Cole Olmsted and Jack Powless at the June 16th meeting.
Cole Olmsted, grandpa Jim Olmsted, Kevin Welton, and Jack Powless.
Cole Olmsted from Middleton HS and Jack Powless from Edgewood HS spoke to us about the May 19-21 RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) Camp at Lake Lucerne in Neshkoro, WI. The event was a social gathering (of course), but it also focused on topics of importance – water conservation and helping those in poverty. RYLA is Rotary’s commitment to building leadership skills in energetic and committed young people. 150 young people and 25 staff and counselors filled the weekend with games, team-building activities, and getting to know people from around the state. The value of communication and working together was a keynote of the camp. These two young men were clearly touched and inspired by the weekend.
Unfortunately we have not reached the minimum number of volunteers needed to put on a standalone club drive. The good news is that if you would still like to donate doing so is now easier than ever. You can fill out your paperwork ahead of time and even download an app to schedule a time so that you can waltz right in. I’ve included upcoming drives as well as helpful links below. All the best and see you on Friday.
Five tickets to the American Family Golf Championship at University Ridge this weekend will be auctioned off at our weekly meeting tomorrow, Friday, June 23.
Thought you might like a "heads up" to prepare to bid.
The tickets are compliments of Lucas Schell who turns 50 this week and celebrating in the Bahamas!
Rotary’s “Core Values” are FELLOWSHIP, LEADERSHIP, INTEGRITY, DIVERSITY and SERVICE. As members of the “coolest” Rotary Club in the world, we have the opportunity, with and through our fellow Rotarians, to experience each of our core values at every weekly meeting and service activity. We are so lucky!
Under the leadership of the Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Madison West Towne-Middleton, I am asking for your support of OUR Rotary Foundation. This year, to mark the centennial celebration of TRF, and moving forward, we have asked each member to consider a gift of $1.00/day or $365 over the course of the year. With that said, we are asking every member to give to their level of comfort. No gift is too small or too large. ALL donations are welcome and I promise you, will be used to change lives through our service, throughout the world.
I have attached a commitment form for your consideration and use as well as a Rotary Direct Form. Now, here’s the catch. The 2016-2017 Rotary year ends on June 30, 2017. In order for your gift to be attributed to this Rotary year, I will need your contribution no later than June 29. I will take care of all the paperwork and you will receive a tax receipt directly from TRF. Or, you can make your contribution on-line – which I can assist you in getting set up. (I can help you with your member ID #; our Club is #2700.)
There is no doubt that, through the generosity of our members, our Club has had many great opportunities in which we have benefited from our gifts to The Rotary Foundation.
The Rotary Foundation (TRF) of Rotary International is a unique model and one that I would like to briefly share with you as I ask for your support. (I am not aware of any other Foundation that allows its contributors to direct a portion of their contributions in the manner of TRF.)
Every dollar that we contribute to The Foundation’s Annual Fund is invested for 3-years. At the end of that 3-year period, the earnings on our contributions are used to pay the expenses of our Foundation staff and programs (none of our Rotary “dues” supports the administration of TRF). 50% of our contributions are returned to our Rotary District 6250 (we are one of 63 Clubs in the Southwestern Wisconsin District). The remaining 50% is placed in The Foundation’s World Fund, which is managed by the Trustees of The Rotary Foundation.
Of the 50% our District receives, 1/2 is dedicated to District Grants which are used to match monies set aside by Clubs for local or small international service projects. The main criteria of these grants is that they must have active Rotarian involvement. In the last several years, the Madison West Towne-Middleton Rotary Club has benefited from District Grants with several of our projects, most notably, last year’s $10,000 grant to provide 30 Chrome Books and Cart to Jefferson Middle School.
The remaining 1/2 of the money returned to our District is used for Global Grants in excess of $30,000 (total budget). These are international projects which must provide sustainable service in one of Rotary’s Areas of Focus of:
Water & Sanitation
Maternal & Child Health
Disease Prevention & Control
Basic Education & Literacy
Economic & Community Development
Peace & Conflict Prevention & Resolution
Our Global Grants are not only “matched” by District 6250, they are also “matched” by The Rotary Foundation with the following formula/example (again, these grant budgets must be at least $30,000):
Club contribution to Global Grant =
$10,000 (can be a collaboration of Clubs)
District Match =
$10,000
TRF Matches Club Contribution =
.5:1 $ 5,000
TRF Matches District Contribution =
1:1 $10,000 (this money comes from the “World Fund” as mentioned above)
TOTAL PROJECT =
$35,000
We are always looking at ways to maximize our service through our use of District and Global Grants, so if you have an international project that you would like to pursue, please let one of our Board members know. As an example, we are currently in the process of developing a Global Grant in Haiti under the leadership of our fellow member, Paul Patenaude.
With this background in mind, it is important to note that 99% of the Annual Fund contributions are made by Rotarians. That is why you are all receiving this note.
I will look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience. (I will be at this Friday and next Friday’s meetings and will also be available by phone or to meet with you in person over the next week.) If we are not able to connect between now and next Friday, your gifts will be credited to our next Rotary year.
Box lunches cost $9 for those volunteers who would like to order a box lunch. Box lunches are available around 9:30am. The afternoon buffet offers enough food so any volunteer who works later in the day is welcome to the buffet at no additional cost.
We need volunteers! Please give a few hours of your time on Monday, June 26. Click Here to Sign Up!!
The following is general info from the Sun Flower Days Logistics Meeting. Last year, it was estimated 80,000 people visited the site, thus making it one of the premier summer attractions in the county.
First and most importantly, due to May’s weather, the planting did not go as planned. Thus, Sun Flower Days has been moved to begin Sat. Aug. 12, thru Sunday Aug. 20. We can put these dates in the bulletin and in our screen presentation.
Signups for parking volunteers will be done on-line. This process has not been completed, and we won’t have to collect names etc. at our meetings.
For those who have done this before, there are some changes in procedures for sign-in, wavers, and responsibilities. I see these all as very positive. There must have been 15 supervisor volunteers at the meeting plus a Town of Middleton Officer who gave good guidance to cover the anticipated crowds and traffic problems.
The conservancy will be open from 8:00am until shortly before sun set. Volunteers are to arrive 15 mins early for sign-in and instructions. All these are relatively easy, working in 2 hours shifts except for 10-12:30. There are 6 shift times. ALSO, there will be shade, either natural by trees or portable tents at each parking assignment location There will be 5 locations of them. Water, sun screen, and “treats” will be provided for our volunteers. Our volunteers need to be “animated” in their direction to direct parking. We will also be soliciting memberships to the visitors by passing out PFC brochures as the cars exit the area.
Starting Friday, we can make meeting announcements to begin “seeding” the idea to volunteer. I would expect those who did the highway cleanup would be great candidates for sign-ups.
If you are volunteering with youth (one-on-one)? Mentoring, Youth Exchange, RYLA, Academic Decathlon, High School Business Plans, Etc... You must have an annual background check completed. This only applies if you are working with youth one-on-one. If you are in a group more than 2 people, you don't need a background check.
Please let me know of any events or special situations in our fellow Rotarians' lives where a card, flowers, or a plant would be appropriate for their situation.
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