District Governor Gary Chenoweth and his wife Mary
“Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI)”:
Yesterday being World Polio Day, thought the subject was a good newsletter starting point. GPEI was created in 1988 and remains the largest international public health initiative in history. Besides Rotary International, World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and The Gates Foundation make up key members. Earlier this year (2021), GPEI had raised over $18 billion! Rotary International's contribution to polio eradication started prior to GPEI being formed. In 1979 RI funds were provided to the Philippines to fight dreaded child disease. To date, over $2.2 billion has been donated by your and the other 35,000 Rotary clubs in the World to PolioPlus.
Unfortunately, Polio Eradication Countdown continues. Until all the world’s wild polio cases disappear, for 3 straight years, GPEI funding must continue. With only 2 cases reported so far in 2021, maybe 2022 will be the first year without any new polio cases!
Note: Saturday, June 25 has been booked with Skydive Grand Haven for a Jump for Polio event. Since the drop zone has the capacity to accommodate 100 skydivers/day, how awesome would it be if every D6290 club would be represented at the event by at least 1 jumper.
Additional jump information will be provided later by D6290 Foundation Chair Ed Swart PDG.
Public Image Information:
Starting July 1, 2021, RI announce that a 7th focus area was being added, Protecting the Environment. D6290 Board of Directors thinks that it would be a great visual for clubs to have a retractable 7 focus floor banner for meetings. Recently approval was given for District to cover the cost in making this happen. CAO Kathy will be providing details on how to get banners for your club.
District Leadership feels that a great PI campaign strategy makes new membership recruiting and fundraising much easier. So, a PI Grant program is being offered again this year. The district will match 1:1, up to $250 (total $500) for club rebranding grant for use in updating banners, signage, brochures, etc. COA Kathy will again provide details on receiving the matching funds.
PI observations from club visits: (1) Love what both clubs in Sault Ste. Marie, MI did during my visit. Russel Hampton's order form was passed around for members to order Rotary apparel. One of the best marketing strategies would be getting members to wear Rotary hats, shirts, jackets, etc. around the community. (2) Many times, while entering MI villages, towns, and cities there is typically a display showing signs of service clubs represented in the community. It seemed that most of the signs were very dull. How about purchasing a new bright and shiny sign?
Great PI Resource: Brand Center located on the RI website.
Membership:
Last year D6290 membership dropped 175 to 2,446. Recently D6290 Membership Chair, Jim P White, reported that District membership had increased 3 to 2,449…. YEA! As structured North American service clubs’ membership numbers are dropping, Rotary needs to be the exception.
RI President Shekhar Mehta frequently uses the phrase “Each One, Bring One” for simplifying membership recruitment…excellent advice! When discussing Rotary with a potential member, attempt to get them to commit to visiting the club 3 times: General Meeting, Service Project, and Club Social. If this occurs, I’m pretty certain the prospect becomes a member!
Note: COA Kathy just posted an invitation to join, November 9 at 7 pm, zoom presentation by IPDG (5960) Tim Gump. Tim has a passion for growing Rotary membership and has written articles on the subject that have appeared in the Rotary Magazine. Please plan on joining Kathy and me at the event.
President Mehta would like clubs to focus service activities on the following key United Nations observations during November:
November 14 World Diabetes Day
“ 16 Int’l Day of Tolerance
“ 19 World Toilet Day
“ 20 World Children’s Day
“ 25 Int’l Day for Elimination of Violence
Against Women
Thanks to all of you for being Rotarians... “District 6290 Communities Need More Rotarians Not Less”
Congratulations to the Rotary clubs of Allendale, Cadillac, and Wawa for achieving the 2020-2021 Rotary International Presidential Citation. To achieve this accomplishment the club president must select at least 13 out of 25 goals they wish to apply toward citation achievement.
The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into service projects that change lives both close to home and around the world.
Since it was founded more than 100 years ago, the Foundation has spent more than $4 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects.
With your help, we can make lives better in your community and around the world.
Our mission
The Rotary Foundation helps Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty.
Serving as District Governor is an honor … and in 6290 it is especially satisfying since we have a tradition of support from those who served in the past. We also have a culture of collaborative leadership! Consider joining the DG team to serve our district and the people of the world in this unique way.
The nomination committee in Rotary District 6290 is currently accepting applications for the 2024 - 2025 District Governor (DG).
You qualify if you …
… are a member in good standing of a functioning club in the district;
… have served as club president for a full term or as charter president for at least six months;
… demonstrate willingness, commitment, and ability to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of a governor;
… are able to attend the International Assembly, in full
Application deadline November 15, 2021 to Chief Administrative Officer, Kathy Hegedus at kathyh@ridistrict6290.org. The nominations shall be submitted in the form of a resolution adopted at a regular meeting of the club naming the suggested candidate. The resolution shall be certified by the club secretary. A club may suggest only one of its own members as a candidate for governor-nominee.
District Governor 2020-21 Rotary District 5950 Rotary Club of Edina/Morningside, Minnesota
We are delighted to announce that Tom Gump will be our key-note speaker on November 9th at 7:00 pm via Zoom!
District 5950 Governor Tom Gump is passionate about growing Rotary membership.
His tips for attracting and retaining members and his work in forming new, cause-based Rotary clubs were both featured in Rotary magazine cover stories.
Last year, he was one of 20 North American Rotary leaders selected by Immediate Past President Mark Maloney and Rotary International Membership Staff to participate in the “New Club Development Summit” and was named as a Zone 29 Innovative Club Advocate.
Tom was the visionary founder of the first-ever Rotary Club for Veterans in the world. He also co-founded the first Rotary club in the world formed to end human trafficking. He now helping form similar clubs throughout the world!
He frequently speaks about membership at Zone, District, and club events, including as a breakout panelist at Rotary International Conventions.
A World Polio Day 500 mile ride - raising awareness and funds to End Polio Now
Wayne Koppa
Why I am fundraising for The Rotary Foundation
In the 1980's, Rotary International committed to eliminating Polio from the planet. Over 1,000 children were paralyzed each and every day. 350,000 new cases every year. Slowly progress was made and Rotary found powerful partners and now the task is down to 2 countries. As long as Polio still exists it can travel anywhere and infect anyone that is unprotected. The final steps of eliminating this terrible disease will be the hardest, requiring millions of vaccinations delivered in the toughest parts of the world, where vaccine workers risk their personal safety. Rotary never backed away from this effort and will see it to the end. Your donation will be tripled by the Gates Foundation. A $20 donation becomes $60. A $50 donation becomes $150. A $100 donation becomes $300. Sunday, October 24th is World Polio Day. On that day I will ride the coastline of the mitt of Michigan to bring attention to our effort and to ask for your help. Please consider a donation. Click here to see photos from Wayne's trip and to make a donation to end Polio Now!
LIFE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE MOVES TO FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY JUNE 15-18
The Rotary District 6290 Life Leadership Conference (LLC) now has a new home at Ferris State University. After the closure of Camp Kettunen near Tustin, the LLC District Committee has been searching for a new venue that is located properly for the District and has the services needed to run this signature youth program for District 6290. Both the LLC District Committee and the District Board of Directors have expressed their support for this new move.
First organized in 1949 by Muskegon Rotarians Stub Bemer and Chase Hammond, the Rotary Life Leadership Conference has now moved locations five times and impacted over 6,900 youth leaders in its 73 year history. Many conferees have gone on to leadership roles in Interact, Rotaract, Rotary, and in their work and community endeavors. LLC alumni have shared with us repeatedly how this conference impacted and helped to shape them at an important time in their lives.
The mission of LLC is “to educate and inspire youth, utilizing the Rotary motto of Service Above Self, to expand their leadership roles in service to their schools and communities, and to the world.”
LLC took place virtually in May 2021 and attracted 111 students from 24 District clubs. In June 2022, LLC hopes to attract 150 student leaders from our District from more clubs, to include Rotary Youth Exchange inbounds and outbounds, for an in-person conference at Ferris State University.
Ferris State University provides a central location, strong safety, and Covid protocols, excellent meeting spaces, exceptional food service, and a University atmosphere that will support the LLC mission and curriculum. Students will be housed in dorms with two to a room unless Covid protocols change in the future.
A veteran conference staff of 15 will provide all necessary supervision with room for 150 or more conferees. Many physical activities, games, and events will be planned using campus facilities to bring young people together in constructive and healthy ways.
Rotary Youth Protection measures are in full effect for all clubs in both recruiting and transporting youth prior to the conference, as well as with the Life Leadership staff throughout the conference.
All District 6290 Rotary Clubs are encouraged to budget $375 per scholarship offered and to begin the selection process soon. Candidates should be interviewed by the sponsoring Rotary Club prior to selection and multiple conferees may be sponsored. We encourage diversity and inclusion in the selection process and look forward to accepting applications in January.
The main recruiting priority is for current sophomore or junior student leaders with a heart for service who are hungry to learn more, although all secondary students are welcome. We encourage clubs to sponsor Rotary Interactors, when possible, to assist them with training to effectively lead their Interact clubs in the future. Youth Exchange inbounds and outbounds are also encouraged to participate to make LLC more of a Rotary international experience.
The deadline for LLC applications will be May 1, 2022, and applications will be available online in January at www.https://ridistrict6290.org. A promotional flyer will be soon be sent to all LLC Chairs and Club presidents to assist with promotion and recruiting. For further information, please contact District 6290 LLC Chair, John Noling, at johnnoling65@gmail.com or call 231-670-3740.
The Chippewa County Sunrise Rotary Club and the Sault Ste Marie Rotary Club joined together to apply for a Rotary grant to construct a children’s train at RotaryPark! The Sault High School Construction in Geometry Class built the train.
Rotary Club of Traverse Bay Sunrise Launches Bike Share Project in Malawi
TRAVERSE CITY, MI, October 20, 2021 – Thanks to the Rotary Club of Traverse Bay Sunrise in Traverse City, Michigan, 220 high school students in Malawi, Africa, have a new Bike Share Program in place that provides a bicycle to ride to school each day. The overall goal of the project is to increase the graduation rate of students, especially girls, which currently stands at 7% in Malawi. A secondary objective of the Bike Share Project is to teach students how to care for and repair their bicycles through formal instruction from trained bicycle mechanics.
The Sunrise Club has been working in Malawi in partnership with Warm Hearts Foundation, a Grand Rapids, Michigan, based nonprofit with offices in Malawi and Kenya. In 2016, 2017 and 2019 club members traveled to the Mangochi District of Malawi to build two secondary-level schools and scout for new project ideas. The idea for the Bike Share Project came from the students themselves who stated one of the main reasons they struggle to graduate is the great distance many of them have to walk to attend school each day. After doing a bit of research the Sunrise Club discovered many students walk 3 to 5 or sometimes 9 miles one way as there is no public transportation system and almost no private forms of transportation to assist them. The effect on student attendance, energy level, and safety is profound - especially for girls who must sometimes walk alone in the dark.
Two other Rotary Clubs became involved in the Bike Share Project, as well. The Rotary Club of Elk Rapids, Michigan, and the Rotary Club of Limbe, Malawi. A fifth project partner was Norte, a youth-focused cycling organization in Traverse City.
In total, $44,600 was raised to purchase 220 bicycles, spare parts and repair tools that were divided among four schools in the Mangochi District. Two adults were also selected to receive formal bicycle repair training and establish entrepreneurial repair businesses. In return, these individuals will work with students on a weekly basis, teaching them how to care for and repair their bikes.
Approximately $10,000 was received from Rotary District Grants. Success will be measured by attendance during the 2021-22 school year which began in July. Thus far, the project appears to be exceeding expectations and it is anticipated that an additional 36 bicycles will be added to the fleet.
For more information on the Traverse Bay Sunrise Rotary Club, visit www.tcsunriserotary.org.
