We all talk about the Rotary Foundation and our Programs. Let’s review the Rotary Foundation’s Amazing Programs
2023-24 TOTAL EXPENDITURES: $347.2 million
PolioPlus
Since 1988, Rotary and our partners have immunized nearly three billion children against polio. As of June 2024, Rotary had committed more than $2.6 billion to global polio eradication. We’re still working to eliminate the wild poliovirus in the last two countries where it remains endemic and to ensure that it does not return elsewhere. In 2023-24, program awards, including PolioPlus Partners grants, totaled $146.3 million.
Rotary Peace Centers
Each year, the Foundation supports the training of peace fellows at Rotary Peace Centers, where they earn master’s degrees or professional development certificates. Since 2002-03, 1,800 fellows from more than 140 countries have participated. In 2023-24, 92 fellows from 42 countries began their studies at the Rotary Peace Centers, and program awards for the fellows and centers totaled $4.4 million.
District Grants
District grants support small-scale, short-term projects related to the Foundation’s mission. In 2023-24, the Foundation approved 485 district grants, and program awards totaled $29.2 million.
Global Grants
Global grants fund large-scale international activities with sustainable, measurable results that support Rotary’s areas of focus. Activities include humanitarian projects, scholarships, and vocational training teams. In 2023-24, the Foundation approved 1,287 global grants, and program awards totaled $72.1 million.
Disaster Response Grants
Rotary’s disaster response grants support relief and recovery efforts in areas that have been affected by natural disasters within the past six months. In 2023-24, the Foundation approved 106 disaster response grants, and program awards totaled $3.8 million.
Programs of Scale Grants
Programs of Scale grants empower Rotary members to work with experienced partners to implement large-scale, high-impact projects over three to five years to benefit a large number of people. Partners for Water Access and Better Harvest in India, which is designed to improve the livelihoods of over 60,000 rural farmers across four states in India through the implementation of sustainable agriculture and water management practices, was awarded the 2023-24 grant of $2 million and was matched by $4 million in funding from our partners.
Last month I wrote about the value Rotary places on developing leaders. Hopefully many of you were able to attend our Rotary Leadership Institute at DeSales University last month. And in a few days, we hope you are attending our amazing district conference in Hershey. In May we have a series of Zoom meetings that will add some additional leadership training for our incoming leaders, both at the club level and the district level. All are welcome to attend. All Zoom links are on the District calendar and start at 6:30 PM; each night has a different link.
On Monday, May 5, we will be meeting with all our incoming Presidents-Elect and Assistant Governors. Our agenda currently includes 3-year planning goals, conflict resolution, and a review of the district calendar.
On Wednesday, May 7, we will be meeting with all our club secretaries, club treasurers, club membership chairs, club public image chairs, club foundation chairs, and all our district committee chairs. We will be in separate break-out rooms, sharing ideas and getting tips and advice from Rotarians with experience in each area.
On Thursday, May 8, we will be meeting with all past District Governors to talk about how we can work together to help achieve our key goals in a number of areas.
Thanks, and congratulations to the 11 clubs achieving Hero status (≥$1,000) through December 2024. Once again, D7430 is a leading district both in terms of participating clubs and dollars donated. The generosity of individual Rotarians and clubs enables the life-saving work of ShelterBox, both here and abroad and you should be proud of what you are accomplishing.
ShelterBox will be in the House of Friendship at the District Conference. Be sure to visit us there to learn more and to schedule a presentation to your club. We will have the “Big Check” if you want to do a photo-op recognizing your club’s donation.
Gold (≥$5,000)
Silver (≥$3,000)
Bronze (≥$1,000)
Kutztown
Bethlehem Morning Star
Blue Bell
Pottstown
Doylestown
Horsham
Montgo New Britain
Quakertown
Springfield Township
West Reading- Wyomissing
Willow Grove
Do you want a Shelter Box presence at a club event or do you need a presentation to your club? Contact D7430 Ambassador Bill Tuszynski at bill.tuszynski@gmail.com or 267-374-1631 to put us on your calendar. Contact Bill if you are interested in getting more involved with Shelter Box, either as a co-Ambassador or Club Champion.
Rotary International empowers Rotarians (i) to suggest the rules of Rotary to the Council on Legislation (COL) and (ii) to suggest to the Council on Resolutions (COR) proposed Resolutions relating to actions to be taken by the RI Board or The Rotary Foundation Trustees.
This means that the terms of Rotary International’s Constitution, its Bylaws or the Standard Rotary Club Constitution can come from Rotarians as proposed Enactments to the COL. Further, Rotarians may suggest a policy change as a Resolution to the COR that would require actions to be taken by the Board or the Trustees.
How does a Rotarian propose an Enactment?
Enactments should address structure, not policy, process or procedures. Proposed Enactments are drafted by reference to the constitutional documents sought to be changed using legislative slash marks (for deleted words) and underlines (for words to be added). The Rotarian acts through that Rotarian’s Club or District. An Enactment approved by Club vote must also be approved by the related District at the conference or other agreed upon legislative meeting, or through Club ballot before it can be submitted. Endorsements are required to be submitted by December 31 two years ahead of the COL meeting with a purpose and effect section. The proposed enactments were submitted by December 31, 2023 for the COL to be convened April 14-17, 2025. Learn more at https://my.rotary.org/en/learning-reference/about-rotary/councils.
How does a Rotarian propose a Resolution?
Proposed Resolutions should address the Rotary world, rather than its Constitutional Documents, and request the RI Board or Foundation Trustees to take action. Proposed Resolutions are drafted in two parts: (i) a preamble of supporting information which argues for the resolution and (ii) the action itself, including that the proposer wants the Board or Trustees to take the action. The best proposals include the proposed action to be adopted by the Board or Trustees. The Rotarian drafts a proposed Resolution for adoption first by the Rotarian’s Club, then the related District. After the District Action, the proposer attaches the Club endorsement and causes the District Governor to supply the DG Endorsement.
It must be submitted by June 30, 2025 for consideration at the COR scheduled for October 2025. The COR votes annually on proposed Resolutions submitted annually on this schedule. Proposed resolutions should be submitted within 45 days of DG Endorsement. The proposer submits to the committee for review of defects. If deemed defective, the proposer may submit it for a later Council on Resolutions. If the Committee submits the proposed Resolution to the Committee on Resolutions, a positive vote sends it to the Board or Trustees. Learn more: How to Propose Resolutions.
PDG Bob Hobaugh serves as our District 7430 Representative to the Council on Legislation and Council on Resolutions. He and all other Representatives vote on proposed Enactments and proposed Resolutions. You can reach Bob at RotarianBob@hometownu.biz.
By now all clubs should be actively recruiting students for camp. If you are interested in assistance, you can reach out to Jonathan Joseph Hoster <jjhoster@syr.edu>.
The entire Camp Neidig experience is designed to hone students’ leadership skills and to encourage them to take what they learned and apply those skills to their school and community activities in the future. The program is offered at no cost to the students or their families, thanks to the generosity of the Rotary Clubs of District 7430. Learn more at www.campneidig.com and contact Camp Neidig Committee Chairs Wendy Body at wgbody@yahoo.com or the Camp Director Dr. Stephen Burnham at s_burnham@conradweiser.org.
Watch RYLA video on the camp experience from the campers.
Take an opportunity to listen to a former camper video.
We are in need of a camp nurse. If you are a RN or LPN and would like to join us for this wonderful opportunity, please reach out to Mrs. Body or Dr. Burnham. This is a paid position.
We hope you will join us at “Neidig Night” on Monday, June 16th at 6pm. It’s the best family dinner and closing celebration. Please order your chicken bbq tickets by Friday, May, 30, 2025. (Veggie burger is also available.) $20 per person. All are welcome.
Exciting News: New RYLA at Camp Neidig Video Available!
We’re thrilled to announce the release of a brand-new RYLA at Camp Neidig video, showcasing the impact of this life-changing leadership experience for young people. This engaging video captures the spirit of teamwork, personal growth, and leadership development that makes RYLA such a valuable opportunity for high school students.
How Your Club Can Use This Video:
✅ Share with High School Guidance Counselors & Teachers – Help spread the word to students who would benefit from attending. Provide the link in outreach emails to high school counselors, teachers, and club members. ✅ Post on Your Club’s Website – Highlight your club’s commitment to youth leadership and embed the video on pages about youth programs. ✅ Share on Social Media – Inspire engagement by posting the video on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. ✅ Play at Club Meetings – Showcase the impact of RYLA and encourage member support for this incredible program.
We are in need of a camp nurse. If you are a RN or LPN and would like to join us for this wonderful opportunity, please reach out to Mrs. Body or Dr. Burnham. This is a paid position.
We hope you will join us at “Neidig Night” on Monday, June 16th at 6pm. It’s the best family dinner and closing celebration. Please order your chicken bbq tickets by Friday, May, 30, 2025. (Veggie burger is also available.) $20 per person. All are welcome.
Youth Exchange is alive and well in our district! Thank you to the clubs who support our mission of building peace one student at a time. This year we’ve made some changes to the long term program and are offering multi-district gatherings with the students as our class size is down to 6 inbound students.We would love to see this group grow again in the future. Let Linda Kennedy know if you’d like to have a speaker at your club about Youth Exchange and how it benefits everyone involved. Linda’s email is YEPChair7430@gmail.com.
February – We took a trip to NYC to see MJ the Musical and attended the Friday night dinner of MAPETS for the parade of flags.
March – We postponed our trip to DC with the anticipation of the government shut down. We took the students to the Landis Valley Museum in Lancaster to show them the Amish heritage and followed that up with a lunch at Shady Maple, a shopping trip to King of Prussia and then off to Linda’s home for a sleepover. The following day we went to Elmwood Park Zoo for a few hours before sending the students back to their host families. We pack in a lot of activities, but we want them have a variety of activities and make the most of their time together.
April – you will find the students at the District Conference in Hershey. Please talk with them about their experiences and share some of your favorite spots they should visit before they head to their home countries in June. We will have a booth at the trade show to highlight our program and an opportunity to donate a few dollars to the cause.
Please start searching for the 2026-27 students now. We will be having interviews in Nov/Dec 2025. If your club is hosting a student starting this August, please help your youth exchange officer find host families. The hardest part of the role is identifying families to open their hearts and homes to these students.
We have a few students interested in short-term exchange this summer. We will have more details in the next newsletter. If long term exchange isn’t an option, please consider the short term exchange in either 2025 or 2026. Contact Rose Galeano-Phillips at RotaryRose7430@gamil.com
As we get ready to enjoy the new growth of flowers and trees (unless you have allergies!) it’s an opportunity to think about how being outside in nature can really help us deal with anxiety and other mental health challenges.
Spotify has launched the Take a Beat campaign, redefining how we use music for mental wellness. This initiative encourages users to take mindful pauses with curated playlists, designed to uplift and calm. By integrating music into daily routines, listeners find a source of comfort and resilience. It’s a simple yet powerful way to help individuals hit pause and reconnect with themselves! It takes just a minute to download: https://open.spotify.com/genre/0JQ5DAqbMKFI0dU3sFNssi
And for a more aggressive (and funny!) mental health and wellness message, here’s a commercial from ASICS featuring Succession actor Brian Cox, emphasizing the powerful connections between movement and mental wellness – don’t be a slave to your desk! Just 15 minutes of activity can help reverse the negative effects of prolonged sitting, fostering better mental and physical health. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBu3T-eLH1U
May is Mental Health Awareness month. Spend some time this month finding a resource, speaker or video that has inspired you on your mental health and wellness journey to share with your club members. Have someone from your school district come in to talk about how young people are handling their mental health issues or someone from the county office to share resources available to all ages. Or maybe you plan a group walk in nature in place of a club meeting. The World Wildlife Federation has a “Prescription for Nature.” Watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBu3T-eLH1U&t=60s
This is Environment Month in Rotary. Protecting the Environment – it’s one of Rotary’s areas of focus. Rotarians share an interest in protecting our common legacy: the environment. Rotarians around the globe are committing themselves to activities that strengthen the conservation and protection of natural resources, advance ecological sustainability, and foster harmony between communities and the environment.
In District 7430, we’re celebrating our focus on the environment by once again holding the Rotary Day of Service on April 19. On that day and throughout this month, Rotarians will be
Cleaning up streets, highways, waterways, trails, community parks, and neighborhoods.
Planting and maintaining pollinator gardens
Planting trees
Creating riparian buffers along streams
Collecting and recycling single-use plastics
Planting community gardens
On April 19 at 1:00 pm, the Kutztown club and the District Environmental Sustainability Team will be getting the District’s pollinator garden at Camp Edmar back in shape for spring. Come on out and help us get the garden beds ready for the arrival of the pollinator insects. The garden is located near Kutztown.
And, this month we’ll be starting another District-led project administered by the Collegeville Rotary Club. With the project funding coming from a District Grant (just like the Camp Edmar pollinator garden), we will be helping the Perkiomen Valley School District expand PV Woods, two arboretums located at their middle schools.
The project will address the need for hands-on outdoor education while fostering ecological awareness and biodiversity conservation. The gardens will be designed using the Fibonacci sequence, a naturally occurring mathematical pattern that supports optimal plant growth and pollinator attraction.
The gardens will serve as outdoor classrooms where students can engage in STEM learning, environmental studies, and artistic exploration. Featuring native plants and trees that support butterfly, bird, and bee populations, the spaces will provide real-world applications for mathematical concepts and ecological principles. Rotarians will be directly involved in the planning, planting, and educational outreach components, offering workshops and engaging with students and community members to foster a deeper connection with nature.
You are invited to come out and help us do the initial planting of the gardens this spring. Dates will be announced shortly. The project will serve as a pilot for us to show other schools in our District how to create their own environmental learning center.
The Environmental Sustainability Team has also been working on ways that we can help schools keep food waste our of landfills by composting it. We’ll have more details on this in the coming months.
And finally – We encourage you to take individual actions that reduce your Carbon Footprint. While you can help create systemic change, there are also countless opportunities to be taking small personal actions that inspire your friends and family to do the same. The Internet is loaded with ideas on reducing your footprint.
It’s Rotary’s Environment Month. Let’s get out and make a difference.
Program Highlights - Public Health Youth Summit 2025
The Science of Vaccines
Bucks County Community College, Newtown Campus
April 30, 2025 9:00 – 1:30 PM
Presented by the PA Polio Survivors Network and Rotary District 7430 as we honor Rotary International’s Focus on Disease Prevention and Treatment.
Highlighted by educational support from: The Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership
and The Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
9:00 – Student Arrival & Registration
(225 students are coming from 25 different high schools throughout our District.)
Opening Remarks and Introductions
Keynote Speaker: The Science of Vaccines
Paul A. Offit, MD
Director, Vaccine Education Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Guest Speaker: Vaccines: A Global Perspective:
Michael A. McGovern
Chair, International PolioPlus Committee, Rotary International
Student Breakout Sessions
Interaction with Polio survivors, living with the disabling effects of what is now a vaccine preventable disease.
Participate in a hands-on activity with the Vaccine Education Center at CHOP exploring both the history and science of vaccines.
Learn from the BCHIP team, as they engage the students in an interactive presentation about the many careers in healthcare, exploring both degreed and non-degreed job options.
How Can Your Club Help?
Make a donation: Help defray the cost of lunch for our students. Donations can be made to the PA Polio Network (a licensed 501c3 organization). Please note: “Youth Summit”
in the comment line of your donation. https://www.polionetwork.org/#donate
Note: With the exception of these food items, all expenses for this event are being paid by a grant provided to the PA Polio Survivors Network.
Thank you to the Rotary Club of Doylestown for your generous donation.
Volunteer to help. (All volunteers must sign up ahead and commit to be there from 8:15-2:00 PM).
Win a 10-Day Excursion to Cambodia with Fellow Rotarians!
Are you ready for an unforgettable journey that blends adventure, cultural immersion, and hands-on service? The Rotary Club of Pursat and Sustainable Cambodia invite you to enter a special drawing for a paid 10-day excursion through Cambodia—exclusively for attendees of the April 4–6, 2025, Multi-Rotary District Conference at The Hershey Lodge! How to Enter:
📍 Visit the Sustainable Cambodia Table at the House of Friendship 📝 Complete and submit an entry card before 9:00 PM, Saturday, April 5 🎟️ One entry per person—make sure it’s legible!
The winner will be drawn on April 5 at 10:00 PM during the evening entertainment.
About the Prize: One lucky Rotarian will receive a paid spot ($1,090 value) on a 10-day excursion to Cambodia in either November 2025 or January 2026 (trip date to be selected by May 15, 2025).
✨ What’s Included? ✅ Hotel accommodations ✅ Transportation within Cambodia ✅ Daily breakfasts & lunches (and select dinners) ✅ Guided tours to Phnom Penh, Siem Reap & Angkor Wat ✅ Visits to remote villages & Rotary-sponsored projects 🚫 Not Included: Flights to/from Cambodia, travel insurance, personal expenses
Experience Cambodia Like Never Before More than just a vacation, this journey offers an extraordinary opportunity to witness the life-changing impact of Rotary projects. Explore Cambodia’s breathtaking landscapes, walk among ancient temples, and connect with communities benefiting from Rotary’s support.
Even if you don’t win, you can still join this life-changing trip! Spots are available for just $995 per person (double occupancy) or $1,090 (single occupancy).
Don't miss your chance to win the adventure of a lifetime! Stop by the Sustainable Cambodia Table at the House of Friendship and enter today.
Visit this link: Visit SC in Cambodia–Sustainable Cambodia to download a brochure providing more information about these tours. The tours are organized and hosted by the Rotary Club of Pursat and Sustainable Cambodia.
This is your chance to cut seed potatoes for feeding the food-insecure in a 5-county area. The Potato Project will host a seed cutting with Rotarians on Sunday, April 27, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 p.m., or earlier when the potatoes are cut for planting.
Meet at Becker's St. Peter's ELC, 265 Maidencreek Rd., Fleetwood (Molltown) PA 19522. Bring a paring (or steak) knife, cutting board, and wear clothes that might get dirty! This is the sixteenth year that District 7430 Rotarians have lent a hand.
Rotarians in District 7430 traveled to Argentina on a Friendship Exchange in March. Besides eating a lot of beef, they enjoyed seeing the amazing projects of the local Rotary clubs, and meeting the Rotarians.
Friendship Exchanges are a great way to visit another country. Instead of staying in hotels, you stay in the homes of Rotary members, and become instant friends. Meet some of the other 1.4 million Rotarians around the world! Watch for the next Friendship Exchange. You can participate in the United States by opening your home to visitors from another district or participate by traveling to another part of the world. As a Rotary member, you are never without friends, anywhere in the world.
Front row, L to R: Rose Galliano Phillips (Kutztown club); Alicia Ruiz Orbin (Emmaus club); Dee Eng (Emmaus club); Mayor of Villa Angostura; Cindy Hornaman (Emmaus club); aide in tourism bureau
Second row, L to R: Mike Orbin (Bethlehem Morning Star); Dave Phillips, head of tourism bureau; Herb Klotz (Allentown West club); Christian Schultz, next president of Passport Club,Villa Angostura; Francesco Orzans RFE chair, 4912 Passport Club, Chris Hornaman, Gary Rohrbach (Emmaus Club)
Katie Farrell, Gwenn Carr, Cindy Hornaman, Amy Sheller, Mary Cook, Bill Tuszynski, Terry Reed, Michael Orbin,
Carol Ferguson, Carolyne Jordan, Bob Hobaugh, Diane Donaher, Dee Eng, Stephen Burnham
Questions or concerns about this issue? Contact the editor at: marleneheller@mac.com
ts for camp. If you are interested in assistance, you can reach out to Jonathan Joseph Hoster <
.png)
