By now you have surely heard about the astounding $1,000,000 bequest commitment made by Tim Williams, president of the Rotary Club of Tahoe-Douglas. He has also challenged his fellow District 5190 Rotarians to join the Bequest Society by May 1, 2024, where he will match contributions up to another $1,000,000. Wow!!
Joining the Bequest Society is as simple as updating your will or estate plan to donate to The Rotary Foundation. Already did that? Great! Please let Rotary International know, so you can be recognized as a donor. Click here to get more information or to let Rotary know you already have a bequest arranged (scroll just over half way down the page for the resource links).
To hear an interview with Tim Williams about his journey to join the Bequest Society, click here. For those who subscribe to the District podcast, this interview is in your feed, ready to go.
If you have questions and would like to speak with someone locally, please reach out to Steve Lewis.
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New Hoop at Our Place
The Rotary Club of Reno recently donated a new, quality basketball hoop at the Our Place family shelter.
The UNR women's basketball team was there at the unveiling to play with the kids and share basketball fundamentals.
New Members
Welcome Aboard! Patrick Ward, District 5190 Membership Committee
After a new member is inducted, their Rotary journey is just beginning.
Too often, there is a natural reaction to just assume the new member will jump right in, get involved right away, and become a dedicated Rotarian on their own without a lot of assistance or direction. That seldom happens.
It is critical that special attention and support is directed to new members by everyone in the club. The new member orientation phase of a club’s membership development program is perhaps the most important, and essential to getting the new Rotarian to become fully committed and involved in Rotary “Service Above Self”.
Here are a few ideas that may be useful as clubs address this important Rotary function.
New Member Orientation
This is the first one-on-one opportunity for the club to work directly with the new members to learn more about Rotary and get involved. The importance of this interaction cannot be overemphasized.
The new members need to be integrated as soon as possible into club activities and volunteer assignments.
Follow-up on progress, mentoring, and interaction with other club members is also essential.
They must be welcomed, offered opportunities to get involved and thanked for their service.
1. Actions
a. Develop a club New Member Orientation Program
Identify tasks that need to be completed to receive a permanent member badge.
Develop a program checklist.
Develop a program welcome letter from president/membership chair.
Assign a mentor (an experienced member not necessarily the new member’s sponsor) to guide the new member through the program.
b. Membership committee track progress of program completeness with mentor through personal contact.
c. Follow-up on ClubRunner access and profile information update and enrollment in My Rotary.
d. Follow-up on new member involvement and volunteering for club project, events, and committee assignments.
e. Personally recognize new member involvement and activities at club meetings
f. Encourage new member involvement in Rotary continuing education opportunities and learning courses.
g. Recognize completion of orientation program completion with permanent member (Blue Badge) presentation at club meeting.
h. Another option that some clubs use to get their new members off to a great start is a standard fireside chat to ensure the new member understands the club processes, member commitment expectations, and where their passions exist.
i. Monitor progress through personal contact after completion of the orientation program.
In addition to these ideas and others that clubs use, the one common thing a club can do is establish a welcoming presence for new members by providing the tools and encouragement for learning more about Rotary and assisting them along the way. And enjoying the fellowship while helping make the world a better place through Rotary Service.
Additional information on introducing new members to Rotary can be found in this Rotary guide to new member orientation here.
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We are proud to announce the 2024-2025
District Governor Nominee Designate:
Kurt Raffetto from the Rotary Club of Placerville
Kurt will serve as District Governor in the 2026 - 2027 Rotary Year and we wish him all the best.
Congratulations Kurt!
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Sandrena Frischer:
Global Grant Scholar 2022-23 Update
Sandrena went to Oxford to study Population Health under the Disease Prevention and Treatment Rotary Area of Focus. She was sponsored by the Reno Centennial Sunset Club. The impact that our Global Grant Scholar Alumni have is amazing. Below is what she did as a Global Grant Scholar with District 5150 and most recently with our District.
Studying as a Rotary Global Grant Scholar at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) in 2018-2019 changed my life. During my MSc in Public Health for Development at LSHTM, I had the opportunity to work with a medical anthropology research team within an Ebola Vaccine Trial in Sierra Leone. Working on social research embedded within a biomedical study in a post-outbreak context alongside local Sierra Leonean anthropologists was transformative. After completing my MSc in Public Health for Development, in 2020 I moved to West Africa to work in disease control and prevention with an emphasis in health systems strengthening. After spending more than a year supporting leadership at the global health equity non-profit Partners in Health in Liberia, I had the opportunity to take on a position in Liberia managing a research study on Lassa Fever, an infectious disease like Ebola, with the University of North Carolina Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases. In this role, I led research operations, community engagement, and a team of 20 staff in partnership with a rural hospital and the National Public Health Institute of Liberia.
My work as a study manager in Liberia was challenging and exciting, but most importantly, it reminded me how much I want to keep growing as a researcher and continue exploring theoretical, ethical, and pragmatic underpinnings of biomedical research participation in low-income settings. With this in mind, in 2021 I applied to the University of Oxford to pursue a PhD in Population Health with a focus on global health ethics. I'm thrilled to share that I was accepted into the program at Oxford, and I’m now going into my second year of doctoral studies. I was also incredibly fortunate to pursue these studies with support from another Rotary Global Grant Scholarship this time from District 5190, and a matching award from my host department at Oxford, the Nuffield Department of Population Health.
Here at Oxford, I'm embedded within a vibrant bioethics and global health research community. In my doctoral research, I explore how infectious disease research projects in sub-Saharan Africa can ethically and sustainably partner with national health systems to support health systems strengthening. My research is part of a study in Uganda on schistosomiasis – a disease of poverty with debilitating symptoms that affects more than 200 million people globally – with the long-term goal to transform how research on disease prevention and treatment is conducted in low- and middle-income countries. Outside my studies, I have also taken on a job as a research assistant with the Pandemic Sciences Institute, a research group that focuses on pandemic and outbreak preparedness. With the support of Rotary International, my graduate studies at LSHTM and now Oxford have provided me with technical expertise to make an impact in global health research discourse. These opportunities have accelerated my growth as a public health research professional committed to enacting strategic change at the intersection of public health research, bioethics, and health systems strengthening, effectively preparing me for success as a bioethics and global health equity advocate for the rest of my career.
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Caldor Fire Replanting
The Caldor Fire left a devastating scar on the Sierra forest.
On Saturday, Oct 28, a team of Rotarians from across D5190 partnered with Boys Scouts and Sugar Pine Foundation volunteers to replant trees in the Grizzly Flats area, the epicenter of the Caldor Fire. A big thank you to all who participated in bringing new life to Grizzly Flats.
Once again, Rotary Youth Exchange students were hosted by the Rotary Club of Carson City for the Nevada Day weekend. The students visited Carson City and Virginia City, they joined local Rotarians in the Nevada Day parade, the Rotary District 5190 Governor, Stacy Graham, and District Governor Elect, Dennis Geare, joined the students this year.
The students made new friends and wonderful memories. It's through the efforts of local Rotarians that other impactful, fun, and valuable experiences are organized.
Please consider getting involved in our District RYE program and hosting or supporting another upcoming RYE event.
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Vocational Memberships:
An Idea Whose Time Has Come
Does your club meet in a restaurant or other place that serves food, and is the owner or manager of that establishment typically busy serving food or otherwise running their business while you’re meeting? If so and if that individual is not already a member of your club, then you may wish to consider offering them a membership in your club at a reduced rate such as the minimal amount necessary to cover RI and District dues – an idea pioneered by the Rotary Club of Auburn Gold Country (home club of District Governor Stacy Graham) which they call a “vocational membership.”
Auburn Gold Country is a lunch club that meets at a restaurant called Awful Annie’s. The restaurant’s owner, Adam Baker, was not a member of the club and was generally working during the meetings serving food and otherwise attending to the club members’ meals. At some point, the club realized that Adam was interested in joining Rotary (no doubt after watching so many great meetings) but didn’t think it was a viable option since he was working during the meetings and therefore limited in his ability to participate. The club eventually developed the concept of a “vocational membership” and offered it to Adam, who joined and is still a proud Rotarian contributing greatly to the club and community, including helping to feed the homeless. Not surprisingly, the key concept of a vocational membership is that the member is engaged in their vocation during club meetings and therefore helping to make the meetings enjoyable while at the same time being limited in their ability to fully participate in meetings. Therefore, Auburn Gold Country felt that offering a reduced rate for such a member passed the 4-Way Test and at the same time brought a great new member into their club.
Vocational memberships demonstrate the flexibility and discretion that clubs have in creating categories of membership and dues structures that suit their needs. Other examples include “corporate memberships” (different than a vocational membership) and reduced or subsidized membership dues for individuals who are unable to afford a club’s full dues but who are able and willing to be active members who contribute to the club in non-financial ways. It is important to note that the club cannot reduce the amount that it pays to RI or the District for each member’s dues, but the club is free to use its own funds to subsidize a member’s dues and, similarly, to reduce or waive the portion of regular club dues that would ordinarily go to the club for various purposes such as club overhead and expenses.
If your club is interested in growing its membership and knows of individuals who would make great Rotarians but who believe they can’t join due to some perceived practical or financial impediment (or other issue), then put on your Rotarian thinking caps and see if you can find a way to help them join that is “fair to all concerned.” And feel free to run any new membership concepts by Richard Forster, the District’s Membership Chair. If you’d like more information regarding the vocational membership concept in particular, then please contact District Governor Stacy Graham, who would love to chat with you about it.
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Global Grant Opportunities Around the World
Several Clubs/Districts have reached out to us requesting support for their Global Grants in the last month. In addition, we have a couple of home-grown Global Grants which are in the process of being fleshed out.
This article will give you a brief overview of these opportunities and to alert you that we will soon be publishing a Special Edition Newsletter dedicated to these grants with much more detail on each opportunity. The Special Edition will include contact information.
Club participation in these Global Grants can be either as a financial partner where the clubs only contribute funds or where needed offer to serve as the International Partner Club, which has much more involvement.
Our District will 100% match any club contributions with District grant funds and The Rotary Foundation will match the District Donation at 80% which would leverage your contributions.
This would be a great time for your club to start discussing which Global Grant you want to support.
Questions that you might have should be answered by the Special Edition Newsletter.
Projects Seeking funding now:
Smiles Plus – Objective ($58,500) – Host District 3201
Grant is to correct facial deformations of disadvantaged people in India. The grant will support 50 surgeries. This grant is looking for an International Sponsor Club as well as financial support.
Guatemala Water Project ($800,000) – International Sponsor Cupertino RC/District 5170
The grant is in the Western Highland and is a joint project with World Vision which will cover $400,000 of the grant. It is supporting the water issues of indigenous people by protecting water sources and education of the populace.
Building Climate Resilience of Maya-Achi Communities with Agroecology ($247,000) – International Sponsor Oakland RC/District 5170
Project in Rabinal, Guatemala - Under the leadership of trained, local youth agricultural technicians, this project will promote both traditional and modern, culturally appropriate, low-cost sustainable farming techniques to strengthen climate change resilience among 375 families in ten communities.
Nepal Tuberculosis Treatment ($300,000) – International Sponsor Salt Lake City RC/District 5420
Tuberculosis causes 1.5 MM deaths annually worldwide and 17,000 in Nepal. A new innovative treatment is now available, and this grant will introduce it to Nepal.
Bhutan Forest Restoration ($87,500) – International Sponsor E-Club of World Peace/District 5330
Reforestation of 100 acres with 50,000 saplings where the previous vegetation has been depleted by development.
Orales Project ($50,000) – International Sponsor is Nevada City 49er Breakfast RC/District 5190
Increase the employability of vulnerable young women aged 15-29 through the provision of high-quality training and job preparation services
Projects Under Development within District 5190:
Senegal Tree Planting – Fallon Rotary Club
Project will build on the club’s District Grant last year where they worked with an effective NGO to plant saplings, build nurseries, and educate the populace in Senegal, Africa.
Uganda Project Search –
We have requested project proposals from 10 Ugandan Rotary Clubs active in GGs and awaiting feedback.
Uganda Tuberculosis –
This grant will leverage what is learned from the Nepal Tuberculosis Grant.
Educational Grant with Victoria Falls Rotary Club, Zimbabwe
Work is currently defining the viability of this project.
ROTARIANS & FRIENDS!
Come travel with us on the ELEGANT ELBE (Prague to Berlin)
NOVEMBER 11-20, 2025 - During the European Christmas Markets!
The trip is 10 days – 4 days of hotel stays, 6 days cruising on the Elbe River on a Viking riverboat (longship) that has a capacity of only 98 passengers!
This will be the second group cruise for many District 5190 Rotarians. We had such a great time; we’re doing it again! We’d like to fill the ship with Rotarians and their friends!
Come join us!
- Standard Stateroom - $2874 pp* (*Viking clients deduct another $100)
- French Balcony Stateroom - $3874/$4074 pp *
- Veranda Stateroom - $4374 pp *
- Airfare (provided through Viking) starting at $799 economy class from Sacramento or Reno round trip
- Pre and post extensions available
- Travel protection insurance available
- Deposit of $25 per person good through August 31, 2023
- Full payment due March 2024
- Anita will donate $100 in the name of each passenger to The Rotary Foundation
CALL ANITA DANIELS FOR MORE DETAILS & BOOKING
530-272-6036 home; 530-913-6036 cell
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It Takes a Village
The Rotary Club of Sparks is taking on a huge challenge in honor of their 75th anniversary. President Paul Kaplan created the 75 for 75 campaign, wherein the club would perform 75 acts of service this Rotary year, 2023 - 2024, to celebrate 75 wonderful years as a club.
They already have over 30 projects on the books and they are looking for more ways to contribute to the community and hit their goals. This is where YOU come in! They have a project proposal form available for other Rotarians to submit HANDS-ON service projects they could use some help with.
Each proposal will be reviewed by the 75 for 75 committee for approval.
Click here for the proposal form and contact Jennifer Powers for further information at jennifer.powers@majentraining.com.
Let's help this long-standing club reach this tremendous goal!
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Feeling left out because you don't have one of the cool shirts with the 23-24 District theme?
Well, you're in luck because you can order your very own Rotary from the Heart shirt here!
These are perfect to show your District 5190 pride at District Conference in May ;)
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