When Rotarians attending the District 6420 conference in DeKalb, IL on November 5 learned of the influx of Ukrainian refugee children in two Chicago schools, they sprang into action. The result is that two schools in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood of Chicago have received 1,000 new books each.
 
 These Ukrainian Village neighborhood schools with pre-K to eighth grade age students have experienced nearly a 40% increase in enrollment from families fleeing the war in Ukraine. Rotary Club members who were gathered for the 2022-2023 District Conference donated $10,000 worth of new books in a one day fundraising event for the two schools. Usborne Books and More matched their generosity with a gift of an additional $5000 of new books bringing the total fundraising event to $15,000 in new books. Rotary District 6420 and Rotary International leadership delivered 1,000 books (20 boxes) to each of the two schools on November 28.
 
“I am grateful for the generosity of our Rotary Club members who made this possible in a single day”, said District 6420 Governor Laura Kann of Princeton, IL.
 
Rotary is an international organization of business and professional persons united to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Rotary District 6420 is made up of 43 Rotary Clubs located in northwest Illinois, with a total membership of over 1,400.