| Rotary International District 5930 Vol. 6 No. 9 Newsletter March 2010 Print |
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Laredo Daybreak Serves Tennis Teams Historic Brownsville Haiti Fundraiser
President Elect Training Seminar |
Given the economic profile of the country and psychological stress concerning financial interests worldwide, which influences all of us, the membership of District 5930 has "bitten the bullet" and shines as #1 in the membership improvement profile of our 10 Texas Districts. With a two percent increase in membership between July through December, we also ranked #3 of the other 25 Zone Districts. Now if we just continue to press the "spurs to the pony", as Texans know how to do, and meet our individual and club commitments for the Rotary Foundation, we will be recognized as the most improved District in both arenas. It's rodeo time in Texas. So, let's take home the gold buckles and saddles for our efforts! Mentioning the Foundation, another great District event--Paul Harris Dinner--is behind us with a record number of attendees. Thanks, Art and dinner planning committee, for coordinating and guiding this fun evening. If you see one of the committee members--Chair Ellen Murry, Terry Dahlman, Bill Hennings, Jim Villaume, Kevin Schleicher, Jacob Quintana, Rosa Pizzi, Ginny Price, Brandi Williams, Michelle Horine, or Ellen May--let them know you appreciate their effort. I do! Now, we need to look forward and prepare for the future. Lone Star PETS is scheduled for the 19-22 March weekend at the Hyatt Regency DFW Hotel. If there are any presidents-elect who have not registered they need to do so. This seminar is shaping up to be one of the best on record. The incoming RI President Ray Klinginsmith is among the speakers who will be there to share his vision for the 2010-11 Rotary year. He will elaborate on how he arrived at his theme, Building Communities, Bridging Continents. The other motivational speakers will inspire you and make you eager to get home and get started on your Rotary year. A month later we will hold District Leadership Training at the Alice Country Club for District Committee Chairs and other District leaders. This will be followed on May 1 by our District Assembly in Kingsville where incoming officers and interested Rotarians can get information to help them with their duties during the upcoming year. Two weeks after that we are going to have some fun at the District Conference. You will want to set aside the May 13-16 weekend for a visit to Margaritaville. Dust off those Jimmy Buffett records and prepare your skit for the fun at Corpus Christi Omni Hotel Bayfront Tower. Of course, there will be the traditional serious seminars including the finals of the Four-Way Test Speech Contest. The Rotary International Convention is fairly late this year, June 20-23, in Montreal. The nearby location will make it handy for most of us to participate. Visiting Montreal is like going to Europe without jet lag.
YIR
Rotary International District 5930 on Facebook
District fundraiser will start in early MarchThe District car drawing will be up and running right after the conclusion of the Iron Man competition fundraiser on March 7. ADGs should have all the tickets distributed to clubs by then. The drawing will be for a low mileage, 2010 small, energy-efficient car....and it will take place at the District Conference on May 15 in Corpus Christi. There will be cash prizes for those who sell the most tickets. Tickets are $10.00 each or 10 for $90.00. Funds raised will go to Rotary Humanitarian programs. Tom Plumb, District Fundraising Chair, is spearheading this effort and can be contacted to answer any questions. To kick off the drawing, Tom has already sold $600.00 worth of tickets. More details will appear in the next newsletter. |
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Governor
Dennis writes . . .
Governor
Dennis finds a silver lining
District Governor Dennis Roberts and his wife Migdalia enter the home stretch of their official visit tour enjoying a catered dinner with the Port Isabel Rotary Club Board at the home of President-Elect Bettina Tolin. Life on the road is tough but there are always silver linings. Submitted by Tom Plumb.
Lionel Betancourt spreads adoption awareness
In the continuing outreach to other clubs and other districts, Lionel
Betancourt, presented the program details to both the North Oklahoma City
Rotary Club and the Anthony (NM) Rotary Club. Both were enthusiastic about
making the project a part of their Community Service club objectives.
Pictured with Lionel in Oklahoma is the sitting president of that club, Dan
Yancy.
This photo embraces PDG Jackie Morgan (District 5520) with club
president, Rusty Armstrong. Both clubs were very warm and personal. They
both recognized the need for the activity and in time will participate. PDG
Jackie is planning to invite Lionel back to present this to other clubs in
her district. Interestingly, Club President Rusty Armstrong has an adopted
daughter and her son has an adopted son. That seems to be the way things are
in Rotary. District 5930 members are encouraged to offer feedback for
improving the program. Pictures and information about the parties held in
the district need to be shared with others in the district. Every club
should be involved in a party.
Representatives from the agency (like our CPS) in charge of abandoned and neglected children were at the Anthony Rotary Club meeting. The enthusiasm from that corner could be felt throughout the entire meeting room.
Oklahoma City's club appeared to be a bit leery, but second guessing would not be appropriate. Meanwhile in District 5930 the parties continue. As each year passes, there is a need to do better. As chair of Community Service for District 5930, Lionel Betancourt would appreciate knowing how each club has improved the program, so these incremental improvements can be shared. Submitted by Lionel Betancourt.
Future GSE participant addresses sponsoring club
Port
Isabel Rotary has an approved applicant for the Group Study Exchange (GSE)
trip to France this coming May!!! Her name is Veronica Mariscal and is from
Port Isabel. Veronica visited the Port Isabel Club during DG Dennis Roberts'
official visit.
According to Veronica, "I am an Art Education Major with a minor in French at the University of Texas at Brownsville. As an educator and student, I firmly believe that we as humans are eternal learners and that learning is a process that lasts a lifetime. I am currently a teacher’s assistant for the Brownsville Museum of Fine Arts and help mentor and teach students the importance of art in our culture and society. I was also a participant in the Paris, France, Study Abroad Program at the University in July 2009. I have also been a tutor and mentor for the Harlingen Independent School District program called P.E.A.K.S (People encouraging all Kids’ Success). As a firm believer in education, my goals and aspirations are not only to obtain my bachelors degree, but to continue to obtain a higher education through graduate school. My goal is to one day teach students at the University level. I have never felt more content in knowing that I am learning yet still other ideas, concepts, and acquiring more knowledge as a student and educator that will enable me to teach who may be our future leaders. I am much honored to have been given the opportunity to be a participant in the GSE for the Rotary International. With this experience, I will be able to broaden my knowledge of different cultures and worldwide communities as seen in France. It will also give me the opportunity not only to absorb all the knowledge that the vocational visits offer but in turn be able to use that knowledge to contribute to my community in the future. Thanks to this opportunity, as an educator I will be given the opportunity to be able to share it with fellow students and make it part of my teaching experience. I would like to thank the current Port Isabel members of the Port Isabel Rotary Chapter, as well as Dr. Suzanne Lalonde Romano, Tom Plumb, Chuck Borders, and the Rotary International for your recommendations, consideration, and wonderful opportunity!" Submitted by Tom Plumb.
Freer is heavily involved with students
Freer
Rotary Club President Ann Jenkins presents sophomore students Ray Lee Elder
and Andres Carrillo Student of the Month certificates in recognition of
having been selected for outstanding service to their school and community.
She, also, recognized junior class students Jessi Robertson and Austin Marquez with Student of the Month certificates for outstanding service to their school and community.
Freer
High School Students Lorena Esparza and Zachary Guidry talked to the Freer
Rotary Club about their experience and what they learned from attending
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards.
Submitted by Norman Jenkins.
New Interact club awaiting Rotary International approval
The Port Isabel Rotary Club has sponsored the creation of an Interact Club at the Port Isabel High School. Interact Club Vice President Bobby Barker is joined by the Club Treasurer Blake Sapp and Interact Faculty Advisor Delinda White to ask Rotary District Governor Dennis Roberts to sign the certification form that must be sent to Rotary International. The Interact Club is hoping for a charter from Rotary International in the next few weeks. The club has elected officers, has 15 charter members, and has established dues. Project priorities include volunteering at the Humane Society and assisting the Port Isabel Rotary Club with their Adopt-A-Highway and holiday flag raising projects. Submitted by Tom Plumb.
Area
6 Assistant Governor wins Citizen of the Year
Honored at the 44th Annual Freer Chamber of Commerce Banquet, Norman Jenkins receives the Freer Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year award from President O.J. Espinoza. Submitted by Norman Jenkins.
PETS is upon us
DGE Gilbert asks that you please make note of the following dates.
1. March 19-21 - PETS in Dallas, TX
2. April 17 & 18 - District Leadership Training - Alice Country Club
3. May 1 - District Assembly - Kingsville (TAMUK)
4. June 11 (Friday), Governor 2010-11 Installation in Laredo, TX
He hopes this advance notice gives you ample time to add them to your schedule, so you can attend the appropriate events. Submitted by Gilbert Serna.
PETER M. SNIDER
GOVERNOR,
DISTRICT 5810, 2002-2003
LONE STAR P.E.T.S. OPERATING CHAIR, 2010
| 1420
Hubbard Drive Forney, TX 75126 |
Office:(972) 216-0373 |
Dear Presidents Elect,
I’m looking forward to your attendance at this year’s Lone Star PETS. We at Lone Star PETS feel that our PETS is the best in the world. It is an experience that a club president should not miss.
We have been the leaders in developing a meaningful curriculum, and this year have made advances to make it even better. We have the best motivational speakers in Rotary. Past President Cliff Dochterman will return once again to deliver his inspiring speech, Mouzon Biggs will put the 2010 Rotary International theme in a form that will help you throughout the year, Jean Irwin will show us what Rotary can do to change the world through our Ambassadorial Scholarship program, and Historian, writer, and motivational speaker, David Foreward (author of the Centennial History of Rotary) will get us all hooked on Rotary. Most of all, we are fortunate to have Rotary International President Elect, Ray Klinginsmith to deliver his message of guidance for us during the most important year of our Rotary lives.
If you are married, I would like to encourage you to include your spouse to attend PETS. We have a really strong spouses orientation planned for this year. It will be relevant for both Husbands and Wives. The Spouses program will be aimed at both Rotarian and non-Rotarian spouses, and they will learn the important work that you will be doing during the next Rotary year. They will also be exposed to our speakers and hear the best that Rotary has to offer. The attendance of your spouse will make your job easier and even more meaningful during the next year.
Best of all, you will be exposed to nearly all of the Presidents-Elect from the 9 districts in Texas and 1 district from Oklahoma. You will find that sharing of your knowledge and ideas will be the best learning experience that you can have. No where else can you experience the dynamic gathering that you will at Lone Star PETS.
In all of my Rotary memories, with all the opportunities and participation that I have done, Lone Star PETS stands out as the one best Rotary experience that I have had. Please come prepared to be inspired to bring the important work of Rotary to your club and community as you do the good work of Rotary during your year as President of your Rotary club.
Yours in Rotary,
Pete Snider
Raymondville honors two students
The
Rotary Club of Raymondville honored their Students of the Month for
February.
Jason Orozco is the son of Alfredo and Susan Orozco. He is currently ranked 19th in his graduating class. He will graduate as a Distinguished Student with a total of 18 college credit hours. Jason has excelled in math and reading but finds his passion through his artwork. He has entered his artwork in events like the Willacy County Livestock Show and the Rio Grande Birding Festival. Jason plans to join the Navy upon graduation and plans to use the military as a means to further his education.
Nikki Zavala is the daughter of Diamantina and Edward Zavala. She is currently ranked fifth in her graduation class. Nikki has been involved in cheerleading, FFA, American Legion Auxiliary, and the National Honor Society (Historian). She participated in the dual enrollment program at Texas State Technical College and plans to attend the University of Texas-Pan American. Nikkie plans to major in Pre-Med. Submitted by Vilma Cervantes.
PDG Jack Wilson encourages Ambassadorial Scholars to apply
May 28th is the deadline for clubs and scholars to submit applications for Ambassadorial Scholarships. It takes awhile to get the application completed so time is of the essence! If you have any questions please contact Jack Wilson 956-607-0804. For more information, please go to the RI website; www.rotary.org and select "Students & Youth," "Educational Programs," and there will be a link for "Ambassadorial Scholarships." Interviews will be on June 5th in Alice. Submitted by Jack Wilson.
Southside Corpus Christi recognizes Corpus Christi City Employees as Unsung Heroes
The Rotary Club of Southside Corpus Christi honored two City of Corpus Christi employees during their annual "Unsung Heroes Awards."
The club honored Charlie Brooks, Jr., with the city's Storm Water Department's Maintenance and Operations Division and Manuel Castillo who is a First Responder with the Water Department's Distribution Division.
Both
these honorees consistently perform their job responsibilities quietly and
productively without demonstrating any desire for either recognition or
reward and are an inspiration to their supervisors and colleagues.
The Unsung Heroes Awards were started by Southside Rotary in 1999 as a way to recognize those workers who give their all every day and deserve to be honored for their dedication and exceptional work in their field. The award recipients were introduced by their supervisors and received an engraved plaque and certificate from Southside Rotary Unsung Hero coordinator Rendell Webb.
To learn more about the Rotary Club of Southside Corpus Christi please visit their website.
Pictured left to right: City Manager Angel Escobar, Unsung Hero Charlie Brooks, Jr., Scott Monse--Work Coordinator Storm Water Department, Unsung Hero Manuel Castillo, and Ivan Luna--Distribution Supervisor and Water Quality Manager. Submitted by Lari Young.
Over 900 sheets of Stamp Out Polio stamps sold
Have
you bought yours? Victoria Rotary Club's next goal is to sell 1,000 sheets.
If all clubs in the US would purchase 30 sheets of Stamp Out Polio stamps to supplement their PolioPlus fundraising efforts the Rotary Foundation would receive over $700,000 to meet the Gates Foundation challenge; as a comparison the Itzhak Perlman concert to End Polio at the Lincoln Center with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra raised $100,000 in December.
Clubs and individuals ordering 30 or more sheets have a donation given to the Rotary Foundation in their names--$100 for the first 30 sheets and $3.33 for each sheet over 30. It will take many small sales to make this project a success. Clubs should recoup their investment from the sale of stamps to their members and the only effect on club finances is a small, short-term reduction in its bank account. Clubs finding a market for the stamps can earn one Paul Harris Fellow for each 300 sheets of stamps sold. Seems like an easy way to supplement any planned PolioPlus fundraising plans while helping the Rotary Foundation meet its fundraising goals.
 |
PolioPlus Challenge Stamps $10.00 Sheets of 10 US first class stamps Shipping per order: $1.00 How many sheets? |
Order by mail
- All profits go the Rotary Foundation for polio eradication.
- The use of a stamp will promote Rotary International.
- Your company or business needs stamps and these can enhance your mailings.
- Make your personal correspondence unique with a Rotary stamp.
- Your club mailings will promote polio eradication with the Challenge Stamps.
Please order a few of the $10 sheets (10 stamps per sheet) to help support polio eradication and promote the Rotary Foundation PolioPlus grant challenge. Contact Jack Whitmire, 361-433-5354, with your questions.
Border Youth Summit scheduled in April
The
Rotary Club of Harlingen along with the Rotary Club of Matamoros will be
hosting the Border Youth Summit on South Padre Island on 17-18 April 2010.
This year the Matamoros Rotary Club has the lead. The Interact Club of
Cameron County and the Interact Clubs of Northern Mexico are invited to
participate. Along with the Interact students, the Rotary Exchange students
from the Lower Valley, both inbound and outbound, will participate. Attached
is a photo of the participants last year.
The purpose of the Border Youth Summit is for the students to learn more about each others' country, government, and culture. It is to get the future leaders of tomorrow to build bridges instead of fences. Submitted by Jim Teeter.
Laredo raises money for Boy Scouts
The Laredo Rotary Club Sponsored a Tamale Run, Walk, and Bike Event. Over 140 participants registered to take part in this event to raise funds for the Boys Scouts of America. Medals and trophies were awarded to the winners. A great deal of hard work and dedication was exhibited by the Rotarians who organized this enjoyable event. Special thanks to the sponsors for supporting this fine effort. Pictured: (L to R) Rotarians Dave Leyndecker, Tom Addison, Chuck Owen, and Juan Lira at registration table. Submitted by Juanita Lira.
Laredo Salvation Army upgrades office furniture
The Salvation Army was the lucky recipient of beautiful office furniture that was donated by the Steve R. Trautmann Insurance Agency. The furniture was donated through the efforts of Rotarians Juan and Juanita Lira. The furniture included executive desks, chairs, file cabinets, printers, calculators, and a shredder. Jim Williams, Chuck Owens, and Juanita Lira were present for the transfer of goods to this charitable organization. Pictured (L to R) Laredo Rotary Club President Jim Williams and Secretary/Treasurer Chuck Owens with the donated office furniture. Submitted by Juanita Lira.
Harlingen
adds four
On February 12 the Rotary Club of Harlingen held a "New Member Orientation" and four new members were later inducted into the club. They are from left to right, Lucy Cadenas, Scott Matlock, Paula Gonzalez, and Velma Bowman. The Rotary Club of Harlingen welcomes these new members. Submitted by Joan Cocozza.
Raymondville gets to feel RYLA
During their meeting on February 10 The Rotary Club of Raymondville recognized two RYLA students from Raymondville High School (RHS) who attend camp from January 29-31. Pictured (L to R) are Amanda Esparza and Marlow Mungia both juniors at RHS.
With much enthusiasm the students got all Rotarians to participate in the
“Rain Dance” a morning ritual at RYLA camp. Both students thanked the
Rotarians for their support and are both interested in and looking forward
to attending RYLA camp 2011 as counselors.. Submitted by
Vilma Cervantes.
The Rotary Club of Rockport invites you to participate
9th Annual Taste of Rockport
An evening of mouth watering local culinary productions…made possible by YOU! Benefits the Rockport Rotary Club Youth Scholarship Fund.
DATE: Thursday, March 25, 2010
PLACE: Paws & Taws
TIME: VIP Reception 6:00pm – 7:00pm General Admission 7:00pm until 10:00pm
Here’s food for thought…
Since taking over the Taste of Rockport event in 2007, the Rotary Club of
Rockport has awarded over $40,000.00 in college scholarships to graduating
seniors of Rockport-Fulton High School. These young adults are the future of
our community. We could not have done it without you! Let’s team up again to
empower the graduating seniors of Rockport Fulton High School to reach high
and teach them young that where there’s a will there’s a way. Let’s send
them on their way to that college degree.
Put your money where their mouth is!
Participating in the Taste of Rockport is one of the most affordable, most
cost effective, and successful forms of advertising you can do. There is no
fee to participate. What you spend is up to you. You donate an auction item,
provide a spread of one or more food items for 300 guests, gussy up your
table, and put your best crew forward. We will put 300+ potential customers
right in front of you to eat your food and hear all about what’s new and
exciting at your business. Hand out promotional materials, coupons, business
cards, and menus.
Now about that auction item…
It’s just another opportunity to get them in your door and help us raise
more scholarship funds. We aren’t asking you to break the bank. We are
asking you to get creative and donate an “experience”. A cooking class, a
celebrity dinner, a dish named after our guest, an hors d'oeuvres party, a
dinner where each item incorporates chocolate, or maybe you cook one evening
in our guests home? We are here to help you come up with something fabulous
that will buy you publicity and advertising and help us raise more
scholarships.
The bottom line….
You help us raise money and we offer you a highly successful platform to
promote your business.
TASTE OF ROCKPORT TIPS FOR SUCCESS
SIGN UP EARLY THIS YEAR!
The space you get in our dining guide and at the event are awarded on a
first come, first serve basis. You can have the front page of our dining
guide and the top spot in Paws & Taws by filling out your participation form
with your menu and auction item. If you need help, just call us, we will
come right over and help you put it to bed.
WE CAN’T SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST…..LIMITED AVAILABILITY
Unfortunately for us, we only have room to feature 19 food and wine vendors,
and we always offer previous participants first right of refusal. For some
reason they never refuse! Respond quickly and grab your spot.
PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD
Go all out. Pick a theme for your table and decorate it to the nines. Serve
a sampling of your very best concoctions. Bring your business cards, your
flyers, your menus, your bumper stickers. Send your best staff, your chef, or
heck….tell the owner to come!
LET OUR AUCTION MAKE YOU A WINNER
Work with us to help you put together the auction item that brings in the
most cash. People will be talking about it for weeks. Imagine how proud you
will feel to know that they wanted you and your auction item over everyone
else’s in the room. Again…great advertising!
300 GUESTS = INSTANT MAILING LIST
Bring a guest book and offer a coupon or incentive if they provide you with
their addresses, phone number, and email. Instant marketing tool, they do all
the writing for you.
FEEDBACK IS EVERYTHING
Have them answer a short questionnaire about your business to find out what
they want to see more of. What’s their favorite item on your menu? Who is
their favorite waitress? Why do they keep coming back? What would they like
to see? Go ahead…ask them!
The Rotary Club of Rockport 9th Annual
Taste of Rockport
http://www.rockportrotary.com/ Submitted by
JD Simpson.
Governor Dennis equates flags with involvement
Governor
Roberts commented on the number of flags the Laredo Rotary Club has on
display. It is a sign of how long they have been involved in Rotary. They
actually have twice the number that are on display in a box because they do
not have the background material to display all of them. The flags are
changed occasionally to display the more interesting ones. In case you are
wondering, they pick them up at International Conventions, when members
travel and exchange flags with other clubs they visit, and when other clubs
have members attending their meetings.
Governor Roberts had his ambassadorial background on display. His natural fun loving attitude and his desire to get them motivated to share Rotary with others was apparent. He sprinkled in some references to his meetings with their club officers and directors, but made it clear he wants to add members to the district.
He also said that the District pin was an original design of an artist. It was made for his year as governor and is a sign of the talent of the Rotary membership within the district. He complimented Terri McGraw for her work as District Membership Chair. He thanked Rebecca Garcia for the TAMIU tour. Submitted by Chuck Owen.
Mission learns about PDAP
Myssie Cardenas-Barajas talked to the Mission Rotary Club about the Palmer
Drug Abuse Program (PDAP). This program is a free, outpatient, twelve-step
program that provides help for teenagers, adults, and their families. PDAP
reaches out to the drug abusers and their families through individual
counseling, family counseling, support group meetings, and supervised
drug-free social activities. PDAP has been in existence since 1971 and
opened in Hidalgo county in 1988.
PDAP uses a proven method of rehabilitation, a deep foundation in a twelve-step recovery program, that stresses total abstinence from drugs and alcohol. With the support of counselors and a recovery peer group, the drug abuser learns coping skills needed to deal with and enjoy life without the use of alcohol or other drugs.
PDAP provides a positive, safe place where teenagers can feel they belong, share their struggles, and talk to counselors. Teenagers and young adults are encouraged to come to PDAP when they are not in school or work. While at PDAP, they can shoot pool and play cards, video games, or basketball. All counseling is confidential, and generally the patient can be seen within 24 hours of having made their first phone call. Submitted by Rudy Pena.
Southside Corpus Christi picks RYLA students for Students of the Month
Students
were chosen by Sandra Gonzalez, counselor at Moody High School, which is
Southside Rotary’s partner school in many Rotary-related projects.
Lea Del Bosque--Moody RYLA Representative--is in the Arts and Humanities Academy and is in the top 10 percent of her class. The Arts and Humanities Academy emphasizes the music, art, writing, and theater. Lea is interested in pursuing a degree in broadcast journalism and would like to attend the University of Florida or the University of Texas. She is very determined and excited to make her mark in television or radio. Some of Lea's favorite activities include swimming and cheerleading. Lea is especially accomplished in swimming and is a medalist. Lea truly enjoyed her experience at Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA) and is keeping her fingers crossed to return next year as a RYLA team leader. This year at RYLA she received the honor of being designated "Most Well Rounded."
Michael Goynes--Moody/Southside Rotary RYLA Representative--is in the Innovation Academy at Moody High School and is in the top 10 percent of his class. The Innovation Academy includes courses involving engineering and environmental studies. In keeping with the engineering portion of the Innovation Academy, Michael would like to study Biomedical Engineering. He would like to attend one of three colleges the University of Texas, TCU, or Texas Tech. Michael is a sports enthusiast and enjoys football and basketball and successfully plays these sports at Moody. Some of his favorite things to do are hanging out with friends and family and participating in volunteer work. Submitted by Lari Young.
Mission hosts Governor Dennis
Mission
Rotary Club had the pleasure to have our District Governor Dennis Roberts
and his wife Migdalia present. He talked about his goals for the year, the
area that the District 5930 covers, and some of Rotary International's
projects.
The club presented the Governor and his wife with a citrus fruit basket. They used this opportunity to make several other presentations. They honored the exchange students who they are sponsoring. Lauro Solis received the Paul Harris Fellow Award as a past president. Fran Ciancarelli was presented with the Paul Harris Fellow +6 Award at this time for his numerous contributions. Darren Fedon was also inducted as a new Rotarian. Submitted by Rudy Pena.
You still have time to participate in the District's Ironman Fundraiser
The
Ironman event our Ambassadorial Scholar Chris Vera is participating in is
March 6, so now is the time to show your support for this war veteran and
get your pledges in soon! You may donate by going to this link:
http://www.rotary5930.org/IronmanDonation.htm
Chris gave a great talk at the Victoria Northside Rotary Club recently and
you can meet and watch Chris at this link:
hhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wubadS03gkA Careful!! If you watch it you
will want to donate.
"So here I was, of strong mind and heart, youthful and energetic, and with precisely the right time to commit to training without heavily interfering with more important priorities like education. And the fact of the matter of it all, was that I was going to be in New Zealand because of this scholarship, and for no other reason big or small, could I even imagine visiting the country. Plus, I would enter the country with enough time before the big race to continue training and allow myself to acclimatize to the environment, having come from months of winter back in the states. This was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity, and with all of these great coincidences intersecting each other this was an adventure I was destined to take on! And that is how I decided on committing to racing Ironman New Zealand."--Chris Vera
This is a great way for you to support one of our current Ambassadorial Scholars and at the same time raise funds for the Rotary Foundation and District Humanitarian Grants. This year’s District Ambassadorial Scholar Chris Vera sponsored by District 5930 Victoria Northside Rotary Club is in New Zealand now to start his schooling and is going to participate in the popular Ironman Triathlon there on March 6. Chris served as a hospital corpsman in the Navy and served in Iraq as part of a fleet hospital based out of Pensacola . And his deployment to Afghanistan was with a Marine Corps Infantry Battalion. He has designated his Ironman effort to raising funds for our District and International projects. He is training now and getting fired up for the race. You can help the District and Rotary Foundation with its important projects and show your support for Chris by donating as much as you can to this worthy cause. Become a part of this exciting event with updates from Chris as he trains and competes.
“Ironman New Zealand is the oldest qualifying race on the Ironman circuit, having started 22 years ago, and seems to get bigger and better all the time. Bonita Ironman New Zealand takes place in the beautiful resort destination of Taupo, which is about three hours drive south of Auckland . The swim course in the beautiful, clear, waters of Lake Taupo is a one loop affair around a rectangular course, which, if the water is calm, is laid out nicely for a fast first leg of the day.
Once out of the water, the athletes run past the Lake Taupo Yacht Club to T1, and then start the bike course by riding along the lake next to where they just finished swimming. The initial few kilometers are flat, but a quick left turn takes the athletes up a hill that is a precursor of the fun to come.
The beautiful two-lap run course follows Lake Taupo down to Five Mile Bay and then returns back to town. The course could be described as "rolling," although there are a few good hills to be negotiated along the way.”
Go to the District Website to pledge! http://www.rotary5930.org/IronmanDonation.htm Let’s help this young veteran achieve his goals while helping our District and the Rotary Foundation. There are two ways to pledge:
Per mile.. Total
mileage is 140.4 miles--swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, run 26 miles.
Or
Donate now to
support his effort and our District Goals.
Thank you for your support. Those donating will be eligible for a drawing for an Ironman mystery gift from New Zealand.
If you wish to mail a donation toward this great cause please make it payable to RI District 5930 and mail it to:
Lari Young, President
Rotary Club of Southside Corpus Christi
2637 Wool Drive
Corpus Christi , TX 78414
Submitted by Lari
Young.
Mission sells barbeque and recognizes students
On February 7th (Sunday) the Mission Rotary Club had it's annual Super Bowl Chicken BBQ. The club members come together and all help out in cooking all night Saturday, then the serving crew comes in the morning to serve the plates, and then the cleaning crew comes in to do their job. they barbeque 1,200 half-chickens served with beans, Cole slaw, onions, and pickles. This is one of their fundraising projects and the money is used for the various projects during the year.
The Rotary Club of Mission recognized the top ranked migrant senior students
from the three area high schools on February 11. The top migrant students
include Deseree Reyna, and Ayssa Cabrera from Sharyland High School, Magally
Briseno and Yesenia Obregon from Veterans Memorial High School, and Richard
Villarreal and Oscar Tovar from Mission High School.
Submitted by
Rudy Pena.
Tennis teams take tacos...well, actually fajitas
On Friday, February 19th, high school tennis teams from throughout South Texas
descended on Laredo for the Border Olympics Tennis Tournament.
Over 225 high school athletes participated in this annual event. Every year the Laredo Daybreak Rotary Club sponsors a dinner for all the athletes at the Market Street Tennis Courts. This year the athletes were treated to fajitas, cheese enchiladas, rice, and beans.
Heading the effort for the Daybreakers was Dr. Alfredo Trevino, an avid tennis fan, and a group of over 30 Daybreak volunteers. “Every year we enjoy cooking for the young men and women and especially we enjoy the camaraderie that brings our Rotarians together,” said John Kidd this year’s club president. Serving was scheduled for 7 PM but by 6:30 the youngsters who had finished were lined up and ready to eat, and so they did. The event was a huge success. Submitted by Daniel Guevara.
PDG Lonnie Jones passes
Lonnie Joe Jones, Past District Governor of District 5930 (then 593) in
(1988-89) died February 12 at the Hunt Regional Health Care Center in
Greenville, Texas, where he had moved to from Corpus Christi.
Notice was in the Corpus Christi Caller-Times on February 14. Funeral
service was on February 15, in care of Peters Funeral Home. Lonnie is
survived by his second wife, Ann. His first wife, Lou Nell (Cindy) preceded
him in death after over 50 years of marriage. Swell guy. Submitted
by Tom Moore.
Mother Nature smiles on fish fry
The
Port Isabel Rotary Club couldn’t have asked for better weather for their
annual fish fry! Winter Texans from across the Valley shook off their cabin
fever for a day of sunshine and all the fried white fish they could eat!
This was the Rotary Club’s 9th Annual Fish Fry event which honors and
appreciates Winter Texans every February. This year’s event drew record
numbers of people and fish. Bettina Tolin, the Club’s President-Elect and
this year’s event coordinator said they served 380 pounds of fried fish to
over 600 guests. “Everyone loved the fish and said it was our best Fish Fry
yet,” said Tolin. “We wish to thank the staff at Schlitterbahn for making it
such a success.” Each year the Rotary Club partners with Schlitterbahn Beach
and Waterpark for the event. Schlitterbahn prepares the food and the Club’s
members work in teams to sell tickets and serve the food. New to the annual
event this year was local musical celebrity Michael Lafferty who performed
and entertained throughout the day! This year the club estimates it netted
over $4,700 which is an increase over last year’s event where it rained all
day. Funds raised from the Fish Fry are used for Rotary programs in the
local community such as scholarships for graduating seniors, dictionaries
for the third graders, assistance to the local food bank and support for the
Boys and Girls Club of the Laguna Madre. Submitted
by Tom Moore.
Port Lavaca honors deputy sheriff
The
Port Lavaca Rotary Club presented its annual Outstanding Sheriff’s
Department Officer Recognition Award to Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office
(CCSO) Deputy Joe Garcia at its February 19 meeting. Deputy Garcia was
recognized for his outstanding service to the citizens of Calhoun County.
Calhoun County Sheriff B.B. Browning spoke of Deputy Garcia’s outstanding
accomplishments in the performance of his duties and his positive
contributions to the success of the CCSO. The award was presented by
Rotarian Mike Gresham. In the photo, from left to right are: Mike Gresham,
Sheriff B.B. Browning, CCSO Deputy Joe Garcia and CCSO Deputy Rusty
Henderson. Submitted
by Mike Rivet.
Two young women compete in the Aransas Pass Four-Way Test Speech Contest
Aransas
Pass Rotary Club held its annual Four-Way
Test Speech Contest on
February 22. The winner will go on to represent at the area contest in
March.
Abbey Hutchins (l) was the winner of this year’s event. Second place
went to Mary Johnston. Abbey and Mary both did an excellent job in
presenting speeches that clearly defined how the Four Way Test
applied to an area of their lives. Congratulations to both of these Aransas
Pass High School seniors. The first place winner will receive $250 and second place
will receive $200 upon graduation.
From the earliest days of the organization, Rotarians were concerned with
promoting high ethical standards in their professional lives. One of the
world's most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics is The
Four-Way Test, which was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor
(who later served as RI president) when he was asked to take charge of a
company that was facing bankruptcy.
This 24-word test for employees to follow in their business and professional
lives became the guide for sales, production, advertising, and all relations
with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company is credited to
this simple philosophy. Adopted by Rotary in 1943, The
Four-Way Test has been
translated into more than a hundred languages and published in thousands of
ways. Submitted
by Karen Gayle.
Ingleside schedules second golf tournament
Ingleside Rotary Club
Second Annual Scholarship Fund Golf Tournament
Saturday, April 17, 2010
At Northshore Country Club, Portland, Texas
$240 per 4-Man Team
11:30 AM Lunch
12:30 PM Shotgun Start
Scramble Format
Awards after play
All proceeds to benefit the Ingleside Rotary Club’s Scholarship Fund. We provide financial assistance for higher education to Ingleside High School graduates.
Registration Forms may be mailed
to: Ingleside Rotary, P.O. Box 308, Ingleside, Texas 78362
Contact Info: Michael Ladewig – 229-3719 or Matthew Sablatura – 776-3579 or
Jacob Quintana – 510-0628. Submitted by
Jacob Quintana.
Victoria Sunrise reports a successful barbecue
On
Super Bowl Sunday, The Victoria Sunrise Rotary Club cooked almost 600
chickens and served the citizens of Victoria the best barbeque you can get
on Super Bowl Sunday. This has been the annual project for their club for
over 20 years and at each they make 1,200 plates of chicken or brisket with
all of the trimmings. That is a lot of barbeque and all monies raised are
donated to non-profit organizations in the Victoria area. It is a team
effort as you can see from the picture. Fred Kubesch is their master chef
and Jamie McElroy was chairperson this year. Tammy Barben says, "Personally,
this was my second year participating and it is such a fun time for our
club, we start on Saturday seasoning chickens and go through the night
cooking and basting and then we are all home for the big game."
On February 18th the EarlyAct FirstKnight Club at Torres Elementary
sponsored by the Victoria Sunrise Rotary Club awarded 10 students medals and
knighthood. The students continue to learn about the values of Rotary daily
in their classroom and are collecting food for the food bank as one of their
projects. Submitted by
Tammy Barben.
Tom reports work going well in Honduras
The Port Isabel Rotary Club is once again sponsoring work crews in Trujillo,
Honduras, during the month of February. Twenty-nine volunteers from Texas, Vermont, and
Massachusetts are building two classrooms in Guadalupe Carney, where two
classrooms were build in 2009, and thanks to funding from the Harlingen
Rotary, a playground is under construction for the community of April the
18th. Additionally, another water tank is under construction in Barrio Cristales. This tank will be used as a slow sand filtration system for the
community of 3,000 people. Mary Curtis from the Historic Brownsville Rotary
Club is currently setting up a distance learning program for teachers and a
mobile library for elementary schools. Additionally, 1,000 trees are being
planted to reforest the watershed above Barrio Cristales. Initially, the
trees were to be purchased thanks to a matching grant...however, funding for
this was not necessary, since a nursery in Rio Claro decided to provide them
for free....since squatters were preparing to take over their land and the
nursery did not want the squatters to have their trees. The army donated a
truck and men to help transport the trees to Barrio Cristales. Jim and Joyce Deuser from McAllen are pictured working at the Guadalupe
Carney school. Submitted by
Tom Plumb.
District fundraiser will start in early March
The District car drawing will be up and running right after the conclusion of the Iron Man competition fundraiser on March 7. ADGs should have all the tickets distributed to clubs by then. The drawing will be for a low mileage, 2010 small, energy-efficient car....and it will take place at the District Conference on May 15 in Corpus Christi. There will be cash prizes for those who sell the most tickets. Tickets are $10.00 each or 10 for $90.00. Funds raised will go to Rotary Humanitarian programs. Tom Plumb, District Fundraising Chair, is spearheading this effort and can be contacted to answer any questions. To kick off the drawing, Tom has already sold $600.00 worth of tickets. More details will appear in the next newsletter.
Historic Brownsville holds a successful Haiti relief fundraiser
The Rotary Club of Historic Brownsville held a fundraiser at the Sunrise Mall on the weekend of January 16-17. They were able to obtain space and a table in a key hallway in the mall where they were able to solicit donations for the Haiti victims from people passing by who proved to be very eager to give.
The entire club participated in this effort and worked shifts over the course of the entire weekend. As a result of the club’s efforts, in excess of $3,500 was collected and, in turn, was sent to the Rotary International Haiti Relief Fund. Submitted by Robert Hibyan.
Book drive leads to ten lending libraries
With the help of the Rotary Club of Historic Brownsville,
the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College Center
for Civic Engagement (UTB-CCE) completed a book drive during the months of
November and December. The Rotary Club of Historic Brownsville assisted the
UTB-CCE establish 55 drop off sites and distribute the collection boxes to
the selected sites. Other organizations involved in organizing or sponsoring
the book drive were the Brownsville Adult Literacy Center, the Brownsville
Herald, and Healthy Communities of Brownsville.
The goal of the CCE book drive is to establish Lending Libraries and Book Corners at various medical clinics and public assistance agencies located throughout the City of Brownsville. The idea is to provide books to children and engage them to read while waiting with parents at the various waiting rooms located at the various clinics and agencies.
According to Dr. Kathy Bussert-Webb, Director of the UTB-CCE, the book drive resulted in the collection of over 4,000 donated books and establishment of ten Lending Libraries and Book Corners at the various clinics and agencies. Submitted by Bob Lawrence; picture by Sam Pan.
Mike Carlisle receives Volunteer Incentive Program grant
Mike Carlisle, President of the Northwest Corpus Christi club presented
Assistant District Governor, Maxie Houser, with a $750.00 Volunteer
Incentive Program (VIP) grant check from the Verizon Foundation.
As an active Verizon employee, Mike applied for the VIP grant award. When an active employee of Verizon volunteers 50 or more hours during the calendar year with the same organization/school, the Verizon Foundation gives a $750 VIP grant for that organization/school. Mike selected the Rotary Foundation as the recipient of the grant proceeds. Submitted by Mike Carlisle.
From: Chuck Owen, The Laredo Rotary Club
Comments: Good job as always. Comprehensive district coverage. Good reads.
From: Jerry Channell, Rockport Rotary Club
Comments: Jack, Wonderfull job you do. I look at it monthly to see if I could use any writeup in my club's bulletin. Keep up the good reporting.
From: Javier Compean, Laredo Gateway
Comments: Great Job..... Great coverage of our District events. Thanks for your service to Rotary.
From: Paul Petit, AG. Area 12
Comments: Excellent job to all the Rotarians who have submitted an article and special thanks to our district editor... Jack Whitmire
| The South Texas District 5930 Newsletter is published the first day of each month. , Victoria Rotary Club, edits and distributes it. by the 24th of the month prior to publication. Jack is, also, our webmaster. |
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