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Message From President Pete
     I would like to thank everyone for helping make our 1st meeting of the year a success.  It was great to have lunch back and see some people who have not attended for a while.  Let's keep this trend going.
     Don't forget to bring your FULL cereal box to donate!! See Service Opportunities article below.
     
     Thanks.  Pete

   
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September 14th Program
Rockford Refugee Support Program
 
    
 
     
     Mustafa Abdall, a new member of our Club in 2023, has been a member of the Rockford Community only since 2010 when he arrived in Rockford with his wife, Sahar, and two young children. Having been sponsored by the United Nations and the US government, Mus and his family were invited by our city to live here.  Only 13 years ago, Mus and his family were new members of our community with great dreams for their future and greater dreams for their children.
     Mustafa strongly believes in education for all, having come to the US with a BA in English and an MBA in Business Management from the University of Bagdad. Once in Rockford, he continued his love of learning as he completed an MBA in Marketing and an MA in Teaching, he is currently continuing toward the completion of his EdD in Education, Administration and Leadership Management. Mustafa’s experience, his education and his work have made him a Multicultural Expert in our community.  
    Mustafa was an ESL teacher and an international student recruiter at Rockford University, an RPS205 bilingual family support staff and tutor and a bilingual teacher of math at Lincoln Middle School. In 2022, Mustafa established “Solutions Business Center” to serve the multicultural community needs in Winnebago County as they learn how to take an idea or skill and turn it into a successful business. In 2021, Mustafa became the first Arab American elected as a Winnebago County Trustee.
     Mustafa volunteers throughout our community as he helps newcomers get to know the best of our city and how they can keep their culture while improving their lives.
     His program for our club presents the issues for refugees and immigrants coming to Rockford and how RPS205 has developed an educational approach and program to help those newcomer students participate and succeed.
     This will an interesting and informative program about a topic that we hear a lot about in the media, but do not know a lot about in our own community and our school district.  This will be a great opportunity to bring a guest or prospective member to join us in person at Memorial Hall or via zoom.  PDG Elise Cadigan will introduce our speaker and act as Rotary host.   
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September 21st Program
 
The Financial State of our Rotary Club Made Interesting
 
     Financial information is probably not what most people would describe as something that keeps us interested and awake.  However, Monica Glenny has promised to make the "Financial State of Our Rotary Club Interesting".  For those of us who have been around for a few years, you have seen Monica's "interesting" sense of humor displayed at various meetings.  Whether it was her "interesting" hats or her "interesting" costumes, she has always been a source of "interesting" presentations.  We should expect nothing less than an "interesting" program on Rockford Rotary's financial state. 
     Monica joined Rockford Rotary on June 8, 2000, and has been active from the beginning.  She served on the Board of Directors and was program chair prior to serving as President during the 2005-06 Rotary Year.  She currently serves as the Club Treasurer.  She has been a business owner (Datacraft), a beauty supply salesperson and a few other things that we don't know about.  She is also active in a number of organizations around town.
     This will be an "interesting" and "informative" program and one that you should bring a guest or prospective member whether you join us in person at Memorial Hall or via zoom.  As of press time we were looking for a suitable host. 
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District Membership Award
 
District 6420 Mewmbership Award
 
     At our September 1st meeting, Laura Kann, Past District 6420 Governor, presented Past President Eric Moe with an award for the Best Membership Growth of all the clubs in the district.  Our club welcomed 11 new members during the 2022-2023 Rotary Year.  
     Congratulations to Membership Committee chairperson Linda Niemiec and the entire committee for a wonderful job this past year.
     We are off to a great start for the 2023-24 Rotary year with two new members, Michelle Ryan for Habitat for Humanity and Maggie Kasicki from Rockford University, who will be inducted into the club at our September 8th meeting.
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Service Opportunities
Service Opportunities
 
     - The Rock River Valley Pantry will have a collection barrel at Memorial Hall until Tuesday, October 3.  Please bring cereal for this collection.
     There is also a QR Code if you would prefer to donate money.
 
     - Kids Around the World is sponsoring a Million Meal Pack on Saturday, September 23rd and September 24th.  The flyer has a QR code, or you can sign up individually at katw,org/Rockford1M.  Bring your children and grandchildren - it is great fun!  There are five different tine slots so everyone should be able to find a time to help with this worthy cause.  The meals will be sent to children in Zambia, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.
     
     Thank you, Rotarians, for your Service Above Self!
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Weekly RI Foundation Message
 
     Each week we will be publishing a message from the Rotary International Foundation.  This week's message is:
 
     WHAT ARE DISTRICT DESIGNATED FUNDS?
 
     District Designated Funds (DDF) are generated based on contributions to the Annual Fund.
 
     Every year, each district’s contributions to the Annual Fund-SHARE are divided up. First, 5% is deducted for operational costs. The rest is split equally, 47.5% each, between the World Fund and funding for the district. The Rotary Foundation Weekly Messages (August 2022)
 
     As we’ve mentioned, the money is invested for three years before it becomes available to districts. Your district can ask for up to half of its DDF in a district grant each year, then use the funds for the grants and programs that matter most in your area.
 
     This formula makes The Rotary Foundation an integral part of Rotary in our communities.
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Rotary Lunches
 
     Starting with our September 7th meeting, we will be having lunches at our noon meetings.  We will be starting with a package from Beef-A-Roo.  It will consist of a Wrap, salad, chips, cookie, and a soda or water.  There will bea variety of meats in the wraps.  This is a work in progress and things may change.  Lunches will start on September 7, 2023 and will be available at 11:45 AM the day of the meeting.
     PLEASE.  If you plan to bring a guest, PLEASE let us know 3 days in advance so we can make arrangements for food.  It will be your responsibility to cover the cost at $12.50 per meal.
 
     Thanks
     Pete Rundquist - runky907@comcast.net
     President, Rockford Rotary
     
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Future Programs
Future Programs
 
09/28/23 -   Committee Meetings
 
10/05/23 - "Tropical Diseases & Their World-Wide Impact"
                  Speaker - Gordon Eggers
                  Host - TBD
 
10/12/23 - "2023-2024 - A Rotary Year of Hope & Peace"
                  Speaker - District Governor David Emerick
                  The Annual Visit by the District Governor
                  Host - TBD
 
10/19/23 - "Why We Must Keep 'Eradicate Polio Now' As Our #1 Priority
                  Speaker - Bob Presman
                  Host - TBD
 
10/26/23 - "Service Above Self Awards"
                  Host - David Byrnes
 
11/02/23 - "Child Abuse and Human Trafficking - Doing Nothing is not an Option"
                  Host - TBD
 
11/09/23 - "Annual Tribute to our Veterans"
                  Host - Janine Idsrein
 
11/16/23 - Yaniv Attar and Julie Thomas - "Rockford Symphony's 5th Music Director"
                  Host - TBD
 
11/23/23 - Thanksgiving - No Meeting
 
11/30/23 - "Holiday Social" Hosted by President Pete
 
12/07/23 - Dr. Alex Stagnaro=Green and Dr. Jeff Smith
                  "The Changing Face of Medical Care and the Education of Doctors"
 
12/14/23 - Jay Sandine - "Our Park District Expanding Our Economy"
                  Host - TBD
 
12/21/23 - "Multi-Cultural Holiday Festival Music
                  Host - TBD
 
12/28/23 - Happy Holidays - No Meeting
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Rockford Rotary PayPal Account
 
Charitable Association PayPal Account
 
     Rockford Rotary Charitable Association now has a PayPal account.
     You can use this to reserve your spot at our April 27 High School Recognition Program, donate to support students and parents attending the Program, donate to our book project for the Rockford Public Library, or make general donations to the Rockford Rotary Charitable Association.
 
The PayPal handle is @CharitableRkfdRotary
 
Thank you!
 
Monica
815-988-0913
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Sep 21, 2023
The Financial State of Our Rotary Club Made Interesting
Sep 28, 2023
Introduction of our Youth Exchange Student - Surisa "Chama" Chaithammachok
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Upcoming Events
Board Meetings
Sep 19, 2023
 
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Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Brian De Benedetto
September 4
 
Earl Dotson
September 17
 
Denise Noe
September 19
 
Terry Anderson
September 21
 
Phil Dierstein
September 27
 
Brian Kobischka
September 28
 
Join Date
Margret Hynes
September 1, 2022
1 year
 
Rebecca Tyo
September 1, 2022
1 year
 
Ruth Todt
September 3, 2002
21 years
 
John Anderson
September 6, 2001
22 years
 
Dick Leighton
September 7, 1967
56 years
 
Taylor Carlin
September 9, 2004
19 years
 
Elise Cadigan
September 15, 1988
35 years
 
Hannah Warren
September 15, 2016
7 years
 
Jennifer Furst
September 15, 2022
1 year
 
Suzanne Shelain
September 15, 2022
1 year
 
Frank Buchmann
September 19, 2019
4 years
 
Nellie Miller
September 19, 2019
4 years
 
Rudy Valdez
September 28, 2017
6 years
 
Roger Maggio
September 30, 1982
41 years
 
Meeting Responsibilities
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