District 5420 Newsletter - October 2024

155! Paul Harris Society Members!

Hello Rotarians!  

What beautiful fall weather we are beginning to have. I’ve enjoyed getting out and driving to your clubs for the District Governor visits. Each time I rub shoulders with Rotarians throughout the state, I realize anew what marvelous clubs we have, and what a tremendous amount of good you are accomplishing. Thank you for continuing to put Service Above Self.

Out of the 17 clubs I’ve visited so far, eleven Rotarians have committed to become a Paul Harris Society (PHS) member, which means they will donate $1,000.00 every year as long as they can. These new members bring our District's PHS Members up to 155 - that’s incredible! I’m humbled by the generous and caring Rotarians in UtahRotary.

Our historic District Conference with both PDG John Redd and myself as hosts has been an amazing experience. Our registrations are sold out - capping at 225. (Unheard of for many years in our District). Rotarians from 42 of our 45 clubs attended. Isn’t that great?! I’ve enjoyed the excitement and enthusiasm I’ve seen from clubs throughout the planning of this Conference. Watch for more news about the District Conference in this newsletter.

The District website continues to be a work in progress. It’s up and going, and is continuing to be updated. If you notice something amiss on the website, please reach out to my staff at Rotaryboyer@gmail.com  We’ll resolve the issues as fast as we can.

World Polio Day is around the corner - October 24th. I look forward to hearing how you and your clubs choose to celebrate this day!

 Todd Boyer

Utah Rotary District Governor 2024-2025

RotaryBoyer@gmail.com

Editorial

District Conference was a different kind of rodeo

We were given:

• One paper plate 
• 40 drinking straws in paper wrappers
• A small roll of painter’s tape Note: NOT duct tape

Our task:

To create – in 50 minutes - the tallest tower of straws that would withstand transportation to the stage and stay upright during the judging

Our competition:

30+/- teams of smart, loquacious Rotarians

I’d never met any of my team members before. Chad Bennion of St. George Sunrise, Melissa Ricks, West Jordan, Peter Cardin, Cedar City (Yes, Governor Elect-Elect), Brenda Suta, Sandy, and Harvey (just Harvey). Sandy. We pitched in. We suggested. We proposed. We created and we taped. We messed up and we started over. 

Was our tower the winning design? No. But the whole time we laughed and enjoyed each other.

Later we would learn about Rotary during the game of Jeopardy - two teams battling for the gold. I was amazed that any contestant could say what significant milestone happened in 1911. Yet no one knew which famous talk show host was a Rotarian. Learning through Jeopardy was fun and I’ll never forget - Oprah is a Rotarian!

Over two days, there were lots of creative ways to meet other Rotarians and share our knowledge. This Conference was not your usual rodeo where you listen to talking heads behind a podium while you’re out in the audience, stuck in your seat. I just loved it.

Stay tuned for a special mid-October Conference Newsletter - filled with pictures, award winners, and news of note.

Lola Beatlebrox, District Newsletter Editor

Park City Sunrise Rotary

Jerry wore scrubs at District Conference. Why?

District International Service Chair Jerry Summerhays roamed among Rotarians in the beautiful Alumni Hall at Southern University dressed in scrubs to dramatize the need for donations to build a training program for reconstructive urology in Cambodia.

Dr. Jane Kurtzman, MD, of the University of Utah, is spearheading pursuit of a $95,000 Global Grant to increase the number of qualified urologists in Cambodia. Currently there is only one working urologist per 170,000 people!

Reconstructive urology focuses on restoring function after urinary and reproductive systems have been affected by injury, disease or congenital anomalies. For more information about how your club can be involved, scan the QR code or email Dr. Kurtzman - jane.kurtzman@hsc.utah.edu

28 clubs not contributing to Global Grants. Please commit to help!

Yes, only 16 of our 44 clubs are sponsoring or helping fund a global grant international project this coming year! Hard to believe! But it is true.

There are four global grants that very much need your help to qualify for matching $15,000 or $25,000 of District Designated Funds and matching $12,000 or $20,000 from The Rotary Foundation’s World Fund. They are:

• Prevent TB to END TB, Nepal, $200,000+, Scott Leckman, leckman@xmission.com, Salt Lake Rotary Club
• Agriculture Development, Armenia, $200,000+, Eryn Rogers, eryn.rogers@gmail.com, Spanish Fork Rotary
• Fruit Tree, Water Well, Phytoremediation, Uganda, $90,000+, Drew Allen, houndoc@aol.com, Millcreek Rotary
• Reconstructive Urology Program, Cambodia, $95,000, Jane Kurtzman, jane.kurtzman@hsc.utah.edu, Salt Lake Rotary

I recommend you request information from these people about their global grant, and then choose one of the projects to which to commit.  

Please commit whatever you can. If you can commit $1,000, the grant receives $2,800 more because of matching. If you can commit to $3,000, the grant receives $8,400 more because of matching. The only way to get matching money from The Rotary Foundation is to contribute to a global grant.

Note: Money committed is not due until the grant is accepted by Rotary International.

Jerry Summerhays, SummerhaysGS@gmail.com

District International Service Chair  

Vernal Rotary Club provides food support on the Ute Reservation

The Vernal Rotary Club used its Fiscal Year 2024 District Grant to support local food pantries for the Ute Tribe. Understanding the need for essential supplies, the club donated a wide array of food, cooking supplies, and sanitary items to two vital organizations.

One of these was the Food Distribution Program in Fort Duchesne which provides crucial resources to Ute families in need.

The second was the Episcopal Church in Whiterocks where the donation helped sustain their ongoing efforts to serve the local community. These contributions ensured that families not only received food, but also the tools necessary to prepare healthy meals and maintain sanitary living conditions.

By working closely with local leaders, the Vernal Rotary Club aimed to strengthen ties with the Ute Tribe and provide meaningful, culturally respectful support. The District Grant allowed the club to make a tangible difference, extending the Rotary mission of Service Above Self to the heart of the Uintah Basin.

Adam Gaus, Public Image Chair

Vernal Rotary Club

Collaboration for the Water of Life

In a monumental effort, the Malaysian Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints collaborated with the Rotary Club Kota Kinabalu Pearl to enable nine rural villages across East Malaysia to receive clean water directly to their homes.

The Church and Rotary’s WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) Committee) developed a plan to accomplish this task. From January to July 2024, they organized work committees, acquired materials and completed construction of these gravity water delivery systems.

Each village was carefully identified as most in need of a clean water source. Rain harvesting and government assistance have not been able to keep up with their growing demand. Clean water sources can be more than six kilometers away from a village on the mountainside.

This undertaking required the full commitment of the local villagers. They were provided with not only the materials, but also the necessary training, for tapping into a high mountain water source and piping it to their village for storage and distribution.

How to celebrate World Polio Day

Each year on 24 October, Rotary joins with our partners, global health organizations, and public health advocates to mark World Polio Day. Rotary clubs have a critical role in World Polio Day by hosting events and activities to increase awareness about polio and raise funds toward eradicating it. To build on the success of last year, we need your help!

If you haven’t started planning your World Polio Day event or action, now is the time! The Rotary Brand Center has a guide to help clubs plan successful events. Need help deciding what kind of event to have? Here are some ideas to explore with your club:

• Organize a light show in your city: Raise awareness by projecting the End Polio Now logo on buildings, theaters, or other landmarks in your area.
• Set up a booth in a market, shopping mall, or public square where members wear End Polio Now shirts or hold banners. You could also organize a walk or bike ride with other clubs, districts, or local organizations.
• Establish a fundraiser for PolioPlus: Hold a dinner or a concert. Use Raise for Rotary, or start a fundraiser on Facebook. You can also make a club donation directly to PolioPlus. Booths, shows, and sporting events are other good ways to raise funds.
• Partner on a social media campaign: Work with other Rotary, Rotaract, and Interact clubs in your area on a campaign to share engaging content on social media about the vital role that Rotary plays in the fight against polio. 
• Set up a booth in a market, shopping mall, or public square where members wear End Polio Now shirts or hold banners. You could also organize a walk or bike ride with other clubs, districts, or local organizations.
• Establish a fundraiser for PolioPlus: Hold a dinner or a concert. Use Raise for Rotary, or start a fundraiser on Facebook. You can also make a club donation directly to PolioPlus. Booths, shows, and sporting events are other good ways to raise funds.
• Partner on a social media campaign: Work with other Rotary, Rotaract, and Interact clubs in your area on a campaign to share engaging content on social media about the vital role that Rotary plays in the fight against polio. 

Meet Our Lieutenant & Deputy Lieutenant Governors

Kristi Guest, Lieutenant Governor

Kristi joined Rotary 20+ years ago when she lived in Murray. She became active in the Murray Rotary Club and served a term as club president.

In 2016 she moved to Park City and joined the Park City Sunrise Rotary Club. She’s worked with Membership and the Youth Exchange program. Kristi is dedicated and very active in Rotary. If says she’ll do something, you know it will get done. 

Kristi is Paul Harris Fellow+3 and was awarded the Presidential Citation for Giving, 2016/17. Our District is strengthened by her energy and enthusiasm for Rotary!

Deputy Lieutenant Governors

Charlotte Shelley

• Moved from South Carolina to the heart of Southern Utah in 2024
• Actively involved in her church, and several Real Estate Boards
• Values respect and unwavering ethics in negotiations
•  A member of the Dixie Sunrise Rotary Club, where she served as president
• She, husband Jack and son Daniel make a meaningful impact on their community

Honoring our new Paul Harris Society members

The District leadership is grateful to the following Rotarians who have committed to join the Paul Harris Society by contributing $1,000.00 each year for as long as they can.

• Rulon Olsen - St. George Rotary Club
• Anonymous - Washington Rotary Club
• Jeff & Margaret Cooper - Spanish Fork Rotary Club
• Jesessa Halliday - Sugarhouse Rotary Club
• Emma Halliday - Sugarhouse Rotary Club
• Mike Vallez - Salt Lake City Rotary Club
• Mike Young - Salt Lake City Rotary Club
• Max Dahmen - South Jordan Rotary Club
• Suzanne Whitlock - Park City Sunrise Rotary  Club
• Anonymous #1 - Provo Rotary Club
• Anonymous #2 - Provo Rotary Club

Let's have a little quiz!

What are all these pins? Do you know?

The first pin is awarded to Paul Harris Fellows. It is a Paul Harris Fellow pin. It is awarded to Rotarians who have donated a cumulative $1000 to the Rotary Foundation.

Next, I’m sure you can recognize the Rotary Lapel pin, but what is that strange chevron below the pin?

The PHS Chevron is awarded to Rotarians who have committed $1000 a year to the Rotary Foundation. The Paul Harris Fellow donates $1000 cumulatively. The Paul Harris Society member commits to donate $1000 a year to the Rotary Foundation.

The third pin looks a lot like a Paul Harris Fellow pin, but has sapphires around the edge. This particular pin has five sapphires around the outside edge. This would represent a PH5 meaning the wearer has earned five Paul Harris Fellows or has donated $5000 to the Rotary Foundation over time. The number of jewels represents each $1000 donation. 

The fourth pin is a major donor pin and is given to someone donating a one-time gift or an accumulative $10,000. More than one diamond would mean a second $10,000 donation and would add another diamond.

Mystery solved? Oh, did you know that for your first Paul Harris fellow you really only need to donate $500!

Wait a minute I said the first one needed to be $1000. Guess what? Your first Paul Harris Fellow can receive 500 recognition points added to $500 donated at once or over time and is counted as if it was the thousand dollars. 500 recognition points added to $500 donated is counted as if it were $1000.

The district has thousands of recognition points, waiting to be given away. Turn off. If this is news to you, talk to your Club Foundation Chair. If that is news to them, have them call me - we have some work to do.

Pin or not, your donation to the Rotary Foundation will be used to do good in the world and that is why we are Rotarians!

Bruce Powell

District Foundation Chair

Opportunities in the District

Promote Informational Meetings

about Rotary Youth Exchange

The Rotary Youth Exchange program is the largest and least expensive exchange program in the world. With more than 9,000 students participating annually, our Youth Exchange program provides teens with the opportunity to live with people from other countries - experiencing new cultures and planting the seeds for a lifetime of international understanding.

As their concept of the world expands, they mature and develop a deeper understanding of who they are. Immersion in another country’s educational system enhances academic and personal growth. Also, host clubs, families and the entire community are enriched by extended, friendly contact with someone from a different culture.

Help us get the word out to your community by sharing dates and times of informational meetings:

Provo - Oct 22 @ 7pm, Provo Library, 550 N University Ave, Young Card Room, # 308

Centerville - Oct 29 @ 7pm, Centerville Library, 45 S 400 W, Auditorium

Draper - Nov 7 @ 7pm, Coldwell Banker Realty, 11650 State St, Suite 101

Ogden - Nov 12 @ 7pm, Eccles Art Center, 2580 Jefferson Ave

Logan - Nov 13 @ 7pm, Logan Library, 285 N Main, Community Room B

St George - Nov 16 @ 7pm, Root for Kids, 2044 South Mesa Palms Drive

Virtual - Nov 21 @ 7pm, Microsoft Teams, https://tinyurl.com/y8efwaz5

Questions? Feel free to reach out to us:

Aaron Lowe, Youth Exchange Officer, (801) 592-0913 transitreg98@gmail.com

Amy Jensen, Outbound Coordinator, (928) 315-2444 amy.svrotary@gmail.com

Park City Sunrise Rotary's Shot Ski Fundraiser is Saturday, October 12

Imagine 3,000 skis linked together and running up and down Park City’s Main Street and 1,385 people drinking from shot glasses to raise more than $40,000 for charity. That’s what happens at Park City Sunrise Rotary Club’s Shot Ski event every October.

The 8th annual fundraiser will be held on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. Participants gather on Park City’s Main Street from 12 noon to 2 p.m. when the anticipation builds. Shots are poured from co-sponsor High West Whiskey by DABS trained Sunrise Rotarians – or Apple Cider if you prefer.

Promptly at 2 pm, 551 skis will be raised simultaneously to beat the world record of the most skis in our friendly rivalry with Breckinridge Ski Resort. 

Park at Park City High School and take the free bus to Main Street. Tickets can be purchased now at https://parkcityshotski.com Don’t miss it! 

Support cancer patients - S. Utah Golf Classic

The American Cancer Society’s second annual Southern Utah Golf Classic will be held October 24-25 at the Black Desert Resort in St. George. The event will raise funds for the transportation and lodging of cancer patients to be sure they can receive their treatments.

Rotarians Patty Nation (Hurricane Valley) and Jil Baird (St. George Sunrise) are committee members for the Classic, and the Hurricane Valley and Washington City clubs are making donations to the event so far.

Rotarians interested in contributing to the Classic’s success can help in several ways:

• Donate online at www.golfforthecure.org.
• Purchase tickets to the evening reception on October 24
• Register a team to golf on October 25.
• Donate items, gift baskets, gift cards, or money to support the live and silent auctions during the evening reception.
• Contact Patty Nation at 435-218-5848 or Jil Baird at 701-260-3089 to help with those.

All donations are tax-deductible. Join Us in the Fight Against Cancer! www.golfforthecure.org

Support Sandy's Ride to Nowhere

against polio before October 24

Join me for my 8th Annual Ride to Nowhere on October 24 when I ride a 100-mile century on my Peloton stationary bike in one day.

Use the QR code to go to “Raise for Rotary” and your donation will be applied to your individual account at The Rotary Foundation.

My goal is to raise $5,000. and with the Bill and Melinda Gates 2:1 match you can do the math. I dedicate my ride to all the workers and their security who put their lives at risk every day to give those two life-saving drops to the children of the world. 

Remember - a case of polio has now occurred in Gaza!

Sandi Schwartz PDG 

St George Sunrise Rotary

Help create Rotary’s Rose Bowl Parade float

Immediately after Christmas, Rotarians from here, there and everywhere are invited to help bring to life Rotary InternationaI's entry in the 136th Pasadena Rose Parade (January 1, 2025). It is the ultimate Rotary "service above self" project, a great social event and a unique opportunity to see dozens of this year's amazing Rose Parade floats up-close before the event begins.

The "work" involved is securing flowers and other natural materials to the float frame. Easy, peasy!

Wanna join in the FUNNN? Volunteer signups begin September 1 at RotaryRoseParade.org.

October 2024

Oct. 1   Rotary Youth Exchange application process opens 

Oct. 24 World Polio Day - begin today to plan your project or fundraiser

Youth Exchange Information sessions

Provo - Oct 22 @ 7pm, Provo Library, 550 N University Ave, Young Card Room, # 308

Centerville - Oct 29 @ 7pm, Centerville Library, 45 S 400 W, Auditorium

November 2024

Youth Exchange Information sessions

Draper - Nov 7 @ 7pm, Coldwell Banker Realty, 11650 State St, Suite 101

Ogden - Nov 12 @ 7pm, Eccles Art Center, 2580 Jefferson Ave

Logan - Nov 13 @ 7pm, Logan Library, 285 N Main, Community Room B

St George - Nov 16 @ 7pm, Root for Kids, 2044 South Mesa Palms Drive

Virtual - Nov 21 @ 7pm, Microsoft Teams, https://tinyurl.com/y8efwaz5

December 2024

Dec, 15 Deadline for submission of Rotary Youth Exchange applications 

February 2025

February 20 - 23 Southwest PETS in Los Angeles (PE’s and spouses)

June 2025

June 21 - 25 International Convention in Calgary, Canada

September 2025

Sept. 18-20, 2025    District Conference in St. George

Link to the District Calendar at utahrotary.org