February’s Rotary theme of Creating Peace and Preventing Conflict is my favorite theme of the entire Rotary year.  For me, almost everything we do as Rotarians relates back to peace.  Throughout history, so many wars have been fought over access to clean water, disease and community economics.  Rotary addresses each of these areas every single day.
 
 
 
It started to make sense to me during the 2013 Peace Conference held here in Hawaii.  Listening to the various speakers discuss the urgent need for academically trained peace scholars to work in our nations governments, agencies and relief efforts made me realize that Rotary IS Peace.  In fact, the RI Presidential theme that year was Peace Through Service. 
 
The capstone to the Peace Conference was of course, the opportunity to hear Daw Aung San Suu Kyi speak about her years of imprisonment and house arrest in Myanmar.  She was captivating, honest, and passionate, as she painted a picture of a tumultuous country that was finally finding peace.
 
None of us knew at the time, that only three short years later, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would be named State Counselor, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Special Minister to the President of Myanmar.  Her life’s work of striving to bring peace to her country has been brought to the forefront of the world stage.  She is a shining example of the quote my Margaret Meade: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”
 
Rotary Peace Centers and Fellowships are changing the world around us too.  I encourage you to look at the resources available to you online at Rotary.org to learn more:  https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/peace-fellowships
 
Our Rotary Peace Center Alumni can be found in almost every aspect of Peace keeping around the globe.  From Government Agencies to Police and Law Enforcement, your Foundation dollars have provided educated, peace-centric faculty and officials in areas that truly make a difference.
 
Thank you for supporting the Peace efforts through Rotary International – it's the foundation to building a better world.
 
 
Don't forget to register for the District Conference!
 
If you haven’t done so already – don't forget to make your reservations for the annual D5000 Conference at the beautiful Kaanapali Sheraton!  Registration is only $399/person and Sheraton is still offering $199 room rates through the end of March.
 
 
 

D5000 Polio Champion Challenge Update:

2016-17 is a special year for all of us.  Not only are we celebrating the 100th Anniversary, we are working incredibly hard to finish the job of eradicating Polio!
 
I have more exciting news about the D5000 Polio Champion Challenge!  As of February 1st, we have had 382 District 5000 Rotarians commit to the Champion Challenge; a commitment of over $118,000!  WAY TO GO!
To date, we have 74 participants working toward Bronze level, 226 Bronze level donors, 47 Silver level Donors, and 35 Gold/Gold+ level donors! 
 
What an outstanding show of support as we raise the final funds necessary to eradicate Polio ONCE AND FOR ALL!  I am so proud of the Rotarians and Clubs that have stepped up to the challenge to “Make this year the LAST year.  Our D5000 giving is already 87% to our total goal of $135,000 to the Polio Plus Fund. 
 
Now, let me brag about some of our clubs!  We have 47 clubs “on the board” that have already started giving AND we already have 16 clubs that have exceeded their club goal of $2,650 – Well done!
 
The following are the clubs that have already made their 2016-17 Polio Goal of $2,650:
 
1
Waikiki
 $7,162
2
HNL Metro
 $5,480
3
Honolulu Sunset
 $5,325
4
HNL Downtown
 $4,520
5
HNL Sunrise
 $4,450
6
Volcano
 $4,000
7
South Hilo
 $3,850
8
Lahaina
 $3,450
9
West Pearl Harbor
 $3,298
10
Kona Sunrise
 $3,160
11
Kapolei Sunset
 $3,100
12
Hilo
 $3,080
13
Hilo Bay
 $3,051
14
Waianea Coast
 $3,050
15
Honolulu
 $2,850
16
Kapolei
 $2,726
 
 
As of February 1st our club rankings are:
 
1
Waikiki
 $7,162
2
HNL Metro
 $5,480
3
Honolulu Sunset
 $5,325
4
HNL Downtown
 $4,520
5
HNL Sunrise
 $4,450
6
Volcano
 $4,000
7
South Hilo
 $3,850
8
Lahaina
 $3,450
9
West Pearl Harbor
 $3,298
10
Kona Sunrise
 $3,160
11
Kapolei Sunset
 $3,100
12
Hilo
 $3,080
13
Hilo Bay
 $3,051
14
Waianae Coast
 $3,050
15
Honolulu
 $2,850
16
Kapolei
 $2,726
17
Ala Moana
 $2,250
18
Kona Mauka
 $2,230
19
Lahaina Sunset
 $2,100
20
Mililani Sunrise
 $1,827
21
Kihei Wailea
 $1,710
22
Wailuku
 $1,600
23
Kahala Sunrise
 $1,415
24
Windward Oahu
 $1,396
25
West Honolulu
 $1,363
26
Kona
 $1,254
27
Lahaina Sunrise
 $1,225
28
E-Club of Hawaii
 $1,200
29
Pearlridge
 $1,200
30
Kauai
 $1,100
31
Pau Hana
 $1,050
32
Maui
 $1,032
33
Kahului
 $1,000
34
East Honolulu
 $1,000
35
Pearl Harbor
 $683
36
Hawaii Kai
 $670
37
Upcountry Maui
 $600
38
North Hawaii
 $600
39
Wahiawa-Waialua
 $450
40
Windward Oahu Sunrise
 $400
41
Hanalei Bay
 $400
42
Kaneohe
 $400
43
Pahoa Sunset
 $372
44
Valley Isle Sunset
 $340
45
We Club Hawaii
 $250
46
Diamond Head
 $111
47
Lanai
 $100
 
 
We have 3 clubs that haven’t gotten on the board yet – But it’s not too late!
 
Kapaa
Poipu Beach
West Kauai
 
 
To find out more about the Polio Champion Challenge, go to http://www.d5000champion.org OR to donate, go to http://www.endpolio.org/donate.
 
Thank you for ALL that you do.  What a fantastic year of Rotary Serving Humanity!
 
 
Yours in service,
 
Clint Schroeder
District Governor 2016-17
D5000 Hawaii