Connecting the Dots: How Rotary, Business, and Community Thrive Together
Community development is rarely a solo endeavor. Lasting impact happens at the intersection of business leadership, civic service, and collective action. In Rotary, local economic vitality and social progress are deeply interrelated—when one grows, the other flourishes.
Submitted by: Erin M. Wood, Devil's Lake Rotary Club
The aroma of simmering sauce and warm spaghetti once again brought neighbors together as Devils Lake Rotary hosted its 52nd annual Spaghetti Feed on September 17. Long before the first plate was served, Rotarians were already at work—donning aprons, preparing food the night before, cooking on event day, setting up the hall, serving guests, cleaning up, and keeping the lines moving smoothly. It is a true team effort and a reflection of Rotary’s commitment to service above self.
September EcoChallenge: Celebrate Rotary’s Environmental Stewardship at the District Conference!
Three cheers and thank you to all the environmental stewards in District 5580! We look forward to engaging Rotarians in a wide variety of ways at this year’s conference, starting with a hands-on new native plant garden project and tour of the fabulous Rotary Riverside Park on Friday afternoon. Join us for a sampling of club projects that have amplified their impact through partnerships at the Environment Committee breakout session on Saturday afternoon. Stop by our House of Friendship table anytime for inspiration, resources and conversation. Lastly, help us honor fellow Rotarians during a special presentation of the inaugural Environmental Champion Award. See you there!
Submitted by: Travis Christopher, Fargo Rotary Club President
Dolly Parton's legacy will live on through her 'Imagination Library', with the help of the Fargo Rotary Club. Lead by President Travis Chistopher.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a powerful example of how one simple idea can make a lasting difference in children’s lives. Founded in 1995, the program mails a free, age-appropriate book each month to enrolled children from birth until age five, helping families build a love of reading from the very beginning.
Parton’s legacy continues through local communities that keep the program growing. The Fargo Rotary Club has stepped up to help sustain the Imagination Library, demonstrating how service-minded volunteers can make a meaningful impact on early childhood literacy. Local efforts like this help put books into children’s hands, encourage parents to read with their children, and give young learners a strong foundation for the future.
For Rotary, supporting literacy is an investment in our communities and the next generation. Every book opens a door to imagination, learning, and possibility. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library reminds us that small acts of generosity—repeated month after month—can create a lifelong love of reading.
Read about the Fargo Rotary Club's effort in the articles below.
Submitted by: Christi M. Stonecipher, Bismarck Rotary Club
The Bismarck Rotary Club has been busy welcoming new members for the last several months including Bismarck State College President Brian Kalk, Thomas Huether with Scouting America, TJ Posey (sponsored by our Club President Beth Posey!), and Corporate Members for Great Plains Food Bank: Grace Marie Renner, Rebecca Knutson, Abby Tow, and Marcia Paulson! Welcome, all - glad to have you on board!
Submitted by: Creede McClellan, District 5580 RYLA Chair
By the time you read this, RYLA 2026 will have wrapped up! More than 70 high school students from across District 5580 came together to challenge themselves, build meaningful connections, discover their strengths, and develop leadership skills they'll carry back to their schools and communities.
None of this would be possible without the incredible support of Rotary Clubs. Thank you to every club that recruited students, sponsored campers, coordinated transportation, volunteered, and championed RYLA. Your investment in young people helps Create Lasting Impact that extends far beyond one week of camp.
Follow along on the RYLA Facebook and Instagram pages, where our incredible media team shares highlights from camp. We hope you’ll follow along and see the impact your support makes.
This is the second in a 3 part series on collaboration among clubs that have resulted in great projects.
Following the disastrous 1996-1997 Winter, the 1997 spring floods brought much devastation to the Red River Valley. Donations from Rotary Clubs locally, nationally and internationally came to the 4 Rotary Clubs (Fargo RC, Moorhead RC, Fargo West RC, & Fargo Moorhead AM RC) of the Fargo Moorhead Area. The clubs met to decide how to use the donations and elected to use the funds to construct a “floating bridge” between the two communities. The bridge is located near the Red River dam in Fargo and is installed in the spring and removed in the fall each year by the Fargo Park Board.
School is in session and the annual District 5580 4-Way Test Essay Contest is now underway! Clubs are encouraged to begin contacting their schools and distributing materials as soon as possible.
Complete entries are due through the District 5580 Essay Contest portal by November 30, 2026. Each entry must include the student's essay and the completed Student Information Form. Late entries, paper copies and incomplete submissions will not be accepted
Contest Schedule
November 30, 2026: Entries due through the District portal.
December 1-15, 2026: Club-level judging.
December 16-31, 2026: District-level judging.
Early January 2027: Club-level and District-level winners announced.
Please encourage local high schools to promote this opportunity and encourage area high school students to participate. We look forward to seeing essays from students across District 5580.
WE CAN ONLY SHARE YOUR CLUB'S NEWS, IF WE KNOW ABOUT YOUR CLUB'S NEWS!
The number one thing most clubs want to know is what is happening around the District, but we can't help spread the word if we don't know what your club is up to.
Please submit a summary of your club events, news and projects to Renae Ronquist and Gloria Mink by the 10th of each month. We can include information in our Monday Minutes and in our newsletter.
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