Welcome to Rotary International District 6270
Serving Clubs in Southeastern Wisconsin, USA
 
I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve as your District Governor for the 2023/24 Rotary Year. It is an honor and privilege to lead and represent a diverse group of passionate individuals who are dedicated to creating lasting change across the globe, in our communities, and ourselves. My preparations for the past two years for this role have reaffirmed the transformative power of Rotary's mission. This remarkable work is carried out by our clubs. The commitment of members of Rotary to service, fellowship, and ethical leadership is truly inspiring. I thank you for the trust you have placed in me to guide and support you in your endeavors. I look forward to the countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow with you. Let us have fun and fellowship as we CREATE HOPE in the WORLD!
 
 
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News from RI District 6270

 

The Rotary International District 6270 Nominating Committee is pleased to announce the selection of Dawn Heath-Fiedler to serve as the District Governor for the 2026 - 2027 Rotary year.

Dawn became a member of the Rotary Club of Delavan-Darien in February 2015 after being told that she needed to join Rotary. The moment she stepped into her first meeting, she felt an immediate sense of belonging. Due to a change in employers, Dawn later transferred to the Rotary Club of Elkhorn.

As part of her preparations as a president-nominee, Dawn attended the 2017 District Conference. During a workshop on human trafficking, her life took a new direction. Inspired by the experience, she founded the 501(c)3 non-profit Join the Movement Events, Inc. (JTM), initially focused on raising awareness of human trafficking in rural communities.

Following her term as club president, Dawn took on the role of Assistant Governor (AG) for the Rotary Clubs in Walworth County. Six months later, she married Peter and relocated to Minnesota. In Rotary District 5950, she volunteered to be the AG for their eClubs and became a charter member of the Rotary Club of District 5950 Ending Human Trafficking.

During the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, living in a new location made it challenging to meet new people due to shutdowns. Support from her friends at the Elkhorn Rotary Club, through calls and emails, helped alleviate loneliness. When the time came to move back to Wisconsin, that was an easy decision ... Elkhorn. Upon her return to the Rotary Club of Elkhorn, she resumed her role as AG and is now concluding her third year, preparing to hand over the position to her successor.

Please join in congratulating Dawn for being selected to be our future District Governor!

Applications are now being accepted for the 2025 Rotary Peace Fellowships.
The application process will be open until 15 May 2024, and interested candidates can apply through the application webpage.

This year, The Rotary Foundation will award up to 50 fellowships for master’s degrees and up to 80 fellowships for professional development certificates at premier universities throughout the world — including the newest Rotary Peace Center in Istanbul.
 
As a humanitarian organization, promoting peace is a cornerstone of Rotary’s mission. By carrying out service projects, supporting peace fellowships and scholarships, and partnering with others, Rotary members take action to address the underlying causes of conflict, including poverty, discrimination, ethnic tension, lack of access to education, and unequal distribution of resources. We believe that supporting peace and development leaders in their education and

Nicole McNevin, a Wisconsin native, is currently living in Tokyo as she pursues her Master's degree at the prestigious International Christian University (ICU). As one of Rotary International's honored Peace Fellows, Nicole is not only receiving a fully-funded graduate education but also gaining hands-on experience advancing the Rotary mission of peace and conflict resolution. 

So how did this small-town girl land such a competitive scholarship? A combination of strong international experience, language skills, and encouragement from her local Rotary club. Nicole spent four years teaching English in rural Japan as part of the JET program, where she immersed herself in the culture and became fluent in Japanese. This piqued her interest in barriers that prevent youth in rural areas from studying abroad. When Rotarian Betsy Rozelle (Rotary Club of Neenah) learned about the Rotary Peace Fellowship, she immediately thought of Nicole and persistently encouraged her to apply. 
 
On December 9, 2023, Betsy Rozelle interviewed Nicole with the assistance of District 6270's Rotary Peace Fellowship Committee Chair Larry Myers (Rotary Club of Elmbrook). The recorded interview here provides many insights into the Rotary Peace Fellowship program in general and into Ms. McNevin's experiences specifically. 
 
 

Now at ICU, Nicole is conducting groundbreaking research on how to expand access to study abroad programs for Japanese youth in underserved areas. She is collaborating directly with local governments in rural prefectures to distribute surveys to students and identify trends in barriers they face. Nicole hopes her Master's thesis will lead to actionable recommendations for exchange sponsors like Rotary Youth Exchange to reach more students.  

In her scarce personal time, Nicole squeezes in speaking engagements at Rotary clubs across Japan. As one of the only Peace Fellows fluent in Japanese, Nicole is in high demand to discuss the program. She's making connections that she knows will last far beyond her studies. 

What's next for this promising peacebuilder? Nicole is keeping an open mind, but sees herself continuing to promote educational exchange in Japan and bridge cultures however she can – perhaps through nonprofit work, government programs, or corporations.

Nicole's story demonstrates the

 

Sept 29, 2023 Update from Brigitte Potter, Global Grant Recipient

Just wanted to say a quick Hello!

This picture is from a Rotaract event I attended last night. It’s a small group that the leader is trying to get going so we had a brainstorming session with a pint. I also wanted to share the link to my blog for anyone who wants to follow along: brigittenpotter.wixsite.com/londonbrig

Brigitte Potter is a Masters student studying International Migration and Public Policy (IMPP) at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) for the 2023-2024 academic year. Follow her blog to keep up with her activities.

Rotary International Districts 6270 and 6220 from Eastern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan recently funded and delivered a customized trailer outfitted as a mobile emergency room to the Mykolaiv region. This area has faced heavy attacks during Russia's invasion, damaging healthcare infrastructure and cutting off access to essential medical services.

The sturdy mobile unit serves as a rapid-response platform to directly bring urgently needed trauma care to communities near the front lines. A Mobile Emergency Clinic (MEC) is staffed by military doctors and equipped to handle minor injuries, infections, childbirth, dental procedures, and other emergencies. The MEC contains an exam table, monitors, medications, surgical tools, testing supplies, and other basic equipment to diagnose and treat patients on-site.

Its durable, thermally insulated construction allows the MEC to withstand nearby blasts and operate in harsh conditions with backup power, climate control, and water filtration. This enables lifesaving treatment to continue even if local utilities are disabled. The reinforced design provides security for staff and patients in risky areas deemed inaccessible to soft-walled field hospitals.

Rotary International coordinated an international fundraising effort to support Disaster Response Grants like this one, used to purchase the custom MEC. Supplemental medical equipment brings the clinic’s value to nearly $50,000, including an IV fluid warmer and video laryngoscope. This enhanced MEC was recently delivered to the Mykolaiv City Council's Center for Primary Medical and Sanitary Aid to serve the region's needs.

Rotary International districts have funded approximately thirty such MECs and supplies as Ukraine struggles to rebuild decimated infrastructure. For now, these mobile clinics are bringing healthcare directly to Ukrainians when they need it most, saving lives throughout the Eastern and Southern Ukraine regions.

To contribute to this and similar efforts, please visit https://my.rotary.org/en/donate and select the Ukraine Response Fund.

Rotary District 6270 is excited to share that preparations are in full swing for the Rotary Youth Exchange Program's 2024-25 exchange year. Rotary Youth Exchange plays an instrumental role in fostering peace, one young individual at a time. This program offers an exceptional opportunity for young students to embark on an enriching journey filled with cultural immersion, personal development, and the cultivation of international friendships.

The Rotary Youth Exchange Program is a flagship initiative of Rotary International, with a central mission of nurturing global understanding and promoting peace through cultural exchange. This program has been uniting adventurous young minds from diverse backgrounds for years, encouraging them to explore, learn, and connect with the world beyond their familiar horizons.

Presently, over 100 million individuals worldwide are enduring the loss of their homes due to disasters and conflicts. ShelterBox’s mission is to make a difference in their lives. They work tirelessly to provide emergency shelter, tools, and household supplies to families displaced by calamities, empowering them to begin rebuilding and transforming despair into hope.

 

For six and a half decades, the Rotary Club of Mitchell Field had been a beacon of hope, supporting local initiatives and improving lives. The club celebrated its 65th Anniversary during the Changing of Guard on June 28th. The club and Rotary International have come a long way since the club received its charter on July 5, 1958. In 1958, there were 9,800 Rotary Clubs in over 100 countries. Today, there are more than 46,000 Rotary and Rotaract clubs in 221 countries worldwide. Through this network of clubs, members can work with like-minded individuals to advance community and worldwide understanding, goodwill, and peace.

Rotary Districts 6220 and 6270, encompassing much of Northern and all of Eastern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, have taken decisive action in response to the healthcare crisis unfolding in Ukraine due to ongoing conflict. The districts have pooled their resources to secure a Disaster Response Grant from Rotary International, resulting in a critical healthcare lifeline: a Mobile Emergency Clinic.


 
Leif Van Grinsven was the D-6270 Global Grant Scholar in 2019-2020. He is a product of Cudahy, Wisconsin, and a graduate of Wheaton College, where he not only excelled in academics but was also a three-time All-American in Track and Field. His Global Grant Scholarship resulted in a Master of Arts in Development Studies from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom. After several short stints with the United Nations and the World Health Organization, he landed in Rwanda and then in Malawi, where his newly developed skills in economic development have produced great results.

In his own words, he reports the following. Small Farm Cities (SFC) has grown considerably. We have two sites, our development center, which acts as
 
Rotary International District 6270 is awarding a Global Grant Scholarship in the amount of $30,000 to Brigitte N. Potter of Glendale, Wisc. The grant has been approved by The Rotary Foundation with an 80% match of District Designated Funds (DDF) provided by the district. 

Ms. Potter will use the grant to obtain a Master of Science degree in International Migration and Public Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom. She intends to focus on the issues surrounding refugees and forced migration. Her Rotary Area of Focus is “Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution.”
 
Ms. Potter is a graduate of UW-Milwaukee and
Waukesha Club Uses a Custom “Zoom Machine” to Ease Tech Load
By Pete Bosch, April 13, 2023

Club meetings are more inclusive when delivered hybrid. But the equipment is time-consuming and complicated to set up and take down. Also, it is often difficult to show the audience, the speaker, and what the speaker is presenting, if they are including a PowerPoint in their program.

This article is about a simplified device and approach to hybrid meetings that my club uses. Setup and teardown both take less than 5 minutes. 

To read Pete's entire Zoom Machine article, download the PDF. It is filled with details and images.

At 8 AM on December 3rd, 2022 the first of two shifts assembled in a donated 40,000-square-foot warehouse in Germantown. Rotarians from the Milwaukee - and other - Rotary clubs and volunteers with the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America (UMANA) were briefed on the day’s efforts by Dr. Doug Davis.

Over the course of the morning, five pallets of donated medical supplies from Hospitals throughout Wisconsin were broken down and sorted into stations representing 12 situational categories from Front Line EMT & Emergency Room, to Surgical, Wound Care, Rehab, PPE, and others. At each of those stations, those supplies, along with others staged from previous efforts were further sorted by volunteers with medical experience into dozens of subcategories such as catheters, suture kits, central lines, wound care, ECG Electrodes, and so on. 

Rotary International District 6270 is pleased to announce that Nicole McNevin of Neenah, Wisc., has received a prized Rotary Peace Fellowship (RPF) for 2023-2025. She has been accepted into the Master’s Course in Peace Studies, Public Policy and Public Research Program, at International Christian University (ICU), Tokyo, Japan.
 
The daughter of Mary & Richard McNevin of Neenah, Wisc., Nicole is a graduate of Neenah High School and Wheaton College, Ill. (2017) She speaks Japanese and is currently in the 4th year of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program where she teaches English and culture to students in low-income areas.
 
February 22, 2023 via Rotary.org

Turkey and Syria were struck by a devastating earthquake on 6 February that has killed tens of thousands of people, destroyed thousands of homes and other structures, and left people across the region without shelter in bitterly cold winter weather. While still providing aid to those impacted by the first earthquake, another 6.4 magnitude earthquake occurred in the same area on 20 February, bringing even more devastation. 

The Rotary world responded to this catastrophe immediately. RI President Jennifer Jones activated

    On 25 January the five Ozaukee County Rotary clubs embraced this year’s theme “Imagine Rotary”, by coordinating the first of many “Rotary Mix & Mingle” events. This event was promoted and open to the public. Rotarians and guests had an opportunity to Meet-Network-Share Ideas. Each club president, or their representative shared some of their club’s recent projects and invited prospective and former members to visit a meeting, or future club event.
     
    Rotary International President-elect R. Gordon R. McInally called for members to capture the world's attention and lead the way toward possibilities far beyond our current expectations.

    McInally, a member of the Rotary Club of South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland, revealed the 2023-24 presidential theme, Create Hope in the World, during the Rotary International Assembly in Orlando, Florida, USA, on 9 January. He urged members to promote peace in troubled nations, help those affected by conflict, and maintain the momentum of initiatives begun by past leaders.

    "The goal is to restore hope — to help the world heal from destructive conflicts and, in turn, to help us achieve lasting change for ourselves," McInally said at Rotary's annual training event for incoming district governors.
     
    In the face of the unprovoked and brutal attack by Russia on Ukraine, District 6270 and its Rotary Clubs have stepped up in many ways to alleviate suffering in Ukraine.

    The Formation of the Rotary Disaster Response Fund’s Ukraine Effort 

    Shortly after Ukraine was invaded by Russia in February of 2022, Rotarians started asking Rotary International (RI) to provide grants in service of humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The RI Trustees met in late February and decided to use the Disaster Response Fund for the purpose. They announced that all donations to the fund between March 3rd and April 30th would be dedicated to service to Ukraine. During those eight weeks, Rotarians donated almost $15MM to the fund, and grants became immediately available.
    We are thrilled to announce that Elizabeth “Liz” Nevitt has been selected as our candidate for District Governor for the 2025/2026 Rotary year, subject to approval by Rotary International and ratification by the District members at the annual business meeting in the spring of 2023.

    Liz is a fourth generation Rotarian. She joined the Menasha Rotary Club in 1998 and moved to the Ripon Rotary Club in 2012. Liz served as President of each club twice, and held other club leadership roles. At the District level, she served as Assistant Governor for three years, District Family of Rotary Resource Group Coordinator and has been the District Stewardship Subcommittee Chair for the past three years. Liz is also a Rotary Foundation Major Donor, Paul Harris Sustaining Member, and the District's newest PolioPlus Society member.

    Please join us in congratulating her and thanking her for her continuing service to Rotary.
     

    The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has been informed of a case of paralytic polio in an unvaccinated individual in Rockland County, New York, United States.

    The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are coordinating with New York State health authorities on their investigation. Initial sequencing confirmed by CDC indicates that the case is type 2 VDPV.

    Any form of poliovirus anywhere is a threat to children everywhere. It is critical that the GPEI Polio Eradication Strategy 2022-2026 is fully resourced and fully implemented everywhere, to ensure a world free of all forms of poliovirus can be achieved.

    We are calling on every single Rotarian to take action and be a part of the fight to end polio, helping to raise $50 million per year for polio eradication.

    Mike McGovern

    Chair, International PolioPlus Committee

    Rotary District 6270 is excited to announce the start of the PolioPlus Society in our district.  This is a district program to recognize those Rotarians, Rotaractors, and friends of Rotary, who have pledged to give at least $100 annually to the PolioPlus Fund of The Rotary Foundation, until the wild poliovirus is no longer endemic around the world. The goal of this PolioPlus Society is to raise awareness and provide recognition for Rotary’s goal of eliminating the disease from the planet. 

    We would like to invite you to consider and join the Rotary District 6270 PolioPlus Society by completing the pledge form on the PolioPlus Society page, https://rotary6270.org/sitepage/polioplus-society.  Members of the Rotary District 6270 PolioPlus Society will receive a certificate and a specially designed PolioPlus Society lapel pin.

     

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