Weekly Newsletter (Sep 06, 2023)

Greetings, fellow Denver/Lake Norman Rotarians!

All I can say is WOW! And that, sometimes I wish we had more than twenty minutes allocated to speakers because based on the overwhelming response from several (dozens) of us we wanted to listen to more of Kim Boyd's explanation of what Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is really all about vs what we hear/see in many media sources. She explained DEI in a way that was very easy to understand. We are all different. We all bring different points of view to the table. We are not better or worse than anyone else. Most of all, we just want to have a voice on the topics that we individually, find important.

We are all very fortunate to be a part of this wonderfully diverse group of people that make up our Denver/Lake Norman Rotary. We are revered in the community as People of Action. Let us continue to be beacons of inspiration, leading with open hearts and minds with the hope of bring the world together instead of creating division. We owe it to the next generation to hate and judgement. Living by the 4-Way Test is one of the best methods in which this can be done.

If you would like a copy of Kim's presentation, please see the link in "Download Files" below.

Looking forward to another great week of Rotary fellowship with ALL of you!

Andie

Peoples Bank Executive Vice President Kim Boyd Speaks About Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Kim spoke at Denver/Lake Norman Rotary's August 30th meeting. Her presentation can accessed in "Download Files" below. Also, click on the following link to view short DEI video from Apple that was shown during her presentation: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=apple+diversity+video&view=detail&mid=4729488140B7B0827A7B4729488140B7B0827A7B&FORM=VIRE

District Matching Grant for School Beautification Projects at Two Denver-Area Schools Has Been Approved

The Rotary Club of Denver/Lake Norman has been approved for a matching district grant for our School Beautification Projects at two Denver-area schools – Catawba Springs Elementary and Denver Christian Academy. Including grant funds, we have a total of $4,000 to spend on these projects, which will involve finalizing a planting plan for each location, developing a budget, scheduling the work, sourcing suitable plants and materials, and soliciting volunteers from our club and Patty Korn’s partner organizations – The Denver Beautification Committee and Keep Lincoln County Beautiful. Our objective is to provide each school with suitable and sustainable plantings that will beautify their campus and create an inviting learning environment for the students and faculty. Additionally, it’s our hope these projects will encourage students’ interest in horticulture and the environment through active participation and upkeep.

We are seeking volunteers for the following:

1 – 2 master gardeners (Rotarians or non-Rotarians) who are willing and able to provide assistance with the design, selection and sourcing of suitable plants for each school.
2 Rotarians who are willing to serve as overall Project Leads to ensure these projects are successfully completed on time (by Spring 2024) and within budget.

Please contact Jim or Debbie Perry if you are willing to serve in either of these positions.

Collections for Operation Warm 2023 End This Wednesday

This is Denver/Lake Norman Rotary's fifth year working with Operation Warm to provide a new winter coat for every child in foster care in Lincoln County. The club purchases coats that keep infants, children, teens and young adults (birth to 21 years) warm all winter. The recipients get to pick the color of the coat that they desire and their Social Worker provides the size for ordering and then, delivers the coat to the child. For 2023 older children will receive hoodies since they much prefer them to actual coats.

This year the committee is headed up by Cathy Smiley with assistance from Charlie Bohlen, Norma Bohlen, and Sherry Reinhardt. The committee will raise money for approximately one month with this year's deadline in early September so that orders can be placed with our various suppliers.

Please make checks out to the Denver/Lake Norman Rotary Club Foundation with "Operation Warm" on the memo line, so that your contribution can be tax deductible. Checks can be hand-delivered to any committee member or sent to Denver/Lake Norman Rotary, P.O. Box 861, Denver, NC 28037. Businesses, neighbors and friends are also welcomed and encouraged to donate.