District 7680 Newsletter

June 2025

2024-2025: the Magic of Rotary. And what a magical year it was. Not for me. Not for any one club. Not for any one thing. But for US.

The preparation and training for becoming a District Governor is long and involved. It’s also testimony to the seriousness that Rotary places in the role. One of the things that Rotary drills into you as you go through the training is that being District Governor is not about us and we should never think of our years as Governor as “my year”. If you didn’t know this before signing on for this role, it was made abundantly clear during the three years of preparation. I share this only to highlight the fact that any success we had this year is not the work of one person. It’s because a LOT of people worked together to make things happen.

We had a truly remarkable year in terms of our service, but perhaps, none more meaningful or impactful than being able to render assistance to the people of western North Carolina following the devastation of Helene in September. None of us had any idea how significant the damage was but learning later of the deaths and destruction, it became quickly apparent that we had to do something. And we have responded to the needs there. Helping to provide food to two different foodbanks serving hundreds of people in the Black Mountain-Swannanoa area as well as the Boone area, gave us the opportunity to not only support much needed nutritional assistance, it gave us the space to create volunteer chances for Rotarians throughout District 7680. Since that time, we have now embarked upon a process to provide longer-term assistance to western North Carolina through the pursuit of a Global Grant supporting economic and community development to small businesses in those communities.

More than anything, our response to western NC speaks to who we are as Rotarians. “People of Action” is more than a tagline. It means that when issues arise impacting our friends, neighbors, and even people we may have never met, we will do our level best to help in the capacities we can. I believe we have had an exemplary year, filled with success. And as Paul Harris once said, “Success is not measured by wealth, but by the positive impact you have on others.” We have impacted the lives of many people here within District 7680 and beyond our borders. Perhaps, more importantly, we have impacted the lives of one another through our collaboration in conferences, service projects and social activities.

I thank each and every Rotarian of this incredible District for coming together in some unique ways to help make us stronger and demonstrate that Rotary isn’t so much an organization as it is statement about who we are. I especially want to thank everyone who served in a District leadership role and those who served in club leadership roles. This is where the work gets done and how we embed ourselves into the hearts and minds of those looking for help.

I hope you take as much pride as I do in helping to make this year, such a magical one for Rotary and for our District.

My Sincere Gratitude

It’s always risky trying to single out people specifically for acknowledgement at the end of something as impactful as serving as District Governor. And surely, I will fail to mention a name. I hope that when that happens, I don’t offend that person because that is most certainly, not my intention. I thank EACH and EVERY member of District 7680 to begin with and so to some extent, I hope that helps to assuage any disappointment. But with this being a challenging year for me personally, I simply want to say this year could never have happened but for the extraordinary efforts of some people in this District. These are not listed in any particular order, but just as I set my tired and unreliable mind to the task of doing this:

Christine Cipriano, Charlotte Rotary – for being there for me at all hours of the day, sometimes in the evening, in terms of maintaining the webpage, designing literally everything that had a design to it, creating presentations, and the list goes on.

Kam Chandan, Lake Norman/Huntersville Rotary – for not only being an outstanding Foundation Chair but for taking on the responsibility of getting out our monthly newsletter. He worked tirelessly on this for me and again, at all hours of the day.

Marcia Scheideman, Gastonia Rotary – for literally reviewing every presentation I made in my 53 club visits, offering excellent insights and feedback. As a Learning Facilitator, Marcia is simply outstanding and she has the heart of a Rotarian in everything she does. And she’s leading our Visioning efforts.

Laurel Morris, Gastonia Rotary – for simply doing an outstanding job as an AG but more for the job she did as Foundation Chair. Laurel sweated the smallest of details and ensured that we had a successful and extremely well-attended event. President Stephanie said it was one of the best she had ever attended.

Hayden Kramer, Union West Rotary – for doing an outstanding job with the District Conference, held in Statesville. Again, paying attention to the smallest of details, Hayden was hands-on from beginning to end, even facilitating a couple of training sessions.

David Keith, North Meck County Rotary – an outstanding AG who handled a particularly sensitive manner but did a wonderful job in promulgating and supporting the idea of collaboration between his clubs.

Cindy Fink, Salisbury Rotary – just an outstanding AG who identified opportunities for us post-Helene, which involved hands on volunteer spots for participating clubs.

Chris and Rina Arline, Charlotte International Rotary – friends, neighbors, champions of kindness, courage, equity and justice.

Mark Markanda, Charlotte Rotary – for always being there for me. Professionally and personally. Mark did an outstanding job in helping us achieve our Foundation goals.

Lois Crumpler, Wadesboro Rotary – for being such an amazing voice of calm and reason and a role model for what being a great Rotarian means.

Jim and Patsy Stump – again, people from my club who were always there for me and who have supported me from the time I expressed interest in becoming a Governor. I’m eternally grateful.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone and especially, these incredible Rotarians and even better human beings who made me grateful to be a Rotarian.

DG Kevin Kendrick

Highlights of a Magical Year!

We have had a remarkable year by any measure.

I visited every single one of our 53 clubs and learned of the remarkable work being done. And to be clear, that’s where the work of Rotary is done. In the clubs, by every-day Rotarians who see issues and then bring solutions. It’s what we do best and I’m grateful to all of the members who have helped solve problems.

We hosted multiple viewings of the documentary, “Join or Die” at the Independent Picture House in Charlotte which allowed us to share the message of collaboration with various sectors of the community, including educators, health-care professionals, and faith-based organizations

And the very next day, we held five simultaneous Membership Summits around the District!

We conducted our first District-initiated project involving environmental stewardship of the Catwaba River in October, where multiple clubs participated in cleaning the Catawba River. This was done as part of the collaboration between RI and the United Nations Environmental Program and known as CAWS or Community Action for Fresh Water.

We held our Rotary Foundation event for the first time ever in Gastonia, NC where we not only had the great fortune of welcoming our Director, Patrick Eakes, but also RI President Stephanie Urchick. We planted the first ever Peace Pole in Gastonia and also continued our decades-old tradition of a visiting RI President planting a tree at the Mint Museum. This tradition began of course, in 1938 when Paul Harris planted a tree there.

We showed who we are in District 7680 on the heels of Hurricane Helene. We challenged our clubs to contribute $50,000 with the promise of matching it from our District reserve funding. You all did this in less than three weeks and to date, we’ve raised more than $105,000 in total. And as many of you know, we have tapped into the Zone 33-34 Disaster Fund on three occasions for a total of $75,000, to assist two separate food banks, Bounty and Soul in Black Mountain and Hunger and Health in Boone, both serving thousands of people in western NC. In addition to the financial support, we have had multiple clubs and even some Interactors who have done volunteer shifts at the food bank in Black Mountain.

We also succeeded in receiving a separate 25K grant from the Rotary Foundation to assist in issues impacting our northern counties, primarily in Alleghany and Ashe Counties. In Alleghany, we were able to provide 3000 to six volunteer fire and rescue departments, helping them to replenish their spent gasoline allotments in October. We also provided assistance to Director Patrick’s relief operation by transporting more than 20 pallets of blankets and comforters from Charlotte to Greensboro where they were broken up and put into packages destined for District 7670. And most recently, we’ve been able to provide more than 20,000 to the Ashe County Recovery and Restoration non-profit, which is providing much-needed support to homeowners in need of roof repairs and other major repairs.

Our second District-initiated project involved distributing 1,000 pair of shoes from Samaritan’s Feet to students at Title 1 schools throughout our District. We worked with eight clubs to make this happen and eventually distributed more than 950 pair of shoes. The looks on the faces of those students was indescribable. I want to especially thank the Union West Club for the work they did in providing shoes to an entire elementary school consisting of 525 students.

We held our District Conference in Statesville on 5/2-3. We had over 210 in attendance and our sessions on the Action Plan were very well-received! Thank you to all of those involved in making this a success including Hayden Kramer, Marley Scott, Maureen Moore, and all who participated on the Committee!!!

From a membership perspective, we have shown a modest increase thus far, however, we know we will likely lose some members at the end of the year. What is positive is that increasingly, our clubs are implementing innovative techniques to grow membership:

• Clubs are using the power of “Discovery Rotary” events to recruit community members who may have thought about Rotary but were never asked.

• Clubs are beginning to employ more robust engagement tools to aid in member retention. Likewise, we’re becoming more intentional about member care and checking in on members we haven’t seen in a few meetings.
• We reinstituted a Rotaract Club at Livingstone College which had been dormant for ten years.

• We’re in the process of starting a new Impact Club which will be a satellite of Charlotte International. Our four and soon-to-be five Impact Clubs are taking on new members and finding their strides in service and social activities.

From a Foundation perspective, I’m happy to report that as of 6/10/25:

• We rank 4^th in Zone 33 in terms of PHS members with 238, which is an all-time high for our District.
• We are only one of three Districts in the Zone with100% of our clubs contributing to the Annual Fund.
• We are third in the Zone with our District showing a 29% increase in Polio giving compared to this time last year.
• We are second in the Zone in terms of the number of registered Rotary Direct participants at 210.
• Our District leads all Districts in Zone 33 relative to contributions to the Endowment Fund with a total of $860,000 to date. This was of course, one of our biggest priorities this year in helping the Foundation to reach that goal of 2.025 Billion by 2025.

On the PI/PR, side, I am excited at some of the changes I’ve seen at the club level relative to engaging their own members and members of the community. We are learning in this rapidly evolving environment with its different platforms and different ways of communicating with different generations. But we’re improving every day, and I’m convinced we will continue to do so! Congratulations to the Charlotte Providence and Charlotte Rotary Clubs for earning recognition from the Zone 33-34 PI/PR Team in achieving platinum-level status for accomplishments in PI/PR goals!

Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust (CART)

District Conference – Action Plan Supplement

One of the best accomplishments from our recent District Conference was how understanding of our Rotary Action Plan increased. This will help us as we prepare to identify projects for our clubs, how to create a welcoming environment for potential new members and better engage existing members, how we can have more impact in our communities and how we can be more flexible when meeting member where they are.

The Rotary International Brand Center, recently assembled some excellent short videos which help us understand all four elements of the Action Plan and even the Action Plan itself.

Please see the below links for additional information!

Rotary’s Action Plan: https://brandcenter.rotary.org/en-us/asset?id=134221644&lang=EN

Increase our Impact: https://brandcenter.rotary.org/en-us/asset?id=134221987&lang=EN

Expand our Reach: https://brandcenter.rotary.org/en-us/asset?id=134221993&lang=EN

Enhance Participant Engagement: https://brandcenter.rotary.org/en-us/asset?id=134221982&lang=EN

Increase our Ability to Adapt: https://brandcenter.rotary.org/en-us/asset?id=134221996&lang=EN

Help Needed for PDG Allen Langley

Care and Comfort – a Direct Appeal

My fellow Rotarians, please see the attached personal appeal from PDG Allen Langley’s daughter who first reached out to me at District Conference. I hope you can help.

A Personal Appeal to Our Rotary Family

Dear Rotary Friends,

As many of you know, my father, Allen Langley, has been a dedicated and active member of our Rotary club for over 30 years. Throughout that time, he has exemplified the very essence of “Service Above Self”—always offering his time, energy, and compassion to support others in moments of need.

Today, he finds himself on the other side of that equation, in need of the same support he has so freely given.

My dad is currently on the kidney transplant list at Wake Forest Hospital and urgently needs a donor with O positive blood. I understand this is a significant request, but I also know the strength and heart of our Rotary community. This organization is more than a network—it is a family bound by shared values and a deep commitment to helping others.

If you or someone you know is willing to explore the possibility of becoming a living donor—or simply wishes to learn more—I would be deeply grateful. Eligible donors must be between the ages of 21 and 75 and in good health. Additionally, I want to highlight an important option: the kidney exchange program. Through this process, a donor who is not a direct match can still donate a kidney, which then allows my father to be matched with a compatible donor. It’s an extraordinary solution that expands the possibilities for saving lives, even when blood types do not align.

To make it easier, there is a QR code listed below that you can scan. It will take you to a website with all the information you need about the donation process, eligibility, and next steps.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly with any questions or interest. Even sharing this message can create a ripple effect that brings us closer to a life-saving match.

Thank you for your compassion, generosity, and continued prayers.

Warm regards,

Gracie Langley

[email protected]

Personal: (704) 692-1234

Allen’s phone: (704) 472-2847

Creating a Stronger Club through Visioning

With Carolina PETS now behind us, Club Presidents-Elect in 7680 are brimming with ideas and ready to inspire their members to UNITE FOR GOOD. Support is available to make that happen.

The District 7680 Visioning Initiative is here to help clubs not only implement these ideas in the coming year and beyond but also empower club leadership to put the Action Plan into motion for a lasting, sustainable impact on the local community. Recently, District 7680 leaders experienced the Visioning Process firsthand and are now moving forward with a three-year plan designed to strengthen the district and create a brighter future for all. 

Club Visioning is a powerful tool that strengthens clubs by building consensus on their direction, promoting continuity and consistency among leadership and programming, and creating actionable plans to implement initiatives. One of the key benefits of a Club Visioning event is that it gives club members a voice in shaping the club’s future. Additionally, it provides a structured framework to develop and implement a long-range plan, ensuring that the club’s goals are met and sustained over time. This collaborative approach not only unites members but also empowers them to contribute meaningfully to the club’s success.

Join us in this exciting journey! Get involved, share your ideas, and let’s make a difference together. Contact Marcia Scheideman ([email protected]), Visioning Coordinator for more information.

Be the FIRST Rotary’s Promise Club in the Country

Clubs achieving 100-percent member support of the Endowment are eligible to be designated as a Rotary’s Promise Club. This support may be an outright gift to the Endowment of $1,000 or more, or a commitment to the Endowment of $1,000 or more. Click here to learn more.

District Grant reminders (due by June 15)

JUNE 2025 MIKE’S MEMBERSHIP MINUTE

The following news about one of our Peace Fellows was provided by Patricia Shafer:

I’m writing with two bits of exciting news about “our” Rotary Peace Fellow Elise Nassif who we successfully put forward from D7680 for her current Rotary Peace Fellowship at the University of Bradford in the UK – one of these bits of news could use a little Rotarian support.

The first bit of news is that Elise must complete and Applied Field Experience (extended internship) as part of her Rotary Peace Fellowship. She asked and Rotary approved that she does this internship with NewGen Peacebuilders. The project and her thesis are exciting. Over four+ months, she will be analyzing the extent to which the global Youth, Peace & Security initiative put forth from the UN is being implemented and make strong recommendations about how it can be accelerated in reality. The initiative is linked to a unanimous decision by the UN Security Council (UNSCR 2250) that calls for each nation to put young people at the center for peacebuilding. Of course, she will place a special emphasis on the Middle East given that she is from Lebanon. She will present her results both within Rotary and – we hope – at Geneva Peace Week in October.

The second bit of news is that Elise has simultaneously been accepted into the prestigious one-week Summer Academy (July 2025) of the Oxbridge Diplomatic Academy – a joint effort of Oxford and Cambridge, UK. It’s really competitive given that many of the speakers are or have been high-level policy leaders, and the participants are viewed as people with potential diplomatic roles in their futures. So, congratulations are in order. The challenge is that the cost of the program is the equivalent of about $9,000, all-in. Oxbridge has offered her a $1,300 scholarship, and her internship with us is paid – so that will help a bit. But she probably won’t be able to do this without some extra financial support. She’s asking Rotarians in the UK for help, and I’m asking you if there might be some District or other funds to chip in, too.

This is a great opportunity for a Rotary Peace Fellow that we’ve supported to be part of the prestigious Oxbridge Diplomatic Academy network.

Congratulations to Rotary Club of Charlotte and Rotary Club of Charlotte Providence earning the highest Platinum Level Zone 33/34 EPIC Award for the 2024-25 Rotary year! 

This recognition is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and creativity of these clubs in enhancing Rotary’s public image. The impact of this award goes beyond the citation itself; it serves as an inspiration for other clubs to strive for similar recognition and to elevate Rotary’s presence and influence in their own communities.

For the 2025-2026 Rotary Year, we will be encouraging ALL District 7680 clubs to participate and get a jumpstart on next year’s EPIC award. The first three tasks for 2025-26 are now open at www.rizones33-34.org/public-image/epic-award.

Of course the objective is not the reward itself, but rather a roadmap to develop a sustainable public image strategy for your club.  As District 7680 PI/PR Chair, Mark Daniels ([email protected]) will be encouraging and assisting all clubs to tell your stories and be active on social media.

Club News (Mooresville – LKN)

Reprinted from Lake Norman Publications:

MOORESVILLE – On May 10, Mooresville-Lake Norman Rotary Club’s President-elect, Ann Nivens, participated in and won first place in the 2025-26 North Carolina Senior America pageant held in Pinehurst. Up against many amazing and inspirational women, Nivens wowed the judges and the audience with her poise, elegance and inner beauty, not to mention her talent as a singer and drummer. She will travel to Atlantic City, N.J., in October to compete with women from all over the United States for the title of Ms. Senior America.

Previously a principal for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Iredell-Statesville Schools, Nivens retired after 33 years and now devotes her time to helping others. She became a Rotarian in 2023 and immediately took on the role of committee chair of the STARS Scholarship program, incentivizing at-risk students to complete their education and attend college or a trade school.

An attendance of over 200 was at the event in Owens Auditorium, Sandhills Community College, Pinehurst. Proceeds from the door admissions will be used to sponsor Nivens at the national pageant.

Congratulations to President-Elect Ann!! Let’s wish her the very best in the National Paegeant!!

Pee Dee Area News – June 2025

Submitted by AG Bob Remsburg

On Wednesday, June 4th, District Governor Kevin Kendrick met President Ashley Scarborough and members of the Wadesboro Rotary Club at a park adjacent to the Anson County Courthouse.  The purpose of this meeting was the planting of a new Peace Pole.  The Club had worked with area master gardeners to arrange perennials at the base of the pole.  Club members worked to put all the plants in the ground and to add concrete around the pole. Brief presentations were made by President Scarborough, the County Manager and DG Kevin.  The pole included “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in four languages, Hmong, Ukrainian, Spanish and English.  Club member John Witherspoon had researched and determined that those are the four most-often used languages in Anson County.

The Albemarle Rotary Club held its 29th annual golf tournament at the beautiful Tillery Tradition Golf Course on June 2nd.  Twenty-two teams participated and Event Chair Brett Speight and other Club members were able to get many local businesses to be hole sponsors.  Funds raised are used for the Club’s college scholarship fund.

The Race to Remember held by the Albemarle Club on June 7th was a huge success with over 170 runners and walkers in the 5K and 1 Mile races. This is the largest number of participants in the four-year history of the race.   All profits will be donated to The CART Fund for Alzheimer’s research. President Nominee Louisa Jane Hartsell is the event chair and coordinates the race which goes through downtown and neighborhoods in Albemarle.  This year’s event actually included a virtual race option for those not able to run or walk in-person and donations could be accepted online.   Last year, the Race to Remember raised over $12,000 for The CART Fund and it appears that this year’s total will be over $14,000.

On June 5th , the Albemarle Club Held a Chartering ceremony for the new Interact Club at Gray Stone Day School.  Assistant Governor Bob Remsburg served as Master of Ceremonies as President Jay Almond installed Interact President Bobby Taylor and the officers.  Immediate Past District Governor Debb Corbett performed the duties of officially chartering the club.  Gray Stone Principal, Rotarian and Club Advisor Dr. Melissa Smith gave an inspiring speech as did President Taylor, President Almond and Gray Stone Chief Administrator Helen Nance.  iPDG Debb Corbett finished the ceremony calling on the students to show their leadership and to strive for service.

On June 7th, the Rockingham Rotary Club held their annual Presentation Day.  Approximately 20 different Richmond County organizations were the recipients of grants totaling over $40,000.  Most of the organizations were present at the awards celebration to enjoy lunch together and to receive their checks.  Funds were raised by the Rockingham Club during their annual barbecue and raffle held on election day in November.  The Rotary barbecue is an annual tradition in Richmond County and is always held on the November election day.

The Harrisburg Rotary Club is sensitive to ongoing food needs in their community and so they’re taking active steps to helping meet the needs. Here’s a collection of a recent meeting during which, donations were received.

Provided by AG Dana Ritchie

Hope House Receives Rotary District Grant

Huntersville, NC – Community service and a commitment to making the world a better place hit close to home with the help of the Huntersville Happy Hour Club.  Each year, Rotary Clubs all over the world raise funds to improve the lives of others, and one local Rotary club made it their mission to do something for Hope House of Huntersville.

Women in Huntersville, who need a temporary home due to an unexpected hardship, have turned their lives around thanks to the Hope House Foundation, a charitable organization with a long history of helping women facing homelessness. In addition to providing shelter, families are guided through the steps they need to succeed. Collaborative partners such as The Ada Jenkins Center offer case management services, including life skills training, financial literacy, career development, and education.

Members of the club raised money and applied for a Rotary District matching grant to bring comfort and hope to the families living in the cottages provided by Hope House. A total of $3,000 was raised for the project. Grant funding is awarded based on Annual Giving to the Rotary Foundation for short-term projects that align with Rotary’s mission of service.

With plenty of stamina and determination, Rotary volunteers came with shovels, rakes and other supplies to beautify the gardens with mulch and butterfly bushes. Other purchases were made with the grant money, including water tables for the children and a porch swing for one of the cottages.

Photo Captions: (1) Huntersville Happy Hour Rotarians (l-r) Mike Walker, Franz Lorio (service committee chair) and Walter Siegenthaler. (2) (l-r) Rotarians Mike Walker, Uni Brown (president) with Paula McGroarty and Debbie O’Handley of Hope House.

Members of the Charlotte Queen City Impact Club and the Charlotte Dilworth South End Rotary Club, met at the warehouse of Nourish Up, a food bank in Meck County to help sort donated goods. We ran into members of the Charlotte Rotary Club while there! A great day to be a Rotarian!!

Mário César Martins de Camargo, a member of the Rotary Club of Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil, has notified Rotary International that he will resign from the role of president-elect and will not serve as president. In a letter to RI President Stephanie A. Urchick on 8 June, he said that personal reasons and business obligations prompted his decision. In a later message, de Camargo indicated that he will continue to be an active Rotary member and to serve his community.

A Rotary member since 1980, de Camargo was selected to be the 2025-26 RI president by the Nominating Committee for President in August 2023.

“We greatly appreciate Mário’s 45 years of leadership and service to our organization and the tremendous pride his nomination created among Brazilian Rotary members,” Urchick said in a letter to Rotary members. “I am certain that Mário will leverage his experience and will continue to contribute to the growth of Rotary in Brazil and around the world. I want to thank Mário and Denise for their hard work and dedication to Rotary over the past 20 months. We wish Mário well.”

Urchick adds that due to the fast-evolving situation, the RI Board of Directors will meet to determine the process to select a new 2025-26 Rotary president.

The Rotary Learning Center is introducing a new mobile app for members, RotaryLearn, that makes it easier to take courses on mobile devices. RotaryLearn, which replaces the GoLearn app, is a more direct and intuitive way to access the Learning Center’s wide variety of courses and resources. And for club leaders, the app broadens access to the role-based courses required for incoming club presidents, secretaries, and treasurers.

To get the app:

1.      Download RotaryLearn from your app store.

2.      Open the app and enter your My Rotary username and password.

3.      Start learning!

After you download RotaryLearn, you can remove GoLearn from your mobile devices. For questions, email [email protected].