DG newsletter DECEMBER 2021 (Dec 10, 2021)

Posted by Bob Keller (MN Veterans)

This picture could reflect almost any Rotary club project...until you first watch the heart-rending video, Brothers In Service, which depicts Afghan families building new new lives in the United States. Then you will truly appreciate the Team Rubicon and Minnesota Veterans Rotarians who abruptly mounted a disaster response mission.

Afghan refugees were arriving by bus loads at Ft McCoy in September 2021. They remained in the same clothing they wore when they fled Kabul two weeks earlier. Huge tents bearing the logo of American Red Cross Disaster Response were set up on the post.

With only four days of preparation, Team Rubicon and several charter members of the Rotary Club of Minnesota Veterans organized a clothing drive that filled an SUV and cargo carrier. There were enough funds to purchase another car load of clothes locally in WI. The Minnesota Veterans Club was instrumental in the success of this impromptu mission project. Thanks to club members, including charter members Bob Keller (left) and Shah and Sayed (center), it was an amazing response that inspired Team Rubicon to set up a clothing drive at Target Field several weeks later.

Diverse Voices: Celebrating women and diversity in Rotary

Posted by Terry Low (Bloomington)

Rotary’s exemplary history of embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) beautifully aligns with our Four-Way Test, adopted by Rotary in 1943. Rotarians use this value system for their personal and professional relationships:

- Is it the TRUTH?
- Is it FAIR to all concerned?
- Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
- Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Women continue to be major influencers in Rotary, serving their communities in increasing numbers and within key leadership positions. We value diversity and celebrate the contributions of amazing women such as Sylvia Whitlock (Rotary Club of Duarte). In 1987, she became the first Black female Rotary club president. In July 2022, Jennifer Jones will become the first female Rotary International President to lead a global network of 1.4 million Rotarians. These are two milestones that highlight Rotary’s commitment to unite people and create lasting change, regardless of age, ethnicity, color, sex or sexual orientation.

Watch a very special interview of these two female Rotary pioneers together at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZL9qtWniOM. Rotary has opened doors of opportunity and success for people throughout its 115-year history.

DG salutes top donor clubs

It's official! District Governor Marianna Khauv received the 2020-21 Rotary International Recognition report showing the highest Annual Fund-contributing clubs per capita. District 5950 clubs leading the way in giving per capita are:

#1 Bloomington ($599)

#2 Rogers ($573)

#3 Eden Prairie Noon ($548)

The report also commends these ten clubs for 100% member giving to The Rotary Foundation:

Bloomington

Brooklyn Center

Burnsville

Crystal-New Hope-Robbinsdale

End Human Trafficking

Eagan

Eagan Kick-Start

Minnetonka

South Metro Mpls. Evenings

St. Louis Park Sunrise

Thank you and congratulations to each club!
Your generosity and commitment to Rotary's
worldwide impact is unprecedented.
-- District Governor Marianna

Projects and publicity are great PR

Rotary Club of Minnesota Veterans held a book drive that netted 630 books. Their Book Campaign to Enhance Literacy will distribute 250+ books for children, 100+ books for teens, and nearly 300 books for adults. Donations went to nonprofits assisting veterans and low income individuals and families in the Twin Cities.

The Rotary Club of Maple Grove earned Rotarian magazine coverage in December's issue. A two-page spread featured their collaboration with the City of Maple Grove in creating the Central Park Skating Loop. Project lead Doug Baines notes that the club bought all the lights; members install them on the trees annually. The club is also sponsoring Santa's visit at the lighting event.

The Rotary Club of Network for Empowering Women produced a a great display at the Woodbury (Connecticut) Public Library. It reflected their 2021 mission and activities.

Tri-District Conference rates adjust by age

Eagan Interact grows to 200 members

Posted by Sherrie Wallace (Eagan)

Ten years ago, the Rotary Club of Eagan initiated an Interact club at Eagan High School to encourage volunteerism. At this milestone year, the club now has 200 members and an amazing list of project accomplishments in just the past year:

constructed a Community Giving Garden to benefit The Open Door
organizing both a coat and jeans drive
hosting a blood drive
Christmas caroling
making dog toys for a local pet shelter
sewing face masks and baby blankets
highway cleanup and lawn raking
writing 2,000 letters to US soldiers, enclosing letters in 52 care packages.

Recently, the Eagan club donated $500 to the Interact club. Receiving the check (from left) is school advisor Bill Wirsbinski and students Hannah Maccarone (past president), Donald Thai and Anna Schuller. Wirsbinski has been with the club since its inception and credits it for keeping him positively involved with the students during the Covid shutdown. “Interact does not exist without Rotary,” he said.

If your club wants more information about starting an Interact club, contact District Interact Club committee chair Chris Kruse (Monticello) at christopher.kruse@hotmail.com.

Clubs' fundraisers set records

The Mound-Westonka Rotary Club set an eight-year high for their annual Tonka Brew Fest, raising $103,000! The November 6 event at Gale Woods Farm in Minnetrista included free sampling from 14 Minnesota-only breweries, a fresh brat and chips, a raffle entry, a commemorative Tonka Brew Fest tasting glass, and live music from The Abiders, a Twin Cities Americana quartet.

All profits go to community efforts including the Western Communities Action Network which helps families in western Hennepin County with rent assistance, school supply drives, food banks and more.

Maple Grove Rotary surpassed its goal and netted $80,000 in their second annual virtual gala on November 13. "Our partners support us because Rotarians are People of Action," said club president Tim Deets. The funds will support community and international projects including:

Giving multi-lingual books to students so families can share the gift of reading
Saving lives in coastal Nigeria by working to prevent malaria
Building check dams in India so women can have easy access to clean water for their family
Providing scholarships to local students we mentor and encourage in our Rotary STRIVE program
Giving hand-made beds to local children who don't have a bed
Environmental projects like planting trees, removing buckthorn and cleaning storm drains.

Let RI feed your special interests

More and more, Rotarians are connecting their personal passions to Rotary service.

Rotarian Action Groups provide assistance and support to Rotary clubs and districts in planning and implementing community development and humanitarian service projects. They are organized by committed Rotarians, Rotarians’ family members, and Rotaractors who have expertise and a passion for a particular type of service.

Rotary Newsletters provide targeted information to help you lead Rotary programs or learn more about your special interest.

Check out these offerings that can feed your Rotary interests:

ROTARIAN ACTION GROUPS	NEWSLETTERS
Rotarians for Fighting AIDS Blindness Prevention Global Network for Blood Donation Dental Volunteers Diabetes Food Plant Solutions World Health Fairs Alleviating Hunger & Malnutrition Literacy Rotarians Eliminating Malaria Microcredit Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Polio Survivors and Associates Population Growth & Sustainability Water and Sanitation	End Polio Now Giving & Grants Membership Minute Peace in Action Rotary Convention Rotary Leader Rotary Service Rotary Weekly Rotary Youth Exchange The Rotarian Newsletter Training Talk Vocational Service Young Leaders in Action