I am sure you are having an enriching experience as you Serve to Change Lives. One of the ways you can make the greatest change in a person’s life is to help them learn to read. Literacy opens up the world to us. It makes us better informed about life in our own communities and opens vistas to other cultures. Reading and writing connects people and gives us another way to express our love for one another.
September is Basic Education and Literacy Month in Rotary. Enhancing literacy skills is critical in our pursuit of reducing poverty, improving health, and promoting peace. In fact, if all students in low-income countries left school with basic reading skills, it would result in a significant cut in global poverty rates.
September is Literacy month. Marjorie McPeak is our District Chair for Literacy. Marge is also an Assistant Governor for Area 13, which includes Ely and the Iron Range Rotary. After our club visit in Ely last month, Marge asked who our Literacy Chair is, and I had to inform her that District 5580 did not have a literacy Chair. Marge feels very strongly about Literacy (being a former librarian) and volunteered to take the position on an interim basis. If you know of a District 5580 Rotarian who would love to serve as our Literacy Chair, Marge would be happy to work with that Rotarian until they feel comfortable in this position......
District 5580 is now calling for nominations for the office of District Governor for the Rotary year 2024-2025, and qualified Rotarians may submit a nomination for consideration by the District Nominating Committee.
Your Rotary Leadership team attended the Zone Institute in Houston September 8-12th, hence the delay of your monthly newsletter.
WHAT IS THE ZONE INSITUTE?
The Zone 25b & 29 Institute is when incoming District Governors, Membership Chairs, Public Image Chairs and Upcoming Leaders from around the District receive training from the Zone Training Teams BUT any Rotary member can attend the Zone Institute (and your significant other is welcome to as well). This is a celebration of the efforts of over 49,000 Rotary members in our Zone, how we lead ourselves, and our communities, and set a path for how we will continue to move Rotary forward.
We as Rotarians always hear our leadership saying we need more members, and sometimes I know that can be frustrating or maybe even annoying. As your co-chair this year I want everyone to really grasp why it's so important for us continue to invite new Rotarians to our club and how to do that. Stay tuned for opportunities to learn more! In the meantime the Number 1 thing I want you to remember is that Rotary is gift! You are giving someone a gift every single time you invite them to your club and every time you get someone to join the Rotary Family.
Rotary’s Public Image is how Rotary is perceived by the world. Rotary’s “Voice” is the unique tone and style in which we communicate. There is no organization quite like Rotary. By using a unified "voice" in all our interactions, we ensure our communications capture our distinct character — and how people experience Rotary. By speaking, writing, and designing in one voice, our communications will look, feel, and sound unmistakably like Rotary. The two images at the top of this story have two distinctive names — do you know them? They are explained at the end of this message.
The Rotary monthly themes help us focus on specific issues that Rotarians can address to improve lives around the world. This month’s theme is “Basic education and literacy”. Over the years clubs in our district have provided aid for basic education and literacy in Guatemala and India. This year the Moorhead Rotary club is doing a project locally called “Cultural and Reading K-6”. This project addresses the need helping New American children adapt to a new language and culture.
Nearly every month of the year has a theme for something. September is Hunger in Action Month. May is National Mental Health Month. September is also Rotary Basic Education and Literacy Month. In addition Literacy is one of the Six Areas of Focus for Rotary International.
Basic Education and Literacy are essential for reducing poverty, improving health, encouraging community and economic development and promoting peace. However, currently over 776 million of the world's people over the age of 15 are illiterate. That is 17% of the world's population. If all students in low-income countries were to leave school with basic reading skills 171 million people could be lifted out of poverty which would be equivalent to a 12% cut in world poverty.
Literacy Rotarian Action Group is a network of Rotarians working around the world who have a special interest in acting upon the Mission and Goals of Rotary International that are related to alleviating illiteracy and encouraging teaching and learning globally. In addition they help to provide materials and equipment for Literacy Education at different levels in many countries. Numerous Rotary Clubs in the U.S. have Literacy Projects particularly suited to the needs of their communities.
The number one thing most clubs want to know is what is happening around the District, but we can't help spread the word if we don't know what your club is up to.
Please submit a summary of your club events, news and projects to Ashley by the 10th of each month. We can include information in our Monday Minutes and in our newsletter.
News can be sent to ashleydhall21@gmail.com
Submitted by: Assitant Governor Dan Brown
Cheque presentation 7/19/2021 at the Wilderness Discovery Handi-capable Centre. Fort William Rotary donated $75,000 from last year’s house lottery.
Pictured from left: Cynthia Judge (past president), Dawn Sebasta (current president), Jeff Jones (member of the board of directors of WDC)
The Rotary Club of Wahpeton (ND) and Breckenridge (MN) hosts a Community Blood Screen service project twice a year with the help of the local CHI St. Francis Medical Center and the Essentia and Sanford Clinics. For just $50, customers are able to have their blood drawn in just minutes; their lab work is processed at CHI St. Francis, and a full report of each test performed with the results is mailed to each customer the next day. The project is usually held in October and April. It can vary according to when the hospital and clinic staff/volunteer phlebotomists are available.
Because of the Covid Pandemic, the Rotary Club will host the event at the Wahpeton Community Center instead of the at the hospital. The most recent test added to the blood cell, liver function, kidney function, and cholesterol checks is the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) test, at no additional cost. This helpful project has been done for years for people across the tri-state area of North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. We’re pleased to be able to hold it again this fall.
On Tuesday, August 24, 2021, the Superior Sunrise Centennial Rotary Club kept a promise and filled a need. Last fall they visited the Superior School District’s Project SEARCH classroom and talked to teachers about what they needed to help the students in their class. With a District 5580 Rotary matching grant, the Sunrise Rotarians raised over $4,000 to purchase tables, chairs, lockers, laptop stands, calculators and more. On August 24, they delivered, unpacked, assembled, and installed classroom equipment and supplies.
Project SEARCH is a program that provides senior-year special needs students with focused life skills training and internship opportunities with local employers. The goal of the program is to prepare students for independent living and employment after graduation.
The Superior Sunrise Centennial Rotary Club and Project SEARCH plan to continue their partnership throughout the school year. Students will be assisting with Rotary community service and fundraising. Rotarians will be partnering with students for life-skills training.
Submitted by: Assistant Governor Kris Fehr
The Dickinson Rotary Club's Highway Clean Up service project, usually held twice each year to clean up three miles of Interstate 94 near the Painted Canyon overlook, came back from a COVID-19 hiatus and was held Sept. 8. The small and mighty group of Rotarians and friends then enjoyed food and fellowship at a local eatery. Those participating included Erv VanVeldhuizen, left, Alex and Mike Schwab, project organizer Chad Rennicker, and Don Bares behind the camera! Thank you for your Service Above Self!
Beloved Dickinson, ND Rotarian Lloyd Schnaidt died June 2, 2021 after a valiant battle with cancer, with funeral services held June 8. A long time Rotarian, Lloyd served as president of the Club 1980-1981 and was an honorary member for the past two years. Lloyd's greatest gift was his compassion and, as a pharmacist who owned his own business and consulted to nursing homes for 30+ years, he made a difference in the lives of so many people in our community. Lloyd's Rotary service included spearheading a successful fundraiser and participating in each of the club's service projects and fundraisers. He was community-minded, serving on many local and state boards of directors. Lloyd was a Paul Harris Fellow +1 and was recognized by for his leadership with an honorary PHF at the club's centennial celebration in February 2021
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