(If the link doesn't work with a double click, please copy and paste into your browser. Ed.)
Meeting
Invocation
Sara E. – A very simply blessing.
Guests
Frank B. - Liz Andress, Mwendo Congo.
Announcements
Stacey Q. – Welcome to guest Yonick (ph).
Nancy D. – Thank you letter from Resource West.
Stacey Q. – Looking for a new Foundation Board member with Bill S.’s recent resignation.
Glen J. – Bikes for Kids in two weeks. Sign up coming.
Christina L. – Reminded us of our contributions of time and money to ICA. Informed us of the ICA’s recent quarterly performance of serving 1,200 families, 12,000 volunteer hours,364,000 pounds of food distributed equaling 303,000 meals. Reminder of “tips” day at Maynard's on December 2, 2019.
Scott J. – Polio update on Africa eradication statistics.
Bob H. – Reminder about the Twins stadium tour on December 2 with a casual meal at Hopkins Auto body afterward (thank you Jerald).
Stacey – On behalf of Chris C., please submit all lingering information from the Links and Libations to Ryan today.
Darlene – Charter Night is November 7, 2019 at the Commons in Excelsior.
Induction
Welcome to Robert Fink!
Foundation Report
Chris R. - Through the voice of the history shrouded Velvet Hammer, he provided a lengthy and informative report on the local and international Rotary Foundation landscape, our club's giving, our district's giving, Mr. Harris’ awards, and ways to give. Our club exceeded its $30,000 goal last year and has the same goal this year. The highlight is that 91% of all donations go directly the charitable purposes and 9% to administration due to the creative funding model.
Raffle
Someone's ticket was drawn. That person could not pick the winning card. The money carries over.
Happy Bucks
Yonick (ph) – Thank you for inviting me this morning.
Chris R. – Welcome to our guests and new member.
Bob F. – Thank you for welcoming me as the newest member.
Floriane N. – Thankful for her recent Rotary and related travels to Seattle. Also happy about the Rwanda’s school’s greenhouses ready to harvest, and her gift of Rwandan grown pound of coffee for lucky member next meeting.
Christina L. - We have too many Bobs. One needs to change their name to Roberto.
Stacey Q. – It’s her 10 years older sister’s 29th birthday.
Scott J. – Thank you to everyone who participated in the Highway 7 cleanup last weekend in the cold, wind and rain. One member found a long lost car tire, wheel and some sort of steel spring.
Program
Frank B. introduces our speaker Liz Andrews from Mwendo Congo (http://mwendocongo.org/) a supporter of Let Africa Live. (LAV).
Her relationship with Congo started with a student to whom she taught English. It continued through the work of a Congolese Pastor Kubisa. Ms. Andrews briefly described the pre-colonial, Belgium colonial and post-colonial periods in regard to the tremendous natural resource wealth, specifically gold, diamonds and coltan.
Much of the politics revolves around those same natural resources. She further described the incredible violence regarding those politics and resources including rape, murder and enslavement.
She described Pastor Kubisa’s work with youth to bring them out the violence, provide psycho-social (trauma healing) counseling, reintegration, and teach entrepreneurship through trades including carpentry and vehicle repair.
Pastor Kubisa founded Let Africa Live to work this mission. The Minnesota non-profit Mwendo Congo supports the work of LAV, advocates for peace and citizen exchanges. The organization’s next phase is to purchase or lease land for the program to expand.
Ms. Andrews regretted that 2-3 members of LAV were unable to obtain visas to travel to the United States to present their message. Instead she presented a video message from those LAV representatives.
Several members asked questions about the relationship between LAV and Mwendo Congo, the history of conflict between the 54 African countries, the interference in the Congo by its neighbor Rwanda.
Fundraising
The club raised $106 for building responsible youth.
