How the Orono Rotary Club Gives Back

by | Jan 2025

Volunteers assist with a Veteran's Day Service.

Volunteers assist with a Veteran’s Day Service. Photos: Orono Rotary Club

Education, veterans and the community are in focus.

“Small but mighty” is how Mary Bakken describes the Orono Rotary Club, which includes a dozen members and two corporate memberships. Chartered in 2002, Kevin Krolczyk is its original remaining member.

Bakken, serving as co-president with Brandon Oslund, has been a Rotarian since 2008 and highlights the club’s efforts and service projects that it promotes and participates in for the benefit of the community. “Our main focus has been community engagement and service projects with the Orono schools, Community Park improvements and veterans (American Legion and VFW),” she says.

Members help veterans, including tending to yard cleanups.

Members help veterans, including tending to yard cleanups.

“Our service projects help keep our communities desirable to allow more use with the many projects we have established over the years,” Bakken says. “In our more recent years, we built a learning pavilion at the Orono Schools Nature Center … improved the Maple Plain Veterans Park with monuments representing the branches of the military, and [supported] many other improvements throughout the park.” Additionally, the club assists veterans with Memorial Day and Veterans Day events, including upgrading equipment and supplies.

Education is an important focus, as well. Through the district’s Short-Term Exchange program, the club sponsors local students for consideration for acceptance to a summer exchange program, which offers students the opportunity to stay with a family abroad for two weeks. Students return home accompanied by their host family’s similarly aged student, who has the opportunity to learn about customs and life in this part of the country.

The club also provides high schoolers with mentorship and scholarships for post-high school education through Strive and offers elementary and middle school students with mentorship via Sparks. All this, along with hosting a booth at the annual School Wellness Expo, highlight the group’s commitment to local youth.

But they’re not done, yet! Other examples of ongoing service projects include cleaning a section of Highway 12, participating in Rotary’s Hats and Mittens program, the Days for Girls project, Adopt-a-Family gift giving at Christmastime, ground cleanup at Camp Ihduhapi in Loretto and “too many more to mention,” Bakken says.

All these efforts come with a financial cost. The group’s main fundraising event is Party in the Park, an annual event held on the first Saturday evening in June (June 7 this year) at Veterans Memorial Park, 5190 Independence St. in Maple Plain. With the help of other sponsors, the community gathering features live music, food trucks and beverages.

Leadership members from the Orono Rotary Club gather, left to right: secretary Dave Shaughnessy, past president Julie Maas-Kusske, co-president Mary Bakken, co-president Brandon Oslund, treasurer John Fay and president-elect Paul Affeldt. (Correy Farniok, sergeant of arms, is missing from the photo.)

Leadership members from the Orono Rotary Club gather, left to right: secretary Dave Shaughnessy, past president Julie Maas-Kusske, co-president Mary Bakken, co-president Brandon Oslund, treasurer John Fay and president-elect Paul Affeldt. (Correy Farniok, sergeant of arms, is missing from the photo.)

Whether planning service opportunities or organizing a fundraiser, the Orono Rotary Club abides by Rotary’s Service Above Self mission. “[It] means serving others and making a difference in our communities,” Bakken says. “There is a satisfaction in helping others in need and adhering to the Rotary Four-Way Test.”

Meeting Notes

When: 7:15 a.m. Thursdays

Where: Orono Police Station training room, 2730 Kelley Parkway

The Test

The Four-Way Test, according to my.rotary.org, is “a nonpartisan and nonsectarian ethical guide for Rotarians to use for their personal and professional relationships.” It has been translated into more than 100 languages, and Rotarians recite it at club meetings.

Of the things we think, say or do:

  • Is it the truth?
  • Is it fair to all concerned?
  • Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
  • Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

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