COMMITTEE

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL GROUP STUDY EXCHANGE

Rotary District 1230 (West of Scotland) is sending a Group Study Exchange team to Japan between 16 March and 15 April 2011 and we are seeking applications for this wonderful development opportunity to visit District 2820, Ibaraki, Japan.

The team of four members and a Rotarian Team Leader stay in the homes of Japanese families and experience the host country's institutions and ways of life, observe their own vocations as practised abroad, develop personal and professional relationships and exchange ideas.

The team will undertake visits to workplaces of relevance to their vocational interests, see sights of interest/attend events, attend rotary meetings and give presentations to clubs throughout the District and their District Conference.

Team Leader
Applicants must be Rotarians and will prepare and lead the team during the exchange. Enthusiasm and motivation are essential as is a good degree of physical fitness.

Team Members
Applicants require to be business/professional people aged between 25 and 40 years, employed in their chosen occupation for at least 2 years, be interested in and clearly enthusiastic about their chosen vocation and in possession of excellent vocational skills. Applicants require to be open-minded, tolerant, flexible and comfortable working as part of a team with a schedule that is physically and emotionally demanding. Team members cannot be Rotarians, spouses, sons or daughters of Rotarians or be a spouse of another team member. However, applicants can be friends or work colleagues of a Rotarian.

All travel to and from Japan will be paid for by Rotary International and local hosting and travel arrangements by District 2820.

Details of Group Study Exchange and an application form for team members is available from the Rotary Foundation website www.rotary.org/foundation/students & youth/education/group study exchange

Please complete the form and send it to Harry Marsh, GSE Chair, 11 Laighlands Road, Bothwell, Glasgow, G71 8AJ (e-mail: hmarshey@clara.co.uk).

Applicants must have their candidacy endorsed by a Rotary club, details of which can be obtained from either the District 1230 web-site or from the above noted. Endorsed applications are dealt with at District level.

Completed applications should be submitted by 31 July (Team Leader) and 31 August 2010 (Team Member).

BAXTERBEAR'S STORY

During World War II Baxterbear, together with Pilot Baxter of the RAF, often went on dangerous reconnaissance missions flying just five hundred feet above the treetops. During one of these assignments Baxterbear and Pilot Baxter's plane was shot down. They had to eject and parachute onto the Burmese jungle. Together, Baxterbear and Pilot Baxter hung from the trees by their parachutes for five long days. In that moment, wounded and trapped in the treetops, Baxterbear knew he had to stay positive and watch over Pilot Baxter. He made a promise that if they were rescued, then he would spend the rest of his days helping others to stay positive too.

Amazingly, five days after the crash they were rescued by a Gurkha unit and taken to the Army Field Hospital at Imphalin India. There, Baxterbear's injuries were treated, and he still carries evidence of them to this day, a ripped shoulder which was patched with a piece of his pilot's tartan scarf and a torn ear sustained when the plane crashed.

Since that fateful mission, Baxterbear has travelled the globe devoting his life to helping, people to stay positive through the good times and the hard ones too. His experiences, especially those from the war, give him a unique understanding that makes him different from any other bear. You never know when you'll need a Baxterbear!!

The Nine Philosophies of Baxterbear

1. I try to have one thought at a time which is always a positive one.

2. I never hold a grudge because that part of my memory doesn't work very well.  Before a memory becomes a grudge it falls out of my head and when I don't know what to say, I ‘save my breath to cool my porridge'.

3. I love the journey as much as the destination and I always try to find interesting things wherever I am.  Although I love to travel and have adventures, I believe that coming home is the most exciting journey you can make.

4. I love people and wherever I travel I'm always amazed at the incredible things people can do when they believe and trust in themselves.

5. I love telling stories.  Inside each one, even the very short ones, there is a lesson I learned that others can learn too.  

6. I believe that it's  just fine  to be different.

7. I have a strong character and I'm very supportive of others, but sometimes I too need help, no-one can be strong all the time.  Besides, it's a good thing to give your friends the chance to help.  I believe that smiling and being happy are the best ways to get through long days and hard work.  

8. I always have an interesting way of looking at things and I'm able to see opportunities where other people  may not.  

9. I would never want to be the solution for anyone.  Rather, I enable people to find the answer within themselves.  I really am a nice fellow.  I love life and all my friends but I never take myself too seriously or have any thoughts about being special.  I'm definitely not a guru, just a happy bear!

BAXTERBEAR

As you know we are trying to meet the challenge presented by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to raise $200 million for the ‘End Polio Now' campaign. Polio is now present only in four countries viz. Nigeria , Afghanistan , Pakistan and India . So, how are we to raise this money?

Through a business contact, a Glasgow club member, Bill Christie met the directors of Baxterbear. This little bear is used as a mascot by medics and many in the armed forces. Baxterbear is cuddly, has a torn shoulder which is all patched up and has a piece missing from his ear. His own story is wonderful.

The directors of Baxterbear heard about Rotary's campaign to eradicate polio in the world and because of Baxterbear's own story and his previous help to important charities, they decided to help us by donating £4 to the campaign for every £10 bear sold. This is a very easy way for us to fundraise and as far as I'm concerned, Christmas is sorted!

A group was set up to organise the logistics of it all and to fine tune the details. The group was made up of Jim Morton (Foundation Chairman), Bill Christie, Iain Christie and myself. There were a number of things to be considered including how best to market this, an agreement to be drawn up (Brian Evans' help was invaluable here) and many other issues. An IT specialist was brought into the picture to set up internet purchasing.

How to access this? A special link has been set up on our district web site ( www.rotary1230.org ) which will take you through to a dedicated page on the Baxterbear web site. There you will find a drop down menu where you can locate your own club. It has been set up so that as you purchase a £10 bear, £4 will be donated automatically to the polio campaign. A club may wish to purchase a box of 36 bears. A report will be generated monthly to our district treasurer and Foundation chairman showing your club credited with that amount.

The Glasgow club were at the Foundation stand at our conference and sold almost 10 boxes of bears. The idea has already been adopted by the two other Scottish districts and who knows what will develop in the future.

Roberta Gaitan

SUSTAINING MEMBERS

The Every Rotarian Every Year program is about Rotarians giving of their time and money to the Rotary Foundation, your own charity, with a giving target of $100 per annum per Rotarian. Donations go to the Annual Programs Fund which provides the money for Rotary's Educational and Humanitarian Programs.

Most clubs see this giving target as a collective club target. However, if you contribute personally you can take advantage of the Foundation's charitable status and receive gift aid (so increasing the value of your gift by 25%). Any amount can be donated but every Rotarian is encouraged to consider the Sustaining Membership Scheme as described below.

What is a Sustaining Member?

A Sustaining Member is a Rotarian who donates an annual amount to Foundation of $100 or more per annum. Assuming you are a UK taxpayer, your donation can be enhanced by tax relief. Thus at the current rate of exchange, $100 is worth around £60 which can be made up of contributions of £55 pa plus £15 tax relief per annum (about £4.60 per month). Your contribution should, however, allow for exchange rate fluctuations, so a monthly contribution of £5.00 would allow for such movements.

How are my contributions collected?

This is collected via either a monthly, quarterly or annual standing order.

What are the advantages of becoming a Sustaining Member?

How do I sign up?

The Gift Aid and Banker's Order forms can be downloaded from www.ribi.org (click on Foundation, click on How to Donate and on the same page under Related documents, click on Gift Aid and Bankers Order). Alternatively, contact Jim Morton, Chair, D1230 Foundation Committee, mortonsj2@yahoo.co.uk telephone no. 01475 686731.

The completed form is to be sent to RIBI at Alcester.

Please give serious consideration to adding Rotary to your charitable giving. Why not start the process today?