Rotary Club of Franklin
International
International
Rotary Club of Franklin Shelterbox Project
Shelter Boxes, containers which are packed with emergency care equipment such as tents, water, a privacy screen, warm blankets, stoves, and other items, are sent to a variety of places where people need help from various disasters.
Started by Tom Henderson, a retired British Navy diver in England, the Shelter Box program has helped over 600,000 people in over 45 countries with donations totaling $60,000,000.
Some examples of disaster areas where Shelter Box has been helpful include 200,000 people aided from the 2004 tsunami in Sumatra and also those affected by a dam break in 2007 in North Korea.
For those wishing to donate money to the project, a contribution of $14.40 buys a shelter box. Rotarians contribute half of Shelter Box aid. Also watch for matching club incentives to help fund the purchase of a shelterbox. For more information about the program contact Shelterbox@usa.org or contact Rotary Club of Franklin’s Bill McGaha.
(article by Co-Public Relations Director Austin Bridges from the August 8th, 2012 Flywheel)
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Rotary Club of Franklin member and past president Elbie Stiles was inspired to get involved with Shelterbox after touring countries all over the world that were much in need of basic supplies and lacking in shelter.
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Rotary of Franklin Club Treasurer Lenny Jordan (L) presents fellow member Dennis Sanders (R) with a shelter box certificate in honor of Sanders’ late father Clyde Sanders July 27th, 2011.
Rotary Club of Franklin C.A.R.T. Fund Project
Each week Rotary Club of Franklin members are asked to donate any spare change they may have toward the blue buckets that are placed at each table during the regular meetings as well as our annual roy Rickman Fundraiser. It may be just small change each week, but it all adds up. Monies donated goes toward research for a cure for Alzheimers. Recently Rotary District 7670 paid out more than $350,000 toward Alzheimer;s research.
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Vic Greene, Janet Greene, Fred Lindstrom, Dick Ellsbury, Sean Gibson and Barbara Lawrence were all recognized for contributing $100 toward CART September 7, 2016.
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2016-17 CART 7670 District Chair Dennis Sanders displays the giant Rotary Club of Franklin CART Bucket where members can dump in their contributions from their small blue jars each quarter.
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Rotarian Wayne Swank (L) drew the winning card on the September 11th, 2013 50 50 pot. Wayne donated his earnings to the club’s C.A.R.T. fund.
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The Blue Bucket-placed at each of the Rotary Club of Franklin meeting tables.
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Then 2013-14 District 7670 Governor-Elect Ronnie Thompson attended the October 3rd, 2012 Rotary Club of Franklin meeting. Ronnie, who’s home club is the Rotary Club of Valdese, talked to members about the importance of contributing to the blue buckets. Monies donated to the buckets each week goes toward alzheimers research. Ronnie, is past district head of the C.A.R.T. fund.
The Rotary Club of Franklin Bridges to Prosperity Project
Bridges to Prosperity is a District wide project to provide suspension bridges in Latin America where standard bridges are untenable due to seasonal flooding. These bridges are constructed with local people assisted by Rotarians and visiting engineers. The process is intended to teach construction methods to the local builders allowing them to have the knowledge to repair and build additional bridges. For more information on this project and if you would like to get involved see Rotary Club of Franklin Project club champion Stacy Guffey.
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The San Jose de Pire Bridge, one of the project bridges in the District 7670 Bridges to Prosperity Project in Nicaragua officially opened April 16th, 2013. This picture submitted by Bridges club champion Stacy Guffey.
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Rotary Club members from Franklin and Western North Carolina along with Rotarians and community members from Esteli, Nicaragua gather in front of the San Jose de Pire Bridge area in Nicaragua in early March. The group participated in a recent Rotary District 7670 project entitled “Bridges to Prosperity”. The project involved constructing a bridge as well as teaching construction methods to the Central American Community. Those Franklin Rotary members included Tom Coley, Beverly Mason and Stacy Guffey.
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BRIDGES TO PROSPERITY IN NICARAGUA FEBURARY 2013
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BRIDGES TO PROSPERITY IN NICARAGUA FEBURARY 2013
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BRIDGES TO PROSPERITY IN NICARAGUA FEBURARY 2013
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BRIDGES TO PROSPERITY IN NICARAGUA FEBURARY 2013
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BRIDGES TO PROSPERITY IN NICARAGUA FEBURARY 2013
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Rotary District 7670 Annual Programs Fund Chairman and past Rotary District Governor Jim Efland (L) receives a check in the amount of $500 from the Rotary Club of Franklin to purchase a plank that will be included in the construction of a new bridge in Nicaragua. The Rotary project is entitled “Bridges to Properity”.Rotary Club of Franklin president Gary Dills presents the check at the August 22nd meeting.
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Donated supplies collected for the trip to Nicaragua in February, 2013.
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“Can Do” Rotarians in action during the construction of a bridge in Nicaragua.
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Rotary Club of Franklin Project Panama
Since 2004 The Rotary Club of Franklin has partnered with Rotary Clubs in Sylva, and Cashiers along with the club in Boquete, Panama to help in the restoration and repair of the El Banco de Palmira school located in the remote area of the Chiriqui Province of Panama. Rotary Club of Franklin Co-International Director Sandy Frazier along with Rotarians from Sylva, Cashiers and Boquete, Panama, assisted by non-Rotarian US volunteers, local parents and students, built and painted two new bathrooms for students, a new dining and meeting area and a remodeled sleeping room with a new bathroom and shower for the school’s teacher. The Rotarians also refurbished the kitchen, installed a water purification system, made improvements to the single classroom, painted and cleaned the premises and provided laptop computers and furnished school supplies. Boquete Rotarian, Hector Sanchez, served as project manager for this year’s project. Sanchez previously was responsible for the installation of electric service and Internet in the school. For more information on this project club liason Sandy Frazier!
(From the September 19th, 2012 edition of the Flywheel)
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Spring 2014 Project Panama Trip!
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Project Panama construction work. Rotary Club of Sylva’s Charles Wolfe hammering away! Fall 2012.
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Project Panama Fall 2012.
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Spring 2012 Project Panama Group.
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Project Panama Spring 2012
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Project Panama Spring 2012
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Project Panama Spring 2012
Rotary Club of Franklin Polio Plus Project
PolioPlus is the flagship international program of Rotary International. We have worked with many agencies and foundations (notably the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) to eradicate Polio in the world and have assisted it the raising of over a billion US$. Currently, only three nations have Polio as a continuing disease. They are Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria, Many may not realize that these PolioPlus drops also contain vaccines to fight childhood diseases configured to the area where the PolioPlus vaccines are administered. That is the Plus part of PolioPlus. For more information see 2017-18 Club President Judy Chapman.
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Rotary DG 2013-14 Ronnie Thompson presents Club President 2013-14 Nancie Wilson with the First Class President’s Award for her club meeting the club’s PolioPlus goal prior to October 31st, 2013. The presentation was made on November 20th, 2013.
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Images of the Rotary Club of Franklin raising money for Polio Plus through the Purple Pinky Project at the Macon County Fair September 11th through the 15th, 2013.
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2012-13 Rotary District Governor Frank Dean (L) receives a check in the amount of $2200 from the Rotary Club of Franklin at the September 12th, 2012 meeting for the club’s Polio Plus Contributions. Presenting the check is club foundation director Jim Garner (C) and club foundation champion Fred Berger (R).
The Rotary Club of Franklin Wheel Chair Project
Thus is a continuing District 7670 project which was started by Past District Governor Dennis Sanders when he was serving as Governor in 2001-02. The program provides wheel chairs and the training to use them to disabled people around the world. This past year, The Rotary Club of Franklin, Frabklin Daybreak Rotary, Sylva Rotary, and the clubs in Highlands and Cashiers partnered to provide approximately $35000 worth of chairs to Bolivia.
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Club International Chair Stacy Guffey (L) presents Project District Chair and 7670 District Governor Nominee Bill Biddle with the club’s contribution of $200 on August 20th, 2014.
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Samples of the free wheelchairs that are distributed on the mission. The models were on display at the November 20th, 2013 Rotary Club of Franklin meeting.
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Rotary District 7670 Governor 2012-13 Frank Dean (L) talks about the importance of Rotary’s efforts in delivering 550 wheel chairs to the country of Bolivia. Don Schoendorfer (R), founder of Free Wheel Chair Mission trained members of the district wheel chair team April 8th, 2013 at Highlands-Cashiers Hospital.
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A member of the wheel chair team dis-assembles a wheel chair. The training involves assembling, dis-assembling and maintaining the chair.
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2012-13 Rotary Club of Franklin President Gary Dills (L) recognizes club member and longtime Rotarian Mario LaPoma (R) for his recent donation of a wheelchair to Montero. The purchase was made by his wife Joanne in honor of Mario who recently celebrated over four decades in the club. The presentation was made at the October 3rd, 2012 Meeting.
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Rotary District 7670 Governor 2012-13 Frank Dean spoke to members of the Rotary Club of Franklin talking about the projects the district is involved with including the providing of wheelchairs to some underprivledged countries in Central America such as Nicaragua. The governor made his visit to the club on September 12th, 2012.
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The Rotary Club of Franklin G.S.E. Team Project
Group Study Exchange is a Rotary wide program which exchanges groups of young professionals (25-40) among Rotary countries. Typically a team consists of 5 professionals guided by a Rotarian fromthe host country. Our GSE committee is chaired by Larry Holiifield and consists of Stacy Guffey and Rich Peoples (long time GSE member and previous chair in Sylva). For more information on ths project, contact anyone of the G.S.E. committee team members.
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The Culinary course students at LBJ hosted area Rotary Clubs as part of the District 3050/District 7670 Friendship Exchange. Seven Rotarians from India’s and Rotary’s largest District visited WNC from April 11th through the 16th, 2013. Clubs participating included Clay County, Highlands, Sylva, Franklin Daybreak and The Rotary Club of Franklin.
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Members of the G.S.E.Team from District 3050 spoke to members of the Rotary Club of Franklin on Wednesday March 27th, 2013. The group study exchange is a program that exchanges young professionals among Rotary Countries. Team members for 2013 are from left to right, Vinay Khotari, Mrughesh Trivedi, Krishna Mehta, team leader Neeraj Sogani and Chhavi Rajawat.
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IMAGES FROM THE 2013 GROUP VISIT
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IMAGES FROM THE 2013 GROUP VISIT
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IMAGES FROM THE 2013 GROUP VISIT
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IMAGES FROM THE 2013 GROUP VISIT
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GSE representative Stephanie Laseter of Franklin spoke in front of members of a Rotary Club in Finland during her group exchange visit in April, 2012.
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The Rotary Group Study Exchange Team from Finland tour Western North Carolina in April, 2012. The Finish Group leader Iimo Pokkinen is second from left. The program is a joint venture of both the Rotary Club of Franklin and the Daybreak Club.
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Stephanie Laseter (L) Rotary Group Study Exchange team member presents Rotary Club of Franklin president Gary Dills (R) with several banners from various Rotary Clubs that Laseter visited last spring during her visit to Finland as part of the G.S.E. program. The presentation was made at the November 7th, 2012 club meeting.
The Foundation
In 1917, RI President Arch C. Klumph proposed that an endowment be set up “for the purpose of doing good in the world.” In 1928, when the endowment fund had grown to more than US$5,000, it was renamed The Rotary Foundation, and it became a distinct entity within Rotary International. Of course, the foundation’s size and processes have changed over the years but the goals have not. Today’s Rotary Foundation continues to support Rotarians as we advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, the improvement of water and sanitation, and the development of communities and economies.
But, the foundation only works if Rotarians support it thru their tax deductible contributions. In our clubs, each Rotarian is expected to contribute at least $100 annually. For each $1000 contributed to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus, or an approved Foundation grant,, Rotarians (or a person they designate) earn the distinction of being named a Paul Harris Fellow. Additional contributions of $1000 earn additional Paul Harris Fellowships. Anyone who contributes US$100 or more per year to the Annual Fund is automatically recognized as a Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member. If every club member contributed $100 every year, Rotary could nearly double its efforts to help people worldwide and support the continued growth of its programs. Every dollar contributed is used for humanitarian purposes. The small administrative costs are paid by income from the account.
Members may become a Benefactor by making the Permanent Fund a beneficiary in their estate plans or by donating $1,000 or more to the fund outright. Benefactors receive a custom certificate and insignia to wear with a Rotary or Paul Harris Fellow pin. Couples or individuals who have made commitments of $10,000 or more in their estate plans, such as in a will, living trust, or through whole or universal life insurance, can become Bequest Society members. All Bequest Society members receive recognition from the Trustees of The Rotary Foundation.
The foundation supports club and district project through various grant programs. In July 2013, the Rotary Foundation has launched Future Vision which should simplify the grant process and get more funds into the hands of local Rotarians. See Foundation Chairman Mike Norris for additional information or questions.
Franklin Rotary also has a Charitable Foundation which allows the club to receive funds from sources other than our normal fund raising efforts. The club’s charitable foundation allows members or community donors to make bequests to the humanitarian efforts of the Franklin Rotary Club. See John Short, Chairman of the Charitable Foundation of the Rotary Club of Franklin for additional information.
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Stacy Guffey (L) was recognized as a PHF on February 1st, 2017.
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John Yermack was recognized as a PHF Plus 8 and Jim Garner, a PHF Plus 5
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John Yermack and Sandy Frazier are recognized as Paul Harris Society members April 20, 2016.
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Club Sgt. at Arms Bill Mcgaha was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow Plus 1 on April 16th, 2014 by Past District Governor Dennis Sanders.
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Club member Amy Manshack (L) was named a Paul Harris Fellow on April 16th by her father, Rotarian Charles Wolfe of Sylva. Amy’s mother Wanda is pictured (C).
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Paul Harris Fellows honored December 12th, 2013 clockwise from left..13-14 President Nancie Wilson Plus 1 and donates PHF to Alice Mason, President Nominee Sean Gibson Plus 1, Public Relations Chair Dick Pritts Plus 1, Ann Van Harlingen Plus 1, Past President Mike Norris names son Graham a PHF, Past President and District Secretary Cardy White Plus 3. District Governor for 2014-15 Gary Bray is a Plus 2.
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Rotary Club of Franklin member and 7670 District Governor for 2014-15 Gary Bray spoke to Rotarians from District 7670 at the August 17th, 2013 Foundation Seminar in Asheville on upcoming distirct goals in encouraging the district to increase per capita foundation giving by members.
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District Foundation Board member and Franklin Rotary 2012-13 President Gary Dills spoke to attendees on foundation finances at the August 17th, 2013 foundation seminar.
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Rotary Club of Franklin’s Tom James is recognized as a Paul Harris Plus 5 at the July 10th, 2013 Rotary Club of Franklin meeting by 2013-14 DG Ronnie Thompson. Others recognized that day included John Henning, Jr. Plus 3, Lenny Jordan Plus 1 and Robin Jenkins Plus 1.
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Some of the Paul Harris Fellows recognized with IPDG Frank Dean at the July 1st, 2013 Rotary Club of Franklin Installation for 2013-14. Pictured (L to R) Vic Greene, Kevin Corbin and John Yermack with foundation chair Jim Garner.
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major Paul Harris Donors recognized with IPDG Frank Dean at the July 1st, 2013 Club Installation in Dillard, Ga.
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Rotary Club of Franklin Foundation Director Jim Garner (R) presents longtime Rotary Club of Franklin member JC Jacobs (L) with a Paul Harris Plus Three pin to recognize Jacobs’ milestone contribution to the Rotary Foundation November 14th, 2012. Among Jacobs’ other contributions include serving as club president in 1967-68 and member since 1947.
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Longtime Rotary Club of Franklin member Fred Berger (R) is recognized as a Paul Harris Plus 2. The presentation was made at the November 28th, 2012 meeting by Club Foundation Director Jim Garner (L).
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2012-13 Rotary District Governor Frank Dean (L) recognizes Rotary Paul Harris Fellows and Rotary Club of Franklin members Fred Alexander (C) and Gerry Camelo (R). Alexander honored his son-in-law Oleg Melnikov of Waynesville with a Paul Harris Fellow. Camelo honored his wife, Dr. Sheryl Camelo with a Paul Harris Fellow at the September 12th, 2012 Rotary Club of Franklin Meeting.
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Rotary of Franklin club secretary Fairly Pollock (L) presents Gaitry Aruwani (R) with a pin in recognition of Aruwani being designated as a Paul Harris Fellow designee. The presentation was made at the May 16th, 2012 meeting.
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Rotary Club of Franklin Members at the Future Vision Grants Seminar Saturday September 29th, 2012 at A-B Tech in Asheville. Pictured left to right DG nominee Gary Bray, 2012-13 PR Director and current PN Sean Gibson, Foundation Director Jim Garner, Future Vision Director John Yermack and 2012-13 Club President Gary Dills. Current President Elect Susie Ledford also attended.