eNewsletter
June 2016

What a Year!

They say time flies when you’re having fun though I can hardly believe this Rotary year is almost over. People keep asking me what I see as the highlight of my DG Year but I tell them that there was so much good happening and so many wonderful people that I could not begin to single out any one highlight.
Claire and I will never forget the kindness and hospitality shown to us as we travelled the province visiting clubs. The opportunity to meet up with our exchange students at Gavin Lake, Sechelt and Squamish were special and we will always remember the wonderful time we had with the Burns Lake Club and all the campers on the Tweedsmuir Trek.
 
The Day of Dialogue has received its share of praise but its success is owed to the enthusiastic support of Rotarians from all over the district who came together to think and reflect on shared values and the advances we need to make to keep Rotary relevant in the years ahead.
 
The year had its share of celebrations and it was a treat to be part of the Quesnel Club’s 60th Anniversary, the Taste of India in Prince George, Burnaby’s Installation of our first Rotary Community Corps Group and the Foundation Dinners in Kitimat and the Lower Mainland where we raised over $15,000 for the Annual Fund.
 
Among our fondest memories will be the visits we made to the projects of the various Rotary Clubs and listening as you proudly told us how you use Foundation dollars to do good in your community. To my mind, places like Smithers, McKenzie, 100 Mile House, Powell River and Prince Rupert would not be anywhere near as rich without the many support projects Rotarians have provided over the years.
 
Then there was the District Conference in Whistler. What more do we need to say? With close to five hundred people from the entire Rotary Family coming together to Celebrate Rotary and have fun. It was a Blast!
 
There are so many people to thank for making this year so memorable. I am indebted to Board Members, the Governor Team and our Past District Governors for all their help and guidance. I have said many times that vibrant clubs depend on good leadership and I want to thank this year’s World-Class  Presidents and my able band of Assistant Governors for all you did. Your leadership, guidance, empathy, knowledge and experience came to the fore and our District is better for it. Thanks and praise also to those who chair our District committees and lead our youth programs through Interact, RYLA, Rotaract and Youth Exchange. I treasure the time spent with these programs and the inspiration they provide me as I contemplate the future of Rotary.
 
Perhaps now it is clearer to see why I have difficulty defining the one highlight of my year. It has been a wonderful experience and a privilege to serve the Rotarians of District 5040. Thank you all for your dedication and your support, but moreover, thank you for your friendship.

We Did It!

At the start of the year I set goals and now it’s time to see how we did.

Membership: We have done well in our retention rate of 93%.  Rotary has increased membership worldwide by 26,000 this year while we have increased by 42 members. Let’s hope we can keep this positive trend going over the July 1 changeover. Make sure your membership information is up to date on the RI data base.
 
Foundation: With 83 Paul Harris Society Members, we surpassed our goal. We had 100% of clubs enter goals for the Annual Fund but fell short in meeting our targets in this area- room for growth! Our contributions to Polio were way over the top thanks to two generous donations. It was a great honor to present so many Paul Harris Society and Major Donor pins throughout the year.
 
Youth: We have right to be proud of our strong links with Roraract. Whistler and King George School Interact Clubs were chartered and we are ready to launch Early Act in the fall. We lead the field with our three RYLA programs and have met our goal for an increase in YEX students next year.
 
Communication: This is the 12th newsletter this year thanks to editor, Jeff Conatser, and we have renewed and revamped our website. Most clubs are using Rotary Club Central and many qualified for the Presidential Citation in its on-line format. Finally, we met and surpassed our goal to have 250 Rotarians register for the 2016 District Conference!!
 
My primary goal, however, was that we have fun and enjoy Rotary this year. On checking the data and reviewing the photos, I am pleased to report – Mission Accomplished- We Did It!

 

So what’s been Happening this Month?

From all accounts, the International Conference was a smashing success. 23 Rotarians from District 5040 joined the 45000 participants in Seoul, Korea and were treated to first class speakers, amazing entertainment and lots of Rotary friendship. Our District held a dinner in a local restaurant organized by DGN Don Evans and members from the RC of Vancouver Cambie, - our Korean Club.
The Rotary Club of Tsawwassen held its first annual Soap Box Derby on June 4th. What a great day!  Local businesses and community service groups sponsored and built the cars, which were driven by kids from 9-12 years old. It was hard to tell who were having more fun, the young drivers or the dads and other racecar enthusiasts who were providing free advice. The day gave new meaning to the term  “There was nothing stopping them!”
 
Our exchange students are nearing the end of their year. Happy memories and sad farewells have taken place all over the province. Sue and Jim Godey hosted a BBQ for all the students as they headed off on their BC Tour. This year’s group has been exceptional and the kindness of Rotarians will live on in their hearts for many years to come.  Thank you for supporting Youth Exchange and helping to make the world a better place.
 
Cheers, John

John l. Anderson
District Governor 2015-16
Rotary District 5040

Membership Matters

Have you been at an event where our District display booth has been front and centre.  It really works.  It is professional and eye catching.  It has already been at seven different events and we have four more already booked. 
 
We can thank our transportation partner, Bandstra Transportation Systems, for offering to ship our display around the province FREE OF CHARGE.  The only areas where we can’t use them is on the Sunshine Coast and Sea-To-Sky corridor because they don’t operate in these areas.  If you are in one of these two areas we will figure out how to get you the booth economically. 
 
If you are going to use the booth make sure you have a supply of appropriate handouts.  We suggest the Connect for Good brochure.
 
The booth has a TV to play focussed videos or a picture album or a PowerPoint presentation.  All you need is a USB stick for pictures and a laptop for videos.  There is also room for a customized poster.  Velcro taps are stored with the booth.
 
We also have a set of assembly and dismantling instructions complete with pictures.  When you open the booth there is a blue folder inside with everything you need to know. 
 
The booth consists of 2 large shipping crates and 2 banner stands strapped together.  The crates are locked with a four digit combination lock.  Can you guess the combination code?
 
If you have questions for Tom please contact him at tom@tascosales.ca.

Rotaract Impact

As our year-end social activity, we held a Rotaract BBQ & Sports Day on June 26th at Grays Park, Vancouver. On a gorgeous Sunday, over 30 Rotaractors and friends from across the District got together to celebrate one more time. We had a mini-games and sports tournament which included tag, capture the flag, Huckle Buckle, bocce, obstacle courses, and frisbee. We also collected over $350 in donations which will go to relief efforts for Fort McMurray. On behalf of Rotaractors of District 5040, thank you all for your support, service and enthusiasm. We look forward to next year!
 

 

News

Club meeting flexibility

In this video, Rotary’s Deputy General Secretary Michele Berg explains changes that clubs can choose to make to allow for greater membership flexibility. This video covers the 2016 Council on Legislation’s decisions related to Meeting Flexibility and Format and provides examples of how these changes can be adopted and implemented by clubs.

For further information on changes made by the COL (Council on Legislation) please contact District 5040 COL rep - PDG Penny Offer at  pennyoffer@live.ca

Click to view the video

DGE Lyn's Installation Celebration
 
June 25th turned into a beautiful Whistler day as DGE Lyn Stroshin was inducted as the 2016/17 Governor of District 5040 by RI Director Dean Rohrs. Over 70 Rotarians, family and friends gathered from far and wide to participate in the celebration hosted by the Rotary Club of Whistler Millennium and lead by PDG Gordon Daglish.  Read more...
 
 
 

Million Dollar Dinner

District 5040 and 5050 will host a Million Dollar Dinner to celebrate 100 Years of The Rotary Foundation “Doing Good in the World”. Rotary International President John Germ will be the keynote speaker. The event will be held on Monday, January 9, 2017. Watch the district website over the next few months for details and how you can participate in the Million Dollar Dinner.
 

Conference 2017 - Register Now

Register for District conference 2017 by June 30, 2016 and save $26.50. The current registration is only $299.00 per person. On July 1, 2016 it goes to $325.50.  For information on Conference 2017 and to register online go to: www.CelebrateRotary.ca.

 

Conference Photos

The Conference 2016 photos are now online. General photos of the 2016 Rotary District 5040 Conference at - http://adobe.ly/1rreBXr. Photos of awards presentations at Conference 2016. This includes Rotary, Rotaract and Interact awards: http://adobe.ly/24ukEIW. Photo video https://vimeo.com/165075495

Featured Video

 

2017 D5040 Conference
May 4-7, 2017

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