Rotary Improves Powell Park for Neighborhood Residents
Powell Park sits at the intersection of 10th and Powell at the site of the former Sisters Hospital. Led by Rotarian Tim Curry, the Rotary Club of Saint Joseph has breathed new life into this neighborhood park.
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Rotary Club of Saint Joseph 2026 Annual Dinner
Rotarians gathered for fun, food, fellowship, and recognition and the 2026 Inaugural Club Annual Dinner at Parkway Distillery.
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Purple Pinkie Donuts 2026 Raises Over $1.2 Million for PolioPlus
The final results are in for the 2026 Purple Pinkie Polio Eradication Fundraiser, and I am thrilled to share that together we raised $1,200,788 for Rotary's End Polio Now campaign. Every dollar will support the fight to eradicate polio worldwide. Thanks to the dedication of Rotary members, partners, and supporters, we are now down to just two endemic countries. The finish line is in sight. For more information about the progress being made toward polio eradication, visit: https://www.endpolio.org/what- |
District 6040 Hosts Rotary Friendship Exchange Visitors from Argentina
Over a dozen Rotarians from Argentina arrived in Kansas City for the FIFA World Cup as part of a friendship exchange program through the international organization. Rotary families from KC metro clubs are opening their homes as part of this program The travelers were greeted by their host families at Kansas City International Airport, where the reunion was anything but a meeting of strangers, despite many coming face to face for the first time.
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Rotary Club of Saint Joseph Installs Accessible Outdoor Area for Life Unlimited
The Rotary Club of Saint Joseph's 2025-2026 District Grant project has been to install an accessible outdoor area for the new Day Program at Life Unlimited's St. Joseph location.
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Rotary Club of Saint Joseph Gives Scholarships to Students from Each of the 5 St. Joseph High Schools
The Rotary Club of Saint Joseph presented scholarships to high school seniors on Wednesday, 5/6 at the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art. The club presents the annual scholarships worth $1,000 to five students, one from each high school. |
25th Anniversary Shoes for Orphan Souls Campaign Sets Records
If you haven't seen it yet, please check out the article about this year's shoes drive in the News Press: https://www.newspressnow.com/news/local_news/soles-with-a-story-rotary-effort-steps-toward-500-000-pairs/article_cfaedbbd-feee-4c91-9db9-b1cd9904e9e4.html |
Rotary East Bulletin: September 22, 2022Rotary Club of St. Joseph East news and highlights from the week of September 22, 2022. This week’s program was presented by Rob Honan, the Executive Director of Midland Empire Resources for Independent Living (MERIL). MERIL works to create a barrier-free Northwest Mis-souri for individuals with disabilities. The main programs MERIL currently offers are Consumer Di-rected Services, Assistive Technology, and in-home nursing services. MERIL is holding a community trunk or treat event on October 20. Youth of all agencies are invited for free snacks, fun and games, and a costume contest. Agencies are also invited to have a presence there. MERIL is currently hiring nursing professionals as well as Consumer Directed Services care attendants. For more information, please visit https:// meril.org/ |
Re-emergence of Polio Underscores the Need for Eradication |
Rotary East Bulletin: September 14, 2022Today’s program was presented by Chad Higdon, the Executive Director of Second Harvest Community Food Bank. Second Harvest provides nourishment and hope to the hungry in NW MO and NE KS. Families have experienced increased food costs over the past year, and this continues to have an impact locally. Second Harvest currently operates 24 mobile food distribution sites and supports the local pantries throughout their 19 county territory. Some upcoming events are the 9/23-24 Bluegrass Battles Hunger and a Fill the Van Citywide food drive on 10/8 (volunteers can help with this). For more information, please visit https://www.shcfb.org/ |
Rotary East Bulletin: September 7, 2022Today’s program was presented by Brett Esely, Director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission. Brett shared exciting updates about upcoming sporting events taking place in St. Joseph, including the MIAA volleyball tournament. Another notable event to add to your calendar is on 9/18 with the 2nd class in-duction into the St. Joseph Sports Hall of Fame. For more information or to purchase tickets for this event, please visit https://checkout.square.site/buy/TCDZEC6OFPI5A2MNA2W6DFQ2. One ongoing opportunity that Brett was candid about was the need for a quality downtown hotel to support events. There are currently more hotel rooms in Hays, KS than in our fair city. Yes, that includes counting the places nobody would want to stay. |
Rotary East Bulletin: August 31, 2022Today’s program was presented by Traci McChristy, who is the Volunteer and Outreach Director for the St. Joseph YWCA. Traci shared several highlights about YWCA programs, including the shelter, transitional housing, GRIT Center, Choices and Decisions mentoring programs for youth, childcare, and parenting programs. There are numerous ways for folk to help out, through volunteering, donating, and sharing. These include mentoring at the GRIT Center, becoming a Hospital Advocate, holding a supply drive, supporting the Women of Excellence event, and more. On 9/23 at 7:30 a.m. the YWCA is hosting the 26th Annual Day of Commitment to Eliminate Racism Breakfast. www.ywcasj.org |
Rotary East Bulletin: August 25, 2022Today’s program was presented by Melissa Frakes, along with a couple of her staff as well as a program participant, about the new Pivotal Point Transitional Housing youth center. Construction will begin soon (next month!) on this facility, that will house 24-28 youth upon completion. In addition to housing, there will be an emphasis on education, skills training, budgeting, and social development for those who live there. To support the mission of Pivotal Point, the organization is holding a fall fund-raiser on 9/15. For more information, please visit http://pivotalpointstjoseph.org/youth-capital-campaign.html |
Rotary East Bulletin: August 17, 2022Today’s program was presented by Mike and Jerre Robertson from the Sons of the American Revolution and Daughters of the American Revolution. The DAR and SAR provide programming and eduction to preserve history, support and encourage patriotism, and be a presence in our communities. We learned about the DAR museum in the former Grand Masonic Lodge building in Louisville, KY. Of particular interest are the youth contests and scholarships that are available to local students. Club members appreciated learning about their organizations. |
Helping people with disabilities make their own music Music has been an important part of leading an ordinary life for students at the Music School for Children With Disabilities in Honor of Paul Harris in Lublin, Poland. Founded by Rotary members, the school serves 20 students with various disabilities, including Down syndrome, autism, and visual impairments. The Rotary Club of Lublin-Centrum-Maria Curie-Sklodowska has provided funding with help from Rotary Foundation Matching Grants and the Henryk Wieniawski Musical Society, which houses the school. After their son Mateusz was born with underdeveloped eyes, Mariusz and Joanna Kania looked for ways to help him be active. When he showed an aptitude for music, they looked for a teacher and were thrilled to find the Paul Harris music school. |
Finding Safe Haven For years, Angalia Bianca had slept in abandoned buildings throughout Chicago. She stole. She did drugs. She spent time in and out of jail for forgery, theft, trespassing, and possession of narcotics. But after she landed in prison for the seventh time, something changed -- Bianca knew she wanted a better life. She just didn’t know how to make it happen.After serving her time, Bianca sought help from a local homeless organization, A Safe Haven, and moved to its shelter in the Rogers Park neighborhood. Bianca followed the program closely -- she attended all the required meetings, passed drug tests, and volunteered at every opportunity.
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Saving lives in Ghana What is it like taking a large team to Africa? It has probably been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. In mid February, I began leading Rotary members from all over the East Coast of the United States through Ghana. I’ve tried to give the team a warm Ghanaian welcome like I’ve received on my earlier trips. A large trip is a real blessing because each person sees Ghana and our work in a different way.A highlight for the team was greeting the chief of Sagadugu. The team got excited about buying goats and food for children in the villages where I support eight churches. It was good to see the pastors of most of the eight churches, and I had to explain that we were just passing through on our way to Bolgatanga. |
India celebrates three years without polio Throughout India and around the world, Rotary clubs are celebrating a major milestone: India has gone three years without a new case of polio. The last reported case was a two-year-old girl in West Bengal on 13 January 2011. To mark this historic triumph, Rotary clubs illuminated landmarks and iconic structures throughout the country with four simple but powerful words, "India is polio free."The three-year achievement sets the stage for polio-free certification of the entire Southeast Asia region by the World Health Organization. The Indian government also plans to convene a polio summit in February to commemorate this victory in the global effort to eradicate polio. |
