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St. Paul Sunrise Rotary Club Repeats as District 5960 Small Club of the Year
District 5960 awarded the St. Paul Sunrise Rotary Club its second consecutive Small Club of the Year honor at the District’s annual Conference of Clubs gathering in late April in Rochester, MN. The Sunrise Club took home a total of eight awards in the Small Club category at the April District gathering, which was one more than the club was awarded in the inaugural District Awards program in 2017-2018.
According to Paul Kotz, Sunrise Club President, “Our club’s excellent showing the last two years in the District’s Small Club competition is a reflection of the commitment and effort that each member of our club has given. This recognition is simply a reflection of their combined efforts.”
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“Each Day, Rising to Make the Difference”
Saint Paul Sunrise Rotary Club brings together a local network of volunteer leaders who dedicate their time and talent to tackle our community’s and the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. The club is proud to be part of Rotary International, an organization connecting 1.2 million members from more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary International’s work impacts lives at both the local and international levels, from helping families in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world.
Saint Paul Sunrise Rotary Club, which meets at Episcopal Homes in St. Paul on University Avenue, was chartered in 1985. The Club prides itself on being adaptable, involved, relevant and fun! Weekly meetings include good food, networking, opportunities to learn from presenters about the important goings on in the community, updates on happenings in the broader Rotary movement, as well as a healthy dose of camaraderie and spirit.Saint Paul Sunrise Rotarians take seriously our calling to serve others. The club’s local and global involvements include:
- Planning and executing the Saint Paul Sunrise Rotary Annual Community Forum discussing urgent topics of public concern. The Forum was started in 2006 and the eighth installment of the annual forum – Gun Violence Prevention: Exploring Common Ground – received the 2013 District Peace Award for exemplifying Rotary’s commitment to the advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace.
- Partnering with International Village Clinic to offer curative and prevention programs to communities in Uttar Pradesh, one of the poorest areas of India.
- Partnering with H2O for Life and St. Paul high schools to raise funds for clean water and toilet facilities in Nigeria for secondary school students.
- Packing, preparing and serving meals at Jeremiah Program, Sharing and Caring Hands and Open Hands Midway.
- Working with Gordon Parks High School on a Student of the Month Award program and the granting of yearly scholarships for post-secondary education. In addition, raising money to provide plaques and signs for Gordon Parks High School’s atrium area.
- Assisting local community groups with collection drives, including oral health items, school supplies, books for young readers, and winter clothing.
- Raising funds for new shelving and tables for Open Hands Midway.
- Sponsoring outbound G.S.E. team members and hosting inbound G.S.E. teams.
- Sponsoring International Rotary Scholars.
- Fundraising for the Saint Paul Sunrise Club Foundation through our annual holiday plant and coffee sale. The Foundation provides grants to community organizations in the University Avenue area.
- Co-sponsoring with the Highland Business Association the Highland Business Person of the Year Award.
Rotary International’s Fight to Eradicate Polio
Saint Paul Sunrise Rotary Club participates actively in Rotary International’s polio eradication efforts. Rotary is close to eliminating the second human disease in history after smallpox, with a 99 percent reduction in polio cases worldwide since the 1985 launch of Rotary’s PolioPlus program. In 1988, Rotary spearheaded the creation of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative with its partners the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To date, Rotary has contributed more than $1.2 billion and countless volunteer hours to help immunize more than two billion children against polio in 122 countries. Currently, Rotary is working to raise $35 million per year through 2018 for polio eradication, which will be matched 2 to 1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
