The Community Action Committee is collecting blankets and bath towels for use by the Humane Society. Please bring your items to our meetings on Tuesday mornings through November 16th.
Rapid City High School is asking Rotarians to help students during the Career and College Exploration Day on November 4th from 10 am to Noon.
Event Tasks: Volunteers will be assisting learners with the college application process. This event coincides with SD's free college application month, so we want to make sure to get learners in now. Learners will need help locating the applications and completing all information. All Juniors and Seniors are being checked out of class to attend this event. Volunteers will be provided with a school laptop and space in the gym. Day of the event, a brief overview and pointers will be provided for volunteers to help you on your way. You can email Q (cmquinlivan@gmail.com) or Sean (sean.binder@k12.sd.us) if you are able to volunteer some of your time on November 4th.
Rushmore Rotary served as the Host Club for the Rotary District 5610 Conference held in Deadwood SD in October. Thank you to District Governor Doug Lind (and Penny), the co-chairs, Pat Sutliff and Bruce Nearhood, emcee's Darla Crown and Ron Jeffries, IT support Jon Johnson, and many others from our Club, District and Rotary International who gave presentations at the general and breakout sessions. Thank you for making the weekend a big success!
Opening remarks from John Hewko, RI General Secretary were inspiring. General Sessions included presentations from Lisa Herring (RI President Representative) sharing RI President Shekhar Mehta's goals and initiatives for the year; Greg Podd (former RI VP) gave an uplifting message on the "value of a simple rotary pin"; and Ken Howell (RI International Foundation) shared the history and importance of the foundation.
Our own Dr. Willis Sutliff was honored with the District's "Roger Kozak Service Above Self" award for his time and talents given in service to Rotary and the community. Dr. Sutliff has served District 5610 and it's Rotarians for over ten years as District 5610 Polio Plus Chair. He is passionate about Polio eradication and enthusiastic about raising funds to defeat the disease. Dr. Sutliff is past president of Rapid City Rushmore Rotary Club and very active in the club on numerous committees and always a cheerful volunteer. Congratulations on a well deserved recognition.
LET'S WELCOME OUR NEWEST MEMBERS TO THE ROTARY FAMILY!
April Malik is the Executive Director of Minneluzahan Senior Center and owner of Thai To Go. She has been in Rapid City for 21 years. April assisted our Club with the Children's Home Society fundraising efforts during the pandemic, which we are so thankful. Her experience working with our energetic Club was why she joined Rotary and she looks forward to networking opportunities. She is a mother to 5 daughters, the reason that she started the Thai To Go business in 2010. April recently returned from getting three of her daughters settled into college in New York City, Minnesota and California. When she's not working, cooking, or spending time with her daughters, she enjoys walking and beekeeping. A sign in her office tells it all: "No Job is More Important than Your Family."
Rene Sorenson was born and raised in Anchorage, AK and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and minor degrees in Economics and Communication Arts. Her work experience includes positions with Microsoft (Recruiting Assistant), FDIC, and State Farm (claims adjuster). Rene and her husband Clark returned to Rapid City in 2021 (Clark’s hometown) after he retired from a civil engineering career in the oil and gas industry. They have a beautiful blended family of five adult children and four grandchildren. Rene was a member of the Russian Jack Rotary Club and served on fundraising committees for the Anchorage Symphony Pops Concert, Anchorage Museum and Catholic Social Services charity balls. She and Clark enjoy hiking, golf, biking, pickleball, camping and spending time with family and friends.
Stacy Johnson spent her early years on their family ranch in Northeastern Wyoming. She is a new citizen of Rapid city, moving here in January 2021. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Finance from the University of Wyoming and built a career of financial advisory in Casper for 18 years. Between college and financial advisory, she spent 10 years with two statewide non-profit organizations. This experience sealed her love for serving people including youth ministry, cooking, teaching, mentoring, playing and singing. She served as a child advocate with CASA, and served in an advisory role in statewide church leadership, a local credit union, and Casper’s planning and zoning committee. Her hobbies include riding motorcycle (which introduced her to the Black Hills), knitting, reading, and hiking. Stacy served alongside her former husband in the Casper Rotary Club for many years. She is inspired by our club’s involvement with youth through Story Book Island and the Children’s Home Society and the many community action projects.
District Governor Doug Lind presented a beautiful Rotary scarf to Carmen Hansen, for her dedicated service as District 5610 Membership Chair for several years. She supports Rotary Club's across the district through training on the recruitment, orientation and retention of Rotary members, including honorary memberships and flexibility within our clubs.
Fellow Rotarian Kibbe Brown and cofounder of the Children’s Memorial Walk, was recognizedon the fourth anniversary of the walk held on Native American Day, Oct 11, 2021. The walk honors 50 Native American children who passed away while attending Rapid City Indian boarding school 1902– 1942. One of Kibbe’s ancestors, Adolph Russell tragically died in 1909 when the boiler blew up at the school.
Thank you to everyone who provided candy for the Safe and Sweet Trick and Treat.
Christmas Nights of Light: Volunteers needed at the park on Nov 28, 29; December 3,5 10-23, 26-31. Contact jackie@storybookisland.com
Thanks to Jean, Heidi, Janet, Mary, and George and Shari Twitero for working/decorating at Storybook Island! The Rotary Gazebo has been painted and decorated for Safe and Sweet Trick and Treat and Christmas Nights of Light!
Other SBI news/updates:
The Rush has named SBI their non profit of the year! Jackie will have a booth set up at every home game taking donations and promoting Storybook Island.
All pieces for the All Ability playground have officially been ordered! Installation is scheduled for April 2022 .
With a combination of grants, donations and memorials the total amount raised is $190,000.
We have had 10 individual families reach out to sponsor fixing/updating displays in the park.
Several memorials have been given for new pieces in the park.
The park is opening 2022 with 33 new pieces and in Jackie’s words “I’m not done yet!”
Donations to the park thus far are at $910,000 for the year! By far the best year Storybook Island has ever had and she’s not done yet!
Congratulations to the staff and SBI Board (Amy Hansen, Tiffany Gikling, Michael Steve) for a great year!
Grand Opening was held on Sunday October 17th, following the District Conference. Several District and Club members were in attendance and got to experience first hand the hard work that has been put in on this District 5610 Global Grant by members and Lakota artists. Whiteclay Makerspace Inc. building owner, Jon Ruybalid is handling the building and the management of the facility while Rotary is equipping the makerspace with needed equipment and supplies. Candi Red Cloud is the store manager, and recruits the artists.
Pictured is our sponsored student, Abdulkadir, at The School of St Jude graduating from Form Four. He is shown with his mother and with a Rotarian from the AFSJ board who is visiting the school. We sent him a graduation gift and a gift for his family that my Rotarian friend presented to them. Now if he does well enough on his tests, he can go to the last two years of school at St Jude.
Omniciye committee and Rotary members attended the dedication of the Little Library at RC Care Center on October 4, 2021. Pictured are Colby Christensen, Linda Peterson, Kibbe Brown, Pennington county commissioner Gary Drews, Scott Van Dam, Tom Katus, and Norm Peterson.
The Community Action Committee has organized a monthly volunteer opportunity for Feeding South Dakota on the third Tuesday of each month from 4:30pm - 6:00 pm. We need between 12-15 members each month. If you are interested in volunteering please let Dave Dolan or Todd Hyroniumus put you on the list. We will be helping pack food boxes for the mobile distribution and/or the backpack program. Feeding South Dakota is located at 1111 N. Creek Drive. In October, the St. Thomas More High School Interactors joined in.
collecting blankets and bath towels for use by the Humane Society. Please bring your items to our meetings on Tuesday mornings through November 16th.
District Governor Doug Lind presented a beautiful Rotary scarf to Carmen Hansen, for her dedicated service as District 5610 Membership Chair for several years. She supports Rotary Club's across the district through training on the recruitment, orientation and retention of 
Rotary members, including honorary memberships and flexibility within our clubs. 
mmittee and Rotary members attended the dedication of the Little Library at RC Care Center on October 4, 2021. Pictured are Colby Christensen, Linda Peterson, Kibbe Brown, Pennington county commissioner Gary Drews, Scott Van Dam, Tom Katus, and Norm Peterson.
