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District Governor Ray Knowis June Message
Dont' forget to support the Pack the Park for Polio on July 25th in Chattanooga and on August 8th for the Knoxville area. This is a fun way to support PolioPlus and enjoy a baseball game with your family.
Please check out the District website as it has been updated with the current DG visits, the updated District Directory and many other items of interest. Have a great July and a great Rotary Year.
Don't forget RI President Don Burton's theme for this year: ENGAGE ROTARY - CHANGE LIVES.
View the July DG Video here.
Meet Ray Knowis: He’s Your New District 6780 Governor
As we begin our new Rotary Year 2013-14, we’d like to introduce you to the man who will lead District 6780 this year: District Governor Ray Knowis of Tullahoma.
Ray’s an engineer by trade, a golfer with a pretty good swing and a man with a deep and abiding passion for Rotary. It’s a family thing as well. Rarely will you see Ray without wife Ann at his side or
close by. Both Ann and their son Steve are Paul Harris Fellows as well.
“It is an honor for me to be serving as your district governor this Rotary year,” Ray says. “Ann and I are excited and looking forward to our upcoming club visits and hearing about the many projects that our clubs are doing to serve our communities locally and around the world.”
You will have a chance to meet and hear Ray during his club visits, which began yesterday in Fayetteville and today he and Ann are in Shelbyville. The last club visit will be at his home club in Tullahoma on Nov. 15, of which he is a Past President. Yes, he’ll be busy in these next 19 weeks – ant beyond. You can click on this CLUB VISITS schedule to see when he will be at your club.
All clubs need to know DG Ray's goals for this year. Click on his DISTRICT GOALS so your club can begin working on these.
A Rotarian for 14 years, Rotary has become one of the most important aspects of Ray’s life and he enjoyed serving as Assistant Governor for five clubs in District 6780 and on the district’s Membership Committee as the chair for Recruitment and Classification. He served as the Tournament Director for the District 6780 Golf Tournament in 2007, 2009 and 2010, raising approximately $10,000 for Rotary.
He has served on two district conference organizational committees and is a graduate of the District 6780 Leadership Academy. Ray is a member of the Paul Harris Society and is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow.
Early in his career with Micro Craft, Inc. (an aerospace technology company), Ray earned a bachelor of engineering degree (cum laude) from Vanderbilt University and subsequently a Master of Science degree in Engineering Management from the University of Tennessee. Retiring as a senior vice president of the company, he was instrumental in growing the organization from a 25-man machine shop to a major aerospace company of 750 employees. Upon his retirement, he was awarded a “Lifetime Achievement Award.”
He has been recognized by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) as a certified manufacturing engineer, served on the board of directors for the local chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and as a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Ground Test Technical Committee and the Test Articles Working Group. He is recognized as an Associate Fellow of AIAA. Today, Ray provides consulting services in management operations through one of Tennessee’s TNInvestco Investment Management companies and through a recently awarded JOBS4TN grant for a regional accelerator (business incubator in the Southern Middle Tennessee Region).
He devotes much of his time to social and civic organizations in addition to the considerable amount of time he devotes to Rotary.
You’ll enjoy meeting and hearing your new District Governor.
Jerry Wear Takes Oath, Pinned as DGE by DG Ray Knowis; 30 Members Honored as Paul Harris Fellows During Meeting
It was Jerry Wear and Paul Harris Day at the Rotary Club of Pigeon Forge on Wednesday, July 3, at the Holiday Inn in Pigeon Forge. Jerry was given the oath of office as District 6780 Governor Elect (DGE) and “pinned” by new District Governor Ray Knowis.
Jerry is a Past President of the Pigeon Forge club and they indeed made it a special day for him.
As for the Paul Harris part of the program, Jerry and Ray welcomed and recognized 30 members of the club as either new or multiple Paul Harris Fellows. Jerry was one of the 30 as well, receiving his Paul Harris +4. Here is the list of the Pigeon Forge Rotarians honored during the meeting. One of those honored was David Wear, Jerry’s son and mayor of Pigeon Forge.
These 30 Paul Harris Fellows represent $54,000 in funds to The Rotary Foundation. Of the 30, 11 are first-time Paul Harris Fellows.
Along with the Pigeon Forge members attending were Immediate Past District Governor (PDG) Jack Bailey, PDG Frank Rothermel, PDG John Bailey and our District Governor Nominee (2015-16) Beth Stubbs.
A special guest was District 6760 Governor Elect Kim Kim from Hendersonville, who said he left Hendersonville at 4:30 a.m. on that rainy Wednesday morning to attend this meeting for DGE Jerry.
Three other D6780 leaders were there as well – Fred Heitman and Brenda Thornburgh. Fred is the The Rotary Foundation Giving Chair for the District and Brenda is our Foundation End Polio Now Chair. Both spoke during the meeting about the importance of our sustained giving to eradicate polio forever. Also attending was Greg Maciolek, Assistant Governor Coordinator.
Fred praised the club for its $142,000 contributed to The Rotary Foundation in its 40 years and last year the club gave $15,000 to the Annual Programs Fund, $3,700 to Polio Plus and per capita contributions per member was $264.
Brenda reminded everyone of the “Bill Sergeant Pack the Park for Polio” on August 8th at the Knoxville Smokies Park. DGE Jerry will throw out the first pitch for the game at 7:15. Tickets are $11 and we want to fill the park with Rotarians that evening. There is an article below this one with all of the details about this event.
DG Ray had these comments: “I was last here for your 40th anniversary celebration and it’s an honor to be here with you again today for this special day for Jerry and for your club. It’s my honor to serve as your District Governor.”
He was impressed by the 30 Paul Harris recognitions and reminded all clubs to do everything they can to promote Paul Harris recognitions. “I bet a lot of clubs have many members who are close to being Paul Harris Fellows and don’t know it. Check your records and get these recognitions going. This is a very important part of who we are and what we do.”
DGE Jerry thanked the district officials for being at this meeting. “But it’s not the district people like me who make Rotary what it is. It’s you – the members of our Rotary clubs everywhere,” Jerry said.
It's Time to 'Pack the Parks' for PolioPlus: July 25 & Aug. 8
On two upcoming Thursday evenings – July 25 and August 8 -- it’ll be “Bill Sergeant Pack the Park” for PolioPlus Night in District 6780 when the Chattanooga Lookouts play the Jackson Generals and the Knoxville Smokies host the Montgomery Biscuits.
The game in Chattanooga is July 25 at 7:15p.m. with District Governor Ray Knowis throwing out the first pitch. The Smokies game in August also begins at 7:15 p.m. and District Governor-Elect Jerry
Wear of the Rotary Club of Pigeon Forge will throw out the first pitch at the Smokies game.
For the Smokies game, an $11 ticket gets you admission to the game plus a meal (hotdog, coke and chips) and the kids can select a cheese pizza. From that $11, District 6780 gets to keep $4.50 for PolioPlus as we move closer and closer to the eradication of this crippling disease.
The tickets in Chattanooga are $5 each and all of that money goes to PolioPlus.
Brenda Thornburgh, End Polio Now Coordinator for D6780, has 1,000 vouchers that she is distributing to clubs. If you’d like vouchers for your club and have not heard from Brenda, email HER or call her at 865-742-9700 (cell).
David Sergeant, who is on the PolioPlus Committee, is coordinating tickets for the game in Chattanooga. He says he can mail the tickets to clubs or he will come to your club to deliver them. To get tickets for the Lookouts game, send an email to DAVID.
“The most important part for us is the Lookouts want a good attendance from our ticket sales so we want Rotarians and their familes to come, but give the tickets to friends, church, and charities in your own area as well so that they can to come to the game,” David says. “We need a good amount to show up for all the reasons so this can be a win-win for all concerned in the cause -- eradicating polio from the world.”
Anne Matthews Is RI's First-Ever Female Vice President
Rotary International has its first female Vice President -- Anne L. Matthews, a Rotarian from Columbia, S.C. Her term began on July 1. A member of the Rotary Club of Columbia East, Matthews has served Rotary in numerous capacities. In addition to her service as trustee and director, she has been a regional Rotary Foundation coordinator, RI president’s representative, lead seminar trainer for the International Assembly, Future Vision Committee member, RI training leader, and district governor.
She is a recipient of Rotary’s Service Above Self Award and The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service and Distinguished Service Award. Matthews is a Rotary Foundation Benefactor, Bequest Society member, Major Donor, and Paul Harris Society member.
You can read more HERE about Rotary's first-ever female vice president.
Seminars on Foundation, Membership, Youth Service Set for August
District 6780 Foundation, Membership, and Youth Service Seminars for 2013-2014 will be held on two dates at two locations -- August 17 at Pellissippi State in Knoxville and on August 24 at Motlow State in Tullahoma.
Registration will begin at 8 a.m. at both locations and a light continental breakfast will be provided.
The seminars will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 12:30 p.m. (Note: Knoxville is on Eastern time and Tullahoma is on Central time.) Lunch will not be provided.
Attendance at one of the seminars will be extremely helpful and informative for Club Presidents, Foundation Chairs, Membership Chairs, and Youth Service Chairs. There will be lots of great ideas shared in each area along with strategies to help clubs become bigger, better, and bolder! And the seminar’s planning committee promises attendees will have fun, too!
Two Paul Harris Fellows will be awarded at each location to Rotarians attending the seminars – and one of the two will be reserved for Rotarians under the age of 40.
District Governor Ray Knowis will shortly be sending a detailed agenda and registration form to each club president – watch your email inbox for more information!
Cheryl Dunson & Jim Roxlo Share Their Rotary Moments
Rotary Moments are special. While volunteering through Rotary, some Rotarians had a moment when the values they lived by materialized, and they got to share that with someone else. This month two Rotarians have volunteered to share their “Ah-HA” special moments with us – Cheryl Dunson and Jim Roxlo.
Cheryl has two “Ah-HA” Rotary Moments. A Rotarian for 15 years – all 15 as a member of the Bradley Sunrise Rotary -- she is a Past President and Sergeant at Arms and currently chairs the club’s Rotary Foundation Committee. She is a graduate of the District Leadership Academy and currently
serves as the Attendance Chair for District 6780. Cheryl is Executive Vice President of Marketing for Santek Waste Services, a solid waste management company headquartered in Cleveland, TN.
“My first Rotary Moment occurred when I’d only been a Rotarian for a year or two. Our club’s first president, Pete Vanderpool, told the club, ‘Rotary is not who you are. It’s what you do!’ Pete’s words really put into perspective for me Paul Harris’ original intent of Rotary, which was to bring together business professionals from different walks of life. It also gave me a personal ego check because, up until then, I prided myself on being in Rotary because of my position in my company.”
Her second moment happened several years later when a visiting Rotarian told her club, “You have been blessed to be a blessing!” “These words cemented my annual giving to the Rotary Foundation and to my club. I remember thinking, ‘You’ve got the funds to give so just GIVE!’ “
Jim Roxlo has been in only one club -- Chattanooga Breakfast -- for 11 years and is Past President and is now International Chair and Foundation Chair. In D6780, he has served as World Community Service Chair, Planning Coordinator, Grants Chair, and Future Vision Coordinator. He is a Mechanical Engineer and worked for DuPont in many divisions over 30 years, then joined a spin-off that is now privately-owned, Invista. His Rotary Moment:
“One of the reasons I joined Rotary in the first place was the international service opportunity. I had
worked in Third World countries and I wanted to do something there. But I was a new Rotarian in a new club, and it didn't seem likely we could do an international project. When one of our speakers told us about water wells that were failing in Haiti, I thought it sounded like something we might be able to fix and I decided I would go and look at them. When I talked about this at a club meeting most people were skeptical. And then Mike Brown, a member I knew (but not well), said "I'll go with you." This was my Rotary Moment, not because I saw Mike differently or because we made many trips to Haiti together or because 4 years later we were providing fresh water to 100,000 people in Haiti. It was because I realized something about Rotary and something about myself -- that service and friendship go together and reinforce each other.”
If you have a special Rotary Moment, please email it to TOM KING and share it with everyone!
Second in a Series: A Look at 3 Humanitarian Grants for Education & Literacy
(Editor’s Note: In each issue of the District Newsletter over the next six months we will be reviewing the problems and the solutions addressed by 23 District grants and the clubs that are implementing them. In the this issue of the newsletter, we will be describing 3 grants written to address the Humanitarian Need “Basic Education and Literacy.”)
By Rachel Killebrew / District Grants Subcommittee
The first club we will look at is Chattanooga Breakfast and their $9,500 grant titled “Elementary School Technology Support.” The goal is to “enhance and accelerate basic education and literacy in kindergarten and first grade classes at three elementary schools that have large populations of low
income children.”
Their work addresses the premise that low-income families are at a disadvantage to provide the electronic devices and assistance in this electronic age and therefore, these children are getting off to a slow start and not able to compete with more affluent children. Chattanooga Breakfast Club has worked with these schools in the past and therefore is able to see the need. The school administration will determine the electronic needs in the kindergarten and first grades and Chattanooga Breakfast will hold fundraisers to raise the money and see that these needs are met with equipment. The schools and Chattanooga Breakfast will monitor their progress and see if this can make a difference in the lives of these children.
The Rotary Club of Harriman has chosen to expand the Imagination Library’s initiative within Roane County’s nine elementary schools because they believe that “early childhood literacy is vital as a cornerstone of childhood development.” Roane Imagination Library is an affiliate of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and is one part of a three-way partnership of Dollywood Foundation, Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation and the Roane Imagination Library. With this $5,000 program, Roane County will use the money exclusively to buy books and thus expand the children enrolled in this program. Roane Imagination Library pays a bill of approximately $1,800 each month.
Rotarians Engaged in the Academic Development in Youth (R.E.A.D.Y.) is the name chosen by the Jefferson City Rotary Club to address the Humanitarian need of Basic Education and Literacy. The goal of this project is “to help students who are most at risk of failure to achieve academic success and begin a path toward a better future.”
The path they chose to achieve this goal is through the creation of a reading and education room at the Boys & Girls Club of Jefferson City. While a major goal of the program is academic success and literacy, efforts are seriously hindered by the inadequacy of the facility, which provides no separate quiet space for students to concentrate on homework or practice reading skills. “The environment is not conducive to learning.” The Rotary Club of Jefferson City will solve this problem by building a partition to separate the play area from the education area. They will also buy books, books shelves and school supplies with this $4,000 grant project.
Next month we will look at more of these creative ideas and plans that Rotarians around our district are implementing to help their communities and their world in need. All of the grants have been great ideas planned and being executed by great people practicing the motto of “Service Above Self.”
July's Membership Minute: Bradley Sunrise Shows 75% Membership Increase in 3 Years
Three years ago the Bradley Sunrise Club began a new five-part program to address its declining membership. Three years later they proudly talk about a 75% increase in membership. In this month’s Membership Minute, Jim Davis, a Past President of Bradley Sunrise and our District’s
Membership News Coordinator, writes about this successful program.
Bradley Sunrise was chartered 16 years ago. The Cleveland Rotary Club (which meets at noon) sponsored it, and several members of the Cleveland club joined Bradley Sunrise to help it get started. The number of members grew steadily for a few years until it leveled off at around 40. Today, they have 70 members.
Here are the five components of their program.
In July's MEMBERSHIP MINUTE Jim explains in detail the five parts of their program that have made a huge difference for their club – and thus for their community.
If you have questions, you can email JIM or call him at 423-504-5863 (cell) or at 423-479-9127 (home). 14 Rotarians Graduate from District Leadership Academy
The Closing Seminar and Graduation for the 2012-2013 District Leadership Academy (DLA) class was held on June 8, 2013 at Rothchild’s Event Center in Knoxville. District Governor Elect Ray Knowis -- now our District Governor -- discussed his goals for Rotary Year 2013-14 indicating that
economic development will be a focus area during his year.
David Carroll discussed the SHARE program and how the distribution of District Designated Funds is determined. These presentations were followed by discussions of the year’s eight DLA lessons, lunch and graduation.
The purpose of the DLA is to provide intensive training for Rotarians who have high potential for future leadership positions beyond the club level and who have the desire to contribute beyond the club. The lessons are designed to develop knowledge and ideas beyond those one would ordinarily encounter at the club level and to develop knowledge of available resources so that participants will know where to go to research and develop additional Rotary knowledge and skills.
Here is the list of our DLA graduates: Deborah Alexander-Davis, Kingston; Kim Casteel, Cleveland; Tom Connolly, Clinton; Kathy Dickson, Tellico Lake; Leslie Duncan, North Knoxville; Jim Egbert, Rogersville; Ed Engel, Turkey Creek Sunset; Lucy Gibson, West Knoxville; Bob Guerrera, Pigeon Forge; Greg Maciolek, Knoxville Breakfast; David Sergeant, Chattanooga Breakfast; Cathy Warmbrod, Oak Ridge Sunset; Peggy Wilson, Farragut; and Donna York, Cookeville.
PDG Robin Textor was the Dean of the DLA and PDG Karen Wentz was the Advisor. The faculty members were: David Carroll, Bobby Davis, Patty Daughtrey, Carol Foster, Alan Johnston, Dave Mason, Jeff Roberts and Alan Wright.
News From the Clubs of District 6780:
McMinnville Breakfast Rotary is having its 6th Annual Friends of Our Rivers Float Ride and Clean-up on Saturday, July 20. Registration that day will be from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at Pepper Branch Park.
The first group of paddlers will leave at 8 a.m. and the last group will push off at 9:30 a.m. A lunch will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Rocket Park. Breakfast and lunch will be free to all volunteers. The canoes are being provided by the Boy Scouts, Robert Oaks Adventures, Smooth Rapids, and Friends of Our River.
You can click here to PRE-REGISTER and find out more information in the event’s BROCHURE plus contact information. If you have questions, send LEANN CORDELL an email or call her at 931-473-4402 (Ext. 287) or Neil Cox at 931-473-3144.
Scott Shannon in the Tellico Tales newsletter for the Rotary Club of Tellico Lake tells us about the July 1 passing of Dr. Jim Getchonis, a Past President of the club. Rotary and District 6780 has lost a good friend and Rotarian.
On the morning of July 1, Getchonis lost his struggle with cancer. He passed away after his family's
final visit the preceding weekend. "We'll all miss him greatly. Jim was a Rotarian since 1972 and exemplified all of Rotary's values. He joined RCTL in 2006, was President in 2011-12, chaired past Tour de Tellico and Tellico Tales events, and was a committed club Foundation Chair for the past several years," Scott wrote. He was a "trophy winner" in several Rotary tournaments; and he traveled around the world in the Rotary Golf Fellowship and chaired numerous Rotary Golf Tournaments in the U.S. and abroad.
This past April, Jim was honored as now PDG Jack Bailey presented him with his Paul Harris +6 pin.
There will be a "Celebration of Life" on July 27 in Norwich, NY, the long-time home of Linda and Jim and his dental practice. No local services are planned. Per Jim's request, donations can be made to PolioPlus. Online donations can be made via www.rotary.org/contributions. In Step #3, click on “Gift Options” to expand that section. Then select “In Memoriam” and add for "James A. Getchonis"
Acknowledgements to: Linda Getchonis 216 Kingbird Drive Vonore, TN 37885
Elaine McCulloch of the Rotary Club of Knoxville (RCK) tells us that they still have some seats available to hear new University of Tennessee Coach Butch Jones speak on Tuesday, July 16, when the RCK hosts a joint meeting of Knoxville area Rotary Clubs at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (401 W Summit Hill Drive). The meeting will begin at 12 noon.
All Rotarians and guests are invited to attend. Seating will be limited so please RSVP very quickly to the Rotary Club of Knoxville office at (865) 523-8252 or kxrotary@bellsouth.net if you’d like to be there. Lunch for visiting Rotarians and guests will be $ 11 per person.
On June 27, the Rotary Club of Dayton held its annual Awards Dinner and celebrated its 60th
Anniversary with Assistant District Governor (ADG) Jack Warner as the speaker.
One of the evening’s highlights was the presentation by then President Steve Wimberly of the “Rotarian of the Year” award to Stacey Swafford, who was instrumental in hosting then RI President Sakuji Tanaka to Dayton.
ADG Warner also installed the club’s new leadership team for 2013-14, led by President Vaughn Berger. His team includes Steve Wimberly, now Past President; President Vaughn Berger; Secretary Becky Bodkin; Vice President Jeff Smith; Treasurer Christine Ralph; Billy Lovett, Membership Chair; Jack White, Community Service; and Caleb Yawn, Sergeant at Arms; President Elect Lebron Purser and Steve Keck, International Service.
The club also honored Tom Taylor for his 18 years of service as the club’s Treasurer.
Kari Schultz, secretary of the Rotary Club of Chattanooga Hamilton Place, reports that the club has a new meeting place. Their Wednesday 12 noon meeting place is now at the new Embassy Suites Chattanooga Hamilton Place at 2321 Lifestyle Way in Chattanooga.
If you need more information, you can email KARI or call her at 423-236-2484. D6780 Fundraising News:
-- West Knox Raises More Than $17,000 at Rocky Top BBQ Ted Hotz of the Rotary Club of West Knoxville said that the club’s 1st Annual Rocky Top BBQ fundraiser brought in (to date) around $63,000 and they spent around $46,000, including prizes, for a net of around $17,000. “There are still a few commitments coming in, so total proceeds from the event should be between $17,000 and $20,000,” Ted said, adding that he thought this was great for the first year, and he's very encouraged by the potential for raising even more money in future years. Past President Richard Bettis thanked Ted for his help with the BBQ and said they have built a good foundation for the future.
-- Tellico Lake Rotary Presents 8th Tour de Tellico
The 8th Annual Tour de Tellico will be held on Saturday, Sept. 28, and this fun event is brought to you by the Rotary Club of Tellico Lake. Pre-registration ($10) is available and you can check out the Tour de Tellico website for all of the details.
This combination of cycling and the fun walk benefits the Boys & Girls Club of Loudon County; Good Samaritan of Loudon County and Good Shepherd of Monroe County; and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
The events begin at 7 a.m. at the First Baptist Church parking lot in Tellico Village near the intersection of TN-444 and Chota Road in Loudon, TN.
Dates for Your Rotary Calendar:
July 25 - Pack the Park for Polio Plus, 7:15 p.m., Chattanooga Lookouts game.
Aug 8 - Park the Park for PolioPlus, 7:15 p.m. Knoxville Smokies Park
Aug 17 - District Foundation, Membership & Youth/Young Adults Seminar - Pellissippi State, 8 a.m.
Aug 24 - District Foundation, Membership & Youth/Young Adults Seminar - Motlow State, 8 a,m, (CST)
Sep 21 - Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) - Crossville
Oct 12 - TRECS Leadership Institute - Crossville (more info to come)
Videos of Interest
Mac Wall - Zone 30 Public Image Coordinator - 37 minutes
John Hewko - RI General Secretary on the Future of Rotary - Should be seen by every Rotarian - 18 minutes long
Dick Hinton - Club Visioning Overview - 6 minutes
2012-13 Rotary Youth Exchange Students - Watch the students introduce themselves - 6 minutes RI President Tanaka's Speech at the Oak Ridge Peace Forum - March 9, 2013 - 15 minutes
2013 Four-Way Test Speech Competition Winner - Aaron Woody - 4:47 minutes
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And Just in Case You Need Us......
The Co-Editors of the District Newsletter are Greg Maciolek and Tom King. If you have an idea for a story or have a story, please email it to us. If you'd like to discuss it, here are the email and phone contacts information for both Greg and Tom:
Greg: greg.maciolek@imrtn.com and by phone at 865-675-5901 (Ext. 230)
Tom: tking535@gmail.com and by phone at 865-659-3562
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