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Rotary District
5610 Bulletin
 
 October 2022
 
October is Community Economic and Development Month
Stories
October Message from District Governor John Schneider
 
 
Wow! What a wonderful start to the Rotary year.  As you read this I will have completed all of my
club visits.  Carol and I have had a great experience meeting Rotarians and visiting the service projects all over the District.  So many of our clubs are instrumental in improving the quality of life in their communities.  Rotarians are very kind, welcoming and complimentary people. 
 
I’m biased, but I am so proud of the District Conference that was held last month.  We had great speakers and breakout sessions.  I’m sure all who attended went home energized and educated about Rotary.  Thanks to PDG Steve Harrington and his committee for putting it all together! Thanks also to the Plymouth County Pork Producers for grilling us such tasty pork Chops.  Congratulations also go out to the 10 Rotarians of Distinction, Roger Kozak Award winner Steve Sikorski and Rotarian of the Quarter Mary DeVany!  Congratulations to the clubs who received certificates for Membership Growth, Foundation Giving and Polio Plus Giving.
 
Monday October 24th is World Polio Day.  I hope your club has some kind of a plan to celebrate the great progress Rotary has made over the past 35 years in our attempt to eradicate Polio.  Also, I hope our clubs have some kind of fundraising project for Polio Plus.  Here are some ideas; (https://www.endpolio.org/world-polio-day).  If you haven’t already, read District Polio Plus Chairman Willis Sutliff’s article about Polio.
 
October is also Community Economic and Development Month.  The District Grants Committee recently reviewed the District Grant applications.  We reviewed outstanding projects that relate to this month’s theme. As I said earlier, Rotarians make a great impact on their communities.  Please make sure you give Rotary credit by using appropriate signage to inform the community of your work. The Rotary Wheel speaks volumes!   Public Image Chairman, Kay Norton, would be happy to help you with that.  Make sure you watch the photo slideshow on the district website or click the Imagine Rotary logo below to see photos of the great work Rotarians do.
 
I’m looking forward to the rest of the Rotary year to work on my goals of Membership, Foundation Giving and Ending Human Trafficking Global Grants.  Every Rotary Club with very few exceptions has brought up the concern of building membership.  District DG Line and the Membership Committee will be working on a plan to help clubs with that challenge.  When your club receives information about our plans, please take advantage of our help.
 
Yours in Rotary,
DG John Schneider
 
 
 
2022-23 Roger Kozak Service Above Self Award Presented to Steve Sikorski
Congratulations to Steve Sikorski of the Downtown Sioux Falls Rotary Club, who was awarded the 2022-23 Roger Kozak Service Above Self Award at the District 5610 celebration conference in Sioux City on the evening of September 23rd.  It was presented to him by Rotary Past International Vice President and Rotary Foundation Trustee Greg Podd.
 
Steve Sikorski is a dedicated Rotarian, dedicated to Rotary, his community and the world. He is very active in his local Rotary club, Sioux Falls Downtown, and has served as president. In our district he was District Governor in 2015 - 16 and has remained active since that time serving as the District Treasurer for many years. One of Steve’s special loves is working with Hope Haven and Rotary to help deliver wheelchairs around the world especially to Romania where he has worked on special projects and has built many bridges of friendship. Speaking of friendship he has participated in and encouraged others to participate in Rotary Friendship Exchanges, helping to spread Rotary ideals around the world. Steve has also worked very hard supporting his college fraternity SAE and is very active in his church. Through his involvement with Master Gardeners he is working with “Ground Works” introducing S. D. Ag in the Classroom so children can learn where their food comes from. He has built over 150 raised garden beds for schools, daycares and churches. Steve is truly a #Service Above Self” Rotarian.
 
Roger Kozak
Service Above Self Award
 
“In recognition of exceptional service to Rotarians in Rotary District 5610. This award honors the memory of Roger L. Kozak, long-time member of the Vermillion Rotary Club, who served as District Governor, 2009-10, and who distinguished himself as an exceptional servant leader.”  Click here to learn more about Roger Kozak and his Service Above Self.

Past Kozak Award Winners:

2016-17 - Larry Lyngstad, Pierre-Fort Pierre
2017-18 - George Twitero, Rapid City Rushmore
2018-19 - Pat Sutliff, Rapid City Rushmore
2019-20 - Chuck Lindemann, Marshall
2020-21 - No Award (Covid Pandemic)
2021-22 - Dr. Willis Sutliff, Rapid City Rushmore
2022-23 - Steve Sikorski, Downtown Sioux Falls
 
 
 
Governor's Award for Rotarian of the Quarter
Congratulations to Mary DeVany of the Rotary Club of Sioux Falls South, who has been presented Rotarian of the Quarter by District Governor John Schneider for her dedication as a Rotarian and as an Assistant Governor to Rotary District 5610.  She has been a resource person for several clubs.

She helped establish a regular schedule of monthly events for her club during her second term as President of Sioux Falls South which included 1 social and 1 service event and 2-3 regular presentations by speakers.  Several of their speakers were from outside Sioux Falls and presented remotely, including a Rotary International Director from our Zone. This schedule has been a great recruiting tool for new members to the Sioux Falls South club.  She is a constant reminder that new members are not only good for our clubs, but good for the new member and our communities.  She had led the outreach of the Sioux Falls South club to Harrisburg, SD for potential new members. Her organization and presentation skills are key.

Mary and her family also hosted a Rotary Youth Exchange student-Awan for six months.  Mary and her husband-Rex have one son.  She is a graduate of Leadership South Dakota, member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, sings in the choir and is a champion for Lutheran Outdoors. She has been a member of the Lennox Band for over 25 years and plays in the USD Alumni Band.  
 
Mary’s professional career for over 30 years has centered around telehealth.  She is the Associate Director at gpTrac for the University of Minnesota as a TeleHealth Enthusiast and Rural Health Advocate helping people visualize how they might use telehealth.  Her educational background includes a Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of South Dakota and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications/PR-Advertising at USD as well.
 
The District Governor Award for Rotarian of the Quarter is a Rotarian who has gone above and beyond and has proven to be extraordinary in her service above self.  This award honors one individual each quarter who has exhibited these attributes.  Congratulations Mary!
POLIO PLUS
 - Polio Case In New York

A case of polio paralysis has been reported in an adult in a suburban county of New York. This is more evidence that polio is only a plane ride away and that clusters of people who are unvaccinated are at risk of dying or having a life of paralysis if children or adults do not get the CDC recommended vaccinations. There is sewage testing proof that the vaccine derived polio virus is still circulating in Orange and Rockland counties in NY and polio immunization rates there are only 60 %. These are also counties close to NY City so further cases are very likely. Covid is also a factor as children's immunizations have lagged across the US. But what has really happened is there is a large number of people across the entire US who refuse immunizations for religious reasons and other non-scientific reasons. It is now apparent that where there are groups of non-immunized adults and children, polio is a real possibility. This is ANYWHERE in the US, including SD, MN, IA and NB. The United Kingdom has not had a paralysis case but sewage tests in London show they have a similar problem as does Israel. The take home message is to educate everyone you know that polio is not conquered even in the US and anti-vaxxers are playing with fire. Their result may be death or life long paralysis in a loved one.

Worldwide the drive to eliminate polio is steady but not great. The wild virus exists in only Afghanistan and Pakistan, but Pakistan's numbers are up to 7 as opposed to 4 for the entire year in 2021. There are a number of countries in Africa where circulating, vaccine-caused polio is  a major problem. This includes  Nigeria, Yeman and D R Congo. The new type 2 vaccine that has been developed should help, but many African countries are at war or having problems administering vaccines. I am still optimistic that polio can be eliminated from the world but it is extremely tough. Please continue to support Polio Plus and see that Rotary gets the promised Gates Foundation match of $2 for each $1 we donate to Polio Plus. OUR DISTRICT HAS STEPPED UP FOR POLIO PLUS IN SUCH A WONDERFUL WAY. Thanks to all of you. If you could summarize this for your fellow members and the need to give, I would appreciate it so much.

1. Rotary was the first to promise a polio free world. 
2. We have given $2.2 billion to never have another polio victim. 
3. Our effort has kept 2 million children from gruesome, terrible deaths. 
4. Rotarians have kept over 20 million people from a life of paralysis.
5. Yet polio is still only a plane ride away. 
6. Rotarians will not stop until this scourge of humanity is stamped out forever.
7. Rotary will keep its' promise.
 

Willis Sutliff

Polio Plus Chair District 5610

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