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Faribault

Serve To Change Lives

We meet In Person
Wednesdays at 12:15 p.m.
Inn at Shattuck
1000 Shumway Ave.
Faribault, MN 55021
United States of America
Club meetings will be hybrid with 107th Club President Brandon Gliem conducting our meetings live at Shattuck and via Zoom. Please check our website the Zoom link.
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107th President Brandon Gliem

Brandon Gliem

member photo
Hello, awesome and wonderful Faribault Rotarians!
 
Last week we started STRIVE.  We had over 45 high school seniors in our 1st session!  Thank you to everyone who helped spread the word about STRIVE! I look forward to attending our next session on September 23rd.  I hope to see you there!
 
Last week we celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the September 11th Terrorist attacks on America.  I had the distinct honor of presiding over the presentation of our nation's colors at the Faribault Fire Department.  We were blessed with near-perfect weather, much like the weather on that fateful day in 2001.  Do you remember where you were?  What were you doing? 
 
The attacks in 2001 resulted in the largest single-day loss of life for emergency responders in United States history.  343 firefighters, 71 Police Officers, and 8 paramedics died that morning.  As I stood at our Fire Department, standing at attention and holding a salute, I thought about that morning in 2001.  I hope you all have taken a chance to think of that day and those who gave their lives to save others.  They are all still remembered as heroes. 
 
 
 
This week we get to hear about Stillwater’s Rotary Readers program from David Waldschmidt!  I can’t wait to hear how things are done in Stillwater with Rotary Readers. 
 
I hope to see all of you on Wednesday!
 
Your grateful and honored 107th President,
 
Brandon L. Gliem
Home Page Stories
Annual Rose Sale 2026 is under way!
Fellow Rotarians:
  • We are asking this year if every Rotarian will please work hard to sell their 15 dozen roses.  
If you struggle with selling roses or just don’t have the time, we are asking each Rotarian to then make a good will donation of $ 225.00 to the club.  We are just asking everyone to participate this year. 
 
Key dates: Rose sale started September 2nd and orders are due on Sept. 30th.  Please give it your best!
 
Delivery date is set for Monday OCTOBER 19th and ROSES can be picked up at BLOOM FLORAL AT 408 CENTRAL AVENUE, FARIBAULT MN, 10:00 AM- Noon.
PLEASE CONTACT BRENDA IF YOU CANNOT PICKUP YOUR ROSES BY NOON.
Thank you everyone for your hard work and commitment to this fundraiser for the Faribault Rotary
Any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Brenda at 507-456-2194.
Roger Koopmans- 1931-2026
 
 
 
Roger Koopmans, Rotarian for 56 years passed away on Sept. 6, 2026.  He first joined the Mankato Rotary Club in 1970 an transferred to our club in 1980. Six years ago, he was recognized and honored for 50 years of membership in the Faribault Rotary Club. He has made numerous contributions to the club and community while living the Rotary motto of, “Service Above Self.” Pictured with Koopmans is Amy Amundson (Lubrant) 100th president of the Faribault Rotary Club. Services will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church Saturday September 19, 2026 at 10:30 am. A full obituary can be viewed on the Boldt Funeral Home website.
Fellowship News and Announcements 9/2/2026
Posted by Ellie Holmquist on Sep 02, 2026
Rose Sale is going on right now! $25 for a dozen roses!
Stive begins next week on the 9th at SCC. All Rotarians are welcome!
 
Rotarian of the Year nominations are due next Friday the 11th!
Camp cleanup and highway cleanup will both happen on Monday at 4pm.
Rotary Book Group will meet November 2 to discuss “The Art of Gathering” by Priya Parker- location is yet to be determined. Please let Ellie Holmquist know if you would like to attend. Men and women, Rotarians and non-Rotarians are all welcome.
Brandon suggests we add 5 more little libraries and fix the five we have! If you are interested in helping, please reach out if you want to help! He would like this to happen this month!
 
Fellowship with Keith-
Kay shared about working at McDonalds and how many kids she sees from Rotary Readers.
Becky shared about her daughter returning to school as a 10th grader. Also, there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony for Ridgeview Heights.
Dave Baranek shared that his computer was not working so he missed a lot of emails. He was excited to share that FRYS was able to get all the donations were successfully processed in time.
Greg shared about his visit home last week. He played an old family game.
Natalie celebrated George’s return to the Rotary meeting. Kurt has kidney surgery yesterday.
Ryan shared about homeschooling as a kid.
Kymn recalls walking to school and how fun that was.
George read an article from the September Rotary Magazine.
 
Last Week's Meeting 9/2/2026
Posted by Ellie Holmquist on Sep 02, 2026

Ibrahim Khalif

Ibrahim Kalif spoke about One Community Bridge. It is nonprofit organization enriching people’s lives in Rice County. They offer community-based programs and services to youth and their families.
Vision is to provide a safe environment, motivate the youth and get them to take part in activities that range from education to sports to civic engagement. They host community events so families can feel a sense of belonging to the community and recently hosted an annual event to kick off the school year. Classes about financial literacy are offered. The teens were able to go to the MN Zoo together.
 
Benefits- a focus on staying away from negative influences, substances, violence, radicalization and other behaviors that can be detrimental to you. They focus on literacy. The majority of the students come from Kenya, Mexico, Somali and Ethiopia.  OCB offers mentoring, tutoring and job readiness training for students in need.
How can we help? There is a need for tutoring and language skills.
 
Fellowship News and Club Announcements8/29/2026
Posted by David Connelly on Aug 26, 2026
In honor of Dolly Parton’s passing the club honored her singing of the Star-Spangled Banner. The Virtue this month is Charity, given by Kurt Halverson. 
In Club Announcements: 
  • A letter was shared from a Rotary Club from Tennessee, sharing condolence of Marv Schrader passing. 
  • A fund has been set up to provide scholarships with the many donations in Marv’s name to be given out to STRIVE participants. 
  • FRYS made their annual give-a-thon proposal to the main club. In total +70,000 was provided for youth programs across Faribault. 
    • In total 179,000 was donated this year. Off of a record 2.8 million in gross revenue. 
 
For Fun: Brandon shared a heartwarming video of Dolly Parton’s strive for charity.  
 
Fellowship: Giving Dolly stories. 
  • Kurt Halverson, shared a story of being at the 90’s and tipping a cross-dressing male, because he was sure it was the real Dolly Parton. 
  • David Connelly shared a podcast called “Dolly Parton’s America” which shares who Dolly really has connected what is a divided country. 
  • Nort Johnson gave thanks to Rotary stepping in to help at the Downtown Car Cruise. 
Last Week's Meeting 8/26/2026
Posted by David Connelly on Aug 26, 2026

Club Assembly

Club assembly: Visioning Goals and table exercise. 
 
President Gliem shared a review of our Club Vision Goals: 
 
Rotary Camp 
Increase Community Use 
Develop and Promote Brochure 
Use the camp regularly for club activities 
More pride in camp 
Increase # of rentals 
Used by more groups 
 
International Project 
Project should connect with those in our club and our community 
Find members passionate about this work 
Remind everyone of Rotary’s global impact 
 
Grow our Club to 85  
We are currently at 48 members  
Invite more guests  
Recruit more members from major employers  
 
Continue w/ Great Programs   
This will help increase meeting attendance   
This can help increase our membership 
Presenters can become members   
 
Increase Meeting Attendance    
Lets get full tables at the meetings    
Goal is over 50% of the club attends weekly  
This can help with participation 
 
What Does Success Look Like? 
Positivity & Pride in being a Rotarian
Premier Service Club 
Increased Membership
Increased Engagement
Increased Community Awareness 
Stronger connection to our Camp
International Project Support 


 
Charitable Gambling Report July 2026
Posted by Chad Koepke
Good day Rotarians,  
For those that missed the excitement of the 2026 Give-A-Thon yesterday, the results are presented in the communications below. But first things first with normal housekeeping items as the report crescendos into the big finish - just as Paul Allen crescendos the big plays for the Queens on KFAN. Bring on football season! 
  • E-tabs rebounded to $118K in July after a lull in June of $94K, an increase of 25.3%
    • The gross profit improved to $19K from June’s $17K; however, the gross profit margin was worse at 16.2% compared to 18.4%, respectively
  • Similarly, paper tab sales rebounded as well, albeit a smaller amount as sales jumped to $78K from $71K, an increase of 9.8%
    • Unfortunately, the gross profit margin dipped to 16% from 18%, lowering July’s gross profits to $12K from June’s $13K
  • And to complete the trifecta, bingo rebounded to $19K in revenue from June’s $16K while gross profits were identical at $3K as the gross profit margin slipped
  • However, net income for the month was a powerful $21K, fueled by the annual Rotary Raffle that brought $14K in net proceeds
    • Through July 2026, year-to-date profits were $117K compared to last year at $92K
      • For the Give-A-Thon below, FRYS is utilizing a profit of roughly $10K in August to assess how much in funding is available for donations
 
 
As the crescendo of excitement builds for the donations, a quickstep back is necessary to acknowledge the team that makes this fun possible. First and foremost, the outstanding FRYS Gambling Manager, Brenda DeMars, the team MVP year-in and year-out. None of this is possible without her leadership. 
The dynamic mother & daughter duo of Amy Lubrant & Jessica Amundson is also mission critical to the FRYS charitable gambling operation. Amy oversees the financial reporting of the organization while Jess ensures the integrity of the operation by auditing closed games.  
Of course, the partnership with Boxers and Dawn Walker needs to be recognized. Her innovations to attract new patrons to Boxers is a huge reason why FRYS shattered records this year.  And last but not least, FRYS resident tax expert, retired CPA, Rotary Camp steward and much more, Dave Beranek. 
 
The quality - to borrow lexicon from the World Cup - of this team has been displayed in numerous successful annual audits but came to shine under the most intense scrutiny with this past summer's Minnesota Department of Revenue Audit. After five years of operations and building the plane as it flew, so goes the metaphor, a minor infraction from the handling of a raffle was the only mark against the organization, a testament to the processes, procedures and internal controls FRYS has put in place.  
Okay enough of the soapbox and time for the excitement! Through the month of July, FRYS donations year-to-date were $53,260.59. Of those, Strive was the largest source at $27K followed by Warm Our Community at $9K. And now to the Give-A-Thon, the chart below details the approved gifts with a little description.  
Give-A-Thon 2026
Organization
Request
Description
River Bend Nature Center
$3,750
Payment #2 of the FRYS / RBNC partnership to bring youth out to the Rotary Camp, payment is obligated
Little Falcons
$10,000
An annual gift made by FRYS as one of the primary sponsors of the program
School Supplies for All
$7,500
Annual gift by FRYS --> donation at the $5K Marker Champion Level
Faribault HS Baseball
$4,000
Request from Greg Ciesluk, funds to be used for jerseys, bats, catcher's gear, etc… FRYS donated $3,500 last year
Faribault Educational Enrichment Program (FEEP)
$3,500
No amount requested, FRYS donated $1,500 last year
FATE Foundation
$5,000
Request from Dr. Huston, FRYS donated $5,000 last year
Faribault Youth Empowerment
$3,600
Request from Ibrahim, funds to be used for the youth program supplies, OpEx & annual family fun day
Faribault Hockey
$4,000
FRYS donated $3,500 last year --> funds to be used for equipment & scholarships
Faribault Aquatic Center
$1,300
New wheelchair for handicap students to utilize the pool
Hope Center
$1,500
Coping Kits for Kids, requested by Erica Staab
Faribault Lutheran School
$1,300
Spanish faith based curriculum
Community Action Center
$2,000
BottomsUpBaby campaign, $1K provides diapers for 2 babies for a  year
Breakthrough Coalition
$3,600
Third place for youth to hangout on Tuesdays - Thursdays from 4:30PM - 7:30PM
Faribault Football
$4,000
FRYS donated $3,500 last year --> funds to be used for equipment/jerseys
Splash Pad
$10,000
Total donation is $20K with $10K coming from reserves --> Per Laura, funds are not handed over to the city till November
Viaduct Park Bench
$1,250
One-time payment
Little Feet
$4,000
FRYS donated $2,500 last year
Total
$70,300
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Once the books close, FRYS will have made an incredible $123,560.59 in charitable contributions that improve the lives of Faribault Area Youth! 
And with that, the 2025/2026 Faribault Rotary Youth Services charitable gambling campaign is complete as we crescendo into TOUCHDOWN!!  
Much appreciated,   
 
FRYS Charitable Gambling 
 Annual Rose Sale 2026 Starts this week!
Dear Fellow Rotarians:
 
We would like to reach out to everyone regarding the Rose Sale and the procedures to follow for our big fundraiser.  We know that many know how the Rose Sale works as we have done it the same every year, but have realized that we many new Rotarians that very likely are confused by the packet they received if they were not at the meeting when we handed them out. 
Roses will be sold at the price of $25 a dozen.
In this email is:
  • a flyer to hang up at your place of employment to entice people to buy roses.
  • a list to track your orders and what they choose, red or grower’s choice.  Grower’s choice is dozens of roses in different colors that the grower chooses to send for us to give out.
  • Slip to turn in- with your name (or just answer one of Murray’s email requests), how many dozen roses and broken down into how many of Red and how many growers’ choice - you can fill in the amount paid or owes at that time.  DO NOT HAND IN MONEY UNIL ALL HAS BEEN COLLECTED, PLEASE ADD THAT WE DO NOT WANT TO PEOPLE TO SEND MONEY VIA VENMO.
  • We are asking this year if every Rotarian will please work hard to sell their 15 dozen roses.  We have 48 active membership Rotarians and if everyone does their part to sell the roses that would be 720 dozen roses – WOW- that would knock it out of the park with our profit for the club being approximately $10,800   - that is huge and we need this fundraiser more than ever.  Last year we sold 684 dozen.  Many sell many more than expected so please try to do your fair share as a club member.
If you struggle with selling roses or just don’t have the time, we are asking each Rotarian to then make a good will donation of $ 225.00 to the club.  We are just asking everyone to participate this year. 
Key dates:
Rose sale starts September 2nd and orders are due on Sept. 30th.  Please give it your best!
Delivery date is set for Monday OCTOBER 19th and ROSES can be picked up at BLOOM FLORAL AT 408 CENTRAL AVENUE, FARIBAULT MN, 10:00 AM- Noon.
PLEASE CONTACT BRENDA IF YOU CANNOT PICKUP YOUR ROSES BY NOON.
Thank you everyone for your hard work and commitment to this fundraiser for the Faribault Rotary
Any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Brenda at 507-456-2194.
Fellowship News and Club Announcements 8/19/2026
Posted by Paul LaRoche on Aug 19, 2026
 
Overview of the James Webb space telescope
  • Club Announcements:
    • Warming our Community – giving coats, hats, and boots to kids who need them.  Met this morning, things are coming together.  Packing day is going to be October 20th at River Valley Church.
    • Rotarian of the Year Nominations will be coming soon
    • Annual Rose sale is starting soon.
    • Reminder that the Annual Picnic is scheduled for September 9th – contact Dick or Ellie if you are interested in helping!
    • Rotary Dues – help us get your dues paid!  Make sure your name is attached to the memo so Lisa knows who payment is for.
    • David Beranek updated about the IRS deadline of 8/31.   Things are looking good.
    • STRIVE program’s first meeting will be September 9th- 7AM at SCC.
 
  • Learning something together!
    • Photos of the planet Jupiter – 1300 times larger than planet Earth.  Instead of a little fun this week, Brandon wanted us to learn something together!
    • Brandon showed a video about the largest most complex space telescope – the James Webb Space telescope.
    • Very informative video showing the capabilities of new technology and our ability to learn many things about our galaxy and solar system.
 
 
  • Fellowship with Mark Kenney. 
    • Kay Hoaglin – thankful for having our guests here and anxious to hear their presentation.
    • Murray Hanson – big day ahead taking his grandkids to the Steele County Fair after the meeting!
    • Ellie Holmquist – on crutches today.  Was moving a table with her daughter and the table accidentally hit her in the Achilles tendon.  Keep her in your thoughts as she recovers!
    • David Beranek - Happy with the response and how everyone participated to solve the IRS problem
    • Rod Mahler - Quick note thanking for the donation from Schrader family
    • Bob Speckhals – global warming is real and some of the things happening are indicators of it being a real problem.  Keep watching the news.
    • Dick Huston – Agrees totally with Dr. Speckhals and says we all need to change our habits to fix the problem.
    • Kurt Halverson – thank you to our guests and he appreciated visiting with them.  Also, Natalie is with George today and watching on Zoom.  Also talked about his truck project and driving his El Camino.
    • Greg Ciesluk – going to Massachusetts for 10 days.  This coming Sunday he will be preaching in the church he grew up in.  Next Sunday he will be speaking in the church where he went to college.  Looking forward to it!
    • Kymn Anderson – recalled a time when she Karen and her talking about love remains on the piece of art mosaic at the chamber of commerce.
    • Ellie – soccer story about how welcoming other families have been
    • Caron Learned – guest – happy to be here today and talked about how she has been traveling.
    • Erica Staab-Absher – thank you to all the first responders for last night’s charity softball event.  She just loves how important this community is to everyone.
    • Laura Bock – if you’re not busy on Friday night you should go to the car cruise 5-7p and help out if you are able.  Location for help would be downtown. 
Last Week's Meeting 8/19/2026
Posted by Paul LaRoche on Aug 19, 2026

Matthew Lutz and Elea Lutz

  • Today’s Presentation: Presenters Matthew Lutz and his mother Elea Lutz with Gear to Grant:
    • Matthew is a student at Shattuck St. Mary’s and he founded Gear to Grant at the age of 14.
    • Gear to Grant is a youth sports nonprofit organization.
    • They collect donated sports equipment and provide financial grants to help children participate in athletics.
    • Matthew explained how sports shaped who he is through building friendships, belonging, confidence, opportunity, and discipline.
    • You never know where sports might take you!  It all starts with a chance to play!
    • Matthew began to notice the other side of sports, one where some kids didn’t have the same opportunities as others.
    • His mission is to help kids play sports.
    • Barriers are real and he shared some stats including that since 2019 there has been a 46% increase in cost for sports.  For Americans, $40 billion is spent each year on sports.
    • Youth sports are getting more and more expensive and Gear to Grant is trying to help remove barriers for kids.
    • Matthew started Gear to Grant at age 14 working in his parents’ garage.
    • His approach was what if we can connect good gear and kids who need them? 
    • They started collecting gear from those who didn’t need any more and re-purposing it for other kids who do need it.
    • Every kid deserves a team and a chance to belong.
    • His mom helps with being on the board for Gear to Grant.
    • Faribault is the heart of the story through local schools and organizations.
    • One example he gave was the Faribault Soccer Club – tiny feet and little feet programs and how they worked with those programs – 105 kids got the chance to play.
    • This summer Matthew attended an Emerging Rural Leaders class at the University of Chicago.
    • Some of the results so far from Gear to Grant?  They have helped 500+ kids, provided 2.8K in grants, 450+ items collected, 650 pounds of gear, and Gear to Grant has 10+ community partners.
    • If you would like to learn more about Gear to Grant, please check out their website at www.geartogrant.com or scan the QR code below
    • Matthew provided a very informative and inspirational presentation today at Rotary that left many very impressed with his efforts!  Great job presenting to our club today, Matthew!
 
Annual Faribault Rotary Picnic Sept. 9th
Posted by Laura Bock on Aug 18, 2026

Annual Tradition

The annual Rotary Club picnic held at Rotary Camp on Cedar Lake will kick off at 5:30. An Italian dinner will be served buffet style starting at 6:00! Options include penne pasta and your choice of red or white sauce and grilled chicken breast.
Craisin Salad with dressing on the side. Water and Soda provided. Meals will be $15.00.
 
A sampling of adult beverages will be provided at no additional charge.
 
Please plan to join us for this Rotary tradition on Wednesday September 9th.
 
 
 
Annual Rose Sale 2026
The Faribault Rotary Rose Sale will be Sept. 2-30.  That means we are starting next week.  More details will be in separate emails and next week's bulletin.
Fellowship News and Announcements 8/12/2026
Posted by Ellie Holmquist on Aug 12, 2026
Rotary Meeting 8-12-26
 
Natalie and George joined us through Zoom, which was fun!
We had two guests this week. Zac Pruitt and Benya Kraus
Laura gave an update on Warm Our Community! We are still raising funds and hope for $30,000! That way we can supply warm gear for 300-340 students this year. We will be packing at River Valley Church this year!
Be sure to nominate someone for Rotarian of the Year!
 
September 9th is out annual picnic! If you would like to help out, please reach out to Ellie or Laura.
STRIVE will be starting on September 9th! Brandon will be the first speaker. We are still looking for speakers.
We received a thank you note from Amelia Ford for her Rotary Scholarship through the FATE Foundation.
Brandon shared a video from our Rotary international presidents.
 
Fellowship with Mark Kenney-
Happy Birthday Keith and Kathy!
Next week we will supply breakfast for the returning teachers next week! We raised enough!
Murray congratulated Natalie and thanked her for being with George.
Greg remembered announcing their engagement over Zoom to the Rotary club.
Kurt was grateful for Natalie and was very proud of her. He also said he was excited that Zac is the new CAC Director.
Kymn was thankful for her time serving during the election. It was a great experience.
Laura welcomed Benya!
Brandon said next Tuesday night there will be a softball game between police and sheriff’s dept. It’s a big deal and gets intense. There’ll be mascot races too.
 
Last Week's Meeting 8/12/2026
Posted by Ellie Holmquist on Aug 12, 2026

Benya Kraus

Benya Kraus from Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation-
She shared how Rotary brought her father, on a scholarship, to Thailand where he met her mom. They snail mailed for 5 years and eventually got married. She was born there. She grew in Thailand and Waseca. While visiting Waseca she realized she wanted to live there and be a part of what’s happening there.  Attended Business school in Chicago. Vision and mission- Southern MN will be a prosperous and growing region with vibrant communities, innovative and successful economies and engaged and valued citizens. Focus- Early Childhood, Entrepreneurship programs for small businesses, and Community vitality.
 
Some of the trends she is seeing in this region includes rural communities are aging, but so all areas of America. Birth rates vs. deaths. Rural communities are aging but not dying. Domestic or International-who is driving rural growth? International migration has been growing. Domestic migration- moving from one MN home to another- is between ages 30-49. Domestic migration makes up a large part of domestic growth. A question to ask is What do these two demographics need? Housing, childcare and a sense of place, thriving downtown, an identity to be proud of and being proud of where you are going.
 
She gave an example of how a New Ulm  turns their downtown into a sand filled volleyball event. This brings in tons of revenue and brings the downtown to life. It’s important to know your neighbor, own your future and lead your community. We are meant to be known. Thriving communities don’t happen by accident.
Nominations for Rotarian of the Year 2026
 It is the time of year that we need to select our 2026 Rotarian of the Year.  The nomination form has been sent to all Rotarians in a separate email and is available on our website and at our weekly meetings. Nominations are due back to me in person or at (laurabock@faribaultfoundation.org) by September 11, 2026.
The Rotarian of the Year Award provides the Faribault Rotary Club with an opportunity to publicly recognize one of its members who exemplifies the ideals of the Rotary Four-Way Test, exhibits a true spirit of volunteerism, demonstrates community leadership through participation in Rotary committees, programs, and activities.

The Rotarian of the Year Award will be based on one or all of the following criteria:

> The nominee has provided outstanding contributions to one or more Rotary activities.
> The nominee has demonstrated leadership to the club in general, or within one or more Rotary programs.
> The nominee displays the ideals of Rotary in service to the greater community.
> Holding an office or serving on the Board of Directors neither prohibits nor promotes a member for nomination.
 
The selection committee consists of:
 
Laura Bock- chair
Brenda DeMars
Keith Kramer
Amy Lubrant
Kay Hoaglin
 
PAST FARIBAULT ROTARIAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS YEAR

2008 Gary Peterson
2009 David Beranek
2010 Richard Cook
2011 Angela Storch
2012 Lisa Humfeld-Wilson
2013 Richard Ormsby
2014 Brent Peroutka
2015 Murray Hanson
2016 Kymn Anderson
2017 Dick Huston
2018 George Wickstrom
2019 Jake Cook
2020 Eric Craig
2021 Laura Bock
2022 Brenda DeMars
2023 Keith Kramer
2024 Amy Lubrant
2025 Kay Hoaglin

Thank you for your participation.
 
Laura Bock
Rotarian of the Year Committee Chair
 
Fellowship News and Club Announcements
Posted by Paul LaRoche on Aug 05, 2026
Club Announcements:
Warming our Community – meeting this Thursday at Faribault Foundation
Rotarian of the Year Nominations will be coming soon
Reminder that the Annual Picnic is scheduled for September 9th – contact Dick or Ellie if you are interested in helping!
 
FRYS – tax update from David Beranek
STRIVE program’s first meeting will be September 9th.
Mark your calendar – October 12th – FHS concert Fun!
Brandon showed another clip of the Andy Griffith Show where Barney Fife arrested all Mayberry residents.
 
Fellowship with Mark Kenney. Today’s fellowship monies raised will be used to support a welcome back to school breakfast for area teachers!
Keith Kramer donated to the cause and said how great it was to see Sara Welander at today’s meeting!
Greg Ciesluk expressed how great it was to see so many Rotarians at Marv Schrader’s funeral and how much that meant.
 
Murray Hanson said Happy Birthday to Keith Kramer today Natalie Halverson said Happy Birthday to Keith, expressed how great Marv’s service was and the support shown, and also encouraged everyone to visit George Wickstrom if they are able.
Josh Sterling donated to the cause and expressed how happy he was to donate toward supporting teachers. His mother was a teacher for 42 years.
Bob Speckhals said George Wickstrom would be happy to know we are all concerned about our environment.
Rod Mahler expressed appreciation for all teachers. His daughter and sister are teachers.
Dr. Dick Huston was happy to see our guests the Fair Ambassador’s today. Dr. Huston has been involved in fairs for over 50 years.
Brenda DeMars talked about Charity and a lemonade stand where kids recently made $62 dollars but chose to donate 1/3 of the monies earned!
Paul LaRoche wished Keith Kramer a Happy Birthday!
Kymn Anderson congratulated the Fair Ambassadors!
David Beranek gave a little further update on Rotary finances and
expressed that everyone is doing the best they can. He thanked all the other financial helpers of Faribault Rotary.
Ellie Holmquist wished Keith Kramer a Happy Birthday! Also expressed how nice it was to see support at Marv’s funeral.
Kay Hoaglin thanked the Rice County Fair Ambassador’s and also hopes more people join Rotary!
Mahad Mohamed expressed appreciation and support for teachers. His son Majid also wished Keith a Happy Birthday!
Rice County Fair Ambassadors Visit
Posted by Laura Bock on Aug 05, 2026

Your Title Here

Laura Bock’s guests today were the Rice County Fair Ambassadors Organizer Sara Welander, Senior Ambassadors Madalyn Miller and Joelle
Weasler, as well as Junior Ambassador Madisyn Wolf.
Last Week's Meeting 8/5/2026
Posted by Paul LaRoche on Aug 05, 2026

Mahad Mohamed

Today’s Presentation: Mahad Mohamed gave his classification speech!
 
Mahad provided a nice presentation with many pictures illustrating various parts of his life Mahad was born in Somalia and moved to the United States at age 5.  He is the youngest of 12 children in his family.
He was raised in Mankato. His family helped him learn the value of hard work, faith, and helping others! Mahad’s greatest blessing is his family! He married Hala in 2020 and they have 2 sons Majid and Masoud.  His family motivates everything he does!
 
Mahad showed many photos of his family and talked about trips they have been on together. Mahad’s education includes graduating from Mankato East where he also played soccer, basketball, and track and field.
He has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from WGU.  He has future MBA plans. Little Scholars Academy is a childcare center in Faribault that he and his wife Hala own and operate. They have been serving since 2023. They provide care for children from infancy through school age. They help prepare children for kindergarten and lifelong success.
 
They support working families with dependable, high-quality care while providing a safe, nurturing, and engaging learning environment. Little Scholars Academy received a Business Rate Daycare Center Best of 2026 Award.
Mahad talked about why Rotary is important to him. He attended some Rotary meetings in Prior Lake with his brother prior to moving to Faribault. He wanted to check out Rotary here and gave thanks to Keith and Dr. Huston for supporting him when he started. He posed the question of what kind of community he wanted his children to grow up in? His response is one where people help each other, where businesses give back, and where leaders serve first.
Looking ahead – Hala and Mahad are opening another daycare center in Savage. They want to expand the Faribault location by supporting an additional 50 children.
 
Mahad wants to be the best husband and father he can be. He wants to continue learning, pursuing his MBA, and growing as a leader. He wants to serve through Rotary, community partnerships, and make every community better than he found it. Mahad answered some questions from Rotarians and completed his classification speech.
Excellent job Mahad!
 
STRIVE Beginnings
Posted by Murray Hanson
 
Thank you Marv Schrader for all you did for students and our club.
Fellowship News 7/29/2026
Posted by David Connelly on Jul 29, 2026

Marv Schrader 1937-2026

Marvin C. "Marv" Schrader Profile Photo
Club Announcements:
  • Rotarian of Year Nominations will be coming soon 
  • Reminder that the Annual Picnic is scheduled for September 9th 
    • - Contact Dick or Ellie if you are interested in helping!
  • George Wickstrom is now recovering at the Emeralds
  • Passing of Marvin C. Schrader - 1937-2026 this past week. 
 
Fellowship and Fun:
  • Virtue was Infinitive and read by Ellie Holmquist. 
  • Brandon shared a video of Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane from the Dukes of Hazzard.
  • Many caring thoughts and memories shared about Marv from many members. Many about his kindness, willingness to serve, and his theatrical play shows while snow birding in Arizona.
 
Last Week's Meeting 7/29/2026
Posted by David Connelly
 
FARIBAULT SCHOOLS: Welcome to the 2024-25 school year | Opinion ...
Superintendent of Faribault Public Schools, Jamie Bente shared a presentation regarding the current state and future trajectory of Faribault Public Schools. He highlights a significant internal reorganization aimed at improving efficiency, which includes consolidating elementary buildings and selling underutilized property. While acknowledging academic challenges and the limitations of standardized testing, Bente emphasizes individual student growth and the implementation of a strategic "playbook" to guide decision-making.
 
The district is currently facing a $2 million budget deficit driven by inflation and stagnant state funding, leading to discussions about a potential voter-approved levy. Despite these financial hurdles, the Superintendent showcases successful grant-funded initiatives, such as teacher recruitment programs and community outreach, to encourage local pride in the school system.
Hear the full audio version Click Here.
 
Marv Schrader  1937-2026
Posted by Murray Hanson on Jul 27, 2026
 
Marvin C. "Marv" Schrader Profile Photo
It is with great sadness that I share with you the passing of longtime Rotarian Marv Schrader.  He was a member of our club for for over 32 and a half years.  He made a great lasting impact with his service to our club with starting the STRIVE program and being an ardent support of the Rotary Camp. 
 
Please visit the following link to the Parker-Kohl website for funeral and visitation information.
 
 
Please keep his wife Sara and his entire family in your prayers.
 
Charitable Gambling Report June 2026
Posted by Chad Koepke
Devastation took hold in the realm of FRYS charitable gambling over the month of June – here’s how:
 
E-tab sales collapsed to the lowest total of the 2025/2026 year, and lowest since September 2024, at $94K compared to an average of $150K for the year so far. The gross profit margin was respectable at 18.5% for gross profits of $17K, a considerable decrease from last month’s $30K.
 
Paper tab sales also collapsed to the lowest total of the 2025/2026-year, touching $71K, the lowest since August 2025 the average for the 2025/2026 season had been $90K Similarly, the margin was respectable at 18.1% for gross profits of $13K but a notable decline from last month’s $19K. And to complete the trifecta, bingo sales fell to $16K, a decline from last month’s $21K but not the lowest of the 2025/2026 season, so a bit of good news there.  However, the gross profit margin was poor at 17.5%, down from last month’s 25.7%, resulting in gross profits of $3K.
 
Wrapping it all together, FRYS recorded a net loss of $(11K) for the month as the soft sales volume was magnified by the aggregate gross receipts tax of $18K.  The net loss of $(11K) is FRYS largest monthly loss in its operating history. Even after all the negatives of the month of June, FRYS’ profits year-to-date total $97K, ahead of last year's $84K.
 
Included in last year's $84K are the net profits of the Rotary Raffle of $14K while the 2026 Rotary Raffle will not be in the profit total until July financials are processed. As such, current year earnings are still 15% higher than last year with the big money maker of the Rotary Raffle still to come, so by all accounts, FRYS is still having a phenomenal year and will set a new record for profits for the next two months should be quite powerful – don’t give up!!
 And next month is the 2026 Give-A-Thon, get those donations requests ready.
Expenses for August 2026
􏀀 CG Made Easy = $250
􏀀 Inventory = $4,500
􏀀 MPeters = $12,000
􏀀 City of Faribault = $2,000
􏀀 Boxers = $10,000
􏀀 Misc = $2,500   Total = $34,250
 On a motion by Becky Ford & seconded by Kymn Anderson, FRYS membership approved expenses for the month of August.
New Member- Josh Sterling

Welcome Josh!

Joshua Sterling, Lieutenant for the Minnesota Department of Corrections facility in Faribault, has joined the Faribault Rotary club. He is pictured here with Club president, Brandon Gliem (left.)
Cash Raffle 2026 Winners
Posted by Murray Hanson on Jul 01, 2026

Congratulations!

The Annual cash raffle fundraiser for the Faribault Rotary Club was a great success with all 900 tickets sold.  After prizes are awarded and minimal printing expenses the club netted over $13,800 for scholarships and youth programs. Thank you to all those who helped sell tickets this year!
Just One year ago
It was just one year ago when our 105th president David Connelly passed the gavel to our 106th president Mark Kenney.
Paul Harris Award- Eric Longtin

Congratulations Eric!

The Rotary Foundation is an international organization that does projects all over the world in the areas of water, education, maternal health, the environment and more.  Rotarians who donate $1000 or more receive a Paul Harris award and can name another Rotarian or community member to be an honorary member.  Faribault Rotarian Eric Longtin has been awarded his first Paul Harris Fellow award.  Pictured with with Eric (right) is club president Mark Kenney.
Dick Huston- Lifetime Achievement Award

Congratulations Dick!

huston prairie 1.jpg
The following is a quote from Chad Wolff who nominated Dick for the award:  "I think he's an inspiration to the community, what he's given back in terms of involvement as well as in terms of philanthropy.  I think a lot of people can look at what he's done and learn from a life well lived and, knock on wood, he's still healthy and kicking butt and taking names today. He's a willing mentor. He can talk to anyone. He's willing to put himself out there and fundraise for causes in the community. I think he's really deserving of recognition. I can't begin to tell you all the things that he has done, but he's had an interesting and colorful life."
 
Please visit the Daily News for the rest of the story.
Heritage Days Parade 2026
Posted by Kay Hoaglin on Jun 13, 2026

A great day for a parade!

Led by Dick Huston driving the Rotary Kubota these Rotarians and family members walked in the Heritage Days Parade last Saturday night!
Kymn Anderson- Citizen of the Year

Congratulations Kymn!

Kymn Chamber
Kymn Anderson has served in many roles since moving to Faribault in the 1970's, most notably as Chamber of Commerce president, helping out with the Faribault Foundation and as Faribault Rotary Club President 2012-13. While she stepped down from the Chamber position in 2018, she hasn't stopped working to move Faribault forward. This month she earned the Citizen of the Year Award for her longtime dedication to the community.
Please visit the Faribault Daily News for the complete story.
Safe Summer Kick Off 6/4/26

Freeze Pops!

 The Faribault Rotary Club was handing out freeze pops to people during the Safe Summer Kickoff event on Thursday.
Fellowship News 6/3/2026
Posted by David Connelly on Jun 03, 2026
Fellowship: 
  • Many thanks to Kymn Anderson for her work with Faribault’s Futures since 2017. Many great stories of Rotarians who have taken the course over the years since 1998. 
  • It was announced that Lisa LeBrun will become the club’s new treasure in 2026/27. Send her your thanks, and dues. 🙂
  • Natalie shared that there are 10 candidates for city council, so there will be a primary in August. More information to come. Vote for Natalie!
  • Greg shared that this week is the week 4 years ago he reached out to his now wife. This connection was facilitated by the Club Runner App. So, download the app. It might change your life. 
  • George ended the fellowship with great advice about making a point to tell people about the great time we have at Rotary and that not all will hear it, but if 1 of 10 do hear from all members our impact can be so much more. 
 
Memorial Day Parade 2026
Posted by Kay Hoaglin on May 25, 2026

Beautiful Day to Honor those who have served our country.

 
Splash Pad Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Viaduct Park- Last Thursday, May 21, Faribault city officials in conjunction with Faribault Parks and Recreation and the Faribault Rotary club with its $100,000 sponsorship officially opened the floodgates on the new Viaduct Park splash pad. With the completion of the splash pad comes the end of the $6 million Phase 1 of the Viaduct Park complex.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony saw a collection of former and current city officials, benefactors, Rotarians and community members come out for the celebration. The event featured a bounce house, live music provided by Eclipse (Kathy and Martha) and free lemonade for the first 100 patrons provided by The Oasis.

 
Nathanial Cunningham- Honored Combat Veteran Memorial Day

Thank you for your service to our country!

Nathaniel Cunningham — Honored Combat Veteran
 
Cunningham was raised in Faribault. He served honorably in the U.S. Army and Army National Guard, rising to the rank of staff sergeant and specializing as a cryptologic linguist and Washington state’s language manager with the 341st Military Intelligence Battalion, as well as serving in the Minnesota National Guard, training and equipping soldiers in the 334th BEB.
 
Cunningham deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, with just under 1,000 combat missions as an intelligence operator and collector. He also served in Operation Inherent Resolve, serving overseas with the Special Operations Joint Task Force as a collection manager for Iraq, Jordan and Syria. Across 17 years of service, he earned numerous distinctions, including the Joint Service Commendation Medal, multiple Army Commendation Medals, Army Achievement Medals, the Global War on Terrorism medals and the Iraq Campaign Medal. He also earned the German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency.
 
Among his honors is the Army Commendation Medal with “V” device for valor, awarded for saving his commander’s life under dangerous conditions. Today, Cunningham, his wife Sommer, and their five children continue their commitment to his hometown through Mighty Fine! Coffee Co., helping strengthen community connections and support the people of Faribault.
Visual & Performing Arts Scholarship Awards 2026
Posted by Laura Bock on May 21, 2026

Congratulations!

This year’s Visual & Performing Arts Award process reflected both the growth of our programs and the depth of student commitment across visual arts, choir, band, orchestra, and theatre. We received a larger and more competitive pool of applicants than in previous years—particularly in visual arts and orchestra—with students demonstrating a wide range of experiences, from emerging performers building confidence to highly dedicated students pursuing advanced opportunities. Many applicants shared thoughtful, personal reflections on how the arts have shaped their identity, resilience, and sense of belonging, as well as clear plans for how they would use the award to continue developing their skills. 
Student- Kate Bittenbender
Posted by Paul LaRoche on May 13, 2026
 
Kate Bittenbender provided a presentation to Rotary today where she wanted to share how grateful she is for the STRIVE program. Kate completed STRIVE last year and now attends Milligan University in Tennessee. She showed some photos of the campus area and of things she is doing, including being on the cycling team! She is involved in the Honors Program and Student Ministry at the college. She intends to one day become a Dietician. She thanked Rotary for helping her chase her goals and dreams!
Visual & Performing Arts Award-2026
Posted by Martha Brown on Apr 07, 2026
This year’s Visual & Performing Arts Award process reflected both the growth of our programs and the depth of student commitment across visual arts, choir, band, orchestra, and theatre. We received a larger and more competitive pool of applicants than in previous years—particularly in visual arts and orchestra—with students demonstrating a wide range of experiences, from emerging performers building confidence to highly dedicated students pursuing advanced opportunities. Many applicants shared thoughtful, personal reflections on how the arts have shaped their identity, resilience, and sense of belonging, as well as clear plans for how they would use the award to continue developing their skills.
 
Here are the winners:
 
Teresa Rosas Lopez
VISUAL ART
Alaina Platt
VISUAL ART
David Rosas
BAND
Ariana Hernandez
BAND
Paige Wasilowski
All-Around
Arabella Ecker
Theater
Jada Richardson
CHOIR
Whitney Huberty
CHOIR
Sam Martinson
All-Around
Marelin De León
ORCH
Hattie Danberry
ORCH
Landon Shepherd
Theater
 
Faribault Music Department- Thank You
Dear Rotary,
 
On behalf of the Faribault Music Department, we would like to extend our sincere thanks for your generous support in providing our students with opportunities to participate in honor music ensembles.
Experiences like these have a lasting impact—helping students grow as musicians, build confidence, and connect with others who share their passion. Your commitment makes these meaningful opportunities possible, and we are truly grateful.
We would like to invite you to come and listen to the ensembles our students are performing in:
 
- Honor Band: Saturday, March 21st, Austin High School, concert 4:30 PM
- Honor Choir: Saturday, March 28th (6th grade - link to tickets: https://www.simpletix.com/e/state-4-5-6-honor-choir-tickets-234174 ) 5:15 PM and April 11th (7th and 8th grade - link to tickets: https://www.simpletix.com/e/state-7-8-honor-choir-concert-tickets-234177) 5:30 PM, St. Michael-Albertville High School
- Honor Orchestra: Saturday, April 18th, Albert Lea High School, 3:30 PM
 
Thank you for investing in our students and their musical journeys. We truly appreciate you!
Sincerely,
 
Mrs. Houghtelin, Mrs. Barron, Ms. Lynn, and Mr. Plopper
--
 
Crystal Houghtelin
Band Teacher | General Music Teacher | College & Career Readiness Teacher
Faribault Middle School
 
 
 
 
 
507-333-6431
704 17th St. SW, Faribault, MN 55021
 
 
 
STRIVE 2026 Scholarship Award Winners
Posted by Gregory Ciesluk on Mar 11, 2026
STRIVE Scholarship Awards 2026

The STRIVE Scholarship Evaluation Team met on Tuesday, February 17 at River Valley Church to evaluate essays and award scholarships. The members of the team were Kathy Wickwire, Jan Kjergaard, Ellie Holmquist who examined the Service Above Self essays and Mark Kenney, Paul LaRoach, and Brandon Gliem who examined the Four Way Test essays. Greg Ciesluk led the evaluation session.

The results were as follows for the applications "Service Above Self Essays and Four Way Test," we awarded 13 scholarships in the amounts:

1. Shae Battles (8) $2000
2. Hannah Petersen (40) $1500
3. Malori Prior (42) $1500
4. Samuel Anderson (6) $1000
5. Brynn Beardsley (9) $1000
6. Crystal Hernandez Palma (38) $1000
7. Langston Richter (45) $1000
8. Eddie Yetzer (50) $1000
9. Aubrie Newport (36) $750
10. Brylie Becker (10) $500
11. Lucas Caron (14) $500
12. Maggie Edel (17) $500
13. Brianna Velazquez Sanchez (48) $500

We also examined increased performance during the time students were engaged in STRIVE and made the following awards:

1. Aubrie Newport (36) $2500
2. Brynn Beardsley (9) $1000
3. Nelson Landrau (28) $1000

Faithfully submitted,
Greg Ciesluk, Lead, STRIVE Scholarship Evaluation Team
Faribault Rotary awards $24K in STRIVE scholarships
Posted by Chloe Kucera on Mar 12, 2026

From the Faribault Daily News (Chloe Kucera)

Ciesluk
STRIVE coordinator Greg Ceisluk speaks to the families and students who came to the award ceremony.
 
Students taking a renewed interest in education — that is what STRIVE stands for, and it is a pro
gram through the Faribault Rotary Club for local high school seniors that connects students with local Rotarians for career guidance, college planning, and goal-setting.
On Tuesday, the STRIVE scholars who completed the program were awarded scholarships at a lunchtime ceremony at the Shattuck-St. Mary’s Inn.
 
Students who completed STRIVE were awarded a $250 check for their accomplishments. STRIVE coordinator Greg Ciesluk said that out of 50 students who started the program, only 27 completed the requirements. 
The STRIVE scholars for 2025 to 2026 included Leighton Anderson, Samuel Anderson, Shae Battles, Brylie Becker, Alexys Berger, Caitlin Bothun, Lucas Caron, Maggie Edel, Luke McCrea, Crystal Hernandez Palma, Langston Richter, Ashley Schwartz from Bethlehem Academy, Brynn Beardsley, Kaylie Bertram, Teegan Embury, Olivia Fisher, Nelson Landrau, Miles Leopold, Nathan Lockerby, Leah Nowaczewski, Aubrie Newport, Hannah Petersen, Brandon Petricka, Malori Prior, Brianna Velazquez Sanchez, Eddie Yetzer from Faribault High School and Cecelia Hoisington, who is homeschooled.
Scholars
The 27 STRIVE scholarship stand at the front of the room for a photo with their certificates and checks for $250 for their completion.
 
Thirteen students received scholarships based on their essays on Service Above Self and the ethical guide Rotary uses called the four-way test. These recipients were Shae Battles, who received $2,000, Hannah Petersen and Malori Prior, who received $1,500, Samuel Anderson, Brynn Beardsley, Crystal Hernandez Palma, Langston Richter and Eddie Yetzer who received $1,000, Aubrie Newport who received $750, Brylie Becker, Lucas Caron, Maggie Edel and Brianna Velazquez Sanchez, who received $500.
Scholarships
The essay scholarship recipients pose for a photo. Front row: Crystal Hernandez Palma, Malori Prior, Shae Battles, Brynn Beardsley. Middle row: Aubrie Newport, Lucas Caron, Brylie Becker, Maggie Edel, Brianna Velazquez Sanchez, Hannah Petersen. Back row:Langston Richter and Eddie Yetzer.
 
As the highest-awarded winner with a near-perfect essay score, Battles was asked to read her “Service Above Self “essay aloud. She spoke about the many experiences she has had with volunteering and how, in her senior year, she had a mindset shift, from just participating to leading service efforts. These projects included collecting Christmas gifts for families, organizing a Thanksgiving food drive and ringing bells for the Salvation Army
“These activities took time and energy, but they also made me feel proud in a way I never felt before,” she said. “I was not just completing the tasks; I was helping create opportunities for others to give back.”
Battles
Shae Battles reads her “Service Above Self” essay aloud to the audience on Tuesday.
 
The most impactful experience for her was participating in an adopt-a-family program for Christmas, where the BA National Honor Society took on a mother and two sons who “would not have Christmas” due to financial hardships. Battles and the other National Honor Society students delivered them gifts.
“As we carried the gifts inside, the 15-year-old kept thanking God and telling us to stop bringing things in because it was too much,” she said. “He offered us chips, pop and blankets, even though they had so little themselves. The mom was nearly in tears, and the five-year-old wrapped his arm around my leg and would not let go. Talking with the mom made me realize how deeply meaningful this was to them. She told us it was the best thing that had happened to their family in a long time for them.”
She then spoke about how the STRIVE program influenced her desire to serve.
“What used to feel like obligations now feel like opportunities,” she said. “STRIVE reinforced this shift in my mindset through STRIVE sessions and service events. I have learned that students are not too young or too busy to make a difference.
Service does not always require a huge gesture. Sometimes it requires consistency, leadership and a willingness to care. Rotary’s belief in investing in students and strengthening communities showed me that service is about lifting others up, even when no one is watching.”
Then, three students were awarded scholarships for improving their GPAs during their time in the program. Recipients were Aubrie Newport for $2,500 and Brynn Beardsley and Nelson Landrau for $1,000.
GPA

Aubrie Newport, Nelson Landrau and Brynn Beardsley pose after receiving their scholarship for improvement in their GPA during their time involved in STRIVE. (Chloe Kucera — Faribault.com)

Rotary gives scholarships to FMS music students
 
Posted by Chloe Kucera on Feb 19, 2026

Congratulations!

Selected

Eighth grader Luke Drewitz, seventh grader Richard Cheley, sixth grader Grace Anderson, seventh grader Nada Abdi are four of the 26 students who have been selected to participate in honors ensemble this spring. The Faribault Rotary Club has provided scholarships to cover fees for the program for middle school students which has allowed more kids to be a part of it than before. (Chloe Kucera — Faribault.com)

 
Making music can be a universal experience, but some barriers exist for those who want to participate in groups with a higher level of skill. The Faribault Rotary club recognizes this challenge, which is why the organization provides scholarships to local music students to attend state and regional honors ensembles.  The idea for this scholarship came about when FPS choir accompanist and Rotary liaison Martha Brown approached FMS music teacher Josie Lynn to ask how the Rotary Club could support music students.
 
Lynn quickly identified many choir, band and orchestra students couldn’t afford the fees ranging from $32 to $135 to participate in the annual honors ensembles. The Rotary Youth Services board then provided a $6,000 gift to fund scholarships for students.  Lynn said that more students are participating this year due to the assistance they receive.  For honors choir, there is a $16 fee just to audition, which Lynn said had discouraged students from even trying out in the past.
 
“Regardless of if the kid is the ‘best of the best’ and the most deserving of that opportunity, financials have gotten in the way. … This scholarship gives them the weight off of their shoulders, because no kids should have to worry about money,” she said. “If they get in on the choir side, the registration is $135. In total, that is just such an insurmountable amount for so many kids. It just turns them off to the opportunity. Even if they’re so capable, they don’t even want to try. So now, I had more kids audition this year than ever because they felt like they could.”
 
For students to work in a larger group with more advanced musicians, Lynn said, it helps them grow and brings new skills back to the middle school.  “They’re around students who are also the top tier in their school,” she said. “Everyone is highly motivated to be there. Everyone is fully prepared, fully working on it. And so the musicianship just increases. I know I’ve had some choir students who have been in it for the past two years or so, and they’re always the leaders in class. They’re seeing greatness in others, and bringing it back to Faribault Middle School.”
 
The middle school has 26 students planning to participate in honors ensembles, with band and orchestra students traveling to Austin to play with others and choir students traveling to Saint Michael-Albertville in the spring.
Eighth-grade orchestra student Luke Drewitz participated last year and found the experience to be “pretty cool.” He enjoyed working with advanced musicians and watching them play.
“There are different styles of playing that everyone has with slight variations,” he said. Seventh-grade choir student Richard Cheley will be going to the honors choir this year with the Rotary Scholarship. He wanted to be a part of the ensemble to improve his skills.
 
“I’ve been told that I have a good singing voice, and I wanted to do something better with it,” he said. “I just wanted to see what I could do outside of class.”
Cheley and sixth-grade tuba player Grace Anderson are excited for the honor ensemble to meet new kids who are interested in music like they are.
Nada Abdi is a seventh grader who will be participating in the honors band. She said that playing music has helped her to improve her confidence.
 
Award to Faribault Rotary Youth Services

Marker Champion Award

 
 Pictured above are Faribault Rotary President Mark Kenney (left) and Faribault Schools Superintendent Jamie Bente. 
Thank you for ensuring all 2100 Faribault Public School's students in preschool through eighth grade started the school year with the school supplies they needed!  We are incredibly grateful for your contribution, partnership and commitment to our community!
 
 
85th Faribault Rotary Concert 
 
On December 17th, we shared the space of Our Saviors Lutheran Church with the Faribault High School Choir for lunch and a song. Students, Rotarians, and guests had fruitful conversations at all tables from Arna Farmer. After lunch, Rotarians and guests were invited to a concert of songs from our student choir colleagues. The Choir shuffled out quickly to do other singing at other local places, spreading cheers as they go! A chilly, but blessed event was cheerful for all in attendance. 
RSS
‘One simple word’
‘One simple word’
Leaders highlight the power of gratitude at The Rotary Foundation Donor Summit
Talking reading and Rotary with Dolly Parton
Talking reading and Rotary with Dolly Parton
The entertainer and philanthropist Dolly Parton died 25 August 2026. This Q&A was originally published in the March 2010 issue of The Rotarian (now Rotary) magazine. Later that year, she spoke at the Rotary International Convention in Montreal, Canada.
A safe transition beyond the wire
A safe transition beyond the wire
A Rotary club in Kansas helps women break the cycle of incarceration and elude dangers on the outside
Rotary projects around the globe – August 2026
Rotary projects around the globe – August 2026
Learn how Rotary clubs are taking action in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Thailand.
Food as medicine for TB recovery
Food as medicine for TB recovery
Rediscovering a weapon against the deadliest infectious disease, TB advocates look to better nutrition

September 2026

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Upcoming Events
Speakers
Georgie Mukeshimana
Sep 23, 2026
Carleton College Student
District Governor Line Michael-jon Pease
Sep 30, 2026
Deb Peterson
Oct 07, 2026
DAV Judge Advocate
Club President Brandon Gliem
Oct 14, 2026 12:15 PM
Rotarian of the Year-2026 Award
Tim Kramer, Unbound Ambassador
Nov 04, 2026
Unbound-Breaking the cycle of poverty
JIll Fagerlund and Cheryl Freund
Nov 11, 2026
Distinguished Alumni Program
Dave Beranek & Brandon Gliem
Nov 18, 2026
Rotary Youth Services Update and Club Goals Update
No meeting
Nov 25, 2026
Kristen Hirsch | Kelsie Conant
Dec 02, 2026
The mission of Grace & Glory
Cassie Riopelle
Dec 09, 2026
School Supplies for All
Christmas Concert
Dec 16, 2026
No Meeting
Dec 23, 2026
Ryan Lueken
Jan 06, 2027
Little Falcons
Laura Bock
Jan 13, 2027
Faribault Foundation Update
View entire list...