November is Rotary Foundation Month on the Rotary International theme calendar. Please take time during the month to learn more about the Rotary Foundation and the seven areas of focus. There are two great sources of information https://www.rotary.org/en/our-causes and the Rotary learning Center https://learn.rotary.org/members/pages/36/course-catalogs which has (12) learning modules on the Rotary Foundation. As mentioned during my club visits, I encourage everyone to consider regular contributions using Rotary Direct, https://my.rotary.org/en/rotary-direct.
Rotary Clubs around the district have been remarkable even with Covid. Almost every club has continued to provide service to the community. Many clubs have modified what they do and how they do it, but still moved ahead. Some clubs have changed service and fundraising dramatically, but still kept moving forward.
I hate Covid. I hate the fact that so many are sick and so many have died. I hate what it has done to our society. I hate what it has forced our clubs to do. I miss all the in-person meetings, socials and fun. Yes, we are making progress, and we are learning to conduct our lives in a hybrid fashion, but we are still missing many of our members who cannot join us for a variety of reasons.
I see vaccines as the only way out, and I think Rotary can help. Maine and New Hampshire are working to control the spread of Covid, primarily with vaccines and common-sense personal responsibilities like mask wearing, hand washing and social separation. Unfortunately, there are many who are uncomfortable with vaccination, for any number of reasons, which we must respect.
The district is planning several in-person events in the new year including February 7th Leadership Dinner and February 22nd Foundation Awards and World Peace Dinner. For both of these events, consistent with Portland expectations at concerts, plays and large gatherings, we will be asking that all attendees are fully vaccinated. I want Rotarians to take things to the next step. I am encouraging all to listen very carefully to those concerned about vaccinations and counsel them to get their vaccination for their own good and the good of the community. Rotarians are respected members of our communities, and our voices are trusted. We need to use our trusted voices, for the benefit of our community, to help move more people toward getting vaccinated. My club, the Rotary Club of Portland, has taken this a step further, and prepared a Covid Statement, which publicly articulates the position of the club. https://portlandrotary.org/.
Thanks to all for your service to Rotary.