Hello Everyone!

 

May is Youth Service Month! Like other districts, many of our Youth Service activities were curtailed this year due to the pandemic, and some, like Youth Exchange for example, were completely postponed. However, youth activities are gearing up now. Many of our clubs sponsor and support Interact Clubs, some clubs more than one! Additionally, there is a club I know of that is working to establish an Early Act club! I am confident that, as we climb out of Covid restrictions, our Youth Service initiatives will ramp up.

 

The 2021 Virtual Convention will be better than ever, opening more innovative opportunities to learn and to engage with the family of Rotary, near and far. You’ll be able to network in virtual lounges, meet new partners in service, and join fun activities with Rotary members from around the world. Click here to register.

 

Nantasket-Hull Rotary celebrated their Shred Event for a local  scholarship fund. The club offered a secure and easy way to discard sensitive documents for a low fee. On a warm sunny day, over 100 cars stopped by to keep the shredder going to accommodate the needs of the community members who brought anywhere from one to twenty bags and boxes. In addition, several people made donations to support the Catherine Coccimiglio scholarship fund.

 

The East Providence/Seekonk Rotary Club announced “Operation Pollination,” a new environmental-related project to help save butterflies and other important plant pollinator species. Beginning May 1, 2021, free wildflower seed packets were available to the general public while supplies last.

 

“The environment is a new area of focus for Rotary International members in clubs like ours throughout the world,” states Betty Galligan, president of the East Providence/Seekonk Rotary Club. “Seventy-five percent of the world’s plant species are dependent on pollinators, such as the monarch butterfly, to survive. We encourage everyone to help do their part in their own backyards and garden spaces by planting these wildflower seeds to attract butterflies.”

 

Both clubs were able to get positive press by submitting press releases to their local newspapers. Public Image is important.

 

 

The Middleboro Rotary Club is holding an auction to support their upcoming service projects, and all are invited to take part virtually: click HERE. More info, click to email club President Kevin Quackenbush.

 

 

It has been very busy since our last newsletter, inlcuding a tremendous Multi-District Virtual Conference. I would like to acknowledge the fine work of the many, many committee members in our district who worked together with members from District 7890, to put together a world-class event! Thank You!!

 

As a part of that conference, I took a step back and assessed our situation. I promised those in attendance that I would print my talk here, so, here it is, edited for clarity:

 

 

It is my very real privilege to serve as District Governor for District 7950. 

 

Even though this has been an unbelievable year of challenge for us, our clubs have stepped up. Due to the pandemic, many clubs have shifted their local focus to concentrate on food insecurity and aid to local people struggling with unemployment or other life challenges.

 

Clubs have been very concerned with maintaining membership and have worked diligently to keep their own members engaged and zooming in. In spite of it all, 79 new Rotarians have joined since July 1. During a pandemic! Clubs have found that like-minded people have either found their way to Rotary or have responded to an invitation. Clubs have consistently told me that members have joined specifically because of the on-line opportunity.

 

At the very beginning of the year, I introduced our new District Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, as it has been a goal to reach out to all like-minded people and bring them into the Rotary family. In addition to being the right thing to do - something that Rotary is well known for - this is how we grow and thrive into the future. It is my firm conviction that a diverse Rotary organization can help move our whole society in the right direction. This movement is closely aligned with goals of Peace and Conflict Resolution in our country. Our District DEI Committee is off to a great start and now offers assistance to clubs as they work toward these goals. Clubs have formed their own DEI committees and are working toward inclusion and social justice. I could not be more proud.

 

In addition to our regular district programs, all presented via zoom, our district committees have stepped forward to support the clubs during this year. In addition to the work of our DEI Committee:

Organizationally, our 501c3 is well on the way. We expect to have the administrative process completed by the end of this Rotary year. This entity will be tremendously helpful to all our clubs for fundraising purposes, as the members of the 501c3, called the “Rotary District 7950 Foundation, Inc.” includes all the clubs in District 7950.

 

Crisis Management has been a concern of mine for a while. We have several crisis management plans ready to be approved, distributed, and posted on the District Web site. It is our hope that club leaders consult these plans prior to initiating events, so that they have one more layer of confidence as they go about their program of work.

 

Our Rotaract Clubs are now considered full-fledged Rotary Clubs. This has been a challenge this year since our clubs are predominantly academic based. They are currently reactivating as they return to school. All District 7950 Rotaractors were invited to this conference.

 

Our RYLA program has reengineered and is poised to present a completely virtual RYLA experience to students.

 

My personal Rotary passion has been the defeat of polio since I joined Rotary almost 30 years ago. As I shared my story, Rotarians and Rotary Clubs in our district responded. I thank you for that. Clubs and members who had never donated to the polio eradication effort have stepped up. This, in addition to our District and Club Polio Plus efforts, for which I am grateful. We will never give up.

 

I would like to publicly thank my fellow District Governors of Northeast PETS, as we continually bounce ideas off each other and support each other in many ways. I’d like to thank Zone Leaders as well as the members of the District Leadership Team and District Continuity Team for their incredible support. I am especially grateful to my home club pf Fall River for the support they have always shown me, but especially for the last few years. But, mostly, I would like to applaud you for your willingness to try new things and to let nothing stand in the way of “Service Above Self.”

 

Innovation, creativity, self-motivation. Service.

 

This is what we are made for – why the very idea of Rotary appeals to us. Thank you Rotarians!

 

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Be sure to join us on Zoom May 27, 2021, for the combined Business Meeting/Memorial/Awards Night. 2021-22 club presidents will vote on next year’s budget at the business meeting. We will remember our friends who have passed away this past year. And, we will celebrate our clubs’ many accomplishments this year.

 

It is such a privilege to serve as your District Governor, this year. Thank you.

 

Kindest Rotary regards,