Minnetonka Rotary The Spoke - June 9, 2021 (Jun 11, 2021)

Meeting Minutes - Alissa Olson

Chris Carr kicked off the meeting, 7:30 a.m.

Guests

Bennet and Curron (Nancy’s grandkids).

Invocation

Dale F. - Talked about resilience…. resilience is part of our DNA…part of how we are built. In the last 16-18 months we have experienced a lot of it. Our rotary club is an example of resilience.

Pledge

Everyone.

4-Way Test

Everyone.

Rotary Minute

Cathy C. - Avenues of services. Talked about rotary causes and services. They are overlapping and if you hear one expression, they mean the same thing. Rotary is dedicated to 7 causes: 1- Promote peace 2. Fight disease 3. Provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene 4. Saving mothers and children 5. Support education 6. Growing local economies 7. Protect the environment.

From Cathy C. - ROTARY MINUTE 06/09/2021

2021 Rotary Causes and Avenues of Service

Rotary is dedicated to 7 causes that build international relationships, improve lives, and create a better world to support our peace efforts and end polio forever.
Promoting peace – Rotary encourages conversations to foster understanding within and across cultures. We train adults and young leaders to prevent and mediate conflict and help refugees who have fled dangerous area.
Fighting disease – we educate and equip communities to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases like polio, HIV/AIDS, and malaria. We improve and expand access to low-cost and free health care in developing areas.
Provide clean water, sanitation and hygiene – we support local solutions to bring clean water, sanitation, and hygiene to more people every day. We don’t just build wells and walk away. We share our expertise with community leaders and educators to make sure our projects succeed long term.
Saving mothers and children – nearly 6 million children under the age of 5 die each year because of malnutrition, poor health care, and inadequate sanitation. We expand access to quality care, so mother and their children can live and grow stronger.
Support education -more than 775 million people over the age of 15 are illiterate. Our goal is to strengthen the capacity of communities to support basic education and literacy, reduce gender disparity in education, and increase adult literacy.
Growing local economies – we carry out service projects that enhance economic and community development and create opportunities for decent and productive work for young and old. We also strengthen local entrepreneurs and community leaders, especially women, in impoverished communities.
Protect the environment – Rotary members are tackling environmental issues the way they always do: coming up with projects, using their connections to change policy and planning for the future.

Announcements

Mark Marlin – online sign up for Summerfest – plenty of volunteer opportunities left June 26^th 4-7 p.m. and 7-10 p.m.

Chris Carr -Board meeting June 18^th, June 30^th Maynard's outing.

Cathy C. - June 23^rd meeting at Kathy’s business….wants a headcount of who can come. Address is 9901 West 74^th St, Eden Prairie.

Awards

Chris Roseland- Gave out awards from previous weeks - Bonnie Wittenberg +1 Paul Harris award, Sam Stern +2 Paul Harris award, Ben +3 Paul Harris, Marc Marlin Paul Harris +4, Ann Paul Harris +7.

Goal of $25K and are currently less than 2k shy of the goal – need that money by next week to hit our goal. Chris thanked everyone. You can contribute online or bring a check to Rotary.

Raffle

Char M. won the raffle [but lost in the card. Ed.]

Happy Bucks

Lenny N. - got to hang with Chris Carr.

[?] - Youngest daughter graduated from high school.

Nancy D. - WI boys with her for the week, first bike ride of the year, grant has been submitted for the van.

Bill S. - Generosity of the club and Chris all dressed up.

Char M. - Saw a handsome man on his bike.

Sam S. – grandkids in town for summer, road trip from FL to MN, went to Denver to help bring van to MN.

Ann W. - daughter and grandkids coming to cabin.

Alexis R. - went camping with cub scouts and now has 2 cub scouts.

Frank B. - his friend died but she was a wonderful lady.

Chris Carr- got to hang with Lenny at the lake, tomorrow daughter ends the longest school year ever and they are going to Madeline Island.

Darlyne E. - got on bike after 1 year anniversary of crash.

Ron U. and Mary T. - 31^st wedding anniversary and they decided today they will extend their anniversary another year.

Program - Vocationals

Bonnie Wittenberg—Grew up on 120 acre farm in Iowa. Grandparents lived 1 farm over on 120 acres. Baptized in a Lutheran church down the road. Grandpa told her about a cemetery where family was buried in middle of farm area. She wrote an article about the cemetery and how it was in disarray and people started helping to fix it. She thinks this is what made her like writing and become a journalist. She was a journalist at a really good time. Eventually she became an estate planner. She got her MBA in NY and then moved back to Des Moines and started working for Yonkers department store. She left there and then moved to Minneapolis and became a stock analyst. Decided to go to law school after a few jobs and eventually started her own estate planning firm. Really enjoys it. There is a lot of psychology involved. She goes through everything that people own and helps figure out their planning. She helps people understand how to set up their estate. Explained probate and how that works. Divorced parents with kids should always see an estate planner. Talked about various situations that come up in estate planning. She likes having her own business because she is in control of it. She also teaches community education so she can teach people about basic plans.

Sam Stern- Born in Chicago. Moved to MN in 1954 and grew up in St Louis Park. Grandmother instilled the love of reading in him at young age. Got sex education through James Bond books. Loves writing. Graduation from St Louis Park and then went to Carlton. Stayed close by to be close to his mother who had terminal breast cancer. Graduated from UCLA. Moved back to the Midwest for law school. Married his wife in 1980. Met her on a blind date. Has 2 kids and 5 grandchildren. Lives on a hobby farm in Independence. Professionally he practices with the Bridge Law Firm. Has worked for various practices as well as had one of his own. Used to be a registered lobbyist. Works with TruStone Credit Union and is on the board as chair. He also does other nonprofits as well. He likes photography and does a lot of charity for it. He loves rotary and can’t imagine not being a part of the group.

Next Meeting

Next meeting is June 16, 2021 at 7:30 a.m.

Adjournment

Meeting adjourned 8:30 a.m.

Member Submissions

1. From Nancy D. - Minnetonka Rotary Foundation.

I'd like to let every club member know the projects that were approved by the Foundation this year - domestic and international. Members of the Foundation - Stacey Quinn, Terry Schneider, Glen Juntti, Ben Monnens, Patti Sinykin, Dale Feste, and me - are proud of the work we did together and feel it reflects the spirit of our club.

If President-Elect Nate Rundquist asks you to serve on the Foundation next year, I hope you will be motivated to say Yes!

Minnetonka Rotary Foundation

Projects Approved – 2020-2021

DOMESTIC PROJECTS (total $40,718)

Assistance League of Minneapolis/St Paul - $2000
COVID 19 Relief for Hospitals in West Central and Southwest MN (Willmar RC)- $1000
Winter Warm Wear/Resource West - $3000
Hope Dental Clinic - $700
MacPhail Center for Music - $2000
MoveFwd (Teens Alone) - $2000
D5950 Tree Planting Project - $900
Love One Another (“Sandwich Man”) - $250
Beds for Kids (joint project with Hopkins RC) - $1235
Seniors Serve/Minnetonka HS - $500
Relate Counseling Center - $3000
Empty Bowls - $6000
Scholarship $2000– Hopkins HS senior
Scholarship $2000– Minnetonka HS senior
Scholarship $3000– Adult Options/GED graduate
Reception for Adult Options/GED graduation - $850
Van for ICA Food Shelf (part of District Grant with 3 local RCs) - $8000
Birthday Bags for Kids - $1000
Voyager Outward Bound School - $1283

INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS (total $7000)

Future Roots - $1500
Healthcare Workers in Nicaragua (Rogers RC) - $500
Haiti Electrification (Apple Valley RC) - $1500
India Water Catch Dam Project (Maple Grove RC) - $1000
India Blood Bank Project (Maple Grove RC) - $1000
Guatemala Wakami Foundation (Buffalo RC) - $1500

2. From Nate R. -

The Club for Building Responsible Youth