February Greetings!

 

Groundhog Day, Valentine's Day, Mardi Gras parades, azaleas beginning to bloom, strawberries in abundance in stores, and crawfish back in season. Ah, late winter in our District.  February is Peace Building and Conflicts Prevention Month in the Rotary cycle. What has your club scheduled to do this month?

 

Has your Club completed one, two, or all of your District Grants? The District Grants Committee has announced extra points will be awarded to clubs that completely close their grants by February 28, 2023. “Completely” means getting your reports, photos, public image reports, accounting, and receipts not only uploaded and identified in the grant module but also the committee’s acceptance of that information as completed. In other words, don’t wait until February 27, 2023, to spend your evening trying to input data! I recommend your club start as soon as possible! And, you will be eligible for some points even if you can’t close all your grants by that date. Final deadline is March 31, 2023.   Greg Lier and Keith Clayton are available to help you navigate the process should you need assistance.

 

It is not too late for Club Presidents Elect to register for PETS. I know DGE Vicky has already contacted most of the clubs to encourage attendance. Attendance at PETS is required by Rotary International to qualify to serve as Club President.

 

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What’s My Club???? Here are the clues for February:

 

Have you been playing? I hope the links are now working but let me know if you have any questions.

 

 

WINNER: Three Day, Two Night Las Vegas, or Lake Tahoe accommodations.  Taxes and Fees have been paid, but the winner is responsible for the travel.  You have two years to book your travel and can choose from several different resorts, including the Luxor in Las Vegas, or Lake Tahoe South in Lake Tahoe.
 

   

 

Thank you for the book donations which continue to fill my office! The Rotary Club of McComb just sent me a truck bed full of boxes of books. These books will be donated to the Methodist Children’s Home of Southeast Louisiana in Loranger which recently opened it doors in February of 2022.  Has your club collected books? What are your plans to distribute them to kids?   Send me photos and articles.

 

My newsletter would not be complete without an update on District Conference, April 21-22, 2023, in Hattiesburg. The links are up and running for registration for the conference, food fest, golf tournament and hotels. Please join us. Clubs will feature predominantly on the agenda, not just in the House of Friendship. Several clubs have already agreed to present sessions on their best (and worst) successes in service, fundraising and fun. Let me know if your club wants to be part of this showcase of ideas and networking.  Sponsors are encouraged!

 

District Conference, April 21-22, 2023, in Hattiesburg will include a Golf Tournament on Friday morning, Optional Family events (cooking demonstration at USM or tour of Camp Shelby) on Friday morning. The opening sessions start on Friday afternoon followed by Food Fest on USM’s campus later that evening. Saturday will begin with a memorial service to celebrate the lives of those Rotarians who died during the past year. Sessions will include membership, public image, club administration, fundraising, grants, and the Rotary Foundation. We will close the day with the Governor’s banquet to celebrate your achievements within your clubs and the District.
 

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Did you know our District has held RYLA for the past 29 years? This year is the 30^th Anniversary. Let’s celebrate this marvelous program and thank the hard-working Rotarians who make this happen. Please let District Chair Mike Sigler and District Director Olivia Bubrig know how much you appreciate them.  RYLA | Rotary District 6840 on Strikingly (mystrikingly.com) Contact Olivia Bubrig: 504-722-2131 Contact Mike Sigler: 504-655-1183

 

Applications are due to the Rotary Club by April 30, 2023.

 

 

 

 

 

One more housekeeping request: If you attended Mid-year Check Up, you saw several clubs receive the Rotary Citation as well as banners for Foundation giving. These clubs achieved these awards by entering and tracking their goals through Rotary Club Central on www. MyRotary.org. It is not too late for your club to enter and track goals for the 2022-23 year. Ask your Club President about goals for members and engagement, foundation giving, service, young leaders, and public image. Let’s aim for every club in the District to receive the Rotary Citation for this year!

 

You are important to me. Membership in an international service organization is quite different from membership in other clubs. We can change lives, our own and others. We can participate in good works throughout the world merely by being active members of our Clubs and donating to the Rotary Foundation.

 

Many Rotarians recite the Four Way Test each week. Let’s also focus on the Object of Rotary:

 

 

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

Next month I will highlight Avenues of Service.