As the first organization to envision a polio-free world through mass immunization of children, Rotary believes the decision to vaccinate is a humanitarian imperative.
Rotary 2022 International Convention to be held in HoustonThe event will bring more than 20,000 participants from around the world and deliver $30 million in local economic
As the first organization to envision a polio-free world through mass immunization of children, Rotary believes the decision to vaccinate is a humanitarian imperative.
Rotary 2022 International Convention to be held in HoustonThe event will bring more than 20,000 participants from around the world and deliver $30 million in local economic
Earlier in December 2021, Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation released a position statement on CoViD-19 vaccinations. The complete statement follows.
"As the first organization to envision a polio-free world through mass immunization of children, Rotary believes the decision to vaccinate is a humanitarian imperative. The Rotary International Board of Directors and Rotary Foundation Trustees believe that:
Global vaccination is the path to ending the pandemic, and we strongly encourage vaccination for all individuals, including our members.
Misinformation hinders the fight against COVID-19, and we are committed to providing our members with science-based information.
Rotary is engaged in assuring equity in vaccine access to all people. Through joint efforts with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance we are leveraging our frontline experience with polio to facilitate vaccine delivery.
Rotary salutes health care workers everywhere as they continue to provide lifesaving services. We encourage clubs to offer recognition and encouragement to these heroes.
Rotary and Rotaract clubs are encouraged to redouble their efforts to support COVID-19 prevention and vaccination efforts.
As one of the greatest advances of modern medicine, vaccines are safe, effective and save millions of lives each year. They have eliminated or controlled numerous diseases such as polio, smallpox, measles, and Ebola, and now, there is the opportunity to end the COVID-19 pandemic through vaccination.
The eradication of polio remains the goal of the highest order for Rotary. We can continue to apply the lessons we have learned in fighting polio to COVID-19 response efforts."
The Annual Elmbrook Rotary Christmas/Holiday Program occurred at the Western Racquet Club on Friday, December 17. Holiday cheer and laughter filled the air as Gary Gilmore, accompanied on the keyboard by Jim Finn, again led a program filled with a trivia contest, music, & a sing-along.
By overwhelming audience demand, Linda Wickstrom was forced to join Gary in singing. Ned Consigny announced that the "Grinch" has officially been retired for appearances at the annual program but nevertheless managed several scowls as a parting gift.
Pre-pandemic club participation was achieved with nearly 50 members and guests in attendance.
Two new members, Lydia Miller & Sherry Fontaine, were inducted into club membership on Friday, December 17.
Lydia Miller (second from right in photo) holds the classification of "Investment Advisor." Her sponsor is Noaman Sharief. Sherry Fontaine (far left in photo) holds the classification of "Education," and her sponsor is John Allen.
Welcome to these newest members as together we make a difference in our communities and in the world at large.
Just one year ago, Elmbrook Rotary Club coordinated a Global Grant of nearly USD $98,000 from The Rotary Foundation. Entitled “Pediatric Ventilators Santo Domingo Ecuador,” the grant provided for the purchase of two pediatric ventilators and one neonatal ventilator for Andean Health & Development's (AHD’s) locally-staffed teaching hospital in Santo Domingo, Ecuador.
The Final Report for this Global Grant is due on December 28, one year after payout was made by The Rotary Foundation. Click here to read the Fall Newsletter of Andean Health & Development or here to read the Winter Newsletter in order to see the difference being made.
Elmbrook Rotary can be both grateful and proud to have been a part of this very successful project which turned out to be more important than ever expected, especially in view of the worldwide CoViD-19 pandemic.
At last count we raised $12,200+ - and when you add the Gates Foundation 2-for-1 match, that becomes $36,000+! That means 250,000 kids will be vaccinated for polio.
Thirty (30) Elmbrook Rotarians participated in the event - by riding - cheering - or donating. And because of the Club match, at least 10 more Paul Harris Fellowships were added to the club's impressive total.
Elmbrook Rotary - You did it again!
Anyone who wants can still send in a check to protect more children from the debilitating disease of polio.
And, donations to Polio Plus will also count as credits toward Paul Harris Fellow recognition.
The Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) enjoys a large number of Paul Harris Fellows in its midst. At its Changing of the Guard ceremony held on June 30, 2021, ERC announced forty-three new Paul Harris Fellow recognitions. These included six first-time Paul Harris fellows, six presented as gifts from a Rotarian to a spouse or child, and thirty-one additional recognitions of Rotarians who were already Paul Harris Fellows. This number has continued to increase throughout 2021.
The principal reason for the extraordinarily large number is a limited-time Paul Harris matching program instituted by ERC earlier in 2021. Under the club’s matching program, the club matches each donation of $500 to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) with a transfer of 500 Foundation recognition points. The TRF points are provided by the club itself and by members who have accumulated a large number of recognition points.
The matching program runs through the end of the current calendar year. The net result of the matching program has been a substantial increase in contributions to The Rotary Foundation and more engagement by the members of Elmbrook Rotary Club. If you have not already done so, do take advantage of this opportunity before December 31. Donations to the "2021 Ride to End Polio" and Polio Plus also count as credits toward Paul Harris Fellow award recognition.
Rotary District 6270 is pleased to announce the availability of a Global Grant Scholarship for matriculation in the fall of 2022 or spring of 2023.
The amount of the scholarship is USD $30,000 and must be used for graduate school studies outside the United States. Applicants must be residents of the geographic area of D-6270 or attending an undergraduate school in the geographic area. In addition, a proposed program of study must be closely aligned with one of Rotary’s seven “Areas of Focus.” Members of Rotaract clubs are eligible to apply but not Rotarians nor their family members.
Deadlines are as follows:
September 1, 2021 – Application form available
January 14, 2022 – Complete Application Deadline (submit online only)
February 5, 2022 - In-Person or Zoom Interviews scheduled. An in-person interview is preferred.
February 14, 2022 – Successful Scholar Notified (for matriculation in 2022-2023 academic year.)
Click here to access the “Scholarships” page on the D-6270 web site for detailed information, the application form, and other supporting documents. Address any inquiries to Larry Myers, Chair of the D-6270 Scholarships Subcommittee (Email: scholarshipchair@rotary6270.org OR lwmyers2@att.net).
December is Disease Prevention and Treatment Month
Every month of the year is dedicated to one of the major themes of our Rotary lives. This month the theme is that for which RI is perhaps best known, at least among non-Rotarians.
The eradication of polio has been Rotary International's s major worldwide, corporate effort since the 1980’s. And remarkable progress has been made. The job is not finished, however, and you can rest assured that we will not, cannot, set this torch down until that job is finished.
Disease Prevention and Treatment is one of The Rotary Foundation's Seven Areas of Focus. And for good reason. The health and vitality of a person, a family, and a community can be seriously impaired by what in many cases is a preventable disease. Disease prevention is really a keystone to progress in other areas as well because of the interplay with other Areas of Focus like Water and Sanitation and Maternal & Child Health.
The December 2021 edition of the Elm Grove News - Independent has been printed and distributed.
You'll find the ERC paid ad in the "Business Directory" on p. 3, the ERC Friday meetings information on p. 5., and an article on Elmbrook Rotary's 2021 "Business Person of the Year" award on p. 6.
Click here to access and read. Copies are also available for pick up at the Elm Grove and Brookfield libraries, Sendik's, Ace Hardware, etc.
Waukesha County Sheriff Eric J. Severson visited Elmbrook Rotary Club on Friday, December 10.
Sheriff Severson has been in law enforcement since 1985. He provided an overview of the programs and services of the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department in addition to describing a typical day in the life of the country sheriff, which begins at 4:00 a.m. each morning. ERC members had many questions for the sheriff about the challenges and future status of law enforcement in the United States.
Sheriff Severson also indicated his intention to run for re-election in 2022.
The Annual Meeting for both the Elmbrook Rotary Club and the Elmbrook Rotary Foundation occurred on Friday, December 3. In addition to update reports from various committee chairs, elections were conducted for both Elmbrook Rotary Club and the Elmbrook Rotary Foundation.
Elected as Directors (Class of 2025) for three-year terms for both the Club and Foundation were Raul Arredondo and Jack Nelson. Elected as Director—Past President (Class of 2023) for a one-year term for both the Club and the Foundation was Jan Constable. Dr. Dave Engle was elected as Sergeant-at-Arms for a one-year term, succeeding in the following three years to Secretary, Vice-President, & President. All terms take effect on July 1, 2022.
Lucas Severson was inducted into the membership of Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) on Friday, October 22, at its weekly breakfast meeting. ERC President, Dr. Thom Arndt (far right in photo), presided at the formal induction.
Lucas' Rotary sponsor is Steven Ponto (middle of photo), whose niece Laramie is Lucas' spouse. Lucas is a Senior Project Manager at Advicent Solutions in Wauwatosa, Wisc. His Rotary Classification is "Internet Marketing." He was previously a member of a Rotary Club in LaCrosse.
The Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) recently announced Phil Landry, Owner of C3E Geomatics,LLC, as the recipient of the 5th annual Business Person of the Year Award. The program recognizes the leadership and accomplishments of a successful Brookfield or Elm Grove individual.
In a span of five years, Phil completed his bachelor’s degree and founded C3E Geomatics, LLC, a land surveying company, in 2017. Community support, sharing, and mentoring have been a significant part of Phil’s life and career. This includes being a supporter of the Community Warehouse, an organization designed to support background-challenged individuals by providing employment, job skills, and practical housing support. Phil also supports Partners in Hope, a faith-based community reentry program for ex-offenders, run by Community Warehouse. C3E Geomatics is also writing a custom career packet about land surveying for The Community, another organization working to aid offenders in their career decisions long before release. Currently, C3E Geomatics provides financial support to these organizations. The long-term goal is to be able to offer employment opportunities and mentorship to the individuals served by these organizations.
Phil founded the business with the goal of helping ex-offenders because he himself served a two-year prison sentence. During his time of incarceration, Phil came to understand that he needed to make a radical change in his life so that he wouldn’t end up in prison again. Even with Phil’s careful planning for his release (including enrolling in a university, arranging for a place to live, and applying for financial aid), he still needed the additional support of community organizations and a local church in order to get established on the right path. Because he understands the tremendous hurdles that ex-offenders face when released back into society, he feels committed to supporting released offenders in the greater Milwaukee area.
Pictured (left to right):
Ralph Gould (Chair of the ERC selection committee),
Tom Michalski (Trustee of Village of Elm Grove,
Waukesha County Board Supervisor,
and selection committee member),
Phil Landry (2021 awardee),
& Dr. Thom Arndt (ERC President).
In order to continue growing the business he founded in 2017, Phil needed to gain professional licensure in the state of Wisconsin. However, he faced numerous obstacles in this process because of his criminal record. Working with a local assembly member as an advocate, Phil finally obtained licensure and has been able to grow C3E Geomatics from a revenue of $65,000 in 2017 to $385,000 in 2020. The business is projected to make well over $500,000 in 2021.
Phil loves to share his story, particularly with ex-offenders and other marginalized groups, in order to encourage them not to give up when they are pursuing employment, education, and a successful quality of life.
Elmbrook Rotary Club is pleased to be able to honor Phil Landry with its 2021 Business Person of the Year award.
It is now possible for members of Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) to make online payments and donations both to ERC and to the Elmbrook Rotary Foundation (ERF).
Two separate commercial merchant accounts have been activated which intend to keep transactions separated between ERC and ERF.
To make payments to ERC, simply follow the link provided in one's individual club account (and quarterly statements). A surcharge of 5% is billed to one's club account when utilizing a credit card or debit card.
To make donations or payments to ERF, simply click the "Donate" or "Donate Now" button that can be found on multiple pages on the ERC web site. Or, one can click the URL link that will be provided in ERF invoices to club members. Please ensure that donations or payments intended for the ERF account are not made to the ERC account. The opposite is also true. And, please remember that not all payments to the Foundation [a 501(c)(3) entity] are tax-deductible. IRS rules and policies must be followed.
Finally, one can always use the old-fashioned (and least expensive) way of payment/donation with an individual check or bank check via "Bill Pay" at one's bank.
The ClubRunner Mobile App is your key to connect to your club on the go!
Completely free to download and use, this app will let you access the key info you need while you're on the go. Password protected just like the ERC website, the ClubRunner Mobile app allows you to to view the ERC member directory, contact your members and executives, read the latest articles posted to the ERC website, learn more about ERC upcoming events and speakers, view ERC meeting details, and track your attendance statistics—right from your smartphone or tablet! Download the ClubRunner Mobile App either from the App Store (for Apple products) or from Google Play (for Android devices).
Friendship: In an increasingly complex world, Rotary provides one of the most basic human needs: the need for friendship and fellowship. It is one of two reasons why Rotary began in 1905.
Business Development: The second original reason for Rotary's beginning is business development. Everyone needs to network. Rotary consists of a cross section of every business community. Its members come from all walks of life. Rotarians help each other and collectively help others.
Personal Growth and Development: Membership in Rotary continues one's growth and education in human relations and personal development.
Leadership Development: Rotary is an organization of leaders and successful people. Serving in Rotary positions is like a college education. Leadership: - learning how to motivate, influence and lead leaders.
Citizenship in the Community: Membership in a Rotary club makes one a better community citizen. The average Rotary club consists of the most active citizens of any community.
6. Continuing Education: Each week at Rotary there is a program designed to keep one informed about what is going on in the community, nation, and world. Each meeting provides an opportunity to listen to different speakers and a variety of timely topics.
7. Fun: Rotary is fun, a lot of fun. Each meeting is fun. The club projects are fun. Social activities are fun. Serving others is fun.
8. Public Speaking Skills: Many individuals who joined Rotary were afraid to speak in public. Rotary develops confidence and skill in public communication and the opportunity to practice and perfect these skills.
9. Citizenship in the World: Every Rotarian wears a pin that says "Rotary International." There are few places on the globe that do not have a Rotary club. Every Rotarian is welcome - even encouraged - to attend any of the 33,000 clubs in over 200 nations and geographical regions. This means instant friends in both one's own community and in the world community.
10. Assistance when Traveling: Because there are Rotary clubs everywhere, many a Rotarian in need of a doctor, lawyer, hotel, dentist, advice, etc., while traveling has found assistance through Rotary.
11. Entertainment: Every Rotary club and district has parties and activities that provide diversion in one's business life. Rotary holds conferences, conventions, assemblies, and institutes that provide entertainment in addition to Rotary information, education, and service.
12. The Development of Social Skills: Every week and at various events and functions, Rotary develops one's personality, social skills and people skills. Rotary is for people who like people.
13. Family Programs: Rotary provides one of the world's largest youth exchange programs; high school and college clubs for future Rotarians; opportunities for spouse involvement; and a host of activities designed to help family members in growth and the development of family values.
14. Vocational Skills: Every Rotarian is expected to take part in the growth and development of his or her own profession or vocation; to serve on committees and to teach youth about one's job or vocation. Rotary helps to make one a better doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc.
15. The Development of Ethics: Rotarians practice the 4-Way Test that governs one's ethical standards. Rotarians are expected to be ethical in business and person relationships.
16. Cultural Awareness: Around the world, practically every religion, country, culture, race, creed, political persuasion, language, color, and ethnic identity is found in Rotary. It is a cross section of the world's most prominent citizens from every background. Rotarians become aware of their cultures and learn to love and work with people everywhere. They become better citizens of their countries in the process.
17. Prestige: Rotary members are prominent people: leaders of business, the professions, art, government, sports, military, religion, and all disciplines. Rotary is the oldest and most prestigious service club in the world. Its ranks include executives, managers, professionals - people who make decisions and influence policy.
18. Nice People: Rotarians above all are nice people - the nicest people on the face of the earth. They are important people who follow the policy of "it is nice to be important but it is more important to be nice."
19. The Absence of an” Official Creed": Rotary has no secret handshake, no secret policy, no official creed, no secret meetings or rituals. It is an open society of men and women who simply believe in helping others.
20. The Opportunity to Serve: Rotary is a service club. Its product is serving. Rotarians provide community service to both local and international communities. This is perhaps the best reason for becoming a Rotarian: the chance to do something for somebody else and to sense the self-fulfillment that comes in the process and return of that satisfaction to one's own life. It is richly rewarding.
[List "borrowed" from the Rotary Club of Champaign, IL (https://www.champaignrotary.org/index.php?s=20reasons).]
When we say "WE RISE & SHINE” to others, it means:
WE RISE to meet early every Friday.
WE RISE to the occasion by helping those in need.
WE RISE to make a difference in our community and the world.
WE SHINE by living the Rotary 4-way Test.
WE SHINE by staying positive and encouraging others.
WE SHINE by lighting the way for service above self in Brookfield, Elm Grove, and beyond.
The tagline appears on our Coffee Mugs, on our Web site, on club emails, and on other communications going out. Try using the tagline the next time you’re talking to someone about Elmbrook Rotary or Rotary in general. In fact, consider purchasing an Elmbrook Rotary Coffee Mug for $7.
Enjoy this humorous video about what Rotary really is. Click me to view!
Filmed in 2017 in the Fargo-Moorhead area (North Dakota Minnesota border region), where there are five Rotary Clubs. Video was supported by Rotary District 5580.
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