DISTRIBUTION: 24-25 Presidents, Assistant Governors, Deputy Governors, and District and Club Committee Chairs
Greetings from DG Sam!
I hope each of you had a blessed Thanksgiving surrounded by family and friends. We all have so much to be thankful for. Personally, I am thankful for my continuing recovery. I am getting out and about some, have been cleared to drive, and have resumed my official role as District Governor! I can’t wait to see you all at the Team Rotary Halftime Show on January 11th!
So, what is the news you need to know this week?
Announcements
Team Rotary Halftime Show (Midyear Checkup): I can’t wait to see you all at this popular annual event! The Halftime Show will feature each of our club presidents bragging about how your club embodies The Magic of Rotary. The event is open to ALL Rotarians, and I encourage you to bring as many of your club members as possible to support you, but also because this is a great learning experience. It has long been a favorite event because Rotarians hear about so many great projects and fundraising ideas; this kind of knowledge exchange is invaluable. Presidents, you will have two minutes to tell us about your favorite service project, fundraiser, or club event. Assistant Governors, reports will be grouped by territory, and you will introduce each of your presidents. District leaders will also report on important initiatives, upcoming events, and opportunities for service. There is no cost to attend, and we will provide a light breakfast and delicious lunch. You received an invitation to the event last week, so please respond promptly so we can get a headcount for food. I really hope to see all of you there!
Team Rotary Merchandise Pop-up Shop: At the request of several clubs, we have opened another pop-up shop so you can get your t-shirts, ball caps, and other Team Rotary merchandise. Remember, wearing your team shirts for approved events results in more points for your team! To access the shop, follow this link: Winter Rotary Apparel Store. In order to deliver these products at the Halftime Show in January, ORDERS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY NEXT FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13TH.
Semi-annual RI Dues: The second semi-annual RI dues invoices will be mailed on January 1st. Remember that RI dues are based on your total membership as reported in the RI database on January 1st, and unfortunately, RI does not permit invoice adjustments due to inaccurate information. It is important that you review and update your membership roster prior to January 1st.
Have you reported your incoming officers to RI? Club Officers for the upcoming Rotary Year need to be reported to RI by December 31st. If you use Clubrunner and utilize the integration function, you can simply enter the officers for next year in Clubrunner and they will update automatically for RI. If you do not use Clubrunner or do not use the integration features, you will need to manually enter your incoming officers in the RI database. If you have not yet held officer elections, please make this a priority so that you can meet this important deadline. For any questions, please contact me or District Admin Meg Noonan.
Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI): The Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) is dedicated to fostering professional growth and effective leadership within Rotary. Open to all Rotarians, this training encourages participation by any club member or individual Rotarian interested in enhancing their leadership capabilities and contributing to Rotary’s mission of service. The training will; be held in Bay St. Louis on Friday, January 10th from 3:00-9:00 p.m. There is no cost to attend, but you do need to register so we can provide materials and dinner. All Rotarians in the district will receive a personal invitation to register. Please encourage your club members (and in particular, your board members) to attend. For more information on RLI, please contact Deputy Governor of Leadership Development Sherri Smith at sherricarrbevis50@gmail.com.
Club Visits: Before my extended medical leave, I had completed half of my club visits and was anxiously looking forward to visiting the rest of your clubs. I will be sending potential club visit dates to the Assistant Governors in the coming week. Please be prepared to schedule/reschedule as necessary to ensure we have a chance to meet and allow me to learn more about your Magical club!
Rise Against Hunger: As People of Service, District Conference is the perfect opportunity to come together and participate in a meaningful districtwide service project. I have chosen to host a Rise Against Hunger food packing event on Friday, June 6th, immediately before Food Fest. I am asking each club to recruit 5 volunteers (Rotarians, family members, Interact students, etc.) and donate $500 to support this project. Please don’t forget to budget for this project and to begin recruiting members. Registration for District Conference will open prior to Team Rotary Halftime Show, and more information will be provided at that time. If you would like to learn more about Rise Against Hunger, visit www.riseagainsthunger.org
Rise Against Hunger Cooking Competition: To add a fun twist to our district service project, the District Conference Committee thought it might be fun to host a cooking competition utilizing the Rise Against Hunger (RAH) food packets. Each club president will receive a RAH food packet at the Halftime Show in January. All the clubs in each territory should work together to come up with one winning dish! I will provide a RAH food packet to each Assistant Governor the week of District Conference. The designated club/member should cook and bring your territory’s winning dish to Food Fest, where impartial, non-Rotarian judges will determine the winner.
January—Vocational Service month: Do you need ideas for Vocational Service Month? A Rotarian insurance broker in our club recently spoke about the insurance market, upcoming changes, and do’s and don’ts. It was quite informative and a great example of vocational service in action! As a Rotarian, how can you participate in Vocational Service? Consider these suggestions: • Talk about your profession in your club and take time to learn about fellow members’ occupations. • Use your skills and expertise to serve a community. • Practice your profession with integrity and inspire others to behave ethically through your words and actions. • Help young people achieve their career goals. • Guide and encourage others in their professional development.
Winning Points: I LOVE seeing the points add up! Keep watching the Thursday Touchdown Times to see where your territory stands. There are opportunities for clubs of all sizes and types to contribute to the success of your team. You still have a lot of time for your territory to take the lead! If you have submitted points but don’t see them reflected in your score, please follow up with Meg Noonan at meg.noonan@comcepts.net, and she will be happy to assist you.
Help us provide meaningful content in the Touchdown Times: What is your club’s next service project, fundraiser, or really interesting speaker? We want to know! Thanks to those who have already submitted information. Please email Ashley.mayley.5@gmail.com with the details at least 3 weeks in advance so we can help promote your event to other Rotarians in the district. And a big shout-out to Ashley Mayley for keeping the Touchdown Times fun and informative!
Upcoming District Events
January 11: Team Rotary Halftime Show
January 28: Mental Health Initiative Committee Meeting (virtual)
January 31: St. John the Baptist Parish (LaPlace) Anniversary (1976)
February 15: Poplarville anniversary (1926)
February 17: Long Beach anniversary (1986)
February 23: ROTARY’S ANNIVERSARY (1905)
February 23: New Orleans Anniversary (1910)
February 23: Hammond Rotary Jazz Brunch
February 24: Picayune Anniversary (1925)
February 27: Mid City New Orleans Anniversary (2015)
Hope you have a great week and are blessed by your commitment to Service Above Self!
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