Posted by DG Bill Downes (Mountain Foothills) DGBill2016.17@rotary5450.org
Disease Prevention and Treatment is front and center at Rotary and our District. Internationally of course we have our signature project to eradicate Polio. We are making progress. But it is a weekly, daily battle. Thousands are working and risking their lives every day to vaccinate the remaining hotspots. Keep up your donations and we will finish it off.
On a District basis we have a number of programs, many of which are advanced by our Service Resource Committee and ultimately by those clubs that choose to take part. These include our Water and Sanitation (WASH), Peaceful Schools and Mental Health Initiatives. And our new Immunization Initiative for our Colorado Children. These are proven successful programs. Take the time to see what they are about and work with your club to help further them in our own back yard.
Our District Vocational Training Team just got back from the Philippines. There is both an Outbound team from our District there and an Inbound team from the Philippines to here. The Outbound team identified a number of relatively simple sanitation practices that could be employed by hospitals to reduce the risk of infection. We will hear more about their trip and observations at our District Conference in April. The Inbound team just recently finished their work here to take back what they have learned to their country. But it is a big job. It is my hope that a club or clubs from our District will apply for a grant(s) to further this good work.
Remember, Disease Prevention and Treatment is one of our six Areas of Focus. It is where we want to concentrate our efforts, be it overseas or locally. It is what we do and just one of the reasons why we are here. It is our Perseverance (our District Conference theme!) in these areas that will rid Polio from the world and demonstrate how Rotary Serves Humanity.
Posted by Debi Bush (Denver Cherry Creek) membership@rotary5450.org
Hoping that you and yours had a great Thanksgiving holiday weekend!
When it comes to being THANKFUL, I am thankful and grateful and so appreciative of my DMT – District Membership Team! I cannot even fathom overseeing and managing membership at the District level without a solid team working with me to help our clubs in District 5450! So, thanks to my team: Marc Garfinkel (Lieutenant), Dee Leh, Missy Hellmuth, Laura Smith (Satellites), Mike Daniels, Kam Breitenbach, Glenna Hale (Family of Rotary) and Heidi Resetarits (Alumni). This will serve as a friendly reminder and recommendation that a Rotary club needs more than a 1 member Membership Committee or Team regardless of size.
So, let’s keep MEMBERSHIP FRONT & CENTER (MFC) day in and day out. Don’t make things more difficult than necessary. Have a plan and execute it with the help of your club president, leadership and all members to strengthen and grow your club.
STAY TUNED FOR DATES FOR MEMBERSHIP WEBINARS (VIDEO CONFERENCE) THAT WILL OCCUR BETWEEN NOW AND APRIL! Participate from the comfort of your home computer and make sure to have a webcam set up.
DMTer Kam is the current president of the Parker Rotary Club and she shared her club’s Top 10 Reasons ONEshould attend a Rotary meeting or event:
Posted by Jim Rohrer (Mountain Foothills) jim.rohrer2@gmail.com
The upcoming District conference in April will be like no other. It will be at a fabulous location, the Cheyenne Mountain Resort. The speakers, the entertainment and the bottoms up approach will make it unique. We will give you more details as we get closer. The theme of the event is perseverance.
Perseverance....to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement. I would like to tell you about a Rotarian, many of you know, whose life personifies perseverance.
In 1955 a two and a half year old boy woke up in his home in Arvada, Colorado. Something was wrong that morning because the young boy could not move his extremities. The doctor told the frightened parents that their son had polio. Polio was every parent's worst nightmare. We now know that Poliomyelitis, often called infantile paralysis, is caused by the polio virus. The resulting muscle weakness can occur over a few hours or a few days. The young boy, David Talbot, only missed by a few months the distribution of the Salk vaccine which would have altered his entire life.
David survived the polio and the little boy, over the next few years, was able to strengthen his muscles to become an almost normal boy, even participating in athletics. But he would endure his underdeveloped leg muscles all his life. Later he suffered from Post-polio syndrome, a condition that affects polio survivors years after recovery from an initial acute attack of the polio virus.
But this account of Rotarian Dave Talbot's life is not about his disease or his suffering. It's about his persevering. His grandmother, who was a missionary, took him to Africa. Dave saw that millions of Africans had also suffered from polio, but unlike Americans, they had no mobility devices to assist them in getting around. As a result, many were confined to very limited areas in their villages and were required to crawl or pull themselves along the ground.
Dave had an idea how he might help. Living in Colorado, he noted that many become injured skiing. They are given a set of crutches for mobility. When the injury has improved, the crutches gather dust in a basement or garage. What if, he thought, we could gather those crutches and send them to the needy people in Africa?
In 2007 he launched Crutches 4 Africa, joined the Mountain Foothills Rotary club, and enrolled them in his project. The crutches are gathered by Rotarians all over the country, funds are raised to ship them and they are usually distributed by Rotarians in Africa. All the details to make this happen are managed by Dave and his wife Candace. Dave, a professional photographer, has recorded pictures of smiling men, women and children in Africa who have never before had the freedom of mobility. I can assure you that viewing these picture will bring tears to your eyes. An unbelievable 83,000 mobility devices have been shipped and distributed because of the perseverance of Dave Talbot.
About three weeks ago Dave had several heart attacks. In fact, his heart stopped and his life hung in the balance as doctors revived him. For several days, his condition was grave, but as always he persevered. He is slowly recovering, but it will be a long process. He smiles at his many visitors and reassures them that he will recover. One visitor, a childhood friend named Don, told me that in all the years of their friendship, Dave had never changed. He has always had a big, giving heart. All of us who know him ask you to pray for that big heart to heal. I know that it will, because persevering is what Dave does.
Rotary District 5450 is accepting nominations for our 2019-2020 District Governor. Any Rotarian, who has served as club president and is a member in good standing of his/her club, may be nominated. This nomination must be accompanied by a formal resolution adopted at a regular Rotary Club meeting or by the club’s Board of Directors. Applications must be submitted by January 31, 2017.Click here to download the application form. Review of nominations and interviews must be completed by February 28, 2017. Any past club president interested in serving as District Governor should contact his/her club President for nomination by the club.
Nominations for District Governor are to be submitted directly to the Chair of the DG Nominating Committee, Past District Governor Mary Kay Hasz, by January 31, 2017. PDG Mary Kay Hasz, Chair DG Nominating Committee, marykay15-16@marykayhasz.com, 303-888-1867, 9372 Prairie View Dr., Highlands Ranch, CO 80126. Click here to download the application form.
Posted by Kam Breitenbach (Parker) kamieb1234@gmail.com
On Thursday, November 11, 2016 The Rotary Club of Parker (RCP) held a community event to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Rotary International Foundation. The club donated a flag pole and flag to the Town of Parker and its citizens. The celebration was held in O'Brien Park next to the gazebo that the RCP built and donated to the Town celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Rotary. Veterans were also honored for their service during the ceremony. The Honorable Mayor Mike Waid and all Town Council members were in attendance. Chaparral High School's Choir sang the National Anthem as the Parker Club of Parker veterans raised the flag. Over 200 community members attended the event. The new Flag will be lighted each evening for all to honor.
Plaque Inscription:On November 11, 2016 this flagpole was dedicated to the Town of Parker and its citizens by the Rotary Club of Parker in recognition of the 100th anniversary of The Rotary Foundation and its mission to globally eradicate polio and promote peace.
The award honors organizations that show philanthropic commitment and leadership through financial support, innovation, encouragement of others, and involvement in public affairs. Some of the boldest names in American giving — Kellogg, Komen, and MacArthur, among others —are past honorees.
“We are honored to receive this recognition from the AFP, which gives us even more reason to celebrate during our Foundation’s centennial year,” says Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair Kalyan Banerjee. “The continued strong support of Rotary members will help us keep our promise of a polio-free world for all children and enable the Foundation to carry out its mission of advancing world understanding, goodwill, and peace. We look forward to another 100 years of Rotary members taking action to make communities better around the world.”
The announcement came on 15 November, known to industry professionals since the 1980s as National Philanthropy Day. The award will be presented in early 2017 at the AFP’s annual conference in San Francisco.
Posted by Dan Hershberger (Arvada) dmhershberger@comcast.net
The second leg of the Vocational Training Team (VTT) Global Grant sponsored by District 5450 took place last month with the Philippine doctors visiting U.S. hospitals. Dr. Sandra Chiong, Dr. Silverio Arcome and Dr. Ernesto Romero represented the Ormoc District Hospital and the Ormoc Rotary Club. Representing the Novatas City Hospital and Forbes Park Rotary were Dr. Christia Padolina, Dr. Spica Acobe and Dr. Roan Salafranca.
Throughout the week of November 13th thru 18th these doctors visited Children's Hospital, Denver Health Hospital, Eastside Denver Clinic and St. Joseph's Hospital to observe infection control procedures in these venues. The aim of the VTT grant is to publish a protocol for the prevention of Hospital Acquired Infections.
Thanks to Dr. Jaime Yrastorza, Dr. John Logan, Dr. Chris Nyquist, Dr. Wendy Bamberg, Dr. Gretchen Heinrichs, Dr. Richard Parker, Jiji Tizon RN ICU IC and Tammy Woolley RN IC. All of these doctors traveled to the Philippines in September and presented Infection control procedures to hospitals there.
Thanks also to Bill Edwards, Jack Emery, Don Storey and Marilyn Hershberger of the Arvada Rotary Club, Dr. Marney Eulberg, Carole Adams and Jerry Natick, President of the Wheat Ridge Rotary Club, for their hosting of these visiting guests. We look forward to continued success with this endeavor.
Posted by Gail Lehrmann (Parker) glehrmann@aol.com
Do you take time to discuss your wants, needs, surprises, hopes, and dreams with your significant other? Do you plan, and then execute that plan, recognizing that you are achieving your plan?
When you are intentional in your planning, you also have a chance to evaluate your giving, and make sure that you are on track, or possibly even able to increase your giving to your favorite organizations and charities.
Why would you consider the Rotary International Foundation as a recipient of your gifts? As a Rotarian, this is a reasonable consideration. And, to help you with your decision-making, here are a few significant points about our Foundation to consider. The RI Foundation is...
Successful in tackling serous global issues including the eradication of polio
A leader in creating peace, starting with a role in chartering the United Nations
100 years old with a history of success and stability
Highly rated by independent rating agencies (such as Charity Navigator and the Association of Fundraising Professionals)
An engaged global network of 1.2 million community leaders and volunteers
A major collaborator with other leading organizations
I believe that leadership is stewardship and that stewardship leadership starts with a conscious decision to model stewardship, in behavior and by example.
So if we as community leaders are working and advocating for responsible, effective, efficient use of charitable dollars, we have to model it…
In our decision making. Each Rotarian’s process for making decisions will look different. How can we as leaders model and teach practices for strong decision making?
In our giving. As a leader, it’s imperative that we, the leaders, give too. How do we tell the story that our giving is a part of our decision to provide Service Above Self and to help others?
In our invitation. A Rotarian gives voice through shared conversations with family, friends, and co-workers about the great work that Rotary does around the world. How do we invite others to join Rotary in serving, leading, and giving to worthy projects? Do we tell others of our Rotary stories? How do we tell them?
In our thanking. Gratitude is a sign of abundant life and living. How do you show and give thanks? Is Rotary part of your planning?
As you enter this holiday season, please know that we are also grateful for all of you, our fellow Rotarians, who share your volunteer time and talents through club service, community service, vocational service, international service, and/or youth service. Sharing stories, ideas, inspiration, and support of one another is just as important as asking this question: What is your year-end plan to gift The Rotary Foundation, a proven wise investment doing remarkable work around the world?
Posted by Mike Brady (Boulder) mmike@generositywealth.com
Blue Star Recyclers was founded in 2009 with recycling facilities in Colorado Springs and Denver, and the Boulder location officially opened their doors November 15. The company specializes in the recycling of electronics, and while there are many different waste management and e-recycling centers in the Front Range area, one element separates Blue Star from the rest: their core mission is recycling electronics and other materials to create local jobs for people with autism and other disAbilities.
In order to get the space in Boulder, Blue Star teamed up with Eco-Cycle, a waste management company that’s celebrating their 40th year of business in the city. The Boulder Rotary Club, credited with matching the new partners, donated a check for $25,000 to the nonprofit to be used as startup money.
To date Blue Star has produced these triple-bottom line results:
Over 25 local jobs for people with disAbilities in 4 Colorado communities
Over $4 million in new local revenues and $1 million in taxpayer savings
Over 10 million pounds of electronics ethically recycled
In addition to their significant economic, environmental, and social deliverables, their workers with autism and other disAbilities have posted the following occupational metrics since 2010:
Posted by Carolyn Schrader (Denver Mile High) schrader407@gmail.com
Has your Club passed up on the chance for matching funds for service projects? The District still has matching funds this year and we want your Club to use some of them for your projects.
District Grants are for small, short term service projects that are either local or international. They match funds that your Club contributes to the project. Here are ideas about service projects that would qualify:
Reading programs for kids
Youth safety education
Lunch bag programs
Dental missions
E-readers for students
Health fair support
Guitars for troops
Other veterans programs
Economic training for women
Almost any activity that helps an underserved group of people can qualify. One Club can get up to $3,000 in Matching Funds. If three Clubs collaborate, the maximum match is $5,000. There is a separate pool of money for international District Grants. You even have time to support a Christmas project if you submit an application right away.
If you want to learn more about District and Global Grants, be sure to attend the Club Qualification Grants Training on January 21 at Red Rocks Community College. Registration will open soon.
Posted by Mary Jean Ewing (Boulder Flatirons) maryjeanewing@earthlink.net
As we rush toward the Rotary mid-year and prepare to welcome RI President John Germ to our District, let's review our goals for End Polio Now. Our ultimate goal, of course, is eradication. We are NOT THERE YET. Steady progress is being made but until ALL cases are gone and there are no traces of the virus to be found in environmental samples, we have at least three years before eradication can be certified.
RI President John Germ has set a per club goal of $2,650 toward End Polio Now, commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Rotary Foundation. Every Club reaching that goal ($2,650) by December 31st of 2016 will be recognized at the RI President's Dinner. We will also acknowledge every Club reporting a per member contribution of $50 or more.
Be sure to send in your donations by the end of December so that your club can be announced at the RI President's Dinner! We look forward to celebrating with you on January 7th. May your holidays be filled with love and joy.
Posted by Susan Baird (Granby) susanbaird2@yahoo.com
The Rotary Club of Granby, CO, is an active club of 23 members in a small mountain town, but also knew it needed to step up its contributions to the Rotary global effort to eradicate polio. Articles and notices in the District 5450 newsletter and from various entities such as endpolio.org provided the impetus to use the declaration of October 24, 2016 as World Polio Day to hold a local event. The only problem was it conflicted with a televised Bronco football game!
Rotarians Susie Baird and Lesley Janusz formed a committee of two, brainstorming ideas to hold an event that would not only raise funds, but also create an awareness of Rotary’s Polio Eradication project. The result? A greater awareness of and advocacy for Rotary’s Polio Eradication public health accomplishments, an enjoyable night for Rotarians and community members, a good service project for the Interact club, and the Granby Rotary Club tripledits yearly per capita polio giving!
Posted by Gail Lehrmann (Parker) glehrmann@aol.com
Two opportunities are available:
1. Request for Participation in Global Grant Project - Amputee Rehab (India)
The Rotary Club of Pune Magarpatta City, Hadapsar, Pune, Maharashtra, India - Rotary District 3131 - is seeking funding partners to assist with a “Rehabilitation of Lower Limb Amputees by providing Modular Prosthesis” global grant project. Direct beneficiaries are 300 individuals. Project size is $30,050 US. The Club is seeking $4,300 from overseas club partnerships.
2. Request for Participation in Global Grant Project – Developing Youth Leaders (Republic of Georgia)
The Rotary Club of Tbilisi Academia seeks to prepare leaders and young specialists for the development of an IDP community in the Kakheti Region of Georgia. The project will be coordinated by the Rotary Club of Tbilisi Academia and implemented by an NGO in Tbilisi and the YMCA in Telavi. Ninety (90) young IDPs from the target towns (10 from each, 18 per session) will receive training on the following topics: employability skills, financial literacy, leadership techniques, volunteerism, project design, management skills, and other relevant skills. (Target towns - Tsnori, Dedoplistskaro, Akhmeta, Signagi, Gurjaani, Kvareli, Lagodekhi, Sagarejo, and Telavi)
General supervision of the project will be realized by Rotary Club of Tbilisi Academia with Dr. Tamari Tsintsadze (its Charter President) as Director of the project. Steve Werner, Rotary Club of Denver Southeast, is on a short-term Peace Corps assignment in Tbilisi, Georgia and has been meeting Rotarians and attending various Club meetings.
For more information, contact Gail Lehrmann, Rotary District 5450 Foundation Chair, at 303-840-8529 or glehrmann@aol.com.
Posted by John Hughes (Denver Southeast) j.hugh63@gmail.com
The 10th annual State of the State promises to be another great event and a fantastic way to approach the end of the year for Rotarians and others.
Please join us on December 15th at the Hyatt Regency in DTC. This year’s event is expanding due to the popularity of the topic – mental health in Colorado. We will have symposia for the first time with interesting topics for healthcare professionals and lay people. There will be an expo in advance of the luncheon as well.
As for the luncheon itself, we are honored to have confirmed Lt. Governor and Colorado Chief Operating Officer, Donna Lynn as well as our keynote speaker, Dr. Geetha Jayaram, senior faculty member at Johns Hopkins Department of and Nursing and Patient Safety. Dr Jayaram, a Rotarian herself, has received the Global Alumnus Service to Humanity from Rotary International for her work globally on mental health. Governor Hickenlooper has also been invited. As in recent past years, Cheryl Preheim of 9News will be our emcee.
The Mental Health and Well Being Expo will run from 11:00 to 11:55 and the lunch program will begin at noon and wrap up at 1:30.
Rotarians from all over the District and beyond have worked hard to bring this event to life once again. It is an excellent way to introduce friends and colleagues to Rotary and the important work we all do here in the community and beyond. We hope to see you there!
Speakers include: Donna Lynne, Colorado Lieutenant Governor and Dr. Geetha Jayaram, Senior Faculty Member of John Hopkins Dept. of Psychiatry, Public Health, Nursing and Patient Safety
Posted by Brandye Miller (Mountain Foothills) irisheyesaresmilin@me.com
The 2017 Rotary International Convention June 10-14 is going to be fun-filled! Come early and stay late to explore all there is to do in this benevolent city. Here’s a preview of what you can expect: https://youtu.be/pQNZQhNGNYo
The City of Atlanta has made it easy and cost efficient for you to see many of the premier attractions via their Atlanta CityPass. The pass includes:
Georgia Aquarium
World of Coca-Cola
CNN Studio Tours
Zoo Atlanta OR Center for Civil and Human Rights
Fernbank Museum of Natural History OR College Football Hall of Fame
Don’t forget to check out the “Discover Atlanta” page on the Rotary International website at the following link: http://www.riconvention.org/en/atlanta/discover-atlanta. Here you can find more things to do while visiting Atlanta along with information about exploring Atlanta’s neighborhoods and dining. Also, don’t forget to download the Host Organization Committee’s Atlanta Visitors Guide for much more information about the city.
There is so much to do in this wonderful city, you might even consider coming a little early or staying a little longer to make it a fun vacation. Whatever you decide, don’t miss next year’s District Conference in Colorado Springs! Save the date: April 28-30; we promise, you’ll be glad you did!
Rotary's member benefits program gives Rotary and Rotaract club members access to discounts on a variety of products and services selected with their interests in mind.
Discounts & Special Offers
Rotary Global Rewards offers discounts on vehicle rentals, hotels, dining, and entertainment. Products and services from companies around the world are being added every week. Check back often to see what’s new in Rotary Global Rewards – the vendor list is updated monthly. https://www.rotary.org/myrotary/en/member-center/rotary-global-rewards
How to Redeem Offers
Anyone can view the offers and discounts on Rotary Global Rewards. But onlyRotary and Rotaract club members who are signed in to their My Rotary accounts can redeem them. You can access and redeem rewards from your computer, smartphone, or tablet.
The attached reportshows Membership, Annual Fund and Polio Plus goals entered by each club into Rotary Club Central, and the numbers and per capita achieved by each club (arranged by Area.) The District 5450 goal is to have an increase in Membership, and for Every Rotarian to give something Every Year (EREY).
WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE DISTRICT, CLUBS & THE GLOBE!
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10th Annual State of the State Luncheon 
The 2017 District Conference is going to be unique…it will be more like a short vacation getaway than a “convention”. Here are just a few things you might decide to do during your stay: get in a round of golf at the 18 hole championship Pete Dye course 
