The Murphys took a two-week break from Rotary activity, enjoying great family time and way too much food and sweets during the holidays.
Now it’s January and I am helping club presidents update Rotary Club Central so that the world knows all the amazing work District 5950 clubs are achieving. Every single club has multiple community projects underway. Almost 75% of clubs are involved in at least one global grant or international project. Many have already held fundraising events that finance the great projects we are known for.
District 5950 is truly one of the top-performing districts in the world. Thank you, Rotarians! I encourage you to access your Rotary portal or My Rotary at Rotary.org, then look at all we are accomplishing.
As you read this newsletter, check out features of the best-ever 5950-5960 District Conference! Short of bragging, we have the absolute BEST Conference committee in place! The event will exceed all expectations for celebrating our 2015-16 efforts. The joint Conference shares quality time with District 5960 Governor Marlene Gargulak and Rotarians to our east. Together, we'll experience powerful leadership development opportunities through life-relevant breakouts and keynote speakers! Please arrive on Thursday -- along with your significant other and/or family. We promise that everyone will be inspired and enjoy this event of the year!
Thank you again for your part in all we accomplish. You are each a gift to me personally -- and more importantly, a Gift to the World!
District 5950 Governor-Elect Mark Hegstrom (Edina Morningside) invites all 2016-17 Presidents-Elect to the North Central Presidents-Elect Training Seminar (PETS)
on March 10-12.
PETS is an annual training event for incoming club presidents in Districts 5950 (MN), 5960 (MN/WI), 5970 (IA), and 6000 (IA). Club President-Elect Nominees, Assistant Governors and Assistant Governors-Elect are also invited.
Register now for the March 10-12, 2016 training at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, MN.
Dozens of District 5950 and 5960 volunteers are already participating in sew-a-thons - - cutting, sewing and ironing components for the 450 feminine hygiene kits that Rotarians will assemble at the District Conference on May 13.
The purpose of these kits is to provide protection to girls so they can attend school and have a more dignified life. These kits can last three years with proper cleaning. Giving a girl three more years of schooling will help break the poverty cycle and be instrumental for positive social change in families and in the world.
Consider how your club can help:
Sponsor a sew-a-thon in your area.
Donate fabric, washcloths, hotel-size soap, or girls’ panties sizes 8-16.
Sign up for the February 18 sew-a-thon at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Eden Prairie. (Family members, friends and Interactors are welcome!)
Sew-a-thon tasks include: Sewing flannel liners and the waterproof shields and bags, turning fabric and ironing, tracing patterns on fabric, cutting fabric, stringing bags, and putting snaps on the shields. Food and beverages are provided. Bring a sewing machine, if possible.
Will you host a sew-a-thon? Contact Judy Johnson to schedule a date. Then get a location, invite people and bring snacks. Judy brings four sewing machines, fabric, and directions for both sewers and non-sewers. She also gives a presentation on Days For Girls, showing the impact this project can have.
Posted by Kevin Ehlinger (Mound-Westonka), Conference Chair
Area 12 clubs invite you to their annual IGNITE 2016 Leadership & Innovation Conference on Friday, January 29. The event runs from 7:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the Lafayette Club in Minnetonka Beach.
The conference shares information in a 20-minute TED-talk format. Featured speakers include:
Bennett Morgan - Polaris
Dina Simon - Simon Says Lead
Lou Abramowski – Unbenchable
Pam Borton - former U of M Basketball Coach, Borton Partners
Glenn Karwoski - University of St. Thomas and The Business of Ideas
Judy Zimmer – Coachology
Jennifer Alstad - BSwing
Area 12 conference sponsors are: Mound-Westonka, Plymouth, Wayzata, Excelsior, Lake Minnetonka-Excelsior, and Orono. Register at www.IGNITE2016.org. Rotary members get a $20 discount by entering the promo code AREA12ROTARY. The Early Bird rate ends on January 18.
Posted by Jody Kern (Edina), District Conference Chair
Mark your calendar for May 12 and 13 at Mystic Lake Conference Center where the 2016 Joint Rotary Districts 5950 & 5960 Conference will “Celebrate Our Gifts to the World.”
New this year will be a Golf Tournament to End Polio and a Welcome Reception on Thursday, May 12.
On Friday, May 13, you’ll celebrate with great keynote speakers, breakouts extraordinaire, special Done-in-a-Day service project, happy hour and dinner entertainment, Hall of Friendship, Rotary Choir, and much more. You’ll also have a chance to meet new friends from District 5960.
Pick up your club’s “President’s Kit” at Mid-term Assembly on Saturday, January 16 so you’ll have registration flyers to share with your club. For more information, see Jody Kern, John Flynn, or Jeanne Zetah at Mid-term Assembly.
Encourage club members to participate in the February 18 sew-a-thon in Eden Prairie, or sponsor a sew-a-thon in your area to prepare items needed for making 450 feminine hygiene kits as part of the Done-in-Day service project. Contact Judy Johnson or Todd Bollig for more information on the service project.
Clubs multiply their money for local and international projects by getting matching funds from District 5950 and Rotary International. To qualify for a matching grant, the applying club must have at least one member attend a Grant Management Seminar (GMS) each year.
GMS sessions that fulfill that 2016–17 Rotary year requirement include:
New Ulm - Saturday, March 19, 8:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (4-hour complete class)
Golden Valley - Thursday, March 31, 3:30-8 p.m. (4-hour complete class)
U of M/Mankato/Edina location - Saturday, April 9, 9:15-11:45 a.m. during the District Assembly (2-hour refresher)
Golden Valley - Thursday, April 14, 5:30-8 p.m. (2-hour refresher)
Golden Valley - Saturday, April 23, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (4-hour complete class)
Monticello - Thursday, April 28, 3:30-8 p.m. (4-hour complete class)
Each club should identify at least one member who will represent your club at a GMS and then lead your grant submissions during the 2016-17 year. Only previously-trained individuals may take the abbreviated refresher class.
Registration materials will be sent to club presidents. Each session is limited to 20 participants. To secure a convenient date, please register promptly!
CNBC, a consumer and business news media outlet, recently named its top 10 charities in the world, ranking The Rotary Foundation (TRF) at No. 5. Charities were chosen for changing the world while maintaining excellent financial standards. Click on link to read the CNBC article.
What is vocational service? If you are an active, engaged Rotarian, you probably view vocational service as a way of life, even if you find it difficult to articulate a clear definition.
The concept of vocational service is rooted in the Second Object of Rotary which calls on
Rotarians to “encourage and foster”:
High ethical standards in business and professions
The recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations
The dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society.
As a Rotarian, how can you put these ideals into action? Consider these suggestions:
Talk about your vocation in your club, and take time to learn about fellow members’
vocations.
Use your professional skills to serve a community.
Practice your profession with integrity, and inspire others to behave ethically through your own words and actions.
Help a young person achieve his or her career aspirations.
Guide and encourage others in their professional development.
If you do any of these things, you are performing vocational service. And if vocational service motivates and energizes you, then you’re in the right place, because vocational service is the very essence of Rotary. It is what sets Rotary apart from other service organizations.
On Dec. 8 the St. Cloud Times told about two major projects that the St. Cloud Rotary will help fund and work on, along with collaborating organizations.
The Southwest Metro magazine featured Eden Prairie Noon Rotary's fun fundraising events as well as how they give back to communities. while promoting SW Metro Rotary clubs.
The Apple Valley Sun this Week has printed 160 articles over the past 4.5 years from the Apple Valley Rotary Club honoring short-term projects and longtime service.
If your Rotary Club has been in the news lately and you'd like the rest of the district to know, please email jeanne.zetah@hotmail.com to share some details and include the link to the article.
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