January 2009

December, 2008—January, 2009

Volume 65, Number 6-7

Rotary Awareness Month

"In the promotion of understanding, it is important to reach large numbers, non-Rotarians as well as Rotarians, and you cannot reach large numbers privately." - Paul Harris

From the Editor

Rotary on the world Wide Web

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I scrapped my first editorial. It just didn’t seem right on the eve of this historical event in our nations history. You see, as I wrap up this issue and send it off to press, I am re-writing my editorial at 9:30 p.m. on January 19, 2009. For the Rotary historians who might be reading this in some sixty years, this is the night before Barack Obama is to be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. I can’t tell you how history will look back on this event. But I can tell you how I hope that this amazing sense of optimism we as a country feel on this date will continue well beyond the pomp and circumstance of the Inaugural. I could write how President Obama should look at the Rotary Four Way to help guide him over the next four or eight years, but I think he already has a pretty good grasp on what it means to put service above self.

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Rotary International Website— www.rotary.org

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Rotary District 5710 Website— www.rotary5710.org

No, what I have to say is that I believe we as a nation are going to be stronger tomorrow and that what President Obama is going to bring is a sense that we are ALL responsible for making our world better each and every day.

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Rotary Club Website— www.downtowntopeka rotary.org

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Rotary International Foundation— www.rotary.org/ foundation

I am proud to be a Rotarian and proud of those things we are doing throughout the world. I sense that in a way, we are all being called to service and to act in unison, bound together by promise and hope of a better world around us. We are called to use our resources and our own unique abilities for the betterment of the community in which we live and to help our fellow human beings in their time of need. Each of us as Rotarians must do something more than come to a meeting once a week. We must utilize our talents and our unique skills to harness the power of our millions of members. Acting together, we can continue to change the world.

Minutes from November Board of Trustees Rotary Club of Topeka Officers

PRESIDENT—Kirk Johnson PRESIDENT-ELECT—Terry Wages VICE-PRESIDENT—Gordon Lansford TREASURER—Gary Knoll SECRETARY—John Wall SERGEANT AT ARMS—Mike Locke Board Members David Beck Alvin Dvorak Glenda DuBoise Fred Gatlin Jennifer Haller Henry McClure Joy Moser Blanche Parks Susan Mauch Past President—Joan Wagnon

THE ROTOPEKA Editor—Greg Hill Published Monthly by the Downtown Rotary Club of Topeka Downtown Ramada Inn, Suite 110 Topeka, Kansas 66607

Secretary’s Report: Terry moved to approve October minutes, Gordon seconded, passed. Treasurer’s Report: We reviewed the financial reports, John moved, Alvin seconded to accept reports. Memorial Contributions: Bereavement committee will make a recommendation at a future meeting. October 31 Membership: 203 Resignations: Frank Ybarra, Lanny Brown, George Webb, Larry Magill, accepted. Terry Sandlin has transferred his membership to the South club (according to a call from their secretary). New Member: Jerry Wittmer has rejoined, Alvin moved to approve, Gordon seconded, passed. Leave of Absence Requests: from Bob Bloomquist and Johnny Huffman, approved. Website Meeting Attendance Proposal: District Governor Vicki Randel will be asked for comment. 2007-08 New Member Project: Terry described working on Armenia school orphanage project with the state, he will have more information at a future meeting. District-wide Polio Fundraising Event: will be discussed at our December board meeting. Christmas Project: Glenda moved that we advance our December cup money to Scott Magnet School, Alvin seconded, passed. Glenda also discussed a project of helping at Highland Park High School, will have more information at a future meeting. Meeting adjourned, next meeting will be December 10, 2008.

Subscription $2.00 per year Periodicals Postage Paid at Topeka, Kansas USPS 471860 POSTMASTER: Send address change to Rotopeka 420 SE 6th, Suite 110 Topeka, KS 66607 Rotopeka deadline is two weeks prior to the first Thursday of the month

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Respectfully submitted, John Wall, Secretary

Message from the President By Kirk Johnson, President

Has anyone ever asked you WHAT EXACTLY DOES TOPEKA ROTARY DO? Here is one answer. About a year ago, our club started a dialogue with the Rotary Club of Narayanganj, Bangladesh to determine if we could cooperatively provide funds for an ambulance for the Narayanganj Diabetic Hospital. The Narayanganj hospital provides care for 250-300 people per day, mainly from low and middle income families. An ambulance is needed to provide transportation for critical care patients. Thanks to all of you and other partners, this much needed ambulance will soon be a reality. Our own Topeka Rotary Club is contributing $1,500 to the project. There are also matching grants from our District #5710, matching funds from District #3280 in Bangladesh, and a gift of $10,000 from the Islamic Medical Association of North America: altogether $25,000! SPECIAL THANKS to Dr. Ashraf Sufi – the immediate past president of IMANA – Rehan Reza, Larry Dimmitt, Joan Wagnon and Blanche Parks for the work that they have done to bring this project to fruition. The organization that we know as Rotary is able to accomplish much throughout the world through individual efforts of individual people like Ash, Rehan, Larry, Joan and Blanche. We need more people to continue to accomplish our goals. Won’t you please take the time to invite one or two folks that you know would make great Rotarians to an upcoming meeting? Once you do, I think it will be easy to ask them to become a Rotarian. Best wishes for a health and happy 2009!

German Rotarians team up with publisher on book project By Sandra Prufer Rotary International News -- 7 January 2009

Rotary clubs in Germany have teamed up with science book publisher Wissen Media to release a 192-page book highlighting Rotary projects that are saving lives and improving the living conditions of people in the world. Blue Planet: Together for a Better World was unveiled at the RI presidential membership conference in Vienna in December. The book project was initiated by the Rotary Club of Dorfen. The book includes 77 groundbreaking Rotary club projects and discusses the vital contribution of volunteers in helping to address global challenges, such as natural disasters, epidemics, climate change, conflicts, and war.

Blue Planet: Together for a Better World was unveiled at the RI presidential membership conference in Vienna in December.

"Initially, we just wanted to publish a photo book in a small edition to present our club projects and raise funds for PolioPlus," says Matthias Lange, who coordinated the project with his wife, Ute, also a Rotarian. The couple, who own a TV production company, consulted with the publisher of Wissen Media who suggested adding editorial content. "After a brainstorm we realized that this could grow into a bigger, more ambitious project, and we invited all German clubs to join," says Lange. In the following months, dozens of clubs submitted project descriptions. The Germanlanguage Rotary regional magazine and Rotary International staff provided additional content and photos to illustrate international projects. District 1840 (part of Austria; Germany) also received an RI Public Relations Grant for the book project. A portion of the proceeds from sale of the book, available in Germany and through the German language Web site www.buchprojekt.org, will benefit PolioPlus.

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Rotary Briefs

What does Rotary Do? The next time you are asked what our club does, remember all the wonderful projects we have helped make a reality. Here are several of those projects:

Christmas in April Help with TARC Winter Wonderland Dictionaries in School

The Rotary District Youth Exchange Officer is beginning to receive applications from foreign students interested in spending the 2009 -2010 school year in Northeast Kansas. We have applications from Spain, France, and Italy and will probably get applications from Denmark, Chile, Romania and Switzerland. If you have an interest in hosting a high school student for part of the next school year (2 or 3 host families per student) or just want more information please contact David Beck [email protected] or 274-3382. RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Academy) has moved to KU! Designed for high school students who will be sophomores, juniors and seniors next school year, RYLA will be held May 31 – June 4, 2009. It is not necessary to have a family member in Rotary to attend. For more information, contact Susan Mauch at [email protected] or at 235-9511.

Dental Screenings

December Minutes

Scholarships for Washburn Students

Secretary’s Report: November minutes were approved as presented.

Florence Crittenden Services RYLA Vocational Day for Junior High

Treasurer’s Report: The financial reports were reviewed, Gordon moved, David seconded to accept reports.

Christmas Bureau

Gary reported that 3 members are three quarters or more delinquent. He proposed that a letter be written to members that are three quarters or more past due with their dues requesting that they pay or submit a letter of resignation.

Sponsor East Avondale Activities

November 30 Membership: 199

Polio Reconstructive Surgery— India

Leave of Absence Request: was received from Jose Davis for the duration of his deployment. Approved.

Cataract Surgery—Pakistan

Bangladesh Ambulance Project: The application and matching grant have been completed, signed and forwarded to the Trustees for decision.

Sponsor Ambassadorial Scholars

Ambulance Project—Bangladesh Medical Team—Panama Shelter Box Books for Peace Corp Volunteers And Much, Much More

Holiday Party: will be December 18. Jennifer reported on meal prices and children’s menu. Everyone will have a plated meal. Valentine Day Program: Gordon reported that theValentine program would include a musical presentation. Avondale East Elementary School has invited us to attend a book delivery at their school. Laptop Computer: Gordon reported that a laptop would be very helpful for programs when the projector is used. We will ask for a donation of one from an organization or a club member.

GSE Sponsor: David reported that Phil Coolidge has a request to sponsor GSE, David moved, Gordon seconded to approve $200 each (for 2 people) from club funds. Passed. Memorial Contributions: Joy reported on their committee’s decision. They will have a written recommendation at the January board meeting. 2008-09 Goals: Kirk asked that we be prepared to review their status at the January board meeting. Next board meeting will be January 14, 2009. Meeting adjourned.

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Historic Moments The Rotarian through time Story from Rotary International From its humble beginnings as a 12-page periodical, The Rotarian has grown into an award-winning publication with a circulation of over 500,000, inspiring the creation of a host of Rotary regional magazines. The first issue of The National Rotarian appeared in January 1911. It included news items from existing clubs, announcements of new clubs, and an essay written by Paul P. Harris, in which he discussed the purpose of Rotary clubs. As president of Rotary, Harris, along with secretary Chesley R. Perry, launched the publication as a way to share information with a growing number of Rotarians. Perry was the magazine’s first editor and held the position until 1928. The formation of clubs in Canada and Great Britain and Ireland prompted the magazine to change its name to The Rotarian in 1912. Early on, the magazine focused on business ethics, character development, and membership growth. Throughout the years, well-known critics and authors and popular artists and photographers contributed their work to its covers and pages. The first issue of The National Rotarian included news, announcements, and an essay written by Paul P. Harris

In addition to The Rotarian , the Rotary World Magazine Press produces 31 Rotary regional magazines. These publications are produced independently by Rotarians, distributed in more than 130 countries, and published in over 20 languages.

The first regional magazine was published in Great Britain and Ireland in 1915. In the 1920s, a regional magazine in Australia became the predecessor of Rotary Down Under and the first regional publication to gain RI approval. For more historical information about Rotary, visit Rotary History and Archives or the Rotary Global History Fellowship.

Of the things we think, say or do: Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?"

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Topeka Rotary Club Makes Donation to Scott Magnet School Thanks in part to a $500 gift from the Topeka Rotary Club, the Scott Magnet School staff was able to purchase 475 Christmas gifts for each of the nearly 500 students to the school in the heart of East Topeka. Scott Computer Technology Magnet School has a diverse student population with ninety-four percent low income. ―Scott Magnet’s staff would like to raise our glasses and recognize your contribution to our annual visit from Santa Clause to assure that each one of our students receives at least one Christmas gift this season,‖ said Deborah Sidwell, Principal, Scott Computer Technology Magnet. ―We as a staff were able to purchase 475 Christmas gifts for each our students. Santa Claus donated his day to visit with each of twenty-six classes in the lobby at Scott. It was a sight to behold. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and recognized throughout our building on this very special day.‖ For more photos, please visit the Topeka Rotary Club website at www.downtowntopekarotary.org.

Meeting Makeups Topeka West—Wednesday, 7 AM Marriott Courtyard, 2033 SW Wannamaker Topeka South—Friday, 7 AM— Kansas Room, Washburn University Memorial Union Topeka North—Wednesday, noon—Topeka North YMCA Board Room. 1936 NW Tyler.

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