“Gratitude makes optimism sustainable” ~Michael J. Fox
 
I am both enormously grateful and incredibly optimistic about our efforts to support Ukrainians. Read more for the story and to view photos.
Here is where we are in our 3-pronged approach (please view photos below):
  1. The Rotary Disaster Response Fund
    In less than 3 weeks, the Rotarians of District 5650 have raised over $80,000 for this fund. And this doesn’t count what funds have been raised by non-Rotarians because of our influence and inspiration. When we first put the challenge out to match the $15,000 from the District, I was secretly optimistic that we’d get $25,000 from you. We have over $65,000 from you! I am grateful for each of you! Extra extra gratitude to the enormously generous Rotarian who gave $25,000 to our effort. Thank You Alan Stanek from Omaha Suburban!
     
  2. The Grant from the Disaster Response Fund
    On Friday, March 18, I received a message from my friend and DG classmate Jane Hopkins from D5450 in Illinois. She was working to put together a 10 District effort to secure 10- $25,000 grants from the Disaster Fund to help the Ukraine Medical Association of North America airlift 50 tons of trauma medical supplies to Poland where it will be divided up and trucked over to the Ukraine medical units and hospitals on the front-line of the war. The following two Thursdays, over 150 tons of medical supplies where airlifted and are in the hands of Ukrainian medics and doctors! I am grateful and optimistic that these supplies are saving lives. I have extra gratitude to Bill Harvey, our District Foundation Chair, for cranking out the paperwork over the weekend so we could get this grant to our partners in Chicago! Thank you Bill!
     
  3. Our Medical Supply Gathering Efforts
    We are in the process of gathering a truck load of medical supplies that have come from all over the District and bringing them here to Council Bluffs. Special thanks to Centennial President Jen Leverett for the use of her garage!  Many of you have been helping with your network of connections to medical supply companies, hospitals, EMS, Departments of Health, etc., to get us supplies. A few boxes here, a few boxes there, has added up. We will be transporting this pile of supplies to Chicago this weekend to go out on the next flight on April 12th. I am grateful to those who have contributed their time, talent, transportation, and ties to this effort. The optimism this gives me is that no matter the problem, Rotarians (and those that may not be members yet but know Service Above Self) will unite to solve it. I am extra grateful for PDG Mick McKinley who is helping us get the supplies to Chicago! Thanks Mick!
I want to share some special gratitude to a couple of our Rotarians who have gone above and beyond:
  • Randy Bretz
    Randy has shared his talents for writing and for public relations above and beyond for us the past few weeks. It would have been much more difficult to have accomplished the list above without those efforts. Thank you Randy!
  • Barbara Bartle
    Right now DGE Barbara is in Poland (yes Poland). She is helping with an effort, https://operationsafeharborukraine.com, that Rotarian Steve Glenn (Lincoln 14) started by securing a hotel in Warsaw for over 150 Ukrainian refugees (women and children) to have a place to be warm, fed, and safe. Very special thank you to Steve! She is also growing our connections with Rotarians, Clubs, and Districts in Poland and following up on our medical supply efforts. Thank you Barbara and keep sending the pictures.
Overall, I have never been prouder to be a Rotarian, to serve as your District Governor, and to be friends with all you amazing human beings. My heart is full. THANK YOU!
 
Spiral Up!
~Carol
 
Photos - women and children are sheltering in hotels in Poland. Stickers provide some fun for the children.
Rotarians have accumulated medical supplies - shipped to warehouses, placed on trucks and then on planes to Poland then shipped into Ukraine.