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Rotary honors UK Prime Minister Theresa May

5 reasons to give to Rotary on Giving Tuesday 2018

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Six reasons you should give to Rotary on Giving Tuesday

Honoring ingenuity

2019 Rotary Peace Fellowship Applications now available and hear from Global Scholar DJ Fravel

Donovan (DJ) Fravel, a recent graduate of Augustana in the fields of government and politics, is our current Peace Scholar studying Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution for a Master’s Degree at King’s College in London. He is sponsored by the Enfield Chase Rotary Club in northern London, and as you see from the photos, District 1130 is sponsoring over 24 Peace Scholars from all over the world. He received a warm welcome from the club, and has already participated in Club projects events as you can see in the photos.

The 2019 Rotary Peace Fellowship application is now available!

As a Rotary leader, you play a key role in communicating information about Rotary Peace Centers programs to potential candidates. We encourage you to use and share these resources:

The Rotary Peace Centers Program Guide — information on eligibility requirements and finding qualified candidates
Share this video explaining the application process.
Share the application page where candidates find information on the fellowship and helpful application tips.
Send personalized emails with the fellowship announcement to contacts within your network.
Facilitate an introduction with the Rotary Peace Centers staff (rotarypeacecenters@rotary.org) and we will be happy to follow-up!
Follow us on the Rotary Peace Centers Facebook page and share fellowship updates.
Present on the Rotary Peace Fellowship at an organization you are connected with. A PowerPoint presentation is available online.

Candidates must submit applications to the District 5610 Global Peace Scholarship Chair, Sandra Christenson (sandrac@heartland-paper.com) by March 1, 2019. Districts must submit endorsed applications to The Rotary Foundation by 1 July. General inquiries regarding the fellowship program may be sent to rotarypeacecenters@rotary.org. We thank you for your dedication to the Rotary Peace Centers and your continuous support in educating the Rotary network about the fellowships! Further information can be obtained by contacting any of the following:

Sandra Christenson (sandrac@heartland-paper.com)

Darrel Sawyer (Darrell.sawyer@sdsmt.edu)

Pam Homan (phoman@augied.edu)

We appreciate your assistance in identifying interested and qualified applicants!

Sincerely,

Sandra, Darrell and Pam

Meet our District 5610 Youth Exchange Inbound Students

District 5610 and our Youth Exchange officers have been welcoming two inbound students – Eloise Longhi from Belgium (Rapid City Rushmore) and Borja Gallo Ansa from Spain (Madison) – as well as preparing for a new group of outbound students from our district. District 5610 currently has two students who have applied to be outbound students, while several clubs have expressed an interest to host students even if they cannot send a student outbound. If you have a student interested in Rotary Youth Exchange, please have them contact Patrick.Morrison@usd.edu as soon as possible due to the short time remaining in the application process. Lastly, please contact Patrick if your club is interested in hosting an exchange student for the 2019-2020 Rotary year.

Pictured in photo: Past District Governor and District Treasurer Steven Sikorski, Past District Governor Ed Jacobson and District Governor David Lorenz welcome District 5610 Rotary Youth Exchange Students from Belgium and Spain.

To learn more please visit https://www.csrye.org/

Great Plains Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA)

What is RYLA?

RYLA stands for Rotary Youth Leadership Award. A RYLA participant is selected by his or her local Rotary Club to attend a camp designed to build character, leadership, personal development and good citizenship. The “Award” part of RYLA is the actual scholarship the Rotary Club provides so that a participant may attend camp. Many participants have had life-changing experiences by attending RYLA Camp, and YOU could be one of those people.

Rotary District 5630 has hosted Great Plains RYLA for more than 1,200 students since 1990. Using the Nebraska State 4-H campground facilities near Halsey in the scenic Nebraska Sandhills, RYLA has trained young leaders through activities, workshops, and a variety of presentations by speakers in business, government, and education.

The camp is a six-day experience full of outdoor activities such as canoeing or tubing, a fun ropes course, and many other outdoor activities that emphasize teamwork and decision making. In addition, RYLA focuses on service and Rotary’s role in building stronger communities by emphasizing both local and global citizenship. Previous RYLArians serve as junior counselors and Rotarian men and women serve as senior counselors.

Learn more about RYLA and upcoming application deadlines by visiting https://greatplainsryla.org/students/about/

Rotarians of Distinction

Rotary District 5610 recently recognized ten “Rotarians of Distinction” from 1,800 Rotarians in a four-state region at the 2018 Rotary District 5610 Conference and Celebration held in Vermillion. Each Rotarian of Distinction received a certificate recognizing a level of service to the organization and to their communities that was so outstanding that it deserved special recognition.

“It was very exciting to recognize our Rotarians of Distinction,” said Dave Lorenz, Governor of Rotary District 5610. “Too often we forget to say a public thank you to those who do so much good for their Rotary Club and for their community. I am proud to be associated with such wonderful, compassionate individuals.”

As members of a service organization, all Rotarians contribute to the betterment of their communities and practice the organization’s motto of “service above self”. However, each of these Rotarian’s contributions were at such a high level that they were recognized by the leadership of the District.

Rotary District 5610 includes 28 Rotary clubs from around South Dakota as well as 13 clubs in southwest Minnesota, northwest Iowa and northeast Nebraska. These 41 clubs are involved in many local and international service activities.

Visit the District website Rotary5610.org for information about when the clubs meet in our district. Visitors are welcome at club meetings, and local Rotary clubs are always interested in learning more about ideas for service projects to help the community.

Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 35,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work improves lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. For more information, visit Rotary.org.

RevUp Membership District 5610

Congratulations to Centerville, Cherokee, Marshall Sunrise, Watertown, Brookings, Gregory, Canby, Rapid City Rushmore, Aberdeen and Luverne who ended the Rotary year with an increase in members.

Here are some great resources.

https://www.rotary2127.com/tool-box/

https://my.rotary.org/en/learning-reference/learn-topic/membership

Each club has received the Club Membership Guide to help you develop a club membership plan.

New member orientation template available.

Carmen Hansen

District Membership Chair

Letter from Barry Rassin and Ron D. Burton

My dear friends and fellow Rotary leaders,

As we enter Foundation Month, we would like to thank each and every one of you who did so much to make World Polio Day such an enormous success.

We welcomed Rotarians, Rotary staff members, Rotaractors, and guests to our livestream viewing and virtual reality event here at Rotary headquarters in Evanston. It was an amazing experience—not only sharing our excitement and enthusiasm for polio eradication with so many strong supporters, but knowing that our event was just one of the 3,300 registered World Polio Day events taking place around the world on that day. Everyone helped raise awareness of our work; everyone brought eradication that much closer.

Rotary’s work to eradicate polio continues, as does our work to promote literacy, economic development, better health, clean water, and peace throughout the world—all of it supported by our Rotary Foundation. In its 101^st year, our Foundation continues to be the engine that drives the Rotary machine, allowing Rotary clubs and districts to aspire to larger, more ambitious projects with transformative, sustainable impact.

If your club is thinking about taking on a more ambitious project, remember that Rotary Action Groups (RAGs) are great resources. RAGs are international groups of Rotarians, family members, program participants, and alumni who are experts in a particular field, such as microcredit, peace, family health, disasters, or water. In addition to contributing technical expertise, RAGs can also assist clubs with global grant projects by helping prepare grant applications, conduct community assessments, identify partners, raise funds, and establish monitoring and evaluation plans.

Some of the largest RAGs serve as leaders in Rotary’s areas of focus and help clubs take on large-scale global grant projects: RAG for Population and Development,Water and Sanitation RAG, RAG for Family Health and AIDs Prevention,Microfinance and Community Development RAG, and RAG for Peace. Connect directly with a RAG for assistance with a project, district, or global grant, at any stage of planning.

You can end Foundation Month on a charitable note by participating in Giving Tuesday, 27 November. Rotary will be joining thousands of other organizations worldwide for a global day of giving. Our new online giving platform has made it easier than ever to give to the Foundation, and you can easily notify someone of a gift made in their honor via email or by printing and delivering a customized notification yourself.

We usually refer to The Rotary Foundation as Our Foundation. Unlike most charities, our Foundation is truly Our Foundation, because it is both supported by the Rotary family, and supports the work we do. This year, our Foundation has already approved 222 district grants, with $31.9 million USD in total funding, and 41 global grants, with $11.9 million in total funding.

Our ambitious goals to grow our endowment and our annual giving set the stage for a larger, more effective, more sustainable Rotary—that will Be the Inspiration for generations to come.

Yours in Rotary,

Barry Rassin
President, Rotary International 2018-19

Ron D. Burton
Trustee Chair, The Rotary Foundation 2018-19

Swedish Friendship Exchange Visit to District 5610

In June of 2018, we sent a team of twelve Rotarians and spouses from District 5610 to the Swedish Rotary District 2340 for two weeks. They were in Sweden for Midsommer which is one of the biggest celebrations of the year for Swedes. As you can imagine they had a fabulous and interesting time. So they were very excited to welcome a team of ten Swedes to our district in September of 2018, and to be able to show them District 5610 hospitality. The Swedish team was hosted in Rapid City, Pierre, Winner, Madison, Brookings, and Sioux Falls, all towns who sent delegates to Sweden. They had many American experiences from viewing Mt. Rushmore, eating Indian tacos, barbequing, boating and seeing a football game. What a wonderful way to celebrate Rotary and make international friendships.

Welcome to our District 5610 website!

JOIN LEADERS ~ EXCHANGE IDEAS ~ TAKE ACTION

We are PEOPLE OF ACTION!

This website is for the use of the membership of District 5610 clubs, district leadership and the public. You can locate club meetings and locations in the left column, and District leaders in Organization. Please browse the information, suggest additions and changes, or ask questions by reaching leaders in "Contact Us." If you login as a member of Rotary, you can access additional club and district management information.

Rotary International is the world's first service club organization, with more than 1.2 million members in over 35,000 clubs worldwide, divided into 535 Districts. Rotary club members are volunteers who work locally, regionally, and internationally to combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide education and job training, promote peace, and eradicate polio under the motto Service Above Self.

District Governor 2018-19 Dave Lorenz Upcoming Club Visits

As we enter a new Rotary year, I am reminded of the vision statement of Rotary International:

“Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves."

As 2018-19 Rotary International President Barry Rassin said, “we unite because we know that we are far stronger together than we could ever be alone.”

As I travel District 5610 during the 2018-19 Rotary year, I look forward to building on the work done before us and together we all can BE THE INSPIRATION for better things yet to come.

July 3 – Vermillion

July 16 – Rock Valley

July 17 - Luverne

July 23 – Sibley

July 24 - Mapleton

July 31 – Marshall Noon

August 2 – Marshall Sunrise

August 2 – Canby

August 6 – Sioux City

August 8 – Minneota

August 9 – Denison

August 13 – Tyndall

August 21 – Yankton

August 23 - Centerville

August 27 - Cherokee

August 30 - Winner

Sept. 12 - Gregory

Sept. 13 - Rapid City

Sept. 13 - Hot Springs

Sept. 18 - Rapid City Rushmore

Sept. 20 - Scotland

Sept. 24 - Aberdeen

Oct. 2 - Brookings

Oct. 4 - Watertown

Oct. 8 - Custer

Oct. 10 - Spearfish

Oct. 15 - Madison

Oct. 18 - Gettysburg

Oct. 25 - Mitchell

Oct. 29 - Pierre - Ft. Pierre

Oct. 31 -Wagner

Nov. 5 - Mobridge

Nov. 6 - Clark

Nov. 7 - Sioux Falls North

Nov. 9 - Sioux Falls West

Nov. 12 - Downtown Sioux Falls

Nov. 13 - Canton

Nov. 27 - Suburban Sioux City

Feb. 4 - Sioux Falls South

May 14 - LeMars

End Polio Now

It is well known among most Rotarians the long and constant battle Rotary International has waged against polio worldwide since 1979. While the goal to eliminate the disease hasn't been completely reached, we are getting so very close. The Centerville Rotary Club has had first hand experience learning about the struggles of the disease from Club President Jen Knudson's mother Kathy Anderson. Kathy visited the local club during the week of World Polio Day to share her story.

Kathy was one of several local children to obtain polio. It was a perilous time for the family as the doctor would say things like "if she doesn't die" instead of "when she gets better". Fortunately, she survived the disease with some mild symptoms such as back pain and weakness in the limbs that remain with her to this day. We are very thankful that we are so far removed from polio that we only know the horrors of this disease from hearing stories from people like Kathy. But there are still some remote places that polio remains a reality. This gives us all the more incentive as Rotarians to continue the fight. The Centerville Rotary club would like to thank Kathy for sharing her amazing story.

Osborne Inspires Rotarians at District Conference

Former University of Nebraska-Lincoln football head coach Tom Osborne addresses a banquet audience at the Muenster University Center on the USD campus Friday night. He was keynote speaker at the Rotary District 5610 annual conference being held this past weekend in Vermillion. Read the article.

Polio Plus

What is your club doing to celebrate World Polio Day? We are so close to eradicating polio from the world that Rotary International and Governor Dave Lorenz want all the clubs in District 5610 to do something special to celebrate World Polio Day on October 24th. This is important so that the citizens of the world know about Rotary's and our partners' efforts to rid the world of polio once and for all.

One of the big events planned is the Rotary Clubs of Sioux Falls will hold a Press Conference on the morning of October 22 in Sioux Falls about Rotary's part in polio eradication. In Rapid City the Rushmore Club plans a free movie for the children of Rapid City. The goal is to to make kids more aware of polio and how Rotary has made it so that children no longer must stay home from theaters and swimming pools at epidemic times to prevent the chance of becoming paralyzed. A club meeting on polio eradication or a special event on polio would be great. Check out the following link on ways to help publicize your event. End Polio

Click here to: Watch Rotary's 6th Annual World Polio Day livestream

Willis Sutliff

Polio Plus Chair

Letter from Ron Burton - Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair

Ron Burton’s, Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair, Ron Burton's letter to Rotarians reminds us of the real impact of the Rotary Foundation and the impact we as Rotarians make with our Contributions to the Foundation. Please take a moment and read or re-read his letter as it reminds us that we are making “REAL” change in our world through the work of the Rotary Foundation. Thanks for your continuing contributions to the Rotary Foundation.

Dear fellow Rotarians,

The work that Rotary does, with the support of The Rotary Foundation, is not abstract. It is real, and it changes the lives of real people, in ways that are so fundamental that it’s hard to explain. You have to see it for yourself. And when you understand the Foundation’s power to transform, you can’t help but become passionate about it.

When I became a district governor in 1987, Rotary’s largest-ever fundraising campaign at that time was underway. We were raising money to fight polio. In those days, poliovirus ran rampant. We had 350,000 cases in more than 125 countries in 1988. Also that year, Rotary and some partners founded the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. As we all got to work fighting polio, real progress began to happen. Thanks to our commitment, since then, cases of polio have been reduced by more than 99.9 percent. We’re witnessing history, and the Foundation is part of that real change.

There are countless other ways the Foundation changes real lives — families who enjoy clean water thanks to a global grant, or children who learned to read through a literacy project funded by a district grant. Today in Rotary, we have opportunities to change the world like never before, if we choose to rise to our own potential.

The Rotary Foundation is the way Rotary accomplishes amazing things on a global scale. The Foundation is there for us now, and will be there for the talented and dedicated Rotarians of the future. They will look back at our work today, if we do it right, and thank us for leaving them with a legacy to help fix the problems of their time.

Giving to the Foundation is the way we make all of these dreams — today’s and tomorrow’s — possible. For me, true philanthropy is not measured by the size of one’s gift but rather by the gift in relation to one’s financial ability. Imagine the impact we could make if each and every Rotarian gave whatever they could today.

We Rotarians care about service and giving back. We are also careful planners. Donating to The Rotary Foundation is, without a doubt, a wise investment. For 10 years straight, our Foundation has received the highest possible score from the independent evaluator Charity Navigator, for its strong financial health and its commitment to accountability and transparency.

Let’s reaffirm our commitment to tangible change in the world by mobilizing everyone in our clubs and districts to support The Rotary Foundation generously today. Though we may never know who our gift helped, we will be sure that our donation was invested well and the impact of our gifts was real.

Sincerely,

Ron D. Burton
Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair

A special thank you just in for ...

Custer Rotary – I just wanted all of you to see what your generosity bought: thirty six band new bags for our 7-12 students in Custer and Hermosa. Thanks also for the used bags donated, they will be used as well. I took them to the high school today and the teachers we so excited for the donation. They were already thinking of kids that they knew would need a bag and were grateful that someone was thinking about the older kids and their students! Once again, Custer Rotary has made a difference!

Mark Naugle

Superintendent

Custer School District

Record Setting Foundraiser Year

Rotary Friendship Exchange Team Travels to Sweden

Our Rotary Friendship Exchange team travel to Sweden and is visiting friends in District 2340 celebrating Midsummer. In mid-June, school is out and nature has burst into life. It seems like the sun never sets. In fact, in the north of Sweden it doesn’t, and in the south only for an hour or two. This calls for celebration! Friends and family gather for the most typically Swedish tradition of all: Midsummer. Our team has been having a fabulous time exploring and celebrating across Sweden. They have been home staying with local Rotarians there, seeing wonderful sites, sharing new experiences and making lifelong friends. We will be welcoming Swedes from District 2340 to our District 5610 from September 24 to October 8, 2018. Hopefully you will all get a chance to meet them. For more information about Rotary Friendship Exchange programs in District 5610 contact Pat Sutliff <sutliff@midco.net>

Omniceye Rotary publishes Pine Ridge Services Request Directory

The Pine Ridge Area Social Services Organizations Rotary Directory was originated by Angie Sam, Raising Healthy Families Together Director. Her intern, Maretta Afraid of Bear, collected the initial data and Robyn Whirlwind Horse assisted with data entry in 2016/17. Raising Healthy Families Together is an informal network of social service organizations providing services to the residents of the Oglala Lakota Nation on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

The Omniciye Club asked the members of RHFT to expand or compose their organizational profiles, assess the communities they serve, and outline potential projects Rotary clubs might wish to consider for support of volunteers, materials and funds.

Dr. Craig Howe, Center for American Indian Research and Native Studies (CAIRNS) and Tom Allen, Oglala Lakota College, provided historical and contemporary Tribal information. On behalf of Omniciye Multi-Cultural Rotary Club: Bev Warne, Kibbe Conti, Gloria Eastman and Tom Katus were members of the initial visiting team. Terri Hunter wrote the chapter on Lakota History, Dee Katus edited the data, Tom Katus provided over all management to the project, and Linda Peterson provided final editing and electronic publishing.

The electronic file is available in downloads at www.RushmoreRotary.org for anyone wishing to find a worthy project in need of support. An additional file on Pine Ridge Social Services Organizations Contacts Directory is also available. Both directories were funded by a Rotary District 5610 Grant to Omniceye Multi-Cultural Rotary Club.

District 4 Way Test Contest Winners

WINNERS FOR THE 2018 FOUR WAY TEST ESSAY CONTEST

FIRST PLACE KEIRA CHRIST

Get the Clubrunner app on your phone for instant access to all your club members...and the District leaders too!

Never lose the email or phone number of club members again! Get the latest data at your fingertips.

ALL member of District 5610 Rotary clubs can get their club's data, you do not have to have a club website.

Download the ClubRunner app from your apps provider to your smart phone. It's the blue CR icon.

Log on with your ClubRunner password, using the same email listed for you on the District/Club website.

(If you have not logged on, do it now from your computer and get your password sent to you.)

Get access to all the contact data that your club members have provided.

It's easy, quick and very convenient!

PEOPLE of ACTION

Let's show our members and communities who and what Rotary is! The new People of Action public awareness campaign materials are available! You can prepare a visible image of Rotary to grow

your membership. See the Brand Center for a template to make your own posters and Facebook ads. It is simple, it is effective, it is ACTION!

The People of Action video from Rotary Brand Center aired as PSAs on VAST and Midco cable channels with a tagline to the District website. Billboards have displayed in Marshall, Sioux Falls and Rapid City! You can ask your local radio and TV stations to air PSAs for free too!

The following NEW People of Action campaign materials are available now on the Brand Center. There are many other templates, formatted ads and posters. Please feel free to share this information with your club's Public Image team, and let me know if you have any questions.

Digital Banner Template
Shortened “What We See” video with a 25-second and 85-second version. This allows clubs to add in their own tagline in the last 5 seconds.
“What We See” Video with no voiceover with a 30-second and 90-second version of the video, and a script for each. This allows Rotarians to record the video in their own language or dialect.
Using the People of Action Campaign: Television ads (Guide)
Using the People of Action Campaign: Radio ads (Guide)
Radio ad with no voiceover. This allows Rotarians to record a radio ad in their own voice, language, or dialect.

Use your club Facebook page to promote People of Action ads that you edit and personalize on the Brand Center. Then "friend" the District Facebook group page and link to your club's page, for even more synergy!

I am available to visit with your club's leaders and Public Image team to create a marketing plan for your club. Arrangements to visit the Marshall area, Brookings, Watertown and Sioux Falls are in the works for late fall. Contact me now!

—Linda Peterson, Zone 27 Regional Public Image Coordinator Linda4Rotary@me.com 605-341-5006

Wow! What a terrific Raffle!

The 2018 Raffle was a tremendous success thanks to all the clubs and their generous prize donations and ticket sales. And once again the partnership with Karl’s TV & Appliance is much appreciated. In total, roughly 5250 tickets were sold. The net total for the foundation from the District will be just under $50,000.

Brad Preheim, Raffle Chair

The prize list and winners:

Grand Prize – Karl's Appliance Kitchen Makeover – Ken Jones, Yankton

Brookings (Gift Basket) – Jay Prouty, Scotland
Canby (Gift Basket) – Jan Hansen, Centerville
Canton (Gift Basket) – Jennifer Soma, Brookings
Centerville (Gift Basket) – Jeff Schramm, Winner
Cherokee ($100 Gift Card) – Cindy Dannenbring, Madison
Clark (Gift Basket) – Di Bohlman, Centerville
Custer (Gift Basket) – Karen Kraus, Custer
Gregory (assisted with grand prize) Ken Jones, Yankton
Hot Springs (Golf, Spa getaway) Ron Gates, Mitchell
LeMars (HD TV) Jerry Johnson, Vermillion
Luverne (Gift Basket) Ellen Lee, Pierre/Ft Pierre
Madison (Gift Basket) Bernie Hanson, Watertown
Mapelton (Desk Clock) Tora Rozum, Mitchell
Marshall Noon (Gift Basket, Gift Card) Ron Gates, Mitchell
Marshall Sunrise ($100 Schwans Card) Dave Johnson, Watertown
Minneota (Gift Basket) Tad Perry, Pierre
Mitchell ($250 Cabella’s Card) Gopal Vyas, Mitchell
Mobridge (Gift Basket) Kevin Donlin, Madison
Pierre/Ft Pierre (Gift Basket) Chris Becker, LeMars
Rapid City (Gift Basket) Tom Dice, Mitchell
Rapid City Rushmore (Gift Basket) Laura Root, Winner
Rock Valley ($100 Gift Card) Bryan Hisel, Mitchell
Scotland (Beef Bucks) Cindy Howell, Rapid City
Sibley (Cenex Gift card, Basket) Jean Koehler
SF Downtown ($500 Gift Card) T Hazel, Mobridge
SF North ($250 Gift Card) Steve Sikorski, Sioux Falls
SF South ($100 Amazon Card) Mary Edelen, Vermillion
SF West ($250 Gift Card) Mike Pekas, Sioux Falls
Spearfish (Gift Basket) Bonnie Ryken, Yankton
Tyndall (DeWalt Drill Kit) Cindy Olson, Sioux Falls
Vermillion (Beef Bucks, Wine) Carl Tonjes) Sioux Falls
Wagner (State Park Passes) Jim Mehlhaff, Pierre/Ft Pierre
Watertown (Gift Basket) Joel Leyden, Winner
Winner (Custom built walnut table) Tom Van Holland, Rock Valley
Yankton (Riibe Outdoors Adventure) Roger Novotny, Pierre/Ft Pierre

About Friendship Exchanges

Friendship Exchange is one of the few International Exchange programs in Rotary that Rotarians can participate in. Vocational Training Teams are another. Because of tax laws, many exchanges and scholarships are not available to Rotarians or their families. However, in a Friendship Exchange a Rotarian and their spouse or friend are able to fully participate. The exchange consists of a team of 10 to 12 people traveling to another Rotary District around the world and touring there for about 2 weeks. During this time they are hosted in Rotarian homes, visit many Rotary meetings and projects, and see the country or area from the local's view. The team is taken to places that the local people think are important and would like to share. It really gives you a chance to learn about the customs, foods, etc of the area that you usually miss as a regular tourist. On these exchanges you typically pay your transportation to and from the country and for small gifts that you bring for the hosting Rotarians. Then the district that is visited sends a team to the country that they just hosted and those who participated in the exchange are responsible for hosting that returning team. Hosting on either side means providing home stays, food in restaurants some times, paying for entrance fees and providing transportation around the district. Some of these hosting duties may vary depending on the specifics of the particular exchange.

Friendship Exchanges are an amazing way to make lasting friendships around the world. I also think that they are a great beginning to peace in our world as we learn more about each other, begin to understand each other and build lasting relationships. I am always looking for contacts in other districts who might want to do a Friendship Exchange with our district. Any ideas that people have for places to go or contacts abroad who might be helpful are very much appreciated. Any questions please contact me.

—Pat Sutliff, District 5610 Friendship Exchange Chair sutliff@midco.net or 605-593-2896

D5610 Launches YouTube Channel!

Rotarians! You should check out the Denmark Rotary Friendship Exchange video produced by Tom Dempster now listed on our Rotary District 5610 new YouTube Channel. Access the YouTube Channel by clicking on the photo or the YouTube Icon. If you have a video you would like to share on the Rotary District 5610 YouTube Channel, please contact:

Nicole Rawden, District Administrator Phone: 605.690.4829