THE OMEGA Vol. I Issue. 4 November 2011

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THE OMEGA Vol. I Issue. 4 November 2011 2011 12 District Governor Alice Kissinger rotaryrk@ptd.net or alicekissinger@gmail.

1 THE OMEGA Vol. I Issue. 4 November District Governor Alice Kissinger rotaryrk@ptd.net or alicekissinger@gmail.com Inside this Issue: Eradicating Polio 2 Turkey Trot 4 GSE Search for Members 5 Rotary Cookbook 6 Around the District 7 Reverse Raffle 8 What Will be Your Legacy? 9 New Members/Attendance 12 Dates to Remember November 11th Reverse Raffle Sunbury November 24th Turkey Trot 5K Run/walk Shamokin November 28th Application deadline for GSE team members April 27, 28, 29,2012 District 7370 Conference Grantville Holiday Inn Alice s Aspirations November always brings thoughts of autumn, crisp mornings, occasional snow, and Thanksgiving Day. As Rotarians we can add The Rotary Foundation! This month is filled with the realization that through our donations and the physical labor of Rotarians and friends, we re able to make the magic of our organization happen and stay alive! It takes less than forty cents a day to reach $100 a year and get your name on the Every Rotarian Every Year listing. Visiting all the district clubs was a real treat because we got to know each other a little better. Reading your weekly bulletins is always a pleasure because we can see what our local members are doing. Plans are being made for a number of clubs to prepare and serve dinners to those who might not have family or friends to invite them over. Collections of non-perishable foods are being stored in local food banks. Whether you help with a public feast or food in -gathering, please extend a hand to a friend or relative this month. Rotary clubs in some areas have worked out a bell ringing schedule to help the Salvation Army reach their goals for Chanukah and Christmas The Marines have placed Toys for Tots boxes for new toys in local shopping places. Each year the decorations seem to be unpacked earlier to get us in the spirit of the seasons. Knowing how close we are to eradicating Polio could also serve as a reminder to all of you to make your annual donation to The Rotary Foundation a little earlier this year. Rotarians, the ultimate volunteers, have a way of waiting to the end of the Rotary year, maybe April or May, to write those checks. Using an on-line form eliminates the need to write the check and automatic withdrawal is the easiest way possible to be sure your contributions reach The Foundation. This could also be a good time to remind the Nominating Committees to prepare for the annual election of officers for The officers names shall be submitted to Rotary International before 30 December Without all the information In place, correspondence does not always get delivered to the right people. The Rotary year always begins the First of July.

2 Lewisburg Sunset Rotary Club shows us how close we are to eradicating polio! World Polio Day: GOOD-BYE, POLIO: THANKS, ROTARY We re this close to Eradicating Polio from the World In October, Rotarians observe both World Polio Day and the birthday of Dr. Jonas Salk, who developed the world s first safe and effective vaccine against this crippling and sometimes deadly disease. We celebrate the fact that the world is on the verge of eradicating one of the most feared diseases of the 20th century. World Polio Day gives Rotarians a chance to put this campaign in the spotlight, and to let their communities know we are so close to wiping out this crippling disease from the face of the earth. The Lewisburg Sunset Rotary Club met on Monday and members watched two videos on the progress of this humanitarian effort that began in 1979 and had intensive discussions about what it was like in the earlier days when families lived in fear of contracting polio. In the 50 s it was mistakenly thought that ice cream could cause polio! Since ice cream became popular about this time and there were polio outbreaks, the two became confused - but only for a short while. When Rotary launched its push to end polio in the 1980s, the wild poliovirus crippled nearly 1,000 people everyday. Since then, Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative have reduced polio by 99- percent. And the push continues: This year, India has the lowest number of polio cases in history. Despite this tremendous progress, children in some developing countries continue to be infected. That s why Rotary and its partners must reach every child with this vaccine. Often these children are located in some of the most challenging and difficult to reach regions of the world.

To continue this job to completion, Rotary is working to raise US$200 million in response to a $355 million challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Rotary also reaches out to governments worldwide to obtain vital financial and technical support. Since 1995, donor governments have contributed in excess of $8 billion to polio eradication efforts.

3 To continue this job to completion, Rotary is working to raise US$200 million in response to a $355 million challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. All of the resulting $555 million will support crucial immunization activities in countries where polio still threatens children. Much of this challenge has already been met, but we re not done yet. Rotary also reaches out to governments worldwide to obtain vital financial and technical support. Since 1995, donor governments have contributed in excess of $8 billion to polio eradication efforts. Over the past 26 years, Rotary s 1.2 million members in 230 countries have not only contributed more than $1 billion, they have also put in countless volunteer hours to help immunize more than two billion children in 122 countries during National Immunization Days (NIDs). Karen Teichman of the Sunset Rotary Club was a part of this effort, joining an immunization team in Uttar Pradash, India. During that NID millions of children countrywide were vaccinated in a single day. Volunteers from Rotary Clubs around the world, UNICEF, WHO and government Health Organizations join forces and work together to ensure each child is reached. The commitment of Rotary volunteers worldwide demonstrates the extraordinary role civil society can play in improving global health. Right now, in honor of World Polio Day, Rotary clubs around the globe are doing their part to raise awareness and critically-needed funds to vanquish the disease forever. DG Alice joins in with Lewisburg Sunset in recognizing how close we are to eradicating polio in this world. Help Rotary finish the job! As of 17 October Rotarians have raised approximately $192 million for the $200 million Challenge to End Polio Elysburg Rotary Club president James Black honor Dr. Ken Heise with the Family and Community Service award for his outreach program of dental work in Elysburg. Also in the picture is Anudeep Alberts, the Rotary Student of the Month. Thought for the Day: Learn from the mistakes of others; you can t possibly live long enough to make them all yourself!

Rotary Seeks Team Members for Group Study Exchange Rotary club seeks area professionals for goodwill adventure to the Philippines for four weeks, mid- February to mid-march 2012.

Through the program, teams of four or five professionals share personal knowledge of their own country and experience the customs, vocations, and lifestyles of another.

5 Rotary Seeks Team Members for Group Study Exchange Rotary club seeks area professionals for goodwill adventure to the Philippines for four weeks, mid- February to mid-march Rotarians of District 7370 are seeking four outstanding professionals to visit the Philippines in 2012 as part of the Group Study Exchange program of The Rotary Foundation. Through the program, teams of four or five professionals share personal knowledge of their own country and experience the customs, vocations, and lifestyles of another. The purpose of a Group Study Exchange is to promote international understanding and goodwill through person-to-person contact. While abroad, team members stay in Rotarians homes and have the opportunity to meet their professional counterparts. They will also give presentations to Rotary clubs and other groups about their home country. The Rotary Foundation provides a round-trip air ticket, and local Rotarians in the host country provide meals, lodging, and group travel in their district. Team members are only expected to pay for personal and incidental expenses. People interested in applying should be employed full-time in a recognized business or profession. Young professionals within the age range of 25 to 40 are encouraged to apply. Applicants must live or be employed in the geographical area of Rotary District Applications are due by November 28, Applications are available on-line at INTERESTED IN BECOMING DISTRICT GOVERNOR FOR DISTRICT 7360 FOR THE ROTARY YEAR ? Are you interested in becoming a District Governor for District 7360? You can find a copy of the DGN Application form at the District 7350 website by going to If you have questions regarding this, please contact PDG.Ron Keyser at or ronald.keyser@gmail.com. Per RI Bylaws , a Rotarian must have served a full term as club president, or as charter president from the date of charter to 30 June (six-month minimum) at the time of nomination. Completed applications must be received by December 31, Wild Hogs On left Asst. Gov. Frank Peron Jr. took a holiday in Daytona, Florida with others that enjoy motorcycling. Wild Hogs is a movie where Tim Allen, John Travolta, and William Masey take a long trip on their Harleys. Lead by Example On right, DG Alice gives till it hurts. Be a good Rotarian when given the chance to give blood. When DG Alice gives, she says take from both arms!

Rotary Little League Shop the Diamond Fund Raiser Thursday, November 17th at Yorkville Fire Company, Tickets are $10 and include admission and door prizes.

7 AROUND THE DISTRICT.. Pottsville Rotary Club: Kauffman s Chicken sale-november 5th, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Boyer s Market on Market Street. The club will again man the Salvation Army kettle on December 10th outside of Boscov s Department Store. Rotary Little League Shop the Diamond Fund Raiser Thursday, November 17th at Yorkville Fire Company, Tickets are $10 and include admission and door prizes. Sunbury Rotary Club The Sunbury Rotary Club will sponsor a marching band in Sunbury s Christmas parade. Twenty Sunbury Rotarians had perfect attendance for the first quarter (July-September). Ashland Club: Ashland Rotary Club provided candy in treat bags for the Ashland Halloween parade on October 30th. Annual fudge sale begins in November with distribution of the fudge on November 28th. The Giving Thanks Dinner will be held November 12th. This event is for people who do not have the opportunity to experience a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Club will sponsor Ashland s community Christmas tree lighting on November 26th. The club will set up the tree on November 12th and decorate on November 13th. More on club efforts in the Dictionary Project : Bloomsburg Rotary Club with students at St. Columba School. Rotarians are Phil Pelletier and Ines Carroll.

12 Club Attendance for September 2011 MEM- BERS CHANGE # OF MTGS. % OF ATTND NEW MEMBERS Rotary Club Ashland Area % Berwick % Bloomsburg % Danville Elysburg % Frackville % Hegins-Valley View % Hughesville % Lewisburg Downtown % Lewisburg Sunrise % Lewisburg Sunset % Lock Haven % Downtown Lock Haven % Mahanoy City Mifflinburg % Mill Hall Sunrise % Milton % Minersville % Montoursville % Mount Carmel Muncy % Port Carbon Pottsville % Renovo % Ringtown % Selinsgrove % Shamokin % Shenandoah % Southern Schuylkill % Sunbury % Tamaqua % Tower City-Porter % West Snyder-Beaver Springs % Williamsport % Total District Membership Bloomsburg: Rita Inklovich George Abango Paul Knox Milton: Michelle Simons Ronald Marshall Jr. Hughesville: Kelly Gillis Lewisburg Sunrise: Reminder: Monthly Membership Reports should be ed. The October reports are due by November 15th via Kathy Miller b_kmiller@comcast.net DG Alice alicekissinger@gmail.com

Rotary International

Rotary International 7370 District Conference A Time to Remember Holiday Inn Harrisburg-Hershey Grantville, PA April 27, 28 and 29, 2012 Alice M. Kissinger District Governor 2011-2012 Rotary International