Mark Kull, Wealth Management Advisor at Northwestern Mutual, was “President for a Day” at our club’s August 3rd luncheon. His father, Mike, generously bid for the right to be President for a Day during the live auction at our March FUNdraiser. Yes, the position can be bought! (I’m not telling you how much I paid for it.). Since Mike had already been president before (and one of our best darn presidents ever!), he passed the torch to his son to keep the legacy going. Mark did a great job, had a lot of fun doing it, and entertained us all. To quell any rumors, I want to make it clear that Mark’s wife, Kristen, was NOT "Queen for a Day." As some of our more senior members may recall, the criteria for being named "Queen for a Day" are quite different, and Kristen clearly would not have qualified.

Barry Dunn, CEO & President of Kosair for Kids, will be our speaker this Thursday at the University Club. We look forward to hearing what he has to say.

Click Read More below and scroll down to read the full note and meeting recap I sent out Monday:

Read More

I am thrilled to confirm that our club is ranked 14th largest IN THE WORLD - scroll down to see the list. You are part of something special.

There are several out of the ordinary things coming up so please pay close attention to our communications:

1) Our meeting next week will be at Savor at River House, 3015 River Rd, due to campus move-in at UofL. In addition to our keynote speaker, Dr. Will Farmer, Equine Medical Director at Churchill Downs, we will be welcoming our District 6710 Governor Tommy Reed, who will be recognizing some deserving members as well as speaking about one of this year's RI presidential themes - mental health. We will have a plated Hot Brown, and the food order is being placed by Savor on Friday afternoon, so if you have not reserved your meal by 4:00pm THIS FRIDAY, you will likely only have the choice of a salad with grilled chicken or the vegetarian/gluten-free option. You can register HERE.

2) The following week, August 24, we will be back in the ballroom at the University Club and our speaker will be Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Questions must be submitted to Ashley Brauer no later than Tuesday, August 22nd to be considered. We will not be introducing guests at that meeting. We are not inviting the media, but will not turn them away if they show up. Please plan to arrive early to get parked, get your food and find a seat. Register HERE.

3) Looking ahead to the week of Labor Day, we will NOT be meeting on Thursday; instead, we will meet on TUESday, September 5th, at the University Club and our guest speaker will be Governor Andy Beshear. Questions must be submitted to Ashley Brauer no later than Friday, September 1 to be considered. We will not be introducing guests at that meeting. We are not inviting the media, but will not turn them away if they show up. Please plan to arrive early to get parked, get your food and find a seat. Register HERE.

Please click Read More on the 2023-2024 Service Projects and Grants article below - you won't want to miss seeing the list of all the amazing things our Club is doing to Create Hope in the World this year!

This week's meeting is at the University Club Louisville. Our speaker will be Barry Dunn, President and CEO of Kosair for Kids.

"If it weren’t for Kosair for Kids: How the region’s most comprehensive children’s nonprofit became the catalyst to help children live life to the fullest."

RSVPs are closed for this meeting; email rotary@rotary45.org if you would like to attend.

Lunch is $25 and the menu will be a BUFFET of salmon croquettes with caper and dill tartar sauce, caesar salad, and brownies. Salad with grilled chicken will continue to be offered, as well as a vegetarian/vegan and/or gluten-free option, available upon advance request. We will open the buffet at 11:30am, so plan to arrive early.

There is a $5 meeting fee for those who choose not to purchase a meal - this will include a dessert and tea/coffee/water and, of course, a fantastic program. You can pay $5 in advance via SurveyMonkey or with cash, check or scan the QR code at check-in to pay with a credit card.

Click Read More to view Speaker's Bio: Read More

Next week's meeting will be at SAVOR at River House. Our speaker will be Dr. Will Farmer, Equine Medical Director at Churchill Downs, Inc.

This will be a special meeting, as we will also have our new District Governor Tommy Reed as a guest speaker.

Due to campus move-in at UofL during our meeting, we will be back at Savor at River House for the day. We expect a full house, so be sure to invite your guests now and register early!

Lunch is $25 and the menu will be Hot Brown, and a salad with grilled chicken will continue to be offered, as well as a vegetarian/vegan and/or gluten-free option, available upon advance request.

RSVP HERE.

***NOTE: Savor is requiring our final headcount for the Hot Brown by 4:00pm THIS FRIDAY in order to get the food ordered. If you wait until Monday to register, those will most likely be sold out and you will have the option to purchase the salad with grilled chicken or the vegetarian/GF option.

There is a $5 meeting fee for those who choose not to purchase a meal - this will include a dessert and tea/coffee/water and, of course, a fantastic program. You can pay $5 in advance via SurveyMonkey or with cash, check or scan the QR code at check-in to pay with a credit card.

Click Read More to view Speaker's Bio: Read More

We have a couple of speakers coming up that you will want to save the dates for!

Thursday, August 24: AG Daniel Cameron, Republican Gubernatorial Candidate, will speak to our Club. Please submit your questions NO LATER THAN Tuesday August 22nd to Ashley Brauer, Chair of the Speakers Committee: ashley@maxstrategicpr.com.

Tuesday, September 5: Governor Andy Beshear will speak to our Club. Please submit your questions NO LATER THAN Friday September 1st to Ashley Brauer, Chair of the Speakers Committee: ashley@maxstrategicpr.com.

Please NOTE that we will be meeting on Tuesday, September 5th INSTEAD of Thursday, September 7th. Both events will be at the University Club Louisville at noon.

As long-time members know, but our many newer members may not - we have a related 501c3 foundation called the Rotary Fund of Louisville, Inc. The Fund has a large endowment that provides funding for our service projects as well as grants both locally and abroad (through participation in Global Grants with other clubs and/or the international Rotary Foundation). Service projects and grant requests are submitted by our various committees each year by April 30, to our Service Projects & Grants Committee, for review and selection. The amount available to fund grants in any given year is calculated by a formula established in our Bylaws. The committee recommends a slate of projects/grants to the Rotary Fund Board. Once approved, it then goes to the Rotary Club Board for approval.

I am pleased to report that we will be awarding grants of almost $150,000 to fund service projects this fiscal year!

Click Read More below for a summary of these projects. We are Creating Hope in the World!

Read More

Louisville Rotary sponsors four Youth Rotary Clubs, which are the high school and college arms of Rotary. These include the INTERACT Clubs at Western High School and Iroquois High School and a Junior High INTERACT Club at West End School. As we are growing our Rotary Youth Clubs, Simmons College ROTARACT Club is in development this year. As with Rotary, our Rotarian youths also have the goal of Creating Hope through honorable service and societal understanding.

We need Rotarian members and volunteers as speakers to explain their educational and professional paths to our youth. Please contact Chair Linda Bartrom (lbartrom@hotmail.com) or Vice Chair Rick Harned (rickharned@gmail.com).

Congratulations to Rotarian Robert Fink and UofL Health on the opening of a new full-service pharmacy in South Louisville.

Congratulations to these Rotarians whose organizations have been recognized as one of the 2023 Best Places To Work in Greater Louisville! Honorees were selected because of their employees’ feedback and not through internal or outside judges.

Over 150 area employees:
#3 - MCM CPAs & Advisors (Brad Smith, Mike Mountjoy, Steve Kerrick)

25-150 area employees:
#1 - Independence Bank (Louis Straub)
#3 - Hardscuffle (Angela Bailey)
#12 - Semonin Realtors (Doug Myers)
#18 - Miranda Construction (Jeremy Vokurka)
#20 - Lincoln Heritage Council, Boy Scouts of America (Jason Pierce)

10-24 area employees:
#16 - Gilda's Club Kentuckiana (Karen Morrison)

I went to see Oppenheimer and was dreading sitting through three hours, but it didn’t seem like three hours! Accolades to the gathering of eagles, who were the scientists that dealt with atomic energy, and likewise, accolades to the movie industry for making this record of them happen! As the end slides into an absolutely spell-binding court battle, the movie shifts into another high gear and I was hooked. Fantastic movie on many levels. {BTW if you take the kids - there is brief nudity}.

Movie synopsis: During World War II, Robert Oppenheimer was recruited to work on the top-secret Manhattan Project. His team of scientists developed the atomic bomb and in July 1945 their work came to fruition as they witnessed the world's first nuclear explosion, forever changing the course of history and challenging their own humanity. To see the collaboration of Einstein, Bohr and Heisenberg and hear the Strong Force being discussed ¾ century ago (!) is simply mind-bending.

Click Read More

Join the Kentucky Humane Society for a Picnic with the Ponies and Puppies on September 9th, 11:00am-1:00pm at Willow Hope Farm in Simpsonville, KY. Learn about our Equine C.A.R.E. (Connect, Assist, Rescue, Educate) Program and the commitment KHS has made to finding solutions for neglected, abused, and abandoned horses in Kentucky. KHS’s 42-acre farm is home to about 30 horses at any given time, and you can get a firsthand look at the equines in their care. We will offer equine demonstrations, a tour of the farm, time to spend with some KHS puppies, and, of course, provide a spot to have a picnic with your fellow Rotarians and their families. We will have Kingsley’s BBQ, delicious sides and light cocktails.

$25 per person – includes lunch and visit/tour
$35 per person – includes lunch, cocktails and visit/tour

Spots are limited and carpooling is encouraged. Please RSVP HERE by Sep 6 at 12:00 pm.

What: Park Duvalle Gala
Organization: Park Duvalle Community Health Centers
Date/Time: August 19, 6:00-10:00pm
Location: Muhammad Ali Center
Description: This inaugural gala will benefit the Dr. Harvey I. Sloane Patient Assistance Fund, established to assist patients who cannot afford to pay for medication and dental services. Dr. Sloane was the Park Duvalle Community Health Center's first CEO in 1968 and went on to become Mayor of Louisville, serving two terms from 1973-77 and 1982-86. This event will feature words from current CEO Dr. Swannie Jett, Dr. Harvey Sloane, live performances by Regina Belle and Keith Washington, and a live auction. Click HERE for more information.

Purchase a ticket: https://pdchc.org/the-legacy-fundraising-gala/
Member to contact / email: Dr. Swannie Jett, sett@pdchc.org or 502-408-6441

What: A Night For Life
Organization: Whitney/Strong
Date/Time: September 8, 6:00pm
Location: MegaCorp Pavilion, 101 W 4th St, Newport, KY 41071
Description: A Night for Life is the annual gala to reflect on the organization’s vital work and success over the past year, renew our hope for change, and most important - celebrate the impactful work of our featured heroes as they share their meaningful stories through captivating artistic performances. American cellist, songwriter, and storyteller Ben Sollee will once again bring his global-level talent to A Night for Life to produce these important stories. We look forward to a night of storytelling, hope, and action with you.

More information and to buy a ticket: https://www.whitneystrong.org/anfl-2023
Member to contact / email: Whitney Austin, whitney@whitstrong.org

Note: This section features upcoming events and opportunities to serve with our nonprofit member organizations. Submissions must be from a member (or spouse/partner) of our Club who is either an employee or board member of the organization for which the event/opportunity is being shared. Click HERE to submit.

We have set the dates for the Rotary Honors Scholars mentoring program at Iroquois High School for the 2023-2024 school year.

Iroquois will begin the school day at 8:40am. We will work with the students during first period from 8:40am until 9:45am. The schedule is as follows:

• September 13^th
• October 18^th
• December 6^th
• January 31^st
• February 14^th
• March 27^th

** Thursday May 9^th is the tentative date for the Rotary Honors Scholars Celebration luncheon.

Contact me at cmooney@bosseconstruction.com if you would like to participate.

We have set the dates for the Rotary Honors Scholars mentoring program at Western High School for the 2023-2024 school year.

Western will begin the school day at 8:40am. We will work with the students during first period from 8:40am until 9:45am. The schedule is as follows:

• September 19^th
• October 17^th
• November 14^th
• January 23^rd
• February 27^th
• March 19^th

** Thursday May 9^th is the tentative date for the Rotary Honors Scholars Celebration luncheon.

There will not be sessions at JCTC this school year.

Contact me at cmooney@bosseconstruction.com if you would like to participate.