Meeting Minutes
Presiding officer: Ron Usem
Guests
Our two speakers, Julia Miller and Myrtle, and our longtime former club member and Past President, Nancy Davis.
Invocation
Invocation done by Alissa Olson.
Pledge
Everyone.
4-Way Test
Everyone.
International Theme
Unite for Good.
Paul Harris Awards
None this week.
Announcements
Bob H. - our volunteer holiday cart push at Lunds and Byerlys Ridgedale netted $1K for charity. The upcoming Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Minnesota will be March 14th. More to follow.
Jennifer S. -About a dozen of our club members attended the Jan. 3 funeral service for longtime club member Chris Leick. About 200 people were at her service.
Ron U. - Scott Brink has been voted as our Secretary Elect for next Rotary year. Congrats, Scott!
New Member Induction
None this week.
Rotary Minute
None this week.
Raffle
$53 won by Mark Magney.
Foundation Award Checks or Thank You's
None this week.
Happy Bucks
Happy bucks were offered by Shauna Kieffer, Mark Marlin, Pete Giancola, Lenny Newman, Ryan Rydell, Jennifer St. Clair, Terry Johnson, Alexa Rundquist, Jerald Stiele, Bob Hersman, Beth Young, Floriane Nibakure, and Ron Usem. Lots of appreciation for the holidays, family, etc., plus gaining a pardon for a person during a legal proceeding.
Program
PROGRAM SPEAKERS: Alissa introduced Julia Miller and Myrtle, who spoke on behalf of www.WildflyerCoffee.com (http://www.WildflyerCoffee.com)
Wildflyer is a business consisting of several Twin Cities coffee and food shops, but it is also very much a social enterprise that helps homeless and disadvantaged youth, through employment at their shops, and through other means, such as shelters, transitional living, skill-building, and potential job opportunities beyond employment with Wildflyer. The focus is on helping young people in the 16-24 age range. Each year, there are at least 13,000 or more homeless youth in Minnesota.
Experts have identified eight adverse childhood experiences that are various kinds of abuse, neglect, violence, intolerance, etc. and the majority of homeless youth have been exposed to one or more of these traumas. Wildflyer employs up to 50 different youths at any given time, and they have helped hundreds of young people since their beginning in 2017. They work hard to stay in touch with "alumni" who have worked in the coffee shop employment program and gone on to other employment. The intent is to help young people find a full range of employment and housing opportunities.
Minnesota, like other states, has struggled to keep up with its homelessness challenges, and groups like Wildflyer have stepped in to help.
Adjournment
Submitted by Frank B.
Member Submissions
None this week.
