Spring is finally upon us. As we stick our noses out of our “pods,” our “silos,” and our basements, we are hopeful that this year will bring us better fortune.

But even in the times of sheltering in place, we Rotarians were able to accomplish a great number of projects as you will read about in the following pages. In the darkness of winter, we were still able to reach into our communities to “Serve to Change Lives”. Our awareness of Rotary’s action plan has helped us to become more visible in the places where we live and work. That action plan says that we need to be more visible, to be aware of what our communities need and to be nimble enough to change when conditions change. We are realizing that “We have always done it this way” may not be the best way to do it.

So, as we place our “boots on the ground” and our “hands in the dirt”, it will be clear to all that we are here, we are vital, and we are a valuable asset to those whom we serve.

Finally, I want to thank each and every one of you who have shared the anguish and provided support for the people of Ukraine. Your donations through our district’s Gundaker Foundation, have been truly generous and we pray that all Ukrainians who have been torn from their homes will soon be able to return and rebuild.

Roger

P.S. I hope to see you at the Dstrict Conference in Hershey April 22-24!

Rotary Foundation's Disaster Response Fund

Scarcely a week after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, The Rotary Foundation’s Disaster Response Fund launched a worldwide fundraiser for Rotary members to support relief efforts. On March 4th, every Rotarian received notification and a request for donations.

Now and until June 30th, designated Rotary districts that border Ukraine and the Rotary district in Ukraine may apply for grants of up to $50,000 each from the Disaster Response Fund. These grants can be used to provide relief to refugees or other victims of the crisis and will include items such as water, food, shelter, medicine and clothing. Impacted Rotary districts that wish to offer support to refugees or other victims of the crisis in their districts can apply for $25,000 grants from the Disaster Response Fund. Read More

Join Us!

The District Training Assembly will be April 9th from 9am to 12pm. All are welcome to join the virtual event. The first hour will be general District information for the upcoming Rotary year. In the second hour, you'll hear some excellent presentations as you witness the final round of our Four Way Speech Contest.

The final hour will include breakout sessions for Presidents-Elect, Secretaries, Treasurers, Club Foundation Chairs, Club Membership Chairs, and Club Public Image Chairs.

Register NOW for District Training Assembly

Welcome, the Lower Main Line Rotary Club.

Since 1926 the Rotary Club of Bala Cynwyd-Narberth has fulfilled its mission of service in the community. Because of changes in demographics and modern communications, it felt it could do more to attract new members in nearby communities by changing its name to something more inclusive. In late 2019, the club voted to become the Lower Main Line Rotary Club. Read More

The Rotary theme may be inspiration, but the theme for club presidents next year is most certainly enthusiasm!

Led by incoming District Governor David Houtz, wearing green, this year’s MAPETS (Mid Atlantic Presidents-Elect Training Seminar) was the first time a hybrid training session had been conducted. The Thursday through Saturday sessions were again held at the Valley Forge Casino Hotel. Everyone agreed that after two years apart it was great to be back together again.
Read More

The District Nominating Committee selected Francy Cross of the Chester Rotary Club as District Governor in 2024-2025. As the District Governor Nominee Designate, she will begin a two-year training program along with 535 other governors. Francy will be the third member of the Chester Rotary Club to serve as District Governor. It is the second oldest club in our district, established in 1917.


Read More

No, but it was easy pickings for the Coatesville Rotary Club when they elected to support a community beautification project in an environmentally conscious manner. The City of Coatesville has three main entrance portals with decorative ornamentation that was in need of refreshing. Club members proposed replacing them with plantings that were both beautiful and environmentally sound. They chose shrubs and tall grasses that are beneficial to wildlife, non-invasive, and sustainable. The gardens include low maintenance perennial flower beds to brighten the scene. Read More

Our district’s Rotaplast committee’s mission to Nepal in March 2020 was canceled due to COVID-19. When the salaried staff were laid-off, Rotary volunteers stepped in to continue operations. Missions are now being scheduled to Mexico in June and Colombia in July. More are being planned, and our committee expects to participate.
Read More

Rotary clubs around the world are rolling up their sleeves to perform outdoor service projects in their communities. What is your club doing this year?

Don’t forget to get pictures for the local media and the District Newsletter. Publicity is good for your club. And don’t forget to apply for a matching grant of up to $500 from the Supporting the Environment Committee.

In each issue we talk about a Rotarian whose Rotary life and professional career are unique and inspiring. Please share your stories of fellow members.
Contact: Rotarian.Paul@outlook.com

Ronald W. Davis

Rotarian Ron Davis of the Bensalem Rotary Club is a true Renaissance man. His years in Rotary and multi-faceted career required him to adjust time and again. His fundamental consistency has been his dedication to serving others as a Rotarian since 1985.

A native of Camden, NJ, Ron’s love of football earned him a scholarship to Virginia State University. There, he received an undergraduate degree in education and a Master’s degree in Television Development. He also earned a place in the Virginia Football Hall of Fame and was selected All-CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) Football Player of the year in 1972. Read More

For more than 35 years, Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) have seen a 99.9% reduction of polio cases worldwide. The entire world celebrated in 2020, when the continent of Africa was declared free of the wild poliovirus. As we begin a new year, the children of two countries where the wild poliovirus remains endemic (Afghanistan and Pakistan) are still vulnerable to this terrible disease.

Read More

Spread the word: now is your opportunity to get in on the ground level of the PolioPlus Society! The PolioPlus Society (PPS) is a new District 7450 program to promote individual giving to the PolioPlus Fund of The Rotary Foundation.
To become a member, all you need to do is to agree to make an annual donation of at least $100 to The Rotary Foundation’s PolioPlus Program until polio is eradicated. The pledge form to make your commitment is available here: District 7450 PolioPlus Society. The next step is to complete your contribution in one of three ways:

1. Online – Annually HERE and select Polio Fund and One-time donation
2. Online – Recurring HERE and select Polio Fund and Recurring donation
3. Check – Contact your PolioPlus Chair

Read More

The Wayne Rotary Club resumed its Chinese New Year celebration at Margret Kuo’s restaurant in February. The Year of the Tiger event was enjoyed by Rotarians and guests from nearly a dozen clubs throughout the region.


Read More

Training for District Grant writing was conducted on two nights in February via Zoom. The two-session format made training available to more people and provided them with the ability to take the seminar twice; attendees could then ask questions during the second session. The purpose of grant training is to instruct members on how to manage a Rotary Foundation District Grant and how their clubs can qualify to apply for a District Grant for the 2022-23 Rotary year.
Read More

On a recent Saturday afternoon, WE-GO (Westtown-Goshen) Rotary Club partnered with The Rotary Passport Club of West Chester to assist Wings for Success. The volunteers helped them pack up for their big move from Frazer to Exton, PA.

Wings for Success's mission is to, “Empower women and girls in need to achieve career and economic stability through education, apparel, and advocacy.” The organization accepts clothing donations and makes appropriate items available to women for employment and personal needs. They also aid in resume writing, interviewing skills and financial advice.

Read More

Next-Gen Clubs – This is an increasingly popular concept being explored by District 7450 Membership Chair Gary Pawliczek. Four of our area clubs are currently evolving into this arrangement.

A Next-Gen Club is a partnership with a parent club that allows members to meet separately at a time and place of their choosing. It’s not a satellite club. It is simply an informal arrangement that allows members to stay connected to their club by meeting separately. It is designed for those who might otherwise leave Rotary because of unworkable time or place. It appeals to people whose lives are very busy and appreciate the flexibility it offers. The concept has been known to bring back people who left because of inconvenience.
Read More

Members of the Rotary Club of West Chester, their families, Rotary International and community leaders, celebrated the club’s 100th anniversary at the Penn Oaks Golf and Country Club.

Since its organizing, Rotarians have regularly put into action the Rotary motto "Service Above Self". Club members also engage thousands of individuals and families annually to raise funds for local charities, generate monies to defeat Polio worldwide, install water systems in West Africa, bring children to the US to provide prosthetics for those who have lost limbs due to violence, and many other services.
Read More

Travel restrictions caused by the pandemic brought the Youth Exchange Program to a halt for nearly two years. But the YEP Committee kept the program alive and are planning for the day it will reopen. Now, it looks like the day is here. According to committee chair Donna Henry, “We’ve been keeping in touch with everyone here and overseas and they are all very positive about developments. We don’t have as many students traveling as in pre-pandemic times. But that is understandable, and we are definitely moving forward.”
Read More

The Main Conservatory at Longwood Gardens was completed by Pierre S. DuPont in 1921 as a plant conservatory, and a gracious setting for entertaining his many friends and family. On Saturday evening, March 12, 2022, the Conservatory came alive again! It certainly lived up to its reputation as the greatest party venue in the District as the Rotary Club of Longwood invited 270 guests to “Party like a DuPont” at their Gala Fundraiser.
Read More