The state of our city is strong, but recovering and changing.
In her first State of the City speech, Mayor Sharetta Smith told us that she is focusing attention on what matters most to citizens in five key areas: housing and neighborhood stability, growing our economy, public safety, students and working families, and city services. She told us that the number one priority in the 2022 budget is safety services with funding for additional personnel and increased wages. It also includes investments to expand the inventory of affordable and market rate housing, support for crime prevention programs, new technology, upgrades for the downtown streetscape, repairs to streets, sewer systems and other infrastructure, and workforce development. Smith told us that Lima has many problems, among them: wages are not keeping up with cost of living; violent crime is on the rise; only 6% of Lima residents have bachelor's degrees; a scarcity of quality housing and missing middle class and affordable housing; and 6,000 properties that need significant repairs. She says she is working on solving these problems by walking the wards and talking to people about what they want in their neighborhoods; meeting with business owners to see what support they need and meeting other elected officials to find ways to collaborate. She has created a position of Workforce and Small Business Development Specialist to help connect business owners and entrepreneurs with available resources and she also plans to create an early learning initiative, academic enrichment programs, and job training programs. She has also spearheaded the Lima Community Improvement Corporation to acquire and rehab properties in the city so they can be sold to responsible owners, and is taking a more aggressive approach to code enforcement to help rebuild neighborhoods. Smith says that by working together we can make Lima a better place to live.
The Lima Rotary Club is exploring projects that Empower Girls.
Our Rotary International President has an initiative called “Empowering Girls." Rotary clubs and districts can participate by creating and implementing projects that enhance the quality of life for girls and improve girls’ chances of enjoying safe, healthy, and productive lives. Clubs can also modify existing projects to include components that focus on empowering girls. Lima Rotary is establishing a committee to develop a project or projects that work toward empowering girls. Our first meeting will be on Monday March 21 at 11 am in Room 6 at the Civic Center. This will be a brainstorming meeting to review current programs in our community and develop suggestions for collaboration with them or for a new program. Anyone interested in helping is welcome to attend. If you are interested but are not able to attend, please email Dr. Susan Hubbell at shubbell@wcoil.com. Also if you have any suggestions regarding projects, please email Dr. Hubbell.
Join us for the next Lima Rotary Club social night on March 23.
It’s that time of the month again! Rotary social hour is approaching fast. We are asking any Rotarians available and interested to join us! This month we will be meeting at Fat Jack’s Pizza located on Spencerville Road, from 5-8 p.m. on March 23rd. Come as you are for some pizza, cold drinks, and fun! We look forward to seeing you there.
Keep an eye out for future social events, we have some fun things, patronizing our most cherished local businesses, coming up in the next few months!
The Lima Rotary Club's Spring Blood Clinic is April 30.
The Lima Rotary Club's Spring Blood Clinic is an outstanding opportunity to receive a variety of blood screenings at a low cost. Don't miss your opportunity to receive this valuable check on your health. You may download the registration form here. Please fill it out and bring it with you to the clinic.
At the time of this correspondence, 2.5 million Ukrainian refugees are fleeing war and are in need of immediate assistance.
Recently, someone has come forward within our Rotary District and offered to match our donations up to $50,000 for the Disaster Response Fund. All contributions need to be made to the Rotary Disaster Response fund by April 30, 2022, so that these donations are prioritized for the Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis. If we raise more than $50,000 between March 6 and April 30, I will suggest we make a contribution to ShelterBox.
The generosity of District 6600 Rotarians has always exceeded expectations. I know our hearts are breaking for the people of Ukraine. I do not wish to put any stress on you personally, just do what you can, whatever you can, in service to others. I am thankful for each of you.
Your club's President-Elect and Assistant Governor heard more about this Ukraine donation initiative at their training this past Saturday. Jim Murray, from the Huron Rotary Club, has volunteered to help us coordinate donations from club's foundations and answer questions regarding individual donations. Jim can be reached at 415-640-0027, or via email at jim.w.murray@gmail.com.
You're invited to the Napoleon Rotary Club's Virtual Reverse Raffle on March 26th.
The Napoleon Rotary Club is holding its annual Virtual Reverse Raffle on Saturday, March 26 at 7:00 p.m. and you're invited. The entire event is virtual and you need not be present to win.
Here is the link to register and the QR code to purchase tickets. If you have any questions, please contact Michelle at 419-438-0940.
According to the latest statistics from UNHCR, an estimated 84 million people have been forcibly displaced globally as of mid-2021. Within this group, 26.6 million are refugees and 4.4 million are seeking asylum. As the number of displaced individuals grows globally, including with the current crisis in Ukraine, civil society organizations including Rotary clubs and districts are stepping up to help in resettlement efforts.
Clubs support refugee resettlement efforts worldwide
Rotarians and Rotaractors have supported refugee resettlement in different ways across the world. In the United States, according to preliminary results from a survey of U.S.-based club and district leaders conducted by Rotary International in January, almost one in five (17.4% of 890 responses) indicated their club or district was already engaged in supporting Afghan refugee resettlement efforts.
The five most common activities Rotary members have undertaken in the U.S. include the provision of basic household items and furnishings; the provision of appropriate clothing to the climate/season; the provision of adequate food supplies; assistance with enrollment in English language training; and assistance with employment services, health services, and public benefits. Through their work, many clubs are partnering with leading refugee resettlement agencies to welcome and offer long-term support to newcomers settling in their communities. For clubs not yet engaged, there is interest in supporting the resettlement efforts. The results of the survey are encouraging in terms of Rotarian contributions and the potential to engage even more clubs and districts in sharing their time to support refugees.
Around the world, many more clubs and members are helping welcome evacuees in their home communities. For example:
Rotary members in Brazil and Colombia partnered with local organizations to provide meals, medical supplies, and professional development opportunities to refugees from Venezuela.
In Canada, the Rotary Club of Amherst worked with local religious institutions to sponsor and welcome families from Syria.
In Uganda, the Rotaract Club of Nakivale, which is based inside a refugee settlement, helps new arrivals by providing supplies, organizing activities, and mentoring other young people.
Across Europe, clubs and districts are providing warm clothing, food and infant formula, and essential supplies for women, children and elderly refugees arriving from Ukraine. Many are also opening their homes to provide a safe and warm place for refugees leaving Ukraine.
Higher education for youth: another opportunity to help
There are many opportunities to help families who have relocated to your community, including ensuring that young refugees have access to education opportunities. One way to support newcomers is through scholarships provided either by Rotary clubs or by colleges and universities to qualified young women and men who have sufficient mastery of the local language or can acquire it.
But for this to work, at least two conditions are needed. First, college and university scholarships need to be made available for refugees. Ideally, the offer should be a full scholarship. Colleges and universities would need to assess the ability of potential scholarship recipients to succeed in their course of study, which would require minimum credentials to be met and verified. Clubs and districts could provide individualized support to scholars during their studies. Many universities have programs that provide an alternative route into higher education for groups that wouldn't otherwise meet stringent entry requirements, and these programs should be used where offered.
In addition, the availability of scholarships for refugees would need to be publicized so that qualified individuals could apply. It is likely clubs can help aspiring scholars complete their application. Clubs could help with outreach to newcomers through various channels, including by contacting national resettlement agencies and their institutional partners.
Rotarians and Rotaractors can play a role in suggesting to universities the opportunity to provide scholarships to refugees, while ensuring that refugees and the agencies that are working with them are aware of these scholarships. As one example, following a discussion in a meeting of our Action Group’s board, Adémar Bechtold, a Professor of Economics at Notre Dame University of Maryland in the United States, contacted the University’s President to inquire about offering one or two scholarships to Afghan refugees. Founded in 1895, Notre Dame University of Maryland was the first Catholic college for women in the United States to award the baccalaureate degree in the U.S.—and they have been leading the way in women's education ever since. Dr. Yam and her administration generously committed to provide two full tuition scholarships for young Afghan women. The local Rotary community is now helping make this known so that qualified Afghan refugees can apply. If you would like to know more about this particular opportunity, please contact me through the Rotary Action Group website at https://www.ragforrefugees.org/. Additional information about Notre Dame of Maryland University is available at www.ndm.edu.
Conclusion
There is much that Rotarians and Rotaractors can do to contribute to refugee resettlement effort. If you are already engaged, let us know what you are doing. If you are not yet engaged but would like to be, we are in the process of preparing guidance with practical Rotary examples to help clubs and districts evaluate how they are best positioned to engage.
Read more about the Rotary Action Group for Refugees, Forced Displacement, and Migration on their website, http://www.ragforrefugees.org. If you are interested in implementing projects, in contributing and sharing knowledge, or in raising awareness on the plight of refugees, internally displaced persons, and other migrants, and the solutions that improve their lives, please get in touch.
Editor’s note: In response to the deepening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, The Rotary Foundation has created an official channel for Rotary members around the world to contribute funds to support the relief efforts underway by Rotary districts and has designated its Disaster Response Fund as the main avenue for contributions. Read more.
Tools and skills for critical thinkers and peacemakers.
To create peace and resolve today's challenges, we must be able to discern between fact and fiction. The first question in the 4-Way test: IS IT THE TRUTH? Learn what it means to be "news-literate". Differentiate news from all types of information, Develop the skills and habits necessary to be reliably informed. Please join on for a 60 minute webinar. Please register below.
Thursday, March 24, 2022 - 7:00 pm - Webinar - Tools & Skills for Critical Thinkers & Peacemakers
This webinar is presented by the NEWS Literacy Project's John Salva. The webinar presents an essential TOOL in the Peacemaker's toolkit. For more information, please see the attached flyer.
Register NOW for Tools & Skills for Critical Thinkers & Peacemakers
On the road with the International Recreational Vehicle Fellowship of Rotarians
Rotary Fellowships provide an opportunity for members to explore their hobby with others around the world. Members of the International Recreational Vehicle Fellowship of Rotarians (RVF) have a common bond—a love for recreational vehicle camping, travelling, and making friends. The fellowship started in the United States in 1972 and has now grown to around 900 members from the United States, Canada, parts of Europe, and Australia. We spoke to RVF Secretary Debbie Conover about her experience.
Conover was first introduced to the fellowship in 2004. She explained, “It was my husband Geary's idea. He wasn’t a Rotarian, but he was always working behind the scenes. He thought RVing would be a way to meet people with similar community values.” Conover and her husband have been members ever since. Membership in Rotary Fellowships is open to any interested individual, so you don’t have to be a member of a Rotary or Rotaract club to get involved.
The RVF hosts regional gatherings across North America and Australia several times a year with one large Annual Rally of up to 100 vehicles. Conover shared, “My first rally was in 2005 in Chicago for the Rotary International Centennial Convention. It stands out because of the camaraderie and how much fun it was to be in a large group from all over North America.”
The tradition continues to this day. In fact, the fellowship will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year. To commemorate the occasion, members will meet up in Kerrville, Texas, United States, before the Rotary International Convention in June and then travel together to Houston, Texas where they’ll hold their Annual Rally.
The fun and connections aren’t limited to RVF-organized events. “After the 2010 Annual Rally in Montreal, my husband and I traveled across Canada and visited with fellowship members along the way. What a great way to travel,” Conover shared. In addition, “Many impromptu rallies have happened at our place in Tucson, Arizona, United States with members from Canada, Australia, and other parts of the United States visiting at the same time.”
If you’re interested in sharing your passion for recreational vehicles with others, contact the fellowship through their website: rvfrinternational.com. As Conover expressed, “The RVF highlights the Rotary spirit of fellowship and community through the ways we share ourselves and discover other cities in the process.”
Learn more about the International Recreational Vehicle Fellowship of Rotarians in the November 2021 issue of Rotary magazine.
Training Talk: Training Rotary Leaders Around The World
Updates on Board decisions
We have some new guidelines for trainers because the RI Board of Directors endorsed these recommendations from its Leadership Development and Training Committee:
Anyone who leads a session for the training seminars for governors-elect and governors-nominee, known as GETS and GNTS, will first take part in a facilitation workshop. The workshop participants will have a chance to lead a practice session and receive feedback.
District officials should fill all training positions based on candidates’ instructional and facilitation skills, not based on their seniority or their experience in unrelated roles.
Browse through the learning opportunities in the Trainer course catalog so you can help facilitators prepare. Write to learn@rotary.org if you have questions.
Exploring the Learning Center
Review the Club Leadership course catalog to find learning plans and courses that you can share with incoming Rotary and Rotaract club presidents and officers to get them ready for their roles.
Help clubs adapt to an evolving world by making sure that officers know about the recently updated course on Leading Change.
As the Rotary Peace Fellowship professional development certificate program grows, you can help clubs and districts identify strong candidates who will put practical skills in peacebuilding and conflict prevention to good use. Share these resources:
Attending our upcoming webinar about the basic features of the Learning Center is a great way to introduce members to its resources and benefits.
The webinar, Optimize Your Member Experience Through Online Learning, will be held 22 March at 10:00 Chicago time (UTC-5). It’s intended for club officers and members who haven’t used the Learning Center, or for anyone who wants to get more familiar with it. Invite members to register for the webinar.
New district administration features in My Rotary
A recent update to My Rotary made it possible for all members to access and search their districts’ records for members to contact and for general district information. Governors and governors-elect can use the improved administration pages to assign district roles and review major trends.
Tell your district’s leaders about these new features:
The ability to search for other members, including district officers
Have you used resources from the Learning Topics area of the Learning Center lately? Explore some of the newest items:
Learning Center Presentation — Use this presentation to promote the Learning Center at a club or district meeting.
Rotary Training: What We Learned in 2020-21 — Find out the lessons we learned about offering virtual training events and how to apply that knowledge to improve your sessions
Learning Plan Deep Links — Download this spreadsheet to find direct links to learning plans that your clubs and districts can easily share in newsletters and on web pages and social media.
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