Thank you to everyone who turned out for the Rex Perry Memorial Golf Outing. We had a great time in support of the Lima Rotary Club's scholarship fund.
Wednesday, August 17th was perfect day for our 22nd Annual Rex Perry Memorial Golf Outing. Blue skies and the temperature in the low 80’s made for a day of great golf. 27 teams took part in this year’s outing. Two teams tied with a score of 54, however with the tie-breaker BlueChip Construction prevailed as the winner and netted the team $500! Second place and $300 went to Shawnee Properties Team #4 and Shawnee Properties Team #5 took third place and $200.
Proximity Contests made the day exciting with Ashley Meas winning the Women’s Long Drive, Roger Griffith winning the Men’s Long Drive and Phil Osmon winning the Longest Putt Contests. We had two Closest to the Pin winners on various par 3s throughout the course. These awesome shots belonged to Larry Stechschulte and Jeff Iiames.
Fun games abounded across the course and gave players a break from the competitive action. Scott Jensen won a $250 Gift Card to Von’s Diamonds & Jewelry for guessing the closest number of golf items in the jar for this year’s Guessing Game which was run by Demi Burden & Adah Ellerbrock. Jason Stolly won the Buckeye Long Drive, which was a new game sponsored by The Ohio State University at Lima and run by Lesley Fry. He won a fabulous Yeti Cooler filled with various beverages & koozies. The Civic Center Foundation hosted the Measure the Putt contest, which was run by Carmen Cecala-Wells and is always a huge hit every year. This year Innovative Packaging came out on top and won a $200 Visa gift card for their effort! This year, Mercy Health took over and sponsored The Ball Game which everyone looks forward to every year. Citizens National Bank kept their ball the entire round and won $100 in cash for their tenacity. Only 1 skin was given out this year. It was on hole #17 and Shawnee Properties #5 captured the prize of $440. And finally, Dave Taflinger was the big 50/50 Drawing winner!
Overall, this year’s Golf Outing had 7 major sponsors, 1 major donor for scholarships, and 41 hole sponsors. The total money raised for the Rotary Memorial Scholarship Fund is not available at this point, but the outing is projected to raise over $40,000 again this year. It was a great day of comradery at Hidden Creek Golf Club and a great day to be a Rotarian!
It's that time of season, it's that time of year. The Allen County Fair is here!
The Allen County Fair runs from August 19-27. Manager Troy Elwer told us that they have a lot of fun new entertainment this year, including a butterfly tent, a comedy wild west gunfight stunt show called Tumbleweed Crossing, a dog show, and the return of the Livestock Scramble, which has children chasing and trying to round up livestock. Chris Young and Breland are headlining the grandstand entertainment on August 20th. Troy also told us they have been making improvements to the fairgrounds: there is a new concrete stage on the grandstand plaza that replaces the old wooden one, and the banks of the Roschman Park pond have been repaired and stabilized. Daily admission is $8 for those 7 and up, and free for children 6 and under.
The scholarship committee presented fourteen non-traditional students with scholarships in the amount of $1,000 for fall 2022 at Monday's meeting. Students are pursuing higher education in fields such as Accounting, Radiographic Imaging, Medical Assistant, Bachelors in Finance, Bachelors in Biology and Psychology, Dental Hygiene and Basic Welding. These students plan to attend Apollo Career Center, The Ohio State University-Lima and Rhodes State College. Congratulations to each of them! Currently, the program has awarded scholarships totaling $879,250.
Also at Monday's meeting, we passed the bucket and raised $466.47 for flood victims in Kentucky. Thank you for your generosity!
I’m reaching out to you today to announce our Rotary District 6600’s support of a project and framework to bring Rotary clubs together on Environmental Sustainability – Operation Pollination.
Rotary International President Jennifer Jones is spotlighting Operation Pollination as an important way of supporting the new 7th area of focus: Protecting the Environment. North America hosts one of the most beautiful natural wonders in the world: a 3,000 mile journey that the monarch butterfly makes year after year from Canada through the United States and into Mexico. Operation Pollination is supporting an effort to bolster a vertical pollination garden along the migratory route and raise awareness by asking Rotarians to pledge to protect the crucially important pollinators. In July, the International Union for Conservation of Nature red- listed the migratory Monarch as endangered. This is a big problem because pollinators are essential to our food supply and are responsible for one in every three bites of food we eat.
As such, our Rotary District 6600 has joined in with others along the migration route (between Windsor, Ontario and Morelia, Mexico) to sign Operation Pollination Pollinator Resolutions. We are asking each club to consider joining in with Rotary District 6600 by signing a pledge form alongside DG Diana Savage to acknowledge and support operation pollination and environmental sustainability. This is a great opportunity to highlight what your club is already doing to support the environment, share project ideas, and identify your next environmental project. As we build a network of existing projects and resources, we can collaborate to improve the health and wellbeing of the environment in our communities.
Join us on September 10th at the Dedication and Celebratory Lunch for the New Rotary Riverside Nature Preserve! The cost is $10 per Rotarian to join the picnic lunch and free for any guests you bring along. Please RSVP on dacDB. We will have an Operation Pollination booth at the event where we will have pledge forms available for individual clubs and strategic partners to join in on pledging their support. We look forward to seeing you there and continuing the momentum in Rotary District 6600 to protect the environment!
Please reach out to Mike Noble, serving as Environmental Chair for Rotary District 6600, to discuss having your club sign a pledge resolution or if you’re interested in helping to promote this initiative at your club or in our District.
It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of Past District Governor John Kurfess, Perrysburg Rotary Club.
John most recently served District 6600 as the Membership Chair in the 2021-2022 Rotary year.
John was the epitome of an outstanding Rotarian. Service above self was truly evident in John's daily life. John was a charter member of the Perrysburg Rotary Club, Club President, District Governor in 1995-1996, District Membership Chair, and the biggest MESA supporter.
I had the opportunity to get to know John over the past year during my training as District Governor Elect. John was quick to say hello, he was always willing to help, he hated anything to do with technology, but he was willing to step up when needed. I will miss his guidance, his wit, and his leadership.
Funeral arrangements are pending. Those will be shared as they become available. Please keep the Kurfess' family in your thoughts and prayers.
By Logan Johnson, Youth Exchange and Youth Protection Staff
After a two-year hiatus, Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE), Rotary’s exchange program for students aged 15-19, has resumed in-person exchanges. As we came to terms with the realities of the pandemic in early 2020, new in-person exchanges were paused indefinitely. With the development and distribution of vaccines worldwide, the Rotary International Board of Directors allowed exchanges to resume in the 2022-23 Rotary year.
You might be thinking, “Rotary Youth Exchange seems to be a great opportunity for young people and students, but what can I do to assist the program?”
As it turns out, there are many ways you can participate in Rotary Youth Exchange! Here are just a few examples:
Host students on exchange. Rotary Youth Exchange is an amazing opportunity for students, and being a host family is just as rewarding! As a purely volunteer effort, RYE programs rely on host families who can host one or multiple students through a typical exchange year. To put it in perspective, three to five different host families are needed for every student that goes abroad. With thousands of students going abroad each year, thousands more host families are needed to provide a safe environment for them while they learn and explore.
Volunteer with nearby clubs or district. If your club or district already has an established Rotary Youth Exchange program, they likely have volunteer roles that they need filled. They may need people to organize events for students, language tutors that can help students acquire the local language, or any number of other roles. Reach out to nearby club leaders or a district Youth Exchange committee to get started as soon as possible. If your club(s) or district does not participate in the program, offer to take the lead on helping your district become certified and help increase the number of opportunities for students worldwide.
Promote the Rotary Youth Exchange program! Talk about the program with potential students, their parents, host families, and volunteers. Share the video below to inspire all those key contributors for years to come. And share the video with your friends and family to show them the truly transformative ways that Rotary makes an impact on the next generation of young adults and those that support them.
With so many ways to give back to the program, which will you choose to help make Rotary Youth Exchange a success?
Mark your calendar for the Rotary Zones 30 & 31 conference, September 29-October 2.
Dear Rotary Leaders and Members in the Heart of America,
We’re saving you a seat in Rotary’s future - and a seat at the table at one of Chattanooga’s best eateries! Join longtime friends and meet new ones when the Zones 30 and 31 conference, Pathways to our Future, goes out on the town in Gig City!
Friday afternoon and evening, September 30, is the perfect time to explore all that Chattanooga has to offer - from museums and galleries to whiskey tasting to wine bars to casual dining. Experience gracious hospitality with a Southern flair.
Chattanooga’s dining scene has it all. Pathways to our Future conference participants will receive a guide to all the great dining options to make your Friday Night Live memorable!
Not Registered Yet?Register Here to take your seat at the table!
Membership Minute: Membership and New Club Development Month
Focusing on the comfort and care of our members
August is Membership and New Club Development Month. One of RI President Jennifer Jones' initiatives is to focus on the comfort and care of our members, and Membership Month is the perfect time to make sure that your club provides a welcoming experience. Members are more likely to stay if we listen to them and understand what they want out of Rotary. Here are a few ideas for helping people feel valued and involved:
Make sure your members know that they can develop their leadership skills with professional development courses.
Help your club improve its member experience, service and social events, public image, and operations by taking the Is Your Club Healthy? course.
Remember that for any Learning Center course, you’ll need a My Rotary account. Find more membership resources on My Rotary.
UPCOMING WEBINAR – Registration open
5 Attributes of Successful and Agile Clubs, Wednesday, 24 Augustat 11:00 Chicago time (UTC-5): Have you ever wondered why Rotary loses approximately the same number of members as it brings in each year? Or why some clubs seem to thrive under any circumstances, even during the pandemic? Or what you could achieve with clear data and customized goals? There’s no secret formula for club success, but clubs that are vibrant and growing do have several things in common.
Due to overwhelming demand, a second session has been added on Thursday, 25 August at 18:00 Chicago time (UTC-5). The content is the same for both sessions and will be presented in English. Everyone who registers will receive access to the webinar recording.
Inclusion is vital to the comfort and care of members
The Kaleidoscope Rotaract Club in Minnesota, USA, provides a space for people with autism and their families to connect, lead, and serve their communities. Read about how members in District 5950 are helping nurture this club.
Membership Minute is a bimonthly newsletter that provides the latest membership trends, strategies, best practices, and resources to help strengthen membership in your clubs. The newsletter is sent to Rotary coordinators, district governors, district membership chairs, Rotary club membership chairs, Rotary club presidents, Rotary club presidents-elect, Rotaract club presidents and subscribers. Please forward this to anyone who may be interested.
One Rotary Center, 1560 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60201-3698, USA
In the most recent annual survey of Rotary members, 45% of respondents cited friendship as the reason they remain in Rotary, and 84% said they were satisfied with their ability to connect with friends through Rotary. Meanwhile, 42% of respondents cited the opportunity to make an impact on their communities as the reason they remained in Rotary — another response that would have delighted Rotary’s founder, Paul Harris. Gathering info of this nature is one of the reasons Rotary surveys members every year. Read more about the survey results.
This week's stories
Nominating committee selects president nominee for 2024-25
Stephanie A. Urchick, of the Rotary Club of McMurray, Pennsylvania, USA, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International for 2024-25, a decision that would make her only the second woman to hold that position. She will be declared the president-nominee on 1 October if no challenging candidates have been suggested. Read more about Urchick.
Helping Ukraine, one drill set at a time
When Emory Morsberger received a call from a fellow Rotarian in Georgia, USA, about the urgent need for someone to take surgical drills to war-torn Ukraine, his response was immediate. “I’ll go.” the Atlanta-area Rotarian made two trips to Ukraine in June as part of a Great Rotarian Relay. They are hoping to raise even more money for relief efforts during a telethon 24 August. Learn more in his blog post for Rotary Voices.
Call for breakout session proposals
Help Rotary build an inclusive breakout program that celebrates our diversity, projects, and achievements for the 2023 Rotary Convention in Melbourne. Submit your proposal online by 30 September 2022. Contact conventionbreakouts@rotary.org with questions.
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