Plaza Rotary at a Glance May 20, 2015

This week, we welcome Jim Mitchum, chief executive officer of Heart to Heart, a disaster-relief organization founded by Rotarians.

 

Mitchum will tell us about the Olathe-based organization's role in the response to the Ebola outbreak in Africa.

 

Mitchum has been in this role since September 2014; previously he worked for EUSA Pharma in Langhorne, Pa. 

 

 

 

At its meeting this week, the Plaza Rotary Board of Directors approved a motion to support ShelterBox and its efforts to assist with earthquake relief in Nepal. The club will donate $950 -- a late fundraising addition to the Reverse Raffle -- plus the contributions raised in this week's Change for Ccharity. 

 

 

As you all know, the club has been examining options concerning our dues and meals, including consideration of a new location.

 

After significant analysis and examination, the board arrived at two options --

(1) maintain our meetings at the Intercontinental Hotel and increase dues $25 a quarter, or

(2) move our meetings to the Grand Street Cafe without a dues increase.

 

Noting its fiduciary responsibility, the board recommends the change of venue to keep dues affordable. It's now up to you to vote.
Please visit this survey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6NLSBXZ) and let us know your vote. You can add comments; your vote is anonymous unless you choose to identify yourself. We will report back results in June, before the end of the Rotary year. Thank you.

 

 

 

We have booked a block of seats at the Pepsi Porch at Kauffman Stadium for this year's Changing of the Guard celebration, Thursday, July 2. The Royals will be playing the Minnesota Twins in an evening game. Tickets are $25 each -- please plan on attending and bring your significant others to join our celebration. Bring your payments ASAP -- we need to lock this in by June 2. 

 

 

 

 

The good news about the Reverse Raffle just keeps coming! We realized another another $950 from the event, thanks to a generous donation from WingGate. (Those funds will go to our beneficiary ShelterBox to support Nepal relief efforts.) Our grand total proceeds from the event was $13,625. 

 

Now the challenge: it's time to start planning next year's event!

 

We have opportunities to expand the event through a partnership with the South KC Rotary Club, which also uses the Reverse Raffle as it's major fundraiser. The South KC club this year held its event on the same night, and sold 200 tickets (double our sales!). There's potential to hold an event at the World War I museum, and perhaps we could include our friends at the new Waldo/Brookside Club. Just one thing: we need a Plaza Rotarian to step into a leadership role to drive this project forward. 

 

Please reach out to Bob Merrigan or Jane Brown if you're interested. We have a good working plan and know how to do this -- thanks to Denise Holt and her committee. Let's get the next year's event in gear quickly! It can be even bigger!

 

 

At this week's meeting, the club board approved the membership of Dominic Tyson. 

 

• May 30 and June 7 -- Cancer Park clean up and Cancer Celebration event. See Erik Dickerson for details.
• July 2 -- Changing of the Guard, with the Royals! 
• Sept. 19 -- KC Games for Good, at the World War I Museum