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
Meeting called to order by our new President Ryan; his FIRST meeting of the 2027-27 Year/
Guests
Guests; no guests this week, although a guest will become a member in the next few minutes.
Invocation
Invocation by Mac; filling in for Bob, with a blank stare when called upon. Mac recited from memory the rarely heard first verse from “God Bless America”. It is fitting in that we are celebrating our country’s 250th anniversary this past week.
While the storm clouds gather far across the sea, let us swear allegiance to a land that's free. Let us all be grateful for a land so fair, as we raise our voices in a solemn prayer:
God bless America, land that I love. Stand beside her, and guide her, thru the night with a light from above. From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans white with foam, God Bless America, my home sweet home; God Bless America, my home sweet home.
Pledge
Everyone.
4-Way Test
Everyone.
International Theme
Unite for Good.
Paul Harris Awards
None this week.
Announcements
Nancy D. - the planned private club walk and tour of that Cullen Oak Savannah will be on Saturday, July 18 at 1:00 PM. More info to come on location
Pete G. - the Pottery classes and demo will ALSO be on Saturday, July 18 right behind Tony’s business.
Jerald S. and Tracy R. - Updates on our Links and Libation Fundraiser. Some new ideas for this year’s event. We are planning to have more activities for families and children, as well as the usual baskets, raffle, and of course golf. We want to have more going on while the golfers are out. More info in a couple of weeks.
Chris R. - added the need to start getting sponsors, as they are the primary funds source.
New Member Induction
New Member Induction. Jerald brought Leslie Grondahl up for her new membership. Jennifer and Leslie worked together for years with the Hopkins Education Foundation. Leslie has been in health care, and still involved in the Hopkins Community.
In fact, Leslie invites us all to the celebration of Harley Hopkins, the founder and namesake of the City of Hopkins, on his 203rd Birthday. It will be at the Hopkins Center for the Arts on Thursday, July 16 from 5:00 to 7:00. Refreshments will be served. Bob is pleased that Leslie is involved with the Hopkins Community Engagement Group.
Rotary Minute
None this week.
Raffle
It appeared that Bill had the ticket, but Terry was holding the cards. Either way, play on!
Foundation Award Checks or Thank Yous
None today.
Happy Bucks
Bob H. - for attending the 80th birthday of his Seattle brother, and meeting up with several people from his Pacific NW school years in the early 1970’s.
Bill S. - for Leslie as our newest member.
Mac H. - for unwanted, but necessary help from Jerald with a meeting of his car with a light pole.
Amy S. - for Leslie’s induction, for a trip to NYC where she enjoyed a backstage visit to Sotheby’s with her son’s girlfriend. She saw some very interesting items, including a 160 million years old dinosaur tooth.
Ron U. - for Cathy’s organizing the Passing of the Gavel at Maynards. Also, a visit from the DNR officer while fishing. Ron’s persuasion skills are still sharp, as he got off from not having a license.
Cathy - she let us know that Amy was honored for being “One of the Best” in the Star Tribune. Way to go, Amy!.
Frank B. - for one of his frequent Monterrey trips to see his mother, going strong at age 97.
Lenny N. - also, a nice visit to Ohio to vast HIS parents.
Shauna K. - for a celebration of her and husband’s 19th Anniversary, and fun at Maddens
Jennifer S. - for Leslie joining our club
Jerald S. - for the obligatory happy buck for one of the VERY frequent Hopkins Auto Body member visits.
Mark Magney - kids are in town, and 5 grandchildren under 5 years old! #9 Happy Buck was that they are all safely home. He’ll be at a Rotary camping night on Big Island with several Rotary Exchange students next week.
Nate R. - they survived their 1-month long Odyssey with the family motorhome. More details to come.
Mark Marlin - for a very successful Summerfest and all the help. Should be good for our Funds raised.
Scott B. - for a wonderful time in Mexico; sights, projects, and school assistance.
Ryan R. - for time spent at their cabin with 22 guests! Ryan wore many hats for a few days.
Program
Club Assembly
Several members who have led, or are leading, the many service avenues in the club, stood and described what we do. The list is long but the highlights are:
Dr. Carter, on our planned Billiards even in 2027.
Mac on finances and treasury.
Ron and Glen on the Club Foundation.
Frank on International; many countries and projects were recipients.
Bob and Terry J on Club Service.
Mark Magney on Youth Exchange; we will be having a student, Connie, from Argentina this year.
Chris on the RI Foundation.
Beth (not present) on Visioning.
Mark Marlin on Projects; we should think about another project to get into the community for club awareness.
As we start our new Rotary year, we are in a strong position. We have many new members, with enthusiasm, and involvement. We stand out as a leading club in our District. Let’s all support our new President Ryan and the Board. “Ask what You can do for your Rotary Club”
Adjournment
Submitted by Bob H.
Member Submissions
From Nancy D:
The walk through Cullen Nature Preserve is scheduled for Saturday, July 18, at 1:00 PM. It will be led by Jerrold Gershone who recently spoke to our club. A final signup sheet with meeting details will be circulated on July 15.
For now, please mark your calendar.
For questions, contact Nancy Davis at nancydavisrn@hotmail.com
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From Mark Marlin and the Grief Club:
Dear Friend,
Every day, children, teens, young adults, and their caregivers are learning how to carry the weight of grief while finding their way forward.
At The Grief Club of Minnesota, we witness their courage as they share their stories, support one another, and rediscover hope. As we reach more grieving kids and families, our community continues to come together in meaningful ways to surround them with care and support.
Because of the generosity of those who believe in our mission, all services are provided by skilled licensed counselors at no cost to the families we serve, helping remove barriers to high quality mental health care.
In this edition of The Club Connection, we’re sharing what’s coming up, including our summer grief camp, school staff trainings, upcoming golf event, community gatherings, and ways to get involved.
Whether you are a grieving family, community partner, supporter, or sponsor, we invite you to be part of the healing.
Pizza With A Purpose
The pizza truck is coming to our parking lot! Join us for a relaxed evening of fresh, wood fired pizza, games, connection, and community. Grief Club families are invited to bring loved ones, community members are welcome to join us, and learn more about how we support grieving kids and families.
In response to growing requests from school communities, The Grief Club of Minnesota will offer two trainings designed to help school staff strengthen their ability to support grieving students. Led by founders Cara Mearns-Thompson and Sarah Kroenke, who bring more than 50 years of combined experience, the sessions will share practical strategies for responding to student grief and fostering supportive school environments.
Mark your calendar for an inspiring evening celebrating hope, connection, and the power of community, all in support of vital grief resources for children and families. We will be accepting sponsorships along with live and silent auction donations to help make this meaningful event possible.
All are invited to an evening of reflection, love, and light as we gather to remember family and friends who have gone before us and honor those who have supported us along our grief journey.
The evening will feature a dedication program, outdoor tree lighting, music, mingling, warm beverages, sweet treats, and cookie decorating.
We are grateful to be a trusted resource for providers and partners throughout the state who support families navigating grief.
There are many ways to receive support and to offer it to others. Whether you attend an event, become a sponsor, share our mission, or make a gift, you help ensure that no one has to navigate grief alone.
Thank you for being part of a community that shows up with compassion when it matters most!
With hope, Sarah Kroenke Executive Director, Co-Founder, and Grief Counselor The Grief Club of Minnesota
From Alexa R. -
From Frank B. -
Frank, I wanted to follow up and say THANK YOU for the opportunity to present this morning. Shannon and I had a great time and we really appreciated the engaging questions afterwards. We can tell you have a thoughtful and passionate group which is what is needed to drive community impact! You inspired us to check out our own communities' local Rotary chapters.
I wanted to follow up with a few resources from our presentation today since members were requesting more information and we didn't have our business cards on hand. If you are open to it, do you mind sharing the following resources with your members so that they can reach out with their follow ups? A few members that we spoke to afterwards are so well connected in relevant statewide organizations, we would love to connect and get further information!
