What in the world will I talk about after Oct. 14?! The Create Hope in the World District Conference will be nothing but a memory come mid-October.
My Hope is that you will attend to interact with fellow Rotarians, learn useful and helpful information, and have FUN! After all, the unofficial fifth test of the 4-Way Test is – Is it FUN!?
Speaking of fun – Whether you can attend the District Conference or not I do hope you will spend Thursday evening with us. The planning committee has organized a fun evening for all Rotarians.
Here’s what is planned for our Rotary evening of fun!
Special recorded message from Rotary International President Gordon McInally
Proclamation from the Topeka Mayor Mike Padilla honoring the Northeast Kansas Rotary Clubs
Live music with Sugarfoot Detour
Dinner of your choosing from food trucks – The Burger Bus and Lupita’s Tacos
Special Rotary cocktail and other drinks from Solilquy
The district-wide social will be 6 to 9 p.m., Oct. 12, Evergy Plaza in Downtown Topeka. All registered conference attendees will receive food and drink tickets and have access to transportation to and from the Springhill Suites hotel. Food and drink are also available for purchase.
Registration for the conference closes on Friday. Have you registered?
No new Wild Polio cases reported this week.We are now 8 weeks since the most recent reported Wild Polio Case - in Pakistan. Intensified efforts continue to be implemented in Pakistan, particularly in the southern area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to urgently eradicate the remaining endemic WPV1 transmission. See our “Countdown to History”.
In BREAKING NEWS for District 5710, we are proud to announce that Governor Laura Kelly has proclaimed “October 24, 2023 as WORLD POLIO DAY in the state of Kansas and urges all citizens to join in this observation.” Now would be the week to contact your local community leaders and request a similar proclamation for your city. Here’s a link to a draft Local Proclamation.
So, what are your club and members doing to celebrate World Polio Day?
Has your Club set its Polio Plus Annual Goal? This is the month to set a Polio Goal, at any level, no matter how much or how small, as every $ raised protects another child from contracting Polio! Let’s see if we can be a 100% Polio Goal setting District!!
Are you encouraging your members to join the POLIO PLUS SOCIETY? An annual donation of at least $100 for each year until Polio is defeated is a guaranteed way to show their support and help your club meet its Polio fundraising goal, as well as earning Paul Harris credit. It is easy to open My.Rotary.Org and use Rotary Direct to donate monthly, quarterly or even just annually.
Is your club’s Polio Plus Fundraiser going to be this month to celebrate WPD? Any size project – they all help: ranging from “Pints4Polio” - “Purple Pinky Donuts” – Pumpkin Runs”– Happy Bucks dedication - Skip-a-Meal $’s - to just passing the hat!! If you need a last-minute Polio funding idea, see the great Rotary resource links in last month’s District Newsletter’s Polio Report.
Are individual members supporting Polio Plus? This year, each Rotarian is encouraged to make a personal donation (of a size dictated by their financial situation) to the PolioPlus Fund by World Polio Day. Club leaders should make sure each donation is recognized with Paul Harris credit.
FINALLY: To Quote Past RI President Jennifer Jones, "We have made a promise to the children of the world to eradicate this disease (Polio). We have never been this close. And we can't take our foot off the gas because billions of children will be vulnerable if we do."
And “We are…This Close” as shown in our “Countdown to History”
Call/email me for help / (913) 200-0514 ~ maajca@gmail.com / Jim Arnett, Polio Plus 5710 Chair
By Pam Blankenzee, Rotary District 5870 & 5710 Webmaster and Chuck Udell, D5710 DMC
You thought you had to go to Paris next summer to participate in the Olympics – you DON’T – You can be an Olympic gold medalist right here in northeast Kansas!
How?Read ON!
We are excited to announce the rollout of the Membership Olympic Games - a fantastic opportunity for your club to not only strengthen your bond with existing members but also attract new ones!
What are these games that will help your club grow?
Here are the games that need to be completed by May 1, 2024. In fact, two of the games you may have already completed. Twelve of our clubs have. Check the scoreboard by clicking (https://rotary5710.org/page/membership-olympics-scoreboard) to see if you club has!
Each game introduces you to tools, resources, and activities to build and strengthen your Club membership – especially your membership retention.
Did we mention that there are prizes for your club? Attend the District Conference on Oct. 12 at 2:30 pm to learn more about this sure-fire way to grow your club and by the way - the prizes.
Here are the games!
Game One – Getting Ready for the Games – by designating a Club Membership Chair
Game Two – Opening Ceremonies – To attend, just complete a short survey to easily create your membership goals.
Game Three – Track & Field Team - Conduct a survey of your Club Membership – using the surveys provided under Game 3, Membership Olympic Details (https://rotary5710.org/sitepage/membership-olympics) or create your own. The you will be on our district membership track and field team!
Game Four – Olympic Village Party – It's your Rotary Club party and network time! Organize a membership engagement activity that supports service, leadership, personal growth, or networking opportunities. Then, have a social to celebrate how you have helped your community and your club!
Game Five – Going for the Gold! There are two options – have 3 club members attend the Nov/Dec District Membership program or schedule a District Membership Presentation. Either way works for you to learn new ways to retain more of your members.
Game Six - Training for Greatness! Complete three Membership related courses in the Rotary Learning Center by either your Club Membership Chair or any Membership Team Member. This will get you and your club supercharged with the most up to date member attraction and retention tactics.
Game Seven – Recruiting for Future Generations! Your club sponsors a new service companion club – that is a sure way to grow your club for future generations.
To learn more about what a service companion club is; how it will help your community and your club; and how to get it started – attend the Service Companion Clubs and Affinity Clubs breakout session facilitated by PDG Steph Meyer at District Conference on Thursday, October 12th at 3:30 pm
So, what are you all waiting for! Attend the membership sessions at District Conference and Click to get started!
Then go win medals and prizes for your club!
And by the way grow your membership by doing this.
Lastly - don’t forget to read Bill Musgrave monthly series on the various benefits of Rotary membership. This month his article is all about community initiatives – especially for young professionals with a desire to make a difference in their community. His article, which follows this one, should help clubs reaching out to young professionals to invite them to join them on these community service projects.
ROTARY OPENS DOORS TO COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
Last month we outlined the many ways Rotary can be helpful to young professionals looking to make a difference. They included networking, involvement in community initiatives, skill building and personal growth, creating lifelong friendships and more. This month we will begin to unpack these various benefits of Rotary membership. We’ll start with community initiatives.
Please refer to this article when you are speaking with young professionals about how they can help their communities.
If you’re a young professional with a desire to make a difference in your community, you’ll find Rotary to be a great launching pad. We are involved in many causes you might be interested in. Here are just a few examples:
Education Programs: Rotary clubs often organize mentorship programs, scholarship opportunities, school supply drives, and literacy programs for their school districts.
Environmental Conservation: Rotary clubs frequently undertake projects such as tree planting campaigns, beach cleanups, and recycling initiatives in and around their communities.
Health and Wellness Initiatives: Rotary clubs often work on projects related to healthcare access, disease prevention, mental wellness, health camps, vaccination drives, and raising funds for medical equipment or treatments. Rotary International is recognized for its role in effectively eliminating Polio around the world.
Hunger Relief: Many Rotary clubs address food insecurity and hunger within their communities by organizing food drives, volunteering at food banks and soup kitchens, or establishing community gardens to promote sustainable food production.
Rural Development: Rotary clubs in rural areas work on providing access to clean water and sanitation facilities, promoting sustainable agriculture practices, and empowering rural communities through education and entrepreneurship programs.
Youth Development: Rotary clubs often organize programs and initiatives to support the development and well-being of youth through scholarships, reading programs, workshops, mentorships, career guidance and leadership development.
Disaster Response and Recovery: Rotary clubs play a crucial role in providing disaster relief and supporting communities affected by natural disasters by assisting in emergency response efforts, organizing fundraising campaigns, or supporting long-term recovery projects.
These are just a few examples of the community initiatives that young professionals can get involved in through Rotary. Visit (https://rotary5710.org/ClubDirectory) to find your local Rotary Club for more information. We’ll look at more benefits of Rotary membership next month.
The District 5710 Anti-Human Trafficking (HT) committee was formed 4 years ago as a way to unite clubs across the District in their efforts to fight human trafficking. The committee is encouraging all Club Presidents and Executives to help us to invigorate the committee by asking a member of your club to serve on the District committee. We meet for one hour via Zoom periodically (monthly or quarterly depending on the activities we are working on).
Following is a short history of the committee and its work. Prior to the CAAHT Club being formed, January 27, 2021, most HT projects, presentations at District Conference, Team Training, and the 1st Global Grant establishing the YWCA Day Center in Topeka, were done through this committee. We also established a speakers list that clubs could contact for presentations on HT. There have always been members from many clubs across the District on this committee. Patti Mellard (Topeka South) chaired the committee for the first 3 years (3 years is the normal District Chair commitment) and then recruited Lucy Bloom (Leawood) to chair it last year. When Lucy stepped away from Rotary, it was decided to just let the CAAHT Club and the Rotary Swarm committee fill the role for the remainder of the year. I agreed to assume leadership of the District Committee for the 2023-24 year, and hopefully longer.
We hope your club can participate in this important committee. Please contact me with any questions or suggestions at nettles.steven@gmail.com
We look forward to seeing you at the Create Hope in the World District 5710 Conference in Topeka 12-14 October. DG Jenalea and the committee have put together a great conference. If you haven’t attended a District Conference previously, please sign up to attend this year’s District 5710 event. As we have always mentioned at various PETS, RLI, and Team Seminar learning sessions—District Conference is always a valuable learning opportunity for new and seasoned Rotarians alike. DG Jenalea and the committee have developed a purposeful and fun agenda. You will experience engaging keynote speakers, informative breakout sessions, volunteer opportunities, and of course social time and food and drinks! District Conference is always an opportunity to learn more about Rotary, to meet fellow Rotarians, and to learn from one and other while having fun!
Jennifer Montgomery served as the District 5710 Rotary Peace Fellow from 2021 to 2022 and earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Peace and Conflict Transformation. The following is one of many stories she shares about her experience as a Rotary Peace Fellow and her current work since graduating from the program. To learn more about her work visit www.magentagirlsinitiative.org
Jennifer Montgomery's Summary Update
While visiting a settlement in Kampala with my peace fellow colleagues during my 2021 fellowship at the Rotary Peace Center at Makerere University, I met some women who worked in a brothel. I listened to their stories about life in extreme poverty, their challenges in staying safe and healthy, and their hopes and dreams for themselves and their children. I felt like these women deserved a chance at life, so I responded when they asked for my help by focusing my social change initiative on determining the key drivers of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in their community. What began as my social change initiative, a required component of my Rotary Peace Centers certificate program, has become Magenta Girls Initiative (MGI), a women-led nongovernmental organization. Established in 2021 and registered as a nonprofit in the United States in 2022, I founded MGI with three Ugandan women to advance educational and economic opportunities for at-risk girls and women around the world.
In May 2023, MGI graduated its first cohort of women. We are currently working on a collaborative global grant with a local Kampala Rotary club and a U.S.-based partner that will skill 70 women from the settlement area and enable MGI to enhance its programming and community outreach. The grant project creates a crisis response system in the settlement, as well as GBV prevention and response training for local leaders and Rotarians. It has been great to partner with Rotary and Rotary members through this collaborative effort.
We are hopeful that with more support, MGI can recruit full-time staff to build a trauma-informed education institute in Uganda, conduct personal outreach to girls who are not attending school, hire and train vocational skills teachers, and reach other vulnerable African communities. Our goal is to create a thriving community of girls in education and young women getting skills, who have a holistic way to heal, learn, and work for a better future. We want to help them achieve self-sufficiency so they can break the generational cycle of poverty for themselves and their children, and their children’s children.
It is with great pleasure that I announce the approval of another Global Grant! GG2352598 will benefit the community of Patanatic, Sololá, Guatemala. This GG is for a total of $49,886 and will have the focus of Disease Prevention and Treatment. It will consist of training 18 young individuals to become community health promoters, offer diagnostic studies for cervical and breast cancer to 100 women of childbearing age, and provide primary medical care for 420 mothers and 35 diabetic and hypertensive patients in Patanatic. We had 5 clubs in our district, 1 club in our neighboring Kansas district D5680, 1 club in Panajachel, Guatemala, and three districts combining their efforts to make this GG happen. The team that has been working on this grant for the last two years, extends our thanks to all of those who helped support our efforts to get this approved. Now the real work begins for the Patanatic community. I plan to organize a trip to this area sometime in early Spring of 2024. If you are interested in joining me and some of your fellow Rotarians on this service trip, please contact me and I will add you to list.
We are waiting on approval for three other Global Grants that involve our district. One was submitted in June 2023 and has the focus of Community Economic Development. GG2347023 is designed to train at-risk women and girls in Kampala, Uganda, with skills that will enable them to not have to resort to human trafficking for survival. This GG has received responses from the Rotary International grant officers, and answers to their questions have been submitted. We are hoping for good news soon. The other two grants are being drafted now. One is for another community in Sololá, Guatemala, and will focus on Water Sanitation. The other one is Cúcuta, Columbia, and focuses on Disease Prevention and Treatment as well. We look forward to seeing these other two grants submitted soon.
I am pleased that the District Grants subcommittee approved 42 district grants, involving 27 clubs in D5710. This is more club involvement than last year, which is great to see. It’s always a pleasure to see all the wonderful and creative ideas that you have to help your communities. I look forward to seeing all the great local projects that are coming up this year!
There are still some clubs that need to please submit their Foundation goals for 2023-2024. I encourage you to set your personal and club Foundation goal for this year as soon as possible. One way you can reach that goal rather easily, is to sign up for Rotary Direct at www.Rotary.org. With Rotary Direct, you can have any amount of funds deducted from the account of your choosing each month automatically. If you would like help setting this up, please feel free to contact me.
I am continually amazed at all the great work you do for your communities and our world with the help of Our Rotary Foundation! Building impact and enhancing lives through Our Rotary Foundation is what D5710 is doing daily.
For a MILLION dollars: Who started the Rotary Foundation and Endowment?
If you said Arch Klumph in 1917, congratulations, you just won a MILLION dollars!*
Gifts to the Rotary Foundation can go into the annual fund (where MOST gifts go) or to Polio, or to the Endowment. Anyone can make a gift to the endowment in any amount and all such gifts are gratefully accepted. However, major gifts of $10,000 or more in one lump sum endow a separate, specific gift to Rotary and our district currently has nine of these ranging from $30,000 up to $1.6 Million. Way to go District 5710!
There are many ways to make a major gift or an endowment gift. I would be pleased to attend your club meeting to talk about the Rotary Foundation, Endowments and Major Gifts!! 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 also contact Lizzy King at Elizabeth.King@rotary.org to visit about making a major gift or funding your Rotary endowment.
(*Anyone thinking they just won a MILLION dollars is not thinking clearly. Prize of a MILLION dollars is spurious and nonsensical. No prizes of any kind will be awarded for this newsletter article under any circumstances.)
Just a quick heads up in case you haven't heard...
Our RI Convention for President McInally's year of Create Hope in the World will be held in beautiful Singapore, May 25-29, 2024.
If you were ever thinking about visiting Singapore to see the sights, why not kill two birds with one stone and attend the Rotary Convention while you are visiting.
As a recent attendee of my first RI Convention, I can tell you that this is a great way to connect, fellowship, and break bread with other Rotarians from places all over the world. My trip to Australia was eye-opening in many ways and a great deal of fun (despite the 17 hour and 20-minute plane ride to and from)!
For a little information regarding Singapore and the convention take a look at this link:
And, if I might assist you in getting registered for the convention, and/or you need additional information about the RI Convention please don't hesitate to shoot me an email (bsktlady29@aol.com) or give me a call (913-240-7132///Cell).
Thanks for your time & attention --- hope you all have a great Rotary Day!!!
Ambassadors September meeting supported the Non Profit Unexpected Blooms by collecting gently used and new vases. The vases are used to deliver flowers to hospice patients, nursing homes and other places to spread joy. We also had some guests from other local Rotary clubs, great conversations were had about how we can collaborate on volunteer projects and supporting each others small clubs.
Last month a long-awaited event happened in Gardner... our Rotary Clock found a new home in a much more visible location on Main Street, next to Groundhouse Coffee (owned by members Steve & Beth Hines). The clock was purchased in 2005/06, just in time for the Sesquicentennial of Gardner in 2007. It was originally located on the corner of Shawnee & Elm streets, but Hines made it a priority to move the clock to a more visible location. Special thanks to the City of Gardner and local company Sign Here for helping with the move and installation.
At nearly 14 feet tall, it stands out in it's new location! If you are in Gardner, check it out!
Next Up - Pints for Polio! Join us Oct. 26 at ExBEERiment!
Jayhawk Breakfast Rotary Club of Lawrence will host its annual Trivia Night on November 3, 7:00 pm at Arterra event venue in Lawrence.
This fun evening is the big fundraiser of the year, with money raised benefiting literacy programs, Polio Plus, high school scholarships, Rotary Youth Exchange, new school buildings in Uganda, Lawrence Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Douglas County, and many, many more. In 2022, Trivia Night raised over $17,000, and the goal is even higher this year.
Join the fun! All are welcome to attend the event or purchase raffle tickets for the fabulous baskets valued at $350 to $1000 per basket. Raffle tickets and event tickets will go on sale October 1. You do not need to be present to win.
Trivia Night details, preview of the raffle prizes, and ticket purchasing are available online starting October 1.
We were happy to host the Director of the United Way of Leavenworth County (Bill Greenberg, center) and the Campaign Manager for 2023 (Jackie Williams, right); Bill and Jackie provided an update on the work the United Way is doing in Leavenworth County. President Blake Waters presented Bill and Jackie with Four-Way Test Coins. (right)
Membership Chair, Mark Schoenemann making a first announcement for a potential new member. (left)
It's dictionary time again; chair, Brian Wepking making an announcement to work towards getting dictionaries delivered to 625-plus 3rd-grade students in our community; dictionary deliveries will hopefully begin in November!(below right)
Meals on Wheels deliveries continue for our club. Rotary teams deliver approximately 25 meals a week on Mondays and Wednesdays. Thanks to Terry Booker and his staff at The Cafe for preparing the meals. (below left)
Past Presidents Timothy Moran and Derek Wohlgemuth stand by to help folks get registered for our upcoming Oktoberfest 5K Volksmarch. (below right)
Upcoming events:
* District 5710 District Conference, 12-14 October (Topeka)
* Oktoberfest 5K Volksmarch w/Oompa Band, Brats, Beer and Potato Salad, 14 October (click on this link for a video invitation) --- https://fb.watch/nowbiTjwTw/
* Non-Perishable Food Drive, 4 November
* 2023 Rotary Day of Service, 4 November
* Veterans' Day Parade, 11 November
* Organization for International Sponsors and Spouses Traditional Thanksgiving Day Dinner, 19 November
Jenalea Randall, District 5710 Governor, kicked off our September meeting with her hopes for the year focused on mental health and empowering girls and inspired us to "be with friends while serving our community." Later that evening, Rotarians and guests gathered with her for Rotary on Tap at Liquid Art Winery.
Bob Ward provided a Rotary Foundation Moment and presented Steven Graham with a Paul Harris Major Donor pin recognizing his personal investment in the mission of the Rotary Foundation.
To Celebrate Community Week, forty members of community service clubs gave blood through Manhattan Lifesavers: MHK Service Organizations Blood Drive.
Jayme Morris-Hardeman, executive director of Thrive, accepted the Club’s “Big Check” cup money contribution of $500 to support their mission to reduce poverty by building skills and relationships that strengthen families and individuals.
Over the last month, 80+ nonprofits picked up products from the Community Cares Chest. The project and partners are described in a WIBW article dated September 9.
The Club capped off the month with a presentation by past District Governor, Vern Henricks, about his work in Cap Haitian, Haiti.
As part of the Manhattan Celebrate Community Week, Konza Rotarians teamed up with our local Optimist, Lions, and Kiwanis clubs to host The Manhattan Lifesavers Blood Drive on September 18th and 19th. Through blood donations, Konza Rotarians will help save 21 lives as part of this event.
Konza Rotarians have kicked off the sales for their fourth annual Purple Pinky Donut Day on October 20th. The club has a goal to sell 501 boxes of donuts this year in the fight to Eradicate Polio. Purchase donuts or donate here: https://konzarotarymhk.square.site/ In the past three years, the club has raised over 28,000 from their Purple Pinky Donut event.
Overland Park South Rotary Club for the second year is working with Geeks for Kids, an organization that builds specialized vehicles for disabled children. Last year, efforts resulted in 60 cars being built. Each one is designed for the needs of each child. In addition to providing assistance in the building process, OP South donates funds for the cars.
During the month of September, the Overland Park South Rotary Club collected pasta and sauces for Renewed Hope Food Pantry. Their collection was boosted by the participation of one of the Club's sponsored Cub Scout Packs. Together, nearly 250 items were collected.
Members of the Valley Falls Rotary Club have been cleaning up the land around Hagge's Pond, a local fishing hole that is stocked with many kids of fish. The club has maintained the land around the pond for many years. It's named the Brandon J. Bickford Memorial Park after a local who died of Ewing's sarcoma. Many trees, shrubs and branches were removed, with hope that the community will continue to utilize the area. This project was featured in the local newspaper (see photo below).
My Hope is that you will attend to interact with fellow Rotarians, learn useful and helpful information, and have FUN! After all, the unofficial fifth test of the 4-Way Test is – Is it FUN!?
Wild Poliovirus Weekly Update
By Pam Blankenzee, Rotary District 5870 & 5710 Webmaster and Chuck Udell, D5710 DMC
The District 5710 Anti-Human Trafficking (HT) committee was formed 4 years ago as a way to unite clubs across the District in their efforts to fight human trafficking. The committee is encouraging all Club Presidents and Executives to help us to invigorate the committee by asking a member of your club to serve on the District committee. We meet for one hour via Zoom periodically (monthly or quarterly depending on the activities we are working on).
Jennifer Montgomery's Summary Update
In May 2023, MGI graduated its first cohort of women. We are currently working on a collaborative global grant with a local Kampala Rotary club and a U.S.-based partner that will skill 70 women from the settlement area and enable MGI to enhance its programming and community outreach. The grant project creates a crisis response system in the settlement, as well as GBV prevention and response training for local leaders and Rotarians. It has been great to partner with Rotary and Rotary members through this collaborative effort.
Jayhawk Breakfast Rotary Club of Lawrence will host its annual Trivia Night on November 3, 7:00 pm at Arterra event venue in Lawrence. 
We were happy to host the Director of the United Way of Leavenworth County (Bill Greenberg, center) and the Campaign Manager for 2023 (Jackie Williams, right); Bill and Jackie provided an update on the work the United Way is doing in Leavenworth County. President Blake Waters presented Bill and Jackie with Four-Way Test Coins. (right)
Membership Chair, Mark Schoenemann making a first announcement for a potential new member. (left)
Meals on Wheels deliveries continue for our club. Rotary teams deliver approximately 25 meals a week on Mondays and Wednesdays. Thanks to Terry Booker and his staff at The Cafe for preparing the meals. (below left)
Past Presidents Timothy Moran and Derek Wohlgemuth stand by to help folks get registered for our upcoming Oktoberfest 5K Volksmarch. (below right)
Oktoberfest 5K Volksmarch w/Oompa Band, Brats, Beer and Potato Salad, 14 October (click on this link for a video invitation) --- 
Jenalea Randall, District 5710 Governor, kicked off our September meeting with her hopes for the year focused on mental health and empowering girls and inspired us to "be with friends while serving our community." Later that evening, Rotarians and guests gathered with her for Rotary on Tap at Liquid Art Winery. 
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