Rotaract Club of Downtown San Diego Weekly Announcements February 27, 2007

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Next Meeting Our next general meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 06, 2007 at 6:30 pm at Kansas City BBQ, 610 W. Market Street, Downtown San Diego. We're looking forward to seeing you!

Message from Our President: We Have Moved Dear Friends and Supporters: In light of recent changes to our web presence, I wanted to be sure that you are aware of our new Internet address: www.sandiegorotaract.org. Due to a list of factors – some within and some not within our control – we had to move away from our former web address. Thankfully, the updates and adjustments have been smooth thus far, and we will make every effort to continue that smooth transition. Thank you for your continued support of this dynamic club. We are proud of the past year's accomplishments yet have so much more we would like to do! It is both an honor and a pleasure to lead this energetic club of caring young San Diegans. I am grateful to each and every one of our members for their dedication as well as to our friends, like you, who help us throughout the year. If you have any other questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. Thank you. Sincerely, Bridget Johnson President 2006-2007 Rotaract Club of Downtown San Diego Internet: http://www.sandiegorotaract.org. Questions, comments, and suggestions: info@sandiegorotaract.org Newsletter and bulletin board: newsletter@sandiegorotaract.org

February: World Understanding Month Pop Quiz: How many Sister Cities does San Diego have? Before offering your answer, you're probably wondering, "What is a Sister City??" Moreover, that's likely a question most San Diegans would have to ask. Little do most of us know, but our hometown is "sisters" with fifteen cities across the globe. The mission statement of Sister Cities International is to "Promote peace through mutual respect, understanding, & cooperation - one individual, one community at a time." As with any relationships, each of these sisters' ties differ in their history and joint involvements. The origin and ideas behind each connection are well-founded, but not surprisingly, some have dwindled in strength. The progress of Sister Cities and future pairings is only as promising as the local support on each end. In addition to visiting the Sister Cities International website, check out the article in February 25 issue of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Joint Community Service Event with the UCSD Rotaract Club March 10 (Saturday) 9:30 am - 12:00 pm Location TBA Our next community service event will be a joint event with the UCSD Rotaract Club. Volunteers will be assigned tasks such as food sorting or putting together food boxes, senior brown bags and emergency food bags. We will have lunch with the UCSD Rotaractors after the event to get to know each other a little better. More details soon!

Model UN Conference: Volunteers Needed March 24 & 25 (Saturday & Sunday) 8:00 am - 4:00 pm and 11:00 pm - 7:00 am Location TBA The local Rotary Clubs are gathering volunteers for the Model UN conference that is coming up on the weekend of March 24-25. Five volunteers are needed on both days of the conference (Saturday and Sunday) from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, as well as one or two all-night chaperones from 11:00 pm - 7:00 am. Volunteers are needed for menial tasks, such as preparing and cleaning up lunch/snacks, moving luggage, etc. Overnight chaperones are necessary because the kids are high school-aged and require supervision. As described by another Rotaractor: "(This opportunity) is beneficial to Rotaract members who volunteer for this project in various ways: 1) we will work side by side with local Rotarians; 2) we will provide a necessary service to ensure the quality of this conference; and 3) we will observe debates related to contemporary issues that play important roles in international affairs." That, of course, is significant to Rotaract's goal of raising global awareness and understanding. To volunteer or for more information, please e-mail Jessica Ross Mann or call 650.288.8830.

Recap: Valentine's Desserts and Bingo Thank you to all of you who attended the Bingo and Dessert event we had at the senior center last Saturday. About fifteen Rotaractors attended the event and brought plenty of desserts and bingo prizes. It was a great success and a good time was had by all. Please stay tuned for future events at the senior center!

San Diego Downtown Breakfast Rotary Meeting The San Diego Downtown Breakfast Rotary Club is meeting every Wednesday at 7:00 am at the Symphony Towers University Club, 750 B Street, Suite 3400. Next scheduled speakers / events: February 28 David Lynch Founder, Responsibility Responsibility provides education to children who live in and around Tijuana's dump. March 07 Sailay Siddiqi Sailay is here on a Rotary Scholarship studying to be a cardiac surgeon. March 14 Bobbi Brink Lions, Tigers and Bears Animal rescue organization March 21 Cecile J. Bereal, M.A. Generational Differences in the Workplace For last minute changes, please check http://www.sdrotary.org!

Members' Bulletin Board 13th Annual San Diego Walk for Animals May 05 (Saturday) 7:30 am - 12:00 pm Crown Point Shores, Misson Bay Bring your favorite four-legged friend and join more than 3,000 fellow animal lovers to help support animals in need at the 13th Annual San Diego Walk for Animals! Join the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA on Saturday, May 5, from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. for this celebrated pet-friendly event, "Walk of Fame" themed event at Crown Point. Walkers will enjoy a pancake breakfast, live music, great prizes for top pledge winners and a Vendor Village filled with lots of pet-friendly products and services. Sponsorships still available. For more information and to sign up, please click here! Post your own message here! Do you need a roommate? Trying to sell your car? Let Rotaract work for you! Post your message here in the newsletter and have it be seen by over 100 like-minded people. Just send an e-mail to newsletter@sandiegorotaract.org with "Bulletin Board" in the subject line. Please remember to also include a general time frame for your message, e.g. 3 weeks, 2 newsletters, or until November 1st.

Rotaract & Rotary Trivia Improve Your Club Through Training Rotary International News, 12 February 2007 To foster the development of leadership skills and increase awareness about Rotary at the club level, the RI Board created a new optional club-level trainer position in November 2006. After being appointed by the club president, the club-level trainer will work with the club president, the district training committee, the assistant governor, and the district governor to ensure that a club training program is adopted that meets the club's needs. The club-level training program should include the following:      • Ensuring that club leaders attend district meetings      • Providing consistent and regular orientation for new members      • Offering ongoing educational opportunities for current members      • Creating a leadership skills development program for all members In addition to the club-level trainer position, the RI Board has also created the leadership development program. This program aims to strengthen the leadership skills of club members. The development program is typically organized by the club trainer, club president, assistant governor, and/or district training committee. The following topics are recommended: communication skills, leadership styles, leading and motivating volunteers, mentoring, time management, goal setting and accountability, strategic planning, ethics (Four-Way Test), building consensus, teamwork. © Rotary International http://www.rotary.org/newsroom/announcements/070212_training1.html