March is Water and Sanitation Month.

The United Nations estimates that 2 billion people in the World lack safely managed drinking water. This is one in four people!  Just under half of the World population lives without access to safely managed toilets and sanitation systems.

A third of the World population lacks basic hand washing stations with soap and clean water.  March 22 is World Water Day. Please remember to support our Rotary Foundation – your gift can provide clean water!

Our District wrote many grants for clean water & sanitation around the world. Please remember the matching funds for our grants comes from our donations to the Rotary Foundation.

The Foundation Gala, which will be held on April 9 in Westlake Village, celebrates Rotary and honors our local Rotary clubs.  For information and to register, click here.  

Unfortunately I had to suspend my Club visits due to Omicron for January and February.  The last weekend in February was PETS – training of next year’s Club Presidents, together with DGE Scott Phillips. It was a great event and everybody was happy to be together in person again.

I had resumed the Club visits starting in March and hope all will be well so I can do the 30 more visits that I have. I am sure we all remember March of 2020 when we all went into lockdown.

Looking back, we had two very challenging years but we continued to meet - online, hybrid or in person when permitted, and we fundraised and did projects to help those in need.

Last month, the was “Peace and Conflict prevention and resolution” – who would have believed that during that month we are going to see such a horrible war started in Ukraine.

As you might know, I am originally from Romania, which is a bordering country with Ukraine. I am overwhelmed by so many of our Rotarians that are reaching out to me to ask what is going on, asked about my family and friends in Romania and also to offer to help.  This is another “Wow” moment for me as a Rotarian. In such difficult times it is so good to be surrounded by so many people who care.

I am in touch with DG Adrian Luca & DGE Florin Marginean  from Romania, who are organizing support for the refugees. If you would like to help you can send check donations to our District and the District will wire the funds to the District of Romania.

Please include the word Ukraine in the memo section on the check.(Please note if a person who donates needs a tax receipt, they need to send the funds to a 501 (c) 3 foundation, rather than the District. Many Clubs have Club foundations).

Checks may be sent to:

Rotary International District 5240

C/O Synergy Computing, Inc.

5662 Calle Real #425

Goleta, CA 93117

We are also trying to reach out to our Ukrainian Rotarian friends as we have an Inter Country Committee (ICC) USA – Ukraine. This is a Rotary program that brings together two countries in Rotary that want to develop a strong, long term relationship and help with joint projects and activities.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for caring for those people that are across the World.