More than 350 people from across the Midwest will be at the Alerus Center over the next three days for the annual Rotary Club district conference.
Conference organizer Dave McFarlane said it's the first time since the early 1990s that Grand Forks has hosted the event, which is held annually in different cities across North Dakota, northern Minnesota, western Wisconsin and Thunder Bay, Ontario.
"Until we had the Alerus Center, we didn't have the facilities to be able to do this," he said. "With the Alerus Center, we'll put on a very impressive conference."
The conference will feature more than a dozen breakout sessions and several keynote speakers, including former UND Vice President for Student and Outreach Services Bob Boyd and Jane Kurtz, a former Grand Forks resident who has helped set up libraries in Ethiopia.
The three-day event wraps up Saturday.
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Rotary International, a network of nearly 34,000 service clubs across the world, aims to combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide education and job training, promote peace and eradicate polio.
McFarlane said the 115 members in the three Grand Forks and East Grand Forks clubs also work on several local service projects including Rotary Wraps, a program to provide new winter wear for children in need.
Reach Johnson at (701) 780-1105; (800) 477-6572, ext. 105; or send e-mail to rjohnson@gfherald.com .
