April 2024

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News & Updates

How much we have accomplished!

We are down to the last quarter of the Rotary year, and our club presidents are feeling it. They have been working hard to make sure that our Rotary club meetings are of value to our members. They have been working with the club leadership to make sure that our service projects are meaningful and impactful. Please take a moment to thank them for being willing to say yes. For their willingness to take the lead.

Now is the time to evaluate how far we have come in the previous nine months. Take a moment to contemplate the projects you have accomplished, the good you have done, and the impact you have made. It is amazing to me how much we have accomplished.

As we take on the last 90 days of the Rotary year, let’s make it big. Let’s accomplish more in the next 90 days than we have in the previous nine months. If there is a project you have been thinking about, do it. If there is someone you have been meaning to invite to your club meeting, do it. If you have been thinking about becoming a Paul Harris Society member, do it now.

Let’s finish this year strong. Let’s go out so big that we cannot be ignored. Not by our communities, not by our state, and not by Rotary International. We are #UtahRotary and there is so much need in the world, let’s get after it. And remember, it all comes down to the power of one.

John Redd

Utah Rotary District Governor 2023-2024

dgjohnredd@utahrotary.org

Call to All Utah Rotary People of Action

Plant trees on Saturday, June 1st

at Pleasant Green Park in Magna

$150,000 worth of trees to be planted this year!

District 5420, through the leadership of Past District Governors Jose Velasco and Jerry Summerhays, have raised $150,000 to purchase trees in collaboration with Tree Utah.

But planting them is up to us!

Needed: 100 Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors and volunteers, especially those closer to the Salt Lake Valley.

When/Where: Saturday June 1, 9 am-noon at Pleasant Green Park, 8000 W 3100 S in Magna, Utah.

Recruit Rotarians and guests as part of your club’s commitment to Governor John Redd’s Power of One Campaign: Engage in Rotary Beyond the Club Level.

For more about Tree Utah click here

“Make Utah a greener place to live, work, and play.”

Greatest Wild Bird Challenge is May 10 to 11 in the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

The Brigham City Rotary Club will hold the Fourth Annual Greatest Wild Bird Challenge from 3 pm Friday, May 10 to 3 pm Saturday May 11 in the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County. Participants will have 24 hours to identify and photograph as many species of birds as they can.

Or you can just come with your family to see birds not ordinarily seen in your backyard and watch the movie "The BIG Year." All participants will receive an event T-Shirt.

Tickets are $35 for group of four or $10 per person.

Proceeds from the event will be added to donations Brigham City Rotary has already raised from local businesses to support the Box Elder County School District Foundation’s "One District, One Book" program, whereby every student family receives a book of their own.

You can participate as individuals or as a group. Individuals and groups with the most birds identified will be given a prize at the closing Ice Cream Social at 5 pm on Saturday. Prizes will also be awarded for the best photographs.

If you cannot attend, feel free to donate. Click here for the website or use the QR code.

Invitational golf tournament in Washington City to benefit the Utah Food Bank

The Washington City Rotary Club invites you to participate in this year’s Mayor’s Cup Golf Tournament Invitational on Monday, June 10 at Green Spring Golf Course in Washington City.

This four-person scramble - men, women and mixed teams event - is $500 per team and includes T-shirts, 18 holes, cart, breakfast, lunch and prizes. Proceeds benefit the Utah Food Bank and Washington City Club service projects.

Entries are first come first serve. Register early with the QR code to ensure your spot. If you can’t place, please consider donating.

For a brochure/application/questions, contact BeverlyBWhipple@gmail.com (435) 705-1857

International Projects

Three Utah District Rotary clubs are developing projects with large budgets of $150,000 to $250,000. Your $1,000 or more club or personal commitment can help qualify them for much more matching money from the district and from The Rotary Foundation, and even inspire other Districts to want to help.

Global Grant irrigation project - Armenia

The Spanish Fork Rotary Club is looking for at least two other District 5420 clubs to partner on a Global Grant to support an economic development irrigation project in Armenia.

Please contact Eryn Rogers at eryn.rogers@gmail.com for more information or to make a pledge.

Tuberculosis prevention in Nepal

The Salt Lake Rotary Club is on its way to providing a new safe and effective short TB preventive treatment in Nepal but needs morehelp.

Contact Scott Leckman to join this terrific project at leckman@xmission.com.

Equipt & Teacher Training - Budapest

The Moab Rotary Club intends to provide equipment and teacher training for 700 Ukrainian refugee K-12 students in Budapest, Hungary.

At this application stage money is not needed, only commitments so their budget can be completed. Contact Steve Getz for more information at sagetz@aol.com.

If you want to find your own international project, one good way is to attend a project fair somewhere in the world. Google “Rotary Project Fairs” for details. I especially recommend the project fairs in Ecuador and Colombia.

-Jerry Summerhays, SummerhaysGS@gmail.com.

Four Utah Clubs tour Columbia to fund deserving projects

In March Utah Rotarians from the Murray, Bountiful, Latino-Hispanic and West Jordan clubs visited three Columbian Rotary clubs to donate and learn about their humanitarian projects.

The first stop was the Rotario Club de Laurales in Bogota, - their project: the prevention of malnourishment. The Laurales Rotary Club has created140 mill operations which produce milk and soybean paste used to make soybean pretzels, breads, brownies and cakes. The $4000 from Murray and $6500 from a District Grant/Bountiful/Latino-Hispanic added to the $90,000 raised by the Laurales Foundation to start new community mills and expand their coverage to more Colombians needing nutritious food.

The Utah Rotarians visited the Bogota Santa Barbara Rotary Club. With donations from the Utah Latino-Hispanic Club - $1000 – and the Murray Rotary Club -$600 – they combined their own $1,500 to support a 190-child school and senior center in rural Poco Lama, a poor, high-crime area.

The group also visited Communa 13/San Javier in Medellin to see how one of the most dangerous areas in the world has revitalized their city by connecting districts on steep hillsides with large outdoor escalators. Over 10 years, street criminals have become artists, musicians, rappers and hip-hoppers. Throughout Communa 13 you hear boom boxes and see athletic young adults rapping and hip-hop dancing. The graffiti and outdoor wall art is fantastic. The trip, both educational and philanthropic.

Jim Wilcox

Murray Rotary

Community Service Projects Coordinator

RYLA is transformative for teens

and a few spots are still available!

Teens who attend Rotary Youth Leadership Academy say things like:

"I never thought of things that way before."

"I feel so much more confident."

"I can't believe I made such good friends."

RYLA is transformative because it's an away-from-home experience focusing teens on life and leadership in a safe environment with peers from all over the state and knowledgeable adults.

Details

The camp will be held at Wasatch Academy in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, June 10-13.
Student Camper Application: https://www.IsMyRotaryClub.org/App/?ID=151
Facilitator Application: https://www.IsMyRotaryClub.org/App/?ID=155

There is still room - Don't let a deserving teen miss out! Reach out to school teachers and counselors, school PTSA officers, city youth council advisors, church leaders, past RYLA attendees from your club, athletic coaches, children and relatives of Rotarians. Apply for a grant from the Rotary Youth Foundation (see below).

Rotarian facilitators are needed! You will work closely with a peer RYLA alumni counselor to move the students through their courses throughout the day, keep them safe and focused, and have a lot of rewarding fun while you are at it. Facilitators attend for free, and rooms and food are provided. Youth Protection Program training and a background check must be completed.

Sydney H. King

Rotary District 5420 RYLA Chair

801.232.8476

Apply for Rotary Youth Foundation Grants

Utah Rotary Youth Foundation funding is available to support your club’s youth programs and projects such as Interact, Rotaract, Rotary Youth Exchange and RYLA (June 10-23, 2024).

It’s easy to apply for a grant - to find out how, reach out by email to URYfoundation@gmail.com.

Utah Rotarians can also support youth programming by purchasing a Rotary-Humanitarian license plate in Utah.

Moab was a memorable experience.

In March, our District's six long-term Rotary Youth Exchange students made their way to Moab for what has become an annual event.

Hiking the Arches, riding horses at the Red Cliffs Ranch, dinner at the Moab Diner and the Branding Iron, shopping downtown Moab and Ice cream treats were a few of the activities they enjoyed.

Dinner at Melinda and Monte's home the students loved playing pool and relaxing in the hot tub. Many thanks to Melinda and Monte and the Moab Rotary Club for hosting the wonderful weekend and sharing their lives with our international ambassadors!

Are you feeling like a Smiling Snowman? Or a grim skull?

When I took this picture, I was taken by the huge contrast. The smiling snowman and the skull! I decided it was a representation of District Grants!

The smiling snowman are Rotarians receiving their District Grants.

The skull is the much dreaded and terrifying final report.

Come on guys and gals! The final reports are a simple one-page accounting of what you did with receipts attached and sent to your club’s District Grant Coordinator. The District then reviews the reports and they are then submitted to Rotary International. It’s time to get the District Grant final report in!

How would you like to make the smiling snowman bigger than the skull? If you have got your final report in or can get it in quickly, your club may well be eligible to receive additional funds for portions that your club paid on your project. Get your reports in. Within weeks we will be able to give you more money.

Your District Grant coordinator will have information on this “smiley face snowman” option by next month, but only to clubs that get their final report in!

Bruce Powell

Utah Rotary District Foundation Chair

Bring a guest this month.

In the spirit of fostering community engagement and growth within our Rotary organization, we are excited to announce our initiative to encourage each Rotarian to extend a personal invitation to bring one guest to our meetings this month.

As a membership-driven organization dedicated to service, it's crucial that we continually introduce new individuals to the impactful work and camaraderie our club offers. By inviting someone you believe embodies the spirit of Rotary service, you not only broaden our network but also strengthen your personal connection with them, laying the groundwork for future collaboration and contributions.

Let us seize this opportunity to share our passion for service and make a lasting difference together. Create your list of top-level individuals who you want to invite to attend Rotary and become a member.

Brent Parkin

District 5420 Membership Committee

(801) 698-5444

Rotary Peace Fellowships still open.

Have a Peace presentation at your own club.

Peace Fellow Applications are still available! If you know anyone interested in applying, please have them contact District Peace Chair Kris Swanson.

Invite District Peace Chair Kris Swanson to your club hear her presentation, "Create Your Piece of Peace" and learn how you can create more peace in your own life and your community.

For either opportunity, kris@creativecommconcepts.com or call 970-309-3353.

Rotary Direct keeps on giving.

One way you can help Rotary continue to do good in the world is by enrolling in Rotary Direct, the Rotary Foundation's recurring giving program.

Because contributions are automated, donors need not worry about sending checks or remembering to make an annual contribution on time. Paul Harris Award recipients can ensure they receive a new pin every year. Rotary Direct saves time and reduces administrative costs. Monthly, quarterly, and annual gift options are available.

Click here to enroll on the Rotary Direct webpage.

You too can help the Foundation fund more than 1,100 global grants, 470 district grants, and 310 disaster response grants, like they did last year.

The Club Hub

Get ideas, support other clubs! Send your service projects & fundraisers to

Newsletter Editor Lola Beatlebrox for this monthly section of the newsletter.

We were overstaffed that night! The Bountiful Rotary Club came out in force to help at the Bountiful Food Pantry! We had amazing attendance.

We enjoy being together and serving our community.

March was a busy month for the Ogden Rotary Club! The Club was able to continue the tradition of giving a physical dictionary to every 3rd grader in both Weber and Ogden School District once again. This tradition has been ongoing for decades by the Ogden Rotary Club and it's something the Rotarians look forward to every year. In addition to the annual Dictionary Project, we also got to hear from an author, Sam Daley-Harris on his book Reclaiming Our Democracy and Kenneth Applegate on his message of The Untapped Power of Gratitude.

On March 14 UVU Rotaractors Stephan Atkinson, Janessa- Michelle Purcell, Noah Farnsworth, and Braden Birbara together with Dastan Abikov, and Aidana Nurlanova, Rotaractors from Bishkek Nomad Club, and the Kyrgyz Republic, advocated for women and girls at the side event within the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations headquarters. This was achieved through a student-engaged learning model, which encourages students to work jointly on resolving real-world problems with their teacher mentoring them. In addition, Rotaractors together with Rotarians from Bishkek Club, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Orem-Lindon Club, discussed joint projects to implement six priority goals of Rotary International as well as to empower mountain women and girls in both states.

Hurricane Valley Rotary teamed with the Hurricane High School Interact Club to collect and donate $1,000 worth of new socks to Switchpoint Community Resource Center. Rotarians Patty Nation and Mickie Bond delivered the socks to SwitchPoint, which coordinates a variety of resources available throughout the community to offer more comprehensive help to the homeless and those struggling with poverty. The high school Interact advisor, Jennifer Clark, said Interact members created banners and posters to advertise the drive, and they took flyers to teachers to display in their classrooms. “It was fun,” she said, “to see the students collaborate, promote the idea to the school, and interact with teachers and other students as they worked toward a goal.”

The Millcreek Rotary Club spent an evening in March packing boxes at the Utah Food Bank! Founded in 1904, Utah Food Bank has operated under various names but has remained true to a mission of Fighting Hunger Statewide.

317,000 Utahns, which equates to 1 in 11 individuals, are at risk of missing a meal today. Even more alarming is that 1 in 10 Utah kids are unsure where their next meal is coming from.

Last year, they distributed 60.2 million pounds of food, the equivalent of 50.1 million meals, to people facing hunger across the state.

Thanks for all your hard work Utah Food Bank and thanks for letting Millcreek Rotary Club be a part of it for one night!

RRCI staff told Washington City Rotary Club members the nonprofit independent living center serves people of all ages with any type of disability – and their mission is to help these individuals live as independently as possible. RRCI’s serves nine Southwestern Utah counties and provides services to more than 10,000 individuals each year through education, personalized services and assistive technology.

RRCI's vision is that individuals with disabilities and seniors in southwestern Utah achieve their maximum level of independence with full inclusion across all environments. They provide a number of programs for seniors, youth and the blind, among others. Staff and those served by RRCI believe people with disabilities have and exercise the same right as everyone else to live life to the fullest.

As per the Orem-Lindon Rotary Club tradition of serving local communities, Rotarian Cathy Ambrose spoke to 27 students and their parents at the Gunnison Valley High School’s National Honor Society Induction Ceremony.

She was invited to speak by advisor Lars Johnson due to her work with UVU Rotaractors and Hope4Orem, inspiring the high school’s BOMB (Bring Out My Best) squad to address suicide prevention.

Cathy spoke on the need for self-belief, to serve others, and to balance personal growth with mental health.

She also donated 10 copies of Mindset by Dr. Carol Dweck to Gunnison Valley High School.

The Park City Sunrise Rotary Club held their biannual Sunrise Poker Party in March. Players anted in a $275 donation to the Sunrise Rotary Foundation which is, in turn donated to District Peace projects. The Paull Harris points were bestowed on first, second and third place winners along with some Rotary bling. The Poker Party attracts non-players and significants as well because the pot luck is always FABULOUS. This year Rotarians Georgina Heare and Harvey Goodman won the prize for wearing the fanciest outfits and Mike Troy earned the astonishment award for making Tira Misu FROM SCRATCH HIMSELF!

At the beginning of March, members of Southern Utah University’s Rotaract Club met with members of the Cedar City Rotary Club to discuss the wider world of Rotary and how our two clubs can support each other and our community.

It was a great night of learning new things and making new friends. We are grateful to our sponsoring club, Cedar City Rotary, for all they do to help our Rotaract Club thrive!

St. George Rotary kicked off March celebrating three birthdays: Rotary International’s 119th … St. George Rotary’s 93rd including a mid-year report from board members … and cake with 17 candles which our Leap Year birthday girl Joann Coleman blew out in one big puff! We are also selling our 2nd round of oranges to raise more than $5,000 toward construction of another 125 cinderblock stoves during our 11th Guatemala stoves’ trip (wanna come along?) … and $5,000 more for the restoration of a “Dixie forever” monument in downtown St. George.

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