Here’s a taste of some of the items available at this year’s auction:

Trip for two to the Newport Seafood & Wine Festival 2012.
Trip includes: (2) 3-Day Festival Packages and (2) night stay in condo at Nye Beach in Newport.

2 Round Trip Airline Tickets to Las Vegas, plus 3 night stay at Worldmark

2 Tickets to “Nike Clash of the Champions” on March 8, 2011 at Matt Knight Arena. Package includes dinner at Mikela’s.

In 2010 we awarded $24,000 in scholarships to 13 high school students ($1,500 each) and 9 college re-ups ($500). We have supported 8 students through their Bachelor’s degree and have distributed $197,600 to 193 students in our service area (North Eugene, Willamette, Elmira, Junction City, Triangle Lake, Harrisburg, Monroe, and Crow).

This auction helps us to meet our community service goal which is to support the student’s achievements and their continued academic endeavors. Our goal this year is to raise $30,000. We appreciate your help in reaching this goal.

Want to Attend? Contact Steve Clarke – 541-345-5810

Want to Donate? Contact Pam Perkins – 541-687-9597

In this photo, a young boy stands proudly by his bicycle in Galle District, Sri Lanka.

As the major disaster relief organizations stepped in, Rotary focused on projects addressing rebuilding and recovery. The 62 Rotary clubs in Sri Lanka, where 187 coastal schools were destroyed, raised $12 million to build 25 schools. The international disaster relief charity ShelterBox, supported by Rotary clubs worldwide, quickly raised $10.5 million to ship 13,000 ShelterBoxes filled with tents and other emergency supplies to Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and the Maldives, enough to house 130,000 people.

To read more about Rotary’s effort in wake of the disaster, visit here.

From the thrilling touchdowns, long runs, amazing catches and sometimes nerve-wracking slow starts, the Ducks made it to their first BCS Championship Game and fought hard.

Even though the season ended in a tough loss, there are still lots of great memories to keep from the season. Did you have a favorite moment from this year? A play that will stick in your mind forever? A Chip Kelly quote that will always make you laugh? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Photo credit: Ross William Hamilton, The Oregonian

Drawing from ideas that were successfully implemented in 2010, the page shares stories of Rotarians who turned a great idea into a great way to support Rotary. It also answers frequently asked questions you may have about managing relationships within your club.

If you’d like to discuss with Rotarians in the professional world, be sure to join Rotary’s LinkedIn discussion group.

*Today’s photo features a Rotarian from the Rotary Club of Bay Area Sunrise, a District 5110 club. The club’s Iron Chef-style fundraiser for Interact was used as an example of how to inspire club innovation and implement ideas in the coming year.

The 2010-2011 RI theme, “Building Communities, Bridging Continents” was reflected in a design that included bears representing different communities around the world. The design came to life with the help of thousands of flowers, a Rose Parade tradition.

A big thank you goes out to all Rotarians and volunteers who helped bring this beautiful float to life!

To see a slideshow of photos detailing the float’s construction, visit the Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee website. The Rotary float was also included in a Los Angeles Times slideshow of different parade images. Starting with the Rotary float, you can view all the photos here.

The First Run is a 10K and 5k run/walk event along the Willamette River. You can participate in events on New Year’s Eve or on New Year’s Day, and can enjoy ringing in the New Year with pre- and post-race parties. The events start at Valley River Inn and the race entry fee is $15. For more information, call 541-484-9883.

Before you start your New Year’s celebration, you can head to the Lane Events Ice Center to see the Eugene Generals hockey team take on the Southern Oregon Spartans. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for students and seniors; children under 5 are free. The game starts at 7:35 pm. For more information, call 541-359-4154.

Celebrate in style by attending the Eugene Opera’s performance of La Boheme, a love story set in Paris to Puccini’s romantic music. Performances are held at the Hult Center, through January 2. For ticket information, call 541-682-5000.

These are just a few of the dozens of ideas listed in the Travel Lane County calendar. To see what else is happening in Eugene and other Lane County locations – from concerts to dinners to parties, take a look at the December 31 event listing. Happy New Year!

India’s government recently announced polio immunization dates in February. It’s short notice, but there is still time to act if you’re interested in going.

The polio campaign in India has been a success, thanks in large part to campaigns like this, organized by the government and assisted by Rotary.

The February trip takes Rotarians to Delhi and Ghaziabad, India. Those who are interested should read this letter, sent by a Rotarian in California who is helping to organize this upcoming trip.

On January 1, 2011,  Rotary International float will ride along the parade route and mark the 32nd consecutive year that a Rotary float has been part of the festivities.

The Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee was established when Rotary entered a float celebrating its 75th anniversary. Recognizing that the Tournament of Roses and all the events surrounding it provided a wonderful opportunity to spread the message of Rotary to millions of people, the committee was formed and has subsequently helped plan, design and create the Rotary float for the parade.

Hundreds of Rotary, Rotaract and Interact members devote their time and energy toward making the float; parade rules dictate that organic materials must cover the float’s entire surface. This year’s float will reflect RI’s 2010-2011 theme, Building Communities – Bridging Continents.

Read the full story about RI’s involvement in the Rose Parade here. You can also visit Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee Website.

A few highlights from the newsletter:

April 30, 2011 is Rotarians at Work Day. This year, Interact clubs hope to team up with Rotary clubs and do an informal service project benefitting homeless teens in their areas. As IDG Katie puts it, “usually we are so blinded by our own lives that we can’t even see the need in our own schools so the problem remains unresolved.”

Interact clubs are encouraged to find unique and innovative ways to raise funds in support of this year’s district-wide international project, raising money for Polio Plus.

The 2011-2012 Interact District Governor and Lt. District Governor were elected at the Interact District Training Assembly.

To read the full newsletter and learn more about our district’s Interact clubs, click here.