District Governor's Message
January is Rotary Awareness Month!
Mary Kessens
There is good news this New Year. Rotary membership is up in our district by 16 people as of November 1, 2007 report. Congratulations to the twenty-seven clubs experiencing growth so far! Since January is Rotary Awareness Month, it seems appropriate to celebrate with an increase in the helping hands and generous spirits of new members.
Growing awareness of Rotary in our clubs and in our communities is important to encourage membership growth and retention and to promote our good works. For the month of January try some of these ideas to increase knowledge of Rotary in your club or community:
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Do a five minute presentation on one of the Foundation Rotary programs like Group Study Exchange, Ambassadorial Scholarships, Volunteer Service Grant or Matching Grants
Invite someone who participated in one of these programs or some other Rotary funded project to talk about the impact of their participation
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Assign a chapter a week of “A Century of Service” to your charter members and have them report on one interesting fact that they learned about Rotary
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Ask four different members to review the Rotary website and report one new item per week that they learned
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Hand out the “ABC’s of Rotary” or “Rotary Basics” to all club members
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Forward the district newsletter to all club members
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Find on the web the most recent report on the eradication of Polio and share it with your club
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Make a list of all the club projects that your club has completed or donated to in the last year and share this with your club
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Start a “Rotary Minute” at each of your club meetings
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Order “Humanity in Motion IV” from Rotary International and share the PSA’s with your local radio or TV station
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Tell a non-Rotary friend what Rotary means to you and invite them to your club meeting
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Implement your own ideas that help others in your club and community increase awareness of Rotary.
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
Save These Important Rotary Dates!
Please mark your calendars or register for these important meetings as we prepare for the 2008-2009 Rotary year!
February 16, 2008
District Team Training
Cranberry Country Lodge, Tomah, WI
This half - day meeting will begin promptly at 9:00 AM and will adjourn at approximately 12:30 PM. Registration will begin at 8:30 AM and you will be able to enjoy a continental breakfast during this time period. You will also be able to register on line so watch your email for registration information.
The District Team Training Seminar will be for the purpose of preparing Assistant Governors and all District Committee members for their year in office. Time will be short and much has to be accomplished during this morning.
This will be an excellent opportunity to learn about our 2008 - 09 annual Rotary theme, discuss District Administration, work on better communication skills and learning more about your roles and responsibilities.
Registration and more infomration is available on the District Website by clicking here.
March 14 & 15, 2008
President Elect Training Seminar (PETS)
Cranberry Country Lodge, Tomah, WI
Rotary Rocks!
This very exciting and informative meeting will begin promptly at 9:00 AM on Friday, with registration lasting from 8:15 AM until 9:00 AM. You will also be able to register on-line so watch your email! A continental breakfast will be served. The meeting will last for a day and a half and will adjourn at approximately 12:00 noon on Saturday. All participants are obviously encouraged to stay over night at the Lodge and get to know the other President - Eloects from around the District. Many of your questions and concerns will be answered and resolved during casual and informal discussions. This seminar is designed for all President - Elects. Attendance is actually mandated by Rotary International. President - Elect Nominees are also encouraged to attend and will be charged a fee of approximately $235. It is absolutely crucial that everyone attends! There is no time like the present to begin preparation for the next several years. What a great opportunity for all to learn about the wonderful world of Rotary!!
An outstanding agenda of important topics will keep your attention for the entire day and a half seminar. We are very pleased to have Michael Johns, current Rotary International Director, as our evening keynote speaker. You will truly enjoy his comments!!
I cannot overemphasize the importance of this meeting. It is a very critical meeting that will do much to allow us to begin the 2008 - 09 Rotary year with a great deal of excitment and enthusiasm!!
PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND!!!!!! MARK IT ON YOUR CALENDAR!!!!!
ROTARY DOES ROCK AND YOU WANT TO BE PART OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 29, 2008
District Assembly
Cranberry Country Lodge, Tomah, WI
Rotary Re-Rocks!
The District Assembly will begin promptly at 9:00 AM with registration beginning at 8:30 AM. Once again, you will be able to register on-line. A continental breakfast will be served during the registration period.
The Assembly is designed for all President - Elects and their entire team of club officers. In fact, all Rotarians from all clubs are encouraged to attend!! This is a wonderful opportunity to pull everything together at your club level! You can organize, create and invent new ways for your club to have an outstanding 2008 - 09 Rotary year!! All in attendance will have the exciting experiences of learning about the vast majority of our excellent porograms in District 6250!! Each presentation is designed to assist all Rotarians to have a very rewarding year!
Seven workshop tracks will be available! One specific to secretaries and treasurers; one for those involved in youth programs; and additional tracks for those who want to learn more about the Foundation, Membership and Retention, how to get started on a service project, fundraising ideas and a session on how to incorporate more fun into your meetings called "weekly meetings and all that jazz!!".
Plan to attend this event with many of your Rotarians from your Club!!!! ROTARY RE-ROCKS!!!!!!! And.....we will see you on March 29th!!!!
Much more about these three very important meetings will be coming your way in the very near future!!! Stay tuned!!
Yours In Rotary,
Tom Marshall
Governor Elect
Valuable Paul Harris Society Information Added to Website
The District Foundation Committee has established the Paul Harris Society (PHS) for those members who make an annual contribution of $1000. Learn more about the Paul Harris Society including how to become a member by visiting the District 6250 - Paul Harris Society webpage.
District Speech Contest - Applicants and Judges Needed
Dear Fellow Rotarians,
As you know, the District Speech Contest is scheduled for Sunday, April 20, 2008. The deadline for applications is March 31, 2008.
The committee is looking for three judges to evaluate the speakers. The judges may be either Rotarians or Non-Rotarians, but it is suggested that they have public speaking talents.
If you know of someone who would be interested in assisting the committee by volunteering to be a judge, please respond to:
Katie Bally, Chairperson, District Speech Contest, kbally@sbcglobal.net, 608-233-8000
Thank you!
Katie Maahs-Bally
District Ambassadorial Scholarship Winners Announced!
The district scholarship committee met on Saturday, November 17 th to interview ambassadorial scholars for the academic year that begins in fall 2008. The interviews were delayed to allow more candidates to apply since there was an additional Mead-Witter Foundation, Inc. named academic year ambassadorial scholarship available for 08/09. This special scholarship may also be available in 09/10 and 10/11 if any of the candidates qualify.
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Jassamy Garver-Affeldt from Lodi was selected to receive the district designated mbassadorial scholarship. Jassamy is a 2003 graduate of Tufts University. She spent two years with the Peace Corps in Africa and is currently working for the United Nations. She is focused on her academic career and could be a great peace scholar applicant in the future. |
Eric Prendergast from Madison was selected to receive the special Mead-Witter Foundation, Inc. named academic year ambassadorial scholarship. Eric is a senior at the University of Chicago majoring in linguistics. He wants to study Balkan languages in Macedonia. He is fairly fluent in Japanese and is interested in the art of animation. If you would like to see some of Eric’s work, go to www.drawingofghosts.com. When you visit the web site, you will see how multi-talented this young man is. |
Duy Van Nguyen was selected to receive a $10,000 district designated cultural scholarship. Duy, a teacher in the Madison school district, was sponsored by the Rotary club of Fort Atkinson. He was born in Vietnam but his family risked everything including their lives to come to the United States. He teaches primary grades and would like to use his scholarship to learn conversational Spanish so that he can work with students that need help with English as a second language. This is the first district cultural scholarship. Duy’s story was so exceptional and his goal so good, that the committee felt it was important to grant his request. This is what Rotary is all about – helping people to help other people. |
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 checkout great membership and retention ideas!
Marshfield Rotary Winter Wonderland Reports Record Food Donations!
Neither snowstorms nor cold temps could dampen visitors’ spirits at Rotary Winter Wonderland in Marshfield last month. In fact, organizers are thrilled to report record totals for 2007. “We set an aggressive goal,” noted chair Al Nystrom, “and despite losing two weekend nights to winter weather, we collected a total of 34,533 food items to feed the hungry in the greater Marshfield area – an increase of 13% over our first year. We expect to exceed our goal of 35,000 food items when final results are in.”
Rotary Winter Wonderland measures its success by the number of food donations received…plus the number of visitors to the holiday lights display. “During the last two weekends of December, we averaged just over 500 cars and 650 walkers per evening,” noted Nystrom. “Our best count was 973 vehicles and 1,353 walkers one Saturday night! At our peak, we were collecting 11 items of food per minute.”
Nystrom extended special thanks to Cellcom for matching food collections on Dec. 25 and agreeing to follow-up with a “Christmas in July” donation to area food pantries this summer. The combination of cash donations at the gate and business sponsorships ensures that organizers have adequate funds to continue the project into 2008 and beyond. In addition, Rotary will be presenting checks to seven of the most active volunteer groups to support their activities in the community.
“The enthusiasm of our 800 volunteers is another measure of our success,” added Ginny Mazza, volunteer coordinator. “With so many helping hands, we’ll have the remainder of the display dismantled and in storage by the end of this weekend.”
The dazzle of 310,000+ lights and the mission of feeding the hungry draw thousands of visitors to walk and/or drive through Rotary Winter Wonderland each year, from the day after Thanksgiving ’til New Year’s Eve. Heading into its third year of operations, Rotary Winter Wonderland now includes live music, computer animation,
3-D glasses, Santa visits, live reindeer, and special events like Christmas Karaoke. Plans are underway to add more surprises to enhance the holiday lights experience in 2008.
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.
Madison, WI Plays Host to International Curling Fellowship of Rotarians 2008 Rotary Can Am
The Madison Curling Club will host the 2008 Rotary Can-Am Bonspiel January 17 th through January 20 th. The Can-Am is made up of Rotarian Curlers from Canada and the United States that meets annually, and competes every other year at a World Rotary Bonspiel. The World Event will be held this coming April in Brantford, Ontario.
We are excited to have twenty-two teams participate this year in Madison. The agenda will start with the first game Thursday evening at 5:00pm and conclude with the final game at 3:00pm on Saturday, where we will be honored by Downtown Rotary’s very own Ellis Waller who will pipe the finalists on the ice, in full regalia. Friday night, a banquet will be held at the Monona Terrace where District Governor Mary Kessens will greet our guests and Entertainer Joe Scalissi will close out the evening.
On Saturday, Regina Millner, and Nate Brand have opened their home to host a brunch, for our curlers and guests. The brunch will run from 9:00am till 2:00pm. Please let the Pat at the office (608)255-9164 know if you are able to volunteer to assist us, it’s a great way to meet Rotarians and receive a make up at the same time.
We invite you and your friends to come and watch some great curling. For more information, visit the madisoncurlingclub.com web site.
Thanks for your support and Good Curling!
Madison Host committee;
Rich Lepping, Downtown Rotary
Ted Tibbitts, Horizons
Jim Sirianni, Madison West
Paul Matzke, Sun Prairie Rotary
RI News
2008 Rotary International Convention News
June 15 - 18
Los Angeles, CA
Now is the time to register for the International Convention in Los Angeles which wil be held June 15 - June 18, 2008. Join thousands of Rotarians from all over the world at the 99th annual convention where we "can see the stars"!!
RI Conventions are meant to stimulate, inspire, and inform all Rotarians at an international level--particularly incoming and foundation officers as they learn how ROTARY SHARES with them as well as communities around the world. You can learn how to strengthen your club and identify services and fellowship opportunities through listening to speakers, participating in breakout sessions, visiting the Club and District Projects Exhibition, and talking to fellow Rotarians and members of the Rotary family.
Why not plan a pre or post convention vacation with your own family?
Log on to www.Rotary2008.com for further details. You can also go to the Rotary International website for applications and information about housing.
Please let me know if you are planning on attending and we can arrange a District 6250 gathering at one of the hotels.
Let me know if you have any questions!!!
In Your Rotary Service,
Tom Marshall
Governor Elect
International Computer Users Fellowship of Rotarians
As one of the more than 100 Recreational and Vocational Fellowships of Rotary International, the mission of the ICUFR is to encourage the use of electronic communication to serve, share and enjoy the fellowship and projects of Rotary.
To learn moreabout ICUFR, view this brochure.
International Fellowship of Motorcycling Rotarians
Bangladesh National Immunization Experience
Ann Lee Hussey of the Rotary club of South Berwick Maine and myself, Dave Groner, of the Rotary club of Dowagiac , Michigan, jointly planned a volunteer team to assist in the Polio immunization of the children of Bangladesh, December 3 to 17, 2007. We are both veteran NID team leaders.We used speaking engagements at district and zone meetings to attract volunteers. The team included members from Denmark, Norway, Quebec , Canada and America. The December timing of the NID limited the size of the team to 14 members.
Ann Lee and myself received assistance from the Rotary International Polio office and our Rotary friends in India, but especially veteran Bangladesh Polio Eradication National Chairman Iftekarul "Kitchlew" Alam of Dhaka Bangladesh, a long time friend. We wanted to plan a Polio immunization experience for volunteers and a hands on Rotary Foundation discovery of what could happen with international rotary friendships and the matching grant process of the Rotary International Foundation.
The plan had difficulty. Cyclone Sidr riped through Bangladesh in November. Over 3347 people were killed, 880 people missing, 365,000 homes destroyed, 35,000 people living in camps. The storm swept away roads, bridges, and electric lines. Clean water and food within the country became limited. Many health centers were with out electricity to keep the vaccine under the necessary 50 degrees
The goal did not change. Bangladesh organized 700,000 volunteers to immunize in 140,000 fixed centers, followed by 4 days of house to house home visits to look for children that did not get the vaccine, and immunize them.
The plan worked to perfection. Volunteers, Rotarian's and their family members,health care workers, were plentiful. Vaccine was supplied to all 140,000 immunization places, cold and on time. The children, with their families, came very well, to receive the free Polio vaccine. The final number of children immunized was estimated from 18.4 million children to as many as 24 million children.
The volunteer team returned home in time for Christmas. We left behind great new friends we hope to meet again, cooperative agreements for matching Rotary International Foundation grants, a deep appreciation for the international family of Rotary and a great respect for the citizens of Bangladesh.
The greatest gift was the children's smiles, a mothers tear of gratitude for the two protective drops of Polio vaccine, friendships with our host families, and the local health workers we worked side by side with. These memories may be my best Christmas gift of all time. Thank you Rotary. Thank you to the Rotary International Foundation and it's partners, World Health Organization, UNICEF, The Center for Disease Control, and every person who gave a donation of money to purchase the vaccine.
Thank You to team members, Peter, Susan, Olav, George, Kent, Daniel, Sharon, Ove, Serge, Helge, Carl, Dino, and especially to my co leader, Ann Lee, a polio survivor herself. I love what you did to provide a Polio free world.
Dave Groner
P.O. Box 28
Dowagiac , Michigan U.S.A.
49047
Phone 269 208 5716
Nigeria National Immunization Volunteers Needed
Reach Out to Africa!
Nigeria NID and Adopt a Village
Join us as we depart from Detroit, MI for Kano, Nigeria on February 17.
We will immunize February 23-26 in Kano and Kaduna States within District 9120. D9120 still harbors 90% of the polio cases in Nigeria. Kano is where the controversies started that impeded immunization in 2003. In addition to participating in the NID, we will be working closely with DG Saliu Ahmed of D9120 though an Adopt a Village concept.
Adopt a Village – This will help build confidence in the communities to show that Rotary does indeed care about their community as a whole and will demonstrate that the efforts to eradicate polio are borne out of this care.
Helping people by providing malaria nets, clean water and sanitation facilities, educational needs, rehabilitation needs for polio survivors and more will create change faster when focused in one area. These adopted villages will serve as models for other villages to follow.
Team members must be prepared to participate in a Matching Grant through their local Rotary Club and/or Rotary District.
Trip Cost - $1913 includes airfare/in country transportation/This figure does not include hotel and food.
Estimated hotel cost is $50/day double occupancy and food at $20/day/person. Hotel and food will be paid by individual team members while in Nigeria.
Contact Ann Lee Hussey at annlee001@yahoo.com for registration forms.
We need 18 people for the team. NID dates and Airfare are subject to change.
Water & Sanitation Rotarian Action Group
UN World Water Day, March 22, 2008
Potable water and adequate sanitation has been a shared vision of Roatarians and unicef for a long time. It's a daily privilege so many of us take for granted, but it's a sad fact that the lack of these basic needs is the second largest killer worldwide of children under 5.
Click here to view the WASRAG bulletin and learn more about World Water Day and how Rotarians can help!
Ask Mary
Do you have a question for our District Governor Mary Kessens? If so click here to email your questions to Mary Kessens.
Mary, Can you tell me about the Amassadorial Scholarship at the district level?
Dear Mary,
A few months ago, you met with the Rotary-East of La Crosse Board of Directors. I am proud to say that I am an active member of this very special Rotary club. You mentioned that there was a $20,000 Ambassadorial scholarship available in our District last year, that no one applied for. My nephew, Nathan, is in his senior year at Iowa State, majoring in biochemistry. We have been reading about the scholarships available through the Rotary Foundation, but I have not been able to locate any information on our District website. I have been sharing information about Rotary with Nathan, and I would like to help him apply for a scholarship. Is there is a scholarship available at the District level? Any information you can provide would be helpful.
In Rotary Spirit,
Ann Kiel
Hello Ann,
Our district usually offers one $23,000 Ambassadorial Scholarship a year.
We have also two more $23,000 scholarships donated that will be available to us over the next two years. We just selected two Scholars for the 2008-9 school year. And, because we had a wonderful candidate we decided to fund a cultural scholarship of $11,000 for a shorter term. So this year we actually awarded three scholarships-to everyone that applied!
All of information and application forms are available on the Rotary.org website. Just search for Ambassadorial Scholarships. The application is made/sent to our District 6250 Foundation Scholarship Sub-Committee. The chair next Rotary year is Bob Bendickson. His contact info is in this year's and will be in next year's district directory which your club president should have. You can also request his contact info from our district office. His email is also available from the district website as he is the Friendship Exhange chair this year.
If you know your nephew is interested I would suggest he contact Bob and send in an application next summer. The selection is usually done in late summer or early Fall-we were late this year doing it in November. This would be for the school year starting the next calendar year.
Best Wishes in Rotary,
Mary
Update on Annual Giving
Foundation Reports
Click here to view the updated Club Goals Report!
Attendance Report
Click here to submit your club's attendance report
Prairie du Chein Grows by 12% Year to Date!
Click here to see the full November Attendance Report.
