Hello Spring!!
And Happy Solar Eclipse Week!
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Hope you are all enjoying an ultra-special, extra-active Rotary Spring!! It’s OUR busiest time of the year! As Rotary ventures further into renewal & recovery this year, it’s exciting to see our clubs creatively re-imagining themselves and flourishing in new ways! From easier meeting times, jazzier locations, updated routines, focused service, inclusive fundraising, and passionate partnerships, we are embedding deeper into the fabric of our communities, attracting exciting new members, and shining our light brighter than ever! For those desiring extra help revving-it-up as we head into summer, schedule a Club Visioning!
April in Rotary is a time to focus on Maternal & Child Health. When we ask “What is the value of the life of a child saved?”, no one will really know. If this child was YOUR CHILD, the answer would be a resounding “THIS LIFE IS INVALUABLE!” Not a single one of us is any more special, deserving, or worthy than another. Not a one of us was able to select the circumstances of our birth. We just happen to be the lucky ones living here in America. To our great fortune, we found this incredible organization that believes not only in saving lives but in making every life we get to touch even better! And it gives us the inspiration, connections, and great collective opportunities to do just that! Time to celebrate the outstanding work you all are doing to fulfill the Rotary Dream! Cheers!
Maternal and Child Health overlaps into every other area of focus in Rotary – Peace building, Environment & Nutrition, Clean Water, Disease Prevention, Literacy & Education, and Economic well-being! If we dreamed REALLY big – we would see every child receiving what they need to thrive to become the next generation of loving-spirited Rotarians! Only what you dare to believe can you achieve. See it! Believe it! Create it! Become it!
We have fantastic opportunities to build up our YOUTH through mentoring in elementary schools, Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA in July, 2024), Interact Clubs in Middle and High Schools, Hosting and Supporting Exchange Students!
This season includes President Elect Trainings, Club Leader Trainings, and culminates in a Grand District Conference for everyone! Take full advantage of all Rotary offers you! Rotary is the very best LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT Organization you’ll ever find. 119 years of providing exceptional community service & leadership development has grown into 1.4 million members who are rapidly CHANGING THE WORLD! The future is in our hands! What we think about, say, and do builds our reality! Lead with LOVE and CREATE HOPE in the WORLD by tapping into all the treasures Rotary offers you! Thank you for helping create the very best world possible through ROTARY! Cheers!
In Celebration!
Sharalyn Davis
District 6360 Governor
sharalyndavis@gmail.com
616-719-7286
Live the Heart of Rotary through the ARTS!
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District Conference 2024
Registration NOW OPEN!
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Let’s Create Hope!
Register NOW for the 2024 District 6360 Conference
“Building Resilient Communities
through Dynamic Rotary Service!”
Rotary District 6360 Conference
May 3-4, 2024
Kalamazoo Radisson Hotel
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Serving with LOVE is at the core of EVERYTHING we do as Rotarians! Join us at this year’s educational and inspirational CONFERENCE to learn, grow, engage, share, energize and CELEBRATE our commitment to serving others with open arms, willing hearts and inviting spirits!
The Hero Dinner will be on Saturday evening and the Annual Meeting will be on Friday morning at 11 AM. We hope to see you there!
The last day to reserve a hotel room at the low group rate of $159/night is April 14!
Come Get Rotarized!
From Urban Gardens to Mental Health Walks,
Community Art Hops to Peace Scholar Talks!
Youth, Strategic Doing, Bridge-Building & More,
Unique Projects, Passionate People, Brilliance & Beauty, are in Store!
We’ve planned an Action-Packed Event that features each of Rotary’s Areas of Service in impactful ways! Knowledge is POWER! Rotarians lead best with our full humanity on display. This conference seeks to inform and transform. Building resilient communities begins with our own resiliency. When we get inspired, we rock with sensitivity and strength!
“Together, we can support one another, our loved ones, our clubs, and our communities, to CREATE HOPE IN THE WORLD!” Rotary International President Gordon McInally, 2024
Come get Rotarized!
Questions about how to register? Contact Ingrid Nova at 517-604-6360 or rotary6360@gmail.com
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Interact Conference May 3, 2024 | |
Club Leadership Learning Assembly | |
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Two dates, Two Locations, Pick One and Attend
What is the learning Assembly and why should I attend?
The Learning Assembly is designed to help elected and appointed club officers and committee chairs who want to be innovative and creative in helping their club grow and become irresistible. We’ve made it easier than ever to attend by scheduling two identical meetings on two different dates and two locations that are geographically closer to all of District 6360 clubs. The learning is relevant, convenient fun, free and includes a box lunch dinner. All Rotarians are invited to attend and learn, especially if you are in one of these roles:
Membership Chairs:
If you want your club to grow and become more vibrant, this breakout is for you. Membership Chair Mike Gallagher
Public Image Chairs:
If you are looking for some tips on creating an irresistible public image, this breakout is for you. District Public Image Chair Nancy Peterson
Club Secretaries:
If you are looking for some tips on how to use technology to make things easier for you and your members, this breakout is for you. PDG Ed Foster, District Secretary Ed Schaadt, AG Mark Rodge
Club Foundation Chairs:
If you are looking for some useful information about how to secure matching grants from the Rotary Foundation, we’ve got you covered. PDG Kathy Gallagher
Club Treasurers:
Best practices, navigating payments to the Rotary Foundation, budget issues, IRS forms and more. District Finance Chair & Treasurer Gregg Guetschow
Club Youth Services:
So much to learn about Youth Exchange, RYLA, Interact, and Rotary Student Program. This is for you.
PDG Margie Haas
Club Presidents Elect:
Are you ready? Network, learn and collaborate with District Governor Elect Mark
Club Presidents Nominee:
Starting your Rotary Leadership Journey. Network and collaborate with District Governor Nominee Jackie
We’ve made it easier for you to attend by providing this training on two different dates and two convenient locations. Your registration includes all materials and a box lunch. Pick a date and time that works best for you and register now:
April 10 5-7:30 PM Kalamazoo Regional Education Service Agency 1819 East Milham Ave, Portage, MI
REGISTER HERE!!
April 17 5 –7:30 PM Charlotte High School, 378 State Street, Charlotte, MI
REGISTER HERE!!
Please register no later than April 5.
Together Let’s Grow Rotary
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Rotary Action Group:
Mental Health Initiatives
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STIGMA
Mental Health First Aid International cites that mental illness is the leading cause of disability in the U.S.. Approximately 1-in-5 American adults are diagnosed with a mental disorder in a single year.
RI President Gordon McInally, and The Rotary Action Group – RAG on Mental Health Initiatives - are quick to highlight these statistics as the reason for the importance of dropping stigma.
Knowing how/what to say; as in letting a person know they are not alone, and offering hope is the way stigma is reduced. Mental Health First Aid Training teaches how to be aware of someone displaying signs of mental illness, and how to address it through our words.
A video on mental health stigma distributed by RAG on MHI says that ‘people with mental illness are people. They are not defined by their mental illness.’ For more information on stigma, feel free to view the video here: What Is Stigma? - YouTube
You can also join the Rotary movement to reduce stigma by becoming Mental Health First Aid certified.
Email Jacquie Blackwell: jacquie@pdispirit.com to register to attend the in-person training on Friday April 19 at the Corewell Health Center for Wellness in Benton Harbor. Corewell Health is generously paying for D6360 Rotarians to become certified – and providing lunch! What a fantastic offering this is for our district.
Thank you for all you do to uphold Gordon’s Mental Health pillars of raising awareness; improving access, and especially for erasing stigma.
Most of all, thank you for Creating Hope.
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__________________________
For further information on RI’s Mental Health initiatives:
_________________________
Jacquie Blackwell MA Psy is owner of Amazing Learning Center Mental Health Services. She has been a member of Lakeshore Rotary Club since 2020. In 2021 she was named Rotarian of the Year for creating the ‘Take it or Leave it’ winter accessories holiday-tree service project. Jacquie chairs the D6360 Mental Health Steering Committee.
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Spaces Are Filling Up FAST for RYLA Camp! | |
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A note from your RYLA Camp Staff:
Hurry, spaces are filling up fast!!
Please contact your local school counseling team to seek out potential campers!
We are accepting applications for students that are currently enrolled in ninth and tenth grades. Camp will take place July 12-14, and there is no cost to the campers or their families!
For more details, see the RYLA tab on the district website HERE!
If you need additional information, please contact Don Deibler, RYLA Camp Director, at 269-599-1341, donalddeibler@yahoo.com
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One of the most popular and rewarding programs of The Rotary Foundation is the Group Study Exchange. Since the first exchange between districts in California and Japan in 1965, the program has provided educational experiences for about 25,000 business and professional men and women who have served on about 5,500 teams. The GSE program pairs Rotary districts to send and receive study teams. Since 1965, more than
$42 million has been allocated by The Rotary Foundation for Group Study Exchange grants. One of the attractive features of GSE is the opportunity for the visiting team members to meet, talk and live with Rotarians and their families in a warm spirit of friendship and hospitality.*** Although the original Group Study Exchanges were male only, in recent years teams include both men and women.
In addition to learning about another country as the team visits farms, schools, industrial plants, professional offices and governmental establishments the GSE teams serve as ambassadors of goodwill. They interpret their home nation to host Rotarians and others in the communities in which they visit. Many of the personal contacts blossom into lasting friendships.
Truly, the Group Study Exchange program has provided Rotarians with one of its most enjoyable, practical and meaningful ways to promote world understanding.
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Rotary Action Group for Diabetes | |
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DISTRICT ACTION GROUP SEEKING PARTICIPANTS;
WILL HAVE PRESENCE AT SINGAPORE CONVENTION
At last year’s District Conference, California Rotarian Edwin Velarde, who heads Rotary’s Action Group for Diabetes (RAG-Diabetes), completed his EPIC JOURNEY AGAINST DIABETES Bike Ride from RI Headquarters in Chicago to Battle Creek, “Windy City to Cereal City” and presented a moving speech on Diabetes, setting in motion a movement in our District which continues to build.
Since then, several Rotarians have become involved, and District 6360 is becoming a pioneer District for how Rotary confronts the epidemic of diabetes as the World’s fastest growing health issue. Several district members are now serving as RAG-Diabetes Ambassadors and the Cereal City Sunrise Club has already hosted several events and awareness campaigns and continues to do so. Club member, T. R. Shaw is now serving on the Board of Directors of RAG-Diabetes and is actively involved in the cause.
RAG-Diabetes is working to make diabetes, Rotary’s next major health initiative. In the coming months there will be Zoom meetings and events for those interested in getting involved, and we are working on programs to present to District Clubs and to the public.
For those attending the International Convention in Singapore this year, District 6360 will have representatives manning the RAG-Diabetes booth at the Hall of Friendship. Please stop by and learn a little more about the goals and Rotary’s efforts in diabetes and be sure to check out the website, www.rag-diabetes.org for more information.
If District members want to become involved with the Action Group, you can contact Shaw at TRSBCMI@gmail.com or call him at 269-209-5555.
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2024 Grant Management Seminars | |
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We are pleased to report that the Grant Management Seminars for 2024 have been scheduled!
Does your Rotary Club plan on applying for a grant from The Rotary Foundation this year? Then you need to make sure at least two members attend a Grant Management Seminar!
All Grant Management Seminars will be held via Zoom only!
Are YOU planning on attending?
Please register on DACdb
or email rotary6360@gmail.com to register
for one of the following sessions:
Saturday, April 6 from 9:30 - 11:00 AM
Monday, April 22 from 7:00 - 8:30 PM
Tuesday, May 7 from 7:00 - 8:30 PM
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Health, Hunger & Humanity Grants | |
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In 1978, Rotary launched its most comprehensive humanitarian service activity with the Health, Hunger and Humanity Program. The 3-H Program is designed to undertake large-scale service projects beyond the capacity of individual Rotary clubs or groups of clubs.
By 1994, more than 135 different 3-H projects have been approved and undertaken in 49 different countries, with an appropriation at more than $37 million. The objective of these projects is to improve health, alleviate hunger and enhance human, cultural and social development among peoples of the world. The ultimate goal is to advance international understanding, goodwill and peace.
The first 3-H project was the immunization of 6 million children in the Philippines against polio. As 3-H progressed, new programs were added to help people in developing areas of the world. Now, in addition to the mass polio immunization of over 100 million children in various countries, 3-H has promoted nutrition programs, vocational education, and improved irrigation to increase food production, polio victim rehabilitation and other activities which benefit large numbers of people in developing countries. All 3-H projects are supported by the voluntary contributions of Rotarians through The Rotary Foundation. In years to come the 3-H Program may well be considered Rotary's finest service activity, showing how Rotarians care and are concerned about people in need, wherever they may be.
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Growing Clubs Have These 5 Attributes:
- Strong Leadership Succession
- Active Intentional Member Engagement
- Dynamic and Meaningful Service Projects
- A Strong Public Image
- They Welcome All People To Provide Service
Is there an attribute your club is missing?
Focus there.
GOAL for 6360: 55 More by 2024
Members as of 7-1-23 1993
Members as of 3-26-23 2040
+47
WE CAN DO IT!
Mike Gallagher, District 6360 Membership Chair 269-209-1566
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Virtual Dream Career Event
SKILLED TRADES!
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Back by popular demand is another Virtual Dream Career Event sponsored by the Rotary Student Program, an initiative that connects high school students with professionals in dream careers.
Our first event was Professions. Our next event, on Wednesday, April 24, 4-5pm EST will be focused on the Skilled Trades. Please share the attached "Virtual Dream Career Event: Skilled Trades" flier with your local high schools. As a requirement of the event, we will ask you to host students at your Rotary Clubs to share their experience and receive a "Certificate of Completion." Limit of first 45 students.
For questions contact Rotary Student Program Chair, Jackie Huie, jhuie@johnsonrauhoff.com
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What's Up in Youth Services? | |
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GETTING READY TO HOST!
District 6360 is authorized by Central States Rotary Youth Exchange to accept four (4) students as Inbound students for the 2024-25 school year! This is a PEACE building project as we learn about each other’s culture with respect.
How about your club? Will you join us? This is a great experience of a life time!
District 6360 is scheduled to receive one student each from the following regions:
- Asia Pacific region – we know that will be a female student from Thailand, who will be assigned to Lakeshore Rotary Club. Lakeshore is already in the process of vetting a host family.
- Region 1 – Finland, Norway, Sweden, or Denmark
- Region 2 – Belgium, France, Italy, Turkey, Croatia, Romania, Czechia, Slovak Republic, Africa
- Region 3 - Austria, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland
The hardest part of hosting an Inbound student is finding a host family. We don’t want just any host family, but one that will be nurturing and helpful as the student experiences “culture shock” and settles in attending high school and making friends in the Michigan, USA.
Who can be a host family? First, any style of family is acceptable including – empty nesters, a family with young children, a family with middle age and/or high school age children, grandparent age, single parents, single persons, etc.
Does the family need to have a member be a Rotarian? NO! (But it’s nice.)
Where to Find a Host Family
· Teachers, other school connections, PTO, Foreign Language Teachers
· Rotaract Club members
· Interact Club members
· Members of your church, youth group, other adult groups
· Families with school aged kids
· Empty Nesters (act as “grandparents”)
· Your friends and people you know
· Referrals from past Outbounds (Rebounds)
· Connect at Club meetings
· Put in club newsletters
· Have a table about Youth Exchange at club events
· People in your community that are world travelers
· Connect with your local travel agency & their customers
For more information about hosting an Inbound student for 2024-25 school year, please contact Margie Haas, District Rotary Youth Exchange Chair, haasmargie@gmail.com; cell: 269-838-3392.
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District Foundation Corner
For general questions about your District 6360 Foundation and how it can help your Club, please contact Foundation President
Gary Campbell, campbellgary929@gmail.com
Any correspondence should be sent c/o Rotary District 6360
to 741 Wolverine Road, Mason, MI, 48854
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