February 2016 ■ No. 7 www.rotary5520.org District Governor Tom Walker

DOING GOOD IN NEW MEXICO AND FAR WEST TEXAS

Inside this issue ...

Page 2 • The Elect’s Corner: Serving

Humanity

Page 3 • Rotary’s Peace-building

efforts, with Yale Jones • RYLA camp: Time to recruit

candidates and volunteers

Page 4 • Connect with Korea and

Touch the World • “Anchors Aweigh” for

District Conference in ABQ

Page 5 • Albuquerque Rotary Club

Service Awards announced • New theme for 2016-2017 Page 6 • First Governor’s Scholarship

awarded • Rio Grande Academy plans

weekender in Silver City

Page 7 • Global Rewards offer • District RFE update

Page 8 • Executive Secretary’s Report • PDG Dick Jones earns RI’s

Service Above Self Award

On the Road …with DG Tom Walker

A s January draws to a close, I am reminded of the many special events that occurred in Rotary District 5520 in the past year. Past District Governor Dick Jones was recognized with one of only 150 Rotary International Service Above Self awards. Santa Fe

Rotarian Deborah Simon was recognized with the Zone 27 Humanitarian Service Award. Our clubs are participating in fourteen Global Grants making a difference around the world and over 30 Community Grants benefitting our communities. We made signifi-cant progress toward our goal of eradicating po-lio with Nigeria going over a year without a case and fewer than 70 cases worldwide in 2015… almost all of them in Pakistan and Afghanistan. DGE Dave Anderson and Maureen are back from International As-sembly where President-Elect John Germ made “Rotary Serving Hu-manity” the 2016-2017 Rotary theme. Dave and his leadership team are working vigorously to prepare for Assistant Governor/Lieutenant Governor (AG/LG) training in three weeks (February 19-20) in Las Cruces and Presi-dent-Elect Training (PETS) in six weeks (March 10-12) in Albuquerque. District Conference Captains Shane LeMon and Kathie Williams and their committee are working hard on the District Conference which will be at Hotel Albuquerque, April 28–May 1. They’re putting together an exciting program that you’ll enjoy and find useful. Don’t forget to nominate your Outstanding Active Rotarians for recognition; plan on coming with them to the recognition event on Friday, April 29. And while you’re here, plan attending Saturday’s youth program and events. They are always spe-cial. Registration is open now on the D5520 website. I look forward to see-ing all of you in Albuquerque April 28 – May 1. And there’s still time to register to attend the May 28-June 1, 2016 Rotary International Convention in Seoul, Korea! We have used over half of our 366 days. There are just 60 days to meet club goals for the Presidential Citation, due by the end of March. Visit the Presidential Citation Dashboard on http://www.rotary.org to see how your club is progressing toward President Ravi’s Citation. You should have re-ceived notice of your Rotary International dues. And as District RYLA Chair Carey Beamesderfer reminds us, it’s time to start thinking about this year’s RYLA camps. Be a Gift to the World! — Tom Walker, District Governor

Newsletter District 5520

District 5520 Newsletter February 2016 � Page 2

Rotary International www.rotary.org

President: K. R. Ravindran President-Elect: John F. Germ Vice President: Greg E. Podd

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Rotary District 5520 www.rotary5520.org District Leadership

Governor: Tom Walker Governor-Elect: Dave Anderson

Governor-Nominee: Doreen Kelsey Vice Governor: Bobby Wallace

Executive Secretary: Kathy Fuller District Treasurer: John Gordon

District Finance: Kit Turpen Immediate PDG: Lonnie Leslie District Action Team Leaders Lt. Gov.-North: Lleta Scoggins

Lt. Gov.-South: Jesse Allen Lt. Gov.-Central: Tony Pino

Lt. Gov.-East: Sheryl Saavedra Lt. Gov-Southeast: Jim Hatcher

Committee Chairpersons Membership: Kathie Williams

Foundation: Tom Lindsay Global Awards: Darryl Gregerson New Generations: Bobby Wallace

Alumni: Katie Updike Public Relations: Mike Antiporda

Friendship Exchange: Donna Pedace Historical: Dan Schulte

International Conv.: H. Peter Krebs Newsletter Editor: Ed Hughes

__

District Office Kathy Fuller

Executive Secretary 8 Cielo Montana

Alamogordo, NM 88310 E-Mail:

kfuller5520@gmail.com Phone: (575) 430-0432

Website: http://rotary5520.org

The Elect’s Corner: Serving Humanity

M aureen and I have just returned from the annual Rotary Interna-tional Assembly where we met

with the incoming Governors from Rotary’s 533 Districts. During the Assembly in San

Diego, ROTARY SERVING HUMANIITY was announced as the 2016–2017 official Rotary theme. This is very appropriate as 2017 will be the 100th anniversary of our Rotary International Foundation. Our Foundation was started in 1917 with a donation of $26.50 and has grown into a charitable organization sponsoring a number of significant humanitarian projects worldwide. Perhaps the most notable of these is Rotary’s current effort to eradicate the crippling childhood disease of Polio. From its humble beginnings as a Rotary Foundation Matching Grant to inoc-ulate children in the Philippines, this project has expanded into a world-wide collaborative effort between our Foundation, the World Health Organization, the Center for Disease Control and a number of other health agencies. Our success is meas-ured by the fact that currently the wild Polio virus can be found in only Afghanistan and Pakistan and millions of children and adults have been saved from this dreadful crippler and killer. Our Foundation is involved in countless other humanitarian pro-jects and has been ranked in the top five charities by the organiza-tion ranking US charities! I have heard that more than 93% of all contributions go directly to the charitable endeavors. Quite remarka-ble considering how many such organizations exist and that some devote less than 5% of their contributions directly to charitable work! Contributions to our Foundation’s Annual Fund also directly ben-efit our District 5520! Funds contributed from our District are in-vested for three years to permit careful planning, and then half are re-directed to us as District Designated Funds which we can use for both Global and Community Grants. Two important facts here: First, we need to contribute and secondly, we need to develop pro-grams to apply the returned funds to humanitarian needs in our com-munities and in the World. You will be hearing more about both these issues in the near future! Meanwhile, it’s great to be back home and we are ever so thank-ful for all your support and friendship. Yours in Rotary,

Dave Anderson, District Governor-Elect

DGE David Anderson

District 5520 Newsletter February 2016 � Page 3

Rotary’s Peace-building efforts: As viewed by Yale Jones

I had the privilege of attending the Rotary World Peace Conference in Ontario, California on January 14 and 15, 2016. It was a remarkable gathering of Rotary leaders from all over the world, all of whom want to contribute to more peaceful communities and a more peaceful world. See http://

www.peaceconference2016.org/. I truly believe that peace and conflict resolution will be at the forefront of Rotary’s efforts over the next 30 years, just has been the eradication of polio to date. I was asked to share a Rotary Minute at a small dinner of supporters and friends of the Rotary Peace Fellowships on January 14th. I would like to share my thoughts with you. " Peace through strength" is an ancient phrase and a concept that has famously been used by many

leaders from Roman Emperor Hadrian in the first century AD, to Ronald Reagan in the 1980s. I suggest

that concept is archaic and that instead the world needs a new paradigm of “peace through kindness.” In my view, peace is not the absence of war or conflict, but rather the presence and prevalence of attitudes

and acts of kindness. Just as hatred is infectious, so is kindness. What we will do is as important as what

we won’t do. By everything each one of us thinks, says and does, we can each be a force for peace, a

force for good. “Rotary Serves” is a commitment to kindness in action.

When we educate peacemakers, we are working for peace. When we work for disease prevention, we are working for peace. When we provide clean water, we are working for peace. When we work to provide health care, we are working for peace. When we support education, we are working for peace. When we help grow local economies, we are working for peace.

But above all, when we do these things with kindness, compassion and

generosity, we are working for peace. It all starts with our own attitude. That’s what is infectious, and

that is what is central to making a difference. And that’s why I am proud to be a Rotarian. I urge all interested District 5520 Rotarians to join the Rotarian Action Group for Peace. www.rotarianactiongroupforpeace.org.

Yale Jones, Taos-Milagro Rotary Club

RYLA Camp: Time to recruit campers, volunteers

T he dates for our district’s two RYLA camps in 2016 have been set. The Boys Camp will be

July 17-23, and the Girls Camp will be July 23-29. Both camps will again be held at the

Manzano Mountain Retreat.

But we do need your help! Now is the time to be recruiting

campers and adult volunteers. Application forms and Medical

forms are available on our District 5520 website. We are pilot-

ing an on-line Application Form this year.

Updated RYLA brochures are now available. Remember one

of the best recruiting tools available to you are our former

RYLA campers, so include them in your recruitment process.

And thanks to those clubs who have already sent your camper commitment forms to me. —- Carey Beamesderfer, District RYLA Committee Chair, carey1011@gmail.com

District 5520 Newsletter February 2016 � Page 4

Connect with Korea: Touch the world!

G ood news from Governor Tom: He is delighted to report that his initial minimum goal

of five participants from our district have indeed signed up for Seoul 2016. In fact, eight

were signed up as of press time.

Obviously that positive result does

not mean that more sign-ups would not be very

welcome, so: CONNECT WITH KOREA -

TOUCH THE WORLD

Make the trip of a lifetime and visit the 2016

RI Convention in Seoul, Korea! Experience the

hospitality and friendship of the Koreans and

thousands of enthusiastic Rotarians from all

over the world.

Remember, this is the largest RI event of the

year and the whole convention will be held in English..don't be shy join the crowd and consider many

offered side trips before or after the convention. Enjoy the culture, food, shopping … the whole vibrancy of Korea.

Much more detailed information is available in the convention brochure which exists as a paper

copy in your home club and can be accessed also under www.riconvention.org .

Get inspired to do more and Be a Gift to the World while enjoying yourself … it does not get any

better! So, please do not wait, after all it is YOUR convention.

-- Peter Krebs, Las Cruces Rio Grande, NM

District Conference: It’s Anchors Aweigh April 28-May 1

I n honor of our District Governor and retired Naval Commander, Tom Walker, we have selected “Anchors Aweigh” as the theme for our Annual Conference to be held April 28 through May 1, 2016 at the beautiful Hotel Albuquerque in Old Town.

Very soon your club will be receiving information and details about all the events. This year, we will be hosting a Hawaiian Luau on “Walker Island” where you will be able to celebrate the Outstanding Active Rotarian (OAR) in your club. It’s an oppor-tunity to recognize that Rotarian in your club that best exemplifies “Service Above

Self”. There will be an island buffet, Hula Dancers and Hawaiian Music. You’ll want to be sure and wear your island clothes and celebrate with us. The Annual Paul Harris Luncheon will be on Friday, April 29, so plan now to make this your “All Club Luncheon” and bring your members to celebrate with us. RI Coordinator, David Norris, will deliver an entertaining and uplifting message about being a Rotarian. Co-Captains, Shane LeMon and Kathie Williams, along with committee members throughout the District are hard at work making sure that every detail is perfect. The Conference will feature a variety of social and educational events. Governor Tom notes, “It’s a special opportunity for all Rotarians in our District to further the programs of Rotary. We

look forward to seeing all of you at this yearly event.”

District 5520 Newsletter February 2016 � Page 5

Centennial: Albuquerque Rotary Service Awards announced

R otary’s founder, Paul Harris, believed that serving humanity is “the most worthwhile thing a person can do,” RI President-elect John F. Germ said, and that being a part of Rotary is a “great opportunity” to make that hap-

pen. Germ unveiled the 2016-2017 presidential theme, Rotary Serving Humanity, to incoming district governors on January 18 at the International Assembly in San Diego, which was attended by District 5520 Governor-Elect David Anderson. “I believe everyone recognizes the opportunity to serve Rotary for what it truly is: not a small opportunity, but a great one; an opportunity of a lifetime to change the world for the better, forever through Rotary’s service to humanity,” said Germ, who is from Chattanooga, Tenn., and who will take over a RI president on July 1. Rotary members around the globe are serving humanity by providing clean water to underdeveloped communi-ties, promoting peace in conflict areas, and strengthening communities through basic education and literacy. But none more important than our work to eradicate polio worldwide, he said. After a historic year in which transmission of the wild poliovirus was stopped in Nigeria and all of Africa, Germ said we are closer than ever to ending polio. “We are at a crossroads in Rotary,” he added. “We are looking ahead at a year that may one day be known as the greatest year in Rotary’s history: the year that sees the world’s last case of polio.”

I n the continuing celebration of the club’s centennial, The Rotary Club of Albuquerque has an-nounced the awardees for its “Centennial Celebration of Service Above Self” Awards. The Albuquerque Club, which has been a staple of the Albuquerque community since its

inception in 1916, has recognized volunteer service to the community with one-time awards to five living New Mexicans in the following categories: First Responders, Military, Commu-nity, Youth and a Rotarian within District 5520. Criteria for the awards include those who have demonstrated exemplary humanitarian service, in any form and at any level, with an emphasis on personal volunteer efforts and active involvement in helping oth-ers in their community, state or abroad. Service rendered by the nominee can be on an ongoing basis or through a singular act of humanitarianism. “Rotarians have been serving the Albuquerque community for a century,” said club Immediate Past President Skip Cowan. ‘Service Above Self’ is the motto that all Rotarians use as they conduct personal and professional business, so it’s fitting that we commemorate our centenni-al by celebrating those who serve—both through Rotary and throughout the community.” The Awards will be presented at a Luncheon Presentation on Monday, February 29, 2016 at Hotel Albuquerque. Nancy Laughlin, KOAT Action 7 News will be the event's emcee. The awardees: ■ Youth, age 10-18: Landon Taylor, Ruidoso. ■ Community: Genaro Gonzales, Jr., Hobbs, Habitat for Humanity. ■ Military: Matthew White, U.S. Navy ■ First Responder: Sgt. Albert Keenan, Roswell Police Department ■ Rotarian within District 5520: Christine Glidden, Rotary Club of Sandia Ticket purchase form is available at www.rotaryabq.org. For more information, please contact the Rotary Club of Albuquerque office at 505-242-2651. The Rotary Club of Albuquerque first assembled on June 24, 1915 when 31 charter members came together in Albuquerque to embrace the Rotary international motto of “Service Above Self.” Commitment to this principle remains the cornerstone of the club, which today has a membership of more than 200 leaders in the Albuquerque community.

“Rotary Serving Humanity” theme for 2016-2017

District 5520 Newsletter February 2016 � Page 6

First Governor’s Scholarship: Sara Tuzel, Los Alamos

S ara Tuzel of Los Alamos, a first-year medical student at the University of New Mexico (UNM) in Albuquerque, was recently notified by Norm Liss, chairman of District Rotary Foundation Schol-arship Planning Committee, that she has been selected to receive the District 5520 Governor’s

Scholarship, a $10,000 award. This award, in its first year, is given to the student who best epitomizes the Rota-ry motto of Service Above Self through service and academic achievement. The scholarship criteria required that the recipient must be a student enrolled in a col-lege or university within District 5520 who is also pursuing a course of study in one of Rotary’s principle areas of focus: peace and conflict resolution, child and mater-

nal health, disease prevention, economic and community development, water and

sanitation, and basic education and literacy. Tuzel’s focus falls within disease pre-vention and child and maternal health. Tuzel, who was chosen from a field of 18 other outstanding applicants, is com-mitted to serving indigent populations. Beginning in high school, Tuzel served as a medical translator for four summers at a Honduran orphanage and surgical clinic and has spent significant periods volun-teering with two different mission hospitals in Cameroon. In the first months of 2015, she managed a medical clinic in Haiti, treating lepers and disabled elders. Tuzel has also given considerable volunteer service to a homeless facility in Albuquerque, as well as a center for sexually-abused children, and has worked long hours in emergency rooms in Los Alamos and Albuquerque. She also started a program with UNM classmates to teach children in Farmington about diabetes and healthy lifestyles. As part of UNM’s BA/MD combined degree program, Tuzel graduated magna cum laude in 2015 with a BA in Health, Medicine and Human Values. When a senior at Los Alamos High School, Tuzel was honored by the Rotary Club of Los Alamos as a 2010 Student of the Month and, during the same year, was named the club’s first recipient of the Laurence J. Campbell Service Award. In her application, Tuzel wrote, “With care and compassion, I want to show that each individual has intrinsic worth, that each is valued regardless of material wealth or social class.” She continues that even beyond providing medical care, “It is even more important to me that people know that we share a common humanity and are equally worthy of dignity and respect.”

R io Grande Academy has been humming along very nicely. In January, we had an RGA session in Albuquerque, and we conducted our second online RGA session. In February, we’ll be having an RGA weekend extravaganza in Silver City simi-

lar to the very successful one that was held earlier this Rotary year in Santa Fe. We will also be conducing RGA sessions as part of the District Conference in April like we have the last several years. Recent participants in RGA have included a number of President-

Elects, which is ideal in their preparation for President-Elect Training in March. If your Club has not had members participate in RGA before, this is the perfect time to “join the Club.” Now that we have online sessions, we can easily reach every Club in District 5520; but if you are near one of our hub loca-tions (El Paso, Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Roswell), taking the sessions in person are even more valuable than they are online. If you have any questions about the Rio Grande Academy, please

contact Jeff Weinrach, District RGA Coordinator, at 505-400-1403 or jbwein@nmia.com.

Rio Grande Academy: Silver City to host weekend sessions

District 5520 Newsletter February 2016 � Page 7

District RFE update: Off to India; new visits ahead

Rotary Global Awards: Special offers for Rotarians

W e would like to take this opportunity as the new year starts, to remind you about Rotary Global Rewards, our member benefit program featur-ing special offers that allow you to do a lot more

for a lot less—no matter what you’re doing. Whether you’re working on your club’s community pro-jects, enjoying a night out with friends or sharing your Ro-tary story with someone new, you can take advantage of discounts and special offers on airfare, hotels, vehicle rent-als, and entertainment. Would you like to offer discounts from your business to other Rotarians? Help build the program by adding special offers from your own company to the growing portfolio of Rotary Global Rewards. To learn more, visit Rotary.org/GlobalRewards. Please share this exciting news with your members. You’ll find promotional tools on the Rotary Global Rewards website that will help you introduce your Ro-tarian friends to the program. — Rotary Global Awards Team

D istrict 5520 sent a Rotary Friendship Exchange (RFE) group to India from Jan. 6-16. The group mem-bers were hosted in Rotarian homes in both Indore and Bhopal. Several of the hosts had visited our district in June, 2016, where they were hosted in Taos, Albuquerque/Rio Rancho, and Ruidoso. The Indian hosts had an exciting social and sightseeing visit planned

for our members and they returned home with great memories of their Indi-an adventure. The participants were Andrea Dresser and Paul Fisher from Las Cruces Mesilla Valley Club, Paul and Rosmarie Frederickson from Los Alamos Club, and James and Windy Morrison from Albuquerque Del Sol and Sandia Clubs. I want to thank all the clubs that responded so quickly to hosting the RFE group coming in from British Columbia in April and I regret that clubs who came in later are not able to host this group. They will be hosted in Las Cruces, Tucumcari, Taos, and Los Alamos, as they were the first clubs to respond. However - there is another RFE coming into our district from June 1 - 15, 2016, and I am now looking for hosting clubs for this new group. The group will be from any of the following countries - as their district covers all or part of each of the four countries - South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, and Swaziland. Our outbound RFE group will be departing for their district in just a few weeks. If you and your club are interested in hosting this RFE, please get back to me as soon as possible. Clubs that are in close proximity to other clubs are encouraged to share the hosting, as that just mean more people have the op-portunity to interact with our guests, plus it is less work for the hosts/clubs. My "guess" at this point is that we will need hosting families for 5-6 couples or solo travelers. You may contact me at pedaceabq@aol.com or call 505-349-8850, if you have any questions.—Donna Pedace

February 2016 � Page 8 District 5520 Newsletter

District Executive Secretary’s Report: I think I can! I think ...

A s a Club President this year, I have often felt like the engine in the children’s story telling myself, “I think I can. I think I can…!” Maybe you’ve felt the same way – regardless of whether you’re a

Club President, or a District Chair, or maybe even the District Governor! And here we are, on the other side of the mountain – gaining steam as we zoom towards the end of this Rotary year! (Fourteen more Club meet-ings in which to wrangle cats – I mean, motivate and inspire Rotarians – and five more Board meetings in which to try and save the world!) FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WORKING ON THE PRESIDENTIAL/

DISTRICT GOVERNOR’S CITATION – DON’T LET THE TIME GET AWAY FROM YOU. (Advice to my-

self!) For those of you who are Club or Executive Secretaries – please be sure to update ClubRunner with

your 2016-2017 executives/officers. (E-mail me if you need help!) For those Presidents-Elect preparing (hopefully) to take the reins on July 1st, be sure to participate/attend the Rio Grande Academy sessions! (You’ll learn valuable information, make new friends, and earn a PHF from DGE Dave!) AND, (thanks to Donette Wagner) you can now register for PETS at www.rotary5520.org and click on Register for PETS(absolutely essential for you to be a successful Club President)!! Questions? Problems? You have something pretty cool to share with others? Be sure to email me at kfuller5520@gmail.com Yes, you can! You/we ARE a Gift to the World!! — Kathy Fuller, District Executive Secretary

RI’s Service Above Self Award: PDG Dick Jones

Psst: District Governor Nominee recommendations due March 1

P DG Lonnie Leslie, center stage, was among a bevy

of past District 5520 governors (and a future one) who present-ed PDG Dick Jones, seen far right, with the coveted Rotary International Service Above Self Award in Santa Fe on January 29. Only (up to)150 such awards are given by RI world-wide each year. At the ceremo-ny were DGE Dave Anderson, along with PDG”s Kit Turpen, Rick Akins, Bobby Wallace, Henry Pick, and current DG Tom Walker. The award recog-nized those who go “above and beyond” Service Above Self.