Posted by District Governor Irene Kelly (Eden Prairie AM)
Rotarians are People of Action! Aligned with Rotary’s March theme, Water and Sanitation, Rotary clubs in District 5950 take action to Connect, Inspire, Transformand Save Lives.
Water Missions International provides statistics about the need for clean water in the world: - 2.1 billion people (1/3 of the world's population) around the world lack access to safe water. - One person dies every 37 seconds from water-related illness. - 443 million school days are missed annually because of the global water crisis. - 4.4 billion people lack access to adequate sanitation.
5950 People of Action Rotarians are addressing these issues.
Led by Litchfield Rotarians, members from Gaylord, Cokato-Dassel, Glencoe and Hutchinson connected with 2,500 people in the village of Mwongeti in Kisii County, Kenya who will no longer have to walk an hour to collect water of questionable quality. Matching funds leverage turned $27,000 into $89,000 to fund solar powered pumps and sanitation systems installed by Water 4 the World.
Buffalo Rotarians transformed education in 20 schools in Guatemala because they supported access to clean water and adequate sanitation which reduced absenteeism. Partner Rotary Clubs of Edina, Maple Grove, Chanhassen and Minnetonka (with clubs from other districts) turned $127,000 into $280,000 to provide equitable community access to clean water and increase gender equity in education.
Over 5,000 people in Kailahun district in Sierra Leone who will have access to clean water and sanitation facilities are inspired because Edina Rotarians are People of Action. In partnership with One Village Partners and the People of Action from Rotary Clubs of Edina Morningside, Minneapolis, Monticello and Minneapolis University, $19,000 became $66,000.
5950 Rotarians continue to “Be the Inspiration” as they connect, transform and save lives. I urge you to continue to contribute generously to The Rotary Foundation so we can continue having an impact—fighting hunger and homelessness, eliminating polio and human trafficking and improving water quality, among other things. The world is a better place because YOU inspire!
It's Rotary 5950's District Conference on May 17, 2019!
Come share a day of inspiring speakers, exciting activities, great food, and fun. Get in on the fun and join in the celebration of our clubs. Registration opens soon!
How long does it take to go from planning a Rotaract Club to welcoming real members? The Rotary Club of Edina identified sponsoring a Rotaract club as a goal in their five-year visioning. Imagine their surprise when the initial Fall 2018 promotion attracted over 20 members by February 2019!
Club advisor Sam Thompson attributes the success to the jump start they received from the St. Cloud Rotaract Club which offered guidance and support. He also credits their partner, the Rotary Club of Edina Morningside, and support from the Rotary Club of Eden Prairie AM. He salutes strong leadership from his club's Rotaract board and club president Mark Gasner.
The club relied on a strong social media plan for promotion, reaching out to members’ children, grandchildren, work associates and neighbors. Initial Rotaract members spread the word to their connections.
The Rotaracters’ initial focus is building a mentorship program with local Rotarians. Early volunteer activities included serving meals at local nonprofits, Cornerstone and the Ronald McDonald House. They also did Salvation Army bell ringing. In the future, members want to get involved with the community’s youth and elderly. They hope to build a stronger community by bridging all of the community’s generations through service, conversations, and connections.
Travel with Patience Asiimwe in to a remote region of Uganda to vaccinate children who otherwise would be missed. See how far Patience will go to make sure every child in her country is protected from polio.
With a nod to the Chinese New Year and "Year of the Pig", Marianna Khauv (Monticello) introduced Mid-Term Assembly attendees to the Three Little Pigs, a new PolioPlus fundraising initiative. As the pigs worked the crowd, they raised over $350. The Three Little Pigs raised more money when they attended Eagan Rotary’s End Polio spaghetti dinner event. And these pigs even rubbed shoulders with Rotary International President-Elect Mark Maloney at a District 5950-5960 event in St. Paul. There they raised over $300 to help End Polio.
These travel-loving pigs will come to any club planning an End Polio fundraising event this year! Contact Marianna (mkhauv.khauv@gmail.com) or PolioPlus chair Tim Mulcrone (timmulcrone@aol.com).
Posted by Krysta Peterson (South Metro Mpls. Evenings), PI Committee
When Rotarian Shawn Berry of neighboring District 5960 was at the Zone Institute in Erie, PA last year, he connected with other People of Action (POA) and created experiences he wanted to share with others in the moment. The problem: People of Action templates in Rotary.org's Brand Center were not mobile friendly.
Shawn returned to Minnesota and created the People of Action Photo Editor app, which allows you to apply the POA templates, along with edit features such as crop, rotate, and filter, right in the moment! Imagine your members are at a service event and you take a great action shot that you want to post to social media. With Shawn's app, you can: 1. Take the photo. 2. Choose a POA overlay. 3. Post within minutes!
Follow the People of Action Photo Editor page on Facebook for more information, including webinars and the newest feature updates! Access the app through this Facebook link! For assistance, reach out to Krysta Peterson, District 5950 Public Image Committee (krysta.rotary@gmail.com)
Last month we saluted the Twin Cities Rotary EcoClub for it's successful charter application. Rotary International has confirmed a February 19, 2019 charter date and official name: the Rotary Club of Twin Cities Eco, Minnesota. Watch for more updates about a charter celebration event. For more information, contact Steve Solbrack, 612-578-8776.
The Rotary Club of Orano received great media coverage for its upcoming Days For Girls sew-a-thon and Mother Bear Project. The article described the history of the projects, the cooperation between Rotary clubs, and the opportunity for the public to donate materials.
Send your club's Recipe4Success stories to Cheri Ashfeld.
When you have an outstanding speaker, please share! There is a District Speaker Referral list you can access from the 5950's home page, www.Rotary5950.org. Just click on the Club Support tab.
Recommend speakers who have already presented at a Rotary meeting. Please focus on information speakers (vs. donations, sales, or politics). To add a speaker's name and contact information, send referrals toalexa@rotary5950.org.
Led by Litchfield Rotarians, members from Gaylord, Cokato-Dassel, Glencoe and Hutchinson connected with 2,500 people in the village of Mwongeti in Kisii County, Kenya who will no longer have to walk an hour to collect water of questionable quality. Matching funds leverage turned $27,000 into $89,000 to fund solar powered pumps and sanitation systems installed by Water 4 the World.
The club relied on a strong social media
When you have an outstanding speaker, please share! There is a District Speaker Referral list you can access from the 5950's home page, 
