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Happy Easter!
Russell Hampton
National Awards Services Inc.
Sage
     Rotary District 5400
     43 Clubs       1900 members
 
Unites Leaders to exchange ideas and take action
to improve communities everywhere
 
February 28, 2016
 
Stories
GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE
We have now crossed the halfway point of the Rotary year.  Club (and District) leadership are fondly looking back at their accomplishments, while at the same time taking stock of goals set at the beginning of their terms.  This is certainly a time of year for simultaneous celebration and reflection.
 
To that end, we are starting the Mid-Winter Assemblies in Pocatello on February 27.  Mid-Winter is our opportunity to have a candid assessment of how the year has gone so far, and to plan on how we will successfully complete our goals for the balance of the year.  It is also an important opportunity to address any fatigue we have from the work we have accomplished, and reinvigorate ourselves for the rest of the year.  We’ll be reviewing membership and foundation giving trends, and spend some time talking about leadership.  DGE Jim Hogge will give a sneak preview of the next Rotary year, including the unveiling of the 2016-2017 RI President’s theme.
 
One thing this year, however, will be different than we’ve done in the past.  If you’ve managed to read this far into this note, you have an opportunity to take advantage of something unique.
 
In years past, we have often had presentations and an opportunity for discussion and brainstorming.  This year, we’re extending that opportunity, and frankly turning it on its head a little bit.  We are going to START the session this year with a “You First!” segment.  This is YOUR opportunity to address anything you want about Rotary and our District.  What is going well.  What isn’t going so well.  What are we doing that adds value, and what is not being done that should be accomplished? 
Read more...
DISTRICT CONFERENCE COMING SOON!
The annual Rotary District 5400 Conference will be held at the Sun Valley Resort May 13th and 14th.  This will be a great conference and all Rotarians are encouraged to attend.
 
Some Highlights:
  • Lots of training opportunities
  • Celebrate 100 years of Rotary in Idaho
  • "Ted Talks" style presentations (look for DG Ken's email instructions from 2/16)
  • International known inspirational speaker Ron Price
  • PDG Dan Himmelsbach from Denver will represent RI
  • Featured speaker Past RI Vice President Dr. Robert Scott - on the front lines of Polio Plus
Information about registration and hotel accommodations will be posted on the District website very soon.
 
Mark your calendar now!!
PETS IS COMING!!
PETS (President-Elect training Seminar)will be March 11-12 in Twin Falls.  This annual training session will help develop the skills in our next group of Club leaders.  The Club Presidents are critical to the continued success of Rotary because almost all that is accomplished by Rotary is done at the Club level.  The District is dedicated to providing the best training possible to help our Club Presidents make the most of their year as they lead their club.
 
This year we will continue to focus on membership and foundation during PETS.  These two topics have been on-going for the past 4-5 years and longer.  This year will will add Public Image to the list.  Public image is important as we work to attract new members to Rotary.   The full agenda is on the District Website, under "District Docs and Downloads".
 
PETS also provides excellent training for future leaders in the clubs.  It is a great opportunity to provide broader perspective for vice presidents, secretaries and treasurers.  If your Club is not sending more than the President Elect, please consider this opportunity to grow leaders and to better support your President.
POLIO UPDATE
Polio Eradication Update
For The Week Ending 02/27/16
 
The Gates Foundation is currently matching all
Rotarian Raised Polio Donations $2 for each $1 Contributed (Up to $35Mil/Yr.)
Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!
 
 PolioPlus:  “This Close” ls Not Close Enough
 
Advocate, Donate & Educate to END POLIO NOW & FOREVER !
14,500,000 Children Saved from the Paralysis of Polio Since 1988 
 Total paralysis cases
Year-to-date 2016
 
LY to D 2015
Total
2015
 
Total
2014
Total
 2013
Globally
2
10
74
359
416
- in endemic countries:
2
10
74
340
160
- in non-endemic countries:
0
0
0
19
256
 
Pakistan 1, Afghanistan 2  
 
2016 Polio Case Breakdown by Country
Endemic Countries –2 Pakistan (2015-54), 0 Afghanistan (2015-20)
 Post Endemic  0 Nigeria(2015-0)
 
Terry Ziegler, bigzlumber@aol.com District 5890 Rota
FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT
You should have received this week the annual Report from the Rotary Foundation. Although we know you will be reading it cover to cover, here are some highlights:
  • 1,209,491 Rotarians
  • 35,114 Rotary Clubs
  • $25.2 million in District Grants
  • $68.7 Global Grants
  • Countries with largest membership gain: Taiwan, India, Korea, Germany & Brazil
  • Since 1985, Polio cases have been reduced by 99.9%
  • $105 million contributed to Polio Plus
  • 7,600 Youth Exchange students
  • Total assets of Rotary entities - $1.2 billion!
DISTRICT GRANTS - TIME TO GET SERIOUS
It’s time to get serious about a project in your communities for which you could apply for a grant.  Instructions and criteria for the 2016-17 district grants have been published.  You can find them at the district website in the grants folder.  We will have about $53,000 available for clubs, in the block grant from The Rotary Foundation next year.  The deadline for online applications at www.matchinggrants.org is June 1. 
 
REMEMBER:  if you have a grant from 2014-15 or 2015-16 that hasn’t been closed, a progress or final report is due no later than May 15, 2016.  Clubs with delinquent reports from prior years will not be eligible for a grant in the 2016-17 grant cycle.  The district grants committee asks your cooperation in getting your reports filed soon, well before the May 15th deadline.  There are a few changes to the criteria from previous years – please read the criteria and instructions, as well as the Terms and Conditions for Rotary Foundation Grants before you begin your application.
 
Nineteen clubs shared $43,000 of Rotary Foundation grant money in 2015-16.  
EAST IDAHO STARTS MID-WINTER ASSEMBLIES
I just left the East Idaho Mid Winter Assembly. What seemed like a sacrifice early this morning has turned out to be a refreshing day. I would encourage all Rotarians, particularly those serving in leadership roles to make time for your region’s Assembly.
 
Our first item on the agenda was an open discussion about what is working in our clubs and what we could use some help with. There may be times that you feel your club is struggling with something unique, but you may find others currently dealing with similar issues or have found solutions.
 
We talked about the upcoming Council on Legislation that Terry Gilbert will be attending to represent District 5400 and a few of the proposals they will be voting on. With that, we were updated on the proper use of the Rotary International marks.

 
Read more...
TIME TO APPLY FOR DISTINGUISHED CLUB AWARDS
The application for the 2015-16 Distinguished Club Awards is now posted online at the district website, www.rotary5400.org.  The writable Word document is located in the District Docs and Downloads folder/Awards.  Many clubs will likely be recognized as Distinguished Rotary Clubs, but only one club will win the Humanity in Motion award that comes with $1,000 check!  The application form indicates the windows when activities are to have occurred, mostly from July 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016.  Applications are due by midnight April 15, 2016, as directed in the application.  Good luck, Rotarians!    Clubs will be recognized at the district conference in May.
CENTENNIAL LAUGHS A GIRAFFE
Boise Centennial Rotary hosted it's sixth annual Winter Wined Up on Friday, February 26, 2016. The event raised money for the Giraffe Laugh early childhood education program and our scholarship program; a preliminary count shows that we raised more than $15,000.  The Arid Club graciously provided a venue and delicious food. Split Rail, Crossings, Sawtooth, Periple, and Snake River Wineries provided wine and Powderhaus provided a hoppy alternative. A huge thank you to everyone who attended, participated, and donated. We truly could not have this success without you!!! Read more about it here!
LETS GO TO THE VATICAN FOR A ROTARY CELEBRATION!
My dear friends,
 
It is my great pleasure to invite you to join me in Rome, Italy on 30 April as we celebrate the Jubilee of Rotarians, a special event hosted by Rotary District 2080 and the Vatican. His Holiness Pope Francis will celebrate a Jubilee mass at St. Peter’s Square, where we will have 8,000 seats reserved for Rotarians, as well as friends and family.
 
For more information, please visit the Jubilee of Rotarians website, which has been provided by our friends in District 2080. The registration deadline is 15 March.
This Jubilee, as established by Pope Francis, is a commitment to serve with joy and in peace across the world.
 
As you work hard to Be a Gift to the World, I do hope you will make the effort to be in Rome with as many members of your district as possible. I look forward to seeing you there.
Regards,
 
K.R. Ravindran
Rotary International President, 2015-16
BOISE DOWNTOWN SUPPORTS SIERRA LEONE PROJECT
There is an information night/fundraiser planned to celebrate and update everyone on Village Hope, the Ag-processing factory being developed in Sierra Leone which will create many new well-paying jobs, improve technology, and impact thousands of lives through a profit sharing scheme (initially) with 9 local villages.  After engineering support from 2 BSU professors, Rotarian Jon Bart helped supervise the construction and has recently returned from over 2 months in Sierra Leone.  He and the Boise Downtown Rotary Club are planning a night to share their progress and seek the last funds required for their Rotary International grant.  Funds will be used to bring tractors, fertilizer and training to farmers and establish an agricultural processing facility.
 
Join us March 8th at the Arid Club, 1137 W. River St, Boise, from 6-7pm. Refreshments will be served and ancient wood carvings from Sierra Leone will be on display. 
 
JULIA DAVIS PARK UPDATE
On Monday February 22nd, all of the Boise Rotary clubs and the Eagle Garden City club had an “all clubs” meeting at The Riverside Hotel in Boise.  They gathered to celebrate the work that has been done on fundraising for the Rotary Grand Plaza that will be built in the center of Julia Davis Park.  This project is part of a 100 year refreshing of the first park in Boise.  The Rotary Grand Plaza will cost nearly $900k.  The overall projects in the park have approached $4.5M.  This amount has been split almost evenly between the City of Boise and philanthropists in the area.  Rotary clubs donated $150k in cash and a great deal more in time and effort to see this project through.  There are still opportunities for donations as we wrap up the last $150K of the whole project. 
 
We were excited to learn that Boise City Parks Department is finalizing the construction documents and the RFP should go out in the next two weeks.  Construction should be able to start in early June and finish in August of 2016. 

 
Read more...
SALMON PARTY FOR POLIO PLUS
The Salmon Rotary Club held its annual Party for a Cause the 13th of February. This years theme event was a Blind Box Wine  and cheese tasting. Thanks to the owners of the locally owned night club...The Owl Club...for letting us use your establishment. Five common types of wine were available in three brands. Two whites and 3 reds. Cheeses from local markets, including the new Amish grocery store in Baker, were served as well as breads and chocolates from the local bakery, The Odd Fellows. Great fun was had by all. Tickets were $25 a person and $1000 was raised for Polio Plus. The Salmon community has supported this event every year with generous help.
INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE!
The Rotary Foundation and UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education are offering up to 10 scholarships for graduate study at UNESCO-IHE's Delft campus in the Netherlands. The application deadline is June 15, 2016.  Scholars will receive a Master of Science degree in urban water and sanitation, water management, or water science and engineering. Graduates work with their Rotary club sponsors on a related project to benefit their local community. For more information, review the application toolkit and scholarship terms and conditions
IDAHO FALLS LIGHTS THE WAY TO LITERACY
Thanks to Idaho Falls Rotarians Susan Hulse and Margaret Wimborne, the club was able to secure a $2,500 grant from the Idaho National Laboratory for the Lighting the Way to Literacy Program. The grant will be matched by a Rotary District grant.
 
Lighting the Way to Literary is an Idaho Falls Rotary Club project that raises money to support local literacy efforts including Idaho Falls District 91’s One District One Book program. The annual program encourages families to read aloud together by providing all families with a child in one of District 91’s elementary schools with a copy of the same children’s classic and a reading calendar. Schools support the effort with daily trivia questions, as well as special activities. Research shows that reading aloud to children for just 15 minutes a day can provide a lifetime of benefits.
 
Local Idaho Falls artists will transform regular lampshades into works of art. The lampshades will be on display at the Willard Arts Center, Jan. 28-March 13. The lampshades will be auctioned off at a March 2 reception. The fun begins at 6 p.m. with refreshments and live entertainment, followed by the live lampshade auction at 7 p.m. with auctioneer Kevin Call. 
HERE'S A COOL FACEBOOK IDEA!
The District committee looking at club "internet presence" is finding some interesting ideas. Like this one: The Rotary Club of Pocatello has an active Facebook Page. Each week they post a video of the entire meeting! So, if you missed a meeting, you can easily watch it on the Facebook page. Visitors and potential members can watch it, too! What an interesting marketing idea! Congratulations Pocatello!