District 6270 Information
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May 2021
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Upcoming Events
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

"There is no place within Rotary for racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, classism, or ageism."- Holger Knaack, President, 2020-21

As a global network that strives to build a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change, Rotary values diversity and celebrates the contributions of people of all backgrounds, regardless of their age, ethnicity, race, color, abilities, religion, socioeconomic status, culture, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Rotary will cultivate a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture in which people from underrepresented groups have greater opportunities to participate as members and leaders.

 
4-Way Test
Of the things we think, say and do...
 
1.  Is it the truth?
2.  Is it fair to all concerned?
3.  Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
4.  Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
The Object of Rotary
The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and in particular, to encourage and foster:
  • the development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;
  • high ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to service society;
  • The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life;
  • the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.
 
Recommended Links
From Scholarship Chair Larry Myers

2022-23 Rotary Peace Fellowship Applications Now Being Accepted

 
The Rotary Peace Fellowship is the world’s most prestigious and generous fellowship. It is designed for leaders with work experience in peace and development. Our fellows are committed to community and international service and the pursuit of peace. Each year, The Rotary Foundation awards up to 50 fellowships for master’s degrees and 80 fellowships for certificate studies at premier universities throughout the world.
 
Choose the program that's right for you

Master’s degree programs
Accepted candidates study peace and development issues with research-informed teaching and a diverse student body. The programs last 15 to 24 months and include a two- to three-month field study, which participants design themselves. Partner universities include:  Duke University and University of North Carolina, Durham & Chapel Hill, USA; International Christian University, Tokyo, Japan; University of Bradford, Bradford, England; University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; and Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Professional development certificate program
During the one-year blended learning program, experienced peace and development professionals with diverse backgrounds gain practical skills to promote peace within their communities and across the globe. Fellows complete field studies, and they also design and carry out a social change initiative. This program is intended for working professionals. University partners include:  Chulalong University, Bangkok, Thailand; and Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
 
Application timeline
 
The Rotary Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2022-23 Rotary Peace Fellowship program. Candidates have until 15 May, 2021 to submit online applications to The Rotary Foundation. District endorsement is required, and districts must submit their endorsement decisions to The Rotary Foundation by 1 July. Click here for detailed information.
From Scholarship Chair Larry Myers

2021-2022 Global Grant Scholarship Recipient Announced

A person smiling for the cameraDescription automatically generated with low confidenceRotary International (RI) District 6270 is pleased to announce the selection of Alaina Eckert, Sussex, WI, as its Global Grant Scholarship recipient for 2021-2022.
 
Ms. Eckert is a graduate of Sussex Hamilton H.S. and of The University of Wisconsin—Madison. She has already begun a dual degree, Master of Science/Master of International Nature Conservation, in a cooperative program of the Georg-August Universität in Göttingen, Germany, and Lincoln University in Lincoln, New Zealand.
 
The practical approach of the program is to preserve the integrity of nature, in combination with the assessment of risk management and conservation strategy, and offers an invaluable experience in the education of international conservation. The four-semester program offers new perspectives to maintaining biodiversity and ecosystems that allow local communities to be resilient to future ecological changes, maintain economic stability and growth, use adaptive conservation management strategies for both the betterment of the community and the ecosystem, and preserve critical ecological systems. Thus, Ms. Eckert’s program of studies aligns with RI’s “Community Economic Development” Area of Focus, and it anticipates close alignment with RI’s newest Area of Focus, “Protecting the Environment,” which becomes effective on July 1, 2021.
 
The amount of the Global Grant Scholarship is U.S. $30,000. RI District 6270 is providing $15,000 of that amount, and The Rotary Foundation is matching it with another $15,000. The Rotary Foundation, RI districts, and Rotary clubs invest in our future leaders and philanthropists by funding scholarships for graduate study through the Global Grant Scholarship program. Information about Rotary’s other scholarship programs can be accessed at:  https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/scholarships.
From Holger Knaack, President, Rotary International 2020-21

2021 Rotary Convention Now Virtual

By now we have sadly grown accustomed to hearing of the need to shift major public events to being held virtually rather than face to face.  Unfortunately, the Rotary Board of Directors was compelled to again make the difficult decision to celebrate this year’s International Convention as a virtual event.  While this may not be an unexpected decision, it is still a deeply disappointing one — for us and for our friends in Taiwan who have been planning an exceptional event. I want to thank the Host Committee for the admirable job they did building support for what surely would have been one of Rotary’s finest events.

We had hoped that a combination of vaccine uptake and public health measures would have brought the COVID-19 pandemic under control. We all know that in many parts of the world the pandemic is still raging and we must maintain our vigilance and patience before resuming major public gatherings. Taiwan has done an admirable job managing the pandemic — and local Rotarians were still eager to host and celebrate with us. Under the guidance of the World Health Organization and the local public health organization in Taiwan, it became clear that an event of this scale would be impossible to host safely.

While we are disappointed that we could not have a traditional convention, we are excited about the virtual event being planned for all Rotarians worldwide. Last year’s convention attracted significant viewership during its weeklong program. This year, we will channel all we have learned about staging the very best in virtual events into a program that promises to open new opportunities for you to be entertained, enlightened and energized. We will share more details about the 2021 Virtual Convention soon.

Convention, pre-convention, and ticket refunds
We will automatically cancel and refund all existing registrations.  This includes purchases made for the Rotaract and Youth Exchange and the Intercountry Committees preconvention events, and ticketed meal events. We kindly ask that you do not contact RI Registration to inquire about your registration, ticket, or housing cancellations as we work diligently to inform all attendees and process cancellations and refunds.  For those who had already canceled prior to today, you will also receive a refund of the $50 processing fee.

Host Organization Committee (HOC) ticketed event registrations
The HOC event ticket fees will be refunded by the Taipei HOC.  For more information, please visit rotarytaipei2021.org.

Hotel rooms
If you have secured accommodations within Rotary’s official housing block, no action will be required on your end.  Maritz, Rotary’s official housing partner, will contact you with the details of your cancelation. 

If you have secured a group room block and made a full or partial payment, you will receive a follow-up communication and instructions on receiving a refund.

I want to thank all Rotarians and Rotaractors around the world for your understanding and your continued willingness to learn and adapt. We are becoming a stronger, more nimble organization because of this, and our Virtual Convention will be a reflection of this new Rotary.

Please be safe and take care of each other.
From PDG Steen Sanderhoff 2019-20

A Very Considerate and Thoughtful Gift for a Past District Governor

It is an old tradition for the Incoming District Governor to give recognition in form of a gift to the Outgoing District Governor at the Change of the Guard, usually held in June. This year was, like most other events, a little different. The recognition was handed to PDG Steen Sanderhoff by DG Craig Burnett at his official Club visit to Racine Founders. What a beautiful canoe paddle with the inscription “Thank you for guiding Rotary International District 6270 as District Governor – 2019-2020” and the Rotary and “Rotary Connects the World” logos. (Quite an art to engrave this message in a wood paddle!)

So, some might ask…Why a canoe paddle to a big city boy like Steen? Boy Scouts with my son, Alan, and later with my daughter, Anne, taught me to love and appreciate canoeing in the wilderness. Each year for the last 20 years, I have enjoyed crisscrossing The Boundary Waters Canoe Area- a wilderness area in Northern Minnesota- with my kids, the Scouts, and later old Scout leaders when the kids went off the college. What an amazing opportunity to bond with each other and connect with wilderness at its best. Besides, Janice and I love to canoe the local waterways each summer.

Although “My Rotary Paddle” belongs on a wall, I have promised Craig to dip the paddle in the waters of BWCA and move my canoe forward – just like we all move the mission of Rotary ahead.

From the Nominating Committee

Don Griffing to be District Governor for Rotary Year 2023 - 2024

DGN-D Don GriffingThe Rotary International District 6270 Nominating Committee is pleased to announce the selection of Donald E. Griffing to serve as the District Governor for the 2023 - 2024 Rotary year, subject to ratification by the District at the annual business meeting in the spring of 2021, and approval by Rotary International.
 
A member of the Rotary Club of Oshkosh, Don has served four clubs in five districts since joining Rotary in 2007. At the club level, he has served as club president, board of directors member, PR chair, social media chair, community service chair, club trainer, and a wide variety of other committee roles. At the district level he has also served in a wide variety of roles, including his present roles as our district's technology chair, assistant district educator, and as a governance committee member.
Update from District 6270

Meeting Cancellations in District 6270

Many clubs in Rotary District 6270 have suspended their regular meetings and service opportunities, or switched to online meetings, due to recommendations of public health officials over concerns about spreading COVID-19. Please go to the website of any club you intend to visit to confirm their current meeting schedule as it may not be updated on the calendar of this website. If you are a Rotarian whose club meeting has been cancelled, this is a great time to take advantage of training opportunities in the Learning Center at rotary.org. Login to your My Rotary account, then click on Learning & Reference and get started. Be well!

From Scholarship Chair Larry Myers

Global Grant Scholar Establishes Belfast Rotaract Club

Ciara McHugh was the District 6270 Global Grant Scholar for 2018-2019. She is approaching her third year of a Ph.D. research program, focusing on "how to ameliorate strained relationships between police and minority communities, specifically through visual technologies, and the ways in which gender paradigms can help overcome barriers between the two groups." Recently, Ciara was instrumental in establishing a new Rotaract Club at her school, Queen’s University Belfast.  To read more about her adventures, read her blog, Leaps & Bounds.

Clearly, the RI Global Grant Scholarship program, the Interact clubs, and Rotary clubs throughout the world are having an impact in these days of COVID-19 (and beyond). Congratulations, Ciara, on your continued involvement in Rotary! Keep on keeping on!

Following is her report:

Early in the year, a group came together with the intention of creating a Rotaract chapter in Belfast, Northern Ireland. We were from a variety of disciplines, a range of countries, and each were introduced to Rotary in different ways. After a number of late-night brainstorming sessions at QUB's [Queen’s University Belfast’s] cafe (pre-lockdown, of course), we allocated board positions and made plans to get a Queen's University Belfast Rotaract Club off the ground.

Theo, a Belfast native and active Interactor, was chosen as president; Veja, who is from Slovakia, volunteered her experiences from her Scottish Rotaract days as Outreach chair; Anna, a Global Grant scholar from Wisconsin, became secretary; and I volunteered as treasurer.

Over the last few months, we've had to adjust our approaches and strategies to adapt to pandemic conditions. But, with ongoing support from the Belfast Rotary Club, our bi-weekly Zoom calls are full of the same energy and enthusiasm as those first brainstorming sessions. I'm pleased to say that our members have kept busy: with social distanced volunteering at Age-NI, donating energy bars to frontline and hospital workers, engaging with local racial-justice organizations, and organizing an online charity quiz to raise money for local pandemic efforts.

I'm honored to be a part of such an encouraging and engaged group of Rotaractors, and I look forward to expanding our outreach in the years to come.

 

From DG Craig Burnett

Rotary Million Dollar Journey Reaches its Goal… and Continues

After reaching a $1,000,000 fundraising goal early, Rotary International Districts 6220 & 6270 extend the goal deadline and dollar amount to support the Rotary Foundation during trying times
 
A joint effort between the Wisconsin & Michigan Rotarians of districts 6220 and 6270 to raise $1,000,000 for the Rotary Foundation by October, 2020 reached its goal four months early. With that success, and with even greater need, the districts will continue the journey by raising more funds, and a new conclusion in April, 2021.
 
A bit over one year ago, on the recommendation of Rotary International District Governors Steve Handrick and Steen Sanderhoff, their respective districts embarked on a path to collectively raise one million dollars of new gifts to the Rotary Foundation; a Million Dollar Journey. With many generous gifts – each in excess of $10,000 – from both districts, the goal was reached early, in July of 2020.
 
When the Journey launched, the districts planned a celebratory dinner for all of the contributors along the fundraising pathway, to have taken place in November 2020. The presence of the COVID-19 pandemic will make that celebration impossible at that time, and the districts agreed that it should be postponed until April 29, 2021.
 
Seeing the postponement as an opportunity, now past-governors Handrick & Sanderhoff and current district governors Scott Knaffla and Craig Burnett agreed that the districts should continue the Journey’s effort, and have set a new goal of $2,000,000 to be reached by April 1, 2021.
 
As with the first part of the Journey, the minimum amount of gifts within the journey is $10,000 to qualify for attendance at the celebratory dinner. Gifts may be made in a number of ways:
  1. Outright gifts of cash or appreciated securities
  2. A three-year pledge of cash or appreciated securities
  3. A Life income agreement funded with cash, appreciated securities or real estate, including charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, or pooled income funds.
  4. A bequest commitment via a will, life insurance policy, revocable trust, or a retirement plan
Each district has a team of Rotarians who stand ready to discuss the continuing campaign, give a presentation about the journey, or to interact directly with a potential donor. Donors or clubs are encouraged to contact PDG and Endowment/Major Gifts Advisor Nancy Rhodes to discuss the opportunity to add needed funds to the Rotary International Foundation during this time of pandemic and worldwide economic challenge.
 
Rotarians and others are encouraged to join in this important Journey at a time when it is truly needed.
From H. Knaack & K. R. Ravindran

African Region Certified Wild Polio-Free

It our pleasure to announce to you that the African region has just been certified wild poliovirus-free.

Rotary members have played an invaluable role in the effort to rid the African region of wild polio. We should be proud of all the hard work that we’ve done to eliminate the wild poliovirus throughout Africa and in nearly every country in the world. 

This progress is the result of a decades-long effort across the 47 countries of the African region. It has involved millions of health workers traveling by foot, boat, bike and bus, innovative strategies to vaccinate children amid conflict and insecurity, and a huge disease surveillance network to test cases of paralysis and check sewage for the virus. 

Over the last two decades, countless Rotary members in countries across the African region and around the world have worked together to raise funds, immunize children, advocate with local and national leaders, and raise awareness about the importance of vaccination, enabling the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) to effectively respond to and stop polio outbreaks. 

This milestone is an incredible public health achievement for Rotary members, the African region, and our GPEI partners, and a huge step forward on the road to global polio eradication. But we still have important work to do in order to eradicate wild polio in the last two endemic countries.

We have faced many challenges in our journey to eradicate polio. But we’ve made remarkable progress, and the polio infrastructure that Rotarians helped build will serve as a lasting legacy that will continue to help protect vulnerable children against other diseases for decades to come.

We are calling on you today to recommit yourselves to ending polio. We need each and every one of you to help finish this fight and continue raising $50 million each year for PolioPlus. The eradication of wild polio in the African region shows us that polio eradication is achievable, and shows how our hard work, partnerships and financial commitment continue to propel us forward, even during a global pandemic.

Thank you for your continued efforts, for achieving a wild polio-free African region, and for remaining committed to fulfilling our promise of a polio-free world.

Sincerely,
Holger Knaack                                                    K.R. Ravindran
President, Rotary International                           Chair, The Rotary Foundation
From the Rotary International Nominating Committee

Jennifer E. Jones Makes History, Named Rotary President-Nominee

(By Ryan Hyland) Jennifer E. Jones, a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, Canada, has been nominated to become Rotary International’s president for 2022-23, a groundbreaking selection that will make her the first woman to hold that office in the organization’s 115-year history.

Jones will officially become president-nominee on 1 October if no other candidates challenge her.

Jones says she sees Rotary’s Action Plan as a catalyst for increasing Rotary’s impact.

“As we reflect upon our new strategic priorities, we could have never envisioned that our ability to adapt would become our North Star during what is inarguably the most profound time in recent history,” Jones said in her vision statement. “Silver linings rise out of the most challenging circumstances. Using metric-driven goals, I will harness this historic landscape to innovate, educate, and communicate opportunities that reflect today’s reality.”

Read more...
Seventh Area of Focus Announced
Rotary Foundation Trustees & Rotary International Board of Directors Unanimously Approve Addition of Supporting the Environment as an Area of Focus

More than $18 million in Foundation global grant funding has been allocated to environment-related projects over the past five years. Creating a distinct area of focus to support the environment will give Rotary members even more ways to bring about positive change in the world and increase our impact.

RI President Mark Maloney says that during his travels around the world as a Rotary senior leader he encountered many Rotary members and Rotaractors who advocated for the environment to be an area of focus.

“I believe strongly that our Rotary Foundation programs now have a valuable added dimension to our efforts,” says, Maloney.

Foundation Trustee Chair Gary C.K. Huang says that with the global population reaching near eight billion, protecting the environment is increasingly important.

“It is time for us to use our collective resources to invest in a smart and efficient way to protecting our environment,” says Huang. “We are qualified to take this initiative because we are a global group of problem solvers with diversified talents.”

Read more...
From DG Craig Burnett

Rotary Opens Opportunities

As we embark on the 2020 – 2021 Rotary year under the banner of RI President Holger Knaack’s theme, Rotary Opens Opportunities, the entire Rotary world finds itself challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, and widespread global economic challenge.
 
In the face of such difficult times, many outside of Rotary would retreat from their volunteer activities. That is not the Rotary way; we are People of Action, and working to change the world for the better is in our blood. We have already seen this throughout our district as clubs are finding new and innovative ways to meet virtually or via creative and safe social distancing. Clubs in our district are also executing a diverse array of service projects. Many are different than those the clubs had planned before the pandemic, yet through these projects our clubs are continuing to serve our world.
 
As we move forward through this Rotary year in the shadow of COVID-19, it is critically important that we stay safe and be adaptable. If we do not take care of ourselves, our loved-ones, and our community through careful action to prevent infection, we will be less able to act on our motto, Service Above Self.  While the pandemic is still active, each and every Rotary event must be completely optional for in-person participation.
 
With that limitation, though, there are still many things we can do to continue to serve our world, and I encourage each club to brainstorm creatively, looking for novel approaches that are both safe and effective. 
 
It is also a time to embrace the unexpected opportunities that will arise amidst this crisis. Examples include building new and innovated membership and meeting models that work better when traditional in-person meetings are not being held (and may continue to work well in the long-term), inviting potential members, past members, and past alumni to join via virtual meetings, creative service projects to support communities harmed by the coronavirus, and more.
 
I urge us all to keep a positive focus on finding opportunities that will allow us to continue to serve. If we work together in optimism, we can do more than just survive – we have the opportunity to grow and thrive.
 
From PDG Steen Sanderhoff

Nancy Rhodes Honored with Service Above Self Award

Rotary’s highest honor recognizes Rotarians who demonstrate Rotary’s motto, Service Above Self, by volunteering their time and talents to help others. The award is internationally competitive and is granted to no more than 150 Rotarians worldwide, and no more than one from each district, each year.

I am pleased to share that this year, Rotary has chosen to honor one of our fellow District 6270 Rotarians, Nancy Rhodes.

Nancy Rhodes is a DYNAMO! She is a strong, determined, compassionate, tireless, & effective leader, in & out of Rotary. Since joining Rotary in 1988 -just one year after the Supreme Court ruled Rotary clubs may not exclude women based on gender- Nancy has held leadership positions at all levels of Rotary - from Club to International.  Her husband, Don Drecktrah, is also a Rotarian.
 

Nancy personifies what the Service Above Self award is all about. She is extremely dedicated to Rotary, and particularly to The Rotary Foundation, where she works diligently to identify prospective donors. As one member/donor put it, “She may be little, but Nancy can pick you up and shake you until every last nickel falls out of your pockets. And… she does it with a smile.”  
 

She is generous with her time, talents, & knowledge; her calendar is always full of Rotary meetings, events, & projects. Nancy never expects from others what she herself does not give, often many times over. What many aren’t aware of is her accomplishments behind the scenes- advocating & promoting support of people, ideas, & projects; quietly inspiring others to give money for causes; identifying people’s talents/capabilities & getting them involved in areas where they can make an impact. It is work with many hours of organizing, directing & being on one’s feet, the results of which many take for granted.
 

Nancy, on behalf of Rotary International, your fellow Rotarians, and the countless people whose lives are better because of you, CONGRATULATIONS!

From Foundation Chair Mary Beth Seiser

Support the Rotary Foundation's Disaster Response Fund

Thank you for everything you are doing for yourselves, your families, and your community during the current coronavirus pandemic.   It has been heartwarming to see the activities of so many clubs in our district - providing personal protective equipment, hearty meals, food for food pantries, support for first responders and health care workers, and many other generous projects.   

As a district we were delighted to be able to offer supplemental district grants to clubs, and those were made possible by your previous generous contributions to the Rotary Foundation.    Under normal circumstances, when we contribute to our Foundation we never know exactly when and where the funds will be used. We only know that Rotarians will see a need and will find a way to take care of it.  

But the current situation is not ‘normal’.   We are fighting a worldwide pandemic, and the need is urgent and specific.   Luckily Rotary had an established Disaster Response Fund and was prepared to allocate $1 million to COVID-19 projects.     Districts applied for grants for their local communities, but the needs quickly surpassed the available resources.    Rotary increased the amount to $3 million, but the need is still there.    Our district is one of those whose grant request is waiting in the queue until more money becomes available.   We don’t know, if, or when, it will be funded. 

Please consider a personal contribution to the Rotary Disaster Response Fund.  

Finally, stay safe and healthy, and THANK YOU for everything you do - it is appreciated!  

2021 Multi-District Conference

Enhance your Rotary experience at the Western Great Lakes Virtual District Conference. It’s free. It’s fun. And it’s for every Rotarian in Districts 6270 and 6220.

Join us May 1-6. Learn more about the conference.

District & Global Grant Resource Center
Scholarship Resource Center
Foundation News
Resources
The Rotarian


Online Version
Suggestions, Questions, Comments?
Contact our District Administrative Assistant
Dana Kohlmeyer at:
dana.kohlmeyer@rotary6270.org
or
Rotary District 6270
P.O. Box 0726
Manitowoc, WI   54221-0726
(If you would like a phone call, please send
your name and phone number in an email)