Membership - our latest numbers as of February 1 2025
Rotary's response to U.S.'s plan to withdraw from World Health Organization
By Rotary International
Rotary notes the recent announcement that the United States intends to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), a partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). We remain resolute in our mission to eradicate polio. As a founding partner of the GPEI, Rotary has for decades worked closely with all the GPEI partners, the U.S. government, and other governments to end polio worldwide. This effort has reduced the number of children paralyzed by polio by 99.9% since 1988. The global effort to eradicate polio has innovated many times over the years to come close to protecting every last child.
Although this decision creates new challenges, Rotary remains dedicated to ensuring that every child is protected from this preventable disease. We are confident that the GPEI will continue to adapt, to innovate, and to implement effective strategies to keep polio vaccines available for every child in the United States and around the world, especially those in the most challenging and remote regions. The most important decisions leading to a polio-free world are made every day by parents who present their children for vaccination.
We remain committed to working with all GPEI partners to fulfill the promise of a polio-free world. Together, we have ended smallpox, and together, we can ensure that polio becomes the second human disease to be eradicated from the planet.
— 22 January 2025
Youth Exchange Host Clubs Wanted!
By Marjorie R. Haas
On Your Mark! Get Ready! Go!!!
We are officially seeking Host Clubs with one identified host family for the 2025-26 school year!! (The second host family can be identified after the student arrives.)
This morning we received the placement of a boy from Brazil, Mateus. He is 15 years old (16 in November), plays soccer and basketball. His application states his English is good.
Get Ready -- Start looking for host families now! We will have 3 more students that will be placed with District 6360. When your club finds a family, and let's me know ASAP, we can specify your request for gender and area of the world. We know we will get one student from each of these regions: Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Asia.
Where to find a host family?? Host families do not need to be Rotarians. Host families can be a retired couple. Host families can have young children or no children. Consider the following making contact with:
• How about past host families?
• How about families of past Outbound students?
• Contact your foreign language teachers.
• Do you have active 4-H clubs in your area? Make contact with a 4-H leader. Do a presentation.
• Do you have active church youth groups? Make contact with the youth group leader? Do a presentation.
• Do you have an Interact Club? Make a presentation at their Interact Club meeting.
• Talk it up at your Rotary Club meetings. Talk with your Rotary board. Do a presentation.
Do you need a PowerPoint Presentation?? We have one for you! OR I’m happy to come to your club and do a program. Please let me know if I can assist in any way.
Rotary Student Program -- building peace one student and one family at a time.
Sincerely In Rotary,
Margie Haas
D-6360 Young Leaders Coordinator, 2023-2026
D-6360 Rotary Youth Exchange Chair, 2023-2025
Past District 6360 Governor - Rotary Year 2019-2020
Proud Member of Hastings, MI Rotary Club
Cell: 269-838-3392
Home: 269-945-2941
I hope you are all doing well! I wanted to reach out to share some exciting news—last week, our Vice President, Shannon Thomas, was honored with the Spartan Volunteer Service Award from MSU! This is a prestigious recognition, awarded to only about 30 students, and we are incredibly proud of Shannon for her hard work and dedication to our club.
We also want to take a moment to thank you all for providing us with so many opportunities and guidance throughout the years, which have helped us grow and achieve milestones like this.
Attached are some photos from the event, where Shannon had the opportunity to speak about what service means to her. She highlighted her commitment to Rotary International in her speech.
Thank you for your continued support of our club—we truly appreciate all that you do! If you have any questions, please let us know. Feel free to share these pictures with your members.
Wishing you all a great day!
Best,
Mia Teller
She/Her/Hers
Communicative Sciences and Disorders
Cognitive Science
Michigan State University 2025
MSU Rotaract President
My video message this month includes a few thoughts on our upcoming District Conference scheduled for May 2-3, 2025 at the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven.
I found a bright January day to put this video together, and as you will see and hear, it was a very windy day. Some of the noise in the background came from the bubblers in the ice-covered water protecting the Friends Good Will ship from being frozen into the harbor.
So, turn up your volume, enjoy the views, and appreciate some of what nature has to offer in January.
Mayor Pam Colestock joined the Eaton Rapids Rotary Club at their meeting on January 15, to present them with a proclamation congratulating the club on its70th anniversary.
Charter members of the club gathered for their first meeting on December 14, 1954, at the VFW Grand Lodge. Sponsored by the Charlotte Rotary Club chapter, the Eaton Rapids club was welcomed by Eaton Rapids Mayor Heileman O. Miller. Rotary’s first President, Charles Henry and the other 23 charter members of the club, along with 16 Rotarians from the Charlotte and Marshall clubs were in attendance.
Among the leading citizens who were charter members were Dr. Bert Van Ark, Hiram Webster, Wayne Gibson and Max Skinner. Over the years, several more of those who shaped our city’s future became Rotarians, including George Miller, Mickey Ellis, Dr. J.B. Foote, Roger Greeenhoe and Dorian Lang.
Rotary’s motto of “Service above Self” and its core values of service, fellowship, diversity, integrity and leadership has propelled the Eaton Rapids club into becoming a major contributor in building of a better community locally and a better and healthier world at large.
As part of Rotary International’s effort to fight polio, Eaton Rapids Club members contribute annually and have held fundraisers to assist in the efforts to fight this dreaded disease. The combined effort has led to polio being nearly eradicated from the earth.
Eaton Rapids Rotary has generously supported the Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH), under the direction of Dr. Dan Wrubel, former Rotary president. VOSH provides eyeglasses, eyeglass prescription correction and cataract surgery to the people of Dominica. This program continues today, with continued support from the Club.
Over the years, Rotary has supported our youth by presenting scholarships to Eaton Rapids High School graduates and to many educational efforts, such as the Model United Nations at Hillsdale College, Camp Emery and sponsoring international students. Most recently, Rotary has sponsored the Interact Club at Eaton Rapids High School. This club helps train future leaders and gives high school students the opportunity to give back to their community. Interact is now the largest club at the school.
Rotary has been generous to local institutions, including Eaton Rapids Community Hospital, sponsoring fund raisers to refurbish rooms and to purchase lifesaving equipment.
Rotary oversaw the construction of the Eaton Rapids Rotary Club Amphitheater at Howe Field to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Rotary International.
Current Rotary Club members regularly participate in river cleanups, Main Street beautification efforts, Adopt-A-Highway cleanups, school supply collections, the mobile food pantry and are generous financial contributors to Heart and Hands Food Bank, Cody’s Wish, Teen Space and many other charitable efforts in our community.
Every Rotary member holds a unique story filled with experiences and insights that reflect the collective impact of our mission. By sharing these narratives, we celebrate diversity, foster connections, and inspire others to join us in creating lasting change.
During this engaging session, we'll explore:
Techniques for crafting impactful stories.
Tips for identifying and understanding your audience.
Strategies to create emotional connections through authenticity and relevance.
Best practices for using stories to elevate your public image.
Your voice matters, and your story has the power to inspire.
Let's learn how to share it effectively to resonate with others and amplify the impact of Rotary.
Learn how to register and access the My Rotary website in this simple video produced by DGND Christopher Lewis.
The step-by-step video tutorial takes you from setting up an account at My Rotary, to how to make a TRF donation, where to find the Learning Center and more.
Discover more about TheRotary Foundation Resources on the district website.
Young Leaders -- Call to Lead!
Special Announcement – New Title: YOUNG LEADERS = CALL TO LEAD!
Rotary International has rolled out a new title for club and district chairs for Youth Service or Youth Programs, now called YOUNG LEADERS.
And with that, Rotary International and your District Leadership ask each club to identify a Rotarian to be chairperson of YOUNG LEADERS’ PROGRAMS.
Further, it is recommended that each club support the chairperson with a committee of at least three (3) members.
Now is the time for Young Leaders' programs to work with your middle school and high schools.
We will work with your chairperson to develop a positive working relationship with your school(s) and promote Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) Camp, Interact Clubs, Rotary Student Program, and Rotary Youth Exchange.
A marketing campaign and more information will be coming soon.
Please contact Young Leaders’ Program Coordinator Margie Haas with the name of your club’s Young Leaders' Programs Chair at [email protected]; or 269-838-3392.
Rotarians are Leaders! Let’s lead the future with Young Leaders!
The Marshall Rotary Club completed a major Kalamazoo River and Bear Creek cleanup and improvement project this summer and fall here in our community.
This endeavor was not a "one-and-done" project but has a long-term commitment that the citizens, local governments, and business communities, both large and small, have signed up to continue into the future.
The project, known as The Marshall Waterways Project, is outlined in a local news article written by the city's Parks and Recreation Commissioner shown in the paragraph below*.
The surrounding area was national news when the Kalamazoo River, a few miles downstream from Marshall, was the site of the largest inland oil spill in recent times when the Enbridge pipeline burst.
After our Rotary Club made some phone calls to community and business leaders, Club President Marty Overhiser orchestrated a large-scale, community-wide effort that had immediate benefits and culminated in long-term environmental action plans.
The results will pay dividends for decades.
Look on the Marchal Rotary Club Facebook page for photos.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
* Michigan Waterways Stewards
· MARSHALL’S KETCHUM PARK ISLAND 12.12.24
The Final Touches
To complete our spring and fall stewardship and Ketchum Park beautification in Marshall, all that was needed was our distribution of a large pile of much along the 200-foot stretch of park where most of the 100 trees Marshall Rotary Club planted as part of Marshall's inaugural Waterways Day, an event to also celebrate the club’s 100th anniversary.
With temperatures in the mid-40s, it made for a great day to play (work) in the park. With the help of Rotary Club President Marty Overhiser, and fellow Rotarian Jeff Greene, we made quick work of the project.
When done, with all the new trees framed with the new mulch, this area of the park looked great. Rotary’s continued commitment to its city and this park is most impressive.
Well done and thank you!
Before heading out, I made a trip down the .6-mile rough trail to Ketchum Park’s north point. At the turnaround there was a fallen tree. With the Stihl chainsaw still in the back of my car from this weekend’s work at Lansing’s Burchard Park, this also was quickly cut and cleared.
Ketchum Park Island is all set for winter play!
Let’s give a special shout-out to Marshall Rotary Club, Ford BlueOval Battery Park, Friends of Ketchum Park, and the City of Marshall, for their support to improve and beautify this lovely park. With the river-wide obstructions cleared from Rice Creek, Ketchum Park Island makes for a remarkable recreation destination for all to enjoy.
Schedule a program on The Rotary Foundation in your club
The Rotary Foundation is Rotary's most impactful -- and most confusing -- program.
Just a reminder that we have assembled some speakers on The Rotary Foundation who can present a great Rotary Foundation program at your club.
We can cover any angle of The Rotary Foundation – anything from “TRF 101” to inspiring and motivating members to projects to exploring grants to polio updates and everything in between – just let us know what you’d like us to focus on.
Please reach out to anyone on this list to schedule a TRF program at one of your club meetings.
Contact any one of us, and if we happen to have a conflict for your requested day, we will work as a team to find
you a speaker who is a perfect fit.
Chris Lewis Selected as District Governor Nominee Designate
I am pleased to announce the selection of Chris Lewis as District Governor Nominee Designate.
Chris entered Rotary as a member of the Interact Club at Clarkston High School where he served as President. He is a proud RYLA graduate and later as a young professional living in Grand Rapids, was appointed chairperson of the Rotaract Committee for District 6290. He successfully led the development and charter of a Community based Rotaract Club serving students from three universities.
He served as Public Image Chair for our District in 2021 and was elected President of the Rotary Club of Williamston in 2023-2024. While serving as President, the Williamston Club was successful in earning the Rotary Citation.
He was appointed as an Assistant Governor in 2024.
Chris serves as Director of Graduate Programs at the University of Michigan–Flint. He earned an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Eastern Michigan University, and was honored with the Pillar of Profession Award from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators in 2024. He was recognized with the Non-Profit of the Year Award for his leadership of Fathering Together in 2023.
Chris and his wife Jean have two daughters and live in Williamston.
Please join me in congratulating Chris as he begins this journey that will lead to his term as Governor of District 6360 beginning on July 1, 2027.
We are looking for a service-minded Rotarian who is proficient in Microsoft Office, Google, and DACdb applications to serve as our District Administrative Assistant.
This is a part-time position that requires flexibility in occasionally traveling to events such as President-Elect Training, Club Leader Assembly Training, District Conference, One Summits, District Staff meetings and other events to provide on-site support.
The work volume varies and will be lighter during the weeks when there are no events.
This is a work from home position that is perfect for a self-starter who knows how to manage projects. Hours and pay are negotiable.
Read more about the event and view featured videos by Sharon Wherry
and Charles Jespersen shared on World Polio Day 24 October . . . .
Ed Foster, District 6360 PolioPlus chair and Taylor Huie, president of Rotary Club of Kalamazoo
Highlights of the event attended by about 60 Rotarians and guests included presentations by experts in worldwide polio eradication, stories from survivors of the disease:
Ed Foster, shared the story of Jim Woods and asked members to become a PolioPlus Society member (Charlotte)
Charles Jespersen, a video narrated by polio survivor from (St. Joseph - Benton Harbor) watch video below
Sharon Wherry (Gull Lake) podcast video moderated by Marvinetta Woodley-Penn (Kalamazoo) - view All Stories video below
Aruna Koushik, polio vaccination volunteer from the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario with an update about the fight against polio in Gaza,
Arie Voorman, Principal Research Scientist, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, live feed or current with Q & A (Arie is the son of Rich Voorman, Rotary Club of Kalamazoo)
Rotary's Role on World Polio Day 24 October | video 00:07:12
Charles Jespersen, Rotary Club of St Joseph - Benton Harbor, Michigan and Polio survivor on World Polio Day 24 Oct 2024 with a message to raise awareness of the impact of poliovirus and Rotary's role in eradication
All Stories Matter | Public Media Network | video 00:03:30
Sharon Wherry - Rotary Club of Gull Lake Area interview with Marvinetta Woodley-Penn, Rotary Club of Kalamazoo
Attend an event through your club or The Rotary Foundation (on Zoom), or join the LIVE event happening in Kalamazoo
World Polio Day – Ready, Set, Go - Prepare for WPD events
The Rotary Foundation is hosting a WPD event on Zoom:
Oct 24, 2024 2:00pm ET
Speakers : Gordon R McInally, Rotary Foundation Trustee, 2024-28, Rotary International President, 2023-24 Dr. Mark Joffe, Chief Medical Officer of Alberta, Infectious Disease Specialist Chris Etienne, Rotary International Director, 2024-2026, Zones 28 & 32 - Register HERE
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