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We have a big week at our Faribault Rotary Club. District Governor Kyle Haugen and Assistant Governor Russ Halverson will be joining us at our board meeting and regular meeting. Let’s have great attendance here to welcome them. Let’s show off our cool blue Rotary shirts too!
Last week, past District Governor, Gary Campbell spoke to us about the Rotary Foundation and how donations make a difference in the world with the many projects we support and the efforts to eradicate polio through Polio plus. Marta tames a wild pony? |  Kramers, Carons and Halversons oh my! |
 Fun and fellowship! |  Our caterers from Uncle B's! |
.jpg) The kids loved the pony rides! |  Having fun outside! |
 Even the big kids had fun.! Right Lisa? |  Enjoying fellowship and a great meal! |
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Pastor Jared Matthew has joined the Faribault Rotary club. Pastor Matthew has led the First Baptist Church of Faribault the past seven years. He and his wife Emily are currently foster parents to three young children. Emily teaches piano from her home. Pastor Matthew is a marathon runner in his spare time. He is joining some 65 other Faribault Rotarians who pledge to put service above self. Pictured here on the left is Rotary president Troy Dunn, center new member Pastor Matthew and right his sponsor Keith Kramer.
George Wickstom and Troy Dunn have been honored as Paul Harris Fellows. The Paul Harris Rotary Foundation provides funding in the areas of peace, disease prevention, water, maternal and child health, education and economic development as well the eradication of polio world wide.
Tery Hurst from the Rotary Club Jimboomba, Queensland, Australia was here visiting our Faribault Rotary club last Wednesday. His club is currently hosting our exchange student, Annika and was previously named "The best small club in Rotary (worldwide) in 2012 . We had a little fun with him. He is pictured here with President Troy Dunn (Sheriff) and Police Chief Andy Bohlen.
Last week, retired pastor and former Faribault Rotary Club president, returned to speak to our club about his ongoing mission work with 3 more visits to Sierra Leone since first traveling there for our club's international project in 2012. Thank you Rick for making a difference in our world! 
On my first day my family took me, almost immediately, to the center of St. Petersburg. The architecture of St. Petersburg is hard to describe, half of it is old buildings from the Reign of Peter the Great and long forgotten Tsars, while the rest of the city is spotted with Cold War era apartments.
As my family and I looked across Neva River at Palaces and old barracks, it dawned on me that I was in Russia and I felt a rush of emotion. I know this sounds flowery, but honestly that’s the best way I can describe it. At that moment I had realized the last six months of planning and packing had finally come to fruition.
While I had this moment on the Neva my suitcase was still somewhere in the Netherlands. Upon arrival in St. Petersburg I recall the flight attendant regretfully informing our flight that “some” of our bags had not made it on to the airplane with us. Three hours later as I neared the front of the line for customs the rest of my flight and I would learn that it was more than “some” and close to most of our luggage was left in Amsterdam.
After three painful hours in Pulkovo Airport, I lugged my carry-ons through security and was met by my host mom and host sister Liza. We then dragged “some” of my bags to the car and dodged traffic. My host dad picked us up and drove us to the city center where we ate at a restaurant that was called Room. The restaurant was split between outdoor and indoor dining, which created a unique atmosphere that reminded me of being in someone’s home. To add to the ambiance each table was provided with blankets and up close entertainment of children playing tag on the adjoining playground.
They day concluded with a tour of my family’s apartment. After politely refusing food several times, I fell asleep soundly until the next afternoon. The following days included going to a science museum in a high-rise apartment, walking around St. Petersburg’s many historical sites, and going to a small zoo in a shopping mall.
I am pleased that my host sister is the same age as me - it has smoothed my transition. It will be melancholy when she leaves for her exchange in America next week.
Last night I went to yoga with my host mom and may have found a new passion even though I am very sore today. Exchange is about trying new things right? Well I tried yoga for the first time in Russia. I even got a compliment from the teacher.
Tonight I am going to a rooftop concert with my host sister and then tomorrow I meet the other exchange student going to my school from Brazil!
From Kajsa with Love!
From Russia with Love (click on this link below for pictures taken this week!)
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Rod Mahler presents our Faribault Rotary Club president, Troy Dunn with a new U.S. flag to replace the one that was present for 45 years and first saw use during Rod's year as club president in 1972-73.
 | The Faribault Rotary Club recently completed a successful money raffle to raise funds for youth programs in the Faribault area. The people of Faribault have provided more than $10,000 to support programs like Little Feat soccer, Rotary Readers, Strive and others in the coming year. Winners of the raffle were Todd Markman pictured with president Troy Dunn and past president Jake Cook. Mr. Markman received a check for $2500. |
 | $1000 winner! Farryl Kluis received $1,000 and Kathy Reside (not present) $500. as 2nd and 3rd place winners. |
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Seven past Presidents accepted our invitation to attend the installation ceremony this year. They from left to right, Wade Karli, Roy Anderson, Gorden Orde, James Nielson, Donn Olson, Darlene Mellier, and Janine Sahagian (behind Darlene.) They were thanked for their contributions to our club and helping to bring us to where we are today. .png)
 Past (Dick Cook, present(Jake Cook) and future(Olive Cook) Faribault Rotary Club Presidents! |  President Cook (97) with President-Elect Kramer (99) |
 President Dunn giving his installation speech and introducing the Rotary theme for 2017-18 of "Rotary Making a Difference." |  President Cook installs the 2017-18 Faribault Rotary Club Board. |
Pictured here are Rotary exchange students from 2002-2003; 2016-2017 and 2017-2018. Left to right: Ellen Kaderlik (2016-2017 outbound to Thailand; Annika Dornbusch (2017-2018 outbound to Australia); Philipp Laubinger (2016-2017 inbound from Germany; Justine Lorenzen (2016-2017 outbound to Italy); Andre's Diaz Ruggiero (2016-2017 inbound from Columbia); Poncho aka Francisco Galecio (2002-2003 inbound from Ecuador); Kasja Johnson (2017-2018 outbound to Russia).  | Andre's, President Jake, and Phillip want to " pump you up" for Rotary Exchange!  |
Phillip and Andre's had a great year in Faribault!  | Our club extends it's sincere gratitude to Jake, Lisa, and Keith for all their hard work this year for our Rotary student exchange program.  |
Allowing a young stranger into one’s home requires some bravery, but for families who have participated in the Faribault Rotary Club Youth Exchange Program, the experience is well worth it.“I never thought of hosting until we were asked, but we will do it again,” said Darla Kosanda, who hosted a Brazilian teenager, Amanda, in 2015. “It was a great experience for our family. They got to experience and enjoy her and we still keep in contact with her through social media.”
Kosanda is one of many Faribault families that have participated in the Rotary program either hosting an exchange student for three months, or sending their own child for an experience of their own.Recently, the Rotary Club found the six families it needs to host exchange students from Italy and South Korea for next school year, but they have already started the process of searching for hosts for the 2018-19 year.The hosts will house a student in three-month intervals in the fall, winter or spring as the students attend Faribault High School.“It’s just three months,” said Kosanda. “It’s not a long commitment.” In addition, while in Faribault, the Rotary helps cover the cost of school-related activities, school lunches and even provides students with a small allowance.
Lasting impact
While the visit from the Amanda was brief, Kosanda noted that it left her family with a new perspective.“It was a really rewarding time,” she said. “We made her part of our family. We even had the privilege of getting to know her family, too.”Kosanda said that the girl was appreciative of the experience as well. Growing up living in a skyscraper, Faribault was a “culture shock” for the 16 year old. “I took her downtown Faribault and showed her our tallest building has four floors,” laughed Kosanda.
During the visit, Kosanda and her family had the chance to teach the teen how to carve a pumpkin. Also, they were able to see her face when she saw snow for the first time. “For them to experience things in our culture that are new to them, I think they really enjoy it,” said Kosanda. “I recommend people try [hosting]. It’s like adding another member of your family for a couple of months.”
At Dick and Nancie Houston’s house, it had been 28 years since someone went to Faribault High School Prom. So when they hosted a girl from Taiwan last spring, Nancie took their exchange student to get her hair and nails done and get fitted for a dress. “She was a really nice person,” said Dick Houston of the Taiwanese girl, Maggie. “Easy to have around, extremely polite and very fun. She loved to kid around. A fun person.” Houston, a Rotarian himself, worked with Maggie to build a miniature library at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Faribault as well. The time she spent with the Houstons left an lasting impression. More so, Houston saw the greater good that can come from hosting a student. “I think, if we are going to have peace in this world, it’s this age group talking to each other and getting to know one another, not growing up with the phobias we have,” he said. “I think that kind of thing is huge in having the possibility of peace in this world.”Inspired by his time with the student, Houston said he would recommend hosting an exchange student “wholeheartedly.”
The Burgess family, who hosted a Spanish girl last year, said in a testimonial that they learned about their exchange student’s culture while she learned theirs. The Burgesses added that they would be traveling to visit their host daughter in Spain later this year, meet her family and immerse themselves in her culture. The Burgess family noted that their own daughter will participate in an exchange in the coming years as well.
These success stories do not surprise Lisa Humfeld-Wilson, who runs the local Rotary exchange program. “It’s a great way to broaden a person’s culture,” she said. “It’s a really good experience to have those international connections for people of any age, but especially students. It helps them get along with other people from other countries and it helps create that world peace that people want to see.”
The Faribault Rotary Club has been active in organizing exchanges through Northstar Youth Exchange. Currently, two Faribault students are outbound in Italy and Thailand. Next year, three students are headed to Russia, Denmark and Australia for the school year. Currently, two students are on exchange in Faribault from Columbia and Germany.
(Reprinted with permission from the Faribault Daily News)
There are few things better than books to put in the hands of youth.
Rotary Club of Faribault, United Way and UNITY students from Faribault High School are doing just that. With the installation Wednesday afternoon at Our Savior’s Luterhan Church of the group's first “little library” (though not the first in town).
“We’re hoping to put five or six of them up in the community in areas where there is a lot of diversity,” Rotary member Dick Huston said. “The hope is to increase reading, which translates to a better education.”
Huston built the library himself, and Taiwanese exchange student Maggie Chen, who lives in Huston’s home, painted it. It’s essentially a large mailbox with a small wooden house at the top of a wood post. On one side, there is a door with a glass window, so anyone can see the books inside.
Many of those books are donated by community members to Rotary, and many come from United Way. The latter organization’s executive director, Adam Von Ruden, was on hand for the installation.
“For us, this project really falls in line with what we do in the community and advocate for,” he said.
Faribault United Way currently runs its own book program, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which supplies signed up children with a new book, once a month, from birth to 5 years old. The program is currently at capacity with 875 kids.
Von Ruden notes that in the age of iPads in school and smartphones everywhere else, getting a book in a kid’s hand remains an important step.
“It’s just such a benefit to get kids reading,” he said.
Huston expects more little libraries to be built throughout this year. He said they’ll be strategically placed in areas they might be needed.
Children (and adults) are free to take a book inside the library at their own leisure. They’re encouraged to bring it or another book back, but they don’t have to, as Rotary and United Way are standing by to replenish.
Meanwhile, the UNITY students, represented on Wednesday by Rene Villalta (El Salvador), Tufah Abdulahi (Ethiopia) and Sagal Jama (Somalia), will stop by the little libraries weekly to check if they need to be restocked. UNITY is a group at the high school, where students organize events and opportunities for peers from all different cultures to come together and learn more about each other.
Abdulahi noted that the little library project is a good for the students to participate in the club and help youth in the community.
“It’s to help people better understand reading,” she said.
“It’s really good for kids,” added Jama.
Villalta noted the little libraries could be even easier to use than the regular library.
“It’s free. There are no due dates. You can take your time,” he said in Spanish, translated by his step-mom.
This new project is one of many that Rotary leads in the Faribault community and elsewhere. With clubs in countries all over the world, Huston noted, the Christian organization is made up of more than just Christians, and it aims to help more than just Christians, too.
“In Faribault, there is such a diverse population,” he said. “We have a four-way test: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build good will and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned? This project checks all those boxes.”
On Tuesday September 22 at 6:15 pm Faribault Rotary Club and the City Council of the City of Faribault had a dedication ceremony for the renovated Security Bank clock at 302 Central Ave. Mayor John Jasinski began the ceremony thanking all those involved including the Faribault Rotary Club, city staff, and Mike Elwood/ Jim Pilcher, who repaired the clock. President Huston talked about our Rotary Club's 96 years of contributions to our community and how Rotary International's Polio eradification efforts around the world have isolated the virus to just Pakistan and Afghanistan. He also read the dedication plaque on display near the base of the clock. Also, special thanks to Rotarian and Chamber President Kymn Anderson for her leadership and hard work in making Al Burkhartmeyer's wish to have this clock working again. 
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