District Governor's Message
November is Rotary Foundation Month!
Mary Kessens
In the Rotary calendar, we celebrate the Rotary Foundation in November. It’s my favorite month! It’s a month when we celebrate the miracles that happen through our Rotary Foundation. Over 25,000 grants have funded sight, work, education, microlending, clean water, health care and many other life changing opportunities. We support international scholarship through our Ambassadorial Scholars. We foster world peace through the Peace Scholar program. We WILL eliminate polio and take on other diseases of the world. Hopefully this litany of miracles will never end.
These good works are funded by yet another miracle-the miracle of generous people. Fifty-eight clubs in our district have pledged to raise $248,875 for The Rotary Foundation Annual Program Fund. This goal is a 13% increase over last year’s giving. If our past experience holds true, we will exceed that goal. I am looking forward to seeing these pledges translate to dollars contributed as we move through the rest of this Rotary year. I hope all clubs will send in their contributions on a monthly basis so we may celebrate the progress toward our goal. Every dollar contributed means another person may work, eat, heal or learn because of our generosity.
Best Wishes in Rotary,
Mary
District Goals for the Year
Mary Kessens
Click here to download district goals as a pdf.
District News, Events and Announcements
Combat Blindness - Update
The Combat Blindness Foundation and Project 2020 is underway. The Foundation is finalizing the Rotary Foundation grant application with the support of the Rotary Club of Mt. Horeb. They have collected signatures from India partner clubs and have $9,196.25 from Wisconsin Rotary members being held by the Rotary Club of Mt. Horeb. They hope to submit the grant to the District 6250 Foundation Grants Subcommittee in November. Contact the Combat Blindness Foundation below or the Rotary Club of Mt. Horeb for more information.
Michelle C. Jetzer
Administrator - Combat Blindness Foundation
6314 Odana Road
Madison, WI 53719
608-238-7777
www.combatblindness.org
IRS Form 990 Due for Clubs and Club Foundations
This is a reminder that your Rotary Club or Club Foundation IRS 990 report is due by 11-15-2007. Click here for an information paper that helps explain the IRS filing requirements. This notice can also be found or the rotary.org website. An extension can be filed to allow more time to file. Share this information with your club treasurer or tax advisor now.
RYLA Reunion 2007
Unique Rotary African Safari
A request submitted to District Governor Mary Kessens
Dear DG Mary,
The Rotary Club of Polokwane District 9250, South Africa, annually arranges safaris to raise funds for Rotary projects and needy charities.
At these links please find a covering letter and “flyer” advertising the events. As stated in the letter we are seeking your help to publicise the safaris within your district.
Any assistance you could give us will be much appreciated.
Rotary regards,
Charles Hardy.
Rotary Holiday Office Hours
The week of Thanksgiving the office will be open and available Monday
through Wednesday 19th-21st and will be Closed Thursday (22nd) and
Friday (23rd).
The week of Christmas the office will be closed Monday through
Wednesday (24th-26th) and reopening Thursday (27th) and Friday (28th). The following week which is New Years the office will be closed on Monday
(31st) and Tuesday (1st) and resuming our normal schedule on Wednesday.
Rotary District 6250 Administration
2830 Agriculture Drive
Madison , WI 53718
608.204.9835
608.204.9818
rotarydistrict6250@morgandata.com
Club News, Events and Announcements
Do you have an upcoming Club Event or accomplishment that you would like to announce? Send your pre-written article to: rotarydistrict6250@morgandata.com.
Zone 27/28 Newsletter - Great Membership Tips!
Click here to download some great tips from the Zone 27/28 Newsletter!
Wisconsin Rapids Club Sponsors Special Needs Scout Troop
Submitted by Tom Marshall, District Governor ElectROTARY SPECIAL NEEDS SCOUT TROOP DELIVERS ADVENTURE
In 1992 the Rotary Club of Wisconsin Rapids sponsored the formation of Rotary Special Needs Boy Scout Troop 105. The goal was to offer a complete scouting experience to men with special needs, fifteen years of age and older.
This year Troop 105 and Rotary are celebrating their fifteenth successful year. A strong focus on adventure and personal achievement has resulted in high attendance, enthusiastic repeat membership and broad community support.
The high point of the scouting year is the annual summer camp at Camp Tesomas, near Rhinelander. In addition to a wonderful camping and fishing experience, Rotary scouts qualify for advancement in rank and for merit badges, including; Wilderness Survival, Pioneering, Cooking and Archery.
Several Troop 105 scouts have been selected for recognition as members of the honorary Order Of The Arrow camping fraternity.
Special activities throughout the year provide further opportunities for adventure. Annual trips to Milwaukee to see the Bucks and Brewers, picnics and pontoon boating on the Wisconsin River and campouts are always popular. Last year Troop 105 served as the honor guard for a Bucks game.
Troop 105 scouts also find time to help others and to contribute back to their communities. They serve in Scouting For Food, to fill local food pantries, and as part of Make A Difference Day. With the support of local businesses, Rotary scouts buy Christmas gifts for children of needy families.
The Rotary Club provides continuing financial support to Troop 105 through The Rotary Foundation. Rotarians are actively involved as members of the Troop 105 committee. Rotary and the scouts combine their meetings
for an annual Court of Honor to recognize the individual achievements of the scouts and to review the overall program. This relationship continues to be very rewarding for everyone involved.
For additional information contact Don Soe at (715) 421-3116 or dbsoe@charter.net
Rotary Clubs from LaCrosse Area Collaborate for Rotary Lights
Rotary Lights, a cooperative project of all La Crosse Rotary Clubs, not to mention literally hundreds of community volunteers. This project, from the Friday after Thanksgiving until New Year's Eve, raises about 200,000 food items and over $40,000 in cash donations each year. Please visit the Rotary Lights home page for more information http://www.rotarylights.org/
Marshfield Rotary Winter Wonderland Opens November 23rd
On Saturday morning, Oct. 13, nearly 150 volunteers plus cherry pickers and boom trucks will descended upon Marshfield’s Wildwood Park & Zoo to begin wrapping 310,000+ lights around trees, fences and displays – transforming the park over the course of the next several weekends into Rotary Winter Wonderland.
Plan now to bring the kids and grandkids to Rotary Winter Wonderland, a dazzling holiday lights display in Marshfield’s Wildwood Park & Zoo. Rotarians and hundreds of other volunteers have wrapped over 310,000 lights around fences, trees and displays for a community event that promises visitors a holiday season filled with magic and memories.
Now in its second year, the mission of Rotary Winter Wonderland remains the same: feeding the hungry of the Marshfield area. Spearheaded by Marshfield’s two Rotary Clubs, Rotary Winter Wonderland has been embraced by the entire community. Over 20,000 visitors toured the park in 2006. More importantly, guests donated 30,500 food items at the gate, which were distributed to 19 food pantries in the surrounding area.
Rotary Winter Wonderland opens on Friday, Nov. 23 (day after Thanksgiving). The park will be open from 5 to 9 p.m.Thursday - Sunday nights through Dec. 16, then every night from Dec. 20 – 30. Admission is free; donations of non-perishable food, personal care items and/or cash will be collected at all entrances.
Don’t miss the excitement! Both a driving route and walking path are open to the public. A brand new synchronized music/light show entitled, “Electric Splash,” will be unveiled this year. Santa Claus will be at the park every night thru Dec. 24. Special events include:
- Reindeer visit on Nov. 30 and Dec. 7, 15 & 22.
- 3 -D Glasses the 1 st two weekends: Nov. 23-24 & Nov. 30-Dec.1
- C hristmas Karaoke contest – Thurs., Dec. 13 @ 7 p.m.
- Children’sParade – Sat., Dec. 15 @ 6 p.m. hosted by Optimists Club
- Snowman Contest – Sat., Dec. 29 @ 6 p.m.
For more information on events, driving directions and volunteer opportunities, check out the website at www.rotarywinterwonderland.com.
Rotary Winter Wonderland was inspired by a similar lighting display (Rotary Lights) started in LaCrosse in 1994 that now features over 1.5 million lights and involves more than 2,000 community volunteers. That project alone has raised over a million items of food since its inception.
Wisconsin Rapids Noon Rotary Completes Wheelchair Ramp
The Wisconsin Rapids Noon Rotary Club and Central Wisconsin Home Builders Association collaborated to complete their the third ramp project completed in the community. The groups work in conjunction with Wood County Aging and Disability Resource Center of Central Wisconsin, which screens candidates for need and feasibility. Rotary purchases all necessary materials and provides volunteer assistance, and the Home Builders provides professionals for the project.
This ramp was installed 
Construction Inc., and Mark Oleson, owner of Precision Installation and Finishing. Alan Bardole, treasurer for Rotary and the association. helps coordinate and assist on the project.
Other Rotarian volunteers were Jim Custer, Celse Berard, John Steele and Don Stein. Pam Bardole made a critical lunch run and Forrest Prohl from seventh grade
RI News
Join the Celebration of Rotary Foundation Month
Participate in an on-line discussion with
Rotary Foundation Trustee Carolyn Jones
In celebration of ‘Rotary Foundation Month’, the International Computer Users Fellowship of Rotarians (ICUFR) is sponsoring an on-line discussion with Rotary Foundation Trustee Carolyn Jones. Trustee Jones, the first female Trustee in the 90 year history of The Rotary Foundation, will answer your questions about the Foundation on-line during a 51 hour period beginning at 5:00 P.M., CST, on Sunday, November 25th and ending at 8:00 P.M. CST on Tuesday, November 27, 2007. This free-wheeling, informative discussion with Trustee Jones will take place on the ICUFR’s ‘COMMUNITY FORUM’ at http://www2.icufr.org. (Please note the “www2" in the address.)
The on-line discussion will start with a short posting by the Chairman of the ICUFR, introducing Trustee Jones and telling you some of her background and Rotary interests. For the next 51 hours, all registered users of the Community Forum may post questions to Trustee Jones and she will periodically respond to the questions during the allotted time.
For Rotarians not already registered at the ICUFR’s Community Forums, you must register in order to post in the Forum (you may enter as a ‘guest’ and read the discussion in the Community Forum but will not be able to ‘post’ without registering). You can register, at any time, by clicking on ‘Register’ at the top section of the opening page of the Community Forums (http://www2.icufr.org) . A ‘Terms’ page will next appear and, once you accept the terms, you will automatically go to the ‘Registration’ page. Please complete all ‘required’ information. When you register, please make sure you make a personal, private record of the ‘User Name’ and ‘Password’ you decide to use when registering in the
Community Forums. Additionally information for a ‘Profile’ is optional. However, please use your full name as your ID, and additionally, in the 'Profile', please put in your Club Name and District number. This is necessary to be sure we do not get non-Rotarians registered. After you register, you may get an email asking you to confirm your registration. Just follow the instructions in the email, if one is received. Registering for the Community Forums carries no obligation, and you will not be placed on an email list as a result of registering, unless you post to the Community Forum and indicate that you wish to receive email notices to responses to your post.
We suggest you go to the ICUFR’s Community Forums now, register and then poke around for a while to get a ‘feel’ for the Community Forums. Post a message or two in any of the section and topics, make some friends, and be ready for the discussion with Trustee Carolyn Jones. On Sunday, November 25th, on or after 5:00 P.M. CST, you can log into the ICUFR’s Community Forums, and be ready to go. Scroll down to ‘HOT TOPICS’, click on ‘The Rotary Foundation’ and then click on ‘Discussion with Trustee Carolyn Jones. Then fire away with your questions about The Rotary Foundation, the role of Carolyn Jones as the first female Trustee, or any related question you may have.
We sincerely will appreciate you passing this message along to other Rotarians. Please post it on your district or club web site, publish it in your district and club newsletter, and forward it to all Rotarians in your email address book. In the meantime, if you have any questions, you can ask them in the ICUFR’s COMMUNITY FORUMS in the ‘Computer Help and Ideas’ section under the topic of ‘Help Using this Forum’, or, alternatively, write to Dan Mooers at dwm@mooers-law.com and he’ll help with your questions.
See you on-line on Sunday, November 25th. COME CELEBRATE ROTARY FOUNDATION MONTH !
Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies (RCPS) Program Applications for 2008
The Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies (RPCS) Program announces a call for applications for the July 2008 program session. The deadline for completed applications to be submitted to The Rotary Foundation for this session is 1 December 2007.
Program Synopsis
The Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies Program is a professional development program held in Bangkok, Thailand through which up to 30 participants embark on three months of intensive study instructed by some of the leading specialists in the peace and conflict resolution fields. The customized curriculum has been crafted by specialists in the field to capitalize on the experience of both participants and lecturers while balancing theoretical and practical learning.
Ideal for busy professionals, the Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies Program’s customized curriculum helps promising leaders expand their global outlook, strengthen their negotiation skills, and ultimately make a positive impact on future peace and conflict resolution efforts worldwide.
Promotional Materials
Please feel free to use this announcement and our latest press release to advertise the Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies Program and recruit applicants. The press release reports the outcome of our latest selection committee meeting and presents a call for applications for the July 2008 program session. Download press release here. We appreciate your help and support as we train leaders to build peace.
For More Information
Please contact Jenn Weidman, Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies Program Specialist, at +1-847-866-3374 with any questions or for more information. Program materials and participant profiles can be downloaded at www.rotary.org.
Rotary Foundation Newsletter
Follow this link for great information from the Rotary Foundation - http://www.rotaryfirst100.org/foundation/newsletter/2007/1115.pdf
Polio Plus Informational Updates Available from Rotary International
In an effort to continue to raise awareness of the status of global polio eradication and the ongoing, significant and urgent needs for PolioPlus Partners projects in 2007-08, a main goal of the 2007-08 PolioPlus Partners Challenge is asking all Rotary clubs and districts, Interact and Rotaract clubs to have a club program for PolioPlus Partners by March 2008.
To help achieve this goal, there is a PowerPoint presentation and speaking notes which can be used by all Rotarians. In addition, please contact and recruit fellow ‘PolioPlus Supporters’ in your area and ask for help to achieve this goal. Randy Sproule is our district Polio Plus Chair.
Copies of this PowerPoint presentation and speaking notes are available upon request by e-mailing polioplus@rotary.org.
The presentation is available in all nine Rotary languages: English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Swedish; and it includes the following information:
- Data and statistics on the status of global polio eradication.
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What is new and being implemented through 2007-08.
- Overview of the PolioPlus Partners program and the Rotary PolioPlus Committees and Task Force that support the program.
- How Rotarians can continue to participate in PolioPlus through the 2007-08 PolioPlus Partners Challenge and PolioPlus Partners Open Projects List.
The following polio tools and resources are also available to use for PolioPlus programs in clubs, districts and Interact and Rotaract clubs:·
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RVM: Rotarian Video Magazine Vol 2 Issue 2 featuring Rotary’s polio efforts in India·
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PolioPlus: A Gift to the Children of the World - DVD
- Weekly Rotary Foundation Thoughts
Carrie BRUCE (formerly CHARLES)
PolioPlus Partners, Senior Coordinator
The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International
1560 Sherman Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201, USA
Phone: 847.866.3255
Fax: 847.866.0269
Ask Mary
Do you have a question for our District Governor Mary Kessens? If so click here to email your questions to Mary Kessens.
Update on Annual Giving
Foundation Reports
Every Rotarian Every Year Report.
Foundation Trustees Request Nominations for Distinguished Service and Citation for Meritorious Service Awards
Application deadline is November 15!
The Rotary Foundation has a number of awards presented for service to humanity — individual efforts that exemplify the Rotary spirit of Service Above Self.
Click here for information and nominations forms for the Distinguished Service and Citation for Meritous Service Award.
Attendance Report
Click here to submit your club's attendance report
Janesville grows with 5 new members!
Click here to see the full September Attendance Report.
