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President Steven's Weekly Update

MARCH is Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Month

Manhattan Rotary Club

Week of March 27, 2023

March 30 - Jim Genandt, Update of Manhattan Area Technical College Projects

Greetings Fellow Rotarians,

Please reserve your lunch. Click on the link way down below my name, where it says Manhattan Country Club.

Last week, Professor Matthew Sanderson from KSU Sociology, gave a very interesting presentation about recent research he and others conducted with farmers and ranchers (both irrigated and nonirrigated) in the Ogallala region. They were wanting to know if those most immediately affected by diminishing water levels thought there was a problem. Further, they wanted to determine if the farmers and ranchers were only concerned about themselves or maybe also the community. Fascinating research and discussion.

Also at last week's meeting, we had a fun session wherein Rotarians from Montpelier, VT, presented our new Director of the Riley County Police Department Brian Peete, with a belated Paul Harris Fellow award. Director Peete left Vermont for Manhattan before the presentation could take place, so we did it via Zoom. Rotarians Jack Lindley, Bill Miles and Emily Gould joined us and spoke eloquently about their reasons for gifting Director Peete with a Paul Harris Fellow citation and pin. It was a moving session for all (see picture below).

Last Wednesday, 10+ local nonprofits and agencies came by the Ag Press warehouse to pick up products brought to town through the Love the Little Apple Project. Rotarians volunteering were Janet Lowell, Chris Nolte, Rebecca Gould, Paul Bullock, Tara Claussen, and Gary Fees.

We need volunteers for next Wednesday and beyond. To volunteer for the Love the Little Apple Project from 8-10am on Wednesday mornings or from 1-3pm, please log on at the Konza United Way website, if you have already volunteered in the past. If not, please watch the following short video by Tara Claussen, Secretary of our Club, for instructions on how to sign up and volunteer: sign up video.

Last Wednesday evening, March 22nd, we hosted a Rotary on Tap at the Sunflower Children's Collective, 323 Poyntz Ave. Suite 101, from 4-6pm. We enjoyed seeing many members and guests in attendance. Thanks to Carson Kober for hosting us and Rachel Klataske and Larry Erpelding for organizing the food and drink. It was a fun time.

The CAAHT Club (Community Action Again Human Trafficking) received a District 5710 grant last fall to purchase clothing and toiletries to make Rotary Cares Kits for women exiting trafficking or domestic abuse. Often these women arrive at a center with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The kits are given to centers to provide some basics for the women. Our Rotary club and a few others in the District contributed $500 apiece to enhance the grant. Last Saturday, Rebecca Gould, Linda Morse and I went to Topeka to pack 114 kits. We brought back 30 kits which were presented to The Crisis Center on Monday. Kathy Ray and staff were so excited to receive the kits (see pictures below).

Have a good week. I look forward to seeing you at our next Rotary meeting on Thursday March 30th.

Steven Graham

2022-2023 President

Manhattan Rotary Club

(cell) 785-532-8120

sgraham@ksu.edu

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Please join us at the Manhattan Country Club on Thursday, March 30th, from 12:00-1:00pm. Lunch opens at 11:30am and costs $12.

Please RSVP for lunch by Wednesday at midnight to: https://manhattancc.surveysparrow.com/s/Rotary-Club/tt-deafc2

You do NOT need to RSVP if you are not eating.

The meeting will start at 12:15pm.

To join the Meeting by ZOOM:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87387499653?pwd=eVdYZ29zdDhnQ0MrZWVXMklPNC9IQT09

Meeting ID: 873 8749 9653

Passcode: 280408

To download the weekly ZOOM files to your calendar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZMuf6spzIsH9eG2uCpIlmhjnzD4nCK9PDc/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGvrTMtHt2cthyERpwEA4qgKOjxmFhdgvpYu03wIDB6bg7-POxYFuZxM_OJ

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Opportunities to Participate

Manhattan Rotary Club Meetings

March 30 - Jim Genandt, President/CEO, Manhattan Area Technical College Update
April 6 - Matt Crocker, President/CEO, Steel and Pipe Supply company update
April 13 - Greg Lohrentz, Edge District update
April 20 - Mary Martel, Stormont Vail local projects overview
April 27 - Elaine Johannes, Statewide Community Health Research

Konza Rotary Club Meetings

March 31 - Dawn Buehler, Kansas Riverkeepers/Battery Cleanup
April 7 - Scott Voos, Director of Be Able
April 14 - OFF-SITE with Blade Mages at Wareham Hall Renovations
April 21 - Carol Shanklin, Kitchen Restore program overview
April 28 - Emily Dixon and Drew Shaw, Rotary Foundation Fun

Rotaract Meetings at KSU

Wednesday, April 5th @ 6:00 pm in Union 209 - Officer elections and make care packages for The Crisis Center
Friday, April 21st @ 6:00 pm - Bowling Social in the Union

CAAHT (Community Action Again Human Trafficking) Club Meetings

Meetings are at 12:00p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of the month by zoom. For more information contact Sharon Sullivan sharon.sullivan@washburn.edu or Patti Mellard, patti@keystaffing.com.

Upcoming Rotary Events –

March 30 - Konza Club's "Somewhere over the Rainbow" fundraiser for local food banks - 5:30-8pm, Midwest Dream Car Collection
April 15 - Kansas River Clean Up with KAWS, Rotaract, Interact and other groups.
May 6 am - Homestead Ministries House Clean Up/Fix Up with Konza Rotary Club
May 6 - Gathering for Good, District 5710 Foundation Fundraiser, Maceli's Banquet Hall, Lawrence, KS from 5:30-9PM
June 7 - Rotary on Tap with Konza Rotary Club - Colbert Hills from 5-7pm
June 19 - Golf Tournament with the Konza Rotary Club, Manhattan Country Club, pm
October 12-14 - District 5710 Conference in Topeka

Opportunities to Contribute

March Cup Money

Laundry Love MHK is a neighboring movement seeking to provide support in the form of free laundry to all individuals and families who need it. Laundry Love MHK services are provided at Suds Y'r Duds, 1453 Anderson Ave., on the second Tuesday of every month from 6:00-9:00 pm. Their monthly average of loads in 2022 was 120, which is an all-time high for the organization’s five years of operations.

If you cannot make it to meetings to drop your contribution in the cup, you may:

Mail it to Manhattan Rotary Club, PO Box 331, Manhattan, KS 66505-0331.
Send a check to the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation, 555 Poyntz, Suite 269, Manhattan, KS 66502, with the memo saying, ‘Rotary Club Cup Money.’
You may also contribute Cup Money via Venmo. Use the QR Code below.

Rotary Foundation

To make your contribution to the Rotary Foundation:

Go on-line to www.rotary.org and click Donate and then Annual Fund. You will then sign in and pay.
Write your check to Rotary Foundation and mail it to Rotary Foundation - 14280 Collections Center Drive, Chicago, IL 60693 or to Manhattan Rotary Club, PO Box 331, Manhattan KS 66505.
Write your check to Rotary Foundation and give it to Bob Ward or Janet Lowell at a meeting.

USD 383

Take your used books in good condition to Dusty Bookshelf in Aggieville. Mention they are for the Rotary/USD383 account for books for elementary school students in our community. We already have some money in the account! Please do not take more than two boxes at a time. For more information, please contact Bill Richter (wrichter@ksu.edu)

Opportunities to Show your Rotary Pride

Purchase Official Rotary Products

If you are interested in purchasing official Rotary products like caps or hats, shirts, socks, or even chrome plated license plate frames, go to the Russell Hampton website at www.bestclubsupplies.com to see the full selection of merchandise.

Document your Profile in My Rotary

You can document your biographical profile in My Rotary. It is a wonderful way to share your contact and background information, your Rotary resume, information about any Rotary programs you have participated in, and your professional experience and areas of expertise. To create or update your biographical profile, go to https://my.rotary.org and click on “My Profile.”

Rotarian Linda Morse introduces Brian Peete, new Director of the Riley County Police Department, as he receives a Paul Harris Fellow award from Rotarians in Montpelier, VT. Director Brian Peete spoke about his time in Montpelier, VT, and the wonderful Rotarians who presented him with a Paul Harris Fellow certificate and pin.