Change with Continuity...thy name is Rotary!

Kalyan Banerjee, Rotary's 101st president, and the third from India, is our new leader this year, and William B. Boyd, of the Rotary Club of Pakuranga, Auckland, New Zealand, will take over as Rotary Foundation trustee chair. 

John Hewko has become Rotary International’s 12th general secretary on 1 July. He has said his priorities include improving Rotarians’ connections with the Secretariat and increasing awareness about what the Secretariat can offer. 

Other Changes include:

• Four pilot programs will begin 1 July, designed to improve recruitment and retention, allow for flexibility in club operations and structure, and give clubs an opportunity to explore new and innovative ways to promote member diversity -- all goals of the RI Strategic Plan. For each of three pilot programs – corporate member, associate member, and innovative and flexible Rotary club -- 200 clubs have been selected to participate, and about 125 will take part in a satellite club pilot program.  
• The Changemaker Award will accompany the Presidential Citation during the 2011-12 Rotary year. The award will encourage Rotarians to focus on change and will recognize clubs that make an extraordinary impact through their work in the Avenues of Service.  
• The World Community Service and Rotary Volunteers programs will be phased out as of 30 June, replaced by a new model designed to expand the resources available to clubs for connecting and partnering with one another. The RI Board approved a shift to a resource and support model for RI programs to reinforce the priorities and goals of the RI Strategic Plan.
• Efforts to enhance Rotary’s public image will be undertaken by 49 Rotary public image coordinators (RPICs) working in partnership with their zone’s RI director, regional Rotary Foundation coordinator, Rotary coordinator, and district governors. RPICs, who are selected by the RI president or Rotary Foundation trustee chair, have professional expertise in public relations, journalism, or communications and will help support the RI Strategic Plan by conveying effective public relations practices to district leaders.
• The Rotarian magazine launches its digital edition with the July issue. Subscribers can now choose to receive either the print or digital edition, or both. This would be a good time to buy a subscription for your Interact or Rotaract club, to inspire them with Rotary’s breadth.  
• Rotary clubs’ annual per capita dues to Rotary International will increase to US$51 in 2011-12. The 2010 Council on Legislation also set dues at $52 for 2012-13 and $53 for 2013-14.

Hamari Beti

Celebrating womanhood.  Sensitising people against the scourge of female foeticide. Taking action to correct the skewed male:female ratio in our country.
With this mission in mind our Club has renewed its efforts in this direction and proposes to take up projects that can bring about a positive change in our society. Under the leadership of Rtn Neena Singh, "Hamari Beti" would be one of the focus area.
Members would recall that as a part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of our Club, we had started this project. A school painting competition and slogan writing contest marked the beginning of this project which received tremendous response.  There had also been a tieup with Fortis Hospital, and the new Committee under the Community Service avenue would be renewing its ties with Fortis as well as forging new ones with the Hospitals around the tricity.
Already our Club has created a CAUSE on Facebook, and a new Group, HAMARI BETI,  has been created there to associate more and more people with this cause. And surprisingly there is great response from some of the youngsters. One girl has penned a poem and put it up on our page. Surely, if young people understand the issues, they perhaps would be ready to meet this challenge as they step into their married lives. Or even otherwise in their homes too.
So get going. Be a part of this mission. Save girls from extinction. 

Ring in the New!

Congratulations to every Rotarian as the new Rotary year dawns today.
It is a matter of great pride for Indians to have an Indian leading the Rotary world, Rtn. Kalyan Banerjee.
As we move ahead with ambitious plans and visions to make a difference in the lives of the people around us, the mantra that Rotary International President Kalyan Banerjee has given to the world is, "Reach Within to Embrace Humanity".
Thanks to the excellent leadership of Rtn. Neena Singh, who has launched an ambitious "Swachh Jiwan Abhiyaan" in Colony No.5.  Rotarians, Rotaractors and Inner Wheel members of our Club got together in large number and participated in the rally which was flagged off by young Municipal Commissioner of Chandigarh, Ms Prerna Puri, IAS.

The next batch of 25 girls from the colony for female adult literacy programme joined the "Roshni" school being run by our Club at RCC.  A set of books, notebooks and stationery was distributed to these young and not-so-young women from the colony who wanted to be a part of the adult literacy.

Read more about today's project's report at our Facebook page.  Are you a member on our Facebook presence? Not yet? Click here and Join the Action !