Dear Presidents, Assistant Governors and other interested Rotarians:
I reached out to our fellow Rotarians in Livingston to see how we could help in the tornado relief efforts. President Lee Hon sent me the following update from the Polk County Emergency Management.
Many Clubs have asked where they can help and in talking with Lee, the biggest need seems to be the food pantries since so many people were affected after already having a big need due to Covid. Please see below for contact info where checks can be mailed or donations can be made online.
Thank you for all you do for Rotary and our local communities!
UPDATED: Those wishing to donate or volunteer to help victims of the Onalaska Tornado can do so in these ways:
Food/bottled water. Take to the Center of Hope, 600 S. Washington, Livingston TX
Clothing or misc household items. The Oasis Resale Shop (of St Luke’s) has clothing for families in need. If you were displaced by the tornado and need clothing call the Oasis at 936-327-1208 or 936-327-8467. Oasis Resale Store (St Lukes’s), is located at 834 W. Jones, Livingston, TX, and is excepting clothing & household donations. Please do not bring clothing and household items to Center of Hope at this time. We will coordinate specific needs as we get them.
Volunteers: Due to COVID-19, we will not be standing-up a physical Volunteer Reception Center. If you wish to volunteer in some capacity, call the Center of Hope at 936-327-7634. A Center representative will take your information and then call you if and when volunteers are needed.
Please note: We do not need cooked food items or food prepared at this time. Meals for displaced families are being coordinated separately. Please do not bring perishable food items for donation.
We are pleased to invite you to participate in a COVID-19 #RotaryResponds one-hour Telethon to raise critical funds for disaster response. This Facebook Live event will be simulcast on the Rotary International Facebook page. The goal is to raise more than $1 million dollars. (the link is now live)
Rotary’s 1.2 million members across the globe have taken swift action to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than $3.4 million in Rotary Disaster Response Grants have already been put into action on the frontlines to battle COVID-19. Additionally, millions more have been raised by our #PeopleofAction - they have responded quickly and are truly saving lives. Now, we need to do more and the need for additional funding is a priority.
Join this live event to hear stories of hope, inspiration and gratitude from Rotarians, Rotaractors and friends of Rotary from across the globe as they share what they are doing to help their communities. The telethon will also showcase how our polio eradication infrastructure is helping to combat COVID-19.
How can you participate:
1. Participate in the telethon on Facebook Live on 2 May at Rotary International's Facebook Page (facebook.com/rotary). The live stream will be simulcast in eight languages.
2. Share this event & spread the word through your social media channels.
3. Invite friends, family, and members of your community to watch and see first-hand what Rotary's People of Action are doing to combat COVID-19.
4. Post on social media during the broadcast and on the day of the event using the hashtag #RotaryResponds.
6. Encourage your Rotary District to donate District Designated Funds (DDF) at https://on.rotary.org/ddf-donate. (Note: DDF received between April 22st and May 3rd will be considered part of the telethon fundraising total.)
District 5910 hosts a District Training Assembly each Spring that offers training for incoming club officers and board members. This year, as with everything else, it will be done online. Here are the details:
· Monday, May 18, 7:00 – 8:00 pm we will kick off our training series and offer a look ahead to the upcoming year.
· Club officer training sessions will be done over the following three weeks with two or three different sessions each week. The schedule is being coordinated with our able facilitators and will be announced shortly.
· Incoming club officers are strongly encouraged to take the courses in the Rotary Learning Center for their position before the training session if at all possible.
· Once the class schedule is finalized, you will be notified, and you will need to register for the course(s) you want to take.
· Training sessions:
o Club President
o Secretary
o Treasurer
o Public Image
o Membership
o Introduction to entering information into Rotary.org
o Rotary Foundation, including district grant information and global grant updates
· We plan to record the training sessions and make them available on the district website for reference and for people who can’t attend at the scheduled time.
The district relies on the contact information that’s in ClubRunner to keep you up to date on activities. Please ask all of your club members to check the information in their member record and make sure it is current and accurate. Also, it’s very helpful if everyone, especially officers and committee chairs, include a photo in their record.
We will have an electronic 2020-21 district directory which will be available for download by July 1.
The Learning Center at Rotary.org offers training modules for club and district officers and committee chairs as well as courses applicable to all members. They provide a great way to get ready for our upcoming district training assembly and for your leadership assignment for the coming year. I strongly encourage you to explore these resources that are available to us by taking courses applicable to your position in your club and/or the district.
If you do not yet have a log in for Rotary.org, go to the website, follow the steps to register for an account, and follow the instructions.
Bunny Pratt, D5910 Membership ChairPhil Shackelford, Assistant GovernorAmy Supak, D5910 Public Image ChairElena Scoggins, Bryan Rotary Club
Our goal is to create a fun event that Rotarians can look forward to and provide a proactive way to share positivity with our Rotary District. We will have three prizes to award for active participation. You must be "present" on the Virtual meeting in order to qualify to win a prize. Winners will be announced by our judges at the end of the event. :)
The deadline for submitting your Club’s District Grant Final Report has been extended to June 1, 2020, to support clubs whose projects may have been delayed or impacted by Covid-19. You may use either the pdf or Word version available on the District website. Please remember to attach copies of supporting documentation including receipts, invoices, bank statements or canceled checks (remember to redact bank account numbers), and photographs showing “Rotarians At Work” on your project. Scan and email your report and supporting documentation to Bobby Chapman < bobbychapman.5910@gmail.com > by June 1, 2020.
Greetings! I send my deepest condolences during this hectic and unbecoming period. I hope everyone and your families remain safe and in good health.
Korea has also had a heavy scare regarding the corona virus around the time I arrived in mid February. The number of confirmed cases skyrocketed to put the country as the second most infected area. Despite the uncertainties and fear, the club president, Mr. Min, and secretary, Mr. Koh, from Sae Hanyang Rotary Club greeted me at the airport and assisted me in my move in, after a great first Korean meal.
As of today, I am on week three of online classes for my graduate program.
I have slowly become acquainted with other graduate students through online interaction and within the dormitory. I wish everyone well and I hope to communicate with you all in the near future again!
Club President, Crystal WIlliams and Club Treasurer, Michelle Briley present the Salvation Army with a check for $3,000 to help them with major drainage issues at their Lufkin Outreach Center. Also pictured is Fellow Angelina Rotarian Captain Jenifer Phillips and Captain Cavon Phillips, a member of the Lufkin Rotary Club!
Marking that one month had passed in the battle against the Coronavirus, the Rotary Club of Beaumont took great pride in honoring and expressing thanks to all who have been front line workers in Jefferson County with two displays of the United States flag. The beautiful displays were seen at the Jefferson County Courthouse, headquarters for the officials managing the response to the crisis, and at the Jefferson County airport, the main testing site. A team of Rotarians, led by Vernon Pierce, Pat Anderson and Gary Moncla, posted almost 100 flags to honor the workers and volunteers. The eye-catching displays were beautiful and drew much attention including a television spot on KFDM Channel 6 News. Watch it below.
photo by Sheree Pierce
"The Rotary Club of Beaumont displays American flags at the Jefferson County Courthouse in honor of heroes -- including first responders, medical workers and essential employees -- on the front lines in the fight against Covid-19
The flags were the idea of Vernon Pierce, who is running unopposed for Jefferson County commissioner Precinct 1.
The Rotary Club put up a total of 95 flags at the courthouse and at the Jacks Brook Regional Airport, where the drive-through coronavirus test site is located."
Normally, we meet every Wednesday. Perhaps in the near future we will all get back together for our regular Rotary Club of Cleveland meeting. So, how do we stay connected? As secretary, I am sending members an email each Wednesday in April of things that we can do, learn.
April 8: Secretary Tommie Daniel sent an email to members with the 4-Way Test, asking members to say (they should know it!) or read the 4-Way test (it was printed in the body of the email) aloud when they received the email. The email also contained the Rotary Theme for 2019-2020: Rotary Connects the World, and the Rotary theme for April: Maternal & Child Health, and concluded with “I hope that you are all well and following the safety measures (6 feet apart), wearing a mask (at least if you go outside).”
April 15: via Email: read Object of Rotary (printed in body of email). One member responds, “I am proud to work with each of my Rotarian fellows, because I know they all have a good heart and it shines on the outside as well. They are all concerned with the well-being of others.”
April birthdays, and looking forward to May 13 – Rotary Club of Cleveland’s 83rd birthday were included in the email for April 15.
April 22: via Email: Today, we started with silent prayer. Members were reminded of the previous two email program topics, the 4-Way Test and the Object of Rotary, Today, they are asked to read the Rotarian Code of Conduct (printed in the body of the email). Cleveland Rotarian Scott Lambert says, “Our members exude professionalism and integrity in the business that they chose to benefit our society as a whole. The thing that I am most proud of is that our members live by their heart. They see the big picture in that the blessings that have been bestowed on them is why they are so giving of themselves. These actions make the world a better place and that is what Rotary is all about.”
In other news: The Rotary Cleveland Scholarship application has been emailed to Counselors at Cleveland High School and Tarkington High School to make available to their seniors, with a deadline of 10 a.m., Friday, May 1, 2020. The application also requires applicants to write a full one page response to “How has the coronavirus affected your senior year and your plans to further your education?” Applicants are to return completed applications to the email of Ernestine Belt, Scholarship chairperson.
The Rotary Club of College Station is excited to partner with Allumine Health Foundation and the Senior Placement Advisors of Texas in the #BCSStrong "Yard Sign Campaign”. In collaboration with local restaurants the money raised in this campaign will benefit frontline healthcare workers of the Brazos Valley, that are caring for our community in this time of need.
If you are interested in supporting the campaign, you can visit https://www.alluminehealth.com/allumine-health-foundation/ to make a donation or call Dana Rowse at 979-436-1616. For every $20.00 donated a yard sign will be delivered to show your support. 100% of donations received from the purchase of these yard signs will go to purchase food for local healthcare workers. All meals provided for this cause will be from local B/CS restaurants.
During the 2019-2020 Rotary year, the students of the Magnolia High School Interact Club raised $2761.12 for the world wide fight against Polio.
Pictured above is Claire Martinucci standing in front of their new Interact Club Banner.
The MHS Interact Club did a number of service projects last semester including raising $2761.12 (Bill Gates matched their funds 2 for 1 up to $900 thereby adding $1800 to their $961.12) for End Polio Now, contributing over 500 canned items to the Montgomery County Food Bank, collecting almost a truckload of clothing and toys for Moms Helping Moms, did a “Welcome to school day” at MHS where they provided smiles, hugs and candy to high school students to brighten their day, and volunteered at a number of events throughout Magnolia. This semester, they volunteered with Habitat for Humanity to lay sod for one of their homes, and cleaned the inside of the home for the new family. They donated luggage to a foster care agency, and raised money for an international organization to provide clean water. They have around 120 members from all grade levels, and they meet twice a month during our Bulldog Block in the library.
The efforts of this awesome Interact Club can not only be contributed to the great members of the club but also to their awesome sponsor, Katherine Cantu.
Sierra Leone Project
In January 2020, Rotarians who were part of the team to train people in Sierra Leone on leadership and conflict resolution skills completed their training. Pictured below are the graduates from the Women’s Program Class.
The 2nd photo is of the graduates of the Youth Program Class. Photos provided by Real Provencher of the Magnolia Texas Rotary Club (sitting on bottom row, 3rd from the right with a blue shirt in the 1st photo; sitting on bottom row far right side in the 2nd photo).
The Rotary Club of Orange resumed meeting, by video conference rather than in-person, on the last Tuesday of April.
Rotarian Jennifer Burtsfield gave an outlook on the financial world. Meetings will continue in the video conference format until further notice. The Scholarship committee is reviewing applications for scholarships for graduating seniors.
The Spindletop Rotary Club of Beaumont has been following the stay-at-home order, meaning we have been unable to meet since early March. We have also had to make the heart breaking decision to cancel the 20th Annual Southeast Texas Soapbox Derby. However, in this time of uncertainty, our membership has jumped all in and has adapted to virtual meetings like stars! We are now meeting weekly via Zoom, and have been taking care of each other as Rotarians do by either cooking meals, making facemasks for the community and friends, and helping locate supplies as needed. Many of us are working remotely, but we are all staying focused on our main goal as Rotarians-service above self.
Here is a photo of our most recent Zoom meeting, where we played True or False Trivia, as well as a great group photo of us on Zoom! We hope all of our neighboring clubs are doing well!
The Rotary Club of Texas City had a drive by collection of items needed for one of the many area organizations in lieu of our noon meeting on April 7. We collected toilet paper, facial tissue, laundry detergent and paper towels. The event took place in the parking lot of the local library (thanks to the City of Texas City) which was closed at the time. The community responded well. Pictured are President Judy Slocumb, Stephanie Hughes, President Elect Peggy Davenport and Dawn Tholcken. Driving by to drop off is Rotarian, Chief of Police Joe Stanton. Many other members were there, but we did use social distancing and gathered in no more than ten members at a time. The event was held prior to the stay-at-home mandate.
In addition, one of our members volunteered her time at Susan’s Market – Mainland Children’s Partnership, to help sort and box needed items that would be delivered to homes of those in need.
Pictured is Rotarian Thelma Bowie.
“Breakfast Taco Tuesday”
The Rotary Club of Texas City provided breakfast tacos to our local hospital staff in lieu of our noon meeting as a way to thank them for being on the front lines for the COVID-19 pandemic. We had our caterer, Grand Prize BBQ make them and deliver them for us since we are not able to meet. We felt this was another way to keep their business going. The employees of HCA Houston Healthcare Mainland were very thankful for them.