Holiday Celebration

Our Holiday Celebration began with Frank Rippl playing the piano. President Dawn welcomed members and guests and thanked everyone for the donations to The Mooring House. We had a moment of silence for those in Sandy Hook, Connecticut then Rev. Roger Bertschausen gave the invocation. Lunch consisted of portabella stuffed chicken and egg plant napoleon. After lunch, Tony Gonzalez and Ruth Ann Heeter provided the answers to the holiday quiz. Tony then introduced 5 members of the Fox Valley Symphony’s Brass Quintet. The Fox Valley Symphony is in its 46th season. Sixty to eighty musicians play in 5 concerts in its Symphony Series. The Brass Quintet performed holiday favorites such as We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Jingle Bells, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Deck the Halls, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, We Three Kings, Silent Night, Joy to the World and Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Thanks to the Family of Rotary Committee for arranging this program: Tony Gonzalez (Chair), Michelle Devine-Giese, Ruth Ann Heeter, Nancy Heykes, Nancy Johnshoy, Eric Oelhafen and Val Wylie. Also thanks to the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel and staff for the wonderful lunch and service they provided us.

Sandy Hook School

In response to the Sandy Hook School tragedy, we as a Rotary District will be supporting the Newtown Rotary Club. You may wish to contribute as a Club and/or as an individual Rotarian. Below is the link to the Newtown Rotary Sandy Hook School Fund. The Newtown Rotary Club Foundation has established the Newtown Rotary Sandy Hook School Fund. The fund is dedicated to the victims of the Sandy Hook School tragedy, their families and those in the Newtown community who have been affected, to help support both their short term and long term needs. The link is: http://www.newtownctrotary.org/ Thank you for your generosity and prayers for this heartbroken community.

PolioPlus

After 25 years of hard work, Rotary and its partners are on the brink of eradicating this tenacious disease, but a strong push is needed now to root it out once and for all. It is a window of opportunity of historic proportions. Reaching the ultimate goal of a polio-free world presents ongoing challenges, not the least of which is a hundreds of million dollar funding gap. Of course, Rotary alone can't fill this gap, but continued Rotarian advocacy for government support can help enormously. As long as polio threatens even one child anywhere in the world, children everywhere remain at risk. The stakes are that high. 2012 Convention PolioPlus Video "If we all have the fortitude to see this effort through to the end, then we will eradicate polio." - Bill Gates

Courtesy Awards

The Courtesy Awards are given to those who work directly with the public and have exhibited exceptional service or courtesy to the people they serve.  The nominee must be employed in the Appleton and contingent area, and work directly with customers or other members of the public.  Members, spouses, and children of club members are not eligible for nomination nor can Rotary Club members nominate their own employees.  Nomination forms can be found on our website at - http://www.focol.org/aprotary/Documents/courtesyNomination.html or Kathy will have them available at meetings.

Holiday Celebration - December 18

This years Rotary Holiday luncheon, hosted by the Family of Rotary Committee, will be held on Tuesday, December 18, from 11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.  We will be entertained by the Fox Valley Symphony and the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel has again prepared a very special sit down meal for Rotarians and their guests.  If you plan to attend, please make sure to contact Kathy Dreyer at 731-4427 or dreyer.kathy@gmail.com by Friday, December 14 so that we can let the Radisson know how many to expect.  We will be charging $12.50 for those members who have the status of “attendance not required” and guests as we have done in the past.

We are also doing a collection for The Mooring House this year. They are in need of the following: weekly planners for clients; hats, mittens, boots, socks, winter coats, tennis shoes (adult sizes);CD player boom box; can openers; pens; Kleenex; paper towel; toilet paper; toiletries; craft items; bus passes; gift cards for haircuts; box fans; alarm clocks; outdoor lawn games; board games; silver ware; and a window air conditioner for group room at the MH.  Monetary donations will be applied to Goodwill gift cards. Please bring in your donated items or monetary donation at the Holiday Celebration.

Oshkosh Civility Project

Walter Scott, Jr. discussed how the Oshkosh Civility Project began as an ad hoc effort in the summer of 2010 to advance the cause of civility in order to enhance interpersonal effectiveness and to build and strengthen the social fabric of our shared community. Scott brought the idea for this initiative from this travels to Truckee, California where he saw the “Speak Your Peace” campaign that was developed by the Truckee-Tahoe Community Foundation.  A core group with representatives from the Oshkosh Community Foundation, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, community based organizations including the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, the Oshkosh Public Library, the Oshkosh Area School District and the Oshkosh Partners in Education Council met monthly to lay out plans to advance the program.  Dr. P. M. Forni, Crossing Civility, spoke at the Truckee Leadership Breakfast to provide visibility and a conceptual structure.  The core team and committees worked on communications, events, speaker’s bureau, business outreach, education and organization outreach.  Their mission is to promote the principles of civility in everyday life through education, imitation and community engagement.  The Oshkosh Civility Pledge: “We build a stronger and more diverse community by actively sharing our ideas and opinions with others in thoughtful and considerate ways.  By practicing this basic commitment to civility, we learn and grow from one another - even in disagreement.”  This is not a campaign to end all disagreements but a campaign to make it safe to disagree.  About 50% of Americans in the workforce experience a high level of stress.  The estimated cost to the workplace is $300 billion per year.  Dr. Forni talks about 25 rules of civility.  The following are 9 key rules / skills to practice and aspire to:  pay attention (be aware of others and sensitive to the immediate context of actions), listen (understand other points of view), be inclusive (welcome all and don’t exclude anyone), don’t gossip (remind others of the importance of this practice), show respect (especially in disagreement), be agreeable (find opportunities to agree), apologize sincerely (repair damaged relationships), give constructive criticism (focus on issues), and accept responsibility (don’t shift blame).  It is possible to be true to one’s beliefs and be civil at the same time.  It is not just what you say but how you say it.  Make civility your New Year’s Resolution.  

Appleton Rotary Foundation

The 2012 Fox Valley Sibling Support Network Santa Celebration took place last Saturday. This was partially funded by the Appleton Rotary Foundation's Helen Thom Roemer Fund.

Charity Miles

Here's a wonderful way to support Rotary!  You can help Rotary win up to 10 million United Airlines travel miles.  It won't  cost you a penny - and the miles will be used to help numerous Rotary projects.  

In the past Charity Miles have provided transportation for Rotary International's Gift of Life surgical teams. Last year, these teams traveled to Haiti and El Salvador, where volunteer doctors and nurses from the United States performed life-saving heart surgery on many children and provided important training for local doctors. Charity Miles have also helped Rotary International transport Iraqi children with birth defects to U.S. hospitals for treatments they cannot receive at home. 

Charity Miles are also used to send volunteers to help immunize children during National Immunization Days. And, Charity Miles provide airfare for financially disadvantaged Rotary youth exchange students so they may live and study overseas for one school year, enabling 8,000 secondary school students to study abroad in 80 countries around the world.

All you have to do is go to  Charity Miles and vote for Rotary International.  You can vote once a day until December 25th.  Rotary is currently leading with 505 votes.
 

And don't just vote yourself!  Share this message with your network of friends. If you are a Facebooker, a Twitterer or a Texter - get cracking and spread this message.  Remember, by winning these Charity Miles, we can bring smiles to the faces of thousands of underprivileged children! 

Sharing Around (the World) Medical Project

Imagine the challenge of obtaining medical care where just a few thousand physicians serve millions of people.  Imaging living where endless civil wars have created massive shortages of crutches and wheelchairs.  Where infectious diseases like Bubonic Plague – long extinct in North America, run unchecked.  And where virulent diseases like AIDS are decimating young and old alike.  Imagine trying to cope with these and other overwhelming medical needs without even the most basic equipment and supplies.  Some of us have been to Jamaica and stayed at resorts on the beautiful beaches.  But poverty, unemployment and inequality in Jamaica rank among the worst in America.  Jamaica has the second highest unemployment rate, roughly 11.8%, and fourth highest poverty rate, 43.1%.  The IMF report defined poverty as the share of population earning less than $2.50 US per day which translates to 1.1 million Jamaicans living in poverty.  Haiti scores better than Jamaica.  The population of Jamaica is 2,825,928 with 39 hospitals (1 hospital per 72,450 people).  The population of Wisconsin is 5,711,765 with 143 hospitals (1 hospital per 39,942 people).  The Sharing Around (the World) Medical Project is a recycling program for the salvage of reusable medical equipment, blankets and supplies.  The idea for this project was a result of a Group Study Exchange Team from Rotary District 9250 (Southern Africa).  The team consisted of 2 doctors.  In their visits to Rotary clubs in our District (6220), the doctors freely discussed the shortage of the simplest medical supplies and equipment and the high incidence of AIDS.  SAMP sent the first shipment to Southern Africa in 1993.  The founders of SAMP, in partnership with Goodwill Industries, created a strong foundation that has grown and flourished over the last 19 years.  Today, SAMP provides medical supplies globally.  SAMP collects, sorts, packs and ships medical supplies through the generosity of Goodwill Industries, First Supply, partnering hospitals and medical clinics, and volunteers.  SAMP has never lost a shipment or had a shipment end up on the black market since there is a corresponding club that receives the shipments.  All hospitals and clinics throw away thousands of pounds of medical supplies per year.  SAMP packs wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, gloves, gowns, drapes, pads, sutures, syringes, needles, IV tubing, catheters, wash basins, water pitchers, bed pans, blankets, etc.  They do not accept medicine, gurneys, large equipment and oxygen tanks.  SAMP needs your help with communication (sending thank you notes to our donating partners), shipping, public relations (contacting other Rotary clubs because we are seeking new area’s to ship) and packing on the last Tuesday of each month from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the Goodwill Industries Ralph B. Shiner Center in Appleton.  It is a great way to meet fellow Rotarians and you get a make-up.  The life you same today may be the leaders of that country tomorrow.  Make the world a better place for the next generation

Courtesy Awards

The Courtesy Awards are given to those who work directly with the public and have exhibited exceptional service or courtesy to the people they serve.  The nominee must be employed in the Appleton and contingent area, and work directly with customers or other members of the public.  Members, spouses, and children of club members are not eligible for nomination nor can Rotary Club members nominate their own employees.  Nomination forms can be found on our website at - http://www.focol.org/aprotary/Documents/courtesyNomination.html or Kathy will have them available at meetings.