May Momentum: Youth, Vision & a Strong Rotary Year Finish
April was an exceptional month for District 5710.
Our Back to the Sixties Gathering for Good was a record-breaking success, raising over $35,000 for The Rotary Foundation Annual Fund—our highest total ever. Thank you to your extraordinary generosity and to Faron Barr and his outstanding team for delivering such a memorable event.
On April 25, district leaders launched our District Visioning Process—an important step toward creating a three-year strategic plan aligned with the Rotary Action Plan to help every club grow, strengthen engagement, and expand impact. Thank you to the more than 200 Rotarians who completed the Visioning Questionnaire. Your input matters.
As we enter May—Rotary Youth Service Month—our clubs are are working hard to ensure finishing this Rotary year strong while preparing for an exciting new one beginning July 1.
Let’s dive in to see What’s Ahead –
🚀 Key Dates, & Reminders
- Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) | May 31–June 4. 48 Northeast Kansas students will attend RYLA at the University of Kansas. Special thanks to Carla Wiegers and PDG Tamara Sevcik for helping make this happen.
- Step Up to the Plate to End Polio! | June 19
Join Rotarians, visiting Argentine Rotary Friendship Exchange members, family, and friends at Legends Field for an evening with the Kansas City Monarchs benefiting PolioPlus. Tailgate begins at 4 PM; first pitch at 6:30 PM.
To get your tickets, click on https://tickets.monarchsbaseball.com/events/39269. Then enter the code Rotary in the Promo Codes box; select Find Tickets; choose Section 106 and follow the instructions. Can’t wait to see all of you at the ballpark!
📊 District Progress: July 2025 – April 2026
- Membership: 1,863 strong—+34 net growth| 92% retention, 72% of 40 clubs have set membership goals, 17 or 42% of our clubs are achieving this goa
- Engagement: 77.5% of 40 clubs have set service participation goals. 392 member participation has been reported. I know actual engagement is higher Please update this goal in your Rotary Club Central. Eight of our clubs have achieved this goal
- Annual Fund:$182,041 —73% of district goal (Gathering for Good not yet included) 27 clubs have set this goal and 12 of our clubs have achieved this goal
- PolioPlus: $92,584 – 71% of goal, 25 clubs have set this goal and 17 of our clubs have achieved this goal
- New Benefactors: 12 YTD — 120% of goal.
- Club Action Planning: 13 clubs have set & completed this goal
Plus two Public Image Related:
- Media Stories About Club Projects: 23 clubs set goal - 9 clubs achieved this goal
- Update Website & Social Media: 28 clubs set goal - 11 clubs achieved this goal
Overall, our district remains on track—but service participation reporting needs improvement.
Please update your Rotary Club Central goals. Clubs that track goals grow stronger and expand impact.
🏆 Rotary International Club Excellence Award
24 clubs have set 14+ goals & 3 more have set 13. To earn the award (and compete for the Governor’s Cup), clubs must achieve at least 13.
As of the end of April, 2 clubs have achieved at least 13 goals and 9 clubs have achieved at least 10.
Gathering for Good: Record-Breaking Impact
Our April 11 Gathering for Good was an outstanding success, raising over $35,000 for The Rotary Foundation Annual Fund—surpassing last year’s record of $32,000. Thank you, District 5710 Rotarians, for your incredible generosity.
Special thanks to Faron Barr, his exceptional team, and everyone who supported the silent auction, live auction, Fund-a-Need, and wine & liquor pull. Your efforts made this unforgettable evening possible.
🌍 World Cup Rotary Opportunities
With the World Cup coming soon to Kansas City, Districts 5710 and 6040 will participate in Rotary Friendship Exchange from Argentina and anti-human trafficking initiatives. More details are in this newsletter.
District Visioning: Shaping Our Future
Thank you to the more than 200 District 5710 Rotarians who completed our District Visioning Questionnaire. Your input provided valuable guidance as district leaders launched our Visioning Process on April 25. This work will result in a three-year master plan aligned with the Rotary Action Plan—designed to help every club grow, strengthen engagement, and expand impact.
I will soon share a summary of the questionnaire results, followed later by the completed master plan and how it was developed.
🌟 May: Celebrate Youth Services
Youth Service Month is the perfect time to:
- Establish a Youth Services Chair to your club's board - if you do not have one
- Mentor and empower young leaders
- Partner on youth-led service projects
- Highlight youth achievements in your community
- Strengthen youth protection policies
🔜 Looking Ahead - June 2026 – Rotary Fellowship Month
Thoughts for May
Thank you for all you are doing to strengthen your clubs, serve your communities, and advance Rotary’s mission.
Let’s finish this Rotary year strong—growing membership, increasing engagement, expanding service, and strengthening our Foundation.
Together, we live Service Above Self and Unite for Good to Create Lasting Impact.
