of five years.”
Do you know of a Rotarian who has committed themselves whole-heartedly to the effort to eradicate Polio? Doesn’t that person deserve special recognition for the extended and persistent effort they have made on this vitally important mission? As a Rotarian, this is your opportunity to seek such public recognition for that person. Rotary International is to soon present Service Awards for a Polio-Free World, and you can nominate a Rotarian you know to be so deserving. Here are the easy steps to take: Go to this web site and read about the award guidelines. Go to this web site and fill out the application form. Applications must be submitted by November 1, 2012, electronically to firstname.lastname@example.org or faxed to (847) 556-2189. Any Rotarian can nominate any other Rotarian. Don’t let the Polio Avenger in your life go unnoticed. Your club, your community and your district will be proud should they be awarded this monumental honor. Mark Pearce Governor 2012-13
Dear Governor, In a recent opinion piece, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned of the global polio threat: “Wild viruses and wildfires have two things in common. If neglected, they can spread out of control. If handled properly, they can be stamped out for good. Today, the flame of polio is near extinction — but sparks in three countries threaten to ignite a global blaze. Now is the moment to act.” Rotarians have been acting to stamp out polio for the last 26 years, but our work is not yet done. Please note the recent developments in the fight against polio which highlight the need for urgent action: At their May meeting, The World Health Assembly (WHA) declared the completion of polio eradication a programmatic emergency for global public health. In total, 35 member states spoke to offer their strong support to the resolution, many highlighting the feasibility and opportunity of eradication in the near-term, but expressing concern at the ongoing funding gap that is threatening success. The Trustees of The Rotary Foundation recently reaffirmed that polio eradication is the most urgent priority of the organization, and emphasized that Rotary’s continued commitment is critical until the disease is eradicated. The current funding gap remains a threat. At their March 2012 meeting, the Trustees agreed to continue the match currently provided to PolioPlus contributions (US$0.50 from the World Fund for every US$1.00 DDF) as an incentive for districts to contribute DDF and agreed that the available World Fund match will be applied on a first come/first served …
Membership and Extension By: Kara Johnson, Assistant District Governor, Marshfield Club This month’s article is focused on Membership and Extension. How does Rotary’s International Strategic Plan and District 6080’s annual goals fit into each individual club’s goals? A strong, solid and diverse membership helps us accomplish the goals set forth on both the International and District Level. All aspects of Rotary depend on our members. Part of the Strategic Plan is to Support and Strengthen Clubs by fostering club innovation and flexibility; promoting membership diversity; improving member recruitment and retention; developing leaders; starting new, dynamic clubs; and encouraging strategic planning at club and district levels. Our district has two specific goals which help promote and meet the Rotary International Strategic Plan. One of these goals is that every club will have at least 3 members attending the District Conference. Another is that each club will implement a Club Trainer and Rotary Training Program to educate members about Rotary and to increase leader participation at the district level. Developing solid members not only increases commitment and growth for each individual club, but also develops leaders to work with Rotary on a larger scale. With involvement in District and International, we learn the tools needed for all our clubs to thrive. One of Rotary International’s Best Practices for a Vibrant Club is keeping all members involved and informed. We learn through experience an