At last week's meeting, past president of Rotary Sunrisers, David Munch was the vocational speaker. David is the CEO of Finlandia Village and has been part of the facility for the past 27 years. The Finlandia Village in Sudbury provides a continuum of care to older adults in the region, which includes housing options for those who are still mobile and independent as well as a long-term care facility on site for those in need of more care. David told Sunrisers that his vocation found him shortly after graduating from the commerce program at Laurentian University. He enjoys working with people and seniors, listening to their life stories and helping them with the aging process. Dedicated staff, high infection control standards, Wi-Fi and virtual technology were key to getting residents at Finlandia through COVID-19. David is hoping to establish a research institute on aging at Finlandia.
The Plasma Drive needs your help to reach the donation goal! Please contact Brandi Braithwaite to sign up for a time to donate.
As we prepare for the upcoming year, we are sending out the dues invoice. What the year will look like is somewhat uncertain however hopeful that by fall we will be returning to guidelines that are more similar to pre-pandemic.
We do ask for prompt feedback with the invoices, as any members who appear on our roster July 1st we do have to pay fees to Rotary International. If you do not plan on returning as a member, I would ask you please let me know. As always, we are interested in feedback from members that have decided to move on to other commitments.
Join us as we race (virtually) around District 7010 for the month of July to raise money for Rotary’s Environmental Fund and win money for the environmental charity or project of your choice (if you’re the fastest).
The 2021 Virtual Convention will be better than ever, opening more innovative opportunities to learn and to engage with the family of Rotary, near and far. You’ll be able to network in virtual lounges, meet new partners in service, and join fun activities with Rotary members from around the world.
This event is open to all Rotary members and participants from 12-16 June 2021. Registration fees are as follows:
Promotional rate: US$49* through 11:59:59 (Chicago time - CDT) 7 May
US$65 - 8 May through 16 June
*Registration must be paid in full between 16 April and 7 May to receive the US$49 rate.
Rotary News
The LGBT Rotarians and Friends Fellowship is a group in the family of Rotary, dedicated to promoting global friendship, service and education. The fellowship aims to create an inclusive, understanding and welcoming community, fostering goodwill and peace, and realizing a world that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for LGBT+ people.
I was one of the first openly transgender presidents of a Rotary club in the world. When I was president, we had a Rotary/LGBT community information exchange meeting. None of those things could have happened 10 years ago. — Monica Mulholland, Rotary Club of Queenstown, New Zealand
by Joseph Derr
During a breakout session on “Welcoming the LGBTQ Community Into the Family of Rotary” during the 2017 Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, Michelle Wilson, a member of the Rotary Club of Athens Sunrise, Ohio, had a question. “I asked, ‘Why doesn’t Rotary have a group for LGBT+ people?’” When she added, “We should start one,” she says, “the response was overwhelming.”
Before the session had even ended, Sean O’Hara, a member of the Rotary Club of Lake Charles Happy Hour, Louisiana (and later the fellowship’s first president), had opened a Facebook group for LGBT people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender). Wilson left the meeting with a stack of business cards from people who wanted to be part of the new group. The LGBT Rotarians and Friends Fellowship was born.
In between regular Zoom events held in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, members like Wilson — who is the group’s current president — are talking to clubs about promoting diversity and telling the story of being LGBT in Rotary.
The fellowship is seeking to work with clubs on projects that support the LGBT community and to offer resources to clubs that want to be more diverse and welcoming to all.
