Five Rotary Clubs in District 7070 hosted 65 Rotarians from Rotary, Rotaract and Interact Clubs in District 7070 at an outstanding Zoom meeting on November 26, to save an important part of Ontario's heritage AND contribute to the fight against climate change. The Evening was hosted by CTV's Colin D' Mello with special guests: Mark Cullen, Deputy Mayor Michael Thompson, Carolyn King, Edith George, Sophia Maiolo and Nilam Bedi. District 7070 came together to help save an Oak Tree that is older than Canada!

Zhelevo is a majestic Red Oak located in a residential community near the Humber River in Toronto. It is well over 250 years old and was recognized as a Heritage Tree in 2009 thanks to the incredible efforts of Edith George, its neighbour and friend.

Social media is part of our everyday lives, both personally and professionally. To stay connected with your members and community, you need more than a club website; you need a strong social media presence too. 

Thank you to Sue Miller of the District 7070 Public Image Committee created and posted these very useful tips to help you build, improve, and strengthen your social media posts and keep them up-to-date.

Be sure to go to the District 7070 Facebook Page and view them all. 

Bob Wallace, Chair, and the entire District 7070 Foundation Committee hosted everyone in District 7070 to "Tuesday Talks" on November 10 to "The Rotary Foundation. Fund Raising in Challenging times and adapting in these times" Our keynote speaker was Brenda Cressey, Rotary Foundation Trustee - 2017-2021.

Brenda joined Rotary in 1989 and is currently a proud member of the Rotary Club of South Portland-Cape Elizabeth, Maine. USA in District 7780.  Brenda served as District 5240 (California) as its Governor in 2001-02.  She is retired as the CEO of Office Support Systems, a telecommunications business. Brenda served in several key roles for Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation over the years including serving as the first woman Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair in 2018-19 and will continue her four-year trustee term through 2021. 

Most of Brenda’s assignments have focused on successful Fund Development for The Rotary Foundation, specifically in the areas of Peace and Polio Eradication her passion and mission in Rotary.  However, she shares the importance of supporting the Annual Fund, Endowments and Major Gifts. She has witnessed several successful projects made possible by Rotary Clubs and Districts and enjoys seeing the full engagement of passionate Rotarians successfully implementing projects in each of the six Areas of Focus.  Most recently she is inspired by the amazing projects currently being carried out around the globe addressing community needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Having participated in several Rotary humanitarian projects around the world, she is a proud Rotary Foundation Alumnus. Brenda has seen and experienced, first-hand, how our gifts to the Rotary Foundation greatly impact the lives of others and how these gifts will someday bring peace and understanding around the world.  She and her husband Dick are members of the prestigious Arch Klumph Society, Major Donors, members of the Paul Harris and the new Legacy Societies and have established the Brenda and Richard Cressey Endowment for Peace, supporting Peace Certificate Fellowships. She is the recipient of the RI “Service Above Self Award” and The Rotary Foundation’s “Citation for Meritorious Service,” and the Rotary Foundations highest recognition, The Distinguished Service Award. 

I want to personally thank everyone who joined us for the first open meeting, "Director Dialogue," with past Rotary International President Ian Riseley!  Remember to keep the 2nd Thursday of every month (except December 2020) at this same time (7pm ET/4pm PT) free for future meetings. Special guests from throughout the Rotary world will join me each month to cover a wide range of topics of interest to all Rotarians, all provided at no charge as a benefit to you as a member of a club in Zones 28 & 32!  FIRST MEETING was ON NOV 12.

CLICK ON THIS ZOOM LINK to See the Recording. 

For future Director Dialogues, after registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.  NOTE: registration is limited to 500; a live stream of the event will be provided should we exceed that number. I look forward to you joining me for this special “Director Dialogue” series.

January 14th, 2021 - Elevate Rotaract, what does it mean to Rotary?  My guest will be Past Rotary International President Barry Rassin   He'll talk with us about what "Elevate Rotaract" means in practical terms.  Register now by CLICKING HERE.

Thank you,

Valarie Wafer

Foundation Trustee Jennifer E. Jones, a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, Canada, has been nominated to become Rotary International’s president for 2022-23, a groundbreaking selection that will make her the first woman to hold that office in the organization’s 115-year history. Jennifer will officially become president-nominee on October 1, 2021, if no other candidates challenge her. Jones says she sees Rotary’s Action Plan as a catalyst for increasing Rotary’s impact........

.......

Please join us for the Rotary District 7070 Conference in 2021 on Friday, April 9 - Sunday, April 11, 2021 at the beautiful Pan Pacific Toronto (formerly the Westin Prince Hotel) ,in Toronto. The entire Team at the hotel look forward to welcoming you for
Rotary District 7070 Conference 2020-21, so you can experience firsthand Pan Pacific’s signature hospitality – at Toronto’s first Pan Pacific hotel. Be sure to register TODAY. Here's how.....

Be sure to catch the replay of World Polio Day 2020 in he Global Classroom from Durham College in Oshawa, Ontario Canada . The 10 Rotary Clubs in Durham Region in District 7070 say "Your'e not going to want to miss this one".

Rotary International President Nominee 2022-23 Jennifer Jones, Rotary International Director Valarie Wafer, Rotary International District 7070 Governor Mark Chipman, Past Chair of Rotary Internationals' PolioPlus Committee Dr Bob Scott, Past Rotary International President Ian Riseley and Rotary International PolioPlus Chair for Nigeria and one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2020 Dr Tunji Funsho, the Mayors and Chair of Durham Region all proclaiming World Polio Day and see the flags flying high.

Right here: https://durhamcollege.ca/globalclass/class/rotary-international-world-polio-day-2/

The Bowmanville Rotary Club is gearing up for its third annual Concert to Feed the Need in Durham - the showcase that features great music from across the region. This year, the Oshawa and Oshawa-Parkwood Clubs are co-presenting, so this is truly becoming a regional event.

In 1996, the great African leader Nelson Mandela launched the Kick Polio Out of Africa campaign with Rotary International’s support, setting out a vision for a polio-free Africa. At the time, wild polio paralyzed 75,000 children each year. To protect communities from this crippling disease, African leaders, health workers, volunteers, parents, global donors and organizations united to reach every child with polio vaccines.  

On  August 25, 2020, after four years without a single case of wild polio, the African region has been certified free of wild poliovirus. Decades of extraordinary investment has paid off. 

Yet, the job is not finished. These efforts must continue to prevent wild polio from returning and to end all forms of polio for good – both in Africa and globally.

Dear fellow Rotarians in District 7070,

Thank you for showing Rotary alignment right across Canada in support of Orange Shirt Day!  Thank you to the many Rotary Clubs that purchased and wore the HIP orange shirt on September 30. This action reinforces the message that “Every Child Matters” while also raising funds that will be split between the Orange Shirt Society and HIP’s Literacy Program.....

For all of the News related to Rotary and COVID-19, please go to the menu bar on this website and scroll down to the various stories, projects, ideas and resources to keep you and your Rotary and Rotarcat Club well informed so that you can help your Club CONNECT with your Community.  

Relive Rotary’s first-ever virtual convention on-demand and learn why, now more than ever, Rotary Connects the World! Watch inspiring speakers and panelists from the general sessions. View General Session 1 here. View General Session 2 here. View the General Secretary's Report to the Convention here. 

Connect with the family of Rotary to discover innovative ways to engage and strengthen our communities by watching our breakout sessions. Virtual breakout session files, such as PowerPoint slides and handouts, can be accessed through Rotary’s Learning Center. Want more? Rotary International will continue their breakout session program into July....

Rotarians from over 15 different District 7070 Rotary Clubs, 3 Rotaract Clubs (including from Rotary District 7040), Rotary Youth Exchange Students, family, and friends marched in a spirit of celebration and inclusion, in the 2019 Pride Toronto parade as a group for the very first time! Thank you to the Rotary District 7070 Toronto Pride Committee (Karen Somerville, President of the Rotary Club of Toronto East,  Nicole Patterson, President of the Rotary Club of East York , Jeff Dobson, President of the Rotary Club of Toronto, and Mary Lou Harrison, our 2018-19 District Governor & Member of the Rotary Club of Toronto Sunrise. We are looking forward to being part of the 2021 Pride Toronto Parade. There's more......

Are YOU the Missing Piece? For more information, look at www.rotary.org and right here, in Southern Ontario, contact our Membership Director Virginia O'Reilly by email at voreilly@burakjacobson.ca or call her at 416-759-2905 (home) . Click on More to see why YOU ARE THE MISSING PIECE.