-The District 6880 Dispatch

A Newsletter for Rotarians in South AlabamaCarol Franks March 2010 John Kenny

District Governor Literacy Month International President

DISTRICT EVENTSImportant Dates

Mar 15 - District Award Nominations Due

Mar 18-21 - Mid South PETS, Nashville

Mar 25 - Heart of AmericaRotary Leadership Institute, Montgomery

Mar 31 - Presidential Citation Forms Due

Apr 15-18 - RYLA, Camp ASCCA

IN THIS ISSUEArea Eight Update

Governor RileyLiteracy Projects

Rotary’s 105th BirthdayDothan Miracle Playground

Helping Child ProtectIndia Immunization Trip

District Simplified GrantsEmergency Disaster Initiative

Presidential CitationRotary President Message

Fellow Rotarians, Welcome to March and Literacy Month! As a district, we had

a fabulous project with our dictionaries. It was so rewarding forevery club to distribute dictionaries to over 23,000 children. Ihope that you will continue working on literacy projects as aclub. Being literate means being able to comprehend the instructions on a medicine bottle, a set of directions, or a jobposting. It means understanding the note written by a child’steacher. It means being able to use a computer, follow a recipe,or apply for a mortgage. Those who cannot read or write, whether they are childrenor adults, are cut off from important information in ways too numerous to count.They are less likely to be healthy and more likely to be poor. And perhaps most critical of all, parents who cannot read are more likely to raise children who cannotread – perpetuating the cycle of illiteracy, and of poverty. Gigi Armbrecht is our Literacy Chair and you may contact her at ga5264@att.com for assistance or suggestions on how to start a project.Once again, there is a lot of wonderful information in this month’s newsletter –

highlights include a report and pictures from the National Immunization Day in Indiaattended by three of our Rotarians; a summary of District Simplified Grant Awards; areport from Area Eight by Bruce McNeal as well as his report from the disaster reliefseminar he attended in Texas; and information on the Dothan Miracle Playground.Several other important events are coming up very soon: Our district conference

aboard the Carnival Fantasy will be April 29 – May 3rd. We have a great number ofRotarians attending, but if you still have not signed up and would like to, please contact Mendy Tanner at Springdale Travel at mendy@springdaletravel.comOur incoming presidents and assistant governors will be attending PETS/AG

training in Nashville on March 18 - 21st. Presidents: please check with your successor to see that he/she has registered for PETS. It is a requirement that the incoming president receive training, and if he/she does not, then the current president is asked to serve again. On March 25th we will offer the Heart of AmericaRotary Leadership Institute Parts I and II at Troy University Montgomery. RYLA willbe held for our high school students at Camp ASCCA on April 15 - 18th. Informationon all these events is contained on our district website.It's hard to believe but this Rotary Year is more than halfway completed. We

have much to be thankful for as we look back at our accomplishments of the pastseven months, but also know that we have plenty of things to accomplish in thecoming months. Incoming presidents and other club leaders should be planning fortheir year of service and setting goals now. Many clubs have already made theirEvery Rotarian Every Year (EREY) contributions as well as polio ($17 per member) Iam hopeful that every club in our district will make their contributions in the comingmonths. Your AG will be contacting presidents soon regarding your contributions ifyou need assistance. Thank you all for making a difference. Remember: The Futureof Rotary is in Your HandsYours In Rotary Service,Carol FranksCarol FranksDistrict Governor 2009 - 2010

1 2 Read Across America Day

3 4 Wetumpka Club Anniversary

5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14Daylight SavingsTime Begins

Lee Co. SunriseClub Anniversary

15District Award

Nominations DueDemopolis

Club Anniversary

16 17St. Patrick’s Day

18MidSouth-PETS

19MidSouth-PETS

20First Day of SpringMidSouth-PETS

21 MidSouth-PETS

22 23 24 25Heart of AmericaRotary Leadership

Institute

26Chilton CountyClub Anniversary

27

28Palm Sunday

29 30 Passover Begins

31 Presidential

Citation Forms DueGreenville

Club Anniversary

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday SaturdayMarch 2010 � Literacy Month

March 2010 Page TwoThe Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.

The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.March 2010 Page Three

District 6880 Club AnniversariesCongratulations to the following District 6880 Clubs who are celebrating their anniversary.

Wetumpka March 4, 1938 72 yearsLee County Sunrise March 14, 1985 25 yearsDemopolis March 15, 1923 87 yearsChilton County March 26, 2003 7 yearsGreenville March 31, 1939 71 years

Gov. Bob Riley addressed the Montgomery Sunrise Rotary Club on February 5, 2010.Guests of the Club included officials of the City of Montgomery, and Rotary officials: CarolFranks, Joe Saloom and Chris Dunn. Governor Riley was introduced by Rotarian Eileen Jones.Riley spoke on four major areas: economic

development, education, charter schools, and ofcourse – BINGO. He talked about the successesthat the state has had in major economic development and ways that we can continue with our progress. He had just returned from ameeting in Washington with President Obama and told the club about some federal issues whichwill impact economic development and educationin our state. Members were urged to support theconcept of charter schools as they could have atremendous impact on our educational system and funding. He spoke of several “myths” concerning the charter school issue and asked us to do our own research and contact our legislators about this issue.Related to gambling (bingo), Riley relayed the

history of bingo in the state, including a letter from the Attorney General of the United Statesseveral years ago saying that the Bingo machines were in fact Class 3 gambling machines. Hethen said that gambling halls in Madison, Jefferson and Walker Counties had been shut downand it was only when the issue went to Victoryland and Country Crossing that the publicity escalated. He told the club about the current bill in the Legislature this session and how some of the provisions could negatively effect businesses and the citizens in Alabama.After his 35 minute presentation, Riley stayed at the club to meet and talk with members and

guests individually. A video of this meeting is available for you to see at the Sunrise RotaryClub’s Website, or by visiting the following address: http://kl.am/6U0Y.

Governor Bob Riley Addresses Montgomery Sunrise

March 2010 Page FourThe Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.

Area Eight UpdateThe Clubs of Rotary District 6880 Area Eight include Dothan, Dothan Houston County, Geneva and

Eufaula. All four Clubs have been active since the beginning of the Rotary year.The Dothan Rotary Club, with a membership of 178, have made contributions as of January 1, 2010 in

the amounts of $6,300 to RI Foundation, $5,964 to Habitat for Humanity, $1,564 to Camp ASCCA, $25,000to The Wiregrass Rehabilitation Center and pledged $5,000 toward an international bridge project inPanama. The Dothan Rotary Club, on behalf of Rotary District 6880, has been awarded a one year grant inthe amount $41,125.00 to support the Districts Dictionary Project for 2010. Activities accomplished by the Dothan Rotary Club as of January 1st, included: Continued support of the

Panama Water Project; Distributed dictionaries to 3rd graders in Houston and Henry Counties, applied for asecond Malone Family Foundation grant for two additional years of funding for the District Wide DictionaryProject, Sponsored Rotary Scholarship Winner - Heather Smith, Sponsored GSE applicant - Rayne McKenzie. International Exchange activities included hosting and entertained 11 members of the Slough,England Rotary Club: sponsored Wiregrass Area Food Bank Food Drive collecting 280 pounds of food and$475 cash: Held our annual White Elephant Sale for Wiregrass Rehab - Expect total of $40,000+ ($25,000distributed so far); participated in annual Salvation Army Bell Ringers; held Senior Citizen Luncheon feeding761; provided Christmas for all DHR foster children (150) in Houston County; continued support for the Rotary Miracle Field and started fundraising drive for $500,000 project with Dothan-Houston Co. RotaryClub to build Miracle Playground. The Club agreed to adopt Girard Middle School, Dothan, AL as part of theCity-wide Adopt-A-School project. The Dothan Rotary Club is committed in supporting the $100 per memberfor the Rotary Foundation and $17 per member for Polio Plus. The Eufaula Rotary Club teamed up with the local Presbyterian Church to participate in a clean water

project, participated in the District Wide Dictionary Project by distributing dictionaries to all 3rd graders inBarbour County. The Club awarded two college scholarships to worthy high school seniors in BarbourCounty and donated $1,000 to Polio Plus. The Eufaula successfully completed its annual fund raising auction that supports its annual causes.The Dothan Houston County Rotary Club is very involved in the community supporting a variety of

projects. The main focus for the club is the support of the Rotary Miracle Playground which has a total community commitment of some $500,000 which the club has already distributed $20,000 and will contribute a commitment of significant additional dollars to the project.The Dothan Houston County Rotary Club is very involved in the upcoming Group Study Exchange (GSE)

program providing host housing, transportation, vocational and other support activities. The club is involvedin supporting local Interact clubs, Paul Harris Fellowships, Polio Plus, Youth Exchange and Annual Programs support. The Club has committed some $5000 to the Panama Bridge Project which will help toconstruct a bridge which will allow children to cross a river during the rainy season to attend school. andparticipated in the District Wide Dictionary Project by distributing dictionaries to all 3rd graders in HoustonCounty.The Geneva Rotary Club has committed to conducting a Child Mortality Project, Literacy Project, RYLA,

Academic Banquet, Groundwater Festival, Essay Contest, Scholarships, and a Nursing Home Gifts project,not to mention a Valentine banquet and a White Elephant Sale. A very unique occurrence at the GenevaRotary Club meeting is the invitation of youth from the local high school where they invite different studentsweekly, introduce each student to club members and share, with the members, unique qualities about eachstudent. In this exercise, Geneva Rotarians expose these students to Geneva community leaders and theworld of Rotary and Rotarians to the youth of the community. When each student is introduced, all Rotarians in attendance tell the student (or visitor) hello by name in unison. Very impressive to say the least.The Club participated in the District Wide Dictionary Project by distributing dictionaries to all 3rd graders inGeneva County. The clubs of Area 8 are like so many clubs in the district and around the world, supporting programs and

services that provide “Service Above Self.”

Almost 800 million people worldwide are unable to read or write, a lack of skills that makes them especially vulnerable to hunger, disease, and extreme poverty. Nearly two-thirds of these -- 500 million --are women. Without literacy and access to a basic education, these women are poorly equipped to access resources and make decisions that improve the lives of their children and families. Today, 72 million children of primary school age are not in school. The Literacy Resource Group (available on the Rotary website) connects Rotarians with the

information and tools they need to actively promote literacy at home and abroad. It asks Rotary clubs tolearn about literacy and education issues in their communities and help increase access to quality learning opportunities for those in need. Clubs are also encouraged to work with the International ReadingAssociation and the Dollywood Foundation's Imagination Library to conduct literacy projects worldwide.If your club is looking for a literacy project, below are some suggestions.

Club Service · Recruit a new club member with a literacy classification · Promote International Literacy Day and/or Literacy Month · Invite a literacy speaker to a club meeting · Devote a club meeting to creating awareness of literacy project opportunities · Conduct Rotary theme of the month projects creating awareness of the literacy aspects of theme of the month, e.g. in December, Family Literacy

· Send club members to a district literacy seminar or conference and devote a subsequent club meeting to their report from the seminar.

Vocational Service · Conduct a Four Way Test project or make the test part of other projects such as book gifts or of other character literacy projects

· Conduct a character literacy project such as Who Is Nobody?, Laws of Life, BrainWise, or gift of books. · Recognize a community leader who is a vocational service role model; use the occasion to create public awareness of Rotary’s vocational service values

· Sponsor, perhaps in partnership with an Interact club, a high school workshop which teaches vocational literacy as exemplified in The Four Way Test, the second part of the Object of Rotary, and Rotary’s two mottos.

International Service· Participate in an international book donation project, a mini-library project, or book, supplies, or equipment project.

· Participate in a literacy and education-focused international project that is connected to health, hunger, and water concerns.

· Find an international partner and support their proposed project. Visit ProjectLINK to find a partner, www.rotary.org/projectlink.

Community Service· Support a Concentrated Language Encounter (CLE) or similar program (such as Yo Puedo) · · · Support a Computer Assisted Literacy Solution (CALS) or similar program. · Do an Imagination Library, www.imaginationlibrary.com, project or other reading readiness program such as SOUNS, Books for Babies, and Sandparents.

· Partner with the International Reading Association, www.reading.org, or its equivalent in your community, on a literacy project.

· Join or support a local project to raise funds for a school or other literacy organization. · Engage in a school partnership such as providing reading mentors, financial support, gifts in kind, scholarships or other needs identified by the school.

March 2010 Page FiveThe Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.

Literacy Resource Guide to Projects for Clubs

March 2010 Page SixThe Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.

Clubs Celebrate Rotary’s 105th BirthdayBy Arnold R. Grahl, Rotary International News

From kicking a soccer ball in Cape Town, South Africa, to illuminating prominent landmarks with the End Polio Now message,Rotarians around the world are celebrating 23 February, the 105th anniversary of the first Rotary club meeting. On this day in 1905,Paul Harris, Gustavus Loehr, Hiram Shorey, and Silvester Schielemet to talk about their personal and professional experiences. Harristhen unfolded his general plan for a club. Out of this simple beginningsprang the world's first international service organization, which hasnow grown to include more than 1.2 million members in over 33,000clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary International helped celebrate the milestone by spelling out End Polio Now on the side of RI

World Headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA, and by joining districts 6440 and 6450 in plans to lightup the Wrigley Building in downtown Chicago with the End Polio Now logo on the evening of 23 February. The Rotary Club of Chicago is celebrating its own 105th anniversary immediately after thelighting. Other sites scheduled for illumination this week include the Pyramid of Khafre in Egypt; the Taipei

Arena in Taiwan; the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain; the Old Port Captain’s Office on the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, with world-famous Table Mountain as the backdrop; theObelisk of Buenos Aires, Argentina; the Lake Marathon Dam overlooking the historic Marathon Memorial Battlefield in Greece; and the Royal Palace at Caserta in Italy. In Cape Town, one of the host cities for the 2010 World Cup, a Kick Polio Out of Africa awareness

campaign will launch with the symbolic kicking of a soccer ball signed by Archbishop EmeritusDesmond Tutu, who had polio as a child. The ball, which will be auctioned to the highest bidder, willthen travel through 22 polio-affected countries en route to the RI Convention in Montréal, Québec,Canada, in June. In Puerto Rico, the House of Representatives has approved a measure setting aside the week of 23

February to be celebrated as "the week of the Rotary movement." In addition, clubs have found a variety of creative ways to celebrate Rotary's birthday, also known as

World Understanding and Peace Day: • Members of Rotary clubs in Nepal will be taking part in a peace rally in Biratnagar. • The Rotary Club of Scottsbluff/Gering, Nebraska, USA, is celebrating Rotary's 105th

birthday by marking the 90th year since it received its club charter with a fundraiser to expand the local library.

• The Rotary Club of Canton, Georgia, USA, holds its weekly meeting on Tuesdays and willbe celebrating with a large cake, complete with big 1, 0, and 5 candles. The club will also be donating $105 to PolioPlus.

• The Rotary Club of Tumkur City, Karnataka, India, has conducted a free dental checkup forchildren at a Red Cross school for the deaf and mute.

• The Rotary Club of Milledgeville, Georgia, USA, has invited Rotarians, families, veterans, and community members to a large Peace Day celebration at the peace monument at the county courthouse.

• All 21 districts in Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland will be taking part in a Thanks for Life Week to raise funds for End Polio Now.

March 2010 Page SevenThe Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.

District Simplified Grants AnnouncedDistrict Simplified Grants (DSGs) are a tool for Rotary districts to support short-term,

humanitarian projects that benefit the community. District 6880 announced the recipients of thisyear’s district simplified grants at the Mid-Year Conference.

Bay Minette - $850 - Purchase and supply a projector for the Alabama Free Clinic to be usedin providing medical services to the working uninsured in Baldwin County.Brewton - $1,000 - Children literacy program preparing children for reading success by promoting early experience with books and stories.Camden - $1,500 - Adopt-a-child Christmas project.Demopolis - $626 - Adopted five underprivileged children for Christmas.Dothan - $1,280 - Children's fire safety education program in conjunction with the DothanFire Department.Enterprise - $1,432 - The provision of children's book and parental education material to indigent parents through home visits and training.Foley - $1,000 - Provided children and teen books to the Foley Public Library.Geneva - $1,000 - Outdoor classroom project including a butterfly garden, raised bed vegetables and flower garden, a weather station and other items.Greenville - $1,820 - The purchase of coats for needy children in Butler County.Linden - $932 - Provision of children's books for the Marengo Public Library.North Mobile - $1,000 - The provision of reading books and workbooks for adult literacy classes in North Mobile County.Mobile Sunrise - $2,500 - Bedroom furnishings for the McKenzie Place, a temporary overnight shelter for single, homeless women.Montgomery Sunrise - $2,000 - Education and playground equipment for elementary school students.Point Clear - $1,500 - The purchase of wheelchairs for Portoviejo, Equador.Selma - $2,500 - Playground equipment for handicapped children.Troy - $1,266 - Sporting event equipment for children's sporting program.Tuskegee - $700 - The purchase and distribution of food to elderly people in the communityliving on fixed incomes.

March 2010 Page EightThe Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.

District Simplified Grant Helps Wilson ElementaryThe Sunrise Rotary Club of Montgomery applied for and received a District Simplified Grant in the

amount of $2000.00 to help Jim W. Wilson Jr. Elementary School,one of the new schools in Montgomery, purchase needed educational equipment. The Club's Foundation contributed an

additional amount and the school was furnishedwith 5 Elmo Digital Projectors. These are used inthe class rooms in conjunction with their "smartboards" to teach reading, show science projects,work math problems, and other facets of the educational process. The members who went tothe school were able to see the Elmo in action and talk with several administrative staff alongwith several teachers who demonstrated this new technology. This project is a part of our club's literacy

projects for February and March. We will be helping three schools with national Dr. Seuss Day in March 2 and working with schools in their art show on March 9. We want to thank District 6880 forawarding us this grant to use to help our elementary students.

Message from the Foundation Trustee Chair - Empowering People through Literacy

In Rotary, we recognize March as Literacy Month. This is when we focus on the importance ofliteracy and education in our humanitarian service. In my decades as a Rotarian, both at home inAlabama, USA, and abroad, I have seen again and again what a critical role literacy plays in ahealthy and productive life. Being literate does not just mean having the ability to read a book or anewspaper. Being literate means being able to comprehend the instructions on a medicine bottle,a set of directions, or a job posting. It means understanding the note written by a child’s teacher. Itmeans being able to use a computer, follow a recipe, or apply for a mortgage. Literacy meansbeing part of the larger society. It means inclusion, and it means empowerment.Those who cannot read or write, whether they are children or adults, are cut off from important

information in ways too numerous to count. They are less likely to be healthy and more likely tobe poor. And perhaps most critical of all, parents who cannot read are more likely to raise childrenwho cannot read – perpetuating the cycle of illiteracy, and of poverty.As a Rotarian and in my profession, I have seen so many simple and creative ways to break

this cycle. Whether it is by volunteering in schools, by bringing education and training to adults, orsimply by ensuring that all children have the books and supplies they need, we in Rotary can doso much. We can help others learn to read – and learn to help themselves.Glenn E. Estess Sr. Foundation Trustee Chair

March 2010 Page NineThe Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.

District Conference CruiseWe are so excited about our district conference this year aboard the Carnival Fantasy! Many

Rotarians, family and friends will board the ship on Thursday afternoon, April 29th to sail toCozumel. We did this three years ago when Robert Greer was DG, and had such a great time thatwe decided it was time to do it again! If you would still like to go and haven’t signed up, please contact Mendy Tanner at Springdale Travel at mendy@springdaletravel.comHere is a tentative itinerary – more information will follow as we get a bit closer to sailing! I don’t

know about you, but I am ready for a cruise!Thursday:Board ship, pick up registration information, mandatory lifeboat drill, opening plenary session, welcome reception, introduction of guest including John Kenny’s representative - past RI Director Sonny Brown, dinner, entertainment

Friday:Breakfast, plenary sessions, lunch, afternoon free, dinner, entertainment

Saturday:Free Day Ashore in Cozumel, Dinner, Entertainment

Sunday:Breakfast, Church/Memorial Service, District 6880 Business Meetings, Looking to the Future, Closing Remarks, Adjourn, Dinner, Entertainment

Monday:Disembark approximately 8:00 a.m.

Topics for plenary sessions will include but are not limited to:• Comments from John Kenny’s representative RI Director Sonny Brown of Texas• Group study exchange team from District 2340• State of the District – State of Rotary International• Report from the National Immunization Day in India, February 2010• Presentation on Paul Harris by Don Pittman• District Awards• Memorial Service/Church Service to include remembering those in our district family

who have passed away during this rotary year• Presidential Citation Awards• Foundation and Membership updates

My fellow Rotarians:

Preparations for our convention in Montréal, Québec, Canada, 20-23 June, are well underway,and we are fast approaching the 31 March deadline for lower registration fees. I can think of manyreasons to attend a Rotary International Convention – interesting speakers, exciting entertain-ment, and a chance to visit a fascinating city, to name a few. Yet as compelling as these incentivesmay be, they are not why I have attended almost every convention since my first one in 1984. Themain reason I look forward to this annual event is the opportunity it affords to reunite with my Ro-tary friends and meet so many new ones.

In many ways, our convention is Rotary at its best: Rotarians coming together to enjoy congen-ial fellowship while discussing the more serious business of service. We will, no doubt, be inspiredby our speakers, including Greg Mortenson, author of the best-selling book Three Cups of Tea; JoLuck, CEO of Heifer International; and country music singer Dolly Parton, who will be talking abouther other great interests, children’s literacy and the Imagination Library. And we will learn aboutmany facets of Rotary and our Rotary Foundation in the various workshops planned. In betweenthese events, we can build new Rotary friendships over coffee in the House of Friendship or din-ner at one of Montréal’s celebrated restaurants.

It has been said many times that you cannot truly appreciate the internationality of Rotary untilyou attend a convention. In Montréal this June, we expect to welcome Rotarians from more than100 countries. We may be speaking dozens of different languages, but I know that all of us will beeager to communicate as best we can – with words, smiles, and laughter – effectively bridging anycultural or linguistic differences.

The convention is a time to celebrate the achievements of the past year, but it is also a time toplan for the future. In Rotary, we do not look at all that we have accomplished and say, “That’senough.” No, we use our successes as a springboard to do more. I encourage you to join Juneand me in Montréal and to use this opportunity to identify new service partners, get innovativeproject ideas, and renew your enthusiasm for Rotary. Much work remains to be done – both in thisRotary year and the next. The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands, and a Rotary convention is theideal place to come together and formulate your plans.

John Kenny President, Rotary International

The Rotary InternationalConvention is Rotary

at Its Best“It is our daily actions, and our daily decisions,

that determine the course of Rotary for us all. TheFuture of Rotary Is in Your Hands."

March 2010 Page TenThe Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.

Dothan Rotary Miracle Playground

March 2010 Page ElevenThe Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.

The Dothan Rotary Clubs are excited to be a part of the next phase of the Rotary Miracle FieldComplex.......The Rotary MiraclePlayground.Imagine creating a fully inclusive

playground that stimulates sight,sound, and imagination - right inDothan, Alabama. The City ofDothan is partnering with bothRotary Clubs to create one of Alabama's first universally accessibleplaygrounds.The playground is planned to be

adjacent to the Rotary Miracle FieldComplex at Westgate Park. The Rotary clubs are undertaking a fundraising drive to raise $500,000 to make these dreams cometrue. This funding will be combined with City resources to achieve the design, build, and maintenance of the playground. Join us by taking the inclusion movement to the next level, bysetting a standard of compassion and innovation for generations to come .

March 2010 Page TwelveThe Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.

On January 29th, 2010, the Montgomery Sunrise Rotary Club hosted its sixth Commitment toService Award Roast and Recognition at the RSA Activities Center in downtown Montgomery. Inspite of rain and somewhat chilly weather, the 2010 event was an exceptional success. Approximately 200 guests from the River Region Area attended. The main attraction was theroasting of nationally recognized attorney, Jere L. Beasley by 3 of his close friends. Participantsbegan the evening by enjoying Hors d'œuvres and beverages while viewing and bidding on someunique treasures in the extensive silent auction. This was followed by a seated Surf and Turf dinner. The “roasting” was the highlight of the evening followed by the presentation of the Commitment to Service Award to Mr. BeasleyThe evening’s activities were kept on a humorous note by Master of Ceremonies Alva

Lambert, a well known Montgomery personality. The success of this event was due in large partto the support of the Premier Sponsors Pickwick Antiques and Beasley Allen Law. Additionalsponsors included Sam’s Club, Alabama Power, Rehab First, and Max Federal Credit Union.The Commitment to Service event enabled the Montgomery Sunrise Rotary Club to provide

funds for the purchase of a Disaster Relief feeding trailer for the Red Cross of Central Alabama.In addition, the club provided funds to the Autauga County Family Support Center to build a counseling and conference room, and funded the Second Chance Foundation to acquire mathand literacy software for their remedial education programs.

2010 Commitment to Service Award Event a Huge Success

March 2010 Page ThirteenThe Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.

This year’s Presidential Citation program provides a menu ofchallenging activities related to the first six priorities of the strategic plan. These activities also offer opportunities to addresseach of the four Avenues of Service, as well as an emphases in theareas of health and hunger, literacy, and water. By focusing your ef-forts within the framework of RI’s strategic plan, your club will alsohelp Rotary succeed in addressing the plan’s seventh and final pri-ority — to fully implement the strategic planning process to ensurecontinuity as an organization. To qualify for a citation, your club should complete the

membership goal and an activity from three of the six categories asdescribed in the brochure (three activities in total) between 1 July2009 and 31 March 2010. The scope of the activities should be inproportion to the number of members in your club and their abilities,interests, and skills. Consider which projects your club will under-take, and work to address real needs in a cooperative, sustainable,and responsible manner.In case you need to look at this brochure again, here is the link:

www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/900a_en09.pdf Forms mustbe returned to the district governor by March 31, 2010.

Rotary International Presidential Citation

Bruce McNeal, Area Eight Assistant Governor, on behalf of District 6880, attended the RotaryEmergency Disaster Initiative (REDI) Conference in Houston Texas which was held February 5& 6, 2010. The purpose of the conference was to help prepare Rotary Districts and local clubsfor community disasters as well as support for national and international disasters. Each participant was presented with a template disaster plan that can be utilized by the individualclubs to develop their own plans. The template plan is very detailed and will need to be evaluated by the individual club to see how it will benefit their respective club. A copy of the plan can be obtained by emailing Bruce at

bmcneal@samc.org. McNeal recommends, at a minimum, for eachclub to raise $1,000 to be maintained for District Disaster Relief efforts and to raise an additional $1,000 for the purchase of a Rotary Shelter Box to be utilized in major disaster events such asthe recent earthquake in Haiti. District 6880 leadership will presentformal recommendations in the near future.In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina the three directors of the

paired zones along the gulf coast—Don Mebus, Barry Rassin andBob Stuart convened the North American-Rotary Emergency Disaster Initiative “REDI” to discusswhat had been learned and help the zones be prepared for any future disaster. In 2007, the firstREDI conference was held in New Orleans, followed by the second in Nashville, Tennessee andthe third in Nassau, Bahamas.

Rotary Emergency Disaster Initiative

The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.March 2010 Page Fourteen

National Immunization Day - Trip of a LifetimeBy PDG Richard Bollinger

I am not sure what I expected when I signedup for the Rotary NID (National ImmunizationDay) trip to India. I contacted Tom Mann andRobert Greer and told them I thought we shouldall participate and they agreed including Robert’swife Kathleen.We were told that while in India, we would

meet with senior officials from the World HealthOrganization to hear about the status of Polio Eradication in the country. We would be briefedby Rotary International’s PolioPlus headquarterson Rotary’s current initiatives across India. Wewould be hosted by dedicated Rotarians and theirfamilies from The Rotary Club of Chandigarh,staying with their families in their homes for fivedays. We would walk the slums, personally vaccinating hundreds of children against thedeadly disease that maims and cripples so many.We were able to do all these things and more.

Our flight out of the US to Paris-De Gaulle,France was eight hours with a four hour layover; then nine hours to New Delhi, India arriving about 1:30 in the morning. After a couple of hours sleep we gathered in the lobby of the hotel to meet our other thirty-four teammates arriving from around the world. The next day we boarded our team bus and

headed for Chandigarh about a five hour bus trip. We stopped along the way at Panacea Biotec Lab and factory where the polio

vaccine(s) are manufactured. We learned of the different types of polio vaccines, the P1, P2and P3 all live oral vaccines. Several members of our group got to tour the behind the scenesprocess. Back to the bus and off to the World Health Organization to hear about the current status,

record keeping and plan of action to eradicate polio from this region. We were educated on administrating the polio vaccine and given hats and vest to identify us as Rotarians. There were banners, billboards and high flying balloons all over India announcing the upcoming immunization day.

March 2010 Page FifteenThe Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.

National Immunization Day - Trip of a Lifetime (cont.)We stopped along the way at the Rotary

Club of Panipat and attended a lunch receptionfor us where we were met by the mayor of thecity, the Rotary Club members and a host ofschool children. It was here that Tom, Robertand I gave the oral vaccine to our first children,truly an unbelievable experience.We arrive at Chandigarh about 6:30 pm. We

attended a reception for us and for the two newincoming Rotary International Directors of India.We then left for the Rotary Club Building of the Chandigarh Club and got introduced to our host families.

The next morning we headed to the slums of Chandigarh a City of more than one million. The people of India whether poor or rich we very friendly and we glad we were there. Our group ofthirty-seven divided into groups of four and five and off we went with one or two health workersthat were familiar with the area. Four days quicklypassed and I alone had given the oral vaccine to over two hundred children from five years of ageto ten days old.

I think we were all satisfied that we made a difference to the livesof so many children by administering those two drops of life by ourown hands. You cannot imagine how charged up and motivated weare to raise more funds for the Foundation to help it achieve its goalof a polio free world. I am sure we all want to do a lot more in times to come to help the poor and the downtrodden, be it in the area ofpolio, education, health, hunger, water, environment and children. Ilook forward with Tom and Robert sharing our experience with youthroughout the year.I congratulate all those that

provided us an opportunity tovolunteer and participate inthis NID polio campaign inIndia and especially to ourhost families that made usfeel a part of their family. It isheartening to see Rotary inmotion.

The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.March 2010 Page Sixteen

Prattville / Millbrook Rotary Club Supplies Stuffed Animals to Help Child Protect

The Rotarians of the Rotary Club of Prattville/Millbrook really got in the seasonal mood attheir Annual Christmas Dinner when they got to deliver the first installment of the "Teddy BearPatrol." The "Patrol" is made up of a collection of donated stuffed animals intended to help outthose who come in contact with children in crises. This installment was received by EmilyHutcheson, a counselor with Child Protect.Child Protect is a children's advocacy center that provides a

non-threatening site where a Multidisciplinary Team is used to minimizetrauma for child victims of abuse. Child Protect receives referrals fromDepartment of Human Resources and law enforcement agencies. Services are provided at no charge to families in Montgomery, Autauga,Elmore, and Chilton Counties. Child Protect is designed to meet the child's need for warmth, support and protection by

providing a friendly, non-threatening environment where children are interviewed about theabuse. After a report is made to proper authorities, the child is brought to Child Protect by aprotective family member, friend or law enforcement to be interviewed. The forensic interviewer,a person with special training in investigation interviewing, talks to the child.The interviewer may use anatomical dolls and drawings to aid in the interviewing process

and collecting information. A video tape is used to reduce the number of times and the numberof people the child had to tell what happened.In addition, Child Protect provides other services. The agency provides counseling for

children who are referred by the Multidisciplinary Team. Child Advocacy is also provided to support the child and family through the criminal court process.Each child that comes to Child Protect receives a stuffed animal to take home with them.

Many times, a child has had to talk about very difficult, scary, and sometimes embarrassingthings. A stuffed animal is a great source of comfort to each child.In addition to a large bag of animals the club members also collected $200 cash for the

organization during their Monday morning meetings. The "Teddy Bear Patrol" can always useadditional team members.The public is welcome to participate by bring stuffed animals of varying sizes and in good

condition to any of the following collection points:Any Central Alabama Electric Cooperative Service CenterFountain City Eye CarePrattville & Millbrook Chamber OfficesAny Gipson Tire locationsDennis Motors

There are several clubs in the four county area served by Child Protect. The Prattville / Millbrook Club made this a priority project for their current Rotary year from July 2009 to June2010. They meet on Mondays at 7:00 AM at the Court Yard Marriott in Prattville.

PETS and AG Training Announced All incoming presidents for the Rotary Year 2010 – 2011 are required to attend President

Elect Training Session (PETS). The location for the district 6880 PETS is the Music CitySheraton in Nashville, Tennessee. Training for Assistant Governors will also be held at thistime. The website is www.midsouthpets.org.The 2010 MidSouth-PETS officially begins with the AG Institute and PETS elective(optional)

workshops on Thursday afternoon March 18, 2010 and continues through adjournment at noonSunday March 21, 2010.More information will be forthcoming so check back at www.rotary6880.org regularly.

Questions should be directed to DGE Joe Saloom. Joe’s email address is thetafly72@cs.comRYLA Information Available RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) information is also now available on the website.

This terrific program for high school students will be held once again at Camp ASCCA on April 15 –18, 2010. Here is the link: http://www.rotary6880.org/leadership/ryla/176-ryla-factsDistrict Award NominationsNominations for district awards are due March 15th . Forms for each are available on the Dis-

trict 6880 website under “documents.”Presidential Citation Forms Due by March 31stRemember Presidential Citation forms are due by March 31st. Every club should be working

towards this goal. Here is the link to the brochurehttp://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/900a_en09.pdf and here is the link to the certificationform http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/900b_en09.pdf2010-2011 Club President Information to DGE SaloomIf you have not forwarded your Club’s President and his/her email address for the 2010-2011

Rotary Year to DGE Joe Saloom yet, please take a moment to do that now. He needs this information to make certain each of them attends PETS. His email is thetafly72@cs.comContributions to District 6880 Disaster Relief FundContributions to the District 6880 Disaster Relief Fund should be sent to District Treasurer Bob

Mills. His address is: P.O. Box 165, Troy, AL 36081. Please consider “passing the hat” at yourmeeting for disaster relief in Haiti.Polio Immunization Trip to NigeriaIf you would like to participate in a polio immunization exercise in Northern Nigeria the second

half of April, please contact Carol Franks. The group departs North America on Saturday, April 17and returns Tuesday, April 27. The program includes hotels, private transfers, Rotary meetings andspecial events, meals, and participation in three days of immunization activities. Although the pro-gram does not include roundtrip airfare, we have made special arrangements for discounted airfarewith KLM Airlines. The cost of the airfare will depend upon the individual's specific flight itinerary.

March 2010 Page SeventeenThe Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.

District 6880 Announcements

Club Members 06/09 Current Members Net Change Meetings Held Attend %Andalusia 69 66 -3 4 55%Atmore 43 44 +1 4 65%Auburn 120 125 +5 4 62%Bay Minette 27 27 0 4 84%Brewton 75 72 -3 3 67%Brundidge 36 36 0 4 90%Chilton County 15 14 -1 4 62%Daphne/Spanish Fort 38 36 -2 3 70%Demopolis 46 46 0 4 69%Dothan 174 171 -3 2 75%Dothan-Houston County 144 141 -3 4 69%Elba 21 18 -3 4 88%Enterprise 70 76 +6 4 77%Enterprise Sunrise 17 16 -1 4 64%Eufaula 49 46 -3 4 53%Evergreen 28 21 -7 4 85%Fairhope 99 97 -2 4 76%Fairhope Sunset 26 26 0 4 80%Foley 58 52 -6 4 73% Geneva 30 30 0 4 56%Greene Co. 21 21 N/A N/A N/AGreenville 44 46 +2 4 78%Jackson 32 32 0 4 92%Lee County Sunrise 29 30 +1 4 71%Linden 15 11 -4 4 63%Luverne 37 36 -1 2 81%Mobile 263 268 +5 4 45%Mobile Sunrise 99 103 +4 4 65%Mobile West 38 35 -3 4 59%Monroeville 22 13 -9 3 79%Montgomery 133 129 -4 3 49%Montgomery Capital 47 47 0 4 62%Montgomery Sunrise 27 30 +3 3 83%North Mobile 24 23 N/A N/A N/AOpelika 60 55 N/A N/A N/AOpp 29 23 -6 4 70%Ozark 81 81 0 4 46%Phenix City 49 48 -1 2 70%Pleasure Island/Gulf Shores 26 24 -2 4 84%Point Clear 81 79 -2 4 70%Prattville 36 40 +4 4 66%Prattville/Millbrook Sunrise 28 26 -2 3 77%Robertsdale 50 50 0 4 49%Selma 48 47 -1 2 52%Tallassee 25 24 N/A N/A N/ATroy 79 79 0 4 61%Tuskegee 13 16 +3 4 66%Wetumpka 26 24 -2 4 83%York 14 10 -4 3 90%

Total 2661 2610 -51 - 69%

Rotary International The 4-Way Test - 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?For six decades Rotarians have been using The 4-Way Test

as a practical yard stick in their business, community, and personal affairs. The 4-Way Test, you will note, does not provide answers. It asks questions which the user must

answer. One of the world's most widely printed and quoted statements was created in 1932 by RotarianHerbert J. Taylor when he was asked to take charge of a company that was facing bankruptcy.

In 1943, Rotary International adopted The 4- Way Test.

District 6880 Officers

Assistant Governors and Areas

Carol Franks ..................................................................................................... District GovernorJoe Saloom .............................................................................................. District Governor ElectTom Mann .......................................................................................... District Governor NomineeMickey Parish ........................................................................................... Past District Governor Bob Mills ............................................................................................................ District TreasurerTonya Jones ...................................................................................................... District SecretaryChris Dunn .................................................................................................. Aide to the GovernorBrad Linville ................................................................................ Assistant Governor Coordinator

Jan McDonald ...................................................................................................................... Area 1Barry Cavan ......................................................................................................................... Area 2Jim Golson ........................................................................................................................... Area 3Bobby Hood ........................................................................................................................ Area 4Dennis Bilbo ........................................................................................................................ Area 5Bob Callahan ....................................................................................................................... Area 6Tonitta Sauls......................................................................................................................... Area 7Bruce McNeal ...................................................................................................................... Area 8Linda Mong .......................................................................................................................... Area 9

District 6880 Contact InformationCarol Franks

106 Monticello DriveTroy, AL 36081 334-566-0740

cfranks@troycable.net

www.rotary6880.orginfo@rotary6880.org

Tonya Jones13536 Opp HighwayBrantley, AL 36009334-527-3007

tonya.jones@nsgcorp.com