The Rotary Balita no. 759 (December 9, 1954).

GREETINGS: Here is hoping everything goes well with your Clubs and that our interest and zeal for our Rotary duties continues. By this time your plans and preparations for our Golden Anniversary Celebration must be well under way and we should be starting to give serious thought to our Golden Jubilee District Conference which as you know will be held in Bacolod City on February 25-26, 1955. So I am going to devote most of this letter to matters connected with the District Conference. ON TO BACOLOD COMMITTEES: If you have not yet appointed this Committee, I wish you would do it now. It is important that you have a group in your club that will concentrate its attention on how your Club can best contribute its rightful share toward a successful District Conference. This is the most important event within the District during the Rotary Year. Rotarians from all over the District have a chance at this Conference to meet and fellowship and know each other better as they make plans for the continuation. growth and progress of Rotary. This year's Conference will be especially significant in that it will mark the end of Rotary's first half-century of life and it will usher in a new era for our organization. It is therefore important that we bring together as many of our Philippine Rotarians as we can at this Conference in order that we will at least have. the encouragement of numbers to plan well for the years ahead. After you have appointed this committee please see that the Chairman contacts General Conference Chairman Gordie Gordon for coordination and consultation. Then urge the Committee to devise plans whereby your Club will not only be able to send a big delegation but also participate actively in the activities of the Conference. DISTRICT CONFERENCE COMMITTEES: The important Committees that are to take charge of the various phases of the mechanics of the Conference have been appointed by President Dick of the Host Club and have started functioning. The following are hereby appointed Conference Committees of the District: Credentials Committee Pres. Nene Salazar - Chairman Pres. Frank Gerardo - Member Pres. Bien Escoto - Member Resolutions Committee Pres. Badong Sala - Chairman Pres. Malx Sarmiento - Member Pres. Cielito Lindo - Member Edition Committee Pres. Carding Nicolas - Chairman Pres. Pio San Andres - Member Pres. Maurice Bas - Member Program Committee District Governor - Chairman Pre. Precio Gonzales - Member Past Pres. Gordie Gordon - Member Manoling Garcia Sergeant At Arms The Chairmen of these Committees must be in attendance at the Conference and the members are strongly urged to do so. May I ask those of you who have been appointed and feel that it will not. Is it possible for you to attend to let me know at once so that another can be designated in your place? CONFERENCE PROGRAM: The Program of the District Conference is now being prepared. Pending completion of the Program the following are tentatively expected to participate: (1) Past Director G. E. Marden, administrative adviser for China, Hong Kong and Macao, R.I. is coming as Personal Representative of Pres. Herb Taylor. Those of you who were at the District Conference in Iloilo three years ago will remember him because he also participated in that Conference as Presidential Representative. (2) Past Governor George A. Malcolm. Word has been received from Past Governor George that he is coming next month and expects to stay with his Ann Lucille for several months. We expect him to deliver the keynote address at the first Plenary Session and also at the Golden Anniversary Ball. (3) A PAGEANT, "Fifty Years of Rotary Service" will be under the direction and charge of Rotarian Don Swohrer of the Rotary Club of Iloilo. (4) The following Rotarians have been selected to speak at the plenary sessions on the topics indicated: (a) Pres. Nene Salazar - Address on Club Service. Suggested topic: "What Do We Mean To Do?" (b) Pres. Don Tamparong - Address on Vocational Service. Suggested topic: "Facing Two Ways." (c) Pres. Gene Puyat - Address on Community Service. Suggested topic: "The Good Old Days." (d) Pres. Joe Flores - Address on International Service. Suggested topic: "The Battle For The Beachheads." (e) Pres. Romy Gonzales - Address on Foundation Fellowships. Suggested topic: "Across Barriers." (f) Past Gov. Emy Javier - Address on "The Four Way Test." Suggested topic: "A Revolution In Human Relationships." It is hoped that the above-named participants will graciously accept the designation and they are of course expected to attend the Conference. If for any compelling reason they feel it will not be possible for them to be at the Conference I wish they will let me know at once in order that the Program can be finalized and printed. The topics suggested are given only for the convenience of the speakers. They are at liberty to choose any other topic they want within the avenue of service assigned. In case these speakers desire to use the suggested topic may I ask them to let me know so I can send them. the suggested outline of the speech prepared by R.I.? DISTRICT CONFERENCE FUND: You will recall that every year we help defray the expenses of the District Conference by means of a voluntary contribution of P5.00 per member. This fund takes care of the administrative expenses of the Conference and the Registration fee takes care of the hospitality and entertainment expenses. In order that this fund may be available on time for the host Club and for the purpose intended may I urge you to see that your Treasurer collects this contribution about the end of January so that your delegation can present it formally at the Conference? PER CAPITA TAX TO R. I. The Fiscal Agent has sent in a list of a few Clubs in the District that are still in arrears in the payment of their obligations to R.I. I would like to remind the Clubs concerned of the following: 1. Your voting delegates will not be allowed by the Election Committee to take part in the selection of the Governor-Nominee unless all your obligations to RI. are paid. 2. Please refer to article II, section 2, of the By-Laws of R.I. regarding Termination of Membership. CONFERENCE TROPHIES AND AWARDS: Every year there are several trophies and awards given at the District Conference. In order that these awards may be properly given I am asking the following Committee to attend to this matter: Past Governor Marianito Lichauco - Chairman Past Governor Nanding Manalo - Member Past Governor Art Ilagan - Member This Committee, with the District Governor will collect and see that all awards are available for presentation at the Conference and that all data necessary for the proper selection of awardees are available. ANALYZING CAUSES OF MEMBERSHIP TERMINATION: The Program Planning Committee of R.I. has been giving considerable attention to the question "Why do men terminate their membership in a Rotary Club?" I am enclosing herewith a special form prepared for the use of your Club in studying the various causes of termination of memberships in your Club. Please fill out this form and see if you cannot make good use of the survey and study to help maintain the number and quality of your memberships. ATTENDANCE: The attendance reports for last month have been coming in more promptly and I want to thank and commend the Secretaries for this. Our District percentage seems to be keeping up fine and would be worthy of the Golden Year were it not for the fact that a few of our Clubs are letting us down. May I appeal especially this month to President Biteng, Secretary Joseling, Rivs and Lix, all of Vigan in the hope that they will help bring up our District percentage next month?