February has flown by and now we are into March (mad March winds seems just as true here as in Europe).
In late February our club achieved the necessary goals to award us the Rotary Citation. This annual award used to be the Presidential Citation and requires clubs to meet a minimum of 16 goals covering Support and Strengthening Clubs, Focus and Increasing Humanitarian Service and Enhancing Rotary's Public Image and Awareness. We did it, and quite quickly too, many thanks to all who made it possible.
Panama: The Musical, has now closed, local and international reviews were all good, and the show continues to develop.
Today is the 50th Anniversary of Rotaract and this week is Rotaract week. On Friday at 11:00am we will as a club visit Penonome University (Pinacoteca Room) to welcome Rotaract Cocle into the family of Rotary, present their charter (signed and dated today by me) and pin each member.
I hope to see you all a little later in the day
Our first fundraiser is now confirmed for April 21st at Al Cazar. Expect to see a few Rotaractors there.
Yours in Rotary
Mike
Flavors of the World
The Rotary Club of Playa Coronado will behaving a fund raiser event on April 21 in the lobby of the Alcazar.
The name of the event is Flavors of the World.
Many of you might not be aware but, over the club's short four year lifespan, it has contributed much to our community. Besides more than 300 wheelchairs distributed to those in need in Panama, it has scholarship programs for deserving students and has helped in kitchen and bathroom renovations at the Nutre Hogar (Food House) in Penonome. It also supports projects in local schools here as well as some of the other schools in Panama.
Proceeds from this event will fund future projects.
Be prepared to come and have fun and be aware that past events have sold out.
Tickets are $25 and include one drink and may be
purchased from any Rotary Club of Playa Coronado member. You can also purchase tickets by contacting Phil Birn at alohathyme@aol.com.
Rotaract originally began as a Rotary International youth program in 1968 at Charlotte North Rotary Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, and has grown into a major Rotary-sponsored organization of over 9,522 clubs spread around the world with 291,006 members. It is a service, leadership, professional and community service organization (often miscommunicated as a Social Service Club) for young men and women between the ages 18–30 (membership will end upon reaching 31 years of age)
Motto: Self Development - Fellowship Through Service
Type Service club
Focus Fellowship and Service
Number of Clubs 10,904
Membership: 250,792
In countries 184
Founded: March 13, 1968
Headquarters: Evanston, Illinois, United States
Origins: The Rotary International Family
Location: Global
Website www.rotary.org
Rotaract focuses on the development of young adults as leaders in their communities and workplaces. Clubs around the world also take part in international service projects, in a global effort to bring peace and international understanding to the world. "Rotaract" stands for "Rotary in Action", although the name originally comes from a combination of "Rotary" and "Interact" (International + Action), the high school level program created by Rotary International in 1962.
Most Rotaract activities take place at the club level. Rotaract clubs hold formal meetings, usually every two weeks, which feature speakers, special outings, social activities, discussions or visits to other clubs. Club members get together on designated days for service project work, social events, or professional/leadership development workshops.
The purpose of Rotaract is to provide an opportunity for young men and women to enhance the knowledge and skills that will assist them in personal development, to address the physical and social needs of their communities, and to promote better relations between all people worldwide through a framework of friendship and service. To be eligible for membership, prospective members must be 18–30 years of age, show that they are committed to Rotaract, and show that they are of good standing in the community. After being approved by the club, prospective members are 'inducted' to become members, also known as 'Rotaractors'.
Ian H.S. Riseley - Rotary International President 2017-18 March 2018
This month marks 50 years since the first Rotaract club was chartered, in 1968. In this special Rotaract issue, you'll meet some impressive Rotaractors from around the world and see some of the incredible ways they are Making a Difference.
In the half-century since Rotaract began, the world has seen profound changes, and young people have felt the greatest impact of those changes: the rise of technology and the information economy, the spread of education, and the tremendous influence of the internet. When Rotaract was founded, it would have been almost unthinkable for a teen or 20-something to have been an entrepreneur or a CEO. Today, young people have an unprecedented capacity to achieve – and Rotary needs their ideas and enthusiasm as never before.
For many years, Rotary has done Rotaract a disservice by looking at our youth and young adult programs as mere precursors to Rotary membership, and not as valuable and productive programs in their own right. But Rotaractors are truly partners in Rotary service.
Today, an estimated quarter of a million Rotaractors serve in over 10,000 clubs, in nearly every country where Rotary clubs exist. The impact of their service is particularly impressive when contrasted with their resources. Rotaractors achieve an amazing amount with far less money at their disposal than the average Rotary club. Their energy and vision bring something wonderful to our Rotary family and to our communities, and we value it very much.
Yet only 27 percent of Rotary clubs sponsor a Rotaract club, a figure that has remained fairly stable over time. And far too few Rotaractors ultimately do move on to Rotary membership. As we celebrate this anniversary with Rotaract, I encourage all Rotary clubs to consider sponsoring a Rotaract club or to strengthen their ties with the clubs they already sponsor. Schedule regular joint meetings, run joint service projects, and reach out to Rotaractors – not only to ask if you can help, but to find out how you can work together. Know your Rotaract clubs and their members – and make sure that every Rotaractor knows that a Rotary club is waiting to welcome them.
For half a century, Rotaract has given young people a way to find the same connections with their communities, and the same value in service, that Rotarians find in Rotary. Rotaractors are connecting us to the Rotary of our future, while helping us build the Rotary of today.
7 things you don’t know about Rotaract
Decoding the secrets of their success
1. Rotaractors are experts in their fields
2. They think beyond their clubs
3. They are redefining what it means to be a Rotarian
4. They excel at recruiting
5. They embrace the opportunity to learn
6. They find creative solutions
7. They know what they want
For the full article see https://www.rotary.org/en/7-things-you-did-not-know-about-rotaract
Prisoner # 24602 behind bars at El Cano on 1st March 2018. Playa Coronado has donated $200 to support the work of improving the toilets and converting the building above into a permanent museum. This should be completed very soon. Thanks to Dr Mayo and Alexa, for a fun day and a baby toilet seat which is on the way to Nutre Hogar, see below:-
A few of the donated baby / child accessories donated by Mike & Sisi Germain, delivered to Nutre Hogar, Penonome on 1st March 2018.
