Outreach at RSCC, Hospicio de San Jose

TheTheTheTheOLYMPIANSOLYMPIANSOLYMPIANSOLYMPIANS The Official Newsletter of the Rotary Club of Makati - OLYMPIA

VOL. 01 NO. 32 • MARCH 2011

The President’s Corner

My dear

Fellow

Olympians,

A week after our

very memorable

District Conference, my legs have

not fully recovered from the seemingly

endless walking that I had taken during

the two-day event. I guess, the many

activities of the recent months have

caught up with me. That, or age is

catching up on me. Seriously though,

because of my tired legs, I have kept

myself home which gave me the

opportunity to rest and just reflect and

recover my energy. Great time and

timing! God is indeed most gracious for

He knows what everyone needs!

Rotary as a voluntary organization

gives us choices. We decide what degree

of commitment we give for the cause.

In our work, it is natural that we do

what we know are our duties and

obligations but when asked to go

beyond these, it becomes a different Cont’d on page 2…

Rotarians are used to

celebrating personal milestones grandly. JM Olaco and Ederlyn Mendiola chose otherwise. Last March 24, JM celebrated his natal day at the Reception and Study Center for Children (RSCC) Quezon City and Ederlyn likewise tendered a children’s party at Hospicio de San Jose in Manila last March 26. Both are havens for abandoned children and orphans. To make the individual celebrations more meaningful, the two activities were done with the Rotary

family of Makati Olympia. RSCC has 67 children in its care, 24 of whom are babies and the rest are toddlers to 6 years old. There were games and prizes galore for the children. Then they were treated to a mirienda of cake, chocolates and candies. Similar fun activities were done at Hospicio de San Jose which houses about 50 children. The wards had mirienda of spaghetti, hotdog and lumpiang shanghai prepared by the birthday celebrant herself.

PE Jay’s Corner

My dear Fellow

Olympians,

Aristotle thought that

practical wisdom

was the key to happiness. He

was right. There’s now a lot of

research being done in

psychology on what makes

people happy, and the two

things that jump out in study

after study are love and work.

Love is managing

successfully relations with the

people who are close to

you and with the communities Cont’d on page 2…

PE Jay’s Corner cont’d from p.1

of which you are a part of. Work is

engaging in activities that are

meaningful and satisfying. If you have

good close relations with other

people, work that's meaningful and

fulfilling, you don't much need anything

else."

(http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwar

tz_using_our_practical_wisdom.html)

This is so true, with all the mini-agendas

and dramas we face throughout the

day, we ask ourselves, what really drives

us?... LOVE and WORK provide us the

vehicle to pursue Happiness. Rotary's call

for SERVICE ABOVE SELF ignites this truism.

Fellow Olympians, check the site. Thanks

Barry. Kudos to TED.com too.

The President’s Corner cont’d from p.1

story. In Rotary, though, whatever we achieve is

up to us. Therefore, we can choose to be on high

rev or be low bat.

Despite my self-imposed week of rest, events

happened without bidding. Last Thursday, JM

Olaco chose to celebrate his special day at RSCC,

and so with Ederlyn Mendiola. Last Saturday,

she celebrated her birthday at Hospicio de San

Jose. The two special days were both

invigorating. We were able to commune with the

little angels of God who were abandoned by their

parents. Their childlike innocence charged me and

I believe all of us who were able to participate -

JM, Ederlyn, Ju, Sabine, Wilbert, Renny, our

Rotaractors, Interactors and RCCs .

Both JM and Ederlyn are new Olympians. How

refreshing for you to initiate these activities

especially at a time when I am a bit weary! JM

and Ederlyn, I am truly thankful to both of you

not just for these two wonderful projects but for

reaffirming that the reason why RCMO has been

able to achieve a lot is that everybody has our

Club as our channel to serve humanity such that

the club's activities do not rest on one or a few

members alone. We are like one body with many

parts, each as important as the rest contributing

to the totality of that single being.

I am a very fortunate Charter President and RC

Makati Olympia is one remarkable club! Like the

Olympic motto, Citius, Altius, Fortius or Faster,

Higher, Stronger, RCMO will be Bigger, Better

and Bolder because of all of YOU!

Photo Gallery

Eighteen Rotaractors, 14 Interactors and 2 RCC Officers sponsored by Rotary Club of Makati Olympia participated in DISCON 2011. The invitation by Gov Ed Alvarez of the partners in service to the annual event was a testament of Rotary's recognition of their active role in carrying out its service endeavors.

For the Rotaractors and Interactors as well as the RCC Officers, it gave them the chance to experience the culmination of all the achievements of the District for the Rotary Year as well as meet the Rotarians from all over the District.

Presidents Ahl Legaspi of RAC Makati Olympia, DIR Miguel Bermido of Interact Club of Umakians of Olympia and Pres. Elizabeth Bermido of RCC Makati Olympia led the delegates of the Partners in Service sponsored by RCMO.

The Spouses, headed by Lady Mariz Alvarez, had a most fun session during the recently concluded DISCON held at the Hotel Sofitel on March 18-19, 2011. The Spouses Session had Lady Maling Francisco, spouse of PDG Butch Francisco, as the speaker and facilitator. Discussed was how the participants can have more confidence. Towards the end, Lady Maling held a scarf folding session where the participants were taught how to play around this accessory.

Lady Maling is the President of Image by Design Asia and is an honorary member of Rotary Club of Makati Olympia.

•••• DISCON 2011 •••• DISCON 2011 •••• DISCON 2011 •••• DISCON 2011 ••••

RCMO Youth, Community Partners attend DISCON

Towards more confidence – Spouses DISCON Session

ROTARY international NEWS

In January 1964, the RI Board of Directors and The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees approved Group Study Exchange as an official Rotary program. Thirty-four teams from 17 pairs of districts participated in the first round of exchanges during the 1965-66 and 1966-67 Rotary years. But young people had been traveling the globe with support from Rotary clubs well before this decision. In 1950, six young men from England went to New Zealand, led by English Rotarian Geoff Morton and financed by clubs in Yorkshire. They traveled the country, staying with Rotarians along the way. Rotarian Ralph Vernon proposed a similar endeavor in 1955 to clubs in northern New Zealand, who wanted to commemorate Rotary’s golden anniversary with a district-wide effort. District 39 (now districts 9910, 9920, 9930, and 9940) created the Rotary Overseas Travel Award program, and John Ledgerwood, of the Rotary Club of Hamilton, led the first team on a trip to Great Britain. The program was so successful that district leaders in New Zealand decided to continue it after the anniversary celebrations had ended. Over the next few years, teams from New Zealand traveled to Canada, India, Japan, Sri Lanka, and the United States. New Zealand Rotarians welcomed visitors from these countries as well as from Pakistan. In early 1960s, the Trustees began considering programs for non-Rotarians that would promote international goodwill and understanding. One plan was for small groups of young business and professional men to travel from one Rotary district to a district in another country. Harold T. Thomas, a New Zealand Rotarian who served as RI president in 1959-60, shared information about the Rotary Overseas Travel Award with the Trustees. Soon after the Board and Trustees approved Group Study Exchange, Vernon and other Rotarians with experience in group exchanges and vocational training were invited to finalize the details of the new Foundation program. In the nearly five decades since, more than 70,000 young men and women have traveled the globe as part of Group Study Exchange teams.

Historic Moments: Origins of Group Study Exchange by Susan Hanf and Lauren Kalal

Group Study Exchange team

members visit a nuclear research

project near Geneva, circa 1967.

From the November 1967 issue

of The Rotarian.

ROTARY information

Membership responsibilities

What Rotarians get out of Rotary depends largely on what they put into it. Many

membership requirements are designed to help

club members more fully participate in and enjoy their Rotary experience.

Attendance Attending weekly club meetings allows

members to enjoy fellowship, enrich their professional and personal knowledge, and meet

other business leaders in their community. If members miss a meeting of their own club,

they’re encouraged to expand their Rotary

horizons by attending a meeting of any other Rotary club in the world.

Service By participating in local and international

service projects, club members can volunteer their time and talents where they’re most

needed. The Avenues of Service are Rotary’s

philosophical cornerstone and the foundation

on which club activity is based:

• Club Service focuses on strengthening fellowship and ensuring the club’s effective

functioning.

• Vocational Service encourages Rotarians to serve others through their vocations and to practice high ethical standards.

• Community Service covers the projects and activities the club undertakes to improve life in its community.

• International Service encompasses actions taken to expand Rotary’s humanitarian reach

around the globe and to promote world understanding and peace.

• New Generations Service recognizes the positive change implemented by youth and young adults through leadership

development activities, service projects, and exchange programs.

Finding and keeping members

To keep clubs strong, every Rotarian must share the responsibility of bringing new people

into Rotary. Even new members can bring guests to club meetings or invite them to

participate in a service project. Keeping members involved in Rotary is another

responsibility. Fostering strong fellowship and encouraging early participation in service

projects are two of the best ways to sustain a

club’s membership. Dues

Club members are required to pay annual dues to their clubs, districts, and Rotary

International, as well as the subscription fee to the appropriate Rotary magazine.

Leadership Club members are encouraged to volunteer for

leadership roles at the club level and beyond.