Author Archives: Carol Dois Woodward

Pieces of Peace – Vadim Ostrovsky Reception – Warwick @ City Center

17 Friday Aug 2018

Posted by in Rotary 7600 Foundation News, Rotary Scholarships, The Rotary Foundation

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Reception in honor of District Peace Fellow Alumi:

Davetta Rhinehart*, President of the Rotary Club of Warwick at City Center, Newport News, is thrilled that her club will be honoring Vadim Ostrovsky at a reception on Wednesday, August 29, 2018.  The reception is at 5:30 pm and is followed by a program at 6:15.  The invitation is open to all, though Davetta would appreciate hearing from anyone planning to attend. She just wants to be sure that there will be enough appetizers for Rotarians. The Reception will be at the Virginia Living Museum at 524 J Clyde Morris Blvd, Newport News 23601. Learn more information about the club and the reception at the club’s website.

Peace Fellow Program - August 29 2018 (1)

The title of this blog was the title of the 2018-19 Peace Conference at the Duke-UNC Peace Center in May of 2018.  Each year the seven peace centers each has an event to mark the work and research of its graduating Peace Scholars. There are only 100 each year worldwide.  Vadim is one of District 7600’s newest Alumni Members. He resides and works in the greater Richmond area.  We will learn more from him on the 29th about the Peace Fellow program and about his own work and commitment to peace.

For your convenience, you may print this pdf Peace Fellow Program – August 29 2018.

* Davetta is the Human Resources Officer for the Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA.

 

 

 

#STARS & National #Mustard Day Scored

06 Monday Aug 2018

Posted by in Foundation Giving, Membership, Public Image, The Rotary Foundation, Training

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Over 100 attended the Sensational Trio of August Rotary Seminars (#STARS):

It was a day filled with information, suggestions, innovative ideas and just a little bit of fun. We were all there to equip ourselves to “Be the Inspiration”. The Colonial Heritage Country Club in Williamsburg may never be the same. And Rotarians are innovative. Sometimes they switched seminars.  Gotta love these D7600 Rotarians

Public Image or How to share our Rotary stories:

Lead by the District Newsletter Editor and Public Image Chair, JoAnn Meaker, the 25 or so Rotarians in the Seminar, enjoyed intimate surroundings, printed materials, and demonstrations of the EZ Bulletin feature on dacdb.com.  LaShonda Delivuk, Public Image Chair from District 7570 also inspired the attendees with her presentation on the interplay between membership and public image.

Membership, It’s the only thing!

MembershipShelDouglas (2)The takeaway, oft repeated in the plenary sessions was “Membership, it’s the only thing.” 35+ Rotarians in the Membership seminar were led capably by District Membership Co-Chairs, Mike Jallo, and Shel Douglas.  LaShonda Delivuk also spoke in this session about the synergy between membership and public image.  No one will know our Rotary stories unless we have members to share their stories and unless our members share them.

The Rotary Foundation: How our good works are funded:

Approximately 42 Rotarians attended this session. Chuck Arnason, Rotary District Foundation Chair, and his team of Rudy Lee Garcia (Development),  Joy Kline (Annual Giving), Bill Billings (Endowment),  Appaiah Ballachanda (Paul Harris Society), Stan Wall (Polio Plus),  SuAnne Hardee Bryant (Grants), and Don Vaught (Grants Auditor). Just when one thinks there is nothing new to learn, Foundation-wise, there arise new requirements.  In this session, SuAnne focused on global grants, and our featured speaker Shel Douglas spoke on the more formal Community or Needs Assessments required of global grant applications.  The materials from The Rotary Foundation Seminar on d7600foundation.org on The Foundation Workshop Materials 2018 page.  There were no slides or handouts for the Paul Harris Society (PHS) as Appaiah is a walking cheerleader for the PHS.

The learning was not the only fun:

JoAnn Meaker designed the STARS meme and hashtag #STARS to help promote the workshops.  Dana Rieves, JoAnn Meaker, and Prince George Electric Cooperative provided the stellar door prizes.  David Rosenthal made all aware that it was also National Mustard Day. We decided to inspire every registrant to bring a new, unopened container of mustard to donate. Those who forgot often donated cash instead. Neva Lynde and her fellow James City County Satellite Club volunteered to carry the mustard to the FISH Food Bank.

The photos are part of the fun … thank Dianne Gordonn, Bill Billings, Jan Rowley, Chana Amaro and others who took many photos and shared them freely.

National Mustard Day Collection (2)

We are all now ready to “Be the Inspiration”.

 

Aug 4 – #STARS & #Mustard

30 Monday Jul 2018

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There is still a little room left at the Workshops:

You can still go on the dacdb.com calendar and register for one of the Sensational Trio of August Rotary Seminars or #STARS for short.  You can choose between Membership, Foundation, or Public Image.  Having trouble registering.  Contact Carol Dois Woodward via Facebook Messenger.  If you want to call, text, or email her, you will find all of her contact information on where? … dacdb.com, of course!

Agenda:

There are four pages of AGENDA — one overall agenda and a separate agenda for each of the seminars.  This will give you the topics and speakers in advance. By the way, agenda is actually the plural of agendum, which is not really used anymore as the singular version of that noun. Agenda has become the singular usage and agendas is plural. Are you confused yet?

And what is all of this about #Mustard?

August 4th happens to be National Mustard Day.  David Rosenthal (Hampton Roads)

Neva Lynde

Neva Lynde

passed along this factoid along to the blogger.  How did he know? No idea.  Anyway, in honor of mustard, we are asking each attendee of the #STARS to bring a new, unopened container of mustard to the Seminars on Saturday. Neva Lynde (James City County Satellite Rotary) suggested that we donate the mustard to the FISH Food Bank and she is willing to deliver the containers of the precious condiment to FISH.

David Rosenthal

David Rosenthal

This recognition of #mustard has ignited some lively conversations: District Rotary Foundation Chair prefers Amish stone ground mustard and/or mustard with horseradish; Jan Rowley prefers almost any Dijon-style mustard; and, David Rosenthal extols the virtues of stadium mustard. What is your favorite mustard?

So, sign up (for a couple of more days) for #STARS and decide which mustard to bring to Williamsburg.

#STARS and #Million$Year

19 Thursday Jul 2018

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#STARS 16 Days & Counting:

Good news.  You have 16 days to register for the District 7600 #Join the STARS (#STARS for short!)

At least 3 members from each club should attend, if not more.  There are three separate seminars and each Rotarian registers for just one of the seminars … either Membership, Public Image, or Foundation. The chairs or at least a member of each club committee in these areas should be present to learn:

  • best practices
    • Foundation led by Chuck Arnason & Team
    • Membership lead by Mike Jallo & Shel Douglas
    • Public Image led by JoAnn Meaker & team
  • latest Rotary International messaging in each seminar
  • requirements in the documentation updates for clubs activities & projects
  • latest grant requirements with a focus on Community Assessments
  • Lashonda Delivuk, D7570 Public Image Vice-Chair, speaking in both the membership & public image seminars

LaShonda in Rotary Magazine (2)

Clubs, a message to all … want to excel in innovative club presence, reporting, and starsvitality … send as many club members as possible to be exposed to and ride the rockets that will send your club to the #STARS.

Register by July 28th on dacdb.com calendar and #JoinTheStars!

When you have registered consider, going on your facebook page and put #STARS into your post and mention that you have registered for one of the seminars.  If you want to tell folks which one use a hashtag, e.g. #foundation or #membership or #publicimage. That will build the buzz for the seminars.

Million$Year … 2017-2018

The Rotary Foundation books have closed for the 2017-2018 year.  There will be some adjustments, but it is totally safe to report that in Past District Governor John Padgett’s and District Rotary Foundation Chair, Chuck Arnason’s past year, District 7600’s members donated 1.1 million dollars in total giving. More refined figures will be released soon, but needless to say, this is a B A N N E R year for District 7600. More on the other figures very soon.

ClubJRMC1Year

Debbie Wall, District Secretary, (seated left) Stan Wall (seated) PDG Bob Preston (seated) & Catherine Garcia. Standing Left  Rudy Lee Garcia, District Development Chair, and Appaiah Ballachanda, (white shirt).  All at RI Convention in Toronto.

#JoinTheSTARS – August 4

10 Tuesday Jul 2018

Posted by in Rotary 7600 Foundation News, The Rotary Foundation, Upcoming District Events

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Sensational Trio of Rotary August Seminars:   #JoinTheStars

Register for the summer seminars which District 7600 offers to clubs providing the new ideas and inspiration necessary to have a dynamic Rotary club year. The #STARS are on August 4 at Colonial Heritage in Williamsburg, VA!

Learn what’s newest in specific areas of club functioning:

This year the #STARS will feature three different training tracks, not just two as in years past. The latest best practices and requirements from Rotary International will be the focus in each of the respective seminars … Foundation, Membership, and Public Image.

The three featured seminars are symbiotic:

Our Public Image stories will share the good works of our clubs and of our Rotary bright-starFoundation. These stories of our good works with our will inspire our membership to become more engaged and invite others in the community to become Rotarians or join in the fun as Rotarian partners and supporters. Our stellar public image efforts and our vibrant membership will inspire us and our friends to continue or step up our generosity of dollars and volunteerism in our good works through club projects and through The Rotary Foundation.

Are you up to the challenge to inspire your club colleagues to attend one of the workshops?

The inspiration of others begins with each of us. Register on dacdb.com calendar and be an inspiration to others.

One more request … just one more:

When you have completed your registration for the #STARS, please post on your personal facebook page and on the club facebook that you have registered and use hashtags such as #STARS, #JoinTheSTARS. Then hashtag which seminar you are attending, e.g., #publicimage, #membership, or #foundation. Help us inspire juice for the #STARS .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 2018-19 Rotary Year has begun

03 Tuesday Jul 2018

Posted by in Foundation Giving, Rotary 7600 Foundation News, Rotary Grants, The Rotary Foundation

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We are off to a rollicking start: Tally Ho!

HappyNewYear.BetheInspiration (2)

What has happened so far?

The Spirit of 7600 July 2018 issue has been published and sent to every Rotarian in District 7600.  Our District Governor Susan and Spirit Editor JoAnn Meaker braved swollen streams and database outages to get the Spirit published on time with some gentle assist from, now, Past District Governor John and the District Rotary Foundation Chair Chuck.

If you don’t see the Spirit from Susan, look in your spam folder.  If it is there, label it is “not spam” and it should come to your email account thereafter.   If you want to see your club’s name in lights, get your articles and pictures to JoAnn by around the 20th of each month. You may send Foundation related articles to Carol Woodward, but all submitted articles will be considered for the Spirit.

The Rotary International database has returned after a few days of  R and R.  Between the 15th & 20th of July we should have a very close accounting of our district’s giving history for the 2017-18 year.

Dacdb.com took Saturday and Sunday off for some rollover maintenance functions, but it has returned just in time to satisfy all of your unquenchable needs for district information.

What is going to happen?

District Rotary Foundation Chair Chuck and his grants team are in the process of notifying clubs as to the status of their grant applications.  Good luck everybody!

The District Awards and Change of Leadership will be on July 14 at Colonial Heritage Country Club in Williamsburg and you have a few more days to register on dacdb.com calendar.

Your club should #JointheStars or the Sensational Trio of August Rotary Seminars on August 4th.  Click on the link for the Join the STARS Flyer. Register through July 28th for this stellar training opportunity.  Go to dacdb.com calendar and register for one of the three topical seminars … Foundation, Public Image, or Membership.  Yes, you choose only one topic.  Maybe you could get some of your club colleagues to register for the other seminars.  More details will follow, but just think great breakfast, great topics, and door prizes, door prizes, door prizes.

What is new & improved?

The giving portal on rotary.org has been streamlined and it is so, so easy to give online now.  Go to myrotary.org/donate and “voila” you are in the donation portal. To complete your donation you will need to log on by entering your username (usually your rotary email address) and your password.

See you on the 14th in Williamsburg!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2018 – 19 District Grant Status

21 Thursday Jun 2018

Posted by in Rotary 7600 Foundation News, Rotary Grants

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More grant applications, more $ requested:

The District Rotary Foundation Chair (DRFC), Chuck Arnason, and his crew of grant reviewers will really have their work cut out for them.  In these notes sent to the writer, a clear image of the task ahead emerges.

DRFC Chuck reports that 49 clubs applied for 23 District Grants totaling $237,863.38. Unfortunately, the funds available for District 7600 Grants is only $144,000.00.  Some grants may be fully funded and others may be awarded, but at somewhat reduced amounts.

Of the 23 grants, 12 are multi-club  projects involving 38 clubs.  There are 11 single club applications.

Half of the grant applications are “Supporting Education” in some form or another.  Another 25% of the applications address “Growing Local Economies.”

Chuck hopes to announce the awardees by June 21 (TODAY!), 2018, and then he plans to escape to Toronto on the 22nd.

Are you ready for some baseball?

04 Monday Jun 2018

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Be there … Richmond … The Diamond!

Baseball 2018Yes, we were rained out in May.  The whole idea had been to have our Richmond area game earlier in the year to beat the heat of July.  Well, we did, but what had not been anticipated was the rain, not a polite, respectful rain, but a deluge of a rain. The Squirrels, rightfully, called the game and helped us reschedule for the June 14th date.

District Secretary Debbie Wall and Past Assistant Governor Stan Wall are recognized as the End Polio Now Rotary Night at the Diamond organizers. These two amazing Colonial Heights Rotarians have full corporate careers, but also make the time to be active regional and District Rotary activities.  This last weekend they were front and center at the Zone 33 Training in Greensboro, North Carolina. A real perk of that event was the opportunity to meet the Rotary International President Elect (RIPE) Barry Rassin and his lovely wife, Esther.

SaM & Debbie Wall

On June 14th they’ll put their red End Polio Now tee shirts back on and greet all comers in the name of Rotary.  Check in with your club Rotary Night representative to get updated on the plan to replace your previous tickets or buy tickets if you hadn’t already.

Tickets are $10, $2 of which goes to Rotary’s End Polio Now … but wait, there’s more. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is matching that $2 by a 2:1 ratio meaning that your ticket will actually result in $6 being donated to End Polio Now in the name of your very own club.  How cool is that?

Play Ball!

Memorial Day & Rotary:

28 Monday May 2018

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Rotary & Veterans:

International Fellowship of Military Veterans:

Did you know there is an International Fellowship of Rotarian Military Veterans?  It is now an official Rotary Fellowship.  One may join even if not a veteran, but simply one who is supportive of those in service.  The annual cost is $10 and a life membership is $100.  For more information you may visit the Rotarian Veterans site or their facebook page.

Wreaths Across America:

This nonprofit is not Rotary affiliated but our District Newsletter Editor, JoAnn Meaker, is active in this organization which urges involvement in recognizing the sacrifices of our military dead, by remembering those who lie beneath the stones. Learn more about how you can be involved by visiting Wreaths Across America.

JoAnn is a published author and historian and has raised awareness of this grassroots effort to honor the country’s fallen.

We hope everyone’s Memorial Day Weekend has been enjoyable, memorable, and respectful.  Now this writer is going to go hug her favorite veteran.

“a little rain must fall”, but not June 14th

20 Sunday May 2018

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Rescheduled END Polio Now RVA GAME – June 14

Yes, more than a little rain fell on May 16th as area Rotarians in District 7600 attempted to assemble at the Diamond to watch the annual End Polio Now Baseball game.  Even the Flying Squirrels decided to take their acorns home for the evening.  Many End Polio Warriors made it to the Diamond and others were caught in downpours or traffic tie-ups attempting to get there.

JoAnn & Norm Meaker (2)

Norm & JoAnn Meaker

Club baseball ticket organizers should contact Garrett Erwin at the Flying Squirrels at 804-359-3866 x327.  The same number of tickets previously purchased by the club will be reprinted with the June 14 date.

Additional tickets may be ordered as well. Remember that $2 of each ticket goes to End Polio Now and is matched 2:1 by the Gates Foundation.  If you do the math that means that $6 for every ticket purchased goes to EPN.

And many thanks to the Rotarians who made the effort among whom were AG JoAnn and Norm Meaker above and below, AGE Shel Douglass, District End Polio Now Games Organizer Stan Wall, and District Polio Plus Chair Colleen Bonadonna.

More to follow soon.

ShelStan&Colleen (2)

Shel Douglas (L), Stan Wall, & Colleen Bonadonna

Giving Tuesday strikes a chord

11 Friday May 2018

Posted by in Foundation Giving, The Rotary Foundation

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Giving Tuesday 2018 sets record

District 7600’s second Giving Tuesday exceeded the amount given on Giving Tuesday 2017, as reported by Chuck Arnason, District Rotary Foundation Chair, and he didn’t even have to get his hair shaved off!

Chuck’s message in the May 2018 Spirit of 7600 is reprinted below:

chuckheadshaving

Chuck Arnason giving all for the TRF.

District 7600’s Giving Tuesday was a resounding success in no small part because of the support of Evelyn Wolf of the Rotary Club of Smithfield.  Evie and her late husband, Don, have amassed several thousand Recognition Points over the years as Major Donors and Evie continues to be a supporter of the Rotary Foundation. It was through Evie’s support of Giving Tuesday that we were able to transfer 46,354 to Rotarians in the district. That is up from the 37,252 that were distributed last year.

Total Giving to the Annual Fund was $52,639.00, a 6% increase from 2017 Giving Tuesday’s amount. Just think of how much good those dollars will do towards making a difference through Rotary. Half of those funds will return to the district in three years in the form of District Designated Funds. Those funds will support district and global grants as we continue to “Do Good in the World.” By matching outright contributions with Foundation recognition points a club may reach or even surpass its Annual Fund goal, as well as achieve 100% Paul Harris Fellow recognition. 197 Rotarians received recognition points which is a 20% increase in participation from last year.

I want to thank everyone who participated. Remember, the hopes of people in places you
will never visit and faces you will never see are brighter because of the donation each of you has made to our Rotary Foundation.

What’s ahead:

May 14 – District Grant Applications due through Grants Module in dacdb.com

May 17 – Rotary Night at the Diamond. See club representative for tickets for End Polio Now Game.

August 4 – District Workshops for Foundation, Membership, and Public Image in Williamsburg. Register on dacdb.com in early June.

May 15 … District Grant apps due

29 Sunday Apr 2018

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Please don’t wait to work on your district grant applications:

The District Grant applications are due via the Grants Module on dacdb.com by May 15th.  All portions of the application must be submitted to that location.  If you have questions, please ask them.  District Rotary Foundation Chair Chuck Arnason and SuAnne Bryant are eager to be of assistance.Removing old windows

Fifty-six of our sixty-two clubs qualified to file for district grants.  This means that there should be a lot of competition for the grant funds available this year.  The exact amount the district will have is not yet known, but soon will be.

The MOU is on the ‘Grants and Scholarships’ page on d7600foundation.org.  There is also a checklist to assist in your effort.  The slides from the March 24th Grant Management Seminar are also on this page and may answer some questions you may have.

Good luck on your grant application.

 

Giving Tuesday-Double Your Fun!

19 Monday Mar 2018

Posted by in Rotary 7600 Foundation News, The Rotary Foundation

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In Case You Missed It:  Your Contribution Doubled!

Donate to the Annual Fund of The Rotary Foundation on District 7600 Giving Tuesday, March 27, 2018,  and your donation will be doubled.  How does this work?  What are the rules?

phf_pin

The RULES:

  • contributions must be to the Annual Fund
  • contributions matched with recognition points up to an individual contribution of $500.
  • the contribution must be made online, on March 27, at “My Rotary” at rotary.org.
  • your “My Rotary” account must be set up in advance of March 27 as it takes a day or two for the account to be activated
  • PHF+8s are ineligible for the recognition points as such points don’t count toward Major Donor status

No “My Rotary” Account?

How_to_create_my_rotary_account  is a pdf set of instructions for setting up your “My Rotary Account” at rotary.org.

 

Redundancy is a good thing

26 Monday Feb 2018

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Push back is also a good thing!

In our last blog, we wrote about a disappointed club which had to wait until Round 2 to get their district grant approved because the grant writer had not submitted the club’s MOU as part of the initial grant application.  The Parable was supposed to highlight that, though the club had three attendees at the Grant Management Seminar (GMS), the grant writer had not been one of them and just assumed that somehow the MOU had already been dealt with. However, our gentle readers mistook our article to be critical of the grant writer when what was intended was the criticism of the club’s GMS attendees who didn’t advise or assist with the club’s grant application.

So let’s be clear … the teaching point to clubs is … send attendees to the GMS who commit to being engaged in the club’s grant application process.

Another sad story is actually a rather common one.  The club has only one member attendee at the GMS.  The club is now eligible to apply for a Rotary grant.  However, that one attendee passes away, moves away, becomes ill, or leaves the club.  This situation leaves the club in a similar situation as the story above.

So another teaching point to clubs … send at least two of your members who will be committed to engaging in the grant application process.

Not only does this provide some redundancy, but having more than one attendee at the GMS will help be sure that what one person doesn’t hear or understand, the other one might.

Enough teaching points for today.  We don’t want to be accused of being pedantic.

InkedGMS Plackard 1_LI

All Rotarians are welcome to register and attend either the March 24, in-person GMS in Williamsburg or the April 21 GMS Webinar.  Both with meet the club’s attendance requirement and both will deal with both district and global grants.  Registration is available now for March 24 on dacdb.com calendar.  The Webinar registration will be available around between March 5th and March 15.   Please see the March24 Flyer.

GMS Registration now live!

10 Saturday Feb 2018

Posted by in Rotary Grants, The Rotary Foundation

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A little news you can use!

 

headerSuAnneBruce&DanJones

SuAnne Hardee Bryant (R) Grants Chair

Clubs, have the members you assigned to work on your 2018-19 district or global grant application register for the Grant Management Seminar (GMS) which will be held on March 24, 2018,   Registration is at the dacdb.calendar by scrolling down to the March 24th date.  It will again be held at the Colonial Heritage Club in Williamsburg, Virginia.  It will be from 8:30 until Noon and the price of $25 includes a Full Southern Breakfast.

 

It is important that a club send at least a couple of grant assigned people so that if one person moves, gets sick, or goes off on a honeymoon, there is another club member who knows the drill.

Last year a very well known club was declined on the first pass. Why?  Because the grant writer had not submitted the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding).  Why? Because the grant writer was not one of the three people from the club who attended the GMS.  Happy ending though, the club received its grant on the second pass.

Remember that the grant application process is totally online.  No FEDEX, no faxes, no personal hand deliveries to the Grants Grants Chair.  If you want money for that special project, accept all the training and suggestions you can get.

A GMS webinar will be held in April but it is still in the planning stages and the registration is notyet available for it.