I just got back from the International Assembly for final training to be the District Governor (again) . It was another great experience, and I brought back some great ideas for the coming year. The theme for this year is Unite For Good. Another descriptive theme for what Rotarians do all the time!
We also spent the week talking about Rotary’s Action Plan. If you haven’t looked at it for a while, please do so. The four priorities are exactly what our club’s need to focus on to increase membership, increase retention, and to make a bigger impact in our communities and the world.
The Rotary Action Plan and the four priorities provide tools to help clubs address challenges, take on new opportunities, and move their ideas forward. Watch the Video.
This International Women's Day, March 8, 2025 let's come together to celebrate the incredible strength, resilience, and achievements of women worldwide! We invite all Rotarian women to participate in our special campaign by sharing a photo of themselves proudly wearing their Rotary shirts. Let's showcase the power and unity of women within the Rotary family!
How to Participate:
Put on your favorite Rotary shirt and Rotary (Women in Rotary) pin.
Message from John Hewko, Rotary International General Secretary, " I am grateful for the support of District 5610 for our Miles to End Polio fundraiser. With help from allocation of District Designated Funds (DDF), our bike ride raised more than US$5 million toward polio eradication efforts and toward our US$50 million annual PolioPlus fundraising goal. Your contribution encouraged me to cross the finish line of the ride, and it will help us cross the finish line in our fight to the end polio.
Thank you for supporting Miles to End Polio and bringing us closer to eradicating this debilitating disease"
Are you the President-Elect for 2025-2026? Are you an officer or chair of a committee for your club? Are you an interested Rotarian looking to learn more about running a club? If so, this training is for you! Email district5610Rotary@gmail.com today and get more details.
The District Raffle is going to be new and exciting this year! Jennifer Rollins, DGND, has been working hard to capture more participants and make the process easier and more up-to-date. Some changes include:
There is still plenty of time to participate! YOUR FOUR WAY TEST WINNER IS DUE TO PAT SUTLIFF BY APRIL 1, 2025. I do hope that many of you are participating in this great project!! The necessary forms can be found here. Questions: 605-593-2896, <pmsutliff@gmail.com>
It’s that exciting time of year again when we, as Rotarians, reach out to high school sophomores and juniors in our communities to encourage them to apply for the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA). Students will be able to apply from February 15 – March 31, 2025.
Rotary 360 - the official blog of Rotary International - provides stories and tools for clubs to become more impactful in their communities! Try it now! blog.rotary.org
This year marks a historic milestone—Rotary is celebrating 120 years of service and impact! Since 1905, Rotarians have been transforming communities through service, and now it’s time to showcase that impact.
Longtime Rotarian, Keith Johnson, passed away on January 23, 2025 at the age of 94. Born and raised in Iowa, Keith was an ever proud Cyclone, earning his BS (1952) and DVM (1955) from Iowa State. He joined the Iowa National Guard and was commissioned a Captain in the US Air Force. He and his wife, JoAnn, settled in Rapid City, SD where they raised four children.
Congratulations to the Rotary Club of Sioux Falls West who received 2024-2025 Silver Hero Award for their outstanding contributions to ShelterBox. Their dedication and relentless efforts have made a significant impact on countless lives, and this recognition is a testament to your exceptional commitment to humanitarian service.
Rotary International is now accepting applications for 2026 Rotary Peace Fellowships! We hope you will join us in promoting the peace fellowship opportunity within your communities and enlisting the help of club members across your district to find qualified candidates. The application will be open until 15 May 2025, and interested candidates can apply through our application webpage.
Luverne Rotary hosted the top three winners of the Rotary Four Way Test Essay Contest this week. These students from Mrs. Hoogendorn’s 6th grade writing students not only wrote thoughtful essays but also did an excellent job of reading their essays to a full house of Rotary members and guests.
This past week, the Watertown SD Rotary Club joined forces with the Watertown Area Snow Queens to make a meaningful impact in the community. Together, they packed 549 bags of food for the PACH (People Against Childhood Hunger) program, ensuring that local children in need have access to nutritious meals outside of school hours.
Members of Sioux Falls Rotary South recently came together to make a difference in the lives of some of the community’s most vulnerable residents—four-legged ones included! In a heartfelt service project, Rotarians handcrafted blankets and delivered them to the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society, ensuring comfort and warmth for animals awaiting their forever homes.
Members of the Sioux Falls Downtown Rotary recently dedicated a week to service, partnering with Haven Hope International Ministry of Sioux Falls Center. This impactful organization, originating in Rock Rapids, Iowa, focuses on delivering wheelchairs to individuals in critical need.
Rotary’s commitment to service shined bright as members from Madison Rotary and Brookings Rotary joined forces for the 2025 Madison Food Pack—a powerful community effort to combat hunger on a global scale.
Retired NYPD detective Gary Placco was guest speaker at the Jan. 20 meeting of the Custer Rotary Club. Placco spoke about his ongoing efforts to organize opposition to the gold and lithium mining planned and currently taking place in the Black Hills, and, more specifically, in Custer County.
. It was another great experience, and I brought back some great ideas for the coming year. The theme for this year is Unite For Good. Another descriptive theme for what Rotarians do all the time!
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