During my first two months as your District Governor, I am so touched by Rotarians who are full of passion for service and the drive to make their world better for future generations.
It’s been a whirlwind of club visits so far, during August, including club visits to Saline, Highway M-36, Birmingham, Auburn Hills, Ortonville, Troy, Brighton Sunset and West Bloomfield…Whew!.
I truly enjoyed meeting and inducting new Rotarians and tried to understand their passions. Congratulations to Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor North, Ann Arbor West, Auburn Hills Chatham Sunrise, Chelsea, Clarkston, and Rochester, for inducting new members in July. We added a total of 17 members in July alone.- what a great way to start of the Rotary year.
My sincere thank you and appreciation for all Paul Harris recipients who continue to believe in the Rotary Foundation with their generous donations…know that your generosity allows us to continue to do our projects.
Kicking off Basic Education and Literacy month for September, there are a lot of great projects around the district:
Brighton Sunset Satellite built mini libraries
Rochester Rotary Club is focused on a Guatemala literacy project Lectores a Líderes (Readers to Leaders) which is in its third year and is making a meaningful impact on children in 4th-6th grades
Ridgetown Rotary club is giving books to schools and Libraries in town
Tilbury Rotary supports Rachel and Peten Projects in Guatemala. They also contribute a book to the local library in the name of guest speakers.
As part of Chatham Rotary Literary Angels, children's book are selected, appropriate to the speaker’s topic or the theme, given to the speaker who signs it and donates it to the library
Rotary Club of Sterling Heights did a literacy service project recently where multiple children's books were gathered and videotaped by members and friends reading and showing the books.
Education is the backbone to our future generations across the world. Let’s make a memorable Rotary impact in our communities. Take a look at the BELRAG grant opportunities below.
BIG EVENTS
We’ve got a busy couple of months ahead mark your calendars and do plan to join your fellow Rotarians:
Sep. 10th, 2022 – Operation Pollination Tour being Launched. The Monarch butterfly migration route will commence with the boxcar train send off in Windsor Ontario on Sept 10th. The train will continue through the west coast and onto Mexico, marking the butterfly path. Help us with a warm sendoff for the train in Windsor– register by clickinghttps://rotary6380.org/event/operation-pollination/
Engage in pollinator habitat restoration or education activities by signing a simple Pollinator Pledge form. Any organization can get involved in Operation Pollination, and it doesn’t cost anything to join the cause.
This important environmental initiative is a simple and impactful way for small groups of people to make a real difference in their efforts to support the vital biodiversity in the local region. Register and attend this event to find out how your club can join Operation Pollination.
Sep. 17th, 2022 - Rotary One Summit –Continue your journey of learning and collaborating on Membership, Public Image and Foundation best practices. In-person workshop for every Rotarian! register by clickinghttps://tinyurl.com/mbfzhrne
Oct. 1st, 2022– Free Bikes for Kids. Collect and/or help refurbish bikes for kids who don’t have bikes. Visit https://fb4kdetroit.org/ for drop-off sites addresses and to volunteer and learn more
Oct. 16th 2022 – Detroit Free Press Marathon –Rotary will be hosting several fluid stations and needs our district to come and help distribute water/fluids along the race route. Make this a club project and bring your members, families and friends. We start early and finish early. This will be a truly rewarding experience as runners from all over the world merge into Detroit. Display your club banner to promote Rotary and our EndPolio Now program. October is World Polio Month. Register by clickinghttps://rotary6380.org/event/rotary-at-detroit-windsor-marathon/
Oct. 17-18 (tentative) - Visit to Rotary One in Evanston, IL. Meet & Greet RI President Jenifer Jones and Our Board of Directors and Trustees of The Rotary Foundation– Rotary International Headquarters, Evanston, IL. Details are still being finalized.
Nov. 5th (Tentative)- Foundation & Membership Gala More detail to follow, but this will be celebrating our new members and all Rotarians who support the Foundations, which means YOU! Details are being finalized and will be communicated in the next bulletin.
February/March 2023 – First Three Ladies of Rotary (RI President Jennifer Jones, RI VP Valarie Wafer, and Rotary Foundation Trustee Dean Rohrs) participating in oor Day of Service & Giving
April 2023 – RYLA
May 5th - 7th, 2023 – District Conference in Caesars Palace, Windsor, Ontario. Registration link is here: https://bit.ly/3Szew14 More details to follow.
GRANTS AND AWARD OPPORTUNITIES
Early childhood education in rural America – Grants Opportunity
September is Education and Literacy Month, an opportunity for Rotarians to focus our awareness of literacy and education needs in our own communities and internationally. BELRAG(Basic Education and Literacy Rotary Action Group) and Save the Children are pleased to announce a funding opportunity to support clubs’ innovative approaches to early childhood education in rural America. Projects may support Kindergarten Readiness, 3rd Grade Reading proficiency, and/or 5th grade math proficiency. Please click here to view the recording of the grant criteria and application process.
These grants offer Rotary Clubs an opportunity to apply to for funding of $5,000-$15,000 for community- based initiatives that support early literacy and numeracy. Up to ten projects will be funded.
Proposal applications are available 1 September are due 15 October, 2022. For more information, please contact our district champion - Susan McGonegal (sue.mcgonegal@usi.com) or Carolyn Johnson, Chair, Basic Education & Literacy Rotary Action Group (BELRAG) - (cfj2@icloud.com) .
Nominations for Regional or International Service Awards
Honor Rotarians who’ve made outstanding contributions to our polio eradication efforts since 1 November 1992. You can nominate a candidate for either their regional or international work.
Who can nominate a candidate: Rotarians Nomination deadline: 1 October Award type: certificate or plaque
Focus your nominations on the candidate’s service to polio eradication above and beyond their appointed or elected roles at Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation. Strengthen your nomination by describing the Rotarian’s years of service and highlighting for example their projects, participation in National Immunization Days, and leadership qualities.
I have made a commitment to all our Presidents and AGs, that I will try to participate in your new member induction and Paul Harris Award presentations if possible. Please reach out to me or our District Executive Secretary Lois Halsted (lois.halsted0283@gmail.com ) for scheduling.
Upcoming DG Visits– August/September 2022
Richmond – Aug. 30th 12:15 PM
Milan – Sep. 7th 8:30 AM
Mount Clemens – Sep. 8th 12:15 PM
Ridgetown – Sep. 12th 6:15 PM
Dresden – Sep. 12th 6:15 PM
Blenheim – Sep. 13th 6:15 PM
Chatham Sunrise – Sep. 12th 7:15 AM
Tilbury – Sep. 13th Noon
Chatham – Sep. 14th Noon
Sterling Heights – Sep. 15th 12:10 PM
Livingston Sunrise – Sep. 16th 7:15 AM
Eastpointe – Sep. 20th Noon
Anchor Bay – Sep. 21st 12:15 PM
Motorcycling Rotarians – Sep. 21st 7:00 PM
Oxford – Sep. 27th Noon
Fowlerville – Sep. 28th Noon
Bloomfield Hills – Sep. 28th 6:30 PM
Dexter – Sep. 29th 7:30 AM
Remember as you continue to do good in your communities and the world, Happiness in the world begins with you. Take 1 hour each day to take care of yourself in the forms of meditation, yoga, exercise or just a mental retreat for yourself (Inward action). Take another hour in your day to spend with your loved ones, or do a community activity (Outward action). These two hours per day will exudate positive vibes and energy.
Find District 6380 news, information and events at: Rotary6380.org
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