Our meeting on Tuesday November 26 will be a Rotation Day at Gray Duck Theater & Coffeehouse. We will meet there at 7:00 a.m. Street parking is available, otherwise park in the Dwell Local lot.
Looking ahead to December... we have a board meeting on December 3, a Rotation Day on December 10, a regular meeting on December 17. Then it is Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve; no meetings on those days! Please use the extra time to participate in our many service projects we have going on right now and sign up for a shift at the Holiday Classic.
Holiday Classic
Please mark your calendars for December 27 & 28, 2019. We need all Rochester Rotarians to participate as volunteers at the Holiday Classic. Remember, we receive a grant for helping! We also get to support youth sports and all the benefits that come with that and raise money for other youth initiatives in Rochester. Where else can you triple your impact just by showing up?
For the update on the Holiday Classic, click here.
Risers are scheduled to ring bells for the Salvation Army on December 10. We still have an opening at 5:00-6:00 pm. We will be at Hy-Vee #4, 4200 Circle Dr NW. Bell ringing will be inside in the north foyer.
Plans have been made to decorate Arbor Terrace with holiday decorations on Tuesday, December 3 at 5:30 pm. More people are needed to make the event go faster. Let Kim know if you can attend or just show up that evening.
Thanks to everyone who selected gifts for the Lutheran Social Service Adopt a Family. All were selected! Please get a gift receipt for the items.
If you were not at the meeting and would like to donate, a Walmart gift card is appreciated.
If you are unable to obtain all of the items, please let Kim know ASAP and she will see that they are purchased.
The Adopt a Family gift wrapping is scheduled for Sunday, December 8 at 5:00 pm in the breakfast area of the Hilton Garden Inn.
If you are unable to attend the wrapping session, please contact Kim to schedule pick-up.
Membership
Joel McNeil has been approved for membership. He will be inducted on December 17.
Feel free to bring anyone else as a guest that may be interested in Rotary!
Chamber Event
Rotarians enjoyed the Business After Hours event at Merchants Bank NW Plaza.
One Rotarian shared, "I had a really good time, had some great conversations and learned more about what's going on. I learned (once again) that the key to promoting MY interest - Rotary - is to be interested in THEIR interest first. And these folks are happy to talk about their interests. So I had some great exchanges. I was ready with my perspective on what I especially like about Rotary."
The next event is AM Espresso at Salvation Army on December 6. Consider signing up!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS - The CHAMBER'S REGIONAL ECONOMIC SUMMIT 2020 FORECAST - December 10th - Rochester International Event Center - 7:30 – 11:30 am. Please register at bit.ly/RACCDec2019EconSummit.
Hannah is one of our 2019-20 outbound Youth Exchanges students. She is a graduate of Byron High School and living this school year in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
Here are a few of Hannah's own words regarding her experiences this year, "Week 14!!! This week was full of adventures and new traditions! I loved every second I got to spend with family and friends! With my family I went to the market and bought sugar skulls for the Día de Muertos altar. As a Spanish class we made an altar for Frida Kahlo. Went with my host mom and got our nails done. Enjoyed the sights, and smells of the Isla de San Marco for the big festival Cultural de Calaveras! On Thursday we went to the grand opening of my aunt, uncle, and cousins new restaurant! The later that night went out with friends for Halloween:) on Friday celebrated my little cousins baptism. Then went to the isla on Saturday night with some friends where we went on rides, got our faces painted, and enjoyed some traditional food. Sunday we got together with family and told stories enjoyed traditional Día de Muertos pan, chocolate, and candies, and has fun with the family.
Something interesting and that surprised me was here people dress up both on Halloween and on November first! They also go trick or treating 2 days in a row as well (on Halloween and the day after) they also have certain times to go. The first day is normally earlier (starts around 2pm and ends around 9 or 10) then the next day it starts later around 6 till whenever people run out of candy), And both the 2nd and 3rd of November is time with family and friends and traditions.
This was such and amazing week and I am so happy to have such a loving and welcoming host family here. It was so fun to get to learn see and participate in their family traditions."