COGSThe magazine for Rotarians in Ireland - District 1160January 2011 Volume 43 Issue 190

• The new editor sharpens his pencil• Reports from around the District• Full conference report

From the District Governor

As I put pen to paper, theweather is causing us allmajor problems and

indeed, I imagine club eventsover the festive season maywell have had to be curtailed.I have been fortunate inbeing able to visit 69 clubs sofar, I express my, thanks to allof you for the events youhave organised to date and

the hospitality you extended to me. As we enter a new calendar year – thevery year a hundred years ago when our forefathers planned the first Rotary“get together” resulting in the formation of the first Rotary club outside theNorth American continent, it is my pleasure and privilege to wish you all aSuccessful, Peaceful and Happy New Year.

I find it difficult to accept that we are halfway through the Rotary year 2010– 2011. From my point of view, it has gone by like a flash. As I reflect backover my activities and particularly my official visits to all but five clubs so far, Iam comforted by the fact that throughout our entire District there is a waveof enthusiasm and a determination to achieve ambitious goals.

We are recognising the vital importance of addressing membership andknow that we must make every effort to continue / start to recruit newquality members. More than ever before, in this year, when we celebrate 100years of Rotary in Ireland (and indeed in Great Britain and Western Europe),we owe it to those who have gone before us, our forefathers, who invited usto join this great Organisation, to ensure that Rotary lives on for our childrenand our children children, long after we have gone, so that they cancontinue, as we have done, to set high ethical standards and to strive tobring peace and goodwill to this troubled world.

Increasing membershipTo enable us to raise the profile of Rotary in Ireland and hence increase

and improve our membership we have embarked on a very professionalpromotional campaign orchestrated by the Marketing Department at RIBI.This is a primarily a Marketing Exercise and should not be regarded as“opening the doors” for all to join Rotary. It is important to recognise thatthis campaign is designed to create awareness of Rotary in the community...The rest is up individual clubs. We still must be selective about ourmembership and exercise the thorough selection procedure.

• INVITE potential new members to attend one or more of your club meetings.

• ENSURE that they meet all or as many club members as possible.• If all parties agree, PROCEED to invite the potential new member(s)

to attend a formal Information meeting where they are fully briefed on ALL aspects, including commitment, cost, and obligations.

• If willing to proceed the potential new member must then be FORMALLY PROPOSED by an active club member.

• NOTIFY all club members of the proposal in writing (7‑day letter).• DISCUSS the outcome at Club Council.• If acceptable to Council, ADVISE the club members of the induction

date.• INDUCT the new members in a formal induction ceremony;• WELCOME him or her into the club, and most importantly • APPOINT A MENTOR to ensure that the new member grows into a

true Rotarian.As I reflect on our activities over the past six month, I remember with

excitement and pleasure our fabulous Conference in the Slieve Russell HotelCo, Cavan. After a slow start, I was delighted to welcome so many delegates.The highlight of the weekend was the pro Rotary speech by President MaryMcAleese. It is still foremost in my mind and will remain on our websiteindefinitely.

We also welcomed to our District a visiting GSE Team from BritishColumbia (Canada) and Washington State (USA). We enjoyed their companyat Conference and I thank all participating Clubs who made their visit anotable one.

I congratulate Dublin Viking and thank them for inviting me to attend their30th Anniversary celebrations. Newbridge also recently celebrated their20th Anniversary. Unfortunately, due to a meeting at RIBI I was unable tojoin them.

Looking towards DublinWe all look forward to celebrating with Dublin “100 Years of Rotary in

Ireland” in February 2011 and of course attending the RIBI Conference (15th– 17th April 2011) which is being held in Dublin in honour of 100 years ofRotary in Ireland.

As we start the new calendar year after re‑charging our batteries (andpossibly our glasses) over the festive season, I would remind all Presidentsthat now is the time to concentrate on qualifying for the prestigious award –The Presidential Citation. The paperwork must be completed and with meby 31st March 2011. It would be a wonderful achievement and a personalgoal if we had 100% qualification for this award in our centenary year.

I thank all the clubs who participated in “Focus on the Crocus”, designed tocreate awareness of Rotary and the “Thanks for Life ‑ End Polio Now”campaign. In Ireland, we have planted 415,000 bulbs (85,000 more than anyother District in RIBI). The Emerald Isle will be the Purple Isle in celebration ofRotary Day 23rd February 2011.

FinallyFinally, as our theme for this year simply asks, continue to work in your

community and contribute to International projects of your choice, with aspecial emphasis on the Thanks for Life – End Polio Now Campaign

The story so far.. and somewords on membershipby Wes Armstrong District Governor

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It was with some trepidation that I acceptedthe position of Honorary Editor of COGSespecially following twenty‑two successfulyears under the stewardship of JackCunningham. On behalf of us all, I thank Jackfor his contribution to Rotary in Ireland andlook forward to him becoming DistrictGovernor in the Rotary year 2010 – 2013.

As you all know in this time of austerity we allhave to be even more mindful of the costsassociated with Rotary, one of our challengeshas been to significantly reduce the cost ofproducing COGS.

I have to thank Rotarian Gavin Walker(Bangor) and his team from The Word Works

Partnership for giving us the opportunity toproduce COGS for just £0.50 (€0.60) perRotarian for the remainder of this Rotary year.Thereafter there will be no cost to Rotary inIreland!

Of course, there is no such thing as a “freelunch”, advertisers have and will be sought todefray the costs and I ask you to support Gavinand his team by placing advertising for yourbusinesses and by making use of the “COGSMarketplace” please make all advertisingenquiries directly to gavin@cogsmagazine.com

I hope you enjoy reading this and futureeditions of COGS and welcome any commentsyou may have.

Editorial and Advertising deadline The deadline for the next edition is Friday

April 1 2011 please send your contributions byemail to gavin@cogsmagazine.com and copyto communications@rotary.ie

Phillip Beggs, Honorary Editor

From the editor

Report from Conference 2010

The Rotary Club of Coleraine ‑ under the leadership of this yearsʼPresident Martin Dinsmore undertook the mammoth task of organisingthe Annual Conference, which saw some 500 delegates converge on the

Slieve Russell Hotel in Cavan. The location is central to everywhere in Irelandand provided a fantastic location for such a high profile event.

At the conference, the main speaker was Mary McAleese, President ofIreland. During her keynote speech she congratulated Rotary on 100 years ofservice in the community locally and across the world and said: “One ofRotaryʼs key features and particular witnesses in our world of strangers, whotoo often demonise one another, is its non‑religious, non‑denominationalstatus and, in Ireland, your all‑island status is a particular and respectedhallmark. For Rotarians there are no barriers to harnessing the energies ofthe values they share in common, especially the belief in Rotaryʼs motto ofService Above Self”.

The delegates had the opportunity to listen to some thought provokingand entertaining speeches from Dr Ian Adamson, Peter Sheridan, Gavin Bate,and Gary Mabutt. Delegates also heard from a range of Rotarians as thebusiness of Rotary in Ireland was discussed in detail.

During the District Council meeting, held on the Friday, the votes werecounted for the election of District Governor for the Rotary year 2013 /2014.Verity Swan from the Rotary Club of Dublin North was successful, and willsucceed Jack Cunningham of the Rotary Club of Galway–Salthill –congratulations to Verity.

As well as the business of the conference, there was an opportunity toenjoy the facilities of the hotel and surrounding area. Delegates, from theUSA, Canada, Germany, Australia, as well as closer to home in England,Scotland, and Wales, also enjoyed a banquet and ball and an excellentvariety concert during their stay.

Our Group Study Exchange visitors from British Columbia and WashingtonState attended the conference and added an extra international flavour toproceedings.

Delegates also had the opportunity to hear about the Shelterbox, thebrainchild of Rotarian Tom Henderson OBE. The box contains pre‑packagedhumanitarian aid in the form of a family sized tent, blankets, cooker, toolsand water purification and life saving equipment. ShelterBoxes are rapidlydeployed to areas of humanitarian need and already 100,000 ShelterBoxeshave been sent to needy families in over 70 countries, including Haiti.Rotarians in Ireland have been responsible for helping to fund many of theseprojects.

Another worldwide effort from Rotary has been the battle against polioand it is something DG Wes highlighted, he said, “Perhaps the mostimportant achievement of Rotary worldwide is the commitment to the

children of the world to eradicate the polio virus. In 1985, when Rotary madethe commitment, 363,000 cases of polio were recorded that year. Today,thanks to billions of man hours and over $6 billion in funding the latest figureis less than 350 in isolated pockets of Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, andNigeria. The program is ongoing and Rotary is determined to achieve thegoal of total eradication soon”. DG Wes reminded delegates of thecommitment made by clubs worldwide to match the gift given to Rotary bythe Bill and Melinda Gates foundation by raising $200 million before June 30,2012”.

A truly great conference was enjoyed by all who attended –congratulations to DG Wes, the Rotary Club of Coleraine, ably assisted by theRotary Club of Enniskillen, the staff of the Slieve Russell Hotel and all thewilling helpers.

500 Rotarians gathered in Cavan for the2010 District Conference

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District Governor Wes Armstrong welcomes his guests President McAleese and her husband to the Conference

Verity Swan from the Rotary Club of Dublin North was elected as DistrictGovernor for the Rotary year 2013 /2014.

District Communicationsand Membership

Thanks for LifeThe TfL team are delighted to confirm

that their application for a PR Grant from RIhas been successful. This has enabledthem to produce a General TfL Leaflet anda 2 min TfL promotional DVD.

TfL is truly a ʻcompleteʼ Rotary projectthrough community engagement; clubs will be able to create opportunitiesto attract new members into Interact, Rotaract, and Rotary. Moreover, eachevent or activity should attract some great publicity, raising the profile of ourRotary work.

Clubs should now be deciding how they are going to maximise the returnfrom this yearʼs Focus‑on‑the‑Crocus initiative. When the flowers bloom inFebruary there will be a multitude of opportunities to reconnect withschools and community groups that helped plant the bulbs. Fundraisingdrives will take place across Ireland and, to ensure that Clubs have all theresources that they need, Stickers, Wristbands, Polo Shirts, Tin Wrappers,Posters, Leaflets, Pull‑ups, Flower Bed signs etc are all available viawww.thanks‑for‑life.org.

Windows of OpportunityThere are many vacant shop premises in towns

across Ireland, now is a great time to identifylocations for Thanks for Life week. Many clubs madeexcellent use of this idea in TfL week last year andused empty shop windows to showcase Rotaryʼswork for Polio Eradication. They also provide awonderful opportunity to interact with shoppersand to talk to them about the exciting opportunitiesthat joining their local Rotary club could bring.

District DatabaseThe District Database is now available for club updates for the Rotary year

2011/2012, please make sure that you update your Club Officers (as electedat your club Special General Meeting) as soon as possiblewww.district1160.org/login.php Please also make sure your member detailsare up‑to‑date.

ShelterBox cost increase The cost of a ShelterBox had increased to £590, the first increase since the

start of the project in 2000. Announcing this increase ShelterBox said:“At the start of October, we announced a new figure for fundraisers who

wish to sponsor their own ShelterBox. This new suggested figure allows usto continue our work delivering the highest quality equipment to those whoneed it most, responding to current and future disasters, with speed,competency, and compassion.

By donating £590, fundraisers are sponsoring more than just a ShelterBox.£590 means we will be able to pre‑position more stock around the worldallowing us to respond faster and even more efficiently to disasters. Alldonors will continue to receive a unique box number allowing them to findtheir sponsored ShelterBox through our website.

Since day one, we have been about doing the most for the most andproviding shelter, warmth, and dignity to people around the world in theirhour of need. We have always believed that no corners should be cut whenit comes to the business of saving lives. When families are caught up indisasters, they need the very best survival equipment that money could buy.All donations, whatever the amount, are invaluable to us in achieving thisgoal”.

RIBI Dublin Conference 15‑17 April 2011Have you registered for the RIBI Dublin Conference 15‑17 April 2011? If

not you can do so on the RIBI website www.ribi.org and if you havenʼtalready done so, please take just 5 minutes to complete the Conferenceonline survey form too. www.ribi.org/surveys ‑ Thank you.

Membership Marketing campaigns –excellent progress

Garth Arnold writes: “We are very pleasedwith the outputs from the membershipmarketing campaign. We have had excellentfeedback on the quality and professionalismof the radio & press adverts.

Whilst it is early days with our campaign,

we have had nearly 40 web enquiries and clubs are in ongoing contact withthem. Remember this is a primarily a Marketing Exercise and should not beregarded as “opening the doors” for all to join Rotary. The campaign isdesigned to create awareness of Rotary in the community; the rest is upindividual clubs, who must exercise a thorough selection procedure.

Of the clubs, we have been able to make contact with (circa 30%); we have45 potential new Rotarianʼs through “club efforts”. We have beenencouraged by the support and engagement through various club events.Many of you have requested additional membership recruitment leaflets andposters and purchased membership banners / pull‑ups. The membershiprecruitment campaign has helped endorse what you are all doing locally andhas provided an excellent buzz and focus to help us address ourmembership decline. It is extremely important we continue to work on thisas we move into 2011.

Retention is the KeyClubs must work hard to ensure we do not lose members, something we

all can work on. Look at your weekly attendances; are there Rotarianʼs whoare not regularly attending. Has someone been in contact? Do not leave ittoo late until either you receive a letter of resignation or they stop attendingaltogether! We have to work so much harder to get new Rotarians; acrossRIBI, we recruited 4475 new Rotarianʼs last year, but overall we lost 4735. Ifyou need any assistance or want to learn more about retention, please emailFrank Arnold f.arnold@btconnect.com.

So far, the 2010/11 the RIBI campaign has run in four districts, over 200enquiries have been generated (more than half going directly to the clubs).Participating clubs in the remaining 18 districts are busy preparing theirplans at present. The advertising supports the main ingredients of thecampaign, which are clubsʼ own activities designed to generate enquiries.

Looking beyond the numbers, there is no doubt that the RIBI campaign,the availability of tool kit materials and the membership seminars we ran inBelfast & Dublin to launch our campaign were extremely well received andattendance was very high. Groups of clubs are working together withstructured plans to generate interest locally and to recruit. Many Rotarianshave been encouraged to recruit in the past but have not felt able to do it.The campaigns provide support, focus, and encouragement.

E‑clubs Following e‑club pilots worldwide, all Districts now have the opportunity

to start two ʻE‑clubʼ clubs. Is this is something we could explore in District1160? There is no doubt that new clubs will continue to play an importantpart in increasing our membership base. New Club formation is on a real roll,the clubs and their membership are our future with their energy, vision, andenthusiasm. They all need to be encouraged and supported by our localestablished clubs.

FinallyPlease consider adding a statement, such as the one below, to all the

documentation your club produces should it be press releases, leaflets,posters, letters, etc.

“Rotary International in Ireland is currently undertaking a membership/recruitment campaign and is looking for women and men of all ages to jointheir local clubs and make a World of Difference to their local communityand across the world. For more information, visit www.rotary.ie or makedirect contact with the Rotary Club of Your Town email yourcontact@yourclub”.

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Phillip Beggs Garth Arnold

Stop Press!

The Rotary Club ofBelfast raised more than£20,000 for local charities,with our "Tree of Hope atTesco stores in Belfast.

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International Service Sean Laverty

With more than 5,000 amputees in Haiti hopeand expectations is often no more than metalcrutch.

Mackendy Francois, whose left leg was cut off tofree him from earthquake rubble in the T‑shirtfactory where he worked, has a dream to return tothe factory if he had an artificial limb.

Amongst all the difficulties of life in Haiti JaipurLimb is still making progress towards their limbcamp in Pignon.

A suitable 4x4 to use as an ambulance forgeneral hospital use has been identified. It will beready for handover around the beginning of March2011.

Here in District1160 (Ireland) we need yourdonations towards this vehicle now. Please do notwait until the end of the Rotary year.

Help us provide hope for those who have lostlimbs giving them the chance a better future.

PLEASE DONATE NOW Send your donations toPDG Gussie Hynes (R.C.Omagh).

Cheques made payable to RIBI (District 1160)and add a covering note saying “Jaipur Limb HaitiAppeal”.

The alarming news of a cholera outbreak in Haitihas further spurred Rotary's rapid response boxesinto action.

Water Survival Box (WSB) was amongst the firstresponders to the disaster zone when theearthquake struck in January this year.

WSB chair, Hugo Pike, is in contact with RotarianDr Claude Surena, the coordinator of incomingRotary aid in Haiti: "We have offered 200 WaterSurvival Boxes in multi‑pack format. These boxescontain the water‑purification kits only and eachbox is capable of supplying 3,000 litres of cleanwater so the consignment of 200 would deliversome 600,000 litres. Claude Surena has confirmedthat they are needed and would be distributed byRotary in partnership with the local Bureau deProtection Civil. We are currently organising a flightto Port au Prince subject to confirmation that theHaitian Customs will expedite transit on arrival."

Contact has also been made with the Frenchsearch and rescue group, Pompiers sans Frontieres,who still maintain a presence on the island andused WSBs in the immediate aftermath of theearthquake.

ShelterBox 2010 a year to remember

The past year has seen ShelterBox face someof its biggest ever challenges. The Organisationhas proved, yet again, the absolute andimperative need for high quality emergencyshelter to protect the lives of those threatenedfollowing all types of disaster.

Through no fault of their own families lostrelatives, their homes, their possessions and theirlivelihoods. ShelterBox responded instantly totheir need.

They provided, in the last year, emergencyshelter and lifesaving supplies to more people

than ever before.Here in Rotary Ireland we should feel rightly

proud of our position as top supporting Districtin RIBI with almost 10,000 victims benefitingfrom our donations.

On behalf of the ShelterBox Organisation Icongratulate you all for your hard work andenthusiasm.

It makes me proud to be a Rotarian in Ireland.

Sean LavertyChair International Service

Buy a radio - change a lifeZambia is one of the poorest countries in the

World, a country where the average lifeexpectancy is 37yrs. An estimated one in fourpeople is HIV positive or ill with AIDS. As a result,there are over 800, 000 orphaned children whohave to support themselves and cannot attendformal school. Lifeline Radios supplied tocommunity schools, which are often no morethan a tin hut, can introduce them to basiceducation and hope for the future.

Rotary in Ireland has supported lifeline Radiosto go to Zambia since 2003/2004 when amassive fundraising drive, spearheaded by PDGFrank Arnold, raised £82,000 to purchase over2,300 Radios. Over the last six years we havecontinued to support the project in theKnowledge that every Radio sent broughtanother 35‑40 children into education.

Launched in September 2010 the newLifeplayer represents the first time that theextremely poor have the opportunity to accessreal‑time information on demand anytime,anywhere – in even isolated locations ‑‑ withoutconcern for electricity or batteries. It has beencreated to deliver on‑demand programmingthose classrooms or communities can replaycontinually. The Lifeplayer is an oversized MP3player that can be pre‑loaded to hold 64GB ofeducational content, can download Internet

audio and can record live voice or radioprogrammes for playback later. With a wirelesssolar panel and a hand‑wound crank, theLifeplayer can even charge mobile phones.

This game‑changing tool combines radio,media player, cellular and Internet content asnever before possible.

It has outstanding speaker quality enabling 60listeners to hear it clearly. For classrooms of morethan 60 listeners, speakers can be added toensure everyone can hear. The Lifeplayer candeliver educational or informational contentanytime, anywhere to large groups.

PDG Frank Arnold is highlighting the supply ofthe original Prime Radios (£35/euro40) and thekeenly awaited new Lifeplayer (£85/euro90) foryour attention. Donations of any level areacceptable from one Radio to one hundred.

If you have a forthcoming special event andwanted to support this very needy cause Frankhas a radio you may borrow for publicitypurposes.

Given notice Frank will even travel and assist ifnecessary.

Contact PDG Frank Arnold (Banbridge) Tel.+44(0)7885346899 or emailfarnold@btconnect.com

Jaipur Limb Haiti Appeal

Rotary aid on way to combatcholera in Haiti

WSB in action in Haiti

Haiti update

Foundation is Rotary International in action as amajor international humanitarian and educationalNGO. Foundation is a core part of the structure ofRotary International. By joining a Rotary club youbecome a participant in the Rotary Foundationʼsprogrammes.

How are the programmes delivered?They are delivered by Rotarians themselves

through the network of 32,000 clubs around theworld.

What is the scope of the programme?International and local humanitarian projects,

international educational exchanges andscholarships, high level education and training inpeace studies and conflict resolution.

How are the projects funded, and whodecides how the funds are spent?

Funds are collected from donations by Rotariansthroughout the world. They are allocated to clubswhich have humanitarian service projects here orabroad, or to participants in an educationalexchange or scholarship sponsored by a club.

What makes Foundation special?• Every humanitarian project supports Rotariansʼ

service activities• The core humanitarian projects and the

educational programmes bring clubs andparticipants together across national and culturalboundaries

• Operations are entirely driven by grass rootsinitiatives from clubs

How do I contribute?Every Rotarian is asked to contribute at least

$100 per annum, either personally or throughcollections by their club.

Who can tell me more about the projectsFoundation is supporting?

The chances are that your club is, or has been,involved in a Foundation funded project oreducational exchange or scholarship. If not otherclubs in your District can tell you about how theyhave extended their service activities with supportfrom Foundation. Contact the Foundation Team tocome and speak to your club. For moreinformation on Foundation programmes go towww.rotary.org.

Foundation is not just another charity. It isRotary in action promoting world peace andunderstanding through its 32,000 clubs around theworld

The mission of The Rotary Foundation is toenable Rotarians to advance world understanding,goodwill, and peace through the improvement ofhealth, the support of education, and thealleviation of poverty.

Foundation newsAmbassadorial Scholars coming thissummer:

Each scholar is expected to present to at least10 clubs so get your club on the list.

Contact Annie Raftis (Dublin Central) for thelist of the scholars.

Please invite them to speak at your club andmake an effort to meet them at conference.

Alumni databaseA new database of alumni is being done –

contact Gerard OʼReilly (RC Clonmel) for detailsof Alumni in your area.

Postal Measurement Survey

The postal survey continues. Currently theSurvey administrators PriceWaterhouseCoopersare looking for participants from all areas of TheState. Should your Club have Rotarians, orindeed friends, etc of Rotarians, who wish toparticipate please contact: Alan Jones – RotaryClub Dublin North at email – alan@alanjones.ietelephone – 01 8499 842 for detailed descriptionof the Survey.

District Simplified Grants and MatchingGrants….

Please be sure to send your grant applicationsfor both types of grants to Monica Robertson(Dublin Central) for 2010/2011

GET YOUR GRANT APPLICATIONS IN EARLY!!

Ambassadorial Scholar in headlinesAoife O'Donovan a Rotary Ambassadorial

Scholar is the first Irish person to win a BrancoWeiss Society in Science fellowship, according toCormac Sheridan in the Irish Times

We know stress is bad for the cardiovascularsystem, but Aoife is studying whether stress alsoaffects the ageing process. The question iswhether our psychological state can influenceour immune systems.

Aoife is currently pursuing postdoctoralresearch in psychobiology at the University ofCalifornia, San Francisco (UCSF), working at theintersection between psychology andimmunology. Her work looks at connectionsbetween psychological states, such as stress oranxiety, and ageing processes that occur at acellular or molecular level. “Weʼre at the stagewhere weʼre trying to discover mechanismsmediating the relationship betweenpsychological experiences and physical healthoutcomes,” she says.

The fellowship programme, which is fundedby the Swiss entrepreneur and philanthropistBranco Weiss, who died recently, andadministered by the Swiss Federal Institute ofTechnology (ETH) Zurich, is particularly focused

on interdisciplinary work. It will provide Aoifewith a generous level of funding for up to fiveyears. “What this allows me to do is becomeindependent at the earliest possible stage,” shesays.

Aoife is ideally placed to probe the linksbetween psychology and physical health, havingcompleted BA and MA degrees in psychology atUCC and NUI Galway respectively, beforeundertaking interdisciplinary PhD studies at UCDunder the joint supervision of psychiatrist KevinMalone, immunologist Cliona OʼFarrelly (now atTCD) and psychologist Brian Hughes of NUIGalway.

On some days, she recalls, she would conductpsychological evaluations of patients in themorning, followed by high‑tech molecularanalyses of their blood samples in the afternoon.

She moved to UCSF for part of her PhDresearch on a Fulbright/Rotary InternationalFellowship. Although now working directly withresearch mentors Elissa Epel at UCSF andThomas Neylan of the San Francisco VeteransAffairs Medical Center, OʼDonovan also counts2009 Nobel prize‑winner Elizabeth Blackburn asa collaborator.

Polio on the way out thanks to RotaryPolio Eradication ‑ Thanks for Life ‑ US$200 million Challenge ‑ US$6,000 perClub by 30th June 2012

Do you know how much your Club hascontributed towards the US$200 millionChallenge? How close are you to the US$6,000request/target?

If you don't know, simply drop me a line andI'll happily bring you up to date.

In short, 7 of our 74 Clubs have achieved theirtarget, 17 are ahead of schedule and close to thefinishing line and 50 are behind schedule(including 3 that have contributed NOTHING!).

One big effort in 2010‑11 should see us closeto our goal. Please make this the year we "bop 'tilwe drop!" ‑ well, not literally!!

PDG Howard Caskie, RRFC Zone 17, DistrictPolio Challenge Coordinator, District "Thanks forLife" Coordinator

Polio Plus / Thanks for Life: bandsI hope that every club has identified at least

two schools to get involved in Thanks for Life for2011. It will run the week before and week afterRotary Day 23rd February.

There are some purple silicone bands still instock so if your clubs needs them then contactCaroline Bourke or Werner Scheel. All bands willhave to be paid for before they are given out.Cheques are to be sent to District TreasurerWerner.

€125 or £125 for 500 bands€250 or £250 for 1000 bandsVAT is extraDonʼt forget to keep an eye on the

www.thanksforlife.org website for news andideas.

The Rotary Foundation Caroline Bourke

What is Foundation

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The Youth Leadership Competition – is nowcompleted for this Rotary year and we hadexcellent participation from most clubs. To thoseClubs who ran the competition, thank you all somuch for your support for this wonderfulcompetition which gives young people theopportunity to improve their Leadership skills.The trip to Strasbourg commences on Sunday 6thMarch 2011.

Sincere thanks to the eight Clubs who hostedthe Regional Finals, who were Lagan Valley,Mallow, Portadown, Belfast East, Monaghan,Clonmel, Limerick Thomand, and Portlaoise.

Thanks also to Assistant Governors for theirsupport and to Sam Crowe ‑ Carrickfergus RotaryClub for his commitment and hard work as cocoordinator of the Competition.

Young Chef ‑ This is a competition for youngpeople from 11 – 17 years old. Cooking amongyoung people is a growing interest and isundoubtedly a valuable life skill. There is noreason why there should not be greaterparticipation in this competition. Clubs who werelate for this yearʼs event should consider planningfor 2011/2012. There were seven entries this year.Grateful Thanks to Teresa OʼBrien from CorkDouglas for co coordinating this competition.

Young Writer – A great competition for three agegroups, young people are invited to submit awritten piece, varying in length depending onage. Poems are also accepted. Entries shouldreach Patrick Towers in Galway Rotary Clubbefore the end of April 2011.

Young Photographer ‑ young people are alsoinvited to submit a photograph around atheme and a 50 word explanation of why theyfeel the Photograph represents the theme. TheTheme this year is COMMUNITY SPIRIT for bothcompetitions. Again all entries to Patrick Towersbefore February 2011 for this competition.

Clubs please do encourage participation in thesecompetitions, they are free, and they are an easysell!

BI Young Citizen Awards 2011 ‑ We are seekingnominations for the RIBI Young Citizen Awards. Atrophy, a cash prize of £500 and a visit to BBC Newsat TV Centre in London will be awarded to fiveprojects, involving young people working in theircommunities to improve the lot of others.Especially attractive projects will be those involvingyoung people helping young people. Theawardees may be an individual or a group.

These are the only RIBI awards that areguaranteed coverage on BBC News both with alive broadcast from the RIBI Conference in Dublinand the winning projects will form the basis for amini‑series of reports for television. It is veryimportant, therefore, that the judging panel haveas wide a range of high quality candidates aspossible from which to choose the winners.

Nomination forms have been sent to all clubs,completed forms must be received before thedeadline of 31st January 2011.

Presidents Elect BarneyCallaghan prepares fora year in office

Each year, the Presidents Elect of the RotaryClubs of District 1160 meet with the DistrictGovernor Elect and District Officers to

prepare for their incoming year of servicetogether. This weekend, affectionately known asPEPS (Presidents Elect Preparation Seminar) is anopportunity for Presidents Elect to assemble,discuss their vision and ideas for the incomingRotary year, to be a beneficiary of the experience,knowledge and skills of others, as well as toprovide the benefit of their own experience,knowledge and skills to others. PEPS is also anopportunity for Presidents Elect and partners toenjoy fellowship. This important gathering willcontribute to our individual and indeedcollective efforts.

We need as individuals and as an internationalorganisation, in this challenging environment toprovide a dynamic support network both for ourmembers and for those, locally, nationally andinternationally who depend on us to deliver onour motto – ʻService above Self.ʼ Now, more thanever, people will be relying on Rotary todemonstrate our ʻcan‑doʼ attitude to overcomingobstacles and surmount challenges. They willalso look to us to be a tangible representation ofthe ethical values we espouse as we go aboutour daily lives.

For Rotary to grow and develop and mostimportantly to provide effective service to thosearound us, we must place particular emphasis onMembership, both retention and recruitmentand on The Rotary Foundation by activelypromoting its programmes i.e. Group StudyExchange, Ambassadorial Scholars, PeaceScholars and by financially supporting The RotaryFoundation (our own charity) through personaland club giving. Both these areas are central toour strategy to 2016 and will be amongst theprimary objects of our efforts. During PEPS, 4‑6March 2011, I hope that we will be able toexplore and engage with these topics. I alsohope that the weekend will enhance your softskills as a President Elect e.g. communications,leadership, planning and being effective.

“There is nothing intangible about Rotary: It isreality itself. To give is to receive; to lose oneselfis to find oneself; to be happy is to serve. Theseare old truths…for the individual…and the mass,whether application be in the exchange ofgoods, toil, knowledge, or love.”

I am looking forward to meeting all PresidentʼsElect and partners at PEPS 2011 and I hope that ifyou have any observations, training needs orrequests that you will make contact either withmyself barney@rotary.ie or with our DistrictTrainer 2011‑2012 Rtn. Michael Walshmjtwalsh@eircom.net

P. G. Callaghan (Barney), District Governor Elect

PEPSDate: March 4‑6 2011Venue: TBA

District Council MeetingDate: Saturday 19 March 2011Venue: City North Hotel

District AssemblyDate: Saturday 7 May 2011Venue: TBA

District Executive MeetingDate: Tuesday 17 May 2011Venue: City North Hotel

District Council MeetingDate: Saturday 2 July 2011Venue: City North Hotel

The District Conference 2011Date: September 22‑25 2011Venue: Limerick City

Jenny McCrea

YouthOpportunities

7

Not every difficult and dangerous thing is suitable for training, but only that which is

conducive to success in achieving the object of our effort. ~Epictetus

Dates & Venues

10‑year old Amy Cullen of Gilnahirk Primary School,Belfast ‑ was the winner of this year's Rotary YoungWriter Competition at District level!Amy was presented with her prize of book tokensat a recent lunchtime meeting of Rotary Club ofBelfast East Here she is pictured with President LizDoherty."

AttentionI'm only a girl of 10 years old.I try to behave and do what I'm told.But I'm worried something's happening all around.Things are changing from the sky to the ground.The North Pole is melting, that's not good!We're using more electricity than we should.Waste is a problem; the most there has ever been,We all need to think more and try to be "GREEN".

So turn off lights when not in need.Each family should have an eco‑creed.Never drop litter ‑ put it in the bin.Taps left running ‑ that's a sin!

Oil spills are dangerous, so make sure they stop.Pollution needs to end, we can't have anotherdrop.Fumes from cars are filling the air.Stop and think for ifs destroying the ozone layer.

So ATTENTION everyone, listen to this rhyme.We all must change before we run out of time.So try to recycle as much as you can.To be eco‑warriors ‑that's our plan!

Japanese treat for Comber Rotary

A taste of Japan was brought to a recentmeeting of the Rotary Club of Comber in BallooHouse. Head Chef Danny Millar and his teamconjured up a special meal in honour of ourvisitors who had come to tell the club abouttheir experiences in Japan as part of a Rotarysponsored Group Study Exchange (GSE)programme. And to further add to the occasionthe visitors delivered their presentation dressedin traditional Japanese costumes.

They explained how Rotaryʼs Group StudyExchange programme offers an opportunity forvocational exchange to business people andprofessionals between the ages of 25 and 40who are in the early stages of their careers. Itprovides travel grants for teams from differentcountries to exchange visits, and presents theopportunity for team members to experiencetheir host countryʼs culture and institutions, toobserve how their occupations are practicedabroad, to develop personal and professionalrelationships, and to exchange ideas.

In practice, this meant that a Japanese teamwere chosen to visit and be hosted by Rotariansin Ireland, and an Irish team was selected to visitJapan. Each team also had the opportunity tomeet and work together in both Ireland andJapan.

They were hosted during their month‑longvisit by Rotarians in the idyllic and remoteShimane Prefecture on Honshu Island borderingthe Sea of Japan in the Pacific Ocean. There theyhad time to see many of the local sightsincluding the ancient town of Izumo, which ishome to one of the countryʼs oldest Shintoshrines, an inland sea area where the SetoOhashi Bridge links the islands over a sixkilometres stretch, and a recently designatedgeophysical park in a coastal area of naturalbeauty.

Their vocation days brought the whole teamto schools, hospitals, care centres, city offices,restaurants and hotels relevant to the vocationalexperience of each member of the team.

Having made the best of their pre‑departurepreparation the team impressed their hosts bydelivering – in Japanese – a presentation tosome 1,500 delegates to the annual RotaryConference in Matsue – the prefectureʼs capital.But for all of them the outstanding memory wasto visit Hiroshima, once again a thriving city,where each of them was privileged to ring theBell of Peace.

Rotary in Carrickfergus Youth Leadership CompetitionFollowing a selection procedure at school level

Gillian Scott (Carrickfergus College), John Cameron(Downshire) and Emma McLean (Ulidia IntegratedCollege) competed for a place in the area final.

Competition organiser, Carrickfergus Rotarian JimDunlop, and his panel of judges including localbusinessmen David McCune, Rtn Sydney Johnstonand chairman Rtn Rickie Erskine interviewed thecandidates and were extremely impressed by thecalibre of all those participating. They had a toughtask selecting the local finalist who, on this occasionwas Emma McLean from Ulidia Integrated College.

Rotary President, Michael McCune congratulatedall the participants and offered the Clubʼs bestwishes to Emma for the area final which this yearwas hosted by the Rotary Club of Belfast East at theStormont Hotel on 18th November .

Young Writer of the Year acknowledged by Belfast East

Emma McLean ( competitorUlidia Integrated College),Michael McCune (President,Rotary Club ofCarrickfergus), JohnCameron ( competitorDownshire School), Rtn JimDunlop (Youth LeadershipCompetition Organiser),Helen Boyd (teacherDownshire School), RtnRickie Erskine (Chair ofJudges), Gillian Scott (competitor CarrickfergusCollege), David McCune(Judge), Ashley Donnelly(teacher CarrickfergusCollege), Rtn SydneyJohnston (Judge).

Group Study Exchange participants who visited Japan are welcomed to Comber Rotary by thePresident, Phillip Beggs (right). They are (left to right) Verity Swann, Anne Flanagan, Kathy Busby,Darren Campbell and Justine Smyth

8

Cookstown fundraising focuson Pakistan and Lough Neagh

Cookstown Rotary Club has proved once againthat it is one of the leading Rotary Clubs inIreland when it comes to fundraising andsupporting good causes. In recent months theclub launched a fundraising appeal to supportthose people affected by the devastatingearthquake in Haiti. The club aimed to raisesome funds to purchase shelterboxes to send tothe devastated area. Cookstown Rotary has anexcellent track record of buying Shelterboxesand the Club was aware that the Rotary charityhad a response team in Haiti. The response tothe fundraising effort was phenomenal and todate Cookstown Rotary has raised over £25,000.This has allowed the club to purchase over 50shelterboxes, and such was the success of thefundraising efforts, Ulster Television highlightedthe efforts of Cookstown Rotary Club on the UTVevening news.

While the Haiti appeal received extraordinarysupport, Cookstown Rotary Club has also carriedout additional fundraising over the summermonths with a view to supporting local groupsand charities. The recent charity golf day was a

great success with over £5,500 raised, theproceeds of which will go to various localcharities and Rotary Foundation.

The annual May Ball, one of the highlights inthe Rotary Clubʼs calendar, was once again aresounding success with approximately £8,000raised. The main beneficiary from the May Ballwas Lough Neagh Rescue, a 24‑hour lifeboatservice operating throughout Lough Neagh.

Cookstown Rotary Club has an outstandingrecord of service both locally and internationallyand as recent fundraising efforts testify, the clubcontinues to go from strength to strength.

Following the devastating floods in Pakistan,Cookstown Rotary Club recently launched afundraising appeal which is ongoing. The UNsays Pakistan's worst flooding in nearly a centuryhas affected more than four million people andleft at least 1,600 dead with charities scramblingto get aid to the worst affected regions. All fundsraised through the Cookstown Rotary appeal willbe used to purchase items such as waterfiltration devices and life straws, to be sentimmediately to the devastated area.

A total of 67 people attended dinner in Elm ParkGolf Club to celebrate Dublin Vikingʼs 30thAnniversary.

Included among the guests were Past DG JoeFlood and his wife, Marie. Thirty years ago PDG Joedecided to celebrate seventy‑five years of Rotaryby forming a new Club in Dublin and so Viking wasborn. Joeʼs late brother Phil Flood was the firstPresident of Dublin Viking. Also present were DGWes and DG Nominee Verity.

All in all, there were twenty Past presidents ofViking present and of these twelve are stillmembers of the club.

A minuteʼs silence was observed for ourdeceased Past Presidents, Phil Flood (1980), DonBailey (1987), David Little (1992), also pastmembers Steve Malone our first Secretary , andJohn Daly who died very recently.

DG Wes gave a lovely speech highlighting howmuch Viking had achieved in helping at local,national and international level during the past 30years, both through fundraising and personalactivities, and also sounded a warning about thecritical importance of recruiting new members sothat Rotary would continue otherwise it would justfade away.

He presented our President Tom with thePresidential citation for year ended July 2010which he said was very well deserved by Viking .

President Tom gave a short address describingsome of our Clubʼs current activities, and finishedby presenting Honorary Membership to PastPresident Terry Woods.

The evening was an unqualified success and themany past members that attended were delightedto meet up with old friends and to see the Club insuch rude health.

Members of The Rotary Club of Donaghadeetook time out from their Christmas charitycollection activities to attend their weekly meeting.The meeting was held at its usual venue “GordonʼsWine Bar” in “The Stables” Groomsport.

President Richard Caldwell brought themembers up to date on their Christmas fundraising activities. He informed them that 40Christmas food hampers (prepared by themembers) had been handed over to Bryson HouseCharity Group in Newtownards. The hampers willbe distributed to deserving recipients through theauspices of Bryson House Neighbourly Care, Homefrom Hospital and Family Support.

Rotary Club of Dublin Vikingcelebrate 30th Anniversary

Christmas hampers delivered

Lough Neagh Rescue Coxwain and Training Officer, Stephen Ryan accepting a Cheque fromCookstown Rotary Club President Paul Creighton.

Strabane Lifford celebrateslongest serving members

District Governor Wes Armstrong presenting Long Service certificates to two of our founder members of our club. The club was founded 42 years ago on the 21st February in the Abercorn Arms, Strabane @7.30pm 31 present at the first general meeting.The citation recognizes the outstanding efforts of Sam Martin PDG and Hill Robinson over all aspects of Rotary in the community and internationally.

9

Monaghan Rotary in BulgariaAnother part of Monaghan

Rotaryʼs Bulgaria story was writtenrecently with the supply andfitting of two hearing aids for 18year old Goran, who lives inPavelsko village in the southernRhodope Mountains. Goranʼshearing had progressivelydeteriorated to 20% of normal,following an adverse reaction tomedication during childhood, andthe hearing aids have changed hislife completely. The €4,000 projectwas made possible by thegenerous donation of the hearingaids by Widex/Bonavox in Dublin,through the good offices of NeilElworthy of Kel‑tec MediaSolutions, who earlier this yearcompleted a ten‑minute segmenton the Monaghan Clubʼs 19 yearinvolvement, as part of an hour longdocumentary on Irish links with Bulgaria. Copiesof the DVD are available from the MonaghanClub.

The Rotary Club of Monaghanʼs first Bulgarianproject started in 1992 with the annual supply ofthe special food supplement for Theodora (nowaged 23) who has PKU, a metabolic conditionwhich requires an almost protein free diet. Eachyear Monaghanʼs twin Club in North Downcontributed generously towards the annual costof €5,000 approximately. In 2007 the BulgarianHealth Ministry undertook the provision of thesupplement to the 100 under 18 year old PKUsufferers. Theodora was then aged 20, but by aspecial protocol she has been included in thestate provision since March 2010. Theodora,having completed her secondary education, iscurrently employed as an administrativeassistant by Chepelare Municipality. MonaghanRotarians are continuing to lobby the Bulgarianhealth authorities to provide the special food

supplement as of right to the 50 further adultPKU sufferers.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairsrecognised the work of Monaghan Rotary andthe Friends of Bulgaria at a Reception in Sofia on7th October 2010, with presentations by theBulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, NikolaiMladenov, in the presence his Irish counterpart,Mícheál Martin. This followed recognition by theBulgarian Embassy in Dublin on 3rd March,Bulgariaʼs National Day, and by the Municipalityof Chepelare at the naming of Ireland Street(Ulica Irlandya) on 18th March by Mayor GeorgiPopov and outgoing Irish Ambassador toBulgaria Geoffrey Keating. Then on 16thOctober 2010 the community of Ballinodevillage and the Monahan family dwelling, whichhas hosted many Bulgarian visitors, wasrecognised by the Bulgarian Ambassador toIreland Emil Yalnazov by the unveiling of aplaque designating it the “Bulgarian Embassy inMonaghan.”

From small acorns mighty oaks can grow.

Pictured in Bonavox, Earl Street, Dublin (L‑R) Morten Sorensen,Managing Director, Widex/Bonavox, Neil Elworthy, Kel‑tec MediaSolutions, and Raymond Wilkinson.

10

Londonderry Rotary charitymission to RomaniaThe Rotary Club of Londonderry has a

longstanding association with the Rotary Club ofBrasov, Romania, which proved to be verybeneficial when completing a mutual project inthe nearby town of Fagaras, where a MatchingGrant assisted orphanage was extended andofficially opened in June 2008. This project wasalso part financed by the North‑West RomaniaFund, a community based support group inLondonderry.

When the Rotary Club was offered – in thesummer of 2010 ‑ a substantial supply of second‑hand school furniture for physically impairedchildren, wheelchairs and other schoolequipment, Rotarian John McMonagle did nothesitate in recommending the transport of theseitems to Romania, where there is a great need forspecialised equipment. He generously sponsoredtwo of his new company vans for the trip. Thegoods were loaded onto the appropriatelydecorated vans, together with 7 new trampolinesand a substantial amount of nappies and othermaterials, and both vehicles left with a total of sixdrivers on 25 October 2010 for the more than2,000 miles long journey: Londonderry – Belfast –Ferry to Stranraer – Newcastle – Ferry to Ijmuiden(Amsterdam) – Arnhem – Frankfurt – Nürnberg –Regensburg – Passau – Linz – Vienna – Budapest– Szeged – Brasov. This distance required four fulldays of extensive travel, with drivers changingevery 200 miles or so. It was Friday morning of

that last week in October when we presentedour van loads to an orphanage / school inCodlea, a few miles outside Brasov. Some items,in particular the wheelchairs, were put toimmediate use, to carry handicapped childrenaround

Overall, the report can hardly express theworthiness of our efforts. Despite a cargo load ofover £10,000, this barely scratched the surface ofwhat is still needed to be done in Romania. It wasconcluded by all involved that more transports ofthis kind should (and will) be organised in 2011and thereafter. Werner Scheel, Past President

Eating snails in the nameof Rotary?

Thatʼs the proud achievement of a 10‑stronggroup from the Rotary Club of Clonmel whotucked into snails as part of an exchange visit withthe Rotary Club of Carcassone in the south ofFrance last October.

The link was established by the Clonmel clubʼsTreasurer, Brian Sheerin, who is a frequent visitor tothe historic walled city and has attended clubdinners on several occasions.

He was joined on the visit by President AnneMarie OʼBrien, former Presidents John OʼSullivanand Tadg Browne and their wives, Patricia andGeraldine, and Rotarian Gerry Flynn and his wifeAnne, and Tadg brother and sister‑in‑law, Anthonyand Kay Browne.

They were welcomed with open arms by theCarcassone Club who laid on a programme ofactivities ranging from guided tours of the oldcitadel – very well worth a visit, with buildingsdating from Roman times to the nineteenthcentury – to a cruise on the Canal du Midi, a rugbymatch involving Carcassone and two winetastings, one in the winery of their incomingPresident, Christian Bousquet.

The highlight of the visit was the clubʼs dinner, ata Michelin‑starred hotel, which included the afore‑mentioned snails, plus wild boar, a sublime fig tartand wines from the vineyards of some clubmembers.

They were surprised to hear that the Clonmelclub confine themselves to water, tea and coffee atlunches!

The Clonmel club are hoping that theCascassone club will pay a return visit to Co.Tipperary next year to enjoy the many attractionsof Clonmel and the surrounding area.

Interact comes toCounty Wexford

Colaiste Bride Enniscorthy Interact inaugurated.First such club in County Wexford. (Front row)Interact President Ciara Murphy, President PeterPrendergast and Youth Chair Edel Fitzmaurice

11

Why RIBI?At the District Council meeting in July 2010, as we wrestled with the new budget and discussed

methods of reducing the cost of Rotary, it was suggested we might, unilaterally, slash the amount wepay to RIBI and possibly even consider withdrawal from that Association.

It is not the first time this suggestion has been mooted, and for that very reason, I feel we shouldnow examine not just the figures but also the associated advantages of RIBI membership.

Let me preface the following by stating that I make no apology for being an unreserved RIBIsupporter.

For the past 13 consecutive years, I have held District, RIBI, and RI offices and, during that period,have witnessed, firsthand, the benefits of RIBI membership. Make no mistake ‑ for a modest per capitasum, we are the recipients of service and training that are the envy of the rest of the Rotary world.

So, letʼs see how the figures compare:

Districts within RIBI Districts outside RIBIR.I.B.I. Dues* £47.50/ €57.00 NIL R.I. Dues INCLUDED £33.00/€39,60 Insurance * INCLUDED £10.00/€12.00 Magazine *** INCLUDED £16.00/€19.20 District Grant **** ‑£13.15/€15.80 NIL NET cost per Rotarian in D.1160 £34.35/€41.20 £59.00/€70.80

Our membership of RIBI saves every Rotarian in D.1160 £25/€30 annually.* RIBI Subscription includes our fees paid to Rotary international** Insurance – based on 55,000 members, RIBI negotiated a policy that includes public liability (up to £15 million); libel; regalia

and money; legal expenses; officers and club indemnity and personal accident insurance. The premium is £2.50/€3.00 permember and is included in RIBI Dues. It is estimated that, should D.1160 / 2,300 members seek similar cover, it would cost in theregion of £10.00/€12.00 per member

*** Magazine – it is a requirement of Rotary Club membership that every Rotarian receives an official Rotary magazine (notjust a district magazine such as Cogs). Included in our RIBI dues, each D.1160 Rotarian receives six copies of “Rotary Today” perannum. We know that it costs other Districts outside RIBI US$24.00 to buy “The Rotarian” magazine.

**** District Grant – Districts outside RIBI do not receive any financial assistance towards their running costs. Every 3 months,RIBI sends a cheque to our District Treasurer. The amount is based on a complex formula that takes into account geographicsize of district, number of Clubs, islands etc. For the current Rotary year, we stand to receive a District Grant of £30,200, whichequates to £13.15 / €15.80 per Rotarian in District 1160.

Other benefits of RIBI membership include:• All Rotary literature is re‑written in RIBI terminology and UK English • Sustaining Members, Major Donors and Benefactors who pay through RF(UK) benefit from Gift Aid on their contributions to Foundation

• Our District Officers benefit from high quality training and exposure to Rotary worldwide. • RIBI Staff provide speedy, efficient and local service (e.g. Paul Harris Fellowship Recognitions, publications, documents etc)

• Provision of specialist support (e.g. Protection Policy/Crisis Management)Am I wrong or is retention of RIBI membership a no‑brainer? – PDG Howard Caskie

The RIBI subscription – How is it spent?The RIBI subscription for the Rotary year 2010‑11 is £44.75 + £2.75 for the New Member Recruitment

Campaign ‑ a grand total of £47.50. I donʼt have the current breakdowns but, instead, offer the figuresfor 2008‑09. Back then, the subscription was £43.00 ‑ hereʼs how it was calculated:

Amount TotalInformation services (all RIBI Publications) £0.12RIBI annual conference £0.98Official publication (Rotary Today) £0.13Insurance (public liability of up to £15 million; libel; regalia and money; legal expenses; Officers & Club indemnity & personal accident insurance. £2.54RIBI assembly £2.51District Grants (monies returned to Districts) £5.46District Extension £0.19General Council (4 x meetings per annum) £1.38RIBI committees (5 x service committees;

4 x administrative committees;2 x standing committees plus approx. 3 others £2.06

Publicity & Marketing (publicity costs for committeesPromotional Reserve Claims, marketing materials,PR Costs £0.89

Marketing Strategy* (Road Show) ‑ see below £0.76RI Obligations (cost of attending RI meetings ‑

RI Assembly; RI Convention; Institute; Council on Legislation £16.00

Administration costs (Staff costs; rates/energy/cleaning; telephone; stationery; postage; repairs,maintenance; bank charges; professional fees £13.31

Non‑reclaimable VAT £1.39Investment management charges £0.09Taxation £0.14

£47.95Less other income £3.83 £44.12Surplus £1.14 £42.98

*In 2009‑10, replaced by New Member Recruitment Campaign with additional levy of £2.75Please keep a copy of this article in your Club minute book for future reference.

Win 2 ticketsto LimerickEnter the Write a Limerick competition, and youcould win free conference registration for two andtwo tickets to the Gala Conference Ball on Saturday24 September 2011.This is a fun activity, open to all Rotarians in District1160, with just a few simple rules:

1. The Limerick or Limericks must be your own original work2. Consist of five lines (usually humorous but notmandatory)3. The last word of lines, one, two and five mustrhyme with each other and the words of lines threeand four must rhyme with each other. See if you caninclude the words, Rotary and Limerick.

Entry by email To bdeedigan@hotmail.com Closing Date March 1 2011

Please include your contact details with the entry

The winners will be announced at the March 19District Council meeting.

The decision of the judging panel will be final.

Comber promised three purple patchesfor spring 201

Pupils from Comber Primary and AndrewsMemorial Schools gathered in Comber Square tolend a hand in planting some 4½ thousand purplecrocus bulbs – a gift to the town from the RotaryClub of Comber. On hand to give guidance andadvice were Ards Council experts Ivan Ward andJohn Gilmore.

The bulbs will flower in the Spring in threelocations – in the Square itself, near the treeplanted by the Club in 2005 to mark the 100thAnniversary of Rotary worldwide; and at roadsidelocations near Laurelbank on the NewtownardsRoad and by the junction of the by‑pass with theBelfast Road.

The purpose is to thank the children andpeople of the town who have helped the clubraise funds contributing to Rotary Internationalʼsobjective of ridding the world of Polio. The purplein the crocuses has significance in that that everychild immunised under the Rotary programme inaffected countries has purple dye painted on theirlittle finger to ensure they are not given a repeatdose.

Two further local schools who have alsocontributed to the project – CarrickmannonPrimary and St Maryʼs Primary, Comber – havealso been given bulbs which they will plant intheir own school gardens.

Bulbs for EnniskillenOn Monday 1st November 9 Enniskillen

Rotarians + 3 helpers from Fermanagh DistrictCouncil planted 50,000 crocus bulbs, in thepouring rain on a bank opposite the KillyhevlinHotel, Enniskillen on the main Belfast toEnniskillen Road.

Those pictured from left to right are PresidentAlan Cecil, Rotarian Ernest Chambers, TreasurerTom Harpur and Foundation chairman JohnTrimble. Photo courtesy of John McVitty, ImpartialReporter, .

Kilkenny says Focus on the Crocus Rotary, KKB and 31 girls from Loretto Secondary

School teamed up to plant 1500 Purple CrocusBulbs in the Peace Park, Kilkenny. The initiative ispart of the Polio Plus campaign which has seenefforts by Rotary International reduce the numberof new cases of Polio from 360,000 in 1985 to1491 in 2008. The aim is to eradicate the diseasecompletely and the bulbs are planted to raiseawareness of the project as a purple dye is usedon the little finger of every child that isvaccinated. To help support this initiativedonations can be made to Rotary c/o Club HouseHotel, Kilkenny.

Pictured are Teachers and Pupils of Loretto, JamesWalsh President of Rotary Kilkenny and EamonnHanrahan Friend of Rotary.

Bray gets diggingMembers of Bray Rotary Club planting the

Purple Crocus bulbs in a local Park as part of aFamily Fun Day organised by the Tidy TownsCommittee. There was great help from the localsespecially the children and the Urban Council.

Photo Left to Right:‑ Tom Hillery, Rudy Montejo,Luz Montejo, Massimo Lepri and SeamusJennings.

Mallow make movesRecently members of the Rotary Club of Mallow

planted purple crocus at the roundabout inMallow. Focus on the Crocus is part of Rotaryʼs“Thanks for Life” project which aims to eradicatePolio Worldwide by June 2012.

Pictured are: Stephanie Howard, Deputy MayorJohhny Griffin, Rotary Club of Mallow President DrHarry Casey, council planters Noel Morahan andMorris O'Leary with Liam Shine of Rotary Club ofRotary

February 2011 is the focus of the fund raisingactivity for this worthy cause and hopefully thecrocus will be in full bloom to remind everyone tocontribute.

The purple crocus represents the coloured dyewhich is dabbed on childrenʼs little ʻpinkieʼ fingerto indicate they have been immunized againstPolio. Rotary Internationalʼs campaign to eradicatePolio worldwide has been active since 1985 andthe cost of immunizing a child is 25 cent.

Remember Polio is only a plane journey away.

Focus on the Crocus

Andrews Memorial pupils (from left to right)William‑Lee Duncan, Jay Rowan, William Orr andAlan Biju play their part in the great crocus plantout.

Rotary Clubs across Ireland have been planting crocus bulbs in aid of Foundation. Here are a few of the clubs

who own a spade and a camera! wWhy the Crocus? Because the purple crocus represents the coloured dye

which is dabbed on children’s little ‘pinkie’ finger to indicate they have been immunized against Polio.

The financial future of the Rotary PeaceCentres has been delegated to 9 Rotarians bythe Trustees of the Rotary Foundation who metat Rotary Headquarters in Evanston lastSeptember Unfortunately one member took illbefore the photograph was taken.

The Rotary Peace Centres Major Gifts InitiativeCommittee has been asked to raise $95m for anendowment fund, the capital of which willnever be spent but the income from whichshould be sufficient to finance training scholarsin Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. Thegoal is to raise this by June 2015.

You should recognise the European memberof the Committee, standing second from theleft – Assistant Governor Colum McLoughlinand we know how adept that he is in extractingmoney. So be prepared to be approached byhim looking for support for the fund.

We all wish the committee well in raising thefunds for this worthwhile project.

Rotary Peace CentresMeeting

13

Around the Clubs

Galway Mayor of Galway City, Michael Crowe visits Club Picturedleft, Michael Duke, President‑elect and Mayor Michael Crowe

Dublin At 100, Dublin launches "First in Service" Minister MaryHannifan,James Gorman Past President,Tony Keegan HonSecretaryand author of the book, Randal Gray President .

Navan: Paul Harris Award presented to John Craig (left) Dist GovTom Murphy and (right) President Robin Byrne.

Dublin North DG Wes visited the Lord Mayor of Dublin withmembers of the Dublin North club.

Letterkenny ‑ John Hume visits Rotary Club of Letterkenny

Monaghan: The induction of three new members took place inNovember with DG Wes Armstrong in attendance.

Bray Members took to the streets of Bray once again to raise fundsfor the most recent Pakistan disaster

Wexford: John Bruton visits Club

Is it only twits that tweet?In the first of our new series of articles to help you improve your business, John Ritchie, IT

manager at ABC company, tells COGS how mastering Twitter helped him build his business

Many new Twitterusers want to knowwhat the rules are,

or whether Twitter hasstandard protocol and

etiquette. Beyond Twitterʼs standard Terms of Service,Twitter etiquette is simple: Be genuine and non‑deceptiveand provide value. Otherwise, just use Twitter how it suitsyou.

Beyond the simple regulations, you canʼt really useTwitter in a right or wrong way because no two peopleuse it for exactly the same reasons. Although users loveTwitterʼs largely rule‑free nature, some generally acceptedbehaviors have evolved over time. You can ease yourtransition into the culture of Twitter by getting familiarwith these behaviors.

Be polite on Twitter for the most part, but no more orless so than youʼre expected to be in the real world ̶ justkeep in mind that Twitter is a public forum.

You may encounter confusing, even conflicting, adviceand back‑seat tweeting from the handful of people onTwitter who arenʼt comfortable without rules. Donʼt takethem too seriously; Twitter just isnʼt that rigid.

Tweeting frequencySome Twitter users are considered noisy because they

tweet so much, whereas others can come across asstandoffish because they donʼt tweet frequently. A goodrule when youʼre starting out is to post at least four or fivetweets per day. You most likely find yourself tweetingmuch more often than that, but if you arenʼt yet fullycomfortable with it, use that number to get started.

If youʼre using Twitter for your business, or you plan tolink to your products or posts on your personal blog, find abalance between the number of tweets that promoteyourself and the number of tweets that provide value. Youmight think of this balance as an actual ratio.

For example, for every link of your own that you place onTwitter, send out at least five tweets that inform, engage,and converse. If conversation and engagement are youraim, you definitely want to keep a human voice in yourTwitter stream at all times.

Itʼs worth thinking about who you want to reach. Peoplenew to Twitter and only following a few get bowled overby frequent tweeters simply because itʼs all they see ontheir stream. A roaring chat with friends you already knowis a fine use of Twitter, too, and would involve many moretweets a day than, say, a business user or someone justfiguring out what they want to do with the platform.

Language and abbreviations in TweetsTwitterʼs lexicon has evolved over time to include unique

words, phrases, and abbreviations that most regular usersunderstand and recognize. Of course, you see a lot of puns

involving the word “Twitter,” with the prefixes tw‑ or twi‑added to the front: tweet, tweeple, tweetup, and so on.Not all members are fans of corny terms such as tweeple.Others think the Twitter‑specific language is fun, or aneasy and obvious way to delineate something as Twitter‑specific.

Engaging others on TwitterOn Twitter, the name of the game is engagement.

Whether you use Twitter for business or fun, you donʼt justwant to sit back and watch the stream flow by ̶ youwant to genuinely interact with people.

Donʼt be shyDonʼt be shy about finding people who share your

interests, even if you donʼt know them (yet). Use TwitterSearch to look for some of the most obscure keywordsrelated to your work, hobbies, or passions. Then clickthrough to the profiles of the people who wrote thetweets you find.

Youʼll be amazed how good an idea you get of someonejust by glancing at their last 20 tweets. Interested? Followthem. Itʼs not like other social networks where youʼre reallyonly expected to connect to folks you already know.

While you sift through the Twitter conversation, click theusernames that you see (as in @replies) and write tostrangers offering your own opinion. It may take a few trieswith a few different conversations before the chattingusers include you in their conversation, but eventuallythey do.

But even if you donʼt @reply, your tweets still appear insearch, and other Twitter users can spot them. If you havesomething interesting to say, people start to reply to yourtweets. If you seek out and use relevant keywords and#hashtags, you will start to connect with others who shareyour interests.

Donʼt give upYour early days on Twitter will probably be pretty quiet

when it comes to replies and conversation. All thosetwitterers are just getting to know you, after all. Donʼtworry; after a few of your tweets appear in the timelineand you add a few contacts to your network, people willbegin to notice you.

Twitter keeps tabs on “deceptive” activity and can banaccounts that impersonate celebrities or companies ifthose accounts donʼt make it clear that theyʼre unofficial orparodies. This policy is a contentious point in the Twittercommunity: Many members were upset when the@cwalken account, belonging to an aspiring comedianpretending to be actor Christopher Walken, was deletedfrom the system.

Read more: www.dummies.com/how‑to/content/how‑to‑master‑twitter‑etiquette.html#ixzz0wClkO4uO

COGS Business Clinic

14

15

COGS MARKETPLACEwhere Rotarians meet to do business

Self Catering Accommodation

ANNALEE LODGE

10 River Run

Belturbet Co Cavan

www.countycavanholidayhome.com

tom@countycavanholidayhome.com

Mark Davidson (Belfast Rotary), KWIK TRAVEL.Twenty‑seven years experience arranging qualitybespoke travel itineraries, Europe and worldwide.To discuss your plans t: 028 9031 3311 or e:mark:kwiktravel.com

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