GPS. Growing Partnering Serving. Your Zones Rotary Guide. 26 Rotary Districts in 12 States. Heart of America Larry Lunsford, RI Director

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1 1 GPS Growing Partnering Serving Your Zones Rotary Guide 26 Rotary Districts in 12 States Heart of America Larry Lunsford, RI Director RI Director Larry & Jill Lunsford Rotary Year , Issue 8 Zones Leadership Zone 30 Rotary Coordinator Glen Vanderford gv6760@bellsouth.net Foundation Coordinator Floyd Lancia floyd.rotary@gmail.com Endowment Major Gift Advisor Frank Rothermel frankrothermel@aol.com Public Image Coordinator Mac Wall macwall47@gmail.com Zone 31 Rotary Coordinator Liz Skinner rotaryliz6490@gmail.com Foundation Coordinator Todd Lindley Rotary6060.TL@GMail.com Endowment Major Gift Advisor Carl Chinnery CChinnery@chinnery.com Public Image Coordinator Susan Aldridge saldridge@npcc.edu Here is your "Rotary's 110th birthday" edition of our GPS news magazine. Happy Rotary birthday to each of you! It is my hope that your clubs would be doing something "extra special" this week, to celebrate our birthday. On Rotary s birthday, the two Rotary Districts in Arkansas are having a "Rotary Day at the Arkansas State Capitol". An event such as that is a great example of using our Rotary Day efforts this year and joining with another of Rotary's milestone dates. As you would know, I truly believe the "Rotary Day" concept has so many positive elements. Perhaps your clubs this week are continuing with our own Zones "Rotary Has Heart" initiative to help feed the hungry. I am most pleased at the efforts I'm learning about within our 26 Districts, and encourage you to engage your clubs in this project. Simply another example of doing good in our communities, and in our world. Remember, there are sample press releases and public image materials, for your benefit and use, on our Zones website. While we plan to feature so many of these "Rotary Has Heart' efforts in the March edition of GPS, let me mention one such initiative that I saw first hand, in Louisiana District It was awesome for me to combine attending our son Trent's opening collegiate baseball weekend, with a "Rotary Night" at the Indiana State-University of Louisiana Monroe baseball game on February 13. The four Rotary Clubs in the Monroe area had combined their efforts to show "Rotary Has Heart", and had a wonderful check presentation preceding the baseball game that night. A wonderful check in the amount of $7,770, to help feed the hungry. (continued on the following page)

2 2 Director s Letter (continued) Another treat of that night was for me to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at that baseball game. As a former collegiate baseball player, that was a really neat experience. Unfortunately, the moment was captured in a photograph. Of course, other ways to do something "extra special" this week include our continuing support of our Rotary Foundation, and our Polio Eradication efforts. As you do each month, please review the statistics which are one measure of our efforts. The realities of the challenges toward eradication efforts were brought into focus in the past week, as we hear of more volunteers who have been killed in Pakistan while they are immunizing children. Take a moment...take a deep breath...and pause to give thanks to those in Pakistan who risk their lives for our common world goal. Did I get it across the plate? You would know I am most pleased with our efforts to date with Annual Giving to our Rotary Foundation. At this moment, you appear to be on the way to achieving our goal of $100 per capita giving combined in our two Zones! I am proud of you...let's stay at this level through June 30. It's really hard to say what would be the best birthday present we could give to Rotary on its birthday. Certainly, though, you could give a person the gift of becoming a Rotarian. As our membership growth and engagement efforts continue, it was my privilege to be in Meridian, MS in District 6820 on February 12, as two NEW ROTARY CLUBS were chartered in the same ceremony. Katherine Moore, Charter President Rotary Club of Clarke County; Larry, Jen Bucurel, Charter President Rotary Club of East Mississippi. Which reminds all of us, on Rotary's 110th birthday our organization needs new members and our organization truly does need the energy, and the change, of new Rotary Clubs. Where is the next new Rotary Club in your District? L r

3 3 Don t Forget... April 21, 2015 Rotary Club Central Webinar h>p:// view/171 ROTARY INSTITUTE September 24-27, 2015 ZONES 30 & 31 Baton Rouge, LA Crowne Plaza Hotel September Governors-elect, Governors-nominee and Spouses/Partners Seminar September District Governors and Spouses/Partners Seminar September 26 Emerging District Leaders Summit What s inside this Director s Message 1 Director s Message (connued) 2 General Informa"on 3 Rotary Interna"onal Assembly 4 Rotary Has Heart for Next Month 5 Rotary Interna"onal Conven"on 5 Meet Me in Sao Paulo 6 HOA-RLI Update 7 One District s Success Story 7 RC Memphis Birthday Celebra"on 8 Rotary Membership Stats 9 HOA-TRF Stats 10 Polio Eradica"on Snapshot 11 Rotary Club Pilot Opportunity 12 Rotary & Polio Immuniza"on 13 District Rotary Alumni Chair 14 Important Dates/District Conferences 15 Important Dates/PETS 16 Rotary Contact Info 17

4 4 Rotary International Assembly The Rotary District Governor Class of has completed their training at the International Assembly. Shown right are Rotary International Director-elect ( ) Karen Wentz, and current Rotary International Director ( ) Larry Lunsford. Right: RI President, ( ) K.R. "Ravi" Ravindran addresses the International Assembly. Below: Karen and Larry, surrounded by the Rotary District Governors for , all giving the Polio Eradication this close signature hand sign.

5 5 Rotary Has Heart The end of February will mark the culmination of most club and district efforts to show that Rotary has Heart for those who suffer from hunger in our zones. The March issue of the GPS magazine will present a wrap up of all of the events/projects surrounding this theme. Be sure to send a short story about your district and club successes to the GPS editor, Jane Molloy at jabmolloy@bellsouth.net. One photo may also be included with your article. From all reports, Rotary s Heart in Zones sure seems to be supersized! International Convention 2015 Rotary International Convention Sao Paulo Brazil June 6-9, 2015

6 6 Meet Me In Sao Paulo! Dear Fellow Rotarians and Guests, We are excited about our Heart of America event in São Paulo during the International Convention. Sharing Rotary in another part of the Rotary world gives us a great way to celebrate our successes in this LIGHT UP ROTARY year! We hope you plan to Let Your Light Shine at our Heart of America Event Friday Night 5 June at 5:30-7:30 in São Paulo. Admission is $65 per person for happy hour cocktails, local appetizers and celebrations. The event will be held at Bar Brahma Aeroclube, Avenida Olavo Fontoura, 650 Santana-São Paulo We plan to have a great fun-filled event with much fellowship that will allow each of us to see and be with each other at least once during our time together in São Paulo. The event will be a great way to prepare for the RI Convention that begins on Saturday, 6 June. The event promises you an evening you will remember and won't want to miss! Please direct any questions to Floyd Lancia floyd.rotary@gmail.com or visit our Website Friday Night Lights in São Paulo for details and registration information. We look forward to seeing you and sharing a very special Zones Rotary evening with each of you. Best regards, Larry Lunsford, RI Director Lr

7 7 HOA-Rotary Leadership Institute Leaders Meet to Update RLI Curriculum By Jerry Venters, HOA-RLI Vice Chair Some forty Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) leaders from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Denmark met recently in Orlando to work on recommended revisions and updates to the RLI curriculum that is being used to train future Rotary leaders. The changes in curriculum may take effect this fall and would be used for the next three years, if approved. Susan Leonard and Steve Leonard (District 6560) and I (District 6040) represented the Heart of America Division (Zones 30 and 31) at the meeting. Attendees worked in committees to review and revise the current course outlines and recommend changes, which will be sent on to the Rotary International RLI Board for final approval. It was an interesting meeting and I thought the participants made a lot of good suggestions for improvements. It was especially interesting that no one said That can t be done or We ve always done it this way when changes were suggested. I m hopeful that the RLI International Board will approve the work we did. One District s Success Story District 6580, Indiana, celebrated the charter of a new club, the Johnson County Club. While this is the fourth club within Johnson County, it has filled a need for many young professionals. The club meets right after work hours at different restaurants in Johnson County, and, with dining optional, this allows club members the choice of dinner, appetizers or drinks only, keeping the cost of membership low. Service projects are a major emphasis with two meetings a month devoted to individual or group service projects. Since this is a group of young professionals, this has brought the average age of the district down quite a bit. The district is excited to have a new and vibrant group of Rotarians as part of the district. From DG Shari Sherman, D6580 and forwarded by Glen Vanderford, Zone 30 Rotary Coordinator

8 8 RI President Huang in Memphis Rotary International President Gary C.K. Huang came to Memphis to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Rotary Club of Memphis. During his visit, the Rotary Club of Memphis celebrated their 100th Anniversary by feeding people around the world and locally, with 300,000 meals. 50,000 meals were packed for the Mid-South Food Bank for local use and added to the 250,000 meals that were packed last August for international distribution. Rotary President Gary C.K. Huang and his wife Corinna helped pack the meals with Rotary and local volunteers. They had other local visits and ended their visit with a reception at The Paul Barret Jr. Library Apse at Rhoades College in Memphis. This was a special event, with the Mayor of Memphis presenting the Keys to the City at the reception. Bob Bickley is District 6800 Governor and provided the photos and information about the event. Pictured right, RI President Gary C. K. Huang, A.C. Wharton, Mayor of the City of Memphis and Pierre Landaiche, President of the Rotary Club of Memphis at the reception for President Huang at Rhodes College in Memphis. Pictured above: Rotary celebrities attending, included Pierre Landaiche, President of the Rotary Club of Memphis; Bethany Huffman, Treasurer, District 6800, Tom Wilson, District 6800 Governor Nominee , and Past District 6800 Governor Tommy White; at Rhodes College Reception for RI President Packing at the Food Bank

9 9 HOA-Membership January Report HEART OF AMERICA - HEADED TO MEMBERSHIP GROWTH Zones 30 and 31 MEMBERSHIP REPORT Percent Percent January 2015 Incr 7 months Incr # of # of # of (Decr) # of (Decr) Members Members # of Members from # of Members from Rank District Zone Clubs Clubs ,476 2, , % 51 2, % ,272 2, , % 45 2, % ,529 1, , % 36 1, % ,434 2, , % 49 2, % ,226 3, , % 65 3, % ,447 2, , % 56 2, % ,647 1, , % 48 1, % ,515 2, , % 54 2, % ,434 1, , % 33 1, % ,732 1, , % 37 1, % ,298 2, , % 55 2, % ,807 2, , % 49 2, % ,641 1, , % 43 1, % ,008 3, , % 52 3, % ,615 3, , % 59 3, % ,623 3, , % 53 3, % ,941 1, , % 41 1, % ,580 4, , % 79 4, % ,401 2, , % 45 2, % ,468 2, , % 49 2, % ,340 3, , % 61 3, % ,242 2, , % 53 2, % ,667 1, , % 39 1, % ,085 1, , % 40 1, % ,314 2, , % 53 2, % ,951 2, , % 58 2, % Zone 30 32,495 32, , % , % Zone 31 32,198 31, , % , % Total both Zones 64,693 63, , % , % TARGET 2.50%

10 10 HOA TRF January Report HEART OF AMERICA - HEADED TO $100 PER CAPITA Zones 30 and 31 TRF ANNUAL GIVING 7 months 7 months FINAL FINAL January 2015 THIS YEAR Last Year LARRY's Annual Annual $$$ TARGET Fund Fund # of Annual Annual Growth Growth Per Capita Per Capita Members Fund Giving Fund Giving (Decline) (Decline) Rank District Zone YTD LYTD this yr this yr Fiscal Yr Fiscal Yr ,214 $177, $56, % 24.8% $68.89 $ ,412 $157, $74, % 6.6% $98.52 $ ,165 $81, $48, % 10.4% $90.57 $ ,415 $112, $74, % 2.3% $ $ ,150 $314, $220, % 6.7% $ $ ,579 $75, $56, % 6.5% $93.91 $ ,401 $115, $91, % 3.6% $ $ ,414 $169, $139, % 14.0% $ $ ,991 $95, $81, % 9.3% $53.98 $ ,359 $115, $104, % 13.9% $79.00 $ ,367 $218, $199, % 9.6% $79.37 $ ,696 $188, $172, % 3.0% $ $ ,245 $126, $118, % 7.4% $88.42 $ ,579 $157, $148, % 2.2% $86.13 $ ,629 $53, $50, % 3.2% $ $ ,552 $239, $228, % 2.6% $ $ ,262 $148, $151, % 1.0% $ $ ,357 $157, $162, % 3.3% $96.84 $ ,387 $144, $157, % 8.7% $ $ ,456 $59, $65, % 5.3% $80.74 $ ,985 $78, $88, % 5.5% $80.54 $ ,392 $74, $84, % 12.6% $88.83 $ ,847 $98, $113, % 7.9% $64.86 $ ,631 $39, $45, % 6.0% $53.79 $ ,714 $71, $97, % 0.0% $ $ ,896 $14, $36, % 10.2% $58.96 $50.59 Zone 30 31,910 $1,577, $1,517, % 6.1% $94.24 $88.16 Zone 31 31,185 $1,707, $1,353, % 6.9% $93.58 $86.18 Total both Zones 63,095 $3,284, $2,870, % 6.5%

11 11 TRF Polio Update POLIO ERADICATION UPDATE For Heart of America Zones 30 and 31 WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 11, 2015 Calendar Calendar Year-to-date Year-to-date Total Total Wild Poliovirus (WPV) Cases TOTAL GLOBALLY in endemic countries in non-endemic countries Date of most Endemic Countries recent case Pakistan 1/17/ Afghanistan 12/4/ Nigeria 7/24/ Non-Endemic Countries Cameroon 7/9/ Equatorial Guinea 5/3/ Somalia 8/11/ Ethiopia Syria 1/21/ Iraq 4/7/ POLIO HEADLINES - February 11, 2015 Two new cases of wild poliovirus have been reported in the world this week, in Pakistan. More than 7 months have passed since the most recent case of wild poliovirus in Central Africa was detected in Cameroon in July. This indicates that progress towards stopping the outbreak in this region is being made. More than a year has passed since the last case of wild poliovirus in Ethiopia. With the most recent wild poliovirus case in the Horn of Africa detected in August 2014 in Somalia, outbreak response across the region is continuing. In Afghanistan, the bulk of cases are linked to cross-border transmission with neighboring Pakistan. In Pakistan, the most recent WPV1 case had onset of paralysis on 1/17/2015 in Peshawar. Over 6 months have passed since the most recent case of wild poliovirus in Nigeria. The Gates Foundation is currently matching all Rotarian Raised Polio Donations $2 for each $1 Contributed (Up to $35,000,000 per year). The Polio Eradication End Game Strategy is alive and well. Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication.

12 12 Do You Know a Club... Applications now being accepted: Pilot allows innovative and flexible approaches to running a club Is your club interested in trying new ways to find and keep members? Then it may be a good fit for the Innovative and Flexible Rotary Club pilot to experiment with variations on the traditional Rotary club structure. Applications are due 31 March. The RI Board of Directors invites up to 850 more clubs to take part in the pilot. Your club could try out ideas not currently allowed under the Standard Rotary Club Constitution, such as shared attendance with spouses, alternating between online and in-person meetings, or new leadership structures. For example, the Rotary Club of Toronto Sunrise, N.S.W., Australia has three members sharing leadership responsibilities for a year as copresidents. The club reports that having three leaders put their skills and ideas to use is prompting the club to try new things, and has already resulted in a 25 percent gain in membership. To qualify: Your club must have been chartered no later than 30 June 2010, have at least 20 mem bers, and be in good financial standing with Rotary International. Two-thirds of your club's members must vote to participate in the pilot and certify the results on the voting certificate included with your application. Your club must agree to participate from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2017 and to submit reports to Rotary International. Your club must register with and maintain records through Rotary Club Central and My Rotary. Applications are due by 31 March. For full details, see the Innovative and Flexible Rotary Club Pilot Guidelines and apply for the pilot online. From Rotary News

13 13 Rotary $$$ for Polio Immunization Rotary International released an additional $34.8 million in grants to support polio immunization activities in 10 countries, including Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan, the three countries where the disease has never been stopped. The funds, whose release was announced 20 January, will be used by the World Health Organization and UNICEF for polio immunization and surveillance activities in the 10 countries, as well as to provide technical assistance in several other countries in Africa. The grants include $8.1 million for Nigeria to support its final push to eradicate the disease. Nigeria experienced a nearly 90 percent reduction in Photo: Diego Ibarra Sánchez cases in 2014 compared with the previous year, and hasn't registered a new case of polio in the last six months. "Nigeria has managed an incredible feat," says Dr. Tunji Funsho, Rotary's PolioPlus chair for Nigeria. "However, now we must be more vigilant than ever, as our progress is fragile." Commitment to polio eradication from all levels of the Nigerian government has proved crucial to the country's recent progress. Disease experts are urging political leaders to maintain this focus as national elections approach next month. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative, in which Rotary is a partner, made significant progress against polio in 2014 in most places. More than half of the world's cases in 2013 were the result of outbreaks in previously polio-free countries, largely caused by instability and conflict in countries including Syria, Iraq, and Somalia. The outbreaks appear to have been stopped last year following special vaccination efforts in 11 countries that reached more than 56 million children. "We are encouraged to see the tangible progress made against this disease in 2014," says Mike McGovern, chair of Rotary's International PolioPlus Committee. "However, until we eliminate polio from its final reservoirs, children everywhere are at risk from this disease. Rotary -- along with our partners -- will work hard to ensure that the world's most vulnerable children are kept safe from polio." One less promising spot in the polio eradication fight has been Pakistan, which saw an explosive outbreak totaling more than 300 cases in 2014, the most there in more than a decade. As a result, Pakistan accounted for almost 90 percent of the world's cases last year. Pakistan will receive $1.1 million of the funds that Rotary is releasing to support eradication efforts there. In addition, the grants include $6.7 million in Afghanistan, $7 million in Somalia, $3.3 million in Democratic Republic of Congo, $2.8 million in Niger, $2.5 million in Chad, $1.6 million in Cameroun, $1.1 million in Ethiopia, and $250,000 in Kenya. A total of $321,000 will provide technical assistance in Africa. To date, Rotary has contributed more than $1.3 billion to fight polio. Through 2018, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will match 2-to-1 every dollar that Rotary commits to polio eradication (up to $35 million a year). In 2014, there were only 350 confirmed polio cases in the world, down from about 350,000 a year when the initiative began in By: Arnold R. Grahl Rotary News

14 14 New District Alumni Chair Position The following letter was sent to the District Governors-elect. February 2015 As you prepare your committees for the year ahead, I wanted to notify you that a new district alumni committee has been created, to better serve the recently expanded definition of alumni. This committee replaces the alumni subcommittee of the district Foundation committee as of 1 July. Therefore, Rotarians listed as alumni subcommittee chair will instead be designated the chair of their district alumni committee as of mid-february. If you have not yet filled this subcommittee position, you will be able to make the appointment to the new committee after mid-february, giving preference to program alumni or to those who have professional experience working with alumni. The alumni committee will manage relationships with district program alumni and assist clubs with alumni relations. More specifically, it will: Work in conjunction with other district committees, particularly membership, Foundation, and New Generations, to identify alumni and their potential contributions (for example, as speaker, project participant, Rotary member, Foundation and program contributor) and connect these alumni to clubs and to district activities Educate Rotary members to work with alumni in order to maintain their relationship with Rotary Encourage alumni to report their data to RI and work with fellow district chairs to ensure that program participants are reported to RI Abide by privacy and youth protection policies and local laws Support and coordinate alumni events and associations If you have any questions, please contact our Alumni staff at alumni@rotary.org. Sincerely, John Hewko General Secretary Rotary International

15 15 Important Dates DISTRICT CONFERENCES 2015 April 9-12, 2015 Joint District 6820 and District 6840 Conference, Biloxi, MS (Governor Paul Bucurel and Governor Brian Hall) April 16-18, 2015 District 6200 Conference, Crowley, LA (Governor Ezora Proctor) April 17-18, 2015 District 6670 Conference, Dayton, OH (Governor Eric Marcus) April 17-18, 2015 District 6150 Conference, North Little Rock, AR (Governor Tim Bruner) April 24-25, 2015 District 6170 Conference, Benton, AR (Governor Ernie Enchelmayer) April 24-25, 2015 District 6540 Conference, Monticello, IN (Governor Steve Sorenson) April 24-25, 2015 District 6580 Conference, Evansville, IN (Governor Shari Sherman) April 24-26, 2015 District 6780 Conference, Pigeon Forge, TN (Governor Jerry Wear) April 24-26, 2015 District 6740 Conference, Florence, KY (Governor John Salyers) May 1-2, 2015 District 6060 Conference, St. Charles, MO (Governor Jill Walker) May 1-2, 2015 District 6560 Conference, Indianapolis, IN (Governor Tom Branum, Jr.) May 1-3, 2015 District 6880 Conference, Orange Beach, AL (Governor Linda Mong) May 2-3, 2015 District 6490 Conference, Champaign, IL (Governor Les Mitkos) May 7-9, 2015 District 6860 Conference, Tuscaloosa, AL (Governor Jerry Shepherd) May 8-9, 2015 District 6800 Conference, Southaven, MS (Governor Bob Bickley) May 15-17, 2015 District 6710 Conference, Paducah, KY (Governor Jayne Crisp) May 22-23, 2015 District 5830 Conference, Longview, TX (Governor Carroll Greenwaldt) June 19-20, 2015 District 6760 Conference, Nashville, TN (Governor Kim Kim)

16 16 Important Dates PETS Training Events for Heart of America Districts February 21, 2015 Single District PETS (1 st session), Indiana (D6560) March 5-8, 2015 Lone Star PETS, Dallas, TX (D5830) March 6-7, 2015 Ole Man River PETS, Jackson, MS (D6190, D6200, D6800, D6820, D6840) March 6-8, 2015 Midwest PETS, Itasca, IL (D6460) March 13-14, 2015 Mid-America PETS, Fort Smith, AR (D6110, D6150, D6170) March 13-14, 2015 All-Ohio PETS, Columbus, OH (D6670, D6690) March 14-15, 2015 Land of Lincoln PETS, Effingham, IL (D6490, D6510, D6580) March 19-21, 2015 Great Lakes PETS, Kalamazoo, MI (D6540) March 20-22, 2015 Mid-South PETS, Nashville, TN (D6710, D6740, D6760, D6780, D6860, D6880) March 21, 2015 Single District PETS (2 nd session), Indiana (D6560) March 27-28, 2015 Show Me Rotary PETS, Jefferson City, MO (D6040, D6060, D6080)

17 17 Contact Information Larry Lunsford Rotary International Director Zones Rotary International One Rotary Center 1560 Sherman Ave. Evanston, IL Heart of America Rotary Zones Send Rotary stories and photos of Interesting events related to Zones to News Magazine Editor, Jane Molloy