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Celebrating our Rotary Foundation
Celebrating our Rotary Foundation

On Thursday evening November 3, over 170 Rotarians and guests gathered to Celebrate District 6440’s engagement with The Rotary Foundation and the district's impact locally and internationally.  

Rotary International Director Pat Merryweather-Arges lauded District 6440’s generous giving to the Foundation. She also recognized our club's participation in meaningful service projects locally and internationally. She made special note of our district’s collaboration with sixteen districts in a recent Disaster Response Grant providing $400,00 in medical supplies to Ukraine.

Other guests included our district's current Global Grant and Peace Fellow Scholars, and Barbara Toney of The Blane Foundation, who announced a $100,000 gift to the PolioPlus fund of The Rotary Foundation. 

A highlight of the evening was recognizing our four clubs with total contributions topping $1 Million to The Rotary Foundation: the Rotary Clubs of Highland-Park Highwood, Northbrook, Wheeling and Wilmette,  and our Top 3 Giving Clubs in Rotary year 2021-22—Dundee Township, NE Chicagoland Passport and Northbrook.

During the evening we paused to recognize how our clubs participate in The Rotary Foundation's mission—Doing Good in the World, and recognizing those who make the world a better place with their time and treasure! Big thanks to all of our Paul Harris Fellows, Benefactors, Paul Harris Society, Polio Plus Society, and Bequest Society members, Major Donors, and Arch Klumph Society donors.  THANK YOU!

RI Director Pat Merryweather-ArgesBarbara Toney of The Blane FoundationClubs with total contributions topping $1 Million to The Rotary Foundation
 
RYLA Registration Open for December, March, April
District 6440 has the second largest Rotary Youth Leadership Awards - or RYLA - program in the United States, and that's because it changes the lives of the high school students that attend.  The outstanding RYLA team led by Chair Sean Nelson delivers a program that, over a weekend, inspires and develops the participants, with lasting impact. 
 
There will be three RYLA sessions this year: December 1-4, 2022; and March 9-12 and April 13-16 in 2023.  Registration is open to those who have displayed leadership skills or potential.  The application and information are available here. 
 
 
We hope every Club in the District will identify and sponsor RYLA participants.  You won't regret it!
Chicago 2030!  Help Bring the RI Convention Home!
Posted by Kevin Stevens on Sep 26, 2022

You may be aware that the three Northern Illinois Rotary Districts (6420, 6440 & 6450) are bidding to host the 2030 International Convention.  We need your help impressing the Selection Committee!  

On Friday, October 21 from 7am-3pm, at Pioneer Court (Just north of the Apple Store on Michigan Avenue) in Chicago we are holding a special community engagement event - and all Rotarians from our district are invited to participate.

Volunteers will answer questions and help manage the display. We will set up ShelterBoxes, RILEE, a table to talk about Rotary, and other Rotary materials to engage passersby. We will also collect information for potential membership development.

Rotary International Convention 2030 Selection Committee members will “randomly” stop by that morning to see us in action, assess our commitment and visualize what it could look like in 2030.   This is a great opportunity to showcase our Northern Illinois Rotary Districts' commitment to community engagement - which is now a part of the evaluation criterion. 

Please bring your positive energy, Rotary answers, and can-do attitude to Pioneer Court!

Volunteer below.

Sign up here to help volunteer on October 21. https://forms.gle/NSWjB8AMNP2bR8PC6 

Reach out to PDG Lyle Staab with any questions.

 

Announcing our District 6440 2021-22 Rotary Citation Honorees!
Posted by Kevin Stevens
Congratulations to our Rotary Citation honorees for the 2021-22 Rotary Year.
 
The District 6440 Rotary Clubs of Algonquin, Batavia, Carol Stream, Evanston Nouveau, Evanston, Lake Forest-Lake Bluff, Libertyville Sunrise, Northwest Supper, Park Ridge& St. Charles Breakfast set and accomplished goals to engage their members, stay relevant in their communities, and run more efficiently.
 
Make certain your club has entered this year's goals in Rotary Club Central and use the tools to continue growing as a vibrant club! Information on The Rotary Citation and Club Goal setting can be found here: https://my.rotary.org/.../office-president/rotary-citation
 
Reach out to your Assistant Governor or any of our Governor Line team if you have questions or need help creating and entering goals!
Marlene Frisbie Named District Governor Nominee Designate for 2025-26
Marlene Frisbie Named District Governor Nominee Designate for 2025-26
In accordance with all requirements of the District 6440 Manual of Procedure, the District Nominating Committee has designated Marlene Frisbie of the Woodstock Rotary Club as nominee for the position of District 6440 Governor 2025-2026. 
 
Marlene has been a member of the Rotary Club of Woodstock since June, 2015. She serves her club as chair of the Public Image Committee, and actively participates on the Christmas Clearinghouse committee, the club’s largest project serving over 1,100 families in the Woodstock school district. She has served as an Assistant Governor for District 6440 since 2020.
 
Marlene has a B.S. degree in Accountancy from the University of Illinois Urbana, an MBA from DePaul University, and has passed the CPA exam. She began her career in public accounting and then worked in external financial reporting at two different Fortune 500 companies in Chicago, until she transitioned to working as Controller for a local wholesale perennial grower. When the owner decided to relocate that business to South Carolina, Marlene purchased the local operations and moved the business to McHenry County.
 
Prairie Haven operated for over eight years, employing up to 45 people and serving garden centers and landscapers throughout Illinois and the surrounding area. When Prairie Haven closed, the property was sold to another local grower and Marlene joined them as controller and sales manager. After 14 years there, Marlene reclaimed her gardening season and returned to doing tax and accounting work, working part time for a small local firm as well as serving several personal clients. Never one to miss a cliché, she decided to retire from the local firm in 2020 and now is self-employed, serving a handful of clients.   
 
Marlene has been married to Hugh for 44 years. Hugh is retired from a career in accounting and consulting with RSM International. Their son Brandon is married to Martina and works as a software engineer for Google.  They live in Woodstock with their children, Will, age 2 1/2, Emmie, age 1, and a player to be named later in 2023. Their daughter Catherine is Primary Head of Music at the Bangkok International School in Thailand, and she spends her free time traveling all over the world. Marlene and Hugh live on several acres just outside of Woodstock, and when they are not traveling themselves, they enjoy restoring the land and spending time with the grandchildren. Marlene also is an accomplished photographer and has exhibited her photos in the 4th Friday Art event and other local events.
 
Join the Nominating Committee in congratulating Marlene!
Partnering for Peace- Rotary &  Peace Corps Volunteers
Partnering for Peace- Rotary & Peace Corps Volunteers
Rotary International collaborates with several organizations, including ShelterBox, Habitat for Humanity, and the Peace Corps. Partnering for Peace works to identify and nurture the relationship between the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV’s) and Rotary clubs in their home towns in the United States.  For the past two years, Partnering for Peace has sponsored a week-long seminar, “Peacemaking on the Ground” during Rotary-Peace Corps week – which this year is September 19-23, 2022. 
 
Partnering for Peace strives to link each Returned Peace Corps Volunteer with a Rotary club near their home community.  In addition, as new volunteers are now able to return to service, Rotary helps these new Peace Corps volunteers find and meet with Rotary clubs before they leave for their service – and then meet up with Rotary clubs in the countries where they will serve overseas.  This network of Rotarians and Peace Corps volunteers creates the basis for grantmaking and humanitarian service through Rotary. Rotary’s Areas of Focus mirror exactly the areas which Peace Corps volunteers support – creating countless possibilities for collaboration – if we make connections with each other.
 
 
Congratulations to  our Polio Plus Society Charter Members
Congratulations to our 229 Charter Members of the PolioPlus Society!
 
And kudos to the fifty clubs represented on the Roster.  Every member makes a difference in delivering on the promise of a polio free world.
Membership in the PolioPlus Society is open to all Rotarians. If you haven’t yet joined, you can do so now!
 
Let’s set a goal of 100% of our clubs represented in the PolioPlus Society. Join the PolioPlus Society.   A PolioPlus Society pin awaits you after pledging and donating.  Updates to the Society will be made quarterly.
 
Presenting Rotary District District Governor 2022-23 Bill Kmiecik
Presenting Rotary District District Governor 2022-23 Bill Kmiecik
At a well attended ceremony on Thursday June 23, Bill Kmiecik of the Rotary Club of Arlington Heights was officially installed as District 6440 Governor for the year beginning July 1. 
 
Bill has been a Rotarian since February 15, 2007.  He has served the Rotary Club of Arlington Heights as president, vice president, treasurer, and community service chair.  He has also served on numerous committees including chairing the initial Arlington Heights Rotary Santa Run in 2008.  He has been a District 6440 Assistant Governor, the District Annual Fund Chair, a member of the District Visioning Team, the District Finance Committee and the Foundation Committee.   Bill joined the District 6440 Governor Line in 2019.
 
Bill is a CPA and holds a Master’s degree in Taxation.  He is the Founder and Retired President of Wisdom Investments, a boutique, fee only, financial planning, investment management and tax firm in Rolling Meadows.      Bill has also worked in Corporate America as a Tax and Finance professional and began his career as an Internal Revenue Agent.  Bill taught accounting and finance classes at Harper College and in the MBA program at Northern Illinois University for over 10 years.    He subsequently worked as a consultant for Harper College and the College of Lake County teaching insurance and finance classes at local companies. 
 
Bill has been married to Betsy, who is also a Rotarian, for 42 years.  Betsy is a retired Human Resources executive, most recently with Paddock Publications.  Bill and Betsy met while working as auditors for the Internal Revenue Service, where they frequently smiled at one another, but not in front of taxpayers so as not to jeopardize their G-Man and G-Lady scowl (just kidding, most if not all IRS personnel are really nice people).   They have 2 children, Brian who is married to Stephanie and Emily, a nurse and the prettiest single girl in the world.  Both children live in the Chicago area.
 
Bill and Betsy are passionate about Rotary, the projects, the causes and the enthusiasm of the members.  They have been to Guatemala, Peru and Uganda on Rotary Service trips and those trips as well as the people they have traveled with and the natives they have met fires their enthusiasm for the needs around the world and the ways in which we as Rotarians can help meet those needs. 
 
Bill and Betsy are Paul Harris Fellows, members of the Paul Harris Society, Major Donors and members of the Bequest Society.
 
21 District 6440 Rotary Clubs Named ShelterBox HEROes
 
21 District 6440 Rotary Clubs Named ShelterBox HEROes 
A ShelterBox HERO is a Rotary Club that has committed to making an impact in worldwide disaster response by donating at least $1,000 (Bronze), $3,000 (Silver), or $5,000 (Gold) within the Rotary year to ShelterBox.
 
HERO Clubs enable ShelterBox to have the resources and time to be ready when disaster strikes by allowing ShelterBox to purchase and pre-position aid in or near countries where we respond often, resulting in a more efficient and timely response.
 
The District 6440 HERO LIST for Rotary Year 2021-22, as of 6/20/22
 
 
GOLD - $5,000.00 +
 
Libertyville Sunrise
Northbrook
Wheaton
 
SILVER - $3,000.00+
 
Glen Ellyn
Lake Forest-Lake Bluff
McHenry Area
Winnetka Northfield
 
BRONZE - $1,000.00+
 
Arlington Heights
Bartlett
Carol Stream
Elk Grove Village
Fox Valley Sunset
Glenview Sunrise
Grayslake
Mundelein-Vernon Hills
Richmond Spring Grove Area
Wheeling
Wilmette
Wilmette Harbor
Huntley
Skokie Valley
 
Congratulations to all!
Congratulations District Leadership Academy  2022 Graduates!
Posted by Lyle Staab on May 29, 2022
District Governor Kevin Stevens and PDG Lyle Staab, Dean, are honored to announce the 2022 graduating class of the District Leadership Academy.
 
The DLA is an online program, lasting just over six months, giving the participants a broad understanding of how Rotary works and how they can be more effective in their Club and in the District.  Modules on Orientation, Membership, Public Image, Youth Service, Organization, and The Rotary Foundation are facilitated by experts from D6440, most of whom are DLA grads.
 
We welcome the following into the Society of the Academy. 
 
Thor Davidson - Wheaton
Christina Ferraro – River Cities
Tom Hatting - Wheaton
Charlotta Koppanyi – Evanston Lighthouse
Jonathan Lavin – Skokie Valley
Evelyn Lee - Evanston
Sonja Martin – North Chicago
John Mulherin – Glen Ellyn
Dee Santucci – Glenview Sunrise
Kathy Tate-Bradish – Evanston Lighthouse
Alex Todd – River Cities
Tom Von Lunen - Batavia
Carol Williams – Northwest Supper
Tony Winter - Batavia
 
This year's graduating class of 14 is the largest since the first commencement in 2015.  Like the 47 previous graduates, they will use the knowledge they acquired to make a substantial difference in their clubs, in the district, and around the world.
 
Applications for the 2022-23 program will open in July.  Questions can be directed to Lyle Staab at gov.lyle@rotary6440.org. 
Read more...
Lake County Rotarians Can Be Northern Illinois Food Bank Volunteers
 
Lake County Rotarians Can Be Northern Illinois Food Bank Volunteers 
The Northern Illinois Food Bank is the main organization supplying local food pantries and other deserving organizations through the Collar Counties. It’s a great body that many Rotary clubs support.
 
While many Fox Valley and West Suburban Rotary Clubs regularly help at the Northern Illinois Food Bank’s Geneva location, the organization would love to have Lake County Rotarians volunteer at their Park City site, just south of Gurnee.  It could be a great club service project that can include the youth groups we support and non-Rotarian helpers.
Please consider organizing a project to meet their need. Contact the Park City location for more information:
NIFB – North Suburban
440 Keller Drive
Park City, IL 60085
Telephone: 847-336-3663
Fax: 847-693-3087
https://solvehungertoday.org/
New Membership Development Program
Want to tell hundreds to thousands of qualified local businesspeople and community leaders why your Rotary club would be great for them – and get their names and contacts?
 
Our District 6440 has developed a new Membership Development Program to help clubs generate qualified member leads.  We’re offering this as a Pilot Program now, hoping that three or four clubs will participate, and expand it later to all District clubs.
 
The campaign places "Join Rotary" Internet ads on the computers, phones and tablets of hundreds-to-thousands of your local Chamber of Commerce members, once or twice per day for two months.  If someone clicks on it, they'll see a one-minute landing page video for your Rotary club where the club president summarizes your club and shows four or five pictures of your best service projects and fundraisers.  If interested, viewers click to enter their name, email address and phone -- and this lead goes directly to your Membership Chair. 
 
(We can make this work if there are two or three clubs in your suburb who participate together.)
 
Read more...
New District 6440 Charitable Fund Now Available
New District 6440 Charitable Fund Now Available
The Rotary District 6440 Charitable Fund Inc. has been established to accept donations to fund charitable and educational activities developed and sponsored by Rotary District 6440, the individual Rotary Clubs in Rotary District 6440, and The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. These include community service projects and international service projects generally in the following areas of focus.
 
•             Prevention and resolution of conflicts and the promotion of peace
•             Prevention and treatment of disease
•             Clean water and sanitation
•             Maternal and child health
•             Basic education and literacy
•             Economic and community development