Welcome
President Elect Resources 2025
Introduction Summary
Being a Rotary Club President is an important position and it can be intimidating as you get ready to take on the responsibilities. But as you prepare, the most important thing to know is that you are not alone. Your District team and Rotary International are here to help. This web page will be your central location for accessing the information you need to get ready. The links and documents will be updated regularly. Check here first for any information you need.
Here are some of the tools available:
President Elect Learning Seminar (PELS)
In addition to our District learning team, there is an entire group of Rotarians from across six Rotary Districts in northern NJ, eastern PA, southern NY and NY metro working on our upcoming President Elect Learning Seminar (PELS). The purpose of PELS is to prepare President Elects to be President and to help returning Presidents do an even better job. For those who have been around for a few years, PELS replaces PETS, as Rotary moves from a training to a learning format.
The PELS program is interactive, allowing for discussion with your fellow President Elects. After PELS, you are even less alone because of the friendship and support network you will develop. PELS also has a separate curriculum designed for returning Presidents and Assistant Governors. Many experienced Presidents and Assistant Governors will also be attending PELS and you will be able to learn from them.
What to Expect:
- Interactive Sessions: Engaging classes and discussions led by experienced Rotary leaders.
- Key Leadership Skills: Learning how to build strong clubs, develop community impact, and engage members.
- Rotary Resources: Access to tools that will help you navigate your presidential year effectively.
- Peer Support: Connect with fellow Rotarians who are on the same leadership journey.
- Informative and Inspirational Speakers: Hear from Rotary leaders about the status and future of our organization.
Featured Speakers
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Find out more about our featured speakers. Just click on their picture.
IMPORTANT: You can download PELS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) in the Download Documents box. It will answer many of the questions you may have about the program.
PELS will be held from Thursday March 20 to Saturday March 22 at the Hanover Marriott in Whippany NJ, conveniently located in the center of our District. Registration information is below. The latest agenda is in the Links box.
DISTRICT MEETING
- Immediately following the Saturday lunch and plenary presentation we will be holding a district meeting for all PELS attendees.
- We will be reviewing district plans for the 2025 – 26 Rotary Year and you will have the opportunity to ask questions. The meeting is also where you will receive your PELS certificate, so please plan to attend.
PELS Service Project
Toiletry Drive to Benefit Those Suffering from Abuse & Domestic Violence.
- Every year at PELS all participating clubs conduct a service project to benefit local organizations. We are fortunate this year that the primary beneficiary of the project is in located in our district.
- Our cause is JBWS, a nonprofit located Morris County. Their Mission is the prevention of domestic violence and the education of the public about domestic violence and its consequences.
- We are asking each club to contribute toiletry items, including shampoo, hygiene products, paper products, body wash, razors and more. Bring your items to PELS. They will be consolidated with the other club donations and delivered to JBWS on Saturday afternoon.
BOUNCE FOR THE FOUNDATION
Have you ever seen a Zorb Ball Competition?
Bounce for the Foundation is a fun way to raise money for our Rotary Foundation. Our District team members will be inside the Zorb balls trying to knock the other District competitors out of the ring.
The Zorb competition will take place on Friday evening 3/21 following dinner. We will be competing with the other 5 districts in the ring and for Rotary Foundation fundraising. Clubs and Rotarians can donate to the Foundation to show their support for our district team. Support your President Elect with a $100 (or more) donation!
Individual Rotarian, Club and District contributions to the Foundation’s Annual Fund – SHARE made following the instructions below will count towards Bounce for the Foundation. Donations are to the Annual Fund so you will earn credit and Paul Harris points toward your annual goals and helping to build our fund for future district grants. Any amount from $25 and up counts and is appreciated.
Special Bonus! District 7475 will match your individual or club Paul Harris points earned donating to Bounce for the Foundation, so you earn 2x points for each donation. Send a copy of your donation receipt to Annual Giving Chair Kalpana Patel to receive credit.
Members & Clubs need to donate online with a credit or debit card to get credit for Bounce for the Foundation. It will only take about 2-3 minutes. (Less time than it takes to read the instructions!)
- Sign in to my.rotary.org to ensure credit for you and your club
- Click on the ‘Donate’ button in the upper right.
- Choose ‘Annual Fund – SHARE’
- Click ‘I would like to make this donation in honor of someone’
- Choose ‘In honor of’ and enter D7475 in the ‘Name of honoree’
- Enter Bounce4theFoundation@gmail.com in the ‘Recipient’s email address’
- Enter your name and your club in the ‘Name of donor’ box.
- If you're a Club Officer making a donation on behalf of your Club or its members, choose ‘Donate from Club’or ‘Donate from Members,’ which will automatically open a list of all of your Active and Honorary Members.Click here for easy step-by-step instructions for How to Donate to TRF on Behalf of your Club or Members.
- Complete the remainder of the form (which will autofill your personal information if you signed in to My.Rotary.org)and add your credit/debit card information.
NOTE: Donations must be made online to be credited to Bounce for the Foundation.
We are looking for Presidents-Elect to join the district team and compete against the other districts. You can download the information sheet in the Download Documents box. Email DGE Bob if you would like to participate as a contestant. It’s a fun event for a great cause!
PELS Preparation Sessions
So you can get the most out of PELS and are not walking in cold, our District Learning Team will be presenting learning sessions leading up to March 20. We will start things off with a live kickoff dinner (FREE!) and social on Thursday January 30 in Madison. That will be followed by online learning and Q&A sessions throughout February and early March. You will get to meet your fellow classmates live and virtually as you start your preparation. You will find the schedule and link information below.
Rotary Learning Center
In addition to the live PELS event, Rotary has created an online classroom, called the Rotary Learning Center, where you can take courses at your own pace and at a time that is convenient to you. There you will find courses that will help prepare you for PELS, as well as follow-on courses that will help you throughout your Rotary journey. The Learning Center is a great tool for all Rotarians and we highly recommend learning how to access and use it. Details on how to access and use the Learning Center are below.
Key Dates for President Elects
Tuesday March 18 @ 7 PM: PELS Prep via Zoom - How the Public and Prospects See Your Club (Pre-registration required - Link is in the PELS Prep via Zoom box)
Thursday March 20 to Saturday March 22: The President Elect Learning Seminar 2025 will be held at the Hanover Marriott on Route 10 in Whippany NJ. That is conveniently located in the center of our District. See the Links box to register for PELS and make your hotel reservation.
Tuesday July 1: The start of your year as Club President!
How to Access The Rotary Learning Center
At our January 30 live session and February 3 virtual session we will teach you how to access the Rotary Learning Center. If you want to go it on your own, follow the instructions below. It is not difficult.
To access the Rotary Learning Center you must have a My Rotary Account on the Rotary International website. Your My Rotary account is not the same as on your Club or District account. If you do not have a My Rotary Account, open the How To Create a My Rotary Account in the Download Documents box and follow the instructions. It is an easy process.
It is suggested that you access the Learning Center using the Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge browser. Safari will work, but it occasionally delivers unexpected results.
Once you have a My Rotary Account, you can access your account from www.rotary.org or www.myrotary.org. From the myrotary.org home page, click on Knowledge and Resources and then on Learning Center. Most of your PELS preparation courses are in the Club Leadership category. If this is your first time using The Learning Center, we suggest you take the Getting Started course. The link is below.
Getting Started in the Learning Center and PELS Preparation Courses
The links in the adjacent Learning Center Links box will take you to suggested courses to get you started on the road to PELS and your year as President. We will list additional courses later, but these will get you started and comfortable with the Learning Center.
IMPORTANT: These are direct links to the course selected, but you should be logged into your My Rotary account before you click on the link. It makes the process easier.