Minnetonka Rotary Club - The Spoke - November 20, 2024 (Nov. 20, 2024)

Meeting Minutes - Bob H.

Meeting called to order at 7:30 by President Alissa.

Guests

Guests:

Our speaker Holly Callen, from the Eden Prairie Noon Club

Nancy ___ as a frequent guest, and now an applicant to join us a a member! Can’t wait for a big yes and welcoming you to the club.

Great to see Mark Forsberg Zooming in today as well

Invocation

Invocation by Ann W. With Thanksgiving coming up, we are grateful for the friends, laughter and fun of our club. Even more for all the blessings of health, family, and togetherness that we enjoy at Thanksgiving.

Pledge

Everyone.

4-Way Test

Everyone.

International Theme

Everyone. “The Magic of Rotary”

Announcements

Mike G. - on the Lunds Byerlys Carts day on November 27 at Ridgedale. We have 14 of 16 slots filled, with more sign-ups this morning.

Bob H. - will drop down to 4:30-6:00, leaving a new opening at 1:30-3:00. We are now good, with 3 to 4 at every time slot, but 1 more at 1:30 and 1 more at 4:30 would be a full house! Go to our website, click Nov 27 on the calendar and and come if you can. Either way, thank you all for volunteering.

Glen J. - thanks to all who helped prep bikes. They could still use a few mechanics. Contact Free Bikes for Kids (FB4K) to sign up if your bike repair skills are good.

Tony N. - Foundation meeting tomorrow at 11:00 on Zoom.

Beth Y. - the Hopewell Gala at UTEPILS Brewery in Golden Valley. Starts at 4:00, music at 6:30 and 7:30, with Beth on the Banjo!

New Member Induction

None this week.

Rotary Minute

None this week.

Raffle

Lenny’s ticket was drawn, even though they were found and returned to him, seconds before the drawing. Alas, no Joker, no winner.

Foundation Award Checks or Thank yous

None this week.

Happy Bucks

Frank B. for a TG trip to see his 95 year old mother, and his sister, in Monterrey, CA.

Lots of military history in that area.

Jim M. - for Ryan repairing his wife’s ring, for reaching Medicare age, and for 3 weeks in Mexico coming up.

Lenny N. - for 10 days in NC with his son and daughter-in-law coming up

Also, a hello and Happy TG from Chris Carr.

Bil; S. - for a happy hour with his daughter (or was it Alissa?) and his wife

Ann W. - for a recent trip to the Bahamas.

Mark Magney - for a Rotary commercial, and heading to Phoenix with family for TG

Our speaker, Holly - for recent eyelid surgery. She’s glad to be here with a fun Rotary club, Almost as fun as her own EP Club!

Beth Y. - she’ll be gone for 12 days, in CA for TG and then on to Taiwan

Glen J. - off to DC for TG and hopes to go to a Rotary meeting there.

Is ANYBODY staying home the next week or more?!

Jerald, for the ‘beautiful’ snowy and slippery weather today, and great to see Mark Forsberg zooming in today.

Scott N. for the Turkey Trot on TG and his son closing in on a academic degree

Alexa R. - having new tires for the bad weather, and the Scouting Wreaths are in for pick-up. The Rundquist kids alone raised over $4000!Great Scouting and Rotary awareness

Ben M. - for seeing Mark Forsberg, for his cousin for accomplishments in education, career and the Ironman. Also, for spending time with his kids

Don C. - going home to Michigan for TG

Mark Marlin - told us of Sam Stern’s hamstring injury, keep him in your thoughts

Tony N. - for a birthday party at a Brewery, (and some hijinks I couldn’t quite track)

Mark Forsberg - good reason to get out of bed today, and deep appreciation for the club’s support, going back to last year, and now, with his health issues.

He says there is Magic in Relationships, as our 2024 motto says.

Jennifer S. - Zooming in from Illinois, with her sister, also a Rotarian, and family for TG.

Program

Speaker - Holly Callen for the EP Noon Club, and talking about Bravo Zulu House

Holly has carried a lot of water for the Rotary District and other Boards. She is now heavily involved with the Bravo Zulu (in military parlance, means “Good Job, Well Done)

House.

A 4-Star general video introduced the pressing need for veterans with PTSD.

Addiction is common and suicides are still a huge problem. As did her husband suffer with his Vietnam Nam experience, he is now 50 years sober, We need to stop the suffering.

The mission of Trinity House and Bravo Zulu is to “declare war on PTSD”.

75% of veterans with PTSD are self-medicating. 15,000 treatment centers are available, but they need to be sober to get help.Trinity sober houses help men get sober and relax.

They have a 71% sobriety rate, compared to typical 25%.

They partner with Veteran Org’s, (VFW, American Legion), but Trinity and Bravo Zulu use several successful techniques.

They are staffed with military veterans, soldiers who understand.

They work with Mayo Clinic counselors, they provide private spiritual care.

They follow the 12 step program of seeking a higher power.

They teach farming, they provide dog therapy which is very effective in caring for a pet. Dogs are rescued, and so that 2 lives are saved.

They provide 100% accessibility and private quiet rooms.

The work that Holly and all the others are doing is making a huge difference in the troubled lives of PTSD veterans. We can help in many ways, including financially.

Go to bravozuluhouse.org to see what we can do.

Thank you, Holly for a powerful and enlightening talk about this need.

Our veterans deserve all our support for the sacrifices they have made for us.

Adjournment

Submitted by Bob H.

Member Submissions