This month is Youth Service month. Many of the clubs in our District focus on supporting youth in their communities. A number also support youth overseas. Some of the ways I see our clubs supporting youth are through scholarships, recognizing seniors throughout the year at their club meetings, and sponsoring scholarships at the School of St. Jude in Tanzania, Africa.
May is an annual opportunity for Rotary members and volunteers to celebrate the leadership growth and the service efforts of Rotary’s young leaders. Join us in honoring the local and global impact of the more than 350,000 young people worldwide who are involved in Rotary’s youth programs! Share your Youth Service Month celebrations on Instagram and tag us @RotaryYoungLeaders.
Joanna Molascon from Madison Middle School was surprised on Tuesday May 18th at her school assembly by being told she won the District Essay Writing Contest. The secret had been closely held for 3 weeks! Members from the Madison Rotary Club presented her a candy bouquet with the recognition certificate, congratulation cards, monetary prize and a Rotary coin. She and her family are also invited to attend the Rotary District Conference in October at Crazy Horse this fall, with the district and Madison Rotary covering expenses. Congratulations to Joanna and the Madison Community on this great achievement.
Danny McCune, a senior at Siouxland Christian School, has been selected as the 2026 Sioux City Rotary Club Student of the Year. He was honored during the Rotary Club meeting on Monday, May 11, 2026. McCune was chosen from all the previous Rotary Club Students of the Month during this past academic year.
The Mitchell Rotary Club presented their annual scholarships to two students from the Rotary Interact Club and Second Chance High. This year's recipients read their essays and both did a great job at sharing what the Rotary motto of "Service above Self" means to them.
Pictured (left to right): Shane Thill, Second Chance High Director; Jared Wenzel; Jory Hansen, Mitchell Rotary President, Diana Borja; Baker Haar, Rotary Interact Advisor, Mike Gibson, Rotary District Governor-Elect
The Sioux City Rotary recently volunteered with The BackPack Program: Food for Kids, a meaningful initiative through the Food Bank of Siouxland that helps address childhood hunger in the community.
Rotary District leaders and club officers who attended PELS recently had the opportunity to hear an insightful presentation on Strategic Planning from Dr. Michael Gonda — a dedicated Rotarian, educator, and leader who continues to be a tremendous asset to our District.
We are delighted to formally announce the POLIO IMMUNIZATION TOURS to be held in Agra, India. Scheduled from 4th to 14th November 2026 (Diwali Special – Festival of Lights) and 17th to 29th March 2027 (Holi Special – Festival of Colors).
The Sioux Falls West Rotary Club proudly hosted its 18th Annual Rock & Roll for Hope, raising more than $27,700 to support Hope Haven International Ministries (HHIM). These funds will provide life‑changing wheelchairs to individuals around the world, restoring mobility, dignity, and opportunity.
ShelterBox USA is thrilled to debut a collaboration with Rotary Friends—a premier, Airbnb-style marketplace built by Rotarians, for Rotarians. Imagine turning your extra bedroom or vacation home into a global force for good. When you host a fellow member, you aren't just sharing a room; you’re building international fellowship, exchanging project ideas, and directly funding disaster relief. 50% of all profits go straight to ShelterBox USA, Rotary Friends' beneficiary partner.
Days before Christmas, winds as strong as 100 mph battered the region. When the storms subsided, Rushmore Rotary members got to work cleaning up debris and branches left behind. In honor of its 40th anniversary in March, Rushmore Rotary Club set a goal to perform 40 acts of service, including four storm cleanup events, between Oct. 31, 2025, and March 12, 2026. The club not only achieved their goal but outdid themselves by completing 57.
We’re collecting club and club officer information for the 2026-27 Rotary year, and we need your help. We ask your club to report incoming club officers to Rotary to help us compile resources for Rotary members around the world, including the Club search function found on My Rotary. This will also ensure that incoming club officers receive vital information from Rotary. This is a reminder that if you have not already done so, please submit the names of your club’s incoming officers by June.
Rapid City Rotary Four Way Test Essay Contest Winner Julian Ren with his parents. Julian is a sixth-grade student at Southwest Middle School in Rapid City.
In 1995 the Vermillion Rotary Club began a project to give all 2nd graders in the community a free bike helmet. Thirty-two years later, Vermillion Rotary is still handing out free bike helmets. Five 2nd grade classes from Vermillion Public School and one 2nd grade class from St Agnes Elementary, a total of 115 children, received a free bike helmet on Friday, April 24.
We're excited to announce that Nova, the next generation of ClubRunner, is now available to clubs everywhere! More than just a redesign, Nova is a complete reimagining of the platform, shaped by your valuable feedback. Explore What is New.
In celebration of Earth Day, Watertown members and community volunteers came together for a meaningful afternoon of service at Stokes-Thomas Kampeska Lake City Park—removing litter and restoring the natural beauty of Lake Kampeska’s shoreline. Their efforts resulted in an impressive 152 bags of trash collected, a powerful testament to what can be accomplished when a community unites for a common cause.
In celebration of Earth Day, the Marshall Sunrise Rotary Club made a meaningful investment in the community and the environment by purchasing and planting five trees at Legion Field Park. This hands-on service project reflects Rotary’s ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability and community improvement.
Members of the Brookings Rotary Club rolled up their sleeves this Earth Day to help care for their community and environment. Alongside several enthusiastic young helpers, Rotarians spent part of the day removing trash from the Edgebrook Golf Course shelter belt.
This past Saturday, members of the Rushmore Rotary Club continued their commitment to environmental stewardship through Rotary’s Unite For Water initiative. Volunteers gathered along 44th Street in Rapid City for a hands-on service project focused on both water quality testing and community clean-up efforts.
Members of the Luverne Rotary rolled up their sleeves and took action to help keep the community beautiful during a roadside cleanup effort on Wednesday evening, May 13. Volunteers spent the evening gathering trash from ditches north of Luverne, collecting an impressive amount of litter along the way.
Inspiring the next generation of leaders starts right in our own communities—and Northern Black Hills Rotary is proud to celebrate one of its own rising stars. Gwen Winterstein, granddaughter of Spearfish Rotary President Randy Hedge, was recently recognized by the South Dakota State Legislature for her outstanding artistic achievement.
On April 21, 2026, members of Rushmore Rotary gathered at Storybook Island to dedicate a new Peace Pole beside the Rotary Gazebo, creating a lasting symbol of hope, unity, and understanding within the community.
Looking for fresh, high-quality Club apparel that feels current, personalized, and easy to order? Club Swag Locker is now live, and it is already transforming how clubs show off their identity. Built by Rotarians who understand what clubs actually want, this new platform delivers simple ordering, fast shipping, and thousands of custom products your members will love.
Through Rotary, police officer Joanne Serkeyn expanded her view of how to make a difference. In July, Serkeyn will become the governor of District 7090
Members of the Rotary Club of Custer, South Dakota, played a role in the construction of the Crazy Horse Monument and continue to support its federation
