RGHF Institute #1 @ Club #1 - Photos and videos

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ROTARY GLOBAL HISTORY FELLOWSHIP 10th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION - CHICAGO OCTOBER 10-12, 2010 BY DICK MCKAY- RGHF SECRETARY/TREASURER EMERITUS On 11 October 2000, Rotarian Jack Selway, Colorado, USA, conceived the idea of incorporating the histories of the first 50 Rotary Clubs on the internet. Since Rotary started in Chicago, I called him and offered the support of ROTARY/One in this effort. Within days, then DG 5470 Eddie Blender, Wichita #30 Club President Geri Appel, and New York #6 webmaster Matts Ingemanson joined our ranks. Shortly before the San Antonio Convention in June 2001, we decided to invite the officers of the first 50 clubs to a cocktail party, which we guaranteed. We were overwhelmed with the response and by the time we left the convention we had concluded we should preserve the first 100 clubs of the world. Today, we have histories of nearly 1,000 clubs, including more than half of the Rotary world’s districts, and many other projects beyond the clubs.
R/O Rotarian Angelo Loumbas provided the legal expertise which enabled us to successfully request Fellowship status from Rotary International. This was granted on 3 October 2003. RGHF has a Board comprised of 100 members who represent 49 zones and zone sections. The board is convened online, monthly, over a three day period. There are currently 15 historians and 10 webmasters volunteering their time. RGHF has nearly 700 dues paying members and is growing rapidly. ($30.00 per year) The website contains over 25,000 articles about the Global History of Rotary included in more than 4,000 pages on the internet. There are more than 100 separate projects underway at RGHF. This information is available free of charge to anyone accessing rghf.org. The celebration of the 10^th anniversary of RGHF was the launching pad for the first RGHF Institute. The purpose of the Institute is to find a handful of Rotarians who will dedicate their lives to history, so that thousands more might dedicate their lives to Rotary.
The events in photos and video - Full institute schedule here

SUNDAY-OCTOBER 10
6:00-9:00 PM Welcome Reception and Dinner at the Union League Club

Our headquarters	Registration, Jack, PDG's Fred Otto and Geri Appel, and Nevine Abdelkhalek, Egypt.	PRIP Frank Devlyn, Mexico; PDG Sandy Duckworth and Patrick Schauer, USA	Members from different countries, register. Most know each other from our Facebook account.	Bob Gebhard, Frank Devlyn, Ursula & Angie Jimenez, and Ruth Kaplan


Sandra Myers, registers	Founders get their Alumni pins. Jack Selway, Dick McKay, Matts Ingemanson, and PDG Geri Appel	All members received their special alumni pins. Nevine Abdelkhalek, Egypt, left and PRIP Devlyn, right.	Rotary International President and RGHF founder. "eating"	Christodoulos Achilleoudis, Cyprus, tells the story of how his club became a 100% club. Joe Kagle (on the screen) was our president, Dick McKay foreground



MONDAY-OCTOBER 11
Rotary International Headquarters in Evanston by chartered bus van. First a stop at the offices of the Rotary International Archives, with the archivist as our host. Next we met with RI officials, and saw Room 711,
Room 711, also maintained, on the internet by RGHF	The four men who met at Room 711 on 23 February 1905	Paul Harris, outside of his office which RGHF also preserves	Inside the office	From the doorway

Our visit to the archives, there's more on our website Club Archives, according to RI
RGHF board member Stephanie Giordano, the RI Archivist tells of the enormous job she and one assistant do.	We listen and learn	... and look	and look	We could have spent days here, we had one hour


RGHF's Tour of RI Headquarters - more on our website
A quick look at the RI headquarters 1954-1987	One Rotary Center	Titch Harrison, the star of our meeting at ORC	Lunch at One Rotary Center	Members outside of One Rotary Center




Frank in his old office with Angie Jimenez	View from the president's office	Arch Klumph Society	Alumni members at ORC	Jack Selway and Joaquín Mejía, the RI staff member who gave RGHF its start with a list of the first 50 clubs, 11 October 2000


RGHF's Tour of Room 711 - more on our website
Room 711 www.room711.org	RGHF board member, the RI Archivist Stephanie Giordano, PDG Helen Reisler, and Matts Ingemanson	Ursula Jimenez	Bob Gebhard	PDG Helen Reisler and Angie Jimenez


Kent Vestaburg, Sweden	Gus's desk	The view as it was in 1905 Chicago	PDG Michael Swinford, Matts Ingemanson, and NK Gopinath	Room 711


RGHF's Tour of the Paul Harris Office - more on our website
www.harrisoffice.org	The Founder and the Builder. Paul and Ches Perry	Paul's desk	Full descriptions at www.harrisoffice.org	www.harrisoffice.org


www.harrisoffice.org	www.harrisoffice.org	www.harrisoffice.org	PRIP Frank Devlyn and Kate Sherry	Matts Ingemanson and Frank


Monday 3:30 - 5:00 PM RGHF "Tea & Talk - Women and Rotary". We discussed how to improve www.jeanharris.org with "RGHF Women and Rotary" board member PDG Sandy Duckworth.

PDG Sandy discusses the future of our women's section	PDG Ron Sekkel rises to make a point


RGHF 10th Anniversary Official Dinner
6:00 Walk five blocks to the Willis (Sears) Tower ( far right) for cocktails and dinner at the Metropolitan Club. (a beautiful view of the City of Chicago, seen on the near right)
Our RGHF Institute dinner at the Metropolitan Club, Willis Tower (Sears), Chicago 11 October 2010
Nada Mahmassani, Sandra Myers, PDG Helen Reisler, and Ursula Jimenez	Joe Kagle being interviewed for our documentary	Reception	Ken Lerman and PDG Geri Appel	Sue & PDG John Behrendt, Gordon Devlyn, Frank Devlyn, DG Robb Knuepfer


View from the top


		PDG Michael Swinford	PDG Irv Kaplan and Tim Tucker	PDG Bill and Sue Davis-Hornby


PDG Sandy Duckworth and Patrick Schauer


TUESDAY-OCTOBER 12
VISITED Paul Harris and Silvester Schiele's grave sites and tour Comely Bank, Paul & Jean Harris' home, by chartered bus. (see photos below)


			RGHF Institute Alumni Visit the home of Paul Harris. RGHF Institute Alumni are seen touring the home. RGHF contributed $1,000 to assist. To contribute to this restoration project, visit the Comely Bank website at http://www.paulharrishome.org

The Editor of the Regional Rotary Magazine, titled "Rotary News", Rtn.T.K.Balakrishnan has once again thought it fit to carry an article that I had sent on our 10th Anniversary celebrations and more so on the Paul and Jean Harris House. I had spoken to him of the condition of the House and how much of an effort the Rotarians of the Chicago region and more especially the Rotarians of ROTARY/One are taking in sprucing this invaluable treasure house of the Harris's. By this note and through you, as Founder of RGHF, I like to convey my sincere thanks to Rtn. T.K.Balakrishnan (TKB) for supporting this worthy cause. Warm Regards, N.K Gopinath, RGHF Board


Comely Bank	Comely Bank	Board member Mark Van Fleet	Back of house	Front of house


PDG Michael Swinford and Jack Selway	Nevine Abdelkhalek	PDG Irv Kaplan		Sue Coates photo, looking toward Sylvester Schiele's house.


RGHF gives $1,000 to Comely Bank	Jack Selway, PRIP Frank Devlyn, and PDG Michael Swinford


Tuesday - The Paul Harris Memorial & Presidential Walkway.

			This video is part of the dedication, by RGHF member Zhema Shown in one of the scenes are RGHF members Dick McKay, Rick Thiernau, Brian Andersen, Robb Knuepfer, Geri Appel, Toni Byrnes, Irv Kaplan, Ted Gifford, Jack Selway, Frank Devlyn, and Matts Ingemanson pay tribute to Paul Harris (Also see the RGHF Alumni who were responsible for this event) RGHF contributed $1,000 to assist with the new walkway. Presentation and dedication of the new brick walkway, by RGHF and the Paul Harris Memorial committee, on 10/12/2010
	The new brick walkway was dedicated to RGHF







Founder Jack Selway	Founding Secretary/Treasure Dick McKay	Founding member PDG Geri Appel	Founding Member PDG Eddie Blender	Founding Member Matts Ingemanson

			RID 81/83 Dr. Edgar (Ted) D. Gifford RID 81/83 Dr. Edgar (Ted) D. Gifford, For more www.rotaryfirst100.org/historians/gifford.htm His first person articles on Ches Perry, Herb Taylor, and a 2003 speech at the Rotary Club of Chicago. "History is only valuable if it allows us to stand on its shoulders, and look into the future. The greater the history, and the finer the tradition, the farther we can see."


Geri and Pedro	Our ride


12:00 Noon-Rotary Club of Chicago Luncheon-
A special luncheon meeting with the members of the Rotary Club of Chicago.
He shook hands with Paul Harris. We all met "Titch" Harrison. Read his many contributions to RGHF here.
Left to Right: the late David Durham - ROTARY/One President 2010 - 2011 and new RGHF member, Dick McKay - Founding Secretary of RGHF, Andrea Luehmann - ROTARY/One President 2011/12, Robb Knuepfer - DG 6450 2010 - 2011, Elaine Harrison -Titch's wife since 6 February 1945, Titch Harrison - ROTARY/One Archivist and new RGHF Member, Basil Lewis - Senior Historian For RGHF - UK, Walter Stawicki - ROTARY/One member who chauffeured the Harrisons (*RGHF members)


RGHF founding secretary and Chicago host Dick McKay	Long time member and president of RI when we began, Frank Devlyn	RGHF Founder Jack Selway	RGHF at RO	Nevine Abdelkhalek, Egypt



RO President and RGHF member Andrea Luehmann	RGHF and RO members. Mark Van Fleet and Kate Sherry foreground	Presentation to the Rotary Club of Chicago, by Jack Selway	RGHF Institute Alumni Members at the ROTARY/One luncheon	www.1905society.org - The "1905 Society" awards for 2010 went to five RGHF members


Afternoon open for visits to Art Institute, Millennium Park, Navy Pier, Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, shopping on Magnificent Mile. (see photos below) (optional on your own)
Magnificent Mile	Chicago Art Institute	Millennium Park	Field Museum	Navy Pier


2:00 PM RGHF Institute Fellows meeting. RGHF Members, in good standing received bids on future venues and recommended future events. Approved future institutes: 2011 Ammersee, Bavaria, Germany: Ziegler

The RGHF Institute Alumni met to discuss and recommend future venues.
RGHF Institute Alumni meeting


6:00 PM Farewell cocktail and dinner, with a presentations by RGHF Institute Alumni from 11 countries.

Our farewell dinner, but Bavaria beckons	Members since "Let there be Peace on Earth"	Selway leads the singing	Irene Herz, USA; and Tim Tucker, England	PDG's Helen Reisler and Ron Sekkel, USA



Malek and Nada Mahmassani, Paris and Beirut	PDG John and Sue Behrendt, USA	Jean Sweeney and Sandra Myers, USA	NK Gopinath, India and PDG Irv Kaplan, USA	Mark Van Fleet and Ken Lerman


Sue Davis-Hornby and PDG Bill Hornby	Irv, Geri, Ruth, and Ken	Sherry and Jack, with gift from Sandra Myers	Honorary alumni member David Phelps bids of farewell. He was invaluable	The program for this event was provided by those from other countries. Here is deputy zone 16 member Kent Vesterberg, Sweden


Institute members share their thoughts.

Part 1: PDG Irv Kaplan, USA; Jean Sweeny, USA; PDG Tin Tin Raschid, USA; Bilal Raschid, USA; Jose Fernandez, Dominican Republic; Matts Ingemanson, founding member, USA; Joe Kagle, USA; Irene Herz, USA; NK Gopinath, India; Malek Mahmassani, Lebanon; Kent Vesterberg, Sweden; Tim Tucker, England; John Lane, Australia Part 2: PDG Ron Sekkel, USA; Dick McKay, RGHF founding member, USA; Frank Devlyn, RI President 00/01, Mexico; Gerrit Terpstra, USA; PDG John Behrendt, USA; PDG Helen Reisler, USA; Mark Van Fleet, USA; Sue David-Hornby, USA; Nevine Abdelkhalek, Egypt

RGHF members speak out at the 2010, 10th Anniversary of Rotary Global History Fellowship, Chicago, Illinois, USA... Starts with the closing of the Rotary Club of Chicago meeting, (RGHF member Andrea Luehmann) and then comments from RGHF Institute Alumni

Some of the photos & videos courtesy of www.dejaviewsusa.com of Chicago, ROTARY/One and members of the RGHF Institute Alumni (Sherry Koski, Matts Ingemanson, and PDG Irv Kaplan)