ROTARY DISTRICT 7010

Thank you Rotary District 7010

2010-06-30T10:27:00.018-04:00

It is fitting that my year as District Governor would wrap up in such a whirlwind fashion. What a phenomenal experience we had in Montreal! The International convention underlines the combined strength and spirit of service that we, as Rotarians, share with the world.

District 7010 brings that philosophy of service to communities within our diverse region. When I began the traditional tour of Clubs last July, it quickly became apparant that our Clubs are a success... or District is a success...because of the dedication and commitment of individual Rotarians.

The power of one - it's no mistake that the 2009-2010 international R.I. theme was the Future of Rotary is in Your Hands.

Our year together has been both positive and productive. Our District is blessed with great Clubs. Some Clubs that were a concern over a year ago are healthy and active today, not because of anything I may have done, but because of the collective efforts of many. We should be proud.

Thank you to everyone involved in hosting my official club visits; I was made to feel extremely welcome at each stop along the way and I enjoyed our productive discussions at both the Executive and Club levels.

With every visit, I was reminded of the generosity of our members. Wheelchair donations were made in my name, as well as donations to Foundation, to Polio, to education programs and to the building of a well. I received a number of personal gifts from our Clubs that I will treasure forever. The generosity of our membership has been outstanding!

A wonderful advantage to being District Governor is having the opportunity to attend many great events and celebrations throughout our District, and at a time when all of the hard work is done!

Whether it was North Bay-Nipissing's Turnover golf tournament, Kapuskasing's Lunberjack Festival, Gravenhurs's luncheon with Adrienne Clarkson, Peterborough Kawarthy's 20th anniversary or Val d'Or's annual family day fundraiser, I was made to feel welcome.

From the Foundation Golf Tournament jointly sponsored by Midland and Penetanguishene, to Collingwood's 40th anniversary event; from Wasaga Beach's annual charity gala, to BEL's Polar Plunge; from North Bay-Nippissing's 25th anniversary where I had the opportunity to share the podium with RI Past President Wilf Wilkinson, to Innisfil's special Chili Tasting event, I have enjoyed the best of fun and fellowship with our Membership. I will look back on all of these events as the fondest of memories.

As much fun as all of this has been, on a more serious note, a lot of time and preparation went into grooming me to be your DG! I am sure you will all agree: the one thing that there is never any shortage of in Rotary is information! RI insists that you be readied for a much as possible. As I prepared for my year as Governonr, I attended District seminars, Zone Institutes, and the International Assembly in San Diego. I've met some remarkable people and enjoyed every minute of my rookie training. During all of this preparation began for my District Conference.

This conference in Niagara-on-the Lake was one of the great moments in my year as District Governonr. Past President of the Rotary Club of Sudbury Bill Querney and his team in Greater Sudbury did a phenomenal job of creating the perfect platform for the 2009-2010 Rotary year. I am still receiving comments from Rotarians regarding the fun and fellowship they experienced there.

Getting to know our members has been the highlight of my year as District Governor and what we have accomplished together is truly remarkable.

Our international exchanges - the Group Study Exchange, Youth Exchange, Ambassadorial Scholar Program and our Friendship Exchange to India - were a tremendous success. In fact, I had the pleasure of hosting our India counterparts in my home Club in Sudbury earlier this month. Participating in these exchanges allows us to do things we would never have the opportunity to do unless we were Rotarians. For example, while visiting our District, members of the Rotary Club of Midtown in India and the Rotary Club of Chapleau met and agreed to partner on a matching grant literacy project benefiting both aboriginal and non-aboriginal areas around Chapleau. This is a great opportunity.

Your fundraising efforts on behalf of the Rotary Foundation were impressive - from Polio Plus to disaster relief in Haiti, to medical support for a little Filipino girl named Mika who needed a heart operation. Petite Veneracion, wife of DG Tony Veneracion of the Philippines, wrote the following:

"The operation of Mika was very successful. Three cardiologist surgeons operated on her... She stayed in the hospital for one week and was discharged with a very positive diagnosis. A month later, in mid-May, her cardiologist here...said that Mika's heart is 80% healed and is on the way to full recovery. She only has to complete her dose of antibiotics for the coming two or three months.

Again, I would like to thank you for the assistance... We are still buying medicine for Mika and additional tests will be undergone this month. We spent a total of PhP 470,000 or $11,200 (US) for the operation. Please extend our gratitude to all Canadian Rotarians who contributed for Mika's surgery. May God bless you all."

The best news for our District as my Rotary year ends: one new club has been officially chartered - Innisfil - on June 17th. Congratulations and welcome to the 7010 family!

I leave the District focused on the future and turn its leadership over to the exceptionally capable hands of Dawn Straka. My only advice is to rely on the experts around you for advice and counsel and to always have an open bottle of red wine on hand. Most of all, never forget, IT'S YOUR YEAR!

In closing, I would like to thank all Rotarians for your commitment, hard work and dedication to the various causes of Rotary, whether in our home communities or within the global village. Our collective efforts continue to benefit others in a positive and helpful way.

A special thank you to my Executive and Chairs for your support this Rotary year. I enjoyed working with all of you. A big thank you to Nicole, my Assistant. I could not have gotten through this year without her! Thank you all for helping me leave District 7010 a little better than we found it.

As we reflect on past accomplishments and turn our attention toward the future, always remember the power of one; and what one man, Paul Harris, accomplished. The future of Rotary is today, and will remain tomorrow in your hands.

Please join me in welcoming the 2010-2011 District Governor for District 7010, Dawn Straka. I know you will all give her the same support that you gave me this past year as she strives to embrace the "cowboy logic" adopted by RI President-elect Ray Klinginsmith to make the Clubs in District 7010 "bigger, better and bolder". Dawn you will do an outstanding job of "Building Communities, Bridging Continents".

As I close off my final blog I would would like to wish you all a safe and happy Canada Day and a prosperous year for our District in 2010-2011.

The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands
DG Richard

May 2010 District blog

2010-05-06T16:16:00.004-04:00

Friends in Distict 7010

You know the end of the Rotary year is approaching as you see PETS come and go, as we did in April.

As I near the end of my term as District Governor, I wanted to take this opportunity to remind you of a few upcoming events and exciting initiatives in our District:

1. Turnover:

The District Turnover is scheduled for June 24, 2010, marking the end of this Rotary year. It will be held in Peterborough at the Best Western Otonabee Inn. You are welcome to join me as I hand the torch over to DGE Dawn.

2. International Convention:

The RI convention is fast approaching. As you know, we have a challenge to meet; approximately 275 of our members (or 6 members per club) must attend. Based on a report I received just a couple of weeks ago, our District currently has 165 paid attendees. We still have some work to do to ensure that we reach our 275 person goal. For those of you who have not yet registered, I ask you to please keep the following in mind:

This convention is significant as 2010 represents the 100th anniversary of Rotary’s first step as an international organization; as Canada was the first cautious initiative at expansion for Rotary outside of the United States. I hope you will join your fellow District 7010 Rotarians in Montreal. To have such a convention in our own backyard – we are not afforded this opportunity every day and it will be a long time before we see it again. Let’s make the most of it!

Ron Howell, District Chair, advises me that he still has rooms available so please contact him if you are looking for accommodations. Also, AG Dan and Janet Stead have planned an evening social for District 7010 members in Montreal during this convention. It will be a great opportunity to get to know each other. Please see the District website for the full details.

3. Friendship Exchange:

District 7010 has the pleasure of hosting our Friendship Exchange team from District 3010 in India. Our friends will be joining us from June 8th to June 18th, 2010. The first leg of their journey will be in the Southern part of our District and will be hosted by AG Dan Herbert. Please contact him at danherbert@danherbert.com for more information. The next leg will be in Northern Ontario. Please contact Chair Dhiren Sinha of the Rotary Club of Sudbury at dhirenmary@hotmail.com for further details. We would like the whole district to partake and make our guests feel as welcome as they made us feel during our time in India.

4. New Club in District 7010:

It is with a great deal of excitement that I advise that we will be welcoming a new club – the Rotary Club of Innisfil and its 23 new members into our District 7010 family. I recently signed and sent off the charter application to RI. Thank you to Dan Herbert, Doug Jernigan and Steve Wilkinson for their hard work and commitment to seeing this through. Watch for details on the Charter night. It will be a great night to get out and have some fun.

5. NEADS:

I have been working closely with our NEADS committee over many months now. The objective of this committee is to assist individual Rotary clubs in the District in establishing a sustainable mentorship project, assisting unemployed individuals with disabilities to find and maintain employment. This project is a work in progress, worthy of our time and effort and over the coming months, you will hear more about it. I truly believe that it will fit well within Rotary’s vocational service model and your support will help in making it a success.

6. Presidential Citation:

Thank you to all of the clubs that sent in their Presidential Citation forms.

As always, your feedback is appreciated.

DG Richard

The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands

Thank you from former RI President Wilf Wilkinson

2010-04-23T09:43:00.019-04:00

Friends,

It was with great saddness that we learned of the passing of Joan Wilkinson this past March, the beloved spouse of our former RI President (2007-08) Wilf Wilkinson.

As Canadians, we were extremely proud to have Wilf serve as our International President and we were always delighted to see Joan by his side. Joan was an outstanding first lady for Rotary. She was deeply devoted to Wilf, her family, and to the Rotary family. Having met her on several occasions I always admired the fact that she went out of her way to meet people and make them feel at home.

I attended Joan's memorial service on behalf of District 7010 and have recently received a lovely note from former RI President Wilf which I wanted to share with members of our District (please see attached).

On behalf of Rotary, thank you to all who took time to express their condolences to Wilf and his family and who made a donation to the Rotary Foundation in Joan's memory. Your thoughtfulness is overwhelming.

The Future of Rotary is in your Hands

DG Richard

Friendship Exchange to India

2010-02-23T19:03:00.003-05:00

In January 2010 12 members of District 7010, representing 3 Rotary clubs - Sudbury, Washago and Area – Centennial, and Barrie-Kempenfelt travelled to India where we were hosted by the 3010 District Governor Ashish Ghosh.
Our hectic scheduled included visits to 8 Rotary clubs where we had an opportunity to see first hand the projects the Rotarians in District 3010 have been working on, and projects they would like to accomplish in the future.
Below you will hear from two 7010 Rotary colleagues Dan Herbert (Washago) and Mike Kinsey (Barrie-Kempenfelt), who both travelled with me and who were delighted to share their personal journals with members of our District.
For me however, the fondest memories were the friendships created with our host families, who we now call friends, the presence of Rotary in India and the variety of projects Rotary has funded in this country. Their needs are simple, and they are needs that we take for granted here in Canada.
The Rotary Club of Gurgaon has sponsored a Public School for the past 18 years. They assist 2,000 children each and every day. Their commitment to this project today remains strong as the board for this school consists entirely of Rotarians.
Our group also visited Literacy India, one of 16 schools founded by a young pilot with Air India. The school is dedicated to children from kindergarten to grade 10 who simply cannot afford the luxury of an education. Today, they hold fundraisers to support their school, so that they can continue learning to read and write. Rotary contributes by donating the buses to transport them on a daily basis.
The Rotary Institute School was founded by a Rotarian 15 years ago and has now been taken over by a local Rotary Club. Approximately 70 students with special abilities including Down Syndrome and Autism attend this school, which reminds me very much of the early years of the Ann Sullivan Centre in Peru. I look forward to introducing Dr. Liliana Mayo to this group.
At one point during our trip, we toured St. Stephen’s Hospital in Delhi and met with Dr. Matthew Varghese, Head of the Department of Orthopedics. He is a very caring man who could no doubt work anywhere in the world but has chosen St. Stephen’s Hospital to do his good works. The Polio wing at St. Stephen’s is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Delhi Midtown. They provide funds to allow Dr. Varghese to perform 200 of the 400 operations per year (at $200.00 per operation). Everyday, miracles in corrective surgery are performed at this hospital and Dr. Varghese has transformed the lives of people of various ages by correcting the damage caused by Polio. What he gives them, with the help of Rotary, is hope. A “Rotary was here” plaque is proudly displayed at St. Stephen’s.
We also toured a cancer hospital which is supported by a Rotary Club in India. During our visit patients bowed as they saw us in our Rotary attire – a sign of respect and gratitude for what Rotary has done, and continues to do.
What I have learned is that East Indians are sincere, hard working people who care about their fellow man, their country and beyond. Their Rotary clubs need international parameter to aid them with their endeavors on health, hunger, water & sanitation and literacy –District 7010 should look seriously at helping them. Over the next few months I will be working with the members of this Friendship Exchange to define projects that we can assist with in India. Your feedback, as always, is most welcomed and encouraged.

The second part of the exchange will take place when the Rotarians from District 3010 will visit our district in June, just prior to the Rotary International Convention in Montreal. I will be calling on clubs to get involved in showcasing our District.

From Dan Herbert, Rotary Club of Washago

Rotary in India has traditionally done little with International Service programs. And rightly so - there are so many needs within the country, it would make little sense to get involved with projects in other countries. The needs are simply too great in their own country.

The recent push to bring international exchange programs to India accomplishes Rotary's goal of promoting international understanding and peace. At the same time, it gets international visitors excited about the needs that exist in India. By getting involved in exchange programs Rotary in India accomplishes the Four Way Test. One: It is the truth. Two: It is fair to all concerned. Three: It builds goodwill and better friendships. Four: It is beneficial to all concerned.

We in North America are always looking for ways to make life better for the underprivileged in developing countries. Through the exchange program we see the need and rush home to convince our clubs to help out.

We were all amazed by the Rotary Blood Bank that was established, built and supported by the Rotary Clubs in District 3010. The Rotary Blood Bank is self sustaining through blood donor clinics run by various Rotary Clubs who collect and supply the blood free to the bank. The Blood Bank then sells the blood to hospitals and revenues supports the ongoing operation of the bank. Blood is supplied free by Rotary to those who cannot afford to pay hospitals for it.

The bottom line is that the exchange program between North America, and India serves Rotary in India like their own fund raising project for their own needs. Two milestones are accomplished. We in North America get the satisfaction of providing life altering funds for life altering projects that Rotarians are developing. And Rotary projects in India achieve their objectives by receiving the necessary funds to complete them.

The international understanding and building of bridges between our two cultures almost becomes a side benefit or veil over the real issue. But it really works. We all become better people through the exchange program. And we all help each other achieve our goals.

It’s a "Win Win Win" situation! Simple but brilliant!

I think the exchange was a very good introduction to the theme for the coming Rotary year. The theme for the 2010-2011 Rotary year is Building Communities - Bridging Continents. I anticipate that our clubs in District 7010 may choose to provide assistance to some of the life changing Rotary projects in District 3010 and this will likely happen in the coming Rotary year.

I hope you will take the time to read the blog I wrote during my travels. I am grateful to have had this experience and would love to share it with the members of our District. You will find the various posts at http://www.mytripjournal.com/jananddanet

From Mike Kinsey, Rotary Club of Barrie-Kempenfelt

I am sitting here on a long bus ride heading back to my host’s house from an incredible trip to see the Taj Mahal. I looked over at my wife Maryanne who was now sleeping after another long day of travelling, I am so glad she came with me to share this experience.
It was a simple turn of events that took us down this path from Barrie, Canada to Delhi, India. A decision to attend the September District Conference in Niagara on the Lake and to be seated at dinner with a few of the visiting members of the G.S.E. team Sammerjit and Dr. Biswa Dash from India. They were so excited by the sight of the falls being all lit up at night and we were joking about being sat in the exclusive “atrium” (hallway). My wife and I told them we would love to visit India someday (not really looking very soon into the future). As fate would have it, later that night during some fellowship with Janet Stead and Dan Herbert, they made me aware me of this Friendship Exchange to India that would be occuring in January 2010. We spoke about it and decided to pursue it. I contacted the Exchange leader Dhiren Sinha (Rotary Club of Sudbury) and put our name on the list. Since the Exchange was full, we were placed on standby. A few weeks later, Maryanne and I were given the green light by Dhiren, so off we went to the doctors office for a list of shots and medications required for such a trip. A few days before the trip Maryanne and I went out for dinner and looked at each other and laughed as we both said “what the heck are we doing travelling to India” but here we go!

The Friendship Exchange between district 3010 India and 7010 was just simply an awesome experience. The journey was both emotionally draining and yet gave me energy to do something by getting more involved.
I don’t know if I have it in me to describe in words the things that the exchange team experienced. When we arrived in the thickest fog I have ever seen, there was a big sign that said “Incredible India”. The sign was not misleading in anyway. Everything from the traffic, people, food, hosts and wonderful projects that are being done by so many clubs were indeed incredible. One of my motives for going on the trip was as Incoming President, was to look for an international project that we could do as a matching grant next year. I was thinking that there were some clubs in India but was astounded to find out how many there are and how much they are doing. We saw first hand the Rotary District School, the Rotary Blood Banks, Special Needs School, Polio operations by Dr. Mathew, the Literacy School and many more.
My fellow travelers will do a great job of describing the places and the people we met. The whole team was amazing!
Maryanne I would like to thank all of our new Rotary friends for helping make our trip to India an incredible experience. I want to encourage you to get involved by doing an Exchange. What you will receive by doing the trip will far out weigh any hard work or discomfort that you may endure. We are all aware that the more you do in Rotary the more you will get out of it. The Friendship Exchange program will allow you to make friends around the globe. I look forward to seeing my new Indian friends at the R.I. convention in Montreal.
Later in life you may reach out to some of these people you met to help you in a project you are involved in. I was told by the District Governor’s both in 7010 (Richard Levert) and 3010 (Ashish Ghosh) that this happens all the time. Thanks again to both these gentlemen for their chance meeting in San Diego, because of that this Friendship Exchange took place.
This is how I came to ride the bus home from the Taj Mahal and reflect on my “incredible India”.

To see the incredible photos from our Friendship Exchange to India, please go to the District website at www.clubrunner.ca/7010

The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands

DG Richard

Friendship Exchange - January 2010

2010-01-17T17:05:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year to all members of the 7010 family! I hope you all enjoyed a restful holiday and that your New Year’s Resolution included greater involvement in Rotary. There are so many opportunities for us to engage in Fellowship.

On Monday January 18th 12 Rotary members from District 7010 will accompany Dhiren Sinha (Rotary Club of Sudbury), his wife Mary Sinha and myself to India.
The group will take part in a Friendship Exchange with District 3010 in India.

Dhiren is no stranger to India – it is where he was born, brought up and educated. When he left this country he settled in England where he spent 10 years working in Management Accounting. His travels then brought him to Canada in 1965 and finally to Sudbury, Ontario in 1966 where he enjoyed a career as a high school accounting teacher. Dhiren also coordinated the Adult Education program as well as the Driver’s Education program for the Sudbury Board of Education (now called the Rainbow District School Board). Education is in his blood and later this month he’ll be educating a group of Rotarians on his home country.
Dhiren and Mary spend 2-3 months each year in India, establishing Rotary clubs (in his hometown Aurangabad, State of Behar), launching a vocational training school for girls and assisting with a charitable eye hospital.
This visit however will be different as they will have Rotary family members from District 7010 with them.
I look forward to checking in with you once we return to share with you the many wonderful experiences we had while in India.
If you have not yet participated in a Friendship Exchange, I encourage you to do so. What a wonderful opportunity to learn about a foreign country than through the eyes of your Rotary family. To learn more about this exciting RI program please go to http://www.rotary.org/en/ServiceAndFellowship/Fellowship/RotaryFriendshipExchange/Pages/ridefault.aspx

While we are oversees I know the Peterborough District Conference team will be hard at work planning for the 2010 conference to take place from September 23-26.

The RI Convention team is also working diligently to finalize plans to welcome the Rotary world to Montreal on June 20-23.

Mark these dates in your calendar and please keep checking the updates on www.clubrunner.ca/7010 for more news on both conferences.

The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands
DG Richard

Season's Greetings

2009-12-23T14:46:00.002-05:00

As 2009 comes to an end I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to the numerous volunteers who work tirelessly on behalf of Rotary District 7010.

I am extremely proud of the Officers of the District, the Assistant District Governors and the Directors. These Rotarians are leaders within their respective clubs, and also within our District. It has been a pleasure working alongside them in 2009.

My deepest appreciation goes out to Bill Querney of the Rotary Club of Sudbury, and his 2009 District Conference committee. Fellowship at the Falls was a resounding success! Mark your calendars for the 2010 District conference which will take place in Peterborough September 23- 26, 2010. This is a great opportunity to recharge your Rotary batteries! I look forward to seeing you there.
Another exciting opportunity is before us in 2010. June 17-23 the Rotary world will descend on Montreal to celebrate 100 years of Rotary in Canada. We hope that you will join us and the many other Rotarians from District 7010 in making this the most memorable Rotary event of the century.

On behalf of the members of the District Executive our best wishes of peace, joy, love and hope for you and your family in 2010.

Joyeux Noël et bonne année à tous!

DG Richard
The future of Rotary is in your hands

2009-12-14T21:48:00.001-05:00

I am pleased to introduce you to another member of District 7010 family and the project she oversees. Kim Giffen has been Chair of the District Leadership Academy since 2007.

The Leadership Academy is an on-line based learning program available to the members of our District. It was developed initially to help Rotarians moving forward into positions of leadership in our Rotary District 7010. This program is an invaluable learning tool for ALL Rotarians who want to enhance their Rotary knowledge base.

Six lessons are emailed to Rotarians during the months from November until May each year, with a break in December. Each assignment is marked by a different Faculty member. Rotarians can work independently or with others to complete the assignments. Most of the information is found on-line and resources are listed within each assignment. At the completion of this program Rotarians will have a much enhanced knowledge of the vastness of the organization which we call Rotary. They will have a greater ability to be able to navigate the R.I. website where information is found.

Information and applications can be found at http://www.clubrunner.ca/dprg/dxprogramhome/_programhome.aspx?did=7010&pageid=3369

Please note that although this Academy began in November, there has only been 1 lesson to date and there is room to jump in with both feet in January. What a great New Year’s Resolution!

I encourage all new Rotarians, as well as those who need a Rotary-refresher to take advantage of this great resource available through our District.

My gratitude to Rotarian Kim Giffen from the Rotary Club of Collingwood South Georgian Bay. Kim has been a member of Rotary since 2001 and has served as Club Service Chair (2003-04), "Centennial" President 2004-05, Foundation Chair (2003-present). We are fortunate to have such dedicated volunteers as Kim in leadership roles within our District.

When I last spoke with Kim, she commented on how she enjoys District and International Conferences. “It’s an opportunity to meet new people and learn more about the wonderful programs Rotary has to offer. This is a great way to re-charge your Rotary Batteries each year!”
Kim is most proud of The Wheelchair Distribution she had the honor of participating in this past November in Ecuador. The Rotarians, partners and their children she travelled with were incredible individuals, and extremely grateful for the work Rotarians are doing in their region. A small piece of advice from this outstanding District volunteer - “I would strongly encourage Rotarians to get involved with Rotary outside the borders of your club, at District and at the International level.”

I encourage you to contact Kim to register for the District Leadership Academy, or to learn more about her recent trip to Ecuador. She can be reached at mgiffen@georgian.net

I look forward to sharing more with you in the weeks to come on our District volunteers.

The Future of Rotary is in your hands
DG Richard

Rotary District 7010 Update-December 2nd

2009-12-02T12:31:00.003-05:00

It is with mixed emotions that I completed my 43rd official visit on November 30th, where I met with my home club, the Rotary Club of Sudbury. Meeting with members of the Rotary family has been the most rewarding part of my term as District Governor thus far.

As we enter December, “Family” month in Rotary, I would like to introduce you to the dedicated volunteers working on behalf of the District as well as provide you with a snapshot of the type of work they do. This will help District Clubs develop a network of support for various projects, as well as inform you of the type of leadership roles available to club members at the District level. The next few blogs will be dedicated to the Rotary District family and the fine work these members are doing on our behalf.
Rotarian Janet McLeod First Nations/Aboriginal Initiative Committee Chair has this to say about her committee.
First Nations represent the fastest growing population of young people in Canada. More than one in three aboriginal people are younger than 15 years of age, compared with fewer than one in five non-aboriginal people. The World Health Organization says that one of the best investments governments can make is in children's programs, noting that every dollar invested in quality programs for children results in $7 in returns to society over the long term thanks to improved outcomes in health, education and social inclusion.
More importantly, inequality robs all of us of benefiting from the enormous contributions that could be made by First Nations children if they had an equal shot at success. (Toronto Star Nov 22, 2009)
The above piece from the Toronto Star highlights the importance of building partnerships in our First Nations communities. As we become more aware of the struggles our neighbours face, we are able to become stronger friends. When I read articles like the one above, I think about the many opportunities that Rotary provides, that can be put into action so easily. I want to congratulate the Rotary Club of Peterborough on the selection of Maggie Cummings - Curve Lake First Nations as their out bound Exchange Student for 2010. Maggie had a beautiful interview and will be a strong and confident ambassador for Canada. Please, continue to look to the First Nations communities in your area for partnerships, Exchange Students and participants for GSE.
Janet McLeod has been a member of the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha since 1991 and served as club president in 1996/97. Janet has been involved in many parts of Rotary, so she has narrowed her Top Ten List to The Top Three for the sake of this blog. Number Three: Being part of the planning team for our Paul Harris Recognition Evening each November. Number Two. Sitting in a two hundred year old church, in the south of France, watching former Exchange Student Frederique walk down the aisle to marry Pierre. Number One: Traveling to Nigeria with District 7080 in 2002 to participate in NID’s.
Janet would like to thank DG Richard for the opportunity to chair the District First Nations Committee. She is enjoying the challenges this far, and is looking forward to what lies ahead.
If you are interested in contacting Janet to learn more about this committee, please email her at info@eastcityflowershop.com
Janet, on behalf of Rotary District 7010, Migwetch for the outstanding work you continue to do. You are truly an inspiration and we are fortunate to have you working with us in the District.

The Future of Rotary is in your hands
DG Richard

October 2009

2009-10-14T23:15:00.004-04:00

Fellow Rotarians from District 7010,

What a thrill it is for me to continue visiting the clubs in our District – especially during this beautiful time of the year! I am very appreciative of the warm reception I receive throughout my travels and I continue to enjoy the diversity of each club and the engagement with members.
Je suis toujours émerveillé de l’accueil chaleureux que je reçois lors de mes visites à travers le district. Un gros merci à chacun d’entre vous!

I am always impressed at the good work that all Rotarians do…from small clubs to large clubs, whether they are in Havelock or North Bay. Rotarians can and do make a difference everyday, a point which is validated by the level and the quality of projects District 7010 Rotarians and their clubs take on. There is definitely a lot of excitement in the air!

The excitement is especially building as we approach our annual District Conference – Fellowship at the Falls from October 16th to the 18th. Join us as we Celebrate 100 Years of Rotary in Canada in the country's most historic town! I look forward to seeing many of the Rotarians I have met during my travels over the past few months. Rotarian Bill Querney from the Rotary Club of Sudbury and his devoted committee are working tirelessly to ensure that District 7010 Rotarians engage in great dialogue and fellowship. Our lineup of dynamic speakers include Captain Ray Wiss, MD, just back from Afghanistan, Dr. Liliana Mayo, who runs a Rotary-supported centre for children with developmental disabilities in Peru, and the Mallory family who conquered Mount Everest. Dr. Monty Audenart, Past VP Rotary International will also share his Rotary knowledge with us. If you haven’t yet registered for the District conference please go to www.clubrunner.ca/7010/

Rotarians around the world and throughout District 7010 continue to work tirelessly to help eradicate Polio. In the most recent issue of The Rotarian, there was a message from Glenn E. Estess Sr., Foundation trustee chair. If you haven’t yet read this inspiring article please go to http://www.rotary.org/en/aboutus/rotaryleadership/TrusteeChair/Pages/ridefault.aspx

Il y existe seulement quatre pays où le Polio est toujours endémique, soit l’Afghanistan, l’Inde, la Nigeria et le Pakistan.
Let’s work together to help rid the world of this horrible disease.
A few clubs in our District have shared with me their Polio initiatives. Please feel free to contact any of these clubs to learn more about their plans. Better yet, speak with them in person at the District Conference!

During my travels across the District I have spotted many END POLIO NOW Car Magnets – a project from the Rotary Club of Washago & Area. Great work!

The Rotary Club of Sudbury has issued a challenge to each member – Pennies for Polio. Each club member is to donate or raise $50 towards the campaign. A specially-designed coin box is front and centre at each meeting for Rotarians to drop in their spare change, or their fifty dollar bills. To date, the club is half-way towards their goal of raising $3,000.

The Collingwood South Georgian Bay Club is hosting a big band/jazz evening to raise funds, combining an evening of fellowship with an opportunity to help eradicate this disease.

The Rotary Club in Kapuskasing is hoping to raise $4,500 with Fishing Rod racks sales – which I have been delighted to distribute for them as I travel throughout the District.

Congratulations to each and every Club and each and every Rotarian for what you continue to do to help our world’s children. You continue to inspire me!

As we celebrate Vocational month in October, it has been a real pleasure to host the GSE Team from India. If you have not yet met the team, you will have an opportunity to connect with Ajay, Sammerjit, Biswa and Meghna at the District Conference beginning October 16th.
Until we meet at the Falls later this week…

The Future of Rotary is in your hands
DG Richard

Rotary 7010 Update September 2009

2009-09-02T10:28:00.003-04:00

Greetings Rotarians from District 7010, Aanii, Bonjour,

As we begin September, and for many a return to school, I am pleased to report that Rotary District 7010 has welcomed 6 new members since July – and many more to come I am sure. Kudos to Matheson, Hearst, and Barrie Huronia for introducing these new members to the Rotary family. Keep up the good work!
As I continue my travels throughout the District since July 1, I have met over 500 Rotarians in 15 clubs. What I find most amazing is the Rotary footprint each club has left locally and internationally; each of the clubs in District 7010 works hard to leave the world a little better than they found it – it’s wonderful and it makes me proud to be a Rotarian!

I wanted to update you all on new Committees and new Committee chairs. PDG Sue Cook has agreed to chair a committee to evaluate and help clubs who are currently struggling with membership. No name for this committee has yet been chosen but it will be announced in a future blog.
I am pleased that Rotarian Dhiren Sinha of the Rotary Club of Sudbury has agreed to be Chair of the Friendship Exchange committee, taking over the role originally held by Judith Cardwell. Thank you Judith.

There is an interesting article in the July issue of Rotary World Magazine that details information on pages 3 and 4 on opportunities for Rotary in challenging times; which includes the topic of member retention during this recession. Also, be sure to read the article entitled “Montréal convention to be an international experience” on page 3. http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/rw_0907_en.pdf

À la prochaine,

DG Richard
Rotary District 7010

August 2009

2009-08-18T20:20:00.001-04:00

Aanii, Bonjour, Hello,

Whoever said that summer was a time to relax has not had the privilege of serving Rotary District 7010. One perk of this “job” however is that I’ve had the opportunity to tour many beautiful regions of Ontario and Québec. Since my last blog on July 15th, I’ve had the pleasure to visit the following clubs: Matheson, Hearst, Kapuskasing, Bracebridge Muskoka Lakes, Huntsville, Huntsville Lake of Bays, Amos, Barrie Huronia, Barrie Kempenfelt, Barrie, Kirkland Lake, Haileybury and Englehart.
Visiting with our District Clubs is indeed refreshing as I have the opportunity to meet Rotarians who are outstanding community leaders and who are truly making a difference.
Quel plaisir de pouvoir visiter avec Rotariens de notre district qui sont tellement engagés à la mission de Rotary !

Since August is membership month, my challenge to each of the clubs in District 7010 is to enhance your own club memberships by 5%. Just imagine the difference having an additional 5% of community leaders will make to your club.
Notre but d’accroître chaque club de Rotary par un simple 5% ne devrait pas être tâche difficile à accomplir. En fait, plusieurs clubs de notre district nous ont laissé savoir leurs secrets à ce sujet. To learn more about the secrets of success of some of our district clubs regarding membership, please go to my July blog. From membership drives to specialty meals for Rotarians who bring forward new members, I am pleased to report that we are working together to ensure that the membership in Rotary thrives. Kudos to each and every one of you!

I look forward to the feedback you’ll be sending on the September theme - New Generations – Youth. Considering that our District will be welcoming – and sending off - later this month dozens of students who are taking part in the Youth Exchange program, this is a perfect opportunity to gauge your feedback on how to further engage the youth of our community.
Si vous ne le faites pas déjà, je vous encourage à vous impliquer avec les jeunes du programme d’échange de Rotary. C’est toujours rafraichissant de voir Rotary par l’intermédiaire d’un jeune.
The District Youth Committee enjoyed a successful trip to Atlantic Canada with 30 participants this past July. Our District Inbound students are now returning to their home countries, sharing stories about their exciting year in Canada with family and friends.
This month, the 14 Clubs within our District are sponsoring 15 outbound students – with the Hearst Rotary Club taking the lead by sponsoring 2. Bravo Hearst!
Many exciting opportunities lie ahead over the next year for these young students who will be enjoying Canada for the first time.

I am pleased to provide an update on the District 7010 partnership with NEADS – National Educational Association of Disabled Students.
During a recent visit to Northern Ontario, Lieutenant Governor David C. Onley announced the Rotary mentoring program.
Tom Bennett (past Governor), Richard Onley (Mentor Chair) and I have been working with NEADS to implement the pilot program which will commence this September. We will be matching 10 students with Rotary mentors in North Bay, Sudbury, and Peterborough. Each of these cities has college and university student populations. The trial will include online instruction and support materials and a data base to match students and Rotarians.
Having a mentor has been the number one need that post secondary students with disabilities have identified. With our diverse backgrounds Rotarians are in a unique position to assist and benefit from sharing our skills and experience.
Since October is Rotary Vocational Services month I hope you will consider mentoring as an avenue of service.

Stay tuned for more information on the Group Study Exchange. I will have information to you shortly on the inbound team, so that hosting arrangements can be completed.

Planning for the 2010 RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) is well under way for an exciting weekend in April 2010 at Geneva Park on Lake Couchiching. I will keep you posted on progress over the next several months,

Pour approfondir d’avantage votre connaissance de Rotary et pour renouer les liens avec les membres du district 7010 je vous encourage à vous inscrire pour la conférence de notre district qui aura lieu à Niagara-on-the-Lake du 15 au 18 octobre.
If you haven’t yet registered for our District conference in Niagara-on-the-Lake (October 15-18), please do so as soon as possible. There are a handful of rooms available at Queen’s Landing. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet Rotarians from the District. To register for the conference, or for more information, go to http://www.rotary7010.org/

Although it’s early to promote the 2010 RI conference in “la belle province”, I encourage you to learn more by visiting http://www.rotary2010.com/. Having an international conference so close to home is a luxury we cannot pass up. I hope District 7010 can help make the Montreal conference one of the best!

Enjoy the rest of the summer! Merci, Thank you, Miigwetch.

Yours in Rotary,DG RichardDistrict 7010
The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands

2009-07-10T14:03:00.001-04:00

Hello, Bonjour, Aanii,

It is a tremendous privilege for me to write to you as District Governor and to lead District 7010 for the next year.

My exciting journey began on June 29th at the tri-turnover held in Sudbury – an event combining the annual turnovers for District 7010, the Rotary Club of Sudbury and the Rotary Club of Sudbury Sunrisers. Among the 100 Rotarians and friends who gathered that evening, a number of dignitaries from throughout the district were in attendance, including outgoing District Governor Tom and his wife Grace.
I wish to thank all who attended, in particular Geoffrey Lougheed from the Rotary Club of Sudbury and his committee who did an outstanding job on this tri-turnover event.
I look forward to meeting each and every one of you as I tour the District throughout the year.
Since the turnover, I have been travelling to various Clubs within our District. My travels began by going to Timmins, where my Rotary life began in 1977. What better way to begin a new chapter than by going back to my roots! I’ve also travelled to meet Rotarians in North Bay, Timmins, Chapleau in my first few weeks as DG.
In late July and early August, my travels will take me to Hearst, Kapuskasing, LaSarre (Québec), Matheson, Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes, Huntsville and Lake of Bays.
J’ai hâte de renouer des liens avec les Rotariens du district 7010!

One of the initiatives I am most excited about this year is to finally have in place a committee working on aboriginal issues. Janet McLeod from the Peterborough Kawartha Club is chairing this new initiative and would love to hear from you.
When I asked Janet where we can start, she suggested reading a book titled “Returning to the Teachings” by Rupert Ross. From there:
1. Generate Awareness
- read about aboriginal concerns
- talk in your club about some of the things you are reading about
2. Build personal relationships
-Invite prominent members of the aboriginal community to speak to your club
-Look for members of the native community who are demonstrating leadership and talk to them about Rotary
-Look for young professionals and encourage them to apply for GSE
3. Listen
-Hear what they need and not what you think they need
- Each area of our district has its own distinct concerns. One size will not fit all.

Miigwetch Janet for your dedication to this important initiative!
I encourage all Rotarians to contact Janet directly at info@eastcityflowershop.com to provide her with your comments and suggestions.

Another new initiative for District 7010 is to partner with NEADS – National Educational Association Disabled Students. NEADS was created in 1986 by a group of students with disabilities who believed that a national organization was needed to provide disabled students with information and access to post-secondary education resources and services, to advance inclusion in the post-secondary environment, and to conduct related research. They have approached Rotary for assistance, in particular in mentoring these young adults.
Richard Onley, from the Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes Club is chairing this new committee.

The upcoming Rotary Group Study Exchange will be lead by Louise Goulet from the North Bay Nipissing Rotary Club. The group will be travelling to India in early January 2010.

We’ve recently learned that Canada Post will issue a commemorative stamp for the 100th Anniversary of Rotary in Canada!! GREAT NEWS for Rotary!
Nous sommes fiers d’être ici au Canada depuis déjà cent ans – quelle honneur que Postes Canada reconnaisse Rotary avec un timbre commémoratif!

Come share in 100 years of Rotary in Canada as the Rotary Club of Sudbury and the Rotary Club of Sudbury Sunrisers present Fellowship at the Falls District 7010 conference. The conference kicks off October 15th in Niagara on the Lake with golf at Legends on the Niagara. Capture the view of the Falls while dining at the Governor’s Ball at Table Rock. A full line up of speakers and evening fellowship awaits. Don't delay to register for this exciting conference.
Only a few rooms remain at the host hotel, Queen’s Landing. Book your room now so you don’t miss out. 1-888-669-5566.
J'espère avoir l'occasion de rencontrer plusieurs nouveaux Rotariens lors de cette conference.

My new DG blog will be sent to you each month. As this is a work in progress, your feedback is always welcome! You will notice a “comment” section to the left of this text. I will be asking for your feedback on a specific topic each month. The topic for July is memberships – I am eager to learn what individual clubs are doing to increase memberships and maintain existing members.

I will also take this opportunity to request feedback from District Chairs on a regular basis so that I can include those important messages in this blog.

To quote Rotary International President John Kenny, "In Rotary, everything we are, and everything we aspire to become, lies in the hands of Rotarians in their clubs. If our clubs are congenial and our meetings well run, if our service is carefully planned and competently carried out, if our members are qualified, honest, and respected in their vocations and communities, then all of Rotary will thrive. This is why I say The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.”
Selon le nouveau président du Rotary, John Kenny « Au Rotary, ce que nous sommes et ce à quoi nous aspirons reposent sur les membres des clubs. Si nos clubs sont conviviaux et nos réunions bien organisées, si nos actions sont bien planifiées et proprement mises en place, si nos membres ont la fibre nécessaire, sont honnêtes et reconnus dans leur collectivité et profession, alors le Rotary sera prospère. C’est pourquoi j’affirme que l’avenir du Rotary est entre vos mains. »

Merci, Thank you, Miigwetch

Yours in Rotary,

DG Richard
District 7010
The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands