We made it through PETS!
It was great to see all of our PE’s and AG’s at PETS in Orlando this past weekend. I hope that all of you have been energized and inspired for your upcoming Rotary year. I think many of you have learned over this past weekend that Rotary is indeed a vast organization full of good people willing to help you have your best year possible leading your club.
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Many Rotarians throughout the District have been inquiring about how we can assist with getting humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine. Our Northeast Florida Family of Rotary are saddened and concerned about Russia’s premeditated-unprovoked attack on the people of the Ukraine, creating a massive humanitarian crisis.
Reports of Russia’s human-rights abuses mount daily. The Russian Military is conducting bombing attacks from the air-ground-Black Sea, hitting schools, hospitals, residential buildings; destroying critical infrastructure, which provides millions of people across Ukraine with communications, drinking water, fuel, and electricity to keep them from freezing during winter. Civilian cars and ambulances have been destroyed by the Russian Troops.
It is being reported that such attacks have killed hundreds of civilians, including children, and wounded hundreds more. This violence has driven over a million Ukrainians from their country so far-women, children, elderly, and the disabled. These people are modern-day European refugees journeying through war-torn areas. Our District Emergency & Disaster Relief Committee and District Leadership are in ongoing communication with Ukraine Rotary Leaders as well as Rotary International leadership.
They have performed needs assessments with regional authorities, are business professionals able to articulate their plans, financially savvy, are nimble and highly motivated servant-leaders, have analyzed the geo-political conditions and appear to be able to function properly during adverse conditions. These Ukrainian Rotarians have long-time ties to Northeast Florida as well as throughout Western Europe and are establishing safe-haven banking relationships so as to establish logistics-distribution centers positioning critical relief materials in strategic areas, primarily in Poland.
To assist our Ukraine Family of Rotary, our District 6970 has set up a Donation Program so that critical funds can be safely distributed to the appropriate Rotary Districts in Poland. Funds will be collected through our 501©3 York Foundation, with the intent of sending funds as soon as we are certain they can be used in a manner that is both effective and immediate.
Pay by check or PayPal payable to The York Foundation, Inc.
Send to Rotary District 6970 York Foundation, Inc. P.O. Box 47195, Jacksonville Fl 32247
Note that payee instructions state: District 6970 Ukraine March 2022 Humanitarian Aid Fund and name of donor and Rotary-Rotaract Club.
Please indicate to whom and address that the receipt is to be sent with the name of the Family of Rotary organization along with email and phone contact information.
We have also set up a PayPal portal on our district website, rotarydistrict6970.org, where donations can be made directly from individuals or clubs.
There may also soon be opportunities through global grants and other means that we will distribute more information on those as soon as we have more details.
Thank you all for being so kind and generous to our brothers and sisters in the Ukraine.
Upcoming Events in our District
Save the date! The Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra would like you to join them on May 22nd for their 8th Annual Rubber Ducky Regatta.
Follow the link for more information. www.dacdb.com/
Pic of the Week:
District Governor Elect Jeff Michelman and his team of AG’s along with Lt. Governor Mike and District Trainer Marie had a great time at PETS over this past weekend, inspiring our PE’s. It’s going to be a great Rotary year for us all.
Service Above Self,
Coop