Fall is finally here, but can you believe the Rotary Year is almost 40% over. I feel the months are rushing by. I truly enjoyed visiting several Polio fundraisers and Veterans Day activities in the last few weeks. Plus I met this month with Rotarians and local children in Roatan, Honduras and Costa Maya, Mexico as I had the privilege to go on a cruise in preparation for the January 12-19th Annual District Conference International Service cruise.
I only delivered 4 backpacks of school supplies and 322 small Disney holiday books, but they served as an amuse bouche for our upcoming delivery of 6 pallets. I can hardly wait for all of you to experience the joy in person or via photos of meeting the recipients of our collection efforts and packing parties and seeing Rotary at a global level.
You guys are rocking membership. The District is at +77 plus 3 new Rotaractors. This puts us in 2nd place out of 23 Districts in Zones 25B and 29. We are 2 members from being in 1st place! Since July 1st, 28 clubs gained, 17 clubs are holding steady, and 16 clubs have lost member(s) with 3.23% growth District-wide. Thanks for bringing in so many new members to share the Magic of Rotary so we can complete even more than the +10% in service I have been encouraging this year. The big Membership Drive winners for October were the Rockwall Rotary Club and Irving Las Colinas Rotary Club which both grew by 3 members and Rowlett Rotary Club won the % contest with 15.4% increase in one month!
Club presidents and membership chairs don’t forget to turn in your visitor and new member excel form each month to Reyna Castillo by the 7th for your raffle tickets for our Membership Drive and Raffle. https://rotary5810.org/sitepage/membership-drive If you miss a month, you can still catch up. We are still gathering prizes besides the Alaskan cruise on Princess for 2 oceanview in Summer, 2026.
Exciting Events coming up:
Our next Roundtable will be Saturday December 14th with breakfast from 9:30 to 10 am, meeting from 10-11 am and service project from 11 am to Noon. We will be making candy bags and packing other items for our District Conference cruise. Please come in person to Dallas College-Brookhaven Campus, Building H Room 125, 3939 Valley View Lane Farmers Branch, TX 75244 or by zoom https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89646061440?pwd=fSu99HyKPVYTsuiTgYmNzU0fBd7H53.1
Since it is the month of December and merriment is in the air please wear your favorite holiday shirt, sweater or costume to Roundtable. Our usual Raffle prizes will be given out to those 6 guests voted “most festive, most creative, and Ugliest sweater” with a female and male winner in each of these 3 categories. We might even break out in song as we pack and wish everyone Happy Holidays.
Our last District Cruise Party will be December 10th from 5:30 – 7:30 pm at Lazy Dog Restaurant, 5100 Belt Line Road in Addiison. Appetizers will be provided with a cash bar. RSVP at https://form.jotform.com/243155565988068 by December 5th. Please come for the fellowship, hear all the tips and tricks, pick up your shirts, and sign up for tours. We still have inside cabins for $511.24 and balconies for $641.24 per person double occupancy for a 7 night cruise which is less than $100 per night. Come join us!
November is Foundation Month. Remember we donate “through” the Foundation and not “to” the Foundation due to the monies that are returned to our clubs and District for projects of our choosing. Thank you for donating!
December is Disease Prevention and Treatment Month, which is what Rotary is best known for among non-Rotarians. Think of a program or project to highlight this Area of Focus. Did you know the largest # of Rotary global grants (620) are in this Area with over $40.7M given out in 2023-2024.
Numerous clubs are participating in Christmas parades. Look for one in your area.
Thanks so much for all you do.
May your upcoming Thanksgiving holiday be filled with blessings.
Yours in service,
DG Regina