All Rotary Clubs in our district are encouraged to plan ahead and apply for awards…EVERYONE enjoys recognition for their efforts.  AWARDS are the way we can say” Congratulations for a job WELL DONE!’ from the district to the clubs!  Awards will be published in the District Directory as well as here on the district website.  Again this year, all awards with due dates have been scheduled for submission on the same date, March 31, 2017 except the Vocational Service Award which is January 15, 2017.  All other awards requiring club or AG input will be submitted on the Standard Award Application to the Awards Chair, Karen Morris, kmmorris114@gmail.com at 114 Bellingrath Drive, Madison AL 35758 by the March 31, 2017 deadline.  Please feel free to contact her with any questions.  For the purpose of applying for awards, a Small Club is defined as having 50 or less members and a Large Club is defined as having 51 or more members. 

General Awards

VOCATIONAL SERVICE AWARDS - Purpose of Award: To recognize, each Rotary year, one Non-Rotarian person in District 6860 and one Rotarian, both for Vocational Service on a District, State, Regional, National, or World basis (i.e. vocational service recognized significantly beyond the territory of a club). You can find more detail on the nomination and selection procedure HERE. The Annual Award is based on recognition for excellence in representing and performing in a vocation with recognition of achievement significantly beyond one club or territory. To make application for this award you may download the Vocational Service Award Application HERE. This application deadline is early and should be made to the Chairman, Council of Governors, PDG Tom Green, by January 15, 2017.

TOM MILFORD SERVICE ABOVE SELF AWARD - Awarded to the District 6860 Rotarian that best exemplifies Service Above Self during the current Rotary year. (This is an award that clubs may want to propose their "Rotarian of the Year".) Applications must be submitted to Awards Chair Karen Morris by mail or e-mail no later than March 31, 2017. Use the The Tom Milford Award Application to submit your application to Karen.

PRESIDENTIAL CITATION- The Presidential Citation recognizes Rotary clubs for an array of achievements that promote membership growth, enhance humanitarian service through The Rotary Foundation, and strengthen our network through the Family of Rotary.  No application is required.  Award will be presented to the club based on the club’s input of goals and updating of club information into Rotary Club Central and verified by Rotary International data.

THE FAMILY OF ROTARY – A Rotary Fun Recognition will be awarded to each Club who is certified by the Club’s Assistant Governor for holding a FUN EVENT quarterly. Assistant Governors will report a list of clubs to receive the recognition to Awards Chair Karen Morris as of March 31, 2017. 

Leadership Awards

OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AWARD-Awarded to a member of the District leadership Team who demonstrates outstanding qualities of leadership during the current Rotary year. No application required.  Recipient will be selected by the District Governor.

VIBRANT CLUB AWARD – Given to any Club who meets the requirements of RI Publication – Be a Vibrant Club as certified by your Assistant Governor.  The award will be presented at a regular Rotary Vibrant Club Meeting. Assistant Governors will report to Awards Chair Karen Morris by March 31, 2017 those clubs eligible to receive the recognition.

ROTARY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE (RLI) - Any club with a club member who completed the RLI 3 part course will be recognized. The RLI coordinator will provide the Awards Chair Karen Morris a list of clubs with Rotarians that have graduated from RLI in Rotary year 2016-2017 by March 31, 2017.

Membership Awards

SUPERIOR CLUB MEMBERSHIP GROWTH - Any club that exceeds membership growth above 5% as measured from July 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017 will be recognized. The Small and Large Clubs with the highest percentage of membership growth will be recognized. No application is required. No action required by Clubs. 

CLUB MEMBERSHIP GROWTH - Awarded to all clubs who meet or exceed Membership Goals for the club. The membership growth period is July 1, 2016 – March 31, 2017 with each club's starting membership count as of July 1st each year. The District Secretary and the Awards Committee will calculate the growth. The district governor submits the names of all qualifying clubs to Rotary International. Each recognized club will receive a certificate signed by the RI President and a BANNER from the District Governor. No application is required. No action required by Clubs. 

CLUB MEMBER RETENTION - Any Club who retains 100% of their membership or increases their retention rate by 1% over the last year between July 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017 will be recognized as an Active Membership Club. No application is required. No action required by Clubs. 

AVERAGE ATTENDANCE - Awarded to the small and large clubs with the highest average percent attendance for the period July 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017. The winner will be calculated by totaling the percent attendance reported each month and dividing the sum by nine. The District Secretary and the Awards Committee will calculate the attendance averages. No application is required. No action required by Clubs. 

Foundation Awards

FOUNDATION GIVING - Awarded to the club with the highest average per member contribution (per capita giving) to the Annual Program Fund of the Rotary Foundation. The winner will be calculated by dividing the Club's total unrestricted giving to the Annual Program Fund as reported by the Rotary Foundation for the period July 1, 2015 through March 31, 2016 based on the Club's membership as of July 1. First, second, and third place awards will be given for both Small and Large Clubs. No application is required. No action required by Clubs.

POLIO PLUS GIVING - Awarded to the club with the highest giving to the Polio Plus campaign. First, second, and third place awards will be given for both Small and Large clubs. No application required. No action is required by clubs. 

Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) AWARD - A TRF RIBBON will be awarded to each club in which Every Rotarian makes a contribution to the Annual Program Fund Every Year. All clubs achieving 100% member participation will be recognized. The July semiannual report will be used for total membership. This award will be presented at the Annual Foundation Dinner following the close of the Rotary year. No application is required. No action is required by Clubs.

STAR CLUB - Awarded to each club achieving or exceeding $100 per capita contribution to the Rotary Foundation Annual Fund during the current Rotary year. Clubs achieving this level of contribution by March 31, 2017 will be recognized at the District Conference by the awarding of a STAR. No application is required. No action is required by Clubs.

GREATEST TOTAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE ROTARY FOUNDATION, INCLUDING ANNUAL AND PERMANENT FUNDS - This award is given to the club that gives the most money to the Rotary Foundation during the period from July1, 2016 to March 31, 2017. No application is required. No action required by Clubs. 

Service Awards

LITERACY - All clubs providing information and outcomes on their literacy project will be recognized. Projects may include school reading programs, adult tutoring, or book programs. Purpose must be improving literacy in your community.  Use the Standard Award Application and submit it to Awards Chair Karen Morris by mail or e-mail by March 31, 2017.

COMMUNITY OR VOCATIONAL SERVICE AWARD - Awarded to the small and large clubs with the most significant community or vocational service project. Extra weighting will be given for projects that are recent in nature, those that involve a large number of the club membership, and those that have a wide community impact and projects that include partners to help achieve the desired objective. Projects that would be considered vocational are included in this award.  Use the Standard Award Application and submit it to Awards Chair Karen Morris by mail or e-mail by March 31, 2017.

INTERNATIONAL SERVICE AWARD - Awarded to the small and large clubs with the most significant international service project. Projects should be recent and results should be highlighted.  Use the Standard Award Application and submit it to Awards Chair Karen Morris by mail or e-mail by March 31, 2017.

Youth Service Awards

YOUTH SERVICE AWARDS - are presented to Clubs who actively support Youth Programs and Initiatives.  North Alabama Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) – A RYLA 2017 Ribbon will be presented to all Clubs who recruit and send students to the annual NA RYLA Program. A Special RYLA 2017 Ribbon will be presented to the three NA RYLA Program organizing Clubs. The RYLA coordinator will provide a list of clubs sponsoring participants to the Awards Chair Karen Morris by March 31, 2017.

INTERACT/ROTARACT Support and Sustainment – An INTERACT and/or ROTARACT Ribbon will be presented to all Clubs who actively establish/sponsor an INTERACT or ROTARACT Club during the Rotary Year.  The Youth Services Chair will provide a list of clubs to the Awards Chair Karen Morris by March 31, 2017.

Club Administration Awards

CLUB BULLETIN - Awarded to the small and large clubs with the best bulletin as determined by the District Communications Officer and the Awards Committee using criteria suggested in the Club Committee Manual. Competing Clubs must provide to the Awards Chair Karen Morris copies of a minimum of nine Bulletins - to include at least one per quarter for the period July 1, 2016 - March 31, 2017 OR the clubs E-Bulletin should be posted in the club bulletin file located in section 2 of My Club in DaCdb by March 31, 2017.

4 WAY TEST AWARD - Awarded to the clubs that model the 4 Way Test by, in addition to reciting the 4 Way Test, have a member share during the club meeting, at least monthly, a brief testimony of how he or she recently applied the 4 Way Test.   Use the Standard Award Application and submit it to Awards Chair Karen Morris by mail or e-mail by March 31, 2017.

Public Relations Awards

PUBLIC RELATIONS RECOGNITION - For the best promotion of a service project or fundraising event and the use of social media, news media sources, website, and DaCdb will all be considered. First, second and third place awards will be given.   Use the Standard Award Application and submit it to Awards Chair Karen Morris by mail or e-mail by March 31, 2017.

SOCIAL MEDIA - Any club with an active Facebook Page or Twitter Account. Clubs must detail how the use of social media benefited their membership.   Use the Standard Award Application and submit it to Awards Chair Karen Morris by mail or e-mail by March 31, 2017.

CLUB WEB SITE AWARD - Awarded to the club with the best web site that provides information external to the club and internal to the members. Consideration will be given for providing access to DaCdb, projects, events and recognition of club accomplishments. A link to the club’s website must be posted in Address Tab of My Club in DACdb by March 31, 2017 for the club to be considered for the award. (You get to the Address Tab by selecting the Edit Club button on the My Club view.)