Save the date for the Eagan 5k & Kids Run!
Saturday, June 27 at Eagan Central Park!
Eagan Kick-Start Rotary inducted 14 new members in 2025!Aaron Topp grew up in Randolph and Northfield, Minnesota, attended college at UMD and NDSU, and then found his calling to faith. He has since served in many capacities – intern, youth pastor, and since 2011, Campus Pastor at River Valley Church in Eagan.
Charity Lusteck is a hematology/oncology nurse practitioner and University of Minnesota Nursing School affiliate faculty member teaching in the VA Nurse Practitioner Residency program. She and her husband Patrick live in Rosemount.
Angela White grew up in the North St. Paul/Maplewood area. She has worked nearly 20 years in the fashion and merchandising industry before joining Gateway Bank. She loves that her new career allows her to actively engage with the people and places that have shaped her and she is excited to build even more meaningful connections.
Shirleen Hoffman retired in 2014 after 34 years of law enforcement and security experience. She lives in Eagan, is an avid genealogist, and currently serves on the Minnesota Genealogical Society board. She is the proud mother of a daughter, granddaughter, and a two-year-old great-granddaughter.
Tsehai Wodajo operates a food manufacturing company in Burnsville. She is a seasoned professional with over 40 years of experience and has received several honors for her impactful charitable work. Tsehai holds degrees in English Literature and Social Work. She enjoys volunteering, cooking and hosting, traveling, and being with her family.
Holly Mulholland is the Deputy Chief of Operations with the Eagan Fire Department. She has been in the fire service for 16 years. In her spare time, she enjoys training search and rescue K9s and spending time with her family. She and her husband Joe are moving to Eagan and are looking forward to joining the Eagan community.
Melissa Wicklander is the Associate Executive Director of the Eagan YMCA. She is a religious studies graduate of Luther College and lives with her family in Farmington.
Cindy Devonish-Hall is the Community Engagement and Experience Manager at the City of Brooklyn Park. She volunteers with Youth Civic Leaders, serves as Co-Chair of the Black Political Action Committee, and works as a Community Connector. Cindy finds joy in empowering people with knowledge.
Salim Omari has earned degrees in criminal justice and in police leadership and administration from the University of St. Thomas followed by more than two decades of law enforcement experience, centered on a strong commitment to community-focused policing in Bloomington and St. Paul, before being sworn in as Eagan’s new police chief in December 2025.
Darcy Schatz is the founder and CEO of Nonprofit Ops Pro. She is a home-grown Minnesotan and has been involved with nonprofits for over 20 years as a volunteer, staff member, executive director, and board member. Darcy enjoys hiking, kayaking, traveling, obsessing about crossword puzzles, reading non-fiction, cake decorating, and trying not to adopt all the animals in shelters.
Anna Gleason is the Print and Promotional Products Specialist at Gleason Printing. Anna likes to visit new coffee shops where you might find her with her nose in a good book. After the caffeine kicks in she likes to get outside to hike around all the great state parks Minnesota has to offer.
Gina Buccellato recently retired from 3M after 33 years in research and development. Her last position was Vice President of R&D with responsibility for the corporate analytical laboratory. Gina and her husband, Mike Supina, moved to Eagan in 1993 and have raised three children here. She is currently a board member and frequent volunteer at The Open Door Pantry.
Tony Hoffman owns Superior Automotive and Superior Collision and has served the Eagan Community for 21 years through his businesses and community outreach. He has lived in Dakota County since 2007 with his wife Shelly and two boys.
Scott Swenson retired in 2025 after a long career in banking. He is now a community volunteer and a fixture at nonprofit events in and around Eagan. Scott has been a longtime Rotarian before transferring to Kick-Start. Scott will be the 2028-29 District Governor for Rotary District 5950.
Eagan Kick-Start Rotary was chartered in 2014 as the second Rotary in Eagan. It meets for breakfast at 7am each Thursday morning at Eagan City Hall. Visit the website at eagankick-startrotary.org for more information and a list of upcoming speakers.
Top ten impressions of the 2025 Rotary International Convention in Calgary (as perceived by the many Kick-Starters in attendance)10. Western Hospitality
• Calgary was full of friendly, welcoming people
• Proud western culture
• Proximity to mountains, lakes, and Banff
9. The Visibility of Rotary’s Global Presence
• Impact far beyond the local level
• Incredible reach across communities, regions, nations
• Worldwide scale
8. Small Projects, Big Impact
• House of Friendship exhibiting projects of all sizes
• Positive impact on communities and lives
• Rotary can make lasting impacts through people like us
7. The Scope of Rotary
• Procession of flags from 140 countries
• Rotary’s presence throughout the world
• 17,000+ Rotarians attended the convention
6. Uniting to Do Big Things
• Calgary Rotary Club started their partnership with the Stampede long ago
• Now they raise close to $1 million per year
• Starting small with a big idea can be a great catalyst for big things
5. Equality and Community
• Overwhelming feeling of equality
• Common goal of “service above self” regardless of background, identity, or beliefs
• Inspirational keynote speeches
4. Learning from Others
• Breakout sessions for public image
• New ways to improve our club’s social media and outreach
• Learning from the next generation of Rotarians
3. Connecting with Other Rotarians
• Evening events fostered connection with other Rotarians
• Opportunities to learn about Canadian culture
• Connection was everywhere
2. Diversity
• Rotary international reach on display
• Many clubs wore matching clothes representative of their home countries
• Visual representation of one aspect of Rotary’s diversity
1. Finding Our “Why?”
• Common themes of Service Above Self, Unite For Good
• Why did you join? Why do you stay?
• What makes you feel connected to Rotary or our club?
Adults, teens, children, and even dogs raced around Eagan Central Park during Eagan Kick-Start Rotary’s fourth annual Eagan 5K & Kids Run on June 28. Over 100 registered participants raised $20,000 to support local service projects and community organizations.Eagan Kick-Start Rotary President Derek Schilling kicked off the festivities and afterwards congratulated the men’s and women’s race winners, Derek Wypyszynski and Hanna Olson, and the Kids Run winners.
Beneficiaries of the event that were represented on race day included The Open Door, Kids ‘N Kinship, and Guild Services.
“It was great to see so many people come out for the annual Eagan 5K & Kids Run; we are excited about all the local causes and organizations that the Kick-Start Rotary Foundation will be able to support with the money raised,” said outgoing club president Derek Schilling. “We truly appreciate all who supported this year's event and, of course, the many volunteers who helped make it a success!”
Participants were treated to food and beverages from Pink Cow Ice Cream and Costco.
Eagan Kick-Start Rotary extended special thanks to Anderson Race Management, photographer Ken Cheung, music by The Hacklewrappers, volunteers from Eagan Ambassadors, The Home Depot, and Eagan High School Interact Club, and race sponsors at all levels including Platinum Sponsors Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Denise Sjoberg Real Estate - Keller Williams Select Realty, and Eagan Kick-Start Rotary Founding President Mike Ferber.
The Eagan Kick-Start Rotary Club commemorated ten years of serving the community at its May 1 meeting. Founding president Mike Ferber shared memorable moments and events that have punctuated that decade, including the initial concept of a morning Rotary Club in Eagan, establishing the Eagan Kick-Start Rotary charitable foundation, the club's membership growth, adapting to virtual meetings during COVID, and community events such as the Eagan 5k & Kids Run. The club's current and previous presidents each received a token of appreciation for their service.To mark the tenth anniversary, the Eagan Kick-Start Rotary Foundation challenged club members to raise an additional $10,000 to be disbursed to local nonprofits; that goal that was achieved last December with the help of matching by members Mike Ferber and Mary Nell Zellner. Looking forward to another successful decade!