Susanne's Desert Flyaway

Online credit card conference registration is now open
for the District 5280 Annual Conference, May 13-16, 2010.
Click HERE to open the online registration form . Or, click
HERE for general information about the conference. Finally,
for hotel reservations click on this link to reach the 
La Quinta Resort & Club located near Palm Springs. 
See also the link to Susanne's Desert Flyaway
in the Site Pages column to your left. 

Esteemed colleagues of the international community. Do you know someone who is interested in expanding their knowledge of peace building, conflict resolution, and mediation?
 
If you do, recommend him or her for a Rotary Peace Fellowship!  Rotary, one of the world's largest humanitarian service organizations has partnered with seven leading universities around the globe to host the Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution.

February 23^rd marked Rotary's 105^th anniversary and was recognized with commemorative events around the world. Not wanting to be left behind, several District 5280 Rotarians teamed up to ensure Los Angeles joined the worldwide recognition. The Goodyear Airship, a familiar sight over the LA Basin, was enlisted to aid in the commemorative activity which saw iconic landmarks around the world illuminated with the End Polio Now message. Click here to see a slide show of the End Polio Now message in the skies above the Los Angeles Basin. (Photos by Rick Mendoza)

"When Shirley Giltzow was unable to obtain permission to illuminate the Walt Disney Hall with the End Polio Now logo in commemoration

Airship 5280 has been assigned Flight #114 with destination to Ecuador by Governor and Chief Pilot Susanne Sundberg. Co-Pilots "Here" and "There" have successfully passed their examinations and have obtained their beginner permits. Chief Purser Pearl Leeka reports the passenger manifest is in order. It reveals about 110 members have registered for this exotic journey to spread hope and peace to a people long in need. This, after all, is the work of members in Rotary. Spaces remain available for members and others still wishing to take this journey.

In these uncertain times, there is a growing demand for well trained international leaders to promote national and international cooperation and peace throughout their lives, in their careers and through service activities.  The challenges of the 21st century require people skilled in the art of diplomacy, mediation and conflict resolution. The Rotary Peace Fellowship program was developed to meet this very need.
 
Rotary is seeking non-Rotarian professionals interested in expanding their knowledge in international relations, public administration, sustainable development, peace studies and conflict resolution or a related field.  Each year, up to 100 Rotary Peace Fellowships (50 master's degree fellowships and 50 professional development certificate fellowships) are offered on a competitive basis at six prestigious Rotary Centers around the world. 

Applications for the Rotary Peace Scholarship are due at the District Office May 10, 2010.The candidate interviews will be held June 6. Please visit the Rotary Peace Scholarship link for more information. Contact Rotary Peace Scholarship Chair Vicki Radel with any questions at drvictoriaradel@cs.com or 310-375-5609

On a cloudless, sunny Saturday, February 10, a record number of 180+ Rotarians, Rotaractors and Interactors, families and friends of Rotary D5280 marched at the beginning of the 111th Golden Dragon Parade in Los Angeles Chinatown. Tens of thousands viewed the parade route which began on Hill Street at the Chinatown Branch Library, then looped at Bernard and continued up Broadway to end at Cesar Chavez Blvd.

Survivors of the Haiti earthquake will need humanitarian aid for a long time to come. For Rotarians, responding with charity in times of natural disasters around the world is nothing new. Amongst volunteer service organizations, Rotary International is a world leader and partner in humanitarian aid to those in need.

Governor Susanne is pleased to announce the partnership with Help the Children, an international humanitarian aid organization based locally in the city of Bell. Rotarians of all clubs are encouraged to organize and collect basic food items and supplies for shipment and distribution in earthquake-damaged Haiti. Help the Children will package and assemble the supplies for shipment to Haiti. The supplies will be received, transported, and distributed under the direction of specific humanitarian aid personnel already established in Haiti.

The "I Love Scottie" party for RI President John Kenny was a smashing success last week. Kenny is RI's first president from Scotland. The crowd of more than 500 people enjoyed a Scottish-themed lunch with bagpipers, drummers, the induction of 29 new Rotary members, a formal introduction of the five candidates for District Governor, a hilarious Ode to Haggis procession through the audience and a rousing speech by President Kenny. Kenny gave information about Rotary's rapid deployment to the earthquake crisis in Haiti.

The 2010 Rotary Rose Float entry, winner of the Volunteers Trophy

This year, Rotaractor and District Office administrator Tori Hettinger represented District 5280 on the Rose Float. Read about her Rose Float experience HERE.

December 1, 2009: Del Amo Rotary hosted the Consul General of Ecuador, Eddie Bedon. Above from left to right: Del Amo Rotary President Ralph Seifer, Rotarian Lindsay Walker, DG Susanne Sundberg, Consul General of Ecuador Eddie Bedon, and Rotarian Wilson Benitez. For more photos, click HERE.

Now that we're aboard the 2009-2010 year, take a look at Governor Susanne's "Flight Plan" for upcoming events HERE