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Posted by Fred Daniels

Greetings, Rotarians!

This year's Rotary Night at the Joe saw a great turnout and a great baseball game. Not only were there almost 200 people representing Rotary in attendance, and not only was there a great cheer for the 25 named Rotarians of the Year, but the game saw a tie-breaking walk off grand slam home run in the bottom of the 9th inning by a hitter who just came onto the team that very day to win the game for the ValleyCats. Incredible!

And so it is that community minded volunteers come onto our Rotary team every day, eager to be put into the Rotary rotation with every great intention of smacking it right out of the park. As District and Club leaders, it is our job to put these great new Rotarians into the hitting rotation, encouraging them to swing for the fence, inspiring them to believe that even though they haven't even learned everyone's name they can, in fact, save the day.

Each of these new Rotary team members started their journey way back, when someone taught them the values associated with teamwork, like service above self, and gave them the faith that they truly can make a difference. Each of them will likely tell you that there was a person who really leaned in, taught them how to see the "pitch" and pick their moment, spent the time that it took to address their uncertainty, and gave them the chance to excel.

Which brings me to the Peace Summit for Youth on November 12th. This District project will give regional high school youth a chance to consider issues of peace as they see them in their schools, on their streets and in their world. It gives them a chance to speak to their anxiety, be heard by their peers, encourage each other, and learn. And it gives our Rotarians a chance to lean in, listen carefully, inspire… and learn from these young voices.

Some years from now one of these young people may be brokering a cease fire, leading a neighborhood movement to take back the streets, or crusading for tolerance in their local school district… making peace. And, they will be leading Rotarians across the world into the future.

Thank you for all you do to lean in, inspire and lead. DG Fred

Peace Summit for Youth

On November 12, 2017, District 7190 Rotarians will host a Peace Summit for Youth in Mechanicville.

For more than 110 years, Rotary members have been addressing challenges around the world and acting as ambassadors for peace. In today’s global climate, our youth are anxious. Anxious about international relations, terrorism, America's position in the world, their personal future, and how they fit in. The Peace Summit for Youth will provide a forum to express their concerns and work collaboratively to consider pathways to peace – peace in their schools, on their streets, and in the world.

The District 7190 Peace Summit for Youth, organized using the World Café Model, will encourage our youth to explore deeper thought and awareness regarding the issues affecting peace worldwide. The objective is to create an environment where the youth generate all the content and develop the relevant outcomes for the day. Our keynote speaker will be Anne Kjaer Riechert, a Rotary Peace Scholar. Riechert is owner and managing director of an IT training school for Syrian refuges in Berlin, West Germany.

The Summit is open to high school students throughout the greater Capital Region, including our nine Interact clubs, Youth Exchange, and Rotary Youth Leadership. The intent is to reach into every high school where there is a Rotary club in the community. This not only provides students the ability to participate through Rotary sponsorship but also affords a learning opportunity about Rotary.

Funds are being raised and volunteers are being recruited. If you are interested in knowing more, please contact DG Fred at dgfred2017@gmail.com.

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