MPRLS 2 Sunday 3 May 2009

PRLS is now on Facebook!

• Have you completed a PRLS course?
• Have you got a Facebook account?
• Do you want to network with PRLS around the world?
  
  If you answered yes to the above, then we encourage you to join our online Potential Rotary Leaders Seminar (PRLS) group is now on Facebook.
  
  Facebook is an online social networking site that allows users to network and collaborate with friends globally.
  
  Through an active global network, members of Facebook may form online groups around various topics, themes, hobbies and groups of interest. PRLS is just one of thousands of groups that are available.
  
  So what are you waiting for?
  
  Not only network with PRLers in your District - network with them from all over the world!

Check it out on: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?sid=86ec1651a76670fa442ad9c34d05dcdd&gid=65261576228&ref=search

New Dates for 2009

Be quick! Register your place in PRLS...

Sat 14 February – Basic PRLS
Sun 15 March – Basic PRLS
Sun 26 April – Master PRLS 1
Sun 3 May – Master PRLS 2
Sun 02 August – Master PRLS 1
Sun 16 August – Basic PRLS
Sun 30 August – Master PRLS 2
Sun 11 October - Master PRLS 1
Sun 8 November - Master PRLS 2

MPRLS 2 on 12 October 2008

"I would like to thank you both [Ron and Roger], for giving up your Sunday to help us improve and develop as potential leaders. I have found these seminars to be so helpful for my own personal development. As you say, “Bring on MPRLS 3 & 4” – put my name down!"
Helene
RC Chelsea

Tribute to Founder of PRLS - James H. Johannsen

James H. Johannsen
Husband, Father, Rotarian,
Mentor and Friend to all.
1930 - 2008

In 1992, Jim developed the Potential Rotary Leadership Program (PRLS) in District 5240, to train up-coming Rotarian district leaders. The program generated the outstanding leadership core currently directing District 5240 ( California 's Central Coastal and in-land Rotary Clubs). As a "forward-thinking" Rotarian, Jim, became the symbol of excellence as President of his club, and went on to become District Governor of District 5240 (1992-1993).

Throughout his years with Rotary, Jim became the champion of the World Community Services Resource Network (WCSRN), helping Rotary Clubs provide international humanitarian aid service projects. He received the Citation of Meritorious Service on 14 May 1998, and Rotary Foundation Trustee, Sonny Brown bestowed a surprise recognition award for developing a database for the World Community Service Network, which has already been credited with more than 3500 different projects as a result of this communication network (as of February, 2004), and today is the basis of the Call and Contact Center. In 2005, Jim spearheaded the effort to develop a registered 501-c-3, non-profit organization to continue updating, expanding, and maintaining this important database through the efforts of volunteer Rotarians who maintain the Volunteer Call and Contact Center , located in Oxford , Indiana . Even when his health began to deteriorate, Jim's drive to assist clubs in Rotary's Fourth Avenue of Service, never waned. His legacy will forever be "service above self", and live on with the successful operation of this center, a resource for all Rotary Clubs to utilize when developing international humanitarian aid projects, and helping to activate Rotarians for disaster relief efforts.

An indication of how important this database has become, is that at any given moment, there are more than 3000 Rotarian affiliated projects looking for partners, funding, transportation, or assistance with some aspect of project completion. Jim and PRIP Cliff Dochterman diligently supported development of the HANDS database for the World Community Service Network. Jim's contribution to the Humanitarian Services Rotary Action Group last year, was to add in over 8,000 active participants to the Network, giving all of us a remarkable resource and a better organized system than ever before available to international community service project coordinators.

Jim Johannsen was born in Davenport , Iowa on March 19, 1930. He graduated from Drake University in 1953 with a BS in Business Administration. Jim belonged to the SAE fraternity.

He married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Mary Atwater, on May 24, 1953. After serving as a supply corps officer in the U.S. Navy from 1954-1956 in Jacksonville 1930, Jim joined IBM in Long Beach , California . He had assignments in education, sales promotion, and product development. In 1967, he left IBM and founded Share Research Corporation, a pioneering effort in computer-based information services. He sold this business to Xerox in 1971 and commuted to Stamford , Connecticut for the next two years. In 1973, Jim entered the financial services field as a sales representative with IDS and became a certified financial planner. He founded Johannsen and Associates, an investment advisory service, in 1984. Jim was founder and president of the Santa Barbara Chapter of the International Association for Financial Planning. He retired in 1992.

He and his wife contributed to the Rotary Foundation and were both Paul Harris Fellows. Jim was a founding director of the U.S. Golfing Fellowship of Rotarians. Jim was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church and helped in transporting members to and from services. He volunteered as a driver for the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara. He served on the boards of the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table and the Channel Islands YMCA, which awarded him the YMCA Order of Merit. Jim and his family regularly attended the Santa Barbara YMCA family camp at Lake Sequoia since 1968. He was a golfing member of La Cumbre Country Club. He was also member of the board of trustees of the International Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Foundation (IWMF) where he developed the initial patient profile data base for IWMF.

Jim passed away Wednesday, August 14, 2008, following a courageous battle with lymphoma and Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia. He died peacefully in the presence of family members. He is survived by his wife, Ruth, living at The Samarkand of Santa Barbara and their three children: David Johannsen of Santa Barbara; Richard Johannsen and his wife, Agnès, soon to be living in Yaounde, Cameroon; and Karen Riggs and her husband, Kevin, of Fair Oaks, California. He is also survived by four grandchildren: Ashley Riggs, 20; Alexandra Riggs, 18; Matthew Johannsen, 7; and Julia Johannsen, 5. Jim has a sister, Nancy, married to Richard Boyer, of Urbandale, Iowa; a sister-in law, Jane O'Brien, widow of Lawrence O'Brien of Westminster, California; and four nephews and three nieces

Marie's Talk at MPRLS2

The following talk was presented by Marie Laney, President of RC Hampton. In two minutes, she had us spell bound.


Potential Rotary Leadership Seminars - Pearls?

What is a pearl? Well we could say-----------

It is something buried under a small, slimy, but delicious [or not] grey blob encased in a tightly closed shell. MMMMMMM?

What is the story here?

Bravely we have to put a toe in the water and search for the best possible pearl bed. Then we mine for the most likely looking shells, and bring them into the daylight.

First we have to prise open the reluctant, protective casing. This anxiously requires taking a risk - and steady nerves.

Gingerly, we taste the possibilities of the mysterious grey blob –should it be nibbled at, chewed slowly or swallowed whole?

Then, lo, under the blob we reveal a white ball –a possibility?

Carefully, slowly and gently we polish and polish until a gleaming pearl emerges –something to own with confidence and pride for the rest of our lives.

So think about taking the plunge – go diving for your own pearl and gain a valuable personal gem.

I highly recommend taking advantage of these extremely inexpensive seminars. Even completing 2 of them have given me useful skills in presenting myself.. I am learning to discover and reveal my ability to think on my feet, write riveting speeches, and speak eloquently
PRLS is giving me my shining gems of personal development.

I received a great cheer at the end. Was it my eloquence, or relief that I had finished?

MPRLS1 - Sunday 14 September 2008

Seven Rotarians and two Inner Wheel members participated in Impromptu Speaking skills course known as Master Potential Rotary Leaders 1 (MPRLS1).

Despite the initial trepidation that comes with the anxiety of addressing public with a speech that has minimal (if any) preparation time, the participants found the day challenging but also informative.

Ex PDG Fred Hay from RC Waverley summed up his attendance to MPRLS1.

"You can always learn how to improve your knowledge and confidence. Learn how to approach different people and know how to speak to them. I've been in Rotary for over 40 years and it's been an ongoing experience. As a small business operator, Rotary has opened doors for me that otherwise would never have been provided to me. Life's about ongoing learning and despite people's vast experiences, we all have something to learn and that's why I'm here today."

Here are some of the MPRLS1 Graduates comments:

"An outstanding seminar and very professionally run with plenty of interaction. No dozing off! A great day!" - Peter

"I have truly enjoyed this workshop and all the information shared. PRLS1 was even better than Basic PRLS and I'm now looking forward to MPRLS2." - Helene

"An excellent program that will be beneficial for the rest of my life. My fellow Rotarians may not be bored anymore!" - Greg