Please join us this Friday, May 10, to hear from Tony Mattivi of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation!
KBI Director Mattivi will be speaking to us about the Fentanyl epidemic plaguing Kansas today.
Announcements will begin promptly at 7:45 am, with breakfast and coffee being served at 7:30 am!
This week's meeting will be held in person at the Brewster Place Cultural Arts Building, located at 900-B SW 31st Terrace, Topeka, KS 66611. Click here for directions using Google Maps.
Our final Lunch Bunch of the year will be Wednesday, May 15th.
Please see the attached flier for details. Here is some additional information not included in the flier:
Once you have located the main entrance, you will be buzzed through a set of outer doors. Once inside, go up the stairs to be buzzed through a second set of doors. The school office will be immediately to your right. You will sign in on a volunteer sheet so the office will know who is in the building. We will be using a classroom this year instead of the library. The office secretary will know which class we will be using that day.
If you are a new TSR member, the flier provides an explanation of what the volunteers do. For anyone who has never tried this program, we would love to have you. If you have previously volunteered for Lunch Bunch, thank you so much and I hope you can join us again this year. If your schedule does not permit you to volunteer in-person at the school, you are always welcome to help by donating books, especially 2nd-5th grade levels.
My contact information is on the flier. Please let me know if you can join us.
We have three excellent student applicants for the 24-25 school year who we are still trying to place with host families. Please help spread the word. More information can be provided to anyone interested.
· Rafael from Brazil will turn 16 shortly after he arrives. He loves debate so much that he gave up soccer to concentrate on it. He has debated at the Model United Nations in New York. In his spare time, he likes listening to music and playing video games or going to movies with friends. He also collaborates with his older brother in a digital marketing business. His father reports, “Maintaining a tidy room is second nature to him, and he willingly takes up tasks such as washing dishes and occasionally experimenting with cooking.”
· Ria from Germany will be 15½ when she arrives. She has a passion for sports and notes that she is "among the top 20 basketball players in Northern Germany". She also loves music and plays the guitar to express herself and find inspiration. Ria reports that she “adores animals and the connection they provide - whether it's the grace of horseback riding or the endless delight of my dog's company.” She is a member of the school paramedic team, and her dream is to become a surgeon.
· Magdalena from Austria will turn 16 in November. She lives with her family in a very small town where the family has a big garden and keeps bunnies, chickens, and four cats. Magdalena loves all animals except spiders, and she is a vegetarian. She is interested in the arts, especially drawing, and attends an art school. She wants to be a lawyer.
It is not necessary to be a Rotarian, to be married, nor to have children at home to be a host family for an exchange student. Host families come in all shapes and sizes. They may include young children, older children, or no children at all. We are looking for stable homes with nurturing host parent(s) to provide a safe and welcoming environment. Thanks for all of your help with Rotary Youth Exchange!
You can now pay the current quarter dues via Zeffy. The billing will show $155 for base dues. If you would like to pay the optional can money you can add that as an additional donation.
Will You Help Us Reach our Goal for Rotary Foundation Giving?
As you know, Topeka South Rotary has been superior in meeting our goals that the board sets for our club each year. One of those goals is for our club members is to contribute to the Rotary Foundation to meet our annual goal (for this Rotary year our annual giving goal to the Foundation is $13,000).
You all should have received an email from Faron Barr on November 27, asking you to consider giving to the Rotary Foundation in honor of Giving Tuesday. Faron included a lot of great information about the Foundation and its projects. Even though Giving Tuesday is past, we hope that you consider a gift to the Foundation. I don’t know about you, but I am always inclined to learn more about the Rotary Foundation, so in the next few months, you will be learning about the Foundation as well through speakers and testimonials from our members that have given.
So, my ask to you not only includes giving to the Rotary Foundation, but if you are already a donor, would you be willing to provide a brief testimonial at club meeting about why you choose to give to the Foundation? If so, please contact me at my work email (marlou.wegener@bcbsks.com) or you can also reach me on my cell phone - 785-230-4378. Please consider this as it will definitely make an impact to our members!
We started off the 2024 program year on January 5 by hearing from Roger Aeschliman, who presented on major gifts to the Rotary Foundation! And I hope to hear from you about wanting to give your testimonial about why you give to the Rotary Foundation. Thank you for your consideration.
Marlou Wegener
P.S. Oh, and if you are ready to go ahead and contribute to the Rotary Foundation, you can go to https://my.rotary.org/en/donate!
Club Information
Fridays at 7:45 a.m.
Brewster Place Cultural Arts Center
900-B SW 31st Terrace
Topeka, KS 66611 United States of America
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