A month of service. A month to reflect, share and inspire. A month to celebrate. What a great month it was to start 2023.

Growing membership in your Rotary club helps us all on multiple levels. First, we have a greater impact in our service projects. More members also make us more sustainable. Finally, more members help us to remain relevant for future generations by bringing in new eyes, ears and community issues. In addition to AGs, we have recently activated a membership-focused team from the District (aka D7680 Membership Tiger Team). The team has experience and tools to help you try intentional strategies for growing your club. The Tiger Team member will engage with the Club President and your Membership Chair to discuss the state of membership in your particular club. This is not judgmental in nature whatsoever, but simply an intentional effort to help all our clubs grow more, so we can do more. I invite each one of you to register for Let’s Get Growing – Membership Summit on Feb 24th at Providence Baptist Church to learn more.

On Jan 21st, more than 70 members and guests planted 700+ seedlings on a sunny Saturday morning at Stevens Creek Nature Preserve. That’s over 4,000 trees planted by Rotary members in 11 years and about 9% of all trees planted by Trees Charlotte. Imagine the impact on our environment. The same day, First Lady Divya and I celebrated our wedding anniversary. Yes it was memorable 21 22 23 (21st Jan, 22nd anniversary in two thousand 23).

Over one-hundred members gathered at Rowan County Community College for Mid Year Assembly to learn, share and reflect on what we have accomplished over the last six months. Membership, service projects, fundraisers, socials, fellowship, collaboration, DEI and giving to the Rotary Foundation inspired everyone who attended the event in person. We have the potential to do more, so please keep up the momentum. Thank you all and a special thanks to the AGs who evinced their pride in what you all are doing in their presentations!

Every year in January, incoming District Governors get the opportunity to attend the International Assembly (IA). DGE Debb Corbett and PDG Chris Jones represented our District. One of the best things at IA is the announcement of the upcoming presidential theme. The theme of 2023-24 Rotary year is Create Hope in the World.

The month of February is focused on Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution. I encourage clubs to contribute to creating a more peaceful world through education, community-building, and conflict resolution. Consider participating in one of the Peace projects promoted by the Rotary Action group of Peace listed here. On February 23rd, Rotary will be 118 years old. Happy birthday to Rotary, a shining example of service, ethics, and peace. Here’s to another year of making a positive impact in communities around the world. Cheers to a bright future!

Continue to IMagine add your Passion and take ACTion to make an IMPACT!

Yours in Rotary,

Kam Chandan

Febuary 15th, 2023 – Ask Us Anything (AUA) Zoom call is open to all Rotary members to ask any question to the D7680 leadership team. Submit questions (anonymous) ahead of time for the leadership team to review –  https://tinyurl.com/7680askusanything. The team will be prepared to go through the list of questions and answer them on the Zoom call.

Let’s celebrate The Women of Rotary! The 1989 Council on Legislation vote to admit women into Rotary clubs worldwide remains a watershed moment in the history of Rotary. This year we have the first Female International President, Jennifer Jones. D7680 celebrates its women and the difference they have made, not only to Rotary clubs, but to the world.

Listen to the inspiring message from PDG Lois Crumpler, our first woman District Governor in D7680

What is a Rotary Peace Project?

A Rotary Peace project is a project which satisfies one of the 7 areas of Rotary Focus, combined with one of the 8 pillars of Positive Peace.

John Hewko, General Secretary of Rotary International, announced:
When you build a system for clean water, you are a peacebuilder.
When you help out a student struggling to graduate, you are a peacebuilder.
When you launch any project to support education, health, or economic development in your local community, or elsewhere … YOU ARE BUILDING THE OPTIMAL CONDITIONS FOR POSITIVE PEACE.

Other ideas for Rotary Peace Projects:
• Incorporating conflict resolution and mediation strategies into service projects involving local schools, orphanages, workplaces, and community centers.
• Supporting marginalized groups in risk of violence or persecution by providing relief to those who have fled areas of conflict.
• Participating in fellowship and service activities with Rotary clubs in other parts of the world to promote greater international understanding.
• Peace Education at schools.
• Leadership training on communication skills and active listening.
• Protecting the Environment.
• Enhancing Inner Peace (Mindfulness, Meditation, stress management courses).
• Community town meetings to improve relationships and conflict resolution.

1) Be creative 2) Think “outside the box” 3) Assess the needs of your community 4) Build a Team of Rotarians Think Sustainability 5) Involve other organizations

Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) can strengthen your club and strengthen your life. Knowledge is the power that can help change the world. Begin your RLI journey with one of these events. Join us as you begin to discover the wonder of Rotary. Five (5) sessions will be led by trained Rotarians and include exploring Rotary’s Roots, Creating Service Projects, The Foundation, How Best to Engage Members in your Club and What Lies Beyond Your Club.

VIRTUAL RLI OPPORTUNITIES
Parts 2 & 3
Two Separate Events:
1. Monday February 6 & Wednesday February 8 5pm – 8pm
OR
2. Friday, February 10 (1pm – 4pm) & Saturday, February 11 (8:30am – 11:30am)

Register at www.midatlanticrli.org
Fee – $35 (Many clubs cover the registration cost).

IN-PERSON RLI EVENT
In conjunction with… 7680/7690 Joint District Conference

Parts 1, 2 & 3
Thursday, May 4, 2023 – 8:15am to 3:15pm

Location:
Le Meridien Charlotte
555 South McDowell, North Tower
Charlotte, NC 28204

Register at www.midatlanticrli.org
Fee – $95 (includes materials and lunch)
Many clubs cover the registration cost.

Each spring, our graduating Fellows from the Duke-UNC Rotary Peace Center host Rotarians, faculty, staff, students, and local participants as they present their research on a wide range of issues affecting peace around the world.

Mark your calendars for our 20th Annual Rotary Peace Center Conference, to be held on Saturday, April 1, 2023. The conference is organized by the Duke-UNC Rotary Peace Center.

Chapel Hill, NC (pre-registration required, go to Duke / UNC-CH Peace Center for details & tickets closer to event). The conference has been live-streamed the past 3 years, with a hybrid event offered (limited in-person attendance) in 2022.

New to Rotary or want to know more – This is for you! You are part of a group whose impact reaches around the world through local community service by our 1.4 million members in 200+ countries. Join us for “Rotary 101” a virtual tour of Rotary and Rotarians that will inspire you to engage even more in the Rotary community. Wednesday August 24 was the kickoff for ROTARY 101, an online program designed for new and potential members of Rotary. 

February 8th and March 13th at 6:00pm

Here’s the link: Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81801636156?pwd=d2sraXFqdWRlSTVtL2ltQ0dIT1dPZz09 Meeting ID: 818 0163 6156 Passcode: 539445

Questions: Contact Marcia Scheideman (mscheideman.ms@gmail.com) or Lorena Prince (garzalster@gmail.com) for any questions you might have. Looking forward to seeing you virtually!

Sage Stream’s 16-Week Bundle of Entertainment has partnered with CART to conduct a fundraiser. The bundle of shows costs $100. For every $100 purchase, $25 will be donated back to CART. You can achieve two goals at once. Support the CART fund, then gift the 16-Show bundle to someone deserving – a caregiver, an older person you know, etc – you get the idea. Scan the QR code or go here to purchase: https://tinyurl.com/7680cartfundraiser

The District DEI Committee recently welcomed a number of new Club Ambassadors to our ranks. We are excited about the addition of these Rotarians to our Committee since they will be instrumental in helping us share ideas and feedback from the Clubs in how we grow as an organization with DEI. We’re also happy to welcome George Crow, a veteran Rotarian who recently joined the Charlotte Providence Club.

George is a 40-year Rotarian who served in the Air Force for five years, including a tour in Vietnam, and later as a minister with Northeast Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina, a position he held for more than 40 years.

Our Committee has identified a number of resources our members can utilize to learn more about why DEI matters. These include but are not limited to race, gender, sexuality, economics, and faith. We will share these resources on the District 7680 website once we have completed vetting them.

Finally, as we welcome February and “Peace and Conflict Prevention” month in the Rotary world, the DEI Committee is pleased to announce that the Charlotte Dilworth Club will be hosting two separate speakers, from different faith backgrounds, on two important topics.

• On February 3, 2023, we will welcome Janan Najeeb, a founding member and the current president of the Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition and the recipient of numerous awards including the Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies’ “Dick Ringler Distinguished Peace Educator” Award and the Milwaukee Rotary Club’s “Person of the Year” Award.
• On February 24, 2023, the Dilworth Club will welcome Judy LaPietra, the Assistant Director of the Stan Greenspon Holocaust and Social Justice Education Center at Queens University of Charlotte. She has 20+ years of experience in teaching the Holocaust, developing transformative educational programs, and ensuring the legacy of Holocaust victims and survivors continues.

Kam is doing his official club visits and has been posting photos and commentary on his Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/kamleshchandan. Go take a look. Great Photos! We have added a few below, but on his FB page, it is club by club.

Giving Tree Village – “Connecting Local Communities”

The Rotary Club of Davidson’s Giving Tree Village once again lit up the Davidson Town Green during Christmas in Davidson continuing this annual fund-raising tradition for non-profits. The Giving Tree Village has become the premier event during the Christmas in Davidson celebration, lighting up the Davidson Town Green with an array of prominently displayed, uniquely decorated holiday trees all in support of local non-profits. The village brings the community together creating visibility across a broad range of local non-profits, businesses, and local neighborhood communities.

The Giving Tree Village fund raiser provides vital funding for many of the local non-profits. This year the event raised over $46,000 for local charities. Each of the 63 trees in the Giving Tree Village was sponsored by a local business or individual who partnered with a local non-profit organization to decorate a tree within the village. During Christmas in Davidson, which drew approximately 50,000 visitors, each visitor had the opportunity to visit the Giving Tree Village and vote for their favorite tree. All the funds collected from the votes for each tree went directly to the non-profit. Additional donations were collected from corporate sponsors including Lowes and State Farm Insurance and Main Street Match Sponsors including Carrburritas, Kindred and North Harbor Club and donated to the non-profits through awards for favorite tree, most uniquely decorated tree, and other superlative categories. To learn more about the Giving Tree Village Final Details and Winners and view the uniquely decorated trees. Visit www.givingtreevillage.com.

The Impact by Full Circle Club is making waves in the Cabarrus County Community. January’s service project was writing Valentine’s Day letters to Veterans in Salisbury. We met at a local brewery to support small businesses and also pinned a New Member, Elisa Gregorich.

In February we will meet at the Ed Center to help prepare books for the Book A Palooza event sponsored by the Cabarrus County Education Foundation. We will unpack boxes of books, sort them by grade level and place CCEF stickers inside the books. This is to help Elementary students reach literacy goals and be able to take books home to read.

With 18 active members and one on the way for board approval, Impact by Full Circle Club is on its way to it’s goal of 22 members. We are so close to becoming an independent club and build more community outreach.

Annual “Men That Cook” Charity Event Is Back. After a three year hiatus due to Covid, “Men That Cook” is ready to roll once again. A family friendly event hosted by the Happy Hour Rotary Club of Huntersville with the help of corporate sponsors, this event has raised as much as $25,000 in previous years. Come and see what they will be serving up on Sunday, March 26th and vote on your favorite dish. Tastings are prepared by community members who compete to raise prize money for their favorite local charity. Held at Sweet Magnolia Estate in Corneilus, participants are invited to mix and mingle while sampling cuisine from multiple cooking categories. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door with a choice of two sessions, 11 am to 12:30 pm or 12:30 pm to 2 pm. Tickets for children under 10 are $10. Chances will be available to win a “Happy Hour” cooler of cheer or one of several themed gift baskets. This event is only possible with the generous support of our wonderful sponsors and cooking teams. To buy tickets, become a sponsor or register a team, visit https://lakenormanmenthatcook.info/ or call 704-905-5002.

James Clyde “J.C.” Watkins, member of Rotary Club of Rockingham known for his life of trailblazing leadership in Richmond County, passed away at the age of 100. A civic leader, JC was a long time Rotarian who lived his life by the club’s motto, Service above Self.  Learn more about JC and his legacy here.

Submit your articles, stories and upcoming events about your Club projects. These will be showcased in our district monthly newsletter. Submissions are due by 25th of the month – https://tinyurl.com/7680districtnewsletter

Rotary’s connection to the Tournament of Roses Parade dates to 1923 when the Rotary Club of Pasadena entered this float. Today, the Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee heads up the effort. Members, clubs, and districts donate all the money for the floats, which over the years have depicted Rotary’s efforts to eradicate polio, commitment to service, and various programs.

Offer people who have fled the war a stable environment

Rotary has been collaborating with our partners and other organizations to meet humanitarian needs in and around Ukraine. Clubs have been providing food, water, medical equipment, and other supplies. What people who have fled their homes need most is safety — and Rotary members have been instrumental in finding them shelter. But people still need help. That’s where Rotary members in the U.S. can get more involved. Rotary is collaborating with Welcome.US, an organization working to engage more Americans in welcoming newcomers, with a focus on sponsoring refugees. Through Uniting for Ukraine, Rotary and Rotaract clubs and members in the U.S. can sponsor a person or a family that has fled the war and help them relocate to the United States.

To sponsor a Ukrainian refugee family and offer them a stable environment:

• Sign up to get connected to a Ukrainian family.
• Use district grant funds to help with resettlement costs.
• If you have more questions, write to trf.welcome@rotary.org.
• Learn more about the Rotary-Welcome.US collaboration.
• Find resources and answers to some common questions.

The Rotary Foundation has established two temporary funds to help people in Pakistan and Ukraine

As a global humanitarian organization, Rotary continually takes action to help communities in need. Because you are a dedicated leader in Rotary, we want you to be among the first to know that The Rotary Foundation has established two temporary funds to support immediate relief efforts in Pakistan and Ukraine. In Pakistan, a severe monsoon season has caused devastating floods and affected millions of people. In Ukraine, the ongoing war has led to a continued humanitarian crisis. We’ll begin fundraising efforts soon to finance disaster response grants from these funds.

The Pakistan Flood Response Fund will help communities recover from the disaster that displaced people and destroyed crops. It will accept contributions, including District Designated Funds, until 31 December 2023 and distribute grants until 30 June 2024 or until the funds are spent. Any unused money will be transferred to the general Disaster Response Fund.

The Ukraine Response Fund will also accept contributions, including District Designated Funds, to support grants for districts affected by the war. It will operate on the same schedule as the Pakistan fund, accepting donations until 31 December 2023 and awarding grants until 30 June 2024 or until the money is spent. Any unused funds will also be transferred to the Disaster Response Fund.

Districts affected by the flooding in Pakistan or the war in Ukraine can apply for grants from the relevant fund to provide items such as water, food, medicine, shelter, and clothing. To learn more and help these communities, you and your members can:

Donate to the Pakistan Flood Response Fund or the Ukraine Response Fund
Contribute your District Designated Funds
Learn more about both funds and how to apply for disaster response grants
Fundraise among your colleagues, friends, and family using Raise for Rotary

We appreciate your assistance in supporting Rotary member-led projects to help these communities recover.

The next office hours will be held on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at 10 A.M. EST. Join us to learn more, share ideas and interact with others around our Zones as we explore ideas and share projects to empower our girls. (Yes, this call will be recorded and sent afterwards if you have a conflict with the day and time.) To listen to our last call (held 12/14) and our efforts we highlighted : https://vimeo.com/781351534 We all have so many meetings and I am always most energized when I leave these meetings. Doing what we can, where we are, with what we have, is how tremendous change and service happens.

Connect and invite anyone that you know has an interest in this Club-level initiative. Our goal in our 60 minutes together is to create a space where ideas and innovation happen. We know that energy happens when we spend time together. Register now at: https://www.rizones33-34.org/empowering-girls

Following a review of three proposals, The Rotary Foundation Trustees selected Bahçeşehir University, Istanbul, Türkiye to host the Otto and Fran Walter Rotary Peace Center. The Rotary Peace Centers search committee was very impressed by BAU’s proposed program for Rotary Peace Fellows, as well as the faculty, facilities, and regional recruitment efforts, all of which met or exceeded Rotary’s established partnership criteria. The first application launch will be in February 2024 and the initial cohort of certificate students by winter 2025.

Membership Action Plan (MAP)

“Bite-Sized” webinars, every month on the second Monday at 6 pm ET

Feb 13th at 6 pm

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86851107986?pwd=bmdrbUR5TTREQ3plZ1pacmhSOTBPQT09

The target audience is club leaders, Presidents, Assistant Governors, Presidents-Elect, Membership Chairs, and anyone else who has an interest in the long-term viability and vitality of their Rotary club. All District leaders are also encouraged to attend.

The MAP Page on the Zone website has past recordings, registration links for upcoming events, and a library of membership collateral: RIZones33-34.org/membership-action-plan

What is the MAP?

It’s a unified, multi-year membership growth initiative spanning Rotary Zones 33 and 34 — 1,700 clubs and 66,000 Rotarians from Pennsylvania to Florida, then extending through the Caribbean to the coast of South America.

In search of a strategy to mitigate membership decline and get our clubs on a path of consistent, moderate growth, RI Director Jeremy Hurst launched a task force in January of 2022.

This group of District and Zone leaders has developed a set of “Bite-Sized”? webinars (1 hour or less), delivered once a month, that are 100% actionable by the clubs. No concepts. No theory. No figuring out how. Everything is there. Strategies that are GUARANTEED to work (they’ve worked for hundreds of clubs), together with recipes, templates, slides, videos, worksheets and scripts. There’s also an awards program that will recognize both clubs and districts for their participation and achievements.

How can YOU help?

Embrace, publicize and promote participation of all your club leaders in these monthly events. Yes, they are being recorded, and, yes, all the material presented is downloadable from the MAP Page on the Zone Website: RIZones33-34.org/membership-action-plan.

The Rotary Foundation Cadre of Technical Advisers is a group of Rotary members who volunteer to provide technical expertise and advice to other members who are planning and carrying out Rotary grant projects around the world. We often hear Rotary members, including some leaders, aren’t familiar with the Cadre and don’t know how to ask these advisers for support to ensure that their projects meet Foundation requirements and achieve their goals. This may be because traditionally, the Cadre’s work was only to evaluate Rotary-funded projects. Cadre members collected data and documentation by reviewing grant applications, visiting project sites, and conducting grant audits for The Rotary Foundation.

The clubs and districts involved in these projects developed strong relationships with their Cadre advisers, who could have been seen as critical inspectors but in practice helped improve the quality of projects. So, these grant sponsors recognize the importance of Cadre advisers.

Now, the Cadre not only evaluates projects for the Foundation but has also evolved into a more holistic project-planning resource for Rotary members. The Cadre has more than 500 technical advisers and technical coordinators that lead them in eight groups: one for each area of focus, plus financial auditing. The technical advisers have also been arranged recently into seven geographic teams, each led by a regional organizer. These teams are made up of the advisers who are closest to and most accessible to Rotary regional and district leaders. We hope this will lead to more collaboration between regional and district leaders and Cadre advisers. Contact your Cadre leaders to get connected with an adviser today.

Being able to articulate and share your stories with others is a valuable skill in any setting. For Rotary and Rotaract members, it’s also a powerful way to tell others about Rotary. Through our alliance with Toastmasters International, members can visit a local Toastmasters club to hone their skills and receive feedback from others in a safe setting. Check out these storytelling techniques from our partner, and take our Inspirational speech course in the Learning Center.

Inviting all clubs across the District to hold an End Polio fundraising Tea Party during February to celebrate Rotary’s birthday.

Some ideas to help with contributions to the Rotary Foundation Polio Fund:

• Partner with a local bakery / donut shop / café and ask them to give a profit percentage on that date whilst you promote their business locally.
• Designate a regular club meeting as the Tea Party – skip the ordinary meal, ask your members to bring a share plate and donate the meal cost to help End Polio.
• Organise a wonderful cake and sell raffle tickets or guess the weight of the cake.
• Ask for a $10 minimum donation per member and give the cake to the highest contributor or have the cake as a lucky door prize.
• Come up with ideas to amaze but please donate as the children are counting on us!

Don’t just have a tea party: tell everyone about it! Take photos of your party, post them on your club’s Facebook page.

Here are seven reasons you’ll want to attend the 2023 Rotary International Convention in Melbourne.

1. You’ll (re)connect with the Rotary family.

The last Rotary International Convention, in Houston, was proof there’s nothing like connecting face to face. But for many Rotary members in the Asia-Pacific region, where COVID-19 restrictions complicated travel plans, Melbourne will be their first in-person convention in four years. With five districts (representing more than 250 Rotary and Rotaract clubs) across the state of Victoria hosting the event, it’s sure to be a big reunion.

2. You’ll explore the world — all in one place.

The convention is the best way to appreciate Rotary’s global scale and reach, says Rebecca Fry, founding chair of RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) Oceania and charter president of the Rotary Club of Social Impact Network, New South Wales. “The House of Friendship is a true festival of Rotary, showcasing our organization’s fellowships, action groups, and community projects from around the world.”

3. You’ll discover cities within a city.

The coastal metropolis is known as the Australian capital of culture, food, sports, architecture, and theater. It’s also a shopping mecca.

Mary Barry, chair of the Host Organization Committee, proudly notes Melbourne’s regular recognition as one of the world’s most livable cities. It is a family friendly place where visitors will feel instantly welcomed and at ease. “The city looks after its tourists with excellent public transport to unique attractions,” says Roslyn Teirney, an assistant Rotary public image coordinator for Zone 8 and a member of the Rotary Club of North Hobart, Tasmania.

4. You’ll be inspired.

Rotary conventions are all about an exchange of ideas. And each year’s gathering brings you big name speakers to inspire, connect, and spur solutions to the world’s toughest challenges. Just look at the list of some past speakers: Bill Gates, Justin Trudeau, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Princess Anne of the United Kingdom. “While still early to announce 2023 program highlights, be assured only outstanding international speakers will take part,” says HOC Chair Barry.

5. You’ll get your kangaroo fix.

Experience quintessential Australia with a visit to the Melbourne Zoo for a close-up and safe encounter with some of the world’s most unusual, cute, and dangerous species — kangaroos, koalas, snakes, spiders, crocodiles, wombats, and platypuses. Just 13 miles northeast of Melbourne’s central business district, the Gresswell Forest nature reserve provides spectacular sightings of eastern gray kangaroos, says Jennifer Scott, a past district governor and member of the Rotary Club of Central Blue Mountains.

Need more cuteness? Head to Phillip Island, 75 miles southeast of Melbourne, and check out the largest colony of little penguins in the world.

6. You’ll feel energized.

Looking for a place to hang out with all your new Rotary friends once the day is over? Melbourne has endless options. Laura Telford, chair of the Rotaract Australia multidistrict information organization and member of the Rotaract Club of Canberra, describes Melbourne as another of the famous cities that “never sleep.”

“Visitors will enjoy jumping on one of more than 475 trams that cover 250 kilometers [155 miles] of track to take you to every corner of this exciting city.”

7. You’ll want to see more of Australia.

While the distance can be a challenge in traveling to Melbourne, visitors may fly in to Sydney, Brisbane, Darwin, or Perth to make the most of a unique travel opportunity by seeing other parts of Australia. “The Great Barrier Reef, Uluru and the Red Centre, our tropical north, and the rugged coast of Western Australia all present memorable sightseeing experiences,” Scott says.