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Are you interested in serving others and learning about your community while having fun and making new friends?

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Rotarians are people from all walks of life who want to make positive changes in their community and the world. Our Club members are dedicated people who share a passion for community service and friendship, and also enjoy being a part of global initiatives like the eradication of polio, clean water resources, support for mental health, and education - local projects and a global impact. Becoming a Rotarian connects you with a diverse group of folks who share your desire to give back.

Our motto is SERVICE ABOVE SELF!

Rotarian Ann Volin presents "Magazine Minute"

Each month a Rotarian shares at a Club meeting a short presentation about the current Rotary Magazine, highlighting articles of special interest. This week Ann Volin told us about several of the fascinating stories she read in the March edition, including the cover story on Rotary's efforts to help women who have been sex-trafficked. A very serious topic, but so important to read. Ann also shared an article about one Rotarian's appreciation for the humble earthworm, and she closed by pointing out that every edition has a recipe. This month's entry, Arroz con Leche, reminded Ann of her own childhood memory of a sweetened rice dessert. Thanks, Ann, for encouraging us to read Rotary Magazine!

New Brookings Rotarian Brad Hennings shares his background and passion for service

Brookings Rotarians welcomed to the microphone new member Brad Hennings, a retired pharmacist, who shared a bit about his interesting background. Brad noted he loves the mountains and trees, motorcycles and target shooting. He also described a previous career in which he was a food delivery driver to convenience stores, including those on the Rosebud Reservation. We welcome you, Brad, and are excited to share with you "Service Above Self!" (BTW, Brad's wife, Jane, is also a Rotarian!)

Rotarians learn about park district and library system in interesting programs so far in March

Brookings Rotarians learn so much about their community by attending regular meetings and hearing our great speakers! At our first program in March, we heard an update from Kristin Zimmerman, Brookings Park and Rec Director, who shared updates and exciting new projects that provide recreational opportunities for everyone in our city. And this week, Ashia Gustafson, Brookings Director of Library Services, talked to us about the breadth and depth of services offered through the Brookings Public Library. Both of these city departments contribute mightily to the great quality of life here in Brookings...Thank you, Kristin and Ashia!

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE MARCH 2025

Last month (February) in Rotary was full of fun and new ideas and information!

The month started out with the first Rotary meeting on Tuesday Feb. 4^th. Unfortunately, there was a minor mix-up with the speaker so there was no speaker. So……the amazing President that I am had to swivel quickly, very quickly! Thus – we had a networking/conversation time with other Rotarians for the last half of the meeting. Almost all of the noon Rotarians stayed and enjoyed each other’s company and stories. I have noticed that most Rotarians love to visit and are sometimes disappointed when I have to start the meeting at 12:10pm because they are in such a good conversation with friends. Maybe we can do this type of meeting more often at the noon hour…on a surprise basis of course. Then Thirsty Thursday at Mosaic Wine Bar on the 6^th brought Rotarians together again with laughs and great conversation.

The 2^nd week of February continued with the noon meeting on the 11^th with speaker and author Jeff West who talked about his experiences in life that resulted from his deployment to Vietnam in 1969. He was truly inspirational and emotional. Jeff and his wife live in Brookings. His books are available on Amazon – Welcome Home: The Army & Vietnam: How we lived, how we fought and how we survived. The 2^nd book is Looking Back: An Old Soldier’s Hindsight. Both books were written to help him cope with PTDS.

Week 3 was a full week for Brookings Rotarians. The weekly meeting brought an informative topic from the City of Brookings about the Marketplace, which is the retail center that is to be developed east of I-29. Paul Brisino, Brookings City Manager; Ope Niemeyer, Mayor; and Bonnie Specker, City Council, all attended the Rotary meeting and gave valuable information and answered many questions. Our own Lisa Hager added an update on the City Charter Committee, on which she serves. Then on Wednesday the 19^th, Wake-Up Wednesday and coffee at Kool Beans with Rotarians once again being able to socialize and enjoy friendships. On Thursday the 20^th, Brookings Rotarians stepped up to volunteer at Feeding Brookings which provides food and necessities to Brookings area resident in need.

Finally, week 4 brought the sunshine and warmth back to Brookings! We can all smile about that. The weekly program was given by two ladies: Phyl Naffziger and Dawn Jones. They discussed and showed their pictures about their adventures to Churchill, Manitoba Canada which is the Polar Bear Capital of the World. Their journey was detailed and explained so many interesting facts about the area and polar bears. One more place to add to my bucket list (and maybe yours).

I am sure you are asking why I am giving a recap of the month. I think because it was such a great month of fellowship and service and we had such great speakers! We involved all aspects of Rotary: fellowship, service, diversity, integrity and leadership. Another reason to recap to remind some of our members who have been “missing” meetings to realize the fun and great speakers we have each week.

March is here! So that means more great speakers, time to gather and have fun with fellow Rotarians and the opportunity to provide service! Fellowship includes Thirsty Thursday on March 6^th at Skinner’s Pub, weekly conversation at Tuesday meetings and Wake-Up Wednesday at Kool Beans on the 19^th. Service includes a project on the 8^th at the Humane Society starting at 11am. The Humane Society needs so much help due to a large influx of cats and dogs they are caring for. Please consider signing up. You can contact me if interested.

Last month was a GREAT month to be a Rotarian – let’s do it again in March!!

See you on Tuesday at noon for Rotary!

President Jen Olson

February meetings wrap up with fascinating programs

The last two Brookings Rotary Club meetings in February featured some great programs! City Manager Paul Briseno and Rotarian Lisa Hager, a member of the City's Charter Committee, joined Mayor Ope Niemeyer and Councilor Bonny Specker in bringing us up to date on some of Brookings' important projects. The following week, Phyllis Naffziger and Dawn Jones told us all about their quest for polar bears in faraway Churchill, MB. Always great programs and fascinating things to learn at Rotary!

New member Stacey VanBeek helps Rotarians learn of her passion for service!

Brookings School District Director of Business Services Stacey VanBeek is one of Brookings Rotary Club's newest members, and she shared a delightful presentation about herself, her family, and her passion for service at last week's meeting. Welcome, Stacey, and thanks for choosing Rotary as one of your avenues of service to community and the world!

Vietnam veteran and author shares stories with Brookings Rotarians

Jeff West, of Brookings, served his country as a member of the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, and 45 years later was finally diagnosed with PTSD, a condition that had affected him dramatically since his combat experience. He has since authored two books, and presented a fascinating program to Brookings Rotarians. Welcome home, Jeff, and thank you for your service! Jeff's books are "Welcome Home: The Army and My Vietnam" and "Looking Back: An Old Soldier's Hindsight."

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE FEBRUARY 2025

When you think of February – what do you think of?? Maybe you think of Valentine’s Day or Super Bowl or Groundhog Day? Personally – I think of love even though I don’t really like or celebrate Valentine’s Day. I also think about flowers this month but I KNOW I won’t get any of those from my husband because we are a bit too conservative and flowers are very expensive this month. The question is…..why am I telling my favorite Rotarians about this? Maybe it is just a filler of the message? Maybe it is to get a laugh? Or maybe it is about thinking about what is important? My thought – maybe a little of all 3 of those!

What is the importance of Valentine’s Day, Super Bowl, Groundhog Day and flowers? It is the recognition of something important!! As Rotarian’s we should always be focusing upon what is important – Service Above Self. That is very easy to do during the holiday season which is long past. But a little bit harder this time of the year with the cold and wind (no snow yet).

In January at a Brookings Rotary meeting, Scott Parsley from the Madison Rotary Club talked about a couple of groups that focus on helping others – Helping Kids Round First and the World Food Program. Helping Kids Round First is based in Flandreau, SD has done numerous projects in Haiti, Nicaragua, and now Chad, Africa. This non-profit has found that by collaborating with other organizations – more can get done! We as Rotarians in Brookings need to be always looking for ways to help others and possibly work with other groups. Currently, we are collaborating with Brookings Area United Way with the Delta Dental Van. We are also working in conjunction with the Brookings School District to create and build activity boards for the elementary students. My challenge to Brookings Rotarians – think of a project that we can focus on in 2025-2026!

One of Rotary’s BIG international projects is eradicating polio. Unfortunately, there has been some bad news in 2024 on the increase in the number of cases of wild polio virus with a total of 81 cases (56 in Pakistan & 25 in Afghanistan). This is compared to 5, 22 and 12 in years 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively. Based on the economic and political problems in those countries, the increase was to be expected. Pakistan sent approximately 500,000 Afghans back to their home which caused some children to not being immunized. In Afghanistan, the Taliban stopped immunizers from going home to home and instead had to meet at sites. One way that Rotary has gotten around this is by giving a bar of soap to the families that bring their children to the immunization sites. In Afghanistan, a bar of soap is in great demand. Rotary International continues to collaborate with other groups – The Gates Foundation, Global Eradication Initiative, UNICEF, World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Donating to the Rotary Foundation will directly help end polio: www.rotary.org (see the Donate button on the top right).

The above are just a few ways to give Service Above Self. Need more suggestions? The School of St. Jude, Happy Dollars at Brookings Rotary Club go directly to SDSU scholarships, donating a winter coat/hat/gloves to the Salvation Army in Brookings, signing up at Feeding Brookings to distribute food, attending Thirsty Thursday or Wake Up Wednesday and donating money to a local need/non-profit in Brookings, picking up litter on the sidewalk, paying for someone’s coffee who is in line behind you, donating food to the Brookings Food Pantry. The list is ENDLESS! The point is – find something important to you!

As President, I am always talking about Service Above Self. Well……..Rotary is also about socializing and having fun!! I am huge fan of having fun!! Getting to know your fellow Rotarians and having a laugh is also what Rotary is all about. I hope to see a few new faces at either Thirsty Thursday on Feb. 6^th at 5pm at Mosaic or at Wake Up Wednesday on February 19^th at 7:30am at Kool Beans!

See you on Tuesday at noon for Rotary!

Happy February! Let the fun and magic continue.

President Jen Olson

Rotarians join others in packing meals for the hungry in Africa

Brookings Rotarians stepped up to join members of the Madison Rotary Club and other area volunteers pack meals that will be sent around the world to feed hungry people in Africa. The goal was to pack 100,000 meals in six hours, and the busy group exceeded that by 675! The non-perishable meals include rice, protein, vegetables and nutritional supplements, and will be shipped to Chad via a long and sometimes treacherous journey that takes months. Local projects and global impact...that's how Rotarians live out "Service Above Self!" Pictured below are crew members from the first two-hour shift: Standing, from left: Ann Volin, Devan Schaefer, Stacey VanBeek, Marcia Janssen, Larry Janssen, Deb DeBates. Kneeling are Alexis Stolicker and Lisa Roker.

Zeno Wicks and John Folkerts worked the afternoon shift, along with Victoria Blatchford, pictured here with her friend, Todd Kringen.

Rotarians worked side by side with other volunteers to help pack meals to be shipped to hungry people in Africa.

Hope Haven's Luke Russell issues passionate plea for assistance in Brookings

Luke Russell, Director of International Ministries of Hope Haven, shared with Brookings Rotarians his passion and plans for the organization, which now has a presence in Brookings. Hope Haven has had a long-standing alliance with Rotary, providing wheelchairs for those in desperate need around the world. In the past 30 years, about 150,000 wheelchairs have been delivered to adults and children in more than a hundred countries worldwide, and several local Rotarians have been instrumental in delivering the chairs to other countries. "Our goal is to share the love of Christ by bringing mobility to as many people as possible," said Russell, who noted the new Brookings location near the airport welcomes volunteers who will focus on refurbishing chairs for children. Also participating in this important work locally will be Sleep in Heavenly Peace. Russell, a Sioux Falls West Rotarian, estimated 70 million people worldwide are in need of a wheelchair. Thank you for a wonderful program, Luke, on ways in which Rotary can help impact the world for good! For information on volunteering, contact brookingssdrotary@gmail.com. For more information on Hope Haven visit www.hopehaveninternational.org

Brookings Rotarians will join Madison club in humanitarian effort for Africa

Rotarians serve their communities and impact the world! Brookings Rotary Club thanks Madison Rotarian Scott Parsley for a great program this week, as he discussed this weekend's "Madison Food Pack." Members of the Brookings Rotary Club and two nonprofits (Kids Against Hunger and Helping Kids Round First) will join the Madison Club in packing non-perishable meals that will be shipped and distributed to extremely needy and hungry people in Chad, Africa. The goal is to pack 100,000 meals in six hours! SERVICE ABOVE SELF!

Kelly Beinhorn named Rotary Paul Harris Fellow

Congratulations to Brookings Rotarian Kelly Beinhorn, left, who received her Paul Harris Fellow pin at this week's club meeting, presented by Club President Jennifer Olson. A Paul Harris Fellow is one who has donated at least $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation (TRF), or for whom someone else has donated $1,000 in his or her name. Donations to TRF go to help with projects in one of seven areas of global and community service: Promoting Peace; Fighting Disease; Providing Clean Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene; Savings Mothers and Children; Supporting Education; Growing Local Economies; and Protecting the Environment. Congratulations, Kelly!

Congratulations to two new Paul Harris Fellows

Congratulations to Brookings Rotarians Lisa Roker and Devan Schaefer, who received their Paul Harris Fellow pins at this week's club meeting, presented by Club President Jennifer Olson. A Paul Harris Fellow is one who has donated at least $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation (TRF), or for whom someone else has donated $1,000 in his or her name. Donations to TRF go to help with projects in one of seven areas of global and community service: Promoting Peace; Fighting Disease; Providing Clean Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene; Savings Mothers and Children; Supporting Education; Growing Local Economies; and Protecting the Environment. Lisa currently serves the club as Membership Chair ad Devan is the club's President-Nominee.

Rotarian Kelsey presents on two Chamber initiatives

Thanks to our own Rotarian Kelsey Doom, President and CEO of the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce, for an informative program this week on two Chamber initiatives. The National Civics Bee seeks to encourage young Americans in middle school grades to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. Winners of local essay contests will advance to in-person question and answer events, leading to state finals and a national competition. Students in area school districts are participating, and eligible for cash prizes. Kelsey also provided information about a Chamber-sponsored travel opportunity to Greece next October. For more information about either program, contact the Brookings Chamber. Thanks, Kelsey, for a great program!

State Rep. Mellissa Heerman speaks to Rotarians

Thank you to South Dakota District 7 Representative Mellissa Heermann for her presentation to the Brookings Rotary Club this week. Rep. Heermann provided an update on state legislature activity and bills that will likely be discussed in the upcoming session.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE JANUARY 2025

Happy New Year! I greatly enjoy saying this to friends and family for the next several weeks. I do NOT limit
the phrase for only the first few days of the new year. I encourage each of you to say Happy New Year instead
of goodbye and hello for the next several weeks. It brings smiles to many faces.

Many of the customs of the New Year observe the passing of time with both anticipation and regret. The baby
as a symbol of the new upcoming year and the old man representing the year that has passed. The Romans
originated the month of January from their god Janus, who had 2 faces – one looking backward and the other
looking forward. Thus – this a great time of year to reflect on what we – as Rotarians – have accomplished in
the past year and what we plan to do for the upcoming year.

Last year in 2024: Harvest Table, Brookings Marathon, Hillcrest School Medary School Move, Habitat for
Humanity, Brookings Backpack, Feeding Brookings, Salvation Army Ring the Bells, Suicide Help Talk to
Teachers, many Thirsty Thursdays, Painted Born Learning Trails, Food Drives, Coat Drives, SDSU
scholarships, School of St. Jude student support…just to name a few.

As we look backwards – Brookings Rotary Club had a very successful year in “Service Above Self” and
impacting lives of others.

Upcoming in 2025: The sky is the limit! Plans are in the works for packing kits for Delta Denta Van, packing
food for refugee camps in Chad, Africa, Feeding Brookings, Backpack Program, Brookings Marathon, activity
walls for Brookings Schools and the possibility of many more opportunities to help others.
I am excited, as I hope you as Brookings Rotarians are, about the projects and plans that we can do to provide
“Service Above Self” to our community and the world.

We have all heard the many things about new year’s: goals, resolutions, yearly aspirations and new habits
that we want/should set. Many times our new year’s resolutions are self-focused – exercise more, eat
healthier, read more books, etc. This year – I challenge each of you to set a different type of New Year’s
resolution to think about others and how you can impact their lives. These goals may be small ones – such as
giving a smile everyday to a stranger or buying a cup of coffee for the person in line behind you. OR – maybe
loftier goals of helping others by volunteering at a local non-profit or church. Rotary is about “Service Above
Self” and starting out the year with our Rotary motto is a great way to set a your resolution / goal for the year.
If you has a Brookings Rotarian have an idea on how and where we can help others and you see a need in the
community, please pass along the word!

2025 and tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book, so us as Rotarians need to write a good book
for the upcoming year. And we can title it “Service Above Self."

Happy New Year!
President Jen Olson

New members welcomed into Brookings Rotary

The Brookings Rotary Club warmly welcomes new member Lori Schutz, pictured here receiving her Four-Way Test plaque from Club President Jen Olson. At the same meeting, we heard from new member Alexis Stolicker, who told us a little bit about herself and her goals for sharing in Rotary service. Welcome, Lori and Alexis!

HO! HO! HO! Rotarians ring bell for Salvation Army

Members of the Brookings Rotary Club had a great time ringing the bell for the Brookings Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive! Here are a few pictures - thanks to all who participated, and Merry Christmas!

SDSU Foundation Development VP updates club on Foundation

Our thanks to Keith Mahlum, SDSU Foundation Vice President for Development, for a very interesting program on fundraising. The Foundation has been providing long-term resources for SDSU since 1945, focusing on the ICARE values: Integrity, Communication, Accountability, Relationships and Excellence. Thanks, Keith, for joining us!

December programs delight us with the performing arts

Programs so far in December have focused on the performing arts...no surprise, since this month's program chair is Dr. David Reynolds! This week we learned about the 2025 season offerings for Prairie Repertory Theatre from Artistic Director Billy Wilburn. Audiences can look forward to attending four great shows: Grease, Romeo & Juliet (to be performed on Sylvan Green!), the British farce Out of Order, and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. And earlier in December, Rotarians were treated to the sounds of the season with a wonderful performance by SDSU's Statesmen, directed by Dr. Andrew Robinette. Thanks to all who bring this world class entertainment to our community!

Welcome to our Club!

We meet In Person & Online

Tuesdays at 12:00 PM

Brookings Activity Center

320 Fifth Ave
Brookings, SD
United States of America

RSVP by emailing Club President Jennifer Olson at jennifer.olson@ebankstar.bank. Our meetings and programs are currently being conducted via a hybrid system in person and via Zoom. Access opens 15 minutes early for a social time of sharing.

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