District 5580 "Cross Currents" - April 2025 (Apr. 13, 2025)

APRIL IS ENVIRONMENT MONTH

PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE

Stephanie A. Urchick

President 2024-25

(Presidential message retrieved from: https://my.rotary.org/en/news-media/office-president/presidential-message)

April 2025

As the chill of winter gives way to the warmth of spring, we have an opportunity to rejuvenate our commitments to each other and to the communities we serve.

A shining example is the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland in Ontario, whose members support a program providing hot meals to people facing homelessness and food insecurity. On any given evening, the Soup Shack run by Feed Windsor-Essex serves up to 130 people, offering nourishment and a sense of community and care.

DISTRICT GOVERNOR MESSAGE

District Governor:

Kay Parries (bio) pictured with her husband Dan Parries

Happy Spring District 5580 Rotarians!

I hope that spring has reached all of you.....finally! The sun is shining, the temps are going up and you can just feel a new energy. The snow has almost melted for most of us, soon the grass will turn green and flowers will bloom.

It's also the time we start transitioning towards a new Rotary year. " The Magic of Rotary" is still among us and we still have goals to reach. It's the time to review the goals you set for your clubs, celebrate the goals that you achieved and work to realize those that you still have time to accomplish. The President Elect training was held in Minneapolis and NCPETS Virtual is coming up for those Presidents that were unable to attend in person. Even if your President has been a Club President before I highly encourage them to attend the virtual NCPETS. Rotary is always evolving and adapting.

RYE IN OUR DISTRICT

Submitted by: Deb Maertens, Inbound Coordinator

APRIL ECO CHALLENGE

Submitted by: David Winkelman, Environment Committee

April Eco-Challenge: Pre-cycle!

One out of every ten dollars spent on food goes for packaging. In fact, more money is spent on packaging than is paid to American farmers as their income for all they produce! April is Earth Month and April 22 is Earth Day. Make everyday Earth Day by pre-cycling everyday!

THE GREAT BOLIVIA ADVENTURE

Submitted by: Karl D. Everett, P.E., Harbortown Rotary Duluth

The Great Bolivia Adventure

September 13th – 21st, 2025

Travel to Bolivia with

Duluth Harbortown Rotary Club

Fergus Falls Rotary Club

Mano a Mano International

Mano a Mano and the Rotary Clubs of Duluth Harbortown & Fergus Falls invite you to join us on a trip to Cochabamba, Bolivia. Through this unique travel experience you will meet Andean indigenous communities with meager material resources and witness their determination to improve life for their children. We will visit Rotary projects such as medical clinics, water projects and building improvements to a school, all made possible through a collaboration between Rotary District 5580, Mano a Mano, and the Bolivian Government, with the local communities leveraging support through their donated labor and commitment to community building.

CLUB NEWS

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.

News can be sent to r enae@surgetoday.com and gloriad5580@outlook.com.

RECITAL WITH A CAUSE

Submitted by: Kay Parries

PARTY WITH A PURPOSE

Submitted by: Christi M. Stonecipher

The Bismarck Rotary Club held a "Party with a Purpose" wine auction on March 26. Members were in great "spirits" as they tried to outbid each other on wine and other liquors. Auctioneer Dan Schreck made the event entertaining and fun. The evening raised $2,800 for the Dakota Children's Advocacy Center in support of their mission to provide a safe, family friendly environment that promotes hope, help, and healing to traumatized children and their families.

DICKINSON LITERACY PROJECT CONTINUES

Submitted by Kris Fehr

Dickinson Rotarians' literacy project continues to expand

One of the Dickinson Rotary Club's literacy projects is reading to preschool students in their classrooms and giving each child a copy of the book. This year a dozen Rotarians read to 216 three- and four-year-olds in 14 classrooms at both Head Start and at Dickinson's Early Childhood Program! Head Start teachers selected "Pierre the Penguin" and ECP teachers selected "I Love Colors." The project is organized each year by Rotarian Deb Barros, pictured with one of the classes.