DISTRICT 6290 NEWSLETTER April 2011

District Governor Tim Knaggs And Wife Susan

The BIGGER-BETTER-BOLDER District Conference is May 12-14, 2011 in Cadillac.

In just three short weeks many Rotarians from our District will be in Cadil-lac attending the 2011 District Conference. The District Conference Plan-ning committee has done a great job of putting together opportunities for Fun, Celebration and Friendship along with some helpful Rotary informa-tion mixed in.

The Rotary Club of Cadillac will be our host and is excited about the many opportunities for learning and sharing, fellowship, the Friday and Saturday banquet keynote speakers, plenary and breakout sessions, and the Bigger-Better-Bolder House of Friendship.

Some special activities have been organized for Saturday Afternoon. We hope many of you will stay to enjoy an activity of your interest. Your options include:

1. A nine-hole scramble at the Award Winning Eldorado Golf Course (by the I-131 expressway). The cost is $ 20 (and any who wish to add the other nine holes may do so for an additional $ 17.00). We would like to have no more than 2 people from one club on each team.

2. A pontoon ride on Lake Cadillac and Lake Mitchell

3. Guided mushroom hunting

4. A walk along Lake Cadillac and the Clam River greenway with a stop at the Sound Garden.

5. Art Walk in downtown Cadillac

Sue and I are looking forward to seeing you in Cadillac May 12th.

(Click here to register for the District Conference)

Inside this issue:

District Conference Agenda

2-5

Polio Update 6

Foundation Banquet 7

Club News 9-10

Attendance 11-12

PETS News 8

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 10

Save the Dates:

• District Assembly Thursday May 12

• District Conference Friday and Saturday May 13 –14

• 2011 RI Convention in New Orleans, Louisi-ana, USA, 21-25 May

• Life Leadership Con-ference June15-18

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Polio Update

Rotarians worldwide are working hard to raise funds to meet Rotary’s $200 Million Challenge to eradicate polio. So far, $168 million has been raised and we need to keep going to raise the rest!

As of April 30, 2011, the clubs in District 6290 have contributed $184,259.22 since December 1, 2007 toward the Challenge, including over $45,000 raised by the Rotary Club of Traverse City alone. Congratulations Traverse City Ro-tarians!! The District has also contributed to the Challenge giving us a total in contributions for District 6290 of $212,259.22. With a funding goal of $2,000 per club per year, we still have some work to do. Currently the clubs in District 6290 have contributed $54,072.43 for the 2010-11 Rotary year. Let’s keep up the work and raise additional funds before June 30. If your club has not yet made a contribution to polio eradication this year, please consider a special fundraising event or ask each of your members to contribute to the cause. Remember, our work to rid this disease is our gift to the chil-dren of the world!

And we are making great progress....including some improvements in the polio endemic countries:

• In India, there has been 1 case of polio reported so far this year, compared with 19 for the same period in 2010.

• In Afghanistan, there has been 1 case of polio reported so far this year, compared with 7 for the same period in 2010.

The total number of cases worldwide so far in 2011 is 86. In 2010, there were a total of 1293 cases for the year.

One of the other endemic countries, Pakistan, is very focused on making strides in polio eradication. Their National Immunization Days (NIDs) in February involved two million people on 90,000 immunization teams vaccinating approximately 35 million children against polio. The Pakistan PolioPlus Committee Chair Aziz Memon described the massive campaign as “trying to cover every nook and corner of the country,” adding that “we are committed to a polio-free Pakistan.” Rotarians supported the effort in many ways including organizing a conference of Pakistan’s Muslim leaders to gain support in immunizing every child. In addi-tion, Rotary and Coca-Cola Pakistan joined in promoting polio immunization on 20 prominent billboards across the country. Rehana Baray, president of the Rotary Club of Lahore Sharqi (East) was part of the team that immunized 2,000 children during the NIDs. “Next time you serve the drops, please do look into the eyes of the child,” she says. “Then thank God that you belong to a great and rare organization.”

PDG Chris Etienne

District Polio Chair 2010-11

cetienne@bayharbor.com

Polio

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2011 Rotary Foundation Dinner

Close to 150 Rotarians, spouses and guests from throughout the district gathered on April 1 for the Fifth Annual Rotary Foundation Dinner at Kent Country Club in Grand Rapids. The guest of honor, past RI President Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar, was the evening’s speaker and he gave a stirring address about Rotary’s and the Foundation’s work throughout the world. He was also on hand to pass out a large number of Paul Harris Awards.

The winners of the two Paul Harris Awards in the drawing for those who signed up before March 15 were Carol Dillenbeck, Holland and Linda Ferguson, Stanton.

Foundation Dinner

Pictured from left to right, Linda Ferguson, Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar and Carol Dillenback

Recipients of Paul Harris Awards

To see more pictures from the Foundation Banquet, please visit the district website

www.ridistrict6290.org or our facebook page!

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Because all 4 of the incoming presidents in the Flat River region were not able to attend the entire PETS training workshop in Kalamazoo, AG Jim White set up a separate mini-PETS session. The purpose was to review all of the information from PETS and to share ideas, plans and goals that each club has. In addition, it was helpful for the 4 PEs to have a chance just to discuss what each club has been doing, and to look for common ideas and potential international joint projects. This past year these same clubs partnered in a WCS clean water grant for Haiti. The group will meet again in September as a follow up and to continue discus-sions on potential joint projects. Pictured left to right: Steve Flohr, Lowell; Pete Haines, Greenville; Jim White, AG; Linda Ferguson, Stanton; Tim Hoffman, South Kent.

Our condolences go out to the Rotary Club of Big Rapids and the family of Bob Sinclair, who died unexpectedly on April 9. Bob was president-elect of his Rotary club. Not only was he active in Ro-tary, he was also active in his community. Memo-rial contributions can be made in his name to the Rotary Club of Big Rapids to help continue com-munity projects.

PETS NEWS

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Club News

This years goal for Rockford Rotary: $4700

Last year goal was $4000 and we gave $13,204.12...Good job Past Pres Ramona

Our ALL TIME giving to the Rotary Foundation is $180,400

Each of Rockford's members gives $100/year through dues and the club also raises funds in other ways.

Some members have already given additional money to meet the PHF challenge and that will take us again beyond our goal of $4700

Rockford also met the goal of $2000 to the Polio Campaign.

Tuesday March 22, DG Tim presented PHFs, bring Rockford to a total of 99 PHF awarded....President Rick Schroder challenged the membership asking who will be #100

Today, Rockford RC membership has 32 PHF

14 are PHF +1

3 are PHF +2

4 are PHF +3

12 are working they way toward their first PHF

9 current members have given a PHF to a family member or spouse

Rockford Rotary believes when you are part of giving to The Rotary Foundation, you are part of giving to initiatives that are improving lives all over the world....

Rockford is lead club for USAID/Foundation Alliance Grant .... $1 Million in Foundation giving from Rotarians including our German and Dominican Rotarian friends....that is what one club can do through the giving of individual Rotarians.

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CLUB NEWS CLUB NEWS

(on left) On April 6th, Doug McChesney, President-Elect of the Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie North, presented Dr. Kirk Zufelt, Pediatrician with the Algoma Dis-trict Medical Group and Ellen Jean Richter, Executive Directory with GHC Trust Fund with a check for $5000 for a pediatric blood pressure unit. Dr. Zufelt ex-plained to the Rotary Club that the need is greater because of the increase in child-hood obesity. The principal focus of the Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie North is youth education and development. They support many local initiatives in the area.

Thank you Rotary North

Strengthening your club can be easy. Every Rotarian is capable of taking a few simple steps -- such as picking up the phone and inviting a friend or colleague to a meeting -- to help improve member recruitment and retention, a priority of the RI Strategic Plan.

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Club Attendance

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Club Attendance

April’s quote:

"I commend to you the opportunity for a rare fellowship with men and women from many lands. There are no strangers in a Rotary Convention. Introductions are un-necessary. To participate in friendship, show yourself friendly. Your personal enthusiasm imparted to others will make of this the greatest convention for you that Rotary has ever held."

— Arthur H. Sapp, 1927-28 RI president, address to the 1928 convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA