Dawn’s passion is threefold: for her husband and family, her relationship with God and for Join the Movement Events, Inc. (JTM), educating our local communities, what human trafficking is and how to protect their neighborhoods and most especially our youth. She became aware of this great need for Wisconsin at her Rotary District conference several years ago. Since that time Dawn has been attending training with the FBI, DOJ, ICAC, WCASA, SAVAS, Children’s Hospital, Amber Alert, NCJCT, End the Game, and Truckers Against Trafficking and local organizations. JTM’s mission was to organize large group awareness events in local communities to educate our youth, parents/guardians and community members. Dawn specializes in protecting our youth in a digital world. This has expanded to include specialized training workshops for medical professionals, EMS Departments, Law Enforcement Departments, hospitality staff and social workers. She is a frequent guest lecturer at medical colleges and universities for their grand rounds. Dawn is dedicated to educating all ages in all communities and traveling around the Midwest. Each presentation is catered specifically for those in attendance. She is also a founding member of the Walworth County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force. Dawn also serves on several organization boards of directors and task forces located in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota.
For many years, Dawn has been an advocate for victims of human trafficking and domestic abuse, helping them with the resources needed to make the changes in their lives. The JTM toolkits are available free of charge and are facilitated by many organizations around the world and available to download from their website www.jtme.org. Dawn moved to Minnesota when she and Peter were married and was a charter member and board member of the Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking as well as an Assistant Governor for 9 clubs in Rotary District 5950. When she moved back to Wisconsin and District 6270, she came back to her Elkhorn club where she was President from 2018-19. Dawn continues to share her passion to educate our youth to area business leaders through Rotary International. After 5 years as an Assistant Governor, Dawn moved on to another position within the district and is currently the District Governor Nominee for Rotary District 6270 and is the Director at Large for Medium Sized clubs for the current Rotary year.
After meeting with several organizations who all identified a need to fill the gaps with advocacy services, the JTM C.A.R.E. Team (Community Advocate Resource Evaluation) was launched in the spring of 2022. The CARE Team are fully trained advocates for human trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual assault victims. The CARE team currently operates in Walworth, Racine and Kenosha Counties offering advocate support services to local hospitals, the Child Advocacy Center of Walworth County and in the Walworth County Jail.
Our club has been nominated for Nonprofit of the Year and Jenne Hohn has been nominated for Volunteer of the Year for the 2024 Ozaukee Impact Awards through the Ozaukee Nonprofit Center! The Ozaukee Impact Awards seek to recognize local change-makers and the impact they had on the community over the past year. Winners in each category will be announced at the Awards Luncheon and Ceremony that will take place on Thursday, August 15th, from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm at the Ozaukee Nonprofit Center. For tickets, click here.
Congratulations to Russell Witte-Dycus, recipient of his Paul Harris Plus Three!
The presentation of a Paul Harris Fellow recognition is The Rotary Foundation’s way of expressing its appreciation for a substantial contribution to its humanitarian and educational programs. The recognition is named after Rotary’s founder, the late Paul Harris, a Chicago lawyer, who started Rotary with three business associates in 1905. A world of goodwill and better understanding comes closer to reality today because Russ has made a substantial gift to The Rotary Foundation and a Paul Harris Fellow recognition may be presented. In being named a Paul Harris Fellow, he joins a remarkable company of people throughout the world, all recognized for their commitment to Service Above Self to benefit local and international communities.
We congratulate you Russ, and thank you for your commitment to Rotary’s common goals of world understanding and peace.
Cultivating a healthy lifestyle empowers you to reach your full potential, both personally and professionally. Consider incorporating small, sustainable changes into your daily routine. Perhaps it's a brisk morning walk, swapping sugary beverages for water, or joining a lunchtime fitness class for added motivation. Remember, consistency is key. Celebrate your achievements, and view setbacks as opportunities for learning and adjustment. Investing in your well-being is an investment in your most valuable asset – yourself.
With 24.9% of residents volunteering, Wisconsin boasts one of the highest volunteer rates in the U.S. That's over 2.6 million residents lending a helping hand! (Source: https://www.servewisconsin.wi.gov/)
In 2021 alone, Wisconsin volunteers contributed a staggering 72.5 million hours of service. That's like having an extra 36,250 full-time workers dedicated to making a difference! (Source: https://www.servewisconsin.wi.gov/)
Originally from Georgia, Barbara Thompson spent her childhood surrounded by agriculture. Her mother's family still owns a large farm in Greene County, a legacy that likely influenced her father's career path as an agriculture and physics teacher. Now residing in Mequon, Wisconsin, Barbara enjoys a life filled with family (two sons and six grandchildren!), travel adventures, peaceful moments spent gardening, and getting lost in a good fiction novel.
Education:
Ph.D. Degree Educational Leadership, Foundation & Technology
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