Welcome to the District 6360 website, home of 56 Rotary Clubs in Central and Southwest Michigan. Each club is comprised of exceptionally innovative, creative and forward-thinking individuals in Southwest and Central Michigan. Each Club is filled with leaders and business professionals whose sole purpose is to provide “Service Before Self” by helping to improve local, domestic and international communities. Our eclectic group of members range from The Greatest Generation, The Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Gen X and the Millenials. Five generations of people working together and supporting one another as one very solid group.
We hope you will find your way around easily and the information provided on this website is just what you are looking for. If not, please contact the webmaster and let’s see if we can make it even better for all.
APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2017 DISTRICT 6360 FOUNDATION GRANTS can be accessed here: Foundation_Grant_Application_04_2017
A Note from District 6360 Governor Bill Smith
I hope you have been “stepping out of your comfort zone” as you serve others and continue our 2016-2017 Rotary Theme of “Rotary Serving Humanity”. After working with you this year, I have no doubt that you have met the challenge and look forward to hearing more from you during the May 12-13 District Conference in Battle Creek.
We will provide an opportunity to display your club project in a Hall of Friendship at the District Conference. Reserve a table for our club by contacting DGND / AG Area 6 Marjore Haas by email: gmhaas214@att.ney. Please let Margie know your needs for space, power, lighting, etc. Let’s really celebrate!
How has your club been doing with the Hand Only CPR Kits? Have you put them to use? By the time you read this article, Area 3 will have gathered over 70 peope to celebrate Rotary and to learn and practice lifesaving CPR. Assistant Governor Dan Cropsey has arranged for an outside volunteer to conduct training and brought this wonderful event to Constantine, Sturgis, Three Rivers, and White Pigeon Take advantage of the CPR Learning Program and use it to involve the community in a humanitarian effort.
Is your club working hard toward receiving either the 2016-17 Membership or Rotary Foundatond PolioPlus District Conference Awards? There is still time to increase your net membership and of course, give to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) and/or PolioPlus before the mid-April deadline. Don’t wait until June 30!
During the District Conference on Friday, May 12, 2017, there will be numerous break-out sessions, including the last chance before May 31 to attend a Grant Management Seminar (GMS) and free time that includes a ‘Walking Tour of Downtown Battle Creek”, or a “Kellogg History Tour”. For many of you, Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the “Belize Caravan” and the “District 6360 Foundation” will be a memorable occasion. Speakers on Friday will include our Rotary International President’s Representative PDG Ezra Teshome. For more information, see the detailed agenda here.
Have a wonderful year!
District Governor Bill
St. Joseph-Benton Harbor Rotary Club Receives International Spotlight
By Pat Moody | Posted March 21, 2017 | What’s Happening
St. Joseph-Benton Harbor. Rotarian Jackie Huie and fellow Rotarian Maria Kibler are part of the focus of an 8-page spread at the very center of the current edition of The Rotarian. The magazine details the story of the overwhelming success of the St. Joseph-Benton Harbor Rotary’s Interact Club for high school students and its underlying work to pair students with mentors in their dream jobs.
Rotary.org Senior Writer Arnold R. Grahl totally immersed himself in the detailed story and the photography of Monika Lozinska and chalk art, to help illustrate the story, by Nancy Pochis Bank Art Studio leave a lasting impression on the reader as you realize the very real impact that the program has had and continues to have on local students from Michigan’s Great Southwest who are pursuing their dreams thanks to the help of mentors from all walks of life all the way to the executive suites of chief executive officers of major corporations. Congratulations!! Click HERE to read the whole story!
Presidential message
John F. Germ
President 2016-17
April 2017
Globally, in developed as well as in developing countries, child mortality is on the decline and life expectancy on the rise. In 1960, 182 of every 1,000 children born died before turning five; today, that number is down to 43. A child born in 1960 could expect to live an average of just 52 years; by contrast, a child born this year can expect to live to 71.
Then as now, the factors most likely to determine a child’s fate are set at birth: where he or she is born, the educational and economic condition of the family, the availability of medical care. Yet one of the most important advances in public health has reached every country and must now reach every child: immunization.
The use of vaccines has, in many parts of the world, nearly eliminated diseases that once were widespread, such as diphtheria, tetanus, and rubella. Thanks to vaccines, 20 million lives have been saved from measles since 2000. Smallpox has been eradicated – and polio is next.
Thirty years ago, there were an estimated 350,000 cases of polio per year worldwide. As this issue of The Rotarian went to press, only 37 cases of polio had been recorded in 2016 – the lowest number in history. All of the other cases, and the paralysis and death they would have brought, were prevented through the widespread use of a safe, reliable, and inexpensive vaccine.
Overall, the World Health Organization estimates that immunization prevents an estimated 2 million to 3 million deaths every year. It also averts a tremendous burden of disability and economic loss. Yet we could be doing so much better: An additional 1.5 million deaths could be avoided by improving vaccine coverage worldwide.
This month, from 24 to 30 April, we join WHO, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in celebrating World Immunization Week, raising awareness of the incredible impact that vaccines have had on global health. This year’s theme is “Vaccines Work” – and they do. Increased use of vaccines has broader repercussions for public health: controlling viral hepatitis, reducing both the need for antibiotics and the development of antibiotic-resistant microbes, and reaching more children and adolescents with essential health interventions. In every part of the world, routine immunization is as crucial as ever to ensure that all children have the best chance at a healthy future.
In an uncertain world, vaccines offer something remarkable: a way to protect our children throughout their lives. By working together to safeguard all children against polio and other preventable diseases, Rotary is truly Serving Humanity – now and for generations to come.
GRANT SEASON IS UPON US!
The District 6360 Foundation provides Grants to Rotary Clubs within District 6360 for community service projects. Special consideration is given to requests meeting one or more of the following conditions:
- Seed money to launch new or pilot programs that if successful, should be able to generate its own future support.
- Capital expenditures necessary for important charitable or civic programs.
- Special programs which compliment the precepts of Rotary.
- Matching funds to leverage or help generate additional outside support.
- Programs where the local Rotary Club is actively involved in the project.
- Programs that have visible Rotary Identification for public awareness of Rotary involvement.
Priorities will be given to those projects that benefit the community most meaningfully, benefit the greatest number of people in the community and to those groups with the greatest degree of need. Grants for maintenance or operating funds are to be considered exceptions to the guidelines and generally are not recommended to the board for approval. In addition, the Foundation will generally not consider consecutive or multi-year funding requests. The deadline for grants is May 31 each year. A Club may only apply for one grant per year. The Foundation prefers to fund matching grant applications from $500 – $2500.
Grant funds are to be expended only for the purpose for which they were intended. Unused funds are to be returned to the Rotary District 6360 Foundation. Grant applications from Clubs with outstanding Final Reports from previous grants will not be considered. The Grant application form is a writeable PDF and may be accessed by Clicking Here. This year, only electronic submission of the grant request will be accepted. Email your grant request by Mary 31, 2017 to Ed DeLisle, Grants Chairperson at edsautoinc@frontier.com. Should you have any questions, please contact Karl Kincade, Foundation President at karlkincade@usa.net
Find out how we are doing in our END POLIO NOW campaign! Read Polio Report Ed Foster 9.17.16 (1)
For those wishing to donate to the CHILDREN’S SAFE WATER PROJECT, please make checks payable to Rotary District 6360 Foundation. On the memo line, please include CHILDREN’S SAFE WATER PROJECT. Checks should be mailed to: Jansen, Thompson, Volk and Reahm PC, 7171 Stadium, Kalamazoo, MI 49009-4943.