Be the Change

Our City of Lakes Rotary Awards Day was a wonderful celebration of the people whose leadership, service and generosity make a difference in our club and community!

Congratulations to our award recipients:

🏅 Terry Esau – John Fischer Rotary Hope Award
Founder of Free Bikes 4 Kidz, Terry has brought the joy and opportunity of bicycling to countless children. Special thanks to Mamady Konneh for nominating Terry for this honor!

🏅 Frances Tyler  – Richard Parrish Emerging Leadership Award
Recognized for her contributions, commitment to service and emerging leadership in our club.

🏅 Scott Benson – Merle Else Heart of Rotary Award
Honored for his exceptional leadership and years of dedicated service, exemplifying Service Above Self.

🎶 An extra-special surprise!
Fellow members of the Pirates of Penzance cast surprised Scott with a serenade, making his recognition especially memorable. This enthusiastic crowd of supporters turned out to congratulate Scott on this well-deserved honor!

We also celebrated our Dick DeVore Fellows, Paul Harris Fellows, Major Donors and PolioPlus Society supporters, whose generosity helps fund Rotary's impact locally and around the world.

Special thanks to Foundation Co-Chairs Brock Ray and Bob Baker for leading our foundation recognitions, and to everyone who helped make Awards Day such a memorable celebration!

Rotary members and community volunteers are invited to help set up the Boot Zone at the Minneapolis Convention Center—organizing thousands of pairs of boots and shoes for guests attending 3,000 Acts of Kindness.

Presented by Coated in Love, founded by our member Danielle Igbanugo, this annual event welcomes more than 3,000 guests, providing warm winter clothing, boots, meals, haircuts, and connections to more than 80 social-service agencies.

Last year, our club helped prepare the event and secured $18,750 in funding through club contributions and a Rotary District 5950 grant, providing more than 700 new winter coats.

Volunteer Details

📅 Sunday, December 13, 2026
🕛 Noon–5 p.m. (Stay as long as you can!)
📍 Minneapolis Convention Center
1301 S. Second Ave., Minneapolis

👉 REGISTER HERE by December 11

Together, we're helping bring warmth, dignity, and kindness to thousands of our neighbors. 💙💛

Members, families, and guests gathered in South Minneapolis' Longfellow-Seward neighborhood to rake yards, helping neighbors live independently in their own homes.

After a productive morning, volunteers headed to Minneapolis' iconic Matt's Bar & Grill to enjoy its famous Jucy Lucys, celebrate a job well done, and spend time together.

A special thank-you to project champion Gary Mosiman, whose leadership and dedication have kept this favorite fall tradition going strong year after year!

Another great day of service, friendship, and fun—Rotary at its best!

On World Polio Day, Rotary members around the globe participated in the World’s Largest Polio Walk, united in Rotary’s promise to eradicate polio. Locally, Rotary District 5950 gathered at the Mall of America, where District Polio Chair Tim Malcrone reminded participants why every step matters. Maria, Bob, and Margo represented Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary.

The annual Minnesota vs. Iowa football challenge on the same day is also raising money for the same important cause. COL members can pledge—or pay up based on their a friendly wager on their favorite team—and every dollar raised is matched 2-to-1 by the Gates Foundation, tripling its impact.

Rotary’s efforts have helped reduce polio cases by more than 99.9%. Wild polio remains present in only Pakistan and Afghanistan, but children worldwide must continue to be vaccinated to prevent its return. Rotary will keep walking, pledging and working until polio becomes only the second human disease ever eradicated, after smallpox.

City of Lakes Rotary is powered by people — leaders, innovators, volunteers, mentors, and community builders who bring their talents and heart to everything they do.

Humans of City of Lakes Rotary offers a glimpse into that community through a collection of member portraits and short profiles created to honor and document the people who make our club special. The portraits, photographed by professional photographer and Rotarian Sawyer Brice, capture members in a creative and authentic way.

The images shown here represent a sampling of a larger project designed to showcase the breadth and depth of talent within our club.

Each profile highlights what members do professionally, who they serve, and how fellow Rotarians and community members might collaborate or refer business. The project helps members connect more deeply while celebrating the people whose leadership, service, and generosity shape City of Lakes Rotary.

Together, these portraits and stories offer a window into a vibrant community.

Whether you’re a long-time member or exploring Rotary for the first time, we invite you to get to know the people behind the impact.