Fellow Changemakers, I am writing to thank you for your financial support for the President Elect Training Seminar held March 1 – 3. I assure you that this training was well worth the investment and support that you have given to it. I learned so much and know that you all will help me through my year as president. I also realized that PETS includes training for the President Nominee. Wouldn’t it be great if in 2025 Changemakers could send both the President Elect and the President Nominee! I, of course, missed the chance to attend as President Nominee because I wasn’t even a Rotarian last year.
I want to share with you about the General Session inspirational speakers. I am hoping to find people to talk about these topics at our first Friday of the month Changemakers meetings. Friday afternoon E. Michelle Bohreer from the Rotary Club of Houston Skyline, Texas gave us a rousing message about empowering girls. She then talked about human trafficking.
Friday evening Jennifer Jones from the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario talked to us about her year as the first woman president of Rotary International in 2022-23. She inspired us with stories and photos of her Rotary visits around the globe.
Saturday morning, we were introduced to Her Excellency Vanessa Fraser, Ambassador of Malta and member of the United Nations Security Council. We were all fascinated to hear about her story and her work at the UN. By the way, she attended Luther College in Iowa and one of the governor elects was her classmate.
After lunch on Saturday, we were present for a dialog between one of the governor elects and Biskakone Greg Johnson, a member of the Lac du Flambeau band of Ojibwe in Wisconsin. He is a cultural practitioner and teacher in the Anishinaabe tradition. Sensitive topics like treaty rights, mascots, and the Indian children taken away from their families and placed in government schools were covered with grace, respect, and acknowledgment of how things could or could have been better. Biskakone is an instructor at the North House Folk School teaching the skills and knowledge of his culture. He makes baskets, moccasins, and canoes.
Saturday night’s speaker was Michael McGovern from the Rotary Club of South Portland-Cape Elizabeth, Main. Michael is the Rotary International Polio Plus Committee Chair. He spoke eloquently from the heart about this extremely important initiative of Rotary International. The eradication of polio is near. In 2023 there were 12 cases reported in the world, six in Pakistan and six in Afghanistan. Michael has traveled all over the world visiting the workers and clinics who administer the vaccine. He has accompanied the workers into the homes of people, where they give the vaccine and record the date, names, and locations of all who receive it. When Polio is eradicated, the work will not be done. The labs will be still there helping to diagnose and prevent other diseases.
On Sunday morning we heard from Nina Menis, Rotary Club of Naperville, Illinois and CEO of KidsMatter and Ryan Lauterwasser of Linden Oaks Hospital, Naperville, Illinois. Ryan spoke to us about his work with high-risk youth and he is the Manager for the Adolescent Impatient and Adult Mental Health and Chemical Detox Units. Ryan told us about the therapeutic model which includes strengthening relationships to promote balance and healthy engagement. Nina’s message as CEO of Kidsmatter focused on prevention-based programs for youth and working collaboratively with other community organizations to promote social, emotional, and academic well-being of children.
All of these General Session speakers have inspired me to share their stories and information with you Changemakers. Let’s make 2024-2025 a year of learning, action, and change!