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Eagan Rotary Distributes $40,000
in Grants to Local Organizations

With COVID 19 guidelines asking for social distancing, masks and limited group activities, Eagan Rotary contributed $1,000 to help fund the alternative celebration for the senior class of Eagan High School. The funds paid a portion of the costs for the Prom in a Bag, Senior 2020 yard signs and coffee gift cards for students who volunteered to help with these celebrations.

“We are at a time to rethink everything, even high school prom events and graduation ceremonies,” said Laura Helmueller, senior vice president of Bremer Bank and president of Eagan Rotary. “These students will represent Eagan as they move into jobs and career paths. They deserve a big send off, even if it has to be through touchless, remote celebrations. We wish them the best.”

Eagan High School had to remake their “Back to the Roaring 20’s” Prom Celebration to rely on a Zoom/virtual event for 400 that was facilitated and aired on Eagan TV.

The Prom in a Bag gifts for all seniors was picked up prior to the remote prom which took place on Saturday, May 23. The bag contents helped celebrate the event theme with a mini-prom poster to paste into the yearbooks with characters wearing Roaring 20's style masks. The bag also contained Roaring 20’s bingo cards played for prizes during the event, and confetti, balloons, mustaches, candy and other surprises. The Zoom screen was intermixed with messages from teachers, showcased dancing teachers, and featured masked faculty singer along with a reveal. Students were also able to share their photos on Instagram.

The Rotary Club of Eagan was founded in 1987 and is affiliated with Rotary International. The club has 68 members and Laura Helmueller, senior vice president of Bremer Bank, is the current president. The Rotary motto is “Service above Self” and guided by the Rotary Four Way Test. Meetings are Wednesdays at noon at the Lost Spur Golf Club in Eagan. See eaganrotary.org and Facebook.

Eagan Rotary members were determined to distribute $20,000 to 19 community programs and $20,000 toward fulfilling its 10-year commitment to Art Works, despite a nearly five-month suspension of in-person Rotary meetings.

Since 1987, Rotarians have raised more than $1 million from the February Eagan Rotary Gala to give to programs that aim to improve the quality of life for Eagan families and individuals.

“The Eagan Rotary Community Grants Program was established to make a difference in Eagan,” said Jason Raether, chair of the Rotary grants committee and attorney with Pruvent LLC law firm of Minneapolis. “Despite the disruption of a global pandemic, we were committed to the nonprofit organizations and public sector programs that fill a variety of needs.”

The Foundation continued its commitment to Art Works in Eagan with a $20,000 supporting contribution. Committed in 2017, the initial contribution was $50,000 to help the organization purchase a building and $100,000 in supporting funds was pledged over 10 years. As of July 2020, a total of $110,000 has been given to this project.

The 2020 Community Grant recipients are: Angel Foundation; Black Hawk Middle School; Bundles of Love Charity; Caponi Art Park; Dakota County Historical Society; Dakota County Technical College Foundation; Dakota Hills Middle School-Special Education; Dakota Woodlands; Daniel R. Olsen Eagan American Legion Post 594; DARTS; Eagan Citizens Crime Prevention Association; Eagan High School English Language Learner Department; Eagan High School - Team 2220 FIRST Robotics; Inver Hills Community College Foundation; Kids ‘n Kinship Inc., Midwest Special Services Inc.; Pregnancy Choices; ProAct Inc. and Eagan Men’s Chorus.

Human Trafficking Becomes
Rotary's Priority Project

Human slavery has been identified as such a global issue that Rotary International has identified this as one of the next global initiatives to solve as we get close to celebrating the end of polio.

Many of us have the image of human slavery taking place in other parts of the world. However, it is happening in our own country AND is a significant industry right here in Minnesota. As leaders in our communities, District 5950 has joined with District 5960 to end human trafficking in Minnesota. We are designing a three-year strategy and want your involvement. To learn more about this important initiative, please click here.

District 5950 Charters World's First
Rotary Club for Veterans

District 5950 is proud to bring VALUE to a new group of people here in Minnesota by forming the world's first Rotary Club for Veterans.

Call it “camaraderie at the core (corps)”. Veterans who have served their country are drawn to organizations that focus on camaraderie, service projects, peace efforts. Rotary clubs match this focus – and now there is the very first Rotary Club of Minnesota Veterans.

Upcoming service projects include:

· Actively caring for one another and our extended families

· Serving in our communities, especially youth, civic organizations, schools and the elderly

· Honoring other veterans and their families, especially during times of grief

· Serving those in areas/regions where we have served (possible projects in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, or Somalia)

The club meets on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at St. Peter’s Lutheran in Edina, 5421 France Avenue South, Edina, Minnesota 55410. The meetings run from 7-8 p.m. Come as a guest!