“Like a woman who has found her authenticity, November’s beauty radiates from within”
- Sarah Ban Breathnach
The fifth month of this Life-Changing Rotary Year was aglow as I started my official Governor’s visit. I have enjoyed all my 16 online visits as well as 3 in-person meetings with fellow Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors, and Friends of Rotary.
Each club visit was memorable and uniquely displayed the characters of Rotarians in our district. Some clubs had their members converge in one place and connected with me via Zoom while others had a virtual club meeting which I joined.
One club asked me to attend their “UHAW” association while others sent me snacks as tokens and one particular club commissioned their artistic member to do a painting for me which is now beautifully displayed in my home office.
I am not even halfway with my online Governor’s visit but I am sure that more great things will happen as I continue with my journey to call on you, albeit virtually, this December as well.
Needless to say, I have been impressed by the works reported by the clubs that I’ve visited so far. Rotarians in District 3859 did not allow Covid to dampen their commitment to Rotary, but rather, showed resiliency and came up with innovative ways to continue their vow of service under new normal conditions.
Their activities showed how they poured time and resources to ensure that real “Service above Self” is put into practice. In fact, the tagline that Rotarians are “People of Action” have gone beyond its mere promotional value but has become a way of life for many in our district.
It is my hope that I will be able to visit all clubs again , and this time physically, by the first quarter of 2022. I want to see firsthand all the life-changing projects of the 54 Rotary clubs and thank the members and officers. I will also take the opportunity to invite everyone to the “Visita Ontravez Ciudad de Zamboanga” District Conference in Zamboanga City on April 22 to 24, 2022.
As of November 2021, our total PolioPlus Fund stood at USD 42,161.00, it is the highest in our District 3850 Polio Plus Fund history and our efforts landed us Top 3 in Zone 10A Philippines last October 2021. What is equally amazing about the End Polio Now campaign was gaining the support of 636 Rotarians to help fulfill our promise to the children. Indeed, we are and always will be, a FUN and UNITED district and I am thankful for your support.
November is The Rotary Foundation Month and I am once again appealing to your generous side to join Rotary International’s effort to create lasting change across the globe, in our communities, as serve to change lives through TRF.
Our district’s Rotary Foundation goal for RY 2021-2022 is USD 222,222.22. This amount is more than an optimistic number, as evidenced by your overwhelming support to the Polio Fund. I am confident that we can reach and perhaps even exceed our target because we have all realized that behind the numbers we pegged, are the lives that will change because of your generosity.
When we give to TRF, what do we get? Three years from now, our district will get back half of the total amount we donated to support the projects of our district. But more than that, let me just emphasize that in the past seven years, our district has been generously endowed with gifts from the TRF through the 86 Global Grants we’ve received that amounted to over $4.2 million.
To name a few, we have worthy projects like the Vocational Training in South Korea, Daycare centers, TechVoc Equipment, water-projects, Covid Tent and the Covid Ambulance among others. These projects are testament to TRF’s promise of “doing good in the world.”
As such, may I enjoin all Rotarians in our district to continue giving to The Rotary Foundation. Furthermore, may I ask all 715 Paul Harris Fellows of District 3850 to please consider giving at least $100 for this Rotary Year and receive a special TRF Sustaining Member pin and a personalized Sustaining Member certificate.
Likewise, I appeal to all Paul Harris Sustaining Members and those who have yet to discover the merits of our foundation to share at least $100 as well and avail the special pin too, this Rotary Year.
I am confident that we will not fail in this endeavor and I look forward to your generous-giving. To those who have given and will continue to give, my profound thanks for helping us achieve our TRF goals.
May this be a shared vision, a shared challenge and a shared responsibility among Rotarians in District 3850. May we all see that there is joy in giving and in sharing the blessings we have received from God.
I claim positivity because I know that TOgether we will, TOgether we can!