I always walk into meetings at my home club of McMurray, Pennsylvania, with a smile on my face.
A few years ago, someone arrived late. Instead of scolding the person, we cheered. Since then, we’ve made it a tradition to applaud all members when they arrive for meetings. It’s tough not to smile with a greeting like that.
Kay Parries (bio) pictured with her husband Dan Parries
ROTARY FRIENDSHIPS
This past week Susan Bricker passed away. I met Susan when Rick, her husband, was District Governor. I was President of the Moorhead club that year. I will never forget meeting them for the first time. I was nervous meeting the “District Governor”! Would I have the answers for Rick’s questions, was our club doing everything correctly? DG Rick was wearing red tennis shoes and Susan smiling. They made me feel comfortable and not so nervous. As my year as President went on Rick and Susan would ask what I was going to do after my year as President. They planted the “seed”! We last saw Susan in October. She asked how my year as DG was going and said she was so happy for us and Rick would have been proud.
Rotary is so much more than meetings, conferences, and projects. It’s also about the friendships you make. Think of the people you have met and friendships made because you are a Rotarian!
Happy New Year! This month’s challenge is easy and serves two goals. Simply by turning down your thermostat a few degrees this winter, especially when you're not home or asleep, not only saves money, but also helps save the earth by significantly reducing the amount of energy needed to heat your home, directly impacting your carbon footprint.
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.
Dickinson Rotarians are building goodwill and better friendships! The Club is incredibly grateful for all the good work that our community nonprofits do make Dickinson a better place. To end 2024, the club awarded surprise gifts of $500 each to help support five local nonprofits. The Rotary board asked Club members for recommendations for the gifts and the Club treated representatives to lunch in December while hearing about their good work in the past year. We awarded the year-end donations to AMEN Food Pantry, Badlands Crimestoppers, Connect Medical Clinic, the Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Center, and Women Empowering Women. Additional initiatives are planned in the coming year when a certificate of deposit matures.
The Bismarck Rotary Club hosted the 58th annual Rotary Wrestling Tournament on Friday, January 10 and Saturday, January 11 at the Events Center in Bismarck. Teams come from North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota to participate in this premiere event. The club's Wrestling Committee is responsible for coordinating with Bismarck Public Schools Athletic Director, designing and selling merchandise, purchase trophies and awards, and presenting those awards at the conclusion of the tournament. Numerous members assist by staffing the t-shirt sales booth over the 2-day tournament.
Submitted by: Kris Fehr, District Assistant Governor
The Dickinson Rotary Club has a service project each month called Community Kindness. In November, the selected charity was the veterans pantry at the Stark County Courthouse in Dickinson. We collected $160 in cash and nonperishable items for veterans in crisis or in need our community. Rotarian Natashia Cushman, left, presented the money and goods to Veterans Service Officer Jessica McClellan.
Each year, the Wadena Rotary Club partners with the Wadena-Deer Creek Schools to host a Fine Arts Banquet. This event originated with the late Dick Hess, a local newspaper columnist and Rotarian, who felt that the achievements of students who participated in the fine arts deserved recognition and should not be overlooked. The first banquet was held in the spring of 1982 and has continued every year since.
Example of Ely Rotary involved in Local events... Each year, there is a 26 mile Marathon in the fall, traversing the hills and lakefronts around Ely.. And each year, members of the Ely club operate a watering station along the way... as well as participate in the running. This year, member Mike Murray ran the half marathon; and members Emily Roose and Susan Polege were part of the "Limber Jills," a team of ladies that carried a canoe the full length..Here is a pic of Susan Polege portaging her 5 mile stretch..
Submitted by: Kris Fehr, District Assistant Governor
Dickinson Rotary Club welcomed local audiologist David Ness, left, as a new member in December. David works at Heart River Hearing Aid Practice and jumped into the Rotary experience by volunteering at Trick or Trunk and hasn’t looked back! He is sponsored for membership by Rotarians Natashia Cushman and Marvin Eberts.
Susan was very involved in District 5580 activities during Rick Bricker's District Governor year (2019-2020) and was well known for her friendly personality and social media skills - always sharing the fellowship of Rotary. Susan also worked endless hours on the projects she was passionate about, especially the End Human Trafficking project; being on the committee organizing the REHT festival.