DG Newsletter June, 2017 (Jun 27, 2017)

June, 2017

Opportunities are small when presented. It is up to us as Rotarians to make them large!

Karen and I have thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality extended to us during the many club visits. Thank you for that.

In celebration of the 100^th year of the foundation the District hosted several events, PawSox, MC ride for Polio, Providence Bruins Game, and of course the Foundation Centennial Dinner last November. Between those events, we raised over $10,000 for polio plus and the foundation. The district donated $26,500 to PP from the DDF.

Some accomplishments I am proud of over the past year are:

Hosting Rotary International President John Germ at our Multi District Conference.
Communicating via the district newsletter. Thank you to Art Norwalk of the Providence Rotary.
Moving the website forward with the help of the webmaster Chuck Sauer of East Greenwich Rotary.
Reestablishing the District Directory.

My Rotary mentor and guide, PDG Joe Clancy, Stood by me every step of the way with encouraging words and advice.

I could not have done any of this or even been in the position to be District Governor without the help of my wife of close to 40 years, Karen Marie. Thank you for the support you gave her on her project, The Ronald McDonald House. She raised over $10,000 and 500 lbs of toiletries for them.

I wish District Governor 2017-2018 Steve Certa the very best of luck over the next 12 months. He and Paula will do an excellent job representing District 7950.

Atlanta, Rotary International Convention

Our District had a fantastic time in Atlanta, We held a District 7950 Reception at the District host hotel. Just a fantastic evening of fellowship! The tall man in the center with the blue shirt is DG Allan Stevens from District 9600 Australia, He sent us the GSE team back in April. He was at the same hotel! We need to do this again in Toronto next year.

ROTARY AND GATES FOUNDATION
COMMIT UP TO $450M TO END POLIO

Rotary President John Germ and Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, announced a commitment of up to $450 million to support the eradication of polio.

To an audience of nearly 40,000 Rotary members attending the Atlanta convention, Rotary and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation renewed their longstanding support for ending polio – a paralyzing, life-altering scourge on the verge of becoming the second human disease ever to be eliminated.

Rotary (that’s us) committed to raise $50 million per year over the next three years, with every dollar to be matched with two additional dollars from the Gates Foundation. This expanded agreement will translate into $450 million for polio eradication activities, including immunization and surveillance over the next three years. This critical funding helps ensure countries around the world remain polio-free and that polio is ended in the remaining three endemic countries: Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan.

My heartfelt gratitude for the trust bestowed on me over the past year, I can truly say, I gave it my best, no less than 100%.

In closing, if you could find it in yourselves to continue to support The Rotary Foundation, I would certainly appreciate it. Every Rotary.org website page has two distinctive buttons. Give and Join. It’s not that hard. Please consider using the give button before June 30 for one final donation to our fantastic foundation. One of the highest rated foundations in the world!

Thank you for the time! Team! Team!! Team!!!

YIR

Russell