District 5520 Awards Recognition

If you have not attended a District Conference, you are missing a big Rotary opportunity. District 5520’s 2010 Conference provided a chance to visit with old friends, make new friends, learn about the current status of Rotary’s efforts to eradicate polio, find out about the latest projects happening in District 5520, and experience the joy of our Rotary youth.

Mark your calendars for April 14-16, 2011, and plan on being in Ruidoso for the 2011 District Conference.

Two highlights of District Conference were the Saturday morning Youth Exchange Talent Show and the recognition of this year’s accomplishments with the presentation of awards to the Clubs and Rotarians who have provided exceptional service during the year.

The Youth Exchange Talent Show features both inbound and outbound students who displayed a variety of talents and lots of energy. This year we were treated to a sit-down comedian, break dancers, a string duet, and a solo on the didgeridoo.

The Rotary Clubs of Taos-Milagro, Las Cruces Mesilla Valley, and El Paso were recognized as the Club of the Year in the small, medium, and large club categories.

The Rotarian of the Year Award was presented to Tom Walker for his work with the District’s Matching and Simplified Grants.

The Rotary Club of Ft. Stockton earned the Bob Wootten Award for the Club that has the most fun.

Donna Pedace was presented the Shulte-DeLaHunt Leadership award for her work with the GSE program.

The success of this year’s District Conference would not have been possible without the leadership of Conference Committee Chair Pat Murray and all the members of the Committee. Thank you for the outstanding conference.

Thanks, also, to all those Rotarians and their families who participated in the conference. You are what makes District 5520 outstanding in the world of Rotary.

And Thanks, to PDG Johnny Lane for taking these photos.

Mark Glenn Selected District Governor Nominee

The District 5520 Annual Conference was held May 6-9 at the Buffalo Thunder Resort.

During the Conference the District 5520 Governor Nominee Selection Committee selected Mark Glenn as District Governor Nominee for the 2012-2013 Rotary Year.

An active Rotarian in District 5520 for many years, Mark has served as Assistant Governor, Lieutenant Governor, District Trainer, District Polio Plus Chair, and in numerous other positions on the District Foundation Committee. Mark’s diverse background in District 5520 will serve him well during his year of service as District Governor.

Mark and his wife Carol reside in Las Cruces. They have two daughters, both of whom are currently in college.

Mark’s home club, the Rotary Club of Las Cruces Mesilla Valley, was selected as District 5520’s Medium Club of the Year in 2010, and its member are 100% Paul Harris Fellows.

Please join me and the other committee members in offering Mark our congratulation on his selection.

Pictured above are District Governors Tim Parker, 2010-2011; Tom Lindsay, 2008-2009; Bobby Wallace, 2011-2012; Mark Glenn, 2012-2013 and Dick Jones, 2009-2010.

GSE Exchange is Underway!

The Group Study Exchange between District 5520 and District 3870 in the Philippines is underway. District 5520’s team arrived in the Philippines last Monday, April 5th. You can follow their visit on their blog at http://rotary5520gse2010.blogspot.com/.

The In-Bound team from District 3870 arrives in El Paso next Friday, April 16th. District Exchange Chair Donna Pedace and I, along with El Paso Rotarians and host families, will be at the airport to greet the Philippine team.

During their visit in District 5520, they will be visiting El Paso, Las Cruces, Moriarty, Gallup, Santa Fe, Taos, Chama, and Albuquerque. The team will also be attending our district conference at Buffalo Thunder May 6-9.

The Philippine team is composed of team leader Noel Nalzaro and team members Arnold Yee, Oscar Tan-Abing, Ritchie Asibal.

Noel is a VP of commercial banking with the largest bank in the Philippines. Arnold is a professor of Philosophy in Malaybalay City. Oscar is finishing a Masters Degree of Entrepreneurship at the Asian Institute of Management. Ritchie is a Choirmaster and Conductor.

I know the host cities and towns have worked hard to get ready for their visit and I’m sure the team will have a terrific time while visiting District 5520.

Deming Rotary Supports "Cancer Warriors"

Lorraine and I were hosted this past weekend by IPDG Tom and Linda Lindsay for Deming’s 5th Annual Celebration of Life Walk. The Rotary Club of Deming partnered with Cancer Support of Deming and Luna County to raise $45,000. The money is used to transport patients from Deming and Luna County to their appointments in Las Cruces and El Paso or provide them airline tickets to their treatments.

The Walk is a community event with more than 1000 participants and 20 organizations involved.

During this year’s event, a memorial was unveiled and dedicated to the “Cancer Warriors” of Deming and Luna County. The memorial was designed and constructed by the FFA at Deming High School.

The first lap of the walk is lead by Deming Rotarians pushing one of the "Cancer Warriors" in the club's 3 wheeled outhouse.

(Photo courtesy of The Deming Headlight)

Sandia Rotary Club Achieves Provisional Status

Tuesday I visited District 5520’s newest Rotary Club, The Rotary Club of Albuquerque Sandia. It was during this meeting that I had the privilege of officially announcing that the Club had achieved provisional status. Provisional status is the first step a club takes in becoming a full pledge Rotary Club.

Provisional status is granted after a club begins meeting weekly and has elected club officers who will subscribe to the Standard Rotary Club Constitution. This designation entitles the provisional club to issue meeting make-ups for visiting Rotarians.

Mollie Papen-Eatinger will serve as the Club’s first president and Governor’s Special Representative.

The Club’s membership is already involved with two ambitious service projects. In Albuquerque, they are remodeling the home of a lightning strike victim so that her family can properly care for her. Internationally, the Club has been working to provide relief after the Haitian earthquake. The Club has acquired a delivery truck (pictured above). They will fill the truck with tents, sleeping bags, and medical supplies before driving the truck to Florida and shipping it to Haiti.

Joining me in welcoming the members of the Sandia Rotary Club into District 5520 were DGN Bobby Wallace, PDG Rick Akins, Rotarian Extraordinaire Fred Bryant, President of the Rotary Club of Albuquerque John Shoemaker, and Del Norte Rotary Club President Chuck Brown.

James Morrison, District Extension Chair, deserves special recognition and a big THANK YOU for his work organizing the Club.