Rotary International District 6860 Newsletter October 2022
Sunday, October 23, 2022
By Carol Argo

Greetings Rotarians!

The 2022 Zones 30-31 Rotary Institute was held in Chattanooga, TN March 28-October 2. Governor-Elect Mary Grace Evans, Governor-Nominee David Allgood, and I attended specific training for our roles as district leaders prior to the actual Institute. Our district also invited Lindsy Gardner and Sharon Hogg to attend the Emerging Leaders training.
 
There is so much that I learned during the Institute, but one of my takeaways is that no matter how much you think you know about Rotary and leadership, there is always more to learn, and I learned from some of the best. During my club visits you will hear me talk about opportunities for learning at the club level (for your officers, committee chairs and committee members). Take advantage of these opportunities to learn about roles and responsibilities, attend training to qualify and manage Foundation grants, sponsor a Rotary Peace Fellow, participate in Youth Exchange, organize a Rotaract or Interact Club, manage your club’s membership information in DACdb, pay club invoices for Ri and district dues, develop and implement successful service projects, become leaders in your club and in the community.  Our district leadership has an obligation to provide Rotarians and Rotaractors at the club level with the knowledge and skills they need to lead their clubs. I encourage each of you to take advantage of the many opportunities provided through the district and RI.

COVID-19 did more than just create physiological and emotional morbidity and mortality among our members, it shut down some of our clubs. Even today, a few clubs in our district are struggling to come back. We can do this, and we will! What I am seeing is that clubs that are successful at growing or maintaining their membership are actively and strategically identifying and recruiting new members and identifying ways to fully engage their members. If there is one word that fully resonated with me at the Zone Institute, that word is “listen.” Listen to what members have to say about their club experience and learn and adapt to make the club experience more meaningful and impactful.

Don’t forget that October 24 is World Polio Day. Let me know what you are doing to celebrate this year.

Yours in Rotary Service,
Carol Argo
Governor, District 6860


Rotary International All Member Survey
Rotary International will be sending out an all-member survey in November. This is your opportunity to share what you like, what you don’t like and what you want from your Rotary membership. The link will be sent out via email, so please be sure to respond.

Congratulations Rotaract Club of Birmingham!!!
The Rotaract Club of Birmingham has been awarded the 2021-2022 Rotaract Giving Certificate for their contributions/support of The Rotary Foundation. The certificate is signed by Foundation Chair John Germ.

District Service Projects
Service is at the core of who we are as Rotarians. Our motto Service Above Self is a simple statement of our commitment to service as leaders, and as doers. Mike Wade is a resolute servant leader and although he had to step down as Governor this year for health reasons, he is still eager to be an integral part of our district leadership. Mike has agreed to serve as chair of an ad hoc District Service Projects Committee. I have asked Mike to collaborate with clubs that may need some mentoring or encouragement in identifying, planning, and implementing a new service project as we Imagine Rotary through Community Service. Mike will also be reaching out to clubs to learn about the various service projects you are involved with. Please respond to Mike when he contacts your club. We learn from each other and sharing our stories about how we participate in community service is a wonderful way to motivate and inspire one another. Click here to email Mike Wade.

Call for Nominations – District Governor 2025-2026
Rotary District 6860 is accepting nominations for District Governor for 2025-2026. Rotary members who have served as club president are eligible for nomination. The deadline for receipt of nominations is December 1, 2022.

Qualified individuals are encouraged to apply for this distinctive leadership position. District Governor qualifications include:
  • Must be a member in good standing in a functioning Rotary club in the district
  • Have served as a club president
  • Demonstrate willingness, commitment, and ability to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of governor
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the qualifications, duties, and responsibilities of governor
The president of any club in our District wishing to place the name of one of its members in nomination for District Governor for the years 2025-2026 shall file with Past District Governor (PDG) Harold W Lewis, Chair of the Nominating Committee, a completed nomination packet which shall include the following:
  • A resolution of the club, adopted at a regular meeting of the club naming such candidate and certifying that the nominee meets the qualifications for District Governor Nominee, and including a statement by the candidate accepting the endorsement
  • Governor-nominee form completed and signed by the candidate and club secretary
(Please note: the District Governor does not sign off on the form until the Nominating Committee selects a nominee.)
  • A current photograph of the candidate, and
  • A biographical sketch of the candidate providing personal, professional, and Rotary background
Qualifications for the office of District Governor are listed in the By-Laws of RI, Article 16, 16.020.   The deadline for filing the resolution and the member’s nomination packet is December 1, 2022. Email the nomination resolution and data form (which can be found on the District website www.rotary6860.org) to PDG Harold W. Lewis.

Call for Nominations - District 6860 Council Representative
Rotary District 6860 is seeking nominations from Past District Governors to serve as district representative to the Rotary Council on Resolutions and the Council on Legislation. The Council representatives will represent their district at the
  • 2023, 2024, and 2025 Councils on Resolutions
  • 2025 Council on Legislation
Eligibility
To serve as a representative, a candidate must:
  • Be a member of a club in the district
  • Have served a full term as an RI officer (District Governor), at the time of election
  • Understand and be qualified, willing, and able to perform the duties and responsibilities of a representative
The selection of a representative and alternate will be made by the District Nominating Committee at a meeting scheduled for January 20, 2023.

Any club in the district may nominate a candidate for representative, whether the candidate is from that club. The nomination must be sent to the Chair of the Nominating Committee by December 1, 2022. If a club nominates a Rotarian who is a member of a different club, the Rotarian’s club must agree in writing for the nomination to be accepted.

The nomination packet for each candidate should include:
  • Letter of nomination signed by the club president and secretary
  • If the nomination is for a Rotarian from a different club, the Rotarian must submit a signed statement agreeing to the nomination, and the Rotarian’s club president and secretary must also sign in agreement that the nomination be accepted
  • Brief bio of Rotary experience
Submit completed nomination packets by December 1, 2022 to PDG Harold Lewis, Chair of the Nominating Committee.

November is Foundation Month
The Rotary Foundation helps Rotary members advance world understanding, goodwill and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty. Since it was founded more than one hundred years ago, the Foundation has spent more than $4 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects.

November is Foundation Month. What is your club doing to celebrate or focus attention on The Rotary Foundation? There are many ways that clubs can celebrate Foundation month:  invite a District or Zone leader to speak on The Rotary Foundation; recognize Rotarian donors in your club who have supported The Rotary Foundation through their gifts; encourage members to give to the Foundation – Every Rotarian Every Year; offer a challenge to members to become Paul Harris Fellows, or achieve the next level; encourage members to leave a legacy to The Rotary Foundation; start a new service project using TRF grant funds; identify and nominate a Peace Fellow. 
 
The district set several goals this year specific to The Rotary Foundation:
  1. Increase giving to the Annual Fund by 3 percent over the previous year
  2. Increase giving to PolioPlus by 3 percent over the previous year
  3. Beat our best per capita giving to The Rotary Foundation Annual which is $154.90
  4. Increase the number of Major Donors, Bequest Society and Benefactors
Rotarians ask why the amount that we award for district grants has decreased over the past several years. The answer is quite simple. Our giving to the Annual Fund of The Rotary Foundation has decreased. The amount of funding that we can provide for district and global grants is related to our giving. The more we give; the more we get back at the district level. And more importantly – the more we give; the more we can do to improve lives. With your help, we can make lives better in our communities and around the world!

I encourage you to highlight The Rotary Foundation in at least one of your club programs during November. At the district level, we have several Rotarians who are resources on the Rotary Foundation. Issue an invitation to speak at your club.

Ryan Stallings, District Rotary Foundation Committee Chair
Philippe Lathrop, TRF Fundraising Chair
Lori Moler, Paul Harris Society Chair
Holly Trawick, District Grants Chair
Kathy Brunot, District Grants
John Beard, District PolioPlus Chair

Save The Dates

November 12-14, 2022
Trip to RI Headquarters in Evanston, IL (deadline to register has passed)

December 1, 2022
Deadline to submit nominations for District Governor 2025-2026 and COL/COR Representative

January 27-28, 2023
Mid-Year Conference, Homewood Library, Homewood

February 16-18, 2023
RYLA, US Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville

March 31, 2023
Deadline to submit applications for District Awards

April 28-30, 2023
Joint District Conference (with South Alabama), Perdido Beach

May 4-6, 2023
International Peace Conference, Birmingham

May 27-31, 2023
RI Convention, Melbourne, Australia

For additional information details on these events, and to learn about events scheduled by clubs in the district, consult the DACdb calendar at www.dacdb.com.