This was the LAST Rotary meeting for 2018, as there will be NO meeting next week Wednesday, Dec. 26. We will resume January 2.
Congratulations to our new Secretary-Elect, Therese Kuvaas
Tricia Angulo was inducted as our newest member.
Alex Crittendon has tendered his resignation, citing time constraints.
Chris Rosenlund presented Paul Harris awards to Roger Johnson and Ron Usem.
The club's Foundation presented a check to Sarah Granger of MoveFwd (formerly Teens Alone) to help them as they work to assist some of the 6000 homeless teens in MN on a daily basis.
There will be no club board meeting in January.
The club presented our longtime meal server, Beth Lewers, with a nice holiday gift and a round of applause.
More than 20 club members took part in the Resource West Toy Chest Setup on Dec. 18
The District 5950 Mid Term Assembly will be Jan. 26 at the Minnetonka Community Center. Sign up if you are interested.
The Lunds and Byerly's Holiday Cart round up for charity will be Dec. 23. Our club has filled all its open slots.
The Youth Exchange Committee will meet Dec. 21 at 7:30 AM.
Chris Carr was lucky, but then he was not.
Offered by Guy Marzano, Jim Martin, Lenny Newman, Sam Stern, Bill Sorteberg, Tricia Angulo, Therese Kuvaas, Jerald Stiele, Jacob Milner, Floriane Nibakure, Alexa Rundquist, Katy Fisk, Mark Forsberg, Regina Reed.
Lots of holiday cheer was wished.
Mr. Swanson gave a gripping talk about the joys and challenges of adopting children from a foreign developing country. He and his wife have been involved in that process over the last several years, and the outcome so far has been successful, with their 2 adopted children doing well within his family, which also includes a biological daughter.
There are millions of children around the world who are in very difficult family situations, and adoption by a family in a foreign developed country can be an alternative for some of them, but it is not for most.
The adoption process is usually expensive, ($50k or more), time consuming, and complicated. The degree to which an adopted child adjusts to the new family varies dramatically, and an adoptive family will never be the same thing as a biological parent, even for children who are adopted at birth or as very young infants. But the process has still been done successfully by large numbers of very dedicated and benevolent people, and adopted children are often provided with wonderful new opportunities. As Joel remarked, "kids matter," and they are the definite future of the human race.
Beth Lewers and President Nancy
Tricia Angulo, our newest member
Roger Johnson receiving his Paul Harris award from Chris Rosenlund
Ron Usem receiving his Paul Harris award from Chris Rosenlund
