October 2009

Message from the District Governor

October is Vocational Service month. In my official visits, I have been telling clubs that Vocational Service is my personal passion. High ethical standards may well be Rotary’s greatest gift. As RI President John Kenney said, “I have long believed that the bedrock of Rotary is our commitment to ethical behavior. It has been putting right above what is convenient – and Service Above Self – that has made Rotary different from the rest.”

You can go to George's blog directly, or just look on the left side of the home page of the website.

Calendar Events

Oct. 26: Foundation SeminarWofford College. Our keynote speaker will be Phil Lader, the Rotary’s 2007 Global Service to Humanity Award winner. Phil is a former Ambassadorial Scholar and is a great speaker. Signups can be made on the District website.

Go to the online calendar.

Got a Foundation question? Call Rich?
Rich Waugh District Foundation chair 803.648.0417

August Membership/Attendance Report (PDF).

Financial update from the RI general secretary

Rotary weathered the recent financial crisis with less damage than feared

While we wait for Rotary’s independent auditors to complete the audit of Rotary’s 2008-09 financial statements, preliminary results indicate that Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation have weathered the recent financial crisis with less damage than we had feared. RI’s investment losses dropped from over US$26 million in February to approximately $12 million for the fiscal year ended 30 June 2009. The Rotary Foundation, which had suffered more severely in the investment markets, also recouped some of its losses by year-end — going from over $222 million in losses in February to $164 million for the year. These reversals, along with 2008-09 spending reductions, enabled the Foundation Trustees to reinstate an additional $2.3 million in Matching Grant funds for 2009-10, an action that will strengthen Rotarians’ humanitarian efforts this year.

Read Ed Futa's report.

Rotary Foundation Banquet and Seminar

Featuring former Ambassador to the UK and former ambassadorial scholar Phil Lader

Monday, October 26, 2009,
in the Richardson Building,
Wofford College
350 Evins St.
Spartanburg, SC 29303
864-597-4000

Download a flyer that incudes an agenda.

Go Here to Register (log in, click Goto Register Me)

PDG Bill Clark

PDG William Elliott "Bill" Clark, 80, of 104 Hemlock Court, Milford Manor, died Wednesday, Sept. 23.

Bill served as governor in 1998-99 after having served as a governor's area representative and a lieutenant governor. Since 1971 he had been a member of the Rotary Club of Greenwood. He was the recipient of Rotary' Service Above Self Award, was a Paul Harris Fellow and a Rotary Foundation Benefactor.

Born in New Bedford, Mass., Bill was a graduate of Nichols College, where he received his degree in business administration and accounting. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean Conflict. He retired in 1998.

Bill was a volunteer for HospiceCare of the Piedmont and in April 2009, was awarded their "Heart of Hospice" Award. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, where he has served as a deacon, an elder, a member of the Chancel Choir and the GAP (Golden Age Presbyterians) and was a past member of the Heritage Room Committee.

Group Study Exchange team to Australia
	Patrick Lee: Team Leader-Seneca Golden Corner, past president, retired Chief of Police Orange County California and Executive Director Oconee County Chamber of Commerce.
		Dan Garrison: Sponsored by Electric City Rotary Club; Human Resources Manager for Milliken & Company; Clemson University: BA Political Science and Masters Human Resource Development.
		Jennifer Jeffrey: Sponsored by Greenville Rotary Club; Staff Attorney for SC Legal Services; University of Florida: BA English and Law Degree from Cumberland School of Law- Birmingham, Alabama.
		Amanda Voyles: Sponsored by Greenville Breakfast Rotary Club; Greenville Hospital System Children’s Hospital Outpatient Center/Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Certified Diabetes Educator; Wofford College: BS Biology; Emory University: BS Nursing and MS in Nursing/Pediatric Nurse Practioner.
		Allison Walkenhorst: Sponsored by Simpsonville Rotary Club; Greenville County Schools-Woodmont High School Social Studies Teacher; Wofford College-BA and Augusta State University-MA.

The Exit Parade

by PDG Myles Golden
District Membership Chair

In our District Membership Workshops we addressed the issues of finding good prospects to become Rotarians, getting them in the club and, lastly, keeping them. This month let’s discuss the latter; keeping them. In Mary Chapman’s book Growing Rotary she refers to the “exit parade,” I agree with her comments that “membership development is more than just recruiting members. Keeping them is the greatest challenge.” And in these tough economic times keeping them is even more difficult. Read five suggestions you might want to consider for your club’s retention problem.

Rotarian Walter Jacobs and his granddaughter, helpeed fit this young child. The child's face is obscured to protect him.

Greenville East helps foster kids pick out shoes

Greenville East Rotarians helped more than 100 foster children in Greenville County pick out new shoes for the school year.

Shoe Night was held at Shoe Carnival, which gave foster parents a 20 percent discount on the shoes.Earlier this year, Greenville East contributed $1,000 to the Foster Parents Association of Greenville County to help buy shoes for every foster child in the county.

One 15-year-old said participating in Shoe Night was the first time he had ever been able to choose a new pair of shoes for himself.

District Governor George Fletcher
Rotary Club of Greenville

205 Rosebay Drive | Greenville, SC 29615
864.380.6392 |DG@rotary7750.org

Send items for newsletter to Editor@rotary7750.org.