April 2008

During this past month, our district achieved another huge milestone.  For the first time ever, every club in this district will receive the Zone Literacy Award.  In order to qualify for the award, a club must perform at least 10 literacy projects during the year.  With 43 clubs doing at least 10 literacy projects, this translates to over 430 literacy projects locally and worldwide!  This is an incredible achievement and all of you should be very proud of this accomplishment.  I wish to thank our district literacy chair, Mrs. Gloria King, for her tremendous work this year.  Gloria spent countless hours on promoting literacy programs, organizing the district wide dictionary project, the Four Way Test essay contest… The list of her accomplishments goes on and on. The next time you see Gloria, please give her a big mahalo for everything she does for your club and the district.

Another person to thank is Mr. John Steelquist who has organized the first ever Rotarians at Work Day on April 26th.  John has been the special projects coordinator for the district this year and he has done an excellent job in obtaining 100% participation by all of the clubs in the district.  “Rotarians at Work Day” is being recognized worldwide as Rotarians conduct service projects in their communities throughout the world wearing their Rotarians and Work t-shirts.  John worked with PDG Linda Coble, Lisa Rodrigues, and others to promote this event to the media to bring attention to what we Rotarians do what we do best – Service Above Self.

Have you registered for the district conference yet?  Our district conference is just around the corner, May 23rd-26th, and the rooms are going fast!  If you haven’t made your reservations yet, do it now.  My conference guru Mr. Chuck Burke and his team have put together an incredible program that you don’t want to miss.  With the reduced meal packages, and special room rate there is no reason not to attend!

Finally, please remember to continue your membership recruitment effort until the end of the year -- One new member in every club, every month.  Although our district is #2 in Zone 24 with net membership gain (#1 in percentage increase), we need to continue our efforts for the remainder of the year and beyond.

DG George Fontaine

DISTRICT CONFERENCE 2008

May 23-26, 2008

Click here to see the Special Edition Conference Newsletter

Beautiful Wailea Maui!

 GSE TEAM DENMARK VISITS DISTRICT 5000

left-right (click on their names to learn more about each member)  Mikkel Loft, Sabrina Jakobsen, Stephan Skare Nielsen, Louise Enevoldsen, Henrik Mikkelsen - Team Leader

Oahu	April 25 – May 3
Kauai	May 3 – May 8
Maui	May 8 – May 15
Day off	May 16
Hawaii	May 17 – May 22
Maui	May 23 – May 26
Oahu	May 26 – May 28
Departure	May 28

The 2008 GSE Team from Denmark will be visiting the islands of District 5000 between April 25th and returning home on May 28th.

Read more of their adventures on their website:

http://gsehawaii08.wordpress.com/ 

NEW WEB SITE ENCOURAGES DONATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC TO END POLIO

The general public is invited to help eradicate polio by contributing to Rotary's US$100 Million Challenge through a new "mini" Web site,www.rotary.org/endpolio.

Launched on 4 April, the three-page site urges people "to become part of history by donating to the global effort to wipe out the crippling disease polio." It also explains the Gates Foundation challenge grant, describes funding needs, and provides an overview of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Rotary encourages club members to spread the word among friends and colleagues.  Contact pr@rotary.org with any questions.

The annual get together of Rotarians from Zone 23 and 24 at R.I. Conventions will again take place during the Los Angeles 2008 Convention on Monday, 16 June 2008 – 7:00-8:45 AM at the L.A. Convention Center.

This year's gathering — called FAR WEST LIVE! — will be a breakfast with your Morning News & Talk … live!

Save the date and time now... then look for ticket distribution at Far West PETS, Pacific Northwest PETS and SoCalNev PETS! Rotarians from Zones 23 and 24 attending the LA2008 Convention won't want to miss FAR WEST LIVE!

Attention all Rotary International Convention Goers,

It is a tradition in our part of the Rotary World, for Hawaii RI Convention goers to attend the FAR WEST BREAKFAST. I

encourage you to get your 30-dollar ticket now, so you can

join your fellow Rotarians from Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and parts of Idaho for a morning of fun and fellowship.

We are planning something new this year…a one-hour FAR WEST LIVE Morning show, complete with news, weather, traffic, live shots, interviews, commercials and off-the-wall experts. Every one of the districts in Zones 23 and 24 will be featured in some way. Yours truly will be co-anchor, Kirk will provide a few ‘live shots’ taped in Hawaii, his daughter will be one of the singing commercial talents and The Hawaii Convention Center has signed on as one of the ‘sponsors’. There definitely is a Hawaii connection…and I look forward to scanning the crowd of 2,500 breakfast goers and finding friendly, supportive faces from our own District 5000.

See you in LA, at the FAR WEST BREAKFAST, June 16th. It will be a delightful way to start your day in LA.

Aloha,

PDG Linda Coble

Far West Breakfast Committee 

Congratulations D5000 Rotarians!!!

We certainly Rocked the Rock in Literacy this Rotary year!  ALL Clubs accomplished the highest levels in Literacy this year receiving BOTH the District Literacy Award & the Zone Literacy Award!!  

• Provided Dictionaries to every third grade student in Public, Private, Charter and Home schools
• Donated Books and School supplies to schools, students, hospitals & Care Homes Locally and Internationally
• Provided Scholarships to Students and Teachers
• Participated in Keiki Vision
• Installed Rain Gutter Bookshelves in Schools & Libraries
• Volunteered to do “Read to Me” and Tutoring Programs
• Participated in the 4 Way Test Essay Contests
• Provided & Participated in Vocational Days & Career Days at Schools

We have changed the lives of So many Children and Adults, I am BEYOND PROUD of ALL of your Accomplishments!  Great Job in Literacy!

District Literacy Chair 2005-2009

Hawaii Rotary District 4 Way Test Essay Contest

Congratulations to our Winners!

From Maui - winner receives a $500.00 cash prize

Alyssa Tamayo from Henry Perrine Baldwin High School

(Sponsoring: Maui Camp RYLA)

From Oahu - winner receives $400.00 plus 2 round trip tickets to Maui

Sara White from Waialua High School

(sponsoring Rotary Club of Pearl Harbor)

Nozomi Leah Yamashita from La Pietra - Hawaii School for Girls

(sponsoring Rotary Club of Kahala Sunrise)

The winners are asked to attend our Maui District Conference to read their winning essays 

 D5000 RECEIVES PROCLAMATION FOR ROTARIANS AT WORK DAY

 COMMUNITY CARE-A-VAN FULLY EQUIPPED THANKS TO ROTARY

Imagine being homeless and in a park somewhere....hurting. No privacy for exams, even if volunteer teams came to call.

Our homeless community in Waikiki and surrounding neighborhoods now have a private, secure, professionally administered CARE-A-VAN Mobile Clinic, that is equipped with the essentials for assessing health, thanks to the Rotary Club of Honolulu. The Feds helped to buy the van, but our Rotarians filled it with the blood pressure, eye, nose and throat exam instruments, and shelves filled with needed supplies. TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH, thanks to the efforts of of over 40 Honolulu Club Rotarians, friends and families who volunteered for a fence-painting party at Winner’s Camp to secure a $10,000 Weinberg Grant.

Now, when the homeless are approached by the Care-A-Van, clients can walk in, sign in, give shishi samples in a clean, secure lua, move on to an enclosed area with a bed and our equipment, for prostate, breast, pelvic, eye, ENT and other exams. Those in wheelchairs have easy access out of the van down the ramp. It is a clean, mean, caring machine....and Honolulu Rotarians fueled it !!!!

On behalf of the Rotary Club of Honolulu, I was proud to represent all of those who contributed to this much needed service to the homeless in Waikiki and surrounding neighborhoods, at the formal blessing of the Waikiki Health Center Care-A-Van Mobile Clinic...a moving ceremony officiated by Kawaiahao Church's Kahu Curt Kekuna.

Aloha,

Linda Coble

INTERACT STUDENTS CLEAN UP NANAKULI BEACH PARK

Submitted by Michelle Murray, Rotary Club of Kapolei

Students spent Saturday, March 22nd cleaning up Nanakuli Beach Park. They organized the event themselves, got the supplies, set up the meeting time and did the work.  I am very proud of them!  They did a terrific job and were really good ambassadors for the school. It was a really fun activity and the students worked hard and had a good time. 

They did a terrific job !

Seven Rotary Clubs participated in 

Club Keiki Vision at Wilson Elementary School

Over 50 Rotarians volunteered to vision screen almost 400 students at WilsonElementary School on April 21, 2008. 

The clubs participating in this effort were: Kahala Sunrise, Hawaii Kai, Honolulu,East Honolulu, Waikiki and Honolulu Sunset. We had five Optometrists and one Ophthalmologist on site to do the external observation.

Our findings were that approximately 28% of the students had to be referred to see their own eye doctors.  We also had to send one student home for conjunctivitis, commonly known as pinkeye, which is a highly contagious eyeinfection. 

 •  Did you know approximately 30% of school age children have Vision difficulties?

 •  Undetected these Vision problems could result in learning difficulties.

 •  Undetected these Vision problems could result in permanent damage.

 •  Vision tests are pass/fail and really easy to perform

 •  The Hawaii Optometrist Association provides special rates to uninsured families

 •  Only 14% of children under age 6 had an exam by an eye doctor

 •  Only half of all children will have an eye exam before completing high school

 •  20% of children aged 9-15 need glasses and 90% of these have not received them

I always say, if you can't see, you can't read and learn, we made a tremendous difference with this project and a special Mahalo to all the clubs and volunteers for your continued support of Rotary Literacy Projects in Hawaii.

Yours in Rotary Service,

Gloria King

District Literacy Chair  2005-2009

From the EARLY ACT CLUB of Honolulu Sunset

Submitted by Rita Casella, PE Rotary Club of Honolulu Sunset

Our Lemonade Stand today was very successful!

In the half an hour we were out in front of the cafeteria, we sold $60 worth of lemonade!!!  Our Early Act kids loved it!  They learned all about this lemonade stand concept from the web site noted below. Alex's Lemonade Stand was started by a 4 yr. old cancer patient named Alexandra "Alex" Scott as part of her personal fight against the disease which she succumbed to 4 yrs. later.

Read more about this wonderful grass roots movement that kids and adults alike can participate in. All proceeds from our sales today will go to the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for childhood cancer research.

http://www.alexslemonade.org/lemonade_stand.php 

MISSION STATEMENT

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation is a unique foundation that has evolved from a young cancer patient's front yard lemonade stand to a nationwide fundraising movement for childhood cancer.

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation is committed to: 

* Raising money and awareness for pediatric cancer causes, primarily research into new cures and treatments. 

 * Encouraging and educating others, especially children, to raise money for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for childhood cancer.

Read to Me Literacy Project for Early Act, Interact , and Rotaractors to promote reading in early childhood programs.  Submitted by Rita Casella, PE Rotary Club of Honolulu Sunset

The 4-H program has wonderful Read to Me kits where you make an interactive Story Apron to go along with an exciting picture book that you choose, then you read it to young children to encourage them to read.

All materials are free and come packed neatly in a Tupperware bin. You are asked to answer a survey and document your Read In.

Contact Claire Nakatsuka at the 4-H dept. at UH Manoa. nakatsuk@hawaii.edu Ph# 956-7196

See other Youth Project Recommendations & Ideas

Rotary Club of Kahului's 2008 Laulima Vocational Services Award winner, Hana School Building Program’s Richard Rutiz

The Laulima Award recognizes exceptional service to vocational training in our community.  We designed this honor to inspire vocational leadership and recognize achievers in the community. Each finalist makes an outstanding contribution to vocational training, job placement, or career development - making a difference in the lives of Maui’s young adults.

Rick is the Executive Director of the non-profit Ma Ka Hana Ke `Ike which means “In working, one learns.”  It’s a vocational building trades program for Hana High School students – a hands-on learning program that substitutes textbooks and classroom work with tools and job experience. This is how their website describes the experience:  “Geometry and algebra come to life with the use of a tape measure, level square, and transit. Nail guns blast and hammers pound as each structure rises from the ground.  Music plays, voices shout, energy soars.”  Read on for the rest of the story ....

Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunrise Join Forces with Other Organizations to Repair Boys and Girls Club’s Home

Submitted by Kate Bahr, Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunrise

Lahaina, HI- A fresh coat of paint and a landscaped yard at Malu’ulu’olele Cultural Center, the West Maui Boys and Girls Club’s temporary home, will be a welcomed addition with help from local organizations on Saturday, May 3rd.  

The building is filled with new energy since the Boys and Girls Club became tenants in January.  Groups including the Torch Club from the West Maui Boys and Girls Club, Century 21 All Islands, County of Maui Volunteer Center, Fire Fighter Trainees, Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunrise, and West Maui Cultural Council will assist with the community project. 

The work day project is part of Join Hands Day, a national day of service that connects youths and adults though neighborhood volunteering. The work day was scheduled from 8am to noon.

ROTARY CLUB OF LAHAINA SUNRISE TO SPONSOR

JULY 4TH FIREWORKS CELEBRATION

Submitted by Kate Bahr, Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunrise

Lahaina – Fundraising for the 4th of July Fireworks is in full swing.  Fireworks are scheduled for 8 p.m. on Friday, July 4, over the ocean in historic Lahaina Town.  Coordinated by the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunrise, this is the eighth year that the community of West Maui has come together to finance this terrific family event.

“West Maui is the only community on Maui that organizes a fireworks show,” said Theo Morrison, Rotarian Community Service chairperson.  “We are appealing to the businesses and residents of West Maui for financial support of this great community event. We need to raise approximately $40,000 to cover all costs.”

The 4th of July in Lahaina is a free family event for all. There will be excellent viewing of fireworks throughout Lahaina Town and in neighborhoods mauka. All monetary donations are welcome and may be sent to the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunrise, P.O. Box 913, Lahaina, HI 96767.  The Fourth of July festivities are coordinated by the Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunrise.  For information, call Theo Morrison at 264-6480.

Kawika Mattos, Chief Professional Officer of BGCBI, accepts a $1,000 donation from the Rotary Club of Hilo Bay. The money will be used for outreach services in Waimea and Kona. Photo by Scott Carrothers.

The Rotary Club of South Hilo, with support from nine Hilo businesses, carried out a major refurbishment of the athletic fields of the Boys and Girls Club of the Big Island (BGCBI). 29 community and business volunteers joined 17 Rotarians in an all-day makeover. The facility got two new electrified scoreboards, fence repairs, and a facelift for bleachers and dugouts. Photo by Adrienne Oliver.

Volunteers from the Rotary Clubs of East Hawai`i are renovating the firefighters' dormitories at the old Hilo Central Fire Station. The facilities are getting a fresh paint job, new air conditioners, new faucets, new light fixtures, and new carpeting, with the contributions and the labor of Rotarians. The project will be completed on April 26, Rotarians at Work Day. Photo by Richard Crowe.

In January, members of the Rotary Club of South Hilo traveled to Lampang, Thailand, as part of an International Service literacy project. While there, Audrey Wilson and others assisted the local Rotarians in delivering oral polio vaccine to kindergarten children. Photo by Jim Wilson.

At the District 5000 Assembly held at Waimea Middle School on Saturday, April 5, District Governor-Elect Ayman El-Dakhakhni participated in the morning workshop on recruitment, retention, and extension, led by District Membership Chair-Elect John Steelquist and his Big Island membership team.

Photo by Richard Crowe.

Boris and Friends Piano Social, at the home of Richard and Deby Crowe on March 27, was attended by 12 Hilo Bay Rotarians, 12 guests, and performer Dr. Boris Konovalov. Concert pianist Boris, a Russian residing in Canada, performed a 90-minute program of classical pieces by Tchaikovsky, Scriabin, Scarlatti, Chopin, and Liszt. His playing was impressive and technically dazzling. Dr. Konovalov, who has released 6 solo CDs, actually modified the program during the performance according to the strengths and weaknesses of the 40-year-old instrument. All three new Hilo Bay Rotarians were present with their families. Photo by Anita Cunningham.

“FIELDS OF DREAMS”

submitted by Adrienne Oliver, Rotary Club of South Hilo

The Rotary Club of South Hilo with the support of nine Hilo businesses refurbished the Athletic Fields of the Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island on Saturday, March 29th. 

The refurbishing project included two new scoreboards, painting of the bleachers and dugouts, repairing fences, tree trimming and cutting back the overgrowth around the fields.   Twenty nine community and business volunteers joined seventeen Rotarians all day Saturday to complete the project.

The Boy’s and Girls Club athletic fields were transformed with the help of the business community contributing equipment, supplies and manpower.  In addition to planning and organizing the project the Rotary Club of South Hilo’s main donation were two new electrified scoreboards at a cost of ten thousand dollars, which replaced boards that were more than twenty years old. 

The businesses that teamed with the Rotarians were Hawaii Electric Light Company, Hirayama Brothers Electric, Island Wide Fencing, Hawaiian Telecom, Gemini Observatory, ICI Paint, Ace Hardware, Creative Arts and Tree Works.  The Parents of the Athletic League and key personnel of the Boy’s & Girl’s Club worked with the Rotarians to complete these “Fields of Dreams” for the six hundred people that utilize the fields as spectators or players at the weekend sports events and the more than thirteen hundred children that are members of the Boys and Girls Club of the Big Island.

Rotary Club of Kalepa Sunrise Clean Nukolii Beach

for Rotarians at Work Day

Members in the group photo are:

Front: Randy Francisco, Caty-exchange student from Chile, Valentina-exchange student from Chile, Laurie Yoshida, Mary & Danny Navarro, Vianne Tabata. 

Back: Al & Patti Ficker, Tim Hoxie, Bill Heil, Curtis Dancoe 14 people picked up rubbish off the beach Saturday, April 26th.

 KAUAI GROWS THEIR OWN TEACHERS (GOOT PROGRAM)

submitted by Robert Dickstein, Hanalei Bay Rotary Club

Thank you for the warm reception that you extended to Rotarian Karen Wilson and myself when we presented the Growing Our Own Teachers Service Project ppt, at the conclusion of the District Assembly last Saturday afternoon. Hopefully your Rotary Team will decide to adopt this program for the benefit of your local future teachers and the children they will serve in your island elementary schools for many years to come.

Additionally, I have attached the Growing Our Own Teachers Scholarship Initiative Program Description, and the third attachment is a letter from Dr. Jennifer Herring, Statewide Teacher Education Program Coordinator, University of Hawaii at Manoa. Although the attached Program Description has details about Hanalei Bay's story of successfully addressing the critical shortage of qualified teachers for our community, it is a need that exists everywhere. Dr. Herring's letter speaks to, 'our shared commitment to education' & the 'proposal to support our teacher candidates statewide is ambitious and important'. Both of these documents are in the plastic binder that was given toyou at the District Assembly, but as attachments they can be sent via email by you as supplementary information to your members.  Read on ....

The Rotary Club Of Hanalei Bay Awards Nursing Scholarships

 Three aspiring nurses have been awarded $1,000 scholarships by the Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay.  Club President Sally Motta presented checks to Lornette Correa, Lindsey Whitehall and Reveen Ornellas to assist them in securing their nursing degrees at Kauai Community College.  School of Nursing Administrator Sharon Chiba thanked the Rotarians for their continuing support of the nursing program by contributing more than $15,000 in scholarships over the years. Chiba also noted the similarity between the Rotary Club’s support of the “Growing our own Teachers on Kauai” initiative and these awards since each of these students are local people who hope to practice their chosen profession here at home.

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2008-09

DISTRICT DIRECTORY

Ad submissions are now being accepted for the

08-09 District directory. 

Deadline:

May 15th. 

Download the form here.

Mahalo!!

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NEWSLETTER ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS

Effective July 1st, submissions for the District Newsletter can be sent to 

Newsletter creator extraordinare

Nancy Kanna at:  d5000newsletter@gmail.com

District 5000 is looking for Rotarians to advertise their business on the Rotary District 5000 website & newsletter!!

Contact us  for more information.

 "Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things."

 ~ Peter F. Drucker

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

 ~ Mahatma Gandhi