The 411 from the District 6440 Governor Line – in case you missed it!
“Won’t it be wonderful when Black history and Native American history and Jewish history and all of U.S. history is taught from one book. Just U.S. history.” —Maya Angelou
In the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands and Germany it is also Black History Month. Black History Month is a time to honor the contributions and sacrifices of African Americans who have helped shape our nation. It's an opportunity to spotlight and celebrate the achievements that African Americans, past and present, have accomplished in this country, despite the history of racism and oppression. This month would be a great time to have a program or a speaker featuring the contributions of African Americans in your community.
We know that many clubs are actively involved in a variety of Environmental projects, the newest Rotary Area of Focus. We have three projects that we need your help with:
At Midwest PETS this year each district’s hospitality suite will be a showcase devoted to the Environment We are looking for photos and written materials about your club’s Environmental Projects. These can be beach or river cleanup, fish release, pollinator gardens, bees, or anything else devoted to improving the Environment.
Scott Daniels of the Glenview Sunrise Rotary Club will put everything on a rotating slide show. Please reach out to Scott with your materials by February 22, 2023.
Jon Lavin, President of the Skokie Valley Club is interested in reducing the amount of single-use plastics in our communities, and possibly organizing a Public Image Grant to purchase Rotary branded reusable shopping bags.
[CLUB SHOUT OUT – ROTARY BAGS IN NORTHBROOK? GRANT AVAILABLE…..The ordinance just passed! We could host a “Rotary Bag Day” at Sunset…???]
Contact Jon if you are interested.
Lauren Rosenthal of the Lake Zurich club is interested in seeing clubs partner with local library maker spacers and build Mason Bee Houses. These bee houses are similar to birdhouses and will increase the number of pollinators in our district. If you are interested in being part of this, send me (Bill Kmiecik) an email and I will include you in a meeting to discuss the details.
Finally, our district membership chair will be hosting a New Member Orientation event on February 24, 2023, from 12:00-4:00 pm at Rotary's International Headquarters in Evanston! This is an opportunity to meet Rotary staff and take a tour of Rotary Headquarters You will also learn more about Rotary Fundamentals. Attendance is limited so register soon. Depending on demand, we will run the program again, soon. Contact Angela Walker to register.
Rotary Foundation approves targeted funds for Pakistan and Ukraine
By Etelka Lehoczky
In response to the worsening humanitarian crises in Ukraine and Pakistan, the trustees of The Rotary Foundation voted in January to create two new, targeted funds that will continue offering lifesaving aid to those affected.
The Ukraine Response Fund and the 2022 Pakistan Flood Response Fund will be separate from the general Disaster Response Fund, which had previously been supporting relief efforts for both crises.
"Since Russia invaded Ukraine last February, Rotarians have already shown amazingly generous support to the people of Ukraine. This new temporary fund is prompted by the ongoing, urgent need and the wish of Rotarians to keep making a difference for the people there," says Trustee Chair Ian Riseley. "At the same time, the dreadful floods in Pakistan have caused extreme hardships for people there, and the 2022 Pakistan Flood Response Fund will help with the recovery."
According to the United Nations, around 18 million Ukrainians, or 40 percent of the country's population, required humanitarian assistance by the end of 2022. Russia's escalating attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure and civilian targets have caused massive destruction and death, leaving millions of people without reliable access to electricity, heating, and water. As of mid-January, nearly 8 million refugees from Ukraine were recorded across Europe, and they are in dire need of help.
In Pakistan, devastating flash floods during the 2022 monsoon season affected a total of more than 33 million people, washing away 2 million homes and displacing 8 million residents. About one third of the country was submerged. By early January, UNICEF said as many as 4 million children were still living near contaminated flood waters, putting their health at risk.
To alleviate that suffering, Riseley calls on Rotary members to contribute to the 2022 Pakistan Flood Response Fund and the Ukraine Response Fund, both of which will support aid projects for those affected. Contributions to both funds will be accepted through 31 December 2023 and will be spent by 30 June 2024.
The trustees specify that donations to both funds may include District Designated Funds. Unused assets will be transferred to the general Disaster Response Fund on 30 June 2024.
District 2232 (Belarus and Ukraine) can simultaneously apply for three Ukraine Response Grants of up to $100,000 each, while those bordering Ukraine can apply for grants of up to $100,000 at any one time. Other districts are eligible for single grants of up to $25,000 at any one time.
As for the 2022 Pakistan Flood Response Fund, Districts 3271 and 3272 (Pakistan) can apply for two grants simultaneously of up to $50,000 each.
"Having seen how generously Rotary members donated to both causes in 2022 through the Disaster Response Fund, the Trustees knew this opportunity for continuing support would be met with enthusiasm," Riseley said.
Here’s the good news: forests managed by Indigenous people in Amazonia served as life-saving carbon sinks from 2001-21, removing the equivalent of the UK’s annual fossil fuel emissions each year, according to a new study by the World Resources Institute. WRI’s data show similar success for forests managed by Indigenous, Afro-descent and other peasant communities around the world.
And here’s the bad: “Deforestation, degradation and other disturbances, however, have already turned some of the world’s most iconic forests into carbon sources and threaten to convert others,” the WRI report continues. Read more about these challenges – and why Rotarians are well positioned to help meet them – in ESRAG’s Feb. 1 blog "Saving Forests to Save Ourselves."
This newsletter is packed with news of the Rotary family responding with perseverance, dedication, and skill:
Filipino students restore watersheds
DGs deliver huge boost for French bees
Restoring forests by benefiting all concerned
RYLA students commit to be the ECOLUTION!
Feb. 27-28 webinar on Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration in Niger
A world of ways to restore biodiversity: Philippine Republic, South Africa and Australia
How to share the good news of your projects and Global Grants
If you are going to the Rotary International Convention in Melbourne, come at least two days early for ESRAG excursions to an array of fascinating environmental projects, and two wonderful events on May 25: the ESRAG Environment Action Summit, and the evening RAGtime reception with members of other Rotary Action Groups and Rotary International staff and leaders.
We have beloved colleagues who were in Türkiye when the earthquake hit. ESRAG Chair-Elect Yasar Atacik and Regional Chapter Co-Chair Safak Oszoy relayed vital information about Rotary's response, and Communications Team member Kerim Parlak volunteered in search and rescue. ESRAG Director Yavuz Atila helped launch fundraising from abroad. In the midst of reaching out to loved ones in the earthquake zone and mobilizing support for the massive relief work ahead, they share news below on how we can help.
Photos above illustrate the strategy RC Nilgiris West is launching to restore human-ecosystem balance in India's Western Ghats: protecting endangered species by removing invasive plants and turning them into income-producing products.
INITIAL STOCKS OF SHELTERBOX AID ARE IN SYRIA AND TURKEY!
Thank you for the incredible compassion you have shown over the past 11 days to support our emergency response to the devastating Turkey-Syria earthquakes.
Because of your generosity, ShelterBox aid has arrived in Turkey and Syria and is being distributed to families who desperately need emergency shelter and basic household items.
Hundreds of ShelterBox emergency tents have arrived on a donated Turkish Airlines flight from our prepositioned stock in Panama. They will help people to shelter from the winter weather and provide privacy.
A truck of aid carrying thermal blankets has crossed the border into Syria and is being distributed by our trusted local partner.
We’re expecting more trucks of our aid to arrive in northern Syria in the coming days and weeks, containing more vital supplies.
We are also distributing essential aid items like warm winter clothing in northern Syria to help protect children from the icy conditions.
This is a hugely complex humanitarian response with significant logistical challenges. Our teams are working around the clock to move aid into the areas worst affected by the earthquakes in both countries.
An additional ShelterBox response team has arrived in Gaziantep, Turkey, to bolster our emergency response efforts. They will enable us to be agile and work more closely with partners as we scale our response with more stocks of aid, including tents, blankets, and mattresses, on the way.
Thank you so much for helping families affected by conflict and disaster in Turkey, Syria, and around the world.
INVITE FRIENDS & FAMILY - THEY MIGHT WIN UP TO $3000
We are ONLY at 42%* of our GOAL
March 14, 2023
Live Event & Sponsor Thank You Lunch
Prizes will be $3000, $2000 and $1000 dollars making it a popular annual event! Each club member needs to sell $150 or more in tickets! Feel free to send links for your page to your contacts. Tickets are $50.00 each.
When you solicit the sale of an on-line ticket, all this is essentially done for you. Please do not hesitate to reach out to friends and relatives both near and far and give them the link to our raffle.
We have already gone LIVE with RallyUp. The link is on our website homepage.
SPONSOR THANK YOU LUNCHEON
Our LIVE Pay It Forward Raffle will be held at the Hilton on March 14th. We are inviting our Sponsors' to join us at this event! You will want to make sure you attend this exciting event so you can meet and thank them for helping our club!
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