President Jennifer Jones has made a special plea to get club logos updated. Go to Rotary Brand Center to find the correct version.
Newsletter editor appeal for assistance: please consider helping me with this monthly newsletter especially if you are technically inclined.
Message Received from ClubRunner
We’re excited to announce that our ClubRunner Changeover Training Seriesis back for 2023! To help better prepare you for your new role and responsibilities this upcoming Rotary year, we are hosting a series of free webinars to help you brush up on your ClubRunner skills and knowledge.
Join us for these in-depth webinars starting on April 14th until April 23rd, 2023, where we'll be offering both beginner and advanced level training sessions covering various modules, by role on the club and district versions.
Club executives and site administrators that have their own ClubRunner subscription to the club version have received a copy of this email. We want to share this email with club executives that do not subscribe to ClubRunner as we are also hosting webinars specifically for clubs that use the district version to manage their club and data.
Registration Details
Click below to view our schedule and to register for individual sessions, or visit www.clubrunner.com/training. Can't attend live? Not to worry, all sessions will be recorded and shared on our Community site after the series is complete.
As days go by, it is the same struggle, joy, and sadness in the lives of many fellow human beings around the world. For many of them living in areas embattled with drug trafficking, wars, and other disasters such as the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria recently, simply waking up to see the light of the day is a blessing; on top of that, looking for food and basic necessities can make it an even tougher struggle. We should consider ourselves as very privileged and lucky as we not only have all the basic necessities, but we also can have the peace of mind of not being struck by a bullet, a bomb or caught in crossfire conflicts on a daily basis. Let us all be grateful for what we have and be hopeful that better days are ahead for all the people currently struggling in their lives.
President Jennifer Jones is continuing her journey around the world visiting numerous Rotarians, sharing her *Imagine Rotary* vision and dream of a peaceful world. She shared the unique moments spent with two retired WWII adversaries who had chosen Rotary to live lives of peacemaking for a better world. I have also learned about RIPE Gordon McInally’s 2023-2024 theme *Create Hope in the World*. His commitment is to continually move forward and improve long term the way we, Rotarians, interact and deliver on projects with care and empathy.
As I approach the beginning of my term as Governor, I have been thinking a lot about a fundamental question - "What is the district?" At its core, the district is there to serve clubs and Rotarians by providing the tools and support needed to do our good works. Districts connect clubs with each other and provide resources so that it is easier for Rotarians to work together and undertake projects on behalf of those most in need. Over the next two months, Rotary leaders in the district will gather to develop and guide our efforts for the coming year. On March 4, Area Governors, committee Chairs and the District executive will gather for the Leadership Team Orientation Seminar (formerly TTS) and on Mar. 31/April 1 incoming Presidents will meet at the President Elect Rotary Leadership Seminar (formerly PETS). I look forward to listening to Rotarians and working collaboratively to shape the future direction of our wonderful organization.
Qu’y a-t-il dans un nom?
À l’approche du début de mon mandat de gouverneur, j’ai beaucoup réfléchi à une question fondamentale : « Qu’est-ce que le district? » À la base, le district est là pour servir les clubs et les Rotariens en fournissant les outils et le soutien nécessaires pour faire nos bonnes œuvres. Les districts relient les clubs les uns aux autres et fournissent des ressources afin qu’il soit plus facile pour les Rotariens de travailler ensemble et d’entreprendre des projets au nom de ceux qui en ont le plus besoin. Au cours des deux prochains mois, les dirigeants du Rotary dans le district se réuniront pour développer et guider nos efforts pour l’année à venir. Le 4 mars, les gouverneurs de zone, les présidents de comité et l’exécutif du district se réuniront pour le séminaire d’orientation de l’équipe de direction (anciennement TTS) et le 31 mars/1er avril, les nouveaux présidents se réuniront lors du séminaire de leadership du président élu du Rotary (anciennement SFPE). J’ai hâte d’écouter les Rotariens et de travailler en collaboration pour façonner l’orientation future de notre merveilleuse organisation.
Dear Presidents- elect: Please mark your calendars for the weekend of Mar. 31 – Apr. 1. At that time, all Presidents–Elect will gather in person in Cornwall at the Best Western – Parkway Inn and Conference Centre to begin our annual training of Presidents for the 2023 – 2024 Rotary year.
There is no cost for Presidents Elect. The District recognizes that this training is so important and we want to make it as easy as possible for PE’s to participate. The program begins on Mar. 31 with registration and check-in at 4:00 pm and ends at the same time the following day.
We have a wonderful program prepared for you involving Zone and District leaders. There will also be two sessions for Area Governors to meet with Presidents Elect to plan for the coming year and pursue ways to collaborate.
To book a room at the Best Western, please call 613-932-0451 (identify that you are with the D7040 PETS group).
Here is an overview of the district conference 2023 program ! Click on the link to get to it. Program - Programme
If you haven't registered yet, don't forget, until February 28th you can register at the price of $300 CAD. After that day the price will go up to $350 CAD ! Register here
You can also book your hotel room in the same hotel as the district conference downtown Montreal at the price of $199 CAD + tax per room per night. You won’t find such a good price downtown Montreal in a hotel like the Westin (270 Saint-Antoine Street West, Montreal H2Y 0A3)
We also negotiated the parking at $28 CAD instead of $39 CAD normal price. Book hotel here
A D7040-wide endeavour to promote urban biodiversity is underway! It starts with two projects this Spring: Lawns and Lights.
1. Lawns (Bee Friendly No Mow May)
Homeowners are fiercely proud of their immaculate emerald green “weed-free” lawns. I too, am proud of my green lawn. I love it when kids (now grandkids) rough and tumble on the lawn. To be honest, it is nice too, when the neighbors feel the grass is greener on my side of the fence.
Beyond the concept of the perfect (monoculture turfgrass) suburban lawn is a much more troubling environmental issue: Monoculture lawns mean less biodiversity. Lawns are often maintained using chemicals (fertilizers) that leach into ecosystems, our homes and lakes, and rivers. For many decades, companies (selling turfgrass and mechanical and chemical products to maintain lawns) advertised lawns, emphasizing this beauty, coupled with solid family and community values: Over time, “perfect” lawns became a part of social status. Thus comes the narrative that the picture-perfect suburban home (North America’s white picket fence, eh?) is incomplete without a neatly manicured lawn. Lawns are also very much a colonial heritage. Remember, before fossil-fueled mowers, trimmers, and blowers were invented, the work was done by slaves, minimum-wage labor, or exhausted owners with push-blade mowers and oversized rusty clippers. A colonial mindset, I’d wager.
Nearly a decade ago, while I was the chair of the Strengthen Rotary’s Brand Committee, we conducted in-depth research to better understand how the public viewed Rotary, our members, and our work. What we learned was that we needed to reposition the Rotary brand by focusing on clear, consistent messages and a unified visual identity.
Based on the committee’s recommendation, the Board of Directors approved new brand guidelines, which included how clubs should use the Rotary logo. Simply put, club logos should include the club name either above or below the Rotary logo, like this:
A brand is more than just a logo, but a logo is a big part of our visual identity. When the public sees it throughout their community, they begin to think of Rotary members as people of action. Using the same visual elements unites Rotary, Rotaract, and Interact and allows us, as a diverse global organization, to tell our story with one voice.
The RI Board of Directors is asking every club to update its logo to align with Rotary’s brand guidelines. We are asking you to:
Help clubs in your district understand why we all need to use the Rotary logo correctly
Show clubs how to create their own logo and use it consistently on their website, social media accounts, and other marketing materials, like banners, brochures, signs, and clothing
You can use the resources below, as well as those in the newly updated Brand Center, for assistance. I also encourage you to contact your Rotary Public Image Coordinator Mary Lou Harrison from Toronto Sunrise and their team for additional guidance and support. They are eager to help.
This year, my Imagine Impact tour will highlight how Rotary members are creating positive, lasting change while it also introduces Rotary to new audiences and potential partners. This is where I need your help. Think of how much more impact these stories will have when they’re shared with one global voice!
Let’s continue to help our clubs attract the next generation of people of action as we increase our impact around the world.
Recent blankets distributions in the severely destroyed village of Shchevchenkove, Ukraine. It is near the Russian border. Our district partnered with the Rotary Club of Kharkiv-New Level. The district matched contributions from clubs. Altogether we sent over $36,000 USD.
Global Grant #2119172 Karantina Public Hospital - Paediatric Ward and Operating Theater Equipment. Equipment finally being installed in the paediatric wing in Beirut.
The Primary Goal is to reduce unemployment and poverty by providing skills training in trades to youth. There are employment opportunities available in trades like masonry, carpentry, fashion design and personal care for people with the required skills. The project, in turn, would provide a means for graduates to earn a living income, reduce unemployment in the region and lift families out of poverty.
