District Governor’s Newsletter

Introduction:

What does Vocational Service Month mean to you? To me it means career days, classification talks and vocational service awards. It is the recognition that all jobs and careers have value. It is one of the Avenues of Service, a major root of the Rotary tree. When we join a Rotary Club we join representing our profession, our classification. http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_html/voc_service_files/frame.htm .

But most importantly to me, Vocational Service Month means the Four-Way Test. For Rotary, The Four-Way Test is the cornerstone of all action. It has been for years, and it will be in the future.

Of the things we think, say or do

Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Time for a Review:

Well, as I write this newsletter, I have visited 63 of 65 clubs, I have circulated my goals for the district and listened to your goals and plans for the year. The Conference is over, we have held our first District Council, WCS, Interact, Foundation, and Strategic Planning Meetings. The GSE Team from France has visited our district and we have selected a strong team to represent our district next Spring. Youth Exchange training has been conducted and the students have arrived. The District’s Interact and Rotaract Clubs have started their years and attend the District Conference. After four months it is time to review where we are compared to where we want to be. The year is not over, it has only just begun. As your Governor, it is now time to look at the district goals and to help you accomplish your goals so that at the end of June we can say “Yes, we had a successful year!”.

We will be chartering a new club in Orleans on November 22nd. http://www.rotary7040.com/event.php?id=246. I hope you are planning to attend. Rotary International has provided me with the result of the Semi-Annual Reports which 50 of 65 clubs returned to RI (required in July each year with your RI dues). These reports indicate a district membership of 2158 as of July 1. District records indicate 2144 (with all but one club reported). I wonder what the real number is? Septembers attendance/membership reports indicate that a district membership of 2164, GROWTH GOOD and Orleans still is not counted. But, Eleven (11) clubs still have missing reports. Each club at my visit seemed to understand why membership growth is important, lets also commit to filing timely attendance and membership reports.

Next month is The Rotary Foundation Month and the end of the calendar year is approaching. Lets ask members to consider making the Foundation one of this years charities and send in a contribution before the end of the year. Clive Talbot and I are available if you want a Foundation Program. Also do not forget Foundation Alumni (GSE Team members and Scholars)and WCS Committee members, these are the recipents of Foundation contributions.

Our Interact and Rotaract Clubs have started there years, are your mentoring the club you sponsored. Lets make sure that the Interact and Rotaract clubs have good sponsors and advisors and are invited to our club meetings and events. Lets volunteer to help with their events. And lets grow the Youth Exchange Program for next year and double the number of students inbound and out, short and long terms. If you missed the conference you missed a great Youth Exchange experience. And we were glad to have the Rotaractors and Interactors join us for lunch Saturday and participate in some of the Plenary meetings. MIXING OF THE GENERATIONS.

I hope by know your fundraisers and community and international projects are taking shape. Club committees busy? Are you reviewing how well your club is operating, look at the Club Leadership Plan again. Will it help? I plan on looking at the Club Leadership Plan and the District’s organization. Review is healthy. A wise Governor said in his Official Visit presentation, “You don’t have to be sick to get better!”.

Oh, yes leadership succession. A reminder to all New York Clubs, nominations for Distict Governor 2011-2012, are due by the end of January 1. You should have received the following notice:

“This is a call for nominations for District Governor for the Rotary Year 2011-2012. This is New Yorks turn in the rotation. All nominations must be submitted to me by January 1, 2009. Application for attached. The new district policy approved at the District Conference requires two qualified candidates.

“In the event that an area fails to propose two qualified candidates by the January 1 deadline, the District Governor shall forthwith issue an invitation to all other clubs in the district to propose a qualified candidate for Governor Nominee by April 1. If one candidate had been submitted by the required geographical area in the first round, this candidate will be considered along with any additional candidates from the district. The following year, the traditional sequence of the geographical areas shall be restored.”

According to the Rotary Manual of Procedure, the qualifications for a Governor-Nominee are:

Be a member of good standing of a functioning Rotary Club in the District.
Have full qualifications for membership in the strict application of the clubs membership provisions, and the integrity of the Rotarian’s classification must be without question.
Have served as a president of a club for a full term or be a charter president of a club having served the full term from the date of the charter to June 30, provided that this periond is for at least six months.
Demonstreate willingness, committment, and ability, physically and otherwise, to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the office of governor as provided in RI Bylaws.
Demonstrate knowledge of the qualification, duties and responsibilites of governor as prescribed in the RI Bylaws, and submit to RI, through its general secretary, a sighed statement acknowledging a clear understanding of them. This statement shall be also confirm that the Rotarian is qualified for the office of governor and willing and able to assume the duties of the office and to perform them faithfully.”

Note also that a Governor must have been a member of Rotary for 7 years at the time of becoming Governor.

Also remember, This is the time to plan your succession. RI recommends that annual club elections be held not later than December 31, following the procedures of your club by-laws. December 31st is also the deadline to report next years President and Secretary to RI for the annual Directory and to the District Treasurer and Governor-elect. Don’t wait until the last minute. Update your club’s Profile on the website to include your President-Elect and Secretary ASAP.

Club Presidents review the RI recommended checklist and see how you are doing http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/pres_checklist.pdf .

District Awards

At the District Conference numerous awards were presented for the year 2007-2008. These are the measure of a successful year. The awards given were:

Award	Rotary Club	2007 -08 Club President
Highest Ave. % Attendance at Club Meetings	Cornwall	George Tagiannis
Greatest % increase in Large Club Membership	Alexandria Bay	Ron Randall
Greatest % increase in Mid-Club Membership	Canton	Varick Chittenden
Greatest % increase in Small Club Membership	Montréal- Ville Marie	Antoine Djenandji
2nd Greatest % increase in Large Club Membership	Watertown Sunrise	Paul Passino
2nd Greatest % increase in Mid- Club Membership	MontrealLakeshore	Graham Martin
2nd Greatest % increase in Small Club Membership	Champlain-Rouses Point	Mark McCullough
Most New Members	Watertown	Janice Charles
Best Club Bulletin	Kingston	Barry Slater
Best Vocational Service Project	MontrealLakeshore	Graham Martin
Best Club Website	District 7040	Rob Scaife
TRF - Highest Per Capita Annual Giving ($348.72)	Montreal Westward	Micheal Laventure
TRF -Second Highest Per Capita Annual Giving ($345.47)	Nepean-Kanata	Les Rodriques
TRF -Third Highest Per Capita Annual Giving ($311.56)	Massena	Doug Huntley
TRF - Highest % Increase in Per Capita Annual Giving, Year over Year	Montreal	Herman Alves
Highest Total Club Contribution, Foundation Walk	Hull	Jean-Guy St. Arnaud
Monette-Webster Rotarian Award		William “Bill” Hodges
Highest Per Capita Club Contribution, Foundation Walk	Laval	Julie Messier
100% Rotary Sustaining Member Club	Laval	Julie Messier
Every Rotarian, Every Year	Laval	Julie Messier
Club Sponsoring the Most Outstanding Ambassadorial Scholar	MontrealLakeshore	Graham Martin

Best Attendance District Assembly	MontrealLakeshore	Graham Martin
Best Attendance District Conference	Ottawa West	2008-09 Alan Bowles
Best Club Display, District Conference	Ottawa -Rotary Home	2008-09 Richard Schantz
Best District Committee Display, District Conference	Cornwall- Foundation Walk	2008-09 Foundation Walk Committee

Presidential Citations for 2007-08:

ROTARY CLUBS: Alexandria Bay, AuSable Valley, Brockville, Carleton Place and Mississippi Mills, Cataraqui-Kingston, Chesterville, Clayton, Cornwall, Cornwall Sunrise, Gouverneur, Laval, Montréal-Lakeshore, Mont-Tremblant, Napanee, North Renfrew, Ottawa, Ottawa Stittsville, Perth, Petawawa, Plattsburgh Sunrise, Potsdam, Prescott, Shawville, Theresa, Watertown, Watertown Sunrise, and Westmount.

ROTARACT CLUBS: Carleton-Ottawa University and Queens University

INTERACT CLUBS: General Vanier School, Rothwell-Osnabruck and Makenzie High School

Congratulations to all, well done! Great Year Edmond!

2009-2010 Ambassadorial Scholars:

Our three Scholars, one Ambassadorial and two Stoiber Scholars have received their assignment and each will be going to thier first choices.

Karen Bakelaar (Ottawa RC): University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
Katie Gauthier (Canton RC): Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Brooke James (Canton RC): University or Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

The 2010-2011 Scholarship applications should be on the RI Website by December and information will be sent out and on our disrict website. Applications must be received by the District Chair Joan Heyland by March 31st and the interviews will be May 9th.

News can be good:

Congratulations and thank you to the Bell High School Interact Club presenting $3,000 to the Nepean-Kanata Rotary Club to rebuild a school in Kenya. The recognition of this event featured the Bell High School Interact Club, Nepean-Kanata Rotary Club and Youth Exchange Student Natalia Alburquerque, all working together for a great cause. Thank you to the Nepeanthisweek.com. http://www.nepeanthisweek.com/article/7021

What Rotary Can Offer:

During my visits we have often talked about what Rotary can offer new members and their employers. Immdiate Past RI President Wilf Wilkinson on October 6th offered his thoughts on this subject in Montréal. His speach titled ”A Voice for Business and a Path for Peaced” is summarized by PDG Jack Troughton for your benefit.

Past Rotary International President Wilf Wilkinson gave an inspiring speech in our District. He struck very strong themes.

He drew attention to the recent emphasis on the battle between Wall Street and main Street. Wilf reminded the audience that “Rotary has a membership that represents both Wall Street and Main Street.”n He pointed out that Rotarians are “influenced by the ‘Four Way test’ and the core values of Rotary which are: Fellowship - Service - Diversity - Integrity - Leadership.” He concluded that the battle between Wall Street and main Street would not be possible if all of business embraced high ethical standards.

Wilf went on to offer the idea that Service Clubs “can build Paths of Peace in a World I believe is yearning for Peace.”

“Let’s face it”, Wilf stressed, “the biggest difficulty that threatens peace all around the world, is the economic disparity that exists between rich and poor. Service Clubs can are effectively bridging the gap.”

He concluded his remarks by pointing out that “Service Clubs bring people of developed and under developed countries together, both locally and internationally. They work to serve others and by doing so create Paths of Peace.”