Rotary District 6650 April 2011 Newsletter
April 29, 2011 / Volume 1, Number 7“Rotary’s programs of Interact, RYLA, Rotaract, and Rotary Youth Exchange are some of the best in the world for young people. However, they have been divided between Community Service and International Service at the club level and district level, which has made it more difficult for them to be coordinated. The change to five Avenues of Service will provide a single director or coordinator for each club and each district to supervise and promote the Rotary programs for young people.”
Ray Klinginsmith
Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY)
By giving $100 a year -- less than $2 a week -- to the Annual Programs Fund through the Every Rotarian, Every Year (EREY) initiative, Rotarians become part of the Foundation's mission to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.
Getting to know our District:
Austintown
Austintown Township was founded in 1793 in a section that used to be known as the Connecticut Western Reserve located in Northeast Ohio. It was surveyed as a parcel of land 5 miles on each side as were other townships of the Connecticut Western Reserve.
Austintown was named for Judge Calvin Austin, an agent for the Western Reserve Connecticut Land Company. Postal records show the Post Office established in 1813was named Austin. The name was later changed to Orange because of the confusion with Austinburg. In 1872 it was renamed Austintown. It was part of Trumbull County until 1846 when the Ohio General Assembly created Mahoning County.
Getting to know our District:
Youngstown
The city was named for John Young, an early settler from Whitestown, New York, who established the community's first sawmill and gristmill. Youngstown is located in a region of the United States that is often referred to as the Rust Belt. Traditionally known as a center of steel production, Youngstown was forced to redefine itself when the U.S. steel industry fell into decline in the 1970s, leaving communities throughout the region without major industry.
The village of Youngstown was incorporated in 1848, and in 1867 Youngstown was chartered as a city. It became the county seat in 1876, when the administrative center of Mahoning County was moved from neighboring Canfield.
Harry Burt Sr. invented the ice cream bar in his shop in Youngstown and developed the “Good Humor Company” with its fleet of refrigerated trucks to distribute his invention.
Getting to know our District:
Canfield
Canfield's first settlers arrived shortly after surveying was initiated in 1798. Most of them came from Connecticut. Later, major immigrations were by the Germans in 1805, and in 1852 by the Irish Catholics.
A popular social group during the early 1800's was the Onion Society, organized to "feast on the delicious vegetable." Feasts of meat, onions, (and a lot of liquor), were held. the Society was very popular and had a waiting list for membership.
The Canfield Fairgrounds ("Ohio's Largest Fair") have existed at their present location on State Route 46 in Canfield, Ohio since 1851.
Canfield was part of Trumbull County until 1846, when the counties in the area were redefined and Mahoning County emerged as a new county. Canfield made plans to be the county seat, and because of it being the geographical center it was made such in 1846, while Youngstown grumbled that it should have had that honor. Thus a fierce issue was raised and it began a debate that would last three decades-that being which community would be the new county seat-Canfield or Youngstown.
Getting to know our District:
Champion
The land that became the township was divided among nine or ten shareholders, one of whom, General Henry Champion, originally owned much of the property and had acquired all of the township land by December 1798. Trumbull County was established in 1800 and the township was named "Champion Township" for the man who owned it.
Getting to know our District:
Canton
Canton was founded in 1805. Cantonrep.com quotes Kim Kenney, the curator of the William McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, whose information came from E.T. Heald's series, The Stark County Story, as saying that Canton was incorporated as a village in 1822, and then as a city in 1838. However, the history page of the City of Canton's web page gives the date for incorporation as a village as being in 1815, as a town in 1834, and as a city in 1854.
Bezaleel Wells, the surveyor who divided the land of the town, named it after Canton (a traditional name for Guangdong), China. The name was a memorial to a trader named John O'Donnell, whom Wells admired. O'Donnell had named his Maryland plantation after the Chinese city, as he had been the first person to transport goods from there to Baltimore.
Canton was the adopted home of President William McKinley. Born in Niles, McKinley first practiced law in Canton around 1867, and was prosecuting attorney of Stark County from 1869 to 1871. The city was his home during his successful campaign for Ohio governor, the site of his front-porch presidential campaign of 1896 and the campaign of 1900. Canton is now the site of the William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum and the McKinley National Memorial, dedicated in 1907. /
Greetings from District Governor Jim Russell
Another month gone. My how time flies!At the time of publication for this newsletter we will be conducting the District Conference. I’ll report on it in May’s issue.
This month is about finalizing the Conference plans and recognizing clubs who have achieved the goals we set out on the District’s GEAR program and President Ray’s Presidential Citation. We had a total of 14 clubs who achieved GEAR status and 8 clubs who are Presidential Citation winners, 3 are Presidential Citation with Distinction recipients. Congratulations to all who are recognized.
The recognitions are great, but our work is not finished. We need to focus these next months on achieving the goals we set for our Polio Plus campaign and for our support of the Rotary Foundation. We are in the midst of our visit with the District 3820 GSE team. We know how great that program is and we know it would not be possible without our annual giving to the Foundation. Please review your club’s progress toward its goal and push to meet our commitment.
The Philippine GSE Team is here and will be presenting their program at the April 30 Fun Fair. Events are planned in each hub area. Please take an opportunity to interact with this delightful group. Our GSE Team has returned from the Philippines and would love to talk to your group about their experience. Contact Elayne Bozick in the Youngstown club to arrange a presentation.
Please consider attending the International Convention in New Orleans on May 22 – 25. This is an opportunity to attend in the US which won’t be repeated for a while. If you are attending, please let PDG Windate know if you will attend the District dinner on May 22.
As we move to finish the year, please know how much I appreciate your commitment and support. We have a great District of Rotarians!
Jim
PolioPlus Challenge
As the District's PolioPlus Chair and as a Polio Survivor, please accept my personal Thank's for all of your hard work.As you know, the defeat of Polio worldwide is Rotary International's highest priority.
We have been challenged by the Bill Gates Foundation to raise 200 million dollars and we are getting close.
Bill Gates is coming to the International Convention in New Orleans to urge us on to the finish line.
District 6650 has raised $22,749 from July 1, 2010, and $134,747 since Dec 1, 2007.
At the District Conference, the District would like to recognize those clubs who have been able to raise over $1,000 since July 1,2010.
The following is a list of clubs that have donated at least $1,000 this year to the PolioPlus Campaign.
Canfield, Canton, Carrollton, East Liverpool, Girard-Liberty, Jackson Township, Kinsman, Louisville, Minerva, Newcomerstown, Niles, North Canton, Plain Township, Perry Township, Poland, Salem, Sugarcreek, Warren and Youngstown.
I hope each club mentioned will have a representative at the District Conference dinner to receive a Thank You.
If your club is not listed, but you will donate $1,000 to the PolioPlus Campaign by July 1, please e-mail me or call me to add your name to the list.
In 1985 over 365,000 kids got Polio In 2010 less than 1,000 kids got Polio.
On behalf of the 364,000 kids that did NOT get Polio because of you Rotarians
I say THANK YOU
PDG Geoff Goll
Achieving our Annual Giving Goals
The Interim Monthly Contribution Report from our Rotary Foundation provides a look at our progress toward achieving the goals we set for Annual Giving this year. At this writing, we have eight clubs who have achieved at least 100% of their goal. These are Alliance, Brookfield, Canton, Carrollton, Champion, Jackson Township, Louisville, and Minerva. These clubs deserve recognition for reaching their goal early. Seven of our clubs are above 80% of their goal. These are Boardman, Dover, Newcomerstown, North Canton, Plain Township, Rittman, and Salem. Recognize these clubs for achieving the monthly average necessary to finish above 100%.
Combined contributions by clubs in District 6650 are $83,777.04 or 57.49% of our$145,731.00 goal for Annual Giving. We have time to make this happen! Please make a contribution to help your club achieve its goal.
Welcome District 3820 GSE Team
Our new friends from District 3820 Philippines arrived in Akron-Canton on Monday April 18. The five member Group Study Exchange team is spending a month in our District as part of a cultural exchange funded by The Rotary Foundation. The team includes two PHD and three BS trained individuals in the fields of Education, Electrical Engineering, Accounting and Law, and Marketing. As they travel in District 6650, they hope to see their vocations in action. All are fluent in English and are anxious to make new friends here in Ohio! Please take an opportunity to visit with them when they are in your area.Rose Parade Float 2011
If you were watching the Rose Parade in January, you probably saw Rotary’s excellent float entry. You weren’t alone! Almost 400 Million people got to see this representation of our Building Communities – Bridging Continents theme. RI does not pay for this annual float entry. Instead it is funded by contributions from individuals and Rotary Clubs. Unfortunately, this year’s float cost more than the amount contributed. Please consider making a contribution to help offset this shortfall. You can do so on line at www.rotaryfloat.org/contributions.html .News from the frontline:
Sieglinde Warren, Division I-A
An international focus was evident in Division 1A from the visit by the GSE team from the Philippines to recognition of a Boardman Rotarian in Russia to celebrating the experiences of being an exchange student.Boardman Rotarian Howard Mettee
Over the Christmas holidays, the St. Petersburg Forest Technical Academy awarded Boardman Rotarian Howard Mettee an "Honorary Doctorate" degree for his work in Russia over the past 20 years.Howard started as a Rotary Volunteer back in 1992, trying to help small businesses recommended to him by the nascent Rotary Club Neva members to form joint ventures with northeast Ohio companies of similar character. Then he took a sabbatical leave from his position as an YSU chemistry professor in 1997-98 while also a Fulbright Scholar, leaving behind a biomass fermenter for fuel ethanol that is still used by students there today. Last year he and his Russian colleagues were awarded a joint grant by US and Russian agencies for $90,000 to characterize the biodiesel fuel extractedfrom different types of wood common in Russia.
Boardman and Struthers Combined Meeting
The members of the GSE team from the Philippines started their month long adventure in District 6650 with their first team presentation at a combined meeting of the Rotary Clubs of Boardman and Struthers. Their first week in Ohio was also spent with activities coordinated by the Rotary Clubs of Canfield, Poland, and Youngstown.Pictured from left to right are:
Bryan Higgins, President, Rotary Club of Struthers; GSE Team members Mary Rose Joy G. Sagabay; Maria Christine C. Cabrera, Jenny Romero Salud, GSE Team Leader; Jocelyn I. Bartolata; and Jerome D. Castaños. Shelly LaBerto, President of the Rotary Club of Boardman and GSE Division 1A Hub Club Coordinator.
Canfield High School Interact Club's International Celebration
The 12th International Celebration sponsored by the Canfield High School Interact Club is an event that recognizes area exchange students from all exchange programs, not just Rotary. Interactors, exchange students, Rotarians and host families come together to celebrate diversity.After dinner, the Interact officers reviewed the accomplishments of the year and introduced the exchange students. The exchange students shared a bit about themselves, their countries and their schools and also participated in a Q&A session.
Pictured is Interact President, Nicole Cordy, surrounded by the international guests.
Row 1 Left to right:
Florence Aergerter, Switzerland, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Boardman; Laura Schmidt, Germany, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Youngstown; Ha Le, Vietnam; Punyanuch Joradol, Thailand;
Row 2 Left to right:
Viggy Lakshmanan, India; Patto Ponce, Argentina, hosted by the Rotary Club of Canfield and sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Canton and Massillon; Maximilano Salomone, Argentina, sponsored by the Rotary Club of East Palestine; Abdullah Khalil, Saudi Arabia; Nicole Cordy, Interact President; Junior Brzezinski, Brazil, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Canfield; Sultanbek , Turkmenistan.