A Periodic e-Newsletter to Rotary Leaders across Zones 23 & 24 and Beyond

May 9, 2008
Issue 12

Rotary World Peace Summit Huge Success!

“Those of us who were fortunate enough to attend the Rotary World Peace summit held in Windsor are happy to report that it was one of the most rewarding experiences of our Rotary lives! We came away with the re-confirmed knowledge that Rotary is on the right track to making peace possible, because peace is possible.” – an unsolicited comment from one of the delegates attending the fourth and final Rotary peace forum this year.

The United States and Canada have enjoyed the longest and oldest unprotected border between two great nations. The Ambassador Bridge (shown left) spans the river between Windsor, Ontario to Detroit, Michigan and clearly punctuates the fact that Rotary exists without borders in more than 200 countries around the world. District 6400, one of 14 international Rotary districts along the US-Canadian Border, hosted this Rotary President’s World Peace Summit at the Hilton and Radisson hotels in Windsor, Ontario 25-27 April. (The other three conferences were held last August and September in Sofia, Bulgaria, Istanbul, Turkey and Nairobi, Kenya.)

Over 1,000 delegates (ranging in ages from 16 to 93) included Interactors, Rotaractors, Rotarians, Rotary Alumni and guests attended. Host chair DG Jeniffer Jones (whose vision it was to hold the Summit) received outstanding support from RI President Wilf Wilkinson, Honorary Chair Allan Rock (Canada’s Ambassador to the UN, 2004-06), and International Co-Chairs PRID John Eberhard and PRID Mike McCullough – did a superb job in involving nearly 100 committee members and volunteers. Among the headline speakers were Prince Zeid Ra’ad, Jordan’s Ambassador to the USA, Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Lloyd Axworthy and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Prominent Rotary speakers included RIP Wilf Wilkinson, TRF Chair Bob Scott and Rotary Peace Fellows.

Another highlight of the Peace Summit was the parade of over 160 International Flags followed by a fireworks display along side the Detroit River. Click here to view a portion of the parade on YouTube.

Local Trivia: When standing in Windsor, Ontario, Canada and you look across the Detroit River at its namesake city, which direction are you looking? (Believe it or not, this is the only place in all of Canada where the USA is actually to the north of Canada.)

Click here to catch a flavor of the Rotary World Peace Summit.

Don't Miss FAR WEST LIVE! at the LA2008 R.I. Convention

The annual get together of Rotarians from Zones 23 and 24 at R.I. Conventions will again take place during the Los Angeles 2008 Convention on Monday, 16 June 2008 – 7:00-8:45 AM at the L.A. Convention Center.

This year's gathering — called FAR WEST LIVE! — will be a breakfast with your Morning News & Talk … live!

Realizing that LA2008 is a convention based within the boundaries of our two Rotary Zones, the Western United States, something very special is being planned. Every single District from Zones 23 and 24 will be covered with live interviews, news, weather, traffic, entertainment or commercials.

Save the date and time now... tickets are $30 – and are being sold first-come, first served. This will be a sell-out! Click here to find out who to contact if you're interested in purchasing tickets before they're sold out.

Rotarians from Zones 23 and 24 attending the LA2008 R.I. Convention won't want to miss FAR WEST LIVE!

Attention all LA2008 RI Convention Goers!

Please visit the Convention web site for all your convention needs: www.rotary2008.com If you HAVEN’T REGISTERED YET… You can still FAX any/all NEW registrations for the Convention to R.I. until May 31st

ONCE YOU’RE REGISTERED be sure to buy tickets for these 2 Outstanding Host Events:
CALIFORNIA EXPERIENCE – at LA Live & NOKIA Theatre, Saturday, 14 June 2008 5:30-9:30 pm
LA Live and the Nokia Theatre are situated in the heart of Los Angeles right next to the Los Angeles Convention Center. From 5:30-7:30 PM the 40,000 square foot Nokia Plaza will host a classic car show, wine and a variety of international "street entertainers." Then at 7:30, it’s time to roll out the red carpet for a concert starring Natalie Cole and Steve Tyrell at the spectacular Nokia Theatre.

CONCERT UNDER THE STARS – Hollywood Bowl, Tue., June 17th
JUST ANNOUNCED: Burt Bacharach to perform.
Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
David Newman, conductor

Enjoy this uniquely Los Angeles experience and be transported by bus to enjoy a concert under the stars at the historic Hollywood Bowl. From Casablanca to A Star Is Born to Harry Potter to Batman, this unique Movie Night concert celebrates the spectacular 85-year legacy of Warner Bros. with film scenes projected on a jumbo screen above the Bowl stage and synced to the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra performing the soundtracks live!

The concert opens with a set by the legendary songwriter Burt Bacharach and his amazing singers, performing an extended medley of all of his famous songs from the movies, including “The Look of Love,” “Arthur,” “What’s New Pussycat?” “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” and “Alfie.” David Newman conducts his father’s (Alfred Newman) score from “How the West Was Won.” We will also see RIP Wilf conducting the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra in “O Canada.” A Rotary night to remember!! It will be a night you won’t want to miss, because it happens only in Los Angeles and only at the Hollywood Bowl! Click here for more information

Briefs from Around the Rotary Web:

View R.I.’s New Orientation Video for NEW ROTARIANS... Click here to check it out.

Rotarians at Work Day Results... in the last edition of E-Briefs we reported about the upcoming Rotarians at Work Day on April 26th. To view a summary of the162 projects that were carried out by 4,696 volunteers, please click here. See also the list of participating districts in 2007-08. Many more districts are expected to participate next year.

Myanmar Cyclone Disaster: Click here to read RI Director Ashok Majahn's email update on the Myanmar devastation and how he is urging Rotarians in India to respond.

Paul Netzel
RI Director 2007-09
Zones 23-24

Your Comments are Welcome. Please click here: pnetzel@earthlink.net to send RID Paul an email to share your comments and/or to offer suggestions for future e-Briefs topics.

You can find more information on Zone events on the Zone Website Calendar.