Today's Events:

President-Elect Bill Enright presiding

Hank Langston of the Rotary Club of Coral Gables

Past President and PDG Roy Gonas encouraged the membership to attend next week’s upcoming Music Recital of the UM bass player student who entertained the Club. There will also be a classical cello recital. (See our Newsletter dated 2/26/08 for more information.)

FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2008 @ 7:00 PM
BBQ & Cocktail Party

Donna Gaines announced that since there was no holiday party, there would be a BBQ & cocktail party 7:00 PM, Friday, April 11, 2008 at the home of Ed Fischer.  Mark your calendars.

President-Elect Bill also announced that he received word from the District that when he attends the PETS training he will need to bring with him the names of the committee chairs for the Foundation Committee, Public Relations Committee and the Youth Committee. He then asked for volunteers. Cathy Miller volunteered for the Foundation Committee, Ed Fischer for the Public Relations Committee, the Youth Committee Chair will be announced at a later time.

Rotary Club of S. Miami’s Community Service Funding
South Miami Explorers:

Exploring is a way for kids to “explore” law enforcement to see if they may be interested in such a career or just because they feel that it’s cool, fun and they serve the community. There are also Fire Explorers, but not in South Miami. 

The South Miami program has had kids that were arrested for minor misdemeanors that were diverted from the court system into a “civil citation” program. Upon working with officers in that program they joined the Explorer Post and turned their lives around. 

By our having an active, professional, well dressed Explorer Post, we are able to use the training they receive to help control traffic and provide other assistance, especially during special events like SMRAF, during disasters and any other time. Especially lately, any funding for the Explorers from the city budget is usually one of the first line items to be cut or eliminated. In fact, in this year’s city budget, there is no funding. Usually, even without budgeted funding, we find a way to squeeze out some funds for a small number of Explorer uniforms. In order for the Post to function, they need uniforms and equipment. This is one place our club’s $1,000 goes.

Explorers also attended regional training and competitions which often have travel costs. They usually go on a camping trip once per year which is usually funded by one interested commissioner’s discretionary account – he likes to go camping with them. We saved a few hundred dollars of coke booth money this year by not buying ice & using the Police Dept.’s ice machine instead. When the ice machine broke on Saturday, we had to dip into our bagged ice backup supply. This means that once the machine was fixed this week, ice needs to be rebagged. I had no problem asking the Explorer advisor to get the Explorers to do this tedious task.

From;  Bob Menconi
Past Rotary International Director
Back in August when we were all together at the Presidential Conference in Fort Lauderdale President Wilf challenged us to focus on the critically important task of not just maintaining, but growing, our organization.

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL on Membership:
25 February 2008
Dear 2007-08 Rotary Club President;

I want to thank you again for your support of our "Sharing the Magic of Rotary" Presidential Conferences in North America. There is nothing more important than growing our organization if we want to continue Rotary's great work throughout the world.

Growing our membership is all of our responsibility (Members Get Members) and we must get that message across to our club colleagues. Through the first six months of this 2007-08 Rotary year (July through January, 2008) we have experienced a slight increase of 1,240 net new members.

I challenged every Rotarian to bring in at least one new member. Have you met my challenge? Have you served your club or district by promoting membership growth whenever you can? We need your continued good efforts if we are to achieve our goal.

Most clubs lose 5% to 10% of their members each year so we must replace those we lose and add new members to reach the membership growth Rotary needs to succeed.

Let's continue to wave the flag of EVERY ROTARIAN EVERY YEAR for membership just like it has been with The Rotary Foundation. We all need to become major donors for membership.

Thank you for all you are doing to make Rotary the premier Service Organization in the World.

Yours in the Service of Rotary,

Wilf Wilkinson
Rotary International President

SOUTH MIAMI ROTARY ARTS FESTIVAL

DEBRIEFING SESSION :  NEXT TUESDAY @ 1:30PM AFTER THE WEEKLY MEETING

PLEASE STAY AND VOICE YOUR OPINIONS!!

www.southmiamiartfest.com  (official site)
 www.myspace.com/southmiamiartfest (unofficial site)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Miami_Rotary_Art_Festival (wiki encyclopedia article)

Hampton Booker: Spare change fundraiser: Toss your coins into the jug at the Sgt. Of Arms table & make a wish!!!

We are accepting empty inkjet cartridges for recycling.    Bring them to the meetings or take a postage-paid plastic envelop home –  ask Mike Mills

Recycle ~ Reuse ~ Renew

DID YOU MISS A MEETING ‘CAUSE YOU WERE AWAY?

Our club goal is 100% Attendance!

If you miss a meeting, it can be made-up within 2 weeks, before or after, of the missed meeting date.

For online make-ups:

http://www.rotary.org/newsroom/downloadcenter/pdfs/eclub_list.pdf

For make-ups anywhere around the world when traveling internationally: http://rotary.org/support/clubs/index.html

NOTIFY DOREEN REITNAUER, SECRETARY, OF ALL MAKE-UPS:   dhiker217@aol.com

Programming Chair 2007-08:  Roy Gonas
Members responsible for programming by month:
March – Otto
April – Ann
May – Ed

2007-08 RCSM OFFICERS

To send an E-mail to the Rotary Club of South Miami’s Board of Directors, board@southmiamirotary.org

South Miami Rotary Club:
www.southmiamirotary.org

South Miami Rotary Club’s Myspace Page
 www.myspace.com/southmiamirotaryclub

Rotary District 6990:
www.rotary6990.org

World Organization:
www.rotary.org

Mission Statement

THE 4-WAY TEST OF THE THINGS WE THINK, SAY OR DO:       

• Become connected to your community.
• Work with others in addressing community needs.
• Interact with other professionals in your community;
  assist with RI's international humanitarian service efforts.
• Establish contacts with an international network of professionals.
• Develop leadership skills, Involve family in promoting service efforts.

Renewing or Joining
To Renew ($250) or to become a New Member ($300) contact
Asaad Massoud, at www.racharters.com

Fundraisers
Interested in putting together a fundraiser? Contact Club Service Chair Linda Kaplan at lindakaplan@lk.com