Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system. Weekly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZMpdeChqDstEtFJKAJtHU7GfGnxsT4Cge0z/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGvqjkjE9KVtxGCRpwEBojoXfPwpmJaj7d7tjTEKTR7V1TRMMVMKqFLRPvX
On December 16th, we will have a special program presented virtually by the Minnesota Raptor Center. We will be joined by a hawk, falcon, owl and eagle and will learn a little about each and have the opportunity to ask questions. It is a 45 minute program and most of its cost is being underwritten by InVision, The Daily Journal, and Robert L. Russell, Attorney at Law (we could still use one or two other sponsors). Please feel free to invite prospective Rotarians, Rotarians from other clubs and family members to join us!
We were 23 members strong via Zoom. Wally Cole offered the invocation. Zach Stach commented on the effort to raise funds for the Salvation Army this year with Club members signed up to ring bells at Service Food on Friday, December 11th; if there are other times you can ring, there is a way to sign-up by visiting the Fergus Falls Salvation Army website and clicking on "Volunteer in This Community." If you want our Club to get credit for the funds you wish to donate on-line, you can also go to the team site President Anthony created on the internet: https://give.salvationarmyusa.org/team/331751\.
Brian Tjaden proposed and the Board has adopted a Rotary punch fine and brag card. Cost is $25.00 and there several of us who committed to purchasing a card through the "Chat" function on Zoom during the course of the meeting -- with one chatty person already buying two to make sure I have plenty of coverage. President Anthony announced that the Board decided not to proceed with an in-person celebration of our Club's 100th Anniversary this spring due to the pandemic, hoping to be able to plan something special for September. Bonnie Denzel announced that she delivered 216 dictionaries to the third graders in our public and private elementary schools the day prior to our meeting. Unbelievably, this is our 14th year of providing the dictionaries. Bonnie and other Rotarians who have been involved in the process when we could go into the classrooms remarked how the dictionaries are appreciated, watching the "kids light up" when they are distributed.
When it came time for brags and fines, this writer thanked President Anthony, Secretary Kathy and Treasurer Randy for their efforts on behalf of the Club during these difficult times. Mary Pettit contributed and remarked how beautiful the roses were this year and how she performed "random acts of roses" around town, giving to those who could not afford the cost or who needed a boost; she encouraged all of us to order extra roses next year and do likewise. Randy and his son Henry set out to do the same thing with their neighbors but a camera on their doorbell undermined the effort to present them as a surprise. John MacFarlane reported he gave some roses to a women in her 80's and that she broke down, telling John it was the first time she had received roses in her whole life. I am afraid there may be too many people in that category and lets hope we can find more of them next year! Steve Andrews was thankful that a doe and two fawns that he had worried were lost during hunting season showed up at his property again Saturday evening. Buzz Lundeen and John MacFarlane expressed their appreciation for the Christmas lights at the Russell-Josefson household and this writer, never knowing not to kid one when he shouldn't, said John was just reflecting the happiness of his former company over our electrical bill. The brags were rounded off by Anthony, noting that his daughter had just arrived at his office from which he was conducting our virtual meeting.
Keith Brokke, incoming District Governor in 2020-21 and a member of the Fargo-Moorhead AM Club for 30 years, since it was chartered, was our speaker. His club and our District has been involved in efforts to help the impoverished in India since 2006. The efforts have been focused in the Tamil Nadu Province, along the southeastern coast of the country, and specifically in the City of Rejapalayam, located in Rotary District 3212. Prior to 2013, the work was done through Rotary Foundation Matching Grants; worldwide there had been 40,000 matching grants between 1964 to 2004. In just the next four years, from 2004 to 2008, there were another 40,000 such projects, so when the Foundation modified its programs in 2013 (referenced as "Future Vision"), the size of the grants was increased and much more responsibility was placed on Rotary Districts in administering Foundation programs. Since 2005, Keith's club and our District have been involved in seven Matching Grant projects (until they were replaced in 2013 by Global Grants), and seven Global Grant projects since 2013. In addition, there has been three brick and mortar projects through World Community. The latter is unique to our District; since The Rotary Foundation does not finance building construction, our District created a World Community Service ("WCS") Fund and in our District dues we pay $15.00 per member to do these types of projects. Keith went through each project that has been done, with a heavy emphasis on providing schools (including separate toilet blocks for boys and girls so girls do not stop coming to school when their menstrual cycles begin), school materials and drinking water. They have also provided a cervical cancer detection van and a bloodmobile. One of the school projects financed the construction of 12 classrooms at $105,000, with $50,000 raised in our District and $55,000 donated by other Rotarians, including members of the Rejapalayam Club. Later, at a cost of $30,000 they added a second floor and six classrooms to the school. Keith also mentioned a project proposal being put forward for Foundation funding by the Nipigon and Thunder Bay Rotary Clubs (which our in our District), that being to support a vacation getaway for disabled service veterans from Canada and the United States; the intent is to build a ramp from the cabins to the lake and provide easy access to pontoons so the guests can go out on the lake and enjoy it; the effort is expected to cost $137,500. It should also be noted that Keith and his club have been involved in Rotary Foundation projects in Guatemala, being one of the most active clubs in our District doing international service.
