Serving Washington, Idaho and British Columbia
People of Action
District Digest

District Leaders

Linda Kay Bauer
District Governor
Kim Jane Edmondson
Ombudsman
Doreen Fox Kelsey
DG-Elect
Lorne Westnedge
DG-Nominee
Lynn Theresa O'Connor
Immediate Past District Governor
Luke J. Russell
District Secretary
Brenda Bookholtz
District Treasurer
Maria Kliavkoff
District Peace Committee Co-Chair
James David Bauer
Chief of Staff
Randy Bowen
Assistant Governor
Debi G Dockins
Assistant Governor
John Nicholas Guarisco
Assistant Governor
Kathleen M. Lawrence
Assistant Governor
Fiona Martin
Assistant Governor
Tom Osborn
Assistant Governor
Dewayne Mark Penner
Assistant Governor
Eric Robert Redeker
Assistant Governor
Steven Roberge
Assistant Governor
Mayumi van der Pol
Assistant Governor
Robert B. Quay Jr.
District Finance Chair
Sheila C. Hart
District Service Chair
Kees van der Pol
District Communication Officer
Emily Osborne
District Trainer

A Seasonal Message of Peace and Good Will

By Maxine Ruzicka on Thursday, December 1, 2022

As we enter this festive season that celebrates peace, love and goodwill to all and having much significance for many Faith groups around the world; , we see that Rotary also embraces the same world message.


This is exemplified in our 2022-23 presidential theme, “Imagine Rotary”. Our Rotary President, Jennifer Jones, asks Rotary members to dream big and take action: ”We all have dreams but acting on them is a choice…”

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Introducing Todd Shepherd!

By Doreen Fox Kelsey on Tuesday, December 6, 2022
Introducing Todd Shepard, District Membership Committee Chair 2022-2025

An active and dedicated Rotarian who joined the Tri-Cities Sunrise Rotary Club in 2016, Todd got involved beyond the club level almost immediately upon joining Rotary. Lately, he has been instrumental in making our recent membership development panels a success, sharing his insights on attracting and engaging members. Read More

Governor's December video message

Dear District 5080 Rotarians,

December is here! As you can imagine, this is a special month for Jim and me. We are starting our Santa visits this weekend, and this year our charity of choice is the Rotary Foundation.

It's been a busy few months, so the message is a short one. Thank you Dr. Steve Wiley from Columbia Center Rotary for shooting these videos for us. You make it fun. Here's the link for December's message: https://youtu.be/5i3O_fY9Q60.


From our house to yours, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Blessed Kwanzaa, and Happy Hanukkah,

Linda Bauer
District Governor 2022-23

A gift for Polio announced at the Rotary Zone 26/27 Trails To Peace Institute!

By Lynn Theresa O'Connor on Thursday, December 8, 2022
On November 11, 2022, at the Zones 26/27 Trails to Peace Institute, officials from Latter-day Saint Charities (the Philanthropic arm of the LDS Church), announced their gift of $5 Million USD to The Rotary Foundation for PolioPlus. This wonderful gift will be matched 2-to-1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, increasing the donation to $15 Million! This is in addition to the $400,000 USD gift LDS Charities pledged in Berlin last month at the World Health Summit’s “Pledging Moment” for PolioPlus. We are so grateful to LDS Charities and to the Gates Foundation for these large donations toward the eradication of Polio world-wide.

Time for PETS (President-Elect Training Seminar)!

By Doreen Fox Kelsey on Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Time for PETS!

President-Elect Training Seminar, that is. If you have had the pleasure of serving as club president and attended Pacific Northwest PETS, you know how inspirational the experience can be. It’s one of the best things about serving as a club president – having the opportunity to meet and network with more than 500 other presidents-elect and hear some of the best speakers the Rotary world has to offer.

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A Lovely Story About A Dedicated Teacher

By Janice Sommerfeld on Saturday, December 3, 2022

In 2020 during Covid, the Rotary Club of Mtunzini in South Africa was given 1 ton of ePap (pre-cooked porridge) to distribute among communities who were running out of food and resources. The news spread and many people were helped. One morning the Club was called by a teacher who said the 20 kids who attended her creche (a nursery for young children) in the mountains outside Mtunzini were starving, and she needed help. That is when the Rotary Club of Mtunzini met Bachazile Mgwaba, soft spoken and determined with the heart of a lion. Her little one room creche stood like a sentinel on a hill overlooking the hills of Nozandla. It was built by her husband because he understood her passion for children. It had only the most basic amenities, but it was a safe place where parents knew their children would be looked after and given a basic education. Her call for help sent the Rotary Club of Mtunzini into action, who in turn called on their Global Rotary Friends to help them. The Rotary Club of Cranbrook Sunrise had a working relationship with them and set the call for help in motion, raising over $1400 which was sent in July of 2021 to help with food and other essential school supplies.

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Update from the Interact Club of Coeur d'Alene

By Victoria Broden on Saturday, December 3, 2022
My name is Alexander Nipp, and I currently serve as president of the
Interact Club of Coeur d'Alene. Our club currently has 31 members from
schools all across the Coeur d'Alene area. While we have only been
operating for roughly three months, we have hit the ground running
with several projects... Read More

Update from the Interact Club of Colville

By Victoria Broden on Thursday, December 8, 2022

Colville Interact Club
Beginning of Year Overview
November 23, 2022

The Colville Interact Club has been gaining back some of its normal momentum after the Covid-19 pandemic...

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GET ON THE PEACE TRAIN BY JOINING A PEACE POLE CHAIN

By Bill D. Furey on Thursday, December 1, 2022
The District 5080 Passport Peacebuilder Club, in conjunction with the District Peace Committee, is starting up a Peace Pole Chain. The idea is that your Club will be provided a Peace Pole through an Express Grant or from Club funds. Your Club will then pay it forward by buying a Peace Pole for another Club and they will do the same, paying this forward and so on, creating a CHAIN.



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Rotary International Convention

By Linda Kay Bauer on Thursday, December 1, 2022
December 15th is the deadline for an early registration price break.

Register here https://convention.rotary.org/en

The Host Organising Committee is very excited to welcome Rotary members and guests to Melbourne for the 2023 Rotary International Convention. Known as one of the world’s most livable cities, you will enjoy what we take for granted, a beautiful, vibrant and cosmopolitan city.

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Going to the Rotary Convention in Melbourne!

By Lynn Theresa O'Connor on Thursday, December 8, 2022
Register here: https://zone2627.org/events/breakfast/?utm_source=sendinblue&utm_campaign=Zone%202627%20Newsletter%20December%201%202022&utm_medium=email

Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Association President's Message

By Maria Kliavkoff on Saturday, December 3, 2022
If you are curious as to why District 5080 is involved in the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park Association, you can watch the Association's President, Maria Kliavkoff's monthly video messages. Lots to learn here!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9Dk42zg6Yo

Why your club needs a public image chair

By Lynn Theresa O'Connor on Thursday, December 8, 2022
(From the blog site: Rotary Voices blog.rotary.org)

By Bernd Meidel, District 1950 Public Image Chair (Germany)

It’s important that Rotary and Rotaract clubs tell their stories in ways that help communities understand what Rotary does and why our work matters, so as to inspire others to get involved. Appointing a club public image chair can increase your success at making the club’s communications consistent and unmistakably Rotary.

As the District 1950 Public Image Chair (Germany), I have been responsible for promoting Rotary and its activities on the district level and helping clubs develop their public image. Here are a few things I have observed:

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Navigating the District Website, 5th Edition

Leaning about the Foundation


This story is a continuation of the previous stories providing a general outline of structure and content of the District 5080. This edition, will outline information related to the Foundation that can be accessed through the website. Read More