Salem Rotary - The Spoke - Archive (Apr 15, 2008)

Boston Club member, Wilson Lee and Dr. Bill Wheeler will be hosting a Boston Marathon BBQ on Monday. There is a cost, but all proceeds will go to the Gates Polio Challenge Grant.

On Sunday, May 4th, the North Shore Youth Symphony Orchestra will give a concert at the Masconomet Regional High School between 3 and 6:30. There is no charge, and all Rotarians are welcome. 250 musicians from 35 towns will be participating.

Tickets are still available for the Rotary Poker Classic on April 25th. See President Juli or Rich Eisner for details.

There will be a Board meeting at 7:30 on the 16th of April.

Program for the April 15th Meeting:

Today's speaker was the Mayor of Salem, Kimberley Driscoll.

Mayor Driscoll started her remarks thanking the Salem Rotary, not only for the good that we do in general, but in particular for how we spearheaded the local fundraising effort that enabled the City to avoid laying off any classroom teacher in the middle of this school year. She said that there isn't a day that goes by that someone doesn't mention to her how this community coalesced around this issue, and she credited the Rotary (and in particular John Neely and Christine Sullivan) for taking the lead.

Appropriately, the Mayor gave an update on the school situation noting that cost savings have been realized by consolidating many of the school and city's functions. She said that despite these cost savings, there will be many hard decisions to be made over the next several months since the available revenue streams are tightening.

She noted that despite the fiscal crunch, the schools have much to celebrate -

83% of Salem High School students passed the MCAS Chemistry test - which is 20% higher than the statewide average.
The elementary schools continue to offer a wide variety of programming.
The middle school hosted Destination Imagination

She noted that the City's bond rating has been upgraded by Standard & Poors, which means that efforts to create sound fiscal management practices have taken hold. The City was able to certify $700,000 in free cash at the end of last year.

Many changes are being made in the tourism sector. These include a restructured Destination Salem which recently hired a new Executive Director, a means of determining the cost/benefit of Haunted Happenings, an active effort to solicit feedback on the Halloween event from the community, a ferry to/from Boston, and two cruise ships that will dock in Salem this summer.

The Salem Redevelopment Authority has developed a marketing strategy for the downtown, which includes close participation with the Chamer of Commerce and the Main Streets program. We have seen many new businesses and the expansion of existing businesses as a result. Also, the reconstruction of the Salem News Building will be a key element in the downtown's revitalization.

Mayor Driscoll stressed the importance of having the Ruane Courthouse project move forward - saying that the new courthouse will provide the same kind of stimulus that the Peabody Essex Museum redevelopment did several years ago.

The Mayor concluded her remarks by giving updates on the Salem By-pass Road (opening in mid-August), North, Bridge and Canal Street road work, Highland Avenue light sequencing, the South River walkway, and the parking lot at the MBTA station.

She also noted that she still has a goal of creating a Community Life Center at the corner of Boston and Bridge streets.

Photos provided by Bob Alexander from Nepal:

A photo from the Rotary Leadership Institute - congrats President Juli!

Events to be aware of -- Save the Dates!!

Upcoming speakers:

April

22 Ray Hodge - Re-classification speech

29 Rob Lutts - Investing in a Quesionable Economy

May

6 Middle School Awards, and our Exchange Student, Alejo, will give a presentation

Friday, April 25 - 4th Annual Salem Rotary Texas Hold'em Tournament.

Sunday, April 27 - Walk for HAWC. Please see Team Captain, Brenda Smith, if you're interested in walking on the Rotary team.

District Conference - May 30th-June 1st. Boston Park Plaza Hotel.

June 14th - Service Project with Habitat for Humanity.

July 14th - Rotary Golf Tournament

2007-2008 Board Meeting Schedule

ALL THE FOLLOWING ARE WEDNESDAYS

May 21 -- breakfast, 7:30 am, Hawthorne Hotel

June -- Joint board meeting with new board, date and time TBA

Stumpers

This week's stumper:

What is "mini" website that Rotary has set up so that individuals can make donations towards the $100 million challenge from the Gates Foundation?

Last week's stumper:

What percentage of District 7930's budget this year is devoted to International Service?

Answer: About 7% - $18,500 of a $260,000 budget.

Happy Birthday to: Dick Moore (17th) and Lefty McLaughlin (19th)

And now a few announcements....

From President Juli -

From: "Wilson Lee" <wilsonlee007@msn.com>
Date: April 16, 2008 1:28:43 AM EDT
To: "Juli Lederhaus" <juli@hawthornehotel.com>
Subject: Boston Marathon Party - BBQ lunch and/or dinner on Monday, April 21, 2008 from 12 noon to 9:00 pm

RE: Boston Marathon Party - BBQ lunch and/or dinner on Monday, April 21, 2008 from 12 noon to 9:00 pm

Dear President Juli,

In case you and your family are coming to Boston next Monday to

watch the Marathon, we would like to offer our friends and Rotarians

an opportunity for Excellent Rotary Fellowship and at the same time

increase our District's contribution to toward Polio Eradicate.

Dr. Bill Wheeler and I are organizing a Boston Marathon BBQ lunch and

dinner on Monday, April 21, 2008 from 12 noon to 9:00 pm at Bill's home,
124 Laurel Road, Chestnut Hill, Brookline, 02167 off Route 9.

We invited members from the Rotaract Clubs of Boston, Boston University
School of Public Health, Endicott College, Harvard University, Lynn, MIT,
Northeastern University and Tufts University as well as our current Inbound,
Outbound Ambassadorial Scholars and non Rotarian Alumni as our guest.
You are VERY welcome to come anytime between 12 noon and 8:00 pm.

Besides cheering the marathoners on TV, you will also enjoy excellent BBQ,
VERY strong drinks, dynamic speakers, exciting entertainment and games.

.
We will have over 50 Rotarians, Rotaractors, Ambassadorial Scholars,
Alumni and guest.

The cost for Rotarians and their guest is:

Lunch and Open Bar (12 noon to 5:00 pm) is $30 per person

Dinner and Open Bar (4:00 pm to 9:00 pm) is $30 per person

You can also attend both lunch and dinner (12 noon to 9:00 pm) for $50.

There is a one hour overlap between 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm for the
afternoon and evening groups to socialize.

100% of the money collected from the Marathon BBQ will be donated to

our Rotary Foundation in the name of the Rotaract Club of Boston toward
the $100 million matching grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Please make your check payable to the Rotaract Club of Boston.

RSVP by midnight Sunday, April 20, so that I can have name tags for you.

Share the Magic of Rotary Fellowship on Marathon Monday,

Wilson

617-953-3763

http://www.rotary.org/en/MediaAndNews/News/Pages/071120_news_gannounce.aspx

Rotary International announced a partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on 26 November that will inject a much needed US $200 million into the global effort to eradicate polio.

The Rotary Foundation received a $100 million Gates Foundation challenge grant, which Rotary will raise funds to match, dollar for dollar, over three years.

Rotary will spend the initial $100 million within one year in direct support of immunization activities carried out by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative , spearheaded by the World Health Organization (WHO) , Rotary International, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , and UNICEF .

Subj: Interact/Rotary Leadership Camp May 16-18

Hello All,

Here is the website where you can see video of the Rotary leadership weekend at Camp Rotary in
Boxford for high school students and download the application. You need to commit to the whole
weekend. It includes ropes course, small group projects and challenges, good food, high school
leaders from the North Shore Boston area, Rotary leaders from the same region. You will return
home rested and psyched from having an out of the ordinary experience and having networked with
many other high school students.The speakers have been top notch the years I was an advisor. The
application is due April 18'Th in the middle of April vacation so why not make your decision to apply
now( if you are not attending the Senior Prom) and get apps into me next Thursday April 10!

The below direct link is the one for the students to connect with...

It does do a nice job of laying out the Program, Video and Applications

http://www.rotary7930.org/RYLA.cfm

FYI... RYLA is buried in the "District 7930" portion of the Menu...
Click on Youth Programs to find RYLA as the fourth choice...!!!

Thanks,

Liz

Dr. Elizabeth Bradt
All Creatures Veterinary Hospital
20 Commercial Street
Salem,MA 01970
978-740-0290

From the District -

From: juliaphelps@comcast.net
To: WLederhaus@aol.com
Sent: 4/10/2008 6:17:02 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: Rotary District 7930 Conference Registration Deadline is close!

Dear District 7930 Rotarians-

It's hard to believe that we are already well into April and in just a few short weeks we will be celebrating our Rotary Shares year at the District Conference at the Boston Park Plaza in downtown Boston. As I've traveled around the District these last few years many of you asked for the District Conference to be held IN the District. District Conference Chair, Terri Kidder and I heard you and identified a venue in the District that would be close and allow many Rotarians to come. Now we need your support. We need for you to register for the conference today.

We still have a few rooms remaining in the Rotary block at the Park Plaza. If you want one of these rooms you need to send in your registration by next Tuesday, April 15, 2008. The rooms will be released back to the hotel and I can't guarantee the price or availability after that date. We will still be able to accept registrations for those of you who are commuting but the rooms need to be settled soon. Registration for those of you who are coming just for specific days and events will close on Monday, May 12, 2008. The registration form for all of these options is on the District's website (www.rotary7930.org).

Several of you have asked for a schedule. We are still finalizing the specifics but here's and overview:

Friday, May 30th             Purely a social event (you may want to make this your spring

                                                                        get together)

                                         Registration opens at 3:00 PM

                                         House of Friendship Opens & Silent Auction Starts

                                         Cocktail Reception at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel

                                         Dinner Cruise on the Sprit of Massachusetts & Awards

Saturday, May 31st        Celebrate Rotary and Rotarians All Day Long

                                     Morning

                                            District 7930 Annual Meeting and Elections

                                            Breakout sessions in the morning featuring projects &

                                           programs in D7930 including our GSE Team from Brazil

                                     Afternoon

                                            Service Above Self Celebration Luncheon & Awards

                                            Afternoon Activities including a Duck Tour, Freedom Trail

                                            Walk or a Scavenger Hunt (you decide what you want to do)

                                      Evening

                                            Cocktail Reception

                                            Silent Auction Closes

                                            Governor's Ball & Rotary Shares Celebration

                                                                      (surf & turf dinner) & Awards

Sunday, June 1st            Remembering Rotarians and Saying "Thank You &

                                       See You Soon"

                                            Ecumenical Service

                                            Thank you ceremony featuring our Youth Exchange Students

                                            Recognition & Awards

                                            Brunch

I hope to see many of you there as we celebrate Rotarians, Rotary Clubs, and their individual and collective accomplishments for our Rotary Shares year. Please register today!

As always, Share Rotary with someone you know -- it will change their world and yours too!

Julia

--

Julia D. Phelps
ROTARY SHARES, District Governor 2007-2008
ROTARY INTERNATIONAL District 7930
5 Meindl Road
Nottingham, NH 03290

Home: 603-895-4670
Work: 781-338-3506
Fax: 603-895-8433
Cell: 603-770-5105

From: juliaphelps@comcast.net
To: juliaphelps@comcast.net
Sent: 3/5/2008 8:20:14 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: RYLA Clean-up day Infomration

Dear Club Presidents -

Does your Junior Prom conflict with the RYLA weekend?

Are you sending students to RYLA and haven't volunteered a Rotarian yet?

Do you want to experience RYLA but have a conflict with RYLA weekend?

Come enjoy multi-club fellowship and support your district on RYLA Cleanup Day. Volunteers who help clean up the camp will be treated to an outstanding barbecue lunch courtesy of the TBM club, and it counts as volunteering as part of the RYLA weekend. Many hands make light work. We thank you in advance for your club's participation.

RYLA Cleanup Day

Saturday May 3, 2008

10am - 12:30pm, includes barbecue lunch

Camp Rotary, Boxford, MA

Andy

Please email all announcements to be added to the Spoke and/or feedback to salem_rotary@yahoo.com by Noon on Wednesday. Also, feel free to contact any of the committee members listed below.

Committee Chair: Jim Haskell

Editors: Jim Haskell

Photos: John Quinn (Jay Cue), Carl Wathne, Trip Mason, Mike Skerry and File.

Graphics and Photo Editing: Rich Eisner

Members: George Delaney, Brenda Smith and James Cobb