New President Don in his inaugural address Tuesday called on every member of Charlotte Rotary "to create awareness and take action" on critical issues facing our club, our community and our world.
     "The prestige and resources of Charlotte Rotary can do much to help others, but it can also do much to inspire others to do, to help and to serve," he said. "Service above self, to me that's what it means. I pledge to do more than come to meetings every Tuesday and hear a great speech. I am pledging to you that I will create awareness and take action" — the theme of Rotary International President Frank Devlyn, President Don said. "I ask you my fellow Rotarians to join me.
     President Don thanked the club's leadership for its support during the past several months as he began planning for the year. He also thanked the club for sending his wife, Beth, and him to the international convention in Buenos Aires.
     "Listening to Frank Devlyn and his theme was a reminder that while Rotary has established itself as a premier service club with a history of premier projects, we still need to create awareness and take action." He outlined an ambitious program for the year.
     Membership Development: "I want us to create awareness and take action to increase the membership of Charlotte Rotary. For years we have made humor of the fact that our club is aging faster than we'd like, but that is really not a laughing matter. As we age, there is a need for a dramatic increase in the membership of the club. Therefore, I have placed membership development at the top of my list.
     "We can find good Rotarians. They are in our companies and organizations. But we must tell them the Rotary story and show them we are relevant. We also need to increase the diversity of our club."
     The president said Rex Welton will lead membership development with some incentives. The member bringing in the greatest number of new members (greater than 3) will receive an expenses-paid trip to the district conference in Charleston next spring. The member bringing the next highest number of new members will receive hotel expenses to the conference. The third place recruiter will receive conference registration.
     Rotary Foundation: Don Haack will again chair this effort. "I am asking every member to support Don's efforts and shoot for 100% Paul Harris sustaining membership. All it takes is $25 per quarter.
     Fellowship: Joe Becker, committee chair, will be asking members, especially new members, to move around to different tables and he will ask sponsors to help new members get acquainted."
     Habitat for humanity: "Last year this club joined other clubs in building a habitat house. Everyone who participated in that project says they benefited and enjoyed the project and the fellowship involved. I have asked Tom Robertson to head this project again this year."
     Community service: Frank Martin, community service avenue chair, will be developing a special educational project in North Charlotte. More to come on this.
     Jobs for the Disabled: "Many of you know that I chair the board of Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont and that Michael Elder is president.
     "Michael and I just returned from the Goodwill International Delegate Assembly in Washington. Rotary President Frank Devlyn was there. Frank is a member of the international Goodwill board. I had a chance to briefly speak with him and made an appeal for him to come to Charlotte. It never hurts to try!
     "President Devlyn and the RI directors have committed work through Rotary Clubs to hire 5,000 disabled persons during this year and to join Goodwill in its 2001 initiative to serve 29 million persons with disabilities and barriers to employment by the year 2020. Michael Elder has agreed to chair our committee for citizens with disabilities."
     Literacy: "Ken Harris and Cindy Johnson have agreed to join forces with our members again this year to do the same yeoman's job of supporting literacy in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. The numbers of persons who are functionally illiterate in our community is still staggering.
     "Phil Volponi and the projects committee are working as we speak to develop some projects which will challenge all of us to get involved. Bert Voswinkel will be working to increase the publicity about our club and to demonstrate that Rotary is relevant and help attract top-level and committed men and women to join us."
     "David Anderson and the program committee started us off with an excellent program last week. Their lineup for the year will be excellent and I hope will help attract new persons to our club. We ought to be the greatest show in town on Tuesdays at noon.
     "A good friend, Dr. Yele Aluko, a cardiologist with Mid-Carolina Cardiology, and I recently had a conversation in which we discussed providing assistance to developing countries for providing cardiology treatment and medical care. Yele wants to help developing countries in this needed area.
     "I took his message to Buenos Aires and I met with representatives from several African and Latin American countries. The one that struck me the hardest was Uganda. During the reign of Idi Amin, as President Dada for life, all cardiologists and urologists in Uganda were killed or driven out of the country. He also killed or drove away all Rotarians during his reign of terror.
     "Today there are 35 Rotarians in all of Uganda but they are working to rebuild Rotary in their country and to regain the kinds of health and human service systems so desperately needed. The president of the Rotary Club of Uganda and I met for discussions. He asked if it would be possible for Charlotte Rotary and Dr. Aluko to give them some help.
     "I have spoken with District Governor Dot Green and she is willing to assist us in obtaining a matching grant to get this program started. 1 have asked Yele to consider becoming a member of Charlotte Rotary to help us develop this project."
     Of course, President Don got things started off with a bit of humor and at the same time paid tribute to former President Dave Burkhalter, his sponsor for membership 20 years ago. Bill Furr cut off President Don's tie, a gag President Don and President Dave perfected.
     Lee Morris introduced guests and visitors, including Pete Larson's son, all the way from Thailand. Bill Furr also gave health and happiness. He noted that Doug Glasgow is in the health care center at The Pines in Davidson and that both Bill Kinney and his wife Imogene are in bed with back problems.
     Chuck Lineberry led a rousing rendition of Row, Row, Row Your Boat and Martin Waters gave the invocation. The head table included former presidents Frank Timberlake, Powell Majors, Charlie Briley, Harold Hoak, Martin Waters and Ronnie Pruett and President Elect Jim Woodward.

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New Member

EUGENE P. KISER

Kip, Inc.
P.O. Box 35566
Charlotte (28235) 704-377-6682
FAX 704-377-7691

     Welcome to Charlotte Rotary, Kip!

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