Posted by DG Abbas Rajabi (Denver Southeast) DGAbbas2017.18@rotary5450.org
MESSAGE FROM THE DISTRICT GOVERNOR
This month Rotary celebrates Youth Services. From Rocky Mountain RYLA to Interact to Rotaract to Rotaraction to Youth Exchange, Rotary youth change the world with an energy, enthusiasm, and eye towards the world that inspires all of us as Rotarians to engage more deeply, more fully, and more presently with the communities we care about. Today’s youth have a strong sense of service to their communities, nations and the world.
As Rotarians it is our duty to get our children, our neighbors, and our friends involved in service, philanthropy, and community building early. In so doing we offer ourselves an opportunity to learn from today’s youth and have an impact on their future and generations to come.
Not sure about how to get involved with young people in your community? Check out the RI website for all the youth services, many of which are active and thriving in our District! https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs
Our young people, from Rotary Corps to New Generations can give us all a new life as we seek to put service above self, so let’s all be proactive in finding ways to encourage young people, sponsor them, mentor them, support them, and learn from them.
And, just a reminder, don’t forget to register for the District Celebration where young and old will come together to celebrate, learn, and share in fellowship!
REGISTER NOW for the May 19 and 20, 2018 Celebration of Rotary with keynote speakers former DU Chancellor Dan Ritchie addressing how Rotary can help reach consensus in a divided society, and Lt. General Jay B. Silveria, Superintendant, US Air Force Academy. Add to this break out sessions, panel discussions, and the Service and Business Expos and you have an action packed 24 hours of fellowship celebrating Rotary.
Rotary eClub One cordially invites you to our 2018 Annual Banquet on Monday, June 25th in Toronto. Come and socialize with eClub One members and other Rotarians from around the world, and enjoy an elegant dinner at the Chelsea Hotel Toronto.
This is a fantastic opportunity for you to make great contacts and meet new friends in a relaxed social setting. For reservations and registration, visit https://goo.gl/tkdvZU
The top six reasons a Rotarian should plan to attend their first Rotary International Conference in Toronto June 23-27, 2018:
It couldn’t be any easier to go. There are three-hour non-stop flights for less than $500.
Toronto is an easy city to navigate. Public transportation works well and there are no language issues.
Toronto is a fun city that is world famous for its food and entertainment.
World-class speakers, entertainment and programs provide opportunities that most people will never experience.
Attending will make you even more proud to be a Rotarian by providing you with an enormous sense of connection and appreciation for the greatness and effectiveness of Rotary around the world.
No matter what your Rotary passions are, the connections you will make and the resources available in the gigantic House of Friendship will make you a better Rotarian and improve your projects’ results.
Clubs are invited to join the fast fun at Unser Karting to win the traveling trophy.
Northglenn/Thornton won last year - will they keep the trophy for another year? CLICK HERE to learn how to register your club, or go to www.race4rotary.org
Posted by Lynn Perez-Hewitt (Littleton) perezhewitt@hceonline.com
Spring cleaning refreshes and restores. We’re coming out of the long winter and into a time of renewal, yes, even for Rotary. An opportunity to renew our enthusiasm for Rotary - our clubs and our causes. To keep sharing what we do with renewed pride and joy.
If you need help finding that pride and joy in Rotary just look around at your club members. There’s always someone with a smile or a hug. Ask them where their smile comes from and you may find yours.
The District has a celebration coming up in a few weeks. Join in the celebration of Rotary - what we do and who we are together. Members of the greatest humanitarian effort in the world today.
Have you ever written a Rotary District Grant? Remember your excitement when your grant was awarded? Is there anything better than Free Money?
Now’s your chance to be an insider and join the District Grants Subcommittee. You will see some of the best and most original projects in the District. Learn new ways to create and implement projects that work. Review projects that teach kids, promote mental health, create fun events, and help children and adults in need. It is fun and you will meet other Rotarians who, like you, love Rotary at its best: doing good in the world.
We have openings for a Grant Manager and for Grant Reviewers. This is a great time to help more Rotarians experience the excitement of being awarded a Rotary District Grant.
Posted by Lynn Perez-Hewitt (Littleton) perezhewitt@hceonline.com
It wasn’t quite Mother’s Day yet, but for one Rotary Mom it was indeed Mother’s Day on April 17th in Littleton. Rotarian Diana Doyle proudly watched as her son Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Doyle received the club’s first ever Vocational Service Award.
28-year-old Michael, a Sheriff’s Deputy since 2013, was one of four first responders to report to what would be a deadly shooting on December 31, 2017. Deputy Doyle and three others survived the tragedy while one Deputy lost his life.
In presenting the award President Belinda Bianchi noted that, “Too often these events are lost in the "here today, gone tomorrow" coverage of the media. Rotarians embrace their motto “Service Above Self” in the same manner that those men and women serving in our law enforcement and fire agencies do on a daily basis. In recognition of that selfless service in helping provide a safe living environment for us all, the Littleton Rotary Club presents Deputy Doyle, as representative of all involved in the tragic incident, with Rotary's Vocational Service Award.”
She further stated, “Deputy Doyle is here this evening to receive recognition not so much for his involvement the incident, but rather in recognition of his service to society through his vocational service. Too often communities take for granted the daily services performed by the men and women who comprise our “safety nets”; the police and fire personal who daily put their lives on the line for the safety of all. …On behalf of the Rotary Club of Littleton and a grateful community, we hereby award you the Rotary Vocational Service Award for your faithful service to your profession.”
Doyle graduated from the Law Enforcement Academy, at, Arapahoe Community College in December 2011. Earlier that year he had earned a BS degree in Psychology from Colorado State University. Between graduation and Douglas County, Deputy Doyle was a security officer at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Lakewood.
Posted by Marny Eulberg (Wheat Ridge) marnyeul@me.com
What does purple have to do with Rotary’s effort to eradicate polio???
• It is the title of a book, a film, and a musical….
• Purple is a color intermediate between blue and red. It is similar to violet but unlike violet it is not a spectral color.
• Purple is the color most often associated with royalty, magic, mystery and piety.
• It was worn by Roman magistrates, was the imperial color worn by rulers of the Byzantine Empire and the Holy Roman Empire and Catholic bishops, and by the Emperor of Japan.
• It is one of the team colors of our Colorado Rockies.
•AND, it is the color used to mark the pinky finger of children who have been given a recent dose of oral polio vaccine administered by polio vaccinators in developing countries.
Rotarians from District 5450 will be offered the opportunity to display their support of Polio Plus/End Polio Now at the District Celebration May 19-20 by stopping by the Polio Committee’s table in the exhibit hall and being festooned with a tonsorial display of their support or having a fingernail(s) painted purple. You may also be given the opportunity to pay to avoid being so adorned!!
Watch for the “Purple Police”!! Some might be “undercover officers”!!
Posted by Gail Lehrmann (Parker) glehrmann@aol.com
When reflecting on our personal estates and the legacy we want to leave, have we thought about how much we can afford to give away? The late Rotary Foundation Trustee Louis Piconi shared these inspiring remarks: “Rotarians of today are leaving a legacy to the children of the world when we, Rotary, join our world partners in the celebration of the certification of the eradication of polio from the world. More importantly, and I do mean more importantly, is the fact that the Rotarians of today and tomorrow have the opportunity to leave their own legacy of ‘doing good in the world’ for future educational and humanitarian service programs. Do we dare dream that Rotarians of today not only make it a habit of making an annual contribution each and every year, but leave a percentage of their estate or a one-time significant gift to The Rotary Foundation’s Endowment Fund?
This should be the dream, goal and reality of all Rotarians. We need just look and see and feel and touch the wonderful programs and projects we are continually completing that help the world know a more humane society and a more peaceful world.”
Posted by Lynn Perez-Hewitt (Littelton) perezhewitt@hceonline.com
The Best Time to Plant a Tree is Twenty Years Ago. The Next Best Time to Plant A Tree is Today. Chinese Proverb
Beginning Sunday with 12 Crabapple Trees, continuing with 22 “Big” trees on Sterne Parkway near Littles Creek Park and wrapping up with 51 trees of 16 varieties on the Campus of Options Middle School and Secondary Program, one tree for each Rotarian is now Rooted in Littleton.
Littleton Rotarians share a connection with local trees. It was a Littleton Rotarian who had the original idea for the Crabapple Trail. And this year Rotary International President Ian Risely has made it his mission to try to have as many trees as there are Rotarians planted all over the world. Hint: that’s more than 1.2 million.
Rotarians did not do this alone. They had a huge hand from the City of Littleton, specifically David Flaig and his intrepid crew who helped with the 51 trees on the school site. David was able to apply a generous grant from Xcel Energy to cover the cost of the trees. South Suburban Parks and Recreation planted the “Big” trees near Littles Creek Park, and the Crabapple Foundation added 12 new trees to the family of Crabapples gracing the streets of Littleton.
Do you remember the first book you ever owned? Do you remember the way it made you feel? Opening the cover, stumbling through the first lines as you felt a rush of exhilaration. The whole world was in front of you. Erie Rotarians experienced this feeling again when they distributed dictionaries to third-graders at local elementary schools. This project brings great fulfillment to our club as we enjoy distributing the dictionaries at a pivotal time, raising the funds, and seeing the development of leadership in our community through this project.
Now in its seventh year running, the Dictionaries for 3rd Graders project provides an individual, high quality, illustrated, hard cover dictionary to every third grader attending the six Erie Elementary Schools in our local district. The club purchases the dictionaries, provides them with Rotary labels, and then presents them to students in an assembly each year. The club distributed 452 dictionaries this year to eager students.
Third grade is a pivotal time for young students to explore. It serves as a fantastic opportunity to support the ongoing literary development skills of our youth. The ability to read and write well contributes to an active and healthy citizen. These youth will one day build the workforce and leadership of our communities.
Posted by Nan Jarvis (Mountain Foothills) johnnan@comcast.net
Rotaract Auraria Denver is now official thanks to the mentoring and inspiration of Lee Mulberry, District Youth Services Chair. Officers President Hailey Davis, VP Raechel Buehler, Secretary Tori Schramm, and Treasurer Edgar Calderon were sworn in and given their pins. Sponsored by Mountain Foothills Rotary, this will be the fourth Rotaract in the District. President Susanne Robert and others from Mountain Foothills were in attendance for the celebration. Months of preliminary work have gone into building a good foundation for the club. Officers reported on their project plans, fundraising, club culture, marketing, and upcoming events. Their appeal will go out to the entire Auraria Campus - CU Denver, Metro, and CCD - and also younger professionals in the area.
Rotaract brings together people ages 18-30 to exchange ideas with leaders in the community, develop leadership and professional skills, and have fun through service. Rotary and Rotaract members work side by side to effect change in communities worldwide.
Posted by Lee Mulberry (Highlands Ranch) rlmulberry@gmail.com
Rotaraction (www.rotaraction.org) is an online Rotary club for 18 to 30-year-old people, and is accepting new members. The structure of Rotaraction differs significantly from Rotaract. First, it is entirely online, second the primary communication tool is a smart phone app. Third, all Rotaraction members will be full Rotarians.
Rotaract Clubs will not be impacted as their value proposition is quite different and still valid. Rotaract is geographically bound just as Rotary Clubs are, Rotaraction, by being online, will not have geographic boundaries nor regular meeting times.
The attached report shows Annual Fund and Polio Plus goals entered by each club into Rotary Club Central, and the numbers and per capita achieved by each club. 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!
• It is the title of a book, a film, and a musical….
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