Stories

Vermillion Rotary Duck Race Raises Money for Community Center

Posted on Aug 05, 2019

On June 14, the Vermillion Rotary Club held the Vermillion Rotary Duck Race at the Prentis Plunge Aquatics Center in Prentis Park, Vermillion. This fundraising event served to not only provide a fun community event, but also to raise funds for the New Community Connections Center. The club plans to use this annual event as a fundraiser for worthy community projects and as a signal to the start of summer in Vermillion. Ducks were “adopted” for $5 and then 1,000 yellow, rubber ducks raced to determine the top three places. The ducks first took a ride down one of the large slides in the aquatics center, and then they traveled through the lazy river before reaching the finish line. The sponsors of the top three ducks received a cash prize. The ducks were divided into three groups and each group ran an initial heat. The top 20 ducks from each the initial heats advanced to the final heat to determine the winners. To learn more about the event, read the pre-event STORY in the Vermillion Plain-Talk or look at the photo album in the Vermillion Rotary Facebook page.

Below is the logo for the event as well as one of the many photos of the event on the Club's Facebook page. The photo shows a few of the many Vermillion Rotarians who helped to run the event. Here, Kathy Chandler records the 20 winners of each heat in the official spreadsheet, John Prescott, records the heat winners on the board for all to see, and Steve Walters, the event organizer, prepares to call out the heat winners and lead the crowd in the countdown to the start of the next heat.

Rotary Basics Explained in Booklet

Posted on Aug 02, 2019

Do you have questions about Rotary? Here is a great booklet on the basics of Rotary from Rotary International that you can now find on the District website in the "News/Download" section. You can also download your copy by simply CLICKING HERE or on the image below. Use this resource to educate your new members, refresh long time Rotarians or use it to design programs for your meetings. Download your copy today to learn more about the structure of Rotary, the organization's values, Rotary's youth programs, the Rotary Foundation, and more!

FOUNDATION GIVING SETS RECORDS

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.

Catching up with Rotary Peace Scholar DJ Fravel

DJ Fravel, right, takes a break from his studies to enjoy a quick trip to see Stonehenge.

DJ Fravel, Rotary Peace Scholar from District 5610, is completing his year-long program in England and will be returning to South Dakota in early September. Recently we caught up with DJ to find out what his year has been like. In his own words, DJ fills us in on a year filled with life-changing experiences.

How have you interacted with Rotarians where you’re studying?

To date, I’ve been a guest speaker at five Rotary Clubs and one Rotaract Club. I’ll spend the evening chatting with the Rotarians over dinner, and then speak a bit about myself and what brought me to study in London. Topics usually include the Global Grant Scholarship and its process, life in South Dakota, talking about my studies, future plans, and answering questions. I’ve heard South Dakota Mornings by the Bee Gees and Doris Day’s The Black Hills of Dakota quite a few times at these dinners!

I also attended multiple get-togethers, Rotary Walks, and other similar events with the cohort or Global Grant scholars studying in London. The central event was the District Conference in Bournemouth from October 19-21. Come the last week of August, I will be giving my goodbye speech for my host club of Enfield Chase here in London District 1130.

Additionally, I understand that you’ve joined Rotaract. I would love to hear more about your experiences there?

I joined Rotaract near the very end of 2018 after attending several meetings and volunteering with the Operation: Christmas Child shoebox packing. Rotaract Westminster is a large and active club, with quite a few opportunities for service opportunities. One option, for example, is their weekly soup kitchen every Thursday with St Patrick’s Church in Soho. Their semi-weekly meetings are extremely well attended, with guest Rotaractors from around the world routinely stopping in to have a chat about their own clubs and experiences.

What have you been doing in your studies, and how do you anticipate that this experience is going to influence your future career choices, community involvement, etc.?

At this exact moment, my future career plans involve working for two to four years to earn some money towards attending law school and attaining my J.D. After this point, I plan on becoming an immigration lawyer working with the asylum seeker cases, or as a legal consultant with a refugee advocacy group, PAC, or NGO.

I went for my Master’s to help build up more knowledge, frameworks, and understanding in the context of migration. I’ve learned how so much of what we see in these realms created fully from how we speak of the facts at hand. It is easy to frame migration as something that happens far away, especially from places such as South Dakota. But in so doing, we remove large swaths of the human element in migration. It becomes something that happens ‘out there’, away from us.

During my program, I took such courses as Migration in Conflict and Ethics in International Relations. Both taught numerous ways that we can look at the world in an effort to find the best policies and programs. Even deeper, however, these courses looked at the ways in which we all use language towards some specific desired worldview.

In talking about migration solely as ‘legal’ or ‘illegal’, we can quickly downplay the instigating factors for why people choose to flee from where they live in order to seek asylum somewhere else. In the midst of all of this, however, some system is necessary to protect the lost and least as they look for a new home. Our legal system is not perfect, neither are the ways we currently address migration. It is my hope that, with my Master’s and future J.D., I’ll be able to enter in to this discussion as a knowledgeable, compassionate, and human-focused individual. The Rotary motto “service above self” rings out clearly here.

For the time being, however, I await my final exam marks and am in the process of writing my dissertation. I don’t have an official title quite yet, but I am writing on the contemporary tensions between ‘migrants’ as a concept and group of people as juxtaposed with ‘citizenship’ and belonging in the United States. Looking at the current system of detention and family separation, something that has been going on in the US far longer than some might think, we see how quickly defining asylum seekers with the catch all term ‘immigrant’ can lead to inhumane and dangerous policies. My dissertation seeks to investigate where these notions came from, and what steps we can take to help humanize this process.

What opportunities have you had (travel, cultural events, etc.) while in the program?

Most recently, I took a road trip out to Bath with another Rotary Scholar, Katie Fettes from District 7010 in Canada. We saw Stonehenge, visited Bath Abbey, and saw the historic Roman bath houses. I went to visit a friend working in Hong Kong for Spring Break and spent a good week there doing some food tourism with her. The history of Hong Kong and its modern political climate blended together as we visited museums in between food stops, making for an eye opening few days.

In London, I’ve taken advantage of the large number of theaters (and student ticket prices) and have seen classic plays like Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, The Woman in Black, and Fiddler on the Roof. My mother’s first Master’s Degree is in Theatre History, so her request to me was that I see as many plays as possible so she can live vicariously through me. I hope I’ve seen enough for you, mom!

The British Museum is a great place to go spend a few hours with a cup of tea and enough history to keep you occupied for far more time than I have. My first visit there took up about seven hours, and I’m positive I have yet to see everything they have to offer. My routine stop is always the Greek and Assyrian sculpture wing. The power and artistry behind they work is always a source of fascination.

During what little downtime I have as I write my dissertation this summer, I’m planning on spending some time at several of the many larger parks London has to offer. The Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew are fast becoming a main feature of my free days! London weather is fairly routine, but oftentimes uncooperative. Rain is intermittent, but extremely common, making days out require always carrying an umbrella.

I have taken up two hobbies during my stay here. Along with some friends, I am taking Scottish line dancing classes about once every other week. Three times a month, I also attend longswords classes.

What have you found most surprising during the time in the program?

While I appreciate the option to take public transportation nearly everywhere, London is an extremely walkable city. I live near London Bridge Station, which is right across the Thames from Central London. A 30-minute walk can get me nearly anywhere! Out of all the transportation options available, The Overground rail line is by far my favorite. That said, nothing can quite beat the charm of the old Swanage steam line.

Requesting New and Used Wheelchairs to Provide Individuals with Mobility Worldwide

Hope Haven is asking for assistance from our district clubs in the collection of new and used wheelchairs.

Thousands of volunteers, have invested 24 years and bring a lifetime of expertise and skill to repairing and refurbishing used wheelchairs, crafting new chair cushions, and sewing wheelchair accessories.

Latest wheelchair facts and figures:

1. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 70,000,000 million people worldwide need wheelchairs and only 15% have them. That means 59,500,000 people need wheelchairs worldwide.

2. There are 190 countries in the world recognized by the WHO. Of those 190 countries, 34 are developed countries and 156 are undeveloped. Eighty-five percent (85%) of the people who need wheelchairs are in the 156 undeveloped countries.

3. As of April 30, 2019, Hope Haven has delivered 127,104 wheelchairs to people in need in 108 countries.

4. It would be of great help for clubs to accumulate wheelchairs, Hope Haven will collect them free of charge from any location in District 5610 or anywhere else. Please click here to contact Steve Sikorski and he will arrange for pickup.

Help us exceed the 127,104 wheelchairs that have been distributed. Wheelchairs provide people with disabilities their mobility, inclusion, and care they deserve and need. Hope Haven provides quality wheelchairs that are safety-tested and tailored to meet the needs and size of each individual, giving people the opportunity to live a fulfilling life! To learn more please visit https://www.hopehaven.org/what-we-do/international-ministries/wheelchairs

District Governor Ina Winter's Goals for Rotary Year 2019-2020

The Rotary Year 2019-2020 has started and a good way to start a journey is with an end in mind. This year, we have three goals - one for each of the major divisions that Rotary International and our District 5610 is concentrating on.

Foundation. While we will be encouraging members to continue to support The Rotary Foundation with their gifts and to reap the benefits of past years contributions with participation in the District and Global Grant programs, we are specifically targeting the development of a global grant project in our area. This means that we will be the host partner and will need to solicit an international partner to help us with our project. We have a grant team of Linda Peterson, Tom Katus, and Colby Christensen of Rapid City Rushmore Rotary Club working on an economic and community development project to benefit the residents of the Pine Ridge community. We will be partnering with a Nebraska non-profit to equip a maker space for artists in an old White Clay, NE liquor store. Building something positive out of a tragic past. Mike Gibson of the Pierre-Ft. Pierre Rotary Club serves as our District Foundation Chair and he and his team are the people to consult for all things Foundation.

Membership. We will be keeping close tabs on membership throughout the year; however, our emphasis will be on starting two new Rotary groups of any kind. RI recognizes at least seven types of Rotary clubs: Traditional, Satellite, E-clubs, Corporate, Passport, Cause-based, and Rotaract clubs. Additionally, Rotary Community Corps (RCC) clubs and Interact Clubs will count toward this goal. I believe this is an easily achieved goal as there is tremendous growth potential in communities already hosting a traditional club as well as in communities missing a Rotary presence. Carmen Hanson of the Rapid City Rushmore Rotary Club leads our efforts in Membership. She has lots of ideas and is a tremendous resource for clubs in the membership area.

Public Image. Traditionally, Rotarians have been reluctant to promote our people and our achievements outside of the Rotary world - and perhaps even amongst ourselves to full benefit. We believe it is important to recognize all the good we are doing as clubs and as individuals and to show off our people and projects to other Rotary groups and to our communities at large. To that end, District 5610 is standing up a Recognition Committee and program. We will be promoting all the past recognition efforts and building new ones to highlight all the great things clubs and Rotarians are doing throughout the year. Recognition is not just for Rotarians...clubs publicly recognizing community individuals and organizations can bring benefit to all concerned. Tony Burke of the Rotary Club of Downtown Sioux Falls is leading this effort for the district.

Rotary International recognizes that flexibility is key to the continued success of Rotary in the 21st century. Innovation on the club and district level is encouraged to keep Rotary fresh and appealing to a new generation of Rotarians. Our International President's theme, 'Rotary Connects the World' applies to connecting generations within Rotary as well as connecting clubs to the greater Rotary world.

Let's DO this!

Ina Winter

District Governor 2019-2020

District Clubs Recruit 94 New Members

Posted on Jun 28, 2019

In late January, District Governor Dave Lorenz asked all the clubs to focus on recruiting new members by the end of the Rotary year - June 30. He set a goal of 66 new Rotarians (56 + 10) by June 30. When that goal was reached by May 20, he posted an additional challenge to recruit 25 more by June 30. That second challenge has been met and passed. Congratulations, Rotarians of District 5610! Through your efforts, you have recruited 94 new members since the start of February. These new members bring new ideas and help clubs throughout the District to continue to improve their communities through Service Above Self.

Two District 5610 Rotarians to be Inducted into the South Dakota Hall Of Fame

Rotarians, Dr. Reuben Bareis of Rapid City and Dick Brown of Custer, are two of the 10 individuals in the 2019 class to be inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame. The South Dakota Hall of Fame is celebrating its 45th year and recognizes individuals who impact the state through the mission to Champion a Culture of Excellence. The inductee accomplishments reach beyond South Dakota in representing and building the future for the state.

Brown has been a member of the Custer Rotary Club since moving there twelve years ago. Prior to his move to Custer, he was a member of a Sioux Falls Rotary club and served as the President. Bareis is a lifetime supporter of Rotary, including service as the Rapid City Club president, hosting youth exchange, hosting for friendship exchange, and serving as a leader in club projects.

The Honors Ceremony will be held in Chamberlain/Oacoma, SD on September 13 and 14, 2019, and is open to the public. A table for 10 has been reserved for Rotarians that want to be there to celebrate the induction of these two to the Hall of Fame. Contact Linda Peterson or Carol Johnson to reserve a spot at the table. The biographies of the two provided below, and further information on the SD Hall of Fame, are located at https://sdhalloffame.blog/2019/05/02/sd-hall-of-fame-class-of-2019/.

Two of This Year’s Honorees and Rotarians of District 5610 are:

REUBEN BAREIS

Rapid City, SD | Medical

Changing the Course for Elderly Caregiving

When Dr. Bareis relocated to Rapid City in 1957, only a single care facility for the elderly existed. Reuben is one of the original board members and helped break ground at Westhills Village Retirement Community. Six more facilities eventually followed, and Dr. Bareis served as medical director of three of them. His work continues to influence South Dakota in this critical care need. Dr. Bareis retired in 1999 after almost 50 years of practicing internal medicine and geriatrics with many accomplishments as a kind and compassionate community leader.

DICK BROWN

Custer, SD | Philanthropic

Public Service Leader & Conservationist

A native of Dell Rapids and USD Political Science alumnus, Dick Brown left for Washington, D.C. in 1967 for doctoral studies and to work for U.S. Senator Karl Mundt. He then went on to lead the ten-state Missouri River Basin Commission in Omaha. In 1979, he returned to his beloved South Dakota where his impact has been felt statewide with involvement in the state legislature, charitable organizations, and outdoor recreation.

Foundation Giving

Gifts to the Rotary Foundation make it possible for Rotarians to continue doing good in the world. There is still much to do, and we hope you will help by donating to the Rotary Foundation by June 30.

The impact of your support extends beyond your own community to Rotarian led projects around the world. Your gifts inspire education initiatives to inspire learning of all ages, protects children from diseases like polio and helps us all work together to build a more peaceful future.

With you help, we can make lives better in our communities and around the world.

Please make a donation by June 30.

To donate on-line: https://www.rotary.org/en/donate

If you have any question please contact District Foundation Chair Mike Gibson.

Yours in Rotary,

Dave Lorenz

District Governor

Dr. Willis Sutliff Presents a Polio Plus Campaign Update

Posted by Chuck Lubbers on May 15, 2019

Dr. Willis Sutliff, the Energizer bunny of the Polio Plus campaign in District 5610, receives a club banner from Rand Wergin, Vermillion Rotary Club President, after Dr. Sutliff's update to the Vermillion Club on Rotary's efforts to rid the world of Polio. To watch Dr. Sutliff's presentation to the club you can CLICK HERE or on the picture below to go to the Club's YouTube page.

Sushil Gupta resigns as RI president-nominee

Posted by Chuck Lubbers on Apr 27, 2019

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

26-Apr-2019

Great Plains RYLA Camp

July 17 – 21, 2019

Hello from Rotary District 5610 of Rotary International - the largest service organization in the world. District 5610 includes 41 Rotary clubs in South Dakota, northwest Iowa, southwest Minnesota and northeast Nebraska. Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is a leadership training program sponsored by Rotary International that promotes, encourages and rewards outstanding young people who want to become better leaders. RYLA consists of an all-expense paid five-day conference that brings together a group of young men and women from Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa to share ideas about becoming better leaders. Action-packed activities like problem solving games, challenge courses, group discussions and teambuilding activities help participants build confidence and leadership skills.

Eligibility: Students who are currently high school sophomores or juniors.

Location: Nebraska State 4-H Campgrounds near Halsey, Nebraska

Cost: No cost to participating students. Transportation to and from RYLA is included.

Click on the three names listed below to view some testimonials from 2018 RYLA participants:

Casey

Seth

Olivia

For further information please contact your local Rotary club president(s) or contact the following individuals:

Dave Lorenz

District Governor 5610

david.lorenz@usd.edu

Nicole Rawden

District Administrator 5610

rawdenconsulting@gmail.com

Working for a membership gain in District 5610

Potential Global Grant Project in District 5610

Posted by Chuck Lubbers on Jan 10, 2019

Below is a video clip from an episode of "Rotary Cares" broadcasted by Brattleboro Community Television, in which Tristam Johnson, international projects committee chair for the Brattleboro Sunrise Rotary, outlines the global partnership being formed for a project on the Pine Ridge Reservation. District 5610 and our District clubs can play a critical role in this global grant project taking place in our District. To learn more about the project, click on the website link for WHITECLAY MAKERSPACE or for an Omaha World - Herald news article.

Le Mars Rotary Club Celebrates 100th Anniversary

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.”

To learn more, click on the website link for a LeMars Daily Sentinel Plymouth County Newspaper news article.

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

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

The 2019 Rotary Peace Fellowship application is now available!

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

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

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

Sandra Christenson (sandrac@heartland-paper.com)

Darrel Sawyer (Darrell.sawyer@sdsmt.edu)

Pam Homan (phoman@augied.edu)

We appreciate your assistance in identifying interested and qualified applicants!

Sincerely,

Sandra, Darrell and Pam

Meet our District 5610 Youth Exchange Inbound Students

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

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

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

Great Plains Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA)

What is RYLA?

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

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

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

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

End Polio Now

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

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

Rotarians of Distinction

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

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

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

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

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

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

Letter from Barry Rassin and Ron D. Burton

My dear friends and fellow Rotary leaders,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yours in Rotary,

Barry Rassin
President, Rotary International 2018-19

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

Osborne Inspires Rotarians at District Conference

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

Letter from Ron Burton - Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair

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

Dear fellow Rotarians,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sincerely,

Ron D. Burton
Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair

program

Polio Plus

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

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

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

Willis Sutliff

Polio Plus Chair

A special thank you just in for ...

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

Mark Naugle

Superintendent

Custer School District

Early Rotary District 5610 Conference in Vermillion Registration

Hello to all District 5610 Rotarians!

We are sending you this reminder of some key details/deadlines regarding the upcoming Annual Rotary Conference & Celebration being held in Vermillion (Sept 28-29).

Registration: For planning and meal counts, please have your District Conference registration completed by September 14: Use attached form or CLICK HERE
- Early Bird registration deadline to qualify for a drawing for FREE Lodging for the District Conference is this WEDNESDAY, Aug 15.
Hotel room DEADLINE (Aug 28/29): Please try to book your room by the end of this month. Any unbooked rooms we have blocked for the Rotary District Conference will be released one month before the conference dates. NOTE: This is a busy event weekend in Vermillion – Please book early!
Hotel options are listed on page two of the online registration form (and see below).

Look forward to seeing you in September!

Mary C Merrigan Chuck Lubbers

Conference Co-Chair Conference Co-Chair

Vermillion Rotary Club Vermillion Rotary Club

Hotels

A limited number of hotel rooms are being held for

Rotary District 5610 Conference at the following:

Holiday Inn Express Red Roof Inn

1200 N Dakota St, Vermillion 1208 E Cherry St, Vermillion

605.624.7600 605.624.8006

Best Western Studio 13 Hotel (currently Westside Inn)

701 W Cherry St, Vermillion 1313 W Cherry St, Vermillion

605.624.8333 605.624.2601

Block rooms will only be held until one month prior to conference - please call one of above hotels by August 28/29 to book your reservation.

Additional options in/around Vermillion:

Valiant Vineyards – Bed & Breakfast

1500 W Main St, Vermillion, 605.624.4500

Clay County Park Campground

4 miles southwest of Vermillion off Hwy 50

605.624.5571

Lion’s Campground

Located in Vermillion

605.677.7064

Rotary District 5610

2018 Celebration

Be the Inspiration

September 28 – 29, 2018

Vermillion, SD 57069

District Conference 2018 Vermillion Program

Rotary District 5610

2018 Conference & Celebration

Sept 28 – 29, 2018

Muenster University Center

University of South Dakota Campus

Conference Program At-a-glance

Update – Aug 28, 2018

Click here for Program

Click here for Conference Tidbits

Click here for Conference Parking Map

RevUp Membership District 5610

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

Here are some great resources.

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

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

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

New member orientation template available.

Carmen Hansen

District Membership Chair

2018 District Conference - Please Join us in Vermillion

Enable Content upon downloading

If you don’t get a successful submission message after hitting the submit button,

please save this form to your computer and email it to Dan.VanPeursem@usd.edu

Record Setting Foundraiser Year

Rotary Friendship Exchange Team Travels to Sweden

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

District Governor's Message - July 2018

On July 3 District Governor Steve Harrington will attend Vermillion Rotary and officially install me as District 5610 Governor for the 2018-19 Rotary year. I am honored and humbled to serve my fellow Rotarians. I give you my promise that I will use the Four Way Test to guide my actions and decisions. I can think of no time where the good works and goodwill of Rotary are more important than today. My hope is that we in District 5610 will heed the call of Rotary International President Barry Rassin to BE THE INSPIRATION in our communities and beyond to make people smile, to lift spirits and to make a difference.

Dave Lorenz

Governor, District 5610

To View 2018-19 Theme Address - Barry Rassin, RI President-Elect click on the link: http://video.rotary.org/M7F3, https://youtu.be/nfkx9oNcvuI, or watch below.

Omniceye Rotary publishes Pine Ridge Services Request Directory

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

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

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

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

District 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

Schedule of DG Club Visits

RY 2019-2020

6-27-2019 Thursday 7am Hot Springs SD - DG Installation

7-1-2019 Monday noon Pierre-Ft. Pierre SD

7-11-2019 Thursday noon Denison IA

7-15-2019 Monday noon Sibley IA

7-16-2019 Tuesday noon Canton SD

7-23-2019 Tuesday 7am Rapid City SD Rushmore

7-24-2019 Wednesday noon Spearfish SD-Northern Hills

7-25-2019 Thursday noon Rapid City SD

7-30-2019 Tuesday noon Marshall MN

7-30-2019 Tuesday 5:30pm Mapleton IA

7-31-2019 Wednesday noon Sioux Falls SD North

8-1-2019 Thursday 7am Marshall MN Sunrise

8-1-2019 Thursday noon Centerville SD

8-2-2019 Friday noon Sioux Falls SD West

8-5-2019 Monday noon Sioux City IA

8-6-2019 Tuesday noon Yankton SD

8-7-2019 Wednesday noon Gregory SD

8-8-2019 Thursday noon Gettysburg SD

8-12-2019 Monday noon Madison SD

8-13-2019 Tuesday noon Luverne MN

8-14-2019 Wednesday noon Minneota MN

8-15-2019 Thursday noon Winner SD

8-19-2019 Monday noon Cherokee IA

8-20-2019 Tuesday noon Suburban Sioux City SD

8-22-2019 Thursday noon Canby MN

8-26-2019 Monday noon Mobridge SD

8-27-2019 Tuesday noon Brookings SD

8-28-2019 Wednesday noon Wagner SD

8-29-2019 Thursday noon Scotland SD

9-3-2019 Tuesday noon Clark SD

9-5-2019 Thursday noon Watertown SD

9-9-2019 Monday noon Tyndall SD

9-9-2019 Monday 5:15pm Sioux Falls SD South

9-10-2019 Tuesday noon Le Mars IA

9-11-2019 Wednesday noon Vermillion SD

9-16-2019 Monday noon Rock Valley IA

9-19-2019 Thursday noon Mitchell SD

9-23-2019 Monday noon Downtown Sioux Falls SD

9-30-2019 Monday noon Custer SD

10-7-2019 Monday noon Aberdeen SD

District Governor 2018-19 Dave Lorenz Upcoming Club Visits

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

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

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

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

July 3 – Vermillion

July 16 – Rock Valley

July 17 - Luverne

July 23 – Sibley

July 24 - Mapleton

July 31 – Marshall Noon

August 2 – Marshall Sunrise

August 2 – Canby

August 6 – Sioux City

August 8 – Minneota

August 9 – Denison

August 13 – Tyndall

August 21 – Yankton

August 23 - Centerville

August 27 - Cherokee

August 30 - Winner

Sept. 12 - Gregory

Sept. 13 - Rapid City

Sept. 13 - Hot Springs

Sept. 18 - Rapid City Rushmore

Sept. 20 - Scotland

Sept. 24 - Aberdeen

Oct. 2 - Brookings

Oct. 4 - Watertown

Oct. 8 - Custer

Oct. 10 - Spearfish

Oct. 15 - Madison

Oct. 18 - Gettysburg

Oct. 25 - Mitchell

Oct. 29 - Pierre - Ft. Pierre

Oct. 31 -Wagner

Nov. 5 - Mobridge

Nov. 6 - Clark

Nov. 7 - Sioux Falls North

Nov. 9 - Sioux Falls West

Nov. 12 - Downtown Sioux Falls

Nov. 13 - Canton

Nov. 27 - Suburban Sioux City

Feb. 4 - Sioux Falls South

May 14 - LeMars

Stomp Out Polio at Zone Institute

Bring awareness to polio 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

District 4 Way Test Contest Winners

WINNERS FOR THE 2018 FOUR WAY TEST ESSAY CONTEST

FIRST PLACE KEIRA CHRIST

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It's easy, quick and very convenient!

Wow! What a terrific Raffle!

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

Brad Preheim, Raffle Chair

The prize list and winners:

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

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

Governor’s Club Membership Challenge April-June 2018

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.

—Carmen Hansen, District Membership Chair

About Friendship Exchanges

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

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

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

Food For Kidz project in Marshall

Marshall Rotarians connected with Marshall Middle School for the ninth year, packing 100,000 meals, totaling 800,000 so far. Chuck Lindemann worked with the Weekender Independent newspaper to capture front page stories. Good work Marshall Rotary!

Rotaract flourishing in Black Hills!

SDSM&T Rotaract and Rapid City Rushmore clubs met for pizza on February 26 at the SDSM&T campus. The student club maintains 15-25 members, and completed three service projects so far this year. They recruit students during the fall student fair, and elect officer

s every April.

Attending

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.

Membership Seminars

There are great resources at the RI website/learning/membership and also at www.rotary2127.com under Grow Your Club to survey your members.

Jumpstart Membership Webinar Open to all Rotarians! There is an exciting line-up of excellent webinars held the 4th Tuesday of every month at 7pm (MST)/ 8pm (CST).

Building Better Friendships Best Practices for Social Interaction to Recruit and Retain Members - Mark your calendars for 27 March as well!

https://www.rotary2127.com/webinars-meetings/

—Carmen Hansen, District Membership Chair 605-484-6056

Presidents-elect and Secretary Training Features Speakers

PETS - has been rescheduled for May 5-6

Our featured speakers this year are Dian Edwards, Zone 27 Assistant Rotary Coordinator from O'Neill, NE, and Kathy Fahy, Zone 28 Public Image Coordinator, from Spirit Lake, IA. You will not want to miss their Rotary stories and messages!

All Presidents-Elect are required to attend PETS. Nancy Moose, District Trtainer, has a full-day schedule that will get your year off to a great start! We ask all Presidents-Elect to bring your Club Secretary with you for valuable training. Club Secretaries are the glue that hold Rotary clubs together! In an effort to keep club secretaries up to date, special sessions for club secretaries will be held during PETS – rescheduled for Mitchell, SD on Sunday, May 6. District 5610 Executive Assistant Nicole Rawden will moderate the training and will cover important topics such as ClubRunner, Rotary International Club Administration, Rotary Club Central and “Lead Your Club”, a manual for club secretaries with a month to month calendar. There is no cost for attending and delicious food will be available.

Training is rescheduled for the Highland Conference Center on Sunday, May 6. For those arriving the prior evening, a reception will be available and everyone is invited to attend. A block of rooms have been reserved for Rotary at the Comfort Inn 605-990 2400 and Hampton Inn 605 995 1575. Both hotels adjoin the Highland Conference Center.

REGISTRATION for PETS and CLUB SECRETARY TRAINING is available for on-line registration! For more details and to register please click on link http://portal.clubrunner.ca/60087/event/pets---district-assembly

Link to Schedule: https://clubrunner.blob.core.windows.net/00000060087/en-us/files/homepage/pets-program-schedule/Rotary-District-5610-Program-Schedule-050518-050618.pdf

CLUB SECRETARIES TO MEET AT PETS on April 13

Club Secretaries are the glue that hold Rotary clubs together! In an effort to keep club secretaries up to date, special sessions for club secretaries will be held during PETS – scheduled for Mitchell, SD on Friday, April 13. District 5610 Executive Assistant Nicole Rawden will moderate the training and will cover important topics such as ClubRunner, Rotary International Club Administration, Rotary Club Central and “Lead Your Club”, a manual for club secretaries with a month to month calendar. We encourage all club secretaries to hop in the car with their president elects and join your fellow club secretaries in Mitchell on April 13. There is no cost for attending and delicious food will be available.

http://portal.clubrunner.ca/60087/event/pets---district-assembly

Support for Water and Sanitation builds

Water and Sanitation is one of the six areas of focus for Rotary International. Martin Limbird, one of our Zone leaders, is attending the symposium in Lebanon in February and sent a press release detailing the progress of an effort in Zone 27. See the attached file in downloads for more information.

Leadership Institute rolls out for 2018

Current buzz words in Rotary usually include “member retention” and “engagement.” According to RI statistics, concern about these two issues is valid. The reasons Rotarians drop their membership are varied, and some are difficult to address, however, for most, an orientation of the Rotary mission, followed by education can be invaluable. One program our District offers is the Rotary Leadership Institute. The title of this program is somewhat misleading, as it may infer that the program is only for those Rotarians who are headed for club or district leadership. Rather, the program takes Rotarians who are already leaders – that’s why you were invited to join Rotary – and direct that leadership through a grassroots program of education, developed by Rotarians, for Rotarians, to increase the knowledge and enthusiasm of Rotarians on all things Rotary.

Why not make this the year that you complete the newly condensed RLI course and build/rebuild your enthusiasm for the many rewards Rotary has to offer? If you missed the course in your area, it’s not too late to register for the course in a neighboring area. Or, gather up a group of fellow Rotarians in your area and request another course be scheduled.

Course schedule remaining:

4/28/18 – Wagner, SD. Contact persons are Kelsey Doom, Larry Lyngstad.
TBD – Southeast SD/Northwest IA. More information to follow.
District Governor Steve Harrington has pledged District Funds to cover the cost for one member from each club to participate in the program. (see scholarship certificate attached.) Club presidents are asked to select one Rotarian from their club to attend the training. The cost for Rotarians to attend the program remains at $35 per individual, and clubs are requested to cover the charge. This fee covers course materials, meals and refreshments. If you are interested in providing a course in your area, contact your area’s Assistant Governor, or send me a message at: lglyngstad@mncomm.com.
Larry Lyngstad, RLI Coordinator

District Foundation Month Challenge

    November was Rotary Foundation month and District 5610 did an outstanding job of recognizing contributing during the District Governor’s Foundation Challenge! Clubs donated over $22,577 for the challenge period. We had a number of our District’s Rotary clubs and Rotarians make gifts to the Foundation during the challenge. The results are reported here and recognition will be provided at the District PETS conference in April.
Large club winner was Rapid City Rushmore Rotary with a total of $5,460.
Midsize club winner was Madison SD Rotary with a total of $1,400.
Small club winner was Wagner SD with a total of $3,850.
    We had a number of individual gifts of $1,000 by Rotarians and by decision of the District Governor and the Foundation Chair we decided to award the Paul Harris Points to the Rotarian who got in their gift first. That Rotarian was our own newsletter editor Linda Peterson who made an electronic gift on November 1 at the beginning of the challenge and the Rotary Foundation month. (Ed. Note: Just following my Club Foundation Chair’s directives!)
    Great job by all Rotarians and thanks for your support of the Rotary Foundation and all the wonderful things that the Rotary Foundation is doing. This may be a great time to look and see what your Foundation is doing around the world at https://www.rotary.org/en/about-rotary/rotary-foundation.

Mike Gibson, District Foundation Chair

Marshall clubs at work

The Marshall Noon Rotary club recently gave out statuettes of each senior football players. This program honoring senior football players has been a tradition of the club since 1945.

The Marshall Sunrise Rotary Club presented a check for $2,725.00 to Avera Emergency Room capital improvement and expansion.

District essay contest begins

It's that time of year again when we think about the District 5610 Four Way Test Essay Contest. This is a great way to spread our Rotary ideals into our communities. The contest involves 6th graders and they are asked to write a 200 to 500 word essay on "How can I apply the Rotary 4 Way Test to my life?" You will be amazed and excited at the perspective 6th graders have on our 4 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. Provide the teacher with the forms found on our District 5610 website, an application, the history and requirements of the contest. When the essays have been written the teachers can narrow down the group and submit their top ten or they can submit all of the essays that they collect to your club. You need judges to determine the top essays and your club can reward a 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize if you so choose.

Then by the deadline of March 15, 2018 you need to submit your winning essay to the district where it will be judged with all of the other club winners. The District 5610 winners will be announced at PETS in April of 2018. The first place winner will receive a $200 check, a certificate, a Four Way Test coin and the chance to read their essay at the District Conference in Vermillion. Second place receives a $100 check, a certificate and a Four Way Test coin while third place receives a $50 check, a certificate and a Four Way Test coin.

I am hoping that many, many of the District 5610 clubs will participate in this terrific project where we teach young people about what Rotary stands for. For questions, to submit your winning essay or more information contact Pat Sutliff sutliff@midco.net or 605-718-0559.

Community assessments in global grants

The Global Grants Community Assessment Results form is now available. Starting 1 July, any club or district that applies for a global grant to support a humanitarian project or a vocational training team must first conduct a community assessment and submit the completed results form with its global grant application in the Grant Center.
Make sure that Rotarians in your club who are planning global grant projects know about this requirement and the many benefits of conducting a community assessment. These assessments:
* Improve project design

* Help ensure a project will truly benefit the people it’s intended to help

* Make it easier to plan a sustainable project

* Streamline the approval process by reducing the number of exchanges between applicants and the Foundation

Review Rotary’s Community Assessment Tools to learn about proven methods for evaluating a community’s assets and needs, including community meetings, surveys, interviews, and focus groups.

Defining People of Action stories

    Telling our Rotary story helps the world to better understand who we are: people of action, driven by a desire to strengthen communities, mobilize problem solvers, and find solutions to the tough challenges affecting people around the world.
    Stories about fundraisers, contributions, or international service projects are important and an integral part of what we do, but they’re not necessarily People of Action stories. The People of Action campaign is designed to help better inform our local communities about Rotary and the work we do for the places we call home. To let the rest of the world know who we are, we must let our neighbors know first.
    How do you tell a great People of Action story? A People of Action story connects with people by showing the positive impact we have on our communities. The best way to do this is by incorporating certain elements effectively into your story, such as:
* A clear focus on a Rotary project in your local community

* A description of how you or your club identified a challenge

* An explanation of how club members and others in your community found a solution to the problem

* A depiction of how your club saw that project through to completion, whether it’s in the works, complete, or ongoing

Use the People of Action materials in the Brand Center.

Inspire others through vocational service

How do you, as a club leader, demonstrate vocational service? Vocational service calls on Rotarians to empower others by using their unique skills and expertise to address community needs and help others discover new professional opportunities and interests. January is Rotary’s Vocational Service Month, a great time to encourage Rotarians to leverage vocational service in their clubs and activities.

Share these tactics in your communications with district and club leaders to strengthen member engagement and service in your area:

* Ask Rotarians to talk about their profession in their club, and take time to learn about fellow members’ occupations.

* Use your club members’ skills and expertise to serve your community.
* Help young people achieve their career goals.

* Guide and encourage others in their professional development.

Download the updated Vocational Service Handbook to find more ideas.

D5610 Launches YouTube Channel!

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

Nicole Rawden, District Administrator Phone: 605.690.4829

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-WdqKu7C-crEW4Vy-L20-Q

District 5610 Raffle Cooking Again!

The 2017 raffle was a tremendous success and the goal is to continue to build on that success by making this year even better! Karl's Appliance has again agreed to offer the grand prize of a KARL’S HOME KITCHEN MAKEOVER! This is a Whirlpool 4-Piece Kitchen Appliance Package, with a value up to $7,500 at Karl’s Retail Price*.

Please bring your ticket stubs to PETS on April 12! Send your Foundation donations to Rotary International.
Prize drawings - PETS conference April 12-14, 2018 Mitchell (need not be present to win).

Let's make our District goal of $200,000 happen!

—Brad Preheim, of Centerville Rotary, Raffle Chair

MISSION HAITI REPORT

by DG STEVE HARRINGTON, November 2017 Mission Trip

I had the pleasure recently to be a part of a humanitarian project to Haiti. It was part of an ongoing program in Ti Riviere called Mission-Haiti. It was the most challenging, yet most rewarding, experience I have ever had in delivering help to the less fortunate.

During my club visits as part of my District Governor duties, I often speak on how we can ‘Make A Difference’ in our local communities and globally. I speak on how Rotary delivers hope and goodwill to people through our six areas of focus: education, peace and conflict resolution, maternal and child care, community development, water and sanitation, and disease prevention. My Mission-Haiti experience touched most of these areas of focus.

As a country, Haiti is one of the world’s poorest and undeveloped nations. It was difficult to see the state-of-affairs in the larger cities, but it is a way of life for them. Mission-Haiti focuses on the rural, mountainous region of Ti Riviere in southeast Haiti about 45 minutes from the city of Les Cayes.

SDSM&T Rotaract members stuff Puppies for Polio

A group of Rotaract members stuffed 100 puppies, and then sold all of them for $20 each. Josiah Horner, club president, worked the table at School of Mines student center. They netted $550 for polio, with the Gates Foundation match of $1100, totaling $1650. They estimate 60 cents per vaccine, protecting 2,750 children from contracting polio. Great project!

District Conference Survey Results

    An analysis of the attendee list discovered 85 Rotarians attended 2017 Rotary District 5610 Conference. Of those Rotarians 81 had emails. On October 22, 25 and 28 email blasts were sent out with a survey; created and tested before distribution. Of the 81 potential respondents, 40 completed the survey or 49%.
    Here are a few facts to consider:
• 19 of those 40 respondents attended both days or 48%
• 12 of those 40 respondents were new or 30%
• 85 of 1,846 District Rotarians attended part of all the conference or 4.6%
• Each speaker program was rated on a 5 point scale system.
   o 11 of the 28 programs rated under 4 points
   o Overall rating for the conference is 4.02 out of 5
   o Lowest rating 3.48; highest rating 4.52
   o Programs under 4.00 should be assessed for value, content, presentation, program speaker
• 149 comments were received on programs
• 83 comments were received on improvements and other topics not asked in the survey
   o 20 comments referred to poor attendance
   o 19 comments referred to better speakers/more topical breakouts
   o 11 comments referred to shorten the duration of the conference
   o 4 comments referred to honor clubs/individuals
   o Remaining comments were miscellaneous with several referring to enjoying the conference and kudos to the host group.

Register for the Zone Institute

Rotary Zone 27-21b Institute is for all incoming leadership.

Note the training tracks for Thursday, listed in the graphic.

Another opportunity to learn about Rotary's three main strategies is at the District Leadership Institute,

held in Denver on July 20-21.

Please visit the Zone website to learn more and register. www.rizones21-27.org

Membership Update

    We're half way into our Rotary year and just like we set personal goals our District sets goals. Our District Membership goal is 1,895. We started the year at 1,835 members and as November 30th we were at 1,852, an increase of 17. That is super. This is a good time to review your club's membership goals. Does your club have written goals? Are they specific, measurable and attainable?
    At District Conference last fall, we rolled out a great tool, Club Membership Guide for Engaging and Expanding Members. If your club didn't get a copy, contact me and I will get you your copy as well as tools to use it. I'm looking forward to working with all clubs in 2018.
    Happy New Year to all.
Carmen Hansen, District 5610 Membership Chair
carmenhansen@rushmore.com 605-484-6056

Governor's Message - June 2018

Governor Steve Harrington Message June 2018

Rotary District 5610

Dear Rotarians of District 5610,

I hope your Memorial Day weekend went well. I’m entering my last month as your governor. District Governor-Elect Dave Lorenz of the Vermillion Rotary Club will be assuming the governorship on July 1, 2018. I know he will serve you well.

My year as your governor was one of the greatest honors, and one of the most challenging things I have ever undertaken. Balancing my full-time roll as governor, and my full-time duties to my business, was nearly impossible. There were many months I never had a day off, and I spend many nights working late on my laptop. As arduous and grueling as it was, when I was in the presence of your Rotary clubs, my love and enthusiasm for Rotary kicked in and I enjoyed every moment with you.

There were three things I wanted to accomplish. My goal was to do my best to educate, motivate, and inspire you to grow in Rotary service. I have faith, and met enough good Rotarians, to know the future is bright for Rotary in district 5610. A service organization such as Rotary, is a subset of our life. We have many demands on our lives, but when you do give of your time to Rotary, give it with conviction and the belief that our world is better place because of you.

Well my Rotary friends, I thank you for the honor to serve you as your governor. I wish you all the best in life, and on the Rotary highway. Perhaps our paths will cross again someday. But whatever happens, I know you and I have had a positive impact on our communities through Rotary. The light of hope and goodwill shines bright today.

In Service Above Self,

District Governor Steve Harrington

District Administrator named

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.

She began Rawden Consulting in 2014, offering software training, website design, general administrative services, data entry services, and process improvement options for small businesses and organizations. Prior to starting her own business, she was Finance Officer of Volga for 5 years and 10 years prior an accountant with South Dakota Soybean Processors, LLC. In addition to her professional experience, Nicole holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Economics and a minor in Accounting from South Dakota State University.

Nicole lives in Volga with her husband Jammey and daughters Cassandra and Savannah. In her spare time, she enjoys attending her children’s sporting events and hobbies of sewing and woodworking.

Foundation Month Club Challenge

    DISTRICT 5610 GOVERNOR’S FOUNDATION MONTH CHALLENGE – Prizes worth $5,000 in Foundation points to be awarded.
    District 5610 Clubs and members are challenged by Governor Steve Harrington to Rotary Foundation giving during the month of November, which is Rotary’s Foundation Month.
    Winners in member giving category of the Governor’s District Awards (2 awards) will receive a $1,000 Paul Harris Fellow gift to award as they choose. Clubs in each division that win the per capita category will receive a $1,000 Paul Harris Fellow gift to award as they choose. A total of $5,000 in prizes.
Governor District Awards for:
The two Individuals with the highest Foundation giving in November
The district club with the highest per capita giving in November
Governor Division Awards (3 Divisions):
The club in each division with the highest per capita giving in November receives special governor recognition, and a $1,000 Paul Harris Fellow gift.
Division I – Canton, Centerville, Clark, Gettysburg, Gregory, Huron, LeMars, Mapleton, Marshall Sunrise, Minneota, Rock Valley, Scotland, Sibley, , Suburban Sioux City, Tyndall, and Wagner. (16)
Division II – Aberdeen, Canby, Cherokee, Custer, Denison, Hot Springs, Madison, Marshall, Mobridge, Sioux Falls North, Sioux Falls South, Spearfish, and Yankton. (13)
Division III - Brookings, Luverne, Mitchell, Pierre-Ft Pierre, Rapid City, Rapid City Rushmore, Sioux Falls Downtown, Sioux Falls West, Sioux City, Watertown, Winner, and Vermillion. (12)
    Contest parameters: Winners will be determined by monitoring all Foundation giving from NOVEMBER 1 to DECEMBER 10. Giving will be extended to December 10 to allow late donations to be register in Rotary Foundation records.
Contact Mike Gibson, District Foundation Chair for more information. Mike.Gibson@bankwest-sd.com

District Grants Training Webinars Schedule

The first Web-based District Grant Training session for 2018-19 was held on Jan. 25 with 16 people from 11 clubs in virtual attendance. The web-based training went well and saved many miles driving on winter roads for the participants. Also, keep your eye on the District YouTube channel. If everything works as planned, you will be able to watch the grant training session on YouTube soon! Watching it on YouTube won’t qualify your club, but it is a great way to get a refresher on the Rotary grant process.

As you should be aware, District Grant Training is required every year for any club submitting a grant request. From now on, District 5610 will be holding Grant Training by Web Conference. There will be no official grant training at PETS this year, so please have someone from your club plan on attending one of the remaining web conference training sessions if you plan on submitting a grant for the 2018-2019 Rotary Year.

Mon. 5/21/2018 8:00 PM CST (7:00 PM MST) – preregister at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/3e9a93f43ecc8834c5b9141539e44ee6

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The training should take less than 2 hours and you will need to be at a Mac or a PC (a smartphone or tablet should work but I recommend a computer) with an internet connection to view the slides. You can either use the microphone and speakers of the computer or dial in to a phone number for audio if your internet connection isn’t fast enough for good audio. If you have questions about the grant training or other questions about the grant process, please email Bruce Young at district5610grant@gmail.com or call him at (712) 541-9822.

District Grants Awarded

District Grants for the 2017-2018 Rotary Year have been awarded. We received 14 grant requests totaling $61,305 which is great to see. But unfortunately, we only had $34,604 available, so some very difficult decisions had to be made by the grant subcommittee. In the end, 10 grants were awarded with most requests receiving less than their full amount. The checks were mailed out on 9/25/2017. The District 5610 and CAP grant awards for 2017-18 are shown below:

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

Congratulations to all of the Grant recipients.

Conference Agenda

Conference Plenary Sessions
Friday, October 13, 2017
8:30 am   Registration
9-12 noon   RLI Facilitator Training - Larry Lyngstad
Noon-12:45 pm    Sandwich Lunch Bar

First Plenary Session: All Rotarians
12:45-2:15 pm    Opening and Welcome General Assembly
       Color Guard, Chris Becker, Master of Ceremonies
       Welcome from Paul Jacobson, President, Le Mars Rotary
       Steve Harrington, DG
       Welcome from Iowa Senator Bill Anderson
       Welcome from Dick Kirchoff, Le Mars Mayor
       Club Roll Call
       Pamela Stewart, RI President’s Representative
       Invite to Vermillion District Conference 2018
2:15-2:30 pm    Break

Second Plenary Session: All Rotarians
2:30-3:30 pm   Breakout Sessions Period A
       Foundation – Mike Gibson/Larry Dimmit
       Membership-Part 1 – Carmen Hansen/Kelly Atkinson
       Clubrunner/Club Central – Linda Peterson
3:30-3:45    Break
3:45-4:45    Breakout Session Period B
       Public Image for Clubs – Linda Peterson
       District Grants – Bruce Young
       International Projects – St. Jude School, Palestine Project
4:45-6:00    Break & Open Period
6:00-6:30    Social Hour
6:30-7:30    Dinner
7:30-8:30    Foundation Dinner & Celebration
   Welcome from Sibley Rotary
   Foundation Awards
   Polio Survivor – Dixie Kooiker
   Polio Update – Willis Sutliff
   Keynote Speaker Larry Dimmit “Foundation Update”

Conference Plenary Sessions
Saturday, October 14, 2017
8-9:00 am Registration & Breakfast Bar Period

THIRD PLENARY SESSION: All Rotarians
9-10:00 am   Opening and Welcome Session
   Welcome from Sioux City Rotary
   Public Image Citations
   Friendship Exchange
   Scholarship Presentations
   Keynote Speaker DG Steve Harrington
10:00-10:15 am   Break

FOURTH PLENARY SESSION: All Rotarians
10:15-11:15 am   General Session
       School of St. Jude – Pat Sutliff
       Hope Haven – Steve Sikorski
       Haiti – Steve Harrington
11:15-12:00    Break
12:00-1:30 pm   Lunch
   Welcome from Cherokee Rotary
   Memorial Celebration
   4-Way Test Essay Winner
   Keynote Speaker Kelly Atkinson
1:30-1:45 pm   Break

FIFTH PLENARY SESSION: All Rotarians
1:45-2:45 pm    Breakout Sessions Period C
       Public Image “People of Action” – Linda Peterson
       Foundation – Mike Gibson/Larry Dimmit
       Membership-Part 2 – Carmen Hansen/Kelly Atkinson
2:45-3:00    Break
3:00-5:00    Le Mars Community Tours: (see locations on inside back cover)
       Veteran’s Memorial Park
       Alley Art & Historical Murals
   Plymouth County Fairgrounds
   Plymouth County Historical Museum
5:00-5:30    Open Conference Break
5:30-6:15    Social Hour
6:15-7:45    Dinner
   Special Awards, Roger Kozak Award
   Recognition of Conference Committee
   Keynote Speaker Pamela Stewart RI Representative
7:45-8:00    Break
8:00-9:00    The Browns Concert

Danish Friendship Exchange Team

This is the terrific Danish Friendship Exchange team that visited our district in September. They started their visit in Rapid City and traveled across the district visiting in Winner, Pierre, Mitchell, Watertown and Sioux Falls. Rotarians from the previously listed areas went to Denmark in May. Everyone involved in this great exchange had a fabulous time, proving again how wonderful it is to meet and spend time with other Rotarians.

—Pat Sutliff, District Friendship Exchange Chair

World Polio Day

Plan an event to celebrate and inform the public about our Polio Eradication efforts. Downloads of useful materials can be found at: https://www.endpolio.org/world-polio-day

How to contribute to the Gulf Coast Disaster Relief Rotary Donor Advised Fund

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

Membership Sessions in Le Mars

The most important message this month is the District Conference in Le Mars. I look forward to seeing you there. Kelly Atkinson from Zone 27, will be attending District Conference, to lead interactive breakout sessions on membership both Friday and Saturday. The sessions will focus on a new Membership Guide for Clubs that Zone is rolling out.

—Carmen Hansen, District Membership Chair 605-484-6056 carmenhansen@rushmore.com

Rotary Foundation Goal

Welcome to spring and all the events of that Rotary and our District 5610 will give you as you enter this time of year. We were certainly excited and pleased to see many of our district’s new club presidents for 2018-2019 at the President Elect Training (PETS) in Mitchell last weekend. First, our district needs to continue working on our giving to the Rotary Foundation, as we are

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.
    I encourage you to look at all the various Rotary Foundation news on the Rotary.org website. As we are well into the Second Century of The Rotary Foundation, some great things are happening throughout the world because of our involvement in the Foundation. We need to keep in front of ourselves and our clubs all the things The Rotary Foundation has achieved and continues to achieve because of our support of The Rotary Foundation. I encourage you to look at the latest news on how the Polio eradication is developing because of Rotary’s efforts to vaccinate children and raise awareness of polio.
    Perhaps your own club is involved in a District Grant application project and take note of the work that our District and Clubs are doing throughout our district to improve lives and our communities in our district. Thanks to all the hard work and processes that our Grants Chairman Bruce Young has put in place. There is one more grant training on May 21, which Bruce has developed and noted in this newsletter for Grant Training.
    If as your District Foundation Chair, I can do anything to move your club’s involvement in the Rotary Foundation along please feel free to reach out and discuss it with me. Mike.gibson@bankwest-sd.bank.

—Mike Gibson, D5610 Foundation Chair

Rotary Centennial Plaza in Sioux Falls

The Rotary Club of Downtown Sioux Falls was founded in the City of Sioux Falls in 1915. In celebration of its Centennial in 2015, leadership created the Centennial Fund, challenging the members to raise $100,000 annually to have a greater impact in the community. In its first two years, the Centennial Fund

has contributed over $60,000 to the Rotary Foundation with the remainder going to several selected organizations and projects in the Sioux Falls community.

One of those projects is Rotary Centennial Plaza in the heart of Downtown Sioux Falls, creating in Phase 1, a permanent public space that will highlight the important contributions of Rotary to the city of Sioux Falls and around the world. Future phases will visually display the pillars of Rotary. To date over $50,000, cash and in-kind resources, have been contributed to the project. When completed, the project could cost over $150,000, leaving a Rotary legacy and acknowledge the peop

le we serve.

On August 15th, 2017, a groundbreaking ceremony was held with Past President Joel Dykstra as emcee and lead visionary for the project.

10 tips to attract and retain quality members

Posted on August 22, 2017 on Rotary Voices
By Tom Gump, president of the Rotary Club of Edina Morningside, Minnesota, USA, and a District 5950 trainer
    Since 1 July, 2016, my Rotary club has recruited and brought in 31 new members. Eleven of these new members are women and eight of them are under 40 years of age. The club has gone from being classified as a “medium” sized club of 68 members in our district to being classified as a “large” club of 93 members in just over nine months. How did this happen? Here’s our tips:
   1.   Know your club’s strengths. If you meet in the morning, you will probably be a good fit for a 9 to 5 employee. But if you meet at noon, you’re more likely to appeal to retirees or parents of school-age children. If someone doesn’t fit your format, recommend them to another club. They won’t forget you and may send you someone another day. Let all the clubs in your area know you are looking for members, and they may send you some that better fit your format than their own.
   2.   Keep a list of potential recruits. It doesn’t matter if it’s a paper list or if it’s kept on the desktop of your computer – it just makes you think about those people and others that may be a fit for your club.

Youth Exchange Students Arrive!

This year District 5610 is hosting two students: Madison Club will be host a student from Spain and Sioux Falls West Rotary Club will host a student from Italy. Also, both of those clubs will be sending students to those respective countries. All three host families at Madison welcomed Lucia in August.

RLI Facilitator Training

A Rotary Leadership Institute Facilitator training session will be included the Rotary District 5610 Conference in LeMars, IA in October. The training will take place on Friday, October 13, from 9:00 a.m.–noon. Rotarians planning to attend this session need to preregister by sending an email message to Larry Lyngstad lglyngstad@mncomm.com so materials can be prepared for participants. Previously trained facilitators are welcome and encouraged to participate as well.

District Administrator position open

Rotary District 5610 is seeking applications for District Administrator. The position has been vacant since the resignation of Ms. Ella Shafer. The District Administrator reports to the sitting District 5610 Governor, and provides vital support to all Rotary clubs in our district.

Please help District leaders fill this critical position. The position description is attached to this story and available in Downloads on the District website. Please consider applying and share this with others who may be interested. Applications will be reviewed beginning September 1 and will be accepted until the position is filled. The candidate selected must be a Rotarian prior to accepting the position.
I am available to answer any questions.

—Dave Lorenz, District Governor-Elect David.Lorenz@usd.edu

https://clubrunner.blob.core.windows.net/00000060087/en-us/files/homepage/district-administrator-application/DAdminJob2017.pdf

Great Job District 5610 Rotarians!

A number of cl

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.

District Governor Steve Harrington has made this year’s goal $200,000 which is certainly doable if we as Rotarians look at what we give to the Foundation. Let’s work together to increase our giving to the Foundation and have another successful year of Rotary Foundation for 2017-2018.

—Mike Gibson, District Foundation Chair, Mike.Gibson@bankwest-sd.com

2018 District Conference Update

The 2018 District 5610 Conference is set for September 27, 28 and 29, 2018 in Vermillion, SD. Vermillion Rotarians Mary Merrigan and Chuck Lubbers will serve as co-chairs for the conference. More announcements of conference plans and activities will be unveiled at the upcoming October conference in LeMars. Vermillion is excited to welcome 5610 Rotarians in 2018!!!!

PEOPLE of ACTION

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Join us in Le Mars!

Register by clicking on the Upcoming Events listing on the right column of the District website.

Over the past year I have been an active participant in District 5610 activities, from the District Conference, to Foundation Day, and then PETs. From what I learned, I then returned to Le Mars and recruited 3 new members. Just think what would happen if every attendee did that. I have learned that there are members of Rotary and then there are Rotarians. These District events have helped me to become a better and more informed and enthusiastic Rotarian. I want all Rotarians in the District to take advantage of what this year’s District Conference has to offer, to educate and enthuse you!

PDG Ed Jacobson has the goal that every Rotarian should attend a District Conference at least once in the next 5 years. I hope that the Conference in Le Mars is one that you will attend! And come on Iowans! It’s not often that you get the chance to attend a conference this close to home! The Black Hills area clubs are going to have us outnumbered…

My committee has worked hard to put this Conference together. Please come and take advantage of our efforts. Please register ASAP on the District Website by clicking on the event listing. I so look forward to meeting you in Le Mars October 13 &14!

New! Online Membership Course

Is Your Club Healthy? is an online course available on Rotary’s Learning Center. Once club leaders or members have completed Rotary Club Health Check, they can take the modules that correspond to the areas identified as needing attention. This course, available in the Learning Center, can help clubs update their strategic plan, or create one with strategies and ideas in place that address areas of concern.

I am here to help whether you want to focus on retention or recruitment with tools and strategies.

—Carmen Hansen, District Membership Chair carmenhansen@rushmore.com 605.484.6056

News & Events from Clubs

Activities of the Centerville Rotary Club

Cody Carstensen

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.

Now that our boulevard renovation project is complete, we have started working on the area at the north end of Broadway just across the bike path. Centervile Rotarians are clearing trees and debris and would like to make it a more scenic area with a bench along the bike trail. Jan Stevens concludes her role as our President on June 30th. We thank her for her great leadership over the past two years and welcome incoming president Jen Knudson. We are always looking for new members, programs and ideas. We meet each Thursday at noon at the Dakota Diner.

Rotarian Bot receives Community Service Award

District Governor Steve Harrington with Rotarian Rick Bot and his wife Ruth, receiving the 2017 Minneota Rotary Community Service Award.

Governor Filmed Presentation & Club Visits Schedule

Hello Rotarians of the great Rotary District 5610, and I can say "great district" because I know each of you is capable of doing good in your communities. My year as your governor has just begun and I can already say "it is an honor to be your governor." In 2017-2018 we will chart a new course in membership growth, increase foundation giving, and expand public image. We will embrace and enhance the Rotary Leadership Institute program, the Rotary Youth Exchange program, and all other Rotary programs that define a successful Rotary district. We can do this!

I have requested that ALL Rotarians in our district view my filmed message Rotarians: One foot local, One foot Global. Club presidents have been asked to make this a program within the first two months. If you have not seen this, please go to our district website Home Page | District 5610 the link is on the home page. This will clearly explain where we are going this Rotary year.

As your governor, I'm here to serve you...not to be served. As your governor, I'm here to inspire and motivate...not to dictate or mandate. You, my dear Rotarians, are the heart and soul of this great service organization. I know together we will not only succeed, but we will move this district forward in a positive manner. Our communities, and the world at large, will know that the Rotarians of district 5610 truly do "make a difference."

Steve Harrington, Governor - PRESS THIS LINK to view your Rotary Presentation

Schedule: District Governor Club Visits

CUSTER - JULY 17
RUSHMORE - JULY 18
SPEARFISH - JULY 19
HOT SPRINGS - JULY 20
RAPID CITY - JULY 20
CHEROKEE – JULY 31
SCOTLAND – AUG 3
ABERDEEN - AUG 7
GETTYSBURG - AUG 10
MINNEOTA - AUG 16
MARSHALL SUNRISE - AUG 17
CANBY – AUG 17
SIOUX FALLS WEST – AUG 25
SIOUX FALLS SOUTH - AUG 28

LEMARS - AUG 29
WINNER - AUG 31
CLARK – SEPT 5
HURON - SEPT 6
SIOUX CITY - SEPT 11
GREGORY - SEPT 13
ROCK VALLEY – SEPT 18
MADISON – OCT 2
BROOKING – OCT 3
CANTON – OCT 10
WAGNER – OCT 18
TYNDALL – OCT 23

VERMILLION - OCT 24
DENISON – OCT 26

PIERRE-FT PIERRE - OCT 30

LUVERNE - OCT 31
CENTERVILLE – NOV 2
YANKTON – NOV 7
MITCHELL - NOV 9

MAPLETON - NOV 28

SIOUX FALLS DOWNTOWN - DEC 4

MARSHALL NOON - DEC 5

SIBLEY - DEC 11

SIOUX FALLS NORTH - DEC 13

WATERTOWN - DEC 14

Membership Matters workshops across the District

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.

Bring your talents to promote Rotary!

Are you a supporter of Rotary's Public Image? Are you willing to add your talents and skills to increase awareness of Rotary throughout our District? We are expanding the Public Image committee to include the following three skill positions: video recording/conference tech support, social media content builder, e-club website administrator. All positions would work with the Public Image District chair. Training will be provided to explain the goals and tasks of each position. Of course, this is volunteering for club service, and no compensation is offered, except for approved material expenses. Membership in a club within D5610 is required, but place of residence is not important. Some travel may be necessary, and training may require time.
—Linda Peterson at 605-341-5006 or email Linda4Rotary@me.com

District 5610 Grants Highlights

Types of Grants:
CAP – Community Assistance Grants: No minimum; $1,000 maximum, 50% match

5610 Grants: No minimum; $15,000 maximum, 50% match
Apply to district, deadline is July 31, 24 months to complete Global Grants $30,000 minimum, 50% match of DDF, 33% match of cash Must address one of Rotary’s Six Areas of Focus Must have a needs study, be sustainable and have host and international partners
Apply to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) online, can apply throughout the year
Club Qualification:
Signed Memorandum of Understanding for current year

At least one club member trained at grants seminar for current year
In good standing with the IRS (Form 990 current)

Current reporting on any open grants

Contributions to TRF
Stewardship Principles:
Project is needed/desired by the community

Rotarians are involved in the project

Clear expectations if a cooperating organization is involved

Separate bank account or accounting

Good record keeping (retain records for five years) Records available for audit by District or TRF

Follow up on project to ensure equipment is in place and functioning
All income and expenses accounted for

Any conflicts of interest are reported

Fully transparent fund distribution

Timely reports on project to District
Final reports are due no later than 60 days from project completion
Progress report due at 12 months, if project not completed Project must be completed in 24 months from grant award
Sustainability Principles:
Lasting impact

Optimal use of local resources

Attention to preservation of natural resources
Effect on maximum number of beneficiaries

Rotary Showcase

Do you have anyone in your club who is recording your activities on the Rotary International site? There is a program to have the clubs around the world record what they are doing in their communities. You just record a few pieces of information about what you did, how many total volunteer hours you contributed and/or how much money was donated. They also have a way to upload pictures, scans of news coverage, videos, etc. It’s nice because RI can get a sense of how much is being done around the world, but it’s also a great resource for clubs to go for ideas about what they might do in their community. Check it out at https://map.rotary.org/en/project/pages/project_showcase.aspx
— Chuck Lubbers, AG Area 7

Youth Exchange events

    District 5610 Rotary Youth Exchange Inbound and Outbound students gathered for a weekend of service, fellowship and thoughtful learning May 20 – 21 in Brookings. Lead by Brookings Rotarian and Youth Exchange Officer Toby Uecker and various other loyal Brookings Rotarians on Saturday, the students volunteered with the McCrory Gardens, and with Habitat for Humanity.
     Saturday evening, the students were hosted by Marshall, MN Rotarian Olga Reuvekamp, where they enjoyed phenomenal food, fellowship, and hospitality.
     Sunday morning, the students gathered at the Reuvekamp family business, Hilltop Dairy near Elkton, SD, for meaningful discussion – the inbounds reflected on their soon-to-end Rotary Youth Exchange experience and shared insight with the District’s two outbound students. The outbound students will depart for their overseas learning experience in a few short months.
     The students wanted to share a huge THANK YOU with all of the Rotarians who have supported them through their Rotary Youth Exchange opportunity. This program requires a plethora of support – from required Club Youth Exchange Committee positions, to host families, Club Presidents, and Rotarians who help the students fulfill completion of items off their “bucket list”, we are so grateful to each of you. Thank you.

Rotary Leaders Fly to District 5610 to Deliver Membership Workshops

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!

District Foundation Raffle has BIG prizes!

NEWS FLASH!!
Karl’s TV & Appliances will partner with D5610 to provide a GRAND PRIZE for the Foundation Raffle: LG Kitchen Appliance package worth up to $7,500 at Karl’s retail pricing. In addition, Karl’s will sell raffle tickets for us at every location in South Dakota! A large sign/poster to promote ticket sales will be displayed in each of their 14 SD stores. The twelve communities in SD with Karl’s stores are: Aberdeen, Brookings, Gregory, Huron, Madison, Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls(2), Spearfish(2), Watertown, Winner and Yankton. We are only working with the stores in SD because of concerns about state laws regarding raffles. We get permission from the state and from the city of Mitchell to do our raffle. We don’t ask for those permissions in our border states, so we thought it prudent to stay within SD borders. However, the winner of the Grand Prize may deal with the closest Karl’s store, no matter where. But stores outside SD will NOT sell raffle tickets.
If you have a Karl’s location in your community, consider inviting the store manager to your meeting. You might even ask he/she to speak about their newest products.

As you all know, Rotary is the greatest service organization in the world, and The Rotary Foundation is the funding arm for all the great service that Rotary does in the world. We are really hoping that the increased focus on the raffle will help us achieve our District goal of $200,000 in donations to The Rotary Foundation. Thank you for your support!

District Leadership Training Seminar

Training for Rotary District and Club Officers Scheduled April 6-8, 2017 at Highland Event Center, Mitchell, SD

All in-coming club Presidents*, Secretaries, Treasurers, Foundation, Membership, Public Image Chairs and all other members are invited to attend training in Mitchell April 7-8. Training will start Friday morning and extend through 12:30 p.m. Saturday. A special recognition for all Presidents-elect will be held at the Friday evening dinner. All Club should be represented at the District Assembly (business meeting) on Saturday. Club organization and website training and Foundation grants training will be offered on Saturday morning. Agenda is available now in the download section.

All District Leaders, Assistant Governors and Committee Chairs should attend training sessions, District meeting, and dinner on Thursday evening. This day is limited to District leaders, club leaders do not need to attend.

   Register by clicking on the event listing of PETS on the right, after you have logged onto the District 5610 website: Rotary5610.org
    Information on hotel rates is posted in the event listing.
    To receive on-going notices and the agenda, club board members must be listed on the District website as 2017-18 officers or members of Rotary – and your email address must be posted with your listing.
    *NOTE: Rotary International stresses that the current president of any club whose president-elect fails to attend PETS must continue as president in the coming year.
Steve Harrington, District Governor Elect

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

Rotarians in our Zone get recognition!

The largest human image of a cog (Rotary wheel) includes 412 participants, and was achieved by Rotary International (USA) with the support of Zone Institute participants in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, on 29 October 2016.

Working with the media to promote Rotary

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.

—Linda Peterson, Public Image Chair, Linda4Rotary@me.com 605-341-5006

Foundation Giving Goal

     2017 will be the 100th birthday of the Foundation. The Foundation was created in 1917 by Rotary International's sixth president, Arch C. Klumph, as an endowment fund for Rotary “to do good in the world.” Its event-filled history is a story of Rotarians learning the value of service to humanity. You have all heard of Rotary's efforts to eradicate Polio. In addition to End Polio Now, the Rotary Foundation helps Rotarians do good in the world through its Six Areas of Focus:
   PROMOTING PEACE           FIGHTING DISEASE
   PROVIDING CLEAN WATER       SAVING MOTHERS AND CHILDREN
   SUPPORTING EDUCATION           GROWING LOCAL ECONOMIES
     That first gift that all started it in 1917 was for the amount of $26.50. If you have never given to the Rotary Foundation, would you consider giving a gift of $26.50 in this anniversary year? If you have given in the past, please consider increasing your gift by $26.50 or more. Thank you for your generous support of the Rotary Foundation!

Club Extension Events

Club Extension Event is planned for November 17 at Sioux Center. If you know of potential members in that area, please contact District Governor Elect Steve Harrington for more information.

Foundation AND Membership Day!

This year’s Foundation Day is scheduled for Chamberlain, SD on Saturday, November 5th. We will have general sessions and then separate tracks for Foundation and Membership. We are bringing in two engaging Rotarians (see below for their bios) from outside the District who are sure to get everyone fired up about all of the good work that Rotary does in the world. All Rotarians in the District are encouraged to attend, especially Club Foundation and Membership Chairs, as well as Club Presidents and Presidents Elect. 2017 is the 100th birthday of the Rotary Foundation, so there will be lots of excitement and awareness of the Rotary Foundation in the upcoming year. This event will be held at the AmericInn Conference Center in Chamberlain (1981 E. King St., Chamberlain, SD 57325, phone (605)734-0985.) We will start at 8:30 on Saturday morning, and will end at 3:30 on Saturday afternoon, which will give most everyone time to drive home on Saturday. A block of rooms has been reserved at a group rate of $89.99/night. Reservations must be made by October 5th to get this rate. If you need more information about this event, please contact Joe Mauss, District Rotary Foundation Chair (joe.mauss@midco.com, or 605-610-5035.)

This event is open to all Rotarians in the District. Presidents, Presidents-Elect, and Club Rotary Foundation Chairs are especially encouraged to attend. Click on the District Foundation Day event link to register for this event.

Rotary International Conference in Atlanta, GA ~ June 10-14, 2017 Register now at www.riconvention.org

“We have chartered a bus to take 36 or more Rotarians from District 5610 to the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta next June,” announced District Governor Ed Jacobson. The Rotary Atlanta Convention planners have at last assigned our group a hotel: The Ritz-Carlton in Buckhead. Rotary will provide shuttle service from all convention hotels to the convention site.
    In planning the trip we believed we had projected a cost high enough to cover any of the Atlanta hotels that were listed on the Rotary website. However, Buckhead is an upscale area of Atlanta, and the cost of the Ritz-Carlton is higher than our estimate. This means that we have to raise the price of the trip by $100 ($20 per Atlanta night) per person for double occupancy and $200 ($40 per Atlanta night) per person for single occupancy. Thus the double occupancy price is now $2,027.00, and the single occupancy price is $3,156.00. The reservation fee remains $500 for double occupancy and $750 for single occupancy.
    Please plan to get your deposit to Brookings by October 1. After that date we will be seeking Rotarians from other Districts to fill up the bus. At last count we were looking for six more couples to make the trip a GO! Final deadline for deposits is November 15.
   REVISED Information is on this District website in the Download section.

Club Visits Schedule from DG Ed

District Governor Ed Jacobson has announced his club visitation schedule, attached to this story, and available in Download Section on right.

Rotary Foundation Celebrates 100 Years!

The year-long celebration of The Rotary Foundation’s centennial was kicked-off at the 2016 International Convention in Seoul, Korea on May 28th. The celebration will mark a century of “Doing Good in the World” through humanitarian projects, scholarships, professional training and exchanges, and the remarkable campaign for a polio-free world.

In 2016-17, Rotary clubs throughout the world have been urged to organize Rotary Days to celebrate this milestone by showcasing the Foundation’s rich history and good work. The resources

Rotary Leadership Institute courses I & II will be offered for the first time in conjunction with the District 5610 Conference this year. Rotarians may complete one of the two courses of the program by attending the Friday morning session and working luncheon, and attending the remaining RLI sessions which will be offered during the District Conference break-out sessions on Friday afternoon and Saturday.
    Rotarians may register for course I, which will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, August 26 at the Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center in Pierre. Registration is limited to ten participants.
    Rotarians who have previously completed course I may fulfill the requirements of the program by completing course II, which will also begin at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, August 26. Registration is limited to ten participants.
A one-time reduced course fee of $20 will be charged for those attending an RLI course during the conference. Clubs will be billed for the course fee of registrants from respective clubs, which must be paid prior to the beginning of the course. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come basis, however, additional registrations beyond the ten maximum for each course will be placed in a back-up position in the event of a cancellation.
   Registrations may be made on the District website by clicking on the event listing, and must be made prior to August 15. Rotarians attending the conference who live a significant distance from where courses are generally offered are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity.
    Please contact me with any questions. —Larry Lyngstad, RLI District Coordinator

Grants Training Scheduled Thursday, April 14

                Rotary Grants Training has been added to the Thursday, April 14 schedule at the District Leadership Training session in Mitchell. The training will be two hours long starting at 3:30 p.m. Clubs officers needing the training should register on the District website by clickin on the Events listing for PETS.

                Grants training is needed by any club expecting to apply for a grant through The Rotary Foundation. The person managing the club’s grant application must show they have completed this training. The training will be conducted by District Foundation Grants Chair Ina Winter of Hot Springs.

                The District Leadership Training session starts with a meeting of District Leaders on Thursday, April 14. Club president training and training for all other interested Rotarians is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. on Friday. All Rotarians are encouraged to attend! The expanded schedule, including the Thursday grant training, is posted on the District website.

Acheivement Award for Public Relations/Public Image

Your club promotes events, hosts exchange students, reaches out to the public with fundraisers, gives scholarships, the list goes on! How does your club website and social media look? Have you used radio, newspaper, TV for promotion? If so, I want to hear about it! There is a Club Public Image Citation application waiting just for you! Read the goals I have established for our District in the January District news and posted in Downloads! I am available to visit your club and provide a slideshow and demonstration of the Rotary Visual Identity. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call or email me at:

605-341-5006 or Linda4Rotary@me.com —Linda Peterson, Public Image Chair

Clark Club Has Heart!

The Clark Rotary Club took the Rotary has Heart campaign, literally to heart! Clark Rotary President, Tom LaBrie latched on to the campaign by coming up with an idea and pitching it to his club.
The idea was founded around Valentines Day. A perfect match with Rotary Has Heart. New member, Margaret Grimm is manager of the Senior Golden Living Center, Member Janet Roehrich is the owner of Roetell Senior Living Center, and Gayle Wookey is owner/manager of the Wookey Assisted Living Center. All three of these Rotarians stepped up to making arrangements in their Centers for the event.

Sioux Falls Downtown Club makes Donation

Monday February 15th was a special day for Sioux Falls Downtown Rotary. The second of three distributions from its $100,000 Centennial fund was awarded to the SculptureWalk Arc of Dreams project.
Monday's $50,000 donation to the Arc of Dreams marks Rotary as one of the largest contributors to this iconic stainless steel structure that will be spanning the Big Sioux River downtown. SculptureWalk Sioux Falls Arc of Dreams project is a privately funded sculpture slated for downtown Sioux Falls.

Global Scholar Reports

Our new Spring term has started at Trinity College and things are already getting quite busy. I am taking a course on Transitional Justice this term, which is taught by Dr. Brendan Browne, a native of Belfast who just returned after living and working in Palestine at the Al Quds University for the past year. Additionally, I am auditing a class titled “Conflict Analysis and Models of Intervention” taught by my professor from last term, Dr. David Mitchell, and I will be attending another one-week residential course February 15-19 at the Corrymeela peacemaking center on the north coast of Northern Ireland titled “Conflict Residential Skills”, and another one-week intensive module in March titled “Conflict Resolution Lessons from Comparative Peace Processes” taught at our ISE (Irish School of Ecumenics) Belfast campus by lecturers from the Glencree Center for Peace and Reconciliation in Co. Wicklow, Ireland. We are also in the process of preparing for our dissertation proposal presentations that we will give on Friday, February 12. I am really excited about what I’m planning to research for my dissertation but will keep you in suspense until it has been approved!

Vocational Training Team member goes to Perú

Linda Peterson, Rapid City Club, joined four other members of the Vocational Training Team for 10 days in the Urubamba Valley near Cusco, Peru. She used her work experience to print the manuals, design a Yearbook for the girls, shoot photos, and create slideshows. Many other tasks kept her busy such as: setup of the room, exchanging English for Spanish with the girls, inputing data for Monitoring & Evaluation for the grant. Discussion is ongoing with the TVN team to discover ways to continue the project after the grant has closed. See the story in February newsletter.
Linda is available to give a presentation about this project anytime, contact her at Linda4Rotary@me.com.

How to have a Vibrant Club?

Does your Club have interested and involved members? Would you like more ideas on how to have a Vibrant Club? Visit Rotary.org for many good ideas and resources.

Has your Club completed a strategic planning session? Download the Planning Guide and get started!

Is your club already a great success and moving forward? Download this year's Presidential Theme and Citation brochure and be rewarded! and don't forget to log your club's goals at Club Central on the Rotary website!

District Conference 2016 Invite

Larry Lyngstad, District Conference Co-Chair and Ed Jacobson, District Governor-Elect invite you to join the Pierre-Fort Pierre Rotary Club in Pierre, August 26-27, 2016. A draft schedule is attached to this story. Register by clicking on the Conference event title on right. View the video and 2016 Conference Cheer on both the District Facebook Group and Page at:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/district5610/

Let's Promote The End of Polio!

World Polio Day is October 24th, to honor the birthday of Dr. Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a polio vaccine. One of the special events that Rotary has planned, in partnership with UNICEF, is a "Livestream" event from New York City at 4:30PM Mountain or 5:30PM Central, on Friday the 23rd. We can watch a global status update on the fight to end polio and take part in the conversation. Guests will include Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners, celebrity ambassadors, polio survivors, and others. Here's the link to the livestream event. http://livestream.com/rotaryinternational/worldpolioday

There are many ways we can be a part of this moment in history. For example:
Host a viewing party, invite friends and co-workers
Have a viewing party in your office! Its at 4:30 anyway!
Write a letter to the editor of your local paper outlining the successes of Polio Plus
Invite local media folks to watch the event
How about this: A FLASHMOB! Arrange a venue with big TVs and a bar!
You can download the official "Tool Kit" here http://www.endpolio.org/docs/default-source/world-polio-day/world-polio-day-toolkit-en15.pdf?sfvrsn=2. It contains lots of ideas!

DID YOU KNOW? Over the past five years, District 5610 Rotarians have contributed nearly $200,000 to Polio Plus!! Donate your contribution today! Our Governor for South Dakota has declared October 23 World Polio Day, I would hope that Districts in the nearby states have also obtained Proclamations. See the download panel for the PDF. Have you contacted your city mayor for a proclamation?

Polio is almost licked, but there's a way to go. Lets do our part!

Rotary Has Heart! ... in District 5610!

Join clubs from across Zone 21b and Zone 27 in helping show how much Rotary cares this year! Let's show everyone in our communities across the nation that Rotary Has Heart!

Rotary Has Heart is the over-arching theme each Rotary club can use to promote the work being done in your community. By using a common theme, and common social media, clubs are able to share their good work with others. Together, we can all help our friends and neighbors see the great work being done each day by thousands of Rotarians.

District 4 Way Test Essay Contest

It's that time of year again when we think about the District 5610 4 Way Test Essay Contest. This is a great way to spread our Rotary ideals into our communities. The contest involves 6th graders and they are asked to write a 200 to 500 word essay on "How can I apply the Rotary 4 Way Test to my life?" You will be amazed and excited at the perspective 6th graders have on our 4 Way Test.

Registration is now open for our District's second annual Foundation/Membership/Rotaract seminar, Saturday, November 7 in Mitchell. This is truly going to be the best one yet. I guarantee that you will leave the seminar with tools to help you make your club a more vibrant and connected club. You will see how your contributions to The Rotary Foundation make a difference in our communities and our world. You will also learn how to engage your new and existing members to retain them and get them active in your club.

I hope you will encourage others to attend with you on November 7th in Mitchell. It will start at 9:00 am and conclude that evening with awards and a banquet. The Seminar schedule is attached to this story.

Conference Agenda posted in Download Section!

The 2015 District Conference begins September 24 with Leadership meetings and dinner. Regular sessions begin Friday, September 25 at 1 PM and continue all day Saturday, September 26. The conference concludes Saturday evening with a Celebrate 100 Years of Rotary in Sioux Falls dinner, Greg Podd, RI Director, keynote speaker, and entertainment by Dallas Brass. Non-Rotarian dinner cost is $32 per person. The public may register for just the dinner by going to the District website, clicking on the Saturday event on the EVENT panel and signing up. We would appreciate getting a count!

Please let us know if you are planning to attend, so we can plan for adequate space and meals. Register by FIRST-LOGGING ON to the District website, then clicking on the EVENT listed on the right panel. That will take you to registration. Club secretaries may also take a role call of their members, and then registering a group of club members by going to Administration, click on Events, click on the District Conference event, then accessing the Register Members function listed on the right. If you have registration issues, please contact Linda Peterson, website administrator.

Welcome to our District 5610 website!

JOIN LEADERS ~ EXCHANGE IDEAS ~ TAKE ACTION

We are PEOPLE OF ACTION!

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

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

International & Zone news

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.

Want to know what is happening in our Rotary Zone? See the Zone July 2015 newsletter in downloads section. Previous issues are available on the Zone 21-27 website link.

District Resource Leader Invitation

District leaders who would like an opportunity to receive training and encouragement to use their skills for the advancement of Rotary, are invited to attend the Zone Emerging District Leader Program (EDL) in San Antonio, Texas, September 16-20, 2015. There is no limit to the number of district leaders that can enroll. This program is for Rotarians who are willing to share their leadership skills at the District level. Attendees will have a very unique opportunity to interact with Rotary senior leaders, to hear and discuss Rotary issues.

Brochures are available from Linda Peterson, or you can browse the Zone website and download the invitation. Please contact Linda Peterson, DG or Steve Sikorski, DGE, if you need further information.

www.rizones21-27.org

District Literacy Book Drive

Norm and Linda Peterson believe in literacy for all people, as the best way to improving your life. As members of Rotary International, they support Literacy and Basic Education, one of the Six Areas of Focus. So they set out on a book drive to collect children and adult books and get them into the hands of people at no cost, no return needed. And at locations they frequently visit, close to home.

Norm Peterson

, 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.

The books were sorted and children’s books were distributed to Dear Ones Daycare, a low-income site sponsored by Cornerstone Mission, and adult mystery novels to the Veterans Center at Cornerstone. WAVI received a box of novels. Lakota Homes Oyate Center received boxes of children, adult novels, classics, self-help and reference books. The Journey Museum received a set of crafts reference books. Pine Ridge Sacred Heart

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.

Norm and Linda spent many hours collecting, sorting, and driving to locations to deliver the books. The books were donated freely and distributing for free.

How to get reports from Rotary Foundation

Club Foundation Chairs: Want to know what your club members have donated to the Foundation? Find in Downloads, a simple 3-page document from Rotary that explains the process.

Club Members: you can also find your own donation record by logging on the www.Rotary.org and exploring the Foundation tab.

Forty2 Solar and Rotary

Pierre Mayor Laurie Gill interviewed Rotarian Chris Maxwell of Peppermint Energy, to discuss the Forty2 Solar Panel project and Rotary's involvement. Follow this link to hear the whole program on "City Limits", recorded for OaheTV.

http://oahetv.com/citylimits

Global Grant Scholarship Applicants Wanted!

     We need your help identifying candidates for this wonderful scholarship sponsored by Rotary District 5610 and Rotary International!
     Successful applicants will receive a $30,000 grant for GRADUATE level studies. Must provide proof of at least provisional acceptance to a university OUTSIDE the USA. Graduate Studies must be related to one of the six areas of Rotary International focus: Peace and Conflict Resolution; Disease Prevention and Treatment; Water & Sanitation; Maternal & Child Health; Basic Education Literacy; Economic & Community Development.
     How to apply:
Application deadline is FEBRUARY 1, 2015. Applications are on the District website.
Applicants cannot be related in any way to a member of Rotary.
Applicants must residents of District 5610.
     Further information can be obtained by contacting: David Lorenz dlorenz@usd.edu — Scholarship Chair

District Raffle Prizes Needed

We will once again be holding a raffle to raise funds for the Rotary Foundation. It is our hope that every club in the District will donate a prize for the raffle drawing and will promote the raffle to club members. In the past we have raised several thousand dollars for the Foundation and, in the process, we have been able to award some fabulous prizes to our members. Two main changes that were implemented starting with last year’s raffle that will continue this year are:
We are asking clubs to send the money directly to the Rotary Foundation rather than turning it in at PETS,
We are emphasizing that raffle ticket purchases are not tax deductible, since there is a chance of winning a prize.
Clubs should submit prize commitments now to Joe Mauss or Mark Barry, District Raffle Co-Chairs. Drawings for prizes will be April 9-11, at the 2015 PETS Conference. If any questions, please contact Joe Mauss joe_mauss@mmi.net or Mark Barry mbarry@dieselmachinery.com

School of St. Jude Support Project

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!
If your club would like to provide support, but do not have the resources for the full donation, here is a great option. Our District sent $1320 in May to St. Jude for this year. We are on our way to making a difference in our world by changing the future for one very poor, bright child in Arusha, Tanzania and helping in the classroom of a very dedicated teacher. Together we are all making our world a better place!!

Rotary Leadership Institute - Be A Leader!

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!

November is Foundation Giving Month

Encourage your club members to give to the Rotary Foundation in November. Use the Powerpoint attached and added to the Download section, to show your members what a great Foundation we have. The Charity Navigator rated our Foundation a four star status, as one of the best of all the organizations we can support.

World Polio Day

Our District 5610 again this year supports the goals of End Polio Now with a personal donation of $40 per person, and a club donation total of $1500. Our District has approved of over $12,000 donation to Polio Plus from our District allocation from the Rotary Foundation. We have given 20

% each year in support of Rotary International’s goals.
If you make a donation to Polio Plus on October 24, it will be double matched by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and you will get points toward your Paul Harris Fellowship award. Download the attached file for additional information and links to videos and graphics.

Solar Projects deploying

The October edition of Rotary Africa features a District 5610 Project! The Pierre/Ft. Pierre Club has teamed up with Peppermint Energy to form their Rural Electrification Project, which aims to provide solar panels to those without a consistent, sustainable energy source. (see story in Downloads) The Pierre/Ft. Pierre club has sent panels to Haiti and Uganda. If you are interested in learning more or participating in this project, please contact Pierre/Ft. Pierre Rotary leadership in the Clubs section.

Friendship Exchange with India

Nine District 5610 Rotarians went on a Friendship Exchange to India, District 3120, January 30 to February 15, 2015. See story, photos and comments in the March news. A slideshow will be created to present at clubs and District events.

The team represents a broad spectrum of our District from Iowa and Minnesota, eastern and western South Dakota, as follows: Patrick and Roberta Clark, Mitchell; Larissa Christensen, Mapleton, Iowa; Linda Peterson, Rapid City; Susan Randall and Mark Sanderson, Sioux Falls; Debrah and Benjamin Vander Kooi, Luverne, Minnesota; and Renu Pandey, Rapid City, South Dakota.

4 Way Test Essay Contest winners due to District

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

Zone Speakers now available!

Posted by Linda Peterson

RI Director Greg Podd has made available all the speakers at Zone Institute in San Antonio. We have added all the Links to Zone on the left, under Links. Copy and paste the speaker link you wish to hear, and follow the instructions. Be patient, the audio downloads could take time. Others provided PDFs and Powerpoints to download to your computer. Browse through this great resource, provided by our super Director and the techno-team at Zone!

Pedaling for a Purpose

Keith Harris visits District 5610

https://www.facebook.com/pedalingforapurpose?fref=nf

Sewing Machines for India

Need Club Participation in Sewing Machines Grant

In 2011-12 our district participated in a Rotary International Matching Grant with District 3120 in India to buy sewing machines for young Indian women so that they could set up their own small businesses. The project was a great success and attached are a couple of pictures for you to see the implementation!

4 Way Test Essay Contest is District-wide

District 4 Way Test Essay Contest - DEADLINE MARCH 15!

It's time for the Rotary District 5610 4 Way Test Essay Contest. This is a wonderful way to spread knowledge about Rotary and what we stand for and to provide a challenge for the 6th graders in your community.

Zone Training Institute

District Leaders invited to Training

All current, future and past leaders of Rotary districts in Zone 27 and 21B are invited to attend Rotary Institute in Denver on September 9-14, 2014. Training is not only for District Governors, but also for Foundation, membership, public image chairs and District trainers. Forums, speakers, and breakout sessions for exchanging best practices will be heard. See attached brochure.

RLI Events Planned

ROTARY LEADERSHIP TRAINING (RLI)

Review the dates and locations around the district listed below.
Tell your club president you want to attend! If you missed a session or two last year, sign up again, to get your graduation certification!

About D5610

Our district encompasses all of South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota, northwestern Iowa and northeastern Nebraska. There are 43 clubs located in small and larger communities throughout the largely rural area. The land ranges from flat farmland, to rolling ranch land, to scenic mountains. The Missouri River cuts through the middle of the district and hosts three large dams, contributing hydroelectric power. Wind farming is also a growing energy field, along with cornfields for producing ethanol. Agriculture is our main economy, with tourism, healthcare, and manufacturing/business contributing to a well-rounded diversity of industries. European immigrants with land grants settled much of the area. The ranches were staked out following cattle drives from the south, and the Black Hills gold rush of the 1880s brought in people from all over the world, including China.
     Some of our most interesting features include: Mt. Rushmore in the Black Hills—a carving of four American Presidents on a granite mountain; Crazy Horse Monument—another huge carving of the Indian chief; lakes formed by dams and stocked with fish; horizon-to-horizon spanning ranches with large herds of cattle and buffalo; charming small towns, and mid-sized cities bustling with business and culture. While the pace of life may be considerably slower than that of the major industrial cities in America, we are proud of the up-to-date facilities, excellent educational and cultural opportunities, and short commutes!
     One of the pleasures of living in this region is the distinct four seasons, from the depths of a cold winter night to the heights of a hot summer day, and every change in-between—sometimes in the same day! The high northern plains are generally dry, while the eastern low lands near the rivers experience higher rainfall and humidity. Hunting, fishing, snow sports, hiking, biking, motorcycle touring and camping are just a few of the outdoors activities enjoyed by residents and vacationers to the area. Symphonies, operas, Broadway plays, county fairs, concerts, hockey, museums, art galleries, restaurants and shopping round out a full spectrum of entertainment available.
     Rotary clubs in our district host exchanges of all kinds, from high school students, the former Group Study exchanges, to sister city and Rotary Friendship exchanges. We enjoy building relationships with peoples from all cultures. Sitting down to a meal and getting to know someone from another country, examining the similarities and differences, and making our visitors feel comfortable and welcome, is a common attribute in all our communities.
     The District and Clubs’ projects range from community assistance to international grants. See the Grants page for more information. Contact any of the local club leadership if you are interested in joining Rotary!

Polio Plus news

Posted by Linda Peterson

Polio Plus news

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

District Grants

About District Grants

Our District 5610 has a Grants timeline for clubs to apply for District grants (see graph attached). Please review the required information needed on the grant application and the grant report. Submit by the deadline listed. Read the District Grants Financial Plan to understand how our grants are administered. If you need to contact the Grants chair, or Foundation chair for our district, see the District organization chart.

District Grants

District Community Assistance Program (CAP) Grants are a tool for Rotary districts to support short-term humanitarian projects that benefit the community. District grants up to $15,000 that need to meet one of the six areas of focus. The Rotary Foundation administers Global Grants. Links for the application forms can be found in the left banner on the District Grants page (click "The Rotary Foundation" tab in the banner above). See the Highlights file for additional information.

Global Grants

Please find the Global Grants information and application on the RI website.

Sushil Gupta resigns as RI president-nominee

A special thank you just in for ...

Early Rotary District 5610 Conference in Vermillion Registration

District Conference 2018 Vermillion Program

RevUp Membership District 5610

2018 District Conference - Please Join us in Vermillion

Record Setting Foundraiser Year

Rotary Friendship Exchange Team Travels to Sweden

District Governor's Message - July 2018

Omniceye Rotary publishes Pine Ridge Services Request Directory

District Governor 2018-19 Dave Lorenz Upcoming Club Visits

Stomp Out Polio at Zone Institute

District 4 Way Test Contest Winners

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

Wow! What a terrific Raffle!

Governor’s Club Membership Challenge April-June 2018

About Friendship Exchanges

Food For Kidz project in Marshall

Rotaract flourishing in Black Hills!

Membership Seminars

Presidents-elect and Secretary Training Features Speakers

CLUB SECRETARIES TO MEET AT PETS on April 13

Support for Water and Sanitation builds

Leadership Institute rolls out for 2018

District Foundation Month Challenge

Marshall clubs at work

District essay contest begins

Community assessments in global grants

Defining People of Action stories

Inspire others through vocational service

D5610 Launches YouTube Channel!

District 5610 Raffle Cooking Again!

MISSION HAITI REPORT

SDSM&T Rotaract members stuff Puppies for Polio

District Conference Survey Results

Register for the Zone Institute

Membership Update

Governor's Message - June 2018

District Administrator named

Foundation Month Club Challenge

District Grants Training Webinars Schedule

District Grants Awarded

Conference Agenda

Danish Friendship Exchange Team

World Polio Day

How to contribute to the Gulf Coast Disaster Relief Rotary Donor Advised Fund

Membership Sessions in Le Mars

Rotary Foundation Goal

Rotary Centennial Plaza in Sioux Falls

10 tips to attract and retain quality members

Youth Exchange Students Arrive!

RLI Facilitator Training

District Administrator position open

Great Job District 5610 Rotarians!

2018 District Conference Update

PEOPLE of ACTION

D5610 Rotary Conference in Le Mars

New! Online Membership Course

News & Events from Clubs

Activities of the Centerville Rotary Club

Rotarian Bot receives Community Service Award

Governor Filmed Presentation & Club Visits Schedule

Membership Matters workshops across the District

Bring your talents to promote Rotary!

District 5610 Grants Highlights

Rotary Showcase

Youth Exchange events

Rotary Leaders Fly to District 5610 to Deliver Membership Workshops

District Foundation Raffle has BIG prizes!

District Leadership Training Seminar

Training for Rotary District and Club Officers Scheduled April 6-8, 2017 at Highland Event Center, Mitchell, SD

Register NOW for Atlanta Convention!

Rotarians in our Zone get recognition!

Working with the media to promote Rotary

Foundation Giving Goal

Club Extension Events

Foundation AND Membership Day!

Get on the Bus, Gus!

Rotary International Conference in Atlanta, GA ~ June 10-14, 2017 Register now at www.riconvention.org

Club Visits Schedule from DG Ed