Start the New Rotary Year Strong with Our Public Image Checklist As we begin a new Rotary year, now is the perfect time for clubs to refresh their public image and set the tone for a successful year of service and engagement. A strong public image helps attract new members, strengthen community partnerships, and showcase the incredible impact your club makes locally and globally.
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Rushmore Rotary Bench Installed on M Hill The Rapid City Rushmore Rotary bench was Installed Sunday at M Hill. Thanks to SD Mines students and alumni. A Rotary District 5610 grant made this possible. What a Beautiful view.
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Rushmore Rotary Rotarian of the Year The Rotarian of the Year is Rene Sorensen. She is a dedicated and hard working Rotarian who exemplifies Service Above Self. She is involved in RYLA, heading the membership committee and working on the district conference committee among many other things. Congratulations Rene, well deserved!
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Community Action for Freshwater Presentation Nikki Clayton, the Rotary International Environment Area of Focus Manager, presented on community action for freshwater at the June District Leadership. Please go to our district website to view this great presentation. www/rotary5610.org |
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Save the Date - District Conference District Conference - Sioux Falls Oct 17-18 - Put on your calendars! Registration will open in July! |
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Economic Development - Custer Custer County equalization director Scott Storms was the guest speaker at the May 12 meeting of the Custer Rotary Club. Storms told the club about the process of valuing property in the county and the success and tribulations that come along with being in the office. Storms, left, is pictured with club president Rob McWhorter. |
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Olympic Gold Medal Clubs Rapid City, Mitchell, Brookings and Rapid City Rushmore completed more than five steps in the Olympic Challenge. Congratulations! Yankton and Rapid City Clubs have over 30% growth and 12 Clubs are PLUS ONE. WAY TO GO. Can your club end the year PLUS ONE in the next two weeks? We are cheering you on! |
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District Polo Shirt Update The District polo shirts have been ordered and will be coming in the next 8 weeks!
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District 5610 Grants Deadline - July 31, 2025! District Grants offered by Rotary District 5610 provide numerous benefits to Rotary Clubs, enabling them to carry out impactful service projects. . Don’t forget grant applications must be received by July 31st. Learn more. |
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Nova Beta is Live - Switch Your Club Today! We’re excited to announce that Nova is now live in beta and your club is eligible to make the switch! This next-generation version of ClubRunner is more than just a redesign - it’s a complete reimagining of the platform, based on your valuable feedback. |
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New Rotary International President for July 1, 2025 We are excited to share the news announcing the selection of Francesco Arezzo of Italy to be 2025-26 Rotary International President. As you know, President-Elect Mario de Camargo notified the Board several weeks ago that he was resigning and would not accept the Presidency beginning July 1, for personal and business reasons. The Rotary Board of Directors acted quickly to fill the role with Francesco Arezzo of Italy. Meet the president-elect.
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Start Club Conversations with Action Plan videos You can find short videos on the Brand Center to help you envision what the Action Plan’s four priorities – Impact, Engagement, Reach, Adapt – can look like in your club and how each can help boost Rotary’s public image.
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Testimonial videos bring Rotary's value to life A new Rotary promotional campaign features videos of members from around the world sharing how Rotary helps them further their passions and professions. The global launch of “Personal Perspectives: The Value of Rotary” showcases members from Australia, Canada, Colombia, Guatemala, Italy, and the United States.
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Membership Roadmap Step 8 – Community Engagement
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3rd Place Winner of the of District Four Way Test Essay Contest Our third place winner of the District Four-Way Test Contest is Evelyn Rosse who is sponsored by Custer Rotary and attends Elk Mountain School.
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2nd Place Winner in Four Way Test Essay Contest Our second place winner is Jace Parkin who was sponsored by Rushmore Rotary and attends Southwest Middle School.
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The Power of Positive Peace: Activating Change in Latin America I still remember the day I first encountered the concept of Positive Peace. It was during my Rotary Peace Fellowship at the University of Bradford in England. The speaker at the seminar was discussing the Global Peace Index by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), and he made an analogy that caught my attention.
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Rotary Club Make a Splash with $20,000 Donation to Marshall Aquatic Center The Rotary Club of Marshall Sunrise is making waves in their community with a generous $20,000 contribution to the new Marshall Aquatic Center currently under construction.
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From Humidor to Hope—Rotary's Impact at Lakota Homes What began with an unused cigar humidor has grown into a lifeline for a community in need. In 2020, members of the Rapid City Rotary Club were made aware of the growing food insecurity in Lakota Homes, a primarily Native American housing development on the north side of Rapid City. When Chris Johnson, owner of the Tinder Box, offered an extra humidor, fellow Rotarian John Howard saw its potential—not for cigars, but for service. |
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Rotarians Honor Veterans Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Sioux City showed their heartfelt support for our veterans! They wrote special cards for the veterans traveling on the Midwest Honor Flight to Washington D.C. June 3rd. This flight honors America’s veterans with a day of tribute at our nation’s memorials. The welcome home celebration begins with a touching "Mail Call" on the return flight, sharing gratitude and community support with our honored veterans. Thank you for your service!
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Luverne Rotary Serves Up Community Meal On April 23, the Luverne Rotary Club brought neighbors together by providing a free community meal to approximately 70 people. Held as part of the club’s ongoing commitment to service, this event offered more than just food — it created an opportunity for fellowship, connection, and support within the community.
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Luverne Rotary Club Installs First of Two Little Free Libraries The Luverne Rotary Club is proud to announce the installation of the first of two Little Free Libraries in the community. The first library, located at Take 16, is officially open and already being used by local readers. A ribbon cutting ceremony marked the occasion, celebrating this new way to share the joy of reading with all ages.
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Sibley Rotary Club Celebrates 100 Years of Service The Sibley Rotary Club recently marked a significant milestone—its 100th anniversary—celebrating a century of Service Above Self in the heart of the Osceola County community. The centennial event honored the legacy of Rotarians past and present who have dedicated themselves to making a lasting impact through Rotary.
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Rotary Club of Luverne Promotes Safety with Bicycle Helmets In a heartfelt initiative to ensure the safety of young cyclists, the Rotary Club of Luverne recently distributed 89 bicycle helmets to third-grade students across five local elementary schools. The participating schools included Adrian, Luverne, Hills-Beaver Creek, Edgerton Public, and Edgerton Christian. |
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Raffle Winner Results To view the District Raffle Presentation and the Prize list winners - click here.
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Madison Rotary Supports Best Buddies Initiative Madison Rotary Club joins Best Buddies at the State Park at Lake Herman for games, food, and fellowship
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Congratulations Raffle Winners |
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Enhancing Our Club's Experiences What are you doing in your club that keeps members engaged and excited about Rotary? We want to hear your stories and ideas. Please share them via the link on our website or send them directly to Linda Liddell or Pam Blankenzee. |
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SD Newspaper AssociationNEWS! NEWS! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!! Do you need more visibility for the activities and events your club participates in? Well, reporters are looking for stories! Here's one of many places you can go to find out what news media covers your area. Check it out! |
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Volunteering: A Prescription for Mental Wellness I read an article recently about a way to improve our physical and mental health and have a lower risk of mortality. What could be this amazing drug, you say? This time we can put away the pharmaceuticals and instead look at Rotary’s motto of Service Above Self. Read more from Kim Nearhood, Rotary Club of Rushmore Rapid City.
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Membership May Update Seven clubs have over 10% growth, Rapid City, Yankton, Hot Springs, Rapid City Rushmore, Marshall Sunrise, Madison and Sioux Falls West. Congratulations!! Eleven clubs are PLUS ONE. What is your current membership? |
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Yanton Rotary Partners with Yankton Medical Clinic to Promote Bike Safety for 2nd Graders The Yankton Rotary Club once again teamed up with the Yankton Medical Clinic for their annual Bike Helmet Day, a community initiative aimed at promoting bike safety among local youth. The event, held this spring, provided every second grader in the Yankton School District with a brand-new, properly fitted bicycle helmet.
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Marshall Sunrise Rotary Celebrates Earth Day with Tree Planting at Allegiance Park In celebration of Earth Day, the Marshall Sunrise Rotary Club teamed up with the City of Marshall for a special community project aimed at enhancing local green space. Together, they planted six trees—each of a different variety—at Allegiance Park, symbolizing growth, environmental stewardship, and the power of partnership.
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Rotary Members Get Their Hands Dirty for Community Garden Project Rapid City Rotary members rolled up their sleeves this past week to support the BH Works community garden project. Volunteers came together to dig, build, and install raised garden beds that will soon be used to grow fresh produce for local families.
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Sioux Falls Downtown Rotary Enhances Community Accessibility with New Bike Racks The Sioux Falls Downtown Rotary Club continues to make a lasting impact on the community with its recent project to install bike racks along the city's popular bike paths. Four new bike racks have been strategically placed at key locations, ensuring convenience and accessibility for cyclists enjoying Sioux Falls' beautiful outdoor spaces.
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Four Way Test Essay Contest Winner Congratulations to the winner of the District Four-Way Essay Contest, Elaina Zolnowsky! She is pictured here with, her teacher Ms. Heinis. Elaina was sponsored by Rapid City Rotary Club. Click the "continue" to read Elaina's essay. We shared this in last month's newsletter, however we felt it would be nice for you to see all three essays in our June edition! Read on to see the 2nd and 3rd place winners and their essays.
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Lessons Learned - On How to Handle a Difficult Situation Fellow Rotarians, in recent months our club (RC of Pierre-Fort Pierre) faced a difficult situation where hurtful, inappropriate, irresponsible, (enter another or other adjectives here) words were exchanged among two (or more, whatever is correct) members of our club.
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District Raffle Drawing - May 13th |
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Pierre Ft. Pierre Awards Scholarships Pierre Ft. Pierre Rotary administers several scholarships that are given to graduates of Pierre Riggs and Stanley County High Schools. A grand total of $17,250 is being awarded, $3,000 to college students and $14,250 to high school seniors.
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Rotary Raffle Extended – Your Chance to Double Your Club’s Impact! Good news! The Rotary Raffle deadline has been extended, giving Clubs more time to participate and more opportunity to raise critical funds for future projects. This is more than just a raffle—it’s an investment in your Club’s future. Buy Tickets. |
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Custer County Historical Society Presents to Custer Club Gary Kuchar of the Custer County Historical Society was the guest speaker at the April 7 meeting of the Custer County Commission. Kuchar spoke about some of the interesting history of the town, including bringing the actual rope and hood used in a hanging of an outlaw. Kuchar, left, is pictured with club president Rob.
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2025 RYLA Update District 5610 has 15 students going to RYLA this year! Those who have turned in their applications include: |
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Rotarian Nancy Moose Represents District 5610 at Rotary’s Council on Legislation We are proud to announce that Nancy Moose, a dedicated member of from the Rotary Club of Madison, recently represented us at the prestigious Rotary Council on Legislation. Held with participation from over 200 countries, the Council convened to discuss and vote on proposed changes to Rotary's governing policies.
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Rotary District 5610 2025 Four Way Test Essay Contest Winners We are pleased to announce to the Rotary District 5610 Four Way Test Essay Contest Winners: First Place: Elaina Zolnowski sponsored by Rapid City Rotary Club; Second Place: Jace Parkin sponsored by Rushmore Rotary Club; Third Place: Evelyn Rosse sponsored by Custer Rotary Club.
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International Convention in Calgary! District 5610 will be well represented by 40 Rotarian/guests during the June 21-25 2025 Rotary International Convention. Adding to the event is a Sunday June 22 "District 5610 Meet & Greet" at the Bank & Baron P.U.B. where we'll get a chance to visit and talk about the Opening Ceremony that will be held prior to our event.
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Congratulations Luverne! Congratulations to the Rotary Club of Luverne who received 2024-2025 Bronze 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.
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Building Beds, Building Hope: Rushmore Rotary Joins Sleep in Heavenly Peace Project On April 4 and 5, members of the Rapid City Rushmore Rotary Club and the Impact Club by Rushmore Rotary rolled up their sleeves and got to work—literally—for a powerful cause. Partnering with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, our volunteers took part in a Bed Build to support local children in need. |
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Rotary Youth Exchange is turning 50! It has been 50 years since Rotary Youth Exchange became an official program of Rotary International. This program connects cultures, inspires service, and creates friendships that last a lifetime. Click to play video. |
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DG Bruce Nearhood's April Message April’s Area of Focus is Environment. Our District is engaged in a grant to clean up, educate, and reduce waste in the Motagua River in Guatemala that supplies 3% of the plastic waste put in the ocean each year. This is one of the ways that YOU are helping the environment. Is there a project in your community or around the world that could use your help to save the environment? Continued reading for an update on PELS coming up, our District Assembly, and the Membership goal this year. |
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Rack & Roll: Bike Rack Installation & Celebration with Downtown Sioux Falls Downtown Sioux Falls Rotarians will be coming together for a fun and active morning on May 3rd, as we celebrate the installation of 13 new bike racks across four key locations in the city: Rotary Park, Start-up Sioux Falls, Fawick Park, and Falls Overlook Café. The event runs from 9 a.m. to noon, offering participants a unique opportunity to explore the city, snap a photo with each new bike rack, and earn rewards along the way.
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Membership - April Update We have two clubs with over 20% growth, Yankton and Rapid City. Congratulations!! Twelve clubs are PLUS ONE. Can your club hit PLUS ONE? |
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Rotaract on the Rise in Sturgis! Big cheers to the Sturgis Rotaract Club for growing their Rotaract family! Please join us in welcoming four amazing new members: Amanda Anglin, Richelle Bruch, Gram Short, and Emily Orchard Wanless. We’re so excited to have you as part of the Rotary family—welcome aboard!
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Rapid City Rotary Serves as People of Action at Empty Bowl Event Members of the Rapid City Rotary Club recently demonstrated the Rotary spirit of service by volunteering at the annual “Empty Bowl” event. The event, sponsored by Volunteers of America (VOA) Northern Rockies, was held to raise critically needed funds for the Rapid City chapter.
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Rotary Club of Sioux Falls – South Honored as 2024 CORKS & KEGS Volunteers of the Year The Rotary Club of Sioux Falls – South has been recognized with the prestigious 2024 CORKS & KEGS Volunteers of the Year Award, celebrating their exceptional dedication to service and community impact.
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Make Rotary’s Public Image a Priority Helping others understand who we are and how we make a difference as people of action is something all Rotary members can do. Use the tools in the improved Brand Center to help publicize the work of your club or district and share the impact you make. Making public image a priority can help expand Rotary’s reach by attracting members, volunteers, and donors and strengthening our brand. Visit the Brand Center.
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Join Us for World Immunization Week World Immunization Week is fast approaching on 24-30 April. This is a critical time to raise awareness about the importance of immunization and the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. Why do we believe so strongly in this? Rotary made a promise to the children of the world with the launch of the PolioPlus program in 1985 that we would eradicate polio from the world. Thanks to vaccines and the incredible support of Rotary members like you, polio cases have been reduced by 99.9%. |
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PTO Carnival Thurs March 27th Mobridge Rotary Club participated in the PTO Carnival at Mobridge-Pollock School. Children from Mobridge Community played a game of Plinko to win candy or small prizes.
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Custer - March News South Dakota Department of Criminal Investigation special agent Bob Palmer was the guest speaker at the March 17 meeting of the Custer Rotary Club. Palmer gave the club an overview of how DCI operates, told stories of past operations in the state and even brought a brief case full of confiscated drugs and paraphernalia for the club to observe. At the end of his presentation he was presented with the coveted rotary club mug by club president, Rob McWhorter,
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Sioux Falls West - Rock & Roll for Hope Rotary Club of Sioux Falls - West is hosting an enthusiastic DINNER AND DANCE fundraiser - ROCK N' ROLL FOR HOPE on April 12th at The Country Club. Proceeds from this event will benefit Hope Haven International Ministries by sponsoring wheelchairs for those in need of mobility worldwide. Tickets are $75/each. Purchase tickets in advance from Rotary West members or call Duane Wack at (605) 310-2337. |
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Celebrating 94 Years of Life and Service: Jody Olson's Birthday Bash On a sunny afternoon at the Rotary Club of Canby, members gathered to honor one of their own, Jody Olson, on her remarkable 94th birthday. The event was a testament to her enduring spirit and commitment to community service.
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March Membership Update Yankton Rotary Club has increased their membership by over 20%. Way to go!!! This month membership focus is Step 5 Diversifying Your Club.
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Centerville Rotary Club Volunteers at Sioux Empire Water Festival Centerville Rotary Club recently dedicated their time and efforts to support the annual Sioux Empire Water Festival, held at the University of Sioux Falls during spring break. This educational event is a cornerstone for local children to gain valuable insights into the significance of water in our daily lives.
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It's World Rotaract Week It’s World Rotaract Week! As a Rotaractor, you’re part of a global network of Rotary members who are working together to address the most significant challenges in communities around the world. And all this happens while you build professional and leadership skills and meaningful connections.
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Anniversary Project Leads to Community Partnership This story starts with the desire of the Pierre/Ft. Pierre to celebrate our 75th anniversary as a club. The club developed a plan to gift our community with enhancements to the outdoors within the community. One of these gifts is to build and place a number of park benches with an attached bike rack.
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Rotary’s People of Action Campaign: A Powerful Way to Tell Our Story Rotary International’s People of Action campaign provides a clear, compelling answer to one of the most frequently asked questions: What is Rotary? It rallies us around a single, unified message—TELLING and SHOWING the world that we are people of action, dedicated to creating lasting change in our communities and beyond. At its core, People of Action is about storytelling. It’s not just about what we do—it’s about the impact of our actions. This campaign provides a framework for Rotary Clubs to highlight their work in a way that is personal, relatable, and visually engaging.
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Rotary Club of Sioux City Supports Flood Victims with Food Distribution The Rotary Club of Sioux City continues to embody the spirit of #PeopleOfAction with their recent community service initiative. Members of the club recently volunteered their time at the North Sioux City Senior Center, where they assisted in distributing much-needed boxes of food. This effort was part of their ongoing support for the Union County Long-term Recovery group, aimed at aiding individuals affected by last summer’s devastating floods.
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Bringing Music to the Heart of Sibley: Rotary Club’s Grant-Funded Community Project The Rotary Club of Sibley is set to bring music to the heart of downtown with a generous $5,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Osceola County. Their ambitious plan? Installing an outdoor musical instrument right in the yard of the public library.
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RYLA Deadline - March 31st, 2025! WOOOOO HOOOOO! Completed RYLA Applications are coming in! In the lead with the most applications EVER seen before from any club is Pierre/Ft. Pierre (I didn't think anyone could top Watertown from last year!!!), and we have a new club on board with student applications - Sioux Falls Rotary South! |
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Advocates in Action - A Service Companion Club in Rapid City Rotary Club It started with a small group of new members who at the inaugural meeting on December 10th decided to share their talent and passion by scheduling one service project per month. In the first three months, they surpassed their goal and participated in six events.
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Italian Exchange Student updates at Madison Rotary Club Maria Putsu, Madison Rotary Club’s foreign exchange student from Sardinia, Italy, was the guest speaker. She shared her experiences, including participating as a cheerleader, Italian culture, and unique traditions from her hometown. Maria contrasted the differences in education systems and participation in extracurricular activities like volleyball. It was a lively conversation with many Rotarians wanting to visit Italy after her presentation!
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DG Bruce Nearhood's March Message I recently attended the Rotary Peace conference in Istanbul, Turkey at the same time the new Peace Center was being dedicated at Bahcesehir University. Opening the seventh Peace Center is a big deal. There have been over 1800 graduates with a Masters or Certification in Peace and Conflict Resolution since this program was started.
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Opportunities for Peace-Building Bruce and I had the opportunity to participate in The Rotary International Presidential Peace Conference in Istanbul Turkey February 20-22. A new peace center was dedicated during the time at Bahçeşehir University in Istanbul. Did you know that Rotary has peace centers around the world, associated with universities, offering masters degrees and certificates to peace fellows?
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There is Still Time to Register for Rotary International Convention - Calgary The 2025 Rotary International Convention (June 21-25) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada is quickly approaching. Todate, there are 45 registered Rotarians and guests representing District 5610, with an afternoon "meet and greet" scheduled for Sunday, June 22 at the Bank and Baron P.U.B. Click to Register.
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Sleep in Heavenly Peace Bed Build Members of the Rotary Club of Le Mars helped with a Sleep in Heavenly Peace bed build event on February 22nd. Rotarians worked drills, sanders, paint brushes and more for two hours.
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Rotary Selects Youth Essay Award Winners
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PELS April 26th 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! Click to Register. |
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Remembering "Doc" Keith Johnson
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.
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4-Way Test 6th Grade Essay Contest 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> |
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District Raffle Kicks off Feb.24th 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: |
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Message from DG Bruce Nearhood 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. |
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Celebrate International Women's Day with Rotary 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:
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Shelter Box Update |
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Unite the Good RevealedThe 2025-26 presidential message, Unite for Good, is revealed in this video shown at the 2025 International Assembly. Orlando, Florida, USA. |
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Madison and Brookings Rotarians Unite to Fight Hunger 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.
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Sioux Falls Rotary South Spreads Warmth to the Humane Society 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.
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Watertown and Area Snow Queens Team Up to Support PACH Program 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.
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Celebrate Rotary’s 120th Anniversary – Share Your Club’s Impact! 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.
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Making a Difference: Rotarians Give the Gift of Mobility 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.
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Membership UpdateShout Out to Hot Springs Rotary Club 21% Membership Growth! Is your club at positive net growth this year? Check out resources on District Membership 10 Step Plan Roadmap. This month focus on Membership Development and Recruitment. |
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The Rotary Peace Fellowship application is open 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. |
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Rotary Youth Leadership Awards 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.
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Custer Rotary Update
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.
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Congratulations Sioux Falls-West! 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.
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Luverne Rotary Hosts Winners of the Rotary Four Way Test Essay Contest 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.
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Rotary Action Plan 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.
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Thank you, District 5610! 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" |
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Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention February is Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention Month. Rotary also has its International Assembly in Orlando, FL held Feb. 9-13 and the Rotary's Anniversary being celebrated Feb.23rd. What is your club doing to elevate peace and conflict prevention knowledge within your club or in your community? We would love to hear from you! Please submit your stories through this link or send a note to district5610rotary@gmail.com. If you are still in planning mode, you can find a lot of great information at Promoting Peace | Rotary International.
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January is Vocational Service Month Did you know that the 4-Way Test Competition is part of the Vocational Service offerings from Rotary? What a great segway into getting 6th graders in your community to write about their thoughts on the Four Way Test of the things you think, say, or do. Help this district program get more participation this month! Vocational service calls all Rotarians to encourage and foster:
Rotary recognizes the importance of all skills and occupations. Check out the additional links.
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Join Us in Supporting California Wildfire Relief The devastating wildfires in California have left countless families and communities in urgent need of support. As Rotarians, we have the power to make a difference and extend a helping hand to those affected by this tragedy. Your contributions can provide essential relief such as:
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Participate in the Rotary Leadership Institute RLI is a grassroots coalition of Rotary districts implementing a leadership development program for "potential" leaders of Rotary CLUBS. Read a little bit more or go to Rotaryleadershipinstitute.org. |
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Rotary Rose Parade Float Wins Prestigious Award Exciting news! The Rotary International float earned the coveted Tournament Volunteer Award for “Most Outstanding Floral Presentation of the Rose Parade Theme among Floats Under 35 Feet in Length” at this year’s Tournament of Roses Parade. |
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Rushmore Rotary: Serving as #PeopleOfAction In December, members of Rushmore Rotary braved the chilly weather to lend a hand to Feeding South Dakota. We were proud to be part of this effort, ensuring that families in need received essential food supplies.
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Round of Applause for the Centerville Rotary Club A big shout-out to the Centerville Rotary Club for embodying what it means to be #PeopleOfAction! This incredible Club operates the Centerville Food Pantry, a vital resource for the community. The pantry opens its doors every Wednesday evening from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., with dedicated Rotary volunteers ensuring it runs smoothly.
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Rushmore Holds Annual Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) Workshop On Saturday, January 11, Rushmore Rotary hosted its annual Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) workshop offered to all of the clubs in the Black Hills. A casual and interactive environment lead to a day of inspiration, creative ideas and fantastic fellowship while learning more about Rotary.
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Sibley's Rotary Sweetheart Dinner Mark your calendar for the Sibley Rotary's Sweetheart Dinner on February 9th from 11AM-1PM. All proceeds go towards 100th Year Anniversary Project. Tickets in advance are $15, $20 day of the event.
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Rotarian New Year Resolution Provided by our DG Bruce Nearhood. "They say the second Friday is when most New Year’s resolutions have been broken. Fortunately, being a Rotarian is not a resolution to be broken but an ideal to strive for.
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Time to find 6th Graders for The 4-Way Test Competition The Rotary District 5610 Four-Way Test Essay Contest begins at the Rotary Club level where each club can have their own contest with sixth graders in their community. Find a sixth grade teacher who is willing to work with you and then have her students write essays using the following rules. The winner of each local contest must be to the District 5610 Chair Pat Sutliff (pmsutliff@gmail.com) by March 15 so that district winners can be announced at President Elect Learning Seminar (PELS). |
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Phishing Email Alert We want to alert you about a phishing email circulating that falsely claims to be from our District Governor requesting assistance. Please note that these emails are not legitimate. Do not respond, click any links, or provide any personal information. If you receive such an email, report it as phishing and delete it immediately. For any questions or concerns, please contact pblankenzee@ca.rr.com. |
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Sioux City Supports Red Cross On December 17, Rotary Club of Sioux City held their first Red Cross blood drive. Rotarian Ashley Snyder is the Service Committee's liaison working with the Red Cross. Ashley greeted donors and checked them in. The next Rotary sponsored drive will be on February 18 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. in the MidAmerican Energy Community Room.
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Rotary Invitation to Romania - March 19-29, 2025 On March 19-29, 2025, Hope Haven is celebrating our new wheelchair facility and 20 years of Rotary presence with a trip to Romania. We will celebrate the opening of this facility in Barlad and join Rotarians from Barlad, Focsani, Bucharest and Izmail, Ukraine. Costs for airfare, travel and touring, meals and lodging, will run around $2,500+ per person. Although we celebrate Rotary's involvement with Barlad over the years, we will not seat wheelchair recipients on this trip. We will do some extensive touring for 5 days through medieval villages, castles citadels and the mountains of Transylvania. We will also celebrate with the local Rotarians from Romania. See attached for itinerary. |
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Motagua River Basin Project Back in September, Yankton Rotarians Mike Villanueva and Rich Burns got together in Guatemala City, Guatemala with fellow Rotarians from California, Kansas, Mexico, Netherlands, Honduras, and Guatemala to gain an understanding of the issues surrounding the Motagua River and its associated watershed. The Motagua River Basin contributes 3% of all plastics entering the oceans worldwide.
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Will You Be Rotary Poet of the Year 2025 The winners will be announced at the Calgary Rotary Convention in June by your President of Rotary, Stephanie Urchick but the actual awards will be handed over locally (unless the winner is in Calgary, as last year in Singapore) so we request that you be the host or arrange such a presentation at the winner’s club in your district. There are only 2 categories this year including the theme The Magic of Rotary, the other being open, with the main award for Rotary Poet of the Year a beautiful handmade plaque. Enter at (www.rotarypoetry.org) |
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Presidential Peace Conference Join peacebuilders from around the world for the 2025 Rotary Presidential Peace Conference, 20-22 February, in Istanbul, Türkiye, to explore ways to create environments that foster peace and understanding.
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Luverne Rotary Doubles Down to Help End Polio Members of Luverne Rotary club are all smiles as they present a representative check for the 2024 Polio Plus campaign that was sent to Rotary District 5610 to help #EndPolioNow. All Happy Dollars given in the month of October were pledged to the Polio fight and the club treasury matched those dollars, up to $500. When the District receives the funds, the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation will match our $1371 donation 2:1.
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Rotary Exchange Student Recognized for Volleyball Achievement Maria Putzu, the inbound Rotary exchange student from Italy, received the Offensive MVP Award for the C team at the Madison Bulldogs volleyball banquet. She's being hosted by the Madison Rotary Club and staying with Tom and Kim Jones. Congratulations to Maria for this great achievement!
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Merry Christmas Message from St. Jude School It’s been an incredible year at The School of St Jude, and we couldn’t have done it without your support! I’ve enjoyed keeping you updated about Janitor’s education journeys and all the exciting things happening at St Jude’s. Listen to Merry Christmas Message from students. |
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Brookings Rotarian Ginger Thomson invents The Doorhickey
Ginger Thomson and Jay Vanduch presented the program at a Brookings Rotary Club meeting, announcing that their invention, The Doorhickey®, will be featured on a new TV show streamed by Amazon Prime, “Buy It Now.” It is available through Amazon.com or doorhickey.com. See press release. |
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Membership Deadline: Jan.1, 2025
This is a friendly reminder to update your club membership and officer information in your local country or district database by 1 January 2025. We will use this information to generate your January 2025 club invoice. It is important that your club’s member information is up to date because Rotary cannot change the club invoice after it has been generated or accept membership updates with your payment. As a current club officer, you can ensure that your club invoice will be correct by updating the information in your local database. Here is how:
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Kim Nearhood Recognizes December Theme The theme for the month of December is Disease Prevention and Treatment. I’m sure you are all aware of the End Polio Now campaign which has been in place for many years. We are so close to polio eradication in our world that we can’t let up now. Other efforts worldwide include combatting diseases like malaria, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis and diabetes.
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DG Bruce Nearhood Message
Happy Holidays to everyone and thank you for all you do as Rotarians! We are getting ready to start the second half of the Rotary year. Some of my plans for the rest of the year is to meet with the presidents in January to see how the clubs are doing. I hope the presidents will make an effort to attend.
I have been talking with a number of clubs about starting a companion club and a number of clubs have followed through. We are seeing some great results and maybe not as hard as was anticipated. There are countless innovators in our communities who share our value of Service Above Self. We simply need to give them an opportunity to engage with us. Some of these innovators can’t make a noon meeting so giving them another time to choose from works well. If you have any questions about starting a companion club please contact Joe Lichter; joejlichter@gmail.com; or me. |
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Membership Minute Membership Minute is a bimonthly newsletter that provides the latest membership trends, strategies, best practices, and resources to help strengthen membership in your clubs. The newsletter is sent to district and club leaders throughout Rotary. If you are interested in getting this publication, please go to the online version AAP. |
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Jennifer Rollins Selected DG 2027-28 District Governor Bruce Nearhood and the District 5610 Nominating Committee are pleased to announce the selection of Jennifer Rollins of the Rotary Club of Rapid City Rushmore as the District Governor for the Rotary year beginning July 1, 2027. Congratulations Jennifer!
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DG Visit to Custer DG Bruce Nearhood paid a visit to the Custer Rotary Club at the club's Dec. 9 meeting. Nearhood sat in on the club's board meeting and then presented to the club during its regular meeting, emphasizing the purpose of Rotary and how to attract and keep new members. At the conclusion of his presentation he was given a gift on behalf of the Custer club by club president Rob McWhorter.
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Holiday Wishes from Hot Springs Rotary Hello, Fellow Rotarians! Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas filled with joy, fellowship, and the spirit of giving. May this holiday season bring warmth to your hearts and inspiration for the year ahead.
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Impact Club - Companion Club The Rotary Club of Rapid City Rushmore recently launched a companion club, allowing it to grow membership while also expanding its reach in the community. A companion club is simply an extension of an existing Rotary Club where members generally meet after hours, which enables more people to join. Rushmore Rotary is now one club that meets at two different times!
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Rapid City Rushmore Shines Bright with Peace and Rotary Spirit at 2024 Holiday Parade The Rapid City Rushmore Rotary Club brought the magic of Rotary and the message of peace to life during the 2024 Holiday Parade. This year, the club’s float embodied the spirit of the season with the theme of peace—a message that resonated through a brilliantly lit sign that illuminated the night.
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Discover the New Features of the ClubRunner Mobile App The ClubRunner Mobile App has just gotten even better! Designed to make staying connected with your club and district easier than ever, the latest updates bring a host of new features and improvements. Whether you’re an officer, member, or simply interested in staying in the loop, the app's enhanced functionality ensures you have everything you need at your fingertips. (View slide presentation) Here’s what’s new:
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New Public Image Tool for Clubs! Discover our latest PUBLIC IMAGE TOOL designed specifically for Clubs: Simplifying the Newsletter Creation Process with Club Runner. Crafting a Club Newsletter is a powerful way to engage members, ensuring they stay updated on upcoming events, programs, and your community contributions.
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Rotary Club of Watertown Shines Bright in Holiday Lights Parade The Rotary Club of Watertown, SD, brought holiday cheer and community spirit to life during this year’s Holiday Lights Parade. The club's float, an enchanting display of creativity and Rotary pride, featured a stunning lighted Rotary Wheel, a cheerful snowman, and beloved Peanuts characters Snoopy and Woodstock. |
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Holiday Jam with the Hegg Brothers A Rotary Club of Pierre/Fort Pierre sponsored event for the Boys and Girls Club of the Capital Area
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District 5610 Supports India District 3120 with $6,000 Global Grant for Cataract Surgeries Rotary District 5610 has made a profound impact across the globe by supporting Rotary District 3120 in India with a $6,000 global grant for cataract surgeries. This initiative aims to restore vision and improve the quality of life for individuals in underserved communities. |
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Rotary International Ukraine Wheelchair Distribution
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Sioux Falls West Brings Holiday Cheer to Boys and Girls Club On November 21, the Rotary Club of Sioux Falls West embraced the spirit of giving by volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club of the Sioux Empire. Club members rolled up their sleeves to serve a hearty Thanksgiving meal to children and families, spreading warmth and joy during this season of gratitude.
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Register Rotary International Convention Calgary This June in Calgary, our biggest annual gathering promises to inspire, connects, and recharge your passion for making a difference. Come see why #Rotary25 isn't just an event—it’s an experience
 Early registration ends 15 December! Register now to save and secure your top hotel choice and tickets to exclusive events. Click to Register. |
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Learn More About Creating an IMPACT CLUB District Governor Bruce Nearhood interviews Ryan Webster, new member of the Rushmore Rotary IMPACT CLUB and why he joined. Listen to the video. Be inspired to grow your club's membership by forming an #ImpactClub! Learn more.
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Celebrate Our Public Image Wins: Growing Engagement on YouTube and Facebook!
Our district's Public Image efforts are yielding fantastic results, and it’s all thanks to the hard work of our clubs and members. We’re thrilled to share some positive metrics from our recent activities on YouTube and Facebook, demonstrating the power of storytelling and connection. YouTube Views Are Soaring This past month, we have had 468 views and 179 minutes watched |
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Thanksgiving Message This Thanksgiving, let us take a moment to reflect on the blessings in our lives and express our heartfelt gratitude for the love and support we share. May we remain humble in our abundance and strive to spread kindness to others, embracing the spirit of togetherness that this season brings. Wishing you a joyful and peaceful holiday filled with warmth and cherished moments! |
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Sioux City's Student of the Month
Chance Riley, a senior at Sioux City West High School, has been selected as the November 2024 Rotary Club Student of the Month. He will be honored during the Rotary Club meeting on Monday, November 11, 12 p.m. at the MidAmerican Energy Community Room.
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DG Bruce "Doing Good In The World" Foundation Mission November is The Rotary Foundation month. One of the missions of The Rotary Foundation is “To Do Good In The World.” I feel very strongly that the Foundation does a great job at "Doing Good In The World!" Where else for a small contribution to The Rotary Foundation each year can you wipe a horrible disease off the face of the Earth, provide clean water to families, reduce the amount of trash that flows into the oceans, work to eliminate cervical cancer in Egypt, educate the poor in Tanzania or provide mobility to those who don’t have access to wheelchairs? These are only a few of the huge projects you help fund each year as Rotarians. YOU are Doing Good In The World!
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Get Ready for the District 5610 Membership Olympics: Let the Games Begin! The 5610 Membership Olympics have begun!!! Is your Club a TOP ATHLETE? Of course it is! We already know your Club has what it takes to be a champion! This is the simplest competition you'll ever enter, and it's your Club's moment to shine and show off its Olympic spirit. |
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Sioux City Rotary Spreads Holiday Cheer with Festive Gift Bags for Kids The Sioux City Rotary Club brought some early holiday cheer to the Boys and Girls Club by hosting a festive service activity! Members gathered to decorate holiday bags with colorful designs and filled them with treats and small surprises for the kids.
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Downtown Serves at Feeding South Dakota Downtown Rotarians had a great time serving alongside each other at Feeding South Dakota this week. Feeding SD serves 66 counties and provided 11.7 million meals to those struggling with food insecurity last year. We enjoyed the opportunity to volunteer and make an impact within our community!
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Sibley Fall Fundraiser Just in time for the holidays!!! Sibley Rotary Club is selling pecans. Bags are $13 or 2 for $25. All proceeds go towards Rotary Projects!
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Celebrating 55 Years of Service: Honoring George McDonald's Rotary Legacy Last week, Luverne, MN Rotary Club proudly celebrated George McDonald's incredible 55-year Rotary anniversary with a golf-themed social! It was a memorable evening honoring George’s remarkable service and dedication to Rotary. Reflecting on his journey, George shared how Rotary has enriched his life through meaningful friendships, impactful networking, and invaluable experiences. His message resonates deeply with all of us: “The more you give, the more you get back.”
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Tanzania School of St. Jude Visits our District The Rotary Club of Custer, South Dakota, proudly donated $1,000 at a school fundraiser hosted by the Rushmore Rotary Club of Rapid City. Adding a bit of humor, one member contributed some leftover Tanzanian currency from a recent trip. This represented one of several stops for our School of St. Jude visitors!
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Building with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls Donning hard hats and protective eyewear, Rotary West members volunteered at a Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls work site on Saturday morning, October 5, 2024. The work site was an older home in the Whittier neighborhood that Habitat for Humanity has acquired and is rehabbing.
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Empowering Artisans: Whiteclay Makerspace Global Grant Success! Exciting News! The Rushmore Rotary Club's Global Grant for the Whiteclay Makerspace is now completed and officially closed! With over $58,000 in support, we’ve equipped native artists with essential tools, supplies, and education to master their craft and launch their own businesses.
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Community Collaboration at Wagner Lake: Wagner Rotary Club Partners with Wagner School Students On Thursday, October 10th, members of the Wagner Rotary Club teamed up with students from Wagner School to freshen up the Rotary Shelter at Wagner Lake. The group gathered to spread new mulch, revitalizing the area and enhancing its appeal for all visitors.
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Sioux Falls South Rotary Raises Awareness for Polio Sioux Falls Rotary South members came together with the community of Harrisburg at Lake Ole Park to build awareness of polio as this week features World Polio Day. Tuesday, the group held its second annual “A Short Walk to End Polio Now” event to raise funds for the cause to support a polio-free future for everyone in the world. |
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Mobridge's 20th Year Selling Roses The Mobridge Rotary just completed its 20th year of Roses for Rotary project. This year, again the club sold 400 dozen roses with one gentleman buying roses for himself and then giving the club a $100 donation saying he wants us to continue doing what we do
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Sleep in Heavenly Peace Bed Build and Donation The Watertown Rotary Club collected donations from it’s members and also made a donation from the club to finance the 15 beds they were able to build with Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
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RYLA Students attend District Conference Several Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Camp attendees joined Rotarians at the District Conference in Rapid City. Rene Sorenson introduced each of them and they shared their personal experiences from the program. They demonstrated the friendships they made on and off stage! Go RYLA!!
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4-Way Test Winner Presents at District Conference Lucy Murray sponsored by Watertown Rotary Club was the winner of this year's 4-Way Test Essay Contest. Lucy provided a great essay to all District
Conference attendees and received a standing ovation! Nice Job, Lucy!! |
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DG Bruce Nearhood Announces Foundation Awards for Rotary 2023-24 District Governor Bruce Nearhood congratulations the following clubs for earning top Foundation awards for Rotary year 2023-24: Marshall Sunrise, Rapid City Rushmore, Wagner, Centerville, LeMars and Winner. Play video. |
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Mark Your Calendar for Hegg Brothers Holiday Jam Encore |
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Impressions on the Road As DG Bruce & Kim Nearhood, visit clubs across the District, Kim has been creating some lasting memories.
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Fellowship Exchange Opportunities Do you want to experience more culture and sites in our world? If so, consider the Rotary Fellowship Exchange. In Pat Sutliff's Committee report, Pat tells us more about the benefits and expectations of getting involved in a Fellowship Exchange.
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Rotary International Join Efforts to Rescue the Motagua River The Motagua River, spanning over 300 miles from Guatemala to Honduras, faces significant pollution challenges, contributing at least 3% of global ocean plastic waste. Recognizing this critical issue, Rotary International joined the "Motagua Basin Alliance" in October 2023. Collaborating with countries, organizations, and partners worldwide, Rotary is dedicated to restoring the river and safeguarding the livelihoods dependent on it. |
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District Governor Bruce Nearhood's October Message For those of you who weren’t able to make the District Conference I thought I would give a condensed version of my “State of the District.”
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Clark Elementary joins Clark Rotary to Celebrate Peace Clark 2nd and 3rd graders were studying peace, acts of kindness, peace symbols and what peace means to them in preparation for World Day of Peace. Teachers and students joined the Rotary on Sept 19 to dedicate the recently acquired Peace Pole.
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Kozak Winner - James Mollison This years Roger Kozak Award goes to Jim Mollison of the Pierre-Ft. Pierre Rotary club. The award was presented by the previous winners that were present at the District 5610 Conference. Congratulations Jim, well deserved!
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Rapid City Declares Oct. 5 Peace Day More than 50 people gathered in Memorial Park at the Berlin Wall Exhibit to unveil the Peace Pole, dedicated to peace in Rapid City. The Peace Pole is one of only four erected in the state and the effort was organized by the Rapid City Rushmore Rotary Club and Rapid City Rotary Club.
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Introductory Companion Club Meeting Rapid City Rushmore hosted an introductory meeting on September 30 for a companion club. It was well attended, and 15 people submitted applications for membership! Thank you to Roger Heacock, Tiffany Gikling and Heidi Bell Gease for heading up this exciting venture!
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New Rotary Brand Event Templates
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Rotary West Social at the Levitt Our club social was held on Friday, September 13th, at the Levitt in Sioux Falls. We said goodbye to Summer while enjoying an outdoor concert with music from the Colombian sextet Las Guaracheras and socializing with club members and their families.
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Rotary District 5610 Four Way Test Essay Contest We are excited to announce the Rotary 2024-25 annual District 5610 Four Way Test Essay Contest. This contest is a great way to spread our Rotary ideals within our communities. The contest involves 6th graders who are asked to write a 200 to 500 word essay on "How can I apply the Rotary Four-Way Test to my life?" You will be amazed and excited at the perspective 6th graders have on our Four-Way Test. |
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Peace Pole Installation at District Conference In hopes of promoting peace in the community and the world, Rapid City Rotary clubs will dedicate a Peace Pole in Memorial Park at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. Peace Poles are upright posts with the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” written in a different language on each side. The Peace Pole in Memorial Park proclaims that message in English, Lakota, German and Japanese. |
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How a Rotary Global Grant Changed Economics for Native American Artists Alcohol has destroyed many Native American lives, especially on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. For too many years, four liquor establishments in Whiteclay, Nebraska, 2 miles from the dry reservation, sold over 4 million cans of beer yearly, to local citizens. Whiteclay had a population of about 12, while Pine Ridge area is estimated to be about 3,300.
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Connect with Rotary District 5610 on Social Media We’re excited to announce our new Facebook Business page and Instagram page for Rotary District 5610. These platforms are designed to help build our brand, share the impact of our service, and reach a broader audience. To make this effort successful, we need your help: |
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Public Image Improvements in the District More clubs are updating their websites and posting to social media their activities in the community. We need to get the word out about Rotary on Facebook and Instagram. Our current Public Image (PI) Audit Results are out. If you would like to see how you are doing against other clubs in the district, see the data on our district website.
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Are you Registered? District Conference in 2 weeks!
The District 5610 Conference is just 2 weeks away. Join your fellow Rotarians from Northwest Iowa, Southwest Minnesota, Northeast Nebraska and the state of South Dakota the weekend of October 3-6 at the Holiday Inn Rapid City Downtown. If you plan to attend, REGISTER NOW to provide us a solid headcount for food and supplies! There is no charge for Rotarians. Guest registration and meals is $100. |
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Connect In Calgary Embark on an exhilarating journey of connection and inspiration at the 2025 Rotary International Convention in Calgary! Engage in riveting discussions, learn from distinguished speakers, and explore enlightening breakout sessions against the backdrop of Calgary's picturesque beauty nestled amid the Canadian Rockies. |
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Moh Eid, Rotary Peace Fellowship Graduate DG Bruce Nearhood invited Moh Eid, a Rotary Fellowship Graduate and member of the Rotary Peace Centers Program, to speak to the District Leadership Team on Sept.10th. Review Moh's presentation here. Moh extended an invitation for Rotarians to join him at the East Center opening in Turkey. He shared his experiences as a Rotary Peace Fellow and discussed the significant growth in applications for the Master's and Certificate programs. He clearly articulated the importance of Rotary members promoting the program and contributing to peace building.
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Rotary Sioux Falls West Service Project On September 10, Sioux Falls West Rotary members dedicated their morning to engaging with adults with disabilities at DakotAbilities. They toured the Longfellow Center, where Meaningful Day services are offered, supporting 135 individuals with accessible housing and round-the-clock nursing care. Most participants enjoy a variety of activities like art, music, nutrition, gardening, life skills, and fitness.
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Sioux Falls South Rotary Makes A Difference The Sioux Falls South Rotary Club recently demonstrated its commitment to community service by delivering hygiene bags to five local elementary schools in collaboration with Journey of Hope.
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D5610 End Polio Walk We are at the brink of eradicating Polio virus from the world. This is an initiative started by Rotarians in 1979, and we are committed to continue our support until the goal is reached. Wild Polio is currently reported just in Afghanistan and Pakistan. About 15 cases /yr of wild polio in the past few years. We are vaccinating children throughout the world spending close to a billion dollars each year.
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Kudos to Rushmore Rotary: Exemplifying People Of Action Over the past two weeks, members of the Rushmore Rotary have been hard at work on a bench project in Box Elder, made possible by a recently awarded District grant. This initiative showcases their commitment to community service and enhancing local public spaces. A big shout-out to the Rushmore Rotarians for their dedication and efforts to make a positive impact!
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Northern Black Hills Rotary Champions Community Cleanup A big round of applause goes to the Northern Black Hills Rotary for their incredible dedication to keeping our community beautiful! Recently, they joined forces with other local volunteers at the Canyon Clean-up and Chamber Ribbon Cutting, rolling up their sleeves to make a real impact. Over the course of about a mile, these hard-working volunteers collected 3.5 large 42-gallon bags of trash and even removed a tire and wheel combo from the area.
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Rotarians serving Madtown Madison The Madison community in South Dakota hosts a six week every Tuesday night festival to recognize fellowship and community. Live bands, multiple food venues, events for young and old, raffles, as well as learning about local service and community organizations, are made available to create excitement for all attendees .
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Professional Development - Rural Uganda Rapid City Rotary Club sent Rotarian Dr. Ashok Kumar to Uganda this month to provide education to improve health care in remote villages in Uganda. Text Books for the health care workers, medical equipment and supplies were also sent to clinics in five villages
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Nominations Wanted for Roger L. Kozak Service Above Self Award
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Italian Exchange Student arrives Maria, with the Jones, her host family, visit the Madison Rotary Club on Monday. She is already going to volleyball practice with school starting this week!!
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New Club Development Joe Lichter, District Chair for New Club Development, has laid out an Action Plan that he is following to grow potential new clubs. See his outline... |
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Sioux City recognizes 185th Air Refueling Wing Colonel Sonya Morrison and members of the 185th Air Refueling Wing were presented with the honorary distinction of the 2024 Keyway Award from the Sioux City Rotary Club.
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World Polio Day is Coming Soon World Polio Day is quickly approaching on 24 October! If your club hasn’t started planning its World Polio Day event, now is the time to begin. You can visit the World Polio Day Event page for graphics, videos, fundraising ideas, public relations templates, and more. |
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Sioux City Story Walk Book Sioux City Rotary members volunteered their time and efforts to install the new StoryWalk book "Howard the Dog". Pictured are Dirk, Dave, Shirley, Todd, Kevin, Tammy and local author Cheri Lee with Howard in the front row. Take your friends and family for a walk at Spaulding Park and enjoy the nice weather and the new StoryWalk book.
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DG Bruce Nearhood's Message " Increase our Impact The first priority in Rotary’s Action Plan is to Increase Our Impact. As I have my club visits, I am impressed by the number of projects that are being done. But at the same time, I feel there is an opportunity to do even more projects.
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The Service Companion Club: A Membership Boost for Your Rotary Club! Does Your Rotary Club Need a Boost? Ask yourself the following questions: Is your Rotary Club seeking more members? Would you like to involve the club in more service projects? Are you looking to diversify your membership base? If you've answered "YES" to any of these questions, it's time you considered the creation of a Service Companion Club.
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RYLA Update RYLA Camp 2024 had 12 students attend from five Rotary Clubs in our District: Watertown, Luverne, Sioux Falls, Pierre/Ft. Pierre, and Spearfish. Read on to get a report of what's happening next!
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A Brief Membership MomentDistrict Membership Strategic Planning · Promote District Membership Committee to Club Membership Chairs, AG, Past Presidents to add 3-4 members · Continue regular emails to Club Presidents, Club Membership Chairs promoting 10 Step Roadmap on District website; Committee review each step to add content, resources, trainings · Create video on 10 Step Membership Roadmap as a promotional tool · Develop Membership Olympics Membership Olympics – Create a District wide Membership Olympics
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Introducing the Service Project Center The Service Project Center, Rotary’s new hub for everything related to service, is now live. It gives you a better way to manage and share information about your service projects. With service networking moving to this new platform, Rotary Showcase has been retired. All Rotary and Rotaract projects that were posted on Rotary Showcase have been migrated to the Service Project Center, which is being released in phases.
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Downtown Sioux Falls Spreads Courage One Book at a Time Less than a mile from Downtown Sioux Falls, students at Hawthorne Elementary are learning of belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity. The lessons come as a result of the Title I School's Circle of Courage, One-Book-One School Program--a program supported through a donation of books from Downtown Sioux Falls Rotary.
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Reach Out and Celebrate Community Celebrate Community, an annual joint initiative from the service organizations Kiwanis International, Lions International, Optimist International and Rotary International, will take place the week of September 8-14, 2024. Plan now for your Rotary and Rotaract clubs to build on existing relationships with other like-minded services or develop new ones to impact your communities. What are the needs in your community which can be addressed in this week-long effort?
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New Public Image Resources!! Your PUBLIC IMAGE TEAM has developed some NEW COOL TOOLS & RESOURCES for CLUBS: Public Image Chair Job Description, PRE-Event Check list, Social Media Guidelines and Media Resources! Click here to view them.
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Reid Holden Why Rotary Story District Governor Bruce Nearhood interviews Reid Holden from RC of Watertown for his Why Rotary Story. Click to listen.
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Carmen Hansen Talks Membership Resources District Membership Chair Carmen Hansen talks about Membership Resources available on the District website rotary5610.org. Click to listen.
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Madison has an Exchange Student Coming! Val Parsley from the Madison Rotary Club invites interested families to learn more about hosting opportunities for our Italian Exchange Student joining us this fall for the entire 2024-25 high school year.
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Dr. Kumar on PolioPlus Dr. Kumar letting us know about the Polio+ program. Click here to play message.
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Carmen's Membership Minute Congratulations Clubs! Thanks to all of you, District 5610 officially had a net increase of 15 members in 2023-2024 Rotary year with 98.91% existing member retention. The last time we increased membership was 2015. District 5610 is the only District in our Zone to have an increase in membership. Congratulations to all. |
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Downtown Sioux Falls Sends Message to the Moon Our club was one of 1,000 from countries all over the world initially invited to send a message to the moon! In early 2025, a SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket will lift off from Cape Canaveral in Florida carrying the Griffin Moon Lander that will have a chip onboard containing messages of PEACE from Rotary clubs all over the world.
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Joint Effort to Promote Peace The Rapid City Rushmore and Rapid City Rotary clubs recently installed a Peace Pole in the Rapid City Memorial Park at the site of the Berlin Wall memorial. The Peace Pole project started in 1955 in Japan after World War II. The pole is inscribed on each side, in different languages, with the words “May Peace Prevail on Earth.” |
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Rotary International President 2026-2027 Selected Sangkoo Yun, a member of the Rotary Club of Sae Hanyang, Seoul, Korea, has been selected to become Rotary International President for 2026-27. Meet the president-nominee: https://on.rotary.org/3AlRuWN
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Sioux Falls West Partners with the East Side Lutheran Church On Thursday, August 1st, the Rotary Club of Sioux Falls West partnered with the East Side Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls to help with the Mobile Food Pantry. Club members helped unload trucks of donated food items, sort through them, and display everything. As customers arrived, our team assisted with checking them in, distributing the food items, and carrying out groceries. |
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District Deck Party Linda Peterson hosted a deck party in July 27 in honor of Bruce Nearhood becoming Governor of Rotary District 5610. Special guests at the event were Past District Governors, who posed for a photo with the current Governor: Doug Lind, Linda Peterson (our hostess), Bruce Nearhood, Nancy Moose, and George Twitero. |
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Peace Pole Clark Rotary has installed the first peace pole at Dickinson Park on July 13 during our annual Legion Baseball Tournament.
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DG Bruce Nearhood's 2024-2025 District Goals
District Governor Bruce Nearhood has a simple goal for the District this year: Every Club undertake a new project they have not done before. He envisions clubs to form committees with both old and new members to survey their members about their interests and to identify a suitable project. Additionally, he encourages collaboration with other service clubs, Non-Profits, and potential new members. This approach aims to invigorate rotary activities and boost membership in the district. See his visit schedule.
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Mike Villanueva's Why Rotary Story DG Bruce Nearhood interviews Mike Villanueva, Club President of RC Yankton for his "Why Rotary Story". Click here to listen.
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Rotarians of the Quarter  Matt Buley, Rock Valley Rotary Club, pictured in Uganda with the Wheelchair project, and Mikaela Leners, Rapid Rushmore Rotary Club, "the lady in red" pictured at the Allen Summit educating attendees on Human Trafficking, were recognized in June as "Rotarians of the Quarter" for their outstanding achievements. Congratulations! |
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Friendship Exchange Update In December 2023, members of District 5610 visited an Indian District that plans to send a team here in late September or early October. While their attendance at the District Conference is uncertain, we remain hopeful. Additionally, an East coast district in Italy has expressed interest in an exchange, and we’re actively pursuing that opportunity. Our team is reaching out to several other districts worldwide to explore further possibilities. Contact Pat Sutliff at pmsutliff@gmail.com or 605-593-2896. You can also learn more about the Global Friendship Exchange by going to www.rotary5610.org and searching "friendship exchange".
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District Grants due July 31st! With a new year comes a new opportunity to apply for a district grant to support your local community. The deadline for grant applications is quickly approaching and we want to make sure your club has an opportunity to apply for funding this year. As a reminder, everything you need to know about grants can be found here: https://rotary5610.org/sitepage/district-grants To qualify for a district grant you must:
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Interested in Youth Exchange?
The annual Central States Rotary Youth Exchange Summer Conference took place July 10-14 in Grand Rapids, MI with about 600 participants made up of outbound students, current inbound students, rebound students, parents, and Districts youth exchange leaders. The training and opportunities for rebounds and inbounds to discuss their Youth Exchange experiences with new outbounds are crucial. These interactions provide valuable insights and foster a supportive community within the program. Are you curious about Youth Exchange? Contact Bill Spindle, william.spindle@sdsmt.edu for more information or go to our district website www.rotry5610.org and find information in the Learning Center.
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RYLA Update
RYLA Camp 2024 promises an exhilarating experience! Our District is enthusiastically sending 13 students to participate in this transformative event. Congratulations to the clubs who have students participation!
Get ready for an inspiring week of leadership, camaraderie, and personal growth! |
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2024 DEI Presentation Rotary District 5610 DEI Chair, Kara Kimball, ties the importance of Rotary’s mission to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in our daily lives. The video challenges our clubs and its members to embrace differences and use these unique talents in their communities and around the world. Click to play video.
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Peace Pole Installation Rapid City Rushmore and Rapid City Rotary clubs have installed a Rotary Peace Pole in Memorial Park. |
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2024 Vermillion Rotary Great Duck Race The Vermillion Rotary Club held the 2024 Vermillion Rotary Great Duck Race on June 28th, 2024 . The race featured 900 ducks each sponsored for $5, that go down the slide and through the lazy river at the Prentis Park Aquatics Center.
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Baked Goods & Good Brews Pie Auction This event is Presented by the Northern Black Hills Rotary Club and graciously hosted by Crow Peak Brewing Co. Funds raised will benefit Artemis House.
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Global Grants: Combating Human Trafficking on Reservations About 60 people gathered during two-day summit in early June on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation to increase awareness about human trafficking and missing indigenous people. It also gave Rotarians an opportunity to interact with students to provide them with tools to become leaders to prevent sex trafficking from happening to them or in their communities.
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Register NOW for District Conference! Register today for the 2024 Rotary District 5610 District Conference at the Holiday Inn Rapid City Downtown on Oct. 3 through Oct. 6. The theme: Celebrate, Elevate and Motivate. Cost is free for Rotarians, (must register in advance); non-Rotarians is $100. Click to Register.
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1st Place Winner Four-Way Test Essay Contest Congratulations to Lucy Murray for winning First Prize in the District 5610 Four Way Test Essay Contest! Read her essay here. The 2nd and 3rd place winners are Alivia Richman sponsored by Rapid City Rushmore Rotary club and Annika Britton sponsored by Spearfish Rotary Club, consecutively. |
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Public Image New Year Check List The Club Home Page refreshed by the District Public Image Team has started for the eights clubs that signed up. The Rotary New Year Checklist for easy steps on how to boost your Club's Public Image! Click here to download. Better yet, check out our Public Image Resources page for logos, templates, tools and resources. Have a question on public image? Email us!
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Experience Global Friendship with Rotary’s Friendship Exchange Rotary’s Friendship Exchange offers a unique opportunity for Rotarians and their spouses or friends to engage in international cultural exchange. Unlike many Rotary programs restricted by tax laws, Friendship Exchange allows full participation, fostering global understanding and connections.
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Stay Connected with Us on Facebook! Are you looking to stay up-to-date with the latest news, events, and Club stories from around the District? Look no further! Follow us on Facebook and become a part of our vibrant online family. Joining is simple. Just click the "Like" button on our Facebook page. Thank you for your support, and we look forward to seeing you online!
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Reminder: Update Your Membership by June 30, 2024! As we approach the end of June, we want to remind all Rotary Clubs of the important deadline to update your membership information. The cutoff date is June 30, 2024. Ensuring your membership details are current is crucial, as Rotary International and District billing will be calculated based on the membership numbers as of July 1, 2024. If you need help, contact District Admin Linda Liddell.
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Transforming Membership: A Comprehensive Guide The District 5610 Rotary Membership Roadmap has been updated! Check the website, for the vast material and tools to help you with your club membership goals. |
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End Polio Now Committee Chair Update Thanks for all the clubs who extended their warm welcome when I came over to present the Polio update. So far I have been to nine clubs and scheduled to visit four in the next few months. Would like to visit all the clubs in the District in person to present the Polio update as a program. Please let me know when you have a spot in your club’s program schedule for me to be there.
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DG Rich Burns June Message People seem to love lists. We not only make them to determine what we need to do, buy, make, or plan, we look at lists to discover what’s interesting from different points of view. As this Rotary year comes to a close, I thought I would share my partial list of what I think are amazing and creative aspects of our District 5610 and why serving as District Governor was such a unique experience.
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Has your club sent out its Raffle prize to the winner? Congratulations to all of our Raffle Winners! Thank you to everyone who participated in the District Raffle. It is time to make sure all the winners have received their Raffle Prizes. Please let Linda at district5610rotary@gmail.com know if you need assistance. Click here to see the list of winners.
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Congratulations to Our Raffle WinnersCongratulations to all of our Raffle Winners! Thank you to everyone who participated in the District Raffle. By giving to Rotary’s Annual Fund, our District is able to offer clubs District Grants to better support the programs and projects clubs would like to do for their communities. Click here to see the list of winners.
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Rushmore Rotary Beautifies the Community On Saturday, May 18th, the dedicated members of the Rushmore Rotarians enthusiastically gathered to lend a hand in beautifying Rapid City. Their collective effort and community spirit truly made a remarkable difference. Outstanding job, everyone!
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Custer Rotary Donates to the University In continued support of their mission, the Custer Rotary Club donates $500 again this year to the Indian University of America to be used for the good work with the students at the University.
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Mobridge Rotary Community Project Mobridge Rotary with the help of the 4H Group worked on upgrading an old project of Rotary. They put down new mulch, and added more plants with the help of A 4H club that loved the project. They were under the direction of Lori Untersher, a master gardner. The sign will be re-done with the Rotary emblem and the plan is to add more plants when the Girl Scouts take their turn. |
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District Grants Deadline - July 31, 2024District Grant Applications are being accepted through July 31, 2024. Still need to get Grant Certified for Rotary 2024-2025! Training and a quiz are required by all clubs applying for District Grants. Click here to access training and quiz. For questions, contact Brad Balaha at rotary5610grants@gmail.com.
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Winners of PELS Drawing PELS this year offered the opportunity to win $500 from the drawing based on attendance and training modules completed for PELS. 36 of our 41 Rotary and Rotaract clubs participated in this drawing. The four (4) winners this year are: Sioux Falls South, Yankton, Centerville, and Brookings. Congratulations to these 4 clubs! |
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Public Image Matters to ALL Clubs District 5610 Public Image Team is offering all clubs a chance to jumpstart the new year! Listen to the video to see how you can get a free refresh on your Club Runner website. https://youtu.be/9IQhOR_8QZg
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Update your Club Officers for Success Please update your club executives for the new year as soon as possible. To date, we are missing contacts for Secretaries or Administrators, Treasurers, Membership chairs, Foundation chairs, Public Image Chairs, and Service chairs. If you are having difficulty getting into ClubRunner or http://Myrotary.org to get this completed, please ask your Administrator or Secretary for assistance. The District Administrator, Linda, is also available to get this job done! Contact her at district5610Rotary@gmail.com. |
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District Raffle Ticket Sales Update We have entered the closeout phase of the District Raffle. Tickets need to be returned to Mike Gibson by close of business May 17th to be included in the drawing. The drawing will be held via a zoom call on May 25th. A zoom link will be sent within the next few days to allow everyone interested to watch it happen! DG Rich Burns and NDG Mike Gibson thank everyone on behalf of Rotary International and District 5610 for your willingness and commitment with this year’s District Raffle Event. The District Raffle is our primary fundraiser supporting the Rotary Foundation. Up to fifty percent of the money raised from this effort comes back to the District and supports many of the local community and humanitarian accomplishments our Clubs are known for. The other half supports Foundation efforts worldwide. Without your involvement, none of this would be possible.
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D5610 Group Study Exchange
D5610 Group Study Exchange Oceti Sakowin/Wiradjuri Rotary News Release April 11, 2024 Four exchange members and two alternates were selected in early April to participate in the Oceti Sakowin/Wiradjuri Group Study Exchange. This team will be lead by Kibbe Brown of Rapid City Rushmore Rotary. Selectees were:
Find out more about these candidates and the Study Exchange Group. |
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Teacher Appreciation at RCAA Rushmore Rotary serving lunch to the very best group of teachers and staff at Rapid City Alternative Academy during Teacher Appreciation Week. Roger Heacock, Mike Fuller, Rene Sorenson, Shari West Twitero and Carmen Hansen.
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District 5610 Four Way Test Essay Contest Winners We are excited to announce the winners of the District 5610 4-Way Test Essay Contest: 1st Place - Lucy Murray sponsored by Watertown Rotary Club, she won a certificate, $300 and a Four Way Test Coin,
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Mobridge Donates Park Bench to South East Play Park In a heartwarming gesture of community spirit and dedication to enhancing public spaces, the Mobridge Rotary Club has generously donated a park bench to the South East Play Park in Mobridge. This benevolent act not only adds a practical amenity to the park but also fosters a sense of belonging and togetherness among residents.
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Community Spirit in Action In a heartwarming display of community collaboration, Sioux Falls Rotary South recently united forces to lend a helping hand at Greater Goods. This endeavor saw a dedicated team of volunteers embarking on a mission to sort, price, and inventory a substantial delivery of goods destined to support numerous non-profit organizations throughout the local area.
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District 5610's Newest Rotaract Club is Off to a Great Start Thank you, Ella Dockendorf, president-elect, and Maggie Pallesen, Meals on Wheels Coordinator, for your wonderful presentation about the new USD/Vermillion Rotaract Club. In less than a year the club has grown to over 40 members who are either USD students or young professionals in the community
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Vermillion Second-Grade Students Receive New Helmets For nearly 30 years, the Vermillion Rotary Club has partnered with the Vermillion Medical Center to provide free bicycle helmets to all second grade students in Vermillion. As part of the give-away, students are given the opportunity to learn more about the importance of safety as well as how bicycles are used for a wide range of activities, triathlon, police work and more.
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Planting for the Future In conjunction with Arbor Day the Sunrise Rotary partnered with the City of Marshall to plant trees along one of the paved trails in Marshall. This activity ties in with the Rotary Focus of protecting the environment.
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Yankton Rotary In Action On April 17, 2024, Yankton Rotary held its 30th Annual Bicycle Helmet Giveaway project. The money raised by Yankton Rotary paid for 260 bicycle helmets which were provided to all area second grade students. A key feature of the program involves having the students attend a bicycle safety assembly including a proper helmet fitting event.
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Three Things You Can Do For World Immunization Week Immunization is a cornerstone of public health, saving millions of lives each year and preventing the spread of infectious diseases, like polio. Rotary International has spent over 40 years making sure children receive life-saving polio vaccines, beginning with our first immunization campaign in the Philippines in 1979. As a Rotary member, you are a part of this historic legacy, and we need your help to keep our promise to give children around the world a polio-free future. Here are three things you can do to support our #EndPolio efforts during World Immunization Week 24-30 April: |
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Sunrise Rotary - Mustang Food Shelf Marshall Sunrise Rotary donated $500 to the Mustang Food Pantry. The Mustang Food Shelf is organized to provide food supplies to students of Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, MN.
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DG Rich Burns April Message
The Art of Hitting the Winning Run - It’s Spring, baseball, and our District Raffle is in full swing! Batting in the top spot with two grand prize offerings is Karl’s Appliance and their Raffle donations of two GE Profile 2-n-1 Washer Dryer systems. We owe a huge “THANK YOU to Karl’s Appliance and their continued support and generous contributions to our annual raffle event. In all, 30 Clubs have donated prizes. Be sure to look over the complete list of raffle prize donations while visiting the District website. Including the two grand prizes from Karl’s Appliance, anyone who steps into the “Batter’s box” and purchases a raffle ticket, has 32 chances of winning something spectacular! We are currently in a slump when it comes to donating to the Annual Fund. Our total donation level has been steadily dropping over the last couple of years.
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May is Youth Services Month Youth Service recognizes the importance of empowering young people through programs such as Interact, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, Rotary Youth Exchange, and New Generations Service Exchange. May is Youth Service Month in the Rotary world. To get ready for it, learn more about how you can support young leaders: |
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Spreading Joy and Eggs at LifeScape! The Sioux Falls Rotary West club spent a lovely evening with the children and young adults served by LifeScape in Sioux Falls in late March. While the idea is to usually make a real effort to hide the eggs, when working with these kids we decided to make it a bit easier
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Le Mars Annual Banquet and Celebration On April 4, 2024, the Rotary Club of Le Mars held their Annual Banquet and community celebration. A feature of this event was honoring as Paul Harris Fellows, Rotarians and stand out community members who by living Rotary’s 4-Way Test, have made impacts to the communities they serve.
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Hit a Home Run for Rotary It’s Spring, baseball, and our District Raffle is in full swing! Batting in the top spot with two grand prize offerings is Karl’s Appliance and their Raffle donations of two GE Profile 2-n-1 Washer Dryer systems. You have 32 chances of wining something spectacular! Sell or purchase your tickets NOW! Make sure you provide the stub information back to your club's President, Foundation Chair or Raffle Ticket Contact by May 10th!
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Sturgis Rotaract Seeking Donations Sturgis Rotaract NEEDS SUPPORT!! They need help reaching their $8,000 goal to purchase and install outdoor musical drums in the City Park. You can donate through Venmo. We appreciate your support!!
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Kindergarten Book Giveaway The Vermillion Rotary Club provides a free, age-appropriate book for all the Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten students in Vermillion, SD. It is our hope that this small act will help lead to a life filled with reading. Click here to watch the video. The video features amazing photos taken by Lisa Swanson of the children during the book distribution. You'll also get to hear a wonderful reading of Green Eggs and Ham! Thank you to the teachers and staff at Austin Elementary School and St. Agnes Catholic School for your amazing support on this project.
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Creating Hope In Uganda Matt Buley, President of the Rock Valley Rotary Club, recently led a team of Rotarians and Hope Haven staff on their inaugural wheelchair project trip to Uganda. Reflecting on the journey, Matt described the experience of serving alongside Rotary and Hope Haven in Uganda as truly remarkable.
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Kids Trivia in Sturgis Lily Meunier and Pate Gunderson created and hosted a Kids Trivia on March 17th at Emma's Ice Cream Emporium. They raised money for the Sturgis Rotaract to install some outdoor music instruments in the City Park.
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Supporting Sioux Falls Humane Society with Blankets and Supplies The Sioux Falls South Rotary Club recently rallied together for a cause close to their hearts. With needles clicking and hearts beating in unison, members embarked on a mission to bring comfort to the furry residents of the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society.
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Global Grant Awarded for Human Trafficking Awareness
On February 29th, The Rotary Club of Rapid City was awarded funding for a Global Grant to provide awareness and education on human trafficking for children and community members living on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. DG RICH BURNS recognized the team effort required to get the job done. A huge thank you to District Rotarians Dr. Ashok Kumar of the Rotary Club of Rapid City and Team Leader; Jennifer Rollins, Sandra White Shield and Tom Katus of the Rotary Club of Rapid City Rushmore. |
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Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Through water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs, Rotary's People of Action mobilize resources, form partnerships, and invest in infrastructure and training that yield long-term change. Over the past several years, Rotary has shifted its focus to also emphasize education, collaboration, and sustainability in WASH. Our district 5610 is partnering to support a WASH grant to help Guatemala. Learn more about the Rotary International water projects happening in all parts of the world! And, stay tuned to learn more about this Global Grant that District 5610 is working on!!
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Members are Rotary’s Best Kept Secret
It’s well understood within the communities that have Rotary Clubs; “Rotary is the Best Kept Secret in Town." It really shouldn’t be that way. As Rotarians, we benefit our communities and “Create Hope In the World” in so many ways that the achievements made, shouldn’t go unnoticed. The same can be said about individual efforts where a handful of people who have the passion, power, and desire to see a particular project through to the end, prefer to stay in the background. |
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Youth Programs to Create Our Future Leaders As a member of Rotary, you will have the opportunity to witness and become involved with Rotary’s commitment to developing the next generation of leaders. Your Rotary District (5610) provides programs to help younger leaders prepare for leadership roles and learn the value of service. Listed below are four programs that are important to us as Rotarians and initiatives you will no doubt learn more about through activities in your Rotary club: |
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Flight to End Polio Fundraiser
The Le Mars Rotary Club is very excited to be hosting our annual banquet which will be a fundraiser for End Polio Now. The two pilots that flew around the world last year, Peter Tehan and John Ockenfels, to raise money for polio will be our speakers. I have met them several times and heard them speak in Spencer last fall. It is not only a story about their flight, but an emotional message about polio and Rotary's efforts to End Polio Now. The event will be Thursday evening April 4, 2024 at the Willow Creek Golf Course in Le Mars. Tickets will be $30 with $10 of that going to End Polio Now. This is a fundraiser and it is hoped that your club may raise additional funds for EPN. The Le Mars club has committed an additional $1,000. To register, contact John Schneider
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Sioux City Contributes Funds for Giant Park Video Game A giant, player-powered video game that encourages movement is coming to Sioux City's Chris Larsen Park. MOVMNT, a new interactive game by playground equipment provider Burke, will be installed in the spring on the active rec lawn near Floyd Pavilion, according to Recreation Superintendent John Byrnes. |
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Global Grant Update Two Past District Governors met at Whiteclay, NB to review and update the Whiteclay Makerspace grant status, on Wednesday, March 6. Linda Peterson, PDG 2014-15 and Ina Winter, PDG 2020-21, inventoried the grant purchases, and posted signage describing the Rotary grant.
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RYLA Camp Accepting Applications til March 31st RYLA is Here! Don't Miss Out!!! Applications are being accepted through March 31, 2024!!!!! GreatPlainsRYLA.org is the place you want to go to register and apply! Clubs - have you gone to the website, registered and completed your Club Commitment Form? And viewed the Time Line for deadline dates? |
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Sioux Falls West Rotary “Rock And Roll for Hope Fundraiser |
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Take Courses at the Rotary Learning Center Check out the LEARNING CENTER at My Rotary for courses on Public Image, Membership, Club Leadership, Professional Development , Service and more! This is a great resource to get training on #Rotary! Most classes are 15-30 minutes. Requires a My Rotary account. Visit - https://my.rotary.org/en/ |
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Launch of New District Facebook Page We are thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new Facebook page! In our ongoing efforts to build up our public image, we have expanded our social media presence to a Facebook Page. We invite you to join us on this journey as we take our online community to new heights. Visit our page - https://www.facebook.com/district5610/ - Hit like and follow! We need your support to build our fan base. |
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Celebrate International Women's Day with Rotary! This International Women's Day, March 8, 2024 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! |
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Next Steps for PELS (President-Elect Learning Seminar) Over 60 Rotarians have registered for PELS so far! Now it is time to do some pre-course work at the Learning Center and enter your club goals into Club Central. Click here to register, find access to the Learning Center and Club Central as well as See the agenda.
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Hot Links for Clubs Execs and MembersFebruary has been a busy month! We do not want anyone to miss out on the new District Website page intended for clubs and members to get information and support quickly. Our goal is to provide you resources that help promote your club's community awareness and membership growth. Below are some sections announced in February. District Website access https://rotary5610.org/ PELS Registration and Course Prerequisites Local Club News and Picture Submission for inclusion on district social media and website Facebook District Website relaunched |
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Check Out The New Revamped District Website We are excited to announce that our District website has been revamped with a robust navigation that is user friendly, easy to navigate and locate tools and resources quickly. On the Events tab - see District Calendar and Upcoming District Events, Membership Tab - see Membership Club Resources & Membership Roadmap, Foundation Tab see:
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Rotary's Focus on Creating Peace |
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Welcome Pam Blankenzee to District 5610
Just in case you missed the announcement earlier this month, Pam Blankenzee is our newest member to the District 5610 Team as webmaster. In addition to updating our website and continuing to keep it updated, Pam has a wealth of knowledge on best practices to help clubs achieve visibility goals in their communities and throughout the region which in turn promotes Rotary and increases membership opportunities. She is a Paul Harris Fellow +8 and is also the Assistant Editor for the Scouting Rotarian Newsletter. In addition to supporting our District 5610, Pam is the Webmaster/Social Media Director for District 5870 Central Texas, District 5810 North Texas, and District 5840 South Central Texas. |
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Brookings Rotarians Expand District Grants for the Holiday A $250 grant from Rotary District 5610 turned into more than $1,500 worth of food for Brookings area families this holiday season. The grants were offered to clubs throughout the district specifically to address food insecurity efforts in local communities.
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Whiteclay Makerspace Hosts Widajuri Exchange Team
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Gifting Through the Snow! Members of the Pierre/Fort Pierre Rotary Club helped Feeding South Dakota distribute food to recipients during a beautiful snowfall in Pierre on Wednesday, Valentine's Day. The weather impacted the number of people who came to receive food, and "playing in the snow" for two hours created wet gloves and cold feet, the event was considered a success. Thanks to those Rotarians who gave of their time and spirit to make it so.
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TRIVIA NIGHT at Sturgis Brewing Company You're invited to attend the Trivia Night at the Sturgis Brewing Company on February 24, 6PM to 9PM hosted by the Sturgis Rotaract Club. Fundraiser to support the City Park Outdoor music equipment project. Prizes to win.
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Rotary Ramp-Up: Igniting Action in your Club Membership! Gear up for action for Club Membership! Two dynamic webinars have just wrapped up, unleashing powerful strategies to supercharge your club's membership game. Head over to our district website, https://rotary5610.org, pronto, and catch the replay! Check out the Rotary Membership Roadmap. While the Membership Chairs and Presidents in your clubs have been on the front lines of recruitment, the call to action now echoes for every member. Rotary's greatness deserves a spotlight, and we need YOU to spread the word far and wide. There are eager community members waiting to join our ranks - all we have to do is extend the invitation!
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Introducing the Public Image Resource Page! We are thrilled to announce the launch of our newest addition to the District website - Public Image Resources page! This page includes links to the Rotary Brand Center, Rotary Image and Video Library, the Rotary People of Action Campaign, Logos and more. View here.
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Mark Your Calendars for PELS Training - April 27th This training is a must for President -Elects and other club officers, however is open to ALL Rotarians! The agenda and more information will be posted on the website under training at https://rotary5610.org. This is a hybrid 6-hour training offered online or in locations throughout the district. If you are interested in attending the training in person to build camaraderie with other Rotarians, check with your AG as to the location. Attendees will have several opportunities to win $500 for their clubs. Great training and the possibility of winning prizes....Come and enjoy a Saturday with Rotary friends!
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A Good Rotary Story
In November, over a hundred years ago, the grade was completed on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River to what later would become the “Meridian Bridge Project” and the founding of the Yankton Rotary Club. A Sand Pump used to complete the grade was being moved to the Dakota side of the River before ice flows had gotten significant enough to shut the entire job site down for the winter. The temporary hundred yard pontoon bridge used for river crossings during the summer was removed and the river left open to allow for “slush ice” movements downstream. If a person needed to cross to Yankton from the Nebraska side, they went all the way to Sioux City. It was said to be “too dangerous” to make a river crossing at Yankton as winter started to approach. By 1924, the Meridian Bridge was completed and the community benefited greatly from those Rotarians who listened to their local community, met the challenge to “Create Hope”, and accomplished a pretty phenomenal achievement.
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Reminders for the New YearIdentify your Club officers for 2024-25 It’s that time again to determine your club's officers for the next Rotary year which begins July 1, 2024. Enter the information on the district website https://rotary5610.org or email them to the district administrator. Do you Know your Assistant Governor? The District Assistant (Area) Governors play an important role in getting information out to the clubs and bringing updates to the District Team. Take a moment and reflect on your AG. Please send the name of your AG and a brief statement about the value they bring to your club to district5610Rotary@gmail.com. A surprise may be coming your way if you respond WITHIN 2 DAYS to this request! We hope we have peaked your interest! |
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Copy of PELS Training April 27thMark your calendars: PELS Training - Saturday, April 27th This training is a must for President -Elects and other club officers, however is open to ALL Rotarians! The agenda and more information will be posted on the website soon https://rotary5610.org. This is a hybrid 6-hour training offered online or in locations throughout the district. If you are interested in attending the training in person to build camaraderie with other Rotarians, check with your AG as to the location. Attendees will have several opportunities to win $500 for their clubs. Great training and the possibility of winning prizes....Come and enjoy a Saturday with Rotary friends!
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Proven Strategies to Recruit & Retain Members Webinar |
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Rotary Club Central to be Revamped! Mark your calendar for Tuesday, 30 January when Rotary Club Central updates will go live! Rotary International is updating Rotary Club Central with a streamlined user interface that’ll improve your user experience, including:
• Updating the homepage to take you to the Club Goals page, since goal setting is the primary purpose of the tool. • Reorganizing the navigation so it’s easier to use. • Clarifying terminology to improve readability and alignment with our Action Plan. Rotary Club Central helps clubs set and report goals, as well as retrieve information and reports for club, district, and global levels. |
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| A message from Pat Sutliff: | |
 | I am excited to announce the Rotary 2023-24 annual District 5610 Four Way Test Essay Contest. This contest is a great way to spread our Rotary ideals within our communities. The contest involves 6th graders who are asked to write a 200 to 500 word essay on "How can I apply the Rotary Four-Way Test to my life?" You will be amazed and excited at the perspective 6th graders have on our Four-Way Test. You need to find a 6th grade teacher or group of teachers who are willing to participate in this great project. I have found that it is usually easier to approach teachers rather than the administrators as they have so many other issues on their minds. |
Carmen Hansen of the Rushmore Rotary Club was presented the “Roger Kozak Service Above Self Award” at the 2023 District Conference in Yankton. Started in 2016, the Kozak award is the top honor given to a Rotarian in District 5610 and is given in recognition of exceptional service to Rotarians in Rotary District 5610.
In making the presentation, John Schneider, Immediate Past District Governor, noted that, “this year’s recipient, like most of those who have been honored in the past, probably doesn’t think they deserve this award. This person believes in ‘Service Above Self’ and is a living, walking, breathing example of it.”
Hansen was recognized for her service both in the community and in Rotary District 5610.
Ashok Kumar | Rapid City | 2022-23 |
John Badgley | Mobridge | 2022-23 |
Ron Gates | Mitchell | 2022-23 |
Jody Olson | Canby | 2022-23 |
Joe Stedronsky | Wagner | 2022-23 |
Ernie Bures | Tyndall | 2022-23 |
Daniel Heinemann | Canton | 2022-23 |
Gregg Gropel | Luverne | 2022-23 |
Dan Cox | Sioux City | 2022-23 |
"Together we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change - across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.”
Rotary believes in developing the next generation of leaders. Our programs help younger leaders build leadership skills, expand education and learn the value of service.
Interact clubs bring together young people ages 12-18 to develop leadership skills and learn about the world through service projects and activities. Learn more ›
RYLA is a leadership development program for young people who want to learn new skills, build their confidence, and have fun. Events range from one-day seminars to weeklong camps. Learn more ›
Rotary Youth Exchange builds peace one young person at a time. Students learn a new language, discover another culture, and truly become global citizens. Exchanges for students ages 15-19 are sponsored by Rotary clubs in more than 100 countries. Learn more ›
New Generations Service Exchange is a short-term, customizable program for university students and professionals up to age 30. Participants can design exchanges that combine their professional goals with a humanitarian project. Learn more ›
All of our youth programs are connected to a Rotary club. To get involved, contact the Rotary club in your area.
| Club | Prize |
| Brookings | |
| Canby | $100 |
| Canton | |
| Centerville | $100 Visa card |
| Cherokee | |
| Clark | |
| Custer | |
| Gettysburg | |
| Gregory | Grand Prize: Beko 4 piece kitchen package: (Refrigerator, Range, Dishwasher and Over the Range Microhood). Up to a $6,000 retail value. Sponsored by Karl’s TV & Appliance & Gregory Rotary. |
| Hot Springs | |
| Le Mars | 40 inch TV |
| Luverne | |
| Madison | Case of Wine from Moose Winery |
| Mapleton | Gift basket at $85 |
| Marshall | Unique beers Brau Brothers and $100 gift certificate. Value $175. |
| Marshall Sunrise | |
| Mitchell | |
| Mobridge | |
| Pierre-Fort Pierre | $500 Gift Certificate |
| Rapid City | a weekend at the Black Hills Terry Peak Lodge condo, accommodations available, compliments of Dr Ashok Kumar, Rapid City Rotary |
| Rapid City Rushmore | Plant Stand/Step Stool/Chair |
| Rock Valley | $100 gift certificate to Copper Rose Apparel |
| Sioux Falls Downtown | $500 Visa gift card |
| Sioux Falls North | |
| Sioux Falls South | $100 Walmart gift card |
| Sioux Falls West | $150 voucher for DTSF shopping and gift basket items |
| Sibley | $25 Pizza Ranch gift card |
| Sioux City | |
| Spearfish | |
| Tyndall | 20v Dewalt cordless drill |
| Vermillion | |
| Wagner | |
| Watertown | |
| Winner | |
| Yankton | $100 gift certificate |
To All District 5610 Rotarians:
Notice is hereby given that the annual District 5610 District Assembly will convene on Saturday, April 29, 2023 at 10:30 AM CT. Please see email sent to you on March 27th for the agenda, minutes from the September 24, 2022 business meeting, the proposed budget for RY 2023-2024, and Proposed District dues per Rotarian for RY 2023-2024.
Please note that all questions regarding the proposed budget should be emailed to District Governor Elect Rich Burns at dg2023rotary.richb@gmail.com and Nicole Rawden at rawdenconsulting@gmail.com, in writing, at least one week before the District Assembly, to be held April 29, 2023. Thank you for all you do as Rotarians! You're greatly appreciated!
Presidents Elect, Presidents Nominee, Assistant Governors, Leadership Team, and Guests please join us for an inspirational couple of days. Join us starting Thursday evening April 27th for a dinner and a great chance to meet you fellow class of Presidents. Friday, April 28th will be a full day of inspirational speakers, breakout sessions, panelist discussions, wonderful food, and networking. Saturday, April 29th we will conclude at noon after our District Assembly and Raffle drawing. A full schedule of events will be emailed to PEs, PNs, AGs, and Leadership Team soon.
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 free of charge. Past participants have had life-changing experiences by attending RYLA Camp, and YOU could be one of these people.
SAVE the DATES July 9-13, 2023 | Maranatha Camp
Hosted by Rotary Districts 5630 & 5610
Applications will be accepted beginning February 1 through April 15, 2023, at 11:59 PM.
APPLICATIONS
apply online at: https://greatplainsryla.org/apply
Please see the following bullet points about RYLA:
*It is a week long camp, July 9-13, 2023, held now at Maranatha Camp, Maxwell, NE
Learn more how you become a Rotary Youth Exchange Host please contact Patrick Morrison or Bill Spindle .
Fellow Rotarians!
Fellow Rotarians!
Wow, what a great President Elect Training Seminar we had last month!! Kudos to DGE Rich Burns for organizing the event and thanks for all the District Leaders who were presenters and facilitators. Some portions were recorded and will be available for viewing. The District Assembly was held and I am excited to announce that Dan Cox of Sioux City Rotary Club was duly elected to be the District Governor in 2025-26. Nancy Moose was elected to represent our district on the Council on Legislation and Linda Peterson was named an alternate. The budget was tabled for further discussion and analysis, but the district dues will be raised $5 next fiscal year and another $5 in 2024-25. Look for an announcement of a future District Assembly on ZOOM to be held sometime in late June.
John Schneider DG 5610
Fellow Rotarians!
Happy spring! Three things are top of mind today. First, of course, is PETS or the Spring Leadership Conference. It is April 27-29. Please encourage your President Elect to attend. DGE Rich Burns has put together a great program. Also, beware that the Annul District Assembly will be Saturday morning of PETS to elect the DG for 2025-26, Council on Legislation Representatives and 3 District Nominating Committee Members and approve the district budget and dues. Clubs are entitled to have a delegate for every 25 members. Your President and President Elect has received all this information and some is available on the District Website. The raffle drawing will also be held. Encourage your members to purchase tickets!
Second is RYLA or Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Camp at Camp Maranatha, Maxwell, NE. Our RYLA Chairperson, Rene Sorenson, has done a great job of sending out information on this. Information is also available on the district website. The deadline has been extended through April 15!
Third, we are looking for 3 clubs to host Foreign Exchange Students next school year. RYE Chairman Patrick Morrison and incoming chairman Bill Spindle are the resource for this topic.
This month’s Rotary theme is Maternal and Child Health. I did a little research and found that our district partnered on a Global Grant project in 2019 to serve indigenous pregnant women in North Dakota. We have recently authorized a Global Grant partnership with a club in Uganda to provide wheelchairs and other medical devices for people with disabilities and purchase a new ultrasound machine and train staff to enhance pre-natal care. Our clubs have also done district grants projects within this area of focus. Examples are Sioux Falls West with their Children’s Inn project, Le Mars with their Then Just Feed One packing event and Luverne with their bike helmet distribution.
Please continue to work on your membership growth and retention and Foundation giving; two of my major goals for this year. I’m looking forward to seeing many of you at PETS!
Yours in Rotary!
John Schneider DG 5610
Yours in Rotary!!
John Schneider DG 5610
Fellow Rotarians!
I know most of us are tired of the cold and snowy winter most of us are having. Forty plus years ago, I have to admit that winter was my favorite season because I loved snowmobiling and downhill skiing. That was a long time ago and seems like a different life time!
We are well into the second half of the Rotary year and we need to be thinking about accomplishing our Rotary goals. Virtually every club I visited expressed concern about membership. Last week our Membership Chairman, Carmen Hansen, invited all the club membership chairs and presidents to a membership ZOOM. It was not well attended! It makes us wonder how seriously clubs really take membership. I think part of it is we don’t take the time to read emails from District Leadership. I know we all suffer from email fatigue, but we are here to help clubs in growing and to prosper. Carmen offers great information and advice about membership and has access to many resources from the Zone level and Rotary International. I have recordings of a recent great three-part ZOOM presentation about membership growth and retention that Carmen or I would be happy to share.
Moving forward DGE Rich Burn’s mind is on the upcoming PETS (President Elects Training Conference). He is putting together a great program for PE’s and he also welcomes President Elect Nominees to attend. The first step to plan PETS is to ask clubs to have their presidents for next year elected as soon as possible so that they may be informed and inspired to attend. As of now, about 13 clubs need to let us know who their PE’s are. I have emailed all those clubs and we will be following up with phone calls.
This month is Rotary “Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution” Month. February includes the first day that a Rotary meeting was held, February 23, 1905. It is now designated as the “World Understanding and Peace Day”. Rotary International supports Peace Centers around the world and provides Rotary Peace Fellow scholarships to attend. The mission of these centers is to “empower, educate, and increase the capacity of peace builders through rigorous academic training, practice and global networking opportunities”. These fellowships develop the skills needed to act as “leaders and catalysts for peace and conflict resolutions both in their communities and around the globe”.
Yours in Rotary!!
John Schneider DG 5610
Watertown Rotarian Wendy Fransen and her husband Ken helped decorate the Rotary float for the 2023 Rose Parade, along with Rotarians from across the US, Canada, England, Mexico and many local Interactors. Rotary started in 1905 when carousels became popular, creating a perfect fit for the Rose Parade theme "Turning the Corner." The volunteers' combined efforts paid off as the Rotary float won the Princess Award. The Rotary float is an annual project for several districts (5280, 5300, 5320, 5330 and 6450), and having volunteers help with decorating was essential to stay within this year's $100,000 budget.
Rotary started with the vision of one man — Paul Harris. The Chicago attorney formed the Rotary Club of Chicago on 23 February 1905, so professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. Over time, Rotary’s reach and vision gradually extended to humanitarian service. Members have a long track record of addressing challenges in their communities and around the world.
"Whatever Rotary may mean to us, to the world it will be known by the results it achieves."
Paul Harris
Rotary founder
That commitment endures today through an organization that remains truly international. Only 16 years after being founded, Rotary had clubs on six continents. Our members now span the globe, working to solve some of our world’s most challenging problems. We’re not afraid to dream big and set bold goals. We began our fight against polio in 1979 with a project to immunize 6 million children in the Philippines. Today, polio remains endemic in only two countries — down from 125 in 1988.
The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into service projects that change lives both close to home and around the world. Since it was founded more than 100 years ago, the Foundation has spent more than $4 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects. With your help, we can make lives better in your community and around the world.
The Rotary Foundation helps Rotary members to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty.
Click Here to DONATE NOW
Congratulations to Mary DeVany of the Rotary Club of Sioux Falls South, who has been presented Rotarian of the Quarter by District Governor John Schneider for her dedication as a Rotarian and as an Assistant Governor to Rotary District 5610. She has been a resource person for several clubs.
Congratulations to Steve Sikorski of the Downtown Sioux Falls Rotary Club, who was awarded the 2022-23 Roger Kozak Service Above Self Award at the District 5610 celebration conference in Sioux City on the evening of September 23rd. It was presented to him by Rotary Past International Vice President and Rotary Foundation Trustee Greg Podd.
Good afternoon, Club Presidents and Grant Officers,
District 5610 has funds available in its FY 2023 District Designated Fund account for clubs to use on projects. This is a "Call for Proposals" from clubs to apply for these funds for projects to benefit their communities.
A few notes:
As with all Rotary grants, these proposals must be for projects that have not yet started. You will be required to submit receipts validating your expenditure of funds, and the hands-on involvement of local Rotarians is required. Projects must involve more than just “passing a check” to an organization. Please email me if you have questions.
You are invited to attend the "Better Rotarians - Better Communities" session at the District 5610 Annual Meeting September 23rd to learn more about how clubs have utilized grant funds to create successful projects.
Application can be found under News/Downloads section on the right hand column of the district website homepage.
Thank you,
A case of polio paralysis has been reported in an adult in a suburban county of New York. This is more evidence that polio is only a plane ride away and that clusters of people who are unvaccinated are at risk of dying or having a life of paralysis if children or adults do not get the CDC recommended vaccinations. There is sewage testing proof that the vaccine derived polio virus is still circulating in Orange and Rockland counties in NY and polio immunization rates there are only 60 %. These are also counties close to NY City so further cases are very likely. Covid is also a factor as children's immunizations have lagged across the US. But what has really happened is there is a large number of people across the entire US who refuse immunizations for religious reasons and other non-scientific reasons. It is now apparent that where there are groups of non-immunized adults and children, polio is a real possibility. This is ANYWHERE in the US, including SD, MN, IA and NB. The United Kingdom has not had a paralysis case but sewage tests in London show they have a similar problem as does Israel. The take home message is to educate everyone you know that polio is not conquered even in the US and anti-vaxxers are playing with fire. Their result may be death or life long paralysis in a loved one.
Worldwide the drive to eliminate polio is steady but not great. The wild virus exists in only Afghanistan and Pakistan, but Pakistan's numbers are up to 7 as opposed to 4 for the entire year in 2021. There are a number of countries in Africa where circulating, vaccine-caused polio is a major problem. This includes Nigeria, Yeman and D R Congo. The new type 2 vaccine that has been developed should help, but many African countries are at war or having problems administering vaccines. I am still optimistic that polio can be eliminated from the world but it is extremely tough. Please continue to support Polio Plus and see that Rotary gets the promised Gates Foundation match of $2 for each $1 we donate to Polio Plus. OUR DISTRICT HAS STEPPED UP FOR POLIO PLUS IN SUCH A WONDERFUL WAY. Thanks to all of you. If you could summarize this for your fellow members and the need to give, I would appreciate it so much.
Willis Sutliff
Polio Plus Chair District 5610
Membership Minute Focusing on the comfort and care of our members |
August is Membership and New Club Development Month. One of RI President Jennifer Jones' initiatives is to focus on the comfort and care of our members, and Membership Month is the perfect time to make sure that your club provides a welcoming experience. Members are more likely to stay if we listen to them and understand what they want out of Rotary. Here are a few ideas for helping people feel valued and involved:
Remember that for any Learning Center course, you’ll need a My Rotary account. Find more membership resources on My Rotary. Questions? Reach out to Carmen Hansen, District 5610 Membership Chair, carmenhansen@rushmore.com |
Wow! What a wonderful start to the Rotary year. As you read this I will have completed all of my
The District Governor Award for Rotarian of the Year is presented to Don Norton. He is a Rotarian who has gone above and beyond and has proven to be extraordinary in his service above self. This is a new award this Rotary year that will serve to honor one individual who has exhibited these attributes. Congratulations Don! Don Norton enjoys transforming communities and improving people’s lives through Rotary. He has just completed his second term as President of the Rotary Club of Brookings, South Dakota, where he is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow. He serves as the Grants Chair in District 5610. He has been a Rotarian for 26 years.
Don also helps build the leadership capacity of communities across the state as CEO of the South Dakota Agricultural and Rural Leadership Program (SDARL), focusing on developing the skills, knowledge, and character of leaders through training seminars.
Don’s background i
s in education and communication. He taught more than 20 communication courses at the college and university level, and has received four Associated Press News Awards for broadcast journalism, including as a news anchor/reporter at WGN Radio in Chicago. He has a Master of Arts Degree in Communication from Western Illinois University, and is certified in Non-Profit Management from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. He is a Maxwell Leadership certified trainer, speaker and coach.
Prior to joining SDARL, Don directed the leadership programming and served as CEO of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program. He has led leadership classes to China, India, Japan, Panama, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Scotland, and held leadership seminar meetings in Russia and Ukraine.
Don and his wife, Kay (the District 5610 Public Image Chair), have two grown sons. They enjoy singing special programs at retirement and nursing homes, and carry on a Brookings tradition with the Hopeful Spirit Chorale, a group that lifts up the spirts of the homebound and those in hospice.
Tahiry Razafimanjato has been presented Rotarian of the Quarter for his dedication to Rotary and District 5610. Tahiry started Sturgis Rotaract Club, and is past president of Northern Black Hills Rotary Club, and a member of the District Membership Committee. Tahiry joined Rotary in 2015 at Northern Black Hills Rotary. Rotary was not something new for him. He grew up in a Rotarian environment in Madagascar; his dad is a long time Rotarian. Her sister and brother are also all Rotarians. For Tahiry, Rotary means more than a service. He considers Rotary as a way of life.
The District Governor Award for Rotarian of the Quarter was presented to Tahiry Razafimanjato he is a Rotarian who has gone above and beyond and has proven to be extraordinary in his service above self. This was a new award in Rotary Year 2021-22 that served to honor one individual each quarter who has exhibited these attributes. Congratulations Tahiry!
Rotary International President Jennifer Jones imagines a Rotary where members act to make their dreams become reality and make the most of their club experiences. During her year, Jones will focus on four presidential initiatives that Imagine Rotary: advancing our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI); creating a welcoming club experience; empowering girls; and expanding our reach.
Diversity is one of Rotary's longstanding core values and greatest strengths. Jones knows there is more to be done to ensure that Rotary's culture exemplifies our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Rotary, with input and guidance from the DEI Task Force, has strengthened our commitment to DEI, resulting in a greater focus on celebrating every individual's contributions, advancing equity, and creating a more welcoming and inclusive culture.
President Jennifer Jones encourages each of us to do our part to ensure Rotary is a welcoming and inclusive community by:
Learn more and take action by reading the DEI presidential brochure.
Find additional resources on our DEI web page.
Watch what Jones hopes to accomplish with DEI (download).
Rotary has an important role to play to ensure that the club environment and experience is welcoming, inclusive, and enjoyable for all members and participants. Surveys show that comfort and care is the single greatest driver of satisfaction and our most powerful tool for retention. This begins with listening to and understanding what members and participants want out of their Rotary involvement. We often speak of the importance of "exit interviews" to better understand why former members leave. But why wait for them to leave? Jones urges club leaders to incorporate "entrance interviews" as well to understand the needs and expectations of new members at the outset. And of course, be sure to regularly survey all existing members, to ensure they have an opportunity to share thoughts about their membership experience.
Watch Jones talk about her Comfort and Care initiative (download)
Jones will continue past RI President Shekhar Mehta’s Girls Empowerment initiative, recognizing that empowered girls become empowered women. Share your Girls Empowerment projects on Showcase.
Imagine Expanding Rotary's Reach Throughout the year, Jones will visit eight service projects that represent each of Rotary's areas of focus and polio eradication. The tour will provide examples of how Rotary can make a measurable difference, while introducing Rotary to new audiences and potential partners and influencers.
On July 1, John Schneider assumed the volunteer post of Rotary International District Governor for 2022-23. As Governor, he serves as a guide and resource along with his district leadership team for the clubs in District 5610 encompassing all of South Dakota, northwestern Iowa, and southwestern Minnesota. John will serve through June 30, 2023. Attached is a link to incoming District Governor John Schneider's club visit schedule. As incoming Presidents for 2022-23 please review the schedule and please confirm the scheduled date, time, and location with District Governor 2022-23 John Schneider at 1-712-540-4250 or by email at jsswine@midlands.net.
“In life’s journey, a bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you refuse to make the turn”. In 2018, Penny and I decided that I should embark on this “journey” of serving as this District’s 2021-2022 District Governor. I can honestly say that it was not without a certain degree of concern and trepidation (what am I getting myself into??) that I jumped into the commitment. It’s definitely been a ride, and one I will always look back on with (mostly) fond memories. I need to use that well-worn and somewhat trite phrase that “it seems like only yesterday” …because its so very true! There were certainly moments when I doubted my sanity (and so did my wife), but luckily, there has always been my amazing team of committed, kind and forgiving Rotarian leaders to support me, pick me up when I was down, gently correcting me when I started down the wrong path, and always, always cheering me on when things were going as planned and even when they weren’t.
My wife, Penny, has been my constant supporter, editor, strategist, tech advisor and head cheerleader throughout the past three years, and I will always be grateful for her support, her love, and the occasional “nudge” when I needed it!
Nicole Rawden has been there for me always and has such an amazing talent to remind me of things before I even know I’ve forgotten them, to pull out information that I could spend a week searching for in minutes, and to always be there, even late nights and early mornings, to help me do my job better than I could ever hope to do it myself.
We have an amazing “DG Track”. IPDG Dan has been a wealth of information and advice when I was facing difficult decisions, and DGE John has become a close friend, always there to laugh together and sometimes have those uncomfortable talks about difficult decisions. I’m confident that John will be an excellent DG and further advance our District in positive ways! DGN Rich and DGND Bruce are both in the midst of DG training, and I feel both possess the right stuff to be great DG’s.
Our Leadership team for the past year is one of the main reasons for the successes we’ve enjoyed as a district this year! We’ve grown, we’ve established broader and well-structured committees, we’ve developed new long-standing programs that will continue on for many years and we’ve definitely gotten the train back on the tracks after two long years of COVID pain. I’m so grateful for all the work, much of which has gone unseen by most, that District Chairs and their committees have performed. I could write a long essay on all the wonderful successes I’ve seen this year that have been performed with little fanfare, just because “it was the right thing to do”!
The other main reason for the successes our district has enjoyed this year is YOU! You are the club member that shows up to meetings, volunteers to chair projects, comes up with new innovative ideas, brings that friend or neighbor who becomes a great member, and who gives freely of his or her time and talents and treasures to make our District and our organization stronger! Never hesitate to take the next step… to chair the committee, to serve on the Board of Directors, to be an Assistant Governor, or to serve in a district leadership committee. Our success is due to people that our willing to take the next step. I know that I will never regret my decisions to do so!
Which brings me back to my opening quote…although I don’t know where I might land in my next Rotary adventure, I do know that this is definitely just a “bend in the road” and not “the end of the road”. I ask that as you thoughtfully consider the next step in your Rotary journey, and that you think and move forward boldly. I can promise that you won’t regret it! Thank you all for allowing me to serve as your District Governor. It’s been my honor and my privilege and given me many forever memories.
In Rotary, serving to change lives,
Doug Lind
District Governor 2021-2022
The Trail of Governors Foundation wishes to thank the Rotary Clubs of District 5610 who generously supported the Sponsorship of the statue of former Governor and long time Rotarian, Dennis Daugaard, whose statue was added to the Trail in 2019. All Rotarians are invited to attend the unveiling of the statues of the final three of the 31 former governors who will join the Trail at 10:00AM on Friday, June 17, 2022 in the rotunda of the State Capitol.
The Club Donors are as follows: Sioux Falls Downtown, Pierre-Ft. Pierre, Mitchell, Mobridge, Winner, Centerville, and Hot Springs.
Also, received were individual contributions from Rotary members and Rotary friends in Sioux Falls, Pierre, Hot Springs, Rapid City, Salem, Spearfish, Wagner, Winner, Vermillion, Yankton and Dell Rapids. All donors are recognized on the Foundation website: www.trailofgovernors.com and as a Sponsor, Rotary District 5610 is included on the bronze plaque that accompanies Governor Daugaard's statue.
Congratulations to our District 5610 Four Way Test Essay 2022 Winners
First Place
Second Place
Third Place
District Leadership and the Class of RY 2022-23 Club Presidents attend PETS
The Rollercoaster Ride of Polio Elimination
The drive to eliminate polio from the world forever seems like a rollercoaster ride with emotional highs and lows. This continued last year but with a high in the real progress made in Afghanistan and Pakistan and lows in Israel having a circulating vaccine paralysis case and Malawi having a wild polio case. Overall however we showed excellent progress by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.* Afghanistan cases dropped from 141 cases in 2020 to 4 cases in 2021. Pakistan has dropped to only 1 case in 2021. And it occurred in Jan. 2021 so Pakistan has been without a polio case for 14 months. Covid caused a hold in giving vaccinations for a few months so we were pleasantly surprised to see the drop in cases in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They probably occurred due to a decrease in travel.
A Plane Ride Away
You likely saw on line or on the news that a case of wild virus polio occurred in Africa in Malawi. The genetic tests of the virus showed the origin of the virus was from Pakistan. This demonstrated the importation by international travel. The case has been surrounded by an emergency vaccination task force. It has encircled the case and is giving vaccination in concentric circles around the case until no more virus is detected in sewage and no cases in children. Africa still is considered polio free as the case is contained. This case graphically illustrates that “polio is just a plane ride away” from all of us. Another case of vaccine derived polio paralysis in Israel shows that a pocket of anti-vaxxers can put a large community at risk of polio. The case occurred in a group of Israelis who for religious reasons avoided vaccines. Groups like this could derail Rotary’s long and expensive effort to eliminate polio from the world. So please, please vaccinate your children and educate your family members to see their children are all vaccinated. Other favorable facts show that circulating virus polio cases decreased from 959 in 2020 to 38 cases in 2021.
Vaccinator Deaths in Afghanistan
Sadly the polio elimination drive saw the brutal killing of 9 more workers in Afghanistan. I personally got to meet some of the brave Afghan women vaccinators two years ago and saw how strong and committed they are to getting rid of the scourge of polio. And they all were well aware that they could be giving the ultimate sacrifice. Please tell your clubs about them and their bravery. I hope there can be money raised in their name by our clubs and district so we can be sure their lives have not been given in vane. I also hope you can talk to your members about the fact that groups of unvaccinated children could bring polio back to the United States and ruin the effort to eliminate polio from the world for good. We must continue vaccinating every child in the US.
*Global Polio Eradication Initiative members are; Rotary International, the Gates Foundation,UN WHO and UNICEF and US CDC.
Willis Sutliff, District Polio Plus Chair
During the recent District Assembly for District 5610, Rotarian Bruce Nearhood was elected to the position of District Governor Nominee (DGN) for the 2022-23 Rotary year. The following year, 2023-24, Bruce will serve as the District Governor Elect (DGE) and he will serve as the District Governor (DG) in 2024-25.
Bruce, a member of the Rapid City Rushmore Club since 1987, has served as Club President, and also has held club leadership roles as Foundation Chair and Membership Chair, successfully launching effective growth and retention campaigns for his club and personally sponsoring eight new members. As a proven District leader, Bruce served as 5610 Foundation Chair from 2011-15 and was most recently co-chair of the 2021-22 District Conference. He also was a facilitator for the Rotary Leadership Institutes from 2010-19.
Bruce’s service through Rotary has extended far beyond the boundaries of our District. He has participated in five Rotary-sponsored humanitarian trips, four to Haiti and one to Guatemala. He and his wife were part of Friendship Exchanges to Italy and Japan. A passionate supporter of The Rotary Foundation, Bruce is a member of the Paul Harris Society, is a major donor, and a Level 5 Bequest Society member. Bruce has continued to expand his well-rounded knowledge of Rotary International by attending three Rotary International Conventions.
District 5610 Rotarians Provide Medical Supplies, Other Aid To Ukrainian Emergency Need
-Part of a Quarter Million Dollar Multi-District Effort; Other Donations Also Being Rushed to War-Torn Country
Rotary International is noted for its global healthcare response, especially as a major sponsor of polio eradication, clean water sources, and more. And now District 5610, which includes all Rotary clubs in South Dakota as well as portions of Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska, will send $25,000 toward emergency supplies to healthcare workers in Ukraine to assist with the urgent need in that war-torn country.
District 5610 was awarded $25,000 in disaster relief funding from The Rotary Foundation to provide "Shipping of Emergency and Healthcare Supplies for front-line emergency workers, hospitals, clinics, and physicians in Ukraine." The district is one of 10 working together on a joint project to support the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America (UMANA). This multi-district Disaster Grant will provide $250,000 toward airlifting pallets of supplies into Ukraine.
Crews are assembling medical supplies (tourniquets, gauze with blood clotting powder, etc), survival food supplies and emergency aid in a warehouse in Illinois, with 330 pallets already assembled. But this isn’t the only Rotarian response to the Ukrainian crisis.
“District 5610 Rotarians also have already contributed more than $20,000 to Ukrainian support through Hope Haven, an international ministry that provides wheelchairs to those in need,” said District 5610 Governor Doug Lind. And, noted District 5610 Foundation Chair Dan Little, the district also is working on a streamlined District grant of at least $10,000 to the Rotary Club of Barlad, Romania for humanitarian relief for Ukrainian refugees.
“This will bring current and anticipated District 5610 contributions to Ukrainian aid to more than $55,000,” said Little.
Any contributions to the Rotary Foundation Disaster Fund prior to April 30, 2022 will all be allocated to Ukrainian Aid. Rotarians may donate through their MyRotary account online, designating “Ukrainian Disaster Fund,” and others may give by logging in to https://my.rotary.org/en/donate and choosing “Disaster Response Fund.”
“Many people are watching the news and wondering, ‘What can I do to help?’ and feeling helpless,” said Little. “Making a donation to this effort is one way to make a direct difference in the life of someone who is suffering.” Added District Governor Lind, “The respected reputation of Rotary International and its Foundation for being able to penetrate boundaries and provide global assistance makes this donation opportunity a very good choice for anyone wishing to help.”
Questions may be directed to your local Rotary club, or by emailing 5610dlittle@delittledvm.com
Since it was founded more than 100 years ago, the Foundation has spent more than $4 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects.
With your help, we can make lives better in your community and around the world.
The Rotary Foundation helps Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty.
Share the following weekly foundation messages regularly with your club members: Foundation 52 Weekly Messages
Dr. Willis C. Sutliff was awarded the 2021-22 Roger Kozak Service Above Self
The first District Governor Award for Rotarian of the Quarter is presented to Kay Norton she is a Rotarian who has gone above and beyond and has proven to be extraordinary in her service above self. This is a new award that will serve to honor one individual each quarter who has exhibited these attributes. Congratulations Kay!
Our world of social media and non-stop “breaking news” makes it easy to fall into the trap of focusing on all the things wrong with our world, instead of seeing the countless blessings we have to be grateful for! ROTARY is one way, if not the best way to respond and show gratitude for all we are given; our way of “paying it forward”. Most of you already know our well-kept Rotary “secret” – the more we do for others, and the more we give, the better we feel and the more we receive!
As we get closer and closer to the finish line for this Rotary year, take a moment to step back and count your blessings, review your Rotary Goals for the year, and give it your best effort to successfully complete your goals. There’s still six weeks to go – plenty of time to bring that friend or business associate to their first Rotary meeting or project and help them become a new Rotary member.
June will be here in just a few weeks, and with it will come the first “live, in-person” Rotary International Convention in three years! Penny and I, along with thirteen other District Rotarians, are looking forward to hearing tons of great speakers, reconnecting with Rotary friends from around the world, and learning lots of new things about on-going and upcoming Rotary projects in other countries, and making lots of new friends! It’s still not too late, if you have a last-minute change of plans or happen to be an impulsive person, to attend this memorable event! Also in June, I will have the honor of passing my Governor’s pin on to incoming Governor John Schneider, at his home club in LeMars, IA. I look forward to helping John in the next several months as he assumes the responsibility of this amazing job!
Thanks everyone for your continued efforts to help our District become better, stronger and more vital than ever!
Service above self in Rotary,
World Polio Day is October 24, 2021
Rotary’s general secretary and executive team oversee a staff of more than 800, who serve Rotary members from our world headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA, and seven international offices. The general secretary is a member of the Rotary International Board of Directors and The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees. John Hewko has served as Rotary International’s general secretary and chief executive officer since 2011. A charter member of the Rotary Club of Kyiv, Ukraine, Hewko lives out Rotary’s mission, whether inside or outside the office. He’s immunized children against polio in India, represented Rotary at the World Economic Forum, and bicycled 104 miles (167 km) with Rotary members in Arizona, USA, to help raise over $50 million for polio eradication. "It’s an honor to go the extra mile in serving this great organization. I see Rotary as the original social network formed to exchange ideas and resources so we can transform lives. We’re a bold NGO that believed it could end a disease, and we’ve stuck to the cause for over three decades. That thought inspires me every morning.".
District 5610 Rotarians,
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your District Governor for the past year! It has been a year of challenges, success, and growth as we pursue our goal of serving others. A year of COVID-19 restrictions may have limited travel and personal interaction, but we have discovered creative solutions of staying connected electronically through Zoom and hybrid meetings. These changes have offered opportunities to share speakers and topics with other Rotarians around the world without leaving the comfort of our home or office!
A special thank you to the organizers and participants of our 2nd Virtual District Conference! Through the collaboration and commitment of many District Rotarians, we were able to present an information packed District Conference with special emphasis on our goal of Ending Human Trafficking. It will be great to resume an “in person” District Conference in Deadwood this October!
The past year has certainly validated our theme of “Rotary Opens Opportunities”! It has been exciting to see clubs grow and retain membership by offering meetings, training, and activities through online methods that have increased participation of Rotarians of all ages. Thanks to the increased efforts of our Membership and Public Image teams and the guidance of Nicole, our District Administrator, we have continued to attract new members that share our ideals of Service Above Self!
The Foundation and Global Grants Committees have developed a strong foundation for a new District focus on Ending Human Trafficking. Stay tuned for more information on how we can support this effort on a District level! We also awarded a record number of high impact District matching grants, as well as as District grants to support Technology and Infrastructure! We have also continued our support to eradicate Polio through contributions to End Polio Now. Thank you to all Rotarians that so unselfishly support the Rotary Foundation and the many projects that are possible through TRF funding.
Rotary 2020-21 has been a growth year! Like a rubber band that has been stretched, we will never to be able to go back to “how we always did things before”. Enjoy the excitement of the new normal as we not only gather again for in person meetings, but we also continue to implement the new tools that we have discovered to engage Rotarians worldwide in our quest of Service Above Self! District leadership has focused on expanding collaboration to provide a more cohesive leadership team to address the needs of the District. District Governor Elect Doug Lind is well prepared and excited to continue with many of the strategies that have been initiated over the past year.
Truly, Rotary Opens Opportunities! Thanks again for the opportunity to serve District 5610 as your District Governor.
Yours in Rotary,
Dan
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Rotary clubs around the world are mobilizing in their communities to support the introduction and delivery of COVID-19 vaccinations. Rotary leaders are urging members to connect with their local health agencies to determine how Rotary can support COVID-19 vaccine efforts.
Rotary has decades of experience in supporting the distribution of polio vaccines as well as highlighting their power and efficacy, which is a critical reason why polio is on the brink of eradication. It’s this expertise, along with strategic partnerships and innovation, that Rotary members can tap into to protect communities from COVID-19.
John Hall, president of the Rotary Club of Trenton, North Carolina, receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Jones County immunization day.
Photo courtesy of Dawn Rochelle
Rotary International President Holger Knaack and Foundation Trustee Chair K.R. “Ravi” Ravindran have called on Rotary members to take action on a number of levels. Rotary members in North Carolina, USA, quickly organized to offer assistance to health officials. District leaders contacted the state’s secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to strategize support efforts.
The six district governors in North Carolina joined the state’s health department in conducting a webinar, open to the more than 12,200 Rotary members in North Carolina, to provide information about the available COVID-19 vaccines, how they will be distributed, and answer their questions so they can serve as role models and instill confidence in the vaccines in their community.
“Rotarians are leaders who are looked upon for guidance, and the more information and opportunity to share ideas with health officials, the better,” said Dawn Rochelle, governor of Rotary district 7730 (North Carolina).
Members volunteered at local vaccination sites across the state to help health officials with logistics including data entry, crowd control, and check-ins. Members also provide health workers and volunteers with food and beverages. In addition, the districts provided the state health department with a spreadsheet that included a Rotary member contact for each of the 100 counties in North Carolina.
Nancy Barbee and Rochelle, past governors of the same district, volunteered together during National Immunization Days in India. It’s those experiences with mass immunization for polio that helped them identify specific needs for how members can help support COVID-19 vaccinations.
“The polio eradication initiative gives a blueprint that provides strategy that is effective in any community,” says Rochelle, who took part in two polio immunization drives in India. “Governments take the lead on immunizations there and here in the U.S., but what’s critical to the success is the additional layer of support Rotarians bring. We are here to back-up the frontline workers with anything they need. It’s amazing to see the response of North Carolina Rotarians.”
At a meeting in December, the Rotary International Board of Directors and Rotary Foundation Trustees created a joint taskforce that will help guide upcoming efforts to distribute the COVID-19 vaccines and advocate for people to get vaccinated. The newly formed group will also share information promoting vaccine acceptance, and encourage service projects to stop the spread of the disease, such as social distancing, wearing masks, and washing hands frequently.
In a joint letter to district leaders, Knaack and Ravindran said members have a successful history of getting things done when help is needed. “Through the hundreds of global grants and projects, Rotary members have demonstrated what we can accomplish to raise awareness, deliver critical personal protection equipment, and provide support to frontline health workers,” they said in the letter.
The two Rotary leaders called particular attention to the importance of one specific call to action: combatting vaccine hesitancy. “Help us combat the powerful, growing force of vaccine resistance and misinformation. Our advocacy in our communities will be critical – we need to spread the message about the power of vaccines to save lives,” they urged.
Other ways clubs can mobilize around COVID-19 vaccine introduction and delivery at the local level include community education, ensuring equitable distribution of the vaccine, helping stop the continued spread of the disease, and aiding local health authorities to get prepared for mass vaccinations.
The infrastructure created by Rotary and its Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners is already supporting efforts to combat COVID-19. The GPEI recently announced that it is ready to support the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.
1-Feb-2021
Ina Winter
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Rotary International 2021 International Assembly Seminar Trainer Kathryn Fahy | Rotary International Director Susan “Suzi” C. Howe | Co-Founder and Executive Director of BridgeHope Jessa Crisp |
Rotary Club of Luverne
Service Project Outdoor Nature Explorer Classroom Clean-up
Smiles! Someone once said “smiles” is the longest word in the world. Well, there were a lot of long, big smiles on the faces of those to whom Rotarians delivered roses to on Thursday, September 24. Of course, delivering roses was the final piece of the puzzle placed into the annual Rotary Club rose sale. As readers might recall, the Rotary club started its annual rose sale on August 18 and concluded it on September 10. In the end, the club sold 177 dozen roses. That’s a remarkable number, particularly when you factor in the possibility of covid-19 hovering around in unknown places. Covid-19 may have caused some anxiety among Rotarians and therefore limited themselves to the number of contacts made with potential customers. Nevertheless, roses arrived at Luverne Flowers on Tuesday, September 22. A small committee tagged each dozen with a name tag. This was done on Wednesday, September 23. On Thursday, September 24, an attempt to deliver all 177 dozen was made. “I made several deliveries,” remarked club member Gregg Gropel. “When I handed the roses to each recipient they immediately put on a big smile. One young lady, with a long smile upon her face, turned and looked at her husband and said, ‘Did you do this?’” Upon which her husband couldn’t help but reciprocate with his own big smile. “You could tell that dozen roses was a big hit in that family,” said Gropel. Smiles! You see, smiles is the longest word in the world because there is a mile between the two S’s. And a lot of those rose sale recipients ended the day with a mile long smile. Click here for the full article on Luverne's Annual Rose Sale.
Rotary Club of Canby
Downtown Dining A Rotary District 5610 COVID-19 grant enabled the Canby Rotary Club to purchase bistro tables for public seating around downtown Canby. Tables are placed in the walking alleys near the Canby Print Shop and Moberg Meat Center as well as in Birthday Park next to True Value. It is Rotary’s hope that the community and visitors will use these seating areas to enjoy food and drink from any of the businesses in Canby.
Rotary Club of LeMars
The Le Mars Rotary Club hosted a flag pole dedication in O’Toole Park on Central Avenue North on Wednesday, Sept. 16, and honored a longtime Rotary member, Ina Gatts. Rotary Club President Bob Lee noted the Le Mars Rotary Club was founded in June 1919. “Last year marked our 100th anniversary as a club and under the leadership of Steve Harrington, a past President and District Governor last year, the members of the club decided that we wanted to do a special project for our anniversary at O’Toole Park,” he said. “Past President Ina Gatts, who was the first woman president of the club in 1992, wanted to help with our special project as well.” Click here for the full article at LeMars Daily Sentinel.
When Dr. Dan Little of Brookings accepted the position of District Governor nominee for Rotary District 5610, he was looking forward to the two years of extensive training that would prepare him to lead 40 clubs throughout all of South Dakota and parts of Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. That was in 2018.
Fast forward to the first day of his District Governor term, July 1, 2020, and the world looked much different.
“Everything changed in March, when most clubs suspended their meetings for at least a few weeks due to COVID-19. However, now about three quarters of the clubs are back to weekly gatherings, even if they are held virtually. The work of Rotary continues,” said Little.
Rotary International began in 1905 in Chicago, when Paul Harris and three other businessmen started meeting regularly to share ideas and network, “rotating” their meeting locations among their four offices. Now Rotary International membership tops 1.2 million with more than 33,000 clubs in about 200 countries. The organization is divided into 34 zones (Brookings is in Zone 29) and 531 worldwide districts. Each district has a governor, and this year’s governor for District 5610 is from right here in Brookings.
Little, a consulting veterinarian, provides expert opinions in complex scenarios regarding dairy, swine, beef, poultry, equine, small ruminants, practice management, and personal injury. Many of his current forensic investigations relate to alleged feed mixing and contamination concerns. He believes his background as a vet has helped him respond to the current challenges facing Rotary.
“Veterinarians use systematic problem solving to make decisions – possibly followed by another decision.” he said. This type of problem solving has come in handy as he helps guide his district through unprecedented times. “When faced with concerns or obstacles we must pursue the discovery of the root cause before we can effect positive change,” Little continued. “The ‘positive change’ work of Rotary has not stopped in these COVID-19 times. In fact, our mission and goals are more relevant than ever.”
Little notes that the Rotary International theme for 2020-21 is “Rotary Opens Opportunities.” Those opportunities include taking advantage of technology in ways not considered prior to the pandemic. “COVID is forcing us to adapt to the digital age. We have been stretched out of our comfort zone, but like a rubber band, I do not expect that we will ever go back to all of our past behaviors,” said Little. “Zoom and digital tools improve the ability of young professionals to participate in Rotary activities, so one unexpected result might just be membership for those who hadn’t previously been able to attend a more traditional, in-person, lunch meeting.”
Little grew up on a dairy and swine family farm near Faribault in south central Minnesota. He received his B.A. in Biology from Gustavus Adolphus College, his M. S. in Physiology of Reproduction from Texas A&M University and his DVM from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine before establishing a veterinary practice in southeastern Minnesota in 1984.
His practice has focused on a systems management approach to food animal medicine. In addition to providing on-farm services to diagnose and prevent health challenges, he has also provided technical support to companies that desire to develop, market and implement biotech solutions in livestock systems. He has presented at national and international professional conferences and is a published author in scientific journals and industry magazines.
Although Rotary district governors are charged with the ultimate decision-making and leadership of their districts, Little ultimately sees his role as more of a “facilitator.”
“I view this position as an opportunity to be a team leader, providing the clubs in District 5610 with the Rotary International tools they need to meet their individual club goals,” explained Little. “We have tremendously talented and passionate Rotarians throughout District 5610.”
Although Little has been a Rotarian since 1994, he said he really understood the importance of membership when he joined the Brookings club after moving to Brookings in 2002. “I realized that I was immediately accepted and trusted in a new community of Rotarians.” Little subsequently served as president of the Brookings club, then as assistant governor and ultimately received the required training at the district, zone and international levels to prepare for his year as district governor.
“It’s a big commitment – one I entered into very seriously – but it’s a tremendous honor. The opportunity to be a leader in an organization where you can contribute locally but have an impact globally is humbling.”
Little remembers the first time he heard a former district governor challenge members of the Brookings Club to join the Paul Harris Society; the DG explained the global nature of Rotary’s work, but also emphasized that it was important to remember that behind each dollar donated, there was an individual, a real person, who benefitted. Little is proud to be a Paul Harris Fellow and a member of the Paul Harris Society.
Paul Harris Fellows are those who have contributed (or have had donated in their name) at least $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation, the organization that provides funding for local and global projects supporting Rotary projects involving health, economic development and peace. Last year, the Brookings Rotary Club achieved 100 percent Paul Harris Fellow status. Paul Harris Society members pledge to contribute $1,000 per year to the Rotary Foundation.
The reach is expansive; in 2018, the Rotary Foundation distributed more than $86 million to causes that reflect Rotary’s mission, most notably its continued quest to eradicate polio. “As recently as 1988, there were 350,000 cases of polio worldwide. Now, we are down to 72 isolated cases, with pockets of infection in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We’re remarkably close to total eradication,” said Little.
In addition to club members contributing to global causes, Rotarians exemplify their motto of “Service Above Self” by participating in local, club-level projects. Recent projects supported by the Brookings club, for instance, include a community food drive to benefit the Brookings Food Pantry, collaboration with the Brookings Area United Way to create the Born Learning Trails in two parks for area families to enjoy, the purchase of gift cards for all employees of area assisted living facilities, and the gift to the City of Brookings of a clock that was recently installed in the downtown area to commemorate the club’s 100th anniversary. As Little visits other clubs in the district (“a requirement of my job but also a great privilege!”), he learns about their projects, similarly organized to improve their communities and address the unique needs of their areas.
“These are the types of projects that attract people of all ages, backgrounds and experiences to Rotary,” said Little. “What does a Rotarian look like? One who cares about others and chooses to invest personal time in making the world a better place for people they may never even meet.”
Little is also a private pilot and a member of the International Fellowship of Flying Rotarians. His wife, Pat, is a retired real estate broker and provides business management services for their family businesses. They have six children and nine grandchildren within three hours of their home near Lake Campbell south of Brookings. They enjoy traveling, golfing, hiking, and spending time with family.
Article written by: Kay Norton, Brookings Rotary Club
Project Committee Members
To view and listen to a recent media news release by South Dakota Public Broadcasting click here: A Once Tarnished Town Is Changing It's Legacy By Richard Two Bulls Sept. 1, 2020
| INCREASE IMPACT Achieving impact and measuring results and outcomes of our work is critical in order for clubs to continue to attract members, partners, and donors. |
| EXPAND YOUR REACH Collaborating with new and different groups will help increase your club’s openness and appeal, create a more diverse membership base, and expand your capacity for service. |
| ENHANCE PARTICIPANT ENGAGEMENT By understanding the needs of others, you’re able to improve the experience for members and others that participate in club activities. |
| INCREASE OUR ABILITY TO ADAPT - Looking at your internal processes is essential for creating a strong foundation for innovation, sustainability, and growth. |
Hey! My name is Awan, I’m an 18 year old youth exchange student from District 3410 Jakarta, Indonesia. I’m hosted by the Rotary club consortium of Sioux falls which includes South, Downtown, North, and West. I was hosted by 4 different families during my stay here and all of them have been incredible. Being hosted by 4 different families really broadens your views of things. I went to school at Lincoln High School. Being the extrovert person that I am, I kinda fit right in. The first football game I attended to however did not go so great. I wore red on a white theme and I couldn’t stick out even more, but it helped because people remembered me, “That kid wearing red on a white-out.”
Studying abroad has always been a dream for me, even though the US wasn’t my first choice, nor my second, let alone going to South Dakota. I kinda just accepted that anywhere I go will be great if I make it so. I have tons of friends here and have done a lot of memorable things as well. I don’t regret anything except the things I didn’t get to do. Thanks to the exchange program, it helped me grow as a person, becoming more independent than I have ever been. Also it continues to change how I view things and how I view life in general. It helped me enjoy the little things in life like having friends you can hang out with, having a person to give you rides, and how to find joy in small things like going for a walk, hiking, and having lunch with someone.
I hope that I will participate more with Rotary later in life. I am forever grateful for the opportunity Rotary has given me.
Steve Harrington, PDG
District RAFFLE 2020 Fundraising Chair
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Aberdeen TBA Brookings Brookings Club prize package Canby TBA Canton $250 Wine & Gift Basket Centerville $175 Gift Basket Cherokee $100 Master Card Clark Dakota Style Gift package Custer TBA Denison TBA Sioux Falls Downtown $500 gift Card | Mitchell TBA Mobridge Original art painting Pierre-Fort Pierre TBA Rapid City TBA Rushmore $100 Mostly Chocolate gift basket Rock Valley TBA Scotland TBA Sibley $50 Sibley Club gift basket Sioux City Home Fireplace cabinet (mobile) Sioux Falls North RED CHAIR framed art print, Ltd edition |
Gettysburg TBA Gregory TBA Hot Springs TBA Lemars 32" Flat Screen TV Luverne TBA Madison TBA Mapleton TBA Marshall Brau Brewery & Walnut Grove mercantile gift basket Marshall Sunrise TBA Minneota Assorted wine & glass basket | Sioux Falls South TBA Sioux Falls West $250 gift card & a case of specialty beer Spearfish TBA Tyndall Diehard battery charger Vermillion $2,500 value. White Peak Lodge 3-night stay, Black Hills Wagner TBA Watertown TBA Winner TBA Yankton TBA |
Steve Harrington, PDG
District RAFFLE 2020 Fundraising Chair
Rotary District 5610 Club Service Highlight of February 2020 "Rapid City Rushmore Rotary picks up the pencil"
It’s a simple ordinary tool that students have been using since its invention in the 1600s. But by January it has been worn down to a nub. That’s why members of Rapid City Rushmore Rotary are supplying several local elementary schools with more. Yes, it is the PENCIL!
Rushmore Rotary’s newly formed Community Action Committee selected this small project as a supplement to the club’s larger ongoing projects, such as raising thousands of dollars for the Black Hills Children’s Home and Storybook Island. The club members wanted more!
“We formed the Community Action Committee to focus resources on smaller service projects that can be quickly organized to meet urgent needs. In this case we found out that local school students needed pencils, so we took action,” stated Co-Chairs Dave Dolan and Todd Hyronimus. On Tuesday, February 18, immediately after the club meeting, 4 Rotarians delivered hundreds of pencils to three schools in Rapid City: Robbinsdale, South Park and South Middle. The principals and staff met us with smiles! More schools will be visited with the remaining collection, from over 2000 donated.
The committee discussed a long list of such projects to plan out for the future. They identified highway, parks and streams cleanups; items for food banks and shelters; teacher supplies; and the list goes on and on. This gives the club members opportunities to do good, while interacting with fellow Rotarians and serving the community in special ways.
“Belonging to a Rotary club provides members with an opportunity to give back to their communities and to connect with like-minded leaders and friends.” enthused Linda Peterson, Rotarian and Regional Public Image Coordinator for Rotary International. “The club’s early morning meetings are dynamic and face-paced, so having time to meet with fellow Rotarians outside of the meeting and do good in the community promotes fellowship.”
“Service Above Self is the motto of Rotary International. Our members believe our world becomes a better place when we give of ourselves to others. From grassroots, local community efforts, to joining Rotarians from around the world on international projects, Rotarians are proud but humble, to be making a difference in peoples lives.” President Gene Bilodeau states.
Rushmore Rotary meets every Tuesday at 7 AM at Howard Johnson Express hotel, located at 950 North Street. Visit the website for more information: www.rushmorerotary.org
April 24-25, 2020 Hot Springs, SD-Friday afternoon, evening and Saturday morning. Bring your family and enjoy the many activities Hot Springs has to offer! Tour offerings include a drive through Wind Cave with stops at Crazy Horse and Mount Rushmore.
Our 
Friday evening banquet will feature special Rotarian awards, recognition, and a message from RI Representative Phil Silvers. Evening entertainment includes Western music and history. Saturday morning features an inspiring message from Dr. Fozia Alvi, who grew up in Pakistan. She is an American trained physician who has been working in Calgary, Alberta, for the past 13 years. She and her husband, Tahir Alvi, are passionate humanitarians and have organized several health and education-related projects in developing nations, including opening a charity-based maternity hospital in rural Pakistan. She went in for a medical mission to the Bangladesh refugees’ camps in 2017 and was moved by the plight of Rohingya and has since been an advocate for them. She spoke at various international levels about this genocide and is also involved in advocacy for the Uyghurs of China and putting a stop to illegal organ harvesting. She currently runs her foundation, Humanity Auxilium, and organizes medical relief missions. She has been given various awards for her advocacy work including being a Nobel prize nominee in 2019 and the 2019 Advocacy Award by CAMSS.
We have booked Tom Gump from Minnesota. Tom will be speaking on the first ever Veterans Serving Veterans Rotary Club and will offer a mini-workshop on how to start a cause-based Rotary Club. Jon Ruybalid of Whiteclay Makerspace will be speaking on our first ever effort at hosting a global grant project. It is a joint effort between Whiteclay Makerspace, Inc. and District 5610 designed to support Oglala Lakota artists and craftspeople with an economic and community development project. Another presentation will be on our first ever Disaster Response grant to address Pine Ridge Reservation homes damaged by the bomb cyclones of 2019.
Click Here for registration link, tentative agenda, and hotel information. Come celebrate with us!
As the district fellowship chairman I would like your club to consider the idea of a “interclub” visit.
The idea is to have three or four or more members of YOUR club plan a visit to another club within district 5610. Hopefully this would be a club that is out of your “neighborhood” so you could become familiar with other Rotarians that you do not normally meet on a regular basis. It would also give you an opportunity to seek new ideas and activities for your club as well as support their club.
Along with an activity such as this it would become an interclub exchange where THEIR club would come to visit YOUR club, and each might seek other interclub exchanges as an ongoing activity.
I would like to hear from any clubs that engage in such an activity, and get the pictures so that we may pass on the fun and experiences to other Rotarians. Our hope is to spread this activity throughout the district.
If we get pictures we could have a space at the district conference showing all of the interaction with Rotarians.
I can be reached at 605.215.6916 or rvwest6916@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
Multi-district PETS – March 12-14, 2020 Mayo Civic Center, Rochester, MN - The North Central Presidents-Elect Training Seminar is an annual multi-district training event for incoming Rotary Club Presidents-Elect, and Presidents-Nominee. Please submit the names of these officers as soon as possible to Nicole Rawden, rawdenconsulting@gmail.com for marketing and registration information has begun to be distributed to these officers. All are welcome. Registration fee for District 5610 President Elects will be covered by District 5610. https://www.ncpets.org/
Steve Harrington, PDG
District RAFFLE Fundraising Chair
Dear Rotarian, Mark Daniel Maloney President, Rotary International 2019-20 |
Rotary Club of Marshall Noon - Club’s “Student Rotarian” Guest Program
The Rotary Marshall Noon Club, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, has a unique program that involves the Marshall Public School students in its weekly meetings. For over 30 years the club has invited select Marshall senior class students to its weekly meetings as student guests, commonly referred to as student Rotarians. The program has proven to be beneficial to all concerned.
Each year, 24 senior students – 12 females and 12 males - are nominated by the school faculty to be student Rotarians based on their academic achievement, school and community involvement, leadership and character. Each student Rotarian is asked to attend a Marshall Noon Club Meeting for two consecutive weeks. The first week, the student is introduced at the meeting by alternating club members. The students each prepare a simple bio-sheet containing their name, parent’s name, address, and activities as well as their plans after graduation. After the introduction, the student presents a 3-5-minute speech on a topic related to Rotary International. The topic is up to the student to research and is a creative way for our club to experience a Rotary “Foundation minute”. On the second week, the student presents a 5-7 minute speech highlighting their involvement in an activity that has made a difference in their life while a student at Marshall Public Schools. The topics range from academics to fine arts activities to athletic achievements.
Our club members value the personal connection to the High School students. We get a chance to know these great ambassadors of the next generation. The students also value the experience to be exposed to the good works of Rotary in their community and worldwide.
Scott Monson, Superintendent of Schools in Marshall and Rotary Marshall Noon Club member said, “One of the many things I find rewarding about the student Rotarian program is the learning that these students experience when they are researching a Rotary focus- such as promoting peace or eradicating polio for their week one speech. The research and preparation for their speeches helps them to learn more about challenges in the world and how Rotarians across the globe are stepping up to help others overcome these challenges. In my opinion, the knowledge that our student Rotarians gain is another important step in their leadership and development.”
In the Spring the students all come back together for one meeting in which they are responsible to plan, organize, and conduct. This student-led meeting challenges each student to take a role in running the normal aspects of a Rotary meeting, from leading the Pledge of Allegiance to all the multiple aspects of the program. The club is often rewarded with the talents of the students.
After the student-led meeting, the club assembles a committee to award four, $500 scholarships to the top participating student Rotarians. Each student submits their speech and fills out a scholarship application. The club committee members individually score the applications. The scores are tallied from each committee member to reveal the four highest scores. The scholarship money is awarded to their school upon enrollment of the deserving students.
The Marshall Public School District plays a vital role in the success of the student Rotarian program. It requires a significant investment in time of the superintendent and his administration and faculty. The student selection process is intentionally the sole responsibility of the school district. Removing the club from this process insures objective nominees. The school district sends an invitation letter to the parents encouraging them to attend the specific meetings attended by their son or daughter. The Marshall school district even pays for the meals of the parents who attend their student’s “week 2” meeting.
The school district also sends a letter to the student’s parents from our club’s membership committee. The letter describes Rotary and lists many of our club’s local projects with the intent of attracting new members.
The student Rotarian program in Marshall is all about connection to our community.
“Life is so busy nowadays, and there can sometimes be sort of a disconnect between the community and students. The student Rotarian program is one way that students are able to connect with civic and community members and leaders and for our Rotary members to connect with students. I see it being mutually beneficial, as students see leaders in our community and Rotarians see future leaders who potentially may be leaders in our community at some point.” Scott Monson Superintendent of Marshall Public Schools.
Matt Pedersen
Rotary Marshall Noon Club President
 Pictured: Dean and Lenei |  Pictured: Keziah and Grant |
Rotary Seeks Lakota Participants for Professional Exchange to Australia
The official name of this exchange is Australia-USA Wiradjuri/Oceti Sakowin Rotary Group Study Exchange. Phase 1 of this grant project will support the Rotary District 9700 delegation of young indigenous Australian professionals to Rotary District 5610 to experience a different indigenous culture and to share experiences and connections to demonstrate the way Rotary works towards building understanding, peace and vocational excellence. This is planned to occur April 2020, ending at the District Conference in Hot Springs.
Phase 2 of this grant project will be to send counterpart Native Tribal Americans to Australia in March 2021, to mirror the experience of the Phase 1 Aboriginal Australians. The Wiradjuri are a major Aboriginal indigenous tribe of southwest Australia. The 2016 census counted 786,685 Aboriginal people from more than 250 language groups or 3.3% of Australia’s population (about double the percentage of American Indians to total US population). This map shows the area the team will experience in New South Wales.
The Native American leaders in Omniceye Rotary, Cheyenne River Youth Project (CRYP), Center for American Indian Research and Native Studies (CAIRNS), Oglala Lakota College, and a number of other organizations will be consulted to provide personal connections to recruit applicants. A short form application is available from the contacts listed below. After collecting applications, interviews will be held to answer questions about the exchange and familiarize the Group Study Exchange (GSE) team with the exchange details.
How did this exchange come about? Following the 2014 International Rotary conference in Australia, a group of US Rotarians from District 5610, were hosted by Australian Rotarians from District 9700. They visited New South Wales, including Parkes, Australia, viewing aboriginal/settler primary school program and the Parkes Rotary Peace Precinct carvings by aboriginal artists. Parkes is also a Rotary Peace Community. In 2015 a delegation from District 9700 visited South Dakota and were reverse hosted by District 5610 Rotarians. The group began their visit in Rapid City and the Black Hills, hosted by Rotary clubs throughout the District, and culminated in the District 5610 conference in Pierre, SD. After the conclusion of both exchanges, a plan was formalized to create a Group Study Exchange between the two entities, comprised of non-Rotarian members. At the District 5610 conference held September 28-29, 2018 a number of the District 5610 leadership including Lorenz, Winter, Linda Peterson PDG and Zone 29 Public Image Coordinator and Pat Sutliff, PDG and Chair of the Rushmore Rotary international committee, met together with Katus to brainstorm follow-up steps. Peterson and Katus volunteered to draft a District 5610 grant request for funding of the first phase of this project to begin in 2019. Grants were approved for $2500 for Phase 1 and $10,850 for Phase 2. Cash and in-kind contributions to match this grant are welcomed.
The GSE team will attend Rotary meetings as opportunities present during location in all areas. Rotarians and Clubs in District 5610 are invited to participate in home-hosting, touring and hosting team members at club meetings. When the route is drafted, clubs along the tour will be contacted to help participate.
Nation-building and vocational development for both indigenous peoples of Australia and Native Americans in South Dakota will be beneficial to all the communities impacted. Clubs and leaders in Rotary from around District 5610 have desired a better relationship with our native population and this GSE exchange is the next step in fostering a closer relationship and cooperation between clubs and the reservations’ population. Other Rotary clubs from around the US have projects already in several locations on the reservations. There is considerable international interest in this exchange program.
Project Contacts:
Linda Peterson, Rapid City Rushmore Rotary, PDG 2014-15, RPIC Zone 27/29 2018-20Home 605-341-5006, Cell 605-390-0800 Email: Linda4Rotary@me.comTom Katus, Rapid City Rushmore Rotary, Omniceye CommitteeHome 605-718-0545, Cell 605-391-7588 Email: tmkatus@gmail.com
ROTARY YEAR FOUNDATION CLUB AWARDS
Thank you to all who contributed to one of The Rotary Foundation's charitable funds during the month of November, also known as Foundation Month in the Rotary world. While we await the results in our friendly competition for Foundation Month club giving, we do have results from TRF's club awards for Rotary Year 2018-2019.
Top Three (3) Highest Per Capita Annual Giving Banner: For the three clubs in each district that give the most, per capita, to the Annual Fund (requires a minimum of US$50 per capita.) We are pleased to announce that for District 5610, these clubs will be receiving this banner:
Every Rotarian, Every Year (EREY) Club: For clubs that achieved a minimum Annual Fund contribution of US$100 per capita during the Rotary Year, with every dues paying member contributing at least US$25 to the Annual Fund. Two District 5610 clubs will be receiving this banner:
100% Foundation Giving Club: For clubs that achieve an average of $100 in per capita giving and 100% participation, with every dues-paying member contributing at least $25 to any or all of the following during the Rotary year: Annual Fund, PolioPlus Fund, approved global grants, or Endowment Fund. Five District 5610 clubs have achieved this recognition and will receive banners:
End Polio Now: Countdown to History Campaign Certificate of Appreciation: For clubs that contributed at least US $1,500 to Rotary's polio eradication efforts. These eight clubs in our district will receive this certificate:
Of 35,000 Rotary clubs throughout the world only a few reach these levels of recognition. Because of the $50 per capita minimum, only 1550 clubs are awarded a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd top rank in Annual Fund giving. Only 3,400 clubs achieve EREY status, and only 4,000 clubs achieve 100% Foundation Giving Club status.
Congratulations to all of these clubs for achieving this recognition from The Rotary Foundation and thank you for your strong support of Rotary's charitable efforts. Your Assistant Governor will be presenting these awards to your club at a future meeting.
It was a fine day for a bicycle ride - sunny, mild breezes, temperatures in the upper 60's. Getting to the ride, not so much. The drive down to Tucson featured a white-knuckle trek over the I-25 Raton Pass - snow pack, blowing snow, single lane 20mph travel. Not even the aggressive drivers were passing. Stopped earlier than planned at Santa Fe, NM and had to chip the ice off my bicycle before bringing it into the hotel room.
The rest of the drive was uneventful and I arrived in time to attend the Rotary pre-race dinner. Lots of fun with more fund-raising and a chance to meet up with Rotary friends from across the country. This ride was the 37th El de Tucson charity ride and the 10th year for the Ride to End Polio portion sponsored by Rotary International District 5500.
There were just under 7,000 riders in all the races. Distances of 100, 50, and 25 miles were offered and a shorter fun ride for kids was also on the agenda. Traffic control was stellar and the City of Tucson and ride organizers went all out to provide an amazing ride for the participants. Participants came from all over the United States and I even met a couple of Rotarian riders from Italy and Germany.
After mile 21, which followed a long uphill push of perhaps five miles, I was ready to quit. Hadn't put in enough training miles for that kind of punishment. But at the top of the hill, the Marana AZ Rotary Club aid station was an oasis of recovery. I stayed awhile refreshing my energy with bananas and oranges and resting my legs for the last half of the ride. The grueling uphill punishment was rewarded with a long downhill ride of about 15 miles to the final stretch which was composed of rolling terrain.
My goal of averaging 10 mph over the 50 miles and finishing in about five hours was busted. It took two hours longer than anticipated, but I did finish ahead of the the course closing...barely. The happy news is that my goal of raising $1,000 for PolioPlus was exceeded. The final tally for my first Ride to End Polio was $1,855 before the 2:1 match from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Next year? Thinking the 25 mile course is good. Looking forward to another fun time raising money for a worthy cause. Perhaps there will be other District 5610 Rotarian riders next year?
Thank you to all who pledged to support my ride. It really was you who helped me get back on the bike at mile 21.
Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change - across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.
The start of the 50 mile ride. This was the event with the most riders. All kinds of human-powered vehicles were used. One guy even rode a unicycle in the 100 mile ride!
The Marana AZ Rotary Club Aid Station with some of the Rotarian riders posing in front of District 5500's semi-trailer decked out in End Polio messages.
Judging by the smiles, this was either at the beginning of the race or on the long downhill reward after the Marana aid station.
This is what my bike looked like at the Santa Fe stop. Despite the thick coating of ice and snow, the bike worked well during the ride.
Greetings Rotarians of District 5610. Karl's TV and Appliance stores and Hope Haven International (HHI) are seeking help in the collection of wheelchairs in your areas again in 2019. Karl's TV and Appliance stores are asking you to consider promoting this drive by helping to call nursing homes, hospitals, medical equipment sales dealers, VFW's, etc, in your communities, to see if they can donate their used wheelchairs, walkers, canes and crutches. All Karl's locations will store the mobility devices at their stores as well as ship them back to HHI in Sioux Falls. Please help us to collect these items through Karl's so we can rebuild these wheelchairs and give mobility to those in need around the world. Please contact Mark Siemonsma at 712.470.0298 or msiemons@hopehaven.org if you would like to help or need more information. Thank you again and blessings to all this holiday season!
*Please note, we are not collecting electric wheelchairs or wooden crutches or canes.
DISTRICT 5610 CLUB VISITS AND MEMBER SURVEY
All but one of the 40 active clubs in District 5610 have received the official Governor's visit. I am also excited to visit, in the near future, the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rotaract Club. The club visits exceeded my expectations. It was truly enjoyable visiting each club and learning what the clubs are doing to serve their communities and contribute to the greater Rotary community. I am humbled by the extraordinary leadership of the clubs and have a renewed appreciation of Rotary on the ground in District 5610.
During my visits, I took a survey of the members present and offered them an opportunity to identify themselves as veteran Rotarians, novice Rotarians, or somewhere in-between. They were then asked to grade their club as vibrant, thriving, surviving, or struggling and why. Rotarians also got the opportunity to leave a message for club leadership and district leadership. Each club president got the original surveys from their club and a summary of all responses. The one club with a visit pending was surveyed online, so the survey represents the entire district. It is not a scientific survey, but the results are valuable nonetheless.
We collected 464 completed surveys which is 27% of our entire district membership of 1750. That is an extremely good rate of return. Veterans accounted for 58% of the responses, 14% were from novices, and 28% fell somewhere in-between. 29% of respondents rated their club vibrant, 37% rated it thriving, 32% rated it surviving, and the remainder of less than 2% said their club was struggling. One conclusion that may be drawn from the data is that club members are generally happy with their club and recognize that there is room for improvement.
As interesting as the numbers are, the best information from the survey came from the written comments. Overwhelmingly, our members recognize that their club needs to recruit and retain new members...many called out younger members as the most sought after prospect. The second most called out need was for basic Rotary information. I have distributed the survey results to District 5610 leadership and we will be working on delivering what the members have cited as needs. Stay tuned.
Finally, I would like to comment on the exceeding generosity and gratitude members expressed for their volunteer club and district leadership. I was not expecting that and it was quite encouraging. Thank you, District 5610 Rotarians for being Rotarians and making the world a better place in the many ways each of you contribute.
Warmly and kindly,
Ina Winter
DG 2019-2020
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After many years away from biking, she is getting back in the saddle to Ride to End Polio. Not wishing to overdo and injure herself, she is training for the 50 mile course. She is asking friends, family, and Rotarians to pledge $1/mile for this important and vital cause. Really, any pledge is welcome. All pledges will be matched 2 to 1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The Rotary Foundation is one of the highest rated charitable organizations in the world - rated 1st by Charity Navigator for 12 straight years! No safer investment for your charitable contribution.
Ina is also riding to honor her mother, Phyllis Winter, who worked as a Registered Nurse and tended to polio victims using the old iron lungs. Ina recalls her mom dragging the kids to a public immunization event and how thrilled she was to be able to give the vaccine to them.
We encourage you to support the Ride to End Polio by clicking here to reach District Governor Ina Winter's Pledge Page.
Does your club have a plan to celebrate World Polio Day on October 24? What will you do to highlight this important day - a watch party, a proclamation from the city government, a speaker at your weekly meeting? The graphic below has some ideas on how you and your club can help celebrate World Polio Day 2019! Review those ideas and search for others. Work with the club to determine how they will celebrate the day, and then choose materials from the resource center and other links to help you.
As important as it is to plan your club's event, it is also important to try to promote the event among your club members and the local community. We want everyone to understand that we are so close to eradicating polio from our planet. Please plan something to help celebrate the day and share that with us.
A great deal of material for World Polio Day 2019 is available on the End Polio Now website (https://www.endpolio.org/world-polio-day). You can go to this link to access all of the items listed below. The links are active in this file, so that you can click on any of the highlighted materials and you should be taken to that material on the website. The End Polio Now site also has an extensive Resource Center. The resource center provides material in the areas under the categories of: Infographics; Banners & Posters; Videos; Education; Social Media; Event Materials; Brand Center
Materials to raise awareness: https://www.endpolio.org/resource-center#see-more
1. A fact sheet – Rotary and Polio – that can be the foundation for a media contact
2. A sample press release – that can be customized for your event
3. A template for an official proclamation for world polio day
4. Images for social media to promote the World Polio Day livestream event
5. A page with example posts for Facebook and Twitter- These can be combined with the images for social media.
Materials to plan an event: https://www.endpolio.org/resource-center#see-more
1. An event planning guide
2. A template for an event invitation
3. A template for sign on a donation box
Rotary International has designated September, 2019, as Basic Education and Literacy Month. 775 million people over the age of 15 are illiterate. Rotary International has a range of programs to improve global education and literacy rates (https://www.rotary.org/en/our-causes/supporting-education). What is your club doing to promote education and literacy initiatives in your community? During September, please post to the District's Facebook page examples of what your club is doing to promote basic education and literacy.
Rotary clubs around the world are working on literacy. Two examples of those activities in District 5610 are tied to “Read Across America Day” on March 2 of each year. The Sioux Falls South Rotary Club has selected the Cleveland Elementary School and has been actively working to promote literacy initiatives. In addition to celebrating Read Across America Day by having Rotarians read their favorite books in classrooms, they have also donated money to allow all the students to purchase one or more books. CLICK HERE to see a local news report on their program.
The Vermillion Rotary Club has long supported the local schools through scholarships, giving bike helmets to all second graders and donating to school initiatives, such as the Community Service Day, the Robotics Team, the German Exchange student program, and many more. Several years ago, the club decided to help promote the love of reading. School officials were consulted and it was agreed that the focus should be on the Kindergarten students, since first grade students were the focus of another program for Read Across America Day. The club purchased age appropriate books for all Kindergarten students in the community, with extra copies for teachers to use in the classroom. CLICK HERE or on the image below to see a video that was made using some of the photos from the book distribution on Read Across America Day in 2018.
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Thanks to all the District 5610 Rotarians who have donated to the Rotary Foundation our District has seen its second year in a row of significant increases. Donations from the District in fiscal years 15, 16 and 17 averaged around $95 per Rotarian. In FY 18, Governor Harrington challenged all the clubs to increase contributions and that number jumped to over $113. During his club meetings in FY 19, Governor Lorenz asked Rotarians to make Foundation donations a priority and you answered his call. By the end of the recently completed FY 19, the average donation per Rotarian in District 5610 jumped to over $131. Thank you for your donations and for helping us to spread the word about the excellent work that results from those donations.
Donations to the Rotary foundation include donations to the Annual Fund, the Polio Plus campaign, as well as any endowments, with the majority of our contributions being targeted toward the Annual Fund. Annual fund contributions are held for three years by the Foundation and the interest is used to fund the Foundation’s operations. After three years the money is allocated by the foundation to support local grants (the money for our District 5610 grants) as well as global grants for projects in which many of our District’s clubs participate. Your donations to the Rotary Foundation are helping to eradicate Polio, and fund numerous projects within our District and around the globe. Thank you.
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Requesting New and Used Wheelchairs to Provide Individuals with Mobility Worldwide
District Governor Ina Winter's Goals for Rotary Year 2019-2020
District Clubs Recruit 94 New Members
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REUBEN BAREIS
During the recent District Assembly for District 5610, Rotarian Bruce Nearhood was elected to the position of District Governor Nominee (DGN) for the 2022-23 Rotary year. The following year, 2023-24, Bruce will serve as the District Governor Elect (DGE) and he will serve as the District Governor (DG) in 2024-25.
Bruce, a member of the Rapid City Rushmore Club since 1987, has served as Club President, and also has held club leadership roles as Foundation Chair and Membership Chair, successfully launching effective growth and retention campaigns for his club and personally sponsoring eight new members. As a proven District leader, Bruce served as 5610 Foundation Chair from 2011-15 and was most recently co-chair of the 2021-22 District Conference. He also was a facilitator for the Rotary Leadership Institutes from 2010-19.
Bruce’s service through Rotary has extended far beyond the boundaries of our District. He has participated in five Rotary-sponsored humanitarian trips, four to Haiti and one to Guatemala. He and his wife were part of Friendship Exchanges to Italy and Japan. A passionate supporter of The Rotary Foundation, Bruce is a member of the Paul Harris Society, is a major donor, and a Level 5 Bequest Society member. Bruce has continued to expand his well-rounded knowledge of Rotary International by attending three Rotary International Conventions.
Dave Lorenz
Ina Winter
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My Fellow Rotarians,
It is with a heavy heart that I announce my resignation as the president-nominee of Rotary International. While it was my dream to serve as your president, my health prevents me from giving my absolute best to you and the office of the president at this time. I believe Rotary deserves nothing less than that from those elected to represent this great organization of ours.
I have made this difficult decision after much soul searching and conferring with my family. This is not only a disappointment for us, but I am also keenly aware that this will be a disappointment for many Rotarians in India who were so proud to see someone from our country again named as president. I know that this is what is best for Rotary International.
I have been a Rotarian for more than 40 years and it has given me everything I could ask for. I can think of no higher honor than to have been selected by the Nominating Committee as president of Rotary for the 2020-21 Rotary year. I will continue to proudly serve as a Rotary member and pursue some major initiatives that I wanted to accomplish during my year as president, because I know that we are poised to achieve more great things in the future.
I wish nothing but the best to the candidate who succeeds me as president and thank you all for the support and encouragement you have shown me in the past year.
-Sushil Gupta
LE MARS — The Le Mars Rotary Club attained a special distinction at its centennial banquet on April 9, that of being a 100 percent Paul Harris Fellow Club. Seven members were recognized as fellows at the banquet, with the awards presented by Rotary District 5610 Governor Dave Lorenz and local club president Chris Becker. They are: Steve Albert, Peter Streit, Opal Anderson, Matt Washburn, Joel Johnson, James Klein and Debra Young.
“Congratulations to Le Mars Rotary, what a wonderful accomplishment, being a service to your community for 100 years,” Lorenz said. “Le Mars has always been a bright star in Rotary in District 5610 and we can see the evidence of that tonight.”
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/
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/
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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. District Governor 2019-20 Ina Winter Upcoming Club Visits
RI President-elect Mark Daniel Maloney’s theme for 2019-20, Rotary Connects the World, asks Rotarians to strengthen the many ways that Rotary Connects the World, building the connections that allow talented, thoughtful, and generous people to unite and take meaningful action through Rotary service.
Schedule of District 5610 District Governor Club Visits RY 2019-2020
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 - 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 |
Bring awareness to po
lio eradication by wandering the streets of Boise and your community in these limited-edition classic kicks. Shoes are $50 and all proceeds ($25 on average depending on shoe stock availability) will benefit Rotary’s PolioPlus Fund. Order now and pick up your pair at the 2018 Zone Conference in Boise, Idaho! If you are unable to make Zone but can’t live without these, we can ship them to you for an additional charge.
This fundraiser is a Rotarian-driven endeavor, promoted by the Zone 27 Public Image Team. We’re this close. Let’s Drop to Zero!
Order online at https://rotary5400.org/page/stomp-out-polio/, or email: michelaswarthout@gmail.com
Register for the 2018 Zone Institute at https://www.crsadmin.com/EventPortal/Registrations/PublicFill/EventPublicFill.aspx?evtid=78725cf8-52e5-4078-8842-1753880d7ff5 
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. 
How is your club doing on the membership challenge?
Division I – LeMars, Mapleton, Marshall Sunrise, Minneota, Rock Valley, Scotland, Canton, Centerville, Sibley, Wagner, Clark, Gettysburg, Suburban Sioux City, Gregory and Tyndall.
Division II – Madison, Marshall, Mobridge, Sioux Falls North, Sioux Falls South, Yankton, Spearfish, Aberdeen, Canby, Cherokee, Custer, Denison, and Hot Springs.
Division III - Mitchell, Pierre-Ft Pierre, Rapid City, Rapid City Rushmore, Sioux Falls Downtown, Sioux City, Watertown, Winner, Sioux Falls West, Vermillion, Brookings, and Luverne.
Clubs submit a one-page description of their club, focusing on “Why Are You in Rotary, and Why Join Your Club?”
• 10 pts-Clubs who have a membership chair listed in Club Runner.
• 7 pts-Per new member registered in April, May and June.
• 2 pts-Each new guest brought to a club meeting, event or social. The guest should be a potential new member.
• 3 pts-Each new membership orientation class offered.
• 10 pts-For Clubs with zero members leaving before July 1st, except for extenuating circumstances, i.e. moving, death.
If clubs have already started the challenge and earned points, include those figures. Clubs will be recognized at the fall District Conference in Vermillion.
Submit your points and club description to Carmen Hansen, District Membership Chair, carmenhansen@rushmore.com.
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
s every April.
from Black Hills State University was Jama Khainzan, a Northern Hills Spearfish Rotarian, who is energetically forming a Rotaract club at BHSU. She met with Meerab Joseph, SDSM&T Rotaract secretary, and Heidi Bell Gease, Rushmore club liaison, to gain some tips. Jama is a Rotarian from Mongolia, reported Rotaract is strong there, and suggests an exchange program with them in the future.
Rotary Zone 27-21b Institute is for all incoming leadership. 
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Nicole Rawden will join District 5610 as the District Administrator beginning November 1st. She currently serves as the Brookings Rotary Club Treasurer. Nicole joins us with over 19 years of experience in accounting and business. Mon. 5/21/2018 8:00 PM CST (7:00 PM MST) – preregister at https://zoom.us/meeting/
Centerville | $ 3,375 | City Park |
Hot Springs | $ 7,800 | Centennial Park Stage |
Luverne | $ 2,000 | Dog Park |
Marshall Sunrise | $ 4,000 | Replace Playground Equipment in Liberty Park, Marshall, MN |
Pierre - Fort Pierre | $ 6,000 | Freezer for Community Youth Involved |
Rapid City Rushmore | $ 3,250 | Thrive Life Skills |
Scotland | $ 1,000 | Scotland City Sign |
Sioux City | $ 1,000 | Costume Corner at Pier Center for Autism (CAP Grant) |
Sioux Falls South | $ 5,000 | Books for students at Cleveland Elementary |
Sioux Falls West | $ 1,000 | Boys and Girls Club Scholarships |
Administrative | $ 179 | Web Conference Subscription, Postage, etc. |
$ 34,604 |
By check
Payable to: The Rotary Foundation DAF
Memo line: Gulf Coast Disaster Relief Fund #608
Mail to: Rotary DAF, c/o NRS, 12 Gill Street, Suite 2600, Woburn, MA, 01801
By credit card
Online at: https://www.your-fundaccount.com/rotary/HowToContribute.asp
Account name: Gulf Coast Disaster Relief Fund
Account number: 608
By wire transfer
To the account of: Boston Private Bank & Trust Company
ABA number: 011002343
For credit to: The Rotary Foundation
Account number: 943423732
For Further Credit: TRF DAF
Account name: Gulf Coast Disaster Relief Fund #608
You must fax a copy of the wire authorization to +1-781-658-2497 to complete the transfer. Hopefully this will help those Rotarians in our district that are interested in helping those people and communities that are affected by Hurricane Harvey. Thank you.
Steve Harrington
District Governor 2017-18, 712-898-8689
just a little above 71% of our giving goal for this year at $142,098. Our goal is $200,000 for 2017-2018 and of course, our raffle giving conducted at the PETS will give us our district a significant boost and early reports show that the raffle provided our District with about $50,000 in funds contributed to the foundation. As club foundation chairs and current presidents we need to continue to encourage our clubs with the mission of Rotary and a significant part of our organization is our giving to the Foundation.
has contributed over $60,000 to the Rotary Foundation with the remainder going to several selected organizations and projects in the Sioux Falls community.
le we serve.
ubs and members made significant contributions to the Rotary Foundation to give us an outstanding year in our Rotary Foundation giving of $184,827 for 2016-2017 Rotary Year. This goal was attained by giving to the Annual Fund, the PolioPlus Fund, and the Endowment Fund. 
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!.jpg)
of the Centerville Rotary club was recently awarded the title of Paul Harris Fellow. This award is given to individuals who have contributed more than $1000 to the Annual Program Fund, the Polio Plus Fund or the Humanitarian Grants Program of the Rotary Foundation.
Workshops were held in Rapid City on May 20, with 14 attendees representing six clubs: Custer, Rapid City, Rapid City Rushmore, Northern Hills-Spearfish, Hot Springs, and Pierre-Ft. Pierre. The four-hour session was packed with information and small group breakout sessions to practice what we learned. Gleanings from trainer Larry Petrash, PDG 20-14-15 D5790, Texas, Zone 21b Membership Cadre:
* Becoming a vibrant club takes intentional effort.
* Planning with trilogy continuum, both club and district chairs: Membership, Foundation, Public Image.
* Engagement of all members is essential.
* Set goals, enter in Club Central, update often.
* Retention plan is very important. Do often and continually revisit.
The next workshop was held in Brookings on June 2, followed by Rotarians from Vermillion, Sioux City, and Le Mars in Sioux City on June 3. The workshops were conducted by PDG Bob Delavan, Zone 27 Membership Cadre instructor from Grand Junction, Colorado. The course included techniques and ideas to create sustained club membership growth and retention. Attendees left with great ways to grow new club membership, and retained current members. Retention is important because four of ten new members leave Rotary within the first three years.
Membership Matters workshops are being scheduled for several locations across the District. “These workshops have been warmly received and feedback from evaluations forms has been excellent,” said District 5610 Governor Ed Jacobson. “I hope every member who reads this will consider attending one of the workshops.” Register for the workshop of your choice now! Click on the listing in Events Calendar on right!
Join many ROTARIANS from our District and from all over the world in ATLANTA JUNE 10-14, 2017 AND CELEBRATE THE CENTENNIAL OF THE ROTARY FOUNDATION! Register online at www.rotary.org Promotional videos found at www.ricon17promotion.org
Rotary International rolled out the new "People of Action" campaign at the RI Convention in Atlanta. We will design a media campaign for our District to begin as soon as materials become available. You can download materials for your club too at the Brand Center on www.Rotary.org by logging in.
I have a great powerpoint on “Publicizing an Event” that I would be happy to present to your club or event committee. I also have website and social media training that will assist your club in using these digital tools. Please contact me to schedule! I will travel anywhere in the District to meet with your club.
Want to know more about our incoming International President? See the News Release in downloads. Please pass along to your local newspaper, other media, and your members.
, Rapid City Rotary Club member, has collected and distributed over 100 cartons of used books around the Black Hills and western South Dakota. Norm asked 43 clubs in the District 5610 area which includes all of South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota, northwestern Iowa and a corner of Nebraska, to donate children and adult books. He accompanied Linda, District Governor, during the past year of visits to each club. The clubs responded generously! Norm received books from many clubs, including Pierre, Cherokee, Canby, Sibley, LeMars, Centerville, Sioux Falls, and Rapid City. Over 6000 books arrived during the fall District Conference in Rapid City. Then another shipment of 41 cartons arrived in April, due to Heartland Paper delivering from a Sioux Falls’ collection site.
Mission received boxes of children, adult and reference books on art and sports. The Storybook Island Little Free Library will benefit from a huge supply of children books this summer. And Readiatrics was donated over 60 cartons of books to be distributed through the South Dakota Public Health clinics.
A number of Rotarians and clubs in our District already support the School for St. Jude in Tanzania. We have had personal visits to our District from Gemma, who started the school. If you do support, thank you!What is RLI? It is a grassroots, multi-district leadership and Rotary development program using facilitation in small groups to engage Rotarians and strengthen clubs. The sessions also provide leadership skills that are useful to the individual's career.
Members may attend any RLI session around the district, and will be awarded a certificate after completing all three parts. Check the District website calendar for dates and locations. If you wanted to attend another location for any sessions, you could, as the material is the same.
The discussion among different clubs' members is the most valuable part, your input will be needed, so speak up and take part! Some of you may have many years in Rotary, some are very young in their Rotary life. Some of you may have lead committees or clubs, some of you may have very small roles in your club so far. But you will find that all Rotarians matter, whatever their role in the club.
The cost is $35/person or $100 for 3 sessions per person. Registration file may be downloaded from the website. It is recommended that the clubs pay for the attendees, as the benefit to your club from the training is IMMEASURABLE! ENORMOUS! INVALUABLE TO THE FUTURE OF YOUR CLUB!
% each year in support of Rotary International’s goals.
Attention all clubs planning on participating in the DISTRICT 5610 ROTARY 4 WAY TEST ESSAY CONTEST:
Local winners are due to Pat Sutliff by March 15, 2015. They can be sent by e-mail sutliff@midco.net or regular mail, 4819 Steamboat Circle, Rapid City, SD 57702 Winners will be announced at PETS in April.
The contest is conducted with 6th graders and any 6th grader in our district is eligible to compete by going through their local Rotary Club. Your club can set up the contest in your community by working with one school or all of the schools there. You need to show the students a copy of our 4-Way Test and perhaps explain what it means to us. Then the students write a 200 - 500 word essay explaining "How Can I Apply the 4-Way Test to my life?" and submit them to your club where you choose a winner that you then submit to the district. Usually clubs have 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners but just the 1st is sent on to the district. The prizes for this contest are 1st prize $200, 2nd prize $100 and 3rd prize $50. For questions or more information please contact: Pat Sutliff pmsutliff@gmail.com cell # 605-593-2896
It has been a real roller coaster month for Polio Plus with the out breaks in Africa and in Syria. But more perspective is available from Dr. Bruce Aylward from WHO who has a presentation at https://www.rotary.org/en/world-polio-day-rotary-spotlights-fight-end-disease that he gave on World Polio Day. The following is (mostly) from his presentation.
—Willis Sutliff, MD, Polio Subcommittee Chair
https://www.rotary5610.org/PhotoAlbums/district-conference-2023
