CONNECTIONS--FEBRUARY 28, 2021 (Feb 28, 2021)

In this issue:

Recent Posts to Rotary International District 5370 News: From Whitehorse to Cape Town as a Rotary Global Grant scholar and SHELTERBOX Update: Volunteer to put the Partnership into Action

Upcoming Rotary International, District and club events and announcements: DG Jim's video message for March (Water and Sanitation Month); 2021-2022 RI theme; District Office closed; World Rotaract Week (March 8 to 14); Rotary Club of Oakville Speaker Series (March 9); District 5360 Indigenous Committee webinar: The Importance and Reasoning Behind Doing Land Acknowledgements (March 4); PRIP Ian Riseley: Rotary’s New Cause, Protecting the Environment (March 2); Rotary Club of Costalegre 3rd Annual Women's Fiesta (March 8); RYLA and RYPEN spring camps have gone virtual and are open for registration; Rotary Club of YEG Passport Device Drive; A Rotary Foundation Chat with District Foundation chair Tim Schilds (March 10); Presidents-Elect training (March 9); Director Dialogue with Director Valarie Wafer: Positive Peace (March 10); Coaching for Rotarians; Office Space for Rent; and Spare Towels or Linens?

Club Fundraising: Dogs with Wings 50/50 raffle (Rotary Club of Edmonton Strathcona); Rotary Club of Edmonton Sunrise 50/50 Cash Raffle; Celebrate with our Flag (Rotary Club of St. Albert); Saint City Rotary 50/50 Raffle; Edmonton Riverview 50/50 Raffle; Rotary Club of Whitecourt online auction; and 28th Rotary Club of Grande Prairie Dream Home Lottery

A Foundation Moment: Do large grants ever take place in North America?

Membership Matters: How will you help reverse North America’s membership decline?

Learning Opportunities (Information from the District Learning and Development committee): ClubRunner training (March 3 & 10)

Deadline for submissions for the March 7 issue of the District 5370 CONNECTIONS is noon on Friday, March 5. Send your submission to communications@Rotary5370.org.

Articles recently posted to:

At its core, Rotary is about peace.

“Peace has been part of Rotary’s history for 115 years,” says PDG Ingrid Neitsch. “Peace permeates every aspect of Rotary.”

Ingrid, who chairs the District 5370 Peacebuilder Committee, points to the six peace conferences Ian Riseley hosted worldwide during his year as Rotary International president.

Each conference focused on how peace and conflict prevention/resolution was supported by Rotary’s other areas of focus: disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, economic and community development, and protecting the environment which has recently become a seventh area of focus.

The Peacebuilder Committee grew out of an initiative during 2018-2019, when Ingrid was District Governor and our District was able to achieve a two-year designation as a Peacebuilder District.

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Check out these membership statistics from Rotary International

Source: State of Membership PowerPoint presentation from Rotary International

How will you help reverse North America’s membership decline?

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Upcoming Clubrunner Training

Website Live Designer

Wednesday, March 3, 1:00 - 1:30 p.m.

Get a hands-on demonstration of how to configure and customize your site using the Website Designer 3.0.

• Create custom drop-down navigation menus

• Design a custom banner graphic & header

• Choose from multiple layouts & templates

• Create website content with the new and improved editor

• Modify image size and position within stories

• Add widgets

• and more

Duration: 30 Minutes

Click here to register

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Website Content Management

Wednesday, March 10, 1:00 p.m. MST

Note that this webinar will not cover how to use Website Designer.

In this session learn how you can manage website content for your club!

• Create, edit and publish stories, news and links

• Create, edit and manage photo albums

• Add private club documents and public download files

• Add speakers and upcoming events to the calendar (does not cover event registration and volunteer management)

• Tips and tricks such as inserting large photos and YouTube videos

Duration: 45 Minutes

Click here to register.

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Future session topics: Website Events & Volunteer Management (March 17) and Clubrunner 101 (March 24)

All sessions are scheduled for 1:00 p.m. MST. Click here for more information or to preregister.

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Join PDG Tim on the second Wednesday of each month to chat about Foundation topics, share ideas and get answers to your TRF questions.

Wednesday, March 10, 7:30 p.m. MST

After you register, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

If you have a topic that you would like to chat about, let Tim (timschilds@telus.net) know.

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World Rotaract Week (March 8 to 14)

The District Rotaract Committee has planned some exciting events to celebrate World Rotaract Week 2021. Beginning March 8, there will be events each evening for Interactors, Rotaractors and Rotarians to enjoy. To finish the week there will be a brunch cook-along. Follow our Facebook and Instagram pages to keep up to date with all the activities and sign up to attend on Zoom.

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Win up to $10,000 while supporting Dogs with Wings (DWW)

Dogs with Wings (DWW) is a leader in the international community of assistance-dog training schools. They breed, raise, train and place service dogs, autism service dogs, companion dogs and facility dogs.

Proceeds from the Rotary Club of Edmonton Strathcona’s virtual 50/50 fundraiser will go to DWW to ensure the continuation of the dog training programs. The cost to DWW to breed, raise, train and place one dog is approximately $40,000 but the cost to its clients is only $1.00.

Ticket sales end March 1.

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The Rotary Club of Grande Prairie presents its 28th Dream Home Lottery. This year’s Grand Prize package includes a luxury Dream Home valued at more than $1.3 million. Proceeds will help with the club’s many projects, including Habitat for Humanity, D-Coy Armouries Community Hub, the Daytime Outreach Society and more.

The Early Bird II deadline is March 9 – $25,000 toward a new vehicle! There is also a Cash Jackpot 50/50 and the winner keeps half (last year's pot was $470,040!). Lastly, the Cash Cow Calendar is a chance to win up to $10,000 every weekday in May. Tickets available at www.winadreamhome.ca. While you are there, you can also take a 3D tour of the Grand Prize Home!

District Office closed

Due to new pandemic-related restrictions introduced by the Alberta governments, including a work-from-home mandate, the Rotary District 5370 is closed, but is still operational and available by phone (780-482-5370) and email (office@rotary5370.org).

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Director Dialogue with RI Director Valarie Wafer

Join us on Wednesday, March 10 at 5:00 p.m. MST.

RI president-elect Shekhar Mehta will share his vision of peace. Also hear from Rotary Peace Fellow Marie-Paule Attema on how the Rotary Peace Center experience uniquely informs her work with refugees.

Learn what you can do to take action through Rotary’s Peacebuilder training; the Rotary Action Group for Peace; and the Global Peacebuilder District Program, which is being brought to life by Rotarians and Rotaractors in District 5370.

Click here to attend.

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Rotary Club of Costalegre 3rd Annual Women's Fiesta goes virtual

Monday, March 8

- submitted by PDG Judy Brown (Rotary E-Club Canada One)

For the last few years, Ron and I have been part of the Costalegre Rotary Club when we spend time at our Mexico beach condo (we are associate members of the club). They usually hold a fantastic Women's Fiesta each spring, with a luncheon and fashion show, tables with unique items to buy, and lots of fun with upwards of 250 ladies in attendance. This year, the Women's Fiesta will be virtual. It is free to attend and will only take half an hour of your time. All you have to do is go to the Rotary Club of Costalegre Facebook page.

One of the most popular events at the Women's Fiesta was the fashion show. The online substitute will be a video of womens’s images flashing on screen while Pretty Woman plays in the background. Women can have their image, or an image of them with their girlfriend(s), included and be entered into the draw for an Amazon gift card worth $100 by sending the image and a $13 donation.

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District 5360 Indigenous Committee webinar

The Importance and Reasoning Behind Doing Land Acknowledgements

Thursday, March 4, 4:00-6:00 p.m. MST

Contact Jan Fox (jan.fox@reachedmonton.ca) for the link to this webinar and/or a list of local Indigenous speakers who are available to clubs.

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The third in the series of sessions to prepare presidents-elect to lead Rotary and Rotaract clubs during 2021-2022 is scheduled for Tuesday, March 9, from 7:00-9:00 p.m. MST. Topics to be covered during this session include strategic planning, goal-setting, club roles and club operations.

Ensure that you are registered on My.Rotary prior to attending this session as we will be logging into My.Rotary.

Click here to register for this session.

The first two sessions were recorded and are available for viewing in the District’s virtual learning library:

January 19 – Planning the year, leading Rotarians, leadership styles and the Rotary Learning Centre.

February 9 – Running club meetings

Future PE training is scheduled for April 13, May 11 and June (TBD).

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Rotary Club of YEG Passport Device Drive

(for the Sinkunia Community Development Organization)

Your donated device will support local newcomer students in online learning and help isolated elders stay connected.

We would love to accept all types of used tablets and phones, but unfortunately the latest video conferences software does not support end-of-life devices. Check out the criteria for donating supplied by Project Joy.

In order to use your donated device and protect your privacy, you must:

• Unlink your Apple ID and iCloud account (or any management account for Android devices)

• Factory reset your device

• Remove its protective case

Contact YEG Passport member Don at donjwawryk@gmail.com or (780) 913-8895 to arrange for your donation. You can also call Don with any questions.

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RYLA and RYPEN spring camps have gone virtual and are open for registration

RYPEN (Rotary Youth Program for Enrichment) is for youth 15-18 and geared toward personal growth and development.

Saturday and Sunday, May 1 and 2, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Cost to sponsoring clubs: $50/registrant

Click here to register.

If you have questions regarding RYPEN, email rypen@gmail.com.

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RYLE (Rotary Youth Leadership Experience) is for high school students to gain and strengthen leadership skills.

Saturday and Sunday, May 15 and 16, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Cost to sponsoring clubs: $50/registrant

Click here to register.

If you have questions regarding RYLE, email ryle5370@gmail.com.

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Rotary Club of Whitecourt online auction

Since our major annual fundraiser, Lobsterfest, had to be cancelled for the second year in a row due to COVID-19, we are hoping to raise enough funds to continue running our awesome programs. The auction closes Tuesday, March 2. Browse and bid here.

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Saint City Rotary 50/50 Raffle

Funds raised by this raffle will support Appetite to Achieve and other projects of the Rotary Club of St. Albert—Saint City.

The Appetite to Achieve program helps school-age children in St. Albert public schools and families who do not have enough food for daily breakfasts and lunches.

Ticket Sales End: Thursday, April 1

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50/50 Raffle

The winner will receive a minimum cash prize of $2,000 or 50 per cent of ticket sales (whichever is greater) up to a maximum of $5,000.

This year, the community service projects of the Rotary Club of Edmonton Riverview focused on helping youth and seniors in Edmonton's inner city, at Delton and Norwood schools and at Operation Friendship Society, a drop-in centre for Edmonton's inner-city seniors.

Ticket Sales End: Friday, April 2

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Rotary Club of Edmonton Sunrise 50/50 Cash Raffle Fundraiser

The winner will receive a minimum cash prize of $2,000 or 50 per cent of ticket sales (whichever is greater) to a maximum of $5,000.

Proceeds from this raffle will support the club’s services projects and the Tourette Canada Edmonton Chapter.

Ticket sales end March 11.

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Regarding Raffles Sponsored by Alberta-Based Rotary Clubs

Due to provincial regulations, only Alberta residents, aged 18+ may purchase raffle tickets.

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