Be the Change

 

Our thanks to the COL Community Service Committee for organizing our members to donate financial gifts and packaged food, in addition to our annual grant funding. COL Rotary is committed to helping CES provide healthy and culturally connected access to food with dignity and understanding.

 

The growing partisan divide over political values is paralyzing families’ and communities’ ability to trust and find solutions for mutually shared human needs. This community forum on April 16 offers new understandings and strategies for initiating conversations that focus on our shared humanity and that respect the integrity and worth of every individual’s views. Rotary clubs of St. Paul, Minneapolis City of Lakes, and Roseville present it.

 

Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary is thrilled by the announcement that Minneapolis-St. Paul will host the prestigious 120th Rotary International Convention from May 26-30, 2029, at the Minneapolis Convention Center. This event is set to be the largest convention Minneapolis will see in 2029, attracting more than 15,000 Rotary members and participants from across the globe. The convention promises to be a vibrant gathering for sharing ideas, learning, and fostering connections aimed at bringing about positive, lasting change to communities worldwide.

 

With an expected economic impact of $30.4 million, the convention underscores the strong values of service, diversity, and leadership within the Rotary community. We are excited to collaborate with other local Rotary clubs, the Meet Minneapolis Tourism Bureau, and the cities of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Bloomington to deliver an unforgettable experience. This gathering not only highlights Rotary's commitment to global improvement but also showcases the cultural diversity and natural beauty of Minneapolis – the City of Lakes. Read more.

 

The City of Lakes Rotary Club’s annual awards day recognized dynamic individuals who have been a catalyst for innovative service solutions and generous foundation gifts. We are proud to congratulate this year’s winners.

 

Brock Ray was recognized as our club’s Heart of Rotary Award winner, presented annually to a club member in recognition of outstanding service to the club, Rotary International and the community. Brock has distinguished himself by holding leadership positions including president, vice president membership, public image and webmaster while also leading special technology projects. Brock has made and continues to make a significant difference in the lives of many people and gives them hope for the future.

 

Lynn Otis was honored with our Emerging Leadership Award that is presented annually to a newer member that has rapidly engaged in the spirit of service within the club. By providing leadership as Community Service Chair, Lynn demonstrated her commitment to Service Above Self.

 

Greg Alm received our first ever Quiet Rotarian Award for his initiative supporting the club behind the scenes by setting up and taking down AV equipment every week, acting as assistant treasurer and challenging processes to make them better.

 

Evon Spangler, Esq. received our Rotary Hope Award and $2500 for her achievements as Board Chair and Founder of the Domestic Abuse Legal Advocacy Center, PSC. DALAC provides pro bono services to victims and survivors of domestic violence at shelters that the organization collaborates with in Minnesota.  DALAC uses a cutting-edge method of providing legal advocacy to victims and survivors of domestic abuse from a trauma-informed lens.

 

The Rotary Foundation Paul Harris Fellows and Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary Foundation Dick Davore Fellows are members who were recognized for their substantial contributions of $1000 or more.

 

It's that time of year again — time to register for the COL Rotary Zoom meetings! As you may (or likely may not) recall, Zoom puts a limit on the number of prescheduled recurring meetings we can have — and we have officially reached our limit from the last time we re-upped last year.

 

To ensure you can attend COL Rotary Zoom meetings on any given Wednesday morning, please register here: Register for Zoom Meetings. 

 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. If you have any questions about registering or attending Zoom meetings, please reach out to Brock Ray.