DISCON 2011 - excerpt from District Newsletter, Dec 2010

1. District 7610 The RI president’s monthly message January 2011  Test time!  We are at the halfway point in this Rotary year, and now is the time to test the strengths and weaknesses of our clubs. Perhaps a strange idea for some Rotarians, but how else will we learn how the activities and programs of our respective clubs match up to those of other clubs in our districts – and around the world? Therefore, I encourage all Rotarians – not only the club officers – to become involved in evaluating their clubs during the month of January. The Presidential Citation program for 2010-11 has been designed as a score sheet for all the Avenues of Service. It also is a checklist for many of the activities and programs conducted by most clubs. Club presidents are required to complete the score sheets and submit them to their district governors by 31 March 2011 for their clubs to be eligible for the Presidential Citation awards. The scores should be shared with all club members either as written reports or as presentations at club meetings. Starting work on the Presidential Citation test in January will provide an opportunity to correct any discovered deficiencies in club activities before the submission deadline of 31 March. It also will cause the club leaders to notice that a new Presidential Citation with Distinction award is available this year for clubs with a good balance of activities in all Avenues of Service. This year I am recommending that all clubs review their practices and procedures to see if they are truly best practices or merely traditional practices. Annual evaluations of our clubs are certainly best practices, and more Rotarians than usual need to be involved in the evaluations for their clubs. The Presidential Citation score sheets are a good place to start the process. How else will we know if our clubs really are becoming Bigger, Better, and Bolder? RI President Ray Klinginsmith DISCON 2011 - excerpt from District Newsletter, Dec 2010 FRIDAY: After the first plenary session on Friday morning, each club will be able to highlight their signature projects during the Club Snapshots session. Lunch will follow. Free time is scheduled on Friday afternoon for you and your family to enjoy the sights and sounds of Gettysburg. Closing Friday’s activities will be a very special 1863 Dinner and Dance. We will travel back in time and party like it’s 1863. Dress in your finest Civil War-era attire. What? You don’t have Civil War-era attire? Not to worry. Here are some sources where you can rent Blue or Gray uniforms as well as civilian dress (think Rhett Butler) http://www. costumesofnashua.com or Victorian Costume Rentals, Gettysburg 717-357-0518 and 1800s Clothing and Accessories, Gettysburg 717-338 -1860. DG Ron Marion, in the spirit of harmony, has proclaimed a truce during the 1863 Dinner and Dance. Once you have your evening attire finalized, you will need to know how to dance as they did in 1863. No, they didn’t do the Funky Chicken. But, they did do the Lancer’s Quadrille. Mary Drum from the Herndon club and her dance troop will demonstrate dances of the mid-19th century and give lessons for those wishing to dance in the appropriate manner. If you would like to see some periods dances and hear music from the era, visit www.civilwardance.org for several demonstrations by the Victorian Dance Ensemble. Before the dancing begins, we will dine in style on foods popular in 1863 — entertained by acclaimed Civil War musicians, The Susquehanna Travelers. Visit the following website to learn more about this group: www.susquehannatravelers.org Wow, what a day. And this is only the first day of DisCon 2011. by William “Bill” Cawley, Rotary Club of West Point District 7610 Home of the District Governor Ron Marion Program Today Pledge of Allegiance………….…….… Invocation …………………………………. Introduction of Guests ………………. Happy Talk …………………………………. Rotary Moment …………………………. Club Announcements.………………… Program: …………………………………. Fines and Money Talks …………….… Four Way Test ………………………….… Susan Bentley Hayward Hull Club Secretary Sergeant at Arms Neal Davidson Glynn Bates Gerry Shannon Sergeant at Arms Winner of the 50/50 The Four Way Test We meet every Wednesday from 7:00 A.M. – 8:30 A.M. on the 3rd floor of the Crystal City Sports Pub 529 23rd Street South Arlington, VA 22202 703-521-8215 pentagonrotary@gmail.com www.pentagonrotary.org of the things we think, say or do Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned? The Crystal Ball – Crystal City Pentagon Rotary Non Profit 501(c)(3) Tax Id: 54-1452009

2. About our Club: The Crystal Ball | Published Weekly News Program Crystal City Pentagon Rotary Chartered April 20, 1984 Gerry Shannon has been the Executive Director of Arlingtonians Meeting Emergency Needs, Inc. (AMEN) since March 2007. She is responsible for the management and oversight of five emergency financial assistance programs, public relations, and fundraising. During her tenure, the AMEN budget has grown by 48 percent to $918,000. Before taking the helm at AMEN, Ms. Shannon worked for the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) on board governance and related issues and the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing as a political consultant. For more than 20 years before that, she was a governmental relations specialist for research universities (including Princeton, University of California System and Harvard) and for research university associations in Washington, D.C. She is a member of Leadership Arlington’s Class of 2010. She resides in Arlington with her husband and two children. Officers: Glynn Bates– President Anupam Kumar– Vice President Sheriann Lockwood – Secretary Stanley Koussis – Treasurer George Tyson – Sargeant-at-Arms Don Ainsworth– President Elect Hayward Hull– Immediate Past President Directors/Coordinators: Susan Bentley – Bulletin Peter Anderson - Membership A Frohwein, K Epstein – Programs Tracy Settle – Suriname Initiative Nancy Needs– Public Relations Joe Garland – Rotary Foundation Committee Chairs: Susan Bentley – Club Service Hayward Hull– Community Service Neal Davidson– International Service Paige Blache– Vocational Service January is Rotary Awareness Month Calendar To the Pentagon-Crystal City Rotary Club, Thank you so much for all you have done for me. I am very touched by the Christmas gift. I am so lucky to be supported by a Rotary Club as great as yours; I could not be happier !  Delphine Crystal City Pentagon Rotary Club Foundation July 1, 2010 Board of Directors: Mary Shaffran, Chair, George (Ron) Marion, Joseph Garland (Treasurer), Peter Anderson, George Tyson, Hayward Hull Members: All current members of the Crystal City Pentagon Rotary Club (21859) of District 7610 Planning Ahead: • January 19th Business Meeting • January 26th Final Salute, Inc. – helping homeless women veterans Birthdays/Anniversaries: Please update your profile online to have your birthday included here!