Yesterday we completed our sixth site visit to a community served by our District-wide $800,000 Safe Water Plus project. In a nutshell, 33 District 5950 clubs partnered with host club San Rosa de Copan and collaborating partner World Vision in a project that served 17 Honduran communities. A few of us on this team were able to visit sites both before the project started and now after completion.
What profound evidence of life changing and life-saving results we witnessed! One community reported cases of severe diarrhea dropping from over 600 annually to under 60!
The outpouring of heartfelt appreciation was amazing, humbling and sometimes overwhelming. What an honor to receive the often tear-generating displays of love on your behalf. World Vision Honduras leaders and local Rotarians shared how this was one of the best collaborations and partnerships either has ever done. Initially, 16 communities were proposed. However, tremendous efficiencies, a great host Rotary club, and World Vision oversight for our original budget allowed service to a 17th community.
Not only did you change and save thousands of lives through this project, but you also made huge strides in advancing world peace and better understanding. During the project’s four District 5950 trips, participants developed lifelong relationships. No project could be more rewarding for a District Governor!
Your generosity to The Rotary Foundation and use of the Foundation’s grant programs are essential to projects like this. With three months to go in this Rotary year, it's time to step up our campaigns. Remember, our goals are $365 per member, 300 Paul Harris Society members (currently at 218), and at least $1,500 per club to Polio Plus. I have no doubt our clubs will again move our top-ten District ahead again this year. You are all Gifts to the World.
Join fellow Rotarians from District 5950 and 5960 to "Celebrate Our Gifts to the World" on May 12 and 13 at Mystic Lake Conference Center.Don't miss the Early Bird registration deadline of April 15.
On Thursday you can enjoy the Golf Tournament to End Polio and/or the Welcome Reception. Friday keynoters Ross Bernstein and Chris Heeter will inspire you. The Twin Cities Jazz Cats will celebrate the gift of music at Happy Hour and Stevie Ray will celebrate the gift of laughter after dinner. Breakout sessions will feature a wide range of topics, plus you can participate in a done-in-a-day service project. Practice with the Rotary Choir prior to singing at lunch, and network with Rotarians and others from Districts 5950 and 5960.
Join us at the Point of France party room, 6566 France Avenue S., Edina, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Park in front of the building or on the east side of France Ave. There is no cost, but online registration is requested.
If you cannot be there in person but would like to extend your retirement good wishes to Diane, mail to Rotary District 5950, PO Box 2158, Burnsville, MN 55337-2158,
The key to a seamless transition into the 2016-17 Rotary year is District Assembly.District Governor-Elect Mark Hegstrom (Edina Morningside) welcomed an overflow room of attendees on April 9. He used the training event to introduce his personal 2016-17 theme: Be GREAT, on Purpose.
The day’s programming provided training for current and prospective club board members, reinforced leadership skills to lead vibrant clubs, and guided clubs toward earning RI Presidential Citations during the 2016-17 year.
During his remarks, DG-E Mark said, “How you talk about Rotary and your club shapes the public's perception of who we are and what we do."
Club websites and social media are windows into each club. Use them effectively as recruitment and PR tools.
The current maximum matching District Designated Funds (DDF) for a Global Grant project is $12,000. That maximum DDF increases to $15,000 on July 1, 2016. However, effective March 29, 2016, if a Global Grant project involves multiple District 5950 clubs, the sponsor club may approach the District Governor and District Board to ask for additional DDF beyond the maximum. If the Board endorses the use of additional DDF, the request is then sent to the District Rotary Foundation Committee for consideration and approval. If approved, the proposal would follow the same guidelines/approval process that is managed by the District and/or Global Grant Committee.
Rotary/World Vision Trip to Honduras – Day 1 – 4/3/16:Steve Solbrack (St. Louis Park) and I left Minneapolis at 5:00 AM, transferred in Houston, and finally arrived in San Pedro Sula around noon. After snaking our way through customs, we met fellow Rotarians DG Tim Murphy, PDG Jim Nelson, Ron Kolb, and Jean Gray, plus our World Visions colleagues Kim Lorenz, Terry Johnson, Johnny Lopez and Javier Mayorga. Spirits were high; we were all finally together!
After lunch at a local Subway, where a 6” beef sub was 100 lempiras – about $5, we drove about 100 miles south to Santa Rosa de Copan. The roads were narrow and in various states of repair. Our drivers maneuvered between trucks, horse drawn carts, motorcycles, and bicycles. The topography was very hilly and dry with small adobe homes high up in the hills. We passed multiple fruit stands selling melons. Clouds of dust from cars created occasional whiteouts.
To pass the travel time, Kim Lorenz and DG Murph gave me World Vision and District 5950 primers, respectively.
My horizons expanded before I saw my first water tank! Our Santa Rosa de Copan hotel was next to a Texaco (“Tex ah co”) station where gas was $4 per gallon.
After a brief rest we enjoyed dinner at a local restaurant where we met members of the local Rotary Club. Women are not allowed to be Rotarians in Honduras, but 14 wives have formed an auxiliary and are active in fund raising. Their spokeswoman joined our table and told us about her cattle and coffee farm. Six Rotaract members also joined us for dinner. What a testament they were to the future of Rotary! Steve Solbrack was delighted to see the three Santa Rosa de Copan Rotarians who have been championing the water project for the past three years – Nelson, Jorge, and Wilmar. It’s like old home week. Our World Vision hosts translated the menu and conversations around the table. We had so much in common and so much enthusiasm!
Every District 5950 club pays Rotary International (RI) for insurance covering general liability and events. It is important to review what this coverage does not offer, and evaluate if your club needs additional insurance for: crime, fireworks, property, owned auto, cyber liability (if your club accepts credit cards at the point-of-sale versus through a third-party credit card firm), etc.
Two recommended resources for your questions are: District 5950 Insurance Resource Lynette Fagerberg (lmfsings52@gmail.com), and RI insurance broker Lockton-Rotary Service Team (rotary@lockton.com,1-800-921-3172). As we anticipate a new fiscal year, it’s a good time to review your club’s coverage.
At least seven million children under the age of five die each year due to malnutrition, poor health care, and inadequate sanitation. To help reduce this rate, Rotary International provides immunizations and antibiotics to babies, improve access to essential medical services, and support trained health care providers for mothers and their children. Projects ensure sustainability by empowering the local community to take ownership of health care training programs.
The Sun Post highlighted 25 years of service by Steve Solbrack, a Golden Valley resident and St. Louis Park Rotarian who has led safe water and sanitation project in Honduras and in other countries.
The Bloomington Sun Current highlighted the Teen Job Fair co-sponsored by Bloomington Daymakers Rotary Club, Richfield Rotary Club and Bloomington United for Youth.
If your Rotary Club has been in the news lately and you'd like the rest of the district to know, please email jeanne.zetah@hotmail.com to share some details and include the link to the article.
The outpouring of heartfelt appreciation was amazing, humbling and sometimes overwhelming. What an honor to receive the often tear-generating displays of love on your behalf. World Vision Honduras leaders and local Rotarians shared how this was one of the best collaborations and partnerships either has ever done. Initially, 16 communities were proposed. However, tremendous efficiencies, a great host Rotary club, and World Vision oversight for our original budget allowed service to a 17th community.
Join fellow Rotarians from District 5950 and 5960 to "Celebrate Our Gifts to the World" on May 12 and 13 at Mystic Lake Conference Center.Don't miss the Early Bird registration deadline of April 15.
At least seven million children under the age of five die each year due to malnutrition, poor health care, and inadequate sanitation. To help reduce this rate, Rotary International provides immunizations and antibiotics to babies, improve access to essential medical services, and support trained health care providers for mothers and their children. Projects ensure sustainability by empowering the local community to take ownership of health care training programs.
