Happy  New Year!

 
A time for remembering as the year 2016 comes to an end, and a time for projecting our wishes and dreams for the New Year 2017.  Did you feel proud of being a part of Rotary International? 

The has recognized The Rotary Foundation with its annual Award for Outstanding Foundation.

The award honors organizations that show philanthropic commitment and leadership through financial support, innovation, encouragement of others, and involvement in public affairs. Some of the boldest names in American giving — Kellogg, Komen, and MacArthur, among others —are past honorees.

“We are honored to receive this recognition from the AFP, which gives us even more reason to celebrate during our Foundation’s centennial year,” says Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair Kalyan Banerjee. “The continued strong support of Rotary members will help us keep our promise of a polio-free world for all children and enable the Foundation to carry out its mission of advancing world understanding, goodwill, and peace. We look forward to another 100 years of Rotary members taking action to make communities better around the world.”

The announcement came on 15 November, known to industry professionals since the 1980s as National Philanthropy Day. The award will be presented in early 2017 at the AFP’s annual conference in San Francisco.

At the club level, did you make connections as a Rotarian?  Read the newsletters and submit your attendance?  Have you attempted to connect with others in our e-club?  Have you supported our club projects financially, served on committees, shared a tidbit about what you are doing for others to get to now you?  Have you worn your Rotary pin and told others about Rotary?  Have you had someone approach you in the airport because of your Rotary pin or Rotary bag, sharing that they had been a Rotary exchange student, attended RYLA, or served a a Peace Scholar or Ambassadorial Scholar?  Have you visited another Rotary club in your hometown or abroad, and shared information about your e-club? 

Looking forward to 2017, if you answered "no" to some of the above questions there will be opportunities for the answers to change.  Also, you may look forward to attending a district conference and/or Rotary International Convention.  We hope you are interested in community and international service!  If you know of a community leader whom you feel is a good candidate to introduce to Rotary, you can help our club grow in membership and increase the helping hands needed to make this world a better place.  Is this the final year for new polio cases?  Let's work together to serve humanity!

RI President John F. Germ chose Rotary Serving Humanity as his theme for 2016-17. Noting Rotary’s unique ability to bring together committed professionals to achieve remarkable goals, Germ believes that “now is the time to capitalize on our success: as we complete the eradication of polio, and catapult Rotary forward to be an even greater force for good in the world.”