World Rotaract
Week
7-13 March is World
Rotaract Week and Rotarians are encouraged to consider ways they can
incorporate Rotaract clubs in their activities. The purpose of a Rotaract
club is to bring peace and understanding to the world, starting at the
community level. Rotaractors are between the ages of 18-30. Clubs can be
community-based or university-based and are sponsored by a local Rotary
club. In honor of World Rotaract Week, connect with a Rotaract club in
your area. Encourage Rotary club members to mentor Rotaractors who need
assistance looking for employment or who are interested in learning more
about a certain type of career. Give short presentations on different
careers allowing Rotaractors a chance to ask questions during a Rotaract
club meeting. For more information about Rotaract clubs in your area
contact the district Rotaract chair or e-mail RI
staff.
rotaract@rotaryintl.org.
April is Centennial
“Service Above Self” Volunteer Month
To highlight the
volunteer spirit at the core of Rotary service, April 2005 has been
designated Centennial "Service Above Self" Volunteer Month. Clubs can join
this massive worldwide effort by encouraging each member to volunteer at
least 10 hours of their time in service to others in April.
Clubs
should identify meaningful volunteer opportunities in the community in
which members can participate, focusing on meeting community needs,
lending vocational expertise, or assisting a community abroad.
The
total number of volunteer hours reported by all clubs will be announced at
the 2005 RI Convention in Chicago. At the end of the April, clubs can
report the number of volunteer hours contributed by their members via the
Member Access tool on the RI Web site.
Centennial Volunteer Month
Reporting
2004-05 District
Vocational Service Chair Spotlight
This month we
highlight District 9600 Vocational Service Chair Jan
Lawton:
Vocational Program Shaping Lives
What do these three
men have in common – Ghandi, Martin Luther King and Nelson
Mandella?
Mitchell Grady, a year 10 student from St. Joseph’s
College, Brisbane, Australia delivered his award winning speech to a
gathering of Rotarians and friends. His engaging presentation linked the
lives of these men with Rotary’s Four-Way Test. Mitchell’s provocative
ideas and charismatic delivery earned him the honour of becoming the
winner of our district’s Four-Way Test Youth Speaking
Competition.
This competition introduced into District 9600’s
Vocational Service Program by Rotarian Phil Blakey. It was his dream to
offer young men and women the opportunity to consider how the Four-Way
Test could enhance their lives by adding another dimension to their
problem solving abilities. By conducting this competition in District 9600
we provide students the opportunity to present a six-minute speech on a
subject of their own choice incorporating the Four-Way Test. Following the
speeches, the judges offer personal critiques and encouragement to
competitors in the hope of enhancing their future public speaking
presentations.
Participation is open to all Year 10 students with
preliminary finals held in May. The top three students then compete in the
Final ‘Speak Off.’ The overall winner is then invited to deliver their
speech at the annual district conference.
Our desire is to involve
more students a way to broaden their outlook regarding ethical
considerations in their lives.
We Want To Hear From
You
Do you have a
Vocational Service project you would like to share with fellow Rotarians?
To share your project please
e-mail:
vocationalservice@rotaryintl.org
We look forward to
receiving information about your Vocational Service projects.