EPIC Day of Service is May 16! Has your club registered its project yet? There are many red dots on the map signaling projects in our district. Make sure yours is included. Go here to find out if your club is registered and to see projects other clubs are doing.
EPIC Day is a wonderful way to get non-Rotarians to provide service along with Rotarians. Be sure to promote your project to prospective members, friends, and neighbors. Let’s get hundreds of people out doing good in one day! And then follow up with those volunteers to invite them to join your club.
Is your club working on a Global Grant for which you would like to get more funding? The Big West Zone is offering Shark Tank, a chance for three global grant projects from across the zones to compete on the Shark Tank stage at Camp Big West Zone Institute. The winners take home prize pledges of $15,000, $10,000, and $5,000 in DDF support*, plus specialized coaching and zone-wide exposure. The application deadline is July 15, 2026.We would love to have one of our clubs be featured in Shark Tank!
Speaking of grants, for your club to be qualified to receive District Designated Funds (matching funds) for your District or Global Grants, a representative must attend the Grants Training on May 30, 2026. Click here for more information and to register.
I’m excited that we have re-launched our District Business Directory. All Rotarians in our district can list their business for free in the directory (whether you own the business or are an employee). The Business Directory should be the first place you look when you want to hire someone for a service or want to purchase a product. Rotarians doing business with other Rotarians; what could be better? Click here to list your business or to browse for a business.
DG Cindy Rold
THE DISTRICT IS HERE FOR YOU
ROTARIANS DOING BUSINESS WITH ROTARIANS:The district is excited to announce the re-launch of our ONLINE BUSINESS DIRECTORY!
With 225+ businesses already listed, this is YOUR OPPORTUNITY to connect with other Rotarians for your business and service needs:
the directory is FREE to join
Search by category, location or key word
Unlimited Business Description – enter as much information as you would like – not only will the directory search pick up on keywords, but Google search will as well
Ability to login and edit your existing listing, at any time, should anything change
NOTE: if you've previously registered your business, please be sure to CHECK YOUR LISTING to ensure all of the information is still current!
DENVER LODO ROTARY CLUB ENDOWMENT GIFT - Rotary District 5450 is honored to receive a generous $62,000 endowment gift from the remaining members of the closing Rotary Club of Denver LoDo. This meaningful contribution establishes a lasting legacy in support of Rotary’s work across the District. The endowment will be managed by The Denver Foundation and is expected to provide an annual 5% distribution to the District. Click here to read more.
DISTRICT AWARDS DUE DATE: The due date for 2025-2026 District Award Applications has been changed to June 5 because we will be presenting the district awards on July 18 at the Leadership Kickoff.We encourage you to review the list of District, District Governor Discretionary and Club Sponsored Awards and nominate candidates that meet the specific award criteria. Click here to view all of the awards.
District 5450 Membership Team – AN INVITATION TO SERVE:District 5450 is seeking Rotarians ready to share their passion, ideas, and energy to strengthen membership across our district. This role supports membership growth and engagement. Responsibilities could include helping plan and develop the monthly Membership Huddle, representing membership in district discussions, and sharing practical tools and ideas with clubs. The work is collaborative and flexible, with opportunities to plug in where your strengths are most useful. If you’re interested or want to talk further about this idea, contactJolene McKenna District 5450 Membership Chair.
AI GUIDELINES - The Rotary AI Guidelines for Membersare intended to help use AI tools responsibly, ethically, and in alignment with Rotary’s mission and values. The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document is intended to help members understand how to use AI tools responsibly in Rotary contexts. The FAQ addresses common questions and provides practical guidance based on Rotary’s current policies.
FOLLOW THE DISTRICT ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE! Follow the District's Facebook page to get up-to-date news and information about interesting things happening in our District and in Rotary around the world. Please follow us:https://www.facebook.com/District5450Rotary/
CLUB CONNECTIONS
SUMMIT COUNTY ROTARY HITS 22,000 POUNDS RECYCLED— and rolls out a newly acquired and fully wrapped minivan dedicated to collecting and storing stretchy plastic from across the community. For years, Summit County Rotarians have led a weekly effort to collect stretchy plastic—materials often overlooked in traditional recycling programs. Volunteers gather, sort, and prepare the plastic before sending it to Trex Company for processing. Thanks to this consistent commitment, the club has already diverted more than 22,000 pounds of plastic from local landfills. Click here to read more.
SLOPES FOR HOPE ANNOUNCEMENT:FREE FURNITURE AVAILABLE TO NON-PROFITS TO PICK UP - available from May 6th to May 18th. All is first-come, first-served. No reservations can be made. Grand Colorado on Peak 8, 1627 Ski Hill Rd., Breckenridge, CO 80424
Dining room tables - x 36 - 60"L x 38"W (seats 6)
Dining room tables - x 10 - 105"L x 40"W (seats 10)
Dining table chairs - x 320
Barstools - x 210
The international project,CRUTCHES 4 AFRICA, is in Reno, Nevada. On Saturday, April 25, a container was loaded with the help of local Interactors and Rotarians. This coming weekend there will be a five-district conference where Rotarians and project champions will have the opportunity to speak and share the vision to provide mobility equipment to disabled persons in need.
Make sure to check out the CLUB EVENTS page and see all of the events happening around the District.
The Rotary Foundation helps Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty.
A Message from the District Foundation Chair
It has been a true privilege to serve as your District Foundation Chair for the 2025–2026 Rotary year.
Being part of such an active district—filled with meaningful projects, strong community involvement, and real impact for the people we serve—is something special. District 5450 continues to stand out as a group of generous givers and dedicated doers.
As we approach the close of this Rotary year, there is both a sense of accomplishment and excitement for what is ahead. We are already preparing for the next year, including the kickoff of Grants Training at the end of this month.
If you are interested in learning more about grants, this is a great opportunity to get involved and expand your understanding. Link for sign up is below.
🙌 Gratitude for Leadership & Volunteers
A heartfelt thank you to our District Foundation leadership team. Their commitment and consistency make this work possible. If you know any of these individuals, take a moment to thank them:
Robert Mintz – Annual Fund Chair
David Willman – Points Chair
Marny Eulberg – Polio Chair
Mindy Klingbiel – Paul Harris Society
Curt Harris – Endowment Chair
Bonnie Thomas – District Grants
Bob Kemp – Global Grants
Heidi Wolle – Grants Treasurer
Mindy Hanson – Rotary Scholar Chair
Jim Halderman – Peace Fellow Chair
💙Foundation Spotlight: Giving Progress
District 5450 continues to exceed expectations in generosity and participation.
Year-to-Date Highlights:
Annual Fund $437,470 contributed 102% of goal achieved
PolioPlus $219,063 contributed 168% of goal achieved
Endowment Giving 23 new members in the Benefactor and Bequest Society (Up significantly from the previous average of 5)
Thank you for the continued commitment to sustaining Rotary’s impact—both now and for the future.
🌍Service in Action
District Grants – 2025–2026
$115,900 in District Designated Funds (DDF) awarded (Based on giving from three years ago)
46 total grants to be awarded this Rotary year
42% international projects
58% local community projects
Approximately $561,000 total project impact
Global Grants – 2025–2026
$233,781 in DDF allocated as of July 1
10 Global Grants approved year-to-date
$257,130 total funding already committed
In Progress:
6 additional applications submitted for approval
Requesting $68,250 in DDF
8+ grants currently in draft stage
Requesting at least $53,800 (and growing as fundraising continues)
🎤Upcoming Event: Grants Qualification Training
Grants Qualification Training 📅May 30, 2026 🕣8:30 AM – 12:00 PM 📍 Front Range Community College 3645 West 112th Ave., Westminster
If your club is interested in participating in District or Global Grants next year, attending this training is an important step.
