Rotary District 5130 District Governor Erna Stevenson

June 2007 Newsletter

DG Erna Stevenson 2006-2007
Rotary District 5130 News
Issue 12, June 2007

DG ERNA's Newsletter



George and I want to thank all of you for giving us the opportunity to represent District 5130. What an exciting, wonderful year we have had. We will cherish those memories for the rest of our lives. Thank you!

If you missed the District Conference, you missed a great event. My thanks go to RIVP Jerry Hall and Tasha for their participation and inspiring speech Saturday evening; and, our RI President's Representative, PDG Hal Darcey and Lei who were also an inspiration. Motorcycle Bob Mutchler shared with us his fight with Polio and why we need to continue our commitment and keep the contributions coming in order to eradicate Polio forever. Of course, the Conference would not have been the success it was without the leadership of Chair and Co-Chair, Ed Fullerton and Helaine Campbell. They had a dedicated group of Rotarians and volunteers to help make it so successful. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

One of the most exciting parts of the Conference was the celebration of your success "Leading the Way". Our District Rotarians were generous and committed to addressing clean water, health and hunger, literacy and the Family of Rotary. For those of you who missed the conference, here's a recap of the many accomplishments I talked about in my opening speech.

Excerpts from DG address at District Conference

HIGHLIGHTING CLUBS ACHIEVEMENTS

One of the District Governor's most pleasant dilemmas is this: How to recognize, thank, appreciate, spread the word and celebrate every accomplishment . . . every individual project and initiative and ongoing service that you accomplish . . . well, it's impossible.

But one thing that I can do as DG and that we can all do is point out that each and every thing we do is emblematic of the accomplishments of our organization throughout this district and throughout a world that is crying out for what we have to offer. I truly mean that when I mention one project, I've got them all in my heart. When the story of one life helped moves us or inspires us, just imagine our hearts full, full to overflowing, knowing that that help is multiplied more times than we can count or comprehend.

• You may be aware of the Support our Students program initiated by the Santa Rosa Rotary Clubs. It's an innovative approach to truancy that integrates counseling and prevention early on, so that at-risk kids' involvement with law enforcement can be curtailed or prevented. You may not have known that law enforcement candidates at Santa Rosa Junior College learn about the Four Way Test, thanks to an innovative award program sponsored by Santa Rosa East



• I know you're well aware that Rotary's polio eradication campaign, in these last, tough years, has made slow and steady progress thanks in great part to your donations to the Rotary Foundation. The Lakeport Club this year raised more than $3,000 for Polio eradication. And, what you may now know is that Petaluma Valley Rotary used the Foundations' District Simplified Grant program to jump-start a mentoring project for at-risk elementary school children in their own community.



• Every week, a major production occurs 44 times (now with the new chartering of the Rotary Club of Rancho Cotati) in our six counties: A Rotary Club meeting that may have been touching, funny, challenging, inspiring or just full of friendly camaraderie . . . and often it's all of that. I'd also like you to know that the Rotary Club of Willits added quite a bit of humorous fun to that town when they brought in the Harlem Ambassadors for exhibition basketball.



• This year's conference marks twenty years of participation of women in Rotary. And in Healdsburg, Rotarians have funded a math and science project for girls, an effort which will someday help develop vast untapped talent, just waiting for development and recognition.



• Everyone in the Eureka area must know about Eureka Rotary's ongoing projects to renovate and improve youth athletic fields. But do you know about their recent work in providing dental care to low-income youth? Mendocino Rotary's Art Auction fits in beautifully with the culture of that town and provides a major source of funds for their scholarships and literacy programs.



• Several of you put on meals for the elderly, not necessarily as a charitable gesture but as one of friendship and community. And the Fortuna Sunrise Rotary Club donated $500 to a capital campaign for a local Alzheimer's Center. Then, an anonymous club member pledged an additional $9,500.



• Many of you know about our wonderful Festival of Brotherhood, which has created international projects in central Mexico. At this conference we welcome the Group Study Exchange Team from District 4150 and get to know them personally. We also welcome visitors from the other side of Mexico, Quintana Roo, whose projects have touched lives and hearts in their home and in ours.

Occasionally we hear that a club can't grow because they're out of room . . . or they're the ideal size . . . or they don't want to be much bigger . . . . things like that. And of course I always respond, "Why not start a new club?" and they say, "Well, I don't know about that" or, "Yeah, but . . . we couldn't take the hit on our own membership" . . .

So how about that Rohnert Park-Cotati Club?! They started this year at 44 members and plenty of room in their meeting place, which happens to be right here. But the club leaders looked around and asked one very fruitful question: Can our community benefit from more Rotary service? And the answer to that was the brand new, Rotary Club of Rancho Cotati, officially chartered by RI May 14, 2007 . . . with 43 members. And by the way, the Rohnert Park Cotati club has grown to 47 members! Congratulations, President Tim and all of you.

• Rotary is known as an organization of business and professional people. But Michael Murray, a Rotarian in the Napa Sunrise club, says this: "It's never too early to create 'little capitalists' . . . so that club helps do that by supporting Junior Achievement. Ten club members devote an hour a week for five weeks, and with financial support from the club, 160 students have been able to participate this year." Those students will never forget that experience. But neither will the club members who have helped provide it.



• You already know that many community leaders have noted the challenge of illiteracy among adults in their community. But did you know that Sebastopol Sunrise took this into their own hands? They approached a day labor center serving migrant workers and said, "We'll help."



• And in another very contemporary approach to literacy, The Rotary Club of Arcata has helped their town maintain a Youth Computer Room at the Community Center.



• All Rotary clubs talk about the need to increase our visibility. Lakeport has done exactly that with its "Rotary Top Forty" Program, which calls attention to student achievement at many levels. Meanwhile, Clear Lake has been busy starting a new Rotaract Club through their local community college branch . . . proving that small clubs with big hearts can create a huge impact. Three clubs in Eureka each received grants from Rotary International, of $1,500 each, for Rotary Public Image projects: Eureka , Southwest Eureka , and Old Town Eureka. Congratulations also to Petaluma Valley, which received a $2,000 Public Image Grant.



• I'm proud of your involvement in leadership roles in business and community throughout our six counties. In Saint Helena , two Rotarians, Jeff Epps and Rob Andreae were named "Citizen of the Year" by the local Chamber of Commerce, in recognition of their efforts in a club-supported park project. Many Sonoma County Rotarians are graduates of Santa Rosa 's Leadership Santa Rosa program, and at least a dozen of you serve on local city councils.



• I'm extremely proud of your efforts to help the homeless. The Committee on the Shelterless right here in Rohnert Park has benefited enormously from the hands-on involvement of Rotarians. They have creatively and diligently provided direct services to ease the lives of people less fortunate than we are. Lakeport Rotary has organized food baskets, and they've done so not just with their own contributions but also by involving the community in those efforts. The results have included a well-deserved spotlight on the humanitarian nature of local Rotary Clubs.



• More and more it is not unusual to see clubs such as Mendocino, Windsor, Santa Rosa Sunrise and more giving ten, twelve or more scholarships of $1,000 to graduating high school seniors. So often a check isn't just a check, but a very much appreciated contribution that can help dreams come true.

Not only have clubs across this district recognized Students of the Month for academic performance. In recent years, many clubs have added "Vocational Students of the Month" and R.O.P. Students of the month, encouraging career-oriented students who are talented in skills essential to the future prosperity of our state. In addition, you have not overlooked the alternative and continuation high schools, in scholarships, in Interact Clubs and in recognition for the challenges these students face.

If we touched the lives of dozens of school children by introducing them to their own dictionaries, that would be truly fine. Friends, if what we did was help a hundred or more students achieve their dreams of academic and career success, we'd deserve the congratulations of everyone. If homeless people right here down this street gain true hope for a better life through the kindness of a helping hand, we should be beaming with pride of accomplishment.

But no . . . your accomplishments are too big for just "thank you" and "oh, aren't you great" . . . which you are. Your accomplishments are so vast that only a District Conference can begin to give us a glimpse of them.

Note from DG Erna: Thanks again to all who attended. Your presence added to the inspiration and enjoyment of our annual celebration.

Annual Regional Rotary Foundation Seminar

Saturday, July 14, 2007
Raddison Hotel
500 Leisure Lane, Sacramento

An essential event is presented by an experienced Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator (RRFC). Get Foundation Know-How that will strengthen your club and make it easy to inspire and recognize your members' generosity. Contact District Governor Elect Ken Moulton with your commitment to attend.


by Jack Vallerga, PDG

Dividing District 513 Into Two Districts

It was well known in early 1998 that District 513 would be divided into two districts. At this time it was not known how the districts would be numbered. The official decision about the division and the numbering was made at the meeting of the R.I. Board of Directors in Philadelphia just prior to the International Convention in that city in 1988. Prior to this decision the southern district (after the division) wanted to keep the 513. To those of us in the northern district (after the division) were not as adamant about the decision on numbering. The R.I Board made the decision that the northern district would retain the 513 much to the disappointment of some of the leaders in the southern district. The R.I. Board decision was based on this: the district north of us (before the division) in southern Oregon was 510 and the district south of 513 (before the division) was 517. Keeping in line with this numbering order, the Board gave us 513 and the south District 515.

After the division District 513 was a new district. This number, 513, lasted until 1992-1993 when the R., I. Board decided to add a zero to all 500 plus districts in Rotary. So our District became 5130. In the District Chronology 513 was the new District and this number lasted for two years and, at the request of the Two District Governors in 1989-1990 and 1990-1991 (John M. Vallerga and John T. Blount) they were the only two governors to serve in the new 513 District with that number, In 1991-1992 when the zero was added we became 5130 which was not a new district.

The number 513 was important to many of us at the time of the division because it meant that we would keep the Bru Brunnier Golf Trophy in our District. The Bru Brunnier Golf Trophy began in 1964 at the District Conference which was held in Eureka and was won by the Rotary Club of Eureka. This trophy honors Bru Brunnier for organizing the District Idea in Rotary for being the first Governor of our District in 1915-1916 which was District 513. Because this Trophy had been important over the years it is important that all clubs should send a foursome to the Golf Tournament next year which will be played a The Presidio Golf Course in San Francisco. Let's try to accomplish this next year with over 22 Club Foursomes!!!!