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
Welcome by Ron U.
Guests
Sarah Johnson, Minnetonka High School.
Kim from YMCA Camp Christmas Tree.
Invocation
Invocation by Nancy D., who shared reflections on the Golden Rule.
Pledge
Everyone.
4-Way Test
Everyone.
International Theme
Unite for Good.
Paul Harris Awards
None this week.
Announcements
Bill S. -Cinco de Mayo event will be held; there is also a meeting tonight at 5:00 PM at Bear Cave
Bob H. - Blood drive opportunity at St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church in Hopkins, May 6, noon–6:00 PM
Mark Magney - Highway 7 cleanup, 8:30 AM. Meet at Famous Dave’s parking lot
Terry S. - Garden plot #54 has been assigned. Must be planted by June 4; planting should begin around May 15. Focus will be root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, beets, etc.). Contact Terry if interested
Lenny N. - Cathy is leading the Polar Plunge fundraising effort; bags are being raffled\
Mike G - ICA Postal Food Drive – May 9, 10:30 AM–6:00 PM at Hopkins Fire Department (17th Ave). Multiple shifts available, including three on-call slots
James W. - MS Society speaker scheduled. Two biking events are coming up (May 9 and June 14). Also gauging interest in Youth Exchange participation. Reach out to him if interested
New Member Induction
Olivia Stansberry inducted into Rotary. Warm welcome extended to Olivia.
Rotary Minute
None this week.
Raffle
Chris Rosenlund was drawn — no winner. Jackpot carries to next week; Cathy expected to win
Foundation Award Checks or Thank Yous
Minnetonka Seniors Serve Program – Sarah Johnson ($750). Program through MN public schools (not school-funded). Seniors participate two days prior to graduation. 940 seniors participating this year. Students choose volunteer sites (e.g., shelters, fire department, police department, yard work, etc.). Program dates: June 2–3. Highly valued by students. $750.
YMCA Camp Christmas Tree – Kim ($2,000 scholarship support). Supports camp scholarships for children. ~3,000 kids attend annually. Over 300 children last year were able to attend due to scholarship funding. $2,000 for scholarships.
Happy Bucks
Bob H. -Grandson turned 8; grandson Lewis is 2 months old today.
Shawna K. - New house; met with Supreme Court
James W. -Birthday yesterday; went biking
Pete G. - Rotary supports local pottery initiative; Frank is a strong supporter.
Char M. - Enjoyed Beth’s event; excited about nearby Ace Hardware
Terry S. - Garden plot in Hopkins
Mark Magney - Ski season recap...goal was 70 days for his age but he only had 57 ski days this year so now is only 57 years old.
Mike G. - Enjoys presentations where organizations receive funding
Glen J. - Traveling to DC to visit son’s family; noted public house tours available in DC
Alexa R. - Scout camping trip successful despite minor hiccups (only 3 kids went home; Nolan cried once—considered a win)
Phillip H. - Two-week road trip to New Orleans; highlighted WWII Museum and its “four pillars of democracy” theme.
Cathy C. - Dock installed; paying June pricing, which is a big win.
Frank B. - Attended U of M event with judges and attorneys discussing legal topics
Beth Y. - Thanked attendees for event support; shared appreciation; upcoming performance themed around the Golden Rule.
Program
Vocational Talk – Cathy Perinovich. Real estate broker and brokerage owner. Grew up in Maple Grove; attended Osseo High School. College at LSU (business degree, marketing) Early career: Honeywell alarm sales, then newspaper advertising sales.
Took time to raise children (Lauren and Nick). Lived in Fort Lauderdale before returning to Maple Grove. Experience in Buffalo Wild Wings, State Farm, and home renovations.
Transitioned into real estate through home building and renovation work with husband. Now owns and operates her own brokerage. Works primarily with first-time buyers and downsizing clients. Business is relationship-driven and client-focused. Joined Rotary to give back to the community.
Enjoys travel and has taken several notable trips.
Programming Committee Update - Alexa reported committee meets every six weeks Reviewed recent survey feedback and member input.
Adjournment
Closing - Ron noted totals: $23 for Polio efforts $94 for happy bucks and half the raffle contributions
Submitted by Alissa S.
Member Submissions
From Mark Marlin:
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.
All Star Day Grief Camp
This popular camp for grieving youth blends counselor-led support with engaging, camp-style fun. The morning centers on reflection and connection, while the afternoon features “All-Star” outdoor activities and inspiring athlete stories. Campers build coping skills and form meaningful peer connections in a supportive environment.
Hit the course for a great cause! Gather colleagues, friends, or neighbors for a round of golf, lunch, fun games, and prizes while supporting grieving kids and families across Minnesota. Your participation helps create connection, and hope for families navigating the death of a loved one.
Sponsorships and Foursomes are available and selling fast!
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!
