The Rotary year is off to a good start. I am hearing about many great initiatives and new ideas that the clubs are developing. In the west valley steps are being taken to begin a new club. It is expected that this club will charter fairly soon. As Rotarians return from their summer travels and later in the fall as winter visiting Rotarians return, more and more energy in our clubs will be evident.

 

September is Basic Education and Literacy month. Many of our clubs are involved in this area. There is, of course, the Dictionary project where dictionaries are distributed to third graders in various school systems around our area of service. In the past, some have questioned why we should bother with dictionaries. They are available electronically. Yes, they are, but not all school systems can afford to make this resource available to their students. Additionally, over and over I hear how the dictionary is the first book that these kids have ever had. So kudos to all the clubs participating in this project.

 

  

 

 

 

We also have the Imaginary Library project active in our district. In this project age-appropriate books are sent to pre-school children. “Little brains experience 90 percent of their development before their owners reach kindergarten. Studies show that reading to preschool children makes a significant difference to a child's success in school.” The Imaginary Library project was started by Dolly Parton in 1996 and the growth has been explosive. If your club is looking for an educational project in your community, consider the Imaginary Library.

 

By the time you read this I will have visited 14 of our district clubs. This is the most interesting and exciting part of the governor job. Each club is so unique and they all are doing great things in their communities, things that are often unnoticed by those living in the community. This presents an opportunity to enhance our public image and visibility in our various communities. The Brand Center in the My Rotary portion of the Rotary International website has many useful tools for this purpose.

 

While we are talking about the Rotary International website, how many of you do not have My Rotary accounts? Sadly, the number is significant on the order of 1,200 district members. It is easy to establish a My Rotary account and once you have done so you’ll have access to many more areas of the Rotary International website that will enable you to make your club stronger. Your club’s AG can give you guidance on establishing a My Rotary account.

 

How many of you have seen my wake board? Well, if you were tuned into my You Tube channel (District 5495 Governor) you would have seen my board. The purpose of the board? To help promote our next District Conference in June 2019. Visit the District website to watch the promotional video for the conference. Start making your plans to attend now. You won’t be disappointed.

 

Marty and Doc made another mistake with the DeLorean this month, sending me even further back in time. From the looks of this photo it seems I’m back in the late 1940s. I can only hope that the plutonium holds out long enough that I can make it back to 2018! Keep up the good work the Rotarian way. See and/or talk to you soon.