The Minneapolis Uptown Rotary's FunFest, held on July 10th, 2026 at Lakeside Center's Improving suite, brought neighbors, friends, and supporters together for an evening of food, music, raffles, and community spirit, all in support of local children and families. More than just a celebration, the event raised critical funds that will help the Foundation continue its impact through partnerships with organizations such as Every Meal, Ella Baker School, Ready Set Smile, Joyce Uptown Food Shelf, Warm Hands, Warm Heads, Warm Hearts, and Rotary youth leadership and exchange programs. Together, attendees demonstrated Rotary's motto of Service Above Self, helping create brighter futures for children throughout the Minneapolis community.
FunFest also served as an opportunity to strengthen community connections while highlighting the meaningful work made possible through the Minneapolis Uptown Rotary Foundation. Every ticket purchased, raffle entry, and donation contributed to programs that address food insecurity, improve children's health and education, provide essential winter clothing, and invest in youth leadership development. The generosity and enthusiasm of everyone who attended reflected the shared commitment to building a stronger, more connected community and ensuring local children have the resources they need to thrive!
A special thank you to our generous sponsors and community partners who help make FunFest possible: Stephanie Swanson - State Farm, Bill Sweatt - Edina Realty, Laurie Kottke Fine Jewelers, Ready Set Smile, Ella Baker School, Improving, Joyce Uptown Food shelf, Pan-handlers Steel Drum Band, Bridging MN, Flower Bar, Hennepin Lake Liquor Store, Andrew J Ramirez - Cherrywood Partners, Jay Ranfranz, DDS - Fiant Dental, Dr. Granville Lawrence - Greenway Vision, Uptown Farmers Market, Haiti Outreach, Every Meal, Sue Tincher - Heart of the Customer, Uptown Association, Lunds & Byerlys, Beyond Well LLC
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