Please send your Happy Buck and Polio Pitcher donations to Mac H. as follows:
Mac Hardin
Minnetonka Rotary Club
12926 Rutledge Circle
Minnetonka, MN 55305
Rotary International Foundation
Please send your end of year donations to Chris Rosenlund as follows:
Chris Rosenlund
8672 Meadowvale Drive
Eden Prairie, MN 55347
Meeting Minutes - Bonnie W.
Guests
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna S. Witt.
Invocation
By Floriane N.
Pledge
Everyone.
4-Way Test
Everyone.
International Theme
Everyone.
Announcements
Nomination of Ryan Rydell for secretary-elect position.
Jerald S. - Polar Plunge is this Saturday, March 9. 17 people signed up to date from our club. Our jump time is 12:45. Safety meeting is at Tavern 4&5, 16396 Wagner Way, Eden Prairie, starting at any time after 10:30 a.m. Group will head over to Grace Church, 9301 Eden Prairie Road, Eden Prairie) about about 12:10 to get on the shuttle. Shuttle buses are mandatory because there is no parking at Lake Riley. Wear old tennis shoes as you won’t be able to jump without shoes!
Mark Marlin - Second Harvest food packing event is Saturday, March 9, also – 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Second Harvest warehouse, 7101 Winnetka Ave. N. The sponsoring club is Rotary Club of Brooklyn Park.
Bob H. - 2 blood drive events are being planned for April 17 and April 23. On April 17, our Rotary speaker will be someone from Memorial Blood Centers to talk about the shortage of blood currently. April 23 is our donation day at the Marsh in our meeting room.
Alexa R. - showed a map for parking for the St. Pat’s Day celebration Monday, March 11 at Char Murphy’s residence building – the Moline, 100 8th Ave. S, Hopkins. Wear green. 5 p.m. start time. Family members are welcome.
New Member Induction
None.
Rotary Minute
None this week.
Raffle
Bill Sorteberg had the right ticket, but didn’t win the dough.
Foundation Award Checks
None this week.
Happy Bucks
Tyrone C. - loves the weather
Frank B. - attending annual care conference in Washington DC
Shauna K. - happy to see Sheriff Witt presenting at our meeting today.
Chris Rosenlund: heading to St. Louis to support his son Axel’s St. Thomas Men’s Club Hockey team as they compete next week at the National Championship Tournament in St. Louis. Donations to the program would be appreciated.
Scott N. - scuba diving at night was enjoyed as a special experience
Alexa R. - Note that the Sheriff has already done a polar plunge. Alexa was grateful for a successful pancake breakfast for Cub Scouts.
Nate R. - good conversation with Hopkins Rotary Club regarding their meetings
Don C. - appreciates law enforcement
Jerald S. - had a good visit with son, Cameron, in Colorado Springs and elsewhere in Colorado
Cathy C. - recovering from ankle surgery
Lenny N. - his participation in Polar Plunge will be his 6th! He praised Jerald Stiele for initiating the Club’s involvement, and noted that $38,000 has been raised over the past 6 years
Program
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna S. Witt gave a passionate presentation about her work in law enforcement. She also described her road to becoming a member of law enforcement despite originally being skeptical of law enforcement. Her passion is for kids to be supported and have hope.
Sheriff Department’s officers are stretched due to staff shortages. Her priorities are violent crime reduction, opioid overdose prevention, programming, auto theft reduction, recruitment and retention and community outreach. Usage of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, has skyrocketed.
Given recent law officer deaths in Minnesota, she also made us aware of the Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial Association (LEMA), a non-profit organization that works to provide assistance at death, and into the future, for families of officers who have been killed in the line of duty. She noted that the organization’s funds are typically to aid 2 fallen officers, but Minnesota already has 4 fallen officers in 2024.
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