May does not have a specific RI theme.  This may be due to the many district conferences that happen in April.  It has been a busy month.  The GSE team from Australia arrived, and our own team returned. For those clubs who had the privilege of hosting the Aussies, I believe they had a grand time.  There was a lot of emphasis on vocational experiences, and I believe they all had great experiences.  They visited RI on May 4, and then went their separate ways for a week to see more of the US.  They will travel back to Australia the week of May 21.  Another successful exchange, and I believe all are more enriched in participating in this experience.

World Affairs Seminar
10600 W. Mitchell Street
West Allis, WI   53214
(414) 453-4984

“Global Communication 2.0: Technology’s Impact on Understanding”

While some high school students are off at sports or music camp this summer, over 300 students from around the world will be at the 2012 World Affairs Seminar.  Not only will they be learning to how technology impacts understanding between people of different countries, they will gain problem-solving skills and insights into how different cultures tackle issues.

The week-long Seminar at Carroll University begins June 16 and goes through June 22.  Students representing 20 countries, including Nepal, Great Britain, Angola, Nigeria, US and Canada are expected.  Speakers include a US Navy Admiral, an International Negotiator, and Communications Technology Experts. 

“Our goal is to build skills and international awareness in the world’s future leaders,” says Tom Plantenberg, Executive Director.  “This year our theme is communication technology.  In 2013 it will be “Gender Equity/Social Justice: Moral Imperative Of Our Time.”

The 2012 District Conference attendees heard from two young adults representing their own personal stories of being an Israeli and a Palestinian.  Conference attendees were captivated by the words of Kobi Skolnick and Fakhira Halloun in the Saturday afternoon plenary session.  These young adults expressed their feelings of distrust, anxiety, uncertainty, fear and complex generational lack of understanding of each other.   

The Rotary International theme for the 2012 – 2013 year is “Peace through Service”.  RIPE Sukuji Tanaka shared at International Assembly: "Peace, in all of the ways that we can understand it, is a real goal and a realistic goal for Rotary," he said. "Peace is not something that can only be achieved through agreements, by governments, or through heroic struggles. It is something that we can find and that we can achieve, every day and in many simple ways." 

By Tamie Koop Foundation Future Vision Chair and
Mike Slawny District Foundation Chair

‘Service above Self ‘ is the core philosophy of Rotary.  This philosophy is what the majority of district Rotary Clubs practice in their local communities and in International communities where many have “boots on the ground” projects.

July 1, 2013 is the global launch date of how each Rotary District will do business after this coming year of planning, education and development of future Foundation management practices. This NEW practice will be a significant change in the way we have handled many RI Foundation related activities, including district simplified Grants, matching grants, GSE/VTT, Ambassadorial Scholarships, Alumni, and Annual Giving.  Over the first two years of the three years pilot districts have been working, developing and modifying the way they have performed Rotary Foundation practices.  During the 2012 – 2013 Rotary year there will be many opportunities for our District to learn about these new practices, through website communication and face to face training.   Each Rotary Club should identify at least one person (perhaps the club Foundation Chair) to be the contact/point person to receive information that needs to be shared and practiced within your club.  This person should be identified by June 30^th and his or her name forwarded to the District Secretary, Colleen Kalscheuer

All district Rotary clubs will need to be aware of these new opportunities and be prepared to implement the new management practices that will be incorporated into the operation of District 6270.  Club representatives will be required to attend a grant-writing workshop addressing District Grants and Global Grants, which will replace the current District Simplified and Matching Grants (Do not confuse the Foundation Future Vision with the Facilitated Club Visioning – where clubs determine their short and long range plans).

Please monitor the District website on a regular basis – where information and materials will be posted regarding the Foundation Future Vision.  Frequent announcements and emails will be shared.  Workshops and scheduled trainings will be held throughout the coming Rotary year. 

Rotary District 6270 currently has a project to distribute water filters in Haiti.  With a grant from the Rotary Foundation, together with donations from Rotary clubs, a non profit foundation and individuals, we will distribute 863 water filters to poor people in the lower central plateau area of Haiti.  The Rotary Club of Mirebalais, Haiti is cooperating and overseeing the project.

     Below are FAQs on how to receive double recognition points through TRF recurring giving program Rotary Direct.

      The Rotary Foundation will be offering double Foundation recognition points for all recurring contributions through Rotary Direct to the Annual Fund between 1 April and 1 July 2012. 

12 March 2012

In 1997, under the leadership of then R.I. President Glen Kinross and with the support of TRF we had worked on a three year trial program for low cost shelters. This year, again, for a three year trail period, the shelter program has been reconstituted as a program of TRF for the nonpilot districts.

Mombassa, Kenya, March 23, 2012. A full container of 270 Squat Slabs, produced in Milwaukee by Hope Shelter LLC is scheduled to arrive in the port of Mombassa, Kenya  today. It will then be shipped overland by truck to rural western Kenya where Project KENYA team members will distribute them to families in the villages. Each family has paid US$20.

This District-wide Pilot Project is part of Rotary International’s  focus on Water and Sanitation. The newly chartered Rotary Club of Kisii will assist Project Kenya workers.

District 6270 committed to raising $15,750 in the 2011-2012 Rotary year to provide these simple yet highly effective slabs as a District Water and Sanitation Pilot project.  To date, Rotary Clubs, Rotarians, and friends have raised more than 54% of the goal.

Let’s finish the effort by District Conference weekend. The Pilot project needs your help today in whatever amount is possible. We can do it!

 ROTARY MEETING AT THE
2012 WORLD AFFAIRS SEMINAR
Noon Monday, June 18 2012
CARROLL UNIVERSITY STUDENT UNION
MEET THE STUDENTS YOU HAVE SPONSORED
SEE THE MAGIC OF THE WORLD AFFAIRS SEMINAR IN ACTION
PLEASE LET US KNOW IN ADVANCE IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO ATTEND

Call:  414-453-4984

I am proud to announce the publication of a new biography of Rotary Founder Paul Harris.