointed the team’s attention to the corner of the classroom and everyone was quickly reminded of the work that they had come to do.
     
    In the corner was a small container with one red cup and a spigot.  The team saw a pitcher of what appeared at first glance to be apple juice or tea. It was water from the creek, the water that these children and the rest of this community drank every day. The team took some of the water back to the WMI Peru office and ran a sample through a membrane filtration test. E.coli bacteria was present.
    Centro Union Aucayo had existing infrastructure in place. There was a run-down water tower with a distribution network and tap stands throughout the community constructed by a previous NGO with a diesel powered pump. The NGO had provided filters to clean the water, but no method of disinfection to eliminate micro-biological contaminates. Clear water might have appeared safe to drink, but this community needed their water filtered and disinfected.
     
    This community did not have the financial resources to purchase diesel fuel needed to fuel the pump.  A gallon of diesel fuel could cost as much as seven U.S. dollars. Rotary and WMI knew that the commitment to operate and sustain the water system was present in the community.
    There are many different aspects to sustainability including the community’s ability to financially sustain the system. The additional seven dollars of daily diesel fuel cost was more than this community could afford.  A diesel powered solution was not a sustainable one.
    Luckily, WMI had experience implementing hundreds of safe water projects using Solar World panels. With SolarWorld, and Grundfos as strategic partners, WMI was able to install Solar World panels and a Grundfos solar powered pump that would keep daily operating costs under three dollars a day, something the community could sustain.
     
    A Rotary International Matching Grant was approved for the implantation of a solar powered safe water project and rehab repairs were done for the old infrastructure.  In addition concentrated community development efforts were initiated.
     
    Two years after installation, WMI Peru staff and the Iquitos Rotary Club are in the final stages of a structured monitoring and follow-up period. This phase has allowed for continued support through initial challenges, a necessity for ensuring sustainability.  Dollars collected through water sales have been used for operating expenses and minor repairs and the community currently has money in savings for future repairs.  Quarterly quality tests indicate that the water is free of microbiological containments resulting in a dramatic decrease in diarrhea among children.
     
    If you are interested in reviewing other Rotary projects related to clean water, search for the WASRAG at this website:  http://wasrag.wordpress.com.  In our Rotary District 5890 we often see Rotary clubs partner with Pure Water for the World and Living Water.
     
     
     
     
     
    WEEKLY PROGRAM - CLEAN WATER & ROTARY 2014-05-12 00:00:00Z 0
    Music Minutes (Since we are not a "singing club" :) 2014-05-12 00:00:00Z 0

    POLIO a Worldwide Health Emergency!

    Yesterday, the World Health Organization declared Polio to be a Worldwide Health Emergency.  They took this step because of the high number of Polio cases reported already this year in the Importation Countries - that is, countries which had formerly eradicated Polio but have now been reinfected by travelers from the three endemic countries (Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria).  This step will increase travel restrictions and will hopefully boost immunization activates in the countries most at risk of Polio outbreaks.        
    Stories have appeared in most major news outlets including the Houston Chronicle, the New York Times, and many others.  Here is a link to the report by the WHO http://www.polioeradication.org/Portals/0/Document/Media/Newsletter/PN201404_EN.pdf    I heard the news on the radio in Houston this morning.  Unfortunately, the version I heard said we didn't need to worry about Polio here because we haven't seen any Polio cases here in years.  The truth is that Polio is "just a plane-ride away" and if your kids or grand kids are not immunized, they are in danger of contracting Polio.  
    So what can you as a Rotarian do to help?  We must not let the funding gap (we think we will need an additional $1 billion to finish the job) stop the progress we have made.  You can donate by credit card at www.rotary.org/myrotary by clicking on Give in the top right and following the instructions to donate to PolioPlus.  Rotarians should also inform others (including the press and their elected officials) of our 30 year long effort to end this crippling disease.
    Congratulations to Rotarians on the District Conference cruise who donated $760 in the PolioPlus raffle there.
    POLIO a Worldwide Health Emergency! ed charlesworth 2014-05-07 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - New Bionic Limbs

    Hugh Herr is building the next generation of bionic limbs, robotic prosthetics inspired by nature's own designs. Herr lost both legs in a climbing accident 30 years ago; now, as the head of the MIT Media Lab's Biomechatronics group, he shows his incredible technology in a talk that's both technical and deeply personal — with the help of ballroom dancer Adrianne Haslet-Davis, who lost her left leg in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, and performs again for the first time on the TED stage.
     
    Prosthetic devices often cost in the range of $15,000 - $20,000 in the USA.  This cost factor is prohibitive in many other countries so other methods have been devised to assist amputees.  The Jaipur Foot is one which President Ed and his wife, Robin, have seen in production in India.  The Willowbrook Rotary Club sponsored a Rotary International grant to train employees and develop a facility offering the Jaipur Foot in Pakistan.  Here is another short video to share about an alternative, cost effective, technology with simple materials:
    Thank you for attending our weekly meeting!
     
    Weekly Program - New Bionic Limbs 2014-05-06 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Projects - Evaluation & Promotion

    LIFECYCLE OF A SERVICE PROJECT (PART 5): EVALUATION AND PROMOTION
    Rotary International is pleased to present this five-part webinar series to support the Rotary family in producing sustainable service projects.
    The series will highlight different strategies, best practices, and Rotary resources available to help clubs and districts undertake successful, sustainable service initiatives, using real-life examples from Rotarians.
    In this webinar (part 5 in the series):
    Learn about the importance of comparing project outcomes to original goals, and how to capitalize on lessons learned
    Understand how to evaluate your project and maximize its sustainability
    Learn about available Rotary resources to help you share your service project story with the world
    Space is limited to 500 attendees, so register today! Please note these times are in US Central (Chicago) time. To see what time this will be in your area, please use the time zone converter.
    Click on the blue hyperlinks below to register:
    English 1: Tuesday, 20 May 2014, 10:00 – 11:00       
    English 2: Tuesday, 20 May 2014, 18:00 – 19:00       
    Japanese: Monday, 23 June 2014, 18:00 – 19:00                   
    French: Thursday, 26 June 2014, 09:00 – 10:00
    Portuguese: Thursday, 10 July 2014, 14:00 – 15:00
    Spanish: Wednesday, 25 June 2014, 10:00 – 11:00
     
    Rotary Projects - Evaluation & Promotion 2014-05-05 00:00:00Z 0
    Inspirational Message - Strength in Adversity 2014-05-05 00:00:00Z 0

    Understanding your R.I. Dues

    How much does it cost to be a member of your club? You can probably answer that question. What do your membership dues cover? The answer to that may not be as clear.
    Many Rotarians know that a portion of their dues pays for club and district expenses, as well as Rotary International operations worldwide, but few know exactly how that all breaks down. Dues are extremely important, as they are the single biggest source of revenue providing the services you enjoy as a Rotarian.
    Currently, RI dues are $53. Depending on where you are in the world, that equates to about 4 to 14 percent of your total membership dues. The rest primarily covers club and district expenses, and a subscription to The Rotarian or your regional magazine.
     
     
     
    Dues account for about 65 percent of Rotary's revenue. The next largest source of income comes from return on investments. Rotary also earns money through publication sales, international convention registration revenues, royalties, license fee income, and rental income at the world headquarters building in the U.S.
     
    Included in our district dues is a contribution toward the Roary International Convention to be held next June in Houston.  District grants are determined from Rotary International Foundation giving, not dues.  The amount of district grants varies year to year based on the giving level three years prior to the current District Governor's year.  It is more important for us to have many members who each give something to the Rotary Foundation than to have only a few who give generously.  Our Board of Directors choose the direction of the District grants.  This year the focus will be to support our satellite club in giving college scholarships to Vietnamese students.  
     
    On July 1 and again on January 1 of each year we are billed by Rotary International based on the active members listed on our club roster.  Our club  must pay based on the number of members listed on these dates.  If someone chooses to leave Rotary or our club after that date, then we are still liable for paying their dues.  Please....if you have not yet paid our club your annual dues of $200 do it now.  We have already paid your dues to our district and Rotary International.
    Understanding your R.I. Dues Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-04-30 05:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program

     
    The following information is taken from manufacturing highlights and data analysis by Deloitte in the 2013 GMCI survey:
    CHINA is the largest exporter and the second largest importer in the world.  China overtook the U.S. in 2010 as the largest manufacturing country in the world.  As a result, China's middle class is rapidly growing, and is expected to double in size in the next decade.  The influence of this large consumer segment will only increase with its growing disposable income levels, creating a strong domestic demand for products. The tax burden, however, is more than all other countries with the exception of France among major industrial countries.  China ranks behind other Asian economies such as Japan, South Korea and India, but ahead of Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia in intellectual property protection.  They do have intellectual property protection laws, yet enforcement of the laws remains a concern.
     
    GERMANY  has taken a different path than China in improving manufacturing competitiveness.  They have focused efforts on the development of new technologies and innovative capabilities, which requires a highly skilled workforce that commands high labor rates.  Diversity within the manufacturing sector is also helping elevate Germany's GMCI ranking.  Building on their historical strength in automotive manufacturing and "made in Germany" premium brand, the country continues to grow and dominate the field of "mechatronics" - a multidisciplinary field of science and engineering that merges mechanics, electronics, control theory, and computer science to improve and optimize product design and manufacturing.  However, experts predict that Germany will drop from the world's second most competitive nation in 2013 to fourth by 2018 due to significant disadvantages such as labor and material costs, and energy costs and policies.  There were also concerns about venture capital for start-ups and ongoing instability across the Eurozone.  Yet, today, German is the world's second-largest manufacturing exporter behind China.  Exports grew nearly three times between 2000 and 2011.  Also, this country ranked highest in talent-driven innovation.
     
    The 2013 GMCI survey ranked the UNITED STATES third in current manufacturing competitiveness.  However the survey also expect the U.S. to fall behind due the rise of India and Brazil to perhaps the fifth most competitive manufacturing nation in five years.   This is due to policy and regulatory disadvantages, as well as high labor, corporate tax, and unemployment rates along with sluggish GDP growth.  The highest corporate tax rate based on figures from 2012 was 39.1% compared to a peer average of 26.2%.
     
    INDIA dropped two spots in current 2013 GMCI rankings, falling from second to fourth since 2010.  However, the decline may be short-lived as executives responding to the survey felt the country would regain its former position and once again become the world's second most competitive manufacturing nation in the next five years, behind China.  The country's strong talent pool in the areas of science, technology and research, in conjunction with some of the lowest labor rates in the world, were cited as significant competitive advantages.  India recently announced a US $1 trillion investment in infrastructure over the next five years, which will result in increased efficiency and low operating costs for manufacturers operating in the country.  The highest  corporate tax rate (2012) in China was 32.4% as compared to the peer average of 26.2%. India's largest manufacturing exports are textile goods, engineering goods and chemicals.
     
    BRAZIL's rank dropped since 2010, falling from fifth to eighth in current manufacturing competitiveness.  However, executives surveyed expect a quick improvement leading to perhaps the world's third most competitive nation over the next five years.  Key to Brazil's manufacturing advantages are ongoing investments and favorable policy actions that seek to spur long-term competitiveness.  Specifically, the country's recently announced Brasil Major (Bigger Brazil) Industrial Plan is expected to create favorable tax advantages as well as reduce lending and energy costs.  Preparations for the World Cup 2014 and Olympics 2016, not to mention the Rotary International Convention 2015 (yeah!) (editor's addition here) are expected to drive a number of improvements.  Brazil is one of the few countries with a sufficiently large natural resource base coupled with a relatively advanced research infrastructure.  The highest corporate tax rate in Brazil is listed as 34.0% as compared to the peer average of 26.2%.
     
    We hope that this information has been interesting to our Active Rotarians and guests.  In that Rotary is international, we strive for programs to help us understand our world and our place in it.  Perhaps this information will be useful in either attracting or sending Vocational Training Teams between countries.  These are Rotary sponsored training teams designed to enhance vocational training.
     
    Weekly Program 2014-04-29 00:00:00Z 0

    Want to change the world? Learn another language by Sarah Elaine Eaton

    Dr. Sarah Elaine Eaton is an educator, author, consultant and international professional speaker. “Dr. Sarah”, as her students affectionately call her, is known for being a passionate educator with superb business savvy.
    In 2000 she founded Eaton International Consulting Inc., an educational consulting company, which has grown to have clients across North America, Europe and Asia. In 2011, she launched Exceptional Webinars, an e-learning and educational technology arm of the business.
    A dynamic speaker, Dr. Sarah delights audiences around the globe with her talks on education and technology.
    Want to change the world? Learn another language by Sarah Elaine Eaton edc 2014-04-28 00:00:00Z 0

    World Malaria Day

    Today, Friday, April 25th, is World Malaria Day.  Terry Zielger, our District 5890 Foundation Chair, wrote the following:  How fitting it is, that tomorrow is World Malaria Day.  Just yesterday, our $97,328 Global Grant for Malaria Prevention in Togo - sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bear Creek Copperfield and supported by many of our District 5890 Clubs, our District 5890, and several other Districts - was completed and closed by The Rotary Foundation.  Malaria is the third largest global infectious disease killer (behind only AIDS and TB).  I sn't it great that you can say you have played a role in the prevention of this killer disease through your support of Our Rotary Foundation!  Your can read more information here about Rotarians Eliminating Malaria - A Rotary Action Group here http://www.remarag.org/  and about one Rotarian's "New Life Fighting Malaria"  http://blog.rotary.org/2012/12/19/malaria/  and about how Shelterbox is playing a role in Malaria prevention  http://shelterboxusa.org/news_global.php?id=1260.  In addition, one of Rotary's great Polio Eradication Partners, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, recently announced progress made in Malaria prevention. 
    World Malaria Day edc 2014-04-25 00:00:00Z 0

    This Week's Greeter - Jim Wells

    I am a part of a burgeoning demographic which is shaping and influencing our country as a great resource that can still make a difference. I am a product of a family of eight children, as my father served in the United States Air Force after serving our country during World War II. He chose to stay in the service as a career option: therefore I grew up living in several locales throughout the country, mostly in the southeastern states as well as overseas in Tripoli, Libya - all experiences which helped me develop an appreciation for our freedom and for varying cultures.
     
    I graduated from the University of Houston in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science in Education and obtained my Masters in Educational Administration from Sam Houston State University in 1982. I taught and coached in the Spring Branch Independent School District for four years and then spent 33 years working in the Cypress Fairbanks Independent School district as a coach, English teacher, assistant principal, curriculum coordinator and principal ( I served as the inaugural principal of Thornton Middle School for nine years and principal of Cypress Creek High School for ten years, retiring in 2012 with 37 years of service in education). Since my retirement, I have served as an educational consultant, working with the Southern Regional Education Board out of Atlanta Georgia, most recently doing contract work in school systems in Washington state. While at Cypress Creek High School, I created six career academies during our reconstruction phase in 2009 and implemented 64 programs of study which gave students the option to obtain college credits toward degree plans or to obtain any one of twenty industry standard certifications which made them work ready, or both. This was in essence an early version of what House Bill 5 is purporting in its most recent passage by the Texas Legislature. In 2011 Cypress Creek High School won state recognition in the High Schools That Work Network( a division of the Southern Regional Education Board) for its efforts in impleme
     
    nting career pathways and viable postsecondary options for its graduates. We were also continually one of America's top schools on the Newsweek Index of most challenging High Schools based on our Advanced Placement participation rates and results, making the "America's Best High Schools" list nine out of ten years, the only Cy Fair high school to continually achieve this honor. Even in retirement, I continue to have a passion for promoting College and career readiness for our graduates and continue to be involved in this worthwhile endeavor.
     
    My hobbies include traveling nationally to play in the Masters Basketball circuit, gardening, music, art, and staying abreast of developments in educational policy and emerging practices and trends. I was honored to be a charter member of the Willowbrook Rotary Club back in the early 1980s and have served as a volunteer for a variety of charities and organizations over the years, including serving as a board member for the C
     
    ypress Creek YMCA, Langham Creek YMCA,  and numerous involvements and positions in my home church of Cypress United Methodist. I was a five years board of directors member on the Cy Fair Division of the American Heart Association, and also served as the division president in 1990.
     
    In summary, as a former educator in the business of helping to create a stronger society and as an engaged citizen, I truly believe it is incumbent upon every one of us to give back to our society in the way of good works. I am honored to be a part of the Rotary e-Club of Houston to that end.
     
    Welcome to the Rotary e-Club newsletter or website!  Enjoy our program and visit often.
     
    This Week's Greeter - Jim Wells 2014-04-18 00:00:00Z 0

     

    WRITER AND WAR WIDOW ARTIS HENDERSON FINDS PEACE THROUGH ROTARY

     
    As a Rotary Scholar in Senegal, Artis Henderson enjoyed writing her memoir sitting under a red hibiscus tree, where she could hear the sound of women singing.
    *Photo Credit: Illustration by Michael Byers
    In the first month of my stay in Dakar, Senegal, as a Rotary Scholar, a friend gave me a piece of helpful advice. “Buy a wedding ring,” she said. I had already learned that as a young American woman in a Muslim country, I attracted a certain kind of attention. But a ring?
    My friend nodded. “That way everyone will leave you alone.”
    With my thumb I felt for the empty space on my left ring finger -- a place that, even now, I sometimes touch and worry where my ring has gone. I removed my wedding band on the one-year anniversary of my marriage, eight months after my husband, Miles, was killed in Iraq on 6 November 2006. I was 26 years old.
    I spent the first year after Miles’ death just trying to breathe. Making it through the day felt like a challenge enough. But by the second year, I’d begun to realize that my life was continuing. For the first time since Miles died, I asked myself what I should do with this new life. The answer? Become a writer. I never imagined that Rotary would provide the key to achieving that dream.
    Rotary first took me from my home in southern Florida to Brittany, France, on a month-long  exchange with a team of young professionals. That experience gave me the courage to make my next move -- to New York, where I earned a master’s in journalism at Columbia University.
    Next, the Rotarians I had met urged me to apply for a Rotary Scholarship. I wanted to travel somewhere challenging, as far away from home as possible -- away from the constant reminders of how my life had changed. In 2010, I flew to Senegal to study West African literature at the Université Cheikh Anta Diop.
    On a sweltering afternoon in Dakar, I headed downtown in search of a wedding band. Down a narrow side street, I found a jewelry shop with its doors open. An elderly man sat behind the counter, his eyes closed. He leaned forward when I walked in. I told him what I was looking for -- a thin, silver band -- and he reached for a canvas sack and spilled its contents across the glass.
    “Where are you from?” he asked as I started to pick through the rings.
    I looked up. “The United States.”
    The man sucked his teeth and put his rough hands on the counter.
    “Then maybe you can explain your war against Islam.”
    I opened my mouth to speak, to try to explain a conflict I did not understand. I wanted him to know that my husband had died fighting in the war, and that for Miles, this was never a fight against the Muslim faith. But the shopkeeper looked at me with such radioactive anger that I couldn’t speak. I bowed my head and left the store.
    I arrived during a violent, restless time in the region. The Arab Spring spread across North Africa, and in Dakar men set themselves on fire to protest the regime. Angry students burned tires and blockaded highways as outrage seethed through the city.
    During my scholarship year, I received unexpected news: Simon & Schuster was offering me a contract for a memoir I had proposed about the loss of my husband. I wrote it in Senegal, and in that way, the scholarship gave me something I never anticipated: a place to write unencumbered by the reminders of my loss.
    My time in Dakar was a gift. For the first month of my stay, I lived with a host family whose warmth helped with my transition to life in Africa. Moussa, the oldest son of the house, was my age, also a journalist. I counted him as my first real friend in Dakar. But in the second month of my stay, Moussa fell ill and died the following week. The family held a funeral, and I wept with the women of the house while the imam gave the eulogy.
    A month after the funeral, the family invited me to dinner. After we ate, I sat outside with Moussa’s mother, in silence, through the long, hot hours of the afternoon. At one point she reached over and held my hand. I do not know what it is like to lose a child, but I understand the depths of great loss. In that moment, I realized that this is how goodwill is built: simply and gently, a shared touch between two people.
    By Artis Henderson
    Adapted from a story in the April 2014 issue of The Rotarian
     
    2014-04-17 00:00:00Z 0
    Inspirational Song - The 3 R's by Jack Johnson edc 2014-04-17 00:00:00Z 0
    Weekly Program - How well do you know Houston? 2014-04-17 00:00:00Z 0

    PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

     
    The “Rotary Rocks the Boat” district conference cruise was held last week and our new e-club was represented by two active members. There is so much good being done in our district that you cannot leave such an event without feeling a great sense of pride in Rotarians and their ability to leave the world a better place.  A district conference provides a platform for clubs to present outstanding projects and the district governor awards deserving Rotarians and honors clubs for their service and contributions.  In addition to the plenary sessions we also have great fun and fellowship.  Thanks to the conference committee lead by Rtn. Ronnie Hallenburger of West University Rotary and to Governor Bob Gebhard for a great conference!
    In 2009 my wife, Robin, and I joined 37 other Rotarians from District 5890 to travel to India to participate in polio immunization. Since that time India has been declared polio free. While in India we visited another Rotary project in Jaipur where prosthetic limbs were manufactured and fitted for those who had lost limbs from accidents, land mines, etc. What became known as the “Jaipur Foot” gave freedom to many for less than $100 and at no cost to the victims thanks to generous Rotary donors. Since that time our gains in helping those with lost limbs has made tremendous leaps as we have witnessed Olympians running races with prosthetic limbs and wounded heroes gaining incredible fine motor control through sophisticated electronics and mechanics. The advances in the world of prosthetics continue to make the world a better place and I hope you enjoy the program this week.
    The greatest filter in the whole world is the human brain. It filters out stimuli that are not relevant to your ongoing functioning. Stop for a moment and quietly observe what your brain is filtering out for you as you are reading this article.  It is filtering out visual and auditory stimuli that are really not necessary.  In fact it would be very distracting if you were unable to filter them out.  In order to read you need to be able to focus, attend and concentrate.  There may also be slight noises where you are reading from outdoors, such as a dog barking, traffic or an airplane passing high in the sky.  The sophistication of this filter is seen in the example of a mother awakening from sleep because her baby turned in the crib or coughed.  Any stimuli "out of the norm" may pull our attention in that direction to assess if a response is needed. This weekend is not a normal weekend in America. This weekend we celebrate those mothers who filtered many of their own needs to listen to our needs and the needs of our children. My personal thanks goes to my deceased mother, and my lovely wife and mother of my children for making the world a better place.
     
    "And the course of a lifetime runs over and over again."
    Paul Simon
     
    Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-04-10 00:00:00Z 0

    Inspirational Message - Attitude Determines Action

    Each day brings an opportunity to make choices about your life, the most fundamental being your choice of
    attitude. If you can choose to get out of bed and do whatever you do each day, you can also choose to have
    a positive attitude and find ways to enjoy even the most tedious tasks. The choice is always yours.  Enjoy this  video produced by MyInspiration4Life:
    Attitude are contagious...Is yours worth catching? 
     
     
     
     
     
    Inspirational Message - Attitude Determines Action edc 2014-04-10 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Feeding Nine Billion by Evan Fraser

    By 2050 there will be 9 billion people on the planet - but will there be enough food for everyone? Food security expert Dr Evan Fraser guides you through a whiteboard presentation of his solution to the Global Food Crisis.    Food security expert Dr Evan Fraser guides you through a whiteboard presentation of his solution to the Global Food Crisis.  Evan Fraser is an adjunct professor of geography at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada and a Senior Lecturer at the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds in the UK. His research is on farming, climate change and the environment. He lives in the Yorkshire Dales with his wife and three children.
     
    Professor Fraser organizes his work into four distinct strands with the following questions.  First, What can we learn from past food security crises in order to understand where we might be vulnerable today?  "I have used historic cases to combine work from a number of disciplines (including comparative history, development studies, landscape ecology, ecological economics, and political science) to identify food systems “vulnerable” to environmental change and published comparative work where relatively minor weather anomalies sparked major food-crises as a way of understanding how our own society may respond to similar shocks.  In particular, I have explored the Irish Potato Famine, the “Great Famines” of the early 1300s, and the Ethiopian famine of the early 1980s." Second, What are the socio-economic forces that shape our food-producing landscapes today? "In my opinion, we have adequate scientific knowledge to sustainably produce food in many parts of the world.  However, farmers are not always able to use this knowledge.   Therefore, I am interested in understanding the socio-economic factors that shape farmer decisions.  This had led me to conduct empirical work (usually involving interviews, questionnaires or focus groups discussions) in a range of settings including:  urban Thailand, rural Belize, and rural British Columbia.  I have also supervised graduate students or post-doctoral researchers to do similar work in: the uplands of the UK, rural and urban Malawi, rural Ghana, and peri-urban Bangladesh."  Third, What are the implications of different types of landscapes for both food security and other ecosystem services? "Different landscapes provide different things: some provide low-cost food; some provide habitat conservation; others provide carbons sequestration; still others are resilient to climate change.  I am interested in conducting research that explores the synergies and tradeoffs implied by different types of landscape.  This work has been based on extensive collaboration with natural and social science colleagues and involved working on a range of topics in different ecological settings including: the contribution of the uplands of the UK to a range of ecosystem services, on land management in general and on the relation between crops and climate. My current work in this area is to explore trade offs between food, fibre and fuel production in different parts of the world."  Fourth, What regions of the world are likely to be vulnerable in terms of food in security in the 21st century?
    "Different landscapes provide different things: some provide low-cost food; some provide habitat conservation; others provide carbons sequestration; still others are resilient to climate change.  I am interested in conducting research that explores the synergies and tradeoffs implied by different types of landscape.  This work has been based on extensive collaboration with natural and social science colleagues and involved working on a range of topics in different ecological settings including: the contribution of the uplands of the UK to a range of ecosystem services, on land management in general and on the relation between crops and climate. My current work in this area is to explore trade offs between food, fibre and fuel production in different parts of the world."
    Weekly Program - Feeding Nine Billion by Evan Fraser Ed C 2014-04-10 00:00:00Z 0

    Peace Fellow Graduates

    Congratulations to members of Rotary Peace Fellows Class XVI at the Rotary Peace Center at Chulalongkorn University, who completed their professional development certificate program!

    "

    "Collectively we have formed a unique ecosystem, one where much talk, discussion and role-playing can turn into lasting action and change." -- Iona Proebst, New Zealand/Germany

     

    Apply for the Rotary Peace Fellowship using the new electronic application. Application deadline is 1 July 2014.

    Peace Fellow Graduates 2014-04-10 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotarians at Work

    Three e-club members assisted with an early Earth Day Clean-up Project the The Woodlands, a community north of Houston.  Good job KUDOS to Dree and Mike Miller and Also, Rtn. Roseangela Catunda of Rotary Club of Willowbrook worked beside her husband, Amir Mendezes  , who was recently recruited as a new member of the e-club of Houston.  The fourth annual community-wide stewardship project for The Woodlands Township was a huge success! Cleanup crews bagged trash from the streets, pathways and streams. Our crew worked in Creekside Park area.
     

    Clean Up Duty

       
    Some of the garbage bags collected during clean-up - actually a FUN job when you are with friends!
    Dree Miller's photo op with "Mr. Garbage".
    Rotarians at Work 2014-04-03 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: Humanity Resides in Unusual Places

    This TEDTalk was published on Oct 16, 2013.
    In the center of Caracas, Venezuela, stands the 45-story "Tower of David," an unfinished, abandoned skyscraper. But about eight years ago, people started moving in. Photographer Iwan Baan shows how people build homes in unlikely places, touring us through the family apartments of Torre David, a city on the water in Nigeria, and an underground village in China. Glorious images celebrate humanity's ability to survive and make a home -- anywhere.
    Find closed captions and translated subtitles in many languages at http://www.ted.com/translate
     
    National Geographic provides the following information about "":
    The promise of jobs and prosperity, among other factors, pulls people to cities. Half of the global population already lives in cities, and by 2050 two-thirds of the world's people are expected to live in urban areas. But in cities two of the most pressing problems facing the world today also come together: poverty and environmental degradation.
    Poor air and water quality, insufficient water availability, waste-disposal problems, and high energy consumption are exacerbated by the increasing population density and demands of urban environments. Strong city planning will be essential in managing these and other difficulties as the world's urban areas swell.
     
    Threats
    Intensive urban growth can lead to greater poverty, with local governments unable to provide services for all people.
    Concentrated energy use leads to greater air pollution with significant impact on human health.
    Automobile exhaust produces elevated lead levels in urban air.
    Large volumes of uncollected waste create multiple health hazards.
    Urban development can magnify the risk of environmental hazards such as flash flooding.
    Pollution and physical barriers to root growth promote loss of urban tree cover.
    Animal populations are inhibited by toxic substances, vehicles, and the loss of habitat and food sources.
     
    Solutions
    Combat poverty by promoting economic development and job creation.
    Involve local community in local government.
    Reduce air pollution by upgrading energy use and alternative transport systems.
    Create private-public partnerships to provide services such as waste disposal and housing.
    Plant trees and incorporate the care of city green spaces as a key element in urban planning.
    Weekly Program: Humanity Resides in Unusual Places 2014-04-03 00:00:00Z 0

    Thought for the Week - Engagement

    Are you ENGAGED with your work?  Are you ENGAGED with ROTARY?  Active members are invited to join in the conversation about keeping our members engaged in Rotary in this e-club - go to Facebook Messaging - Conversation "Rotary E-Club of Houston".  Of course, we are such a new club we are learning the ropes about how to become engaged in activities when we do not live each other and lack face-to-face contact.  Keeping members engaged is vital to keeping Active Members who grow in experience and master "bang for the buck" with maximizing district and other Rotary International grants for projects.  We are just beginning and we want to get it right!
     
     
     
    Thought for the Week - Engagement Ed Charlesworth 2014-04-02 00:00:00Z 0

    Attendance & Service Reports for the e-Club Meeting

    Rotarians who are active members of the Rotary e-Club of Houston, Visiting Rotarians, and Guests will find a bar which states "Attendance" directly beneath the banner of the WEBSITE which is:  www.clubrunner.ca/10506.  Please complete this form which is appropriate and it will be merged into an excel spreadsheet for the club secretary to review weekly.  Visiting Rotarians may add their own email address or their club secretary's email address to capture attendance, OR simply print the Visiting Rotarian form and give to your club secretary.
     
    Also our "Service" report for active members to complete is available on the website below the banner so we may track the total number of hours contributed to our communities by our club members.  This form is also located just beneath the banner on our website.
     
    ALL MEMBERS NEED TO REPORT THEIR ATTENDANCE TO BE CREDITED AND ALSO REPORT ANY OTHER ROTARY FUNCTIONS ATTENDED ALONG WITH THE DATES OF ATTENDANCE.  50% ATTENDANCE IS REQUIRED BY ROTARY INTERNATIONAL.  The window for make-up meetings is two weeks prior to the missed meeting and two weeks following the meeting.  On-line meetings are simply reviewing the weekly bulletin and watching the videos with a minimum of 30 minutes.  Most members enjoy spending more time as reported.
    Attendance & Service Reports for the e-Club Meeting Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-03-28 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: S.I.R.E. & Therapeutic Horseback Riding Programs

    The mission of SIRE is to improve the quality of life for people with special needs through therapeutic horsemanship activities and therapies, and educational outreach.  SIRE serves the regin from three locations:  Hockley, located west of Tomball; Spring, east of I-45 and north of FM 1960; and Fort Bend, at the Richmond State Supported Living Center.  The need is great with over 700,000 people n the greater Houston area with disabilities.  SIRE provides 26 therapy horses who play a critical role in healing and changing lives.  Riders' diagnoses include autism (the most common diagnosis - 36% of the riders), cerebral palsy, down syndrome, developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, brain injuries, neurological disorders, spinal disorders, psychiatric disorders, seizure disorders, autoimmune disorders, muscular dystrophy, and multiple sclerosis.  The benefits of horseback riding include the strengthening of bodies through improved muscle tone and balance, for example, and through the inputs of the horse's walking, so much like human walking.  It encourages learning, increasing the ability to remember, to listen and follow directions and to sequence activities.  It nourishes spirits by providing unconditional acceptance and unparalleled motivating, by fostering self-reliance and self-control, through providing challenges and competition, and by exposure to the natural world.  Nearly 2/3 of the clients are children.  One parents stated, "My child began as a non-verbal, anti-social young girl.  Through the love and dedication of the SIRE staff, volunteers and wonderful horses, she is a happy, confident, funny young lady". 
     
    "Therapeutic riding offers controlled risk so our riders safely enjoy the benefits and stimulation of adrenaline", stated Anthony Busacca, SIRE's Site Director and Master Instructor.  100% of their clients report physical improvement and 98% report social and emotional benefits.  SIRE has 14 certified riding instructors, including 4 master instructors.  They also deliver instructor training and professional education programs with an increasing demand each year.  SIRE's Executive Director, Lili Kellogg, shares, "SIRE's wonderful clients continue to ride beyond their struggles and make improvements in the physical, intellectual, emotional, and communication aspects of their lives.  The power of the horse and human combination never ceases to amaze me."
     
    For many, a horseback ride is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon or play out their John Wayne fantasies.  But for riders at the Richmond State Supported Living Center, riding is just what the doctor ordered AND this is why.  Research on therapeutic riding and hippotherapy indicates positive results with benefits that transfer to daily living.  A study published in the "Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation" in June, 2009 found that adductor muscle activity improved significantly after 10 minutes of hippotherapy in a group of children with spastic cerebral palsy. A second follow-up study with a small group of children pulled from the larger first group found that this group had gains in motor abilities that were sustained 12 weeks after the end of the study particularly in those skills involving upright support such as standing and walking.  An anecdotal benefit was that the parents commented that their children showed an enhanced confidence in their abilities that carried over into many aspects of the children's lives.  Also, in a research study published in May, 2011 in "Alternative Therapies", researchers evaluated children with autism after the children participated in a therapeutic riding program for three months and six months.  The researchers found that the severity of autism symptoms was reduced as measured by the Childhood Autism Raing Scale, and the children displayed significant improvements in mood and tone as measured by the Timberlawn Parent-Child Interaction Scale.  A parent-rated quality of life assessment showed improvement as well.
     
    As a US Marine, Steven Schulz was living just another day in a soldier's life at Fallujah, 43 miles west of Baghdad when his world exploded along with a large part of his brain.  His skull was penetrated by shrapnel destroying 90% of his right frontal lobe.  A once bright future ended on the desert sands that were being liberated from a deadly megalomaniacal regime.   Steve is finding rehabilitation, fulfillment, and fun, on the back of a horse.  "If I can control a horse, I can control anything," the severely handicapped Marine told Horseback Magazine (November, 2011). 
     

    These types of programs are found throughout the United States.  The MTR Horses for Heroes program is a special program designed for wounded warriors returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Participants are active duty soldiers who are members of the Warriors in Transition Unit stationed at recovery locations in the Washington area.
     
     
    PATH INTL. CENTERS
    Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.), a federally-registered 501(c3) nonprofit, was formed in 1969 as the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association to promote equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) for individuals with special needs. With more than 4,200 certified instructors and equine specialists and nearly 850 member centers around the globe, more than 7,400 PATH Intl. members help 56,000 children and adults with physical, mental and emotional challenges find strength and independence through the power of the horse each year. In addition to therapeutic riding, our centers offer a number of therapeutic equine-related activities, including hippotherapy, equine-facilitated mental health, driving, interactive vaulting, competition, ground work and stable management. More recently, programs offer services in human growth and development to serve wide-ranging audiences for such educational purposes as leadership training, team building and other human capacity enhancement skills for the workplace and for daily use. In addition to therapeutic equitation, a center may offer any number of equine-assisted activities and therapies, including Hippotherapy, equine facilitated mental health, driving, vaulting, trail riding, competition, ground work or stable management.
     
     
     
    Weekly Program: S.I.R.E. & Therapeutic Horseback Riding Programs 2014-03-28 00:00:00Z 0

    Pasadena Rotary's Fundraiser - March 29th

    Join Pasadena Rotary Club on March 29, 2014 as we offer two great events:
    1) Join Pasadena Rotary Club for great food, live music and family fun at the annual fish fry, Saturday, March 29, 2014, starting at 11:00 a.m. with food prepared by the cooking team of the Harris County Precinct 8 Constables. There will be events on site for kids and adults as well as a chance to try your hand at a raffle with great prizes and reverse draw for $5,000 shopping spree. Dine in or carry-out. Proceeds from this even will benefit the Rotary Club of Pasadena's local and international projects such as the Early Act First Knight program at Red Bluff Elementary and Morales Elementary, the third grade dictionary project for all Pasadena ISD elementary schools, world-wide polio eradication, humanitarian projects in Chinendega, Nicaragua and support for a variety of community activities.
    Raffle tickets - $20 each or 6 for $100 (Prizes include 4 day/4 night cruise for 2 from Galveston, Big Green Egg, iPad mini and 60" LED TV)
    Reverse draw tickets - $100 each - only 300 will be sold (Top prize $5,000 shopping spree)
    Fish Fry tickets - $10 each (7 and under eat free with adult meal)
    Tickets available by contacting Niki Whiteside at nwhiteside@gmail.com.
    2) The Pasadena Rotary Club Second Annual Poker will start at San Jacinto Harley-Davidson in Pasadena and end at the Pasadena Rotary Club Fish Fry.  Check-in begins at 8:00 a.m. at San Jacinto Harley-Davidson, 3636 E. Sam Houston Pkwy. South, Pasadena, Texas 77505. The ride will begin at 9:00 a.m. at San Jacinto Harley-Davidson and will end with a great luncheon of fried catfish being cooked and served by Rotarians with the help of Pct 8's Constable Phil Sandlin's crew at the Pasadena Rotary Club's Annual Fish Fry, Campbell Hall, 7601 Red Bluff Rd., Pasadena, Texas 77507.
    Pasadena Rotary's Fundraiser - March 29th Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-03-28 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotarian at Work - Vocational Bicycle Repair Program

    Rotarians Ed Charlesworth and Peary Perry (Rosenburg Rotary Club) have consulted with the Harris County prison's vocational training program for inmates.   These Rotarians have donated truckloads of used bikes and parts to rebuild donated bicycles.  They also consult with the instructors to conduct a needs assessment and review logistics.  More parts are needed such tires and tubes.  Several bikes are ready to be restored now by the inmates.  PDG  Ed Charlesworth donated specialized tools and bike stands for a complete bicycle repair facility.  This program allows the inmates to receive college credits from Houston Community College for this vocational program.

     

    Also, at a different location, the Carol Vance Unit, a reporter from KHOU 11 News, Larry Seward, did a story about the inmates participating in a similar program prior to Christmas (2013).   Several people told the reporter about a bicycle refurbishing project in which some inmates fixed broken bikes in order for those bicyles to be given away as Christmas gifts to children in need.  PDG Sunny Sharma (Rotary Club of Fort Bend County) also attended the filming and participated by providing his large truck to pick up and deliver bulk supplies/parts to the program from Huntsville area.
    Rotarian at Work - Vocational Bicycle Repair Program 2014-03-27 00:00:00Z 0

    This Week's Greeter

    Martine Stolk is born and raised in the Netherlands, where she got her PhD in Chemical Engineering. She joined The Dow Chemical Company in Terneuzen, the Netherlands, in 1986 and was first transferred to Freeport Texas in 1993. Since then she has moved across the big pond four more times (Freeport -> Leipzig, Germany -> Freeport -> Stade, Germany -> Freeport). She currently is Dow's Analytical Technology Center Director, with global responsibility for a.o. work processes and technologies for Dow's product quality control laboratories. Throughout her career she has had the opportunity to travel the globe and work with people with diverse cultural backgrounds. This has taught her flexibility, and valuing and enjoying diverse viewpoints.
    Martine is doing volunteer work for the Kids Unlimited Foundation, an organization for children with cancer, and she is following the volunteer training program at Brazos Bend State Park. She has a passion for animals and nature, and loves to spend her scarce free time with her camera in America's parks.
     
    Greetings from the Rotary e-Club of Houston!  Enjoy our website and visit often!
    2014-03-27 00:00:00Z 0

    Alvin Sunrise Rotary's Music Festival & Cook-Off - March 28, 29th

    The Alvin Sunrise Rotary Club will host the Alvin Music Festival and Cook-Off on March 28-29 at Briscoe Park, 3201 Highway 35, Alvin TX.   MAP & nbsp;Gates open at 4 p.m. & music starts at 6 p.m.
    “There will be something for everyone at the festival,” said Sunrise Rotary President Robert Vasquez.   “The club has worked hard this year to expand and improve the event.”
    In conjunction with the Alvin Convention and Visitor Bureau, sponsor for the bands while Ron Carter Automotive Dealerships is the title sponsor for the overall event. Activities will consist of live music, cook-off, craft vendors, kids area, and a 5k mud run.
    Entry fee on Friday will be $10 and on Saturday it will be $15.  A weekend pass is available for $20.  Kids 12 and under are free.    Lawn chairs may be brought in to the festival.  No coolers or pets are allowed.
    Friday night the gates will open at 4 p.m. and the music will start at 6 p.m. with Alvin native “The Junior Gordon Band.”  “Bri Bagwell” will take the stage at 8 p.m. followed by “Bleu Edmondson” at 10 p.m.
    Saturday the gates will open at 10 a.m. and the “4 Barrel Rambler’s” will play at noon.  They will be followed by “Amber and the Old Rascals” at 2 p.m. and “The Hook” at 4 p.m.      At 6 p.m. “Donnie Vondra” will take the stage, followed by “Brandon Rhyder” at 8 p.m. and closing out the event, “The Bart Crow Band” will take the stage at 10 p.m.
                The I nternational Barbeque Cookers Association-sanctioned cook-off events will begin Friday afternoon and the winners will be announced Saturday evening.   Space is available for over 50 cook teams.   Cash prizes totaling $1,650 will be awarded for brisket, pork ribs, chicken, beans and Friday night feast.   A Fajita Jackpot competition will also be held.
    Alvin Sunrise Rotary's Music Festival & Cook-Off - March 28, 29th Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-03-27 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotarian Trip to Nicaragua in August, 2014

    Rtn. Jim Kite has released information about the next Rotarian trip to Nicaragua beginning on August 6, 2014 and returning on August 12, 2014. 
    Getting group rates for tickets has gotten increasingly difficult.  People are coming from so many different places and usually you can get much better prices on line than we can get as a group rate.  So we are asking everyone to buy your own tickets directly but, you must coordinate your arrival and departure to match within an hour or so of the United flights shown above.  I know that American and some others have flights through Miami which closely match this schedule.  The ground travel, meals and hotel charges will be $570.00 per person (double occupancy in hotels). Add $180.00 per person if you require a private room. We will co-ordinate all of this as we always have in the past. If you will be on flights other than these United flights Please send me a copy of your tickets so that we will know when to meet you. Payments and sign-up sheets for this should be sent to:
     
                      Hope & Relief International Foundation, Inc.
                      10700 Gerke Rd.
                      Brenham, Texas 77833
                      Fax  979-836-0614
     
    We will schedule everyone on a first come, first served, basis as of the date we receive your payment.  No one will be scheduled before payment is received.  Attached is a reservation form which should be sent in by everyone, with the information and your payment. Please provide ALL the information. In order to secure all the hotel reservations we need to have your registration by November1,2013 or we will not be able to be sure that we can have hotel reservations for you. We will be staying at a different hotel in Managua than the one we have stayed at in the past and our cut-off date for reservations is November 1, 2103. AFTER THIS DATE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET ADDITIONAL RESERVATIONS.
     
    The group will spend the first night in Managua and leave the next day for Chinendega to visit the city dump, the clinic for the children of the dump, and the school built for children of the dump.  Lunch will be served at La Batania, a trade school built in partnership with Rotarians and the Quen of Spain.  Rotary donated all of the machinery and equipment used in their metal and woodworking shop.  A tour of the San Martin Hospital will take the group to the new wing for hemodiali sis which was donated by Rotarians.  The House of Santa Lucia will also be toured which is a house for the blind.  The next day the group will visit the Refugio Belen, a pregnant women's shelter where the mother's receive Rotary bags filled with layette supplies for their newborn babies before heading home.  Other Rotary built villages will also be toured.  Some vacation time is also planned at an all inclusive resort, Montalymar Resort.  Shopping at Mercado and visiting the volcano park near Masaya are also planned activities before the trip ends.
    Rotarian Trip to Nicaragua in August, 2014 2014-03-27 00:00:00Z 0

    Inspirational Message - from MyInspiration4Life

    It is not discipline, willpower, or pressure from others that
    facilitates adherence to a challenging course of action; but rather the
    freedom to choose among alternatives, the personal commitment to a
    mission, and the willingness to take responsibility for the consequences
    of one's decisions that embolden the spirit.
     
    Inspirational Message - from MyInspiration4Life 2014-03-27 00:00:00Z 0

     

    President's Message
    Ed Charlesworth

    Certain stress resistant characteristics have been positively associated with higher levels of trust, tolerance, warmth, self-sufficiency, resourcefulness, tranquility, composure, and self-assurance. Research has shown that a meaningful life includes the ability to deal with life crises in such a way as to bring about enhanced coping and personal growth. I hope you enjoy our inspirational moment in our newsletter this week. It shows how a random act of kindness can even save someone’s life. I also feel that our “service above self” acts save our own life by fueling us with a meaningful life walking with others of all faiths and political persuasions waging peace through our health, hunger and humanitarian programs.

    One of my friends shared the following story:
    A Rabbi asked the Lord about Heaven and Hell. "First," answered the Lord, "I will show you Hell." The Rabbi found himself in a room where a dozen people were seated around a large round table. The people were moaning from the pain of starvation. In the middle of the table there was a great pot of stew with more than enough for everyone. The delicious smell of the stew made the Rabbi's mouth water. The people around the table held spoons with very long handles. Each could reach the pot to take a spoonful of the stew, but because the spoon handles were longer than a man's arm, no one could position the food back into their mouth. Some were so frustrated they were hitting one another. The Rabbi saw that the suffering was terrible.
                "Now," said the Lord, "I will show you Heaven." The Rabbi entered another room identical to the first. There was the same large, round table and the same big pot of stew. The people were holding the same long-handled spoons, but here they were all well nourished and healthy, laughing and talking. For a moment the Rabbi was confused.
                "It is simple," said the Lord. "You see, they have learned to feed each other."
     
    "Unhappiness is the hunger to get; happiness is the hunger to give."
            
    At the excellent Board of Directors meeting last week we began to plan for next year. We need all members to help to feed each other through whatever service you can bring to the club. Perhaps this year you will find the avenue of service that makes your life meaningful. We need help in all the avenues of service: Club Service (club secretary, newsletter editor, fellowship committee, webmaster, etc.), Vocational Service (training programs for those in prison or with intellectual deficits, mentoring those rehabbing from addictions, etc.), International Service (Books for the World, Children of the Dump, college scholarships for those in third world countries, etc.), Community Service (help with preserving planet earth in our community with cleanup days, Habitat For Humanity, etc.), New Generations programs (EarlyAct, Interact, Rotaract, host a youth exchange student, etc.), and The Rotary Foundation (donating to Polio Plus or the Annual Fund so that our club is eligible for matching grants to make our benevolent dollars go further, becoming a benefactor, etc.). Whatever you can help with will be greatly appreciated by all club members as we feed each other the sustenance of a meaningful existence through “service above self.”
     
           
     
               
    Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-03-19 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotarian at Work - New Library

    New Library Open

    Congratulations to Rtn. Veroniek Gessemakers from The Netherlands who has volunteered in Houston to establish a new library at a women's rehabilitation center.  There are 80 young women in residence at the rehabilitation center Santa Maria.  Books and monies were donated by the Douglas A. Campbell Foundation; Dr. Ed Charlesworth and his wife, Robin; and Gwen Corolla.  Most of these books are self-help books and self-improvement books.  Rtn. Veroniek has volunteered to organize this project and Sister Pam van Glessen is in charge of the library.  One of the major areas of focus of Rotary projects is education.  Veroniek believes that "education does contribute to a better future".

    Rotary International and the International Reading Association know that literacy is an essential ingredient for reducing poverty, improving health, encouraging community and economic de- velopment, and promoting peace. Since 2002, RI and the IRA have combined their resources and skills to advance literacy in communities worldwide by

    • Providing books and educational materials

    • Building and supporting schools

    • Mentoring students

    • Training teachersand Establishing literacy programs for children and adults


     
    Rotarian at Work - New Library 2014-03-19 00:00:00Z 0

    This Weeks Greeter dr. Sofka Werkmeister

    This Week's Greeter - Dr. Sofka Werkmeister

    Sofka is global leader for Process Automation in the Mining, Storage and Pipeline business and Global Supply Chain Operations in The Dow Chemical Company.  She has been a member of Rotary since 2011 and is President-Elect for 2014-15 as well as current Treasurer of the Rotary e-Club of Houston. She is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and Paul Harris Society member.
     
    Sofka’s early community involvement began in Germany with the Red Cross and through the family with Round Table activities. Locally, she has been very active in community activities by volunteering for different organizations. She is member of the Board of Directors of the Simonton Cancer Center.
    Over her career, Sofka has received numerous awards and honors, as Postdoctoral Fellowship at The Technical University Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany awarded by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs; 11 Awards for Technology Improvement and Innovation, 1 Quality Award and 15 Awards for Plant Start-Up, awarded by The Dow Chemical Company.
     
    Welcome to our club's newsletter and/or website!  Visit us often, 24-7.
     
     
     
    This Weeks Greeter dr. Sofka Werkmeister Sofka Werkmeister 2014-03-19 00:00:00Z 0

    April 26th - Take Me Out to the Ballgame - Go Astros!

    Join Rotarians, family and friends at Minute Maid Park for ROTARY NIGHT at the ballpark.  Rotarians and their guests are invited to an exclusive reception inside Champions Pavilion, which overlooks the ballpark and provides a unique view of the Downtown Houston skyline,.  Food and drinks will be available to Rotarians and their guests.  Cher on DG Bob Gebhard as he throws out the first pitch!  Seating is offered on the Mezzanine level at $18 per ticket.  For more information contact David Frishman at 281.391.2147 or David.Frishman@davidfrishmanlaw.com. Help eradicate Polio worldwide.
    April 26th - Take Me Out to the Ballgame - Go Astros! Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-03-13 00:00:00Z 0

    April 12th - Fundraiser for S.I.R.E.

    Come early to meet two of the trained SIRE horses and see first-hand how the program inspires riders with special needs.  We will have a pot luck so a variety of snacks will be shared.  The music will begin at 7:00 pm and all donations will go to support the S.I.R.E. program.  A nimble guitarist, critics say Chuck's sense of rhythm is more like a fine classical, or jazz, soloist, his songwriting musically sophisticated yet full of uncluttered space. The Chuck Pyle Finger-Style approach to guitar has distinguished him as a true original, earning him invitations to teach at such prestigious events as The Puget Sound Guitar Workshop and The Swannanoa Gathering. His music has made him a favorite of Bill & Melinda Gates who have had him play at their home in Seattle. Since writing the theme-song for a PBS series called Spirit of Colorado, he's attained local fame, and even sings for the opening session of the Colorado State Legislature.
     
    Sure to be requested of Chuck is the following borrowed from You Tube to hook you into coming to hear more:
     
     
     
     
    April 12th - Fundraiser for S.I.R.E. Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-03-13 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program: "Txtng is Killing Language. JK!!!"

    Linguist John McWhorter presents this TED Talk about texting; thinking about language in relation to race, politics and our shared cultural history.  He says, “Texting is very loose in its structure. No one thinks about capital letters or punctuation when one texts, but then again, do you think about those things when you talk?  In recent work, he’s been urging grammarians to think of email and text messages not as the scourge of the English language but as “fingered speech,” a new form between writing and talking. These digital missives, despite their “shaggy construction,” represent an exciting new form of communication in which “lol” and “hey” are particles, he suggests, and written thoughts can be shared at the speed of talking. Should we worry that knowing how to parse "haha kk" means we'll lose the ability to read Proust? No, he told the TED Blog: "Generally there’s always been casual speech and formal speech, and people can keep the two in their heads." 
     
    John McWhorter studies how language has evolved -- and will evolve -- with social, historical and technological developments, in addition to studying and writing about race in America.  Enjoy this video:
     
     This method of communication is often the most effective with younger Rotarians, children of Rotarians, and even commonly sen in the business world today.  If Rotary is to be relevant to our society today, we must keep pace with effective communication skills. 
     
    Weekly Program: "Txtng is Killing Language. JK!!!" Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-03-13 00:00:00Z 0

    Happy St. Patrick's Day -

    From a Rotarian friend -
     
    Whether you are Irish or not, there is one day a year that you get an Irish Blessing. St. Patrick's Day! So here it is. It is yours for the rest of the year.
    Wishing you a rainbow
    For sunlight after showers—
    Miles and miles of Irish smiles
    For golden happy hours—
    Shamrocks at your doorway
    For luck and laughter too,
    And a host of friends that never ends
    Each day your whole life through!
     
    Published on Mar 11, 2014
    "St Patrick's Day 2014 #IrelandInspires" is an animated postcard showcasing Ireland's strengths and highlighting the qualities that make this country a great place to be.  Hope you enjoy discovering more about Ireland and grow in your appreciation of other cultures arond the world.
    This will be played for audiences gathering at Irish Embassy events across the globe this St Patrick's Day (17 March 2014) and is tailored to appeal to visitors, investors and those attracted to the type of energy, creativity and potential which this nation can offer.
    "St. Patrick's Day 2014 #Ireland Inspires" was developed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland and Fáilte Ireland to celebrate Ireland's national day.
     
     
     
     
    Happy St. Patrick's Day - 2014-03-13 00:00:00Z 0
    Fundraiser Event for Bicyclists in Bloomin' Bluebonnets Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-03-13 00:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week

    An actress, film and music video director of dual Kenyan and Mexican citizenship, who in her first feature film role in Steve McQueen's historical drama 12 Years a Slave (2013),  earned the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, among numerous other awards and nominations.
    Quote of the Week Ed Ch 2014-03-13 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotary Volunteers in the Community

    Each club member is requested to volunteer one hour each month in an activity of their own choosing.  This standard allows our international members to identify needs and assist in their own communities.  Last month two members, Dr. Sofka Werkmeister and Dr. Michael Mebes, volunteered as judges in their local community at the Brazoria County Science Fair.  "We had the opportunity to help future scientists learn, improve, and feel encouraged in pursuing their interests." 
    Rotary Volunteers in the Community Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-03-05 00:00:00Z 0

    Vocational Training Team from Uganda in D5890

    Vocational Training Team's (VTTs) build on the Foundation’s long-standing commitment to vocational training, first formalized with the establishment of the Group Study Exchange program in 1965. VTTs take the GSE concept of enabling young professionals to observe their profession in another country a step further by offering participants the opportunity to use their skills to help others. Hands-on activities vary from one team to the next but may include training medical profes- sionals on cardiac surgery and care, sharing best practices on early childhood education, or explaining new irrigation techniques to farmers. A successful VTT increases the capacity of the host community to solve problems and improve the quality of life.  The VTT must be sponsored by Rotary clubs or districts from two countries.  Teams must consist of at least two members (either Rotarians or non-Rotarians) with at least two years of professional experience in the designated areas of focus and a Rotarian leader who has expertise in the area of focus, international experience, and general Rotary knowledge. In certain cases, the Foundation may grant permission to designate a non-Rotarian as team leader. There are no restrictions on the age of participants.

    Rotarian Bill Davis has an interesting story about the development of the VTT from Uganda currently in our home district.  A team of 5 Doctors and nurses from the Uganda Heart Institute in Kampala arrived in Houston last Saturday for two weeks of training at Texas Children's Hospital. The team will be home hosted by Rotarians from the West U Rotary Club. Bill says, "This $34,000 Rotary Grant resulted from a chance meeting I had on a flight from London to Houston with a travel nurse returning to the U.S. from a medical mission in Uganda."   When traveling, wear your Rotary pin or some apparel with the Rotary logo and you will most likely meet someone in the airport with a conection to Rotary.  It could be another Rotarian, an exchange student, or a Rotary scholar.  Bill's chance meeting led to this terrific training opportunity for this medical team to come to the world renown Texas Medical Center in Houston.  The Rotary Grant funds all travel and other expenses for the team.  This photo is taken from a fun night with the five medics from the Uganda Heart Institute in Kampala after work hours. 

    Vocational Training Team from Uganda in D5890 2014-03-05 00:00:00Z 0

    Why an e-Club?

    *  Meetings Any time 27-7, Anywhere
    • Have a busy schedule? Need a flexible meeting time?
    • Live in different places throughout the year
    • Travel frequently
    * Have limited mobility
     
    E-club members use webinars, videoconferencing, message boards, instant messaging, or tools like Skype and Google Hangout to communicate. For example, a club member might post content online for that week’s meeting, then other members join the discussion throughout the week. Some e-club members also meet in person at service projects, social activities or the RI Convention.
     
    As a global e-Club, projects are likely to be local to one or more of our members.  Some of our members are heavily engaged in their own communities serving on nonprofit boards, working on youth projects, bringing unique educational opportunities into local schools, educating local ranchers on sustainable practices for ranching, etc. E-club members in Arizona log over 700 hours of service every month, and have done so for several years.  A minimum number of service hours will be required of our members.   This year we are asking club members to volunteer 1 hour each month and the goal for next year will be 2 hours each month.  Partner with other Rotarians with various club projects or district-wide projects or volunteer in your community as needed.  Then, remember to report your volunteer time as you report your attendance at club meetings.
    Why an e-Club? 2014-03-05 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Everyday cybercrime-- and what you can do about it

    This week's program is a TEDTalk published on Sep 16, 2013.  How do you pick up a malicious online virus, the kind of malware that snoops on your data and taps your bank account? Often, it's through simple things you do each day without thinking twice. James Lyne reminds us that it's not only the NSA that's watching us, but ever-more-sophisticated cybercriminals, who exploit both weak code and trusting human nature.
     
    In an ever-expanding world of networked mobile devices, security threats -- and our ignorance of them -- are more widespread than ever. James Lyne of security firm Sophos believes that if we continue to ignore basic best practices, security is on a trajectory of failure.
     
    A self-described geek, Lyne spends time ripping apart the latest gadgets and software, builds true random number generators out of tinfoil and smoke alarm parts, among other unlikely objects. But his gift lies in his ability to explain complicated concepts and abstract threats to diverse audiences around the world.
    If everyone who watches this talk (and the friends and family members they share it with) were to apply the following practices, we would massively improve security. Here are six pointers for you:
    1.  Update your system. It is very common for exploit tools to use old attacks that have subsequently been fixed. For example, out of date Java or PDF software are very commonly targeted. And still, a large number of users won’t update. Make sure you have the latest version of all software.
    .
    2.  Get a decent password. There are plenty of great articles out there that suggest how to generate a good password. And yet, it is amazing when you review password lists for large public websites that have been leaked how common it is for people to use basic passwords like ‘password2013′ or ‘linkedinpassword.’ You should also make sure you use different passwords for different sites and services, or consider using a password manager to look after them for you.
    .
    3.  Be a little suspicious. A very large number of attacks rely on simple social engineering. Ask yourself next time you receive an e-mail claiming you have won an iPad or received a FedEx package — is this probably real? Would it happen to me walking down the street? Scams today aren’t all identifiable by poor grammar and spelling mistakes, as they once were.
    .
    4.  Keep a backup. Some attacks now do permanent damage that cannot be reversed. Whilst most attacks are still focused on reputation damage or fraud, these attacks can be extremely damaging. A tried and tested backup procedure can save you severe pain.
    .
    5.  Make sure you run basic security controls. Lots of people run severely out-of-date anti-virus software. Whilst there is no 100% in security, and AV won’t block everything, it remains a good basic step for keeping your system clean.
    .
    6.  Make sure you look up best practice for devices other than just your PC. You may have secured your computer, only to put very similar data on your mobile device with no security checks at all. There is an increasing amount of malicious code focused on Android mobile phones. And I find a lot of people don’t bother to protect their iPhone with a pin or lock screen. (It will be interesting to see how many people use the new fingerprint feature.) Check out the security best practices for each and every one of your devices.
     
    James Lyne says, "I hope that my talk inspires you to take an interest in security and apply these most basic measures of protection."
     
    Weekly Program - Everyday cybercrime-- and what you can do about it 2014-03-05 00:00:00Z 0

    Meet our Assistant Governor

    Please welcome our Assistant Governor, Stu Levin. Stu has been asked to assist us for the rest of the Rotary year. I have known Stu for years and could not be more pleased with his acceptance. For those of you new to Rotary I will describe the AG role from the materials we use for training the annual leadership team:

    Assistant Governors Job Description

    Purpose: The Assistant Governors’ primary role is to assist the governor with the administration of their assigned Rotary clubs. Effective clubs are able to:
    • Sustain and increase their membership base
    • Implement successful service projects that address the needs of their community and communities in other countries
    • Support The Rotary Foundation through both program participation and financial contributions
    • Develop leaders capable of serving Rotary beyond the club level
     
    Thank you Stu! I know you will be energized by the newly chartered Rotary E-Club of Houston!
    Meet our Assistant Governor Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-02-28 00:00:00Z 0

    We "LIKE" it!!! New Facebook Page for e-Club Houston

    Rotary International's founder, Paul Harris, sought friendship as part of his motivation to create a service organization in Chicago in 1905.  I wonder what he would think of social media today?  Our new e-Club has a Facebook page created by Rotarian Wind Nguyen as of 2-22-2014 and we nearly have 200 "friends" already.  Rtn. Robin Charlesworth said, "Thank you Wind Nguyen for creating our Facebook page! This virtual social gathering is a terrific adjunct for our new Rotary E-Club of Houston! This new venue for joining the greatest service organization in the world allows many to join, or perhaps re-join, Rotary with the freedom to attend an on-line meeting 24-7."  If you are a club member, BE OUR FRIEND.  If you are receiving this bulletin as a friend or guest of a Rotarian, BE OUR FRIEND.  Great Rotary information is posted here along with announcements regarding our face-to-face Open Board of Directors meetings every third Saturday in Houston. 
    We "LIKE" it!!! New Facebook Page for e-Club Houston 2014-02-27 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - How to Make Stress Your Friend

    Stress. It makes your heart pound, your breathing quicken and your forehead sweat. But while stress has been made into a public health enemy, new research suggests that stress may only be bad for you if you believe that to be the case. Psychologist Kelly McGonigal urges us to see stress as a positive, and introduces us to an unsung mechanism for stress reduction: reaching out to others.
    Kelly McGonigal translates academic research into practical strategies for health, happiness and personal success.  Stanford University psychologist Kelly McGonigal is a leader in the growing field of “science-help.” Through books, articles, courses and workshops, McGonigal works to help us understand and implement the latest scientific findings in psychology, neuroscience and medicine. Straddling the worlds of research and practice, McGonigal holds positions in both the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the School of Medicine. Her most recent book, The Willpower Instinct, explores the latest research on motivation, temptation and procrastination, as well as what it takes to transform habits, persevere at challenges and make a successful change.  She is now researching a new book about the "upside of stress," which will look at both why stress is good for us, and what makes us good at stress. In her words: "The old understanding of stress as a unhelpful relic of our animal instincts is being replaced by the understanding that stress actually makes us socially smart -- it's what allows us to be fully human."
     
     
    Weekly Program - How to Make Stress Your Friend 2014-02-21 00:00:00Z 0
    The Last Polio Ward in India Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-02-21 00:00:00Z 0

    Worldwide Polio Update

    What is that Polio Picture? Our RI President Ron Burton says we are "This Close"  to ENDing  POLIO NOW! Surveillance, at the heart of India’s polio success story.  Surveillance was the game-changer in the fight against polio. It marked a strategic shift in India’s polio eradication efforts.  “The setting up of a surveillance system proved to be the most important milestone in the journey of polio eradication in India as it formed the backbone of the eradication drive by helping identify areas and populations that were at risk and the type of poliovirus circulating in different areas besides measuring progress,” explains Dr Nata Menabde, WHO Representative to India.
     
    Last week, the U.S. Congress Committed $205 Mil to Polio Eradication & Passed a Resolution Supporting Polio Eradication & World Polio Day. and the Lawrence Ellison Foundation Committed $100 Million to the Worldwide Polio Eradication Effort over the next 5 years.  The Gates Foundation is currently matching all Rotarian Raised Polio Donations $2 for each $1 Contributed (Up to $35Mil/Yr.)
     
    The Final Three Endemic Countries
    Pakistan - 15 Polio cases have been reported in 2014 with the most recent on 1/31/14 in North Waziristan, FATA - 93 cases recorded in 2013.  The quality of immunization activities must improve in Peshawar for the country of Pakistan to be safe from Polio.   
    Afghanistan - 3 Polio case reported in 2014 with the most recent on 01/31/14 - 14 cases recorded in 2013.     
    Nigeria - No Polio case reported in 2014 - 53 cases recorded in 2013.  NIDs are planned for March.
    Worldwide Polio Update Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-02-21 00:00:00Z 0

    Greeter - New Rotarian Dree Miller

    Adriane Miller is originally from Curitiba, Brazil and she lives in The Woodlands, Texas. She is an English-Portuguese freelance translator and interpreter. She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, a postgrad in International Trade and also certified as advanced level instructor in Brazil. In the United States, she studied Therapeutic Massage and obtained national certification. She has taken Psychology classes at Sam Houston State University. Adriane volunteered for over three years managing a non-profit organization that worked with education and cultural integration of Brazilian children and adults in the United States. She is currently in the team of volunteer translators for TED videos. She enjoys traveling, learning about different cultures, reading, making mosaics, exercising, making and editing videos. She is involved in the local community and manages a book club, a movie club and a canasta club. Adriane previously lived in Brazil, Japan, New York City and Portland, Oregon.
     
    The Rotary Net
     
    We hear and see that the world is becoming a difficult place to live and sometimes we don’t feel safe, and we grow worried.  We see our planet trying to balance itself on a rope, we don’t want it to fall, but we sometimes feel too small to do something about it.  We want it to be better, but we look for ways and can’t find any. It can be too complex to sort out what to look for when we look for answers within ourselves, but keep going about our lives the same way as always. It’s like looking for a key to a locked door when even the door is unreachable. That’s when we need to lift our heads higher and look outside to the world around us. We must believe we can solve it, and we can, if we start small. We cannot flick our fingers and say, “from now on I am Mother Teresa”, but we all have the ability to at least smile to a person who needs some support in a hard day.
     
    It may be that a neighbor or colleague needs attention. It may be that a whole family needs our attention or that the planet needs our attention. There is always somebody who does. Sometimes we should stop worrying so much about what we need, what we don’t have, and focus on what others need. We should tackle the little things first and overlook the overwhelming feeling caused by the problems of the world. And then we see the key to unlock that door: compassion for others and desire do to good. 
     
    We all need each other. Empathy is not always easy, but it can be practiced in small steps. Today you let the person pass in front of you in line instead of running to be in front. Tomorrow you help someone carry their bags. And it’s not always what you do, but also what you think.  Our minds play a huge part in what we see and get from the world. Instead of thinking the worse about the driver who you off, wish them well in your thoughts. It doesn’t mean you are superior to that person, but you are more considerate and also you will be accumulating much less tension by the end of the day. This will become more natural the more you do it.
     
    We can find the key to improving our lives by observing what can be done to make someone else’s life better. Little things here and there add up. And they are contagious. If more people live by this principle, soon we will have a large group of people who occupy themselves with doing something for someone.
    Seeing ourselves as part of an organization that works together, and making sure all its parts are well connected is one of the most rewarding ways to attain individual enrichment.
     
    We subscribe to different organizations, societies or nets. As social creatures, the stronger the net we built around us the stronger and happier we become.  A good net cannot be woven with the weak thread of selfishness. If we build our lives taking instead of giving, we can’t expect to achieve our goals in any meaningful way as human beings.  We are what we give to the world.
     
    I believe Rotary is an altruistic net that is being woven with the multitalented hands of great people in the world. These hands that keep working, teaching and encouraging others to do the same are a promise that the world can be a better place both physically and ethically.  It’s the strongest safety net that the planet can fall into.  I am honored to be a new member of this net, the Rotary e-Club of Houston, and I hope my mind and hands can do their best to make this planet a better place.
     
     
    Greeter - New Rotarian Dree Miller Dree Miller 2014-02-21 00:00:00Z 0
    President's Message cha 2014-02-13 00:00:00Z 0

    Quote of the Week - Problem Solving

    Posted by Ed Charlesworth on Feb 11, 2014

    “If you choose to not deal with an issue,
    then you give up your right of control over the issue
    and it will select the path of least resistance.”
    ― Susan Del Gatto
    Quote of the Week - Problem Solving Ed Charlesworth 2014-02-12 00:00:00Z 0

    New on our Website - Link to D5890

    The home district of the Rotary e-Club of Houston is District 5890.  Our club and others in your geographic area are part of a district, led by your district governor. Districts help clubs connect to each other and access Rotary resources. There are around 530 districts, and these are organized into 34 zones. Each zone has about the same number of Rotarians.  District 5890's District Governor is Bob Gebhard for the year 2013-2014.  On our website we now have an acive link to the D5890 website which is interesting to review.  There are messages from the governor, information about district activities involving all Rotarians in D5890, a calendar of activities, locations and times for club meetings across our district, programs being done by other Rotary clubs, and more.  Registration for district activities is available on this site such as for the All-Club Meeting on February 20th.  This link is located in the left-hand column on our website.
     
     
     
    New on our Website - Link to D5890 2014-02-12 00:00:00Z 0

    Weekly Program - Robots with "soul"?

    Can robots and humans interact the way that human beings interact with each other? Guy Hoffman researches embodied cognition and intelligence in robots.  Meet our speaker this week, Guy Hoffman, whose TED talk is shared as our weekly program.
     
     
    As co-director of the IDC Media Invention Lab, Guy Hoffman researches robots with soul. He explores the humanity of robots -- how they think, feel, act, and move, as they interact with humans. He and his team staged the world’s first human-robot theater piece, as well as the first human-robot jazz duet, improv and all. Hoffman’s work has been named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of the Year, and in 2010 and 2012, he was listed as one of Israel’s most promising researchers under 40.  One comment about the program from Miguel Sanchez:  "More impresive than the robots are the maker!, taking chances, learning from different fields, and integrating it all.. inspirational!"
     
     
     
    Weekly Program - Robots with "soul"? 2014-02-12 00:00:00Z 0

    By-Laws now Posted

    The By-Laws of the Rotary e-Club of Houston are now posted for all club members and prospective members to review.  This is standard for all chartered Rotary clubs of Rotary International and is sent in with our application.  It sets forth our guidelines for conducting meetings, outlines who is a voting member of the Board of Directors, describes the duties of club officers and commmittee chairs, etc.  We still have a few positions which must be filled so please contact me if there is a position you would like to fill.  The annual Rotary year begins in July 1 each year, but we need current officers and committee chairs to serve from now until July 1.  The By-Laws maybe found inthe left-hand column of the website under Site Pages.
    By-Laws now Posted 2014-02-12 00:00:00Z 0

    UPDATE - Rotary International Convention in Sydney, Australia June 1 - 5, 2014

    G’Day from Sydney
    The 105th Rotary International Convention in Sydney is now over. It was time well spent with friends around the world having an opportunity to learn about service projects from top notch speakers and from booths in the House of Friendship.  Our district was well represented by Rotarians, spouses, and Future Rotarians (children of Rotarians).  Also, RI Treasurer Andy Smallwood from the Rotary Club of Gulfway  - Hobby Airport was on stage to provide his report during the Business Session.  Another Rotarian from our D5890, Irene Hickey (University Area Rotary Club) participated on the panel "Rotary Friendship Exchange".  We all enjoyed the free "VIVID" light show and strolling about Australia’s Harbour.  Attendees has many meals together including some club visits in the local community, Zone Dinner Cruise, Major Donor Dinner, and Rtn. Jack Wallace coordinated a dinner with PDG Greg Muldon (D 9680)for Aussie-Texan Fun.  Great entertainment was enjoyed in the opening and closing plenary sessions as well as in the House of Friendship.  The group "Human Nature" performed in the opening plenary session and had the crowd dancing throughout Allphones Arena with Motown tunes.  The Ten Tenors and Marina Prior performed at the closing ceremony prior to everyone singing the traditional song "Let There Be Peace on Earth".  Monies were successfully raised to "End Polio Now" with a Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb raising $45,000 and commitments from governments of Australia and Nigeria.  
     
    "It's time to try something different.  Because, to put it bluntly, Rotary's long-term survival depends on our willingness to let in some fresh air." - RI General Secretary John Hewko
     
    Explore on your own some of the programs and pics at #ricon14 or video coverage at http://vimeopro.com/rotary/sydney/.
     
    ON TO SAO PAULO, BRAZIL for 2015!
     
    UPDATE - Rotary International Convention in Sydney, Australia June 1 - 5, 2014 2014-02-10 00:00:00Z 0
    What in the World is Rotary? Ed Charlesworth, Ph.D. 2014-02-06 00:00:00Z 0

    The Four-Way Test of Rotary

    The Four-Way Test is a nonpartisan and nonsectarian ethical guide for Rotarians to use for their personal and professional relationships. The test has been translated into more than 100 languages, and Rotarians recite it at club meetings:
    Of the things we think, say or do
     
    First, Is it the TRUTH?
    Second, Is it FAIR to all concerned?
    Third, Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
    and Fourth, Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
    The Four-Way Test of Rotary 2014-02-05 00:00:00Z 0
    This is Rotary char 2014-01-30 00:00:00Z 0

    District 5890 All-Club Meeting Review

    District 5890 i hosted its All Club Meeting February 20th 2014 with Rotary International President Ron Burton as the feature speaker.  The soon to be officially chartered Rotary e-Club of Houston was introduced and we had a table durng the EXPO held at the event which drew great interest.  DG Bob Gebhard planned a reception prior to the dinner for Rotary Foundation supporters and several awards were presented to major contributors.  The Master of Ceremony was Spencer Tillman who welcomed more than 600 Rotarians to the annual dinner at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.  Presentation of flags was done in our traditional manner by the Rotary Youth Exchange students, each carrying the flag of their home country.  They also greeted the audience in each of their native languages.  Congratulations to Steve Lufburrow on receipt of the Rotary International Vocational Service Leadership Award!  Rotary International President Ron Burton and his wife, Jetta, The First Lady of Rotary International took time for many photo ops and his speech was motivational to all in attendance.  In closing, the Youth Exchange students led singing the song "Let There be Pleace on Earth".  Job well done, Rtn. Michelle Bohreer, on assembling a great team for this event and for your dedicationa and commitment to service!
     
     
    District 5890 All-Club Meeting Review char 2014-01-22 00:00:00Z 0

    Rotary in Russia Conference in Houston - March 1st

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    PDG Jon Eiche, District 5890 Representative to the US-Russia Intercountry Committee, reported that Rotarians from around the United States will converge on Houston on March 1, 2014, for a meeting to hear updates on Rotary International’s progress in strengthening Rotary in Russia.  This meeting is sponsored by the United States section of the US-Russia Intercountry Committee.

    The Rotary in Russia Conference will be held on March 1, 2014 at a hotel, located close to the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas.  The conference fee of $25, received and paid before February 8, covers administrative costs of the conference and a luncheon.  Conference registration received after February 8 will be $40.  Registration Form and Press Release are available on the Rotary District 5890 website.l
    MAIL COMPLETED REGISTRATION FORM WITH PAYMENT TO : PDG Jon Eiche, 3519 River Bend Drive, Rosenberg, TX 77471 or FAX TO: PDG Jon Eiche at 832-595-1397 and send payment by mail.
    The US-Russia ICC was chartered at Rotary Headquarters in 2007 with fourteen member districts from the United States and Russia.  Goals of the organization include helping young Rotary clubs in Russia to strengthen and forge partnerships with Rotary clubs in the United States.  These partnerships will promote Youth Exchanges between the two countries, professional and friendship exchanges, and work on joint Rotary projects.
    An announcement of the meeting has been sent to all current Rotary District Governors and over one hundred past officers of Rotary International.  Governors are invited to come or send a district representative to the meeting and hear about the progress Rotary has made since the first Rotary Clubs were chartered in Moscow and St. Petersburg in 1990.
    Author Sharon Tennison, CEO of the Center for Citizen Initiatives will be the featured keynote speaker.  Sharon has led this organization which has been responsible since 1983 for organizing hundreds of visiting teams of entrepreneurs from Russia to study business practices in the United States.  Recently returning from an extensive visit to Russia, Ms. Tennison will report on her impressions of the dramatic changes that have taken place in Russia as a result of her organization’s efforts over the last 30 years.  A highlight of Sharon’s presentation will be her assessment of the opportunities that Rotary has to improve the way of life in grass roots communities of Russia today.
    Interested Rotarians in District 5890 are invited to participate in this one day conference and learn of the opportunities to develop relationships with one or more of the 80 Rotary Clubs in Russia. Governor Bob Gebhard has expressed an interest in organizing a friendship exchange with a Russian Club before the end of his year.  For registration information about the conference, contact PDG Jon Eiche at eichej1@comcast.net or by phone 713-702-2292.
    Rotary in Russia Conference in Houston - March 1st 2014-01-22 00:00:00Z 0

    India Celebrates Three Years Polio Free

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    Throughout India and around the world, Rotary clubs are celebrating a major milestone: India has gone three years without a new case of polio. The last reported case was a two-year-old girl in West Bengal on 13 January 2011.

    To mark this historic triumph -- reached after a decades-long battle against polio -- Rotary clubs illuminated landmarks and iconic structures throughout the country with four simple but powerful words, "India is polio free."

    The three-year achievement sets the stage for polio-free certification of the entire Southeast Asia region by the World Health Organization. The Indian government also plans to convene a polio summit in February to commemorate this victory in the .

    The challenge now is to replicate India's success in neighboring Pakistan, one of three remaining polio-endemic countries, along with Afghanistan and Nigeria.

    Rotary leaders in India are working with their Pakistani counterparts to share best practices and lessons learned during India's successful anti-polio campaign. Rotary was particularly effective in obtaining the support of influential religious leaders in India's Islamic communities. Pakistani Rotary leaders are playing a similar role to counter rumors and misinformation about polio vaccinations that keep some Muslim parents from immunizing their children.

    Meanwhile, continue in both countries. During these large-scale drives, Rotary volunteers join health workers to vaccinate every child under age five against polio.

    "We must now stop polio in Pakistan to both protect Pakistani children and to safeguard our success in India and other countries where we have beaten this terrible disease," says India PolioPlus Committee Chair Deepak Kapur. "Until polio is finally eradicated globally, all unvaccinated children will remain at risk of infection and paralysis, no matter where they live."

    India Celebrates Three Years Polio Free Robin Charlesworth 2014-01-22 00:00:00Z 0

    Join Rotary eClub of Houston and Change the World

    Great!  Now click on the Membership Application in the bar above which is a Word document.  Complete the application and email it to our club Membership Chairman as shown below.    On the membership application you will be asked if you have attended two Rotary e-Club of Houston meetings on-line.  Look for the Weekly Program and either view the video or read the article, then go to the tab for Weekly Meeting beneath the banner of the page and submit the attendance form to receive credit. If you have any questions, please email Barbara Conway at bconway@neuhaus.org. We look forward to getting to know you and working together on service projects wolrdwide as we live our Rotary Motto of "Service Above Self".  
     
    Barbara Conway
    Membership Chair 2016-2017
    Rotary e-Club of Houston, Texas, USA
     
    Please mail your dues to: Michael Miller, 11 Beebrush Pl, The Woodlands TX, 77389,
    and your application to Barbara Conway bconway@neuhaus.org.
    To pay your membership dues with a credit card, please click on the PayNow yellow link on the left side of the home page
     
    Thank you!
    Join Rotary eClub of Houston and Change the World 2014-01-14 06:00:00Z 0

    Re-Building Lives & Re-building Bikes - Vocational Service Project

    Posted by Edward Charlesworth on Oct 17, 2013
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    Our newest Rotary District 5890 provisional club is the Rotary E-Club of Houston. The provisional club has already started a vocational service project in collaboration with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) and the Houston Community College (HCC) System.  provides vocational and academic training programs for inmates in the county jail.

    Some 30 full time classes and 12 part time classes offer opportunities to approximately 9,000 inmates each year. The curriculum includes English as a second language (ESL) and General Educational Development (GED), auto mechanic, culinary arts, consumer electronics, welding, etc.

    The Inmate Education Program at the Harris County Jail was established to comply with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards to afford all inmates a chance to obtain some form of education to prepare them for life after they are released and decrease recidivism. 
    Re-Building Lives & Re-building Bikes - Vocational Service Project Edward Charlesworth 2013-10-18 00:00:00Z 0