Last week marked our annual district conference in Leavenworth at the Riverfront Community Center. It was two & ½ days filled with fun, fellowship, information, and inspiration! Thanks so much to everyone who had time to attend our annual conference. We started the conference with a great historical tour of Fort Leavenworth, followed by a district social (and PDG Dinner). We marked World Polio Day by setting aside $30,000 of DDF for the Rotary International End Polio Now Campaign. This will supplement our traditional club giving in support of ending polio along with our club collections support of our new “Pocket Change” for Polio Campaign which will run through the end of our operational year. I so appreciate your support of this district campaign in hopes that we can be a 100 percent giving district to the End Polio Now Campaign --- remember our goal is $108,000 for the year - many thanks to all for your contributions to date.
Friday, our business day, featured a fantastic lineup of keynote speakers and breakout sessions, providing attendees with valuable insights and networking opportunities. But what truly stood out was our collective effort to make a difference in the local community. On Saturday morning, Rotary volunteers came together to prepare holiday cards for Meals on Wheels recipients and Veteran senior citizens on behalf of the Council on Aging in our local community. In addition to this service project, we had several attendees step up to put in some work raking and cleaning up yards of ten senior citizens in need of assistance. These two service projects were an opportunity to help others who sometimes are unable to help themselves…selfless service at its best for sure!
I am incredibly grateful to the Rotarians who were able to attend the district conference and to our dedicated District Conference Committee, led by the extraordinary Rotary Club of Leavenworth Co-Chairs, DeEtte Lombard and Brian Voorhees; they, along with the rest of our committee, were instrumental in making the conference a resounding success – many thanks to both of you and to our committee members for your hard work, dedication, and support…couldn’t have done what we did without each of you!
As we move into November, our focus shifts to The Rotary Foundation. I would ask that you all consider inviting Faron Barr, our District Foundation Chair, to one of your meetings to provide a Foundation overview. And, if you missed out on the kick-off of our “Million Dollar Journey” at conference, I would also encourage you to invite our District Endowment Chair, Roger Aeschliman, to visit your club to give you a great information brief on what lies ahead regarding our help in building the Rotary International Endowment Fund.
As I reflect on our success at the district conference and the time/fellowship we shared, my heart is full, and I am proud to call District 5710 the best district in our Zone. You, my fellow Rotarians, are making a difference in our communities and around the world, working hard to make things better for those less fortunate.
I hope that you all see the difference we make as Rotarians and your year is shaping up as nicely as mine is in thanks to so many, to include Club Presidents, our DG Line team, district leadership, and my fellow members of the Rotary Club of Leavenworth.
As always, do not hesitate to reach out if I (or district leadership) can assist you in any way.
Take safe care and always remember…we, as Rotarians, do make a difference!
Sad News: two new Wild Polio cases reported this week with the total for this year reaching 64 cases. We are now 1 week since the Onset of Paralysis of the most recent reported Wild Polio Case in Pakistan.
Rotarians around our District, responding to the importance of Polio Plus emphasized both at our District Conference by our DG Tamara and also more broadly by the awareness of just having observed World Polio Day are taking extra steps to support the major efforts now in progress in Pakistan to address the recent case number resurgence by adding additional Polio Plus events and increasing their club’s Polio Support Goals.
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.
On Saturday, October 19th, our exchange students enjoyed a memorable outing organized by the district. They attended an exciting women’s soccer match where the KC Current triumphed over the San Diego Wave FC with a score of 4-1. Following the game, we explored iconic Kansas City landmarks, including the Historic River Market and the Kansas City Public Library – Central location. The evening culminated in a warm welcome at the Zimmerman’s home (Shawnee Rotary Club), where students savored delicious homemade pizza and enjoyed an overnight stay.
Our Youth Exchange team—Steve, Anne, and Cleverson—was delighted to have these special guests join the day’s activities: Alisa Johnsrud, YEO from District 5680; Emilio, an exchange student from Ecuador; and Faron Barr, the District Rotary Foundation Chair.
As we look to the future, we want to remind all clubs that there’s still time to recruit outbound students for the 2025-2026 school year. All applications must be completed by December 1st. Sponsoring an outbound student incurs no cost to the club, and financial aid is available for qualifying students. This program is open to both Rotary members and non-members, making it an excellent opportunity to showcase the impactful work Rotary does. Let’s use this initiative as a valuable recruiting tool to spread the word!
For any questions, please reach out to Anne Faucett, District Outbound Coordinator, at annefaucett33@gmail.com or Stephen Wheatley, District 5710 Youth Exchange Officer, at rotary5710ye@gmail.com. Additional information is available at SCRYE.org.
Our District 5710 Conference was wonderful. The speakers, the breakout sessions, and the social opportunities were a perfect balance of learning and fun! It was great seeing and spending time with many of you.
PETS/PELS
We are continuing working on the PETS/PELS 2025 curriculum design this month. Our Rotary friends in District 5680 are collaborating with us as we continue linking the PETS/PELS learning sessions to Rotary’s Action Plan priorities.
RLI and KLC
During the District Conference, we facilitated two breakout sessions that focused on 2025 updates on RLI (Rotary Leadership Institute) and our KLC (Kansas Leadership Center) grants.
Rotarians attending the District Conference remarked RLI is the learning opportunity where you learn everything about Rotary. So - let’s get a class scheduled this new year! Let us know if your club is interested in hosting (providing a conference room/site) for an RLI (Rotary Learning Institute). 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.
Districts 5710 and 5680 will share the 50 seats we have been awarded for 2025! We will provide descriptions of the three 2025 KLC program sequence, as well as the link and passcode for you to apply when we receive this information. (The 2025 application process will be similar to the 2024 KLC information below.)
District 5710 has 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. When Everyone Leads is valued at $149.
•Your Leadership Edge is 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. Your Leadership Edge is valued at $399.
•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. Lead For Change is valued at $799 per individual.
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 code Rotary2024 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.
•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. When Everyone Leads is valued at $149.
Virtual Program Dates March 5 ǁ August 20 ǁ October 2-3 (Evenings) ǁ December 10
In Person Program Dates - Wichita
April 16 ǁ June 18 ǁ July 23 ǁ September 12 ǁ November 12
In Person Program Date – Kansas City
May 23
•Your Leadership Edge is 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. Your Leadership Edge is valued at $399.
Virtual Program Dates February 27-28 ǁ May 21-22 ǁ September 24-25 ǁ November 19-20
In Person Program Dates - Wichita
March 19-20 ǁ April 23-24 ǁ June 25-26 ǁ October 22-23
In Person Program Date – Kansas City
July 17-18
•Lead For Change is 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. Lead For Change is valued at $799 per individual. Those interested in Lead For Change must make arrangements through the District Learning Facilitators.
In Person Program Dates - Wichita March 26-28 ǁ August 6-8 ǁ October 15-17
Registration for all programs closes two weeks before the program.
At the 2024 District 5710 Conference in Leavenworth last week, the $1 Million Dollar Challenge launched! Rotary International Major Gifts Officer Eric Thompson helped present the concept of the campaign and did some fun role-playing about making asks. District Governor Tamara Sevcik announced her support and endorsement of the Challenge. With her blessing and that of DGE Chuck Udell and DGN Michelle Sink, the Endowment and Major Gifts committee is full speed ahead to increase the Rotary International Endowment Fund to $2.025 Billion by the end of 2025!
I am asking every club to nominate a member to serve on this Million Dollar Challenge campaign. Club Presidents, especially, but anyone, please reach out to me to discuss how we are going to go get this. Reaching $2.025 Billion over the next year and two months is not a ridiculous number for a worldwide effort and $1 Million from district 5710 is doable!
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, 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. As am I.
I want to speak to your club about endowment and major gifts and the $1 million challenge. Call me at 785-267-8782 (daytime work) or raeschliman@corefirstbank.com (same) to connect and get energized about the Rotary International Foundation.
November is Foundation month for Rotary! Roger Aeschliman and I have several Foundation related presentations scheduled this month. If you would like us to present to your club, please reach out to us and we will get something scheduled. If you have not made your contribution to Our Rotary Foundation yet this year, this would be a good month to do so. You can also learn more about Our Rotary Foundation in the Learning Center at https://learn.rotary.org/members/learn/catalog/view/69. I encourage you to take at least the basics course to enhance your knowledge of our wonderful foundation that helps us fund our various projects throughout the district.
Thank you to all of you in D5710 for your continued contributions to The Rotary Foundation and Polio Plus. At our District conference last month, we recognized 24 clubs for achieving the STAR status in Annual Fund giving, 16 clubs for achieving their Polio Plus Drop for Polio Plus giving, and 7 clubs who were 100% TRF giving last year. We also recognized the top three clubs in the categories of total Annual Fund giving, Per Capita Annual Fund giving, and Polio Plus giving. Those clubs are listed below.
Annual Share Fund
Lawrence – $23,582
Leawood - $23,538
Topeka - $22,520
Per Capita Annual Share Fund
Leawood - $383.62
Gardner - $243.24
Shawnee Mission - $239.50
Polio Plus
Jayhawk Breakfast Lawrence - $17,605
Topeka - $12,135
Manhattan Konza - $11,671
Next month I will showcase a few of the new Global Grant projects that your Annual Fund contributions are supporting. I am constantly amazed at the generosity of time and giving that our D5710 Rotarians dedicate toward helping others in our communities, our world, and in ourselves. I look forward to what this next year will bring and working with you to enhance the lives of others.
Several AHT Committee members attended a training session on Addressing Tech-enabled Abuse by EndTAB(https://www.endtab.org/) on October 8 in Topeka. Several topics were discussed and it was “eye-opening” to say the least. Below is an overview of the session and the major areas addressed.
Abuse has gone digital. Today, we are spending more time online and on our devices than ever before, which has created new safety risks for youth, victims of gender-based violence and others. As such, it has become increasingly important to develop skills that prioritize our digital safety.
Emerging Issues in Digital Safety The presenter discussed the latest challenges
faced by victims and how anyone can identify, prevent and address them before they become mainstream. In this session, we cover doxxing, fake nudes, AirTags, stalkerware and smart-home abuse.
Tech-Savvy Advocacy Here The presenter discussed verifying and addressing common forms of tech-enabled abuse including unauthorized account and device access, online harassment, impersonation, nonconsensual tracking, online dating violence and more.
Tech-Savvy Prevention: Safety Planning and Community Action The presenter discussed how to update existing screening and safety planning practices to be effective in online spaces and on devices. This includes identifying red flags, screening/intake best practices, how to disappear online, identifying a victim's digital footprint and quickly securing accounts and apps. Also covered were effective strategies for community- based prevention, like online bystander intervention practices and healthy relationships education for digital spaces.
The Evolving Image-Based Sexual Abuse Landscape The presenter explored how to identify, prevent and respond to the nonconsensual distribution of intimate images, pressure for nude images, sextortion, cyberflashing, fake nude images and deepfakes - along with safer sexting best practices.
Understanding and Navigating Tech-Enabled Trauma By understanding the differences between online and offline trauma, we can meet modern victims where they are, mitigate re-traumatization, address online victim-blaming, and inform our trauma-informed approaches to be more effective in online spaces.
District 5710 Global Grant Scholarship Process for 2025!
District 5710 funds a Rotary Global Grant Scholarship every two years. We have started the process this fall to identify and interview scholarship candidates, one of whom will be selected to study abroad, starting after July 1, 2025.
To learn more about our District 5710 scholarship selection process, please go to our District home page Home Page | Rotary District 5710 (rotary5710.org), then click on the Foundation tab, and under that, click on the Global Grant Scholarships tab. You will see lots of information about what Global Grant Scholarships are, how to apply, the process for our clubs and district, the process for students, etc.
Let’s identify and select some excellent candidates to interview for our 2025-2027 Global Grant Scholarship. If you do identify a potential candidate, please make sure none of their parents or grandparents have been Rotarians in the past three years. Also, tell them not to fill out the scholarship application online but to fill it out on their own computer in Word.
Our current District 5710 Global Grant Scholar, Mattie Vandel, is working on a unique Global Studies master’s program through Humboldt University in Berlin. Mattie was in KC this summer, doing an internship at Global Ties KC, plus she attended and/or spoke to some local Rotary Club meetings. Mattie is now back in Berlin finishing her degree.
Thanks to our Scholarship committee, to District 5710 leadership for funding and restarting the Global Grant Scholarship, and for those clubs who help find good candidates to apply. It is exciting to have an excellent scholar studying abroad and representing District 5710.
Are you aware that healthy prisoners are subjected to involuntary organ donation resulting in death? Healthy organs are harvested to be used in lucrative, on-demand transplant procedures in China and other countries.
Did you know that D5710 has a Satellite Rotary Club that is focused on ending this forced organ harvesting through education and awareness?
The Ending Forced Organ Harvesting (EFOH) Satellite Club of Community Action Against Human Trafficking has 19 members from across the globe. EFOH recently held 6 learning sessions with film screenings and speaker panels. Speakers included a labor camp survivor, Doctors Against Forced Organ Harvesting representatives and Mr Cheng Pei Ming, the first known survivor of forced organ harvesting.
Events were held at:
August 2 - Victoria law school, Melbourne, Australia
August 10 – Hawthorne Library in Melbourne Australia
Sept 14 – Lucas Community Hall, Ballarat in Melbourne Australia
Sept 13 – Co-sponsored with Rotary club of Tacoma South and Compassion Washington in Auburn, Washington
As we know Rotary has made it our mission to eradicate polio for over 35 years. Poliomyelitis is a highly infectious disease that predominantly affects children under the age of five. Polio often spreads through contaminated water and in many cases can lead to paralysis. While global efforts have reduced polio cases by 99.9% since 1979, it remains a significant threat in countries including Afghanistan and Pakistan. Over the years, Rotary members have contributed immensely between donations and volunteer hours to make this initiative a success.
Gardner Rotary 5710 hosted its first ever rummage sale to help bring in funds for our mission to eradicate Polio. On September 21st, 2024, Rotarians and community members donated truckloads of household items. Thanks to the outpouring of support, the rummage sale raised an impressive $1,000 to go towards Rotary’s fight to end polio! Members worked shifts to ensure the event success between advertising, set up, sales, and clean up. Any remaining items not sold in the Rummage Sale were donated to a local charity to help continue efforts to better the local community. The enthusiasm of the Gardner Rotary members and community made the day not just a fundraising success, but a celebration of hope and solidarity in the fight against polio.
The fight to end polio does not end here. Gardner Rotary looks forward to continuing our efforts to discover new ways to raise funds and awareness of this effort. Every day we succeed a little more in our fight to end Polio as we come together as an organization; but the fight does not end here! To sustain these efforts, Gardner Rotary hosts two Pints for Polio events every year. To learn more about Rotary’s mission and learn about ways you can help, please visit: https://www.rotary.org/en/our-causes/ending-polio.
The three Lawrence Rotary clubs, including the Lawrence Rotary Club, the Central Rotary Club and the Jayhawk Rotary Club, have taken it upon themselves to challenge members to donate snacks for school kids. Snacks range from cereal bars to whole grain granola bars, goldfish crackers, Rice Krispie treats, and Cheez-its. Rotarians gathered October 2 at Maceli’s in downtown Lawrence to assemble hundreds of pre-packaged/boxed snacks into bins for each elementary school; each school received two bins.
Rotarians don’t stop there. Like last year, the Lawrence Rotary Club secured a district grant to provide $8,086.50 of additional funding for snacks through the rest of the school year. Shelf life is critical. Additional items could include trail mix, saltine crackers, Capri Sun 100% juice packets, raisins, applesauce, graham crackers, whole grain snacks and mini slim jim meat sticks. The snacks are purchased through USD 497 food services and follow the healthy snack guidelines. This process allows for more snacks to be bought at a reduced cost. Rotarians will deliver the snacks to all 21 Lawrence public schools. The impact reaches over 10,000 students, which includes over 4,200 who qualify for free or reduced lunches. To match the grant, Lawrence Rotarians are seeking donations, which may be sent to: Lawrence Rotary Club, P.O. Box 442162, Lawrence, KS 66044. For questions on donating, please contact Jane Bateman at janerb@sunflower.com.
The Rotary Club of Leavenworth recently hosted a dynamic gathering for the District 5710 Conference from October 24th through October 26th, 2024. Under the able leadership of District Governor Tamara Sevcik, the event was not only a grand success but also a testament to the Rotary spirit of community service and camaraderie.
The conference kicked off on October 24th, strategically aligning with World Polio Day, a day that symbolizes Rotary's enduring commitment to eradicating polio worldwide. The celebrations commenced with Mayor Griff Martin's proclamation endorsing World Polio Day, setting an inspiring tone for the conference events that followed.
A signature highlight of the conference was the PDG Dinner, which exemplified Rotary's commitment to fostering connections and sharing valuable experiences. The dinner was graced by Bill Kromer, the distinguished senior Past District Governor (PDG) in attendance, who eloquently shared insights into the rich legacy of shared experiences within the Rotary community. The evening was a delightful blend of exquisite Italian cuisine, thoughtfully provided by Terry Booker and the Café, complemented by a select assortment of red and white wines. Storytelling was at the heart of the evening, providing a platform for PDGs to forge meaningful connections with notable guest speakers, while simultaneously promoting goodwill and better friendships.
Our District Conference social was a vibrant affair, bringing together old friends and forming new bonds. The spirit of unity was palpable, as Rotarians from various regions converged in Leavenworth, embodying the Rotary values of fellowship and service. Attendees were treated to a series of educational workshops and insightful sessions led by esteemed guest speakers, who imparted a wealth of knowledge and inspiration. In addition, Past President Shari Hansen led a touching memorial service remembering career complete Rotarians from many clubs in our district culminating with each club President placing a yellow rose in a vase for their lost members.
The conference culminated in a Day of Service on Saturday, which was a fitting tribute to the essence of Rotary values. Rotarians, joined by enthusiastic high school students, including members of the Leavenworth High School Interact Club, formed ten dedicated teams to assist in yard clean-ups for senior citizens in the community. With assistance from the Council on Aging, families needing help with their yards were identified, ensuring that the service efforts made a significant impact.
One yard team recounted: The final day not only involved physical labor but also fostered community spirit and teamwork. With five members on our team, we efficiently tackled both the front lawn and a sprawling backyard, vividly demonstrating that many hands indeed make light work. The collaborative effort highlighted Rotary's commitment to making a difference in local communities, while also instilling a sense of responsibility in the younger generation.
A resounding thank you goes out to everyone who contributed their time and efforts, making this district conference an overwhelming success. Your hard work and dedication, particularly in support of our District Governor Tamara Sevcik, have left an indelible mark on the community.
If you captured any memorable moments over the weekend, we warmly encourage you to share those pictures with us for posting, to immortalize this exceptional gathering that epitomizes the Rotary spirit. Together, let's continue to embrace service above self, fostering friendships, and creating lasting impacts within our community and beyond and of course, making magic along the way.
Rotary’s theme for October is Economic and Community Development, which meshes with the Club’s signature project, the Community Cares Chest. More than 30 nonprofits collected vitamins, juice, books and other sundries to distribute to those they serve.
President Randy organized the October 3rd, club meeting on the topic of mental health. Gena Richardson, an advocate for the Rotary Action Group Mental Health Initiative, spoke about the Don’t Bottle It Up campaign. Mike Rezkalla, executive director of Pawnee Mental Health shared the updated Kansas ranking (22nd) for mental health among the states. President Randy shared insight on the district’s work in mental health and the grant funded by the Kansas Health Foundation. Randy encouraged members to complete the mental health survey to determine members' motivation to carry out a mental health initiative.
Members who joined this month are: Brady Armstrong, chief development officer for the Boys & Girls Club of Manhattan; Gena Richardson, CEO of the Kansas Guardianship Program; and Dan Crouch, managing partner with BBN Architects, Inc. of Manhattan.
Carter Richards, sophomore at Manhattan High School, and grandson of Past-President Mitzi Richards gave a brief presentation on his experience with the 2024 RYLA program.
Paul Harris Fellows were awarded to Mike Heylin and Mike Dodson (PHF+7). Bill Richter presented a Paul Harris Fellow to Brad Shaw, a former Rotarian with a history of public service and volunteerism. Brad and his wife Susan, have organized the Crop Hunger Walk through Church World Service for over 50 years.
District Governor Tamara Sevcik joined the October 17th meeting, which was her 28th club visit. Her goals for the year are to grow our membership, get clubs to donate to the Foundation and Polio Plus who typically do not, tell our story and to end polio. She and President Randy contributed pocket change for the End Polio Campaign that will span from now through May.
The Manhattan Konza Rotary Club members began October cleaning a section of the Linear Trail.
Our club joined with the Manhattan Rotary Club for food and drinks at Aggieville Brewing Company for Clubs in a Pub. Socializing with Rotarians is always a joy!
Justin “Nordic Thunder” Howard is a Rotarian and worked for Rotary International for over a decade. He had his first Art Show in Manhattan and sold his first painting to Manhattan Konza Rotary Club member, Kendra Kuhlman and her husband, Les.
Some members of the Manhattan Konza Rotary Club and the Manhattan High School Interact Club served community residents through Common Table at First Presbyterian Church. Good food and fellowship were given out in abundance.
Manhattan Konza Rotary Club members; Mark Rose, Joan Pierce, Michelle Sink, and Ben Kohl attended the Rotary District conference in Leavenworth.
Manhattan Konza Rotary Club enjoyed listening to our October guest speakers.
Jareem Dowling, Associate Coach for K-State Men’s Basketball, shared about the upcoming basketball season and how the team is bonding under Coach Tang’s leadership. Coach Dowling also shared his personal journey that brought him to Manhattan.
Konza Rotary Club member, Memory Buffington, told us about her trip to Guatemala with other Kansas Rotary Clubs. The Rotary Service Project provided clean water filters and health supplies for a new health clinic.
Rotary District 5710 Governor, Tamara Jo Sevcik, gave updates about District 5710. Tamara praised our club for the service provided locally and abroad as well as the donations we give to end Polio.
Dr. Susan Metzger, Director of Kansas Water Institute, talked about K-State water research and sustainability. As water is a precious resource and Kansas is experiencing a drought, innovative approaches to water usage and conservation are paramount in Kansas.
Manhattan Konza Rotary Club will be busy serving the Manhattan community in November.
Manhattan High School Debate Tournament: Saturday, November 9.
Homestead Clean-Up: Saturday, November 9.
Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters World Kindness Day: Wednesday, November 13.
On October 9, we welcomed our RYLA students from Bishop Ward HS to share their summer camp at KU experiences with the club. We also welcomed Paige Thomas, a Girl Scout from Lee’s Summit, MO, to share her efforts to develop a percussion park at Rotary Youth Camp as a fun and sustainable resource for children with special needs.
On October 16, we were pleased to host Kimberly Svaty, Public Policy Consultant for the Advanced Power Alliance. It was refreshing to learn that Kansas is one of the largest clean energy states in the nation.
On October 23, we were honored to hear fellow Rotarian Martin Bauer’s WWII story about his father’s trek from Omaha Beach to Berlin. Martin captivated us by telling us the story as if he was his father and he brought many photos to share.
Wild Poliovirus Weekly Update
The Rotary Club of Leavenworth recently hosted a dynamic gathering for the District 5710 Conference from October 24th through October 26th, 2024. Under the able leadership of District Governor Tamara Sevcik, the event was not only a grand success but also a testament to the Rotary spirit of community service and camaraderie.
Our District Conference social was a vibrant affair, bringing together old friends and forming new bonds. The spirit of unity was palpable, as Rotarians from various regions converged in Leavenworth, embodying the Rotary values of fellowship and service. Attendees were treated to a series of educational workshops and insightful sessions led by esteemed guest speakers, who imparted a wealth of knowledge and inspiration. In addition, Past President Shari Hansen led a touching memorial service remembering career complete Rotarians from many clubs in our district culminating with each club President placing a yellow rose in a vase for their lost members.
Rotary’s theme for October is Economic and Community Development, which meshes with the Club’s signature project, the Community Cares Chest. More than 30 nonprofits collected vitamins, juice, books and other sundries to distribute to those they serve.
Members who joined this month are: Brady Armstrong, chief development officer for the Boys & Girls Club of Manhattan; Gena Richardson, CEO of the Kansas Guardianship Program; and Dan Crouch, managing partner with BBN Architects, Inc. of Manhattan.
Carter Richards, sophomore at Manhattan High School, and grandson of Past-President Mitzi Richards gave a brief presentation on his experience with the 2024 RYLA program.
District Governor Tamara Sevcik joined the October 17th meeting, which was her 28th club visit. Her goals for the year are to grow our membership, get clubs to donate to the Foundation and Polio Plus who typically do not, tell our story and to end polio. She and President Randy contributed pocket change for the End Polio Campaign that will span from now through May.
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