Rotarians celebrating Derby-Shelton awards for Foundation giving

The Rotary Foundation transforms our gifts into service projects that change lives both close to home and around the world.  Contributions to The Rotary Foundation are essential to securing and growing Rotary programs that improve lives and create a better world to support our peace efforts and end polio forever.  

Rotary District 7980 (Souther Connecticut) celebrated last Rotary year’s donations and accomplishments of clubs throughout the district with the following recognitions for the Derby-Shelton Rotary Club:

Every Rotarian Every Year...because every dues-paying member contributed to the Annual Fund, and the Annual Fund per capita giving was at least $100.

100% Foundation Club Giving…because every dues-paying member contributed to The Rotary Foundation, and the average contribution is at least $100 per capita to any Rotary Foundation gift designation.

End Polio Now…acknowledged clubs raising at least $1,500 annually to the Rotary Foundation’s PolioPlus Fund to eradicate polio.

Congratulations to the members of the Derby-Shelton Rotary club for their support and commitment to saving and changing lives!

Jen Champagne

Also recognized was Jennifer Luise Champagne who achieved Major Donor Level.  Major donor status is achieved when, through a direct donation or an accumulation of yearly donations to The Rotary Foundation, funds reach $10,000.

Derby-Shelton now has 4 major donors:  Jennifer Champagne, John Daniels, Judy Gulish and Ernie Luise.  

Ernie Luise with John Monteleone, the President Elect of the Tribury Club

Pictures from the Southbury event:

Since 2004, Liberty Bank Foundation, partnering with Rotary Clubs across Connecticut, have raised over $4 million to ensure all families in our community can enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner. Derby-Shelton Rotary Club has been part of the effort since 2016. Each Rotary Club will receive funds donated along with matching funds of twenty-five cents from the Liberty Bank Foundation for every dollar raised by Rotary. Those dollars are then given directly to the Food banks for the Spooner House in Shelton and the St. Vincent dePaul Society in Derby. In 2022, the total donated to our local food banks amounted to $19,685.50 – our best year ever! The total distributed by all the partners was $917,000.

Susan Agamy from Spooner House accepting a check from Kim and Judy.

This year, the partnership will be providing $17,742.50 which will once again be split evenly between the Spooner House and St. Vincent dePaul. Derby-Shelton Rotary Club wants to give thanks to all our donors, but a very special shout out to the Friend A. Russ Fund which contributed $12,000 to the effort which generated an additional $3,000 match from Liberty Bank. Both groups also want to thank the Middlesex Community Foundation which handled all the logistics for the effort.

Rotary D-7980 Foundation held a showcase and celebration of the 2022-2023 Rotary year on Nov. 5 In Old Saybrook – and Derby/Shelton’s stood out as the Club captured several awards. The Club was selected as an award winner in three separate categories:

• Every Rotarian Every Year Club: For clubs in which every dues-paying member contributes a minimum of $25 to the Annual Fund, and the Annual Fund per capita giving is at least $100
• 100% Foundation Giving Club: For Clubs in which every dues-paying member contributes a minimum of $25 to the Rotary Foundation, and the average contribution is at least $100 per capita to any Rotary Foundation gift designation
• End Polio Now: Countdown to History Certificate of Appreciation: For Clubs that contributed at least $1,500 to Rotary’s polio eradication efforts.

Derby-Shelton, Meriden, and Woodbury-Southbury-Middlebury were the only clubs honored in all three categories.

John Daniel was also one of nine area Rotarians presented with a Major Donor Level 1 award.

The mission of The Rotary Foundation is to enable members to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, the alleviation of poverty and the promotion of peace.  The Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotary members and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world.  This support is essential to make possible projects, funded with Foundation grants, that bring sustainable improvement to communities in need.

At the 2022 Foundation Dinner of Rotary International District 7980, the Derby-Shelton club was recognized for the financial generosity of all its members.

On behalf of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, Colin Gershon, Foundation Chair, presented the club with the following 2020-21 recognitions:

• 100% TRF Giving
• 100% Every Rotarian Every Year
• Certificate of Appreciation to End Polio Now
• Highest Per Capita Giving
• Highest Total Contributions to all TRF Funds

The club was also recognized for the members whose commitment to helping to change and save lives through:

• Sustainer Circle
• Major Donors
• Paul Harris Society
• Bequest Society

Funds donated by our club to the Annual Fund of TRF are held and invested for three (3) years and at that time, come back to the district for both educational and humanitarian grants.  In the past 3 years, Derby-Shelton has received over $10,000 in grant money, donated by club members, that has been used for:

ECHO Hose EMS – Emergency Operation Room and Simulation Room with mock training scenarios

TEAM, Inc – Early Childhood Program: providing new, warm, winter coats to all the children, and sneakers.

St. Vincent de Paul – COVID Relief – for food insecurity

TEAM, Inc./ Griffin Hospital – food distribution to the Valley Food Banks

Spooner House – COVID 19 Virus Emergency Support

Derby-Shelton Rotary Club is honored to be recognized by the district for giving to The Rotary Foundation. We recognize our commitment to Service Above Self and the impact we are making on our local communities.  We thank our community for the opportunity to serve and make a difference.

(L-R) Steve Balog, Troy Adcox, Linda Holmes-Hannon, Betsey Doane, Jen Champagne and Ernie Luise

At the weekly club meeting on April 14, Rotary Foundation Chair and President-Elect Betsey Doane , presented four Paul Haris Awards. The Paul Harris Society recognizes Rotarians and friends of The Rotary Foundation who give $1,000 or more to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus Fund, or an approved Foundation grant each year. All four of the recipients are no strangers to the Foundation or to the Paul Harris Award as all four have previously received the award. Congratulations to all!

Just over a week later, the Club also presented a special Paul Harris Fellowship Award to Bill Purcell, CEO of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce. The surprise presentation was made at the Chamber’s Awards Celebration Breakfast. While the Chamber was presenting a number of awards for business milestones, innovation, growth and community involvement, Rotarian John Daniell and President Julie Blakeman surprised Purcell with the award for all his contributions to make the Valley a better place to live, work and do business!

In addition to the tremendous work that the Derby-Shelton Rotary Club does here in Derby and Shelton, the club is part of Rotary International’s good works around the world. The Rotary Foundation is currently offering 130 fully funded fellowships for dedicated leaders from around the world to study at a Rotary Peace Center. There are 50 fellowships available for Master’s Degree participants. Those accepted candidates study peace and development issues with research-informed teaching and a diverse student body. The programs last 15 to 24 months and include a two- to three-month field study, which participants design themselves. There are an additional 80 fellowships designed for working professionals. During the one-year blended learning program, experienced peace and development professionals with diverse backgrounds gain practical skills to promote peace within their communities and across the globe. Fellows complete field studies, and they also design and carry out a social change initiative.

Since the program began in 2002, the Rotary Peace Centers have trained more than 1,400 fellows who now work in more than 115 countries. Many serve as leaders in governments, NGOs, the military, education, law enforcement, and international organizations like the United Nations and the World Bank.

Applications for the 2022-23 Program are now being accepted until May 15. Applications are reviewed by the local Rotary District which must endorse the application and submit it to Rotary by July 1.

Click here for the announcement and more information.

Global Grant GG1744326

 International Rotary Club, Bees for Development Trust UK, Cambridge South, Barrie, Millom and Gondar Fasiledes District Rotary Clubs, Derby-Shelton Rotary and others

Bees for Development Ethiopia

Bees for Development Ethiopia since its establishment, as one of its approaches is working with a number of like-minded institutions to support the livelihood of poor resource communities and Natural resource management. To this end currently, BfdE in collaboration with Global Rotary have been implementing a project called Beekeeping in Ethiopia. The project supported 100 landless youth in beekeeping skill training and the provision of minimum inputs to startup their beekeeping activities.

Bees for Development Ethiopia is a local Non-Governmental Organization with a registration number of 2753 has been established in 2012 and operating various projects in the Northern part of the Country, Amhara region. The organization is mainly focusing on promoting environmental friendly apiculture development with poor households and rural youth to alleviate poverty and creation of job opportunities.

Bees for Development Ethiopia from the beginning are working closely with likeminded institutions, organization and professionals in the sector of beekeeping and natural resource management. To this end, the organization in collaboration with Global Rotary clubs implemented a project called “Beekeeping in Ethiopia”. This project is implemented in Ligaba Kebele, Dangila District of Amhara Region, Ethiopia. 100 landless youth (48 females) targeted who have limited resource to make life. Before the start-up of project implementation, sensitization training was delivered to project beneficiaries at Dangila Town in collaboration with Woreda agricultural office. During the training session the very first impression were created to the beneficiaries about the beekeeping project and its intended activities. The result of the training session shown that, the targeted beneficiaries was committed to engage in to the beekeeping practice by believing that beekeeping could change their livelihood and have potential to be additional source of income to support their livelihood.

The project managed to buy one bee colony in the open market and the beneficiaries themselves buy another one bee colonies and make them two bee colonies. (one man carried two bee colonies using long stick) They transported two bee colonies using one long stick and carrying one in front and one behind. See the above photos how they are transporting.

The training was given with the main objectives of creating skill of colony transferring of bee colony from traditional hive to the transitional/Top bar hive. The training was both technical and theoretical and Was given at Ligaba Kebele by dividing the beneficiaries in to two groups to make the training manageable and enhancing trainees active participation during the entire training hours. A total of 98 participants were participating on the training and it was given by BfdE community beekeeping trainer and Dangila woreda live-stock development office 6 beekeeping experts. As the training culture of BfdE, all the trainees have constructed their own top bar hive and already got the hive ready for transferring of new bee colony in to.

WondieYeneabat, Beginner beekeeper, possess 3 traditional beehives (one supported by the project and others are purchased by his own interest following his interest to increase the number of bees)

YaregalSime, beneficiary of the project and he owns 2 traditional beehives (he add one based on his interest to scale up the activity)

Derby-Shelton Rotarians released details of several positive projects that have taken place lately thanks to the work of local Rotarians and Rotary District 7980:

$7,500 Rotary District 7980 grant:

Derby-Shelton Rotary Club, partnering with Seymour/Oxford and Ansonia Rotary Clubs, is the recipient of a $7,500 grant from Rotary District 7980.  In response to the tremendous strain on our local communities, this grant will address food insecurity issues in the Valley as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Valley Food Pantry Network is the result of the collective work of the Valley Food Security Task Force, of which the five Valley food pantries, Griffin Health Services, CT Food Bank, Valley Health District, United Way, CDC Research & Prevention and other community providers dedicated to addressing food hardship are members. Griffin Health Services launched the Network’s commitment to making healthy and fresh foods available to the pantries earlier this year.  This grant will provide additional, nutritious  foods for the communities’ food pantries.  Contractor Nation (formerly known as Basement Systems) in Seymour has committed the continued in-kind use of their loading facility and forklift equipment, and negotiations with Bozzuto’s food distribution resulted in the ongoing 25% discount because the distribution is to food pantries.

A Valley Rotary Partnership committee comprising of representatives of the three partnering Valley Clubs – Ansonia, Derby-Shelton and Seymour/Oxford – will implement the project and be involved in all aspects of the project.  This will include sorting and equal distribution of food among the five food pantries:

–  Kathleen Samela Memorial Food Bank at Christ Church

– Salvation Army

– St. Vincent DePaul Society

– Area Congregation Together (AKA Spooner House)

– Seymour-Oxford Food Bank

Derby-Shelton Rotary and the partnering clubs recognize the generosity of Rotary District 7980 for making this collaboration and project possible.

Spooner House and St. Vincent DePaul:

As we all are acutely aware, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused a tremendous strain on our local community food bank/pantries/kitchens.  In response to those needs, Derby-Shelton Rotary has taken immediate action to help the food pantries in Derby and Shelton.  Through the generosity of Rotary District 7980, Derby-Shelton is a recipient of a $525 grant to help provide emergency assistance for food insecurity. With this grant money, and additional funds raised by Derby-Shelton Rotarians through fundraising efforts, President Tom Wilson was able to present both Spooner House and St. Vincent DePaul’s food pantries with checks for $600 each.  The impact of this grant is critical to those who are recipients and can provide food for their families and children.

United Methodist Homes…PPE – isolation gowns

Fundraising done by the Derby-Shelton Rotary Club allows for us to make grants each year to those in need in our community.  Assessing the needs of a community is critical in determining recipients for any and all grants.  The Covid-19 pandemic has brought to light the dire need for Personal Protection Equipment.  President Tom Wilson presented a check in the amount of $1,200 to United Methodist Homes Executive Director, Ben Schiano, for the purchase of isolation gowns that are needed in their isolation unit.  This will impact the safety of health workers and all who respond to victims of the virus at the facility.

Adzima Funeral Homes…PPE – masks

President Tom Wilson was able to identify a source for PPE through the Rotary District 7980 Governor, Jack Solomon.  Tom was able to secure 1,000 masks for Adzema Funeral Homes, Rotarian Ed Sheehy.  As Rotarians, we do indeed have the ability and passion to make a difference.

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