Meeting Minutes
Meeting called to order by President Ron at 7:30.
Guests
Guests; Our speaker, Christine Huson, Greg Palmer from the SLP Noon Club, Jeff Lentz from the Maple Grove Club, and Joan Twiton from Relate Counseling.
Invocation
Invocation by Beth - from an ancient Chinese Tao text, 400 BCE. Two thoughts for today;
1 Go With the Flow; don’t resist progress, change happens and accept it into your life. 2 Keep it Simple; be present in your day, be fair and generous. Beth said this 2400 year-old document reminds her of our Rotary 4-Way test.
Pledge
Everyone.
4-Way Test
Everyone.
International Theme
Unite for Good.
Paul Harris Awards
None this week.
Announcements
Alexa R. - Our Charter Night dinner is tonight at Latuff’s Pizza. 10820 Highway 55, Plymouth. 5:30 to 8:00. Please reply to Alexa with number attending, or not at all.
Jennifer S. - The HEF Gala is coming up in March. Many members have supported HEF, and they have given over $4 million to assist youth over the years. Please consider being a sponsor this year.
Bob H. - he passed around a sign-up sheet to staff our Lunds Byerly’s Cart Corral help on Nov 26. The sheet came back at the meeting end with nearly all slots filled. We’re a little light from 5:00 to 6:30. Just come by if you can, even for a little while. Thanks to all
Tyrone C. - announced the (planned) Billiards Family Fun Fundraising for an extra club fundraiser. Tentative date is Saturday, March 30 from 12:00 to 4:00. A committee is formed and more details to come.
Glen J. - bikes for FB4K are now being given out to kids, and a few more dates are upcoming, Its very fun to see the happy faces with their first bikes. Let Glen know if you’d like to take part in the joy.
Tony N. - Cathy Feste has come through her 2X by-pass surgery well, and will now begin cardiac rehab. He also said we are taking part in the Marsh Holiday party on Dec 5 from 4:00 to 8:00. We don’t need much help, but all are invited for a fun night.
Two Rotarians here today to ask for help with their Club Fundraisers. Greg Palmer (SLP Noon) selling Poinsettias and Jeff Lentz (Maple Grove) selling $100 raffle tickets.
New Member Induction
None this week.
Rotary Minute
None this week.
Raffle
Mike G. draws the ticket and only 17 cards left. Alas, none of the top 10 as the Joker. Everyone pony up for a big pot and 7 cards left. Ding, ding! $$
Foundation Award Checks or Thank You's
Club Foundation - Alissa awarded a check for $2000 to Joan Twiton from Relate Counseling. She is VERY grateful for what is now our 2nd dotation to them. They’ve been present for 50+ years with adults and students. They are now in 8 school districts in the West Metro. Also offices at #7 and 101 in Mtks, and Eden Prairie. Relate has over 100 therapists and a major part is removing financial barriers. Great work, Joan!
Happy Bucks
Happy Bucks; a light list today, but time was short.
Frank B. - heading to Monterrey to see his 96 year old mother for Thanksgiving.
Bill S. - for our newest and 56th Club member this week, Andy Luce
Mike G. - appreciation for Alexa’s help, and for the guests here today.
Program
Speaker, Christine Husom, a life-long reader, and also writer of many books. Christine is also a Buffalo Rotarian and, (I think) their club President. Christine was a County Commissioner in Wright County.
She primarily writes mysteries under the title of Winnebago Pony Mysteries and later the Snow Globe Shop Mystery Series. Even in 1st grade, she knew she wanted to be a writer. As a child she wrote poems and plays, even directing local kids. She admits to being a slow reader, as she loved to ‘hear the words’ of a book.
As she raised her 4 kids, reading, and writing was her primary entertainment. Her father died very mysteriously, as a day before to be discharged from a hospital, he walked out in the dark, and drowned in a pond. That event prompted her to write about that mystery, as she has done many more times with characters she knew in real life.
Christine touched on many elements of writing, from pacing to dialogue, to 1st and 3rd person, and that characters drive the story. She had some publishing challenges, and now is actually a self-publisher. A writer needs to ask, “why do you want to tell the story?” Are you a plotter (make an outline) or a pantser (write as it comes). A famous writer said, “drama is life with the dull parts left out”. Christine says it’s fun when the concentration takes hold, and she can write for 18 hours
Thank you Christine for a entertaining morning and hopefully the inspiration to read more books ourselves, especially yours!
Adjournment
Submitted by Bob Hersman
Member Submissions
None this week.
