Baseball, Hot Dogs, Family Fun, and Socks?!

Yes! It’s summertime and a great time to bring the family to a Knights baseball game. June 18 is Go Rotary! Night and we will have a picnic buffet one hour before game time and the first hour during the game. Tickets for both the picnic and the game are only $39 per person and must be purchased from DacDb. We only have 100 tickets at this below retail price so get your tickets ASAP! Did you know the Knights are a White Sox affiliate team? In honor of their Sox connection, we are collecting socks to be distributed to people in need. There will be collection boxes at the stadium identified with Rotary branding. District Governor Debb will kick off the evening by singing the national anthem! Bring your family, wear your Go Rotary! shirts or any Rotary swag, and join Rotary friends. Let’s have some FUN!

FOR YOUR CLUB – Create a Culture of Inviting

I was a Discussion Leader for 5 hours at the recent Carolinas PETS, the 2-day Rotary training for incoming Presidents from North and South Carolina. I spent 2 of those hours working with smaller groups of incoming Presidents on membership.

A concept I recently introduced here resonated with many of the Presidents-Elect: A Culture of Inviting. It’s simple. Clubs with it, where it’s more normal to invite guests than not, grow. Those that don’t, eventually shrink. 

If your club makes that Culture of Inviting the constant, and makes all that must change to create it, those variables become topics of worthy discussion within the club and the board. What has to change to create that culture in the next few months? Maybe a half dozen things. It won’t be easy but it will be worth it. 

FOR YOU – To make it easy to invite a guest, just remember, ‘What’s In It For Them?’

It’s much easier to invite someone to a meeting, service project, etc., if you keep the four major benefits of Rotary top of mind – Relationships, Service, Growth, and Learning. And all the interesting areas that come under each of those.

I was in my 50s before receiving my first Rotary meeting invitation. I was running out of time to ever be invited!  Yours may be the only invitation someone EVER receives, and it may be a life-changing gift like mine was. Remembering ‘What’s In it For Them’ makes it easier to extend that invitation.  Alternatively, you can just be annoying like my Sponsor was, until they say yes. Thank you Bill.  🙂

Mike Walker, District Membership Chair

Mental Health Corner
District 7680 Newsletter

Romy Cawood, PhD
Charlotte Dilworth Southend Rotary Club

Managing Conflict and Fighting Fair

Healthy relationships support mental health. We want harmony in our relationships and work to keep it, but conflict is inevitable and a normal part of life.  Having a good skill set for managing conflict can make a big difference in conflict outcomes.  Here are 6 tips for navigating conflict, or “fighting fair.”

Number 1:  Work out the conflict in person. With text and email, voice tone and body language are absent. When tensions are high, negative feelings can get projected on the other person’s message, distorting it. That can create an unnecessary extra layer of problems. With some exceptions (like if you do not feel safe in someone’s presence), in-person is best for important and conflicted conversations.

Number 2: Be respectful even if you disagree. Eye-rolling and other expressions of disrespect are associated with poor relationship outcomes. If you find irony in what the other person is saying, express it respectfully, as in “I feel strongly that you have a double standard here that is unfair to me.”

Number 3: Don’t use cold silence as a strategy when upset. Cold silence can be very tempting and can feel almost dignified to the person doing it, but it is not helpful. If you feel like you are very hurt or don’t know what to say, resist shutting down and being cold. Instead, signal what you are feeling. It can be short:  “I am so upset right now that I don’t know what to say.” Or “I feel very hurt right now and need a moment.”

Number 4: Do not leave the physical location of the conflict in the midst of conflict. Leaving the physical location in conflict evokes the threat of abandonment (even if not meant that way), and erodes the relationship. If you need a moment to collect yourself, state that specifically and do not go far, as in “I need a moment to think about that, if it’s OK with you I would like to step into the next room for a few minutes and then I’ll be back.”

Number 5:  Do not threaten break-up or divorce in the midst of conflict. If the thought occurs to you in an argument, keep it to yourself, take time to think it over, and make thoughtful preparations to bring it up if you so decide.  I advise my couple clients against bringing up a break-up or divorce unless they are seriously thinking about it outside the heat of an argument. Ending a relationship well honors it.

Number 6:  After a discussion or argument, let the other person know what you appreciated about how they handled it. Positive reinforcement is the most powerful way to encourage a desired behavior.

For more resources on managing conflict in relationship:

When and how to engage constructively in family arguments during the holidays: https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/family-arguments-holidays

The 4 Keys to Fighting Fair. By Grant Hilary Brenner, MD.; https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/experimentations/201811/the-4-keys-to-fighting-fair

The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work:  A Practical Guide from the Country’s Foremost Relationship Expert, paperback, John Gottman PhD and Nan Silver.

CART Rotary Jerseys

My club is selling Rotary jerseys as a fundraiser for CART. All proceeds go to CART!!

A limited number of these special jerseys are available. They are approved by RI for a one-time event and all proceeds will go to The CART Fund! Order yours today for $40 by completing this google form

Once you fill out the Google form, you will receive an invoice via PayPal and once you make your payment, the shirt(s) can be shipped out.

Reminder – June 15 District Grant Deadlines
Applications due for 2024-25 District Grants
Final reports due for 2023-24 District Grants 

To: Club President, President-Elect, President-Nominee, VP, Secretary, Treasurer, Foundation Chair, & Service Chairs (w/ Rotaract), 2023-24 District Grant contacts & 2024 District Grant Training participants (cc: DG chain, AGs):

It’s time to apply for new District Grants & to submit final reports for current district grant projects by June 15th.

We are looking for clubs to submit proposals for significant projects for 2024-25. Approximately $90K is available.

We also want to celebrate the great work clubs have been doing to Create Hope in the World in 2023-24 through District Grant projects. 

New applications and final reports are entered in DACDB’s grants module.  As a first step, go to “Grants Overview” (upper L tab) for additional instructions & helpful resources.

Helpful hint: For all your work, I suggest to save frequently. I know some folks take screenshots or print before exiting. Others prefer to work offline then copy & paste into the application or report. 

If you think your club has submitted a new grant application, please do me a favor, double-check that it is showing as saved / received in DACDB. I didn’t see recent applications last week so I called DACDB and was advised all looked good on their end. If you have any issues, please report them promptly so we can troubleshoot with your club and report any issues to DACDB for resolution.

New applications (next 2024-25 grant cycle)
Review the “Grants Overview” tab for instructions then start by assigning your club’s signatories, then go to Club Grant View to start an application.

• Remember to change the “org year” to 2024-25 before you enter your club’s new grant application.
• Assign at least 2 club members as approved signatures (requires Level 4+ DACDB access)
• Clubs can apply for more than 1 grant project. Please enter a separate grant application for each project. Consider your club’s total eligible funding and clearly identify your priority / preferred projects.
• Consider project partnerships and collaboration with other Rotary clubs and organizations
• Save often. Exit your application periodically & re-enter to check that all data is being captured
• Submit signed MOU under Documentation or sign electronically using the new MOU tab (for President & President-Elect to sign for club)
• Be sure to send your application for two club signatures, then after it is signed, send it on to district review (each is a separate DACDB step)
• Projects can’t be started until they are approved.
• You cannot expend grant funds on your project until the grant application is approved (ie there is no retroactive reimbursement from grant funds)
• Grant fund distribution timing depends on timely final reports plus Rotary/TRF review & processing.

Final reports (current 2023-24 grant cycle)
To start entering a final report on a current grant project, go to that grant and use the edit icon. Be sure you are in the correct org year (2023-24).

• Tell your club’s Rotary story in your final report – significant activities, accomplishments, & impact
• Upload photos and any significant documents, eg announcements, news articles, social media posts, event programs) (use Documents tab)
• Share how Rotarians are “People of Action”, transforming their communities in your report & beyond (eg Rotary Showcase at MyRotary.org)
• Remember that the photos you submit will be used by district for celebrating your club’s project
• Update your budget to reflect all income and expenses related to the project (use Budget tab)
• Submit itemized receipts (required) for all grant-related expenses with your final report (upload & label as receipts under the Documentation tab)
• Submit your report for club signatures and then on for district review (2 separate steps in DACDB)
• Final reports for your club must be complete & approved before a new grant is considered/funded
• If final reports are outstanding, it can delay our district being approved & receiving funds from RI.

District Grant Review process 2024-25 
The District Grants Subcommittee will use a 2-phase review process again this year.

• First, we will review proposed grant applications and projects (late June / early July).
• Second, we will determine grant awards (July) and hope to notify clubs by the end of July.

Reminders from District Grant Training

• Slides & recording are under Grants Overview, along with instructions and links to references
• At least 1 club member must have completed district grant training 2024 (required annually). Clubs recorded as having completed training (based on sign-in) appears at the end of email.
• ALL clubs are eligible to apply for district grant(s) IF: they are in good standing with Rotary International, have at least 1 member complete district grant training, sign & upload RI MOU (Memorandum of Understanding / Agreement), and abide by Rotary International “Terms & Conditions” for district grants. These documents and resources are found under Grants Overview or District Files – Secure Files – District Grants.
• Clubs who reach $100+ per-member average per-capita giving in 2023-24 (as of June 30) to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) Annual SHARE Fund receive priority consideration for district grants. Clubs who do not meet this level can still apply for grants, understanding funds are limited. Please work with your club treasurer so all club & member contributions are submitted in time to be counted during the appropriate Rotary year.*
• Eligible clubs with eligible projects may receive 25% of their Rotary Foundation (TRF) Annual SHARE Fund giving* from 3 years prior (2021-22) as grant(s). This is a general guideline we abide by (some clubs apply for more than the 25% if they have an exceptional or special project, in case requests do not reach available funds but in most years, requests exceed available funding). Go to “Club Fundraising Analysis” to find your club’s recent giving history for this purpose. I encourage you to access this report and review it with your club leadership.

Find your Club Fundraising Analysis at MyRotary.org (requires sign-in) – Rotary Foundation – Club & District Administration – Reports – scroll down to Contributions & Recognitions – Club Giving (click on view reports)  – Club Fundraising Analysis. On my phone, I reached it under the “Membership & Foundation Reports” box on left hand side of my personal page after I signed in to MyRotary.org

* For some clubs, contributions to TRF Annual / SHARE Fund as shown in the Club Fundraising Analysis (CFA) may vary from the club’s SHARE Contribution Report. In these cases, we will use Club Fundraising Analysis as a basis for grant decisions. I can send a screenshot of your Club Fundraising Analysis if you encounter difficulty.

– Clubs can partner to apply for district grants. Their collective giving history will be considered and the lead club should have completed training.

*Rotary Foundation contributions for 2023-24
Clubs who reach at least $100 average per capita giving to the Rotary Foundation’s Annual / SHARE Fund in 2023-24 receive priority consideration for district grants. Please submit all contributions for your club (or members giving via your club) to The Rotary Foundation with enough time to be processed by June 30 to count for the current year. I recommend completing this by June 15. Our district’s giving to the TRF Annual SHARE Fund for 2023-24 will determine the funds returned as District Designated Funds (DDF) for district grants & projects in 2026-27 (we receive nearly half in 3 years!).

Need help? 
I know this is a lot of information, but hopefully it serves as a useful summary from District Grant Training and for discussion among your club leadership as you plan your district grant projects.

As your D7680 District Grant subcommittee chair, I stand ready to serve and support you and your club. You may contact me directly (contact info below) or use the D7680 District Grants email address, [email protected] which offers a dedicated email & continuity for all who may serve our district in this role in the future.

Thank you!
Thank you for your service to your club, communities, and the world as you “Create Hope in the World” and share the “Magic of Rotary”.

Sharon Heinrich
D7680 District Grants Subcommittee Chair
[email protected]
Member, Rotary Club of Gastonia
Personal email [email protected]
Personal cell phone (704) 860-7736

Rotary Clubs recorded as completing 2024 District Grant Training (per sign-in or email)*:
Albemarle, Alleghany, Ashe County, Ballantyne, Boiling Springs, Cabarrus, Charlotte, Charlotte, Dilworth SE, Charlotte International, Charlotte North, Charlotte South, Charlotte South Park, Concord, Concord Afton Sunset, Davidson, Gastonia, Gastonia East, Greater Statesville, Huntersville Happy Hour, Kings Mountain, Lake Norman Huntersville, Matthews, Meck South, Monroe Union Breakfast, Mount Holly, North Mecklenburg, Rockingham, Rowan County, Salisbury, Shelby Breakfast, Statesville 4th Creek, Taylorsville, Top of the Lake Mooresville, Union West – Indian Trail, Wadesboro, Waxhaw Weddington, West Stanley

*If you don’t see your club listed & you completed grants training, please let me know. Thank you.

Sharon Heinrich

Belmont Club Member  Mike McKeever Discusses Rotary Disaster Relief Effort in Nepal in 2015

Mike McKeever exemplifies Service Above Self

Belmont Rotarian Mike McKeever (below) with club president Thomas Hunter. In the photo on the screen behind Mike’s head, he can be seen (in a blue shirt) working in a rubble pile in Nepal to provide temporary shelter for people who had lost their homes in an earthquake that killed thousands and left millions homeless. In the photo below, Mike is at a school damaged by the quake giving soccer balls to children, most of whom were living in tents.

Disaster Aid USA: Putting Rotary motto into action

Just before noon on April 25, 2015, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck a region of Nepal northwest of Kathmandu near the China border. It lasted only 50 seconds. Entire villages were flattened. Almost 9,000 people died, 22,000 were injured, 500,000 houses were destroyed and 3.5 million were left homeless. Among the dead were 19 climbers on Mount Everest who were killed when the quake triggered an avalanche that struck their base camp.

Disaster recovery and relief workers poured into Nepal from all over the world. One of those volunteers was Belmont Rotary Club’s own Mike McKeever, who shared with his fellow Rotarians at a recent meeting his story of working to help the homeless in Nepal nine years ago this month.

At the time, Mike lived in Maryland and was a member of the Bladensburg Rotary Club, now known as the Rotary Club of Prince George’s County. That club holds the distinction of having started a Rotary project to provide disaster relief that now is nationwide in scope and is known as Disaster Aid USA.

Like all DAUSA response team volunteers, Mike received extensive training before being deployed on a mission. On the Nepal mission, his team was assigned primarily to provide and set up tents to shelter homeless quake victims. Mike told Rotarians his team worked in seven different villages during the 10 days he was in Nepal.

In addition to Nepal, Mike said he also has participated in relief missions in the Bahamas, in Arkansas to assist in recovery following a tornado and in eastern North Carolina to help flood victims.

Some of the other skills Disaster Aid USA can provide include mass feeding management, water purification, rescue, firefighting, family and youth counseling and more. DAUSA has large disaster relief trailers filled with tools, tents, tarps, generators and other emergency equipment and supplies and positioned in each of the 11 Rotary zones across the United States.

Mike gave a moving account of having felt particularly down on one day in Nepal because he thought he wasn’t helping enough. That’s when another relief volunteer showed him a photo she had taken of Mike at a school damaged by the quake giving soccer balls to a group of happy children, most of whom were living in tents, and she pointed out that he was helping in other ways besides putting up tents.

By the end of Mike’s 20-minute program, every Rotarian in the room knew he or she had just witnessed a living example of the Rotary motto: Service Above Self

Lake Norman Club in the News!

Program helps community workers afford Lake Norman rentals

Lake Norman Media Group

Lake Norman Men That Cook Raises $19,000 for Charity

45 Cash Prizes Awarded at Post-Event Celebration

Huntersville, April 8, 2024:  The Huntersville Happy Hour Rotary Club recognized cooking teams, charities, and sponsors at an awards celebration for its Lake Norman Men That Cook fundraiser on Monday night at Hickory Tavern in Huntersville.

“Lake Norman Men That Cook is our signature event,” said Eric Franzen, President of the Huntersville Happy Hour Rotary Club. “Each year, we invite the community to get involved, and we all have a lot of fun for a good cause.”

The fundraiser was held on March 17^th at the Venues at Langtree in Mooresville and raised $19,000 from patrons and sponsors.  Prize money was awarded based on first, second, and third-place standings in five different cooking categories.  Chefs from local restaurants served as judges including Steve Jordan, On the Nines; Nazira Atme, Habibi Lebanese Bar & Grill; Diane Pfeil, The Counter, and Lisa Dowless, Banquet Manager at the Venues at Langtree.

There were 15 cooking teams in attendance and awards were given in each of the five categories. First place winners were, Welcome Home Veterans Coffee Shop for Chili, Hough High School JROTC for BBQ, Feed NC for Other Great Food, Lydia’s Loft for Vegetarian, and East Huntersville Community Outreach for Dessert.  Second place went to Angels & Sparrows for Chili, Hope House for BBQ, Mababu Live for Other Great Food, Hinds Feet Farm for Vegetarian, and North Meck Animal Rescue for Dessert. Those taking third place included Lake Norman Kiwanis for Chili, Caterpillar Ministries for BBQ, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for Other Great Food, Little Smiles for Vegetarian, and HealthReach Community Clinic for Dessert.

Bob Wilson who served as District Governor for Rotary in 2008/2009, founded the club in 2014 with his wife Ineke, who also served a term as District Governor. At the end of the night in his closing remarks, Bob thanked all sponsors and charities for a successful event.  He challenged everyone to raise even more money next year. “We have a unique opportunity to help a lot of people in need of a safety net.  I believe we can do this as a club and as a community. Let’s keep a good thing going,” he said.

Statesville in the News!

Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce

Iredell Health System

Rotary Club of Charlotte and Myers Park High School Interact Club Painted the Town Green

Myers Park High School’s Interact club sponsored by the Rotary Club of Charlotte, painted the town green and made memories that’ll last a lifetime!  With a float created by Myers Park High School’s Interact club, they celebrated the luck of the Irish and spread some serious Irish cheer in Charlotte’s exciting 2024 St. Patrick’s Day parade.  As they painted the town green, they made memories that’ll last a lifetime!  As they marched together, both Charlotte Rotary and Myers Park Interact promoted Rotary and Interact at this festive celebration.

Also, thanks to Jason Otte with Instant Imprints and our club member, we now have a parade banner for Rotary and Interact!

Click here to view more photos.