Click or tap play on the video above, or click 'read more' if you'd like to see the full transcript and get links to all of the goodies Ben shared in his message.

 

Video Transcript:

I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be able to step out of my home and in to my backyard full of the woods, life and the natural landscape. Through the network of Rotary and our area of focus of supporting the environment, Rotary members understand that the whole world is their backyard. We see the effects of climate change in communities we care about, and we're taking action. We do this by collaborating with communities to develop solutions to local challenges, using connections to change policy, and planning for the future. While we celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd, we know that Rotarians take Earth Day action all year round.

A great way to get started or deepen your club activity in our newest area of focus, is partnering with a Rotary Action Group.

The Rotary Action Group for Endangered Species brings together people who have expertise in protecting vulnerable creatures. This action group helps clubs and districts plan service projects that make an impact and connects them to a global network of people who are passionate about saving species.

The Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group is one of Rotary’s fastest-growing groups. With its extensive expertise, networks, and informational resources, it inspires and empowers the family of Rotary to implement effective environmental projects. These projects promote environmental sustainability, raise awareness of climate change, and take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate disruption.

Lastly, the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Rotary Action Group which has it's roots planted here in District 6250 (pun intended) undertakes projects that prioritize environmental protection and conservation. They can help you complete a community assessment, design a sustainable project, find project partners, and use measurement and evaluation methods to assess your projects’ progress.

For some more inspiration, check out the links below to browse club-led environmental projects from around the world. You might just find a new way to support the environment through club action and service.

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you'd like to learn more about any of these resources and thank you for the important work you do to support our environment.

3 quick updates and reminders:

First, thank you to the nearly 300 Rotarians from all over our District who will be with us at TriCon later this month. For those of you who can't join us, I'll share a few highlights next month and will share some info about TriCon 2024!

Next, a quick Foundation Giving update: As of April 11th, we are 82% of the way to our Annual Fund goal and 78% of the way to our Polio Plus goal. Our District Rotarians are so generous and we thank you for all you give. Please continue to support the Rotary Foundation and all the important change it makes possible. 3 things you can do right now:

  • First, Make a one time donation any time at rotary.org/donate
  • Second, Make giving even easier by setting up a recurring donation through Rotary Direct. Check out the link below to get signed up today. I setup my giving through Rotary Direct with a credit card years ago and it's simply become part of my personal monthly budget and I don't even need to think about it.
  • And Third, If Ending Polio is your jam, don't forget to pledge to be a member of our Polio Plus Society. Check out the links below for more info on all of that!

Lastly, don't forget about our District New Member Project Grant Program. It's still open for applications. Remember, it's designed for at least 4 new members in a club to be empowered to use the grant dollars for a project, with the idea that they’d be bought into something early on in membership and then ideally stick with Rotary longer as a result. So, if you've got 4 new members that have been in the club for at least 4 months, or if you are one of those new members, get more details and apply at the link below.

Thanks for joining me in my backyard, have a beautiful day. Thank you for the imagination and lasting change you bring to our beautiful world. See you soon!

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