Stories

Engage Rotary and Change Lives -

Remember to wear your new Rotary Pin and when you are asked about your pin share your Story as to what you like about Rotary –

 

Thank you to everyone who helped with the Lake Clean-up last week.  It was a great success!  Not only were we able to help clean up the lake, it also served as a fun social event.  A big thank you to Dave Wickstrom and his committee for organizing this service project.

Come and join District 5960 Rotarians in celebrating the Installation of District Governor for the year 2013-14, Gary Campbell, on Tuesday, June 11, 5:30 – 8:00pm, at the Main Street Stage, also known as the Lyric Arts Theatre in lovely downtown Anoka.

The Playbill for the evening will be a three act performance that will include:

· Act One – Refreshments and light dinner provided by Acapulco Restaurant.

Special appearance of Rotary Founder, Paul Harris, as brought to you by J.P. Barone.

· Act Two – Outgoing Governor’s comments; Incoming Governor’s comments; Changing of the Banner and special recognition of 100^th Governor.

· Act Three – Tribute to John Deir and recognition of Rotarian dignitaries present.

Reservations can be made through EventBrite at www.eventbrite.com/event/5998067381. Tickets are $30 per person which includes a refreshment and food.

Please join the members of the Anoka Rotary Club and all Clubs in District 5960 in welcoming our new Governor, Gary Campbell.

Felix Adekola was born in Lagos, Nigeria.  In 1995, his family moved to Canada.  It was truly a “cold shock”.  He remembers stepping out of the airport and immediately running back inside.  After graduating from Dalhousie University, NS, Canada with a Bachelor of Engineering, he accepted an engineering position with Celestica, a multinational electronics manufacturing company based in Toronto. He worked on several radio frequency projects. In 2005, he moved to Winona and joined Benchmark Electonics as a Senior Test Development Engineer.  In his role, he leads several challenging test developments for medical products, and is directly involved in improving test solution qualities and efficiencies.

Felix and his wife are blessed with a son, age 4, and a daughter, age 2. They also have 3 African Cichlids and 1 rainbow shark.  He enjoys traveling and meeting new people. In fact, his job has allowed him to satisfy his wanderlust without worrying about travel costs and vacation days. He has had wonderful opportunities to travel on business to places like Thailand, Mexico, Dublin, and Almelo Netherlands. Other interests include weight lifting, running, playing racquet ball, and security analysis using both technical and fundamental strategies.

Felix is happy to finally be a Rotarian. His father-in-law, who lives in Kampala, Uganda has been a Rotarian for more than 20 years. The last time he visited Uganda, he was moved by the pig farm project spearheaded under the Rotary umbrella.  The project has changed so many lives. The income from the project not only built schools but also helped to pay tuition.

Please welcome Felix Adekola to Winona Rotary!

Announcing the 2013 Fall Fast for Hope Delegation to Nicaragua, September 14^th thru September 23, 2013.

If you have you always wanted to be part of a Rotary Delegation to a foreign country, but don’t have the time to be part of a GSE Team? The Fast for Hope Cultural Delegation to Nicaragua from September 14^th thru September 23rd, 2013 could be the answer.

Reasons for being part of this delegation include:

· You will learn about the culture and history of Nicaragua.

· You will meet some amazing people, who will welcome you. These are people who live in extreme poverty, yet they live life with joy and happiness.

· Your life will be changed.

· This is one of a limited number of opportunities through our district to visit a developing country.

· The community of El Corozo has accepted our invitation to be part of this initiative. We are beginning the process of assisting the community in identifying their specific needs and the solutions. The delegation will visit El Corozo and participate in the process.

· You can share this experience with your child/relative who is 14 years of age or older as well as a spouse or adult friend.

· The team will be led by Bev Driscoll of the Stillwater Club , who has made multiple trips to Nicaragua and you will be guided by the experienced team, Escuela AKF.

The delegation will be capped at approximately 12 so early application is encouraged. More information and an application form are available on the Fast for Hope link on the District website www.rotary5960.org.

Fellow Rotary Twins’ Fans!

Our Rotary District has teamed up with the Minnesota Twins to 1) promote Rotary and the good work we are doing in our communities and 2) to raise funds for PolioPlus to make sure we complete our mission to eradicate polio. We have invited Districts 5950, 5970 and 6000 to join us for this exciting event.

What: Minnesota Twins vs. Houston Astros 
Where: Target Field-Minneapolis 
Date: August 3, 2013
Game Time: 6:10 P.M.
Tickets Available: 100 Field Box Seats @ $50
                          900 Home View Seats @ $35 
Our goal is to sell 1,000 tickets!

For more information visit the District website www.rotary 5960.org or talk to Randy or Cherie for registration information.  Tickets may be ordered through ONLINE REGISTRATION with a credit card. You will need the Account Name (future) and the Password (yourhands). 
 
Order Deadline is July 2 and Tickets will be mailed after July 25 and more details for the day will be included.

Order early! Tickets will go fast. We hope to see you at the game with all of your Rotary pins and hats. Let's make this a Rotary day to remember.

Last week our program was "The Hatching of the International Owl Center".  We had the opportunity to learn about the Houston Nature Center which was built in 2001 and meet Alice the Great Horned Owl.  Alice, who has a wing span of 5 ft, was injuried when she fell out of her nest as a young owl.  Since she was no longer able to live in the wild, she had to "get a job" as an educational bird.  The Houston Nature Center hosts the International Owl Festival and features the World Owl Hall of Fame.  They are currently in the initial phases of starting the International Owl Center which will incorporate the current Nature Center, Owl Hall of Fame, Great Horned Owl Breading Project and have a natural playground.   We also learned that our presenter, Karla Bloem, is the World Authority of Great Horned Owl vocalization. 

Six members from Winona attended the Rotary 5960 District Conference.  We celebrated Peace Through Service with outstanding keynote speakers, dynamic breakout sessions and an opportunity to pack meals for Feed My Starving Children.  Our Youth Exchange students also hosted a Country Fair so we could learn more about the countries each exchange student in the district represented.  Mark your calendars for next year's conference April 24-26th.

This week is Rotary Readers. Make sure to pick up books from Donna for those of you who have adapted a classroom or are interested in reading in our schools.  Feel free to contact Donna if you have any questions.

Welcome to Rotary our newest members Felix Adekola and Brent Kimmerle!

Survey Results

Location

Not good 6.98% - Ok but would like to see improvements 60.47% - Great I love it 32.56

Food

Not good 16.67%   - Ok but would like to see improvements 57.14% -Great I love it 26.9% 

 

Atmosphere

Not good 19.05% - Ok but would like to see improvements 69.05% - Great I love it -11.90%

Comments same locations comments

 

Move to Signatures:   Yes 52% No 48%

Would distance be an issue for you?   Yes:  31% No 69%

 

Programs Value – Yes 100%

Receiving of information, staying connected and know what is happening in the club:

Why did you join and what makes you stay? 

4 way test – the members – wanted to join an organization and do good work – great purpose & great people - fellowship – networking – to serve locally and globally with fellow area business people – I have made a lot of friends over past several years – focus on youth – service above self and interaction with like minded people – to serve others and meet other in our community - I joined because I was Invited and I stay because we are an active club – to give back to the Winona area.

What do you want to see in next 12 months?

More fundraising effort so we can give more – start meeting at 12:15 – increase membership especially younger folks – stick to clubs vision – more involvement from all members - More fellowship – More socials – Keep up with all the great projects we are working on – stay the course with the expansion of community programs - add 10 new members to make us a stronger club - expand membership and service opportunities - Would like to see better publicity -  programs that WOW the membership -  Growth in membership

 

 

 

More dicussion will take place next wednesday - Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions, comments or concerns. - Cherie Burke

 

Do you have an article you would like to have included in an upcoming weekly Rotary newsletter?  Maybe a committee update or announcement on an upcoming Rotary project? Please email articles to aherber@charter.net by 8pm on Monday evening to be included in that week's Rotary E-bulletin.  Submissions would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you!

Our club will be hosting two Youth Exchange Students next year.  One student will be from Belguim and one from Italy.  We will need 6 host families for the coming year.  If we do not find enough Rotarian families to host, we will be reaching out to other families from the Winona area. Winona Rotarians have the first option of hosting students.  After April 30th we will open applications to host up to the community. This does not mean Rotarians could not apply later, just that there may not be slots available as time passes.

If you want information on the students or being a host family, let Eric Johnsrud know. To apply to be a host family, contact Eric for the necessary forms. Please note that, due to Federal requirements, there are a few forms to fill out and there will be an in-home interview before a family can be approved.

In addition, each student will need a counselor. The counselor is a person that the student can be in contact with to discuss issues that may arise. If you are interested or would like more information on being a counselor, let Eric know as well.

We are looking forward to an exciting year with our new students.

The Rotary District Conference is being held this week, April 19-20th in St. Paul. 

We have 6 members from our club who will be attending all or part of the conference.  It will be a great opportunity to network with Rotarians from throughout District 5960 and to to hear dynamic keynote speakers.

Stay tuned for an update after the conference.

The role of the Greeter for our Club is to come to the assigned Wednesday Noon Meeting by approximately 11:50 a.m. and be present at our welcome table by the front door to welcome all Rotarians, but especially our new members.

Below is the schedule for the next several months. If you have any questions please contact Denny Theede.

April 17 - Denny Theede

April 24 - Mark Patterson

May 1 - Donna Helble

Today will never come again, so:

     Be a blessing

     Be a friend

     Encourage someone

     Take time to care

     Let your words heal, and not wound.

 

Erik Thompson was born and raised in Winona.  The son of Walter and the late Mary Thompson, he has an older sister Rosie and a younger brother Kirk.  His family grew when his father married Darlene and he gained 2 step brothers and 2 step sisters.

 

At the age of 5, he picked up his first golf club.  When he was 10 years old, he played in his first golf tournament and has continued with this sport throughout his life.  He played competitively in high school, was part of the 1984 State Championship golf team, and eventually obtained a golf scholarship to play with the Gophers at the University of Minnesota, which he did for 3 years.  He was fortunate to finish his collegiate golf career his senior year at Winona State University, playing on the team with his brother and Brian Paulson and going to the NAIA National Championship tournament.

 

In 1994, Erik married his high school sweetheart, Mari, and they have made their home in Winona.  They are members of Central Lutheran Church.

 

Erik began his career with W&C Printing twenty one years ago working with the Trainor family.  Last year they joined forces with Inland Marketing Services and formed a joint company called InTech, where he continues to work as a National Solutions Provider. 

 

As a member of the Warrior Club Board of Directors, Erik is committed to raising money for WSU athletics.  He is proud to become a member of the Winona Rotary Club. His main interests include physical fitness, working out at the YMCA, biking, bowling, golfing and cooking alongside his wife in the kitchen.

 

Please welcome Erik Thompson to Winona Rotary!

Rotary Club Radio will be broadcasting live on Wednesday, April 10th at 10am at www.RotaryClubRadio.com.  The 2013 Group Study Exchange (GSE) Team from the Czech Republic and Slovakia will be introduced. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the team, their experiences in the United States, and what a GSE team is all about.  Watch live on Wednesday morning!

Emilia will be taking a trip to Hawaii from April 10 to April 18. We are looking for anyone that may be going to the cities on her return date.

She arrives back in Mpls on April 18 at 1:54 pm.

If anyone is going to the cities around that time, please let me know.

Thanks,

Randy Domeyer

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 21ST 2013

This is the date for the 1st annual " Ride the Ridges" Bike Tour

We will need EVERY ROTARIAN to volunteer in order to make this a successful event.

April Membership Anniversaries

Kelly Stayton    1 year

Erica Jerowski  1 year

      Bob Deter    2 years

Mark Patterson   11 years

 Autumn Herber   13 years

  Gabe Manrique  17 years

 

We are glad you joined us!!!

This information is from our membership data.  If there are arrors, please let us know.

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

  Judy Bodway      April 4

Kathy Rollinger   April 4

     Rand Gettler      April 10

  Terry Klonecki     April 14

 Randy Domeyer     April 16

  Wade Davick        April 19

  Rich McCluer      April 25

  Brad Wolner       April 27

     Pete Roehl         April 29

 

If you have not already done so, please complete a short survey regarding our Rotary meetings.  Please be honest as your feedback is very important.  The survey is being conducted through Survey Monkey.

Click on the below link or copy and paste it into your browser.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5BHVPY7

Thank you to the following individuals and businesses that have agreed to sponsor Clubrunner for the next year. They are Formgraphics,  Merchants Bank, Altra, Dr. William Davis on behalf of Winona Health and Mark Neville on behalf of St. Mary's University.  Thank you!!

Randy Domeyer

Just a reminder that the Rotary Board Meeting will be held this Wednesday, March 27th at 4:45pm in the Merchants Bank Board Room.

Winona Rotary to Host Student from Belgium

 

The Winona Rotary Club has been notified that we will be hosting a student from Belgium for the 2013-14 school year.  More information on the student will be forthcoming.  If you are interested in serving as a host family for this student, please contact Eric Johnsrud. 

Bill Davis was born in Moline IL and grew up in in Rockford IL.  His first hobby was Amateur Radio, getting his Novice license while in 7^th grade.  It provided him the opportunity to communicate with other hams worldwide and have a chance to build lots of neat electronic gadgets.  He was also heavily involved in Boy Scouts and Explorer Scouts.  So you have the picture: a kid living in his basement, involved in amateur radio and rarely dating; a nerd!  Bill graduated from Luther College in Decorah IA in 1962.  With majors in math and Greek, he then graduated from Luther Theological Seminary in St Paul in 1967, and from medical school and family medicine residency training at the University of Minnesota in 1974.  He spent 2 years in the Navy at Orlando at the end of the Vietnam War before moving to Winona in 1976.  Dr. Davis have been on the staff of Winona Health for over 35 years.

In addition to his teaching and practice of Family Medicine, he developed an interest in electronic medical records and had the first fully functional EMR in Minnesota starting in 1987.  Dr. Davis currently works full time at Winona Health doing office practice 3/4ths of the time and ¼th helping promote the EMR with his colleagues.  In addition to serving as the Chief Medical Information Officer at WH, he also serves as the chairman of the Medical Ethics Committee.  He is active in Central Lutheran Church and has been a member of the Junto Club and the Roundtable Investment Club for 34 years.  Junto Club members present a paper once a year.  His investment club has perfected the art of buying high and selling low.

Other interests and hobbies include: amateur radio, learning to create web sites, working with computer programing, riding my recumbent bicycle, and trying to relearn playing the guitar and reading Greek.

Welcome to Rotary Bill Davis!

Thank you to the following individuals and businesses that have agreed to sponsor Clubrunner for the next year. They are Formgraphics,  Merchants Bank, Altra, Dr. William Davis on behalf of Winona Health and Mark N eville on behalf of St. Mary's University.  Thank you!!

Randy Domeyer

We will be ordering Rotary at Work T-shirts in the next few weeks. Please let Cherie Burke Know how what size and if you would like short or long sleeves.  Our fellow Rotarian Terry Klonecki at Formgraphics will be printing these for us. prices will be less than what I quoted last week. We are looking at 14.00 for a short sleeve and 16.00 for a long sleeve. Terry doe have a few sizes in stock now.  (Large and XL and 2 girls Lg) You can email me at cherieb@hbci.com with the size and number of shirts you would like.

Just a reminder that the Rotary District cultural delegation to Nicaragua is April 26^th thru May 5^th. The Fast for Hope Steering Committee has just returned from Nicaragua with exciting news and two special reasons to join this delegation:

 1. As a result of our presence in Nicaragua, a new Rotary Club has been formed in Cuidad Sandino. Cuidad Sandino is a very poor, but vibrant community, near Managua. The club has encountered certain class issues in Nicaragua in getting chartered but with the help of our River Falls Club, which agreed to be their sponsor, they are now chartered by Rotary International and the Cultural Delegation will be attending their Charter Night. There is no better way to show support for Rotary and support for a club that deeply believes in “Service Above Self” than to be part of the delegation and to attend their Charter Night.

2. The community of El Corozo has accepted our invitation to be part of this initiative. We are beginning the process of assisting the community in identifying their specific needs and the solutions. The delegation will visit El Corozo and participate in the process.

For more information visit www.rotary5960.org or contact Dave Newman at dave@bancorgroup.com.

Don't forget we will be having our Rotary meetings at Signature's the entire month of February and first week of March.  Westfield is closed for the month. 

The Board of Directors decided to use our club points and award a Paul Harris Fellow to Ron Dreas. Ron has been Sargeant of Arms for 17 years, and has coordinated the Student of the Week, Camp RYLA and Camp Enterprose program for about 15 years. This prestigious award was presented to Ron at the 90th Anniversary PARTY. Please join me in congratulating Ron Dreas!

Special thank you to Cherie Burke and Mike Bernatz for organizing the 90th Anniversary Social Party for us last week. A great time was had by all!

We recognized the 10 most tenured members of our club. They are:

31 years     Dave White

32 years     Mike Bernatz

34 years      Roger Metz

35 years      Don Koigh

36 years       Ron Dreas

36 years       Tim McBeth

37 years       Chuck Shepard

45 years       Pete Roehl

49 years      Bill Doerer

49 years      O.J. Fawcett

We also recognized the 23 past presidents that are also current members of our club.

Please remember there is no meeting at Noon this week.  We will meet for our social instead from 6 -8:30pm on Wednesday at Signatures. It is not to late to sign up.  Simply email or call Cherie.

2013-2014 Officers and Board members

 

President	Cherie Burke
President-Elect	Lance Duellman
President- Elect Nominee	Terry Kloenecki
Secretary	Kathy Rollinger
Treasurer	J.C. Pfieffer

 

Board Members

 

Randy Domeyer

Autumn Herber

David Wickstrom

Denny Theede

Rick Iglesias

David Bonk

Brad Bullard

Jim Conway

Bob Deter

Bob Williams

                                    

Happy Anniversary Winona Rotary Club!

On Wednesday February 20th, 2013 the Winona Rotary Club will have an evening social at Signatures to celebrate 90 years of with Rotary as a club.

Please come and join us in the ballroom from 6:00 pm to 8:30 for Hors d' oeurves and beverages. Spouses and guests are welcome!

Please bring any pictures or memorabilia to display at the event.

You can email Cherie Burke at cherieb@hbci.com to R.S.V.P if you have not already signed up.

There will be a Fireside Chat on Thursday, February 21, from 4-5:15 and will be hosted by Randy Domeyer. The address is 8820 Leesher Drive, Minnesota City  All are invited  to attend  and welcome our newest members! Any existing members that would like a "refresher"  fireside chat are welcome! E-mail me or call me at 429-5418 if you need directions.

The District 5960 Fast for Hope and Cultural Exchange to Nicaragua will be held April 26^th - May 5^th, 2013.  District 5960 Rotarians, Rotaractors, their spouses, significant others and friends are welcome to apply.

The purpose of the Cultural Exchange is to learn about the culture and history of Nicaragua, to get acquainted with the people, to learn about sustainable economic development and to see the beauty and scenery of the country. One of the objectives of the Fast for Hope Initiative in Nicaragua is to build relationships with Nicaraguans. This trip is part of that effort. Each trip is different.

For more information, visit the District website www.rotary5960.org or contact Dave Newman, Fast for Hope Chair, at 763-792-8975 or dave@bancorgroup.com

We try to limit the size of each delegation to 12 people. We will stop accepting applications upon the earlier of (i) when the delegation has been filled or (ii) March 15, 2013. As a result, if you are interested in going, the sooner you submit your application the better.

 

 

Paul Harris Points to date

The following members have accumulated points through our Paul Harris points program. If you have points to add please let Cherie Burke know so she can get these updated.

Diane Amundson                    50

Mike Bernatz                          80

Dave Bonk                            200

Cherie Burke                         120

Lance Duellman                      90

Erica Jerowski                       180

Terry Klonecki                        50

Mark Neville                          190

Mark Patterson                       50

Rick Nester                            20

Kathy Rollinger                     210

Della Schmidt                         20

Terri Sim                               50

Kelly Stayton                        160

Heath Tschumper                  240

Travis Whipple                        50

Dave Wickstrom                         50   

Randy Domeyer                          20   

 

FAST FOR HOPE DISTRICT 5960 AND NICARAGUA CULTURAL EXCHANGE April 26 thru May 5, 2013

District 5960 Rotarians, Rotaractors, their spouses, significant others and friends are welcome to apply. 

EVENTS:   The purpose of the Cultural Exchange is to learn about the culture and history of Nicaragua, to get acquainted with the people, to learn about sustainable economic development and to see the beauty and scenery of the country.  One of the objectives of the Fast for Hope Initiative in Nicaragua is to build relationships with Nicaraguans.  This trip is part of that effort.  Each trip is different.  We rely upon our friends at AKF to assist us in designing each trip.

ELIGIBILTY:  Each delegate must be in good health and be able to walk at least 100 yards (the length of a football field) on uneven trails.  Unlike the States, ADA does not apply to Nicaragua.  You will be navigating stairs and possibly trails in the mountains.  In some delegations we have lived with Nicaraguans in rural communities, which involved using outhouses and sleeping in hammocks.  Because Nicaragua is 10 degrees north of the equator, the temperature does not vary much through the seasons and there is usually high humidity.

You do not need to be able to speak Spanish, interpreters will be provided, although on a group basis, not an individual basis. Some knowledge of Spanish (i.e. useful phrases) would be beneficial in communicating with the people you meet.

To apply, contact me for an application and then submit it to dave@bancorgroup.com  (Dave Newman).  Generally, qualified applications will be accepted in the order they are received.  However the Fast for Hope Committee reserves the right to adjust the composition of the delegation depending upon the needs of a particular delegation.

VACCINATIONS:  If you have not recently traveled abroad, you will need one or more vaccinations.  You should consult with your local travel clinic to determine what vaccinations are recommended .

PASSPORTS:  You will be required to provide evidence of a current U.S. passport by April 1.  Passports can be obtained within about 21 days by paying an expedited fee.  Airline tickets will be purchased by the team leader when he/she determines.  Those delegates who do not have passports at that time will need to purchase their tickets on their own. (Typically, a passport should be valid for six months after the return date.)

COST:  Each delegate will pay for their own airfare (which is usually between $600 and $1,000) plus about $750 to cover food, lodging, in-country transportation (sometimes the back of a pick-up truck) and AKF’s services. 

WHY WOULD I WANT TO GO?  So far, District 5960 has sent thirteen delegations to Nicaragua.  Not one delegate has visited Nicaragua who has not thought it was a life changing experience.  Many of the delegates have visited multiple times.  If you are willing to risk stepping out of your comfort zone, be assured  that you will be a changed person and your worldview expanded.

This is what a member of a previous fall trip wrote about the experience:

“Please allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Jim Koonst. I am a Rotarian in Belle Plaine, MN and have been a Rotarian since 1983.  My two daughters Elizabeth (21) and Anna Lee (19) and I had the opportunity to be part of the 9^th FFH Delegation (Cultural Exchange) to Nicaragua.

The opportunity given to us was absolutely life changing and was one of the best decisions I ever made for myself and my girls. Everything, I thought went very well.  The weather (rain), at times forced Elena to “shoot from the hip” and make adjustments to our agenda for the day. But it was handled so graciously and without any worries, you would have never known that changes were being made.

I have to admit that I was somewhat apprehensive about this trip.  Not knowing any Spanish, etc.  So I actually decided not to have any expectations about this trip, other than to have fun with and to learn something.  We learned from the Nicaraguans themselves  - Lifestyles, history, culture, beauty of Country, poverty & despair as well.  This trip was really “worry free” because of the experiences that the FFH committee has had, along with the organization skills & caring personalities of the AKF people.  I thought this was going to be a vacation, but what it really turned out to be was a “Living Experience in Nicaragua with Nicaraguans”.

One item to remember is every delegation trip is unique, different in its’ own way.  No two trips are exactly the same.  I would strongly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity / life changing experience.”  

Other Rotarians you can contact for more information are:

Kathy Stutzman kastutzm@smig.net; Ed Marek henakaga@yahoo.com; Jingle Mahan jingle@rotary5960.org.

WHAT IF I CHICKEN OUT?  So far no one has, but if you decide later that this is not for you, we want you to feel free to drop out, however you will be responsible for any costs incurred on your behalf.

WHAT WILL BE EXPECTED OF ME?  Upon your return you will be expected to speak to your own Rotary Club about your experience as well as other clubs so that more members of our District gain an understanding of what we are working on in Nicaragua.  It is our hope, but not a requirement, that upon your return that you will want to become involved in the Fast for Hope experience.

DEADLINE TO APPLY:  We try to limit the size of each delegation to 12 people.  We will stop accepting applications upon the earlier of (i) when the delegation has been filled or (ii) March 15, 2013.  As a result, if you are interested in going, the sooner you submit your application the better.

Dave Newman, Fast for Hope Chair

763-792-8975 or dave@bancorgroup.com

My name is Heath Tschumper and I live in La Crosse, WI.  I have been married to my wife, Kristin, for 18 years.  We have two children, our son Drew who is 15 years old and our daughter Ellie who is 13 years old. 

We enjoy doing many things together as a family.  They revolve mostly around the scheduling of our kids.  We spend a lot of time attending Drew’s baseball, football and basketball games, along with Ellie’s gymnastics, softball and volleyball events.  When we have time away from athletics, we like to fish and hunt throughout the year.  We especially like to hunt for ducks and deer.  We also have a cabin on 200 acres where we enjoy hunting as well as just relaxing.

I am employed by La Crosse Graphics, Inc., and have been with the company for 18 years.  I am the Treasurer of the company and also sit on the board of directors.  I have also recently been promoted to Vice President of Sales.  In my new position I will manage 7 other sales reps along with continuing to service all of my current accounts.       

After the kids leave we would like to eventually build our retirement home on our land.

Welcome to Rotary Heath!

JC, our great treasurer, has requested that whenever you charge something for Rotary that you let him know or make sure your name or the event is on the invoice. This saves him the time of trying to figure out what some expenses are for. Thanks.

Randy Domeyer

Winona Rotary will be hosting a Feed My Starving Children Packing event on Saturday, October 5, 2013.  We will NOT be having a packing event this spring, as we have moved our event to the fall.  Mark your calendars and watch for more information to come at a later date.

TIME magazine (January 14, 2013, pp. 32-37) features Rotary International prominently in a lead article, “Polio and Politics.” You envision the scourge of polio when the writer describes “a toddler who can toddle no more.”  When citing the forces trying to eliminate the poliovirus, the article states, “A lot of the progress that’s been made so far is due to the efforts of Rotary International…” Read the piece for an overall perspective of where we are and need to be. [Consider a Google Search of Time Magazine Polio and Politics.]

For more information on Rotary's effort to end polio, go to the RI website www.endpolio.org.

For the month of February and the first week of March, we will meet at Signatures.

Reminder that we are having our 90th anniversary celebration on Wednesday, February 20th. This will be an evening event and we will not have a regular noon meeting on February 20th. The Social Committee will have more details soon.

Please mark your calendars!

 

There will be a Board Meeting this Wenesday, January 23, at 4:45 in the Merchants Bank Board Room. Please let me know if you have something you would like the Board to address.

Sign up for the Mid-year District Rotary Rally.  It will be held January 25-26 at the Oak Ridge Conference Center in Chaska, MN.  Join your friends and make new ones as we rally to Celebrate Rotary, engage in trainings to enhance your professional, personal and Rotary life, and learn about up-coming and future Rotary Opportunities.  The Mid-term event begins at 9:30 am and ends at 2 pm on Saturday, Jan 26th.

Also consider coming early for the optional additional, fast-paced and motivating 2 half days of Rotary and Leadership activities as we combine the Leadership Academy (two separate segments from 5:30 pm until 10:30 pm on Friday, Jan 25th and continuing at 6:30 am through 9:30 am on Saturday, Jan 26th).

These 3 events will be held in-conjunction with each other so that club members may travel together, participate in the trainings, save money and time and share some fabulous learning experiences.

Agendas for each of these events are posted on the District website at www.rotary5960.org.  Register now for the Rotary District 5960 MIDYEAR RALLY. Start your new year off with your Rotary Club team on January 25^th – 26^th, 2013 at Mid-term, PETS I and the Leadership Academy.

Please mark your calendars for Wednesday, February 20th.  That evening we will be having a social event to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Winona Rotary!

Group Study Exchange is an extensive Rotary program. It brings to a Rotary district 4 young foreign professionals (non-Rotarians) to the USA for a month-long visit. They are led by a Rotarian, so a GSE team is composed of 5 persons. In return, a group of young American professionals, led by a Rotarian, get to visit a foreign country.

A club can request to host a team for 4-5 nights that the team is in the district. Local host Rotarians take in one of the GSE team members. The host provides a room to the guest, breakfast and dinner (usually), access to laundry if needed, and nowadays access to internet if that is available. It is a chance to learn about other peoples and cultures, and to share our way of life as well.  During work hours, you would not be responsible for them as they are usually doing tours, visits to companies and offices, and day visits to nearby clubs.

This year's inbound GSE team will be coming from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. As usual, there will be 5 of them. They will be in the district April 6 to May 4. We may be able to host the team in Winona, but first we must find out if there would be enough Winona Rotarians willing and able to host at least one of the GSE team members. We would not know what week of their stay they would be in Winona (if at all) until closer to the date. 

Kindly let Gabe Manrique know if you would be interested in hosting a member of the GSE team as soon as possible.

It is a great Rotary experience!

By donating to the Rotary Foundation, you support Rotary's six areas of focus, which help to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.

Contributions to the Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) initiative, are the primary source of funding for Foundation Programs. and if you give $100 you become a Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member.

Her are a few ways your contributions are changing lives around the world.

5. Fighting Hunger

In Alaska, the rotary Club of Anchorage East is fighting hunger by distributing food to low income families through a mobile food pantry.

4. Reducing Child Mortality

Rotary clubs are providing improved sanitation facilities for 15 families in a small community in Sri Lanka. With a Foundation Grant, the clubs have built 14 toilets, helping to prevent the spread of diarrhea causing diseases related to poor sanitation.

3. Promoting Peace and Conflict Resolution

Rotary is promoting pace through three upcoming Rotary Peace Grant Forums.

2. Basic Education and Literacy

A Rotary project is teaching adults in the rural community of KwaNibela-Natal, South Africa to read and write. These skills will help them fight poverty in their community. Through the effort, nearly 600 adults are attending literacy classes.

1. Eradicating Polio

Since Rotary launched its Polio Plus Program in 1985, eradicating the disease has become the organizations top priority. End Polio Now and help fulfill Rotary's promise to the world.

You can donate to the Foundation by giving a check payable to the rotary Foundation to myself or JC or you can make the donation online. Just do a search for Rotary Foundation and then select Contribute. It's easy!

 

Wishing you and your families a very happy 2013!

Rotary Winter Social Friday, January 4^th

The Basketball Game Social is being held this Friday, January 4th.  We will have the "W" Room open and ready to go at 5:45pm on Friday night for you to cheer on the Warrier Woman and then the Warrier Men.  The Women's Game begins at 6:00 p.m. and the Men’s Game at 8:00 pm. The Warriors will be playing the Southwest Minnesota State "Mustangs."

The cost is $10.00 per person that will include admission to the game and some snacks. This event is open to all Rotary Families.  Contact Mike Bernatz or Cherie Burke if you have questions or if you would like to attend, but haven't signed up yet.

Just a reminder there is a Board Meeting this week, Wednesday, December 19th at 4:45pm at Merchants Bank. 

Just a reminder we will NOT be meeting next week. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Yes that is right.  I heard that Santa and his elves will be paying a visit to Rotary on Wednesday.  So you better be good or who knows what Santa might find at the Dollar Store for you!

Last Wednesday we had the honor of having special guest Rotary District Governor Joe Kovarik speak at our meeting. 

He discussed with us his "Mind Map" highlighting his M3 strategy - Members, Money, and Mindfulness.

We were reminded of the importance of recruiting new members.  The following steps: Locate 'em, Attract 'em, Enroll 'em, and Keep 'em will prove helpful in our membership recruitment campaign.

EREY - which stands for Every Rotarian Every Year is something we should continue to strive for.  Please remember the Rotary Foundation in your end of the year giving.

Mindfullness is the third "M".  Are you wearing your Rotary pin?  Be a walking talking billboard for Rotary. 

What do you say when someone asks you about Rotary?  What is your "elevator speech"?  Here is a great suggestion:

What do you do? Improve people's lives

Where do you do it? Locally and globally

How do you do it? Through Service.

Put it all together and we get a clear description of Rotary that sounds like...

 "In Rotary, we improve people's lives, locally and globally, through Service."

And lastly we were all challeged to "fall in love with Rotary again" and to make that commitment to service above self. 

Earlier this month, members of Anon Rotary Club visited every public, private, and charter elementary school in Winona County as well as Rushford-Peterson schools to deliver a free dictionary to each 3^rd grade student.  Nearly 600 dictionaries were donated and presented. The students eagerly looked up how to spell various words with their own brand new "Student Dictionary" in hand. Some students helped their neighbors find the words. The excitement in the classrooms was palpable! The students also enjoyed learning about the additional features of the dictionary including world and state maps, country facts, conversion tables for weights and measurements and sign language.

During the seven years of the Dictionary Project, Winona Rotary has distributed a total of nearly 3,600 dictionaries to all third grade students in Winona County. This is the second year that included Rushford-Peterson schools. Winona Rotary has advocated literacy programs for many years.

Thank you to everyone who helped with this year's Dictionary Project.

Here are excerpts from some of the thank you notes we received:

"Thank you for the dictionary.  I'm leaning so much stuff from it.  My mom uses it too.  Thank you for helping our community."

"Thank you for the dictionary.  It is fantastic.  I love it so much. I'm learning new words and I like the information that it tells me."

"Thank you for coming to our classroom and talking to us."

"I will enjoy looking at all the information that is in the back of the dictionary.  It will help me look up all kinds of words.  Thank you for giving the dictionary to me."

 

Travis Whipple enters his first year as Assistant Athletic Director at Winona State and his fourth year overall working for the department. Whipple also served as an Assistant Athletic Director from 2008-2011 before spending the 2011-12 academic year as an Assistant Commissioner of the Lone Star Conference in Dallas, Texas. Whipple earned both his bachelors and masters degrees from Winona State University. Travis has an undergraduate degree in Education and a Masters in Sports Management. Prior to becoming an Assistant Athletic Director Whipple was a student-athlete and played men’s basketball, during that time he participated in three national championship games. Whipple was also a part of a run that led to 57 consecutive wins and two national championships. Travis has been fortunate to be a part of outstanding teams in the past but his greatest teammate is his wife Kim. Kim shares her amazing talents and passion for dance as studio owner/instructor at Gotta Dance. Travis and Kim are extremely blessed to have one son (Kai).

Welcome to Rotary Travis!

Please welcome our three newest Rotary members:

Steve Smith, David Bonk, and Travis Whipple

Our Rotary District 5960 has a strategic emphasis.  It is called M3 and translates into…

Members = To Support & Strengthen Clubs

Money = To Focus & Increase Humanitarian Service

Mindfulness = To Enhance Public Image & Awareness

Paul Harris Fellow recognition is given in appreciation to anyone who contributes, outright or cumulatively (or in whose name is contributed), a gift of US$1000.00 or more to the Annual Programs, Polio Plus Fund or the World Fund or as a sponsor portion of a Foundation grant.

 

Points towards a Paul Harris Fellow

Each New member will be given 100 points upon completion of new member mentor checklist

Each new member will receive 10 points for each meeting they attend in the 1^st 90 days.

 

For every donation new members make to the Annual Programs, Polio Plus Fund or the

World Fund in their 1^st year of membership. We will match up to 100 points.

 

For existing Rotarians

Receive 10 points for each service project you participate in ie:  Feed my Starving Children, Lake Clean Up, Rotary Readers, The Dictionary Project etc…

– Makeup must be reported to the club secretary 10 days after the end of the month in order to receive credit 

 

Receive 50 points if you are the chair of a project

Receive 50 points if you sponsor a new member

Receive 10 points if you attend a meeting of another club.

Point will be credited to your account on an annual basis in increments of 100 points

 **Points can be awarded to anyone at the discretion of the board at anytime throughout the year

**Points to be reported to club secretary each month.

               Please contact Cherie Burke for any questions you may have

 

 

 

Just a reminder that there is a Rotary Board meeting this Wednesday, November 28th, at 4:45pm at Merchants Bank.

Please consider submitting a story for the weekly newsletter.  Committee chairs, please send updates on service projects, upcoming events or just a progress report.  You can simply email your article to aherber@charter.net and I will include it in the next newsletter.  Info needs to be recieved by Monday to be included in that week's email.  I appreciate your assistance in contributing to the E-Bulletin.

The food we packed for Feed My Starving Children has been distributed.  On October 6th, 492 volunteers packed 504 boxes of meals.  That equals 108,864 meals, which will serve 298 children a meal a day for a year!

One full pallet went to Honduras to a partner called ‘Hope for the City’ and the other 13 pallets went to Nicaragua, to a partner called’ Food for the Poor’.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this FMSC packing event.  And a special thank you to Mark Patterson for once again chairing this great service project.

We are scheduled to sponsor another Feed My Starving Children packing event next fall.

As part of our new member process, we have a Mentor Program to help acclimate new members to our club.

Denny Theede and the Membership Committee are looking for volunteers to serve as mentors. If you are interested in being a mentor, please contact Denny. Being a mentor does not involve much time but can have a great impact on the new members.

This is an important part of our membership growth strategy and I encourage you to help with this program.

This Thanksgiving season let us remember to be thankful for all that Rotary does in the lives of many and to be thankful for each other within our Rotary family.

Thank you for all that you do for our Winona Rotary!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Rotary held it's annual Rotary Shadow Program on November 14th. There were 50 students from WSHS and Cotter who participated. The students had the opportunity to learn more about various professions around the community by shadowing a professional in their field of interest.

A special thank you to Donna Helble and her committee for planning a very successful Rotary Shadow program. And thank you to Denny Theede for being the keynote speaker and sharing words of wisdom to all of us.

An objective of The Rotary Foundation (TRF) is for every Rotary member to participate in and financially support TRF’s local and global programs and projects each year.  We all know that personal involvement in a program creates a sense of ownership and a commitment to see the program be successful. 

Thus, TRF’s focus in Every Rotarian Every Year (EREY) is member involvement. Knowing that it is not possible for every Rotarian to physically participate in a global project every year, it is possible to support projects by making a financial contribution to the Annual Fund each year.

TRF makes it easy to contribute by any of the following:

1.   Mail your contribution directly to the Foundation

2.   Use Member Access at the RI website: rotary.org/contribute

3.   Set up a recurring giving amount through Rotary Direct

4.   Contribute through the club

Investigate which method is preferable and suitable for your contributions. The most secure and quickest are those contributions you make directly to TRF through rotary.org. The slowest is through the club.  Regardless each and every contribution is valued and is credited toward receiving your next Paul Harris award.

Last week our program was Barry Drazkowski speaking to us about GeoSpatial Services at Saint Mary's University.  It is an integration of academic apprenticeship and professional services.  It is an extremely extensive and impressive program.  They have a national footprint and work on projects all across the United States.  GeoSpatial Services specialize in the development of natural resource assessments, new spatial data, conversion of hardcopy map products into digital spatial data, air photo interpretation, wetland and natural resource mapping and GIS applications. Partners include a range of public agencies and private sector companies including the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service participating in their Natural Resource Condition Assessments, Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments, spatial data development program, and the National Wetland Inventory Program.

 

With November being Rotary Foundation month, it is a good time to be reminded that everything The Rotary Foundation (TRF) achieves – from paying for Polio vaccine to teaching children to read – is possible because of the work and the contributions of Rotarians and friends of Rotary.  Beginning in 1917, when Arch Klumph put forward the idea of an endowment fund, TRF continues toward its initial objective of doing good work in the world. Here are three things you should know about TRF:

1. The Foundation is working on its primary goal of eradicating Polio.  Through PolioPlus, which was initiated in 1985, TRF has led a global effort to rid the world of this crippling disease. To date, TRF has contributed over $1B toward that goal. Rotary’s $200M Challenge is the Foundation’s response to the $355M in challenge grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to achieve a polio-free world. The good news is that we’re almost there, but more needs to be done.

2.  The Foundation changes lives.  Through the resources and programs of TRF, Rotarians carry our far-reaching projects based on Rotary’s areas of focus. As examples, communities have access to safe water and health care, and benefit from the work of Rotary Peace Fellows because of the Foundation.

3.  You make it possible.  The Foundation is supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and others who share our vision of a better world. And because of the Foundation’s impact – and the close monitoring of projects – giving to TRF is a financially sound decision.

We all should be proud of the achievements of our Foundation – it tells the world we care. Consider participating in those achievements by making a contribution to TRF today.

Reminder that there is a Rotary Board Meeting on Wednesday, October 24th (this week) at 4:45pm at Merchants Bank.

Our program last week was about the Commonweal Theatre in Lanesboro.  It's mission is: To enrich the common good through actor based story telling which is both transcendent and relevant.  It was founded in 1989 and has grown significantly over the years to now have 22,000 attendees annually.  The Commonweal boasts a rare organizational model, with resident ensemble members (who have come from all over the country to make their home in the Lanesboro area) fulfilling the day-to-day artistic and operational needs of the company as artist/administrators.  They have 11 members of the company who carefully choose and evaluate each play that they do.  Each play runs 30 - 65 performances alternating nights.  So you can do see one show one night and a different one the following, helping to boost the lodging and hospitality industy in Lanesboro.  The company also has a very unique apprenticeship program.  Five artists are chosen each year to spend 10 1/2 months with the company learning, acting, and doing the support and administrative work.  They also host an annual Isben Festival each year in April. 

For more information about the Commonweal Theatre and current shows visit www.commonwealtheatre.org.

Thank you to everyone for participating in our annual Rotary Rose Sale.  Together we sold 900 dozen roses!  Which is the most we have ever sold.

 

Our Top 10 Rose Selllers were:

#10  Cherie Burke - 27 dozen

#9    Mark Patterson - 28 dozen

#8    Judy Bodway - 30 dozen

#6    Diane Amundson - 31 dozen

#6    Don Salyards - 31 dozen

#5    Scott Camp - 35 dozen

#4    Donna Helble - 38 dozen

#3    Randy Domeyer - 45 dozen

#2    Terri Sim - 54 dozen

#1   Vicki Decker - 104 dozen     WOW!!!!!

Our program last week was Mat Nelson, Jefferson Elementary School Principal, talking about the STEM program.

There are 312 students enrolled in the STEM program at Jefferson from all around the district.  The students were chosen through a lottery system.

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.  It is an approach to teaching and the learning process. 

The major components are:
*Inquiry natured instruction
*Interdisciplinary approach
*Authentic project based learning
*21st century skills infused
*Technology utilized to enhance student learning outcomes

Even though it is a STEM school, it sill provides well rounded education.  STEM education has all of the other programs too.  Nothing is skipped, it is just a different approach.

We are still in need of someone to help with rose pick-up on Tuesday from 4-7pm.  If you are able to help please let Terri Sim or Autumn know.

A big thank you to those who already signed up to help with distribution!

Tuesday, October 16th from 12-2pm: Nick Edstrom and Mike Bernatz
                           2-4pm: Rand Gettler and Roger Metz
                           5:30-7pm: Cherie Burke
                           4-7pm: OPEN - HELP NEEDED!

Wednesday, October 17th from 3-5pm: Erica Jerowski and Kathy Rollinger
                     5-7pm: Rick Iglesias and Brad Wolner

Thank you to everyone who participated in Feed My Starving Children.  It was another great event.  We packed over 100,000 meals to send to starving children in need.  A big thank you to Mark Patterson and Riverstar for once again hosting it.  Check out a few of the pictures from Saturday's packing event under the picture gallery on our website. 

We will be hosting the Feed My Starving Children re-packing event on Saturday, October 6th.  We do still need more volunteers for the 3:30 - 5:30pm shift.  So if you have not signed up to help already and are able to do so, please let Randy or Denny or one of the committee members know.  Family members and friends are welcome to help as well.  This is a great event and a perfect example of how Rotary is doing good in the world.   Come help us pack meals to feed the starving children of the world.

The International Conference for 2013 will be held in Lisbon, Portugal from June 23-26. The Rotary budget included $2,000 to help with some of the registration and travel expenses for membeers that attend. The Board approved splitting the $2,000 between the members that notify the Board by November 1, 2012 of their intention to attend the conference. Please contact me with any questions or comments.

Some members have noticed that our signs around town have become faded and in disrepair. This included the sign that Rotary donated the Bikeway Bridge near Mankato Ave and Sarnia Street. So Terry Klonecki has come up with a new design and obtained bids. At our last board meeting we approved replacing this sign.  The other sign in need of replacement was on the sign advertising the service clubs by Highway 61 and Huff Street. The board also approved replacing that sign. Thank you to the observant members for helping to present a positive image for Rotary!

Congratulations to the winning golf team of our annual Rotary Golf Social!  Pictured are Denny Theede, Dave Wickstrom and Corwin Osterloh.  Not pictured is Arvie Osterloh.  The trophy was Carl Kiehnbaum's and it will become a traveling trophy being passed on from winning team to winning team each year. 

There is a Board Meeting this Wednesday, September 28, at 4:45 in the Merchants Bank board Room. We will have a special guest as our Assistant Governor, Chris Berg, will be attending the meeting.

Emilia is our Rotary Youth Exchange Student from Sweden.  She is 17 years old and is from Hoganas, a city on the southern tip of Sweden, five minutes from the ocean.  In Sweden, she lives with her parents and two sisters.  Emilia wanted to be an exchange student to experience living in another culture, to improve her English (which by the way is already extremely good!), to try something new, and to improve her self confidence.  She enjoys music and dance.  Dance has been a big part of her life since she was 5 years old and she is currently taking classes at the MN Conservatory for the Arts.  Emilia also loves to travel, discover different cultures and meet new people.  She has visited a long list of different countries, which at age 17 is quite remarkable.  And she can speak 3 different languages – Swedish, English and Serbian.  She has become immersed in the Serbian culture as well because her mom is from Serbia.  Emilia also likes doing spontaneous things. 

When asked what American food she liked best so far, she responded Parmesan Chicken and Roast Beef.  And the food she liked least was celery with peanut butter.  What has surprised her the most is how unhealthy most American food is. 

Emilia is currently living with the Rollinger family. 

Please give a warm Rotary welcome to Emilia and make sure to greet her when you see her at Rotary on Wednesdays.

This past weekend we held our Rotary Retreat at Dave Wickstom's cabin near Rice Lake, WI.  We had a great time and had the opportunity to really focus on the strategic planning for our Rotary Club.  Denny Theede led us as we used the information developed through the visioning session this spring to determine our priorities for the next several years.  Stay tune for more to come on this in the next few weeks.  And of course we also had some time for fun and bonding with our fellow Rotarians. 

A special thank you to Dave Wickstrom for hosting the retreat and to Denny Theede for leading our planning sessions!

We had our club retreat last weekend and a big thank you to Dave Wickstrom for hosting it and to Denny Theede for being the facilitator. It was a very productive session and the plans and priorities discussed will be shared at future membership meetings to seek everyone's input.  Thanks to all those who dedicated some time to attend the retreat - Autumn, Cherie, Lance, Dave, Denny, and Terry.

There was also time spent getting to know each other better and having a great time! Stories will be told but some things will stick to the theme of "what happens at the cabin stays at the cabin"!

Thank you for all that you do for our club.

Randy Domeyer

September 8th was International Literacy Day.  Literacy is one of Rotary International's major areas of focus.  And on a local level Winona Rotary has many projects that focus on literacy.  Several projects that you could get involved with include; Rotary Readers, where Rotarians go into the classrooms and read to kids, and the Dictionary Project, where we give area 3rd graders their own dictionary.  And funding for these projects come from our annual Rose Sale.  So in honor of International Literacy Day, sell a few extra dozen roses to help Winona Rotary to continue our strong literacy focus.

The Fast for Hope Cultural Exchange to Nicaragua is being held October 13- 21, 2012.  It is open to all Rotarians in District 5960, spouses, significant others, and friends as well any related children age 14 or older. Everyone who has been on a previous delegation will tell you what a wonderful and life changing experience it was.  The purpose is to learn about the culture and history of Nicaragua, to meet the people, to learn about sustainable economic development and to see the beauty and scenery of the country.

If you are interested in learning more visit the District website www.rotary5960.org or contact Dave Newman, Fast for Hope Chair, at 763-792-8975 or dave@bancorgroup.com.

"Rotary is an international service organization made up of business and professional men and women who work together to do good in the world through service above self."

That is one response, what is yours?

A big thank you to everyone who participated in the Goodview Days parade.  We had a great turn-out of Rotarians and their families in the parade.  Thanks to everyone who loaned us supplies and props, those who helped haul and put together our unit, those who walked with us and those who cheered us on.  It was a great opportunity to get Rotary's name out in the community.  We look forward to doing it again next year!

Rotary Friendship Exchange to British Columbia, Canada on May 21 – June 2, 2013
-------------------------------------------------------------------
A World of Rotary Opportunity

The exchange is with District 5080 in British Columbia, Canada. This district consists of geographic area of Southeastern British Columbia, Canada, Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington State. They have a geographical diversity that includes snow capped mountains, pristine lakes, fertile agricultural areas and mountain deserts. Starting in Grand Forks, the exchange then moves to Castlegar, and Cranbrook, BC. It ends in Post Falls, ID, USA. The trip will be for approximately 12 days.

District 5080 consists of 64 clubs with a membership of about 2870 Rotarians. If you would like to learn more about District 5080, visit their website at http://www.clubrunner.ca/portal/home.aspx?did=5080

The ideal number of participants in this exchange is 8-10 and applicants must be Rotarians, Spouses, and/or Friends.

Applications are now being accepted for this 2013 exchange. Visit the district website www.rotary5960.org for guidelines, expectations and application. Applications must be signed by both the applicant and the Club President. A deposit of $50 is required and is non-refundable for those applicants accepted for the team.

If you have any questions about this exchange with British Columbia, please contact Cheryl Kohout, Rotary District 5960 Friendship Exchange Chair, at CherylKohout@aol.com or 651/442-7986.

There is a Board meeting on Wednesday, August 22, at 4:45 in the Merchants Bank Board Room.

Anyone is welcome to attend!

Participate in the first-ever Rotary Moment Tweet Day on Tuesday, August 14th. Tweet about your favorite Rotary memory or event, talk about your club’s activities, or share your community service project. Use hashtag #RotaryMoment.

Not on Twitter? Listen to Rotary’s popular webinar Using Social Media to Promote Your Club or District (www.rotary.org) to learn how to create a Twitter account, post your first tweet, use hashtags, and lots more.

Rotary and the Olympics have a common goal: a more peaceful world.  It is a time for people to come together no matter what their nationality, put their differences aside, and be together as one.  The Olympics are about peace and harmony within states, and brotherhood among all people.

Rotarians also took part in the Summer Games in London and their activities worked to publicize Rotary’s good works.

Bob Izon, founding member of the Rotary Club of Hereford Wye Valley, Herefordshire, England, carried the Olympic torch through his hometown.  Izon is one of several Rotarians who carried the torch on its relay to the Olympic Stadium in London for the opening ceremony.

And some of the best athletes in the world are helping to spread the word about Rotary’s campaign to rid the world of polio.  Several Rotarians used their connections to get athletes to promote polio eradication.  Olympic diver Tom Daley is featured in "This Close" posters as part of a publicity campaign by the Rotary Club of Plympton, Devon, England. Rotarians in India also lined up several members of Indian's Olympic team, including boxer Vijender Singh, for their "This Close" campaign.

Terry Klonecki was recently awared a Paul Harris Fellow.  Paul Harris Fellow recognition, named after the founder of Rotary, is given in appreciation to someone who contibutes a cumulative gift of $1000 or more to the Annual Program Fund, Polio Plus or the Humanitarian Grants Program, or who have that amount contributed in their name.

Contributions to The Rotary Foundation support a wide range of sustainable activities in the areas of:
• Peace and conflict prevention/resolution
• Disease prevention and treatment
• Water and sanitation
• Maternal and child health
• Basic education and literacy
• Economic and community development

Thank you Terry for supporting Rotary and all of our good works!

Winona Rotary will have a unit in the Goodview Days Parade on Sunday, August 19th to promote our Rotary club and our service projects. We still could use a few more people to participate in the parade. Rotarians are welcome to bring your family or friends to join us as well.  Our unit # is 35.  The parade begins at 1pm, so please be to our unit no later than 12:45pm.  We are lining up on 5th Street between 39th and 41st Ave.  We will be handing out Rotary bookmarks.  There are also opportunities to ride on the float if you prefer not to walk.  Please let Randy, Autumn, or Terry Klonecki know if you are interested in being in the parade. 

Come join the fun and be in the parade for Winona Rotary!

Since the December 26 meeting is expected to have minimal attendance, The Board decided to not have a meeting on December 26. The Social Committee is being asked to plan a Holiday social event in lieu of this meeting and we will allocate the meal cost to the social event.

Thank you to everyone that filled out a meeting agenda survey over the past two weeks. The complete results and comments are detailed below.

In general the feedback indicated that the meeting format meets the expectations of our members as Strongly 
Agree or Agree received most of the votes

There are some things that we will be trying to tweak, including:
1. Asking more people to do the invocation. Please let Ron or myself know if you would like to do an occasional invocation.
2. Starting the business meeting a little earlier so the program is not rushed and members don't have to slip out before the program is over.
3. Reminding people to keep their brags to shorter lengths.
4. See if we can find an updated song book.
 
Meeting Agenda Survey Results

The question you are answering for each item is – Do you want to continue having this as part of the meeting?

1. Introductory Song 

    Strongly Agree    Agree          Neutral          Disagree        Strongly Disagree 

           21                    13                 2                 0                      0 

2. Fellowship song

    Strongly Agree    Agree          Neutral          Disagree        Strongly Disagree

           15                    15                  3                 0                      3 

    Suggestions for replacement or changes to this agenda item:

      1.      Delete entirely.
      2.      Songs are dated. Not sure if young members like singing these songs.
      3.      Guess the Rotary member quiz – Randy has been doing this in the past

3. Bragging Bucks 

        Strongly Agree    Agree          Neutral          Disagree        Strongly Disagree

            21                    9                    4                   1                      1

             Suggestions for replacement or changes to this agenda item:
1.      Have/introduce a box (cash box) for anonymous bragging bucks for every meeting for those who do not get a chance to participate.
2.      Charge $1 if you don’t have your Rotary pin on at the weekly meeting.
3.      Strongly disagree – cheapens the meeting.
                                  -  put in budget as expense
4.      make mention of story length.
5.      Roto Rooter/Rotarians in the news.
6.      Dollar Raffle to raise money.
7.      Do once per month
8.      Limit amount of time
9.      Just make sure it doesn't’t impact time for program.
10. But for some, and few, excessive comments, bragging bucks increases fellowship and gives us a chance (rest was cut off when faxed) 

4. Invocation

             Strongly Agree    Agree          Neutral          Disagree        Strongly Disagree

             22                    9                      4                      1                      0

               Suggestions for replacement or changes to this agenda item:
                 1. Would it be possible to have more members given the opportunity to say the invocation? It seems like pastors are usually asked to give the invocation which may limit the breadth of spiritual beliefs.
                 2. Not necessary.
                 3. I like having an invocation but feel it could be exclusionary – some Rotary clubs don’t use any specific religious references – that might be okay.     

  Do you have any suggestions for changes to make to our meetings?

1. Keep up the great programs.
2. No need to mention guests again at the end of the meeting.
3. All are great.
4. Start at 11:55.
5. Maintain the good program schedule we had last year.
6. I would like to see round tables.
7. Also a wi-fi internet connection should be a must. We should demand it from Westfield.
8. Start the program earlier (ring the bell at 12:15). Many times there is only about 10 minutes left for the program. It is difficult to ask someone to speak for a program when there is no time for them.
9. Good speakers.
10. Items 1,2 and 4 have been long term parts of Rotary meetings
11. No – meetings are good.

Rotary International President Sakuji Tanaka asks Rotarians to build Peace Through Service in 2012-13.

"Peace, in all of the ways that we can understand it, is a real goal and a realistic goal for Rotary," he said. "Peace is not something that can only be achieved through agreements, by governments, or through heroic struggles. It is something that we can find and that we can achieve, every day and in many simple ways."

Peace has different meanings for different people, Tanaka said.

"No definition is right, and no definition is wrong," he said. "However we use the word, this is what peace means for us.

Let us find ways to build peace through service this coming year.

Rotary's next Fast for Hope cultural delegation to Nicaragua is October 13-21, 2012 (MEA week).

It is open to all Rotarians in District 5960, their spouses, significant others, siblings, children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. All children must be 14 years of age as of October 1, 2012. If you are interested in participating in this life changing experience or simply to learn more, the first step will be to attend an orientation program to be held from 6-8pm on August 6^th as well as a training on July 31^st from 6-8pm in Stillwater. 
 
To register for the July 31^st event please follow this link:  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3LD925C 

To register for the August 6^th training please follow this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3V85F5P

Any questions, please contact Kathy Stutzman, kastutzm@smig.net or 507-219-0912. 

All Rotary clubs are members of the global association Rotary International, which is overseen by an elected RI president and Board of Directors. The RI Board is responsible for establishing policy for Rotary International.

The Rotary Foundation is a charitable organization supported solely by voluntary contributions. Managed by a Board of Trustees and trustee chair, the Foundation provides financial support to help Rotary clubs and districts work together on meaningful, sustainable service.

Rotary's general secretary, who is the chief executive officer, manages the 800-member Rotary staff who serve Rotarians from RI World Headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA, and several international offices. The general secretary is a member of both the RI Board of Directors and The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees.

Every Rotary club and every district (groups of clubs) selects its own officers and enjoys considerable autonomy within the framework of Rotary’s constitution and bylaws.

Rotary club, district, and Rotary International officers began their terms on July 1st.  Welcome the 2012-13 leaders as they pursue Peace Through Service .

We congratulate and support Randy Domeyer as he takes over as president of our Winona Rotary Club!

A very special thank you to all of our committee chairs from this past Rotary year.  Our club is able to do all that we do and be so strong because of our wonderful, dedicated chair people.  Thank you also to Ron Dreas who was there early every week making sure everything was all set up and ready to go.  We are very grateful for his dedication and work every week Ron!  And to our Board members thank you for your work and knowledge.  We had a great Board this year of very dedicated people who helped to oversee all that we do as a club.  Thank you!!!  And to all of you – our members of Winona Rotary – thanks for a great year.  And let’s continue strong into the future.

This year as president has really gone fast.  There was so much more that I wanted to do and just never got the time to do it all.  It was a lot of work, but definitely worth it.  Being president this past year has helped me learn more about Rotary than I ever would have otherwise. 

You can join Rotary to be part of the organization.  But at some point along the line you go from just being a member of the group to being a true Rotarian.  And once you do that, it is a part of you.  Being president and needing to be involved with everything and really seeing how much good our club does in the world and what Rotary does to make a difference every day really made me a life-long Rotarian. 

I am honored to have had the privilege to have served as your president this past year.  And I look forward to this coming year under Randy’s leadership as I pass the gavel onto him.    Congratulations Randy!

~ Autumn Herber, Past President

We will NOT be having Rotary on Wednesday, July 4th.  Hope you all have a happy and safe Independence Day!

Erica was born and raised in Winona.  After graduating from UW-Madison, she returned “home” and began her business banking career at Winona National Bank.  In 2008, she earned her MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the U of M.  She has been managing the business banking department for the past 3 years. 

Through her position at the bank, she’s afforded the opportunity to volunteer at various events throughout the year.  She is currently a member of the Chamber’s Economic Development Committee, Business Celebration Luncheon task force, Manufacturing Week task force, and the Centennial Celebration Committee.  She is on the Saint Anne Operations Board and now a member of Rotary!

Erica’s husband Mitch, also a Winona native, is an electrician with Bauer Electrotech.  They have a 4-year-old son, Jack, and 2-year-old daughter, Elle.  They enjoy the river in the summer and hope to get Jack on skis and skates this winter.  Elle is working on getting her tricycle moving and keeping up with her big brother.  

Welcome to Rotary Erica!

If you have ideas for possible speakers for our Rotary weekly programs, please contact Terri Sim or Kathy Rollinger.  They are busy working on a great line up of speakers for our 2012 - 2013 programs.

Here is the slate of Officers and Board Members for 2012-2013.

President:                                Randy Domeyer
President Elect:                       Cherie Burke
President Elect Nominee:        Lance Duellman
Secretary:                                Cherie Burke
Treasurer:                                JC Pfeiffer      
Past President:                        Autumn Herber

Board Members:
           Dave Wickstrom
           Rick Iglesias 
           Terry Klonecki
           Kathy Rollinger
           Bob Deter
           Bob Williams
           Jim Conway
           Grace Marter
 
And a special thank you to retiring Board Members Mark Patterson and Dennis Theede!

Kelly was raised in Viola, Minnesota and considers Rochester her hometown. She has worked in the banking industry for 6 years and prior to that owned CSC Towing, Inc. for 6 years. Kelly currently holds the position of Market President with Home Federal Savings Bank but her passion lies in the mortgage arena. It is her goal to assist individuals with refinancing and purchasing new homes. Currently, Home Federal in Winona employs 8 staff members who are actively involved in the community through a myriad of non-profit organizations.

For the past 8 years her husband, Jason, has been a locksmith at Tom’s Lock Service. They have a 5 year old daughter, Jayli and a 4 year old son, Kason. Since moving to Winona in 2006 Kelly's family has become avid boaters. During the summer you could find them docked on the beach any given Saturday or Sunday. Kelly also enjoys four wheeling, attending her daughter’s gymnastics training and her son’s T-Ball practices.

Welcome to Rotary Kelly!

This coming Wednesday June 20th
 at Lake Park Lodge in Winona
from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

We are having our picnic for Rotary members and guests where
Cherie, Mike and Terry will be grilling brats, hamburgers and special Rotary Hotdogs
That right there is worth the price of admission (which is free by the way)

 Please come and join us for a very fun evening.
There will also be music at the band shell,  paddle boats and kayaks to use if wish.

We'll see you there!

Mark Neville is a Senior Development Director at Saint Mary’s University. He came to Saint Mary’s last October from Mayo Clinic where he served as Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations. He has been a Rotarian for many years. He joined the Rotary Club of Decatur, IL in 1980 and is a past president of that club. Mark has also been a member of the Champaign, IL and Rochester Rotary Clubs.

A native of Illinois, Mark received his BA in speech communication from Millikin University in Decatur, and later earned an MBA from the University of Illinois. Mark served in the ARMY for two years before returning to Millikin to start his fundraising career.  He has been active in his profession through membership in the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). Mark is a past president of both the East Central and Southern Minnesota Chapters of AFP and has served on AFP’s international board of directors. He currently sits on the board of the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy.

Mark and his wife Gwenn live in Rochester where Gwenn works as a reference librarian at the University Center Rochester. They have one child, Emily, who will be a senior this fall at UW-River Falls.

Mark enjoys theatre and music, especially singing. He is a member of the Rochester Male Chorus and has been a guest soloist at several Rochester-area churches and organizations. He enjoys sports and is an avid golfer.

Welcome Mark Neville to Winona Rotary!

Kathy is a native Winonan and has an Accounting AAS Degree from Winona Technical College. She has worked in public accounting for 15 years, with Hawkins, Ash & Baptie and most recently since December with Wolter & Raak. She has also worked at Alliant Castings & Michaels Lighting as Controller/HR.

Kathy's niche is working with small businesses to develop their accounting records specifically using Quickbooks. She has been a QuickBooks ProAdvisor since 2006 and is a member of Winona Technical College Accounting Advisory Board, SHRM member and a Women in Business member.

Kathy spends her free time with her husband Terry, son Cody, daughters Kaitlyn and Courtney and their two dogs. She is an avid hockey fan and extreme couponer who loves to bake and enjoys sharing the results with everyone.

Welcome to Rotary Kathy!

The Board has approved a mileage reimburesement rate equal to the Charitable Mileage rate allowed by the IRS. The current rate is $.235/mile.  Please check with any Board Member if you have a question on what travel is eligible for reimbursement.

Last week's program was Katy Smith of Winona, who was named Minnesota Teacher of the Year in 2011.  It was the first time the award has been bestowed on a teacher who specializes in Early Childhood Family Education. She has taught in the Winona school district since 1993. Early Childhood Family Education is based on the idea that the family provides a child's first and most significant learning environment and parents are a child's first and most important teachers. Parents and children from infancy to pre-kindergarten together attend classes together.

Smith received her degree in social work from Winona State University and a master's in education from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She started as a chemical dependency counselor, but knew what she wanted to do as a career when she attended Early Childhood Family Education with her first child. She finds it rewarding to start building strong families rather than trying to repair damaged families after the fact.

Easily one of our most dynamic speakers, Smith covered topics ranging from her excitement at meeting President Obama to the importance of teaching self regulation. She recalls her pride in helping change the Minnesota law that required teachers who were deployed to pay their own subs when they returned. Under the old law, the pay for deployed teachers making less in the military than at teaching was available to them less the cost of hiring a substitute teacher. That is no longer the case thanks in part to Katy Smith.

Katy also wrote about her visit to Rotary on her blog minnesotateacheroftheyear.blogspot.com.



Notice Katy is right next to President Obama, so much so that she was even stroking his arm!

A big thank you to everyone who attended our Club Visioning Session last week.  It was a great success and we have lots of wonderful ideas and plans for the future.  We will be sharing our discussions at an upcoming meeting in June.  There was some great new energy and a lot of new ideas shared.  We worked hard, but had some fun too and some of us even got to hear Dave Wickstrom recite the Dr. Goat story.

Reminder that our our Rotary Club Visioning Session is Tuesday, May 15th from 4:45 - 9:00pm at Pleasant Valley Church.  Dinner will be provided.  There will be a six member team from our district coming to help guide us through this Visioning Session.  The following people have signed up to attend, but it would be good to have a few more come too.  If you have not signed up already and you are able to attend please email me at aherber@charter.net.  We need as many people from our club participating as possible as we set our future goals. A big thank you to everyone who is coming Tuesday night!

Those signed up to attend are: Autumn Herber, Randy Domeyer, Cherie Burke, Mark Neville, Rick Iglesias, Bob Deter, Diane Amundson, Terry Klonecki, Rod Baker, Bob Spencer, Dave Wickstrom, Don Salyards, Kelly Stayton, Mike Bernatz, Roger Metz and Bob Williams.

Paul Harris Fellow recognition is given in appreciation to anyone who contributes, outright or cumulatively (or in whose name is contributed), a gift of US$1000.00 or more to the Annual Programs, Polio Plus Fund or the World Fund or as a sponsor portion of a Foundation grant.

Points towards a Paul Harris Fellow

For our Newest Rotarians:
Each New member will be given 100 points upon completion of new member Mentor checklist

Each New member will receive 10 points for each meeting they attend in the 1^st 90 days.

For every donation new members make to the Annual Programs, Polio Plus Fund or the

World Fund in their 1^st year of membership. We will match up to 100 points.

For our existing Rotarians

Receive 10 points for each service project you participate in ie:  Feed my Starving Children, Lake Clean Up, Rotary Readers, The Dictionary Project etc…

– Makeup must be reported to the club secretary in order to receive credit for points.

Receive 50 points if you are the chair of a project

Receive 50 points if you sponsor a new member

Receive 10 points if you attend a meeting of another club.

Point will be credited to your account on an annual basis in increments of 100 points

* Points can be awarded to anyone at the discretion of the board at anytime throughout the year


This program may be tweaked along the way and your input is welcome.

 

Lake Clean Up was a success!!!!!
 
A BIG Thank you to everyone that came out to help us clean up
the small lake area on Saturday May 5th.
We found  interesting things in the lake again this year. 
Flips flops and a skate board were found as well as lots of straws and plastic bags. Yes it is true that someone got a little wet this year. While I was testing to see how deep the water was my right leg went right in and my rubber boot was STUCK under the water -  Thankfully Corwin was near and helped me get free.

All is well and our lake area is cleaner than when we found it.

I apologize for the late newsletter this week. I have been helping a daughter and son-in-law fix up a house they bought to move into on Friday and it has been some late nights. The bulletin was unfortunately forgotten. Sorry!

This week we will be having our quarterly Club Assembly.  We will be introducing our new Paul Harris Recognition Points system and hearing from some of our new members, as well as one of our scholarship recipients.  Hope to see you all at Rotary on Wednesday!

Hey fellow Rotarians are you aware that it is National Tourism week May 5-13, 2012

Do you know about all the great things there are to do in the Winona?

Just for starters if you check out the Marine Art Museum you can see Artworks by 19^th Century American Painters – The Farmers Market is now open at 2^nd & Main Street on Saturdays from 7:00 am to 12:00 and Wednesdays 2-6pm

The City Park & Rec Department offers free rentals of bikes and canoes, kayaks and Liberty boats at Lake Lodge – The Winona Ridges Group is working to increase bike awareness and having an event at Lake Lodge on Saturday May 19^th at 1:00pm this is a family friendly event.

Shop til you drop 100 mile Garage Sale Saturday May 5^th. June 2 & 3^rd is the June Bloom event at Garvin Heights Vineyard and let’s not forget about Chocolate, Shakespeare and Champagne Saturday June 9 from 7 pm -9pm at the Huff- Lamberton House – these are just a few of the wonderful things happening I hope you are able to get out and enjoy some of these events.

Our program at Rotary last week was about the Humane Society.  We even had two special 4 legged friends join us.

This week's trivia:

             Share a fact that no one in Rotary knows about you.

                    I was an extra in Grumpier Old Men.

            Tell us about a time you got into mischief when you were young.

                    I was a good boy! At least I never got caught.

            What was the most impulsive thing you ever did.

                    Disappeared from WSU in March 1959 and enlisted in the Navy - best thing I ever did!

This person is JC Pfeifer!



   Last week's trivia.          

             Share a fact that no one in Rotary knows about you.

                            No information provided.

            Tell us about a time you got into mischief when you were young.

                             I crashed my parent's car into a Chinese restaurant. 

             What is the craziest or most impulsive thing you have ever done?

                             Joined the Army.

             Rotarian for one year.
             Met spouse at WSU.
             Has one child

This person is Erik Jensen!.

             

We now have several months of attendance entered in to the website.
 Please take a look at how you are doing and how I am doing at recording.
 I try to record all make-ups given to me at the end of the month when I am reporting attendance numbers to the district. If you notice I have missed something please let me know right away so you can be given proper make- up or meeting credit.  - you can email any corrections to me at Cherieb@hbci.com

There is a Fireside Chat for our new members on Tuesday, April 24, from 4-5:30. Location is at Randy and Celia Domeyer's home - 8820 Leesher Drive, MN City. Everyone is invited to attend to help welcome our newest members!

On April 13-14, Diane Amundson, Rod Baker, Cherie Burke, Donna Helble, Autumn Herber, and Terry Klonecki attended the Rotary District Conference "Embracing Humanity ~ Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things".  We had the opportunity to hear some amazing speakers, learn more about Rotary and potential projects, network with fellow Rotarians and to be inspired.  We were encouraged to renew our dedication to Rotary and to "Reach Within to Embrace Humanity".  We will be sharing more about the conference at an upcoming meeting.

DO NUT Miss this meeting on Long Johns, Glazed and Powered Oh My. Something fun to capture the day.

 

Bloedows will be presenting at our April 18^th meeting and will engage us in:

 

· Understanding the history of the bakery

· Learning the processes necessary to make such great donuts

· Discovering the newest items at the bakery

· Having Rotarians share their favorite stories of the bakery

 

In additions donuts will be served and door prizes will be given away.

Feel free to bring a guest to experience a donut from one of the best bakeries in Minnesota!

Attached the the powerpoint presentation from our program last week about the Castlerock Museum in Alma.  Due to technical difficulties with the projector we were not able to see the presentation very well, so now you can view it at your leisure.

Go to
http://www.crsadmin.com/Gen/club/clubdoc.aspx?aid=7962 
and click on the link named Castlerock presentation to download or view.

Winona Rotary to host short term exchange student

The Winona Rotary Club will be hosting an Ecuadorean student on a short term exchange during the months of February, March, and April.  Maria Milagros Jaramillo Barnuevo, a recent high school graduate from Pinas, Ecuador, will be living with the Johnsruds during her stay in Winona.  This is pursuant to the short term exchange that the Johnsrud’s daughter, Alisa, took to Ecuador.  During the exchange, she stayed with Maria Milagros’ family.  Milagros, as she prefers to be called, will be attending Winona Senior High School after her arrival in Winona on February 23^rd..  Among her interests are dance, music, and travel.  Please give Milagros a warm welcome to Winona.

Paul Harris Fellow recognition was established in 1957 to show appreciation for contributions, and to encourage substantial ones, to what was then the Foundation’s only program: Rotary Foundation Fellowships for Advanced Study, the precursor to Ambassadorial Scholarships. Today, the recognition acknowledges individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation. Learn more about donor recognition.

On 23 February 1905, Paul P. Harris, Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, and Hiram E. Shorey gathered in Chicago for what would become known as the first Rotary club meeting. A second club was formed in San Francisco in 1908, and soon after, clubs began to pop up across North America. 

We will be having Rotary Readers this week.  Rotarians go out into the schools and read to various classrooms.  The kids always look forward to having us come and read.  Please see Donna Helble for more information or to sign up.

On September 29, 1979, Rotarians and delegates of the Philippine Ministry of Health looked on as volunteers administered drops of the lifesaving Sabin polio vaccine to children in the Manila barrio of Guadalupe Viejo.

When James L. Bomar Jr., then RI president, put the first drops of vaccine into a child's mouth, he ceremonially launched the Philippine poliomyelitis immunization effort, and Rotary's first Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) Grant project was underway. Bomar joined Enrique M. Garcia, the country's minister of health, in signing the contract committing Rotary International and the government of the Philippines to a joint five-year effort to immunize about six million children against polio at a cost of about US$760,000.

In a 1993 interview, Bomar reminisced about the trip. He recalled how the brother of one of the children he had immunized tugged on his pant leg to get his attention, and said, “Thank you, thank you, Rotary.”

The success of this project set the stage for Rotary's top priority to rid the world of polio. As a result of Rotary’s efforts, more than two billion children have received the oral polio vaccine. Since Rotary launched its PolioPlus campaign in 1985, the number of polio cases worldwide has dropped 99 percent, and the virus remains endemic in only four countries -- Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan.  

But we can't stop there.  Did you know that more than 10 million children will be paralyzed in the next 40 years if the world fails to eradicate polio?

You can help Rotary get the job done by contributing to Rotary’s PolioPlus program or creating awareness of polio.

                                                                 

 

 

In 1932, Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor created The Four-Way Test, a code of ethics adopted by Rotary 11 years later. The test, which has been translated into more than 100 languages, asks the following questions:

Of the things we think, say or do

1. Is it the TRUTH?
2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

I found these little tidbits interesting - Cherie Burke

Did you know that in the 1830's ketchup was sold as Medicine?

The Flintstones were the first prime time couple shown in bed

 

Chickens outnumber people. (Cherie's personal favorite)

 

In one year Mexico City sinks about an inch.

 

The  BLOOD of a lobster is blue. (I didn't know lobsters even had blood)

 

The number of dimples on a golf ball is 336.

Dogs can get a toupee in Tokyo.

 

When leaving a cave bats always turn left. (at my house they fly right and left )

 

Before going into space astronauts are not permitted to eat beans. (want to guess why??)

 

Muhammad is the world's most common first name.

 

In 1919 the first pop up toaster was patented however the toaster really didn’t take off until sliced bread was invented and now the average household spends 35 hours a year making toast

 

What was your first job? Do you remember how much you earned?

The first true job I had was helping neighbors bale hay. For $1 an hour I would be throwing bales of hay on hot summer days. It's a good thing a dollar went a long way back then!  I also remember how good it felt to have my own money to spend!

There will be a Fireside Chat on Tuesday, March 6, from 4-5:30. It will be held at Randy Domeyer's house at 8820 Leesher Drive, Minnesota City. All are welcome to join us!