ROTARY FOUNDATION DINNER BIG SUCCESS!!

130 Toast Significant Giving In 2006-2007

Members of the Paul Harris Society and the Bequest Society, Major Donors and representatives of STAR clubs gathered for a wonderful dinner on Friday, November 16 at the Cherokee Country Club in Knoxville. Participants celebrated all the 2006-2007 STAR clubs and reaching $142 in per capita donations (more than $500,000 total) to the Annual Programs Fund. We heard President Emeritus of The University of Tennessee Joe Johnson tell Auburn and Andy Holt stories and share thoughts about why we donate money to support the Rotary Foundation. PRIVP John Germ (Chattanooga) presented Major Donor recognition to PDG Jack and Sandy Richard (Tellico Lake), Don and Joanne Howells (Fairfield Glade), Dr. Charles Mitchell (Sparta), and Frank and Judy Rothermel (Knoxville). I presented President Don Randolph (Sparta) with a banner recognizing his club as a 100% Paul Harris Fellow Club. Hostess AG Beth Stubbs (Maryville), Annual Giving Chair Townes Osborn (Knoxville) and Foundation Chair John Bailey (Knoxville) made plans and arrangements that resulted in a terrific celebration!

GSE Team to South Korea (3680) Selected

Preparations for April Adventure Under Way
Ron Lawrence (Farragut) will lead our Group Study Exchange Team to D3680 (South Korea) next April. Non-Rotarian team members were selected November 11. Sadie Fowler (Shelbyville) is a reporter for the Shelbyville Times-Gazette; Melissa Godfrey (Shelbyville Breakfast) is office manager for the Community Development Center in Shelbyville; Mary Little (McMinnville Breakfast) is an attorney in private practice in McMinnville, and Tracy Strange (Rogersville) works with employees of the Tennessee Department of Children's Services. Ron and his team members are pictured below in the order their names appear above.

Will Piper (Pigeon Forge) is Assistant Aquatic Director in the Sevierville Parks Department and was selected as an alternate team member.

The efforts of all clubs to locate candidates for the GSE team are appreciated, particularly the successful efforts of the sponsoring clubs of our team leader and members. If your club has a candidate for alternate team member, please send the completed application form to David Townsend at dtownsend2006@comcast.net.

The international travel cost of this program is paid from the World Fund half of our donations to the Rotary Foundation's Annual Program Fund. Language study is paid from the District Designed Fund half. Certain other costs associated with sending and receiving teams are paid from our district dues.

SOUTH KNOXVILLE ADULT LITERACY PROJECT

Dictionaries for GED Programs
The South Knoxville Rotary Club recently presented 600 dictionaries for adults who are working on their GEDs through the Adult Education program sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Labor at Pellissippi State, the Ross Learning Center or Knox County Adult Education. These programs are also sponsored by the Friends of Literacy, the club's partner in this project. In the photo at left, South Knoxville Rotarians Dave Traver (green sweater) and Jerry Norton (at Jerry's left) present dictionaries to faculty and students at Pellissippi State. Nine Rotarians participated in the presentations at the three sites.

If your club is involved in an adult literacy project, please send information about the project to Todd Wolf at rtwolf123@aol.com. Todd chairs the district Literacy and Education Committee and would like to know about other club adult literacy projects.

Bailey Giving Programs on The Rotary Foundation

Camera Reveals Striking Appearance
Last Thursday, PDG John Bailey gave one of his many excellent club programs on Our Rotary Foundation at the Hamilton Place Club. When President Henry Pate took a photo of Foundation Chair John, it turned out as shown at right. Although no other club has reported any similar sighting, John has been busy helping Rotarians in the district understand the vital role the Foundation plays in our ability to change the world for the better.

If your club has not yet had a program on Our Foundation, please contact John. He will arrange for one of our outstanding volunteer Rotarians to make the presentation or come himself. No matter how they appear, the program will be scintillating! DGE Carol LaRue (Maryville), PRIVP John Germ (Chattanooga)and PDG Harry Fields (Hamilton Place) have also given Foundation programs

SEE THE STARS IN LA!!

First Deadline: December 15!!
Make plans now to join Rotarians from D6780 and around the world in Los Angeles. After December 15, the registration fee will increase by $40 per person. For more information, check out the Rotary web site page.

Henry Pate (Hamilton Place) is making plans for us all to have a great time!

RYE Students at UT Homecoming

Annual Event for Knoxville Breakfast Club

Seven of the ten Rotary Youth Exchange students who are studying in high schools and being hosted by Rotary clubs in our district are shown at right while shopping at UTK, prior to attending Homecoming as guests of the Knoxville Breakfast Club.

Shown from the left are Tabias Waitkeuitch (Germany), Mario Bravo Larrea (Peru), Julie Kuehl (Belgium), Giulia Sigismandi (Italy), Bianca Maria Forencia (Argentina), Gheng Hsia (Taiwan) and Shia Ting Huana (Taiwan). If you would like to have one of these outstanding young people come to your club to provide a program or to know more about the terrific opportunities to sponsor or host students, please contact RYE Chair Linda Bellich at bkcoin@aol.com.

RYE Students at UT Homecoming

Hines Czechs Out Prague

While PDG Robin and Gail Hines (Tullahoma) visited their daughter and her family in Vienna during October, Robin took advantage of the opportunity to attend the Rotary Club of Old Town Prague. In the picture at left, he exchanges club banners with George Podzinek, President, who is on Robin's right.

Robin recommends taking a club banner with you when traveling to share fellowship and bring back a lasting memento of visiting another Rotary club.

WHAT IF DISASTER STRIKES?

2nd Rotary Disaster Workshop

What are your plans should disaster strike in your neighborhood? What are your club's plans should disaster strike in your community? How can we Rotarians respond in a coordinated fashion to a disaster in our district, in our nation, in the world?

These questions will be dealt with at the Rotary North American Disaster Initiative at the Marriott Cool Springs on December 14-15. For more information, please follow the link above to see registration and program details. The early registration discount ($30) ends Monday, November 26. Bobby Davis (Kingston) chairs our district Disaster Services Committee. Please contact him at bj453@hughes.net if you would like more information of if someone in your club has expertise to bring to the committee.

Important Upcoming Dates

November 25 -- On Line Discussion with Trustee Carolyn Jones
November 26 -- Early registration discount ends for Disaster Initiative
December 14 & 15 -- Ambassadorial Scholar Orientation (Nashville)
December 14 & 15 --North American Rotary Disaster Initiative (Nashville)
December 16 -- Registration fee for LA Convention increases by $40.
December 21 -- Suggestions for DG 2010-2011 due to PRIVP John Germ
December 31 -- Club Officer 2008 - 2009 Report Due to RI

Where's Governor Robin This Week?

Tuesday - Official Visit to Loudon Club
Thursday- Thanksgiving
Saturday - Christmas Parade Float Construction (Oak Ridge Breakfast)

Rotary Shares -- Looking for a good program idea?

Tennessee has a World Affairs Council located in Cookeville. TWAC President Patrick Ryan (Cookeville Breakfast) is available to speak to your club about the work of the Council and opportunities for partnerships with Rotary clubs. Learn more about the council at the above link.

DG Robin Textor
Rotary International District 6780