You are cordially invited to attend the annual District Rotary Foundation Banquet on Saturday, November 5, 2011 at the Renaissance Hotel in Asheville. Festivities will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a reception for all Rotarians and their guests, followed with dinner at 6:45 p.m. Please join us for an enjoyable evening of fun and great Rotary fellowship in the celebration of the strong involvement of our Rotary clubs in supporting the programs of The Rotary Foundation.

The featured speaker for the evening will be Past Rotary District Governor Joseph M. (Joe) Mulkerrin. Joe is a member of the Rotary Club of Hampton Roads in Virginia and has been a leading voice in our Rotary Zone 33 for The Rotary Foundation, which he serves as the Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator. We are very grateful to Joe and his wife Ann for joining us for this event. To show our support for him and for the work of The Rotary Foundation, we hope that you have marked November 5th on your calendar and are already planning to bring a group of Rotarians from your clubs.

To register for the banquet, click this link. Register NOW for District Rotary Foundation Banquet November 05, 2011. It will connect you to the registration form, where you can register yourself and your guest(s), give your dinner preference, and make payment by credit card (if desired). Payment for the dinner can also be made by sending a check, made out to Rotary District 7670, to the Rotary office at PO Box 1954, Asheville, NC 28802. The cost for the dinner is $40 per person. Please complete the registration form as soon as possible. The deadline is November 1st.

The entire district leadership team and I look forward to welcoming you to Asheville on November 5th!

Yours in Rotary Service,

Bill Parker

District Governor

You are respectfully requested to join us at our district’s Rotary Foundation seminar scheduled on August 13, 2011. It will be held at the Simpson Lecture Hall on the campus of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (AB Tech) in Asheville. Registration will begin at 9:00 a.m. with Danish and coffee provided. The opening session will start at 9:30 a.m. The seminar will end at 12:30 p.m. with lunch.

The seminar is designed to provide support and encouragement early in the Rotary year in one of the most important areas of responsibility we have as club and district leaders, promoting and building better understanding of The Rotary Foundation. We are very excited to have Jackie McGuire, who is the Major Gifts Officer for The Rotary Foundation, join us. She brings skills in helping with giving to the Foundation through tax-advantaged estate planning.

The registration fee for the seminar is $25 per conferee and registration will be online using the District and Club Database (DaCdb) Calendar tab (Go to the 13 August Event). A hard copy registration form is attached. The details for registering are outlined on the form which also includes directions to AB Tech. If you have any questions or you experience difficulty  registering, please contact either of us or Margaret Gormley Chapman using the contact information in the heading of this letter.

The seminar is structured to help you gain a better understanding of how to participate in the programs of the Foundation and how to best stimulate support for it in your clubs and is open to all Rotarians. However, club Presidents and Presidents-elect, club Foundation chairs, International Service chairs, club Secretaries and Treasurers, Assistant Governors, and District leadership are particularly encouraged to attend. Please make every effort to ensure your club is represented at this very important district meeting.

We are sincerely looking forward to working with each of you and your club Foundation leaders. The Rotary Foundation is “Our Charity” which with our support can truly help us in our work of “Reaching Within to Embrace Humanity”. See you on August 13th.

Bill                                                                       Chuck

Bill Parker                                                                             PDG Chuck Reiley

District Governor                                                                 District Foundation Chair

Registration

Foundation Seminar Registration Form (Download and Print)

Agenda

DISTRICT 7670 ROTARY FOUNDATION SEMINAR

AB Technical Community College

Simpson Building, Simpson Lecture Hall

Asheville, NC

August 13, 2011

Tenetative Agenda

9:00 -  9:30 am           Registration

Opening Plenary Session

9:30 -10:45 am           Call to Order and Welcome – DG Bill Parker

Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance – DGE Frank Dean

Foundation Information Icebreaker – PDG Chuck Reiley

Overview & District Foundation Goals  – PDG Chuck Reiley

Polio Plus & $200 Million Challenge – PDG Bob Miller

Polio Raffle – Bill Biddle

Paul Harris Society – Billi Black

10:45 -11:00 am         Break

Second Plenary Session

11:00 -12:30 pm Every Rotarian/Every Year (EREY) – Gary Bray

Major Giving – PDG Carol King & Jackie McGuire – TRF Major Gifts Officer

Group Study Exchange – Michael Greene

Rotary Scholarships – Shirley Browning

Successful Giving Clubs – PDG Chuck Reiley

Grants – Ann Sperry

Friendship Exchange – Jennifer Dirkes

Tracking and Using Foundation Alumni – PDG Bob Miller

Adjournment and Lunch

Peace Scholarships 2012 – 2014

Rotary World Peace Fellows will begin a two-year master’s-level degree program in conflict resolution, peace studies, and international relations at one of five Rotary Centers worldwide. There is no limit on the number of candidates a Rotary District may nominate for the selection process .

Candidates should have 3 or more years experience in some form of conflict resolution, mediation, diplomacy, international relations or similar fields.

Candidates are to have earned a bachelor’s degree before applying for this award and must demonstrate a commitment to a career dedicated to peace and conflict resolution.  Scholars must study at one of the Rotary Centers outside their home country.  For citizens of this country the options are:

• International Christian University - Tokyo, Japan
• Universidad del Salvador – Buenos Aires, Argentina
• University of Bradford – West Yorkshire, England
• University of Queensland – Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Previous Peace Scholars from District 7670 are Christy Bischoff who studied at Bradford, and David LaMotte who studied at Brisbane.

The Scholarship is $25,000/year – Total $50,000.  This is a highly competitive program with approximately 60 Peace Scholars selected each year from around the world.

There is also a 3 month certificate program at Chulalongkorn University, in Bangkok, Thailand.  Application may be submitted on a rolling pattern  usually 6 months in advance of the desired program.  Up to 25 mid-career professional in conflict resolution and peace building participate in an intensive three-month course held twice a year, January – April and June – August.  All course work is in English.  Applicants are expected to have five (5) years relevant experience.

Ambassadorial Scholars 2012-2013

The purpose of the Ambassadorial Scholarships program is to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries. Scholars are expected to enroll in a formal program of study but need not intend to seek completion of a degree. Most Ambassadorial Scholars are college seniors or recent graduates.  Ambassadorial Scholars are to engage in community service activities in their host countries.  Their role as an Ambassador of good will is a major responsibility of the scholar, as they represent their sponsor club, District and our society and culture.  One of the major purposes of this program is to build international understanding across cultures leading to peace building, mutual respect   Scholars are to reflect through their actions and projects the Rotary motto of Service Above Self.  Award is up to $26,000.

Applicants for either scholarship cannot be a Rotarian; an honorary Rotarian; an employee of a club, district or other rotary entity or of Rotary International; a spouse, lineal descendant (child, grandchild by blood or legal adoption), a spouse of a living descendant, or an ancestor (parent or grandparent) of any living person in the foregoing categories; or a former Rotarian within 36 months of resignation from rotary.   Rotaract members and former Ambassadorial Scholars, former GSE participants even if residing outside our district are eligible to apply assuming they meet all other eligibility criteria.  The scholarship may not be used to complete a PhD degree.  No district or club funds are used to support a Peace Scholar other than minor expenses in helping a Scholar prepare for their studies, e.g., business cards, a jacket, a scholar pin and name tag.

HOW TO FIND INFORMATION

Go to Rotary International Web site:  Rotary.org The site provides extensive information on these Scholarships. If anyone has additional questions please contact Shirley Browning Chair of District 7670 Scholarship Committee.  Phone:  828-298-7925  (home); 828-251-6549 (office) or e-mail at (scbrowning@bellsouth.net) .  Mail:  274 Christian Creek Road, Swannanoa, NC 28778

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING DEADLINES / GUIDELINES

1. January to May clubs recruit and interview applicants.  All club nominees to District MUST be interviewed by a sponsoring Rotary Club.  Please complete the page for Club endorsement.
2. Clubs submit Peace Scholar nominees to District Committee no later than June 1, 2011 (this is earlier than the others due to a July 1 deadline to RI from all Districts)
3. Clubs submit Ambassadorial nominee files to District Committee no later than July 15, 2011.

Please mail 6 Completed copies to:  Shirley Browning,  274  Christian Creek Road, Swannanoa, NC 28778

• District Committee interviews for Ambassadorial, Applicants August, 2011 day and  location TBA.  Peace Scholar applicants will be interviewed in June, 2011 – dates TBA.

When nominating a candidate for one of these awards please review the application file to ensure it is complete.  When forwarding the nomination packet please include the forms necessary for the District Committee and our District Governor.

These are wonderful opportunities. The number of awards varies each year depending on available funding. Peace Scholar awards do not come from District Funds. Ambassadorial awards do come from district funds that are determined by the amount of district contributions to Rotary Foundation.

Your District Scholarship Committee is available to assist clubs in recruitment and evaluation of potential candidates.  We are a support source of information as well as the District review committee in the formal selection process. The individuals selected for the various scholarships in our District have proven to be exceptional young people who will make substantial contributions to not only our district, but to our country and the world.  You can be very proud of them and how your funds have been invested in our future.

We urge all clubs to identify one person who will be responsible for recruitment of scholarship applicants.

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Saturday evening the annual District 7670 Foundation Banquet was held in Hickory.  The evening was a great success with heavy attendance and great representation from the whole District.

Keynote

PRIP Frank Devlyn delivered the keynote speech, inspired us to support TRF and also recognized numerous Rotarians for their support of TRF and commitment to Rotary.  In attendance there were numerous special guests including Past RI Director Ken Morgan and his wife Winnie and PDG Mark Markanda.

Introductions

At the Banquet, Frank Dean the current DGNDE was officially presented as well as the Outgoing GSE Team to the Philippines.  Frank Dean gave an enthusiastic preview of his commitment to Rotary and the good works that the Foundation does around the world.  Frank promised a FANTASTIC year and great things to come in District 7670.

Pictures and more information are to follow soon.

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Sunday, October 4, 2009

Beloved family,

I can hardly believe that I’ve now been here for over a month. The time has gone by very fast. I suppose this is due to my busy schedule.

On Wednesday, September 16, I attended a Seoul Rotary Club breakfast seminar. While my particular host Rotary Club is an English-speaking club, this seminar was for the leaders of all the different Rotary clubs in Seoul , thus the meeting was held in Korean.. I was asked to give a self-introduction in Korean. Although I was nervous speaking in front of so many people in a language I don’t speak very well, my brief speech came out as well as I could have hoped. Afterward, I was excused to attend my class. As I was exiting through the corridor I was called by someone. When I turned around to see who had called for me, I recognized the man as Mr. D.K. Lee, the 2008-09 president of Rotary International. . I had just seen Mr. Lee in a television interview the week before, so it was somewhat surreal to be talking with him face to face. I don’t know whether he heard my speech or not, but he seemed interested in me, and we spoke for several minutes. He even gave me his personal phone number and invited me to visit him in his office sometime.

The following Saturday, Sep. 19, I went on an excursion with several members of my host Rotary club, as well as members of several other Seoul Rotary clubs. We were hosted by Rotarian B.R. Son, chairman of TCC Steel, at his property in Yangpyeong, overlooking the Han River, about an hour outside Seoul . We had a high quality Korean buffet lunch and then sat back and enjoyed several hours of traditional entertainment, composed of musical and dramatic performances. Even though I couldn’t understand everything, it was a valuable cultural experience. Moreover, the weather was excellent, and I always enjoy seeing new places.

After giving my speech at the Rotary seminar, I was approached by a Rotarian from a different club and invited to join their group on a trip to Baeknyeong-do on the weekend of September 26-27. I had never heard of Baeknyeong-do, but both the Rotarian who invited me as well as my host counselor told me that it is a special place that not even many Koreans are able to visit. We left the Incheon port on Saturday around 9 am and arrived at the island around 1 pm. This was a very lengthy trip considering that it takes only about 5 hours, by car or train, from Seoul in the north of the country to Busan in the south. After arriving, we stopped at a small restaurant for lunch. As I enjoyed the delicious meal I was reminded that the food in the countryside is usually tastier. That afternoon, we did some sightseeing around the island – both by car and by boat. As there are few residents and a limited number of visitors, the island’s natural beauty remains unspoiled and clearly apparent. The next morning we did some more sightseeing, including a stop at a Korean marine corp base. Baeknyeong-do is just 10 km from North Korea and closer to Shanghai than the South Korean mainland, so its defenses are quite strong. While the atmosphere didn’t feel quite as tense as in the Joint Security Area at Panmunjeom in the Demilitarized Zone, I was certainly reminded that the Korean War has not yet truly ended. Well, it was a lot of traveling in just two days, but I realize how fortunate I was to be able to go on that trip to such a unique location.

In case you are wondering about my Korean language class, it is going well. I’m learning a little bit every day. One very positive development is that I signed up for the Korean language buddy program at SNU, and have already met with my partner several times. His name is Kang Seok Chu, and he is an Economics major in his last semester. He is a couple of years older than I am, but he has a gentle personality and has been very nice to me. Although he has a good knowledge of English, he always speaks with me in Korean, which I greatly appreciate. Kang Seok also introduced me to his girlfriend. The three of us ate lunch together then had a nice, long conversion in a campus coffee shop. When they found out that my birthday was on September 25, they wanted to have a small party for me. They bought a cake for me and we went up to the student cafeteria where they sang happy birthday to me and we ate the cake together. They also gave me a book, written in both English and Korean, for me to study. I was really moved by their thoughtfulness..

Some other friends of mine invited me to their home for a homemade Korean dinner on my birthday. The food was delicious, but more than that I was touched by their kindness. I am reminded often of how blessed I am to have such good friends here who truly care about me.

On Wednesday of last week I visited the Yeomyung School , along with Mr. Kim, director of International Relations at Far East Broadcasting Co., for whom I have been volunteering one afternoon a week. He introduced me to the school principal, and the three of us met in the school office. After I introduced myself, the principal told me about the school and showed me around. It is a Christian school exclusively for youths who have escaped North Korea and come to the South. Some have been here for a few months, others for a few years, but most have only a limited knowledge of English, a very important skill in South Korea . I will begin working at the school as a volunteer English instructor this Thursday, teaching a beginner level class. I care deeply about these people who have already gone through so much in their young lives, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve them in some way.

This past weekend was Chuseok, one of the two large traditional holidays in Korea , in which nearly everyone returns to their hometown to celebrate with family. The friend with whom I am living invited me to visit his hometown of Mungyeong in North Kyeongsang Province with him and his girlfriend, who comes from the same hometown. Chuseok fell on a Saturday this year, but the three of us traveled down on Thursday, so the traffic wasn’t bad. My friend and I stayed at his uncle’s log cabin, which his uncle actually built. It was a very nice home, and I can’t recall ever seeing a house like it in Korea . The location was especially lovely, nestled between a small river and rice fields, with large mountains all around. We did some sightseeing during our two days there, but mostly we spent time with family members and ate. I ate very well. We returned home on Saturday, so again the traffic wasn’t too congested. Today has been a restful day. Although it was a lovely fall weather, I only went out briefly, to attend church. I want to be ready for the new school week.

Thank you all for your birthday messages. I really appreciate you thinking about me, even while I’m so far away. I’m also thinking of you all, and I hope that everyone is well.

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