Jul 6, 2015 | General News, Uncategorized
The Group Study Exchange (GSE) program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for young business and professional men and women in their initial years of professional life. Rotary districts in different countries are paired to send and receive professional study groups of four non-Rotarian team members and one Rotarian team leader to travel for four to six weeks, staying in the homes of Rotarians when possible.
We are pleased to announce that District 6600 and District 1020 located in Southern Scotland have agreed to an exchange. We will we send a GSE Team to Scotland in March 2016 and a return team will visit from District 1020, tentatively in the 2016-17 Rotary year. District 1020 is located in Southern Scotland and spans from coast to coast. The northern border of the district is along the River Forth and reaches south to the border of England. The district includes the major cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The District 6600 GSE Committee is now seeking applications for a Team Leader and four Team Members to visit Scotland. We need your help to identify candidates for these positions, and especially to encourage eligible young professionals to apply.
The GSE Team Leader must be a Rotarian from District 6600. Rotarians with proven leadership ability and international travel experience are encouraged to apply. The District Governor, his spouse, the Immediate Past District Governor and his spouse, are not eligible to serve as Team Leader. Otherwise, all Rotarians in District 6600 are eligible. The GSE Committee will accept Team Leader applications until August 15, 2015. DOWNLOAD TEAM LEADER APPLICATION
The remaining four GSE Team members must be non-Rotarians between the ages of 25 and 40 who have been employed for at least two years in a recognized profession. They must either live or work in District 6600, and must be free to travel abroad during the month of March 2016. The team members may not be spouses or linear descendants of a current Rotarian. Team member applications will be accepted until September 1, 2015. DOWNLOAD TEAM MEMBER APPLICATION
Completed applications should be returned to:
Ron Stoner, District 6600 GSE Chair
Email: stonerron@gmail.com or by mail : 220 Western Ave., Bowling Green, OH 43402
This will be an incredible opportunity for not only the selected team members but our entire District as we have the opportunity to share Rotary with a group of emerging leaders.
Download a PDF with more GSE Details from Rotary International
Jun 30, 2015 | General News, Uncategorized
On Saturday, April 25, 2015 at 11:45 am Nepal was severely struck by a major earthquake. The magnitude of this earthquake hit a 7.9 on the Richter scale followed by several aftershock tremors. On Sunday, April 26, 2015, Nepal suffered another major earthquake, this one with a magnitude of 6.7 and followed yet again by several aftershock tremors. The devastation was widespread- nearly 6,000 men, women, and children were dead and over 11,000 more suffered injuries.
Just three days after the final earthquake, a call to action was made by Rotary District 6600’s District Governor, Rex Engle. He reached out to each of the 63 Rotary Clubs in our district and encouraged everyone to dig deep as clubs and as individuals to help lend support to Nepal. The initiative was focused on sending ShelterBoxes to as many families in Nepal as possible. As an added incentive, District Governor Rex Engle pledged that the District would match 20% of the cost to the first 20 boxes collected.
Donations began to come in from both clubs and individuals at a great pace but then something truly incredible happened. Mark Makulinski from the Toledo Rotary Club, offered to personally match $50,000 for all funds raised for the Nepal ShelterBox initiative. With this new incentive, District Governor Rex Engle challenged clubs to Light Up Rotary and reach the full potential of this generous match.
The response from the District was incredible! Just check out the numbers:
- 42 clubs participated in fundraising
- One generous $50,000 donation from Toledo Rotarian Mark Makulinski
- $59,575 collected from clubs and individuals, including top fundraising clubs Toledo and Fremont
- $4,000 District 6600 contributions
Resulting in:
- A $113,572 ShelterBox contribution from District 6600 and
- Over 100 Shelter Boxes provided to families in Nepal
This Nepal ShelterBox campaign was just one way that District 6600 Rotarians changed lives under the leadership of Governor Rex Engle this Rotary year.
If you haven’t already, just visit rotarydistrict6600.org and check out the circle counters to see the results of our Annual Fund and Polio Plus giving. Your contributions and service are truly how Rotary helps to change lives all over the world.
Learn more about ShelterBox at shelterbox.org
Mar 26, 2015 | Service Projects, Uncategorized
What is Rotary? We can struggle with our answer to that question.
“A group of leaders…”
“A service organization…”
“A community service group…”
Sometimes words aren’t the answer to the question. Sometimes the answer is a picture:
Little Dresses that represent teamwork between churches, schools and organizations. Little Dresses that connect people in Northern Ohio with children in Northern Uganda. Little Dresses where the common thread is Rotary.
What is Rotary? We are Little Dresses on Little Girls in Uganda.
Congratulations to the Rotary Club of Avon/Avon Lake for an impactful service project. What started out as a small project to make simple pillow case dresses grew into embellished dresses lovingly made from pieces of heirloom fabric, some with hand painted designs. The dresses were made by beginner to highly experienced seamstresses who ranged in age from age 14 to age 93. Local newspapers covered the project and Rotarians helped deliver fabric, pillow cases, notions and patterns to those doing the sewing. In January 2015, the dresses were delivered to children in St. Monica’s School for Girls in Gulu, Northern Uganda. To learn more about this project contact Rotarian Linda Rakvic at rakvic@wowway.com.
Mar 9, 2015 | General News, Uncategorized
Recently, Gina Reuter from the Tiffin Rotary Club traveled to San Pedro Sula, Honduras on a seven day international mission trip. Gina was part of a team of 11 Rotarians from the Tiffin, Bryan, Swanton, Bellevue and Elyria Sunrise Rotary Clubs who traveled to San Pedro Sula to make a difference in the lives of girls in a local orphanage. Gina shares her experience in these words:
“After the initial shock of being immersed in the city with the highest per capita murder rate in the world wore off, and getting used to seeing the heavily armed guards everywhere, it turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life.
We spent the week at La Casa de la Nina, a girls’ orphanage in the city. They called it an “orphanage”, but it was more of a home for girls whose parents had either abandoned them or were otherwise unable to care for them.
During our stay we made building repairs, painted, and did lots (and lots!) of clean-up work at the facility. In addition, we were able to provide each of the 14 girls with new shoes, new school uniforms and undergarments, and replenished the pantry with basic food staples. We were also able to provide them with three new computers. I think the best part though, was the interaction we were able to have with these girls throughout the week. They wanted to help us with every task and soaked up every bit of our attention. In a short time we accomplished so much, and formed a bond with them that I know none of us will ever forget. Leaving them was an emotional time for all of us.”
The trip also provided Gina, a member of the Tiffin Rotary Club since 2012, an opportunity to see how Rotarians are viewed in other parts of the world.
“The Rotarians in San Pedro Sula provided a wonderful example to me of what it means to be a Rotarian. It began immediately at the airport where nearly a dozen Rotarians were on hand to greet us and welcome us to their city. It wasn’t long before I realized what a special group this was. For the entire week they spent their personal time and resources to transport us wherever we needed to go, and made sure we were safe at all times. They invited us into their homes and treated us to great food and fellowship. No matter what we needed, that need was met with a true sense of generosity.
It also became obvious that they were highly respected members of the community, and that being a Rotarian was considered to be a great honor. They put their words into actions and I could tell they were really making a difference in their community. Getting to know them made me proud to be a Rotarian.”
A trip like this, although only seven days long, can impact a lifetime.
“It truly was an amazing experience and I learned that even though our lives here are so different, they are still the same in so many ways. We’re all human, you know? We laugh at the same things and cry about the same things, in any language. I hope to be able to look at life from another perspective from now on, with a sense of simplicity and gratitude. I encourage any Rotarian who has a similar opportunity to take it – you won’t be sorry!”
Thank you, Gina, for sharing your story. To learn more about International Service in District 6600, contact Jeremy Watson.
Feb 2, 2015 | General News, Uncategorized
With great excitement, it is a pleasure to announce that the Nomination Committee has selected Deborah Cheney of the Waterville Rotary Club to serve as District Governor in the Rotary year 2017-2018.
Deb is a native of Van Buren, Ohio. She received her degree in Elementary Education at the University of Findlay and her Masters’ Degree in Elementary Administration at the University of Dayton. Deb was an elementary teacher for over 20 years. She was the Principal of the Waterville Primary School in the Anthony Wayne District for seven years before retiring in 2011. She currently supervises Student Teachers for BGSU and the University of Toledo.
Deb is very dedicated to Rotary and Interact. She joined the Waterville Rotary Club in 2004 and served as the President of the club during 2012-2013. Deb was instrumental in forming the Interact Club at the Anthony Wayne High School. She is currently serving as the Assistant District Governor, serving the clubs of Maumee, Swanton, Reynolds Corners, Holland-Springfield and Waterville. In addition, she is also currently on the Rotary Foundation and Public Relations Committees of the Club.
Deb is also committed to her family and involvement with Waterville United Methodist Church. She and her wonderful husband Chris live in Waterville but spend a lot of time traveling to Michigan to see their daughter, son-in-law and two favorite grandsons, Blake and Landon. They also travel to Charleston, San Francisco, and Indianapolis visiting their other four children. She enjoys baking, reading, traveling, and gardening.
Join me in congratulating Deb.
DG Rex Engle
rxdg1415@gmail.com
The Group Study Exchange (GSE) program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for young business and professional men and women in their initial years of professional life. Rotary districts in different countries are paired to send and receive professional study groups of four non-Rotarian team members and one Rotarian team leader to travel for four to six weeks, staying in the homes of Rotarians when possible.
