An Open Letter to Fellow Rotarians from 10 Rotary Districts of 700 Clubs in the Philippines from Rotary Club of Mactan, District 3860, PE MonaBourseaux
Dear Fellow Rotarians,
Subject: Glimpses in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
98th Annual RI Convention June 17-20, 2007
The world connects not by molecules. It connects through ideas, hopes,
faces, dreams, actions, stories and memories.I said in my heart, “I will connect with you, my fellow Rotarians, through my stories and memories during the RI Convention recently held in Utah.” Thus, this letter. Please read on.
A Rotary convention provides abundant examples of people whose greatest gift is Leading the Way in Sharing Rotary to others by Serving Above Self.
There were close to 16,000 Registered Rotarians one may meet at any given time in the RI Shuttle Bus service provided for around the designated hotels
It does not matter whether one greeted each other Good Morning, Buon Giorno, Buenas Dias, Bon Jour, Guten Morgen, Kumbawa or simpyl Hi, Your Rotary pin, in whatever shape and form, identified you.
Salt Lake City – In 1847 Brigham Young first saw the Salt Lake Valley and proclaimed “This is the right place.” He and his band of Latter day Saints (aka Mormons) were looking to settle where they could practice their religion, free from persecution. Today, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with 360 unpaid volunteers, known as one of the greatest and longest continuous broadcast choirs in the world, has received both Grammy and Emmy awards . Their weekly broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word echoes their faith in Jesus Christ. We, Rotarians, were fortunate to listen to them on Sunday,June 17, at exactly 9.30 a.m. for thirty minutes. The 21,000 seat auditorium must have been filled by almost all Rotarians. The gentle reminder from the host was “If you have to cough, please cough now”. I felt like sneezing, at least, it was not coughing. Their entrance hymn was the Lord’s Prayer. Awesome.
The House of Friendship offered exciting variety of acivities and live entertainment such as the Kings Trio, Utah Old time Fiddlers and country music. One met, greeted, shared adventures with fellow Rotarians while browsing booths hosted by Rotary Clubs and District Projects. Particularly interesting was the Genealogy booth where you can trace your Family Tree at no cost.
The opening session was highlighted by RI President Bill Boyd’s Keynote Address. It was warm and simple As he sat comfortably on a single high chair, recalling his achievements during the past year, he made me feel that he was talking to me privately in my own living room. For a moment, I was oblivious that the rest of the 16,000 Rotarians were listening as well.
The Flag Ceremony remained for me the poignant part in this opening session as in the past (Chicago and Malmo Conventions) . It never failed to capture the nationalism in me. I stood and clapped when the flag of the Philippines, for one brief and shining moment, occupied center stage from the time it was announced and displayed until it was neatly and almost reverently put in its assigned position together with the other 122 countries. Finally, as the Rotary Flag was announced as the flag that unites us all. we stood in awe and gave a standing ovation.
Remember Donny Osmond? He was a teen idol, who sang with his equally famous sister, Marie Osmond, in the 70s.. A Utah native, Donny has now five sons and one grandson. It was down memory lane time as he serenaded and tickled the hearts of the audience as he sang his once popular tune hits and compared it with his singing style when he was barely 14 years old. I thought I heard some Rotarians humming” And they called it Puppy Love “ as they exited the hall.
Plenary session 3. One of the interesting guests was William Gates, Sr. .He is father of Microsoft founder Bill Gates and an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Seattle. He is also co-chairman of the Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation. Retired lawyer Gates said, “Think big because anything less is a waste of your potential.”
Closing Plenary Session . President-elect RY 2007-8, Wilfrid J. Wilkinson and family were presented formally. I will eternally treasure this photo of mine with him. This is one of the rewards of attending Rotary international conventions. You get to shake hands with fellow Rotarians, address them as such even if one is RI President-elect or chairman of foundations, and still manage to get a snapshot or two until your other fellow Rotarian gets their obliging attention. .
During the finale, Dame Malvina Major accompanied by Joel Rosenberg , musical director and conductor of the New Zealand Opera, together with an orchestra of musicians from the Salt Lake City area, invited us to sing with her. Of course, I accepted the invitation without leaving my seat The song was Let There be Peace on Earth. One cannot help but hold hands with the Rotarian next to you. The lyrics reverberate inside my whole being, as we sang “ Let me walk with my Brother in perfect harmony…., to take each moment, to live each moment in peace eternally, let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.
Breakout Sessions
1. Brainwise-Literacy Teaching Skillls applying Dr. Eric Kandel’s Nobel Prize-wnning research on brain function and learning. Using Brainwise, Rotarians helped a range of communities make wise choices and take responsibility for their actions
2. Water for Life – Representatives of the Water resources Group and Rotarians from District 3150 (India) shared water project success stories and challenges. I obtained copy of Guide to Rainwater Harvesting in Malaysia from Ir John Cheah Kam Loong, Past District Governor 3310 RY1990-91. Copies were limited. Please request photocopies from me in case you are interested.
Incoming Club Presidents Workshop. As President Nominee, I attended this session with renewed vigor after listening to an international panel of past presidents share their ideas to prepare us for a year of success.
Life Life in Crescendo – Stephen R. Covey, author of bestseller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, presided this popular and fully packed session. He shared stories in video clips about leadership to individuals, families and organizations. Behind everyone, he said, is a leader who in every stage of his life, create Greatness. Our meaning comes from within. We detect rather than invent our mission in life. We pay the price to discover what it is. The most important work we will ever do is always ahead of us.
Time constraints prevented me from attending some more interestesting sessions such as How to Raise Funds for the Rotary Foundation Annual Programs Fund, Literacy, Rotary Makes a Difference, Youth-at-Risk No More, /cle (Concentrated Language Encounter) Microcredit Success , Connecting to Youth through Water and many more.
Unofficial events such as Breakfast, Luncheon and Dinner Meetings, Rotary Microcredit, Class Reunions, Esperanto, Inner Wheel Induction, etc. are definitely added attractions
At the end of the 4-day convention, I collected my brochures and calling cards Then I asked myself, why am I a Rotarian? I am a Rotarian because there live in me the Rotary Spirit. I am inspired by the lines of this poem by Edgar Guest. Quote “ Red Roses for the living, a heart that’s tuned to giving, and strength to dare and do; to smooth the way for others, to make of life the most, to make the phrase ‘our brother’ mean more than idle boast.” Unquote.
This was written some 50 yrs ago and our spirit endures.
Vive le Rotary
PE Mona Bourseaux
Rotary Club of Mactan 3860
Dear Fellow Rotarians,
Subject: Glimpses in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
98th Annual RI Convention June 17-20, 2007
The world connects not by molecules. It connects through ideas, hopes,
faces, dreams, actions, stories and memories.I said in my heart, “I will connect with you, my fellow Rotarians, through my stories and memories during the RI Convention recently held in Utah.” Thus, this letter. Please read on.
A Rotary convention provides abundant examples of people whose greatest gift is Leading the Way in Sharing Rotary to others by Serving Above Self.
There were close to 16,000 Registered Rotarians one may meet at any given time in the RI Shuttle Bus service provided for around the designated hotels
It does not matter whether one greeted each other Good Morning, Buon Giorno, Buenas Dias, Bon Jour, Guten Morgen, Kumbawa or simpyl Hi, Your Rotary pin, in whatever shape and form, identified you.
Salt Lake City – In 1847 Brigham Young first saw the Salt Lake Valley and proclaimed “This is the right place.” He and his band of Latter day Saints (aka Mormons) were looking to settle where they could practice their religion, free from persecution. Today, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with 360 unpaid volunteers, known as one of the greatest and longest continuous broadcast choirs in the world, has received both Grammy and Emmy awards . Their weekly broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word echoes their faith in Jesus Christ. We, Rotarians, were fortunate to listen to them on Sunday,June 17, at exactly 9.30 a.m. for thirty minutes. The 21,000 seat auditorium must have been filled by almost all Rotarians. The gentle reminder from the host was “If you have to cough, please cough now”. I felt like sneezing, at least, it was not coughing. Their entrance hymn was the Lord’s Prayer. Awesome.
The House of Friendship offered exciting variety of acivities and live entertainment such as the Kings Trio, Utah Old time Fiddlers and country music. One met, greeted, shared adventures with fellow Rotarians while browsing booths hosted by Rotary Clubs and District Projects. Particularly interesting was the Genealogy booth where you can trace your Family Tree at no cost.
The opening session was highlighted by RI President Bill Boyd’s Keynote Address. It was warm and simple As he sat comfortably on a single high chair, recalling his achievements during the past year, he made me feel that he was talking to me privately in my own living room. For a moment, I was oblivious that the rest of the 16,000 Rotarians were listening as well.
The Flag Ceremony remained for me the poignant part in this opening session as in the past (Chicago and Malmo Conventions) . It never failed to capture the nationalism in me. I stood and clapped when the flag of the Philippines, for one brief and shining moment, occupied center stage from the time it was announced and displayed until it was neatly and almost reverently put in its assigned position together with the other 122 countries. Finally, as the Rotary Flag was announced as the flag that unites us all. we stood in awe and gave a standing ovation.
Remember Donny Osmond? He was a teen idol, who sang with his equally famous sister, Marie Osmond, in the 70s.. A Utah native, Donny has now five sons and one grandson. It was down memory lane time as he serenaded and tickled the hearts of the audience as he sang his once popular tune hits and compared it with his singing style when he was barely 14 years old. I thought I heard some Rotarians humming” And they called it Puppy Love “ as they exited the hall.
Plenary session 3. One of the interesting guests was William Gates, Sr. .He is father of Microsoft founder Bill Gates and an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Seattle. He is also co-chairman of the Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation. Retired lawyer Gates said, “Think big because anything less is a waste of your potential.”
Closing Plenary Session . President-elect RY 2007-8, Wilfrid J. Wilkinson and family were presented formally. I will eternally treasure this photo of mine with him. This is one of the rewards of attending Rotary international conventions. You get to shake hands with fellow Rotarians, address them as such even if one is RI President-elect or chairman of foundations, and still manage to get a snapshot or two until your other fellow Rotarian gets their obliging attention. .
During the finale, Dame Malvina Major accompanied by Joel Rosenberg , musical director and conductor of the New Zealand Opera, together with an orchestra of musicians from the Salt Lake City area, invited us to sing with her. Of course, I accepted the invitation without leaving my seat The song was Let There be Peace on Earth. One cannot help but hold hands with the Rotarian next to you. The lyrics reverberate inside my whole being, as we sang “ Let me walk with my Brother in perfect harmony…., to take each moment, to live each moment in peace eternally, let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.
Breakout Sessions
1. Brainwise-Literacy Teaching Skillls applying Dr. Eric Kandel’s Nobel Prize-wnning research on brain function and learning. Using Brainwise, Rotarians helped a range of communities make wise choices and take responsibility for their actions
2. Water for Life – Representatives of the Water resources Group and Rotarians from District 3150 (India) shared water project success stories and challenges. I obtained copy of Guide to Rainwater Harvesting in Malaysia from Ir John Cheah Kam Loong, Past District Governor 3310 RY1990-91. Copies were limited. Please request photocopies from me in case you are interested.
Incoming Club Presidents Workshop. As President Nominee, I attended this session with renewed vigor after listening to an international panel of past presidents share their ideas to prepare us for a year of success.
Life Life in Crescendo – Stephen R. Covey, author of bestseller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, presided this popular and fully packed session. He shared stories in video clips about leadership to individuals, families and organizations. Behind everyone, he said, is a leader who in every stage of his life, create Greatness. Our meaning comes from within. We detect rather than invent our mission in life. We pay the price to discover what it is. The most important work we will ever do is always ahead of us.
Time constraints prevented me from attending some more interestesting sessions such as How to Raise Funds for the Rotary Foundation Annual Programs Fund, Literacy, Rotary Makes a Difference, Youth-at-Risk No More, /cle (Concentrated Language Encounter) Microcredit Success , Connecting to Youth through Water and many more.
Unofficial events such as Breakfast, Luncheon and Dinner Meetings, Rotary Microcredit, Class Reunions, Esperanto, Inner Wheel Induction, etc. are definitely added attractions
At the end of the 4-day convention, I collected my brochures and calling cards Then I asked myself, why am I a Rotarian? I am a Rotarian because there live in me the Rotary Spirit. I am inspired by the lines of this poem by Edgar Guest. Quote “ Red Roses for the living, a heart that’s tuned to giving, and strength to dare and do; to smooth the way for others, to make of life the most, to make the phrase ‘our brother’ mean more than idle boast.” Unquote.
This was written some 50 yrs ago and our spirit endures.
Vive le Rotary
PE Mona Bourseaux
Rotary Club of Mactan 3860
1 comment:
Great observations Mona. I thought it may have in some ways been even better than the one in Chicago. The smaller size tended to be more friendly. Chicago offered more for tourism, but Salt Lake City was very clean and easy to roam around.
Ron
Ron Nethercutt
ROTI Fellowship Chair for 07-09
PP, PAG, PHF+4, TRF Alumnus
RC Clark Centennial D 3790
Angeles City, Philippines
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