Park Cities Rotary Club was honored to present a $10,000 grant from the Park Cities Rotary Club Foundation to the Dallas Bethlehem Center, supporting its efforts to address food insecurity in the community. The Dallas Bethlehem Center initially requested a $5,000 grant to help repair its freezer and purchase protein—two important needs that directly support its ability to provide food to individuals and families facing food insecurity.
The local food pantry Neighbors Nourishing Neighbors was lent a hand by Prosper Rotary. We repackaged food to get ready to hand out to those that need it in the area and brought some cheer to the folks here.
The North Texas Pioneers Rotary Club is inviting the community to join them for a delicious Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser on September 26 at 8:00 a.m. at Big Mike’s Bar & Grill in Plano, Texas.Buy tickets in advanced.
Hello to my fellow District 5810 Rotarians. August has been a very busy month for our clubs and district. We began the month by sending many of our district officers to the Rotary Multi District Training Institute in Pflugerville. RMDTI offers some excellent training for all types of positions on both the club and district levels.
The Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club turned a simple necessity into an opportunity to make a difference with a toilet paper drive benefiting Metrocrest Services.
On August 20, the Rotary Club of Coppell, along with community volunteers, held its 4th Annual "Notes & Nibbles" Snack Pack Event. In just 30 minutes, volunteers packed more than 300 snack bags for Coppell ISD students who may come to school without a snack.
On October 24, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., Rotary members and supporters across District 5810 will join communities around Zones 25B & 29 for the World’s Largest Polio Walk in recognition of World Polio Day. Our goal is big: raise $25,000 for polio eradication in District 5810. We Need Sponsors to Help Us Reach Our Goal!
The Rotary Rockstar Challengeis underway! If you’ve completed Levels 1 and 2—creating your club’s Rotary-compliant logo and conducting a brand audit—you’re ready to take the next step. Level 3: Promote Your Club
Ready for Level 3 of the Rotary Rockstar Challenge?
2026-08-29 05:00:00Z
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RYLA 5810 Foundation Fundraising Gala
Rotarians, mark your calendars! The RYLA 5810 Foundation is hosting its Fundraising Gala on November 6th, and we'd love for your club to join us. For 35 years, District 5810 Rotary clubs have made RYLA accessible by funding scholarships, so students attend at no cost and introducing them to Rotary's "Service Above Self" motto along the way. Thank you for this incredible investment in developing future leaders.
A RYLA Alumni Fundraising committee is hard at work to make the most of North Texas Giving Day (NTXGD), coming up on September 17th. NTXGD is a massive regional campaign to raise funds for hundreds of local non-profits, and for the last several years, RYLA 5810 has participated to raise funds to help continue all the on-going district RYLA programs that extend beyond Camp RYLA and throughout the year.
North Texas Pioneers service project this month was sending $500 to Venice/Nokomis Foundation through the Venice, Florida Rotary club. The foundation provides reconstructive surgery for children in Peru with cleft lips and palates.
World Polio Day Is October 24 — Join Us for the World's Largest Polio Walk! Now is the time to start planning for World Polio Day! On October 24, Rotarians across District 5810 will come together to raise awareness and support Rotary’s efforts to End Polio Now.
This month, Rotary International awarded the Club Excellence Award to 11 of our District 5810 clubs. This award is Rotary's highest recognition for club achievement. The award is earned by entering your club's goals in Rotary Club Central, selecting half of the available goals, achieving those goals and entering the results in Rotary Club Central by June 30. Congratulations to all of these clubs! They went above and beyond in service, leadership, innovation and member engagement!!
Join us on September 15th for a delicious way to make a difference! The Dog Haus Fundraiser is supporting the Spousal Project to help seniors in our community—one clock at a time. Enjoy great food, cold drinks, and the company of friends, all while giving back. Mark your calendar and be part of an event that brings hope and peace of mind to those living with dementia.
Last week, members of the McKinney Rotary Club rolled up their sleeves to support the McKinney ISD High School Supply Drive. From collecting much-needed school supplies to helping stuff backpacks, our Rotarians were proud to lend a hand to local students.
Royse City Rotary was proud to join Trinity Baptist Church and The Quest for an incredible Back-to-School Bash on August 5, bringing together nearly 1,000 community members to celebrate students and help families prepare for the new school year.
On the third Monday of every month, members of the Rotary Club of Park Cities gather for an evening of service at the Ronald McDonald House. Rotarians cook and serve dinner for families staying at the house, helping provide a warm meal and a little comfort during what can be a challenging time.
Come discuss with us on Tuesday, September 15th, ideas that work particularly well for your size Rotary club in North Texas. Our panelists include Membership chairmen from clubs who’ve been particularly successful at individually inviting new members. Watch for the webinar link or email Susan.Plonka@gmail.com.
Prestonwood Rotary Club was honored to welcome District Governor Mike as our guest speaker on August 12, 2026.
His visit was a great opportunity to connect with Rotary leadership, hear his vision for the year ahead, and reflect on the important role our club plays in strengthening our community through service. We appreciate Governor Mike spending time with PRC and sharing his enthusiasm for Rotary and Service Above Self.
Prestonwood Rotary Club is proud to provide a $6,000 grant to the ROC in Garland to help replenish supplies for its after-school programs serving underprivileged children.
The programs suffered losses following recent storm damage, making this support especially timely. The grant will help the ROC replace essential supplies and continue providing a safe and supportive environment for children in the community.
Service in action! 21 members and friends of Prestonwood Rotary came together to support Feed My Starving Children, working side by side to pack more than 4,000 meals for children in need around the world.
It was a wonderful example of what Rotary is all about—fellowship, teamwork, and making a meaningful difference through service.
A big thank you to everyone who participated and helped turn a few hours of volunteering into thousands of meals and a lasting impact.
Prestonwood Rotary in Action: Over 4,000 Meals Packed!
Melissa Rotary had six members helping to hand out the popsicles to happy band members at 10:00PM. The Band members were happy to have a cool snack after a long hot practice.
On Tuesday, July 28, 2026, Duncanville Rotarians had the wonderful honor of hosting District Governor Michael Callahan at their Regular Meeting. President Joe Washington opened up the meeting by introducing guests with a focus on “Rotary Means Business” and then DG Callahan shared his vision for the district and goals for membership retention. Together, we as Rotarians will “create lasting impact”!
It was another great Parade, followed by fun for the kids in the park, including bounce houses, a petting zoo, pony rides, and face painting. There were vendors from the community with give aways, too.
Hello District 5810 Rotarians. Today, August 1 is a very special day for our family, as our eldest daughter Tara Callahan is getting married in Ft Worth to her true love, Sean Cartee. Jill and I are so happy for them, and we welcome the addition of Sean to our family. I can’t think of a better reason to miss the Rotary Multi District Training Institute in Pflugerville this weekend. Thank you, PDG Mary Bedosky, for filling in for me. I look forward to hearing all about RMDTI at next week’s Club Leadership Exchange.
Join Rotary District 5810 on Saturday, October 24, 2026, as we walk together on World Polio Day to support Rotary's End Polio Now campaign. For just $25, you'll help support District 5810's $25,000 fundraising goal, receive an official event T-shirt, and Rotarians will earn Paul Harris Fellow Recognition Points with their registration.
Your Rotary club is making a difference—now it's time to make sure your community knows it! The2026-2027 Public Image Rockstar Challenge is a fun, year-long roadmap that helps clubs learn how to use Rotary's branding and public image tools to promote events, celebrate members, share service stories, and increase community awareness.
The challenge includes seven levels that guide your club through:
Get ready — because the 2027 Rotary International Convention in Barcelona (June 26–30) is shaping up to be one of the most exciting gatherings in Rotary history! Picture it: thousands of Rotarians, world‑class speakers, groundbreaking ideas, global friendships, and a city bursting with color, creativity, and culture. Barcelona is the perfect place to recharge your Rotary spirit and bring home fresh inspiration for your club.
On July 11, Rotarians came together in the spirit of Service Above Self to support the annual Beat the Heat project, providing cooling fans to seniors throughout the community. As summer temperatures continue to rise, access to a cooling fan can make a meaningful difference for older adults, helping them stay safe, comfortable, and healthy during periods of extreme heat.
Grand Prairie Metro Rotary welcomed back Bianca Heath who was a Rotary Youth Exchange student from Brazil hosted by the club 30 years ago. Now a U.S. citizen, Bianca told her story of how Rotary has positively impacted her life in many ways.
GP Metro Welcomes Back Former Rotary Youth Exchange Student
North Texas Pioneers had Jaxson Turner speak to their club about Never2Young2Care (N2Y2C). When Jaxson was 11 1/2 years old he started using his own money to help the homeless children in Plano.
Join the Royse City Rotary Club for the 4th Annual Mike Gilbert Bowling Tournament, a special event honoring the legacy of our Charter Member, Mike Gilbert on Sept. 20th at Rowlett Bowl-A-Rama. Mike was instrumental in founding our Club’s Foundation and spent years tirelessly raising funds to support scholarships and meet local community needs. Click to Register
As students prepare to head back to the classroom, the Rotary Club of Royse City is helping ensure they have the supplies needed for a successful start to the school year. The club recently contributed a generous collection of school supplies to a local back-to-school event, providing essential classroom materials for students and families in the community. Their donation included:
Plano Sunrise Rotary has had a long working relationship with Lovepacs. Their mission is to provide Lovepacs to needy children in Plano ISD. Despite its reputation as en excellent school system, PISD has challenges with students facing food insecurity. LovePacs addresses that need by providing a box of food so that children on free/reduced price lunch, have food for the other meals of the day.
Our first meeting of the 2026-27 fiscal year members cheered on five students from Lake Highlands High School who received scholarships and one who attended RYLA camp this year from White Rock Rotary. Selecting these students who got scholarships proved to be challenging as all applicants had excellent academic records.
Members of the Rotary Club of McKinney were honored to attend the grand opening of Hugs Cafe's new location, celebrating an important milestone for one of our community's most inspiring organizations.
During the celebration, the club presented a commemorative plaque recognizing the grand opening and the valued partnership between Hugs Cafe and the Rotary Club of McKinney. The event was especially meaningful, as Rotarians had previously toured the facility while it was still under construction, witnessing firsthand the vision that has now become a vibrant reality.
GREENVILLE, Texas — The Greenville Rotary Club celebrated another year of service and generosity during its Annual Banquet held on Friday, June 26, 2026, highlighting a remarkable $69,000 in total community giving that benefited dozens of local and regional organizations, students, and charitable initiatives.
Prior to the banquet, the club had already distributed $49,000 to a wide range of nonprofit organizations and community programs throughout Hunt County and beyond. Recipients included The American Cotton Museum, Bob Wills Fiddle Festival, Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Texas, Hunt County Bras for the Cause, RAFFA, Hunt County CASA, Hunt County Children’s Advocacy Center, Greenville ISD Project Graduation, Shepherds Watch, SCRPT (Senior Center), 3FP, Hope For You, Drug Free Greenville, Hunt County Shared Ministries (FISH), Arms of Hope, Trail Life, Sabine Amateur Radio Club, and the Trevor Wade Daniel Foundation.
During President Stephanie Talley's 2025–2026 Rotary year, the Rotary Club of McKinney celebrated the generosity and commitment of members who continue to make a global impact through The Rotary Foundation.
The club proudly presented Paul Harris Fellowships to Ayesha Hosein and Ben Corrin, recognizing their significant contributions to the Foundation.
The Rotary Club of McKinney invites all Rotarians, family members, friends, and prospective members from District 5810 to join us for our Third Thursday Happy Hour, held every month from 5:00–7:00 p.m. at TUPPS Brewery in McKinney.
This informal gathering is a great opportunity to connect with fellow Rotarians from across the district, exchange ideas, welcome guests, and strengthen the relationships that make Rotary so impactful. Whether you're a longtime member, a new Rotarian, or simply interested in learning more about Rotary, everyone is welcome.
The Rotary Club of McKinney's Rotary Puzzle Queens—Carmen Alencar, Tammy Mahan, Anca Wetegrove, and Stephanie Talley—recently competed in Neighbor Books' monthly Puzzle Night. While the team may have finished at the bottom of the leaderboard, they were at the top when it came to fellowship, laughter, and Rotary spirit.
The Rotary Club of McKinney proudly welcomed Tammy Mahan as Club President for the 2026–2027 Rotary year during our recent leadership installation.
Tammy succeeds Stephanie Talley, whose outstanding leadership helped strengthen our club through meaningful service projects, increased community engagement, and a continued focus on fellowship. As we thank Stephanie for an exceptional year, we also look forward to Tammy's vision for the future.
At a recent Preston Trail Rotary Club meeting, we were honored to present Andrea Mersiovsky, Executive Director of the Celina Education Foundation, with a $5,000 check to support the Teachers Grants for Great Ideas program.
One of the highlights of our Annual Banquet was celebrating the legacy of those who helped build the Preston Trail Rotary Club. We were honored to welcome several of our founding members, including Bobby Apple, whose vision and leadership were instrumental in establishing Rotary in the Celina and Gunter communities.
Hello to my fellow District 5810 Rotarians. I am writing this shortly after returning from Taipei, where we wrapped up an amazing week at the Rotary International Convention with 37,000 Rotarians from around the world. As my wife, Jill, said, “Taiwan was not on my bucket list, but I’m glad we made it here.” Even with two sixteen-hour flights, it was well worth the trip.
Outgoing President Ken Fedor pinned the President's pin on newly installed President Kenny Williams at an installation dinner held in late June. Congratulations to President Kenny and his slate of officers as they lead the Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club into the new Rotary year.
Members of the Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club were out early to beat the heat for their quarterly Adopt-a Street project in June. The club removed 13 bags of trash and other bits of road debris.
The Rotary Club of Carrollton-Farmers Branch closed out the Rotary year by celebrating one of Rotary's greatest traditions—giving back to the community. During the club's end-of-year ceremony, members presented a total of $9,000 in donations to five local nonprofit organizations whose work is making a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
Investing in young leaders is one of Rotary's greatest opportunities to shape the future, and the Royse City Rotary Club is proud to be part of that mission.
This year, the club sponsored six local students to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), an immersive leadership development camp that empowers high school students through teamwork, communication, service, and personal growth.
The Rotary Club of Frisco, in partnership with Play Frisco – Parks & Recreation, celebrated the dedication of a new Peace Pole at Frisco Commons Park, reinforcing Rotary's commitment to building peace both locally and around the world.
The newly installed Peace Pole bears the message "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in four of the most commonly spoken languages in Frisco—English, Spanish, Telugu, and Korean—reflecting the city's diverse community and the universal desire for peace.
The Rotary Club of Waxahachie was honored to participate in this year's Juneteenth Parade at the invitation of the NAACP, joining community members in celebrating freedom, unity, and the enduring spirit of Juneteenth.
A new Rotary year is the perfect opportunity to take a fresh look at how your club is presented to your members, prospective members, and your community. Your club's website and social media channels are often the first impression someone has of Rotary. Are they current? Are they welcoming? Do they tell your club's story?
The Rotary New Year Checklist was created to help clubs conduct a simple Public Image Audit and ensure their communication tools are working for them—not against them.
Get ready, Rotarians—Barcelona is calling, and the 2027 Rotary International Convention is set to be an unforgettable, high‑energy celebration of everything that makes Rotary extraordinary! Imagine thousands of members from around the world gathering in one of Europe’s most vibrant, art‑infused, sun‑splashed cities. A Rotary Convention isn’t just an event—it’s a burst of inspiration, global friendship, and Rotary spirit that stays with you long after you’re home.
ClubRunner has released Version 4.5.0 of its mobile app, bringing several new features, security enhancements, and usability improvements designed to make it easier than ever for members to stay connected and engaged.
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North Texas Pioneers Club is proud to support Emily‘s Place by donating essential supplies for the children’s summer camping. Emily‘s Place is a North Texas home dedicated to supporting women and children affected by domestic abuse.
Plano Metro Rotary members went to Panama to purchase equipment for the Digital Interactive Classrooms project. District 5810 provided a matching grant that will contribute to 20 fixed and 10 mobile classrooms including digital white boards, laptops, learning furniture, software, reliable connectivity and teacher learning to support education for future productive jobs.
Club members gathered this week to hear guest speaker Amanda Mota share an eye opening look into the global hunger crisis and the powerful work being done by Rise Against Hunger. With passion and clarity, Ms. Mota explained how the organization’s mission goes far beyond providing meals — it’s about creating sustainable, long term solutions that help communities break the cycle of poverty.
The Addison Rotary Club is pleased to announce our newest “honorary” member: young Myles Meek, shown here with his father, Taylor, who is an active member. During a recent visit, we presented Myles with his very own Addison Rotary Club badge, which he is proudly wearing in the photo.
Camp RYLA 2026, by all accounts, was a raving success! Even though it has only been few days since we closed out the in-person camp program there is always lots going on for the students to continue the engagements from camp. Cabin groups are still making sure they keep in touch with each other throughout the summer months.
District 5810 in Texas made an important donation to the Rotary Club of Roatan. It sent 11 containers filled with thousands of items to support schools and communities on the island. This initiative was organized by PDG Regina Edwards, who has worked closely with Roatán since 2022. This effort has strengthened the bonds of service between her district and the Rotary Club of Roatan.
Hi all - well, it is that time in a DG's year of service where we write the "last one". YES - it is already June and WOW, has it been a wonderful year with all of you! Please read this newsletter all the way to the end. I'll have some special comments there.
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes more common in Rotary communications, Rotary International has released AI Guidelines for Members to help clubs and districts use these tools responsibly while protecting privacy and the Rotary brand.
Join the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary for it's upcoming Pints for Polio event on June 8th at 3 Nations Brewing Co. as they come together to support Rotary’s fight to eradicate polio worldwide! Entry fee is $35.
Join us for an inspiring evening at the Prestonwood Country Club on Wednesday, June 24th at 6PM as Rotary District 5810 celebrates the official installation of our new District Governor, Mike Callahan, District Officers and Club Presidents for the upcoming Rotary year. Click to Register.
Several members of the Royse City Rotary Club recently participated in a meaningful service project with the Sleep in Heavenly Peace Project, helping ensure local children have a safe and comfortable place to sleep.
In lieu of hosting the traditional Club Leadership Exchange on Saturday, July 11, Incoming District Governor Mike Callahan is inviting all District 5810 Rotarians to come together for a meaningful District-wide service opportunity through The Senior Source “Beat The Heat 2026” campaign.
The Preston Trail Rotary Club was honored to present the Ralph O’Dell Scholarship to Avelyn Jensen, a scholarship that represents far more than academic achievement alone. The Ralph O’Dell Scholarship embodies the Rotary motto, “Service Above Self,” because Ralph O’Dell himself has spent a lifetime serving others with humility, kindness, and unwavering dedication to his community. For Ralph, service was never about recognition. It was about showing up, helping others, and quietly making a difference wherever he could.
Frisco Rotary Chili Fest fundraiser held on April 30th at Rollertown Beerworks, Frisco from 11:30 am - 7:15 pm with live music. All proceeds from this event will go directly to college scholarships for Frisco students and grants to Frisco nonprofits. Total impact $10,000.
The Grand Prairie Metro Rotary hosted its annual Memorial Day cookout following the Memorial Day Celebration held by the City of Grand Prairie Parks, Arts, and Recreation Department.
The service project for North Texas Pioneers Club for April was picking up trash in one of Plano’s parks. The club usually averages one full bag of trash for each member who volunteers about one hour of their time.
Each year, as Memorial Day approaches, the area surrounding Melissa City Hall transforms into a powerful tribute to service and sacrifice. Through the Melissa Honors Military program—supported by the Melissa Rotary Club and facilitated by the City of Melissa—banners featuring the faces and names of local service members rise proudly along the walkways and green spaces.
The Addison Rotary Club recently welcomed leaders from Project Mom Bags, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting mothers whose babies are receiving care in the cardiac intensive care unit. Following their presentation, the club awarded a $1,000 grant to help provide comfort bags for moms navigating one of the most difficult experiences a parent can face.
The Mesquite Rotary Club hosted its annual Scholarship Awards Luncheon at their meeting on May 19th. At the event, scholarship awards of $1,500 each were presented to graduating students from Mesquite High School, North Mesquite High School, West Mesquite High School, Poteet High School, John Horn High School, Vroonland Vanguard High School, Sunnyvale High School, and Dallas Christian School. This investment by the club in the future of these deserving area scholars totaled $12,000.
The air was thick with more than just the morning humidity as volunteers from the Melissa Rotary Club, community member, and Melissa Interact arrived at the Summer Games. There was a palpable sense of purpose. Before the first whistle blew or the first medal was draped, our team was already on the ground, transforming an empty venue into a stage for champions.
We're excited to announce that Nova, the next generation of ClubRunner, is now available to clubs everywhere! More than just a redesign, Nova is a complete reimagining of the platform, shaped by your valuable feedback. Explore What is New.
On Thursday April 30th, members of the Rotary Club of Plano rolled up their sleeves and spent a productive afternoon volunteering at the Plano ISD Foundation Core Store, tackling essential inventory work to support local educators and students. With smiles and camaraderie, Rotarians sorted, counted, and organized shelves full of donated classroom supplies, technology accessories, and educational materials, ensuring the store’s resources were accurately tracked and readily available for teachers across the district.
At this year’s Fire Rescue Appreciation Lunch, the Prestonwood Rotary had the distinct honor of recognizing three extraordinary individuals whose dedication, leadership, and service continue to make a profound impact on our community.
Teachers were treated to an Appreciation Breakfast hosted by Plano Metro Rotary on Tuesday, May 5. Rotary members enjoyed the opportunity to visit individually with teachers and learn more about their students and programs. The Guinn Special Programs Center, Part of Plano ISD, serves at‑risk high school students through a wide range of programs, including services for expectant parents, behavior management, accelerated curriculum, transitional education, dropout recovery, and credit recovery.
Teacher Appreciation Breakfast at Guinn Special Programs
It’s time to celebrate the Clubs that went above and beyond this year by completing the Rotary Rockstar Challenge! Designed to strengthen public image and showcase the incredible work happening across our communities, the challenge included six levels of activities focused on storytelling, engagement, membership promotion, and visibility.
Rotarians across District 5810 are invited to come together for an evening of celebration, fellowship, and inspiration at the District 5810 Leadership Installation on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at the beautiful Prestonwood Country Club in Dallas. Cost is $75/per person. Click to Register.
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April was another great month! We participated in EarthX at the Anatole in Dallas - many thanks to those who volunteered to work at the membership booth and especially to Allen McReynolds and PDG Regina Edwards for their "above and beyond" efforts. They both helped to host Barry Rassin, past RI President, who was a keynote speaker. Allen was the chair for our District and Regina served as a speaker as well as an aide for Barry. We also partnered with District 5790 (FW area) for this event.
Every year, volunteers across Celina come together to bring the Cinco de Mayo celebration to life. It’s more than just an event—it’s a reflection of a community that shows up, gives back, and celebrates together.
Love seeing our Rotarians out serving. Helping Hands of Celina’s prom event is such a special way to give back and make a difference for our community. This wonderful event makes sure every student who wants to attend Prom has a beautiful dress. They go out of their way to ensure the experience is spectacular.
Preston Trail Rotary had the opportunity to learn more about the exciting work happening in Gunter ISD. We took Rotary to Gunter to learn more about what was going on.
Dallas Uptown Rotarians served dinner to firemen at Fire Station #1 in Dallas. All three shifts were fed delicious chicken Parmesan meals from Cremonas Italian Bistro.
Members of the Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club stepped up to serve as part of the City of Grand Prairie's Big Event, a citywide volunteer day. Typically, the Big Event has approximately 1,500 volunteers helping with more than 100 jobs throughout the Grand Prairie community.
The Addison Rotary Club recently hosted a joyful baby shower to celebrate two of our members and their growing families. The room was filled with festive decorations, cupcakes, and an abundance of thoughtful gifts, creating a warm and celebratory atmosphere for all in attendance.
Park Cities Rotary members volunteered at the North Texas Food Bank on April 10 for their annual Spring Packing Day. The club volunteers twice a year. On this Saturday morning they packed 10,800 pounds of food equaling 9,000 meals into 2,160 bags on 9 pallets.
A team of Mesquite Rotary Club members worked side-by-side with retired Mesquite teachers on April 23rd to sort and label books to be delivered to all Mesquite ISD first graders, and also assisted the retired teachers in delivering the books to the schools on April 23rd and 24th. Since 2015, the Mesquite Rotary Club has donated funds each year in support of the Mesquite Association of Retired School Employees’ Book Project. Combined with funds donated by MARSE members, the Mesquite Elks Lodge #2404 Auxiliary, and Williams Paint and Body, this enables the project to give a book to each first grade student in the district.
22 Rotarians and non-Rotarians from across the country partnered with Rotarians in Chihuahua, Mexico (District 4110) at the Guerrero Clinic during the week of March 16th to help 800 Indigent Mexicans, Mennonites, and Tarahumara Indians regain or improve sight through cataract surgery or prescription glasses. Dentists were also there to provide care.
Springtime in White Rock triggers one of our main community projects for White Rock Rotary Club – Planting the Sisters’ Garden. Members look forward to this time each year. Here you can see Rotarian Ed Schaefer with gloved hands as he consults with owners of the garden to make the best efforts for planting seeds. The project as evolved from planting vegetables to one of beautification in a fairly barren area. It is also a fun time for all involved when they get to gather with old friends and make new ones.
A few years ago, the Plano Rotary Club learned that Children's Hospital Plano had run out of “Busy Boxes” for young patients—and they stepped in to help. These special plastic shoeboxes are filled with fidgets, puzzles, markers, books, stuffed animals, and more—offering comfort and distraction for children during hospital stays, treatments, and even EMT visits.
The Rockwall Breakfast Club is completing a four-year project on May 6, 2026. The club was alerted by one of their flag subscribers in July 2022 of an African American veterans’ cemetery that very few people in the community knew anything about.
On Saturday, 4/19/26, McKinney Sunrise Rotarians gathered outside Market Street in McKinney to promote their flag lease program and encourage Rotary membership. More than 350 small flags that had been donated to the club were distributed to shoppers, along with details on the flag lease program and Rotary.
The Rotary Peace Pole project serves as a pledge to facilitate local and global harmony. On Thursday, April 2, 2026, members of the Rockwall Noon Rotary Club joined with elected officials, community leaders, and local students to dedicate a new Peace Pole in San Jacinto Plaza. The installation, in Rockwall’s historic downtown, serves as a visible symbol of hope and unity, inspiring people to work together throughout the community and across the world.
Left to right: Eleanor Drake (1st Place), Milan McKnight (2nd Place), Maria Germano (3rd Place), Dhyani Thakkar (4th Place – Tie), Trinity Tandon (4th Place – Tie)
District 5810 proudly hosted its annual 4-Way Speech Contest, showcasing the incredible talent, insight, and passion of students from across our communities. Each participant delivered thought-provoking speeches grounded in Rotary’s Four-Way Test, challenging audiences to think deeper about today’s most important issues.
This year’s competition was especially inspiring, with students tackling topics ranging from environmental responsibility to personal growth and self-worth. After an outstanding display of skill and perspective, we are excited to recognize our top winners:
On September 14th, Rotarians and community members will have a unique opportunity to come together for conversation, connection, and growth as Rotary Wylie East Fork hosts a Peace Summit. Designed to address rising polarization and encourage thoughtful, respectful dialogue, the event promises a full day of learning and engagement centered on practical peacebuilding skills.
In the early hours before the festival officially began, teams of volunteers were already hard at work behind the scenes. Organized and recruited by Melissa Rotary, community members of all ages stepped up to ensure the event ran smoothly from the ground up. Their primary mission: manage vendor parking logistics and assist with vendor setup—two critical components of a successful festival that often go unnoticed by attendees.
On April 4, the DeSoto Rotary Club teamed up with the DeSoto Fire & Rescue Department and the DeSoto Police Department to present the first annual DeSoto Rotary Easter Egg Hunter for the DeSoto ISD community. The family-friendly event drew kids and adults alike for a morning of fun, laughter, and community spirit.
The Easter Bunny made a surprise appearance, leading children in a lively bunny-hop dance before families enjoyed photos, coloring activities, and time with local first responders. More than 10,000 eggs were scattered across two exciting egg hunts, and officers and firefighters joined children in coloring and hunting—creating a joyful, welcoming atmosphere for everyone.
World Immunization Week is quickly approaching! Has your club planned how it will observe this important public health event? Rotary and our partners commemorate World Immunization Week, 24-30 April every year, to raise awareness of the importance of vaccination and highlight the success of our polio eradication efforts.
The progress that Rotary and our partners have made toward eradicating polio is a success story that is important to tell, especially during this final effort to reach our goal. Our members are our greatest advocates and supporters, and we need your help more than ever to share our story with your communities.
Members of the Park Cities Rotary Club rolled up their sleeves and got to work at the North Texas Food Bank, making a meaningful impact for children facing food insecurity in our community.
The Mesquite Rotary Club hosted its annual "Four Way Test" Speech Contest at the Mesquite ISD David Belt Professional Development Center on April 7th. Contestants from Mesquite I.S.D. high schools participated in the event. Each student gave a five-to-seven-minute original speech about applying the Rotary Four Way Test in our everyday relationships with other people and students.
Big thanks to everyone who spent their afternoon out in Richardson yesterday helping work on our sensory garden! We were right by the all-access playground, keeping things beautiful for the kids and adjacent to your new signature project: Annie's Place https://richardsoneastrotary.com/Stories/annie-s-place
What a fun week to be a member of The Rotary Club of Dallas! Once again, we partnered with Texas Health Resources, the U.S. Attorney's Office, Safer Dallas Better Dallas and Project Safe Neighborhoods to gift every child three free books.
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Members of the Rotary Club of Park Cities recently spent time volunteering at Crossroads Community Services, lending a helping hand to support families in need across the Dallas community.
Today we’d like to introduce you to David Heimer from the Rotary Club of Addison. Hi David, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory. My parents were missionaries, so I spent quite a bit of my childhood in Africa. That experience caused me to be drawn to organizations that bring people together around something larger than themselves.
It may have seemed like a typical Saturday, but the speakers at our 3rd Annual Four-Way Test Speech Contest delivered truly riveting performances. The scores were incredibly close—and while there was a first-place winner, everyone walked away a winner!
Coppell Rotarian Rob Raroque recently visited our grant partner, the Rotary Club of Cebu Fuente. Though a smaller club, Cebu Fuente is making a meaningful impact in their community—and the Rotary Club of Coppell is proud to partner with them.
Thank you to the many Rotarian women and clubs across our District who participated in the Women in Rotary in Action campaign throughout the month of March. The campaign invited Rotarian women to share photos proudly wearing their Rotary shirts as a way to celebrate International Women’s Day and the incredible women who serve through Rotary.
Rotary Clubs across our District have been shining this year through the Rotary Rockstar Challenge, showcasing creativity, community connection, and powerful storytelling through their public image efforts. With six levels of challenges, this initiative was designed to help Clubs increase visibility, celebrate impact, and inspire engagement—and it’s been exciting to see the results!
The Rotary Club of Rowlett recently rolled up their sleeves for a day of hands-on service during the Rowlett Area Chamber Garden Workday, partnering with Keep Rowlett Beautiful, the North Texas Master Naturalists, and students from the Rowlett High School Interact Club.
Hi all - WOW - only three months to go as your DG - and so much more to do!! This month, I continued my Interact Club visits with a combined meeting of the McKinney Boyd HS and McKinney North HS Interact clubs on March 26. It was a great meeting with us discussing their future with Rotary (the rest of their lives!) and the projects that they are doing. I will be visiting the Garland ILT HS Interact Club and the Rowlett HS Interact clubs in April.
The sun was just coming up when the Preston Trail Rotary Club got to work. Out on their adopted street, they spent the morning picking up, cleaning up, and taking pride in the place we all call home. It’s how we keep Celina beautiful together.
We were honored to welcome Hannah Bradford from Streetside Showers to Rotary.
Streetside Showers is doing incredible work to offer hope and restore human dignity to our homeless community by providing access to hot showers and personal hygiene care, something many of us take for granted every day.
We were proud to present a $500 donation to help support their mission and the lives they are changing.
North Texas Pioneers presented Easter candy and eggs to Emily‘s Place to help the children have a good Easter. Emily‘s Place is a safe place for women and their children to come to get away from violence in their homes.
A big shoutout to Rotarian Kris Hayden for bringing this month’s Rotary theme—Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene—to life in a meaningful way. Kris stepped up to support our local firefighters by providing water and snacks, ensuring they stay hydrated and energized while serving our community.
Rockwall Noon Rotary is so proud of local students who participated in this year's Four Way Test Competition! With passion and dedication, these Rockwall students are speaking up for good and the principles of citizenship in their lives. Congratulations to our participants and award winners!
Four Way Test Competition Takes the Stage in Rockwall
Feed My Starving Children held on February 28th at Stonebriar Community Church to hand pack rice, soy, dried vegetables and nutritional blend of vitamins into bags that are sealed and boxed. These boxes are shipped to partners that distribute food to children in need around the world. Rotary Club of Frisco volunteered for 2 hours along with other volunteers. Impact in 2 hours: 490 boxes, 105,840 meals.
When the sun warmed the playground at Highland Elementary this week, a small crowd gathered around the new red bench in the playground. Melissa Rotary members had arrived with big boxes and tools, laughter and purpose, and coffee and donuts to build another Buddy Bench — a simple seat meant to turn lonely moments into invitations. Teachers, counselors, and the principal applauded when the bench was placed in its new home, then enjoyed the coffee and donuts with Rotary members.
In February, White Rock Rotary Club stepped up to provide a small grant to the Rotary Club of New Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies in support of their hurricane relief efforts. While recognizing that we were working with limited funds, we decided to contribute anyway because every little bit helps.
Plano Metro Rotary Club invites you to its 4th annual Pickleball & Poker Party on March 28, 2026, at Chicken N Pickle in Allen. Guests will enjoy a fun evening of pickleball, poker, games, raffles, and a small bites buffet—all to support the club’s local and international service projects. Tickets are $60. Learn more at PMRCPickleball.org.
The Rotary Club of Dallas helped a Texas Veteran obtain a new service dog to preserve mobility. The Veteran, who retired medically from the Texas Army National Guard due to a physical syndrome, needed support after the first service dog aged out and could no longer meet mobility needs.
What a fantastic day to be a Rotarian! Sixty-plus Rotarians, Interact students, and friends gathered at Feed My Starving Children this past Saturday to package meals for starving children in Haiti. We packaged meals to feed 84 kids for one year, and our total donation to Feed My Starving Children will provide 114 kids with meals for a year.
Feeding Hope: 60+ Rotarians and Friends Feed Haiti for a Year
Following a long-standing tradition, on the third Monday of every month volunteers from Park Cities Rotary make and serve dinner to the families staying at Ronald McDonald House.
Hi all - February was a busy month in Rotary - but, when is it NOT busy? As part of my club visit strategy this year, I decided to visit Interact and Rotaract Clubs too! Last week, I visited the Waxahachie High School Interact Club as well as the Global High School Interact Club! Those clubs do so many great projects!
Join us for Club Leadership Training, an essential event designed to equip you and your club for the upcoming Rotary year. Whether you're stepping into a new role or seeking to deepen your understanding, this orientation will empower you to create a vibrant and engaged experience for your members. Cost is $25
The Rotary Club of Royse City is proud to support the upcoming Cops and Bobbers Kid Fishing Derby with a $500 donation to help make this special community event possible. The event will take place on April 18th at the pond next to the Royse City Police Station, bringing together local families, law enforcement, and young anglers for a day of fun, fellowship, and friendly competition.
March is a time to recognize and celebrate the strength, leadership, and impact of women around the world. This year, we’re inviting Rotarian women across our District (and beyond!) to join us in a month-long celebration highlighting the incredible women who serve and lead in Rotary.
Rather than limiting the celebration to March 8, we are turning International Women’s Day into a movement that lasts the entire month.
The Richardson East Rotary Club’s annual Casino Night raises funds for youth scholarships and other club projects. Sponsorships and event tickets are available to purchase now. Silent auction items are also being accepted and will be available to purchase online and at the event. Click Here to buy tickets.
Richardson East' Annual Games and Giving Casino Night
Cub Scouts of Plano Pack 221 which is charted by the North Texas Pioneers Rotary just had their Pinewood Derby. The derby consists of small wooden cars made by the Cub Scouts and their families.
A small but mighty crew hit the street in February for another Adopt-a-Street project. Grand Prairie Metro Rotarians were able to remove 25 bags of trash and an assortment of road debris from the club's adopted stretch of road.
McKinney Sunrise Rotary sponsored a Rise Against Hunger meal packaging event on 2/21/26, packing over 10,000 shelf-stable meals with help from 70 volunteers. Students from McKinney North H.S. Interact, McKinney Boyd H.S. Interact, Collin College McKinney Rotaract, plus other Collin College student groups worked together to complete the task in under two hours. The meals packed during this event will provide nutrition to families in either the Philippines or Vietnam.
The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service recognizes individual Rotarians and Rotaractors who have demonstrated outstanding service to the Foundation, such as through their involvement in Foundation committees, grants or programs, or by supporting Rotary Peace Fellows.
The Rotary Club or White Rock, Dallas has continued to live up to its unofficial mantra “We are little but we tallawah (tallawah = impactful)” throughout 2025 and into 2026. In Rotary impact is defined by purpose, not size.
Melissa Rotary Club was honored to receive the Melissa Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year Award, recognizing the club’s ongoing commitment to service and community impact. The award was presented at our February 5 business meeting, celebrating the collective efforts of Rotary members who consistently live out the motto Service Above Self.
Rotary Club of Dallas proudly hosted the 17th annual Safer Dallas Better Dallas Public Safety Awards luncheon, honoring a dedicated public safety leader and the brave men and women of Dallas Police Department (DPD) and Dallas Fire-Rescue (DFR).
Hi all - it's been an interesting month. Besides dealing with the crazy weather, I've had a lot of fun attending events and making some club visits. The Mckinney Sunrise Club invited me to attend a Naming Dedication Ceremony at Collin College McKinney Campus. The College named the Student Center after the club! The Club proudly committed $100,000 to an endowment with the Collin College Foundation.
In the month of December Rotary Club of Park Cities members searched their closets and donated unwanted, but gently worn, shoes. Some members also started shoe collection at work or in their neighborhoods.
Chili Day started in 1981 as a way to raise money for The Salvation Army. This past Chili Day, $4,370.00 was donated to help support their Adult Rehabilitation Center.
Celina High School’s Interact Club proudly participated in CHS Expo Night, welcoming incoming freshmen and families as they explored the many programs available at the high school. Interact students shared firsthand experiences about the club’s service projects, leadership opportunities, and commitment to community involvement.
Preston Trail Rotary members recently volunteered with Feed the City, helping support families in need through hands-on service. Rotarians worked side by side to sort, pack, and distribute food, ensuring local families received essential resources. This project reflects Rotary’s commitment to meeting immediate community needs while showing up with compassion, teamwork, and heart. Through service opportunities like Feed the City, our club continues to turn care into action and make a meaningful difference for those who need it most.
We’re proud to celebrate one of our own! The Addison Rotary Club is delighted to announce that our esteemed member, Schalee Sanchez, has been selected as a Ms. Health & Fitness competitor!
Please save the date for the District 5810 4-Way Test Speech Contest, scheduled for Friday, April 11. This signature Rotary program gives students the opportunity to sharpen their public speaking skills while reflecting on the values of the Four-Way Test.
Preston Trail Rotary Club proudly supported the Santa’s Helpers event, bringing together Rotarians and the Celina community to serve local children in need. Through the incredible generosity of our city, more than 60 bikes and thousands of toys were collected to brighten the holidays for North Texas families. The event was a powerful reminder of what can be accomplished when a community comes together with a shared heart for service.
The Carrollton Farmers Branch Rotary Club had the opportunity to participate in the Carrollton MLK parade this year. It was wonderful to stand with so many community leaders in recognizing all of the great work MLK did in creating a more just world.
The Irving-Las Colinas Rotary Club presented speaker Ross Rolirad with a $1,000 check towards the District 5810 goal of raising over $100K for their END POLIO NOW Campaign. Less than one week later, Ross was presented with another $1,000 check for PolioPlus by the Prestonwood Rotary Club.
McKinney High School Interactors concluded their fifth annual sock drive in December with a record breaking 1404 pairs of socks! Each year, these socks are donated to Streetside Showers, a North Texas nonprofit that provides mobile hot showers and personal hygiene care to those in need.
Mesquite Rotary Club president Lindsay Paris presented a $5,000 donation check to the Mesquite ISD Education Foundation at their meeting on January 13th. Foundation executive director Randy Lewallyn accepted the check.
Join the Rotary Club of Dallas for a special luncheon celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, featuring the captivating Thomas Jefferson interpreter, Steve Edenbo, who brings one of America’s greatest minds to life. Thomas Jefferson was an American titan who led by persuasion, intellect, and conversation rather than coercion.
Wanda Smith from Community Waste Disposal was our guest speaker. She opened her presentation by engaging the audience with a series of fun and thought-provoking Rotary trivia questions, immediately setting an interactive and welcoming tone. The activity sparked participation and highlighted Rotary’s long standing mission of service, providing a natural transition into her main message.
Rotary President-elect Olayinka Babalola revealed the 2026-27 presidential message: Create Lasting Impact. “As members of Rotary, we share a vision of a better future,” he said. “To make this vision a reality, we must acknowledge and unleash the change within ourselves. We must focus not only on outcomes, but on impact." Learn more.
The Rotary EClub is proud to support the Binational Tuberculosis (TB) Program in partnership with the Texas Department of Health and families along the Rio Valley in Mexico. Thanks to the generous donations from Rotarians and friends, our club was able to contribute $1,750, providing food for 31 families—89 individuals—for an entire month, along with much-needed housing supplies.
’Tis the season of giving! Coppell Rotary had a joyful time celebrating the holidays through fellowship and service. Together, we donated dolls to the Barbie Like Me Doll Drive and contributed over $2,000 in toys and gifts to the Coppell Make a Child Smile program.
Here’s to continued service, strong connections, and making a difference together in 2026!
Twenty eight Rotary Club of Park Cities volunteers and friends gathered at Scottish Rite Hospital on Saturday morning, Nov. 22, and packed 150 tins of popcorn.
Saturday morning, Oct. 25, thirty members from RCPC volunteered at the North Texas Food Bank, one of RCPC’s collaborative partners. Along with some other volunteers, they packed 39,622 pounds of food.
The RYLA Information Roundup/Kick-Off for the District 5810 Camp RYLA Program will be held Saturday, January 24, 2026 at Dallas College/Brookhaven Campus. Located at 3939 Valley View Ln, Farmers Branch, TX 75244.
Hi all - Happy New Year! I hope that you enjoyed a wonderful holiday season with friends and family! I took Christmas dinner over to my mom's apartment and we had a great meal! I attended over a dozen Holiday Parties in addition to the great District "Jingle & Mingle" we had on December 12. The picture attached is of the 50 toys we donated to Network of Community Ministries in Richardson. Thanks to your generosity, we also donated a scooter and a bicycle!
Rotary Clubs across the District have been shining bright this year through the Rotary Rockstar Challenge, showcasing creativity, community connection, and powerful storytelling through public image efforts. With six levels of challenges, the program was designed to help Clubs elevate visibility, celebrate impact, and inspire engagement — and so far, it’s working! The majority of Clubs have already completed two or more levels, and we couldn’t be more proud of the enthusiasm and effort.
For over 25 years, Rockwall Noon Rotary has recognized area students who model positive characteristics across their campuses and student body. What began in 1998 with just nine campuses in Rockwall ISD, continues weekly recognizing students across more than 100 campuses and all ages!
The Addison Rotary Club has donated $11,000 to the Guerrero Surgery Center to support the purchase of a state-of-the-art keratometer, significantly expanding the center’s ability to diagnose and treat vision conditions for thousands of patients.
Rockwall Noon Rotary made Christmas a little more joyful, helping Toys for Tots and Rockwall Helping Hands with this year's toy drive. Rotarians shopped for all ages to make Christmas morning wishes come true!
Delivering Christmas presents to refugee families through the St. Patrick Catholic Church, Lake Highlands. Members of White Rock Rotary work consistently with this church in different areas of volunteerism to serve the community. Christmas presents wrapping and delivery is constant for us. This service gives as much joy to us as it does to the families receiving the gifts.
You are invited to the very first Public Image Brunch for Rotary District 5810, designed for Rotarians who want real traction, not theory. This hands-on morning is built specifically for Club Public Image Chairs, club leaders who want to sharpen their communication, and Rotarians who want practical tactics they can apply immediately to their businesses.
North Texas Pioneers Club was a big supporter of the Holiday “Yee Haw Parade”. The parade is sponsored by the Plano Rotary Clubs! It’s a joint service project that all Plano clubs work together to support. Not only is it a fantastic time for the citizens of Plano it’s a great pleasure for the volunteers to see the pleasure it brings for the holidays!
On Dec 14th nine Dallas Uptown club members and friends prepared a hot lunch at the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas. We broke into teams to prepare a meal of Asian pork with rice, broccoli, and triple chocolate brownies.
Grand Prairie Metro Rotary recently collaborated on an international project aimed at benefiting the community in Puruándiro, Michoacan.
The goal was to aid the non-profit organization "Emergencia Radio Auxilio Voluntario Puruándiro AC," which currently operates with a single ambulance constantly in need of repair. That lone ambulance handles around 60 cases per month, but the demand exceeds its capability, leaving approximately 90 cases per month unresolved due to the lack of vehicles.
Plano Rotary Club brought squeals and smiles to 69 children at the Samaritan Inn (homeless shelter of Collin County) on December 24, 2005. Each year, members using the wish lists of these children, shop for toys and gifts. We have to do it by committee because some of us don't have a clue what these new toys do. This year, we delivered approximately 300 gifts, some more neatly wrapped than others to the children.
The District 5810 Nominating Committee is proud to announce that Michael Pugh is our new District Governor Nominee Designate! Michael will serve as District 5810 Governor for the 2028-29 Rotary year, following Dawn Gulley.
The Melissa Rotary Club invited the community to unite in support of Wreaths Across America, an organization whose mission is to remember the fallen, honor those who serve, and teach the next generation the value of freedom. In preparation for the event, Rotary and Interact members visited the Melissa Cemetery to carefully mark the graves of veterans, ensuring that every hero resting there would be recognized and honored.
Enid B Jones In October, Rotary District Governor Mary Bedosky, took time out of her busy schedule to visit and have breakfast with us at White Rock Rotary, Dallas. Our officers were installed: Walt McCool (secretary), Ed Schaefer (Sergeant-at-Arms), Helen Stettler (President) and Win Evans (Treasurer).
McKinney Sunrise Rotary has proudly committed $100,000 to an endowment with the Collin College Foundation. In recognition of this commitment the Student Center at the Collin College McKinney Campus will be named the Rotary Club of McKinney Sunrise Student Center.
Hi all - I finished the rest of the 58 club visits last month!! I learned a few things on all of these visits: all of our district Rotarians are amazing, we are making a difference every day in our communities and the world (based on the wonderful projects I learned about) and many of the clubs have the same challenges. You need more members to help you do the work you want to do in your community and you're looking for more engagement from the members you have.
Camp RYLA participants reunited on Saturday, Nov. 22nd, for an inspiring Day 7, with approximately 130 students and 50 alumni staff coming together to celebrate leadership, growth, and service. Much of the day was spent engaged in discussions covering valuable topics to benefit their senior year—topics that weren’t fully addressed during the camp week, with only 6 days to cover so much information.
Last weekend, the McKinney Rotary Club and the McKinney Sunrise Rotary Club concluded their meaningful joint project honoring local veterans. Together, the clubs proudly displayed 100 American flags, each representing a veteran, along a striking Banner of Honor near Veterans Memorial Park in McKinney.
On November 13th, 2025 The Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club hosted their 22nd Annual Veteran's Appreciation Luncheon. Military Veterans from each of the branches were represented in the room. Club President, Kita Hobbs was the Master of Ceremonies, she stated, "Service above self is the motto we live up to in Rotary, and our Veterans are the perfect display of that. We are honored to celebrate them each year."
Rotary clubs do incredible work every day — and now there’s an easier way to share your impact with your community. The new RotaryStorytelling Guide is designed to help clubs craft clear, compelling stories that inspire action and showcase the difference Rotary makes.
Giving Tuesday is a global celebration of generosity — and a powerful opportunity for Rotarians to create meaningful change with a gift of any size. A donation to Annual Fund-SHARE supports projects you’re passionate about, both in your community and around the world. A gift to PolioPlus helps transport vaccines and immunize children to keep them safe.
Preston Trail Rotary's Mark Rebro was named Celina Chamber of Commerce Ambassador of the Year. He joined in 2021 and helped grow the ambassador program from nothing to nine members, connecting businesses and fostering community relationships.
David and Vicki Hogue were named Volunteers of the Year by the Texas Festivals & Events Association, in recognition of their 430+ hours of service in 2024. These Rotarians have served the community for years, helping other non-profits, the city, and the ISD with any events.
The Preston Trail Interact of Celina has had a blast interacting with Seniors at the Senior Center on Monday. They came up with an awesome ice cream bar and planned fun games, leaving the seniors with joy-filled hearts!
Our Preston Trail Rotarians spent the afternoon grilling and serving lunch at the Ralph O’Dell Senior Center. We loved sharing good food, good laughs, and a little extra joy with the seniors who mean so much to our community. Service Above Self never tasted so good!
Preston Trail Rotary Fires Up the Grill for Our Seniors
Preston Trail Rotary and the Celina High School Interact Club partnered this month for a community street clean-up, focusing on our Rotary street next to Collin College. The joint effort brought together Rotarians and student leaders committed to service, stewardship, and civic pride.
North Texas Pioneers had a Veterans Day dinner attended by about 15 veterans. There was a missing soldier table honoring the missing in war soldiers and a very interesting explanation of the tomb of the unknown soldiers. VFW Post 4830 was presented a check from the funds raised at the club’s pancake breakfast and Halloween party.
Rotary Club of Waxahachie helped to sponsor Global High School’s Interact Clubs packing party for Samaritan’s Purse shoe box drive. The Interacters collected gift items over several weeks and Rotary pitched in to help get 50 boxes filled.
Waxahachie High School and Global High Interact clubs came together to collect 1019lbs of food on Halloween for our local food bank. Waxahachie Rotary Club hosts the event, called Trick or Treat So Kids Can Eat. It is held at our Boy Scout cabin each year.
The Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club welcomed Veterans, their families, and friends to the annual Veterans Day Cookout immediately following the Veterans Day Celebration conducted by Grand Prairie Parks, Arts & Recreation on behalf of the City of Grand Prairie. We are eternally grateful to our Veterans!
Grand Prairie Metro Serves Those Who Have Served Us
At a special luncheon held for beneficiaries and sponsors, the Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club gave away more than $36,000 raised from this year's 39th annual Lake Joe Pool Pumpkin Run to 46 non-profits that benefit the Grand Prairie community.
Melissa Rotary participated with the Chamber of Commerce in the annual Heart of Melissa fall event Nov 8, 2025. Rotary provided more than 70 volunteers recruited from club members, cub scouts, Interact club, Chase Oaks Church and the general community.
What an honor for the Rotary Club of Coppell to be a sponsor the City of Coppell’s Veterans Plaza ribbon cutting ceremony. The club donated over 1,200 USA Flags to commemorate the event.
The Mesquite Rotary Club presented a donation of $2,000 to the Mesquite Association of Retired School Employees book project at their meeting on November 18th. In accepting the check from Rotary president Lindsay Paris, MARSE president Elaine Hornsby expressed her thanks for Rotary’s financial support and volunteer assistance. MARSE book project chair Susan Cumby added her thanks for the donation, and mentioned that the club’s funding would greatly support the project’s goal of again providing a book of their own to each Mesquite ISD first grader.
The City of Farmers Branch proudly hosted its Veterans Celebration, bringing together community members in tribute to those who served. The Farmers Branch Rotary Club played a vital role, volunteering with spirit and service to support the event’s success.
McKinney Sunrise Rotarian Alex Jones, a devoted advocate for the four-legged members of our community, coordinated a Veteran's Day Pet Adoption on 11/8/25. McKinney Sunrise used this opportunity to support Alex, as well as create awareness of Rotary to grow membership.
Through a remarkable network of service and compassion, PMRC members recently helped furnish an apartment for a single mother and her three children who were rebuilding their lives after a domestic violence situation.
PMRC member and Plano Chief of Police Ed Drain, also an active member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, learned of the family’s need through a fellow fraternity brother—an associate pastor at Christian Chapel Temple of Faith Church in North Dallas.
November is Rotary Foundation Month, and we’re inviting all Clubs to join the Proud Rotarian Campaign to celebrate our shared impact through the Rotary Foundation! This campaign is a great opportunity to spotlight your Club’s pride in Rotary and inspire others to give.
Hi all - I have had a good month visiting more clubs - I now have completed 49 of 60! One of the clubs I visited was the Rotary Club of Terrell - chartered in 1920. One of the members I have gotten to know is Linda Whiteside. According to RI, she has been a Rotary member since 1998 - but in reality she has been a member since the 1970s. Linda worked for Terrell State Hospital at the time and, once a week, she would play piano for the Rotary Club of Terrell on her lunch hour!
The Mesquite Rotary Club inducted another outstanding citizen into the Mesquite Rotary Grove of Honor at the site in DeBusk Park, adjacent to the Kidsquest playground, on October 28th. Former Mesquite Mayor and longtime community volunteer George A. Venner, Sr. was inducted for 2025.
The Plano Holiday Parade returns to Downtown Plano Saturday, Dec. 13 with a Yee Haw Holiday! Think cowboy hats trimmed in tinsel, boots full of candy canes and cacti strung with twinkle lights – culminating, of course, with a float carrying jolly ol’ Saint Nick.
The October session of the McKinney Youth Leadership program was all about learning how to make good choices and handle peer pressure — without losing friends in the process. The session, “How to Say No and Keep Your Friends,” was led by Sharon Scott, LPC, LMFT, an internationally recognized author, counselor, and proud member of the Rotary Club of McKinney.
Plano Metro Rotary Club members and friends gathered at Dirty Birds in Plano for a fun and meaningful World Polio Day Eve Happy Hour, raising over $700 to support Rotary’s global effort to End Polio Now. The evening was filled with great fellowship, food, and purpose as we came together to support one of Rotary’s signature causes.
The Addison Rotary Club is proud to announce a record donation of $285,000 to the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas, surpassing last year’s record of $216,000. This achievement reflects the dedication of our members, sponsors, the RMHD board and staff, and our generous community. Together, we’re helping families stay close when they need it most.
Pints for Polio gathered Prosper Rotary members and friends to the Gin Sports Bar on Broadway in Prosper on Saturday afternoon October 25. Football games were on the big screens while fun and camaraderie was shared supporting the drive to End Polio Now including a number of members joining the PolioPlus Society.
More than 800 runners participated in the 39th Annual Lake Joe Pool Pumpkin Run hosted by the Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club. This year's run will enable the club to donate $30,000 to non-profit organizations that benefit the Grand Prairie community.
What an incredible evening at Nowhere Bar for our annual Pints for Polio event! The Preston Trail Rotary Club came together with friends, family, and community members to raise funds in support of Rotary International’s mission to end polio worldwide.
The streets of Celina were filled with community pride as Preston Trail Rotarians joined forces with the Bobcat Moms to support this year’s Homecoming Parade. From helping with setup and crowd safety to cheering on the students and floats, our members showed what Service Above Self truly means.
The Preston Trail Rotary Club is honored to announce the establishment of the Charles Skeen Memorial Scholarship, created in loving memory of a man who embodied Rotary’s guiding principle of Service Above Self.
North Texas Pioneers had their annual October Pancake Breakfast which raised money for the veterans in our area. Not only is it a service project to raise money for the veterans but also it’s a family event that is always enjoyed by young and old.
At the regular Noon meeting on September 26, after lunch the Park City Rotary members packed the “care packets” that would be distributed the following day at the Footcare Clinic for the Homeless. All of the supplies had been gathered and donated by the members.
A new class has been selected and is starting to work with this year’s speaker series. The vision for Legacy of Leadership is “To prepare servant leaders, to build a team-based culture, and to effect progress in our Rotary Club of Park Cities, our community and our world.”
Park Cities Rotary members Michael Rainwater, DDS, and PP Fred Brown spearheaded another Dentistry with a Heart, using the dental facilities at Agape Clinic, one of RCPC’s strategic partners. Dentistry with a Heart on October 18 provided free dental services including cleanings, fillings and other treatments, worth $34,172 to 26 patients.
Park Cities Rotary member Holly (Hollenbeck) McKassan has again organized the Footcare Clinic at Austin Street Family Shelter on September 28. Begun in 2022, the goal has been to care for the feet of 130 to 150 people at each one-day Clinic.
October is here, and with it comes World Polio Day on October 24th—a time for Rotarians and friends to celebrate the incredible progress in the fight to end polio and to continue raising awareness and funds for this important cause.
In October, Duncanville Rotarians toured the Panther Pantry to assess the needs of the Duncanville ISD students and displaced families. The biggest needs were soap, feminine hygiene products, youth shoes, and socks.
The Melissa Rotary Club held their fifth annual Chili Cook Off for Polio Plus. The Service Committee advertised and organized the event. The city made the community room available. HEB donated gift cards for the participants and a large one for the winner. The event raised $400 for Polio Plus.
At the September18 District Governor visit, the Melissa club assembled 100 veteran care bags with hygiene items such as shampoo, body wash, razors, and shaving cream in addition to snacks of fruit cups and granola bars. All items were donated by the Melissa HEB store.
Coppell Rotary had a very busy September! We teamed up with CISD and CHS Interact students and their families to pack snack bags for students who go to school hungry.
Join Us for Pints for Polio hosted by RCD Dockside Social! Raise a glass and make a difference at our exciting Pints for Polio event! Come together with friends, community members, and heroes like you to enjoy great drinks, good food, good company, and a cause that matters.
The Rotary Club of Dallas is excited to announce that the 21st Annual Salute to America’s Veterans is in the final stages of preparation for November 5th, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., at the Frontiers of Flight Museum. Our keynote speaker will be David J. Kramer, Executive Director of the George W. Bush Institute. The American Bombshells will perform live patriotic songs and the Armed Forces Medley (the Armed Forces Salute).
McKinney Sunrise Rotary and McKinney Rotary are teaming up for a Veterans Day Fundraiser benefiting Smiles Charity, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to providing mortgage-free homes for wounded veterans and their families. With a $50 donation, donors can pay tribute to the veterans in their lives with a flag will be placed in their honor. Up to 300 flags will be placed.
The Rotary E-Club of North Texas proudly donated $1,000 to Envision Dallas, a center supporting the blind and vision impaired. Rotarians Linda, David, and Jennifer were honored to present the check and join in the ribbon cutting for the new Childhood Development Center. Another exciting day to be a Rotarian, making a difference in our community!
Rotary E-Club of North Texas Invests in Vision and Opportunity
World Polio Day, 24 October, is fast approaching. If your club isn’t already planning its World Polio Day event, now is the time to begin. Visit our World Polio Day Event page for End Polio Now resources such as graphics, videos, photos, public relations templates, and more. After you’ve planned an event, don’t forget to register it.
Three years ago, the McKinney Rotary Club pledged a $100,000 matching grant to Direction 61:3 to build a home for young adults aging out of foster care. Last week, we broke ground on the first home.
Join us for a fun evening of food, drinks, and friendship at our annual Clink & Drink event on October 11, 2025. Starpower provides an extraordinary experience, and this event enhances that. Tickets are $40/per person. Buy in advance.
Hi all - we are getting into Pumpkin Spice Latte season! Have you had one yet? I have included two pictures of the yellow bricks that club presidents are displaying at each meeting. On my club visits, I explain that our district theme this year is "There's No Place Like Rotary". Each club is a yellow brick on the "yellow brick road' leading to the Emerald City - our success!
Have you welcomed new members to your club recently? Now’s the perfect time to celebrate them! The District is excited to shine a spotlight on our newest Rotarians and the clubs that welcomed them. Submit your new members for the District New Rotarian promotion, and we’ll create a custom graphic featuring them.
The Rotary Club of Plano West showed what service and fellowship look like in action at this year’s Plano Balloon Festival. Over four unforgettable days, more than 20 of our members joined forces with 30 additional volunteers to run our legendary funnel cake booth.
At a recent meeting, Preston Trail Rotary had the privilege of honoring one of its most cherished members, Ralph O’Dell. In partnership with Celina ISD, the club presented Superintendent Dr. Tom with a $5,000 check to establish the Ralph O’Dell Scholarship.
I was honored to represent Preston Trail Rotary at the Collin College Scholarship Celebration, where our club was recognized as a President’s Circle Member. This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting scholarships that open doors for students to pursue their dreams.
The Association for Donkey and Equine Haven, USA (the “Haven”) in Celina, Texas, founded in 2009, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming abused, neglected, and abandoned equine animals. Completely volunteer-operated, the Haven provides a safe haven for donkeys, mules, and other equines in need.
North Texas Pioneers Rotary Club is committed to a monthly service project. Each month 10 to 12 members take a couple hours of their time to go to Lovepacs, an organization which provides boxes of donated food for underprivileged children to have at home when they are not in school.
About 40 people turned out for the uplifting and successful Peace Pole Dedication Ceremony including about 20 members from the Rotary of Frisco Club, 1 past District Governor (John Curtis), and 3 Frisco City Council Members (Angelia Pelham, Laura Rummel, and Burt Thakur)! Ceremony was held at Kaleidoscope Park in Frisco at 10:00 am on 9/13/25.
The Plano Rotary Club proudly took part in this year’s Plano Balloon Festival—Texas’ premier and largest hot air balloon celebration. Club volunteers dedicated an impressive 151 hours staffing the festival’s Information Booth, ensuring visitors had a welcoming and informative experience.
Join the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary for its 22nd Annual Veterans Appreciation Luncheon on November 13th, where they honor our nation’s heroes with stories of bravery, gratitude, and community. All proceeds from the event will benefit local veteran organizations, ensuring that our support for those who served continues right here at home!
Join the Rotary Club of Dallas' Pints for Polio hosted by Dockside Social on Thursday, Oct. 23rd at 5;30PM! Raise a glass and make a difference at our exciting Pints for Polio event!
Greenville Daybreak Rotary Club packed hygiene kits and rolled socks at their meeting September 11. The young people from the Key Club (Kiwanis sponsors) helped with the project.
The Plano Rotary Clubs have long been champions of local Scouting units, recognizing the shared values of leadership, service, and community impact. This partnership continues to thrive, providing opportunities for young people to grow into tomorrow’s leaders.
The sign in front of the hospital in India proudly displays the partnership of Rotary District 5810 and Rotary Club Hoshiarpur Mid Town—a visible reminder of the global impact made possible through Rotary service.
This past Saturday morning about 40 people turned out for our very uplifting and successful Peace Pole Dedication Ceremony including about 20 members from our Club, 1 past District Governor (John Curtis), and 3 Frisco City Council Members (Angelia Pelham, Laura Rummel, and Burt Thakur)!
Melissa Road The Rotary Club of Melissa worked with the City of Mellisa to host the Melissa Road Fest. The Melissa Road Fest is an annual event which brings the community together to celebrate Melissa.
On September 9, 2025, the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club presented $2,500 to the Rotary Club of Montego Bay in support of two residential facilities that care for children and young adults with severe special needs.
This August, Richardson East is working with Laura Small (Manager, Behavioral Health & Addiction Recovery, Methodist Richardson Medical Center Campus for Continuing Care) to revitalize their dated courtyard, a project made possible by a District 5810 Rotary grant. This space is a crucial oasis for patients.
Daybreak Greenville helped the Hunt County Shared Ministries in produce distribution day. Almost every Thursday the food Bank receives a truck load of produce that then needs to be sorted into smaller portions for distribution.
The Addison Rotary Club is proud to announce it has been named Club of the Year by Rotary District 5810. The award was presented at the District Awards Banquet on September 4, 2025, recognizing the Club’s extraordinary progress, service, and impact over the past Rotary year.
This week, the Rotary Club of Carrollton-Farmers Branch celebrated another milestone at Gussie Field Waterworth Park—better known as Farmers Branch Rotary Playground. Eight years ago, the club partnered with the City of Farmers Branch to raise more than $175,000 to build this all-accessible playground, ensuring children of all abilities could enjoy a safe and inclusive place to play.
In August, the Rotary Club of Duncanville hosted their first Tri-City Networking Happy Hour at Day Drink Bar. Duncanville Rotarians mingled with Rotarians from the Cedar Hill and DeSoto Clubs, and it was a great success!
Hey all - it's already September! Have you ever had a "Rotary Moment"? The picture with this letter is of me with a man named Chris who noticed our Rotary branded clothes and walked up to our table at Landon Winery. (Yes, I was having pizza and a beverage with some members of the Coppell Club.) He told us that Rotary changed his life.
Members of McKinney North High School Interact volunteered at the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary helping to pick up litter on the Sycamore Trail. McKinney North Interact is sponsored by McKinney Sunrise Rotary and these students participate regularly in service projects and helping with our Flag Program.
Strong public image helps Rotary Clubs tell their story, attract new members, and highlight the incredible service projects making a difference in our communities. To make this easier, your District Public Image team has developed a collection of ready-to-use resources designed to save you time and boost your club’s visibility. Here’s what’s available:
A RYLA Alumni Fundraising committee is hard at work to make the most of North Texas Giving Day (NTXGD), coming up on September 18th. NTXGD is a massive regional campaign to raise funds for hundreds of local non-profits, and for the last several years, RYLA 5810 has participated to raise funds to help continue all the on-going district RYLA programs that extend beyond Camp RYLA and throughout the year.
North Texas Pioneers has been honored to work with Emily’s Place, a home for abused families, on several Easter egg hunts, and other projects. All of the Plano Rotary Clubs provided volunteers who helped the city with the 4th of July parade. Because of their service to the City Rotary was able to donate $1000 to Emily’s place…. A very deserving organization.
Join the Royse City Rotary Club for the 3rd Annual Mike Gilbert Bowling Tournament, a special event honoring the legacy of our Charter Member, Mike Gilbert. Mike was instrumental in founding our Club’s Foundation and spent years tirelessly raising funds to support scholarships and meet local community needs. Register.
Join Grand Prairie Metro on Saturday, October 11, 2025, for our 39th Anniversary PUMPKIN RUN 10K, 5K & 1Mile run/walk event through the beautiful Lynn Creek Park surrounded by Joe Pool Lake. Enjoy a FREE pancake breakfast, a special warm-up activity, face painting, pumpkin decorating, a remote control drag-racing track, vendors, and more!
The Rotary Club of Park Cities is preparing for a busy Autumn of service. The year has already started with their long-standing service projects of Meals on Wheels and Preparing Dinner once a month at Ronald McDonald House.
On October 24, World Polio Day, Rotary will join partners, health workers, survivors, and advocates to reaffirm our promise to the world’s children: polio eradication is possible—and it’s a promise we will keep. As your club begins planning its World Polio Day activities, be sure to our WORLD POLIO DAY EVENT page to get a wide variety of polio-related resources. And don’t forget to register your club’s participation!
Coppell Rotary is proud to see the Spirit of Rotary carried forward by our youth. Recent Coppell High School graduate Mihir Kabbur—President of the 2023–24 Interact Club, scholarship recipient, and now a student at UT-Austin—continues to spread Rotary values wherever he goes. From Panama to his latest stop in Mysore, India, Mihir is making an impact.
The Rotary Parades of Plano organizing committee, comprised of members from Plano-area Rotary Clubs, is proud to support our local nonprofits. With a portion of the proceeds from registration fees and sponsorships of the Plano parades, the committee made three donations in August of $1,000 each to organizations positively impacting Plano residents through Rotary’s areas of focus.
Pedaling with Purpose: An Interview with a Cycling to Serve Member Cycling to Serve USA/Canada, the Rotary Fellowship of cycling enthusiasts, blends service, friendship, and two wheels. We spoke with Harold McLeod, Membership Director, and member of The Rotary Club of McKinney, about what makes the group special.
Lorne and Mary Scott Liechty (Shown on right) had a wonderful visit to the Jamestown, North Dakota Rotary Club where they had the opportunity to meet fellow Rotarians so committed to their communities and Service Above Self. Did you know? Jamestown ND Rotary Club is one of the oldest in the nation, with over 100 years in service.
Rockwall Rotarians Unite for Good on their Summer Travels
Getting kids back-to-school ready: Rockwall Rotary Club recently served at the annual Rockwall Back-toSchool Bash/Shoes for Kids event. The annual event provides shoes, school supplies, vaccination and more for those in need across the county.
On August 18 members of White Rock Rotary Club welcomed three visitors to their Monday morning breakfast meeting. Our AG John Johnstone dropped in to eat and have fun with us early in the new action year as we conducted our usual business of serving our community.
McKinney High School Interact Club kicked off the year with their annual service project: Chalk the Walk. The night before students returned to school, MHS Interactors gathered to write inspiring and motivational chalk messages on the pavement in front of McKinney High.
Envision Dallas is empowering the blind through opportunity and inclusion. Rotary E-Club of North Texas helped create a fun, inclusive experience by assisting players with cards, numbers, and prizes. Their time made someone's day brighter!
This week, the Plano West Rotary Club traded our usual meeting agenda for something far more colorful and sweet. We rolled up our sleeves, opened boxes of cake mix, and set out bright decorations with one mission in mind: to make sure a child’s birthday never passes unnoticed.
The Mesquite Rotary conducted induction ceremonies for the group’s 2025-2026 officers and board members at their meeting on August 12th. Rotary District 5810 Assistant District Governor Walt McCool officiated.
The Melissa Chamber of Commerce recognized the Melissa Rotary club for their support of the Chamber city wide Heart of Mellissa events. The Rotary Club has helped with vendor set up and parking control for the past three years enabling the event to grow to well over 3,000 to 5,000 participants.
Coppell Rotary Club continues to ignite action worldwide. Mihir Kabbur, a recent graduate of Coppell high School, President of the Interact Club 23-24, scholarship recipient and now studying at UT-Austin, continues to spread Rotary wherever he travels, from Panama and now the latest stop in Mysore India.
The Rotary Club of Terrell held a successful fundraiser at Film Alley in Terrell on July 31st, bowling our way to donations for the Terrell ISD Teacher Shop. Rotarians, business owners, and community members participated.
On Thursday, July 31st at 3:00 p.m., the DeSoto Area Chamber of Commerce proudly hosted the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Creations by Xochitl Hernandez, LLC, a blossoming small, local community business founded by 13-year-old Latina artist and entrepreneur Isabella Xochitl Hernandez. The event was a powerful testament to youth entrepreneurship, community pride, and the vibrant spirit of DeSoto Texas Rotary.
Join us for an unforgettable evening at the Rotary District 5810 Awards Banquet! Celebrate the outstanding achievements of our Rotary clubs and members as we gather on Thursday, September 4th. This prestigious event will honor those who have exemplified Rotary's ideals of service, leadership, and community impact throughout the 2024-2025 year. Come together with fellow Rotarians at Brookhaven County Club in the Ballroom for a night of recognition, inspiration, and camaraderie.
New Rotary year, fresh opportunities—and the perfect time to check how your club is showing up online! Take a moment to visit your club’s website and social media pages. Are you using your Club Masterbrand logo? Some clubs are still displaying outdated theme logos or missing the official branding altogether. That’s an easy fix that makes a big difference! Consistent branding not only shows that we're part of something bigger—it helps the public instantly recognize who we are and what we do.
WOW - we've completed one month of our year already! As of this writing, I have completed 8 club visits and had such a great time! There is NO place like Rotary! I've met with your boards and discussed ideas for growing membership, sent you information or contacts that you needed, and just listened to all of the GREAT things you are doing in your community. You all are pretty amazing!
The Rotary Club of McKinney rang in the new Rotary year with more than just gavel-passing and goalsetting—this time, they kicked things off with dance moves and disco lights. At the Friday, July 11th meeting, just after the induction of McKinney Rotary board members by District Governor Mary Bedosky, the unexpected happened.
At our Friday meeting, the Preston Trail Rotary Club proudly presented backpacks to Celina ISD Superintendent and fellow Rotarian, Dr. Tom Maglisceau, to help ensure local students start the school year prepared and confident.
After a busy week of service, several dedicated members of the Preston Trail Rotary Club rolled up their sleeves once again, this time to help beautify our city. As part of our commitment to community stewardship, the club has officially adopted a street in Celina.
Kids Who Rock is a summer camp in the Rowlett/Garland area. Kids who have an interest in music learn every different instrument, in teams by age group write their own songs, write their own music, and then perform a showcase for families and visitors.
North Texas Pioneers Club is proud to say their members helped with another blood drive at Saint Elizabeth Church in Plano. There were 68 units of blood collected which will help save up to 204 lives. The club is always proud of their members who take a small amount of time to give blood and and help with the blood drives. There is always a great demand for blood!
This was the twenty-second Fourth of July Parade put on by the Rotary Club of Park Cites – it just seems to get better every year. Thousands of people lined the streets to enjoy the Parade and continued the day at the Festival in the Park. There were patriotic speeches, family friendly fun and lots of activities for the kids.
Frisco ISD Backpack Bash July 22nd - July 23rd - Rotary Club of Frisco participated in filling backpacks up with school supplies for the upcoming school year.
Grand Prairie Metro Rotary installed a new slate of leaders for the 2025-2026 Rotary year. Appreciation goes to these People of Action who have accepted the responsibility of leading the Club over the next year.
Introducing the new Public Image Rotary Rockstar Challenge — a 6-level journey to boost your Club’s visibility and community engagement using Rotary’s powerful tools and resources.
The Sherman Rotary Club is proud to announce our continued partnership with the United Way of Grayson County to support the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Grayson County!
The Rotary Club of Waxahachie proudly participated in the City of Waxahachie’s Fourth of July Parade, celebrating community, freedom, and service. With strong member turnout, our presence was both joyful and memorable.
Darby Nielsen concluded her year as Rockwall Rotary president expressing her appreciation to the board and club membership for an outstanding year - including their successful fundraising clay shoot. This year's event being their most successful ever allowing them to award substantial scholarships to Rockwall ISD students.
Three Rockwall High School students, Luke Barksdale, Libby Cheek, and Kaylen Pruitt, sponsored by the Rockwall Noon Rotary recently ventured into summer camp with excitement while somewhat unsure of what was to come. This camp, often described as intense, is more than just fun – it is fun with the important purpose of cultivating leadership.
Thanks to these PeopleOfAction from the Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club that came out on a Saturday for its most recent Adopt-a-Street project. More than 20 bags of trash (and one bumper!) were taken off a roadway in Grand Prairie.
As we begin a new Rotary year, now is the perfect time for clubs to refresh their public image and set the tone for a successful year of service and engagement. A strong public image helps attract new members, strengthen community partnerships, and showcase the incredible impact your club makes locally and globally.
Hi all - or should I say - YAHOO! I am privileged and honored to serve you this year as your District Governor. I am excited to get started on visits to your clubs and also attending your club events!
One of our local papers put this story in print about our 85th Anniversary. Enjoy the whole story: https://blueribbonnews.com/2025/06/rockwall-rotary-club-celebrates-85-years-of-service-above-self/
The Prestonwood Rotary Club continues to inspire the next generation of community leaders through their unwavering support of the PTAA Interact Club. With heartfelt gratitude, we celebrate the graduation of the very first class of PTAA Interact Club members—an exceptional group of students who have collectively completed over 1,000 hours of community service.
North Texas Pioneers Club members have taken on a monthly project helping feed needy children in Plano. Lovepacs provides boxes of food for children who are in need when school meals are not available.
Many members and spouses of the Richardson Rotary Club showed up to enjoyed a happy hour with some delicious snacks and drinks at Cafe Gecko on June 23rd! Club members were able to connect and socialize in a more laid back setting, allowing for better connection with each other.
It's not Christmas... but, the Rotary Club of Duncanville decorated an Angel Tree for C5 Youth Foundation of Texas! During District Governor Regina Edwards' visit to the Club, Duncanville Rotarians donated suitcases, backpacks, and pledged money to assist the C5 youth with summer camp needs.
It was a day for the birds—literally! The Addison Rotary Club winged it this time — soaring in to help the Raptor Center and proving they give a hoot about our feathered friends! We spent the day volunteering with the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center, diving into bird conservation and making paper mache enrichment toys to keep the Ambassador Raptors mentally stimulated and engaged.
Community service was in full swing as the Waxahachie Rotary Club partnered with the Waxahachie Lions Club to install two new benches at the Getzendaner Street Housing Project park. With a basketball court and playground already in place, these benches add much-needed seating for families and residents.
The members of Preston Hollow Rotary Club prepared breakfast for the B Shift of the Dallas Fire Station #41 in Preston Hollow located on Royal Lane next to the Tollway. The station was rebuilt after being destroyed in the 2019 tornado.
The Preston Trail Rotary Club of Celina and Gunter proudly hosted a special cookout to honor our incredible first responders. Members of both the Police and Fire Departments joined us for lunch as we took time to thank them for their unwavering service and dedication to our community.
We’re excited to announce that Nova is now live in beta and your club is eligible to make the switch! This next-generation version of ClubRunner is more than just a redesign - it’s a complete reimagining of the platform, based on your valuable feedback.
North Texas Pioneers Club cleaned the dog and cat kennels at Second Chance SPCA in Plano. This is an animal shelter that takes in a small selection of at risk rescue dogs and cats from local shelters.
The Fourth of July Parade is Friday, July 4 at 7:30 pm. Parade route is down Spring Creek Pkwy. The parade happens before the City’s All American 4th fireworks display. The parade committee is comprised of representatives from every Plano club, and they need everyone’s help to pull off this fun event for the community.
June's drivers: Tracy Toomer (organizer), Ray Hicks and Matt Pasant. Plano Metro Rotary picks up unneeded food from Costco and delivers it to God's Pantry.
We are excited to share the news announcing the selection of Francesco Arezzo of Italy to be 2025-26 Rotary International President. As you know, President-Elect Mario de Camargo notified the Board several weeks ago that he was resigning and would not accept the Presidency beginning July 1, for personal and business reasons. The Rotary Board of Directors acted quickly to fill the role with Francesco Arezzo of Italy. Meet the president-elect.
New Rotary International President for July 1, 2025
Don Hooten, a local McKinney resident, was honored by his longtime friend Greg Nothacker. What makes this unique is Greg is a Rotarian based in Louisiana.
Come lunch with us for an overview of the 89th Texas Legislative Session with Rep. Mihaela Plesa on Wednesday, June 11 at 11:30 am at Gleneagles Country Club, 5401 W Park Blvd in Plano. $30 at the door, $25 online by June 10 at Plano-Metro-Rotary.
I can’t believe we are down to the last month of the 2024-2025 Rotary year. I hope each of you are helping your club finish the year strong with positive membership growth for the year and lots of amazing projects completed.
On May 6, Duncanville Rotarians donated hygiene items to the Duncanville Outreach Ministry in what they called a “Clean Drive”. The Outreach requested soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, towels, and other personal items and the Duncanville Rotarians fulfilled the local needs.
Over the past 2 years, Duncanville Rotarians renovated and refreshed the teachers lounges on all 19 campuses. Some of the blessings include water dispensers, air fryers, toaster ovens, Kuerig machines, ice machines, tables and chairs, couches, a massaging recliner for a Zen room, and hundreds of snacks.
On Tuesday, April 29, Duncanville Rotarians met at Vogel Alcove Redbird to donate food items and assemble 50 Bye Bye Bags for the youth. Vogel is an organization dedicated to helping young children and their families prevent and overcome the lasting and traumatic effects of homelessness and poverty. Duncanville Rotarians are dedicated to serving needs locally, nationally, and internationally. Service above self!
In preparation for their first flag posting of the year, Duncanville Rotarians gathered at the flag warehouse and repaired over 200 flags. The following week, Rotarians deployed approximately 1,200 flags all over their City of Champions in honor of Memorial Day.
At Coppell Rotary, we're all about investing in our future leaders! Each year, we proudly send 4 amazing students — 2 girls and 2 boys to Camp RYLA. Here they are with their proud parents and dedicated Rotarians.
On Friday, May 16 Rotarians and community members came out in support of local students! The annual Clay Shoot at Texas Gun Ranch translates into scholarships at the Rockwall Rotary Clay Shoot.
The Cozumel Rotary Club reached out to District 5810 with a need of a $700 lift chair for their senior living facility to help with a patient that is not mobile. Preston Trail Rotary Club of Celina stood up and donated the funds to help. Another example of a successful partnership between Rotary Clubs and doing good work around the world.
North Texas Pioneers club members had a special Easter with the Residence at Emily‘s Place Plano. This is a home for mothers and children who are fleeing domestic violence.
Melissa Rotary Club is keeping the thousands in our rapidly growing community apprised of environmental impacts and what each of us can do. To stay up to date on the Melissa Rotary Club community events like this, "Follow" and "Friend" us on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/MelissaRotaryClub
Mason Brown of the Rowlett Rotary Club was raised in the world of Rotary international by her dedicated Rotarian mother, Emily Stupnik. This year Mason is undertaking Passion Projects - Projects that are near and dear to her heart, the club’s heart, and the Rowlett community.
The Mesquite Rotary Club hosted its annual Scholarship Awards Luncheon at their meeting on May 13th. At the event, scholarship awards of $1,500 each were presented to graduating students from Mesquite High School, North Mesquite High School, West Mesquite High School, Poteet High School, John Horn High School, Vanguard High School, Sunnyvale High School, and Dallas Christian School. This investment by the club in the future of these deserving area scholars totaled $12,000.
Last week, the Rockwall Rotary Club saw the Rotary mission of Service Above Self well represented in the youth of Rockwall County. Rockwall High School’s Interact Club presented their Year in Review. Taking on a variety of local and national projects, these youth plan and participate in at least one project a month.
On April 30th, the DeSoto Rotary Club, in partnership with the DeSoto Police Department, carried out a heartfelt Random Act of Kindness to honor the brave men and women of the DeSoto Fire Department. More than 30 firefighters were served warm Starbucks coffee and fresh donuts as a token of appreciation for their daily dedication to saving lives and protecting our community.
Park Cities Rotary recently joined forces with the North Texas Food Bank to make a substantial impact on local communities. On May 3rd, a dedicated group of 25 volunteers from Park Cities Rotary gathered at the food bank's facility to lend a helping hand. Their mission: to sort and pack nutritious meals for children and seniors in need.
We are thrilled to congratulate and extend our heartfelt thanks to the outstanding clubs who have completed the Public Image Champion Games with flying colors! Your dedication to enhancing our public image and community engagement has truly set a shining example for Rotary clubs everywhere.
The Rotary Club of Dallas had the incredible opportunity to volunteer at the White Rock Center of Hope, and we’re thrilled to share that we helped distribute more than ever before in the 36 year history of WRCH! A total of 22,996 pounds of was provided to 307 families, supporting 1209 individuals in our community!
On Tuesday, April 29, Duncanville Rotarians met at Vogel Alcove Redbird to donate food items and assemble 50 Bye Bye Bags for the youth. The Club also had fellowship and toured the new facility.
On April 24, 2025, members of the DeSoto Texas Rotary Club (Leon McCowan, Velma Davison, David Scott, and Rosa Hernandez) rolled up their sleeves and volunteered at the DeSoto Food Pantry, joining the fight against food insecurity in our community. During the day, Iris and Rhonda, leaders of the DeSoto Food Pantry, took time to show volunteers their daily routines and shared how they support and meet the needs of the community each week. Their dedication and leadership inspire everyone working to make a difference.
Texas Education Agency Commissioner, Mike Morath, captivated the audience at the Rotary Club of Dallas with a compelling address on the future of education in Texas. Commissioner Morath unveiled transformative initiatives, including a groundbreaking curriculum and the introduction of school vouchers.
The Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club hosted the inaugural Poker on the Prairie, a large-scale Texas Hold ‘Em tournament on Thursday, April 17. The event drew more than 100 players and raised over $20,000 for PlayGrand Adventures (an inclusive all-abilities playground) as well as other non-profits in the community.
We are thrilled to highlight the success of the 2025 District 4-Way Speech Contest, where talented students from across our district showcased their eloquence and passion for public speaking. This year, we had the privilege of hearing from 14 remarkable students who captivated us with their insights and perspectives on topics close to their hearts.
Since 2001, RCD partnered with Scottish Rite Hospital to develop a bike safety course for children. This year many children from age 3 to mid-teens arrive on the grounds of the hospital to ride bikes around a course where they experience safe ways to enter the roadway, cross an intersection, to pay attention to the area around them, etc.
In response to hunger across the globe the Rotary Club of Dallas provided 72,000 meals to be distributed by Feed My Hungry Children. Dozens of volunteers including Skyline Interact, Faith Family interact, Rotarians and family members gathered to package the food for shipping. Just four days later the packages were shipped to Peru to feed the critically hungry there.
Rotarians, Their Families and Interact Clubs Joined to Feed Children
As part of the District’s endeavor to support clubs and their communities, over 2500 plastic eggs were filled by Rotarians and Interactors this past Saturday for distribution to various community organizations. Over 500 were given to the Grand Prairie YMCA in support of their annual event.
In celebration of Spring and our growing District membership, 20 of us from District 5810 gathered on 4/12 to stuff 2,500 Easter eggs with candy and box 184 pairs of donated shoes from many clubs. The eggs will be given out this week to several charities, including Jonathan's Place, Cathedral of Hope, Grand Prairie YMCA, Grand Prairie Family Care, Vogel (2 locations), Network of Community Ministries and Richardson Senior Center ...
World Immunization Week is fast approaching on 24-30 April. This is a critical time to raise awareness about the importance of immunization and the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.
The Mesquite Rotary Club inducted another outstanding citizen into the Mesquite Rotary Grove of Honor at the site in DeBusk Park, adjacent to the Kidsquest playground, on April 15th. Former Mesquite City Council member and longtime community volunteer Debbie Anderson was inducted as the club continues catching up after the pausing of inductions during the pandemic.
Our very own Coppell Rotarian, John Hill (center) was honored at the Train & Help Babies Spring Celebration! He, along with Coppell Rotary, was recognized for their unwavering commitment to saving mothers, families, and babies across India.
In mid-April, Coppell proudly hosted its Four Way Test Speech Contest with 9 incredible contestants! Congratulations to Sandhya Karthick, our returning champion from last year, who once again took home 1st place! She won $500 and will go on to compete at the District event! Rotarians were absolutely enthralled by the thoughtful, passionate, and inspiring speeches from all participants. What an amazing showcase of talent and character!
Coppell Awards a Winner in The Four Way Test Speech Contest
On the warmest and windiest day in April, a few strong Coppell Rotarians came together to gear up for what’s looking like a BANNER 🇺🇸 Flag season! Subscriptions are rolling in faster than we can keep up — and we love it! This small but mighty crew built 150 flags in just 5 hours. We’ve got more to go, but we know we’ll get it done!
On Tuesday, April 8, the Rotary Club of Duncanville delivered their “blessings” to the DISD Bus Depot and UME. The blessings included ice machines, air fryers, Keurigs, microwaves, and hundreds of snacks and drinks. Overall, Duncanville Rotarians have renovated 20 campuses!
North Texas Pioneers had an enjoyable morning helping to clean the litter from Oak Point Park in Plano. With ten members working for about an hour each they were able to pick up ten large bags of litter from the park.
We are excited to share that Prestonwood Rotary Club again hosted its Annual Fire-Rescue Appreciation Day at Cafe de France, a remarkable event that highlighted the invaluable contributions of our Dallas FireRescue (DFR) officers. The event was led by PRC President, Bill Persefield, and Margaret Silva, Vocational Director.
The Mesquite Rotary Club hosted its annual "Four Way Test" Speech Contest at the Mesquite ISD David Belt Professional Development Center on April 8th. Contestants from Mesquite I.S.D. high schools participated in the event. Each student gave a five-to-seven-minute original speech about applying the Rotary Four Way Test in our everyday relationships with other people and students.
On March 27 the Addison Rotary Club proudly donated 10 innovative Language Learning Systems to the Anne Frank Elementary School to empower parents in supporting their children's education. With a student body from 60 countries and speaking 24 languages, this initiative bridges language gaps and fosters a more inclusive learning environment.
Presentation of check to Envision Dallas to support their Early Childhood Development Center with Larissa Roman, CEO Michael Monteferrante, Linda Elliott, Jennifer Lindsay, David Crist
Spring is here! As we enter April and some are thinking we are in the downhill slide of the Rotary year, I challenge you to instead think of it as the last lap in the mile race. You have completed 3/4ths and now is your time to finish the race strong. Don’t let your previous months of work slip away when you are on the last lap, and you are leading the pack.
Time is ticking, but there's still an opportunity to showcase your creativity and win big in the Public Image Champion Games With the deadline fast approaching on May 1st, it's essential to gear up and finalize your submissions. Don't let this chance slip away! There is an opportunity to earn a cash prize!
On Saturday, March 22, under the leadership of Leon McCowan, the DeSoto Rotary Club teamed up with Concerned DeSoto Citizens (CDC) and DeSoto ISD for the Annual Bowling for Scholars event, raising funds for the DeSoto ISD Senior Class of 2025. The event saw incredible community participation, with over 65 teams from local businesses, organizations, and schools coming together in support of DeSoto’s graduating seniors.
The Rockwall Rotary Club partnered in service with Rockwall High School Interact Club at Feed My Starving Children. The large group of students and Rotarians packed boxes totaling over 30,000 meals! This resulted in feeding over 80 children in Haiti for one year!
The Waxahachie Rotary Club hosted an unforgettable 1st Annual Distinguished Officers Awards – Honor Our Heroes event on Thursday, March 13, during our noon meeting. The room was filled with energy, gratitude, and a shared commitment to Service Above Self as we recognized some of Waxahachie’s finest public servants.
2025 Annual Interact Spring Fling on Saturday, April 12th 9am-1pm at the Dallas College - Brookhaven Campus, Building H Room 125, 3939 Valley View Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75244. Open to all Interact Sponsors and Students! Cost is $15/adults, $5/students. Register.
Clean out your closets & donate your used and new shoes! Shoes can be dropped off at Club Leadership Training - April 5th, Spring Fling - April 12th or May Roundtable - May 10th.
Join us for Club Leadership Training, an essential event designed to equip you and your club for the upcoming Rotary year. Whether you're stepping into a new role or seeking to deepen your understanding, this orientation will empower you to create a vibrant and engaged experience for your members. Cost is $15 - Click to Register
North Texas Pioneers Rotary members had the pleasure of a visit from Triton the AKC Golden Retriever. Manny thanks to the Messiah Lutheran Church in Plano for their work with the K-9 comfort dog missionary.
In late 2022, I discovered an interesting international project called The Cambodia Academy, a rural school providing hope and education to over 350 students in the Banteay Meanchey province of Cambodia. Aside from the great work that this charity performs in a very underserved part of Asia, I learned that this school was founded, funded and often led by Rotarians from all over the world.
North Texas Pioneers Rotary had a very rewarding blood drive at St Elizabeth Seton Church this past month. With the help of the Plano Sunrise Rotary members were able to collect 51 units of blood which will help save 153 lives. It’s always fulfilling to volunteer with other Rotary clubs to help the community.
Hats off to the Rotary Club of Duncanville for completing their beloved service project “Blessing the Teachers Lounges”! Over the past 2 years, Duncanville Rotarians renovated and refreshed the teachers lounges on all 19 campuses.
Entering 2025, the Richardson East Rotary Club continues to build a strong foundation of service, driven by determined optimism. Our shared mission is evident in ongoing commitment to hands-on projects and fundraising for community initiatives, including our annual Games and Giving event, as well as leadership within the district Rotary organization.
Thirty-three years ago, as a high school student at R.M. Bailey Senior High School in The Bahamas, I joined the Interact Club. Little did I know, that decision would shape the course of my life. Rotary’s guiding principle of “Service Above Self” became the catalyst for my lifelong commitment to serving humanity.
Members of White Rock Rotary and Rotary Club of Dallas assisted White Rock Center of Hope with food distribution to the needy last Saturday. Volunteer jobs included bagging fruit, making food packages, loading and directing traffic. It was a record breaking food distribution day. The work really honored the meaning of 4 way test principles.
Mesquite Rotary Club president Brad Davis presented a $5,000 donation check to the Mesquite ISD Education Foundation at their meeting on February 18th. Foundation executive director Randy Lewallyn accepted the check.
On January 30, Pioneer Technology and Arts Academy Interact Club presented a program for the young students at Vogel. Interact students read a story, created a butterfly craft & provided a snack with about 30 students. The club also donated books to both students & teachers as well as 42 Bye-Bye bags.
81 of us are back on land after our amazing Annual Conference International Service Cruise to Roatan, Honduras and Cozumel, Mexico on the Regal Princess. We had so much fun together while enjoying presentations and 2 days of service projects and deliveries, including 272 pounds/5 suitcases in Roatan and 25 filled backpacks and 37 wheelchairs in Cozumel.
White Rock Rotary together with friends from Chile carried out their monthly shoreline trash pickup at their adopted section of the shoreline at White Rock Lake. We do this the second Sat each month. Come join us!
This International Women's Day, March 8, 2025 let's come together to celebrate the incredible strength, resilience, and achievements of women worldwide! We invite all Rotarian women to participate in our special campaign by sharing a photo of themselves proudly wearing their Rotary shirts. Let's showcase the power and unity of women within the Rotary family!
How to Participate:
Put on your favorite Rotary shirt and Rotary (Women in Rotary) pin.
Strike a pose that reflects your strength and passion.
Snap a photo (Use the WOMEN IN ACTION Canva Template Design) and share it on your social media on March 8th, with the hashtags #District5810Proud #RotaryWomenRock #WomenInRotary
Share it with the District (pr@rotary5810.org) so we too can promote District 5810 Women in Rotary!
We're excited to announce some valuable new additions to our Public Image Resources page that will help streamline and enhance your club's outreach efforts.
Apply for a Rotary Peace Fellowship! The application for fully funded 2026 Rotary Peace Fellowships is now available for our master’s degree and professional development certificate programs. Candidates can learn more and start an application: https://on.rotary.org/3J6sYLP
This year, Rotary celebrates 120 years of service and impact! This is a milestone worth sharing, and we invite your Club to be part of the celebration by showcasing how you make a difference in your community.
Campaign Dates: February 1-29, 2025 Goal: Showcase how Rotary Clubs are making a difference in their communities!
The Melissa Rotary Club worked with the City Church Students who collected over 8,000 hygiene items; soap, shampoo, toothpaste and the like. The Rotary Club gathered at the Melissa Community Outreach to sort and categorize the items so that family hygiene kits could be made up for the MCO clients. Many hands make light work.
Now is the time to sign up for CALGARY ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION. For the next few years, it is the closest RI CONVENTION that does not require flying over an ocean.
Coppell held their 1st 4 Way Test Speech Contest in 2024 since the early 2000's. We sent the very impressive Sandhya Karthick, a Sophomore at Coppell High School to represent our club. She SLAYED and scored as a finalist. She was finally presented her plaque at our last club meeting.
Last spring, Coppell experienced a bad wind storm that destroyed hundreds of our flags as they flew for Memorial Day. Unfortunately we had to cancel our Installation of New Officers in order to hold an emergency flag build and repair.
On Saturday, December 14, members of the Rotary Club of Park Cities assembled at the Salvation Army Warehouse where all of the Angel Tree gifts purchased in our community are received. They were there to help sort the gifts and prepare them for distribution to the homes of the children who will receive them for Christmas. Angel work, indeed!
The Mesquite Rotary Club presented a donation of $2,000 to the Mesquite Association of Retired School Employees book project at their meeting on January 14th. In accepting the check from Rotary past president Jones Doughton, MARSE president Elaine Hornsby expressed her thanks for Rotary’s financial support and volunteer assistance.
The RYLA Information Roundup/Kick-Off for the District 5810 Camp RYLA Program will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2025 at Dallas College/Brookhaven Campus. Located at 3939 Valley View Ln, Farmers Branch, TX 75244. Each Rotary Club’s RYLA Chairperson should attend this training program designed to get this year’s Camp RYLA 2025 student recruiting and selection process started. The meeting is the only chairperson training of the year so every club should be represented.
The Rotary Club of Allen and the Sunrise Rotary Club of Allen have planned and coordinated the annual Allen Rotary Christmas Parade for the past 20 years. The event gives visibility to both clubs and brings sponsorship money in for club projects and scholarships.
Plano Rotary Club wraps up 2024 by implementing the Samaritan Inn Angel Tree event. Special thanks to all the donors who donated time and energy towards this project. John Ratley, Rooster Construction, donated $1000 and a truck to help transport this years goodies.
On December 16, 2024, the Richardson Rotary Club participated in a holiday service project partnered with The Network of Community Ministries. Our members packed 500 food bags and wrapped over 50 presents to give to children in our community that need a little extra love during the holiday season.
Longtime Coppell Rotarian and accomplished thespian George Ritcheske delivered a standout performance in The Christmas Carol, portraying multiple characters with finesse. A well-known figure in the community, George has been an active Rotarian for over 22 years and has participated in numerous theatrical productions. He is also a dedicated member of both the Coppell Rotary and District 5810.
Coppell Rotarian & Thespian George Ritcheske Shines
Before Christmas, Farmers Branch Rotary will impact the lives of 20 to 30 families with the wish of Christmas. This year, we were able to provide gifts for 60 kids.
In December, Plano Metro Rotary Club members donated 40 Christmas stockings stuffed with joy to Hope Restored Missions, which serves people in our community who are homeless. Stockings were filled with healthy food, snacks, hygiene items and wrapped gifts donated by our members and friends of the club.
The Rotary Club of Duncanville held their annual Christmas Party on December 17 and it was a time of celebration, fellowship, and giving. As a service project, Rotarians donated toys and apparel to Amazing Grace Child and Family Services, a local non-profit agency dedicated to providing comprehensive mental health and child placing services to children and youth displaced from their families.
Members of White Rock Rotary played 'Santa's Helpers' as they prepared and delivered packages to needy families during the holiday season in conjunction with St. Patrick's church.
White Rock Rotary and St. Patrick's Church Partner for Holiday Giving
Collin County Rotary invited Regina Edwards to attend our Christmas Party, and her presentation was very insightful! She offered wonderful stories of her personal life, travels, family and service projects.
McKinney Mayor George Fuller, his wife Maylee and assistant AJ. came to ZinZen to accept the Collin County Rotary check for $1,000 to the Love Life Angel Tree Project. Our contributions helped 20 kids receive Christmas gifts in MISD. Great job Collin County Rotary Club!
Collin County Donates to to Love Life Foundation Angel Tree
During the holidays, Coppell Rotarians take a break from wrapping presents to have some fun. We all met for our Annual Holiday Bash and "Barbie Like Me" Doll Drive. A great time was had by all as we toasted the holiday and posed with our dolls that will go to underprivileged hospitalized children.
Each year Coppell Rotary Santa's get together and pack goodies for Metrocrest Seniors. Many Seniors are often forgotten during this jubilant time of the year. Coppell Rotarians are always ready to give.
Coppell Santa's Pack Goodies for Metrocrest Seniors
It is with great pleasure that we declare Dawn Gulley the District Governor Nominee Designate for the 2027-28 Rotary year! Dawn’s commitment to Rotary’s mission and her remarkable leadership within our District have inspired countless Rotarians. Her vision and dedication will undoubtedly bring fresh energy and innovation as she leads us in advancing Service Above Self.
Please join us in celebrating this exciting milestone for Dawn and our District! Let’s show her our support as she prepares for this incredible journey.
DeSoto Texas Rotary continues its Random Act of Kindness service project under the direction of our President Velma Davison and Special Events Coordinator Rosa E. Hernandez. As part of the DeSoto Texas Rotary's Random Acts of Kindness campaign, the DeSoto Rotary Club partnered with Stephanie Amaya (President) and Lisa Vega (Secretary) of the Association of Hispanic School Administrators (AHSA) and Crossroads Community to bring the spirit of giving to life through the Cena en el Barrio event. This initiative aimed to provide essential food supplies to families in need across the Dallas community during the holiday season.
As part of the DeSoto Random Acts of Kindness Campaign, the DeSoto Rotary Club teamed up with Starbucks (Beltline store) to deliver a heartfelt message of gratitude to the city’s dedicated police officers. On December 20th, members of the DeSoto Texas Rotary served steaming cups of Starbucks coffee and delectable donuts to the hardworking officers of the DeSoto Police Department.
The Melissa Rotary Club partnered with Col Lowery and the Melissa community to conduct a Wreaths Across America ceremony on Sat Dec 14th. The Rotary Club and Interact Club marked graves the day prior to the ceremony.
I cannot believe the holidays are already here. I have greatly enjoyed our ½ year together with so many impactful service projects and club visits. As I travel, I am constantly amazed by our 60+ clubs’ contributions to communities in North Texas. Our monthly Roundtables also produce great results.
Rotarians, Linda, David, and Carlissa, were out and about this week supporting the Salvation Army’s Toy Shop. The donated 13 1/2 hours between 2 members. Way to put service in above self and illustrate we are people of action!
It’s that time of the year again when North Texas Pioneers Rotary club helps pack boxes of food for Lovepac. This is an organization that furnishes food for needy children during the holidays
The ClubRunner Mobile App has just gotten even better! Designed to make staying connected with your club and district easier than ever, the latest updates bring a host of new features and improvements. Whether you’re an officer, member, or simply interested in staying in the loop, the app's enhanced functionality ensures you have everything you need at your fingertips. Here’s what’s new:
Camp RYLA participants reunited on Saturday, Nov. 23rd for an inspiring Day 7, with approximately 140 students and 45 alumni staff coming together to celebrate leadership, growth, and service. Much of the day is spent engaged in discussions covering valuable topics to benefit their senior year—topics that weren’t fully addressed during the camp week with only 6 days to cover so more information
It was a lovely day and a great time at the RCPC and City of University Park Tree Lighting. The event was in Centennial Park because of the construction in Snider Plaza.
What a great group of Volunteers turned out for this annual event at Scottish Rite Hospital (SRH). They packed popcorn into tins and boxed them ready for mailing.
The Preston Trails Rotary Club is proud to support the Celina Education Foundation with a generous donation of $5,000. This contribution will directly benefit students pursuing higher education, helping to provide valuable scholarships for those attending college.
Rotarians and their families came out to support the annual Pints for Polio event hosted by the Preston Trails Rotary Club. This event is held every year, and this year, we were excited to feature the Rotary float as part of the celebration.
Rotarians helped support the annual Homecoming parade in Celina. This community tradition requires many volunteers to ensure its success, and Rotarians step in every year to offer support. This year, we also had a float. It's a wonderful event that is loved by everyone who attends
Members, families, and friends of the Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club teamed up to help with the Grand Prairie Police Department’s Santa Cop program. Santa Cop provides toys for families in need in the Grand Prairie community during the holidays.
Grand Prairie Metro helps bring smiles to kids at Christmas
Members of the Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club participated in a meal-packing event for Rise Against Hunger. Rise Against Hunger is a global movement to end hunger by empowering communities, nourishing lives, and responding to emergencies.
McKinney Sunrise Rotary held a special November program honoring veterans. The program including recognition of club members who have served our country, a demonstration of the proper folding of a flag, and a presentation from the Veterans Center of North Texas.
Rotary Club of McKinney, Rotary Club of McKinney Sunrise and Rotary Club of Collin County joined forces to partner with Collin College in supporting Carter BloodCare. A blood drive was held November 12-13, 2024 with 25 pints donated by Rotarians.
On Tuesday, December 3, Duncanville Rotarians blessed the teachers lounges at three more Duncanville ISD schools. To date, the Club has updated 15 of the 19 teachers lounges in the district.
The Melissa Rotary Club solicited the community for items to pack into comfort kits for our veterans at the Clyde W. Cosper Texas State Veterans Home in Bonham, which provides first-class long-term care for up to 160 residents, including up to 32 Alzheimer's residents. The community responded and we were able to pack over 80 bags to take to the residents.
Members of White Rock Rotary helped label and arrange items at White Rock Center of Hope resale store. This great organization assists with donations of food, clothing, and rent/utility assistance in the White Rock Area.
Coppell Rotary, is the little club that could! We just broke our own induction of new members record! Last Thursday we inducted 8 new members! We are on a roll!
Coppell Rotarians and over 200 friends gathered at El Centro College to spread an abundance of Thanksgiving Joy to some amazing foster kids from across the DFW area. The group assembled boxes and gifts for deserving children.
This year marked a meaningful milestone for the Rotary Club of Commerce as we hosted our first annual luncheon for the veterans of Hunt County. The event was filled with heartfelt gratitude, fellowship, and community spirit, honoring the men and women who have served our nation.
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.
A group of high school students in Rockwall are leading the way in service and leadership. The Rockwall High School Interact Club brings together students with a passion to serve. These peer leaders are an excellent example to others in their school, neighborhoods, and larger community.
The Melissa Rotary Club conducted a Veteran’s Day observance at the Melissa Rotary Park on November 11th. The Rotary Club of Melissa has conducted Veteran’s Day Observances since the founding of the club back in 2010.
On November 5, the Rotary Club of Duncanville had a wonderful celebration for Ken Weaver as RI Honorary Rotarian. Ken is the first Rotarian to receive this honor in the Duncanville Rotary Club.
The City of University Park and Rotary Club of Park Cities Tree Lighting will be in Centennial Park this year due to construction in Snider Plaza. It is always a fun afternoon for children of all ages!
Join us for an informative public image training on Tuesday, November 19th on Zoom at 6PM focused on the latest ClubRunner features! This session will cover essential updates and improvements, along with a hands-on demonstration of the new Cloud Events feature, designed to streamline club event management. We’ll also introduce ClubRunner Nova, the latest evolution of the platform, showcasing its enhanced user interface, powerful customization options, and new tools tailored to make club management easier.
North Texas Pioneers had their annual Halloween party which was to benefited the Veterans. It was an opportunity for the members and friends to have a fun evening at Love and War in Texas and also raise money for the veterans.
Members of the Rotary Club of Park Cities returned to the North Texas Food Bank for their Fall Volunteer Packing Day. It has been a tradition for many years to have a Fall and a Spring Volunteer Day, as well as adding their support for the NTFB through proceeds from the Fourth of July Parade and the December Tree Lighting.
On November 7th, The Rotary Club of Dallas hosted the 20th Annual Salute to America’s Veterans, honoring the veterans, whose contributions across the generations have maintained our freedom and liberty. This event raises funds for the DFW USO and the George W Bush Institute Veterans and Military Families; two organizations that are transforming the lives of our active military, our veterans and their families.
In the spring of 2024, Coppell Rotary, CHS Interact, and volunteers from all over DFW came together to make a difference! Packing a whopping 10,000 meals for children and families facing food insecurity, their efforts are now reaching ZAMBIA!
Come sip and support at Coppell Rotary's 3rd Annual Pinot for Polio at Landon Winery in The Sound! Every glass raises funds to fight polio and help Rotary International’s Polio Plus move closer to a polio-free world.
On October 24, World Polio Day, Plano Metro Rotary Club held a "Palomas for Polio" event at Mexican Sugar Cocina in Plano. Attendees had a great time and raised over $700 for PolioPlus. Many thanks to those who contributed and attended, and especially our planning committee, which included Greg McKinney, Peyton Lynn and June Jenkins
On October 24, 2024, DeSoto Texas Rotary Club lead by our President Velma Davison, in partnership with Shelonda Weaver the President of the Desoto High School PTSA, hosted an inspiring 1K Walk & Run at Les Zeiger Park. This event, dedicated to raising awareness for breast cancer and polio, saw enthusiastic participation from community members of all ages.
Organized by RCPC member Holly Hollenbeck, the third annual Foot Care Clinic for the Homeless took place on Saturday, September 30, at Austin Street Center. RCPC volunteers helped direct the clients, hand out the new shoes, socks and foot care packets and preparing the foot care tubs. Volunteer nursing students washed and cared for the feet of the homeless.
RCPC member and dentist, Dr. Michael Rainwater reported that Dentistry with a Heart" celebrated it's 12th year on October 5th, 2024, providing $ 35,690.00 of dentistry to improve the lives of our patients and provide an opportunity for all volunteers to make a difference. The team treating 26 patients from the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center and Agape Clinic, for basic dental services of extractions, fillings and cleanings.
We have been busy this fall. We also were present in the midst of a very diverse group of members of St. Patrick Catholic Church. The Refugee Program Hosts serve breakfast to members from Myanmar, Benin, Nigeria and other African countries even as they provide life skills services to newcomers to our Parish.
A fun time was had by Rotarians who helped the Friends of the Audelia Road Library raise over a $1000 by selling books this fall. Our job was to arrange the books for easy sale, we did our job with laughter and bantering the day Friday before the Saturday sale.
The 2025 Rotary International Convention will be held in beautiful Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is a lovely city which can be reached without traveling over oceans and it doesn’t require a passport for USA citizens. It’s the perfect place to attend an RI Convention for its close proximity and beauty, as well as its rich western and cattle culture. The convention begins on Saturday June 21, 2025 and ends June 25, 2025.
DeSoto Texas Rotary has embarked on a Random Act of Kindness service project this year under the direction of our President Velma Davison and Special Events Coordinator Rosa E. Hernandez.
The DeSoto Texas Rotary wanted to recognize a group of individuals whose dedication and commitment often go unnoticed, but whose impact on our community is immeasurable—the very dedicated DeSoto ISD bus drivers and monitors. Every day, they rise early, prepare for their routes, and ensure that our most valuable assets—our children—arrive at school safely and return home at the end of the day.
The Rotary Clubs of Plano have announced Saturday, Dec. 14 as the date of the 2024 Plano holiday parade. Even more exciting, Olympic Gold Medal gymnast and Plano resident Hezly Rivera will make a special appearance in the parade as the Holiday Spirit Ambassador.
It is always a great pleasure for Prestonwood to honor the Dallas Police Department at our Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Officers from DPD filled the room for lunch at the delicious and bountiful buffet at Prestonwood Country Club.
North Texas Pioneers had their annual pancake breakfast to benefit the Patriot Paws Organization. This is a tremendous organization which furnishes dogs for veterans who need support.
The Rockwall Breakfast Rotary Club hosted the 2024 Rockwall Rib Rub Run & Roll Car Show on October 5th, marking the first year the City of Rockwall entrusted the club with the event. The show drew nearly 100 stunning vehicles and over 1,000 attendees, creating a vibrant atmosphere in downtown Rockwall. The event raised money via car show sponsorships and entry fees.
I am so happy to report that our 24-25 year continues to reach new heights. Membership across the District is +60 as of 10/10/24 which puts us 6th out of 23 Districts in our Region which is great. The big Membership Drive winner for September was the Rotary Club of Greenville which grew from 60 to 80 (33.33% increase) in one month plus they are up 43% total since July 1st!!!
The Plano Flags of Honor event is just around the corner, and we invite you to be part of this incredible week-long tribute to our nation's soldiers and first responders. From November 9-16 at the Red Tail Pavilion formerly Oak Point Park, over 1,000 American flags will be on display, each representing the bravery, sacrifice, and service of our community's heroes.
Every year, The Hurricane Creek Rotary Club donates, cooks, and serves 1000 hotdogs to the Van Alstyne, TX community at their National Night Out hosted by the VA Police Department. It gives us the opportunity to not only give back to the community but also to visit with its citizens and introduce them to our club.
World Polio Day is a time for Rotary members, public health advocates, and all who want a world free from polio to come together, recognize our progress in the fight to end polio, and talk about the actions we need to take in order to end polio for good. All donations are matched 2:1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, tripling your impact! See the graphic or District calendar for Polio Fundraiser events happening.
Five of the students that the Mesquite Rotary Club sent to this year’s Rotary District 5810 Youth Leadership Award Camp in June paid a visit to the club’s regular meeting on October 8th. The club members heard from each of them about how they had learned so much and gained so many new friends from the intense one-week experience. Student after student emphasized the life-changing, positive lessons, new perspectives on and experiences with leadership, and strong new friendships that come from the experience.
The Carrollton Farmers Branch Rotary Club was honored to host Congressman Marc Veasey at our club meeting this week where he was able to give us a legislative update and answer questions from fellow Rotarians.
We are excited to announce our first ROTARY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE TRAINING PART 1 on Tuesday, November 12th and Thursday November 14th 6:30-9:30PM on Zoom. Open to all Rotarians! Cost is $50. Click to Register
The Carrollton Farmers Branch Rotary Club was honored to be invited to the Metrocrest Services Community picnic where they grilled and served 1,400 hot dogs and shared books for all of the children to take home. Special thanks to all who volunteered to make this event such a success.
Educators say, “Through third grade students learn to read; after third grade students read to learn.” Wanting to build literacy and foster a love of reading, the latest cohort of RCPC’s Legacy of Leadership program chose as its capstone project the placement of a custom wrapped Book Vending Machine in the Jack Lowe, Sr. Elementary School in the Dallas ISD
Waxahachie Rotary Club, on 9/21 with the help of Interact students and the Friends of Rotary volunteers, donated a new basketball backboard, painted and rain sealed the playground at the Patrick Street Housing Authority
It’s never been easier to create a flyer or social media graphic to help promote your events! Six new customizable templates for Rotary, Rotaract, and Interact events have been added to the Brand Center.
North Texas Pioneers was honored to have District Governor Regina Edwards speak at their club meeting this month. She gave an inspiring speech on what to expect this year in District 5810 and what their Club can do to make it a rewarding year.
The Rotary Club of Addison conducted the annual “Addison Rotary Open” benefiting the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas on September 9, 2024. This was the 34th anniversary of this event which comprises a golf tournament held at the Glen Eagles Country Club in Plano, Texas, an online auction, sponsorships, and a raffle.
Football is back and excitement is brewing for another season! Each year, the Rockwall Rotary invites the highly competitive football programs of Rockwall High School and Rockwall-Heath High School for a lunch presentation.
Members of the Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club hit the streets in support of the City's Fall Sweep. The Club was able to remove 35 bags of trash (and other large items) off the roadways in Grand Prairie.
Monday, August 26 was National Toilet Paper Day and to celebrate that the Rotary Club of CarrolltonFarmers Branch held its 4th Annual toilet paper drive. Toilet paper is the single most expensive item to keep in a food pantry and our club drive assisted Metrocrest Services, a local non-profit organization, to keep toilet paper stocked for 6 months.
The Prestonwood Rotary Club convened at the Pioneer Technology and Arts Academy cafeteria alongside the PTAA Interact Club to assemble Bye Bye Bags for Vogel Alcove. The Interact Club opened the event with the Ringing of the Bell, invocation, and pledges. Various tables were set up with supplies to build the Bye Bye Bags and both Interact Club members and PRC members shared tables and began putting the bags together.
When the call went out for plastic grocery bags, Coppell members not only cleaned out their own pantries, but they also teamed up with neighboring grocery stores for donations and even purchased boxes of bags at Sam's .
When Metrocrest has a need... the Coppell Club is ready to assist!
Club visits and accompanying service projects the past month have brought me so much joy. I wish I could properly convey how pleased I am with our District. I love the uniqueness of the clubs, including when and where they meet, what they eat, the makeup of the clubs, projects completed, the clubs’ social environment/chemistry, and the true love of Rotary I have experienced on my travels so far. You guys are magical!
On September 17, Duncanville Rotarians met at Rotary Park and collected trash and removed tree limbs. As a service project, Duncanville Rotarians clean up their beloved park quarterly.
On Tuesday, August 13, the Rotary Club of Duncanville awarded 10 students with $1,000 scholarships. Four of the scholarship recipients attended the Duncanville Rotary Club’s regular meeting, gave acceptance speeches, and shared their future plans with the Club. It was a truly rewarding experience for all!
PMRC members Susan Plonka, Tracy Toomer, June Jenkins and Laurie Williamson, enjoyed serving a meal to residents of Samaritan Inn on Sunday, September 15, 2024. The Club also donated $500 to cover the cost of the meal.
Duncanville Rotarians Blessed the Teachers’ Lounges (Round IV) On Tuesday, August 20, Duncanville Rotarians blessed the teachers’ lounges at three more Duncanville ISD schools. To date, the Club has updated 12 teachers’ lounges in the district.
The Rotary Club of Fairview packed 18 backpacks with 114 water bottles, each containing school supplies, at their meeting today, September 10, 2024. The 24 members of this club filled empty water bottles with pens, pencils, scissors, erasers and more for the children on Cozumel.
Team Rotary District 5810 is stepping up for the 2024 Walk to End Alzheimer's, and we want YOU with us! Our walk is September 28, 2024 at the Colony. Let's walk together to raise awareness, support research, and bring hope to those affected by Alzheimer's. Every step counts in the journey to a world without Alzheimer's! Click the link to join our team or donate.
Richardson East Rotary Club’s Hollis Owens was recognized as one of twenty-four nominees for the 14th Annual Richardson Real Heroes Award Thursday evening August 29th. The Annie Award ultimately was presented to Debbie Conard and Sandy Lauder, two other well deserved Richardson volunteers. The event was held at the Eisemann Center for Performing Arts in Richardson.
A RYLA Alumni committee is hard at work to make the most of North Texas Giving Day (NTXGD), coming up on September 19th. NTXGD is a massive regional campaign to raise funds for hundreds of local non-profits, and for the last several years, RYLA 5810 has participated to raise funds to help continue all the on-going district RYLA programs that extend beyond Camp RYLA and throughout the year.
World Polio Day is fast approaching on 24 October. Visit the World Polio Event page for graphics, videos, social media messaging, Pints for Polio templates and fundraiser ideas that will help your club plan an event on or around that day. Also, once your event is planned, don’t forget to register it to help us show the world Rotary’s commitment to ending polio.
The Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club answered the need for Rotary Club Puruandiro, Michoacán, Mexico with the donation of 2 sonograms and 2019 Ford F450 Ambulance. Way to branch out and serve Rotarians in need.
North Texas Pioneers club members collected books in English and Spanish, School supplies, Shoes and Sporting goods to be taken to the school children in Mexico. The Book Brigade to Mexico was one of the club’s service projects the past month. Not only does the club enjoy having Local service projects but also Nationwide.
Each year, First United Methodist Church and Helping Hands of Rockwall host a back-to-school bash "Shoes for Kids". The bash provides new shoes for students of need in Rockwall and Royse City as well as school supplies and other services. Local organizations come out to volunteer their time and Rockwall Rotary is one whose members sign up quickly to participate!
Dear People of Action aka District 5810, I can't believe 7 weeks of the 2024-2025 Rotary year have already passed, and I feel we have all settled into our new routines. Club Presidents have more confidence; plans and projects are taking shape for the year; the first new members have been inducted; and several projects have been completed. I want to express my gratitude to the clubs I have already visited. Everyone has been so welcoming and so generous.
The Service Project Center, Rotary’s new hub for everything related to service, is now live. It gives you a better way to manage and share information about your service projects. With service networking moving to this new platform, Rotary Showcase has been retired. All Rotary and Rotaract projects that were posted on Rotary Showcase have been migrated to the Service Project Center, which is being released in phases.
McKinney Sunrise Rotary is excited to announce our donation of 156 soccer ball sets, complete with air pumps and bags, to the District 5810 “Book Brigade to Mexico” initiative. These items will soon be on their way to our partner Rotary district in Costa Maya, Mexico, as part of a larger effort to deliver much-needed supplies to the children and schools in the region.
McKinney Sunrise Contributes to District 5810’s “Book Brigade to Mexico”
International service chair for district 5810 Jerrica Anderson attended the North Texas Pioneers Rotary club to promote the district conference and service cruise. The club was gracious enough to donate a trunk full of books and back to school supplies towards the mission.
Sangkoo Yun, a member of the Rotary Club of Sae Hanyang, Seoul, Korea, has been selected to become Rotary International President for 2026-27. Meet the president-nominee: https://on.rotary.org/3AlRuWN
Members of the Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club spent Saturday morning processing, sorting, and packing shoes for Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls. Buckner Shoes is the largest humanitarian aid project of Buckner International, serving the world’s most vulnerable children internationally and locally.
Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club Lends a Hand to Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls
Wylie East Fork Rotarians spent a fun afternoon loading student's backpacks with school supplies to get them ready for the school year! 5 Loaves Food Pantry held their annual Back to School Bash, and 500+ kids and their families checked off their back-to-school lists with pencils, crayons, glue sticks, folders, rulers, and more! We sponsoring this feel-good event and wish all the kids good luck in the 24-25 school year!
Mike Callahan presented The ROC (Metro Family Ministries) with a check for $1,000 to assist them in rebuilding their damaged building during the last storm. Darrell Lancaster accepted the check and thanked Prestonwood for their continued commitment to The ROC.
We are excited to announce the rollout of our new Public Image Champion Games! The Public Image Champion Games were designed to help Clubs increase their public image skill set. The more you promote your Club, the better the odds are at increasing your membership. It is a win-win all around!
Despite the hot weather, thousands of people lined the streets to enjoy the RCPC Fourth of July Parade. Hundreds of families came to the Festival in the Park after the Parade for the patriotic speeches and the family friendly fun.
North Texas Pioneers and Plano Sunrise Rotary clubs work together every year to have the Battle of the Badges (police and firemen) blood drives. This year there were 18 blood drives during the week of July 8/14.
Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating excellence and service at the Rotary District 5810 Awards Dinner for the Rotary year 2023-24 on Saturday, August 17th, 2024 6PM to 9PM. Held at the prestigious Plano Event Center, 2000 East Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, this event honors outstanding contributions and achievements within our Rotary community. From recognizing impactful projects to applauding dedicated members, the evening promises inspiring stories, camaraderie, and the spirit of service that defines Rotary. Tickets are $60 each. Sponsorships available. Click to Register.
Rockwall Noon Rotary held a celebratory year-end luncheon with awards, recognitions, and the passing of the gavel to the incoming board. Outgoing club president, Lorne Liechty provided a year in review detailing seven successful service projects including those with Food for Kids, North Texas Food Bank, Rockwall County Meals on Wheels, and Helping Hands.
On July 12, a team of Rockwall Rotarians stepped out on another hot summer day to serve the larger Rockwall County community. Working with the North Texas Food Bank, the team helped distribute food items to those in need.
As many are aware, fellow Rotarian Joseph Brown is set to depart for the Paris Olympic Games in just a few days. The Rotary Club of Commerce is reaching out to share an exciting opportunity to support Joe as he prepares to represent the nation on the global stage. The Olympic Games symbolize the pinnacle of athletic accomplishment, highlighting athletes' dedication, skill, and perseverance worldwide. As a Rotary Club dedicated to service above self, there is a recognition of the importance of nurturing local talent and offering opportunities for individuals to excel in their chosen fields.
I am so excited to kick off the 2024-2025 Rotary year with each of you. Thank you for this amazing honor to serve as your District Governor. Congrats to all the new Club and District officers on the start of your term on July 1st. Many of you were able to join us at the Installation Celebration, where many District officers and about 1/3 of the incoming Club Presidents were inducted before we danced the night away to our favorite 70’s and 80’s songs.
During the week at RYLA, our campers had a great time participating in a large-scale camp wide service project in support of two community organizations, Metrocrest Services and the Veterans Resource Group. The campers hand packed over 1200 food and hygiene bags helping to meet the needs of fellow members of their communities.
Camp RYLA 2024, by all accounts, was a raving success! Even though it has only been 1 month since we closed out the in-person camp program there is always lots going on for the students to continue the engagements from camp. Cabin groups are still making sure they keep in touch with each other throughout the summer months.
The Rotary Club of Prestonwood and Rotary Club of Roatan have partnered to improve lives at Dionisio de Herrera Public School in Oak Ridge. This initiative includes a storage facility, a water pump, and a rain collection system. These components will ensure consistent access to clean water year-round for 850 students and approximately 1,500 community members.
Rotary Club of Wylie East Fork proudly sponsored the Wylie Chamber of Commerce luncheon this week. The theme was Why Leaders Matter. Our esteemed president, Ofilia Barrera, spoke about why she joined Rotary, and invited the attendees to our weekly meetings.
Despite being a small club of 26 members, Coppell Rotary is dedicated to making a big impact through our Foundation and Coppell High School Interact Club. This year, we were thrilled to host a dinner attended by over 40 guests, where we honored the incredible work done by Coppell, District 5810, and Rotary International through The Rotary Foundation over the past year.
What a tough decision it was with 37 impressive applicants, but we're thrilled to share that the Rotary Club of Coppell has awarded 5 scholarships worth $1,500 each to some outstanding Coppell Seniors! Congratulations to these bright and deserving students who will be pursuing their dreams at UT Austin, Carnegie Mellon, Texas A&M, and the University of Connecticut. Your future is looking incredibly bright!
Coppell Awards Five $1,500 Scholarships to Seniors
Are you ready for the NEW ROTARY YEAR? Check out the LEARNING CENTER at My Rotary for courses on Public Image, Membership, Club Leadership, Professional Development , Service and more! This is a great resource to get training on #Rotary! Requires a My Rotary account. Visit - https://my.rotary.org/en/
Hurricane Creek members helped serve food at The Samaritan Inn, it is a temporary housing charity that helps people get back on their feet after a major life event.
The Rotary District 5810 - North Texas LANDMARK MAP is now live! All year, we have been asking for Clubs to submit their landmarks. To view the map or to submit your Rotary Landmark: https://rotary5810.org/page/rotary-5810-landmark-map
The Rotary Club of McKinney Sunrise has awarded $66,000 in scholarships to twenty-one high school seniors from McKinney! The recipients are members of McKinney Sunrise-sponsored Interact Clubs at McKinney North High School and McKinney Boyd High School, or they are family members of McKinney Sunrise Rotarians.
On May 17th the Melissa Rotary Club teamed up with the Melissa ISD Interact Club to help out the Melissa Community Outreach to sort and bag up Hygiene kits. These kits will go out to local residents in need of food and help. Service above self.
The Preston Trail Rotary Club played a crucial role in ensuring the success of Celina's inaugural Rodeo! Our dedicated volunteers manned the gates throughout all three days, making it a memorable experience for everyone involved. Proceeds from this event will support scholarships for deserving students in Celina.
The city of Anna recently presented the Hurricane Creek Rotary club a certificate of appreciation for their volunteer efforts in helping keep clean the city parks and other service projects.
Friday, May 31 was the perfect day for the Rockwall Noon Rotary to hold their annual Clay Shoot raising funds to support Rockwall ISD scholarships. Premier sponsor, OMi, a national crane manufacturer, helped make the event one of the largest and most successful the Rockwall Noon Rotary Club has hosted.
The Rotary Club of White Rock, Dallas, TX has collaborated with the Sisters of Charity for a number of years to plant a vegetable garden in an community that is in need of easy access to a basic fresh vegetables source. However, this year members of our Club were asked to help beautify the area surrounding a women’s shelter in the area. This picture of our beginning garden is a reflection of the dedication of our club to the needs of our community.
Rotarians Linda Elliot and David Crist are our shining star volunteers this month. Envision Dallas is a center to assist vision impaired employees gain employment and independence.
The Rotary Club of Grand Prairie built another wheelchair ramp for a deserving member of the community in conjunction with North Texas Wheelchair Ramps!
We are excited to announce our 2024 Book Brigade to Mexico aimed at supporting the local children in Costa Maya and enhancing their educational experiences. This drive is a wonderful opportunity for all of us to come together and contribute to the success and well-being of the children. We are seeking donations of the following items:
The Mesquite Rotary Club hosted its annual Scholarship Awards Luncheon at their meeting on June 4th. At the event, scholarship awards of $1,500 each were presented to graduating students from North Mesquite High School, Poteet High School, John Horn High School, the Sunnyvale High School, and Dallas Christian School. This investment by the club in the future of these deserving area scholars totaled $7,500.
Welcome to the Rotary Foundation End of Year Wrap up with Foundation Chair, Bill Dendy. In this video, Bill talks about final project reports for district matching grants, Club foundation contributions, Update on PolioPlus, District Foundation team meeting schedule and more. Click to play video.
Camp RYLA 2024 is happening right now! As you read this, 190 campers from across District 5810 are wrapping up a week of personal and leadership development, and experiencing first hand the reward of living a life that exemplifies Service Above Self.
The judges had a challenge, choose the 5 most deserving applicants among 37 scholarship applications. It was hard but 5 deserving students shined bright. Coppell Rotary celebrated 4 of those students at the CHS Senior Awards.
Coppell Awards Five $1,500 Scholarships to Coppell Seniors
Rotary Club of Coppell had a fantastic event honoring our Foundation service and our CHS Interact Club. Our Rotary Interact club had a fabulous year of local and international service projects. Featured is a photo of their hard working executive board!
Congratulations to the following Clubs for winning our PUBLIC IMAGE CHAMPION GAMES: Rotary Club of Coppell, Rotary Club of Dallas-Uptown, DeSoto Rotary Club, Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club, Melissa Rotary, Prestonwood Rotary Club, Richardson East Rotary Club and Rotary Club of Wylie East Fork! THANK YOU for being a Public Image Champion!
Greetings from Singapore and the Rotary International Convention! As I write it is about to get started with an awesome opening ceremony. Rotary is celebrating the great year we have had. And we, as Rotarians of the District, do have much to celebrate for our year. We grew our membership, we gave joyfully to our foundation, we gave heartily to eradicate polio, we responded to devastating fires in Maui and the Texas Panhandle, and we lived our Rotary value, Service Above Self.
Commerce Rotary Club recently honored the top five percent of the senior, junior, sophomore and freshman classes at Commerce High School. Rotary hosted a special luncheon and awarded each student with a certificate recognizing their achievement.
Duncanville Rotarians donated over 1,900 pairs of socks to The Stewpot, which is the #1 request for the homeless. The Club’s guest speaker was Buddy Jordan, a founding member of The Stewpot, Encore Park, and other missions relating to the First United Presbyterian Church.
Grand Prairie Metro Rotary was honored to serve hotdogs, chips, cookies, and more at this year's Memorial Day Celebration sponsored by Grand Prairie Parks, Arts, and Recreation.
Grand Prairie Metro Serves at Memorial Day Celebration
After three years of hard work North Texas Pioneers has finally cut the ribbon on the House of Light Casa de Luz water purification project in the Dominican Republic. It’s a very rewarding feeling for our members and the citizens there to know they have clean safe water for the first time! Thanks to Bob Hill for his hard work on the project! to know everybody there has clean safe water now.
The Rockwall Noon Rotary Club and the Rockwall High School Interact Club have a strong connection. Members of the Interact Club join the clubs meetings occasionally to meet up with our members.
Last year as a part of the Birthday Celebration for PDG C. C. Collie’s 100th birthday, a special scholarship was created in PDG C. C.’s name for a deserving member of the JROTC at Hillcrest H.S. This year the program was expanded, and two scholarships were awarded to two very accomplished students.
PP Fred Brown and PP Karen Farris represented RCPC and signed the final beam for the new Health and Wellness Center at Bonton Farms. The Health and Wellness Center is the next phase in bringing essential service to this underserved neighborhood.
On Saturday, April 27th, the Rotary Club of Waxahachie and the nonprofit "Sleep In Heavenly Peace" foundation partnered to build beds for children in Ellis County who did not have a bed in which to sleep. With the additional help of the Interact Clubs of Waxahahcie High School and Waxahachie Global High, plus a couple of church volunteers, the combined team built 44 beds for children that were identified as having the need for a bed.
The Mesquite Rotary Club inducted another outstanding citizen into the Mesquite Rotary Grove of Honor at the site in DeBusk Park, adjacent to the Kidsquest playground, on May 7th. ASI Gymnastics owner Debi Holley was inducted for 2022 as the club continues catching up after the pausing of inductions during the pandemic.
A team of Mesquite Rotary Club members worked side-by-side with retired Mesquite teachers on May 1st to sort and label books to be delivered to all Mesquite ISD first graders, and also assisted the retired teachers in delivering the books to the schools on May 3rd. Since 2015, the Mesquite Rotary Club has donated funds each year in support of the Mesquite Association of Retired School Employees’ Book Project.
Join us on Thursday, June 27 for the District 5810 Installation Celebration at Brookhaven Country Club, 3333 Golfing Green Dr., Farmers Branch, Texas 75234. The installation event is for District Governor Regina Edwards, District Leadership and Club Presidents. Cost is $58.10/person, table of 8 $460. Sponsorship opportunities $50-$1,000. Open to all Rotarians!
On April 8, many Duncanville Rotarians and their families gathered at Rotary Park to beautify the green space, have fellowship, and experience the total solar eclipse together. As additional service projects, the Rotary Club of Duncanville donated eclipse glasses to all the 5th graders in Duncanville ISD and “eclipse” themed snacks to Amazing Grace Child and Family Services.
Duncanville Rotarians Rock Rotary Park on Eclipse Day
In a heartwarming display of community collaboration, the Rotary Club of Wylie East Fork, Delta Kappa Gamma Society, and Wylie Evening Lions Club, joined forces to inaugurate a brand new Little Free Library in the serene ambiance of the Library Garden.
My thoughts as we leave April are about the many great and useful activities that we experienced this past month. There was a wonderful gathering of the Foundation at TK’s Comedy Club in Addison. Great food and entertainment. Then the next day many of us met at Buffalo Creek for a golf scramble.
Discover our latest PUBLIC IMAGE TOOL designed specifically for Clubs: Simplifying the Newsletter Creation Process with Club Runner. Crafting a Club Newsletter is a powerful way to engage members, ensuring they stay updated on upcoming events, programs, and your community contributions.
May is not just another month on the calendar. It’s a month of significance, a time when the world comes together to raise awareness about an issue that often remains shrouded in silence: mental health. As we embark on Mental Health Awareness Month, it's crucial to acknowledge the significance of dismantling the stigma surrounding mental health and cultivating a culture steeped in understanding, empathy, and support.
A record number of Park Cities Rotary members assembled at the North Texas Food Bank on April 20 for their annual Spring Packing Day. The club volunteers twice a year.
Join us and our CHS Interact Club in making a global impact! On May 5th from 2-4pm at Coppell High School Cafeteria, the Coppell Community is coming together for RISE AGAINST HUNGER.
The Rotary Club of Coppell is thrilled to announce the winners of our FIRST Four Way Test Speech Contest since 2004! We had an incredible turnout, and the competition was fierce.
Big shoutout to District 5810's own Rotarian Scholar, Kyle Kass, who's diving deep into his studies at Oxford! Kyle and a fantastic group of Rotary Scholars are currently exploring the Thames River Valley, soaking up knowledge and experiences along the way.
️Exciting news from Coppell Rotary! We've been hard at work supporting the Coppell Heritage Center, preserving the essence of our town through its original buildings. Every year, our Rotary Club with assistance from Coppell GROW IT! pitches in for spring clean-up, landscaping, and the planting of beautiful Hollyhocks.
What a fantastic event this was for Prestonwood Rotary! The Fire-Rescue Appreciation Day, held at Prestonwood Country Club, was eagerly awaited by everyone.
April 19, 2024 - Christopher Cassidy, President & CEO of the National Medal of Honor Museum, retired NASA Astronaut, and Navy SEAL, spoke at Richardson Rotary Club’s 85th Anniversary Celebration dinner where he was also presented with a Paul Harris Fellow Award.
Plano West Rotary Club once again demonstrated its commitment to protecting the environment, one of Rotary International’s areas of focus, on Saturday, March 30, 2024 when club volunteers worked to pick up roadside litter. The club adopted a stretch of K Avenue in Plano between Parker Road and Spring Creek Parkway several years ago, and cleans up trash and debris there bimonthly.
The Preston Hollow Rotary Club and Junkluggers of Dallas held their 2nd Landfill Reduction/Electronics Recycling and Tree Give Away Event on Sunday, April 14th at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church between the 9am and and 10:30am church services. Dozens of flat screen TVs, cell phones, and other electronic devices were collected and 60+ White Oak seedlings were distributed to church members and community residents.
McKinney High School Interact Club finished their clothing drive this past month. They collected over 200 items of clothing to donate to Streetside Showers.
The Rotary Clubs of Dallas-Uptown and White Rock Lake recently had the privilege of showing our gratitude to the brave men and women of Dallas Fire Station #1. Our members delivered a hearty dinner as a token of our appreciation for their selfless dedication to keeping our community safe.
The Mesquite Rotary Club hosted its annual "Four Way Test" Speech Contest at the Mesquite ISD David Belt Professional Development Center on April 16th. Contestants from Mesquite I.S.D. high schools participated in the event. Each student gave a five-to-seven-minute original speech about applying the Rotary Four Way Test in our everyday relationships with other people and students.
Lake Texoma Rotary Club (LTRC) made a financial donation to help Pottsboro Girl Scout Troop #4749 Ambassador Natalie Peippo with her Girl Scout Gold Award project. Natalie and her crew of local volunteers including a few LTRC members constructed a Gaga Ball Pit at Texas Elks Camp on Texoma (TECOT) in Pottsboro.
There was a large and dedicated team of Rotarians that produced our Annual District Conference, just completed. I want to wholeheartedly thank all who helped this be the wonderful event that it was.
First, thanks to Past Rotary International President John Germ and his wife Judy for attending and providing great encouragement to those who heard his remarks Saturday evening. They attended the Foundation evening Thursday, the golf on Friday and the service project and dinner on Saturday. I hope you all got the opportunity to chat with them.
Rockwall Noon Rotary welcomed attendees to their annual Public Safety Awards luncheon on April 4. Each year, Rotary takes time to recognize public servants for the critical role they play in the safety and security of everyone throughout Rockwall County. “We truly appreciate everything that first responders do,” said Rotarian Trevor Reed. “We know that if we have to make that call, someone will respond.” Reed further acknowledged that the county departments work so well as a team which speaks to the respect they have for each other.
The Rotary Club of DeSoto, DeSoto High School Interact Club held an eclipse-focused event at the Curtistene S. McCowan Middle School (CMMS) with the CMMS Student Council and others. Prior to the Solar Eclipse a Meet & Greet took place with discussions of student life at the High School, the Interact Club and the Solar Eclipse
Your support is needed for for DONATION DRIVE for the Texas Panhandle Fire Victims! We are working in joint efforts with District 5730 to collect clothing and kitchen items that can be dropped off at the Rockwall Rotary Hall Saturday, April 13 at the start of the District Conference 11AM-2PM. Truck and trailer are arranged, drivers are needed.
Time is ticking, but there's still an opportunity to showcase your creativity and win big in the Public Image Champion Games! With the deadline fast approaching on May 1st, it's essential to gear up and finalize your submissions. Don't let this chance slip away!
Join us for our favorite day of the Rotary year! Our annual Service Above Self Awards ceremony is a truly uplifting celebration of young leaders at the Rotary Club of Dallas-Uptown's!
Join us at the Foundation Celebration on Thursday, April 11 at the T|K Comedy Club, 14854 Montfort, Dallas, TX starting at 5:30PM with Happy Hour. Our special guest is Past Rotary International President (PRIP) John Germ. Cost is $69.
Recently, a long-standing goal of the Rotary Club of DeSoto came to fruition. That goal was to reactivate its community based Rotaract club that would attract and energize young professionals, expose them to the Rotary culture, and groom them to become productive Rotarians. . After many attempts and a few hurdles, the Rotaract Club of Best Southwest TX became an official community Rotaract Club on January 19, 2024.
Rockwall Rotary has welcomed 2024's newest Paul Harris Fellows, Curtis Schibley (pictured with District Director for the Rotary Foundation, Bill Denby), Larry Serratt, Mary Liechty.
On Friday, March 22, 11 Duncanville Rotarians hosted tables at the Aspire Dallas County Luncheon where they mentored high school students and discussed business etiquette. Education is a major focus for the Rotary Club of Duncanville, and our Club continues to support teachers, students, bus drivers, and other ISD initiatives.
Rotary E-Club of North Texas has created a memorial fund to honor our late Honorary Rotarian Member Paul Alexander, a man in the iron lung. Please join our mission to help Rotary reach every child with the polio vaccine. Every donation goes directly to the Rotary Foundation, End Polio. Click to Donate.
Members of the Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club were out bright and early on a Saturday morning for the Club's quarterly Adopt-a-Street project. The group took 77 bags worth of debris off a Grand Prairie thoroughfare totaling well over 300 lbs.
On Saturday, March 9, several Duncanville Rotarians prepared for our Club’s biggest fundraiser – FLAGS! The Rotary Club of Duncanville has approximately 1,100 flag subscribers and this year we are adding commercial buckets to raise additional funds to support ISD education, supply equipment to a Renal Unit in Kenya, and support local needs.
The Rotary Club of McKinney Sunrise helped Meals on Wheels of Collin County restock their pantry by collecting shelf-stable food items, delivering them on February 28. Community Service Director Bill Smith led the effort, which helps provide panty items to MOWCC clients to supplement the meals that are delivered.
GOLFERS AND SPONSORS WANTED for the District Conference Golf Tournament on Friday, April 12, 2024 at the Buffalo Creek Golf Club, 624 Country Club Dr, Rockwall, TX 75032, 1:00 P.M. Tee Time. Tickets are $125 and includes dinner after the event. Click to Register.
I recently listened to a recording of the Zone webinar that presented the many plans for Rotary for the next three years. I was taken by three words that were mentioned more than a few times by the presenters.
Mark your calendar for Saturday, May 4, 2024 for the District 4-Way Speech Contest 9:30AM at the Westwood School’s Black Box Theater, 14240 Midway Road, Dallas, Texas 75244. Contestants will need to arrive between 8:45-9:15 a.m. on May 4, 2024 to check in (no check ins will be accepted after 9:20 a.m.). Click here to register your contestant.
Save the Date for the District 4-Way Speech Contest
Ronald McDonald House has been open to volunteers for a couple of years now following COVID. In 2024 they have changed their staff to include a chef to prepare the meals.
Last month, a PolioPlus presentation captivated the members of Fairview Rotary Club, as documented in the attached photo. The presenter, who had taken the initiative, successfully rallied the small 18-member club, resulting in a remarkable fundraising achievement of $3,220 during that particular meeting.
About once a month North Texas Pioneers Club enjoys loading boxes for LovePacs Plano. They have successfully served over 5,200 needy students in the Plano ISD during the 2023-2024 school year so far this year. It’s a service project which takes very little time and helps a lots of children in need!
Rotarians at work! A team from Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club participated in the 14th Annual Soup's on for Love event to raise much-needed funds for LifeLine for Families, Inc., a local non-profit that works to reduce homelessness among families of school children in crisis who are enrolled in the Grand Prairie Independent School District.
During January and February, Prestonwood is working with two other organizations; The National Council of Jewish Women Dallas and The Dallas Founder Lions Club to collect rolling suitcases for Mosaic's Family Services. This project has met with great success and at our Happy Hour on the 5th Wednesday in January, we gathered at Anayla's Scratch Kitchen to add to our collection.
Mesquite Rotary Club president Jones Doughton presented a $7,500 donation check to the Mesquite ISD Education Foundation at their meeting on February 13th. Foundation executive director Randy Lewallyn accepted the check.http://www.mesquitefoundation.org
Now is the time to sign up for the Rotary International Convention being held in Singapore. The convention begins on May 24 thru 29. The price will go up in March 31st, 2024.
Public image is the key to creating a lasting impact and attracting both members and community support. The Public Image Champion Games have been meticulously designed to empower Rotary Clubs to master the art of self-promotion through five engaging tasks. 2023-24 Public Image Champion Games
Mike Callahan from the Prestonwood Rotary Club and Past President of the Dallas East Rotary Club has been selected as our District Governor 2026-2027. Please congratulate Mike and thank him for his continuing contributions to the growth and strength of District 5810, and wish him well in the new chapter of his Rotary leadership.
Past District Governor Bill Slicker often reminded us that “This is a great day to be a Rotarian”. How true. Today is not only a great day to be a Rotarian but the start of a great time this Spring to come together as Rotarians to share our works and learn about all things Rotary as well as have some fun while we take on these many activities.
To say we're proud of this project is an understatement. Rotary Club of Wylie East Fork funded a sensory room at Hartman Elementary, turning a former book room into a calm space that can be used for students who need to take a breather.
On a beautiful December day, dignitaries and some Park Cities Rotary members assembled to break ground for the new Bonton Wellness Center. The Bonton area was not only in a food desert, but also in a healthcare desert.
Bishop R. T. Turner a member of the North Texas Pioneer club mentioned at a club meeting his church was in bad need of a new roof. With the help of the club's members through fundraisers and donations and the much-needed donation and help from Absolute Roofing their new roof was not a dream but a reality. The members of the church are very appreciative to Rotary for their kindness!
New Roof for the Church of the Living God PGT Plano
You're invited to a at a joint Rotary meeting on Wednesday, February 21 at 12PM at Gleneagles Country Club to hear the incredible story of two pilots and fellow Rotarians, Peter Teahen and John Ockenfels of Iowa, who recently completed a journey of a lifetime. The two cousins circumnavigated the world in a single-engine piston aircraft. The mission of this historic flight was to raise awareness and funds in support of the Rotary End Polio Now project. On July 30, 2023, the Flight To End Polio pilots completed their 90-day, 30,000-mile, flight that included 37 landings in 19 countries.Click to RSVP.
You're Invited to Joint Rotary Program "Flight to End Polio"
Rotary Club of Wylie East Fork enjoyed a visit from District Governor John Curtis, his lovely wife Janie, and District Governor Elect Mary Bedosky at our weekly luncheon in December. Everyone had fun with our group's silly antics during "fine" time, and commented what a relaxed, friendly, and close group we have. It just so happened to be the DG's birthday and we were lucky to celebrate the day with him.
This past holiday season, Coppell Rotary in collaboration with Metrocrest Services were able to ensure that 5 deserving seniors in our community were well taken care of with large gift baskets.
This year Coppell Rotary came together to make a meaningful impact. We're thrilled to share that we donated 75 beautiful dolls of color to the CBates "Barbie Like Me" Drive, ensuring that every child feels seen and celebrated during the holidays.
We are honored and thrilled to announce that PDG Howard Templin awarded Coppell Rotary the prestigious 2022-23 Small Club Foundation Award! This recognition is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our incredible Rotary family, lead by Rotarian and Star Award Winner John Hill, who tirelessly strive to make a positive impact locally and globally.
We're thrilled to share the joy and festive spirit that filled the hearts of Coppell students, families, and teachers at our 3rd Annual Christmas Arts Experience! This year, Coppell Rotary proudly provided 150 tickets to "A Jolly Holiday Singalong" at the Coppell Arts Center, creating lasting memories for all.
Rotary International President-elect Stephanie Urchick revealed the 2024-2025 presidential theme, The Magic of Rotary, at International Assembly.
"We are not going to end polio or bring peace to the world by waving a wand. It's up to you. You create the magic with every project completed, every dollar donated, and every new member."
We are thrilled to share some exciting news of some new public image resources for Clubs to help with their content strategy for social media/newsletter: Rotary Branded Canva Templates - Member Spotlight, Membership Rack Card, Rotary Birthday, Guest Speaker and Rotary Monthly Theme Graphics.
In the heart of Plano, Texas, the Rotary Clubs have once again orchestrated a holiday spectacle that has left the community beaming with joy. The annual Rotary Clubs of Plano Holiday Parade has become a symbol of community unity, festive cheer, and the spirit of giving.
The RYLA Information Roundup/Kick-Off for the District 5810 Camp RYLA Program will be held Saturday, January 27, 2024 at Dallas College/Brookhaven Campus. Located at 3939 Valley View Ln, Farmers Branch, TX 75244.
Greetings to all Rotarians as we begin another calendar year together! The holidays have been a time to charge our batteries with family and friends, giving and receiving and simply being more than doing.
The Suicide Prevention and Brain Health (SPBH) Rotary eClub (spbhrotary.org) in conjunction with SPBH members from the Steven A Cohen Military Family Clinic at Metrocare, Military Veteran Peer Network (MVPN) and StopOne have announced 2024 dates for ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) in Addison, Texas at no cost to attendees.
North Texas Pioneers Rotary Club’s December service product was a Christmas party for the members of the Park of Plano Nursing Home. Our members each chose one or two members of the nursing home to give gifts.
The Pioneer Technology and Arts Academy (PTTA) was chartered in November 2023 and sponsored by Prestonwood Rotary. Led by Prestonwood's newest member and Interact Sponsor, Margaret Silva, they were on the road for the Holidays in the Richardson Christmas parade.
Led by District 5810 (North Texas), the 10 Lone Star P.E.T.S. Districts including 25 Rotary, Rotaract and Interact clubs in Texas and Oklahoma, spent the fall of 2023 raising funds and collecting 460 boxes of donations containing 26,383 books, 404 Days for Girls feminine hygiene kits, 1,361 boxes of crayons, 1,027 pairs of scissors, assorted other school supplies, 284 pairs of tennis shoes and sandals, 143 backpacks, recreational equipment, and medical supplies based on a needs assessment performed by receiving District 4195 in Yucatan, Mexico.
Members of Prestonwood and one very exceptional spouse poured on the Holiday Spirit on the last day of November at Feed My Starving Children. Our team build 22 boxes or 4,752 meals for families in need.
On Dec. 2, Plano West Rotary Club supported the city of Plano’s annual holiday festival Dickens for the second year. Volunteers set up a craft station where festival attendees could make their own free festive sweater ornament to take home.
You are invited to participate in the inaugural North Texas Mental Health Forum for individuals and organizations across Denton, Collin, Grayson, Tarrant, Cooke, Wise and Parker counties to be held on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, from 830am – 330pm at the Denton County Courthouse 2020 Room in Denton, Texas. This forum is being organized by the Suicide Prevention and Brain Health (SPBH) Rotary eClub (featured in Nov 2023 Rotary Magazine at https://www.rotary.org/en/hope-grief) and the Denton County Suicide Prevention Coalition.
In conjunction with North Texas wheelchair ramps, the Rotary club of Grand Prairie continued its long time practice of building wheelchair ramps for disabled citizens in Grand Prairie. Several Rotarians, including, Dennis King, Mark Ford, Aaron King, Martin Caballero, Carolyn Wicker, and others helped build two wheelchair ramps last Saturday.
Members of White Roak Rotary, Dallas celebrated the holiday season by attending their annual Christmas dinner at Table 13 restaurant. Our Fireside Chat events are usually great fun, and our Christmas dinners are no exception.
To All District 5810 Rotarians: You have an opportunity to influence the Rotary International Manual of Procedures. The following document instructs you how to propose a change (or changes) for consideration to the Rotary International Manual of Procedures.
While the following note calls out a year-end deadline, this same procedure can be used for the ensuing calendar year. If you have questions, please contact PDG John Moser (john.moser@mygrande.net).
If you would like to see an improvement in the District or RI MOP, you can submit a proposal, using this process. Rotary International must receive proposed enactments, including confirmation of the district’s endorsement from the governor, by 31 December 2023.
The Rotary Club of Melissa once again sponsored a successful Carter Blood Care of Texas blood drive on December 9th. The Melissa Rotary Club Service Committee supports the publicity and arranges the location (the Melissa United Methodist Church) in their bi-monthly campaign for 2023-2024, working with Carter BloodCare to collect much needed blood for Texans who need it.
Allen Sunrise Rotary Club members and friends generously devoted their time to organizing donated materials and assisting ACO members in optimizing their resale shop inventory. The dedicated volunteers worked in two shifts, from 9-11 AM and 11 AM-1 PM on October 28th.
As a continued celebration of Christmas, Allen Rotary Clubs joined hands to conduct a Christmas Parade on Dec 3 at 2 PM. There were more than 50 floats from local organizations showing Christmas spirit
Rob Wythe and Sharon Scott, present and past Community Service Chairs of the McKinney Rotary Club, hold some of the 206 new stuffed animals that the Club donated to the non-profit Adam’s Animals.
Each month with a 5th Wednesday the Richardson East Rotary Club works on a volunteer activity during lunch. On the 5th Wednesday in November we had the opportunity to create care baskets for seniors at the Network of Community Ministries. Food items as well as personal care items were packaged into baskets for needing seniors.
The Mesquite Rotary Club presented a donation of $2,000 to the Mesquite Police Association’s Officer Richard Houston II Memorial Highway Fund at their December 5th meeting. Accepting the check were Mesquite Police officers Jim Lakey and Eric Vasquez.
The Preston Hollow Club recently adopted a new group in Dallas. The Club raised funds to purchase 12 apartment-sized Christmas trees, tree ornaments, tree toppers, and window lights for the mothers and children of Exodus Ministries, a women's residential program in East Dallas for recently-released felons and their children.
The city of Midlothian Texas held their 2023 Christmas Parade on Saturday December 2. Rotary Club member, David Spaulding, drove his 1936 Buick which drew a lot of attention.
We are very proud and pleased to announce that our District 5810 committee on nominations met on Sunday December 3, and unanimously recommended that Mike Callahan be our District Governor Nominee Designate. Mike is a member of the Prestonwood Rotary Club and Past President of the Dallas East Rotary Club. He currently serves as an Assistant Governor. He previously held many positions of responsibility at his club, in the district and at RYLA. If confirmed by RI, he will follow Mary Bedosky as DG for Rotary year 2026-2027. Please join us in congratulating Mike.
On 11/15 we had the great opportunity to listen to presentations from 2 of the RYLA recipients from International Leadership of Texas, Acacia Huang and Peter Feng. They shared their life changing experiences they received through RYLA.
The Rotary Club of Duncanville did something awesome in November – they took on two month-long service projects! During their four regular club meetings, Rotarians donated cereal, peanut butter, jelly, gravy, and chili to the Duncanville Outreach Ministry.
The Irving Sunrise Club gathered on Saturday, November 18 to make fleece blankets in the 1st Annual Project Linus Blanketeer Day. Project Linus provides handmade blankets to children 0-18 in the United States who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need.
The Mesquite Rotary Club presented a donation of $2,000 to the Mesquite Association of Retired School Employees book project at their meeting on November 28th. In accepting the check from Rotary president Jones Doughton, MARSE president Stephanie Wiley expressed her thanks for Rotary’s financial support and volunteer assistance.
You are invited to participate in the inaugural North Texas Mental Health Forum for individuals and organizations in Denton, Collin, Grayson, Tarrant, Cooke, Wise and Parker counties to be held on January 31, 2024, from 9am – 3:30pm at the Denton County Courthouse 2020 Room in Denton, Texas.
Coppell Rotary knows how to have a great time while making a meaningful impact. During our latest social gathering, we came together and collected over 1,000 lbs of canned goods for Metrocrest Services - just in time to spread Thanksgiving joy!
Coppell Rotary was very busy during this last flag holiday. Our beautiful flags were all over Coppell during a variety of events honoring our Veterans.
Yuletide Greetings to all Rotarian, families and friends! Together, we can celebrate our time together and what we have accomplished as a District this Rotary year. We have done much. We have volunteered on many service projects with most clubs creating a project during my visitation.
The Rotary Club of Park Cities invites you to enjoy the fun at the 17th annual Snider Plaza Tree Lighting on December 3, 2023, from 3:00 to 7:00 pm. Bring your family. Kids of all ages are welcome.
Plano West Rotary Club has been supporting the city’s Adopt-a-Highway Project for 6 years this December. The project was initiated by Rotarian Glen Thornton in December 2017, and the first clean-up service project was January 2018. The club’s assigned stretch of roadside is Avenue K between Spring Creek Parkway and Parker Road.
Rockwall Rotary Club welcomed the Interact Club at Rockwall High School to their November 16 meeting to share updates club accomplishments and upcoming service projects. Rockwall High School teacher and club sponsor, Cheri Whitelock introduced the Senior officers:
The North Texas Pioneers Rotary Club’s service projects for November were raising money to help the veterans in our area. We had a dinner to honor Veterans Day and were honored to have sixteen veterans attend for dinner
Bethany Elementary 5th grader Kate Chudy uses a wheelchair. Kate was worried she wouldn’t be able to participate in the upcoming 5th grade camp because of the design of her wheelchair, which isn’t suitable for “off-roading” without a second person to help push.
The Addison Rotary Club and Addison Midday Rotary Club united together on Veteran's Day to host a pancake breakfast to honor and thank the men and women who served our nation and serve our community. 100% of proceeds raised from the breakfast support Santa's Heroes, a joint program of the Addison Fire and Police Departments, respectively, to ensure children of families facing financial hardships will have a gift under the tree.
Pancake Breakfast Honoring Veterans and First Responders
Recently, the Rockwall Rotary Club hosted a Monday Night Football party to support the club's community efforts towards student scholarships and our mission of polio eradication. While having a great time, attendees ensured the event was a huge success raising over $5300 in just a few hours!
Melissa Rotary Club and Melissa High School Interact Club have joined forces to serve the community, including Melissa's Fall Fest, Flag installations, and the Veterans' Day Ceremony. These service projects include helping with parking and booth set-up at the local Fall Fest sponsored by Krogers and supported by the local Chamber of Commerce, and Interact is sponsoring the Fall 2023 Food Drive benefitting the First Melissa Christmas Angel Program and the Melissa Community Outreach Food Pantry, which the Melissa Rotary Club also supports.
On November 10, the Addison Rotary Club presented the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas the net proceeds from the 33rd Addison Rotary Open - $188,000! The Addison Rotary Open, presented by Walker & Dunlop, is the signature fundraiser of the club.
The Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club was honored to cook hot dogs and serve lunch to veterans and guests following the annual Veterans Day Celebration held by the City of Grand Prairie. This yearly event is a highlight for the Grand Prairie community and the Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club.
Following the Grand Prairie Metro Rotary’s 37th Annual Pumpkin Run, the Club held a celebration to donate $32,000 from this year's run to deserving non-profits in Grand Prairie! Over 75 guests attended the event led by Immediate Past President Debbie Dobbs.
Now is the time to sign up for the Rotary International Convention being held in Singapore. The convention begins on May 24 thru 29. The price will go up in December.
Rotarians at work supporting the Grand Praire Boys and Girls Club annual Halloween Festivities with 35 kids participating in activities. No tricks here just all smiles.
Get ready to kick off the holiday season with a BANG! Join the Rotary Clubs of Plano for the most festive event of the year - the Rotary Parades of Plano Holiday Parade!
In the heart of Mexico, the value of education and the hunger for knowledge continue to grow. Every child, regardless of their circumstances, deserves the opportunity to explore the world through the pages of a book. Thanks to the generosity of our Clubs, the students of our school in Mexico have been gifted the treasure of books and school supplies. Our goal is 26,000 books - see the results thus far:
Rotarians from E-Club of North Texas at work supporting the Grand Prairie Boys and Girls Club annual Halloween Festivities with 35 kids participating in activities. No tricks here just all smiles.
Supporting Boys & Girls Club Halloween Festival
Members of White Rock Rotary, Dallas turned out for PINTS FOR POLIO fundraiser in Lake Highlands at Vector Brewing on October 25. Walt McCool, Hilred Azan, Helen Stettler (and spouse) and Enid Jones joined fellow Rotarians from the District in an evening of conviviality.
November is Foundation Month. It is the time we focus on the value of giving so that we and the world around us may receive, and in so doing, We Create Hope in the World. What an exciting month for us in Rotary.
Earlier this year, district governors were notified that we were reviewing concerns raised by leaders in District 2232 (Ukraine) about the Rotary Club of Kyiv International’s use of disaster response grant funds intended to support people affected by the war.
On October 14, 2023, the Addison Midday Rotary Club held its 3rd Oktoberfest for members and guests of the club. Again, this year the event included beer, bratwurst, an accordion, and singing. A good time was had by all in attendance.
On October 16, the Rockwall Rotary Club held a special Monday Night Football event to raise money for local student scholarships, one of our designated philanthropic causes.
Prestonwood Rotary Club welcomed members of DPD to the Prestonwood Country Club with a buffet lunch and a celebration of their annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Day on Wednesday, October 25, 2023.
Runners young and old were up early on a crisp, sunny Saturday morning in October for the Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club's 37th Annual Pumpkin Run. As a result, approximately $30,000 will be donated by the Club to non-profits that directly serve the Grand Prairie community.
The Rotary Club of Park Cities held a “FOOT CARE CLINIC” for the HOMELESS at the Austin Street Center. Our Team of Rotarian’s and Volunteer Nurses provided foot baths, a package of new socks, and brand new shoes to over 125 homeless men & women. Written and published by Park Cities People here https://issuu.com/pcpphp/docs/pc_nov2023_final/44
Rotarians of Wylie East Fork spent their regular weekly lunch in October filling shoeboxes with toys, school supplies, and personal care items for children in need around the world.
Rotary Club of McKinney's unique Youth Leadership program, which provides monthly leadership and service training to 10th grade students in the McKinney area, has met twice this school year.
Wylie East Fork Rotarians enjoyed a beautiful Saturday morning volunteering to set up for Hope's Gate's Hope Under the Stars event in Wylie's Olde City Park.
The North Texas Pioneers Rotary Club’s annual Pancake & Sausage Breakfast held at C3 Auto Dealership in Plano was a big success again this year. It’s one of our events we hold to raise funds for the veterans. Not only is it for a good cause but it is a fun event with lots of good food and friends! Hope to see everyone at our next event!
The Mesquite Rotary Club recently hosted Rotary District 5810 Governor John Curtis, who discussed district goals, and also conducted induction ceremonies for the group’s 2023-2024 officers and board members.
Wylie Rotary volunteers held a "Packing Party” for District 5810 Book Brigade to help us recycle books and fight illiteracy both locally and internationally.
Four Way Test Speech Contest: May 4, 2024 For many years, Rotary clubs around the world have held 4 Way Speech competitions. The contest is open to all students in grades 9 -12. The object is to give a 5 - 7 minute inspirational presentation about the Rotary 4 Way Test.
Self-care refers to caring for one's physical, emotional, and mental health. It is important to prioritize self-care in our daily lives because it helps us to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
As our 100 degree temps finally fade away and Autumn becomes a welcome reality, We think of things to come. First on my list is that October is Polio Eradication Month. This is the time when clubs celebrate the enjoyment of a Pint or a Pinot, or something else, to help fight the curse of Polio.
We are excited to announce the rollout of the Membership Olympic Games - a fantastic opportunity for your club to not only strengthen your bond with existing members but also attract new ones!
Every year, Rotary members around the world mobilize for World Polio Day. We raise awareness of polio and gather support for our global effort to make sure that every child is protected from it. By staying tenacious, hopeful, and committed, we will make history by making polio the second human disease ever to be eradicated.
Coppell Rotary, known as the "Fun Club" decided to spice up our usual Thursday night meetings, and boy, did we have a blast! After our meeting we enjoyed a classy evening filled with Vino and Quesadillas at Landon Winery in The Sound.
The Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club teamed up with the South Grand Prairie High School Interact Club to "Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful" as part of the City of Grand Prairie's Clean Prairie Fall Sweep.
Greenville Daybreak Rotary worked with the Golden K Kiwanis and the Greenville Lions club to celebrate Community Week. On Saturday, September 9th, they built 17 modules of various sizes and cut over 250 2X4 stanchions that will be used to build 2 ramps next week during an initial effort to establish a Service Club week for 5 of 7 service clubs in Greenville.
Greenville Daybreak Participates In Greenville Service Club Week
Prosper Rotary Club put together 200 bags of snacks and treats for the client kids of its club supported non-profit Neighbors Nourishing Neighbors (N3). It was a fun hands-on experience where everyone in attendance was able to contribute something of value for N3. Member, Harlan delivered the 200 bags to N3 Friday.
Neighbors Nourishing Neighbors (N3) Service Project
In celebration of International Literacy Day (September 8th), District 5810 hosted a Packing Party. 30 Rotarians stayed an hour after the September 9th Roundtable to pack 380 individual bags of school supplies (each contains a book, pencil pouch, colored pencils/markers, crayons, glue sticks, pencils, pens, stickers and 2 small toys) and 12 boxes of general school supplies for a total of 32 boxes weighing 853.7 pounds including 751 books.
The Melissa Rotary Club combined with the Rotary Club of Hurricane Creek brought 90+ Veteran Comfort Bags to the Texas State Veteran's Home in Bonham. The staff and Veteran's were happy to receive them. Thanks to all the folks in Melissa/Anna/Van Alstyne who contributed items for the bags.
Members of the Richardson East Rotary Club volunteered at NETWORK of Community Ministries on August 30th to load backpacks with essential school supplies. The backpacks will be distributed to students in need on September 8th.
We have a committee hard at work to make the most of North Texas Giving Day (NTXGD), coming up on September 21st. NTXGD is a massive regional campaign to raise funds for hundreds of local non-profits, and for the last several years, RYLA 5810 has participated to raise funds to help continue all the on-going district RYLA programs that extend beyond camp and throughout the year.
Does Your Rotary Club Need a Boost? Ask yourself the following questions: Is your Rotary Club seeking more members? Would you like to involve the club in more service projects? Are you looking to diversify your membership base? If you've answered "YES" to any of these questions, it's time you considered the creation of a Service Companion Club.
My goodness, how time does fly! With my wife Janie, we have visited 40 clubs in just under 2 months of leading and learning about the great qualities of our District. We have had the pleasure of meeting and serving with a wonderful bunch of Rotarians during our visits. They are doing the good works of service to their communities.
On Thursday, July 20th, members of Whie Rock rotary volunteered at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Dallas in collaboration with the Northeast Neighborhood Patrol Division of Dallas Police Department as they held their annual Senior Health and Safety Brunch.
We are pleased to announce that Dr. J.D. Crouch II, CEO & President of USO Global is the keynote speaker for the 19th Annual Salute to America’s Veterans (SAV) event. The event is on November 8th at the Frontiers of Flight Museum and is hosted by the Rotary Club of Dallas, the 1st in Texas. Sponsors wanted!
Rotary Youth Exchange is alive and well in District 5810. After 8 monthly orientations our outbound long-term students are leaving. Zaley is going to Japan on August 18 and her sister Sydney is leaving on August 5 for Switzerland.
It's not everyday we get to throw a wedding shower. We celebrated the wedding of Rotarian Brandon and Milly at our last club meeting. It's fun to have young Rotarians and to surprise our members with an impromptu party!❤️
Suddenly your hungry and you need a snack...you know that feeling. Many Coppell learners experience short term hunger but for some reason they are not able to bring snacks to school. That's where Coppell Rotary steps in! Many times a year we provide snack packs with encouraging notes ( we call them "Notes & Nibbles") for students in need of snacks for that short term hunger gap. We enjoy this project and so do our schools. They keep us busy all school year!
Prestonwood Rotary began their Back-To-School program by providing The ROC (Metro Ministries) with various school supplies for over 330 school children that are served by The ROC in Garland.
The Suicide Prevention and Brain Health (SPBH) Rotary eClub invites you and your networks to attend the “gold standard” of suicide intervention skills training, ASIST, on September 13-14 in Addison.
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, providing us with the opportunity to learn about and recognize risk factors and warning signs of suicide, support and refer those that struggle and save lives.
Join the Suicide Prevention and Brain Health E-Club at the OUT OF THE DARKNESS WALK on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, at the Levitt Pavilion. They are walking to raise awareness and protect mental health and lives. To register or donate.
As members of the Plano Community Rotaract Club, our commitment to local community service projects in the Dallas area drives us forward. We're excited to introduce an ongoing project that requires your support: a school supply drive aimed at assisting educators in our community.
On August 8, 2023, the Rotary Club of Duncanville blessed the teachers’ lounges at Merrifield, Fairmeadows, and Central Elementary Schools. With the help of Janet and Joe Veracruz, Gianni LaBarba, Karen Cherry-Brown, Sarena Chism, Jen Lott, and other Rotarians, the Club purchased, provided, and installed 5-gallon water dispensers with refills, commercial coffee makers, and hundreds of snacks for teachers and staff.
World Polio Day, 24 October, is right around the corner. Help us keep up the momentum on our top priority of ending polio by planning an event in your community and by continuing to raise funds for PolioPlus. Every dollar raised will be matched 2 to 1 up to $150 million. Click here for resources to promote your event.
At the Melissa Rotary's Aug 10th meeting with District Governor, John Curtis and his wife, Janie, we presented a $250 check to Polio Plus in Janie’s name. We also worked as a group to assemble 60 Veteran Comfort bags which we plan to deliver to the VA home up in Bonham later this month.
The Preston Trails Rotary Club recently donated $150 to support the Celina Las Gatitas program. Celina High School's Las Gatitas drill team delivers high-energy performances at football games and events all across Celina. Last year, they contributed to the Toys for Tots event by putting on a fantastic show for everyone who attended. We greatly appreciate the dedication and enthusiasm these young ladies bring, and we are delighted to offer our support.
At our club meeting on August 4th, members of the Preston Trail Rotary Club brought in school supplies to fill backpacks for the students of Celina. The club collaborated to pack donated backpacks with much-needed school supplies. Dr. Tom, the Celina Superintendent, personally delivered all the backpacks to our Primary Campus where the need was greatest. Members united to address a community need and exemplify our motto 'People of Action"
Preston Trails Rotary President, KJ Clark, presented a $5000.00 check to Celina ISD Superintendent, Dr. Tom, in support of the Celina Education Foundation. The foundation provides scholarships for students and grants for teachers within Celina ISD. Our club is dedicated to assisting students and teachers in realizing their aspirations, and we are thrilled to make a contribution to this outstanding organization.
On Friday, August 11th, District 5810 Governor John Curtis joined Plano Sunrise Rotary for our regular weekly Friday meeting. It was a pleasure working together on packing food boxes 📦 for needy Plano Independent School District families and students at LovePacs in Plano!
As a service project, Richardson Rotary Club members filled snack bags at Network of Community Ministries, Richardson. A summertime Network program , the snack bags are provided at no charge to qualified Richardson ISD children to ensure “no kid goes hungry during the summer.”
Three Dallas Independent School District teachers who go above and beyond their job descriptions to help their students were honored by the Rotary Club of Dallas on Aug 9.
Rockwall, TX (August 14, 2023) - The Rockwall Rotary Club organization proudly provides a variety of scholarships and opportunities to Rockwall area students. Last week, the Rockwall Rotary welcomed two scholarship recipients to this year’s Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) Camp, Nhira Iverson and Evan Miller.
August 9, 2023 was a tragic day for our Rotarians, families and friends on the Island of Maui. The fires across the island have changed lives forever. Truly devastating. Our sympathy, thoughts and prayers are with everyone impacted.
As people of action, we can take immediate action. As we come together to recover and rebuild, we need to support each other. The District is collecting funds to be donated to Shelter Box or an equivalent charity to help the residents of Maui.
If would like to donate, send a check to Rotary Dist 5810, c/o Conway CPAs, 603 South Goliad, Rockwall TX 75087. Memo line - Maui Fire Relief.
Grand Prairie Metro Rotary joined DG John Curtis and his lovely wife, Janie, in a service project to benefit Streetside Showers, filling over 100 bags with much-needed personal hygiene items.
A long-time resident of Celina found themselves in need of assistance to bring their yard's trees and debris up to code. Facing limitations in carrying out the work themselves, these residents were in urgent need of help.
Preston Trails Rotary Club has partnered with the City of Celina in a collaborative effort to uphold the beauty of our town. The club has taken the initiative to adopt Kinship, and its members dedicated their morning to removing litter along the street, contributing to the cleanliness of Celina. This commitment will be ongoing, with the club planning to undertake such activities on a quarterly basis to ensure the street remains clean throughout the year.
Preston Trails Rotary Adopts A Street in Celina Program
Tom Riordan, a founding member of the Addison Rotary Club, passed away peacefully on July 26, 2023. Tom became a Rotarian in 1984 (40 years) and understood the value of service above self. Tom was always mindful of the needs of others and thankful for all the friendships Rotary had given him.
A celebration of life will be held at All Saints Catholic Church (5231 Meadowcreek Dr., Dallas TX 75248) on Tuesday August 8, 2023, at 1:00 pm. A visitation will be held at Canyon Creek Country Club (625 Lookout Dr., Richardson, TX 75080) on Monday August 7, 2023, from 5-7 pm.
Mental Health is Brain Health which is Physical Health. We ALL have a brain. Therefore, we all have mental health. Our mental or brain health is affected by the chemistry in our body which is affected by our diet, sleep, exercise, stress, life situations, age, brain development, genetics, etc.
In coordination with the goals of Rotary International President Gordon McInally, the Suicide Prevention and Brain Health Rotary eClub members will be sharing articles and service project ideas each month about topics related to mental/brain health and how we as Rotarians can make a difference in the lives of those around us as well as in our personal lives.
The Suicide Prevention and Brain Health (SPBH) Rotary eClub invites you and your networks to attend the “gold standard” of suicide intervention skills training, ASIST, on August 10-11 in Addison.
Last week the Rotary Club of Duncanville hosted their “Beautify Duncanville Rotary Park” service project and hosted DG Curtis and his wife.15 Duncanville Rotarians participated in the clean up and planting project. They were even able to gain a new member that was passing by and decided to participate in the community service project. Under the leadership of President Jennifer Lott, the club has 4 new service projects on the books for 2023-2024!
Rotary Park of Duncanville Beautification Service Project!
Join us on Saturday, August 26, 2023 to for some good Rotary fun at our District Awards Banquet to celebrate the 2022-23 Award Winners! The event will be held at the Haggard Party Barn, 5948 McKamy Trail, Plano, Texas 75024 from 6PM to 8PM. Attire: Business Casual
It has been a joy to visit clubs and work with the club members on service projects of their choosing. These projects, which have been organized by club members to do during my visit, are either continuations of outreach the club does regularly, or new programs set up to perform at the visitation meeting.
It was the best Fourth of July Parade since before COVID. Thousands of people lined the parade route, and hundreds joined us for the Party in the Park following the Parade.
We have joined forces to bring back the longstanding tradition of parades to the City of Plano. In the spirit of collaboration, the Rotary Clubs of Plano, which include all 6 Plano Rotary Clubs, North Texas Pioneers, Plano East, Plano West, Plano, Plano Metro and Plano Sunrise, in addition to the Plano Rotaract Club, joined forces to bring back the longstanding tradition of parades to the City of Plano!
Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, and Optimist clubs will cooperate in community service projects the week of September 11th – 17th. Plan now for your Rotary and Rotaract clubs to build on existing relationships with other like-minded services or develop new ones to impact your communities.
We are excited to announce the rollout of our new PUBLIC IMAGE CHAMPION GAMES! The Public Image Champion Games was designed to help Clubs increase their public image skill set. The more you promote your Club, the better the odds are at increasing your membership. It is a win-win all around! Each level game introduces you to tools and resources to promote your Club to your members, around the District, your community and Rotary International.
Rotary has long been involved in mental health and wellness initiatives. Our culture of Service Above Self builds community and promotes acts of kindness, two proven methods to build and maintain mental wellness.
Richardson East Rotary Club members had fun volunteering together on July 21st at Feed My Starving Children in Richardson. We helped pack 104 boxes of food (a total of 3,744 meals) to be delivered to families in need in Honduras.
North Texas Pioneers Rotary Club’s main service project of the year is the Battle of the Badges blood drive honoring the Plano Police and Firemen. We had nine blood drives in five days in July. We acquired 378 units of blood which can save up to 1134 lives. After the Police winning the battle with most votes the past few years the Fireman won this year with 296 voted to Police 137. Our club’s rewarding blood drives are the results of the dedication and hard work of our member Vicky Long.
North Texas Pioneers Battle of the Badges Blood Drive
When DG John Curtis visited the Coppell Club it wasn't business as usual. During the club meeting, we presented Janie with a $500 check towards her charity of choice, Rotary Polio Fund, then we packed up summer snacks for "Sack Summer Hunger" a non-profit fighting childhood hunger during the summer months. John & Janie can visit us anytime!
Coppell Rotarians Biju Mathews and John Hill along with their families enjoyed the Coppell 4th of July Parade. Biju is a City Councilman and shares his service commitment with the community and the Rotary Club of Coppell.
Rotarians Participate in Coppell 4th of July Parade
In Rotary, July is a time of new beginnings. This is a time to reassess and envision, and it is most importantly a time to set goals and determine how we will serve our Communities, seizing opportunities for service
At a recent meeting, Rotary Wylie East Fork took a field trip all the way across the street to Noble Experiment, the first zero-proof speakeasy in the Dallas Metroplex.
Retired Lt. Col. Cliff Moriarty is Club 5810 President-Elect 2023-2024 and will be club president for the 2024-2025 Rotary year. Cliff has over 25 years in Rotary. We were pleased to have President-Elect Cliff Moriarty present the Paul Harris Fellow Award to two deserving young ladies at a recent meeting in June. Rotary is a family tradition in the Moriarty household as his granddaughters, Kathleen Rose, and Mary Louise Orth, both received the prestigious award "in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world." The Paul Harris Fellow recognition acknowledges individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of $1,000 to Rotary International. Cliff is a PHF+8 and also bestowed a fellowship on fellow Rotary member Karen Hallman.
Grand Prairie Metro Rotary participated in this year’s Ice Cream Challenge for Charity put on by the City of Grand Prairie Parks, Arts, and Recreation Department. The Club went head-to-head with other local Grand Prairie charities and organizations to see who had the best homemade ice cream recipe. The overall winner took home much-needed funds for their group to be used in service to the community.
Grand Prairie Metro is up to the Ice Cream Challenge
On the first Friday of each month, the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) arrives to Our Savior Lutheran Church in Rockwall to provide food for those in need. Each month, the church and the NTFB can count on Rockwall Rotarians to give their time and energy!
At June's district meeting, John Curtis, of the Rockwall Club, was named Rotary International District Governor for the 2023-2024 year. John is a committed Rotarian, dedicated to the organization, its mission, and service in the area. At the same meeting, the Rockwall club's new 2023-2024 President, Lorne Liechty, was recognized and inducted as president with many members of the Rockwall Club looking on in support of both.
District Governor, John Curtis installed at June meeting
Every year The Rotary Club of Coppell awards five $1,500 scholarships to Coppell seniors. The club had 19 applications this year and the field was tough. These 5 seniors shined! The Rotary Club of Coppell wants to congratulate these deserving seniors for their hard work and wish them much success in their first year in college!
Coppell Awards Five $1,500 Scholarships to Coppell Seniors
Rotary EClub of NTX met in person and online on 7/11 to induct two new members and officers for 2023-24. During DG Curtis visit, the Club filled 50 backpacks with a variety of hygiene products to serve our local homeless veterans. Great way to kick off the new Rotary year!
On Saturday, March 25, Rotary clubs from the Plano community came together to support children who have been placed in foster care by hosting an Adoption Awareness Fair that allowed the kids to meet potential adoptive parents in a fun setting. The event was held at a Plano church and coordinated by Plano West Rotary Club members Michelle and Glen Thornton, who oversaw all 55 volunteers that contributed to the event.
Camp RYLA 2023, by all accounts, was a raving success! Even though it has only been 1 month since we closed out the in-person camp program there is always lots going on for the students to continue the engagements from camp. Cabin groups are still making sure they keep in touch with each other through out the summer months.
Happy 40th Anniversary to the Rotary Club of Coppell! During a Tuesday night city council meeting, Coppell Rotarians were honored with a city Proclamation.
Rotary Club of Coppell passed out “Citations of Appreciation” to Coppell Police during “Coffee with a Cop” on warm Saturday in June at Coppell ER. Each citation had a gift card for $10 to Firehouse Subs! This was to thank Coppell Police for their dedication and service to Coppell Residents.
Coppell Issues "Citations of Appreciation" to Coppell Cops
Has your Club completed a project and left behind a Rotary Wheel? Or a Plaque? The District is building a Google Map with Rotary Landmarks from across the District!
The location for District Roundtable has changed!! The new location is: Scottish Rite Hospital in Frisco, 5700 Dallas Pkwy, Frisco, TX 75034. Join us on Saturday, July 8th at 9:30AM for Networking 10:00AM for Meeting. Rotary Club of Dallas is our host!
I am so honored to be your District Governor for our Rotary Year 2023-2024. I am filled with feelings of gratitude and excitement. Together we have an opportunity to make a difference and to create hope in the world.
Visit the District Awards page for nomination forms, District History and District Awards List. The Star Award is an award that each club can bestow on a club member who has shown exemplary leadership and accomplishment this year. Your club or your board may select your club’s Star Award recipient.
Club size descriptions: 1 to 29 for small clubs; 30 to 49 medium size clubs; and 50 and up for large size clubs.
1) All nominations for District 5810 Awards 2022-2023 are due July 15, by midnight. YOUR ENTRY MUST BE EMAILED TO: Diana Kolb-Torres at mdakolb@gmail.com
On June 20, 2023, the Richardson Rotary sponsored a City of Richardson 150th Anniversary history event at The Eisemann Center. This was open to the public. A panel of current and former city managers, long time mayor, and an education leader discussed the colorful history of Richardson, Texas.
Plano West Rotary is committed to serving the Plano community. The club holds pecan sales and funnel cake sales as fundraisers throughout the year that allow Plano West to donate some of these funds towards student scholarships, while other funds are distributed as grants to nonprofits working within Plano to enrich the lives of citizens
While riding a motorcycle for charity, a member of the Rotary Club of Wylie East Fork forged connections with other Rotarians around the world. Speaking during the club’s Thursday, June 1, meeting at Landon Winery, Charlie Waller told members about traveling across India by motorcycle from Jan. 13-28. The ride, in its fifth year, is a way to raise money for The Rotary Foundation, which provides scholarships and other funding opportunities to Rotary clubs around the world.
The Rotary Club of Park Cities awards two $2,000 scholarships to seniors at Hillcrest H.S. They were introduced to the club at our meeting on May 26. The scholarship recipients are selected through an application and interview process at Hillcrest H.S. Both girls were highly recommended by their teachers.
This is the twentieth anniversary of the Rotary Club of Park Cities’ sponsorship of the Park Cities Fourth of July Parade and Celebration. Based on suggestions by club members, the theme this year is “Freedom to Serve.” Our Grand Marshal this year is Jan Langbein, CEO of Genesis Women’s Shelter and activist in efforts to end violence against women. The Parade beneficiary is the North Texas Food Bank. Come join the fun! Watch the Parade and celebrate in Goar Park following the Parade. It is all free and family-friendly!
Park Cities Announces 2023 Fourth of July Parade Details!
The Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club is hosting the 37th Annual Lake Joe Pool Pumpkin Run on Saturday, October 14, 2023. Proceeds from this event are used to support a number of local non-profits.
Grand Prairie Metro club member Fernando Guiza recently visited his hometown of Puruándiro, a municipality in Michoacán, Mexico. He was able to attend a meeting of the Club Rotario Puruándiro D4140 where his grandfather and father were members. In fact, his grandfather was one of the first members to join Rotary in Puruándiro over 40 years ago. “I was very happy to visit them now as a Rotarian in the U.S. and create bonds of fellowship and support,” he said.
GP Metro Member Exchanges Banner with Mexican Club
WRR Members {front Row: Helen Stettler, Win Evans, Enid Jones,
Ed Schaefer, Walt McCool. {Back row}: Gene McFarland and Roger Pryor.
The mission of Rotary International includes providing service to others, promoting integrity, and advancing world understanding, good will and peace through fellowship of community leaders.
On Saturday, June 10th at the June Roundtable, winners of the Public Image Champion Games received their certificates and were entered into a raffle for a cash prize. Raffle winners are: $250 for RC of Coppell, $150 for RC of McKinney and $100 for RC of Plano West!
Registration is now open for the Lone Star Division Rotary Leadership Institute Parts I, II and III (July/Aug 2023) Part I July 10 and 12, 2023 Part II July 24 and 26, 2023 Part III July 31 and Aug 2, 2023 Graduate Course - Motivating Volunteers June 17, 2023 REGISTER: www.LoneStarRLI.org
June is Rotary Fellowship Month. This is a great time to have a club social event to celebrate your club’s accomplishments of this Rotary year and your incoming officers.
The 4th OF JULY PARADE IN PLANO will be held during PLANO'S ALL AMERICAN 4TH on Tuesday, July 4th. Located at Collin College, Spring Creek Pkwy between Jupiter Rd and Parker Rd. The festival opens at 6 p.m., the parade starts at 7:30 p.m., and fireworks begin at 9:30 p.m. The festival ends at 10 p.m.
Kyle Kass is a 2023-2024 Global Grant for Rotary District 5810 sponsored by the Rotary Club of Coppell. This is his story as reported in the Coppell Gazette:
On June 3, 2023 the City of Plano celebrated its 150th birthday in Haggard Park with a free celebration for the entire community. Guests could enjoy live entertainment, cupcakes, family activities and booths with all sorts of information on the offerings from city departments. Heritage organizations were set up around the park to educate guests on various aspects of the city’s history.
The District Public Image Team has created some new PUBLIC IMAGE TOOLS for Clubs! These tools are located on the Public Image Resources Page. 1. Canva Tool Kit - step-by-step instructions on how to create a tool kit 2. Pre-Event Checklist - use this checklist as a guideline for public relations for when you hold your next fundraiser
Yes, come join with your Rotarian friends and families on July 22 at the ballpark (Globe Life Field) and cheer the home team on as they play those dastardly Dodgers from Los Angeles.
Grand Prairie Metro was honored to once again serve hotdogs, chips, etc. at this year's Memorial Day Celebration hosted by Grand Prairie Parks, Arts & Recreation.
Grand Prairie Metro Serves at Memorial Day Celebration
On May 16, the George H. W. Bush Elementary School in Addison held a Four-Way Test Contest for students in the third, fourth and fifth grades. The contest was sponsored by the Addison Midday Rotary Club (AMRC).
Two awards were presented to Dr. Chris Parr by Randy Wright, fellow Rotarian and long-time friend: one was for journalism and the second was for science.
Coppell Rotary and CHS Interact groups brought RISE AGAINST HUNGER to Coppell on Mya 21st. The group raised over $4,000 which provided the funds to make 10,000 meals.
Rotarians gathered along with residents of the City of Coppell to celebrate Cliff Long as he steps down after nine years of service to the Coppell City Council. Says Long, "I'm going to miss the people I worked with but I'm not anywhere. I will continue to serve Coppell in other areas, including being more active in Rotary."
Rotary Club of Coppell Celebrates Rotarian & City Councilman Cliff Long
In an effort to serve the homeless in our community, we decided to volunteer with Streetside Showers. This remarkable organization provides hot showers, hygiene, and clothing to the homeless and those in need. We volunteered at their Plano location as shower valets on Saturday, May 6th.
Wylie Rotarians fueled hot-rodders with free hot dogs as nearly 300 2-5-year olds prepared to race in the 19th Annual Wylie 500 Pedal Car Race. Families enjoyed the spring afternoon as the kids race 500 inches through Wylie's historic downtown in pedal cars supplied by Wylie merchants. Rotarians raised an extra $300 in "tips" to add to the City's donation to the local Special Olympics.
Saturday's finalists are (in order): 1st place - Joshua Li (Plano West Sr. High School), 2nd place - Lina Nguyen (McKinney High School), 3rd place - Carlen Cannon (J.J. Pearce High School), 4th place (1st runner up) - Jade Young (Midlothian High School), 5th place (2nd runner up) - Milan McKnight (Frisco Reedy High School)and 6th place (3rd runner up) - Francisco Lopez (Prairie East Advantage Academy)
The Plano Community Rotaract Club recently led the Go Green Challenge, a two-month-long initiative that aimed to promote environmental sustainability and encourage people to adopt eco-friendly practices. The challenge kicked off in March, to celebrate World Rotaract Week, and ended in April, in support of Rotary’s area of focus: Protecting the Environment.
Day 5 of the District Service Cruise was in the port of Cozumel, Mexico where Rotarians carried ashore 40+ backpacks containing assorted school supplies and musical instruments weighing approximately 160 pounds. All year long, District 5810 has been collecting and delivering school supplies, children's shoes, and children's books to Cozumel with the help of Carnival Breeze Cruise line. A total of 260 boxes of supplies and books and 125 pairs of shoes were delivered.
First stop on the District Service Cruise was in Roatan, where we delivered 209 boxes and 71 backpacks with 14,433 books and school supplies for the children. Also delivered were 160 feminine hygiene kits for empowering girls. Our work tour in Roatan, included painting a kindergarten and playground.
The Tanzania Children’s Choir (TCC) will be in Dallas Friday June 16th, then any day from June 19 through June 23rd. They are looking help finding a venue to give performance and if possible for a few Rotary (or partner with another Rotary Club) to host them while in Dallas.
Vickie Campbell, President Elect, delivered a $3000 donation in February 2023 to Dr Charles Parchment, Christtel Caceres, Mike Wittry and Ana Flores, President of the Rotary Club of Roatan, for the installation of a catchment water system at C.E.B. Guaymuras school in Roatan.
May is Youth Services Month! Did you know that Rotaract is 60 years old? Yes, it started in 1962. Quite an evolution! 19,000 Rotaract clubs and 437,000 members!
Congratulations to the following Clubs for winning our PUBLIC IMAGE CHAMPION GAMES: RC of Coppell, RC of Dallas, RC of Dallas-Uptown, RC of McKinney, RC of Melissa, RC of Plano, RC of Park Cities, RC of Plano West, RC of Rockwall and RC of White Rock! THANK YOU for being a Public Image Champion! Shout out to McKinney Rotary Club, Rockwall Rotary and Rotary Club of Coppell for also completing the bonus rounds ... PUBLIC IMAGE SUPERSTARS!!!
Plano is fortunate to have five thriving Rotary clubs, each with its own personality. Together We Are Stronger - Multiple Clubs in One City Are Partners Instead of Competitors. Plano Rotary Club is the oldest club going back almost 77 years.
Register now for the Mesquite Rotary Club’s 26th annual Rodeo Road Rally, presented by ASI Gymnastics. The annual charity fundraising bike ride will start at Mesquite High School’s E.H. Hanby Stadium, 300 E. Davis, Mesquite, TX 75149.
Camp RYLA 2023 is set to kick-off in less than a month. Planning and finalizing of all the details is at full speed at this time. We will go to camp with 187 students selected by the clubs in District 5810 and approximately 75 staff members.
Come join us on Thursday, June 29 at 5PM for the DG John Curtis, District Leadership and Club President Installation at the Park City Club, 5956 Sherry Lane, Ste 1700 in Dallas. Tickets are $70/person. Reserved seating opportunities available. Click to buy tickets.
Join Us at the DG, District & Club President Installation
The Rotary Club of Dallas, in partnership with Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, and Dallas Fire & Rescue, held the Annual Rotary Club of Dallas Bike Rodeo and Child Safety Day as an educational and entertaining morning for families on Saturday, April 1, 2023 at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital.
Rotarians from the Park Cities Rotary Club came together on Saturday morning, April 22nd, with INTERACT Members and Students from Hillcrest High School for RCPC / NTFB VOLUNTEER DAY! We packed the equivalent of 14,500 meals on Saturday morning for their “School Pantry” program ~ bringing nutritious food to children impacted by food insecurity!
Park Cities Volunteer Day at North Texas Food Bank
The Mesquite Rotary Club hosted its annual "Four Way Test" Speech Contest at the Mesquite ISD David Belt Professional Development Center on April 18th.
A team of Mesquite Rotary Club members worked side-by-side with retired Mesquite teachers on April 19th to sort and label books to be delivered to all Mesquite ISD first graders, and also assisted the retired teachers in delivering the books to the schools on April 21st.
On April 3 members of White Rock Rotary Club and John Curtis, District Governor Elect, came together to work on a garden project for the Sisters of the Missionary of Charity in south Dallas.
(Left to right: Blanca Ferro, WRR members, John Curtis)
The Rowlett Rotary Club participated in the DFW USOPA awards banquet. It was great to meet so many Olympic and Para Olympic Athletes. The stories that everyone told were incredible thanks to Sammy Walker, President of DFW USOPA for honoring local Olympic Athletes.
Two weeks of Plano Campaign Forums. This week, April 13 we hosted candidates for Plano ISD and this coming Thursday, April 20th, we host candidates for Plano City Council.
On Saturday, March 25th the Melissa Interact Club, a high school organization sponsored by the Melissa Rotary Club, led a community project to sew and fill boxes of pillowcase dresses to ship to Africa and many other countries.
The Melissa Community was invited to a free luncheon hosted by the Melissa Rotary Club April 13, 2023. Robert Palmer, BSN, RN, CEN, the Stroke Coordinator at Texas Health Allen, spoke to around 20 members and leaders of Rotary and the Melissa Community.
Yes, come join with your Rotarian friends and families on July 22 at the ballpark and cheer the home team on as they play those dastardly Dodgers from Los Angeles. We want to begin the new Rotary year with some fun and fellowship. We are inviting our Rotarian friends in our neighboring District 5790 (Fort Worth and beyond) to join us , too.
Mesquite Rotary vice-president John McClellan presented donations of $2,000 to assist the Scouts BSA Circle Ten Council in funding local scouting programs, and of $1,000 to assist the North Mesquite High School baseball program at the club’s meeting on April 4th.
Join us for the District Four-Way Speech Contest on May 6th, 2023 at 9:30AM at the The Westwood School's Black Box Theater, 14240 Midway Road, Dallas, Texas 75244. Contestants will need to arrive no later than 9:15 a.m. on May 6, 2023 to check in.
The Rowlett Rotary Club and Rowlett High School Interact Club had a great cleanup of Kenwood Heights Park on Saturday April 1st. Rowlett held a citywide cleanup. Thanks to everyone for a successful community cleanup.
Coppell High School Rotary Interact Club is working hard to raise money for students in Ethiopia. These dollars will fund a Tech, Engineering & Business curriculum, written by the Interactors and distributed to schools in that region. To raise money they held an online chess tournament, Knights For A Cause, and raised $250. Rotary Club of Coppell sweetened the donation by awarding the club with an additional $500!! These students are making a difference in the world!
Coppell High School Rotary Interact Club Raises Money For Schools In Ethiopia
During World Immunization Week, 24-30 April, join us in advocating for polio eradication and the importance of vaccines. As one of the greatest advances of modern medicine, vaccines are safe, effective, and save millions of lives each year. Our progress in the fight to end polio is proof that vaccines work.
Please note that there is no round table this month!
I don't know about you, but it is amazing to me that we are starting the last quarter of the Rotary year, and the velocity will increase going towards June 30th! Paul Harris's birthday is April 19th, and he would have been 155 this year. Wish him a Happy Birthday at you're next event or club meeting! Also, this month is Environmental Month.
This past Saturday, Plano Rotary Club was well represented at the downtown Plano Texas Forever Fest. A troupe of heros showed up to support Rotary and raise money to support our commitment to Plano ISD Education Foundation.
Members of the Suicide Prevention and Brain Health Rotary eClub are continuing to be “people of action” during this Texas Legislative Session, collaborating with MOAA (Military Officers Association of America), NAMI (Nat’l Alliance on Mental Illness), AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) and MHA (Mental Health America) to “advocate” (part of our “CAUSE” or purpose) for legislation related to mental health and suicide prevention.
The Rotary Club of Park Cities has created a new club award for the first time since 2014. It is the Stan Wright Community Service Award. It memorializes the community service of our late member, Stan Wright.
Promote your Club and inspire your Community easily by using the "People Of Action" Campaign developed by Rotary International. It is not difficult - only takes 2 steps:
In March, Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club President Debbie Dobbs handed out red badges to new members and blue badges to those members who have completed their new member requirements.
The Coppell High School Interact Group has big plans. To fundraise for their Ethiopia STEM Education Class Project they have planned many events for Coppell and surrounding community students.
Coppell Rotary was happy to provide funding to the Coppell Historical Society for the development of the Bethel School Steps Flower Garden located in Heritage Park in Old Town Coppell.
The Suicide Prevention & Brain Health Rotary eClub promoted suicide prevention and brain/mental health awareness while sharing our eClub member resources with attendees and other vendors at the annual Mental Health America (MHA) Adolescent Symposium on March 2-3 in Plano. With MHA’s outstanding education sessions, there were more than 700 registrants, providing us with the opportunity to connect with attendees from many backgrounds and geographic locations.
Last month, Plano Community Rotaract welcomed Barbara, David, Memo, Omar, and Rodrigo from the Rotaract Club San Nicolás de Los Garza Bicentenario. They drove all the way from Monterrey, Mexico to Dallas to visit our club. By creating this Rotaract Friendship Exchange, we shared our time, homes, and culture and established new friendships.
Who: Plano Community Rotaract members; What: Park Clean up; Where: Bob Woodruff Park, Plano, TX; When: March 11th: Why: We decided to create a challenge and invite Rotaractors, Rotarians, Interactors, and friends to work on one of Rotary’s seven areas of focus: Protecting the Environment.
We created this challenge as a way to bring Rotarians and Rotaractors together to take action. The challenge starts with World Rotaract Week and ends in April celebrating Environment Month. Please see details to participate here: https://planocommunityrotaract.org/rotaract-go-green-challenge/ Now through April 30th.
Grand Prairie Metro Rotarians rolled up their sleeves and put on their work gloves to participate in this year's "Big Event," a one-day, citywide volunteerism day where volunteers are matched with qualifying service projects at homes of people who need help, celebrating unity in the community.
Grand Prairie Metro Rotarians Support the "Big Event"
On March 4th the Richardson Rotary Club sponsored a Carter Blood Drive. Our volunteers staffed the welcome table all day in three shifts. Donations of food and clothing items were also collected for The Network of Community Ministries.
The March/April 2023 edition of the Prosper Living Magazine carries an article written by Harlan Jefferson. Harlan is the current Chapter President of the Prosper Rotary Club. Harland does an excellent job describing the Rotary Club and the local non-profit organizations supported by our club.
Prosper Rotary Club Featured in Prosper Living Magazine March/April 2023 Edition
You are invited by the Rotary Club of Dallas to participate in our 8th Annual Charity Golf Tournament held at Brookhaven Country Club on May 1st, 2023.
The Rotary Club of Dallas, in partnership with Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, and Dallas Fire & Rescue, will hold the 20th Annual Bike Rodeo and Child Safety Day as an educational and entertaining morning on Saturday, April 1, 2023 from 10am – 1pm. The event will be held at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital.
February 23rd the Dallas Rotary Club and Safer Dallas Better Dallas hosted the 14th Annual Dallas Police Department Distinguished Service Award and Public Safety Leader Award Luncheon.
Assistant Governor’s packed up 5,600 books, 164 hygiene kits and assorted supplies into 120 backpacks for children in Roatan. The backpacks will be delivered on the stopover in Roatan on the District Conference Service Cruise.
The Rowlett Rotary Club has added a new monthly Lunch & Learn meeting every second Tuesday 12:00-1:00 at the Rowlett Chamber of Commerce building. Guest speakers share news about the city, local community, statewide updated, and informative information for personal welfare.
Rowlett High School teacher Mr. Craig Vitosh has taken the RHS INTERACT CLUB to a new level of growth within the school and involved community projects. The club currently has 30 members and enthusiasm is growing.
We had a very successful gathering of approximately 35 attendees representing over 20 clubs in our district. We had a couple of clubs that do not currently have flag programs, but attended as they consider adding a flag program. Betsy Ross Flag Girl, a flag supplier to several of our clubs, sponsored the refreshments and came offering a 25% discount on flag orders.
Last Thursday, Plano Rotary Club recognized members Peggy Fenwick, Nancy Humphrey and Mary Jo Dean for their outstanding leadership and volunteerism. March 8 is International Women's Day and this was an excellent opportunity to feature some of the things they do that no everyone sees.
The McKinney Rotary Club had a presentation by Patriot PAWS Service Dogs on March 3. Speakers were Ambassador Sharon Scott (also a member of this Rotary) and Trainer Lauren Villanueva.
Rotary is busy this month! This is Water and Sanitation Month. International Women's Day is March 8th. I hope you are planning something special for this week's club meeting! World Rotaract week is March 13-19. Plan an event with your Rotaract Clubs. Read more in the Rotary Magazine. Here’s the link (note you need to log in at MyRotary 1st, then click the link to Magazines | My Rotary
During the President Elect Training Seminar, Hubert Zajicek, President Elect of the Rotary Club of Dallas presented over $15,000 to ShelterBox representatives who were on site demonstrating how ShelterBox is providing relief to families in crisis because of the invasion of Ukraine.
Did you hear the news? There is now an opportunity to win a cash prize for completing the Public Image Champion Games! There are only five tasks. We KNOW you can get them all done before the May 1 deadline.
The Suicide Prevention and Brain Health (SPBH) Rotary eClub and UTDallas invite you to participate in the upcoming Suicide Prevention Awareness Walk and Resource Fair on the UT Dallas campus on Saturday morning, April 29, in conjunction with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) North Texas Chapter.
Suicide Prevention and Brain Health Rotary eClub members have joined with the Texas A&M Commerce Counseling Center and Department of Health and Human Performance team to plan and support the first Rural Mental Health Forum for surrounding counties to be held at the Fletcher Warren Civic Center in Greenville, Texas, on Tuesday, March 21 from 830am-4pm.
Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) members believe in investing in the development of local youth and the advancement of community members, as well as supporting education, which is one of Rotary’s Areas of Focus.
As COVID has subsided, members of the Rotary Club of Park Cities have been able to resume their regular monthly service, preparing and serving dinner for the families staying at Ronald McDonald House.
On February 18, the Rotary Club of Dallas took action with teens from Interact and Dream Team processing clothing and food donations at the White Rock Center of Hope for distribution to families in crisis. We broke into teams to stock pantry shelves, fill up racks of clothing and do general maintenance around the center whose mission is to “Cultivate hope through basic needs and personalized empowerment.”
North Texas Pioneers Rotary gave a Valentines Party to the residents of The Parks nursing home in Plano. They so enjoyed decorating cookies, playing chair volley ball and especially singing love songs.
Prestonwood Rotary Club invites you to their Annual Click & Drink event on April 1st at Starpower. Tickets include entrance to event, wine, and food pairings. Tickets are $35/per person. Buy Tickets.
The McKinney Rotary Club Foundation started the new year making a difference by financially supporting three (3) local nonprofit organizations. Members of the Rotary Foundation Board presented to The McKinney Education Foundation, Hope Clinic and the Community Health Clinic funds raised through the McKinney Rotary Club Flag Program.
The Greenville Texas Rotary Club were honored to be able to make over 350 personal valentines for seniors in nursing homes, complete with a handwritten card and sweet treat as our February Service Project.
At the City Council Meeting on Valentine's Day, Mayor Matthew Porter, on behalf of the City of Wylie City Council and Citizens of Wylie, presented a proclamation honoring World Rotary Day on February 23, which celebrates 118 years of Rotary around the world.
Major Donors were honored at the District 5810 "We Love Our Foundation" Dinner this month. Coppell honored 2 of our Major Donors, Valerie & John Hill and Sumana & Prakkash Kabbur. It was a fabulous evening of celebration!
Coppell Rotarians Celebrated with the District at the We Love Our Foundation Dinner
Coppell Rotary, who meets in the evening, thought it only appropriate to raffle 3 bottles of Landon Wine at the February District Roundtable. District Rotarians were generous, as everyone wanted to win those bottles! We were able to raise $305 for the Polio Plus Fund. Happy Valentine's Day!
Coppell Rotary Raffles Wine at District Roundtable
Coppell Rotarians gathered to celebrate the Rotary International Foundation. If members wore their Paul Harris Pin to the meeting, Rotarian John Hill bought their wine at an after party at Landon Winery! We love our Foundation!
Past and Present Coppell Rotarians gathered to celebrate Coppell Rotarian and Treasurer Vicki Chiavetta's retirement. The City of Coppell honored Chiavetta, who was the current Assistant City Manager, for her 14 years of service.
Coppell Rotarian Retires from 14 Years of City Service
Applications are now open for the 2024 Rotary Peace Fellowship! Help us promote it and find the next cohort of global peacebuilders.
If you know any peace and development leaders in your community, encourage them to apply for a fully funded master’s degree or professional development certificate at one of our Rotary Peace Centers around the world. You can also use the referral form to tell us about potential candidates.
Please join us in person at the Keller Williams Building 3rd Floor, 18333 Preston RD or Zoom Thursday, February 16th at 4:00PM. In person we will have pizza, soft drinks, beer and wine. The location is 18333 Preston Road at the Keller Williams Building, 3rd floor conference room.
Zoom link is: https://raymondjames.zoom.us/j/94741994558?pwd=Z0NFTWZ6L2hMcHI5MnhCQWZlWmRaQT09
Registration is open for the Club Leadership Training Assembly on Saturday, March 25 at the Collin County - Plano Campus, 2800 E Spring Creek Pkwy from 8:00AM to 12PM. The cost is $20. Training for all Rotarians including officers, directors and Club members. Click to Register.
Club Leadership Training Assembly - Registration Open
2023-02-01 06:00:00Z
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Dallas Rotarians Save Families from Evictions
3-day eviction notices were issued, and court date set until the Dallas Rotary Club Foundation "Kidwell/Cooper Grant" provided emergency assistance and stopped the evictions for two families!
During recent renovations at Klyde Warren Park, this sign was placed at the base of the Learning Tree. Since opening in 2012, it has become the city's beloved town square, welcoming more than one million visitors each year and nationally acclaimed.
Fifteen of our Richardson Rotary Club members met at The Network of Community Ministries Volunteer area at Noon on January 30th. We spent the next hour boxing up food to be provided to Network’s clients. Another 5th Monday opportunity to volunteer and socialize for a great cause.
We KNOW you’re excellent at what you do. Because of YOU, District 5810 was awarded a "2021-2022 PUBLIC IMAGE CITATION" for Zone 25B. Give yourself a round of applause for a job well done - promoting yourself in the community, at District and Rotary International! And we KNOW you’ll do it again this year.
As a global humanitarian organization, Rotary continually takes action to help communities in need. The Rotary Foundation has established two temporary funds to support immediate relief efforts in Pakistan and Ukraine.
As many of you know, February’s is Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention Month. Rotary has been dedicated to peace building since the early days of Rotary and Paul Harris was a major leader for this. Check out the articles in this month’s Rotary Magazine. A subscription is included in your RI dues. You have an option of having it mailed to you, or you can download the magazine from the website or read it on line, if you wish. Here’s the link (note you may have to log in 1st, thin click the link(: Magazines | My Rotary
Visit the District's Public Image Resource page to access resources, templates and media contacts to share your club’s stories of impact and show your community we are #PeopleOfAction! You'll find training videos, templates, tools, a direct link to RI's NEW and improved Brand Center and MORE. Click Here.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 4th, for the 3RD FLAG SUMMIT at the Dallas College Brookhaven Campus 9:30AM-12PM. Topics - BEST PRACTICES & MARKETING STRATEGY. This is a free event, must RSVP.
At the upcoming 2023 Rotary International Convention in Melbourne, Australia not only will you have the opportunity to meet and network with thousands of servant leaders from around the globe, but you'll also enjoy one of the world's most vibrant cities.
Rotary International President-elect R. Gordon R. McInally announced his theme for the 2023-24 Rotary year, “Create Hope in the World”. He explained that the goal is to restore hope to help the world heal from destructive conflicts and to help achieve lasting change. He emphasized the need for peace and continuity, including work to empower women and work toward diversity, equity, and inclusion, while not neglecting our mission to end polio.
The Duncanville Interact Club collected and donated 1,633 books weighing 506 pounds for the District Conference Service Cruise. The K-5 books will be delivered to Cozumel, Mexico and the 6-12th grade books will be delivered to Roatan, Honduras at the District Conference Service Cruise in April.
The North Texas Pioneers Rotary Club is proud to Charter 7 of the Units in BSA Chisholm Trail District. Three of our members are Scout leaders in the District. COR/Cub-Master, Daniel Long, Sargent at Arms Ed Rys, and Scout Master Jim Wright.
On the very cold evening of Jan 25, volunteers from Plano West Rotary joined volunteers from area churches and the Collin County Homeless Coalition to serve guests as the Plano Overnight Warming Station (POWS) opened.
Happy 100th Birthday, C. C.! It was a wonderful evening honoring a distinguished and very special member, PDG C.C. Collie! RCPC members, his family, and other special guests assembled at Lakewood Country Club on December 15 for this Holiday and Birthday Party.
The Coppell Club had a fabulous speaker, Shania Starks of the North Texas Milk Bank. Our club is partnering with the Hubli Mid-Town Rotary Club on a Global Grant to build and staff a Milk Bank in Hubli, India. With the support of Rotary Clubs, Rotary International and Train & Help Babies (Coppell's #1 International project) this milk bank will be built! The need for human milk is the next step to lower the morbidity rate and Shania explained how it affects us locally and worldwide.
North Texas Milk Bank Explains How Mother's Milk Lowers Infant Morbidity
White Rock Rotary members and friends assisted with a mailing for White Rock Rock Center of Hope, an amazing non profit that aids the needy in northeast Dallas with clothing, food, and rent assistance. It was a 'sit down' job that needed to be done at short notice. White Rock Rotary was glad to help. The group of volunteers was treated to a tour of the updated facility after helping.
We had the DGE from Tasmania District 9830 spend a few days with us (Rotary 5810) in early January. Many thanks to Glen and Debbie McCrary for hosting and entertaining DGE Mike Patten. Photo from his trip to AT&T stadium
White Rock Rotary had a blast serving over 100 refugees at St. Patrick's. The refugees were from several different countries. They really enjoyed their lunch!
Wylie East Fork Rotarian Charlie Waller is participating in the "Ride for Rotary in India" which is a fundraiser to raise money for polio! Charlie has sent photos of his fellow Rotarians and friends he's made on his journey through India on his motorcycle. According to Ride for Rotary, he will finish his adventure this weekend in Mangalore.
Take your leadership skills to the next level with Rotary Leadership Institute Training! There are 3 separate training sessions (3 hours each) held on Zoom. Cost is $50 per session. Must take the sessions in order. Session 1 training begins March 2023. Learn more.
Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) Training - March 2023
Join us for an evening of connection, relationship building and fun as we celebrate our support of The Rotary Foundation on Thursday, February 9th at 6PM at Maggiano's Willow Bend, 6001 W. Park Blvd., Plano, TX 75093. Open to all Rotarians! Cost is $68 per person.
Daybreak Greenville packaging hygiene kits. These kits will be utilized for the homeless who visit the weekly mobile shower provided by United Way of Hunt County.
The Addison Rotary Club and the Addison Midday Rotary Club hosted a community wide pancake breakfast to honor first responders and raise funds for the Santa's Heroes program run by the Addison Fire and Police Departments, respectively. A check for $1,900 was presented to David Jones, Addison Fire Chief on January 10.
The Opa's Gluehwein fundraiser was started in December 2020 by Drs. Beth & Hubert Zajicek, as a fun and safe way to enjoy the Christmas lights in a time when it seemed like fun was "outlawed".
The RYLA Information Roundup/Kick-Off for the District 5810 Camp RYLA Program will be held Saturday, January 28, 2023 at Dallas College/Brookhaven Campus. Located at 3939 Valley View Ln, Farmers Branch, TX 75244.
Happy New Year! I hope your holiday season was fulfilling and joyful.
It is hard to believe that we are already at the halfway point in the Rotary Year. For me and I am sure for many of you, it has flown by. I encourage you to stop and take stock of what you and your club has accomplished measured against the clubs’ goals and update them as needed.
We KNOW you’re excellent at what you do. Because of YOU, District 5810 was awarded a "2021-2022 PUBLIC IMAGE CITATION" for Zone 25B. Give yourself a round of applause for a job well done - promoting yourself in the community, at District and Rotary International! And we KNOW you’ll do it again this year. 2022-2023 Public Image Champion Games.
This team interviewed 10 students for the Rotary Youth Exchange Program. We will have 5 long term and 5 short term exchange students next year (2023-2024). Wow, what a change from this year when we had two students.
On November 9th, The Rotary Club of Dallas hosted the 18th annual Salute to America’s Veterans, benefiting the USO DFW and the George W. Bush Institute’s Military Service Initiative.
Coppell Rotarians celebrated the holidays with our annual Holiday Party and "Barbie Like Me" Toy Drive. The club collected 75 dolls of color to donate to unprivileged children with the same skin color. This is an effort to help build self-esteem and encourage positive self identify among minority kids.
Coppell Rotarians hosted Boy Scout Troop 840 for a U.S. Flag retirement ceremony. It was a beautiful evening, the occasion was solemn as the Boy Scouts performed a meaningful ceremony that touched everyone in the attendance. It was the perfect end to our successful 2022 Flag Program.
Plano West Rotary Club was honored to be asked this year by the City of Plano to help lead the childrens’ craft at Dickens, the annual holiday festival in Downtown Plano. The event was sponsored by Plano newcomer H-E-B.
Coppell Rotarians were honored to host over 100 students and their families at the Coppell Arts Center for a joyous singalong with the Coppell Chorale. This is the 2nd annual Holiday Student Extravaganza hosted by the Coppell Rotary. Our goal is to expose as many children as possible to the arts and support our neighborhood gem, the Coppell Arts Center.
Rotarians Host Coppell Students at the Coppell Arts Center
On December 6, 2022, members of the Addison Midday Rotary Club helped prepare the Metrocrest Services Holiday Store to open for the season. We helped setup, organize and sort the items. Helping at the Metrocrest Services Holiday Store is an annual tradition. The Metrocrest Holiday Store is located at 11888 Marsh Lane, Suite 408, Dallas, TX 75244.
Addison Midday Rotary Club Helps Prepare the Metrocrest Services Holiday Store
The Rotary Club of Wylie East Fork had a field trip early in December to the historic Brown House in downtown Wylie. The home is full of history, a gift shop and even a ghost resides upstairs. Club members learned about Wylie's history, viewed antique maps and treasures. When near Wylie, drop by this home for a tour!
Mesquite Rotary Club President Dr. Jones Doughton presented a $10,000 donation check to the Mesquite ISD Education Foundation during the club’s meeting on December 6th. Foundation Executive Director Randy Lewallyn accepted the check.
The Rotary Club of Wylie East Fork was invited to assist the non-profit His Gracious Hands in serving lunch to the troops at the Wylie National Guard Armory. The day was their monthly guard training for December. Lunch by Napoli's Wylie was served along with homemade desserts, lots of gifts for the service men and women's children and a full stocking of their no questions asked food pantry. It was an honor to serve these 130 men and women!
The five Plano Rotary Clubs celebrated the holidays together with great food, ugly sweaters an a coat drive for Plano Christmas Cops. It was a quick count that revealed a collection of 75-80 new coats for kids of all ages in Plano. This effort has become a tradition for Rotary Clubs in Plano.
The Mesquite Rotary Club presented a donation of $3,000 to the Mesquite Association of Retired School Employees book project at their meeting on November 29th
On Saturday, November. 12, from 9 to Noon, Park Cities Rotary held a Foot Care Clinic at the Salvation Army’s Austin Street Center. Organized by member Holly Hollenbeck, club members with the assistance of Nursing student volunteers from Texas Woman’s University, Scheels Sporting Goods, and Soles for Souls, served almost 150 homeless people. They had their feet washed and were provided foot and diabetes health checks, a foot care kit and new socks and shoes.
For the fifth year on Veteran’s Day (taking a break in 2020 for COVID), Rockwall Rotarian Dr. Stan Lowrance has given of his time and talents, along with those of his entire dental staff, and 30 additional volunteers—all to benefit veterans’ dental health.
Win an entry for the District 5810 Cruise Raffle!! The District is giving away one room for the cruise on April 23 – 30, 2022. Winner will be announced in January. Each month (Oct-Dec), Clubs will have an opportunity to earn an entry to the raffle. To earn a raffle ticket in December, Clubs and individuals must make a donation to the Rotary Foundation.
Earn an Entry for District Cruise Raffle in December!
I am pleased to announce that the Selection Committee picked Mary Bedosky, Richardson East Rotary Club, as the District Governor Nominee Designate. There were no subsequent challenges. She will be District Governor in Rotary Year 2025-26.
Angel Wygant from the Wylie East Rotary Club wanted to raise money to buy new equipment for the Wylie Police Department's youth enrichment program. Now this is thinking outside the box! Check out this fundraising idea she developed:
District Governor Howard Templin and the District 5810 Nominating Committee are pleased to announce the selection of Mary Bedosky of the Rotary Club of Richardson East as the District Governor for the Rotary year beginning July 1, 2025. Congratulations Mary! Read her bio.
October 24th the Rotary Club of Dallas hosted their Pints for Polio event at the Manhattan Project Beer Co. that attracted 30 members and nonmembers from 5 different countries to raise funds for the Rotary International End Polio Fund. The donations of the attendees combined with the generosity of a dozen sponsors to generate funds that will be matched 2:1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Rotary Club of Dallas Raises Funds to End Polio at 4th Annual Pints
Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club joined with the South Grand Prairie High School Interact Club and others for the recent Rise Against Hunger event at First United Methodist Church in Grand Prairie. The group was able to package more than 10,000 meals in an hour!
Grand Prairie Metro Mobilizes to Rise Against Hunger
November 2 a full-page article in The Dallas Morning News detailed remarkable enhancements to Klyde Warren Park. In the details of these improvements The Rotary Club was recognized as sponsor of the Reading Circle which is being spruced up with new paint, stains, ropes and gear.
November 11th the Rotary Club of Dallas partnered with Honor Our Heroes to Light Up Downtown Dallas for our veterans as we have for 10 years as part of Rotary’s magnificent Salute to Americas Veterans event. We work with the Downtown Dallas Building Managers, media, Facebook, NextDoor and others to communicate the lighting to over 1 million in our area.
Rotary Club of Dallas Lights Up Dallas for Veterans
On Saturday, Nov. 19 volunteers from Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) continued their support of Bed Start, a Plano nonprofit that provides beds and other large household furnishings free of cost to individuals in financial crisis. These individuals are often single mothers, military veterans, international refugees, and victims of domestic violence.
AMRC has received a donation of 400 copies of Author Michelle Staubach Grimes' book "Pidge Takes the Stage". These books will be given to our Rotary District 5810 to support the District's International Global Grant Project supporting education in Roatan, Honduras and Cozumel, Mexico.
Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) is excited to announce the return of its popular holiday fundraiser, just in time for the holiday baking season. For 36 years, locals have looked forward to the club’s annual pecan sales. Each November and December, PWRC sells 14-ounce bags of Texas-grown, shelled pecans to help fund scholarships for individuals pursuing higher education.
The Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club held a special meeting to disburse funds raised at the Club’s 36th Annual Pumpkin Run at Joe Pool Lake. Special recipients included District Governor Howard Templin and Assistant District Governor Lori Crider who accepted two checks from Club President Debbie Dobbs for the Rotary Foundation and Polio Plus. In total, the Club gave away over $26,000 to 27 charities that serve the Grand Prairie community.
Coppell Rotary and Coppell High School Football partnered for a successful Military Appreciation Night in October. Rotary supplied a flag for each player to enter the field and to hold for the Pledge of Allegiance. Spectators held their breaths at the sight of the football field awash with Old Glory.
Rotary Club of Coppell Flags Were the Star at CHS Military Appreciation Night
On a cold chilly day in November, Preston Hollow Rotary Club installed its first outdoor library. This is a sharing library at Bachman Lake where children can play and come read a book. With the help of 12 individuals, the library was installed in just an hour.. This library is full of children’s books.
Other members and children helped too. Sometimes it takes two to hold the auger.
The Plano holiday parade is back! On hiatus since 2020, the parade will take place on Saturday, December 10, and will be returning to its former home of Downtown Plano where many longtime Planoites remember watching the parade as children.
In September, Plano West Rotary Club welcomed Olivia, a Rotary Youth Exchange student from the Provence region of France. Rotary Youth Exchange is a program where students ages 15-19 who are leaders in their schools and communities are sponsored by Rotary clubs in more than 100 different countries to travel and live abroad for one academic year. Students learn a new language, discover another culture, and truly become global citizens.
My membership in Rotary totals just over 31 years, two club presidencies, in three different clubs. It was my first club that exposed and involved me in foundation projects, to include foreign student exchanges and Group Study Exchange (GSE) team hosting, as well as nominating and selecting outbound team members.
At various times, while watching Television, I will notice commercials for several charities for such things as saving the whales, saving Elephants, saving pets and you get the picture. And, due to the Ranking of the of our Rotary Foundation I will look up the charity’s ranking on Charity Navigator.
The September 2022 Financial Statement has been posted to the District Website. Click the About Us tab on the navigation for the link. You must be logged into to access the file.
At the recent Grant Halliburton Foundation "When Life Hands You Teenagers" Annual Conference (https://www.granthalliburton.org/wlhyt ), the Suicide Prevention and Brain Health Rotary eClub, an Exhibitor Sponsor, connected with and provided multiple resources for the 385 registered attendees while gaining valuable knowledge to share with our club.
Suicide Prevention and Brain Health Rotary eClub members from Texas, Colorado and Ohio supported efforts of EndCAN to End Child Abuse and Neglect at recent Walks in Dallas, Denver and Columbus (https://endcan.org/walktogether/ ).
It's been a long-held characteristic of Rotarians to see a problem and step up to help, just like these three Rotarians did when a session at the RI Convention in Houston was canceled at the last minute. Read how Shirley from the Suicide Prevention and Brain Health Rotary eClub and two other Rotarians stepped up to lead a fantastic session on Storytelling.
November is Rotary International Foundation month, and it is a great time for you to check in to your Rotary donations account to see where you stand in contributions to the Foundation. It is also a good time for you to do your tax planning for charitable gifts for the end of the year.
Each district is encouraged to select as its representative to the Councils the best-qualified eligible Rotarian available for such service who is well-informed about current Rotary policies, procedures and programs.
Suicide Prevention and Brain Health Rotary eClub members from Texas, Colorado and Ohio supported efforts of EndCAN to End Child Abuse and Neglect at recent Walks in Dallas, Denver and Columbus (https://endcan.org/walktogether/).
Win an entry for the District 5810 Cruise Raffle!! The District is giving away one room for the cruise on April 23 – 30, 2022. Winner will be announced in January. Each month (Oct-Dec), Clubs will have an opportunity to earn an entry to the raffle. To earn a raffle ticket in November, Clubs must submit a story on why the Rotary Foundation is good for humanity. Submit story
It's been a long-held characteristic of Rotarians to see a problem and step up to help, just like these three Rotarians did when a session at the RI Convention in Houston was canceled at the last minute. Read how Shirley from the Suicide Prevention and Brain Health Rotary e-Club and two other Rotarians stepped up to lead a fantastic session on Storytelling.
Save the Date for the Holiday Parade “March of the Toys” – December 10, 2022. The Parade will begin at 9:30 a.m. from a brand-new downtown location. A festival in Toyland will be held in the North parking lot of the Plano Municipal Building immediately following the parade. Stop by to see the winning floats, Santa and Ms. Claus, enjoy Holiday music, crafts, food trucks, vendors and a winter kid zone! Toyland will be open until 1:30 p.m.
With the price of groceries going up, Park Cities Rotary members were especially grateful to be able to volunteer at the North Texas Food Bank. Under the leadership of Susan Glen, thirty-eight RCPC members spent Saturday morning, October 15, packing food to feed the hungry. They were joined by Interact students from Hillcrest H.S., as well as Honorary Member and the 2022 Fourth of July Parade Grand Marshal, Donna Pierce. The Team packed 21,600 pounds of food, equaling 18,000 meals. What a day!
Helping Defeat Hunger at the North Texas Food Bank
Rockwall Rotary joined the districtwide competition to raise funds to combat polio this year. Their new event, Pints and Pies for Polio was a huge success.
The Rockwall Rotary Club has collected loads of peanut butter – to the tune of 276 pounds! That translates into 222 meals served to those who need them.
Wylie East Fork Rotarians pack twenty boxes to support Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas. Sleigh bells ring early around here where each member grabs items to pack into age and gender specific boxes.
On Sept. 21-25, Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) was able to hold its first funnel-cake fundraiser at the Plano Balloon Festival in several years, and it was a sweet success!
Coppell Rotarians love a good social and enjoyed the Annual Oktoberfest Party hosted by Rotarians Hans & Tina Dietrich. The event was complete with great German food, beer, music and friendship. A great time was had by all! Prost!
Coppell Rotarians Celebrate Annual Oktoberfest Party
Rotarians supported the City of Coppell's Kaleidoscope, a festival of culture, color and music in early October. Raffles tickets were sold for a 2023 Flag Subscription with proceeds going to Rotary International Polio Plus. It was a fun afternoon supporting our community!
Rotarians Participate in City of Coppell's Kaleidoscope
Rotarians and Friends gathered in October for the fight against Polio at "Pinot for Polio" at Landon Winery at The Sound in Cypress Waters. Everyone enjoyed sips of wine and delicious nibbles, with 10% of proceeds going to Rotary International Polio Plus.
Coppell Celebrates Polio Month with "Pinot for Polio"
Our local service leaders – Rotary Club of Wylie East Fork, Wylie Evening Lions Club, and Nu Gamma chapter of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International - joined efforts to restock Little Free Libraries around town. Little Free Library is an international initiative to make books freely accessible in each community.
Collin County Rotary Club partnered with the LoveLife Foundation, Maylee Thomas-Fuller and McKinney Mayor George Fuller, for the second year in a row to give donations to six not-for-profit organizations on North Texas Giving Day. The donations were made strategically in order to receive matching donations for each of the six not-for-profit organizations.
Reminder - Clubs that hold a Pints for Polio or a Pies for Polio Event (polio fundraiser) will be entered into the raffle for the District Service Cruise (win a free room).
Don't miss this year's Men* Who Cook event on November 5. We will have bigger and better auction items that include unique experiences and merchandise. In addition to the delicious food we also will have a live band, live auction, wine pull, and a new gift card pull.
Rotary Club of Dallas Uptown was in the crowd at the Bryan's House Inclusion and Early Intervention Luncheon and Awards this month. We were there to support our member Abigail Erickson-Torres who is CEO of this wonderful organization. Bryan's House provides children with special needs and their families with trusted case management, educational, therapeutic and medically-supported care.
The Rotary Club of Dallas responded to a request from the Dallas Police Department to participate in the DPD National Night Out block party, October 4, with the objective of minimizing conflict, and building trust and rapport between citizenry and the police department.
I want all Rotarians to be aware of an important initiative concerning our District. One of the tasks that I undertook as the District Governor Elect last Rotary year, and continued as District Governor this year, was to conduct a comprehensive review of our District’s Manual of Procedures, or MOP. This document provides the guidelines and procedures for the operations of our District and complements the broader rules of Rotary International. See the proposed amendment.
The Rotary Club of Wylie East Fork sponsors each year's Miss Texas (America) for Wylie ISD elementary school visits. Miss Texas shares her mission and encouragement with the students. Pictured with Miss Texas is club president Lynn Fagerstrom.
The Melissa Rotary Club and volunteers supported the community and City Parks Department by spreading huge piles of new mulch under playgrounds and trees on Saturday, October 1st, 2022.
Please join the Suicide Prevention and Brain Health Rotary eClub in raising funds to End Polio by dining in or ordering take out at Cremona’s (www.cremonabistro.org) at 2704 Worthington Street, Dallas, TX 75204 (Phone 214-871-1115) any time during the month of October.
The Suicide Prevention and Brain Health Rotary eClub staffed resource tables and provided information and educational opportunities to approximately 500 attendees at three community events during the month of October. These included the St Luke Community UMC Celebration Event for Families in Dallas, the Oak Street Clinic Community Health Fair in Mesquite and the NAMI North Texas FaithNet Pathways to Hope Conference in Dallas.
Suicide Prevention and Brain Health Rotary eClub reaches out to Communities in August
Win an entry for the District 5810 Cruise Raffle!! The District is giving away one room for the cruise on April 23 – 30, 2022. Winner will be announced in January. Each month (Oct-Dec), Clubs will have an opportunity to earn an entry to the raffle. To earn a raffle ticket in October, 1. Particiapte in the Pies for Polio Challenge* or 2. Host a Polio Fundraiser*. These events need to be submitted for District newsletter/social media promotion.
District 5810 is on the hunt for 6th-8th grade girls who are making strides to change the world around them. United Nations declared October 11 International Day of the Girl. To celebrate, District 5810 is launching Girl Possible. We will identify young girls who can be the voice or role model for other young girls in our district.
As of the end of September I visited 58 clubs. Most have come out of the COVID malaise, are gaining members and are trying new things; like doing hands-on community projects and having social events as an alternative to only club meetings. These projects are great because these Rotarians are doing what they joined to do, make a difference. I believe these projects inspire and energize our members.
Visit the PLANO FLAGS OF HONOR at Red Tail Pavilion (formerly Oak Point Park) for a week-long, full of events on Nov. 5- 12 honoring our Veterans and First Responders. Each flag on display has a dedication card that tells the story of a hero whose life is or was devoted in service to their fellow man.
Under the leadership of Evan Altemus, head of the Rotary Club of Park Cities’ Veteran Support Team, members volunteered at the Travis Manion Foundations’ Run on Saturday, Sept. 17, to support the 8/11 Heroes Run.
Rotary Club of Plano East is holding their Annual Rotary Veterans Luncheon Event on Friday, November 11th, Veteran's Day at the Plano Flags of Honor at noon at the Oak Point Park. There is no cost to attend this event, however you must register by Nov. 7th to receive a meal. To register: https://bit.ly/RotaryVETS.
It was a perfect day to raise money and awareness for the Rockwall Rotary Club’s important causes. The club recently held their annual Clay Shoot fundraiser, and raised more than $30,000 to give back to the community as well as to Rotary International causes.
At our September 20 meeting, after Lisa Rigby, Executive Director of Woven Health Clinic made her presentation, the Addison Midday Rotary Club made a $1,000 donation to WOVEN Health Clinic.
The donation will be used to provide 50 flu shots to those who can not afford the cost of the shot.
Over 85% of the patients at WOVEN Health Clinic are uninsured and 100% of the patients are below 250% of the poverty level.
District 5810’s first Rotary Means Business (RMB) social event was a GREAT success! With 50 plus Rotarians and guests in attendance, there was an overall GOOD feeling, knowing that everyone was sharing their business expertise with “Rotarians”.
Due to positive feedback, our next RMB will be November 8th 2022.
Location: 12 Cuts Brazilian Steakhouse 18010 Dallas Pkwy, Dallas, TX. (more information to follow).
In August and September the Newman Smith Interact Club, Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club and the Plano Community Rotaract Club have collected and packed 260 boxes weighing 5,504.5 pounds with 14,202 books and lots of school supplies.
In demonstrating how PIES FOR POLIO might work as a fundraiser and raise awareness of Rotary's key involvement in the eradication of Polio, Roundtable attendees put up $141 to see DG Howard to take a pie for polio.
Coppell Rotarians met at Landon Winery at The Sound to make plans for our October event, Pinot for Polio. Landon is donating 10% of the evening's proceeds to Rotary International Polio Plus.
Rotary District 5810 was awared 3 Membership awards and a Public Image Citation at Zone this past week in Minnesota - highest growth rate in Zone 25B, highest number of new Rotary clubs chartered and highest number of new Rotaract clubs chartered. Congratulations to PDG Max Duplant for her leadership!
The McKinney Rotary Club had a wonderful time painting the Teen Center at Boys & Girls Clubs of Collin County with the McKinney Sunrise Rotary Club, Collin County Rotary, McKinney Lions Club, McKinney Kiwanis Club, and Key Club of McKinney High School. It was amazing to see all of these service clubs come together to serve this important organization in our community! There were 40+ volunteers totaling close to 200 volunteer hours. Great day of fellowship working together to serve others above self!
On September 13, Principal Crowling from George H. W. Bush Elementary School spoke to the Addison Midday Rotary Club. At that meeting she was presented with Dry Erase Markers purchased by the Addison Midday Rotary Foundation.
After two years of not being able to hold a golf tournament due to Covid, Royse city rotary foundation, inc. is bringing back its annual golf tournament and renaming it the mike gilbert rotary classic after one of their own. mike gilbert is a strong believer, happily married to his wife Jackie of 55 years and counting, father of 4, grandfather of 5, and an avid golf player who worked for many years as a registered architect in the city of Dallas and the city of Plano.
McKinney Rotary's Interact Club members learn the importance of our club's flag program to raise funds for community and international non-profits and flying our American Flag proudly for those that lost their lives during 9/11! They placed and retrieved 83 flags in downtown McKinney. During this project, they learned the meaning of furling and unfurling a flag, proper handling of the flag and how to store them! Great job Interact Club members!
Our club traditionally uses the 5th Monday of the month to host an evening social for members and spouses rather than our normal meeting. We continued this tradition August 29th with an ice cream social.
This month is Basic Education & Literacy month. I encourage clubs to emphasize this in three ways.
Do something at a local school. Have an event with Interactors or Rotaractors focused on education or literacy. Take an action video and photos. Send those to Pam Blankenzee with an article for the website. Put them on your website & social media!
Every year, Rotarians and Rotaractors across the globe mobilize for WORLD POLIO DAY to raise awareness about eradicating polio for good. If we stay committed, polio will be the second human disease ever to be eradicated.
We have a committee hard at work to make the most of North Texas Giving Day (NTGD), coming up on September 22nd. NTGD is a massive regional campaign to raise funds for hundreds of local non-profits, and for the last several years, RYLA 5810 has participated to raise funds to help continue all the on-going district RYLA programs that extend beyond camp and throughout the year.
District 5810 Grant funding enabled the Suicide Prevention and Brain Health Rotary eClub to provide ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) to more than 20 attendees on June 24-25 in Mesquite.
Three teachers in the Dallas Independent School District were honored as Teacher of the Year for elementary, middle and high schools, by the Rotary Club of Dallas at ceremonies on August 10.
For several decades members of the Rotary Club of Park Cities have been preparing and serving dinner once a month to the families staying at Ronald McDonald House – until the COVID pandemic.
Every year the Addison Midday Rotary Club asks the Principal of the only public school in Addison - George H W Bush Elementary School, to speak to our club. Prior to her talk, we hold a Dry Erasure Marker Drive. Deadline to make a donation is August.
August 30 - Dry Erasure Marker Drive Donation Deadline
At our August 2,2022, meeting, we brought packaged rolls of Toilet Paper for Metrocrest Services’ Food Pantry. Toilet paper is one of the most expensive items for the pantry to purchase, and with the Food Pantry serving over 900 families each week, they distribute lots of tissue!
AMRC Service Project #1 for 2022-2023.
Addison Midday Rotary Club Rolled for Metrocrest Services
Stephanie A. Urchick, of the Rotary Club of McMurray, Pennsylvania, USA, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International for 2024-25, a decision that would make her only the second woman to hold that position. She will be declared the president-nominee on 1 October if no challenging candidates have been suggested.
Stephanie A. Urchick selected to be the 2024-25 president of Rotary International
We are excited to announce the rollout of our new PUBLIC IMAGE CHAMPION GAMES! The Public Image Champion Games was designed to help Clubs increase their public image skill set. The more you promote your Club, the better the odds are at increasing your membership. It is a win-win all around! Each level game introduces you to tools and resources to promote your Club to your members, around the District, your community and Rotary International.
We are excited to announce a new District Public Tool the "MEMBER SPOTLIGHT" template that will help Clubs promote current members! Submit your member's photo and we will send you back the graphic, then you post on your website and/or social media. Don't forget to tag the District (@RotaryDistrict5810) and use hashtags #District5810Proud #WeAreRotary and (include your Club Hashtag).
On August 6 Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) volunteers helped Jaxson Turner’s N2Y2C Charity stuff 200 brand-new backpacks with school supplies. The backpacks were distributed the next day to Collin County students.
"Comeback Camp," as some of our staff excitedly referred to Camp RYLA 2022, was a raving success! Even though it has been also most 2 months since we closed out the in-person camp program. Cabin groups are still making sure they keep in touch with each other through out the summer months.
August is Membership and new Club Development month. Do you want to grow your club and bring in new Rotarians? Plan and take action on one or more of the following things during August.
June 15, Rotary Club of Dallas gathered to celebrate the lives changed through the Dream Team mentoring program. Scholarships were awarded to 2 high school seniors who have successfully completed 3 years of mentoring. 5 mentees already in college or universities received their scholarships.
While Rotary Club of Dallas Rotarians were packing cookies for our Cookies for Cops project, we were joined by a Rotarian family from the Poona India club. Narendra and Inderpal Bakshi were in town with their son, Harshpreet, for his graduation and wanted to visit Rotary Clubs while here. We had a great time together sharing our Rotarian experiences, swapping flags, and doing what we do best: Service!
Service Project Was a Way To Connect with Other Rotarians
This fourth round of Cookies for Cops was delivered to the southwest substation of the Dallas Police Department. This delivery was special as some of the officers who died in a tragic ambush on July 7, 2016, were from this substation and this project was one week after the 6th anniversary of that horrible event. Incidentally, The Rotary Club of Dallas marks July 7 every year by sponsoring the lighting up of the Dallas skyline in blue lights.
It was wonderful for Park Cities Rotary to be able to celebrate the Fourth of July with a full-fledged parade after two years of scaled back festivities.
On July 4, Plano West Rotary Club members were honored to work together with members of the other Rotary clubs in Plano, Texas to bring back the city’s beloved holiday parades.
The Lone Star division of Rotary leadership institute announced that they would have a series of virtual training sessions. Below is the schedule. Part one is excellent for new Rotarians. I recommend you consider paying to send them two-part one. Parts two and three are great for leadership development of your emerging leaders. The cost is $50. This is a great investment in your club future!
The Park Cities Fourth of July Parade may not look like the usual Rotary project. Still, its impact extends across North Texas, providing more than a million meals since the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) became the beneficiary in 2016.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has been informed of a case of paralytic polio in an unvaccinated individual in Rockland County, New York, United States.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are coordinating with New York State health authorities on their investigation. Initial sequencing confirmed by CDC indicates that the case is type 2 VDPV.
Any form of poliovirus anywhere is a threat to children everywhere. It is critical that the GPEI Polio Eradication Strategy 2022-2026 is fully resourced and fully implemented everywhere, to ensure a world free of all forms of poliovirus can be achieved.
We are calling on every single Rotarian to take action and be a part of the fight to end polio, helping to raise $50 million per year for polio eradication.
Plano West Rotary Club once again showed its commitment to protecting the environment and keeping its city beautiful on July 16 when club volunteers cleaned up an assigned stretch of roadside along Avenue K in east Plano.
In a town with five Rotary Clubs and only three Senior High Schools, it made sense for Plano Rotary Club to invite Plano East Rotary Club to join them for Coaches Day. The PISD athletic director along with the three senior high school coaches bragged about how successful they believed their teams would be. The theme word for the teams this year is Believe.
From Tuesday, July 5th to Sunday, July 10th, Plano Sunrise and the North Texas Pioneers, with the leadership of George Elking, assisted in collecting 302 pints of blood at 14 drives for the Battle of the Badges friendly competition. This amount of blood has the potential to save 906 lives! The Plano Police won the competition over Plano Fire-Rescue 152 to 144. It was a close one!
Jeff and several club members led the construction of our Irving Sunrise Rotary float that was in the parade. They began the night before the parade and completed in the early morning of 7/4 The float and Irving parade was a massive success, bringing together local businesses, city council, the mayor and our club. Families of Irving looked on and enjoyed the parade as we passed out candy, flags and more!
Rotarians & friends are invited to a TOUR OF INDIA on Dec. 5, 2022 through Dec. 20th, 2022. See presentation for trip details.Click here to see pricing & trip information. For booking information on this adventure, contact C. C. Theophine Chamakala at 972-877-7279. Deadline to book trip is Aug. 31. Limited to 25 people.
Starting this Rotary year, our District Roundtables will be returning to the 2nd Saturday of the month – please mark your calendars. You can also find them on the District Event Calendar.
I'm so honored and humbled to be your new district governor, because this is my chance to give back the gift of Rotary to others.
It is not about the title, it's about an opportunity, to serve the members of our district, and to have you all be a part of the journey. You are all very special people. Your clubs are doing very amazing things thru the work that Rotary has become known for, and as your District Governor I pledge that I will give you the gift of my service and support, to assure this District does everything it can to support your clubs, the lifeblood of Rotary here and around the world.
Metrocrest Services Sack Summer Hunger program and Food Pantry ensures no child in the Metrocrest Services area goes hungry during the summer. Children love cereal and boxes of cereal are always in demand. To minimize this problem, the Addison Midday Rotary Club held a Cereal Drive.
It was a very hot day! But that didn’t deter Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) from supporting the Collin County Juneteenth Celebration in Plano’s Haggard Park on Saturday, June 18. Juneteenth is a federal U.S. holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.
Taking a cue from the North Texas Food Bank’s Million Meal Challenge, Sarah Oliai, RCPC’s Fourth of July Parade Chair, created her own Million Meal Challenge.
On May 23 Plano West Rotary Club concluded a year of assisting Plano ISD with drive-through meal distributions to Plano families experiencing food insecurities.
On July 7th,, the Rotary Club of Dallas will join with Honor Our Heroes & Safer Dallas to light up the Dallas skyline in a massive and spectacular display of stunning blue lighting to remember and honor our fallen Dallas Police Officers on the anniversary of the slaying of 5 Dallas officers on 7-7-16. Please join us in prayer and gratitude for our dedicated police who are protecting us 24/7.
Rotary Partners Light Up Dallas to Honor Our Fallen Police Officers!
Only Rotarians work in 100 degree weather on a Saturday to repair, dismantle and reconstruct over 200 flags in preparation of July 4! While some would say choose a cooler time, we started at 8 and finished at 10:30 am. Our goal? To make sure those that support our flag program fundraiser receive their flag and having it wave proudly!
Douglas Gill, District 5810 Major Donor Chair, recognized McKinney Rotary Club member Matt Duncan as a District Foundation Major Donor. Matt currently serves as McKinney Rotary's Foundation Committee Treasurer and has been an active member since 2005. Thank you Matt for your service above self!
On June 11 Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) volunteers arrived bright and early at the Bed Start parking lot across from Plano’s Custer Road United Methodist Church to deliver furniture to local families in need.
Members of White Rock Rotary, aided by members of Lake Highlands Interact Club, braved triple digit temps to clean up at White Rock Lake. These Rotarians have adopted a section of the shoreline and pick up trash every month, usually on the second Saturday. A small group of determined people can pick up a lot of trash!
Grand Prairie Metro Rotarians were up early to beat the heat for their most recent Adopt-a-Street project. Club members were joined by Interact students and other volunteers in their commitment to "Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful!"
Grand Prairie Rotarians Keeping Grand Prairie Beautiful!
The Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club is hosting the 36th annual Pumpkin Run on Saturday, October 8. This yearly project benefits the Alzheimer's Association and numerous local charitable organizations.
Our Rotary year of Serving to Change Lives is rapidly coming to an end. Our final Roundtable will be held on June 18 and will include discussion of the significant accomplishments we have had as a District this year.
For clubs that are interested in providing aide to those impacted by the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, I have received the following information from the District Governor for that area:
In response, and in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Uvalde, our Rotary District 5840 has set-up a Uvalde Community Relief Fund within our 501c3 Foundation. The purpose of this fund will be to assist and comfort, where possible, those who are grieving and who are most affected by the shooting as well as to aid in the restoration of the shattered world view of the children, families, educators, and first responders of Uvalde.
You may make your tax deductible donation by check payable to “District 5840 Foundation” with a memo line of "Uvalde Community Relief Fund". Send the check to Rotary District 5840 Foundation, P.O. Box 13, Boerne, TX 78006. Or you can donate through Zelle using this email ROTARYUVALDECOMMUNITYFUND@GMAIL.COM. Note - if using Zelle, please add your email address and/or contact information in the comment section if you want a tax receipt.
In May the 4-Way speech contest was held in person in Frisco and all 18 students participating were fabulous, ranging from gender issues to moral relativism, the war in Ukraine to challenges immigrants to the U.S. face, and so, SO much more. Many thanks to Jim Bullock for the excellent job done on such a well organized and well run event.The top 6 finalists as follows:
1st place: Madhalassa Iyer of Plano Senior High (sponsored by the Rotary Club of Plano West)
2nd place: Joshua Li of Plano West Senior High (sponsored by the Rotary Club of Plano East)
3rd place: Rudy Lea of Dallas Christian H.S. (sponsored by the Rotary Club of Mesquite)
4th place: Samuel Cavanna, home-schooled (sponsored by the Rotary Club of Irving Sunrise)
5th place: Andie Abell of Plano Senior High (sponsored by the Rotary Club of Plano)
6th place: Hailey Williams, J.J. Pearce H.S. (sponsored by the Rotary Club of Prestonwood)
Speaking of youth events, Camp RYLA is also back in person. I had the pleasure of welcoming the 170 campers last week and what an energetic group they are! Many thanks to Dana Makison and Jim Duffy for seeing to it that the participants have the very best experience!
The Rotary International Convention is being held in Houston this week. District 5810 is well represented with 118 of our members in attendance. If you have not travelled to Houston, you can still sign up to attend virtually.
Finally, be sure to register for the Banquet to be held on June 23 to not only install incoming District Governor Howard Templin as well as the other District and Club leaders for 2022-2023.
It has been an absolute pleasure to serve you as District Governor over this past year. I have made so many new friends and am amazed at all the ways that our Clubs continue to Serve to Change Lives.
The Mesquite Rotary Club has awarded scholarships of $1,500 each to students from each of the Mesquite and Sunnyvale area high schools, and to students from the Mesquite Academy and Dallas Christian School. This investment by the club in the future of these deserving area scholars totaled $12,000.
Carrollton-Farmers Banch Rotary invites you to join them at their Annual Golf Tournament on Friday, June 17th at Indian Creek Golf Club! Click here for more details and to register.
The 7th Annual Charity Golf Tournament, hosted by The Rotary Club of Dallas benefitting Safer Dallas Better Dallas, took place on Monday, May 2, 2022, at the Brookhaven Country Club.
The horror of the May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary School in the community of Uvalde has been felt around the world, and Rotarians everywhere have reached out to the Rotary Club of Uvalde and District 5840 asking where they can send donations which will go towards healing.
In response, and in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Uvalde, our Rotary District 5840 has set-up a Uvalde Community Relief Fund within our 501c3 Foundation. The purpose of this fund will be to assist and comfort, where possible, those who are grieving and who are most affected by the shooting as well as to aid in the restoration of the shattered world view of the children, families, educators, and first responders of Uvalde.
The Rotary Club of Coppell gang gathered to celebrate Bobbi Ritcheske, wife of Rotarian George, for the fabulous role she played in Steel Magnolias at The Coppell Arts Center!
The next time you’re driving down Avenue K in east Plano, you can thank Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) for the clean stretch of roadside you’re traveling on.
Promoting peace is an area of focus for Rotary, and Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) members were honored to support Plano Asiafest in downtown Plano’s Haggard Park on May 7.
Plano Asiafest is an annual celebration of Asian culture, showcasing Asian music, food, clothing, art, performance and more. The annual festival helps all Plano residents better understand and appreciate our Asian neighbors, and it promotes peace and goodwill within our community.
On May 17 members of Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) were thrilled to be joined by employees from DXC Technology at a meal distribution service project at Armstrong Middle School in east Plano.
It looked like the 25th Bike Rodeo was going to be cancelled this year due to Covid restrictions at the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children who has hosted it in the past. But Faith Family Academy stepped forward in a huge way by combining it with the District 5810 Interact Spring Fling.
Congratulations to the following Clubs for winning our PUBLIC IMAGE CHAMPION GAMES: Plano West Rotary, McKinney Rotary Club, McKinney Sunrise Rotary Club, Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club, Rotary Club of Park Cities, Rotary Club of Coppell, DeSoto Rotary Club, Prestonwood Rotary Club, Melissa Rotary and Rotary Club of Dallas! THANK YOU for being a Public Image Champion!
Sunday June 5th: contact DG Max at mduplant@gmail.com to attend the 1:00 pm Shen Yun dance performance at Jones Hall and/or drinks afterwards.
Monday June 6th: join the Greenville Rotary Club for a cocktail party at either 6:00-7:00 pm, 7:30-8:30 pm or 9:00-10:00 pm to meet members from the Rotary Club of Cozumel, Mexico to discuss upcoming projects for the Day of Service in Cozumel on April 28, 2023. Katy Ridge of the Greenville club will be there to discuss past successful projects in Cozumel and what you can do next year. Contact Katy at 903-456-3514 or k.ridge@whycornerstone.com to sign up for a party.
Tuesday June 7th: join the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club for a cocktail party at either 6:00-7:00 pm, 7:30-8:30 pm or 9:00-10:00 pm to meet members of the Rotary Club of Roatan, Honduras and myself to discuss how clubs can support projects in Honduras in 2022-2023 and plan for the Day of Service in Roatan on April 26, 2023. Contact Regina at 972-955-9997 or regina.edwards888888@gmail.com to sign up for a party.
The Rotary Club of Melissa hosted an evening program for the Community to learn about Human Trafficking to grow our community awareness of the problem.
The Rowlett Rotary Club & RHS Interact Club cleaned up Kentwood City Park, Canal, & adjacent city lot on May 14 in Rowlett, Texas. Over 20 bags of debris were collected. An awesome turnout of Rotarians and 18 Interact students. Extra note: the donuts went by by very quickly.
Extraordinarily bright and articulate students participated in Saturday’s district-wide 4-Way Test speech contest with impressive speeches ranging from gender issues to moral relativism, the war in Ukraine to challenges immigrants to the U.S. face, and so, SO much more. The top 6 finalists are as follows:
Pictured: Walker Students Crape Myrtle Project 2022
The month of May is a busy month for Collin County Rotarians! Collin County Rotary Club Crape Myrtle Trails, Online Auction, Rotary Youth Exchange, Flag Project and more!
Can’t make the #Rotary22 convention in person? Join virtually for $50 when you register and pay by 10 May, or $75 from 11 May (12:00 a.m. Chicago time) through 31 August 2022. Register now at https://on.rotary.org/38XbelV
To quote Rotary International President, Shekhar Mehta, "The biggest gift we are given is the power to touch a life, to change, to make a difference in the circle of life..."
This is the time of year that many of the projects and plans we have been working on all year finally come to fruition.
We had a terrific conference in April. Everyone had a great time bowling! Mark Neace of Park Cities bowled the highest score of the night.
Saturday's speakers were fabulous! Former Frisco Mayor Maso spoke about Economic Development occurring in our area. Rebecca Jowers of the Poiema Foundation spoke of how her organization has been able to rescue women from Human Trafficking. During our lunch, Dale Hansen, former sportscaster with WFAA, spoke not only of abuse in our community but also told of victims within his own family. Our own District Peace Scholar, Dr. Carrie Perkins discussed her work at refugee camps along the Thai-Myanmar border. Parliamentarian, George Tarpley conducted our annual business meeting as required under our Manual of Procedure.
A very moving memorial to Rotarians we lost over the last year was put together by Sandra Moudy. Robert Yudkin showed pictures and told of the success of the recent Service trip to the Guerrero Rotary eye Clinic. Our final speaker was Stephen White speaking about Kaizen for the Brain.
Following the speakers, attendees prepared thank you cards to the individuals who have served as the eyes and ears for the Poiema Foundation in helping to identify Human Trafficking victims. During the reception preceding our Awards and Foundation Recognition Dinner, we were entertained by the R.L. Turner Jazz band.
Many thanks to our emcee PDG Bill Dendy, Awards Chair PDG Richard Gilman, and my aide, John Van Buren for all the work they did to make this Conference a success with approximately 130 persons in attendance. Also, thanks go to Happy Franklin and Shirley Weddle for helping with speakers. Photos and Award winners are being posted to the District web page.
The following weekend, Shirley Heitzman and her team led a very successful Spring Fling for our Interactors. It was so encouraging to see the energy and interest in Serving to Change Lives generated by these high schoolers.
But, the year is not over yet and there are still some important events coming up.
The District wide 4-Way Speech Contest will occur on May 14 and we will have our final two Roundtables on May 21 and June 18.
Of course, June 4-8 is the Rotary International Convention in Houston. To date, we have 120 persons registered from our District. DGND Regina Edwards has summarized bus options available for travel to Houston which also is being posted to our webpage. We are awaiting final schedules from RI to determine if there will be a good time for members of our District to gather together in Houston.
Finally, be sure to get your reservations in for the annual passing of the gavel and Installation Banquet to be held at the Hall of State at Fair Park on June 23.
The Rotary Club of Dallas, in partnership with Faith Family Academy, the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, and Dallas Fire & Rescue, will hold their 19th Annual Bike Rodeo and Child Safety Day as an educational and entertaining morning on Saturday, April 30, 2022 from 10am – 1pm. The event will be held at Faith Family Academy – Oak Cliff Campus.
You are invited to join us on Thursday, June 23rd at 5:30PM as we launch into the Rotary Year with a festive celebration at the Hall of State at Fair Park. We will install the incoming 2022-2023 District Governor Howard Templin, District Leadership, and all Rotary Club Presidents of District 5810. Our Keynote speaker & installer is Past RI Director Robert K, Knuepfer.
We invite you to join all Rotarians as we celebrate the annual changeover of Rotary leaders and our collective power in service to the community. Tickets are $70. Click to Register.
Join Us for DG, District & Club PE Installation
In April the Park Cities Rotary was back at their collaborative partner, the North Texas Food Bank to help pack cartons of canned goods and fresh produce.
On March 19 multiple District 5810 clubs worked cooperatively to support children who have been placed in foster care by hosting an Adoption Awareness Fair that allowed the kids to meet potential adoptive parents in a playful setting.
RLI is a grassroots coalition of Rotary districts implementing a leadership development program for “potential” leaders of Rotary CLUBS. While it is an unofficial program of Rotary International, it has substantial support of several past Rotary International Presidents and current, past, and incoming RI Directors.
The Dallas Police Department invited Rotary to participate in yet another community project with the objective of minimizing conflict, creating trust and rapport between citizenry and the police department in a high crime neighborhood of Dallas.
In addition to the myriad service projects Rotarians participate in every month, Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) also holds a few fundraising projects throughout the year. Funds raised in the past have helped benefit charitable efforts in our North Texas community, such as awarding local student scholarships and supporting nonprofit organizations.
The Mesquite Rotary Club hosted its annual "Four Way Test" Speech Contest at the Mesquite ISD David Belt Professional Development Center on April 19th. Contestants from all Mesquite I.S.D. high schools, and Dallas Christian School participated in the event. Each student gave a five-to-seven-minute original speech about applying the Rotary Four Way Test in our everyday relationships with other people and students.
Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) members believe in investing in the development of youth, as well as supporting their education, which is one of Rotary’s Areas of Focus. One way the club accomplishes this is by awarding scholarships to local high school students who excel in the preparation and delivery of a speech based on Rotary’s Four-Way Test.
The Melissa Rotary and Melissa Interact groups gathered with community members to take pillowcases and turn them into colorful Little Dresses for Africa.
This past Saturday, 23 Rotarians and Rotary Dream Team high school mentees of the Rotary Club of Dallas worked with members of the White Rock Boat Club to transform parts of the White Rock Lake shoreline by removing some of the tons of debris, logs and all kinds of trash that was brought in by a recent flood. It was a great time for the different generations to pull together to serve the community by restoring part of an area visited by thousands of persons looking for a beautiful, natural place as they come out of winter.
Rotarians Pitch-in to Clean Up Dallas Public Lake After Flood
We are already in the final quarter of the Rotary year! Our next big event is the District Conference scheduled for April 22 and 23.
April 22 will be our bowling tournament, bumper cars and other games outing at Pinstack in Irving. Dinner is included as well as the bowling essentials in your $55 fee. RI Director Suzi Howe has confirmed that she will be there that night. And, we have our first full bowling team made up of PDGs and one soon to be PDG! So, who can put together a team to beat the PDGs?
An exciting day is planned for Saturday April 23 at Brookhaven Country Club. Sunil Sharma, our official representative for RI President Shekhar Mehta, will start things off with a keynote address. Later in the day, in conjunction with Shekhar's theme this year of "empowering the girl" retired Sportscaster Dale Hansen will discuss abusive situations that continue to exist. Several other exciting speakers are being planned and will be announced as we receive final commitments from them. We will also conduct a service project to write personal thank you notes to the many people who are the eyes and ears that report suspected human trafficking situations. Finally, our annual business meeting as required by our Manual of Procedure will be held during the day on Saturday. Fee for attending our daytime session Saturday is also $55.
We will end the day on April 23 with our District Awards and Foundation Recognition Banquet. The CFB jazz band will provide entertainment. Be sure to get your club applications for awards in by April 8 and notify us who has been selected as your club Star member so that they may be recognized. All the information and forms needed can be found on the District webpage. Also, if you are a Major Donor, Bequest member, Paul Harris Society member or Arch Klumph member, we want to recognize you at the banquet. Be sure to reserve your seat for the night at $75 per person.
The McKinney Rotary Club has made significant donations to help refugees in Ukraine. Community Service Chair Sharon Scott announced Save the Children’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund was the Charity of the Month of March with $6,100 donated.
March 2 more than 30 Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Dallas, Rotary Club of Park Cities, and the Rotary Club of Dallas-Uptown joined together to participate in the Scottish Rite for Children project, “Reverchon Roundup”, to get Reverchon Park ready to be enjoyed by area families and others this spring. We worked with many local volunteers and planting the gardens, removing branches, picking up litter and talking up Rotary! Together we transform!
The Rotary Club of Dallas and Safer Dallas Better Dallas honored a Dallas police officer and Dallas resident for their contribution to a safer Dallas at the organizations’ 13th annual Safer Dallas Awards program on March 23.
To show our zealous support of the officers of the Dallas Police Department The Rotary Club of Dallas packaged and personally handed out cookies to hundreds of officers at shift changes across Dallas.
The Rotary Club of Dallas donated $1000 to ShelterBox for their efforts in humanitarian support to Ukranians. Shelterbox will provide lifesaving aid for families affected by the Ukraine crisis.
The Rotary Club of Dallas donated $2500 to the Tackle Tomorrow Foundation to provide computers, tablets, trained instructors, and reading programs to local elementary schools that serve children who struggle with reading.
On four days in January and February, Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) members served as volunteers at the Plano Overnight Warming Station (POWS) located in the East Plano Salvation Army.
For the past four months, Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) members have supported Bed Start in its mission to provide beds, mattresses and other large home furnishings to local families experiencing great financial need.
Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) is continuing its steadfast support of Plano Independent School District’s 2021-2022 school-year meal distributions that help feed local students and their families.
At the end of 2021 the Rotary Club of Park Cities began a joint project with their collaborative partner, the Salvation Army, to refurbish and upgrade the outdoor recreation area used by the participants in the Adult Rehabilitation Center.
Ken Noel, President of Rowlett Rotary, gave a presentation about Rotary International (RI) to the Rowlett Chamber of Commerce members. He discussed "What We Do", Locally,. Nationally, and Globally. When and how the Rotary was founded,
PLEASE JOIN the Suicide Prevention & Brain Health Rotary E-Club at the upcoming 2022 AFSP Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Awareness Campus Walk at UT Dallas on April 30.
Rotarian Jerrica Anderson from Rotary EClub of North Texas joined Preston Trail Rotary Club of Celina & Gunter on a build for Habitat for Humanity. We put up siding and facia. Habitat for Humanity is a helping hand, not a handout.
The Brown Bag Lunch Program was a smashing success! Thanks to the helping hands of club members (and a few generous bystanders) we were able to assemble and deliver the 200 sandwiches on Friday afternoon.
On Saturday, March 12th from 1-3pm, the Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club did our part to "Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful"! We had 15 volunteers to come out to pick up trash and debris along our portion of Lakeridge Dr. We collected signs, tires, and 50+ bags of trash.
In response to the deepening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, The Rotary Foundation has created an official channel for donors around the world to contribute funds to support the relief efforts underway by Rotary districts and has designated its Disaster Response Fund as the main avenue for contributions.
To this end, The Rotary Foundation has approved:
Now through 30 June 2022, designated Rotary districts that border Ukraine and the Rotary district in Ukraine may apply for grants of up to $50,000 each from the Disaster Response Fund. These expedited disaster response grants can be used to provide relief to refugees or other victims of the crisis including items such as water, food, shelter, medicine and clothing.
Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund in support of Ukraine can be made here. All funds need to be received into the Disaster Response Fund by 30 April 2022 in order to qualify for use in support of the Ukrainian relief efforts.
On February 25th, the Presidents Elect voted unanimously to approve the 2022-23 District Budget.” This is posted on the District website under District Documents. (Requires site log-in to access)
It is time to go to the District web page to register for our District Conference which includes our Business meeting, District Awards and Foundation Recognition on April 22 and 23.
On the evening of April 22, we will have a friendly competition amongst teams at Pinstack on 635 in Irving. Your $55 ticket will include dinner, 1.5 hours of bowling (shoes included), and an additional hour of time to use the other attractions such as the Ropes course, Laser tag, Laser maze, Rock climbing wall, bumper cars and over 100 video games. Consider putting a team together from your club to win the District Bowling title! Encourage your Rotaractors and Interactors to participate that night.
On April 23, we will gather at Brookhaven Country Club midmorning and share the accomplishments of our clubs and the district for the year. We will also hear from our Rotary International Representative and conduct our annual Business meeting. That evening at dinner, we will celebrate both our new Foundation level contributors as well as present awards to our outstanding clubs and members for their accomplishments of the year. Daytime tickets for Saturday are $55 and the Recognition Dinner is $75 per person. If you choose to attend all three events, you will pay one discounted registration fee of $170. Click to register.
Rotary International Convention in Houston June 4-8
Registration of the International Convention can still be made at convention.rotary.org/houston/register. This will be an exciting time for you to meet Rotarians from across our Country and the World and hear about the great things Rotarians are accomplishing.
District Dues are now past due
Most clubs have paid their dues but a few are delinquent. Please email me at mduplant@gmail.com if you have not received your District Dues notice.
Spring Fling
Spring Fling for Interactors will be in person on April 30 from 9am-2pm at Faith Family Academy, 300 West Kiest Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75224. Register here.
Training for incoming officers
DGE Howard Templin will host Club Leadership Development on Saturday, March 26 at University of Texas at Dallas in the Student Services Building Addition. Please be sure to register all incoming club officers as well as any others interested. Click to Register
Due to the multiple events being held in March and April, our next Roundtable will be on May 21. We are hopeful that will give each of you more time availability to attend Development Training and District Conference.
Several of you have asked about what Rotary is doing in support of the humanitarian crises brewing in Eastern Europe. Here’s what’s been released so far:
Rotary is in contact with the United Nations High Commission on Refugees – USA to prepare and respond to the needs of those being displaced in Ukraine and to neighboring countries.
ShelterBox, our project partner for disaster response, is in communication with Rotary members in Eastern Europe to explore how it may offer support with temporary transitional housing and other essential supplies.
Additional thoughts and ideas for personal or club assistance to Ukraine:
RI Director Katerina is working on a plan with John hewko for relief efforts.
The DG and PDGs in Ukraine have also suggested donations for immediate relief under a gofundme page headed up by a Rotarian in California. All collected funds will be managed by Rotary Ukraine to youth and their families affected by the military aggression.
As more information becomes available, we will keep you updated.
Come learn what DGE Howard Templin has planned for Rotary 2022-23 and get Club Leadership Development on Saturday, March 26 at University of Texas at Dallas in the Student Services Building Addition. Topics topics:
An important goal to a Club is to achieve geting media attention for their upcoming fundraiser/service project. The first step is to create a press release. Once developed, it is your "bible" for the language that is used for your website, social media and flyers.
Public Image Champion Game 5 is about how to create a Press Release.
Come join the Prestonwood Rotary Club at their annual fundraiser "Clink & Drink" on April 2, 2022 from 6-8:30PM at Starpower. The cost is $35 per person. Click here to buy tickets.
You're Invited to the Prestonwood "Clink & Drink"
Mark your calendar for our District Conference & Awards Banquet on Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23! On Friday, we will meet at the Pinstack Bowl in Plano for a night of fun and a friendly bowling competition. On Saturday, will convene at the Brookhaven Country Club for our All Clubs Luncheon and Business Meeting. Then, later that evening will have our Awards Banquet. Click to Register.
Save The Date - District Conference & Awards Banquet
It is a tragic and sad time for the people of Ukraine and the world. At Rotary, we are deeply concerned by the deteriorating situation in Ukraine and the escalating loss of life and humanitarian hardship there. Continued military action against Ukraine will not only devastate the region, but also risk spreading tragic consequences across Europe and the world.
Once again, the Rotary Club of Dallas worked with students and personnel of Dallas College, this time at the Brookhaven campus, to fill trunks, trucks, and even a four-wheeler with food, including fresh produce, baby formula, dry goods, juice, etc. provided by the North Texas Food Bank.
To provide relief in this area The Rotary Club of Dallas funded a project, in conjunction with U.S. Hunger, to provide 22,500 meals for families in our community.
Daybreak Greenville Rotary Club completed a service project, preparing baskets for individuals who may have been victims of human trafficking. Our Assistant District Governor, Katy Ridge (third from the left), received these donations for the Rotary satellite club that is working closely with these individuals.
The Grand Prairie Metro club donated 8 quarts of soup prepared by Deana Dobbs (sister of our President Elect Debbie Dobbs) for Lifeline Shelter for Families' annual fundraiser.
The Mesquite Rotary Club presented a donation of $2,000 to the Mesquite Association of Retired School Employees book project at their meeting on February 8th. In accepting the check from Rotary president Vince Falsarella, MARSE president Stephanie Wiley expressed her thanks for Rotary’s financial support and volunteer assistance, and noted that the funds would greatly support the project’s goal of providing a book of their own to each Mesquite ISD first grader.
Congratualtions to Dr. Carrie Perkins who was selected as our 2022 ROTARY PEACE FELLOW! Carrie was selected the for RI's peace and development studies program at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. Her studies will lead to a professional development certificate which is for candidates with significant work experience. Carrie is a graduate of SMU with a doctorate in anthropology. She was sponsored by the Rotary Eclub of North Texas
Mark your calendars, our District Conference has been scheduled for April 22 and 23.
On the evening of April 22, we will have a friendly competition amongst teams at Pinstack on 635 in Irving. Your ticket will include dinner, bowling lanes and shoes, and an additional hour of time to use the other attractions including Ropes course, Laser tag, Laser maze, Rock climbing wall, bumper cars and over 100 video games. Consider putting a team together from you club to win the District Bowling title!
On April 23, we will gather at Brookhaven Country Club midmorning and share the accomplishments of our clubs and the district for the year. We will also hear from our Rotary International Representative and conduct our annual Business meeting.
That evening at dinner, we will celebrate both our new Foundation level givers as well as recognize all those responsible for the many accomplishments of the year.
Because we will be conducting our annual meeting, any proposed amendments to the District Manual of Procedure must be submitted to our Parliamentarian, George Tarpley by February 22 (60 days prior to the Business meeting). George's contact is George.Tarpley@americo.com.
President Elect Training (PETS)
PETS will be held February 24-27. Each club should have already sent in the registration for their President Elect. If that has not been done, it is important to send in the registration this week. There will be a separate track for President Nominees so they are also highly encouraged to register and attend.
Rotary International Convention in Houston
This week it was decided that the RI convention in Houston June 4-8 is a GO and will be in person! As with many large gatherings these days, All Rotary International convention and preconvention participants must either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 OR provide a negative result from a COVID-19 test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival at the convention. A special registration rate of US$495 is being offered through 28 February at convention.rotary.org/houston/register
District Dues are now due
District dues were billed to the clubs in December and should now be paid. Approximately half the clubs have done so. If for some reason, neither the club president or Treasurer has received the bill, please contact me so that we can make sure it is sent to the proper person.
February Roundtable
Because this is World Peace month, our February Roundtable will concentrate on worldwide projects that are being conducted by clubs in our District. Come out or tune in to hear these stories and maybe get some ideas on projects your club may want to do.
In response to questions and concerns raised by members worldwide, we are pleased to announce that the Rotary International Board of Directors has confirmed that the 2022 Rotary International Convention will be an in-person event 4-8 June in Houston, Texas, USA. We are excited to offer a special registration rate of US$495 through 28 February.
January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month, The Rotary Club of Dallas brought awareness to Human Trafficking by participating in #wearblueday and sharing throughout social media.
The Rotary Club of Dallas presented $6,000 to the North Texas Food Bank on January 11th. The funds were donations collected at two holiday events hosted by President Elect Nominee Hubert Zajicek.
The Rotary Club of Park Cities has a history of serving veterans. Evan Altemus, a new member in 2021 and a veteran himself, has taken the club in a new direction.
Two Rotary Clubs jointly conducted a ‘comfort drive’ gathering cozy socks, slippers, hoodies, blankets, journals etc. and delivered them to Unbound North Texas for the many survivors of human trafficking they serve.
The Addison Midday Rotary Club's January service project was to 'stock' the 'Bush Galleria' store at the George H W Bush Elementary School in Addison with toys, books and games. Club members were encouraged to purchase the items during their Christmas Shopping trips. Since gently used items were also accepted, some club members found this project a good way to reduce clutter around the house.
Rotary International President-elect Jennifer Jones wants members to imagine the possibilities in the change they can make to transform the world.
Jones, a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, Canada, revealed the 2022-23 presidential theme, Imagine Rotary, as she urged people to dream big and harness their connections and the power of Rotary to turn those dreams into reality.
White Rock Rotary gathered on January 11 to discuss Human Trafficking Understanding & Awareness. They all wore blue to raise awareness to Human Trafficking ( #WearBlueDay) as part of the District Human Trafficking Initiative.
White Rock Rotary Supports Human Trafficking Awareness
The upcoming Guerrero Spring Clinic dates are March 28- April 3rd. We are still looking for medical people (An Ophthalmologist who does cataracts, 1 or 2 Dentists, and a General Medicine Doc) and we are still open to a handful of non-medical people. Click to Volunteer.
At its Jan. 4 meeting, Plano West Rotary Club enjoyed a presentation from Texas State Representative Matt Shaheen, who represents the citizens living in District 66.
On Jan. 2 and 9, Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) members assisted neighbors who are experiencing homelessness by serving at the Plano Overnight Warming Shelter (POWS).
President Mark Potter and Community Service Chair Sharon Scott present a $7,000 District Matching Grant from the McKinney Rotary Club to Lori Stevens, Executive Director/Founder of Patriot PAWS Service Dogs.
The Rowlett Rotary Club responded to a request from the Coyle Middle School President, to help purchase clear backpacks for students. Rotarian Russell Dunn presented a check at the school the next morning.
Rotary Club of Coppell entertained 130 Coppell students and families to an afternoon of theater, enjoying Merry Cirque at the Coppell Fine Arts Center.
Hope the holidays were wonderful for all!. We have reached the half way mark for our Rotary year and thing are going very well. As of the latest report, we have increased membership by 164 members. About a third of this is due to the formation of the Suicide Prevention and Brain Health club but also congratulations to the Commerce, Greenville, Grand Prairie Metro, Park Cities and Preston Trail clubs for increasing membership by 8 or more.
January is End Human Trafficking month. In my visits I requested that each club conduct a service day relating to Ending Human Trafficking. Please contact Shirley Hsia at shirley7239@gmail.com to let her know the nature and date of your projects. If you are still looking for ideas, we will hear from a few of the clubs on their project at our January 15 Roundtable.
Finally, mark April 22 and 23 on your calendar for our District Conference. Details are currently being finalized but we plan to host a competitive bowling event on the evening of Friday April 22 at Pinstack on I635. We are hoping to have teams from the Presidents, PDGs, AGs, Rotaractors and Interactors as well as club teams.
If you are a President elect or President Nominee, please go to the Lonestar PETS site to register for PETS scheduled in person from February 24-27.
Saturday April 23 we will gather at Brookhaven Country Club for our conference presentations. Finally, that evening we will hold a gala at Brookhaven to recognize all levels of Paul Harris recipients.
Every year since 2010, January has been proclaimed as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Take time in January to learn more about human trafficking and action steps your Rotary Club and each Rotarian can take to prevent human trafficking.
It is time to start the process to prepare and work toward a RYLA 2022!!
We are beginning a lot of activities to start the process of getting ready for Camp RYLA 2022, which will be held as usual at Camp Hoblitzelle this coming summer! Dates are May 29, – June 3, 2022.
Prestonwood Rotary donated to the Feed My Starving Children in the amount of $2,231 which will include the cost of a pallet of $1,866 which feeds a classroom for a year, and $365 which feeds a family for a year.
District Governor Max Duplant is pleased to announce the selection of Regina Edwards of the Carrollton-Farmers Branch as the District Governor for Rotary year beginning July 1, 2024. Congratulations Regina!
You can help victims in Western Kentucky through donations to the Rotary District 671 Foundation Relief Fund or if you want to drop off supplies, contact Kaytlin Flowers at 270-287-2214.
These are only a few of the things happening around District 5810 in Interact . . .
South Grand Prairie HS Interact just completed a “Virtual Caroling for Cans food drive” (passing out flyers with a QR code linked to a video of SGP Varsity Choir singing in order to prompt donations to the Grand Prairie Homeless Outreach Organization. Donations collected December 16); Assisted living home Virtual Bingo via zoom- December 1st; Arbor Day Nature Center field trip booth (made "tree cookie" necklaces and passed them out to elementary school kids) - November 1 (just to name a few);
It is with great appreciation to Rotary District 5810 and Dallas Rotary Club for such a huge impact on 70,531 lives with three projects in Ghana. Here's the summaries of the projects:
Rotary Club of Greenville collected Gift Cards at their Christmas Party to donate to CASA, for the little ones who come in after the Angel Trees have already been done. We have done this for years.
The Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club was honored to serve lunch to veterans and all those who attended the City of Grand Prairie’s Veteran’s Day Celebration.
First Baptist Church Grand Prairie (Visitation and Service)
950 Mayfield Road
Grand Prairie, TX 75052
972-262-5146
Graveside Service and Interment—Following Funeral Service
Laurel Land
6300 South R.L. Thornton Freeway
Dallas, TX 75232
214-390-5956
Buffet Lunch and Celebration of Beverly’s Life—Come and go
La Calle Doce
415 West 12th Street
Dallas, TX 75206
214-941-4304
In lieu of flowers, Beverly requested memorial donations to the Rotary Foundation. To donate to The Rotary Foundation, please go to rotary.org/donate and chose “Memorial or Tribute Gift.” Also, checks made payable to The Rotary Foundation can be mailed to 14280 Collection Center Drive, Chicago, IL 60693. For additional information, call 1-866-9ROTARY. Notification letters or emails will be sent acknowledging your donation and Rotarians will receive Paul Harris credit for their generous donations.
The Suicide Prevention and Brain Health Rotary eClub offered attendees of the AFSP Survivors of Suicide Loss Conference in Dallas on November 20 an opportunity to paint memory message rocks honoring their loves ones and to provide messages of hope and encouragement.
Unbelievable, we are already at the end of the calendar year. Remember to make those contributions to Rotary Foundation and update your club membership lists by December 31!
So how is the year going so far relating to our District goals? Based on the most recent numbers I have seen, Membership in our District has grown by 144 Rotarians! We have achieved 37% of our Rotary Foundation giving goals (please consider increasing your giving). We are continuing our plans for individual club service projects relating to Ending Human Trafficking in January. Please make sure your club has decided on a project and communicated the details to our EHT chair Shirley Hsia.
Relating to one of our Strategic planning goals of increasing relations between clubs and Districts, in lieu of a December Roundtable, we are hosting a party at the Haggard Party Barn in Plano on Thursday, December 9 at 6pm. Admission is $20 per person to cover the costs of BBQ from Dickey's. If you have not already done so, please register so we can have an adequate count for ordering food. This party will not have a formal program so that all can mix and mingle with Rotarians across the District. We will also have a representative from at least one of the not for profits dedicated to Ending Human Trafficking present to answer any questions you may have.
Are you interested in Rotary memorabilia ? We have been made aware of a collection of various pins and other items looking for a home. If you are interested, please let us know.
Wishing all of you and your families the best during this holiday season.
Coppell Rotary is supporting the Barbie Like Me Toy Drive and needs support!. Their goal is to collect 300 dark skin dolls for minority children this holiday season. The Coppell club will be collecting dolls during their holiday party on Dec. 10 or contact chair Crystal Bates at info@cbates.org or text 214-444-8292.
Last call for reduced rate! The deadline to register at the reduced rate is fast approaching. You have until 15 December 2021, so sign up and pay today to take advantage of significant savings.
You have the power to increase people's understanding of Rotary by showing your members as people of action - telling and showing the public how you make a positive difference in your community.
Jimmy Doty, long-time member and past president of the Richardson Rotary Club, was honored on November 17 at the Richardson Chamber of Commerce EDGE Awards banquet with the Rotary Service Above Self award.
Beginning with packaging 70 dozen cookies during our lunch meeting on November 3rd, Rotary Club of Dallas members delivered to North Central and Northwest substations of the Dallas Police Department.
On November 8th & 16th, Rowlett Rotary Club delivered cases of paper to 13 local schools (Elementary, Middle, & Rowlett High School) Two schools had actually ran out of paper, the donated cases would get them through the week till their Friday delivery.
Come join us on Thursday, December 9 at 6PM at the Haggard Party Barn in Plano for a Holiday Party! Barbeque will be served and the cost for each attendee will be $20.00 to cover the food costs. We will also invite some of the local agencies that work to End Human Trafficking so that you can visit with them and consider a personal contribution/gift. Click to Register.
Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) did such an outstanding job supporting Plano ISD’s drive-through meal distributions during this past summer and the preceding school year that the school district has again asked for our club’s support throughout the entire 2021-2022 school year.
Kids with Special Needs Take to the Skies – On Saturday, October 30, Mesquite Metro Airport hosted over 100 children and their parents for a Fly Day with free activities, food, and an opportunity to co-pilot an airplane.
As a field of flags appears this week in Oak Point Park, the Rotary Club of Plano East demonstrates its gratitude for those who have served our nation and communities. Each flag tells the story of heroes whose lives were devoted in service to others, some making the ultimate sacrifice.
The Suicide Prevention and Brain Health e-Club had a fun time raising funds to end Polio! Cremona’s Bistro hosted the event and donated a portion of the proceeds to this great cause!
Mention Rotary when dining at Cremona’s and they will make additional donations!
What a fabulous presentation we had from Rachel, a Trafficking Survivor at our October Roundtable. Her comments have motivated clubs to begin thinking about what they will do as a Day of Service. Shirley Hsia has agreed to serve as our End Human Trafficking chair. Please email her at shirley7239@gmail.com to let her know the details of your January Service Project.
Our November Roundtable will start at 9:00am on November 20 at MacArthur Boulevard Baptist Church in Irving. We will conduct 30 minutes of business and then turn the program over to Foundation Chair, PDG Bill Dendy and his team to conduct our annual Foundation and Grant Training which is required to receive a District Grant next year. As always, you may attend in person or through zoom.
Hard to believe we are approaching the Holiday season. With that in mind, instead of our regular time and place for Roundtable in December, we will instead host an informal get together at the Haggard Party Barn in Plano on Thursday evening December 9 at 6pm. Barbeque will be served and the cost for each attendee will be $20.00 to cover the food costs. We will also invite some of the local agencies that work to End Human Trafficking so that you can visit with them and consider a personal contribution/gift.
Attentional all clubs: please reach out to all Prospective Member Leads sent your way and vital to also follow up with Holly Hollenbeck, district membership chair, on the status of your Leads. And please please contact Holly soon to set up a fun program on membership for your club: 402-681-0601 or email Holly, hollyhollenbeck@icloud.com.
On Saturday, November 20 at 9:30AM to 12PM, there will be a Foundation & Grant Training Seminar following the November Roundtable at the MacArthur Boulevard Baptist Church, 8001 Mustang Drive, Irving. All Clubs must have at least one attendee to qualify for Grant Certification. Foundation Chairs & Club Presidents are encouraged to attend however open to all Rotarians.
For World Polio Day the Melissa Rotary Club held their 5th annual Chili Cookoff and Cornhole Tournament to raise funds to fight Polio worldwide. The Club invited the community to support the effort and enjoy a fun time of Chili, Cornhole and general fellowship with neighbors and friends.
The Rotary Club of DeSoto recently voted to add a new community service project this year, the Parent Resource Center at on the East Middle School campus.
In the spirit of "giving life to the community," Richardson Rotary and Richardson East Rotary joined forces in the "Battle of the Badges Blood Drive" to support Carter BloodCare and the Richardson Police and Fire Departments.
The Life Safety Park has a mission to benefit the citizens of the City of Coppell. Coppell Rotarians took part of the lifetime of living safely lessons, by taking CPR & First Aid Lessons.
Coppell Rotarians Learned How to Save a Few Lives at Life Safety Park
The Prestonwood Rotary Club recognized three deserving and exceptional officers for their hard work, dedication, tenacity, and commitment to selflessly serve the communities in which they work. Senior Corporals Tanya Gooden #7569, John Lopez #8925, and Gregory “Greg” Ceraso #9415 were spotlighted at a luncheon held in their honor at The Clubs of Prestonwood.
Bright and early on the morning of Sept. 25, Plano West Rotary Club member Glen Thornton led several club members in the clean-up alongside a stretch of Avenue K between Spring Creek Parkway and Parker Road in east Plano.
McKinney Mayor George Fuller and Rotary District 5810 Governor Max Duplant joined the McKinney Rotary Club on Friday, October 22, 2021 to support the eradication of polio.
Rotary Club of Greenville had a social and a basket give away on Oct. 24, 2021 for World Polio Day. This group sold chances for a few nice gift baskets and some coupons and raised nearly $500.00 for Polio.
Rotary Club Of Greenville Celebrates World Polio Day
According to a 2016 report from the Statewide Human Trafficking Mapping Project of Texas, there are more than 300,000 victims of human trafficking in Texas, including 79,000 minors and youth victims of sex trafficking and nearly 234,000 adult victims of labor trafficking.
The Suicide Prevention and Brain Health Rotary eClub invites you to join us in dining/ordering at Cremona Bistro Italian Kitchen on Sunday, Oct 24 for World Polio Day for an event we call "Pinot for Polio."
The Suicide Prevention and Brain Health Rotary eClub invites all district clubs and their family and friends to join us as team members (virtual or in-person), resource table/service project volunteers and/or donors for the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (AFSP) 2021 DFW Metro Out of the Darkness Walk on Saturday, Oct 30 at Globe Life Park (formerly Ballpark at Arlington).
Please Join the Suicide Prevention and Brain Health Rotary eClub on Oct 30 at the AFSP Out of the Darkness Walk
Register today for the Park Cities Rotary Blood Drive on Friday, Nov. 12 from 10am-2pm in the Carter Blood Care Bus in the valet area between Nordstrom’s and Macy’s.
A team of Mesquite Rotary members, member friends, and Mesquite ISD volunteers under the leadership of Community Service Director Evelyn Williams and committee chair Leslie Feinglas assisted an elderly Mesquite resident for Addressing Mesquite Day. Since the original day of October 2nd was rained out, the group met and worked on October 5th. The group was successful in completing an extensive yard cleanup.
In September, Sharon Scott, Community Service Chair, and Mike Bell, Past President, presented Erich Neupert, the Executive Director of the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center, a $500 donation.
It has been a wonderful experience visiting each of our 63 clubs in the Distrct.Now that official visits have been completed, I will be concentrating on our District goals for the year. Our October Roundtable will focus on Ending Human Trafficking. Farmersville President, Chad Engbrock's has shared links to articles written by his wife, Sonia Duggan, on the subject .
On Friday, September 3rd, our Rotarians drove to Dallas’ North Central Police Station to surprise their Crime Response Team with a huge and healthy breakfast, as well as snacks for the day.
The District is proud to announce that the Rotary Satellite Club of Greenville To End Human Trafficking is now official! They meet on Tuesdays at 5:30PM the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at the Landmark on Lee, 2920 Lee St., Greenville TX. All are welcome to attend!
This year's Cotton Patch Challenge was one for the books! They had 801 registered riders (most ever) and made just over $50,000 for the club to give away to local nonprofits, scholarships and veteran support. Almost the entire club was involved and we had great community support as well.
The Rotary Club of Dallas is hosting their 3rd Annual Pints for Polio on October 23rd to celebrate World Polio Day at the Pegasus City Brewery! Support END POLIO NOW by joining us to eradicate Polio One Pint at a Time!
The Rotary Club of Park Cities was happy to see that the work of Agape Clinic was being recognized by being featured in a story on the role of community clinics during COVID-19 on the front page of the Dallas Morning News on September 13.
Recognizing Veterans Day and wanting to do something positive for our veterans, the Rotary Club of Park Citie organized a short-term, pop-up” service project.
The Rotary Club of Dallas is pleased to announce that the 17th Annual Salute to America’s Veterans Committee is in the final preparation stages for the event on November 10th, 11:00am – 1:15pm at the Frontiers of Flight Museum.
On September 10, 2021, members of The Rotary Club of Dallas gathered at the DFW National Cemetery to help clean the gravestones of military service personnel.
Mesquite Rotary Club members worked side-by-side with retired Mesquite teachers on September 15th and 16th to sort, label, and deliver books to all Mesquite ISD second graders.
The Rowlett Rotary Club for partnering with the Parks and Recreation Department to show honor to our First Responders this weekend. They provided 18 American flags that are displayed along the sidewalk at Veterans Park to honor those who lost their lives 20 years ago on 9/11.
On Aug. 14, Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) wrapped up a five-month-long project to help spread flyers with information about the COVID-19 vaccine to our Spanish-speaking neighbors in Plano.
We are making plans to hear about one of our Literacy Global Grants at the next Roundtable on September 18. Speaking of which, we will also have all the District awards available for those who were not able to attend the Award banquet in August.
We want to CELEBRATE & WELCOME your new Rotary Member! We will provide you with a graphic that can be shared on your Social Media Pages and we will also share the graphic on the District Facebook page! Submit here or use the Submit New Member button located on the District home page.
We are excited to announce the rollout of our new PUBLIC IMAGE CHAMPION GAMES! The Public Image Games wwere designed to help Clubs increase their public image skill set. The more you promote your Club, the better the odds are at increasing your membership. It is a win-win all around!
Take action for World Polio Day on 24 October by promoting awareness of Rotary’s polio eradication efforts, raising funds, and planning club events. Let’s engage our communities in the fight against polio, because as long as polio exists anywhere, it remains a threat everywhere. Check out our World Polio Day event page for resources, graphics and fundraising ideas.
The Town of Highland Park and the City of University Park each have their own Police Departments, Fire Departments and an array of public service workers that keep our communities functioning. Some are long-term employees and all are dedicated to their work.
The first week of August, the Rotary Club of Dallas completed our first service project for the new club year – Cookies for (Dallas) Cops with 30 members participating. Home baked and donated cookies were collected and then repackaged, following all COVID safety protocols, into bags of three. Each bag was sealed and labeled.
CFB Rotary is supporting Metrocrest Services' "2021 Great Toilet Paper Drive" for National Toilet Paper Day. Metrocrest Services' goal is to collect 100,000 rolls of toilet paper—approximately a year's supply for the pantry to help our needy neighbors.
The DeSoto Rotary Club partnered with Girlfriends PAC Ministries, a local non-profit organization run by Patricia Coleman (Center), to give away school supplies to over 250 students on the parking lot of Dunkin Donuts, DeSoto, TX on August 07, 2021.
Rowlett Rotary wanted to Congratulate three extraordinary people. Jami Dooley winner of $1000.00 scholarship going to Tabor College out of Kansas in the Fall.
When the Rotary Club of Collin County chartered on May 11, 2021, incoming President Lenda Fidelman wanted a special program speaker and a dynamic topic for an early Fall meeting.
The Rotary Club of Dallas hosted a Kick-Off Salute to America’s Veterans 2021 program on July 28th , attended by our beneficiary partners the USO DFW and the GW Bush Institute Military Service Initiative.
Because we have spent so much time apart the Dallas Rotary Club is inviting ALL Rotarians (and potential Rotarians) in District 5810 to come and enjoy a Fencing demonstration at our Luncheon on September 22, 2021. The event will occur at the Park City Club. (near Tollway and NW Highway).
Past-District Governor of District 5810 – Judge Nathan White celebrated fifty years of perfect Rotary attendance from 1971 through 2021. In addition, his Rotary club – the Rotary Club of McKinney Sunrise, recently acknowledged at their breakfast meeting the exceptional achievement.
Chart members , Beverly Loss and her husband of the Greenville Daybreak Rotary Club both passed away this past year. Their estate sent a donation in the amount of $10,000 to the Foundation and the Club presented that check to the Governor while she was here.
Reach out to DMC Holly Hollenbeck for a Club Program on Membership @ hhollenbeck@tcco.com or 402-682-0601. Online learn about strategies for attracting new members in this online course in the Learning Center. (A “My Rotary” account is required and easy to set up.) The course highlights ways to interest prospective members and showcase your club’s strengths.
Thanks to Walt McCool for preparing the following recap (with a few additions from our DG) of last Saturday's District 5810 Roundtable held at MacArthur Blvd Baptist Church in Irving.
As rallies for racial justice happened throughout the U.S. in the summer of 2020, members of Plano West Rotary Club (PWRC) located in Plano, Texas felt compelled to find a COVID-safe way to help create equity for the Black community as well as get more Black citizens involved in Rotary’s efforts.
The Rotary Club of Dallas honored three DISD teachers as Teachers of the Year on Wednesday, August 11, 2021, during the club’s noon meeting at the Park Cities Club, 5956 Sherry Lane Suite 1700.
A group of well experienced Disaster Relief Rotarians have once again come together to organize relief supplies, medical assistance, shelter and other necessary commodities for people in Southern Haiti to survive and rebuild after the August 14th earthquake. Haiti is part of Rotary District 7020 which includes 10 countries and 16 islands in the Northern Caribbean.
On July 31, a team of seven volunteers from Plano West Rotary Club, led by project leader Glen Thornton, collected trash along K Avenue from Spring Creek Parkway to Parker Road in Plano.
Gordon R. McInally, a member of the Rotary Club of South Queensferry, Lothian, Scotland, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International for 2023-24. He will be declared the president-nominee on 1 October if no challenging candidates have been suggested.
McInally lauded Rotary’s ability to adapt technologically during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the approach should continue and be combined with the best of our past practices as Rotary seeks to grow and increase engagement.
It has come to our attention of a scam solicitation that is being emailed to Club Presidents. The subject line "Your website and digital card" with the sender as district5810@crotary.org . Please note this is not us nor do we own that web address. The content goes on to say " With the pleasure of greeting you, it is already August and we have not had answer on your part to know if they will want your page" .. the link in the email is suspcious and SHOULD NOT BE CLICKED. The email is signed Rotary District 4185. This is also a concerning factor.
Calling all Clubs! This month’s “grow membership” tip is to have a member at each club meeting give a one minute reminder to invite guests and give another quick tips to grow your club. Tips will also be shared here in this Enews each month.
Last year, we launched the first-ever year-long virtual youth leadership program for Rotary District 5810. While we wish we were having our typical in-person summer camp, we're glad to build on the success of RYLead 2020 as we head into RYLead 2021.
One month in and we are off to a terrific start! On July 12 our district had a new club chartered, the Suicide Prevention and Brain Health club with 49 members of which 47 are new Rotarians. How exciting!
Chartering a new club is not for the faint-hearted, but John Moser, District Governor, 2020-21, District 5810, and Rotary International paved the way for a successful start-up of the Rotary Club of Collin County.
White Rock Rotary enjoyed hosting five of six scholarship recipients at a lunch recently. Each recipient gave a brief presentation which mentioned her chosen college, field of study and hopes for the future. Their enthusiasm was infectious!
Rotary District 5810 - North Texas is proud to announce the charter of our NEW CLUB: SUICIDE PREVENTION & BRAIN HEALTH ROTARY E-CLUB. They chartered with 49 members!! They meey the 2nd & 4th Mondays at 7PM via Zoom.
New E-Club Suicide Prevention and Brain Health Charters
Plano West Rotary Club Show Drive Challenge: Goal 2500 Pairs of Shoes. Help support microenterprises in developing countriesand high school students and the homelessness in North Texas.
The Coppell Rotary Club partnered with the Msasa Rotary Club of Zimbabwe to provide a solar electric panel and pump to a well to supply water for the Mutoko Green Project.
After having to cancel the Parade in 2020, RCPC was eager to put the Parade back on the road, as were the residents of the Park Cities and all of the other spectators who come to enjoy it.
Park Cities Rotary Club was honored at the Dallas County Dental Society banquet on May 27th with the 2021 Community Leader of the Year Award for our annual Dentistry with a Heart Program.
The Aaron's Well project in Kenya Africa is seeking partnerships! Currently, they have 3 clubs and two districts participating in the project, including Athens, Texarkana, and Prosper. The project scope: Building a well to service orphanages in the area. Click for more info.
The Rotary Club of Carrollton-Farmers Branch is “Taking the Toilet Paper Challenge” and is teaming up with a local non-profit agency, Metrocrest Services, to try and collect 100,000 rolls of toilet paper by August 26, 2021 (National Toilet Paper Day).
Our District’s new cause based club, Suicide Prevention & Brain Health e-Club, will celebrate its charter on July 19th at 7PM CT and you are invited to attend! DG Max Duplant will preside along with PDG Linda Elliott who is serving as the club’s mentor.
The Plano Rotary Club is hosting a 75+1 Year Anniversary Party on June 24, 2021. Seventy-five years ago, the Richardson Rotary Club sponsored a group of folks in Plano, Tx and we became the Plano Rotary Club. Together six clubs were formed over the years, but the Plano Rotary Club is the grand papa of Plano.
Whether they’re meeting at sunrise, noon or mid-day, Rotarians across the country — and throughout the world — continue to find ways to serve others while keeping true to their founder’s vision: “So professionals of diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships and give back to their communities.”
The Rotary Club of Melissa gathered at the @cityofMelissa pavilion out of the rain to remember those who gave it all for our freedom. While the rain kept our Flyover on the ground, many gathered to acknowledge the service of others. A special thanks to Pastor Stacey Piyakhun of @MelissaUMC for opening us with prayer.
Save the date of Thursday, Aug 5th 2021 at 6PM for our District Awards Celebration Event. This will be held at the Edison Event Center, 1724 Cockrell Ave., Dallas TX. The cost is $35 per person. Table purchase is available. Click here to Register.
This is the final edition of the 2020/2021 District Governor’s report as my term comes to an end, and I hand the reigns over to DGE Max Duplant. Max is eagerly awaiting her turn as District 5810’s Governor. I ask that you join me in giving Max your complete attention and cooperation for her term, as you did for mine. Max’s installation party will be held at 6:30PM on Tuesday, June 29th at the Las Colinas Country Club, 4400 N O'Connor Rd, Irving, TX 7506.
The Mesquite Rotary Club has presented scholarship awards of $1,500 each to students from each of the Mesquite and Sunnyvale area high schools, and to a student from the Mesquite Academy. This investment by the club in the future of these deserving area scholars totaled $12,000.
Plano West Rotary Club coordinated with the restaurant Greek Isles in order to provide lunches on May 11 to the Plano Police Department. Volunteers picked up the lunches from Greek Isles and deliver them to the hard-working officers at their main station!
Come join us on Tuesday, June 29th at 6:30PM as we kick-off the new Rotary with the installation of District Governor Max Duplant. The event will be held at the Las Colinas Country Club, 4400 N O'Connor Rd, Irving, TX 75062. Club Presidents are invited to be officially installed at this event, too. Even if your club is planning to hold a separate installation event, you can be installed at this event as well. Open to all Rotarians! The cost is $58.10 per person (a plate meal is included). Click to Register
Register Early for District & Club Leader Installation
The Rotary Club of Irving Las Colinas is a proud partner of the Olympic Day Irving Las Colinas. They invite you to join them on June 25-26, 2021, as they celebrate Olympic Day Irving-Las Colinas. Olympic Day Irving-Las Colinas weekend events will include sports, cultural and educational activities including an Olympic Day Run (Family Fun Walk & Run, 5K and 10K distances), sports tournaments, exhibitions, music and educational seminars.
“Kyle Marmillion is a busy guy, "starts the article on Kyle in the May, 2021 issue of Park Cities People. He is quoted, "I have had tremendous opportunities, and I am very grateful for each of the opportunities I have taken. In the great scheme of things, I still feel like I am just getting started."
RCPC has entered a new collaborative partnership to co-sponsor the Plano Community Rotaract Club. We are partnering with the North Texas Pioneer Rotary Club in our sponsorship.
Rotary Club of Dallas' Annual charity golf tournament and dinner raise funds to help protect Dallas residents, continue ongoing partnership with Dallas Police Department.
The Irving Sunrise Rotary Club and the Dallas Rotary Club agreed to partner on funding 8 water wells and a latrine in various communities in the Accra area of Ghana Africa.
On Friday, May 14, 2021 the McKinney Rotary Club presented a $1,000 check to Fr. Renny Kattel in support of Covid relief in Kottayam, India. Funds will be used for the purchase of 100 PPE kits.
Register now for the Mesquite Rotary Club’s 24th annual Rodeo Road Rally, presented by ASI Gymnastics. The annual charity fundraising bike ride will start at a new location this year, at at Mesquite High School, 300 E. Davis, Mesquite, TX 75149.
Rotary of Wylie East Fork members Becky Welch, Sam Satterwhite, Bryan Brokaw, and Chris Gaston flipped hundreds of hot dogs for hungry racers and spectators. Wylie 500 Pedal Car Race benefits area Special Olympics. Youth ages 2 to 5 years raced 500 inches down Historic Downtown Wylie.
Congratulations to the Four-Way Test Speech Contest Finalists! Here is the placement: 1st place – Julia Lin of Plano High School, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Plano West. She will receive a $1,000 scholarship check and a plaque.
On April 27 the McKinney Rotary Foundation presented the MISD Project Graduation a check for $1,000 and to the Community Garden Kitchen a check for $2,500 in support of a security system.
Sharon Scott, Community Service Chair of the McKinney Rotary Club, presented $2,200 to Emily Johnson for the Samaritan Inn’s ‘Sponsor a Child’ Program. $500 covers the basic needs of one child while in their care.
Congratulations to the 11 Clubs that completed the PUBLIC IMAGE OLYMPIC GAME: Plano West Rotary, Addison Midday, McKinney, Allen Sunrise, Dallas, Rockwall, Coppell, Richardson East, Wylie East Fork, Park Cities and Grand Prarie Metro! Big round of applause to the Rotary Club of Plano West who completed the Olympic Games first!!! GREAT JOB everyone!
Plano West Rotary and other awesome volunteers assisted the administrators, teachers and staff of Armstrong Middle School to organize & distribute food from the North Texas Food Bank through a COVID-19 safe drive-thru to students and their families affected by food insecurity. We contributed 9 volunteers (4 PWRC members) to this effort in combination with their volunteer team, and provided a lot of nutritious food (valued at $1000) for 1.5 hours on a Tuesday afternoon.
The two day conference was held In Allen and we had 120 plus in attendance. Highlights of the conference were the All Club Luncheon with our RI Director, Susie Howe and a special video from our Interactors. Saturday brought more highlights and excellent speakers. The Roaring 20's Gala on Saturday evening was dedicated by DG John Moser to PDG Beverly Groghan who began the event last year but due to Covid was unable to proceed. See the photos.
Preston Hollow Rotary Club joined with two other District 5810 clubs, White Rock and Melissa, and with the Autism Treatment Center in Dallas, to produce and distribute an award-winning short film, “Hide Your Love Away.”
The Marriott Courtyard at Allen Event Center was a center of service when it hosted the Rotary International District 5810 North Texas 2021 conference this past weekend. The City of Allen Mayor and charter member of the Rotary Club of Allen Sunrise, Ken Fulk, welcomed District 5810 Governor John Moser at a Friday luncheon to kick off this two-day event.
Rotary District 5810 has just finished its version of The District Conference for 2020/2021, and if I may say so myself, it was a smashing success. I want to thank everyone who joined us for this amazing gathering.
The event was held at the Courtyard by Marriott in Allen, Texas. This venue was perfect for this size of an event, and the hotel staff really outdid themselves to take care of us.
The Rotary Club of Grand Prairie Metro took part in The Big Event on April 24th, 2021. Patterned after similar events on university campuses, the Big Event is one day for city-wide volunteerism. Celebrating unity in the community, we pair volunteers who want to help others with residents who have a qualifying project. Our club paired with the Children First Counseling Center where we helped them move into their new offices and clean up the landscape.
The Mesquite Rotary Club hosted its annual "Four Way Test" Speech Contest at the Mesquite ISD David Belt Professional Development Center on April 20th. Covid safety protocols were in place, with only the necessary contestants, teachers, school officials, club leaders, and contest committee members actually present.
On Tuesday night, April 20, the City of Carrollton presented Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary with the 2021 Outstanding Community Organization Award (shared with Inspiring Lives Inc).
The Addison Midday Rotary Club made 50 Easter Baskets for Hope Supply who distributed them throughout the community. This is our favorite service project of the year. We have lost count on the number of years we have made Easter Baskets.
The Melissa Rotary donated the supplies and packaged up 50 Veteran Comfort Kits. These kits will be delivered to the District Conference to be combined with other clubs efforts.
Amy Bosway and Lori Crider represented the soon to charter cause based Rotary Club of Suicide Prevention and Brain Health e-Club in a service project with Dallas Off-road Bicycle Association (DORBA) to prepare the trails for the upcoming mountain bike race at Big Cedar Wilderness in Dallas.
Coppell High School Interact Club organized a food drive with other Interact Clubs across North Texas for the Salvation Army. Under the leadership of Coppell's Interact President, Yashasvi Karri, enough food was collected to feed 88 families for a week. In addition to food, the packages contained hygiene materials and socks.
"Our loved ones never really leave us," Rotarian and President of 1LT. Welch Run charity shared as she inspired community members to lace up and run in remembrance for the 10th annual Run for our Heroes event Saturday, April 17th.
During World Immunization Week, 24-30 April, join with Rotary to combat vaccine hesitancy and misinformation by spreading the facts about why #VaccinesWork.
With decades of experience fighting polio, Rotary plays a key role in informing people about the power and effectiveness of vaccines. As COVID-19 vaccines become more available, Rotary members are using our experience in fighting polio to help communities with their vaccination education and organization efforts.
Members of White Rock Rotary purchased, delivered, and helped plant a vegetable garden for the Sisters of Charity (Mother Theresa's Order) in a 'food desert' area of South Dallas. We hope that this garden will grow and provide fresh produce for the local community. This would definitely benefit all concerned!
White Rock Rotary Helps Plant a Garden in a 'Food Desert'
Congratulations to all our RYLead campers and staffers--we wrapped up our virtual camp RYLA this last month, and we have so much to celebrate! All students who were selected to attend the in-person Camp RYLA were invited to participate, and in the end, about 90 students participated in our first virtual camp, RYLead.
Spring has arrived. The days are warmer, the trees are turning green, the flowers are blooming. And my lawn is filled with dandelions!!! As of now, the State of Texas no longer has any restrictions on Covid-19 vaccinations for anyone 16 or older. So, I ask, no encourage each of you to please get your shots…2 shots (unless the vaccine is Johnson and Johnson).
Mesquite Rotary Club President Dr. Angel Rivera presented a $3,500 donation check to the Mesquite ISD Education Foundation on March 24th. Foundation Executive Director Randy Lewallyn accepted the check.
For anyone unfamiliar with Bonton Farms, it was started by Daron Babcock several years ago as a way to bring food and jobs to a very poor South Dallas neighborhood in an area designated as a “food desert.” The farms have prospered and expanded to include the Bonton Market and a café that is open to the public for lunch, among other projects benefiting the community.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, schools have understandably allowed limited interaction on campuses during the school day, which has changed the way we as Rotarians honor our local students. They’re no longer able to attend our weekly lunch meetings off campus to accept their Student of the Honor awards in person.
The Melissa Rotary and Interact clubs combined to make up "little Dresses for Africa" BY teaming up with other local groups we successfully carried off the 5th year of this project. Kellie Maynard posted the following about the project:
The Rotary Club of Greenville and The Rotary Club of Cozumel are teaming up for an amazing fundraiser! Cozumel Vacation for 2 ... How many tickets do you want?
Join us on Saturday, April 10th at 8:30AM for our virtual District Assembly. Meet incoming District Governor Max Duplant for Rotary 2021-22 Club Leader Training. Courses: President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership, Foundation, Public Image, and Strategic Planning. This is a free training event however you must register to receive the Zoom link. All Rotarians are welcome!! Click to Register.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! We need your support with our DISTRICT SERVICE PROJECTS for District Conference. Our theme is Sanitation, and clubs will be able to participate in multiple ways, working to assemble three types of Hygiene kits for our North Texas community. For more info & to sign up: https://rotary5810.org/sitepage/hygiene-kits-service-project
Rotary’s Learning Center now available on mobile devices! You can now take Rotary’s online courses on most mobile devices. See our how-to guide for detailed instructions or follow these steps to get started:
Congratulations to our essay winners for the Four Way Test essays from the Bobby Summers Middle School interact Club! Avery Bilotte -1st, Bernabe Solis 2nd, and Marissa Flores 3rd.
On February 26th, the University of Dallas Rotaract club held a service project called the Brown Bag Lunch Program. 200 brown bag lunches were prepared for Mother Teresa food pantry and the following day they were distributed to the homeless in downtown Dallas.
White Rock Rotary assisted the White Rock Rock Center of Hope (WRCH) with collating their quarterly newsletter. WRCH is a non profit that serves several Zip Codes in East Dallas. WRCH assists with food, clothing, and sometimes, financial assistance to those in need. The newsletter helps keep donations coming in for these activities.
On February 27th, Richardson East Rotary Club held its Games and Gala, the first ever virtual! When planning started back in July 2020, there was still a chance to hold an in-person event, however rather quickly it was apparent that it would be very questionable and therefore all efforts were put into a virtual event.
Our 3rd District 5810 Flag Summit will be a Zoom Meeting on Saturday, March 20, 2021 from 9:30 AM to Noon. As in the past our primary focus is on Sharing Best Practices. District 5810 has over 20 clubs that have flag subscription programs, each with unique ways of organizing and implementing their program.
When the Covid-19 Pandemic struck, it seemed as if most of our activities came to a stop. Now, it seems the District is getting busier and busier. In February, our District Governor-Elect participated in a virtual International Assembly where our incoming Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta introduced his theme for 2021-2022, “Serve To Change Lives”.
... and a whole new set of challenges for the North Texas Food Bank and all the people they serve. Trisha Cunningham, CEO of the Food Bank, knew that the demand was increasing with little way to mobilize for immediate action. Their trucks were grounded, the supply change to grocery stores was fragile, and most people were trapped in their homes. For those with food insecurity, this was a crisis in the making.
Some caring Rotarians in Rockwall reached out to spread a little cheer for Valentine’s Day. They created hundreds of homemade Valentine’s Day cards for seniors living in local nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
The week before the Super Bowl, Metrocrest Services asked for soup donations. The Addison Midday Rotary Club of 25 members was challenged to fill up the trunk of Club Member Mary Jo’s car with soup for Metrocrest Services at our weekly meeting. The challenge was met and exceeded expectations - the soup donations ‘spilled’ over to the back seat of her car.
The Addison Midday Rotary Club had a Souper Meeting
"We cannot do great things on this earth, only small things with great love." - Mother Teresa Rotary has two official mottoes: 1) Service Above Self, 2) One Profits Most Who Serves Best. Plano West Rotary leads outdoor, mask required service projects each month. It also leads "passive" projects volunteers can do from the safety of their home.
It is time to CeLeBrAte what WE as a District have done this Rotary year. Friday, April 23 and Saturday, April 24, those are the dates – write them down. You can attend in person or virtually.
Plano Rotary Club was on track to celebrate 2020-2021 as its 75th anniversary when Covid-19 hit and our club saw an opportunity to serve the community in a new way. Since our dues included our lunches, we took that part of our dues and bought meals for various non-profits that are busy serving others every day.
Seventy-five residents at Heritage Nursing Home received essential goods (shampoo, conditioner, body wash), a warm blanket, and a stuffed animal thanks to the Grand Prairie Metro Rotarians! Even Grand Prairie Police Officer Seitz stopped by Main Event to lend a hand!!
Rotarian Kathy Mixson of the Melissa Rotary Club has been serving at one of the Collin County Covid Vaccination sites for the past few weeks. The large site has been working daily to admirer the available vaccines to first responders and those over 65. Thank you Kathy for service above self.
Last Friday, one of our White Rock Rotary members, Enid Jones, arranged a wonderful joint Zoom with Regina Edwards of the Farmers Branch Club and Dominica Pradere of the Montego Bay Rotary Club in Jamaica.
The Rotary Club of Allen Sunrise supported a local blood drive at Watters Creek at Montgomery Farms in Allen, TX. The drive occurred on a chilly afternoon on December 30, 2020. In one afternoon, 15 units of whole blood were collected, which has the potential to impact 45 community members. Due to Covid-19, blood donations are critical, and the club's donations will help address a a nationwide shortage.
Rotary Club of Allen Sunrise Supports Local Blood Drive
President-elect Shekhar Mehta encourages members to be changemakers and announces his theme for the 2021-2022 Rotary year, Serve to Change Lives. Learn more: http://on.rotary.org/3j6bVuc
Since we have spent so much time apart, who’s ready for a party? 5810 Rotarians, that’s whom! Let’s gather VIRTUALLY on Fat Tuesday evening and enjoy some visiting with District Rotarians. Dust off that Boa, get out the beads, wear a funny hat, or beautiful mask, sequins and let’s PARTY!
John Edward Gay, a 3-term Mayor of McKinney, passed away at the age of 91 on Tuesday, January 26, 2021. He dedicated his life to public service, family, church and community.
Here’s hoping each and everyone is looking towards a very happy Valentine’s day, and a really great month.
It looks like the vaccine for Covid-19 is starting to hit the public and will become more available in the coming months. I encourage each and every one of you to take of advantage of this vaccine to protect yourself from this pandemic.
Plano West Rotary Club is being honored with the privilege of having Rotary International's General Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, John Hewko, speak to their club at on Rotary's 116th Anniversary on February 23rd club meeting over Zoom. All Rotarians are welcome to join!!
The Rockwall High School Interact Club, in conjunction with the Rockwall Rotary Club, recently spearheaded a project to raise awareness and much needed items for Women in Need, Inc.
We are excited to announce that CASH PRIZES will be earned for the Public Image Olympic Games! These games were developed to help your Club MAXIMIZE your Rotary Club Public Image. Clubs that complete all six games will be entered into a raffle at our District Conference on April 23-24. There will be 3 Clubs chosen - with the top prize of $500 and (2) $250 prizes.
The Melissa Rotary Club performed a Service project at the Melissa Community Outreach. A local youth group collected over 10,000 hygiene items over the weekend and the Club sorted all of them into categories for placement into hygiene kits to be handed out to local clients. Half the club sorted and the other half made up the hygiene kits. The club was joined by District Governor, John Moser who helped to make up the kits. Thanks John for your support to our club.
RYLead 5810 is halfway through this year's " virtual camp"! We have completed three of our six modules and are ready to have fun and work hard with the final three, beginning on January 10, 2021.
Santa’s elves were busy in Rockwall making Christmas brighter for the men and women of our military this year. For troops on duty during the holidays, in addition to the important job of protecting our freedoms in all corners of the world, it’s tough to be away from friends and loved ones.
2020 has been an incredibly challenging year and it’s still not over. Hopefully, the end is coming given the vaccines are here. The Rotary Club of Dallas has made a difference in a number of ways this year.
Some brands are recognized around the world just by their logos. When people see the logo, they instantly know what it means and what to expect from the product. Building that kind of visual recognition requires effort, including years of using a logo widely and consistently. Companies work at this because earning that global recognition benefits their business.
On the afternoon of December 9, members of the Addison Rotary Club continued the Club's long legacy of service to the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas (RHMD) by hosting visitors to the "Trains at NorthPark" (Trains) exhibit.
On December 21, the Rotary Club of Addison gave the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas an early Christmas gift - a check for $170,000 from the proceeds of the 30th Addison Rotary Open, held on September 14, 2020.
From a smaller beginning thirteen years ago, the Snider Plaza Tree Lighting has become one of the signature events of the Rotary Club of Park Cities, attracting about 6,000 people last year. The community was entertained with music, food and beverages, while the kids could visit the Fun Zone or talk to Santa. Well, that was last year!
WOW! What a year 2020 was. I know I’m glad it’s over, and I’m looking forward to a new and improved year – 2021.
As a District, we did actually pull off some pretty neat things:
RYLA – While the RYLA camp was cancelled, the RYLA management worked to create a new virtual camping model, giving a chance for those who didn’t get to go to camp a chance to experience RYLA, make new friends and learn new lessons.
YOUTH EXCHANGE – Again the pandemic struck. Long term and short term exchanges were cancelled, but again the RYE management team pulled together to create a virtual exchange experience.
The Melissa Rotary conducted a service project at the Melissa Community Outreach, a food pantry for the area. The Club came out to help sort items and organize the MCO Food Pantry.
Thanks to our 9 volunteers of Plano West Rotary club, other Rotarians, and friends who helped with their Adopt-a-Highway clean-up they do every other month, over on Avenue K, between Spring Creek Parkway and Parker Road. It looks "marvelous"! :)
Plano West Rotary didn't want to just 'write a check' to support veterans. Its members wanted to serve veterans. They partnered with American Legion and Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center to give over 450 comfy pajamas to children of veterans.
Richardson Rotary Club reached a momentous milestone in December 2020. The Club's Foundation Committee Chair, Radi Al-Rashed had a vision at the beginning of his term as Chair to make the club "100% Paul Harris" by the end of the year. That goal has now been achieved.
In January, Rotary International will send each Rotary Club its semi-annual dues invoice for all active club members on the club roster as of January 1, 2021. Also reflected on the Rotary International statement is a pro-rata dues invoice for any active club member who joined the Rotary Club between July 2, 2020 and December 31, 2020.
Invoices from Rotary International are payable to Rotary International upon receipt.
Member, Dr. Joel Davis, gave members a hands-on lesson on his new hobby teaching us how stained glass art is created. We had a great time and lots of laughs and walked away with a special ornament.
Rotary Club or Wylie East Fork launched a toy drive as we made the decision to cease our in-person meetings. We understood this would create enough of a challenge that our participation might suffer.
The Greenville Rotary Club’s 24th annual Cotton Patch Challenge was a big success this year. The bike ride held on the third Saturday in September had a large participation and fantastic weather.
CFB Rotary celebrated its sixtieth birthday with a festive lunch at noon on Thursday, November 19, at the Brookhaven Country Club. President Sonja Dodds joined two of our most senior members, John Dodd and Dick Calvert, in displaying the Club's original charter!
Feeding the hungry is one of Park Cities Rotary’s strategic priorities. This has become increasingly important as the COVID pandemic reemerges, especially around the Holidays.
Two Rockwall Rotarians saw a need and jumped into action to fill it. In the weeks before Thanksgiving, Nancy Parkes and Robin Chouteau noticed that the local food bank, Rockwall Helping Hands, was calling for assistance in restocking their empty shelves.
A group comprised equally of members of White Rock Rotary and Lake Highlands High School Interact picked up trash during a shoreline spruce up at White Rock Lake.
You have the power to increase people's understanding of Rotary by showing your members as people of action!Our Public Image Olympic Game II was created to introduce Clubs to the People of Action public image campaign.
Rotary Club of Wylie East Fork looks forward to this project every year. Members of the club bring items that might interest teen boys and pack 20 boxes for Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse.
Holiday Season! We all have so much to be thankful for, and a season of love and giving. Since Service (Giving) is essential to Rotary, I would like to encourage everyone to remember that any funds contributed to the Rotary Foundation help those in need. There are so many in need, and our Foundation helps people locally, nationally and internationally. So, if your circumstances allow, remember the Rotary Foundation in your gifting plans.
On Nov. 8, several members (their children & grandchildren) from the Rotary Club of Allen Sunrise (and proposed members-to-be) turned out to help package food for Honduran families under the Kids Against Hunger program.
On October 14, members of the Rotary Club of Addison gathered at the Metrocrest Food Pantry in Farmers Branch to pack and distribute food 'care packages' for over 100 families.
The Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club of Texas shopped until they dropped for families in need. In support of the Grand Prairie Police Department's Santa Cop Foundation, Rotarians masked up and headed to "Santa's Workshop".
On November 17, 2020, the Garland Rotary club had a joint meeting with our sister club, the Rotary Club of Chennai Renaissance, India. Our guest speaker was Garland Rotarian, Dr. Grace Smart, DDS.
Melissa Rotary observed Veterans Day with a gathering of Vets, family and neighbors. Melissa Mayor Greer spoke thanking the Veterans for their service and for allowing us to live in a Free Nation.
At today's Club Assembly, on a unanimous vote, the club confirmed initiating a scholarship granting relationship with the Collin County College Foundation. The scholarship granting will be a partnership relationship whereby the Rotary Club of McKinney Sunrise will provide the initial funding of one scholarship Endowment by seeding the endowment with $5000.
Local Rotarians hit the pavement with both feet to exceed our shoe drive goal. With 203 pairs donated, our club doubled our goal and was glad to support the work of Rotary District 5810 - North Texas. Pictured Wylie East Fork Club President Brenda modeling the haul as she drops them off.
Rotary Clubs of Rockwall Breakfast and Wylie East Fork serves beyond our city limit. Sachse, Texas tucks right in with our service area with many of our members residents so we feel it’s a natural and companionable fit.
Wylie East Fork club members Lynn Fagerstrom and Brenda Byboth manned a stop for Sachse Chamber of Commerce’s Fallfest Wild Goose Chase Scavenger Hunt.
Facing a year of extreme challenges, the Rockwall Rotary Club gets creative to raise money for student scholarships—and successfully hosts a modified version of their premier annual event.
The Plano West Rotary Club in partnership with American Legion, VA are seeking donations of pajamas for kids of Veterans all through the month of November. Donations can be dropped off at the Greek Isles in Plano.
District 5810's RYLA programming is busier than ever as we head into the fall academic year. We kicked off Modules One and Two of RYLead, our online leadership training program that launched in order to fulfil our promise to the students who were unable to attend camp in person this summer.
Wow! The year 2020 continues to Open Opportunities for Rotary. We’ve still to visit two clubs, however we are really impressed with the clubs who have hosted Rotary Clubs have distinguished themselves with their dedication to service, even during this period of pandemic.
A big team of Mesquite Rotary members, Poteet High School football players, and volunteers under the leadership of Mesquite Rotary past president John Taylor and PHS coach Joseph Huber assisted a disabled Mesquite resident on Addressing Mesquite Day, October 3rd.
Club President Robert Allsup presents to the YMCA Serves Irving an annual check for $5000 to support Youth/Children Programs in Irving to Tricey Love (Executive Director), Brandy Perryman (YMCA COO), Mazhar Ali (Irving Board Chair) & Sandhya Padala (Irving Board Member).
The Melissa Rotary Club purchased and delivered dictionaries to the Melissa ISD High School students and also the Third Grade students again this year.
In early October, the Addison Midday Rotary Club conducted a Virtual Food Drive for Metrocrest Services. The number of families assisted by Metrocrest Services has skyrocketed and there is real continuing unmet need in our community. The Metrocrest Services Pantry has a critical needs Wish List on Amazon!
It’s finally fall; the weather is inviting. The Rotary Club of Park Cities continues to have informative and interesting speakers, but the club is taking it a step further. Our always happy President Elect Happy Franklin has been planning field trips to some of the locations represented by our speakers.
The Rotary Club of Dallas requests your attendance for our free on-line event; the 16th Annual Salute to America’s Veterans. Capacity is limited, so we encourage you to register early! Register here: https://sav.hosted.events/
Coppell Rotarians, met on one warm Saturday to build over 200 flags to meet the growing demand for lease flags in the Coppell area. Veterans Day is the last flag holiday of the year, our customers will enjoy the US Flag for an entire week. After that, our Rotarians will get back to work building more flags to support our growing program.
Every year, Rotarians and Rotaractors across the globe mobilize for World Polio Day to raise awareness about eradicating polio for good. If we stay committed, polio will be the second human disease ever to be eradicated.
Two recent grants by the Prestonwood Rotary Club Foundation have added to the club‘s long-standing dedication toward helping children throughout Dallas.
Let the (virtual) race begin! COVID-19 is changing a lot of things this year, but Grand Prairie Metro's mission is to raise money for Alzheimer's Association, Rotary International, and our local Grand Prairie Charities remains the same.
With the continuing impact of COVID-19, many in our community are in serious lack of sanitation and hygiene supplies. To help, CFB Rotary's Bill Bexley (center) hand-delivered a check for $1,150 to Metrocrest Services Chief Operations Officer Nicole Newkham-Binkley (left) and Chief Executive Officer Tracy Eubanks (right).
Do you have a dynamic guest speaker that you believe other Rotarians will enjoy? Every Rotary meeting benefits from dynamic, informative, and entertaining speakers. Exciting and worthwhile meetings keep members engaged and attract new members. We're excited to launch the new ROTARY DISTRICT 5810 SPEAKERS BUREAU! Check it out today!
Trudy and I have had a really great time visiting District 5810 clubs, both virtually and in person. We’ve visited 45 clubs so far with 16 left to go. I continue to be very pleased at the way our Rotarians are handling this Pandemic and continuing to meet as a Rotary Club.
The Rockwall Rotary Club recently partnered with the Rockwall High School Interact Club to help those in need. The groups joined forces for the District’s Shoe Drive to help with local and international community development. The effort garnered a ton of support!
On September 5th Tommie Wright and her husband Roy from the Richardson East Rotary Club delivered SEVENTEEN pallets of diapers, paper goods, cleaning products & food to the Network of Community Ministries.
The Addison Rotary Club held the 30th Annual Addison Rotary Open (ARO) was held on September 14 at Gleneagles Country Club. The club took extra efforts this year to follow COVID-19 safety guidelines including staggered starting times, barriers in golf carts, social distancing and mandatory masks.
The Melissa Rotary participated with the Melissa High School Football team to honor the memory of 9-11 and first responders. Melissa Cardinals Football team came onto the field carrying Rotary Flags with a tribute to those who lost their lives on 9-11 and the first responders.
The Mesquite Rotary Club recently surprised John Todd during a club Zoom meeting with ceremonies honoring him for attaining 50 years as a club member. After praising Todd’s record of service to the club and community, Rotary president Dr. Angel Rivera turned the ceremonies over to club member Todd Price.
On July 18, 2020, District 5810 comprised of 60 clubs, conducted a virtual “Awards Night for the Rotary Year 2019-2020”. McKinney Rotary Club member CC Theophine Chamakala received the District Leadership Award.
Frisco Sunrise Rotary Club Sponsored Friendship Baptist Church of The Colony (FBCTC) Food Pantry Program. The Food Pantry provides a significant supply of groceries for families to prepare nutritional meals for a family of four.
The Rotary Club of Denison recently raised $25K to present to their local Denison Police Dept. to purchase a new k9 unit. The money was raised by two years of golf tournaments. The funds were received through sponsors, players and raffle items.
On Saturday September 19th, the Irving Sunrise Rotary Club participated in the City of Irving's 29th Annual Trash Bash. We added this to our monthly Adopt-a-Spot program.
Congratulations to the following clubs for earning the 2019-20 Rotary Citation: Addison Midday, Dallas Uptown, Grayson County, Greenville, McKinney, Park Cities, Waxahacie, East Dallas, Plano East, Plano West, Prestonwood and White Rock.
Camp RYLA has not been "business as usual" in 2020, but when we make a promise, we keep our promise. The students you chose are still getting a change to take part in something incredibly special and powerful.
WELCOME to the 2020 PUBLIC IMAGE OLYMPIC GAMES. These games were developed to help your Club MAXIMIZE your Rotary Club Public Image. The Games will be played throughout Rotary 2020-21. Here is GAME 1:
Preston Center Rotary Club is very committed to help flatten the curve for COVID-19. One effective way is to not only “mask up” but to use face coverings that shields the eyes as well.
Allen Sunrise is partnering with the Allen Noon club on a Blood Drive on Wednesday, September 2nd at Watters Creek at Montgomery Farm in Allen, TX. The drive is open to both Rotarians and to members of the community and is being managed by Carter BloodCare, which is one of Texas' largest blood donation centers.
Our club had a flag subscription explosion after Memorial Day. Subscriptions increased by over 20% causing Rotarians to build and install over 200 flags.
For the past four years, at the beginning of the school year, the Principal of the George Bush Elementary School (the only public school in Addison) has spoken to the Addison Midday Rotary Club.
Blood is in short supply right now nationwide. COVID-19 has caused many blood drive events to be shut down across the country, and Rotarians are reaching out to help.
The Melissa Rotary Club installed their new leadership board. Past President Brian Riddle was honored for his service to the club and presented with a thank you gift, his ever own Rotary Bell.
Three Dallas Independent School District teachers who go above and beyond their job descriptions to help their students were honored by the Rotary Club of Dallas on Aug 12.
Rotary Club of Wylie East Fork adopted Hartman Elementary years ago and looks for ways to show our support and appreciation the teachers and students. This year is different with outside meals requiring different management.
Here we are, six months after the first shelter-in-place order, still masked and distanced. Yet with every problem comes opportunity. One of Park Cities Rotary’s collaborative partners, Agape Clinic in East Dallas, has been open throughout.
Mose Stimpson was a slave transported to a small farm town in Texas called Plano. The master bought him to be his daughter’s playmate. When she grew up and got married, she gave him his freedom.
White Rock Rotary decided to have an in person Board Meeting in the great outdoors. We were all masked and distanced and enjoyed a great view of the lake. We followed the meeting with our usual monthly shoreline spruce up at White Rock Lake.
The Mesquite Rotary Club held induction ceremonies for the group’s 2020-2021 officers and board members at their Zoom meeting on August 4th. All 33,000 local clubs in Rotary International change their leadership in July each year.
On Saturday August 8th Circle Ten Council recognized all the Scouts who attained the rank of Eagle Scout during Calendar year 2019, as well as adult volunteers involved in Scouting. The 2019 Eagle Scout Class, totaling almost 1,000 young men, was named in honor of Past Rotary Club of Dallas President and Past District 5810 Governor, Linus D Wright.
Jennifer E. Jones, a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, Canada, has been nominated to become Rotary International’s president for 2022-23, a selection that will make her the first woman to hold that office in the organization’s 115-year history.
As rallies for racial justice happened throughout Plano and the rest of the U.S. this summer, Alex Johnson, president of Plano West Rotary Club, wanted to get involved but didn’t feel safe attending events in person because of the COVID pandemic.
We’re almost through July and the Covis-19 pandemic continues cloud our horizons. But, being true Rotarians, District 5810 continues to fight on.
Congratulations to all those who submitted applications for District Award, with special congratulations to those who brought back the trophies. Now is the time to start working on an awards program for your club.
The Rotary Club of Coppell is working hard virtually to make a difference in our community. We donated 500 masks to the City of Coppell for Texas State Primary Runoff Elections.
Two women of the Rockwall Rotary Club have recently been selected to lead as public servants in their county. Anna Campbell, who is also currently the club’s Youth Services Chair, was hand-picked by the Rockwall City Council to fill a vacant seat for Place 6. Anna is a Spanish teacher at Rockwall High School, who also heads-up the Interact Club for the school. Her passion for serving in the community runs deep. While she volunteers with several organizations in Rockwall, she says she loves the ability Rockwall Rotary provides for her to make a difference on a grand scale.
This past week, Rotary Club of Irving Sunrise was to proud honor the service of 7 Rotarians as they join the international network of the Paul Harris Fellows:
To host a Rotary Club Blood Drive is a great and easy way to do some good and to introduce new people to Rotary. What a great community service, and to help add new members to any Rotary club.
In 2018 the Coppell Club received their first Global Grant for Train and Help Babies (TaHb). This grant provided equipment and training for hospitals in India to save premature infants from death and chronic disease. As a result of this grant, Rotary District 3170 adopted this project and Coppell collaborated on our 2nd global grant. This grant resulted in the first NICU that is available to a population over a million. It's amazing what a difference a small club can make worldwide.
Rotary Club of Coppell Makes a Big Difference Internationally
This initiative helps Rotarians connect their business with Rotarians, find assistance for challenges both professional and personal, and access career advice and leads. It's Rotarians helping Rotarians! Check it out now. www.therotarynetwork.org
Established in 1996, the Greenville Texas Cotton Patch Challenge is ready to roll out for 2020. Coming on 9/19/2020 you can look forward to great biking and lots of family friendly events while you ride.
In keeping with Prestonwood Rotary’s long-standing commitment to international service, our chair for these projects, Glen Campbell, was able to provide the near completion of yet another water and sanitation project in Africa:
For seventeen years the Rotary Club of Park Cities has put on the Park Cities Fourth of July Parade, which draws as many as 10,000 people who line the streets and who participate in the festivities in Goar Park after the Parade. NOT this year!
Congratulations to Glen & Vickie Campbell from the Rotary Club of Prestonwood for being awarded "Rotarian of the Year" this past year. Thank you for your dedication to Rotary International and our District!
Congratulations to PDG Bill Dendy on receiving the Rotary Interantional for Service Above Self! This is a top award at Rotary International and only 150 of these awards are given out annually throughout the world.
The Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club awarded 2020 Community Service Grants to both local libraries–the Carrollton Library and the Farmers Branch Manske Library. CFB Rotary has long supported the libraries' work.
Wow, what a finish to the 2019-2020 Rotary year, and it appears the upcoming year is going to present more new and challenging opportunities, But that’s our theme this year, isn’t it…”Rotary Opens Opportunities”.
Please plan to attend the Annual Awards Celebration Saturday, July 18 at 5:30 p.m. All clubs who submitted award nominations should plan to attend and celebrate the winners. And those who didn’t submit should attend for inspiration next Rotary year.
One of the innovations this past year was the Flag Summit held to discuss best practices of clubs who utilize this fundraiser. Sharing this information proved to be economical. Recently, the Rowlett Rotary Club needed to purchase some additional flags.
Oh what a year! Every year we participate in DREAMTeam, it just gets better! DREAMTeam (which stands for Dallas Rotarians Enabling Achievement through Mentoring) is a group of Rotarians who work with students at Woodrow Wilson High School starting in their sophomore year.
The Rockwall High School Interactors were pretty busy despite not able to physically attend school and the required quarantines. In May and early June, they completed two projects. First, the Interactors wrote 174 letters Mother’s Day cards to three nursing homes in Rockwall.
The Rockwall Noon Rotary, in conjunction with the Edward Jones office of Kelly D. Connel, celebrated seniors in the Rockwall Community this year by delivering Mother's Day and Father's Day baskets.
As they have done for over 30 years, the Richardson East Rotary Club of Texas, through their annual scholarship application process, once again responded to the needs of the local community’s graduating high school seniors.
Club President Jerry is pleased to report the Addison Midday Rotary Club raised $2,400 for Education Plus Nicaragua, a charity he worked with on his Rotary trip to Nicaragua. members donated $1,200 and the Addison Midday Foundation matched the donations for an additional $1,200.
Addison Midday Rotary Club Donates to Education Plus Nicaragua
Jack E Singley Academy Interact students just finished their 1st Full Holiday (Flag Day) Flags Over Irving volunteer opportunity. This club has doubled in size from last year & has a full head of steam with service projects, volunteer opportunities, & revenue producing ideas.
The McKinney Rotary Club participated at the BATTLE OF THE BADGES between Law Enforcement and the Fire Fighters sponsored by CARTER BLOOD BANK. They donated 28 units.
McKinney Rotary Particpates in the Battle of the Badges
In keeping with Prestonwood Rotary’s long-standing commitment to international service, our chair for these projects, Glen Campbell, was able to provide the near-completion of yet another water project in Africa:
Even prior to COVID19 shutdowns, select members of the Plano East Rotary club have been leading the effort towards a 100% virtual Rotary experience. This effort is referred to an “eClub,” in anticipation of its spinning off, once the required numbers are reached.
The Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club has long supported the work of Bea's Kids, a local non-profit whose mission is "to provide educational and personal development programs to children from low income families so they will stay in school and break the cycle of poverty."
Celebrate Coppell has always been a celebration of people, events, and traditions; encouraging the citizens of Coppell to celebrate our nation’s independence.
The Melissa Rotary Club held a Flag Day Food Drive in support of the Melissa Community Outreach. MCO supports those in need in the greater Melissa community with food twice a week.
Rotary has dealt with many crises and changes recently, but our diverse, inclusive organization has issued a policy statement based on the recent social injustice activism that has taken place. Please review, embrace and help Rotary connect the world but change the world!
Plano Metro Rotary Club (PMRC) members welcomed Plano Mayor Harry LaRosiliere as their first virtual speaker, on May 13, 2020. PMRC had been meeting remotely for weeks, but with live meetings cancelled, the club has not had a speaker scheduled since early March.
Come join us of our Virtual Aloha Farewell Party on Friday, June 19 at 7PM. We are going to take a virtual tour of the Hawaiin islands and recap our year. Plus, we will be joined by special guest Rotary International President Mark Maloney. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7367348174
Plano Metro Rotary Club (PMRC) has not held an in-person meeting since early March—but that has not stopped its members from giving back to their community in its time of need.
While the world is moving so much of their content online, RYLA 5810 already has that space established. The RYLAcast--a unique podcast for current students, RYLA alumni, Rotarians, and anyone interested in leadership--has been in circulation since March of 2019.
The McKinney Rotary Board decided to keep collecting the meal portion of the quarterly dues. These funds were to be allocated to helping members in need $325 TD, buying meals for frontline public service & health personnel
In early 2020 WHITE ROCK ROTARY CLUB [DISTRICT 5810] embarked on a matching grant project with Rotary Club District 5240 Carpinteria, CA called “Unite to Light” that concluded this month.
Prestonwood Rotary did not neglect one of its primary missions – helping those who need our help. When it became obvious that the economy was suffering in direct proportion to the nationwide quarantine, Prestonwood Rotary was able to donate more than $2,200 to the North Texas Food Bank
The Melissa Rotary Club sponsored a Memorial Day observance honoring those who have given their lives in service to our country, our First responders, and the Health Professionals who are servicing our community during the COVID pandemic.
Faced with the “previous present,” which we are glad will not be the “new normal,” RCPC’s Leadership and Committee Chairs began to adapt for life during shutdown – and the complications that would bring.
The Mesquite Rotary Club has presented scholarship awards of $1,500 each to students from each of the Mesquite and Sunnyvale area high schools, and to a student from the Mesquite Academy.
City of Allen Fire Chief Jon Boyd of Allen Rotary is Allen ISD’s 2020 Friend of Education. Allen ISD presents the award to community members who make a significant impact on the students and school district.
Zoom Rotary meetings have become the new norm for many clubs during this world crises. While clubs would rather meet in person, one of the huge benefits is the opportunity for those members and clubs that have a connection to a club, can join in from around the world.
The Rotary Club of Dallas has launched Rotary Feeds The Need a matching fund supported by The Rotary Club of Dallas encouraging members watching via Facebook to donate their lunch funds through the Dallas Rotary Club Foundation to a worthy organization that supports our affected Dallas community by feeding those left hungry or our first responders working tirelessly.
A really unique opportunity was presented to Plano East Rotary from Darren Collins, a Rotarian in the DeSoto Rotary club. He called PDG Ean Sullivan, a member of our club, to tell him that the Kenyan Ministry of Health had contacted him and asked him to create a video for Kenyan TV using puppets to teach the WHO procedures for hand washing, social distancing, and coughing techniques, specifically targeting children.
When the national, state, and local governments added ’stay-at-home’ to the collective vernacular and called on Americans to practice new social distancing guidelines in an effort to help flatten the pandemic curve, Lindsey Lloyd, a retired army veteran military bandsman and Rotarian in the Allen Sunrise Club, placed calls to his friends and neighbors around the country to cheer them up during the quarantine by playing requested familiar eventful songs on his trumpet. (https://youtu.be/Oiwj8qr6Nek)
Coppell Rotary continues to meet via ZOOM in place of our regular meetings, the 1st and 3rd Thursday’s of each month at 6 pm. Attendance has been stellar as we have learned to lean on each other during these hard times. Coppell Rotary, a proud supporter of Metrocrest Services, had Tracy Eubanks, CEO of Metrocrest Services as our first ZOOM speaker.
District 5810, despite having a generous year of sharing Local and world-wide grants, scrambled to identify any surplus funds that could be used to help during the Crisis. It was decided that local food distribution points needed help, and a challenge was issued to the clubs, allowing for a matching grant.
Life is a little different for us now. You will not see many fun photos of Rotarians at work in person at the moment.. However you can find a plethora of evidence of Rotary at work! This somewhat 'boring' photo show fruits and vegetables growing in the Sisters' Garden, an enclosed garden run by nuns (Mother Theresa's order) as part of a convent in South Dallas.
Agape Clinic, which provides medical services in East Dallas to the homeless, the poor and the working poor, and a collaborative partner of Rotary Club of Park Cities, remains open to provide crucial medical care.
“The mobile food pantry giveaway is expected to be one of the largest in North Texas,” and “North Texas Food Bank to distribute free food at Fair Park with mobile pantries” are just two of the recent headlines as more and more families seek assistance. The North Texas Food Bank is a collaborative partner of RCPC. As one of our major projects, in 2015 Rotary Club of Park Cities raised the funds to donate the first mobile food pantry to the North Texas Food Bank.
Interview with Jeet Solanki regarding Preston Hollow Rotary Club project supporting Inspired Vision Food Bank in Dallas. Click photo to listen to interview.
When local non-profits in McKinney described mounting needs at a time when their scheduled fund-raising activities were cancelled due to the coronavirus quarantine, McKinney Sunset, a satellite of the Rotary Club of McKinney Sunrise stepped up.
Frisco Sunrise Rotary Club sponsored Frisco Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) graduate, founder and CEO of Generations Hope’s mission to bring memorable experiences and meaningful relationships to underprivileged youth living in multi-family residences.
There is a company called Trusted World that provides services to a variety of 501 C 3 entities. It is a unique company started by Michael Garrett from his garage about 10 years ago. If you think of them as a clearinghouse for other 501's to shop for the needs of their recipients that is accurate.
Join this live event on Saturday, May 2, 2020 at 10AM to hear stories of hope, inspiration and gratitude from Rotarians, Rotaractors and friends of #Rotary from across the globe as they share what they are doing to help their communities. The telethon will also showcase how our polio eradication infrastructure is helping to combat COVID-19. The goal is to raise more than $1 million dollars! To watch, visit facebook.com/rotary. Here is how you can participate:
Just when you think things are going smoothly, a far less than microscopic virus on the other side of the world brings our economy to a halt, and with it a crisis for many of those most in need of help. One of Rotary Club of Park Cities' collaborative partners, the Salvation Army, funds its Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) through their Family Stores. The ARC provides access to a new life for the men who live there hoping to overcome their addictions. However, with the Family Stores closed, 98% of the funding for the ARC was gone.
The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed our healthcare system to its limits. We can take action now through a citizen volunteer opportunity called Volunteer Surge! Rotary Clubs across the country are partnering with Volunteer Surge to recruit one million volunteers to participate in a new program that provides training online, for free, to become a Telehealth Worker or a Community Health Worker. Rotarian founded nonprofit The Global Impact Group is leading this effort. Click here to join the effort called Volunteer Surge!
On March 24, 2020 the Board of the Addison Midday Rotary Club approved a $2,000 donation to Metrocrest Services to support their programs including their food pantry.
Last week, the Rotary Club of Allen Sunrise decided that their community’s spirits might welcome a boost.This week, volunteer-teams began a special deployment of 600+ flags to their flag customers’ neighborhoods, without financial impact to their current dues and in addition to the year’s seven flag holidays.
Mesquite Rotary president John Taylor has sent donation checks of $500 each to support the work of Sharing Life Community Outreach and Mesquite Social Services during this time of the coronavirus crisis.
For more than a century, Rotary has connected the world through fellowship and service. The COVID-19 pandemic has altered our daily routines and forced the cancellation of many in-person Rotary and Rotaract club meetings and events. But even when we can’t hold our usual events, members have lots of ways to stay engaged, connect with one another, and serve their communities.
Well, life gets stranger everyday. With many of us now firmly sheltered in place, it is time to get Rotary moving again, maybe redefined for 2020. I challenged the Presidents Sunday to go virtual... use Zoom, Vimeo, Facebook Live ... whatever vehicle works. Anyone with a telephone can call in, but on a computer or an IPAD, we can actually see each other! The cost is low for it the benefit received. Rotary gets a discount from Zoom. Call Lynne McNamee, our District Public Image guru, if you need any help with set-up or acquisition. Let’s get back to the Business of Rotary... it is an essential organization!
Consider the creative use of technology to host “virtual meeting” experiences for your members until you can resume in-person meetings and events. Below are a few ideas and favorite tools for virtual meetings. Each suggestion includes links to helpful how-to guides and/or other information to assist you in navigating these tools.
Rotary International just announced that the Rotary International Convention, scheduled for 6-10 June 2020, in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, has been canceled in response to the ongoing threat of COVID-19. Read more at riconvention.org
Every hour we have dramatic changes from our National and Local health officials, and reflecting those changes, here is some late breaking news for 5810 Rotarians.
1. District Assembly will now be scheduled for May 16, at the same location in McKinney. If you had registered for the original date, your registration will be transferred to the new date automatically. If you cannot make the May 16 date, it is important to let us know so that a refund may be given. You can send an email to Pam Blankenzee or Sandra Moudy, John’s aide. This training is so important for all club officers and committee chairs, So please make every effort to attend.
The COVID-19 coronavirus is affecting every aspect of our lives in real time, and this puts Rotarians in an unfamiliar place. As People of Action, we are most comfortable when we are fully engaged in the world – moving freely, meeting openly, and offering helping hands. These are very difficult times for people who, like us, are at our best when we are learning, growing, and serving—together.
We are also leaders in our communities, and these times call for leadership. In many ways, this also is our time. We have proven abilities to reach out and collaborate to offer immediate help to people in need at a rapid pace. These are precisely the skills needed all over the world today. The global effort against COVID-19 depends on actions taken in every country. Rotary has the unique ability to help improve those efforts in every community and every country.
Due to the coronavirus epidemic, some activities may be moved or canceled. Please check then local Rotary club’s website to confirm Meeting times and events.
The Mesquite Rotary Club has created a new personal care bag program that is designed to assist area homeless people in need. Suggested by John Heiman, a past president of the club, the bags are kits that include such items as
Get ready for Rotary 2020-21 and prepare for Rotary opportunities at District Assembly on Saturday, March 21, 2020 at Collin College in McKinney. Meet incoming District Governor John Moser for Club Leader Training. Play video for more details. Cost is $20. Click here to register.
D5810 Rotarians are invited to join the Rotary Club of Frisco for a night of steak: Rotary Night at Steak 101 on March 21, 2020. We’ll get to sample 15 different cuts of steak (including Wagyu) and enjoy the humor and knowledge of famed rancher Matt Hamilton on the different types and cuts of steak and insights into the meat industry – all in a fun, party environment with other Rotarians. $120 per person or $200 per couple (or sponsor a table of 8 for $1200 and have your sponsorship info on the table for all to see). For more info and to buy tickets: https://friscorotary.org/event/rotary-night-at-steak-101/
You're Invited to Frisco's Steak 101 event March 21st
RYLA student scholarship selections are now underway across the district. Your club is looking for the right recipient(s)— high school juniors with leadership potential who can expand their leadership in a growth-oriented, fun, high energy week at camp.
The Rotary Club of Dallas is working very hard to recognize outstanding teachers in the Dallas Independent School District. If you know any really special teachers, please have them consider submitting an application for our awards program.
Rotary Club of Dallas held it’s 11th Annual Safer Dallas Awards on Wednesday, February 26th at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital. The program recognizes a Dallas Police Officer for Distinguished Service.
With the festivities of the holidays completed for another year and Spring not yet in evidence, the Fellowship Committee, under the leadership of John Brown and VP Happy Franklin, have made some great plans.
Sharon Scott, Community Service Chair, delivered a check and the donated items to the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, our January Charity of the Month.
The Rotary Club of Waxahachie was honored to receive Congressman Ron Wright as their Thursday meeting guest speaker. Pictured with Congressman Wright are Rotary Club of Waxahachie President, Mickie Hill and Mayor of Waxahachie, David Hill.
A crew from White Rock Rotary braved chilly temps to do their monthly trash pick up at White Rock Lake. It was sorely needed after recent rains. Coffee and doughnuts definitely contributed to our energy levels!
The Plano Sunrise Rotary Club and N. Texas Pioneers Rotary Club, for their joint Blood Drive, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Catholic Church. Through the efforts of the Parishioners, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the Carter BloodCare, teams and Rotarians,this Blood drive secured 67, good units of blood, which has the effect to possibly save up to 201, lives.
Are you aware of our District's Youth Exchange Program? Are you involved with the Exchange Program? Do you know where our outbound students are this year? To find out the answers to these questions and much more let our Youth Exchange Program make a presentation to your club.
Click on the photo above to get a sneak peak at some of the fun we are going to have at the Roaring Twenties Casino Night Foundation Gala on Saturday March 28, 2020. You will not want to miss this opportunity for fun and charity! All proceeds go to End Polio Now, so come for dinner, dancing, a casino night and a silent auction.Tickets are $100 per persons. To register: http://bit.ly/D5810CASINO
You're Invited to the Roaring Twenties Casino Night
Mesquite Rotary Club president John Taylor presented a $7,500 donation check to the Mesquite ISD Education Foundation at their meeting on January 28th. Foundation executive director Randy Lewallyn accepted the check.
White Rock Rotary hosted their annual Chili Gala for Family Gateway in Dallas on Saturday. The WRR volunteers supplied food for and served well over a hundred shelter residents. Rotary members and friends also distributed some children's books and enjoyed visiting with the families. A good time was had by all!
“Rotary is not just a club that you join, it is an invitation to endless opportunities. We believe that our acts of service, big and small, create opportunities for people who need our help. Everything we do opens another opportunity for someone, somewhere,” said President-Elect Holger Knaack.Therefore, the theme for year 2020-21 is -- Rotary Opens Opportunities.”
On Saturday, February 29th at 10:00AM, the Rotary Club of Dallas will be preparing meal packages for "Feeding Children Everywhere" at Dallas Scottish Rite Hospital located at 2222 Welborn Avemue, Dallas, TX. The event will last about 2 hours and everyone is invited. Members and spouses of the Rotary Club of Dallas, Woodrow Wilson High School and Faith Family Academy Interact will all be participating.
The Greenville Rotary club had several members recently visit their sister club in Cozumel in January 2020. Club members carried supplies and other items to help the students attending the CAM Laboral Cozumel, a school for students age 12-18 with attention or sensory problems like, blindness, deafness, autism.
The Waxahachie Club of Rotarians and friends planted 25,000 tulips, in the shape of Texas, to be used to advertise for the TULIPALOOZA!! This event (in the Spring) will benefit Daymark Living, whose purpose is to help adults with learning differences and intellectual delays live, learn and thrive.
Over forty-one years ago a Park Cities Rotarian had a great idea! Rather than have their usual Friday lunch, they would eat chili and donate the cost of their usual lunch to the Salvation Army! So, a tradition began. This past December, Park Cities Rotary members, family and guests gathered at the Salvation Army to eat chili. For the forty-first year RCPC member Bob Grossman, Chili Master Extraordinaire, worked overnight to cook gallons of chili. Using donated venison, fifty pounds of onions and a proportional amount of garlic, he cooked enough to be enjoyed by at least two hundred people.
The Plano West Rotary Club would like your help in advertising our Plano senior scholarship opportunity. Graduating seniors that attend a PISD school or any another school system based out of Plano is eligible to apply. If in doubt, have the student apply anyway.
Every year we assist Plano seniors in continuing their education by awarding 3 – 5 two thousand dollar ($2,000.00) scholarships. This is a senior’s invitation to apply for one of these scholarships.
With a great turn out of Rotarians in attendance, we leaped into Camp RYLA 2020 (our 30th camp!) at our RYLA Kickoff held January 18th. Each club's RYLA Chairperson is now equipped to recruit, interview, and select the best-fitting RYLA scholarship recipient in the local junior class. Look to your club's chairperson to see how you can get involved--this may be the most fun you have all year. More information also at www.RYLA5810.org
Rowlett Rotary provided 64 sleeping bags to the Austin Street Shelter in downtown Dallas. The snow had just started snowing when we pulled up. We also voted to add a service project that we learned about on delivery day: to provide much needed women’s and men’s underwear to the shelter by the end of January.
Joe Henderson, Rotary Club of Lake Texoma, and Blake Utter of Blake Utter Ford, Denison, Texas are shown with a Ford Corporation Check for $1840 being donated to the Lake Texoma Club. The donation is a result of a “Drive for Your Community” event sponsored by Ford and Rotary wherein drivers are provided the opportunity to test drive new Ford products. This is the second such event held by Utter Ford and Rotary.
Rotary eClub WOKE has partnered with the Girls Education Collaborative (GEC) based in Buffalo, NY. Millions of girls around the world are out of school, simply because they are girls.
Put on your “Glad Rags” and grab your Sheba or your Sheik and join us for the “Glitziest” party of the year – District 5810’s Roaring 20’s Casino Gala. A “Bee’s Knee’s" kind of a night, all designed to raise money to donate to Polio Plus.
The RYLA Information Roundup for the District 5810 Camp RYLA Program will be held Saturday, January 18, 2020 at the Addison Conference Centre, 15650 Addison Road, Addison, TX 75001. Rotary Club RYLA Chairpersons should attend this training program designed to get Camp RYLA 2020 recruiting and selection started. The meeting is the only chairpersons training of the year so every club should be represented.
The training is from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. RYLA manuals and recruiting materials will be distributed, including copies of the new Camp RYLA and Making a Difference video. The meeting is also open to any Rotarian interested in learning more about Camp RYLA prior to the 30th annual leadership camp. July 26 – July 31, 2020.
RYLA Roundup for all clubs to kick off the 2020 RYLA Year
Volunteers from the RYLA Student Advisory Group and RYLA Alumni enjoyed their annual Angel Tree event at North Park Mall on November 30th--the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
The Plano Sunrise Rotary Club is proud to announce with their last Blood Drive they generated 627 units of blood. Through this effort, theyhave created the potential to possibly save up to 1887, lives.
Allen Sunrise Rotary is seeking volunteers to join them for their "Kids' Against Hunger" Service Project on March 28th, 2020 at the First United Methodist Church of Allen. This project is intended to package food to be sent
Addison Midday Rotary Club Members Corky Pledger and Cynthia Allison spent December 11 buying $2,000 worth of presents for ‘Santa's Heroes’, sponsored by the Addison Police and Fire Department.
The Guerrero Rotary Clinic in Chihuahua, Mexico is the longest active Rotary clinic of its type as it approaches 40 years of operations. 60,000 indigent patients (Mexicans, Tarahumara Indians and Mennonites) have been treated at no cost to them. While every patient is an eye patient, the clinic provides additional medical services like dental, general medicine and certain specialties.
For the thirteenth year the Rotary Cub of Park Cities joined with the City of University Park to kick off the season with the Snider Plaza Tree Lighting and street party. An estimated 6,000 people attended to enjoy the fall weather, the music, the Fun Zone, and the food and beverages. Even Santa attended
Every year, Coppell Rotary Club participates in the Metrocrest Services Holiday Basket Program for Seniors. Many Seniors are forgotten this time of the year, Coppell Rotary Club supplied food and gift items from gift lists supplied by the Metrocrest Seniors.
Coppell Brings Holiday Cheer to Metrocrest Seniors
The 15th Annual Salute to America’s Veterans was held on November 6th at the Frontiers of Flight Museum. The keynote speaker was Admiral Patrick Walsh, USN, Retired, last serving as the Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
The Plano Flags of Honors program ran from November 8-16th and was sponsored by the Plano East Rotary Club. A special higlight, was presentation of Bronze Star and POW medals to a WW II veteran's family that survived the Bataan Death March.
One of RYLA 5810's great programs is Day 7. This year's event was held on November 23rd (as usual, the Saturday before Thanksgiving) at RL Turner High School for 140 students and 55 alumni staff helping out.
The Rotary Club of Rockwall recently hosted a celebration to mark its 80th Anniversary. On April 6, 1939, there were 20 charter members forming the city’s oldest civic club.
Do you remember why you became a Rotarian? What about Rotary inspired you then, and what inspires you now? We all have our reasons for joining and staying in Rotary, and we want to hear your story! We are challenging all Rotarians to share their WHY ROTARY story in 50 words or less. Deadline March 5, 2020. The winner gets free admission to the Foundation Gala to be held March 28. Submit your story.
Come for and evening of Holiday cheer on December 10th at the Escape Expert, 2201 K Avenue, STE A-200, Plano from 7:00Pm to 9:30PM! Dress will be casual or Holiday theme! If you are bold enough, We encourage you to wear a tacky Holiday sweater and we will have an Ugly sweater contest! Come for fun, conversation, snacks and Santa Shenanigans-everyone will have the opportunity to have the picture with Santa! Cost is $5 per person, family special: If a family has more than 5 kids/ grandkids, all will be admitted for $25. We are asking all attendees to each bring an unwrapped toy for hospitalized children and/or socks for Veterans. Click to buy tickets
For the ninth year the Rotary Club of Park Cities members hosted Dentistry with a Heart to provide dental services to those who could not otherwise afford them. Led by RCPC members, dentist Dr. Michael Rainwater, and Past President Fred Brown, this year provided over $37,000 in dental services
The Coppell Rotary Club began partnering with a local Coppell non-profit, Train and Help Babies trainandhelpbabies.com, three years ago and the collaboration continues to grow. Recently, the Coppell Rotary Club, along with Train and Help Babies, partnered with the Dallas Rotary Club to bring water, sanitation and hygiene skills to, Ghana.
The Rotary Club of Carrollton-Farmers Branch in partnership with the City of Carrollton, officially opened the All Assessible Playground at Rosemeade Recreation Center on Saturday November 9th.
Dozens gathered near City Park in Commerce on a chilly Friday night to honor local veterans. There, they witnessed the official dedication of the new “Waves of Glory” installation across the street from the park. Created by the Commerce Rotary Club, “Waves” has been a big undertaking for the local club.
At today's, Mesquite Rotary Club meeting, we asked our members to help Sharing Life with their holiday food drive, and the members performed very well. We literally collected a truck load of food and cooking supplies to be donated to the Sharing Life food pantry. This will help many families have a better Thanksgiving.
McKinney Rotary is once again going to collect items to be sent to some of our active service members who are overseas as a way to help them celebrate the Christmas holidays and know folks back home are appreciative of their efforts to keep us safe.
We are proud to announce the Addison Rotary Club presented a check for $175,000 to the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas from proceeds of the Addison Rotary Open held on September 9th.
The MRC packaged 360 meals and made a financial contribution on Friday Oct.18th to Kid's Against Hunger. Each package will serve 4 meals. These meal packages went to elementary school children in Honduras.
Finding a unique way to say “thank you” to our family, friends and neighbors who have served, or are currently serving, in the armed forces is a constant effort. The Commerce Rotary Club would like to provide a venue whereby you can do just that.
Beginning this November, The Commerce Rotary Club will begin a new tradition in our community. A venue will be provided for businesses, families and individuals to say “thank you” to those who protect our freedom – the Veterans of Hunt County.
Members of White Rock Rotary enjoyed volunteering at the Texas Discovery Gardens during the State Fair of Texas. (Photo taken by a member of Midlothian Rotary Club, who was also volunteering there).
What are your desires in your own personal education of Rotary?
As I attended the Zone Institute this past month, the word training was mentioned several times but not what you typically think in Rotary. RI Larry Dimmitt was the first one in his speech to share about training and the importance of education in Rotary. He defined training as more like what we do with our animals, such as how to shake or catch a stick. And education is more about understanding and knowing. So Rotary is not about training but rather about education.
December 29-January 2 Travel to California, December 30- Decorate the Rotary Float & Join Local Rotarians for Dinner with the RI President, December 31 New Year Eve in LA, January 1st, Excellent Tickets for the Tournament of Roses Parade
District 5810 partners with the Cozumel Rotary club for service projects. Providing clean water and sanitation systems is an international goal of The Rotary Foundation. The Sunspring Water Purification System in Cozumel bears the Rotary International emblem and a plaque expresses gratitude for the TEXAS Rotarians.
From November 9 - November 17 at Oak Point Park, the Plano East Rotary Club will hold the third annual Plano Flags of Honor program at Oak Point Park. For seven days 1,000 3’ x 5’ American flags fly in honor of those who have served and continue to serve today.
This will be the Rotary Club of Dallas’ 15th Annual Salute to America’s Veterans. This event honors our veterans and raises funds to benefit two extraordinary organizations: USO DFW and the George W. Bush Military Service Initiative. Come join us: https://dallasrotary.org/sitepage/events/sav
The Keynote speaker is Admiral Patrick Walsh, USN, Ret. He is a former four-star Admiral, retired (2012) after 34 years of service in the US Navy. He last served as the Commander of the Pacific Fleet, the largest naval force in the world with over 180 ships, 2,000 aircraft and 125,000 personnel.
The Rotary Club of Dallas-Uptown will be hosting our sixth annual Men Who Cook on Saturday, Nov 2 from 4 to 7 PM at the Lawley Art Group, 1507 Dragon St. in the Design District. The event features 25 celebrity Rotary chefs, a wine pull, silent and live auctions and live music for an elegant evening of gustatory adventure and fun. For more information and to purchase tickets and/or donate online please check our website at dallasuptownrotary.org."
Howard berg of the E-Club of North Texas presented a 4 1/2 national webinar on Sept 7 for 50 wounded warriors to prepare them for new careers. He worked with Sgt. Major Bob Burton at Ft. Bragg NC who coordinated with the wounded warriors around the country to help put this together for us. The wounded warriors were taught 1) how to read 100% faster 2) increase comprehension of even techincal information 3) develop sharp memory 4) how to study for degrees and 5)eq skills. Another seminar is planned for next spring.
As many of you know, Howard holds the Alec Guiness record for the world's fastest speed reader ar 25,000 words per minutes.
North Texas Pioneers and Plano Sunrise Rotary Clubs joined togetther to hold blood drives at Collin College. Our Carter BloodCare friends, did a great job of screening and taking blood from the 106, students that attempted to donate, today. At this blood drive we solicited 106, students to attempt to donate and we did secure 68, good units of blood. Thus giving the potential of saving 162 lives.
The first meeting of the Coppell Rotary Interact Club of Coppell was a success! Sponsored by the Coppell Rotary Club, this is a service organization for students in grades 9-12. Members have fun, develop new friendships while gaining leadership skills and serving our local and international community. Home schooled and students from all 9-12 grade campuses in Coppell are welcome to join. For more information, please email info@coppellrotary.org
We wanted to share our new sign with our friends around the District. We had this made by a local family and it is now installed outside our Melissa ISD administration office, the location of our weekly meeting. We’re excited to increase our visibility in Melissa!
Last spring, all the members of Skyline Interact Club graduated. The club, sponsored by White Rock Rotary, is regenerating this school year with new members. Five of them attended the Interact Leadership Summit, along with their White Rock Rotary sponsors.
When one thinks of Rotary, blood-curdling screams and zombies don’t usually come to mind. But the Rotary Club of Greenville has been bringing the scares at their “Haunted Landmark” for eight years while helping preserve a historical landmark and funding scholarships for area youth at the same time.
Almost 12 years ago, a small group of Rotarians from Club 1832, aka “The Noon Club,” helped rescue the town’s historic 1910 post office –the Landmark on Lee. At the time, they had no idea the site where Audie Murphy signed up for the Army would become of one of the most thrilling attractions in Northeast Texas.
McKinney Rotary Club expects to collect in excess of 110 stuffed animals for Adam's Animals this month. Adam’s Animal’s has donated 75,000 new stuffed animals to the oncology wards and ERs in various Collin and Dallas hospitals. Adam Hurst was a vibrant 18 year old Collin College students who was diagnosed with leukemia July 1999 and suddenly died 26 days later. During those 26 days he kept a stuffed frog that had been given to him as a gift on his head or shoulder during chemo, blood transfusions, spinal taps and many sleepless nights—it became his friend and ally. To honor his memory his parents started Adam’s Animals.
This was a particularly inspiring kickoff to the Interact year. This is the eleventh year of Interact at Hillcrest H.S., sponsored by the Rotary Club of Park Cities, and it just seems to get better every year. This year the kickoff speaker was Congressman Colin Allred, who graduated from Hillcrest H.S. in 2001.
The Habitat House in Royse City is nearing completion and the Royse City club has done some painting, caulking and clean up. They are planning on helping with a kitchen shower when it is completed! Pictured, Mike and Jackie Gilbert work on finishing touches.
The Coppell Rotary Club has been awarded the distinguished "District 5810 International Service Award" for the club's work in 2018-2019. Coppell Rotary Club partnered with Rotary host club, Hubli Mid-Town (India) and our local Train and Help Babies(TaHB) organization.
ShelterBox is sending an assessment team to the Bahamas to work with Rotary International and other local partners. They will be assessing the damage from the Category 5 storm to determine if there are any gaps in the need for emergency shelter that we can fill. Learn more about Hurricane Dorian and how you can help families affected by disaster here: https://www.shelterboxusa.org/hurricane-dorian/
Thursday evening, August 29th, more than 30 Rotarians from our Club showed up to surprise Joe Turecky and present him our Club’s Lifetime of Service Above Self Award. Joe is a highly decorated war hero and longtime member of the Rotary Club of Dallas. Now in his 90’s, Joe lives in an assisted living facility in Addison.
24 October is World Polio Day! World Polio Day is a time for Rotarians all over the world to raise awareness about our efforts to eradicate polio for good. Join us by hosting an event in your community. Not sure what to do for World Polio Day? Here are a few ideas:
White Rock Rotary hosted their three Ryla Campers and heard about their experiences. The camp was a life changing experience and even lead to a family reconciliation after camp in one case. The campers came from three different high schools, Conrad, Bryan Adams, and Lake Highlands. White Rock Rotary sponsors an Interact Club at Lake Highlands High School.
Syria is experiencing the worst humanitarian Crisis since World War II. Over 400 lives have been lost, 5 million refugees, and 6.5 million internally displaced people. Click the photo to see how ShelterBox is helping.
Allen Rotary Club members answered the call recently and provided 5,000 meals for local children. The Allen Community Outreach agency provides lunch for approximately 500 needy students each day over the summer. The ACO food supplies were gradually running low and a call was put out to help fund meals for 500 students for the last 10 days of summer before school began.
Rockwall Rotary is a proud supporter of the North Texas Food Bank Mobile Food Pantry. They have supplied volunteers to help sort fruit and vegetables for all of the 24 months that the Mobile Pantry has been coming to serve hungry families in Rockwall County. The Mobile Pantry comes to the Church Of Prayer on the third Thursday of each month.
The Mesquite Rotary Club’s president John Taylor presented the City of Mesquite’s manager of neighborhood vitality Yolanda Wilson a donation of $2,500 at their meeting on August 13th, to assist with underwriting expenses for the annual Addressing Mesquite program.
After more than 54 years of McKinney Rotary Club membership former Mayor John Gay stepped down from the Club. On August 2nd, the club honored John and the current Mayor read a proclamation making 8.2 John Gay Day in McKinney. Texas House Rep and McKinney Rotary Club member Scott Stanford presented John with a Texas Flag from the capital and Club President, Mike Bell presented John with a plaque from the club. There were over 80 members/guests in attendance.
The Rotary Club of Carrollton-Farmers Branch embarked on a Signature Project back in 2012/2013 when, then President Ben Cunningham, challenged us to come up with a significant multi year project. After almost a year and realizing our club is all about the support of kids in our community, we decided to raise money and purchase All Accessible Playground Equipment for the two cities we serve.
Det. Derek Fowler, of the Frisco Police Department, was recently honored with the Rotary Club of Frisco’s 1st Responders “Service Above Self” Award. Det. Derek Fowler, of the Frisco Police Department, was recently honored with the Rotary Club of Frisco’s 1st Responders “Service Above Self” Award.
District 5810's Camp RYLA 2019 is a huge success! Almost two hundred students and over ninety alumni and staff members were on site at Camp Hoblitzelle in Midlothian for a week of leadership training, personal development, and a ton of fun. Students were grouped into eight cabins, all of which seemingly focus on friendly battles of athleticism, talent, humor, and strategy, but the most important lessons are in the undercurrent--goal-setting, growth, and grit.
Allen Sunrise Rotarian Vatsa Ramanathan is proud to announce that she and her brother have started an Interact Club in the school that they own and run in Mysore, India. The school is called Sri Sharada Public School ( http://www.srisharadaschoolmysore.com/ ). The Interact school is sponsored by her brother's Rotary Club and will partner with the Allen High Interact school sponsored by Allen Sunrise Rotary.
Don’t forget! August 15 is the deadline to submit District Grants. If you have any questions, contact district5810grants@gmail.com
For Global Grants, there is no deadline! Invite Paul Gorman, Global Grants Chair, to your club meeting, and discover how you can be a part of our annual theme, Rotary Connects The World! To have him speak at your club, contact Paul Gorman pgorman@san.rr.com.
What would be the Fourth of July without a parade! For the seventeenth year the Rotary Club of Park Cities’ Fourth of July Parade brings the community together – and out on the street – to celebrate Independence Day. Approximately 10,000 residents and guests lined the streets to watch the over 300 entries this year, ranging from the children’s bicycle parade, to city, county and state dignitaries, to antique vehicles, riders on horses, and floats.
The Rotary E-Club of North Texas will be sponsoring a free workshop for the Wounded Warriors given by club member and Sec'y Howard Stephen Berg, the world's fastest reader.
The workshop is on September 7th from 12 PM to 4:30 PM CDT. The link to sign up for wounded warriors is howardwarrior.com.
Howard recently trained the U.S. Special Forces at Fort Bragg, and was told about the high suicide rate amongst the wounded warriors. They can't find work because of their injuries.
Congratultaions to Jadan Cro of DeSoto High School, DeSoto Rotary, and the entire state of Texas Rotary Youth Leadership for representing us at the RYLA North American Conference in Washington D.C.!!
About 5 years ago we had 5 exchange students, one of those was a girl from Japan. During her inbound orientation in early September, she said maybe 3 words and only if asked. A very shy and quite person. In October, we took the exchange students to the Texas State Fair. Expecting our Japanese girl to be shy and might need some help in fitting in on this event we were blown away to have her talking up a storm with our Austrian exchange student. Rotary Youth Exchange is amazing program that is enjoyable & enlightening for both the student and host family!
We need a host families for an inbound exchange student, a girl arriving from France in late August! If you happen to know these previous host families, Bill Moser, Fritzie Roop and Toni Collins, you know that their time hosting has been very positive.
On July 14, White Rock Rotary supplied and served a hamburger and hot dog dinner with all the trimmings to the residents of Family Gateway Shelter in Dallas. There were 10 volunteers serving the meal for about 85 residents, adults and children. A good time was had by all.
White Rock Rotary Serves Up Burgers at Family Shelter
The Mesquite Rotary Club held induction ceremonies for the group’s 2019-2020 officers and board members at their meeting on July 9th. All 33,000 local clubs in Rotary International change their leadership in July each year. This provides for fresh vision and energy throughout the worldwide organization of business and professional leaders, which was established in 1905. The ceremonies were performed by the Rotary District 5810 governor-elect John Moser.
We’ve had a Wonderful year together! I’ve been blessed to have Rotarians that have worked tirelessly in serving their community and in projects around the world. Innovative thinking, organization and action have allowed us to grow in new ways. We continue to experiment with our meeting structure and service. Our efforts will continue to harvest dividends for many years to come.
Our focus this year has been on supporting our Rotary Clubs. We have emphasized finding, involving and training young people. Our emerging leaders are the key to Rotary’s continued success.
The past two years saw Mother Nature rain out the City of Plano’s hot air balloon festival and, in doing so, also washed away the Rotary Club of Plano West’s funnel cake fundraiser, a primary source of income.
The McKinney Parks and Recreation Department held a grand opening celebration June 15 for Phase II of Bonnie Wenk Park. Renovations to the 170-acre park include an all-abilities park, a skywalk, zipline and ropes courses, concrete hike and bike trails, two additional parking lots, five play pods and two multipurpose sports fields.
The all-abilities playground is designed for children of all ages, abilities and needs. This playground is a joint effort between the city and the Rotary clubs of McKinney. It was the biggest donation in District 5810 to date when the Rotary Clubs of McKinney collab to bring Bonnie Wenk park Phase II to life.
The Sherman Rotary club was proud to donate $10,000 to make this playground at Cherry Street Park possible. Last year the Club donated funds for the Hawn Park. The club has a goal of donating $10,000 per year for more equipment for the next few years.
Sherman Rotary's Cherry Street Park Dedication Ceremony
After requesting nominations from the membership for the 2019 Fourth of July Parade Grand Marshal, the decision has been made! Qualifications for nominees are that they are individuals who have made a meaningful contribution to the Park Cities, who demonstrate the Rotary ideals of the 4 Way Test and Service above Self, and who is well-known and respected in the community. The announcement is made at the Annual Announcement Luncheon honoring the current Grand Marshal and all past Grand Marshals. This year Park Cities Rotary is pleased to recognize Francie Moody-Dahlberg as the 2019 Grand Marshal.
Come join us kick-off the new Rotary year at the District Officer Installation on Thursday, June 27 at 6:30pm to 9:30pm at Ruthe Jackson Center in Grand Prairie. This event will include dinner along with the festivities. Register before June 15 for Early Bird pricing of $45. After tickets are $58.10. To register: http://bit.ly/2VoJmvr
The Mesquite Rotary Club inducted former Mesquite ISD superintendent of schools Dr. James Terry into the Mesquite Rotary Grove of Honor at the site in DeBusk Park, adjacent to the Kidsquest playground, on May 28th.
Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club Members came together this Memorial Day with their Mayor, Key City Leaders and Distinguished Veterans, to Honor and Remember those who served and gave their lives to Preserve our Freedom and Way of Life.
On Saturday April 13, 293 Rotarians, Interactors, and volunteers came together at McKinney North High School to celebrate the accomplishments District 5810 achieved over the course of the year at Spring Fling. Twenty eight Interact clubs were named as a Club of Excellence and six were recognized for some of their greatest achievements such as the Highest Earning Fundraiser by John Paul II High School Interact Club ($6000) and the Most Service Projects by Singley Academy Interact Club (16 service projects).
The Rotary Club of Lake Texoma completed its second annual NoPolio 100 Bike Rally in April 2019. Proceeds from the two rally’s resulted in a total contribution of $11,000 donated to RI’s polio worldwide polio eradication effort. The rallies were held in south Grayson County with riders coming from as far away as Round Rock, Texas.
Saturday, June 15th, at 9:00 AM, “trumpets will sound, bands will march” and McKinney Rotarians will celebrate the fruition of the largest fund-raising project in District 5810’s history! Okay…no trumpets or bands but the two McKinney Rotary clubs, Sunrise Rotary Club and McKinney Rotary Club joined into a public/private partnership with the City of McKinney in the spring of 2015 for the first All-Abilities Playground in McKinney to be a part of Bonnie Wenk Park Phase II and just a few short years later, four to be exact, the Grand Opening will give children and young adults with special needs a place to be outdoors and play!
A photo of some White Rock Rotary members with our 2019 scholarship winners from Lake Highlands High School. Several of the students had overcome great hardships in their lives before finishing high school. We were glad to be able to help them on their future college journeys.
Bonham Rotary with the assistance of Alicia Caylor Lewis, a teacher at the I. W. Evans Elementary School, they have for the past 5 years helped teach their 6th graders about water conservation and why it is so important.
Mesquite Rotary acting president John Taylor presented a donation of $5,000 to support the work of Sharing Life Community Outreach at the club’s meeting on May 7th. Sharing Life’s Executive Director and CEO Teresa Jackson accepted the check, and expressed her gratitude for the funds that will assist area families in need.
New Generations Irving Las Colinas Service Above Self Park Cities Rotary Foundation East Dallas Membership DeSoto Club Service Greenville Vocational Service Mesquite Community Service Richardson International Service Coppell Spirit of Cooperation North Texas Pioneers Public Image McKinney
For the past 20 years, the Rotary Club of Dallas has provided personalize "I Like Me" books to thousands of Dallas ISD kindergarteners. This year, over 580 books were distributed to 11 Dallas schools.
The Mesquite Rotary Club hosted its annual Scholarship Recognition and Awards Luncheon at the Dallas Athletic Club on April 23rd. At the event, the top one percent students in the Class of 2019 from each Mesquite ISD high school, Sunnyvale High School, and Dallas Christian School were honored.
Volunteers form White Rock Rotary and several other Rotary clubs helped with Project Safe Neighborhoods. This was a joint project between Rotary, the Department of Justice and the local police.
Prestonwood Rotary presented awards & gifts to Lieutenant Jon Henson, Lieutenant Jeffrey Aleem, Fire Rescue Officer Tamika Denise Lamb, & Fireman EMT Jeremy Hill for their service to the city.
Prestonwood Presents Awards to Firefighters and EMTs
We are so excited to announce that our 2nd global grant application for funding to provide neonatal equipment to Vivekananda Hospital and a vocational training team will provide
The Rockwall Breakfast Rotary Club was very pleased to present a check for $2000 to Carol Miskin, the President of Rockwall County Rainbow Room. This non-profit organization works closely with Rockwall County’s Child Protective Services and provides physical needs for neglected and abused children in Rockwall County.
Again this year, the Addison Midday Rotary Club made 50 Easter Baskets for Hope Supply. Hope Supply told us that they were about 200 Easter Baskets short of requested baskets. This is a good project for a Rotary Club, group or individual. We make the baskets for less than $10 each and we assemble them in 20 minutes.
(L to R) FINALISTS - Peter Brown, Midlothian Rotary Club, Midlothian High School; Emily Henry, Rockwall Breakfast Rotary Club, Rockwall High School; Kayson Bridges, Sherman Rotary Club, Sherman High School 1ST Place - Natalia Simons, Grand Prairie Metro Rotary Club, South Grand Prairie High School 2nd Place - Gouzia Sivarajah, Frisco Sunrise Rotary Club, Heritage High School 3rd Place - Jordan Favors, Dallas Trinity Rotary Club, Tyler Street Academy
A team of Mesquite Rotary Club members worked side-by-side with retired Mesquite teachers on March 28th to sort and label books to be delivered to all Mesquite ISD first graders.
On Saturday, March 23, Rotary Club of Allen Sunrise members, along with members from three (3) other local Rotary Clubs, and volunteers from the Young Men’s Service League from Lovejoy High School, gathered at the First United Methodist Church of Allen’s Fellowship Hall;
Park Cities Rotary has been selected by the national awards committee of the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge to receive the George Washington Honor Medal Award for the annual special event, the July 4th Parade: A Hunger-Fighting Affair.
The Mesquite Rotary Club hosted its annual "Four Way Test" Speech Contest at the Mesquite ISD Professional Development Center on March 19th. Contestants from all Mesquite I.S.D. high schools, Dallas Christian School, and Sunnyvale High School participated in the event.
It’s been an exciting start to the planning for our Rotary Year of 2019-2020. All Governor - elects gather in San Diego annually for one last training, and their RIPE Mark Maloney revealed his theme: Rotary Connects the World! The next task was training all of the Texas President -Elects, and 5810 Pes and PNs attended Lone Star PETS, the largest gathering in the United States for training President -Elects. We had a whirlwind weekend, crammed with new information, incredible speakers , and a new way to define and energize our Rotary Clubs. Next Step: get everyone else TRAINED!
Coppell Rotary Club and all Coppell civic organizations recently participated in ‘Allies in Community”. This program that builds relationships through common ground, and helps to foster a deep sense of belonging to enhance Coppell residents active engagement in the City of Coppell. The event included speakers Rotarians Mayor Karen Hunt and Deputy City Manager Vicki Chiavetta.
Coppell Rotarians Participates in “Allies in the Community Summit”
On February 6, 2019, a team of volunteers and staff working with the charity Mayan Families delivered 40 Eco Filter water filters to the small village of Peña Blanca in the municipality of Camotan, Chiquimula, Guatemala. They were thrilled to receive the gift of clean water!
The Rotary Club of Denison is proud to announce the sponsoring of a new Interact club at Dension High School. Pictured are chart members and advisors. Looking forward to seeing how this group will make an impact in their community!
Thank you to all who participated in anyway in making our Mardi Gras PolioPlus fundraiser a terrific event. Our party was an amazing success! We had 218 Rotarians and guests registered. On the night of the event we received $9,240 in contributions. When added to amounts sent directly to The Rotary Foundation for PolioPlus, a total of $54,860 has been contributed by District 5810 this Rotary year!
Rowlett Rotary members partnered with Life Message at their food pantry to prepare 200 boxes of food for needy north Texas families in February. The monthly event is called ‘Pack a Box’ where food is boxed assembly line style for maximized efficiency. We plan in making this a quarterly volunteer project.
White Rock Rotary has adopted part of the shoreline of White Rock Lake. Each month, usually on the second Saturday, we clean up the shoreline and help keep the lake beautiful for all to enjoy. Sometimes, members of our Interact clubs from Skyline and Lake Highlands High schools help us. Come join us, it's good exercise and fun!
Originally the plan was for four North Texas Rotary Clubs from District 5810 -The Rotary Club Of Frisco, Sunrise Rotary of Frisco, Rotary Club of Celina, and Rotary Club of Prosper to be building on two separate habitat for humanity houses on that day, however, the massive rainfall the days before, left both home sites unavailable to be worked on.
Dental professionals and volunteers worked together for the benefit of area people in need at their 11th annual “Dentists with a Heart Day” on February 15th. The event was sponsored by the Mesquite Rotary Club, and occurred at the Mesquite dental offices of Dr. Byron McKnight and Dr. Ken Taylor, who donated their services and facility for the day. In a very successful effort, this team served over 50 area patients in need, providing them with life-changing care through free dental services that would normally have been worth a total of $55,000. The patients were referred for the event from Sharing Life Ministries, Grace Place, International Church Street, Mesquite ISD, and even from people in need that the participating dentists had met throughout the year.
Members of the Coppell Rotary gathered to support the Coppell Arts scene in February. The Theatre Coppell feature of “Arsenic and Old Lace”, starred Coppell Rotarian George Ritcheske and his wife, Bobbi Ritcheske.
The Richardson Rotary is proud to support the City of Richardson Employee and Supervisor of the Year program for over 30 years. On Monday, February 4, Richardson Rotary Club honored the 2018 City of Richardson Employee of the Year, Edward Martinez, and Supervisor of the Year, Eric Robison.
North Texas Pioneers created smiles for some children in Uganda with their donation of backpacks, school supplies, tooth paste and brushes. The supplies were distributed by Rotarian Jolly Grace Okot Andruvile of the Gulu Rotary Club.
The Rockwall Breakfast Club has begun their 5th year with their US Flag program, which covers 7 national holidays each year. They started in 2015 with 61 initial flags in Rockwall County. It has steadily grown each holiday and they placed 441 flags for Presidents Day 2019.
On February 16 was the Raise The Wall Ceremony for the Habitat of Humanity Build sponsored by the Rotary Club of Frisco and Frisco Sunrise for the Flores Family.
Royse City Rotary Club finished their day of service by packing food bags for Paw Packs, a program organized by Luna Burke & Associates. The program helps to feed students that may only get meals at school.
Enter the Rotary District 5810 North Texas "My Rotary Story" Contest. Prizes will be given out for: Most Creative, Most Moving and Best Overall Story. Submission requirements - video (2 minutes or less). Open to all Rotarians in the district! Must include your name, Club Name and date with submission. For rules & guidelines: https://rotary5810.org/sitepage/my-rotary-story-contest.
Combating Hunger and Malnutrition are service focus areas that many of our clubs work. This month Rotarians and Rotary Clubs have an easy way to participate in a regional food drive that has been conducted in north Texas for two decades by Scout. On, February 16th approximately 500,000 donation bags, which this year features the Rotary Logo, will be distributed by Scouts in North Texas
The Rotary Club of Dallas is on the hunt for potential mentors for the Dream Team for our high school kids at Woodrow Wilson High School! Many of our students are first generation students. To qualify for the program, the students have financial challenges and may not even consider attending college.
Members of the White Rock Rotary Club gave and were given a warm welcome at their annual Chili Gala at Family Gateway in Dallas. They prepared and served a nourishing meal for about 150 residents and staff. It was truly a heartwarming and tummy warming event!
Rotary Club of Coppell provides support to many around the globe and in Coppell. In our own backyard, we are especially proud of our supporting Metrocrest Services. In times of crisis, Metrocrest Services assists individuals in the Coppell, Carrollton, Farmers Branch and Addison.
What's better than raising money for local charities? Watching local dignitaries compete against an out-of-their-league basketball team to do it. That's the idea the Rotary Club of Frisco had when coming up with plans for its annual fundraiser this year.
On February 23rd, on World Rotary Day, the Rotary Club of Celina, the Rotary Club of Prosper, Frisco Sunrise Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Frisco are getting together to do a Habitat for Humanity Build in McKinney. They will be building a home for the Quintanilla family. Mauricio and Irene are no strangers to hard work and determination. Mauricio works for Hopper Mechanical and Irene works with Mckinney ISD. Within two months of being approved by Habitat for Humanity, they completed over 25% of their required 500 community service hours. They are excited about their opportunity for homeownership in their local community of McKinney.
On January 15, the Addison Midday Rotary Club partnered with the Addison Athletic Club staff to expand their annual open house into a “Health and Fitness Expo”. The Addison Athletic Club showed off their exercise facilities to the town of Addison.
Greg Dreyfus, Rotary Youth Exchange student hosted by the Rotary Club of Fair Park, has won an award for his digital art project and was selected to represent Woodrow Wilson HS in the Dallas Young Artist Exhibition at the Blue Print Gallery, 2701 Fairmount Street, Dallas, Tx 75201 on Thursday, 1/17/19.
The Rotary Club of Lake Texoma (Pottsboro) will be holding its second annual No Polio 100, Bike Rally, April 13, 2019. Last year’s rally resulted in raising $7000 for the RI Polio Plus Program. This year’s rally will attempt to raise even more money for polio eradication. Joining Lake Texoma Rotary is the Rotary Club of Melissa who has signed on as a rest stop sponsor. All bike enthusiasts are encouraged to register at www.nopolio100 Contact Joe Henderson at joehend@myrhinomail.com for additional information.
Lake Texoma Annouces 2nd Annual No Polio 100 Bike Rally
The receipts have been gathered and the bills have been paid. The proceeds from the twelfth annual Univeristy Park Tree Ligting in Snider Plaza on November 18, 2018, have been calculated. Despite the inclement weather, the event generated $10,000.00, through sponsorships and contributions, to be donated to the North Texas Food Bank.
Richardson East Rotary Club, with assistance from the Rotary Club of Richardson, did a incredible job of raising over $500K for the Ann Eisemann Inclusive Playground at Cottonwood Park in Richardson. The ground breaking was very well attended despite frigid temperatures. Congratulations in helping getting this done Rotarians!
Rotary International President-Elect Mark Maloney has revealed the 2019-2020 theme "Rotary Connects The World". In his address at International Assembly, he explained his vision for building a stronger Rotary, calling on leaders to expand connections to their communities and to embrace innovative membership models. Read the story.
This year the Coppell Rotary Club, for the 2nd year adopted 5 needy Seniors from Metrocrest Services for the holiday. We appointed 5 Team Captains, their responsibility was coordinating a basket for each senior and Club members have been assigned to a team.
Our Mardi Gras Party is coming fast and the room is reaching full capacity! Join us on Saturday, February 16, 2019, for our Mardi Gras party at 6:30 in the evening at Prestonwood Country Club, 15909 Preston Road, Dallas,TX 75428. Everyone is invited. Bring your friends and neighbors! Tickets are $50 each. You can find all the information to register on the District website: https://rotary5810.org/sitepage/mardi-gras-party
The 19th Annual McKinney Rotary "Parade of Lights" held in downtown McKinney on Dec 20, 2018. It was a huge success after rescheduling and was enjoyed by all. The McKinney Rotary Club parade attracts groups from all over McKinney and Collin County area such as: Boy Scout and Girl Scout Troops, McKinney High School Marine Corps JROTC Color Guard Cadets, McKinney Fire and Police personnel, and many other worthy participants. This annual McKinney Rotary Club event has proven to be a great way to continue expanding our Rotary brand, visibility and service effectiveness within the City of McKinney and surrounding communities. See the photos
As a professional Santa Claus, it’s not unusual for Bill Dendy to get Christmas requests and letters from kids. What is unusual is the email he received just a few weeks ago. “Yeah, I got a letter and it was not from a kid, but it was actually from their mom,” Dendy said.
The RYLA Roundup for the District 5810 2019 Camp RYLA Program will be held Saturday, January 26, 2019 at the Addison Conference Centre, 15650 Addison Road, Addison, TX 75001. Rotary Club RYLA Chairpersons should attend this training program designed to get Camp RYLA 2019 recruiting and selection started. The meeting is the only chairpersons training of the year so every club should be represented. The training is from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. RYLA manuals and recruiting materials will be distributed, including copies of the brand new Camp RYLA video. The meeting is also open to any Rotarian interested in learning more about Camp RYLA prior to the 29th annual leadership camp. July 28 – August 2.
RYLA Roundup for All Clubs to Kick Off the 2019 RYLA Year
Volunteers from the RYLA Student Advisory Group, RYLA Alumni, and the Dallas Trinity Rotary Club enjoyed their annual Angel Tree event at North Park Mall on November 25th--the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Historically, this particular Angel Tree, on this particular day, is the busiest Angel Tree in the nation. Our district is always well-represented, as volunteers offer smiling faces while they assist folks selecting angels to adopt, document angels that have been chosen, receive and safely store gifts as they are received, and answer questions all along the way. This annual experience is a holiday favorite for everyone involved.
North Texas Pioneers Rotary brought some much needed Christmas cheer to the Plano Animal Shelter this season. Each member choose an angel off the tree and bought the items listed. They gathered many small beds for cats and small dogs, lots of toys, cat nip, dog and cat treats, cat litter, etc.... And many other items the shelter needs to keep all the sweet creatures comfortable.
The Rotary Club of Carrollton-Farmers Branch in partnership with The City of Carrollton is raising money to purchase and install All Assessible Playground Equipment for the park located at Rosemeade Rec Center.
When years ago the polio epidemic necessitated specific programs to treat the children, some of the pediatricians of the time did not want the children to dread coming to a place that smelled like a hospital. Their solution was to pop popcorn and keep popping it, so the children would be greeted by a much more appealing smell.
The McKinney Rotary Club collected items in November 2018 to send to U.S. Troops that are overseas. We joined a group collecting for 33 soldiers and collected 11 donation boxes of goodies. The boxes were shipped this week in order to reach the troops before Christmas, and also included 33 Holiday Cards signed club members. We not only wanted the soldiers to have something for Christmas but we wanted to express our appreciation for all they do for us. We were told many do not receive anything from family members or home so we wanted to ensure everyone received something. This was our first time on this project and feel it was a great success.
On Saturday, December 1, five Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Allen Sunrise met at Frito Lay in Plano, Texas to volunteer and serve lunch, provided by the Club, to about 40 veterans and their family members.
A 501(c)(3) non-profit charity, this organization creates alternative no-cost therapeutic programs that relax, rehabilitate and reintegrate through kayak fishing and the outdoors, while providing much-needed camaraderie and support. Founded in 2007, Heroes on the Water is dedicated to providing these services to veterans. In 2018, services opened up to first responders and their families.
On December1, 2018 the Nominating Committee for District 5810 selected Max S. Duplant for the district's District Governor Nominee Designate for Rotary Year 2021-2022. Ms. Duplant is a longtime Rotarian and is a past president and current member of the Rotary Club of Irving/ Las Colinas,Texas.
Please join us in congratulating Max on her selection and wish her well in the new chapter of her Rotary leadership.
Formal Notice Of Selection Of The 2021-22 District Governor
Carrollton Farmers Branch Rotary partnered with the Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD in conjunction with the Dallas County Promise. It was their first year to participate and they furnished 1000 hotdogs!
Carrollton-Farmers Branch Serves It Up At Dallas County Promise
White Rock Rotary got into the Christmas spirit early by helping at the Salvation Army Angel Tree in North Park Mall. Their club members and Interact students volunteered in shifts over 4 days. It was great to see holiday shoppers think of others while buying for their own families and friends.
Despite the cold weather an enthusiastic crowd filled Snider Plaza on November 18 for the twelfth annual University Park Tree Lighting. The Tree Lighting is a project of the Rotary Club od Park Cities and the Snider Plaza Merchant’s Association.
Just as Rotarians strive to follow their motto of “Service Above Self,” Scouts keep their promise “to help other people” and their slogan “Do a Good Turn Daily” through the annual Scouting for Food service project, which provides needed resources to our community food banks.
Among the more than 300 guests at Love Field’s Frontiers of Flight Museum celebrating the 25th anniversary of Challenge Air for Kids and Friends were members of the Prestonwood Rotary Club, and they had a particularly good reason to join the festivities.
Congratulations to Bailey Wilson from the Plano Community Rotaract Club for being selected as 1 of 60 Rotaract Leaders from around the world to attend the Rotary International Assembly in January!!!
Bailey started her Rotaract career as a member of Collin College Rotaract, eventually becoming President of the club in 2015. She successfully campaigned for herself and 2 other Rotaractors to attend the 2016 Rotary International convention, where she decided that she wanted to pursue a position of leadership to help guide the education and growth of Rotaract. Upon her return she joined the Plano Community Rotaract Club.
Richardson Rotary partnered with the Rotary Club Bratislava to help support a local shelter of theirs. One of their members, Radi, was able to visit the Rotary Club Bratislava in Slovakia and the shelter they are helping. Richardson Rotary is extremely proud of the positive impact they can have by working with Rotary clubs around the world!
Richardson Rotary Partners With Rotary Club Bratislava
Each year the Rockwall Breakfast Club plants many smiles on many faces as we provide coats for underprivileged elementary school children in Rockwall. The event is held each November in partnership with Old Navy and the Rockwall ISD.
Beautiful day for a ribbon cutting at the new Fitness Court at Jaycee Park. The Rotary Club of Ennis was a major donor to getting it made. Be sure to check it out. Free to the public! For more information about the Fitness Court, please visit the pagehttps://nationalfitnesscampaign.com/fitness-court/
Cheers to the Sherman Rotary Club for their Rotary Reads service project which has the members read to the classroom. Today members had the honor to meet many gifted students and dedicated staff members at Neblett Elementary School.
Addison Rotary presented a check to the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas for a whopping $185,000! Their members worked so hard to be able to give so much to their partner charity, and we are proud of every single one of them!
Has your club done projects with Peace Corps Volunteers? Rotary and Peace Corps has just signed their second three year partnership agreement. The agreement was initiated by a group of RPCVs Rotarians in Colorado District 5450. That group is looking to leverage the partnership at a local district level. If you are an RPCV Rotarian, please contact Michael Wald (mwald999@gmail.com) of the Prestonwood Rotary Club with Peace Corps in the subject line, and also go to RPCV Rotarian input form and add your name to the database.
President Jeff Caserotti presented Bruce Heller, board member of the ShelterBox USA program with a check for $2,000 from McKinney Sunrise Rotary Club for two ShelterBoxes, and the weekly basket collection for the month of November will also be donated to ShelterBoxUSA. This is a huge operation that serves millions of people around the world.
From the time a man or woman enlists in the military, through their days as a veteran, the heavy loads they carry – from the travel costs to spend time with family, to accessing to high quality medical care, to jobs that allow them to best use the skills developed during service when they return to civilian life - should be a shared responsibly of all Americans. That’s why a group of Rotary Club of Dallas members decided 14 years ago to do something to support these men and women and thus, Salute to America’s Veterans was born.
On Saturday, November 3, Rotarians around the area should be prepared for an abundance of hearty home-cooked food, delicious wines, exciting opportunities and warm spirit as the Rotary Club of Dallas-Uptown presents its fifth annual Men Who Cook fundraiser. The event takes place at The Lawley Art Group, 1507 Dragon Street in the Design District from 4-7 o’clock PM. Tickets are $35 each. Click here to purchase.
President Bob Wales and members of the Rotary Club of Melissa were on hand at this week's City Council meeting to present a check for $4,000 to the Melissa Fire Department in support of a new KNOX Home Box program being launched in the coming weeks.
Frisco Sunrise Rotary Club requested and received a proclamation from the Mayor of Frisco for World Polio Day on Oct 16th! Pictured left to right, Krista Ryan FSR President and the City of Frisco Mayor Cheney.
Dentistry With a Heart is a collaborative project between the Rotary Club of Park Cities, Agape Clinic, volunteer dentists and hygienists, and student dentists from the Texas A&M College of Dentistry. It was begun ten years ago by the three dentists who were members of RCPC to provide free dental care to people who could not otherwise afford it. Among the thousands of dollars worth of services provided include cleanings, fillings, extractions, root canals and partials.
Some members of White Rock Rotary organized and helped serve lunch for about 200 refugees from Burma and various African countries last Sunday at St. Patrick's Church. The refugees enjoyed their meal and the Rotarians shared in the happy vibe, as you can see!
On October4th, the McKinney Rotary Club celebrated its 100th year of service in the city. “We are so fortunate to have a Rotary Club that is active and engaged in our community,” Lisa Hermes, president of the McKinney Chamber of Commerce, said in a news release from the Rotary Club. “As they celebrate their centennial anniversary, it’s really a celebration of the dedicated men and women who roll up their sleeves and serve not only our community but people and places around the world.” Adding to the celebration, was the recipient of a Texas Senate Resolution for the Centennial and a proclamation naming Oct 4., 2018 as "Rotary Club of McKinney Day".
On Oct. 12, Addison Rotarians volunteered to feed guests at the Ronald McDonald House in Dallas. They love what this organization stands for and enjoyed being able to make a difference!
Addison Rotary Volunteers At Ronald McDonald House Dallas
White Rock Rotary is a small, friendly, and growing club. We enjoy many community service projects, including White Rock Lake clean up, provision and serving meals for Family Gateway, lunch service for refugees, and newsletter assistance for White Rock Center of Hope. We recently sent students from three different Dallas schools to Camp Ryla. We sponsor two Interact clubs, one at Skyline High School and one at Lake Highlands High School. Here is a picture of some of our Interact students and club sponsors at the Interact Summit. Come visit us, you will be made very welcome!
The Mesquite Rotary Club presented a donation of $2,500 to the Mesquite Association of Retired School Employees book project at their meeting on October 2ndt. In accepting the check from Rotary president-elect John Taylor, MARSE president Elaine Whitlock expressed her thanks for Rotary’s assistance, and noted that the funds would greatly support the project’s goal of providing a book of their own to each Mesquite ISD first grader.
Now’s the time to start planning your World Polio Day event. Spread the word in your community about the ongoing fight to end polio. Together, we can — and will — make history by ending polio for good.
World Polio Day Competition – Your Club could win $500 for its WASH Projects!
World Polio Day is celebrated on October 24th. World Polio Day was established by Rotary International to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against poliomyelitis. Use of this inactivated poliovirus vaccine and subsequent widespread use of the oral poliovirus vaccine, developed by Albert Sabin, led to the establishment of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Polio is a disease caused by a virus that affects the nervous system and is mainly spread by person-to-person contact. Polio can also be spread by drinking water or other drinks or eating raw or undercooked food that are contaminated with the feces of an infected person.
The Mesquite Rotary Club’s president Les Clark presented Mesquite Mayor Stan Pickett a donation of $2,500 at their meeting on September 25th, to assist with underwriting expenses for the annual Addressing Mesquite program.
Since 2017, students who attend Riverchase Elementary School, a Spark STEM Academy CFB ISD school, located in Coppell (serving Coppell & Carrollton families), have the opportunity to participate in a Coding Camp sponsored by Coppell Rotary & UTD Computer Science Outreach.
A key component of our 2017-2018 Social Media and Public Image initiative at Rotary Club of Park Cities was to significantly upgrade our audio and video recording capabilities. Completion of this significant project allows us to now live stream our weekly programs and special events to our club Facebook page.
The Farmersville Rotary Club sponsors a Voters Registration station at Farmersville High School to encourage civic participation through voting. Rotarians Bob Collins and Jim Foy help high school students who are eligible to register to vote.
On September 8, 2018 Frisco Sunrise Rotary Club sponsored a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEaM) workshop for students in grade 4th through 12th. The STEaM workshop provides an opportunity for the business community and industry professionals to expose our campers to career opportunities they might not have considered. Additionally, the hands on and interactive approach encourages critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills. The combination of fun and learning allowed the Sunrise Rotary club the opportunity to introduce the values of Rotary and interact to a new audience.
Hard-working Irving-Las Colinas Rotarians got a head start on the Labor Day weekend with their flag installation at the Irving Convention Center, the first corporate “subscriber” to this key club fundraiser.
For the past 100 years, the McKinney Rotary Club has served the community — both locally and worldwide — in ways that have made a positive impression on the community. “ I am so very grateful for our McKinney Rotary Club. They took a lead role in bringing the All-Abilities Playground Project to fruition, once again demonstrating their commitment to serve all in our community. Thank you Rotary! ,” said McKinney Mayor, George Fuller.
On Thursday, October 4, 2018, the McKinney club will celebrate its 100 th anniversary with a formal dinner at the Eldorado Country Club. This event will include a video presentation of the impact McKinney Rotary has had on the community, and is by invitation only.
What's great about Rotary? Giving back to your community! Greenville Rotary donated $2,500 to their local Salvation Army. David Weiland presents to Col. David Hodge as President Jessica Harrell presides.
These are our inbound students this year. From the left, Camilla from Italy, hosted by FRISCO Sunrise, Ginevra from Italy, hosted by the Rotary Club of Dallas, Gregoire from France, hosted by the Fair Park Rotary, and Jasper from Germany, hosted by Preston Trails.
Cozby Library in Coppell, TX is thinking outside the box – and outside the books, for that matter – in an effort to bring stories to life in a whole new way. For the event, people will be able to “check out” five people for 30-minute conversations – where no questions will be off-limits - designed to create dialogue and increase understanding of subjects that are often misunderstood.
For the event, people will be able to “check out” five people for 30-minute conversations – where no questions will be off-limits - designed to create dialogue and increase understanding of subjects that are often misunderstood.
McKinney Rotary in support for the Community Food Pantry held a food drive that collected over 100 cans of fruit in less than a month. Great job! One person can be fed on $2.65 a day.
The Rotary Club of East Dallas went above and beyond for their "Annual Back To School Drive" for the Daniels D. Rodgers Elementary. School. Not only did they deliver back packs and school supplies, they also supplied uniforms and teacher's tools. AWESOME JOB!!
Nothing makes a Rotarian happier than when they serve to make a difference! Check out all the smiling faces from the Royse City Rotarians at the city's Annual Back to School Bash. Not only is this an awesome service project but lots of fun was had from giving out the schools supplies to the students. Thanks to our members who participated!
The Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary PomPom Patrol was on the scene for the first day of school at Farmers Branch Elementary School this week to greet each student and wish them a successful 2018-19 school year. Want to get more involved with Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District this year? Give our club a shout - we have an amazing mentoring program that’s changing the world one buddy at a time.
The Rotary Club of Coppell would like to congratulate the CHS graduating class of 2018! We are exceptionally proud of the seniors that were chosen to receive the Coppell Rotary Scholarships. While all of the students who applied for the scholarships were exceptional, there were four seniors who stood out and each won a $1,000 scholarship.
Irving Colinas Rotarians were among the many hands helping the young ones in their community to get ready for the new school year. Miles and miles of backpacks packed thanks to the giving hearts and hard work of this community.
Shout out to the Royse City Rotary Club for their volunteer work at Shoes For Kids, distributing toothbrushes and toothpaste! Thank you for your Service Above Self!
Sushil Kumar Gupta, of the Rotary Club of Delhi Midwest, Delhi, India, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International for 2020-21. He will be declared the president-nominee on 1 October if no challenging candidates have been suggested. Gupta wants to increase Rotary’s humanitarian impact as well as the diversity of its membership.
“As individuals, we can only do so much,” Gupta said in a statement. “But when 1.2 million Rotarians work together, there is no limit to what we can achieve, and in the process, we can truly change the world.”
In the year 2017, Rotary Club of McKinney did an International Service Program with the St. Joseph’s Sisters in Kerala, India. With a matching grant with District 5810 the Club purchased modern equipments to support St. Thomas Asylum, an institution to house and support women with mental and physical challenges.
Wylie East Fork club members are quick to act! Knowing backpacks are hard to come by for Wylie ISD's Back To School Fair, they all donated to fill the need. It's The Wylie Way! Thank you for your service above self!
The annual 4th of July Parade is arguably the best and largest single day event in the Park Cities. The 2018 Fourth of July parade took place on Wednesday, July 4th, 2018 and attracted a crowd of more than 15,000 people.
I've had a wonderful time visiting our Rotary clubs. I am grateful to be with dedicated Rotarians serving their communities.
At every visit, I highlight the importance of Rotary's Clean Water Initiative. RI theme for December, is Disease & Prevention Treatment.
John Hewo, general secretary of Rotary International, says, "As trusted leaders leaders attuned to the needs of their communities, Rotary members are well-positioned to help find grassroot solutions to local conflicts."
In the December 2018Rotarian Magazine, my friend Sushil Kumar Gupta has been selected to be 2020-21 Rotary President. I met Sushil in 2004 at a National Immunization Day in India.
On Saturday, Max Duplant, past president of the Irving-Las Colinas Club, was elected to be District Governor Nominee Designate for the Rotary year 2021-2022. Please welcome Max as she joins our Governor team.
The Rotary District Awards Dinner will be held this year on Saturday, August 18th from 6:30PM to 9:00PM at the Haggard Party Barn, 5948 McKamy Trail, Plano, Texas 75024. The dress is "Western Dress". This is sure to be a fun event! Tickets are $25. Seating is limited to 200 guests! Register Now
We kicked off the new Rotary year with the first Roundtable meeting last Saturday. The Rotary Club of Dallas provided the breakfast spread & mimosas. Dana DeVance, Club President of the downtown Dallas club and her team, shared the progress of the projects of the club. They highlighted their "Salute to the America's Veterans Program" & "Ghana African" project. Charlie Mohrle of the Dallas Club shared the highlights of our recent RI Convention in Tornto, Canada
RI President Barry Rassin has challenged clubs and Rotarians to Be The Inspiration in 2018-19. One of the ways Rassin would like to see clubs do this is by hosting a Rotary Day. Any club big or small can host a Rotary Day, and several clubs can combine to share ideas, talent, and resources. President Rassin is urging clubs to organize fun, informal community events called Rotary Days. Any club, big or small, can host a Rotary Day. Pooling resources with neighboring clubs to co-host and event is a great way to build Rotary Fellowship. Link to additional information on how to host a Rotary Day https://my.rotary.org/en/why-and-how-host-rotary-day
Check out this cool video we created on "What is Rotary and what Rotarians Do" - a perfect tool that can be used on social media and Club websites for membership recruitment.
This video defines 4 prinicpals for being an #InpsiredLeader and how to be successful as defined in "Radical Leap" a book by Steve Farber that was recommended by RI President Barry Rassin at PETS.
The Dallas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb is looking for volunteers to assist with numerous areas of our event on 9/8/2018. The event is not a race, but rather a tribute honoring the sacrifices of fallen heroes - both near and far. Fulfilling a promise to "NEVER FORGET" their brothers and sisters who have died in the line of duty, over 600 firefighters from across DFW and the nation climb 110 floors in downtown Dallas to represent the 110 floors of the twin towers.
It takes about 200 volunteers to make our event a success. You do not need any experience or association with emergency response, just a willing spirit and a servant's heart! All volunteers must commit to attending the volunteer orientation from 9am-12pm on Saturday, August 25 as well as the event from 6am-12pm on Saturday, September 8. Sign up to volunteer or contact Sarah Jenkins, interior@dallasstairclimb.com, with any questions. More information can also be found at http://www.dallasstairclimb.com/
Volunteers Needed - Dallas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb
The Plano Metro Rotary Club recently gave $65,000 to H.E.R.O.E.S., a Richardson-based provider of educational programs for individuals with disabilities. The nonprofit was the winner of the club’s first Plano Metro Rotary Foundation Grant. Funds were used to purchase a wheelchair-accessible bus, allowing students with mobility impairments to attend excursions such as zip-lining, bowling and group art lessons.
The Plano Metro Rotary Foundation was established in 2002, as a way to provide funds for Plano ISD vocational scholarships and other community needs identified by the club.
Shout out the Rotary Club of Mesquite on their Annual Bike Rally! This year, they had over 1,200 riders. Monies raised will go a long way to support the Club's programs in 2018-19 fiscal year. Great turnout!! See the video
Club President, Dr. Paul Lonquist, challenged members on one of their fundraising projects "that if they raised $10,000.00, the three leaders (from left to right, Dr. Paul Lonquist President; Jerry Bates, Incoming President Steve Patrick, Immediate Past President) would have a bucket of ice and water poured over them. They called it the Ice Bucket Challenge. Members who donated an additional $100.00 each had the privilege of pouring the buckets. They are from left to right, the members are John Dodd, Dick Calvert, and Gary Embrey. John Dodd also had his grandson, Justin Dodd, assisting.
The Sherman Rotary Club donated $10,000 to build a new playground at Hawn Park off South Dewey and East Thomas streets. The upgrade has been in the works for almost a year, and the playground equipment company matched Sherman Rotary's $10,000 to make it happen.
The rotary club said they're now trying to remodel one park every year. The rotary club also presented another $10,000 check today to Parks & Recreation for their next project: New equipment for Cherry Street Park.
New Hawn Park playground equipment unveiled thanks to Sherman Rotary
This year, for the Fourth of July, on the suggestion of a local resident to dress up a city-owned park with flags, our club launched its first “commercial” component of the flag program. Fifty flags, one tagged for each state, were anchored around the city’s Millennium Park Fountain at City of Irving, Texas - City Hall; then, through community outreach (primarily through the club’s social media efforts which were amplified by the Mayor), 44 of those 50 flags were quickly sponsored by residents at $100 each (some club members, but many not) with a connection to those states.
More than $227,000 has been raised for the inclusive playground at Cottonwood Park. That was among the good news announced at the Picnic for the Playground last weekend. There was a great crowd throughout the event put on by Richardson East Rotary Club. The Richardson East Rotary Club presented a check to the city recognizing another $95,000 it has raised for the project.
Richardson East Makes Inclusive Playground Reality
Register now for the Mesquite Rotary Club’s 22th Rodeo Road Rally coming up on June 30th. The annual charity fundraising bike ride will start at Mesquite’s Rodeo Convention Center, 1700 Rodeo Drive (near Military Parkway and I-635 L.B.J. Freeway) at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 30, 2018. Cyclists will be able to choose the controlled route that best suits their abilities and interests, including the choice of 20, 42, or 65-mile courses.
Photo op with RI President Ian Riseley at the Peace Building Conference with the Rotary District 5810 Interact Model United Nations Team and District Conference attendees in Chicago.
The Plano Metro Rotary Club was proud to present their first Rotary Foundation Grant this year to HEROES Camp. Many wonderful non-profits applied, and it was a difficult decision. They awarded them $65,000 to purchase a new accessible bus that will allow more students who use wheelchairs to attend off-site events.Way to Make a Differnce!
The Carrollton-Farmers Branch Club hosted our 30 Yr Women in Rotary celebration at the Brookhaven Country Club. We celebrated and honored the accomplishments of our female members and acknowledged what a vital and important accomplishment woman make to the success of Rotary. Our guest speaker was District 5840 PDG Lisa Herring and we heard from three of our own outstanding women - Karen Farris (Park Cities), Karen Maxwell (Commerce) and Dana DeVance (Dallas). In addition, First Lady Lisa Asmberry made a check presentation to AWARE. See photos
Train and Help Babies Walkathon volunteers ready for the race to begin!
Coppell is making a difference in reducing infant mortality worldwide, as over 300 people gathered at Andy Brown Park East on Saturday to walk and talk about lowering infant mortality and the impact it has on communities worldwide. Despite warming temperatures the Austin Elementary Marimba band played to the delight of the attendees with walkers and watchers enjoying the buzz of activity, food and conversations with some of the top practitioners of pediatrics in Texas.
The Coppell Rotary Club joined with Train and Help Babies, a local organization dedicated to bringing lifesaving equipment and advanced medical training to hospitals in high infant mortality areas to improve maternal health and infant survivability, as the major sponsor in sending a team of neonatologists and pediatricians to several locations in Karnataka, India to
Rotarians in action! The Rotary Club of Wylie East Fork gave away over 500 hot dogs at Saturday's Peddle Car Races in downtown Wylie. Many thanks to all the Club members who volunteered their time at this event!
Great evening with a group of Rotarians passionate about water and sanitation hygiene issues where Rotary is striving to make a difference. We were honored to be in the company of Rotary International President Ian Riseley and his wife Juliet (Rotary Club of Sandringham, Victoria, Australia), DG Rick Amsberry and incoming DG Bill Slicker and spouses. Featured speaker Dr. ISIS Mejias 2012 Global Grant Scholar & 2017 Rotary International Global Service Award Recipient.
On May 1, 2018 the Addison (TX) Midday Rotary Club presented two checks to REACT Neuro-Rehab in Addison, TX. REACT offers a comprehensive multi-modal approach to neurological recovery through a blend of neuroscience and strength training principles.
The first donation is for a scholarship to REACT’s ‘No Athlete Left Behind’ program. This program allows REACT to serve a population that, due to their injury and the financial burden that consumes families affected by these conditions, is unable to fund their participation in REACT’s Neuro-Restorative training program. This elite one-on-one training program offers customized training prescriptions. The focus is on restoring motor function, building strength and enhancing overall independence.
The second donation is for a scholarship to REACT’s ‘Legacy Project’. The Legacy Project, a free program offered to applicants, is a 12-week high-intensity, group training program that combines strength training and sport. Participants are given a unique opportunity to overcome their physical limitations and inspire others to achieve what many view as impossible.
Addison Midday responded to the 1.2 Million Tree Planting Challenge with the planting of 27 minature Crepe Myrtle trees in two parks in the city of Addison this past weekend. Great job!
The Frisco Rotary Farmers Market is the Rotary Club of Frisco’s top fundraiser and contributes significantly to Frisco and the surrounding communities. The market is held weekly every Saturday from April 21 through October 27, 2018 and the third Saturday of each month in November, December, January, February and March.
Shown, left to right, are WWII veteran Josephine Moncrief, Mesquite Mayor Stan Pickett, and Mesquite Rotary president Michael Hooker as the donation check to the Mesquite Veterans Memorial project was presented.
Mesquite Rotary Club officials donated to the new Mesquite Veterans Memorial project as they participated in city ceremonies honoring one of the few living World War II Army nurses at the Town East Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center on Thursday, April 26th. The American Flag Ceremony honored Lieutenant Josephine Moncrief, 97, who is one of only 15 living Army nurses who served in that conflict. Mesquite Rotary president Michael Hooker presented a $1,000 check to mayor Stan Pickett in support of the Historic Mesquite funding effort to build a new Mesquite Veterans Memorial at City Lake Park.
The Mesquite Rotary Club hosted its annual Scholarship Recognition and Awards Luncheon at the Dallas Athletic Club on April 24th. At the event, the top one percent students in the Class of 2018 from each Mesquite ISD high school, Sunnyvale High School, and Dallas Christian School were honored. Also, scholarship awards of $1,500 each were presented to students from each of these schools, and to a student from the Mesquite Academy. Additionally, two students from the Eastfield College Rotaract Club received $750 scholarships. This investment by the club in the future of these deserving area scholars totaled $13,500
Addsion Rotary Club showing how they are People Of Action. They volunteered at one of their favorite local charities Metrocrest Services. Thank you for you Service Above Self!
McKinney Sunrise is proud to partner with "Crape Myrtle Trails Of McKinney" with their project to distribute crape myrtle trees to McKinney I.S.D 5th graders for Mother's Day. Board Member Phil Wheat of "The Crape Myrtle Trails Of McKinney" visited them this week and gave President-elect Jeff Caserotti a plaque of appreciation for our club's participation.
McKinney Sunrise Partners With Crape Myrtle Trails
Sherman Rotary Club President Elect FY19, Eric Ross, helped by shaving students heads at the Annual St. Baldrick's Foundation event at Austin College to raise money for a cure for childhood cancer. Students brave the shave to raise awareness and money. This event is sponsered by the Austin College Rotaract Club.
Austin College Rotaract Raises Funds For Childhood Cancer
In honor of Earth Day, the Waxahachie Rotary Club, Interact Clubs and Boy Scout Troop 232 planted 110 trees in Mathew's Park on Garden Valley Parkway today, Saturday. They were planted at the direction of the Waxahachie Parks & Recreation Department in groves around the park. They are making a difference!!
Bonham Rotary working hard at the Special Olympics this past Saturday - Starting and timing running races, announcing, helping with field events, cooking hot dogs, preparing ribbons and cheering for the participants! Enjoyable event and smiles on all the faces made it an awesome day!
Coppell Rotarians Steve Graybill and George Ritcheske participate in the Cozby Library Volunteer program. Doing a great job for getting their club noticed in the community!
1ST Place - Conor McNamara, Plano Rotary Club, Big Bend School 2nd Place - Justin Lord, Prestonwood Rotary Club, JJ Pearce High School 3rd Place - Dominique Lange, Mesquite Rotary Club, Poteet High School FINALISTS - Johyna Ballout, Allen Sunrise Rotary Club, Allen High School; Bentley Payne, Greenville Noon Rotary Club, Caddo Mills High School; Dante Curry, Farmers Branch Rotary Club, R. L. Turner High School
Preston Center responded to the Tree Planting Challenge , along with the West Kessler Native Arbor Initiative, the Tree Foundation, Boy Scouts (Troop 5) and West Kessler United Methodist Church planted 8 trees in Roberts Park and gifted out to local residents 55 native trees in March! Great job!!
RI President Ian Riseley talks about the Presidential Peace Conference and how it will benefit you by attending. To register for the Partnerships for PEACE District Conference, click here: http://bit.ly/2slBC3i
Personal Invitiation From RI President Ian Riseley
The Mesquite Rotary Club hosted its annual "Four Way Test" Speech Contest at the Dallas Athletic Club on March 27th. Contestants from all Mesquite I.S.D. high schools, Dallas Christian School, and Sunnyvale High School participated in the event. Each student gave a five-to-seven minute original speech about applying the Rotary Four Way Test in our everyday relationship with other people and students.
The simple, four-question ethical test of all that we say and do was developed in 1932 by Herbert J. Taylor, who became the 1954-55 Rotary International President. The questions are, "Is it the truth?"; "Is it fair to all concerned?"; "Will it build goodwill and better friendships?"; and "Will it be beneficial to all concerned?" Taking first place in the contest was Dominique Lange of Poteet High School. Joshua Bills of Dallas Christian School took second place, and the third place winner was Terron Williams of West Mesquite High School. The winners received prizes of $250, $150, and $100.
On March 20, the Addison Midday Rotary Club made 50 Easter Baskets for Hope Supply to pass on to children who will not get Easter Baskets this year. Hope Supply says these baskets are already designated and they could use more. They made the baskets during their noon meetings. As you can imagine, this is one of their favorite projects and this is the fifth year they have made baskets.
A team of Mesquite Rotary Club members worked side-by-side with retired Mesquite teachers on March 22nd to sort and label books to be delivered to all Mesquite ISD first graders. The Rotarians will also assist the retired teachers in delivering the books to the schools on March 29th. Since 2015, the Mesquite Rotary Club has donated funds each year in support of the Mesquite Association of Retired School Employees’ Book Project. Combined with funds donated by MARSE members, this allows the project to give a book to each first grade student in the district.
This past weekend, members of Dallas-Uptown Rotary gathered together at Bonton Farms, Dallas' first urban farm. Uptowners planted 17 peach trees that could be ready to begin bearing fruit as early as this summer! From the Bonton Farms website: "What started as a small garden in a vacant lot in this little inner-city neighborhood, quickly turned into the City of Dallas’ first urban farm. The original farm is 1.25 acres boldly situated in the South Dallas community of Bonton, an area ravaged by generational poverty, crime, and classified by the USDA as a food desert." From this small beginning, the farms have expanded to a extension unit of 20 acres of food producing land. Bonton Farm employs members of the Bonton community and welcomes volunteers of all ages!
Many of our members, guest, as well as members of our Interact Clubs from RL Turner and Newman Smith gathered at City Hall to complete our tree planning project for 2017/2018. This was part of our goal to plant 62 trees, one for ever member as of June of 2017, in both Carrollton and Farmers Branch. A total of 31 trees was planted in Carrollton and 31 trees planted in Farmers Branch last year. Many of the trees in Carrollton were planted at Rosemeade Recreation Center in the new Dog Park. We had lots of help with City of Carrollton landscape crews and Lorri Dennis, Certified Arborist.
The Mesquite Rotary Club donated $1,275 to benefit the Mesquite Community Band at their meeting on Tuesday, March 13th. As he presented the check, club president Michael Hooker noted that the funds were going to be used to purchase updated, replacement percussion instruments for the band’s use.
In accepting the check, Mesquite Community Band president of the board Lori O’Day thanked the club for its support, and noted that the new instruments would be heard by audiences in their upcoming concert at the Mesquite Arts Center on April 16th, and in all of their subsequent concerts. This would include their popular Music in the Park series on the lawn of the Mesquite Arts Center each Monday evening in June.
Mesquite Rotary Donates $1,275 to Mesquite Community Band
Rotary Club of Allen Sunrise responded to the tree planting challenge of RI President Ian Riseley this past Saturday. They planted one tree per every member of their club, plus additional trees to honor Rotarians who have past on for a total of 37 trees. The tree planting was done at the Allen Spirit Park.
Farmers Branch Rotary have joined in partnership with Montego Bay Rotary to provide water to school children. The water tank provided to Barrett Town All Age School will allow children at the school to have a consistent water supply. We can accomplish great things when we work together! Awesome job!! #ServiceAboveSelf
A team of 30 Rotarians, Rotaractors and Interactors left Saturday, March 10th for a one week service trip to Nicaragua. They will work on building a stage and a water project at two schools in Granada and San Juan Del Sur. Members are from The Rotary Club of Frisco, Plano West Rotary Club, Rockwall Noon RotaryIrving-Las Colinas Rotary Club and Royce City Rotary Club. The group is providing school uniforms and school supplies.
Dental professionals worked together for the benefit of Mesquite and east Dallas area community members in need at a special “Dentists with a Heart Day” on February 17th. The event was sponsored by the Mesquite Rotary Club, and occurred at the Mesquite offices of Dr. Byron McKnight and Dr. Ken Taylor, who donated their services and facility for the day. In a very successful effort, this team served 47 area patients in need, providing them with life-changing care through free dental services that would normally have been worth a total of $53,000. The patients were referred for the event from Mission East Dallas, International Street Church, The Family Place, Dallas Christian Women’s Job Corps, Baylor Scott and White, Skillman Church, and the Mesquite ISD.
Also involved were dentists Dr. Sloan Hildebrand, Ron Bosher, Tommy Reed, Cam Johnson, Richard Dirksen, and hygienists Lisa Blanton and Sandy Collins along with many volunteers. Helm Dental Lab provided the lab work for everyone in advance, and onsite which included partial and full dentures. This team provided cleanings, fillings, prosthetics, and extractions for patients. Helm Dental Lab provided the lab work for everyone in advance, and onsite.
The dentists and hygienists working at the event also provided dental education and hygiene instructions to the patients in attendance. Also participating were the Mesquite Panera Bread and Chick-fil-a restaurants, who donated meals to support the dental personnel and volunteers.
Successful “Dentists with a Heart Day” Event Assisted Area Citizens
Our goal for the First Lady Lisa's project was to raise $30,000 for Alzheimer's. Thus far, we have raised $$22,999. We have 28+ clubs that have not participated and we want to encourage every club to put some money toward this worthwhile cause so that we can be 100% Rotary 5810 District Proud. Everyone's contribution will support our annual theme and with the support of all clubs we will know that "District 5810 Made a Difference" in helping in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. We are only $7,001.00 from reaching our goal which is $250 X 28 clubs.
Please help us reach the goal by posting this photo and encouraging clubs to make their contribution so we can be 100% participants this year and change the lives of others that need our help! It is NOT too late for clubs for contribute. Checks can be made payable to:Rotary District 5810 and mailed directly to my address: 11925 Edgestone Road, TX 75230-2338
The Addison Rotary and Addsion Midday Rotary joined together to raise $8,800 for the Addison Police Department! They are looking forward to being able to meet again and collaborate on more projects to impact their community. Great job!
Frank B. Counselman from Rockwall Noon Rotary was chosen to receive "Carnegie Medal" for outstanding civilian heroism! We are proud to call Frank a member of Rotary District 5810 North Texas!
Here is the story: Frank B. Conselman saved a 32-year-old man and helped to save Robert S. Marchand from drowning in Pensacola Beach, Fla., on July 26, 2016.
Marchand, 36, and the 32-year-old man entered the waters of the Gulf of Mexico in an attempt to assist a woman and two children who were caught in a rip current. Marchand and the other man were also caught in the rip current and unable to reach the woman and children.
Conselman, 45, Rockwall, Texas, business owner, was alerted to the situation. He put on a flotation belt, obtained a kickboard, and entered the water. He swam approximately 225 feet to Marchand, who was barely above the surface of the water, shouting for help. Conselman gave Marchand the kickboard and then swam to the 32-year-old man, who was about 45 feet away.
Conselman grasped the man’s arm and swam toward shore, hampered by the waves and strong winds. Once Conselman had the 32-year-old man in wadable water he stood and pulled the man toward the beach. Another man came out and took the 32-year-old man from Conselman, who was able to exit the water on his own. A lifeguard swam out to Marchand and took him back to the beach.
Marchand and the other man were transported to a hospital where they were treated and released. Conselman swallowed water and was nearly exhausted after the rescue; he recovered in two days. Story submitted by : Chuck Bealmear
Volunteers are need for the Bonham Special Olympics coming up on April 14th. They have a special request for Rotarians! Contact Bonham Rotary Club for more details.
The Mesquite Rotary Club presented a $1,000 donation check to Keith Price of Focus on Teens at their meeting on February 13th. The funds will support the organization’s work in assisting Dallas area homeless teens with their basic needs, and providing them the support and stability they need to stay in school. Focus on Teens operates 30 food pantries and 20 drop-in centers for teens in Dallas and Fort Worth.
The Texas Ramp Project and Grand Prairie Rotary make the local news with their project to help the elderly and those with mobility issues. Click here to read the entire story.
Preston Trails Rotary Club of Celina and Gunter would like to recognize Bobby Apple for perfect Rotary attendance for 25 years.
Rotary has been a staple in this tall Texan’s life for 28 years. Bobby and Cathy, junior high sweethearts, have been married 44 years and along with their two sons, have three grandchildren. Conversations around the Friday night dinner table focused on stories of the Rotary guest speaker and program. Their two sons were always eager to hear Dad describe these unique stories.
Bobby is a Commercial Director for Keller Williams in his hometown of the booming Celina/North Texas area. He has been a Realtor and Broker for more than three decades and earned his Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation in 1989.
After 18 years in the McKinney Rotary Club, Celina City leadership asked this Paul Harris Fellow if he would start a Rotary Club in his hometown. He is the Founding member and First President of Preston Trail Rotary Club established in 2008. Over the years, Bobby has contributed countless hours serving the community and is the perfect illustration of “Service Above Self”.
The Carrollton-Farmers Branch members, along with their Interact and Rotaract clubs, and the City of Farmers Branch Parks Department, planted 31 trees in Farmers Branch on November 11, 2017, in the Rawhide Creek area to commemorate Veterans' Day and to further beautify the city. Thanks to all of the volunteers and city staff members who took the time to plant all of these trees! #Pledge2Plant
Greenville Noon Rotary Club presented Greenville Christian School with $1000 to benefit Mac-N-Pac for the MPAC. 20,000 meals will be packed as a part of this program. 10,000 meals will stay here in the community and go to FISH Ministries and 10,000 meals will be sent to the victims of Hurricane Harvey.
Christmas came early this year for a Grand Prairie resident who was unable to leave his home. Grand Prairie Rotary and Texas ramps teamed up to build a 48ft ramp.
The Rotary staff team for Miles to End Polio raised $11 million to help end this devastating disease. Travel through the race with this 360 video. Our District contributed $32,000 dollars towards the ride and with magic of matching donations turned into $144,000!
Shout out to the Dallas North's Books & Bears” Project for PreK students! They collected books, coloring books & pencils/crayons, and stuffed bears/cute animals to give “Books & Bears” bags for PreK students to help them cuddle with a friend and read a book over the Winter Break and develop fine motor skills through coloring and drawing activities.
Dallas North's "Books & Bears" Project for PreK Students
The Coppell Rotary Club, in partnership with Darling Homes and the Coppell Community Gardens completed their Club’s 3rd effort to help feed the Coppell with the completion of the Pergola in the Coppell Community Gardens. The Club’s first project was in 2015 with Wilson Elementary School’s award winning Garden. That garden still thrives and school children harvest the fruit and vegetables then are used in the school cafeteria. The 2nd project, Old Town Garden, was built in partnership with the Coppell Historical Society and the City of Coppell. This garden is used to teach our children how to garden. Coppell Rotary Club continues to support the community of Coppell with a variety of project that serve the underserved in Coppell. For more information about Rotary visit our webpage at www.coppellrotary.org
The Addison Rotary Club working this holiday season in the community - serving dinner at the Ronald McDonald House. Thank you for your Service Above Self!
Addison Rotary Serves At The Ronald McDonald House
Each year the Coppell Rotary Club adopts a segment of our Coppell Community that has a holiday need. Last year the club supported children in their community who families were economically disadvantaged, this year they have adopted Seniors through Metrocrest Services. The club split into 5 teams, each team supporting a needy senior. Teams were assigned a Senior who made a wish list of items they need and items they “wish” for. The gift baskets will be delivered between December 18-22. These baskets give such joy and the delivery visit breaks up what can be a very lonely holiday season. For more information about Coppell Rotary Club, visit their website at www.coppellrotary.org. For more information on the Holiday Gift Basket Program, contact Metrocrest Services
Coppell Rotary Club Adopts Area Seniors for the Holidays
Rotarians from McKinney Sunset Rotary Club and McKinney Sunrise Rotary Club donated household goods and a check for planners for the Moms at Shiloh Place in McKinney. Thank you for your Service Above Self!
The Rotary Foundation has AGAIN earned a perfect 100 rating from Charity Navigator!! As a point of reference, Charity Navigator rates 8,000 of America's best-known and some lesser known, but worthy, charities. Of these, only 65 have earned a perfect 100 rating. Our Foundation is one of those 65. Read More
Rotary Foundation Earns Top Rating on Charity Navigator
Photo of Grayson Rotaract was volunteering at the Discovery Garden during the Texas State Fair. Pictured: Cindy Brandt and Edie Goff and Grayson College Rotaract President Tyashia Love.
Terrell High School Interact was out working in the community on the holiday weekend collecting donations for Toys For Tots. Thank you for your service!!
It is with great pleasure that we announce the selection of John D. Moser as District Governor Nominee Designate, to be the District Governor for District 5810 in Rotary Year 2020-2021.
John is a member of The Rotary Club of Allen Sunrise in Allen Texas, where he has served as Foundation Chair, and is currently serving as the Club’s Secretary.
John has been in Rotary since 2008 when he joined The Rotary Club of Frisco. While at Frisco, John served in many areas, he was the Club’s President in 2012-2013, and was selected Rotarian of the Year by the Club. He was also the Club’s Charter Sponsor for the chartering of the Rotary Club of Propser.
In 2009 John participated in the 2009 Indian National Inoculation Day in Hyderabad, India.
John currently serves as District 5810 Foundation Chair for District 5810. He has held numerous positions at the District level; including Assistant Governor, District Grants Chair, Co-Chair Humanity in Motion Foundation Gala, District Assembly Chair 2014-2015.
He is a Major Donor, Paul Harris Society member, and a Foundation Bequest Society member. He is also a member of WASRAG (Water and Sanitation Action Group) and The Rotary Wine Fellowship.
John graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington (with honors), with a degree Bachelor of Business Administration.
He is retired from American Airlines after 31 years of service. And he also retired from Sprint. He is a Deacon at Grace Presbyterian Church in Plano, and is a Master Mason, 32o Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner. He and his wife Trudy have been married for 52 years, and live in Fairview, Texas. They have two adult children, son and a daughter, and 4 grandchildren. They enjoy traveling and playing golf.
John D. Moser Selected As District Governor 2020-21
Dallas Uptown Rotary promotes literacy with it's community service project with distribution of 1700 dictionaries to 21 schools in DISD to 1700 3rd graders. Great job!
As part of the 1.2 Million Tree Planiting Challenge, Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotarians and Farmers Branch city officials planted 31 trees to honor Rotary International President Ian Riseley's request for clubs to plant a tree per member. The Carrollton-Farmers Branch plans to plant 31 more in Carrollton in February.
The Wylie East Fork were hard at work this past week, with their service project "Operation Christmas Child Box". Members brought donations and packed Christmas Child Boxes for needy kids. Awesome service project!
DG Rick Amsberry and First Lady Lisa want to personally invite you to attend the Foundation Festival on November 18th at the Grand Hyatt, Terminal D, DFW Airport. Our guest speaker is RI President Ian Riseley. This is guaranteed to be an awesome event with gourmet food, live music, open bar (beer & wine) not to mention lots of fellowship. We will also be having a silent auction. To register: http://bit.ly/2vKm5d9
On Oct. 21, Irving Sunrise worked hard in the community with their "Adopt-A-Spot" service project cleaning up their community. Thank you for your Service Above Self!
This is how you make a difference! McKinney Sunset Rotary Club worked at the Heard- Craig Center for the Arts. Thanks to Dana Riley with Volunteer McKinney for coordinating the hundreds of workers across the city for #mckinneymakeadifferenceday.
The RC of San Juan del Sur (SJdS) Nicaragua has reached out to us for financial support due to the aftermath of Hurricane Nate. They are a sister club to the RC of Frisco and RC of Rockwall Noon. They are mainly focusing on the contaminated water issue and providing clean water sources for families who would otherwise not have any. Of all the issues being worked this is the most challenging do to the wide spread flooding that damaged or destroyed many homes. Any help is appreciated!
For those of you who wish to help provide financial aid, the most effective thing we can do it is set up an easy method for donations:
Rockwall Noon RC Foundation-- 501(C)(3)
P.O. Box 446
Rockwall, Texas 75087
Help Needed For Hurricane Nate Aftermath - Nicaragua
MEIER, Frank Lorenz Born on June 21, 1938. Died on October 2, 2017. Services will be held on Saturday, October 28 at 2:00P.M. at Church of the Holy Communion, located at 17405 Muirfield Drive, Dallas 75287. A reception will follow.
Frank leaves behind his 3 daughters: Michelle and husband David Holmes of Richardson, TX, Andrea Meier of Highlands Ranch, CO and Melanie Penwarden Meier of Dallas, TX. He is also survived by his brother Art Meier of San Antonio, seven grandchildren, eight nieces and nephews, loving companion, Sue Allin of Dallas and a host of dear friends. Frank was a caring husband and father and embodied the motto of "service above self."
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in his name to Church of the Holy Communion - Building fund or Museum of Biblical Arts, Dallas, TX. Please view full obituary and leave family condolences at www.AriaCremation.com
The Rockwall Women’s League (RWL) and Rockwall Noon Rotary Club joined together to pack backpacks for kids served by the Children’s Advocacy Center of Rockwall County (CAC). Dodie’s Cajun Diner at The Harbor welcomed Rockwall Rotarians and members of RWL into their restaurant to pack the backpacks with items such as pajamas, socks, toothpaste, and Play-Doh. According to Nancy Parkes, a Rockwall Rotarian and member of RWL, the CAC serves 100 children a year in Rockwall, and many of them come into their care with hardly anything at all.
Register now for Foundation Festival to save $$s! Early bird registration ends Oct. 31st. Our guest speaker is RI President Ian Riseley. This is guaranteed to be an awesome event with gourmet food, live music, open bar (beer & wine) not to mention lots of fellowship. We will also be having a silent auction. To register: http://bit.ly/2vKm5d9
We are 'this close' to ending polio. Join supporters from around the world in the final push to end this disease forever. Take part in World Polio Day on 24 October. endpolio.org. Use this checklist to stay organized leading up to the event:
1. Register your World Polio Event - www.endpolio.org
2. Share your event & photos on Facebook and tag the District so we can share
3. Use these hashtags: #EndPolio #DistrictProud
4. Make a contribution. Every dollar donated will be tripled by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. *To donate, contact your club's Foundation Chair. If you have questions, contact John Moser, District Foundation Chair.
5. Tune into for the World Polio Day livestream on October 24th
All smiles at the 2017 Addison Rotary Open Check Presentation Ceremony last night!! $185,000 will go a long way towards helping families at Ronald McDonald House of Dallas. Awesome job! Just another reason why, we are #DistrictProud.
Addsion Rotary Supports "The House That Love Built"
Park Cities Rotary event "Dentistry with a Heart" celebrated it's 7th year on September 23rd 2017, treating low income Dallas residents for basic dental services. For the 2nd year Agape Clinic hosted the event with; private practice dentists, students from Texas A&M Dental School, nursing students from universities of Baylor, Texas Woman's, West Coast, and Park Cities Rotary who organizes the event each year. In addition to dentistry the health fair provided free medical screenings, flu shots, food from North Texas Food Bank and entertainment from the Mavs MANIAACS. This year was a great success with providing $23,000 worth of dentistry to 43 patients. Thank you for making a difference!
We had a great turnout for the First Lady Lisa's DGS project: 17 out of 65 clubs represented by donations and/or participants in the Walk. There were 18 actual walkers and 2 dogs. Money donated to the Alzheimer's Association totaled $6,226.00. Thank you to all that supported this project!
Royse City Rotary making a difference with a check for $500 to the food pantry, Our Daily Bread, at the First United Methodist Church in Royse City. This represents the money collected from their “Brag Bucket” for the past year. Pictured here are our President, Bill Forbus, Pastor Chris Everson, and Richard Davis, director of Our Daily Bread.
Plano Metro Rotary changes lives with their "Samaritian Inn Move In" project. They successfully outfitt an entire apartment for a resident of the Samaritan Inn to move into an apartment of her own (Also owned by the Samaritan Inn) across the street (In McKinney, Texas). This is the third time in three years this has been done. Past Club President, Stephen Parry says, "It is a very rewarding hands on project……for the club."
Bonham Rotary creating all kinds of smiles today with their annual dictionary project at Finley-Oates which is providing all 3rd graders in Fannin County with their very own dictionary!
The Rotary Club of Grand Prairie worked hard this past weekend as "People of Action" for building a new ramp in their community. They worked in conjunction with the Texas Ramp Builders to complete the project. Great job!
District 5810 enjoyed a fantastic celebration of the 2016-2017 Rotary year Saturday evening at the Eisemann Center in Richardson, TX! Congratulations to the clubs and Rotarians who were recognized for their service to humanity!
It was a great day for The Addison Rotary Club Annual Addison Rotary Open! Fantastic time with friends, new and old as they raised mega bucks for the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas!
There is a request for volunteers for "Rotarians Helping Rotarians" to help do clean up in Houston & Southeast Texas on September 16 & 17. We do not know what kind of work you will be doing. It may be sheetrock in Houston, it may be cleaning out houses in Beaumont. For this operation, people will need to bring any and all tools, work boots, gloves, rakes, brooms, etc they have.
Meet at the HEB parking lot at 9am
130 Sawdust Rd, Spring TX
It is right off 45 in Spring.
If you are interested in volunteering or have more questions, please contact Assistant Governor, Joanna Nichols. She is the lead on this project. Her contact info 1 2104672044 or jjfromtexas@yahoo.com
On September 2, over 600 volunteers from across the District gathered at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church to packaged 227,000 meals for the Hurricane Harvey Evacuees. This was a joint project bewteen Meals of Hope, District 6960 (Florida) and District 5810. We are seeking monetary donations for this relief effort.
Get ready for an evening of good food, music, drinks and festivities with our friends from D5790 on November 18 at the Grand Hyatt - Terminal D at DFW. We will be welcoming Ian Riseley, 2017-18 Rotary International President as our keynote speaker. Tickets are $80 general seating $100 premium seating. To register: http://bit.ly/2vKm5d9
Register Early For Foundation Festival & Save $$s!
Rotary District 5810 and Rotary District 6960 (South Florida) are working in conjucntion with Meals of Hope this Saturday 9/2 at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church to pakcage 200,000 meals for evacuees. We are seeking monetary donations to help fund this project. To donate click here: http://bit.ly/2wVLmTs
The The Addison Rotary Club is selling raffle tickets for $10 or get a book of 12 tickets for $100. This trip is for 5 days, 4 nights at the Southhamptom Beach Resort includes airfare and $600 in spa services! To buy your ticket: click here
It's been a week and half ince Camp RYLA 2017 and the amazing things we are hearing from Rotary clubs across District about their campers experiences makes us excited and proud. Their stories were so moving! They have grown in many ways because of Camp RYLA and we can’t wait to see what great things they do this next year.
Barry Rassin, of the Rotary Club of East Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas, has been selected to be 2018-19 Rotary president. Rassin’s nomination follows Sam F. Owori’s death in July, just two weeks into his term as Rotary International president-elect.http://on.rotary.org/2uneguS
On July 18, the Addison Midday Rotary Club visited Metrocrest Services and helped their "Sack Summer Hunger" campaign. From June 10 to August 5, Metrocrest Services will distribute nutritious easy-to-prepare breakfast, lunch, and snacks to area youngsters. In 2016, Metrocrest Services distributed 143,440 meals through Sack Summer Hunger.
Photo: President Laura Elmore, Sgt Reims, Club Services Director Will Russell and Frisco Police Deputy Chief Greg Ward.
On July 17, Rotary Club of Frisco presented its quarterly First Responders Service Above Self award to Sgt. Jay Reim of the Frisco Police Department. Sgt. Reim is in the criminal investigation department and head the Crimes Against Persons unit. In addition, he serves as the department firearms instructor and defensive tactics instructor.
This award is presented on a quarterly basis, rotating between the Frisco Police Department and Fire Departments, to acknowledge the continued example of the Rotary values of Service Above Self represented by these personnel.
Frisco Awards First Responder For Service Above Self
Twenty three members of the Carrollton-Farmers Branch and guests met at Metrocrest Services to help pack bags of school supplies. They filled close to 150 bags from a list of requested supplies for each grade level and school. Their group is just one of many groups that will gather over the next few days to get ready for handing out the supplies in August. Metrocrest still need more assistance and additional supplies. If you want to provide additional help, contact Brittini Coe, Volunteer Manager at bcoe@metrocrestservices.org.
Just in time for "Back To School", Rotary Club of Coppell is holding it's 8th Annual School Supplies Drive". They collect school supplies for area students who need a little extra help acquiring required supplies,” said Maureen Corcoran, Rotary’s Community Service Chair. “Last year’s Drive was a monumental success due to the support of local businesses, the City of Coppell and the Coppell Chamber of Commerce. This drive runs from August 1 - August 11.
Look at that smile! Allison Tinglov, Rotary Youth Exchange student from McKinney, TX, is glad to be safely home. Approximately 8,000 high school age youth participate in Rotary International's Youth Exchange program every year. The experience is priceless!
If you have a high school youth between the ages of 16-19 who is inquisitive and adaptable to another culture, find out more by contacting your local Rotary Club. Applications in RI District 5810 are due by Nov 1 to apply for school year 2018-19.
Great day at the Rotary Club of Richardson! Chuck Eisemann was honored as the newest member of the Arch Klump Society in our District! Kudos to you, Chuck!
We are all deeply saddened by the unexpected passing of our new friend, Sam Owori. It's hard to believe that less than one week ago we were being encouraged by his words as we met together. We are in contact with Rotary International in Evanston and will bring you the latest information as it becomes available. In the meantime, let us all pause and be thankful for the short time we had with him, and remember his good work to make our world a better place.
Check out this amazing service project "Go Baby Go" that is funded by the Frisco Sunrise Rotary and Frisco Education Foundation to provide mobile support for students with special needs. With the help of Frisco ISD's Engineering students, the students with special needs can lease a customized electric car to move around at home!
This past weekend, Rotary Clubs of Plano Sunrise & North Texas Pioneers joined together for their Annual "Battle Of The Badges Blood Drive". People were able to donate blood and then vote for either Fire or Police in this friendly annual competition. Pictured is Plano Police Chief, Gregory W. Rushin who participates every year in the blood drive.
RI President Elect Sam Owori from Uganada was a special guest of the District this past week. He attend the Park Cities meeting on Friday with DG Rick Amsberry and he was a speaker at the District Roundtable on Saturday.
The Plano Metro Rotary Club toured the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters at The Star in Frisco and connected with the Cowboys in ways they never imagined! They saw Super Bowl Memorabilia, the Nike Star Walk and more.
Richardson East Rotary Club holds a traditional installation dinner party each year. On June 29 PDG Richard Gilman presented long time friend "D" Schieferstein, with an R.I. Presidential tie to wear at special Rotary events. The Gilmans also made newly installed Club President Schieferstein a Paul Harris Fellow. PDG Larry Webb performed a lively installation of all Richardson East officers.
Retaining Members: Imagine if you had attended PETS training when you first became a Rotarian. Well, this is your chance to send your Rotarians to training that far exceeds PETS training when all of the Rotary U courses are combined. This training gives your members an insight into Rotary as they launch or further their Rotary career. The more they know, the more Rotarians are ENGAGED.
NOTE: Rotarians with less than three years of service are first required to attend Level One, ROTARY BASICS, before attending the other levels.
Interested in a great program for your Rotary club? Please click on the following link to access the district's program bank database. District Program Bank Link
Please feel free to email District Program Bank Chair Howard Berg your program recommendations and feedback by clicking here. Howard Berg is the world's fastest reader and is an active member of the e-club.
Join Bill Dendy and Rotarians from Texas on a 7 night Caribbean cruise! We are already taking reservations, with the best cabins (and potential upgrades!) going to those who reserve and make full payment first. Friends and family are most welcome on this once in a lifetime adventure!
We have reserved group space and hope that our friends can take advantage of this special vacation with the super people of Rotary.
The next information meeting for the 2016 (two trips) to Nicaragua is scheduled for Sat. 12, December at 10:00am. The location will be 2201 Ave K, Suite B-100, Plano, TX 75074. For more information, David Bowman, Chair, International Service Committee. Plano Rotary, cell 803-609-4771 and ndbowman@aol.com. PDG. Sandra Forster, sassysdy@gmail.com or PDG, Ean Sullivan 214-552-1509.
Rotary Club of Park Cities Provides Mobile Food Pantry
To purchase the first Mobile Food Pantry in the DFW Metroplex, the Rotary Club of Park Cities (RCPC), partnering with Texas Capital Bank (TCB) will present a check to the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) at noon, Friday, December 11. RCPC members will meet with leaders of TCB at the NTFB’s new headquarters,at the south end of the Dallas Farmers Market.
This partnership, targeting our community’s underserved residents, became especially urgent when the Texas state legislature’s House Bill 1485, which had passed three readings, failed in the last minute. Too many legislators were physically absent, so the bill was thrown out.
The specially designed mobile food pantry is expected to be operational by January, will enable the NTFB to provide services to clients that its usual big trucks can’t reach. Residents in high-need areas, such as apartment complexes, housing units and senior citizens facilities will receive the equivalent of more than 830,000 meals delivered annually.
The Addison Rotary Club celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the Addison Rotary Open (ARO) golf tournament on Monday September 14, 2015 at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano. The ARO is consistently ranked as one of DFW’s top charity golf tournaments and attracts a crowd of nearly 250 golfers. Addison-based GLM, DFW, Inc. returned as the presenting sponsor for the sixth consecutive year and for the eighth year the outing benefits Ronald McDonald House of Dallas (RMHD). Says Mary Galvan, owner of GLM, DFW, “Joe and I are pleased to sponsor this event each year, we believe in the philanthropic efforts of the Addison Rotary and we wholeheartedly support the mission of RMHD.” Ronald McDonald House of Dallas provides a home away from home for families with seriously ill or injured children seeking medical treatment at area hospitals. One of those families, the Turner family from Eufaula, Oklahoma, experienced a lengthy stay at RMHD from February through May of 2015. Clay Turner recounted to the packed room his experience at the House after his five year old son received serious leg and pelvis injuries and his two year old daughter sustained a critical brain injury due to a car accident. Said Turner, “Even though I’m a strong Christian, it was a time of extreme despair and fear for our family and Ronald McDonald House was a source of comfort for us.
The 149th International Rortary Convention takes place in Seoul, Korea from May 28 until June 1, 2016. This year’s convention program offers attendees an outstanding combination of information, inspiration, and entertainment. You’ll hear about new initiatives for the organization. You’ll have the chance to make a positive difference with a hands-on service project.
Participate in pre-convention activities
Even before the convention officially begins, you’re invited to attend special events. Connect with young leaders at the RotaractPre-convention and share ideas at the Youth Exchange Officers meeting. Attend the World Water Summit to learn about the latest water and sanitation initiatives.
It’s Korea! Come early to:
• Stay at a temple to relieve the stress of travel
• Tour Korea with local Rotary members
• Choose from a variety of health screenings and acupuncture therapies
And you’ll delight in unique cultural experiences. Plan now to attend.
Attend Host Organization Committee events
As honored guests of Korean Rotary members, you’ll enjoy special experiences throughout your stay. The Host Organization Committee is planning unforgettable events that will immerse you in Seoul’s distinct culture, including musical and dance performances by local artists. Check back often to see what the HOC has planned for you.
Register
Rotary members, Rotaract members, and club and district employees can register for the convention online. An email confirmation is sent for all registrations, including faxed and mailed registrations. If a letter of invitation is required for your visa application, you will receive it with your confirmation.
Remember registration fees are $ 310 for Rotarians if you register before December 15, 2015.
The fees increase to $ 375 until March 31st.
After April 1, 2016 the fees are $ 440 so it pays to register early.
Visa
American Citizens with valid U.S. passports may enter Korea for a period of 90 days without a visa (arrival day counts as day number one).
The 2014/15 District Awards nominations are due by July 31st.
If you are nominating for club newsletter, small - under 25 members, medium - 25-45, or large - over 45, I will only need a copy of one month's newsletter. Also, remember we have new forms for Rotary club of the year - small, medium, and large.
The Greenville Rotary Club, aka the Noon Rotary Club, honored Pam Queen as Rotarian of the Year and presented William “Buddy” Oxford with the Friend of Rotary Award for 2015 at their annual banquet on June 23.
Outgoing Rotary Club President Troy Brakefield honored Queen for her countless hours spent in the community working with Hunt County Shared Ministries, CASA and Greenville Chamber of Commerce functions, as well as supporting the club’s activities including Chili Fest, the Haunted Landmark, the Cotton Patch Challenge and its student scholarship program.
Oxford was honored for volunteering hundreds of hours over the past few years as security for the club’s Haunted Landmark, which raises funds to support the club’s community programs.
From the club to the national level there is currently a chilling dilemma in Rotary; membership in the U.S. has steadily and significantly declined for over ten years. The numbers don’t lie; membership development efforts in most clubs have not and are not working well! To reverse this we must change the way that we do things, while retaining the core values of Rotary; service above self and doing good in the world. Of those who have, few knew what Rotary is or does.
Who can change this? YOU CAN! New at the upcoming Membership Development Forum:
Panel discussion comprised of “under 40 year olds”, both Rotarians and non-Rotarians
Panel discussion comprised of “seasoned folks”, both Rotarians and non-Rotarians
Open discussion among participants
Project Outlines/Guidelines that your club might decide to implement
Access to a wealth of Rotary’s professionally designed assessment tools, forms and resources
The 2015 Rotary International Convention is in Sao Paulo, Brazil June 6-9, 2015. I recommend that you start planning now. I am including Visa application information and forms, RI Convention Hotel information and the 2015 RI Convention registration information forms. Sao Paulo is going all out to make this an exciting event and on Sunday June 7, 2015 the city will with Rotary International have the annual Carnival Parade and Rotarians will get to participate. There are 134 Carnival Clubs who will be in the parade and the parade rivals the one in Rio. Remember Sao Paulo is the largest city in the Americas.
The Houston RI District is negotiating for another “Cowboy Dinner Cruise” and I hope to have more details soon.
See you in Sao Paulo.
Important dates:
15 DECEMBER 2014 - Early-registration deadline 2 FEBRUARY 2015 - Official housing deadline 31 MARCH 2015 - Pre-registration deadline 30 APRIL 2015 - Registration/ticket cancelation deadline
THE ADDISON ROTARY CLUB PRESENTS A $200,000 CHECK TO RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE OF DALLAS
Thursday, October 9, members of The Addison Rotary Club, presented to Ronald McDonald House of Dallas (RMHD) a check in the amount of $200,000—the proceeds from the club’s annual golf outing held yearly since 1990. Now in its 24th year, the Addison Rotary Open (ARO) took place at Gleneagles Country Club on September 8, 2014; approximately 225 golfers made the event a competitive and fun day. Since 2010, The Addison Rotary Club and its foundation, the Addison Rotary Foundation, has raised more than $1 million for the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas and is the charity’s second largest annual fundraiser. 2014 ARO Chair, Lance Pendley says, “The most amazing part of this story is that The Addison Rotary is a relatively small club with about 45 members which means that each member has raised approximately $22,000 over the past 5 years.” Since the operational cost of a night’s stay at RMHD is $125, it is estimated that the ARO has raised funds to pay for over 8,000 nights at the House with the $1 million raised.
The Rotary Foundation is your source of funds for the programs that are important to you. On November 22, from 9:30 until noon come to the Plano Chamber of Commerce and hear from the people who have benefited from Foundation funds. You will meet other Rotarians and district leaders who will share ideas, projects, and insights into tapping those resources. The Rotary Foundation has a funding model that puts you in charge -- you get to decide how the monies are spent. If you know a scholar that wants to pursue a masters degree, this seminar is for you. If you know of a water or sanitation project that needs to be done, this seminar is for you. If you know of a disease prevention program or a women and children wellness program that needs funding, this seminar is for you. If you are a past scholar or have participated in a globally funded project, come and share your stories.
Many of you have asked how to best honor the memories of Governor Bill & Kathy's mothers who each passed away within two days of each other the week of September 1st.
Many of you have asked how to best honor the memories of Governor Bill & Kathy's mothers who each passed away within two days of each other the week of September 1st.
In accordance with Rotary District 5810’s Manual of Procedure, the District Nominating Committee is pleased to invite any Club in the District to submit its suggestion for District Governor for the Rotary Year 2017 – 2018 to the District’s Nominating Committee.
Nomination s must be submitted by midnight of September 15, 2014.
The Nominating Committee will meet for the selection process on September 20, 2014.
GREENVILLE — Greenville’s Noon Rotary Club has made a big donation toward the effort to purchase new seats for the Greenville Municipal Auditorium (GMA).
“We believe in the motto of ‘service above self’,” said President David Weiland as he presented a $5,000 check to the Greenville City Council Tuesday night.
Has your club planned your FUN activity for the upcoming Adoption Awareness Carnival on Saturday May 17th?
Every year 28,000 children in foster care leave the system without ever finding a permanent family to call their own. Nothing more impacts the life of a child than having a permanent, loving family. As Rotarians, let's reach out and help children in the North Texas foster care system, find their forever families by providing a fun filled event where these children and prospective parents can meet and get to know each other.
It's as simple as 1 -2-3
1. Plan a "carnival booth" type activity for your club to host.
3. Show up on Saturday May 17th in Grand Prairie and have fun!
All Rotarians MUST have a newly completed CPS Texas Background Check verified before the Carnival
Please start submitting your club members background check forms soon. No check, No Entrance.
If you plan to attend, you must complete the attached CPS forms and send to PDG Linda Elliott at governor1011@rotary5810.org or bring them to the April round table. Do not send to CPS.
Only those who have an approved CPS background check will be permitted in the building..
The District Four-Way Test Speech Contest will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2014 at South Grand Prairie High School, 301 West Warrior Trail, Grand Prairie TX 75052
There are many talented students among our clubs which always share new perspectives on life and Rotary
Training for next year's club leadership will occur during the District Conference on Saturday, May 10th at the Rockwall Hilton. Sign up for the Assembly using the Conference registration. If all you are attending is the Assembly, just select Ala Carte and select only the Assembly. Click HERE for registration.
On Monday, September 30th, Austin Pille was involved in an automobile accident on the way to school. The news spread quickly and before Austin could even get to the hospital, the word was reaching far beyond the city limits. Austin played left tackle for the Royse City Bulldogs, number 74. He is a senior this year at Royse City High School. Austin has just returned to Royse City from TIRR Memorial Herman Rehab Center in Houston where he spent several months in intense therapy. He has the use of one arm, partial use of the other arm, and no feeling in his body from the waist down.
The Interact Club decided shortly after the accident that they wanted to do something to help the family.
It was decided to have a Golf Tournament to help with the family's extra costs of remodeling their home, and any other expenses that insurance will not cover.
The Golf Tournament will be Saturday, April 12 at Stone River Golf Club in Royse City with a complimentary lunch at 11:30 and a shotgun start at 1:00 pm. There will be contests for the longest drive and closest to the pin. They are still looking for sponsors, players, and anything for their goody bags.
For further information you may contact Renee Wallace - WallaceR@RCISD.org or 940-390-3440.
Golf tournament - Interact Club of Royse City High
A Rotary tradition at District Conference is to honor those Rotarians who have passed away during our year. Please submit names and their Pictures to Beverly Grogan or Sandra Moudy at bgrogan@gptx.org or smoudy@stei.com. Also, please let us know whom from your club will be attending the service on Sunday, May 11, to place a remembrance flower for this distinguished Rotary Servant. The time of passing is from April 2013 to now. Plus, if you have additional names once you turn this in, please get those to us asap. Yes, that Sunday is Mother’s day, but we will be through well before you take Mom to lunch!
In Memoriam Service - for all Rotarians of the past year
SARASOTA, Fla., April 1, 2014 – As National Volunteer Week, April 6-12, approaches, Bruce Heller, a member of the Rotary Club of Allen Sunrise of Rotary District 5810, has been recognized by President Obama and humanitarian organization, ShelterBox USA with the President’s Volunteer Service Award for his efforts in 2013 to assist disaster survivors.
PARTY AND TRAIN! Come Celebrate Rotary with all of District 5810. We have a full weekend of fun and training planned to celebrate all our accomplishments of the past year. It kicks off with an outdoor concert on the lake! Come make new friends and renew old ones all in the spirit of Rotary fellowship.
More than 480 Rotarians and their guests made REVEALED, District 5810’s Gala and fundraiser, a huge success on Saturday, February 22. The event’s patrons celebrated Service Above Self, the Rotary Foundation, Rotary members, volunteers, and donors at the 4th Annual Humanity in Motion Gala.
The event themed REVEALED, A Masquerade Ball, was held in the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton Anatole Hotel. The night began with a “red carpet” walk for patrons to take selfies and have their photos taken in front of District 5810’s new photo booth backdrop. A silent auction, accompanied by cocktail reception, was followed by dinner and the celebration of Rotary International’s 109th birthday.
The crowed was wowed by tango dances provided by an international group of 24 professional and amateur dancers, arranged by Richardson Rotary’s Dr. Glenn Burnett II. Then came presentations REVEALING Rotary’s dedication to the ideal of Service Above Self, shared by Andy Smallwood, Rotary International’s Treasurer. Smallwood provided an update about the global effort to End Polio Now. Noel Bajat, a Past International Vice President & Trustee of The Rotary Foundation, shared his program entitled Rotary’s Crown Jewel, which REVEALED the Foundation’s commitment to critical and widespread humanitarian needs.
The evening concluded with dancing to the sounds of the Bobby Young and Unique Band. The annual Humanity in Motion Gala represents our District’s largest single fundraising event each year benefiting The Rotary Foundation. Funds were raised via ticket sales, sponsorships, a wine pull, silent and live auctions and direct contributions.
Now is the time for all Presidents-Elect to register for PETS. This year there are 2 options -
If you were unable to attend Lone Star PETS (It is during most district's Spring Break) you must make alternate arrangements. The most convenient will be held in the district on March 29th from 8:00 am - 8:00 pm. To register for this training, please click HERE.
Come Join Us - THIS SATURDAY - 1/25/14 Plano Chamber of Commerce - 8:30am
IT IS NOT TOO LATE. Register under Events now!
Please join other club leaders to discuss Best Practices for Membership Development, What Works & What Doesn't! The forum will be held at the Plano Chamber of Commerce located at 1200 E. 15th Street Plano, 75074 from 8:25 until 10:25.
A SPECIAL REQUEST; PLEASE BRING THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS JOINED AND THE NUMBER LOST TO DATE FOR YOUR CLUB. We would like to cross check this against the District Records.
Carter BloodCare’s check for $ 4,000.00 was presented to the District supporting multiple projects taking place in our District: Peace Symposium, Gala, and District Conference. It was for all of the great work that our many members & clubs in Rotary District 5810 did in and for all of the blood drives in 2013 - 2014 (1 Apr 2013 - 31 Mar 2014)
RI Theme Announced: ”Light Up Rotary” for 2014-2015
Our theme for 2014-2015 has just been announced here in San Diego during International Assembly.
RI President Elect Gary Huang's theme is "Light Up Rotary".
Just as Confucius said: It is better to light a single candle than to sit and curse the darkness. So we in Rotary need to Light our candles and share the life changing work we as Rotarians do.
So join me in "Lighting Up Rotary" for 2014-2015 as we continue to Engage Rotary, Change Lives.
It is an honor and privilege to serve you, our clubs and our members.
If you ever wonder if your contributions to The Rotary Foundation make a difference, take a look at this short video which documents a dental mission trip by Grand Prairie Rotarians to Nicaragua. By the end of the video you will learn that everyone changed as a result of the trip. Obviously the children of Nicaragua were changed with the procedures done but just as important, the Rotarians were changed as well. Grand Prairie will be a better community because of this project funded by The Rotary Foundation.
THREE years ago, on January 13th, Rukhsar Khatun, then 15 months old, was diagnosed with polio. She now has a crippled leg and struggles to keep up with her friends. But this little girl, from a West Bengali village, can claim some fame: she is, with luck, the last Indian to be infected with the wild polio virus. Enough time has passed with no new case for India shortly to be certified as free of Polio.
Honor Flight DFW is a non-profit organization created to honor America’s veterans living in the North Texas area for their service and sacrifices. The all-volunteer group takes veterans to Washington, D.C., for a once-in-a-lifetime, all-expenses-paid trip to reflect at their memorial and to share that moment with the only people who could possibly understand – other veterans. Priority is currently given to veterans who fought in World War II. The time to thank these veterans is quickly running out, with existing WWII veterans well into their 80s and 90s, and the average age of a veteran on the Honor Flight DFW waiting list at 89 years old. The time is short, and the mission is big: Honor Flight DFW has more than 400 WWII veterans on its waiting list.
This interactive seminar will inspire students and adults alike to want to work actively toward peace in the world and in their own communities. Keynote speaker is Jeff Whitfield.
Rotary District 5810 PEACE SYMPOSIUM at SMU's Legacy Campus on February 1st is fast approaching.
If you have not already sent a list of the students your club is sponsoring, please send the list to Vicki Rowe immediately at vickirowe45@yahoo.com no later than January 27th. Also we need to know how many adults from your club will be attending. It is absolutely necessary to know the number of attendees so that we can order the proper number of box lunches and to be able to assign students to breakout sessions. If you do not have the names of the students themselves please at least give us the total number of students and adults you expect to attend. If you have already sent in your list, then THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SMU’s Legacy campus is located at 5228 Tennyson Parkway, Plano (MAPSCO page 556 S). The giant, trailer-mounted Rotary emblem will be near the entrance on the southside of the Parkway.
Registration will take place from 8:30 to 9:15 am and the formal program will begin at 9:30.
The symposium will conclude at 2:45 pm. All students must be picked up or leave the campus no later than 3:30 pm.
GOOD NEWS!! We are still short of our 300 person maximum. Because we have received ample contributions to cover expenses you may register additional students at NO ADDITIONAL cost on a first come basis until the 300 person capacity is reached provided that names are sent to Vicki on or before January 27th.
We want to stay in touch with all club members in our district for email, newsletter distribution and event registration. In addition, the online district directory is published based on the data we have on you in the ClubRunner database. It is important that we have correct information. Your club secretary works hard to enter much of this information, but you also have a role in maintaining current data. There is no charge to you or your club to maintain this database. Please make necessary changes in your ClubRunner Profile when you have a new email, a new physical address or phone number. Here’s how:
The 2013 RI Convention was held June 23-26 in Lisbon, Portugal. Approximately, 24,000 Rotarians attended the convention which turned out to be the largest event the City of Lisbon has ever hosted.
Click here for the latest speaker program bank (4/18/2013.)
Hi Friends! Please email us your favorite programs, so we may include them in the recommended programs list. All feedback on the programs listed will be appreciated. This list will continue to be updated throughout the year and will include your submitted recommendations! Thanks!
Join your Rotary Friends and Family for a great trip to the 2013 Rotary International Convention in Lisbon, Portugal. Leave from Billings, Montana, Denver, Colorado, or Dallas, Texas. Visit beautiful and historic sites in and around Lisbon before and after the Convention.
It is with great sadness Rotary District 5810 shares with our family of Rotary the passing of PDG Mark Healy on February 23.
PDG Mark was an exceptional Rotarian who gave of his time and energy to many. Camp RYLA, New Generations and RILI are examples of his commitment and devotion to Rotary. His loss is deeply felt by each of us. PDG Mark embodied Rotary's motto of "Service Above Self".
Please join us in respecting his family's privacy during this difficult time.
Visitation with the family will be Wednesday, February 27 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Grove Hill Funeral Home located at 3920 Samuell Blvd. Dallas, Texas 75228. It is located near Samuell Blvd and Interstate 30. Click here for a map link: http://goo.gl/maps/6dj1I
The funeral service will be Thursday, February 28 at 10 a.m. at the Wilshire Baptist Church, 4316 Abrams Rd., Dallas, Texas 75214. The church is near Mockingbird and Abrams. Internment will follow at Grove Hill Cemetery. Click here for a map link to the church: http://goo.gl/maps/JYEMO
If you would like to remember Mark with flowers or a donation please do so. Donations to the RYLA Alumni Association in Mark's memory can be sent to William Messer, Camp RYLA Treasurer, 1119 Ryan Ave., Carrollton, Texas 75006.
It is with great sadness to announce the sudden passing of Past District Governor Mark Healy on February 23,.
PDG Mark was an exceptional Rotarian who gave of his time and energy to many. Camp RYLA and New Generations are examples of his commitment and devotion to our youth. His loss is deeply felt by each of us. PDG Mark embodied Rotary's Motto of "Service Above Self".
Please join us in respecting his family's privacy during this difficult time.
As more information becomes available concerning funeral arrangements those details will be shared.
The links below are for videos that have been created to raise awareness about Rotary for members and non-members alike. Please feel free to use them as you see fit. As we find more videos they will be added to the top of the list.
In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina flooded 80 percent of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. More than 100 public schools were destroyed and some 400,000 students were displaced. One year later, Warren Easton Charter High School, the city’s oldest public high school, reopened with help from The Rotary Foundation and volunteers worldwide.
Sandra (Sandy) Forster, currently retired, is the former owner of SunWest Activewear. SunWest Activewear was a commercial embroidery and promotional products company she owned and operated for over 14 years. SunWest specialized in safety award programs to the Trucking and Transportation industry.
See the promotional videos for Rotary in the DFW area featuring Chad Hennings, former Dallas Cowboy defensive lineman and three time Super Bowl champion. www.rotarydfw.org is our latest web site where information about Rotary clubs in both district 5810 and 5790 can be found.
Come out to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington to help
support Rotary International's End Polio Now campaign.
There will be a pre-game presentation and other
awareness segments throughout the game.
The Texas Rangers will donate a portion of each ticket
purchased to the End Polio Now campaign.
To order tickets, please visit www.texasrangers.com/district5810 password: rangers.
Service fees will apply. For groups of 20 or more, or if you have any questions,
please email Derek England at DEngland@texasrangers.com
or
call at 817-273-5257.
SATURDAY, JULY 24, 2010
Angels vs. Rangers - 7:05 p.m.
Stoney Larue Post-Game Concert
at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
Rotary International District 5810
END POLIO
NOW NIGHT
DISCOUNTED TICKETS
Lower Box (Reg. $50) $38
All You Can Eat (Reg. $34) $33
Corner Box (Reg. $40) $27
Lower Reserved (Reg. $30) $23
Upper Reserved (Reg. $15) $15
To view seating diagram, visit www.texasrangers.com
At the Scottish Rite Library & Museum
(formerly know as the Scottish Rite Cathedral)
500 S. Harwood, Dallas, TX 75201
All clubs are invited
We will be presenting the published District awards:
Club Presidential Citations Interact and Rotaract Presidential Citations Some very special recognition awards to both clubs and individual Rotarians
and a wrap up of this Year in Rotary District 5810
Attendance is FREE!
Parking is FREE!
Fun, fellowship, great memories of the achievements of our District Rotarians
Light snacks
Cash bar.
The reception will be from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
the Honors will be presented from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the Scottish Rite Theater.
Bill Rolston is Chair of the Awards Committee and has worked very hard to make this a night to remember.
Please CLICK HERE and register; there is no charge but the committee needs to know how many Rotarians plan to attend.
As a result of the recent earthquakes in Haiti, we've seen first-hand the effects of calamaties such as this on people's lives - tremendous loss of life, loss of jobs, loss of a functioning government, massive loss of limbs, etc. We can make a difference in the life of someone who has lost a limb today by purchasing a wheelchair.
An opportunity has just been given to us by the Wheelchair Foundation and we can purchase a container (280 wheelchairs) for $25,000 instead of the usual rate of $42,000 for a container.
$89/chair rather than $150/chair.
Information that RI set up today, including the Donor Advised Fund -Haiti that they have opened that allows folks to donate any amount, small or large to be funneled through the Rotary DAF team TRF has in Haiti.
Everyone in the District is welcome, but club Presidents, Presidents Elect, International Service Chairs, Foundation Chairs, and Community Service Chairs are strongly encouraged to attend.
Registration includes a light breakfast, coffee, beverages, lunch and course materials.
Please join us as we share the heart of Rotary, the Rotary Foundation, and discuss:
The role of the Foundation
Scholarship applications and eligibility
Matching grants and district simpified grants
The levels of and how to give to the Foundation and the significance of recognition
Group Study Exchange (GSE)
Opportinities to contribute to Polio eradication, wheelchairs, and clean water wells in Africa
Register and pay at the door. Make check payable to Rotary District 5810. OR
Register and pay here on the website.
Click here to see pictures of Governor Dave Mcspadden's Installation ceremony which was held at the Frontiers of Flight Museum on Tuesday June 30, 2009.
Dave McSpadden was born and raised in San Angelo, Texas. Dave's career in being of service started with the role model of his parents in the community and in church. With their encouragement, Dave earned Scouting awards of Eagle Scout, God and Country Award and Explorer Silver Award.
Upon graduation from high school, Dave did a tour in the U.S. Army in a construction engineering battalion. After the Army he attended San Angelo College (now Angelo State University) studying business.
Posted by Easley B. (Ley) Waggoner on Jan 12, 2009
Hallie Warnock is the daughter of Rotary Club of Park Cities member Kirby Warnock and our Club's Youth Exchange student in France this year. She was the inaugural president of our Interact club at Hillcrest High School last year. Here's her latest news -
Hello Rotary,
As of January the 26th I will have lived in France for five months. I know everyone says this but I can't believe how fast it has gone by. In the close to five months that I've been here I have joined French Scouts and the rock climbing club. I've also managed to make amazing friends that have helped my French tremendously and I have been inseparable from them from the beginning. In July I will be even lucky enough to have two of them come visit me in Texas and stay with me. And despite the Rotary myths, I've managed to lose 16 pounds!
Posted by Easley B. (Ley) Waggoner on Jan 12, 2009
News From Hallie Warnock
Editor: KIRBY WARNOCK
Hallie is the daughter of Rotary Club of Park Cities member Kirby Warnock and is our Club's Youth Exchange student in France this year. She was the inaugural president of our Interact club at Hillcrest High School last year. Here's her latest news -
Hello Rotary,
As of January the 26th I will have lived in France for five months. I know everyone says this but I can't believe how fast it has gone by. In the close to five months that I've been here I have joined French Scouts and the rock climbing club. I've also managed to make amazing friends that have helped my French tremendously and I have been inseparable from them from the beginning. In July I will be even lucky enough to have two of them come visit me in Texas and stay with me. And despite the Rotary myths, I've managed to lose 16 pounds!
District Governor LB Showalter and District Governor Elect Dave McSpadden authorized a 2009-2010 Leadership Seminar coordinated by 2009-2010 Governors Aide Larry Fuller and conducted by 2009-2010 Training Director George Ritcheske.
Today, You or Your Rotary Club Can Make a Difference!
You can give hope, mobility, freedom, dignity and independence to another human being. You can change the life of a child , teen or adult with a physical disability, as well as the lives of every member of their family.
Rotary District 5810 and Veterans Coalition for North Central Texas Veterans Career Development Program
Our Veterans futures are important. They served us and gave of themselves to protect our freedom, now it is our chance to ensure their future. You can make a lasting impact in the life of a veteran through a new mentoring program.
Mission Statement: To provide Military Veterans with services and resources through participating Rotary and Coalition members so our heroes can make a transition towards success.
A project of the Rotary Clubs of Districts 5890 (Houston, TX), 4110 (Mexico) and hopefully 5810.
Clinic Founded over 30 years ago by an Optometrist from Lake Jackson Texas
We have two types of clinics – Eye/Dental and Craniofacial.
To ensure complete financial transparency in our district, monthly financial statements are now available online. To access these statements go to the Member Only Download page and follow the links. Please note that you must be logged in to view the statements. If you have any questions about the statements or information contained therein, please contact District Treasurer Rob Banes.