Meeting Minutes
The Minnetonka Rotary Club met on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at The Marsh in Minnetonka, in person and on Zoom. The meeting opened at about 7:29 AM with the Pledge of Allegiance and the Four-Way Test, and was transcribed by James Walton.
Presiding: Ryan Rydell
Guests
Michelle Pasko (prospective member, ICA Food Shelf), Jason Sanders (BestPrep, program speaker), Shannon Anderson (Resource West) and Mary Timmons (Assistant District Governor).
Invocation
[By Floriane N.]
Pledge
Everyone.
4-Way Test
Everyone.
International Theme
Create Lasting Impact.
Paul Harris Awards
None this week.
Announcements
Amy Grace Foundation: Leslie Grondahl reported that Saturday's Amy Grace's Foundation event at the activity center on 14th Avenue was a huge success, raising over $15,000 with the fire and police departments taking part. It is planned as an annual event going forward.
Service and volunteer opportunities.
Mike G. - Members showed interest in an ICA Food Shelf volunteer shift, and a blood drive is set for November 12.
ICA Food Shelf (11588 K-Tel Dr, Minnetonka, MN 55343): Four evening shifts are available, each about 2 to 3 hours for roughly 20 volunteers, covering warehouse and client-area work. Dates offered: November 11, November 24, December 10 and December 22. A show of hands indicated interest; the club will likely reserve spots on one of the non-holiday dates. Details to follow.
Bob H. - Blood drive: Scheduled for November 12. Bob Hersman presented; direct questions to him. Lunds & Byerlys Thanksgiving carts: The program's plan has changed, and the club may decline to participate this year.
Nancy D. - Polio walk. Fourteen Minnetonka Rotary members walked for polio at the Mall of America last weekend. The walk was an awareness event; no funds were collected.
Mary Timmons, Assistant District Governor, thanked the club for its strong participation.
Coverage from participating clubs is on Facebook, including a member who walked with a club in Europe.
Jennifer S. - With several new members joining, the club needs more mentors, including one for Susan. Mentors: Members interested in mentoring should email the mentorship coordinator.
Bill S. - A fireside chat is planned within the next month.
Ryan Rydell presented Coni, the club's Rotary Youth Exchange student from Argentina, with the Minnetonka Rotary Club banner.
New Members
None this week.
Rotary Minute
None this week.
Raffle
Our exchange student, Coni, won the raffle!
Foundation Award Checks or Thank Yous
The golf event raised $51,041 for the club's foundation, and a $99,000 international grant was approved.
Golf event: $51,041 raised and presented to the club's foundation.
International grant: Floriane Nibakure, founder and executive director of Nibakure Community Village, a Cottage Grove nonprofit working in Rwanda's Bugesera District, presented the approved $99,000 Rotary Global Grant and is the contact for the project. Funded by combined district and global grants, the project will build a technical and vocational education and training (TVET) center in Rwanda that teaches sewing and other vocational skills to teen and single mothers. Construction is underway; Mark plans to visit in January, and members are welcome to join.
Resource West: Glen presented a $1,000 foundation grant, accepted by Tracie Stanton of Resource West. Shannon Anderson, a Resource West board member of 5+ years, was introduced as their new Development and Communications Manager and main point of contact. Updates shared: The late-August back-to-school event served 1,050 kids, with club members helping hand out backpacks. The winter gear program has grown from four weeks to over four months. A new shop lets one family at a time choose items for their kids. Groups and individuals are welcome to volunteer with the winter program.
The Star Fish Community Award
None this week.
Paul Harris Awards
None this week.
Happy Bucks
Many members also shared happy news.
Cathy P. - is going into surgery shortly, and the club sends its best wishes.
Andy L. - a 10-day cycling trip through France and Switzerland.
Leslie G. - Elks Halloween party: Friday, October 30. See Leslie Grondahl for details.
Program
J ason Sanders, BestPrep - Asked members to give an hour to speak in a classroom or help with mock interviews. BestPrep is celebrating 50 years of preparing Minnesota students with business, career and financial literacy skills through hands-on experiences.
Jason shared how his own plans changed, from aiming to be an accountant, to working in corrections, to choosing a career in nonprofits. His message to students: you rarely end up exactly where you planned.
By the numbers (last fiscal year, September through August): 36,000 Minnesota students served statewide, 43% from low-income households.
Programs:
Classroom Plus: Volunteers spend an hour in a classroom talking about their careers. Mock interviews are part of this; at Eden Prairie last spring, 20 volunteers interviewed over 200 students in about two hours.
eMentoring: A volunteer from a business exchanges one email a week with a student for eight weeks. Around week six, students visit the employer and meet their mentor in person.
Financial literacy: Minnesota now requires financial literacy for students in grades 9 through 12, and BestPrep helps teachers with classroom speakers and a budgeting simulation.
Minnesota Business Venture: A week-long summer camp at the University of St. Thomas. About 200 students form roughly 12 companies, each led by a student CEO, and build business plans with guidance from business leaders.
The Stock Market Game: BestPrep holds the Minnesota license. Student teams manage a $100,000 virtual portfolio in the live market over about 10 weeks.
Call to action: Volunteer to speak in a classroom or help with mock interviews: BestPrep mock interview sign-up.
Adjournment
Submitted by James W.
Member Submissions
