Rotary E-Club of Central Texas joined NxNE Rotary in a very successful project packaging rice, beans and dried vegetables to be sent where food and hunger are a big problem. We bagged 10,152 meal kits and Rise Against Hunger will let us know soon what country it will be sent to. Members Martha Myers, Linda Tyler, Joan and Kent Bohls and their grandchildren Conrad and Smith Bohls helped package food at Casa Chapala Mexican Food Restaurant owned by President of NxNE Rotary Lupe Barragan. Lupe was so generous to provide breakfast tacos, coffee and O.J. for everyone. It was a wonderful opportunity to serve.
This project was funded by our DAP Grant which is a reminder that what we give to the Rotary Annual fund on My Rotary comes back to us to use for projects!
On September 27, the Rotary E-Club of Central Texas enjoyed a picnic at the 9E Ranch Cabins between Bastrop and Smithville. We were honored to have District Governor Rick Stacy, PDG Jim Henry and our own PDG Suresh Pahwa and PDG Gene Davenport at the picnic. DG Rick Stacy spoke and said we were doing a good job. PDG Jim Henry presented our club with a banner showing we are a 100% Paul Harris Club- a huge honor! Nancy Keck, Ashley Rodriguez, Martha Myers, Sam Haddad were all recognized for their service. Paul Harris awards were given to Brigitte Pahwa and Kent Bohls. We are thankful to PDG Gene Davenport, our Foundation Chair for really helping us receive the award by "keeping our eye on the ball" and helping us to understand how this shapes the culture of our club. This is really amazing for a club that is only 5 years old not to mention all the Global Grants we have been involved in thanks to PDG Suresh Pahwa.
On September 30 Rotary E Club of Central Texas held our second very successful food drive. It was all about "Stuff the Truck" with food. The truck was parked in a central location in Austin. Friends and other Rotary Clubs were told about the Mobile Food Drive and the food came- 1060 pounds of food filled the truck and was donated to St. Louis Catholic Church Food Pantry. We sat in lawn chairs by the truck under the shade of big oak trees and it became a Party during the Pandemic. Neighbors and people driving by were curious and stopped to ask what we were doing. When they knew, they went in their homes and brought more food. Other Rotary Clubs that participated were Rotary Club of Cedar Park-Leander, Austin Rotary, Rotary Club of N.W. Rotary, NxNE Rotary, University Rotary Club, and Cosmopolitan Rotary. We all felt so good about the project and had fun doing it. Thank you to all who came and helped!
Every member who sets up an automatic monthly donation of $10 or more in MY ROTARY -Annual Fund or has donated at least $100 since July 1,2020 will be entered in a drawing at the January meeting. So far the prizes include: One night stay at the 9E Ranch Cabins Lost Pines, honey from "My Hot Honey" from Tiesa Hollaway and Soap from http//Bocamicrofarm.com donated by Erin Bocanegra.
The following members are already in the drawing pool: Nancy Keck, Carol and Jerry Lozano, Gene Davenport, Martha Myers, Brigitte Pahwa, Twyla Weaver, Elizabeth Hallmark, Erik Svenkerud, Joan and Kent Bohls. Don't get left out of the fun prizes and if you want to add to the prizes, let me know.
Online credit card contributions can be made monthly with a $10 transaction minimum. Donors can enroll using the Rotary Direct enrollment form, The Rotary Foundation Contribution Form or by calling the Support Center at +1-866-9ROTARY, or by going online at my.rotary.org/rotary-direct.
Donors can modify or cancel their recurring gift at any time through My Rotary. After you sign in, click on the down arrow to the right of your name in the upper right hand corner of the webpage. Choose the My Donations link. On the Donor Self Service page, scroll down to the Your Active Recurring Donations section. Click Edit.
Linda Tyler suggested that we start collecting change in a jar at home and put all our loose change in it and then every few months we take it to the bank and then make a donation to the Rotary Foundation Annual Fund or RESCUSA. Ironically, the next day in the newspaper there was an article that said the banks are short on coins. The banks are limiting the coins a merchant can get. " The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted the supply chain and normal circulation patterns for US Coin" the US government said. So let's take a jar and look around our home for change. Take it to the drive through at the bank, deposit it and make a donation in that amount to My Rotary (sign in and donate to Annual Fund) or RESCUSA on Rotaryeclubcentex.org. This last Rotary year was a significant year for our club receiving honors and recognitions for supporting the "Annual Fund"! Let's do it again a little at a time with "Change for it! Change" making a goal by this time next year everyone gives $100. Change for change- we can do !
We are reminded not only does Rotary connect the World through it's 1.2 million members. In these challenging, difficult times, we are discovering wisdom that we are all connected. We catch diseases as individuals who are part of families, and families are part of cities, and cities are part of states and nations. Our globe can be changed because of our interconnectedness. Knowing this we become aware of other virus that spread among us from person to person from generation to generation and I am referring to social and spiritual viruses like racism. I am reading the book How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram Kend
Rotary E-Club had a prominent role in the District 5870 Celebration of Clubs held July 18, 2020 via Zoom. Kent Bohls led the Celebrationof Life remembering 21 district Rotarians who have died over the past 14 months. Sam Haddad, Martha Myers and Nancy Keck were recognized for their leadership in the district. Ashley Rodriguez will chair Youth Services for the coming year.
E-Club was recognized for being one of 34 clubs for being 100% TRF (every member giving at least $25 to one of the Rotary International Funds); we were 1 of 33 clubs who achieved EREY (each member gave at least $25 and the club average was over $100 per member); we were 1 0f 24 clubs who were Sustaining Members (each member was credited with giving at least $100). Our club also is 100% Paul Harris Fellows. Our club members also gave over $1500 to Polio Plus.
District 5870 created the Rock Star Challenge last fall to get us onboard for branding; there were 5 levels. 29 clubs made levels 1 and 2; 20 made level 3; 17 made level 4; 15 made all 5, including E-Club! We will receive a specially created banner and a Facebook Cover photo!
We were notified we will also be receiving the Rotary Citation for the 2019-20 year!
We have done awesome service projects during the year and now have the approval for our $96,525 Global Grant with Nepal!
Thank you to everyone who donated to our food drive. It was a great success with over 1000 pounds of food donated.
Rotary E-Club of Central Texas is part of Rotary International, the largest service organization in the world with over 1.2 million members. We work in our communities and globally to make a positive difference in the world!
At Rotary, we have no tolerance for racism. Promoting respect, celebrating diversity, demanding ethical leadership, and working tirelessly to advance peace are central tenets of our work.
We have more work to do to create more just, open and welcoming communities for all people.
We know there are no easy fixes and that challenging conversations and work lie before all of us. Rotary’s strength has long been our ability and commitment to bringing people together. We will tap into that strength now as we stand with those who are working for peace and justice.
Rotary will do our part to listen, learn and take action to ensure that we continue to contribute to making positive change.
June 2020 My Rotary journey began 40 years ago when I joined the Rotary Club of Decatur, Alabama, at the age of 25, and it has brought my family and me many unforgettable moments. But nothing could have prepared me for connecting with the world as president of Rotary International. My individual Rotary journey has become a shared Rotary journey with each of you.
All of the incredible people Gay and I met this year — Rotarians, Rotaractors, and the extended family of Rotary — will be an inspiration for the rest of our lives. We visited clubs and projects from Uruguay to Ukraine, from Nigeria to New Zealand, and beyond. We were privileged to crisscross the globe, circumnavigating it twice and moving back and forth between the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Each country and each stop held its own Rotary magic. While in Zimbabwe in March, we participated in a medical vocational training team mission with Rotarians from India, providing health, hope, and life itself to the thousands who came for treatment. We also felt the energy of more than 300 young people at a Rotary Youth Symposium in Harare. What a thrill it was to be with these young people!
District 5870 has contributed a total of District Designated Funds of $111,102 to Covid-19 related activities. We created and funded a District DAP Grant in the amount of $61,102. We were awarded from The Rotary Foundation a District Disaster Response Fund Grant in the amount of $25,000.
This total of $86,102 will be contributed to three hospital organizations who have a footprint in all corners of our District. These organizations are Baylor Scott & White Central Texas Foundation, Ascension Seton Foundation and St. David’s Foundation. The donations are exclusively to be used for the purchase of Personal Protective Equipment to be distributed to hospitals and clinics throughout our District.
My goal in this writing is to succinctly describe the “big picture” of the Foundation. I also encourage each member to study the Foundation on Rotary.org—there is more detail to reinforce what Kent and I will offer during May.
Bottom line—We want all members to understand the Foundation and thusly support it with an annual donation.
In my judgement, the RI Foundation is an ingenious creation designed to support the vision of “World Peace and Understanding.” It has an “endowment component” made up primarily from bequest gifts to assure the fund well into the future. It has a “designated gifts” component, that includes support of polio-plus, peace scholars, disaster relief, as examples. It has a “World Fund” component from which major initiatives attack world wide issues. It has an “Annual Fund “ component that is designed to create a partnership with local Districts and Clubs. It seeks to generate funds for local community and global initiatives. Each year, each District receives back half of the club donations made three years prior. These funds are then expended through a grant process let by each Governor.
If you have not made a donation to the “annual fund” this Rotary year, please do so. A $25 donation goes a long way to serve others above self.
I spend a lot of time thinking of family, not just my own or the extended family of Rotary, but also the families we are helping in the communities we serve. In many parts of the world, mothers and children face challenges to survive that most of us will never comprehend. According to the World Health Organization, the risk of a woman in a low-income country dying during pregnancy or childbirth, or from related causes, is about 120 times higher than that of a woman living in a high-income country. It is encouraging that infant mortality rates are declining globally, yet 4 million babies annually still die within the first year of life.
Rotary International President-elect Holger Knaack is encouraging Rotarians to seize the many opportunities Rotary offers to enrich their lives and the communities they serve. Knaack, a member of the Rotary Club of Herzogtum Lauenburg-Mölln, Germany, revealed the 2020-21 presidential theme, Rotary Opens Opportunities, to incoming district governors at the Rotary International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA, on 20 January.
Rotary isn’t just a club for people to join, but rather “an invitation to endless opportunities,” said Knaack, who becomes president on 1 July. He emphasized that Rotary creates pathways for members to improve their lives and the lives of those they help through service projects.
Ordinary Rotarians can find themselves in extraordinary circumstances.
This is the fifth annual appearance of What It’s Like, a proven favorite with readers inside and outside Rotary. If you’re a Rotarian with a great story — or you know someone connected with Rotary who’s got a fantastic tale — we want to hear it. Look for the best stories in future issues of The Rotarian.
Rotarians of E-Club Central Texas are making a difference in their communities and by reaching around the world with Rotary Foundation Global Grants. We are so excited to be working on our first global grant with four clubs in Nepal to provide teacher training and technology in their schools. If you would like to donate it will count towards a P.H. award and make a big difference. Contact Suresh Pahwa on the details. Thank you!
We just want to say thank you to all who joined us on the bat cruise. It was great to see everyone. If you have photos to share please send to Linda Tyler and we will add them to our photo album.
We will be taking orders through the fall until November 19 with distribution of products at the board meeting/social Dec. 3rd (In time for holiday delivery). This is our only fundraiser for the year and we use the funds to support Pecan Springs, RYLA, Interact and so much more! Please consider supporting us!
We don’t always see ourselves this way. We don’t talk much about being “peacemakers” even in times when people most desire peace. People want peace in their home, community, state, nation, or world. We long for it, but don’t usually see ourselves as the “peacemakers.” But it is true. That is who we are.
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:
Host a gathering for friends and club members to watch the Online Global Update.
Organize a fundraiser and invite guests to experience what its like to vaccinate children by viewing Rotary's virtual reality film, "Two Drops of Patience." (Download Rotary's VR app to your Apple or Android device.)
Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper about the importance of ending polio. Send it to the letters or opinion page editor for consideration.
Share information about Rotary's efforts to eradicate polio on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
The sponsoring Rotary Clubs for Pecan Springs met with the new Interim Principal, Andrea Williams to kick off the new school year. We are all excited about getting started and helping the students at the school.
Pictured: Vicky Lindsey/ Mary Reynolds (ARC), Brenda Osbon (E-Club), Tony Ruff (Cosmo), Jean Nelle/Hen Koock/Ivan Milman (University), Andrea Williams Interim Principal At Pecan Springs Early College Prep Austin.
July 20 was our club planning session for 2019-20. We had great participation and got lots accomplished. Thank you DG Jim Henry for your guidance and for inducting our officers. Members who were unable to attend can view club documents for more information.
New members joined us and contributed greatly. We are so happy to have them join us. Welcome Carol, Jerry, Celeste, Tiesa and Erin.
Ashley wore her Rotary shoes!
Martha was presented with Service Above Self award for her deep commitment to Rotary.
When PDG Bruce Golden called me back in February 2017 to let me know I was the District Governor Designee I was thrilled. I also thought to myself, July 1, 2019 is a long way away. Well, it wasn’t that far away because we are here now. A new Rotary year is underway. My training as well as the training for all District and Club officers is over. I was able to accompany PDG Jerry Chapman on over 80% of his club visits and met many of you at that time. I am really looking forward to my visit to all of the clubs and meeting with as many of you as possible. I am so excited for the year ahead and the things that we can accomplish.
During the month of June, a contest was held to challenge the Rotarian advisors of District 5870’s Interact Clubs to register their Clubs with Rotary International in time for the start of the new Rotary year. Six Rotarians representing ten Interact Clubs entered the contest. All of the clubs were entered in a drawing for $50 to be awarded to an Interact Club that met the qualifications.
And the winner is… Benold Middle School Interact Club, Mr. Julian A. Grant, Advisor!
If you missed the contest deadline, you can still easily register your Interact Club(s) by going to https://my.rotary.org/en/report-your-interact-club-advisor Complete the information, submit and your annual reporting requirement for Rotary International is finished.
What are you waiting for? Why not get ‘er done today?
Mark Daniel Maloney is a principal in the law firm of Blackburn, Maloney, and Schuppert LLC, with a focus on taxation, estate planning, and agricultural law. He represents large farming operations in the Southeastern and Midwestern United States, and has chaired the American Bar Association’s Committee on Agriculture in the section of taxation. He is a member of the American Bar Association, Alabama State Bar Association, and the Alabama Law Institute.
Caroline Barboza, far left, a junior at Manor New Tech High School, and Hailey Sherrill, a senior at Smithville High school, were chosen to represent Bluebonnet at the 2019 Government-in-Action Youth tour, which includes a trip to Washington DC and a $1000 scholarship. Caroline is a member of the Interact club at Manor New Tech High School which is sponsored by Rotary E-Club District 5870. Jacob Neidig, a senior at Elgin High School, center, is the alternative.
RYLA will be held from June 30-July 5 at McKinney Roughs in Bastrop. We will be involved in a number of events including serving one of the meals. In order to participate you must complete the volunteer form which can be found here. You cannot participate unless this form is completed.
Many thanks again to Joan and Kent for arranging the Shelter Box presentation and for hosting Jessica at their property, 9E Ranch Cabins. We were delighted that District Governor,Jerry Chapman, was also in attendance. Jessica Metcalf, the Strategic Giving officer, gave an in-depth talk about the organization and its work throughout the globe.
Shelter Box has made such a difference by supplying housing and supplies to those who have been displaced by disaster and conflict. The most recent focus has been as a result of Typhoon Idai in Southern Africa. Over 1.5 million people have been affected by it.
Please join us in congratulating Beverly Luedke of the Rotary Club of Temple South who has been selected by the District Nominating Committee to serve as our Governor for Rotary Year 2021-2022.
We just want to say thank you to all who joined us on the bat cruise. It was great to see everyone. If you have photos to share please send to Linda Tyler and we will add them to our 
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24 October is World Polio Day! 
The sponsoring Rotary Clubs for Pecan Springs met with the new Interim Principal, Andrea Williams to kick off the new school year. We are all excited about getting started and helping the students at the school..JPG)
July 20 was our club planning session for 2019-20. We had great participation and got lots accomplished. Thank you DG Jim Henry for your guidance and for inducting our officers. Members who were unable to attend can view club documents for more information.
New members joined us and contributed greatly. We are so happy to have them join us. Welcome Carol, Jerry, Celeste, Tiesa and Erin. 
Ashley wore her Rotary shoes! 
When PDG Bruce Golden called me back in February 2017 to let me know I was the District Governor Designee I was thrilled. I also thought to myself, July 1, 2019 is a long way away. Well, it wasn’t that far away because we are here now. A new Rotary year is underway. My training as well as the training for all District and Club officers is over. I was able to accompany PDG Jerry Chapman on over 80% of his club visits and met many of you at that time. I am really looking forward to my visit to all of the clubs and meeting with as many of you as possible. I am so excited for the year ahead and the things that we can accomplish. 
The district installation of officers was a great event attended by our members
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Caroline Barboza, far left, a junior at Manor New Tech High School, and Hailey Sherrill, a senior at Smithville High school, were chosen to represent Bluebonnet at the 2019 Government-in-Action Youth tour, which includes a trip to Washington DC and a $1000 scholarship. Caroline is a member of the Interact club at Manor New Tech High School which is sponsored by Rotary E-Club District 5870. Jacob Neidig, a senior at Elgin High School, center, is the alternative. 
RYLA will be held from June 30-July 5 at McKinney Roughs in Bastrop. We will be involved in a number of events including serving one of the meals. In order to participate you must complete the volunteer form which can be found .JPG)
Many thanks again to Joan and Kent for arranging the Shelter Box presentation and for hosting Jessica at their property, 9E Ranch Cabins. We were delighted that District Governor,Jerry Chapman, was also in attendance. Jessica Metcalf, the Strategic Giving officer, gave an in-depth talk about the organization and its work throughout the globe.
Please join us in congratulating Beverly Luedke of the Rotary Club of Temple South who has been selected by the District Nominating Committee to serve as our Governor for Rotary Year 2021-2022.