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District
History > 2008-2009
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Rotary District 7500 Governor Dan Cortese
(2008-09)
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District
Governor Dan Cortese |
One of my
most memorable moments as Governor started before becoming one.
While speaking to the Governor-elects from all over the world in January
of 2008, Rotary International President D.K. Lee revealed the theme for
2008-2009. Before doing so, he explained to us why.
D.K.
Lee told us that over 26,000 Children die each and every day, under the
age of five, from preventable causes. He said they Die from
Pneumonia, Measles & Malaria. They die because of lack of basic
Medicines, vaccines & mosquito netting. They die from diarrheal
illnesses – and that is because they do not have re-hydration salts that
cost pennies. And last D.K. told us, thousands die daily because they only
have dirty water to wash in and drink. I
could not believe what I was hearing and I still can’t as I write this.
How is it possible that in the 21st Century, that many children
could die under the age of five from things that are preventable? The
Theme for 2008-2009 is “Make Dreams Real”. D.K Lee |
is asking
every Rotary Club to do something to make a difference and help lower
Child Mortality Rates. I fully support this effort and hope that all
40 Rotary Clubs in our District participate in a project focused on
helping the children in our world live another day.
The
Theme for our District this year is a simple one - Club Support. The
Rotarians who volunteer on the District Staff want to make a difference by
helping the clubs achieve all their goals and objectives in 2008-2009.
One
goal I know all clubs have is increasing and retaining membership.
Without members, we cannot carry out the wonderful projects that make a
difference in our local and international communities. Fellowship,
great weekly programs and involvement in club service projects are the key
elements to strong membership and I encourage you to focus in these areas
as you pursue your club membership goals.
I
look forward to also seeing during my visits and our annual events like
the Foundation Dinner and Mid-Year Assembly. I especially hope to see you
at the District Conference in Cape May on April 24-26, 2009. Good
Luck to all in 2008-2009.
Yours
in Rotary
Dan
Cortese
District
Governor 2008-2009
Click
Here for Pictures from the 2009 Conference in Cape May, NJ
 
NewsLetters
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Rotary International President DK Lee
(2008-09) |
RI President DK Lee |
Dong Kurn
Lee is chair of Bubang Co. Ltd. and Bubang Techron Co. Ltd., manufacturing
companies based in Seoul. A graduate of Yonsei University, D.K. serves as
a trustee of the Busan College of Information Technology and is a past
president of both his high school and college alumni associations. He has
served as a trustee of the Bank of Seoul and honorary consul of Italy in
Korea.
He
joined the Rotary Club of Seoul Hangang in 1971 and has served RI as
director, treasurer, trustee, district governor, and International
Assembly training leader. He also has been a regional Rotary Foundation
coordinator and zone and regional coordinator for membership development.
He is chair of the Polio Eradication Private Sector Initiative in Korea
and serves as Korea’s PolioPlus national advocacy adviser. He is a
recipient of the Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service and
Distinguished Service Award. In 1996, as district governor, D.K. was
recognized at the RI Convention as the winner of the Calgary Challenge,
which recognized the district with the most successful membership
development efforts, chartering 32 new clubs and adding nearly 1,800 new
members.
He
lives in Seoul, Korea, with his wife, Young. They have four children and
five grandchildren.
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Rotary International Director Michael
Colasurdo, Sr. (2008-10) |
RI Director Michael Colasurdo, Sr. |
Michael was born and raised in Jersey
City, New Jersey and graduated from New Jersey City University with a
B.A. degree in Political Science. Upon graduation in 1967, Michael began
his teaching career at Colonia Senior High School in Woodbridge, NJ
where he taught American History, Economics and International Studies.
After departing the teaching profession, Michael became a self-employed
businessman. He and his wife Ann, of forty-two years, along with their
sons, are the owners of Mulberry Street Italian Food Centers, which are
exclusive Italian Specialty Food Centers in Ocean County, NJ.
Michael has been a member of the Rotary
Club of Brick Township for the past twenty-four years, during which he
has proudly served in all positions of leadership culminating in the
Presidency in Rotary year 1993-94. In addition to his presidency, he has
held numerous district-wide positions, which include District Club
Service Director from 1994-96 and District Governor in 1997-98.
Following his tenure |
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as District Governor, Michael served as District
Trainer for four years as well as a faculty member of several Zone
Institutes and as Regional Vice Chair of the Rotary Leadership
Institute. Michael is also very proud to have been elected to serve as
his Rotary District’s Representative to the Council on Legislation in
2001, 2004 and again in 2007.
In the Rotary year 2001-02, Michael
served as RI Membership Coordinator for Zone 32 and was reappointed the
following year by RI President Bhichai Rattakul. During this time he
also served as Promotions Division Chair for Zones 31-32 Institute in
Williamsburg, Va., and was proud of his selection as his District’s
Representative to serve on the Nominations Committee for selection of RI
Director.
In the Rotary Year 2003-04, Michael
served as RI Poverty Alleviation Task Force Coordinator for Zone 32.
During this time, he was the Operations Division Chair for the Zone
Institute held in Burlington, Vt.
During the Rotary Centennial year,
Michael was asked to serve as the Family of Rotary Coordinator for Zone
32 and was selected by RI Director Dave Linett to be the General Chair
of the Zone Institute for 2004 for the Centennial Celebration in
Cambridge, Md.
In 2004 RI President Jonathan B.
Majiyagbe appointed Michael to be his personal representative to the
7980 District Conference in Lancaster, Pa. and in 2005, President Glenn
E. Estess Sr. appointed Michael as his personal representative to the
6670 District Conference in Wilmington, Ohio and this past Rotary Year
President Carl Wilhelm Stenhammer appointed Michael to represent him at
the 7790 Conference in Bar Harbor, Maine.
Michael was the Grand Marshall of the
1999 Columbus Day Parade, was recognized as Citizen of the Year by the
Ocean County Cultural Society 2001, and was his Rotary Club’s Rotarian
of the Year 2002. He is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow, a Major Donor and
Benefactor of the Permanent Fund, a Charter Member of the Bequest
Society of the Rotary Foundation, as well as a recipient of the
Meritorious Service Award. Michael served a two year term as Zone 32
Strategic Advisor of Annual Giving as well as serving as the Executive
Trainer for Mid-Atlantic P.E.T.S. that comprises six districts in
Delaware, Pa, and NJ.
Michael and Ann have three sons, all
Rotarians, Michael Jr. and Ralph, both graduates of LaSalle University,
Philadelphia, Pa., and Mark, a graduate of Embry Riddle Aeronautical
University, Daytona Beach, Fl. Michael and Ralph share in the ownership
and operation of the family business while Mark is employed as a Captain
with Jet Blue Airlines. Michael’s commitment to the Rotary Foundation is
“from the heart” as evidenced by his entire family, wife, parents,
children, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren all having been recognized
as Paul Harris Fellows.
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July-August