It’s hard to believe that it’s already March – and it’s time to start (or continue) planning for the next Rotary year! Hopefully you’ve already identified future leadership, and your presidents-elect are planning to attend PETS at the end of the month in Salina. The committee (led by our fantastic DGE Jenalea Randall) has put together a really terrific few days of inspiring speakers, relevant information – and fun. I hope to see you there.
Maybe you’re not a PE, but still interested in supporting Rotary? We have just the event for you, as well (though we welcome PEs, too)! Make plans to join us in Lawrence on May 6 for our annual Gathering for Good Foundation Banquet. As always, it promises to be a great evening of fellowship and fundraising for the best cause! Beyond district-level events, I know many clubs are hosting their annual fundraisers in the coming month as well, and I’d encourage you to support them as well – be it shrimp bingo, Irish stew, or a local fun run!
As you can see, looking ahead, there’s a full Rotary calendar, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention a fantastic February. I was thrilled to join the Leavenworth Club for “Drinks with the DG”, as the winners of the district conference service fair competition – I hope this event becomes an annual tradition, because it was a blast! And the next day, I had the opportunity to join in Rotary Leadership Training in Manhattan – a first for me! Kudos to our district trainers, DeEtte Lombard and Ellen Bodgan, as well as all of the presenters, for an informative, inspiring training session...I loved hearing from clubs across the district about things that are working well for them, as well as opportunities for growth. I think it was a great conversation!
As always, I’m so grateful to service as your District Governor, and please don’t hesitate to reach out anytime!
Congratulations to all of the Clubs in 5710 who have already made significant donations to Polio Plus this year with many on the way to exceeding their annual Goal. And here’s hoping for more success for the clubs that are still planning their annual Polio Fundraiser – be it a Run, a Bake Sale, a Pancake Breakfast or taking part in a Pints4Polio microbrewery pub-crawl.
We should all be proud of the progress that has been made already towards the District Goal of at least $100,000 for Polio Plus from the clubs as we are now 70% along the path to meet or exceed last year!!! Your donations continue to make possible the success shown in our “Countdown to History” below.
And in more good news: APPROXIMATELY 585 MILLION DOSES OF NovelOPV2, have been administered to date, in 27 countries, since rollout of the vaccine began in March 2021. In 2022 alone, 385 million doses were administered, across 22 countries to prevent cVDPV. Now, 14 more countries have met WHO’S requirements to use this advanced vaccine in the event of an outbreak. In fact, in addition to ZERO Wild Polio cases, there has not been a single cVDPV case in Pakistan or Afghanistan so far at this year as more National Immunization Days continue.
DID YOU KNOW THAT ROTARY PUTS OUT IT’S OWN “END POLIO NOW” NEWSLETTER? If you go to the link below you will find a listing of various newsletters that Rotary staff produces regularly to keep us up to date on the various aspects of Rotary life. And the first one listed on this signup webpage is the End Polio Now Newsletter. If you haven’t signed up for it yet, it’s easy to do and takes about one minute to accomplish. http://rotary.highroadsolution.com/ri_preference_center/Form.aspx
Thank you for helping to keep the promise we made to children everywhere...a polio free world.
And “We are…This Close” as shown in our “Countdown to History”
Call or email me for ideas or help: Jim Arnett, Polio Plus District Chair
We are, now, one month closer to our Gathering For Good Foundation event on May 6th! Our live entertainment for this event will feature Tyler Korso Illusionist. This year’s Rotary theme of “Imagine Rotary” will be showcased in this night to remember. As before, there will be a silent and live auction with our auctioneer extraordinaire, Charlie Moon, calling our live auction once again. This year, the Gathering For Good will be held at Maceli’s in Lawrence. This event, as before, will be a very fun filled night with all of the funds raised going to The Rotary Foundation Annual fund in the name of the person purchasing any item that is available. DGN-D Chuck Udell recently sent an email out to the club presidents about putting together club baskets for our silent auction. If you have an idea for a silent or live auction item, please contact me (fbarr@t-mfinancial.com) or Chuck Udell (chuckudell@msn.com). We can discuss where your item or auction package can be placed. Last year, we raised over $27,000 in one night and had a wonderful time! I hope you can join us and help us raise even more this year.
I am happy to announce that Todd Payne from The Rotary Club of Topeka will be our new Endowment/Major Gifts Chair following Bill Richter starting on July 1, 2023. Congratulations to Todd and I am expecting this to be very smooth transition. Any of us in the District Foundation committee would be happy to speak with you or present to your club on several Foundation topics, including Endowment/Major Gifts, Global Scholars, Global grants, District grants, Paul Harris Society, Polio Plus, and alternative ways to give a significant gift to The Rotary Foundation (TRF). I encourage you to reach out to us if you would like us to present to you.
As of February 27th, we have, as a district, given 51% of what we contributed last year to TRF Annual fund and 58% to Polio Plus. With 4 months left in our Rotary year, we still have time to match or exceed our numbers from last year. Your District Foundation committee is dedicated to helping our members with various ways of contributing to TRF and with various ideas for projects that can benefit from those funds.
The impact of all your TRF contributions is truly amazing and is enhancing lives in our communities and the world! Thank you for all of your efforts so far! Let’s continue the momentum and finish this year better than the last!
The 10-11 Feb 23 Hybrid RLI class was a success! We had a full class of participants who were engaged, shared their perspectives, and appreciated the updated curriculum. The graduates pictured are: Jason Buening, Kirk Crabtree, Emily Dixon, Diane Hinrichs-Toburen, Andy Hutchinson, Andrea Law and Ben Kohl, all from the Rotary Club of Manhattan Konza; Joseph Bast from the Rotary Club of Shawnee Mission; Mickey Edwards from the Rotary Club of Emporia; Linessa Frazier from the Rotary Club of Topeka; Daisy More from the Rotary Club of Gardner; Jeremy Poling from the Rotary Club of Topeka South; Vera Rogers from the Rotary Club of Overland Park South; Elizabeth Ward from the Rotary Club of Manhattan Noon and Blake Waters from the Rotary Club of Leavenworth.
The feedback we received was positive, and of course, we will continue to always gather participant comments. Thank you to the inaugural District 5710 Hybrid RLI volunteer facilitators: Chuck Udell, Bill Musgrave, Tom Gray, Vernon Turner, and Debra and Patrick Schaub. What a positive impact your energy and expertise made!
A very special thanks to DG Stephanie who spent all day Saturday with us in Manhattan. So many folks helped to make this a purposeful and fun class. Let’s not forget Michelle Sink who coordinated with Scott Sieben at the Rockin’ K. Scott loaned us a conference room in the K-State Foundation Building, and we had a great lunchbreak at the Rockin’ K.
DG Stephanie also presented a Paul Harris Fellow to Andrea Law from the Rotary Club of Manhattan Konza. Andrea’s name was drawn for the award at the August TEAM Training Event. Congratulations, Andrea!!
We are continuing to meet with the 2023 PETS committee. This next training event is in Salina from 31 March-1 April. PETS is designed to support you as you become a club president or leader. Time seems to fly--so register now! See you in Salina.
There are some seats available in the Kansas Leadership Center classes. See the info below!
There are a limited number of grants to participate in the programs of the Kansas Leadership Center. The Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) is a non-profit organization committed to fostering leadership for stronger, healthier and more prosperous Kansas communities.
The KLC offers three programs that build on each other:
•Your Leadership Edge is the introductory program that focuses on personal leadership competencies. It helps participants stretch and grow their leadership while addressing their toughest challenges.
•Lead for Changeis the advanced, deep dive into individual leadership – helping leaders understand how to mobilize others to deal with tough problems and change processes.
•Equip to Lead focuses on communications, integrating leadership principles into the organization, and facilitating real change.
These programs range from $399 to $799 in value. The grant allows Rotarians to attend for free.
Who Should Attend?
Each club should consider sending up and coming leaders from their club and community. The virtual sessions are ideal for clubs in western Kansas. Leaders who have done the first program should consider the second and third programs.
How To Register
To Sign Up for one of the three programs, we ask that you do two things:
1. Visit the KLC website at: www.kansasleadershipcenter.org. Create a personal account and register using the code RotaryMiniGrant to waive the tuition fee.
2. Notify District 5710’s Trainers, Ellen Bogdan and DeEtte Lombard, of your interest in order that we might track Rotarians who are taking advantage of this grant. Our contact data is:
District 5710 Rotary Youth Exchange is seeking Rotary Clubs to sponsor high school age exchange students for the 2023 - 2024 school year. The program will start the first week of August 2023.
Is your club interested in getting involved in Rotary Youth Exchange but need help finding host families? Keep in mind that host families don’t have to be Rotarians, so broaden your search beyond just making announcements at club meetings. You might just recruit a host family and a new club member at the same time.
Selling points for the program and tips for recruiting host families:
RYE likes to have at least two and preferably three host families for each student, so a host family doesn’t have to commit to a full year of hosting.
With two or three host families per student it is only a three to five-month commitment.
If you sign on to be the first host family, you get to select the student.
The other host families and the student’s counselor are backup for you if you need to take a trip without the student or if family emergencies come up.
The D5710 Rotary Youth Exchange program provides lots of support with a network of Rotarians to help, experienced counselors, local coordinators, and district coordinators readily available.
You don’t have to be a traditional family with kids in high school to be a good host family and you don’t have to be a Rotarian. Single parents, empty nesters, gay couples, or other non-traditional families can all be considered. We are looking for stable homes with loving host parent(s) and an extra bedroom.
The students are great kids that you get to form life-long relationships with (and have great places to visit overseas!)
More details can be shared if you have any interest. Contact D5710 YEO Stephen Wheatley (913) 426-0576, wheatleydc@sbcglobal.net or Inbound Coordinator David Beck (785) 817-0144, David.BeckRYE@gmail.com for more information about sponsoring a student. More information about Rotary Youth Exchange is also available at SCRYE.org.
Thanks to District 5710's Donors to The Rotary Foundation
Thanks to all of you who contribute to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) – however much, however often, and whether to the Annual Fund, Polio Plus, or The Endowment. You know that TRF is one of the most effective and efficient charities in the world and that most of the good work it does is carried out by fellow Rotarians. Our district has seen the positive impact TRF support has had through global grants, district grants, support to peace fellows, and much more. I am sure that most Rotarians donate to TRF for the good our donations accomplish rather than for the thanks or recognition we might receive. But Rotary does provide recognition for significant contributions to TRF – and we rightly celebrate when Rotarians or others are named Paul Harris Fellows (in recognition of a $1000 gift to the Annual Fund and/or Polio Plus) or Benefactors (in recognition of an outright or planned gift of $1000 to TRF’s Endowment). Rotary also recognizes levels of cumulative giving and planned giving. I want to give special thanks to all of you who are Major Donors and members of the Bequest Society – and to share some numbers to let you know how many of you there are in District 5710.
Major Donors
Rotary designates individuals who have cumulatively donated $10,000 or more as Major Donors. Our most recent records list 115 Major Donors in our district, including some who are no longer living and a few who are still living but no longer reside in Kansas. The 91 living donors include 75 at Major Donor Level 1 ($10,000-$24,999), 11 at Level 2 ($25,000-$49,999), 4 at Level 3 ($50,000-$99,999), and 1 at Level 4 ($100,000-$249,999). Donors at $250,000 and above are invited to join the Arch Klumph Society (AKS), named for the founder of The Rotary Foundation a century ago. Four living District 5710 couples are AKS members.
Bequest Society
Similarly, Rotary recognizes commitments of future gifts of $10,000 or more with membership in the Bequest Society. A total of 76 Rotarians (individuals or couples) in District 5710 have become Bequest Society members, of whom 72 are still living. Again, there are various levels (with the same dollar ranges), with 52 at Level 1, 13 at Level 2, 2 at Level 3, 4 at Level 4, and 1 at Level 5 ($250,000-$499,999). In several instances, Bequest Society members are also Major Donors.
Club Participation
Major Donors and Bequest Society members are found in 30 of our district’s 45 clubs, scattered throughout the district. The club with the largest number is the Topeka Rotary Club, with 22, of whom 19 are still living. Second and third are Shawnee (14, all living) and Shawnee Mission (13, of whom 9 are still living). Congratulations to these clubs for their outstanding support to The Rotary Foundation.
In the world of Rotary, March is Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Month. D5710 clubs have a long history of water and sanitation projects in Guatemala and Panama. Rotary has a RAG – a Rotarian Action Group, that supports and provides assistance to club and district water projects. If your club (or you, as an individual) have an interest in water and sanitation, here and abroad – WASH-RAG is the place to start. You can find a listing of on-going water projects being planned by clubs around the world that are always looking for partner clubs.
And now for a little bit of history – did you know Rotary has an official flag? And that it has a local connection? The flag was formally adopted by RI during the 1929 Convention in Dallas, Texas. The first “official” version of the Rotary flag consisted of the “legacy Wheel” centered on a white background. you can now get that flag with the new branding and with either a white or blue background. According to Past RI President Cliff Dochterman, “…the first official Rotary flag was flown in Kansas City, Missouri, in January 1915. In 1922 a small Rotary flag was carried over the South Pole by Admiral Richard Byrd, a member of the Rotary Club of Winchester, Virginia, U.S.A. Four years later, the admiral carried a Rotary flag in his expedition to the North Pole. I’ve included a grainy picture of that first flag, flown by Kansas City Club 13, the club that many of our District clubs descend from.
The flag has gotten around. Even to the Moon (well, a club banner went to the Moon, but let’s not quibble). The Rotary Club of Homantin Hill, Hong Kong, reports that in 1932, Professor Auguste Piccard was presented a flag by the Rotary Club of Zurich, Switzerland, and he carried it on his balloon ascent 55,777 feet into the stratosphere. In 1933, the Rotary Club of Houghton, Michigan, U.S.A., took the Rotary International banner to the bottom of the shaft of the Quincy Copper Mine – 6,254 feet deep.
US Astronaut Frank Borman, a member of the Rotary Club of Space Center (Houston), Texas, U.S.A., carried not a flag, but a club banner on the Apollo 8 flight for the first manned orbit of the moon on Christmas Eve, 1968. He presented it, framed on a plaque, to Rotary International at the Honolulu Convention in 1969.
In 2005, in commemoration of Rotary’s centennial, Rotarian and Rotaract climbers carried flags to the summits of Mount McKinley and Mount Everest.
So, if your club meeting space displays the US and State flags, you can always consider adding the Rotary flag to the mix.
Rotary International 2024 Peace Fellowship Applications will be available on the RI web site starting February 1, 2023! Go to https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/peace-fellowships to begin to learn more about this amazing program.
During 2024, Rotary will award up to 90 fully funded Peace Fellowships to dedicated leaders from around the world to study at one of seven peace centers. They will start their studies during 2024. The Rotary Foundation will award up to 50 fellowships for master’s degrees and 40 for certificate studies. These fellowships cover tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and all internship and field-study expenses.
Our district has had a rich history of nominating outstanding candidates. Recently, Jennifer Montgomery from the Kansas Attorney General’s office in Topeka completed her Peace Fellow studies at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.
The Rotary Peace Fellowship is designed for leaders with work experience in peace and development. The process is global and very competitive - based on personal, academic, and professional achievements. Qualified candidates can NOT be a Rotarian. Candidates must have three years of related work experience for the master’s program and five years of related work experience for the certificate program. They must be able to explain how their plan to promote peace aligns with Rotary’s mission. They must have a bachelor’s degree, demonstrate leadership skills and have a strong commitment to cross-cultural understanding and peace. Candidates come from all professions: government, university faculty and staff, business, non-for-profit, law enforcement, and veterans.
Please help identify potential candidates in your community. If they want to find out more, email Chuck Udell at chuckudell@msn.com.
The Bonner Springs Rotary club put in between 75 and 80 service hours moving our local community services organization, Vaughn-Trent, out of their existing location into a new, bigger one. Club members helped with some demolition, painted the walls, and moved boxes of food pantry items, high shelves, desks, cubicle, and two refrigerators into the new location.
Madison Ross and Prisca Mendez Asaro from the Alzheimer’s Association visited the Emporia Rotary Club on January 17 to discuss the upcoming Alzheimer’s Walks which are critical fundraisers for the research and family support efforts operated by the organization. The 2023 Alzheimers Walks in District 5710 are: 9/23 in Topeka, 9/30 in Manhattan, 10/7/ in Kansas City, 10/14 in Emporia, and 10/21 in Lawrence. The Rotary Club also presented a check to the Alzheimer’s Association for $336 which came from the Rotary Club’s fourth quarter happy bucks.
Pictured in rear row from left to right are Madison Ross, Alzheimer’s Association; Rachael Correll, President of the Emporia Rotary Club; Prisca Mendez Asaro, Alzheimer’s Association: front row, the big check.
The Gardner Club hosted their 6th Annual combined Trivia Night along with the Gardner Chamber of Commerce. 30 teams met on the trivia battlefield and competed in categories ranging from “What in the World?” to “Random and Useless.” When the dust settled, the top two teams left with a wad of cash and ultimate bragging rights. This event was the most successful to date raising a record amount of money for the club.
Teams are already lining up for next year. The key to success this year? An amazing level of participation by the Gardner Rotary Club. The club was innovative, welcoming, and enthusiastic throughout the planning process and with all participants the evening of the event. This event was a positive reflection of the community and of Rotary.
Welcome to our newest member, Cliff Cribb; his sponsor is Mark Schoeneman. We look forward to serving with Cliff! Marcia Irvine is one happy Rotarian about our Kansas City Chiefs - Superbowl Champions! Past President and past Assistant Governor Tom Gray provides our Rotary Minute at our meeting on 22 February; Tom talked about his time while serving as President of our club.
Upcoming for Rotary Club of Leavenworth:
Our 41st Annual Irish Stew Dinner (13 March 2023) - please join us for some great food, fellowship and fun!
Bi-Annual Over-the-Counter Medicine Drive (1 April 2023)
Under the direction of the past District Governor, Vern Henricks, the club embarked on the "Love the Little Apple Project”. In collaboration with the Overland Park Rotary Club and Feed the Hungry, the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation and the Manhattan University Christian Church, the Club receives truckloads of products (alcohol wipes, deodorant, perfume, makeup, lotion, and more). Club members then staff the facility and encourage local and regional nonprofits to shop for products that will serve their clientele. All products are free.
The club welcomed new members Gary Powell, Senior Manager for Sink, Gordon & Associates LLP, and Katharine Hensler, Director of the Riley County Historical Museum.
The Club revived the Student of the Month program with the first student of the month for the year, Darleen Ferrer-Stricker. Her parents Darwin Ferrer and Eileen Stricker were in attendance when their student was honored.
The club celebrated Dr. Paul Bullock (pictured at right), an optometrist, for 50 years of membership in the Manhattan Rotary Club. Paul joined on February 20, 1973. The club donated a $100 in his honor to the Rotary Foundation and presented him with a Rotary hoodie. Members will be presenting another Paul Harris Fellow to Paul at a later date.
In conjunction with the Konza Club, Rotarians Julie Gibbs, Director Riley County Health Department, and Bob Copple, President Via Christi Hospital, were honored with a Paul Harris and a Paul Harris +1, respectively. Both were jointly honored for coordinating COVID relief efforts in Manhattan and the surrounding communities.
Rotaract advisor Chris Culbertson shipped two 40+ pound boxes of birthing kits to a Rotary Club in Nigeria. This is the third such shipment to clubs in Nigeria this fiscal year.
During February Rotaractors and President Steven volunteered at the Manhattan Emergency and cleaned, restocked the food pantry, and sorted donations. Rotaractors also participated in the K177 Boat Ramp Cleanup at the Fairmont Boat Launch.
The Club sponsored two students for the Rotary Global Grant Scholarship. Students were interviewed in Lawrence in mid-February.
The club elected officers: Mitzi Richards - President; Randy Peterson - President Elect and Chair of the Grants and Contributions Committee; Chris Culbertson - Vice Chair and Chair of PolioPlus; Steven Graham - Past President; Tara Claussen - Secretary; and Janet Lowell - Treasurer. Directors elected are: Shelley Carver; Jayson Cyr; Rebecca Gould; Claudia Petrescu; Tom Phillips; and Bob Ward. All take office July 1, 2023.
Randy Peterson presented the January Cup Money to Scott Voos, Director of Be Able, a day facility for those who are home free. Over 800 Neighbors were served at the local facility in 2022.
Recently, the Overland Park Rotary began with a poignant moment of inspiration brought to us by David Austin, Club Secretary. Reading Pope Francis’; Do You Want to Fast this Lent? from February 28, 2017: Fast from hurting words, and say kind words - Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude - Fast from anger and be filled with patience - Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope - Fast from worries and have trust in God - Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity - Fast from pressures and be prayerful - Fast from bitterness and fill your hearts with joy - Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others - Fast from grudges and be reconciled - Fast from words and be silent so you can listen …
Trey Meyer, Umpire Supervisor for 3 & 2 Baseball, followed the moment of inspiration to share the great need of umpires for Johnson County Youth Sports. The shortage of umpires is due to the inability to pay competitive compensation and the increase in unsportsmanlike behavior of fans, coaches, players, and others.
In a matter of moments, we listened of how it ought to be and then, the reality of what is as Trey shared his reason for the shortage of umpires … I’ve continued to ruminate on this.
Our Rotarian 4-Way Test encapsulates the challenge of Pope Francis, may we strive to not only “do” but “be” … seeking to make a difference for good, as it ought to be.
(If you are interested in being part of the Umpire solution please contact 3 & 2 Baseball at 913-888-8055 or send an email to: 3and2uic@gmail.com )
The 22nd Annual Village Crawfish Festival, co-hosted by the Overland Park South Rotary Club and the Secret Order of the Crawdaddies, will benefit FosterAdopt Connect and will be held May 6, 2023 (6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.) at St. Pius X Church, 5500 Woodson, Mission, KS (55th and Woodson, two blocks west of Nall St). Come enjoy an authentic Cajun festival with fresh crawfish flown in for the event, BBQ, red beans and rice, sausage, boiled corn, potatoes, onions and mushrooms, dessert, beer, and wine. Ernest James Zydeco Band will get the party rolling. Additional information and tickets are available at kccrawfishfestival.com.
In 2022 the Shawnee Rotary Club welcomed nine new members, Ann Smith-Tate, Patrick Moltane, Joe Kronawitter, Tammi Green, Scott Green, Ashley Wurts, Mike Wurts, Tonya Lecuru and Bill Robinett.
Our recent program was a roundtable to get to know them all – including 2 married couples. You never know what will happen when our MC Matt Zimmerman (Club President) and his first mate, Patrick Moltane are your MC’s!
Several questions focused on the married couples; how you met, how and where did he propose to you and how would you describe your spouse. Other questions were if you won the billion dollar lottery what would you do; answers were from travel the world, help charity organizations and the hungry, say goodbye to my job and share with my Rotarian friends.
Great way to get to know your new fellow Rotarians!!!
Our club started off the month by learning how to make wine! Club members Diane & A.W. hosted us and A.W. walked us through each step of the wine-making process. We were also able to bottle a previous batch A.W. had made so we could experience the entire process from start-to-finish. The wine we made will now sit until June when it will be ready to be bottled!
The following week our club volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House Family Room in Overland Park. The RMH Family Room provides a place for families to relax, eat, shower, and even sleep while they are waiting on hospital care for their family. Our club made 40 baked potato meals for the families!
At our club meeting on 2/14, we heard from the Head of Community Outreach for the Shawnee Fire Department Community Support Team. She shared information about their CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training being held in April. CERT training prepares citizens to care for their family and neighbors in an emergency. If you live in Johnson County (you do NOT have to live in Shawnee) and would like to participate, they have openings yet! More information can be found here: Shawnee CERT
Lastly, we will be hosting our club’s annual Music Bingo fundraiser on Tuesday March 28th 6:00p - 8:00p, with proceeds benefitting KC Ronald McDonald House and The Golden Scoop! Music Bingo is open to everyone and will be held virtually on ZOOM. If you’re interested in learning more, please watch our website and Facebook pages for more information coming out this week!
“IMAGINE” A WORLD WITHOUT POLIO! 
Wild Poliovirus Weekly Update
We are, now, one month closer to our Gathering For Good Foundation event on May 6th! Our live entertainment for this event will feature Tyler Korso Illusionist. This year’s Rotary theme of “Imagine Rotary” will be showcased in this night to remember. As before, there will be a silent and live auction with our auctioneer extraordinaire, Charlie Moon, calling our live auction once again. This year, the Gathering For Good will be held at Maceli’s in Lawrence. This event, as before, will be a very fun filled night with all of the funds raised going to The Rotary Foundation Annual fund in the name of the person purchasing any item that is available. DGN-D Chuck Udell recently sent an email out to the club presidents about putting together club baskets for our silent auction. If you have an idea for a silent or live auction item, please contact me (
The 10-11 Feb 23 Hybrid RLI class was a success! We had a full class of participants who were engaged, shared their perspectives, and appreciated the updated curriculum. The graduates pictured are: Jason Buening, Kirk Crabtree, Emily Dixon, Diane Hinrichs-Toburen, Andy Hutchinson, Andrea Law and Ben Kohl, all from the Rotary Club of Manhattan Konza; Joseph Bast from the Rotary Club of Shawnee Mission; Mickey Edwards from the Rotary Club of Emporia; Linessa Frazier from the Rotary Club of Topeka; Daisy More from the Rotary Club of Gardner; Jeremy Poling from the Rotary Club of Topeka South; Vera Rogers from the Rotary Club of Overland Park South; Elizabeth Ward from the Rotary Club of Manhattan Noon and Blake Waters from the Rotary Club of Leavenworth.
DG Stephanie also presented a Paul Harris Fellow to Andrea Law from the Rotary Club of Manhattan Konza. Andrea’s name was drawn for the award at the August TEAM Training Event. Congratulations, Andrea!!
And now for a little bit of history – did you know Rotary has an official flag? And that it has a local connection? The flag was formally adopted by RI during the 1929 Convention in Dallas, Texas. The first “official” version of the Rotary flag consisted of the “legacy Wheel” centered on a white background. you can now get that flag with the new branding and with either a white or blue background. According to Past RI President Cliff Dochterman, “…the first official Rotary flag was flown in Kansas City, Missouri, in January 1915. In 1922 a small Rotary flag was carried over the South Pole by Admiral Richard Byrd, a member of the Rotary Club of Winchester, Virginia, U.S.A. Four years later, the admiral carried a Rotary flag in his expedition to the North Pole. I’ve included a grainy picture of that first flag, flown by Kansas City Club 13, the club that many of our District clubs descend from.
Madison Ross and Prisca Mendez Asaro from the Alzheimer’s Association visited the Emporia Rotary Club on January 17 to discuss the upcoming Alzheimer’s Walks which are critical fundraisers for the research and family support efforts operated by the organization. The 2023 Alzheimers Walks in District 5710 are: 9/23 in Topeka, 9/30 in Manhattan, 10/7/ in Kansas City, 10/14 in Emporia, and 10/21 in Lawrence. The Rotary Club also presented a check to the Alzheimer’s Association for $336 which came from the Rotary Club’s fourth quarter happy bucks.
The club celebrated Dr. Paul Bullock (pictured at right), an optometrist, for 50 years of membership in the Manhattan Rotary Club. Paul joined on February 20, 1973. The club donated a $100 in his honor to the Rotary Foundation and presented him with a Rotary hoodie. Members will be presenting another Paul Harris Fellow to Paul at a later date. 
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