Dear Dream Team,

 

September is an exciting time to be a Rotarian!  It is New Generations Month, a time to focus on bringing in New Generations Members as well as thinking with a New Generations mind.  What is a New Generations mind?  It is a mind full of hope, optimism, new ideas and energy.  We can all be a part of the New Generation spirit!

 

Membership

 

Two new clubs are in the development stages, Miramar and North County New Generations (working club names).  If you can attend either of these clubs, you will provide tremendous support.  Contact PDG Mike Stelman (Rancho Bernardo) or Tom Richards (Rancho Bernardo Sunrise) for information about Miramar.  AG Scott Cadwallader is the contact for North County New Generations.

 

As District Membership Chair Carl Kruse mentioned in Kruse’s Membership Muses, it’s a good time to bring New Generations members to your clubs.  Provide them with the kind of experience that gives them value for their time and resources and is fun too.  We can all benefit from this kind of enrichment.  An enhanced experience will also help us retain members.

 

The Rotary Foundation

 

Our 35^th Annual Rotary Foundation Seminar is Saturday, September 13, 2008.  I hope to see all of you in attendance with a Rotary friend on each arm.  Register at http://www.rotary5340.org/registration/seminar08.html Bring Rotarians and potential Rotarians to this very inspiring morning.  Dan Gensler, Trudy Armstrong and the entire team have worked tirelessly on this event.  Be sure to thank them when you see them.

 

After you have attended the Foundation Seminar, you’ll be inspired.  Now is the time to plan a Foundation Program for a club meeting in the very near future to assist with your Rotary Foundation fundraising drive.  Your Assistant Governor is ready to present or help you find a great Foundation program.  When we know about the Rotary Foundation and its programs, we share the story and our Rotary heartbeat is strong.  Because we share the story, we also support it.

 

PolioPlus is underway and our clubs are already making donations.  So far this year we have donated $8,810.  Remember that District PolioPlus Chair Mark Lee is ready to visit your clubs; just ask! 

 

Hurricane Gustav

 

I have been in contact with the District Governor for the Louisiana/Mississippi area.  I told him that we will want to hear about how we can help.  At this time, they don’t know what will be needed.  I’ll let you know about their needs when he shares them with me.

 

Rotary Year 2009-2010

 

DGE Marge Cole asked that I remind all of you that Leadership Interest forms are available on the website at www.rotary5340.org/notes/2009-10.html.  Please fill it out and turn it in by September 10.  Encourage your club members to consider taking a District Leadership position.  Have fun, make new friends, enhance your leadership skills!

 

The 2009-2010 Club Presidents will be meeting with DGE Marge on November 15 for a PEP (President-Elect Planning) Rally.  If your club hasn’t selected a President-elect, now is the time to identify that position!

 

District Website

 

PDG Philippe Lamoise has been hard at work over the last few months on a revamped District website.  We plan to launch it in the next few weeks.  I hope that you will be pleased with the new look and the enhanced access to information.

 

Save the Dates

 

September 13, 2008       Foundation Seminar

October 21, 2008           District Council

January 10, 2009           Foundation Gala

February 10, 2009          District Council

March 28, 2009              District Assembly

April 10, 2009                District Council

April 25, 2009                Rotarians At Work Day

May 14-17, 2009            District Conference

June 16, 2009                District Council

 

 

Remember to support New Generations Month and I look forward to seeing you at the Foundation Seminar on September 13 at the Salk Institute!

 

 

 

Pam Russell

District Governor 2008-2009

Rotary District 5340

Telephone: 619.723.3651

Fax: 858.271.4138

www.rotary5340.org