Christmas Party Scheduled

The Newport Rotary Club Christmas Party will be hosted at the home of Maher & Mary Saikali, 100 Peggy Court, River Landing, Morehead City, NC at 6:30pm, Monday December 17, 2012. We will see you there!    

Rotarian Andy Searle Passes

After a long illness, Rotarian Andy Searle passed away on November 28, 2012 at Harborview Health Care Center.

Our thought and prayer go out to the Searle family. A Memorial Contribution has been made to The Rotary Foundation in Andy's memory, so that he can continue to advocate peace and goodwill around the world.

Andy's humor and perseverance will be missed.

Click here for the obituary.

Club Receives Grant for Dictionaries in Schools

The Newport Rotary Club has received a grant from the Newport Pig Cooking Contest to continue it's Dictionaries in Schools distribution for local third graders for the 2013-14 school year. The club was notified by letter of its acceptance on December 11, 2012.

Newport Rotary pioneered a County-wide Dictionaries in School event for all county second graders in 1997-1998, and got all county Rotary clubs involved. The 2012-13 dictionary distribution (now to third graders at Newport Elementary, Gramercy and Grace Baptist schools) is pending for this month.

More Food Drive News

Newport Rotary will continue its efforts to assist the local Food Bank at The Matthew 25 Fund, St. James Methodist Church, serving the needs of the poor in the local community this holiday season.

The next collection point will be at the Newport Red and White Grocery Store on Friday, December 7, 2012, between 3pm and 6pm. Any available Rotarians are urged to attend.

Last weeks collection brought in two heaping grocery carts of food and $21 cash donation. The Food Pantry is still bare, and needs our additional support.

Governor-Elect Talks Future Vision

Guest Speaker DGE Andy Chused

The Guest Speaker at Newport Rotary on Monday night was District 7730 Governor-Elect Andy Chused from Morehead City, who addressed the club on the multitude of changes occurring with our Rotary Foundation next year, called "Future Vision", and previewed some of the district goals for 2013-14. He was invited and introduced by Past District Governor Bevin  Wall.

Future Vision is in the last year of its three year pilot process with about 20% of the Rotary Districts in the world. The program was adopted to streamline our Foundation's operations for improved efficiency and focus its efforts to achieve greater impact and public recognition. It includes a more forward-looking, simplified, collaborative and Rotarian-controlled grant process, with "sustainability" for 10 years being a benchmark. It also looks at integration of numerous programs, such as scholarships, grants for projects, and vocational training teams working collaborative with a single set of project objectives. Read on for more about Future Vision.

Recent Speaker to lead National Polio Immunization Day Trip

PDG Nancy Barbee with Pres. Steve
at Newport Rotary

Past District Governor Nancy Barbee from the Trenton, NC Rotary Club, a recent speaker at the Newport Rotary Club on the topic of our Rotary Foundation, will lead a National Polio Immunization Day trip for Rotarians and guests to India. You can contact Nancy for more information at nbarbee@gmail.com. Here is a brief look at the itinerary:

• Feb. 18 Day 1---Arrive Delhi and go directly to hotel.--HOTEL
• Feb. 19 Day 2----Rest day—optional afternoon shopping.-HOTEL
• Feb. 20 Day 3----Visit WHO and POLIO PLUS offices. Afternoon tours of New Delhi/Old Delhi-----HOTEL 
• Feb.21 Day 4---Morning flight to Calcutta, Rotary projects --HOTEL
• Feb. 22 Day 5---Morning tour of Calcutta—Mother Teresa’s Mission, etc., evening Rotary meeting. —HOTEL
• Feb. 23 Day 6---Travel to Dhanbad.—afternoon with host families---HOSTS
• Feb. 24 Day 7—Dhanbad—HOSTS---NID
• Feb. 25 Day 8—Dhanbad—HOST---NID—MOP UP
• Feb. 26 Day 9—Dhanbad—Hands on project, polio surgery ----HOSTS
• Feb. 27 Day 10—Leave for Calcutta and flight to Agra via Delhi.
• Feb. 28 Day 11 Overnight in Agra
• March 1 Day 12 Morning tour of Taj Mahal, an afternoon transport back to Delhi, flight back to USA.