District News
Governor’s Monthly Letter
November is the month of the Rotary Foundation
We all know the story of a half-empty cup and a half-full cup. Legendary ice hockey coach Jukka Pertti Juhani Jalonen has said that the best results are achieved when every player on the team is important and when the players are motivated and coached instead of being left out.
The result is achieved together. TOGETHER.
Finding a balance between demand and inspiration is important in any organization. I think the most important things about an organization like Rotary International, where we all volunteer, are inspiration and leadership.
For Jukka, the cup is always half full, all the way to the Olympic gold medal. What about us? Do we feel like we have a cup half full and can also support those who don’t have water or a cup? The statistics are alarming. Globally, one in 10 people does not have access to clean water, and 2.3 billion people do not have adequate sanitation. One consequence: 900 children under the age of five die every day from diarrhoeal diseases.
Clean water and sanitation are a human right.
The Rotary Foundation transforms our gifts into projects that change lives close to home and worldwide. Since its inception over 100 years ago, the foundation has spent more than $4 billion on life-changing and sustainable projects. With the help of everyone, we can improve life in our community and around the world.
The Rotary Foundation helps Rotary members promote understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty.
What impact can a donation have?
- With as little as 60 cents, a child can be protected from polio.
- $50 can provide clean water to combat waterborne diseases.
- $500 can launch an anti-bullying campaign and create a safe environment for children.
https://www.rotary.org/en/about-rotary/rotary-foundation
Currently, the clubs in our district are helping a lot in Ukraine. The Rotary Foundation assists in cooperation with the Rotary Action Group for Peace. Technical consultant Aluson Sutherland gives advice. contact@rotaryactiongroupforpeace.org
About language and mind
The district’s autumn meeting was held in Tartu on 18 October. Clubs are sent invitations to general meetings, and the agenda and supporting materials are sent before the meeting. At a general meeting, each club has at least one vote, and the number of votes increases with the number of club members.
The agenda of the Annual Meeting included the submission and approval of reports for the previous financial year.
Approval of Rotary’s previous Annual Report (2023-2024) and the statement of the Finance Committee and the auditor. The presentations were held in English.
Approval of the financial statements for 2023-2024 and discharge of the persons responsible for the accounts. The presentation was held in English.
It has been decided to form a nomination committee for the governor-designate for the Rotary year 2027-2028. The members of the district council and two AGs, Merlin Haak and Heidi Kauppi-Hopia, will form the Rotary Governor’s Nomination Committee 2026-2027.
The district representative and his/her deputy are elected to the association’s meetings and board by the Finnish and Estonian Rotary Service r.y.
Appoints DG Aune Past as a representative to the Rotary Service of Finland and Estonia meetings for 2025-2026 and the candidate for governor DGN Heldur Allese as his deputy. DGE Jere Jantunen is a member of the Finnish and Estonian Rotary Service board, and DGN Heldur Allese is his deputy.
Any other topics. The District Finance Committee’s report on the finances of the 2022-2023 District Conference and the Report on District Communication Compensation for 2022-2023 were discussed.
During the meeting, the participants asked which language the meeting would be held in. A brief explanation is needed here. We are Rotary International District 1420. Rotary International Piri 1420 ry is registered in Finland, and the official language is Finnish. According to the rules, four languages are used in the district: Finnish, Estonian, Swedish, and English.
I hope that together, we will find a solution that is acceptable to Estonians, Finns, and Swedish—and English-speaking Rotarians.
Photos: Jassu Hertsmann. Overview of the district conference: everyone is on the stage.
Aftermath of the District Conference on Healthy Society: Health and Peace
Holding a district conference is a big challenge for any governor. I started preparing for the conference when I was DGN, that is, 1.5 years earlier. Rotary International’s guide to hosting conferences also requires this. And here, “I” ends, and “we” begins.
