Allen County Commissioners plan to renovate the courthouse.
Allen County Commissioners made their annual state of the county speech to the Lima Rotary Club Monday. Brian Winegardner and Cory Noonan told us that they are planning to use a portion of the county's American Rescue Plan Act funding to renovate the courthouse, move all the courts into the building, and construct a new county administration building. "We're working right now to bring in a design firm that's going to meet with all the offices to get an understanding of the space we need, the layout, the configuration," said Noonan. "We're in the process of doing that right now. At the end of the day we think we're in a place to really take care of our structural needs. It's no surprise that our building are aging, they're old, they need significant investments. If we can maybe sell a couple of them an going into a new, it'll make us more efficient." Noonan says the ARPA dollars have be spent by the end of 2026. He says once the new administration building is in place, renovation on the courthouse can begin. "The county's anniversary is 2031. And 2031, I would love for that be the goal of having these projects done. We believe that we have the financing. We have the dollars. We have a plan to complete all this. It's exciting. It's going to be good for the county."
Winegardner added that they are looking to use some of the ARPA funds to upgrade the county's infrastructure, especially water lines and septic sewer lines, and to purchase a new command bus for the county's safety services.
Regarding the future of Memorial Hall, Winegardner told us the commissioners put a new roof on the building last year, but the county government has no specific plan for the building.
Join us February 23 at Old City Prime for a fun evening full of friendship and good food. With a new year come new opportunities, new busier work schedules, and new responsibilities. Let the Rotary Social night help you escape from the day to day hustle. Come spend Thursday night with us at Old City Prime, a friendly space with good people who make you laugh! We look forward to seeing you there!
You're invited to this year's District Conference in Cleveland, OH May 12-14, 2023.
The weekend is full of great speakers, including John Hewko, General Secretary and CEO of Rotary International, member of the Rotary Club of Kyiv, Ukraine, as well as spending Friday evening at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Rotarians are welcome to sign up for all or part of the Rotary Conference Schedule. Registration costs will increase on February 1st so register on dacdb today!
And don't forget to make your hotel room reservations for the Cleveland Marriott Downtown Hotel here.Rooms at the special $169 USD per nightRotary rate are limited in availability. Please book your hotel rooms by Thursday, April 20, 2023 to ensure this special rate.
A multiyear medical mission in Moldova is adapting to both pandemic and war. Stephen Mackler was on a medical mission to Bucharest, the capital of Romania, in 1999 when a colleague pulled him aside to request he join him in going to Moldova. That was the beginning of a medical mission that has spanned decades and multiple countries, adapting to different circumstances along the way. Read more of the story
This week's stories
Meet Rotary’s Champions of Inclusion
Rotary honored six members as People of Action: Champions of Inclusion in January to recognize their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion around the world. The distinction was announced to coincide with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the U.S. holiday that honors the slain civil rights leader. These members and their work exemplify Rotary’s core values and illustrate how inclusivity can make a transformational impact on individuals and communities. Meet the Champions of Inclusion.
Why we need to Expand our Reach
Katey Halliday, a member of the Rotary Club of Adelaide Light, Australia, is a charter member of the Rotaract Club of Adelaide City. Halliday serves on Rotary's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force. Recently, she took time to answer a few questions about the meaning of Rotary’s Action Plan pillar, Expand our Reach. Read her answers, and view her blog post about why DEI is the right thing for Rotary.
Trustees establish targeted funds to aid Pakistan, Ukraine
The Pakistan Flood Response Fund and the Ukraine Response Fund address humanitarian crises caused by flooding in Pakistan and the war in Ukraine. Learn more.
New video inspires members to take action
A new video highlights the programs and resources that can help your club and district increase your impact and make your service more sustainable. Visit the Brand Center to download the video.
Take action to create positive change locally and globally.
Supporting nurses in Moldova
A series of Rotary Foundation global grants has provided funding to modernize Moldova’s nursing program, involving vocational training delivered by the North Carolina-Moldova Nursing Collaborative. This multiyear endeavor has continued through the COVID-19 pandemic and the outbreak of war in neighboring Ukraine to improve the training that nursing students in Moldova receive and enhance the quality of care that nurses provide.
Trustees establish targeted funds to aid Pakistan and Ukraine
In January 2023 The Rotary Foundation Trustees established two temporary funds to assist Pakistan and Ukraine, two areas that are facing extreme need.
Learn more about The Rotary Foundation’s Annual Fund
Did you know that our Annual Fund includes SHARE, the World Fund, and our areas of focus funds? When people support the Annual Fund, our Foundation can approve grants that create positive change in communities close to home and around the world. Learn more about how the Annual Fund supports sustainable, life-changing projects.
Celebrating Paul Harris
In April, we’re honoring Rotary founder Paul Harris, who was born in Racine, Wisconsin, USA, on 19 April 1868. His vision of finding fellowship and making community connections endures to this day. Join us in celebrating the anniversary of his birth by learning about his legacy or making a special gift to The Rotary Foundation. Subscribe to the quarterly Paul Harris Society Resource to receive updates and learn more about how society members are leaders in giving.
GRANT UPDATES
Programs of Scale updates
The first Programs of Scale grant recipient, Partners for a Malaria-Free Zambia, is training and supporting 380 health facility staff members and has added 2,500 trained community health workers to the national health system in Zambia — expanding local access to effective malaria testing and treatment in 10 heavily affected districts. Learn more about the program’s achievements.
Explore the Rotary Voices podcast to learn more about Partners for a Malaria-Free Zambia. A recent episode features interviews with Rotarians who are working in their communities to combat malaria and information about the science involved in fighting the disease. Find the podcast on apps like Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or Spotify.
Find out what we've learned from the fight against malaria in Zambia that can apply to other disease prevention and treatment projects. The Rotary Service in Action blog post highlights the role of community health workers, the importance of bringing treatment to people instead of waiting for them to seek care, and the effective use of technology.
It’s not too early to start working on your 2023 Programs of Scale concept note (the first step in the application process, due in August). Register for the “Programs of Scale Competition: Insights and Tips for Applying” webinar, being held 26 April at 08:00 Chicago time (UTC-5) and 16:00 Chicago time (UTC-5). To learn more about past winners or download the Programs of Scale Handbook and concept note template, visit the Programs of Scale page.
Grant model evaluation: year three
The findings from the latest grant model evaluation are now available. The year three report includes new information about member participation and satisfaction with global grants, how district resources might better support global grants, the need to collect different kinds of data about our projects, the effect scholarships have on the recipients, and the sustainability of global grant projects.
Help desk: medical equipment projects
Are you planning a global grant project that includes providing medical equipment? If so, have you reviewed the updated Disease Prevention and Treatment Guidelines for Global Grant Funding? Medical equipment projects need to include an assessment that specifies the health condition that will be addressed, explains how the equipment is appropriate for the facility that will receive it, and indicates how the facility will be able to operate and maintain the equipment, such as by obtaining replacement parts and securing long-term funding.
Applications are now open for the 2024 Rotary Peace Fellowship! Help us promote it and find the next cohort of global peacebuilders. If you know any peace and development leaders in your community, encourage them to apply for a fully funded master’s degree or professional development certificate at one of our Rotary Peace Centers around the world. You can also use the referral form to tell us about potential candidates. Follow the Rotary Peace Centers Facebook page to learn more or write to rotarypeacecenters@rotary.org.
Preparing to be a district Rotary Foundation chair?
Review this new infographic that outlines the various ways to prepare for your role. If you haven’t used the Learning Center before, go to rotary.org/learn, sign in to My Rotary, and accept the privacy policy so that you can access the infographic. Links to the Learning Center may not work on mobile devices, but you can get to the Learning Center from My Rotary and then search for materials or courses. Send feedback about the infographic to learn@rotary.org.
Updated courses for scholars and vocational training team members
Global grant scholars and vocational training team members now have separate learning plans for their predeparture orientation. Anyone who’s already enrolled in the previous combined course can still access the content until 1 July.
A new video highlights the resources that help clubs and districts increase their impact and make their service more sustainable. It explains how clubs can work with Rotary Community Corps, district resource networks, Rotary Action Groups, and Rotary’s partners to make a bigger difference. Show the video at meetings, training seminars, or other events. You can also use it on social media, in newsletters, or on club and district websites.
Rotary’s 2021-22 annual report is available
Learn what we accomplished this year, discover how clubs are making a difference, hear from donors about why they contribute to The Rotary Foundation, review important financial information, and more in the latest annual report.
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