November 2018 News

Greetings fellow District 5495 Rotarians. November is Foundation Month, and on November 10 a highlight of the season will be taking place, The Foundation Dinner and Show featuring Rotarian thespians.
 
You're a Good Rotarian Charlie Brown!
 
This is a not-to-be missed event at the Sheraton Phoenix Airport hotel, 1600 S. 52nd Street in Tempe. Seating is limited and registration is filling up. The cast and crew have been working hard in order to present a fun-filled evening. In addition to the play there will be other highlights during the evening, but this is not a fund raising event and you will not be hit up for a donation. Make plans now to attend.
 
 
 
 
                                               
In Arizona, we are able to actually direct some of our state income tax obligation to qualifying charitable organizations. To people from out-of-state this seems difficult to believe. We can make a donation and reduce our state income tax by the amount we give—up to $400 for individuals or $800 for a couple filing jointly. In other words, we can donate without it costing a cent.
 
The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona (TRVFA) is such a qualifying charitable organization. It was founded by Rotarians and received its 501(c)(3) charitable status in 1990. TRVFA is still operated by a board of directors made up entirely of Arizona Rotarians.
 
Vocational Service is one of the five avenues of service of Rotary International. Many clubs struggle with how to identify and fulfill good vocational service goals. Support of TRVFA not only supports the vocational service ambitions of Rotary, it also supports community service.
 
Recipients of our vocational education grants have to qualify by meeting established low-income guidelines. The grants enable them to acquire the necessary skills and certifications to enter well-paying vocations and thus contribute to the Arizona economy.
 
Even if you've already exhausted your tax credit donations for the year by donating to other charities, this charity is worthy of your support. We hope you will help us "Unite, take action to create lasting change. Help us provide vocational education grants."
The Rotary Foundation is one of the most recognized and highly-rated charities in the world! November is Foundation month, and it is a great time to celebrate your club accomplishments regarding The Rotary Foundation.
District Leaders Support Clubs by Attending Resource Summit
 
Assistant governors are the first source of support for clubs, and District committees provide a resource to support your assistant governors. Leaders of various District committees and assistant governors from across District 5495 had the opportunity to meet on Saturday, October 20, for a full day of sharing updates and ideas about services for clubs.   
Does your club’s website represent Rotary’s Image? 
 
The District Public Image Committee has many tools available for you to use to evaluate your website in the privacy of your home, office or club.
 
One tool, a checklist, addresses all the points needed to have your Rotary Club website represent Rotary well and be recognized as a Rotary Website.
23 New Members!!
Our district has welcomed 23 new Rotarians from September to October. What a great thing to celebrate! This is ALL because of the wonderful things YOU are doing in your clubs, every day. I am so excited to recognize and celebrate the clubs that have had an increase in their membership! No one knows better than you, the time and effort that it takes to see such a great impact.
Ronald Roderique was presented with the Meritorious Achievement Award from Pittsburg State University in 1993, an achievement he considers to be one of the highlights of his career.
 
PHOENIX, AZ, October 25, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Ronald Roderique with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Mr. Roderique celebrates many years experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, accomplishments, visibility and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
As soon as a Rotary club is chartered by Rotary International, it automatically becomes an IRS-approved 501(c)(4) tax-exempt nonprofit organization, under RI’s 501(c)(4) group umbrella. A club retains that status as long as its required version of the Form 990 tax return is filed each year with the IRS. If a club loses its 501(C)(4) tax-exempt status for failure to file its tax returns, unless the problem is remedied within a stated brief period of time, the club must go through the costly and time-consuming process to request its own 501(c)(4) determination letter from the IRS. It can never again return to its previous 501(c)(4) group status under the RI umbrella, once that happens.
 
 
Sedona Red Rocks Rotary hosted their 6th Annual Oktoberfest on October 20.
 
Club President Kris Kazian said, “This event is more than a fundraiser to support our youth, it is a community event that people can get out and enjoy time with friends and neighbors.”
Savannah Causey has been selected to serve as the first District Governor of a newly-formed statewide Rotaract District, according to an announcement by DGN and District Rotaract Chair Elizabeth Mahoney. She served as the student body president and was a strong leader of the Interact Club at Lake Havasu High School. This past year she was selected to represent our Interact District 5495 as an outstanding member of the 2018 Interact Ambassadors to Kenya team. Savannah is a seasoned and capable leader who has proven she knows how to get things done. She is now a Rotaractor at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

It’s Official!     

PEACEBUILDER CLUBS LAUNCH in District 5495

 
Peacebuilder Clubs are a growing movement within Rotary
The “Peacebuilder Club” designation now being offered to Rotary Clubs worldwide.  It is designed to further highlight “Peacebuilding” as one of Rotary International’s six Areas of Focus.