We had a wonderful celebration for The Rotary Foundation’s 100th- year anniversary at the University of Minnesota’s McNamara Alumni Center. Past District Governor Holly Callen’s team did a great job hosting the October 23 event that honored and thanked our district’s Paul Harris Society members, Major Donors, Arch Klumph Society members and Rotary Bequest members. Special guest speaker, Past RI President and Rotary Trustee Ron Burton, warmly thanked these generous donors and all in District 5950.
Camp Enterprise was also a highlight of this successful month. Our clubs sponsored 100 students at this year's camp at Camp Idyhapi in Loretto. Thirteen teams vied for venture capital dollars in a Shark Tank-type format. Students also competed for college scholarship dollars, with the winners turning in outstanding essays. Dozens of Rotarians donated their time and experience, mentoring campers and speaking about human resources, marketing, accounting and leadership. The students had a great time and made memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you to all the sponsoring clubs and individual volunteers!
This coming month is Foundation Month. We kick it off with five events featuring RI Vice President Jennifer Jones. I strongly encourage you to attend one of them and meet her in person.
Congratulations to District 5950 clubs and the District Rotary Foundation Committee Team! For the second consecutive year, District 5950 took first place in three categories for Foundation giving at the Zone Institute in Cleveland, Ohio. We are top among 28 districts in Zones 28 and 29.
District 5950 won awards for:
Total Giving:$943,936 Annual Fund Giving:$768,051 Per Capita: $273.13
RI President Elect Ian Riseley presented awards onstage to DRFC Fundraising Chair Bob Halagan. At right, they are joined by PDG Tim Murphy (center).
Thomas Bird and Amal Gani have been chosen for $30,000 Rotary scholarships to study for master’s degrees abroad. The scholarships are funded by Rotary District 5950.
Mr. Bird is a graduate of Southwest High School in Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota, where he majored in Global Studies and Spanish and Portuguese Studies. He is currently teaching in Madrid, Spain and plans to study in Hungary and Spain for a master’s degree in global public policy. Thomas’ goal is a career in diplomacy, humanitarian aid work, advocacy, or policy development.
Ms.Gani came to the U.S. from Somalia as a young child. She went to school in Clarkston, Georgia and attended Amal plans to study in The Netherlands at a program in public international law and human rights.
Posted by PDG and DRFC Fundraising Chair Jim Nelson (City of Lakes)
2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the first donation to The Rotary Foundation (TRF). From the little acorn of that first donation, the mighty oak of TRF – one of the highest rated charities in the world – has grown and stands tall today. Much good has been done in the world through generous contributions of many generations of our predecessor Rotarians.
Now it’s our turn. Will the world remember what we accomplish with our dollars in the second hundred years of TRF? That is up to each of us. It’s clear that early in the second century, we will have erased polio from the face of the earth, an epic accomplishment. What similar achievement lies beyond that none of us knows for sure, but we can feel confident that with our donations we can accomplish more historic feats to better mankind.
Your club leaders will ask you to join them in contributing generously to TRF during this Rotary year – celebrating our first 100 years, yes -- but more importantly, to forge a solid beginning to our second hundred years.
As we celebrate the generosity and accomplishments of previous generations of Rotarians, let’s give future generations good reason to celebrate our successes in serving humanity. Most of us can afford to put aside at least $1 per day for those who desperately need our help. Many of us can do more.
Let’s all do what we can. Help us launch our second hundred years of Doing Good in the World!
It is my honor and responsibility as the Immediate Past District Governor to chair the Nominating Team for the 2019–2020 Governor. I’m asking our members to identify candidates for the District Governor-Designate.
Our current District 5950 Governor succession is:
2016-2017 DG Mark Hegstrom (Edina Morningside)
2017-2018 DG-Elect Bob Halagan (Buffalo)
2018-2019 DG-Nominee Irene Kelly (Eden Prairie AM)
All nominated Rotarians must be aware of the nomination and agree to the requirements and selection process. Please forward a completed Resolution form along with the DGN Data Form by January 1, 2017 to tim.murphy@murphyauto.net or mail them to 9110 225th St. W., Lakeville, MN 55044. Feel free to call me at 612-719-9745 if you have questions.
District 5950 has a history of highly qualified and committed governors. Thank you for help guide us to our next quality governor!
The washable feminine hygiene kits that we assembled at the District Conference last May provide a solution for girls in emerging countries that have minimal access to feminine hygiene products. The kits help keep girls in school and I believe we can help break the cycle of poverty if we help a girl manage her cycle!
Each of the 567 kits we distributed worldwide will last three years if maintained. Our distribution includes: 50 to El Salvador (Orono Rotary), 100 to Haiti (Uptown Rotary/Haiti Outreach), 100 to Cameroon (Brooklyn Park Rotary), 17 to Vietnam (Children’s Surgery Intl.), and 300 to Uganda (Roseville Rotary/American Refugee Committee).
We are still making kits. So we still need your help hosting a sew-a-thon, donating materials (e.g., girls panties sizes 8-16, washcloths, dark patterned flannel and cotton, and gallon-sized freezer Ziploc bags), and providing distribution sites.
If your club is interested in helping, please contact Judy Johnson (Maple Grove Rotary) at Jjohnson9730@msn.com,763-535-1249 or 612-296-6658.
The International Fellowship of Rotarian Educators is one of RI's newest fellowships.The website, www.rotarianeducators.org, shows that one does not have to be an educator or work in the field of education to be a member. Just have a passion for or an interest in education. Membership is $20 for one year, $50 for three years, or $100 for a lifetime membership.
International Fellowship of Rotarian Educators operates in compliance with Rotary International’s policies for Rotary Fellowships but it is not an agency of, or controlled by, Rotary International.
October was a great month in District 5950! 
Camp Enterprise was also a highlight of this successful month. Our clubs sponsored 100 students at this year's camp at Camp Idyhapi in Loretto. Thirteen teams vied for venture capital dollars in a Shark Tank-type format. Students also competed for college scholarship dollars, with the winners turning in outstanding essays. Dozens of Rotarians donated their time and experience, mentoring campers and speaking about human resources, marketing, accounting and leadership. The students had a great time and made memories that will last a lifetime. Thank you to all the sponsoring clubs and individual volunteers!
Thomas Bird and Amal Gani have been chosen for $30,000 Rotary scholarships to study for master’s degrees abroad. The scholarships are funded by Rotary District 5950. 
2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the first donation to The Rotary Foundation (TRF). From the little acorn of that first donation, the mighty oak of TRF – one of the highest rated charities in the world – has grown and stands tall today. Much good has been done in the world through generous contributions of many generations of our predecessor Rotarians. 
Each of the 567 kits we distributed worldwide will last three years if maintained. Our distribution includes: 50 to El Salvador (Orono Rotary), 100 to Haiti (Uptown Rotary/Haiti Outreach), 100 to Cameroon (Brooklyn Park Rotary), 17 to Vietnam (Children’s Surgery Intl.), and 300 to Uganda (Roseville Rotary/American Refugee Committee). 
