May 10 - Tony Mattivi: Kansas Bureau of Investigation (Brewster)
May 17 - Zazie - Rotary Foreign Exchange Student: Zazie's Experience in Topeka and the US (Brewster)
May 24 - Shawnee County 4H King and Queen: Shawnee County 4H (Brewster)
May 31 - Denise Walsh Vice-President Head of Global Tax @ Revlon Cosmetics: The journey of an iconic brand from insolvency to solvency through Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in 10 months - “You just would not believe all of this unless you lived through it!” (Brewster)
June 7 - Steve Hewitt: KTA - cashless tolling rollout (Brewster)
June 14 - Murray Moore: Vocational - Project Based Learning (Brewster)
June 21 - Jim Ramos: New Theater Startup (Brewster)
June 28 - President Angela: Year-end wrap up (Brewster)
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Sole Mates:
- Next: 5/2/24, 12:50pm - 1:30pm
Lunch Bunch:
- Next: 5/15/24, 12:30pm - 1:15pm
ITC Project
- Looking for mentors to work with women in the ITC grant project helping women leaving incarceration
Please join us this Friday, May 3 to hear from Councilmember Spencer Duncan!
City of Topeka Councilmember Spencer Duncan will be speaking to Topeka South Rotary about current goings-on in our city. He will touch on our City Manager situation, property taxes, roadwork, economic development, and the homeless situation, among others. He also wants to hear from you. So, if you have anything specific you want to address, please come with questions.
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.
Students arrive at 1pm. Pair up one-on-one with a child at Shoe Carnival and help them pick out their very own pair of brand new tennis shoes! The shoes are paid for from existing donations along with a District 5710 grant, so there is no monetary commitment for volunteers. Each event takes approximately 30 minutes.
When: 12 Volunteers are needed for this date:
May 2, 12:50pm
Where:
Shoe Carnival 1930 SW Wanamaker Rd
Why:
Sole Mates provides new shoes and socks to kids, allowing them to be better participants in activities and alleviates some issues that result from not having “the right things.” If shoes are not replaced often, they become a hospitable environment for bacteria to thrive. For many of the families serviced, shoes are handed down from child to child creating more opportunity for unsanitary situations. Short term effects of shoes that do not properly fit include blisters, pressure sores, & ingrown toe nails. Children could end up with deformities, posture problems, & joint issues.
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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