March Message from District Governor Don Moore
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(taken from the March issue of "The Bridge" District 6330's monthly newsletter - read the complete newsletter here)
March is here at last and our Presidents-Elect and their boards are gearing up for their Rotary year which commences on July 1st! Congratulations to all of you and DGE Doug for the work that has gone into preparing these Rotarians for a very important year as we "Light Up Rotary"! This is a perfect time to remind our Rotary Clubs that our next Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) is being held on May 3rd, 2014 in Sarnia. Parts I, II, and III are being offered. If you have never attended one of these sessions, you will come away learning so much more about Rotary! We encourage clubs to cover the $75 registration for each part for members of your club. Contact PDG Al Hardy at al@allanhardy.ca to register and for further details.
March is Literacy Month as you all know and this is very important work that Rotarians perform both locally in our own communities and also abroad. I want to make you aware of another issue closer to home … A Rotarian Aboriginal Initiative. A new organization came to life out of the 2012 District 7070 conference called the Aboriginal Rotarian Community Circle (ARCC). After much discussion, thought and input with and from the Indigenous community, Rotarians and others, we concluded where we can most be effective is education.
The goal as stated by ARCC is: To create an organization of Rotarians and Rotary clubs working in partnership and in collaboration with Canadian Aboriginals and other interested parties whose focus is on the education of Aboriginal Peoples in all its forms which will empower aboriginals and create awareness and understanding of Aboriginal issues amongst Rotary members and others.
Our vision is to have every Rotary Club (750) in Canada involved in Aboriginal activities (including projects) which will enhance the education of Aboriginal people and create an awareness of their issues, culture and history for all Canadians. There may also be a similar opportunity on the Michigan side of our district to engage in aboriginal opportunities for literacy and education.
ARCC which is in the process of becoming a charitable organization has a board made up of 10 people- 5 from the Indigenous world: Kenn Richard(Pres. of Native Child & Family Services of Toronto), Tim Thompson (Education Coordinator for Chiefs of Ontario and Parliamentary Liaison for Assembly of First Nations), Diane Longboat (leader, educator, teacher and Speaker for Soul of the Mother), Ernest Beck (Chief-Moose Cree First Nation, Grand Chief- Mushkegowuk Tribal Council and Executive Director, Tikinagan Child and Family Services, Sioux Lookout) and Suzanne Brant (cultural educator, author, visual artist and VP, Academics at the First Nations Technical Institute, Belleville) and Rotarians representing 5 districts. They are Bill Gray(District 7040), Fred Lawlor(District 7080), Kevin Webb(District 6330), Lorne Kenney(District 7010) and Chris Snyder(District 7070, Committee Chair).
We have created an initial website www.arcccanada.ca in which the vision, goals and values are stated. We are in the process of making it a "Go To" site for all Rotarians and Canadians. We have a few existing projects listed on the website with more to come.
If you want to become involved in a project but wish to find out more, please contact Chris Snyder, Chair of ARCC, directly at chris@eccgroup.ca or 416-364-0181 Ext. 2501, Julie Dunaiskis at julie@eccgroup.ca or 416-364-0181 Ext. 2500 or speak to a board member in your district. If you would like a copy of the document sent by Chris Snyder (from where I obtained this information), please contact DG Don for a copy.
If your club is connected to an Interact Club or Rotaract Club in your area, PLEASE share this newsletter with them. You may also wish to send me the name and email of a contact in those clubs in order that I can send them their own copy. Please encourage them to SHARE what they are doing both locally and internationally so that Rotarians in District 6330 are aware of what our young people are doing to help others.
Another reminder to all of you, it is time to give your DG Challenge form to your club president so that your name can be entered into NEXT draw this month for Saturday meals at the District Conference in Walkerton. The winner for the month of February …..drawn at our District Leadership Meeting in London on February 22nd is …….(drum roll…) Brenda Scott from the Chesley Rotary Club! Congratulations Brenda!!
Don’t forget. If you have items to contribute to The Bridge, send them to Editor John Hill at vesitrix@gmail.com. If you have members in your club who do not have an email address, print a copy for them so they don’t miss out on what is happening in District 6330!