I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday with your family and friends. December is another busy month in the district with many clubs hosting holiday parties along with new projects.
December is Disease Prevention and Treatment Month, which takes on many forms, from supporting studies to helping immunize people, to improving drinking water, and the sanitation infrastructure. The world relies on Rotary to tackle these global challenges, and to set an example for others to follow. Disease does not prevent itself.
Four-hundred million people in the world can’t afford, or don’t have, access to basic health care, resulting in misery, pain, and poverty. This is why Rotary members are devoted to fighting and preventing diseases. From setting up temporary clinics, blood donation centers, and training facilities in under-served communities, to designing and building infrastructure allowing doctors, patients, and governments to work together, Rotary members take on efforts both large and small. Thank you to our District Rotarians who are currently supporting this effort through local and global grants.
Thank you to our District Foundation Chair Cindy Hornaman and her committee for putting on a great Foundation Seminar last month. As the final touch to Foundation Month, we had our District Day of Giving. We are happy to report that we raised over $7,000 for the foundation. Thank you to all Rotarians who participated.
As we move through December and get closer to the holiday season, I encourage all of us to slow down so we can take in the season of family and fellowship. Please have a fun and safe holiday season.
The 2023 “STEM YEA Big Ticket Reverse Raffle Night” is scheduled for April 15, 2023 at Brookside Country Club, Pottstown. Peter R. Kowey, MD, a specialist in electrophysiology and cardiovascular disease, is confirmed as guest speaker and will share insights gained through his life journey in the medical field.
Tickets can be purchased in advance through December 31, 2022, to take advantage of a 10-percent discount. Sales are limited to 150 tickets. Your ticket helps to fund the operational costs of the STEM YEA program for middle schoolers, who may not otherwise have the opportunity to attend a STEM-focused experience. The ticket entitles you to a fun evening that includes hors d’oeuvres, drinks, dinner, and a lottery ticket with a chance to win one of numerous prizes totaling $5000.
Tickets are available on Eventbrite. Search for STEM YEA.
We also welcome businesses who wish to sponsor this event.
We’ll be discussing some tips and resources to help you re-energize or expand your club’s Public Image! Building a strong Public Image is critical to increasing our impact and growing Rotary. The District Public Image Team is looking forward to expanding the resources available to our clubs and Rotarians. This year we’re kicking off a new program where Public Image chairs from all clubs in District 7430 will gather online to discuss and exchange best practices for strengthening their Public Image. In addition to providing some tips and resources, the District Public Image Team will also be announcing a district-wide Public Image Challenge and there will be plenty of time dedicated to hearing from you. This will be a great opportunity to share ideas that worked in your club or ask questions about Public Image. These are open to Public Image Chairs, team members, or any Rotarian who is interested in learning about building a vibrant public image.
It’s December – can’t believe we are half-way through this Rotary Year—just “Imagine!”
We have had a wonderful Foundation Month. Over half of our clubs have had foundation presentations—it is not too late; talk to your club about the Foundation. Schedule a Foundation Presentation for your club THIS MONTH. Contact DGN Katie Farrell at kathleen.farrell@jefferson.edu or PDG Cindy Hornaman at hornamca@ptd.net – we can tailor the presentation to your club’s interest.
Our Foundation Seminar in November had 105 people in attendance with wonderful speakers and discussions.
Our District Tuesday Foundation Giving Day netted over $7,000 to the Annual fund—thank you to everyone who participated.
NOW WHAT?
We are in our grant application period for the year 2023-2024. An online grant-training webinar will be held the first week of February for those who could not attend in person. To do:
Get your Club MOU signed and sent to Peter Clayton. Start working on your projects for application. Need help? Contact Bonnie Eckenrode, Shushma Patel, Cindy Hornaman
Our Journey to the Next Million will help us continue supporting more projects for our clubs. Please consider donating to the Foundation.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
IT IS OUR SPRING FLING FOUNDATION GALA AND FUN EVENT: SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 2023 5:30 PM
Our District Four-Way Speech contest will be here before we know it. We are looking for two regional directors to help coordinate with the clubs. In the West Region we are looking for a representative from one of the following clubs: Birdsboro, Conrad Weiser, Fleetwood, Hamburg, Kutztown, Muhlenberg, Reading, Spring Township Centennial or West Reading-Wyomissing.
For the South Region we are looking for a representative from one of the following clubs: Ambler, Blue Bell, Hatboro, Central Bucks, Norristown, North Penn, Upper Perkiomen or Souderton-Telford.
This is a great way to help out at the district level and meet new people. For more information, please contact District Four-Way Test Chair Annamarie Richter at arichter21@comcast.net.
District 7430 Learning Plan for December 2022 through February 2023
The District 7430 Learning Plan is located under Learning and Development on the District website. Please check the website for events and then register using the District calendar.
Committee Chairs or others planning training/learning events should provide the name, date, and contact for their events to Gwenn Carr (gwenn.carr@verizon.net) so that the event may be added to the Plan.
The International Convention for 2023 is in Melbourne, Australia, is an amazing place “down under.”
The time to register is now. Our district may be doing a separate group travel tour before or after the convention as well—for more fun, exploring, and fellowship.