I want to take this opportunity to thank all the individuals in each of our District's 43 clubs who have stepped up to be new leaders, from President Elects to Committee Chairs. With PETS just around the corner on March 9 & 10 at the Best Western Plus Burley Inn & Convention Center – Burley Idaho Club: Planning is Job 1 for you now.
Let me share an area of focus that is near and dear to my heart: The power of clean water.
In our world today we have 748 million people that don’t have access to clean drinking water
2.5 Billion people have no access to improved sanitation
Worst of all, 1400 children die each day from water-borne disease and lack of sanitation
Our nation is grieving over the recent loss of 17 children in Florida and there is much effort being put forth to see this does not happen ever again. Yet, who grieves for these 1400 losses – ROTARY does.
$24 is all it takes to provide one person with safe water
23 million people now have safe water because of Rotary
21 million people have access to sanitation and hygiene thanks to Rotary projects
2030 is the year Rotary hopes to finish providing everyone with safe water, sanitation, and hygiene
When your clubs are looking for a project, look no further than a Water & Sanitation Global grant project to get involved in. It improves families, saves lives and it is “Service Above Self”. Learn more here
Terry Jones, '17-'18 D5400 Governor
Register now for the rotary leadership summit, including pets
The Rotary Leadership Summit, including PETS, is a new concept the District is implementing to provide training to the club’s leaders in a collaborative manner. When the leaders invest time learning and planning together, your club will thrive.
The purpose of the Rotary Leadership Summit is for club leaders to have dedicated time to collaborate on the ideas that will impact their club’s future. All club leaders are invited to attend, but there are five specific “tracks”. If a board member attends that doesn’t have a specific “chair” assignment, they may simply choose the track they would like to focus on.
You’ll learn
How to Lead Your Club to Success
Best Practices for Your Area of Responsibility
How to Set Attainable Goals & Hit Them
How to Attract and Retain Members
How to Effectively Use Public Image Tools
How to Develop and Fund Successful Service Projects
How to use Rotary’s Online Tools
And More!!!
The most beneficial factor of RLS, is having dedicated time to develop a club success plan with the key leaders of your club. You’ll leave RLS with a Vibrant Club Plan, that you can take back to the rest of board, ready to adopt, and move into ACTION….because we are PEOPLE OF ACTION!
Boise State University is looking for volunteers to help run the NCAA Tournament Thursday, March 15th and Saturday, March 17th at the Taco Bell Arena. Shifts and jobs vary.
If you or your club are interested in helping out (they need quite a few volunteers in order to cut time committed into palatable shifts), contact Dawn Hickman to get plugged in.
vote yes for plates!
The proposal for the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a special Rotary license place is in the legislation for consideration. If passed, Rotarians will have the opportunity to show they are proud to be a Rotarian. Each plate purchased will provide revenue for District programs.
Thanks to Boise Southwest for leading the charge over the last three years!
marie baker: tiger lady and membership expert
Most clubs I visit with talk about wanting to improve club membership, whether it’s attracting new members, or retaining their existing members. Our District has a secret weapon on this front, but we want to make sure it’s not a secret anymore! If your club has not had the opportunity to work with District Membership Chair, Marie Baker, I encourage you to find the committee and schedule a meeting with Marie to begin the process of changing membership growth outcomes.
Marie is a member and Past President of the Rotary Club of Nampa, and is very committed to helping clubs think about club vibrancy, club relevancy, and how we meet members where they’re at on their Rotary journey. She has traveled throughout our Zone for multiple trainings regarding membership best practices. She has tips. She has tools. She has knowledge. And she’s here to help!
If you want to learn more about membership best practices and what successful clubs are doing, join Marie at the Rotary Leadership Summit, including PETS, in Burley on March 9th and 10th, where she’ll be leading the membership track. We hope your club is sending someone to represent membership, foundation, public image, service, and of course, your incoming Club Presidents. Marie will be leading several sessions, working with club membership representatives to develop a dynamic club membership plan.
If you’re interested in working with Marie directly, please reach out to her at mariebogettibaker@gmail.com or by phone at 208-949-0382.
Jennifer Deroin, District Governor Elect
canyon county sunrise gives $500 to St. Luke's
The Canyon County Sunrise Rotary Club has contributed $500 to the St. Luke's Nampa patient assistance fund.
The St. Luke's patient assistance fund helps cover costs such as meal vouchers, gas cards, temporary housing, and medication for patients in need. Previous donors include On Semiconductor and Nampa high school students.
"We are so grateful to the Canyon County Sunrise Rotary Club for their support of the patient assistance fund," said Chief Nursing Officer Joan Agee. "This fund makes a lifesaving difference for our patients and their families."
The Canyon County Sunrise Rotary Club meets at 7 a.m. Thursdays in the Sunnyslope Room at St. Luke’s Nampa, 9850 W. St. Luke’s Drive. To learn more about the club,click here or email President JR Richardson.
Amy Stahl, Rotary Club of Nampa
thinking outside the box
Elmore County Rotary Club is starting a new project that will provide weighted blankets to their schools, police and sheriff departments. These blankets soothe agitated individuals who are autistic or have mental health issues. The club contacted a local quilting group who agreed to create them for the project. Elmore County has generated a lot of community excitement for the project due to its focus on assisting some of their most vulnerable citizens.
But it doesn't stop there. They've endeavored to pursue another project to assist a young man in their community who makes soup and chili for high school students that cannot afford lunches. The club will purchase hard goods and food for him, and are helping to facilitate an agreement that will add a second day to his serving schedule. They note that he is such an unassuming young man who is an inspiration to all.
Nancy Thompson, Elmore County Rotary Club
letter from an 11-year-old future rotarian
My name is Lily Snell. I'm 11-years-old and from Hailey, Idaho. In March 2017, my parents visited Stone Island, near Mazatlan in Mexico, to see if it was possible for our family to live there. Sinaloa has an approximate population of 5,000 and average income of $800 a month. While my parents were there they visited the school that has 273 children.
When my parents returned they told me about the terrible condition of the school and I immediately decided I wanted to help. I started a fundraiser called “Pesos for Public Schools”. We started raising money through this Go Fund Me and promoted through social media. I received permission from my Principal to go to each classroom to explain our project. I have also done stands selling fruit and lemonade to our community in Hailey with all money going towards the project. The hardest thing I did was present to Rotary clubs in Hailey, Pocatello and representatives of three Rotary clubs in Mazatlan.
Our family is currently living on Stone Island. 2 of my sisters and I are attending the school we are raising money for. Now that I attend the school I’m so glad we started this fundraiser because I’ve seen for myself how much help they need. The ceilings leak and many of the buildings have broken windows. Some of the buildings have been declared unsafe because they fear they will fall. The school is 70 years old and it seems like maybe the desks, chairs and whiteboards are that old, too. The desks are a lot smaller and it is really hard to do all of your work on them. We don’t even have access to computers or internet.
I hope we can get a Global Grant from Rotary Foundation so we get this school everything it needs. All money raised will go towards the needs mentioned above and will be prioritized based off of the amount of money available.
RI President riseley to Visit Idaho
This is a monumental year for the Rotary Club of Idaho Falls as we enter our Centennial year. Established on February 4, 1918 at the Eleanor Hotel, the club has grown over the years and today has over 150 active members.
Our club is involved in local activities throughout the year, but our best-known endeavor is the Great Snake River Greenbelt Duck Race. Since 1991, the club has been raising money through the Duck Race to help expand and improve the River Walk – the heart of our city.
The club has raised millions of dollars in its 27 years of the Duck Race. Those funds were leveraged through public and private grants and investments, resulting in more than $2M in River Walk development. There are now nearly six miles of paved trail, a replica of the Taylor Toll Bridge, beautiful park amenities and much more! With matching grants and club donations, over $4.5M has been raised for the new Heritage Park, our club’s Centennial Project.
We are excited to announce as part of our Centennial Celebration we will be honored with a visit from Rotary International President, Ian Riseley and his wife, Juliet.
President Riseley will visit Thursday April 12, 2018 to assist the groundbreaking and ribbon cutting of the Heritage Park at 11:00 a.m., followed by our club meeting at 12:10 p.m. The meeting will be for members and invited guests only. President Riseley will be a guest at the club meeting and will not be speaking. The highlight of his visit will be at the club's official 100-year celebration, in the historic Colonial Theater at the Willard Art Center in downtown Idaho Falls. The evening’s festivities will begin at 7:00 p.m. where President Riseley will speak, along with other performances. Following the formal event, cake and ice cream will be served in the Carr Gallery. Both events will be open to the public.
As we look back on what our club members have done for the past 100 years, we look forward to the next 100 years of service above self and continuing the community service legacy that has been forged by our members.
Steve Poulsen, Rotary Club of Idaho Falls
two-a-day
Congratulations to Rotary Club of Western Treasure Valley who inducted two members in one day! Pictured is President Brandon Starwalt welcoming new Rotarians Larry Hovorka and Brian Sheets. The club meets at noon on Wednesdays at The Plaza Inn Restaurant.
The Colombian people would like to be known for their coffee and flower exports, not for the Columbian Drug Cartels. Their current President, Juan Manuel Santos, 66, won the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize, ending the 52 year civil war, and has negotiated a “peace with total amnesty agreement” with FARC.
On a trip to the Salt Cathedral located in Zipaquira, in the midst of the flower growing region, we noted a tribute to that towns Rotary Club and paused to take a picture to share with you all. As you can see from the sign posted at the base of the hand, they request donations to help with damaged limbs.
From Bogota, we flew to the Coffee Triangle which included Perreia and Armenia. We stayed in a jungle lodge that was situated in a lush cloud forest and went for a hike, admiring the many condors floating above us.
From the Coffee Triangle we flew to Medellin, once known as the most dangerous city in the world. They would now like to be known as the most progressive city in the world. One example of this forward thinking is that they have constructed covered escalators from the lower part of the valley to the top: for the use of the old and infirm. They have also constructed gondolas and a lite rail system for the use of their people. Medellin was ruled by Drug Lord Pablo Escobar, a notorious brutal killer until his death at 44, on December 3, 2003, one day after his birthday. He was exporting over 80% of the cocaine going into the US. There were some people who thought him a hero because he built homes for the poor and gave away money. Some of that he did do, however he always wanted payment in amoral means.
In closing, we learned that after Afghanistan, Colombia has the most mine fields in the world. The authorities are working to eradicate them. You will not want to venture off the regular path nor far from your guide if you decide to visit.
Our trip was a spectacular adventure in one of the worlds most biologically diverse countries and is well worth a trip there before its growing popularity changes the charm of it. We were extremely impressed with this land and it’s warm, intelligent, vibrant people.
Jeannine Gregoire-Hailey, Idaho Rotary Club If you have a Rotary Road Trip story, email Michela!
One new wild polio case Reported This Week
What is that Polio Eradication Picture? It's a picture of - Yusef, a 3 year old child in Afghanistan showing his Purple Pinkie after being vaccinated for Polio for the second time. Children must receive multiple doses of the Oral Polio Vaccine to reach full immunity.
Today, we count two weeks since the report of the most recent Wild Polio case. Rotary is committed to raise $50 Million (including Rotarian, public, and DDF donations) to be matched by $100 mil from the Gates Foundation - for each of the next three years - for a total of $450 million for the Global Polio Eradication effort!
SYRIA, SOMALIA & DRC - No new cases of circulating vaccine-derived Poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) were reported this week in Syria (the last case reported on 9/20/17) leaving the total number of 2017 cases for Syria at 74 and 0 for 2018. No new cases were reported in DRC, leaving their total at 21 for 2017 and 0 for 2018. DRC has declared their outbreak to be a "Public Health Emergency of National Concern". They have completed four Monovalent Type 2 vaccination campaigns and one Mop-Up campaign and are committed to ending the outbreak. In Somalia, the circulation of Vaccine-derived Poliovirus Type 2 (from environmental samples) has been confirmed but no cases have been reported.
Did You Know? Happy Birthday! - in addition to being Rotary's 113th Birthday, February 23 is also the 64th Anniversary of the first Polio vaccinations, developed by Dr. Jonas Salk and given to a group of children from Arsenal Elementary School in Pittsburgh.
Quote of the Day - "Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.” - Wilma Rudolph, American runner and three-time Olympic gold medalist.
The Final Three Endemic Countries:
Pakistan: No new Polio cases reported this week. No Polio cases reported in 2018. Eight cases reported in 2017 -the most recent from the Balochistan province with an onset of paralysis on 11/14/17. No new Polio-Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week. A Bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine campaign - synchronized with Afghanistan was completed this week with the next campaign scheduled for Mid-March.
Afghanistan: No new Polio cases reported this week. Three Polio cases reported in 2018 - the most recent from the Kandahar province with the onset of paralysis on 01/06/18. Fourteen cases reported in 2017 A Bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine campaign - synchronized with a campaign in Pakistan was completed this week with another planned for Mid-March. No new Polio-Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week.
Nigeria: No new Polio cases reported this week and none in 2017 or 2018. The most recent Polio case was reported on 8/20/16. Nigeria has once again gone 1-1/2 years without a Wild Polio case.
Terry Ziegler, Rotary District 5890 Polio Eradication Chair & Zone 21B/27 PHS Coordinator
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Boise State University is looking for volunteers to help run the NCAA Tournament Thursday, March 15th and Saturday, March 17th at the Taco Bell Arena. Shifts and jobs vary.
The proposal for the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue a special Rotary license place is in the legislation for consideration. If passed, Rotarians will have the opportunity to show they are proud to be a Rotarian. Each plate purchased will provide revenue for District programs.
Most clubs I visit with talk about wanting to improve club membership, whether it’s attracting new members, or retaining their existing members. Our District has a secret weapon on this front, but we want to make sure it’s not a secret anymore! If your club has not had the opportunity to work with District Membership Chair, Marie Baker, I encourage you to find the committee and schedule a meeting with Marie to begin the process of changing membership growth outcomes.
The Canyon County Sunrise Rotary Club has contributed $500 to the St. Luke's Nampa patient assistance fund.
Elmore County Rotary Club is starting a new project that will provide weighted blankets to their schools, police and sheriff departments. These blankets soothe agitated individuals who are autistic or have mental health issues. The club contacted a local quilting group who agreed to create them for the project. Elmore County has generated a lot of community excitement for the project due to its focus on assisting some of their most vulnerable citizens.
My name is Lily Snell. I'm 11-years-old and from Hailey, Idaho. In March 2017, my parents visited Stone Island, near Mazatlan in Mexico, to see if it was possible for our family to live there. Sinaloa has an approximate population of 5,000 and average income of $800 a month. While my parents were there they visited the school that has 273 children. 
This is a monumental year for the Rotary Club of Idaho Falls as we enter our Centennial year. Established on February 4, 1918 at the Eleanor Hotel, the club has grown over the years and today has over 150 active members.
The Colombian people would like to be known for their coffee and flower exports, not for the Columbian Drug Cartels. Their current President, Juan Manuel Santos, 66, won the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize, ending the 52 year civil war, and has negotiated a “peace with total amnesty agreement” with FARC.
