Around the District...

Rotary Lobsterfest 2025 
– A Night to Remember

The Rotary Club of Sioux Lookout celebrated its 21st annual Lobsterfest this year, welcoming 170 community members for an evening filled with food, fellowship, and fun.

Beyond the meal itself, the event reflects the spirit of Rotary — strengthening community bonds and building connections that last.

Rotary Club of Sioux Lookout on Facebook

DISTRICT 5550 CALL FOR DISTRICT GOVERNOR 2028-2029
Please consider nominating a candidate from your Club to be District Governor in Rotary Year 2028/2029.
 
Qualifications for District Governor are outlined in the District Manual of Policy and Procedure (MOPP) which is available in District Documents on our District website.
 
Deadline for receipt of nominations is December 15, 2025

💼Rotary LinkedIn Contest: “How Do You Give Back – This or That?”

Rotarians make an impact in so many ways — some love to roll up their sleeves and get hands-on in service projects, while others shine in organizing events and driving big-picture impact.

👉 Which one sounds more like you?

A. Hands-on service
B. Event planning & big-picture impact

💬 How to enter:
Find us on Linked In and enter!

Let’s celebrate all the ways we serve and lead — because together, we make a difference. 🌍💙

The Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) are a leadership development summer camp run by Rotary International District 5550. Designed for young people ages 12 to 17, it focuses on leadership skills, personal growth, and community service through workshops, team-building activities, motivational talks, and opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals. 
 
Clubs around District 5550 sponsor and support youth to attend camp. Strong leaders are made – not born. Leadership skills and principles are learned – not inherited.  
 
Topics explored at RYLA include:
• Self-Esteem • Feelings and managing emotions • Healthy relationships • Communication skills • Problem Solving • Risk Taking • Leadership skills • Self-awareness • Youth Entrepreneurs • Business planning • Career planning • Environmental interests • Self-Defense • Event planning • Fundraising • Stewardship and service • Raising awareness   
Learn more at D5550 RYLA
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2024 Youth Exchange Program does CHURCHILL
"I would like to say that it was the craziest trip ever! In a positive way, Never in my life  would  I have thought of living somewhere  like Churchill, that is way more than just Polar Bears: We had the opportunity to see other animals like dogs and foxes, but what surprised me the most was the History behind Churchill that I didn’t know! 
"Thank you Rotary for this experience!! Sharing it with the other students was the best part!"
- Maddelina
 
I grew up as an only child: closed and anti-social. My life is also fairly sheltered, so when I received an invitation to the Rotary Adventures in Human Rights—a week-long summer program in Winnipeg—I didn’t know what to expect from it. I have always found world history and social issues fascinating, but such things had previously been nothing more than personal interests.
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A cool new project is coming to Dauphin! Our Rotary Club of Dauphin is stepping up with $50,000 in support of the "Buckets & Borders" organization, working with local students and artists to help create the design for this unique facility. READ MORE on PDG Fred Wright's LINKED IN post!

🌟 What an inspiring weekend at the Rotary District 5550 Annual Leadership Sessions (DLS)! Our incoming 2025-26 club leaders came together virtually and in person for an incredible time of learning, sharing, and connecting. From gaining fresh perspectives on Rotary's impact to building friendships that will last a lifetime, it was a weekend to remember.

🙌 A big thank you to all the speakers, facilitators, and volunteers who made this event a success. The energy, ideas, and passion in the room were truly contagious. As we head into the upcoming Rotary year, we are more motivated than ever to create positive change in our communities and beyond.

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The Rotary Club of Kenora has a long history of supporting the Lake of the Woods District Hospital. Since the early 1990s they’ve supported projects such as Patient Bedside Tables, a Mammography Unit, and the original CT scanner, to name just a few.
Recently they made another significant contribution – a remarkable $75,000 donation to the Beyond The Scan Campaign, bringing their cumulative giving to over $215,000!“ 
Read the full story on LinkedIn
 
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DAUPHIN ROTARY AT 100
Celebrating 100 years of service, 1924-2024. 
Members of the Dauphin Rotary Club have served our community for 100 years and are still going strong! Members not only raise funds--they are direct leaders on many of our civic projects. The 2024 Manitoba Summer Games (August 11-17) is just the latest event where Dauphin Rotary members are contributing dollars and leadership for our city.
 

District 5550, District Governor 2025-2026 Wayne Jacobsen

Lead With Confidence
District Governor Elect Wayne Jacobsen
 

A big congratulations goes out to all clubs in our District. The 2024/25 Rotary year began with a very large challenge issued by Rotary International….. and we all pitched it to meet that challenge. The challenge continues this year as we all strive to meet the goal of 1200+ Rotarians within the District by July 1, 2026. The work we do in all of our communities and around the world depends on having strong clubs……so I encourage
you to “Unite For Good” so that we may create the “Magic of Rotary”.

Read Wayne's Full Message Here
Shelter Box & Rotary, Partners since 2012
Disaster, conflict, and climate catastrophe forcibly make people homeless – creating humanitarian crises that threaten lives and livelihoods. Right now, this is the daily reality for over 100 million people around the world.
 
Since 2012, ShelterBox and Rotary have been official Project Partners in disaster relief.
 
Each year, Rotary helps ShelterBox to go further, support more people and access areas that would otherwise be impossible to reach. Our aim is to create positive, lasting change in communities all over the world.
Learn More
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    Rotary Around the World...
    The secrets of their success

    Rotary Action Groups have a lot to teach about volunteer organizing

    Rotary donors surpass ambitious fundraising goals

    Contributions will support projects around the globe, including a robust recommitment to the fight to end polio

    Rotary’s History in Korea

    Rotary’s History in KoreaThe first Rotary club in Korea was chartered in Seoul on 10 November 1927. Since then, Rotary members in Korea have maintained their commitment to fellowship, service, and leadership through difficult times —

    Tastes of Taipei await convention attendees

    From night markets to tea plantations, American chef Rick Bayless leaves no avenue unexplored as he tastes his way through Taipei. Find out what flavors he’ll never forget. Then, get ready to pick up the culinary journey yourself during the 2026 Rotary International Convention.

    Rotary D5550 on Social Media
     
                       
    October 4 was the official opening of the Rotary Club of Kenora Peace Park. In addition to a Peace Pole with "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in seven languages based on the demographics of Kenora, there is a monument to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Trans, 2 Spirited + (or MMIWGT2S+). The spectacular monument is an exact mirror image of the only other monument in Ontario, situated in Manitoulin. Theirs faces northwest and ours southwest, so they face one another.
     
    In August, District Governor Sonja Susut had the opportunity to visit the RYLA Junior and Senior camps at Clear Lake. What an exceptional experience these weeks are for the students! With Director, Jorrel Camuyong and Facilitator, Scott Hanson, and their crew of counselors, the campers discovered “magic” as they bonded through teamwork in building leadership skills.
    Quptes heard: “This is the best camp I have ever attended”
    and “RYLA never leaves you. It’s in your soul”
    and “This is the first time I have ever been accepted for who I am.”
     
    The students spoke about the kindness and compassion of their fellow campers and how they never wanted to go home.
     
    RYLA is a wonderful example of the diversity, equity, and inclusion that we promote in Rotary. Thank you to all the Rotary clubs who sponsored students for RYLA. You have changed their lives.
    Rotary Club of Regina Eastview had a memorable Rotary event on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, the Dedication of the replacement Peace Pole in Rotary Park, Regina, followed by an All-Clubs BBQ. The weather was kind, as it was hot and sunny with very little wind, although the smoke became thicker as evening drew in!
     
    Dr. George Carson, President of the Rotary Club of Regina, with His Honour the Honourable Russ Mirasty, Lieutenant-Governor of Saskatchewan, at the dedication of the new Peace Pole.
    Celebration of Impact:  Toast to 80 years. 
    Fellow Rotarians and Friends of Rotary.  It is indeed a pleasure to share this evening’s celebrations with you all. 
    Thank you for indulging me with a few last comments as we celebrate the closing of a door and the impact that 80 years can make. 
     The Rotary Club of Minnedosa was formed in November of 1943. 
    1943 was an eventful year.  There were some cool people that were born in 1943, besides perhaps any in this room!
    1. Nancy Green Raine- alpine skier, Olympic and World Champion
    2. Randy Bachman- no need to say more!
    3. Joni Mitchell- another great!
    4. Lyle Vanclief- Politician and Minister of Agriculture
    5. Stuart Garson becomes Premier replacing John Bracken
    There were several events but one that jumped out at me was that the Canadian 1st infantry division invaded Sicily.
    Click Me For More
    Rotary Club of Dryden has raised $2.5 million 
    Rotary Club of Dryden’s year end meeting celebrating the milestone of raising $2.5 million which has been invested back into the community through their radio bingo. They raise close to $200,000 annually.

     
    Add text herThe Rotary Club of Selkirk celebrated our first in-person Lobsterfest Fundraising Dinner since 2019 and what a huge success it was!!! 436 dinners were served in just 57 minutes. Singing, dancing and a lot of great fellowship was back at the Selkirk Recreation Complex. We announced a donation of $100,000.00 to the Gaynor Family Regional Library over the next two years. Saturday night, a cheque for $50,000.00 was presented to Library Manager Ken Kuryliw. Literacy and Youth are extremely important to the Rotary Club and this donation towards the new 6000 sq. ft Rotary Children’s Hideaway will allow our Library to remain one of the best libraries in Manitoba serving the Tri-S community! A huge thank you to all who attended and volunteered at this year’s event!e
                ON