Dear Fellow Rotarians,
Over the past month, the wildfires have dominated the news. Tens of thousands of people displaced, and thousands of homes burned. Many Rotarians in our district and throughout the West Coast have been affected. At the district, we have created a Disaster Task Force to help sort through the issues and see that those who need help the most get relief.
Last month in the newsletter, we provided information about how to donate in order to help. We also have a way to collect donations through the District Foundation. Information on that, and other ways to help, is provided later in the newsletter.
We keep all the victims of the fire in our thoughts as we recover from this disaster.
On a happier note, later in this issue, there is an update about what is happening with Youth Services. We are pushing to have the speech contest and RYLA this year. Also, some good news about Youth Exchange.
My visits to the clubs have been a wonderful experience. It is amazing how well the clubs are adjusting to the current restrictions. Lots of community and international projects are still getting accomplished through the district, the clubs are doing things to make their meetings fun and there are a lot of virtual fellowship activities happening. Great job!
Eighteen district clubs have been recognized with Rotary Citations for their service and leadership. What a wonderful job they did last year! PDG Ramesh and I are very proud of all the hard work put in by the clubs. There is more information about this later in the newsletter.
The virtual Avenues of Service on October 17th is going to be really special. Sign up now through the district website, to show off your club projects at the project fair, and don’t miss this great event. More on this later in the newsletter.
The Rotary Virtual Institute will be taking place November 12 to 14. This is a unique opportunity to attend this training. This training is available to all Rotarians and because it is virtual, the cost is very reasonable. To get more information follow this link https://zone2627.org/2020-rotary-institute/ to the Zone website.
The District is also planning a leadership seminar on December 5th. The presenter will be John Lipp, Executive Director of Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter. He presents leadership skills and fund-raising ideas in an informative and entertaining way.
The District Conference will be on May 15th at Gilroy Gardens. Mark your calendar for this fun event. More information will be coming out soon.
The Rotary Convention is June 12 – 16 in Taipei. Sign up now for the lowest price. To register for the convention follow this link RI Convention. To book a room a the district hotel follow this link Taipei Convention Hotel
Thanks for all you do, keep up the great work and stay healthy.
Gregg
