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President's Message
Last Wednesday a group of Rotarians and very grateful teachers got together at Jefferson Elementary School and finished up the 2008-2009 DAP Grant. The Rotary volunteers and school teachers filled backpacks with grade appropriate supplies. The teachers were thrilled with anticipation to be able to give those kids without supplies a backpack on, Meet the Teacher Day. It was fun.
 
  
Don't forget the challenge to bring ONE NEW MEMBER into the club this year, and to make sure they become active in club activities. If you want to nominate a new member into the club, there will be nomination forms on the piano for your use. Also, don't forget to use the visitor's cards when inviting a guest; this card makes it easy to tell your visitor when and where to go. They are located on the tables at the Rotary meetings.
Kat Johanns is taking photos of all the members before and after the regular Thursday meetings. If you have not been photographed please make sure you get with Kat on Thursday. The website is a very powerful tool we should all utilize.www.templerotary.org CHECK IT OUT!
This week's program features Gary Gosney, he is discussing "Learning
Unconditional Love from One's Pet".
Last Weeks Message - By Gail Peek
 
August 6th was Assembly Day and President Susan Connolly was our Rotarian of the Day. She introduced our very special guests, District Governor Tim Buckley and his lovely wife, Gail. While District Governor Buckley was our speaker, we had to hold his wife in a special place in our hearts. She is a Temple High School graduate! Clearly, her husband has excellent taste in women. Without bragging too loudly, let the record reflect that she spells her name the same as yours truly!
District Governor Buckley learned his business savvy in the family plastics business. Yet, from a Rotary perspective, he has started four Rotary clubs. He has 14 years of perfect attendance. He is a 4th generation Rotarian and his son, Jordan, is carrying on the family commitment to Rotary. In short our District Governor may have pragmatic business acumen, but he sees Rotary from his heart as well as his brain.
Our meeting began with District Governor Buckley presenting our President, Susan, with her certificate for participation in the Lone Star President Elect Training (PET). Mr. Buckley explained that Rotary International President, John Kenny, set the Rotarian theme for the year as “The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands.” Tim Buckley found this theme particularly appropriate as he recalled his focus during his installation dinner. He strongly believes that what we as Rotarians face in the coming years is shaped by the past. After sharing the fact that membership in service clubs is declining, he noted that the lifeblood of Rotary is attracting new members. He shared what a wonderful feeling of pride he felt as he watched individuals to whom he had introduced Rotary, bring in new members. He likened it to being a grandfather to the newer members.
Our District Governor finds so many wonderful aspects of Rotary, but chose to point out the fact that the Rotary Foundation is an important instrument of global peace. He highlighted two examples. First he noted that Bill and Melinda Gates instituted the Gates Challenge two years ago after they learned how the Rotary Foundation and Rotary International had made a long-term commitment to eradicate polio from the face of the Earth. Other key institutions, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) working with Rotary International, has reduced the countries suffering from any incidents of polio to four. Equally important is the fact that there have been fewer than 700 new cases of polio this year. The Rotary International goal of eradicating polio is within reach in our lifetime!
In addition to our Rotary mission to defeat polio, there are international exchange programs sponsored by Rotary International that help connect people to people. District Governor Buckley noted two programs in particular, the Ambassadorial Scholars Program and the Group Study Exchange (GSE) teams. Both programs allow individuals from different cultures to meet each other and invariably breakdown media-generated stereotypes. During his visit to Europe last year, District Governor Buckley and his wife found that Europeans expressed their surprise at meeting people from the U.S. who seemed to defy the movie and media portrayals of Americans. It was perhaps a bittersweet comment from the Italian GSE team that visited the U.S. that their greatest surprise was how nice Americans are. This telling comment speaks to the very point that District Governor Buckley made, to wit, if we get people meeting people, we can have better communication, better understanding and better relationships which can all promote peace.
Not to be outdone, Gail Buckley has a special project that involves the Wheelchair Foundation. The Wheelchair Foundation was established in 2000 and since that year has distributed over 760,000 wheelchairs to individuals in over 100 countries. This a remarkable achievement. Under the program, if you have a container load of wheelchairs you are more likely to direct the beneficiary country or countries. Mrs. Buckley would like to have two containers of wheelchairs to distribute to Mexico and another country in Central America. We are talking about new wheelchairs that cost, on average, $150 per chair. While it is certainly wonderful to contribute to this cause, Mrs. Buckley noted that the joy of actually distributing the wheelchairs is unimaginable. She is planning a trip to the beneficiary country or countries to participate in handing out the wheelchairs. This experience really brings the power of the gift home!
District Governor Buckley closed by reminding us of the importance of participating in Rotary conferences. By doing so, you enhance your Rotary experience, knowledge, and also meet fellow Rotarians and make lasting friendships.
Here is a list of some upcoming events:
1. Rotary Tejas Multi-District Conference, April 29-May 2, 2010, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. This Conference will include Rotarians from Oklahoma and Arkansas.
2. Rotary International Convention, June 20-23, 2010, Montreal, Canada
3. The International Friendship and Service Conference (formerly known as the Bi-District Conference and then the Bi-National Conference), November 13-15, 2010, will be in Mexico
District Governor Buckley challenged us, as Rotarians, to do all that we can to make the world better, because the “Future of Rotary is in our hands.”
100% Dinner
The 100% Dinner is scheduled for August 21st, 2009, at Sammons.
Scheduled Programs for July, August, September
Please let me know if you have a program you would like to share and we will book them.
August 13 - Gary Gosney
- Learning Unconditional Love from One's Pet
August 20 - Terri Matthew - CAC
August 27 - Deborah Stiehl - Life Enrichment Coordinator
for Temple Living Center - Western Hills
September 3 - Bryce Monson - Temple Football Coach
September 10 - Captain Jan Rose - Army Nurse who Served in Iraq
September 17 - Sue Hamby - Humor
September 24 -Coach Fredenburg - UMHB Football Coach
ITEMS OF INTEREST
Click here to view the March/April 2009 District Newsletter.
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