October 2023

Governor's Message for October

Welcome to October!

Greetings Rotarian Friends!

Welcome to the month of October - Economic and Community Development Month in our Rotary World!

Visiting our 50+ Rotary Clubs is the absolute best experience says every Governor I’ve ever met! To learn about and witness the magnitude of service so many of you provide is astounding! To be amidst the kindest, most generous, ultra creative & energetic, big-hearted community leaders is awe inspiring!

Life can change in an instant, and mine certainly did in the past month. While in between club visits on a gorgeous summer’s day, I was hit by a semi and suffered neck injuries. The care I received at Lansing Sparrow hospital was outstanding! I’m grateful to be mending and able to return to celebrating this amazing Rotary journey with you all again! The outpouring of well wishes, kindnesses and love was deeply touching and healing. I still cry when I read the beautiful messages of encouragement so many shared! My heart is overflowing and I celebrate a fresh perspective on what really matters. Fearless Love!!

Clubs are encouraged to consider nominating our next District Governor candidate this month! I encourage every Rotarian to aspire to Rotary leadership as part of your professional development plan. Our District Team is ready to support your journey and welcomes your unique talents, passions, and drive for Rotary greatness in the world!

Every month there are hundreds of National and International celebrations dedicated to raising awareness and support for meaningful causes. This Rotary month we draw attention to Economic and Community Development. Nearly 800 million people in the world live on less than $1.90 per day. Rotary members are passionate about providing sustainable solutions to poverty and survival struggles in many parts of the world. Rotary members and the Rotary Foundation work to strengthen local businesses, community leaders, and empower women in developing nations. Rotary clubs develop people to become dynamic contributors through networking, mentoring and leadership opportunities. So many great ways for our clubs to draw attention to Economic and Community Development through our own special projects! I celebrate your outreach!!

Nearly every project we engage in has potential to lift up local economies. Every person we touch benefits and potentially pays it forward. Every kindness offers hope, comfort, enhanced mental wellbeing enabling greater contribution. Every dollar raised creates more resources and social connectedness fostering community resiliency. Everything we do with love builds a stronger, brighter, more prosperous future!

Our District Committee Chairs are excited to serve our clubs. The district website will soon feature the TEAM and information on how they can help you. Reach out!

Education is key to growth and prosperity! Join us at the ONE SUMMIT October 28. We’ll help you create attractive, irresistible, and high-impact projects and clubs! Come in costume and win a prize!

Thank you for your SPIRITED, effervescent Leadership!

In Celebration!

Sharalyn Davis

District 6360 Governor ’23-24

Rotary International

Union City Rotary Club

sharalyndavis@gmail.com

616-719-7286

One Summit Coming Soon October 28

WHAT: DISTRICT 6360 ONE SUMMIT

“Create Hope in the World”

WHEN: Saturday, October 28, 2023

TIME: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Registration starts at 9:30 AM

WHERE: Air Zoo!!

6151 Portage Road, Portage, MI 49002

www.airzoo.org

WHO: All Members of Rotary

COST: No Cost! FREE for all, including lunch!

(Free will donations will be accepted at the door)

5 Reasons to attend the One Summit: Create Hope in the World

Learn

In the breakout sessions, attendees will have opportunities to learn from the very best – members of Rotary.

Lead

Sessions on talking Rotary and local leadership via service help you develop skills that will help you strengthen the voice of Rotary where you live and work.

Connect

This one-of-a-kind session gives you the opportunity to lean in and learn from one another.

Develop

“Create Hope in the World” offers you tools and training to enrich your own and club members’ Rotary lives.

Celebrate

“Create Hope in the World” helps your club honor accomplishments and contributions of all who perform Service above Self.

GOAL OF ATTENDANCE: Every Club is represented by 2-4 members.

Click HERE to register now!

Empowering Girls and Women

Imagine a high school graduation with a female valedictorian thanking her local Rotary club for their help and support. Now imagine a shy girl that steps out and speaks in front of a group. Imagine what you and your club can do to help empower a girl or girls. The district Empower Girls team encourages clubs to share their projects or planned projects with the team by emailing district6360empower@gmail.com. We will be featuring a project a month in this newsletter. Be watching this space!

Rotary International

Upcoming Monthly Themes

October: Community Economic & Development Month

November: Rotary Foundation Month

December: Disease Prevention and Treatment Month

Rotary Action Group:

Mental Health Initiatives

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognizes World Mental Health Day on October 10.

This year’s theme is “Mental Health is a Universal Human Right”. How on-point is RI President Gordon McInally to call for improved access to mental health services as part of his Mental Health platform! Especially in times of such unrest around the globe, the WHO is saying out loud what each of us are thinking – that it is within our human entitlement to enjoy peaceful living inside and out; OR have available and affordable access to the help we need to obtain it.

What is mental health, anyway?

The word health conjures images of well-functioning … vibrancy … efficiency … and positivity. Living these qualities is certain to ensure a state of inner peace. What a lovely thought that mental health is the ability to maintain inner peace regardless of what’s going on around us!

President McInally affirms that by living in peacefulness, we ‘become more capable of bringing peace to the world.” If we are searching for more inner peace, McInally says being kind is one of the most effective ways to protect our inner peace. Rotarians know this very well. When we are kind, i.e., being in service toward someone or something else, we lose our ‘little’ selves to the bigger cause. We forget our problems in that moment by focusing on the task at hand. We become more present to those around us; more available, more cooperative, more connected - and more vested in the outcome.

Living in service is literally, like living with a natural high! Every time we are kind, we stimulate endorphins and other brain chemicals that not only build immunities, but deplete depression; increase joy; and strengthen resilience. Resiliency is that emotional muscle that deflects life’s hardships and keeps us centered in positivity – which creates even more positivity!

Feel free to become further inspired when President McInally speaks via zoom, 7pm ET on World Mental Health Day. Here is the link to register to listen on October 10: Meeting Registration.

In the meantime, and as always –

Thank you for your Rotary service which enables a more peaceful world for all.

Jacquie Blackwell MA Psy is owner of Amazing Learning Center Mental Health Services. She has been a member of Lakeshore Rotary Club since 2020. In 2021 she was named Rotarian of the Year for creating the ‘Take it or Leave it’ winter accessories holiday-tree service project. Jacquie chairs the D6360 Mental Health Steering Committee.

Membership Quick Tip of the Month

Have a Membership

Committee Chair?

Clubs that have the right person focused on the goals of keeping and increasing members have a much better chance of reaching those goals.

Successful Membership Committee Chairs kept growing membership front and center all the time and that focus was shared with all members too.

Today our district has 32 clubs with Membership Committee Chairs. That leaves 22 clubs with the opportunity to find the person who is goal oriented, is passionate about Rotary, and is eager to find and welcome people who also want to provide Service Above Self. That person also is a great motivator of fellow club members.

More Membership Committee Chairs will help us to achieve our district membership goal.

55 More by 2024

Members as of 7-1-23 1993

Members as of 9-30-23 1982

Sharing Rotary with New Members

Are you aware of the responsibility or obligation most Rotarians fail to perform? Paying their dues? Attending meetings? Contributing to the club service fund? Participating in club events and projects? None of these!

Of all the obligations a person accepts when joining a Rotary club the one in which most Rotarians fail is "sharing Rotary." The policies of Rotary International clearly affirm that every individual Rotarian has an "obligation to share Rotary with others and to help extend Rotary through pro posing qualified persons for Rotary club membership." It is estimated that less than 30 percent of the members of most Rotary clubs have ever made the effort to propose a new member. Thus, in every club, there are many Rotarians who readily accept the pleasures of being a Rotarian without ever sharing that privilege with another qualified individual.

The Rotary policy on club membership states: "In order for a Rotary club to be fully relevant to its community and responsive to the needs of those in the community, it is important and necessary that the club include in its membership all fully qualified prospective members located within its territory" One merely has to glance through the yellow pages of the local telephone directory to realize that most clubs have not invited qualified members of all businesses and professions into Rotary

Only a Rotarian may propose a customer, neighbor, client, supplier, executive, relative, business associate, professional or other qualified person to join a Rotary club. Have you accepted your obligation to share Rotary? The procedures are very simple, and everyone must know at least one person who should belong to Rotary.

Public Image Quick Tip

The updated Brand Center recently celebrated its first anniversary with newer assets and guidelines added for your use, including the new Do's and Don'ts for using Rotary logos.

Rotary Foundation Matching Gifts

Campaign Returns

Limited Time Offer for District Rotarians!

District Governor Sharalyn Davis is making a special offer. She (along with other generous Rotarians) will match your individual donation to the Annual Fund-SHARE of The Rotary Foundation with Foundation Recognition Points.

This offer is for contributions made from November 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023.

We are able to match donations between $100 and $5,000. We can only match the first $50,000 in donations. Note: Only donations to The Rotary Foundation’s Annual Fund will be matched in this program.

Here is how this matching program works:

· Make your contribution to The Rotary Foundation’s Annual Fund. Your donation may be online via Rotary Direct (using the RI website), or by check.

· Let us know you have made a contribution and request a match in Foundation Recognition Points. Please send a details of your contribution or a copy of your receipt.

· We will process your match and submit the matching information to The Rotary Foundation.

It’s that easy!

Why are we doing this? Because we believe in The Rotary Foundation, and all the good work made possible by The Rotary Foundation’s Annual Fund!

Thank you in advance for supporting The Rotary Foundation!

Please send information and questions to:

PDG Teresa Brandell

323 Elmshaven Drive

Lansing, MI 48917

517-242-0125

Email: Teresa.M.Brandell@gmail.com

Learn More About TRF!

Schedule a program on The Rotary Foundation in your club in November – or anytime!

November is Rotary Foundation Month. Each Rotary Club is encouraged to offer a program on The Rotary Foundation at one of your November meetings.

We’re helping you out: we have assembled some speakers on The Rotary Foundation who can present a great Rotary Foundation program at your club. We can cover any angle of The Rotary Foundation (TRF) – anything from “TRF 101” to inspiring and motivating members to projects to exploring grants to polio updates and everything in between – just let us know what you’d like us to focus on.

Please reach out to anyone on this list to schedule a TRF program for November – or anytime! Contact any one of us, and if we happen to have a conflict for your requested day, we will work as a team to find you a speaker who is a perfect fit.

PDG Nathan Triplett

Email: ntriplett@gmail.com

517-719-6499

PDG Kathy Gallagher

Email: kgallagher@bcacs.org

269-209-5949

PDG Teresa Brandell

Email: teresa.m.brandell@gmail.com

517-242-0125

PDG Tim Lee

Email: timlee0910@hotmail.com

317-592-9634

PDG Ed Foster

Email: ed@fosterdvm.com

517-230-7998

It’s “Outbound Season!”

It will be the

“Best Year of Your Life!!!”

-- Quote from former Outbound Students

It’s time to look for students that are interested in becoming an exchange student. Rotary Youth Exchange is the BEST youth exchange program!! It’s also the most economical!

Who can be a Rotary Youth Exchange student? Eligible students for the long-term program must be:

• Between the ages of 15-1/2 and 18 ½ by the time of departure

• Top half of their class academically

• Socially ready to handle living abroad for an extended period

• Ready to make new friends, learn about a new culture, new language.

• Flexible, friendly and fun!

The Rotary Youth Exchange Program is for the school academic year from August through mid-July. Students stay with 2-3 host families. They are required to attend school.

It all starts with each Rotarian promoting the program with people you know.

Students that are interested complete a Club Rotary Youth Exchange Pre-Application and submit it to the local club. The club will interview the student and parents looking for suitability, responsibility, flexibility, maturity. Then the club will recommend the student to District 6360 Outbound Coordinator Felicia Smith. Deadline for this Pre-Application is September 30, 2023.

Felicia will send the Central States Rotary Youth Exchange (CSRYE) Outbound Application to be completed and return to her. Deadline for the CSRYE application is October 31, 2023.

For more information contact:

Felicia Smith, Outbound Coordinator: feliciarotary6360@gmail;

Margie Haas, RYE Chair, haasmargie@gmail.com

Request for Nominations for District Governor to Serve 2026-2027

Your club is invited to submit suggestions for nominations to serve as District Governor, to serve District 6360 in 2026-2027. The person selected will become District Governor Nominee on July 1, 2024.

Your club suggestion must be in the form of a resolution adopted at a regular meeting of your club and certified by your club secretary. Remember, your club can only suggest members of your own club.

Please give some thought as to which members of your club would make a good District Governor and would be interested in serving. Every club has someone who is qualified to be a District Governor. And if you, as a Rotarian, are interested in serving, please talk to your club leadership about being nominated by your club.

Qualifications for nomination:

The person selected to serve as Governor Nominee shall, at the time of selection:

* Be a member in good standing of a functioning club in District 6360.

* Have served as Club President for a full term (or as Charter President of a club for at least six months).

* Have been a Rotarian for at least seven years at the time of taking office as District Governor.

* Demonstrate willingness, commitment, and ability to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of District Governor, as outlined by Rotary International.

* Demonstrate knowledge of the qualifications, duties, and responsibilities of District Governor, as prescribed by Rotary International.

* Submit to Rotary International (upon selection) a statement that the Rotarian understands those qualifications, duties, and responsibilities, is qualified for the office of Governor, and is willing and able to assume and faithfully perform those duties and responsibilities.

* Agree to attend any trainings required prior to taking office as District Governor.

* At the time of taking office as District Governor, continue to possess the qualifications required at time of nomination.

Deadline for submission of club resolution of nomination: December 1, 2023.

Please send all information to:

PDG Teresa Brandell

Chair, District 6360 Nominating Committee

Email: Teresa.M.Brandell@gmail.com

Mail: 323 Elmshaven Drive, Lansing, MI 48917

Phone: 517-242-0125

If you have any questions at all on this process, please contact PDG Teresa Brandell.

And if you have any questions about what is involved in serving as District Governor, ask any Past District Governor in our District!

Remember: Rotary International Bylaws prohibit any effort by any Rotarian to influence the selection process in a positive or negative manner.

Exchanging Club Banners

One of the colorful traditions of many Rotary clubs is the exchange of small banners, flags or pennants. Rotarians traveling to distant locations often take banners to exchange at "make up" meetings as a token of friendship. Many clubs use the decorative banners they have received for attractive displays at club meetings and district events.

The Rotary International board recognized the growing popularity of the banner exchange back in 1959 and suggested that those clubs which participate in such exchanges give careful thought to the design of their banners in order that they be distinctive and expressive of the community and country of which the club is a part. It is recommended that banners include pictures, slogans or designs which portray the territorial area of the club.

The board was also mindful of the financial burden such exchange may impose upon some clubs, especially in popular areas where many visitors make up and request to exchange. In all instances, clubs are cautioned to exercise discretion and moderation in the exchange of banners in order that the financial obligations do not interfere with the basic service activities of the club.

Exchanging club banners is a very pleasant custom, especially when a creative and artistic banner tells an interesting story of community pride. The exchange of banners is a significant tradition of Rotary and serves as tangible symbol of our international fellowship.

Help Morocco Earthquale Victims

As a global humanitarian organization, Rotary continually takes action to help communities in need. Because you are a Rotary leader, we want you to be among the first to know that The Rotary Foundation has established a temporary Morocco Earthquake Response Fund to support immediate assistance efforts through disaster response grants.

We’ll begin fundraising efforts soon to finance the grants, which will be available specifically to areas affected by the 6.8-magnitude earthquake on 8 September that killed several thousand people, injured even more, and destroyed an estimated 50,000 homes.

The Morocco Earthquake Response Fund will accept contributions, including District Designated Funds (DDF), until 31 December and will distribute grants until 21 September 2024 or until the funds are spent. Any unused money will be transferred to the general Disaster Response Fund.

Districts affected by the devastation in Morocco can apply for grants to provide items such as water, food, medicine, shelter, and clothing. To learn more and help these communities, you and your members can: