A Reflection on World Immunization Week April 24-30, 2025.
I’m fortunate to have many incredible people in my life who have been a constant source of inspiration. One of those people is my mother-in-law, Star.
Star had a distinguished career as a public health nurse, dedicating years to visiting under resourced new mothers, infants, and children for vaccinations and wellness checkups. After retiring, she continued her service by volunteering with the Red Cross, focusing on disaster response both locally and internationally. During her deployments, we would often hear from her—updates about her well-being, the people she was helping, and the capacity in which she was serving.
Taking care of and nurturing others has always been important to Star. Making sure her children and grandkids are all up to date on vaccines each year is a common question we are asked during holiday visits. There have even been times when Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa’s included a stick in the arm to safeguard our health and safety.
Star’s commitment to public health has deeply inspired many who’s lives she has touched. I know her work has left a positive impact, making the world a better place.
This year, Rotarians are proud to recognize World Immunization Week from April 24-30, 2025. Each year, Rotary joins the global effort to raise awareness about the importance of vaccines and promote immunization efforts worldwide. This ongoing initiative helps prevent an estimated 2 to 3 million deaths annually from vaccine-preventable diseases, including polio.
Since its launch in 1985, Rotary’s PolioPlus program has played a crucial role in supporting global health initiatives. By building the “plus” infrastructure along with delivering the polio vaccine, Rotarians and their partners have been supporting efforts to protect children from many diseases, malnutrition, and other afflictions.
Like my mother-in-law, Rotary is an inspiration. Our work is as important as ever, and together, we continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Learn more about the “plus” in PolioPlus at https://www.rotary.org/en/plus-polioplus
Tamie
THE DISTRICT IS HERE FOR YOU
PAST DISTRICT GOVERNOR JACK RUMMEL passed away March 9, 2025. Jack joined Boulder Rotary in April of 1972, served as Club President 1979-1980 and was District 5450 Governor from 1995-1996. Among many other awards he was a recipient of the Rotary Foundation Global Service to Humanity Alumni Service Award.
Jack was a lifelong pianist and ragtime aficionado and hosted the weekly ragtime radio program KGNU's Ragtime America from 1980 into the 2000s. Jack was also the founder and co-producer of the annual Rocky Mountain Ragtime Festival. He practiced dentistry in Boulder, Colorado for over 30 years, retiring in 2002.
BEYOND BARRIERS: Advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Through a Culture of Belonging - Attend this informative symposium Saturday, May 10 from 9:00 am to noon at the Epic Campus in Littleton. Learn about DEI - What It Is and Isn’t and Why It Matters. REGISTER NOW!
Rocky Mountain RYLA isNow Accepting Applications through the end of April!Adventures in leadership await this summer! RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) is a life-changing leadership training program where young people learn, develop, and enhance leadership skills and principles in an atmosphere of trust and respect. RYLA encourages and assists current and potential youth leaders in methods of responsible and effective leadership. Many past RYLArians claim, “It was the best week of my life!” Click here to read more about camp dates - plus additional information can be found at https://rockymountainryla.org
DISTRICT MEMBERSHIP MONTHLY AWARD - The District Membership Committee is excited to recognize Jo Schantz-Hall, Lakewood Foothills Rotary, for her outstanding leadership in Membership Development, earning the District 5450 Membership Leader Appreciation Award. Her dedication to refocusing and reenergizing her club has inspired both renewed enthusiasm and a deeper commitment to Rotary’s mission. Congratulations, Jo!
Introducing the ROTARY COMPASS CLUB OF COLORADO – A New Membership Model for District 5450! Rotary is evolving, and so are the ways we engage. District 5450 is excited to introduce the Rotary Compass Club of Colorado—a new district-wide club model launching this spring. This innovative approach is designed to welcome former Rotarians, new prospects, and community leaders who seek a fresh, flexible way to connect with Rotary.
Why the Compass Club?This new model isn’t about competing with existing clubs—it’s about collaboration and ensuring that every Rotarian finds the right fit. While some members thrive in traditional clubs, others may prefer a more flexible, service-driven approach that adapts to their lifestyle. The Compass Club offers an opportunity to explore different District 5450 clubs, experience their unique cultures, and ultimately find a Rotary “forever” home.
How You Can Help:
✅ Be a Rotary Ambassador – Invite former Rotarians and new prospects to experience Rotary in a way that suits them.
✅ Partner with Us – Help guide interested individuals toward the best Rotary experience—whether that’s your club or this new model.
✅ Support the Launch – Share ideas, spread the word, and help shape the future of Rotary in District 5450.
Rotary’s strength lies in collaboration not competition. By working together, we can grow our club membership, expand our reach, innovate our approach, and ensure that everyone has a place within Rotary. Stay tuned for more details—we’re excited to embark on this journey with you!
MARKETING IN A BOX - the District has FREE marketing materials that your club can use at your next event to educate the public about Rotary, including a pop-up tent, printed brochures, a table banner and more! CLICK HERE for more information!
FOLLOW THE DISTRICT ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE!
Follow the District's Facebook page to get up-to-date news and information about interesting things happening in our District and in Rotary around the world.Please follow us:https://www.facebook.com/District5450Rotary/
CLUB CONNECTIONS
ARVADA SUNRISE: Give Old Denim New Life! The club's Sole Hope Grant united an inspiring group of over 150 volunteers, ranging in age from 6 to 104, to cut over 7,500 pieces of upcycled denim in the United States, which were then sent to Uganda, where skilled tailors transformed them into over 630 pairs of life-changing shoes. Donate your 100% Cotton denim (any color) to be made into shoes for kids in Uganda.
This incredible initiative was made possible thanks to the collective efforts of Broomfield Crossing Rotary, Five Points RiNo Rotary, and Arvada Rotary clubs demonstrating teamwork's power across generations to change lives. For more details about Sole Hope's mission and impact, visit www.SoleHope.orgClick HERE to read the full story!
On Valentine's Day, over 20 dedicated BOULDER Rotary Club volunteers came together to assemble and decorate solar panels to ship to Rotary Clubs in Ukraine for distribution to schools, universities, NGOs, and families. Pooling our artistic talents and assembly skills, we penned morale boosting messages in Ukrainian, applied bright sunflower decals, our signature Boulder RC emblem, and plenty of cheerful Valentine hearts.
For many in Ukraine, a cell phone isn’t just a device—it’s a lifeline, alerting communities to incoming missiles and offering a rare means to charge amidst power station bombings. As President Chris says, “It saves lives!"
The AURORA ROTARY CLUB presented Lt. Justin Brown the quarterly Eagle Award for his outstanding efforts and leadership. Aurora Fire Rescue and Aurora Police Department candidates for the award must demonstrate the ability to meet challenges of their job by going above and beyond the call of duty, or someone who exemplifies leadership and a lasting impact on the community. Click Here to read the full story.
Make sure to check out the CLUB EVENTS page and see all of the events happening around the District.
Post your story on your club's website or Facebook page, and then send the link to office@rotary5450.org.Doing so will give your club more exposure - readers will see the story on your club's site, which will let them know more about your club and members.
The Rotary Foundation helps Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty.
FOUNDATION UPDATE
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has given so generously so far this year.
District 5450 has funded over 42 District Grants and 12 Global Grants that have been approved by Rotary International, with another 8 Global Grants currently in the approval process. We've also funded both a Rotary Peace Fellow and a Rotary Scholar for 2024-2025—incredible initiatives that are creating meaningful, lasting change in the communities we serve!
On the fundraising side, the numbers are also encouraging—and we still need your help to finish strong this Rotary year.
Here are a few highlights as of March 31, 2025 (75% of the Rotary year completed):
Overall Giving – Up 1.3% year-over-year, which is excellent news! Just three clubs to go to reach 100% club giving.
Rotary Direct – We’re back up to 350 participants in our District, representing 14% of all Rotarians.
Polio Plus – On track to meet our goal! Just eight more clubs needed for 100% participation.
Paul Harris Society (PHS) – Currently at 306 members, a slight dip from our earlier peak of 318.
Major Donors – We’re exceeding previous years—32 of you have reached this remarkable level of giving.
Benefactors & Bequest Society – We’ve added 9 Benefactors and 8 Bequest Society members this year—that’s more than the past four years combined! Our goal is to reach 20–25 total. If you're considering including Rotary in your estate plans, please reach out—I’ll connect you with one of our knowledgeable team members who can assist. foundation@rotary5450.org
Endowment Fund – The number this year is the highest we've seen in the past decade—amazing!
ARVADA SUNRISE: Give Old Denim New Life! 
On Valentine's Day, 
The 
.png)
