August 12, 2006
Issue 7

Dear Rotary Leaders,

Foundation Seminar Registration
The online registration has been released for the September 16 Foundation Seminar. Because of Rotary International President-Elect Wilf Wilkinson we expect this event to sell out. Please make sure this is announced to your club members so that they can register as soon as possible. See also "District Calendar" section at the bottom of this page.
We will have some display table in the main hall of the Salk Institute for various service projects (but not for fundraising events). If you would like to have a display table, please contact Doug Clements.
I also wanted to remind the clubs that a DVD was produced last year of the Foundation Seminar, and copies were sent to the clubs who requested it. Please make sure this DVD is circulated to your club members, especially the new members. If you need extra copies we can send you some at $10 per copy. A DVD will also be produced from the 2006 Foundation Seminar.

Youth Exchange Policy
The Youth Abuse and Harassment Prevention Committee met on August 10 at the District Office. The minutes from this public meeting are published on the district website. There will be another public hearing on September 7. We are still receiving lots of questions and comments about this policy. Please make sure everybody in your club is aware of the following:
1. This policy is required by Rotary International, and it needs to be place to protect the kids, but also to protect the Rotarians against liability.
2. Even though we have officially adopted a policy at the last District Conference, we are still open discussions about the implementation of the policy, this is what the committee meetings are all about. If some of your club meetings have strong feelings about what we should do or not do, now is the time to voice your concern.
3. We are not going to do background checks on everybody in the District! We are developing the guidelines to decide when a background check will be required and when we can do without it. This will be different for the various youth programs, and for the various roles having different levels of interactions with the kids.

Rotarians At Work
If you have not selected a Rotarians At Work Day project yet for your club, I invite you to get started as soon as possible, so you will have plenty of time to plan the event and prepare the Public Relations work. We want to keep the momentum on the success of last year's event.
As announced in Quickbits, the DVD from last year's event is available to order on the Rotary International Website. Try to get a copy for your club and have it circulated to all your club members.

Trips to Africa
This might be one of the last opportunities to witness a National Immunization Day (NID) with the PolioPlus program. There will be a NID on November 3 and 4 in Ghana, West Africa, in conjunction with the West Africa Project Fair on November 1 and 2. A trip is being organized by Howard Tours (Oakland, CA) to go to both the NID and to the West Africa Project Fair, October 30 to November 8, 2006. Click here for more information.
In addition, our District is planning a private trip to District 9200, East Africa, from January 10 to 24, 2007. A group of 10 to 12 Rotarians will be going to Uganda and Kenya to visit existing project sites, and to find new projects. We have a few openings on this team. If you are interested, please contact Mel Gallegos.

Philippe Lamoise
District Governor 2006-07
Rotary District 5340

	August 18 Thousand Laughs for Thousand Smiles 8 pm. at Sycuan Resort Pre show hors d'oeuvres and no host bar from 5 pm. at Singing Hills country Club. Shuttle will be available to Suycan. Steve Kelly and friends will appear live on stage. It is a really fun night... More information... September 16 Foundation Seminar Salk Institute Breakfast 7 am., program 8 am. to 12 noon One of the most stimulating event of the year! Don't miss this first class event about all the Rotary Foundation programs in the District. The keynote speaker will be Rotary International President Elect Wilf Wilkinson. More information...

You can find more information on District events on the District Website.