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Meals on Wheels schedule 2016-17

Rotary International News -- 1 February 2010

The first four Rotarians: (left to right) Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, Hiram Shorey, and Paul Harris. Rotary Images

During the first Rotary club meeting on 23 February 1905 in Chicago, Paul Harris, Gustavus Loehr, Hiram Shorey, and Silvester Schiele met to talk about their personal experiences. Harris then unfolded his general plan for their club meetings.

JOHN KENNY

TRUSTEE CHAIR 2014-15

AUGUST 2014

Help us reach our goal.

Rotarians are generous people. They give to many good, charitable causes in their communities but in many instances do not support their own charity: The Rotary Foundation.

This Rotary year, I would like to see every Rotary club make a contribution to our Rotary Foundation.

Remember that the good we do in the world is limited only by the contributions we receive. And when we give to our Foundation, we are not sending cash to Evanston – we are helping a blind man to see, a polio victim to walk, a child to grow to adulthood healthily, a student to become better educated, and a family to have food to eat.

Each year, the trustees of The Rotary Foundation set a goal for the Annual Fund – the fund that feeds the World Fund. This year, the goal is US$123 million, with each Rotarian being asked to contribute a minimum of $100. I am conscious that this figure would mean more in some countries than others. But Rotarians should give according to their means.

The slogan Every Rotarian, Every Year means exactly that. Every Rotarian should make a contribution to our Foundation every year. Make it a priority this year to impress on your club the importance of every club supporting our Foundation in some way.

As I said at the outset, Rotarians are generous people. I am sure you will translate that generosity into giving to our Rotary Foundation.

It is up to each and every one of us to do so.

Goals for a new year.

It is an honor and a privilege to serve this Rotary year as chair of our Rotary Foundation. And we should be proud to call it our Foundation, for each day millions of people are touched by the magic of Rotary – made possible only by the service and dedication of Rotarians throughout the world.

Our Foundation is the engine that drives the Rotary machine. It gives us the chance to see and fulfill the opportunities for service both within our community and internationally.

Your Foundation Trustees have set five goals for the year.

The first goal is the eradication of the poliovirus from the face of the earth. We have much to be proud of in our efforts to rid the world of this dreaded disease, but we must finish the job. We cannot let up in our efforts. We cannot undo all the good work that has been done in the past.

Our second goal is to continue to support Rotary's own charity, The Rotary Foundation, through our contributions. The good that we do is limited only by what we receive. Let us ensure that clubs who have made no contributions to our Foundation do so this year.

Our third goal is to ensure the progress of our new grants program by participating in sustainable educational and humanitarian projects.

Our fourth goal is to foster goodwill and peace by promoting and publicizing the Rotary Peace Centers program, whose purpose is to create a cadre of individuals dedicated to peace and conflict resolution.

Our fifth goal is to emphasise that the responsibility for the future of our Foundation is in all our hands so that we can continue doing good in the world as we endeavor to Light Up Rotary.

I look forward to your support.
John Kenny
Foundation Trustee Chair 

I have just returned from a very worthwhile wheelchair project in San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic.  The need is great and the cooperation with the Dominican Rotary clubs was impressive.  These are some of the images from the trip:

How Rotary supports basic education and literacy

Hundreds of children ages 7-11 are writing their own stories as part of a project run by the Rotary E-Club of the Caribbean. The best stories are published each year in "The Butterfly StoryBook." It's just one example of how Rotary members worldwide advance early childhood reading. Learn more about this project and others for International Literacy Day, 8 September.

• Read more about "The Butterfly StoryBook"
• See how Rotary members are tutoring students in Colima, Mexico
• Join a discussion with Rotarian educators

From "Rotary Weekly" email 5 September 2014

Larry was born in Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey, to Texas parents and raised in a military family, moving to various places around the world that included Ansbach, Germany and Tokyo, Japan He grad-uated from Texas A&M University with a BBA in Management and a Masters of Education Degree in Educational Administration with a minor in Business.

He served over twenty-seven years in the U.S. Army Reserve, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Medical Service Corps. His expertise was in Hospital Administration. His service rendered sixteen medals including four awards of the Army Commendation Medal; one Army Achievement Medal; two awards of the National Defense Service Medal for Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm; four awards of the Reserve Components Achievement Medal; and two awards of the Army Reserve Medal among others.

He is a Risk Management Consultant assisting companies with captive management, self-insurance programs, and commercial insurance portfolios. He also provides Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety consulting. Larry teaches as an Adjunct Professor of Business at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Larry has served his community on numerous boards, president of most, over the last thirty years. Currently, he is President of the Wichita Falls Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America and serves at the state level as Secretary of the Texas Council of Chapters; President of the Southside Youth Center in Wichita Falls, Vice President of Risk Management for the Northwest Texas Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and holds the prestigious Silver Beaver Award.

Larry has been married to Paula since 1968. Paula is a Nursing Home Administrator and Social Worker. They have three children and four grandchildren.

Larry joined Rotary in 1978. He is Past President of the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls (2005-2006), Past Assistant Governor (2011-2012), and is currently serving as his club’s Secretary. He also serves as Committee Chair on the District Matching Grant Committee and is a Texas Representative of Shelterbox USA, a Rotary partner. He, and wife Paula, are both Paul Harris Fellows. Paula is a Past President of the Rotary Club of Iowa Park.

Attached you will find instructions for logging into our web site:  www.mineralwellsrotary.org.  Once you have logged in go to "Edit My Profile" on the admin page. Edit your personal information and add your picture. 

Under the "Rotary" tab you will find your Rotary International member number.  Look in "Settings" to find your login name and change your password.  You can also set up a custom email signature that will display when you send emails from the email center.

The "Member Login Cheat Sheet" can be downloaded from the downloads section on our home page in the right column under the calendar.  If you have any trouble, please contact me (Dan Steele) for help.

May 5, 2014

The board has approved a new policy for matching member contributions to the Rotary Foundation Annual Fund.

For first time donors, the club will match the first $100 donation.   The Foundation Committee encourages sponsors of new members to offer that match from their accumulated points.  (Note: You receive one point for each dollar contributed.)

The club will continue to match donations, up to $300, that will bring the donor to the next $1,000 level.

April is Child Abuse Awareness Month

Interact Club of Mineral Wells High School was honored to help tie blue
 ribbons in downtown Mineral Wells for Ms. Connie Ball with the CPS Board.

By John Rezek
The Rotarian -- July 2013

With his congenial manner and his inclination to keep things simple, Ron Burton has a natural ability to put people at ease. But don’t let the easygoing demeanor of Rotary International’s new president lull you into thinking that he doesn’t get serious when it’s time for business.

“If you ask my opinion, you’re going to get it,” Burton says, his neighborly look morphing into a solemn gaze. “When I feel strongly about something, I will argue like crazy for my position. I suppose that’s sort of an ego thing, but if I discern that someone has a vested interest or may be looking at a personal economic benefit, I have a simple suggestion: Apply The Four-Way Test.”

(Ron Burton made his mark on his alma mater, The University of Oklahoma, where he served as president of the school's foundation for nearly three decades. Photo by Monika Lozinska/Rotary International)

An uncompromising sense of ethics may be the only personal quality that the former president of the University of Oklahoma Foundation Inc. is willing to wear on his sleeve. “Like most people, I don’t like to be told I’m wrong,” he says. “But I can be convinced that there’s another way to look at something, and sometimes I’ll change my mind. If it’s an ethical issue, though, you’re not going to tell me I’m wrong. It’s not going to happen. I’ve dealt with too many people over the years who wanted to misuse funds. I’ve looked them in the eye and said, ‘I’m not going to jail for you or anyone else.’”

Burton says most of his career success came from being “in the right place at the right time.” It started with growing up in a small town (Duncan, Okla., USA) in the postwar era and having a chance to operate his own business at age 13. “Delivering newspapers was a business back then,” he says, recalling his days as a Duncan Banner carrier. “You had to buy your papers, buy your rubber bands, buy your bag; you had to wait for the papers, roll them, and deliver them; you had to collect, you had to pay your bill. Anything left over was yours.”

A few years later, as a student at the University of Oklahoma in the late ʼ60s, Burton worked part time in the accounting office. Between graduation and law school, he was hired to replace a close friend at the office who had been drafted into the military. (Burton did his own military service through advanced ROTC and the National Guard.)

“I ended up being the No. 2 accountant for the University of Oklahoma a week after I got out of school,” he says. He continued in the job during his first year in law school, but soon was recommended to replace the outgoing treasurer of the University of Oklahoma Foundation. “When I graduated, my boss, who was a past governor of our Rotary district, asked me to stay on, with the idea that I might be selected to succeed him when he retired. I took over his position as president in 1978 and retired in 2007. That’s my career at Oklahoma – storybook, really.”

When it came to meeting his future wife, Jetta, Burton was initially in the right place, but his timing was a bit off. Both charter members of the baby boom generation, they were born in the same year and at the same overcrowded hospital, where dresser drawers substituted for basinets. But he arrived three months ahead of her. They had mutual friends growing up and finally met in high school, where they were members of the band. He was a junior and played trombone. She was a sophomore and played bassoon. Their first date was 18 September 1962. They tied the knot in college.

After 45 years of marriage, with a daughter, a son, and three grandchildren, Burton emphasizes that their life together has been a partnership, especially when it comes to Rotary.

“Jetta is my best critic,” says Burton, a member of the Rotary Club of Norman. “She will level with me, on whether I made a natural and believable presentation – on all sorts of things. She’s been supportive all along the way, from presidents-elect training seminars to district assemblies and conferences. If she had not supported me in this, I wouldn’t be here today.”

The vital role of the family in Rotary is at the core of Burton’s beliefs. “When we talk about the family of Rotary, I know public relations is a part of that,” he says. “But to me, it really is the family of Rotary. If you get your own family involved in this, with your own heart, and it expands to the world, that’s the family of Rotary – that’s community service.”

Throughout his time in Rotary, especially during this past year of traveling and meeting Rotarians from various countries, that perspective has helped Burton appreciate the diversity and ever-growing potential of the organization. “Speaking to Rotarians from around the world has made me more tolerant of different points of view,” he says. “You learn that there is another way to do things, that there are differences in cultures and differences in individuals. But the basic tenets come through for all of us, no matter where we are. I’d like to think there are no regional differences in the integrity aspect of the organization, but I believe we may need to do a better job of working on that and highlighting it.”

Burton is firm in his view of the relationship between Rotary International and Rotarians. “Rotary International is nothing more than an association of Rotary clubs, and the Secretariat is here to serve those clubs,” he says. “Rotary International’s job is to support the clubs, and Rotarians are the ones who do things. We need to keep that in mind. The Secretariat is a sacred place, and it should be respected, just like the office of the president. Our job is to inspire people, to act as an inspirational pivot point to bring the senior leadership in, to serve those clubs and districts so that we can make things happen. But Rotary International is not an end in itself.”

Burton is enthusiastic about the success of his “first class” campaign, which aims to make the 2013-14 class of Rotary leaders the first in which every district governor and club president contributes to The Rotary Foundation. “We’ve already raised $3.6 million, and we’ve only got 8,128 club presidents so far,” he says. “All the governors are in, for the first time in history.”

Success in fundraising was a hallmark of Burton’s three decades of service at the University of Oklahoma Foundation. During his tenure, he notes, the foundation’s assets grew from $17.5 million to $890 million. But that achievement is not on the short list of his proudest accomplishments.

“There are two things I take great pride in,” he says. “One is that there was never a penny out of place – every single cent was always accounted for. The other is that, more than five years after I’ve left, except for subsequent retirements, everyone who was working for me is still there. I think that’s a great testament that I did something right.”

The management style that led to that success is unlikely to change much, but Burton, whose reading pleasure runs toward biographies of American presidents, believes that his experience watching and working with past Rotary presidents will help him hone an effective approach.

“I don’t want to leave anyone out, but some of them do stick out in my mind,” he says. “Bill Boyd had a big impact on me – he’s a great communicator. I learned a lot about tolerance from Carlo Ravizza. Jim Lacy ran a great meeting and was businesslike in his approach. Jon Majiyagbe is a great role model as a gentle person with a steady manner. And then there’s Frank Devlyn. I’ll tell you what: If you don’t like Frank Devlyn, I don’t like you. It’s that simple.”

Seeing and expressing things in simple, straightforward terms is one of Burton’s most apparent strengths. “If I had one wish for the American people,” he says, “it’s that they could go to one of the impoverished countries that Rotarians do so much work in and see how good we have it here.”

For Burton, there’s no doubt about how good he’s had it. “I’ve had a blessed life,” he says. “I had a great family life growing up, and I look at our kids and our grandkids, and I think they’ve done pretty well too. You worry about things, of course, and you want the best for your family. I think Rotary gives me an opportunity to help make this world a little bit better and help give others a better life – not only my grandkids but other people’s grandkids too.”

A year from now, Burton will look back and measure his success by a standard that is pure Oklahoma: “At the end of the day, I hope to leave the woodpile just a little higher.”

President Keri Dobbs opened the meeting and Diane Brown lead in the pledge to our flag. Jimmy Walker said the invocation and Roger Patel had a joke for us. Charles Thompson got his ticket drawn but he drew the 10 of ♥’s. He took home $11. The pot is approaching $300. Our esteemed guest was Ted Oliver...Welcome!

The plea  went out again for transportation for the RYLA team coming up soon. Remember, there will be no meeting on July 3rd. The Rotary disaster relief for Granbury was $1243.00.

June 16,2013
David Hurt

As advance notice, right now set aside Saturday, August 17…Your District Membership and Foundation Assembly! This year it will be held in Weatherford, beginning at 8:45….More details to follow…right now just set the date and confirm attendance. Lunch will be served for some good fellowship!

The Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Mineral Wells voted to send $500 from our club to the Rotary District 5790 Foundation to aid in relief for people affected by the tornados in the Granbury and Cleburne areas. Club members donated an additional $188 for this need for a total of $688 from our club.  If you missed out and wish to contribute, send your contributions to the following address:

To make a donation to the 5790 Foundation, please make the check payable to:
Rotary District 5790 Foundation and mail it to:
Kim Crawford, CPA
Sutton Frost Cary LLP
600 Six Flags Drive, Suite 600
Arlington, TX  76011

June 2013 from Rotary International

At the recent Rotary District Conference our club received the "Presidential Citation".  This citation is awarded to clubs who achieve in a great number of areas in Rotary set out by the President of Rotary International each year.  Please congratulate your President Keri Dobbs for her hard work in leading us to acheive the goals necessary to receive this award. 

At the district level our club is considered a very good Rotary Club because of the support of Rotary ideals in all areas of Rotary.  You should also congratulate yourselves for your hard work and dedication.

President Keri Dobbs opened the meeting, Diane Brown said the pledge and Fred Danforth lead in the invocation Rual Perkins was the “mini-prize” winner, taking home $15, but drew the 8 of ♥’s. The “mega-prize” stands at $223. Guests were Diana Pedigo and Wally Wallace of Wallace Insurance. Wally is a member of the Weatherford Rotary club and Diana is considering membership in our club as she opens a new office here.  Welcome our guests!  Fred Danforth told us of an opportunity to donate to the Granbury Disaster Relief on the Rotary District 5790 website.                                                                 

Program Chair Gail Haterius, introduced Lisa Cox, the speaker for today’s program. Lisa is Vice President of Operations of Junior Achievement of the Chisholm Trail and spoke of implementing Junior Achievement in the Mineral Wells Independent School District. The program will begin here during the 2013-14 school year and is a world-wide program including the USA and over 100 other countries. There are presently 4,000,000 students in the program in the United States. “At Junior Achievement of the Chisholm Trail, we give young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices.” Use of corporate and community volunteers provide the additional manpower for the program.

Story from the District 5790 website

The highlight of the conference occurred at Friday evening’s dinner which featured a panel of experts discussing the fight against polio. Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), and RI presented a captivating evening describing the mission of their respective organization, its role in the effort to eradicate polio and how each organization interfaces with the other. Captivating really does not do this event proper justice – this was an event that is truly unique to a Rotary district conference. RI Director Silvers stated that the participating organizations sent their “A” team. He further stated that in his many years in Rotary, he had not experienced an event of this magnitude at a district conference. What more can be said…

Robert Emory Allen is the Valedictorian at Gordon High School.  Growing up on a farm, his dream was to become a large animal veterinarian.  He understands the requirements of this career and knows that he will have to make a lot of sacrifices to achieve this goal.  He is very active in 4H and FFA.  He is also heavily involved at his school and has worked on his farm since he was ten.  Currently he is employed with Tuff and Buff Lawn Care and is skilled in welding and mechanical repair.  Throughout his high school career, he has received numerous leadership awards and is very active in his community.  He stated in his application:

 “…as long as I can remember I have always desired to take practice in a career that would surround me with a lot of animals and people in the field of agriculture.  I now have the confidence and determination to know that it is not just a dream, it will be my reality”.

“I have felt God’s calling on my heart.  I love the feeling of being behind a pulpit or podium preaching and delivering the word of God, it’s awe-inspiring”.

“I would like to become a financial and legal representative;  I would like to be able to work with my most enjoyed subject, math, which is where financing comes in (holding an accounting position for a law firm), but also take on more serious obstacles and have a higher role in the business community.”

“I want to change the world, and believe that Southern Methodist University is the right place for me to continue my education.  My dreams are so big that it is all I can do to keep up, but before I can accomplish anything I need a good education.” 

All Rotarians and spouses who participated in activities with the GSE team from Brazil on May 3-5 had a great time.  Connie and Richard Ball hosted a reception with the GSE team members and host families on Friday night where we got to know the team members.  The boat trip at Possum Kingdom was a big hit with our visitors as well as the Rotarians and spouses who attended and the weather was great.  The club social hosted by the Steele's was a fun relaxed evening as we all had the opportunity to interact with the GSE Team.  Again the weather was very nice for the party outside on the deck that night.  Sunday, the hosts provided lunch for their Brazilian guests and then they left for Denton. 

Delegates from Rotary’s 532 districts met in downtown Chicago 21-26 April to consider changes to the policies that govern Rotary International and its member clubs.

Council approves dues increase, unlimited e-clubs
By Arnold R. Grahl 
Rotary News -- 30 April 2013

The Council on Legislation meets every three years to consider changes to the policies that govern Rotary International and its member clubs. This year’s Council accepted an increase of US$1 per year in per capita dues, removed limits on e-clubs, permitted satellite clubs, and changed the name of the fifth Avenue of Service to “Youth Service.”

The dues increase means Rotary clubs will pay Rotary International annual per capita dues of $54 in 2014-15, $55 in 2015-16, and $56 in 2016-17. Dues for 2013-14 had already been set to $53.

The RI Board of Directors proposed the increase based on a five-year financial forecast that projected that Rotary’s spending would exceed revenues by $9 million in 2018 if there were no increase. The result would be a drop in the General Surplus Fund below the level required by the RI Bylaws.

My name is Letícia. I’m 27 years old. I'm single and I have a 6 year-old daughter. I’m sponsored by Rotary Club Patrocínio Brumado dos Pavões, District 4770. I’m an Agronomist and I work as a Technical Sales Representative for a multinational producer of chemical pesticides. In the GSE, I’d like to visit farms and companies related to the production of onions, soy beans and other regional crops. There are multinational factories near District 5790, as Dow Agrosciences and DuPont Pioneer, which are linked to agriculture and I really enjoy visiting. It would also be interesting to visit The Six Floor Museum in Dallas and the Fort Worth Stockyards. I love rodeo and everything related to the old west. I love going to concerts and watching sport games.

In the absence of President Keri AND President-Elect Diane, Secretary Saskia , in good fashion, opened the meeting and carried on fabulously. Mary Braddock started the Pledge to our flag and Gail Haterius said the invocation. Charles Thompson  got his ticket drawn and profited $14 assuming he purchased only one ticket. The pot has now risen to $32 and the 10 of ♣’s is now missing from the deck. Our guest today was Janna Rasmussen, guest of Karyn Bullock. Thank you Karyn for bringing her and invite Janna any time.

We were reminded to finish selling our tickets for the May 1 drawing for the shotgun. Program Chair Lance Howerton introduced Brenda Stewart of Passion 22:6 Ministries, a non-profit 501c3 public charity dba Venue 2:17 in Mineral Wells. He told how she came into his office a few months ago with a story to tell and a request for information for an available facility for her project.

Ms. Stewart continued, Venue 2:17 is attempting, with success in bringing teens together to promote positive behaviors, healthy choices, and community involvement in a safe and unconditional, Christian environment. Their Mission Statement: “To reach this generation before we have to rescue it.: There are many indicators that exhibit the need of a community teen ministry: crime, drug abuse, teen pregnancy and promiscuity and other destructive behavior. Their success was documented and support was encouraged. Good program, Lance.

My name is Thaís Alves. I’m from 4770 District and I’m sponsored by Morrinhos Rotary Club, in Morrinhos City of Goiás State. I’m 25 years old. I’m single. I graduated in Portuguese, English and Literatures (Languages). Actually I’m studying Business Administration. I have a Language School which I’m a director and teacher too. I teach English as a foreign language. I live with my brother and my parents live at a farm. I’m happy to participate in this project. In Texas, I would like to know the American Education System, from Kindergarten to University. I’d like to know the process of language teaching in Language Schools, from administration to Languages Lessons. I’ like to attend English Classes. It’s very important to know the American culture, so, I’d like to visit museums, libraries, universities, parks, sporting events such as football, baseball, golf,  rodeos and other places that represent the Texan and American culture.

My name is Leonardo. I am 27 years old. I´m Single. I am from Uberaba, located in the state of Minas Gerais.  I am sponsored by the Rotary club Uberaba Leste, representing District 4770.

I have a Masters degree in maintenance engineering and I work as process engineer at Delta, a sugar and alcohol plant. I also work as a university professor in the areas of administration and logistics.

While in district 5790, I would like to visit aerospace, technology and petroleum manufacturers, business administration universities, school music, logistics systems for receiving and sending cargo at airports, ports and railway stations, agricultural machines and agribusiness.

My hobbies are: playing the guitar, listening to jazz, blues and country music. I love boats, cars, animals such as dogs and cattle.

My name is Andrea, I'm 36 years old, single and have a 12-year-old daughter. I come from district (4770) forty-seven seventy), sponsored by Rotary Club of Araguari, State of Minas Gerais.

I am a dentist and work in a private office. I’m post graduated in dental prosthesis, both functional and esthetic, but I work in oral surgery also. My goal in the GSE Program is to know about the American dentistry, both private and public, as well as the graduate

programs and research. I would also like to know more about the American culture, visit museums, and watch a baseball/golf game.

As Americans we all want to make a statement of support for our Country and our Flag.  But how do we do that?  Where will we find the time?  The Rotary Club of Mineral Wells is proud to present a unique American Flag Subscription Program for the Mineral Wells area.  It will provide you and your neighbors a unified, consistent way to proudly support our Country and our Flag.

            Your annual contribution of $42.00 allows you to participate.  Members of the Rotary Club of Mineral Wells will place a 3’ x 5’ American Flag on a 10’ metal pole in your yard on the morning of the following days:

            Presidents Day                        Flag Day                                  9/11 Patriots Day
            Memorial Day                          Independence Day                  Veterans Day

            The flag pole will be inserted in a sleeve placed 12” from the curb (below lawn mower height).  We will retrieve the Flag at sunset that day.  In the event rain prevents us from displaying your flag on a designated holiday, we will display it on the following Sunday.

            IMAGINE WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PATRIOTIC DISPLAY WILL BE EXPRESSED PROMINENTLY AND UNIFORMLY THROUGHOUT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

Benelli Super Black Eagle II

 ·       Automatic 12-gauge Shotgun

 ·       12 Gauge:   2 ¾ “  --  3 ½ “ Inertia Driven, Semi-Automatic Shotgun 28”

Fully Versatile Shotgun

Hunt:  Dove, Quail, Pheasant, Ducks, Geese, Turkey or just for home protection
Chokes:  Skeet, Improved, Modified, Imp/Mod, & Full

Retail Value:  $1,500

Tickets:  Only 200 sold.  Odds per ticket 1:200                         (Drawing:  May 1, 2013 @ 1pm)

Cost per ticket:  $50 each:  Cash or Make Checks payable to Mineral Wells Rotary Club

*Must be 18 yrs old and legally able to possess a firearm.

Rotarians are asked to sell a minimum of 2 tickets.  Please try to sell 4-6 tickets in order for us to sell out our raffle tickets and make the maximum amount from our fundraiser.

February 26, 2013
Mineral Wells Index

By KEVIN GREGORY

(Editor's note: After Kevin Gregory won the Rotary Club of Mineral Wells' Four-Way Test speech contest last week, the Index invited him to submit his text for publication. The Mineral Wells High School senior plans to attend Southwestern University, in Georgetown next year and, afterwards, enroll in seminary to become ordained in the United Methodist Church.)

"We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes people arrogant, but love builds people up." (1 Corinthians 8:1 CEB)

Back in September I was at a meeting for the Central Texas Conference of the United Methodist Council on Youth Ministry, or CCYM for short – we Methodists tend to have a lot of acronyms.

Anyway, during the meeting we were discussing how to live like Jesus, an admirable goal I think. It was our devotional before we got down to business. How do you show love to everyone? How do you be like Jesus?

One of my friends, Dan Coleman, was sitting next to me and, I don't know if he did it to be funny or if he was being serious, but, he just blurted out, “You just do.”

By Daniela Garcia
Rotary News -- 14 January 2013

RI President-elect Ron Burton will ask Rotarians to Engage Rotary, Change Lives in 2013-14.

He unveiled the RI theme during the opening plenary session of the 2013 International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA, the annual training event for incoming district governors.

 “If we really want to take Rotary service forward, then we must make sure that every single Rotarian has the same feeling about Rotary that each one of us here has today,” Burton said. “We need to make sure that every Rotarian has a meaningful role to play, that they’re all making a contribution, and that their contribution is valued.”

Tuesday, October 09, 2012

China – one year polio-free

Model response stopped 2011 outbreak in record time

Vaccinating children at a road intersection

WHO/WPRO

The primary school outside Maputo, Mozambique, lacked money to update its crumbling sanitation system, built decades earlier, when the school served 700 students. It now serves 2,500 students and staff.

The plumbing was so deteriorated that school officials were forced to close the bathrooms and set up makeshift stalls in a neighboring open area -- one side for girls, the other for boys.

Not only were the bathrooms in disrepair, but the school lacked running water. There were two taps on the playground that ran for only two hours a day.


The Rotary Club of Maputo, Mozambique, partnered with the Rotary Club of Skanderborg, Denmark, on a global grant project to build bathrooms, a water hole, and a tank for a school in Maputo.

• Share a common interest in worthwhile recreational activities (sports, hobbies, etc.)
• Further their vocational development through acquaintance with others of the same profession
• Make new friends around the world
• Explore new opportunities for service
• Have fun and enhance their Rotary experience

Learn more about Rotary Fellowships.

From the District 5790 District Newsletter  "Tales & Trails of 5790"

Dear Rotarians,

A new year for Rotary has started with new club presidents, new district governors, and a new Rotary International President. Our 2012-2013 Rotary theme is” Peace Through Service” and we are asking each Rotarian to focus on service in the community and in the world. We as Rotarians make a difference in the world by our service. A belief in the power of service lies at the very heart of Rotary. By making service our priority, we put the needs of others above our own. When we understand that other needs are the same as our own, we begin to understand how important our work is.

I am excited and look forward to moving into a new Rotary year. Everything we appreciate in Rotary remains constant but the people and roles change. This year we have three goals for our district which will parallel with Rotary International.

First goal is to complete the eradication of polio. Remember “ we are this close “ to eradicating polio and only three endemic countries are left and we need to keep our promise to the children of the world by giving to the” End Polio Now” program.

Our second goal is membership and we need to grow Rotarians in our clubs by bringing in new members. When I make the District Governor’s visit to your club, I look forward to inducting a new member. Also we want to add new clubs in our district; so be on the lookout for new club opportunities. Remember the first thing you must do is ask someone to come with you to your club.

The third goal is making our Foundation grow Every Rotarian Every Year (everyone giving and the club having an average of hundred dollar per member annual).  Many clubs are Sustaining Member Clubs with each club member giving a minimum of a hundred dollar contribution annually. The Rotary Foundation and the world depend on our support.

Together as Rotarians we can accomplish these goals.

In Rotary,

Hollis

District Governor 2012-2013

2011-12 was a banner year for the Mineral Wells Rotary Club. Our support of the Rotary Foundation has been outstanding!
The club contributed:
                   Annual Program Fund $6,955
                   Polio Plus                    $2,850
                   For a total of                $9,805

Dan Steele tells me its one of the club’s best years ever!

Thanks for all you do to help Rotary build a better world.

Fred S Danforth
Foundation Chair

One day in the fall of 1900, Paul P. Harris met attorney Bob Frank for dinner in a well-off neighborhood on the North Side of Chicago. They took a walk around the area and stopped at shops along the way. Harris was impressed by how Frank had made friends with many of the shopkeepers.

Our Interact Club is havng a fundraiser to collect gently used clothing items from babies to seniors.   These items will be donated to a new shop in town (Noah's Ark).  We will begin collecting these items at our meeting this Wednesday.  Let's support our Interact students by bringing donations!!! 

CLOTHING DRIVE 
BENEFITING THE LOCAL

Noah’s Ark THRIFT STORE

This photo is found if A.F. Weaver's book "TIME WAS in Mineral Wells", first edition, p. 101. The caption reads, "Inside the Dameron Hotel at a joint meeting of Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs. Dr. McCracken is third from the right." Dr. Joseph Hill McCracken was President of the Texas Medical Association in 1911. The Dameron Hotel, in the 100 block between W. Hubbard and S.W. 1^st St., burned in 1975.

The 2012 RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) students have been selected to attend RYLA at Texas Woman’s University, Denton, Texas, June 21-24. 

Selected were Rachel Montgomery, Leia Montgomery, Maycie McCauley, Maceo Williams and Gerardo Moya.  Three of these will be seniors next fall and two will be juniors.  The students that we have sent the last few years have helped us start the Interact Club at Mineral Wells High School.

The RYLA Program is led in a professional, collegiate atmosphere where participants will:     

Information from Rotary International Website

About Youth Exchange

As a Rotary Youth Exchange student, you’ll spend up to a year living with host families and attending school in a different country.

Whether you participate in Rotary’s long-term or short-term Youth Exchange programs, you’ll learn a new way of living, a great deal about yourself, and maybe even a new language. You’ll also be an ambassador, teaching people you meet about your country, culture, and ideas. You can help bring the world closer – and make some good friends in the process.

For over 75 years, students and host families have broadened their horizons through Rotary Youth Exchange. More than 80 countries and over 8,000 students each year participate in the program, which is administered at the regional level by Rotary districts and at the local level by Rotary clubs.

By Paul Engleman, The Rotarian -- August 2009

It is a story so familiar to most Rotarians that it has evolved beyond lore and become assimilated into the genetic code of the organization. In 1932, Herbert J. Taylor, the newly appointed president of a nearly bankrupt Chicago cookware company, believing his employees were in need of an "ethical yardstick," wrote four questions on a small, white piece of paper:

Is it the TRUTH?

Is it FAIR to all concerned?

Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

By Ryan Hyland
Rotary International News – 30 March 2012

Rotary International and ShelterBox, a grassroots disaster relief organization, signed a project partner agreement this month, allowing the two organizations to collaborate more closely to provide relief and temporary shelter to survivors of natural disasters.

“Project partner” is a special status RI gives to groups started or managed by Rotary clubs. The agreement will build on the strengths of both organizations in responding to disasters all over the world.

“Our Rotary friends have always been there ready to assist – from generous donations to direct operational support on the ground Rotary has always been part of our DNA,” said Tom Henderson, ShelterBox CEO. “I feel like we have 34,000 ShelterBox offices around the world working together to help those who have lost everything when they need us the most.”

Tom Henderson, CEO of ShelterBox, and John Hewko, RI general secretary, during the signing of a project partner agreement this month. Photo by Alyce Henson/Rotary Images Bottom: ShelterBox teams distributed more than 550 tents to Madagascar for families left homeless by a powerful cyclone. Photo by Angela Spencer-Smith/ShelterBox

WELCOME new members, Nancy Cameron, sponsored by Mary Braddock and Lynn Porter, sponsored by Diane Brown. As you can see in the ANNOUNCEMENTS there are four proposed new members. It is so refreshing to see this recent expansion in our club. We mistakenly have accepted the belief that no one “joins” these days. There is a great desire for members of our community to be of service and are looking for worthwhile avenues of service. There is no better organization than ROTARY to unite a community's efforts behind worthwhile projects. Not only do many hands make light work, but many hands increase the number of people we can help.  And that is not all; there is a real joy in being the source of benefit to those who otherwise would not have received it. There indeed, are many needy people in our community and it is not always their fault.                                               

Let us all dedicate some effort and recruit candidates for membership into the Mineral Wells Rotary club this year.

Rotary clubs serve communities around the world, each with unique concerns and needs. Rotarians have continually adapted and improved the way they respond to those needs, taking on a broad range of service projects. The most successful and sustainable Rotary service tends to fall within one of the following six areas:

• Peace and conflict prevention/resolution
• Disease prevention and treatment
• Water and sanitation
• Maternal and child health
• Basic education and literacy
• Economic and community development

Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation recognize these six areas of focus as organizational priorities, and there

Doing Good in the World 

To enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.

Rotary International, the world’s first service organization, is made up of over 33,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Its members form a global network of business, professional and community leaders who volunteer their time and talents to serve their communities and the world.

Rotary's motto, Service Above Self, exemplifies the humanitarian spirit of the organization's more than 1.2 million members. Strong fellowship among Rotarians and meaningful community and international service projects characterize Rotary worldwide.

Rotary enjoys a rich and sometimes complex tradition and organizational structure, with many programs that can be confusing to new and even not-so-new members. This website offers a basic Rotary education — the fundamental knowledge that will make every member better informed about Rotary and proud to be a Rotarian.

In more than 34,000 clubs worldwide, you'll find members volunteering in communities at home and abroad to support education and job training, provide clean water, combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, and eradicate polio.

This is RotaryEN from Vimeo.

T here's something that all Rotary club members have in common: We take action. As community volunteers, we reach out to neighbors in need. We build, support, and organize. We save lives. We work locally and globally.

Around the world and around the corner, the 1.2 million men and women of Rotary

• Get involved in their communities
• Connect with other professionals
• Share their time and experience with young people
• Support global causes, such as eradicating polio
• Use their skills to help others

Whether you're a veteran volunteer or new to community service, we're looking for people like you. Learn how you can get involved, or contact your local Rotary club to express your interest. 

You may also contact any officer or director of the
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells by clicking on their name
  in the upper left side of this page to send an email. 

The Mineral Wells Rotary Board met noon Tuesday, January 11, at The Blackhorse. Reports were given by the secretary and the treasurer.  Several upcoming events were also discussed.

Harris Brooks will lead a new member orientation at noon on February 17 in the PPGH Board Room.  He will be contacting our new members inducted in the last year to participate.

The Vocational Committee led by Beth Watson are hosting the 4 Way Speech Contest at the Mineral Wells Council Chamber on  February 17, at 7:00 pm.  The date was scheduled with help from the high school to avoid conflicts with the stock show, UIL events, etc.  Beth plans for the committe members as well as any other interested Rotarians to talk to classes at the high school to soliciet participation from the students.

The Flag Committee is working to increase the size of the flag storage facility with the possibility of a new building as well as a possible new central storage location.

The board also decided to purchase a new projector for use in club meetings.  With the new locking filing cabinet contributed to the club in place at Holiday Hills Country Club, we will have a secure place to store the projector and other club items and have it available on a weekly basis.

The Public Relations Committee (Harris Brooks) will work on an announcement for the Mineral Wells Index featuring our flag program.

Out next Board meeting was set for Monday, February 7, at The Blackhorse.  All Rotarians are welcome to attend the meeting.

Mineral Wells Index - November 14, 2010

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells was selected as Partner in Education for November at the Mineral Wells ISD Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday.  Rotary Club has given over $5000 in scholarships in the past year to deserving graduating students of the district.  They also help with many service projects in the community.  Rotary Club president Brad Wilkerson, right accepts the certificate from MWISD superintendent Dr. Ronny Collins.

Old. Male. Inflexible. Elitist. Exclusive. Secretive.

These are a few of the responses that non-Rotarians consistently gave in recent Rotary International focus groups when asked what they think of when they hear the words Rotary International or Rotary club. The participants were professional women ages 30 and above and men ages 30-45, prescreened by independent market research firms to include individuals who would satisfy the requirements for Rotary club membership.

Through SHARE, Rotary districts choose which Rotary Foundation programs they wish to support and participate in.

Foundation program awards are distributed worldwide through the SHARE system. Contributions to The Rotary Foundation are transformed into Ambassadorial Scholarships, Group Study Exchanges, Matching Grants, and more.

At the end of every Rotary year, 50 percent of each district's donations to the Annual Programs Fund are credited to their District Designated Fund (DDF); the other 50 percent is credited to the World Fund.

The following notice was prepared by the Ditto Public Library staff to make everyone aware of the Summer Reading program and the contribution from our Rotary club.  A big thanks goes to Willie Casper who always represents our club with the library. 

"Thanks to the generous donation of the Rotary Club, the Boyce Ditto Public Library was able to award two lucky readers with bicycles from Wal-Mart again this year.  The Summer Ending Celebration was held at Lamar elementary on the morning of Friday, July 30, 2010 at 10am.  The Catch The Reading Express Summer Reading Club members that attended were given tickets and were entered into a drawing for the Rotary Club bicycles:  this was the big event we saved until the end of the party!"

About Youth Exchange

Whether you participate in Rotary's long-term or short-term Youth Exchange programs, you'll learn a new way of living, a great deal about yourself, and maybe even a new language. You'll also be an ambassador, teaching people you meet about your country, culture, and ideas. You can help bring the world closer – and make some good friends in the process.

For over 75 years, students and host families have broadened their horizons through Rotary Youth Exchange. More than 80 countries and over 8,000 students each year participate in the program, which is administered at the regional level by Rotary districts and at the local level by Rotary clubs.

A service project well carried out is considered one of the finest public relations messages of Rotary. It is essential that Rotary clubs make every effort to inform the public of such projects.

Historically, Rotarians perpetuated a myth that Rotary should not seek publicity but rather let our good works speak for themselves.

Contributions to the Annual Programs Fund (APF) keep Rotary Foundation programs humming in high gear to help people with desperate needs.

RI constitutional documents

The RI Constitution, RI Bylaws, and Standard Rotary Club Constitution provide the foundation for RI's policies and procedures and can be changed only by the Council on Legislation. The constitutional documents can be found in the Manual of Procedure .

Every club and district is entitled to propose amendments to constitutional documents by submitting legislation to the Council on Legislation. Some of Rotary's most important work results from Council actions. Find out how to propose legislation .

District DSG grants were awarded by the DSG committee on Tuesday night August 2, 2010.  Connie Ball, Chair of the Community Committee, submitted an application for a $1200 grant to be matched by our club to help Palo Pinto County Meals on Wheels begin a program to provide additional second meals per day to rural residents in need of this help.  The grant was announced at the Membership/Foundation Seminar held at Mineral Wells High School on Saturday, August 14, 2010.

Check the Official Directory or use the Club Locator to get meeting and contact information. Be sure to call or e-mail before you show up for a meeting.

Rotary International News -- 7 July 2010 

Rotary's official mottoes, Service Above Self and One Profits Most Who Serves Best, trace back to the early days of the organization.

(Arthur Frederick Sheldon, the Rotarian whose convention speech inspired Rotary's secondary motto, One Profits Most Who Serves Best.)

District Simplified Grants help Rotary districts provide short-term service or humanitarian aid that benefits a community. Districts can request a portion of their District Designated Fund for a grant to support one or more proj ects locally or internationally District Simplified Grants are managed at the district level but must adhere to the standard eligibility guidelines for humanitarian grants.

In 1978, The Rotary Foundation launched its most comprehensive humanitarian service activity with the Health, Hunger and Humanity Grants program. The "3-H" Grants program is designed to undertake large-scale service projects beyond the capacity of individual Rotary clubs or groups of clubs.

Some magnificent projects grow from very small seeds. The Rotary Foundation had that sort of modest beginning.

In 1917, RI President Arch Klumph told the delegates to the Atlanta convention that "it seems eminently proper that we should accept endowments for the purpose of doing good in the world." The response was polite and favorable, but the fund was slow to materialize. A year later, the Rotary Endowment Fund, as it was originally labeled, received its first contribution of $26.50 from the Rotary Club of Kansas City, Missouri, which was the balance of the Kansas City convention account following the 1918 annual meeting. Additional small amounts were contributed each year, but after six years the endowment had reached only $700. A decade later, The Rotary Foundation was formally established at the 1938 Minneapolis convention. In the next four years, the Foundation fund grew to $50K. In 1954 $500K was contributed; in 1965 $1M was received and in 2004-2005 almost $118M was contributed.

One of the interesting bylaws of Rotary International provides that "no Rotarian shall campaign, canvass, or electioneer for elective position in Rotary International." This provision includes the offices of District governor, RI director, RI president, and various elected committees. The Rotary policy prohibits the circulation of brochures, literature, or letters by a candidate or anyone on behalf of such a candidate. Only the RI Board via the Election Review Committee has the authority to identify specific activities as campaigning.      

Naming opportunities

A named gift is an outright contribution to Annual Programs Fund that provides immediate funding for a program. One hundred percent of the gift is spent on a designated program in that given year.

Attendance

Attending weekly club meetings allows members to enjoy fellowship, enrich their professional and personal knowledge, and meet other business leaders in their community.

If members miss a meeting of their own club, they're encouraged to expand their Rotary horizons by attending a meeting of any other Rotary club in the world.

Harris Brooks , Mineral Wells – Hospital Administrator. Hunter. Polio Eradicator.  He was nominated by Diane Brown, who said Harris gives 110 percent effort to anything he does. She said he brings fresh fundraising ideas that are paying off.

Each year, a distinguished Rotarian is selected as the worldwide president of Rotary International. The process begins one year in advance when a 17-person nominating committee is elected from separate zones of the world. To qualify for the nominating committee, a Rotarian must have served on the RI Board of Directors. If no past director from the zone is able to serve, a past trustee of The Rotary Foundation or a past district governor who has served on a RI committee may be appointed to the nominating committee.                                    

 The district governor performs a very significant function in the world of Rotary. He or she is the single officer of Rotary International in the geographic area called a district. The district governors, who have been extensively trained at the International Assembly and regionally at the governors-elect training seminar, provide guidance and leadership to the more than 32,000 Rotary clubs of the world. They are responsible for maintaining the high performance of the clubs of their district.

 You can find them working in remote clinics, refugee camps, makeshift hospitals, primitive villages, and their own communities. They are experts in administration, community development, education, food production, health care, and water and sanitation. They're Rotary Volunteers.

Each year, thousands of young people are selected to attend Rotary-sponsored leadership camps or seminars held in districts throughout the world.  In an informal atmosphere, groups of outstanding young people ages 14-30 spend several days in a challenging program of leadership training, discussions, inspirational addresses, and social activities designed to enhance personal development, leadership skills, and good citizenship.

By Susan Hanf and Donna Polydoros 
Rotary International News -- 1 October 2009

Photo: Past Rotary Foundation Trustee Carolyn Jones

The 1989 Council on Legislation vote to admit women into Rotary clubs worldwide remains a watershed moment in the history of Rotary.

Mineral Wells Index, Monday, October 19, 2009
News release prepared by Rotarian Harris Brooks and sent to Mineral Wells Index for publishing.

Oct. 24 marks World Polio Day

Rotary International has helped champion the eradication of polio for over 20 years. RI has partnered with the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF and the Gates Foundation to have a "Polio-Free World."

An official flag was formally adopted by Rotary International at the 1929 RI Convention in Dallas, Texas.