Rotaract Update June 2018

Posted by Johanna Johnson on Jul 10, 2018
While June tends to be a slower month at the club level it was a busy one at the district and international levels. We had Rotaractors present at the Peacing it Together Conference in Squamish, the Rotaract District Dinner in Vancouver, the RI Convention in Toronto, and RYLA North America in Washington DC.
 
Prince George Rotaractor, Simran Jawanda had this to say about the Peacing it Together Conference: "Attending District Conference provided me with the opportunity to connect with fellow Rotaractors and Rotarians in the District, to learn more about Rotary, and to be inspired. It was a key event in my growth as a Rotaractor!"
 
If you want to hear about our District 5040 Rotaractors experiences at the RI Convention and RYLA North America you will have to wait for next month's newsletter. Don't want to wait? Invite one of them to speak at your Rotary club meeting!
RI Convention
 
RYLA North America
 
Similar to how the Rotary District Governor changes each year so does the District Rotaract Representative (DRR). Our outgoing DRR Johanna Johnson would like to thank the Rotary District 5040 for their support of Rotaractors this year. Please also read Johanna’s reflection on her year as DRR:
 
"A little over a year ago I said yes to being the District 5040 Rotaract Representative (DRR) without really knowing what I was signing up for. Fast forward to now and I can hardly believe all that has come to pass. It has been a year of huge highs as well as some challenges. It has been transformative.
 
I have had the privilege to lead, advocate for, and learn from a group of incredible change makers (aka Rotaractors), dedicated to making a positive difference in their local and global communities. With the help of the District Committee I created we were able to increase collaboration and communication between clubs, redesign the www.rotaract5040.org website, and execute a Rotaract 50th Anniversary Celebration that, besides being a whole lot of fun, raised $2000 for the End Polio campaign.
 
As the DRR I worked to increase the connection between Rotary and Rotaract in District 5040. While I feel that connection has strengthened this past year I know there is always room for improvement. I want to encourage our District's Rotarians to do their part in building connections with current Rotaractors or perhaps thinking about starting a Rotaract club in your area if there is not already one. Incoming RI President Barry Rassin believes Rotaractors are the future of Rotary and I agree! To learn more about Barry’s thoughts on Rotary moving forward check out this interview.
 
My role as DRR opened my eyes to the plethora of international opportunities available to Rotaractors both abroad and in my own backyard - several of which I am fortunate to have experienced this year:
 
  • A Rotaract Roundtrip in Hungary
  • REM (Rotaract European Meeting) in Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • RI Peacebuilding Conference on Environmental Sustainability and Peace in Vancouver
  • PETS (President Elect Training) in Seattle, USA
  • EUCO (Rotaract European Conference) in Antwerp, Belgium
  • Rotary International Convention in Toronto, Canada
  • RYLA North America (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) in Washington DC, USA
These incredible opportunities have taught me about myself, on a personal and professional level, and the world around me while expanding my global network. It is amazing to feel like no matter where I go there will be my Rotary family for support!
 
Thanks to all these experiences I have decided it is time for a new adventure.. this Fall I will be fulfilling my dream of moving back to Europe. This time to Brussels, Belgium. There is still much to sort out - visa, job, exact departure date, etc. - but I am excited to see where this next step takes me! I look forward to joining Rotaract in Belgium and continue to do good in the world over there!
 
If you find yourself on the other side of the pond in the coming year please reach out at johanna.rotaract5040@gmail.com"