President Steffen Niu

President Message - December, 2001 Fellow Rotarians: As we enter the fifth month of our Rotary year, I'd like to thank the Board of Directors and their committees for their extraordinary effort so far. We have passed the startup period and have just started to get down to the real work of Rotary. Time goes quickly however, and we only have seven months left of this Rotary year to complete the many projects we would like to see done. Already, however, under the direction of Vocational Director Keiko Okubo, we have delivered two scholarship checks in the amount of $500 each to outstanding GCC students and are working on finalizing the scholarships for UOG students. Director Keiko and project leader PP Abi Adigun have been organizing a large group of dedicated committee members in preplanning the Career day activities for middle school students. This is a very ambitious and exciting project expected to take place sometime in mid to late spring of this year, and I would like to thank the entire committee for the extensive planning efforts already put forth as well as the comittment to seeing this project through. I believe this will be one of RCNG's most exceptional projects. Club Service has also taken an early start with the Poolside/Fireside chat organized in August, and the 26th Annual Charter night celebration in November. Thanks and congratulations on a job well done to Club Service Director Ramon and his committee on these very successful events. Regular lunch meeting food service has also been enhanced thanks to request by last year's Board under PP Abi and follow up by this year's Club Service committee such that we have had a number of 'special' lunch sponsorship, including lunch meetings at TJ Hotstones, Al Dente, and lunches hosted by Niji restaurants to give us a change of pace and to help enhance fellowship while we have enjoyed a wide slate of speakers from Delegate Underwoood and Ex Chief Justice Benjamin Cruz, to more eclectic speakers such as PP Mack Ezzel and P-Elect Ed Cruz's personal trainer! International Service has had quite a busy first 5 months as well as Director Lee Vensel has pushed forward with expanding our communication and contact with our proposed sister club of Ohi Tokyo, which is expected to culminate in the signing of a three-year agreement in January or February of 2002. With the extensive involvement of PP Dan Rosenberger, RCNG has finally also made headway for the first time on a matching grant project begun last year, and recently recieved approval for the Dental equipment project in Pohnpei, which because of cost savings is now revised to provide $6,500 of equipment to that island nation community. Community Service, under Dirctor Noel Cabello, has also completed one of the most taxing projects our club undertakes by putting together and running what has become an annual event for the past 6 years, the Benefit Auction on November 30th. Despite the adversity of our economic climate, problems getting overseas donations in, and the increasing difficulty this year in obtaining donations, Community Service's Auction Committee under the co-leadership of Elaine Lo and Joey Lopez, was able to put together a very big event during a very difficult time. Thanks to them and special thanks to all those other Rotarians who really made the auction possible by helping out, before, during and after the event, including President Elect Ed Cruz,. Rotarians Rick Boice, Sam Lai, Isabel Sandoval, Eg David, Dave Toves, Philippe Gerling, Patrick Bulaon, Len Isotoff, and PP Dan Rosenberger (especially for bringing in his wife Ruth who was of incredible help during the organization on the day of the Auction). This fund raiser, whose preliminary estimates are $21,000 in gross receipts, supplies the money which allows our club to function, and to perform its community and international service activities throughout the year. Subsequently, RCNG will be able to proceed with it's many diverse programs throughout the year, including projects with Sanctuary, Big Brothers, Early Intervention, and others, as well as our own programs towards beautification and youth smoking awareness campaigns. In these first five months, our four avenues of service have been very busy and very successful in their efforts despite the adversity of our regional economic condition. We have many other opportunities to serve ahead of us before the year's end, including support for the Paul Harris foundation, the career day event, the finalization of a sister club arrangement in early 2002, and others. I am proud to say that this Rotary Club of Northern Guam has, and continues to be a very dedicated group of business individuals, and I look forward to a continuation of the progress we have already mapped out through the end of this calander year, and to the end of the Rotary Year in June. Steffen Niu Rotary Club of Northern Guam District 2750 P.O. Box 21542, GMF, Guam 96910 USA E-mail: rcng@gcic.net Web: http://www.guam.net/pub/rcng