Hard to believe, but we are approaching the half-way mark in the month. Taste & Tunes Dessert Edition 2020 on-line auction will be going live 3 weeks from now. I know many of you have contributed in some way-Thank You. Others tell me they are planning to. THIS IS THE WEEK to make it happen.
Sponsorships: We have had many generous donors but need more. My lofty goal this week is to add another $5000 to our sponsor list by September 25. If we achieve that, President Pete will BUY THE FIRST BEVERAGE for everyone who attends our first in-person Happy Hour meeting in the future (Paul Ricciardi included!). Contact Gerry Long or President-Elect Deb Walter.
Dessert & Auction Items: The menu is building thanks to the generous support of bakeries, restaurants, and Bethlehem Rotarian's purchasing from our struggling business friends. We still need more desserts for the on-line auction. Contact Deb Geiger at geiger.debra@rcn.com for information.
The weather is becoming comfortable, so let's hit the pavement and get the job done. Northeast Community Center pantry needs the boost and is supporting us in our effort by getting the word out through various social media platforms. Cindy Glick and the Grants Review committee that she chairs, want to make a meaningful impact on the grant requests they approve for our Bethlehem Rotary Foundation. We will succeed thanks to you.
Last week was the annual visit by our District Governor (DG), Janet Kolepp, our good friend from the Bethlehem Morning Star Club. Her positive message was Together We grow Rotary, Connecting and Opening Opportunities. Rotary Clubs are adapting to the new ways of doing business, different meeting forms from what we have known as the traditional way. Case in point, the Lehigh Valley Passport Club has formed and meets virtually once a month with the sole purpose of performing service projects with other area clubs.
DG Janet reviewed Rotary's 5 core values: Fellowship, Integrity, Diversity, Service, and Leadership. When we practice these values we help grow Rotary, emphasizing Rotary is still about making and sustaining lifetime friendships while helping our world. New initiatives like the recent partnership with Toastmasters International (see calendar for upcoming program), and a Rotary Public Image and Branding campaign using our logos, social media, videos, plus leveraging ClubRunner content are being strengthened to get our message out.
As you know, our 2020-21 theme is "Rotary Opens Opportunities" and DG Janet challenged us to reexamine the way we are doing business and adapt. Whether it is changing some meetings to different times of the day, forming satellite clubs, etc., it is up to us to do what benefits our members. Your Board is always here and ready to listen to your ideas!
This week the District 7430 Polio-Plus coordinator, Carol Ferguson will join us to present Rotary's program titled "Vaccines Work!" Vaccines have been a controversial topic of late and Carol will lay the groundwork for why they are very important. Our Polio-Plus program has just eradicated the wild polio-virus from the African continent, with two other areas in the world remaining to eradicate; we are so close. Be sure to join us, and bring your questions.
See you Wednesday!
