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2021 Rotary Convention Now Virtual
By now we have sadly grown accustomed to hearing of the need to shift major public events to being held virtually rather than face to face. Unfortunately, the Rotary Board of Directors was compelled to again make the difficult decision to celebrate this year’s International Convention as a virtual event. While this may not be an unexpected decision, it is still a deeply disappointing one — for us and for our friends in Taiwan who have been planning an exceptional event. I want to thank the Host Committee for the admirable job they did building support for what surely would have been one of Rotary’s finest events.
We had hoped that a combination of vaccine uptake and public health measures would have brought the COVID-19 pandemic under control. We all know that in many parts of the world the pandemic is still raging and we must maintain our vigilance and patience before resuming major public gatherings. Taiwan has done an admirable job managing the pandemic — and local Rotarians were still eager to host and celebrate with us. Under the guidance of the World Health Organization and the local public health organization in Taiwan, it became clear that an event of this scale would be impossible to host safely.
While we are disappointed that we could not have a traditional convention, we are excited about the virtual event being planned for all Rotarians worldwide. Last year’s convention attracted significant viewership during its weeklong program. This year, we will channel all we have learned about staging the very best in virtual events into a program that promises to open new opportunities for you to be entertained, enlightened and energized. We will share more details about the 2021 Virtual Convention soon.
Convention, pre-convention, and ticket refunds
We will automatically cancel and refund all existing registrations. This includes purchases made for the Rotaract and Youth Exchange and the Intercountry Committees preconvention events, and ticketed meal events. We kindly ask that you do not contact RI Registration to inquire about your registration, ticket, or housing cancellations as we work diligently to inform all attendees and process cancellations and refunds. For those who had already canceled prior to today, you will also receive a refund of the $50 processing fee.
Host Organization Committee (HOC) ticketed event registrations
The HOC event ticket fees will be refunded by the Taipei HOC. For more information, please visit rotarytaipei2021.org.
Hotel rooms
If you have secured accommodations within Rotary’s official housing block, no action will be required on your end. Maritz, Rotary’s official housing partner, will contact you with the details of your cancelation.
If you have secured a group room block and made a full or partial payment, you will receive a follow-up communication and instructions on receiving a refund.
I want to thank all Rotarians and Rotaractors around the world for your understanding and your continued willingness to learn and adapt. We are becoming a stronger, more nimble organization because of this, and our Virtual Convention will be a reflection of this new Rotary.
Please be safe and take care of each other.
We had hoped that a combination of vaccine uptake and public health measures would have brought the COVID-19 pandemic under control. We all know that in many parts of the world the pandemic is still raging and we must maintain our vigilance and patience before resuming major public gatherings. Taiwan has done an admirable job managing the pandemic — and local Rotarians were still eager to host and celebrate with us. Under the guidance of the World Health Organization and the local public health organization in Taiwan, it became clear that an event of this scale would be impossible to host safely.
While we are disappointed that we could not have a traditional convention, we are excited about the virtual event being planned for all Rotarians worldwide. Last year’s convention attracted significant viewership during its weeklong program. This year, we will channel all we have learned about staging the very best in virtual events into a program that promises to open new opportunities for you to be entertained, enlightened and energized. We will share more details about the 2021 Virtual Convention soon.
Convention, pre-convention, and ticket refunds
We will automatically cancel and refund all existing registrations. This includes purchases made for the Rotaract and Youth Exchange and the Intercountry Committees preconvention events, and ticketed meal events. We kindly ask that you do not contact RI Registration to inquire about your registration, ticket, or housing cancellations as we work diligently to inform all attendees and process cancellations and refunds. For those who had already canceled prior to today, you will also receive a refund of the $50 processing fee.
Host Organization Committee (HOC) ticketed event registrations
The HOC event ticket fees will be refunded by the Taipei HOC. For more information, please visit rotarytaipei2021.org.
Hotel rooms
If you have secured accommodations within Rotary’s official housing block, no action will be required on your end. Maritz, Rotary’s official housing partner, will contact you with the details of your cancelation.
If you have secured a group room block and made a full or partial payment, you will receive a follow-up communication and instructions on receiving a refund.
I want to thank all Rotarians and Rotaractors around the world for your understanding and your continued willingness to learn and adapt. We are becoming a stronger, more nimble organization because of this, and our Virtual Convention will be a reflection of this new Rotary.
Please be safe and take care of each other.
It is an old tradition for the Incoming District Governor to give recognition in form of a gift to the Outgoing District Governor at the Change of the Guard, usually held in June. This year was, like most other events, a little different. The recognition was handed to PDG Steen Sanderhoff by DG Craig Burnett at his official Club visit to Racine Founders. What a beautiful canoe paddle with the inscription “Thank you for guiding Rotary International District 6270 as District Governor – 2019-2020” and the Rotary and “Rotary Connects the World” logos. (Quite an art to engrave this message in a wood paddle!)
The Rotary International District 6270 Nominating Committee is pleased to announce the selection of Donald E. Griffing to serve as the District Governor for the 2023 - 2024 Rotary year, subject to ratification by the District at the annual business meeting in the spring of 2021, and approval by Rotary International.
Theo, a Belfast native and active Interactor, was chosen as president; Veja, who is from Slovakia, volunteered her experiences from her Scottish Rotaract days as Outreach chair; Anna, a Global Grant scholar from Wisconsin, became secretary; and I volunteered as treasurer.
(By Ryan Hyland) Jennifer E. Jones, a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, Canada, has been nominated to become Rotary International’s president for 2022-23, a groundbreaking selection that will make her the first woman to hold that office in the organization’s 115-year history.
Rotary’s highest honor recognizes Rotarians who demonstrate Rotary’s motto, Service Above Self, by volunteering their time and talents to help others. The award is internationally competitive and is granted to no more than 150 Rotarians worldwide, and no more than one from each district, each year.
