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
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
Norman A. McCarvell
District Administration Chair
Sheila C. Hart
District Service Chair
Kees van der Pol
District Communication Officer
Emily Osborne
District Trainer

A Special Invitation!

By Linda Kay Bauer on Thursday, April 6, 2023
Dear Rotarians,

It is my pleasure to invite you to our upcoming District 5080/5100 Celebration, an event that promises to be both exciting and fun! This year's conference theme is "Friends and Neighbors - the Magic of Rotary," and we have planned a host of activities and events that will make this conference one to remember.

From May 18-21, we will gather at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick to celebrate the magic of Rotary and the friendships and connections we have built along the way. We are partnering with District 5100 to the south of us. Our conference will showcase the incredible work that Rotarians are doing in their communities to make a positive difference.
The weekend opens with the Peacebuilders in Action: Working Together for Positive Peace on Thursday afternoon. Peace poles will be dedicated at the beautiful Reach Museum on the Columbia River.

We have lined up several exciting conference speakers who will share their inspiring stories of how they have made a difference in their communities by working together with friends and neighbors. There will also be breakout sessions where you can network with fellow Rotarians and learn from each other's experiences.

But that's not all. We have planned some exciting activities that will help you connect with your fellow Rotarians and have fun. There will be a gala dinner dinner Saturday night, local entertainment throughout the weekend, and a little golf, among other things. We believe that these activities will help you relax and recharge so that you can go back to your communities with renewed energy and enthusiasm.

Do you have any idea how cool the House of Friendship at our District Celebration will be!? This is where clubs/committees/Fellowships/Rotary Action Groups/Projects set up a display to share their story at our annual District Celebration. It's an opportunity to highlight what you think is worth sharing. We have room for lots of stories.

DGD David Keyes is the lead for our District. He and our partner District 5100 are organizing a scavenger hunt or bingo card event to make the HOF even more exciting. "The HOF will pass the fifth plank of the Four Way Test - it will be fun!," Keyes said. "You will come out of the House of Friendship with at least one new idea and a new admiration what Rotarians are doing. By combining two districts, we will have twice as much to enjoy."

So, what are you waiting for? Join us for a weekend of inspiration, learning, and fun as we celebrate the magic of Rotary and the friendships and connections that make it all possible. Register today and mark your calendar for the most exciting event of the year.
https://www.dacdb.com/index.html?EventID=77647454

Yours in Rotary,
Linda Bauer
District 5080 Governor, 2022-23
Richland Rotary Club
(509) 947-0482
Life is more exciting on the other side of 'yes' (RIPN Stephanie Urchik)

District Awards!

By David Andrew Keyes on Friday, April 7, 2023

District 5080 Awards

Our District Conference is coming May 18-21 in the Tri Cities and it provides us an opportunity to shine a Rotary light on those clubs and individuals that go above and beyond to make a difference.

I bet you know of a club that stretched a bit this past year. I bet you know a Rotarian who might make the perfect Rotarian of the Year. Know anybody who has lived a lifetime of service in Rotary? There is recognition for all of this and more!

Read More

District Grant Applications for 2023-2024 are Due 15 April 2023

By William Dunwoody
All District 5080 Rotary and Rotaract Clubs
that wish to apply for a District Grant for the 2023-2024 Rotary Year must submit their
application using the DACdb Grants module no later than 15 April 2023.

Spring Assembly is almost here!

Tuesday, March 7, 2023

District Spring Assembly – April 29 – Spokane Valley Tech, 115 S University Rd, Spokane Valley, WA 99206

WHO should attend?

  1. Presidents-Elect (they vote on the budget for fiscal year 2024)
  2. Club Leaders – Secretaries, Treasurers, Presidents, Membership Chairs, Public Image Chairs, Club Administration Chairs, and others.
  3. District Leaders – Assistant Governors, Committee Chairs, Sub-committee chairs, and others. Anyone interested in serving beyond the club level in the future.
  4. All other Rotarians who have an interest in learning!

WHAT is the purpose of the Assembly?

The assembly is the primary district-led training event for club and district leaders.

It is combined with the District Membership Development Seminar.

It includes the district business meeting at which the next year’s budget is approved.

WHEN is the Assembly?

It will be held on Saturday, April 29, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Registration table opens 9:00 a.m. Lunch will be included.

WHY should I attend?

We actually have a top ten list! For now, let’s focus on three of those:

  1. There’s always something new to learn about Rotary and how to effectively lead your club and/or district.
  2. Your Rotary friends will be there. They’ll miss you if you don’t attend.
  3. There will be door prizes. Lots of door prizes.

HOW do I register?

Registration will open in DACdb by March 15. To register, click here. The cost will be $30 USD, which includes your lunch.

Be sure to bring your laptop or tablet with you if you register for the DACdb class, one of many session offerings.

You might also bring a reusable water bottle and your Rotary name tag to reduce waste.

Your District Budget and How it Gets Approved

By Doreen Fox Kelsey on Thursday, April 6, 2023

(Subplot – get thee registered for the Spring District Assembly!)

In an earlier article, I shared how the district budget was crafted for next year – Rotary Fiscal Year 2024 – and the fact that declining membership and reliance on virtually a single source of revenue was putting the crunch on district finances. To review, the solutions are twofold – working to increase membership and clubs and seeking additional sources of revenue. There is, of course, one other solution, a fix for the short term but one that is not sustainable in the long term, and that is raising membership dues. Inevitably, membership dues will need to be increased; likely as soon as Rotary Fiscal Year 2025. However, our pursuit of membership growth and long-term budget solutions in the coming Rotary year will determine whether that increase in dues will be but a finger in the dike or an investment in the future of a thriving district and vibrant clubs. Our collective actions will determine the course.

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The Many Benefits of Connecting

By Doreen Fox Kelsey on Friday, April 7, 2023

After a long and rewarding career and a nearly equal amount of time spent as a Rotarian, I’ve reached the age at which many of my dearest friends, colleagues, and family members have passed away, leaving me feeling mournful and nostalgic for our shared experiences. These losses change a person – I firmly believe that who we are in the present is shaped by those around us and our shared paths. When our people leave us, we are not whole in the same way that we once were.

Yet I’ve found the way toward healing, and Rotary is part of the mending process. In the post-pandemic world, as we gather again in our respective workplaces, places of education or worship, and at Rotary events and other gatherings, we are being reunited with precious friends whom we’ve not seen or embraced in such a long time.

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Spokane Valley Sunrise Dinner & Auction

By Sandra Wade on Saturday, April 1, 2023
Spokane Valley Sunrise cordially invites all Rotarians and their guests to our annual dinner and silent auction. The proceeds from the evening fund our projects SERVING YOUTH here at home and in Honduras.

The event is the evening of April 29, 5:30 pm doors and bar open, Prime Rib dinner at 6:30 pm. At the Mirabeau Park Hotel, N 1100 Sullivan Rd, Spokane Valley WA. The cost is $80/person.

If you want to stay over, the Mirabeau is offering a special Rotary rate of $119.00 including breakfast in Max, which is also available on weekends for any and all their Rotary friends.

Social Media Toolkit

Friday, April 7, 2023
There is now a very useful tool for clubs wishing to fine tune their online presence called the Social Media Toolkit. Here's how it works: At your request, Todd Shepard will do your club's Social Media Assessment, and then will meet with your President, President-Elect, Public Image Chair, and Membership Chair (or any combination) to talk you through his recommendations. The Toolkit has the guidelines to accomplish your club's resulting social media goals. I recently did this with him, and it's worked wonders for my club's online presence! Concepts introduced and understood, and guidelines to follow to enact the changes I wanted to make.
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Getting the most out of our website

Monday, April 10, 2023
Here's another tip to get the most out of our District website (district5080.org). This is YOUR website! Please use it!

There is a tab on the left-hand menu page that says District Resources, General Resources. This page has sooooo much on it, and it's all for you.

You'll find just about everything here... your liability insurance form is here, links to help you run your club, getting the most out of DACdb, Foundation, MyRotary, ... so much!

I'm happy to announce, too, that we are creating useful how-to videos on our YouTube Channel.

Yes, it's a fluid site, and we are updating things as fast as we can. Please let us know if something you need isn't there, and we'll do our best to get it on there.

Again, make sure to visit our website, YouTube Channel, and Facebook page whenever you need a Rotary fix! See is missing from somewhere? Help us get there!

Recent Website Updates

This article lists the internal changes that have been made to the various Top Menu and Side Menu links contained in the website from 1 Mar - 31 Mar 2023.

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District 5080 Disaster Aid!

By Dan Crawford on Saturday, April 1, 2023
District 5080 now has a disaster response trailer. This trailer was purchased by Disaster Aid USE for our use. The trailer is at the Rotary Park outside of Bonners Ferry, Idaho. I want to thank the Bonners Ferry Rotary Club for housing the trailer.

The District will use the disaster response trailer to respond to disasters in our area such as floods and fires. Disasters seem to happen at an alarming rate. The recent floods and fires have been devastating for residents, especially the disabled and the elderly. As Rotarians, we are called upon to help our friends and neighbors in their time of need.

The trailer can be deployed in several ways. Although we are not first responders, we can begin the healing process by mucking out and gutting homes when flooded, cleaning up yard debris, and running chainsaw crews for downed trees. We can also perform fire prevention by clearing brush and establishing fire lines. The trailers can be deployed for general community service projects as well.

What next? We need tools that will aid the volunteers when they deploy to a disaster. Please look at the attached tool list and see if you can donate any of the items needed to fill the trailer. Items can be new or gently used in good working order.



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Request for Funding Assistance - International Project in Tanzania

By Heidi Lum on Tuesday, March 28, 2023

If you have International Funds left (or if you, personally, have a soft spot for Tanzania or education), please consider donating them to this worthy project!

For more information, or to request a presentation for your club (or board), please contact Heidi at heidi.lum@afachildren.org.

Partners needed for a potential project in Comayagua, Hondurasa

By Mike L Balahura on Thursday, April 6, 2023
My name is Mike Balahura, and I'm a member of the Castlegar Sunrise Club. My wife, Rotarian Brenda, and I work on the Help Honudras project (http://helphonduras.ca/).

I was down in Honduras in late January with a Rotary team. We looked at a number of project requests/opportunities. There is one that I found particularly timely and intriguing. It was set up by the Rotary club of Comayagua and it would be situated in a smallish community adjacent to the new international airport outside of Comayagua.

We met with the mayor. He is trying to set up a training facility for the youth of his area to teach them trades such as welding, electrical and a baking. The youth would find employment in the industries and companies that are moving to the area to provide infrastructure and services to the new airport. He has already done a lot of work with training institutes but is looking for some money for training equipment. The most important part was when we asked the mayor for his vision and the need for the program his answer was ‘to build capacity in his youth so they can find employment in Honduras and not feel that their only hope is to join a migrant caravan and head to the U.S.’

We are looking for some American clubs who might be interested in such a project. The budget from the Comayagua Rotary Club is $30 000USD.

If your club is looking for a project to partner with, please contact Mike Balahura at robsonfisher@gmail.com.

RI President-elect R. Gordon R. McInally is excited for the future of Rotary Youth Exchange

Wednesday, March 22, 2023
As his presidential year approaches, RI President-elect R. Gordon R. McInally met with Rotary International staff members to discuss his outlook on all things Rotary — including Rotary Youth Exchange! Not only is he excited about the “reignition” of in-person exchanges, but he’s also an advocate for building better virtual exchanges. According to Gordon, virtual exchanges “…speak to peacebuilding from the ground up.”

Read about or watch Gordon’s discussion with RI staff members and learn more about the Rotary year to come.

A RYLA Message from our Director Vicki Puliz

Sunday, March 19, 2023

During my first RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards camp), I was introduced to the concept of get to. This RYLA camp is a weeklong leadership retreat for 16- and 17-year-olds (in our District it is 18 - 24 year olds), described by many of the attendees as a life-changing experience.

Get to was introduced to the participants as a positive way to approach life. “I have to go to school” was reframed as “I get to go to school… where I can gain skills and connect with others to accomplish my dreams”. “I have to clean my room” became “I am so lucky to have a place to live, and I get to clean my room.”

We choose our perspective and the attitude we want to take into our daily lives. What an incredible lesson, not only for young people, but for each of us.

Do you ever say, “I have to go to Rotary”? What happens to our mental wellbeing when we reframe this as get to? We are so fortunate to be part of Rotary where we get to change lives for the better, including our own.

Thank you for being people of purpose, people of influence, and people of action as together, we create lasting change.

On the Path to Peace: My Piece of Peace

By Maxine Ruzicka
The Rotary Club of Grand Forks is honoured to once again be involved with a group of inspired organizations in hosting the Second Annual Peace Gathering in Grand Forks on April 29, 2023, at the USCC Doukhobor Community Centre from 8:30 am until 3:45 pm. Our collaborators table includes: the Rotary Club of Grand Forks, the Baha’i and Doukhobor Communities, the Boundary All Nations Aboriginal Council, the Grand Forks Secondary School Global Citizenship Club and the Boundary Peace Initiative.

Our Peace Gathering title this year is ‘On the Path to Peace: My Piece of Peace’. After the Land Acknowledgment and welcome to the Doukhobor Centre by J.J. Verigin, the Boundary Metis Community Drummers will welcome everyone to the event, followed by prayer. We will then review the events and outcomes in our community that took place after our Peace Conference in 2022.

On the Path to Peace: My Piece of Peace Agenda

On the Path to Peace: My Piece of Peace Registration Form Read More

Book Review: The Color Of Law

By Madeleine A. Harlamovs on Tuesday, March 28, 2023

District 5080 DEI Book Club.

We have been meeting for eighteen months now and have had great discussions about the books selected and what we learned from them. The next few issues of the digest will see reviews from our members of some of the books.

The Color of Law was a book that many of us found eye-opening. We took two weeks to discuss it as there was so much material. Here is a review from Ed Kowitz of Kettle Falls Rotary club.

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Whiskey-DRAM Fellowship April Newlsetter

By Sheila Hart on Monday, March 20, 2023
Do you know abouut Rotary Fellowships? (https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/more-fellowships) These are international groups that share a common passion. Being part of a fellowship is a fun way to make friends around the world, explore a hobby or profession, and enhance your Rotary experience.

Our District is innovating (and adapting to create more member engagement!) by creating District chapters of fellowships. The first, and only so far, fellowship to have a District Chapter is the Whiskey-DRAM Fellowship.

Here is a link to the global fellowship's April newsletter. It will give you an idea of how fellowships work: https://mailchi.mp/88d4f4cd8ce5/whiskey-tasting-dinners-in-houston-13496727

If you belong to a fellowship and see the value of connecting more regionally, create a District chapter of your fellowship!

Following activities in Ukraine

By Linda Kay Bauer on Monday, April 10, 2023
If you are keeping up with stories from Ukraine, here is a wonderful site: https://voicesandstoriesua.com/

(Tip: when I open this, I have to click inside the URL area to get it to open.)

Help Wanted - Serve Rotary at the District Level!

Wednesday, March 8, 2023

• New and crucial (not to mention educational and fun!) District Secretary Duties:

Understand DACdb and assist club Secretaries with understanding. Understand ClubRunner for those clubs still functioning on that platform.

District Council meets in September and February. Take notes and circulate minutes to Council members. Post on DACdb.

Monthly District Council chat reminders two weeks ahead of time (they are the third Thursday of every month at 9 am Pacific, 10 am Mountain), with a reminder for folks to post their reports a week ahead of time (posting is being done on DACdb). The Secretary should attend these meetings to know what is going on in the District. Meetings can either be recorded, or the Secretary could take notes.

Ordering nametags and other supplies for District leaders when needed.

Offer quarterly club Secretary online sessions to answer questions

Secretary training for incoming Secretaries before the new year. This training assembly may be a part of District Conference or an all-day training on another date.


• Youth Services Chair There are three subcommittees within this committee--Youth Exchange, Interact, and RYLA.. The chair serves for 3 years. Other positions are open within the Youth Exchange committee. Contact DG Linda Bauer for more information (lindakaybauer@gmail.com).

• Youth Exchange Committee members

• Public Image Committee members
Join Lynn O'Connor in this exciting committee. In this committee, you will find our District Digest editor, webmaster, social media lead, marketing and media resources, and many other opportunities to lead. Contact Lynn at lynnoconnorrotarydg@gmail.com for more information. Specifically I'm looking for a Facebook person (and perhaps take us onto Instagram and any other appropriate platforms).

• Annual Fund Development This Chair is a member of the District Rotary Foundation Committee and reports to the District Rotary Foundation Chair. The Fundraising Subcommittee Chair is responsible for overseeing the district’s fundraising strategy and helping clubs set and achieve their contribution goals for the Annual Fund. Please contact DRFC Bill Dunwoody at whd@dunwoodyfamily.net for more information.

• New Disaster Response subcommittees need members. Contact the Master of Disaster, Dan Crawford, dcrawford@peakoneadmin.com.

• Vocational and Community Service Chairs. Contact Sheila Hart, sheilahart@shaw.ca for more information.

District Alumni Chair Alumni are valued members of the Rotary family who have participated in a Rotary program, and include Rotary Peace Fellows, scholars, Youth Exchange students, Rotaractors, Interactors, and participants in other Rotary youth and scholarship programs. The alumni chair can help Rotarians maintain relationships with alumni, which can lead to better projects, fundraisers, and new members. The district alumni chair will have the opportunity to encourage proven leaders to strengthen their connection with Rotary, ultimately allowing clubs to give back even more to their communities. Contact DG Linda Bauer, lindakaybauer@gmail if you have questions or are interested in applying.

• New Clubs Advocate - assists the Membership Development Committee Chair in starting new Rotary, Rotaract, and Satellite Clubs. Contact Todd Shepherd at toddssbs@gmail.com

Grants Subcommittee Chair Understudy - works with Grants Subcommittee Chair Karen Cook over the next three years with the goal to take on leadership of this committee at the end of her term of service.

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