I do not know if you have received this notice re the Chapel Hill / Duke Peace Scholar Presentations?  If not here it is.  I hope you can attend.  I have attended a few of these and they are very much worth the time.  At present I am registered for this session – hope to see you there -

PDG David has also attended several of the presentations and can answer questions you might have about his impressions -

Secondly would it be possible to place this information in the District bulletin, etc. so all Rotarians in our District might learn of the opportunity ?

thanks

Shirley

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** This message is going to the College of Governors for Rotary District 7710 **

Investing in peace: Peace Fellows Take Action

The Co-directors and Rotary Peace Fellows of the Duke-UNC Rotary Center for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution invite you to the ninth annual Spring conference. Ninth Annual Rotary Fellows Spring Conference

“Investing in peace: Peace Fellows Take Action”

Saturday, March 31, 2012
8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
FedEx Global Education Center
301 Pittsboro Street
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, North Carolina

You will have a chance to hear the nine graduating Fellows make their presentations and to be involved in a short Q&A session after each presentation. At lunch (which is free and buffet-style) you will have a chance to interact with Fellows

Registration for this event is through a link on the Peace center’s web site

http://www.rotarypeacecenternc.org/RegConfirm.html
This is a free event open to Rotarians, students and the public

BarryPhillips

Host Area Coordinator

Duke-UNC Rotary Center for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution

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

Dear Rotary Leaders,

A number of Rotarians have contributed significantly to the tremendous progress so far achieved in the global effort to eradicate polio. The tireless efforts of these Rotarians on behalf of the PolioPlus Program are worthy of great praise and recognition. An excellent means to communicate appreciation to them is through The Service Award for a Polio-Free World. The Award was created to recognize outstanding active personal service since 1 November 1992.

Attached for your information are the award criteria and guidelines as well as the nomination form. Please submit your nominations to Regina Rodríguez-Martin at World Headquarters (fax: 847-556-2189, email: regina.rodriguez-martin@rotary.org) by 01 November 2011. We look forward to receiving your nominations and appreciate your support in recognizing the exemplary commitment of these Rotarians.

Sincerely,

Carol A. Pandak
Manager, PolioPlus Division

Award Criteria

THE ROTARY FOUNDATION

OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL

SERVICE AWARD FOR A POLIO-FREE WORLD

Criteria and Guidelines

Purpose of the Award: This award was established by the Trustees of the Rotary Foundation in order to recognize outstanding contributions to the effort by Rotarians and thereby to encourage final efforts.

Service to be Recognized: Active personal service is required by the prospective recipient of the award.  Personal financial contributions, however noteworthy, are not a basis for the award.  Outstanding service in the field of advocacy, however, is not precluded as a consideration for the award.  Fundraising efforts that support Rotary’s PolioPlus program may be considered in the evaluation of nominees for the award.

Period of Service: Since the service to be recognized relates to the eradication target phase of Rotary efforts, only service which has occurred since 1 November 1992 is recognizable.

Number and Distribution of Awards: Regional awards, with regions coinciding with WHO regions, for outstanding service in polio eradication, solely or primarily with the region, will be made annually, not to exceed ten per region.  International Awards, for broad service to the cause of polio eradication, will also be made annually, not to exceed ten individuals.  A Rotarian may receive only one of each award.  Prior receipt of a regional award is not a condition, nor does it preclude, consideration for the international award.

Persons Eligible: Any Rotarian is eligible except:

1. Current and incoming trustees of The Rotary Foundation, current and incoming directors of Rotary International, and current and incoming district governors are not eligible to receive either of these awards.
2. Members of a Regional PolioPlus Committee and any Rotarian who have previously received either the regional or international award are ineligible for the regional award.
3. Members of the International PolioPlus Committee are ineligible for either award.

Award Approval: Regional awards will be made by the Trustee Chairman upon recommendation by the International PolioPlus Committee, which may consider the views of appropriate regional committees.  If there is no regional committee, the Trustee Chairman will appoint a Rotarian in the WHO Region to execute the regional committee responsibilities in this regard.  International awards will be made only by the Executive Committee of the Trustees upon recommendation by the IPPC.

Any Rotarian may initiate a recommendation for a Rotarian to receive either award.

Download the Nomination Form

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The Host Club Request Form needs to be completed and submitted to Michael Greene not later than Friday, October 14th 2011. We will select the host clubs to participate in the exchange shortly after receiving and reviewing the requests. This is an excellent opportunity for our Rotarians to share our culture, our beautiful sights, and our warm southern hospitality.

The primary focus of each team (inbound and outbound) is on health (how our health system compares with that of Finland); education (how our education system compares to that of Finland Primary School through Graduate Level school); and on Civic leadership (how our city and county managers are coping with providing community services such as fire, police, water and sewage, sanitation, and local education requirements under reduced revenue).

GSE Team Leader Application due to Michael Greene not later than Friday, August 12th 2011 with the GSE Team Leader Interview scheduled for Saturday, August 27th in Asheville.

GSE Team Member Application due to Michael Greene not later than Friday, September 9th 2011 with the GSE Team Member Interviews scheduled for Saturday, September 24th in Asheville.

The Inbound GSE Team from Finland is scheduled to arrive in Asheville on Sunday, April 8th 2012 and scheduled to attend the District Conference in Concord, NC 20-22 April 2012. They will return to Finland departing Asheville Sunday, May 6th 2012.

The outbound GSE Team traveling to Finland will depart Asheville Sunday, April 15th 2012, will attend the District 1430 Conference in Kuopio, Finland 27 – 29 April 2012 and will return to Asheville Sunday, May 6th 2012.

The travel days may be adjusted slightly due to ticketing issues that may arise but for planning purposes, this schedule is fairly firm.

We will all work hard as a District to make sure this GSE experience is productive, enjoyable, fun, and educational for all involved.

Thank you,

Bill

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Rotarians,
Perhaps you were curious about where the District stands on the 2011-12 Polio Plus campaign. Last month, our District Polio Plus Chair, Bill Biddle and I submitted a request to the Viking Cruise Lines and to Beaches Resorts asking for them to donate a vacation to use as a prize for our Polio Plus raffle. We are waiting for their donation committees to review our request and make a decision on our requests. It is obvious that every dollar saved on a vacation prize is a dollar more to help eliminate polio around the world. We requested a donation of a family vacation cruise from the Disney Company, but the Disney Company, Community Relations Department advised us that it is not within their corporate policy to make donations of cruises. We have a price for a family cruise and it is reasonable. We are continuing to explore other options at this time.

We plan to print and distribute tickets during the August 13th Foundation Seminar at AB Tech in Asheville so we have to firm the prizes soon.

I want each and every Rotarian to be informed as to what Polio Plus is and why we are raising money for the Rotary Foundation for this program. Accordingly, I have provided some background for your information.

Since 1985, Rotary International (RI), a world-wide service organization, made a decision to eliminate the dreaded disease, Poliomyelitis from the world. To date, RI has helped remove this disease from the entire world except for four countries, Nigeria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India. Millions of dollars have been raised by Rotarians and expended in this effort. Several years ago, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation donated $355 million to help fund RI’s fight to eliminate Polio in the world. All they asked in return was for RI to match $200 million of this donation. The match program, called “Polio Plus” was initiated. Each of the 531 Districts around the world have been tasked to raise funding to make this $200 million match of the Gates Foundation grant.

I have included information as to the status of Polio Plus in the attachment from Rotarian John Germ, the RI Polio Plus program Chairman. Also, the below link provides information on how RI conducts National Immunization Days (NIDs) in the four countries where the disease remains:

http://www.rotary.org/en/ServiceAndFellowship/Polio/Pages/ridefault.aspx

For the last three years, our District has held a raffle to raise monies to be submitted to the Rotary Foundation to meet the $200 million dollar challenge. The grand prize of these raffles has been an automobile. While I was preparing to become the District Governor, I met with my club Presidents. They suggested that for my year, we should consider vacations instead of another automobile. They recommended for first prize, a river cruise in Europe; second prize, a family Disney Cruise or a Beaches Vacation; and for the third prize, a local vacation or event such as a hot air balloon ride somewhere in western North Carolina.

Accordingly, our Polio Plus Chairman contacted several Travel Agents to get a price on the vacations so we know how much to set aside from the ticket sales to cover the cost of the prizes. We plan to offer the vacations or a cash equivalent to the winners. We will print 8,000 tickets and begin our sales in August 2011 and hold our drawing at our District Conference in Concord, North Carolina on 22 April 2012. Our ticket sales will be performed by the Rotarians of our District’s 56 clubs. We plan on having the vacations occur sometime in June 2012. All monies raised minus the cost of ticket printing and the cost of the vacations will be sent to the Rotary Foundation earmarked for the Polio Plus program. We will print advertising on each ticket addressing the providers of the prizes.

Every dollar that is not spent on the vacation prizes is a dollar that will be used to complete our Rotary International goal to eliminate Polio throughout the world.

Thank you for your support!

Bill Parker
District Governor

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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

Download the Agenda Here

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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Our District 7670 team will exchange with Brazil District 4700 in mid-April 2011 for about four weeks.  Michael Trayford, Rotary Club of Asheville, was selected to lead the Team through an interview process in October.  The team members were selected, as well, in late October. These were individuals in a profession whom you believed would benefit from such an exchange opportunity.  This is a life-changing program of The Rotary Foundation!

We will receive the Brazil team from District 4700 mid-April 2011 through mid-May 2011.  Please consider hosting the visiting team.  This is also a tremendous learning opportunity for members of your club to have the chance to learn about a professional from the area of Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil.  The incoming team will attend our District 7670 Conference, April 29 – May 1, 2011.

Michael Trayford – Asheville – Leader

Julie Cahill – Black Mountain

Kimberly Mitchell – Boone Sunrise

Sarah Nunez – Asheville West

Sarah Garrett – Asheville

Larry Hollifield – Franklin – Alt Team Leader

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iPDG Carol King gave several awards for clubs who reached milestone goals in financial support the The Rotary Foundation.  Some awards included:  100% PHF Clubs, 100% PH Sustaining Clubs, Top Per Capita Giving and more.

Many groups of Rotarians were recognized for their contribution to The Rotary Foundation which included PHF’s, Benefactors, Major Donors, PH Society Members among others.

The light-hearted and well delivered Keynote given by PDG Mark was well received and enjoyed by those in attendance.