Bent Paddle is holding its annual Festiversary (the anniversary of the startup of Bent Paddle) on Saturday, May 9th from 4:30 - 8:30 PM. It is a family friendly fun and well attended outdoor event with music, entertainment, food, and of course good beer. They are looking for 6 volunteers to help with ticketing etc. To sign up go to   https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050D4BADA723A2F58-62521609-festiversary#/     They have offered to make Skyline the Charitable Round-up Partner for the event. Donations and tips will go to Skyline.  

 

Our three applicants for RYLA are from Hermantown. They are Ollie Treviranus, Serena Kallos, and Alee DeVlieger. Their fees have been sent in to the District, and I have asked them to come to a future meeting. We were concerned about increasing participation in RYLA and as of last week there were 74 applicants. A very good number that is likely to increase before RYLA Camp starts at the U of M Crookston on July 12th. Thank you Skyliners for supporting RYLA.  

 

We need to schedule followup meetings at the Y and with CHUM to discuss scheduling of projects that both organizations would like us to work with them on. 

 

Guests last week were: Our speaker Maddie Schumacher, and Amber Lewis guest of David.

Mark introduced Maddie who is the Restorative Program Coordinator at Men As Peacemakers (MAP). She is a UMD graduate in criminology and psychology. She is "passionate about building alternative routes of justice for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence". The coordinating group that resulted in MAP got started in the 1990's. MAP was founded in the Fall of 1995. The Restorative Program works with partners from the community and criminal justice system. MAP helps participants repair harm, gain accountability, restore relationships, and reintegrate into healthy community. Recidivism rates are dramatically lower with participants who complete the program. Funding for MAP comes from government grants. Referrals come from both the courts and the community. MAP also has programs in K-12 schools and college campuses. 

Maddie told us that she intends to submitt an application for a Rotary Peace Fellowship Masters Degree at either Uppsala University in Sweden or the University of Bradford in England. The application requires a Club and District recommendation, both of which Skyline can provide. It has been many years since District 5580 sponsored a Peace Scholar. Thank you to Maddie for the work that she does in our community and for her presentation. 

 

 

April is Rotary International Environmental Month. 

 

Thought for the Week