“Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go. They merely determine where you start.” —Nido Qubein
“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're doing something.” —Neil Gaiman
As we transition into 2024 this is a time of new beginnings and positive thoughts. We are pushing ourselves into doing good in our world. Our Service Committee is off to a great start with a multi-club project for supplies for a Ukrainian school in Hungary – thank you Sharon! That is evidence of the great things that can come from Rotary and the Friendship Exchange.
Other things to keep in mind this month –
Mental Health Focus:
Mark your calendars: January 16, 2024, 11:30 - 12:30 PM - Virtual
Balancing Life Transitions in the Office & at Home - NAMI Wisconsin will provide suggestions on how to best navigate changes in your personal and professional life, wellness tips and tricks, statewide resources to utilize and other suggestions on wellness best practices. Click HERE to join.
Tri-Con: April 18-20, 2024, Green Bay
Registration is now open! Click HERE to register. Tri-Con is a wonderful way to unite your club, educate new members, or re-energize experienced club members. We are excited to see you in Green Bay this April.
District 6250 is also looking for some gracious members to become sponsors for Tri-Con. We have a plethora of wonderful opportunities to support our mission, educate our members, and showcase your business/organization. Please reach out to me if you’d like to learn more!
“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” —Hal Borland
I am so grateful for all of you. Together we can create hope in the world.
Cheryl Mader, Cathy Statz, and Sharon Bradish traveled to Budapest in April 2023 on a Rotary Friendship Exchange. While there, they were hosted by 4 of the 10 Rotary Clubs in Budapest. One of those clubs, The Rotary Club Budapest-City, has undertaken a tremendous initiative by opening a school for Ukrainian refugee children and hiring Ukrainian refugee teachers. More details are in the narrative below. Our club along with Madison West Middleton and Mount Horeb is spreading the word to raise funds for next year’s school expansion.
Anyone can donate by going to rotary6250.org and choosing the foundation tab. On the foundation page is a tab that says Donate Now. Then the donor can follow the directions on the donate page. It is very important that in the box that says Use this donation for that the donor chooses Ukrainian-Hungarian Budapest School from the dropdown menu.
Another way to donate is to send a check written to Rotary District 6250 Foundation, Inc., memo Ukrainian-Hungarian Budapest School mail to:
Rotary District 6250 Foundation
c/o Brian Watson
4030 E. Stone Ridge Dr
Milton, WI 53563
We believe that the writing of the global grant will be finished sometime in February and when it gets approval, Rotary Members who wish to get Paul Harris donation credit should donate at The Rotary Foundation. They can donate online using Global Grant GG2457939 or by completing The Rotary Foundation Contribution Form which includes the Global Grant# and mailing the form and check to:
The Rotary Foundation
14280 Collections Center Drive
Chicago, IL 60693
Imagine that you are a nine-year old child who has fled the war-torn area of Ukraine with your mother and siblings and very few possessions. You are happy to leave the destruction behind and to head for safety. You are sad because your father is staying behind to fight for your country’s right to exist. Where will you live? Where are you going? You and your family are going to Budapest, the capital of the neighboring country of Hungary. How will you manage? You don’t know Hungarian, a language that is not at all similar to your native language. After you get to your new home you will enroll in a Hungarian school or attempt to keep up your studies with an online Ukrainian school. Both present problems. Not knowing Hungarian is a big obstacle to progressing in your studies. You won’t understand your teachers as you slowly try to acquire this strange, new language. The Ukrainian remote schools are hampered by lack of electricity and the Internet. Then you hear about a school in Budapest that is teaching Ukrainian refugee children in their language with the blessing of the Ukrainian Education Ministry and even has certified Ukrainian teachers who are also refugees.
This school has become a reality in Budapest. The Rotary Club of Budapest- City opened a school in September 2023 for 130 Ukrainian children grades 5 – 11 and 60 preschoolers. Sponsors for this school include Rotary District 1911, Rotary District 5420, Rotary Club of Budapest-City, Rotary Club of Budapest-Center, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Rotary Club of Scottsdale, Rotary Club of Moab, Rotary Club of Goodyear Pebble Creek, Rotary Club of Kingston, and the Rotaract Club of Budapest International.
In January 2024 a second shift will be added in the current school building which will allow 120 more Ukrainian refugee students to attend this school. The classes will be taught in Ukrainian and there will be a Hungarian language class.
The Rotary Club of Budapest-City will be applying for a Rotary Global grant to expand the school to 700 students in September of 2024. Funding will be supported by the Hungarian government and sponsors. The school will be bilingual and all teacher and student data will be submitted to the Hungarian Ministry of Education. The Rotary Club of Budapest is asking fellow Rotarians to provide funding for equipment for the new school. What is needed? Chalk boards, Smart Boards, desks, chairs, cabinets, kitchen equipment. The budget for these items is estimated at $240,000 USD. We are calling on all Rotarians and Rotary Clubs of District 6250 to embrace this service project sponsored by five of our clubs. How did we get connected to this school? In April of 2023 Rotary District 6250 sponsored a group of 11 on a Rotary Friendship Exchange. The group was hosted by four of the Rotary Clubs in Budapest. The group had the privilege of meeting Viktoria Griessmüller, the president of The Rotary Club of Budapest-City Center. Viktoria is originally from Ukraine and this project is very important to her personally.
For those of you on vacation or otherwise unable to attend, here is a recap of our January club meeting.
We recited the four way test to remind us of our Rotary ethics of truth, fairness, goodwill, friendships and beneficial to all.
We are looking for members of Service committee, if you are interested, let anyone on the board know, or just show up. Meetings are on the last Tuesday of the month at 5:00, and can be accessed from our website. We are also always looking for service projects, if you have any ideas, come to the service committee meeting or contact a board member.
The president-elect training for Sharon Bradish, PETS, will be in Itaska Illinois on March 1 - 3.
Tri-Con (our Multi-District Conference) - will be April 19-20, 2024 in Green Bay.
Petra is scheduled to lead our next social, to be held the third Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m.
There will be a Friendship Exchange with Rotarians from District 6250 going to the Philippines May 17 - 22. They state that this is the Fun Zone! Check your email or the district website.
A one-way Mini-Friendship Exchange with the Netherlands will take place the weekend of April 27. This is a Tulip viewing opportunity. See the district website for more details.
Our 50/50 raffle winner was our District President - Michelle McGrath. Congratulations Michelle!
Service Committee update: We are starting to work on fundraising for Contributing Supplies (think smart-boards) to a Budapest School for Ukrainian Students. The district grant is a joint effort between the Mount Horeb Rotary club, Madison West Middleton, and Changemakers. See our club website for more details and pictures. Sharon will speak at four additional Rotary clubs in the next few weeks. The Global Grant that is being written by a club from Hungary for the actual school building is still in-process.
Dr. Michelle McGrath presented to our club about the Rotary Action Plan, Creating Hope, her family, and mental health. She showed us our district's focus this year. She emphasized the RI Action Plan Pillar for Engage - SHOW UP, the RI Action Plan Pillar for Reach - SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GOOD PEOPLE, and the RI Action Plan Pillar for Adapt - SERVE YOURSELF AND OTHERS. She shared several inspirational stories with us regarding what Rotarians and RYLA can do for people. She finished with a quote from past RI President Jennifer Jones "Silver linings rise out of the most challenging circumstances, In order to live in the society you want, you have to help build it"
Hello, I am writing to you as the President of the Istanbul Suadiye Rotary Club to provide information about one of our activities and to request your participation.
Welcome to our 4th International Photography Competition. Our theme is inspired by the immortal words of the founder of our Republic, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, "Everything we see on the face of the Earth is the work of women".
This year, we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of our Republic with enthusiasm and pride. On this meaningful anniversary, based on the words of Mustafa Kemal ATATURK, addressing worldwide woman and emphasizing their importance, we look forward to receive your unique photographs reflecting the women’s creativity and strength at their social role.
Competition Details:Theme: Women’s Creation - "Everything we see on the face of the Earth is the work of women"
Sections:
Color Open
Monochrome Open
Nature
Theme: Women’s Creation
As the Istanbul Suadiye Rotary Club, we are actively involved in preparing our youth, especially our girls, for the future through education and health assistance. We provide educational scholarships to young individuals and conduct RYLA training sessions with them.
Additionally, we aim to protect our young girls from cancer in their future lives by providing them with the HPV vaccine.
By sharing this invitation message with your members and encouraging them to participate; you can help more young girls to be vaccinated.
The participation donation for our competition is only 20 USD or 20 EUR. We sincerely hope for your club's wholehearted participation in our project.
ISTANBUL SUADIYE ROTARY CLUB invites you to “Istanbul Suadiye Rotary Club – IFSAK 4th International Photo Contest”.
Get ready to pack your bags and say "Mabuhay!" to the Philippines with the Rotary Friendship Exchange happening on May 17-27, 2024.
This program is the perfect way to spread love and happiness across borders, connecting Rotarians and their loved ones with other Rotary families worldwide. It's not just a cultural trip but a chance to make lifelong pals, learn new traditions, and peek into different professions.
And, guess what? The Philippine District 3850 is the FUN ZONE! They're famous for their warm hospitality, mouth-watering food, toe-tapping music, and gorgeous white beaches. So, expect a wild ride full of laughter, adventure, and fantastic memories with the Rotary gang!
Rotary Friendship Exchange between District 6250 (Wisconsin) and District 4640 (Brazil State of Parana) is now open to all District 6250 Rotarians. This exchange program includes home and hotel stays, meetings and tours with various Rotary Clubs and Rotarians in Brazil. The return leg will bring Brazilian Rotarians to our District.
The exchange is open to a maximum of 10 interested Rotarians, spouses, and/or family members. If there is an oversubscription or too much interest, we will rely on District 6250 RFE policy parameters to finalize the group. Please note that the policy favors RFE first-timers.
The District 6250 will travel to the 4640 State of Parana Brazil from April 2-12, and District 4640 will visit District 6250 from September 10-20, 2024.
As you might know, District 6250, in collaboration with ESRAG, again became a supporter of Operation Pollination. We are working with Rotary Districts and environmental organizations around the Mississippi corridor to educate and support these efforts to protect our environment. The next step is for our clubs to sign the Operation Pollination Pledge and learn more about the project and how to get involved. In order to learn more about the project and what's in store, we invite you to click HERE to learn more and join us for an educational event around Operation Pollination.
This FREE "Pollinator Conservation 101" training will be just 5 minutes on pollinator basics followed by a list of Things You Can Do to help pollinators. Feel free to share this with your club and encourage members to join in as well. You must register to attend this webinar.
Thank you again for your continued leadership and willingness to support our efforts to lead the way in our environment. ESRAG was born out of District 6250 and this is a wonderful way to support their extraordinary efforts.
We hope to see you there!
Michelle McGrath & Chris Stein
Christopher E. Stein, Program Manager
National Heritage Areas and Community Conservation Partnerships
National Park Service, Interior Regions 3, 4, and 5
We're going again! Eight more orientation opportunities for new club members - opportunities to consider how to BE a Rotarian and let the DOING flow naturally.
Sessions held the fifth Wednesday of the month at 7:00 am and 7:00 pm (choose one)
Cheryl Mader, Cathy Statz, and Sharon Bradish traveled to Budapest in April 2023 on a Rotary Friendship Exchange. While there, they were hosted by 4 of the 10 Rotary Clubs in Budapest. One of those clubs, The Rotary Club Budapest-City, has undertaken a tremendous initiative by opening a school for Ukrainian refugee children and hiring Ukrainian refugee teachers. More details are in the narrative below. Our club along with Madison West Middleton and Mount Horeb is spreading the word to raise funds for next year’s school expansion. 
Imagine that you are a nine-year old child who has fled the war-torn area of Ukraine with your mother and siblings and very few possessions. You are happy to leave the destruction behind and to head for safety. You are sad because your father is staying behind to fight for your country’s right to exist. Where will you live? Where are you going? You and your family are going to Budapest, the capital of the neighboring country of Hungary. How will you manage? You don’t know Hungarian, a language that is not at all similar to your native language. After you get to your new home you will enroll in a Hungarian school or attempt to keep up your studies with an online Ukrainian school. Both present problems. Not knowing Hungarian is a big obstacle to progressing in your studies. You won’t understand your teachers as you slowly try to acquire this strange, new language. The Ukrainian remote schools are hampered by lack of electricity and the Internet. Then you hear about a school in Budapest that is teaching Ukrainian refugee children in their language with the blessing of the Ukrainian Education Ministry and even has certified Ukrainian teachers who are also refugees.
This school has become a reality in Budapest. The Rotary Club of Budapest- City opened a school in September 2023 for 130 Ukrainian children grades 5 – 11 and 60 preschoolers. Sponsors for this school include Rotary District 1911, Rotary District 5420, Rotary Club of Budapest-City, Rotary Club of Budapest-Center, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Rotary Club of Scottsdale, Rotary Club of Moab, Rotary Club of Goodyear Pebble Creek, Rotary Club of Kingston, and the Rotaract Club of Budapest International. 
For those of you on vacation or otherwise unable to attend, here is a recap of our January club meeting.
Petra is scheduled to lead our next social, to be held the third Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m. 
Dr. Michelle McGrath presented to our club about the Rotary Action Plan, Creating Hope, her family, and mental health. She showed us our district's focus this year. She emphasized the RI Action Plan Pillar for Engage - SHOW UP, the RI Action Plan Pillar for Reach - SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GOOD PEOPLE, and the RI Action Plan Pillar for Adapt - SERVE YOURSELF AND OTHERS. She 
shared several inspirational stories with us regarding what Rotarians and RYLA can do for people. She finished with a quote from past RI President Jennifer Jones "Silver linings rise out of the most challenging circumstances, In order to live in the society you want, you have to help build it"
Dear Rotarians,
Get ready to pack your bags and say "Mabuhay!" to the Philippines with the Rotary Friendship Exchange happening on May 17-27, 2024.
Rotary Friendship Exchange between District 6250 (Wisconsin) and District 4640 (Brazil State of Parana) is now open to all District 6250 Rotarians. This exchange program includes home and hotel stays, meetings and tours with various Rotary Clubs and Rotarians in Brazil. The return leg will bring Brazilian Rotarians to our District.
As you might know, District 6250, in collaboration with ESRAG, again became a supporter of Operation Pollination. We are working with Rotary Districts and environmental organizations around the Mississippi corridor to educate and support these efforts to protect our environment. The next step is for our clubs to sign the Operation Pollination Pledge and learn more about the project and how to get involved. In order to learn more about the project and what's in store, we invite you to click 
Thank you again for your continued leadership and willingness to support our efforts to lead the way in our environment. ESRAG was born out of District 6250 and this is a wonderful way to support their extraordinary efforts.
We're going again! Eight more orientation opportunities for new club members - opportunities to consider how to BE a Rotarian and let the DOING flow naturally. 
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