banner
JULY 2016
MESSAGE FROM DG BILL DOWNES
 
"ROTARY SERVING HUMANITY"
 
Each year the incoming Rotary International President introduces his or her theme for the year.  The 2016-2017 theme is "Rotary Serving Humanity" - I believe President John Germ chose a wonderful theme.  It is a perfect complement to our efforts to rid the world of Polio.  What better way to demonstrate Rotary Serving Humanity when, in the very near future, we eliminate this awful disease.
As our District's new Lieutenant and Assistant Governor’s and Committee Chairs, and Club’s presidents and their boards take office July 1, let us all be grateful for their leadership, willingness to give of their talents, time and treasure to accomplish all that we have set out to do.
 
I, along with the incoming Presidents and Committee Chairs, have set several goals for this Rotary year.  There are five District goals which are listed below:
  • Giving:  There are many ways to give to Rotary including the Annual Fund and towards Polio eradication.  Each club has entered in their goals for giving this year in Rotary Club Central.  Our District Giving goal of $409,850 is the total of all of these monies.  Giving to Rotary is a personal decision.  I would like to see all members give at least something this year.  Thank you, thank you for your dedication and commitment.
  • Membership Retention and Growth:   The District Membership Team is working hard to help the clubs attract new members.  There are many exciting things going on like Centennial’s new workplace satellite at Allosource.  But we still have much work to do.  It is the responsibility of all members to invite like-minded individuals who will help us advance our cause and serve those in need.  Some say that all that is needed is to “just ask” a potential new member.  Each club has entered their membership goals for this year in Rotary Club Central.  Our District Membership goal of 3,249 is a total of every club’s target.
  • Public Relations:  Rotary has a Master Brand to help unify our image to the world.  This is particularly important as we come to the end of Polio.  Our District has a Public Relations Committee that is ready to guide our Clubs in the new brand use.  Feel free to contact the members of that committee.  Our District Public Relations goal is to have 100% of our District's Clubs incorporating the new brand in their website and Facebook pages.
  • Club Project Database:  The clubs in our District do service projects all over the world and at home every year.  The District Service Resource committee is available to help clubs with their projects and coordinate their efforts.  The Club Project database is a compilation of all of the service projects each club does both locally and internationally.  Our District goal is to have 100% of our District’s clubs enter their service projects into this database.  The link can be found on our District’s website.  Please contact Beverly Mendel, our District Operations Manager, if you have any questions or need help entering this data.
  • Presidential Citations:  The Presidential Citation is there to encourage clubs to be and do better in service and promoting Rotary in their communities.  Each year the RI President (RIP) modifies the goals needed to qualify for the Citation.  Achieving the Presidential Citation just makes for a better club and better service.  Our District goal for this year is to have over 50% of our clubs qualify for this distinction.
I look forward to meeting with the clubs and you in our outstanding Rotary District; to share in your accomplishments and plans for the future; and to encourage and support you as we go down this path together.
 
In conclusion, thank you all for the opportunity and privilege of being your District Governor.  I am very excited to work with you as we end Polio and Serve Humanity. 
 
Bill Downes
District 5450 Governor 2016-17
 
TRACKING RI LEADS HELPS CLUBS STRENGTHEN MEMBERSHIP
 
There are many tools available from RI to clubs and especially Club Membership Chairs that can help in recruitment, engagement and retention of members. One of them is the Membership Leads tool. Once an RI lead is assigned by the District Membership Chair to a specific club, the Club Membership Chair (CMC) can take over in tracking the progression of the potential member. Of course, we hope that the final stage in using the Membership Lead tool is that of inducting that particular lead.
 
A new video, available online, helps district and club leaders make the most of the recently enhanced Membership Leads resource. It shows how to track a prospective member from the initial membership leads submission all the way to connection with a local club. It also outlines the role of club and district leaders in the redesigned process, highlighting how their participation will help strengthen membership, and features the new Rotary resources available to support them.
 
 
Read more...
HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY!
 
In 2016-17, The Rotary Foundation will celebrate its 100th anniversary.  The centennial festivities began at the 2016 convention in Seoul and will end with a celebration at the 2017 convention in Atlanta.
 
In 1917, the seeds of the Foundation were planted with a call to action from the Rotary president and an initial contribution of $26.50.  Today, The Rotary Foundation has an impressive record of improving millions of lives as it enables Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.  In fact, over 1,500 district and global grants totaling $93.9M were awarded during the 2014-2015 Rotary year! 
 
All Rotarians are invited to join in this year of celebration.  District 5450 Clubs are encouraged to organize centennial events to share our Foundation’s many successes with their communities.  You can also continue the Foundation’s tradition of Doing Good in the World by supporting and participating in global and district grant projects.  And, you can honor the Foundation’s history by contributing to the Annual Fund, the Endowment Fund, the PolioPlus Fund, or the Rotary Peace Centers.
 
We should not live for ourselves alone, but for the joy in doing good for others.
–  Arch Klumph, 1929  –
 
NEW ROTARY BRANDING WORKS!
If we don’t toot our horns no one else will!
 
As the PR Committee comes across interesting ideas from other districts and zones, we are going to share them with the clubs in District 5450.  One that just landed in our inbox is from the Montana District 5390 about the new Rotary branding.  Enjoy!
 
       New Rotary Branding Works!
              By Patrick Plantenberg
      District 5390 Public Image Chair
 
 
In Montana, branding has been historically important. 
 
In Townsend, our community image branding we did about 10 years ago has never caught on.  The new Rotary brand works!  At our District Assembly in April at Fairmont, I purchased the new Rotary lapel pins in both the pin and magnetic versions for our club members (See pictures below).  I have always been a believer in wearing my Rotary wheel style lapel pin wherever I go.  Every once in a while, someone would ask “What does it say on your pin?” 
 
Read more...
POLIO ERADICATION - ARE WE DONE YET?
 
The July issue of The Rotarian magazine has a very informative feature article, “What You Don’t Know about The Campaign to End Polio.”
 
Quoting International PolioPlus Committee Chair Michael K. McGovern: “Rotary and its partners have administered 15 billion doses since 2000. We’ve immunized 2.5 billion kids. Repeatedly reaching the kids to raise their immunization levels is very personnel intensive.” “Rotary was there at the beginning,” McGovern says. “It would be unfortunate if Rotary isn’t there at the finish line. We’ve done too much, we’ve made too much progress to walk away before we finish.”
 
So how close are we today? To date in 2016, there have been only 20 polio cases diagnosed. We have less than .01% to complete eradication BUT these will be some of the most difficult and expensive last steps. 
 
Read more...
THANK YOU FROM 2015-16 RI PRESIDENT RAVI
 
My dear friends,
 
On every July 1st, a page turns in Rotary. One Rotary year ends, and another begins; we do not lay down our pen but only lift it from the page, as we write the final lines of one chapter and consider the first lines of the next.
 
The story of the 2015-16 Rotary year has now been written and my friends, you have written it well. We end our year with a net gain of over 30,000 members, and global membership approaching all-time highs. Our convention was the second-largest in Rotary history, with extremely positive reviews. Rotary Global Rewards, launched only one year ago, now contains over 1,350 offers and is approaching 100,000 site visits. And we are closer than ever to our goal of eradicating polio, with only seventeen cases of polio caused by the wild poliovirus to date in 2016.
 
Read more...
SAVE THE DATE: JANUARY 7, 2017
 
RI President's Dinner & Polio Fundraiser
Saturday, January 7, 2017
Denver Marriott South - Lone Tree
 
Keynote Speaker: RI President John Germ
Guest Speaker: Dr. Michel Zaffran, head of Polio eradication for WHO
 
 
 
PARKER ROTARY CLUBS PROVIDE SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY
Rotary Grant Brings Together Rotary Clubs and the Parker Task Force
 
The Rotary Club of Parker, Rotary Club of Cherry Creek Valley Parker and the Rotary Community Corps of Parker recently served the community by donating backpacks filled with school supplies to the Parker Task Force.  This volunteer activity occurred at the Parker Task Force on Longs Way in Parker on Tuesday evening May 31st.  Everyone volunteered together to fill 72 backpacks with all the school supplies needed by students.  Completion of the Rotary club’s service project is a benefit to the community by providing for families in need with assistance in paying utility bills, water bills, school supplies and more.
According to Kam Breitenbach, 2016 – 2017 President of the Rotary Club of Parker, “Money raised for a Rotary District 5450 matching grant and fundraisers held by the Rotary Clubs of Parker allowed Rotary to meet pressing needs in our community.  Rotary members thank everyone who contributed to this important project. You are truly helping Rotary make a difference in our community. Several students from the Lutheran High School volunteered for this project and did an outstanding job.”
 
 
Cherry Creek Valley Rotarian
Cheryl O’Brien with
RCC member Katie Woznick
 
Rotary Club of Parker Rotarian
Randy Hill with
RCC member Doug Snell
 
FOLLOW LILY IN SANTIAGO
 
This year the $30,000 Temple Buell Ambassadorial Scholarship was awarded to Lily Lizarraga Ruelas.  Lily received a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Colorado, Denver this spring, and will be traveling to Santiago Chile, along with her husband David and her 2 small children, and will be enrolled at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile in Santiago and enroll in the Masters in Human Settlements and Environment program.
 
While in Santiago it is Lily’s intent to contact local Rotary Clubs and to involve herself in a Rotary project utilizing her Urban Designs and academic skills.  You can follow Lily’s progress while in Santiago on her blog.  https://theurbana.wordpress.com
 
Read more...
UNIVERSITY HILLS 100% PAUL HARRIS FELLOW CLUB
 
University Hills is a Rotary club in which all dues-paying members are Paul Harris Fellows. The Paul Harris Fellow recognition is given in appreciation to anyone who contributes, outright or cumulatively, or in whose name is contributed, a gift of $1,000 or more to the Rotary Foundation. U-Hills attained the distinction of being a “100 percent Paul Harris Fellow Club" on January 25, 2010, and again in Rotary years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16.
 
The recognition has only been afforded to 6.5% of the 35,122 Rotary Clubs worldwide, and to only two other clubs of the 65 clubs in our District 5450. University Hills, since it chartered on October 6, 1971, has created 367 Paul Harris Fellows, 68 PHF plus and 13 PHF plus eight, with an all-time giving of $889,752.
 
CASTLE ROCK ROTARIANS’ DUCKY DERBY A BIG SUCCESS
 
The Rotary Clubs of Castle Rock, Castle Rock High Noon and Castle Pines hosted the 20th Annual Ducky Derby and Street Festival June 11 in downtown Castle Rock.  Nearly 10,000 rubber duckies were launched into East Plum Creek last weekend to raise money to benefit others.  Castle Rock Rotary President Gordon Allott said this year’s effort was the best fundraiser in the history of the event, and gross income was expected to be more than $50,000.
 
Read more...
SAVE THE DATE: OCTOBER 1, 2016
 
 
               First Annual Water Toy Race
     Interact & Colorado High School Teams
              Chatfield State Park - Littleton
                        Watch for details!
 
ATLANTA RI CONVENTION - JUNE 2017
 
ANNUAL CLUB GIVING REPORT JUNE 30, 2016
 
The attached report shows year-to-date giving to The Rotary Foundation and End Polio by club, and per capita.  The District 5450 goal is for Every Rotarian to give something Every Year (EREY).
 

Sponsors
Interested in being a sponsor?
Download the website sponsorship guide
Russell Hampton
National Awards Services Inc.
Sage
 
 

 
Rotary District 5450 - Colorado, USA
Submit Articles by the 25th of the Month to:  office@rotary5450.org