Bill Hoel wants Rotarians to have Rotary pride and inspire others.
The District 6250 Governor shared the organizations achievement’s  at the Aug. 30 Waunakee club meeting.
Worldwide, some 45,000 Rotary Clubs exist, and the numbers are starting to grow. District 6250 includes 62 clubs spanning from Beloit to Horicon to Marshfield. Bill is visiting all.
Club members do all of the important work, each completing projects in the community totaling 77 million volunteer hours and millions of dollars. But Rotary’s largest project is the eradication of polio. Rotary is very close, with just 14 cases reported in the last year.
Only until all traces of polio virus have disappeared altogether will it be considered eradicated.
What’s next for a large international project? To see that end through, Bill said.
It has been the largest non-government organization effort to date, the only one the Gates Foundation pledged $350 million toward without requiring a match.
“No other group gets that treatment,” Bill said.
Rotary is also known for efforts to provide clean water, sanitation and hygiene around the world, and Bill said in 12 years, this will be achieved for the planet.
Now it’s up to Rotarians to spread the word.
“Everybody in Waunakee knows about your club. They may not have a clue of how big of an engine is under the hood, and this thing is called Rotary,” Bill said.
Rotary has a representative in the United Nations and several other international councils. The organization is trusted because of its many clubs and members, each providing service.
“We have boots on the ground in 220 countries every single day of the year,” Bill said. “That’s why every Rotarian should have a little bit of pride.”
Bill asked the members who they will inspire to join Rotary, and the theme for the year is “Be an Inspiration.”
The number of Rotary clubs across the world is growing, he said, and a new membership campaign is underway.
Incentive grants to clubs for membership work like this. Each club with four new members who stay for four months can receive $1,000. The new members will pick a project to complete with those funds and take ownership.
Bill shared some of his own inspiring moments as a Rotarian, saying, “These Rotary people, they really get things done. They still do. Let that Rotary pride shine extra bright.”
He invited members to attend and help with the 2019 conference in La Crosse. Anyone interested can call conference Chair David Amborn at (608) 317-4712 or email damborn@charter.net.

 

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Rick and Karen Klemp from Hope 2 Others attended to thank the club for its $2,000 donation to defray shipping costs of newborn care kits to Tanzania. That organization has trained Maasai midwives in Tanzania to prevent stillborn births.
Several upcoming events are planned, including a raffle at the Alliant Energy Center Quilt Expo Sept. 6-7 and a visit to Mill House Quilts Oct. 20.
Hope 2 Others also has videos in the superservicechallenge.com. The more votes these receive, the more funds they can raise for future shipments. Look for it Sept. 30 and vote, Karen said.

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Greeters at the meeting introduced themselves. Todd Schmidt has been a Rotarian for eight years and a city manager for 22 years. He and his wife have a daughter and son. Susan Vergeront joined Rotary in 1985 and has been a member of clubs in Cedarburg, Grafton, Mequon, Waterloo, Iowa and now Waunakee.  

 

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Other News:
-Members were urged to sign up for a Wauktoberfest shift Sept. 14-16 at Endres Manufacturing Co.
–Members offered donations for the Julie Anderson family, and the board of directors will discuss a match.

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Guests: Shane Wagner, guest of Ken Pesik; Alyssa and Jason Chance, guest of Linda Olson; Rick and Karen Klemp, Hope 2 Others, guests of the club.

 

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Birthdays: Sept. 10, Kevin Kearney; Sept. 12, Robert Sachtjen.

 

Anniversaries: Sept. 9, Linda and Don Olson; Sept. 12, Jim and Phyllis Jukes.