Your executive members for next year should be reported on the District website. You may find this document helpful How do I carry over a current year executive? Do this in the district site first. If your club is integrated with RI, and most are, you can check later to see that the executive does show up there How to manage club officers.
With the Spring, we have a number of traditional events to look forward to – fresh maple syrup at sugar bushes in Ontario, Quebec, and Upstate NY; outdoor Farmers’ Markets; St. Patrick’s Day; the Montreal Croissant Festival; the tulip festival in Ottawa. And of course, the D7040 DisCon, to be held at the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel in Clayton NY from May 3-5!
You had forgotten the DisCon?? Shame on you! How could you forget this great opportunity to make new and reconnect with existing Rotary friends from across our District. A wonderful weekend of fun, fellowship, and learning opportunities in the beautiful village of Clayton NY, on the banks of the St. Lawrence River with a program based around the theme of Together We Build For The Future.
In developing the program for the DisCon, the DisCon planning team have looked to create opportunities for learning and reflection on topics such as: Young People and the Public Face of Rotary; making our Clubs more accessible to people with disabilities; shaping a better tomorrow; making a positive impact by addressing mental health openly; and, a number of other topics both in breakout sessions and in the House of Friendship.
Did I mention the Foundation Walk being planned around Clayton on the morning of May 5?
So, what are you waiting for? Go to the DisCon page on the District 7040 web-page (https://www.rotary7040.com/sitepage/discon-2024/welcome-bienvenue), where you’ll find more about the program, accommodations, and of course a link to the DisCon registration page.
I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in Clayton, as we gather to relax, rejuvenate, mingle, celebrate, and be inspired to a wonderful Rotary future!
The Montreal President’s Council meeting for February was hosted at the home of Michele Herblin and Marc Mauger of the E -Club Premier 7040. Eleven Rotary Clubs and one Rotaract Club were represented and we talked about our past success and upcoming events. Michele gave a wonderful presentation on the Food Security program that she runs and how the other clubs in the Montreal area can get involved to take this project to the next level and how other clubs in the District can get involved. Merci Marc and Michele for a wonderful evening of Rotary Fellowship.
Le Conseil des Présidents de février 2024 pour la région de Montréal et environs s’est tenu au domicile de Michèle Herblin et Marc Mauger tous deux membres du E-Club Premier 7040. Au total, onze Clubs Rotary et un Club Rotaract étaient représentés à cette rencontre au cours de laquelle nous avions discuté dans une atmosphère décontractée aussi bien de nos succès passés que des évènements à venir. Michèle nous avait fait une excellente présentation sur le Programme de Sécurité Alimentaire qu’elle pilote depuis quelques années. Elle a notamment souligné l’opportunité et la nécessité pour tous les Clubs de la grande région de Montréal voire ceux du District qui le désirent à se joindre à cette initiative afin de répondre plus efficacement à la problématique du gaspillage alimentaire et de la faim dans nos villes et localités. Sincères remerciements à Marc et Michèle pour cette soirée chaleureuse symbole de la camaraderie Rotarienne.
Look forward to seeing who our graduates are in May's edition as Saturday, April 6th, those who have moved through the RLI curriculum to this point will be completing the Undergraduate Level of RLI.
If you haven't taken RLI-Part 1, look for the next date and, if you've completed that unit, watch for our RLI-Part 2 offering. Full information in next month's newsletter!
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I have been attending the Learning and Development Sessions over the course of this Rotary Year and I have to commend Paul Elsley and the L&D team for the excellence that I have observed in the selection of topics and speakers for these sessions. By way of example, I will mention that session on February 20th in which several presenters showcased the sections of our District Website. Even for someone like me who is on the website regularly I acquired new information. I also know how topical such a session was given feedback that I hear regularly about Rotarians having difficulty navigating through the website.
Environmental Sustainability: Collectively we can make a huge difference.
Biodiversity, Pollution, Sustainable Living, Climate, Food Systems, Circular Economy. These are the 6 areas where Rotarians worldwide create projects to protect the environment. They are all connected and change in one affects the others. In this article, we will explore Pollution and Sustainable Living where we, as District 7040- People of Action, can make a difference, even without a budget!
Pollution, Sustainable living
“We throw the garbage out, they take it away”. There is no “away”: Away is somewhere.
Approximately 36% of all plastic produced is used to create packaging, 85% of which ends up in landfills.
The world produces about 400 million tons of plastic waste a year, and plastic is being recycled at an even lower rate than previously estimated.
Canadians produce 694 kg of waste per person per year, which is the most waste per person in the world.
Only 9% of all plastic waste is recycled in Canada.
Only 28% of waste was recycled in Canada in 2018 with the rest of it going into landfills, shipped abroad, or burned.
There are over 10,000 landfills in Canada which are fast reaching their capacity.
The U.S. ships over 1 million metric tons a year of plastic waste abroad, often to countries already overwhelmed by it.
Experts estimate that 20 to 70 percent of plastic intended for recycling overseas is unusable and is ultimately discarded.
Plastic! We all know it is bad for the environment, and bad for our health. About 98% of single-use plastic products are made from fossil fuels.
Can Rotarians stand up and take action? Can we start to reduce, repurpose, and refuse to use or buy single-use “disposable” plastic items and packaging?
One study found that the plastic waste exported to Southeast Asia resulted in contaminated water, crop death, and respiratory illnesses due to toxic fumes from incineration, and organized crime. Does this pass the four-way test?
Recently, Alberta Palombo of the Rotary Club of Brasilia International and Technical Coordinator of The Rotary Foundation Cadre of Technical Advisors, wrote the following article. Given the theme for our D7040 District Conference, Together We Build for the Future, I thought it particularly apt for us at this time.
Alberto Palombo, Rotary Club of Brasilia International
As Rotary celebrates its 119th anniversary, we find ourselves at the crossroads of tradition and innovation, a threshold that invites us to look both to the past and to the future. The need to incorporate technological innovation into our humanitarian projects and services is beyond question. However, an equally important and complementary challenge arises: to attract young people, already immersed in technological DNA, to join our mission, strengthening Rotary not just as a club of friends but as a community of problem solvers.
In this transformative context, it is crucial to recognize that true innovation transcends mere adoption of new tools and methods. It involves building bridges - between generations, cultures, and different levels of technological proficiency. By inviting young people, who have grown up in a digital world, to join Rotary, we are not just growing our membership; we are infusing our organization with new ways, perspectives, ideas, and energies.
For older Rotarians, this integration may represent a challenge but also an unprecedented opportunity. Inter-generational collaboration can unleash rich exchanges where wisdom and experience meet innovation and creativity. While younger members can bring technological fluency and fresh approaches to problem-solving, more experienced Rotarians offer valuable insights, mentorship, and a deep understanding of the humanitarian needs that continue to drive our mission.
The next era of ClubRunner - webinar recording now available!
On February 15, 2024 we had a grand turnout with attendees across the globe to share in our excitement for what's next for ClubRunner!
We are proud to introduce ClubRunner Nova, our vision for the new version of ClubRunner, slated for release in late 2024! The webinar recording is now available on our Community site through the link below:
We invite you to log in and participate in our user community, where we will continue to post updates as well as the chat log and Q&A from our webinar, which will be available within a week. You can log in using your ClubRunner credentials to start new discussions and post questions!
