Happy Spring!  Yes we are in the middle of an epidemic and yes we are social distancing but one of the things we can control is our attitude! I have been hearing from Rotary Clubs all across our District about what they are doing.  How they are meeting and still serving their communities.  I will be sending an email out every week to highlight some of those projects and pass along information that I have been receiving from Rotary International about COVID-19.  Meetings and events have been cancelled but there is still work to do and there will be more work as the world recovers and heals from this crisis.

I am excited to see what life will be on the other side of quarantine.  We are all learning new ways to communicate and serve as we adjust to the new normal.  Now more than ever we need each other.  We can’t meet in the same room but we can still meet. I sent an email to everyone about how to access Zoom.  Many clubs are using Zoom for their meetings. Zoom has a free version that clubs can use with a 40 min meeting limitation.  In an email I sent last week I explained how to get a 20% discount if you purchase Zoom for your club.  If you missed that info let me know and I will resend it.  If you need help call or email Steve Kuhn the District Public Image chair 815-508-9232, skuhnrotary6420@aol.com.  Trust me, old dogs can learn new tricks!  One of the first things we need to do is make sure everyone in our club has access to the technology to stay connected.  We could be meeting this way for several more weeks and we don’t want to leave anyone behind. 

I have daffodils blooming in my yard, maybe this spring we will have time to stop and smell the flowers!

Stay connected (and keep smiling)!

Bobbi

April 1 is certainly presenting us with some different challenges than we faced a month ago.  Who would have guessed that we would all be hunkering down at home and becoming so proficient at Zoom meetings?  The Rotary Foundation is definitely staying on top of ways to best support the challenges communities around the globe are facing with Covid-19.  Something many Rotarians may not be aware of is that contributions can be directed to the Disaster Response Fund in addition to the Annual Fund and to PolioPlus.  The Disaster Response Fund makes funds available through Disaster Response Grants to help districts around the world respond to disasters.  Some of these funds will certainly be used in response to Covid-19-related crises around the world.  Consider this as you are making your donations to The Rotary Foundation.

You may have already heard that Rotary International headquarters in Evanston is not open at this time and staff are working from home.   Because of this, contributions to The Rotary Foundation that are mailed will not be processed for some time.  Contributing through Rotary Direct is really the most effective way to give at this point.  It is simple and easy to do.  It also allows you to set up your giving monthly, quarterly or annually ongoing. 

The District Foundation Committee is available as usual to answer any questions you have.  Feel free to contact me at kathykwiathess@gmail.com or 815-222-3331 with any questions or concerns.

Stay safe and stay connected.

Kathy Kwiat-Hess

District Rotary Foundation Chair

District Grant Management Training Update

As a reminder, to be eligible to apply for a District Grant for the 2020-2021 Rotary year, your President Elect (the person who will be President during 2020-2021) must attend a District Grant Management Training during the 2019-2020 Rotary year and your Club’s Grant Chair or Foundation Chair must have attended the District Grant Management Training during the last three years. The District Grant Management Seminar covers all of the requirements and procedures for obtaining a District Grant.

The third and final District Grant Management Training was scheduled for April 18 in Princeton.  It has been rescheduled as a 1 hour Zoom meeting.  All Rotarians signed up to attend the April 18 training will receive a set of handouts and instructions for signing onto the Zoom meeting a few days before the Training.  

If you have not already registered for this Training, please do so as soon as possible on the District website.  Go to https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50144.  Log in and then click on Member Area in the top banner.  In the light blue banner click on Events and then click on Event Planner.  Pick the April 18 District Grant Management Training Seminar.  Then look for Register and click on View Registration Form.  Note – there is no charge for this Seminar.  Registration for this Seminar closes on April 15.  

Please note - District Grants are intended for small-scale, short-term activities that address humanitarian needs in your community.  All Clubs in District 6420 are encouraged to apply for a District Grant.  A maximum of $1500 will be available to each Club in District 6420 for the 2020-2021 Rotary year.  Matching club funds are required, so most grants will total about $3000.  It is hard to imagine a community in District 6420 that would not benefit from a $3000 Rotary project.

If you have any question, contact the District 6420 Grants Sub-Committee Chair – Laura Kann – from the Princeton Rotary Club at 678-315-2406 or LKK1@comcast.net.