Welcome to the new Rotary year. In our first newsletter we will be hearing about several district committees who are here to support the clubs. We have a dedicated group of Rotarians in the district who are here to help. We are traveling through a lot of uncharted territory this year. Keeping our great organization moving forward without the normal meetings and events will not be easy. This year, more than any time in the past, sharing ideas and communication is vital to the clubs and the members. The District team is working hard to keep us and the community informed about what Rotary is doing, and to ensure ideas are spread and successes recognized. They are here to help make all the clubs stronger.
Although I have not started my “official” club visits yet, Zoom meetings have allowed me to pop in on several of the clubs. The energy and enthusiasm from all the clubs is overwhelming. The list of projects is endless. They include school supplies for underserved children, shoe drives, from virtual fund raising, delivering food to those who cannot get out, providing face masks to trying to impact the homeless situation and many, many others. It is clear, the clubs are not letting Covid interfere with our good work.
Looking ahead, August is Rotary Membership and New Club Development month. Membership is key to the success of Rotary. In order to help with membership, the District is having a Membership seminar on August 15th. This online seminar will help clubs develop skills in how to get and retain members, ways to make meetings interesting and ideas to make meeting meaningful and fun.
And speaking of membership, we are partnering with Toastmasters. They are enthusiastic about having Rotarians visit their meetings and I hope you will reach out to invite them to yours. We hope this will lead to additional members for both groups.
Flexibility has been the mantra for our year, and RI has shown how they can be flexible . When the Covid pandemic began, they knew help would be needed around the world. They immediately authorized a process to get funding quickly to clubs around the world. A few of our clubs took advantage of this opportunity and it resulted in our district receiving funds for medical equipment, supplies and to improve our Rotacare program. It shows how Rotary can help not only across the globe, but in our own communities.
Exciting News! RI has added a seventh area of focus for Global Grants. The Environment has been added as an area of focus. This decision has been a long time coming. Many grants touched on environmental issues, and now we can do grants in which the environment is the main objective. Several clubs have committees dedicated to the environment and this is a great fit for them.
Thanks for all you do, keep up the great work and stay healthy.
I hope this message finds you and your family safe and healthy.
July marks the beginning of Rotary Year 2020-2021. Welcome to all 61 Club Presidents in our District, with 4004 members strong as of July 1, 2020.
This month, we will share the following Grow Rotary strategies:
Learn to use virtual tools to engage members – Embrace best practices to engage with participants in the virtual world. Learn how to use technology and tools to implement change in Rotary clubs to create positive, memorable, meaningful, and inspiring membership experience
Grow Rotary through new membership types – Learn about new models to diversify membership and strengthen participation and new member attraction
Engage young families and young professionals with service and alternate meetings – Brainstorm how clubs can position Rotary as an opportunity to spend quality time with young families and young professionals, and how to support our young members to balance Rotary membership with limited free time and other financial obligations
Book a “Grow Rotary Impact” Program – Your members are the best resource in growing your Club membership. Inspire your members to become a Sponsor of new members. Learn the Why, What, and How in Grow Rotary Impact
Welcome to the Rotary District 5170 New Year! The new RI Presidential Theme, “Rotary Opens Opportunities” is in full swing!
We have formed a new Public Relations Committee with Rotarians who possess best practice skills in promotion, social media, media relations, and branding.
The District PR Committee serves as the focal point and resource for District Rotary clubs in need of information and support in:
Using Public Relations and reflecting on Public Image campaigns
Adequate strategic planning
Utilizing Social Media techniques and best practices
Which of the Avenues of Service best describes your club’s most significant efforts? Pick one: Community Service, International Service, Youth Service, Club Service or Vocational Service. If you did not choose Club Service, there is much for you to now consider. It is believed that Club Service, the most neglected of the Avenues of Service, is the most important.
Your willingness to keep an open mind in this could result in significant benefit to your club. It is a widely known fact that Rotary International has struggled for years to maintain its membership, which has been accomplished primarily by growth in other countries while its membership has continued to decline in the United States.
Although it seems like months away, the Rotary calendar is filling up with important dates. By policy, your Rotary District 5170 must notify all clubs by August 31 of the process for selection of the District Governor Nominee Designate (DGND) for the 2023/2024 District Governor term.
Each Rotary Club in the District may nominate one of its members for DGND. A nomination form and a biographical information sheet must be filled out and returned to the District Administrator, Olivia Poe (admin@rotarydistrict170.org) prior to October 15, 2020. Interviews for the position will be conducted on Saturday, October 31, 2020. The entire process follows the Rotary International Manual of Procedure, Article 12 and 13. For information on the nomination process, contact Olivia Poe at admin@rotarydistrict5170.org or 408-273-4577.
You are cordially invited to join in an informal discussion with current and Past District Governors on Saturday, September 26, from 3 – 5pm. Topics include:
Who can be District Governor?
How is the District Governor selected?
What roles does the District Governor have in the years before and after the DG year?
What is the expected time commitment?
Is there a financial commitment?
What resources does the District and Rotary International provide to assist the District Governor?
Rotary District 5170 is pleased to announce Ramesh Hariharan, Past District Governor 2019-20, has been honored and recognized by Proclamation of the City of East Palo Alto for his exemplary service and leadership to the East Palo Alto community.
He was honored by Mayor Regina Wallace-Jones and the City Council, along with many tributes and accolades from fellow Rotarians, friends and family.
