Immunization is a cornerstone of public health, saving millions of lives each year and preventing the spread of infectious diseases, like polio. Rotary International has spent over 40 years making sure children receive life-saving polio vaccines, beginning with our first immunization campaign in the Philippines in 1979.
As a Rotary member, you are a part of this historic legacy, and we need your help to keep our promise to give children around the world a polio-free future.
Here are three things you can do to support our #EndPolio efforts during World Immunization Week 24-30 April:
Marshall Sunrise Rotary donated $500 to the Mustang Food Pantry. The Mustang Food Shelf is organized to provide food supplies to students of Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, MN.
The Art of Hitting the Winning Run - It’s Spring, baseball, and our District Raffle is in full swing! Batting in the top spot with two grand prize offerings is Karl’s Appliance and their Raffle donations of two GE Profile 2-n-1 Washer Dryer systems. We owe a huge “THANK YOU to Karl’s Appliance and their continued support and generous contributions to our annual raffle event. In all, 30 Clubs have donated prizes. Be sure to look over the complete list of raffle prize donations while visiting the District website. Including the two grand prizes from Karl’s Appliance, anyone who steps into the “Batter’s box” and purchases a raffle ticket, has 32 chances of winning something spectacular! We are currently in a slump when it comes to donating to the Annual Fund. Our total donation level has been steadily dropping over the last couple of years.
The Sioux Falls Rotary West club spent a lovely evening with the children and young adults served by LifeScape in Sioux Falls in late March. While the idea is to usually make a real effort to hide the eggs, when working with these kids we decided to make it a bit easier
On April 4, 2024, the Rotary Club of Le Mars held their Annual Banquet and community celebration. A feature of this event was honoring as Paul Harris Fellows, Rotarians and stand out community members who by living Rotary’s 4-Way Test, have made impacts to the communities they serve.
It’s Spring, baseball, and our District Raffle is in full swing! Batting in the top spot with two grand prize offerings is Karl’s Appliance and their Raffle donations of two GE Profile 2-n-1 Washer Dryer systems. You have 32 chances of wining something spectacular! Sell or purchase your tickets NOW! Make sure you provide the stub information back to your club's President, Foundation Chair or Raffle Ticket Contact by May 10th!
Sturgis Rotaract NEEDS SUPPORT!! They need help reaching their $8,000 goal to purchase and install outdoor musical drums in the City Park. You can donate through Venmo. We appreciate your support!!
The Vermillion Rotary Club provides a free, age-appropriate book for all the Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten students in Vermillion, SD. It is our hope that this small act will help lead to a life filled with reading. Click here to watch the video. The video features amazing photos taken by Lisa Swanson of the children during the book distribution. You'll also get to hear a wonderful reading of Green Eggs and Ham! Thank you to the teachers and staff at Austin Elementary School and St. Agnes Catholic School for your amazing support on this project.
Matt Buley, President of the Rock Valley Rotary Club, recently led a team of Rotarians and Hope Haven staff on their inaugural wheelchair project trip to Uganda. Reflecting on the journey, Matt described the experience of serving alongside Rotary and Hope Haven in Uganda as truly remarkable.
Lily Meunier and Pate Gunderson created and hosted a Kids Trivia on March 17th at Emma's Ice Cream Emporium. They raised money for the Sturgis Rotaract to install some outdoor music instruments in the City Park.
The Sioux Falls South Rotary Club recently rallied together for a cause close to their hearts. With needles clicking and hearts beating in unison, members embarked on a mission to bring comfort to the furry residents of the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society.
On February 29th, The Rotary Club of Rapid City was awarded funding for a Global Grant to provide awareness and education on human trafficking for children and community members living on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. DG RICH BURNS recognized the team effort required to get the job done. A huge thank you to District Rotarians Dr. Ashok Kumar of the Rotary Club of Rapid City and Team Leader; Jennifer Rollins, Sandra White Shield and Tom Katus of the Rotary Club of Rapid City Rushmore.
Through water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs, Rotary's People of Action mobilize resources, form partnerships, and invest in infrastructure and training that yield long-term change. Over the past several years, Rotary has shifted its focus to also emphasize education, collaboration, and sustainability in WASH.
Our district 5610 is partnering to support a WASH grant to help Guatemala. Learn more about the Rotary International water projects happening in all parts of the world!
And, stay tuned to learn more about this Global Grant that District 5610 is working on!!
It’s well understood within the communities that have Rotary Clubs; “Rotary is the Best Kept Secret in Town." It really shouldn’t be that way. As Rotarians, we benefit our communities and “Create Hope In the World” in so many ways that the achievements made, shouldn’t go unnoticed. The same can be said about individual efforts where a handful of people who have the passion, power, and desire to see a particular project through to the end, prefer to stay in the background.
As a member of Rotary, you will have the opportunity to witness and become involved with Rotary’s commitment to developing the next generation of leaders. Your Rotary District (5610) provides programs to help younger leaders prepare for leadership roles and learn the value of service.
Listed below are four programs that are important to us as Rotarians and initiatives you will no doubt learn more about through activities in your Rotary club:
The Le Mars Rotary Club is very excited to be hosting our annual banquet which will be a fundraiser for End Polio Now. The two pilots that flew around the world last year, Peter Tehan and John Ockenfels, to raise money for polio will be our speakers. I have met them several times and heard them speak in Spencer last fall. It is not only a story about their flight, but an emotional message about polio and Rotary's efforts to End Polio Now.
The event will be Thursday evening April 4, 2024 at the Willow Creek Golf Course in Le Mars. Tickets will be $30 with $10 of that going to End Polio Now. This is a fundraiser and it is hoped that your club may raise additional funds for EPN. The Le Mars club has committed an additional $1,000. To register, contact John Schneider
A giant, player-powered video game that encourages movement is coming to Sioux City's Chris Larsen Park. MOVMNT, a new interactive game by playground equipment provider Burke, will be installed in the spring on the active rec lawn near Floyd Pavilion, according to Recreation Superintendent John Byrnes.
Two Past District Governors met at Whiteclay, NB to review and update the Whiteclay Makerspace grant status, on Wednesday, March 6. Linda Peterson, PDG 2014-15 and Ina Winter, PDG 2020-21, inventoried the grant purchases, and posted signage describing the Rotary grant.
Members from Mustang Seeds were the guest speakers at the Madison Rotary Club’s lunch meeting at Nicky’s on Monday, March 3rd. Mustang Seeds, with its rich history since 1963 in Madison, SD, continues to expand into new markets as a trusted seed and tract partner for farmers.
RYLA is Here! Don't Miss Out!!! Applications are being accepted through March 31, 2024!!!!! GreatPlainsRYLA.org is the place you want to go to register and apply! Clubs - have you gone to the website, registered and completed your Club Commitment Form? And viewed the Time Line for deadline dates?
Check out the LEARNING CENTER at My Rotary for courses on Public Image, Membership, Club Leadership, Professional Development , Service and more! This is a great resource to get training on #Rotary! Most classes are 15-30 minutes. Requires a My Rotary account. Visit - https://my.rotary.org/en/
We are thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new Facebook page! In our ongoing efforts to build up our public image, we have expanded our social media presence to a Facebook Page. We invite you to join us on this journey as we take our online community to new heights. Visit our page - https://www.facebook.com/district5610/ - Hit like and follow! We need your support to build our fan base.
This International Women's Day, March 8, 2024 let's come together to celebrate the incredible strength, resilience, and achievements of women worldwide! We invite all Rotarian women to participate in our special campaign by sharing a photo of themselves proudly wearing their Rotary shirts. Let's showcase the power and unity of women within the Rotary family!
Over 60 Rotarians have registered for PELS so far! Now it is time to do some pre-course work at the Learning Center and enter your club goals into Club Central. Click here to register, find access to the Learning Center and Club Central as well as See the agenda.
Next Steps for PELS (President-Elect Learning Seminar)
February has been a busy month! We do not want anyone to miss out on the new District Website page intended for clubs and members to get information and support quickly. Our goal is to provide you resources that help promote your club's community awareness and membership growth. Below are some sections announced in February.
We are excited to announce that our District website has been revamped with a robust navigation that is user friendly, easy to navigate and locate tools and resources quickly. On the Events tab - see District Calendar and Upcoming District Events, Membership Tab - see Membership Club Resources & Membership Roadmap, Foundation Tab see:
Rotary International (RI) is focused on Promoting Peace in the month of February. Today, over 70 million people are displaced as a result of conflict, violence, persecution, and human rights violations. Half of them are children. We refuse to accept conflict as a way of life. Rotary projects provide training that fosters understanding and provides communities with the skills to resolve conflicts. Is your club involved in building peace? Share with us your story!
Just in case you missed the announcement earlier this month, Pam Blankenzee is our newest member to the District 5610 Team as webmaster. In addition to updating our website and continuing to keep it updated, Pam has a wealth of knowledge on best practices to help clubs achieve visibility goals in their communities and throughout the region which in turn promotes Rotary and increases membership opportunities.
She is a Paul Harris Fellow +8 and is also the Assistant Editor for the Scouting Rotarian Newsletter. In addition to supporting our District 5610, Pam is the Webmaster/Social Media Director for District 5870 Central Texas, District 5810 North Texas, and District 5840 South Central Texas.
A $250 grant from Rotary District 5610 turned into more than $1,500 worth of food for Brookings area families this holiday season. The grants were offered to clubs throughout the district specifically to address food insecurity efforts in local communities.
The visit last fall to Whiteclay Makerspace near Pine Ridge by the Widajuri Indigenous exchange team from Australia formed a unique kind of synergy. Both the Makerspace and the exchange team are funded by Rotary grants. The global grant for Whiteclay Makerspace was started in 2020, to purchase equipment and supplies and provide financial support for education in finance and artistic skills.
Members of the Pierre/Fort Pierre Rotary Club helped Feeding South Dakota distribute food to recipients during a beautiful snowfall in Pierre on Wednesday, Valentine's Day. The weather impacted the number of people who came to receive food, and "playing in the snow" for two hours created wet gloves and cold feet, the event was considered a success. Thanks to those Rotarians who gave of their time and spirit to make it so.
You're invited to attend the Trivia Night at the Sturgis Brewing Company on February 24, 6PM to 9PM hosted by the Sturgis Rotaract Club. Fundraiser to support the City Park Outdoor music equipment project. Prizes to win.
Gear up for action for Club Membership! Two dynamic webinars have just wrapped up, unleashing powerful strategies to supercharge your club's membership game. Head over to our district website, https://rotary5610.org, pronto, and catch the replay! Check out the Rotary Membership Roadmap.
While the Membership Chairs and Presidents in your clubs have been on the front lines of recruitment, the call to action now echoes for every member. Rotary's greatness deserves a spotlight, and we need YOU to spread the word far and wide. There are eager community members waiting to join our ranks - all we have to do is extend the invitation!
We are thrilled to announce the launch of our newest addition to the District website - Public Image Resources page! This page includes links to the Rotary Brand Center, Rotary Image and Video Library, the Rotary People of Action Campaign, Logos and more. View here.
This training is a must for President -Elects and other club officers, however is open to ALL Rotarians! The agenda and more information will be posted on the website under training at https://rotary5610.org. This is a hybrid 6-hour training offered online or in locations throughout the district. If you are interested in attending the training in person to build camaraderie with other Rotarians, check with your AG as to the location. Attendees will have several opportunities to win $500 for their clubs. Great training and the possibility of winning prizes....Come and enjoy a Saturday with Rotary friends!
Mark Your Calendars for PELS Training - April 27th
In November, over a hundred years ago, the grade was completed on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River to what later would become the “Meridian Bridge Project” and the founding of the Yankton Rotary Club. A Sand Pump used to complete the grade was being moved to the Dakota side of the River before ice flows had gotten significant enough to shut the entire job site down for the winter. The temporary hundred yard pontoon bridge used for river crossings during the summer was removed and the river left open to allow for “slush ice” movements downstream.
If a person needed to cross to Yankton from the Nebraska side, they went all the way to Sioux City. It was said to be “too dangerous” to make a river crossing at Yankton as winter started to approach. By 1924, the Meridian Bridge was completed and the community benefited greatly from those Rotarians who listened to their local community, met the challenge to “Create Hope”, and accomplished a pretty phenomenal achievement.
It’s that time again to determine your club's officers for the next Rotary year which begins July 1, 2024. Enter the information on the district website
The District Assistant (Area) Governors play an important role in getting information out to the clubs and bringing updates to the District Team. Take a moment and reflect on your AG. Please send the name of your AG and a brief statement about the value they bring to your club to district5610Rotary@gmail.com. A surprise may be coming your way if you respond WITHIN 2 DAYS to this request! We hope we have peaked your interest!
Rotary International President-elect Stephanie Urchick revealed the 2024-2025 presidential theme, The Magic of Rotary, at International Assembly.
"We are not going to end polio or bring peace to the world by waving a wand. It's up to you. You create the magic with every project completed, every dollar donated, and every new member."
Mark your calendar for Tuesday, 30 January when Rotary Club Central updates will go live! Rotary International is updating Rotary Club Central with a streamlined user interface that’ll improve your user experience, including:
• Updating the homepage to take you to the Club Goals page, since goal setting is the primary purpose of the tool. • Reorganizing the navigation so it’s easier to use. • Clarifying terminology to improve readability and alignment with our Action Plan.
Rotary Club Central helps clubs set and report goals, as well as retrieve information and reports for club, district, and global levels.
Our thanks to Jen Albig McKay for providing this quick primer on some of the most common uses for Clubrunner by Rotary clubs. In this video she discusses how to log into your Clubrunner account, how to input new member information, how to send emails, how to record attendance and how to input club officers. Click on the image below to watch this 20-minute training video. You can also view it on the Rotary District 5610 YouTube channel.
Bruce Nearhood will serve as District 5610's Governor for the 2024-25 Rotary year. He produced this quick video with two important messages for 5610 Rotarians.
A brief update on Food 4 the Holidays District Grant
All 18 clubs in District 5610 that submitted an application were funded at the $250 level or above depending on their minimum amount requested. The district used $5,850 to funds these grants. Congratulations to all the Clubs who submitted the application. A special thank-you to Brad Blaha for developing an easy to use application form for this grant!
Due to the success of this grant, the Finance Committee is reviewing the possibility of another District Designated Grant for the spring of 2024. Keep tuned!
We recently got home from our second visit with our daughter and her husband who now live in Maryland. They are still transitioning from the wilderness of Bethel, Alaska to the 24/7 human rat race of Washington, DC. Because none of us have ever seen it, we decided to check out the National Christmas Tree.
I wasn’t sure what to expect but after taking in the whole display, I feel it’s a remarkable reflection of the United States of America. Along with its lights and giant wrapped packages are smaller individual trees representing all 50 states and US territories. For me, this was an amazing “bucket list” experience.
The National Christmas Tree is fantastic on its own but so are the State and Territory Trees. Each individual State tree consists of decorations created by a particular entity within that State. For example, Tri-Valley High School of Colton provided the ornaments on the South Dakota State Tree. Each State’s Tree ornaments had to relate to a particular theme and the Try-Valley Students chose “The Natural Beauty of South Dakota”. Seeing this really made me very happy.
As divided as things in this Country seem to be, we can still come together to create, enjoy, and admire something where everyone is included. We hope during this holiday season you have the chance to include everyone, create hope where ever you are, and enjoy the world around us. It’s pretty terrific!
Take Care, God Bless, and may 2024 be a year of optimism and wonderful possibilities.
Roberta Sanches de Souza Camergo, is one of the Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) students in District 5610 during the 2023-24 school year. She is a guest of the Vermillion Rotary Club. Earlier this fall she did a wonderful presentation to the Vermillion Club that you can view by clicking on the image below. The presentation introduces her host club members to her home nation of Brazil. If your club would be interested in learning more about how they can sponsor a student to study abroad and/or host a RYE student, feel free to email Bill Spindle at william.spindle@sdsmt.edu. If you would like to read the Vermillion Plain Talk article about her visit and presentation you can CLICK HERE to read it on their website or choose the [Read More]link below.
I am excited to announce the Rotary 2023-24 annual District 5610 Four Way Test Essay Contest. This contest is a great way to spread our Rotary ideals within our communities. The contest involves 6th graders who are asked to write a 200 to 500 word essay on "How can I apply the Rotary Four-Way Test to my life?" You will be amazed and excited at the perspective 6th graders have on our Four-Way Test.
You need to find a 6th grade teacher or group of teachers who are willing to participate in this great project. I have found that it is usually easier to approach teachers rather than the administrators as they have so many other issues on their minds.
District 5610 Governor, Rich Burns, announces a special pop up mini-grant program in support of community projects that provide food for the holidays. Check the image below for grant requirements. The one-page application is filled out in a Google form and can be found here: https://forms.gle/LTXWovLUaXy7jcFC9
World Polio Day is on October 24, and Rotary International President Gordon McInally has a message for all Rotarians. Working with partners, Rotary has reduced wild polio cases to just a few this year, but even one is too many. Now is the time to help finally end the threat of Polio from the Earth.
Carmen Hansen of the Rushmore Rotary Club was presented the “Roger Kozak Service Above Self Award” at the 2023 District Conference in Yankton. Started in 2016, the Kozak award is the top honor given to a Rotarian in District 5610 and is given in recognition of exceptional service to Rotarians in Rotary District 5610.
In making the presentation, John Schneider, Immediate Past District Governor, noted that, “this year’s recipient, like most of those who have been honored in the past, probably doesn’t think they deserve this award. This person believes in ‘Service Above Self’ and is a living, walking, breathing example of it.”
Hansen was recognized for her service both in the community and in Rotary District 5610.
Roger Kozak, District 5610 Governor in 2009-2010, strongly believed in the importance of local and international service in Rotary. Each year since 2016 the "Roger Kozak Service Above Self Award" is given to a District Rotarian who exemplifies that service. In the short video below we hear Roger discuss the importance of service. This video was recorded only one or two years before his passing. To watch the video simply click on the image below. To read more about Roger Kozak and past recipients CLICK HERE.
World Polio Day is a day to remind us about our commitment to eradicate Polio.
What is our commitment: In 1978 Rotary chose, as its primary project, a hope to eradicate Polio from this world. We then realized that we cannot do this alone. We started to look for partners and formed an alliance with several nations and organizations with the same vision. In 1988 that alliance formed the” Global Initiative to Eradicate Polio”, where all partners would consolidate their funds and the initiative then will design and implement a program to eradicate Polio from the world. Our Rotary agreed to pledge $50 million each year. Gates foundation joined the Global Initiative later and agreed to match our Rotary Polio Plus Funds 2:1.
What have we achieved: Of the three Polio strains we have already eradicated Type 2 and 3. Type 1 is still active in three countries, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Mozambique. Intense work is being done in these countries to reach our final goal. We have got the commitment from Taliban to help in this effort.
During the recent District 5610 Conference, 24 Rotarians participated in the Polio Walk. Chair of the District's Polio Plus Committee, Ashok Kumar, noted that this first-time event succeeded in both bringing some early morning fun for the participants as well as raising awareness of Rotary's efforts to eradicate polio from the Earth. The walk on the Meridian pedestrian bridge in Yankton allowed the participants to share Rotary's mission with the community and provided a wonderful view of the sunrise over the Missouri River.
At the 2023 District 5610 Conference, DG Rich Burns introduced the new Rotarians of Distinction. The Rotarians of Distinction Award is presented to individuals who through service to their Rotary club and community have distinguished themselves, even among all Rotarians who strive to place service above self. The recipients have traveled different paths in their Rotary service, but those paths have all resulted in a record of service that identifies them as ROTARIANS OF DISTINCTION.
Why Should I Come to the District Conference in Yankton?
What a great question! The short answer is ● To get inspired. ● To do things you wouldn’t normally do. ● To celebrate the accomplishments “Imagine Rotary” is all about.
At the District Conference you will hear from Rotary International presenters how we have and will “Create Hope in the World.”
You will participate in ways your Club and community cannot only “imagine” but implement ideas to create hope.
And together, we will have the opportunity to spend time and reconnect with positive forces who think and believe in a common vision. I can’t “Image” a better place or time to get inspired! See "D5610 2023 Conference Agenda" in the News/Downloads section for a full conference agenda
Please make your Lodging reservation as soon as possible. Call one of them and confirm your reservation, referencing your attendance to the Rotary District Conference. See "D5610 2023 Conference Lodging" in the News/Downloads section for a list of Yankton lodging.
The District Conference is free for all Rotarians to attend, but we do need advanced registrations to help with planning. Please REGISTER HERE or use the District Conference tab at the top of the page.
We are looking forward to seeing all of you in Yankton!
It is time to update club goals for 2023-24. If you are new in the President's role, start by going to the Rotary Club Central Link found on your home page. If more information is needed, please go to Goal Setting.
Rotary Fellowships are international groups that share a common passion. Being part of a fellowship is a fun way to make friends around the world, explore a hobby or profession, and enhance your Rotary experience.
How do I join a fellowship?
Membership in a fellowship is open to any interested individual. You can contact a fellowship directly by using the links below.
Rotary believes in developing the next generation of leaders. Our programs help younger leaders build leadership skills, expand education and learn the value of service.
Interact clubs
Interact clubs bring together young people ages 12-18 to develop leadership skills and learn about the world through service projects and activities. Learn more ›
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards
RYLA is a leadership development program for young people who want to learn new skills, build their confidence, and have fun. Events range from one-day seminars to weeklong camps. Learn more ›
Rotary Youth Exchange
Rotary Youth Exchange builds peace one young person at a time. Students learn a new language, discover another culture, and truly become global citizens. Exchanges for students ages 15-19 are sponsored by Rotary clubs in more than 100 countries. Learn more ›
New Generations Service Exchange
New Generations Service Exchange is a short-term, customizable program for university students and professionals up to age 30. Participants can design exchanges that combine their professional goals with a humanitarian project. Learn more ›
How can you get involved?
All of our youth programs are connected to a Rotary club. To get involved, contact the Rotary club in your area.
Grand Prize: Beko 4 piece kitchen package: (Refrigerator, Range, Dishwasher and Over the Range Microhood). Up to a $6,000 retail value. Sponsored by Karl’s TV & Appliance & Gregory Rotary.
Club
Prize
Brookings
Canby
$100
Canton
Centerville
$100 Visa card
Cherokee
Clark
Custer
Gettysburg
Gregory
Grand Prize: Beko 4 piece kitchen package: (Refrigerator, Range, Dishwasher and Over the Range Microhood). Up to a $6,000 retail value. Sponsored by Karl’s TV & Appliance & Gregory Rotary.
Hot Springs
Le Mars
40 inch TV
Luverne
Madison
Case of Wine from Moose Winery
Mapleton
Gift basket at $85
Marshall
Unique beers Brau Brothers and $100 gift certificate. Value $175.
Marshall Sunrise
Mitchell
Mobridge
Pierre-Fort Pierre
$500 Gift Certificate
Rapid City
a weekend at the Black Hills Terry Peak Lodge condo, accommodations available, compliments of Dr Ashok Kumar, Rapid City Rotary
Rapid City Rushmore
Plant Stand/Step Stool/Chair
Rock Valley
$100 gift certificate to Copper Rose Apparel
Sioux Falls Downtown
$500 Visa gift card
Sioux Falls North
Sioux Falls South
$100 Walmart gift card
Sioux Falls West
$150 voucher for DTSF shopping and gift basket items
Notice is hereby given that the annual District 5610 District Assembly will convene on Saturday, April 29, 2023 at 10:30 AM CT. Please see email sent to you on March 27th for the agenda, minutes from the September 24, 2022 business meeting, the proposed budget for RY 2023-2024, and Proposed District dues per Rotarian for RY 2023-2024.
Please note that all questions regarding the proposed budget should be emailed to District Governor Elect Rich Burns at dg2023rotary.richb@gmail.com and Nicole Rawden at rawdenconsulting@gmail.com, in writing, at least one week before the District Assembly, to be held April 29, 2023. Thank you for all you do as Rotarians! You're greatly appreciated!
Presidents Elect, Presidents Nominee, Assistant Governors, Leadership Team, and Guests please join us for an inspirational couple of days. Join us starting Thursday evening April 27th for a dinner and a great chance to meet you fellow class of Presidents. Friday, April 28th will be a full day of inspirational speakers, breakout sessions, panelist discussions, wonderful food, and networking. Saturday, April 29th we will conclude at noon after our District Assembly and Raffle drawing. A full schedule of events will be emailed to PEs, PNs, AGs, and Leadership Team soon.
Location: Highland Conference Center Mitchell, South Dakota
Please book your hotel stay separately by contacting either of the two hotels connected to the conference center. Please tell them you are with the Rotary District 5610 PETS Conference to receive the Rotary rate. Link to Hotel Accommodations: Comfort Inn & Suites and Hampton Inn
RYLA stands for Rotary Youth Leadership Award. A RYLA participant is selected by his or her local Rotary Club to attend a camp designed to build character, leadership, personal development and good citizenship. The “Award” part of RYLA is the actual scholarship the Rotary Club provides so that a participant may attend camp free of charge. Past participants have had life-changing experiences by attending RYLA Camp, and YOU could be one of these people.
Please see the following bullet points about RYLA:
*It is a week long camp, July 9-13, 2023, held now at Maranatha Camp, Maxwell, NE
*District 5610 started RYLA in 2016 and we partnered with District 5630, who started their RYLA program in 1991. As District 5610 only has a handful of RYLA awardees who go to RYLA each summer, this partnership has proven very successful and a win-win for the students and for District 5610.
*Each District 5610 Club who sends a RYLA student(s) will be reimbursed 50% of the RYLA cost by District 5610. The cost for each student this year is $450.
*Each Club is responsible for transportation for the student to RYLA (see the website for more information).
*RYLA is open for application to sophomores and juniors who exhibit leadership or potential leadership abilities.
*I have personally spoken to past RYLA students who all said they came away from RYLA with new, life-long friendships and a solid understanding and appreciation of Rotary. Each has said they will continue in some way with Rotary be it Interact, Rotaract, or joining a Rotary Club (after college). Some have returned as RYLA camp counselors ~ and one is now the RYLA Camp co-chair!!! One RYLA student even got her parent to rejoin Rotary!
*As Rotarians, we MUST encourage sophomores and juniors we know to apply/attend RYLA as they are the future of Rotary!!
*Another important take away I learned from past RYLA attendees was they were each personally asked by a Rotarian to consider RYLA and to fill out and application.
*Thank you ALL for your help in seeking out those potential sophomore or junior applications you know or have connections with, and to come along side school counselors in your area to assist them in locating these future leaders! Camp preparations are underway and it's going to be a FANTASTIC camp experience again this year!
Should you have any questions or comments, please reach out to District 5610 RYLA co-chair Rene Sorenson
Rotary Youth Leadership Award Camper Applications Deadline Extended to April 15th
My year as District Governor is rapidly coming to an end. It has been a wonderful experience and as was predicted, probably the best year of my life. The last week of May was spent in Melbourne, Australia at the Rotary International Convention. PDG Ed Jacobson, said in his club visit that every Rotarian should attend a District Conference every 5 years. I now say that every Rotarian should attend an International Convention sometime in their life. I found that after meeting members from all over the world, Rotarians are the same all over the world, all being friendly and all wanting to live life with “Service Above Self”. The general sessions are full of inspiring speakers telling great stories of the great work that Rotary does or the great things that Rotary has done to change their own life. There are also dozens of breakout sessions covering all aspects of Rotary. And do not forget the opportunities of sightseeing and exploring the region.
June’s Rotary theme is “Rotary Fellowships”. Rotarians that share a passion, join in a fellowship on an international basis. It is a great way to make friends around the world and share and explore your passion with other Rotarians of the world. A list of fellowships is available on the Rotary website or Google Rotary Fellowship. I have joined the Railroad fellowship and am interested in the Motorcycling and Flying fellowships.
Speaking of fellowship, I have been looking forward to talking about fellowship in my final article. When Rotarians are surveyed about why they join or stay in Rotary, they say that is because of fellowship. In my 38 years of membership, it has certainly been the highlight. Of course, there is the fellowship in our local club, the weekly meetings and working together with service projects and fundraisers. There is another level of fellowship if you attend PETS or the District Conference and become involved on the district level. I have gained many friends across the district from Iowa, Minnesota, and across South Dakota. As district governor, I also have great friends across our Zone and a few around the world.
As I sign off, I want to thank all Rotarians for the respect and cooperation that you have given me throughout the year. When Rich Burns takes over in a couple weeks, I am sure you will treat him the same. And now, the first lady of 5610, my wife and aid Carol would like to add a message.
I have written this message a million times in my head over the past year! However, there are not enough words to describe the rich experiences we have had as John served as District 5610 Governor. From our first club visit to Mapleton, IA to our last in Sioux City, IA we were warmly welcomed and you listened intently to the message and goals John shared. Thank you all for your kindness. Thank you for all you do in your community in the name of Rotary. Most of us take our Rotary membership for granted but in many parts of the world having membership in Rotary is one of the highest goals a person might wish to achieve. I like to say that someone thought enough of you to invite you to join Rotary, so can you find someone you want to see have a Rotary story of their own? Invite them to a meeting soon! Just “Imagine” how Rotary could impact District 5610 with that kind of membership growth! Best wishes to Rich and Kelly Burns on their upcoming year!
Yours in Rotary,
John & Carol Schneider
June Message from District Governor John Schneider
Wow, what a great President Elect Training Seminar we had last month!! Kudos to DGE Rich Burns for organizing the event and thanks for all the District Leaders who were presenters and facilitators. Some portions were recorded and will be available for viewing. The District Assembly was held and I am excited to announce that Dan Cox of Sioux City Rotary Club was duly elected to be the District Governor in 2025-26. Nancy Moose was elected to represent our district on the Council on Legislation and Linda Peterson was named an alternate. The budget was tabled for further discussion and analysis, but the district dues will be raised $5 next fiscal year and another $5 in 2024-25. Look for an announcement of a future District Assembly on ZOOM to be held sometime in late June.
May is Youth Services Month. Our district is involved with the Rotary Youth Exchange and RYLA. I am happy to say that our district will be hosting 3 international students next school year and 8 high school students will be attending the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Camp at Maxwell, Nebraska this summer. We also are involved with the 4 Way Essay Test contest. As I made me club visits, I learned of several popular youth service activities. Many clubs provide scholarships, student of the month recognition, high scholastic recognition and a few host Interact Clubs. Last month I traveled to Marshall, MN to say “a few words” at their meeting when their student Rotarians ran the meeting. I gave a key note address to the Le Mars Rotary Club at their senior recognition noon lunch.
Please be working on my goals of membership and giving to The Rotary Foundation. I know my goal of 10% membership growth is ambitious, but it gets us thinking about it. The clubs that remain active today have shown modest growth this year, so I am optimistic. The raffle brought in over $53,000 for The Foundation, so that is working towards my $250,000 goal. Please turn in your raffle sales money soon so that it will be included this year. Let’s finish the year out strong!!
You should have received an email from me reporting Nicole Rawden’s resignation as of June 30th. She has done a wonderful job as District Administrator and will be greatly missed. She has been indispensable to the past six District Governors and Leadership teams. I met Nicole 5 ½ years ago at the District Conference in Le Mars where she interviewed for the position. I knew she was right for the job even though I was not part of the selection process. Keep an eye out for more information about the selection process later this month.
Happy spring! Three things are top of mind today. First, of course, is PETS or the Spring Leadership Conference. It is April 27-29. Please encourage your President Elect to attend. DGE Rich Burns has put together a great program. Also, beware that the Annul District Assembly will be Saturday morning of PETS to elect the DG for 2025-26, Council on Legislation Representatives and 3 District Nominating Committee Members and approve the district budget and dues. Clubs are entitled to have a delegate for every 25 members. Your President and President Elect has received all this information and some is available on the District Website. The raffle drawing will also be held. Encourage your members to purchase tickets!
Second is RYLA or Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Camp at Camp Maranatha, Maxwell, NE. Our RYLA Chairperson, Rene Sorenson, has done a great job of sending out information on this. Information is also available on the district website. The deadline has been extended through April 15!
Third, we are looking for 3 clubs to host Foreign Exchange Students next school year. RYE Chairman Patrick Morrison and incoming chairman Bill Spindle are the resource for this topic.
This month’s Rotary theme is Maternal and Child Health. I did a little research and found that our district partnered on a Global Grant project in 2019 to serve indigenous pregnant women in North Dakota. We have recently authorized a Global Grant partnership with a club in Uganda to provide wheelchairs and other medical devices for people with disabilities and purchase a new ultrasound machine and train staff to enhance pre-natal care. Our clubs have also done district grants projects within this area of focus. Examples are Sioux Falls West with their Children’s Inn project, Le Mars with their Then Just Feed One packing event and Luverne with their bike helmet distribution.
Please continue to work on your membership growth and retention and Foundation giving; two of my major goals for this year. I’m looking forward to seeing many of you at PETS!
Yours in Rotary!
John Schneider DG 5610
April Message from District Governor John Schneider
As spring approaches we have some very important Rotary Programs coming up. First, PETS or the Spring Leadership Conference is April 27-29. DGE Rich Burns and his committee have been working hard to put together a great program. It involves not only education but also networking and fellowship. Please encourage your president elect to attend and also the president nominee (sergeant at arms) are welcome. In any case, please send someone from your club and I hope that your club would help with the expense of mileage and lodging. In my club visits, I could see a difference between clubs that attend PETS and those who do not. It was very telling when a club asked “What is the Foundation and who is Paul Harris?” Second, applications for RYLA are due by the end of this month. It is a wonderful opportunity and experience for high school students to engage in leadership development in a camp setting. Third, we are looking for at least one more club to host a foreign exchange student. You can find information about all of these programs on the District website or contact me and I will point you in the right direction.
The Rotary theme for March is Water and Sanitation. Water and Sanitation is the cornerstone area of focus. Without that we will not have Disease Prevention, Child and Maternal Health, Economic Development, Education, Peace and Conflict Resolution or an improved Environment. I’m very proud of my home club of Le Mars as water has been a focus of several international projects. Several years ago we were the lead club for a Global Grant water project in Honduras and supported several other non-Rotary projects there. Our members have also assembled Chlorine Production Units to purify water in the third world and most recently supported a Global Grant water project in Tanzania.
Happy Spring and I look forward to seeing some of you in our travels later this month as we plan to attend the gala for the Children’s Home Society in Rapid City and possibly visit clubs as part of the trip.
Yours in Rotary!!
John Schneider DG 5610
March Message from District Governor John Schneider
I know most of us are tired of the cold and snowy winter most of us are having. Forty plus years ago, I have to admit that winter was my favorite season because I loved snowmobiling and downhill skiing. That was a long time ago and seems like a different life time!
We are well into the second half of the Rotary year and we need to be thinking about accomplishing our Rotary goals. Virtually every club I visited expressed concern about membership. Last week our Membership Chairman, Carmen Hansen, invited all the club membership chairs and presidents to a membership ZOOM. It was not well attended! It makes us wonder how seriously clubs really take membership. I think part of it is we don’t take the time to read emails from District Leadership. I know we all suffer from email fatigue, but we are here to help clubs in growing and to prosper. Carmen offers great information and advice about membership and has access to many resources from the Zone level and Rotary International. I have recordings of a recent great three-part ZOOM presentation about membership growth and retention that Carmen or I would be happy to share.
Moving forward DGE Rich Burn’s mind is on the upcoming PETS (President Elects Training Conference). He is putting together a great program for PE’s and he also welcomes President Elect Nominees to attend. The first step to plan PETS is to ask clubs to have their presidents for next year elected as soon as possible so that they may be informed and inspired to attend. As of now, about 13 clubs need to let us know who their PE’s are. I have emailed all those clubs and we will be following up with phone calls.
This month is Rotary “Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution” Month. February includes the first day that a Rotary meeting was held, February 23, 1905. It is now designated as the “World Understanding and Peace Day”. Rotary International supports Peace Centers around the world and provides Rotary Peace Fellow scholarships to attend. The mission of these centers is to “empower, educate, and increase the capacity of peace builders through rigorous academic training, practice and global networking opportunities”. These fellowships develop the skills needed to act as “leaders and catalysts for peace and conflict resolutions both in their communities and around the globe”.
Yours in Rotary!!
John Schneider DG 5610
February Message from District Governor John Schneider
The nominating committee has selected PDG Nancy Moose to serve as the next District 5610 Council on Legislation Representative. The COL Alternate Representative selected is PDG Linda Peterson.
Council on Legislation Representative and Alternative Representative Selected
Watertown Rotarian Wendy Fransen and her husband Ken helped decorate the Rotary float for the 2023 Rose Parade, along with Rotarians from across the US, Canada, England, Mexico and many local Interactors. Rotary started in 1905 when carousels became popular, creating a perfect fit for the Rose Parade theme "Turning the Corner." The volunteers' combined efforts paid off as the Rotary float won the Princess Award. The Rotary float is an annual project for several districts (5280, 5300, 5320, 5330 and 6450), and having volunteers help with decorating was essential to stay within this year's $100,000 budget.
Wendy said, "Having attended 23 Rotary International conventions and participating in various service projects, our work on the Rotary float is at the top of my list for a project requiring hard work and resulting in immense pride!!"
I hope you all had a joyous Christmas and Holiday Season. We have had a great time with our children and their families this past week. The couple days before Christmas were pretty brutal, however, fighting the extreme cold and wind to move snow to get the feed trucks in. I hope the worst weather is over, but some areas are experiencing some large snowfalls as I write this.
January is Vocational Service Month. In my 38 years of being a Rotarian, I’ve been a little confused as to what vocational service means in Rotary. I found an article on-line that explains it quite well. The concept of vocational service is rooted in the Second Objective in the Object of Rotary which calls on Rotarians to “encourage and foster”:
High ethical standards in business and professionalism
The recognition of the worthiness of all occupations
The dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society
As a Rotarian consider these suggestions to put the above ideals into action.
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 other 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.
As I recall my membership in Rotary, I see that our club members have done a good job with most if not all of these points. Some of the most interesting programs that we have had is members or guests talking about their business or profession.
As we begin the second half of the Rotary year, I want to remind you of my District Rotary goals of 10% membership growth and $250,000 in donations to The Rotary Foundation. I will bring these up several times before the end of the year. When Carol and I have confidence in winter weather travel, we will hit the road again to visit clubs and present banners recognizing outstanding donations to The Rotary Foundation.
Finally, I want to strongly encourage clubs to hold their officer elections ASAP. We need to know who the President Elects are and encourage them to attend PETS in Mitchell April 27-29. DGE Rich Burns has great plans to provide a fun, educational and inspirational experience for all who attend.
John Schneider
DG 5610
January Message from District Governor John Schneider
Rotary started with the vision of one man — Paul Harris. The Chicago attorney formed the Rotary Club of Chicago on 23 February 1905, so professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. Over time, Rotary’s reach and vision gradually extended to humanitarian service. Members have a long track record of addressing challenges in their communities and around the world.
"Whatever Rotary may mean to us, to the world it will be known by the results it achieves."
Paul Harris Rotary founder
Our ongoing commitment
That commitment endures today through an organization that remains truly international. Only 16 years after being founded, Rotary had clubs on six continents. Our members now span the globe, working to solve some of our world’s most challenging problems. We’re not afraid to dream big and set bold goals. We began our fight against polio in 1979 with a project to immunize 6 million children in the Philippines. Today, polio remains endemic in only two countries — down from 125 in 1988.
The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into service projects that change lives both close to home and around the world. Since it was founded more than 100 years ago, the Foundation has spent more than $4 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects. With your help, we can make lives better in your community and around the world.
Our mission
The Rotary Foundation helps Rotary members to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty.
What impact can one donation have?
For as little as 60 cents, a child can be protected from polio.
$50 can provide clean water to help fight waterborne illness.
$500 can launch an antibullying campaign and create a safe environment for children.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year fellow Rotarians!
Carol and I have had a wonderful start to the holiday season revisiting Rotary Clubs over the past three weeks. We attended the Brookings Rotary “Hope and Healing” fundraiser for Ukrainian Relief where $50,000 was raised. Later, we attended a social with the Luverne Rotary Club where they presented several Paul Harris Fellows and became a 100% Paul Harris Club. This week we visited the Black Hills and attended the Rushmore Rotary meeting. Northern Black Hills - Spearfish Rotary Club invited us to their Christmas party where 5 of 6 new members were inducted. Then Rapid City Rotary Club had a fun Christmas Party were longtime Rotarian Dr. Reuben Bareis was presented with his Paul Harris plus 7 pin. All examples of the great fellowship among Rotarians and the generosity they have toward their fellow man.
December is Disease Prevention and Treatment month. This is a major focus of humanitarian efforts in Rotary. Consider our longtime efforts through Polio Plus to eradicate polio from the earth. Many of our Global Grant projects are related to safe, clean water projects that enhance the health and life expectancy in third world countries.
As I end the first half of my District Governor term, I want to reiterate my goals for the District. First, at my club visits I spoke about my goal of a developing a program to help our clubs to grow membership. With consultation and advice from other district leaders, I believe that we will be soon putting together a program to assist clubs in strategic planning to help clubs determine where they are and where they want to be and then a plan to get there. Hopefully, this will contribute toward my goal of increasing membership by 10%. I have been encouraged by several clubs with recent great membership gains and enthusiasm in the rebirth and formation of Rotaract clubs. My second goal is that our district contribute $200,000 to The Rotary Foundation. Please consider signing up through My Rotary to make scheduled gifts. It’s nearly painless to give online automatically. $8.34 per month or $100 per year will make you a Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member. $83.34 per month will make you a Paul Harris Fellow.
Finally, I wish you and your Rotary Club a Merry Christmas and a joyous and prosperous New Year.
John Schneider DG 5610
December Message from District Governor John Schneider
Congratulations to Mary DeVany of the Rotary Club of Sioux Falls South, who has been presented Rotarian of the Quarter by District Governor John Schneider for her dedication as a Rotarian and as an Assistant Governor to Rotary District 5610. She has been a resource person for several clubs.
She helped establish a regular schedule of monthly events for her club during her second term as President of Sioux Falls South which included 1 social and 1 service event and 2-3 regular presentations by speakers. Several of their speakers were from outside Sioux Falls and presented remotely, including a Rotary International Director from our Zone. This schedule has been a great recruiting tool for new members to the Sioux Falls South club. She is a constant reminder that new members are not only good for our clubs, but good for the new member and our communities. She had led the outreach of the Sioux Falls South club to Harrisburg, SD for potential new members. Her organization and presentation skills are key.
Mary and her family also hosted a Rotary Youth Exchange student-Awan for six months. Mary and her husband-Rex have one son. She is a graduate of Leadership South Dakota, member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, sings in the choir and is a champion for Lutheran Outdoors. She has been a member of the Lennox Band for over 25 years and plays in the USD Alumni Band.
Mary’s professional career for over 30 years has centered around telehealth. She is the Associate Director at gpTrac for the University of Minnesota as a TeleHealth Enthusiast and Rural Health Advocate helping people visualize how they might use telehealth. Her educational background includes a Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of South Dakota and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications/PR-Advertising at USD as well.
The District Governor Award for Rotarian of the Quarter is a Rotarian who has gone above and beyond and has proven to be extraordinary in her service above self. This award honors one individual each quarter who has exhibited these attributes. Congratulations Mary!
Congratulations to Steve Sikorski of the Downtown Sioux Falls Rotary Club, who was awarded the 2022-23 Roger Kozak Service Above Self Award at the District 5610 celebration conference in Sioux City on the evening of September 23rd. It was presented to him by Rotary Past International Vice President and Rotary Foundation Trustee Greg Podd.
Steve Sikorski is a dedicated Rotarian, dedicated to Rotary, his community and the world. He is very active in his local Rotary club, Sioux Falls Downtown, and has served as president. In our district he was District Governor in 2015 - 16 and has remained active since that time serving as the District Treasurer for many years. One of Steve’s special loves is working with Hope Haven and Rotary to help deliver wheelchairs around the world especially to Romania where he has worked on special projects and has built many bridges of friendship. Speaking of friendship he has participated in and encouraged others to participate in Rotary Friendship Exchanges, helping to spread Rotary ideals around the world. Steve has also worked very hard supporting his college fraternity SAE and is very active in his church. Through his involvement with Master Gardeners he is working with “Ground Works” introducing S. D. Ag in the Classroom so children can learn where their food comes from. He has built over 150 raised garden beds for schools, daycares and churches. Steve is truly a #Service Above Self” Rotarian.
Roger Kozak
Service Above Self Award
“In recognition of exceptional service to Rotarians in Rotary District 5610. This award honors the memory of Roger L. Kozak, long-time member of the Vermillion Rotary Club, who served as District Governor, 2009-10, and who distinguished himself as an exceptional servant leader.” Click here to learn more about Roger Kozak and his Service Above Self.
Past Kozak Award Winners:
2016-17 - Larry Lyngstad, Pierre-Fort Pierre 2017-18 - George Twitero, Rapid City Rushmore 2018-19 - Pat Sutliff, Rapid City Rushmore 2019-20 - Chuck Lindemann, Marshall 2020-21 - No Award (Covid Pandemic) 2021-22 - Dr. Willis Sutliff, Rapid City Rushmore
Good afternoon, Club Presidents and Grant Officers,
District 5610 has funds available in its FY 2023 District Designated Fund account for clubs to use on projects. This is a "Call for Proposals" from clubs to apply for these funds for projects to benefit their communities.
A few notes:
Please use the attached grant application form.
The district requires a 1-to-1 local club financial match. For example, if you have a $2,000 project, the club should provide $1,000 and request $1,000 from the district.
The deadline for these grant proposals is Friday, September 30 with funds being disbursed to clubs shortly thereafter. Those clubs who submitted grant applications in May during the last fiscal year that were not funded will have those applications roll over into this grant round. Projects must be completed within 24 months of receipt of funds.
As with all Rotary grants, these proposals must be for projects that have not yet started. You will be required to submit receipts validating your expenditure of funds, and the hands-on involvement of local Rotarians is required. Projects must involve more than just “passing a check” to an organization. Please email me if you have questions.
You are invited to attend the "Better Rotarians - Better Communities" session at the District 5610 Annual Meeting September 23rd to learn more about how clubs have utilized grant funds to create successful projects.
Application can be found under News/Downloads section on the right hand column of the district website homepage.
Nominations are being accepted for the following District 5610 position:
District 5610 Governor Nominee to serve as District Governor during the Rotary year of July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026.
Qualifications are to have served as a club president for a full term (per Rotary International bylaws), be a member in good standing in a club within the district, and to have been a Rotary club member for seven years before taking office. The successful candidate is expected to fulfill the training expectations and be willing to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the governor.
Nominations or expressions of personal interest should be forwarded no later than September 30th, 2022 to:
A case of polio paralysis has been reported in an adult in a suburban county of New York. This is more evidence that polio is only a plane ride away and that clusters of people who are unvaccinated are at risk of dying or having a life of paralysis if children or adults do not get the CDC recommended vaccinations. There is sewage testing proof that the vaccine derived polio virus is still circulating in Orange and Rockland counties in NY and polio immunization rates there are only 60 %. These are also counties close to NY City so further cases are very likely. Covid is also a factor as children's immunizations have lagged across the US. But what has really happened is there is a large number of people across the entire US who refuse immunizations for religious reasons and other non-scientific reasons. It is now apparent that where there are groups of non-immunized adults and children, polio is a real possibility. This is ANYWHERE in the US, including SD, MN, IA and NB. The United Kingdom has not had a paralysis case but sewage tests in London show they have a similar problem as does Israel. The take home message is to educate everyone you know that polio is not conquered even in the US and anti-vaxxers are playing with fire. Their result may be death or life long paralysis in a loved one.
Worldwide the drive to eliminate polio is steady but not great. The wild virus exists in only Afghanistan and Pakistan, but Pakistan's numbers are up to 7 as opposed to 4 for the entire year in 2021. There are a number of countries in Africa where circulating, vaccine-caused polio is a major problem. This includes Nigeria, Yeman and D R Congo. The new type 2 vaccine that has been developed should help, but many African countries are at war or having problems administering vaccines. I am still optimistic that polio can be eliminated from the world but it is extremely tough. Please continue to support Polio Plus and see that Rotary gets the promised Gates Foundation match of $2 for each $1 we donate to Polio Plus. OUR DISTRICT HAS STEPPED UP FOR POLIO PLUS IN SUCH A WONDERFUL WAY. Thanks to all of you. If you could summarize this for your fellow members and the need to give, I would appreciate it so much.
1. Rotary was the first to promise a polio free world.
2. We have given $2.2 billion to never have another polio victim.
3. Our effort has kept 2 million children from gruesome, terrible deaths.
4. Rotarians have kept over 20 million people from a life of paralysis.
5. Yet polio is still only a plane ride away.
6. Rotarians will not stop until this scourge of humanity is stamped out forever.
August is Membership and New Club Development Month. One of RI President Jennifer Jones' initiatives is to focus on the comfort and care of our members, and Membership Month is the perfect time to make sure that your club provides a welcoming experience. Members are more likely to stay if we listen to them and understand what they want out of Rotary. Here are a few ideas for helping people feel valued and involved:
"Imagine One's Dream" a limited edition print, signed and dated by Darren Jones, a Chicago artist and brother to Jennifer Jones, will be auctioned at the 2022 District Rotary Conference in Sioux City. The auction will be at the Friday evening banquet and the profit will be designated for the Polio Plus fund.
The "Imagine One's Dream" original painting was a combination of acrylic paints, industrial staples, shredded studio paperwork, plaster and beach sand painted on wooden panel. For this piece, Jones used beach sand from their family cottage in Ontario, and paper he shredded and used from the Rotary website to include the "Objects of Rotary and the Four Way Test." After the textures were layered and dry Jones said he began the colour process by literally applying paint to his hands and then onto the panel. The colour pallette was inspired by the colours of Rotary and the Presidential theme. "The gradient shading is also done on purpose to create a more landscape emotion, representing the horizon we all walk towards!!" states Jones.
The numbered print includes a signed Certificate of Authenticity and is valued at $800. It has been beautifully framed in brushed silver as suggested by the artist. It would be a beautiful addition to a home or office to reflect the importance Rotary plays in the lives of people around the world.
"Imagine One's Dream" a limited edition print, signed and dated by Darren Jones, a Chicago artist and brother to Jennifer Jones, will be auctioned at the 2022 District Rotary Conference in Sioux City
Wow! What a wonderful start to the Rotary year. As you read this I will have completed all of my
club visits. Carol and I have had a great experience meeting Rotarians and visiting the service projects all over the District. So many of our clubs are instrumental in improving the quality of life in their communities. Rotarians are very kind, welcoming and complimentary people.
I’m biased, but I am so proud of the District Conference that was held last month. We had great speakers and breakout sessions. I’m sure all who attended went home energized and educated about Rotary. Thanks to PDG Steve Harrington and his committee for putting it all together! Thanks also to the Plymouth County Pork Producers for grilling us such tasty pork Chops. Congratulations also go out to the 10 Rotarians of Distinction, Roger Kozak Award winner Steve Sikorski and Rotarian of the Quarter Mary DeVany! Congratulations to the clubs who received certificates for Membership Growth, Foundation Giving and Polio Plus Giving.
Monday October 24th is World Polio Day. I hope your club has some kind of a plan to celebrate the great progress Rotary has made over the past 35 years in our attempt to eradicate Polio. Also, I hope our clubs have some kind of fundraising project for Polio Plus. Here are some ideas; (https://www.endpolio.org/world-polio-day). If you haven’t already, read District Polio Plus Chairman Willis Sutliff’s article about Polio.
October is also Community Economic and Development Month. The District Grants Committee recently reviewed the District Grant applications. We reviewed outstanding projects that relate to this month’s theme. As I said earlier, Rotarians make a great impact on their communities. Please make sure you give Rotary credit by using appropriate signage to inform the community of your work. The Rotary Wheel speaks volumes! Public Image Chairman, Kay Norton, would be happy to help you with that. Make sure you watch the photo slideshow on the district website or click the Imagine Rotary logo below to see photos of the great work Rotarians do.
I’m looking forward to the rest of the Rotary year to work on my goals of Membership, Foundation Giving and Ending Human Trafficking Global Grants. Every Rotary Club with very few exceptions has brought up the concern of building membership. District DG Line and the Membership Committee will be working on a plan to help clubs with that challenge. When your club receives information about our plans, please take advantage of our help.
The District Governor Award for Rotarian of the Year is presented to Don Norton. He is a Rotarian who has gone above and beyond and has proven to be extraordinary in his service above self. This is a new award this Rotary year that will serve to honor one individual who has exhibited these attributes. Congratulations Don!
Don Norton enjoys transforming communities and improving people’s lives through Rotary. He has just completed his second term as President of the Rotary Club of Brookings, South Dakota, where he is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow. He serves as the Grants Chair in District 5610. He has been a Rotarian for 26 years.
Don also helps build the leadership capacity of communities across the state as CEO of the South Dakota Agricultural and Rural Leadership Program (SDARL), focusing on developing the skills, knowledge, and character of leaders through training seminars.
Don’s background is in education and communication. He taught more than 20 communication courses at the college and university level, and has received four Associated Press News Awards for broadcast journalism, including as a news anchor/reporter at WGN Radio in Chicago. He has a Master of Arts Degree in Communication from Western Illinois University, and is certified in Non-Profit Management from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. He is a Maxwell Leadership certified trainer, speaker and coach.
Prior to joining SDARL, Don directed the leadership programming and served as CEO of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program. He has led leadership classes to China, India, Japan, Panama, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Scotland, and held leadership seminar meetings in Russia and Ukraine.
Don and his wife, Kay (the District 5610 Public Image Chair), have two grown sons. They enjoy singing special programs at retirement and nursing homes, and carry on a Brookings tradition with the Hopeful Spirit Chorale, a group that lifts up the spirts of the homebound and those in hospice.
Tahiry Razafimanjato has been presented Rotarian of the Quarter for his dedication to Rotary and District 5610. Tahiry started Sturgis Rotaract Club, and is past president of Northern Black Hills Rotary Club, and a member of the District Membership Committee. Tahiry joined Rotary in 2015 at Northern Black Hills Rotary. Rotary was not something new for him. He grew up in a Rotarian environment in Madagascar; his dad is a long time Rotarian. Her sister and brother are also all Rotarians. For Tahiry, Rotary means more than a service. He considers Rotary as a way of life.
The District Governor Award for Rotarian of the Quarter was presented to Tahiry Razafimanjato he is a Rotarian who has gone above and beyond and has proven to be extraordinary in his service above self. This was a new award in Rotary Year 2021-22 that served to honor one individual each quarter who has exhibited these attributes. Congratulations Tahiry!
Rotary International President Jennifer Jones imagines a Rotary where members act to make their dreams become reality and make the most of their club experiences. During her year, Jones will focus on four presidential initiatives that Imagine Rotary: advancing our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI); creating a welcoming club experience; empowering girls; and expanding our reach.
Imagine: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Diversity is one of Rotary's longstanding core values and greatest strengths. Jones knows there is more to be done to ensure that Rotary's culture exemplifies our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Rotary, with input and guidance from the DEI Task Force, has strengthened our commitment to DEI, resulting in a greater focus on celebrating every individual's contributions, advancing equity, and creating a more welcoming and inclusive culture.
President Jennifer Jones encourages each of us to do our part to ensure Rotary is a welcoming and inclusive community by:
Learning more about DEI in Rotary, including understanding definitions and how to celebrate and respect our differences.
Determining why DEI matters to our club and community and how using DEI principles can help our club grow and become stronger.
Raising awareness of DEI, including creating a DEI committee in your club that reflects the demographics of your community.
Taking action on DEI in our club and community for instance educating yourself about underrepresented groups in your community in order to become a more knowledgeable and effective advocate for DEI.
Learn more and take action by reading the DEI presidential brochure. Find additional resources on our DEI web page. Watch what Jones hopes to accomplish with DEI (download).
Imagine a welcoming club experience: Comfort and Care
Rotary has an important role to play to ensure that the club environment and experience is welcoming, inclusive, and enjoyable for all members and participants. Surveys show that comfort and care is the single greatest driver of satisfaction and our most powerful tool for retention. This begins with listening to and understanding what members and participants want out of their Rotary involvement. We often speak of the importance of "exit interviews" to better understand why former members leave. But why wait for them to leave? Jones urges club leaders to incorporate "entrance interviews" as well to understand the needs and expectations of new members at the outset. And of course, be sure to regularly survey all existing members, to ensure they have an opportunity to share thoughts about their membership experience.
Watch Jones talk about her Comfort and Care initiative (download)
Empowering Girls
Jones will continue past RI President Shekhar Mehta’s Girls Empowerment initiative, recognizing that empowered girls become empowered women. Share your Girls Empowerment projects on Showcase.
Imagine Impact: Expanding Rotary's reach media tours
Imagine Expanding Rotary's Reach Throughout the year, Jones will visit eight service projects that represent each of Rotary's areas of focus and polio eradication. The tour will provide examples of how Rotary can make a measurable difference, while introducing Rotary to new audiences and potential partners and influencers.
The Rotary Clubs of Sioux City and Le Mars will welcome members from 40 clubs from Iowa and South Dakota at its District Conference featuring Navy Seal Boyd Renner as a keynote speaker Sept. 23-24 at Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center in Sioux City, IA.
Renner will speak Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m. A limited number of tickets will be available to the public.
Renner served for more than 23 years with the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, also known as SEAL Team Six SEAL Team Six has been known as the U.S. Navy's premier hostage rescue and counter-terrorism unit. He also served with SEAL Team Two for four years and held every enlisted rank from Seaman Recruit to Master Chief Petty Officer before he became a Chief Warrant Officer in 2010.
After 9/11, he completed 10 tours in Afghanistan and 2 tours in Iraq and was deployed in Albania, Sarajevo and to the Arabian Peninsula.
Besides the Navy & Marine Corps Life Saving Medal, Renner’s many awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Army Commendation Medal -- all for valorous actions.
While in the Navy, Boyd earned a business degree from Saint Leo University and a master's degree in project management from Penn State University.
Today Boyd is a recognized keynote speaker and a co-founder of Endeavor Life Sciences, a company that has patented a way to safely add DNA to a new or existing tattoo and jewelry. He is currently the Chief Operations Officer at FINAO Coastal Group in Virginia Beach Virginia.
In addition to the address by Renner the Rotary conference will feature meetings on the Rotary mission of service and ideas and new initiatives for district clubs.
Rotary International projects fight polio and disease, provide clean water and sanitation, support mothers and children, promote literacy and economic development and protect the environment.
Navy Seal to Address District Rotary Conference September 23
On July 1, John Schneider assumed the volunteer post of Rotary International District Governor for 2022-23. As Governor, he serves as a guide and resource along with his district leadership team for the clubs in District 5610 encompassing all of South Dakota, northwestern Iowa, and southwestern Minnesota. John will serve through June 30, 2023. Attached is a link to incoming District Governor John Schneider's club visit schedule. As incoming Presidents for 2022-23 please review the schedule and please confirm the scheduled date, time, and location with District Governor 2022-23 John Schneider at 1-712-540-4250 or by email at jsswine@midlands.net.
“In life’s journey, a bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you refuse to make the turn”. In 2018, Penny and I decided that I should embark on this “journey” of serving as this District’s 2021-2022 District Governor. I can honestly say that it was not without a certain degree of concern and trepidation (what am I getting myself into??) that I jumped into the commitment. It’s definitely been a ride, and one I will always look back on with (mostly) fond memories. I need to use that well-worn and somewhat trite phrase that “it seems like only yesterday” …because its so very true! There were certainly moments when I doubted my sanity (and so did my wife), but luckily, there has always been my amazing team of committed, kind and forgiving Rotarian leaders to support me, pick me up when I was down, gently correcting me when I started down the wrong path, and always, always cheering me on when things were going as planned and even when they weren’t.
My wife, Penny, has been my constant supporter, editor, strategist, tech advisor and head cheerleader throughout the past three years, and I will always be grateful for her support, her love, and the occasional “nudge” when I needed it!
Nicole Rawden has been there for me always and has such an amazing talent to remind me of things before I even know I’ve forgotten them, to pull out information that I could spend a week searching for in minutes, and to always be there, even late nights and early mornings, to help me do my job better than I could ever hope to do it myself.
We have an amazing “DG Track”. IPDG Dan has been a wealth of information and advice when I was facing difficult decisions, and DGE John has become a close friend, always there to laugh together and sometimes have those uncomfortable talks about difficult decisions. I’m confident that John will be an excellent DG and further advance our District in positive ways! DGN Rich and DGND Bruce are both in the midst of DG training, and I feel both possess the right stuff to be great DG’s.
Our Leadership team for the past year is one of the main reasons for the successes we’ve enjoyed as a district this year! We’ve grown, we’ve established broader and well-structured committees, we’ve developed new long-standing programs that will continue on for many years and we’ve definitely gotten the train back on the tracks after two long years of COVID pain. I’m so grateful for all the work, much of which has gone unseen by most, that District Chairs and their committees have performed. I could write a long essay on all the wonderful successes I’ve seen this year that have been performed with little fanfare, just because “it was the right thing to do”!
The other main reason for the successes our district has enjoyed this year is YOU! You are the club member that shows up to meetings, volunteers to chair projects, comes up with new innovative ideas, brings that friend or neighbor who becomes a great member, and who gives freely of his or her time and talents and treasures to make our District and our organization stronger! Never hesitate to take the next step… to chair the committee, to serve on the Board of Directors, to be an Assistant Governor, or to serve in a district leadership committee. Our success is due to people that our willing to take the next step. I know that I will never regret my decisions to do so!
Which brings me back to my opening quote…although I don’t know where I might land in my next Rotary adventure, I do know that this is definitely just a “bend in the road” and not “the end of the road”. I ask that as you thoughtfully consider the next step in your Rotary journey, and that you think and move forward boldly. I can promise that you won’t regret it! Thank you all for allowing me to serve as your District Governor. It’s been my honor and my privilege and given me many forever memories.
The Trail of Governors Foundation wishes to thank the Rotary Clubs of District 5610 who generously supported the Sponsorship of the statue of former Governor and long time Rotarian, Dennis Daugaard, whose statue was added to the Trail in 2019. All Rotarians are invited to attend the unveiling of the statues of the final three of the 31 former governors who will join the Trail at 10:00AM on Friday, June 17, 2022 in the rotunda of the State Capitol.
The Club Donors are as follows: Sioux Falls Downtown, Pierre-Ft. Pierre, Mitchell, Mobridge, Winner, Centerville, and Hot Springs.
Also, received were individual contributions from Rotary members and Rotary friends in Sioux Falls, Pierre, Hot Springs, Rapid City, Salem, Spearfish, Wagner, Winner, Vermillion, Yankton and Dell Rapids. All donors are recognized on the Foundation website: www.trailofgovernors.com and as a Sponsor, Rotary District 5610 is included on the bronze plaque that accompanies Governor Daugaard's statue.
The drive to eliminate polio from the world forever seems like a rollercoaster ride with emotional highs and lows. This continued last year but with a high in the real progress made in Afghanistan and Pakistan and lows in Israel having a circulating vaccine paralysis case and Malawi having a wild polio case. Overall however we showed excellent progress by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.* Afghanistan cases dropped from 141 cases in 2020 to 4 cases in 2021. Pakistan has dropped to only 1 case in 2021. And it occurred in Jan. 2021 so Pakistan has been without a polio case for 14 months. Covid caused a hold in giving vaccinations for a few months so we were pleasantly surprised to see the drop in cases in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They probably occurred due to a decrease in travel.
A Plane Ride Away
You likely saw on line or on the news that a case of wild virus polio occurred in Africa in Malawi. The genetic tests of the virus showed the origin of the virus was from Pakistan. This demonstrated the importation by international travel. The case has been surrounded by an emergency vaccination task force. It has encircled the case and is giving vaccination in concentric circles around the case until no more virus is detected in sewage and no cases in children. Africa still is considered polio free as the case is contained. This case graphically illustrates that “polio is just a plane ride away” from all of us. Another case of vaccine derived polio paralysis in Israel shows that a pocket of anti-vaxxers can put a large community at risk of polio. The case occurred in a group of Israelis who for religious reasons avoided vaccines. Groups like this could derail Rotary’s long and expensive effort to eliminate polio from the world. So please, please vaccinate your children and educate your family members to see their children are all vaccinated. Other favorable facts show that circulating virus polio cases decreased from 959 in 2020 to 38 cases in 2021.
Vaccinator Deaths in Afghanistan
Sadly the polio elimination drive saw the brutal killing of 9 more workers in Afghanistan. I personally got to meet some of the brave Afghan women vaccinators two years ago and saw how strong and committed they are to getting rid of the scourge of polio. And they all were well aware that they could be giving the ultimate sacrifice. Please tell your clubs about them and their bravery. I hope there can be money raised in their name by our clubs and district so we can be sure their lives have not been given in vane. I also hope you can talk to your members about the fact that groups of unvaccinated children could bring polio back to the United States and ruin the effort to eliminate polio from the world for good. We must continue vaccinating every child in the US.
*Global Polio Eradication Initiative members are; Rotary International, the Gates Foundation,UN WHO and UNICEF and US CDC.
The District Governor Award for Rotarian of the Quarter is presented to Jennifer Rollins she is a Rotarian who has gone above and beyond and has proven to be extraordinary in her service above self. This is a new award this Rotary year that will serve to honor one individual each quarter who has exhibited these attributes. Congratulations Jennifer!
Jennifer Rollins is a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel having served 22 years in active duty as a B-1 Bomber aviator. She was stationed throughout the U.S. as well as Europe and Africa and deployed a total of 10 times. She now devotes her time to multiple volunteer passions. Having grown up near the mountains in Utah, Jennifer has a passion for downhill ski racing and recently served on the U.S. Ski Association Master’s Division Board of Directors. Furthermore, she interviews and evaluates candidates as a College Rep for the U.S. Air Force Academy. But her ultimate community passion is Rotary and became a member of Rushmore Rotary in 2013. Along with involvement on various club committees, she also attended a service project mission to Guatemala and two Friendship Exchanges. Jennifer is in her second year serving as the chairperson for the District Global Grant/Vocational Training Team subcommittee, with special focus on project initiatives to address human trafficking. In 2021, she graduated from Leadership South Dakota and looks forward to putting her collective experience into action as President of Rushmore Rotary 2022-2023.
During the recent District Assembly for District 5610, Rotarian Bruce Nearhood was elected to the position of District Governor Nominee (DGN) for the 2022-23 Rotary year. The following year, 2023-24, Bruce will serve as the District Governor Elect (DGE) and he will serve as the District Governor (DG) in 2024-25.
Bruce, a member of the Rapid City Rushmore Club since 1987, has served as Club President, and also has held club leadership roles as Foundation Chair and Membership Chair, successfully launching effective growth and retention campaigns for his club and personally sponsoring eight new members. As a proven District leader, Bruce served as 5610 Foundation Chair from 2011-15 and was most recently co-chair of the 2021-22 District Conference. He also was a facilitator for the Rotary Leadership Institutes from 2010-19.
Bruce’s service through Rotary has extended far beyond the boundaries of our District. He has participated in five Rotary-sponsored humanitarian trips, four to Haiti and one to Guatemala. He and his wife were part of Friendship Exchanges to Italy and Japan. A passionate supporter of The Rotary Foundation, Bruce is a member of the Paul Harris Society, is a major donor, and a Level 5 Bequest Society member. Bruce has continued to expand his well-rounded knowledge of Rotary International by attending three Rotary International Conventions.
Bruce Nearhood will serve as District Governor for Rotary Year 2024-25
-Part of a Quarter Million Dollar Multi-District Effort; Other Donations Also Being Rushed to War-Torn Country
Rotary International is noted for its global healthcare response, especially as a major sponsor of polio eradication, clean water sources, and more. And now District 5610, which includes all Rotary clubs in South Dakota as well as portions of Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska, will send $25,000 toward emergency supplies to healthcare workers in Ukraine to assist with the urgent need in that war-torn country.
District 5610 was awarded $25,000 in disaster relief funding from The Rotary Foundation to provide "Shipping of Emergency and Healthcare Supplies for front-line emergency workers, hospitals, clinics, and physicians in Ukraine." The district is one of 10 working together on a joint project to support the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America (UMANA). This multi-district Disaster Grant will provide $250,000 toward airlifting pallets of supplies into Ukraine.
Crews are assembling medical supplies (tourniquets, gauze with blood clotting powder, etc), survival food supplies and emergency aid in a warehouse in Illinois, with 330 pallets already assembled. But this isn’t the only Rotarian response to the Ukrainian crisis.
“District 5610 Rotarians also have already contributed more than $20,000 to Ukrainian support through Hope Haven, an international ministry that provides wheelchairs to those in need,” said District 5610 Governor Doug Lind. And, noted District 5610 Foundation Chair Dan Little, the district also is working on a streamlined District grant of at least $10,000 to the Rotary Club of Barlad, Romania for humanitarian relief for Ukrainian refugees.
“This will bring current and anticipated District 5610 contributions to Ukrainian aid to more than $55,000,” said Little.
Any contributions to the Rotary Foundation Disaster Fund prior to April 30, 2022 will all be allocated to Ukrainian Aid. Rotarians may donate through their MyRotary account online, designating “Ukrainian Disaster Fund,” and others may give by logging in to https://my.rotary.org/en/donate and choosing “Disaster Response Fund.”
“Many people are watching the news and wondering, ‘What can I do to help?’ and feeling helpless,” said Little. “Making a donation to this effort is one way to make a direct difference in the life of someone who is suffering.” Added District Governor Lind, “The respected reputation of Rotary International and its Foundation for being able to penetrate boundaries and provide global assistance makes this donation opportunity a very good choice for anyone wishing to help.”
The drive to eliminate polio from the world forever seems like a rollercoaster ride with emotional highs and lows. This continued last year but with a high in the real progress made in Afghanistan and Pakistan and lows in Israel having a circulating vaccine paralysis case and Malawi having a wild polio case. Overall however we showed excellent progress by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.* Afghanistan cases dropped from 141 cases in 2020 to 4 cases in 2021. Pakistan has dropped to only 1 case in 2021. And it occurred in Jan. 2021 so Pakistan has been without a polio case for 14 months. Covid caused a hold in giving vaccinations for a few months so we were pleasantly surprised to see the drop in cases in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They probably occurred due to a decrease in travel.
A Plane Ride Away
You likely saw on line or on the news that a case of wild virus polio occurred in Africa in Malawi. The genetic tests of the virus showed the origin of the virus was from Pakistan. This demonstrated the importation by international travel. The case has been surrounded by an emergency vaccination task force. It has encircled the case and is giving vaccination in concentric circles around the case until no more virus is detected in sewage and no cases in children. Africa still is considered polio free as the case is contained. This case graphically illustrates that “polio is just a plane ride away” from all of us. Another case of vaccine derived polio paralysis in Israel shows that a pocket of anti-vaxxers can put a large community at risk of polio. The case occurred in a group of Israelis who for religious reasons avoided vaccines. Groups like this could derail Rotary’s long and expensive effort to eliminate polio from the world. So please, please vaccinate your children and educate your family members to see their children are all vaccinated. Other favorable facts show that circulating virus polio cases decreased from 959 in 2020 to 38 cases in 2021.
Vaccinator Deaths in Afghanistan
Sadly the polio elimination drive saw the brutal killing of 9 more workers in Afghanistan. I personally got to meet some of the brave Afghan women vaccinators two years ago and saw how strong and committed they are to getting rid of the scourge of polio. And they all were well aware that they could be giving the ultimate sacrifice. Please tell your clubs about them and their bravery. I hope there can be money raised in their name by our clubs and district so we can be sure their lives have not been given in vane. I also hope you can talk to your members about the fact that groups of unvaccinated children could bring polio back to the United States and ruin the effort to eliminate polio from the world for good. We must continue vaccinating every child in the US.
*Global Polio Eradication Initiative members are; Rotary International, the Gates Foundation,UN WHO and UNICEF and US CDC.
PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE FOR DISTRICT 5610 PETS/DISTRICT ASSEMBLY
April 7-8-9, 2022 Highland Conference Center, Mitchell, SD
2022-23 DISTRICT 5610 PETS and DISTRICT ASSEMBLY
“CELEBRATING SERVICE ABOVE SELF”
You'll enjoy hands-on, interactive training on topics that will help you have a very successful year as a Rotary Club leader. And don't forget the fellowship, food, and opportunity to network with friends old and new. SPECIAL SESSION FOR ASSISTANT GOVERNORS! Nothing boring about this PETS - we're planning to have fun while we prepare for next year - and having you there will make it even better!
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Thursday, April 7: 5:30 p.m. - Social hour and informal supper, THE DEPOT
Friday, April 8: 9:00 a.m. – PETS SESSION I GOAL: Obtain preliminary skills needed to effectively lead a Rotary Club in District 5610 Welcome from DGE John Schneider and interactive sessions helping incoming Club Presidents prepare for their year of leadership
9:00 a.m. – A.G. SESSION GOAL: Strengthen AG role to benefit Clubs and District Discussion of the responsibilities of A.G.s and strategies for great relationships with Clubs in your area (A.G.s are asked to attend PETS sessions after completion of this A.G. session)
12:00 p.m. – LUNCH. Colors presented by the Mitchell V.F.W. And you’ll be INSPIRED by our VERY SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER – V.J. Smith
1:30 p.m. – PETS SESSION II GOAL: Learn how to use specific processes to streamline successful Club procedure “Practice with Parliamentary Procedure,” discussion on “How to Empower Your Club’s Secretary and Treasurer,” and “Tips on Writing Successful Rotary Grants”
3:00 p.m. – PETS SESSION III GOAL: Learn about the Rotary Trilogy and how these teams build synergy and success District leaders will discuss “Membership Strategies to Strengthen your Club,” “Using Public Image to Tell Your Story,” and “Growing your Club’s Foundation Impact” 5:30 p.m. – SOCIAL HOUR, followed by 6:30 p.m. DINNER. A fun evening of fellowship and laughter!
Saturday, April 9: 9:00 a.m. – PETS SESSION IV GOAL: Review resources and encourage effective leadership We’ll share resources available to help ensure your success, and then introduce a District 5610 panel of extraordinary Rotarians who will discuss “Leadership in Times of Change.”
11:00 a.m. – DISTRICT ASSEMBLY
12:00 p.m. – ADJOURN TO SERVICE ABOVE SELF
(NOTE: Subject to change and details to be announced. Scheduled times will be allowed for breaks and networking.)
Hotel room blocks are available at The Hampton Inn Mitchell 605-995-1575 and Comfort Inn & Suites 605-990-2400. When booking your hotel be sure to mention Rotary 5610.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security plays a large role in the fight against human trafficking with efforts called the Blue Campaign. January 11 has been designated Human Trafficking Awareness Day and Rushmore Rotarians wore blue at our meeting to raise awareness of human trafficking. Visit the following website to learn more as well as other ways to participate. https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/wearblueday
On November 1, 1921, Rotary International signed the Charter which established the Yankton Rotary Club. Exactly one-hundred years and one day later, the Rotary Club of Yankton celebrated it’s centennial anniversary with a gala event. The Event was held at the River’s Edge Restaurant in “Old Town” Yankton. Attending the Gala were approximately seventy people including past Yankton Rotarians, current and future Club Rotarians, and Rotarians representing Clubs from Centerville, Le Mars, Rapid City Rushmore, Vermillion, and Wagner. During the ceremony, recognitions were given to sixteen Paul Harris Honorees, and to active members with over fifty years of “Service Above Self”. Yankton Rotarians recognized for their fifty-plus years of membership were Mike Healy, Jim Nyberg, and Ken Jones. For the Gala, Current Yankton Rotary Club President Rich Burns served as Master of Ceremonies, with presentations given by Jim Nyberg, Daniel Flahie, Mike Healy, Keith Kube, Ken Jones, Rotary’s District 5610 Governor Doug Lind, and past South Dakota Lieutenant Governor Matt Michels. It was a wonderful event, a great way to spend an evening with friends, and an awesome way to start another one-hundred years of “Service Above Self”.
The Rotary Foundation transforms your gifts into service projects that change lives both close to home and around the world.
Since it was founded more than 100 years ago, the Foundation has spent more than $4 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects.
With your help, we can make lives better in your community and around the world.
Our mission
The Rotary Foundation helps Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty.
Help us in recognizing, congratulating, and thanking the following clubs of District 5610 for their giving to The Rotary Foundation in RY 2020-2021.
TRF Giving Banner Award: Marshall Sunrise, Centerville, Gregory, and Brookings
EREY Banner Award: Marshall Sunrise, Centerville, Gregory, and Brookings
Rotary District 5610 congratulates Marshall Sunrise on the 2020-2021 Annual Fund per Capita Award for achieving the highest annual fund per capita of $4,217.01 in giving, Rapid City Rushmore for $379.07 per capita in giving, and Sioux Falls North for $262.22 per capita in giving.
Polio Plus Awards: 1. Marshall Sunrise 2. Minneota 3. Marshall Noon 4. Rapid City Rushmore 5. Hot Springs 6. Rock Valley 7. Sioux Falls South. Marshall Sunrise gave $1,920 per member.
WHAT TYPES OF ROTARY FOUNDATION RECOGNITION EXIST FOR CLUBS?
100 Percent Paul Harris Fellow Club: Rotary Clubs in which 100 percent of all dues paying members are Paul Harris Fellows receive special recognition from the Rotary Foundation. Qualifying Rotary Clubs receive a special club recognition banner and join an elite group of clubs. Once a club reaches 100 percent PHF status, the District Governor or Rotary Foundation chair must request the recognition from The Rotary Foundation. This recognition is a one-time-only award, but the intent is that the club will maintain its membership at the 100% Paul Harris Fellow level.
100 Percent Foundation Giving Club Banner: This banner is awarded to clubs that achieve an average of $100 in per capita giving and 100 percent participation, with every dues paying member contributing at least $25 to any or all of the following during the Rotary year: Annual Fund, Polio Plus Fund, approved global grants, or Endowment Fund.
100 Percent Every Rotarian Every Year Club Banner: Rotary clubs must achieve a minimum Annual Fund contribution of $100 per capita during the Rotary year, and every dues paying member must personally contribute at least $25 to the Annual Fund during the year.
The Trustees of The Rotary Foundation also present club recognition banners each year to the three Rotary Clubs in each District with the highest per capita in Annual Fund Giving. 100% Paul Harris Society Club Banner: This recognition is awarded to clubs in which every dues-paying member has contributed a minimum of $1,000 to the Annual Fund, the Polio Plus Fund, or an approved global grant during the Rotary year.
Will your club be recognized by The Rotary Foundation this year?
Rotary District 5610 Clubs Recognized for 2020-2021 Giving
GRAND OPENING RECAP SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2021 Over 50 people attended on a beautiful fall day, full of fellowship, tours and interaction! Food, snacks and refreshments were served all day. Artists sold hand-crafted items under the new canopy entrance. During the afternoon presentation, we awarded 4 toolboxes to artists present. PDG Ina Winter awarded Rotary Foundation Paul Harris Fellow to Jon Ruybalid, owner of the Makerspace project. Rotary Foundation Coordinator for our zones, Art Zeitler and Carol were on hand to inspect the grant process. The star quilt raffle earned $925 for the artists at the Makerspace. Nadine awarded the quilt to Braniff Smith, businessman from Hot Springs, SD and he was in the audience! He was thrilled. Watch the NewsCenter1 interview: https://www.newscenter1.tv/whiteclaywelcomes-makerspace-and-newfound-hope-for-local-artists/ To Read more click here: Whiteclay Global Grant News Release #6
Whiteclay Arts Makerspace Rotary Global Grant Project News Report for District 5610 - November 2021
Dr. Willis C. Sutliff was awarded the 2021-22 Roger Kozak Service Above Self Award at the District 5610 celebration conference in Deadwood on the evening of October 15. It was presented to him by Rotary Past International Vice President Greg Podd, PDG Ed Jacobson, and the four former winners of the award.
Sutliff has served District 5610 and it's Rotarians for over ten years as District 5610 Polio Plus Chair. During this time he has given interesting and informative presentations at District Conferences, changing content as it suits the occasion. He is passionate about Polio eradication and enthusiastic about raising funds to defeat the disease.
Willis is a member and past president of Rapid City Rushmore Rotary Club. He is very active in the club on the International Projects Committee and has worked hard to encourage Global Grants and Local Grants. He is currently serving on the District's the End Human Trafficking Committee.
He and his wife, PDG Pat Suliff have hosted many Youth Exchange Students through the years, attended several Rotary International Conferences and traveled on and hosted several Rotary Friendship Exchanges. He and Pat are TRF major donors.
Willis is a retired Pediatrician who practiced for 40 some years in Rapid City and helped start Black Hills Pediatrics. As part of the local hospital board he helped the hospital move forward and add new services. He has a degree from UC Berkeley in Public Health, spent 3 years in the Army in Germany and has served on American Academy of Pediatrics Committees.
Over the years, Willis has been active in his local community through his church and Habitat for Humanity. He is currently on the Starting Strong Board and the YFS Board where he will serve as president in 2022-23. He also serves on several YFS committees.
Willis and Pat have 5 children and 10 grandchildren.
Past Kozak Award Winners:
2016-17 - Larry Lyngstad, Pierre-Fort Pierre 2017-18 - George Twitero, Rapid City Rushmore 2018-19 - Pat Sutliff, Rapid City Rushmore 2019-20 - Chuck Lindemann, Marshall 2020-21 - No Award (Covid Pandemic) 2021-22 - Dr. Willis Sutliff, Rapid City Rushmore
2021-2022 Roger Kozak Service Above Self Award Presented to Dr. Willis C. Sutliff
The first District Governor Award for Rotarian of the Quarter is presented to Kay Norton she is a Rotarian who has gone above and beyond and has proven to be extraordinary in her service above self. This is a new award that will serve to honor one individual each quarter who has exhibited these attributes. Congratulations Kay!
Kay Norton has been a Rotarian since 1990, first joining the Macomb (IL) Rotary Club. In 2005 she became a charter member of a second club in that community, the Macomb Centennial Morning Rotary Club. She served that club as president from 2008-09, and also served as the Public Relations Chair for District 6460. Now a member of the Brookings Rotary Club, where she is the Public Image Chair, Kay is the District 5610 Trainer and Interim Public Image Chair. She is a Paul Harris Fellow.
Kay worked in the advertising and public relations arena for several decades, having owned a successful marketing agency for 22 years. She recently retired from 13 years as a college and university English teacher. She is a business communications consultant and facilitator for several organizations, and serves as the Board of Directors President for the Brookings Area Habitat for Humanity affiliate.
She and her husband, Don, the current president of the Brookings Club and District 5610 Grants Subcommittee Chair, have been married for 43 years and are the parents of two sons, Don and Christopher. They have been singing together for more than 45 years, and perform frequently for area organizations and residents of senior facilities.
District Governor Award for Rotarian of the Quarter Presented to Kay Norton
The Rotarians of Distinction Award is presented to individuals who through service to their Rotary club and community have distinguished themselves, even among all Rotarians who strive to place service above self. The recipients have traveled different paths in their Rotary service, but those paths have all resulted in a record of service that identifies them as ROTARIANS OF DISTINCTION. 2021 Recipients: Verl Scheibe, Herb McClellan Jr., Nancy Moose, Matt Pedersen, Casey Berndt, Brad Preheim, Mary DeVany, Bruce Young, and Bruce Kalin. Click on the image above for photos.
Don Norton is the immediate past-president of the Rotary Club of Brookings, South Dakota, where he is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow. He served as the lead on several of the “pop-up” grants in District 5610 during 2020 and 2021. He has been a Rotarian for 26 years. Don is the CEO of the South Dakota Agricultural and Rural Leadership Program (SDARL), where his role includes fundraising and overseeing the curriculum development for the 18-month flagship leadership development program that builds the skills, knowledge, and character of leaders. SDARL also offers seminars to alumni of the program and other entities through the SDARL Learning Network. Don’s background is in education and communication. He taught more than 20 communication courses at the college and university level, and has received four Associated Press News Awards for broadcast journalism, including as a news anchor/reporter at WGN Radio in Chicago. He has a Master of Arts Degree in Communication from Western Illinois University, and is certified in Non-Profit Management from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. Prior to joining SDARL, Don directed the leadership programming and served as CEO of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program. He has led leadership classes to China, India, Japan, Panama, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Scotland, and held leadership seminar meetings in Russia and Ukraine. Don and his wife, Kay, have two grown sons.
A second round of District 5610 matching grants will begin October 1, 2021, and run until November 12, 2021. About $30,000 in matching grant funds remain after the first round of grants was completed in August.
“This gives clubs plenty of time to survey their community needs and determine a project that will have meaningful impact on their community,” said Don Norton, District 5610 Grant Subcommittee Chair.
Clubs are reminded to complete the paper grant application in Word, then upload that document as a pdf before completing the grant application on the Matchinggrants.org website. Clubs must have a signed MOU uploaded as well. The grant subcommittee will meet shortly after November 12 to determine award recipients. All project funds requested must be matched by local clubs and/or partner organizations from their communities. The granted projects will need to be completed within 24 months.
Don will give a presentation at the District Conference in Deadwood on how to plan a grant and have a successful application. Attendance at this session will count as the required training necessary to be eligible for grant submission, so if a representative from your club was not able to attend one of the trainings presented via Zoom earlier this summer, plan to attend in person in Deadwood. There will be almost one month after that presentation before the grant deadline for this round.
For more information on this second round of district grants, please contact Don Norton at donnorton75@gmail.com.
Happy May Day, 5610 Rotarians! I hope today’s newsletter finds you all happy and healthy, and working hard to “FINISH STRONG” in this Rotary year! Having just returned from a difficult trip to say goodbye to Penny’s stepdad, who passed away recently, I was once again reminded of the importance of living every day in an optimistic, joyful and productive way. My father-in-law lived his life fully and completely, travelling the world, living a joyful and productive life, and dedicating much of his time to helping others above and beyond his regular responsibilities.
Our world of social media and non-stop “breaking news” makes it easy to fall into the trap of focusing on all the things wrong with our world, instead of seeing the countless blessings we have to be grateful for! ROTARY is one way, if not the best way to respond and show gratitude for all we are given; our way of “paying it forward”. Most of you already know our well-kept Rotary “secret” – the more we do for others, and the more we give, the better we feel and the more we receive!
As we get closer and closer to the finish line for this Rotary year, take a moment to step back and count your blessings, review your Rotary Goals for the year, and give it your best effort to successfully complete your goals. There’s still six weeks to go – plenty of time to bring that friend or business associate to their first Rotary meeting or project and help them become a new Rotary member.
June will be here in just a few weeks, and with it will come the first “live, in-person” Rotary International Convention in three years! Penny and I, along with thirteen other District Rotarians, are looking forward to hearing tons of great speakers, reconnecting with Rotary friends from around the world, and learning lots of new things about on-going and upcoming Rotary projects in other countries, and making lots of new friends! It’s still not too late, if you have a last-minute change of plans or happen to be an impulsive person, to attend this memorable event! Also in June, I will have the honor of passing my Governor’s pin on to incoming Governor John Schneider, at his home club in LeMars, IA. I look forward to helping John in the next several months as he assumes the responsibility of this amazing job!
Thanks everyone for your continued efforts to help our District become better, stronger and more vital than ever!
Does your club have a plan to celebrate World Polio Day on October 24? What will you do to highlight this important day - a watch party, a speaker at your weekly meeting, or an informational booth in the community? Watch your email for ideas on how you and your club can help celebrate World Polio Day 2021 and resources that will help to make the celebration a reality.
As important as it is to plan your club's event, it is also important to try to promote the event among your club members and the local community. We want everyone to understand Rotary’s commitment to end polio and that we are so close to eradicating polio from our planet. Please plan something to help celebrate the day and share that with us.
Twenty Clubs from District 5610 that submit the best proposals and register for World Polio Day will each win 10 Foundation Raffle tickets (a $100 value), to share with their Club members.
The Foundation Raffle is held each spring at PETS this year in April in Mitchell SD. You DO NOT have to be present to win.
TAKE ACTION ERADICATE A DISEASE FOREVER"
Since Rotary first took on the elimination of polio 36 years ago we have saved 17 million people from a life of paralysis. We have decreased the number of children having endemic (wild) virus polio paralysis per year from 385,000 children to only 2 children this year. There was 1 case each in Pakistan and in Afghanistan. There is still a problem with the vaccine derived polio paralysis in many African countries where routine vaccines have not been given, (usually because of war). Our progress could certainly be delayed in Afghanistan. But this year the incidence of cases of vaccine derived polio paralysis has also been cut by two thirds. In addition we now have a new vaccine for derived polio paralysis that should continue to cut these cases drastically. Finally I see "light at the end of the tunnel" and I believe polio will soon be eradicated from the world forever.
I congratulate every member, Club and our wonderful District for donating almost a half million dollars to this effort and making eradication imminent. This year, District 5610 gave $55 per member to Polio Plus, a new high. You kept going when the going got awfully tough and failure seemed more than likely. I also thank Rotary International and our great partners; the UN, the US CDC and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for doing an unbelievable job and not giving up years ago.
So I want every Rotarian and Club to broadcast it to everyone in the world that Rotary has set a new precedent in the history of the world. We will soon end polio and the millions of deaths and the millions of lives ruined with awful, life long unbelievable pain and suffering. We are going to "ERADICATE A DISEASE (POLIO) FOREVER.
THANKS TO EVERY ROTARIAN AND ROTORACTER IN OUR DISTRICT FOR WONDERFUL WORK.
Willis Sutliff, District District 5610 Polio Plus Chairperson
If you have ever wanted to experience firsthand an exciting Rotary International Grant project, then this may be the opportunity for you! Pending final approval, we are hoping to travel to Ismail, Ukraine the end of this October! We will join the Rotary clubs from Barlad, Romania and Bucharest, Romania in meeting our Ismail Rotary hosts in Ukraine. Then we will outfit local disabled individuals with a personalized wheelchair, up to 400 wheelchairs.
We will be working with eight hospitals in and around Ismail to deliver the wheelchairs. We plan on having two teams with staggered but overlapping travel dates. The first team will complete half the distribution, and finish with a few days of touring. The second team will join team one half way through the distributions, tour with the first group, and then finish the distributions before returning home. We will also interact socially with Rotarians from Romania and Ukraine, including some festive parties of celebration. Total commitment for either group is nine days.
We request volunteers to round out our teams. Specifically physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, record keepers, photographers, social networkers, and general laborers who can also handle some light tool adjustments. As part of this grant, training opportunities from us for in-country hospital staff in offered. So, those comfortable training are also welcome. Total cost including flights, lodging, food, and transportation will be less than $1,800/person.
If you are interested in joining our team, or need more information to make a decision, please contact by email Mark Siemonsma or Steve Sikorski. Depending on Covid travel restrictions, we hope the first team can depart around October 23, 2021. Should travel restrictions become a greater issue, we may have to push this trip to 2022. Please let us know if you remain interested if the trip is delayed.
As a footnote, a similar grant has been approved for a trip to the Philippines in March 2022. If you are interested in learning more about that project, please contact Mark Siemonsma.
Seeking Volunteers for a Trip to Ukraine next month as part of a Wheelchair Distribution Project
After a two year of hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rotary Youth Exchange is poised for a comeback in Rotary Year 2022-2023. While that may still seem far away, there are several important deadlines for students in District 5610 looking to participate in a future exchange.
Outbound Students
District 5610 will being accepting club nominations of potential outbound students for the 2021-2022 Rotary Year starting September 1. Students must be 16 to 18 ½ at the time of departure (typically August 15 or thereabouts) and in good academic standing at their school. Clubs should interview students and make recommendations to the district by the middle of October, after which the district will interview students and select finalists. Students will then submit a complete application by December 1 to Central States Rotary Youth Exchange for placement.
District 5610 is committed to host at least three inbound students in 2022-2023. If your club is interested in hosting a student, please send me an email at Patrick.Morrison@usd.edu. I can provide information on responsibilities, expected club costs, and the like. For those of you who remember the headache of the past trainings and paper forms, you will be happy to know that our transition to Central States Rotary Youth Exchange multidistrict has made this process much easier – and digital. As a reminder, it is not a requirement to send a student to host a student, so all clubs are eligible to host.
Call for Volunteers
Lastly, we are looking for Rotarians interested in joining the 5610 RYE team. If you have any Rotarians interested in helping out, please let myself or Doug Lind know.
Sincerely,
Patrick Morrison | Chair, District 5610 | Rotary Youth Exchange
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire” – Attributed to W.B. Yeats
Rotary Youth Exchange Update and Application Deadline
Rotary International General Secretary and Chief Executive Officer
Rotary’s general secretary and executive team oversee a staff of more than 800, who serve Rotary members from our world headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA, and seven international offices. The general secretary is a member of the Rotary International Board of Directors and The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees. John Hewko has served as Rotary International’s general secretary and chief executive officer since 2011. A charter member of the Rotary Club of Kyiv, Ukraine, Hewko lives out Rotary’s mission, whether inside or outside the office. He’s immunized children against polio in India, represented Rotary at the World Economic Forum, and bicycled 104 miles (167 km) with Rotary members in Arizona, USA, to help raise over $50 million for polio eradication. "It’s an honor to go the extra mile in serving this great organization. I see Rotary as the original social network formed to exchange ideas and resources so we can transform lives. We’re a bold NGO that believed it could end a disease, and we’ve stuck to the cause for over three decades. That thought inspires me every morning.".
Kenneth C. Howell
Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator, Zone 27
Ken is a fourth-generation Idahoan, raised on the family farm in Wilder, Idaho. Ken attended the College of Idaho, and the University of Idaho College of Law, earning his law degree in 1984. Upon graduation from law school, Ken joined the firm of Hawley Troxell Ennis & Hawley, LLP. He currently is co-chair of the firm’s banking practice group, and his practice is focused on banking and finance law, real estate law and governmental regulation of the financial services industry. Ken has served on the boards of Idaho Public Television, the Downtown Boise Association, the Arid Club and as a trustee of his alma mater, the College of Idaho. During his tenure of service on each these boards, Ken served as President or Chairman. Ken has served as a trustee at the College of Idaho for 20 years. He has also served as a board member for the Idaho State Board of Veterinary Medicine, the Boise Philharmonic, the Ada County Humane Society and Feed the Gap, Inc. He joined the Rotary Club of Boise (Downtown club) in 2002. He served as President of his club in 2008. In 2012, he was honored with the club’s “Rotarian of the Year” award. From 2011 to 2014, he served as chair of the Annual Program Fund committee for the District. He has served on the board of directors of the Greater Boise Rotary Foundation, and as its chairman in 2012. He is an instructor in the District Leadership Academy and is a Bob Gibb fellow in the Greater Boise Rotary Foundation. Ken is a Major Donor, Paul Harris Fellow, and a member of the Bequest Society and the Paul Harris Society. After service as District 5400 Governor in 2015-2016, Ken has held several Zone-level appointments as GETS/GNTS trainer at Zone Institutes, End Polio Now Zone Coordinator and currently serves as the Zone 27 Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator. Ken is a woodworker, PADI Divemaster, amateur electronics technician and inveterate tinkerer. Ken is married to Bernadine Marconi, and they live in Boise with their large garden, a house in a perpetual state of remodel, and four very fortunate cats.
Lisa Herring
PDG Rotary District 5840
Lisa Herring previously served as the Rotary Public Image Coordinator for Zone 21b and part of 27, which covers all of Texas and Oklahoma. In this role, Lisa was responsible for working with District Governors, Club Presidents, Rotarians and the staff of Rotary International to help promote the image and brand of Rotary throughout the area. Lisa has been a professional in public relations for over 15 years with tremendous experience in institutional rebranding. Lisa’s Rotary journey began as a member of the Interact Club at Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas. Lisa served as president of the Rotary Club of Junction Texas in 2006-2007, a position both her father and husband have also held. Lisa has spent over twelve years serving on the District Youth Exchange Committee, and served as the 2010 Group Study Exchange Team leader between South Texas and Metro Manila, Philippines. As the first woman to lead a Group Study Exchange (GSE) team to Metro Manila, Lisa’s passion for Rotary was reenergized with the intense level of service provided by Filipino Rotarians. Lisa was able to see firsthand how impactful Rotary and the Rotary Foundation can be in the lives of everyone and was told by numerous elected officials that the Philippines and the world needed more Rotarians to help address the ills of the world. Lisa served as District Governor for Rotary District 5840 during the 2012-2013 Rotary Year. Aside from her Rotary career, Lisa is an accomplished facilitator and trainer with over a decade of engagement and involvement leadership within the university educational structure, as well as expertise in fundraising, development of donors and volunteer management. Lisa has served as RI Presidents Representative, Zone 21b-27 Governor’s Nominee Trainer, District 5840 Public Relations Chair, a Rotary Leadership Institute Facilitator, Lone Star Presidents-Elects Seminar Trainer and continues to share her passion for Rotary daily. Lisa and her husband Alan have 3 children: Rebecca, Samuel and Elizabeth. Both Rebecca and Samuel participated in the Rotary Youth Exchange program and the Herring family has hosted over a dozen Youth Exchange students to date. One of Lisa’s greatest passions is helping children with disabilities.
Greg E. Podd, C.P.A., P.F.S.
Rotary International Vice President 2015 - 2016
Rotary International Director 2014 – 2016
Greg is a C.P.A. (Certified Public Accountant) and a P.F.S. (Personal Financial Specialist) having operated his own practice since June 1979. During his professional tenure, he has written four professional continuing education courses and has been a keynote speaker at five national conferences. Greg has taught many courses as a guest professor at Arizona State University in the Master of Taxation program and has made presentations to over 20,000 Certified Public Accountants and Chartered Accountants from the United States and foreign countries. He was also the President and owner of a very large metal fabrication firm for the telecommunication industry and an international healthcare software development firm. Greg became a Rotarian in May 1982 and is a member of the Evergreen Rotary Club. He served a six-year term as a member of the Rotary International Investment Committee and a three-year term as the Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator for Zone 27. He also served a three-year term as a member of the Rotary International Finance Committee and as a Regional Rotary International Membership Coordinator where he chaired the Rotary International Presidential Membership Conference in Phoenix, Arizona – January 2009. Greg also chaired the Zone 21b & 27 Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico – September 2010. He has also served as a Rotary International Training Leader at the International Assembly in San Diego – January 2010 and 2011 (where Pam and Greg served as the Hospitality Host) and as a Rotary Foundation Future Vision Training Leader – January 2013. Greg and Pam also served as the Assistant Chief Sergeant at Arms at the International Assembly – January 2012. Greg has also served as a Rotary Foundation Major Gifts Advisor where he established his District’s Million Dollar Dinner raising over $3,100,000 for the Rotary Foundation in one night. He was the Group Study Exchange Leader to District 3790 – Philippines in February 2006. Greg has served as the President’s Representative for Rotary International for many years and was his District’s representative to the Rotary International Council on Legislation – 2007. Greg is an International Rotary Leadership Institute Vice-Chair of America West and established the “Rocky Mountain Division” and the “Lone Star Division” training seminar for all Rotarians in the western part of the United States. During the Rotary year 2014 – 2015, in addition to his duties as a Rotary International Director, Greg chaired the Rotary Audit Committee, the Rotary Board Council on Legislation Advisory Committee, and the Service Above Self Award Selection Committee. He also served as a member of the Rotary Board Programs Committee, Council and Board Committee and Rotary International District Governor / Director Allocation Committee. Greg and Pam also served as the Rotary International Director – Elect trainers for the Rotary year ending 2015 and 2016. During the Rotary year 2015 – 2016, Greg served as the Vice President of Rotary International and a member of the Executive Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, Council and Board Committee and the Workgroup to examine Rotary’s current International Convention model. During the Rotary year 2016 – 2017 he served as a member of the Rotary International Election Review Committee, the Rotary International Board Governance Committee, and the Vice Chair of the Rotary International Operations Review Committee. In 2017 – 2020 he is serving as the Assistant Moderator and Moderator for the Regional Leader Training Institute and the Vice Chair of the Rotary International Operations Review Committee. Greg is the recipient of the “Service Above Self Award” and The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service Award. Greg and his wife Pam have been married for 45 years, and have three beautiful children; Kyle (Jessi), Melanie (Matt) and Bryan and four very special grandchildren; Carter, Madison, Payton and Vivian. All members of the family are Paul Harris Fellows with Greg and Pam being Multi Paul Harris Fellows, Paul Harris Society Members, Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member, Bequest Society Members, and Major Donors. In addition, Greg and Pam are both Arch C. Klumph Society Members.
Peace Scholars Muyatwa Sitali and Jeanette Kroes
Muyatwa Sitali is a development policy and advocacy specialist who has worked for UNICEF, World Bank, Oxfam and Jubilee Zambia in multiple sectors and countries including Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, United States and Zambia. Currently he works for UNICEF hosted Secretariat of the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) Partnership where he is involved in initiatives for mobilizing and engaging partners in almost 70 countries. Sitali has more than 12 years of experience and is interested in development finance, multi-stakeholder partnerships, peace and development, and the connections between humanitarian and development programming. He has a Master of International Development Policy from Duke University, a graduate certificate in Peace and Conflict Resolution from the University of North Carolina and a Bachelor of Science, Forestry from the Copperbelt University.
Jeanette Kroes is a Senior Criminal Intelligence Analyst for INTERPOL (the International Criminal Police Organization) based in Lyon, France. She grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota and obtained her Bachelor's Degree from St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN) with a triple major in Economics, French and Religion. Thanks to the generous support of Rotary District 5610, Jeanette was a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar (University Al Cadi Ayyad, Marrakech, Morocco 2000-2001) and a Rotary Peace Fellow (Political Sciences Institute, Paris, France 2003-2005). In 2006, Jeanette began working at the Office of the INTERPOL Special Representative to the United Nations (New York, NY) establishing partnerships and programs for crime prevention and criminal justice in areas such as trafficking in human beings, crimes against children, and illicit arms trafficking. She has been working as a Criminal Intelligence Analyst at INTERPOL's Headquarters in Lyon since 2010 supporting law enforcement authorities across the globe to prevent and combat transnational organized crimes and terrorism by identifying fugitives, criminal networks, and emerging crime trends and threats.
District Conference: Line-up begins of Guest Speakers
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your District Governor for the past year! It has been a year of challenges, success, and growth as we pursue our goal of serving others. A year of COVID-19 restrictions may have limited travel and personal interaction, but we have discovered creative solutions of staying connected electronically through Zoom and hybrid meetings. These changes have offered opportunities to share speakers and topics with other Rotarians around the world without leaving the comfort of our home or office!
A special thank you to the organizers and participants of our 2nd Virtual District Conference! Through the collaboration and commitment of many District Rotarians, we were able to present an information packed District Conference with special emphasis on our goal of Ending Human Trafficking. It will be great to resume an “in person” District Conference in Deadwood this October!
The past year has certainly validated our theme of “Rotary Opens Opportunities”! It has been exciting to see clubs grow and retain membership by offering meetings, training, and activities through online methods that have increased participation of Rotarians of all ages. Thanks to the increased efforts of our Membership and Public Image teams and the guidance of Nicole, our District Administrator, we have continued to attract new members that share our ideals of Service Above Self!
The Foundation and Global Grants Committees have developed a strong foundation for a new District focus on Ending Human Trafficking. Stay tuned for more information on how we can support this effort on a District level! We also awarded a record number of high impact District matching grants, as well as as District grants to support Technology and Infrastructure! We have also continued our support to eradicate Polio through contributions to End Polio Now. Thank you to all Rotarians that so unselfishly support the Rotary Foundation and the many projects that are possible through TRF funding.
Rotary 2020-21 has been a growth year! Like a rubber band that has been stretched, we will never to be able to go back to “how we always did things before”. Enjoy the excitement of the new normal as we not only gather again for in person meetings, but we also continue to implement the new tools that we have discovered to engage Rotarians worldwide in our quest of Service Above Self! District leadership has focused on expanding collaboration to provide a more cohesive leadership team to address the needs of the District. District Governor Elect Doug Lind is well prepared and excited to continue with many of the strategies that have been initiated over the past year.
Truly, Rotary Opens Opportunities! Thanks again for the opportunity to serve District 5610 as your District Governor.
Yours in Rotary,
Dan
District 5610 Message from District Governor Dan Little
Hope Haven is a cooperating organization to a Global Grant led by District 3860 in Tagbilaran, Philippines, whereas District 5610 is the international partner. The project is aimed at promoting disease prevention and treatment through improvement in the Philippines healthcare system, specifically providing clinical treatment and rehabilitation for persons with physical disabilities. A working trip to the area of Bohol, Philippines is planned for early March 2022 and Hope Haven is calling on volunteers.
In Bohol, Philippines individuals with disabilities are often confined to their home, cut off from communities, school, job opportunities, and rely heavily rely on a caretaker. Wheelchair recipients gain mobility, find socialization, education, workforce opportunities, and ultimately reach a sustainable change in their lives and contribution to their communities. The purpose of this project is to create the sustainable and ongoing continuum of care for needs based-individuals through cooperative efforts of the Rotary clubs of Sioux Falls West, Tagbilaran, Hope Haven International, and the Bohol Federation of People with Disabilities. The projects goal is to provide 200 adults and children with wheelchairs and other needed mobility accessories through wellness fairs held in the area of Bohol. Because each person is individually fitted to a mobility device to fit his or her needs, local healthcare staff will receive education on wheelchair usages, training in proper wheelchair fitting, and training in follow- up services for their patients. Reliable and health-focused assistance from healthcare providers and patient caretakers leads to less pain, increased ability to heal, and less injuries due to improper wheelchair seating.
Ideally, the travel team we are trying to fill will consist of wheelchairs construction specialists, medical personnel, accounting personnel, photographers, and general lifting/tool assistants. However, this is just the beginning, most importantly we wish for your great Rotary work ethic and attitude. If you are interested in learning more or would like to become part of the volunteer team please contact Mark Siemonsma, CRFE Director of Development, 712-470-0298 or 712-476-312 or www.hopehaven.org. Also, your District Global Grant/VTT Subcommittee chairperson, Jennifer Rollins can help!
District 5610 Partners with District 3860 on a Global Grant Promoting Disease Prevention and Treatment
We wish all Rotarians, their family and friends a wonderful Memorial Day. A special thank you to the members of our Rotary family who have served or are currently serving the nation.
Help Rotary raise awareness for polio eradication and the importance of vaccines during World Immunization Week, 24-30 April. Show your commitment by sharing some of these sample posts on social media. Here are a few of the reasons why it is important to remind everyone of the importance of vaccines, and they are ready for social media posting. You can get more ideas for social media posts, as well as videos and images by going to the helpful resource page on the Rotary International site or simply Download the World Immunization Week Toolkit.
Because vaccines work, Rotary and partners have reduced polio cases by 99.9% worldwide since 1988. EndPolioNow won't stop until we end the disease for good. #VaccinesWork endpol.io/c2tr
The systems created to deliver polio vaccines to the hardest-to-reach areas of the world are helping #EndPolio workers find #COVID19 cases, trace contacts & provide info on how to slow the spread of the virus. #VaccinesWork endpol.io/c2tr
#VaccinesWork & are the best investments we can make in human health & potential. Thanks to the polio vaccine, the world’s seen a 99.9% reduction in polio cases since 1988. @Rotary #EndPolio EndPolio.org
Help Raise Awarness During World Innoculation Week
Please mark your calendars. District 5610 Assembly to be held virtually Tuesday, May 4, 2021 from 4:00 - 5:30 PM CT. All members are welcome to attend a Zoom link will be emailed the morning of May 4th.
Rotary Fellowships are international groups that share a common passion. Being part of a fellowship is a fun way to make friends around the world, explore a hobby or profession, and enhance your Rotary experience.
How do I join a fellowship?
Membership in a fellowship is open to any interested individual. You can contact a fellowship directly by using the links below.
Click on the image below or the following link https://www.ncpets.org/resources to direct you to all the valuable resources from the recently held 2021 NC PETS such as all the session recordings, handouts, Rotary International support resources, round table discussion notes, and pre-show videos.
2021 NC PETS Post Event Resources and Recorded Sessions
Camp is no cost to the camper. The cost of $400 per camper is to be shared 50% by District 5610 and the other 50% by the local sponsoring Rotary Club.
See video on the excitement from past campers:
What is RYLA?
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is an intensive leadership experience sponsored by Rotary International and organized by Rotary clubs and districts where young people can develop leadership skills while having fun and making connections.
RYLA emphasizes leadership, citizenship, and personal growth, and aims to:
· Demonstrate Rotary’s respect and concern for youth.
· Provide an effective training experience for selected youth and potential leaders.
· Encourage leadership of youth by youth.
· Publicly recognize young people who are rendering service to their communities.
Great Plains RYLA, sponsored by District 5630 and District 5610, serves youth who are high school sophomores and juniors.
RYLA consists of an all-expense paid five-day conference which brings together this special group of young men and women. Activities, including problem solving games, a challenge course, group discussions and team-building activities, help participants build confidence and leadership skills; becoming the leader they were meant to become! Additional information on RYLA can be found at https://greatplainsryla.org/.
My thanks to the clubs who have already submitted information on raffle prizes. To be able to pull together a flyer listing the prizes and develop the raffle ticket stubs, I need the clubs to respond to me with their donations and raffle chair contacts by February 18. My goal is to have a flyer available to all of the clubs listing the donations and further information regarding the raffle event before the ticket sales begin on March 11. Tickets sales will last a little over 4 weeks from March 11 until April 15.
February 18 - Deadline to send prize and contact information
March 11- Raffle ticket sales begin
For more information or to submit your information please contact me at rkab1158@pacific.net. Thank you.
Great Opportunity for Presidents Elect and Presidents Nominee, please review your email received on NCPETS Registration or contact District Administrator Nicole Rawden for you Promo Code for your cost of attending NCPETS will be covered by District 5610. Click on the image below or the following link to find out more information on NCPETS.
NCPETS Registration is now open - Virtual Event March 12th-20th
Rotary clubs around the world are mobilizing in their communities to support the introduction and delivery of COVID-19 vaccinations. Rotary leaders are urging members to connect with their local health agencies to determine how Rotary can support COVID-19 vaccine efforts.
Rotary has decades of experience in supporting the distribution of polio vaccines as well as highlighting their power and efficacy, which is a critical reason why polio is on the brink of eradication. It’s this expertise, along with strategic partnerships and innovation, that Rotary members can tap into to protect communities from COVID-19.
John Hall, president of the Rotary Club of Trenton, North Carolina, receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Jones County immunization day.
Photo courtesy of Dawn Rochelle
Back-up for health officials
Rotary International President Holger Knaack and Foundation Trustee Chair K.R. “Ravi” Ravindran have called on Rotary members to take action on a number of levels. Rotary members in North Carolina, USA, quickly organized to offer assistance to health officials. District leaders contacted the state’s secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to strategize support efforts.
The six district governors in North Carolina joined the state’s health department in conducting a webinar, open to the more than 12,200 Rotary members in North Carolina, to provide information about the available COVID-19 vaccines, how they will be distributed, and answer their questions so they can serve as role models and instill confidence in the vaccines in their community.
“Rotarians are leaders who are looked upon for guidance, and the more information and opportunity to share ideas with health officials, the better,” said Dawn Rochelle, governor of Rotary district 7730 (North Carolina).
Members volunteered at local vaccination sites across the state to help health officials with logistics including data entry, crowd control, and check-ins. Members also provide health workers and volunteers with food and beverages. In addition, the districts provided the state health department with a spreadsheet that included a Rotary member contact for each of the 100 counties in North Carolina.
Nancy Barbee and Rochelle, past governors of the same district, volunteered together during National Immunization Days in India. It’s those experiences with mass immunization for polio that helped them identify specific needs for how members can help support COVID-19 vaccinations.
“The polio eradication initiative gives a blueprint that provides strategy that is effective in any community,” says Rochelle, who took part in two polio immunization drives in India. “Governments take the lead on immunizations there and here in the U.S., but what’s critical to the success is the additional layer of support Rotarians bring. We are here to back-up the frontline workers with anything they need. It’s amazing to see the response of North Carolina Rotarians.”
New joint COVID-19 taskforce gives direction to clubs
At a meeting in December, the Rotary International Board of Directors and Rotary Foundation Trustees created a joint taskforce that will help guide upcoming efforts to distribute the COVID-19 vaccines and advocate for people to get vaccinated. The newly formed group will also share information promoting vaccine acceptance, and encourage service projects to stop the spread of the disease, such as social distancing, wearing masks, and washing hands frequently.
In a joint letter to district leaders, Knaack and Ravindran said members have a successful history of getting things done when help is needed. “Through the hundreds of global grants and projects, Rotary members have demonstrated what we can accomplish to raise awareness, deliver critical personal protection equipment, and provide support to frontline health workers,” they said in the letter.
The two Rotary leaders called particular attention to the importance of one specific call to action: combatting vaccine hesitancy. “Help us combat the powerful, growing force of vaccine resistance and misinformation. Our advocacy in our communities will be critical – we need to spread the message about the power of vaccines to save lives,” they urged.
Other ways clubs can mobilize around COVID-19 vaccine introduction and delivery at the local level include community education, ensuring equitable distribution of the vaccine, helping stop the continued spread of the disease, and aiding local health authorities to get prepared for mass vaccinations.
The infrastructure created by Rotary and its Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners is already supporting efforts to combat COVID-19. The GPEI recently announced that it is ready to support the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.
1-Feb-2021
Rotary ramps up COVID-19 vaccination effortsby Ryan Hyland
The District Governor and the members of the COVID-19 Disaster Response Grant Taskforce are happy to announce that thirteen District 5610 clubs have been awarded funds to help with projects in their communities to lessen the impact of COVID-19. The projects are briefly described below, and they are a testament to the work of Rotary clubs in District 5610 to help our communities in these unprecedented times.
These funds were allocated from a $25,000 Disaster Response Grant awarded to District 5610 this fall. The funds will be used by the clubs between now and April 2021 after which the clubs will report on their efforts to lessen the impact of the pandemic.
Centerville Rotary will purchase Plexiglas dividers to protect students in the local schools.
Clark Rotary will partner with local restaurants to prepare a community meal and will purchase boots for children in need.
Downtown Sioux Falls Rotary will purchase supplies for the Bishop Dudley Hospitality House which has seen an increase in demand for services for the homeless because of the pandemic.
Gettysburg Rotary will be providing supplies for a new critical care facility to serve the region.
Luverne Rotary will use the funds to buy supplies and lessen the impact of the epidemic on the public pre-school.
Spearfish/Northern Black Hills Rotary will purchase protective equipment for the volunteer staff of the Good Shepard Clinic in Spearfish.
Pierre/Fort Pierre Rotary will work with the Boys & Girls Club in their plans to construct a raised-bed vegetable garden onsite, to teach gardening skills and to use the produce for healthy snacks.
Brookings Rotary will work with the Teen Center at the Boys & Girls Club of Brookings to implement a virtual job fair program.
Rapid City Rushmore Rotary will partner with Feeding South Dakota in Rapid City to provide protein foods that are in desperate need.
Rapid City Rotary will purchase artwork from Pine Ridge Reservation artists and will then donate that artwork to an effort to raise funds for community program assisting the homeless.
Sioux City Rotary will purchase the supplies needed for the Soup Kitchen to reopen and expand the meals it provides for those in need.
Sioux Falls South Rotary will purchase to-go containers for The Banquet of Sioux Falls to serve their meals.
Vermillion Rotary will partner with the Community Connections Center in Vermillion to provide diapers that are in high demand as well as gift cards to local restaurants that have been severely hit by the pandemic.
District 5610 Clubs Receive Rotary Disaster Response Grant
Nominations are open for the next District Governor who will follow our current DGN, John Schneider. The year of service will be July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. Qualifications are to have served as a club president for a full term, be a member in good standing in a club within the district, and to have been a Rotary club member for seven years before taking office. The successful candidate is expected to fulfill the training expectations and be willing to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the governor.
Submit your nomination to one of the nominating committee members by clicking on their name listed below for their email address:
Self-nominations are welcome. Nominations are open until closed by the committee. Please be prompt as the current district leadership wants to get a nominee in place as soon as possible for training purposes. Include your nominee's name and Rotary Club. We'll take it from there.
Yours in Service Above Self,
Ina Winter
District Governor 2019-2020
Nominating Committee Chairperson
RID 5610
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 you can imagine, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the traditional timeline for soliciting host clubs and selecting outbound student for Rotary Youth Exchange. At this time, our multidistrict – Central States Rotary Youth Exchange – has suspended the application process until February 1, 2021. On that date, a decision will be made whether to more forward or cancel the 2021-2022 RYE program. If we move forward, the application will open and a condensed selection process will begin.
In the meantime, clubs are free to promote the program and possibly finalize club nominations of potential outbound students for the 2021-2022 Rotary Year. Students should be 16 to 18 ½ at the time of departure (typically August 15 or thereabouts) and in good academic standing at their school. Students and clubs can visit https://www.csrye.org/ or https://www.rotary.org/en/our-programs/youth-exchanges to get general information on the program. For specific questions, please contact Cindy Bailie, Outbound Coordinator, or myself.
Lastly, if the program proceeds we will need commitments from clubs to host inbound students. If your club is interested in hosting a student, please send me an email at Patrick Morrison. I can provide information on responsibilities, expected costs, and the like. For those of you who remember the headache of the past trainings and paper forms, you will be happy to know that our transition to Central States has made this process much easier – and digital. As a reminder, it is not a requirement to send a student to host a student, so all clubs are eligible to host.
Stay well!
Sincerely,
Patrick Morrison | District Chair, District 5610 | Rotary Youth Exchange
Service Project Outdoor Nature Explorer Classroom Clean-up
Smiles! Someone once said “smiles” is the longest word in the world. Well, there were a lot of long, big smiles on the faces of those to whom Rotarians delivered roses to on Thursday, September 24. Of course, delivering roses was the final piece of the puzzle placed into the annual Rotary Club rose sale. As readers might recall, the Rotary club started its annual rose sale on August 18 and concluded it on September 10. In the end, the club sold 177 dozen roses. That’s a remarkable number, particularly when you factor in the possibility of covid-19 hovering around in unknown places. Covid-19 may have caused some anxiety among Rotarians and therefore limited themselves to the number of contacts made with potential customers. Nevertheless, roses arrived at Luverne Flowers on Tuesday, September 22. A small committee tagged each dozen with a name tag. This was done on Wednesday, September 23. On Thursday, September 24, an attempt to deliver all 177 dozen was made. “I made several deliveries,” remarked club member Gregg Gropel. “When I handed the roses to each recipient they immediately put on a big smile. One young lady, with a long smile upon her face, turned and looked at her husband and said, ‘Did you do this?’” Upon which her husband couldn’t help but reciprocate with his own big smile. “You could tell that dozen roses was a big hit in that family,” said Gropel. Smiles! You see, smiles is the longest word in the world because there is a mile between the two S’s. And a lot of those rose sale recipients ended the day with a mile long smile. Click here for the full article on Luverne's Annual Rose Sale.
Rotary Club of Canby
Downtown Dining A Rotary District 5610 COVID-19 grant enabled the Canby Rotary Club to purchase bistro tables for public seating around downtown Canby. Tables are placed in the walking alleys near the Canby Print Shop and Moberg Meat Center as well as in Birthday Park next to True Value. It is Rotary’s hope that the community and visitors will use these seating areas to enjoy food and drink from any of the businesses in Canby.
Rotary Club of LeMars
The Le Mars Rotary Club hosted a flag pole dedication in O’Toole Park on Central Avenue North on Wednesday, Sept. 16, and honored a longtime Rotary member, Ina Gatts. Rotary Club President Bob Lee noted the Le Mars Rotary Club was founded in June 1919. “Last year marked our 100th anniversary as a club and under the leadership of Steve Harrington, a past President and District Governor last year, the members of the club decided that we wanted to do a special project for our anniversary at O’Toole Park,” he said. “Past President Ina Gatts, who was the first woman president of the club in 1992, wanted to help with our special project as well.” Click here for the full article at LeMars Daily Sentinel.
WORLD POLIO DAY IS OCTOBER 24 THIS YEAR AND IT IS MY HOPE THAT EVERY CLUB'S PRESIDENT IN DISTRICT 5610 WILL SHOW AND READ "5 REASONS WHY WE MUST ERADICATE POLIO", USING ZOOM OR MEETING IN PERSON, THEREBY CELEBRATING THIS SPECIAL DAY.
Rotary has made the huge commitment to continue giving $50 million a year until polio is eradicated. This shows the level of support our wonderful organization is doing for one of the noblest projects in history. The Gates Foundation has also raised the bar by committing to match every dollar Rotary raises by two dollars. District 5610 is asking every Rotarian to help with a $40 gift a year.
Covid has, as expected, been a setback with the total cases of wild virus increasing but not as much as was feared. Since the 4 month suspension ended in August the number of polio cases have increased in Afghanistan to 102 compared to 67 year to date last year. Pakistan did better with only 65 cases versus 67 last year at this time. The eradication program had to be suspended from March to August so as not to become a vehicle for covid to spread but our personnel and resources were used to slow the spread of covid. During the near five suspension months it is estimated that over 40 million children went without polio vaccination. Now we have to make that up in a very carefully masked, methodical and sanitized way. The effect of covid has also been felt worse in the number of vaccine derived cases of polio increasing. These happen when vaccination levels lag and the vaccine has a chance to revert and causes paralysis instead of protecting. These cases are now occurring in a number of the poorest countries of Africa. When this occurs the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) must go back into these poor areas and vaccinate every child and then moving circularly out until the cases drop. This takes a huge amount of time, effort and money. Rotary and the partners of the GPEI have developed a new type 2 polio vaccination that should stop this problem in the future. Then we can again concentrate on Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Since Rotary first started the effort to eliminate polio from the world it has given $2.1 billion. We also have encouraged world governments to contribute $10 billion to the effort. In return this money has saved 19 million children from ruined lives of paralysis. 1.5 million children are now alive that would have died. Hundreds of thousands of adults will not have post polio syndrome which causes severe handicaps in their later years. The economic benefit from reducing the cases of polio are calculated to be $27 billion now, and by the year 2050 will add up to a value over $41 billion.
It is frustrating that it has been so long and so hard to get to the final eradication but we will as the Energizer Bunny says "keep going and going and going" because it is so vital to the lives of ALL THE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD. Rotary is going to be remembered as the organization that wouldn't and couldn't give up.
Thanks to the District, to the clubs and to the individual members for continuing to give so generously.
Does your club have a plan to celebrate World Polio Day on October 24? The big day is just five weeks away and it’s time for all clubs to develop a plan to help spread the word about Rotary’s work to end this horrible disease and to celebrate the wonderful work so far.
District 5610 encourages you to do something to highlight the event - a watch party, a proclamation from the city government, a speaker at your weekly meeting, etc. As important as it is to plan your club's event, it's also important to try to promote the event among your club members and in the community. We want everyone to understand that we are so close to eradicating polio from our planet. Please plan something to help celebrate the day and send me a note and let me know what your club is doing.
This message provides a wide variety of options for your club to celebrate World Polio Day on Wednesday, October 24. Please forgive the length of this message. I wanted to use just one message, and give you many options.
A large number of resources are available on the End Polio Now website (www.endpolio.org/world-polio-day). Most of them are ready to be used, so they require no work on your part. Some can be customized for your event or local media. A folder with all the resources can be downloaded here (www.endpolio.org/sites/default/files/wpd_2020_en.zip), or you can visit the resource center (https://www.endpolio.org/resource-center#see-more) to choose which resources you want to download. The resource center provides an array of materials, including banners, posters, news releases, sample proclamations, invitation templates, fact sheets with program information, and social media messages. Rotary International’s Brand Center (https://brandcenter.rotary.org/en-GB) also has images, videos, etc. that talk about the polio eradication initiative. It is truly amazing how many resources are available. Please let me know if I can help you to access any of the information.
Below there are suggestions of what you can do to celebrate World Polio Day 2020! Review those ideas and search for others. Work with the club to determine how you will celebrate the day, and then choose materials from the resource center and other links to help you.
A Few Ideas for Celebrating World Polio Day:
VIEW
Mark your calendar to watch the Rotary International Online Global Update on 24 October and share the event on your social media pages.
Follow the event on social media and share it with your network.
RSVP to the Online Global Update on Facebook and see who else is participating.
Get early access to see a downloadable program by registering your World Polio Day event by 15 October
SHARE
Use the sample posts from the World Polio Day Toolkit on your social media pages
Use the #EndPolio and #WorldPolioDay hashtags to follow and join the global conversation on social media.Follow End Polio Now on Facebook and Twitter.
Follow @EndPolioNow on Facebook and Twitter, and visit the World Polio Day page on www.endpolio.org for updates.
Update your Facebook cover photo and Twitter avatar, using the graphics provided.
Use Rotary’s Brand Center to create a People of Action social media post about ending polio that promotes your club’s events. Just sign in, hover over Ads, and choose Online. In the options on the left, choose Fighting Polio.
HOST
Organize a community event with club members, friends, and family members to observe World Polio Day. Invite local media representatives, officials, and other leaders to participate, and use the opportunity to introduce them to Rotary.
Organize a viewing party for friends and club members to watch the World Polio Day events.
Invite local media, officials, and leaders to introduce them to Rotary.
Dedicate a club meeting to World Polio Day and update your website with the event details.
Create a fundraising or community event. Every dollar raised is matched 2-to-1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Email or call local reporters and pitch a story about World Polio Day and your club’s contributions to the effort. Send them the news release and the fact sheet about Rotary’s efforts to eradicate Polio.
Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper about the importance of ending polio. Send it to the op-ed or editorial features editor for consideration.
Write your government officials asking for an official proclamation for World Polio Day. A template for the proclamation is included on the resources page.
Thank you for all that you do to make your Rotary club a critical part of your community.
When Dr. Dan Little of Brookings accepted the position of District Governor nominee for Rotary District 5610, he was looking forward to the two years of extensive training that would prepare him to lead 40 clubs throughout all of South Dakota and parts of Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. That was in 2018.
Fast forward to the first day of his District Governor term, July 1, 2020, and the world looked much different.
“Everything changed in March, when most clubs suspended their meetings for at least a few weeks due to COVID-19. However, now about three quarters of the clubs are back to weekly gatherings, even if they are held virtually. The work of Rotary continues,” said Little.
Rotary International began in 1905 in Chicago, when Paul Harris and three other businessmen started meeting regularly to share ideas and network, “rotating” their meeting locations among their four offices. Now Rotary International membership tops 1.2 million with more than 33,000 clubs in about 200 countries. The organization is divided into 34 zones (Brookings is in Zone 29) and 531 worldwide districts. Each district has a governor, and this year’s governor for District 5610 is from right here in Brookings.
Little, a consulting veterinarian, provides expert opinions in complex scenarios regarding dairy, swine, beef, poultry, equine, small ruminants, practice management, and personal injury. Many of his current forensic investigations relate to alleged feed mixing and contamination concerns. He believes his background as a vet has helped him respond to the current challenges facing Rotary.
“Veterinarians use systematic problem solving to make decisions – possibly followed by another decision.” he said. This type of problem solving has come in handy as he helps guide his district through unprecedented times. “When faced with concerns or obstacles we must pursue the discovery of the root cause before we can effect positive change,” Little continued. “The ‘positive change’ work of Rotary has not stopped in these COVID-19 times. In fact, our mission and goals are more relevant than ever.”
Little notes that the Rotary International theme for 2020-21 is “Rotary Opens Opportunities.” Those opportunities include taking advantage of technology in ways not considered prior to the pandemic. “COVID is forcing us to adapt to the digital age. We have been stretched out of our comfort zone, but like a rubber band, I do not expect that we will ever go back to all of our past behaviors,” said Little. “Zoom and digital tools improve the ability of young professionals to participate in Rotary activities, so one unexpected result might just be membership for those who hadn’t previously been able to attend a more traditional, in-person, lunch meeting.”
Little grew up on a dairy and swine family farm near Faribault in south central Minnesota. He received his B.A. in Biology from Gustavus Adolphus College, his M. S. in Physiology of Reproduction from Texas A&M University and his DVM from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine before establishing a veterinary practice in southeastern Minnesota in 1984.
His practice has focused on a systems management approach to food animal medicine. In addition to providing on-farm services to diagnose and prevent health challenges, he has also provided technical support to companies that desire to develop, market and implement biotech solutions in livestock systems. He has presented at national and international professional conferences and is a published author in scientific journals and industry magazines.
Although Rotary district governors are charged with the ultimate decision-making and leadership of their districts, Little ultimately sees his role as more of a “facilitator.”
“I view this position as an opportunity to be a team leader, providing the clubs in District 5610 with the Rotary International tools they need to meet their individual club goals,” explained Little. “We have tremendously talented and passionate Rotarians throughout District 5610.”
Although Little has been a Rotarian since 1994, he said he really understood the importance of membership when he joined the Brookings club after moving to Brookings in 2002. “I realized that I was immediately accepted and trusted in a new community of Rotarians.” Little subsequently served as president of the Brookings club, then as assistant governor and ultimately received the required training at the district, zone and international levels to prepare for his year as district governor.
“It’s a big commitment – one I entered into very seriously – but it’s a tremendous honor. The opportunity to be a leader in an organization where you can contribute locally but have an impact globally is humbling.”
Little remembers the first time he heard a former district governor challenge members of the Brookings Club to join the Paul Harris Society; the DG explained the global nature of Rotary’s work, but also emphasized that it was important to remember that behind each dollar donated, there was an individual, a real person, who benefitted. Little is proud to be a Paul Harris Fellow and a member of the Paul Harris Society.
Paul Harris Fellows are those who have contributed (or have had donated in their name) at least $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation, the organization that provides funding for local and global projects supporting Rotary projects involving health, economic development and peace. Last year, the Brookings Rotary Club achieved 100 percent Paul Harris Fellow status. Paul Harris Society members pledge to contribute $1,000 per year to the Rotary Foundation.
The reach is expansive; in 2018, the Rotary Foundation distributed more than $86 million to causes that reflect Rotary’s mission, most notably its continued quest to eradicate polio. “As recently as 1988, there were 350,000 cases of polio worldwide. Now, we are down to 72 isolated cases, with pockets of infection in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We’re remarkably close to total eradication,” said Little.
In addition to club members contributing to global causes, Rotarians exemplify their motto of “Service Above Self” by participating in local, club-level projects. Recent projects supported by the Brookings club, for instance, include a community food drive to benefit the Brookings Food Pantry, collaboration with the Brookings Area United Way to create the Born Learning Trails in two parks for area families to enjoy, the purchase of gift cards for all employees of area assisted living facilities, and the gift to the City of Brookings of a clock that was recently installed in the downtown area to commemorate the club’s 100th anniversary. As Little visits other clubs in the district (“a requirement of my job but also a great privilege!”), he learns about their projects, similarly organized to improve their communities and address the unique needs of their areas.
“These are the types of projects that attract people of all ages, backgrounds and experiences to Rotary,” said Little. “What does a Rotarian look like? One who cares about others and chooses to invest personal time in making the world a better place for people they may never even meet.”
Little is also a private pilot and a member of the International Fellowship of Flying Rotarians. His wife, Pat, is a retired real estate broker and provides business management services for their family businesses. They have six children and nine grandchildren within three hours of their home near Lake Campbell south of Brookings. They enjoy traveling, golfing, hiking, and spending time with family.
Installation has begun on two “Born Learning Trails” in Hillcrest and McClemans Parks, thanks to support from the Brookings Rotary Club and the Brookings Area United Way.
Born Learning Trails are a series of 10 reinforced signs that offer fun, evidence-based learning activities for young children and their families and are a source of free outdoor play in the community.
Funding for the project was made possible by a donation from the Brookings Rotary Club, this year celebrating its 100th year, as well as a grant from Rotary District 5610, the Brookings Area United Way, and labor from the Brookings Park District and local Rotarians.
Rotary Clubs of Marshall
Donated iPads to Local Care Facilities
Noon Rotary Club and Sunrise Rotary Club of Marshall, MN recently came together and provided funds in the amount of $2,500 to purchase 11 iPads to help patients connect with their families and friends amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The funds raised matched the $2,500 donation given by Schwan’s Home Delivery whose funds were also used to purchase iPad devices for similar use.
“This is amazing and greatly appreciated by the facilities to not only connect with families but also to have virtual healthcare visits with their providers”, stated Melissa Maranell, Patient Care Coordinator for Marshall Avera@Home.
Noon Rotary Club Member Susie Sammons, Hill Street Place Senior Housing Administrator, conducted a needs assessment and was instrumental in ensuring that the iPads could be utilized throughout not only in Marshall facilities, but including Minneota as well.
Marshall Rotary and Schwan’s together distributed iPads to the following facilities:
2-Marshall Avera @ Home and Hospice Care
4-Hill Street Place Senior Apartments
4 -Prairie Home Hospice and Fieldcrest
2-Minneota Madison Ave Senior Apartments
2-Boulder Creek Memory Care
Noon Rotary President Matt Pedersen said that offering community assistance during this crisis is what Rotary is all about, “Providing this technology to connect patients and individuals to their loved ones or their medical provider who they would otherwise have no means to contact makes an immediate powerful and emotional impact."
“The coronavirus implications have limited access to loved ones and extended isolation is difficult on many”, said Sunrise Rotary President Christian Becker, “this donation eases the individual’s situation by providing an important communication link”.
The motto of Rotarians is "Service above Self". It reminds Rotarians to think of how they can help others instead of selfish thoughts.
Rotary Club of Watertown
Boxes of children books were delivered to the Watertown Boys and Girls Club this summer during Covid-19. Waterown Rotary Club collected books for ages 1-18 so that children could pick a book when receiving summer lunches.
Rotary Club of Vermillion
In recognition of the national "Read Across America" day, the Vermillion SD Rotary Club works with the local elementary schools to provide a free book for all Kindergarten and Jr. Kindergarten students in the community. Students get to select a book from those provided to each classroom and the extra books are left for the teacher's use. The video link capture the joy of the event. We hope that receiving these books is another small step to developing a passion for reading. You can watch the video on the Vermillion Club's YouTube channel by CLICKING HERE or on the image below.
Thank you to all clubs doing good in their communities and across the globe to support educations in so many ways: student scholarships, sponsoring and funding of early education of students internationally, dictionaries, pencils, and school supplies distributions, meals/backpack programs, providing funding to support school clubs and activities, Rotary Youth Exchange, and more.
District 5610 Rotary Clubs Highlighted - September 2020
Whiteclay Arts Makerspace Rotary Global Grant Project News Release #3
Where are we today with the Whiteclay Global Grant?
The Whiteclay Makerspace has proven to be an excellent project for Rotary. Our basic mission of peace building is enhanced by a suite of areas of focus which channel our efforts into broad categories of service. These include maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, disease prevention and treatment, peace and conflict prevention/resolution, economic and community development, water and sanitation, and our newest focus of supporting the environment. Our Whiteclay Makerspace global grant project falls within the economic and community development focus.
Rotary grants do not allow the construction or renovation of buildings, but we can equip them to serve beneficiaries. Whiteclay Makerspace, Inc. has offered a beautiful opportunity to partner in our efforts to serve our neighbors on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Whiteclay Makerspace is handling the building and the management of the facility while Rotary is able to equip the makerspace with needed equipment and supplies. In our opinions, this is a perfect partnership.
Finding and working with partners to expand our ability to serve and make a positive impact is key to successful projects. Jon Ruybalid and Candi Red Cloud have proven to be great partners. We have enjoyed working with them and look forward to continuing the relationship as we finish the makerspace and look to potential future projects.
This project offers Rotarians the opportunity to learn about Ogala Lakota culture and life on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Most importantly, it offers the opportunity to meet the Pine Ridge artists and craftspeople. One of Rotary's superpowers is forging friendships across geographic and cultural boundaries. Face to face and hand to hand is how Rotary and Rotarians build peace. Whiteclay Makerspace offers us that opportunity in our own backyard.
The news media has been helpful in featuring this makerspace.
After almost 4 months from grant approval, we have made good progress, considering we are in the middle of a pandemic! Rotarians have made 5 workday trips to the property, bringing equipment and supplies. The sewing and quilting room is completely furnished. We have had Rotarians volunteering labor on repairing walls, painting, cleaning and assembling our donated equipment. The team is thrilled with the enthusiasm and generosity of the local business community as items are procured! We plan to go back to finish more rooms in late winter thru spring. The supply store is the first priority, so the beads and fabric can be offered to locals for sale. Then they can begin creating their art at the sewing machines, quilter, beading tables, and woodworking areas. The photography room is later, when we can access a home on the reservation to bring the donated equipment in and setup a studio. Work days for volunteers to setup and install equipment and prepare the space have occurred in September and October. Please plan to volunteer on future workdays, installing the Rotary equipment and supplies. Rotary clubs have featured the team as weekly speakers in Rapid City, Hot Springs, Brookings, and at District and Zone conferences. Please let us know if you would like us to speak at your meetings via Zoom!
What can you do? Support this project as economic development for our Native American
community!
Thank the volunteers! Thank the businesses who have been very generous with discounting equipment and supplies. Be a volunteer! See the list of needed items and check out your shop or garage to see if you have something to donate! Follow Whiteclay Makerspace on Facebook and the website www.whiteclayredo.com Check out the hand made items for sale at
carpentry tape measures, angles, saws, misc. hand tools
Donations of cash or in-kind items are welcomed. A donation form is available for download on the rotary5610.org website. Please contact the committee members (listed below) if you have an item to donate.See News Releases #1 and #2 for background information.
We are making this economic development project possible with a Rotary Foundation Global Grant!
Rotary District 5610 Governor, Dan Little, announces that a subcommittee was recently formed to submit a Global Grant proposal with outcomes aimed to End Human Trafficking, which is timely, as South Dakota Governor, Kristi Noem, recently declared August “South Dakota Human Trafficking Awareness Month.” Global Grants/Vocational Training Team Subcommittee Chair, Jennifer Rollins, is chairing the recently-convened taskforce that plans to meet twice a month to build a coalition with others engaged in similar efforts. The goal is to identify a coordinated, sustainable Global Grant project that will protect vulnerable populations against human trafficking. Similar Ending Human Trafficking initiatives have already been implemented by other Rotary Districts in the upper midwest.
At the upcoming District 5610 Conference, the subcommittee plans to invite a victim of human trafficking to speak (or provide a video) to the audience in order to raise awareness of the prevalence of this crime. Furthermore, many community members may not be aware of current state and local efforts underway to stop this crime. The subcommittee is reaching out to a National Anti-Human Trafficking program as well as a state Task Force and individuals/organizations that have overlap with the Task Force. The subcommittee wishes to instill an energy to facilitate a call to action similar to those already in play such as SD Resilient Communities initiative, Chains Interrupted, United Way, and Children’s Home Society to name a few. Therefore, the subcommittee intends to update attendees on current community coordination and available steps for members to take while a Rotary specific focused Global Grant effort is under development.
Human trafficking occurs when an adult or child is manipulated, recruited, harbored, or transported for the purpose of involuntary exploitation, commercialized sexual exploitation, slavery, illicit adoption, organ removal, or forced labor services. While the exact scope remains unknown, it is estimated that 25 million people worldwide are affected by human trafficking, of which an estimated 30 percent are children. Sadly, South Dakota ranks lowest on Shared Hope International’s report card for sex trafficking, just one form of human trafficking.
All Rotary Clubs of District 5610 and individual Rotarians are invited to consider how they might become involved in this Global Grant process by offering shared knowledge and/or financial resources. If your Club is interested in partnering financially with the District on a Global Grant application and/or you are aware of efforts in your community to End Human Trafficking, please email Jennifer Rollins, District 5610 Global Grant/Vocational Training Team Subcommittee Chairperson at Jennifer.Rollins.usafa@gmail.com.
District 5610’s Ending Human Trafficking Initiative
What is your club’s ACTION PLAN? Here is Rotary’s Action Plan. How does it align with your club?
INCREASE IMPACT Achieving impact and measuring results and outcomes of our work is critical in order for clubs to continue to attract members, partners, and donors.
DEVELOP A STRATEGY for educating members about the importance of service projects.
CONDUCT A COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT to identify top concerns in your area. RI has great Community Assessment Tools.
FOCUS YOUR EFFORTS – Review your club’s activities, focus on activities that make an impact.
ENCOURAGE YOUR CLUB TO CELEBRATE SUCCESSES
EXPAND YOUR REACH Collaborating with new and different groups will help increase your club’s openness and appeal, create a more diverse membership base, and expand your capacity for service.
SET A GOAL to collaborate with new groups through service projects or social events, introducing more people to Rotary.
USE ROTARY’S MEMBERSHIP TOOLS to assess your club. Membership Assessment Tools
CONSIDER FORMING NEW CLUBS. Take advantage of flexible club models.
TELL YOUR STORY. Use Brand Center to show your club’s impact.
ENHANCE PARTICIPANT ENGAGEMENT By understanding the needs of others, you’re able to improve the experience for members and others that participate in club activities.
FOCUS NOT ONLY ON GAINING NEW MEMBERS BUT ALSO ON DELIVERING VALUE – survey members to find out what is important. Hold a brainstorming session.
UTILIZE THE LEARNING CENTERCURRICULUM – there are great leadership development courses for members and participants.
INCREASE OUR ABILITY TO ADAPT - Looking at your internal processes is essential for creating a strong foundation for innovation, sustainability, and growth.
HOLD BRAINSTORMING SESSIONS with club members to gather ideas for activities and service projects. Contact other organizations or clubs to partner.
TRY NEW IDEAS; EXPAND SUCCESSFUL CLUB INITIATIVES – focus on club successes.
REVIEW YOUR CLUB ROLES, PROCESSES AND TASKS – look for ways to become more efficient – whether its by reducing, combining, or eliminating responsibilities or using different technology. Rotary Club Health Check
During the recent online business meeting for District 5610, Le Mars Rotarian John Schneider was elected to the position of District Governor Nominee (DGN) for the 2020-21 Rotary year. The following year, 2021-22, John will serve as the District Governor Elect (DGE) and he will move to the District Governor (DG) in 2022-23.
John has been a Rotarian for 35 years and values the opportunity to live life through Service Above Self. John has served as president of the Le Mars Rotary club twice and has for ten years managed the club’s drug store ice cream shop at the Plymouth County Fair. The Le Mars Rotary club recently celebrated 100 years of service to the community. He is also Assistant Governor for Area 9 that includes clubs in Northwest Iowa and was District Conference Chairman in 2017. His community involvement extends beyond Rotary including activities with the local chamber of commerce, economic development board, 50 year member of the Le Mars Municipal Band, church, historical museum and agriculture organizations.
John Schneider is a fourth generation farmer on his family farm in Northwest Iowa, near Le Mars. His great grandfather emigrated from Denmark to homestead their century farm. John has been raising pigs since age ten as 4-H member with the exception of the years he was a student at Iowa State University where he earned a BS degree in Farm Operations and a became member of Alpha Gamma Rho social/professional fraternity. Growing up, John was active in FFA in high school and was elected as a State FFA Vice-President his senior year in high school.
In addition to his life long career in pork production, John served a term as Plymouth County Supervisor. He has also spent most of the last 20 years in the banking industry as an agricultural loan officer and currently as a real estate evaluator.
John and his wife, Carol, have a daughter and son and five grandchildren all living in Iowa. They enjoy traveling and visiting places of historical interest including railroad and model railroad sites.
John Schneider Elected District Governor Nominee and Will Serve as District Governor Rotary Year 2022-23
Hey! My name is Awan, I’m an 18 year old youth exchange student from District 3410 Jakarta, Indonesia. I’m hosted by the Rotary club consortium of Sioux falls which includes South, Downtown, North, and West. I was hosted by 4 different families during my stay here and all of them have been incredible. Being hosted by 4 different families really broadens your views of things. I went to school at Lincoln High School. Being the extrovert person that I am, I kinda fit right in. The first football game I attended to however did not go so great. I wore red on a white theme and I couldn’t stick out even more, but it helped because people remembered me, “That kid wearing red on a white-out.”
Studying abroad has always been a dream for me, even though the US wasn’t my first choice, nor my second, let alone going to South Dakota. I kinda just accepted that anywhere I go will be great if I make it so. I have tons of friends here and have done a lot of memorable things as well. I don’t regret anything except the things I didn’t get to do. Thanks to the exchange program, it helped me grow as a person, becoming more independent than I have ever been. Also it continues to change how I view things and how I view life in general. It helped me enjoy the little things in life like having friends you can hang out with, having a person to give you rides, and how to find joy in small things like going for a walk, hiking, and having lunch with someone.
I hope that I will participate more with Rotary later in life. I am forever grateful for the opportunity Rotary has given me.
Message from Awan Aditya, Rotary 5610 Youth Exchange Student
My name is Jessie Hsuan, I’m a Rotary Youth Exchange student from Taiwan. There are 4 Sioux Falls Rotary clubs; South, Downtown, West, and North. They created a consortium to help support the 5610 Youth Exchange program.
I had 2 host families while staying in Sioux Falls. My first host family was Sarah and Mark Sinnott from Sioux Falls South. I spent most of the time with them because they don’t have kids. They were able to take me out for road trips or out of the state. I’ve been to a lot of states and cities other then South Dakota because of them, I was the luckiest exchange student to have them as my host family!
My second host family was totally different from the first one. Tony and Brenda Nour, they’re members from Sioux Falls Downtown. They have 4 kids, the oldest is a boy - 11 years old, the second oldest is also a boy who’s 8 years old. The third and fourth are both girls, they’re 6 and 3 years old. It was a brand new experience to me because I’ve never lived with any younger kids before I came here. I thought it would be tough for me to live with kids but turned out they’re smart kids and I enjoyed spending time with them. The two boys and I sometimes played basketball together in the driveway. The boys and my host dad love basketball, so we often went to local universities’ basketball games. I love the kids and they made me into a better sister as well.
I enjoyed making new friends at Lincoln High School, I’m so grateful that I joined the cheerleading squad and got to learn something that I didn’t have a chance to do before. My teammates and coaches were so nice to me after knowing I was a foreign exchange student. They’ve taught me a lot, and I appreciate it. Cheerleading will be a part of my most important memory that I’ll never forget here.
I’m really grateful and glad that I have had this opportunity to be an exchange student through Rotary Youth Exchange. There was only me and the other exchange student from Indonesia in all of District 5610, it would have been great for other students interested in Rotary Youth Exchange to have more options and opportunities throughout the U.S. I hope to continue to grow and learn with Rotary pride and knowledge. Thanks to every single person who I’ve met in the US. My exchange year wouldn’t have been so absolutely amazing if it wasn’t for you all! I love America!
Message from Jessie Hsuan, Rotary 5610 Youth Exchange Student
The District Foundation Raffle 2019-20 is now complete, and below is a list of the raffle winners and the club prizes. This year's raffle sold 4,856 tickets and raised $49,760 for the Rotary Foundation. A reminder that half of the money raised will return to our district in three years to be used for local community projects.
It has been a difficult year in all aspects of our lives, including Rotary activity. But I would like to thank all the Rotary clubs in district 5610 for their efforts in selling raffle tickets, and providing raffle prizes during this pandemic.
Here is a list of raffle winners, and the corresponding Rotary club's prizes:
#1 Grand Prize. Samsung 4 Piece Kitchen Suite (fromKarl's TV & Appliances)
Winner: Gopal Vyas, Mitchell Rotary
#2 Grand Prize. White Peak Lodge, 3 night vacation (fromJoe &Mary Edelen, Vermillion)
Winner: Laura Batchelor, Hot Springs Rotary
#3 Grand Prize. $1,000 Cash prize.
Winner: Sirje Kiin, Madison Rotary
#4 Grand Prize. Remote Personal Trainer ($1,800 valuefrom Daniel Flahie, Yankton)
Winner: Marlene Van Holland, Rock Valley Rotary
Raffle Prize Winners: Prizes will sent from these Rotary clubs:
Laura Batchelor of Hot Springs Rotary - Won the prize from Pierre-Ft Pierre Rotary.
Dianne Weger of Pierre-Ft Pierre Rotary - Won the prize from Sioux Falls West
Andrea Koelewyn of Rock Valley Rotary - Won the prize from Watertown Rotary
Trish Delaney of Mitchell Rotary - Won the prize from Tyndall Rotary
Eric Elsberry of Tyndall Rotary - Won the prize from Winner Rotary
David Johnson of Watertown Rotary - Won the prize from Marshall Sunrise Rotary
Kevin Keane of Sioux City Rotary - Won the prize from Sioux Falls South Rotary
Therese Hagel of Mobridge Rotary - Won the prize from Rapid City Noon Rotary
Angela Helmer of Vermillion Rotary - Won the prize from Minneota Rotary
Jean Koehler of Mitchell Rotary - Won the prize from Sioux Falls North Rotary
Rhea Thompson of Vermillion Rotary - Won the prize from Luverne Rotary
Carolyn Perry of Pierre-Ft Pierre Rotary - Won the prize from Lemars Rotary
Delon Mork of Madison Rotary - Won the prize from Clark Rotary
Jen Albig McKay of Sioux Falls South Rotary - Won the prize from Custer Rotary
Ted Muenster of Vermillion Rotary - Won the prize from Sioux City Rotary
Ron Gates of Mitchell Rotary - Won the prize from Centerville Rotary
Hannah Johnson of Rock ValleyRotary - Won the prize from Rushmore Rotary
Scott Parsley of Madison Rotary - Won the prize from Sibley Rotary
Melanie Seivert of Sibley Rotary - Won the prize from Scotland Rotary
David Johnson of Watertown Rotary - Won the prize from Canton Rotary
Bert Olson of Sioux Falls South Rotary - Won the prize from Brookings Rotary
Jamie Huizenga of Pierre-Ft Pierre Rotary - Won the prize from Marshall Noon Rotary
Mike Smith of Pierre-Ft Pierre Rotary - Won the prize from Downtown Sioux Falls
Raffle Prize Winners: Prizes will sent from Steve Harrington:
Stan Mack of Mobridge Rotary - Won the prize from Mobridge Rotary.
Rich Platt of Mitchell Rotary - Won the prize from Madison Rotary
Jim Massa of Winner Rotary - Won the prize from Rock Valley Rotary
Jill Reel of Sioux Falls North Rotary - Won the prize from Spearfish Rotary
Emmett Kotrba of Gregory Rotary - Won the prize from Hot Springs Rotary
Tammy Lcosbrock of Luverne Rotary - Won the prize from Mitchell Rotary
Ron Gates of Mitchell Rotary - Won the prize from Cherokee Rotary
Please allow a 2-3 weeks to receive the winning prizes. Prizes vary depending on the club, but are either gift cards or gift packages.
July 1 marks the start of the new Rotary year - 2020-2021. This video is part of a new Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign to promote Rotary in the US. I have added the District Information to the video and also incorporated the 2020-21 theme - Rotary Opens Opportunities! Click on the image below to watch this short PSA or you can CLICK HERE to see it on our Club's YouTube channel.
Chuck Lindemann, Assistant Governor from the Marshall Noon Rotary Club, was named “Roger Kozak Service Above Self Award” winner for 2019-20. Lindemann’s selection was announced during the District business meeting May 29.
Three past district governors, as well as current Governor Ina Winter, nominated Lindemann for the award, established in 2016 to honor the memory of former District Governor Roger Kozak, who served as District Governor 2009-2010.
This award was established to honor Rotarians in District 5610 who have quietly and cheerfully given their time and talents to the service of Rotary and to the service of their community.
“Chuck Lindemann is one of the most dedicated Rotarians I have ever met,” said PDG and District Treasurer Steve Sikorski. Winter extolled Lindemann’s AG service, saying, “He is a creative thinker, keeping knowledgeable about new Rotary efforts and programs and wondering how they could benefit his clubs.”
PDG Dave Lorenz said Lindemann is “an honest man with good judgment and someone who daily practices the Rotary 4-Way Test.”
The award honors the memory of Roger Kozak, who distinguished himself as a servant leader in his home town of Vermillion, SD, where he served on the city council for seven years and as Mayor for three years. He died August 1, 2012. He was a member of the Vermillion Rotary Club for over 29 years.
Past recipients of the honor are PDG George Twitero and PDG Pat Sutliff.
2020 Roger Kozak Service Above Self Award Honors Chuck Lindemann of Marshall
Larry Lyngstad, a member of the Pierre-Fort Pierre Rotary Club, has been awarded Rotary International’s highest honor for individual Rotarians. He received a crystal “Service Above Self Award” and pin from the Board of Directors of Rotary International. Only 150 Rotarians each year are awarded the Service Above Self award.
Lyngstad received a card with the award which read, “Through your compassion, enthusiasm, and commitment to service, you represent the best that Rotary has to offer. We thank you for your dedication to the ideals of Rotary, and we congratulate you on receiving this prestigious honor.”
Lyngstad is the first individual in District 5610, which includes 40 clubs across South Dakota, as well as clubs in southwestern Minnesota and northwestern Iowa, to ever receive the award. He was nominated by Ina Winter, who serves as District 5610 Governor for 2019-20. Her term ends June 30, 2020.
Past Pierre-Fort Pierre Rotary Club president Mike Gibson said, “Larry Lyngstad exemplifies volunteer leadership because he is always seeking to help and to build up others. Larry actually is that leader who, rather than be in direct leadership, seeks to serve and to see others succeed.”
Lyngstad, who retired in 2003 after serving over 15 years as the Executive Director for the South Dakota Real Estate Commission, has held a variety of leadership roles with his local club and with District 5610.
For each of the last seven years the Pierre-Fort Pierre Rotary Club has hosted the “Holiday Jam” concert during Christmas season, raising more than $10,000 per year for the Boys and Girls Club. Instigator and chair from the beginning has been Larry Lyngstad.
“When the 2011 flood hit the Pierre-Fort Pierre area, Larry Lyngstad was front and center, moving sandbags and helping in every corner of our communities,” said Ed Jacobson, local Rotarian.
Lyngstad has been a local “Reading Buddy” and SD Discovery Center volunteer. He served on the Board of the South Dakota State Arts Council, chaired the SD Friends of Public Broadcasting Board, serves on two church boards, directs a church choir and a men’s vocal group, and sings in a quartet. He also plays in the community band.
“’Keep your eye on the prize,’ is Larry’s volunteer mantra. He is a servant leader of the first order. When he agrees to help, it is with a full understanding of what the charity will get out of it. He sees the big picture and works until the job is done.
“Setbacks don’t slow him down. His dedication and perseverance are legendary in his community. He gives and gives and gives – his time, his talents, and his treasures – with no desire to be recognized for his efforts,” wrote District Governor Ina Winter.
Lyngstad receives Rotary’s top honor for individual Rotarians – a first-ever award for District 5610
First of all, we hope everyone is being diligent and safe during this active Covid19 pandemic. Some clubs are conducting Zoom or other tele-conferencing methods to maintain contact, others are emailing weekly Rotary updates to their club membership. Some have even returned to meeting while taking appropriate safeguards. Whatever approach your club is taking, thank you for your flexibility in this time of great uncertainty.
RAFFLE TICKETS SALES WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL JUNE 29!
Since our District's annual conference was canceled, we have extended the period to sell raffle tickets that support the Rotary Foundation, and ultimately the activities of our District. Now more than ever, supporting the great work of the Rotary Foundation is vital to making our communities and the world better. Additionally, in a few years, half of the money donated will come back to the District to support our local and global grants.
WHEN WILL THE RAFFLE TICKET DRAWING BE HELD? HOW WILL THE RAFFLE PRIZES BE DELIVERED TO THE WINNERS?
The raffle ticket stub drawing will be held by the Raffle 2020 Committee at the Rotary Club of Lemars via a Zoom meeting on June 30 at 1:15 cst. Prizes from the raffle drawing will be dispatched to the winners either by the raffle committee or the associated club.
CAN I STILL SUPPORT THE ROTARY FOUNDATION? WHERE DOES MY CLUB SEND THE DONATIONS AND THE TICKET STUBS?
You are given credit in supporting the Foundation with every raffle ticket you purchase. Your club will notate donations on the Foundation Multi-Donation Form that is submitted to the Rotary Foundation. Your club can send raffle ticket stubs anytime before June 30, 2020 to Steve Harrington please email me for mailing address.
Thank you all for adapting, adjusting, and continuing to support the Rotary Foundation. It truly has an impact on our communities through district grants, and across the world through global grants.
Membership is consistently one of the topics of greatest interest to District 5610 Rotarians. On June 2, the District conducted a membership engagement workshop on Zoom. A recording of that workshop is located on the District's YouTube page. You can view the video on YouTube by CLICKING HERE or on the image below.
Membership Engagement Workshop Conducted for 5610 Rotarians
Check out the recent May 5, 2020 recording of the all District Program Meeting by clicking on the video above about Polio Plus with special speaker Ann Lee Hussey. Ann Lee has led over 30 trips to support polio immunization campaigns in Africa and the Middle East. She is a polio survivor and active globally in the eradication effort and support of polio survivors. She is current on the program status and may be able to tell us how the Covid-19 pandemic is impacting the PolioPlus program.
Stay tuned and keep a look out by email for future all District Program Meetings with special speakers. Next scheduled future district program:
June 2, 2020 Member Engagement
We hope members will be thinking about returning to live, in person Rotary meetings soon. Dian Edwards from Rotary Zone 29 and Carmen Hansen, District Membership Chairperson will give us ideas on how to keep members engaged during these trying times and beyond.
District Zoom Program Recording - Ann Lee Hussey Polio Plus May 5, 2020
Check out the recent April 28, 2020 - All District Program Meeting by clicking on the video recording above about Whiteclay Makerspace Global Grant Project. We are building our first host global grant which will equip a maker space and provide business training to Pine Ridge artists and craftspeople. Jon Ruybalid, CEO of our cooperating organization Whiteclay Makerspace, Inc. and Linda Peterson, lead grant writer will tell us about the project and give a status update. Link to hear from Artists: The Whiteclay Makerspace #ArtOverAlcohol
Stay tuned and keep a look out by email for future all District Program Meetings with special speakers. Future District Programs:
May 5, 2020 PolioPlus - Ann Lee Hussey
Ann Lee has led over 30 trips to support polio immunization campaigns in Africa and the Middle East. She is a polio survivor and active globally in the eradication effort and support of polio survivors. She is current on the program status and may be able to tell us how the Covid-19 pandemic is impacting the PolioPlus program.
June 2, 2020 Member Engagement
We hope members will be thinking about returning to live, in person Rotary meetings soon. Dian Edwards from Rotary Zone 29 and Carmen Hansen, District Membership Chairperson will give us ideas on how to keep members engaged during these trying times and beyond.
District Zoom Program Recording - Whiteclay Makerspace April 28, 2020
Greetings! District 5610 leadership has decided to issue $17,000 in unused district conference funds to a pop up grant program to address your community needs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and associated impacts. All District 5610 Rotary and Rotaractor Clubs are eligible to apply.
Here is what you need to know to apply:
Download application by CLICKING HERE or in the "News/Downloads" section.
Deadline is May 10th at noon MT / 1pm CT
Must address needs generated from the pandemic and its impacts
Must be local - either your community or a nearby community without a Rotary club
It is ok to give the funds to a local organization addressing the needs you identify
It is ok to partner with a local organization to leverage your grant funds
Funds must be used by August 1, 2020
Maximum award request is $2,000
The grant project or program should enhance the public image of your Rotary club
Grant report is due within 14 days following project completion
Please only one request per club
When you report, keep the original application attached to the report
Apply online by filling out the form on WORD and submitting through the email of your club's certifying officer, and email to Ina - OR - print out the PDF, fill in, scan and send to Ina via email (through certifying officer if needed) - OR - print out the form, fill out, and mail to Ina Winter at P.O. Box 643 Hot Springs, SD 57747-0643. All applications must be received by the deadline. Use this same process for reporting.
Please keep your application and report responses short and sweet - we will ask if we need clarification. If you do need more space than the form allows, continue on an additional page.
Our ad hoc pop up grant committee tried to make this process as simple as possible while still retaining the principles of accountability and sustainability. Please let us know if you need anything further to apply for these funds. You can contact:
Check out the recent April 21, 2020 All District Program Meeting by clicking on the video. Stay tuned and keep a look out by email for future all District Program Meetings with special speakers. Future District Programs:
April 28, 2020 Whiteclay Makerspace Global Grant Project
We are building our first host global grant which will equip a maker space and provide business training to Pine Ridge artists and craftspeople. Jon Ruybalid, CEO of our cooperating organization Whiteclay Makerspace, Inc. and Linda Peterson, lead grant writer will tell us about the project and give a status update.
May 5, 2020 PolioPlus - Ann Lee Hussey
Ann Lee has led over 30 trips to support polio immunization campaigns in Africa and the Middle East. She is a polio survivor and active globally in the eradication effort and support of polio survivors. She is current on the program status and may be able to tell us how the Covid-19 pandemic is impacting the PolioPlus program.
June 2, 2020 Member Engagement
We hope members will be thinking about returning to live, in person Rotary meetings soon. Dian Edwards from Rotary Zone 29 and Carmen Hansen, District Membership Chairperson will give us ideas on how to keep members engaged during these trying times and beyond.
District Zoom Program April 21 - Hear from RYLA Leaders and Last Year Campers
I have exciting news!! The winners of the 2020 DISTRICT 5610 SIXTH GRADE FOUR WAY TEST ESSAY CONTEST are:
First Place: Scarlett Mack - sponsored by Watertown Rotary Club, she was awarded a Certificate, $200, a Four Way Test coin and a Four Way Test plaque. She will read her essay at a District Meeting.
Second Place: Alexander Van Osdol - sponsored by Spearfish Rotary Club, he was awarded a Certificate, $100, and a Four Way Test coin.
Third Place Winners: Anna Banck - sponsored by Luverne Rotary Club, she was awarded a Certificate, $50, and a Four Way Test coin.
Josh Elder - sponsored by Rapid City Rotary Club, he was awarded a Certificate, $50, and a Four Way Test coin.
As you can see there was a tie for third place. I also thought it was fun that there were two boy winners and two girls also 2 from East River and 2 from West River.
I want to thank all of the clubs who participated in this great Rotary project where we share our ideals with sixth graders and their parents and to encourage those of you who didn't participate this year to join us next year.
Thanks again Rotarians for all that you do.
Pat Sutliff
District 5610 Vocational Service/Four Way Test Essay Chair
District 5610 Four Way Test Essay Winners Announcement
New video promotes our networking and fellowship opportunities
Rotary is a global community of 1.2 million members who share similar values and want to make the world a better place. Your Rotary membership comes with access to this network of people all over the world who share your passions and interests. Although you may regularly attend club meetings and work within your local community, you also have opportunities to make a global impact by connecting with members outside your club and district.
Check out the recent April 14, 2020 All District Program Meeting by clicking on the video. Stay tuned and keep a look out by email for future all District Program Meetings with special speakers. Next scheduled all District Program is Tuesday, April 21, 2020 9:30 am CT; 8:30 am MT. Hear from guest speaker Monty Vonasek Great Plains RYLA Chair.
District Zoom Program April 14th - Covid-19 Rotarian Panelists
Raffle ticket sales will continue until June 30, 2020. Prize drawing will be held shortly after. Tickets are $10 each with proceeds going to the Rotary Foundation. Contact Steve Harrington at steveharringtonrotary@yahoo.com.
THREE GRAND PRIZES!
1. $4,500 Samsung 4 piece Kitchen Suite from Karl’s TV & Appliances
2. $2,826 White Peak Lodge* in the Black Hills. 3-night vacation. 6 bdrms. 20 acre location. Donated by Joe and Mary Edelen on behalf of the Vermillion Rotary Club
3. $1,000 Cash Prize *The lodge can support 15-20 people , has 6 bdrms, on 20 acres of forest, and more!
CLUB PRIZES
Aberdeen TBA
Brookings Brookings Club prize package
Canby TBA
Canton $250 Wine & Gift Basket
Centerville $175 Gift Basket
Cherokee $100 Master Card
Clark Dakota Style Gift package
Custer TBA
Denison TBA
Sioux Falls Downtown $500 gift Card
Mitchell TBA
Mobridge Original art painting
Pierre-Fort Pierre TBA
Rapid City TBA
Rushmore $100 Mostly Chocolate gift basket
Rock Valley TBA
Scotland TBA
Sibley $50 Sibley Club gift basket
Sioux City Home Fireplace cabinet (mobile)
Sioux Falls North RED CHAIR framed art print, Ltd edition
Gettysburg TBA
Gregory TBA
Hot Springs TBA
Lemars 32" Flat Screen TV
Luverne TBA
Madison TBA
Mapleton TBA
Marshall Brau Brewery & Walnut Grove mercantile gift basket
Marshall Sunrise TBA
Minneota Assorted wine & glass basket
Sioux Falls South TBA
Sioux Falls West $250 gift card & a case of specialty beer
Spearfish TBA
Tyndall Diehard battery charger
Vermillion $2,500 value. White Peak Lodge 3-night stay, Black Hills
Wagner TBA
Watertown TBA
Winner TBA
Yankton TBA
Thank you,
Steve Harrington, PDG
Raffle Fundraising Chair 2020 Rotary International District 5610
Check out the recent April 7, 2020 All District Program Meeting by clicking on the video.
Stay tuned and keep a look out by email for future all District Program Meetings with special speakers. Next scheduled all District Program is Tuesday, April 14, 2020 9:30 am CT. A panel session on how Rotarians can best serve their communities during the pandemic. Panel speakers:
Business - Jessie Schmidt, Food - Matt Gassen and Kurt Loudenback, Youth - Darla Biel, Disaster Response - Tammy Lee, and Non-profit - Kelsey Collier-Wise.
District 5610 Zoom Program April 7 - Starting a Caused Based Club
Check out the recent March 24, 2020 All District Program Meeting by clicking on the video.
Stay tuned and keep a look out by email for future All District Program Meetings with special speakers. Next scheduled All District Program is Tuesday, March 31, 2020 9:30 am CT.
Announcement and Recording of March 24, 2020 All District Program Meeting
First of all, we hope everyone is being diligent and safe during this active Covid19 pandemic. Most Rotary clubs in our district have canceled weekly meetings as advised by social distancing guidelines. Some clubs are conducting ZOOM or other tele-conferencing methods to maintain contact, others are emailing weekly Rotary updates to their club membership.
RAFFLE TICKETS SALES WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL JUNE 30th!
As you probably know, our district's annual conference scheduled April 24-25 Hot Springs, SD has been canceled. But the good news is we will continue our annual Raffle Foundationfundraiser. Now more than ever, supporting the great work of the Rotary Foundation is vital to making our communities and the world better. Disease prevention is one of the six areas of focus for Rotary across the globe. There are already groups of Rotarians that are helping to address the coronavirus pandemic.
CAN I STILL SUPPORT THE ROTARY FOUNDATION? WHERE DOES MY CLUB SEND THE DONATIONS AND THE TICKET STUBS?
Many clubs had started selling raffle tickets before the social distancing guidelines were implemented, others had not. You can still support the Rotary Foundation by selling or purchasing raffle tickets up to June 1st! You are given credit in supporting the Foundation with every raffle ticket you purchase. Your club will notate donations on the Foundation Multi-Donation Form that is submitted to the Rotary Foundation.
Your club can send raffle ticket stubs anytime before June 30, 2020 to Steve Harrington please email me for mailing address.
WHEN WILL THE RAFFLE TICKET DRAWING BE HELD? HOW WILL THE RAFFLE PRIZES BE DELIVERED TO THE WINNERS?
The raffle ticket stub drawing will be held by the Raffle 2020 Committee at the Rotary Club of Lemars location date TBD. Prizes from the raffle drawing will be dispatched to the winners either by the raffle committee or the associated club by TBD.
Thank you all for adapting, adjusting, and continuing to support the Rotary Foundation. It truly has an impact on our communities through district grants, and across the world through global grants.
RYLA - Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Camp is still scheduled for July 15 to 19 at the beautiful Nebraska State 4-H Campgrounds. To date, our district has just 4 applicants planning to attend - 1 from Sibley, IA Rotary: 2 from Sioux Falls, SD North Rotary; and one from Wagner, SD Rotary. I understand the challenges we all face in recruiting applicants with school closures, but please try. Maybe your club members can reach out personally to prospects. Reminder: Applicants must be CURRENT high school sophomores or juniors. Application deadline for District 5610 Campers has been extended to May 15th in order for District 5610 students to still apply – please have applicants visit https://greatplainsryla.org/rylaapplication/, create a login using the login link in the upper right hand corner, click on Great Plains RYLA in the upper left hand corner, and complete the application. Please note the web page will indicate applications have closed; however, the above login process with still allow campers from our district to apply. Please feel free to reach out to me if you or prospective campers have any questions.
Good health to you all!
Dave Lorenz, PDG
District 5610 RYLA Chair
RYLA Camper Applications Open - Camp Scheduled for July 15th to 19th
District 5610 Governor, Ina Winter, in consultation with the executive committee has decided to cancel the 2020 District Conference in Hot Springs. We are currently looking into ways of delivering some of the content from the conference online, so keep your eyes open for email announcements. We encourage you all to be safe and to consider what your club might do to help ease the burden of COVID-19 in your community. Finally, be sure to place the dates of the next District Conference (Nov. 6-7 in Brookings) in your calendar.
It’s a simple ordinary tool that students have been using since its invention in the 1600s. But by January it has been worn down to a nub. That’s why members of Rapid City Rushmore Rotary are supplying several local elementary schools with more. Yes, it is the PENCIL!
Rushmore Rotary’s newly formed Community Action Committee selected this small project as a supplement to the club’s larger ongoing projects, such as raising thousands of dollars for the Black Hills Children’s Home and Storybook Island. The club members wanted more!
“We formed the Community Action Committee to focus resources on smaller service projects that can be quickly organized to meet urgent needs. In this case we found out that local school students needed pencils, so we took action,” stated Co-Chairs Dave Dolan and Todd Hyronimus. On Tuesday, February 18, immediately after the club meeting, 4 Rotarians delivered hundreds of pencils to three schools in Rapid City: Robbinsdale, South Park and South Middle. The principals and staff met us with smiles! More schools will be visited with the remaining collection, from over 2000 donated.
The committee discussed a long list of such projects to plan out for the future. They identified highway, parks and streams cleanups; items for food banks and shelters; teacher supplies; and the list goes on and on. This gives the club members opportunities to do good, while interacting with fellow Rotarians and serving the community in special ways.
“Belonging to a Rotary club provides members with an opportunity to give back to their communities and to connect with like-minded leaders and friends.” enthused Linda Peterson, Rotarian and Regional Public Image Coordinator for Rotary International. “The club’s early morning meetings are dynamic and face-paced, so having time to meet with fellow Rotarians outside of the meeting and do good in the community promotes fellowship.”
“Service Above Self is the motto of Rotary International. Our members believe our world becomes a better place when we give of ourselves to others. From grassroots, local community efforts, to joining Rotarians from around the world on international projects, Rotarians are proud but humble, to be making a difference in peoples lives.” President Gene Bilodeau states.
Rushmore Rotary meets every Tuesday at 7 AM at Howard Johnson Express hotel, located at 950 North Street. Visit the website for more information: www.rushmorerotary.org
Rotary District 5610 Club Service Highlight of February 2020 "Rapid City Rushmore Rotary picks up the pencil"
Whiteclay, Nebraska borders the Pine Ridge Reservation of South Dakota and has a population of about 12. It is about two miles from the village of Pine Ridge, SD. There were four liquor stores in Whiteclay that sold about 4 million cans of beer, mostly to residents of Pine Ridge who left the dry reservation to buy their liquor at these stores. In 2017, the State of Nebraska Liquor Commission did not renew any of the liquor licenses in Whiteclay. As a result, all of the liquor stores closed. A non-profit corporation, Whiteclay Makerspace LLC was formed in Nebraska with the purpose of buying one of the liquor stores and transforming it into a makerspace for Pine Ridge area artists and craftspersons. The building has been purchased and a group of local artists and craftspersons are working along with the owner, Jon Ruybalid, to clean, renovate and paint the building.
Rotary District 5610 is in the process of writing a global grant from The Rotary Foundation (TRF) to support the artists and craftspeople who will be making use of the new makerspace in Whiteclay, NE. Elements of the grant project include:
Equip the Artists and Craftspeople to directly impact the beneficiaries by supplying them with the needed tools and equipment to produce their art.
Provide Training to succeed in developing their small businesses of art production, the beneficiaries have noted that training is needed in business practices, financial matters, entrepreneurship, marketing, online marketing, computer skills, and professional development.
Stand up a Supply Shop in Whiteclay Makerspace Studio to provide an initial stock of the type of supplies used by local artists and craftspeople. A needs assessment of community artists has been completed.
Install Solar Panels for the Whiteclay Makerspace Building to indirectly impact the beneficiaries by lowering building operating costs and thus lowering the cost to the beneficiaries of using the makerspace.
Rotary District 5610 will be the host Rotary entity of the global grant. The district will write the grant application, with international partner Varanasi Sunrise club of India District 3120, and other funding participants. Clubs may contribute to the grant, see the Whiteclay Makerspace pledge form on D5610 website download area. The contact with District 3120 was facilitated by PDG Pat Sutliff, who has been the international partner for them on several global grants. Our two Districts have coordinated grant funding for sewing machines, and improving schools in India. The two Rotarian entities with oversee the implementation of the grant, measure outcomes, evaluate the effectiveness of the project, and report on grant activities to TRF.
Whiteclay Makerspace LLC as the Cooperating Organization will partner with District 5610 to deliver the grant project to its participating artists and artisans. We will write and execute a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between District 5610 and Jon Ruybalid, as owner of Whiteclay Makerspace LLC.
The beneficiaries of the project will be the resident Lakota artists and craftspeople in need of space and other assistance to produce and sell works that will enable them to raise their level of income. District 5610 will be the grant applicant and administrator serving these beneficiaries. Whiteclay Makerspace will be the cooperating organization assisting District 5610 in delivering the project. Other organizations may be brought into the grant project as advisors, vendors, or cooperating organizations.
We would like to be able to start delivering the project as soon as remodeling of the building is completed. Now that we have an international partners onboard, and upon approval and receipt of grant funds, we can immediately start grant implementation. Project delivery, particularly the training element, may take up to two years. Monitoring and evaluation may be done during project implementation and up to five years after project completion to ensure outcomes are achieved and the artists and craftspeople are sustaining their businesses.
April 24-25, 2020 Hot Springs, SD-Friday afternoon, evening and Saturday morning. Bring your family and enjoy the many activities Hot Springs has to offer! Tour offerings include a drive through Wind Cave with stops at Crazy Horse and Mount Rushmore.
Our Friday evening banquet will feature special Rotarian awards, recognition, and a message from RI Representative Phil Silvers. Evening entertainment includes Western music and history. Saturday morning features an inspiring message from Dr. Fozia Alvi, who grew up in Pakistan. She is an American trained physician who has been working in Calgary, Alberta, for the past 13 years. She and her husband, Tahir Alvi, are passionate humanitarians and have organized several health and education-related projects in developing nations, including opening a charity-based maternity hospital in rural Pakistan. She went in for a medical mission to the Bangladesh refugees’ camps in 2017 and was moved by the plight of Rohingya and has since been an advocate for them. She spoke at various international levels about this genocide and is also involved in advocacy for the Uyghurs of China and putting a stop to illegal organ harvesting. She currently runs her foundation, Humanity Auxilium, and organizes medical relief missions. She has been given various awards for her advocacy work including being a Nobel prize nominee in 2019 and the 2019 Advocacy Award by CAMSS.
We have booked Tom Gump from Minnesota. Tom will be speaking on the first ever Veterans Serving Veterans Rotary Club and will offer a mini-workshop on how to start a cause-based Rotary Club. Jon Ruybalid of Whiteclay Makerspace will be speaking on our first ever effort at hosting a global grant project. It is a joint effort between Whiteclay Makerspace, Inc. and District 5610 designed to support Oglala Lakota artists and craftspeople with an economic and community development project. Another presentation will be on our first ever Disaster Response grant to address Pine Ridge Reservation homes damaged by the bomb cyclones of 2019.
Click Herefor registration link, tentative agenda, and hotel information. Come celebrate with us!
One of the premier awards a Rotarian in District 5610 can receive is the “Roger Kozak Service Above Self Award.” It was conceived about four years ago and has been awarded three times.
Here is the description of the award: “In recognition of exceptional service to Rotarians in Rotary District 5610. This award honors the memory of Roger L. Kozak, long-time member of the Vermillion Rotary Club, who served as District Governor, 2009-10, and who distinguished himself as an exceptional servant leader.”
The award will be presented in April at the District Conference in Hot Springs. If you have someone in mind to nominate for the award, please feel free to do so at any time prior to March 15. You can send it by email to me, or contact any of the current selection committee members. (Ed Jacobson email: coach@pie.midco.net)
This year’s selection committee consists of (Ed Jacobson, Pierre, PDG, Chair), Larry Lyngstad (Pierre, first recipient), George Twitero (Rapid City Rushmore, second recipient), Pat Sutliff (Rapid City Rushmore, third recipient), Dave Lorenz (Vermillion, PDG), Steve Harrington (Le Mars, PDG), and Kathy Chandler (Secretary of the Vermillion Rotary Club).
On behalf of the selection committee, thank you in advance for your consideration this request.
To view a short video on the District's Youtube page featuring clips of the late Governor Roger Kozak talking about the role of service in Rotary, you can Click Here on the image below.
As the district fellowship chairman I would like your club to consider the idea of a “interclub” visit.
The idea is to have three or four or more members of YOUR club plan a visit to another club within district 5610. Hopefully this would be a club that is out of your “neighborhood” so you could become familiar with other Rotarians that you do not normally meet on a regular basis. It would also give you an opportunity to seek new ideas and activities for your club as well as support their club.
Along with an activity such as this it would become an interclub exchange where THEIR club would come to visit YOUR club, and each might seek other interclub exchanges as an ongoing activity.
I would like to hear from any clubs that engage in such an activity, and get the pictures so that we may pass on the fun and experiences to other Rotarians. Our hope is to spread this activity throughout the district.
If we get pictures we could have a space at the district conference showing all of the interaction with Rotarians.
I can be reached at 605.215.6916 or rvwest6916@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
Multi-district PETS – March 12-14, 2020 Mayo Civic Center, Rochester, MN - The North Central Presidents-Elect Training Seminar is an annual multi-district training event for incoming Rotary Club Presidents-Elect, and Presidents-Nominee. Please submit the names of these officers as soon as possible to Nicole Rawden, rawdenconsulting@gmail.com for marketing and registration information has begun to be distributed to these officers. All are welcome. Registration fee for District 5610 President Elects will be covered by District 5610. https://www.ncpets.org/
Hello Rotarians of District 5610. It is time for our annual district raffle fundraising event. The event will raise donations to support the Rotary Foundation. This raffle is the largest single fundraising event for our district.
Each Rotary club in our district will submit a prize for the raffle in January, followed by raffle tickets being delivered to our clubs in February. All raffle donations need to be submitted by April 10th. Raffle winners will be drawn at our district conference in Hot Springs, SD this April.
The grand prize for the 2020 District 5610 Raffle is a SAMSUNG 4 PIECE KITCHEN SUITE valued at over $4,500.00. In addition, there are 40 great prizes provided by the Rotary clubs in our district.
Let's make this year's raffle fundraiser the best ever! Look for the raffle tickets in your club the first part of February.
Steve Harrington, PDG District RAFFLE Fundraising Chair
I am excited to share some good news: Rotary International and Toastmasters International are working together to provide our members with even more opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Toastmasters International is a global nonprofit organization with more than 16,800 clubs in 143 countries. Its members attend club meetings where they give speeches, evaluate the speeches of others, and perform other club duties, with the goal of ultimately becoming more confident speakers, communicators, and leaders. Our organizations are complementary in many ways, but we are each unique in what we offer our members.
I hope you will join us in supporting this alliance in your community. You can start by learning more about Toastmasters, exploring its resources and public speaking tips, or visiting a local Toastmasters club. Although the structure of club meetings is consistent, Toastmaster clubs are similar to Rotary clubs in that they each have their own personality. If you do not have a club in your area, you can watch a video to learn what happens at a Toastmasters meeting.
You can also invite members of Toastmasters to visit your club and learn more about Rotary. If you have a Toastmasters club in your area, consider meeting with its members to explore opportunities to collaborate or inviting a member of Toastmasters to participate in a service activity or speak at your club.
Toastmasters will create a leadership development program for Rotarians and Rotaractors. A structured, robust leadership and communication curriculum can help members develop practical skills that will serve them not only in Rotary leadership roles, but in their professional and personal lives as well. Effective leadership skills can strengthen our clubs and increase our impact. We will provide updates about this program when we have more details.
Many of us joined Rotary to make a difference and connect with others in our communities. By working with Toastmasters, our members can discover new ways to network and learn from others, while finding even more value in their Rotary membership experience.
This video provides a few of the major reasons why you should consider joining Rotary. Rotary District 5610 covers all of the state of South Dakota, a portion of southwest Minnesota, northwest Iowa and northeast Nebraska in the US. There are 41 clubs in cities throughout the District, and one of them is waiting for you. Join an organization with the mission to serve others and to make their communities better for all. This website provides information on many wonderful activities of clubs in our District. To locate a club near you, click on the Club Directory & Contacts link. You can play the video by clicking on the image below or by CLICKING HERE to watch it on the District YouTube channel.
Just a Few Reasons Why YOU should Join Rotary NOW!
District 5610 recently completed a Rotary Disaster Response project on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. 559 homes were damaged in the bomb cyclones of 2019. We helped the tribe's Emergency Management and Disaster Resiliency Departments buy a foam sprayer machine that will help waterproof and insulate these damaged homes. Because of this project families will be warmer and dryer in their own homes. This video was taken on November 14, 2019. Before and after photos were supplied by the Pine Ridge Disaster Resiliency Coordinator after the tribe started using the sprayer for repairs. Rotary cares. You can watch the video by clicking on the image below or watch it on YouTube by CLICKING HERE. -- Ina Winter, District Governor, 5610
District 5610 Disaster Response Project Helps Pine Ridge Residents
Rotary Club of Marshall Noon - Club’s “Student Rotarian” Guest Program
The Rotary Marshall Noon Club, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, has a unique program that involves the Marshall Public School students in its weekly meetings. For over 30 years the club has invited select Marshall senior class students to its weekly meetings as student guests, commonly referred to as student Rotarians. The program has proven to be beneficial to all concerned.
Each year, 24 senior students – 12 females and 12 males - are nominated by the school faculty to be student Rotarians based on their academic achievement, school and community involvement, leadership and character. Each student Rotarian is asked to attend a Marshall Noon Club Meeting for two consecutive weeks. The first week, the student is introduced at the meeting by alternating club members. The students each prepare a simple bio-sheet containing their name, parent’s name, address, and activities as well as their plans after graduation. After the introduction, the student presents a 3-5-minute speech on a topic related to Rotary International. The topic is up to the student to research and is a creative way for our club to experience a Rotary “Foundation minute”. On the second week, the student presents a 5-7 minute speech highlighting their involvement in an activity that has made a difference in their life while a student at Marshall Public Schools. The topics range from academics to fine arts activities to athletic achievements.
Our club members value the personal connection to the High School students. We get a chance to know these great ambassadors of the next generation. The students also value the experience to be exposed to the good works of Rotary in their community and worldwide.
Scott Monson, Superintendent of Schools in Marshall and Rotary Marshall Noon Club member said, “One of the many things I find rewarding about the student Rotarian program is the learning that these students experience when they are researching a Rotary focus- such as promoting peace or eradicating polio for their week one speech. The research and preparation for their speeches helps them to learn more about challenges in the world and how Rotarians across the globe are stepping up to help others overcome these challenges. In my opinion, the knowledge that our student Rotarians gain is another important step in their leadership and development.”
In the Spring the students all come back together for one meeting in which they are responsible to plan, organize, and conduct. This student-led meeting challenges each student to take a role in running the normal aspects of a Rotary meeting, from leading the Pledge of Allegiance to all the multiple aspects of the program. The club is often rewarded with the talents of the students.
After the student-led meeting, the club assembles a committee to award four, $500 scholarships to the top participating student Rotarians. Each student submits their speech and fills out a scholarship application. The club committee members individually score the applications. The scores are tallied from each committee member to reveal the four highest scores. The scholarship money is awarded to their school upon enrollment of the deserving students.
The Marshall Public School District plays a vital role in the success of the student Rotarian program. It requires a significant investment in time of the superintendent and his administration and faculty. The student selection process is intentionally the sole responsibility of the school district. Removing the club from this process insures objective nominees. The school district sends an invitation letter to the parents encouraging them to attend the specific meetings attended by their son or daughter. The Marshall school district even pays for the meals of the parents who attend their student’s “week 2” meeting.
The school district also sends a letter to the student’s parents from our club’s membership committee. The letter describes Rotary and lists many of our club’s local projects with the intent of attracting new members.
The student Rotarian program in Marshall is all about connection to our community.
“Life is so busy nowadays, and there can sometimes be sort of a disconnect between the community and students. The student Rotarian program is one way that students are able to connect with civic and community members and leaders and for our Rotary members to connect with students. I see it being mutually beneficial, as students see leaders in our community and Rotarians see future leaders who potentially may be leaders in our community at some point.” Scott Monson Superintendent of Marshall Public Schools.
Matt Pedersen
Rotary Marshall Noon Club President
Pictured: Dean and Lenei
Pictured: Keziah and Grant
Rotary District 5610 Club Service Highlight of January 2020
The official name of this exchange is Australia-USA Wiradjuri/Oceti Sakowin Rotary Group Study Exchange. Phase 1 of this grant project will support the Rotary District 9700 delegation of young indigenous Australian professionals to Rotary District 5610 to experience a different indigenous culture and to share experiences and connections to demonstrate the way Rotary works towards building understanding, peace and vocational excellence. This is planned to occur April 2020, ending at the District Conference in Hot Springs.
Phase 2 of this grant project will be to send counterpart Native Tribal Americans to Australia in March 2021, to mirror the experience of the Phase 1 Aboriginal Australians. The Wiradjuri are a major Aboriginal indigenous tribe of southwest Australia. The 2016 census counted 786,685 Aboriginal people from more than 250 language groups or 3.3% of Australia’s population (about double the percentage of American Indians to total US population). This map shows the area the team will experience in New South Wales.
The Native American leaders in Omniceye Rotary, Cheyenne River Youth Project (CRYP), Center for American Indian Research and Native Studies (CAIRNS), Oglala Lakota College, and a number of other organizations will be consulted to provide personal connections to recruit applicants. A short form application is available from the contacts listed below. After collecting applications, interviews will be held to answer questions about the exchange and familiarize the Group Study Exchange (GSE) team with the exchange details.
How did this exchange come about? Following the 2014 International Rotary conference in Australia, a group of US Rotarians from District 5610, were hosted by Australian Rotarians from District 9700. They visited New South Wales, including Parkes, Australia, viewing aboriginal/settler primary school program and the Parkes Rotary Peace Precinct carvings by aboriginal artists. Parkes is also a Rotary Peace Community. In 2015 a delegation from District 9700 visited South Dakota and were reverse hosted by District 5610 Rotarians. The group began their visit in Rapid City and the Black Hills, hosted by Rotary clubs throughout the District, and culminated in the District 5610 conference in Pierre, SD. After the conclusion of both exchanges, a plan was formalized to create a Group Study Exchange between the two entities, comprised of non-Rotarian members. At the District 5610 conference held September 28-29, 2018 a number of the District 5610 leadership including Lorenz, Winter, Linda Peterson PDG and Zone 29 Public Image Coordinator and Pat Sutliff, PDG and Chair of the Rushmore Rotary international committee, met together with Katus to brainstorm follow-up steps. Peterson and Katus volunteered to draft a District 5610 grant request for funding of the first phase of this project to begin in 2019. Grants were approved for $2500 for Phase 1 and $10,850 for Phase 2. Cash and in-kind contributions to match this grant are welcomed.
The GSE team will attend Rotary meetings as opportunities present during location in all areas. Rotarians and Clubs in District 5610 are invited to participate in home-hosting, touring and hosting team members at club meetings. When the route is drafted, clubs along the tour will be contacted to help participate.
Nation-building and vocational development for both indigenous peoples of Australia and Native Americans in South Dakota will be beneficial to all the communities impacted. Clubs and leaders in Rotary from around District 5610 have desired a better relationship with our native population and this GSE exchange is the next step in fostering a closer relationship and cooperation between clubs and the reservations’ population. Other Rotary clubs from around the US have projects already in several locations on the reservations. There is considerable international interest in this exchange program.
Project Contacts:
Linda Peterson, Rapid City Rushmore Rotary, PDG 2014-15, RPIC Zone 27/29 2018-20
Thank you to all who contributed to one of The Rotary Foundation's charitable funds during the month of November, also known as Foundation Month in the Rotary world. While we await the results in our friendly competition for Foundation Month club giving, we do have results from TRF's club awards for Rotary Year 2018-2019.
Top Three (3) Highest Per Capita Annual Giving Banner: For the three clubs in each district that give the most, per capita, to the Annual Fund (requires a minimum of US$50 per capita.) We are pleased to announce that for District 5610, these clubs will be receiving this banner:
1st - Custer SD Rotary Club $712.58 per capita
2nd - Marshall MN Sunrise Rotary Club $361.54 per capita
3rd - Pierre-Fort Pierre SD Rotary Club $290.38 per capita
Every Rotarian, Every Year (EREY) Club: For clubs that achieved a minimum Annual Fund contribution of US$100 per capita during the Rotary Year, with every dues paying member contributing at least US$25 to the Annual Fund. Two District 5610 clubs will be receiving this banner:
Marshall MN Sunrise Rotary Club
Centerville SD Rotary Club
100% Foundation Giving Club: For clubs that achieve an average of $100 in per capita giving and 100% participation, with every dues-paying member contributing at least $25 to any or all of the following during the Rotary year: Annual Fund, PolioPlus Fund, approved global grants, or Endowment Fund. Five District 5610 clubs have achieved this recognition and will receive banners:
Marshall MN Sunrise Rotary Club
Centerville SD Rotary Club
Marshall MN Rotary Club
Rock Valley IA Rotary Club
Winner SD Rotary Club
End Polio Now: Countdown to History Campaign Certificate of Appreciation: For clubs that contributed at least US $1,500 to Rotary's polio eradication efforts. These eight clubs in our district will receive this certificate:
Brookings SD Rotary Club
Custer SD Rotary Club
Marshall MN Rotary Club
Minneota MN Rotary Club
Pierre-Fort Pierre SD Rotary Club
Rapid City SD Rotary Club
Rapid City SD Rushmore Rotary Club
Winner SD Rotary Club
Of 35,000 Rotary clubs throughout the world only a few reach these levels of recognition. Because of the $50 per capita minimum, only 1550 clubs are awarded a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd top rank in Annual Fund giving. Only 3,400 clubs achieve EREY status, and only 4,000 clubs achieve 100% Foundation Giving Club status.
Congratulations to all of these clubs for achieving this recognition from The Rotary Foundation and thank you for your strong support of Rotary's charitable efforts. Your Assistant Governor will be presenting these awards to your club at a future meeting.
It was a fine day for a bicycle ride - sunny, mild breezes, temperatures in the upper 60's. Getting to the ride, not so much. The drive down to Tucson featured a white-knuckle trek over the I-25 Raton Pass - snow pack, blowing snow, single lane 20mph travel. Not even the aggressive drivers were passing. Stopped earlier than planned at Santa Fe, NM and had to chip the ice off my bicycle before bringing it into the hotel room.
The rest of the drive was uneventful and I arrived in time to attend the Rotary pre-race dinner. Lots of fun with more fund-raising and a chance to meet up with Rotary friends from across the country. This ride was the 37th El de Tucson charity ride and the 10th year for the Ride to End Polio portion sponsored by Rotary International District 5500.
There were just under 7,000 riders in all the races. Distances of 100, 50, and 25 miles were offered and a shorter fun ride for kids was also on the agenda. Traffic control was stellar and the City of Tucson and ride organizers went all out to provide an amazing ride for the participants. Participants came from all over the United States and I even met a couple of Rotarian riders from Italy and Germany.
After mile 21, which followed a long uphill push of perhaps five miles, I was ready to quit. Hadn't put in enough training miles for that kind of punishment. But at the top of the hill, the Marana AZ Rotary Club aid station was an oasis of recovery. I stayed awhile refreshing my energy with bananas and oranges and resting my legs for the last half of the ride. The grueling uphill punishment was rewarded with a long downhill ride of about 15 miles to the final stretch which was composed of rolling terrain.
My goal of averaging 10 mph over the 50 miles and finishing in about five hours was busted. It took two hours longer than anticipated, but I did finish ahead of the the course closing...barely. The happy news is that my goal of raising $1,000 for PolioPlus was exceeded. The final tally for my first Ride to End Polio was $1,855 before the 2:1 match from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Next year? Thinking the 25 mile course is good. Looking forward to another fun time raising money for a worthy cause. Perhaps there will be other District 5610 Rotarian riders next year?
Thank you to all who pledged to support my ride. It really was you who helped me get back on the bike at mile 21.
Ina Winter
District Governor 2019-2020
RID 5610
Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change - across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.
The start of the 50 mile ride. This was the event with the most riders. All kinds of human-powered vehicles were used. One guy even rode a unicycle in the 100 mile ride!
The Marana AZ Rotary Club Aid Station with some of the Rotarian riders posing in front of District 5500's semi-trailer decked out in End Polio messages.
Judging by the smiles, this was either at the beginning of the race or on the long downhill reward after the Marana aid station.
This is what my bike looked like at the Santa Fe stop. Despite the thick coating of ice and snow, the bike worked well during the ride.
The Centerville Rotary relocated the area food pantry and took over the management/volunteering of it. We remodeled a storage room in the back of the Senior Center and are open to the public on Wednesdays from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Centerville Rotarians are the sole volunteers of the facility at this time. We utilized a District grant of $1,000 and matched it with our own $1,000 to do the remodel. We also coordinate food drives.
Rotary Club of Clark
A week ago Clark Rotary was invited to share the Thanksgiving meal at the Clark High School. This is an annual event we enjoy and attendance is often near 100%. During that time the Superintendent comes and gives the highs and lows of school activities. As usual, the student accomplishments in local, state and national events are reviewed and applauded. When asked about school needs, the Superintendent shared that school meals for many were becoming an issue of nonpayment. She had set up a fund called the Angel Fund and took personal donations from others for this fund. When a student ran out of money and could not pay for their meal, they were offered the same meal with money being taken from the Angel Fund. Following her presentation, Clark Rotary voted to donate $500 to the school for use in the fund. We would have had no idea of this need if we hadn’t been invited to the school that day. It put the “Thanks” in Thanksgiving for all of us.
District 5610 Club Service Highlights of December 2019
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. you may find 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 attached forms describing the contest, it's history and requirements. 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, 2020 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 District Conference in April of 2020. 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 Hot Springs. 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.
We are 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 or more information contact Pat Sutliff.
Greetings Rotarians of District 5610. Karl's TV and Appliance stores and Hope Haven International (HHI) are seeking help in the collection of wheelchairs in your areas again in 2019. Karl's TV and Appliance stores are asking you to consider promoting this drive by helping to call nursing homes, hospitals, medical equipment sales dealers, VFW's, etc, in your communities, to see if they can donate their used wheelchairs, walkers, canes and crutches. All Karl's locations will store the mobility devices at their stores as well as ship them back to HHI in Sioux Falls. Please help us to collect these items through Karl's so we can rebuild these wheelchairs and give mobility to those in need around the world. Please contact Mark Siemonsma at 712.470.0298 or msiemons@hopehaven.org if you would like to help or need more information. Thank you again and blessings to all this holiday season!
*Please note, we are not collecting electric wheelchairs or wooden crutches or canes.
All but one of the 40 active clubs in District 5610 have received the official Governor's visit. I am also excited to visit, in the near future, the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rotaract Club. The club visits exceeded my expectations. It was truly enjoyable visiting each club and learning what the clubs are doing to serve their communities and contribute to the greater Rotary community. I am humbled by the extraordinary leadership of the clubs and have a renewed appreciation of Rotary on the ground in District 5610.
During my visits, I took a survey of the members present and offered them an opportunity to identify themselves as veteran Rotarians, novice Rotarians, or somewhere in-between. They were then asked to grade their club as vibrant, thriving, surviving, or struggling and why. Rotarians also got the opportunity to leave a message for club leadership and district leadership. Each club president got the original surveys from their club and a summary of all responses. The one club with a visit pending was surveyed online, so the survey represents the entire district. It is not a scientific survey, but the results are valuable nonetheless.
We collected 464 completed surveys which is 27% of our entire district membership of 1750. That is an extremely good rate of return. Veterans accounted for 58% of the responses, 14% were from novices, and 28% fell somewhere in-between. 29% of respondents rated their club vibrant, 37% rated it thriving, 32% rated it surviving, and the remainder of less than 2% said their club was struggling. One conclusion that may be drawn from the data is that club members are generally happy with their club and recognize that there is room for improvement.
As interesting as the numbers are, the best information from the survey came from the written comments. Overwhelmingly, our members recognize that their club needs to recruit and retain new members...many called out younger members as the most sought after prospect. The second most called out need was for basic Rotary information. I have distributed the survey results to District 5610 leadership and we will be working on delivering what the members have cited as needs. Stay tuned.
Finally, I would like to comment on the exceeding generosity and gratitude members expressed for their volunteer club and district leadership. I was not expecting that and it was quite encouraging. Thank you, District 5610 Rotarians for being Rotarians and making the world a better place in the many ways each of you contribute.
DISTRICT 5610 GOVERNOR’S FOUNDATION MONTH CHALLENGE – Prizes worth a total of 5,000 in Paul Harris Foundation points to be awarded. District 5610 Clubs and members are being challenged by Governor Ina Winter again in 2019 to support 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 1,000 points for a Paul Harris Fellow gift to be awarded as they choose. All members who give a Paul Harris Fellowship gift in November will be entered in a drawing to select the members to recognize to give the points to recognize as they desire. Clubs in each division that win the per capita category will receive 1,000 Paul Harris Fellow points gift to award as they choose. A total of 5,000 in points will be awarded.
Governor District Awards for: The two Individuals with the highest Foundation giving in November will be selected either due to their gift or as selected in a drawing if we have a number of Paul Harris Fellowship gifts at the same amount.
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 1,000 Paul Harris Fellow points.
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 10th to allow late donations to be registered in the Rotary Foundation records. Contact Mike Gibson, District Foundation Chair for more information.
Below are a couple of links for your review about The Rotary Foundation and how to donate to the Foundation.
District 5610 has a rider in the 10th annual Ride to End Polio! Polio eradication was one of the two main reasons Ina joined Rotary, so she felt it was time to do this ride. We are asking for your pledge to support her fundraising goal of $1,000 to PolioPlus.
After many years away from biking, she is getting back in the saddle to Ride to End Polio. Not wishing to overdo and injure herself, she is training for the 50 mile course. She is asking friends, family, and Rotarians to pledge $1/mile for this important and vital cause. Really, any pledge is welcome. All pledges will be matched 2 to 1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The Rotary Foundation is one of the highest rated charitable organizations in the world - rated 1st by Charity Navigator for 12 straight years! No safer investment for your charitable contribution.
Ina is also riding to honor her mother, Phyllis Winter, who worked as a Registered Nurse and tended to polio victims using the old iron lungs. Ina recalls her mom dragging the kids to a public immunization event and how thrilled she was to be able to give the vaccine to them.
Global Grant 1980712, Group Prenatal Care Training for Indigenous Women, officially launched in Fargo on September 17. Over 100 people attended the kick off celebration on September 17, with representatives of 10 Rotary Clubs in attendance! It was a wonderful evening with a poster session, dinner/program, and dancing/drumming by the Buffalo River Singers & Dancers. The diaper drive was very successful as well, with approximately $2000 in diapers/funds collected from attendees and five clubs contributing!
After the kick off event, health providers from each of the five sites (one each from MT, ND, SD, NE, and MN) stayed on for two more days, to train with the national March of Dimes staff on how to implement group prenatal care in their communities!
The elimination of polio from the world has had a tough year. Many parents in Pakistan have become vaccine deniers and are newly refusing to have their children vaccinated. This appears to be a response to the government's attempts to get better coverage with threats of jail for non-immunizers and increasing the age of the immunized to 10 years. A public hysterical reaction took place aided by the false information online stating there is a conspiracy by the West to give polio drops that are unsafe and are a part of the effort to hurt and sterilize Muslim children. Over 40 thousand children were reportedly taken to medical facilities with symptoms of nausea and feeling bad after receiving polio drops. Fortunately, no medical condition was present, but immunization has stalled with a subsequent increase in cases of polio paralysis resulting. Now new efforts to combat vaccine denial and more education must be accomplished if we are to move on with the elimination of polio. The Gates Foundation has announced continued matching two dollars for each dollar raised by Rotary. We must as the Energizer Bunny says, "keep going and going and going" and redouble funding efforts.
Willis Sutliff PolioPlus Chair District 5610
District Governor Ina encourages you to join her in giving an additional $35 to PolioPlus this year to help fund The Rotary Foundation's pledge to raise $50 million this Rotary year for polio eradication. Ina will be making her donation on World Polio Day, October 24, 2019. District 5610 Rotary Clubs are also encouraged to raise funds on World Polio Day from their celebrations and awareness events.
Thank you, Rotarians - because of your work more than 16 million people have avoided paralysis. Let's continue until no one has to face polio again.
Does your club have a plan to celebrate World Polio Day on October 24? What will you do to highlight this important day - a watch party, a proclamation from the city government, a speaker at your weekly meeting? The graphic below has some ideas on how you and your club can help celebrate World Polio Day 2019! Review those ideas and search for others. Work with the club to determine how they will celebrate the day, and then choose materials from the resource center and other links to help you.
As important as it is to plan your club's event, it is also important to try to promote the event among your club members and the local community. We want everyone to understand that we are so close to eradicating polio from our planet. Please plan something to help celebrate the day and share that with us.
A great deal of material for World Polio Day 2019 is available on the End Polio Now website (https://www.endpolio.org/world-polio-day). You can go to this link to access all of the items listed below. The links are active in this file, so that you can click on any of the highlighted materials and you should be taken to that material on the website. The End Polio Now site also has an extensive Resource Center. The resource center provides material in the areas under the categories of: Infographics; Banners & Posters; Videos; Education; Social Media; Event Materials; Brand Center
Rotary International has designated September, 2019, as Basic Education and Literacy Month. 775 million people over the age of 15 are illiterate. Rotary International has a range of programs to improve global education and literacy rates (https://www.rotary.org/en/our-causes/supporting-education). What is your club doing to promote education and literacy initiatives in your community? During September, please post to the District's Facebook page examples of what your club is doing to promote basic education and literacy.
Rotary clubs around the world are working on literacy. Two examples of those activities in District 5610 are tied to “Read Across America Day” on March 2 of each year. The Sioux Falls South Rotary Club has selected the Cleveland Elementary School and has been actively working to promote literacy initiatives. In addition to celebrating Read Across America Day by having Rotarians read their favorite books in classrooms, they have also donated money to allow all the students to purchase one or more books. CLICK HERE to see a local news report on their program.
The Vermillion Rotary Club has long supported the local schools through scholarships, giving bike helmets to all second graders and donating to school initiatives, such as the Community Service Day, the Robotics Team, the German Exchange student program, and many more. Several years ago, the club decided to help promote the love of reading. School officials were consulted and it was agreed that the focus should be on the Kindergarten students, since first grade students were the focus of another program for Read Across America Day. The club purchased age appropriate books for all Kindergarten students in the community, with extra copies for teachers to use in the classroom. CLICK HERE or on the image below to see a video that was made using some of the photos from the book distribution on Read Across America Day in 2018.
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 STORYin 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.
Vermillion Rotary Duck Race Raises Money for Community Center
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 HEREor 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!
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.
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.
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
Requesting New and Used Wheelchairs to Provide Individuals with Mobility Worldwide
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 Governor Ina Winter's Goals for Rotary Year 2019-2020
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.
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.
Two District 5610 Rotarians to be Inducted into the South Dakota Hall Of Fame
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.
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.
Dr. Willis Sutliff Presents a Polio Plus Campaign Update
John has been a Rotarian for 35 years and values the opportunity to live life through Service Above Self. John has served as president of the Le Mars Rotary club twice and has for ten years managed the club’s drug store ice cream shop at the Plymouth County Fair. The Le Mars Rotary club recently celebrated 100 years of service to the community. He is also Assistant Governor for Area 9 that includes clubs in Northwest Iowa and was District Conference Chairman in 2017. His community involvement extends beyond Rotary including activities with the local chamber of commerce, economic development board, 50 year member of the Le Mars Municipal Band, church, historical museum and agriculture organizations.
John Schneider is a fourth generation farmer on his family farm in Northwest Iowa, near Le Mars. His great grandfather emigrated from Denmark to homestead their century farm. John has been raising pigs since age ten as 4-H member with the exception of the years he was a student at Iowa State University where he earned a BS degree in Farm Operations and a became member of Alpha Gamma Rho social/professional fraternity. Growing up, John was active in FFA in high school and was elected as a State FFA Vice-President his senior year in high school.
In addition to his life long career in pork production, John served a term as Plymouth County Supervisor. He has also spent most of the last 20 years in the banking industry as an agricultural loan officer and as a real estate evaluator.
John and his wife, Carol, have a daughter and son and five grandchildren all living in Iowa. They enjoy traveling and visiting places of historical interest including railroad and model railroad sites.
Rich Burns
District Governor 2023-24
Rotary Club of Yankton
I am fortunate to have experienced a diverse background. Being from the West Coast, I was born in rural Pendleton, Oregon but grew up in urban Portland, Oregon. Summers I worked as a Rangeland Technician and seasonal Wildland Firefighter for the US Forest Service in Northeastern Nevada. In 1979 I graduated from Oregon State University’s College of Agriculture with a Degree in Rangeland Resource Management. In 1980, I was hired by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as a Rangeland Conservationist for the Elko, Nevada BLM District. My federal career spanned over 37 years when I retired in May of 2016. My last position was Field (Area) Manager which I held for over 25 years. I was responsible for all aspects of federal land management including fire, law enforcement, forestry, grazing management, renewable energy (geothermal and wind energy development), recreation, habitat conservation, and the oversight of off-shore federal resources within the Bay Area and along the Northern California Coast. During my tenure, I directly supervised a staff of 27 employees who represented a wide array of disciplines. As to career highlights, the reintroduction of livestock grazing and the use of prescribed fire as habitat management tools; acquisition of important landscapes; and the establishment of National Monuments, Wilderness Areas, Cultural Sites, Recreational Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, and Areas of Critical Environmental Concern are all things I’m very proud of. However, what I appreciated the most were the people and opportunities presented to build partnerships to meet each challenge. Within the world of BLM in Northern California, I represented islands of public lands within seas of private lands. To get anything done involved building coalitions with local landowners and Governments/Agencies involving a wide array of tribal, local, county, state, and federal interests. To gather public support required interactions and creating partnerships with a diversity of advocacy groups and special interest organizations representing many points of view.
In my opinion, it takes making relationships and building partnerships to meet the challenges facing Rotary today. My involvement with Rotary has been for the better part of 26 years. I got engaged with the organization in 1993 when I was asked to speak and provide a presentation on the controversial topic of Grazing Reform to the Rotary Club of Alturas, California. By 1994, I was invited to join the Alturas Club. We moved to Ukiah, California in 1997 where I rejoined with the Rotary Club of Ukiah in 1998. I served as Club President from 2003-2004, and again from 2013-2014. I took on a number of projects, and fundraisers including a partnership project with the City of Ukiah, called “Rocket Ship to the Moon” City Park/Playground Restoration Effort. it took 5 years to complete but in the end, it was Ukiah Rotary’s major Club achievement. I stayed with the Rotary Club of Ukiah until our move in 2016. I rejoined with the Rotary Club of Yankton, South Dakota in 2017 and was elected Club President in 2018. I have been serving as District 5610 Assistant Governor (AG) for Area 7 since 2019. While serving as AG, I have participated on District 5610 subcommittees, and served as the District Raffle Chairperson for the 2021 District Raffle. I’m honored to be considered District 5610’s Governor Nominee for Rotary Year 2023-2024.
I have been married since 1981. My wife Kelly and I have one daughter, Ashley born in 1991. Ashley is married and living in Bethel, Alaska. We have no grandchildren. In California, we raised organic walnuts and would commercially sell about 6 tons/year. In the fall of 2016 we relocated to Hartington, Nebraska bringing with us 2 dogs and 2 horses. We purchased a farmstead and started a small apple orchard and hard cider production operation called “Stick Figure Farms”. Besides my involvement with Rotary and agriculture, I currently serve as Chairperson for the non-profit “Friends of the Missouri National Recreational River”. We spend a lot of time out-of-doors. I also enjoy building and design, using for materials wood and metal.
Bruce Nearhood
District Governor 2024-25
Rotary Club of Rapid City Rushmore
During the recent District Assembly for District 5610, Rotarian Bruce Nearhood was elected to the position of District Governor Nominee (DGN) for the 2022-23 Rotary year. The following year, 2023-24, Bruce will serve as the District Governor Elect (DGE) and he will serve as the District Governor (DG) in 2024-25.
Bruce, a member of the Rapid City Rushmore Club since 1987, has served as Club President, and also has held club leadership roles as Foundation Chair and Membership Chair, successfully launching effective growth and retention campaigns for his club and personally sponsoring eight new members. As a proven District leader, Bruce served as 5610 Foundation Chair from 2011-15 and was most recently co-chair of the 2021-22 District Conference. He also was a facilitator for the Rotary Leadership Institutes from 2010-19.
Bruce’s service through Rotary has extended far beyond the boundaries of our District. He has participated in five Rotary-sponsored humanitarian trips, four to Haiti and one to Guatemala. He and his wife were part of Friendship Exchanges to Italy and Japan. A passionate supporter of The Rotary Foundation, Bruce is a member of the Paul Harris Society, is a major donor, and a Level 5 Bequest Society member. Bruce has continued to expand his well-rounded knowledge of Rotary International by attending three Rotary International Conventions.
David (Dave) Lorenz was born in Yankton, South Dakota and raised in Avon, South Dakota. He attended the University of South Dakota Springfield, graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in History Education. He later obtained his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from USD.
Dave’s professional career has been focused on public higher education, with forty-five years of service to the University of South Dakota system. He spent the first ten years of his career at the University of South Dakota at Springfield in a variety of student services positions, including Director of Student Financial Aid, Director of Housing and Student Activities, and Director of Admissions. In 1982, Dave relocated to Vermillion, starting his USD career as Associate Director of Admissions. In subsequent years he was promoted to Director of Admissions, Associate Dean of Students/Director of Enrollment Management, and Dean of Students in 1998, a position he held for eight years. Following early retirement, Dave returned to USD to develop the Academic Advising Program for Student Athletes, and as an academic advisor in kinesiology, health sciences, and for health pre-professional students.
Dave has been actively involved in the Vermillion and University communities. He was elected to the Board of Directors of the Vermillion Chamber and Development Corporation and served a term as President of the VCDC.
Dave joined the Vermillion, South Dakota Rotary Club in 2006. He was previously a member of the Springfield, SD Rotary when it was active. Dave has served as President of Vermillion Rotary, and as Assistant Governor for Area 7. He has also served as District Foundation Scholarship Chair.
Dave and his wife continue to reside in Vermillion, South Dakota. The couple have two children. Dave and Jeaneite enjoy boating, golfing, and relaxing at their summer home at Lake Okoboji, Iowa.
Ina Winter
District Governor Elect 2019-20
Rotary Club of Hot Springs
Ina Winter is a retired civil engineer. She spent the majority of her career in highway administration with the Nebraska Department of Roads, working from the field positions of surveyor and construction observer to designer and back to the field as construction engineer and ending with the position of District Engineer.
Working with the public to achieve timely and cost-efficient projects is what she enjoyed best in her professional life. Public works projects are complex and involve many people and organizations working hand in hand to make worthwhile results. It is this experience that she intends to use in her role as District Governor.
Ina’s Rotary journey began in Norfolk, Nebraska in 2002. She served her club as Treasurer and President and worked with District 5650 as Membership Chair. After retiring from professional pursuits, Ina moved with her husband Brad Winter to Hot Springs, South Dakota where she immediately joined the Hot Springs Rotary Club. She just finished her second term as club president, this time with her new club. She has also just finished a three-year term with District 5610 as District Grants Subcommittee Chair.
Ina has traveled to Africa four times on humanitarian missions. Once with Engineers Without Borders for a water project in Uganda and the other three times with Rotary teams involved in National Immunization Days.
Ina is a Paul Harris Fellow, a Paul Harris Society member, and a Major Donor. She resides in Hot Springs with her husband Brad.
Dan Little, DVM
District Governor Nominee 2020-21
Rotary Club of Brookings
Dan Little currently resides in Brookings, SD where he is owner of D.E. Little, DVM, a veterinary consulting practice. Over his 34 years as a veterinarian, his practice has focused on a systems management approach to food animal medicine. In addition to providing on-farm services to diagnose and prevent health challenges, he has also provided technical support to companies that desire to implement biotech solutions in livestock systems. He provides expert opinions of causation and economic loss in complex scenarios regarding dairy, swine, beef, poultry, equine, small ruminants, practice management, and personal injury.
As the eldest child on his parent’s dairy and swine farm near Faribault, MN, Dan had an early interest in keeping animals healthy and avoiding chronic treatments for preventable livestock illness. He followed that interest and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Gustavus Adolphus College, a Master of Science in Physiology of Reproduction from Texas A&M University, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Little is a licensed veterinarian in the states of South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Texas, and Hawaii.
Dan and his wife, Pat, enjoy travel, golf, and general aviation, as well as the joys of grandparenting and activities with their adult children. Dan has been a Rotarian since 1996 when he joined the Downtown Club in Rochester, MN. Upon moving to Brookings, he became an active member of Rotary Club 1444 and served as 2016-2017 President. He has served as an RLI facilitator and Assistant Governor in District 5610 for the past two years and will serve as the District Governor in 2020-2021. Dan has a passion for world health and supporting global food production and has attended two international conventions. On a local level, Dan has led an effort to establish alternative times for club meetings to encourage a new generation of citizens to join in Rotary service.
Doug Lind
District Governor Nominee 2021-22
Rotary Club of Rapid City Rushmore
Dear District 5610 Rotarians:
I’d like to tell you a little bit about myself. I was born in Vermillion, SD and raised on a farm in central Clay County with my parents and one brother and one sister. I attended a country school, Vermillion High School, St. Olaf College, and graduated from the University of SD with a pre-law / English degree. While in college, my brother Greg and I, with the help of our dad, started a small backhoe service company to help pay college expenses. After graduation, it was my original intent to go to law school. After a lot of serious consideration, I decided to postpone law school, and continue with the small excavating service business that my brother and I had started 3 years earlier in 1971. Obviously, law school is still “on hold” and we have had a gratifying and exciting career in building our company to what it is today. Sadly, my brother lost his battle with lung disease in 2017 and I’m now the sole owner of our company. We moved our business from Vermillion to Rapid City in 1981 and have remained there since. My son was born to my first wife and I in 1990, and in 2011, Penny and I met and fell in love, and married. Together we share our son, three daughters and 3 granddaughters. Together we share a love for helping others through Rotary, a passion for golf, and 2 homes, in Rapid City and Florida.
Second only to my faith in Jesus Christ as my risen Lord and Savior, Rotary has been a driving force and has given and continues to give my life meaning and purpose. I joined Rapid City Rushmore Rotary Club in January of 1995. When I first became a member, the club was mainly comprised of young downtown businessmen and professionals, with a small number of professional women. The original “big project” was the Black Hills Children’s Home Golf Event, and not much else. Since then our club, through many of it’s long time members has grown into a multi-faceted organization. Rushmore Rotary has expanded its scope and mission to include far-reaching support of schools in Tanzania, water projects across the world, world-wide Friendship Exchanges and countless community projects for local organizations. One of the greatest personal rewards in Rotary is growing, training, and educating new members and our community about the vast and amazing blessings that Rotary International brings to the world every day in ways that are almost beyond human comprehension. For all that R.I. has given me, I will always be grateful and so humbled to be a part of it. After many years of consideration, I have decided that I can repay in a small way all that I’ve been given by serving in this honored role, if I am chosen to do so.
During my Rotary career, I have served locally as President and B.O.D. member for six years over two different terms. At the club level, I have chaired the BHCH Golf Event, the Membership Committee, the Social Committee, the Program Committee, and served on the Strategic Planning Steering Committee. At the District level, I was part of the original leadership group that implemented RLI in 5610. I served as an Assistant District Governor for a period of four years and have served on the planning committee for the District Meeting in Pat Sutliff’s term. I have attended almost all District Annual Meetings for the past twenty years and have attended two Rotary International Conventions in Los Angeles and New Orleans. I attended the Zone Leadership Institute in Albuquerque, NM during Roger Kozak’s term. I have been a member of two Friendship Exchanges, the first in Nikko City, Japan and last year to Sweden. My wife and I have served as a Friendship Exchange hosts for many District Friendship Exchanges and chaired the local planning committee for last year’s District Friendship Exchange.
The first part of my vision for our district is to develop a system of “Intentional Retention”. As I was reminded this morning at a Rotary meeting that I attended in Spring Hill, FL, there is power in numbers, and even more value in quality and integrity of members. I believe that one often-overlooked part of a successful membership plan is consistent, planned, and intentional retention. It’s a proven fact that it takes about three new members to replace one quality existing member. I have been involved in membership committees for many years, and although it’s often talked about, there is rarely a plan for “intentional retention”, i.e., on-going consistent care, support and connection to each other as members. Often-times members have left the club for a variety of reasons, some of which can be resolved or fixed and those responsible don’t become aware until membership dues lapse.
The second part of my vision is to create a sustainable marketing and branding plan. There is a long-standing problem with branding and product recognition in our organization, and although the problem is recognized, more work and attention that needs to be given to this. There is still a wide-spread ignorance in our communities and across the country about what Rotary is, what we do, and who we are. I believe that until people are made more aware of our organization, through a structured branding and marketing plan, sustained growth will continue to be challenging.
The third and final part of my vision for our district is helping our individual clubs become more knowledgeable and then more willing to be involved in International Projects. I know that when I first became a member, my knowledge and the knowledge of our club did not extend beyond local community service, and now I know that there is so much more, and so many more ways that we can serve the world and in doing so do our part to make the world a better, safer and happier place.
In summary, my vision is to make our district stronger and more vital by developing an “intentional retention” system to grow our membership by retaining current members, while increasing awareness of our organization through a focused and structured marketing and branding plan to help our members and our community gain a crystal clear picture of Rotary and all that it is across the world.
During the next two years, I plan on committing my time and energy in support and assisting the sitting DG and the DGE in whatever ways that I can to help and support District 5610 and serving with enthusiasm and commitment as the 2021-2022 District 5610 District Governor. I look forward to this honor with a sense of excitement, a certain amount of “what have I gotten myself into”, and mostly joy and enthusiasm! I know that if I’m chosen to serve, I’ll be supported by my God, my wife, my family and employees, and many good Rotarian friends, all much more accomplished and knowledgeable than me, and an unshakeable belief in the power of love through Rotary and its members.
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.
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:
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:
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 — The Le Mars Rotary Club attained a special distinction at its centennial banquet on April 9, that of being a 100 percent Paul Harris Fellow Club. Seven members were recognized as fellows at the banquet, with the awards presented by Rotary District 5610 Governor Dave Lorenz and local club president Chris Becker. They are: Steve Albert, Peter Streit, Opal Anderson, Matt Washburn, Joel Johnson, James Klein and Debra Young.
“Congratulations to Le Mars Rotary, what a wonderful accomplishment, being a service to your community for 100 years,” Lorenz said. “Le Mars has always been a bright star in Rotary in District 5610 and we can see the evidence of that tonight.”
RYLA stands for Rotary Youth Leadership Award. A RYLA participant is selected by his or her local Rotary Club to attend a camp designed to build character, leadership, personal development and good citizenship. The “Award” part of RYLA is the actual scholarship the Rotary Club provides so that a participant may attend camp. Many participants have had life-changing experiences by attending RYLA Camp, and YOU could be one of those people.
Rotary District 5630 has hosted Great Plains RYLA for more than 1,200 students since 1990. Using the Nebraska State 4-H campground facilities near Halsey in the scenic Nebraska Sandhills, RYLA has trained young leaders through activities, workshops, and a variety of presentations by speakers in business, government, and education.
The camp is a six-day experience full of outdoor activities such as canoeing or tubing, a fun ropes course, and many other outdoor activities that emphasize teamwork and decision making. In addition, RYLA focuses on service and Rotary’s role in building stronger communities by emphasizing both local and global citizenship. Previous RYLArians serve as junior counselors and Rotarian men and women serve as senior counselors.
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.
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:
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 101st 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.
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
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.
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
Letter from Ron Burton - Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair
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
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!
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 hotelsby 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
Early Rotary District 5610 Conference in Vermillion Registration
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.
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>
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.
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.
Omniceye Rotary publishes Pine Ridge Services Request Directory
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
6-27-2019 Thursday 7am Hot Springs SD - DG Installation
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
District Governor 2018-19 Dave Lorenz Upcoming Club Visits
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.
The presidents of these clubs will be receiving the prizes and certificates in the mail. THANK YOU to all of those who participated this year, the essays were terrific and it was very difficult for our judges to come up with a winner.
Pat Sutliff, Chair of District 5610 Four Way Test Essay Contest
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
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
Governor’s Club Membership Challenge April-June 2018
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
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!
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 officers 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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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
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.
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!
SDSM&T Rotaract members stuff Puppies for Polio
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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 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)
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
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.
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
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
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
How to contribute to the Gulf Coast Disaster Relief Rotary Donor Advised Fund
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.
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.
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 people we serve.
On August 15th, 2017, a groundbreaking ceremony was held with Past President Joel Dykstra as emcee and lead visionary for the project.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A number of clubs 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.
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!!!!
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
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!
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.
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.
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."
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
Governor Filmed Presentation & Club Visits Schedule
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.
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
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
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.
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!
Rotary Leaders Fly to District 5610 to Deliver Membership Workshops
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!
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
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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
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.
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:
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.
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.
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!
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.
Vocational Training Team member goes to Perú
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!
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:
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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!!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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!
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!
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.
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.
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!
Our district encompasses all of South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota, northwestern Iowa and northeastern Nebraska. There are 42 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!
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.
The District 5610 Raffle is our primary fundraiser supporting the Rotary Foundation. Nearly all of our Foundation contribution raised from this effort supports local and global humanitarian programs. The District grants that are used by clubs for so many worthwhile activities are funded from these funds.
This year, clubs from around the District have donated 36 prizes with a total value of over $13,000. The grand prize is a Bosch 4-piece kitchen suite with a retail value of up to $6500 donated by Karl’s TV & Appliance and the Rotary Club of Gregory, SD. To see a full list of the prizes select the file "2021 District Raffle Prize List" in the News/Downloads page or simply CLICK HERE.
For more information please contact Rich Burns, District 5610 Raffle Chair, at rkab1158@pacific.net.
https://www.rotary5610.org/PhotoAlbums/district-conference-2023
The District Governor Award for Rotarian of the Year is presented to Don Norton. He is a Rotarian who has gone above and beyond and has proven to be extraordinary in his service above self. This is a new award this Rotary year that will serve to honor one individual who has exhibited these attributes. Congratulations Don! 
s in education and communication. He taught more than 20 communication courses at the college and university level, and has received four Associated Press News Awards for broadcast journalism, including as a news anchor/reporter at WGN Radio in Chicago. He has a Master of Arts Degree in Communication from Western Illinois University, and is certified in Non-Profit Management from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. He is a Maxwell Leadership certified trainer, speaker and coach.
Tahiry Razafimanjato has been presented Rotarian of the Quarter for his dedication to Rotary and District 5610. Tahiry started Sturgis Rotaract Club, and is past president of Northern Black Hills Rotary Club, and a member of the District Membership Committee. Tahiry joined Rotary in 2015 at Northern Black Hills Rotary. Rotary was not something new for him. He grew up in a Rotarian environment in Madagascar; his dad is a long time Rotarian. Her sister and brother are also all Rotarians. For Tahiry, Rotary means more than a service. He considers Rotary as a way of life.
Dr. Willis C. Sutliff was awarded the 2021-22 Roger Kozak Service Above Self
The first District Governor Award for Rotarian of the Quarter is presented to Kay Norton she is a Rotarian who has gone above and beyond and has proven to be extraordinary in her service above self. This is a new award that will serve to honor one individual each quarter who has exhibited these attributes. Congratulations Kay!
District 5610 Rotarians,
Friday evening banquet will feature special Rotarian awards, recognition, and a message from RI Representative Phil Silvers. Evening entertainment includes Western music and history. Saturday morning features an inspiring message from Dr. Fozia Alvi, who grew up in Pakistan. She is an American trained physician who has been working in Calgary, Alberta, for the past 13 years. She and her husband, Tahir Alvi, are passionate humanitarians and have organized several health and education-related projects in developing nations, including opening a charity-based maternity hospital in rural Pakistan. She went in for a medical mission to the Bangladesh refugees’ camps in 2017 and was moved by the plight of Rohingya and has since been an advocate for them. She spoke at various international levels about this genocide and is also involved in advocacy for the Uyghurs of China and putting a stop to illegal organ harvesting. She currently runs her foundation, Humanity Auxilium, and organizes medical relief missions. She has been given various awards for her advocacy work including being a Nobel prize nominee in 2019 and the 2019 Advocacy Award by CAMSS.
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REUBEN BAREIS
Ina Winter
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The Pine Ridge Area Social Services Organizations Rotary Directory was originated by Angie Sam, Raising Healthy Families Together Director. Her intern, Maretta Afraid of Bear, collected the initial data and Robyn Whirlwind Horse assisted with data entry in 2016/17. Raising Healthy Families Together is an informal network of social service organizations providing services to the residents of the Oglala Lakota Nation on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. 
lio eradication by wandering the streets of Boise and your community in these limited-edition classic kicks. Shoes are $50 and all proceeds ($25 on average depending on shoe stock availability) will benefit Rotary’s PolioPlus Fund. Order now and pick up your pair at the 2018 Zone Conference in Boise, Idaho! If you are unable to make Zone but can’t live without these, we can ship them to you for an additional charge.
s every April.
from Black Hills State University was Jama Khainzan, a Northern Hills Spearfish Rotarian, who is energetically forming a Rotaract club at BHSU. She met with Meerab Joseph, SDSM&T Rotaract secretary, and Heidi Bell Gease, Rushmore club liaison, to gain some tips. Jama is a Rotarian from Mongolia, reported Rotaract is strong there, and suggests an exchange program with them in the future.
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Nicole Rawden will join District 5610 as the District Administrator beginning November 1st. She currently serves as the Brookings Rotary Club Treasurer. Nicole joins us with over 19 years of experience in accounting and business. 
just a little above 71% of our giving goal for this year at $142,098. Our goal is $200,000 for 2017-2018 and of course, our raffle giving conducted at the PETS will give us our district a significant boost and early reports show that the raffle provided our District with about $50,000 in funds contributed to the foundation. As club foundation chairs and current presidents we need to continue to encourage our clubs with the mission of Rotary and a significant part of our organization is our giving to the Foundation.
has contributed over $60,000 to the Rotary Foundation with the remainder going to several selected organizations and projects in the Sioux Falls community.
le we serve.
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, Rapid City Rotary Club member, has collected and distributed over 100 cartons of used books around the Black Hills and western South Dakota. Norm asked 43 clubs in the District 5610 area which includes all of South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota, northwestern Iowa and a corner of Nebraska, to donate children and adult books. He accompanied Linda, District Governor, during the past year of visits to each club. The clubs responded generously! Norm received books from many clubs, including Pierre, Cherokee, Canby, Sibley, LeMars, Centerville, Sioux Falls, and Rapid City. Over 6000 books arrived during the fall District Conference in Rapid City. Then another shipment of 41 cartons arrived in April, due to Heartland Paper delivering from a Sioux Falls’ collection site.
Mission received boxes of children, adult and reference books on art and sports. The Storybook Island Little Free Library will benefit from a huge supply of children books this summer. And Readiatrics was donated over 60 cartons of books to be distributed through the South Dakota Public Health clinics.
A number of Rotarians and clubs in our District already support the School for St. Jude in Tanzania. We have had personal visits to our District from Gemma, who started the school. If you do support, thank you!
% each year in support of Rotary International’s goals.
