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
Are you thinking about traveling to Guatemala but aren't ready to commit? Would you like to know more about the current situation in Guatemala?
Travel during a pandemic is a moving target, right? And, this ever-changing scenario is a lot to figure, right? While Common Hope can't wait to host you again in their favorite part of the world - they do want to make sure that you have the information you need to make the right travel decision for YOU and make sure that you have the information you need to navigate travel during this pandemic.
Unfortunately, they CAN'T TELL YOU ALL OF THE SCOOP IN THIS POST. There is just too much to share :-) - so they're hosting a special ZOOM SESSION where you can learn how Common Hope is adapting visitor protocols and practices to create the safest situation for staff, families, and visitors.
JOIN THEM on July 29, 2021, at 12pm CST to learn more and get the scoop on what it's like traveling in and to Guatemala right now.
If you are planning a trip to Guatemala or plan to volunteer with Common Hope, you don't want to miss this session!
You have questions - They have answers!
LOCATION
Zoom
DATE AND TIME
7/29/21 12:00 p.m. - 7/29/21 1:00 p.m.
Note: Common Hope currently follows all mandates by the Guatemalan Government and the Ministry of Health in Guatemala (MSPAS).
NFL training camps are starting this week, Aaron Rodgers is back, and Elmbrook Rotary is kicking off our 6th Annual Green Bay Packers Ticket Raffle Fundraiser at this Friday's club meeting on July 30!
Beginning with the meeting on August 6, and continuing through September 3, volunteers are needed to help sell and hand out tickets before club meetings and at the Brookfield Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. Sign up sheets will be available to volunteer.
Raffle winners will be drawn at the ERC meeting on September 10. Each winner receives two tickets to one of eight Packer home games.
Preseason tickets for the August 21 game against the New York Jets are also available to members at cost or best offer. If interested, please contact Steve Stocker, chair of the raffle fundraiser. The face value of the two tickets is $148.
This is a great way to promote our club, build awareness for the causes we support, and raise funds in the process. GO PACK!!
[Printing donations by National Sign & Design - New Berlin, WI and Special Editions - Sussex, WI]
Rotary Million Dollar Journey Reached its Goal . . . and More . . . and More!
A joint effort between the Wisconsin & Michigan Rotarians of Districts 6220 and 6270 to raise $1,000,000 for The Rotary Foundation (TRF) by October 2020 reached its goal four months early in July 2020. With that success, and with even greater need, the districts continued the journey by raising more funds. The campaign ended on June 30, 2021.
Tom Curl, our Elmbrook Rotary Club's TRF representative, reports that the final tally was USD$2,797,153!
In these unprecedented times of pandemic and economic uncertainty, this result once again demonstrates the "giving gene" that Rotarians possess.
With CoViD-19 lockdowns hopefully behind us, the Elmbrook Rotary Club is back to socializing and having fun. Our monthly socials are one of the ways that our members “build GOOD WILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS,” the third tenet of the Four-Way Test of "the things we think, say, or do." Mark your calendars now for the following socials.
August 13 — Pabst Mansion Mini-Tour & Beer Garden. Our August social is going to be a special one . . . a private mini-tour of the Pabst Mansion & Beer Garden. We'll start gathering at 4:30 p.m. with the mini-tour starting at 5:00 p.m.
September 18 — Elm Grove Oktoberfest. It's the best beer time of the year, and we're going to celebrate all the special seasonal brews at the Elm Grove Oktoberfest. This social is a club favorite and supports the Elm Grove Community Foundation. Hope to see you and your family there! Look for our starting at 4:00 p.m. in the beer tent.
October 9 — Progressive Dinner. We’re going to do things a bit differently this year (for health safety reasons). Instead of having dinner at members' homes, small groups will meet for dinner at various restaurants (TBD). After dinner, we’ll all progress to Steve and Mary Ponto’s home for dessert.
The Elmbrook Rotary Club is special because of the camaraderie shared among all our fellow Rotarians. We hope you will join us at some/all of these great social events. Spouses, guests, and prospective members are always welcome.
Ron Jones has been a Rotarian for 35+ years. He has announced to Elmbrook Rotary Club that he and his wife Barbara have sold their home here in Wisconsin and are retiring permanently to Florida. ERC members hope that this dedicated, faithful Rotarian will find another club in Florida OR even continue as an ERC member. The latter is possible because of how the CoViD-19 global pandemic has created opportunities for Rotary virtual membership in any club in the world.
Ron shares the following about his Rotary journey:
"My history with Rotary began (35 years ago) in April 1986. I was VP of Patient Care Services at Elmbrook Memorial Hospital. Dr. Sridhar Vasudevan, M.D., was assigned to launch a new evening Rotary Club in Brookfield by the Brookfield Rotary Club Board of Directors. Dr. Vasudevan came to me, at Elmbrook Hospital, to garner interest in me and others to join Rotary. We were designated a provisional club status on May 6, 1986.
"On October 22, 1986, the club received its official charter at a large gathering hosted by the Brookfield Rotary Club. The new Brookfield Sunset Rotary Club began with 25 new members. Jim Dunn and I were charter members on that night.
"I was President-Elect, and Jim Dunn was on the Board and also chair of the Club Service Committee. I had perfect attendance for my first 32 years.
"After 23 years of Nursing and Administrative work at Elmbrook Memorial Hospital, I was recruited to be President of the Siebert Lutheran Foundation in June 1993. In January 2014, I retired from Siebert Foundation."
On Friday, July 16, Ron was "mugged" by ERC President Dr. Thom Arndt with a small farewell gift. Thanks, Ron, and richest blessings to you and Barbara as you make another "transition" in life.
The 11th trip to Antigua, Guatemala—in partnership with Common Hope—now has the travel dates of February 7 and 13, 2022.
There is a core group of members/spouses planning to go. As was true in the past, the larger the team the better the experience. As of this moment there are 10 persons who are planning to make the trip, and all have participated in prior years. Newer members are most welcome, and encouraged, to join the group. This is handled on a "first come first serve" basis, and the team can fill at the last minute. At the moment there are around eight (8) slots open.
Please call or write for further information. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Erik Moeser, an International Committee member, or any previously involved ERC member.
Joe Addis, a Certified Arborist, visited Elmbrook Rotary on Friday, July 16. He is a Certified Arborist and a Certified Treecare Safety Professional with an associates degree and bachelor's degree in Urban Forestry. He can provide a comprehensive plant health care program, pruning recommendations, evaluation of the health and structure of trees, and a long term plan for maintaining landscapes. He works closely with residential and commercial property owners in caring for their trees and shrubs.
The information on "Tree and Plant Disease," which he provided to ERC, was much appreciated. One member commented: "I wish that I had learned this years ago!"
Rotary International is a world-wide organization of about 1.2 million business people and professionals in 35,000 clubs dedicated to serving others.
With about 80 members, the Elmbrook Rotary Club is part of Rotary International District 6270, whose geographic area covers southeastern Wisconsin. There are 54 local clubs in D-6270 as well as numerous Interact Clubs and Rotaract Clubs.
Over the past three years, Rotarians in this district have contributed or raised more than $1.3 million for projects. These ranged from local needs to international activities in Guatemala, Haiti, India, and Ecuador.
In addition, some $35,000 was designated for CoViD-19 relief in Wisconsin communities and around the world.
D-6270 Rotarians also contributed $70,000 toward eliminating the few remaining pockets of polio in South Asia. This was matched by the Rotary International Foundation's Polio Plus Fund and the Bill and Melina Gates Foundation for a total of $420,000.
"You'll be back!" We've been saying that for many months now, but now we can say for certain, "We're Back!" In July it's finally coming true for the Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC)!
In-person meetings resumed on Friday, July 9. It was a terrific start to post-COVID meetings with a great program speaker (Annemarie Sawkins, "A Creative Place—The History of Wisconsin Art") and a visit from the RI D-6270 Global Grant Scholarship winner (Alaina Eckert, "Environment" Area of Focus) and her parents. Attendance included 58 in person and 4-5 via Zoom online.
Don't miss the opportunity! Each week a full breakfast will be available at the Western Racquet Club in Elm Grove. The buffet line will begin at approximately 06:45 a.m., and the meeting will begin shortly after the top of the hour.
Meetings will also be available via Zoom. ERC is investigating technology that will provide optimum video and audio performance for those attending via Zoom. The desire is to have the majority of members attending in person, although Zoom will be available for those who require it and for remote program speakers when appropriate. The Board will evaluate the success of this arrangement in January 2022.
The 4th of July Parade returned to Brookfield on July 3, and members of Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) were present!
ERC tradition has been to participate in both the annual Elm Grove Memorial Day Parade and the annual Brookfield 4th of July Parade. Unfortunately, COVID-19 spoiled both events in 2020 and the Elm Grove Memorial Day Parade in 2021. However, the Brookfield Independence Day celebration was back in full swing this year!
ERC participants who walked the parade route, and handed out lots of candy, were: Thom Arndt (2021-2022 ERC President), Kevin (convertible driver) and Sue Roche, Christine Spresser & Linda Edelstein (banner bearers), Bill Petterson, and Tom Hochuli.
Thanks to our six ERC members and one family member who well represented our club!
Nearly 100 Elmbrook Rotary members and guests gathered on Wednesday, June 30, for a perfect evening at the Mitchell Park pavilion in Brookfield. The event was the 2021 "Changing of the Guard." Spirits were bright (in a post-COVID outdoor venue), hugs were plentiful, and both food and drink were greatly enjoyed.
The meal was catered by Bunzel's, and the after-dinner program featured brief presentations for various purposes. These included remarks by outgoing President Tom Hochuli, updates on the "Million Dollar Journey" by Tom Curl and the Elmbrook Rotary Foundation by Michael Schmeling, announcement of an abundance of Paul Harris Fellow recognitions (see separate article), a report on "Spikes for Tykes" results by Mike Hogan, and distribution of perfect attendance awards by Harry Farchmin.
The culmination of the evening was the installation of the 2021-2022 officers. Those officers are: Dr. Thom Arndt, President; Harry Farchmin, Vice-President; Christine Spresser, Secretary; Dr. Thomas Steinbach, Sergeant-at-Arms; Mark Zalewski, Treasurer; and Gordy Miller, ER Foundation Treasurer. Jeanne Allen, Bonnie Bertram, & Paul Langer also became Directors of both the club and the foundation.
Incoming President, Dr. Thom Arndt, paid tribute to the outgoing officers and directors and encouraged everyone present to "Serve to Change Lives," the Rotary International Theme for 2021-2022.
At its Changing of the Guard ceremony held on June 30, Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) announced forty-three 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.
The remarkable number of Paul Harris Fellow recognitions was partially the result of the fact the COVID-19 pandemic had prevented recognitions that were earned during the prior fifteen months. However, the principal reason for the extraordinarily large number was a new, limited-time Paul Harris matching program instituted by ERC earlier in 2021. Under the club’s matching program, the club matched 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.
Announcement of the matching program generated a Paul Harris “buzz” among club members and prompted many of them to make contributions they might not otherwise have made. The matching program, which runs through the end of the current calendar year, has already generated more than $9,200 of donations to The Rotary Foundation. In addition, the presentation of so many recognitions at the Changing of the Guard event has prompted several members to indicate that they will make Paul Harris donations before the end of the 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.
Please join the Elmbrook Rotary Club in celebrating our esteemed member Birthdays and Anniversaries in July.
"My life, I realize suddenly, is July. Childhood is June, and old age is August, but here it is, July, and my life, this year, is July inside of July." ―Rick Bass
Happy Birthday! Wishing a wonderful year of good health, happiness, and success to our members:
Jeanne Allen
John Allen
Steven Ponto
John Schesta
Chuck Steinbach
Linda Wickstrom
Mark Zalewski
ERC also recognizes the following membership anniversaries:
The July 2021 edition of the Elm Grove News - Independent is available by clicking here.
A major ERC article on the "Literacy Services of Wisconsin" (written by Jan Constable) is located on p. 6. The July 2021 ERC meetings (with program speaker information) are listed in the "Calendar of Events" on p. 5; and ERC's paid advertisement appears on p. 3.
The April 2021 edition of the Elm Grove News - Independent carries a major article on Rotary International (RI) District 6270's announcement of the selection of Alaina Eckert, Sussex, WI, as its Global Grant Scholarship applicant for 2021-2022. Ms. Eckert was referred to the D-6270 selection committee by Elmbrook Rotary Club leadership. Click here or on the image below to access the article.
Ms. Eckert is a graduate of Sussex Hamilton H.S. and of The University of Wisconsin—Madison. She has already begun a dual degree, Master of Science/Master of International Nature Conservation, in a cooperative program of the Georg-August Universität in Göttingen, Germany, and Lincoln University in Lincoln, New Zealand. Since her Area of Focus is "Environment," the Global Grant will be one of the first in this newest emphasis of Rotary International, which takes effect on July 1, 2021.
The practical approach of Ms. Eckert's study program is to preserve the integrity of nature, in combination with the assessment of risk management and conservation strategy, and offers an invaluable experience in the education of international conservation. The four-semester program offers new perspectives to maintaining biodiversity and ecosystems that allow local communities to be resilient to future ecological changes, maintain economic stability and growth, use adaptive conservation management strategies for both the betterment of the community and the ecosystem, and preserve critical ecological systems. Thus, Ms. Eckert’s program of studies aligns closely with RI’s newest Area of Focus, the "Environment."
The amount of the Global Grant Scholarship is U.S. $30,000. RI District 6270 is providing $16,667 of that amount, and The Rotary Foundation is matching it at an 80% level with another $13,333. The Rotary Foundation, RI districts, and Rotary clubs invest in our future leaders and philanthropists by funding scholarships for graduate study through the Global Grant Scholarship program. Information about Rotary’s other scholarship programs can be accessed at: https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/scholarships.
The Rotary International President for 2021-2022 is Shekhar Mehta, member (since 1985) of the Rotary Club of Calcutta-Mahanagar, Calcutta, India. He and spouse Rashi look forward to meeting as many Rotarians as possible during this new Rotary year.
Shekhar has chosen "Serve to Change Lives" as the theme for 2021-2022. He states the following about the theme: "Imagine the change we, as Rotary members, can make when there are so many more of us! More people to care for others, more people to Serve to Change Lives. Think of the impact we can have through grow more, do more. More members will enable us to embark on bigger and bolder service projects. And each of us can also continue to serve in our own personal ways, responding to needs in our communities."
To read what family and colleagues have to say about him, click here.
Elmbrook Rotary members and guests participated in the annual "Walk for Hope," supporting Common Hope's programs in Guatemala, on Saturday, June 5.
We walk because less than 20% of kids graduate from high school in Guatemala. We walk to support education for students living in poverty, so that they can graduate and help end generational poverty for their family. We walk for the kids just starting school, where they will likely hold a book for the first time. We walk so that families have access to quality health care. We walk to help young people dream, grow, and succeed.
Now more than ever, all of us appreciate the Power of Healthcare, Community, and Hope. Let's walk the Extra Mile to fight poverty with diplomas!
Each $1,200 we raise will sponsor a student and their family for one year. Approximately $3,000 was raised on Saturday morning, June 5. Support our team by going to our fundraising/registration page (click here).
See a handful of photos from the June 5th event by clicking here.
The Rotary Western Great Lakes District Conference successfully held its first virtual conference during May 1-6. To help Rotarians to be inspired, to become engaged, and to be change makers, the Conference Committee has provided:
5.5 hours of General Sessions
11.7 hour of Breakouts covering Membership, Engaging Youth & Young Adults, Leadership, and Fundraising
3 hours of House of Friendship
RWGLDC is pleased to announce the launch of its YouTube channel with Rotary International President Holger Knaack's Opening Remarks, https://youtu.be/KhrDqGJs3uQ, Past District Governor Bill Gormont’s Magic of Rotary, https://youtu.be/Sz8DVgHlqWA, and more.
This new channel enables you to share a video of how you were inspired. Perhaps there was a breakout session held at the same time as the one you attended. You have the opportunity to see what you missed and grow in Rotary. By subscribing to the Rotary Western Great Lakes District Conference YouTube channel, you will be alerted as more conference videos are posted in the coming days.
Barry Nelson James, Elmbrook Rotary Club (ERC) member since 1984, died on Tuesday, May 25. He was 87 years old.
A memorial service occurred at the Becker Ritter Funeral Home, Brookfield, WI, on Wednesday, June 2. The full "Tribute" (obituary) on the funeral home's web site can be read by clicking here.
Barry was an avid, devoted Rotarian whose own maternal grandfather, Canadian John Nelson, served as Rotary International President during 1933-34. Barry himself served terms on Rotary International District 6270's District Grant Committee and Global Grant Committee. In the local club he served as ERC President during 1990-91. He also initiated "Diane's Dictionaries," one of ERC's many projects which was named after his first wife. Information about this charitable effort can be read by clicking here. He was also the Primary Contact (driving agent) for ERC's Global Grant initiative for an e-learning project in India during 2014-15.
ERC President Tom Hochuli remembers about him, "Barry was generally the first person to arrive at our meetings each week and during this past pandemic year has been in attendance for the majority of meetings on Zoom." Indeed, he will be missed.
The Elmbrook Rotary Club's Board of Directors has acted to rename the ERC annual golf outing to the "Barry James Memorial Golf Outing" and to designate any proceeds from the outing for use by the Elmbrook Rotary Foundation. As the official "Tribute" notes, "It never mattered what his score was as long as he got the round in within 2 ½ hours."
Requiescat in pace!
If desired, memorials can be given (by family request) either to "Elmbrook Rotary Club" or to "Living Hope Presbyterian Church."
Elmbrook Rotary Club was not able to send a team of members, along with “friends and family,” to Guatemala this past February as it has done since 2012 because of COVID-19 issues. Instead, the club applied for a District Grant from Rotary International District 6270, representing 54 clubs in southeastern Wisconsin, to provide help for 7th grade students who are at risk of dropping out of school (now particularly difficult to deal with due to the pandemic).
Elmbrook Rotary was able to provide ten (10) LG tablets, loaded with software and internet capability, to a new “Resource Center” in a remote village. The center was designed in cooperation with Common Hope, an NGO based in the World Heritage City of Antigua. Common Hope promotes literacy and school attendance through work in housing, health, nutrition, and social services. The tablets are being used to enable contactless interventions, enabling staff to encourage students to remain in school. The technology enables working with the families to improve their circumstances and to make decisions, without the risk of in-person visits. Once the family decisions are made, the tablets can then be provided to another student, and so forth.
The issue is, and has been, economic in nature. A school-age child can be seen as an “asset” in third world areas in a country like Guatemala, being forced to work in fields to increase the family income. That leads to a cycle of poverty, which Common Hope tries to break by its efforts. Since Common Hope’s inception in Guatemala, those efforts have resulted in more than 3,000 high school graduates. The average level of school completion is roughly five years, and illiteracy in some remotely indigenous villages can be 60% or more.
For more information on how you can help, contact Elmbrook Rotarian Erik Moeser.
Ana V. Ramirez is the 8th student at the Common Hope School in Guatemala who has been sponsored by the Elmbrook Rotary Foundation.
Ana's family income is U.S. $364/month, and the six-member family lives in a small concrete-block home (10 meters by 10 meters). They obtain water and electricity from neighbors and must use an outhouse for a bathroom.
Ana is an 11th Grade student, enrolled in Marketing and Advertising Certification. Her anticipated graduation date is November 2022. Since 2014, six members of Elmbrook Rotary Club (accompanied by four family members) have made the trip to Guatemala for the graduation exercises, a weekend-long celebration with, and support for, our sponsored student and her/his family. Any club member can volunteer to represent the club. Contact Erik Moeser if interested.
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).
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.
