For those that were not at the meeting on January 17, I made this announcement regarding invocation. You may have noticed that invocation has been removed from our club meetings since the beginning of the year. I want to put more emphasis on Rotary themes and areas of focus, tying that in to the topic of the day. I think kicking off the meeting with something Rotary is a great way to do that and remind us why we are here.
What also motivated this change is that our club is not very diverse. Our membership currently does not represent the community, as a whole, in which we live. To align with our visioning from last year and our strategic plan, we wish to seek and maintain member diversity with the goal of being a more inclusive club, for the future of our club and for Rotary.
Rotary is a secular organization dedicated to the service of humanity. This world-wide organization is comprised of people of all faiths and those without, and it does not discriminate. Our prayer to a Christian God has the potential to alienate individuals who believe differently, both current members and visitors, and we certainly would not want that to happen. If prayer is something important to you on a personal level, by all means, do what you need to do; but, prayer will no longer be part of our program. We are all different and equal in this room. What unites us is Rotary. Service above self. To adhere to the 4-way-test, saying and doing things that are fair to all concerned; I appreciate your understanding about this change.
I very much wish to extend a thank you to those that have delivered invocation in the past and currently acknowledge Keith Roberts, Bill Bramwell and Peter Roed. I thank you for the heartfelt and thoughtful prayers you have given. Your service to our Rotary club in this capacity has been appreciated. Thank you.
100 years of Foundation celebration will take place Tuesday, January 31 from 6-8 pm at the Reach Gallery and Museum. Join club members from the 3 Rotary clubs in Abbotsford as we celebrate 100 Years of Rotary Foundation! Refreshments will be served, and the archives will be out, highlighting our contributions to Abbotsford over the years. $26.50/ticket.
Since the launch of Rotary Global Rewards on 1 July 2015, over 100,000 members have visited the site! We would like to thank you for supporting the program by spreading awareness of it among your district and clubs.
If you have not visited Rotary Global Rewards recently, we now have over 1,500 offers worldwide. We recommend using the member benefits program both locally and when you travel.
If you’d like to give discounts to other Rotarians, add your own company’s special offers to the growing portfolio of Rotary Global Rewards. To date, over 350 offers have been posted by Rotarians.
We have also added two new and exciting global travel offers, a hotel discount center and an airline discount center, which provide great discounts and give up to 10 percent of your purchase back to Rotary.
Remember that many Rotary clubs cover the cost of members attending seminars - ask about your club’s policy.
Make It Happen! Rotary Train and District Conference - join us aboard the train from Vancouver to Seattle on May 4, take a Duck Tour, watch the Mariners play ball from a box suite, visit the Gates Foundation and hear from powerful speakers. Registration is filling quickly and the rooms are going even faster so act now!
Rotary Passport Club - we are starting a new kind of Rotary club with greater meeting flexibility and lower costs that physically meets only 4 times per year and encourages members to engage in humanitarian service. The club is designed for former Rotary members, youth, alumni and others who find a traditional club doesn’t fit their life. If you know a former Rotarian or someone who should be a Rotarian, refer them to the details on the District website.
Rotary International Convention in Atlanta - there’s still time to register and celebrate 100 years of The Rotary Foundation. Governor-Elect Lindagene Coyle has also arranged a Get Together Dinner for District 5050 Rotarians on Wednesday, June 14. Plus there’s a larger gathering of our Zone Rotarians (from BC to Newfoundland and Washington to New York) at the Beyond Borders Dinner. Details on the District website.
Rotary Foundation Wine - enjoy a red or a white bottle specially labeled for The Rotary Foundation Centennial and now available in both Washington and BC!
Rotary International continues to work on branding and communication of our organization throughout the world. They are pushing for greater exposure within the press, radio, television and social media.
To this end, we would like to encourage all members to participate, with contribution, on our social media sites.