Rotary Area 5 Representative Visits Oswego Rotary Club

OSWEGO — Patrick Waite, the Area 5 Representative of the CNY Rotary District 7180 spoke at a recent meeting of the Rotary Club of Oswego held at Bishop’s Commons. Waite, a member of the Fulton Sunrise Rotary Club, is responsible for overseeing the work of six clubs in Baldwinsville, Cato, Fulton, and Oswego. The CNY Rotary District includes 110 clubs arranged in 22 areas and numbering about 1,500 members.

Waite noted in his remarks that Rotary clubs, like many other civic organizations, are having difficulties fulfilling their missions because interest in volunteerism is shrinking. Among his objectives are to encourage clubs to collaborate more with other clubs and to take such actions as exchanging speakers and holding joint meetings.

Waite encouraged Rotarians to attend the CNY Rotary district conference to be held April 4–6 at the Albany Hilton Hotel with the theme of Conference of Champions. It will include the traditional parade of club presidents, assorted workshops, and displays of service projects. It will be an opportunity to learn about local, regional, and international projects and services of Rotary and to meet other Rotarians from throughout the region.

Waite called attention to several opportunities for learning about Rotary and receiving support for service projects. The Rotary Leadership Institute is designed to enhance leadership skills and expand knowledge about Rotary International. Full-day courses are given on three levels – introductory, intermediate and advanced. Those completing all the sessions of each course are eligible for the next level.

The Epic Day of Service spans multiple districts across the northeastern US and even internationally. It is a day for clubs in those districts to plan a highly visible service project, so Rotarians are out in their communities on the same day, doing impactful work that addresses a local need.

Rotary clubs can apply to the district for matching funds to assist with local service projects. District grants are a tool for Rotary districts to support short-term humanitarian projects that benefit the community.

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards is Rotary’s leadership training program for young people. It emphasizes leadership, citizenship, and personal growth for the exceptional young men and women who are selected to participate. High school Juniors apply through local clubs and can find more information on the internet.

An extensive array of information about Rotary may be found on the CNY Rotary website at: https://cnyrotary.org/

Anyone interested in becoming a Rotarian or in learning more about Rotary’s humanitarian work around the world and in the community is invited to attend a meeting of the Oswego Rotary Club any Tuesday at noon at Bishop’s Commons. The building is fully accessible with convenient parking. Visiting Rotarians and guests are welcome and may reserve lunch by contacting [email protected].

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