Events

Four Ukrainian leaders participating in the Open World Program will spend November 4-12 in Wichita examining the theme: Administration of Healthcare Facilities. The delegates will be hosted by Rotarians from the West, East and Downtown clubs.

While in Wichita, the delegates will meet with local leaders to share ideas and experience for supporting their work in Ukraine. Their program includes visits at the Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Starkey, Ascension Via Christi hospitals, Red Cross, the Kansas Health Foundation, Catholic Care Center, Guadalupe Clinic, Homehealth and Hospice, Medical Loan Closet, Resthaven Mortuary and with several medical practitioners (dentist, chiropractor, pediatrician, podiatrist, family practice). Cultural activities are planned for them as well, including dinners with Rotary families, shopping, an evening at Chicken and Pickle, and museums including the new health exhibit at Exploration Place.

Funded almost entirely by the U.S. Congress, Open World links delegates to their counterparts and is an instrument for Americans engaged in citizen diplomacy. This International Service project supports all of the seven areas of focus for Rotary: Supporting Education, Saving Mothers and Children, Fighting Disease, Providing Clean Water and Sanitation, Growing Local Economies, Protecting the Environment; and especially Promoting Peace.

The team from Ukraine will be presenting a program to our club today and on Wednesday noon, Nov 9, at the East Wichita Rotary Club at the Wichita Country Club. They will share their knowledge and first-hand experience of what it’s like being in the medical profession at times of war. They will be introduced at the Downtown Rotary Club meeting on Monday noon, Nov 7, at Botanica and will be available after the meeting to meet attendees.

At the 1917 Rotary convention, outgoing Rotary president Arch Klumph proposed setting up an endowment “for the purpose of doing good in the world.” That one idea, and an initial contribution of $26.50, set in motion a powerful force that has transformed millions of lives around the globe. The Rotary Foundation is a non-profit corporation that supports the efforts of Rotary International to achieve world understanding and peace through international humanitarian, educational, and cultural exchange programs. It is supported solely by voluntary contributions. Since it was founded more than 100 years ago, the Foundation has spent more than $4 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects.

Our mission: The Rotary Foundation helps Rotary members to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty.

Our buffet line will open at 11:45 today!

Under the direction of Rolaine Hetherington, the Friends University Ensemble will sing a few songs to welcome the holiday season!

If you signed up to purchase a Christmas family gift, please bring it wrapped without a bow and secure a gift tag on the outside of the gift with the name and gift #. If you cannot make today's meeting, next week's meeting (December 13) will be the final collection week.

2022-23 Committees

Club Service  
Bob Nelson – Chair, Sean Babjak, Christy Barnett, Mark Chamberlin, Kandace Day,  Marv Fisher, Dan Kreis, Colin McKenney, John Oswald, Annie Pfeifer, Colby Reynolds, Jamie Sigars, DeAnn Sullivan, Joe Terick, Sharon West

Rotary District 5680 has participated in the RITE Program since January 1996 through the support of the West and Sunrise Clubs. The Program consists of an Inbound Program (Jan-Feb and an Outbound Program (Jun-Jul).

The Inbound Program allows teachers of English from Panama and Argentina to come to the Wichita area for a four-week immersion experience, which helps participating teachers improve their English skills while interacting in native English home and school environments. The benefit to the teachers in both participating countries has been related to the RITE Committee through their personal reports calling their time as a RITE Teacher an outstanding educational experience.

The Outbound Program allows travel opportunities to three outbound teachers per year from the Wichita area to the Republic of Panama for a four-week program, where they share their teaching talents and skills with Panamanian teachers through school visits, materials, resources and a two-week seminar. These teachers are supported by several Wichita Rotary Clubs.

We have received 39 teachers from the Republic of Panama and 45 teachers from Argentina for the Inbound Program. The Outbound Program sent 13 teachers to Mexico from Summer 1996 until Summer 2001.

Beginning Summer of 2001 through present, 61 teachers have been sent to Panama. COVID put the program on hiatus during summer of 2020, 2021 and 2022. We hope to return Summer 2023.

Dalia Hale- RITE Coordinator for the Wichita Area

• Member of West Sedgwick County Rotary Club- Sunrise 
• Outbound teacher to Panama during summers of 2016 and 2019
• RITE Host since 2009
• Retired USD 259, Wichita Public Schools Educator and Adjunct Instructor at Butler Community College

Committee Members: Armida Hight will share the History since she and her late husband, Ralph Hight, former member of our club and District Governor 1997/98, were instrumental in starting this program. Dalia Hale, Sunrise Rotary Club, will share details of the current RITE Program and changes because of COVID. Shelli Kadel, former member of our club, will share details about host families and placing teachers with Wichita Area Rotarians

Dorila (Dori) Cascante, David, Chiriquí, Panamá, Represents the Rotary Club of David - Dori is a teacher of English. She currently teaches first graders at a bilingual school. She participated in the 2019 RITE Seminar for Teacher of English in David. She has completed 10 years of teaching.

She appreciates and seeks the opportunities to learn new teaching strategies to use with her students. She wants to improve her fluency and vocabulary through her immersion in English and the US culture.

Dori also wants to learn new and effective teaching techniques to help her students learn English, manage her classroom while improving her teaching methodologies.       

She is married and had two children (son is 11 and daughter is 6).  This is her first time to travel outside of Panama.

We will not have our regular club meeting. Instead, join us at one or both schools for our Annual Bookshelf Deliveries!

11:45 a.m. - Lawrence Elementary School Library. Our club members (who made reservations) will have lunch then we will hand out books & bookshelves to the first graders. 

1:15 p.m. - Benton Elementary - hand out books and bookshelves to the first graders.

Arrive a few minutes early to go through the school office and get a Visitor's Pass. Have your driver's license ready, in case it's needed!