Notes from the Governor
People of Action,
January’s RI theme is Vocational Service. As the second object in Rotary’s philosophical statement, it calls on Rotarians to encourage and foster:

• High ethical standards in business and professions,
• The recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and
• The dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society as a Rotarian.
Rotary asks, how can we as Rotarians put these ideals into action?

• Talk about your profession in your club and take time to learn about fellow members’ occupations,
• Use your skills and expertise to serve a community,
• Practice your profession with integrity and inspire others to behave ethically through your words and actions,
• Help young people achieve their career goals,
• Guide and encourage others in their professional development.

I am excited to share with you that we are bringing these activities to life by hosting a “GSE” type of professional exchange program with Australia in March. Clubs in 7610 will be hosting five of Western Australia’s finest police officers. We have an exciting itinerary that will conclude with the district conference in early April. This is a time to learn from our Aussie friends and for them to learn from us. More details to come and we hope that they can meet as many 7610 Rotarians as possible while they are here.

To quote Rotary International, “Vocational service is the essence of Rotary and serves as the foundation from which we serve our communities around the world.”

As we have reached the half way mark of the Rotary year, I am proud to be serving our communities here and around the world with each of you!

YIRS,
In This Issue
  • Support for Combat Veterans
  • Bridging the Gap for Girls
  • Imagine That
  • Guest Chefs
  • Orbit Achieved
  • Christmas Spirit
  • November Newcomers
Leesburg-Daybreak Supports Combat Veterans
By PDG Rich Storey, Leesburg-Daybreak
The Leesburg-Daybreak Rotary Club recently presented a $4,500 check to Boulder Crest Retreat for military and veteran wellness.
Susan Jane Stack, Rotary club president, and Philip Martin, Rotarian, made the presentation to Dusty Baxley, executive director of Boulder Crest’s Virginia operation. Susan said, “Rotary is pleased to continue our support of the important work of Boulder Crest in helping our veterans and their families.”
“Today was an honor to address the Leesburg-Daybrea Rotary Club and receive a $4,500 donation from our community,” Baxley said. “Leesburg Daybreak Rotary Club has been a very staunch group of service-oriented volunteers from everything to general cleanup to coming out and cooking beautiful meals for our combat veterans and their families. Thank you for your support and service to our community and this great nation."
Bridging the Gap for Girls
By Eileen Curtis, Great Falls
On January 11th, the Rotary of Great Falls held a Bridge Tournament fundraiser for Edu-Girls, an organization that educates girls living in extreme poverty in India and Nepal. Due to the unique circumstance of girls living in poverty--a combination of economic hardship, gender bias, and a pressure to get married young--only a tiny percentage finish high school. Edu-Girls' mission is to achieve financial independence for these girls through customized quality education. Importantly, Edu-Girls stays with the girls until they are financially independent, providing career counseling, placement support and vocational/college scholarships. The cost equates to $1/day to educate a girl. 

This bridge tournament was attended by 52 players. Our Interact Club used the event as their international project,serving as aides. The event raised about $3,500, thereby assuring an education for ten girls over the course of this next year. 

Imagine That!
(Dolly Parton's Imagination Library)
By Mary Drum, Herndon
In 1995, inspired by her father's inability to read and write, Dolly Parton started the Imagination Library in her home county in the hills of Eastern Tennessee. Her goal was to mail a free book to children each month from birth to age 5. As of today, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library Program spans 5 countries (USA, UK, IE, CA, AU) and has surpassed 100 million books mailed.

In 2005 Richard Downer and Kurt Rose decided that the Imagination Library was perfect for the town of Herndon and aligned nicely with the literacy goals of the Rotary Club of Herndon. The main goal was to promote reading within the family. With a very limited budget, they decided to open the program up to just the 20170 zip code. Mr. Downer and Mr. Rose attended local festivals, spoke to numerous civic groups and literally walked the town recruiting families to join the free program – the only requirements are a Herndon Zip Code and under the age of 5. The program grew quickly and soon took on a life of its own. 

In 2012, with the help of donations from The Rotary Club of Herndon, private donations and a grant from the Ruth and Hal Launder's Charitable trust, Mr. Downer and Mr. Rose expanded the program to cover the 20171 zip code in addition to the 20170 zip code. Essentially covering all of Herndon. 
All of the books are age appropriate and some are bi-lingual. The books are addressed to the child and the first book is the classic  The Little Engine That Could . Upon graduating from the program, the child receives the book Lookout Kindergarten, Here I Come  followed by a letter congratulating them on graduating from the Imagination Library.
As of January, 2020, the Rotary Club of Herndon's Imagination Library has mailed more than 118,000 free books to children in Herndon. There are currently 1,432 children enrolled and since 2005, 2,495 children have graduated.

To sign up a child you can go to  www.herndonrotaryimaginationlibrary.org .
The Rotary Club of Herndon's Imagination Library runs solely on grants and donations from the public and currently costs approximately $30,000 annually. If you would like to donate you can mail checks made out to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to PO Box 321 Herndon, VA 20172-0321 or visit our booth at the Herndon Festival – May 28 – 31, 2020.
Questions? Email  [email protected] .

"The seeds of Dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help to plant in your community can grow across the world" - Dolly Parton
Guest Chefs for a Day….
By Carlota McCormack, Falls Church
Falls Church Rotary cooks for guests at the Ronald McDonald House in Falls Church, Virginia
On Saturday, September 21, 2019 some members of the Rotary Club of Falls Church experienced what will be one of their most memorable events. Seven members and one volunteer gathered at the Ronald McDonald House of Northern Virginia on the grounds of INOVA Fairfax Hospital at 3312 Gallows Road in Falls Church, to prepare and cook a Breakfast/Brunch for the guest residents.

The project was the brainchild of President Stephanie Arnold and was a ‘hit’ from the ‘get-go’. President Stephanie had had personal experience as a volunteer at another RMHC, and, also as someone who had a critically ill child. Knowing then what a wonderful organization RMHC is, she wanted to share that experience with her Rotary Club, and so…we became Guest Chefs.

Ronald McDonald Houses provides a “home- away-from-home” that allows families to access specialized medical treatment at little or no cost. Families with a child being treated at a local hospital may be eligible to stay at one of our Ronald McDonald Houses. A social worker, case manager, or nurse clinician from the admitting hospital must make the initial referral. Families are admitted based on available rooms, and medical priorities. Each guest family has a private bedroom and bathroom, and access to a full kitchen, laundry room, living room, playroom, and outside play areas. Guests are asked for a $15 donation per night, but families are never turned away for financial reasons.After a long day at the hospital, our families find there is nothing better than walking into Ronald McDonald House to find a home- cooked meal. In an effort to promote health, wellness and giving back locally, Giant Food’s Registered Dietitian team created month long meal plans volunteers can follow to offer families staying in the DC area houses a varied menu of healthy and delicious options. Meal plans also include breakfast and dessert ideas, as well as menu items tailored for the season. In addition to providing the recipe and shopping list, Giant Food is also making it easier for volunteers by providing $20 gift cards to groups cooking meals for RMHCDC families.
Guest Chefs Stephanie Arnold, Carlota McCormack, Rene Calandria, Diane Hill, Erica Brouillette, John Wu, Kevin Zimmerman and PH Fellow and Volunteer, Trudy McCormack, provided a Menu which consisted of:
Pancakes, French Toast, Beef & Turkey Sausages, Bacon, Scrambled Eggs, Crustless Asparagus Quiche, Blueberry Yogurt Cups, Watermelon and Grapes.
The Team had a wonderful time preparing and cooking, and the feedback from the RMH was that we did an excellent job, and everyone tremendously enjoyed the food that was offered.
First recipients of the brunch enjoyed themselves.
Satellite Club Reaches Orbit
By Earl Baughman, District Membership Chair
The recently established Satellite Club of the Rappahannock-Fredericksburg Rotary Club has now reached a total membership of fourteen, and is actuvely circling around District 7610. They have a business/planning meeting on the third Thursday of every month, and participate in various service projects throughout the remainder of the month.
Shown here (seated left to right) are the four newest members of the Rappahannock-Fredericksburg Satellite Club: Dan Buckman, Philip Pierce, Kimberly Wood, and Clint Manning, along with all but one of the other ten members. The gentleman on the left is David Pierce, who has graciously agreed to be the sponsor from the parent club.

The club meets in the historic 1816 building which was the city's second Town Hall. The room served as the City Council Chambers until the 1980's,and the city held a reception for the Marquis de Lafayette in that room in 1824.
The Christmas Spirit in Mathews
By Dee Russell, Mathews
The Mathews Rotary Club is based in the small coastal county of Mathews, VA. We are the 2 nd smallest county in Virginia with a population of just under 8,900 citizens. We are a small, tight-knit, rural community which tends to lend itself for many opportunities for our club members to demonstrate “Service Above Self.”

Every December for the last 10+ years, we have joined forces with other local civic organizations and community volunteers to provide the muscle to “stuff the bus” for our community Christmas Store.
We, along with the other groups, head to our local Department of Social Services office a couple of days before the store is open for business. Once there, we form a human chain to bring from the attic to the school bus in the parking lot all of the boxes of new toys, stuffed animals, bicycles, legos, dolls, small appliances, linens, and clothes which have been collected and stored there throughout the year.
Once the bus has been loaded, we all get in our cars and head to Kingston Parish Church and create the same human chain in reverse from the bus into the church, where another group of community elves creates a beautiful Christmas shop for over 225 families in need. Each item is assigned a point value, and families can “shop” using points assigned to them based on the number of people in their family. It is a wonderful and needed community service, which is very appreciated by those who use the shop to provide Christmas for their families.

As I am sure it happens in other clubs, there seem to be service projects we do year after year, and as club members come and go, no one remembers or talks about how this service to the community got started. Our club is no different.
Although our club has only been a part of this wonderful endeavor for the last 10 + years, our community Christmas Store has been in place for over 31 years. It was not only spearheaded in its infancy but was chaired for 30 years by the wife (Peggy) of one of our club’s distinguished members Wayne Hudgins. So it came to be that his close connection to its founder created the connection to our Rotary Club. Wayne was a member of the Mathews Rotary from 1993 until his passing in 2009 and was a Paul Harris Fellow.

This is a simple story of how the Mathews Rotary Club came to be part of this very important and worthwhile service project every December, but it is also a part of the history of our club to share with our newer members, and by continuing to support this project, we continue to honor Wayne as well.

The Mathews Rotary Club wishes everyone a happy and healthy new year!
New Members
These are the new members added in December 2019