The end of Summer is just around the corner, but there are some great Club Events you can still register for! Travel along the scenic Umpqua River and visit wineries and tasting rooms with the Roseburg Cycle Umpqua Vineyard Tour, or cruise along with the Fern Ridge Motorcycle Poker Ride. There are still a few events left before Fall arrives so check out the District Club Events page today and sign up!

The 2011 District Conference was a great success. Rotary International President, Ray Klinginsmith, visited the conference on the final Sunday. In his address to the audience, Mr. Klinginsmith expressed, “…adding the fifth Avenue of Service will facilitate our quest to make the youth and young adult programs even Bigger, Better, and Bolder in the future.”   The Group Study Exchange (GSE) teams from Peru and Italy had a chance to visit with RI President Klinginsmith. Both teams at the District Conference provided Rotarians a great opportunity to learn about their country....

This week’s Photo Friday features a new pump provided by the International H2O Collaboration at a launch ceremony in Ghana in May. The International H2O Collaboration is a partnership between Rotary International and the U.S Agency For International Development (USAID). Launched in 2009, the International H2O Collaboration works to implement long-term, sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene projects in the developing world. Villages in four regions of Ghana are being equipped with ventilated pit latrines, showers, and boreholes featuring hand pumps and mechanized pipes through the efforts...

Applications for Rotary Peace Fellowships for those applying in 2011 are now available on the District Peace Fellowship website. We can change lives by identifying outstanding non Rotarians with at least 3-5 years of experience in fields related to peace and conflict resolution. Think big! Returned Peace Corps volunteers? Someone in the local police force? Public administrators? Environmental engineers? Immigration experts? Educators? Someone you met while working on a project in a developing nation? Rotarians should reach out to candidates who demonstrate a commitment to peace and conflict resolution...

Rotary Colleagues – I want to share a great article that appeared on the front page of the Life section in the Eugene Register-Guard on February 21. Ed is a wonderful friend and Rotarian in my club.  The first we heard him talk about his polio history was when he gave his Bio as part of our Red Badge program – we were stunned, amazed, and moved beyond words when we heard about what he went through and his hard work to do what the doctors said he couldn’t do.  This article only touches the surface of Ed’s determination and accomplishment! After hearing him at our club, I asked if he...

In honor of Rotary’s birthday on 23 February, online contributions of US$100 or more to the Annual Programs Fund will receive double recognition credit. To be eligible for the credit, Rotarians must be registered in the secure Member Access section of www.rotary.org . The registration process can take 24 hours, so register before 23 February. Making a secure online gift is the most cost-effective and efficient way to support The Rotary Foundation’s life-changing programs. For more information, e-mail RI’s Contact Center at contact.center@rotary.org or call 866-976-8279. ...

February is World Understanding Month! This month includes the anniversary of the first meeting of Rotary, which was held on February 23, 1905, and is now designated World Understanding and Peace Day. This month’s newsletter also includes information about the 2011 District 5110 Conference at The Mill Casino Hotel & RV Park in North Bend from April 28 to May 1. Peace is the theme for this year’s conference, something of most importance with what is happening in Egypt the last few weeks. Read the newsletter to learn more.

Want to offer a memorable experience for an exchange student this summer? The deadline for submitting short-term exchange applications for Summer 2011 is February 28. Who is eligible? A student 15-19 years old; who attends high school or is a graduating senior; and whose parents agree to host a foreign student in their home for 3-4 weeks in the summer. Children of Rotarians and non-Rotarians are eligible. For more information, please call Penny Cole at 541-672-0758. Click here to download an application.

Looking for fun activities to do with your family or friends this summer without breaking the bank? Staying close to home and doing small day trips is a great way to cut back on travel expenses while still enjoying new experiences. Lucky for you, Lane County is a diverse, beautiful landscape that is teeming with outdoor activities for people of all skill and fitness levels. Lane County extends from the cascades, through Eugene/Springfield and all the way to the Oregon Coast.  Here is a brief list of fun summer activities in each of Lane County’s diverse landscapes: Cascades: Oregon Skyway...

Believe it or not, Rotary District 5110′s District Conference, “Cruise the Mediterranean,” is just around the corner. Have you registered? If not, now is the time to ensure you’ll be attending the conference and taking part in the numerous seminars, plenary sessions and meals that will give you an opportunity to learn about the work of Rotary clubs in our district and those around the world. You won’t want to miss this event! Take a look at the conference schedule, speaker biographies, seminar descriptions and more at the conference website, where you can also register...