- Name: Frank Devlyn
- Email:
devlynf@devlyn.com.mx
- District: 4170
- Club: Mexico City Anahuac
- Number_of_Conventions: 33
- Date: February 09, 2007
Convention_experienceDear Amigos of The Family of Rotary:
I know of no better way to open the eyes of Rotarians as to the importance of the Internationality of Rotary than by encouraging their attending a Rotary International Convention. Attending the R.I, Convention in Salt Lake City is a unique opportunity to learn of numerous possibilities and opportunities that all in the Family of Rotary learn by attending our conventions.
Hope all copied Lead The Way in Creating Awareness and Taking Action in promoting attendance at our Salt Lake Convention this coming June.
Your Amigo in Mexico City,
Frank Devlyn
Chairman of Rotary Convention Goers Fellowship
- Name: Mary Lou Johnson
- Email:
maryloujohnson@hotmail.com
- District: 5150
- Club: San Bruno, California
- Number_of_Conventions: 2
- Date: November 05, 2005
Convention_experienceUpon entering my year as President, I attended my first RI Conference in Barcelona, Spain, and I ended my year attending the Brisbane, Australia conference. Words cannot describe the feeling when you actually see the "work of the world" being done city by city. It's more than just feeling good about something, it's realizing that standing "shoulder-to-shoulder" with one another makes a grand difference for someone, somewhere - for children, families and communities. The fellowship was marvelous; I now have friends all over the world, including a sister in Christ. Thank Your Rotary!
Convention_experience- Name: Dave Flinn, PDG
- Email:
Dave@starflinn.com
- District: 7170
- Club: Ithaca, NY
- Number_of_Conventions: 23
- Date: May 31, 2005
I attended my first convention, in Atlanta, when I had been in Rotary 4 years. Attending Conventions has made me realize that being a Rotarian really makes me a "citizen of the world." It is mainly through Conventions that I have become involved with many of the Rotary Fellowships, this one being the latest. As I am currently Chairman of ICUFR, this, of course, tends to be my primary interest; but I have also been fairly active in IFFR and others.
Convention_experience- Name: John Jacob Gardiner
- Email:
gardiner@seattleu.edu
- District: 5030
- Club: Vashon Island
- Number_of_Conventions: 5
- Date: May 30, 2005
I became a Rotarian at my first Rotary International Convention in Philadelphia
in 1987. As the balloons rose celebrating Rotary's successful campaign to raise money to defeat polio, I embraced two Rotarians on
either side of me -one from
South America, the other from Asia. We hugged in the
joy of being people who shared the dream of a world free of polio. That day I became a Rotarian. I understood the unlimited
potential that lay in Paul Harris' dream of a world at peace. (Submitted by PDG John Jacob Gardiner, RC of Vashon Island- District 5030)
Convention_experienceI am very happy and honored to join this new Convention Goers Fellowship.
As a matter of fact being Rotarian since December 1975 I have been attending 18 International Conventions:
1) 1981 Sao Paolo BRAZIL
2) 1984 Birmingham England
3) 1985 Kansas City MO, USA
4) 1987 Munich GERMANY
5) 1988 Philadelphia PA, USA
6) 1989 Seoul KOREA
7) 1990 Portland OR, USA
8) 1991 Mexico City MEXICO
9) 1992 Orlando FL, USA
10) 1995 Nice FRANCE
11) 1996 Calgary AB CANADA
12) 1997 Glasgow SCOTLAND
13) 1998 Indianapolis IN, USA
14) 1999 Singapore SINGAPORE
15) 2000 Buenos Aires ARGENTINA
16) 2001 San Antonio TX, USA
17) 2002 Barcelona SPAIN
18) 2004 Osaka JAPAN
and my 19th will be 2005 Chicago…
I truly enjoyed all the Conventions I attended not only by participating at the programs but also perceiving the great internationality of the Rotarian friendship, meeting and making friends from worldwide.
The only “different” Convention for me was the Barcelona 2002 because I was Chair of the RI Convention Committee and, working very hard to organize it, I finally understood something that the “average convention attendees” do not recognize:
THE ENORMOUS ORGANIZATION EFFORT OF THE RI STAFF, OF THE LOCAL AND OF THE CONVENTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
AT EACH CONVENTION WE HAVE TO TRULY GIVE THEM A LOT OF THANKS!
Convention_experience- Name: Beri B. Kasper
- Email:
beri@kasperaccountancy.com
- District: 5160
- Club: Concord/Diablo
- Number_of_Conventions: 3
- Date: May 10, 2005
My husband was asked to be president of our club. I asked, where is the convention? His reply...Nice, France. That was our first convention. We truly got to witness the greatness of Rotary. Hopping the train from Italy to France, we met cars full of Rotarians headed to Nice. Next-- when I was asked to be President of our club. Where?...Buenos Aires. Frank Devlin was our RI president. A great year and a great leader. I'm happy to have been in his "class" of presidents. Third convention -OSAKA. Our "sister" club of Wakayama-west asked us to come visit. Delightfully we stayed in the home of one of the Rotarians. They threw us a fine dinner party. We were so honored to be with folks from the other side of the world.
Chicago here we come! Can't wait to meet up with some of our friends from years past.
Thanks Frank for finally getting this fellowship to legitimate status.
Convention_experience- Name: Sherry Butler
- Email:
butcomm@citlink.net
- District: 5490
- Club: Lake Havasu City R.C.
- Number_of_Conventions: 2
- Date: May 09, 2005
Our first convention was in Calgary. Once you've been, you know that you can travel in any other country and know you will be safe and will always have a friend to call on.
I am a former GSE team leader (to Argentina in 1998). I made great friends as a result and thought I'd never be able to see them again. My closest friend from Santa Fe became a DG and since he tries to attend every convention, I get to see Julio & his wife Emily when I attend.
Convention_experience- Name: Sara Urdahl
- Email:
sara@saraurdahl.com
- District: 5060
- Club: Wenatchee Sunrise
- Number_of_Conventions: 2
- Date: May 09, 2005
I chose my first RI Convention, PRIP Frank Devlyn's wonderful 2001 fiesta, purely as an opportunity for adventure, riding my motorcycle to Texas from Washington State.
But what I found – both on the journey and once I arrived – was (to bend a phrase I heard back in the tumultuous 1960s was the POWER of the PEOPLE. I’m fortunate to live in District 5060, which brings an international flavour to our annual district conferences. That international spice is magnified greatly at RI conventions – like a habanero pepper compared with a bell pepper – by the people one meets.
Last year’s Osaka convention was a special one, as I prepared for my year as Centennial club president, but once again, the people I met from around our Rotary world made the convention memorable. As I prepare for Chicago, I anticipate renewing old friendships and, as always, setting a personal goal of meeting Rotarians from each and every one of our 167 countries.
Viva Rotary!
Convention_experience- Name: Harriett Schloer
- Email:
in2dtp@empnet.com
- District: 5110
- Club: Bend High Desert
- Number_of_Conventions: 4
- Date: May 09, 2005
In 1998 my husband was the incoming president of our
Rotary Club and we attended our first RI Convention in
Indianapolis. The experience was overwhelming for both
of us from Home Hospitality to the House of Friendship
to the luncheons, the Plenary Sessions and the
impressive opening and closing ceremonies. It was during
The Rotary Foundation Plenary Session that we learned
about the "Children's Opportunities Grants" that were to
be offered. On our way home we talked about the grants
and wondered what project we could find in our community
that would qualify. Shortly after our return I was
appointed to the Deschutes County Immunization Coalition
where I learned of our county's desperate need for an
immunization program in order to improve our
immunization rates. At the time we ranked 35th out of 36
counties. I wrote a grant for $25,000 and submitted it
for a proposed county-wide free immunization program
called "Shots for Tots". The grant was approved and the
program is still going strong. Here we are seven years
later and the program is still going strong, holding 12
free clinics each year throughout our county . . . . all
of which are staffed by Rotarians volunteering their
time. To date we've immunized nearly 6700 children and
are now ranked 11th in the state. In addition, we have received matching goods and services (including free vaccines) worth nearly $1million!
And to think it all started with a $25,000 grant from TRF that we learned about at an RI Convention
Plenary Session. Since there, we've attended two more conventions
(Singapore and San Antonio) and are looking forward to Chicago where we will renew old friendships and make new ones. Like many others, the annual RI convention is now our summer vacation ... especially since my husband retired this year
and will become DG on July 1! See you in Chicago . . .
you won't want to miss it, if you do, you'll probably
miss something wonderful that could benefit your
community or the world. Wouldn't that be a shame!
Convention_experience- Name: Al FACE
- Email:
ecafar@adelphia.net
- District: 5500
- Club: YUMA ROTARY
- Number_of_Conventions:
9 (including Chicago)
- Date: May 03, 2005
I was the first Rotarian from our club to attend a Rotary Convention. I came home with great enthusiasm for Rotary which I injected in our Club with a full report on the Seattle Convention. My next Great Experience was in Philadelphia when Polio Plus met and exceeded it's goal of gifts which the U.S.A came though with about half of the donations. The jubulation and celebration that took place with ballons falling and helling was a GREAT EXPERIENCE. Munick was great as were all of the other Internatioal Conventions. I recommended that our Club pay the expenses of our Club President, each year, to attend their International Convention, after I attended my first Convention, which I attended at my own expense. This being my 60th year in Rotary, I will not attempt to mention all the WONDERFUL people I have met and exchanges that resulted. HE PROFITS MOST WHO SERVES THE BEST.
Convention_experience- Name: Ted Frazier
- Email:
TDFraz@aol.com
- District: 6780
- Club: Rotary Club of Maryville
- Number_of_Conventions: 6
- Date: April 28, 2005
My first Convention was 1996, (Glasgow, Scotland), the year I was President of my club. This experience so impressed my wife and I that after returning home our club's board approved sending our president elects to the RI convention. Each year while attending the convention, we watch the emotional change in the person take place as they learn of Rotary's world wide work.
Convention_experience- Name: Lee Mothershead
- Email:
lmothers@pacbell.net
- District: 5300
- Club: Rotary Club of San Marino
- Number_of_Conventions: 10
- Date: April 26, 2005
Rotary Conventions have taught me two major things: Just how large and powerful our organization is (there are 30,000 people here at their own expense because they want to help the world be a better place), and that Rotary is the great leveler (all Rotarians are equal in the house of friendship). My favorite story: a friend was coming down in the elevator in the morning and glanced back to see the word "King". She turned and said, "How do you do Mr. King; I'm Gail." He replied, "King is not my name; it is my title."
Convention_experience- Name: John Kirkwood
- Email:
jkirkwood@source.co.ug
- District: 9200
- Club: Jinja
- Number_of_Conventions: 8
- Date: April 25, 2005
In '98 my Club decided we should start doing protected water springs through Matching Grants. I took the write up to the Indianapolis Convention to look for an International Partner. Every time I met my D.G. he asked me if I had met a lady from Brazil who was keen to do the Matching Grant - throughout the Convention we managed to miss each other by minutes!
The Matching grant went through and started what became the Centennial Project - to protect 100 water springs. We have now protected over 130 springs, benefiting over 65,000 people every day.
I eventually met Dalva - the Brazilian lady, when I attended a Presidential Conference in Brazil in 2001, when I was able to visit her home. We stay in touch by email and occasionally meet at other Conventions.
Through Conventions I now have Rotarian friends throughout the world.
Convention_experience- Name: Steven Laine
- Email:
stirco@aol.com
- District: 6930
- Club: Boca Raton Sunset
- Number_of_Conventions: 17 RI and one RIBI
- Date: April 23, 2005
Having attended 17 RI and one RIBI Convention, I think back to one of my most memorable and meaningful experiences was at the SF convention in 1977. In SF, I met Negendra and Pushpah Prakash of New Delhi, India We seemed to bond very quickly. He and I were in the food industry and had some common interests and friends. I invited them to spend some time in Chicago and see a little of the midwest. They came and we had an opportunity to host them in our home and to take them sailing on Lake Michigan in PDG Bob Stuart’s magnificant sailboat. They were ecstatic. Having never had an experience on open water in a sailboat was a real thrill for them. I don’t believe they have ever forgotten the visit and Iris and I still treasure the time spent together.
A few years later on an around the world trip, we stopped in Delhi and visited the Prakash’s and went to a Rotary meeting with them. Had an opportunity to see their home and how they lived. Another opportunity to connect with what became a lasting friendship. Subsequently they visited us in Florida. Amazing the connections you can and will make at RI Conventions.
Convention_experience
- Name: Barbara Maves
- Email:
bmaves@comcast.net
- District: 6560
- Club: Muncie Sunrise
- Number_of_Conventions: 8
- Date: April 20, 2005
In Dec. 1994, when
I received an invitation to become a charter member of a
new club, I debated as to whether this was something I
wanted to add to my already too busy life. My first
convention was in '96 at Calgary, in preparation for my
term, as president. I attended everything and became
very excited about being a member of Rotary. My working
life included non-profit administration and much of my
job involved locating funding for the good things we
were doing. As I sat and listened to all the programs
and projects of Rotary and all about the foundation
funding and what they wanted to accomplish, I felt I was
in nirvana. Here was a group looking for people to
spend their money doing good things for others. All I
had to do was complete a simple form and the money would
come and I could be off doing it. And, at that meeting
I joined every fellowship I was eligible for and found
that the Fellowship for Population and Development
helped me to locate projects around the globe where I
could help women become first class citizens of the
world. I also joined the Travel and Hosting Fellowship
and that is how my two loves came together. As I
traveled with Rotarians we made plans for projects of
the Population and Development group. Now I am retired
and my full time "career" in Rotary is promoting the
fellowships and increasing the number of matching
grants for clubs in my district. And these grants cover
more needs than I knew were there but I always have a
few grants to help women ready in my pocket in case a
club needs an idea! I've been to 8 conventions and will
see you all in Chicago and Copenhagen for numbers 9 and
10. And to think, I might not have joined when now, I
can't imagine a June without attending a Rotary
convention to get my "fix" for the upcoming year.
Convention_experience- Name: Janet Holland
- Email:
holland5790@rdp-tx.us
- District: 5790
- Club: Mineral Wells
- Number_of_Conventions: 8
- Date: April 20, 2005
At the Calgary convention, I visited the fellowship booths and became interested in the Travel and Hosting fellowship since we love to travel. I paid my dues each year, but was hesitate about contacting anyone when we traveled. Then in 2001, we were asked if we could host two couples from Victoria, BC, Canada who were coming to the San Antonio convention. We agreed and were looking forward to our first experience with the fellowship.
At the host night at La Villeta in San Antonio, the first person I saw was from Victoria. Of the almost 25,000 people there, it was one of the men we were going to host afterwards. We greeted each other as long lost friends. He found the rest of his group so we could get acquainted. The rest of the week, we saw each other many times. By the time they came to our home, it was as though very good friends had arrived, which, by then, they were.
Another experience was hosting a young couple from Napal. He agreed to give a program for our Rotary club. The members probably asked more questions afterwards than any program we have had. How many people have an chance to meet and get to know someone from Napal?
These are just two examples of the international friendships that developed because I attended an International Convention.
Convention_experience- Name: C. Ray Carlson
- Email:
craycarlson2@mac.com
- District: 5300
- Club: Altadena, California
- Number_of_Conventions: Seven
- Date: April 19, 2005
As a club project exhibitor in Buenos Aires in 2000, I met so many Rotarians from around the world who were interested in our project of Eradicating Poverty through Entrepreneurship Education that leads to Job Creation. But it was James Tugume of Kampala, Uganda who enabled us to jointly start a project in Uganda that involved the World Bank, the Norwegian Government GenFund, other clubs, and resulted in the teaching of 500 Ugandan students about computer and internet technology, microenterprise, e-commerce, and how to write a business plan. That success led Washington DC Rotary to start a similar program in Zimbabwe. This year we are launching programs in four other African nations, using the same model, and seeking 28 other Rotary Districts to each adopt an African nation. That experience even enabled us to launch a program to teach Native American youth about entrepreneurship, and two teenage boys started Red Chili Shack, a catering service offering authentic American Indian food at UCLA and other L.A. area institutions. The boys were named 'Youth Entrepreneurs of the Year' by the American Indian trade fair in Las Vegas in 2005. All because of a meeting in Buenos Aires in 2000.
Convention_experience- Name: MANON LENNON
- Email:
info@taxitax.ca
- District: 7040
- Club: Laval
- Number_of_Conventions: 1
- Date: April 19, 2005
When I joined Rotary, I was attracted by it's international aspect. When attending my first district conference the following fall, I was so impressed with the event and then decided I would go to Osaka, Japan with my family for the next convention.
While in Osaka with 46 000 other Rotarians, we were really happy and very impressed. We received so much compare to what we paid for. We attended as many events as we could possibly fit into our agenda. Morning sessions, official luncheons, excursions, evening events and visits to the Fellowship boots. We met many really nice Rotarians from all over the world and exchanged cards, pins, fanions and souvenirs. We felt we were part of something really big and good.
At the plenary sessions, we learned a lot more about Rotary, we saw some amazing people and heard their great stories. We were so proud to be Rotarians.
This June, we will be in Chicago and next year in Maimo and Copenhagen. We make it our summer vacations from now on.
No words and no pictures can describe the great feeling of being there. You have to go and see for yourselves!!!
Convention_experience- Name: Eugene L. Beil
- Email:
kiwimate@msn.com
- District: 6950
- Club: Hudson
- Number_of_Conventions: six
- Date: April 19, 2005
I have been a Rotarian since 1984, but did not attend my first Convention until 1998. I want to encourage all Rotarians not to wait as long to attend their first. The programs are motivational and impressive. The opening flag ceremony is always a moving experience. But the best part is meeting people, fellow Rotarians from all over the world. The House of Friendship is great as are the fellowship and vendor booths. If you love to travel and love Rotary, International Conventions can't be beat.
Convention_experience- Name: Alfredo Pèrez Vivas
- Email:
alfredoperezv@hotmail.com
- District: 4370
- Club: Cachamay Nuevas Generaciones
- Number_of_Conventions: 1 Indianapolis 1998
- Date: April 19, 2005
Fue increible ver a màs de 19000 personas vibrar bajo un mismo ideal el de ser rotarios , sin importar de que parte del planeta vinieran, siempre con un mismo norte el de ayudar a los demas sin esperar nada a cambio.
Convention_experience- Name: Eric Marcus
- Email:
emarcus@ohioerie.org
- District: 6670
- Club: Beavercreek (Ohio, USA)
- Number_of_Conventions: 7
- Date: April 19, 2005
As I like to tell the story, I joined Rotary in 1988 and for 10 years, I ate lunch.
In 1998, I attended the International Convention in Indianapolis. It was close and I had businesses there, so I was able to combine the two. It was there that I became a "Born Again Rotarian".
As soon as I got home from Indy, I started making plans to go to Singapore. I have not missed a convention since. I took my wife to Buenos Aires and Brisbane and my entire family to San Antonio.
I attend every session every day. I even go to the Youth Exchange Pre-convention, as Youth Exchange is my Rotary Passion.
After the Indy convention, I spent weeks bugging my club members to go to Singapore. I have never given up encouraging Rotarians to attend a convention.
Before Indy, I thought that International Conventions were for the muckity-mucks. I learned there that I was wrong: the International Convention is for the every-day Rotarian.
I can say with a great deal of confidence that the International Convention put the Rotary in this Rotarian.
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