Join us for our Midday Meeting this Thursday, 12-1 pm, on Zoom. We will hear from April Sutor, Family Service Rochester's Director of Innovation and Collaboration and Rotarian. Learn about the work of Family Service Rochester in our community, both typical and what's unique to our new reality because of COVID-19.
"Family Service Rochester was founded in 1965 as a nonprofit organization with a staff of three and the mission to support and enhance the dignity and quality of life for individuals and families in our community.
In 1990, Sunrise Youth and Family Counseling joined with Family Counseling and Home Services to form Family Service Rochester.
For the past 15 years, Family Service Rochester has sharpened its focus to working with families with serious child welfare and/or family violence concerns. Major service expansions have been in the areas of child maltreatment, child welfare, children's mental health, domestic violence and providing our services to ethnically diverse populations in our community.
Today the agency provides more than 30 programs to meet ever-changing community needs. Our staff of over 85 provides a wide range of human services that educate, strengthen, support, protect and empower individuals and families in our community." (http://familyservicerochester.org/history/)
A Rotarian from The Rotary Club of Rochester is needed to assist Holiday Classic Sponsor/Advertiser Chair Elaine Case. The role will assist in recruiting other TRCR Rotarians to follow up with 2020 Classic sponsors and advertisers and make a few contacts him/herself. Not a difficult role, just one part of a whole team. Please contact the Rotary office if you are interested/willing.
There are always lots of questions about the future. What will the future be like? What will be there in the future? Now these are really good questions. But I think the more appropriate question would be is there going to be a future left for us, Rotary?!
In a message to the 1914 Houston convention, Paul Harris said “The future of Rotary is shrouded in expectant mystery. It will be for you, my Rotarian friends, to aid in the unfurling of the Rotarian destiny. Whatever Rotary may mean to us, to the world it will be known by the results it achieves.”
Paul’s words may well have been addressed to that great convention in Texas 106 years ago, but even more so now, his words are more relevant than ever! But there is still “an expectant mystery” about the future of Rotary - it is still up to us, as Rotarians to be a part of the unfurling of Rotary’s future destiny.So that question must be asked in 2020, is Rotary relevant? Are we facing an opportunity with that question or do we frame it as a challenge? Let’s consider Rotary’s situation as an opportunity because we have so much to offer.
Our new Rotary year begins July 1, and this is typically a time when we as Rotarians reflect on the accomplishments of our previous year and plan, with some sense of renewed excitement, for what’s to come. Our situation feels a little different this year, though, due to all that’s going on – a global pandemic, economic challenges, and the adjustment to a new “normal.” We are fortunate, though, that we stand together as Rotarians, “people of action” who use “passion, energy, and intelligence to make a difference in our local community and our world.”
Incoming Rotary International President Holger Knaack chose the 2020-2021 theme, “Rotary Opens Opportunities.” His words remind us that Rotarians choose to see the world through a lens of hope and work to “be the good.” Through our Rotary relationships, we have been finding ways to stay connected in online meetings and social get-togethers, through emails shared with Rotarian friends, and through personal texts and notes sent by mail. Although we are currently unable to serve the Rochester community in some of the ways we have in the past, we must challenge ourselves to adapt and participate in the many service opportunities available in our community. Because we are “friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change…,” and we must find ways to help rebuild our community going forward.
As Rotarians we can take comfort and have pride in knowing that we have already successfully responded to another devastating interruption in our world. Since 1988, Rotarians have participated both financially and through volunteerism to help prevent polio, reducing cases by 99.9%. Now, members of our organization are working, both locally and internationally to help find, fund, and implement efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19, as well.
It is also important for all of us to realize that we cannot continue to support our local and international Rotary commitments without our ongoing financial support. Please watch your email inbox for your 2020-2021 Rotary Dues invoice. In order to help with cash flow and allow the club to better budget for expenses encountered throughout the Rotary year, preferred dues payment is by auto-pay. If you are not already using the auto-pay option, please complete the form, downloadable here, and return it to the Rotary office. Because Rotary International and District dues are invoiced in July, club leadership asks that all members make their 2020-2021 Rotary dues payment or auto-pay commitment prior to June 30, 2020.
I am grateful to you as a fellow Rotarian for your dedication to service and your commitment to an organization working both locally and worldwide to make a positive impact. I ask you to join me as we find new opportunities to serve. Despite our ever-changing world, together we can find ways to continue to make a difference around the world and in our Rochester community.
Yours in service,
Chris Colby, 2020-2021 President The Rotary Club of Rochester
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, September 16, 12-1 pm, and save the date for our 2020 Rotary Golf Outing. It's a fun, event for Rotarians and friends of Rotary. If you aren't a golfer, join us for lunch, a short meeting, and a program. If you enjoy golf, even on the rare occasion, register with your own team or as a single to be grouped with other individuals. The event will take place unless another StayHomeMN order goes into effect for that time.
For the past four years, we have not been able to fully fund District Grant requests from our clubs because we haven’t had enough District Designated Funds to do so. As you probably know, the amount of District Designated Funds (DDF) we get each year is based on our giving to The Rotary Foundation’s Annual Fund. We can then use the DDF to match grant requests from our clubs.
No one likes seeing this shortfall of DDF, so we have two options to deal with it. One would be to tell clubs to stop doing as many grants that do good in the world…that’s not a very good option! The other is to increase our giving to the Annual Fund.
This year, we set an ambitious goal of raising $500,000 for TRF’s Annual Fund, and we were on pace to get close before the COVID pandemic. Obviously, the situation changed our giving, and we are at about $310,000 right now. As we come towards the end of the Rotary year though, we feel it’s an important time to renew our fundraising efforts so we can continue to positively impact people in our neighborhoods and around the world.
Therefore, we are pleased to announce our District’s Rotary Foundation PUSH for $400K!
Why a PUSH for $400K? If we can collectively donate $400,000 to The Rotary Foundation’s Annual Fund, it will enable us to make a more significant impact in the lives of people throughout the world. With your donation we can help teach kids essential skills, prevent mothers and babies from dying, create peace, treat and prevent disease, provide economic opportunities and improve clean water and sanitation…all improving the lives of the recipients of our projects!
Come together during general sessions to witness the power of Rotary connections. Learn new skills, explore thought-provoking topics, and discover inventive ways to engage and adapt at our breakout sessions.
Visit the convention’s event page on Facebook to connect with other members. And use the hashtag #Rotary20 in your social media posts to share what you’re looking forward to at this year’s convention. Don’t forget to invite a friend from your club or share the convention with your Rotary family.
Scrip cards to Apollo Liquor, Kwik Trip, and Menards are still available for purchase to support The Rotary Club of Rochester. Remember, you purchase and spend the cards at face value, and the club receives 5% back from Apollo Liquor and Kwik Trip, and 4% back from Menards. The club gets an additional 5% on purchases at Kwik Trip, other than gas, inside the store.
If you would like to make a scrip purchase, please email the Rotary office with your request. Apollo is sold in $10 increments, and no change is given in store. Kwik Trip may be purchased in increments of $5 up to $25, increments of $25 up to $100, and then $200, $250, and $500. Credit remains on the card until the full value is spent. Menards cards may be purchased in any denomination between $10 and $2000 with the credit remaining on the card, as well. Apollo and Kwik Trip cards will be delivered within a few days, and Menards cards may take up to two weeks. Scrip cards make especially great gifts for celebrations, including birthdays and graduations!
Separate from the Scrip program but another way to support Rotary is Amazon Smile. If you are already shopping on Amazon, please consider shopping Amazon Smile instead. Same items are available, but if you designate The Rotary Club of Rochester Foundation as your organization of choice, Amazon donates a portion of your purchase to RCRF. Thank you for your support!
Join us for our Midday Meeting this Thursday, 12-1 pm, on Zoom. We will hear from April Sutor, Family Service Rochester's Director of Innovation and Collaboration and Rotarian. Learn about the work of Family Service Rochester in our community, both typical and what's unique to our new reality because of COVID-19. 
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, September 16, 12-1 pm, and save the date for our 2020 Rotary Golf Outing. It's a fun, event for Rotarians and friends of Rotary. If you aren't a golfer, join us for lunch, a short meeting, and a program. If you enjoy golf, even on the rare occasion, register with your own team or as a single to be grouped with other individuals. The event will take place unless another StayHomeMN order goes into effect for that time. 
Scrip cards to Apollo Liquor, Kwik Trip, and Menards are still available for purchase to support The Rotary Club of Rochester. Remember, you purchase and spend the cards at face value, and the club receives 5% back from Apollo Liquor and Kwik Trip, and 4% back from Menards. The club gets an additional 5% on purchases at Kwik Trip, other than gas, inside the store.