We are enjoying visiting the Rotary Clubs and so impressed with all the projects that our clubs are doing to connect with their communities. We have enjoyed being “on the road”to the great District Clubs.
This message is important for all /district 5610 Rotarians! DG Mike Gibson’s August Leadership Meeting zeroed in on one powerful theme: Membership. Demetress Harrell, PDG 2022–23 and Rotary Membership Coordinator for Region 36, delivered an eye‑opening look at why growing membership is essential for strong, thriving clubs — and how each club can make a real impact.
2025 Roger Kozak Award went to Nancy Moos of the Rotary club of Madison .
Each year the Roger L. Kozak Service Above Self Award is awarded to one Rotarian in District 5610. It was conceived in 2016 and has been awarded six times to date. It is given in recognition of exceptional service to Rotarians in Rotary District 5610. The award honors the memory of Roger L. Kozak, long-time member of the Vermillion Rotary Club, who served as District 5610 Governor, 2009-10. Roger Kozak distinguished himself as an exceptionally dedicated servant leader.
Roger Kozak’s wife Pat Kozak once wrote the following: “I think the Kozak Award should go to someone who lives the Rotary motto of Service Above Self, and applies the Four-Way Test to all aspects of life. The person should have rendered exceptional service to the community lived in, and to the Rotarians of District 5610.”
Application - Limit to one-page and 200 words. Deadline - September 21, 2026 Email To: - mgibson1803@gmail.com
Join Rotary District 5610 October 22–24, 2026, at the spectacular Crazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota for a conference focused on inspiration, connection and service. Click to Register
As we prepare for the 2026 District Conference, we invite clubs to help us recognize and honor the Rotarians we have lost during the past Rotary year. The Celebration of Life is a special time to remember the dedicated men and women whose commitment to Service Above Self made a lasting impact on their clubs, communities, and Rotary.
When disaster strikes, communities often discover their greatest strength in the people who step forward to help. The Pierre-Fort Pierre Rotary Club recently demonstrated that spirit of service by presenting a $10,000 donation to the Highmore Disaster Foundation, administered by the South Dakota Community Foundation.
The Cherokee Rotary Club made their annual donation to Mid-Sioux Opportunity supporting the Back to School Backpack program. The Rotary Club donated 47 backpacks containing notebooks, markers, colored pencils, crayons, glue, pencils and pens. Thank you to our Rotary Club members for supporting this worthwhile program!
Unite for Water is part of Rotary District 5610’s new 2026–2029 Strategic Plan, giving us three more years to make a difference in communities through clean water, sanitation, and hygiene initiatives. So, let’s get started! Whether you’re looking for a new project, fresh ideas, or resources to help your club get involved, everything you need is available in one place.
Madison Rotary held their annual gold outing on August 7th at the Madison Country Club. The shotgun started at noon with 13 teams filling the field. The first place team was Bank West! Congratulations! All monies raised through this event go towards local programs and projects to support youth, economic development, education, and local service projects.
Rushmore Rotary celebrated another milestone in its commitment to serving the Rapid City community by presenting a $120,000 check to the Children's Home Society of South Dakota during a special check presentation ceremony.
The Spearfish-Northern Black Hills Rotary Club was proud to support this year's Spearfish Canyon Half Marathon & 5K by hosting one of the event's water stations, providing much-needed hydration and encouragement to participants throughout the race.
Exciting news is on the horizon for Rotary! The International Convention Committee (ICC) recently met in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to make its final recommendation to the Rotary International Board of Directors on the location of the 2028 Rotary International Convention. The committee unanimously selected Minneapolis to be recommended as the host city. PLEASE DO NOT STOP READING! IMPORTANT INFORMATION IS JUST A CLICK AWAY!
Service, teamwork, and leadership were on full display at this year's Great Plains RYLA as campers from Rotary Districts 5610 and 5630 came together to complete a meaningful community service project.
When the children of Kids Rock! Day Care Center headed to this year’s Rock County Fair Day Care Day, they arrived cool, safe, and ready for fun, thanks to a helping hand from the Luverne Rotary Club. The Rotary Club recently donated $600 to Rock County Opportunities (RCO) to cover transportation for the day care’s children and staff to and from the fairgrounds. In all, RCO provided 224 trips, making sure that even the youngest attendees could take part in the day’s activities.
The Rotary Club of Watertown demonstrated the true meaning of Service Above Self by serving 160 meals at the Watertown Banquet hosted at Grace Lutheran Church. Club members volunteered their time to prepare and serve meals, providing not only nourishment but also a warm welcome to everyone who attended.
The Spearfish- Northern Black Hills Rotary Club continues to demonstrate its commitment to community stewardship and environmental sustainability through ongoing care of the Pollinator Peace Garden at Spearfish Rotary Park.
A new Rotary year is the perfect opportunity to take a fresh look at how your club is presented to your members, prospective members, and your community. Your club's website and social media channels are often the first impression someone has of Rotary. Are they current? Are they welcoming? Do they tell your club's story?
The Rotary New Year Checklist was created to help clubs conduct a simple Public Image Audit and ensure their communication tools are working for them—not against them.
Every doctor has a few patients who unknowingly become teachers. One of mine walked into my clinic on an ordinary afternoon. A young mother came in carrying her two-year-old son. She looked far more exhausted than the child. After examining him, I was relieved to find that his illness was manageable. As I started writing the prescription, I noticed she still looked worried.
This is worth repeating. In August, we celebrate our members during Membership Month and recognize their contributions while engaging with prospective members. Here are 10 ideas we hope will inspire an exciting August for you and your club. If you have tried one or two of these, let our Membership District Chair Know! Marsha Whetham: marshawhetham@gmail.com.
Print “What is Rotary?” business cards for each member of your club and have a contest to see who can hand out the most in six months.
In August, Rotary will celebrate Membership and New Club Development Month, a time to focus on our members and strengthen our clubs. It’s a great opportunity to think about the 2026-27 presidential message, Create Lasting Impact.
Madison Rotary Club held a Social in lieu of one of its meetings recently. Members got together at a local restaurant and shared stories about their summer adventures thus far. Has your club considered holding a social to just get to know each other and develop your friendship? It is a strong way to build your club connection!
I am delighted to share an exciting update on the continued impact of your generous support of sports and arts at St Jude's. In 2022, your club came together to support the purchase of sports uniforms and equipment for our students. This year, those same resources helped our students proudly represent St Jude's at (UMISSETA - Umoja wa Michezo ya Shule za Sekondari Tanzania), Tanzania's national secondary school sports and arts competition.
Together, we did something remarkable. We are excited to share that our district contributed $134,677.99 to The Rotary Foundation's Annual Fund this Rotary year—a significant milestone that reflects the generosity and commitment of our members.
There were a lot of warm hearts on a hot July day when Rotarians joined Sioux City area author Katie Kruse, her family and friends to celebrate her just published book, “Hummingbird Lesson,” at the StoryWalk of the Rotary Club of Sioux City.
Kruse suffered a pregnancy death several years ago and wrote the book to honor the daughter she lost and support other parents who have suffered losses. Since she met her husband, Josh, through the Hopkins Minnesota Rotary Club, she wanted to unveil her book with members of the Rotary Club where she now lives.
With heavy hearts, we say goodbye to our fellow Gregory Rotarian, Elmer Karl. Elmer passed away on July 15 at the age of 94. He had been a faithful member of our Rotary Club since 1957. Elmer truly exemplified our Rotary motto, "Service Above Self." It was more than a slogan to him—it was the way he lived his life.
ClubRunner has released Version 4.5.0 of its mobile app, bringing several new features, security enhancements, and usability improvements designed to make it easier than ever for members to stay connected and engaged.
What's New
Share Your Profile with a QR Code Networking just got easier! Members can now generate and share a personalized QR code containing their profile information, making it simple to exchange contact details at meetings, conferences, and events.
Do you know about Raise for Rotary, The Rotary Foundation’s peer-to-peer fundraising tool? Since August 2020, Rotary members and our supporters have created more than 4,000 fundraising events to celebrate birthdays, athletic challenges, and other occasions. These fundraisers have generated over US$3.5 million for the PolioPlus Fund, World Fund, Disaster Response Fund, and areas of focus.
