It is hard to believe that we are in the final quarter of our Rotary year! The year has flown by, and the past nine months have been remarkably busy for clubs in the district; so proud of all you have done on behalf of our district! I am excited to see what is ahead for us in April, May, and June…
And speaking of staying busy, the committee for our annual event, Gathering for Good has stayed quite busy since December, planning and preparing the recent Gathering for Good event, Back-to-the Fifties with District 5710; I think most would say it was a pretty cool evening!
The fruits of the committee’s labor paid off – because, this past Saturday, we had a wonderful gathering in Lawrence. I am incredibly grateful for such a great turnout (about 110 Rotarians and our friends supported this district event), seeing everyone dressed up in their fifties attire, the money we were able to raise for the Rotary Foundation, and most importantly, the fellowship we shared.
Overall, thanks to the generosity of our district membership/friends (donating baskets/items for the silent auction, donating items for the live auction, purchasing wine and/or liquor & silent/live auction items, sponsorships, etc.), we were able to raise over $30K (this amount might go up a bit in the weeks ahead) for forward to the Rotary Foundation…can you say WOW!!! Many, many thanks to all who came out to support with a special thanks going to our committee who worked so hard to make this a fun evening for everyone. Again, I am so, so grateful and humbled by your generosity.
Our work here, however, is not yet complete; we are still counting on clubs to make your annual donations to the Rotary Foundation by the end of this operational year (June 30th, 2025) to ensure our donation amount (as a district) continues to grow each year.
In addition to foundation giving, we are still working on polio plus donations as well. This includes your normal club donations plus your pocket change for polio campaign donations. I am anxious to see how much change we have put together as a district; I am tracking the pocket change donation amounts so please let me know how much your club has submitted to date (thanks to the club Presidents who have reported their amounts so far), and I will request a final wrap up of pocket change amounts donated at the end of May. In addition to your club/individual donations in support of Polio Plus we are still looking to add Polio Plus Society members to our district. To become a member, all you need to do is donate $100 each year to the end-polio-now campaign; you, too, can be a Polio Plus Society member. Click to join.
Although the Back to the Fifties Gathering for Good was a fun event, I am hoping that on May 28th, we can gather for a little more fun. With that said, I am inviting all district Rotarians and their family members to join me at the Monarchs stadium (in the KC Legends area) for a district 5710 family night at the ball field. There will be a couple of different ticket options, one of which includes dinner; the other is a game ticket only. Registration and detailed information for this event will come out under separate Email (from Mandy/thank you in advance!). I am excited to end the month of May with something fun and exciting (providing the Monarchs get a win…LOL) and do hope many of you can join in with your families. (see the flyer below)
Finally, I am thrilled to say we have twenty Rotarians signed up to attend our annual convention this year in Calgary. At the convention, there is much to do, and a great deal of learning and fun will be had by all. There is still time to register to attend; click here for more information and to get registered.
In closing, I hope you all have a wonderful month ahead enjoying time with family and friends and hopefully some spring-like weather!
The Foundation and Gathering For Good committees would like to express a very big Thank You to everyone who participated in some way at our fifth annual Gathering For Good! We raised over $30,000 for the Rotary Annual Share Fund on March 29th at the Doubletree by Hilton in Lawrence. This is the most we have raised since this event started in 2021!We, also, had our Annual Giving Officer, Andrew Cary, in attendance. We had a lot of fun dressing up to a 50s themed night and raising money for The Rotary Foundation. We had a great DJ spinning 50s music all night and Gathering For Good would not be the same without our auctioneer extraordinaire, Charlie Moon. I appreciate all of you who helped make this a successful event again this year!
As of March 31st, we have, as a district, given 67% of what we contributed last year to TRF Annual fund and 66% to Polio Plus. With 3 months left in our Rotary year, we are getting closer to matching or exceeding our numbers from last year. 72% of our clubs have donated at least something to one of the Rotary Foundation areas and we are all very delighted you did. If you have not made your contribution to TRF yet this year, I would encourage you to do so in the next three months. Your District Foundation committee is dedicated to helping our members with various ways of contributing to TRF and with various ideas for projects that can benefit from those funds.
An example of how your TRF funds are being utilized is through our Global Grants (GGs). We have nine GGs currently in process, three that have been approved, two that are waiting for approval, and four that are being drafted. Our Global Grants committee agreed to commit $10,000 to a project in Uganda developed by Rotary Peace Fellow, Jennifer Montgomery, which would provide dignity kits and the training to make them to 400 girls and young mothers. If you or your club would like to be a part of this global grant for Uganda, please contact me for more details. We had 14 Rotarians from our district and D5680 go to Guatemala last month to serve the Patanatic community and observe the Global Grant currently being implemented that is designed to train 18 health promoters in their community. If you would like to learn more about any of the Global Grants our district is involved with, please reach out to me. I would be happy to discuss them further.
Just as a reminder, any of us in the District Foundation committee would be happy to speak with you or present to your club on several Foundation topics, including Endowment/Major Gifts, Global Scholars, Global grants, District grants, Paul Harris Society, Polio Plus, and alternative ways to give a significant gift to The Rotary Foundation (TRF). I encourage you to reach out to us if you would like us to present to you.
We see the impact of all of your District Grant projects throughout our district and in your community. Thank you for all of your efforts so far!
There is sad news in Rotary’s race to End Polio: Two more Wild Polio cases were reported this month in Pakistan, bringing this 2025’s total cases in the last two endemic countries to 7. Pakistani authorities are racing to confront and control this outbreak and are tracking all locations in the country where environmental testing finds traces of the virus. Especially along its shared border with Afghanistan. Here are actions for District 5710’s members can take to help End Polio Now:
Save The Children: Be Sure Your Club Sets and Meets its 2024-2025 Polio Goal and helps fund the work of all parts of the Polio Plus Campaign:
Here are facts that show how your donations are providing more than just the Polio Vaccine: for example, since 1998 the polio workers, along with the “2-Drops”, also distributed 82 million doses of Vitamin A saving the lives of1.25 Million Kids; and in one recent year, 64 million doses of the Measles vaccine, 7 Million does of Yellow Fever vaccine, & 4 Million Bed Nets.
Save the Date: World Immunization Week, 24-30 April – Promote Polio Plus
The World Health Organization recognizes 24-30 April each year as World Immunization Week. Rotary and our partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative use the annual event to highlight the critical importance of polio vaccinations in protecting children from the debilitating effects of polio. World Immunization Week is also a key moment in the year to show the success of vaccines in reducing polio cases by more than 99.9% since the GPEI was established in 1988, which provides proof that #VaccinesWork.
Promote Awareness of Polio Eradication: Share the “Countdown to History”
Now that next year’s Club Presidents have returned from their PETS/PELS meeting they will be reminding all of their members: This is the year to proudly wear an END POLIO NOW button along with your Rotary pin and be prepared to tell all who ask what it means, about Rotary’s #1 Priority, the End of Polio. Add a “Polio Eradication Minute” story or status from the Countdown to each meeting. Tell all you can about the great work beyond just the Polio vaccine that the “PLUS” in our goal does so much more. Set a great Polio Plus support example for your club’s members by making your own donation as a Polio Plus Society Member and encouraging others to sign up. TOGETHER, WE END POLIO.
Feel free to email, call or text your District 5710 Polio Plus Co-Chairs if you have any questions, need to schedule a status presentation for your club or want fundraising ideas.
The purpose of the Paul Harris Society is to identify, engage, and thank members who have the ability and desire to make substantial annual gifts to help communities close to home and around the world. A PHS member contributes at least $1,000 annually to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus Fund or approved global grants. Since July 1, 2024, 15 Rotarians have made the commitment.
Also, we are contacting PHS members who have been eligible but have not fulfilled their commitment in recent years. This will help Rotary maintain accurate records. We understand Rotarians go through life changes and there may be times commitments need adjusting.
4. Complete the form on the District 5710 website HERE.
5. Email Jennifer Berquist, the district coordinator, at jkberquist@gmail.com and she will email or mail you the form (whichever is your preference).
ROTARY DIRECT
Whether you donate to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) monthly, quarterly, or annually, we highly recommend using Rotary Direct. It is simple to initiate, and you do not have to think about it again, unless you need to update your payment information.
Please consider setting up Rotary Direct at $84/month and you will achieve a Paul Harris Fellow award annually. Here is the Rotary Direct link for your convenience: https://my.rotary.org/en/rotary-direct.
Become a Host Family: Enrich Lives Through Cultural Exchange
Dear Rotarians,
Our District is actively seeking generous host families to welcome foreign students into their homes. This year, we have students from Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Norway, Spain, and Switzerland who are eager to immerse themselves in our culture. By opening your home, you have the unique opportunity to make a profound impact on these young lives while fostering international friendships.
Hosting a student goes beyond providing a place to stay; it’s about sharing experiences, traditions, and a sense of belonging. Picture the enriching conversations at the dinner table, the laughter during shared activities, and the chance to learn about different cultures firsthand. The bonds formed during this experience can last a lifetime, creating cherished memories for both your family and the student.
If you’re interested in becoming a host family or have any questions, please reach out to: Anne Faucett, District Outbound Coordinator, at annefaucett33@gmail.com; Stephen Wheatley, District 5710 Youth Exchange Officer, at rotary5710ye@gmail.com or Cleverson Souza, District Inbound Coordinator, at inbound5710@gmail.com. Additional information is available at SCRYE.org.
You can never start planning too early. If your club is considering applying for District Grant funds in 2025 for a club local project, please mark your calendars for the annual District Grants Training that is scheduled for Monday, April 21, 2025 at 6:00pm via Zoom. Interested in attending? Please click here to register for this Zoom meeting.
A basic requirement to be eligible to apply for a District Grant is that each club must have at least one club member who has attended a District Grants Training/Certification Seminar within the last three years prior to the application date, which will be August 31, 2025.
For additional information or questions, please contact Greg Shondell, District 5710 Grants Subcommittee Chair, greg@HeathwoodOil.com.
Nearly half-way there!! The Million Dollar Challenge for District 5710 is making great progress and we are looking to engage more Rotarians at more clubs to meet our goal of $1 Million new contributions into the Rotary International Endowment Fund. We have actual gifts or commitments from 21 District Rotarians totaling nearly $500,000!!
Our District Governor and incoming DGs have set the bar high for the district to raise $1 Million for the Rotary Endowment Fund. This is in support of Rotary International’s goal to exceed $2,025,000,000 in the endowment by the end of 2025! We can do it.
In addition to the 21 commitments, we are aware of four additional major donors who are considering endowment giving. If you would like to be part of the campaign team as an “asker,” as a donor, or both, I would love to hear from you. We still need askers in most clubs. The actual work includes one Zoom/telephone meeting a month and then talking to your club members about any possible support they would consider for the endowment effort. We have several district Rotarians who would love to come speak to your club about how important the endowment is and how you can participate in the Million Dollar Challenge!
There are great income producing and/or income tax savings techniques for Rotary gifting. Charitable Remainder Trusts, Charitable Gift Annuities, charitable distributions from an IRA, life insurance, and gifting of appreciated stocks or art or real estate all can work to your benefit, if you have a heart for the cause.
Rotary International professionals Eric Thompson (219-712-4852) or Lizzy King (847-866-3017 or Elizabeth.King@rotary.org) are eager to visit with anyone about making a major gift or funding the Rotary endowment. Me too.
I want to speak to your club about endowment and major gifts and the Million Dollar Challenge. Call me at 785-267-8782 (daytime work) or raeschliman@corefirstbank.com (same) to connect and get energized about the Rotary International Foundation.
Heartland PETS/PELS 2025 is complete! It was fun and informative. President-elects shared and learned from each other, and all attendees were inspired by the menu of guest speakers. Of course, we all enjoyed the social hours built into the schedule! We will be meeting with other members of the PETS/PELS Committee in early April to discuss the survey feedback responses. We will definitely share with you what we learn from the survey data.
RLI
Our next RLI (Rotary Learning Institute) is 4-5 April 25 hosted by the Rotary Club of Topeka. The hybrid design includes: A Friday ZOOM mtg from 5:30-8:30 PM, and an in-person session on Saturday from approximately 8:30 AM-5:00 PM.
Remember to let us know if your club is interested in hosting (providing a conference room/site and access to lunch) for an RLI (Rotary Leadership Institute).
KLC 2025
Please review the 2025 Kansas Leadership Center scholarship opportunities below. These leadership courses provide continuing professional development that will benefit you professionally and personally. Attached below you will find the descriptions of the KLC program sequence of courses and the virtual and in person options and dates. To register for a class, follow the instructions using the link and passcode on the attached pages below.
2025 District 5710 Leadership Transformation Grants
District 5710 and 5680 have each been awarded 25 grants to participate in the programs of the Kansas Leadership Center. The Kansas Leadership Center (KLC) is a non-profit organization committed to fostering leadership for stronger, healthier and more prosperous Kansas communities.
The KLC offers three programs that build on each other:
•When Everyone Leadsis the introductory one-day program that focuses on personal leadership competencies. It focuses on leadership as an activity – recognizing that every individual has the capacity to lead. It helps participants stretch and grow their leadership while addressing their toughest challenges.
•Your Leadership Edgeis the seminal, two-day deep dive into individual leadership for those who have completed When Everyone Leads. It focuses on helping leaders understand how to move out of their comfort zone and engage in meaningful leadership. It centers on the KLC’s leadership framework based on Five Guiding Principles and Four Profound Competencies.
•Lead For Changeis reserved for teams who have already completed the other two KLC courses. It is an immersive, three-day training that must be experienced in a team.
Who Should Attend?
Each club should consider sending up and coming leaders from their club and community. The virtual sessions are an ideal option. Leaders who have done the first program should consider the second program.
How To Register To Sign Up for When Everyone Leads or Your Leadership Edge, we ask that you do two things:
1.Visit the KLC website at: www.kansasleadershipcenter.org. Create a personal account and register using the passcode Rotary2025 to waive the tuition fee.
2.Notify District Learning Facilitators, of your interest in order that we might track Rotarians who are taking advantage of this grant. * If you have a team to enroll in Lead For Change, please contact us before doing so.
Congratulations to our district treasurer, Laureate Karen Linn for being inducted into the Topeka Business Hall of Fame; to read more about Karen's accomplishments click here Karen Linn | Topeka Business Hall of Fame — TK Business Magazine; we sure appreciate everything Karen does on behalf of RID 5710!
We just finished week six of the fellowship, which has been quite the experience! Last week, we traveled to the southeastern border regions where we got to consider more deeply issues of diversity, discrimination, genocide, and refugee integration. I was personally touched to visit Hatay (also known as Antakya or ancient Antioch). It was significant for a few reasons. First, as a Christian, I was deeply touched to see the cave where Peter first shared the gospel in Antioch ... one of the earliest churches in the world. Second, since I responded to the February 6, 2023 earthquake (from Aleppo), seeing the devastation that remains was heartbreaking.
My social change initiative is developing, as are my husband and I's long-term plans to serve full-time near our home in Duhok, Iraq. All in all, the fellowship has provided the space and perspective that I hoped for when applying.
I hope that you, your family, and the Rotarians you work with are all well. Sending warmest greetings from chilly Istanbul!
Our committee will meet via Zoom at 8 am April 2. We will be discussing how our district will be able to work with FIFA Soccer organization to minimize sex buying during the World Cup in 2026.
We will also discuss a presentation on April 8 at 9 am with a representative from DHS, Act Blue Campaign, Diego Luque. He will discuss how KC2026, our Kansas City World Cup committee, and DHS can work together. This information was shared by one of our AHT committee members and Rachel Heidrick, Executive Director of 1/99 in Olathe - a victim support group.
If you would like to join in either of these conversations please contact me and I will forward you the zoom link. Steve Nettles at nettles.steven@gmail.com
District 5710 funds a Rotary Global Grant Scholarship every two years. The District interviews were held in Lawrence, KS, on Saturday February 8th. The District 5710 Global Grant Selection Committee interviewed four excellent scholarship candidates.
We selected one scholarship winner, Ms. Anna McCartan from Leawood, KS. Anna is finishing her bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry/Data Science at Notre Dame University in Indiana. Anna will depart this fall to pursue a MS degree in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology at the University College Cork in Cork, Ireland. Anna will represent District 5710 very well.
Currently, we are working with the District 1160 Foundation Committee Chair in Ireland to identify a couple of host sponsors from one of the Rotary clubs in Cork. Once we receive their names, we will commence the online application for Anna’s global grant scholarship in the RI system.
I want to thank those Rotarians who identified and selected the great candidates to interview for our 2025-2027 Global Grant Scholarship.
I also want to thank the District 5710 Global Grant Scholarship Committee for choosing such a great scholar to represent our District.
Our current District 5710 Global Grant Scholar, Mattie Vandel, who worked on a unique Global Studies master’s program through Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany, finished her dissertation and submitted her final report to RI. Mattie was the featured speaker at our District 5710 Rotary Foundation fundraiser event “Gathering for Good” Saturday evening March 29th. It was great to see her and listen to a wonderful report of her scholarship and Rotary adventures.
Thanks to District 5710 leadership for funding the Global Grant Scholarship program. It is always exciting to have an excellent scholar studying abroad and representing District 5710.
Our Irish Stew Dinner was a big success this year; we continue to raise money for our Rotary Club of Leavenworth Foundation with this event. Thanks to Co-Chairs, Maria Minchew and Marge Barker, for stepping up to lead this annual effort...we couldn't do this without everyone's support and work - as Rotarian Maria would say..."diddily de potatoes"! Preparation for our Irish Stew Dinner was a lot of work, but a great time of fellowship; Carla Wiegers (still smiling while cutting up onions), the potato crew and the carrot crew!
A beautiful day for a parade, the Saint Patrick's Day Parade that is! We are happy to have had some future Interact students participate this year, along with Mayor Holly Pittman & the first city of Kansas first fella, Rotarian Jeff Pittman join us for a photo with our beloved Rotary Wheel. We also found some Rotarians out watching the parade, always great to have support when we are out in the community.
Lunch on the Leavenworth Schools (USD 453) Foundation (would you look at that cookie)! This luncheon was to honor donors this year. Our club donates $1000 each year in support of special projects in the school district. Putting our district discretionary funds to work.
These youth mental health books, 2 copies of each, will be placed in local school libraries to help children cope with mental health issues. Many thanks to our district grant committee for considering and approving this important discretionary grant for the Rotary Club of Leavenworth.
New Greeter Introductions: The introduction of meeting greeters who share a bit about themselves and their reasons for being members is a fantastic way to connect on a personal level. These lighthearted stories help foster a sense of community and allow members to learn more about each other.
Community Cares Chest Success: Despite the weather challenges, the Community Cares Chest was a success, with over 60 nonprofit agencies participating and collecting office supplies over three busy Wednesdays. It's heartwarming to see the positive impact the Manhattan Rotary Club has on the community.
Paul Harris Society Pins: Liz Nelson, the foundation chair, presented Paul Harris Society pins to Secretary Mike Heylin and President Randy Peterson. Randy was also awarded a Paul Harris Plus 7 pin, and President-elect Chris Culbertson received a Paul Harris Fellow.
Memorable Presentations:
Maria Wilson, a Rotarian from the Topeka South Club and District 5710 Polio Chair, shared a deeply personal and compelling story about the importance of polio eradication.
Bill Richter gave an inspiring presentation with seven life lessons, using juggling as a metaphor. The lessons, including "Timing is everything" and "Practice, practice, practice," were tied to Rotary principles like the rhythm of Rotary and the four-way test.
Rotary Anniversaries: Celebrating milestones, Ronnie Elmore marked 34 years in Rotary, and Kent Glasscock celebrated 44 years of service, which is an incredible accomplishment.
March in Manhattan, KS, brings the transition from winter’s chill to the warmth of spring, with the city coming alive with events, outdoor activities, and our college-town Spring Break. The Flint Hills begin to show the first signs of black (from fire) and green (from new growth), and outdoor enthusiasts take advantage of the change in weather. We still experienced some extremes with an 80-degree day followed by a snow day. We are grateful for the added moisture. March kicks off with events like Fake Patty’s Day and real St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, along with Spring Break. Hello Spring!
March Cup Collection was for Green Apple Bikes. Venmo handle is @konzarotary.
Our members, along with members of MHS Interact Club, enjoyed helping, judging, and baking for the Manhattan High School Forensics Invitational.
Our members enjoyed bowling at Little Apple Lanes. Congratulations to Kirk Crabtree for the highest bowling score. Everyone had a great time, including our Michelle Sink.
Memory Buffington and other District 5710 Rotarians are in Guatemala to help with the Guatemala Service Project. You can still contribute to this endeavor at Memory’s Venmo account @Memory-Buffington. Memory and the team took the needed supplies, including:
New members enjoyed the New Member Orientation at Mark Rose’s home.
Our Rotarian members attended the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation banquet on Monday March 24 at the Manhattan Conference Center. Green was the color of giving! Our members served at Common Table at 901 Poyntz Ave in the Lincoln Education Center on Tuesday March 25 from 5:00-7:00 pm.
Rachelle Banwart, Kansas State University Director of Corporate Economic Development, talked about the university’s role in local and state-wide economic development.
Danielle Dulin, new Manhattan City Manager, provided updates about the City of Manhattan.
April will be a busy month for the members of the Konza Rotary Club.
We will begin the month by cleaning the Linear Trail walking/running trail.
We will have a tour of the Riley County jail.
We will select 3 Manhattan High School Seniors to receive $1,500 college scholarships.
We will build garden boxes and clean around the Homestead House.
We will serve meals to people in our community who are food insecure at Common Table.
We will promote our Water Matters project at the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation Grow Green Match Day event.
We will have 4 guest presenters in April.
Jamie Bosse, Financial Planner with CGN Advisors, will talk about her Money Boss Mom operations & provide financial advice
Michelle Mackeprang, Manhattan Area Technical College (MATC) Director of Admissions, will talk about the impact of MATC on students and the regional area. We will also have a tour of the new Advanced Technology Center.
Katie Allen & Kristin Brighton, from the USD383 School Board, will talk about the implications of excessive screen time on youth mental health
Katie Seel, Director of Sunflower Children's Collective, will talk about the Sunflower Children's Collective 2025 Goals.
The Marysville Rotary team had a membership meeting on March 24 inviting a slew of new possible members to attend.
The process began by asking all Rotary members to submit a list of 10 possible new members that we would like to see in our club. Anita Welch took the lead and had each member then write why they felt that Rotary was so important to them in their life.
Letters were sent to the potential members inviting them to come to an informative meeting at Landoll Lanes at 5:30 PM in the evening. The meeting was a success and it looks as if Marysville will be gaining some new members in a short amount of time.
The Marysville Rotary club planned a rotary road trip to Washington, Kansas in early March to learn more about the local brewery and distillery. The club invited members from the Valley Heights, Washington, and Clay Center.
New friendships were made, updates on happenings at each club were shared while learning about and enjoying the local libations. Two districts were included in this great outing!… Plans to head to Nebraska. This summer will include five clubs and three districts and a lot of fun at a local watering hole. The visiting groups carpooled in a Landoll bus from one direction and Harvey the RV from another. The carpooling proved to be just as great of a networking opportunity as the local event.
Rotary road trips with a little sip and savor are a great way to increase fellowship and include spouses!
Marysville Is Hosting a Kentucky Derby Party- Join in the Fun!
Our Rotary Exchange Student, Oce Simon, presented to our club on March 12th. Oce is from the northwest corner of France and has really enjoyed her time here in Kansas. She shared about many of her experiences, surprises, and differences between her France and the US, and between her local community and Kansas City. She is truly a remarkable young woman! It was commented how her accent is unnoticeable, to which she credited Netflix during the COVID Pandemic. We’ve truly enjoyed Oce visit our Club throughout the past year.
In the fall, the Rotary Club of Shawnee wrote a District Grant to assist Uplift Organization with a special project. The Uplift Organization is not for profit in Kansas City, MO that was established in 1990 with the mission of delivering basic human needs, care and compassion to the homeless population in the Kansas City metro area. Uplift fulfills its mission by sending out four vans, three nights per week, year-round regardless of the weather, serving 350 to 400 homeless individuals each night. The vans are staffed by volunteers and are equipped with a warm meal, water, clothing, shoes, blankets, hygiene supplies and medical supplies to be distributed at designated stops.
The Rotary Club of Shawnee has been volunteering with Uplift for the past year by staffing one van, one evening each month. This requires four volunteers donating about six hours of service each on the volunteer night. Our club knew there were more needs at Uplift and so we approached the Executive Director Ross Dessert with the offer to write the District Grant to help with a special project.
Ross was very encouraged and said he had several projects in mind, one being the organization of the hygiene and medical supply area. As part of the volunteer duties, volunteer van staffers are required to stock all supplies for the night on the van. The existing hygiene and medical supply area was not easy for volunteers to find and stock the needed supplies because the storage situation was not laid out well.
In consultation with Ross, our club identified a better organization system and wrote the grant to purchase shelving, organization bins, labels and additional hygiene and medical supplies. Members of our club, plus some friends and family, spent over 80 hours of volunteer time to assemble shelving, label bins, move old storage systems to new location, stock bins and pack individual bags with over-the-counter medications. The shelf assembly and stocking was accomplished on President’s Day, while the pill packing took place over several days.
Uplift Organization is very grateful for the support of Shawnee Rotary and some of our club members have volunteered on the vans since then and have reported the new system for stocking this portion of the vans in much improved.
Wild Poliovirus Weekly Update
District 5710 Rotarians,
New Greeter Introductions: The introduction of meeting greeters who share a bit about themselves and their reasons for being members is a fantastic way to connect on a personal level. These lighthearted stories help foster a sense of community and allow members to learn more about each other.
Community Cares Chest Success: Despite the weather challenges, the Community Cares Chest was a success, with over 60 nonprofit agencies participating and collecting office supplies over three busy Wednesdays. It's heartwarming to see the positive impact the Manhattan Rotary Club has on the community.
Maria Wilson, a Rotarian from the Topeka South Club and District 5710 Polio Chair, shared a deeply personal and compelling story about the importance of polio eradication.
Our members enjoyed bowling at Little Apple Lanes. Congratulations to Kirk Crabtree for the highest bowling score. Everyone had a great time, including our Michelle Sink.
The Marysville Rotary club planned a rotary road trip to Washington, Kansas in early March to learn more about the local brewery and distillery. The club invited members from the Valley Heights, Washington, and Clay Center. 
Our Rotary Exchange Student, Oce Simon, presented to our club on March 12th. Oce is from the northwest corner of France and has really enjoyed her time here in Kansas. She shared about many of her experiences, surprises, and differences between her France and the US, and between her local community and Kansas City. She is truly a remarkable young woman! It was commented how her accent is unnoticeable, to which she credited Netflix during the COVID Pandemic. We’ve truly enjoyed Oce visit our Club throughout the past year. 
In the fall, the Rotary Club of Shawnee wrote a District Grant to assist Uplift Organization with a special project. The Uplift Organization is not for profit in Kansas City, MO that was established in 1990 with the mission of delivering basic human needs, care and compassion to the homeless population in the Kansas City metro area. Uplift fulfills its mission by sending out four vans, three nights per week, year-round regardless of the weather, serving 350 to 400 homeless individuals each night. The vans are staffed by volunteers and are equipped with a warm meal, water, clothing, shoes, blankets, hygiene supplies and medical supplies to be distributed at designated stops..png)
