PEACE DAY CELEBRATION AT ANNA MARIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: SEPTEMBER 19TH

All Club members are invited to attend the Peace Day celebration on September 19, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. in the Peace Garden at AME.  This year's theme is FLAGS.  The school ordered cardboard banner flags for every student and teacher with outhe money Our club donated along with some flag wrapped buttermint candies for everyone.  They will gather around the Peace Pole, raise their American flag, plant the international, Rotary and United Nations flags and then parade with the children as they carry their own classroom and personal peace flags.  This annual event is a very special moment for the school and for our club. The Peace Pole which is the center of the ceremony was made possible by a dodnation from our club after September 11, 2001.

'GETTING TO KNOW ROTARY' MEMBERSHIP RECEPTION, OCTOBER 1ST

Our club is one of three Rotary clubs in our area that will participate in the "Getting To Know Rotary" membership reception to be held at Nicky's on 59th St. in Bradenton (near Blake Hospital) on Oct. 1.  The Bradenton and West Bradenton Rotary Clubs also are taking part.  The reception is by invitation only and is expected to attract about 50 people.  Last year's membership reception at the Beach House Restaurant resulted in our gaining four new members. Please note: The purpose of this event is introduce perspective new members to Rotary. Every club member attending must bring someone he or she feels might make a good Rotarian. Of course, club members may also bring a spouse or partner. There will be several complementary Hors d'ouerves selections and a cash bar will be available.

$25.00 PER YEAR FROM EACH ROTARIANS WILL MEETING THE $100 MILLION GATES CHALLENGE TO ERADICATION POLIO.

As all of you know, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has donated $100 million to Rotary for the purpose of helping eradicate Polio from the planet forever. This was a matching grant Challenge meaning Rotary must also raise $100 million over the next three years. District leaders were originally asked to encourage each of their clubs donate $1000. At the TRF Workshop held last Saturday (8-23-08), it was suggested that it would more 'fair to all concerned' to raise the same amount of money on a per capita basis rather than on a per club basis. Based on the number of members in District 6960, each member would need to donate only $25.00 annually for three years to meet the Challenge. That's less than 50 cents a week! Yes, our club can meet the Challenge through our fund raising events. Feel more a part of the world-wide effort by collecting the loose change out of my pocket each day for a while and donating directly to help END POLIO NOW.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR ANNA MARIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Jim Dunne is working with the Anna Maria Elementary School to expand and formalize our club's commitment to read to students on a set schedule. Volunteering our time to help these young people will be extremely rewarding and 'beneficial to all concerned.' I encourage all members to look at your busy schedules and identify a small amount of time each week or every other week that you feel very confident you can be at AME.  Even one hour, done religiously can make a difference in a child's life and development. This program is still in development but Jim needs to know the level of interest from the club members. Call Jim at 778-4060. 

MESSAGE FROM THE SERVICE COMMITTEE CHAIR:

If you have ideas for Community, International or Vocational Service Projects and/or donations, please send them to 2008-2009 Service Committee Chair Pam Schlueter at pam@affprod.com.