2021-2022 District 5830 Officers Installation Sponsors
DISTRICT NOTICES
CLUBRUNNER SUPPORT: Call 1-877-469-2582; Option 2 These people are so NICE and helpful and know how to do the ABC,123 of helping you . They are patient and really listen. Try them, I have - many times!
I thank each one of you for what service you have provided to and through your Rotary Clubs this past Rotary year. Internationally we have reduced the Polio numbers and are gaining. Please donate liberally to PolioPlus and take advantage of matching Paul Harris points until June 15th. The end of that disease is in sight. Stay in touch with each other and renew friendship in a responsible manner, with social distancing and masks in mind. Be safe in all your endeavors. Take advantage of the on-line training and participate in the International Convention on-line as instructions come to us. Having been to several International Conventions, I assure you that your participation will be a blessing to you. I look forward to becoming a PDG and will be glad to attempt to assist any of you with your goals this coming year, if you will contact me. We are going forward with excellent leadership and I can attest to the work that Jack Welge and the DG line are accomplishing. We will succeed wonderfully if we keep our Service Above Self and govern our conduct and decisions by the Four Way Test. Finally, let us keep each other in our prayers. God bless. DG Jim
Rotary Fellowships are international groups that share a common passion. Being part of a fellowship is a fun way to make friends around the world, explore a hobby or profession, and enhance your Rotary experience.
How do I join a fellowship?
Fellowships are open to Rotarians, family members, and program participants and alumni. You can contact a fellowship directly by using the links below.
We are all returning to business as usual, checking on our friends and fellow Rotarians at club meetings and events, and emerging from battling a pandemic as we approach the end of our Rotary Year in June.
Due to the continuing threat of COVID-19 many plans are still on hold, many events have been postponed or canceled, and even our Rotary International Board has voted to meet only through virtual (telephonic and on-line) meetings through December. Rotary Executive’s Travel has been discouraged, canceled or severely restricted.
That brings us to the question of how we celebrate being Rotarians in fellowship and service, and how we keep our Clubs and District moving forward, continuing to make an impact in our communities and in the world.
We as creative business leaders have weathered disruptive events before and have emerged stronger and more prepared to serve.
In our Rotary International President Elect Holger Knaap’s Priorities, there are the following leadership strategies.
- Be open to new approaches.
- Make your Rotary Club Membership more appealing.
- Build environmental sustainability into Rotary Service Projects.
- Inspire youth to action.
- Finish our commitment to End Polio Now.
- Grow the Rotary Foundation.
Your District Leadership Team understands that confusion has existed over the best course of action, that a few clubs have immediately moved on-line through Zoom or FaceBook or some other platform, and that some have participated in long-standing service projects like a flag program and have otherwise just sat it out.
Please understand that not meeting for fellowship and service places membership at risk and our clubs at risk.
To make us stronger we should follow our 2020-2021 R.I. President in his request that all Clubs and Districts participate in Visioning. There is no better time than now.
If your club has already gone through Club Visioning, now is the time to engage in Strategic Planning to determine where you are and what has been achieved and how to accomplish what has not; most importantly, do your current plans bring value to your members?
Now is the time to meet and discuss what makes Rotary unique and worth sharing, and to discuss what opportunities Rotary has opened for each of us, and for those whom we serve.
Now is the time to remember our diverse backgrounds and classifications help make us great and that we are held together by the values we share and our bonds of friendship and fellowship.
Throughout, understand it is left to each Club and District to determine their meeting and service strategies. As it truly may be for some a question of life and death, be sure you have agreement among those planning to be present at in-person functions; be sure they know and accept the risks, agree to follow social distancing guidelines, and wear masks. No one attends who has any symptoms of infection, or fever. No one is forced to attend.
Masks with Rotary Branding are available through Rotary Suppliers like Russell-Hampton and make great gifts, souvenirs and party favors.
Your District Team will honor commitments to be at your clubs as scheduled, however, in our District throughout North East Texas our COVID-19 infections count is still rising, has not leveled off, and is not yet falling. Precautions are necessary. I personally ask each Club Officer and Director to have options for online participation for those members who do not feel comfortable in attending, whereby they maintain their membership attendance.
If you have questions please contact me, our District Administrator, our District Visioning Chair or our District Media Coordinator.
It is an honor and privilege to serve.
Yours in Rotary,
Jack Welge
District Governor 2020-21 Rotary International District 5830
PDG, VG, & District 5830 Foundation Chair Ted Huffhines announces "The Rotary Foundation Matching Fund Program" from May 1st through June 15, 2020. In an effort to encourage Rotarians in District 5830 to make contributions to the Annual Fund & Polio Plus of The Rotary Foundation in this Rotary Year, there will be a matching points campaign for all donations equal to or in excess of $100 from May 1st until June 15th. We realize many have been adversely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, but we want to incentivize your donations as we strive to reach $100+ per person in our District.Donations must be for $100 or more to either Annual Fund or Polio Plus
1. Checks made out to TRF or The Rotary Foundation should be mailed to
PDG Tom Dewitt
1467 Old Creek Drive
Tyler, TX 75703
2. On the memo line indicate AF or Polio
3. All Donors will receive a One to One match in Paul Harris Points- ie., if you make a $100 donation, you will receive an additional 100 PHF points; if you make a $250 donation, you will receive an additional 250 PHF points and so on.
4. PDG Tom Dewitt will be collecting donations and submit them to TRF. Your donations will also be credited to your Rotary Club’s giving for this year.
We are now entering the final 15 days of the Paul Harris Points Match Challenge and the last thirty days of this troubled Rotary Year. The month of May saw us generate $30,000 in donations to The Rotary Foundation from our individual members and clubs in District 5830.
REMEMBER; every dollar ($100 or more) you give to TRF, during the campaign, either to the Annual Fund (where District Project Grant Funds come from) or Polio Plus (to be matched by the Gates Foundation) will be matched accelerating your completion of your Paul Harris Fellowship or an advancement of it.
And those of you whose gifts have to date been less than $100 still have time to make an additional contribution to qualify for the match. We can do this together!
President Elects are encouraged to honor their club’s work with a Rotary Presidental Citation. Further, President Elects are reminded to have their 5 member Membership Committee appointed and Membership goals entered into Rotary Club Central. Beginning 1 July, it will be easier than ever for Rotary clubs to set and report goals for the Rotary Citation.
In 2020-21, you’ll be able to go into Rotary Club Central and choose goals that are relevant to your club. You’ll need to achieve at least 13 goals out of 25 to receive the citation. While a few of the goals are data-generated, such as membership numbers and Rotary Foundation giving, most of them you can report by marking “Achieved” in Rotary Club Central.
The changes not only simplify the process of setting and reporting goals, but they also make long-term progress easier to track because the goals will stay the same from year to year.
Greetings! We are encouraging all of our Rotarians here in the community to help spread the word about the 2020 Census and making sure that everyone takes the time to self-respond as soon as possible to save the Census walkers from coming to your door. Below is a link to a handy brochure to share with your respective clubs, organizations and groups. We would appreciate it if you would help to spread the word. Thanks for your efforts! https://2020census.gov/content/dam/2020census/materials/partners/2020-01/Fact_Sheet_for_Civic_Organizations.pdf Let’s make it count!
PDG Shirley Griffin remembers the tears streaming down her mother’s face in 1951 as she rubbed the legs of Griffin and her older brother, trying to ease the pain brought on by polio.
“The pain was unbelievable — you’ll remember that pain,” said Griffin, who was 9 at the time. “My mother really didn’t know whether she would have two children or not because it was such a bad virus.”
Years later, fighting polio is still a part of Griffin’s life as she works tirelessly to help eradicate the virus. Griffin, a member of the Longview Rotary Club, also is a past district governor.
“The reason I became involved in polio eradication is because I am a polio survivor,” Griffin said. “It means a lot to me to be able to donate and also work with our district, which includes 44 clubs for fundraising for polio eradication.”
Griffin, who has been a member of the Longview Rotary Club for nearly 25 years, has worked almost nonstop in her fundraising efforts.
“Our district has made over $750,000 to donate to Rotary International for polio eradication,” she said. “My goal for my district is to raise $1 million, so we’re three quarters there.”
In 2012, Griffin, along with Rotarians, traveled to India for National Immunization Day (NID) to help administer polio drops to children from birth to 5 years old. “We went into the slums near Delhi and spent two days giving the polio drops to the children,” she said. “The first day we were there we gave the drops to 185 children.”
Back in 1951, when Griffin and her 11-year-old brother had polio, there wasn’t a vaccine. “The (Jonas) Salk vaccine came out in 1955 and the (Albert S.) Sabin vaccine came out in 1960,” Griffin said. “The polio pandemic was in 1952.” In addition to the leg pain she suffered as a child, Griffin also remembers the fevers and being quarantined. “We were quarantined in our house, and the hospitals were full,” she said. “We couldn’t get in (the hospital) but the doctor came every day.” Griffin said she and her brother were in bed all summer. “We did get to go back to school in September, but not all day,” she said. “We had to really be careful for about a year.” Griffin said when she and her brother returned home from school each day, their mother would make them take a nap. “We had to because we were so tired,” she said. While the polio vaccine wasn’t an option in 1951, Griffin said parents today should make sure their children are vaccinated against diseases.
“I think right now there are about 20% of parents who do not vaccinate their children and that, in my opinion, is very harmful,” she said. Griffin said the last polio case in the United States was in 1978. “But if someone who had the germ were to fly over from Pakistan or Afghanistan (where polio is still endemic), it could start all over in the United States,” she said. “So far in those two countries this year, there have been 39 cases. We’re trying to make sure we get rid of it all and not have to worry about it.”
Longview Rotary Club member James Roberts has known Griffin for 30 years. “She’s very dedicated,” Roberts said. “Polio eradication is one of the goals of the Rotary Foundation — the charitable arm of Rotary International — and all members are encouraged to participate in the Rotary Foundation by making donations.” Roberts said Griffin started out at club level and moved up to district level.
“She was asked by a previous district governor to serve as the chair for the polio eradication drive,” he said. “She has a fairly wide reach with her service because it goes beyond our club to the whole district.” Griffin has received several awards for her efforts with Rotary. “I’ve won the citation for meritorious service, which is a real high honor. There are only 500 awarded a year out of 1.2 million Rotarians,” Griffin said. “In 2017, I won the regional service award for a polio free world, and I was one of 60 out of 1.2 million Rotarians.” Griffin said she has worked hard for the eradication of polio and will continue to do so.
“I want our world to be free of this dreaded disease,” she said. “It’s a passion of mine, and I will continue to work hard to make money for the Rotary Foundation so we can rid the world of this disease.”
What a beautiful afternoon it was on Thursday, May 28, 2020! The Rotary Club of Kilgore was able to drive to the home of Gordon Reed and surprise him with being named the Rotarian of the Year 2019-2020. Gordon has 35 years perfect attendance in Rotary and loves Rotary. He was also presented with his Paul Harris +7 pin which shows his commitment to the Rotary Foundation and the good that Rotary does worldwide. He was presented certificates, posters and signs, helium filled balloons, flowers, and a chocolate cake and cookies, and had his family to help with the celebration. We want to thank the Rotary Club of Henderson for being represented also. Gordon would makeup missed meetings at the Henderson club. This was such a wonderful afternoon celebrating one of our faithful members. Congratulations, Gordon Reed!! Your Rotary club loves you.
Congratulations to Longview’s Rotary Clubs, participating with the National Guard, Longview Police Department and East Texas Food Bank, through whom 1525 families were served!
Ava Welge from Longview Rotary Club is pictured with the National Guard volunteers.
Oaklawn Rotary Club purchased lunch from a locally owner restaurant Julie's Deli and had it delivered to Hospice of Texarkana to show appreciate for their work in the community during the Covid-19 crisis. This is an on going effort by the club to support local non-profiles and local restaurants.
Canton Rotary Club President, Sandra Plaster led her Club on Memorial Day by putting out American Flags in honor of the men and women who died while serving in the U. S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971.
Call me at (903) 787-8275 for help logging inor e-mail me at: rotary5830da@gmail.com. I will help you find what you need on the District 5830 Website or Rotary International Website. Need helpunderstanding the Rotary Citation Award requirements?
Save The Dates: DGE Jack Welge Installation Brunch June 27, 2020 and DG Jim's District Conference October 30, and October 31, 2020
If you are a visiting guest, feel free to browse this website. If you are interested in finding, or joining a Rotary club in our district please call me at (903) 787-8275.
The iron lung is ready for display by clubs for special events! Check the District Calendar for availability. Contact DA Shirley Pinnix-Evans to reserve the Iron Lung.
Please furnish a copy of the driver's license of the individual to pick up the trailer, a copy of their insurance card and the location, date, and name of event. Towing vehicle for the trailer requires a 2 inch ball and has a plug-in pigtail to hook up lights. Shirley will need a pick up and return date. Contact information for DA Shirley: rotary5830da@gmail.com or 903-787-8275. Each community can only have a priority request for the same event once a year, but they can make a request for the same event every year on the off chance that no one else will want the trailer for that same date.
I thank each one of you for what service you have provided to and through your Rotary Clubs this past Rotary year. Internationally we have reduced the Polio numbers and are gaining. Please donate liberally to PolioPlus and take advantage of matching Paul Harris points until June 15th. The end of that disease is in sight. Stay in touch with each other and renew friendship in a responsible manner, with social distancing and masks in mind. Be safe in all your endeavors. Take advantage of the on-line training and participate in the International Convention on-line as instructions come to us. Having been to several International Conventions, I assure you that your participation will be a blessing to you. I look forward to becoming a PDG and will be glad to attempt to assist any of you with your goals this coming year, if you will contact me. We are going forward with excellent leadership and I can attest to the work that Jack Welge and the DG line are accomplishing. We will succeed wonderfully if we keep our Service Above Self and govern our conduct and decisions by the Four Way Test. Finally, let us keep each other in our prayers. God bless. DG Jim
Fellow Rotarians of District 5830,
through June 15, 2020. In an effort to encourage Rotarians in District 5830 to make contributions to the Annual Fund & Polio Plus of The Rotary Foundation in this Rotary Year, there will be a matching points campaign for all donations equal to or in excess of $100 from May 1st until June 15th. We realize many have been adversely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, but we want to incentivize your donations as we strive to reach $100+ per person in our District.Donations must be for $100 or more to either Annual Fund or Polio Plus
We are now entering the final 15 days of the Paul Harris Points Match Challenge and the last thirty days of this troubled Rotary Year. The month of May saw us generate $30,000 in donations to The Rotary Foundation from our individual members and clubs in District 5830.
President Elects are encouraged to honor their club’s work with a Rotary Presidental Citation. Further, President Elects are reminded to have their 5 member Membership Committee appointed and Membership goals entered into Rotary Club Central. Beginning 1 July, it will be easier than ever for Rotary clubs to set and report goals for the Rotary Citation.
Longview polio survivor works tirelessly to help eradicate disease: 
What a beautiful afternoon it was on Thursday, May 28, 2020! The Rotary Club of Kilgore was able to drive to the home of Gordon Reed and surprise him with being named the Rotarian of the Year 2019-2020. Gordon has 35 years perfect attendance in Rotary and loves Rotary. He was also presented with his Paul Harris +7 pin which shows his commitment to the Rotary Foundation and the good that Rotary does worldwide. He was presented certificates, posters and signs, helium filled balloons, flowers, and a chocolate cake and cookies, and had his family to help with the celebration. We want to thank the Rotary Club of Henderson for being represented also. Gordon would makeup missed meetings at the Henderson club. This was such a wonderful afternoon celebrating one of our faithful members. Congratulations, Gordon Reed!! Your Rotary club loves you.
Congratulations to Longview’s Rotary Clubs, participating with the National Guard, Longview Police Department and East Texas Food Bank, through whom 1525 families were served!
Oaklawn Rotary Club purchased lunch from a locally owner restaurant Julie's Deli and had it delivered to Hospice of Texarkana to show appreciate for their work in the community during the Covid-19 crisis. This is an on going effort by the club to support local non-profiles and local restaurants. 
Canton Rotary Club President, Sandra Plaster led her Club on Memorial Day by putting out American Flags in honor of the men and women who died while serving in the U. S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. 
