Rotary Happenings

 
 
 
 
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Ending Support of RI CAS & RI DAS Update  

The 5-yearld Iraqi boy who was brought to Pennsylvania late last year by Rotarians from District 7450 and 7430 to receive medical attention to correct a life-threatening condition, was guest of honor at the Concordville-Chadds Ford Rotary Club meeting Wednesday at Maris Grove in Glen Mills.
Mohammed Kareem Moh Alshehabi was born without an opening to eliminate solid waste, a condition which requires corrective surgery to create one through a colostomy. He had emergency surgery following his birth in Iraq but he had not received the surgery to give him normal bowel function. Lt. Col Robert Balcavage, a U.S. Army officer stationed ion Iraq for more than a year, along with his brother, Rotarian Eric Balcavage, a Glen Mills chiropractor, and their mother, Carol, a nurse, led the effort to bring Mohammed to the U.S. after Eric Balcavage received a photo of Col. Balcavage with the boy on his lap.

Mohammed & PDG Brad Stanton

This past weekend [April25 – 27 District Conference at Skytop], our D7450 Youth exchange students spent time with us at the District conference. Did you know how they feel about their experiences and what it means to them to have spent a year in Philadelphia?

When asked how the Rotary Exchange program helped Rotary International reach it's goals of world understanding and peace, Amanda Cury from Brazil (hosted by the Wells family - Avondale West Grove Rotarians), the answer was respect. "You have to understand that there are different things in your culture and your host culture. You have to respect that. You don't have to agree or disagree, but you have to respect ..

 The Pink Babe team walked and ran 5k Sunday May 11 to support breast cancer awareness in honor of President Terry Schreep's (KS Rotary) wife "Babe" Arden. Brunch was served back at Babe and Terry's house.

Babe's daughter was in from Spain to run, Babe's sister, a survivor, living in DE walked, and several Kennet Square Rotarians walked and if they didn't walk, donated money to far exceed Bronwyn Martin's (Secretary KSRotary and The Pink Babe organizer) goal of $3,000.

Past-President Al Schmitt, wife Fancia and daughters Anna-Belle, Christine, and Charlotte all walked in support of The Pink Babe team.

The Rotary emblem was proudly diplayed on the back of our The Pink Babe t-shirts.For deails contact Bronwyn L. Martin 610-453-7215
 
Team picture shows KSRotarian Elizabeth Rhoads back row 3rd in from left, next to "Babe" who is holding the team sign; Bronwyn Martin, right front row.

Just for the fun of it ...
   
Upper Darby - Lansdowne Rotary Club recently held their annual social at the Cynwyd Club. The evening had an Oldies theme with dance instruction and a Frank Sinatra impersonator. At the event, Phyllis Sockwell was honored as the club's Rotarian of the Year . A great time was had by all!
For details contact Phillip Jordan 610-394-6558 (voice) or phil.jordan@pjarch.com


ShelterBox May 11, 2009

ShelterBox HQ in Cornwall, UK as well as BBC UK are reporting that the first consignment of ShelterBoxes arrived in Myanmar several days ago along with a 4 person ShelterBox Response Team and is being
distributed to victims of Cyclone Nargis.

News media articles on the latest ShelterBox efforts as well as the scope of the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar are available in the Files section of our
Web page for District 7450 ShelterBox Activities
: Click here
~
Call Gregory (Greg) Krasovsky
District 7450 Representative
215-687-4122
urgent appeal


 Joel Chesney, our incoming District Governor, spoke at Swarthmore Club, about a recent Rotaplast trip to India and an upcoming trip to the Philippines. He found India to be "mindboggling." He was along with 33 Doctors, Dentists, and Nurses and 44 boxes of medical supplies on a trip to Nagamaglia in SE India.The main purpose of Rotaplast is to treat cleft palete/lip. But, since surgeons were available other procedures were performed.

The Rotary volunteers did the pre-op interviews and helped out in other nonsurgical aspects. The conditions were challenging with bad plumbing and little lighting. They interviewed 250 people and did 154 operations. Some had been there one week waiting for the team. Local doctors are involved and the local authorities must approve the project.

A team will be going to the Philippines in September. Joel suggests that you think about "what makes your heart feel good" and "get the thrill of your life" instead of going to the shore and getting sunburned. He can't go on the next trip because it is during his term of office, but will do another one for sure.

--- article from the Swarthmore CogNotes
For more information about Rotaplast contact Dede Carruthers 610 344 0553

Rotaplast Mission to Natal, Brazil 2008 BLOG   


Paul Woodruff and Charles Lyddane of the West Chester Rotary Club are thrilled to report that they have received the official announcement that the Trustees of The Rotary Foundation have approved a grant of $284,657 for " A Prepared Place ". The money will come in the form of a 3-H Grant which will enable the program to facilitate the adoptions of children orphaned by
the HIV AIDS epidemic.

The work is being done to strengthen family units through improved water supply, enhanced educational opportunities, training and improvements in agriculture and health care in the Ukambani region of Kenya. These improvements will also encourage young people to remain in their villages instead of migrating to the slums of Nairobi. The hard work toward developing this 3-H project, along with the South Nairobi Club, was recognized by the Trustees.

Their task now is to raise $43,000 from local contributions . The total amount of money going to the project is $327,567.


DELAWARE COUNTY “GOOD SCOUT” AWARD RECEPTION
Honoring Jack Holefelder
Given on behalf of Cradle of Liberty Council,
Boy Scouts of America
Tuesday, June 10, 2008, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Brodeur’s on State Street, Media, Pa


    Scholastic is pleased to partner with Rotary’s Wide World of Books and Reading by 9 to provide great books at low cost to Rotary Clubs across the country. Our book collections were hand- picked to inspire the love of reading across generations, while reinforcing the Rotary mission.

 Concordville Chadds Ford's Kevin O'Malley shipped the 10,000 lbs of weights to Iraq for platoon partners when no one else would for less than $35,000. Kevin did it without asking a dime. Pretty impressive. They would likely still be sitting here if he hadn't. Kevin owns an import / export business called Seko worldwide.

GSE Blog >>>

GOVERNOR NOTES – April 2008 --- by Russ deFuria
      District Conference is finally here! I’m delighted that so many of you joined us for our first ever “Multi-District Conference.” We had a great chance to share a mini-vacation with old friends from around District 7450 and make new friends from District 7430. The 50/50 was won by Edge Hill Club. See the District Conference website for more information and pictures.
      On Saturday, April 5, the Group Study Exchange team from District 2100 in Southern Italy arrived in our District. We will be enjoying the company of our guests through District Conference until early May. Many of our Rotary Clubs are taking part in hosting our guests and helping them to have the best experience possible during their visit to our District .
My sincere appreciation goes out to all of them, as well as GSE Co-Chairs Idna Corbett and Jenny Armitage. Please make an effort to get to know Team Leader Corrado, “our two Antonellas”, Elvia and Marialuisa. Dawn and I have enjoyed the time we have spent getting to know them a little bit better.
      DGE Joel Chesney and his team are working hard in preparation for District Assembly on Saturday, May 17th. This is the kickoff event for all of next year’s club leadership, so plan on being there to get things off to a fast start. Installation night for DGE Joel will be Friday, June 20, at Citizen’s Bank Park and should be a great way to “turn over the reins”.
But before all of that happens, we have one more very special event planned. That event will celebrate “20 Years of Women in Rotary” and will be held at the Pyramid Club on the 52nd floor of 1735 Market St. in Philadelphia. The date will be Saturday, May 3 with registration at 11:30 a.m. followed by the luncheon. This is easily accessed by taking the train downtown rather than driving, if you like. We hope all of you will join us for this special celebration and will come to hear our key note speaker, District Attorney Lynne Abraham, as well as enjoying the spectacular view from the club.
With all that is going on around the district, I hope you won’t forget about the Rotary Foundation and the Gundaker Foundation. These are the best tools that we have to shape and change lives around the world. Time is growing short to make your contribution for this Rotary year.
      Thanks for all that you are doing to demonstrate that “Rotary Shares”. It’s difficult to believe how quickly the time is passing this year, but remember that we still have a lot to accomplish. See you next month!
 Partner’s Point of View --- by Dawn deFuria
   This year we celebrate the fact that women have been in Rotary for 20 years! Prior to that, a member’s wife known as a “Rotary Ann” might be involved, but would take a back seat to her husband. Now, thankfully, women are active members and leaders throughout our organization. According to the Rotary census, women account for 15 percent of international membership (22 percent in North America). 
According to the Rotary website, “The addition of women in Rotary represents the single greatest force in the growth of Rotary International”. In District 7450 this year, we have women serving as president in 19 out of 54 Rotary Clubs and six women are Assistant Governors and Lieutenant Governor. 
PDG Sandy Costanzo was the first woman to serve as District 7450 Governor in 1999-2000 and in 2010-2011, District Governor Designated Joan Batory will be our second woman District Governor. Being a woman Rotarian, I am personally very excited about Joan becoming our District Governor and I know she will be well prepared to lead our District.
   Prior to women being allowed in Rotary, they have always been a part of the Rotary scene. In 1923, in Manchester England, wives of Rotarians adopted the name of “Inner Wheel” for their auxiliary club. Inner Wheel clubs throughout the world concentrated upon friendship and personal service. To be a member of the Inner Wheel was a privilege that could only be enjoyed by the wife or widow of a Rotarian. The Inner Wheel continues to thrive in some European countries today. 
   In 1928, Rotary established the “Rotary Ann” auxiliary club. One of the purposes of Rotary Ann Club was to bring fellowship to the families of the members of the Rotary Club. Most chapters met once a month, usually at the home of one of its members. These meetings were devoted to fellowship and to discuss the various projects of the Rotary Ann Club as well as offering assistance to their Rotarian spouses. Most Rotary Ann Clubs disappeared in the US in the late 1980s, as women finally became part of Rotary.
   The first woman Rotarian was Sylvia Whitlock, who joined the Rotary Club of Duarte, California. The first class of women District Governors was 1995 including eight women District Governors from the United States. Carolyn Jones from Anchorage, Alaska made history in 2005 when she became the first woman trustee of the Rotary Foundation. 
In 2008, Rotary International will have its first woman director, Catherine Noyer-Riveau from District 1660. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Paris, France and will serve for two years. 
   The official policy of Rotary International prohibits the exclusion of women from membership, although in certain parts of the world it remains extremely rare to find a woman as a club member. I’m proud to say that isn’t the case in our district! 
   We hope you can join us for lunch Saturday, May 3, at the Pyramid Club in Philadelphia to celebrate the accomplishments of “20 Years of Women in Rotary. We are very fortunate to have Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham as our keynote speaker. The cost for the event is $45 per person. Reservation form is in this month’s newsletter on page ?? Please contact me for more information at dawndef@aol.com

     Our Foundation at work!
The thread that connects us all certainly passes through Central Chester County. On the way it also passes through Pakistan and Afghanistan. Click here to read about Rotary club of Central Chester County and Rotary club of Abyaysin's cooperative project. [Rotary saves and changes lives] 
 EarlyAct club.
As part of their Earth Day activities, they will mark the storm drains in Middletown Township, where their school is located. Pictured: Denise Romanelli, Glen Riddle club president, co sponsor of EarlyAct, Meredith Merino, Assistant Manager, Middletown Townshipstudents: Rob Baidokas, Ben Bream, Chase Dugan, Austin Kruger. For more information about EarlyAct check out the 

  • May 17th - District Assembly at Delaware County Community College - see the district calendar
  • June 20th - Installation of Joel Chesney at Citizens Bank Park -see the district calendar

  District 7450 Youth Exchange Program:
Clubs and districts send and host students ages (15½ to 18 ½) who travel abroad for cultural exchanges of one week to a full year.

For more information and more pictures > Click Here


RI is discontinuing a club and district resource.
As of 1 July 2008, we will no longer provide club and district administrative software.
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To be recorded in the D7450 dBase and in the Governor's news letter, please send club attendance to:
info@Rotary7450.org