Our Rotary family is deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend and fellow Rotarian, Karen Ricklefs, who passed away on August 24, 2026. She was a member of The Rotary Club of Rochester for 30 years.
Karen lived a life dedicated to "Service Above Self," leaving a lasting impact on our community and our Rotary club through years of selfless volunteerism. Her dedication to making the world a better place was evident in everything she did. Her legacy of kindness and community service will continue to inspire us.
We send our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to her husband and fellow Rotarian, Merlin, and the entire Ricklefs family. A memorial service was held at Charter House on August 30. A funeral will be held at a later date at her church.
It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of our esteemed fellow member and dear friend, George Allen Sr., who passed away on September 4, 2026.
George was a dedicated member of The Rotary Club of Rochester for 45 years. Throughout his time with us, he truly embodied our motto of "Service Above Self." Whether he was participating in a club project or quietly supporting our club's initiatives, George’s warmth, leadership, and unwavering commitment left an indelible mark on our club and our community.
We extend our deepest condolences to his wife, Dorothy, and his son, TRCR President Frank Allen, and the entire Allen family. A memorial service will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 12, 2026, at Zumbro Lutheran Church. Visitation will be held from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Saturday at the church.
If you aren't able to get your items to Jeremiah Program by 4:00 p.m. on September 15, contact Marilyn Deling to make other arrangements! Thank you for your help with our club's community outreach.
There are only two more opportunities to help clean-up the Rochester park that our club adopted many years ago. The next White Oaks Park clean-up season is Wednesday, September 16 at 6:00 p.m. Meet at the park and spend approximately an hour making sure the park is clean and safe for families to enjoy. Be sure to bring work gloves and plastic bags or a bucket for trash.
If you can't make it in September, mark your calendar for the last clean-up on October 21 which has a 5:00 p.m. start time due to shorter days and daylight. White Oaks Park is located at 4597 55th St NW in Rochester.
Why do club members and family and friends of The Rotary Club of Rochester clean-up White Oaks Park every month? The answer is simple, the club adopted the park several years ago, and a group of dedicated volunteers have kept the clean-up tradition going.
Pictured is July's clean-up crew: John Woodruff, Frank Allen, Josef Chlachula, and Rick from the neighborhood.
Rochester Rotary's Annual Golf Outing and Happy Hour
Thursday, September 17
Tee times begin at 2:00 pm | Happy Hour at 5:00 pm
Hadley Creek Golf Course
Four-person scramble, nine holes with cart. All levels of golfers are welcome! This is meant for fun and fellowship! Sign-up as a team, or individually, and we will put you on a team. Standard green fee and cart charge only. Join us for Happy Hour at 5:00 pm at Tavern 22. All Rotarians and friends are invited.
If you are interested in joining your fellow Rotarians to golf, RSVP to Frank Allen or Steve Sperling
Thank you to all who signed-up to volunteer at the Quarry Hill Fall Festival on Saturday. We are fully staffed as of September 8!
The annual Quarry Hill Fall Festival is Saturday, September 12, from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., and members of The Rotary Club of Rochester will once again be serving food for families attending the festival. There are three shifts available from which to choose to volunteer. There is parking available near the main lot at Quarry Hill for volunteers. Make sure you should allow enough time to park and get checked-in before your shift as the food tent is always busy!
The Fall Festival is a carnival-style outdoor event at Quarry Hill Park and Nature Center. Hot dogs, popcorn and beverages are available (this is where you, as a Rotarian, are needed). All proceeds from the event benefit the Friends of Quarry Hill Nature Center and are used to help keep the nature center admission free year-round and provide educational programs for youth, families and adults.
September is Basic Education and Literacy Month - one of Rotary’s seven areas of focus. Reading and writing are critical for success in life – for gaining information, communicating, making agreements, and so forth.
Enhancing Basic Education skills and Literacy are essential in reducing poverty, improving health, encouraging community and economic development, and promoting peace. Improvements can reduce maternal death, improve childhood survivability, and reduce poverty. They can also enable success in business or a profession.
Projects undertaken by a Rotary Club can address low adult literacy, returning youth to school, enhancing student performance, or supplementing limited school resources.
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