MESSAGE FROM DISTRICT GOVERNOR NEIL SNYDER
Happy New Year! I hope you had a joyous holiday season with celebrations amongst family and friends.
I am excited about the new year and the chance to renew inspiration in our clubs and in ourselves. Since we just passed the halfway mark of the Rotary year, many clubs are assessing goals that were set in July to determine where to focus resources moving forward. For you, that could mean it’s time to step up and get involved in planning the next fundraiser, joining or chairing a club committee, or bringing new energy to the club that will help engage and attract members If we all challenge ourselves to be better Rotarians, just imagine all of the great things we will do together!
In January, we celebrate Vocational Service Month. I encourage you to use this as an opportunity to bring vocational service to life in your club by talking about your profession and learning about fellow members’ occupations. As Rotarians, we pride ourselves on high ethical standards in business and professions and use our occupational skills to serve our communities around the world. This incorporates the Object of Rotary, the Four-Way Test and an important avenue of service
Thank you for your commitment to Rotary and Service Above Self. I look forward to seeing you around District 6960!
Yours in Rotary Service, Neil E Snyder, Esq District Governor 2022-23 Rotary International District 6960
January 2023 District 6960 Newsletter DISTRICT 6960 SOUTHWEST FLORIDA DISTRICT CONFERENCE 2023 June 15-18, 2023│Hyatt Regency Coconut Point To boldly go where no one has imagined before! Who should attend? ALL ROTARIANS, spouses and guests, club leaders, new members, YOU!! REGISTER soonon DACdb!
JimHinck
DistrictFoundationChair jameshinck@gmailcom
DavidLusty,PDG DistrictGlobalGrantsChair dlusty61@gmailcom
JuliePedretti DistrictGlobalGrantsChair-Elect jpedretti29@gmail.com
RichardHall
DistrictGrantsChair rhall@rhallcpa.com
CindyCedeno
DistrictGrantsChair-Elect ccedeno@finemarkbankcom
SteveSchlueter,PDG
DistrictLegacyGiftsChair stephenschlueter@gmailcom
Dr TamMustapha,PDG
DistrictMajorGiftsChair tamtonm@yahoocom
PamAkins,PDG
DistrictPaulHarrisSocietyChair pamakins@akinsmarketing.com
ErikElsea
DistrictAnnualFundChair erikelsea@gmail.com
DougSmoot
DistrictPaulHarrisFellowChair EREYChair chipgator@gmail.com
SuzanneVasbinder
DistrictMajorDonorsChair RotaryDirectChair attitude2001@msncom
EldonBohrofen
DistrictEndowmentChair ebohrofen@rohdedales.com
TomSetchel
DistrictFortune500Liaison tomsetchel@gmail.com
CherylWillett
DistrictPolioCo-Chair cheryl@willettbusinessmgmt.com
RichardWillett
DistrictPolioCo-Chair rich@weit-llccom
THE ROTARY FOUNDATION
By
Jim Hinck, District 6960 Rotary Foundation Chair
Happy New Year fellow Rotarians! We may be starting a new year, but we areatthemidpointofthisRotaryyear.Iwouldliketothankalltheclubsfor their participation and effort in our recent Annual Fund-Share contest. The AnnualFund-ShareiswhatfuelstheDistrict6960grantprogram.
Below are the final standings of the contest. These figures reflect giving to the Annual Fund-Share from July 1, 2022, through Dec. 31, 2022. The TOP SIX clubs have earned access to $1,000 in district designated funds to be used for a district grant project. Funds must be applied for and projects must be completed by the end of this Rotary year. Congratulations to all of thebelowclubsforachievingatleast$100percapitaingiving.
CLUB 1. Cape Coral Sunset 2. Lakewood Ranch 3. Naples 4. Marco Island Sunrise 5. Bonita Naples 6. Venice Suncoast 7. Babcock Ranch 8. Sarasota Bay 9 Venice Nokomis 10 Fort Myers 11 Fort Myers Sunrise 12. Rotonda 13. Bonita Springs 14. Sarasota Sunrise 15. Charlotte Harbor Sunset 16. Sarasota Southside 17. Englewood LB Sunrise 18. Naples North 19. Cape Coral Goldcoast 20. Longboat Key 21. Harbor Heights/PR
2022-23 District 6960 Rotary Foundation Team
In only six months, District 6960 clubs gave an incredible amount of donations, totaling $294,232, to Annual Fund-Share. OUTSTANDING! Thank you for your generosity and commitment to our
I encourage anyone thinking about making a gift to The Rotary Foundation to consider giving to the Annual Funds-Share program. Nearly half of the contributions to this account return to our district three years from now to fund our grant program and help us do good in our communities! PER CAPITA $541.32 $394.50 $328.57 $314.21 $303.82 $290.51 $265.52 $184.21 $171 85 $167 99 $162 17 $151.32 $143.50 $129.77 $122.14 $121.74 $118.92 $113.37 $111.03 $108.82 $107.78 TOTAL GIVING $11,909.00 $38,661.00 $38,114.50 $12,254.00 $10,330.00 $8,424.67 $7,700.00 $6,999.99 $16,498 00 $20,159 00 $7,297 64 $2,875.00 $10,045.00 $5,580.00 $3,420.00 $2,800.00 $10,108.00 $9,523.31 $3,220.00 $3,700.00 $2,910.00 IMAGINE YOUR IMPACT ROTARY FOUNDATION GALA Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023 │5 p.m.│Register on DACdb $75 per person│Black-Tie Optional│Dinner & Foundation Program Plantation Golf & Country Club│500 Rockley Blvd | Venice
Rotary Foundation.
With
The Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch Books for Kids (BFK) literacy program is a multiclub district grant project aiming to raise the reading levels of elementary school students Each month, more than 100 volunteers go into schools to read to third graders, engage in discussions with students to foster critical thinking skills and reading comprehension, and give each child a book to take home This year the program expanded to offer mentoring for kindergartners
Success like this does not go unnoticed In November, Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz presented the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch with the Commissioner's Business Recognition Award for BFK's outstanding commitment to students and schools Additionally, BFK and the Lakewood Ranch club were named Civic Partner of the Year by the Manatee County Chamber of Commerce and School District of Manatee County, which recognizes organizations that work together to enhance the education of students. "It takes a village to put on a program like this," said Ted Lindenberg, BFK chair "To be honored by the state and then the county is just amazing, and I am humbled by this "
January is Rotary's Vocational Service Month. Vocational service can mean many things to many people. In Rotary, Vocational Service means holding ourselves and our businesses to the highest ethical standards. This includes fair treatment of employers, employees, associates, competitors and the public. This month, consider how you can contribute your vocational talents to solving the problems of society and meeting the needs of the community, or perhaps mentoring young professionals around you
VOCATIONAL SERVICE MONTH
112,600 BOOKS DISTRIBUTED 162
Click here to read more and learn how to get involved
nine
clubs in District 6960 participating in Books for Kids, the literacy program is getting attention from the Florida Department of Education for its profound impact on students.
Rotariansandothervolunteers aredistributing3,700books eachmonth,showingschools, familiesandcommunitiesthat RotariansarePeopleofAction.
PEOPLE OF ACTION
CLASSES PARTICIPATING 125 VOLUNTEER READERS
2023-24 PRESIDENTIAL THEME CREATE HOPE IN THE WORLD
Rotary International President-Elect R. Gordon R. McInally recently revealed his presidential theme, Create Hope in the World. McInally asked members to restore hope by helping the world heal from destructive conflicts and to create lasting change within ourselves. He plans to make mental health a focus and emphasize continuity in advancing previous leaders' goals, including empowering girls and eradicating polio. Click here to read more about the presidential theme and download the materials and brand guidelines.
Public Image Tools
CART has a new logo! Same great organization dedicated to eradicating Alzheimer’s disease by funding cutting-edge research, but with an exciting new look.
Promote your club. Inspire your community. Check out the new and easier-to-use Brand Center!
Most clubs have the right public image tools, but knowing how to use them to effectively tell the Rotary story is important Check out the Zone 34 Public Image team's monthly webinars to learn more about using social media, creating documents in Canva, effective communications and more! Register for upcoming events and view recorded webinars at elevaterotary.org
CALLINGALLCLUBS-HELPUSREBUILD
ThedevastationleftbyHurricaneIanremainsevidentinSouthwest Florida.Thefocusisshiftingtorebuildingcommunities,asthereisan abundanceofneedbeforehomeswillbesuitableforliving.
District6960hasfundsavailabletosupportrestorationprojects,but islookingtoclubstohelpinidentifythosewhocouldbenefitfrom thistypeofassistance.
Clickheretodownloadagrantrequestform Projectsthatinvolve multipleclubs,matchingfundsorDistrict6960partnershipswillbe givenspecialconsideration.TheDistrictDisasterGrantsPolicyand DistrictDisasterResponseGuidelinesshouldbereviewedpriorto submittingarequest.
GlobalEmpowermentMission(GEM)ispartneringwithDistrict6960 toprovideRotaryclubsaccesstodrywall,mattresses,bedframes, furniture,appliancesandotherusefulitemstoaidrebuildingefforts. Again,itiscrucialforclubstoassistinidentifyingneighborhoodsto rebuild,conductneedsassessmentsinthoseneighborhoods,provide manpowertodeliveritems,andprovideaminimalamountoffunding tocoverexpensessuchastransportationcosts
Anidealgrantrequestwouldbefromaclubinanaffectedarea partneringwithaclubinanunaffectedareatojointlyraisefundsthat couldbematchedwithdistrictresources.Theclubswouldthensetup jointworkdaystoassistinthedeliveryoftheitemsfromGEMtothe identifiedneighborhoods.
ROTARY RESPONDS
Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) is a disaster relief nonprofit dedicated to bringing low-cost aid to areas impacted by disasters. HOWCANYOURCLUBHELP? IDENTIFYareaofneedandproject partners(otherclubsororganizations). CONDUCTaneedsassessmentto determinealistofmaterialsneededfor restoration. ESTIMATEthecostforrebuilding.GEMis aone-stopshopformaterials,shipping andlabor. ORGANIZEadistributiondayandsignup volunteers. DISTRIBUTEmaterialsinpartnershipwith GEMandotherpartneringorganizations. Kelsey Mitchell, District 6960 Governor Nominee, and Kimberly Bentley, Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) volunteer, help receive a trailer loaded with drywall used to rebuild homes in Fort Myers Beach.
When Hurricane Ian hit Florida, driving thousands from their homes, ROTARY RESPONDED by providing shelter, food and essentials. When residents returned to homes in ruin, ROTARY RESPONDED by offering comfort, clearing debris, mucking and gutting homes, and searching for valuables to be salvaged. When it was time to rebuild, ROTARY RESPONDED with materials and manpower to get the job done. When you call, ROTARY RESPONDS. Click here to watch video of Rotary in Action.
District 6960 Rotarians are generous. They give often of their time, talent and treasure. It's time to celebrate your giving at the Imagine Your Impact Gala on Feb. 25, 2023. The Rotary Foundation does so much good locally and around the world because you choose to support it
Dust off those suits and sequins, and join fellow Rotarians, family and friends for a wonderful evening of fellowship. A very special keynote speaker - The Rotary Foundation Board Vice Chair Larry Lunsford - will speak about the past year’s Foundation accomplishments, and share how The Rotary Foundation helps us leverage the work we do to make the world a better place.
This event is open to all! Register now on DACdb.
