Next year, Rotary takes a step toward supporting peacebuilding in the Middle East and North Africa region when recruitment begins for our newest peace center in partnership with Bahçeşehir University (BAU) in Istanbul.
The District Conference Team has been hard at work preparing for the 2024 Rotary District 5580 Conference! Save the dates, April 11-13, 2024. More info to come!
The District Nominating Committee, Chaired by Past District Governor Keith Brokke, is pleased to announce that Peter Nelson has been selected to serve as the District Governor of Rotary District 5580 for the 2026-2027 Rotary year. Congratulations, Peter!
Submitted by: Keith Brokke, D5580 Annual Fund Chair
Giving to the Rotary Foundation’s ANNUAL FUND
As most Rotarians know, November is Foundation month in the Rotary calendar. We’ve just celebrated World Polio Plus Prevention and awareness day on October 24th and now November we highlight our many wonderful projects we are doing in our own communities as well as communities around the world. These projects would not be possible without the generous contributions to the Annual Fund.
To inspire Rotarians to give to the Annual Fund, Rotary recognizes them by awarding Paul Harris pins when Rotarians have given their first $1,000 to the Annual Fund. Sometimes a Rotarian can be awarded one thousand “points” and thereby made a Paul Harris Fellow because of something that Rotarian has done that is exemplary to their club. The expectation then is that Rotarian will become a sustaining member by contributing a minimum of $100/year henceforth.
Submitted by: Jim Herrington, District Learning Facilitator
Have you signed on to my.rotary.org?
When you first embarked on your Rotary journey, it wasn't just about giving back or networking with exceptional individuals. It was also an opportunity to learn from the very best. And one of the simplest yet most impactful ways to dive into this wealth of knowledge is by signing into your Rotary homepage, accessible at https://my.Rotary.org.
As District Membership Chairperson I am reminded regularly that membership is the number one internal priority of Rotary. Everything in Rotary is built around recruiting, retaining, and engaging our members. On his annual Club visits, I heard DG Dave say that the District exists to support Clubs. The following is how the Membership Committee is working to support our Clubs.
Submitted by Tanzeem Ali, CO-Chair, Environmental Committee District 5580
This Thanksgiving, let's challenge ourselves to embrace a more eco-friendly celebration.
Choose a few or all five from the list. 1) Opt for locally sourced, organic and sustainable food options to reduce your carbon footprint. 2) Minimize food waste by planning your portions wisely and composting leftovers. 3) Ditch disposable tableware and use reusable plates and utensils 4) Encourage guests to carpool or use public transportation to reduce emissions. 5) Create a gratitude tree, where everyone writes something they are thankful for on a leaf cut from recycled paper. By making these small changes, you can show your appreciation for both the Earth and the community you share it with, fostering a spirit of sustainability and thankfulness.
In the early days of Rotary in what is now District 5580, many clubs chose to have Extension Committees. These committees sought to bring Rotary clubs to new cities. The clubs in Everett, and Cloquet Minnesota were developed by members of the extension committee of the Rotary Club of Duluth, and Norman Black, a member of the Fargo Club, President of that club and then District Governor-of what was then D9 of in 192-23, was extremely active in Extension. He is said to have been responsible for the formation of many of the clubs in the northwest of what is now our District from just after WW 1 to the late 1920’s.
Submitted by: Gene LaDoucer, President/Treasure FM-AM Rotary Club
Club President Gene LaDoucer, third from right, and Community Service Chair Jace Greene, far right, delivered socks donated by club members to the West Fargo Police Department on Oct. 25. The 218 pair of socks will now be distributed by Golden Drive for Homeless Kids to those in need in our community. Accepting the socks were Police Chief Pete Nielsen, left center, Community Engagement Officer Rhonda Jorgensen, second from right, and other officers from the department. Local law enforcement departments engage in a friendly competition to see which of them can collect the most socks.
The Bismarck Rotary Club staffed a concession stand at Papa's Pumpkin Patch for the first three weekends in October and raised over $10,000 for their club! Rotarians worked alongside high school students, who earned service hours for their efforts.
Here are some stats and photos from this fundraiser:
Rotary’s goal is to strengthen the capacity of communities to support basic education and literacy, reduce gender disparity in education, and increase adult literacy. Rotary supports education for all children and literacy for children and adults. In October, the Dickinson Rotary Club's Dictionary Project distributed 412 dictionaries to third graders in 21 classrooms in 12 schools in Dickinson, Belfield and South Heart. Rotarians visited a classroom and delivered a short lesson that included looking up words in their new dictionaries. The students were thrilled and Rotarians spent just 10-15 minutes in a classroom. The project was coordinated by Rotarian Deb Barros.
The Dickinson Rotary Club took over the Eagles Club's kitchen and dining room for four hours on October 8, flipping pancakes and serving more than 600 delicious pancake and sausage breakfasts for the community for a good cause: world polio eradication. Besides pancakes, the 12th annual event showcased a silent auction of 13 beautiful raffle baskets.
Congratulations to the following clubs and their new members. Welcome to Rotary!
Micah Pahl (Superior Rotary Club)
Micah is from southwestern Wisconsin and moved to Superior in 2023 after attending law school in Boston, Massachusetts. Micah practices law at Ledin, Olson & Cockerham S.C. as an associate. He is looking forward to making Superior his home and growing as a young man and young attorney here.
John Magas (Duluth Rotary Club)
John Magas is serving in his fourth year as Superintendent of Duluth Public Schools. Prior to Duluth, he was Associate Superintendent in Green Bay, WI, a Director of Secondary in Sun Prairie, WI, and a middle school principal for 10 years in Appleton. He grew up in rural Upper Michigan, lived and worked in Mexico for two years, followed by 10 years in Washington state as a teacher, administrator and college professor at Gonzaga University. He lives in central Duluth with his wife, Kari, stepson, Jaden, and dog, Otis. Hiking, mountain biking and travel are a few of his interests.
Cody Odland (Fergus Falls Noon Rotary Club)
Cody Odland inducted to the Rotary Club of Fergus Falls Noon on October 4th 2023. Cody has a career within the renewable energy industry. Having previously worked with onshore wind energy technology Cody now has focus with solar and energy storage technologies. Supporting customers across North America Cody has returned to his hometown with intention to make an impact with and through Rotary.
Stephanie Bohan (Bismarck Rotary Club)
Stephanie is the current President of the PTO at Solheim Elementary school - Active member of the Bismarck Curling Club and former USA Junior National Champion and University National champion in the sport of curling; Curling Olympic trials participant - Member of Bismarck MOPS 2019-2023 - University of North Dakota 2003-2009 - Delta Gamma Sorority member 2003-2007
Jacob Taylor (Bismarck Rotary Club)
Jacob is currently a leader of the Scouts. Engaging with the Bismarck Chamber of Commerce, participating/organizing many fundraisers in the Bismarck/Mandan area, actively being a part of the youth communities and school by having a good relationship with the schools through various means because of scouting.
Mackenzie Blume (Perham Rotary Club)
I am the Director of the Chamber and the Interim Director of the Perham Area Community Center. I enjoy being involved and serving our community with my husband and four children (Alex, Haley, Brody, and Maddux.) We love to be busy and are always willing to jump in and help where needed! I am looking forward to being a part of Rotary because I feel it is a group of people who have the same vision as me.
Lauren Farden (Duluth Harbortown)
Lauren Farden is a licensed financial advisor with Edward Jones. Born and raised in Duluth and a graduate of UMD, where she received her BA in Political Science, Lauren has a passion for our local community. After graduating, Lauren spent time in Washington DC before coming back to Duluth to take a manager role at TJ Maxx. Later she went back to school in Dublin, Ireland where she received her MA in Sustainability. She then came back to Duluth to work at Northwood Children's Services where she championed some sustainability initiatives along with continuing her passion for working with kids, specifically those participating in the residential treatment program, and then pivoted into Financial planning during COVID where she works with her Father, Bob Farden. When she is not working and networking, she is either volunteering, painting, or hiking with her 1 ½-year-old puppy, Dolly. I'm President-Elect for Junior League Duluth, active in BNI, Rotary, and the Duluth Chamber of Commerce, and the Vendor Lead for the Lester River Rendezvous. Lauren loves fall the most and can't wait to decorate for Halloween!
WE CAN ONLY SHARE YOUR CLUB'S NEWS, IF WE KNOW ABOUT YOUR CLUB'S NEWS!
The number one thing most clubs want to know is what is happening around the District, but we can't help spread the word if we don't know what your club is up to.
Please submit a summary of your club events, news and projects to Renae Ronquist and Gloria Mink by the 10th of each month. We can include information in our Monday Minutes and in our newsletter.
Meet North Dakota's Up and Coming Movie Producer - Daniel Bielinski
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