Submitted by: Lisa Neitzel, Rotary District 5580 Public Image (PI) Chair and Team Leader Elect
Hello!
I hope you all are having a great summer!
When someone asks you about what Rotary does, do you have an answer? You might tell people about your club and what you do to help on projects to make the community better. That’s a great way to have people in your area want to join us. But did you know there are other talking points to tell potential members?
Embarking on the official travel circuit across District 5580 offers an inspiring look at grassroots Rotary leadership, starting right in the rugged heart of western North Dakota. From Williston to Watford City and Bowman, local clubs are delivering high-impact community programs that embody Service Above Self. Whether funding youth leadership initiatives like RYLA, supporting food pantries, or spearheading park upgrades and local literacy efforts, these western North Dakota clubs showcase the vitality of rural Rotary fellowship. Meeting with members on their home turf highlights how dedicated local volunteers drive transformative service projects tailored to their towns' unique needs.
Submitted by: Christi M. Stonecipher, Bismarck Rotary Club
The Rotary Youth Exchange program is alive and well at the Bismarck Rotary Club and members were lucky to have three participating students at their August 19 meeting:
Emma, who had just arrived from Germany to start her year as an Inbound,
Marit, who recently returned from her year in Germany and presented to the club about her experiences there, and
Laura, who was departing in two days for South Korea to start her year as an Outbound.
Congratulations to these young women who are willing to step out of their comfort zone, learn about a different culture, and broaden their horizons!
September EcoChallenge: Celebrate Rotary’s Environmental Stewardship at the District Conference!
Three cheers and thank you to all the environmental stewards in District 5580! We look forward to engaging Rotarians in a wide variety of ways at this year’s conference, starting with a hands-on new native plant garden project and tour of the fabulous Rotary Riverside Park on Friday afternoon. Join us for a sampling of club projects that have amplified their impact through partnerships at the Environment Committee breakout session on Saturday afternoon. Stop by our House of Friendship table anytime for inspiration, resources and conversation. Lastly, help us honor fellow Rotarians during a special presentation of the inaugural Environmental Champion Award. See you there!
Submitted by: Christi M. Stonecipher, Bismarck Rotary Club
The Bismarck Rotary Club has been busy welcoming new members for the last several months including Bismarck State College President Brian Kalk, Thomas Huether with Scouting America, TJ Posey (sponsored by our Club President Beth Posey!), and Corporate Members for Great Plains Food Bank: Grace Marie Renner, Rebecca Knutson, Abby Tow, and Marcia Paulson! Welcome, all - glad to have you on board!
Submitted by: Creede McClellan, District 5580 RYLA Chair
By the time you read this, RYLA 2026 will have wrapped up! More than 70 high school students from across District 5580 came together to challenge themselves, build meaningful connections, discover their strengths, and develop leadership skills they'll carry back to their schools and communities.
None of this would be possible without the incredible support of Rotary Clubs. Thank you to every club that recruited students, sponsored campers, coordinated transportation, volunteered, and championed RYLA. Your investment in young people helps Create Lasting Impact that extends far beyond one week of camp.
Follow along on the RYLA Facebook and Instagram pages, where our incredible media team shares highlights from camp. We hope you’ll follow along and see the impact your support makes.
This is the second in a 3 part series on collaboration among clubs that have resulted in great projects.
Following the disastrous 1996-1997 Winter, the 1997 spring floods brought much devastation to the Red River Valley. Donations from Rotary Clubs locally, nationally and internationally came to the 4 Rotary Clubs (Fargo RC, Moorhead RC, Fargo West RC, & Fargo Moorhead AM RC) of the Fargo Moorhead Area. The clubs met to decide how to use the donations and elected to use the funds to construct a “floating bridge” between the two communities. The bridge is located near the Red River dam in Fargo and is installed in the spring and removed in the fall each year by the Fargo Park Board.
Rotary District 5580 is now accepting applications for students interested in spending the 2027–28 school year abroad through Rotary Youth Exchange!
Rotary Youth Exchange gives high school students the opportunity to spend an academic year living with host families, attending school, learning a new language and culture, and building friendships with people from around the world.
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.
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