As I reflect on what we do as Rotarians in our local communities, I am in awe of every one of our clubs! As I have said at each of my club visits, we are all exceptionally good at taking a good look at what is needed in our individual areas of Eastern Kansas. I am so proud of our Rotary clubs each day when I am out stalking Facebook pages to see what you all have been up to. Again, awesomeness is what comes to mind when I peek at what you all have been up to from a variety of hands-on service projects, donation drives, to several terrific annual events and activities. This is a wonderful thing when looking at all the different service projects across our district. Many thanks to each of our club presidents for keeping the fires burning during the first half of our year.
With that said, there is much to be done for the next five months.
First, we are ready to begin the process of selecting our RYLA delegates for our June event. Registration is now open for RYLA 2025; the information brochure and application are available on our district website under the Youth TAB. In addition, to make your life a little easier, Mandy was kind enough to create a link and a QR code to connect you directly; both are below:
Second, PETS is right around the corner (6-8 March); registration is open for this informative learning session for district 5710 PEs and additional information regarding PETS for our incoming Presidents will be forthcoming from DGE Chuck; stay tuned!
Third, the district will be hosting our annual Gathering for Good event on Saturday, 29 March in Lawrence; registration is open, and information can be found on our district website and has also been sent out via email by Mandy. This is sure to be a fun event as we celebrate Back to the Fifties with District 5710. The committee has been working for the last several months to get everything organized for a fun evening. We are, however, in need of some help, if you have anything that you may want to donate to the Live Auction, please let me or PDG Faron know. And, we are also going to have a Silent Auction (Mandy is in charge of this and is looking for some help) and a Wine & Liquor Pull (Michelle Sink is in charge of this); if you can help with a donation of a bottle of wine or liquor, please let her know. With this said, dust off your poodle skirts, bobby socks, scarves, skinny ties, etc., mark your calendar, and plan to join us on the 29th of March!
In addition to these three upcoming district events, Rotary is also actively involved in restoring peace. Recently, our district was honored to have a new Peace Fellow selected. We will be sponsoring Karla Jordan who will begin her fellowship in Türkiye this month. February marks Rotary International’s Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution month. Karla’s selection as our newest Peace Fellow is a wonderful way to start the month! She will be leading the way in creating a world in which peace is truly within reach.
Lastly, my last official traditional club visit will hopefully happen next week. If you have anything fun that your club is hosting in way of service or fundraising, I would love to come back to roll up my sleeves and do a little Rotary work. Please reach out and let me know how I can support your club in the weeks ahead. And, would love to hear how your club’s Pocket Change for Polio Campaigns are going; please shoot me a quick email with your change amount collected so far (thanks to those of you who have sent me this to date). For your planning purposes, this campaign will run through the end of May.
I hope your year is off to a good start. I continue to be excited about what lies ahead for our district in 2025. Let’s continue to make magic and make a difference in our communities; sure appreciate everyone’s good work!
POLIO IS STOPPABLE BECAUSE ROTARY AND ITS GPEI PARTNERS ARE UNSTOPPABLE
As 2024 came to a close, there were 98 cases in the two endemic countries compared to only 12 cases at that same time in 2023. The majority of these cases, 73, occurred in Pakistan. The first case of 2025 was reported as of January 7th also in Pakistan. In the face of increasing wild poliovirus transmission in the last two remaining endemic countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan, a Technical Advisory Group of global health experts was convened in Islamabad by the WHO in January to evaluate measures to urgently reverse the trend. The importance was emphasized of reaching children being missed, particularly in insecure, underserved, high-risk areas and among migrant and mobile populations by implementation of extraordinary efforts and emergency operational measures. In response Afghanistan initiated its first Polio vaccination campaign of 2025 with a goal of reaching over 6 million children under the age of 5.
The importance of these critical efforts underscores the need for continued support of Rotary’s Polio Plus Fund by every Rotarian. Now is the time for every club in District 5710 to have set their goal for donations to the Polio Fund. A great opportunity for planning and holding fundraising events to complete your support of Polio Plus will occur the last week of April as Rotary celebrates World Immunization Week, remembering that it was in April of 1954 that Jonas Salk announced the success of the Polio vaccine.
Rotarians around the world are dedicated to the ultimate eradication of polio and we know that Polio can be STOPPED because we are UNSTOPPABLE. Please take 1 minute to watch this great video from Rotary that celebrates how Rotary members are partnering with governments, NGOs, and local communities to end polio. Click here for the video.
And as a special reminder to the leadership teams of each of our clubs; be sure as your incoming President Elect and Board begin budgetary planning for the Rotary 2025-2026 that Polio Plus is included as a high priority. With every Rotarian’s help, “TOGETHER, WE END POLIO”!
Feel free to email, call or text your District 5710 Polio Plus Co-Chairs if you have any questions, need to schedule a status presentation for your club or want fundraising ideas.
The South Central Rotary Youth Exchange (SCRYE) Winter Conference was held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from January 24th to 27th, uniting a dynamic community of exchange students and Rotarians. Our District 5710 was well-represented by Chuck Udell (District Governor Elect), Stephen Wheatley (Youth Exchange Officer), Cleverson Souza (Inbound Coordinator), and 8 enthusiastic students, amidst a gathering of approximately 93 exchange students from around the globe, along with 78 Rotarians and guests from 42 districts.
This conference was more than just an event; it was an extraordinary opportunity for our students to connect with peers from diverse backgrounds, fostering friendships and sharing experiences that transcend borders. The atmosphere was filled with excitement as they engaged in cultural exchanges and created unforgettable memories.
Meanwhile, the Rotarians participated in valuable training sessions aimed at enhancing the Youth Exchange Program. This collaborative effort allowed us to share success stories and explore strategies to further strengthen the program's impact.
Overall, the SCRYE Winter Conference was a truly enriching experience for everyone involved, cultivating a sense of community and international camaraderie that our students will cherish throughout their exchange journeys.
To learn more, visit SCRYE.org. If you’re interested in exploring the Youth Exchange Program further, we encourage you to reach out to us!
Our Gathering For Good committee has been meeting regularly and we are very excited for our 5th Annual event on March 29th! As before, this will be a silent and live auction with an open bar. The committee has decided to turn this into a Back to the50s Theme Night. It is not required just encouraged to dress in your 50s style of choice and join us for the fun. We will have a DJ there spinning 50s music throughout the evening, so you never know who might break into dance at any given moment. This year, the Gathering For Good will be held at Doubletree by Hilton in Lawrence and our auctioneer extraordinaire, Charlie Moon, will be returning to lead us through the live auction. 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. Some of us have been in contact with a few donors who may commit to donating items to our live auction. If you have an idea for a silent or live auction item, please contact me (fbarr@t-mfinancial.com) and we can discuss where your item or auction package can be placed. Last year, we raised over $25,000 in one night and had a wonderful time! I hope you can join us.
As we progress through the Rotary year, I would like you to know that your District Rotary Foundation team is working very hard to help you with all of your Foundation needs. That team is Roger Aeschliman, Jennifer Berquist, Jim Arnett, Steven Graham, Rebecca Gould, Greg Shondell, and myself as the Chair. These team members are finding new ways to make our District Foundation efforts work better for you and for the people these funds can benefit. Several of our team have been contributing articles to this newsletter and contacting you directly. Maria Wilson, Roger Aeschliman, Steven Graham, and I have already presented to you about Global Scholars, Global Grants, Polio Plus, the Endowment / Major Gifts, and general Rotary Foundation knowledge. Any of our team would be happy to speak with you or present to your club on several Foundation topics, including the aforementioned topics, Peace Fellows, Global grants, 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 January 31th, we have, as a district, given 46% of what we contributed last year to TRF Annual fund and 48% to Polio Plus. With 5 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.
Your TRF contributions are truly impacting and enhancing lives! Thank you for all of your efforts so far!
The purpose of the Paul Harris Society is to identify, engage, and thank members who have the ability and desire to make substantial annual gifts to help communities close to home and around the world. A PHS member contributes at least $1,000 annually to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus Fund or approved global grants.
It is easy to join in one of five ways:
1. Complete the online sign-up form. Go to the Paul Harris Society page (rotary.org/phs) and choose Join. 2. Email or call Rotary’s Support Center (rotarysupportcenter@rotary.org, +1-866-9-ROTARY). 3. Mail a completed Paul Harris Society sign-up form to The Rotary Foundation.
4. Complete the form on the District 5710 website HERE.
5. Email Jennifer Berquist, the district coordinator, at jkberquist@gmail.com and she will email or mail you the form (whichever is your preference).
ROTARY DIRECT
Whether you donate to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) monthly, quarterly, or annually, we highly recommend using Rotary Direct. It is simple to initiate, and you do not have to think about it again, unless you need to update your payment information.
You may use Rotary Direct for Annual Fund-SHARE, PolioPlus, World Fund or Disaster Relief, in addition to the seven areas of focus. Something to note – contributing to the areas of focus does not generate District Designated Funds (DDF).
Please consider setting up Rotary Direct at $84/month and you will achieve a Paul Harris Fellow award annually. Here is the Rotary Direct link for your convenience: https://my.rotary.org/en/rotary-direct.
The campaign team for the Million Dollar Challenge for District 5710 survived the blizzard and had a great training session in Topeka January 10. We learned from RI professional fund-raiser Eric Thompson what the endowment fund is, how it works, how to identify and approach potential donors, and how to collaborate with those potential donors to meet their needs and wishes. I appreciate Scott Teeter, Faron Barr, Ken Selzer, Neena Kremer, Joan Pierce, Hurst Coffman, Chuck Udell and Maria Wilson for braving the weather to learn about the Challenge!!
Eric Thompson reports we now have actual receipts and pledges north of $150,000 and I am aware of two potential gifts on top of that so we are really off and running! The formal asking campaign has begun and the folks named above and others will be calling to speak to your club, or you personally. If you would like to be part of the campaign team as an “asker,” as a donor, or both, I would love to hear from you. We still need askers in most clubs. The actual work includes one Zoom/telephone meeting a month, and then talking to your club members about any possible support they would consider for the endowment effort.
There are great income producing and/or income tax savings techniques for Rotary gifting. Charitable Remainder Trusts, Charitable Gift Annuities, charitable distributions from an IRA, life insurance, and gifting of appreciated stocks or art or real estate all can work to your benefit, if you have a heart for the cause.
Rotary International professional Lizzy King (1-847-866-3017 or Elizabeth.King@rotary.org) is eager to visit with anyone about making a major gift or funding the Rotary endowment. Me too.
I want to speak to your club about endowment and major gifts and the Million Dollar Challenge. Call me at 785-267-8782 (daytime work) or raeschliman@corefirstbank.com (same) to connect and get energized about the Rotary International Foundation.
You can never start planning too early. If your club is considering applying for District Grant funds in 2025 for a club local project, please mark your calendars for the annual District Grants Training that is scheduled for Monday, April 21, 2025 at 6:00pm via Zoom. Specific details to follow In March 2025.
A basic requirement to be eligible to apply for a District Grant is that each club must have at least one club member who has attended a District Grants Training/Certification Seminar within the last three years prior to the application date, which will be August 31, 2025.
For additional information or questions, please contact Greg Shondell, District 5710 Grants Subcommittee Chair, greg@HeathwoodOil.com.
We have completed our work on the PETS/PELS 2025 curriculum design! Our Rotary friends in District 5680, Andrea Krauss and Arlen Honts, have partnered with us as we linked the PETS/PELS learning sessions to Rotary’s Action Plan priorities. We look forward to sharing the curriculum at Heartland’s PETS/PALS in March.
President-Elects, please check your email. PETS/PALS Registration information and the link to secure lodging have been forwarded to you!
District 5710 Action Plan
Another project we are working is facilitating our DGE Chuck Udell’s District Leader Strategic Planning Meetings. The team is drafting a District Strategic plan that will provide direction for the next three years. We look forward to sharing the draft in March at PETS/PALS.
RLI
Remember to let us know if your club is interested in hosting (providing a conference room/site) for an RLI (Rotary Learning Institute) this year! We intend to keep a hybrid design: Friday a Zoom mtg from 5:30-8:30 PM, and the in-person session on Saturday from approximately 8:30 AM-5:00 PM.
Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) 2025
As we mentioned last month, Districts 5710 and 5680 will share 50 KLC scholarships for 2025. Below you will find descriptions of the KLC program sequence of courses and the virtual and in person options and dates. To register for a class, follow the instructions using the link and passcode on the pages below.
2025 District 5710 Leadership Transformation Grants
District 5710 and 5680 have each been awarded 25 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:
•When Everyone Leadsis the introductory one-day program that focuses on personal leadership competencies. It focuses on leadership as an activity – recognizing that every individual has the capacity to lead. It helps participants stretch and grow their leadership while addressing their toughest challenges.
•Your Leadership Edgeis the seminal, two-day deep dive into individual leadership for those who have completed When Everyone Leads. It focuses on helping leaders understand how to move out of their comfort zone and engage in meaningful leadership. It centers on the KLC’s leadership framework based on Five Guiding Principles and Four Profound Competencies.
•Lead For Changeis reserved for teams who have already completed the other two KLC courses. It is an immersive, three-day training that must be experienced in a team.
Who Should Attend?
Each club should consider sending up and coming leaders from their club and community. The virtual sessions are an ideal option. Leaders who have done the first program should consider the second program.
How To Register To Sign Up for When Everyone Leads or Your Leadership Edge, we ask that you do two things:
1.Visit the KLC website at: www.kansasleadershipcenter.org. Create a personal account and register using the passcode Rotary2025 to waive the tuition fee.
2.Notify District Learning Facilitators, of your interest in order that we might track Rotarians who are taking advantage of this grant. * If you have a team to enroll in Lead For Change, please contact us before doing so.
As you may be aware, .Senator Brenda Dietrich, in collaboration with the Shawnee County DA’s office, the Attorney General’s Office, and Rotary Clubs across Kansas, proposed legislation in the Senate to increase the penalty for purchasing sex from a class A misdemeanor to a level 9 felony. The bill that was drafted is SB71. Human trafficking is a business. A hearing was held Wednesday January 29 by the Judiciary Committee to hear testimony regarding the pros and cons of moving this bill to the full Senate for consideration. Faron Barr, past District 5710 DGE and Dr. Sharon Sullivan, past President of Rotary CAAHT Club were among the approximate twenty pro testimonies. No con or neutral testimonies were given.
If there is no money from a lack of demand. there is no need to coerce people into the sex business. If we hold hold buyers accountable we can reduce sex trafficking. When penalties for purchasing sex are increased we decrease the demand for commercial sex. If the penalties are high enough, those buyers won’t want to risk a felony. When Texas made buying sex a felony in 2021, sex buyers clearly recognized the threat, and posted on their prostitution message boards “no more fun” in Texas!”
A more detailed summary of the hearing is provided here:
We hope the committee will advance SB71. If so we will encourage you to contact your legislators and ask them to pass SB71. We want to emphasize that this is a human rights and public health issue (https://www.equalitymodelus.org/) - not a political issue. Ending sex trafficking takes all of us.
Karla Jordan selected for inaugural class at the Bahçeşehir University Rotary Peace Center
Each year the Rotary Foundation awards up to 130 fully funded Rotary Peace Fellowships through Rotary Peace Centers. Rotary partners with eight universities around the world to offer up to 50 fellowships for master's degrees and up to 80 fellowships for professional development certificate studies in programs related to peace and development.
Karla Jordan, nominee from District 5710 was awarded a Rotary Peace Fellowship to study at the Bahçeşehir University Rotary Peace Center. She will be part of the inaugural class in Istanbul, Turkey. Please congratulate Karla through her email: karla.jordan@gmail.com . She begins the Fellowship in February.
Karla has more than ten years of experience in leading efforts in humanitarian aid in both domestic (Kansas) and international locations (Lebanon, Syria, Cambodia, Iraq). She most recently served as Deputy County Director-Programs, Medair Lebanon and Deputy Country Director Medair Syria. Among her many successful projects was obtaining $5M in grant funding following the 2023 earthquake in Syria. Another achievement was oversight of the implementation of understaffed mental health and psychosocial support programming for vulnerable adults and children. Karla earned a BA in Communication Arts from Truman State University graduating magna cum laude.
In 2024, more than 1,570 applications were received for 130 Fellowships, which are fully funded through The Rotary Foundation.
Jennifer Montgomery, 2022 Rotary Peace Fellow from District 5710 was recently elected to the Rotary Peace Fellow Alumni Association Board. She officially assumed her role in January 2025. Below is an excerpt from the official announcement shared by Rotary International.
Jennifer Montgomery * Rotary Peace Center Attended: Makerere University * Year of Graduation/Certificate Completion: 2022
Jennifer Montgomery is a visual artist, nonprofit leader, and global human rights advocate. She has more than 20 years of professional experience in public administration, strategic communications, and advocacy. The focus of her Social Change Initiative was transforming conflict-based sexual violence through arts-based inquiry, differentiation, and storytelling with at-risk women in extreme poverty. In response to her work with vulnerable women and girls in Africa, she partnered with three Ugandan Rotarian women to form Magenta Girls Initiative, an international NGO mobilizing community support for girls’ education and empowerment. She currently serves as President and CEO. Jennifer is also the Executive Director of Kansas City Young Audiences, a regional arts education organization focused on using the power of the arts to transform the lives of children and youth through arts integration and teaching conflict resolution skills. Jennifer holds a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Kansas, an M.A. in Arts Education from the University of Florida, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation from Makerere University. She is a Rotary Positive Peace Activator in the North America and Caribbean Cohort and a Paul Harris Fellow.
Kudos to Jennifer for her commitment to peace. You can congratulate Jennifer via an email to jennifer25montgomery@gmail.com
District 5710 funds a Rotary Global Grant Scholarship every two years. We started the process last fall to identify and interview scholarship candidates, one of whom will be selected to study abroad, starting after July 1, 2025.
The District interviews will be held in Lawrence, KS, on Saturday February 8th. The District 5710 Global Grant Selection Committee, consisting of eight dedicated District Rotarians, will be interviewing four excellent scholarship candidates.
I want to thank those Rotarians who identified and selected these great candidates to interview for our 2025-2027 Global Grant Scholarship.
Our current District 5710 Global Grant Scholar, Mattie Vandel, has been working on a unique Global Studies master’s program through Humboldt University in Berlin. Mattie is now back from Berlin, is about finished with her dissertation, and has submitted her final report to RI.
Thanks to District 5710 leadership for funding the Global Grant Scholarship program. It is always exciting to have an excellent scholar studying abroad and representing District 5710.
On a recent ski trip to Switzerland, a few members of the Ambassadors Rotary Club of West Kansas City were guests at a Zermatt Rotary Club meeting and enjoyed visiting with Rotarians from St. Moritz and Zermatt, Switzerland.
Gardner Edgerton Schools Foundation and Gardner Rotary Club Partnership
Third-grade teachers in the Gardner Edgerton School District are receiving a two-hundred dollar stipend to purchase books for their students. Traditionally, all third-grade students received a paperback dictionary compliments of the Gardner Rotary Club. A new approach is taking place where classroom teachers can purchase individual books for their students to keep and/or expand their library. This initiative is a cooperative venture combining the resources of the Gardner Edgerton Schools Foundation (GESF) and Gardner Rotary Club. Both organizations possess the core value of providing reading opportunities for students with the overall mission of improving literacy.
Rotary President Sam Boyajian shared, "The Gardner Rotary Club is excited to illustrate their commitment to the education of our youth with our donation to our teachers so that they may be able to buy books for their students. Our club is thrilled that we could identify this need and help to fulfill it.”
Executive Director of Elementary Education Christi Whitter said, "On behalf of our students and teachers, I extend our deepest appreciation for this generous investment in our classrooms. Access to quality literature is fundamental to fostering critical thinking, literacy, and a lifelong love of learning.
The Gardner Rotary Club and the Gardner Edgerton Schools Foundation’s support enriches our students' academic environment, laying the foundation for future success." The Gardner Edgerton Schools Foundation is a non-profit 501c3 organization whose mission is to inspire the community to connect in a manner that fosters a thriving, inclusive, and supportive environment by elevating education and enriching the lives of students, staff, and families.
On January 23rd the Leawood Rotary Club celebrated the 30th anniversary of our club. Brad Moore our club historian, presented an informative program on the 30 years of Leawood Rotary. In attendance were 9 charter members who are pictured. We look forward to continuing the many service projects and sharing the good times for many more years.
Rotarian of the Year, International Service, Donations, OH MY!
Shari Hansen (second from the left) was named Rotarian of the Year! Hansen was recognized for her continued service at both the club and district level. She is pictured with the last three Rotarians of the Year, Mike Sevcik, DeEtte Lombard and John Donovan. Shari was recognized with this honor at our annual New Year Reception hosted by President Tiffany Andrews. For more pictures of the event, take a look at our Facebook page.
Several of our club members recently returned from Jamaica after serving for a week with the One Love Medical Mission (Shawnee, Kansas). Pictured left to right are Shari Hansen, Dr. Larry Evans, Suzie Lawson, Larry Martin and Rick Hansen; our club donates $1000.00 a year to support this annual international service project. Overall, 646 adult patients and 264 youth patients were seen for a total of 910 patients receiving treatment for medicines, nebulizer treatments, pregnancy tests, blood sugar testing, UAs, eyeglasses, fluoride treatments, and ear lavage. Volunteers also treated 238 patients with dental care. Action photos of our team may be found on our Facebook page.
Our club recently made a donation to Rotary International District 5280 (LA, CA) to help in the fight against Wildfire Disaster Relief; pictured here are Club President Tiffany Andrews (right) and DG Tamara Sevcik. President Tiffany Andrews makes our annual donation to the Lansing Library Director (Rotarian), Terri Wojtalewicz in support of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library Program.
Upcoming for our club:
Meals on Wheels Deliveries (x2 days a week)
Irish Stew Dinner (Monday, 10 March 2025, 5:30-7:30pm)
The Manhattan Rotary Club began 2025 with speaker Ned Seaton, publisher of the Manhattan Mercury and general manager of Manhattan Broadcasting. In his 29th presentation for the Club, Ned provided humorous commentary on the top ten news stories of 2024, and a look at the year ahead.
The Club welcomed new member, Jeremy McQuire, after 18 moves with his family, he has retired from the military and excited to be a Rotarian.
Rotary Foundation Chair Liz Nelson presented Tom Geller with a Paul Harris Fellow, who spoke about the importance of surrounding yourself with good people. (below left)
Vice president Shelley Carver presented the “big check” to Jennie Jordan, Engagement Manager, Flint Hills Breadbasket. Jennie gave an update on the new location for the Breadbasket, which will have a pantry four times the size of the current location. (below center)
President Randy acknowledged Rotary anniversaries for long time Rotarians including Beth Unger (37 years), Bill Riley (37 years), Past District Governor Vern Henricks (37 years), and John Walters (36 years). On January 28, Terry Arthur celebrated 54 years as a Rotarian.
Cold weather did not stop twelve nonprofits from collecting water, books, vitamins and more from the Community Cares Chest. (below right)
The 2025 New Year started with “snowmageddon”, dropping ~15” the first weekend. This was among the record-setting snowfall amounts in recent history.
In January, our cup collection benefited the Manhattan FREE Clinic, which provides healthcare services to uninsured community members.
Our club members rallied to greet our first speaker of the new year, Ned Seaton, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of The Mercury. Ned provided a review of the big events of 2024 and what we have to look forward to in 2025 with the changes at The Mercury and Manhattan Broadcasting.
On Jan 17, Jason Smith, President and CEO of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce, shared that the Chamber is committed to driving economic growth, supporting local businesses, and enhancing the overall quality of life in Manhattan. The Chamber will celebrate its 100th anniversary at its Annual Meeting on Feb 7.
Mid-month, Krystin Guggisberg, Director of Kansas Special Olympics spoke of the joys of working with the special population of athletes. These athletes are fierce competitors during the game and great friends to everyone after the game. She shared about Laundry Love MHK which is a community initiative that helps low-income individuals and families by covering the cost of laundry services, offering dignity and relief through clean clothes.
We wrapped up the first month of the new year with Jessica Gnad, Director of K-State 105 speaking about the K-State 105 Statewide Ecosystem. This initiative focuses on fostering innovation, workforce development, and business growth by leveraging the university's expertise and resources across all 105 counties of Kansas.
Annual Overbrook Rotary Club Pancake Breakfast – Saturday, February 22, 2025 – Overbrook United Methodist Church (1005 Maple Street) – 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Tickets available from Rotary members or at the door. Menu: All you can eat pancakes, sausage patties, biscuits and gravy, coffee and juice. SANTA FE TRAIL JAZZ BAND WILL PERFORM FROM 9:30 – 10:00 a.m. Proceeds will support local projects.
The first meeting of the newly merged Overland Park was held on January 8th where club members learned about the projects and culture of each club. It was also a great time to meet fellow Rotarians as we prepare to serve together. Subsequent club meetings have seen a large number of members in attendance, which is a great sign for the new club!
Through the Overland Park Rotary Foundation's support of Feed the Children, our Rotary dollars have been at work in Tennessee helping those affected by the hurricane. We received a thank you note and pictures from those impacted by the support.
Up next, we will be supporting those in need because of the California wildfires!
The Rotary Club of Shawnee had the honor to recognize 11 members who stepped up to join the Polio + Society committing to donate $100 each year going forward to the World Polio Fund. Maria Wilson, the incoming Polio Eradication Chair, was our speaker on December 13 and because of her passion and presentation inspired seven members to sign up after the meeting. Three Members had joined previously but had not been recognized, so all were honored during the club meetings on January 17 and 24th. This collective effort demonstrates the club’s dedication to eradicating polo and supporting global health initiatives. The contributions of these members will help fund vital vaccination programs and raise awareness about the importance of polio eradication. We encourage all members to join the Polio + Society or make a donation to the World Polio Fund to help us achieve a polio-free world.
Photo 1, left to right: Andrew Williamson, Peter Ehrlich, Joni Pflumm, Marilyn Breitenstein, Susan Pettit and Linda Leeper. Photo 2, left to right: Linda Leeper, Tammie & Scott Green, Kathy Peterson and Stephanie Meyer (not pictured, David Harrold)