Foundation Month
November is Foundation month, the month that we focus on Rotary's charity - the key vehicle that supports the good that we do through our Rotary clubs both locally and around the world. We are very proud that Our Rotary Foundation is one of the best ranked charities in the world by organizations such as Charity Navigator and also as the number one charity in 2017 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. As the Rotary Foundation heads into its Second Century, we encourage all Rotarians to support our charity.
So much of what we do as Rotarians in our District, in service above self, is enabled by The Rotary Foundation. Clubs in District 5040 have received back from The Rotary Foundation over US$300,000 in the past five years through District grants, based on our share of what we have contributed in recent years. That's an average of about US$60,000 per year. And we also have received many major Global grants as well.
In the area of Health, the Prince George club has provided prenatal care to young mothers in nearby First Nation community using a grant of $1,418, the Burnaby club has provided food and Rotary volunteers to prepare meals for the homeless once a week with a grant of $735, Bowen Island club has provided and installed AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) equipment in key locations for cardiac emergencies in on the island thanks to a grant of $5,457 and Richmond Sunset club has purchased vein viewer diagnostic equipment for emergency heart and stroke incidents using a grant of $2,941. These are just a few examples where District Grants from The Rotary Foundation have helped projects locally.
Community Development is always a popular area of focus. For instance, the Williams Lake club funds breakfasts in local schools for underprivileged children with a recent grant of $1,838, the Pemberton club has built a children's nature park to promote physical fitness and health with the help of a grant of $3,676, the Prince George Yellowhead club has upgraded the Big Brothers and Big Sisters clubhouse with a grant of $3,309, the Powell River Sunrise club has provided outdoor fitness equipment for the central municipal park with a grant of $3,676 and and the Vancouver Sunrise club has sponsored scholarships and bursaries for needy students in the community with a grant of $1,471.
Internationally, Global grants help multiply club dollars on projects, some examples have seen the Tsawwassen club in Delta purchase and install solar panels for a community resource building in Uganda, the Burnaby club purchased doors and windows to secure a school building in Bali, the Prince George Nechako club is helping provide clean water to a Maasai community in northern Tanzania (which has relied on unclean water many kilometres away) and the Vancouver club continues its major project in Africa to bring clean water and education serving ten schools and 36,000 children.
There are many more examples of community and international service projects enabled through The Rotary Foundation. Clubs are encouraged to apply for grants from the Rotary Foundation. Many people in need, near and far, are benefitting from our hard working volunteers and generosity of members.
We ask all Rotary Clubs in District 5040 and all Rotarians to support the Rotary Foundation - and then to put Foundation dollars to work through grants that help enable the good we do in our communities and around the world.
Metro Vancouver Foundation Dinner November 18
Join us on Saturday evening, November 18, for a great time as we hold the annual Metro Vancouver Foundation dinner. This year's event will be a real gala evening, and is being held at the Terminal City Club. Registrations are open now, and you are in for a special treat as we enjoy fabulous food and good wine (all included) along with some first rate entertainment from Tom Lee Music and a group of tango professionals.
You can register for this great evening now by clicking here.
As the year progresses other Foundation events will be held around BC, but this will be our only 2017 - 2018 event here in the Vancouver area. Deb and I look forward to seeing many of you there.
District 5040 Receives Membership Award
It was an exciting day for our District at the recent Zone Institute in Hartford, CT as Past District Governor Lyn Stroshin received the award recognizing 5040 as the District with the greatest membership increase in Zone 24 for the 2016 - 2017 Rotary year! District 5040 grew a net 29 members per Rotary International records to 1,442 members and we continue to grow this year - currently at 1,475. We encourage all clubs to work hard at membership as there is nothing more important to us - the more members we have the more good we can do in the world. District Membership Chair Tom Smith and his team are available to all our clubs to assist if you need help and new ideas.
World Polio Day was held on October 24, with
celebrations large and small around District 5040 including purple pinkies at the DG visit that day to the Ladner Rotary Club, and a major talk on polio sponsored by all three Rotary clubs in Prince George, with our District polio Chair Brian Finley as the speaker. We are now in the Countdown to History to complete the eradication of Polio - and we will finish the job.
Rotary 5040 Business Networking is now live and you can list your business on line. It's easy to find, just go to rotary5040.org and click on the blue Rotary 5040 Business icon. There is a onetime only $10 fee when you create your listing, and then you can edit and update as often as you wish. Thanks to Rotarians Peter Hansen and Nick Bellamy of our Lions Gate club for this initiative and website creation. After all, is there anyone you would rather do business with than another Rotarian?
Congratulations to the Rotary Club of Vancouver 
Mountainview, who held their official charter night on Saturday, October 28. More than 200 attended as we welcomed this new club to the District, including the Consul General of the Philippines, Neil Ferrer, and many other special guests. It was a real gala event, as the new club received their flags, bell, podium and banners, President Karen Bation was pinned as club President, and the now 25 members all received Charter Member pins.
Rotary Leadership Institute continues to be a roaring
success! The Level 2 RLI sold out and was held October 28 in Burnaby, and both Level 3 and another Level 1 are scheduled for November 25 and open for registration now. Register at
rotary5040.org for this great leadership training.
The 2017 Rotary Club of Terrace Online and TV Auction will be held November 4th and 5th, in the Terrace Sportsplex. The Auction is online at
www.auction.terracerotary.org. There is an exciting collection of items available to bid on and you can view these items now, and start pre-bidding on Friday October 27th at 5 PM. Pre-bids will be accepted until the item comes up to Auction on November 4th and 5th. To be eligible to bid, you must have a Bidder ID # from last year, or register by sending us an e-mail at
auction@terracerotary.org , or by calling 778-634-3502 after October 26th.
The 2017 Rotary Auction is our 57th annual, and enables the Rotary Club of Terrace to support many community projects. The Opening of the Terrace Rotary Splashpark was possible with the leadership of the Rotary Clubs of Terrace and Terrace- Skeena Valley, with funds raised in last year's Auction, through the generous donations by businesses and individuals, and with the enthusiastic support of the City of Terrace.
The Lions Gate Rotary Club is holding its Annual Book Sale at North Vancouver's Capilano Mall. Drop by from November 3 through November 12 where the sale is in one of the mall's many storefronts.
District Governor Club Visits continue, and November will
see both DG Don and Deb compete the first round of visits to all clubs in District 5040. It continues to be amazing to meet all our Rotarians and see their projects. Remember to visit Don's Diary at rotary5040.org and see what amazing things go on throughout the District, by our Rotarians and clubs.
Thanks to all our amazing Rotary Clubs and Rotarians in District 5040.
Don Evans
Governor 2017 - 2018
Rotary District 5040
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