New Bay City Rotary President Rob Clark Fired Up, to be Installed Tuesday
Outgoing President Gena Gates To Deliver Year-End Review This Tuesday
July 1, 2007
By: Dave Rogers
Visit
RotaryBayCity.org,
web site of the Rotary Club of Bay City, Michigan
CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS
Bring a friend to Rotary. For prospective new members we have a supply of the "Rotary Basics" brochures that explain the organization very well.
Dues Are Due! Dues invoices have been passed out or mailed to all members. Please submit your payment as soon as possible. Please note that in response to a dues increase by Rotary International, the board approved a club dues increase of $1 (one dollar) for each six month cycle over the next three years.
Breezes Reporters Wanted: If you'd like to help write the weekly Breezes please see Steve Kent. It's an easy job. No experience necessary. High Pay (well at least a lot of thanks).
Reminder: Zone Meeting on Membership is scheduled for July 27 and 28 in South Bend Indiana. The district is chartering a bus for any interested members. Cost is $35 and the bus departs from Owosso.
The Pinconning Club is very close to their 20 members required for charter. It should happen in the next month or so! The Pinconning Club meets every Thursday at noon - Third Street Deli.
If you have International Night auction items it's not too early to let the committee know about them. A form is available for download on the International Night page of the club web site.
The Big Board will be at every meeting until International Night. There are jobs for everyone and every one's name is on the board. Sign up soon.
CLUB NEWS
Al Hicks reported that his Granddaughter had a little accident while Al was there. He gave her the required Grandfather's lecture on safety, etc. Al says that her reply was "I didn't understand a word you said.".
Upcoming Programs
(See the official schedule at
RotaryBayCity.org)
July 3 Passing of the Gavel as Rob Clark takes the reins as President for 2007-2008.
July 10
Real Estate sales in Bay County
July 17
Hemlock Semi Conductor: They make the most pure material on Earth.
Last Weeks program - June 26, 2007:
New Bay City Rotary President Rob Clark Fired Up, to be Installed Tuesday
"Opportunities are endless for doing service in the world," exclaimed incoming Bay City Rotary Club President Rob Clark last Tuesday.
Just back from the Rotary International Convention in Salt Lake City, Mr. Clark will receive the gavel from Gena Gates, who commented: "It has been a privilege to be part of an organization that does so much good in the world." She will deliver her year-end review this Tuesday.
Mr. Clark exuded enthusiasm about the international convention, noting that 3,977 clubs (out of 32,770 worldwide) were represented in Salt Lake City by more than 18,000 Rotarians. "Thanks for sending me; it was a life changing experience -- overwhelming," he said, adding: "I was very proud to represent this club."
The RI conclave was the largest convention ever held in the Utah metropolis, he said.
A personal thrill came when he sang with the Rotary International Choir.
Mr. Clark mused: "It was awe inspiring and it made me think: 'Am I doing enough?'"
He told of meeting Rotarians from around the world, including a man ironically named Paul Harris, namesake of the founder of Rotary in 1905. Pam Harkema of Owosso, incoming district governor, and Ruby Iwamasa, Midland, past district governor, were there along with many other Michiganians.
Travel problems complicated the trip but didn't dampen Mr. Clark's enthusiasm about the convention or about Rotary's $620 million in donations to Polio Plus over the past 20 years. A total of 210 countries are now free of polio, he said, and only four countries have endemic cases compared with 125 countries in 1985.
"Our goal was to make the world polio free by 2005," he observed. "We didn't make it but we still keep working. We are going to wipe it out and all because of Rotary."
William Gates Sr., chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, was among speakers energizing Rotarians about the polio campaign, he said.
Locally, the dictionary project will continue and a thesaurus project may be in the offing for third and fourth graders, according to the new president.
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