Karin Gaffney, District Governor presents the Nashoba Valley Club with this year's theme. See details below for the story about her necklace :)
Old News-Catching up: Busy month!
- Assisted the Lion’s Club in eye and ear screening in Bolton, Stow, Lancaster and Hudson
- Completed a successful Purple Pinkie Day in our 3 towns. Income up in Lancaster but down overall. Total contributions over the last 4 years however totals $9,892.85. We have saved the lives of 30,000 in the world.
- Nine of us made a meal and had dinner in Oakham at Dismas House- a working farm for former prisoners who are working to overcome additions.
- Conducted a successful Repair Café in Sudbury (Howard shared his thanks for all who helped repair 75-80 items)
- Completed our club visioning event to create a list of priorities that will develop into an actionable strategic plan for our club moving into the next 3 years. Steve will be our champion
- Purchased and delivered a new tv and dvd for senior housing in Bolton
- Put on an incredibly successful Veteran’s Day breakfast for about 100 people that included a talk from a retired Brigidere General.
- Jacky and Interact delivered buckets of sand to seniors in Bolton
- Purchased all the items and have put together fantastic Thanksgiving bags for seniors in Bolton-delivery has just begun.
Updates on our grants:
- District Grant-Karin has written the application for our District Grant for Cultivate Counseling for expansion of fencing and building a new barn for the alpacas. Our grant will provide not only $3,000 toward this work, but also the chance for each us to volunteer in the building!
- Global Grant-Changes have been made and approved by the board. Application is in progress but not completed yet. Carl is hard at work!
Upcoming events
- Shop at Talbots today for 10% to be donated to the Healing Garden
- Holiday party Dec. 10th for the district at Colonial Inn
- Local holiday party January 18th
- DECA mock interviews at December 14th at Nashoba Regional High School. Laura sent email with details
- Community Supper in Stow January 5th. Kitchen Clean up needed.
- RLI Training on January 20th in Boxborough (reimbursed for half of fee). Sign up early to ensure the workshop will happen
- Wine Fellowship Dinner in Sherborn on November 30th , sign by November 17th (see Carl or Steve with questions)
- Next meeting is November 30th at Emma’s café for a club Assembly to address the visioning and planning.
- 12/2 Debra’s Natural Gourmet with donate a portion of sales to Gaining Ground, a local non profit that Ray is a part of
- Multi District event at Mount Washington, May 4-6
- Dogfest planning continuing – committee roles to be shared at 11/30 meeting. Event to be helped on April 29th
Happy/Sad
- Carol happy to be the zone 32 Polio Coordinator again next year
- Carl happy to be here
- Howard happy to be here & thanked “most enthusiastic” President!
- Ron is happy that yesterday was another great Rotary Means Business event
- Richard share thanks to Mary for her leadership and wishes everyone a happy thanksgiving
- Brian happy to be here
- Steve reminded us of wine fellowship event and shared there will be a TV taping in Worcester about Rotary’s hurricane relief effort
- Mary Ann grateful to this club and had a great first time ever trip too Disney
- Bob is happy the DG is here
- Karin happy to be here
- Katie happy to be here
- Ray is happy for the energy of our club
- Jacky thanked Karin for a fun social and is looking forward to a trip to Florida
- Rich is sad for having to need dental work but happy at how quickly he feels better
- Laura is exhausted/happy for great Veterans event (thanks to those who helped), exhausted/happy for Thanksgiving bags and happy with our clubs energy and spirit of giving
- Carolyn happy that she met a 96-year old verteran, Clair, who fixed radios during the war (including Bob Hopes)
- Nanci thanked Mary for her incredible job so far
- Leigh is happy her friend had twins on Monday
- Mary is happy to be here
Presentation from District Governor, our very own, Karin Gaffney!
Karin is now 5 months into the role. She left her job in March to focus on Rotary and is taking full advantage of this opportunity and privilege. As a result, she feels she is growing as a person.
Jim Fusco has been coaching her and suggested she find something to make her unique (like his white sneakers). Karin shared that she wanted a really nice, understated Rotary necklace. Her husband doesn’t shop……………..see photo of necklace he got for her. Each Rotarian and Club is a gear in a wheel, her job is to bring us together to make gears turn.
When ask the ever popular question, ‘what is Rotary?’ Karin encourages us give an example of what we do (give every 3rd grader a dictionary in Lancaster, organized Veterans breakfast, ….)
This year’s theme: Making a Difference:
Explanation of the image on the banner: Columns in center represents Rotarians of all sizes, colors, locations, etc. The various heights show us reaching toward top of circle to symbolize always trying to reach do more and reach new levels of success. Circle symbolizes every place in the world. The overall design is purposefully busy and active.
Explanation of the image on the banner: Columns in center represents Rotarians of all sizes, colors, locations, etc. The various heights show us reaching toward top of circle to symbolize always trying to reach do more and reach new levels of success. Circle symbolizes every place in the world. The overall design is purposefully busy and active.
Karin shared that Rotary makes a difference in each of our lives in addition to those we serve & many have been honored for our work. Bonds are created, everyone pitches in at service projects without having to be asked. Service Above Self is very special motto and the 4-way test is on our DNA.
Karin’s goal today was to “infect us with Rotary spirit.”
- Story about attending international convention in Atlanta for first time with 44,000 others. Described the sea of Rotarians from all over the world in restaurants, hotel lobby’s train, etc.. At the airport, heading home, one woman told Karin she met a women who asked her to help in putting on a path to DG, club without a next president left with one. Inspired by spirit and wanted to do more. Next year is in Toronto (reg price increases 12/15)
- Karin proved, scientifically, that making a difference is good for a person. Research shows we feel more connected, build skills, learn leadership, become more grateful, improve relationships, live longer because reduced depression, improves self-esteem, and more
- Not all clubs in the district does what NV does. In fact, no other comes close to our track record of 5 consecutive Global Grants.
- Examples of service projects around the district: Milford does summer lunch program to kids without access to healthy food (16,000 last summer), Ayer builds ramps for wheel chair bond community members who don’t have access to one, Concord runs skills assessment for prisoners help to ensure job when released, Marlborough partners with Hannaford and give crockpots/cookbooks (made by club) to low income
- How to make an bigger difference this year:
- Do more service: some Clubs do a great job at raising money and writing checks but that’s not service! Helping clubs to understand the difference
- Raise awareness of Rotary in community
- Bring in new members. Highest priority internationally
- All these elements work together and keep those gears turning
In closing, Karin reminds us to be kind to strangers, pay it forward, find your passion and own it, figure our your skill set and bring to club, if you want to do more, we need leaders, let her know. Most of all: in year ahead focus on ROTARY MAKING A DIFFERENCE theme
Laura: reminder to track community service hours!