 Friday, March 13, 2020 Dear Rotary Family and Friends, I barely had the CO-VID 19 update sent out on District-wide March 12th when a number of local, provincial and national announcements with respect to large gatherings, travel suspensions, and cancellation of sports events occurred that I'm sure many of you are now aware of. The media world is rampant with a vast output of CO-VID 19 information that can cause confusion and a burden on those of us trying to grasp what is happening and what is the truth. Reliance on certain social media platforms is not recommended as a resource for advice and updates about this crisis. Alberta has proven to have one of the most effective medical care experts in the world. Here is the link to the Alberta CO-VID19 website that is updated twice daily to keep us informed. Given the quickly evolving spread of the CO-VID 19 virus, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw announced yesterday and reiterated again today, March 13th; "These are extraordinary circumstances, and our public health response must rise to the challenge we face. The most important preventative measure for you to take is to wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds before eating, after bathroom use, upon returning home. Sneeze and cough into your elbow or a tissue. Effective immediately, we are asking all mass gatherings or international events in the province to be canceled and advising Albertans against travel outside of the country. By “mass gathering”, we mean any mass gatherings of more than 250 people. This includes large sporting events, conferences and community events. It does not extend to places of worship, grocery stores, airports or shopping centres at this time." Please refrain from tracking club meeting attendance during this crisis. Consider the safety of our most vulnerable members, our families, ourselves and those we serve. Stay in touch frequently to those who may be feeling isolated, lonely and depressed during these stressful times. Set up a system for continuous calls to your members. I strongly recommend that starting this week Mar 15-21, 2020 Clubs consider suspending their regular club meetings on a week by week basis. Send your meeting and event postponements and cancellations to Charlene Bearden, District Administrator to have them announced on the District Website. Rather than frequent emails from your District Leadership, check the District 5360 Website for updates and announcements. In-place of regular face to face meetings, hold video conferencing through Zoom, GoTo Meetings, and Microsoft Teams. If you wish to use our District 5360 Zoom account, please reserve your meeting with District Administrator, Charlene Bearden. Charlene can also assist you with how to use Zoom. We are all in this together dear friends. Let's continue to support each other with patience, a kind word, and our Rotary Spirit. I am available for a phone call, text message or email anytime. In fact, the whole District Leadership Team is available to support you through this uncharted troubling time. Please feel free to reach out to us, keep in mind that no issue is too small, we're here to help. Take care and be safe, District Governor Christine 403-999-3700  |