Welcome to the Rotary Club To End Human Trafficking

 
Are you an established professional who wants to make positive changes in your community and the world?  Our club members are dedicated people who share a passion for ending human trafficking / modern slavery.  Becoming a Rotarian connects you with a diverse group who share your drive to give back.

Let’s keep building! 

Our club is now 3 years old and, as with any toddler, milestones are met and growth continues sometimes seemingly overnight and sometimes slowly. In this past year we started to fund our foundation as well as approved our first grant. Our Programs & Projects committee researched and approved a number of organizations our club now endorses. They also approved our first grant and will soon be reviewing another project proposal. In addition a team has been exploring an economic development idea that includes microloans as well as training for women in high risk areas. More to come on those project possibilities! We added a new Associate Membership level which allows members of other Rotary clubs to join us and those members now make up almost ⅓ of our club. Club members continue to connect and share ideas and collaborate on projects and presentations around the world. On the PR side of the house our brand look and feel was developed last summer and rolled out in our newsletter and other communication tools. Our YouTube channel continues to grow and gain an audience as our past speaker videos are shared with other Rotary clubs as well as the general public. We tweaked our Strategic Plan to include economic development and add a greater emphasis on partnering with groups with proven Outcomes measurement results. And I know many of you have lost sleep worrying about this, but our back end policies and procedures have been kept up to date. All humor aside we share those and other club resources with new clubs to give them a leg up on their governance and people have been sincerely grateful for them.
 
As is true in any organization, but especially any volunteer group, nothing happens without individual contributions. Our club has grown due to the work of some very key people who I would like to take the time to thank now. In no particular order: 
  • Lisa Podolny for jumping into the Treasurer role and stepping up as the President- Elect. I am sincerely grateful for your leadership and I look forward to continuing to work with you! The best is yet to come.
  • Mary Fiadese for all of your work on the newsletter. AMAZING job and very appreciated! I enjoy your dedication and creativity and our meetings are a highlight of my week. 
  • Speaking of websites - Jerry Nelson for keeping ours up to date and for keeping all of our policies current. If I listed everything you have done for our club it would take pages so let me just say that without you far less would have been done! Although we may never meet in person I consider you a wonderful friend and I enjoy our volunteer time together.
  • Matt Friedman for your continued work on the speaker's committee and for sharing your work with us during many of our meetings. You are an inspiration and global leader in this fight and wonderful person to know!
  • Dalton Brannen for leading our communications team and getting things rolling. Although you had to take a break to go to flight school, we hope you will join us again someday. We miss your talent, ideas and energy!
  • Shirley Hsia for leading the speaker’s committee and stepping up for treasurer next year. Your energy and dedication are boundless and I appreciate that you just jump in and get things done. I look forward to working with you more closely next year!
  • Veralice Navarro and Brightna Hu who were our summer interns who got our social media channels and newsletter started. They wouldn’t exist without your fabulous work!
  • Erin Maloney for her work leading the programs and projects committee and for keeping the heart of our club front and center. You share great ideas and are inclusive and caring. It is a joy to know and work with you!
  • Michael Podolny for being the best disrupter ever. Full of actionable ideas and motivated to make a difference you are a primary driver for our club and I look forward to where you take us next!
  • Cindee Sapoznik for your work on the programs and projects committee and for being a positive light that always shines. Your icebreakers were fantastic and your personal support is even better. Many thanks for just being you!
  • Helen Sworn for your ideas and work on the speaker's committee as well as for sharing your wisdom and knowledge with our group. You are a connector and relationship builder making a difference to end human trafficking. I am grateful you are with us.
  • Annette Mansfield for your work on the programs and projects committee and your wonderful ideas. Not only do you share your suggestions, but you take steps to make them happen. You are a gift and I look forward to working with you more closely.
  • Maria Moreyra for stepping up to be the club’s secretary. You bring such a great perspective to the board and always share from the heart. I appreciate your dedication to this cause and our club.
  • Ashley Aiken for your efforts starting our fundraising team. Thank you for getting things going. 
  • Justina Ansah for your work editing and posting our YouTube videos. I am grateful you stepped up to take on this task.
  • Colin Christensen for sharing great ideas and for your interest in economic development to combat human trafficking. You will be integral in our solution. Oh and thank you for that cocktail recipe. It is a keeper.
  • Anne Delain Clark for jumping in to be both our social chair as well as joining the newsletter team. I like how you think outside of the box and include both head and heart in your suggestions. I really enjoy working with you and look forward to more time together - both virtually and in person!
  • Karen Walkowski for creating this club and being an amazing mentor and friend. I can’t list everything you have done, but we literally wouldn’t be here as a group without you and you are a primary reason I joined. I have truly enjoyed volunteering with you and look forward to where things go next year!  
We still have a lot to do and I know we can make them happen. I look forward to continuing to work with and get to know you all better as we move forward making a difference. I appreciate that you are with us! 
 
Moving intention into Action,
Michelle Seets
Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking President, 2022-2023
 
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OPPORTUNITY TO DONATE TO THE ROTARY CLUB TO END HUMAN TRAFFICKING NOW AVAILABLE.
 
The Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking Foundation has activated a DONATE button located at the top of this website.  This button allows you to easily support the activities of the club and our foundation.  As the only global Rotary Club focused on Ending Human Trafficking, this club is uniquely positioned to partner with global organizations developing education and prevention programs and partner with Rotary clubs around the globe who are committed to ending human trafficking in their communities.
 
Our goal is to support 2-4 organizations in the next year which would require more than $10,000.  Giving is easy and any contribution is welcome.  Consider a donation of $100 or more.  There are also several companies that offer a match to your donation so consider that as well.  
 
The Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking is a registered 501c3 charitable organization the U.S.A. (EIN=87-0896985).  If you have questions, or wish to make a contribution please contact treasurer@endhtrotaryclub.org
 
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Thais are taught from their earliest years to defer to those older and more entrenched in society than themselves.  I had not fully understood the truth of that statement until I had lived here for a few years.  After living here for 4 years I bought a house and the student who lived with me and I moved into my new home.  She turned down the opportunity to join Interact saying that she would be the newest member and not be allowed to do or say anything. 
 
Prior to that time, I was teaching as a contract teacher and there was a young teacher who had some solid ideas worthy of consideration.  I suggested that she share them at the staff meetings.  She said that she was the newest and youngest so couldn’t say anything.  In frustration, I went to the director and asked what the truth was.  His answer was that if she tried to do anything on her own, no one would help her.  Turning on my heel and muttering “how stupid”, I left his office. 
Why an article on collaboration?   Well it’s simple, TRAGAST has a huge dream; provide every child in Thailand and eventually the Mekong Region, with effective human trafficking prevention training.   We are working with a fantastic organization called  The Peace Culture Foundation.   Their founder, fearless leader and Rotary Peace Fellow is Dr. Sombat Tapanya.   When I have spoken with him about expanding the training beyond Chiang Mai, he always emphasizes that we will need to work with other organizations to get this done (Collaboration)!
 
In the world against Human Trafficking there are several types of efforts being done by various organizations.  For example:
a.  Restoration / Aftercare services are provided to survivors in need.
b.  Intervention / Rescue services are efforts to remove those trafficked from their captors.
c.  Prevention services include education and awareness and it is in this area where we work to achieve our amazing goal of providing prevention training to children.
About Our Club
RCEHT

Service Above Self

We meet In Person
Thursdays at 7:00 AM
Online via Zoom
Eden Prairie, MN
United States of America
We meet on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month at 7:00 AM Central Time. Contact President@endHTrotaryclub.org for the meeting link.
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