Please join us each Wednesday at 7:15 AM for fellowship and engaging speakers. Learn how.

Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary Club is a vibrant community of energized people, working to create change both at home and around the world. Welcome.

Upcoming Speakers

March 20, 2024
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna S. Witt


Sheriff Dawanna Witt

Updates from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office

March 27, 2024
Evon Spangler


Evon Spangler

Trauma-Informed Legal Advocacy Leads to Breaking the Cycle of Domestic Abuse

April 3, 2024
Jamie Dolynchuk, Community Emergency Service (CES)


Jamie Dolynchuk

Food Insecurity and Demands in 2024

 

Upcoming Events

Our Impact

By the Numbers

What's Happening at City of Lakes?

 
Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotarians’ food drive is this spring’s initiative for our long-standing foundation partner, Community Emergency Services. Based in the most ethnically diverse neighborhood in Minneapolis, CES staff and volunteers are on the frontlines of providing food, hope, and compassion to multi-generational, multi-cultural, low-income clientele.
 
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.
 
Join us at Rotary on Tap, an exclusive networking event hosted by the Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary Club, designed for leaders eager to connect and make a difference. This engaging evening is your opportunity to mix and mingle with fellow like-minded individuals, all while discovering the impactful work the City of Lakes Rotary does both locally and globally.
 
Held at the vibrant Sisyphus Brewing from 5-7 p.m. on May 2, guests will enjoy complimentary drinks and appetizers in a relaxed atmosphere. Don't forget to bring your business cards for a night of meaningful connections with professionals who are enthusiastic about contributing positively to the world. It's not just an event—it's a chance to be part of something bigger. See you there!
 
 
Rotary International works to eradicate polio, and we have made incredible progress in the fight to rid the world of it forever. As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, we've helped to reduced polio cases by more than 99.9 percent.
 
Minneapolis City of Lakes members generously donated $3500 to End Polio Now and thanks to a 2 to 1 match from the Gates Foundation every donation was tripled. We made it fun in a Minnesota vs. Iowa sports challenge with the Rotary Club of Cedar Rapids.
 
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.
 
We are thrilled to announce the newest additions to our Rotary family! Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Oscar, Christine, Peg, and Tim. Each brings a unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives that will undoubtedly enrich our Rotary endeavors.
 
Welcome aboard new members, and to those looking for professional networking, personal development, and the chance to contribute meaningfully to society, we can’t wait to welcome you too!  Learn 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.