Keynote Speaker: Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Michael Naig
Our annual Rural-Urban Day is always one of the bright spots in our Rotary year when our agriculture friends join us for some great food and a wonderful speaker. This year, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Michael Naig will give our keynote address. Rotarian Bob Regenwether recently stated, “Mike spoke at a meeting I was at this week. He did an excellent job.”
Rotarians are asked to arrive by 11:45 to help greet and get paired up with our 50+ invited guests.
Rotary International is closely monitoring the outbreak of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, and continuously assessing the potential impact on Rotary operations, events, and training meetings.
UPDATE 3 March 2020 — With an increase in total global cases, we recommend that Rotary members and participants follow the guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and your national, regional, or state health authorities to protect the health and safety of our members and program participants. If it’s recommended, postpone or cancel in-person meetings or hold them online or by phone. If there are travel advisories, exercise caution, during district or club travel. If you have any questions about travel related to a global grant, contact your regional grants officer.
27 February 2020 — The Rotary International Convention is still scheduled for 6-10 June in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. We’re following the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), which “did not recommend any travel or trade restrictions, based on the current information available,” in its latest statement on the topic.
We will continue to watch for developments and follow the recommendations of WHO, the U.S. State Department, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We will prepare to make any necessary adjustments to our plans for the Rotary International Convention. We will take all precautions that are needed to protect convention attendees. Your health and safety are our top priorities.
We will keep you informed through riconvention.org, through the Convention News newsletter, and by email.
Check our travel ban list to confirm that travel to your intended destination is permitted.
Are you or a fellow Rotarian looking to grow in District 5970 and Rotary International? We’ve begun the search for the 2023-2024 Rotary Year District Governor. As District Governor, you’ll be charged with leading the district, serving as an officer of RI and most importantly inspiring our clubs to reach new heights. Get the complete position description.
To apply, you must meet the following qualifications include:
Be a current member in good standing
Completed 7 years of Rotary membership prior to taking office
Served a term as President of a Rotary Club,
Possess good leadership skills
Have strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with others
Able to speak in public
Desire to promote the good work of Rotary on a local and international level
If you’re ready to take on this Rotary leadership role please complete this Application. It requires your secretaries certification. Please send the completed form by Monday March 16, 2020 to District Executive Secretary Suellen Kolbet at des@district5970.org
March is the month we celebrate Rotaract — and this has been quite a year for our young partners in service.
Last spring, the Council on Legislation elevated Rotaract in our constitution: Rotary International is now the association of both Rotary clubs and Rotaract clubs. Then in October, the Rotary Board of Directors eliminated the artificial Rotaract age limit and took other steps to break down barriers that were preventing Rotaract from growing in some parts of the world.
These steps were long overdue, because Rotaract is a vision of what Rotary must become. Not only do we need to open our doors to our young colleagues, but we also have to open our ears and minds to the Rotary experience they find most engaging. That is one of the best ways we will meaningfully grow Rotary.
When I say grow Rotary, I mean it in many ways. We need to grow our service and to grow the impact of our projects. Most importantly, however, we need to grow our membership, so that we can achieve more. Rotaractors provide this opportunity, not only because they can transition to Rotary at the time that is right for them, but also because they understand what it will take to attract others like them.
Business as usual will not work for us anymore. Bringing in more members to replace the ones we lose is not the answer. It is like pouring more water into a bucket full of holes. We need to address the root causes of member loss in many parts of the world: member engagement that is not what it should be, and our member demographic that skews steadily older.
It is time to make some fundamental changes. We already know what the barriers are to an engaged and diverse membership. It is time to act on what we know: creating new membership models, opening new paths to Rotary membership, and building new Rotary and Rotaract clubs where the existing clubs do not meet a current need.
New club models represent an opportunity to connect with a more diverse group of individuals — particularly those who are unable or unwilling to join our traditional clubs. While new club models have been emerging for some time, it is up to district governors to make them a reality. In January at the International Assembly, our incoming district governors took part in an exercise called Build Your Own Club Model. It was a wonderful experience that put them in the right frame of mind for the work ahead.
Ultimately, however, it will be up to Rotaractors and young Rotarians to create new club models that are most meaningful to the next generation. We may think we know what young people want from Rotary clubs in the future, but I am confident that what young people say will surprise us. It will be our job to support their innovation, for it will help us grow Rotary as Rotary Connects the World.
One reason we have amazing programs and speakers is to entice more community leaders to be a part of our club. Invite someone to have lunch and learn about one of these upcoming topics!
3/16 - Census 2020! It's coming are you ready? Learn ways to engage your community and constituents as well as what the Census data can do for you.
3/23 - Dave Beaty and the Air Service Working Group
4/6 - Birthdays and a presentation by Bruce Willemsen, Owner of Big Timber Barn Company. At Big Timber Barn Company, we’re passionate about constructing solid, rugged, and beautiful barns that will be a timeless addition to your estate. Whether you’re looking for an exquisite barn home, a space for hosting weddings and events, a unique commercial structure, or a functional storage or livestock barn, we can design a custom space that fits all your needs. https://bigtimberbarns.com/
4/13 - Waterloo Rotary VOLUNTEER DAY at the Northeast Iowa Food Bank! We will meet offsite at the Food Bank for lunch brief updates and an actual work project. More details to come. Timeframe will be noon-1:00.
