Perspective on what rotary does and everything associated with it.

The actual rotary event is on Wednesday the 25th next week.

It starts at 5:30.

And anyway, invite all of you to attend.

It's going to be, we have so many organizations at the community center that have signed up for tables and a whole bunch of stuff.

This thing gets bigger every year, so please uh if you've got time to do it, come visit us at the Peace Poll.

Now onto the proclamation.

Peace Day in Dunedin, 2026, whereas the City of Dunedin recognizes that peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but the presence of compassion, understanding, and cooperation among individuals and communities.

And Rotary International, through its local clubs and global network, has long been a leading advocate for peace, goodwill, and service above self, empowering communities to resolve conflict, promote dialogue, and build lasting relationships founded on the mutual respect.

And the three Rotary Clubs in Dunedin planted a rotary peace poll in Highlander Park on February 23rd, 2022, with plans to bring our community together yearly to honor a commitment to the ideal of peace.

And the rotary theme for this year, Unite for Good calls upon all people to work together across differences, uniting hearts, hands, and minds to strengthen our shared humanity and to foster a more caring and inclusive world.

And Dunedin's many nonprofit organizations, faith communities, schools, and civic groups embody the spirit of unity through their daily efforts to serve others, upper uplift the vulnerable, and create opportunities for all residents to thrive in peace and dignity.

Peace Day in Dunedin provides an opportunity for our city to join with Rotary and other community partners to celebrate acts of kindness, to renew our commitment to nonviolence, and to collaborate in building bridges of understanding within our neighborhoods and beyond.

So I, Robert James Walker, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the mayor of the City of Dunedin, Florida, and on behalf of the entire City Commission, do hereby proclaim February 23rd, 2026 as Peace Day in Dunedin and urge all citizens, organizations, and institutions to join in activities that promote peace, unity, and goodwill.

Let us honor Rotary's vision to unite to unite for good, working together to make Dunedin a beacon of harmony, compassion, and shared purpose.

Rob read it, but it's not all about you.

No?

Yes?

I think that says it all.

All right.

Hold the proclamation your stand up there.

I'll let you get it first.

Okay.

Okay, now we have Government Communicators Day, February 20th, 2026 proclamation, and I will turn that over to Commissioner Dugard.

Thank you, Mayor.

Could I have the entire communications team come forward, please?

And by the way, anybody that thinks they're on the communications team, they can come forward too.

Anybody anybody that wants to be on the left.

Not if you communicate on Facebook.

Whereas the role of government communication professions is to inform, educate, and encourage their communities, and whereas robust communication and government creates trust and inspires residents to take action and be involved.

And whereas government communications create relationships and calls to action, build awareness, understanding through storytelling, engage and foster engagement on civic issues, and use all channels to include people in critical decisions.

And whereas it is essential to have strong communications in government, because it is a foundational element of living in a democracy where citizens have the freedom to make their voice heard.

And whereas the City of Dunedin is proud and has deep gratitude and recognition for government communicators, their professionalism, dedication, hard work, commitment, enthusiasm.

And sacrifice.

Now I, Tom Dugard, by the authority vested in me from the mayor of Dunedin, Mo Freeney.

Do hereby excuse me.

Of the City of Dunedin, and on behalf of the entire city commission to hereby proclaim February 20th, 2026 as government communications day in Dunedin, Florida, and encourage all residents to thank the members of the communications department who have dedicated their careers to ensure Dunedin has effective, impactful, and successful communication strategies that resonate and are relevant.

Thank you.

Somebody's better teacher money.

Thank you so much.

I have a few words.

Oh, yeah, we did a few words.

Yes, of course.

Give me a microphone.

Um thank you, Mayor, commissioners, for this proclamation, um, recognizing the importance, the important role of government communications, and the value that it brings to our community.

And I think maybe we have told you this is a national day tomorrow.

Um, that our our our uh national agency or um industry uh yes, yes, our a agency that supports government communicators, um, really wants to uh elevate and recognize uh the role that we play in cities and counties all over all over the country.

So I want to introduce my my talented team that hopefully you know they are the architects behind all of the content and all the communication strategies that we create every day and every week.

Kate McVay is our communication manager, Rebecca Nelson is our digital um uh uh website.

I can't even think tonight, uh website coordinator, and Brooke Nolan, who you see all over with her cameras, she is our senior multimedia coordinator.

They are also the creativity behind the content videos and photography that captures Daned and brand spirit and the stories about our community and the people who live and work here.

We are proud of the awards we have won this past year and in prior years, um, both from the Florida Municipal Communicators Association and our state association, three CMA, which I just mentioned, which is our national association.

The three CMA award that we won this year was for last year's State of the City video, which we are very proud of, which really captured the heart of Deneiden Strong as we recovered from the 2024 for hurricanes.

While we have many ways to keep residents informed, the best way is to subscribe to the Danita News, and you will see at your places tonight.

We have given you some cards as a reminder when you are out and about in the community and people want to know how they can be informed, have them to subscribe to the Danita News.

And I hope everyone here in the audience has heard that message as well.

That is the best way to get our information directly to your inbox every Thursday at three o'clock.

Um Kate does the uh little teases on Wednesday, which give people an idea of what will be in that Danita news, and often we are publishing information in the Danita news that may not be on social media because not everyone wants to be on social media.

People are actually pulling away from social media.

So we are very proud to work with all of our departments to serve the community, to work with you, to um elevate not only information and education, but also public trust.