The Rotary Club of Roseville MN, serving its community since 1970:
The Rotary Club of St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.A. is Club #10, the tenth Rotary Club to be organized in the world. On February 11, 1970, almost sixty years to the day, the Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of St. Paul voted to share their club's territory with a new club to be extended in a growing and prospering north suburban community known as Roseville, Minnesota. The area to be shared with the newly established club embraced the villages of Lauderdale, New Brighton, Mounds View, Arden hills, Shoreview, Roseville and that portion of Falcon heights north of Larpenteur Avenue and east of Snelling Avenue. A committee of St. Paul Rotarians comprised of Glad Hill, Win Brown and G. Reed Macomber was challenged to organize the territory above described to be the future area of the Rotary Club of Roseville, Minnesota, U.S..A. Immediately the committee of St. Paul Rotarians set about organizing the Rotary Club of Roseville, Minnesota.
On April 27, 1970 their organizational process was completed, and the President of the newly-organized Rotary Club of Roseville sent in the application for a charter to Rotary International. The President of the newly-established club, Ed Bather, was advised by Rotary International that the Charter application of 34 members had been received at Rotary Headquarters in Evanston, Illinois on April 29, 1970 and that the club was thereby admitted into full membership with Rotary International as of May 7, 1970.
1971 - Roseville Rotary sponsored start-up of Ramsey Ecological Center at 2701 N. Lexington Ave.
1971 - Youth Exchange Program began this year. Our inbound student was Maria Teresa Candia Assuga; Mayte for short. She came from Puebla, Mexico.
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1971 - "Standing Kettles" for Salvation Army at Har Mar Mall.
1972 - Rotary Summer Homestay Exchange - This outbound short term exchange with Sweden. Club sponsored two students, Gloria Scroggins and Jill Lambert who traveled to Sweden for one month followed by Swedish students Lena Hellstrom and Viveka Loof staying in Minnesota for a month.
1973 - Publication of "Rotary Invocations" by Roseville Rotarian Roland Wilsey.
1974 - Participated in the Rotary Club of Hibbing " Irish Children Visit America" Project - Creating "Positive Peace" by furthering understanding and friendly relations among people of different nations and foster religious cooperation and understanding.
1975 - Sponsored Northwestern College Rotaract Club
1975 - 1983 - Sponsored Health Fair at Rosedale Shopping Center.
1976 - Hosted Rotary District 595 Convention at Northwestern University
1977 - 1985 - Sponsored Rotaract Club at Northwestern College.
1977 - 1978 - Roseville Rotarian Roland Wilsey served as District Governor
1978 - 1982 - Sponsored Safety Bike Program
1979 - Co-sponsored New Brighton-Mounds View Rotary Club with Fridley Club.
1979 - Sponsored White Bear Rotary Club.
1979 - Sponsored North St. Paul -Maplewood - Oakdale Rotary Club.
1983 - Beginning of participation in "On to Winnipeg" Rotary International Goodwill meeting.
1984 - Chartered Stillwater Sunrise Rotary Club.
1985 - Chartered Red Wing Rotary Club.
1985 - Chartered Arden Hills-Shoreview Rotary Club.
1985-1986 - Roseville Rotarian Harry Otto served as District Governor.
1987 - First Woman Member, Lorraine Baker, In May of 1987 Lorraine Baker became the first woman in the Rotary Club of Roseville and District 595. she had founded and was operating a company called Standby Secretaries, Inc., and contracted with the Roseville Rotary Club to provide professional secretarial services to the club in 1973. Lorraine retired in 1989 after selling her company to her daughter, Bryce Jingle Mahan, who also provided those same services to the Rotary Club of Roseville and the Rotary International District 5960.
1987 - 2017 Little Brothers of the Elderly Picnics at Lake Johanna. 2012 Photo Album - 2013 Photo Album
1990 - Humanitarian project coordinated by Roseville Rotarian Roland Wilsey . The MN Air National Guard transported six pallets of donated hospital medical equipment to Guatemala City. Roland worked with Rotarian Juan Forester from Guatemala City Sur Rotary Club to arrange this humanitarian airlift to La Aurora. Working on the project was Roseville Rotarian Ron Riach who was quoted saying" A signifiant number of people die in Guatemla because of the lack of basic medical equipment."
1990 - Roseville Rotary Cub first business card exchange day!
1991 - Roseville Rotarian Roland Wilsey elected to serve as Rotary International Director for Zone 9.
1991-1992 - The first annual Bike-a-Thon for D.A.R.E. brought out 1800 bikers on May 2 and netted $20,000 for the drug education program. Don Salverda initiated the Bike-a-Thon and served as the general chair. Many Rotarians were involved in this long-term commitment and it was co-sponsored with the New Brighton-Mounds View and Arden Hills-Shoreview Rotary Clubs. Photo Album
1991 - 2017 Supported and hosted winter weekend for Rotary Youth Exchange. Photo Album
1992- 1993- Roseville Rotarian Jerry Showalter served as District Governor
1992 - The first Rotary District 5960 Booth at the Minnesota State Fair was spearheaded by Rotarian Don Craighead. It was located adjacent to the Grandstand, it featured the PolioPlus, Preserve Planet Earth and Rotary Exchange programs to help make the public aware of Rotary and its role in the community and the world.
1994 - Joined "Adopt-a-Highway" program to clean up the roadway twice a year in spring and fall on Hwy 51- N (Snelling Avenue). Photo Album
1996-1997 - Roseville Rotarian Thomas Yuzer served as District Governor
1996 - Chartered Twin Cities Rotaract Club
1997 - First Women Club President. Bryce Jingle Mahan. Jingle wore many hats in her Rotary, business and personal life. She was the Executive Secretary of Rotary District 5960 and an active volunteer and Executive Secretary of Roseville along with Arden Hills-Shoreview and St. Paul - Midway Rotary Clubs. Here are a few one-liners from a few people on how it is to work with Persident, Jingle.
Jerry Meigs, PDG - Jingle has a wealth of Rotary knowledge, is a whirlwind and consummate who believes that you can pack 10 lbs in a 5 lb. bag. She is my lifesaver and a special friend, the Baker legacy goes on.
Jerry Showalter, PDG - Jingle has been making the rest of us look good in our Rotary assignments for years. Jingle will do a great job as President.
Roland D. Wilsey, PDG - Many are endowed with the spirit of Rotary, far fewer are living proof of the spirit. In Jingle we have the ultimate example of Service Above Self, not only as a Rotarian, but as an unselfish giver by thought, word and deed.
1998 - Roseville Rotary donated the funds for the development of the forested area, named Rotary Woods which is located in Central Park Arboretum. The project was started in 1998 by Rotarian Don Severson. Each week, the club recognizes meeting presenters by making a donation to Rotary Woods. Photo Album
2001 - Roseville Rotary started meeting at Radisson Hotel Roseville, MN.
2002 - Kids Voting US project in Roseville Area Schools. Club worked with Roseville Area Schools and the League of Women Voters to establish space in seven local schools for the opportunity for students to learn about the voting process and take part in a mock election day.
2005 - Purchased Roseville Rotary Bench on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds! Photo Album
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2008- Taste of Rosefest inaugural event. Inspired by our 2007-2008 Club President Jean Matlock. Jean and fellow Roseville rotarians undertook this huge project, which became a success in year one and is now Roseville Rotary Clubs premier fundraising event held at the Muriel Sahlin Arboretum & Rotary Woods in Roseville Central Park. The Taste was created as an upscale ticketed food and beverage sampling event featuring the finest local restaurants, entertainment and a silent auction. It attracts over 800 guests and 100% of the net proceeds go to support our 501 (c) 3 non-profit, Roseville Rotary Charities, that funds all of our charitable giving.
Photo Albums
2008 - Service project in Manzanillo, Mexico. Rotarian Jan Vanderwall helped arrange for the "gift" of 12 buses for the rural schools that members, partners and fellow Rotary clubs filled with donated used computers. The entire project secured a Rotary District and International matching grant. It was quite the effort by many club members! (pictured Rotarian Melanie Mogg) Photo Album
2010 - Donation of funds to create the Children's Room at Ramsey County Library in Roseville, MN.
2010 - 2015 Books For Africa, Rotarian Seth Eggessa with the help of Rotarian Loren Swanson and a grant from Roseville Rotary Club and the support of local Rotary clubs organized the shipment and delivery of containers filled with over 70,000 text books to the Tororo region of Uganda. Photo Album
2011 - Tamarack Park revitalization project. Roseville Rotary club fixed the flooded field with a French drain and supplied a pair of soccer goals. Photo Album
2013 - Donated funds to create a Rain Garden in Roseville's Central Park Arboretum and Rotary Woods. Recycling the rain and resolving erosion. In addition to the Rain Garden each week , the club recognizes meeting presenters by making a donation to Rotary Woods. This area will mature into a woodland garden comprised of multiple species of deciduous trees, native woodland shrubs and ground covers. Rain Garden Sign - Photo Album
2013 - Donated funds for the purchase and installation of playground equipment at Sienna Green Apartments in the city of Roseville. This playground has successfully provided recreational space for the children of more than 170 households that make Sienna Green their home. Impact Statement. Photo Album
2014 - Funded the creation of community garden at the YMCA in Shoreview. Rotarians volunteered weekly with youth to share their knowledge of gardening. Photo Album
2014-15 - Baru, Brazil project - partnered with Baru Rotary Club to support education and retraining of recovering drug addicts. The project would train individuals on working industrial laundry operation.
2015 - Donated funds to create the SPARK Lab in Central Park Elementary School. The science lab is providing students with new and exciting opportunities. In the lab, students students will have access to and be taught how to use high-tech equipment, including 3D printers and scanners, iPads and Chromebooks, robotics, and low-tech “makerspace”-type materials. These tools are used to “spark” student thinking, creativity, and learning using STEAM-based learning experiences. Photo Album
2016 - REEP (Rotary Educational Exchange Program) - Building Positive Peace with an international educator exchange with educators from Roseville Area Schools and Sri Lanka, India, schools. Photo Album
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2017 - Books for Africa -dedicated a library in Africa to Roseville Rotarian Seth Eggessa's memory. On May, 18th, Pat Plonski presented the award to Rotarian Loren Swanson that was shipped to Africa with a container of 22,000 books to be hung in a library in Seth's home village.
2017 - Sponsored Nakivale Rotaract Club - Rotarian Ted Johnson worked with members of the non-profit Alight to form Nakivale Rotaract Club, which became the first Rotaract Club to be established in a refugee settlement in June 2017. Currently there are 26 members representing 3 countries. The Nakivale Rotaract Club is a true example of the change that can be sparked from just one idea. And Nakivale Rotaractors are passing on that change to their community by being people of action. Facebook Link -
2018 - Roseville Rotary Club donated and participated in efforts to help end Sex Trafficking in Roseville, MN. Working with then Police Chief Rick Mathwigs’ sting operations and with Roseville Police Foundation in rescue and recovery efforts.
In 2018 the Foundation held a strategic planning session to determine how we could help RPD combat sex trafficking in our city – and just to note – sex and human trafficking is found in just about every city and county in the state of Minnesota.
We invited key community partners to help us in our efforts and Roseville Rotary was at the top of the list because in the same way that Rotary has fought to end polio, we are now mobilizing clubs and members to help end human trafficking. Our other partners are Visit Roseville, Grace Church and The Source. Together we developed a three-pronged approach to combatting sex trafficking in Roseville: education, enforcement, and rescue/recovery.
We also raise additional funds to support this initiative through our Annual Golf Tournament and the Freedom Flights event we held at BentBrewstillery – our Roseville Club and a few others attended our 1st one last year.
We also donated to Sex Trafficking Sting Operations in Jan/Feb 2019. Photo Album
2019 - Roseville Rotarian Aanne Atomssa travelled to Ethiopia where she distributed 400 washable menstrual hygiene kits to girls with the goal of keeping them in school. Many of those kits were made by Rotary volunteers.
2020 - Suburban Ramsey Emergency Coalition - Partnered with Lions, Rotary, Kiwanis, and Optimists clubs within the Roseville Area and Shoreview Community Foundations to provide funds, goods and volunteers to assist those in our communities with the greatest needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
