Inbound Scholar Michael Gordon

Michael will post photos and musings about his experiences as an Ambassadorial Scholar as his busy schedule allows. Check back for updates.

Click here for Michael's bio

Click on any image to see a full size view.
Click here for Michael's March 07 report to Rotary International
Click here for Host Karen Whisenhunts running list of Michael's Accomplishments

On Wednesday, October 18th, Michael and Rotary Club of Las Vegas, International Services Director, Karen Whisenhunt met with Hamlet Mbabazi from Uganda and District 5300 Rotary Foundation Chair Bob Novell. Mr. Mbabazi is visiting the District and updating clubs on the first 3-H Grant (Health, Hunger, and Humanity) District 5300 has ever had.

The $330,000 grant supplies the infrastructure and micro-loans to young high school graduates in Uganda and allows them the opportunity to start their own business and earn enough money to go to college. It is expected that these students will not only be able to repay their loans and use the profits from their labors to finance their college education, but the food items produced by these students will provide food for approximately 2,500 elementary school children who presently do not have food during their school day. The Rotary Club of Las Vegas is the second highest contributor in District 5300 for the 3-H Grant.

As the ambassadorial scholar, I was assigned to the 25 Club of my host club, the Rotary Club of Las Vegas. This is a unique club within the club where new members must get 25 points before they roll out into the "main" club.

As a member of the 25 Club, I co-chaired the annual Thanksgiving food drive with the Kiwanis, which we unfortunately lost by something like ± 200 cans. I've attended every weekly meeting of my host club and also help with the duties required of 25 Club members like greeting, set-up and tear-down.

In November, I helped man a booth at the American Academy of Ophthalmology Convention at the Venetian (my favourite hotel), a project organized by former Rotary International President Frank Devlyn. I also got a chance to be his chauffeur for a couple of hours, driving him around Las Vegas. It is not possible to describe how much I learned in those few hours.

The annual Santa Clothes project fell on my birthday last year. Through the donations of various Rotary Clubs in the area, every underprivileged child gets $125 for warm clothes for the winter break. So in essence, I had to escort Jonathan around JC Penneys and had to see to it that he got a warm jacket, pants, shoes, socks, underwear and pajamas. At the end of the day, we were frugal shoppers, but got everything he needed within the allotted amount.

That very same night was the Las Vegas Rotary Club Holiday Party. They will never admit it, but I know that this was all a big surprise birthday party for me!!!!!

I have met with the two outbound scholars from District 5300 during my stay. Christina DesVaux is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Las Vegas and Mandy Zeiden by the Green Valley Rotary Club. I shared my experiences and presentation with both of them, hopefully giving them a better understanding of what to expect when they get to the "other side".

February 23-25th, I was a facilitator at RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards). It was a leadership camp for around 288 high school kids. It is an intensive training program for youth leaders. We were all divided into continents (Asia) and then into cities (Bangkok). I had an amazing group of kids and they actually won a few of the challenges overall.

Pictures at right show Michael with District 5300 Governor Christine Montan and other Las Vegas Club facilitators. Pictures below show Michael with his RYLA teen leaders.

Currently, I'm helping two Rotary clubs to start a Rotaract club here on the UNLV campus. Rotaract is a Rotary-sponsored service club for young people between the ages of 18-30. So far, we have 21 signed up members -- and at our elections March 6th I was elected the Founding President of the Club. I'm really excited about the Rotaract club and I know that we can make a real impact in the community. Indeed, we already celebrated Rotaract Month by delivering 1203 food items to Shade Tree on March 9th.

In the next couple of weeks, I have the following on the agenda:

• I leave for California on March 22nd to be the keynote speaker at the San Marino Rotary Foundation Luncheon. The following day I am the guest speaker at a multi-club (Rotary Clubs of Arcadia, Arcadia Sunrise, Duarte, Monrovia and Sierra Madre) lunch meeting in Monrovia. I'm home-staying with some Rotarians for the weekend in California and will be back in Vegas on Tuesday March 27th after a lunch speaking engagement at the Rotary Club of South Pasadena.
• I will also be attending and speaking at the District Assembly on April 21st as well as the District Conference on May24-27. Jack Canfield, the author of the Chicken Soup-series will be the keynote speaker at the District Conference and I'm looking forward to hearing him speak.
• The International Conference is in Salt Lake City, Utah from June 17-20 with the Rotaract conference prior to the main conference on June 15-16. So the pressure is on, trying to get all the Rotaract paperwork finalized and approved before the conference.

Speaking to the various Rotary clubs around Las Vegas has been my main focal point so far. I've really enjoyed visiting the clubs and they've really been responsive to my presentation. I've had to field some challenging and thought-provoking questions about South Africa.