Eric Hoiland announced that the Chico Sunrise Rotary Club was hosting a St. Patrick’s Day Gala

Join hundreds of Rotarians and other North Valley notables for our annual Gala, abenefit for local youth. The event includes dinner, music, live and silent auction and hosted beer and wine bar. Dress in your St. Paddy’s Day best!Sponsorships, Tables and individual tickets are available.  It will be Sat Mar 16 2024 at 05:00 pm to 09:00 pm at Bell Memorial Union, 400 W. 1st St. Chico, Ca, 400 W 1st St, Chico,CA 95929-0001, United States, Chico, California

President Glenn announced that Chico Rotary was hosting all local clubs on April 9^th for the following evening program.  I do not have information on the location, but assume it is at the Elks Club.  Glenn said that since it is on a regular meeting night for us, I will be our meeting for the week.  So, the Clubwill pick up the cost of the dinner for members.  If you bring a guest, your cost for the guest will be $22.

Board Meeting Report

President Glenn reported that the board is investigating purchasing TVs to hang on the walls of the Memorial Hall, as our next project.  The cost will probably be in the area of $25,000-$30,000.  They will be looking into getting a District Grant to assist in the project.

They are also purchasing a Little Free Library stand to locate in Durham.

He also reported that they are in the process of selecting two students to attend Camp Venture this year.  Camp Royal may be a problem because the District could not get the facility until August, when the students will be back inschool and probably not available to go.

Introduction of Visitors

Jim Patterson introduced Amber Abney-Bass Executive Director of the Jesus Center in

Chico, who was here as his program for the night.

Jen Liu then introduced the following Paradise Rotarians who were visiting:  Travis, Brady and Pam Gray, Past District Governor, who was here with her husband, Brian.  He also introduced Ryan and Dani MeKech, who are new members of Paradise Rotary.  Sorry, I forgot to write down the last names of Brady and Travis.

Recognitions

President Glenn tried to recognize K. R. Robertson for his birthday.  However it wasn’t.  But his 46^th anniversary had just passed.  So Glenn recognized him for his anniversary in the amount of $46.  But, because of his error, Glenn Contributed $23 of it.

Glenn then had Jen Liu auction the Grinder.  Steve Plume got it for $65.  To protect it he had to over bid Pam Gray.  I am not sure what she would have done with it, since it would not have protected her fromrecognitions at Paradise Club meetings.  Knowing the reputation of Paradise Club members, maybe we would not haveseen it again.

Next Meeting

I will present Tim Calhoun, who will talk about early day mining in the Butte Creek Canyon andaround the Centerville area.  The meeting will be at the BCCC on March 12^th.

Tonight’s Meeting Program

Jim Patterson presented Amber Abney-Bass, who is the Executive Director of the Jesus Center in Chico.  She spoke about the move from the old Ice House on Park Avenue to the current location on Fair Street and the changes inprogram emphasis that have occurred. Their emphasis is currently focused on recovery. They provide a recovery-focused emergency shelter for adult men and adult women experiencing homelessness in Chico.  They start by offering respite, and then invite participants toco-create their personal lives towards purpose, independence, and wellness. Their sober transitional housing program provides temporary housing, bridgingthe gap between homelessness and permanent housing. This program allows people time and opportunities to transition from homelessness to permanent, affordablehousing.

Membership

Bring guests who you think you can interest in becoming a member.  Your dinner and your guest’s dinner will be paid for by the Club.  Also, bring a guest to one of our occasional social gatherings.

Go to the following Rotary International web site for information on membership development:  https://my.rotary.org/en/learning-reference/learn-topic/membership .  From this website there is access to membership development and other related information.

The Rotary Foundation Donations

You can make a difference in this world by helping people in need. Your gift can do some greatthings, from supplying filters that clean people’s drinking water to empowering local entrepreneurs to grow through business development training.

The Rotary Foundation will use your gift to fund the life-changing work of Rotary memberswho provide sustainable solutions to their communities’ most pressing needs. But we need help from people like you who will take action and give the gift ofRotary to make these projects possible.

When every Rotarian gives every year, no challenge is too great for us to make adifference. The minimum gift to The Rotary Foundation is $25.00.   An annual $100.00 gift is a sustaining member.  Once your donationsaccumulate to $1,000 you become a Paul Harris Fellow.

If you have any questions ask Steve Heithecker.

It is possible to learn more about The Rotary Foundation on the Rotary web site. 

Your gift can be made online or by sending Jessica Thorpe a check made out to The RotaryFoundation to Durham Rotary, P.O. Box 383, Durham, California 95958.

Must Be Present to Win Drawing:

Jen Liu drew President Glenn’s name.

Conclusion

Glenn then closed the meeting.

________________________________________________________________

From District 5160

Spring Assembly: South – March 23, Fairfield

Spring Assembly: North – April 6, Redding

Field of Rotary Dreams 2023-24 District Conference – April 26-28, Sacramento

RI Convention Social – May 26, Singapore

District 5160 Awards & Installation – June 13, Davis

World Peace Conference – January 24-26, 2025, Rohnert Park (Sonoma Wine Country)

_______________________________________________________________ri

From Rotary International

Rotary in Ukraine stronger two years after war began

 

District 2232 is working to identify needs, connect with Rotary clubs worldwide, and support those affected by the war

By Arnold R. Grahl

Two years after Russian forces invaded Ukraine, Rotary members around the globecontinue to raise funds and send medicine, fuel, and other essential supplies to those affected by the conflict.

A special relief fund created by The Rotary Foundation, now closed tocontributions, raised more than US$17.4 million from donors around the world and has funded 375 grants that have allowed Rotary members to provide differentkinds of help.

In addition, many Rotary clubs and districts have organized local humanitarianresponse initiatives. Guided by District 2232 (Ukraine), these efforts have directed shipments of medicine, medical equipment, ambulances, generators,heating fuel, winter supplies, and other relief to communities in need.

Mykola Stebljanko, a past governor of District 2232, says the huge response since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 hasstrengthened Rotary in Ukraine.

“We have become more active, more effective. We are a more solid organization now,”Stebljanko says. “We receive a lot of requests from our communities. Lots of outside clubs want to help us. People see this and ...want to join Rotary.”

Stebljanko says clubs in Ukraine have added more than 500 new members in the past two years. The growth has been so rapid, in fact, that the districtspends comparatively little time on intentional efforts to attract members. It uses that time instead to help new members understand what it means to be amember of Rotary so they will remain engaged.

The increased service efforts have also drawn media attention.

“Before the war, the media did not want to mention us in the news,” Stebljanko says. “At the moment, they like to tell about Rotary because of the help we are giving and because our activities are veryimpactful.”

Myron Uhryn, 2023-24 governor of District 2232, has spent months collecting detailedreports from all regions of Ukraine to document and guide the relief efforts. These analytics, he says, will help his district collaborate with membersoutside Ukraine who want to help — but may not know how.

District 2232 has also formed a committee to help organize the efforts of clubs and districts outside the country, connectingthem with clubs in Ukraine to support those affected by the war.

Uhryn says he receives dozens of letters every day from people all over the worldoffering their assistance. On a recent video call, he held up a stack of mail he had received just that morning.

“It is why we started collecting analytics,” he says. “It is very useful tounderstand the total situation and exchange information. It makes us more effective, more able to have an impact. We want to continue our network andpartnership with other Rotary clubs and districts.”

- February 2024

The Rotary International web site is: www.rotary.org District 5160 is: www.rotary5160.org The Durham Rotary Club site is:  www.durhamrotary.org The Rowel Editor may be contacted at: pbprice1784@gmail.com The deadline for the Rowel 6:30 am on Wednesdays. The Editor's photographs published in the Rowel are available, upon request, in their original file size.  Those published were substantially reduced in file size.