Our speaker this morning was Fred Milliken from Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing - Rapid City, SD, an organization that pairs volunteer fly fishers with military veterans.

The organization began in 2005 and provides support for veterans, offering programs that teach veterans to fly fish, tie flies and build fly rods.
 

Rushmore Rotary held its annual President Transition Dinner on June 30. We said goodbye to outgoing President Roger Heacock and welcomed incoming President Rene Sorenson. Outgoing District President Bruce Nearhood also welcomed new District President Mike Gibson to his new role. 

In true Roger style, he handed off the “gavel” by running it to her, Olympic-style, passing it through the hands of all past presidents. 

It was a great event emceed by Jeff Meyer and planned by our fabulous Social Committee. 

Thank you to everyone who joined us. 

Thank you to Jennifer Utter and Lorrie Roberts Knight, who spoke to our club about their work with the Rapid City Sister City Partnership Association. The association was started in 1994 and has facilitated many exchanges between Rapid City sister cities Apolda, Germany, and Nikko, Japan. Five Rapid City area youth will be participating in an exchange with Nikko this summer through the program.

Jennifer, who is president of the association, says the goal is a continued connection between Rapid City and its sister cities, and to "remind us that we are at peace."

At the meeting, club members Amber Berry and Jill Kjerstad also received their blue badges after completing their introduction tasks. We are glad to have Amber and Jill as members of our club.
 

Thank you Rushmore Rotarians for helping distribute food today for Feeding South Dakota.

This morning’s speaker was our own Jennifer Rollins, DGN. She shared with us pictures and stories of her trip to Agra India to administer Polio vaccines. The trip was put together by Rotary networking. They used Polio Immunization in Agra Travel Co. the accommodations and security were excellent and they were escorted by Rotarians. The time Jennifer spent in Agra administering vaccines really impacted her and showed her the why of the trip. Fellow participant Dawn Depriest joined us from Spokane, WA by Zoom and shared the trust and meaningful relationships they had with the families. They also toured a Rotary school in Agra, Vishal Bhakti Public School where they passed along donated t-shirts they brought and spent time with the students. They also toured many cultural sights and enjoyed time with the local people. Jennifer did note that although India is polio free, they so find some wild polio in water supplies so continue to vaccinate to stay polio free.