Fellow Rotarians!
Happy spring! Three things are top of mind today. First, of course, is PETS or the Spring Leadership Conference. It is April 27-29. Please encourage your President Elect to attend. DGE Rich Burns has put together a great program. Also, beware that the Annul District Assembly will be Saturday morning of PETS to elect the DG for 2025-26, Council on Legislation Representatives and 3 District Nominating Committee Members and approve the district budget and dues. Clubs are entitled to have a delegate for every 25 members. Your President and President Elect has received all this information and some is available on the District Website. The raffle drawing will also be held. Encourage your members to purchase tickets!
Second is RYLA or Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Camp at Camp Maranatha, Maxwell, NE. Our RYLA Chairperson, Rene Sorenson, has done a great job of sending out information on this. Information is also available on the district website. The deadline has been extended through April 15!
Third, we are looking for 3 clubs to host Foreign Exchange Students next school year. RYE Chairman Patrick Morrison and incoming chairman Bill Spindle are the resource for this topic.
This month’s Rotary theme is Maternal and Child Health. I did a little research and found that our district partnered on a Global Grant project in 2019 to serve indigenous pregnant women in North Dakota. We have recently authorized a Global Grant partnership with a club in Uganda to provide wheelchairs and other medical devices for people with disabilities and purchase a new ultrasound machine and train staff to enhance pre-natal care. Our clubs have also done district grants projects within this area of focus. Examples are Sioux Falls West with their Children’s Inn project, Le Mars with their Then Just Feed One packing event and Luverne with their bike helmet distribution.
Please continue to work on your membership growth and retention and Foundation giving; two of my major goals for this year. I’m looking forward to seeing many of you at PETS!
Yours in Rotary!
John Schneider DG 5610