District 5420 Newsletter - August 2024

We'll hit this one out of the park!

Hello Rotarians!

August is Rotary International Membership Month! This is a great time to dig into our District’s campaign of “The Power of We.” Working together we can achieve our target of 2025 by Twenty Twenty-five. [2025 members in our district by June 30, 2025.]

By now your club president may have presented Challenge Cards to help YOU set a goal to reach out to someone you know who may be interested in joining Rotary. If you haven’t seen the Challenge Cards yet - you will soon! Ask your Club President about them.

My staff and I have been working hard to get the District Website up and going. It’s still very much a work in progress, but I invite you to check it out. UtahRotary.org Your needs, thoughts and wants about the website are important to me. I value your opinions and ideas. If you have a suggestion of something you’d like to have included on our website, you may contact me at Rotaryboyer@gmail.com.

Please review the articles in this newsletter about our upcoming District Conference. It will be held in Cedar City on Friday & Saturday, September 27 & 28. The committee is planning and organizing an incredible event for you. They’ve heeded the saying:

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”

With that in mind, they want to go from a traditional conference to one that will be interactive, fun and will energize and strengthen our district. It will be a conference like you’ve never experienced before. Our Conference Chair, Brooke Twitchell, has said over and over:

“We want to hit this out of the park!”

I invite you to come join us in this Historical Conference for our district.

Todd Boyer

Utah Rotary District Governor 2024-2025

RotaryBoyer@gmail.com

Cedar City is nestled up against Cedar Breaks National Monument and will be the host for this year’s historical UtahRotary District Conference. This fun conference will be a unique experience jammed packed with interactive Rotary learning games, Rotary team building activities, and an opportunity to collaborate with other clubs to compare accomplishments and get ideas sure to inspire Rotarians and make clubs stronger.

This RYLA-like approach to a District Conference will be sure to build goodwill and better friendship between individuals and clubs. Over $10,000 will be available for clubs who attend in increments from $300 to $1,000 dollars for club achievements and individual accomplishments in various categories.

The conference will be historical in the following ways:

First, the conference will be held in the fall rather than the spring. This change will relieve the pressure of so many Rotary events occurring in the spring (i.e. PETS, Club Assembly, usually District Conference, and the Rotary International Convention). The fall of the year timeframe will also allow clubs to be recognized for what they have achieved during the previous Rotary year based on their final results rather than speculation.

Second, the conference will be presided over by two District Governors rather than one. For the first time in UtahRotary history a conference will be presided over by two District Governors, Governor John Redd PDG and Governor Todd Boyer. The two governors have agreed to share the conference to accommodate the time frame change of the Annual District Conference from the spring to the fall for the betterment of the district.

Third, an academy award approach to club and individual recognitions and achievements highlighting nominees in various categories such as Club of the Year, Rotarian of the Year, Club Project of the Year with one club or individual walking away as the winner with cash in hand.

Conference facts

Date: Friday, September 27 - Saturday, September 28

Start time: 9:00 am – September 27^th

End time: 8:30 pm – Saturday 28^th

Place: Festival Hall and Heritage Theatre, 105 W 100 E, Cedar City, UT 84720

Conference Registration

How your club can win $$ at the Conference

An Academy Award approach to District Conference

A total of $11,700 in cash incentives will be awarded to clubs

in the following categories:

There are attendance qualifications to win

In order to qualify for the cash incentives, your club will need to have a minimum attendance at the District Conference based on the following criteria:

The winner in each category will be announced regardless of attendance. However, if that club isn’t present, the cash incentive will be awarded to the runner-up club in each of the categories.

Except for a few categories (i.e. Club of the Year, which will be determined by the Power of One criteria, or PDG of the Year determined by the District Governor-line), clubs will nominate candidates for the consideration of a PDG panel, who will make the final decision to be awarded at the Awards Banquet on Saturday night, September 28th.

Award money in each category is given to the club, not individuals, and may be spent as determined by the club (except for the Exchange Student of the Year award or RYLA Participation award) for promoting Rotary in their community, supporting club projects or fundraisers, or other club Rotary objectives.

Click here for Conference Registration

Join Todd & Jen Boyer on their celebration hike next year in the Grand Canyon - Rim to Rim

A month into the 2025 by 2025 Challenge, more than 100 Rotarians have pledged to bring a new person into the ranks of Rotary during the Rotary year, from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.

When this is accomplished, Governor Todd Boyer has promised to hike from the north rim of the Grand Canyon to the south rim in only one day!

The feat is 25 miles long and he has invited everyone who wishes to join him, Any takers?

If you want to join the Power of We - 2025 by 2025 challenge, use the QR code to make your pledge and bring in one new member before June 30, 2025.

U.S. Rotary Exchange Students Return Home

Here's what they said.

Our exchange student to Taiwan sponsored by the Holladay Rotary Club “Thanks to Rotary, my family, and everyone that made this possible. This has been an incredibly impactful experience in my life and I now hope to share some of that in my life to come. I’m sad to be gone from Taiwan, but it feels great being home."

Our exchange student to Germany sponsored by the Lehi Rotary Club. “It’s been such an amazing year. I can’t believe all the cool experiences I’ve had and I feel really grateful. I heavily recommend others to do an exchange year as well. It’s the best thing ever!”

Our exchange student to Japan sponsored by the South Valley Rotary Club.

“I arrived home safely and am now fully enjoying my time back in America. I'm so grateful that I was able to have this experience as an exchange student and I feel that because of this, my confidence has grown a lot. I have also gained a much better understanding of world issues and learned of the different ways that people are dealing with them. I hope to use this in my future and when dealing with people of different cultures and nationalities. Thank you, Rotary, for giving me this opportunity. It was hard, but I also really, really enjoyed it!”

Congratulations to Kahrin Sharp who has run the district's Rotary Exchange program for nine years:

"I’d like to take this opportunity to send a HUGE thank you to Kahrin Sharp from the Park City Sunrise Rotary Club. After nine years, she is retiring from her position of District Rotary Youth Exchange Chair. Forty-two students - from the USA and other countries - have been guided and mentored by her as they participated in exchanges for an entire school year. Her passionate dedication to this tremendous program is greatly appreciated.

All my best,

District Governor Todd Boyer

Rotary project fairs around the world.

Attend a project fair to select your club’s International Service Project.

Virtual project fairs save time and money. But it is a lot more fun to go to the country, and the organizers arrange everything for you…hotel, tours, and more!

Inka Project Fair (District 4455, Peru)

Virtual event via Zoom

6-7 of September, 2024

inkaprojectfair@gmail.com

West Africa Project Fair ( Accra, Ghana)

29 October-05 November

https://rotarywapf.org/

District 4195 Project Fair (Cancún, Mexico)

Virtual event

Saturday 9 November at 9:30 am CST

https://feriadeproyectos4195.org/

Ecuador Project Fair (Quito)

November 2024

https://projectsfair-rotaryecuador.org/

Uniendo America Project Fair (Panama)

23-25 January 2025

feriadeproyectos@rotarydistrito4240.org

Colombia Project Fair (Medellin)

31 January, 2-3 February 2025

alberto.londono54@gmail.com

If you want to do an international project where there is not a project fair, please communicate with Jerry Summerhays, District International Service Chair, SummerhaysGS@gmail.com.

Opportunities in the District & the World

Meet Christy Hugh - our new district membership chair

Christy lives in Cedar City with her husband of 32 years, where they have a professional photography business. They have four children and three grandchildren - which is their greatest joy.

Together they attend Shakespeare plays, hike, go four-wheeling and enjoy all of the national parks.

Christy has been a Rotarian for five years and is passionate about connecting with others through service in her amazing community. You and your club will have an opportunity to work with her on The Power of We - 2025 by Twenty Twenty-five - 2025 members in our district by June 30, 2025.]

An opportunity to work locally & globally to End Plastic Soup

Do you passionately care for the environment?
Are you looking to make a difference?
Do you want to make Rotary friends all over the world?
Do you have good organizational and motivational skills?
Do you want to help Governor Todd with his 2025 in 2025 campaign?

EndPlasticSoup.org is a global initiative already supported by thousands of Rotarians and hundreds of Rotary, Rotaract and Interact Clubs worldwide. The organization’s goal is to drastically reduce and then eliminate the plastic soup in oceans and seas and end plastic waste in lakes, rivers, forests, parks and streets. You can learn more by going to their website (EndPlasticSoup.org) and viewing the slides below which were presented at an annual meeting of the USA-Russia Inter-Country Committee.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fD7a8ev4gid9gcRWiN-9Y4t4b5jco92K/view?usp=drive_link

This is a great opportunity for the right person to make a difference by increasing awareness, creating local projects, networking with various organizations and groups that are passionate about the environment and through it all promote The Magic of Rotary. Since Environment is now the 7^th Area of Focus in Rotary, there are opportunities for district and global grants to make a big difference.

Individual clubs can join EndPlasticSoup.org by going to their website and registering and if somebody in the district is passionate enough about this undertaking, that person can organize district-wide activities and assume the role of a leader.

To get this going, I am happy to act as a clearing house to connect interested Rotarians/clubs and then withdraw and let the passionate leaders carry on.

Egor Shulman

shulman@infowest.com

St. George Sunrise Rotary

What does the Annual Fund Sub-committee do for you?

The Annual Fund Sub-Committee exists as a resource to all clubs to help you determine and realize your goals for giving to The Rotary Foundation Annual Fund. Why do we promote contributions to the Rotary Foundation Annual Fund, you ask? Good question.

Through the SHARE system, contributions to The Rotary Foundation are transformed into grants that fund local and international humanitarian projects, scholarships, vocational training teams, and more. At the end of every Rotary year, contributions directed to the Annual Fund-SHARE from all the clubs in the district are divided between the World Fund and the District Designated Fund (DDF), after 5% is deducted for operating expenses.

At the end of three years, our district can use the DDF to pay for club and district projects that your club and others in the district choose. Districts may use up to half of their DDF to fund district grants. The remaining DDF may be used for global grants or donated to PolioPlus, the Rotary Peace Centers, or another district.

We will be reaching out to club foundation chairs and/or club presidents but feel free to call on any of us whenever you have a question or need help.

Dennis Knoles – Northern clubs

Kim Kerr – Eastern clubs

Sue Vanderhoof – Northern Salt Lake Valley clubs

Steve Getz – Southwest area clubs

Lynn Hillstead – Southern Salt Lake Valley and Utah County clubs

Lynn Hillstead

Annual Fund Sub-Committee Chair

License plates fund the Youth Foundation

A new Rotary year and setting goals go together like … chocolate and peanut butter! Now is the perfect time to consider a goal to help your RYLArians or Interactors complete an amazing Service above Self project in RY2024-25 funded by a grant from the Utah Rotary Youth Foundation.

Did you know the source for this funding is you? When you purchase a Utah Rotary - Humanitarian license plate for $91, the state of Utah gets $66 and the youth foundation receives $25. The same happens for renewals of personalized plates, too.

Another way to put money in the Youth Foundation is for you, your club or your members to make a monthly or annual contribution directly to this 501(c)(3) non-profit.

Then District 5420’s Utah Rotary Youth Foundation will share these resources to support Rotary youth programs and projects through your club’s submission of a simple grant application.

Questions? You’ll find answers at URYfoundation@gmail.com.

Linda Sappington

Past District Governor 2020-2021

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.

Bountiful Rotary Club members want to thank Dr. Brooks Bahr for his wonderful year of service as our President. He truly led by example. If there was help needed you would find Brooks and his great family. He is selfless and would give you the shirt off his back. Thank you, Brooks! We are honored to have him in our club. This year we are excited for Sharlynn Thompson to take the helm. She is incredible and full of energy. She is a natural leader with a laugh that is contagious. It’s going to be a great year for the Bountiful Rotary Club!

Despite our infamous triple-digit summer weather (110-118 degrees), St. George Rotary had another busy month beginning with the induction of Dave Prisbrey as President during an evening in cool(er) Pine Valley including a potluck dinner. We ended July with a gathering of members from all six southern Utah clubs where we discussed “what’s our club doing? what’s going well? and what help is needed to reach our goals?” In between, our IPP reported on his experience at his first RI Convention in Singapore … then a dozen of our members volunteered at Cedar City Rotary’s July Jamboree car show.

The Park City Sunrise Rotary Club learned how food waste will be diverted away from Summit County’s landfills. In June Andy Hecht, Climate Fund Manager for the Park City Community Foundation, told Rotarians that food waste is a major contributor to the climate crisis because its decomposition releases methane. Residents receive a 5-gallon bin to put out on the street the same day as trash collection. The food waste goes to the Wasatch Resource Recovery where it is ground up, liquified, and screened; then channeled into an oxygen-free digester where microbes break the organic material down further. Two products result: 1) fertilizer and 2) methane which is converted to natural gas and fed into the Salt Lake’s natural gas pipeline.

The Washington City Rotary Club held a special luncheon in June for members to express their appreciation to outgoing president Dana DeSpain and welcome their new leader Scott Florence. Members presented gifts and gratitude to thank Dana for her service to the Club who then turned the gavel over to Scott. The new president briefly touched upon what he hoped to achieve during his tenure including growing and diversifying WCRC’s membership, pairing new members with mentors to ensure full engagement in club activities, and creating a brochure to promote the WCRC to prospective members. Scott earlier led club members through the Club Health Check to receive input from club members to help set goals and direction for the rest of the year.

Murray Rotary - Flipping and scrambling at 6:15 am

Again, this year as has been the tradition for many years, the Murray Rotary Club served a July 4th pancake breakfast for pre-parade goers in Murray Park. It was an all-hands-on-deck event for this Rotary fundraiser, as it takes a minimum of 18 people just to staff the necessary stations.

Starting set-up the night before and resuming at 5 AM the Rotarians served nearly 900 meals of pancakes, sausage, and scrambled eggs plus a beverage of your choice by the time the parade started.

We saw a lot of longtime friends as well as many new faces, but one thing in common was that they all had a smile and enjoyed the morning along with a big breakfast. A lot of good Rotary stories were shared hopefully enticing new membership.

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