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November 23, 2012
Dear Rotarians,
Open the Door to a Great Week in Rotary! An enthusiastic and energized class of Presidents Elect graduated from FarWest PETS last weekend. Congratulations to the new Presidents Elect and District Governor Elect Marvin Williamson for a job well done! A special shout out to our own PDG Don Murphy who was general chair of this monumental event that included over 400 Presidents Elect from nine districts. Another congratulations to PDG Janine McClanahan who served as registrar, and made the process more streamlined and user-friendly than ever before. Our district was well-represented at this outstanding training session. Eight Days Left!! March 15th is the final day for early registration for the District Conference. Save yourself $30 and register today! (www.rotary5220.org). Welcome New Members! Madera Sunrise Rotary welcomes Lindsay Rowe, sponsored by Bob Bitter; Sonora Sunrise welcomes Paul Wild. I received the follow letter from Rotary International Secretary General John Hewko. I thought it was important to pass along his message:
A Perspective on Media Coverage about New Allies in the Fight Against Polio Dear District Governor: By now, many Rotarians and friends of Rotary have read the February 28th edition of The Wall Street Journal, which includes a news report as well as an op-ed column about New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s decision to donate US$100 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative through his charitable foundation. It’s great to have such leaders join our fight. As we all know, over the last three decades, Rotarians have contributed more than $1.2 billion and countless hours to end this scourge. As advocates and fund-raisers in this cause, we welcome help from all who share our vision, and we thank Mayor Bloomberg for stepping forward. In fact, on behalf of all Rotarians, Dr. Robert S. Scott, chair of our International PolioPlus Committee, publicly thanked the Mayor as soon as the announcement was made last Friday. At this critical time in the battle, we want and need to encourage other philanthropists and business leaders to join us. In addition to the Bloomberg donation, the WSJ coverage describes philanthropist Bill Gates’ commitment to polio eradication. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has contributed more than $1.5 billion to fight polio, including the $355 million challenge grant to Rotarians, who successfully raised more than $228 million by early 2012. You’ll recall that the Gates Foundation was so impressed by our success that they quickly added another $50 million. When supporters such as Mr. Gates and Mayor Bloomberg join ranks with Rotary for a cause as important as the eradication of polio, it demonstrates the immense contribution the private sector can make in addressing the world’s most pressing needs. Again, we want and need to encourage philanthropists and business leaders to generously step forward. To achieve this objective, however, we must remember that the world is watching how Rotarians respond when such announcements make the news. I understand that we may not always like how the media tell the story. However, I believe that we can all agree that announcements such as the Bloomberg donation are urgently needed if we are to win the battle against polio. Let’s all remember that polio, after all, is our common enemy. We are in this battle to beat polio once and for all. In short, it is not helpful when we criticize our partners or allies, or even the very media upon whom we rely to carry our message. Ultimately, history will tell the whole story of how polio was eliminated from the human experience. And, we can be confident that the role of Rotary will not be missed or dismissed. In fact, over the past 18 months, we have greatly increased our PR outreach, and we are seeing significant results. For proof, we need only remember some of the most recent coverage from the world’s major media: a cover story in the international edition of TIME Magazine, a full page in Discover Magazine, a first-person column in the New York Times India web site, and major stories on national networks in Taiwan and Korea. And, let’s keep in mind that all of these news reports are just since the start of 2013. Another thing to keep in mind is that we can and must be confident in our partners and allies. Mr. Gates has repeatedly given credit to our hard work and leadership. As but one of many examples, consider that on the evening of the Bloomberg announcement, Mr. Gates and Mayor Bloomberg appeared on the popular Charlie Rose television talk show in the United States. During the program, Mr. Gates praised Rotary’s leadership in polio eradication: "They’ve been involved from the very beginning,” he said. "We wouldn’t be anywhere near where we are without Rotary’s key partnership.” I hope you will agree that the quote from Mr. Gates says everything. As Rotarians, let’s welcome announcements of new partners and allies with a spirit of generosity and gratitude. I would deeply appreciate it if you, as District Governor, would share this perspective with your clubs. Ultimately, it is in the best interest of every Rotarian – and all who share our passion to end polio forever – to encourage and welcome more organizations like the Gates Foundation and more individuals like Mayor Bloomberg. Sincerely, John Hewko General Secretary Rotary International Watch our Facebook page tomorrow (http://www.facebook.com/RotaryDistrict5220) for the announcement of our District Governor Nominee Designate who will serve as District Governor in the Rotary Year 2015-2016. Exciting! Make your club president happy by volunteering to write up an awards application for your area of expertise. March 31 is the deadline for your club to apply for Rotary District 5220 Awards. It’s surprisingly easy! Just ask your president to provide you with your club’s awards username and password, check out "Overview of Awards” at www.rotary5220.org, and you’ll be on your way. Cabinet Meeting: Our next cabinet meeting will be conducted via Go To Meeting on March 20, at .. To participate in the meeting follow the instructions below.
1. Please join my
meeting, https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/420852325 2. Use your microphone and speakers (VoIP) - a headset is recommended. Or, call in using your telephone. Dial +1 (213) 493-0614 Access Code: 420-852-325 Audio PIN: Shown after joining the meeting Meeting ID: 420-852-325 Rotary Day with the River Cats: Help raise funds for polio eradication by attending Rotary day with the Sacramento River Cats. Up to $8.00 of every ticket sold goes toward our End Polio Now Campaign. The game day is Sunday, April 21. The games starts at and gates open at . The ticket order form, promotional flyers and club sales incentives are available on our website under Resources. Have a great week in Rotary! Yours in Rotary Service, Liz
Open the Door to Service, Fellowship and Fun
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