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The Scoop - July 6, 2020
The Lima Rotary Club welcomes Tyler Black, the new director of the Johnny Appleseed Park District.
The Lima Rotary Club held its first meeting since March 9th on July 6th and nearly 50 members were in attendance, with more watching our live stream on Facebook. It was great to be back! 
Safety precautions included: seating only three people per table, Milano's staff serving our lunch at the buffet, no head table, and masks required to be worn in the hallways and lobby of the Civic Center.
We were excited to have Tyler Black as our guest speaker. Less than a week after assuming his new duties as Director of the Johnny Appleseed Park District, Tyler presented the club his vision for the future of our parks. Tyler told us that the parks have been utilized "quite a bit" during the pandemic and his staff has been dedicated to keeping the facilities clean and safe for the enjoyment of Allen County's families. Current projects include the widening of the trails and a new fishing dock at Ottawa Metro Park, completion of the Cottonwood Trail Access at Defiance Trail, a new playground at Heritage Park, and a new park in southeastern Allen County off State Route 117. It's 62 acres and was purchased with a state grant. It should be open later this summer. Tyler also has plans to upgrade the park district offices, which are currently in a house on Route 81 which was built in 1940. He told us the plans to extend the Rotary Riverwalk to Country Club Hills is currently on hold, but he is working with club members to make that a reality in the future.
 
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Changing of the Guard
President Ken passed the torch to President John at Monday's Changing of the Guard.
Even though we were meeting on Zoom, the annual Changing of the Guard ceremony was full of fun and club participation.
 
We began with outgoing Lima Rotary Foundation President Andy Wannemacher thanking Foundation secretary Heather Rutz for her four years of service, and recognizing departing Foundation trustees Linda Hamilton and Jeff Unterbrink. Incoming Foundation President Lesley Fry thanked Andy for his term as president and introduced new trustees Russ Decker, Katy Page and Mike Powell. She's looking forward to serving our community during this difficult time.
 
President Ken's remarks included thanks to everyone who helped make his year as president a success despite the challenges the club faced. 
 
The club observed a moment of silence for the four members we lost in the past year: John Guagenti, Dave Hartman, Dino Gerdeman and Ralph Ellis.
 
The senior club members with at least forty years of service were recognized: Frank Frost-61 years, Chuck Leidy-57 years, Dick Riggs-54 years, Bob Komminsk-49 years, Chuck Butts-49 years, Dick Schroeder-46 years, Bill Timmermeister-45 years, David Steiner-45 years, Fred Sellenbinder-44 years, Larry Webb-41 years.
 
President Ken and President John presented this year's Avenue of Service Awards to:
Rita Brown - Rex Perry Club Service Awards
Paul Swartz - Rudolph Community Service Award
Theresa Schnipke - Wemmer Vocational Service Awards
Bath High School Interact Club - Hulsken Youth Service Award
Congratulations!
 
Outgoing board members Jed Metzger, Cat Sarno and Paul Swartz were recognized and President John introduced the new board members: Keith Horner, Andy Wannemacher, and Vice President Derek Stemen.
 
Mary Elmquist Lane gathered greetings from club members and compiled them into a fun video for President Ken. You can watch it here.
 
Thank you, President Ken for guiding us through an unusual and difficult year. We appreciate your leadership.
Welcome, President John! We look forward to an exciting year.
 
 
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New Year Help
 We need your involvement in the new year to make the Lima Rotary Club better than ever.
As we navigate the pandemic and begin our new Rotary year, I need some help.  We need to make sure our members who are attending online due to health or work reasons have a great experience.  We need people with some technical ability to help with Facebook/Zoom during our meetings.  If we can get a few people, we can really improve our online presence and keep our remote members engaged.  Please see John or Anne for details.  We need to get Rottery back on track.  Drew Fields has done a great job, but he is not able to head this role any longer, and I am looking for a couple of people who can take turns running it.  We will see changes here also, and may need to come up with touchless transactions (think Venmo or account billing).  See Drew or John for details/ideas etc.  Lastly, with no fall blood clinic, we will need to replace that event with added fundraising efforts.  Lesley and I are planning on meeting next week to look at options.  All ideas are welcome!  Above all else, we are a SERVICE club.  Our community has needs and we need to raise funds to help meet those needs.  Contact Lesley or John with ideas and let us know how you can help.  If you are reading this, we want your feedback.  I know we can do this together!
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Committees
Rotary Committees and Activities 2020-2021
Each year around this time, we put out a form at the club meetings that offers all club members the opportunity to select the activities and committees they would like to be a part of for the upcoming year. Do you want to help with the Salvation Army Bell Ringing or the Special Needs Christmas Party? Or would you rather work on the Program Committee? Maybe you would like to be a part of Fellowship this year. How about the Golf Outing?
 
This year, to simplify the process, Anne has put together an electronic version of the Committees. You will be receiving it in a few days through your email or you can find it here.
 
Once you complete your selections and hit submit, your form will be returned directly to me. I will enter your selections into our Club Runner Lima Rotary Club database. 
Doing this is so helpful to the Committee Chairs and also ensures you have the opportunity to share your time doing the activities that interest you most!
 
Thank you!
Rita
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June Miller
It is with sadness that we share the news that our long-time friend and Rotary Club server with the Milano Club, E. June Miller has passed. 
June had been a loyal friend and server at Rotary for over 40 years. She always greeted us with a smile along with her excellent service. June was forced to leave us in July 2018 because of failing health. While she no longer could be with us in person, she continued to ask about us and share her good wishes for us. 
 
Dates and time of visitation and service are incomplete at this time but on-line condolences may be shared at www.chamberlainhuckeriede.com  Memorial contributions may be made to:  Lions International (Eye Bank), Kiwanis Club, Bath Township Fire Department or the Allen County Humane Society. 
 
Please keep June’s family in your thought and prayers. 
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President's Message
Welcome, Holger Knaack, the new President of Rotary International!

President’s Message Month Of July 2020

Dear Rotarians, Rotaractors, and Friends,

This does not seem like a time for great optimism, but it has to be. Long before Rotary was founded, the world dealt with great crises that tested humankind’s ability to progress and endure. In the age of Rotary, the world has faced many more catastrophes; however, we have survived, and every step of the way, Rotary has helped the world heal.

Every great challenge is an opportunity for renewal and growth. I revealed the theme of Rotary Opens Opportunities at the International Assembly in San Diego just as the COVID-19 crisis was beginning, but these are words that I have believed for many years.

Rotary is not just a club that you join; it is an invitation to endless opportunities. We believe in creating opportunities for others and for ourselves. We believe that our acts of service, large and small, generate opportunities for people who need our help, and that Rotary opens opportunities for us to live a richer, more meaningful life, with friends around the world, based on our core values.

Governments and institutions are gaining a greater appreciation for the types of public health partnerships that are critical to our work. People stuck at home, eager for greater connections and hungry to help their communities, are now embracing the values we have promoted since our beginning..

All of this is positive news, but just because there are greater opportunities than ever for Rotary to thrive does not guarantee that we will succeed. The world is changing rapidly — and was doing so even before this crisis. People were starting to move away from regular lunch meetings and toward online gatherings. Friendships were being cultivated and revived in social media relationships even before most of our meetings moved to Zoom and Skype. Younger generations have a strong desire to serve — but have questioned whether they could play a meaningful role in organizations like Rotary or whether they might make a bigger impact forming different types of connections. Now is the time to put everything on the table, test new approaches, and prepare Rotary for the future.

The COVID-19 crisis has forced all of us to adapt. This is good, and our new Action Plan specifically calls on us to improve our ability to adapt. But adaptation is not enough. We need to change, and change dramatically, if we are to face the challenges of this new age and provide the Rotary that the world so desperately needs.

This is our great challenge, not just in the next year but into the future. It is up to us to remake Rotary for these new times — to wholeheartedly embrace the ideas, energy, and commitment of young people eager to find an outlet for idealism. We must become an organization fully enmeshed in the digital age, not one that simply looks for online ways to keep doing what we have always done.

The world needs Rotary now more than ever. It is up to us to make sure that Rotary Opens Opportunities for generations to come.

HOLGER KNAACK
President, Rotary International

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Fellowships
Rotary offers the opportunity to gather with others who share your interests through Fellowships. Learn all about the newest Fellowship for gin lovers.
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Breakout Sessions
Join service-related July breakout sessions.
Thousands of Rotary and Rotaract members around the world came together in late June for the first-ever Rotary Virtual Convention to connect, learn, and share their passion for doing good in the world.

Through the general and featured breakout sessions, members connected with the family of Rotary to discover inventive ways to engage, increase our ability to adapt, and learn new skills that will strengthen your club and community. You can find recordings of these sessions on the convention website.

Our inspiring breakout sessions will continue into July to help you start the Rotary year off right. Find a list of all sessions here and plan to join our service-related breakout sessions.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rotary Action Groups
  • Ending Modern Day Slavery, Engaging our Rising Rotarians hosted by Rotary Action Group Against Slavery -- Learn about modern day slavery and how youth are getting involved to make a difference.
  • Learning From WASH Failures, hosted by Water Sanitation and Hygiene Rotary Action Group -- Discuss why projects fail and what we can do about it.
  • Educating Girls: A Long-Range Community Investment hosted by Literacy Rotarian Action Group -- Explore best practices for successful education programs and replicating model programs.
  • The World Environment of Rotary and the United Nations hosted by Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group -- Be inspired by projects that directly impact environmental sustainability.
  • Rotary Action Groups Elevate Rotary’s Impact and Reach hosted by RI Staff -- Hear how to collaborate with these groups and how to get involved.
  • What Can I Do As A Rotarian To Help End Alzheimer's? hosted by Alzheimer’s/Dementia Rotary Action Group-- Find out how we can end Alzheimer's and dementia. View recording here.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rotary Fellowships

Pump Up Your Engagement with Fellowships -- Learn how to join, promote, and start Fellowships.

July 18, 2020,  10:00 l Register here.
 
 
 
International Service
District Resource Networks Make Service Projects Successful -- Get your questions answered about the value of District Resource Networks.

July 13, 2020, 12:00 l Register here.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Service Partners
  • The Power of Partnerships with ShelterBox and Habitat for Humanity -- Learn from the Rotary service partners about the strength of working together.
    • July 22, 2020, 10:00
  • Stronger Together: Connecting Rotary Partners for Success -- Meet Rotary Service Partners and learn how to work together to build stronger, long-lasting projects.
  • “When I Was Your Age…” Bridging Generational Gaps, led by Scott Martin, Mediators Beyond Border (MBBI) -- A skill-building workshop to build positive connections across generations.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Session times are listed in UTC-5. All sessions are in English and simultaneous interpretation will not be available. Links to any available recordings will be posted on an ongoing basis through the month of August. Session resources will be uploaded to the Convention Breakouts learning topic on the Learning Center at the discretion of each breakout session organizer.

Have you visited the Virtual House of Friendship? Visit to connect with Rotary Fellowships, Rotary Action Groups, Partners, Projects, and Rotary International resources.
 
 
 
 
 
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Virtual Convention
Want to enjoy the first-ever Rotary Virtual Convention all over again? You can catch the Virtual Convention and International Assembly online!
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Speakers
Jul 13, 2020
Government Contracting For Small Businesses
Jul 20, 2020
Convention & Visitors Bureau
View entire list
Russell Hampton
ClubRunner
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