Join District 5950 as it welcomes its newest club! The virtual Charter Event for The Rotary Club of Network for Empowering Women will be held on Sunday, January 17, 2021, at 10 a.m. Rotary International President Holger Knaack and Rotary International Director Suzi Howe will officiate the ceremony!
Register for the Network for Empowering Women charter event or watch it on Facebook.
Posted by Thomas Gump, District 5950 District Governor
District 5950 has been at the forefront of innovative, interest-based Rotary clubs:
- EcoClub
- End Human Trafficking - Veterans Club
- Network for Empowering Women - NEW! Rotary E-Club of Global Horizons
The e-club's mission is: “Improve our world with others who share a passion for international travel and friendship, focusing on global issues and service.”
As we work towards chartering in March 2021 with at least 20 members, let’s clarify:
We are not asking anyone to leave their current club. Instead, think of people in your network. Who have you tried to recruit to your club but it wasn’t the right fit? Who loves international travel and service, but not a traditional Rotary club?
This club expects to attract members from all over the United States and may have international members. As an e-club, weekly meetings will be virtual via webinar/conference call/online.
Currently, meetings are via Zoom on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. CST. Day and time will be determined by members’ availability. We anticipate costs of $175-$200 per member per year.
Members rotate responsibility for club programs/speakers focused on world issues, service and travel.
A goal is to plan at least one optional service trip or friendship exchange per year.
While D5950 will be the host district, the club is open to anyone, regardless of where they live or work.
We are so excited about the opportunities this new club will bring and are already seeing the influence it is having. We look forward to seeing names of your friends and colleagues who want to join us! If you are interested in this new club, please contact Paula Schwartz at plschwartz@msn.com.
Posted by Carol MacDonald, District Rotary Foundation Chair
For the first time, all D5950 Rotarians were able to watch (via Zoom) our district earn major awards from The Rotary Foundation (TRF) for its fundraising success during 2019-20. This annual event honored the 23 districts in our Region (Zones 25B and 29). Guest speakers were Rotary International President-Nominee Jennifer Jones and Rotary International Director Suzi Howe.
In Zone 29, our District 5950 received awards for:
1st in Annual Giving ($690.665)
1st in number of Paul Harris Society (PHS) members
3rd in “Direct” giving to TRF
2nd in PolioPlus contributions ($248,548) where our Zone is among the top five contributors to PolioPlus in the World! Also, we gave >20% DDF this year.
District 5950 is recognized throughout Rotary International! Thank you to everyone for your support of The Rotary Foundation!. And special recognition to Jim Nelson (City of Lakes), Fundraiser Chair and Tim Mulcrone (Chanhassen), PolioPlus Chair in FY2019-20.
Posted by Steve Johnson (Monticello), Global Grant Chair
Global Grant dollars for the current Rotary year have been completely allocated. The funds have been put to excellent use. Projects sponsored by 5950 clubs, along with various grants and matching funds, have enabled projects in five areas of the world including South America, India, Africa, Central America, and Eastern Europe.
Club contributions totaled $98,580, but adding various matching funds brought the total expenditures to $756,461. That represents a leverage of 7.7 times. In terms of people served, these grants improved the lives of an estimated 14,100 individuals around the world. The Rotary Foundation (TRF) requires that all projects provide sustainability. In other words, the benefits provided by these projects last for years once they conclude, not just a “one-and done” endeavor.
TRF provides excellent stewardship of your annual contributions and leverages your club’s fund raising dollars so that 97% of all contributions benefit the end recipients. Charity Navigator ranks The Rotary Foundation in the top 10 in the world for efficient use of contributions.
District 5950 conducts free Grant Management Seminar training to learn how to access these funds. Training even one member of your club annually qualifies your club to access grant funds. The next online seminars will be in the spring of 2021.
Posted by Guy Marzano (St. Louis Park), District Visioning Chair
Can you look at the BIG picture and help clubs grow, become more effective, and be more efficient?
Are you an active listener? Do you believe that, after some training, you can facilitate groups towards achieving goals that they want to shoot for?
Do you enjoy using Zoom? Do you want to get a lot of good ideas from other Clubs [as well as what to avoid] in the process?
Our DG lineup of the "Three Amigos" has asked the Visioning Team to prepare for a lot more business because strategic planning is a top district priority! If you have been a club and are interested in making a real difference in our local clubs, please consider join the District Visioning Team. Call, text, or email Visioning Chair Guy Marzano at (612) 839-7288 or guymarzano@gmail.com for more information.
Posted by Steve Solbrack - District 5950 Environmental Sustainability (ES) Action Team Chair
Rotarians worldwide are now committed to supporting activities that strengthen the conservation and protection of natural resources, advance ecological sustainability, and foster harmony between communities and the environment. Rotarians are empowering communities to access grants and other resources, embrace local solutions, and spur innovation to address the causes and reduce the effects of climate change and environmental degradation. Learn more about Rotary protecting the environment.
“Whenever we don’t want to put things on the table, we say it is political. The best example is Rotary’s new seventh Area of Focus, the environment. Many people say we shouldn’t talk about climate change because that is political. In my view, it is definitely not political. It is a fact, which is why it is so important. If things are obviously wrong, then we have to say so.” ~RI President Holger Knaack Rotary GBI article 10/6/20
Looking for environmental presentations for your club meeting? Contact me for ideas. I highly recommend the 17-minute TedTalk titled “The Most Important Thing You Can Do To Fight Climate Change: Talk About It!”. The key to having a real discussion is to connect over shared values like family, community, and religion.
In the past five years, I’ve seen Rotaract members change careers, start businesses, and use Rotary to propel their careers. When I think about the people who will be running St. Cloud in 20 years, there’s no doubt in my mind that our Rotaract members will be among them.
Rotaract connects you to the community.
St. Cloud is a very active community of people who'll do incredible things to support causes they’re passionate about. Our club supports many of these causes, leading members to discover new areas of passion for themselves.
Rotaract develops deep, meaningful friendships.
When you’re young in your career and/or new to your community, it can be challenging to make meaningful friendships. We're talking about the type of friendship that develops as you pick up roadside trash together. Or pack backpacks for students in need. Or evolve from planning a fundraiser via email to planning it over happy hour. Personally, I’ve found some of my very best friends through Rotaract.
Pathways4Youth received the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation's (GSDC) 2020 Innovation Award for a non-profit organization employing innovation to solve problems and create opportunities. Pathways4Youth's mission is to lead the more than 100+ youth experiencing homelessness in the St. Cloud Area on a path to success. Click on the image to watch the video featuring St. Cloud Rotary president John Bodette, founder of Pathways4Youth.
Peace Fellowships are awarded for full support to pursue a master’s degree in peace studies and conflict prevention at five Rotary Peace Centers around the world. This month we introduce you to District 5950’s second successful nominee, Megan Dumas.
Ms. Dumas is a project manager for WoMena in Kampala, Uganda, where she participates in health care initiatives focused on the taboo and often-neglected area of women’s health: menstruation. In her job, Dumas helps develop options for women in Uganda’s refugee settlements and resource-poor settings to manage their menstrual health with dignity and support.
Ms. Dumas is committed to lessening injustice and believes that there must be a focus on achieving global peace in the face of a pandemic, climate change and massive displacement. Her professional background is in gender-based violence, global health and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Ms. Dumas received her B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota, where she majored in global studies with concentrations in Africa and Global Health and Mobile Populations. She previously received a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. She is also a former Rotary Youth Exchange Ambassador to Brazil and contributed to various international teams both as a volunteer and working professional.
Dumas was nominated for the Peace Fellowship by the Rotary Club of Orono.
Would you like to be a sponsor of the 2021 Rotary Zones 25B & 29 Institute?All financial, advertising and swag sponsorship opportunities are described in the Zone sponsorship brochure. Check it out and contact Tom Gump if you are interested.
Posted by David Sheppard (Glenwood), Membership Committee
In the past month Rotary International forwarded three leads for potential District 5950 members. A shout to Brooklyn Park and Minneapolis #9 for quickly following up with candidates interested in their clubs, and then reporting to me.
Keep in mind how important it is to promptly reach out to all prospective members and show them how welcome they will be in a D5950 club!
The Rotary Clubs of Eagan Kick-Start and Eagan Noon jointly hosted a Veteran’s Day Recognition Event on November 11. Their special guests were two members of the Rotary Club of Minnesota Veterans, the first Rotary club in the world focused on serving veterans. (The Veterans Club was formed by District Governor Tom Gump.)
The Eagan clubs honored Staff Sergeant Angela Kimmel (right) who traveled worldwide to many areas of need, and Veterans Club President and First Sergeant Gary White who was stationed in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Iraq and South America. A third veteran honored but not attending was Medical Technician Wayne Lindell who served in Japan after WW ll.The honorees shared highlights of their military experience and received a plaque and $200 check to be awarded to a charity of their choice. Veterans Club secretary Bethany Danner accepted a “We The People” plaque on behalf of the entire Rotary Club of Minnesota Veterans. Both awards from the Eagan clubs recognized the Veterans Club’s commitment to supporting other veterans.
The Rotary Club of St. Cloud has contracted with James White, the featured speaker at the district's Racial Equity series, to conduct four one-hour training sessions for the club. St. Cloud will dedicate the January and February meetings for this purpose, considering it a strategic planning effort to help the club examine its processes and procedures to make sure they are inclusive, equitable and fair to all members of our community.
"Perhaps this can be an example for other clubs," said club president John Bodette. "This wouldn't have happened without DG Gump's leadership in bringing this outstanding learning to District 5950."
Join District 5950 as it welcomes its newest club! The virtual Charter Event for The Rotary Club of Network for Empowering Women will be held on Sunday, January 17, 2021, at 10 a.m. Rotary International President Holger Knaack and Rotary International Director Suzi Howe will officiate the ceremony!
For the first time, all D5950 Rotarians were able to watch (via Zoom) our district earn major awards from The Rotary Foundation (TRF) for its fundraising success during 2019-20. This annual event honored the 23 districts in our Region (Zones 25B and 29). Guest speakers were Rotary International President-Nominee Jennifer Jones and Rotary International Director Suzi Howe. 
Global Grant dollars
If you would like to get more involved join the District ES Action Team, email 
The Rotary Clubs of Eagan Kick-Start and Eagan Noon jointly hosted a Veteran’s Day Recognition Event on November 11. Their special guests were two members of the Rotary Club of Minnesota Veterans, the first Rotary club in the world focused on serving veterans. (The Veterans Club was formed by District Governor Tom Gump.)
