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Martin and Liz Harvey

 

Events Calendar

District Governor Message
The Final Countdown
 
Well, here we are, just a week away from DISCON and an exciting time in Canmore where we will celebrate the 2015/2016 Rotary year with great keynote speakers, many interesting breakouts, Great entertainment and a lot of fun – one thing is for certain – you will be busy. If you are not yet registered, I would encourage you to do so right away, as places are filling quickly.
 
On Thursday April 21st, a very successful “The Impact Women Make” Event was held at The Coast Hotel and Conference Centre with about 80 Rotarians and Guests in attendance. We were indeed fortunate to have Rotary International Director, Julia Phelps, as our Guest Speaker and she gave an excellent presentation. The event also raised funds - $1800- for the organization, Days for Girls, to supply reusable sanitary products to young females in third world countries, ensuring that they do not have to miss school.
 
Talking about fund raising, The Youth Exchange Students of this District held a great International Dinner with about 200 in attendance, earlier in April. They entertained us all and each one of the students had made a dessert from their country - a lot of very yummy food. They raised $27,260 for Shelter Box – what an amazing feat. If you missed the entertainment, don’t worry, you can catch it again at DISCON in Canmore!
 
Liz and I are still travelling around and if you have any upcoming events that you would like us to attend please let us know and we will see if we can make it.
 
All for now - see you in the Mountains where we will Rise to New Heights!
 
Martin
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Read more...
Reporting on your Service
I got out of the Office !
And went to Honduras with Steve Rickard, Calgary West, Wally Gardiner, High River, and Jim Louttit, Toronto-Sunrise, all of whom are instrumental in Honduras Economic Community Development (HEC). The Insight trip was organized by and we traveled with Jannalee Anderson of Opportunity International and Maria Elena Alvarex, Board member for Institute for Honduras Development. Also with us were Calgary Rotaractors, Sarah Khan and Stephen Chaisson. They took this special opportunity to not only see the IDH loans but also to check on their partnership with Tegucigalpa Rotaractors and the school in Ojojona, Honduras they have been helping to fund over the last couple of years.
The impact of the people and projects we visited was striking. A small loan makes such a huge impact and not just for the original loan recipient but it often sparks ideas and initiatives with family and friends. Spin off economies develop and often the people close to the loan recipient sign up for a loan themselves. 
There is often discussion about the interest rates being high at 3% but the loans are often for only months at a time with 100% payback returns. I just saw the other day where Enmax is charging 3.25% on overdue accounts so even in our developed economy these interest rates are not unheard of and usually with people carrying a small amount over a short period of time, the interest charges total a small amount of the funds received.
 
Some of the projects we visited were a shoe making business. The loan allowed Milton S. to acquire more raw materials and shoe molds. Another loan allowed German P. to repair his moto-taxi and Martha R. makes the best tortillas around so her loan was to increase raw material supplies so she could expand and make more to sell wholesale.
 
Another great loan was made to Marvin R. who with his brother makes bricks. They learned the trade from their father and grandfather so have 80+ years of experience!  The loan was used to increase raw materials so he can increase production. Marvin has contracts to supply his bricks wholesale and now is making environmental clay ovens for export; the clay ovens produce better heat, burn less wood and burn cleaner than similar stoves.
 
To actually witness the changes in people’s lives instead of just imagining that I am assisting through my work with Rotary District 5360 was something I will carry with my. I’m inspired by all Rotarians who do their humanitarian works at home and throughout the world, in every project you take on, and every person you touch.  Thank you.
MicroFinance Partnership in Honduras
While on an April Insight visit to Honduras, High River Rotarian Wally Gardiner met with microfinance project partners at the office of Instituto de Desarolla Hondereno.
 
Seen with Wally is IDH's Chief Executive Officer, Francisco Banegas Arias (left) and Manager of Business, Victor Manuel Funes Solorzano. In Honduras, IDH and Rotary work in partnership with Opportunity International Canada.
 

Photo courtesy Wally Gardiner
Fish Creek Homes of Hope
For the last six years, members of our Club have joined Dan Doherty (RC Calgary West) and the dozens of his recruits to travel to Mexico and build houses with Homes of Hope.  This year, 90-odd (some very odd) people gathered together to build homes for six needy families.  Building conditions were ideal… in past years we have seen torrential-wash-away-your-generator builds as well as I-don’t-care-how-nice-the-weather-is-the-roof-is-too-hot-at-37-degrees-C years.  At both extremes, the job still got done, but this year we were pleased to have moderate heat and no rain.
 
Homes of Hope is a project run by Youth With A Mission (YWAM) and all the qualified builders/translators/support staff are volunteers putting their time in helping the less fortunate.  We recognized many familiar YWAM faces from past years (and several of them remembered us… either from the build or from the “apres hammer” celebrations at Plan B, the closest bar). YWAM coordinates all the builds; from interviewing and selecting potential recipients, to ordering and arranging delivery of the raw materials and concrete foundations, to training the supervisors who manage to keep a bunch of unrepentant do-gooders from cutting off bits of themselves thereby staining the walls with fresh blood/tears/icky stuff.
 
We gathered mid-afternoon one Thursday in March at the airport in San Diego.  Two large buses pulled up to transport us across the Mexican border down to the YWAM campus near Rosarito.  The newly renovated border-crossing is pretty impressive - shiny luggage X-ray machines and serious customs agents in crisply starched uniforms.  We arrived at the YWAM campus, picked up our keys and gathered for dinner and to meet with our team-members and YWAM building supervisors.  We volunteered (or were volun-told) our assignments for the next day:  painting, measuring, framing, wiring, assembling roof trusses or cutting on the mitre saw. 
 
First thing Friday Morning, we dragged ourselves out of bed, stuffed our faces with a fabulous hot breakfast and coffee, then boarded the buses for the build sites.  Thirty minutes later we found ourselves standing on a solid, dry concrete pad beside a stack of dimensional lumber and plywood, thanking the families for giving us the opportunity to help build their new homes.  We moved to our designated jobs (made a bit difficult for me when the generator failed to start), and over the next day and a half, gradually converted that wood stack into outer walls, a roof and inner walls complete with electrical sockets and lights.
Read more...
Building the Rotary Brand - Media Release
Why is a Media Release important? If you have ever pitched a story to the media, the first thing you will be asked is to send the story in writing.
 
A media release is written with a single goal in mind; to get the attention or an editor, producer, journalist, blogger, or other decision maker who may chose your story to develop and circulate to their audience. Nothing more, nothing less.
 
 
Robyn T. Braley
Calgary West
Calgary Fish Creek St. Mary’s Scholarship Award
 
 
The 2015-2016 St Mary’s University $2000.00 scholarship was awarded to John Mayuires.  John is in his last year of his 4 year degree in psychology and will be entering the Psychology Counseling masters program in 2016.  Congratulations to John.
Speaker's Corner
 
To assist in your search for quality speakers at your meetings, please see below and submit suggestions.

 

You can help save a life — or make life better for many people.

 
Calgary West is part of a program to increase awareness of the need for organ & tissue donors. Our member, speaking from personal experience, is available on short notice to speak to your Club on this very important health issue.
 
Email Clare Bildfell or call 403-228-1060

Rotary International

Stream motivational, instructional and learning materials from Rotary International
Browse through and find a few suited to your club's needs.
 
Rotary Stories, Polio, Smiles, Minutes, and Youth Programs  are all on Rotary International's YouTube Channel
 

 
Speaker suggestions can be submitted anytime to Charlene Bearden, District Administrator.
Soccer is everywhere !

 

Rotary soccer balls delighted children at a local school just outside Ojojana, Honduras.  Purchased from the Rotary Club of Livonia, Michigan the balls were delivered to schools in Honduras by High River Rotarian Wally Gardiner. The soccer balls have the Rotary logo and the 4-Way test in 14 different languages.

 

Photo courtesy Wally Gardiner

Seeking Applications for Rotary Peace Fellowship

District 5360 Seeking Applications for Rotary Peace Fellowship

(for study starting in 2017)
 
District 5360 is seeking applications for Rotary’s Peace Fellowships. Peace fellowships are for master’s degree programs in peace and conflict resolution/prevention at one of the following institutions: Duke University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, US; International Christian University, Japan; University of Bradford, UK; University of Queensland, Australia; Uppsala University, Sweden. For those with more extensive experience in peace-related fields, there is a three-month program in peace and conflict resolution at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
 
District Application Deadline: May 31, 2016.
 
Applications forms and additional information are available by clicking here
 
Email application to Hendrik Kraay, Rotary District 5360 Scholarship Team Lead
 
For More Information, click here or email Hendrik Kraay, or call 403-852-9531.
 
DISTRICT & GLOBAL GRANTS - APPLICATIONS NOW LIVE
If your club is interested in a District grant related to small projects, scholarships, vocational training teams and youth, the applications are now on-line at www.rotary5360.org .  Remember to submit your applications early and allow sufficient time for your club president to sign off - before the May 11th deadline
 
PLEASE, DO NOT LEAVE IT TILL THE LAST DAY!
 
For clubs organizing a Global Grant, the application for District Designated Funds (DDF) is also live on www.rotary5360.org.  You will need a Global Grant number to submit a complete DDF application.  Competition was fierce last year, so try to submit your Type A and Type C applications as early as possible. DDF is allocated on a first come first awarded basis.   We are so fortunate to have this level of DDF to help us do larger international projects.
 
REMEMBER - YOUR CLUB MUST BE "QUALIFIED" TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION
 
Questions can be submitted to D5360GrantsHelpDesk@gmail.com
Medical Supplies Arrive in Honduras

Thanks to the Rotary Clubs of High River and Calgary West, 100 lbs of badly-needed medical supplies were personally delivered to doctors at the Good Samaritan Women's Health Clinic in  Honduras.

 

Photo courtesy of High River Rotarian Wally Gardiner

NOW ACCEPTING BRAGS !

Do you have a story to tell ?

Do you want to engage in a partnership ?

Do you want to share information on how you progressed an idea and results achieved ?

Send articles, write ups, or casual jottings that include the Five Ws in a word document and photos as separate files to newsletter editor Charlene Bearden, District Administrator to be included in the next monthly newsletter.
 
Newsletters are scheduled to be published on the First Friday of the month and articles are due the Wednesday prior.
 
Short Term Exchange Program seeks Students


DISTRICT 5360 is looking for students interested in the SHORT TERM EXCHANGE PROGRAM this summer.


About the Program
The purpose of the program is to promote international peace, goodwill and understanding through an exchange.
Rotary acts as the facilitator by matching students/families of similar age, sex and interests. Students have the chance to meet their exchange by social media and skype. 

One of the students will first visit the family he or she is matched with for a period of 3 to 4 weeks. Then, the two students will fly (usually together) to the other family and the process is reversed.

To be eligible students must be between the ages of 15 and 18.

Cost of the program is $200 administration fee, airfare, insurance and spending money.

How To Apply
The student who is to apply: Go to the web page www.YEX5360.org.    Under the section marked “Downloads and Resources” look for the “Preliminary Application”.  When completed, take this to your local Rotary club for an interview. If you are accepted for an exchange you will then fill out the full application form and start the process.

Deadline for applications is February 15, 2016. This will be extended for accepting applications please send in as soon as possible

 
RYLA - Next Event May 12- 15, 2016

RYLA 2016 is set for May 12th-15th in Canmore, Alberta, which coincides with the District Conference. This, as I'm sure you can imagine, presents some fantastic opportunities for both Rotary and RYLA. This year's theme for RYLA is Ignite Your Spark. Through this weekend, our goal is to have participants realize and nurture their leadership potential, so  at the end of the weekend they are empowered to create change through leadership in their communities. 
 
The weekend will include presentations by incredible speakers. Some of our presenters this year are Alison Springer, who brings an energetic perspective on the importance of surrounding oneself with the right people, Cory Johnson who speaks about his own personal experience about how he did not let his cerebral palsy hold him back from creating change and living his life, and Dino Mariani, who speaks about overcoming tragedy and being the best version of oneself while following one's passion. In addition to these amazing speakers, the weekend will also include an Eco Journey, a set of dynamic and engaging team-building exercises. The weekend will also be an opportunity to create memories, and form friendships and connections that will positively change the lives of the attendees. 
 
The price has remained the same at $500, and registration is easily filled out online. We will follow up with waiver forms, etc. upon receiving the registration for the participants. 
 
Registration Deadline: April 15th
Cost: $500/student
 
Cheques can be made out to Rotary District 5360, Memo: RYLA and be sent to: 
 
Rotary District 5360
201 - 4 Parkdale Crescent NW
Calgary, AB
T2N 3T8
Presidential Message -Seek Women for answers, growth.
Presidential Message
May 2016
 

Some years ago, in the Kano plains of Kenya, a well-meaning development agency took on the task of improving water availability to a rural community. Committees were formed, meetings were held, and the local people were consulted. The main need the community identified was improved delivery of water for irrigation and livestock. A plan to meet this need was created, and the work was soon begun, exactly as the community representatives had requested.

Yet once construction began, it was met by immediate protest from groups of community women, who came to the site and physically blocked workers from building diversion channels. Upon further investigation, the agency realized that the water it was diverting for farming came from the only source, for dozens of families, of water for cooking, drinking, and washing. The entire project had to be scrapped.

Why? Because it had never occurred to a single member of the all-male team in charge to consult the local women. At every stage, it was assumed that the men knew the needs, spoke for the community, and were able to represent it. Clearly, this was far from the case. The women knew the needs of the community, and its resources, far better – but their opinion was never sought.

We have had women in Rotary for only the last quarter of our history, and it is no coincidence that those years have been by far our most productive. In 1995, only 1 in 20 Rotarians were women; today, that number has risen to 1 in 5. It is progress, but it is not enough. It is only common sense that if we want to represent our communities, we must reflect our communities, and if we want to serve our communities fully, we must be sure that our communities are fully represented in Rotary.

Rotary’s policy on gender equality is absolutely clear. Yet nearly one-fifth of our clubs still refuse to admit women, usually by claiming that they simply cannot find women who are qualified for membership. I would say that any Rotarian who makes this argument, or believes it, himself lacks the two most basic qualifications for Rotary membership: honesty and good sense.

A club that shuts out women shuts out much more than half the talent, half the ability, and half the connections it should have. It closes out the perspectives that are essential to serving families and communities effectively. It damages not only its own service but our entire organization, by reinforcing the stereotypes that limit us the most. It leads our partners to take us less seriously, and it makes all of Rotary less attractive to potential members, especially the young people who are so crucial to our future.

To tolerate discrimination against women is to doom our organization to irrelevance. We cannot pretend that we still live in Paul Harris’ time, nor would he ever want us to. For, as he said, “The story of Rotary will have to be written again and again.” Let us see to it that the story we write in Rotary is one of which he would be proud.

 

 
Bulletin Editor
Charlene Bearden
Russell Hampton
National Awards Services Inc.
Sage
You are receiving this email because you are a Rotarian in District 5360.
 
Rotary International District 5360 Inc.
201 - 4 Parkdale Crescent NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 3T8
Tel: (403) 670-2624
 
RI President:  K.R. Ravindran - District Governor: Martin Harvey