A Word from the Governor

Welcome to the first edition of the 20 – 21 newsletter. It is my pleasure to serve as your District Governor this year.
 
Thank you for all you are doing in your Clubs and communities in the name of Rotary International. The need for all the good Rotary does around the world, hasn't changed. The way we do it or the combined effort may change for a few months, due to circumstances beyond our control, but the need for what we can do as Rotarians together is still there. In many places, situations have become more dire and even more of our help is needed.
 
I know this has been a challenging time for many of our Club Meetings, Service and Fundraising projects. At the District level, we have canceled all of our major live events, including Show Me Rotary Institute (PETS), District Conference, the Chinnery Challenge Golf Tournament for Polio, REAL,  and are in the midst of making decisions regarding our Foundation Dinner later this fall. The good news is we have discovered how to adjust with platforms like Zoom, where we can communicate virtually. Many of our clubs have been meeting via Zoom since March. In the past few weeks, some clubs have started meeting live, with good social distancing practices along with the change in our food service methods. Many of these are also using Zoom to broadcast the Live Meeting and program to those who cannot attend. Other Clubs continue to meet via Zoom full time. Likewise, we have been able to move many of our District training events onto Zoom. It's been amazing to see how well we have been able to adapt to this new environment. Fellowship is an important part of the Rotary culture. By using these platforms like Zoom and even the old-fashioned telephone, we have been able to stay in touch with each other. I've even heard of some clubs who have had members who moved away to another state that have been able to connect with their old friends by participating in the Club Zoom meetings. Because of Rotary's international footprint, I have been able to participate in several zoom sessions conducted by our zone that involve Rotarians from around the world. Depending on who's going to be on, our start time changes from week to week, so they or we don't have to get up in the middle of the night due to the time zone differences. I don't really see this kind of communication going away. However, I am as anxious as you are to get most of our meetings and projects back to live face-to-face. We just need to be safe, smart and innovative as we go through these coming months. This year's Presidential theme is "Rotary Opens Opportunities" I urge you to spend a few minutes each day thinking about all the opportunities we have through Rotary to do good. No matter our current short term circumstances, I believe we are determined, innovative and eager to serve others and open more opportunities.
 
All of us on the District Executive Council and Committees stand ready to help with your Membership, Foundation, Public Image, Service, Fundraising or various other Program questions. Please feel free to reach out to us as we all strive to continue our important Rotary efforts. Ultimately, let's work together to make 20-21 a very successful Rotary year. Take Care! 
 
Upcoming District Events
Andrew County Rotary Poker Run Fundraiser
Sep 26, 2020 9:00 AM
 
Executive Council Meeting
Sep 28, 2020 4:00 PM
 
KCI Rotary Bingo for Back to School Fair
Zoom
Sep 30, 2020 7:00 PM
 
Assistant Governor Meeting
Oct 05, 2020 4:00 PM
 
Empowering Women in Rotary
Zoom
Oct 12, 2020
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
 
It Only Takes 30 Minutes To Open More Rotary Doors
ZOOM - Online
Oct 15, 2020
6:00 PM – 6:30 PM
 
View entire list

People of Action

Rotarians are #PeopleofAction! Chad Higdon, D6040 Assistant Governor and Andrew County Rotarian is also the CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank in St Joseph. He recently addressed (via teleconference) the House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management, regarding issues facing St. Joseph-area families during the pandemic. “Through all the adversity and challenges I’m proud to say our team at Second Harvest has demonstrated a tremendous effort of keeping up with the demand and we are very appreciative of everything the federal government has done to help with our response to help vulnerable populations,” Higdon said.
Russell Hampton
ClubRunner
ClubRunner Mobile
Around District 6040
Empowering Women in Rotary
You are all invited to join us this fall for the virtual 20-21 Series Empowering Women in Rotary.  This inspirational series is for all to learn and grow as Rotarians in support of the Difference we can make when working together.  Each of these sessions will leave you inspired and challenged as we hear from these incredible leaders and hear the impact they are making to empower us all. 
Read more...
Candle Against the Dark
You’re Invited to a One-of-a-Kind Fundraising Event Honoring the Battle Against Polio.  Announcing the Premiere of Candle Against the Dark at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, August 13, 2020, via Facebook Live.  All proceeds will benefit End Polio Now.  This special fundraising event is a three-act radio play, centering on the family of Past District Governor Carl Chinnery in their struggle against polio, and including the role of Rotary International and others in bringing us “thisclose” to eradicating this dread disease from the face of the earth.
Read more...
District Governor August Update
It’s been about six months since we started hearing about the Coronavirus. Much in our personal world and literally the entire globe has changed. It has affected our Clubs in various ways. While little of the impact has been positive, one thing that has been a plus is that we have all become familiar with Zoom or some other virtual service that allows us to broadcast our meetings and stay in touch with each other in an easy manner.
 
Because we Rotarians are known as leaders in our communities and professional lives, I am hopeful that with one month of the Rotary year behind us, we are ready to jump start a vigorous pursuit of our Rotary Club goals for ‘20 – ‘21. These are challenging times. But, I am confident we are an innovative group that will find ways to make an impact and a real difference this year through Rotary. I saw this quote recently which made me realize why Rotary took off as fast as it did in the early decades and grew to be such a powerful force of service to the world. In 1935, amid the Great Depression, Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary said “This is a changing world; we must be prepared to change with it. The story of Rotary will be written again and again.” I believe now is the time to apply that same spirit to examine how we do things. In the middle of this pandemic, it’s a good year to give our Club’s a checkup. Is there anything we need to update in our routine to make ourselves more appealing to new members? What do we need to change to be sure we will be relevant for the next 100 years?
Read more...
Please add mailservice@clubrunner.ca to your safe sender list or address book.
To view our privacy policy, click here.
 
ClubRunner
102-2060 Winston Park Drive, Oakville, ON, L6H 5R7