Hello Fellow Rotarians!
Our Influencer Speaker Series continued last Wednesday with fellow Rotarian, Fatima Langlois, and her Foundation, Coup de Coeur (FCC). As we learned, Fatima and FCC have leveraged partnerships to provide water and filtration systems to more than 600,000 beneficiaries. In working with International Rotary Clubs, Fatima and FCC have under undertaken over 100 water projects in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. What an amazing and inspiring presentation!! Fatima, along with her husband, has dedicated her/their retirement, to provide clean water to those in need in third-world countries. Truly, “Service Above Self.” Check out FCC’s website: www.fondationcoupdecoeur.org/en It was clear that Fatima’s presentation inspired our Club. Things are “bubbling”—pun very much intended!!! What a way to continue the momentum with our Influencer Series!!! Thanks to all who attended in-person at the Chanhassen Legion, as well as those who attended via Zoom. And, once again, a very special thanks and shout out to Maud and Brian Duggan, and their business, Union Place, for sponsoring breakfast for our guests at the Legion! Thank you so very much, Maud and Brian!!!
This coming Wednesday March 31, we will conclude our Influencer Speaker series with Rep. Dean Phillips. Representative Phillips will speak to our Club about “COVID-19 Relief.” It will surely be insightful and informative. Thanks to Barb Nevin for her persistence in making this happen! Please register for Wednesday’s event if you have not already done so. As a reminder, you must register for this event individually—the link from the prior weeks will not work, nor will our “regular” Wednesday morning meeting link work. On behalf of our Club, we'd like to have an awesome showing for Representative Phillips. When you register, you will need to follow-through and complete the registration process in order to receive the link to attend the session. The link will also ask you if you are attending in person, i.e., attending at the Legion. Please make your designation so that we may comply with COVID restrictions at the Legion. Thanks to all of you in advance for your prompt consideration and registration. I greatly appreciate it. Please reach out to Carol Lee or me regarding any issues pertaining to registration or the format of the Influencer Series' meetings.
As mentioned in my prior communications, please promote the last meeting of our Influencer Series to your friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc. And, most importantly, please take the time to promote the last Influencer Series meeting on social media—especially through Facebook. Specifically, show you're "interested," "like it," "share it," and indicate that you’re going, etc.! Please do this!!! This is one of the simple ways that we can gain visibility and increase membership to enable us to do more locally (i.e., student scholarships) and internationally (i.e., Rotary International initiatives)! Please reach out to Maud Duggan for information regarding promoting the last meeting of our Influencer Series on Facebook.
I’m very pleased to announce that Robin Gordon from School District 112 is our newest Club Member. Robin joins our Club under the School District 112 Association Membership. Robin supports and coordinates equity efforts for District 112. Please extend a very warm welcome to Robin!!! Also, please reach out and introduce yourselves to Robin, and get to know her on a personal level!!
This past Tuesday, we had our second strategic planning/visioning session for our Club! A very special thanks to Tom Furlong and, especially, to Jim Wall. Jim led an enthusiastic group to help focus and shape our Club. Jim’s leadership skills were certainly appreciated. What comes out of this process will shape the direction that our Club takes with respect to growth, community partners, projects, and giving, now and in the future. Stay tuned … more to certainly come!!!
Following our meeting last Wednesday, Maud Duggan, along with Greg Pavett from Humanity Alliance and a number of other Club members and “Friends of Rotary,” held a “brainstorming” session to discuss, among other things, ways in which our Club can form a partnership with Humanity Alliance and others within our community to assist with not only providing re-purposed food to those in need but, also, opening doors to other partnerships that will enhance others. More to come on this “project” as well!!!
Next week, Tom Furlong will be stepping in to preside over our meeting as I will be out-of-town. Thanks to Tom, our President Elect, for doing this in my absence. (Tom is certainly much more civilized than I am!!!)
In the words of our District 5950 Polio Plus Chairperson, Tim Mulcrone (who also founded Rotary in 1905 with Paul Harris), “Miss a Meeting, Miss A Lot.” Don’t miss out!!!
Have a great week!!
KC