To all those who attended the District’s Rotary Foundation dinner this past Saturday, thank you for making it a special evening. We had a wonderful night of fellowship, recognitions, entertainment, and support to our Rotary Foundation. Thank you to DGE Paul Thompson and the team of Rotarians who made the dinner a success. We are grateful for your skill and dedication to leading us in honoring the past year’s accomplishments in giving and serving. Bravo to the team! We also announced several new initiatives we are beginning as a district, including a veterans-based Rotaract club and a Rotaract club for our past global scholars and Youth Exchange students. More information is on the district website and we are seeking Rotarians to help us make these clubs successful.

 

As also announced at the foundation dinner, we have started a District 7390 Peacebuilding Campaign to support the Rotary Foundation’s Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention area of focus. The events of the past month have brought into sharp focus the need for this area of focus. From now until February 23, 2024, the 119^th anniversary of the founding of Rotary, please donate to the Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention fund under The Rotary Foundation. Donations can be made to the Peace Centers fund or the Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention area of focus. When the district reaches $25,000 in giving, we will be designated a Global Peacebuilding District. I am pleased to also announce that a very generous Rotarian has offered to match our giving for this campaign up to the $25,000 level. Your contribution will immediately have twice the effect in building global peace.

 

You can make your donation online at www.rotary.org/give. Once your donation is submitted, please send an email to Melissa at the district office letting her know of your donation so we may track our total giving. You may also send a check to the district office made out to either The Rotary Foundation or to District 7390 and we’ll submit to the Rotary Foundation on your behalf. Please annotate on the check whether this is for the Peace Centers or the Peacebuilding area of focus.  For those who donate $250 or more, we will recognize you as Global Peacebuilders at the district conference in April. Thank you for your support of this important area of need for our world. Note that donations to the peace-related funds do not count for Paul Harris points and do not add to the future District Designated Funds (DDF). 

 

 

Speaking of the district conference, please save the dates of April 19^th and 20^th to attend our 2024 District Conference. On Friday April 19^th we will gather at the Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle for dinner and several activities including the 4 Way Speech and Essay contests. Then on Saturday April 20^th we will do some service projects in the district in the morning and then gather in the afternoon at the Heritage Hills Resort in York for some learning sessions followed by dinner and our evening program. I look forward to seeing you as we come together as a district in fellowship and service.

 

Thank you for all you are doing as Rotarians and as Rotary clubs. Our communities are better from your service.

 

See you around the district,

 

DG Fred