Please join us in celebrating our local teachers at our annual Teacher Recognition Luncheon in partnership with the Eagan Noon Club.

Sign up by Monday, April 28 so that we can enusre an accurate headcount for our club.  

Overview of redevelopment of Thomson Reuters site.

Feed My Starving Children 

with Interact

Thursday, May 8, 2025

5:00 to 6:30 p.m.

Join our Eagan High School friends to pack meals and have fun!

It's time again for a bed build for children who have no bed of their own.  We will be cutting, assembling and finishing bed components and no experience is necessary!  Tools and gear and provided, as well as water and a free meal card from Chik-fil-A in Burnsville.  There are plenty of spots available for all who want to participate.

Sign up directly at the SHP website and plan on having some fun and making a difference!

If you are not able to join the group on Thursday, there are plenty of other options that weekend on Friday and Saturday morning.

Questions about the work involved?  Alex is your answer man -- you can reach him at alex.rud3160@gmail.com

Eagan Kick-Start Rotarians are invited to attend an "artsy" Happy Hour on Friday, May 9th at 5pm at the Hagen Hus Gallery.

The gallery is a beatiful display of local Rotarian, Leif Hagen's art collection. 

Please RSVP to leif@achievementfinancial.com. 

The Open Door Snack Pack Packing

Monday, May 19, 2025

This year we will be packing our summer snack packs at The Open Door (so we don't have to deliver them and we can dispose of all the recycling on site!).

Please plan to join the group at 5:00 p.m. on May 19 at

The Open Door

3000 Ames Crossing Road #101

Eagan, MN 55121

We will end our evening at Kitchen and Rail immediately following the packing.  Can't make it to TOD?  Meet at Kitchen and Rail to join in the fun afterward (3344 Promenade, Eagan)

Eagan's own Natalie Darwitz, who has personified women's hockey for decades, will talk about her career including her induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
https://www.hhof.com/induction/induction2024/about_darwitz.html

Choose your seat carefully because each table will work as a team in this fierce competition for bragging rights and a fabulous prize!

Come promote Rotary and our 5K at Eagan Marketfest

June 18, 2025

Eagan Festival Grounds

3:00 to 8:00 p.m.

We will be handing out information about our club and promoting our 5K, as well as offering some fun games for market goers.

Come for an hour or more, whenever you are able to be there.  

Questions? email me at denise.p.sjoberg@gmail.com

Join us for our annual Eagan 5K and Kids Run to benefit community partners like The Open Door, Eagan Community Foundation, Caponi Art Park, and many others!

7:00 AM - Registration opens
8:00 AM - 5k Run
9:00 AM - Kid's Run

Open to all ages! Come to run, walk, or cheer!

Registered participants will receive a commemerative race t-shirt and post-race refreshments. 5K will also include chip timing by Anderson Race Management and awards will be given to the top race finisher in both the men’s and women’s categories.

Sign up to run: Registration Link

Sign up to volunteer: Volunteer Signup 

Sponsorship opportunities also available! Visit: https://eagankick-startrotary.org/ 

A special Happy Hour for the Women of the Eagan Noon and Eagan Kick-Start Rotary Clubs!

Thursday, July 17 from 4:30-6:00 PM

at Union 32 Craft House (2864 Hwy 55, Eagan)

Let's celebrate a great Rotary Year!
Thank you to the Millers for inviting the club to their home on Sunday Aug 3!
11151 Akron Ave, Inver Grove Heights

Sign up to bring a dish here!

PS: They have a pool!

Help pack undies at The Drawer, followed by Happy Hour!
500 E Travelers Trail #575, Burnsville, MN 55337
DIRECTIONS
* From Hwy 13 heading south/west: Left turn at Portland, right turn onto Travelers Trail, right turn into first parking lot.
* From 35E: Exit at County Rd 11, head north on County Rd 11, turn left at roundabout onto Burnsville Pky, turn right onto Portland, turn left onto Travelers Trail, right turn into first parking lot.
* From McAndrews: Turn north onto County Rd 11, turn left at roundabout onto Burnsville Pky, turn right onto Portland, turn left onto Travelers Trail, right turn into first parking lot.

Description
Please join us to build beds for kids in our community who are without a bed. We will cut, sand, assemble and finish bed components. No experience is necessary and we have jobs for anyone from middle school aged to retirees. We will supply all the tools and protective gear (masks, gloves, ear plugs and safety glasses). Water will be available and every volunteer receives a free meal card from Chick-fil-A in Burnsville. And we couldn't do this without the support of our sponsors for this build - Messiah Lutheran Church, The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation, and Raytheon/Collins Aerospace.

Purpose
We'll be building 160+ beds for area children 3-17 years old who have no bed of their own.  These beds will later be delivered into the children's homes, enabling them to wake up refreshed after a good night's sleep instead of exhausted and cranky.  These beds make a huge difference in the lives of the children who receive them, creating an opportunity for a much brighter future!  

If you are interested in delivering beds, please sign up here: https://forms.gle/QLnniWhy2PaEa4C46

Role
On Thursday evening, all the lumber is cut to size and we have a large group sanding as much wood as possible to fuel the assembly activities happening on Friday and Saturday.

Saturday morning we have groups sanding wood, assembling headboards, footboards, side rails and slats, and finishing the components. 
At the end of each session we pack up the finished work for storage and do a little clean up.

 Pro Tip for Sanding Time
About 65% of volunteers will be doing it, and it comes with a steady buzz that makes chatting tough. Bring cordless earbuds or noise-cancelling headphones for music or podcasts. Foam earplugs will be provided if you'd prefer quiet focus. Either way, you’ll help to make buttery-smooth boards for a child's bed!

Vibe
It's hard work and great fun! Enjoy a tremendous sense of accomplishment and fulfilment helping turn stacks of lumber into completed bed components.

Sign up here: https://volunteer.shpbeds.org/registrations/To3kH520qv/claim_spot

Your blood could help save a life!
Kick-Start is sponsoring a blood drive on August 13 at the Dakota County CDA.
Follow this link to make a donation appointment.

Celebrate 25 years of music in the South Metro!

And our own Kick-Starter Marie Olson has been a part of it for 22 of those years!

Reception to follow!

Join your fellow Rotarians at John and Inez Bergquist's home.

Bonus: Inez will make her fabulous lasagna and salad.

Please bring your contributions (food or drink) for a fun time.

You are invited to read "Frozen River" by Ariel Lawhon, about a midwife, OR "A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard" by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, OR tell us about a book you are reading, OR just come and listen.

Mark Shockey, District Governor, is a dedicated leader with 30 years of experience in Rotary. As a pastor at St. Peter's - Edina, a Lutheran Church and Family Education Center, he's served his community for 25 years. Mark is also a NASCAR chaplain, advocate for families with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and co-owner of "Memories of Home," a faith and family gift store. He's proud to say, "Nothing compares to the way Rotary clubs serve others every day, both locally and globally."

As part of the upcoming Semiquincentennial (250th) anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Dakota County Historical Society is offering a 14-part presentation series that can be taken as a whole, or individual sections. Each program is designed to explore a different aspect of our government to show why, and how, it was set up that way and its impact on today. This series is presented by educator and historian, Frank Sachs.

September 18, 2025 - Inventing a Nation: The Constitutional Convention
What really happened during those 100 hot days in the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia? What was discussed and compromised to create a nation based on the “rule of law?” Learn the answers to these questions, then discover how it overcame significant obstacles in order to become the first Democratic Republic in over 200 years.

Fees/RSVP: $10 per person, $5 for DCHS members, less with package deal!
Learn more and register here: https://www.dakotahistory.org/events/1046-america-s-250th-lecture-series-at-lawshe

First Fridays is an annual lecture series showcasing collections from various units across Archives and Special Collections. The series runs each academic year from October to May (skipping January). Each event takes place in Elmer L. Andersen Library, Room 120, and presentations begin at noon. A tour of the archival caverns takes place after the event concludes.

https://libnews.umn.edu/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=566

Tour of the Minnesota Genealogical Society led by Kick-Starter Shirleen Hoffman. Feel free to bring along a small potluck item if you feel so inclined (no alcohol please).

Join us for a Minnesota-themed potluck Birthday for Niko! 

Bring a dish to share, inspired by local flavors (e.g. tater tot hotdish, lefse, Spam-based dish, walleye bites, juicy lucy sliders, wild rice soup, etc.).

Special Request:

• For Niko's gift, consider bringing a $10, $20 bill, or a gift card to a popular store like DQ, Starbucks, McDonald's, Canes, Caribou, or Target. We'll create a "money tree" with your contributions!
• Mary Nell will provide a cake, ice cream, and beverages.

Thank you for helping Niko feel special on this big milestone birthday surrounded by his Rotary family!

MN350 unites Minnesotans with the global movement to end the pollution damaging our climate, speed the transition to clean energy, and create a just and healthy future for all.
As Executive Director of MN350 & MN350 Action, Tee McClenty has overseen strategic planning, human resources development, and financial management, as well as facilitated partnerships and initiatives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Tee is recognized for her mission-focused leadership, innovative problem-solving, and commitment to empowering staff, board, and communities.

As part of the upcoming Semiquincentennial (250th) anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Dakota County Historical Society is offering a 14-part presentation series that can be taken as a whole, or individual sections. Each program is designed to explore a different aspect of our government to show why, and how, it was set up that way and its impact on today. This series is presented by educator and historian, Frank Sachs.

October 16, 2025 - Article I – The Legislative Branch: Power of the Commerce Clause
Article 1 of the Constitution articulates the powers of the Legislature (Congress) and their ability to make the law, to define the Commerce power and the history behind terms like Habeas Corpus, Ex Post Facto laws and the power to tax.

Fees/RSVP: $10 per person, $5 for DCHS members, less with package deal!
Learn more and register here: https://www.dakotahistory.org/events/1046-america-s-250th-lecture-series-at-lawshe

October 25th - One Summit
Being People of Action – Synergy and Club Action Plans

You're invited to join the EHS Interact Club and volunteer at Feed My Starving Children in Eagan on Tuesday, October 28th from 5:00-6:30 pm (990 Lone Oak Rd #136). This is a fantastic chance for Eagan Rotarians and the Interact Club to come together and make a positive impact, while helping those in need.

Note: Our EKSR Foundation supports this effort by providing a grant to FMSC on behalf of the Interact Club, and we're excited to see the impact of our collective efforts.

Let's unite to make a difference in the fight against child hunger!

Kick-Start celebrates career highlights and friendships with retiring Eagan Police Chief Roger New.