Zone 32 “Millon Dollar” Dinner – Monday May 12, 2014 in NYC

Posted on 02/13/2014 by rickbassett

One Million Dollar Dinner

This is one of the richest Rotary Chicken Dinners that one could ever hope to feast upon.

The “Million Dollar Dinner” is a joint effort by Districts 7210, 7230, 7255 from New York and D7980 (us from Sunny Southern Connecticut). PDG Mac Leask has been working very diligently on this event for nearly a year.

PDG Mac Leask

The goal of The “Million Dollar Dinner” is to raise a minimum of One Million Dollars of new outright gifts, pledges or bequests for programs of The Rotary Foundation during the campaign period of; July 1, 2013, to April 15, 2014 with minimum donations of $10,000 USD from each donor.

Barry, Pam, Ron and Jetta

The “Million Dollar Dinner” originated in Rotary District 5110 (Oregon) around 2004. The concept is very simply, but has proved to be quite successful as it continues to spread from district to district. Previous dinners have raised from $1.6 to $4.2 Million in new gifts/commitments. Our own New London Rotarians Barry Levinson and PDG Pam Aikins just attended the Zone 34 Dinner in Sarasota, FL.

Please join Alan Hurst, Mac & Phoebe Leask, Ernie & Nick Luise, Jennifer and me in NYC as we work to secure Rotary’s programs and making the world a better place for generations by considering a Million Dollar Dinner qualifying gift or purchasing a ticket before April 15, 2014.

As of this month, Rotarians in our 4 districts have already contributed almost $925,000 towards this campaign.

More Information:

District Service Above Self Scholarships for 2014-15

Posted on 02/11/2014 by rickbassett

The District 7980 Service Above Self Scholarship is awarded to students who demonstrate high levels of service activity along with scholarship excellence. Service includes work at local or international levels. The value of the scholarship for is $10,000 for the 2014-15 academic year for study domestically or abroad in undergraduate or graduate school. Two Scholarships will be awarded.

: ***Past Recipient*** Sudhaker Nuti – SAS Recipient 2013-14 http://wp.me/a1VXE8-1l9

: ***Past Recipient*** Natalia Svirshchevsky – SAS Recipient 2012-13 http://wp.me/a1VXE8-1la

: ***Past Recipient*** Enrico Ferro – SAS Recipient 2012-13 http://wp.me/a1VXE8-1lb

Candidates must currently be at the college freshman or higher level.

Students must apply through a club. All candidates must be interviewed and endorsed by a club. Clubs may endorse up to 2 candidates. Club Scholarship Chairs should submit the candidates’ applications and endorsement to District Scholarship Chair Dave Wolfe: dwolfe.rotary@gmail.com

Applications and other forms are available on the District website http://www.rotarydistrict7980.org under Programs: The Rotary Foundation: Grants/Scholarships.

The District deadline for applications is May 1.

India declared polio-free by the World Health Organization

Posted on 01/13/2014 by rickbassett

Polio Cases in India since 1980

Today, India marks three years since its last case of polio. Long considered the hardest place on earth to end polio, India is now a case study for how to end polio under the most complex circumstances. India’s triumph over polio is a significant public health achievement, leaving a lasting impact on children’s health in India and around the world.

The crippling disease that held the world to ransom in the 1950’s and 1960’s has almost been eliminated with those two tiny drops of oral polio vaccine, a well thought out strategy, large financial resources and the dedication and commitment of thousands of devoted volunteers and international health agencies.

Rotary International is the volunteer arm of a global partnership dedicated to eradicating polio. In 1985, Rotary volunteers around the world embraced the fight against polio and ‘POLIOPLUS’ was born. The PolioPlus program is the most ambitious program in Rotary’s history. The initiative is an aggressive public-private partnership to assist International Health Agencies and Governments in eradicating polio from the world.

Join Rotary in the fight to end polio and together we can create a polio-free world. http://www.endpolio.org/

Norwalk Rotary Vocational Training Team departed for Sierra Leone today

Posted on 01/11/2014 by rickbassett

Joan Parris; Ronnie Katz; Florence Falkowski; Eugenia Chinsman, Dr. Cynthia Barnett; AG John Hendrickson

Norwalk Rotary Club President Brian Falkowski, his fiancee, husbands of team members, AG John Hendrickson, and DRFC Rick Benson gathered at the Norwalk Inn today to say farewell to our VTT Team. With the rain, fog, and traffic accidents, one team member was 30 minutes late arriving at the Norwalk Inn for their limo to JFK to start their 2 week VTT adventure in Freetown, Sierra Leone, but all were underway by 1:50 PM. Our team will return from Sierra Leone January 17 and a team from there will visit Norwalk and our District in late April. All of our team members are experienced Early Childhood educators who will share their skills with counterparts in Africa.

Eugenia Chinsman, (Norwalk RC- VTT Committee member); Ronnie Katz, Joan Parris; Anne Farrell, Cynthia Barnett (Norwalk RC, Team Leader), Florence Falkowski

The Norwalk Rotary Vocational Training Team finally departed from JFK this afternoon to Sierra Leone after clearing more administrative and bureaucratic hurdles than any group of dedicated volunteers should have to endure. The team was originally scheduled to leave on Jan 4th but paperwork problems from previous grants between Freetown and Rotary International had to be resolved first. District VTT Chair Nancy Riella was steadfast in her resolve to make this global training grant happen as she tenaciously worked the halls of Rotary International to get the final approvals needed (an egg or two might have been broken in the process). DRFC Rick Benson called in a favor or two with a few of his contacts while PDG Colin Gershon provided important behind the scenes support in arranging for the Team’s financing.

Norwalk VTT Members

This VTT project will take place at the Milton Margai College of Education and Technology and the Baana Prepatory School in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

The emphasis is basic education and literacy. Due to continual civil wars, Sierra Leone’s educational structure was destroyed. There is a need for updated teacher training curriculums to prepare infants – 5 year old children for school. Additionally, there is a need for improved curriculums, teachers and educators to train the Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers.

VTT Chair Nancy Riella helping the Norwalk Rotary Club

The direct beneficiaries will be all the children of Sierra Leone through education; the ECE teachers because they will have updated training with hands on experience; the Milton Margai College of Education and Technology due to exposure to current best practices and curriculum improvements.

This VTT is a perfect example of a project that is possible through The Rotary Foundation.

Photos 1 & 2 by PDG Rick Benson

Norwalk Rotary prepares to launch Vocational Training Team to Sierra Leone

Posted on 12/19/2013 by rickbassett

The Norwalk Rotary Club is just about ready to launch their Vocational Training Team (VTT) project to Sierra Leone. If things go according to plan then the US Team will leave on 1/4/2014.

: Norwalk VTT Members

: Norwalk VTT Members enjoying Holiday Celebration

VTT Chair Nancy Riella and Eugenia Chinsman of the Norwalk Rotary Club have been working on this $30,000 Global Grant application for the better part of 2013 and like all things Rotary; “they are this close”.

The team is just awaiting word from Rotary International that Freetown Rotary Club in Sierra Leone has cleared up the remaining administrative hurdles.

The Outbound Team members from D7980 are as follows:

Cynthia Barnett
Joan Parris
Florence Falkowski
Ronnie Katz
Anne Farrell

This VTT project will take place at the Milton Margai College of Education and Technology and the Baana Prepatory School in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

The USA VTT team will be composed of ECE experts that will observe current teaching practices, curriculums, and ECE programs. The emphasis will be to use the observations gained in Sierra Leone to create and maintain a ECE program that can be replicated through out the country. this program will serve as a flagship program to support the national teacher education program. The Sierra Leone VTT team will observe ECE programs in a variety of pre-schools, work with Norwalk Community College to enhance the teaching curriculum at the Milton Margai College whose objective is to establish a program to teach ECE.

Updates will be provided to this project as they become available.

Ledyard Rotary & Derby-Shelton Rotary each induct 3 new members today!

Posted on 12/05/2013 by rickbassett

The membership in Rotary District 7980 grew by 6 as The Ledyard Rotary Club & The Derby-Shelton Rotary Club each induct 3 new members today.

Ledyard President Carol Christiansen and Derby-Shelton President Bill Miller have been keenly focused on membership retention and attraction since the new year kicked off back in July.

Ledyard new members:

Ellen Swercewski – involved in the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation in Procurement and Walk Director.
Larry Erhart – Numismatist.╩ Rare coin expert, trade shows, gold, silver estate buying, convention marketing, specializing in rare bank notes, obsolete notes, large currency and U.S. domestic coinage.
Ed Lynch – Presently working as an Engineering consultant in the bio/pharmaceutical business.

LEDYARD PHOTOS