Rotary District 7770

Welcome to the eleventh month of our 2013-2014 Rotary Year, May is Promote International Convention Month. If you haven’t registered for the Sydney Rotary International Convention, register online at http://www.riconvention.org/en/2014/Pages/ridefault.aspx  

This year we will not have a Southland Breakfast at the RI Convention as we have done traditionally. Instead, our Director and RI Vice President Anne L Matthews is scheduling a reception on Saturday late afternoon. The Southland Reception will be held Saturday May 31, 2014, 5:30 – 7:30PM at the Powerhouse Museum in downtown Sydney, amidst the main hotels and restaurants. Registration can only be done online and the link is here. http://www.directory-online.com/Rotary/index.cfm?EventID=77219415.  Scroll down to May 31^st and register.

As we move into the final two months of the Rotary Year, have you reflected on all the good Rotary does in your community and in the world? Have you Engaged Rotary this year and helped to Change Lives? Think about the little things that you can do as an individual Rotarian and then consider multiplying that by 1. 2 million to consider what we can accomplish as an organization. Have you volunteered to help with Club Service Projects this year? It’s not too late, get involved and find others to pitch in as well. Have you reached out to potential members and invited them to join you at a meeting? It’s not hard, it’s just being a friend to get others involved. 

Get Connected and Engaged – If you want to enjoy seeing all that Rotary does in the world and in our communities, then the Rotarian magazine is a great source of information. There are wonderful stories, photos and a calendar of events that keep you plugged into what’s coming up in the Rotary world. Did you know that the Rotarian is now online at http://therotarianmagazine.com/. Don’t wait any longer to check it out. What better way to share what the magazine is all about than to share it out on social media and include in your Club pages as well. 

Public Relations – This is a great time to think about how we can spread the good word and works of Rotary in our communities. Public Relations and providing stories and photos of our service projects and fellowship events to local media is a great way to do that and to promote membership opportunities as well. Use Social Media in addition to Print Media to showcase your Club’s events, fundraisers and service projects. There will be a lot of opportunities with Club Installation Fellowships to take lots of photos, be sure to share those with our Newsletter at Rotary7770News@gmail.com . Andra Watkins is our District Chair for Public Relations and puts together a great weekly email with all the stories of our Clubs’ activities. Don’t miss the opportunity to get your Club’s activities, service events, fellowships and fun meetings into the weekly News-email. This is a great way to promote your Club’s events. 

Helping Others – This is also a time when we should ask ourselves if we can do more to help others. We should all reflect on our good fortune in life and take the opportunity to give more freely to help others in need. Are we all Sustaining members giving at least $100 a year to the Annual Fund? Could we do more? What about doing twice as much good and do $200 a year. Have you thought about becoming a Paul Harris Society member for a $1000 a year? How about being a Benefactor or Bequest Society member and leaving something in your will to our Foundation. Have you considered being a Major Donor to our Foundation and doing $10,000 in cash over a period of time? 

What’s on the Calendar in May? 

First – Club Officers should be updating Rotary Club Central with Goals for the coming year. Update your Membership and Foundation Goals as well as your planned Service Activities and your involvement with your New Generations Clubs such as Early Act, Interact and Rotaract.  

Second – Now is the time for Clubs to be looking for candidates for Global Ambassadorial Scholarships. These Scholars go abroad for a year of Graduate Study in a program in line with our Foundation’s Six Areas of Focus. The Timeline information is available on the District Database under the Files Tab and is found under the “Foundation Forms and Applications” folder.

Foundation – Your Club should have submitted your third quarter’s Foundation Contributions to “Our” Foundation in March.  Remember that half of what we send to the Annual Fund each year comes back to us after three years to fund local District Grant projects as well as funding Global Grants, End Polio Now, Scholars and Peace Fellows. Consider becoming a Paul Harris Society Member, committing to giving a $1000 annually to Our Foundation. It’s less than a cup of coffee a day and you would be doing so much good in the world and in your own community. Contact PHS Chair David Tirard for information on how to do this. DavidTirard@aol.com 

Ending Polio Now remains our number one goal in Rotary and we are getting “This Close”. Very modest goals are in place for every Club and we want to reach out to engage our communities in these fund raising efforts. Don’t just write a check, have a community fellowship event with a goal of raising some money for PolioPlus and having a great time with your members and the community at large. We promised the children of the world that we would end Polio, please consider contributing more individually and as a Club to get this done. Remember, the Gates Foundation will match every dollar an individual Rotarian or Club gives on a two to one basis, your one dollar becomes three dollars.

Membership – Have you set goals to increase membership this year by at least three new members? Have you engaged all your members in being part of the “Membership Team”? This is something that all Rotarians should take pride in, sharing our Rotary opportunities with others. Have you looked around you at family, friends and neighbors; these are people that you know the best and they are wonderful candidates to join Rotary. Updated membership shows the District at a “plus” 86 through April 30^th. Let’s finish strong and get to that plus 158 which would be 2 per Club on average. 

Let’s all continue having a great year as we “Engage Rotary and Change Lives”. 

Regards  Lou Mello DG 2013-14

Welcome to the seventh month of our 2013-2014 Rotary Year, January is Rotary Awareness Month. This is an opportunity to reflect on all the Good that Rotary does in the world and in our local communities. This is a time to think about how we can spread the good word and works of Rotary in our communities. Public Relations and providing stories and photos of our service projects to local media is a great way to do that and to promote membership opportunities. Use Social Media to showcase your Club’s events, fundraisers and service projects.

This is also a time when we should ask ourselves if we can do more to help others in these efforts. We should all reflect on our good fortune in life and take the opportunity to give more freely to help others in need. Are we all Sustaining members giving at least $100 a year to the Annual Fund? Could we do more? What about doing twice as much good and do $200 a year. Have you thought about becoming a Paul Harris Society member for a $1000 a year? How about being a Benefactor or Bequest Society member and leaving something in your will to our Foundation. Have you considered being a Major Donor to our Foundation and doing $10,000 in cash over a period of time?

Information on our Vocational Training Team to Peru is now available. An email has gone to every Rotarian in the District about the opportunity to participate in our District’s first Vocational Training Team. The team will be going to Peru in May 2014 for three weeks to determine opportunities to assist areas there with water, sanitation, basic education and economic development. Applications are due by January 21^st and both Rotarians and non-Rotarians are eligible. Check the District Database under the “Files” tab for details.

Rotary Has Heart – Feeding the Children of our communities is a key focus for our own District’s Anne Matthews, Rotary International Vice President. You have all received information on plans to feed the children on February 14, 2014, what a great way to serve others. Every Club can plan their own activities, from donating money to organizing a full-fledged meal event as a Club service project. Let’s all do our part to make this a wonderful activity and get others in the community involved as well. Have a local town proclamation to celebrate your project and then publicize on your website, Facebook and other social media platforms.

Has your Club considered making a donation to sponsor a ShelterBox? Rotary partners with this wonderful organization which provides disaster relief supplies around the world. For all the facts on what this organization does and how you or your club can make a donation, go to their U.S. site http://www.shelterboxusa.org/

What’s on the Calendar in January?? 

First –District Conference Registration will be online the first full week of January. This is a great opportunity to celebrate the goals and achievements of your Club and to enjoy three days of fun and fellowship with Rotarians from around the District. Mark your Calendars now for March 28 through 30 and plan to attend in Charleston at the Charleston Marriott as we continue our Cruise into Rotary’s Future.

Second – Club elections for 2014-2015 Officers and Directors should have taken place by the end of December. Please remember to update the Rotary International database with the new Officers as well as updating our District Database.

Third – PETS (President Elect Training Seminar) is coming up March 7^th and 8^th at the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes, Myrtle Beach and registration will be online soon on the Calendar tab of the District Database. Plan to send both your President-Elect and President-Nominee to PETS as leadership continuity is a key to having a great Rotary year.

Fourth – If you haven’t registered for the Sydney Rotary International Convention, register by January 15^th and save $100 on your registration fee. Register online at http://www.riconvention.org/en/2014/Pages/ridefault.aspx

This year we will not have a Southland Breakfast at the RI Convention as we have done traditionally. Instead, our Director and RI Vice President Anne L Matthews is scheduling a reception on Saturday afternoon. The Southland reception will be held Saturday May 31, 2014, 5:30 – 7:30PM at the Powerhouse Museum in downtown Sydney, amidst the main hotels and restaurants. Registration can only be done online and the link is here. http://www.directory-online.com/Rotary/index.cfm?EventID=77219415.  Scroll down to May 31^st and register.

Fifth – Club Presidents should be reviewing the Club Leadership and Presidential Citations and insuring that you will be able to qualify for both. Both will be due to be turned in by March 1^st, 2014.

Sixth – Now is the time for Clubs to be looking for candidates for Global Ambassadorial Scholarships. These Scholars go abroad for a year of Graduate Study in a program in line with our Foundation’s Six Areas of Focus. The Timeline information is available on the District Database under the Files Tab and is found under the “Foundation Forms and Applications” folder.

Public Relations – Are you sending in your stories to our District Website at Rotary7770News@gmail.com? Andra Watkins is our District Chair for Public Relations and puts together a great weekly email with all the stories of our Clubs’ activities. Don’t miss the opportunity to get your Club’s activities, service events, fellowships and fun meetings into the weekly News-email. This is a great way to promote your Club’s events and it’s always fun to see photos of one another in action.

Foundation – Has your Club submitted your second quarter’s Foundation Contributions to Our Foundation? Remember that half of what we send to the Annual Fund each year comes back to us after three years to fund local District Grant projects as well as funding Global Grants, End Polio Now, Scholars and Peace Fellows. Consider becoming a Paul Harris Society Member, committing to giving a $1000 annually to Our Foundation. It’s less than a cup of coffee a day and you would be doing so much good in the world and in your own community. Contact PHS Chair David Tirard for information on how to do this. DavidTirard@aol.com

Ending Polio Now remains our number one goal in Rotary and we are getting “This Close”. Very modest goals are in place for every Club and we want to reach out to engage our communities in these fund raising efforts. Don’t just write a check, have a community fellowship event with a goal of raising some money for PolioPlus and having a great time with your members and the community at large. We promised the children of the world that we would end Polio, please consider contributing more individually and as a Club to get this done. Remember, the Gates Foundation will match every dollar an individual Rotarian or Club gives on a two to one basis, your one dollar becomes three dollars.

Membership – Have you set goals to increase membership this year by at least three new members? Have you engaged all your members in being part of the “Membership Team”? This is something that all Rotarians should take pride in, sharing our Rotary opportunities with others. Have you looked around you at family, friends and neighbors; these are people that you know the best and they are wonderful candidates to join Rotary.

Let’s all have a great year as we “Engage Rotary and Change Lives”.

Regards

Lou Mello DG 2013-14

Welcome to the fifth month of our 2013-2014 Rotary Year, November is Rotary Foundation Month. This is an opportunity to reflect on all the Good that our Rotary Foundation does in the world and in our local communities. From eradicating Polio, providing clean water, educational materials, and life-saving medical supplies to all of our local Club Service projects funded by District Grants. Our dollars are doing wondrous things all over the world and in our own backyards. Local projects include providing free shoes to needy children via Happy Feet programs, providing literacy materials, mentoring young people, building fitness trails, installing children’s park materials, anti-bullying materials, swimming programs, reading programs; and the list goes on and on.

This is also a time when we should ask ourselves if we can do more to help in these efforts. We should all reflect on our good fortune in life and take the opportunity to give more freely to help others in need. Are we all Sustaining members giving at least $100 a year to the Annual Fund? Could we do more? What about doing twice as much good and do $200 a year. Have you thought about becoming a Paul Harris Society member for a $1000 a year? It is just a little less than the cost of a cup of coffee a day and the good it does in the world makes such a tremendous difference. How about being a Benefactor or Bequest Society member and leaving something in your will to our Foundation. Have you considered being a Major Donor to our Foundation and doing $10,000 in cash over a period of time?

Rotary Has Heart – Feeding the Children of our communities is a key focus for our own District’s Anne Matthews, Rotary International Vice President. You have all received information on plans to feed the children on February 14, 2014, what a great way to serve others. Every Club can plan their own activities, from donating money to organizing a full-fledged meal event as a Club service project. Let’s all do our part to make this a wonderful activity and get others in the community involved as well. Have a local town proclamation to celebrate your project and then publicize on your website, Facebook and other social media platforms.

What’s coming up in November??

First – Clubs are doing Happy Feet service projects providing free shoes to needy children. At least 22 Clubs are doing this and it is a fun and worthwhile project for any Club looking for another local service project. Clubs are doing Fundraisers to fund local charitable activities. Football Nights are being sponsored by many of our Clubs, Oyster Roasts, cookouts, Fifth Tuesday socials….and the list goes on and on. It is a great time as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday to enjoy fellowship and service and get to know everyone better, also a great opportunity to invite member prospects to your events. Just check out the Calendar tab on the District Database to stay up to date on what’s going on.

Second – Clubs may begin to submit Nominations for District Governor for the 2016-2017 Rotary Year. Nominations are due no later than December 15, 2013 and are to be sent to PDG Ed Duryea who will Chair the Nominating Committee meeting on January 23, 2014. Details including the Governor Nominee form have been sent directly to Club Leadership.

Third – The information for purchasing Holiday ornaments is now available on the District Database under the Calendar tab. $10 of every purchase will go to the “End Polio Now” program and those will be matched by the Gates Foundation two to one for every dollar.

Are you sending in your stories to our District Website at Rotary7770News@gmail.com? Don’t miss the opportunity to get your Club’s activities, service events, fellowships and fun meetings into the weekly News-email. Great way to promote your Club’s events and it’s always fun to see photos of one another in action.

Has your Club submitted your first quarter’s Foundation Contributions to Our Foundation? Remember that half of what we send to the Annual Fund each year comes back to us after three years to fund local District Grant projects as well as funding Global Grants, End Polio Now, Scholars and Peace Fellows. Consider becoming a Paul Harris Society Member, committing to giving a $1000 annually to Our Foundation. It’s a cup of coffee a day and you would be doing so much good in the world and in your own community. Contact PHS Chair David Tirard for information on how to do this. DavidTirard@aol.com

Ending Polio Now remains our number one goal in Rotary and we are getting “This Close”. Very modest goals are in place for every Club and we want to reach out to engage our communities in these fund raising efforts. Don’t just write a check, have a community fellowship event with a goal of raising some money for PolioPlus and having a great time with your members and the community at large. We promised the children of the world that we would end Polio, please consider contributing more individually and as a Club to get this done. Remember, the Gates Foundation will match every dollar an individual Rotarian or Club gives on a two to one basis, your one dollar becomes three dollars.

Have you set goals to increase membership this year by at least three new members? Have you engaged all your members in being part of the “Membership Team”? This is something that all Rotarians should take pride in, sharing our Rotary opportunities with others. Have you looked around you at family, friends and neighbors; these are people that you know the best and they are wonderful candidates to join Rotary.

Finally, mark your Calendars for the celebration of your Club’s accomplishments by attending the annual District Conference in Charleston March 28^th – 30^th, 2014. It will be a great time and looking forward to seeing everyone there.

Let’s all have a great year as we “Engage Rotary and Change Lives”.

Regards

Lou Mello DG 2013-14