March - Literacy Month

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March 19-21 PETS Training at DFW Hyatt Regency Hotel March 29 - 14th Annual Austin University Area Rotary Club & Lantz Invitational Charity Golf Tournament @ Green Hills Country Club, Austin. To download Entry Form. March 31 - Early Registration Discount expires for RI Montreal Convention (June 20-23) - For reservations April 10 - District Assembly in Killen at Texas Central College. For more details. April 19 Oak Hill Rotary 12th Annual Col. Pat Speir Golf Tournament, Monday,   http://www.golfdigestplanner.com/14138-OakHillRotaryClub/index.html April 29 - May 2 - Tejas Multi-District Conference held in San Antonio. For more info, visit www.tejasrotaryconference.org May 15 - South Austin Golf Tournament @ Onion Creek Golf Club, Austin Registration Form District Directory - For members only. Become a member   Need access to Member's Only? Contact Us Club Pages-Club Updates Club Resources-Speakers/Programs

Views Around District 5870

Tim Talk

March 2010

Fellow Rotarians,

Many of you know that Rotarian Mary Reynolds (RC Austin), wife of PDG Ronney, has a passion for literacy. The other day she sent me a message from her iPhone reminding me that March is Literacy Month, and how important literacy is. If I had forgotten about Mary’s passion, I would have been quickly reminded. I was especially impressed that with the many times she mentioned “literacy,” she never misspelled it.

As I read the information Mary provided about literacy, I gained a greater understanding of how far reaching it is. Literacy now means far more than just reading and writing in one’s own language; it can also mean understanding other forms of communication, such as computers, Facebook, Twitter, etc. And those of us in the United States probably take it for granted because we have a far higher literacy rate than most of the rest of the world. Having a literate world will take us much closer to world understanding, and world understanding will take us much closer to a world at peace. I now have a better understanding and appreciation of Mary’s passion.

Congratulations to our District 5870 Rotarians for being amongst the leaders in two categories of Rotary Foundation giving through seven months in the 2009-2010 Rotary year. RRFC Pat Derr reports that of the groups for which she has responsibility, D5870 ranked second in Annual Fund giving with $121,371, and third in Restricted Giving with $72,868. While congratulations are in order, we would like to be first in both categories (our district goal for Annual Fund, established by the club presidents, was the highest in this group). The Rotary Foundation is still accepting contributions, so please give.

Our Group Study Exchange with Japan begins this month when our team led by Chris Mealy (RC Georgetown Sunrise) departs on March 27 for District 2660. We think we have a wonderful team representing D5870. They are well prepared and looking forward to this vocational and cultural exchange. Karen Bogisch (RC North Austin) and her team have put together a memorable learning and friendship experience for our Japanese GSE guests and our D5870 Rotarians serving as hosts. Because it is not possible to schedule the team to visit every club in D5870, I encourage each of you to “make-up” at a nearby club when the GSE team visits there. It will give you an opportunity to share world understanding and peace without traveling far from home. Look for the schedule of visits elsewhere in this newsletter.

The discounted registration rate of $197 is still being accepted through March 15 at www.tejasrotaryconference.org for our district conference, the Tejas Multi-District Conference in San Antonio, April 29 – May 2. Past RI Vice President Monty Audenart, from Canada, will be our President’s Representative. The other 5 DGs and I are thrilled that Monty will be our representative, and I’m confident that all Rotarians from the six districts will enjoy meeting and spending the weekend with Monty and his wife, Liz, enjoying and becoming more aware of Rotary while in San Antonio. Visit the website listed above for more up-to-date information on this historic conference; it is being updated often.  Vamos al San Antonio, April 29 – May 2.

While DGE Ruth Allison and her presidents-elect, the PDGs serving as facilitators, and others, including DG Tim, will be at PETS (President Elect Training Seminar) at DFW, March 19-21, Gail Buckley, wife of DG Tim, and several Rotarians will be traveling to Cancun to deliver wheelchairs. This is the culmination of Gail’s DG Spouse’s Project with the Wheelchair Foundation. D5870 Rotarians donated over $46,000 for this project that will provide mobility for people in Haiti and Cancun. This group of D5870 Rotarians will be working with Rotarians in Cancun to distribute wheelchairs there.

Club Presidents, REMEMBER, Presidential Citation Applications are due to be received by the District Governor not later than March 31, 2010. 

Date$ to remember: March 15 – Early registration discount expires for Tejas Multi-District Conference, San Antonio, April 29 – May 2. www.tejasrotaryconference.org

March 31 – Early registration discounts expire for Rotary International’s Montreal Convention (20-23 June) www.rotary.org/convention

Finally, let’s turn to disaster! This past month, DGN Suresh Pahwa, Disaster Relief Readiness Chair Fred Hansen, and I attended the Rotary Emergency Disaster Initiative seminar in Houston. That, coupled with the approach of the tornado season (my Kansas roots are showing), reminded me of a little known part of our District’s Resolutions. Please note:

Hopefully, we will have no disasters that so involve Rotary or Rotarians that there will be need to implement this resolution. However, should the occasion arise, we will know what to do.

The Future of Rotary Is In Your Hands.

Tim Buckley

Governor, 2009-2010

District 5870

Rotary International

Thank you for your service to Rotary!

DISTRICT GOVERNOR

Tim & Gail Buckley