Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Register for Rotary Confluence 2010

The Rotary year's major annual event, District Conference is scheduled for February 20-21 at Panjab University's Law Auditorium. The two-days event shall feature some of the best non-Rotarian speakers with special programme for the ladies, and evening cultural at the Rock Garden over gala dinner.
Avail the Early Bird Registration of Rs.1200 single, and Rs.2300 couple. Sign up immediately to avail this offer.
A must for every Rotarian family.

Polio remains top priority with Ray Klinginsmith

District governors-elect got their first glimpse of the 2010-11 presidential emphases during the second plenary session of the 2010 International Assembly.

Polio eradication and outreach to youth and young adults top RI President-elect Ray Klinginsmith's "to-do" list. Also featured are the Future Vision Plan's six areas of focus:

* Peace and conflict prevention/resolution
* Disease prevention and treatment
* Water and sanitation
* Maternal and child health
* Basic education and literacy
* Economic and community development

Register for District Conference

The exciting annual event for every Rotarian, Rotary District Conference of our District 3080, is round the corner now.
Having been shifted to Chandigarh from Haridwar, the preparations are at full swing under the leadership of our DG Chetan Aggarwal with the help of the host club of Rotary Chandigarh Central.
It is time that we keep ourselves updated with the newer developments in Rotary, meet with the Rotary International President's Representative PRID Sushil Gupta, and get touched with the inspirational addresses some of the celebrity speakers which are featured in this conference.
On 19th February we have the pre-Conference Dinner with a musical performance and the registration charges for the same is just Rs.250 per person. Please inform your participation to the Conference Secretariat immediately so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
The Registration for the Conference has been extended upto 31st January at Rs.1200 (single) and Rs.2300 (couple). Please avail this early-bird opportunity and register. The new members with their spouses must attend this event in order to have an overview of the Rotary's work.

Upto 31st January Single Rs 1,200- Couple Rs 2,300-
Upto 14th February Single Rs 1,400- Couple Rs 2,600-
Spot February Single Rs 1,500- Couple Rs 2,700- (Without Kit)

Special programme is being chalked out for the ladies attending the Conference.

The registrations may be sent by cheques /drafts drawn in favour of "Rotary District Conference 2010" along with names of delegates, club & classification details may be sent to following address:
PP Rtn RD Singh
RC Chandigarh Central,
C/O New Public School
Sector 18-B
Chandigarh-160 018
Tel 098146 48480 Fax 0172- 4628480
e-mail riar@npschd.com

You can also transfer the registration fee through Central Bank of India, for which the details are given below.

CBIN 0280412 for
Central Bank of India,
Sector 18-C,
Chandigarh
Account -Rotary District Conference 2010 S.B. A/c No 4058

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Rotary Themes

Yesterday, our incoming District leader, DGE Madhukar Malhotra and Neeru left for the International Assembly for their training. Two most essential aspects of this event is that there is a lot of hard work and reading that the DGE need to know, and, very importantly, will receive the new RI theme for the next year from the incoming Rotary International leader, Ray Klinginsmith.

The tradition of crafting a theme is credited to 1949-50 RI President Percy C. Hodgson, who outlined a list of four objectives for his term in office. Among them were the better application of the principles of vocational service and dedication to world understanding and peace through international service programs.

Though Hodgson's 83-word proclamation ran substantially longer than today's shorter, punchier themes, Rotarians' desire to celebrate and support their president's annual program of service has remained the same. Other early themes include Rotary Is Hope in Action (Joaquin Serratosa Cibils, 1953-54), Kindle the Spark Within (Nitish C. Laharry, 1962-63), and Good Will Begins with You (Ernst G. Breitholtz, 1971-72).

In the decades that followed, RI presidents introduced theme logos, lapel pins, ties, and scarves. Theme ties were introduced in the 1990s, and are now given out yearly. Many have incorporated the theme for the year. The first scarves showing the RI theme were designed by 1998-99 RI President James L. Lacy and his wife, Claudine, Follow Your Rotary Dream.

A list of past presidents and RI themes can be found in the Official Directory and the District Directory. CJ

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Our Club Honors H.K. Dua

This was a very special evening this Monday, as our Club felicitated Mr. H.K. Dua, Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune group on his elevation as nominated member of Rajya Sabha. He was accompanied with his wife Ms Adity Dua.
Mr. H.K. Dua, who is also an Honorary Rotarian with our club since 2004 is a highly respected journalist in the country today, whose knack for calling a spade a spade with forthrightness and courage, have endeared everyone, especially the readers of 'The Tribune'.
Introducing Mr Dua, Past Rotary International President Rajendra K. Saboo, remarked that Mr Dua holds a special place in the heart of the readers of 'The Tribune', and more so his "right to write the right" has shown the high ethical standards he had been following as a journalist.
Rtn. Subhash Marriya, Vice President of our Club, who presided over the Monday meeting of the Club (Rtn. Pres. G.S. Lakhmna having been hospitalised), remarked that with Mr Dua's elevation to Rajya Sabha, would make him the "voice of the country".
Mr. Dua lamented the miscarriage of justice and administration that impacts the lives of the people, and the pitiable condition of over 30 crore Indians, who even after the country's freedom, continue to reel under abject poverty, illiteracy, hunger, and disease. And the next generation of this population having been deprived of proper education and employment is left with no choice except to be an easy prey to the communal and criminal forces who recruit them for their wily designs. Their anger, he said, is manifesting itself today in the communal and separatist activities in the country, wasting a vast pool of human energy in senseless violence and arson.
As a journalist, the responsibility of the media is to educate and inform the people, and meet the expectations of the large populace, truthfully and honestly, which is the responsibility of a legislator too, he remarked.
We shall be failing our readers, the society, and the country, if we do not perform our duty as representatives of the people, he affirmed.
What would you do when the Parliament is not in session, is the question he has been asked most often, to which Mr Dua responded very aptly, that considering the extent of the problems that beset our country today, there is no dearth of work which a Parliamentarian need to and can do.
We wish Mr Dua best of luck as he proceeds to take up this new challenge which would stand in good stead of the country.