When: We meet Friday mornings from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM.
Where: We meet at the Mequon Public Market, 6300 W Mequon Rd, Mequon, WI 53092.
Program: This week's program will feature our own Bob Blazich who will update us on Rotary Youth Exchange & the International Committee.
The greeter will provide either the thought, a Rotary minute, share a family moment or a cultural tradition ... anything they would like to start off the day positive.
Upcoming "It's your Rotary moment" assignees:
Lucia Francis (12/30)
Cori Guerin (1/6)
Joe Gutsmiedl (1/13)
Dean Johnson (1/20)
Note: If you are unable to act as "It's your Rotary moment" assignee when scheduled please arrange for your replacement.
Club Assemblies have been scheduled for the following date(s): 1/20, 2/17, 3/17, 4/21, 5/19
On Friday 12/23, Josh Lipp, a Good Samaritan, and Mequon Firefighter was injured trying to assist victims in a horrific crash on I41. The off-duty Firefighter/Paramedic was attempting to help fellow motorists in need after they had collided on I41, in West Allis, when he was also seriously injured himself by another vehicle joining the collision. You most likely hear about the crash, but if not, there is a link to the report below.
Josh suffered fractures to his back, hand, jaw, and toe, as well as other injuries. He remains hospitalized at Froedtert Hospital. According to police reports, the driver that delivered the blow did not have a valid license and is assumed uninsured.
Because Josh is family, we are raising funds to help him and his family through this challenging ordeal to show our appreciation for his generous actions. We do have a fund set up in the Fire Fighters union that will help, but we are seeking public and private donations. Our goal is to provide them with the financial support they will need for medical expenses and other unforeseen services so that they can focus their efforts on what matters most – Josh’s healing and recovery.
I am asking that our Rotary family join us in this effort by donating whatever we can; either by a Club grant or private donations, or both. Any little bit will help.
You may contact me if you have questions or are interested in donating. I'm sure you could reach out to Rotarian and Fire Chief Kurt Zellman as well, but he is on vacation right now so I'm not sure of his availability.
There has also been a donation site established at: CLICK HERE
By Tom Gump, member of the RI Membership Growth committee and past governor of District 5950 (Minnesota, USA), and Mykola Stebljanko, public image coordinator in Zone 21A and past governor of District 2232 (Ukraine)
Membership has grown 23.5% in Ukraine since Russian forces invaded the country on 24 February 2022. The region, which comprises Rotary District 2232, has added four Rotary clubs and five satellite clubs. The reasons behind this growth hold important insights for any Rotary club interested in increasing its membership or any district looking to add clubs.
The clubs in Ukraine became more visible in their communities in the days and months after the war began. People are witnessing the positive impact members are having and want to join in on making a difference.
One club, for example, had their members learn to become volunteer firefighters so they could help put out fires, literally, when local building are hit by shelling.
People are drawn to the opportunity to find meaning and purpose when they see real positive change taking place.
Survey results
The example in Ukraine essentially confirms the results of the three most recent Rotary International annual surveys – the all-member, programs and offerings, and leadership surveys. These found that club experience is the single most important indicator of member satisfaction. A Rotary member who does not have a positive club experience won’t find enough value in the club to stay. New members who join a club but find it doesn’t meet their expectation frequently leave. And new members who are never integrated into club activities are most likely to leave no matter what else Rotary has to offer beyond their club.
For Vera Cranmer and Sylvia Worden, two friends in their 80s, it's hard to overstate how much they look forward to their regular visits with the teenage students at a local college on England's south coast. "We savor these visits like reunions with long-lost friends," Worden says.
The women live independently in their homes in Chichester, a picturesque and vibrant cathedral city near the sea. But Worden, who once worked as a teacher there, was widowed a few years ago, and her outings in town are far less frequent. Cranmer, too, has had to cope with feelings of isolation.
Today, though, the two women are among a dozen elders, as they call themselves, having a lively discussion about the royal family with the students at Chichester College. "I really enjoy the discussions with the young people. Some of them are so aspirational," says Worden. "I am probably one of the younger elders there, but I've made good friends with a lady who is 92. It's a great outlet for a lot of the older residents."
Cranmer, 88, agrees. "Sometimes I'm not sure if I want to go out, but when I come back home, I feel I've had a good morning. It's nice to meet other people like myself, but it's really nice to meet the youngsters, to see a different side and come back feeling positive." Cranmer once worked as an occupational therapist, specializing in caring for people with cerebral palsy. These days, she has difficulty walking and depends on the on-demand minibus transport to get to the college. "I couldn't manage without it," she says.
Impressed by the work of District 3201 following a 2018 monsoon, Mumbai-based technology company Atos Global IT Solutions and Services decided to collaborate with Rotary members in its corporate social responsibility endeavors.
The company donated nearly $300,000 for two global grant projects. About $250,000 of that funded construction of 31 low-cost shelters to house 126 displaced people in a project that involved eight Rotary clubs in Kochi (formerly Cochin) during the 2018-19 Rotary year. The second grant to support the installation of 25 water purification plants is underway in Kerala. “We found the Rotary organization in India was the best suitable organization to partner with because of their volunteer-based organizational structure offering negligible or minimal administration cost,” says Nasir Shaikh, a senior vice president with the firm.
Damodaran Vellannur — a coordinator of the housing grant, past president of the Rotary Club of Cochin Midtown, and now a member of the Cochin Titans club — lauds the creation of the 500-square-foot homes as “a sustainable, well-executed humanitarian project.”
Every Rotarian, Every Year (EREY) is the fundraising initiative designed to encourage support for the Foundation's Annual Fund. EREY aims to engage every Rotary club member by: Encouraging members to contribute to the Annual Fund every year. Encouraging them to participate in a Foundation grant or program every year.
The clubs in Ukraine became more visible in their communities in the days and months after the war began. People are witnessing the positive impact members are having and want to join in on making a difference.
