47,000 Pounds of Trash Removed from Catawba-Wateree River Basin at Riversweep Cleanup On Saturday, Oct. 7, 1,200 dedicated volunteers removed a remarkable 47,000 pounds of trash and debris from the Catawba River during Catawba Riversweep. This one-day cleanup effort organized by Catawba Riverkeeper, which took place at 51 locations across the basin, highlights the profound impact that can be had when our community comes together for the health of our river. The annual Riversweep cleanup removes litter and trash that has accumulated in the waters and on the shores. Litter has detrimental effects on wildlife habitat, as well as the safety and recreational potential of the waterways. The cleanup also removes items from our waterways that could potentially contaminate the 19 active drinking water intakes which supply water to over 2 million people. During the cleanup, volunteers put on their gloves, grabbed supplies and worked together to remove all trash and debris in sight, resulting in the gathering of thousands of pounds of plastic bottles, Styrofoam, and tires. They didn’t stop there. Countless items were removed from the river, ranging from the expected to the unusual and unwieldy, including household appliances, mattresses, parts of a dock, a satellite dish, and even an electric scooter. More than 200 tires were removed during the cleanup, further highlighting the need for an event like this. The roots of Riversweep can be traced back to 2002 when a group of volunteers, along with the Lake Wylie Marine Commission, initiated an annual cleanup on Lake Wylie. Their dedicated efforts inspired other volunteer groups and organizations across the basin to follow suit, hosting their own community cleanup days. Fast forward to 2020, and Catawba Riverkeeper led the first basin-wide, single-day cleanup of trash and debris. The success of Riversweep is a testament to the unwavering commitment of hundreds of volunteers, many of whom have dedicated years to this cause. Riversweep would not be a possibility without the invaluable contributions of our partners. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to ToolBank CLT, Palmetto Pride, Char-Meck Stormwater, Keep Charlotte Beautiful, Catawba Nuclear Station, Allen Plant Steam Station, Just Dump It, Mecklenburg County, Gaston County, York County, and City of Hickory for their support of the basin-wide cleanup effort. For more details about these partners, please visit our partner page. Special thank you extended to Riversweep’s presenting sponsor, Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group. Each year, Catawba Riversweep is an inspiring event to witness, as it brings the community together in a united effort to support the health of the Catawba River. The sight of hundreds of people joining forces to clean up the river and its surrounding areas is a powerful testament to the shared commitment to support the health of our river. It is truly amazing to see the dedication and passion of volunteers who selflessly contribute their time and energy to make this event a success. However, Riversweep is also a reminder that the work is far from complete and the continued need for cleanup efforts in addition to other initiatives that protect, preserve and advocate for our river. Be sure to mark Oct. 5, 2024 on your calendar and join us at Catawba Riversweep next year! Check out the video here.

CATAWBA RIVERKEEPER FOUNDATION INC 102 Main Street, Suite 100 McAdenville, NC 28101 Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser Unsubscribe

How do you think about club membership growth? Is it a priority? Worldwide, attrition in Rotary (and similar organizations) is 14-15% a year. If a club is not intentional about inviting guests, it will probably shrink. Unfortunately, many clubs have known ‘that shrinking feeling’ at one time or another.

Here’s an easy 5 step process to think about membership growth, with a few ideas for each. These would be ideal topics for a Club Assembly.

It’s easier to grow when we remember we might change someone’s life with a simple invitation.

STEP 1 – Know your Who and Why.

– YOUR WHO

– What are your GIVEN characteristics? E.g. lunch, traditional, young, satellite, large, etc.

– What are your CHOSEN characteristics? E.g. support mostly kids, hands on, international, signature project, etc.

– What are your CORE VALUES? Connectedness, fun, community involvement, service, etc.

YOUR WHY

– What are you really trying to accomplish in the community?

– What are your real goals? (It may not be membership growth) – Service? Raise community profile? Stay the same? Attract like-minded people?

STEP 2 – Identifying New Members

– Discuss who you’d like to add. It may be by profession or personal characteristics. Email me at mwalker@stephens.com for a 15 minute club exercise.

– Keep ‘what’s in it for them’ top of mind to make it easier to invite people – Relationships, Service, Growth & Learning.

– When a CULTURE OF INVITING is normal, clubs grow. When it’s not, they shrink. It’s not complicated.

STEP 3 – Attracting New Members

– Invite guests to service projects and social events.

– Host a Discover Rotary event where the focus is on guests and learning about Rotary and your club.

– Consider a new format or satellite club, if your club is not convenient for your guests.

– Consider new membership types, such as Corporate and Family.

STEP 4 – Onboarding

– Create an Onboarding Chair position, to work with newly pinned members in their first year.

– Create an Onboarding checklist, with what we ask of them, and what they ask of us. Email me at mwalker@stephens.com for a copy.

STEP 5 – Member Care and Engagement

– We join and stay where we feel we belong. A “good fit” feels right. Be intentional about creating that.

– Create a Member Care Team to contact members who miss __ meetings. Because we’re busy, we sometimes have to formalize caring, sad as that sounds.

– Elevate your club experience – more diverse speakers, better organized meetings, and making your club irresistible!

– More meaningful service projects – a primary reason people join and stay in Rotary.

Work on one Step at a time, and find members with a passion for each. Let’s Get Growing!

 

Mental Health Corner

District 7680 Newsletter

Romy Cawood, PhD

Charlotte Dilworth Southend Rotary Club

Greetings to all from our District’s newsletter’s first announcement about the new Mental Health Initiative.  Rotary International President Gordon R. McInally has announced that Mental Health is one of three areas he would like to focus on during his tenure.  As such he has noted three related goals, which are to:

• Erase the stigma associated with caring about emotional well-being
• Raise awareness about mental health needs
• and Work to improve access to mental health services

In District 7680 we embrace this initiative with enthusiasm.  Our District Governor Debbie Corbett is a mental health professional and has invited me, a fellow mental health professional and psychologist to assist her this year with our District’s focus on Mental Health.  One of our goals is to educate our District’s members by inviting people engaged in work in the very broad field of mental health to address our clubs to educate us about mental health needs, including both the illness and wellness side of this topic.  The more we learn about mental health, the better positioned our District will be to imagine and create projects aimed to support it.

What you can do now to support Mental Health:

Start a conversation in your club at an upcoming meeting about what Good Mental Health looks like to your membership.

Reach out to leaders in your club’s communities to find out what they rank as the top Mental Health needs within your community.

November is Rotary Foundation Month. This is the time of year when we reflect on and celebrate how Rotarians and Rotaractors are changing lives around the world through meaningful projects and through their generous gifts to The Rotary Foundation. Members who engage with the Foundation connect to the international community of Rotary. Find out more about what The Rotary Foundation does by signing in to Rotary’s Learning Center and taking these courses: Rotary Foundation Basics Learn about the work of The Rotary Foundation, including grants and programs as well as giving opportunities. The Power of Giving Our donors’ impact on the Foundation is vital. Learn about the Foundation’s funds and the programs that benefit from your donations. Fundraising Basics This course includes a variety of fundraising strategies but focuses mostly on identifying potential donors, building relationships with them, and soliciting donations. Explore The Rotary Foundation course catalog to find these courses and more. The Rotary Foundation Catalog Learning Center highlights Preparing for the district team training seminar Get an early start on planning for your district team training seminar. The District Team Training Seminar Leader’s Guide has materials for learning facilitators to download and use to conduct the seminar. It comes in a zip file with session guides and worksheets that you can tailor to your learning event. Explore the District Leadership course catalog to find courses designed for various district roles. You can ask participants to take them before the seminar so that your sessions can focus on regional issues or group discussions. District Leadership Catalog What’s happening in Rotary This year, Rotary International President R. Gordon R. McInally is encouraging all members to support better mental health for each other and our communities in order to Create Hope in the World. As people of action, our members are often exposed to difficult situations while doing humanitarian work. Take the Resiliency course in the Learning Center and use its tips to promote a culture of care by leading discussions on mental health. You can also talk to members about how building resiliency can help them overcome stress or trauma. Enroll in the Resiliency course Learning with others Engaging with members before a learning event can encourage team building and promote better learning.  Use the Learning Topics area of the Learning Center to help you do this. First, take the Getting Started With Learning Topics course to find out how to share videos, links, and slides and how to post questions about your topic before your event. Then encourage participation before the event by: Uploading content you want to share with participants and asking them to share it with their clubs. Commenting on documents that people upload and asking members questions on the Question-and-Answer page. We want to hear how you encourage participants to take Learning Center courses to build their skills. Send us your ideas at learn@rotary.org.

One Rotary Center 1560 Sherman Ave

MECKLENBURG SOUTH CLUB

On Friday we tied 36 sold, colorful children’s blankets for kids who have to stay at the Canter of Hope in Charlotte. They provide some comfort in a difficult time of transition. Our club delivered them the next day and served lunch to many of the over 200 women and children to receive services there. It was a heart warming afternoon and an opportunity to interact with recipients in need at an organization we support this year.