Posted by Roberta "Betty" Ramirez-Lara on Nov 03, 2017
Greetings District 5930 Rotarians,
 
We have finished the 1st 120 days of our Rotary Year 2017-2018.  I have visited all our 52 Rotary Clubs and met with each individual Board of Directors in our District equaling 102 meetings in 120 days.   I had mentioned that my schedule was aggressive to be able to maintain our only goal.   Only one goal for District 5930 is to “Help and Support Our Clubs”.   I have truly enjoyed my Club Visits and travelling across our Wonderful Rotary District.  Rotarians across our District 5930 are involved in our local communities and really want to “Make a Difference”!  
 
After meeting with our District Leadership Team, our Real work is just getting started.   Your Team is ENERGIZED and READY to Help our Clubs.   I shared Discoveries and Opportunities within our District to make our Clubs Vibrant and have a Successful Year.
 
November is Rotary Foundation Month and we have a GREAT deal to Celebrate.  During my Club Visits, I mentioned about our Rotary International Convention in Atlanta eating ice cream and birthday cake with over 42,000 Rotarians to CELEBRATE 100 Years of “Doing Good in The World”.   As Rotarians we have much to be proud of with our 6 Areas of Focus.  This year’s initiative on Literacy/Education – our Clubs have inaugurated a Reading Room, Little Libraries in our Communities, Read Alouds and partnered with local Literacy Centers.  Another one of our initiatives, Peace.  Our District have dedicated 2 Peace Poles, one in Laredo at TAMIU and the other at Carmen Anaya Elementary School in Pharr with Georgia Rotarians in District 6910.   World Polio Day was a HUGE Success with our Clubs enrolling their event.
We need our “END POLIO NOW” campaign in front of us to keep reminding us that we need to Finish this Fight.  Please read our updates on our website.  We have one more case this week at 14 for this year.   Mike Dickerson, Lt. Governor of Youth Services has committed to the 2nd Annual Polio Moto Ride for March 24 – 25, 2018.  Let’s Welcome the Bikers riding into our Communities and have another Successful Ride.  More details to follow.
 
On November 11th, our Past District Governor Debbie High will be Hosting and Awarding Rotary Year 2016-2017 Presidential Citations and District Exemplary Awards.  Ellison Crider, District Foundation Chair will be awarding Rotary Foundation Certificates of Appreciation.  True Highlights of our Event, Awarding our Clubs for their hard work in Rotary Year 2016-2017.  They are diligently notifying our Clubs to present them their Awards.  Please join us to Celebrate and Congratulate by supporting them.  On our Agenda, “A Conversation with Paul Harris” a First for the Rio Grande Valley.   You can register individually or by Club invoice.  Enjoy Rotary Fellowship and we will have ROTARY SWAG for purchase, cash, check or credit card. 
 
Update: Hurricane Harvey Relief FUND – we have funded over $148,889 with 23 Grant requests in our District 5930.   We are currently reviewing several other requests in the pipeline.  As of today, our FUND has raised $382,733.25.  Children and education as our 1st priority, we have assisted displaced families throughout our District in our cities of Rockport, Victoria, Portland and surrounding areas to make sure the start of their school year was an easy transition along with libraries.   Economic Development has been addressed to train and certify bus drivers, a/c technicians, welders, plumbers and electricians. 
 
We also partnered with Disaster Aid USA and equipped our District 5930 with the necessary tools and equipment to assist our communities for cleanup.  Harlingen Rotary Club Rotarians Eddie Bartnesky, Kathy Preddy and Wayne Lowry have raised their hands to take care of this worthy project. 
 
District Governor-Elect Andy Hagan – District 5930 Task Force Chair for the Gulf Coast Donor Advised  Fund along with 4 other Districts affected by Hurricane Harvey with donations of over $396,000 is currently working on requests to acquire monies from this Fund. 
 
As we continue Rotary Year 2017-2018, the District Conference Committee is working hard behind the scenes.  “Discover The Magic of Rotary” will be the new theme with 2 Rotary Conferences taking place on South Padre Island on April 20-22, 2018 with a 1 day only Youth Peace Conference on Saturday April 21st at Schlitterbaun Water Park.  We will have much to celebrate as Hurricane Harvey was a real “gut punch” for me however the response from our Rotary Family has been overwhelming and so positive. 
It is about “MAKING A DIFFERENCE!”
 
I make myself available for our Clubs’ needs and Annual Events or training opportunities to fulfill Rotary Year 2017-2018 goal of “Helping and Supporting District 5930 Clubs”.
 
 
Betty Ramirez-Lara
2017-2018 District Governor
Rotary District 5930