Governor’s Monthly Le er
October 2018 Editor : Mona Sitwala
DG’s MESSAGE
R. I. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Every Thursday evening, I receive an email from the WHO with an update on the status of polio eradication. It contains a wealth of information, country by country: where and how immunization campaigns are being conducted, how many children are being vaccinated, and where environmental surveillance has found evidence of circulating virus.
Hello Friends,
The festival of lights is fast approaching and we are looking forward for New Year with lots of joy and peace. Some times, I wonder, why is there so much anxiety in life ? I believe because we can not see other friends around us happy and ourishing! We all have to think what exactly do we want in our life? That is where we are today in the work of polio Materialistic happiness or peace of mind? eradication. The question on my mind is not how many But a platform like Rotary, where we can contribute thousands of cases we might see in a year, as we did some of our time, money or expertise, gives us joy and not too long ago. Instead, when that WHO email happiness. Talking about our district, Sumul and I have arrives the single question it answers is: Was there a been to “Rotary Institute ” at Chennai where our IPDG new case this week, or wasn’t there ? Ruchir Jani received Zonal Awards in all the three Thirty years ago, 1,000 children were paralyzed by verticals - TRF, Public Image, and Membership. polio every day. Since then, we’ve marked our Indeed a great feat and recognition for our District. It progress, year by year, week by week. We have gives me immense pleasure to share that our project celebrated as country after country, region after region “Red Revolution” headed by Dr. Amisha Mehta has has been declared polio-free. We have come closer been taken up by the clubs so well, with workshops and closer to our goal, and the number of cases has organised everywhere. Kudos to her and her team. dropped increasingly. “Membership and Public Image” seminar hosted by RC Dhule Crossroad, was a grand success. My hearty congratulations to RC Ankleshwar and RC Vapi for excellent public image and fund raising event of “Garba” during Navratri. To organise this mega event year after year is not an easy job. Seminar on “TRF and Service Project” hosted by RC Surat Seaface, was a great event with fantastic venue, food and hospitality. Thanks to Event Chair Narendra Saboo, Co-Chair Murari Saraf, President Shilpa and team for a great show. The chief guest, EMGA 2019-21, PDG. AKS Vinod Bansalji was a speaker par excellence. DRFC Ashish Ajmera designed an interesting program. MSP Chairman Shrikant Indani made his mark by an inspiring “shayarana” speech
We are so close to eradication – but there is so much work left to do. This month, I ask every RC to help End Polio Now by marking the World Polio Day. Last year, thousands of RC’s around the world held events to raise awareness and funds for polio eradication. This year, we want to see more events registered than ever. If you have an event planned, be sure to register and promote it.
World Polio Day is a tremendous opportunity for clubs to highlight Rotary, and our historic work to eradicate polio. It is also a great way to take advantage of the challenge from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: For every dollar that Rotary raises for polio eradication, the Gates Foundation will give two more. Join me, and Rotarians everywhere, for World Polio I am happy to share with you that we have added 3 Day – and Be the Inspiration for a polio-free world. clubs in last four months - Nandnagari Nandurbar, Vibrant Valsad, and Amreli Gir. I am very satised as Barry Rassin things are taking shape according to plan and I feel that if we work with honesty and transparency every thing falls in place. Sumul and I wish you all Happy Diwali and a prosperous New Year.
Pinky Patel
Let’s Trumpet Our Story Paul Harris, founder Rotary International, had once said “Whatever Rotary may mean to us, to the world it will be known by the results it achieves”. The society recognises Rotary by the service projects it engages in and the extensive help it provides to the community. Our Public Image thus depends upon the quality, quantity, intentions, value and relevance of our projects. Building a good public image is essential as it will procure more recognition, respect and popularity, which in turn can help us garner more quality members. It has been estimated that of the general public, 40% have no idea, 40% some idea, and only 20% have a denite idea of Rotary. To rectify this, Rotary has taken various steps. Public Image has become an important focus area. There is now a consistency in our logo. Rotary promotes that clubs and Rotarians use social media positively, share their Rotary story and show more action. We need to update web sites, create events on media, share with friends and be friends with the press. These actions will generate interest and admiration for the organisation which it deserves. At the same time it is very important to realise that PI should come out of meaningful projects only and not irrelevant projects conceived for the sake of PI. Such projects which do not serve any purpose and have no notable benets should certainly be avoided. Likewise, standing with our banner in someone else’s project, without a signicant contribution, is bad image building. Similarly Rotary, and not Rotarians, should be showcased to general audience through media. Personal image building within the institution makes no sense. A few years back, during our club’s tree plantation drive with another organisation, the non Rotarians were pleasantly surprised when we stayed back after the photo ceremony and members got down to their knees to personally plant some 200 odd trees. It pained to hear them say that they expected us to leave after the formalities. We need to mend such perceptions from clouding over the enormous work that Rotary undertakes in all its six areas of focus. A few negative instances should not undermine the seless and monumental services of Rotary. Each club and each Rotarian needs to act with responsibility so that Rotary gets a shining and untarnished image.
Mona Sitwala
FOUNDATION TRUSTEE CHAIR’S MESSAGE Since its inception in 1905, Rotary has been a champion for peace. The 1914 Rotary Convention adopted a resolution that our organization “lend its inuence to the maintenance of peace among nations of the world”. The 1921 convention incorporated into Rotary’s Constitution the goal to aid in the advancement of international peace and goodwill through fellowship in the Rotary ideal of service. In 1945, Rotary played a key role in forming the UN and 50 Rotarians served as delegates, advisers, or consultants at the UN charter conference in San Francisco. Today, one of our six areas of focus is promoting peace. Every Rotary service project, whether funded with a district grant or a global grant, has an impact on peace. It could be a peace project, a water and sanitation project, a basic education and literacy project, a community development project, or a project in human health-related area. The ultimate outcome makes a positive contribution to our world by improving the quality of life for those affected, and that improvement is an element of peace. Additionally, each year we select up to 100 professionals from around the world to be Rotary Peace Fellows who receive fellowships to study at one of our six peace centres, earning either a master’s degree or a professional development certicate in areas such as human rights, international politics, public health, and development. To date, 1,100-plus people have participated in the program, and we are beginning to see positive results. As we look to the future, TRF Trustees are discussing how we can improve this program as well as all of our peace efforts so that we can achieve the maximum possible positive impact. If you would like to help, you can contribute to the Rotary Peace Centres Major Gifts Initiative and help support the next generation of peace builders.
Ron D. Burton
The TRF and Flagship Projects Seminar (Zone 3) This seminar was held on 21st October 2018, at Avadh Utopia, Surat. After the welcome extended to all delegates by Event Chair Narendra Saboo, DG Pinky Patel talked about the purpose of this most important seminar, which broached the topic of service and the donations required to realise them. Coming to the plenary session on TRF, the Global and District Grants through which phenomenal community work is done was discussed by DGSC Manish Shah. Stewardship, a very important aspect of the grants, was taken up by Parimal Naik. A debate on TRF donation versus Local Club donations was moderated by Bharat Patel in which Alpa Kotadia, Bharat Jani, Shabbir Memon, Kshitij Desai put forth their views. Corporate Social Responsibility and Major Gifts which garner strong nances for service projects was talked about by DGN Prashant Jani. The Foundation Status of various clubs of our district was put forth by DRFC Ashish Ajmera and clubs could compare their giving. Next, introduction of Chief Guest EMGA Vinod Bansal was done by Pratibha Agrawal. In a very inspiring and thought provoking speech – “TRF, The Temple of Humanity”, EMGA Vinod Bansal talked about the importance of giving to the Rotary Foundation. He stressed that all donors, whether donating for a place in the AKS or donating $100 should be recognised for his/her benevolence. The act of giving is more important than the sum donated and he observed that people donating small amount today would eventually go for more and bigger donations. Plenary session on agship projects started with the topic “Community Projects – Fulcrum of Rotary” taken up by DGE Anish Shah. Rotary : The Art of Living and Performing was dealt by Service Project Chair Shrikant Indani. Global Grant Projects was discussed by Rakesh Naik. Panel Discussion on “Nayi Soch” was moderated by Chetan Bhacchav with Kshitij Desai, Nitin Ayachit, Ankita Patel and Nayana Wani as panellist. A discussion on Literacy “Nayi Dishayen” was moderated by Piyush Naik with panellist Rashika Bhardwaj, Nilesh Goti, Hitesh Sheth and Sandeep Trivedi. Signature Projects - Red Revolution was taken up by Dr.Amisha Mehta and “Pankh”, the district notebook project, by Sidharth Mehta. After the concluding remarks by DS Tushar Shah, awards were distributed and vote of thanks done by host club Pres. Shilpa Chhawchharia.
Clubs at work
Clubs at work
Clubs at work
PROMOTING HIGHER EDUCATIONDONATION OF MICROSCOPES BY R O TA R Y A N A N D M I L K C I T Y A Joint International Project to donate 100 microscopes has been initiated between RC of Freshwater Bay, Australia and new club Rotary Anand Milkcity to mark a memorable beginning to the year 18-19. The microscopes were donated by Mrs Shaila Lau of Singapore through RC Freshwater Bay. During recent visit to RID 9455, Australia, members visited schools and witnessed high school students using microscopes and this was common in all schools of Australia. They were greatly impressed and expressed the desire to have such microscopes for schools in Anand. Several schools in Anand having science in higher classes were surveyed to ensure proper and effective use by students. This is the ď€ rst time that students of classes 10 -12 of Anand will be using these microscopes to enhance the quality of science education. The following 4 schools were identiď€ ed : Shrishti English Medium School; Sri Sri Ravi Shankar School; JP Thakkar School and Paramguru Pathshala, Sarsa. 25 microscopes were donated to each school. This quantity was decided so that one full class can use them at a given time. Teachers and students were extremely excited and happy to learn science through a modern method.
Clubs at work
Project PUNURUTTHAN by RC Navsari
Saving Mother and child
The grandeur of the ten day long festival of Lord Ganesh might be irresistible but the damage it inicts on the environment is irreparable. To preserve the environment Rotary Club of Navsari along with two dynamic service partners - The Rotaract Clubs of Young Turks and Harijyot, joined hands to save River Purna from pollution due to immersion of accessories used in this festival. They collected 47m tons of organic and inorganic waste. Their team stood like warriors, from morning till midnight, at 4 immersion points, to collect organic accessories like owers and fruits and inorganic waste like plastic, articial owers, thermocol & cloth. These were further segregated wherein bio-degradable waste was transported to Navsari Agriculture University to make vermicompost which was distributed to local farmers to promote organic farming. The non-biodegradable stuff was sent for recycling. This mammoth task was well supported by the Navsari Nagarpalika, Agriculture University and Denizens. This effort had an impact till Gandhinagar Sachivalay and they adopted it as a role model, followed by the surrounding 20 Nagarpalikas. Thus a seed that was sown in 1617 "as a gift" started "making difference" in 17-18, and "became an inspiration" in 18-19.
At least 7 million children under the age of ve die each year across the globe due to malnutrition, poor health care, and inadequate sanitation. To help reduce this rate, Rotary has selected it as a focus area providing immunizations and antibiotics to babies, access to essential medical services, and supports trained health care providers. In our District, Maternal and Child Care Committee organized a seminar regarding “Adbhut Matrutva” in association with Federation of Ob-Gy Society and Rotary Club of Senoras, at Jamnagar. Anganwadi and Asha workers, expecting mothers, many NGOs and Gynaecologists attended this workshop for a step towards building healthy future generation. Well known Gynaecologist Dr. Shubhda Neel, Prof. E.V. Girish and Dr. Kalpana Khandheria offered their services as speaker. DDO Prashasti Parik was the chief guest.
November is The Rotary Foundation Month
RI President Barry Rassin declares Sushil Kumar Gupta President Nominee On 1 October, RI President Barry Rassin declared Sushil Kumar Gupta Rotary Interna onal’s PresidentNominee. The Nomina ng Commi ee for President of Rotary Interna onal selected Gupta, of the Rotary Club of Delhi Midwest, Delhi, India, in August. He will be elected at the 2019 Rotary Interna onal Conven on in Hamburg, Germany, and will become RI President on 1 st July, 2020. He will be fourth RIP from India a er Rtn. Ni sh Laharry in 1962-63, Rtn. Rajendra Saboo in 1991-92 and Rtn. Kalyan Banerjee in 2011-12.
Membership Development & Public Image Seminar This seminar, for central zone, Aavkar, was hosted by RC Baroda Kalanagari on 30th September at Vadodara. To start the proceedings delegates were welcomed by Event Chair Rushikesh Shah. DG Pinky Patel presented her opening remarks and emphasised importance of such seminars in strengthening clubs and district. PDG Jatin Bhatt conveyed his blessings to all Rotarian. Membership Chair Hiten Anandpura started plenary session with growth and retention, upraising all with present scenario, discussing need for more members, retention, orientation and possibility of new clubs. A debate on Quantity v/s. Quality was moderated by PDG Devang Thakor. Ishwar Sajjan showcased service project done by his club & AG Gopal Thakkar talked on advantages of having quantity members. Parag Buch and Manoj Macwan emphasised importance of membership for better PI. A debate on More members V/S More Clubs was moderated by AG Pankaj Shah. Piyush Nathwani and Jay Shah, discussed advantages & disadvantages of having more members. DS Utkarsh Hathi & Rupesh Shah debated merit and demerits of having more clubs. Panel discussion moderated by AG Sangita Shukla, discussed involvement of lady Rotarians. Uma Patel , Shashi Tuteja, Gajendra Devdhara and Manish Chavada projected how ladies add value to the club. AG Amardeep Bunet shared GSR success story of RC Bharuch Femina. Narendra Saboo presented the importance of correct data and its usefulness. DS Mitesh Bhatt summed up the session. Public Image session was agged off by an informative presentation by RPIC Ashish Desai on Bonding & Branding. PI Chair Santosh Pradhan presented projects initiated by the district. Panel Discussion Tools for PI was moderated by ARPIC Hitesh Jariwala. Nitin Bhate (Website), Minesh Rao (Whatsapp), Anita Jandial (Facebook), Santosh Pradhan (Rotary News Liaison), Agam Srivastav (Govt. Liasion) narrated how each tool could be used to enhance PI of Rotary. Later DG Pinky Patel & DGE Anish Shah answered the audience and cleared doubts. Lastly DG Pinky Patel thanked the host club President Rtn Tushar Jinwala and acknowledged their efforts.Session ended with vote of thanks by Rtn Devang Shah.
Projects Worth Replica ng EYE CHECKUP & CATARACT Project of RC Bharuch Narmada Nagari Conception : PDG Parag Sheth and Rotarians of RC Bharuch Narmada Nagari, visited Shankra Eye Hospital, Mogar, in August 2012, on invitation of PDG Mayur Vyas then CEO of the hospital. Development of project : The members decided to join hands with Shankra Eye Hospital to give complete eye treatment to the deprived families in interior villages of Bharuch District and to organise Eye Camps with cataract surgeries. It was identied that many families could not travel to nearby city for treatment due to their illness or nancial condition. Mission : With an aim to bring light in life to the needy people through basic cataract operation, “Netra Yagna” or Eye Camps are arranged on regular basis each Sunday in various villages, with management of Shankara Eye Hospital. Total Camps : 170 (till date) Total patients examined : 23,422 Total Cataract Operations : 7,519 Area covered : Villages of Jambusar, Amod and Vagra Taluka in Bharuch District. Involvement of members : Each camp preparation starts with giving information about the camp and creating awareness about benets of cataract surgeries. It is sometimes difcult to convince patients who are afraid of such treatments. Club volunteers take care of door to door and poster publicity of camp, pre-registration of patients and administrative arrangements. It is equally important to make arrangements for sending the patients on dened dates for their surgeries. Club keeps record of surgeries which were carried out and brings these patients for post- surgery checkup in subsequent camps. Club Project Chairman Rtn Subodh Bhatt and members are continuously working with dedication to full this task on week by week basis. Sponsors : Major expense of camps and cataract operations are supported by Tawakkal Salt Works (P) Ltd & Shankara Eye hospital. Minimum expenses is around, Rs.10,000 per camp X 170 camps = Rs. 17,00,000. Cost of surgeries in terms of kind is Rs. 2,63,18,000 approx. Rtn Mayur Sheth and Rtn Parag Sheth have extended nancial support from their group companies. Till date their commitment has kept this mammoth task going smoothly. Future planning : This is not a destination but a worthwhile journey which will continue for long by organising two camps per month regularly. Let us bring light of vision to people and Be the Inspiration for a better life.
Biggest in 3060 Rotary Club of Rajkot Greater Chartered : 26 August 1987, by the hands of Rtn. Chandrakant Sheth, charter no. 24912, 27 charter members. Club strength : 137 + members Belief : RI principle of “Service above self” and follows the motto “Mankind, Humanity, Future”. Club totally supports the mission of District 3060, RI and TRF. Parent club : Rotary Club of Rajkot. Meetings : Every Thursday at 8.30 pm. at club’s AC hall Rotary Greater Bhavan, having capacity of 250 people. Hosting of District Events : Four District Assemblies, co-host for District Conference at Udaipur and hosted biggest rally for polio - “Ashwamegha”. Members : +137 with average age of 39 yrs, 7 lady members and many prominent members like Rtn Maulesh Ukani, Rtn Kiran Bhalodia and Rtn Mukesh Sheth. Permanent projects : 1. Audiometry Lab at Virani Deaf and Dumb School which measure the audio hearing capacity of an individual and provides viable solution. 2. Chalo Vanchye project distributed 2000 reading kits to 1100 schools of Rajkot district in collaboration with international partner from Finland. 3. Rotary Greater Computer Center at Institute of Quality Education where slums children are taught computers. 4. Rotary Greater Dialysis center having 16 hemodialysis machines and with foreign partner club – Bergen Highlands/Ramsey RC, USA. 5. Water Management Project at Jivan Shala to facilitate gravitational ow of water at a school of 1200 students. 6. Happy school at Ghanteshwar where 320 slum kids are being educated and a vocational training center at same school. 7. Healthy Mother Healthy Child project for pregnant women. 8. Rotary School on Wheels project provides basic education to children of various construction sites workers in Rajkot. Signature project : HDR Brachytherapy Center at Rajkot Cancer Society, where club has installed the High Dose Brachytherapy machine, offering quality treatment at affordable cost. Rajkot Cancer Society registers about 4700 cases every year. Chief Minister Mr. Vijay Rupani inaugurated this $2 Lakh approx. project, done under the Global Grant Project - one of the biggest GG project of our district. International Partner clubs are RC of Cary Kildaire and Bergen Highland, USA.
EVOLUTION OF THE ROTARY WHEEL The Rotary Emblem - the Rotary Wheel underwent evolution since it was introduced in 1906. Finally a design explaining the principles of Rotary and most responsive to Rotarians was accepted. Here is how the changes occurred : In 1905 Paul Harris and RC Chicago agreed that a wheel should be the emblem and Harry Ruggles, chose a buggy wheel with a bold circle, hub and 14 spokes. . In 1906 Montague Bear added dust clouds to indicate motion and put "Rotary Club” above the wheel. He later subdued the dust clouds and put a ribbon reading "Rotary Club" across and "Chicago” above the wheel. . In 1910 The National Association of Rotary Clubs was formed. The word "Chicago” was replaced by "National Association". . In 1911 RC Philadelphia added 19 cogs to create a working wheel in royal blue and gold. . In 1918 Henri Mckintosh and Oscar Bjorge argued that this wheel would not work. Oscar designed a new wheel with 6 spokes and 24 cogs or teeth. . In 1922 the President of RC Los Angeles argued that key way must be incorporated to make "a real worker". . In 1923 key way was added and the mechanically correct Rotary Wheel was approved by RI board in 1924. This emblem was in Royal Blue and Gold. . In August 2013, the colour of the wheel was changed to Yellow Gold and Rotary in Blue was added to the left. . The Rotary Emblem signies : Four parts of the hub of the wheel relate to FOUR WAY TEST Six spokes relate to SIX AREAS OF FOCUS 24 cogs of the wheel relate to 24 words of FOUR WAY TEST It shows Rotations and forward motion which is the crux of ROTARY.
The Rotary Founda on Receives highest rating from Charity Navigator For the 10th consecutive year, The Rotary Foundation has received the highest rating — four stars — from Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of charities in the U.S. In the most recent ratings, the Foundation earned the maximum of 100 points for demonstrating both strong nancial health & commitment to accountability & transparency. In a letter to the Foundation, Charity Navigator notes that "only 1 percent of the charities we evaluate have received at least 10 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that The Rotary Foundation out performs other charities in America. This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets The Rotary Foundation apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness." The rating reects Charity Navigator's assessment of how the Foundation uses donations, sustains its programs and services, and practices good governance and openness.
2013
ROTARY MEANS HUMANITY - A ROTARY STORY An unfortunate event can just happen anywhere, anytime, in anybody’s life. On 30th September 2018, Rotarians of RC Baroda Metro and team from Monachem Foundation (run by a member of Baroda Metro and primary contact for running this camp) participated in a camp for gifting prosthetic hands to around 200 beneciaries at Baroda. The lead team from Rotary Club of Jamnagar had happily agreed to train our volunteers, so that we could run the camp independently in future. The camp was a wonderful success and our friends who were to travel back some 370 km. started on the return journey. On their way they met with an unfortunate accident. Both cars were damaged and unt to move ahead with the exception of being towed. Our friends were shaken by this sudden impact and injured too, with the nearest city being Nadiad. The beauty of Rotary family now comes alive! One phone call from President of RC Jamnagar Dr. Nayna Patel, to another Rotarian activated a bunch of Rotarians from Rotary Club of Nadiad Round Town. They ran out to help at 8.30 in the night. In no time all the eight members were assisted and taken to city hospitals where they were diagnosed and treated. Once the doctors gave an assurance for their onward journey the team left for their home in other transportation arranged for them. The broken down vehicles were towed to Jamnagar. A true case of Rotary building good will and better friendships and being benecial to all concerned. Jai Rotary !
DS Mitesh Bhatt
Solu on for Rotary Quiz September Winners : Ashish Agarwal (Sec. Dondaicha Sunrise) PP Haresh Desai (Surat Roundtown)