District 7680 Newsletter

November 2024

Happy November, my fellow Rotarians!

This has truly been a “November to Remember”! From a fun-filled day with President Stephanie Urchick on 11/8 to include an amazing celebration of our Rotary Foundation, to completing my official visits to all 53 of our District 7680 Rotary Clubs, this month of giving thanks has been filled with gratefulness from my perspective.

I won’t dwell much on the Foundation Celebration as there is a separate article about that later in this newsletter. But suffice it to say, that the day could not have been any more exciting than it was. President Stephanie and Rotary International Director Patrick Eakes could not have been more giving of their time and energy as they helped us celebrate the day and the attendant activities. Again, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to both of them and the Foundation Committee that literally made the magic happen that day. That committee, led by Assistant Governor Laurel Morris, did a fantastic job in the planning and execution of this event!

This past Friday, I completed my 53rd and final official visit to our clubs when I had the opportunity to address my home club, the Rotary Club of Charlotte Dilworth South End. As much as I enjoy presenting to clubs, the meetings I have with various club leaders either before or after the official presentations, are always enlightening. It was at those meetings that we all had the opportunity to discuss a series of questions I sent to each President relative to membership, branding, projects and governance to name a few.

It is abundantly clear to me that our clubs are engaged in some amazing work in the communities they serve. Needs are identified, formally and informally, projects are initiated, funds are raised in truly unique ways, and clubs are being thoughtful about membership opportunities and governance. Several clubs have moved to serious consideration of two-year terms for Presidents and discussions on how to engage potential members through Impact clubs are being held. The Taylorsville Club recently held a Discover Rotary event where 15 of 21 people who were invited, showed up to learn more about becoming Rotarians. We discussed the interconnectivity between effective Public Imaging and branding with Membership and Foundation.  Clubs are actively thinking of how they can improve their Public Image and Public Relations footprint. We’ve discussed specific ways in how we can accomplish that, especially in engaging our younger members, including Interactors, to assist us in telling the great stories we have as clubs. We need to advantage ourselves by embracing social media much more than we currently do, including using LinkedIn as a platform since this is where businesses and professional organizations frequent. We discussed conducting annual surveys, every year, to determine what our members want to do from service to social activities.

We know we always have opportunities for improvement in virtually anything we do. Whether it’s identifying community needs, participating in District Grants, holding membership events, telling our stories, our clubs are actively thinking about ways in which we can grow our clubs and expand awareness of who and what Rotary is for their communities. I’ve no doubt whatsoever that we will be successful in all of this, as long as we stay focused on what it means to be a Rotarian.

I received a note recently from a Rotarian in Albemarle that I loved because it reminded me that being a Rotarian is incredibly special.  She gave me permission to share since I think it sums up very well what it means to be a Rotarian:

“Thank you, Kevin, for recognizing & celebrating my anniversary ~~~~ 30 years ago today I joined Rotary in Albemarle. 

I was never a person to join a weekly group.  But after becoming involved in Albemarle’s Rotary Club, I was hooked on the ideals of Rotary & the members of our local club & their genuine passion for our community – locally & all over the world. 

 I became active in our local club & district.  I retired from my profession 10 years ago but have stayed involved, although to a lesser extent than when I worked.  Rotary membership helped me professionally & personally. I will always be a Rotarian.  And I thank all the Rotarians that helped me along the way to focus on the “greater good”.  – Barbara Whitley

DG Kevin Kendrick

Congratulations to Sharon Heinrich of the Rotary Club of Gastonia! Sharon was selected by the Nominating Committee of our District on Saturday, 11/16/24 and will serve as Governor for District 7680 during Rotary Year 2027-2028! Please join me in wishing her congratulations and much success on the journey to becoming Governor!

Our Foundation Celebration: Reflections on the Day

I am fairly certain I won’t be able to fully capture the magic of last Friday, 11/8, but to say that it was special, would be an understatement of massive proportions! I’m going to share here an article I wrote on social media about the day!

For the past several months, numerous Rotarians within District 7680 have worked tirelessly as a Committee on our Rotary Foundation Celebration, held for the first time ever in the city of Gastonia. Members on the Committee included:

But before I say anything more about that, let’s begin with the unfolding of yesterday. Rotary International is a big organization with clubs in over 200 nations. We have 1.4 million members comprising those clubs. And we have one President who is inundated with requests to speak or participate in events all over the Rotary world. So having a Rotary President in your District, is honestly something very special.

So when Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick agreed to come to our District earlier this year, we were simultaneously thrilled and nervous! Such an incredible opportunity to be sure, but one you don’t want to muck up. So planning is essential because we all of course want to ensure we put our best foot forward

We planned several events for President Stephanie and our Rotary Zones 33/34 International Director, Patrick Eakes. The first was a tree planting at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, a tradition within our District. Several international Presidents have planted trees here in the past with the very first being Rotary’s founder, Paul Harris, who planted an English Walnut there in 1939.

Marker for Paul Harris

Our District Governor (DG) line including District Governor Elect Donna Mater Moffett, District Governor Nominee Jerry Coughter, immediate Past District Governor Debbie Corbett and me, joined Stephanie and Patrick in a ceremonial hole digging to commemorate her visit to our District.

We next enjoyed a small luncheon at her hotel which was attended by the DG line, Stephanie’s aide for the day, Nico Iannelli and our District Foundation Chair, Kamlesh Chandan.

We then met at the Gastonia Conference Center and participated in the dedication of a Peace Pole at the Gastonia Pavilion, a gathering spot for the people of Gaston County which was a joint effort on all the clubs in the county. The Peace Pole was crafted in aluminum as an homage to Stephanie’s hometown of Pittsburgh. It has eight languages inscribed on it, all saying “May peace prevail on Earth”. The languages included that of the Catawba Nation, the indigenous people who occupied these lands dating back some 6000 years, and the languages of others who call the area home now. They are English, Spanish, German, Hebrew, Arabic, Haitian-Creole, and Slovak to honor President Stephanie’s ancestry.

We then adjourned for a private reception with major donors to the Rotary Foundation and quickly transitioned into the banquet and celebration. We were treated with a land recognition from the Assistant Chief of the Catawba Nation and some impactful presentations by a variety of speakers, including District Peace Fellow Patricia Shafer, Past District Governor (PDG) Tom Smith, PDG Kam Chandan, and PDG Mark Markanda. We were also treated to a wonderful moment of music from District 7680 Peace Fellow Diego Carneiro, a master cellist.

The highlight, however, was an excellent extemporaneous speech from President Stephanie in which she shared Foundation-related information and how all of us can make it even more powerful and greater than it is. She took a few questions from the audience and handled all of them with knowledge and grace. I have received an incredible amount of positive feedback from Rotarians, who were thoroughly impressed with Stephanie and the ease of access they were afforded for brief chats and/or photo ops.

Bonus for me? Having my classmate Connie Molland and her husband, Rick from the hard-hit area to our west, District 7670 and my incredible friend PDG Lloyd Navarro from District 7690.

I couldn’t possibly feel any better than I do right now.

Thank you, Laurel Roe Morris, thank you to the entire Foundation Committee, thank you President Stephanie, thank you Patrick Eakes.

District 7680 wanted to have a smaller environmental footprint with this year’s Donor Recognition booklet. Donors are listed online. Please use the QR code to access and enter the password as directed.

Scan the QR code to access the complete list of Major Donors, Arch Klumph Society Donors, and Club Rotary Foundation and Polio Plus Giving Awards.

Enter: 7680-2024

Additional pictures – https://app.kululu.com/jp9yiq. Feel free to upload pictures you would like to share with others. Thank you!

 

News from Nextdoor

Our good friend, PDG Lloyd Navarro of District 7690, shared this spooky picture with us! I always knew Lloyd was a super guy, but I never really realized how super he is!!

 

Mental Health Corner

Romy Cawood, PhD

Therapy Part 1:  What is it, exactly?

Therapy has become a more popular and valued component of health care.  This is the first in a series of Mental Health Corner columns about the therapy process.  To begin with, “being in therapy” is often stated as if it is a singly defined process, usually understood as regular one-on-one sessions with a psychotherapist.  (“Psychotherapist” is a broad, umbrella term referring to a psychologically trained professional).  But there are many variations, so let’s look at some of them and what they each offer.

Individual psychotherapy involves a working relationship between a client and a psychotherapist who meet privately, whether in-person or by videoconference.  Sometimes their work is short-term, lasting just a few sessions.  In other situations, psychotherapy might entail ten or more sessions that could occur over months or longer.  Some people use psychotherapy in what I think of as a consultative format, and might work with a therapist periodically over years, to address various, distinct concerns, finishing each “piece” of therapy work, and with long breaks in between.

Group therapy involves a mental health-trained group leader or co-leaders, and a group of clients whose focus is often themed, for example, with a focus on grieving loss, recovering from substance abuse, or supporting a family member with dementia.  Group therapy abides by confidentiality,  typically fosters mutual support among its members, and sometimes involves an educational component.

Couples therapy involves a psychology professional and both members of a couple.  The psychotherapist might meet with members of the couple both individually and jointly, or only jointly, depending on their therapeutic style.  Family therapy involves a psychotherapist and members of a family, which could include all or only some members, and could involve multiple generations and adult children.

All forms of psychotherapy rest on a foundation of trust between the psychological professional and the client(s), which builds over time.  The therapeutic relationship is a real relationship, that abides by professional boundaries.

I offer to you the following pointers about participating in psychotherapy:

-As the client, you are the customer and share power in the psychotherapy relationship.  You get to set the focus and share with the therapist about your goals and preferences.

-As a client, you should feel comfortable with the therapist.  It might take a few sessions to get a clear sense of the therapist’s style, but it should not take too long to know if you feel basically comfortable with this person.

-As a client, you get to “co-set” the pace of therapy.  The therapist will provide structure according to their style, but you can also pace yourself with what you share, and let the therapist know it.

-You should feel heard.  Therapists are trained in many different working styles and will vary in how active they are in session, with some speaking more than others.  But good listening skills in a therapist a basic requirement.

-You have a right to ask the therapist questions, such as about what they think or recommend.  Therapists will field questions according to their style and knowledge base.

Look out for more from me on the therapy process.

For more resources on the process of psychotherapy:

Psychotherapy, Mayoclinic.org – https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/psychotherapy/about/pac-20384616

 Understanding how Therapy works, Psychology Today – https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/when-call-therapist/202009/understanding-how-therapy-works

 Psychotherapy, my.Clevelandclinic.org – https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/23445-psychotherapy

 What is Psychotherapy, APA.org – https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/psychotherapy

District-wide Service Project

District 7680 will be conducting district-wide service project in order to create impact within the District and garner maximum media interest. These are projects that impact our entire District and as such, lend themselves to participation from many clubs. We hope to create awareness about Rotary and our causes and attract potential members while making an impact in the areas of focus associated with these causes.

Please see the following project and consider helping us grow our impact as we share the gift of Rotary with others!

Alexander County: Title I Schools – Alexander County Schools District

Alleghany County: Title I / Title I Schools (alleghany.k12.nc.us)

Anson County: Title l Schools – ANSON COUNTY SCHOOLS (ansonschools.org)

Ashe County: Federal Programs / Title I (schoolwires.net)

Cabarrus County: Cabarrus County Schools – Title l Overview

Cleveland County: CCS Title I – Title I Schools (google.com)

Gaston County: Title l Schools 2023-2024 on GCS Letterhead.pdf (gaston.k12.nc.us)

Iredell County: Title 1 Contacts – Iredell-Statesville School District (issnc.org)

Mecklenburg County: Federal Programs / Title I Schools (cmsk12.org)

Richmond County: Federal Programs • Departments – RICHMOND COUNTY SCHOOLS

Rowan County: Federal Programs / Title 1 (rssed.org)

Stanly County: Title I Program Information 2023-2024.pdf – Google Drive

Union County: Federal Programs / Federal Programs (ucps.k12.nc.us)

Wilkes County: WCS Title 1 Schools – Title I – Wilkes County Schools

MAKING A DIFFERENCE One Club at a Time

There is something happening in District 7680 that seeks to bring the Rotary Action Plan to life where Rotary really happens – in the clubs! Growing clubs have an ATTRACTION Rate 10X Greater than ATTRITION. Interested in being a GROWING Club?

Here’s what they have in common:

  • Intentional Member Engagement
  • Meaningful Service
  • Effective Governance
  • Strong Public Image
  • Representative of Community (Diversity)

How does it happen? District 7680 has a team of folks ready to come out and work with your club to guide you through the Visioning Process and begin the journey to becoming a growing club. Last spring several clubs in the district indicated an interest in participating in this process. A team member is in contact with these clubs to ascertain their continued interest and subsequently set up a time for the process to begin.

Additional clubs are invited and encouraged to participate. Please contact Marcia Scheideman, District 7680 Club Visioning Chair for additional information about this exciting initiative. ([email protected])

November is Rotary Foundation Month: The Magic of Giving

November is a special time for Rotarians around the world. It’s Rotary Foundation Month, a time to celebrate the incredible impact of The Rotary Foundation and to renew our commitment to its mission of “Doing Good in the World.”

The Magic of The Rotary Foundation

There’s a certain magic to The Rotary Foundation. It’s the magic of turning a single donation into a life-changing opportunity. It’s the magic of bringing people together from all corners of the globe to work towards a common goal. And it’s the magic of creating a lasting impact that will be felt for generations to come.

  • Every Dollar Makes a Difference: Your donation to The Rotary Foundation is not just a drop in the bucket. It’s a powerful force for good. Every dollar you give helps to fund projects that provide clean water, fight disease, promote peace, support education, and grow local economies.
  • A Global Network of Changemakers: When you give to The Rotary Foundation, you’re joining a global network of more than 1.4 million Rotarians who are committed to making the world a better place. Together, we can achieve incredible things.
  • A Legacy of Impact: The Rotary Foundation has a long and proud history of making a difference in the world. Since its founding in 1917, it has provided more than $4 billion in grants to support life-changing projects. Your donation will help to ensure that this legacy of impact continues for years to come.

Your Gift, Your Impact

During Rotary Foundation Month, I encourage every Rotarian to make a gift to The Rotary Foundation. No matter the size of your donation, it will make a difference. Your gift will help to create a world where people have the opportunity to live healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives.

Ways to Give

There are many ways to give to The Rotary Foundation. You can make a one-time donation, set up a recurring gift, or even leave a legacy gift in your will. You can also donate in honor or memory of a loved one.

Join the Magic

This Rotary Foundation Month, let’s join together to celebrate the magic of giving. Let’s renew our commitment to The Rotary Foundation and its mission of “Doing Good in the World.” And let’s make a difference in the lives of people around the globe.

Remember, every gift, no matter the size, has the power to create a lasting impact. Together, we can make the world a better place.

Foundation Matters – Monthly Bite-sized Webinar

Third Thursday each month at 6 pm – 6:45 pm Eastern Time. Join virtually at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85767045645?pwd=Gc3KmgTKdV63aIarbDYnuEBZY8vizZ.1

Polio Update November 11, 2024

We recently celebrated World Polio Day and I had the pleasure to be in Pittsburg PA for the Rotary Zones 33-34 Summit where the World Polio Day Livestream originated. On the panel were President Stephanie Urchick, PRIP John Germ, Micheal McGovern Chair International Polio Plus Committee, and Dr Peter Salk Chair of the Jona Salk Legacy Foundation and son of Jonas Salk. It was a once in a lifetime event celebrating our efforts in eradicating Polio from the world. The Zone Summit was centered around Polio Eradication and World Polio Day. It was an inspirational event and touched those in attendance, which our District was well represented. The Summit highlighted how far we have come and the need to finish the job of eradicating Polio, that Rotary promised to the world in 1985. Rotarians always keep their word and our continued support is needed to meet our promise to the children of the world by eradicating Polio. We need your continued support to do so.

On the battle against the disease, cases have continued to increase this year to 68 as of November 6. Afghanistan 23 and Pakistan 45 this compares to 6 in each of the countries last year. Both countries went backwards in efforts, but changes have occurred and progress is occurring on the ground currently. In the fight against Variant Polio there has been a significant drop in cases from 528 last year to 209 YTD. The Novel Type 2 polio vaccine is doing its job and is being rolled out to additional countries and more supply is being added to the system. That is very good news. The efforts in Gaza are ongoing and two of the three rounds of vaccinations have been given under difficult circumstances. No additional cases have been reported.

On our giving effort we are lagging last years effort. I ask that every club president encourage every member make a donation of some amount to the Polio Plus Fund at the Rotary Foundation. Encourage members to join the Polio Plus Society where a pledge is made of $100 per year until
the job is done or consider joining the District 7680 Paws for Polio Kennel Klub, where for $100 you sponsor your pet an we send an End Polio Now bandana, which you place on your pet and send us a picture to go on the Kennel Klub Facebook page. The Giving Report, Polio Plus Society form and Kennel Klub forms are attached for your review.

On club giving our goal for the year is $110,000, we stand as of November 11, 2024 at $27,905. We are almost half way through the year with one quarter of the goal raised. I want to commend the clubs that have put forth effort and are carrying the District to date.

The Top Five Total Ging Clubs to date are:

  1. Charlotte                                        $4,370
  2. Waxhaw Wedington                    $3,700
  3. Matthews                                       $2,200
  4. Charlotte South                            $2,140
  5. N Wilkesboro                               $2,125

The Top Five Per Capita Clubs are:

  1. Waxhaw Weddington                   $75
  2. Matthews                                        $67
  3. N Wilkesboro                                 $48
  4. Taylorsville                                     $47
  5. Charlotte South                             $37

If every member gave something and every club averaged $50 per capita we would meet our goal. Your leadership is needed for this to occur. I greatly appreciate the effort the clubs above have demonstrated and if every club did the same, we would far exceed our goal.
I look forward to your continued support for Rotary’s flagship project.

PDG Tom Smith

ADD MEMBERS TO YOUR CLUB WITH ‘THE MAGIC OF ROTARY’

Those of us at our recent District 7680 Foundation Celebration event heard an inspiring talk from our Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick. She shared some of her personal experiences as a 30+ year Rotarian, and they all reflected her Presidential Theme this year, The Magic of Rotary. 

She shared how she’s personally witnessed the ‘magic’ Rotary created in projects all around the world. That magic also created countless high quality relationships she has among her ‘Rotary family’, as she describes us. She emphasized the magic comes from us, as individual Rotarians working TOGETHER to do more good than we can do on our own. 

She also shared how new and existing Rotary clubs have tremendous flexibility in defining how they operate, who they invite, and who they serve. And how that flexibility will be the basis of our future growth. 

But growth only happens when one person invites another person into Rotary. It’s simple if we put ourselves in their shoes, and remember why people join. Together, these Four Powerful Benefits of Rotary form The Magic of Rotary:

– Relationships – with people who recite and hopefully live The Four Way Test. On average, these are the people most of us want personal and professional relationships with. 

– Service – both local and international. They can either bring or find their passion. And use Rotary to really leverage their efforts. 1+1=3+. Invite those who want to serve others. 

– Growth – both personal and professional. A place to improve speaking, organizing and leadership skills. As Past RI President Jennifer Jones says, we’re leaders by mindset, not necessarily by our position outside Rotary. 

– Learning – members in most clubs learn so much about their community and the world around them, they sometimes take it for granted. But that learning has tremendous value to many new members too.

Finally, remember, your invitation into Rotary may be the only one a person receives in their lifetime. It may change their life more than you can imagine. And all you have to do is invite them. Pretty simple.

Mike Walker, PDG – District Membership Chair

P.S. Speaking of magic, watch how our own Monroe club turned their club around last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6h6dn1taf4

Has your Facebook Page been taken down?

Rotary International (RI) is aware of the issues some of our clubs and Districts have had with Meta (Facebook) pages being taken down with little to no notice and not receiving clear guidance in how to get these pages restored.

RI has been working to resolve these issues and has provided the following information:

We are aware that numerous Rotary club and district Facebook Pages and Instagram accounts have been closed by Meta without prior notice. This issue has escalated recently, and we are working closely with Meta (the company behind Facebook and Instagram) to find a solution.

While we have not yet identified the root cause or a guaranteed method for restoration, Meta did reinstate several Rotary-related pages last week at our request. With your help, we can identify additional pages that need reinstatement.

Please share this link (on.rotary.org/fbissue) with social media admins of Rotary clubs and districts in your region. Completing this form will allow us to add these pages to Meta’s “allow list” within their Brand Rights Protection tool as part of our efforts to resolve the issue. 

For pages already removed by Meta, please indicate this on the form. Page admins will then receive an email with specific instructions (from Meta’s guidance) and an official letter from Rotary International to support their restoration efforts. We will submit a consolidated list of pages requiring reinstatement in bulk to Meta for processing and review.

We are focused on finding a lasting solution to restore these pages and prevent future disruptions. Your support in sharing this message will help us gather the necessary information and expedite the process.

Here is the form link once more: on.rotary.org/fbissue
Thank you for your assistance.

Rotary Club makes disability advocacy a priority

Reprinted from a post on August 30, 2021

By Ken Masson, President, The Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy

The need for human rights for people with disabilities is worldwide. From the largest to the smallest countries, there are opportunities for Rotary to improve the dignity, respect, and quality of lives for people with disabilities. That is why we chartered the Rotary Club of World Disability Advocacy. We saw so many possibilities of what Rotary could do.

We reached out to disability advocates around the world, and many were willing to team up for the cause by agreeing to be charter members of this unique club. Disability advocates do not always get the recognition they deserve but they all are extremely passionate about human rights.

As a result, we formed a uniquely diverse club. Our 20 charter members represent eight countries – and 18 of our members are new to Rotary. We are also a comparably young club, with our average age being around 32.

We are a cause-related e-club and are affiliated with the district’s Rotary Disabilities Advisers Group. Since early this year, the group has been focusing on helping Rotary become more welcoming to people with disabilities.

There is no other club quite like this. Disability rights have always been lower in priority in many human rights endeavors. However, for us, it is our top priority – and we plan on having an impact in many counties and many people’s lives.

We are thankful for the support we are receiving from other Rotary members. If you have a passion for increasing human rights for those with disabilities, contact us at [email protected]

Learn more about Rotary’s DEI statement, what DEI means, and how you can put it into practice to create positive experiences.

We’re thrilled to announce the return of Rotary Means Business to Gaston County! This event, designed to connect local Rotarians with area professionals, will kick off on Wednesday, November 13, from 4:30 to 6:30 PM at Muddy River Distillery in Belmont, NC. With the goal of fostering professional connections and introducing non-Rotary members to the Rotary community, this is an opportunity to build relationships, exchange ideas, and explore new avenues for growth in the Gaston County business scene. Learn more at – https://gastoniaeastrotary.org/news/rotary-means-business-returns-to-gaston-county/

Rotary Club of Charlotte South Park

Gastonia Rotarians at the Veterans Day Parade

The Rotary Club of Gastonia is proud of its Armed Services Veterans. This year, 7 of them participated in the annual Veterans Day Parade held in historic Dallas, NC. Les Davis, Charlie Peninger, Donald Parrott, and Walter Hobbs are shown marching with the club banner, while Fred Caldwell, Tete Pearson, Don Warren, Fred Caldwell, and guest Bill Woody rode in a classic convertible. The club also recently continued a traditional service project of writing notes of thanks and encouragement to patients at the VA Hospital in Salisbury.

 

Zone 33-34 Summit – Building Bridges in Pittsburgh

From October 22-27, I had the honor of being a part of a healthy contingent of Rotarians representing our District at the Zone Summit and Institute in Pittsburgh, PA, home of Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick. I was accompanied by our entire DG line, including District Governor Elect Donna Moffett, District Governor Nominee Jerry Coughter, immediate Past District Governor (PDG) Debb Corbett, and PDGs Chris Jones and wife, Colleen, Tom Smith, Beth Trotter, and Mike Walker, as well as Emerging Leaders Peter Bagley, Steve Buteau, and Rotarians Ann Evans, Sharon Heinrich, Marcia Scheideman, and Susan Walker. Both PDG Beth and Ann Evans have Zone roles as well, making their participation even more essential.

I know we have members with various levels of knowledge relative to Rotary and so I’m going to start this with a basic primer if you’re new to Rotary or a reminder if you’re a more seasoned member!

First of all, our members belong to a club, whether it’s a Rotary Club or a Rotaract Club or an Interact Club. Our basic level of membership in Rotary is within a club. Our satellite members and Impact Club members also belong to a Rotary club and are considered a part of the parent club.

Clubs are part of areas within most Districts. In District 7680, we have 11 areas, all led by an Area Governor/Assistant Governor. Areas usually have 4-6 clubs.

Our eleven areas contain 53 Rotary clubs, seven Rotaract clubs, and numerous Interact clubs. When Rotary conducts member headcounts, only Rotary and Rotaract club members are tallied for purposes of membership in Rotary.

Our District 7680 is part of Zone 33. Rotary has 34 Zones in the world and each pair of Zones is led by a Director, meaning that Rotary International has 17 International Directors. We are a part of Zones 33 and 34, covering the mid-Atlantic, Southeastern US, and Caribbean regions. Patrick Eakes of District 7690 is our Director. We have 31 districts within Zones 33/34, consisting of 1,689 clubs, 66,000+ members, speaking four languages and spread out over 29 countries.

I share this background to say that our Zones 33/34 team met in Pittsburgh during late October to receive training and updates in a variety of areas, and of course to recognize and promote World Polio Day. The theme of the conference was “Building Bridges” and that objective was most certainly met. We had 500+ Rotarians from Zones 33/34 at this summit and we had great outcomes.

    • We recognized World Polio Day by celebrating an “End Polio” walk in the area of our meeting place. Highlighting the walk was a torch borne by RI President Stephanie Urchick which had traveled from South Florida in Zone 34 through Districts in Zone 33 and all the way to Pittsburgh.
    • We had a livestream event on World Polio Day, featuring a fantastic panel consisting of President Stephanie, Dr. Peter Salk, son of the Polio vaccine developer, Dr. Jonas Salk, Past RI President John Germ, and Rotary Polio advocate Mike McGovern.
    • We raised in excess of $22,000 for the End Polio Now initiative.
    • We built 100 beds for a local organization called “Sleep in Heavenly Peace” which provides beds for children in need around the country. We also raised more than $25,000 for this organization.
    • We heard from three Districts on major projects they are working on, including human trafficking in Florida, menstrual cups for women in Uganda, and a vegetable garden/butterfly garden in the Caribbean.`
    • We had highly engaging learning sessions on improving our PI/PR initiatives within clubs and our districts as well as making the Action Plan come to life for clubs.

 

Zones 33 and 34 without the Island nations