"The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn."
– John Muir
One of my favorite drives (and I’m doing it a lot this year although not as much as I originally anticipated) is from my house in Pioneer, CA over Highway 88, past Silver and Caples Lakes and through Hope Valley. And of course, as the leaves of the aspen turn from green to gold and orange, the views are particularly spectacular. The highway, which usually has fairly low levels of traffic, becomes clogged with tourists and locals alike, armed with cameras, to capture the beauty of the changing seasons, to snap that one shot that tells it all.
This year, the fires that have scorched so much of northern California combined with the numerous fires on the eastern side of the Sierras have created unhealthy levels of smoke. The typically pristine blue skies have been dimmed and the smell of drying grass and pine needles has been obliterated by the smell of smoke.
All this is a reminder that life has its ups and down, its rough patches and its smooth stretches. Remember to breathe in the freshness of each new day during this season of change. And I’m not talking about fall – but rather this “season” of COVID19, of people being isolated, of so many businesses that have been forced to shut down and may not be able to survive until that day when they can re-open, and of communities who need the support of Rotary now more than ever.
October is Economic and Community Development Month. One of the things to consider as you work your club’s plan – or as you revise it because of circumstances – is where can you have the biggest impact on your community. Perhaps this year you do fewer projects, with just one or two that make a long-term significant difference in your community – for the youth, the seniors, the small businesses, etc. What kind of partnerships can you develop? Who else can collaborate with you to increase the scope of what you would like to see happen in your community? How can you use a District Grant to match some or all of the funds that you have available, thereby increasing the impact of what you can do.
There are clubs providing air filters to their local schools; there are clubs rotating their weekly meetings to different restaurants to try to give a number of local businesses the chance to succeed; there are clubs who are making sure that school-age kids have supplies and snacks and food that will keep them going since they are missing their school breakfasts and lunches. There are vocational scholarships being awarded, and community forums and roundtables being set up to discuss how best to serve our communities going forward. Rotarians ARE People of Action!
Set your sights high. Achieving goals that make a difference in your community will bring joy to those you serve and joy back to you and your club.
Please e-mail Wyn Spiller (wyn.spiller@gmail.com) or Matt Cruse (ar15pres@yahoo.com) if you have signed up or increased your current giving so your 250 points can be credited to you!
Rotary Supporting Local Businesses
It was a hot August night in Amador City, the patio with its myriad of plants draping down over the walls and flowing down the rock faces making the patio seem cooler. From time-to-time an occasional breeze flowed across the patio which was welcomed by all.
With the county semi-open The Rotary Club of Plymouth-Foothills wanted to begin doing projects and helping within the community. But what could be done to honestly help? On August 18th, the Rotary Club of Plymouth-Foothills participated in their first project since the shutdown began many months ago. That project - helping a small family owned restaurant. This being the first project in the community, it was a two-fold event, the Rotary Club of Plymouth-Foothills had their first face-to-face meeting in many months, a social gathering and dinner at the Imperial Hotel. The gathering was held in the beautiful gardens and patio of the Imperial Hotel with approximately 25 in attendance, all wearing face coverings and appropriately social distanced. The ambiance, the meals, the beautiful gardens; they made the first gathering wonderful. The most important part was knowing that the Rotary Club of Plymouth-Foothills was helping, if only in a small way, the owner of the Imperial Hotel. Mary Ann McCamant, owner of the Imperial Hotel and her wonderful staff did an excellent job.
The Rotary Club of Plymouth-Foothills has chosen several other small family-owned businesses or restaurants within Amador County they plan to visit. The Rotarians have fun, enjoy camaraderie, had a wonderful evening while at the same time helping the restaurateur.
CHECK OUT PLYMOUTH ROTARY AT www.pfrotary.org!
District 5190 Now Has a Podcast!
Tune in, on your time, to get all the district news.
Episodes are archived on the District website. You can also subscribe to the show on your favorite listening app (Spotify, Google Play, Apple Podcasts), or check out each episode when it's posted to all the District social media platforms (LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook).
You'll hear all kinds of great things on the show and experience the District in a whole new way.
Jan Recanzone is more than the President of the Rotary Club of Yerington, she is artist. Jan, an award-winning quilter and has created a work of art in the form of a silk quilt which she has generously donated to raffle for Polio Plus. People who know nothing about quilting often think of these creations as a homemade blanket, something made with scraps of fabric that are tossed on the bed to keep them warm. Often times they are so much more and such is the case with this quilt. (For clarification quilting is the process of joining at least three fabric layers together using a needle and thread, either by hand or using a machine. A long arm quilting machine can either digitally or manually create quilt designs).
Jan began her love of sewing at the age of five creating patterns and dresses for her dolls. Years later while living in Tahoe Jan attended a presentation put on by the Yerington Quilters Guild. Jan decided when she retired, she wanted to move to Yerington and to purchase a long arm machine. Both dreams have come true and for the past sixteen years she estimates she has quilted over a thousand quilts, some for herself but most for others. Jan is well known in her circle and she often has several quilts waiting to be completed. Though this is a business for her she is extremely generous with her talent and often supports nonprofits and local fundraisers. Jan has received several best of show awards, numerous long arm quilting awards including the Nevada Quilt Guild Long Arm Quilter of the Year in 2012.
The Polio Plus Quilt is a fifteen-year project. Jan attended an exhibition of Japanese Silk Quilts in Washington and decided she wanted to create a silk quilt. She began collecting fabric through her travels and others followed suit collecting silk from all over the world. Jan being the wonderful person she is decided she wanted to do something special for her club and for Polio Plus thus donating this beautiful quilt. This custom quilt is 81x99 inches. Raffle tickets are $10 each or 6 for $50 and can be purchased by contacting the Rotary Club of Yerington or Jan Recanzone at 775 463-9070 or 775 530-2764.
When asked if she had one “special” memory she said, “It was a cloudy day and was sitting thinking, not sure if I should get the long arm machine and I said a prayer and asked for guidance. Minutes later the sun came through a cloud and shined on my face”. Not only was Jan blessed that day but so were so many others that now have one of Jan’s works of art.
$$$$ - District Finance Committee Meetings - $$$$
As with many District meetings and trainings, the District Finance Committee is meeting virtually on Zoom for the foreseeable future. Finance Committee meetings have always been open to any interested District 5190 Rotarian and will continue to be. If any Rotarian from a District 5190 club would like to attend a meeting, please email Finance Committee Chair Tom Hardy at tlhardy66@gmail.com at least one day before the meeting so that you can receive the Zoom log-in information.
The next Finance Committee meetings are scheduled for October 16, 2020 at 3:00 PM and January 8, 2021 at 3:00 PM. Meetings last for no more than two hours.
The final regular meeting for the Finance Committee is scheduled to be a live meeting held as part of RALLYE 2021, April 30 or May 1, 2021 (the exact meeting time and location will be coordinated with other RALLYE events).
Tickets available here (scroll down and you'll see the poster).
Connect with District 5190 on Social Media
Want to stay up to date on all the happenings? Follow the District on social media. The District has profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Be sure to follow/like on the platforms you follow, so you'll get all the District updates in your feed. The District Public Image Committee will be featuring no only District news, but also outstanding Rotarians and community partners; successful fundraisers; tips on best practices, membership retention/attraction ideas; and more.
Our goal is to make the information coming from the District timely, relevant and valuable to every member of District 5190.
If you have content you'd like shared, click here for the submission form.
All Area 8 clubs are meeting on a regular basis with 2 clubs meeting with a Hybrid format (Sparks Centennial Sunrise and Reno Centennial Sunset) with the other 6 clubs meeting virtually via Zoom. All the clubs are trying social events either monthly or occasionally. Most of these events are outdoors.
World Polio Day
Area 8 is having an all-Area World Polio Day Event where we will be gathering for a Zoom meeting to hear PDG Dave Bianchi talk about Polio Plus and its benefits to other diseases. We will then walk for one hour and then re-gather on Zoom to learn how much money was raised from the event. The club with the highest per capita giving will win a prize. All participants will be asked to seek donations and to donate themselves.
Virtual Foundation Celebration with PRIP John Germ
We will be holding our Virtual Foundation Celebration (normally Foundation Dinner) on Nov 20 and our Speaker will be PRIP and Current Polio Plus Chair John Germ (photo above). We will be asking everyone in attendance to donate at least $25 to Polio Plus. We will open attendance to all Rotarians in our District. We will be advertising this event in more detail soon.
Click here for the full highlights from all Area 8 Clubs!
Distance Learning is Here!
COVID-19 has changed the world. Rotary is uniquely suited to create solutions during trying times. Knowing creativity thrives in constraint, District 5190 is bringing you more distance learning opportunities to stay on top of best practices, procedures for each executive club role, and much more.
Click here for more training resources and folks to reach out to if you need help or have any questions.
