Find out more about the history of Vermillion's Ribs, Rods & Rock n Roll and what we can look forward to in 2026 by watching this presentation. Simply click on the image below to watch the presentation on the club's YouTube channel.
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Welcome to Vermillion Rotary Club's Website
Katelyn Oyen, Vermillion High School student, discusses her passion project - the Empower Hygiene Project. The project makes packages of essential hygiene products for people in and around Vermillion who are in need. Each packet contains a travel-sized bottle of shampoo/conditioner and body wash. There is also a comb, toothbrush and toothpaste. People in poverty have to "make impossible decisions....do I pay the rent or do I buy food or do I buy soap?" A lack of hygiene products in the home impacts an individual's health in many ways. So far they have created 800 kits, 700 of which have been distributed at the Vermillion Food Pantry/Feeding Vermillion. Click on the image below to watch her presentation or CLICK HERE to view on the Club's YouTube channel.
Three members of the Board for Vermillion NEXT joined the Vermillion Rotary club on July 29, 2026. Our thanks to Steering Committee Chair Cori Hup, Secretary Hailey Freidel, and Outreach Lead Jessica Winterringer. The program included a discussion of the purpose of the organization and many of the group's projects in the community. You can find out more by going to their website [https://livevermillion.com/vermillion-next/] Use this link to view the presentation [https://www.youtube.com/live/f8e7smSj9Go?si=N7gI4vVBGk2GXVMd] or click on the image below. 
Katie Heine, President of the Clay County Fair Board, provides an interesting look at the history of the Fair along with a detailed discussion of the returning elements of the Fair and some wonderful new elements that are being added this year. Review the full list of Fair activities for 2026 at the club website (https://claycountyfair.net/) or visit their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/sdclaycountyfair/). You can view the presentation on the Club's YouTube page by CLICKING HERE or on the image below.
Vermillion South Dakota (US) Rotary 2026-27 President, Deb Christensen, takes a few minutes at the July 8 meeting to review where the club is and her goals for the upcoming Rotary year. Find out more about the Vermillion club on their website - www.vermillionrotaryclub.org or click on the image below to watch the presentation on the club's YouTube channel.
Shannon Cole, Executive Director of the Vermillion Cultural Association (VCA) provides a thorough background on the many programs coordinated by the VCA and the partnerships they use to run the programs and achieve their mission - "VCA is committed to the inclusion of the arts in everyday public life. We serve and support community arts & culture through programs and partnerships to keep Vermillion vibrant." Find out more by visiting their website: https://www.vermculture.org/. You can watch her presentation on the Club's YouTube channel by clicking on the image below. 
Katie Hunhoff and John Andrews share their insights on South Dakota Magazine as the magazine celebrates its 40th anniversary. Click on the image below or this link to view the presentation on the Club's YouTube channel. https://youtube.com/live/9z5BWOAHHcY
Click on the image below to enjoy this preview of some of the music from the Vermillion Community Theater's summer production of The Little Mermaid. Performances will by at the Vermillion High School July 10-13. Find out more about the production on the VCT website: https://www.vermillioncommunitytheatre.org/season.html
Enjoy this discussion about the pros and cons of large data centers. Click on the link below to view the presentation on the club's YouTube channel.
Don Blankenau discusses the SAM Project's water projects in Zambia during the June 3, 2026 Vermillion Rotary Club Meeting. These projects are bringing water to very rural, arid areas of Zambia where there is little water available during eight months of the year. Many of these projects have been funded by Rotary International Grants. Learn more about just one of many wonderful projects being funded by Rotarians around the globe. Click on the image below to view the presentation on the Club's YouTube channel. Find out more about Project SAM's water projects on their website: https://www.thesamproject.ca/water
Dr. Thomas Marshall of the SD Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources' SD Geological Survey discussed the Ground Water Quality Monitoring Network at the May 13, 2026 meeting. This network consists of 148 active monitoring wells in 83 sites that track the quality of water in 25 aquifers. The network determines the present ground water quality, short term changes as well as long term trends. To view the presentation on the Club's YouTube channel, click on the image below.
Vermillion teachers Kami Dibley and Lenni Billberg joined the Vermillion Rotary Club to discuss the upcoming trips to Ratigen Germany, Vermillion's sister city, by Vermillion High School students in the GAPP (German American Partnership Program) program and other Vermillion residents. Both group will be part of the 750th birthday for the city of Ratingen. This video presents information on those who will be traveling and the activities they will enjoy. Click on the image below to watch the presentation on this page or visit this address to view tthe presentation on the Club's YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/live/tpDxHRJr8EQ
It is with great sadness that we note the passing of our friend, Jim Wilson. In Rotary and in all aspects of his life, Jim was a wonderful servant of his community. This photo of Jim by Tim Schreiner was used for a special recognition for life long historic preservation achievements, one of the many recognitions he received for serving others.
Vermillion High School Instructors Kami Dibley and Lenni Billberg accept the ceremonial "big check" from Vermillion Rotary to help with the funding for this Summer's German American Partnership Program (GAPP) trip to Germany. The funds will help with the escalating costs of travel for the 22 Vermillion School District students who will have this wonderful opportunity. Don't worry, they were also given a normal sized check.
World Immunization Week is a chance for Rotary and others interested in the prevention of disease through immunization to highlight the need for immunization. This video talks about Rotary's work with global partners to eradicate polio from the planet. Find out more about the "End Polio Now" campaign and World Immunization week at https://www.endpolio.org/. Click on the image below to watch a short video about Rotary's efforts to end Polio!
University of South Dakota officials joined the Vermillion Rotary Club on April 15 to answer questions regarding the move the USD Medical School to Sioux Falls. The panel included University of South Dakota's Academic Provost, Kurt Hackemer, College of Arts & Sciences Dean, John Dudley, and Dean of Division of Biomedical & Translational Sciences in the Medical School, Phil Mayhan. The discussion was moderated by Alissa Matt, Assistant Vice President for Marketing and University Relations at USD. Click on the image below to watch the presentation on the Club's YouTube channel. 
Kevin Elsing of Elbo Computing Resources offers this insightful look into the role of AI for small to medium businesses (SMBs) and nonprofit organizations. He discusses the role of AI as employee - agents of automation - that can execute the mundane activities that take up our work day. Many of these agents will use Small Language Models (SLM) rather than the Large Language Models (LLM) used for more general AI - ChatGPT, Gemini, etc. AI for smaller businesses can be an equalizer that will allow them to compete with larger organizations. AI can be embedded into the organization's CRM, accounting, inventory management and marketing. Click on the image below to watch the video of his presentation on the club's YouTube channel.
Members of the USD Tiospaye Student Council provide information on the Tiospaye student organization and the 52nd USD Wacipi. We thank them for the interesting information about the history of Wacipi, it's purpose, etiquette while attending, the different dance categories, and more. To view their presentation on the Club's YouTube channel, simply click on the image below You can also find out more about the 52nd Wacipi here: https://www.usd.edu/Student-Life/Special-Events-and-Traditions/Wacipi
Deb Wolf, Director of Strategic Partnerships, provides a detailed, informative presentation about America's underground research facility- the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in the site of the former Homestake mine. She presents fascinating discussion of the operations of facility, examples of research being conducted, the economic impact of the facility and so much more. The facility is so important because it's deep underground location blocks cosmic radiation allowing scientists to study rare subatomic events that would not be possible to study on the Earth's surface. Research on Dark Matter and Neutrinos is being conducted, along with projects in geology, biology and engineering. Click on the image below to view this wonderful presentation on the Vermillion Rotary's YouTube channel.
Artistic Director, Rebecca Bailey, and the president of the SD Shakespeare Festival's Board of Directors, Dennis Nelson, provide a preview of this year's performance, discuss the mission of the Festival, the timeline for the event, the number of actors auditioning, the history of the event, and more. Click on the image below to view her fascinating presentation on the Club's YouTube channel. To learn more about the event, you can turn to their website - https://www.sdshakespearefestival.org/
For the tenth year, the Vermillion Rotary Club celebrated Read Across America Day by providing all Kindergarten students in Vermillion with a free book. We hope that this will be just one small step to encourage the love of reading. Click on the image below to see a few photos from the 2026 book giveaway.
Dr. Jonathan Olson discusses Sleep Breathing Disorders (SBD) during the March 4, 2026 meeting of the Vermillion Rotary Club. Topics included sleep apnea, Obstructed Sleep apnea, Nocturnal Breathing Disorders, etc. The focus was on Obstructed Sleep Apnea (OSA), signs and symptoms of OSA, risk factors for OSA, comorbidities of sleep apnea, including diabetes, diagnosing OSA, wearables and other treatment options. To watch the presentation on the Club's YouTube channel, click on the image below.
Dr. Dena Jundt from Sanford Vermillion joined the Vermillion Rotary on February 25 for an informative talk explaining what Osteoporosis is and treatment options available. Click on the image below to watch her presentation on the Club's YouTube channel.
Our thanks to the staff of the Boys and Girls Club of the Northern Plains for their information about the Boys & Girls Club of Vermillion program and what we can do to support the Club. Click on the image below to watch their presentation. Watch the presentation on the Club's YouTube channel by clicking on the image below.
Klaus Beckmann, Interim Dean of the Beacom School of Business at the University of South Dakota provides this update on the Beacom School at the Feb. 4, 2026 meeting of the Vermillion Rotary Club. Topics include the School's recent reaccreditation, enrollment trends, signature programs serving the students and South Dakota businesses, as well as the development of a new professional sales center. Simply click on the image below to view Dean Beckmann's presentation on the Club's YouTube channel.
Abby Schauer, Park Ranger, offered an insightful look at the gem in our backyard, the Missouri National Recreational River (MNRR). We appreciate the insight into the MNRR and how it contributes to the US National Park Service. The review of National Park Service locations in Nebraska and South Dakota highlighted what is available in our region. To learn more about the MNRR, follow them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MissouriNationalRecreationalRiver) or visit their website (https://www.nps.gov/mnrr/index.htm). To watch her presentation on the Club's YouTube channel, click on the image below.
Vermillion Rotarians appreciate the presentation providing background information on the size of the Polaris organization, sales growths, global manufacturing locations, distribution centers and corporate brands. We also enjoyed the second half of the discussion with a look at the parts, garments and accessories division, which is the focus of the Vermillion Distribution Center. To view the presentation on the Vermillion Rotary YouTube channel, click on the image below. 
Robin Schiro provides an overview of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Pollution Prevention Act, how it has been implemented in other states, and calls for efforts to participate in the program from South Dakota organizations. To view her presentation on the Club's YouTube channel, simply click on the image below.
Our thanks to SD District 17 Legislators Sydney Davis and Chris Kassin for their preview of the 2026 South Dakota Legislative session. We are especially appreciative of their willingness to answer questions from their constituents in attendance at the January 7, 2026 meeting of the Vermillion, SD Rotary Club. To view the presentation on the Vermillion Rotary YouTube Channel, you can CLICK HERE or on the image below.
At the December 10 meeting, Vermillion Rotary President Mark Yokey presented a check to the Vermillion School District's Music Boosters to help support music in the District, including our amazing High School Choir.
Our thanks to USD President Sheila Gestring for her update on recent investments into the University. You can click on the link below to watch the presentation on the club's YouTube channel.
Tessa Wilber, Senior Manager of Student Experiences for Junior Achievement of South Dakota, provides an informative look at the activities of JASD. In addition to informing our members of the mission of the organization, the size of their activities, Ms. Wilber also outlines numerous ways that individuals can volunteer to support JASD's efforts to improve the lives of young people. If you are interested in finding out more, you can turn to the organization's website at https://southdakota.ja.org/ or call (605) 336-7318. You can view her presentation on the Club's YouTube channel by clicking on the image below.
The Rotary Club of Vermillion is proud to offer support for programs that help those in our community with food insecurity as well as enhance the education of our youth.
Our thanks to the members of the Clay County Historic Preservation Commission (https://cchpc.org/) for allowing the Vermillion Rotarians to help celebrate the 2025 preservation awards. You can watch the presentation and hear from the recipients by clicking on the image below to open the club's YouTube channel.
Thank you Dr. Ray Ring for your detailed, fact-based discussion of South Dakota property taxes (owner occupied) and how they compare in the region, as well as to the growth in home values. We also appreciate the discussion of how the property taxes are calculated. To watch the video on the Vermillion Rotary YouTube channel, please CLICK HERE or on the image below.
South Dakota Men's Basketball Coach, Eric Peterson, joined the Vermillion Rotary Club on October 22, 2025 to provide an insider's look at Division I basketball. In addition to some background on this year's players and his background that led him to USD, Peterson provides an interesting explanation of the challenges for coaches and players in the age of the Transfer Portal and NIL. He also discusses some recent rule changes and how those may impact the game. Click on the image below to view his presentation on the Club's YouTube channel.
Our thanks to Jim Peterson, CEO and President of the Vermillion Area Chamber & Development Company, for his presentation on current economic development activities in Vermillion. We appreciate the insight into areas of land that are currently owned by the VCDC to encourage development and the use of the TIF as a mechanism to promote development in the community. Learn more at the chamber website: https://livevermillion.com/. Click on the image below to view his presentation on the Club's YouTube channel.
Our thanks to Andrew Johnson, Member Programs Coordinator for the Missouri River Energy Services, for this information packed discussion of the value of public power and how MRES as a public power cooperative benefits the customers of their member utilities. Click on the image below to find out about the types of public power, where Vermillion gets its power, how MRES operates, and more.
The 2025 District Conference starts next Friday (Oct. 17) Are you registered? Find out more and register at: https://rotary5610.org/events/2025-district-conference/
Join more than a one million Rotarians worldwide as we work to finally eradicate polio from the planet!
Definitely one of our most anticipated programs of the year - an update from USD Volleyball Head Coach Leanne Williamson! Watch the video to learn more about this year's team, some of the individual players, their recent travels, their training, and so much more. Thank you, Coach Williamson! Click on the image below to watch her presentation.
Last fall, our club lost Joe Edelen, a member who had provided excellent service to our club and the community for decades. Last week we unveiled the recently-installed bench at Rotary Park that honors Joe. This park meant a lot to Joe and Mary Edelen and it's only fitting that the recognition of his contributions be made there. 
At the Sept. 24 Vermillion Rotary meeting, Dr. Damon Alvey, Supt. of the Vermillion School District, offered insight into the state of Vermillion's Schools. In addition to providing a summary of the four years of the "Envision Ed" program that is transforming education in the community, Dr. Alvey offered current statistics on enrollment trends, attendance rates, academic and extracurricular activities, staff sizes, and more. Click on the image below to watch his presentation on the Club's YouTube channel.
Lt. Drew Gortmaker of the Vermillion Police Department visited the Vermillion Rotary Club to help us recognize and avoid fraudulent activity and scams. Here are a few of the statistics on the importance of this problem that were discussed in the presentation: 1. Online scamming had reported losses of $12.5 billion in the U.S. in 2024. 2. 73% of Americans across all age groups have experienced some kind of online scam or attack. 3. Americans most commonly report that online hackers made fraudulent claims to their credit or debit cards (48%). Click on the image below to view the video of Lt. Gormaker's presentation on the Club's YouTube channel.
Kerry Feilmeier provides a wonderful overview of the operations at the Heartland Humane Society, including some interesting discussion of statistics from the first half of 2025. The later discussion includes the large number of programs offered by Heartland Humane Society, how HHS impacts Vermillion, their goals for growth and veterinary care needs. To watch the presentation on the Vermillion Rotary YouTube channel, simply click on the image below.
Our thanks to Vermillion Mayor, John Cole and City Council members Lindsey Jennewein and Al Leber for joining the Vermillion Rotary Club to discuss recent Council actions and goals for the future. To view their discussion on the Club's YouTube channel, simply click on the image below.
Rotary District 5610 Governor, Bruce Nearhood, was the guest of the Vermillion Rotary Club on Wednesday, July 16. Gov. Nearhood discussed the seven areas of focus for Rotary, how they were being applied in our organization and offered two challenges for our club. To view the presentation on the Club's YouTube channel, click on the image below.
Dr. Tim Schorn of the USD Political Science Department shares his insights into many of the most pressing issues in the Middle East at the current time. He discusses not only what has happened recently but some of the historical foundations of the issue and how the use might influence or be influenced by the topic. To view the video on the Club's YouTube channel, simply click on the image below.
Jerry Schmitz, Executive Director of the South Dakota Soybean Association and Soybean Checkoff, joined our club on June 25 to tell us about one of the major crops in SD, soybeans, and how his association is working with the national association to increase the uses for soybean products, improve the soybeans produced, and expand the markets for SD soybean producers. Click on the image below to watch the video of his presentation on the club's YouTube channel.
Doctor Jessica Jordan from Sanford Vermillion joined the Vermillion Rotary Club on June 18, 2025. Her presentation includes detailed information on measles, why it is so dangerous, rates of measles in the US at different points of time, and the effectiveness of vaccination. Some of the other topics discussed include who is most at risk, statistics of the current outbreak, and truths about the MMR vaccine. Thank you, Dr. Jordan for joining our club, providing this wonderful information and for answering the many questions from the audience. To view her presentation on the Club's YouTube channel, please click on the image below.
Click on the image below to go to the photo album for the 2025 Vermillion Rotary Duck Race. The photos can be viewed individually or in a slideshow.
Kasi Haberman, Executive Director of Southeast South Dakota Tourism, provides a fascinating analysis of the activities of this incredibly impactful organization. We appreciate the discussion of the impact of tourism in the 14 county region (and border states), member benefits, advocating for tourism, target audiences, channels of communication, some recent and upcoming promotional efforts, and all of the other information packed into this wonderful presentation. To view the presentation on the Vermillion Rotary YouTube channel you can CLICK HERE or on the image below.
Rebecca Bailey, Executive Artistic Director for the South Dakota Shakespeare Festival, joined the Vermillion Rotary Club on May 28, 2025, to discuss the organizations mission and to introduce the 2025 festival schedule. We look forward to seeing the performance! To view the presentation on the Club's YouTube channel and discover this year's play, simply click on the image below.
Our thanks to United States Representative Rep. Dusty Johnson (SD) for joining the Vermillion Rotary Club on May 28, 2025 to answer questions from Rotarians and their guests. If you would like to hear Rep. Johnson's responses, simply click on the image below or CLICK HERE to be redirected to the video on the Vermillion Rotary YouTube channel.
The Vermillion Rotary Club was very fortunate to hear a fascinating presentation about the long-term Prairie Restoration Project that has just started at Clay County Park. If you would like to view this interesting effort to establish a 31-acre tall grass prairie, simply click on the image below.
Sophia Jerke, Abby Moore, & Avery Christensen joined the Vermillion Rotary Club at our April 23, 2025 meeting to provide the club members an insider look at the realities of sorority life in 2025. We appreciate their discussion of the service activities, philanthropy and recruitment practices in the SD Alpha Chapter of Pi Beta Phi Sorority at the University of South Dakota. To view their presentation please click on the image below to be directed to the Club's YouTube page.
Dan Engebretson, USD Vice President for Research, joined the Vermillion Rotary Club on April 16, 2025 to discuss the research activities and challenges. Thank you for your insight into the research activities at the University, one of the important missions of USD. We appreciate your insight into how the activities occurring in Washington D. C. may or may not have an impact on USD. CLICK HERE or on the image below to watch the presentation on the Vermillion Rotary YouTube Channel.
Deb Christensen and Samantha O'Kelley from Greening Vermillion joined the Vermillion Rotary Club on April 9, 2025 to introduce the events that will be part of the 2025 Earth Week celebration. For more information about all of the events, you can go to their website, www.greeningvermillion.org. To view their presentation on the Club's YouTube channel, please click on the image below.
Dr. Damon Alvey, Vermillion School District Superintendent, provides a wonderful update on the school district and what has happened so far during the 2024-25 school year. Much of the discussion focused on the new elementary school, but there was great information on the wide variety of topics that demonstrate the wide range of issues and activities in the District. You can watch the video on the Rotary Club's YouTube Channel by clicking on the image below.
Our thanks to Noah Shephard, President and CEO of the University of South Dakota Foundation & Alumni Association, for his wonderful presentation to the Vermillion Rotary Club. He presents a thorough review of his first 10 months in the job, describing the new culture of the organization, the new people in the association, the dramatic increase in donations this year, their holistic fundraising system and some of the challenges facing the organization. We were particularly pleased with the honest and thorough answers to our questions at the end. To view his presentation on the club's YouTube channel click on the image below.
Thank you, Art Rusch, for your review of the 20 executions that have taken place in the Dakota Territory and the State of South Dakota. The backgrounds on the cases and the changing attitudes toward the death penalty made for a very interesting presentation. Click on the image below to watch the presentation on the Rotary Club's YouTube channel.
Please encourage Vermillion High School seniors to apply for one of three, $1,000 college scholarships for 2025-26. The applications can be found in the "downloaded files" section on this website. The file can also be downloaded by clicking on the image below.
April Lee, Assistant Director of the USD Office of Service Learning & Community Engagement along with two student leaders (Jordan K., AWOL Vice President; River H., AWOL Director of Engagement & Retention) provide a wonderful summary of the Office of Service Learning’s (OSL) purpose and signature activities. The OSL’s mission is to provide ‘…a pathway to active citizenship by fostering a relationship between the USD campus and the Vermillion community partners, providing USD students with worthwhile, fully immersed volunteer experiences within the local communities. The goal is to create community collaborators who will continue to serve their communities where ever they go.”
Julia Stanek, Miss Hot Springs and current USD student, provides an overview of The Miss South Dakota Organization at the Dec 04, 2024 meeting of the Vermillion Rotary Club. Click on the image below to watch the presentation on the Club's YouTube channel.
The members of the Vermillion Rotary Club are saddened to note the passing of our beloved member, Joe Edelen. Joe took great pride in being a Rotarian and relished his many roles in the club. We benefited from his official roles in leadership, as well as his more unofficial role as a song leader. In this photo Joe helped to welcome new club members during an orientation ceremony. Joe truly epitomized the Rotary motto of, “Service Above Self.”
We were all fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend time with Joe, and we wish to thank Mary and all of his family for sharing Joe with us.
Joe’s obituary can be found here (https://www.hansenfuneralhome.com/obituaries/joseph-edelen). As noted in the obituary, there will be a visitation on Monday, December 9 at the United Church of Christ in Vermillion from 5:00-7:00 p.m. with refreshments to follow. There will be time for memories of Joe at this service. The Memorial Mass will be held at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Vermillion on Tuesday, December 10 beginning at 10:00 a.m. with a Rosary followed by greeting of the family and remarks by friends and family. The Mass will begin at 11 a.m. with lunch to follow at the Main Street Inn in Vermillion.
For nearly 100 years, Troop 66 has been serving Vermillion while developing the leadership skills of our young people. Wayne Berninger, Troop 66 Scoutmaster, provides a description of the basic tenants of Scouting, Scouting history, recent rebranding/redesign of the organization, and some history of Troop 66. Click on the image below if you would like to view his presentation on the Club's YouTube channel.
Our thanks to Susanne Skyrm for her presentation on light pollution, how light pollution impacts the lives of humans and animals, and the measures that can be taken to reduce the amount of light pollution so that we may enjoy the beautiful night sky. To view her presentation on the Vermillion Rotary Club's YouTube channel you can CLICK HERE or on the image below.
Our thanks to Evelyn Schlenker and the members of the Clay County Historic Preservation Commission for making the presentation to the recipients of the 2024 Preservation Awards at the October 2024 Vermillion Rotary Club Meeting. Please enjoy this video of the award presentations to learn more about these preservation projects and the accomplishments of Jim Wilson. Our congratulations to the recipients: Jim Wilson - Special Recognition Award for Life Long Historic Preservation Accomplishments Dawne Olson - Restoration of the Saginaw School Mary Quirk - Preservation of the Solomon Anderson Barn (30535 470th Ave, Garfield Township) Becky Aga & JoAnn Stockland, Church Representatives - Preservation of the Bergen Lutheran Church (Meckling, SD) Find out more about the Commission's activities here https://cchpc.org Click on the image below to view the award presentation on the Vermillion Rotary YouTube channel.
Congratulations to Vermillion Rotarians Susan and Doug Tuve for their selection as the parade marshals for the 2024 Dakota Days parade. In the social media announcement of their selection, USD said,
"You’ve seen Susan and Douglas Tuve at football games, and you've seen them at the opera. You've seen them around Vermillion supporting too many good causes to count. And now this year, you can see them leading the D-Days Parade! Longtime USD champions Susan and Douglas Tuve have been selected to serve as the 2024 Dakota Days parade marshals. Learn more about these inspiring members of our Coyote community https://yote.us/4ezBgs9"
Our thanks to University of South Dakota Volleyball head coach Leanne Williamson for her insightful look behind the scenes of our 'Yote volleyball program. We appreciate the insight into how the scheduling is done for the season, they dynamics of adding so many younger players this year, and a couple of new changes we will see this season. Click on the image below to view the presentation on the Vermillion Rotary YouTube channel.
Our thanks to Tim Schreiner for his presentation providing an historical walking tour of the University of South Dakota. For those of us employed by USD, it was fascinating to learn so much about the buildings that are part of the campus and those buildings that are no longer on the campus. Click on the image below to view the presentation on our Club's YouTube channel. If you wish to learn more about these new publications, and find the online tour materials, you can go to the Clay County Historic Preservation Commission at https://cchpc.org/resources/
The two publications are:
• "USD Campus and Historic Buildings Walking Tour" by Tim Schreiner
• "A Campus Walk with Rabbit" Written by Evelyn Schlenker, Illustrations by Rebecca Gehm
The two publications are:
• "USD Campus and Historic Buildings Walking Tour" by Tim Schreiner
• "A Campus Walk with Rabbit" Written by Evelyn Schlenker, Illustrations by Rebecca Gehm
At the conclusion of her State of the University address today, President Sheila Gestring acknowledged five individuals for their commitment and service to the University of South Dakota by presenting them the Legacy Award. Our congratulations to all of the award recipients, but a special congratulations to Vermillion Rotarian's Patrick Morrison and Dan Van Peursem.
Our thanks to Betty Smith and Lana Svien for their September 11 presentation where they explain the concept of "cohousing." This innovative housing approach helps to reduce the loneliness felt by many seniors by creating a sense of community and developing connections. Cohousing also offers a housing option that has less impact on the environment. Please watch this presentation to learn why it is important to consider cohousing, what cohousing design entails, and the benefits of cohousing. To view their presentation on the Vermillion Rotary YouTube channel, simply click no the image below.
Jim Peterson, President & CEO of the Vermillion Area Chamber & Development Company, provides a quick summary of recent VCDC accomplishments and outlines the the new "Grow Vermillion" campaign. The goals of the campaign include measurable activities in the areas of expanding housing, expanding the workforce and enhance the quality of life in Vermillion. Please visit https://livevermillion.com/ for more information on the VCDC. Click on the image below to view the presentation on the Vermillion Rotary YouTube channel.
Our thanks to Bruce Nearhood, 2024-25 Governor for Rotary District 5610, for his presentation to the Vermillion Rotary Club. We appreciate your advice on directions the clubs in our District might take to prepare for the future. Your discussion of the four priorities for clubs will help to guide their transformation. Click on the image below to watch the presentation on the Vermillion Rotary Club's YouTube channel.
Sean Hegyi, a planner with the South Eastern Council of Governments (SECOG), joined the Vermillion Rotary Club on August 21, 2024 to discuss a draft of a Joint Jurisdiction Zoning Area comprehensive plan update (JJZA plan). The plan developed by representatives of Clay County (SD) and Vermillion once approved will serve as a document to guide development in the growth area around Vermillion for the next couple of decades. Click on the image below to see the video of the presentation on the Vermillion Rotary YouTube channel.
Thank you, Missy O'Connor, for your informative presentation on our county fair. The statistics on the Fair shows its popularity as well as the recent growth of the Fair. To see her presentation on the Vermillion Rotary YouTube channel click HERE or on the image below.
Katie Heine, Member Manager at the Vermillion Area Chamber and Development Company, joined the Vermillion Rotary on August 7, 2024. We appreciate the quick update on VCDC activities, membership and growth before moving on to the primary topic of the day - Clay County 4H. We appreciate your explanation of the the 4H pledge, the purpose of 4H and the current statistics about the Clay County 4H. The discussion of your memories was a wonderful way to outline all of the activities associated with 4H. If you would like to watch your wonderful, informative presentation on the club's YouTube channel, simply click on the image below.
Thank you for your wonderful presentation about the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the July, 31, 2024 meeting of the Vermillion Rotary Club. We appreciate your examples of the wonderful OLLI programs that are being offered in the upcoming semester. If you would like to find out more visit www.usd.edu/OLLI. To view the presentation on the Club's YouTube channel, simply click on the image below.
Our thanks to Jay Parry, Vice President for USD–Sioux Falls, for his wonderful presentation about the performance of the USD-Sioux Falls campus, as well as the discussion of the relationship to the USD Vermillion campus. We also appreciate the information on population and enrollment trends for SD and bordering states from which we draw the most students. This presentation provides great information on the growth of programs on the Sioux Falls Campus and the student populations being served by that campus. Click on the image below to watch this wonderful presentation, or you can click HERE to watch it on the Club's YouTube channel.
It was wonderful to hear from RYE student Beta Camergo as she completed her year in the US. In one week she returns to Brazil with wonderful memories and plans to host her American friends from Vermillion. Click on this link to see a couple of photos from her introductory presentation to the Vermillion Rotary Club on Nov. 1, 2023 and more photos from her July 24, 2024 good-bye talk. Thank you for joining us Beta! Click on the image below to view a slideshow of some photos of her presentations or choose it from the "Photo Albums" link at the top.
The program for the Club's July 17 meeting was presented by Doug Kronaizl. His presentation on direct democracy practices in SD over the last 126 years discussed the periods of time where direct measures increased an decreased. He also outlined bills/proposed legislation that would have impacted the way that are conducted. Some of the proposed legislation would have made the process easier, while other bills would make the process more difficult. You can view this informative presentation on the Club's YouTube channel by CLICKING HERE or on the image below.
Melissa Berninger, 2024-25 President of the Vermillion Rotary Club gave the weekly program on July 10. She reviewed Rotary's Areas of Focus, discussed some current projects of the club, and encouraged everyone to suggest new ways that our club could serve the community and world. She also outlined her primary goal for the year, increasing membership by 10%. We look forward to your leadership! To view her presentation on the Club's YouTube channel, simply click on the image below.
Welcome to a new Rotary year - 2024-25 and President Stephanie Urchick's theme, "The Magic of Rotary"!
Prior to the duck race, current club president Kevin O'Kelley turns over the club leadership to Melissa Berninger, who will serve as president for 2024-25. The ceremonial passing of the gavel and Rotary bell signals the passing of leadership from Kevin to Melissa. After taking over the club leadership, Melissa Berninger presents Kevin O'Kelley with a plaque recognizing his wonderful leadership as well as his Paul Harris Fellow certificate.
Tonight (June 28) the Vermillion Rotary Club held the 2024 Vermillion Rotary Great Duck Race. The race featured 900 ducks each sponsored for $5, that go down the slide and through the lazy river at the Prentis Park Aquatics Center. The $4,500 raised will be used for a variety of community projects in the upcoming year. Our thanks to all the duck sponsors, the staff of the Prentis Aquatics Center, and the City of Vermillion Parks and Recreation Department for their support. Check out photos from the event in Photo Album page or CLICKING HERE or on the image below.
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The entertainer and philanthropist Dolly Parton died 25 August 2026. This Q&A was originally published in the March 2010 issue of The Rotarian (now Rotary) magazine. Later that year, she spoke at the Rotary International Convention in Montreal, Canada.
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Rotary Serving Humanity
Vermillion, SD 57069
United States of America