The Squeaking Wheel
Rotary District 6200
The Governor’s
Newsletter
Volume 2004, Issue 7
Pam Daniels, DG
January 2005
The
Squeaking Wheel, The District Governor’s Newsletter, is a monthly publication
of Rotary International, District 6200, edited by the District Secretary, Drake
Stansbury & General Secretary Janice Bradshaw
Table of Contents
• Governor Pam’s Message
• Calendar/ Upcoming Events & Reminders
•
December Message from President Glenn E. Estess Sr.
•
Solidarity in
•
Frequently Asked Questions about Rotary’s Response
to the Tsunami Disaster
• “Spinning in the District”
–
Rotary Club of Golden Meadow Christmas Project
–
Ambassadorial Scholarship Report by Steven Latuso
–
Nominate a Young Hero Today
–
The Governor’s Cup Award
• Ambassadorial Scholars Receive Training
•
20 Ways to Boost Club Membership
•
Calling All Rotarians
•
Rotary Figures at a Glance
• Attendance
• District Foundation Goals
Governor Pam
Daniels’ Message
Dear Fellow Rotarians:
To all in District 6200 I
wish a Happy New Year and urge everyone to Celebrate Rotary’s 100th Birthday on
This Rotary Awareness Month
and every club should attempt to make their community aware of Rotary’s
accomplishments locally and internationally.
For too many years, Rotary has carried out its projects in silence, with
little effort to publicize them. It is
now time to expand our public relations efforts and what better time than in
our Centennial year. Many clubs have
members of the media as members of their local Rotary Clubs, while others have
a relationship with the local media enabling them to get media coverage of
their local projects. Dedications of
Centennial projects, Rotary’s Birthday, February 23rd, Rotary International
influence in beginning the United Nations and Worldwide Polio Eradication
Campaign are important to bolster local clubs image, which in turn increases
membership and local contributions.
We have all been aware of the
horrible losses experienced surrounding the
Calendar of Events 
•
December 31 – Clubs elect 2005-06 officers;
send names of President & Secretary-Elect to RI, District Governor,
District Governor-Elect & District General Secretary; also send directory
information to RI ~ Official Directory/New Incoming Officers forms can be
obtained at: http://www.rotary.org/newsroom/downloacenter/pdfs/od_data_form_write.pdf
•
January 5 –
Monthly Attendance Report due to district office
•
January 29 –
Mid-Year Assembly in
•
January 31 –
District Dues are to be sent to District Treasurer Larry Callais
•
February 4 –
Resolutions from clubs due to Governor Pam
•
February 18-25 –
RI Training for District Governors Elect in
•
February 23 –
Nominations for The Governors Cup Award due to the district office
President Glenn’s Message
I feel a growing sense of anticipation as we count down to Rotary’s centennial. As we approach Rotary’s 100th anniversary next month, thousands of clubs around the world are planning service projects, banquets, parties, and other special events to mark this milestone occasion.
January is Rotary Awareness Month, an ideal opportunity to enhance the public image of Rotary. We are very fortunate to serve as Rotarians during this historic time. Our centennial birthday may be our greatest opportunity to tell the public about Rotary. Even though the organization is nearly 100 years old, many people still are not familiar with Rotary’s purpose or humanitarian mission.
RI is offering a wide range of public relations tools to assist Rotarians in promoting the centennial. These resources include two Centennial Promotional Kits, PowerPoint presentations on various aspects of Rotary history, and a special video on Rotary humanitarian efforts. In early 2005, clubs and districts will receive a CD-ROM with public service announcements for television, radio, print, and billboards as part of a global public image campaign. Many clubs are preparing their own centennial displays for libraries, town halls, and storefronts, as well as newspaper sections and inserts on community projects and profiles of local club members.
To enhance awareness in your community, work with the local media to cover your efforts. During this centennial year, I am asking Rotarians to carry out projects in four areas of emphasis – family of Rotary, health concerns, literacy, and water management.
Volunteer to serve on your club’s centennial committee and make a difference. The centennial is the time to recruit new members and get them immediately involved in a Centennial Community Project.
You can celebrate the centennial in a way that best matches the traditions, customs, and culture of your region. Rotary’s Web site (www.rotary.org) lists 100 ways to commemorate the centennial and promote awareness.
And of course, don’t forget the grandest celebration of all
– the 2005 RI Convention in
Solidarity in
•
To assist
Rotarians in supporting longer-term recovery efforts in communities in South
Asia that have been hit by the deadly tsunami, The Rotary Foundation will
accept contributions earmarked for Solidarity in South Asia.
•
You may
contribute to the Solidarity in
•
Rotary districts
who wish to donate District Designated Funds (DDF) to the Solidarity in
•
Tax receipts will
be issued where applicable. Please check with the RI office serving your area
(below) to see if your country allows tax deductions for contributions to the
disaster relief effort. Contributions made to the Solidarity in South Asia Fund
will not receive Rotary Foundation recognition credit.
•
In countries with
currency restrictions, such as
•
The Rotary Foundation
Frequently Asked Questions about
Rotary’s Response to the Tsunami Disaster
•
How can our club/district contribute to relief
efforts?
Your club/district can contribute by sending a contribution directly to a club or district in an affected country, contributing to the
“Solidarity
in South Asia” fund through the usual Rotary Foundation channels, or
contributing to international relief agencies, such as the Red Cross or UNICEF. Donations to the “Solidarity in
•
I would like to send donations-in-kind. Whom
should I contact?
Because individuals in the affected areas have limited access to airports,
roads, and bridges, please consider sending funds, which are much easier to
accept, rather than donations-in-kind. If you would like to coordinate a
donations-in-kind project to assist with longer-term relief efforts, please
work with a Rotary club in one of the affected countries. You may consider
applying for a Matching Grant through The Rotary Foundation to cover the
cost of transportation.
•
How is Rotary International helping with relief
efforts?
RI has posted relief initiatives being undertaken by clubs and districts
in the affected countries on its Web site. In addition, the RI president and
Rotary Foundation trustee chair have set up the Solidarity
in South Asia fund to allow Rotarians to contribute to relief
efforts through the usual Rotary Foundation channels. RI has also collaborated
with the American Red Cross and UNICEF to develop a mechanism for tracking donations that
Rotarians make to these organizations. RI will receive reports of the total
U.S. dollar amounts. Details can be found at www.rotary.org.
•
My club/district is in a country affected by the
tsunami and is setting up a bank account to accept contributions for relief
efforts. How can I get this information posted on the RI Web site?
Please e-mail a brief summary of the relief efforts your club is coordinating
and contact information for a Rotarian who can provide more details to wcs@rotary.org. Although RI
will not post bank account information on its Web site, it will list Rotarian
contact information for interested donors. Clubs and districts setting up a
bank account for contributions for relief efforts are encouraged to open an
account that is separate from any club, district, or individual account so that
contributions for the relief effort will not be comingled with other funds.
Frequently
Asked Questions (Continued)
•
How will contributions to the Solidarity in
The decision for the use of these funds will be made by the Trustees of The
Rotary Foundation, based on their determination of where they can provide the
greatest benefit. Several trustees are from tsunami-affected countries and will
be able provide solid insight and be a part of the decision process. All of the
funds collected will be used in support of the disaster.
•
How can we volunteer to assist with the disaster
relief efforts?
Clubs and districts in the affected areas are assessing the damage and working
to address immediate needs for food, medical supplies, and water. Humanitarian
aid is being administered by local volunteers under the direction of
governments and nongovernmental agencies in the region. At a later date, you
may wish to offer your assistance as a volunteer. Please work with Rotarians in
the affected areas if you want to organize a volunteer effort. The Rotary
Foundation’s Individual Grants can be used to fund travel-related
expenses of eligible applicants for direct humanitarian service to tsunami
victims in need of long-term recovery assistance.
•
Will Rotarians receive Paul Harris Fellow
Recognition for contributions made to the Solidarity in
No. It is hoped that Rotarians will see these gifts as a donation that does not
require recognition. This might be compared to making a gift to the American
Red Cross, UNICEF, or another volunteer organization specifically in the
interest of covering the needs of the disaster. In order to ensure that the
Foundation’s staff and resources are fully dedicated to the urgent task of
responding to the disaster and to avoid the additional expense of processing
Foundation recognition, no tangible recognition items will be given.
•
Why isn’t Rotary International or The Rotary
Foundation accepting donations for immediate disaster relief?
What makes Rotary International unique and effective is its established network
for providing long-term humanitarian assistance to communities in need. To
provide immediate relief in the event of a disaster, Rotarians are encouraged
to work with longstanding international relief agencies that are equipped to
allocate money quickly and effectively to aid disaster victims. After the
immediate needs of food, water, and medical supplies have been met, RI and The
Rotary Foundation will support clubs in implementing projects such as
infrastructure, safe water installations, school equipment, surgery rooms, and
more.
•
Can the affected districts use their available DDF
in support of the disaster?
Yes. Districts in affected countries can direct DDF contributions to the Solidarity
in South Asia fund. The Trustees of The Rotary Foundation will, in turn,
determine specific use of the donated DDF.
Frequently
Asked Questions (Continued)
•
May contributions to the Solidarity in
No. In order to provide the Trustees and RI Board of Directors the flexibility
to respond to the most pressing needs in the affected areas, contributions will
not be accepted for specified countries or districts. Donors interested in
contributing to a specific region or district should consider the relief funds
established by international agencies, clubs, and districts in those areas,
some of which are listed on the RI Web site.
•
Is my contribution tax deductible?
In some cases it will be. In other cases, you are advised to consult with the
international office for your area or your local tax authorities.
•
Will this relief effort affect Rotary’s efforts to
reach its US$100 million Annual Programs Fund goal for 2004-05?
The Association of Professional Fundraisers believes that people recognize the
tsunami relief effort as a special gift, over and above what individuals and
organizations would normally give. Using 9/11 as a historical indicator, the
association predicts that charities working on issues unrelated to tsunami
relief will likely see a decrease in their fundraising for the short term
(three to four weeks, perhaps longer in some cases). However, most charities
should not experience any long-term impact from the tsunami relief efforts;
this was the case after 9/11 and other major national and international
tragedies. The Rotary Foundation’s post-9/11 experience supports this view.
Given the significance of the centennial year, it is expected that the Annual
Programs Fund goal for the year will be met.
•
Where should we send stories and photos about
Rotarians’ involvement with relief efforts?
Please send all stories and photos for possible inclusion in Rotary World,
The Rotarian, and the RI Web site to rotarian@rotaryintl.org.
For questions about media coverage, please contact Wayne Hearn (tel.:
•
Whom should I contact if I have additional
questions?
Any additional questions can be directed to Susan Schneider (tel:
•
Questions relating to The Rotary Foundation can be
directed to Jon
Stillman (tel:
Spinning in the District
Rotary
Club of Golden Meadow Christmas Project
Pictured are Rotarians with the Rotary Club of Golden Meadow (Left to Right ~ Frank Boura, Gary Champagne and Mike Callais) delivering toys and food collected by the club to families of their community for Christmas.
Ambassadorial Scholarship Report
by Steven Latuso
Steven Latuso is one of our
ambassadorial scholars studying in
The great American author
Mark Twain, who once lived in
I began my Rotary
scholarship period with one month of intensive language training in
After moving to
In the Spring semester, I
plan to extend my university studies beyond the fall of the
Adapting to the Italian,
and more specifically Sicilian, way of life has been challenging in many
ways. No amount of preparation could
have possibly prepared me for the amount of frustration I would meet before
settling in comfortably in
I do not think I could
have successfully met the challenges of living in
Nominate a Young
Hero Today
Young people live in your
community who have overcome adversity, inspired others through their deeds and
strength of character or performed a significant community service and who
deserve to be recognized for it. What
could be more in keeping with the spirit
of Rotary than to help them receive that recognition? Your Rotary Club can do it now by answering
the call for nominations which has just been issued for the 10th annual
At least eight statewide
winners will be honored with this prestigious award in
All students age 18 or
younger who reside in
Every Rotary Club in our
District should assist these remarkable young people. All nominations must be received by
The Governor’s Cup Award 
The Governor’s Cup Award was created so that we can
annually honor a District 6200 Rotarian who best exemplifies the ideals of
Rotary and demonstrates extraordinary service, especially at the Club and
District level. We will recognize the
recipient at our District Conference in
Each Rotary Club in District 6200, through its President, may submit one (1) nomination for this award.
Eligibility:
• Any active Rotarian of RI Distr4ict 6200 in good standing.
• An individual may only receive the award once.
• It is not possible to nominate oneself for the award.
• Members of RI District 6200 Advisory Committee are not eligible as this Committee will review all nominations and make a recommendation to the District Governor.
• Rotarians of District 6200 who serve as RI Director, RI Director-Elect, Past RI Director (within 2 years of having held position), Rotary Foundation Trustee, Rotary Foundation Trustee-Designate and Past Rotary Foundation Trustee (within 2 years of having held position) may not be nominated.
Criteria
• Nominees must have demonstrated exemplary service through their involvement in each of the Four Avenues of Service (Club, Community, Vocational and International)
• Service rendered by nominees should exemplify what Rotary embodies, including “Service Above Self” and “The Four Way Test”.
• Service rendered by the nominee through Rotary must be on a continuing basis.
• Nominees should demonstrate their support of The Rotary Foundation and be actively involvement in programs of The Rotary Foundation.
Nomination Guidelines
• Each Rotary Club in District 6200, through its President, may submit one (1) nomination.
• Nominations must be limited to the space provided on the prescribed form and must include a clear summary of the nominee’s Rotary activities.
•
All nominations for the Governor’s Cup to be considered
b the RI District 6200 Advisory Committee must be received by the District
General Secretary on or before
Ambassadorial Scholars Receive
Training
•
The District’s
four Ambassadorial Scholars destined for overseas travel in 2005-06 have
successfully completed Rotary training for their year abroad. District
Scholarship coordinator and Rotarian Donna Landry accompanied three of the four
to a multi-district outbound scholar training session in Austin, Texas, in early
January, while the fourth completed a November session in Nashville.
•
Among those
trained in
•
Outbound scholar
training consists of a weekend of presentations on program requirements, Rotary
facts and figures, tips for living and studying abroad and experiences of
former scholars.
•
Applications are
now being taken for students interested in studying abroad as Rotary scholars
in 2006-07. Completed applications must be sent with a Rotary Club endorsement to Donna Landry,
Photographed at a recent
Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars Training Program in
20 Ways to Boost Club Membership
Struggling with
membership? Here are some simple, proven
ideas to help your club grow.
If your Rotary Club
is like most, membership growth is a constant challenge. One month, you pick up
one or two new members and the next month, you may lose one. Even if your club
is active and successful, some members will leave due to job transfers, career
changes or for a variety of other reasons. That is why every club must be
continually on the lookout for prospective new members.
Not only does increased membership add to your club’s ability to conduct
effective service projects, but additional new members bring fresh ideas and
different perspectives. New members will expand opportunities for service both
locally and internationally. It is not always easy to attract new members. But
the benefits they can provide are worth the effort. Following are 20 simple,
proven methods for boosting your club’s membership.
1.
Take turns
inviting guests ~ At least one member
should be expected to bring a guest every week.
2.
Organize teams
of 4 or 5 club members ~ Each team is
to recruit one new member. The team
needs one member who is active in the community, one knowledgeable about Rotary
and one who is prepared to make calls to sell Rotary.
3.
Go public ~ Work on a public relations campaign.
4.
Feature great
programs ~ Once you succeed in
getting guests to a meeting, make sure they like what they see.
5.
Educate
members ~ The more your members know
about Rotary, the better they will be able to sell Rotary to prospective
members.
6.
Start a
speaker’s bureau ~ Just as outside
speakers promote their causes to your club, your members can visit other
organizations and talk about how they are helping the community, eradicating
polio, and sending more than 7,000 Youth Exchange Students around the world.
7.
Look up old
friends ~ Pull out some of your
club’s old membership rosters.
8.
Make the most
of your service projects ~ Every time
your club conducts a service project, promote Rotary to those you are serving.
9.
Knock on doors ~ Drop off a club brochure or newsletter to stores
and businesses in your community and invite the owners or managers to an
upcoming meeting.
10. Set up shop
~ Rent a booth at town fairs or trade shows and hand out Rotary information.
Membership (Continued)
11. Learn from others ~ Attend the district conference, district assembly, district
leadership seminar and ensure your club is well represented at the district
membership seminar.
12. Sing your praises ~ Don’t be bashful about your involvement in Rotary.
- Increase your circulation ~ Send copies of your clubs bulletin to prospective members, media professionals and to former members.
- Recognize recruiters ~ When a member recruits a new member, publicly
thank and do something special to show that member (and everyone else)
just how important it is to bring in new members.
- Roll out the welcome mat ~ Whenever a guest comes to a meeting, assign a
longtime member to accompany the prospect and make sure he or she gets a
good introduction to your Rotary club.
- Use Rotary business cards ~ Every time you hand out a card, you’ll be
introducing another person to Rotary.
- Put prospects to work ~ If your club is planning an upcoming service
project, ask several prospective members to get involved. Perhaps hands-on involvement may be just
the thing to prod some good prospects into making a commitment to Rotary.
- Plan a fun event ~ Not sure you want to put prospects to work
before they join? Then how about
organizing a party or other fun event?
While having a good time, you can also work in some Rotary education
and even a soft-sell invitation to join.
- Just the fax ~ Ask members to round up business cards. Come up with a nice
letter inviting managers of these businesses to a free lunch at your next
club meeting.
- Put your club on display ~ Are there any vacant storefronts on a nearby
street or in a nearby shopping mall?
If so, contact the owner and ask if your Rotary Club can use a
front window to display a poster and other information on your Rotary
Club. Make sure to provide the
names and phone numbers of club leaders who can be contacted for more
information.
CALLING
HELP CELEBRATE 100 YEARS OF ROTARY
To mark 100 years of Rotary
we have devised a fun quiz that we hope many Rotarians, family and friends will
enter. We are asking all Rotarians to
please take part in this unique event so that we can claim the record of ‘The
World’s Largest Quiz’ and attract much needed publicity for Rotary.
Not everyone enjoys puzzles
and quizzes but we are hoping that you will enter into the spirit of this
Centennial Quiz by making an entry. You
can also encourage friends and family to participate.
The publicity about Rotary
will only be possible if enough people join in.
Remember that taking part is the important thing and it should be
fun. There will be one individual quiz
winner and RI will be the biggest winner of all if we can get the attention of
the World Press.
As an extra incentive we are
making a small entry charge of US$2 to raise money for Rotary funds and provide
a prize. 25% of the money raised will go
to the Club of the winning entrant and 65% will go directly to The Rotary
Foundation. The small balance of 10%
will go into our club’s Charity Account.
You can be assured that the entire revenue from this quiz will be spent
wisely through the Rotary movement.
Please visit our website now
for more details and mail the link to all your friends: www.amwellrotarycentennialquiz.org.uk
Making an entry is very easy
once you have worked out your answers.
We need as many entries as
possible to create a new World Record.
Please remember to enter
before the closing date,
Thank you for your support
from your colleagues in the Rotary Club of
Rotary Figures at a Glance 
Rotary International & The Rotary Foundation Budget for 2003-04 $196.9 million
Rotary International Founded 1905
Budget for 2003-04 $74.6 million
65% of RI’s expense budget is covered by annual
dues & magazine subscription fees.
Membership 1,243,431 Rotarians as of
31,256 Rotary Clubs
530 Rotary Districts as of 30 June
2003
165 Countries
40 geographical regions
Women in Rotary 137,804 Women Rotarians (estimated)
21,554 Clubs w/woman members
(estimated)
Interact Clubs 199,939 Members (estimated)
Started in 1962 8,693 Clubs
111 countries & geographical
regions
Rotaract Clubs 169,671 Members (estimated)
Started in 1968 7,377 Clubs
154 countries & geographical
regions
Rotary Community Corps 4,769 corps
Started in 1986 69 countries & geographical
regions
Rotary Youth Exchange 7,000 youths participate annually (estimated)
Started in 1929 85 countries & regions involved
in 1998-2003
Figures at a Glance (Continued)
The Rotary Foundation
Founded 1917
Budget for 2003-2004 ~ $122.3 million
$101.7 million for program
awards and operations
$21.0 million for scholarships & University
teachers awards
$31.8 million for PolioPlus awards
$23.8 million for Matching Grants and Helping
Grants
$3.3 million Group Study Exchange
$8.2 million for other program awards
$13.6 million for program operations
$14.1 million fund
development (includes $0.9 million for Eradication Campaign)
$6.5 million for general
administration
Total program awards &
expenses since 1947: $1.382 billion
($94.1 million in 2002-03)
Contributions from
Rotarians and others, Budget for 2003-04 $112.6
million
•
$70.5 million
Annual programs Fund
•
$12.1 million for
Permanent Fund
•
$30.0 million for
Polio Plus Fund
Paul Harris Fellows 858,382
as of June 2003
(First PHF – 1957 ~ 70% of
annual contributions are derived from PHF recognitions)
Rotary Foundation
Benefactors
60,590 total Benefactors
Rotary District 6200 Attendance for
December 2004
|
Club |
Members as of |
Current Members |
% Attendance |
Rank |
|
GROUP I |
Membership |
To 25 Members |
|
|
|
Baker BR Capital City Denham Springs DeQuincy False River/NewRds Golden Meadow Grand Isle Kaplan Mamou North Ascension |
18 15 21 17 14 17 13 19 21 12 13 23 22 18 20 21 |
22 14 21 18 15 18 12 19 21 11 12 24 20 18 20 21 |
76.13 40.00 70.88 70.00 88.89 68.75 87.00 69.00 75.00 87.20 74.07 93.00 |
II I |
|
GROUP II |
Membership |
26 to 50 Members |
|
|
|
Beau- Vernon Sun DeRidder Donaldsonville East Ascension Kinder Oakdale Patterson Plaquemine Port Allen St. Martinville Welsh Ville Platte Zachary |
29 30 28 47 46 37 27 47 41 37 46 28 28 49 29 32 35 49 44 |
34 32 28 43 45 32 27 50 40 36 44 30 28 48 29 32 34 57 46 |
86.00 67.24 65.00 72.87 86.80 84.50 71.00 45.37 76.37 71.00 53.00 59.57 66.70 84.00 57.00 68.00 |
II I |
Attendance (Continued)
|
Club |
Members as of |
Current Members |
% Attendance |
Rank |
|
GROUP |
Membership |
51 to 75 Members |
|
|
|
Abbeville Eunice Gonzales Greater St. Francisville |
55 70 69 59 54 57 71 69 68 56 71 |
53 65 64 59 51 68 65 68 60 53 70 |
74.43 70.00 41.80 57.00 91.67 64.71 77.00 64.00 86.21 52.38 76.06 |
I II |
|
GROUP IV |
Membership |
76 and over Members |
|
|
|
|
514 133 155 99 |
511 126 148 93 |
71.00 74.28 51.14 |
II I |
|
District Totals |
2592 |
2555 |
70.62% |
|
2004-05 Foundation Goals for Clubs of
District 6200
CLUB GOAL 0405 CLUB GOAL 0405
Abbeville 5,600
Baker 2,000
Baton Rouge
35,000 18,398
BR –
Baton Rouge Sunrise
12,000 5,075
Beauregard-Vernon Sun1,400 100
Denham Springs 1,700 483
DeQuincy 1,300 New Iberia 2,000
DeRidder 2,000 North Ascension 1,000
Donaldsonville 1,200 Oakdale 4,000
East Ascension 3,000
Eunice 2,200
False River/New Roads1,000 Patterson 1,500
Golden Meadow 600 Port Allen 1,500
Gonzales 4,000 St. Francisville 5,600 865
Grand Isle 400
Greater
Kaplan 1,000 Welsh 2,800
Kinder 3,000 2,700
T O T A L $45,431