District 7620 Rotaract Project Updates

The Rotaract Club of College Park is raising money to remove land mines in Cambodia as well. They will be holding a 5k Run/Walk in order to raise money for the cause. When and Where? The run is on Saturday, April 12th, 2008. The Run/Walk begins at 11am, with the registration starting at 10am. It will be held on the University of Maryland Campus. It runs from Lot XX1, near the main entrance to the University, continues around Lake Artemesia and then back to Lot XX1. For more information visit: http://www.studentorg.umd.edu/rotaract/Cambodia5k.html

The Wine Event is Coming Soon on May 9th, 2008. For tickets and more information please visit:

http://www.rotaract7620.org/fundraiser.htm


Rotary International Mine Action in Cambodia was initially started by the Seattle 4 Rotary Club in 2003 and currently has 18 Rotary Clubs around the world involved. Rotary International has partnered with The HALO Trust, a non-profit de-mining organization based in Great Britain and the United States. The HALO Trust's de-mining efforts were previously supported by the late Princess Diana and more recently American Actress & Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations, Angelina Jolie. The U.S. State Department has granted The HALO Trust a $50,000 matching grant for mine action in Cambodia - $25,000 to be allotted to Rotary-led projects including the District 7620 event.
U.S. State Department – Office of Weapons Removal & Abatement – Statement of Support for Rotary International Mine Action Efforts – “Recognizes and is grateful for the continued dedication and involvement of Rotary and Rotaract Clubs in mine action” - Click here for full press release.

ROTARY CLUB SPONSORS:
Platinum: Rotary Club of Friendship Heights
Gold Sponsorship: Rotary Club of Columbia
Silver Sponsorship - Rotaract Club of Captiol Hill & Rotary Club of College Park

*Platinum- $2,000+, Gold- $1,000-$1,999, Silver - $500-$999, Bronze- $100-$499

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The Cork Project Hits the Eateries of Baltimore!


The Rotaract Club of Baltimore’s Cork Project recently decided to spread the word through the food community in Baltimore. Each active member is volunteering to reach out to their neighborhood restaurants to donate wine corks and have a wine cork holder with the Rotaract logo.

Designed to spark interest in the group and what the corks will be used for, this project has the ability to affect the area in multiple ways! The corks will be recycled and the funds generated will go directly to Rotaract volunteer projects in the community!


What a small step restaurants can make in the process of going GREEN! Remember 1 small step leads to giant leaps, which can bring about change. We need real cork which is sustainable versus synthetic and screw caps that are not.


  • Did you know that Wine corks could be converted to useful sustainable products? Tiles, installation, office supplies, and more!

  • Did you know that the Cork Montados, the cork oak savannahs, are the continuation of an ancient practice and multi-dimensional use of land around the Mediterranean Sea? The Cork Montados actually protect the biodiversity and certain wildlife that is endangered or on the brink of extinction and are a hedge against desertification caused by global warming as the Sahara creeps into Europe.

  • A typical wine cork weighs approximately 0.12 oz. and champagne corks weigh approximately 0.32 oz.

GO GREEN! Wine world! We need a ton! A ton is approximately 250,000 Corks! Can this be done in a year? Yes! With your help all things are possible.

The next time your out to dinner or out for a drink look for the Rotaract Cork Recycle bag/bin or ask your favorite dive if they would be willing to help make change and a difference in their community!

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Scrambled Eggs, Mimosas, & More


We had a wonderful social event on Sunday, March 16, 2008. This event took place at Little Havana in Federal Hill. We had brunch and beverages. It was a nice way for the members to get together and brain storm some ideas of future events and volunteer activities as well as to catch up and find out what is going on in everyone’s lives.

Are you looking for something to do one Sunday a month? Look no further! Each month we will have a Sunday designated social event. Look for advertisements regarding the April Social Event. For details, please contact Social Chair, Richard Williams.
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District Wide Rotaract Project 2008

District Wide Rotaract Project Information

Rotaract Goals for Rotary International District 7620:

· To execute successful auction & wine tasting fundraiser on May 9, 2008 at the Royal Embassy of Cambodia to fund HALO Trust’s landmine removal efforts in Northwestern Cambodia
· To promote awareness about the negative & social impact of landmines in Cambodia
· Continue to build upon the Rotary International partnership with HALO Trust and the State Department
· Develop a joint fundraising initiative with Rotaract Clubs & their sponsoring Rotary Clubs
· Develop partnerships with additional Rotary Clubs & international groups
Past & Current Rotary International Efforts to Remove Landmines in Cambodia
· HALO Trust is a non-political, non-religious NGO that specializes in the removal of the debris of war & first partnered with Rotary International to remove landmines from Cambodia in 2003 & the State Department in 2005

· Approximately 18 Rotary Clubs are now involved in the mine removal effort in Northwestern Cambodia with the Seattle 4 Rotary Club first initiating the fundraising effort in 2003, Led by Sally Mackle from the Seattle 4 Rotary Club.
· U.S. State Department matched $1 for $1 for past efforts & will match up to $50,000 for 2008 with $25,000 allotted specifically for Rotary International District 7620 (Total cost of 2008 project = $150,000)
· Past State Department Matches: 2006=$42,500 & 2007=$65,000
· HALO Trust is also pursuing additional matching grants from other organizations for 2008

Please Contact Our District Rotaract Representative On Ways To Help:
Poonam Chhunchha, District 7620 Rotaract Representative at Poonamvc@gmail.com

Support the cause join us at the event: On May 9, 2008, from 6:30-9:30PM, Rotaract Clubs in Rotary International District 7620 will be hosting a benefit at the Royal Embassy of Cambodia, located on 4530 16th Street N.W, Washington D.C., in an effort to help Halo Trust’s Foundation Coalition Project 3.

Monthly Professional Development Tip: Working Across Cultures

1. Learn about the business beforehand. This general business strategy becomes increasingly important when dealing with businesses across cultures. Get on their website, check out their promotional material. Get a feel for the atmosphere, attitude, and angle that the business has. Many cultural factors are passed down from the societal level to businesses. However, each organization will have its own culture, personality, and way of doing things.

2. Observe. Because your mind is processing a lot of information in new environments, your observation skills when working across cultures may be flooded or unfocused. Keep your observation skills engaged and alert to elements that will help you do business. Notice how people act, dress, and treat each other. Especially if you come from a culture that emphasizes verbal communication, make a point of looking for messages that are conveyed without being said. Being able to read a situation will greatly improve your ability to have a successful meeting.

3. Ask questions. Many people don't want to reveal how little they know about other cultures, so they don't ask questions. Ultimately, they limit their ability to work in other cultures. Questions show you are interested in your colleague's culture. This interest and consideration helps build your relationship, which is especially important if your culture has a reputation for trying to culturally dominate others (e.g. the U.S.). Demonstrate that you are working to create synergy between your cultures with questions. In doing so, you create room for the mistakes you may make; people are more willing to look past cultural blunders if they know you are trying to learn.

4. Stay aware of yourself. Some people feel like they have somewhat of an out-of-body experience when in cross-cultural situations because they are focused on everything new outside of themselves. There can be so much going on around you that you forget to focus on yourself as well. Take advantage of down time (and make time for it) so you can get in touch with your body and feelings. What's your gut feeling? Where is it coming from? This process can help you feel more grounded and secure in your experience abroad.
5. Allow for more timeWorking across cultures takes more time. Communication may be slowed and logistics may be different. You may be working with a culture with a different concept of time altogether. Expect most things to take longer than they would when dealing with a business from your same culture or country. Also give yourself more time to process all the information before making decisions.

6. Look for individual differences. Overviews of cultures are meant to be guidelines only. Individuals may have values and behaviors that vary greatly from those of their native culture. Many people make the mistake of trying to fit people they are working with into cultural molds, when often they don't fit. People's values and behaviors are influenced in part by their culture, but also by their background, experiences, and personality. Be careful not to attribute too much of what you observe to a cultural difference.

7. Find the humor. Humor heals and helps you through difficult situations. Travel can be stressful, as can new environments and change in general. This stress can limit both your flexibility and your ability to handle cross-cultural situations. Combat stress with humor. Be able to step away (at least mentally) from situations and find the humor in them.

8. Learn to tolerate uncertainty. This is an essential skill, and one that can be extremely difficult for people from some cultures where directness and exactness are valued (e.g. Germany, the US). There will be a great deal of unknowns when doing business across cultures. Definitive, concrete answers may not always be given, especially if you are working with a culture with a high tolerance for uncertainty. Focus on what you can determine and try to let go of minor details that are unclear. (Similarly, if you come from a culture that doesn't place a high value on exactness and are working with someone from a culture that does, try to provide clarification and details when possible.)

9. Go early. If your meeting is face-to-face and you'll be traveling abroad, go at least two days before your scheduled meeting. Give yourself time to adjust; you will have to deal with physical adjustments (jet lag, different foods) as well as a number of cultural adjustments as well. These changes can be overwhelming and should be spread out to make them manageable. Give yourself time to adjust physically and then your mind will be better able to make cultural adjustments that are essential for success.

10. Build your intercultural skills. When working with people from different cultures, you need a solid understanding of the norms of that culture. You also need communication skills and business strategies that can be applied across cultures. The items listed above reflect some of the necessary skills for intercultural work in general. However, individuals should develop a list of skills they need to develop to further their intercultural communication skills based on their own situations and needs.

To determine these skills, reflect on past intercultural experiences (for people with limited experience abroad, think of experiences working and interacting with people and groups different from you). When do you become uncomfortable, rigid, or shut down? What mistakes have you made in the past? Commit yourself to continually developing the skills that will help you in similar situations in the future.

View your experiences with different cultures as a trajectory, rather than a string of individual experiences. Link the different experiences you have and you can link the personal development and learning that comes with them.

Retrieved from: Kate Berardo is a Northwestern educated intercultural specialist who helps people from different cultures, backgrounds, and schools of thought understand each other and work effectively together. She is the co-author of "Putting Diversity to Work" with colleagues George Simons and Simma Lieberman, the "Executive Planet Guide to Doing Business with the US", and the founder of www.culturosity.com, the culture destination portal dedicated to building intercultural awareness in daily life.

LA '08!!!!!!!!!!! Attend Rotaract Pre-Convention 2008 in Los Angeles, CA

Ask any member who went to Utah last year and they will say:

"it's a memorable experience."
"a lot of networking"
"a lot of different cultures"

Don't you wanna share the experience?

Dates are June 12-14 (though there are activities until that Tuesday night).
Register for fun activities to participate in!!!!!!!http://rotaract2008.com/register.html