Welcome to the District 7820 Bulletin! I hope you enjoy learning more about what is happening around the district to make our clubs irresistible! If you have any suggestions for future stories, or have any upcoming events that you would like featured in next month's bulletin, please email publicimage7820@gmail.com.
Mel Dean from the RC Stephenville was the winner of the February trivia quiz - photo to follow. He knew that that new Rotary Peace Centre is in Kampala, Uganda - the first in Africa! He knew that of the many celebrities who have used the "This Close" polio logo, Bill Gates and Jack Nicklaus are two of them. And he knew that 90% of clubs want to grow their membership. Who will be the March winner of an allegedly fabulous prize?
If you haven’t entered yet, here is your chance! Send your answers to rotarylouisa@gmail.com by March 21st when a draw of correct submissions will take place for another awesome prize!
Take the plunge with WASH – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. There is no debate on this - clean water, sanitation, and hygiene education are basic necessities for a healthy environment and a productive life. And Rotary has been making a difference in this critical area of focus for a long time.
When people have access to clean water and sanitation, waterborne diseases decrease, children stay healthier and attend school more regularly, and mothers can spend less time carrying water and more time helping their families.
Clubs across this district have participated in projects that have resulted in wells, irrigation, education programs, hygiene initiatives and so much more. What will you do this month to extend your involvement and learn more about WASH?
Here are some ideas!
Invite a speaker to your club to talk about water, sanitation or hygiene related topics – you could even learn about what your municipality is doing to ensure that you have a clean supply
Organize a session at a local school about WASH – maybe in partnership with an Interact Club – this could be a session with an elementary class about the importance of hand washing
Have a “social” event to clean up debris along a waterway, lake, creek, pond, stream, or other water source
Prevent erosion by planting trees and native plants along a water source
Build awareness in your community - encourage students to write essays on the importance of water and what THEY can do to protect it – start a competition!
Explore some of the great videos on the RI site
Research opportunities for a project you could be involved in – maybe as a partner with other clubs doing WASH projects
Join the WASH Rotary Action Group – yep, the acronym is WASHRAG – the best acronym of the all Action groups! https://www.wasrag.org/ They have great newsletters and lots of ideas of activities you can become involved in.
The Rotary website has a video that is about 90 seconds long that you might like to show at a meeting - https://www.rotary.org/en/our-causes/providing-clean-water - and there are LOTS of resources about planning and implementing WASH projects. We have experience in our district and can help!
Here is a photo compilation of a few WASH projects in Uganda, supported by some BC Clubs, that Louisa visited this month – it shows the old and the new!
So, trivia question, what is a WASHRAG in the Rotary world?
It’s important to have a good response to the questions that you receive when someone in the grocery store asks about your pin or the logo on your jacket.
What do you say? What is your “elevator speech” response?
Do you start with something like – “Rotary is a large service organization with 1.2 million members around the world who meet for lunch every week and do local and international projects….”
Or, do you start with an opening statement like these?
Rotary gives me the opportunity to develop professionally, gain world understanding, and make lifelong friendships – all while volunteering to improve lives and bring lasting, positive change to communities.
Rotary is where my passion for making a difference in our community and around the world can come alive. It’s where I can meet like-minded people who want to take action to address some of the world’s biggest challenges – clean water, peace, illiteracy and more!
Rotary is where I share ideas with neighbors, friends, and problem-solvers, join leaders, and take action to create lasting change.Rotary is where I can pour passion, integrity, and intelligence into completing projects that have a lasting impact. We persevere until we deliver real, lasting solutions.
Rotary gives me the opportunity to bridge cultures and connect continents to champion peace, fight illiteracy and poverty, promote clean water and sanitation, and fight disease.
Rotarians believe that we have a shared responsibility to take action on our world’s most persistent issues. We work together to promote peace, fight disease, provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, save mothers and children, support education and grow local economies.
Rotary is the world's oldest and most important service organization. It provides clean water to those without it, feeds the hungry, battles crippling, debilitating and disfiguring diseases and helps people learn to read and write so they can compete in the modern workplace.
Rotary brings together people who step forward — leaders — who take on important issues for local communities everywhere.
Rotary connects business and community leaders who discover and celebrate diverse perspectives to create positive change in our communities.
Rotary is made up of people around the world working together to clean the environment, end polio, improve our communities, and accomplish many extraordinary things every single day.
CONTEST – what do you say? Submit your favourite answer by March 15th to be entered into a draw to win a prize! Responses will be shared to inspire others.
This is an exciting new partnership that you can leverage right now! Some clubs in our district have already invited their local Toastmasters to a meeting. A quick look at the Toastmasters website showed that there are many clubs in our area – including Halifax, Truro, Yarmouth, Greenwood, Charlottetown, Summerside, St. John’s… check it out!
Here is what the press release about this great opportunity has to say...
Members of Toastmasters and Rotary will enhance their skills, broaden their networks and increase their positive impact in communities through a new collaboration. The ongoing relationship between the two organizations will begin at the grassroots level with local club members learning and working together. Additionally, Toastmasters will create a set of eight structured communication and leadership development courses for Rotary with a phased rollout that will be available in 2020.
“The strategic alliance with Rotary is exciting and allows both organizations to leverage our unique and similar strengths,” says Deepak Menon, Toastmasters' 2019-20 International President. “We look forward to providing our current and prospective members with ongoing additional offerings that meet their evolving needs.”
Toastmasters is a global nonprofit organization with more than 16,800 clubs in 143 countries. Its members attend club meetings where they learn how to be more confident speakers, communicators and leaders. Toastmasters’ vision for the ongoing collaboration with Rotary is to change more lives for the better, and positively impact communities around the world.
“Collaborating with Toastmasters will provide our members with even more opportunities to develop and improve their leadership and communication skills,” said John Hewko, general secretary and CEO of Rotary International. “In turn, members of Toastmasters can connect with more people, take advantage of new speaking and learning opportunities, and make a difference in their communities through Rotary.”
Providing members with more opportunities for personal and professional growth is at the core of the newly formed strategic alliance. There is much excitement to leverage unique and similar strengths and meet the evolving needs of current and prospective members. Get behind the efforts to establish fellowship and connections, and potentially strengthen your clubs and diversify membership!
Trivia question – what are you going to do to leverage this new partnership between Rotary and Toastmasters?
Each year, Rotary selects up to 130 professionals from around the world to receive fellowships to study at one of our peace centres. Through academic training, practice, and global networking opportunities, the Rotary Peace Fellowship develops leaders who become catalysts for peace and conflict prevention and resolution. These fellowships cover tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and all internship and field-study expenses. This program is funded through generous donations to The Rotary Foundation. Clubs do not need to provide any additional funding.
It’s now time to begin preparing for our next applicants. Here’s how you and your clubs can become involved:
Think about potential applicants and help spread the word in your area.
Meet with potential applicants and help with the application process. Each club can support one applicant. You may need to conduct an interview process to find the best applicant.
Invite previous Peace Fellowship participants to your club meetings or to meet with applicants.
Connect with District Scholarship Committee Chair (Jillian Gibson) to learn more. (jillian.gibson@outlook.com)
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: Club must submit completed applications forms to the District by May 31, 2020.
Quote from Nora Didkowsky, current Peace Fellow from District 7820 studying in Bangkok, Thailand:
“I am definitely where I should be and am getting so much value out of the course work, field work and time spent with other fellows. Making lots of connections for potential post- program partnerships.”
Partnership, joint effort, co-operation, collaboration; whatever name you use, helps beat the heart of Rotary.
Rotary Club of Sackville and Area has had a busy fall and winter. With the help of a District Grant, PI puppy win and fundraising, the Club has been able to continue to tackle Hunger and Homelessness in our community and assist with the drive for new members.
On February 17th, Rotarians and Friends of Rotary joined the festivities of the Sackville Snow Days and walked in the Parade holding our new banner, getting the word out to the community.
A thank you from Millwood and Sackville High School for supporting and helping serve at their breakfast programs, which battles food insecurity and provides students with a healthy, nutritious start to their day.
In November, the Club sponsored and served at the Community Outreach Meal Event, feeding 185 people and also, contributed to the “Freedom Kitchen” Food Truck, which provides, each Monday, hot meals to the homeless.
Critical training (first aid, WHMIS - workplace hazardous material information system, NVCI – non violent crisis Intervention, ASSIST - applied suicide intervention skills) obtained for 14 new volunteers at the Sackville Area Warming Centre. This allowed SAWC to be open more days and for longer hours.
Hunger and Homelessness remains one of our Club’s highest priorities.
The Rotary Club of Stephenville has a long-standing partnership with Stephenville Library Board in support of literacy in our area.
The Stephenville-Port au Port area has a rich francophone heritage and the library wanted to create a French Language reading corner for children. We were delighted to donate $500 towards this initiative and our contribution was matched by the NL Library Board. Finny joined Mel Dean, Marcheta Gallant, Sharon Alexander, and Aldonna O'Keefe as they viewed the French language children's books made possible by our contribution.
Glace Bay High’s Interact Club held a Kindness Matters Day on February 14th.
They gave out free hot chocolate and the Me to We group gave away free cupcakes. It was the kind of day where the treats were as sweet as the smiles on the students’ faces.
Pictured here are Elizabeth Campbell, Tian Campbell and Isabelle Pilling. This Rotary sponsored Club is all about developing the next generation of leaders and this Club proves everyday the future is in good hands!
The Rotary Club of Halifax will be hosting an information session on March 5th for Rotarians in HRM to learn more about the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG). NAIG will be the largest sporting event that Nova Scotia has ever hosted and as such, needs an incredible number of volunteers.
To learn more about the event check out the Facebook page.
Rotary Rosie from the Rotary Club of Sackville and Area has been on the move!
In October 2019, Rosie with Beacon helped District Governor, Louisa Horne explain how to move the needle to where our Club would like to be.
Rotary Rosie was "On the Road Again" practicing with Aunt Wanda's band. The group played at 6 senior's residences during November & December.
Rosie also made her way to the 6th annual Toy Trot, November 30, 2019. Helping sort toys, helping Interact Club give out tee-shirts, making puppy friends and with Bev, our club's VP and Stirling, arranger of Toy Trot.
Trivia question - what has your Ro-terrier been up to lately? Send us a picture!
The Rotary Club of Lunenburg was pleased to host Alison Clements at their February Flea Market. Alison is the Development Officer for the Health Services Foundation for the South Shore. She attended on behalf of the Foundation to receive a cheque for $1500. Each February, the club donates the proceeds for their monthly Flea Market to support the work of the Hospital Foundation. This year’s donation will help to purchase patient lifts, making recovery from major surgeries more comfortable and safer for everyone.
It is amazing what can be accomplished when people work together. Chigozie Okalie is the Advisor for the Rotaract Club of Cape Breton University (CBU). Originally an international student, now working at CBU (and a member of the Sydney-Sunrise Rotary Club), Chigozie wanted to help local and international students in need. The Rotaract Club is designed to help young people develop leadership and professional skills. Rotary and Rotaract members work side by side to take action through service and have some fun while doing so.
Rotaract is certainly making its mark in the community. The Club includes a range of individuals who are eager to serve the community. At a recent meeting in the University’s cafeteria; members talked about some projects they are involved with, and what motivates them to help. As Upkar Singh Bahod puts it “we need to identify what problem we can solve, and how we can help the community.” The Club certainly helped a lot of people with their mattress project, which saw over 47 brand new mattresses delivered to first year CBU students in need.
The idea for the mattress project began with the Rotaract Club, through Chigozie, who presented the idea and his own personal story, to the Presidents, Executives and Area Governor of the local Cape Breton Rotary Clubs. Chigozie told us of the many students who were sleeping on floors, on air mattresses, on couches or on mattresses with bed bugs. Through telling his story to the local Rotary Clubs of North Sydney, Sydney, New Waterford, Sydney-Sunrise and Port Hawkesbury, all came on board for support. Because the Salvation Army already had a supplier secured, they came on board, as did the local Kiwanis Club, Boston Pizza, and the CBU Student’s Union, raising a total of $10,575 to purchase the new beds. CBU students (both local and international) were invited to apply for a bed (mattress & boxspring), and 130 people did so.
The applications were vetted by the Rotaract Club and its partners, and on February 1st, Rotarians and their trucks delivered 47 mattresses to the grateful students. The excitement as the mattresses were being loaded for delivery was palpable. As Rumpal Singh said, “It will make nights better, we definitely need this. I want to thank everyone for this glorious gift.”
The ability to have a good night’s sleep is something many of us take for granted. This project ensures that many others will have that same pleasure. For Ravneet Tung, she admitted that buying one was out of the question for her. “I am very excited, and very thankful for this. We have been welcomed so warmly; it’s been a great experience. Cape Breton feels like a home now.”
That kind of result is what the Rotaract Club was hoping for. And, they are anxious to take on more projects. They hope to double up with Rotarians on any upcoming community projects and find others that match the talents of the Club. As one member put it, “it’s good to help people in any way. Our biggest gift is our ability to help.”
The mattress project went from a germ of an idea to reality in just a few short months. That’s a real testament to the drive and commitment of the Rotaract members, their partners and their leader—Chigozie Okolie. “We saw a need, found a way to meet it, and made some people very happy in the process. I think we can all sleep well with that result.”
On January 9th, 2020, twenty-eight Rotary Youth Exchange students from all four Atlantic Provinces descended on Halifax in a flurry of excitement and jittery expectation.
For the Outbounds – Canadian students going ‘out’ on exchange next year – it was their first orientation meeting, where they connect with one another, ask questions of the Inbounds about their hopeful host countries, and attend a day long training session focused on culture and culture shock – helping them prepare for when they step off the plane and set foot in their new home in a short 8 months. For the Inbounds – students from other countries ‘in’ Canada this year – it is a weekend to explore the city of Halifax, deepen those connections amongst themselves that will last a lifetime, and share their knowledge and experiences with the outbounds.
After a full weekend of fun and learning, the students said good-bye and are already looking forward to the next time they all meet, which is in April for the final Outbound training weekend.
The group benefited from the generosity of individuals and organizations to make the weekend amazing. The Westin Nova Scotian hotel provided discounted rooms, the Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre ran a workshop free of charge, Stephen Beaufoy of the Rotary Club of Halifax Harbourside gave his condo party room for a potluck dinner, and many other Rotarians helped to chaperone the group, make lunches and organize the weekend as a whole. The group rates for the Halifax Mooseheads and Halifax Thunderbirds meant all the students were able to see high-level teams playing Canada’s national winter and summer sports. The free skating at the Emera Oval was superb. And Boston Pizza was a great choice for our ‘team’ to have our last supper together.
The students themselves were considerate, mature and respectful the entire weekend, and impressed everyone they engaged with. The future of Rotary and the Rotary Youth Exchange program is in good hands with these amazing students. If you wish to get involved with the program, as a host/sponsor club or chaperone for these weekends, contact Michael Craig at michael.craig@ns.sympatico.ca.
The Rotary Club of Waterford Valley has a history of providing exemplary service in the community since the day of receiving its charter from Rotary International, in June of 1977.
To list the number of members and their individual accomplishments from being chartered to present would require pages of tributes to those who made possible the many programs both past and present.
After forty four years the dream of our founding members is alive and well, their vision for our communities and the environment both locally and internationally is still thriving.
Accomplishments of the Rotary Club of Waterford Valley are far reaching and have given hope to those who needed it the most.
Support for the following major projects :
Chevrolet Van for the Rehab Center
$ 25,000.00 Dialysis Machine for the Health Science Center
$ 15,000.00 Infant Respirator for The Grace General Hospital
$ 5,000.00 Parkinson’s Audio Speech Equipment
$ 2,000.00 Orphanage in Thailand
$ 1,000.00 Montenegro Hospital Brazil
$ 5,000.00 Matthew 25 project school in Kenya
Joint Sponsorship project’s include:
Adventure Citizenship, job entry development O’Donel High School in Ottawa resulting in a $ 165,500.00 Grant allocation.
Brain machine for the Health Science $ 105.000.00
W.O.R.C. Grant for the Mentally Handicap $300,000.00
Our primary project the Revitalization of the Waterford River has given us the opportunity to work with Federal, Provincial and Municipal Governments. Twenty five thousand trees have been planted, hundreds of kid ‘s employed made possible through a combined investment of almost one million dollars. Our commitment continues to be Stewards of the beautiful Waterford River
We are community conscious and always aware of what is happening in our community.,
In 2020 we will be focusing on the needs of families and especially children exposed to toxic stress and its effects on parents and children. We will work with the CMHA through the new year.
Club members provide a Christmas float for the Boy Scouts, Clean up’s from the St. John’s Small Boat Basin to Donovan’s Industrial Park in cooperation with NAACAP, volunteer at festivals , support the Vera Perlin, Community food sharing, CMHA, Diabetes for a day, Organ Transplant, RNC, Blood Bank and a needy Christmas family. There are and always will be individual needs for us to consider. Our Annual Car Show in Bowring Park is presently our main source of revenue and has been a complete success.
Once upon a dream has become our club’s reality thanks to our members and their commitment to the principles of Rotary.
I can only hope that in preparing this summary of the club's history we can look back and build upon the many accomplishments made by members over the last forty four years.
Mel Dean from the RC Stephenville was the winner of the February trivia quiz - photo to follow. He knew that that new Rotary Peace Centre is in Kampala, Uganda - the first in Africa! He knew that of the many celebrities who have used the "This Close" polio logo, Bill Gates and Jack Nicklaus are two of them. And he knew that 90% of clubs want to grow their membership. Who will be the March winner of an allegedly fabulous prize?
Take the plunge with WASH – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. There is no debate on this - clean water, sanitation, and hygiene education are basic necessities for a healthy environment and a productive life. And Rotary has been making a difference in this critical area of focus for a long time.
It’s important to have a good response to the questions that you receive when someone in the grocery store asks about your pin or the logo on your jacket. 
This is an exciting new partnership that you can leverage right now! Some clubs in our district have already invited their local Toastmasters to a meeting. A quick look at the Toastmasters website showed that there are many clubs in our area – including Halifax, Truro, Yarmouth, Greenwood, Charlottetown, Summerside, St. John’s… check it out! 
Partnership, joint effort, co-operation, collaboration; whatever name you use, helps beat the heart of Rotary.
The Rotary Club of Stephenville has a long-standing partnership with Stephenville Library Board in support of literacy in our area.
Glace Bay High’s Interact Club held a Kindness Matters Day on February 14th.
Rotary Rosie from the Rotary Club of Sackville and Area has been on the move!
The Rotary Club of Lunenburg was pleased to host Alison Clements at their February Flea Market. Alison is the Development Officer for the Health Services Foundation for the South Shore. She attended on behalf of the Foundation to receive a cheque for $1500. Each February, the club donates the proceeds for their monthly Flea Market to support the work of the Hospital Foundation. This year’s donation will help to purchase patient lifts, making recovery from major surgeries more comfortable and safer for everyone.
On January 9th, 2020, twenty-eight Rotary Youth Exchange students from all four Atlantic Provinces descended on Halifax in a flurry of excitement and jittery expectation..png)
