The Rotary District 6440 Newsletter is filled with announcements, articles, and links to announcements, stories, and information about our clubs, our members and making a difference through Rotary.

Governor's Comments -- and, in these difficult times, a New Service for Businesses of Rotarians !

This is a time when we want to encourage and facilitate Rotarians doing business with other Rotarians. During the past three months, I made official visits to over 50 clubs in our District and talked with hundreds of club leaders about their vocations and changes in their vocational fields. The common theme was "we're doing more with less." We are experiencing a very challenging economy with business down in all sectors, less tax revenue for government agencies and fewer donations for non-profits.

When you need a new car, contact a Rotary car dealer. Thinking about a new home? Call a Rotary realtor. Up until now, you have not had a way to identify Rotarians by their vocation. I am pleased to announce that our Vocational Service Committee is in the process of a Bigger, Better, Bolder initiative to launch a District 6440 eYellow Pages. A few highlights about this online service:

Rotarians who sign up for a basic eYellow Pages listing between the launch date (early October) and the end of December will enjoy a FREE 12-month listing. As of January 1, basic listings will be $25 annually.
Banner listings will be $10 per month.
Banner listings will be displayed randomly on the District 6440 website home page.

Watch for the announcement within the next ten days. This will be an exciting new way for all of us to patronize the businesses of our fellow Rotarians.

We can help each other in our vocations...and, since October is Vocational Service Month, we can focus on vocational service in our communities, too. Discussions about vocational service can lead to projects that not only develop the ethical consciousness and vocational skills of Rotarians, but also the talents within their communities. Vocational Service Month is an opportunity to begin year-long vocational service activities, ranging from Rotary discussions to awards to community projects. Click here to learn more about ways your club can recognize Vocational Service month.

"6440 Tailgate Event" -- A Fall Seminar Day, Nov. 13.

Governor Bruce reminds us that this fall we're taking a fun new approach to our Fall Seminar -- a combination of the ABCs of Rotary plus presentations on the Foundation, Membership and PR, Communications, and Social Media Seminar. And as always, it is an opportunity to learn more about Rotary and to get acquainted with other District 6440 Rotarians.

Because we're welcoming in the fall season and football is in the air, we've designated the fall 2010 seminar as a TAILGATE EVENT! You can wear your favorite sports team's colors and join us for a "Pre-Game" breakfast buffet that will allow you to get to know Rotarians from around the District before we get started with seminar activities.

A sample of what's in store for us, can be found at the link to a Rotary video about Social Media, telling us the importance of this new aspect of life today. This great event will be held starting with registration and the Pre-Game breakfast on Saturday, November 13 at Medinah Banquets in Addison. We are offering four options for learning this year: The Rotary Foundation, ABCs of Rotary, Membership, and PR/Communications/Social Media. Click here for the Fall Tailgate Flyer.

Tri-Cities Service Clubs Look to Get Younger
-- a story in St. Charles

Up until a few years ago, Nick Brooks had a limited knowledge of Rotary International and its clubs. "I thought it was just a bunch of old people who had breakfast together," the 31-year-old said. "I learned quickly it's a lot more than that." Brooks attended a St. Charles Breakfast Rotary Club meeting at the urging of his boss. He said he decided to join after he learned about the service projects the club...click here for more from Ashley Rhodebeck's 9/16/10 Kane County Chronicle story.

Celebrate World Polio Day with 2 for 1 recognition points!

As you may know, Sunday, 24 October 2010 is World Polio Day. In honor of World Polio Day, The Rotary Foundation is happy to announce 2 for 1 recognition points for every online contribution of US$100 or more made to PolioPlus during 18-24 October 2010, Central Standard Time.

Rotarians may go to www.rotary.org/contribute to make their online contribution. Rotarians will need to have registered with Rotary's Member Access. Through Member Access, Rotarians are able to access online services and features. Rotarians may register for Member Access at www.rotary.org/memberaccess. Donors will need to print the tax receipt at the time of donation. Also, online contributions cannot be made on behalf of another individual, club or district. Please allow 4-6 weeks for the promotional points to appear. Once the promotional points have appeared in their accounts, donors may request their recognition materials.

I hope you will join me in contributing online to PolioPlus in honor of World Polio Day. Together we will End Polio Now.

Sincerely,
John T. Osterlund
General Manager
The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International

Nearly 8,000 Items Collected In Wilmette Lakefront Beach Sweep Last Saturday

students at Wilmette Beach Sweep

Wilmette Rotarian Joann Aggens weighs trash collected by students at Wilmette Beach Sweep

Mary Langas, a seventh-grade student from Springman Middle School of Glenview, said she and her team collected 160 cigarette butts and a beer bottle during last Saturday's annual Beach Sweep of the Wilmette lakefront and she vowed to return for the event next year. "For me it demonstrates that we are responsible for our lakeshore and it's really sad that people litter so much," she commented after participating in the annual event for the first time on September 25.

Organized by the Wilmette Harbor Rotary Club, this year's lakefront cleanup was part of a 4-state effort on the shores of Lake Michigan and is now in its 20th year, said Wilmette Rotarian Ted Welch who led the annual sweep for most of that period. Former Wilmette Trustee and Rotarian Joann Aggens and Rotarian Henry Hufnagel organized and directed the event this year. Click here for Walter Reed's story in TribLocal.

Save the dates ..."Let the Good Times Roll...Again: New Orleans RI Convention - May 21-25, 2011

Governor Bruce and Nancy cordially invite the District 6440 Rotary family to join with them in experiencing the charm and vitality of New Orleans, a mecca of Spanish, French and African influences, during the RI Convention in May.

The preliminary agenda is replete with inspirational plenary sessions, informative speakers, lively workshop discussions and, club and district exhibits. In combination with the House of Friendship and the array of planned events and activities, both RI and HOC-sponsored, you'll see why New Orleans is the perfect setting for the fun and fellowship that is at the heart of any Rotary convention.

In anticipation of accommodating 6440 Rotarians who will be attending, a limited number of rooms have been reserved at the Embassy Suites. Located within close proximity to the Convention Center, the room rate is $209 plus tax per night. This includes full breakfast and evening reception daily. Complete details are on the reservation form. Very useful and complete information about the convention is at the RI website.

"End Polio Now" Benefit CSO/Perlman Concert

The Rotary Foundation has announced that violin virtuoso and polio survivor Itzhak Perlman will join members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in his only Chicago performance this season for a concert on Monday, March 7, benefiting Rotary's campaign to end polio worldwide. A block of tickets is reserved for Rotarians until November 30.

Concert information is available here. View video about a similar concert that was held in New York last December.

Box Sponsorship Opportunities - The Rotary Foundation Concert to End Polio offers sponsorship opportunities for Rotary clubs with sponsorship money credited to club Polio Challenge Grant goals:

8 seats (8 boxes available) - $10,000

6 seats (8 boxes available) - $7,500

5 seats (2 boxes available) - $6,000

4 seats (2 boxes available) - $5,000

3 seats (2 boxes available) - $2,500

Your club will be listed by name in the concert program. Please note that individual ticket purchases do not receive PHF recognition credit.

A Different Approach to Fund Raiser!

Said Gov. Bruce, "..a great example of a 'Bigger, Better, Bolder' idea (President Ray Klinginsmith's motto for the year) - opening your fundraiser auction prior to the event and encouraging a larger audience to participate. A key aspect of releasing the auction information prior to the event is that people will have the opportunity to take more time to review the items and perhaps consider collaborative bids, e.g., partnering with other people on vacation homes."

CASA Kane County in partnership with the Saint Charles Breakfast Rotary Club celebrated Oktoberfest 2010 at their 23rd annual fund-raising event held at Pheasant Run on Saturday October 2. For those unable to join the festivities in person there was an opportunity to participate in an online auction for some of the great packages offered before the event took place. The link to the online auction is: http://www.events.org/conlineauction.aspx?m=27&e=30777 Click to read Burt Andrews pre-event article in TribLocal about this innovative way to raise funds.

District 6440 Literacy Projects - Onward and Upward Together

District Literacy Information Night at the Schaumburg Library on September 22 provided a wonderful opportunity to network with fellow Rotarians from clubs throughout District 6440. Past projects were reviewed. Projects currently underway as well as those being considered for the future were also discussed. The most frequently repeated request was for literacy information. As a result, the District Literacy Committee is pleased to share the following suggestions:

Read the report on the meeting -- for instructions on how to access local organizations which help, what other clubs have done, and projects from the Reach Out and Read program. The best way to find information regarding literacy is to go to the District 6440 web site. You can also contact Linda Cesario or any other member of the District Literacy Committee. Every effort will be made to answer your questions or provide a speaker for your club.

The Literacy Committee hopes to see every club in District 6440 identify and work on a literacy project. Together, we can achieve this goal.

District Governor Nominations due on January 3, 2011

It's time for District 6440 Rotary clubs to be identifying members they would like to propose for district governor in 2013-2014. As stated on the RI website, "district governors provide leadership, motivation, and guidance to Rotary clubs under the general supervision of the RI Board of Directors. Governors act as officers of RI, fostering achievement in their district at the club level. Under the District Leadership Plan, district governors prepare for and execute their duties over a three-year period. To be eligible for the position of district governor, a Rotarian must

Be a member in good standing of a functioning club in the district
Have served as president of a club for a full term, or as president of a charter club from the date of the charter to 30 June, for a period of at least six months
Demonstrate knowledge of and the ability to fulfill the duties outlined in the RI Bylaws, section 15.090
Have completed seven years of membership at the time of taking office

For more information, please refer to the RI Bylaws, section 15.070."

Each nominee must complete the District 6440 Official Proposal of Candidate for the Office of District Governor (a Word document downloadable from the Administrative Forms page at www.rotary6440.org). The proposal must be approved by the nominee's Rotary club board of directors and received by Bruce Baumberger, District Governor, no later than January 3, 2011. Interviews of nominees will be held in the evening on Monday, January 10, 2011.

A road trip to remember - an article from the Rotarian.

Packard On Way to Montreal

Rotarian Joanne Pistorius found a stylish way to travel to the 2010 RI Convention in Montréal, Québec, Canada, in June.
Pistorius, a member of the Rotary Club of Tampa Hyde Park, Florida, USA, and her husband, Brando, drove their vintage 1930 Packard from Tampa to Montréal as part of a three-week, 4,000-mile round-trip journey in late June and early July. Click to read more of Arnold R. Grahl's 9/27/10 story.

Service Trips Can Be Life Changing

The District 6440 Service Project trips to Guatemala are four months away and many people have signed up to continue our work of the past four years, donating time, supplies and physical labor to make a direct difference in residents' lives. Click on the link in the sidebar at the left to learn how you can be part of a very successful international hands-on service project.

"'It's very simple to write a check - and that's great - but nothing really beats getting people on the ground and participating in the projects,' said Dan Wolf, who will participate in his fourth trip to Guatemala in February 2011...Wolf described the volunteer experience as 'transforming.' "It's so productive and useful. But until you do it, it's easy to think, 'I could never go to a foreign country and do this,' he said.' Click to read more from the Buffalo Grove Patch.

Editor,

Bob Paddock

Rotary District 6440

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