Dear Fellow Rotarians,
 
October heralds that season in Arizona when desert-dwellers leave the confines of air conditioning and join the rest of the state in the glorious outdoors!  This is a busy month for Rotary Clubs across our district, as we host events like Oktoberfests, Golf Tournaments, Wine Tastings and more!
October is POLIO MONTH in our District, with October 24 designated as World Polio Day.  There is no limit on what YOUR CLUB can do to bring attention (and donations) to the eradication of this dreadful disease!  I join RI President Ian Riseley when he asks “every Rotary club to participate in some way in World Polio Day activities… Whether you host a silent auction, a virtual reality viewing, a fundraising walk, or a Purple Pinkie Day, your club can make a real difference.”   Want to support a fellow Rotarian?  Look for an article in this newsletter about supporting the Ride to End Polio.
 
October is the month of our annual International event, the USA-Mexico Friendship Conference & Global Grants Exchange. This marks our 18th year and we are hosting in Phoenix. Please talk to your clubs about how you can multiply your impact by participating in a Global Grant.  Also, please consider Home Hosting one or two of our guests, a rewarding experience.
 
As I continue to visit the wonderful clubs that make up our District, I am inspired by the energy and commitment we Rotarians demonstrate every day! 
  • Dozens of D5495 clubs responded with generous outpourings of support to those displaced by relentless hurricanes, floods and earthquakes. Clubs ‘passed the hat’; Club Foundations made special matches to donations; volunteers mobilized; and, individuals quietly responded.  Quick-thinking Rotarian Carol Costa, of Kingman Route 66, touted Rotary’s well-deserved reputation for fiscal responsibility at a convention she was attending.  She single-handedly raised over $5,000 for disaster relief!
  • On the International Day of Peace, September 21, the Peoria Club held a beautiful community event that engaged school, citizens, law enforcement and government.  The event honored a community Peacemaker.  Our own Peace Fellow Christopher Zambakari was a featured speaker.
 
Our Rotary presence is clearly and proudly woven into the fabric of our communities.  We are partners, leaders, supporters, visionaries, activists, innovators—and, Difference-Makers!