Welcome to Rotary District 7610




	R o t a r y D i s t r i c t 7 6 1 0 Service above Self

District 7610 Awards and Installation Banquet

SAVE THE DATE!

Your Presence Is Requested!

The Annual Rotary District 7610

AWARDS AND INSTALLATION BANQUET

Friday, June 29, 2012

Fauquier Springs Country Club

Warrenton, VA

Social Hour 5:30 PM

Dinner and Program 6:30PM

Registration beginning May 21

TIME TO REGISTER! Caribbean Partnership Celebration 2012 Trinidad

By Horace McCormack, Chair-Elect Caribbean Partnership, Inc. (Zone 33-34)

Fellow Rotarians and Family of Rotary, please plan to join us in Trinidad, West Indies , July 27-28, 2012! Our Caribbean Partnership Celebration will be held at the fabulous Hyatt Regency Resort, Port of Spain .

Our first cut-off date for early registration will be April 30, 2012! Please register today!

Conference Chairman, Ian Gillette and his hard working organizing committee are well into the planning for an exciting event with interesting and dynamic speakers. This is a great opportunity to meet directly with potential Club and District leaders who are seeking to create partnerships with other clubs in the Caribbean and the Mainland, USA . This is where we learn about the various opportunities that exist in the Caribbean/USA and how we can participate in this process of partnering to create long term relationships to perform international development work.

Please visit the website at www.cpc2012.com today and make your reservations for July 27-28 in beautiful Trinidad for our Caribbean Partnership Celebration!

Come lets meet, plan, fellowship and have FUN! NO problem Mon!

Please pass this along to a few Rotarians and friends…

Thank you!

Horace

Great Falls Rotary Ambassador Dinner Series

Plan Now to Attend the Club Leadership Training Seminar

What: Club Leadership Training Seminar (CLTS) (aka District Assembly)

When: May 19, 2012.
Location: Germanna Community College, Daniel Technology Center, Culpeper, VA 22701

Time: Continental Breakfast and Registration is at 8:30 a.m. Seminar begins at 9:00 a.m.

Save the Date! End Polio Now Night at Nationals Park - Saturday, August 18

Get Tickets

Rotary’s Influence, Dolly’s Imagination Library Puts Books into the Hands of Children

Dolly Parton and Rotary International from Rotary International on Vimeo.

By David Dotson, president of the Dollywood Foundation

The wonderful partnership between Dolly Parton and Rotary International continues to flourish in communities both large and small all across the USA, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Although every community approaches the program in its own way, one thing impresses me much more than dollars raised or even time invested –and this is the enormous influence Rotarians exert in their communities.

On many occasions, we have witnessed how Rotarians use their influence to leverage support from both the public and private sector. Rotarians bring instant credibility to the table and consequently, local, state and provincial governments are eager to join forces with Rotary and Dolly to bring the Imagination Library to their children. Likewise many Rotary clubs have been successful in teaming up with United Way to launch the program in their communities.

Influence is an earned commodity and we are fortunate that the decades of good will and great work of Rotary now benefits the children of the Imagination Library.

District 7610 Annual Spring Celebration - A Great Time in Charlottesville

More District Conference Photos

Crystal City-Pentagon Club Returns to the Rainforest

Crystal City-Pentagon Club Returns to the Rainforest

by Tracy L. Settle

Members of the Crystal City-Pentagon Rotary Club recently returned to their adopted village of Ricanaumoffo (Rica) in northeast Suriname to continue the club’s sustainable project development in close coordination with the US Peace Corps. On 27 January, Rotarians Sandy Harter, Club Vice President, and Tracy Settle, Project Leader, traveled to the Suriname capital of Paramaribo, via Trinidad and Tobago, to meet with local Rotarians and prepare for a three-day joint US –Suriname community development trip into the interior. They were hosted by Rotarians Arleen Emanuels and Marvin von Lierop, close friends for Tracy’s for the past six years. While the overall plan was to conduct visits to three villages accompanied by local representatives from UNICEF and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the trip quickly expanded to six villages with 10 personnel ‘in tow’, including six Peace Corp Volunteers (PCVs). Villages were reached by numerous boat and road conveyances, with heavy rains in the area contributing to several ‘on the edge of your seat’ excursions in and out of extremely remote locations. Read More

Tracy Settle (l) and Sandy Harter (r) join their new friends in Suriname

A Christening Before Breakfast

By Earl Baughman

Rappahannock Rotary members gathered on the river bank in the early morning light to christen the 21-ft Carolina Skiff they helped Friends of

The Rappahannock purchase with a $15,000 donation. "This is a long-awaited dream for us, to expand our mission from the headwaters to the bay," said Friends of the Rappahannock Executive Director John

Tippett, “and quite frankly it would not have happened without you guys.”

The stable shallow-drafted skiff will used by the advocacy group’s tidal River Steward to monitor water conditions, conduct education programs and support river clean up efforts. The Rappahannock Rotary Club participates in river clean up activities and hopes to encourage other District Rotary clubs in the Rappahannock River basin to join in supporting efforts to protect our river as a vital resource for future generations.

While enjoying the Rappahannock, watch for the Rotary emblem on the Friends of the Rappahannock skiff. May it be a constant reminder that Rotarians are partners in the cause to maintain our healthy and scenic river. Get your club involved and share in this proud community effort!

River

Slide Show

CAPINNE’ Distributions Made

By Roy Cameron, Northern Neck RC

Ken Knull, president of the Northern Neck Rotary Club and treasurer of the Northern Neck Rotary Charitable Trust, has announced that distributions totaling just over $10,000 were made to charities in Northumberland and Lancaster counties.

The contributions were made possible by the club’s annual CAPINNE’ event in July. Jean Kling, president of the Lancaster/Northumberland Service Council, visited the club’s meeting to represent all charities receiving funds. Kling told the club that the Interfaith Council was in desperate need of funds, as are many other charities in the area. The anticipated need greatly exceeds funds available, she said, noting that those who experience economic difficulty should realize that the economy crashed for those who were already less fortunate.

Organizations receiving funding this year, in addition to Interfaith, are: Hospice Support Services, Rappahannock General Hospital Cancer Center Indigent Patient Support Fund, Northern Neck Free Clinic, The Haven Shelter and Services, Northern Neck CASA, Lancaster/Northumberland Habitat for Humanity, Three Rivers Healthy Families, Alzheimer’s Association, Boys & Girls Club, Bay Aging and the Northern Neck Food Bank. Funds also were placed in the Rotary Scholarship Endowment.

In addition to CAPINNE’, the club also held a successful Christmas tree sale with proceeds benefitting Rotary International projects.

Ken Knull, President of the Northern Neck Rotary Club, presents a check to Jean Kling, President of the Northern Neck Interfaith Relief.

Falls Church Hosts Russian Group

Open World delegation hosted by Falls Church club meets with Falls Church Mayor Nader Barouch (third from left) and city manager Wyatt Shields, right.

Under the auspices of the Open World Leader-ship Center (www.OpenWorld.gov), Rotarian Carol Pierstorff, International Director for the Falls Church Rotary Club, coordinated a visiting dele-gation of five Russian medical professionals and their facilitator from Dec. 2 -10. The delegates were hosted in the homes of Falls Church Rotarians and a non-Rotarian family. Falls Church Past President Joe Scheibeler even took a week's leave to be the honorary driver of the group’s van!

The delegation from Vladimir, Russian (60 miles from Moscow) included Dr. Olga Komarova, Chief of Internal Medicine; Dr. Tatyana Smelskaya, ear nose & throat specialist; Dr. Natalaya Amosova, pediatrician; Galina Sorokina, pediatric public health nurse; Vera Alekseyena, TB Center public health nurse – plus facilitator Pavel Pavlov who resides in Kurck.

Hosts arranged a varied program which included getting to know area historic sites and customs as well as professional visits at medical facilities in Northern Virginia and Washington. They also had a tour of the US Capitol and attended meetings of the Washington, Bailey’s and Falls Church Rotary Clubs.

Rounding out the week’s activities were various shopping trips, dinner and brunch at the homes of host families, and a festive farewell dinner party at the home of Carol Pierstorff featuring Slavic foods. Falls Church Club members enjoyed the fellowship and getting to know the Russian delegates on a personal basis. Club President Lincoln Tucker said, “I am proud of and thankful especially to club member Carol – and to all who were able to support and participate with the Russian delegation.”

Begun as a pilot program in 1999 and then established as a permanent agency, Open World is the first and only international exchange agency in the U.S. Legislative Branch. Since its inception in 1999, Open World has brought more than 17,000 young leaders to the US from the countries of Eurasia including mayors, legislators, judges, civil servants, and educators from across the former Soviet Union . Through programs and fellowship, they come to know the “real” Ameri-ca. Our Rotary District has hosted many delegates from Eurasia during the past 12 years. The Rotary Club of Baileys Crossroads was the pioneer, hosting several delegations over the years. The Alexandria and Vienna Clubs have also participated. Open World has awarded grants to 61 organizations headquartered in 25 dif-ferent states and Washington DC. These grantee organizations include universities and colleges, Rotary clubs and other organizations, sister-city associations, inter-national visitor councils and other service organizations in all 50 states and Washington DC.

Teacher Training will Improve Education for Children with Autism

Clubs in Virginia, The Bahamas and California team to combat the effects of autism.

The Rotary Club of Rappahannock-Fredericksburg is teaming with the Nassau Sunrise Rotary Club in Nassau, The Bahamas and the Rotary Clubs of Fredericksburg, Falls Church, and Alexandria, Virginia, and Fontana, California, to provide classroom equipment and training for teachers that will give them the skills and tools to better educate children with Autism.

Autism, is a disorder that globally affects 1 in 110 children and has become the world’s fastest growing developmental disorder. In The Bahamas it is estimated that there are between 7,000 – 10,000 affected. The Rappahannock-Fredericksburg Club’s project, in coordination with REACH (Resources and Education for Autism and related Challenges) will provide special training supplies and equipment to outfit a highly functional public school classroom dedicated to the underserved special needs children affected with this disorder in Nassau.

Although there are a few special needs classrooms in The Bahamas, they often combine students with various disorders and none has the tools and equipment specially dedicated to autism. In addition, the classrooms are overcrowded with a high student-to-teacher ratio. A waiting list of students also creates a barrier to education for children with autism. Standard classrooms have a student teacher ratio of 40 to 1, and special needs have approximately 25 to 1. The ideal student-to-teacher ratio for autism is 6 to 1.

Through the project’s specialized equipment and teaching methods, students will be able to improve their level of functionality, self-esteem and will be more likely to become contributors to society, rather than seen as burdens to society and subjected to discrimination, mental and sometimes physical abuse. Teachers also will benefit by being able to use the correct tools to teach the students in the most innovative methods.

It is estimated that the project will take less than six months and will cost $20,000.00. The Bahamas Ministry of Education will be responsible for maintaining the equipment and materials for the classroom. REACH is already providing, at no cost to the teachers, continuing education that focuses on specialized teaching methods and care-giving to autistic children. REACH also conducts workshops throughout the year that train, educate and encourage the parents. Sixty parents attended the most recent workshop. The workshops educate the parents about the teaching techniques, so that they can be more involved.

Follow Our Ambassadorial Scholar in Ecuador

Jasmine (standing, far rght) visiting the Rotary Club of San Francisco de Quito.

Jasmine Wilkins is the recipient of an Ambassadorial Scholarship from The Rotary Foundation for 2011-12, sponsored by the Fair Lakes Rotary Club and Rotary District 7610.

She is serving as Ambassadorial Scholar in Quito, Ecuador, for one year beginning in mid-October, and will study Gender and Development at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, FLACSO). In addition to scholarly duties, she will spread goodwill and foster cultural exchange through regular meetings with Rotary Clubs and service organizations throughout the country and participate in Rotary service projects volunteering with local Rotary Clubs in Quito.

Follow Jasmine's experiences.

Rotary District 7610 at Work and Play

Students in the Glasgow MS Gardening Club hold up 240 baby onions in bags prior to planting yesterday. The club is just one of several sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bailey's Crossroads!

Members of Linton Hall Fife and Drum Corps entertain shoppers while Dulles Rotarians ring Salvation Army Bell.

The Bull Run Rotary Club took third place in the 66th annual Manassas Christmas Parade with the theme “Christmas Remembered”. The float depicted “Grandma and Grandpa” reading stories of the events accomplished by the club in previous years. Entering a float in the parade has been a tradition of the club for numerous years as an outreach to the community to show the club’s involvement in the community and to promote club membership.

Interactors in Stafford County have a unique way of collecting food for the hungry. Groups from Colonial Forge, Brook Point, Stafford, North Stafford, and Mountain View Interact Clubs got together in November for an ice cream social and dance, with canned food as admission. Their challenge was to build a “Tower of Food,” which Stafford Rotary President Kat Kammer and North Stafford County-Garrisonville President Barry Coble got to measure. It topped out at over 4 feet and the plan is to go higher in 2012.