I'm thrilled to announce that RotaryFest is going virtual on Saturday morning June 20th - save the date! This is where you might say "Wait a minute Edwin, how can you be thrilled about that? RotaryFest was going to be unbelievable. It was going to include golf, theatre, running, biking, food packing, BBQ, Winston Churchill and Rotarians (with parachutes) jumping out of planes! How could anything possibly top that?" Keep reading and see if you don't agree that, once again, the stars have aligned for District 6250!
On April 24th I received an e-mail (read more) from Rotary International President Mark Maloney asking if we would be willing to mesh our Virtual RotaryFest with his plans for the opening General Session of the first ever Rotary Virtual Convention. Because Mark made it seem as if the future of Rotary hung in the balance, I quickly agreed. To repeat, save the date, the morning of Saturday, June 20th. By all means invite your Rotary friends from around the country and the world. Join me in hoping for terrible weather that day :) Registration details will follow in the near future. Click on read more for preliminary details!
Posted by Jennifer Jones - Rotary Foundation Trustee
We are pleased to invite you to participate in a COVID-19 #RotaryResponds one-hour Telethon to raise critical funds for disaster response. This Facebook Live event will be simulcast on the Rotary International Facebook page. The goal is to raise more than $1 million dollars.
Rotary’s 1.2 million members across the globe have taken swift action to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than $4 million in Rotary Disaster Response Grants have already been put into action on the frontlines to battle COVID-19. Full List of Disaster Relief Grants Awarded to Date. Additionally, millions more have been raised by our #PeopleofAction - they have responded quickly and are truly saving lives. Now, we need to do more and the need for additional funding is a priority.
As I've traveled around the District this year I've been telling a story about a Girl From Nepal and I've tried to blend her story into some of the bigger themes of Rotary.
In March I visited with the esteemed members of the Wisconsin Dells Rotary Club and then ... COVID. Plans to spend three April weeks in La Crosse and Marshfield had to be scraped.
How to make a virtual Zoom visit somewhat more compelling than 20 minutes of talking Ed head. The answer? Speed up the development of a video originally planned for RotaryFest premier! Enjoy the video; the next chapter will be revealed at virtual RotaryFest ... the Girl from Nepal will be there; no matter where she is or where you are!
.... and how a group of Rotarians from District 6250 went on a Rotary Friendship Exchange that ... read more.
Posted by Jan Bonsett-Veal - District Youth Exchange Chair
Just keeping everyone in the loop. The chairs for Central States Rotary Youth Exchange are meeting each Thursday to discuss changing situations in the world of youth exchange. As a group we believe that it is too soon to determine if we should end the program for the 2020-21 year. We have also talked about delaying the start if school is not in session.
I definitely agree with this view but want everyone to know that 4 of the 20 districts have already decided to pull out for this coming exchange year. Some of these districts serve kids in large metropolitan areas (e.g. Detroit) where the virus has a significant hold. I believe a critical piece will be whether or not school starts back up in September 2020.
At the end of April, 9 of 19 Inbound students have chosen to remain in the US for the remainder of their exchange. One student is working to get a flight arranged to return to Finland. Of our 19 outbound students, 7 are choosing to remain where they are until the end of their exchange year and 3 are making plans to return in mid to late May. The others have already returned.
The La Crosse County Health Department is partnering with The Hunger Task Force, area Rotary Clubs and other organizations, for a drive-thru style food drive.
The Hunger Task Force and the programs that they serve play a vital role right now in providing food to those who are struggling as the number of food-insecure people continues to increase. Many community members served by their partner programs already live paycheck to paycheck and they are seeing more area residents lose their income entirely because of COVID-19 related lay-offs. Channel 8 News Link.
We sure do appreciate your volunteerism and donation to our COVID book fund for Madison Reading Project. With your donation we will immediately be able to purchase new books to distribute to area children. There may be more press to come from other news sources. We'll let you know so you can also share that. Channel 3 News Link.
Posted by Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari - WHO's Regional Director in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
In Across the Eastern Mediterranean Region, the COVID-19 pandemic is putting unprecedented pressure on health workers, health systems, governments, NGOs, the UN system, and most urgently, on communities and families.
As much as I am filled with the same fear and distress that so many others feel at the continuance and uncertainty of this pandemic, I take great comfort and pride in this Region’s response to COVID-19 – specifically, the work of the Eastern Mediterranean Region’s polio programme.
From Afghanistan to Pakistan to Somalia, Iraq, Sudan and Syria, the Rotary polio programme is stepping forward as a vital responder in the fight against COVID-19. In many places, the polio programme is supporting Governments as the first responder and the lead responder.
The Rotary polio programme is providing the most extensive operational response of WHO in support of national plans for control of COVID-19, and it has done so both quickly and effectively. Few saw this pandemic coming, but our polio programme rapidly diverted to meet it.
Posted by Irma Kaminska - RC Olsztyn Varmia, Rotary Foundation Club Officer
Dear District 6250 and the Rotary Clubs of Mayville, Beaver Dam, Columbus and Waupun,
I hope all is well with you, especially in terms of fast spreading coronavirus. Here in Poland situation changes very fast, all schools were closed yesterday and we expect further measures to be introduces even tomorrow. In those challenging times, I would like to share some positive news with you, with regards to Social Kitchen project.
Attached you may see the second report about Global Grant Social Kitchen, showing key events since the first report, which I shared in August 2019. Social Kitchen Report Link with Picture.
Read more below for details on the fire and the rebirth of the Social Kitchen.
Posted by Ronnie Gabalda - PDG District 3850 the Philippines
Greetings to our many friends in District 6250,
I'm very happy to hear that I'll still be "attending" RotaryFest as Rotary's President's Representative! Sanda, Ethan, Ewan & Emmett are fine.
Despite the challenges, I'd say we're lucky having all of us in good health, and actually enjoying each other's company. I cannot say the same for those with less in life and living in urban slums; they are too vulnerable with the virus.
Just like some of you, we have a Exchange visitor who was trapped here. She's the Rotex host sister of Ethan from France and she's here for her school's 3 month internship program in our company.
Fortunately, she was able to get a slot in their country's repatriation program and got home just yesterday after days for maneuvering the quarantine check points from our place to Manila. We wanted her to stay 'til this all blows away but her family wants her home. Hope your exchange will find a way to go home soon.
During the April 28th District Board meeting the Board (Current Board Members) took the following actions. Established the Alumni / Rotex committee as an official committee of the District. Tabled discussion on making the International Service Committee an official committee of the District. Passed District Foundation Committee language that will be incorporated in the District Leadership Plan (DLP).
Tabled discussion on district reserve percentage, excess reserve and DLP reserve language for a possible mid-June special board meeting as additional information concerning 2019/20 expenses and 2020/21 expenses is expected by that time based on decisions by the Rotary International Directors at their April Board meeting (read more below). The Board also heard reports from the District Governor, District Governor Elect and District Governor Nominee.
Finally, Janie Morgan and Joe Ruskey were thanked by the Board for their multiple years of service to the District.
Yes District 6250 had its own Peace Fellow this year! Kenyan Solomon Odero was interviewed by a District Committee this past fall, recommended by our District, accepted into the program and recently completed his three months of training in Thailand. Every year District 6250 is involved in this program at no expense to the District other than some time and energy. In exchange we have the satisfaction of seeing Peace Fellows that we have spoken with and recommended complete the program and obtain jobs around the world in all types of for profit and non-profit institutions.
Posted by Lyn Kenney - District Global Scholar Chair
District 6250's Global Scholar, Jake Poepping, has just finished his second term of his master’s degree and will finish up his third and final term in June before spending the summer on his graduate thesis. He is studying at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Although COVID-19 has resulted in all schooling going online, Jake and his global cohort of course mates are still keeping in touch and are looking forward to studying public health and international development together via Zoom and other innovative teaching methods. He will graduate in September 2020 and then hopefully (cross your fingers) will be off to work in maternal and child health in East Africa.
With all the controversy surrounding the World Health Organization over the past month lets take some collective pride in our contributions to that organization. Rotary contributions are almost entirely devoted to the World Polio Eradication effort.
Posted by Larry Dimmet - Rotary International Director
Rotarians of District 6250,
I'm happy to send you your Rotary Zone newsletter ... filled with Rotary stories from the Dakotas to Texas! I especially want to thank the Madison East - Monona club for the story about Ivan Haynes. I read about his life, accomplishments and contributions with great interest.
Thank you, Rotarians!
District 6250's Global Scholar, Jake Poepping, has just finished his second term of his master’s degree and will finish up his third and final term in June before spending the summer on his graduate thesis. He is studying at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Although COVID-19 has resulted in all schooling going online, Jake and his global cohort of course mates are still keeping in touch and are looking forward to studying public health and international development together via Zoom and other innovative teaching methods. He will graduate in September 2020 and then hopefully (cross your fingers) will be off to work in maternal and child health in East Africa.
Rotarians of District 6250,
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