Rotary International District 6780 Newsletter
Monday, January 28, 2008
February is just around the corner and is World Understanding Month in the Rotary calendar. What is your club doing to recognize this month? Please consider the many resources available to your club this month: Rotary Youth Exchange students, leaders and members of Group Study Exchange teams, Ambassadorial Scholars, club members who have been abroad recently and can relate first-hand experiences in other countries. The more the people of the world understand each other through sharing direct experiences, the less what we believe will be informed by prejudice.

For contacts on the progams mentioned above, please refer to the district web site or check with your president or secretary for the printed copy of the district directory.

GROUP STUDY EXCHANGE TEAMS

District Foundation Committee Meeting
The chairs of the subcommittees of the district Foundation Committee met in Maryville yesterday under the leadership of Chair John Bailey (Knoxville) to view progress to date this year, discuss the Gates challenge. The committee reviewed the feedback obtained from clubs during the district Foundation seminars last fall to make sure that their spending priorities are reflected in the budget for the District Designated Fund for next year.
 
 Ambassadorial Scholar Web Cast on February 12, 8 pm EST
Our district is providing an informational web cast on this important program to inform potential scholars, contacts at district colleges and universities, Rotarians and any other interested parties. The web cast is free. To register, simply send an e-mail message to MikeBurton@BradleySunriseRotary.com.
 
 Gates Challenge Gets a Boost
Harshad Mehta, a native of India who is a senior partner in the Belgium-based Rosy Blue diamond and jewelry company, has pledged to donate $2M to Rotary's polio eradication efforts over the next three years. For more information please click on his name above.

AWARDS DEADLINES APPROACH!

What's the Status in Your Club? 
Our district and Rotary International offer a wide variety of recognition to Rotarians and clubs for excellence in achievement as a means of sharing accomplishments and ideas. Now is a good time to check the status of your club in accomplishing club and district goals.
 
If you are not familiar with the various types of recognition, please see our Awards and Recognition page. There are links from that page to information about submission forms and deadlines

YOUTHACT CLUB AT SILVERDALE ACADEMY

Sponsored by Hamilton Place

The Hamilton Place club recently announced the establishment of the Silverdale Academy Youthact Club bringing the number of these clubs in the district to nine. Club member Becky Hansard works at Silverdale Academy and was instrumental in getting the chapter started.
 
Youthact is similar to Interact, but for ages 11 to 14 (middle school). Begun 15 years ago in California, Youthact is now in over a dozen states, five countries and boasts more than 100 clubs. Youthact came to 6780 and the southeast in 2002 when former Cleveland Middle School Principal Ashley Smith (Cleveland) took the lead in laying the groundwork for the club.

Please see the district web site for more information about Youthact. If you are interested in starting a Youthact club, please contact Chair Cameron Fisher (Cleveland) at cameronfis@aol.com or (423) 478-7258).

ON TO LOS ANGELES CONVENTION

Make your plans now!! 

Please look at your February Rotarian magazine and the convention information at www.rotary.org.
 
If you are planning to attend the biggest Rotary event this year, please contact On to Los Angeles Chair Henry Pate (Hamilton Place) at hpate@usxpress.com or call him on work days after 3 pm EST at 800-251-6291-3124 or after 5 pm at 423-892-3630  x 3124. He can provide you more information about the convention and connect you with other Rotarians from 6780 who are attending.

Important Upcoming Dates

February 1-2: District Mid-Year Leadership Retreat (Vonore)
February 12: Ambassadorial Scholar Web Cast (where you are)
March 1: Leadership Skills Training (Maryville)
March 7-9: Interact Conference (Pigeon Forge)
March 24: GSE Team from South Korea arrives (Nashville)
March 27: Assistant Governors' Institute (Nashville)
March 28-29: Mid-South PETS (Nashville)
March 31: Next registration deadline for Los Angeles Convention
March 31: STAR club conference recognition deadline
April 5: Deadline for certification of Presidential Citation
April 5: Deadline for certification of Governor's Club of Distinction Citation
April 18-20: Multi-District Conference (Nashville)
April 21: GSE Teams to and from South Korea depart (Nashville)
May 1: Deadline for nominations for District Leadership Academy
May 17: District Assembly (Cookeville)
June 14-19: International Convention (Los Angeles)

Where's Governor Robin This Week?

Monday - Mt. Juliet Noon
Wednesday - Oak Ridge Breakfast Club
Friday - District Mid-Year Leadership Retreat (Vonore)
Saturday - District Mid-Year Leadership Retreat (Vonore)
Saturday - Knoxville Club Mardi Gras Gala and Raffle (Knoxville)

Rotary Shares

How does your club share Rotary with the important people in members' lives? In particular if you send me a note about your club's scheduled event during Valentine's Day week, I'll put it in that week's Monday Memo. 

DG Robin Textor
Rotary International District 6780
www.rotary6780.org