Host - Rtn Pinky Patel
Attendance - 16
Dear Friends,
Good morning! You would be surprised to see the changed format of the blog. Let me have your feedback about the same. I have changed it to utilize the entire page rather than half page.
1. President Dr. Sharmishtha Desai and Polio Plus Chairman Manisha Bhatt attended the Polio Orientation Meet at Bharuch on 23rd August. They were inspired and RCBM Clan is geared up for the final push.
2. BoD meeting at Rtn. Pinky Patel's house was attended by 16 Members. Vow! May be this is the effect of September after the lull of August. The average attendance of August had dropped to 44%.
3. Kindly note the following important announcements:
(i) 3rd September Business Meeting has been shifted to 4th September on account of Ganesh Visarjan. All the important Board decisions will be passed by the General Body in that meeting alongwith action plan for Atma Nirbhar and introducton of new member - Ms. Mina Kothari.
(ii) 6th September - Drawing Competition at M.P. Patel High School, Dashrat from 9.30 a.m. as well as Atma Nirbhar Camp. You would be happy to know that Youth Service Director Rtn. Pinky Patel has worked hard to start Interact Club at the same School with the help of Rtn. Nileshbhai to prove how sincere we are to work on the suggestion of our District Governor Major Sharma. Please note that the Project Meeting will be followed by lunch so come in large numbers to enjoy 'joy of service' and 'fellowship.' Sponsors are invited like we had done it at Swapnil. Rtn. Nilesh and Rtn. Sunil have volunteered. We need two more to make it better than what we enjoyed at Swapnil
(iii) 10th September meeting adjusted against District Membership Seminar
(iv) 13th September - District Membership Seminar hosted by RC Vallabh Vidyanagar at Elecon Hall from 9.30 a.m. till lunch. RRIMC Dr. Manoj Desai will be the Chief Guest. Let us have real good attendance of new members as well as senior members.
Rest of the Board decisions will be conveyed in the next meeting in the General Body meeting and then will be uploaded on the blog. Even October meetings have been finalized.
4. Please read Message from GSE Chairman PDG Kulbandu Sharma. Group Study Exchange is one of the most popular programme of our Rotary Foundation. International Service Director Rtn. Sunil Vakil is requesting all to suggest names of young professionals after you have gone through the details. Kindly find GSE Chair Kulbandu ji's letter pasted below. It is self explanatory. Please suggest names for club level interview.
Sub: -Application for GSE Team - Leader and Team members
You are aware that during the Rotary Year 2009-10 we are paired with R. I. District 6900 in USA and with RI Dist 3220 in Srilanka for the Group Study Exchange programme of the Rotary Foundation. The team from R. I. District 6900 – Atlanta USA is arriving in our district on 3rd January 2010 and will be here until 1st February 2010. The team from R.I. Dist. 3220 will arrive in our District on the 28th January 2010 and will be with us till 26th February 2010. Please welcome them with our usual hospitality.
Our teams will visit Srilanka and USA between 16th January 2010 to 15th February 2010 and to USA between 10th April and 9th May 2010.
This letter comes to you to invite your club’s participation in this programme by sponsoring Team leader/Team member to be eligible for district interview and upon selection to be part of the visiting team to district R.I. District 6900, USA or R.I. District 3220 Srilanka. While making a selection of the outstanding professionals for the Team and outstanding Rotarian as Leader, please read and review the following criteria for team members. Publicize this program in your community and invite applications for participation. The candidates could either be male or female.
1) The age group of the candidates must be between 25 – 40 years at the time of application and either work or live in the sending district.
2) Choose team members who are employed full time (at least 2 years in their profession) and intend to remain in the workforce for the foreseeable future, so that the exchange experience will impact their long-term career paths. Candidates whose career will not be measurably enhanced or who may not be expected to continue in their careers for reasonable time are considered inappropriate selections and will be rejected at the District level.
3) Determine applicant’s skill in the English language as this is the language required in both the exchanges. Knowledge of Sinhalese for the Srilanka visit can be an added advantage. Candidates not able to communicate fluently in English can be at a great disadvantage.
4) The candidate be in good health, neat in appearance and also be able to express themselves clearly and logically.
5) Have a sound, general educational background and cultural awareness.
6) Interested in and clearly enthusiastic about their chosen vocation and possess outstanding vocational skills.
7) Open minded, tolerant and flexible.
8) Able to travel for 4-5 weeks with their employer’s consent (The written employer’s consent will be part of the application)
9) Able and qualified to receive visa to Srilanka and must be in possession of a valid passport at the time of application. A valid visa for the USA visit is a prerequisite. It has been our experience that USA visa has disrupted many GSE schedules of many Districts in India . Hence this clause.
10) Qualified Rotaractors should be encouraged to apply for team membership. Relatives of a deceased Rotarian may be eligible for membership, if they meet the above qualifications.
Criteria for Team Leader: - Qualifications & Responsibilities:
1) Be an experienced Rotarian, especially in international service, well informed in the home country and Rotary.
2) Not be a current DG, an immediate PDG or a DGE. Other PDG's may serve as team leader, provided they prove to be best-qualified candidate at the interview.
3) Represent the Governor of the team’s host district.
4) Assume complete charge of the team; possess outstanding interpersonal communication skills to act as an adviser and counsellor when the need arises and act as a liaison between the team and the host clubs.
5) Remain with the team for the duration of the study tour for its entire duration.
6) Be willing and able physically and otherwise to keep pace with the vigorous programme of study planned for the team.
7) Have proficiency and fluency in English language.
8) Not to be accompanied by a spouse or any other dependant on the tour.
9) Help team member prepare for the presentation at the club’s & district conference in the host district.
10) Take an active role in teams’ pre-departure orientation.
10) Be the primary contacts between the team and R.I. Travel service and ensure that
the team has completed all necessary pre-departure documents.
11) Build a well-informed, motivated and cohesive team.
12) Must be in possession of a valid passport at the time of application. In case of applying for the USA team Leadership must have a valid visa at the time of interview. No exceptions.
13) The Rotary Foundation will pay for the return travel ticket from nearest point from International Travel from our district to the entry point of the host district. The hosting and local travel will be host districts responsibility.
Financial responsibilities of Team leader and members:
1) Personal and incidental expenses.
2) Expenses of travel within the district for interview/orientation and pre-departure
meetings.
3) Visa, Passport and inoculation expenses.
4) Transportation to & from the common point of departure.
5) Transportation to & from Airports in India .
6) Excess Baggage charges.
7) Overseas Medical insurance.
8) The cost of uniform Jacket and other team cards, Badge, club flags, brochure etc.
9) The cost of any personal travel after the study tour.
10) Any airport exit and entry taxes.
11) To provide a refundable deposit of Rs.5,000/- by the selected candidates which will be refunded upon the candidates written report, which is obligatory within two months from the completion of the program.
Once the selection of the candidate is complete at the club level ask for a FORM to be filled in by the candidate for their interview at the district level. The completed form for Team Leader and members should be sent to the undersigned along with a demand draft for Rs.2000/-(Rs.1000 of which is application fee and is non refundable). The D.D. from any nationalised bank in favour of ‘RI DISTRICT 3060 fund', payable, at Surat should reach me on or before 15th October 2009 along with the application and club sponsorship. The interview will take place on 2nd November 2009 at Surat . A sum of Rs.1000 for the non-selected candidates will be returned after the interview and selection.
With Best wishes
Kulbandhu Sharma (Chairman Group study Exchange 2009-10)
Dr. Manoj Desai - Bulletin Editor
