By Jim Nelson
Nancy Leonhardt addressed our chapter on Wednesday, August 23 to explain mission guidance to District 6150 which is made up of 39 clubs reaching 1500 members in 28 Arkansas counties. She was pleased to note that 30% of our membership is women and more are encouraged to join.
Our district provided this past year $189,225 to the Rotary Foundation. Each member is encouraged to give annually $100. In addition, 112 Paul Harris Fellowships were awarded.
Four international students arrived as guests of a Rotary family for one year and three Arkansas kids chose to go overseas in a similar arrangement. Any family interested in such an exchange should contact us. Our student exchange guests are from France, Spain, and Peru and can be invited to our club to speak about their experiences in the US and their home country.
District Governor noted that we sponsor three high school Rotaract and twenty Interact clubs at the elementary level. Finally, 34 students attended a Rotary leadership camp called RYLA Camp this past year. Fairfield Bay International Rotary sponsored a student that spoke to our group in June about her fun experiences.
Polio Eradication
Rotary International has accepted a 3-year challenge from the Gates Foundation to aid in accomplishing this important goal. Each chapter has been asked to give $1,500 for the polio plus campaign. However, there still exists a need to insure 100% of our children receive the polio immunization shots.
Literacy
With 14% of adult Arkansans unable to read above the 5th grade level and 1 in 7 children can’t read at grade level, this area is dear to Nancy Leonhardt since she volunteers to teach literacy and serves as a Literacy Director. Nancy encouraged every club to participate in a literacy project and every member should try to help a child or an adult learn to read.
Nancy met with our board to determine how her 15- Point Mission Initiative can be incorporated into our club plans. She encouraged each member to find time to donate time, money, and book donations to our local library; and she joined several members that took the challenge and donated books to our library on this special occasion.