Minnesota’s premiere stage band that went into the MN Music Hall of Fame in 2008. Free and Easy cuts their teeth on Santana, Earth Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, and all things funky. https://www.freeandeasyband.com
Music By The Lake- Wednesday 07/08/26- No Weekly Meeting
Growing Through Grief is School-based grief support and crisis management. During their school years, more than 60,000 children and teens in Minnesota will experience the death of a parent or sibling. Grief is difficult to understand at any age. As a young person navigating the challenges of school and peer relationships, having a loved one die can make those routine challenges completely overwhelming.
Growing Through Grief offers intensive, in-school support to elementary, middle and high school students coping with the death of a loved one. Because of the generous donors in our community, programming is provided to students at no charge. Collaborative crisis management support for death-related incidents – such as when a staff member or student dies – is also available.
Growing Through Grief was established to provide grief support for children and teens, meeting them where they are in their process. More than 80% of participants said the program helped them concentrate in class. In addition, 95% or more said they improved their knowledge of grief, gained better coping skills and would refer a friend to the program.
Grief doesn’t have to be isolating. Growing Through Grief gives children and teens a safe space where they can share their feelings, get expert counseling and realize they’re not alone.
Please park in the lot near the upper commons (by the large curtain wall of windows) and enter through Door 5- Upper Commons Entrance near the auditoriums. Doors will open at 11:30.
Masks are required inside the high school.
Welcome and information provided by Scott Gengler, award winning school Principal, with a tour of Wayzata High School to follow.
Embrace life's challenges and see them as opportunities for growth.
I believe that when you embrace obstacles as opportunities, you begin to develop a different mindset. My goal is to show you how to live life from a position of empowerment, so you can learn to ride the waves of life's storms without losing yourself in the process.
Meeting Options:
In-Person - 11:45-1:00PM Wayzata Sailing Club - Wayzata
Fifty years ago, a group of parents, teachers, business people, pastors, and other leaders from the western suburbs in Minneapolis, Minnesota got together to discuss the rising disenfranchisement, substance abuse, and delinquency of youth in the area.
The group was united in a singular belief that strong relationships were the cornerstone of healthy development for individuals and communities. In 1968, two local churches opened their doors for adolescents to “drop in to talk about anything.” These informal discussions quickly uncovered individual and family struggles with mental health issues, chemical addictions, and issues in relationships.
In 1969, Relate Counseling Center was established as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. From 1969 to 1973 Relate provided information and referral services, short-term counseling, group counseling, and raised community awareness on issues facing youth. In 1974, Relate reorganized by offering fewer but more defined services, adding more professional staff, and solidified funding. Throughout the late seventies Relate expanded services to include a chemical dependency program, a family therapy program, and a physical and sexual abuse counseling program.
In 1981, Relate became a state licensed community mental health center. During the early eighties through the early nineties, Relate concentrated on providing high-quality services, offering educational presentations to the community and providing family change and social skills groups within the Minnetonka School district. In 1995, Relate’s school-based services grew to include mental and chemical health counseling to Minnetonka, St. Louis Park, Orono, Wayzata, and Mound school districts. Hopkins was later added.
COR is about creating experiences that allow us to pragmatically connect with this same sense. Real engagement gives people a sense of this point within themselves. Successful leaders ensure that what ever mission they give to their team that the act of fulfilling the mission will also give their team a sense of this point within them. www.workthecor.com
Hybrid Meeting Options: 11:45-1PM
In Person:
Wayzata Sailing School/Club (456 Arlington Circle) - Lunch from Benedict's will be served
Technologies for farmers and ranchers for odor control & aid in maintaining animal health.
Daniel Nelson, Director Technical Sales DPI Global
Distributors Processing, Inc. (DPI GLOBAL), a privately owned company is the recognized authority for waste control and odor elimination technologies. DPI GLOBAL manufactures products for environmental sustainability with a worldwide reputation for leadership and innovation in the animal care, agricultural, horticulture, municipal and industrial sectors. Consumers use DPI GLOBAL products with the highest degree of confidence in their quality, efficacy and reliability.
DPI GLOBAL was established in 1965 to bring innovative technologies to farmers and ranchers for environmental improvement, odor control, production improvement and to aid in maintaining animal and crop health. Research has always been the primary building block of our foundation and all of our products are supported by extensive research over time, under highly controlled conditions, in both university and private research facilities and laboratories.
***Holiday Party Update - If you indicated in the survey that you would like to help with the party, Darrell is hosting a brief meeting tomorrow at 9:00 after our regularly scheduled meeting.
Meeting Preview - Wednesday, December 1st, 2021 - 7:45-9am at 925
Wishing all a safe and happy Thanksgiving. Let us offer thanks for our food, blessings for one another. Let us be a source of hope for those in need, and a contentment for those who are lonely.
Let us give gratitude for opportunity to serve Rotary.
A buffet dinner, beer, wine & soda will be served. Please BYOB, if you'd prefer other beverages. A big thank you to Cliff for hosting and to Darrell and the party committee for planning this festive evening for us!
2021 Holiday Party - Wednesday, December 8th, 6:00 - 9:00PM
Rick Olson, President/Founder - Best Future Center
Educational Services in Africa
"The specific purpose of this corporation is to support humanitarian, educational and informational services to individuals in poverty in Africa, initially, but not limited to, through Best Future Center in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. " For more information on the organization visit Best Future Centre Projects on Facebook.
Meeting Preview - 11/10/21 - 7:45-9am at 925 Restaurant, Wayzata
For the month of November 2021 we will be meeting at 925 in Wayzata from 7:45-9:00am
As we've discussed, we are using this time, while we can not meet at Wayzata Country Club, to experiment with meeting times and locations for our club. Our goal is to find the time and location that works for our existing members and encourages new members to join.
We love the option of meeting at Wayzata Sailing Club but have not been able to find a vendor that is willing to cater our meals. If you have a contact, please pass the information on to Anita Miller-Rieder, as she has graciously offered to help us with this challenge.
Throughout the developing world, a girl may suffer from a litany of injustices that arise out of gender inequality. Child marriage, denial of education, gender-based violence – they limit her choices and trap her in the cycle of poverty. That’s why we’re committed to empowering Kenyan girls and, in doing so, contributing to the global effort to end intergenerational poverty. We do that by providing care, shelter, counseling, and education to the orphaned, abandoned, abused, and neglected Kenyan girls we serve. More importantly, we instill in them the belief that they have value, foster confidence in their leadership abilities, and give them the tools they need to reach their fullest potential. In 2006, we welcomed seven girls to Light of Hope Home & School in Naivasha, Kenya. Today, we serve more than 80 – and we’re continuing to grow. https://lightofhopekenya.org/
Meeting Preview - Note Change in Time & Location!Wednesday, November 3rd - 7:45-9:00am at 925 in Wayzata
Michael Risvold, Senior Administrative Manager at Hennepin County's Sheriff's Office/Former Wayzata Chief of Police
A major function of the Community Outreach Division is the The Sheriff's Office Community Engagement Team (CET). CET leads our agency’s efforts to build communities of trust among multi-cultural communities. The team includes the Sheriff and civilian community liaisons. The team interacts with residents in several world languages.
Our CET responds to residents' concerns, works to build lasting relationships, and develops crime prevention initiatives in a culturally-specific manner.
Our CET members provide outreach to many different diverse communities. We meet with residents at businesses, schools, and community events. Residents also enjoy visiting Sheriff’s Office facilities to learn about our work during culturally-specific One Day Citizen Academies. The CET and residents identify public safety concerns and collaborate on proactive solutions.
For more information about CET: https://www.hennepinsheriff.org/community-involvement/outreach/community-engagement
Meeting Preview - Wednesday, 10/27/21 - Wayzata Sailing Club
Last minute cancellation from our speaker. No worries1 The good thing is that we enjoy our time together. Open forum. We can chat about whatever is on everyone's mind:)
Pizza & salad from Maggie's will be served. 11:45-1:00.
See you soon!!
Meeting Preview - Wednesday, 10/20/21- Wayzata Sailing Club
A member of the Monticello Rotary Club since 1994, Marianna Khauv has long been putting service above self. Marianna has served as the club's secretary, international service chair and president. Additionally, she served as a member of the District Grant Committee from 2013-2019 and as Rotary District 5950 Area 13 assistant governor from 2016 to 2019.
Marianna was born in Taiwan and immigrated to the United States with her parents at age thirteen. She did not speak English and was amazed by the new culture and environment, especially snow and below zero temperatures!
Marianna and her husband, Onn, have called Monticello home since 1991. Not only have they raised their three daughters, Malinda, Amanda and Olivia, in Monticello, they have also been business owners in the community. With the success of their restaurant and hotel businesses, they soon started finding ways to volunteer to give back to their growing and supportive community. Marianna's theme as the chair of Monticello Chamber of Commerce in 1999 was “U” and “I” working in “Unity” for a better “CommUnIty.” This has also been Marianna’s approach to Rotary, both locally and globally.
Together, with the help from the Rotary Clubs of Alexandria, Buffalo, St. Michael & Albertville, and Monticello, Marianna was able to build a total of three libraries for
schools in rural villages of Cambodia where there is no running water or electricity. To Marianna, this is a true testimony of the power and potential of people working together, of Rotary!
Wayzata Sailing Club - https://wayzatasailing.org/ Address: 456 Arlington Circle, Wayzata Park in lot East of the club
Meeting Preview - Wednesday, October 6th - Meeting at Wayzata Sailing Club
A member of the Monticello Rotary Club since 1994, Marianna Khauv has long been putting service above self. Marianna has served as the club's secretary, international service chair and president. Additionally, she served as a member of the District Grant Committee from 2013-2019 and as Rotary District 5950 Area 13 assistant governor from 2016 to 2019.
Marianna was born in Taiwan and immigrated to the United States with her parents at age thirteen. She did not speak English and was amazed by the new culture and environment, especially snow and below zero temperatures!
Marianna and her husband, Onn, have called Monticello home since 1991. Not only have they raised their three daughters, Malinda, Amanda and Olivia, in Monticello, they have also been business owners in the community. With the success of their restaurant and hotel businesses, they soon started finding ways to volunteer to give back to their growing and supportive community. Marianna's theme as the chair of Monticello Chamber of Commerce in 1999 was “U” and “I” working in “Unity” for a better “CommUnIty.” This has also been Marianna’s approach to Rotary, both locally and globally.
Together, with the help from the Rotary Clubs of Alexandria, Buffalo, St. Michael & Albertville, and Monticello, Marianna was able to build a total of three libraries for
schools in rural villages of Cambodia where there is no running water or electricity. To Marianna, this is a true testimony of the power and potential of people working together, of Rotary!
Meeting at Wayzata Sailing Club this week!
11:45-Noon - Social Time
Noon-1:00 - Meeting
Chipoltle for lunch. Water available. Please bring your own drink, if you'd prefer something other than water.
Africa Classroom Connection was founded in 2006 after a visit by Founder Henry Bromelkamp and Board Officer Jeff Nelson, who returned from this area and wanted to make change. Our organization exists to provide much needed funds to build classrooms in Eshowe, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.
Thanks to many conscientious and generous donors, we’ve helped more than 37,000 kids by building 109 classrooms!
We believe that bad jobs kill us slowly. Employee Strategies helps align your purpose, people, and values so that you can grow your organization and your people.
A huge thank you to this year's Presenting Sponsor, Borton Volvo. This generous sponsorship is helping to cover our concert costs so that proceeds from concert food and beverage sales will go directly to Wayzata Rotary Charitable Foundation and will be distributed back out in to our community through community grants.
For the thousands of people diagnosed every year with life-threatening blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, a cure exists. Over the past 30 years Be The Match ® , operated by the National Marrow Donor Program ® (NMDP), has managed the largest and most diverse marrow registry in the world. We work every day to save lives through transplant.
BrandLab is driven by our values for exposure, access, opportunity, and equity.
Exposure: You can’t ask for a job if you don’t know it exists. That’s why The BrandLab meets high school and college students in the classroom. Through an innovative, experiential curriculum, students try on the idea of a creative career.
Access: Our paid internship program is about getting into the workplace, growing 21st century skills, and developing that first professional network. Students receive intensive training and coaching led by industry professionals to support and guide their career path.
Opportunity: Taking away barriers and building a bridge to that first job is critical. That’s why our Connect program provides thousands of dollars in college scholarships, ongoing mentorship and training sessions, and advanced internships for young talent hungry for more experience as they approach full time employment.
Equity: In order to thrive, our rising stars need to enter workplaces free from bias and exclusion. Through our Fearless programs–a combination of workshops, events, podcast, and consulting–we work with our partners to ensure that both the workplace and work being produced are culturally competent and equitable.
Tourney Time. Stories from the Minnesota Boys' State Hockey Tournament
Loren Nelson and David La Vaque, Authors
Every spring, the state of Minnesota—from urban metropolises to remote Canadian borderlands—is riveted by the spectacle of the boys' high school hockey tournament. Going back to the inaugural competition in 1945, the state tournament has produced incredible drama on and off the ice, featured legendary players, invigorated communities—and showcased some of the best hockey hair the world has ever seen. The tournament draws thousands to St. Paul, and countless more tune in on television screens around the state.
Tasha was born and raised in Colorado then attended and received her B.A. at Hamline University majoring in sociology. Tasha found Living Proof MN (www.livingproofmn.com) when she realized that she wanted recovery more than her eating disorder. After nine treatment occurrences, in multiple states, she was looking for something new. Living Proof MN gave her the space and support to choose recovery for herself for the first time. While working on her own recovery, Tasha found a passion in digital arts and social media. She is excited about sharing her story and journey in hopes that others will find recovery, by being open to new ways of healing, like she did.
Have you heard about the cost of construction drastically increasing during the past 18 months? Want to learn more? You're in luck because John Curry, Director of Customer Experience for Knutson Construction, will be presenting on construction trends, insights & predictions. In his role, John conducts feedback meetings with customers, leads initiatives to improve customer satisfaction, and measures performance in delivering an exceptional experience. John represents the third generation of the family on the Knutson team and started with Knutson as an intern and laborer. He played eight years of professional hockey before joining the team full-time in 2015 as a business development associate. www.knutsonconstruction.com
In-Person Meeting Preview - Wednesday, May 19, 2021
Join us today from 11:45-1 in the Dining Room for our weekly club meeting. Today will be all about catching up, as it's been too long since we've all been together at our favorite meeting spot! It's a beautiful day and we will be in a beautiful spot enjoying each other
HERE is the link to the YouTube Video from the Wayzata High School Senior Awards that Chris Pierson & Tom Vettel attended on Monday The Wayzata Rotary scholarship segment starts at 21:30 and ends at 25:27. This includes both the Charlie Marvin Scholarship and the Memorial Foundation Scholarships. Service Above Self
Club Scholarship Awards - Monday, May 3rd, Wayzata High School
How the Bureau of Population, Refugees, & Migration assists with displaced people around the world.
May 05, 2021
Panel Discussion (see below)US Department of State
How the Bureau of Population, Refugees, & Migration assists with displaced people around the world.
Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM): PRM is the humanitarian bureau of the State Department. PRM promotes U.S. interests by providing protection, easing suffering, and resolving the plight of persecuted and forcibly displaced people around the world. We do this by coordinating humanitarian policy and diplomacy, providing life-sustaining assistance, working with multilateral organizations to build global partnerships, and promoting best practices in humanitarian response.
Aamir Alavi is the Program Officer for Jordan in the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. His former assignments as a Foreign Service Officer include assignments in Jamaica, India, and Brazil. Prior to joining the State Department, he worked in the international development field on issues including local governance, microfinance, and community-based development. He has prior international experience in the Western Hemisphere and Central and South Asia. Aamir has a Bachelor's Degree in Development Studies and Public Policy from the University of California at Berkeley and Masters of Arts in International Economics and International Development from the Johns Hopkins School of Advance International Studies.
Jackie Sawyer is a Program Officer for Mexico and Central America in the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. Prior to joining the State Department, she worked in international development at Creative Associates International, focusing on stabilization and community policing in the Middle East. Jackie has a Bachelor's Degree in International Relations from Wheaton College and is originally from Pine City, Minnesota.
Jeremy Richart is the Program Officer for Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and the Central African Republic in the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. His former overseas assignments as a Foreign Service Officer include Russia, Georgia, and Colombia. Prior to joining the State Department, he was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Armenia and then took his skills to Afghanistan to work as the USAID representative at a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Panjshir Province. Originally from Nebraska, Jeremy has a bachelor's degree in International Relations from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota and Masters of Arts in Applied Economics and Community Development from Illinois State University.
All interested in being actively involved on the MBTL Concert Series Committee, join us for our next meeting on Wednesday, 5/5, from 11:00-Noon via Zoom. In addition to Ben, MBTL Committee Chair, providing updates on logistics, we will be brainstorming on sponsor prospects. Please come prepared with names and contact information of businesses and individuals that you feel are good prospects to contact for sponsorships. Sponsorships are the primary revenue source for profits that go in to our foundation account and get redistributed back in to the community through our community grant process. Service Above Self
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86079286864
MBTL Committee Meeting - Wednesday, May 5th, 11-Noon, Zoom
Great news! Our MBTL concert series has been approved by the city! Please join us via Zoom, today from Noon-1:00PM, for an update from our fabulous MBTL Committee Chair, Ben Hovland. As you all know, this concert series is now our major source of fund raising. The success of this series is critical to ensuring the long term viability of our foundation and ability to give back to our community through grant requests. It's also a ton of fun!! Ben is in the process of forming this year's MBTL Committee. We'd love your participation and energy:)
Bring your lunch and enjoy lakeside dining with your fellow Wayzata Rotarians!
Time: 11:45-1:00PM
Address: 456 Arlington Circle, Wayzata
Parking : lot available on the East side of the sailing center
Thank you for observing Covid-19 protocol, to ensure the safety of all of our members.
And a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to Rob Hunt for making our gathering at the sailing club possible! It's a wonderful venue and you and your team are awesome hosts:)
Social Gathering - Wednesday, April 21stWayzata Community Sailing Center
Please Join Us - Rotary Club of Minnesota Veterans
in a Trifecta of Community Service Projects -
Thursday, April 22, 2021
1 to 7 PM
Blood Drive with the American Red Cross – Shortly after our chartering we started hosting bloods drive at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Edina. Each time collecting more life-saving blood than the previous drive. This will be our fifth blood drive during the Covid pandemic.
Food Drive for Welcome Home Vets – This is our third food collection for Welcome Home Vets. Additionally, we provided manpower and delivered dozens of home starter kits to Veterans moving into permanent housing. https://www.mnwelcomehomevets.org/our-mission.html
Clothing Drive for Every Third Saturday (ETS) – Right after our club chartering, we sponsored a multi-month clothing drive for ETS. Later this year, ETS is opening a new facility and they are looking for a semi-trailer full of clothes. https://everythirdsaturday.com/Any type, gender, or size of clothing and shoes are acceptable.
More on the clothing store is at https://everythirdsaturday.com/supply-distribution The new store will be designed from the ground up with the goal of creating an actual retail experience. Infusing dignity into the process is the #1 goal. Better lighting, set up and design, changing rooms, and increased space will all be significant improvements. Veterans can come and shop one time a month at whatever time fits in their schedule. The number of vets coming by has been increasing each month. In addition, ETS was recently gifted a 10-passenger van and they will begin picking up veterans who are unable to come to the store due to transportation issues.
We invite Rotary Clubs across District 5950 to join us in collecting food and clothing then dropping them off on Thursday, April 22 between 1 to 7 PM at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, at 5421 France Ave. Edina, MN.
Join other Rotarians “People of Action” helping neighbors and friends create lasting change.
Rotary Club of Minnesota Veterans Blood & Food Drive
Why Muscle Matters that is design to explain why those in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond become more susceptible to disease and decline as they age due to simply losing muscle. The process is reversible in just a short amount of time and I share how that is true with revolutionary developments in high-tech resistance strength training technology and several stories of individuals here in town that have rebounded dramatically from age related muscle loss (and other accompanying health issues like cancer, joint pain and mobility issues, etc.). https://exercisecoach.com/ https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=654574095306254&ref=watch_permalink
Swing by with your food shelf donation to prevent hunger for our neighbors.
NEW!SHOP THEN DROP MARCH 30
Let’s flood the food shelf with most-needed items and show our neighbors we stand by them in this challenging time!
This year we’re asking you to help tackle the root causes of hunger during our March Prevent Hunger campaign. This is our annual drive to make real, significant progress toward ending hunger in our community. Your contributions of money, partnership and food shelf items enable Interfaith Outreach to strengthen its wrap-around approach proven to deliver life-changing results.
Drop off your donations* at our one-day “Shop then Drop” drive-thru event! Enjoy a goody bag filled with family-friendly ways to prevent hunger in our community.
ONE-DAY DROPOFF Tuesday, March 30, 2021 3-6:30 p.m. Interfaith Outreach parking lot 1605 County Road 101 N, Plymouth
*Please focus on our five most-needed items listed below.
MOST NEEDED shampoo, conditioner, body wash, cooking oils (vegetable, coconut, olive, canola, avocado, sesame, etc.) and cereal
ALSO NEEDED infant formula, canned meat, paper towels and toilet paper
QUESTIONS? Contact Sarah Williams at swilliams@iocp.org or 763-489-7515.
If you cannot drop off on March 30, donations are also accepted two days a week: Fridays and Mondays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please schedule large donation dropoffs by calling Patrick Felker at 763-489-7530.
P.s. We will also be collecting business cards to help our Employment Services team build a network of local employers. Have open positions? Want to connect? Drop your business card in our bin.
Interfaith Outreach’s Prevent Hunger campaign is IOCP's annual drive to make real, significant progress toward ending hunger in our community by attacking hunger at its root causes—because it takes more than food to prevent hunger.
Your campaign contributions of money, partnership and food shelf items enable Interfaith Outreach to strengthen its wrap-around approach to preventing hunger in the community. Your support not only provides access to nutritious, culturally appropriate and hard-to-find food shelf items, it enables us to provide a range of employment and family support services that set people on the path to new and hopeful futures.
Nutrition for All is a nonprofit organization that will place nutrition professionals throughout the Twin Cities to provide low income and underserved families with nutrition education, counseling, and medical nutrition therapy. The goal of Nutrition for All is to increase access to nutrition services by working directly with families and communities in need. We strive to reduce the prevalence of preventable disease, decrease per capita cost of healthcare, and strengthen the current healthcare reform movement by providing invaluable data on the impact of preventive nutrition.
Nutrition for All is beginning operation with the introduction of the Family Nutrition Mentorship Program. This program matches families in need with registered dietitians in the community. The match lasts for an entire year. Dietitians are responsible for deciding upon the best route to support their families after surveying the home environment, family dynamics, prior nutrition knowledge, and the surrounding area. Dietitians are also responsible for collecting standard monthly data throughout the mentoring program.
Nutrition for All is also in a partnership with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. The researchers at the school will be providing MPH and PhD students to assist in research guidelines, data collection, and data interpretation. We will be using Nutrition for All as a vehicle for community-based research. Through this partnership we will be able to collect high-quality data that supports prevention-based healthcare vs reactive healthcare. The data will also be used to further grow Nutrition for All and provide information to our shareholders. nutritionforall.ngo
Andrew Mullin is the volunteer Executive Chair of the Wayzata Conservancy a 501c3 non profit organization that works in concert with the City of Wayzata to implement the Lake Effect plan to implement Panoway on Wayzata bay. ( www.panoway.org )
Phase I of this project was recently completed which created additional park open space along Lake Street in downtown Wayzata. In 2011 City of Wayzata received some artifacts from the fallen World Trade Center towers from a local Wayzata family the Aamoths who unfortunately lost their son Gordy on the 104th floor of the south tower. The City has decided to create a memorial to honor the 20th anniversary of that tragic event.
Attached and below are some more details on the project and we would be seeking support from Rotary. Becky thought it might be a good idea to also provide the group with an overall update on the project I will leave that to you.
The Memorial Grove as part of the Panoway Plaza Park provides a shaded area of respite within the larger activated plaza. Designed with a simple Bosque of Birch trees in a field of tactified granite, the memorial grove scales down the overall lakefront experience while providing users with a quiet and contemplative space. Set within the grove is a memorial to honor Gordy Aamoth, a native Wayzatan, who tragically lost his life in the unfortunate events of 9/11/2001. Comprised of two granite plinths measuring 27 feet long and 40 inches wide, the memorial casts a striking form reminiscent to the iconic silhouette cast by Twin Towers on the Manhattan skyline, while providing a place for the community to gather, reflect, and honor. Designed to accommodate a single user or groups of people looking to both pay their respects and to enjoy Wayzata’ greatest natural resource Lake Minnetonka, an experience that was critical component of the design to the Aamoth family. The memorial is constructed of locally-sourced Cold Springs Granite, selected for its timelessness and durability. The benches provide both an object to display artifacts salvaged from the World Trade, a tableau for a dedication to Mr. Aamoth, First Responders and all who lost their lives on that tragic day.
In addition to leading a hybrid firm that combines: the strategic + creative agency and the media company, Blois also created Morning Take. In the era of Twitter, Facebook and the 24-hour, minute by minute news cycle morning take is designed to be a short, quick read for Minnesota insiders, media and business leaders.
Profile by Sanford - Your Guide to Holistic Health
Danette Peterson, RD, LD (Health Coach)
At Profile by Sanford, I now have the opportunity, the tools and the privilege to help others find some of their puzzle pieces and move along a path toward wellness.
PPP and their predictions for 2021, insights on how it is affecting Minnesota
Adam Goehring with Baker Tilly, an accounting and advisory firm, will be discussing PPP. Adam has more than 17 years of experience and he works with businesses in the areas of tax planning, mergers and acquisitions consulting, business succession planning and family wealth transfer planning. Today Adam will share about PPP in 2020, predictions for 2021 and insights for how it affects Minnesota.
Amber has over 20 years working as a government affairs professional, representing clients before the Minnesota Legislature and state agencies. Currently, she leads the advocacy efforts for the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association (MADA), a trade group representing Minnesota’s 370 franchised new car and truck dealers. Amber also serves as a National Trustee at Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and has served as President of the Minnesota Government Relations Council. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and son.
Since 2017, these are just a few of Lauren's responsibilities as the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild ED:
-Oversee all day-to-day operations including budget management and forecasting, accounting, insurance, taxes, lease/rent - Manage a full-time staff of two - Oversee and execute five major events per year including three beer festivals, a professional beer competition, and an exhibit at the MN State Fair - Execute board strategy & strategic plan initiatives - Manage annual advocacy efforts including lobbying contract, legislative agenda, marketing, and budget - Maintain a membership of more than 150 breweries and 60+ allied trade organizations - Implement new programs & revenue-generating projects - Form and maintain important industry partnerships - Collaborate with other Guild leaders nationally - Oversee and implement educational programming - Monitor and guide association committees - Oversee and implement major marketing and communications programs
Minnesota Community Care: Strengthening the well-being of our community through health care for all.
Paige Bowen has worked at Minnesota Community Care for four years and currently is the Chief Advancement Officer. Based in St. Paul, MCC is the largest federally qualified health center in the state, providing affordable, high-quality, accessible clinical care and public health services to nearly 40,000 patients each year regardless of income, insurance, or immigration status. They are also the Healthcare for the Homeless provider for Ramsey County. As COVID-19 has escalated, MCC has rapidly transformed their system to reduce the spread and impact of the virus and support the community.
The Borgen Project is a nonprofit organization which works to make global poverty a focus of U.S. foreign policy. It fights global poverty by advocating for poverty-related legislation and issues. These critical issues include starvation and global food security; newborn, child and mother survival; access to clean water and sanitation; improving healthcare globally and eradicating diseases such as HIV and TB; promoting girls’ and women’s education and empowerment; and much more.
The Borgen Project’s work and advocacy has had great success in recent years, including helping to pass the Electrify Africa Act, which has resulted in more than 58 million people gaining access to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa by January 2019. Currently, it is building support for a number of bills, including the Girls’ Leadership, Engagement, Agency, and Development (LEAD) Act, which Congressman Dean Phillips has recently cosponsored, along with 44 other House Representatives. This bipartisan act will create and promote opportunities for girls’ education, civic engagement, and political participation around the world.
Morgan Turner is a 2017 Wayzata High School graduate and Borgen Project advocate in Maple Grove and Wayzata. She is currently a senior student-athlete at DePaul University in Chicago, where she is studying Political Science and Sociology and plays on the DePaul Women’s Soccer team.
To learn more about the organization, please visit borgenproject.org.
Jon Eisele, Senior Public Awareness Coordinator for Enbridge Energy
Responsible energy solutions to meet the energy needs over the next decade.
Enbridge’s vision is to be the leading energy delivery company in North America. We deliver the energy people need and want—to heat their homes, to keep their lights on, to keep them mobile and connected.
Wishing you and your families a very happy and healthy holiday season. We have SO much to look forward to in 2021! During this challenging time, please reach out to others to let them know that you care. As Rotarians, we have each other to lean on. Not everyone is as lucky. Each of us has the ability to make a difference in the lives of others.
Sojourner Project, often known as Sojourner, was named in honor of Sojourner Truth, a traveling philosopher and orator, a woman who spoke about justice, equality and truth and the need for change. Sojourner Truth was named Isabella Baumfree. Born a slave, she spoke passionately, advocating for the end of slavery and the recognition of women’s rights. In the 1820s, when still quite a young woman, she escaped from her New York owner after being brutally treated and sold away from her family. By the 1840s, Truth had become a powerful speaker against slavery, often moving her audiences to tears and exclamations of horror with her firsthand accounts of what slaves endured at the hands of cruel masters. She inspired those who heard her and her voice called many to action on behalf of those who were powerless.
In taking her name, Sojourner’s founders endeavored to honor the principles for which she stood and to continue her efforts to provide hope, safety, and support to those victimized by violence and abuse. Our commitment has not wavered and this is evidenced in our current agency mission and goals.
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, we will not be meeting on Wednesday, November 25th. Wishing you and safe, healthy and happy Thanksgiving. Though our tables will be filled with fewer friends and family members this year, we still have so much to be thankful for. Please remember that the holidays, particularly this year, can be a challenging time for some. Take the time to reach out to someone whose day will be brightened by your voice
Todd Churchill, Chief Marketing & Financial Officer of Blue Nest Beef
Grass Fed Beef Grazed on Audubon Certified Bird Friendly Land
www.audubon.org/ranching
www.bluenestbeef.com
www.churchillreserve.com - Free local delivery with minimum purchase
A Serendipitous Journey
Serendipity led to the connection of an engineer who knew about energy and carbon to a filmmaker who was looking for better climate solutions. They met a cowboy practicing new grazing methods, and an ecologist quantifying carbon in soil, and something started to smell like a real solution. With the now growing network, fate connected them to two grassfed beef pioneers who were among the best and most seasoned in the game - one who knew the art of finishing and one who knew the art of marketing. Together they began to see they might have the pieces of a solution to solve an important problem by surprisingly coming together to reinvent real beef with a bigger purpose involving how it would get from pasture to plate. We realize we're not yet as diverse as the prairies we seek to recreate, but, hey, it's our start!
Gina, who many of us know and love, will be demonstrating the preparation of a special holiday cocktail and taking us on a virtual tour of J. Carver Distillery in Waconia. She's even planning a kiddie cocktail, for the little ones in your life or for those who prefer a non-alcoholic option.
Former City of Wayzata Beverage Director, Gina jumped at the chance to be a founder and partner of what became J. Carver Distillery. Gina has over 30 years in the hospitality industry, and is a certified ISG Sommelier. She has managed a large liquor store, a large restaurant, and a large family. Gina is often in the public eye teaching cocktail classes and sharing her passion for J. Carver spirits and craft cocktails on local TV and radio. She is very active, and is a well-known fixture of every community she touches. Gina is an intrepid explorer, always curious about the best way to coax the best from our local inputs, always thinking about the next great flavor profile. Gina can often be found with her beloved test still, driven to create another extraordinary J. Carver spirit. www.jcarverdistillery.com
Becky and our other Holiday Party Committee members are busy planning additional activities for our time together. We're guaranteeing an evening filled with fun and laughs for you and your family. Stay tuned for more details and Zoom link but for now, mark you calendars and plan your festive garb for this Wednesday night from 5:00-6:30PM.
Virtual Holiday Gathering - RSVP to Becky by Dec. 15th!
Loaves and Fishes serves free, healthy meals to Minnesotans, with dining that includes a local farm-to-table approach during Minnesota’s growing season. The meal program began in 1982 with one dining site each in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Since that time we have grown to serving over one million meals annually at over 70 meal outlets, are present in 8 Minnesota counties, and are the largest open to the public meal program in the state. We are always guided by our vision that all people, regardless of socioeconomic, cultural or ethnic background, deserve to meet their basic needs for food, dignity and respect.
Bell Museum - Minnesota’s official natural history museum and planetarium
Denise Young
Executive Director, Bell Museum
Minnesota’s official natural history museum, established by the legislature in 1872 and held in trust by the University of Minnesota. For over a century, the museum has preserved and interpreted our state’s rich natural history and served learners of all ages. Additionally, our scientific collections contain over one million specimens, representing every county in Minnesota and various locales around the globe.
Rotary Initiative to End Human Trafficking in Minnesota Karen Walkowski, Chair
Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. ... Traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to lure their victims and force them into labor or commercial sexual exploitation.
Karen Walkowski is the Chair of the Rotary Initiative to End Human Trafficking in Minnesota and the President of the newly formed Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking.
Join via Zoom. Room opens at 11:45am with program from 12:00-1:00PM
*** 11/17/2020 - With Covid 19 numbers moving in the wrong directions, we will continue to meet virtually until after the first of next year. Wayzata Country Club welcomes us back, once it is safe for us to gather and it financially makes sense for our club. In the main ballroom, which is the only available option for us at this time, there is a $500 food and beverage minimum in place. We need at least 38 members to gather in-person, in order for our club to make the numbers work financially. Club leadership knows how important meeting in person is to our members and we assure you that we will do so as soon as we are able.
*** 11/9/2020 Update - WCC meeting to discuss situation was postponed. Hope to have answer later this week. Zoom meeting this week!
Club leadership is diligently working towards securing a permanent location for our weekly meetings, as we know how important this is to our club members. We are in active conversations with Wayzata Country Club and will know next week if we will be able to resume our meetings there as early as Wednesday, 11/11. The club is going through a process of evaluating how many non-member events they are able to host, due to a challenge of their tax status. This has not only affected our club but also the chamber and other guests making event requests. With Andy Fazendin, a club member, as our club's event host, we are hopeful that our weekly meeting request will be approved by Wayzata Country Club's leadership team. Thank you for your willingness to make this happen for our club, Andy
Crescent Cove - Tara Anderson, Director of Engagement
The first children's respite hospice home in the Midwest, and third in the US, Crescent Cove on Twin Lakes in Brooklyn Center provides respite and end-of-life care for children, young adults and their families. With no out-of-pocket cost, children staying at Crescent Cove receive pediatric palliative care, which focuses on enhancing the quality of life by addressing physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs so the best quality of life can be achieved.
The following is provided at Crescent Cove in a loving and joyful environment:
Respite Care | Allows families to enjoy periodic breaks from continuous caregiving, providing an opportunity for rest and renewal. Crescent Cove kids stay for 1-7 overnights at a time throughout the year, receiving 24/7 nursing care. Families are offered 15 days/nights of respite per year, with the option to be placed on a waiting list for additional days.
Hospice/End-of-Life Care | The Crescent Cove Home offers a unique alternative for families at a time of transition for their child. Our care team supports the family’s wishes while caring for the child who is imminently dying and ensure this care is consistent with clinical, cultural, religious, and ethical standards.
Tara shared that Crescent Cove is currently looking for nurses. Please reach out, if you know of someone who is qualified.
Thanks to the generosity of our club members, we were able to gift Shelley the balance of what she owned to purchased this beautiful piece of original artwork from an artist in the Pacific Northwest. Shelley had been saving for a while and we helped to make her dream come true! Shelley will be greatly missed but we hope that she thinks of us, when she views and gains energy from her new treasure!
A Great Big Thank You from Shelley, former Club Admin
Thanks to the generosity of our club members, we were able to gift Shelley the balance of what she owned to purchased this beautiful piece of original artwork from an artist in the Pacific Northwest. Shelley had been saving for a while and we helped to make her dream come true! Shelley will be greatly missed but we hope that she thinks of us, when she views and gains energy from her new treasure!
A Great Big Thank You from Shelley, former Club Admin
Wayzata Chief of Police Risvold & Deputy Chief Shultz - State of the City Update
Hosted by Mike Palm, Chief Risvold and Deputy Chief Schultz provided the club with a state of the city, from a law enforcement stand point. Chief Risvold introduced his successor, Mark Shultz, as he will likely retire in the Spring of 2021 after joining the force in 2004. Thank you for your exemplary service and sense of humor, Chief Risvold. You will be greatly missed!
The two talked about some of the Covid-19 related challenges, stating that securing PPE was initially very difficult. Members of the force moved to longer shifts, 5 long days with 15 days off or 4 long days with 8 days off, to allow for quarantining if exposed. Both worked 56 of the 60 days, after the outbreak. Their service is so admirable and very much appreciated!
Chief Risvold shared highlights of Meridian Manor closing, due to the severe outbreak. It was a difficult experience for all involved. Fortunately, all residents were moved to other available care facilities. Post George Floyd killing times were also challenging, as the force did not have proper equipment (gas masks, helmets, turtle gear) to prepare for a potential riot. Many community member calls were received by the department indicating that the unrest was moving to the suburbs, including Wayzata. Thanks to a donation from Wayzata's Prime Prevention Coalition, the department is now equipped with necessary equipment.
Chief Risvold also mentioned a co-responder model being tested in the Twin Cities, where social workers are embedded in departments to enable more educated and prepared responses for 911 calls involving a mental health or drug related crisis. With access to medical records, some good results have followed. More to come on this encouraging model!
Approximately 20 Rotary Club Members enjoyed attending a Fall Member Gathering at Cliff Otten's garage last Wednesday evening. Members brought wine to share, and finger food was provided. The weather was a bit brisk, but everyone wore warm jackets and socialized together inside the garage. It was a fantastic chance for club members to get together in person and socialize safely.
District 5950 Hosts Virtual "The Amazing Race (to End Polio) Scavenger Hunt!" on World Polio Day, October 24, 2020
District 5950 is holding its first ever district-wide event to help eradicate polio - “The Amazing Race (to End Polio) Scavenger Hunt!"
WHEN: This interactive, virtual event will be held on World Polio Day, October 24, 2020, from 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM.
DETAILS: Partner up with a family member, fellow Rotarian or friend and create a team of two for this fun event to raise polio awareness. Teams will race against each other to find or perform ten items in their local communities that are (loosely) tied to Rotary's polio efforts. The list will go out to participants at 8:45 AM before the race begins. The team of two allows for one to be zooming while the other is engaging in the activity. A panel of hosts will be on the Zoom event running commentary, video snippets related to polio and general gibberish. The first team that secures all ten items will be awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship donated from Club points. You don’t need a team to be part of the zoom event.
HOW TO SIGN UP: If you plan to participate, please register each member of your team at www.rotary5950.com under "events" and include your team name/the names of your team members in the comment box.
Teams will make a pledge for $0.10 to End Polio Now. This is the cost of one dose of oral polio vaccine that will protect a child against polio. The goal of this event is promoting Rotary’s number one effort in the world - ending polio! To learn more about our efforts, to make a donation, join us in raising awareness or donating your time, please visit https://www.endpolio.org/. Teams can contact Tim Mulcrone for bling, such as brochures, shirts, paddle-signs, etc. Tim's cell phone number is: (952) 239-1594.
We owe special thanks to (i) Rotary International District 5950 Polio Chair Tim Mulcrone for organizing the event and (ii) District 5950 Rotarian John Crudele for handling the technology requirements for the event.
**Please note that all local social distance and mask guidelines need to be followed while participating.**
District 5950 Hosts Hosts Virtual "The Amazing Race (to End Polio) Scavenger Hunt!" - October 24, 2020
Speaker Jyll Jara-Hurd - The Impact of Covid 19 & Fires in CA Wine Country
Jyll Jara-Hurd spoke on the topic of the impact of COVID-19 and fires on California wine country at our Wednesday, October 7, 2020 meeting. Jyll, a certified wine professional and educator, as well as the Wine Director at the San Francisco Chronicle, shared how fires in California have been getting increasingly worse each year, and that fact, combined with the impact of COVID-19, has placed an enormous strain on California wine country. In fact, many wine companies, as well as ancillary businesses, will be unsustainable after this year.
Highlights of her presentation included:
Wine companies have had minimal insurance.
Wine companies have needed to be adaptable, as higher temperatures are affecting wine production choices.
Poor air quality has affected restaurants by limiting their outdoor dining options, thereby reducing the amount of wine they're purchasing.
Smoke taint can incubate in grapes over time, as well as bottled wine, and can result in an ash taste.
Many wine companies will be unable to have 2020 red vintages.
There has been an increase in more organic, bio-dynamic farming.
The fires in OR have affected wine production there as well, although WA will be interesting to watch over time.
Jyll recommends trying orange wine (a white wine that is fermented like a red).
On a side note, Jyll shared with us details of her company Six Feet Vibes, which sells hats and other goodies. You can check out their wares at https://sixfeetvibes.com.
Jyll is currently responsible for sales and education at the Donkey and Goat Winery. She has been a leader in sales and marketing for the wine industry for 13 years.
Rotarians met at the Wayzata Sailing school to say farewell to Shelley and to welcome Kristin to the club. Kristin comes to Rotary with a background in international and non-profit work. She lives in Plymouth with her family and her youngest son attends the Wayzata schools.
Please be sure to say hello and introduce yourself.
Shelley's last meeting was this week and a great turnout was had to say farewell and wish Shelley all the best. Shelley will be spending more time with her son and his distance learning needs as well as continuing working on her art business. If you would like to support Shelley, please visit her website at: www.shelleybeaumonthealingmosaics.com.
James did a round robin and checked in with members. Here are some highlights:
Cliff Otten was celebrating his birthday - Happy birthday Cliff! Also, Cliff is inviting members to a garage warming wine tasting party on October 14, at 4:30 pm.
Lynn Groll was feeling better 3 weeks after back surgery.
George Lee is also feeling well after having surgery to have a stint put in.
James Larson updated the club that he is working with the board to find a new meeting location. We do not know when we can return to the country club, and hopes that we have a spot to meet in person again soon.
Wayzata Rotary is happy to welcome back Andy Thielen. Welcome back Andy, we missed you!
Angela Bernhard shared that Hammer has some fall clean up opportunities, They have a Fall Clean Up event every fall where groups help prepare our group homes for the winter – primarily raking leaves. This year Hammer is looking for groups to help October 17 – 25. Note that October 24 is Make a Difference Day! They typically do a time frame of 9 am – 1 pm or 1 pm – 4 pm, though that’s flexible and the time commitment depends on the number of volunteers as well as the size of the yard. Hammer provides the bags for the leaves, volunteers typically bring their own rakes. This is a fun event where you can bring your kids too, and we have several homes in the Wayzata community.
Jyll Jara-Hurd - Zoom Meeting The impact of Covid 19 and fires in California Wine Country
Jyll is currently responsible for sales and education at the Donkey and Goat Winery. She has been a leader in sales and marketing for the wine industry for 13 years. Jyll will share the insiders knowledge of the impact of Covid 19 and the fires in California on the wine industry.
enneagram coach | opening space to help you see yourself and others with more clarity and compassion
Enneagrams are a very unique and unusual tool of understanding yourself and others and have an "insider" language. Individuals, couples, and business teams use the Enneagram to look at individual/s strengths and weaknesses and to look at conflict resolution and how to handle it.
The Enneagram symbol is a circle with 9 numbers. Each number represents home base with wings on either side, and a line to the number that correlates to your stress factors and a line to your security factors. There are nine types of people that fall within the head, heart, and gut centers (where one communicates from.)
Shelley will order lunch from the Muni for those interested and bill back $20 on next billing cycle. Please let her know what you would like from the limited take-out menu below by noon on Tuesday.
All are invited to join the fourth and final installment of this summer’s Interfaith Outreach Learn. Reflect. Act. Series.
We're hosting a free, virtual screening of “No Small Matter,” the first feature documentary to explore the most powerful force for change in America today: early childhood education. Choose either 9/24 or 9/25 to attend the two-hour virtual event and join other caring community members as we screen and discuss the film. We'll reflect together on how we can take individual and collective action to advance this topic in our community. Learn more and register at https://www.iocp.org/no-small-matter
On September 15, 2020 honorary member, Russ Ewoldt passed away. Russ was 93 years old. Russ joined Wayzata Rotary in 1957 and was the club president 1968-1969. At this time, there are no services being planned for Russ.
Stephanie Spenser, Enneagram Coach Enneagram and Business, Host: George Lee
Stephanie is a question-asker who never stops peering into the essence of things. She teaches classes across the US as an Enneagram coach. She is also an artist, and a scripture teacher with the nonprofit 40 Orchards.
Rotarians were treated to a very informative, "insider" presentation as to how college financial aid and scholarship work. Cozy's top two tips: Focus on the college's financial aid and don't waste time on pursuing private scholarships. While this seems counter-intuitive, Cozy went on to explain that many schools reset outside aid with the aid they are giving, so many times it does not help the student, but actually can harm the financial aid awarded. Some other great information:
1. Look for colleges that offer merit aid. Many of these colleges have formulas they use to calculate aid so it is worth filling out your FAFSA, ensure you have a great essay that makes your student unique, show that your student has a demonstrated interest in attending a specific college/university, and follow that school and professors on social media.
2. Attach your search like it is a business. Continuing education IS a business and there is a lot of money swirling around in these businesses. Interview schools and programs, understand your ability to appeal financial aid packages, and be sure your student finds the style of school that fits.
3. Assure you have a strategy to pay for college and talk to your students about this. Plan, define expectations, leverage best financial options, and discuss with your student.
College Inside Track does offer a free family consultation. If you would like more information, please email Cozy at cwittman@collegeinsidetrack.com or call her at 612-850-5729.
Vincent Bryan - 2VP, Information Systems at Travelers
Vincent joined us on a spectacular summer day at the Wayzata Sailing School. Vincent shared several of his stories on learning about being a target of racism and microaggressions when he moved to the US from Jamaica. He has lived and worked in several states and is now in Minnesota with Traveler's. One of the focus' he is involved with is diversity and 5 years ago the company made a commitment to be more diverse and understand what is needed to attract, train, and retain employees from diverse (non-white) backgrounds. The company also makes a concerted effort to reach into other networks such as vets and disabled employees.
Some of the learning shared:
1. He found that within the employee population, they hired diverse employees but did not promote them or increase their salaries, and were not effective in reaching and understanding those employees.
2. Leadership positions were not being filled my minorities and why was this? The dug deeper than the typical "not trained or qualified" and looked into WHY this was an issues.
3. Travelers was not promoting women and they learned that with mentoring, men talked to men about "Business" and men talked to women on "How to be a good employee" so that when it came time to pick candidates, women were not able to speak the business language needed.
4. He also learned that having white men lead in diversity hiring is much more effective than having a minority leading this initiative because it appears to be self-serving.
Travelers has also made some small but important changes in language. In IT they removed "slave" and "master" and replaced with "primary" and "secondary," and removed black/white list and renamed "allowed" and "not-allowed." While these are small changes, they are huge in language impact.
Shelley will order lunch from the Muni for those interested and bill back $20 on next billing cycle. Please let her know what you would like from the limited take-out menu below by noon on Tuesday.
District Governor, Tom Gump is asking for Rotary's to become business mentors and/or form teams to help clean and rebuild in Minneapolis. If you are interested in participation, please let James Larson or Cathy Haukedahl know. This project is in planning stages and more will be shared - in the meantime, James and Cathy are collecting names of those who would be interested in participating.
An excerpt:
This would be all about the Rotary Club getting direction from the business and then Rotarians rolling up our sleeves and pitching in. Depending on the type of business, Rotary could support them by:
visiting their site;
buying their product(s);
telling others about their product(s);
helping them clean or get ready to open;
donating time and money; and
helping with business practices such as marketing, finances, leadership, personnel, etc. if the business requests it.
EMRC will work with Lake Street Council to set guidelines and a detailed plan to proceed.
“Get Involved Rebuilding Minneapolis “ - Any Interest?
College Inside Track has educated thousands through its seminars and worked intimately with hundreds of families to help them get into some of the best universities in the world and ensure they got the best price at schools they considered.
Rotarians heard from three leaders at Tree House Hoope, a non-profit organization dedicated to removing helplessness from teen's lives. Ryan McGinnish, Rod Tolen, and Jordan Nelson. Teens are uniquely impacted by hopelessness. Students in 7th through 12th grade many times feel like the do not have a future.
The core values of TreeHouse are:
"I am lovable, capable, and worthwhile."
"I am loved without strings and never alone."
"I have a future."
Working with these values they work within support groups to normalize sharing feelings and being vulnerable giving teens a safe space to grow their emotional intelligence. The passion and care for this program was felt by all participants.
Treehouse is one of the agencies that Wayzata Rotary supports through our community grants program and if you would like to get your hands and self involved, TreeHouse is looking for small group leaders, meeting locations, and financial support. There is a great need right now for mentor volunteers.
For more information on helping with students and mentoring, please contact Rod at rtolen@treehousehope.org.
For more information on helping with behind the scenes (meeting locations, transportation, etc) please contact Jordan at jborernelson@treehouse.org
For more information on TreeHouse Hope, click here.
Shelley will order lunch from the Muni for those interested and bill back $20 on next billing cycle. Please let her know what you would like from the limited take-out menu below by noon on Tuesday.
On August 10th, widespread, destructive, straight-line winds blew across central Iowa. The most extreme winds, estimated to be at 110-140 miles-per-hour, destroyed or damaged numerous outbuildings, barns, grain bins, homes, mobile homes, apartment buildings, trees and power poles in parts of Benton, Linn, Jones, Cedar and Clinton Counties. The Cedar Rapids area was particularly hard hit. As #PeopleOfAction, we would like to do what we can to help our neighbors to the south.
The Rotary Club of Linn County has set up a donation site for monetary contributions to donate to help Cedar Rapids area disaster relief efforts. If you personally or your club collectively would like to donate, please visit https://rotarylc.square.site/. There is a 2020 Derecho Relief section.
The Rotary Club of Linn County is also collecting several items that are needed in the community, everything from toiletries to chain saw oil. For a delivery address, please contact Michelle Bell, at (319) 431-2755. Needed items are:
Drinking water,
Chain saw oil,
Two-cycle oil,
Chainsaw chains,
Diapers,
Baby wipes,
Formula,
Peanut butter,
Shelf stable food,
Tarps,
Coolers,
Flashlights,
Extension cords,
Toiletries,
Large trash bags,
Paper towels,
Batteries and
Feminine products.
There is a specific interest in roofers and tree removal experts that are willing to travel to the area. There is both volunteer and paid work available. Currently, tree removal companies are quoting 90-120 days for removals. If you have connections to any roofing companies or tree removal companies, your help would be greatly needed!
* Cathy Haukedahl was happy to welcome her new grandbaby, Silby. Congratulations! * Andy Fazendin was happy to learn his kids will be going back to live school. * Jim Houg was happy to zoom with his mom on her 93rd birthday.
What are you missing with working remote?
* Socializing!
* Miss customers!
* Miss the busy activity of the office!
* Space away from home activities!
What do you need to Zoom effectively?
* Telephone
*Computer
*Alexa (several members have added this to their home office!)
TreeHouse has been serving teens since 1979, helping them build relationships and resiliency rooted in living hope. We’re based in Minnesota, but we have sites across the country. Each of our sites host programs that give teens a safe space to find support and belonging. Through mentorships, retreats, and other off-site activities, teens have the opportunity to build even deeper relationships with peers and caring adults.
Join us via Zoom! Room will open at 11:45 for chatting:
Thank you so much for having me speak to your wonderful members of your Wayzata Rotary today, it was such an honor to speak to them! Here is the link to the video that was shared on our Zoom call: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz8IXqWzKeA&feature=emb_logo
Finally, BCE's website is: bcemovement.org and my email: julie@bcemovement.org . Looking forward to continued conversations about BCE with your members!
Thank you Rotarians! Your Support Helped These Organizations...
With the Music by the Lake concerts being cancelled this year, Wayzata Rotary needs to look at other ways to raise money to support our fall 2020 and spring 2021 community service grants. Please consider making a donation to the Wayzata Rotary Charitable Foundation to help sustain this year's program. Thank you!
Kristen Delegard, a co-founder of the Mapping Prejudice Project, joined us via zoom to share information about this important project exploring racial covenants written into land contracts and our willful amnesia in owning these covenants and understanding how these laid the foundation for the racial disparities we have in our society today. In 1910, Edmond Walton introduced the first racial covenant into land ownership. Here is an example:
Kristen shared with us the mapping results that have been done and showed the methodical way in which land was divided up so that white society could enjoy the choice areas of land in the Twin Cities. She also showed how the highway system and "Urban Renewal" destroyed and dispersed areas where Black and Brown people lived and had thriving communities.
These covenants were binding and it wasn't until 1953 that this practice began to be outlawed. In 1953 in Minnesota it was illegal to include new covenants, but allowed existing ones to remain. In 1962 Minnesota passed a law banning them outright. in 1968 a federal law was passed for fair housing. These steps did not stop the disparity and gave way to Red Lining, the systemic practice of mortgage lenders of drawing red lines around portions of a map to indicate areas or neighborhoods in which they do not want to make loans.
We are still living with the fallout of this legacy and the Mapping Prejudice project hopes to expand their efforts state-wide and is currently working on mapping Ramsey County. If you are interested in participating in this program, please click here for more details.
Shelley Beaumont had two pieces of art juried into a show at Gustavus Adolphus in September during their annual Nobel Conference. It is particularly thrilling as this is her alma mater.
Darrell Leines was enjoying his grand kids coming over and using the pool.
George Lee called in from Seattle where he is visiting his granddaughters. The drive out there was spectacular!
Lynn Groll was in Update New York visiting her family and is going to New Jersey for a surprise engagement party for her daughter. (She was confident her daughter would say "yes!")
Cathy Haukedahl was super excited to share that she was a new grandma for a second time. She has been cycling and is heading to Mesa, AZ for a vacation.
Jim Houg has been enjoying being out on the lake, baby-sitting his grandson, and socializing on decks.
Chris Pierson has been extra busy at work and spending time at the family cabin.
Andy Fazendin has been sending some quality time with his 5, 8, and 10 year old children. He's been exercising and spending time golfing.
Kelly Sater has been really busy at work, is training a new associate, having fun at the lake and joined a volleyball team that plays at Lord Fletchers.
Ben Hovland has been hanging out around the house and finally saw his parents.
Bring a chair and plan on socializing and discussing plans for the rest of the summer and re-connecting.
Shelley will order lunch from the Muni for those interested and bill back $20 on next billing cycle. Please let her know what you would like from the limited take-out menu below.
The July/August/September invoices have been emailed. If you need a hard copy, please let Shelley know and she can mail one to you. Thank you for supporting Rotary!! shelleybeaumontwayzata@gmail.com
Please note, members were only charged for dues. Any meals that we have for face-to-face gatherings will be charged back next quarter.
Kevin Engdahl - VP of Enterprise, EMERGE Guest Speaker
EMERGE is a community workforce development organization working in north and south Minneapolis. Kevin shared some highlights of the organization and how they work with people who are incarcerated before re-entry into society. They have a re-entry services road map, actively recruit and engage with people to offer services, and have several enterprises that help people get job skills. One interesting attribute is they hire people that may be considered "undesirable" and work to help them become employable. One of the most popular programs they have is teaching people how to be a commercial truck driver.
MISSION :Our mission is to reveal the potential in people and communities through skill building, employment, and economic opportunity.
VISION: We envision a world where all people have the opportunity to emerge and thrive.
VALUES
Community — We work in and are a part of the communities we serve.
Equity — We embrace diversity and seek inclusiveness and fairness in all we do.
Innovation — We deliver strategies that combine the best of community development with social innovation.
Collaboration — We seek to amplify our impact through collective action.
Responsiveness — We strive to be flexible and adaptive to changing needs while remaining urgent in our actions.
Kirsten Delegard is one of the co-founders of the Mapping Prejudice Project. She received her Ph.D. in history from Duke University. She has devoted her energy to public history and unearthing the complex past of her hometown, Minneapolis This focus led to Mapping Prejudice and the Historyapolis Project, which Delegard also started.
Mapping Prejudice is located in the John R. Borchert Map Library at the University of Minnesota. Delegard also holds faculty affiliations with the Department of Geography, Environment and Society and the Heritage Studies and Public History Program at the University of Minnesota. She was awarded a fellowship from the National Endowment of the Humanities and has been a Legacy Research fellow at the Gale Library at the Minnesota Historical Society.
Rotarians were able to get together for lunch and fellowship on the lawn. It was wonderful to be able to see members in person! We were treated to observe and learn about some active service (and in-training) dogs who were also excited to get out with their humans and show us some of their tasks.
Helping Paws is a non-profit organization that breeds, trains, and places service dogs with veterans and those with physical disabilities. The organization has volunteer trainers and is able to place dogs at no costs thanks to generous donations and grants.
If you would like to know more about the organization, click here.
The WRC Board met on July 8 and discussed returning to the Club for in person meetings. It was felt by most board members that September would be the earliest date for resuming in-person meetings. However, WRC will try to organize one in-person gathering per month that will allow for social distancing and fellowship. For July and August, see below:
July 15, 2020: Meeting on the Lawn with Helping Paws
August 5, 2020: Adopt-a-Highway Service Project. Lunch time service project.
With this decision, Shelley will do the quarterly billing the same way as last month and only charge members for dues and charge back any lunch expenses incurred.
The board will be revisiting resuming in-person meetings at the August meeting and update members.
Edit: July 26, 2020 - James Larson still needs one member to also participate. Please let him know if you are able to be that person!!
WHO Should Participate: Club Presidents and one additional member from each club. We know we are all busy, but it should be viewed as mandatory to have 2 members from each club participate.
WHAT: Series of 3 conversations - Must register for each Event Separately!! Session Information will be sent out upon registration. Limited to 50people per session.
Part 1: Embracing Truth. Conversation will focus on context. What is our Rotary history and status? Minnesota history and status?
Cost: Free for attendees As we were not able to have a District Conference last year, PDG Russ Michaletz requested his District Conference funds be applied to this initiative.
Looking for a community service project and some Rotary fellowship? Cathy Haukedahl and Ben Hovland will be organizing an Adopt-A-Highway clean-up activity on August 5 and fulfill both of those activities!
The details are still finalized but plan for a 2 hour window over the lunch hour to collect trash. Our segment is County Road 6 from Willow Drive to Willowbrook Road. If you would like to help Cathy organize, please email her at cathy.haukedahl@tradition.bank.
Edited to add: Shelley will take orders for lunch from the Muni if interested. Members will be charged back a lunch-fee next quarter.
Tips for collecting trash
Be sure to wear gloves, as some trash may be sharp. Stay as far away from the roadway/traffic as possible. Do not park vehicles on the shoulder to do a cleanup.
Helping people and communities through skill building, employment & economic opportunity.
Emerge offers adult and youth workforce services, combined with a range of other services, along a continuum from basic job search coaching up to long-term intensive career training, tailored to the specific needs of the participant. In 2017, 94% of those we served identified as people of color with the largest groups served African American (55%) and African, primarily Somali (25%). Our participants are 84% low-income with 76% under the poverty line. About 35% are overcoming a criminal background; 26% have no high school diploma/GED; 21% speak a primary language other than English, and 13% indicate immigrant/refugee status.
Dr. Fischer joined us and shared her professional insights and experience with COVID-19. Two areas she's given a great deal of thought to are the ethical issues around a pandemic and that a strong centralized leadership is needed to manage the response. As of July 8, there were over 40,000 confirmed cases in Minnesota.
Dr. Fischer noted that they way she provides care has changed because of the pandemic. One of the biggest issues is the shortage of PPE (personal protective equipment). She specialized in virology research and thinks that the PPE that is available is OK but not adequate. She was a bit more comfortable that Minnesota has caught up a bit on PPE needs in Minnesota, but is still worried. Of interest, many physicians are taking on some sort of volunteer furlough to help clinics and hospitals save on money and use that for purchasing PPE.
After the murder of George Floyd, Dr. Fischer spent 2 days on the ground helping residents and volunteers with any medical needs she could provide. She shared that Powderhorn Park (a homeless tent encampment) is being run by neighborhood volunteers and only has one shower facility run by the organization "Nechama." The lack of access to clean water makes people living here more vulnerable to contracting COVID-19.
Dr. Fischer recommends that everyone have a health care directive and have a conversation with your family about your care should you contract the virus. She also reminded us to reach out to friends who may be quietly sinking - it is a time to check in on your friends and neighbors and to not take this pandemic lightly. Members were able to ask loads of questions and Dr. Fischer would be happy to answer any additional questions or come and talk to us again!
Dr. Vivian Fischer, MD The Impact of Covid-19 on the Health Care System (an insiders perspective)
Dr. Fischer has been a physician for 30 years in traditional medicine and strong background in integrative medicine, and medical ethics most recently with Allina Health with training in trauma therapy and formal training in Integrative Health and Wellness Coaching from 2 of the top programs in the nation.
With the new Rotary Year upon us, James Larson shared a few words as the new Club President. He thanked Kelly for a great year and Shelley for keeping to the club moving forward. James had asked the question; "What makes Rotary more interesting?" Some feedback he's received:
Improve the diversity and inclusion of the club
Have meetings in different locations at least 1x per quarter
Visit other Rotaires, particularly those in the city for ideas and partnerships that can be forged in the wake of the George Floyd murder
Live up the the 4-Way Test, particularly "build good will and better friendships"
Thanks to successful fundraising with Music by the Lake in 2019, we were able to donate $7,500 back into the community. We will be looking for alternate ways to raise money to support our community with the new Rotary Year. Please let James or Ben know if you have any ideas!
Loaves and Fishes: $1,000 to put towards purchasing a new fork lift (Mark Lauffenburger sponsor)
Sojourner Project: $1,750 for domestic abuse support (Mike Risvold sponsor)
Hope Chest for Breast Cancer: $1,000 for non-medical emergency support ( Shelley Beaumont sponsor)
Hammer Residences: $1,750 for COVID-19 PPE supplies (Angela Bernhardt sponsor)
Ridgedale YMCA: $1,000 for Camp Christmas Tree Scholarships (Shelley Beaumont sponsor)
Wayzata Sailing School: $1,000 towards purchasing lawn mower, trimmer, and snow blower (Rob Hunt sponsor)
Thank you members for all you do to support the community!
Julie Weisenhorn, M.A., M.Ag - Extension Educator and Associate Extension Professor University of Minnesota Department of Horticultural Science
Julie shared a delightful and colorful presentation with landscaping and planting ideas to liven up your living space with edible plants and pollenators. Flowers, herbs, lettuces, and garden veggies can come together in beautiful ways. There are 5 main considerations in planting a sustaining design:
1. Function
2. Maintainability
3. Environmentally Sound
4. Cost Effective
5. Visually Appealing
Julie is on WCCO TV on Saturday's from 8-9:00 am with a gardening show. She also plays in a band with her husband and has played at the Brew Fest fundraiser with the West Mound/Minnetonka Rotary for the last 8 years. For a link to her presentation, click here.
Julie Weisenhorn - Guest U of M Department of Horticultural Science
Julie Weisenhorn, M.A., M.Ag is Extension Educator and Associate Extension Professor at the University of Minnesota Department of Horticultural Science. Julie is a published author and is the host of "Smart Garden" on WCCO Radio.
Members spent and entertaining and fun meeting listening and interacting with Jordana Green. She shared with us what it takes to do a three hour live talk radio show and shared her history from being in journalism to talk radio. During COVID, she does her show live from her bedroom with a microphone, headphones, and an iPad.
When asked what the hot topic is, she answered "race." It had been COVID non-stop until the murder of Geroge Floyd. The topic is around how to become a less racist society. It was interesting to note that talk radio, like cable shows are opinion shows. She said she is paid to have an opinion, much like MSNBC and FOX cable talent. When you are a journalist, such as on NBC/ABC/CBS, you are bound by ethics to provide unbiased news to the best of your ability.
Reach for Ralph: At Home Edition: Thursday, June 25 - 7:00pm CST
From member Angela Bernhardt: Hammer was recently approved for a grant from the Rotary Foundation for PPE in our group homes – this will demonstrate how impactful those dollars are!! The 30 minute video event gives people a sense of what’s going on at Hammer right now, and includes a video all about how COVID-19 has impacted our work. It’s very powerful! Thanks for considering my request and all you do for the community.
Register now for this free, 30-minute virtual fundraiser. Visit Hammer.org
One of the ways Wayzata Rotary supports the local community is through fundraising and using that money to support local organizations. The Link is one of those organizations that WRC has supported.
Jelena Strong, Corporate Engagement Officer, joined our meeting and gave an overview of the history of The Link. Started in 1991 by 2 Minnesota Vikings players who recognized there was a support need for young people in the area. Their goal is work with youths and families to overcome the obstacles of poverty and social injustice. Today The Link supports 21 programs: youth based, advocacy, housing and shelter, and education. 85% of the services provided are to People of Color. The majority of their funding comes from Government grants and they are working to build more partnerships with community organizations, such as Rotary's.
Youth Leadership: The Link’s Youth Advisory Committees The Link is a youth and adult led organization and operates all programs in the model of Positive Youth Development. The Link has five youth advisory committees that are made up of youth that have experienced homelessness, sex trafficking and/or involvement in the juvenile justice system. These committees members are paid part-time The Link staff members. They design and oversee our programs, staff hiring, community conduct training and specialized projects such as the Youth Participatory Action Research Project with the University of Minnesota. All committees and members are essential in gaining true expert insight and voice. The committees also offer the opportunity for youth to gain career development and leadership skills.
What is Takes to Make a Radio Show & Top Topics from Listeners
Jordana has been in broadcast media since 1995 as a TV reporter, TV anchor, Co-Host 3-hour morning news/entertainment TV show, TV producer, and radio host.
The WRC Board met on June 10 and discussed returning to the Club for in person meetings. Roughly 50% of active members were not ready to resume face-to-face meetings so the board decided not to resume meetings in July. One of the main factors is we have a 30 person minimum lunch charge each week, and the board does not want to charge members for lunches that won't be consumed.
The board will be revisiting resuming in-person meetings at the July board meeting, so in the meantime, we will continue with weekly zoom meetings.
Ellie Krug, author of "Getting to Ellen: A Memoir about Love, Honesty and Gender Change (2013)" shared with Rotarians some very uncomfortable facts about the disparities between white colored people and people of color. To prove her point, she started with drawing our attention to "The Look" that many POC receive. She is a transgender woman who looks very much like a white woman but has the voice "of a dude." She is very well acquainted with "the Look" and put out to attendees to ask themselves why we prefer white colored skin?
"Prejudice" - a brain based pre-judgement
"Discrimination" - Actions based on prejudice
"Race and Racism" - There is only one "race" - the human race. The concept of race goes back 500-600 years ago when White Christians came up with the concept that people with other colors were less worthy (as a way to justify slavery as well). "ISM" creates actions against/or to keep a group of people based on color less equal.
"Structural Racism" - This is baked into an organization (i.e. Redlining)
"White Fragility" - Being unable to talk about color constructs
"Disparities" - Looking at stats gives a good idea of just where disparities are. Ellie shared stats from MN.Gov.Demographics: Below are some stats:
Reading Comprehension at the 3rd grade level: 2/3 of White people of color: 1/3 Black people of color
Graduation Rate: 88% White people of color: 67% Black people of color (We are the worst state in the USA)
College Graduates: 67% White people of color: 35% People of color: 27% Latina/x
Below are links to educational documents that Ellie shared and encouraged us all to look at. If you would like to reach out to Ellie directly, her email is elliejkrug@gmail.com
The Link works with youth and families to overcome the impacts of poverty and social injustice.
The Link was founded in 1991 by former Minnesota Vikings players, Jim Marshall and Oscar Reed, who wanted to support youth in north Minneapolis who were being victimized by crime, getting involved in crime and who were struggling with poverty and homelessness. The Link is still based in their original vision and in north Minneapolis. The Link has grown from a two staff member organization with three programs to an organization that has 19 programs across the Twin Cities area, employs over 150 adult and youth staff members and supports nearly 3,000 youth and young families each year. The Link offers programming in three areas:
President, Kelly Sater, will be researching and looking for ways Wayzata Rotary can work with other Rotary Clubs in the area to help with clean-up and rebuilding opportunities in Minneapolis for the club to get involved with. Please let Kelly or Shelley know if you want to be involved, either physically or financially.
Member, Sarah Kaelberer, ran into Dorothy Welch this last week. Dr. Welch sends her warmest greetings to the Club. Dr. Welch joined Wayzata Rotary in 1995 and is an honorary senior active member. She works with the Honors Mentor Connection at Intermediate District 287 and is a Paul Harris Fellow.
The author of "Getting to Ellen: A Memoir about Love, Honesty and Gender Change (2013)", Ellie has presented on diversity and inclusion to governmental entities, court systems, Fortune 100 companies, law firms, nonprofits, and colleges/universities on 800+occasions. A hopeless idealist, Ellie has presented her human inclusivity training,“Gray Area Thinking®”across North America.
If there is any interest from members in supporting this organization in our next Rotary year, please let Shelley know and she will ensure the Board discusses support.
Destiny Rescue is an international anti-trafficking organization focused on rescuing children wdho are being sexually exploited and enslaved. Our mission is to rescue, restore, protect, empower, and be a voice for those who can't speak up for themselves. In 2019, Destiny Rescue rescued 1,426 survivors and over 5,200 overall since 2011. Our restoration programs have successfully kept 4 out of every 5 children we rescue from rejoining the commercial sex trade industry. We currently work with survivors in Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines, the Dominican Republic and three undisclosed countries in Asia. After we rescue a child, we work to provide a specialized aftercare plan for each individual. Our aftercare services may include safe housing, education, vocational training, counselling and medical care.
WHY MEDICAL CARE IS VITAL
Our newly-rescued girls experience a wide variety of illnesses and medical conditions. Their health needs are both SPECIFIC, relating directly to the nature of the work within the sex industry, and GENERIC, arising from a life of poverty and poor access to healthcare services.
To ensure the well-being of our beneficiaries, we would like to begin providing basic, yet high-quality medical care for all girls who enter our aftercare program in all seven project nations in which we operate (an estimated 430 girls).
We've developed a 3-phase healthcare plan, which is summarized below:
Phase 1: $14,561
- Providing initial health screenings and establishing medical records for newly rescued children
Phase 2: $4,910
- Providing ongoing medical care to beneficiaries to ensure their health and well-being
Phase 3: $97.090
- Providing advanced medical care to beneficiaries as needed (including dental)
TOTAL COST: $116,561
May 27, 2020 - Destiny Rescue - Fundraising Overview
These $500 scholarships are given in honor of Dr. Charles Marvin who passed away on October 7, 2018. He earned Bachelor and Medical Doctorate degrees specializing in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Charlie mentored many Rotarians in their life journey. He lived his life by being a great mentor, helping young adults achieve their full potential. The Wayzata Rotary is proud to continue being a “caring mentor” in Charlie's memory!
Charlie Marvin Memorial STRIVE Scholarship Winners - 2020
These $1,000 scholarships are made possible through an endowment from the late M. G. Gullixson. These awards are based on the student’s community service/volunteerism, demonstrated leadership skills and character. Recipients should show academic achievement and the ability/drive to pursue education in a trade, technical or college setting.
Virtual Meeting with David Yorks "The Warren Commission Report: Fact or Fiction"
This will focus on the major discrepancies between the 1964 Warren Commission Report, which investigated the Kennedy assassination for ten months and the report from the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Assassination in 1979, which investigated the assassination for thirty-one months.
The meeting room will open at 11:45 for fellowship and chatting.
The Country Club will be opening soon and will be looking at how to safely have our group meet again. One of the plans will be to have either boxed lunches or plated meals. The Board will be discussing in June when to resume meetings at the Club and member input is welcome. The current thought is to continue virtual meetings through June.
If you have any input, opinions, advice, please let Shelley know your thoughts.
While there weren't many Rotarians on our lunch bunch call last week, we did have a great chat! George Lee, who is recovering from COVID-19, shared his experience with getting tested (it was surprisingly difficult to get an actual test), the virus itself ("I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy), and his recovery (very slow). This led us to a great chat about employer liability and how elevators are a surprising liability issue with re-opening businesses and member thoughts on re-opening in general.
Mike Palm shared that he and Sharon went rented a small camper and went on a road trip to Sedona, AZ and Mt. Rushnore, SD.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Wayzata Rotary Board voted to cancel this year's Music by the Lake summer concert series for the safety and well being of members and the community.
Wayzata Rotary looks forward to welcoming back the summer concert series in 2021.
Destiny Rescue provides rescued children the intensive care and love they need to recover from the traumatic effects of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation. We provide them medical help, counseling, schooling, vocational training and all daily needs required to be integrated back into society successfully. In addition, we provide a safe protective place for them to live, grow and experience the unconditional love of God – a place where they can feel valued and esteemed; a place where they can be kids again.
New this year is the long route which will go more since the bridge access to Mound is closed this year. As in previous years, proceeds go to the ICA foodshelf. If you are interested in volunteering, click here and to reach Tim for Ride Director, Sponsorship & Media Requests, click here.
Join us to hear from Tim Litfin, Tour de Tonka Director about this year's event.
About Tour de Tonka:
Minnetonka Community Education supports the educational, social and recreational needs of the community by serving children ages birth to five, youth and adults throughout Minnetonka School District and surrounding communities. We believe in lifelong learning for all people, birth through adulthood and partnerships that support and strengthen the community, schools and families.
Meeting room opens at 11:45 for fellowship and chatting. To join, click here or see meeting details below:
Jon Kriedler, of Tattersal Spirits, shared during his talk last week the following information about who his company used to get COVD-19 antibody testing done for his staff. Sharing here as a reference to Rotarians.
Jon Kriedler joined Rotarians to share how he partnered with other distilleries to create a coalition to make World Health Organization approved hand sanitizer to help fight COVID-19 in Minnesota.
Jon gave an overview of how they pivoted to making hand sanitizer. When they first started it was quite easy to source pharmaceutical grade ethanol and it quickly became an issue as other entities jumped into seeing this as a way to make money. Currently he has to purchase by the tanker load rather than by gallons. Jon was very pragmatic in how he is looking at his business and the restaurant and bar business.
An interesting notation is that hand sanitizer is considered a topical drug and falls under certain regulations. He shared that some companies are purchasing a lesser quality petroleum grade ethanol and using that in making hand sanitizers. If you smell petroleum, it is not pharmaceutical grade!
Jon shared that he sees restaurants opening first and at 25% capacity. Bars will be the last to open. He forecasts that 50% of current restaurants will not be able to reopen and will have to closer permanently. He shared how he is taking care of his employees, but paying for the health insurance, ensuring they have a job when the distillery can re-open, and by offering COVID-19 antibody testing to his employees.
For more information on Tattersall Distilling, click here.
Jon Kreidler, Co Founder / Chief Officer Tattersal
Leader. Doer. Aficionado. A financial wizard by trade with an MBA from the University of Chicago, Jon has always had a love for whiskey and gin. After 15 years of analyzing other companies, he was ready to put his skills to work on his own. While vacationing with his wife, Michelle, Jon was charmed by the West Coast craft distillery boom. The wheels began to turn. He enrolled in the Michigan State Distilling School, reconnected with Dan, his childhood friend, and Tattersall was born.
Topic: Virtual Meeting: Impact of Covid 19 on the Spirts Industry Time: 11:45 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Machmeier, Linda Suzanne 61, of Medina, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on April 23, 2020 after a courageous battle with lung cancer. The world has been lessened by her departure, but a new angel has been born. Linda was caring, nurturing and deeply spiritual, and had an inherent optimism and enthusiasm for life that shone from within. She deeply cared about others, and she touched many with her kindness. She had the gentlest and sweetest of souls--she couldn't abide watching movie or television violence. People were drawn to her by these qualities. She was simply a lovely human being, and special beyond words. Yet this gentle, caring woman was also a highly successful businesswoman. She started Accounting Resource Group in 1985 (as Linda Gasch), as a solo tax and accounting practice. Over the next 30+ years she hired staff and grew the business to over 500 clients. She taught herself how to be an executive, through reading and business coaching. She was the ultimate "servant leader." While she was task-list driven and detail oriented, her personal qualities always shone through and made her the leader that she became. Both staff and clients loved her, and many became life-long friends. And she excelled in business. In 2013, Linda was recognized as one of the "Top Women in Finance" by Finance & Commerce magazine.
In the midst of the demands of running a growing business, Linda raised a growing family. The yearly spring tax season, with its nearly 24/7 demands, was particularly challenging. Yet, she balanced her career and family well and was a wonderful, loving mother to her three children. In her spare time, she enjoyed tennis, skiing, travel, boating, sun bathing (either by the pool or at the beach), writing and dancing. Nobody loved dancing more than Linda! In early 2015 Linda met Bruce Machmeier. They fell deeply in love, and were married in July 2016. They traveled the world and spent quiet moments together at their house in Medina. While their time together was far too short, it was still a deep blessing for both. Linda is survived by her husband Bruce; her children, James Gasch, Jr. (Nikki), Laura Vickers (Ryan) and Jonathan Gasch (Abby Tilford); her former spouse, James Gasch, Sr. (Deb Jensen); Bruce's children, Peter, Elizabeth and William; her mother, Jean Arne; and her nine living siblings, Therese Arne, Steve Arne (Bessie), Pam Horner (Brad), Jerry Arne (Karla), Mike Arne, Brian Arne (Jennifer), Kathleen Sullivan (nee Arne), Bob Arne (Joelle), and Jon Arne (Gretchen). Linda was preceded in death by her sister, Jane Quammen, and her father, Dr. Gerald ("Jerry") Arne.
Because of the current limitations on social gatherings, Linda's Mass of Christian Burial will be held privately on April 29, at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church. A recording of the Mass will be posted at the website for Gearty-Delmore Funeral Chapels: (gearty-delmore.com/obituary/…). A Celebration of Linda's life will be held at a later date. Memorial donations in her memory may be made to A Breath of Hope Lung Foundation (abreathofhope.org). Gearty-Delmore.com 763-553-1411
Coach Larry McKenzie - Guest Speaker Paul Boettner - Host
Coach McKenzie, along with three of his students (Freshawn, Tauries, and Enwar), joined us for a virtual meeting to talk about positive role modeling and motivation.
The students shared what basketball has meant to them and how the program that Coach McKenzie immerses them in using positive affirmations, learning how to be responsible for your own choices to become better men and players, and how to sacrifice and when to fight for success. Coach McKenzie has a creed that all of his students and he live by...it starts with "This is the beginning of a new day. Don't take any day lightly as they are all a gift." All students learned that basketball is something they DO, it is not who they ARE.
Coach McKenzie ended his meeting with a call to gratitude. We can take advantage of this time of sheltering to grow and expand. We can come out of this pandemic better people. Exercise, be positive, take care of yourself, and become your best self.
David Ulrich shared an overview of the mining proposal being explored in Northern Minnesota. The Duluth Complex, a geological area of rock over 1 billion years old that hosts four distinct types of magmatic mineral deposits, is being explored for mining by Plymed/Tech/and Twin Metals. The intent is to harvest copper, nickel, PGMs, and cobalt.
David shared what "modern" mining entails and showed how the mining would all be 400 feet under the surface of the earth and well below the water tables. The propsed mining area is also in the Superior National Forest in a designated "desirable zone" and not near the Boundary Waters or Federal and State buffer zones.
David shared these links with the group, and of interest is the money that is required to be shared with school districts via the School Trust Fund. Wayzata school district received $485K in 2019.
Make positive changes in the lives of others. Host: Paul Boettner
Coach, author, and educator Larry McKenzie is the First coach to win four straight state titles in the 100-year history of the Minnesota State Boys Basketball.
In 2017, Coach McKenzie became the first Coach in Minnesota High School Basketball History to lead two separate schools to multiple titles, both Minneapolis Patrick Henry and Minneapolis North.
Larry is a long-time community and youth advocate with 20 plus years of experience working with urban youth. His service to young people has earned him numerous awards and recognition including KARE 11’s Eleven Who Care, KTCA’s Everyday Hero, the Minneapolis Park Board’s Volunteer of the Year, and Positive Image Father of the Year.
In 2014, Larry McKenzie became the first African-American Coach selected to the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.
How Donations to Rotary International Filter Down Locally
Dear District 5950 Rotarians:
Our response for COVID-19 relief:
We heard your call for our district to help the international community respond to the COVID-19 Crisis. District 5950's Rotary Foundation Committee authorized:
$75,000 of District 5950's Global DDF to the ITALIAN ROTARIANS RESPONSE TO COVID-19 grant; and
$25,000 of District 5950's Global DDF to the ROTARY INTERNATIONAL DISASTER RESPONSE FUND.
For our newer members, a brief summary of how our grant funds are allocated:
Because of the outstanding historical generosity of the members of our district to The Rotary Foundation (TRF), we have about $400,000 distributed (after three years) to the district each year for grants initiated by our clubs. Half of this fund (about $200,000) is designated for projects that benefit our LOCAL communities, and the other half is restricted by TRF for GLOBAL projects. Each year we spend all of the LOCAL funds (which we will accomplish this year) and, in many years, like this year, we have excess GLOBAL funds as a carryover into the next year's fund.
After careful review of our outstanding grant requests, it was determined that our district would have excess GLOBAL funds to carry forward to our next fiscal year, and that the above grants, along with the $30,000 previously committed to Polio Plus, would not conflict with GLOBAL projects the district clubs would likely bring forward over the next 15 month grant cycle. The above grants in no way affect the funds we have available for LOCAL projects in the next Rotary year. We know you would rather have these excess GLOBAL funds providing relief today than sitting in the bank as excess.
Our designated COVID-19 grants:
Italian Response Fund - Italy is presenting an unusually tough environment for the crisis. Rotary International's Global Grant efforts in Italy include working with the 13 Rotary Districts in-country to support medical professionals dealing with the Coronavirus there. Our funding will be used to purchase the following badly needed additional medical equipment:
Full body thermal scanners,
COVID-19 triage units, including isolation “cabins”, computer tablets and related tele-medicine software and monitors; and
Isolation stretchers to allow transport of patients without physical contact with any health care professionals.
Disaster Response Fund - The Rotary Foundation Trustees recently placed $1 million in its Disaster Response Fund to make grants immediately available for applications related to COVID-19. Our District's contribution supports grants that help Rotarians shore up the medical capabilities of their communities in all parts of the world, including hot spots in the United States.
Don't forget The Rotary Foundation in your personal generosity:
This is also a reminder to all of us of the need to individually support The Rotary Foundation with online gifts before our fiscal year end (June 30, 2020). It would be great to have the financial support of every member of every club, in any amount, to bring to them the value of personal fulfillment created by our collective generosity. It is our sharing today that will provide the funds for club and district grants in three years for new local and global challenges. Just go to Rotary.org to give.
Don't forget to act locally as well:
Meanwhile, we are very proud of all the efforts the clubs in our district are making in support of our local community food shelf and medical facilities. Keep up that great work, People of Action!
Here is some important and timely information from Mark Ihrke, the Executive Director of the Ridgedale YMCA and a member of the Rotary Club of St. Louis Park, about the YMCA's child care option for working parents. Please share if you know someone who could benefit from this information.
"As a valued community partner, I wanted to let you know about YMCA child care programs that we are currently offering to support families. I appreciate you sharing this info with your colleagues, key stakeholders, family, friends and Rotary club members who may need the service themselves or have co-workers that may need it. Our Y is committed to supporting parents who need to work during these unprecedented times. Our children need a place where they can safely enjoy being a kid - learning new things by collaborating with the schools on remote learning, being active, and having fun while being supported by caring adults.
The YMCA is collaborating with local government and health officials to offer child care from six weeks through sixth grade in various programs that meet family needs. As always, we never want to turn anyone away because they are unable to pay. Please know that we are here to work with each family on their personal situation.
Health and Safety of Our Children
The health and safety of each child and our Y staff is our top priority. The Y adheres to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and State Departments of Health and Education strict guidelines. Y staff has the most current and up-to-date training. Here are some of the extensive safety protocols we put in place:
- Curbside drop off and pick up of children before entering and leaving Y site in order to reduce the number of people that your child with come in contact with
- Temperature testing of all kids and staff every day
- Screening questions asked to ensure health and safety
- If anyone in the family has a temperature or symptom, the child requiring care will not be able to attend that day
- Reduced ratio of children per adult to ensure social distancing per government guidelines
School Age Care – Space Available
School age care offers a safe and fun environment for E-distance learning and activities that meet social distancing requirements:
Who: Children in kindergarten through sixth grade (K-6)
The Y is here for you and hope these child care programs provide the support our children and families need at this time. If you have any questions or need more information, please contact me at 952-582-8259. Thank you. Hope to see you at an in-person Rotary meeting soon. Stay healthy!"
Mark Ihrke Executive Director RIDGEDALE YMCA YMCA OF THE GREATER TWIN CITIES 12301 Ridgedale Drive, Minnetonka, MN 55305
Wayzata Rotary Is Still Meeting - Albeit Virtually!
In person meetings will be cancelled until further notice, but not the fellowship between members! We will be hosting virtual meetings every week, either at our normal noon with a speaker, early afternoon for virtual happy hour, or an early morning for coffee clutch.
If you would like to be included in a virtual meeting, please email the club administrator for an invitation.
Check back each week for the upcoming time and topic.
The Wayzata Board will be meeting virtually this week from 11:00 am - 11:55 am. If you have any questions, concerns, ideas, or information you'd like to be included in the meeting please send Shelley an email. She will get it on the agenda and follow up.
The Wayzata Board will be meeting virtually this week from 11:00 am - 11:55 am. If you have any questions, concerns, ideas, or information you'd like to be included in the meeting please send Shelley an email. She will get it on the agenda and follow up.
The Wayzata Board will be meeting virtually this week from 11:15 am - 11:55 am. If you have any questions, concerns, ideas, or information you'd like to be included in the meeting please send Shelley an email. She will get it on the agenda and follow up.
The Wayzata Board will be meeting virtually this week from 11:15 am - 11:55 am. If you have any questions, concerns, ideas, or information you'd like to be included in the meeting please send Shelley an email. She will get it on the agenda and follow up.
The Wayzata Board will be meeting virtually this week from 11:00 am - 11:45 am. If you have any questions, concerns, ideas, or information you'd like to be included in the meeting please send Shelley an email. She will get it on the agenda and follow up.
Environmentally Sustainable Method to Manage Mining Tailings
David currently supports Twin Metals project as communication consultant sharing the project’s story of generations of future mining opportunities. Prior to Twin Metals, David provided senior-level leadership across a range of organizations and industries, from multibillion-dollar international manufacturer, to smaller privately held companies. David has served on the Governors Workforce Development Board, NE MN Workforce Investment Board. He has served on the advisor boards of UMD, MNSCU and NE Minnesota technical college.
Twin Metals Minnesota (TMM) Project is focused on designing, constructing and operating an underground copper, nickel, platinum group metals and cobalt mine, and is committed to doing so in an environmentally friendly way. Located approximately nine miles southeast of the city of Ely, Minnesota, and 11 miles northeast of the city of Babbitt, Minnesota, the TMM Project targets the valuable minerals within the Maturi deposit, part of the Duluth Complex geologic formation.
You may recall Meeting Angelina Amerigo "Miss Heart of the Lakes" when she spoke at our Rotary Meeting.
One of the ways to give Angelina an advantage is to support the scholarship funding for women through the Miss Minnesota Scholarship Fund by purchasing an add in the Miss Minnesota Program Magazine. The cost is VERY modest!
The Wayzata Board will be meeting virtually this week from 11:15 am - 11:55 am. If you have any questions, concerns, ideas, or information you'd like to be included in the meeting please send Shelley an email. She will get it on the agenda and follow up.
Rotarians got together virtually to again check in and enjoy fellowship together.
The member highlight was from Paul Boettner. We learned some history about Paul and how the mandates are affecting his dental practice. We talked about how Corona Virus is affecting commercial real-estate, senior care, and support for small businesses. A few jokes were also shared to honor April 1st.
Virtual Meeting This Week with Kate Siegrist - 12:00 PM Start
The Five Things You Should Be Doing to Protect Your Data
Please plan on joining us virtually at noon this week to hear from Kate Siegrist. Kate Siegrist leads Lurie’s growing technology practice and consults with business owners to help improve their security, compliance, and technology controls posture. As a partner, she oversees the firm’s SOC 1, 2 and 3 practice, security assessments, IT strategic planning services, IT risk assessments, IT governance assessments, business and systems transformations, and controls audits. Kate has been a featured speaker on technology and controls topics relevant in this rapidly evolving arena.
The Deadline for Spring Community Grants is now May 20, 2020!
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the community grants committee has decided to extend the spring application deadline by one month.
Community Grant applications are now being accepted! If you are a sponsor for a grant, reminder that applications are due to Tim Westermeyer no later than May 20, 2020. The award determination meeting time and date to be determined.
If you need a grant application, please click here for a link.
Wayzata Rotary is proud to be supporting students at Wayzata High School again this year.
Rotary Club of Wayzata Memorial Educational Foundation Scholarships
Sixteen $1,000 scholarships will be awarded through The Rotary Club of Wayzata and an endowment from the late M.G. Gullixson. Awards will be based on the student's community service/volunteerism, demonstrated leadership skills and character. Scholastically, applicants do not need to be at the top of their class, but should show academic achievement and the ability and drive to pursue a college education at a vocational, technical, a two-year or four-year college.
The Wayzata Rotary Charitable Foundation will contributing $3,000 towards the sixteen.
Charlie Marvin Memorial STRIVE Scholarship:
Six $500 scholarships will be awarded from the Charlie Marvin Memorial STRIVE memorial fund. This mentoring program is being coordinated and run through Great Expectations and Interfaith Outreach with support from Wayzata Rotary. Criteria includes greatest improvement, improved GPA, attendance, and mentorship.
We look forward to welcoming scholarship winners and their families in May for lunch (May 6 WMEF and May 13 STRIVE).
Lynn Groll shared that LaDonna Hoy will be transitioning into retirement from Interfaith Outreach at the end of March. There will be a community celebration on June 28th, 2020 at St. Bart's from 3:00 - 6:00 pm. Please stay tuned for more details!
Community Celebration for LaDonna Hoy - Rescheduled for June 28, 2020
I have been in touch with the Wayzata Country Club and they are closed and have not indicated when they will be able to re-open. I will be working with the board this week to set up virtual meetings so that we can still get together and check in with each other.
One question I know people are wondering about is meals. While the club is closed, we are not being charged for meals. For the April - June dues, I will be issuing a $40 credit to each active member for the meal charges for the two meetings that were either cancelled or moved to virtual. I will also NOT be charging for the April 1 meeting as we can assume that meeting will be virtual. If we do have to cancel additional meetings, I will issue another meal credit on the July - September dues. IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR MEALS TO BE DONATED TO THE FOUNDATION INSTEAD OF A CREDIT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
George Lee has set up a virtual happy hour for us this week and I hope to see a bunch of happy faces.
As a check-in, my family is healthy and at home. I moved my daughter out of her dorm at the U of M and she has managed to get unpacked and her bedroom set back up to feel like her dorm. My son is home and the school district gave them an extra week of spring break. Starting on April 1, I will get to be a home school mom. It should be interesting to see how successful I am and I'm sure will make my appreciation of the special education teachers and paraprofessionals that help him will be even more massive. They do a great job for him. Merlin the service dog, unfortunately, is a bit bored. He's used to going to work everyday with his boy and this sitting around and relaxing like normal dogs isn't his cup of tea. I hope we don't loose too much of his training!!
If you have any fun stories or photos to share of your home time with members, please let me know. I'll compile them for next week's bulletin. Stay safe and healthy!
Please visit the District 5950 and COVID-19 page to learn how to maintain member engagement, help those in your clubs and communities, and stay positive during these difficult times.
Stay Positive! District 5950 COVID-19 Resource Page Now Available
In times of uncertainty such as this, we see the best of our community emerge. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for all who have asked, "How can I help?" in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.
Financial donations support our ability to respond to emergency needs for food and financial assistance most flexibly, while reducing the number of hands that touch the food and goods we distribute. With your $1 donation, we can source $9 of food from partners.
Here's what your donation can do:
$250 fills 60 emergency bags
$100 feeds a family of 4 for a month
$50 provides food for 236 meals
Here are more ways you can make a difference:
Connect. Social distancing doesn't have to mean social isolation. Reach out to neighbors by phone, email or community networking sites. If someone in our service area is in need of food or emergency financial assistance, have that person contact us directly at 763-489-7500 or clientintake@iocp.org.
Volunteer. While we are temporarily suspending volunteer opportunities in our building to reduce exposure, our partner Second Harvest Heartland is in need of volunteers.
This community always rises to every challenge, and this is no exception. Our community knows how to get really hard things done.
Thank you for your support!
P.S. Check our website to stay up to date on our emerging needs and services offered during COVID-19.
In lieu of our planned in person happy hour meeting, we are planning to do a virtual happy hour! Grab your favorite beverage, your preferred equipment for internet access and chatting, and join fellow Rotarians online for a virtual happy hour!
George Lee has set up a zoom meeting. Details below:
This family-friendly event has it all, including: Inspiring speakers, kid friendly activities, Eco-focused Done-in-a-Day project, tram and walking tours of the Arboretum, outdoor picnic, awards program and MORE!
Each year, Rotary Clubs in district 5950 are required to have at least one member complete a grant writing class in order to apply for matching grants from the district. This year there is an online option and the WRC board thought it would be fun to turn this into a gathering of Rotarians to watch the seminar online and enjoy some drinks and fellowship.
George Lee has offered to host for those that are interested in joining other members for a morning of drinks, fellowship, and the fulfillment of a club requirement. If you would like to attend, please let George know!
Current Wayzata Rotary President, Kelly Sater, is interested in creating a committee that focus' on ESRAG (Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group) for next Rotary year.
The Environmental Sustainability Rotarian Action Group (ESRAG) assists Rotary clubs, districts and multi-districts in planning, implementing and evaluating service projects, building awareness, and inspiring action. These projects promote environmental sustainability, awareness of climate change, and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to mitigate climate disruption. ESRAG promotes educational resources, initiates dialogue about environmental sustainability, and uses best practices in models and assessments for both projects and daily choices. This work advances the Object of Rotary through positive impacts in all six Areas of Focus.
ESRAG’s focus on environmental sustainability offers Rotary the opportunity to provide long-term benefits for people all over the world. We will work to ensure that project investments preserve the ability for the environment to renew itself and continue to support human well-being, thereby supplying life-sustaining benefits to communities.
If you are interested in joining Kelly, please her know.
Tim Kennedy - Minnesota Military Family Foundation - Guest
Tim Kennedy and his wife, Sue, are board members for the Minnesota Military Family Foundation (MMFF).
"The mission of the Minnesota Military Family Foundation is to provide timely financial assistance to deployed and currently serving Minnesota military personnel and their families – which includes active duty, national guard and reserve components, across all services – who have a financial crisis that is not supported by existing state or federal programs. The Minnesota Military Family Foundation is a 100% volunteer organization."
Assistance can be to help pay rent, utilities, appliance repairs, etc. and really focuses on those members who are facing a financial crisis and there are several reasons that support is important and necessary:
1. There are no active duty bases in, or near, Minnesota.
2. Our armed forces are all volunteer.
3. Only 30% of the target population is actually qualified for armed services (Fitness, education, and police records are looked at).
4. 1% of our population is currently serving.
An example of what can cause a short term crisis is the length of training now required for National Guard members and the rule form the VA that members must service 181 consecutive days of active duty to qualify for services. Many of the National Guard training sessions are 4 weeks and that can be just long enough to take members away from their "day job" to cause disruption in their finances.
If you would like to know more about MMF or make a financial donation, click here.
Steve Droen had the chance to win but drew the 7 of diamonds ensuring the pot continues to grow!
We had a very happy week - $50 collected for the WRCF!
Sarah Kaelberer was happy to buying a new house. She inherited a baby grand piano and doesn't need it, so if you would like one, let her know! She plans on moving March 20 and everyone is welcome to help pack.
George Lee was happy to have been to Disney Land, the happiest place on earth, with his granddaughter last week.
Darrell Leines was very happy to be celebrating 20 years of marriage. Congratulations Darrell and Cindy!
Jim Hartfiel, was probably the happiest. After 55 years of golfing, he finally had a hole in one while golfing in Palm Desert. Way to go, Jim!!
Unfortunately, we have had to make the hard decision to close Bloom temporarily. Our last open day is Friday, March 20th. We plan to reopen April 6th. We are asking for volunteers who may be able to help our families and staff during this time with donations of food and supplies to contact our Board Chair, Sue Branyon, at hnbranyon@gmail.com. Thank you for your support!
Also, our Topgolf event on April 19th has been canceled. We will let you know if we reschedule.
Bloom Child Care - Fundraiser Cancelled - - April 19, 2020
Note: The city of Wayzata has made the decision to cancel the SOC meeting this week and Wayzata Rotary will not meet.
State of the City - Joint Meeting with Wayzata Chamber of Commerce Host - Becky Pierson
Growth and development of Wayzata including road improvment and development plus updates from The Lake Effect Conservancy. The discussion will be hosted by Mayor Ken Willcox and there will be an opportunity for questions and answers following the presentation.
Jack Ahmdahl and Bridget Anderson thanked Wayzata Rotary for their financial contribution to get the film documentary created of the historical Bushaway Road project renovation. The project was an idea to capture the challenges, the history, and the coming together to preserve a beautiful, old, pathway and road that is considered Minnesota's first surveyed road. This road was originally a Dakota Sioux trail, then became a fur trading route, and eventually a housing and recreation area for the affluent.
For more information on the project, please click here.
Ben Hovland shared that we have not yet sold the 2 presenting sponsorship slots and are still looking. Since the update the committee has opened up the sponsorship opportunity to sponsor 2 concerts for $3,000 or 3 concerts for $5,000. Ben also confirmed that we will have 2 boat slips reserved at the depot that can be used for sponsors.
The next committee meeting will be April 22, 2020 at 11:00 am.
The Wayzata Rotary Charitable Foundation received grant from the Ruth and Larry Elwell Family Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation. The grant of $12,787.00 was donated for general operating support and will be re-distributed directly back into our community through our community grants program.
The Orwell's were very involved in the Wayzata Community and started the Ellwell Agroecology Farm and the Southwest Research and Outreach Center studying Organic farming with the University of Minnesota.
Join Fazendin on Monday, March 2nd at their office as they roll up their sleeves and #donateblood at Fazendin Realtors Relocation Department's 2nd Annual Blood Drive! Sign up in just 5 easy steps!
Step 1 - click here: https://rcblood.org/2RtruPh Step 2 - enter zip code 55391 Step 3 - find Monday, March 2nd Step 4 - Select Fazendin Realtors Step 5 - Choose your donation time
Financial assistance to deployed and currently serving Minnesota military personnel and families
Tim Kennedy is a Brigadier General (Retired) USA and the Executive Director of the Minnesota Military Family Foundation.
The mission of the Minnesota Military Family Foundation is to provide timely financial assistance to deployed and currently serving Minnesota military personnel and their families – which includes active duty, national guard and reserve components, across all services – who have a financial crisis that is not supported by existing state or federal programs. The Minnesota Military Family Foundation is a 100% volunteer organization.
As we near the time when Wayzata Rotary honors seniors at Wayzata High School, member Bruce Lea thought it might be fun to send out a link to the overview that was created for the first 30 years of the Wayzata Memorial Education Fund.
Take a few minutes and find out what long time members Dennis Zahrbrook and Marty Schneider have done to help the fund!
Ray Alkalai shared statistics around lung cancer that are rather alarming: 1 in 15 Americans are at risk and once diagnosed a person has a 19% chance of living, versus a 92% chance of surviving breast cancer. The top causes of lung cancer are radon exposure, second hand smoking, exposure to asbestos or other chemicals, family history, and air pollution. People in Minnesota are at a particularly high risk because of radon gas from the sandstone we are on top of.
Ray's father died of lunch cancer 6 months after being diagnosed and learned then that lung cancer is the most deadliest cancer there is. He shared 2 very easy and inexpensive ways to help prevent lung cancer. 1 - get a $10 radon test for your home, and if you have high levels get a radon mitigation kit; and the second is to get a low dose CT scan. Most insurance companies won't pay for a screening unless your are 55 years old and have a 30 year history of smoking.
A Breath of Hope is a Wayzata organization that offers a research fellowship, white ribbon awareness, ambassador programs, patient and family support, as well as fundraising. Ray would like to see more research being funded and expanded access to screening. If you would like to learn more about this organization or ways to help, click here.
The 2020 Chilly open was another great event that Wayzata Rotary was involved in. This annual event on Lake Minnetonka is great fun and brings the community together for a day of fun.
Reminder: Meeting Location This Week is at Wayzata City Hall Community Room- 600 Rice Street, Wayzata
Mario Rodriguez- Leadership and Authentic Communication, Host: George Lee
Mario holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Capella University and is currently working on his PhD in the same field. His Bachelor’s Degree is in Psychology from St. Cloud State University. He also holds certifications in Hogan Assessments and The Leadership Circle Profile 360 assessment. Before joining Integrated Leadership Systems (ILS), Mario worked as an Organizational Psychologist for the State of South Dakota working with executive leaders and teams to improve the state’s workforce in areas including leadership, culture, employee engagement, selection, and performance. https://youtu.be/URw4ZImz6YU
$38 to Foundation and $39 to pot! ($111 Progressive Pot)
George Lee drew the King of Spades, helping the pot to grow.
$12 Collected for the WRCF!
Chris Pierson was happy he played the "Hello!" song well, and for a great weekend of skiing in Colorado.
George Lee was happy that he was able to attend a Rotary meeting last week in Mesa, AZ. He said it was a bit different!
Mark Lauffenburger was happy to challenge and match $1 for every member who committed to attending the Chilly Open Feb 8. Becky Pierson said all of the amateur rounds were sold out and there were a few pro-spots left. It should be a great event!
Rotary, What is it, What it means to our community?
Share the love you have for Rotary and bring a guest! The meeting will be set up with a panel to talk about Rotary and what we do in the community. George Lee will be coordinating and we are looking at this as a networking and get to know members lunch. Lunch will be free for one guest.
Dr. Thomas Adams - Better Futures Minnesota, Guest Speaker
Dr. Adams shared an overview of the Better Futures Minnesota organization. This is an organization dedicated to helping men of color transition from incarceration to learning life skills that assist them in getting and keeping jobs, and from not re-entering prison. Te goal is to provide the tools and pathway for these men to enjoy a rewarding and fulfilling future. Better Futures Minnesota offers an intense 2 year program that teaches 12 specific life skills. Their approach is to acknowledge core hurts and help heal those wounds through compassion and focusing on housing stability, health and wellness, workforce development, and life coaching and compassion care.
One of the main areas of focus is on changing the laws and policies in Minnesota. It was very surprising to learn that Minnesota has has one of the highest probation lengths in the country, and one of the highest incarceration rates for men of color. There is a 66% chance that a person will be sent back to prison on a technical violation. Minnesota has a mandatory 366 days back in prison if a violation is made and this makes it very difficult to help establish momentum in healing and learning. Areas of focus on policy change include Mandatory Child Support Modification (meaning, if a person is in prison for a certain length of time, child support payments are suspended until they are released), expand voting rights (Felons in particular have a difficult time getting their voting rights reinstated in the State of MN), and eliminate or reduce the mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines.
Ways to support this program is by shopping at their ReUse Warehouse in south Minneapolis, utilize their work crews for property maintenance, street cleaning and grounds care, or to volunteer your time or donate money. Please click here for more details.
Nancy Holden is the Chief Financial Officer for Interfaith Outreach, an organization that Wayzata Rotary is proud to sponsor through our community grants program. For 40 years, the IOCP community has worked together in powerful ways to help families stabilize in times of crisis, strengthen and move forward on the path to thrive. In 2011, community-wide support for their move to a one-stop Family Service and Learning Center at 1605 County Road 101 North in Plymouth provided access to a food shelf, Hennepin County services, Wayzata Community Education programs, Employment Services, customized family support services and more.
Member Highlight, February 12, 2020 - Nancy Holden
Rotary, What is it, What it means to our community?
Share the love you have for Rotary and bring a guest! The meeting will be set up with a panel to talk about Rotary and what we do in the community. George Lee will be coordinating and we are looking at this as a networking and get to know members lunch. Lunch will be free for one guest.
Unique Leadership: Using Enneagram to understand your Strengths & Challenges
The Enneagram is a personality style tool that spans all aspects of life, including your leadership style, professional life, relationships, and personal life. It provides a roadmap for you to become your best self. Today, we will dive into the Enneagram and how it can be used to leverage your strengths and understand your liabilities at work.
Kristin is an Enneagram coach and consultant working with teams, companies, and individuals through workshops and coaching to bring a unique perspective to personal and professional development using the Enneagram.
Unique Leadership: Using Enneagram to understand your Strengths & Challenges
The Enneagram is a personality style tool that spans all aspects of life, including your leadership style, professional life, relationships, and personal life. It provides a roadmap for you to become your best self. Today, we will dive into the Enneagram and how it can be used to leverage your strengths and understand your liabilities at work.
Kristin is an Enneagram coach and consultant working with teams, companies, and individuals through workshops and coaching to bring a unique perspective to personal and professional development using the Enneagram.
Ben's passion is to help pre-retirees, retirees and small business owners put systems and strategies in place to help achieve their financial goals. He does this through the financial planning process to review every aspect of his client’s financial life. Signature Wealth Management is a marketing name for securities and investment advisory services offered through SagePoint Financial, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC.
Ben holds securities license in the following states California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Oklahoma. No offers may be made or accepted from any resident outside the specific state(s) referenced. Specialties: Financial Planning, Retirement Income Strategies, Asset Allocation, Tax Planning Strategies, Estate and Legacy Planning Strategies, Business Owner Planning, Family Income Protection, Long-Term Care Protection, 401(k) Rollovers, IRA and 403b .
Steve Scheels, CEO of Scheels sporting goods, was our guest and gave us a great history of how Scheels was started, how they grew, and how Minneapolis would be getting their own Sheels store on July 11, 2020.
Steve had some great stories of now the company was courted in Nevada, how they canvass for employees, and how they make sure their sporting good stores are different from any others by offering attractions, amazing inventory, aquariums, and a restaurant in store. They pride themselves on their customer service, hiring good people, investing in leadership, and their company culture.
South Metro Minneapolis Rotary - Kindness Challenge 2020
Earn a Paul Harris Fellow Designation
In a world filled with negativity, stress, uncertainty, and gloom, let’s work together to spread kindness in our lives! Beginning Feb. 1st until Feb. 17th, 2020, we will post a daily kindness challenge. Participants complete the challenge by simply commenting on our website or Facebook post with their experience.
Whoever completes the most challenges will have $1,000 donated in their name to The Rotary Foundation, making them a Paul Harris Fellow. People receive a Paul Harris Fellow recognition each time they accumulate $1,000 in giving to The Rotary Foundation.
Helping Men with Challenges Create a Better Future, Host - George Lee
Dr. Thomas Adams has more than 21 years of experience in delivering a continuum of supportive services to under-served populations of color living in distressed communities.
Prior to leading Better Futures Minnesota, Dr. Adams served most recently as CEO of African American Family Services, a community-based, culturally-specific behavioral health clinic serving the African American community of the Twin Cities. He also served as Executive Director of the Association of Minority Professions Schools, as Founder and Principal Partner of Next Level Consulting Group, as Vice President of Education, Employment and Youth Services with Summit Academy OIC, as Executive Director of Pillsbury Neighborhood Services, and as Program Director for the Bridge for Runaway Youth, among other roles.
Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center
Dr. Nicolas Phelps, Director MAISRC/U of MN, Guest Speaker
"Science battles back!" Dr. Phelps shared an overview of the threats that our Minnesota lakes and rivers face from aquatic invasive species and how these invaders affect the health of our fish, water, and native plants. Invasive plants such as starry stonewort, invasive invertebrates such as zebra mussels, and invasive fish such as bighead carp.
The Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC) is researching ways to address the issues created by the invaders. This program was started in 2012 and has a program that looks at zebra mussel control and has lab work done right on Lake Minnetonka. The program has quantified that walleye in infested lakes are approximately 10% smaller after the first growing season and are less likely to survive to year two. The program has also mapped the genome of the zebra mussel and will use this information to determine effective possibilities to control and hopefully eradicate this species. There are 60 researchers that work on this program. If you would like to learn more details on the studies being conducted on Lake Minnetonka, click here.
An offshoot program, to involve members of the community, is the Citizen Science Program. This is a volunteer program which requires 40 hours a year of volunteer service, 8 hours of training, and allows community members to become AIS detectors (Aquatic Invasive Species Detector.) The program connects youth and adults to large scale scientific research projects. For more information on that program, click here.
Dr. Phelps is most optimistic about creating effective prevention strategies ans improving surveillance and rapid response protocols to stop the affects of invasive species.
Chris Pearson - More than the Piano Player at our Meetings!
Wayzata Rotary has introduced a new feature to our weekly meetings, member highlights. Our first member to be highlighted was Chris Pearson.
Chris has been married for 35 years to fellow Rotarian, Becky and they have two children. Chris played football and enjoyed skiing in his younger days and majored in Philosophy. Chris shared how being an employee in a law firm didn't really work out for his career and how he decided to start his own law firm in 1995.
Chris has been an active member of Wayzata Rotary since 1995. He served as club president for the 2003-2004 term and is a Paul Harris fellow.
Helping Men with Challenges Create a Better Future, Host - George Lee
Dr. Thomas Adams has more than 21 years of experience in delivering a continuum of supportive services to under-served populations of color living in distressed communities.
Prior to leading Better Futures Minnesota, Dr. Adams served most recently as CEO of African American Family Services, a community-based, culturally-specific behavioral health clinic serving the African American community of the Twin Cities. He also served as Executive Director of the Association of Minority Professions Schools, as Founder and Principal Partner of Next Level Consulting Group, as Vice President of Education, Employment and Youth Services with Summit Academy OIC, as Executive Director of Pillsbury Neighborhood Services, and as Program Director for the Bridge for Runaway Youth, among other roles.
Steven D. Scheel, CEO of Scheels Dennis Zahrbock, Host
IT ALL STARTED WITH POTATOES
In 1902, it all started with three acres of potatoes where the seed for the first SCHEELS store was planted. With $300 earned from his first harvest of potatoes, German immigrant Frederick A. Scheel placed a down payment on a small hardware and general merchandise store in Sabin, Minnesota. Once Frederick Scheel recognized his astonishing success with his home and hardware store, he began to expand SCHEELS into surrounding communities.
By 1954, customer interest began to evolve and SCHEELS expanded their product mix by adding sporting goods to their store locations. With an expanded product selection and tremendous strength for selling sporting goods, by 1972 SCHEELS added athletic shoes and clothing. During the following years, SCHEELS began to expand with rapid success: stores were opened in Minot, North Dakota, in 1974, Fargo, North Dakota, in 1975, Cedar Falls, Iowa and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in 1977; and in Sioux City, Iowa, in 1981.
SCHEELS opened their first all sporting goods store in Grand Forks, ND in 1989 and by 2008 SCHEELS opened the World’s Largest Sports Store in Reno-Sparks, Nevada. SCHEELS stores are unlike any other sporting good stores, including special attractions to create a superior shopping experience, high-quality product selection by leading brands, and SCHEELS experts that are passionate about the products within their department.
Today, SCHEELS is one of the largest sporting goods stores in America with over 115 years of retail experience with a superior quality of customer service and philanthropic support. Steve D. Scheel, the great-grandson of SCHEELS’ founder, is the company Chairman of the Board, and great-great-grandson Steve M. Scheel is CEO. Bill Nelson serves as President and oversees SCHEELS’ daily operations of more than 6,000 associates.
As an employee-owned, privately held business, SCHEELS dedicates their consistent success to empowered associates, leaders, and partners who think and make decisions for their individual stores and the entire company. SCHEELS also gives back to the local communities, donating more than 10% of its profits to local charities and local non-profit organizations.
Currently, SCHEELS has 27 locations in 13 states, including North Dakota, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Nevada, Utah, Kansas, Colorado, and Texas.
Rotarian and City Manager, Jeff Dahl, updated the Wayzata Rotary on the road construction planned for spring/summer 2020,. The 600 block of Lake and Broadway will be the main are impacted this spring. Click here for more information on the overall plan and to sign up for text updates.
Paul Boettner drew the Ace of spades this week and won $1,346. What is also awesome, is the Wayzata Rotary Charitable Foundation earned $1,346 from this last game. Thank you to all members who participate in this weekly FUNdraiser.
Get Dressed Up and Play some Golf (and stay afterwards for Happy Hour!)
Mike Lee shared that WRC is again sponsoring a hole for the annual golf tournament during the Chilly Open. The 2020 theme is "The Roaring 20s" If you like cold ice holes and warm spirits, and would like to be involved, please let Mike know. Rumor has it if you knock a certain way, a magical cooler will appear....
This event is a very popular winter social gathering in the community. For more information, click here.
$38 to Foundation and $39 to pot! (The start of a new kitty!)
Cliff Otten was the member that got to kick off a new 50/50 game. Cliff drew the 4 of Clubs and didn't win so the progressive pot is seeded.
Becky Pierson was happy to share that the Chamber of Commerce was hosting a luncheon on January 30 to discuss climate change with Will Steger and Don Shelby. For more information, click here. Cost for the luncheon is $35 and $10 of that will be donated to the Steger Wilderness Center in Ely, MN.
There were only 19 cards left, so the assumption was Darrell would draw the Ace of Spades, but alas, the 10 of spades was drawn instead. This week you will have a 1 in 18 chance of winning the pot so come early and buy tickets!
Shelley Beaumont was happy that she had a piece of her art accepted into an internationally juried show and that she was nervous about the attending to opening reception.
Chace Anderson was happy that the Gophers won the Outback Bowl. He was at the game and talked to a security cop who said the Minnesota fans were the best fans ever!
Mike Lee noted that Rotary had a float in the rose bowl. He said it was really neat to see that on TV (and he'll send in the bill for the flowers!)
Upcoming Meeting Changes - Please Mark your Calendars!
February 19, 2020 - Bring a Guest Day
Share the love you have for Rotary and bring a guest! The meeting will be set up with a panel to talk about Rotary and what we do in the community. George Lee will be coordinating and we are looking at this as a networking and get to know members lunch. Lunch will be free for one guest. Please let Shelley know if you plan on bringing a guest so she can adjust meal numbers.
February 26, 2020 - Meeting at City Hall
Due to the annual Wayzata Country Club closing for winter cleaning, the meeting this week will be at City Hall. We will have catering from the Muni!
March 25, 2020 - Happy Hour Meeting!
We will not be having a lunch meeting on March 25. Instead, we will have a social meeting/happy hour starting at 4:30 pm. Location TBD, but most likely the Muni! Appetizers will be provided. Spouses/guests are welcome!!
Nick Phelps, Assistant Professor & Director of Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC). Dr. Phelps specializes in emerging infectious diseases of farmed and wild fish; development of molecular diagnostic assays; aquaculture systems and production; and aquatic ecosystem health. His work with MAISRC involves screening for Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus and researching biological controls of aquatic invasive species. He also conducts modeling to predict the risk of spread of AIS, including starry stonewort, Eurasian watermilfoil, and zebra mussels.
Education:
B.S. Aquatic Biology - Bemidji State University
M.S. Fish Pathology - University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff
Ph.D. Veterinary Medicine-Comparative Medicine and Pathology - University of Minnesota
Chris Pierson - Sanford, Pierson, Thone & Strean, PLC
Chris Pierson has 30 years’ experience as a business attorney, estate planning attorney and real estate attorney, providing legal representation and counseling to individuals and their businesses. Often this counsel is in connection with transactions. His business clients range from start-up entities to mid-sized corporations, providing him substantial business law experience with: entity selection and formation; shareholder, member and partner relations; restructurings; sales and purchases of assets and businesses; exit strategies; and dissolution and winding up. In addition to corporate law, Chris also handles many real estate transactions, both residential and commercial, and has been involved in numerous real estate development projects. Largely due to the demand of his business clients, Chris has developed expertise in estate planning, administration and probate. Often the challenge is to make sure the client’s business plan aligns with the client’s estate plan.
Chris is married to wife Becky and has two adult children, Maggie and Christopher. When not practicing law or attending community meetings, he loves to be outdoors, sail, ski, read, coach kids, and spectate at any event in which Maggie or Christopher participates.
The Adult and Teen Challenge Minnesota organization has 11 residential centers and is the largest non-profit organization in the world. It boasts a steady growth year-over-year. Ed shared that 68,000 people died in 2008 from an overdose and that alcohol remains the number 1 addiction. Ed also shared that 130 people a day die from opioid overdoses.
His program is unique in that they actively go into the community and look for people in need of help. They have a specific veteran community that they serve and several different types of treatment programs, the longest being 12 months and beyond. The program also has a choir program and travel around the community singing in churches and sharing information about their services.
Thanks to a successful Music by the Lake fundraising initiative, Wayzata Rotary was able to donate $7,000 back into the community for their Fall 2019 Grants. Spring 2020 Grant applications are being accepted and are due on April 20. Click here for a link to the application.
Speaker Chair, George Lee, will be adding a "Featured Member" portion to our meetings. This is a great way for members to share what they do, plug their business, brag about their family, share volunteering activities, or anything the member would like to highlight. George has a sign-up sheet so please contact him if you would like to be a featured member. Our first highlight will be Chris Pearson!
Members are also encouraged to host a speaker. If you have a guest speaker you would like to talk to Wayzata Rotary, please let George know and he will get them on the calendar.
Rotarians value the relationships that are formed within the club and we look forward to strengthening those relationships and creating new ones.
Mario Rodriguez - Leadership and Authentic Communication Host: George Lee
Mario holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Capella University and is currently working on his PhD in the same field. His Bachelor’s Degree is in Psychology from St. Cloud State University. He also holds certifications in Hogan Assessments and The Leadership Circle Profile 360 assessment. Before joining Integrated Leadership Systems (ILS), Mario worked as an Organizational Psychologist for the State of South Dakota working with executive leaders and teams to improve the state’s workforce in areas including leadership, culture, employee engagement, selection, and performance.
The monthly WRC board meeting is this Wednesday, January 8, 202 from 10:30 to 11:30. We will be meeting at the Wayzata Country Club in the BOARD room. All board meetings are open to members, so if you would like to attend, please do so!
Ed Johnson, Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge - The Addiction Epidemic is a War in Your Community. Host: George Lee
Ed is a Director of Development for MN Adult and Teen Challenge where he actively engages the community in support of the organizations mission in bringing freedom from drug and alcohol addiction to those in need. He currently holds a B.S. in Christian Ministry from the University of Northwestern St. Paul and a Master’s in Nonprofit Management from Hamline University.
Members are still excited as the deck gets smaller and the pot gets bigger. Guest, Nan Peterson, had the chance to win but pulled the King of Diamonds. The pot carry's over to 2020!
New member Kathy Haukedahl, shared that she was diagnosed with breast cancer - and while not HAPPY news, she is happy that she is able to begin treatment and that she was diagnosed. Please keep Kathy in your thoughts while she goes through treatment during the next six weeks.
For 2020 the overall goal is to raise $20,000 and the sponsorship levels have been set to:
$6,000 - 2 Presenting Sponsors
$800 - 6 Sensational Six Sponsors (3 have been sold already!)
$325 - Concert Sponsors
The band schedule is set! Below are the dates and then bands - if you would like to be a Sensations Six Sponsor, please let Ben Hovland or Shelley know:
June 17 - Ali Gray & Kenny McMahon
June 24 - Starlett's Web (Fazendin Realtors, Inc. Sponsor)
July 8 - Elvis (David Lee Funeral Home - Sponsor)
July 15 - Jeff Dayton
July 22 - The High 48's
July 29 - The Revolution 5 (Business & Estate Advisers - Sponsor)
All members are invited to attend this fun morning meeting and get updated on what the Rotary District is focusing on. The location is in Minnetonka so an easy drive for members in the community.
Mid Term Assembly
Theme - Maximize The Global Value of Rotary!
Saturday, January 18th, 2020
9:00 am - noon (1:15 pm for PEs, AGs, and Rotaractors)
Breakfast Include, (Lunch for PEs, AGs, and Rotaractors)
The music by the lake committee met on December 18 and started the planning! For 2020 the overall goal is to raise $20,000 and the sponsorship levels have been set to:
$6,000 - 2 Presenting Sponsors
$800 - 6 Sensational Six Sponsors
$325 - Concert Sponsors
The band schedule is nearly set! Below are the dates and then bands:
June 17 - Ali Gray & Kenny McMahon
June 24 - (no band confirmed)
July 8 - Elivis
July 15 - Jeff Dayton
July 22 - The High 48s
July 29 - The Revolution 5
The next planning meeting will be January 29, 2020.
Members spent time sharing what service mean on a local and global level to each other. Nan prompted members to look at service from different perspectives and shared some student reflections (giving of self, social justice, social parallel service, and embarking on small acts of kindness.) Nan challenged members to think about toxic charity - when we focus on what WE think is needed, not what the recipients needs.
I'm so very happy to report that Justin has completed his radiation and first round of chemo treatment without any major issues! He continued to experience increasing fatigue and some nausea throughout the 6 week treatment but nothing that couldn't be helped with slowing down and some rest. His last radiation was on Wednesday, December 18th and we now get to enjoy a blissful one month break from all things medical- no chemo, no radiation, no appointments! His next MRI and a shorter, stronger round of chemo are set to happen in mid-to-late January.He can expect to continue to experience radiation side effects for another 2-4 weeks but we are so happy to get a few weeks off over the holidays. He can continue to recover at home and spend time with family without the intrusion of daily hospital visits.
Justin has been able to go to the office occasionally and is regularly working from home when he's up to it. At the advice of his neurosurgeon, we did a "test flight" to Chicago for one night to see how he could tolerate air travel. Thankfully, he felt normal taking off and landing and we were able to enjoy 24+ hours of in Chicago, just the two of us, as an escape from our daily stressors. Some wonderful women in my life secretly banded together and surprised us with a nice dinner out and a further treat of in-room massages as the icing on our trip. Now we are confident in booking longer/further trips with the girls next year! Fingers crossed we can make some Disney magic happen.
Now we get to look forward to Christmas holidays and making them as "normal" as possible. Much love and gratitude to our huge network of support, we can't do this without you all!!
President Elect, James Larson Updated WRC on Current Donations
James will be bringing back the thermometers! Wayzata Rotary has reached 3% of our goal for the Rotary Foundation ($245 of $8,000); and 19.5% of our goal for Polio Plus ($195 of$1,000).
Reminder, if you want to get your donations in by year end for tax purposes Feel free to give Shelley a check this week, print a form and fill out, or go to Rotary International and click the blue GIVE button to the right to donate directly!
The community grants committee met in November and shared $7,000 between 7 local agencies. Thanks to a successful Music by the Lake concert series this last summer, Wayzata Rotary was able to donate more money back into the community. Congratulations to the winners and we look forward to more sharing in the spring!
$1,000 to support Interfaith Outreach's Neighborhood Program. The program has been serving families living in affordable housing communities in Plymouth for over 20 years. The Neighborhood Program provides family, children and senior services on-site to over 800 families living in nine multi-unit affordable housing neighborhoods in Plymouth and Medina. Services focus on housing and family stability, youth success and community connections, and are tailored to meet the unique needs of each neighborhood. Residents help determine programming to help their neighborhood grow stronger and thrive. Because success starts at home, this often involves youth programming in addition to community-building activities for all ages. This grant will support the direct program costs associated with Neighborhood Program activities. Total direct program expenses are $39,290 within the Neighborhood Program budget.
Additional Neighborhood Program activities include community dinners in each neighborhood to promote stronger community connections, and social outings for seniors to reduce dangerous social isolation. In addition to after school programs, 180 events and activities were held across all nine neighborhoods last year, with 1,148 residents participating.
Click here for more information on Interfaith Outreach.
$2,000 to support a remodel project:The "backstage" space for the more than 100 student actors who use our building weekly is a church basement sectioned off into small rooms. In order to create a more viable second rehearsal studio (almost as big as the full stage upstairs) we plan to tear down walls (which in our 100-year-old building involves lead abatement), and re-wire the space. Creating this open studio space will make it easier to engage more kids in more programming, as it will enhance our abilities to have multiple "big" things happening in the building at the same time.
Click here for more information on Blue Water Theatre Company.
$1,000 for computer support. Wayzata Rotary Club’s partial support this past summer of our “Solution for Receiving Food More Efficiently” enabled the purchase of a refurbished computer for use by our warehouse staff. That PC is currently paired with our Director of Operation’s personal computer monitor and mouse. Grant money will be used for the purchase of computer equipment needed to complete our “Solution for Receiving Food More Efficiently”. This additional support will be used for the purchase of a computer monitor, mouse and iPad (or similar device).
Click here for more information on Loaves & Fishes
$500 to support their grief program The Wayzata Rotary grant will help Growing Through Grief sustain the programming that is being offered in the Wayzata School District. This area of grief work is identified as a gap in the community due to the lack of age appropriate resources and the barriers to accessing care. Growing Through Grief has self-authored curriculum developmentally appropriate to school age children that is implemented across the district on a weekly basis. The curriculum offers an opportunity for the children to engage with peer group activities that focus on the themes of peer relationship building, feeling of grief, memory building, coping strategies, and remembrances and memorials. All themes lead to the primary goal, for each child and teen, to grow through their grief. This growth leads to successful engagement in school, progression towards graduation, and the development of lifelong learning that will go well into their adult lives.
Click here for more information on the Growing through Grief program.
$1,500 to support the $17,000 Community Life Department program budget. The financial support will allow us to continue to offer a wide variety of activities to those we serve at little to no cost. Specifically, supporting our monthly cooking class (with 10 participants maximum), movie nights (with 27 participants on average), Bingo (with 30 participants on average), and the Just Dance party nights (with 15 individuals on average). These activities all take place on a monthly basis in the central offices of Hammer in Wayzata. In addition to skills development, the activities allow those we serve to socialize with individuals served in Hammer homes other than their own.
$1,000 for tuition sponsorship. We have formed a "Village" of people to help make a lasting difference in the life of a child from a low-income family who is struggling financially just to make ends meet. The Bloom Village is a dedicated group of community residents who offer ongoing support to a child and her family at the time when it matters most. The Village funds the ongoing tuition ($15,000/year) for this scholarship child. This is the second year the Village has sponsored this child, who is now in the Pre-School class. Her mom is a single working parent who is currently going to school to become a medical recorder. She is has been on the Dean List each of the quarters that she has attended. She will be finishing in 2020. The Village will offer a helping hand and ongoing support to the family in order to meet their individual needs. This support includes transportation, babysitting, and financial advice.
The high cost of childcare is out of the reach of families with entry-level or low-income jobs. This scholarship provides the struggling parent a chance to climb out of poverty because it allows her to work. Additionally, the scholarship ensures the child will be ready to enter kindergarten prepared to succeed. At Bloom, she is learning the academic and social skills upon which her future learning depends. All proceeds go directly to the scholarship of this child.
Click here for more information on Bloom Early Learning and Child Care.
$500 to support partnering with 180 Degree’s program Brittany’s Place. Images of Strength and Hope will empower girls who are victims of sexual trafficking to see the unique beauty within themselves and others through a weekly program called Strong Girls. This program provides relationship building in a safe and supportive environment, and tools for artistic expression through photography and writing.
The purpose of these sessions is to build positive and trusting relationships, and encourage positive self-image through art therapy while capturing their unique stories through photography. Photography has the power to show the unique characteristics and beauty of a person, their interests, their inner beauty, and their passions. Through our stories we reveal our voice. Whether shared with others or kept as a private chronicle of our journey, our stories help us to feel united with one another as we see commonalities in our struggles and strength in what we have overcome. All of this results in hope.
Funds will be used to purchase DSLR cameras to be used in teaching Art Therapy classes to the girls of Brittany’s Place. 1 has been purchased and we are in need of 4 more to be able to fully serve a group of 5-8 girls effectively.
Members are getting pretty excited as the deck gets smaller and the pot gets bigger. Mike Lee had the opportunity to win this week but drew the 3 of Diamonds. Next week may be the week!
Becky Pierson was happy about the Chamber's annual Holiday Happy Hour scheduled for Thursday, December 12.
Chace Anderson was happy that his daughter, who has been studying abroad in Greece, will be home next week.
Sarah Kaelberer, while not happy she had to leave the holiday party early last week, was happy that she won 6 prizes and she donated $1 for each prize won.
Lynn Groll was happy that her and her husband are going to Chicago to see Hamilton before the show closes.
The first planning meeting is this Wednesday, December 18, 2019 at 10:30 at the Wayzata Country Club.
If you are interested in being part of the committee this year, please plan on attending. Topics for this meeting are deciding what bands to invite and to determine sponsorship funding levels. This is our second year and we have big plans to make the event even more fun and successful than 2019.
Please email Ben Hovland if you have any questions!
Music by the Lake 2020 - Planning Meeting - December 18, 2019
We will have a hot chocolate bar at this week's meeting!
For the service project, members are asked to bring a pair of sharp scissors that can cut material with them. This will be the last meeting for 2019 so be sure to come, enjoy lunch, hot chocolate, and fellowship before our 2 week break.
The Wayzata High School Chamber Choir once again delighted members with a luncheon concert. Congratulations to all singers for a season of successful concerts and managing your busy school schedules and workload.
Nan Peterson - Blanket Tying Project Becky Peterson - Host
Nan Peterson is the former director of Office of Equity and Community Engagement at The Blake School.
After we hear from Nan, "What is service? What is our local and global commitment to service? Why is reciprocity important in service relationships? What gives meaning to your life?", we will break up in small groups and cut and tie blankets that will be donated through Nan.
Learning about service and doing a service project all tied up in one meeting!
Entertainment: Piano music/Card game/Heads or Tails/Drawings
Agenda:
5:30 Guests arrive/ Piano Music (until 7:30)
5:30 – 6:00 Socialize
6:00 Buffet opens
Risotto Bar to Include: Baby Shrimp, Prosciutto Ham, Chicken, Bell Peppers, Onions, Spinach, Edamame, Tomato and Parmesan; Salad: (Bowls of) Roquefort Salad
Chef Carver Table: Or Pre-carved would be better
-Chef Carved Roast Beef with creamy horseradish sauce and sliced buns
-Assorted Sliced Turkey Buns
-Breast of Chicken w/ sauce ala chef
-Roasted herb baby red potatoes
- Vegetable medley
Chopped Salad Bar in Martini Glass to Include
*Chopped Lettuce, Blue Cheese, Green Onion, Bacon, Tomato, Parmesan, Cucumber and White Balsamic
Shaken To order
6:00 – 7:30 Dinner and Drawings
7:30 Card Game Winners/Heads or Tails Game
Dessert station: Warm Apple crisp with whipped cream and coffee/decaf with condiments
Mark shared how Bridging brings help to those who are transitioning out of homelessness and poverty and how they are different from other agencies that also serve the same demographics. Bridging only focuses on furniture and household goods and works through referrals to match those in need with the shopping experience to furnish homes.
The service does have a $60 fee and clients can shop for up to $1,800 worth of furnishings.
There are many ways members can get involved - from donating "the good stuff" furniture and furnishings, creating a team building event and come and put together dressers, or join in the super fun fundraising event, "Bed Race for Bridging" on March 14, 2020. This event is full of joy and costumes and people sliding down Buck Hill on an mattress.
The organization is tax deductible, so if you are considering donating items, please consider Bridging!
On Friday, January 17th, we went back to the U for an MRI and a meeting with Justin’s neuro-oncologist. This MRI was going to be his new "baseline" scan that all future scans would be compared against. We were anxious about new tumors showing up and spreading secretly since he had no symptoms originally, and the genetics of his first tumor indicate that it grew in a matter of months, if not weeks. We hadn't had a scan since October 25th so lots of time has passed! We know that glioblastoma never stops and can’t be cured but we just pray for as long as possible that he has stable scans and feels well. Today went better than we ever thought it could- HIS SCAN IS CLEAN!
The Dr said that his scan is very positive and better than expected. Most importantly, there is "nothing new, white, bright or concerning," His brain is healing well from surgery and remaining tumor areas are all dark (aka dead.) There are no new visible tumors or even increased bloodflow that would indicate tumor growth. His bloodwork looks great and he passed his neurological test 100%. He is starting his new monthly regime of high dose chemo (5 days on, 23 days off) and we will see how he tolerates that.
Justin decided to start wearing the Optune device right around Christmas time. It requires him to haul around a large battery pack and wear "transducer arrays" on his shaved head 24/7 (they look like 4 large adhesive bandages placed around his skull.) It's not without it's annoyances and challenges but it's one of the few treatment options for glioblastoma we can pursue right now. The Optune device creates low-intensity electric fields which interfere with glioblastoma cell division (slowing or stopping it.)
We are thrilled to have such a positive MRI result and can't wait to escape this Arctic mess for a tropical family getaway soon, we have much to celebrate! Much love to everyone who is helping us, loving us and supporting us.
We've reached almost two full weeks of treatment! We had some shuffling around last week as the machine he was supposed to start treatment on "went down" at the U and it required a specialist technician to fly in to replace a critical part. They decided to design a treatment on a different machine at a different location to get him started so we didn't miss out on TOO much critical treatment time but it was a little frustrating to constantly be changing appointments and locations. Thankfully, his regular machine is now fixed and we are back to our regular hospital and regular appointments.
Health wise, nothing much new to report (which I think is a good thing.) Justin is tolerating the chemo and radiation quite well so far! Some tiredness and nausea is starting but he's been able to maintain a lot of normal activities thus far. We know that the side effects of treatment take a bit to "kick in" so we expect symptoms to increase over the next couple of weeks.
Thank you again to everyone for the meals, the cards and overall generosity. I can't imagine going through this without our massive village of support.
Update on Member, Justin Bullis - Via Caring Bridge
Rotary District 5950 is encouraging that local clubs encourage networking. This week we will not have a speaker but will have club activities to support the 4-Way Test, and introductions of members so that new members and guests can get a feel for what our members do and perhaps make a new connection.
Shelley will comp 1 guest per member for this meeting, so bring a guest!
Jill Elaine Hasday, our guest speaker, is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor and the Centennial Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota Law School. She teaches and writes about anti-discrimination law, constitutional law, family law, and legal history. Jill shared with us a new area of law that she became interested in - intimate deception in dating, sex, and marriage.
"Intimacy and deception are often entangled. People deceive to lure someone into a relationship or to keep her there, to drain an intimate’s bank account or to use her to acquire government benefits, to control an intimate or to resist domination, or to capture myriad other advantages. No subject is immune from deception in dating, sex, marriage, and family life. Intimates can lie or otherwise intentionally mislead each other about anything and everything."
Jill shared her perspective on why the current laws protect the abusers and what she would like to see changed in the laws, one of which, is removing the concept of "intimacy" from consideration in lawsuits. If you are interested in purchasing her book or learning more, click here.
Join Interfaith Outreach for their Annual Community Prayer Breakfast
Our challenge as a community is not a lack of resources – it is unmanaged fear. Our God says, “Be not afraid, I am with you always.” We need only respond to His call, hold fast to His love and witness the miracle of community happening.
Come. Join your friends, neighbors, and Interfaith Outreach to celebrate the 40-year journey of our community’s generous response to God’s call to build a kingdom of love and justice in our midst. Be inspired by stories of the lived faith and prayer and action that on a daily basis light up The Miracle of Community.
THE DETAILS
Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019
7:15 a.m. Breakfast | 7:45-9 a.m. Program
Wayzata Country Club 200 Wayzata Boulevard West, Wayzata, MN
Mark Wilkening, Executive Director Bridging Furnishing Homes with Hope, Host - George Lee
Bridging was founded on one simple, yet powerful idea—that together we can create a bridge between those in need and those with excess. Since the first donated item, Bridging has provided the basic home essentials to over 90,000 families.
Mark has 15 years of executive leadership experience and has spent his entire 25 plus year career serving nonprofits in the Twin Cities. He joined Bridging in 2015 and is responsible for leading the organization’s strategic effort to "Serve More, Better." He is truly passionate about Bridging's important role of being one critical stop on the journey toward housing stability. He received his BA degree in Business/Economics from Wheaton College in IL. When he is not helping furnish homes with hope, he can usually be found doing an outdoor activity with his wife and four children.
New member, Cathy Haukedahl, had the chance to win the pot but drew the 7 of Hearts. There are still 2 queens, so odds are still good on winning!
Chris Pierson was happy that highway 101 was open. Chris was also happy to have been able to move his parents to Folkstone and for help that Becky provided by taking charge of an emotional move.
Angela Berhnard was VERY happy that during the recent Minnesota Give to the Max Day, Hammer raised $173,000 in one day. Congratulations to Hammer!
Tom Schwalbe had the chance to win the pit this week, but drew the 5 of hearts. Sorry, Tom!
Mark Lauffenberger had 4 tickets to a MN Wild Hockey Experience on the club level to auction off. George Lee and Tom Schwalbe contributed $100 each to buy the tickets and we are able to add an additional $200 to our community grants! Thank you, Mark, Tom, and George!
Sarah Kaelberer was happy that the annual poker game was a success and that she received the compliment of being "a good dealer."
Mike Lee was happy that he took 3rd place at the annual poker game.
Jim Hartfiel was STILL happy after having a wonderful time at the Gopher game and experiencing a suite and the amazing win by the Gophers.
Jim Hartfiel had the chance to win our over $1,000 pot this week but drew the 5 of spades. A bonus this week, former member, Steve Hance attended the meeting and donated a variety pack of ciders for an extra prize this week. Darrell Leines was the lucky winner of the pack.
Jim Houg was happy to announce the arrival of Owen James, his first grandchild. Congratulations Jim!!
Mike Palm mentioned that Young Life at Wayzata High School is having a fundraising gala event at Wayzata CC on November 12th, 6-830pm, if any Rotary member has been involved in the past and would like to attend to learn more about this Christian youth ministry serving high school kids in the Northwest Metro of Twin Cities and Wayzata.
"One Bottle - One Straw - One Bag at a Time" is Angelina's social service impact project. Angelina has joined in the Miss America Organization and will be competing for Miss Minnesota in June. There are 4 areas of competition: Success, Scholarships, Service, and Style.
Angelina shared an overview of the impact garbage, particularly plastic, is having on our oceans and planet. The purpose of her project is to bring the topic of the over-usage of plastic alive and hurting the globe's marine life. Ways we can help:
STOP using plastic straws and replace with metal straws.
STOP using plastic water bottles and use re-usable bottles
STOP using plastic bottles at the grocery store and leave a fabric tote handy for use instead
We wish Angelina the best of luck with competition! For more information on the Miss America Organization, click here.
Norrie Thomas has generously donated 4 tickets to the Minnesota Opera and Dinner to be auctioned off at our holiday party on December 4. Thank you, Norrie!!
Don Giovanni is an egotistical and infamous womanizer, brazen in his shameless seductions. But his betrayals soon catch up to him when divine retribution exacts the ultimate price. From the world’s most well-known composer, Mozart’s opera seamlessly blends dark comedy with biting social commentary in this smart and otherworldly story of a man who dares to defy hell itself.
Language
Performed in Italian with English translations projected above the stage.
Runtime
Approximately three hours and 17 minutes with one intermission.
Jill Hasday, Author and Professor University of MN
Intimate Lies and The Law
Jill Elaine Hasday is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor and the Centennial Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota Law School. She teaches and writes about anti-discrimination law, constitutional law, family law, and legal history.
Hasday graduated from Yale College and Yale Law School. After law school, she clerked for Judge Patricia M. Wald of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Hasday has written two books. Intimate Lies and the Law was published by Oxford University Press on July 24, 2019. Family Law Reimagined was published by Harvard University Press in 2014. Hasday’s articles have appeared in many leading law reviews, including the Harvard Law Review, Stanford Law Review, New York University Law Review, Michigan Law Review, California Law Review, Georgetown Law Journal, UCLA Law Review, Vanderbilt Law Review, and Minnesota Law Review.
Darrell Leines and crew had the chance to win the pot, which is over $1,000, but drew the 5 of clubs. The next few drawings should be fun as we watch the pot grow!
Jim Hartfiel was happy that his 92 year old is still out there making contacts and enjoying life. After mentioning to his dad he'd like to get tickets to the Gopher/Penn State game, his dad said to hang on and contacted his newly made friend, Mark Coyle - the Director of Athletics for the Gophers, and they are now going to see the game in a suite complete with parking passes!
Cathy Haukedahl was happy to report that one of her 6 children, just eloped last Friday! Congratulations, Cathy!!
Barry King and Tim Zastoupil, from the Maple Grove Rotary, visited our club to sell raffle tickets for their annual "From the Heart" gala. If you are interested in attending or want to reach out and purchase raffle tickets for $25, click here or contact Tim directly.
Maple Grove Rotary - From the Heart Gala - November 23, 2019
The crisis around affordable housing is set to become the worse it has been since the Great Depression. The next two decades will be very dire for the poor. Alan shared a sobering fact: 75-100 units per week of affordable housing are lost in MN. He also shared the 700-900K people will be moving into Minnesota in the next decade which will exacerbate the housing crisis that is beginning to show in Minnesota. One main factor in the crisis brewing is the reduction over the last 35 years by the federal government cutting funding to housing. In Minnesota, we will see more homelessness and the next 20 years will be bad for the poor.
Aeon is a non-profit organization that works to acquire housing properties around the cities, renovate them, and keep them in working order. Since 1986 they have purchased or renovated more than 4,000 apartments and townhomes. These homes provide stability to 8,500 people each year. They also work partner specific communities to address needs such as autism housing and vet housing.
One Bottle, one straw, one bag at at time. Clean up our lakes, rivers and oceans.
The purpose of Angelina’s social impact, is to bring the topic of the over-usage of plastic alive! Angelina will provide useful information on how plastic affects marine life and how everyone can help.
Three Opportunities to attend a Meeting with Jennifer Jones Rotary International Trustee
Jennifer Jones is an incredible engaging story teller that will captivate her audience by share her journey in Rotary and show them ways Rotary Connects the World. Please Join us at one or all three events:
Jennifer Jones has managed to break through the glass ceiling in Rotary, and is one of only 10 women to reach the level of RI Director.
One of Rotary International's most recognized communicators, Jennifer has presented keynote addresses and training workshops at more than 100 conferences across North America and most recently in St Petersburg - Russia, Panama City, Bangkok, Lisbon, Finland, India, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Australia and Germany.
Jennifer joined Rotary in 1997 when she was only 27. She owned a television production company and the general manager of a cable company invited her to attend a Rotary meeting. “I had covered Rotary as a young reporter when it was still an ‘old men’s club.’ So I wasn’t really sure what to expect.” But she went and “when I arrived I felt like I had arrived home!” She joined RC Windsor- Roseland in Canada In 2001 she became the club president, and loved it. Her club then had 65 members and around 60 per cent were female. In 2007-08 she became Governor. As champions of The Rotary Foundation, both her and her husband [also a Rotarian] are members of the Arch C. Klumph Society, the Paul Harris Society and are charter members of the Bequest Society.
A Neat Opportunity to Earn a Participation Make-up!
Have you ever had the chance to hear from a Rotary International President? Typically, this only happens at International Conventions or large regional Rotary events. You certainly wouldn’t get a chance to have an opportunity to ask questions in that environment.
Well…you’re lucky enough to get that chance! Plus, it won’t cost you airfare and lodging to do it!
On Friday, November 15th, we are lucky enough to have 2017-18 Rotary International PresidentIan Riseley joining us all the way from Melbourne, Australia as part of our Rotary Foundation Month festivities! Ian is one of the most dynamic figures in all of Rotary, and you won’t want to miss this opportunity to hear from him and participate in a Q&A with him!
Put on your calendar December 4, 2019 for our annual Holiday Party and winter FUNdraiser. The planning began last week so stay tuned for more details and registration to open via Club Runner.
Please contact Darrell Leines for questions and if you have auction items to donate. Darrell@celpr.com
Jack Weeks had the winning ticket for a second week in a row, but didn't have the same luck he did last week and drew the 9 of Spades. We are nearing the $1,000 mark!
Angela Bernhardt was happy to give a shout out to member, Cliff Otten. Otten Bros donated a landscaping project to a Hammer Home. Thank you Cliff for your support of our community!
Becky is looking forward to celebrating the Wayzata Person of the Year, Peter Hutch.
Wayzata Rotary is excited to welcome Cathy Haukedahl, a new corporate member. Cathy, along with her colleague, Jake Traen, will be sharing a membership from Traditional Capital Bank in Wayzata.
Cathy is a 12-year Rotarian with the Eden Prairie AM Chamber, a past board member of the United Heroes League, the past board Chair of the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce, is a current member of the Wayzata, Edina, and White Bear Lake Chamber of Commerce, is a member of Ambassadors for Business, Transform Our World, and the Wooddale Church.
Cathy looks forward to getting involved in our community engagement. Please be sure to introduce yourself and welcome Cathy and Jake to Wayzata Rotary!
Wayzata Rotary Welcomes New Member - Cathy Haukedahl
Aleesha Webb - Village Bank The Community Banking Community
Aleesha gave an overview of why more and more community banks are leaving the area and challenges. Besides talent gaps and the personal touch that small community banks can provide to clients, the are also faced with:
- Cost of compliance is rising
- Security risks rising
- Technology gaps
- Succession planning, pace, and cultural disconnect
- Maintaining the "business"
At Village Bank, she focuses on teams and supporting each other and lives by "The 5 Village Values:"
The grant committee will be meeting today, at 11:00 am to decide winners of the Fall community grants. If you are interested in attending, please let Tim Westermeyer know!
Time: 11:00 am
Place: St. Philip the Deacon Church
17205 County Road 6
Plymouth, MN 55447
Thanks to a great Music by the Lake event, the committee will have $15,000 to work with this year for grants!
Alan Aurthur, Aeon President and CEO Affordable Housing, Host: George Lee
Alan has served as the President & Chief Executive Officer of Aeon since 1988. Alan brings almost 50 years of experience in housing and real estate development, including construction, project development, lending, code enforcement and city planning. He earned a B.A. in political science from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. Alan trains organizations on affordable housing development, financing and organizational governance. He has served on numerous local and national housing boards, currently including the Housing Partnership Network’s board of directors.
$40 to Foundation and $41 to Jack Weeks! ($Pot Remains at $948)
Jack Weeks had the winning ticket and drew the Queen of Clubs! Congratulations, Jack on winning this week's pot!
George Lee was happy to be recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in the Twin Cities Business Journal. Go check Snap Agency out and congratulations, George!
Jeff Dahl was happy that it was National Boss' day and his commute to the meeting was just a walk down the hall.
Steve Droen was happy that he was celebrating 20 years as a Rotarian (awesome!) and that his daughter Emily had a baby making him a grandfather. Congratulations, Steve!
Lynn Groll was happy to be back after her trip to Italy.
Shelley will have a collection mug at this week's meeting for an additional week of donations.
Collecting Financial Donations and Personal Options
Member, Justin Bullis, continues to recover after having a brain tumor removed and was given the bad news that Justin is dealing with grade 4 glioblastoma, a highly malignant brain tumor. He is meeting with oncologist this Friday and will start radiation treatments in November. Below is a list of ideas that the family has published for those who want to help. We are taking financial donations at this week's meeting. If you would like to purchase any gift cards you can bring them to the meeting and Shelley will collect and get them sent to his family.
Volunteer to bring them a meal. If you click on "Ways to Help" on CarigBridge and then "Visit Your Planner" (or go to https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/justinbullis/planner), you will find the meal train. On a mobile device, I recommend the agenda view, the one that looks like a numbered list.Click on any unclaimed "Dinner Drop-off" task and click "Accept this task".
Leave a supportive comment or send an email, and be prepared to not receive a response. Just know they are reading everything you send.
Mail a card or letter and let them know they are in your thoughts: 16615 45th Avenue North, Plymouth MN 55446 . Please do not send flowers, or the cat will eat them!
Invite any of them to spend some time together, with the understanding that they may decline. Coffee with Justin, playdate with Olivia, etc.
If you want to help financially, consider sending a gift card. They shop at Aldi, Cub, Target and Costco for groceries. BiteSquad is great for food delivery. Lifespa at Lifetime Fitness has therapeutic massage services that helped Justin feel better after his surgery.
Another financial option is to contribute to the GoFundMe account, also found under "Ways to Help" on CaringBridge or here: gf.me/u/v2n9gg. Liz and Justin have excellent health insurance, but there are other costs involved in this illness.
David La Bell, Technical Proficienies Internet & Data Security - Protecting Your Business Host: George Lee
David La Bell gave an overview of the current landscape in internet security and talked about hacking and ways we can protect ourselves both personally and professionally. The top areas of concerns are:
- Phishing schemes have become more sophisticated
- Malware
- Social Engineering
- IoE Attacks (Internet of Everything)
- Single Factor Passwords
- Loss of Data
- Hacking
One of the best ways to protect your data is to have a password that is at least 15 characters long. It doesn't have to be particularly random and could be a sentence you use. He also recommends using a password management system such as "1Password" - NOT Lastpass! Other ways to protect yourself is the ensure your network architecture is strong, use a 2-factor authentication login (with challenge question and PIN), back up daily, and update your default username and password configurations.
If you are interrested in learning more, David shared information on the Ninth Annual Cyber Security Summit which is Tuesday, October 29, 2010 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. If you would like to attend, use code SMB19 for a 40% discount to the summit.
Kelly Sater, James Houg, Kathy Leervig, and Nancy Holden all participated in the Feed My Starving Children food packing event. Reports back were that is was super fun, went really fast, and only one person fainted (not someone we know!)
President, Kelly Sater, has a goal for at least 20 members to volunteer their time outside of Rotary meetings in the community. We are looking into more ideas to be directly involved with the Wayzata community, particularly as the holiday season is around the corner. (Gift wrapping, adopt a family, leaf raking). If you have any ideas, please let Kelly or Shelley know.
If you have participated in a volunteer event in the community, please let Shelley know so she can add you to the list of 20, and also award you with an attendance make-up!
Aleesha Webb, President & Vice Chair Village Bank Community Banking Challenges and Opportunities - Host: George Lee
Aleesha Webb currently is the President of Village Bank – a Twin Cities Community Bank. Spending her entire career in banking, starting as a teller and quickly rising through the ranks, Aleesha runs a successful and growing business. With 20 years of industry experience, she knows running a successful bank is more than focusing on the numbers. Aleesha is focused on the people behind the numbers – the clients.
Her vision is to shape the future of community banking. She plans to do this by keeping banking personal, local, and providing products that benefits customers creating economic stability in the community Village Banks serves.
Previously, Aleesha was a Senior Vice President at Sunrise Bank and Vice President at Minnesota Bank & Trust. Aleesha holds her Graduate School of Banking degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also has her MBA in Finance and Management and her Bachelor of Science from the University of St. Thomas. She also serves on multiple boards including ModernWell and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities. She’s been recognized for her many accomplishments by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as a Women in Business 2018, by Finance & Commerce as a Top Woman in Finance 2017, and by Minnesota Business magazine as a (Real) Power 50 2016.
STRIVE Mentorship champion, Norrie Thomas, will be meeting with TwinWest Chamber of Commerce and Jodi Olson (Wayzata High School) to discuss partnership opportunities to attract additional mentors for the pilot program. Currently, we have two Rotarians signed up (we'd like to have 10 members!).
The GE Mentoring Program will support and empower students at Wayzata High School to make positive life choices that enable them to maximize their potential. The mentoring program will use adult volunteers that commit to supporting, guiding, and being a friend to a young person for a period of at least one school year. By becoming part of the social network of adults and community members who care about the youth, the mentor can help students develop and reach positive academic, career and personal goals.
Mentor Role
Focus on building a positive relationship with the student
Serve as a positive role model and guide
Support the student through an ongoing, one-to-one relationship
Help identify mentee strengths and opportunities
Strive for mutual respect
Work with the student to set goals and work toward accomplishing them
Time Commitment
One school year
A minimum of two visits/month at Wayzata High School
Attend an initial two-hour training session and additional in-service training sessions twice during each year of participation in the program
If you are able and willing to attend to help promote and participate in this program, please let Norrie or Shelley know. Mentoring dates are below!
Ambassador Mark Lauffenburger welcomes Michael to WRC
Wayzata Rotary welcomed its newest member, Michael Palm, officially on October 9. Michael is involved in commercial real estate and business brokerage. He lives in Wayzata and heard about Wayzata Rotary through James J Hill Days and also visited us during the Music by the Lake concert series this summer. Michael is a former member of the Edina Rotary and Past President of the Minneapolis Breakfast Club.
Micheal is looking forward to networking, building relationships, and participating in our community involvement projects. Look for Michael at the greeting desk and be sure to introduce yourself.
One of our newest members, Justin Bullis (son of Rotarian Marc Bullis) was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor. He has had surgery and is at home in rest and recover mode. The family has created a caring bridge site where you can leave comments. Marc has said for right now healing thoughts and prayers are most appreciated.
Due to curb work at Wayzata Country Club, this weeks meeting will be at Wayzata City Hall, 600 Rice St E, Wayzata, MN 55391
David La Bell, Technical Proficienies
Internet & Data Security - Protecting Your Business Host: George Lee
David La Belle, is a cross-functional systems analyst and engineer with nearly 15 years’ experience in the strategy, design, and implementation of enterprise-level systems for highly regulated environments, including the United States Marine Corps and the financial industry. Advanced proficiency in incident response, with a focus on root cause analysis in order to identify issues and promote continuous improvement. Collaborative leader with strong business and technical communication skills.
October 16, 2019 - Meeting Preview (LOCATION AT CITY HALL)
Pat O'Leary - Head Coach of Wayzata High School - Guest Ben Hovland - Host
"What is your number 1 concern about your athletes?" "Their backs. During growth spurts - kids need to rest and learn how their body responds after growing 6-8 inches in a few months."
Pat answered questions from members after giving an overview of the Wayzata program, highlighting that his coaching and athletes all follow the "Wayzata Way" and the message that not all kids need to be on the top tier teams. Wayzata Hockey focuses on the lower level tiers (Wayzata Junior Gold) as well as the top tier teams.
UNCOMPROMISING INTEGRITY
Study hard, make responsible decisions, and be respectful and accountable to team and program.
DEMAND DISCIPLINE
Attention to detail, maintain our composure, play with poise.
PERSEVERANCE
Always outwork our opponents, stay focused, and learn from our mistakes.
SACRIFICE
Sacrifice yourself for the team and the program.
UNCOMMON DESIRE TO SUCCEED
Always want to give more, never back down, act like a champion and represent the “W” at all times
Donna Herbel, Vice President Perkins/MarieCalender
Donna, a very engaging and enthusiastic speaker, gave Rotarians and guests great insight into some of the biggest challenges in retention and training within the food service industry. Restaurants lead in hiring 1st time job seekers so they are the first to notice trends and identify insights into new generations. Restaurant turn over is an eye popping 160% and they are looking at ways to lower that turnover. Employees in today's market are looking for total compensation, flexibility with schedules, and acceleration in wage growth.
A fun survey she shared noted that the "newest generation" attributes were:
. Uncommitted
- Rebellious
- Well Educated
- Idealistic
- Entitled
- Hopeful
Interestingly enough, these were survey results from the 1966 Time "Man of the Year" magazine! She noted that the addition of "sarcastic" was added to the Gen Z population. One of the biggest insights to the Gen Z generation is that the expect constant feedback on their performance (they want to grow fast!) and they expect to use technology as a resource.
Pat O'Leary, Head Hockey Coach Wayzata High School Minnesota Hockey - High School and Beyond, Host: Ben Hovland
Pat has been involved with coaching, training athletes, and instructing hockey for more than 15 years. He began his high school coaching career at Orono High School in 2006, and then to Wayzata High School in 2007. He took over the Varsity head coaching responsibilities in 2011.
Pat played varsity hockey at Armstrong High School High School where he was selected to the All-State teams in 1997 and 1998, and was a Mr. Hockey Finalist in 1998. He attended and played hockey for the University of Minnesota from 1998-2002. In 2002, the U of M Gopher Hockey team won the NCAA Men’s Hockey Championship.
Pat continued to play hockey professionally after graduating from college in the UHL from 2002-2004 and in the ECHL from 2004-2005. He is the Facility and Hockey Director at Acceleration Northwest in Plymouth, MN where he has been training athletes, including many college and professional athletes, for the past 10 years.
Pull It Day will be on October 12th from 8:30-10am. Everyone will meet at public works at 8:15 for directions and assignments. Then everyone goes out to the gardens to start pulling the annuals out to winterize the city gardens. Bring your gardening gloves—if you don’t have them, or forget them, extra gloves will be available.
Tom Schwalbe will be on had to organize Rotarians for a fun morning of playing in the dirt.
Russ Michaletz, gave a enthusiastic and entertaining overview of his focus for district 5950.
•Fun and friendships, through vibrant clubs
•Satisfaction of serving; our rent for the life we live
•Pride of individual development and enhanced personal brand
Russ is expanding themed clubs such as the Eco Club and first ever club dedicated to Veteran's, and embracing networking as part of being Rotarians. Current President, Mark Mahone, has a goal to make Rotary more family friendly with the hopes to create life long Rotarians. Stay tuned for a District 5950 networking club that will be starting this year!
Russ encourages us to think about how to make our club more family focused, visible in the community, and to listen to why new members want to join Rotary and ensure all members are fulfilled. He also encouraged us to read about Rotary International's 5 year strategic plan - see highlights below.
The website to support the Rotary Initiative to End Human Trafficking has officially launched! Please take a moment to look at the site and think about ways you can get involved with this important Rotary initiative. https://rotaryendht.org/
We have booked 20 spots to help pack meals for Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) on Thursday, October 10, 2019. Shelley has booked 20 spots so members are encouraged to bring spouses, children, and friends. Please note, children under 5 are not permitted and we are asked to remove any jewelry before packing meals.
Please let Shelley know if you plan on attending and how many. If we get more than 20 people, we will need to update our reservation. Details below:
Donna Herbel, Vice President Perkins/MarieCalender Cross Generation Challenges In Hiring, Training and Retention - Host: George Lee
Donna Herbel, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, FMP is the Vice President of Training and Culture Development for Perkins Restaurants & Bakery, where she and her team oversee management and hourly training, learning, and development functions. Over a twenty-plus-year career in single-unit and multi-unit operations, recruitment, talent development, and team leadership, she has led a number of process improvement initiatives and continues to study and apply principles of engagement and workforce development.
Donna is a member and past-president of the national Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers and recent Spirit of CHART recipient.
Community Grant applications are now being accepted! If you are a sponsor for a grant, reminder that applications are due to Mark Schmid no later than October 20, 2020. Members, because we do not have the Music by the Lake fundraising dollars this year, private donations would be very much appreciated. Checks can be made out to Wayzata Rotary Charitable Foundation and mailed to Copeland Buhl, 800 Wayzata Blvd, Suite 300, Wayzata, MN 55391.
If you need a grant application, please click here to be taken to the application link.
Dr. Gage, a past Rotarian Student Exchange participant, shared with us how her exchange in the 80's to Brazil set her serendipitous path to her becoming involved in human trafficking. There are 40.3 million enslaved people today: 71% are women. Human trafficking is a $150 billion industry and not one easily tackled. Human trafficking is fueled by generational cycles of poverty and exploitation, and in many cases, families don't realize their daughters have been subjected to slavery - they think they are away at school or are servants for wealthy families.
The Nomi Network's vision is a world without slavery where every woman can know her full potential. Supei Liu, also of the Nomi network, shared her experience with working with India and Cambodia. Nomi focuses on the three P's of empowerment: People, Products, and Process - helping women empower themselves is a driving force behind the program. The Nomi Network provides training in life skills, create jobs, and empower women to be leaders in their communities to break the cycles of exploitation.
Mike Lee, second week in a row, had the chance to win the $948 pot this week, and pulled the 9 of clubs, breaking his winning streak from last week. Sorry, Mike.
President Elect, James Larson, noted there didn't seem to be many happy missives so put the call out to members and found some happy news.
Nate Lilleoden is happy to anticipate another accounting deadline. Deadlines are good, right?
Mike Lee is happy that Pat O'Leary was our speaker and that he coached his son.
Tim Scheck (sitting in for Mark Cheeley) was happy to be expecting his third child. Congratulations, Tim!
Scott Gengler was happy to report Wayzata High School has the largest enrollment in history, the beginning of the year has been uneventful, and that the sports teams are all doing great.
Mike Lee had the chance to win the $914 pot this week, and while he didn't pull the Ace of Spades, he did pull the Queen of Diamonds and won the daily pot of $52. Congratulations, Mike!
We started out with the club having a down week, and no happy bucks to share, but thanks to Mike Lee winning the daily pot from the 50/50, we did get $3! Thanks, Mike!
Tom Gump, Zone 29 Promotion Chair, would like you to join him and 25,000 of our Rotary family members (in person), from 170 countries, for our organization’s 111th annual international convention, in beautiful Honolulu, Hawaii, from June 6th through 10th, 2020. Why you ask? Let Tom give you his Top Ten Reasons why you should go to Hawaii and attend the 2020 Aloha Rotary International Convention.
To go to a luau and immerse yourself in Hawaiian culture with hula dancers with flaming batons, great seafood and lovely/friendly people – you don’t see that everywhere!
To Catch-up with Your Rotary Friends (Rotary does connect the world) from Around the World and Make New Ones - Make plans to meet up with your friends in the House of Friendship. Meet project partners from other areas of the World. Bring some of your club flags and/or lapel pins with to exchange/share!
To see the different colored beaches. Does anything else really need to be said?
To Attend Informative General and Breakout Sessions - The speakers will inspire you, motivate you, give you new perspectives, teach you new skills and give you new ideas to bring back to your clubs and districts. I heard you no longer have to wear suits at the convention! “No ties accept Mai Tais!”
To visit Pearl Harbor with a guide and learn about Hawaii’s role in the war - ideal for World War II history buffs and anyone who wants to see some of Hawaii’s most visited sights and national monuments.
To Recharge Your Rotary batteries - You will go back to your clubs and districts even more prepared to Connect the World!
To go snorkeling with the dolphins and sea turtles.
See, meet and hear from our current RI President and other Rotary dignitaries and hear what happened at the most recent Council on Legislation.
To take a catamaran cruise or an open-door helicopter ride!
To attend fabulous events being planned by the wonderful Honolulu Host Organizing Committee and the Rotary Zones and will be sure to give you memories that will last a life-time.
Feb 1-9, 2020 Feb 18-23, 2020 July 12-18, 2020 July 21-26, 2020
The Guatemala Literacy Project (GLP) is one of the largest grassroots, multi-club, multi-district projects in Rotary. More than 600 clubs and 80 districts have been working together since 1997 to improve education for underserved students in Guatemala. In that time, 208,500 students have been served through four sustainable programs that are tested and proven to work. In 2017, RI President Ian Riseley called the GLP “the gold standard of Rotary projects” for its sustainability and impact.
President, Kelly Sater, is asking members for local service project ideas. If you have an idea of a project you would like to have Rotarians involved in, please let Kelly know.
"Everyone communicates but few connect" was the lead off to a very informative, fun, and interactive meeting. Mark Lauffenburger hosted Jason who shared how it is critical to improve listening skills to help shift your interactions to connections.
Areas of focus:
1. Shift from selfishness to service
2. Shift from judgement to encouragement
3. Shift from directing to connecting
4. Shift from ladder climbing to ladder building
Success is a a make up of 15% product/process knowledge and 85% of people knowledge! He left members with in important tip when talking with someone: Permit the pause. Wait at least 3 seconds before speaking and see what happens!
For more information on Jason and his company, click here.
Kelly Gage, PhD, Guest Speaker Human Trafficking and Slavery, Local and Internationally
As an accomplished public speaker, educator, adviser, and philanthropist, Dr. Kelly Gage has nearly 20 years of experience with academia, foundations and NGOs dealing with human trafficking, public media, arts and culture, apparel development, education, and community development. She is a self-directed, career-focused professional with a proven track record of solid performance in academic planning and execution in higher education environment, with superior administrative, management, and organizational skills in leading philanthropic projects and initiatives.
With the car show in the rear view mirror, Rotarian's had the opportunity to volunteer at James J Hill Days to serve beer and wine, interact with the community, and raise money for the Charitable Foundation with the tips collected.
Rotarian's filled three shifts over the event and raised just over $600.
Thank you to those who were able to volunteer help!
Rotarian, Doug Arndt, is very involved with the Minnesotan's Military Appreciation Fund and shared information on the upcoming Block Party. It is free, open to the public, and promises to be a great afternoon of thanking MN troops.
Charter Rotary Club of Minnesota Veterans First Meeting - September 12, 2019
Kelly Sater shared information on the newest club to form in Minnesota for and honoring Minnesota Vets:
"We are a group of Veterans living in Minnesota who are actively in the process of organizing / becoming chartered as a service club within Rotary International. Our sense of service derives from military core values of "Service before Self" that parallels those of Rotary International "Service above Self."
Service includes: actively caring for one another and our extended families - especially during times of hurt; serving in our communities - youth, civic organizations, schools and the elderly; duly honoring other veterans & their families - especially during times of grief; and serving those in area/regions where we have served, such as projects in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, etc. "
After several years of heading up programs, Angela has handed the Programs over to George Lee and will now be taking over membership. Remember, we are ALL part of the membership committee!!
If you are interested in being a new member ambassador, please let Angela know. Below is the Ambassador list from 2018-2019 and it needs to be updated!
Barron County, WI Sheriff, Chris Fitzgerald - Guest Dennis Zahrbock - Host
Sheriff Fitzgerald shared with WRC the story of how the abduction of 13 year old, Jayme Closs, and the murder of her parents rocked the small community in 2018.
There were over 4,500 tips received during the 18 month investigation, 61 FBI field offices were linked, and Google assigned a dedicated rep to help them with technology. This case was difficult to solve as it was a random perpetrator who abducted Jayme and in the end, she was able to escape.
Sheriff Fitzgerald was very much in awe of just far far the FBI's reach is for technology and power. He was very grateful for the media in keeping the story alive and in hindsight, is overwhelmed with the "goodness" that he and all of the investigators felt when the case came to a close.
He hopes to take that amazing feeling and do more good with it. Members had lots of questions!
Jason Hunt, i2 Eye Squared, Guest Mark Lauffenburger - Host
Everyone Communicates, Few Connect
Jason develops outstanding teams and leaders who use their influence to make a big impact on their organizations and the people around them. Jason is a dynamic speaker and trainer who helps organizations get better results.
Cliff Otten had the opportunity to win but drew the 7 of diamonds. The chatter around the ticket purchase desk was starting to get a bit more lively as the pot grows! We'll be looking for some bigger weekly pots!
Angela Bernhardt was very happy that she won a Blue Ribbon at the Minnesota State Fair for her bee keeping photograph. Congratulations Angela!
Shelley Beaumont was very happy that she won an honorable mention in the hand crafts competition at the Minnesota State Fair for a 3D mosaic egg she entered. Congratulations Shelley!
Darrell Leines was happy to celebrate his 2-year anniversary with his new liver. Yah!
Mark Lauffenburger was happy to announce he was going to be a grandfather! Congratulations to your son and daughter-in-law, Mark!
Please consider joining in this wonderful pilot program. Norrie has offered to take you out for coffee or lunch to discuss the program and opportunities.
Our STRIVE coordinator, Norrie Thomas, is excited to share that the mentorship pilot program between Wayzata High School, Interfaith Outreach, Great Expectations, and the Wayzata Rotary Club is ready to start accepting applications.
Click here for information on the dates, duties, and application.
If you have any questions, please contact Norrie directly!
President, Kelly Sater, was delighted to hand out Paul Harris Fellow certificates and pins to fellow Rotarians. For Rotary year 2018-2018, WRC welcomed Becky Pierson, Hope Schroeppel, and Beth Warner to the Paul Harris Fellowship circle. Thank you for your support!
The club recognized member, Ben Hoveland, with a Paul Harris Fellow as a thank you for all the hard work Ben did to facilitate the Music by the Lake fundraising effort for WRC. As a club, we are able to use points and direct a donation to honor a member and WRC could think of no better person to thank. Thank you Ben!
WRC also recognized the following members for their continued support of Rotary International and the Paul Harris Society:
Cris Stainbrook - Indian Land Tenure Foundation (ILTF) - Guest George Lee - Host
Cris Stainbrook shared with WRC a brief history of how land was systemically and methodically taken away from the Indian population and how "Manifest Destiny" was the accepted thought between 1887 and 1934, which was that Indians were not actually occupants of the land.
Prior to 1887, 138 million acres of land were reserved for the sole purpose of Indian ownership and use. By 1934, there were only 48 million acres left inside the original boundaries. 430 treaties have been signed and along the way, the General Allotment Act was the most destructive. This acts aim was to break up the tribal community and reorganize each person as an individual rather than as part of a tribe. This was done systemically by assigning each person an allotment of approximately 160 acres of land and the rest was deemed "in excess of Indian needs" and taken back by the US government. The titles for each allotment was then divided between the heir of each individual, and that piece of the title divided to their heir, and so on. In 1928 the Merrian Report declared the Allotment Act was a failure but the damage had been done.
The aim of the ILTF is to help Native Americans get some of their land back and to navigate their division of titles by helping write wills, education, using economic opportunities, help with cultural awareness, and aim for legal reform. If you would like to help, have questions, or want more information, please email Cris or call 651-766-8999.
Sherrif Chris Fitzgerald, Guest Dennis Zahrbock, Host
Chris Fitzgerald, the sheriff of Barron County, Wisconsin was at the helm of the desperate search for 13 year old Jayme Closs, which drew thousands of tips from around the country. Sheriff Fitzgerald, 45, has worked in law enforcement for 21 years. He grew up in Barron County, the son of a part-time sheriff’s deputy, and dreamed of working in law enforcement since he was 5.
Darrell Leines has the opportunity to win but drew the 7 of spades.
Chris Pierson was hopeful a donation to the music gods would help him remember the "Hello!" song melody. It didn't quite work out, but members finished the "Hello!" song in a lovely Acapella!
Angela had some interesting facts to share with WRC about the U.S.'s disposable mentality. The U.S. is home to 5% of the world population yet uses 25% of the world's resources and incarcerates 25% of the world's incarcerated people. E waste is also the fastest growing wast stream worldwide.
Tech Discounts aims to help provide a pathway back into the workforce with a Work Readiness Training Program to help those who have been incarcerated. The program is 18 months long and provides life, work, and job-specific skills, as well as international and external certifications, and helps eliminate barriers to work (transportation and housing for example.) Tech Dump values disadvantaged people and their untapped talent beyond their "worse day."
Several members have taken advantage of their recycling program and members were encouraged to visit the Tech Dump open house or schedule a work collection day. Recycling your electronics is a super way to get at precious metals that have been used in electronics back into circulation.
Recovery and control of Native American homelands George Lee, Host
Cris Stainbrook was a founding member of Native Americans in Philanthropy and served on the board of directors for 11 years. He was also a founder and longtime advisory committee member of the Two Feathers Endowment of The Saint Paul Foundation. He currently serves on the board of the Minnesota Community Foundation and The Saint Paul Foundation. In addition, he has served on a number of committees within the Council on Foundations and the Minnesota Council on Foundations.
Stainbrook holds a bachelor of science from the University of Iowa and a master’s degree in fisheries science from Oregon State University.
Amanda LaGrange is the CEO of Tech Dump and Tech Discounts, the linked e-waste recycling, refurbishing, and retail social enterprise that creates jobs for people with barriers to employment. Amanda helped to found Tech Dump as a board member in 2010 while she worked at General Mills in Corporate Finance.
Grounded in her belief that business can be a solution for poverty and injustice, she joined the Tech Dump leadership team as the Director of Marketing in 2013 and created awareness that drove double digit annual growth and established Tech Dump as an award-winning top electronics recycler in Minnesota and a leader nationwide in its commitment to the environment and job creation.
When she became CEO in 2015, Amanda operationalized a strategy to increase revenue that included portable cell-phone collection bins, the successful launch of the retail brand Tech Discounts and a second stand-alone location for store.
Amanda has testified before the Minnesota Legislature on the Right to Repair and has been recognized by The Minneapolis - Saint Paul Business Journal as a Top 50 Women in Business and as a Titan of Tech. Amanda is an Indiana native who graduated from Indiana University.
Guest, Brad Sleeper, had the chance to win but drew the 6 of spades so the pot grows. Be sure to bring your cash next week!
Doug Arndt was happy to welcome his third granddaughter to the world, Isla Grace Arndt. Congratulations!
Fred Meyer was happy to still be alive after suffering from a heart attack three weeks ago. We are all happy you are still with us Fred!!
Mark Lauffenburger was happy about how Music by the Lake went in fundraising, engaging in the community, and thanked Ben Hovland for all his did in spearheading this new initiative.
Minnetonka Rotarian, Bonnie Wittenburg, visited WRC and shared information about the upcoming Charity Golf Open on September 12, 2019. If you would like to sign up, register here. The Minnetonka Rotary is sponsoring a Charity Golf Outing, "Links & Libations"on Thursday, September 12th, 2019 at Glen Lake Golf Course located at 14350 County Road 62 in Minnetonka Minnesota, just west of the intersection of Hwy 494 and Hwy 62.
The Minnetonka Rotary determined that the event would include golf, but that is only part of the fun. Local Craft Beers and other Wineries will be there with beverages for taste testing. Providing an easy way for you to taste test Minnesota specialties in one location. The third part of the event is a silent auction.
Volunteers are needed at the James J Hill Days beer and wine tent. Because of the Music by the Lake alcohol server training Rotarians completed in June, members who volunteer have already met requirements for serving. If you enjoyed the MBTL community engagement and are craving some more interactions, sign up - the Rotary aprons will be available to wear! (George Lee is already signed up!)
For slots and timing, please click here or contact Becky Pierson. Upon completing a shift, Shelley will assign you a meeting attendance make-up!
For more details on James J Hill Days, click here.
Beer/Wine Serving Volunteers Needed - James J Hill Days, September 6-8, 2019
Women account for less than 25 percent of Rotary’s global membership, and are underrepresented in leadership positions at every level . Rotarians are ready to embrace change, as indicated by the record number of breakout sessions at the 2019 Rotary International Convention in Hamburg dedicated to the topic of women’s advancement in Rotary’s leadership. During one of these sessions, Rotarians Beth Keck and Todd Jenkins collected ideas from more than 500 members, both female and male, about how to take action and break down the barriers to women’s advancement in leadership positions. Hear the proposals and add your voice to this critical conversation.
The Wayzata Rotary Board voted unanimously to support Wayzata High School Senior, Noah Dieng, with one of the financial obligations he needed to meet during his one year student-exchange adventure.
Noah was able to attend lunch and grab Rotary flags to bring with him and we look forward to Noah's return and visit to share with us his experience.
Good luck, Noah!
Board Approves $600 to Support Outbound Exchange Student
Jodi Olson, Wayzata Public Schools - Community Engagement & Partnerships Coordinator updated the Wayzata Rotary Board on August 14 about the upcoming school year and pilot mentoring program that will begin this year. Wayzata High School will be partnering with Great Expectations and IOCP, as well as Wayzata Rotary to mentor 25-30 students at Wayzata High School this year.
The program will run November - May and will comprise of two 1-hour Friday morning classes per month. The focus will be on Relationship Mentoring and will focus on students missing academic benchmarks, those suffering from poverty, and students of color. The program will be for Juniors and Seniors and the curriculum will be created by Wayzata High School. Great Expectations has worked closely with Mentor Minnesota to create the framework for the initiative and is really excited to have a structure and program ready to launch this fall.
Norrie Thomas and Scott Gengler are the Wayzata Rotary contacts. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to either of them and if you would like to be a mentor, stay tuned for the application. It is in its final "proofing" stage and will be ready to be shared in the next couple of weeks.
Past President, Hope Schroeppel, shared the great news on the inaugural Music by the Lake fundraiser. Our food and beverage sales were $7,495.39 and our sponsorship support was $8,336.35.
The Music by the Lake committee would like to thank all Rotarians who helped make this such a great success and are particularly excited that this fundraiser did not require asking members to write a personal check. The community engagement was fantastic, the event was fun to work, and the committee looks forward to an even better concert series in summer 2020.
The planning for summer 2020 will begin in December. If you would like to get involved in the planning, let Shelley or Ben know. We already have the beer sponsor in place so we are off to a good start!
In a nutshell, Bitcoin is complicated. Brooks shared with Wayzata Rotary several aspects of Bitcoin and answered questions about this virtual currency. Some highlights:
There is a pre-determined finite amount of Bitcoins that will ever be created. That number is 21 million. Currently, there are 17.3 million in circulation.
One bitcoin, this week, is worth approximately $10,000.00. The currency is highly volatile so the value ranges can be rather dramatic.
There are actual Bitcoin ATMs around the USA.
Bitcoin allows a person to be their own banker, and is easy to use and travel with as one can access through their phone.
Mining bitcoins consumes a massive amount of electricity to run the network and is likened to mining gold and silver. It is expensive to do and that is a portion of determining the value of a bitcoin.
It takes approximately $3,000 in electricity to create one Bitcoin.
The IRS does have a schedule of how to tax Bitcoin.
While there was a lot shared, there is still a great deal to learn and understand about this Crypto currency!!
The monthly WRC board meeting is this Wednesday, November 13, 2019 from 10:30 to 11:30. We will be meeting at the Wayzata Country Club in the BOARD room. All board meetings are open to members, so if you would like to attend, please do so!
The monthly WRC board meeting is this Wednesday, September 11, 2019 from 10:30 to 11:30. We will be meeting at the Wayzata Country Club in the BOARD room. All board meetings are open to members, so if you would like to attend, please do so!
The monthly WRC board meeting is this Wednesday, August 14, 2019 from 10:30 to 11:30. We will be meeting at the Wayzata Country Club in the BOARD room. All board meetings are open to members, so if you would like to attend, please do so!
The Rotary Club of Edina is hosting a presentation and panel discussion on human trafficking on Thursday, September 19, 2019! We will have a panel discussion with three experts who have dedicated their lives to stopping and addressing the effects of human trafficking. The speakers will discuss the issues surrounding international human traffickers, as well as what is going on within our Twin Cities community. The goal is for all of our attendees to walk away with a better understanding of what human trafficking looks like, know what steps are being taken in our community to address the problem, and what we can do individually in our community, schools, and families to stop it.
Below is a flyer with more details about event. (Please let Shelley or Kelly know if you would like to attend so we can send a list to the Edina club.)
Thanks,
Scott Blake
Human Trafficking Prevention Committee, Edina Rotary Club
The annual shared meeting between Wayzata Rotary and the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce attracted a full house! Guests heard from "Mr. Wayzata", Rotarian Greg Rye, Mayor Ken Wilcox, and Chief Risvold.
Members from the community, the fire department, police department, chamber members, the City, and Hennepin County were in attendance.
The final concert of the Music by the Lake series was a huge success. Anthony Shore drew the largest crowd of the series and we bought in $915 worth of sales from the food/beverage area and meat raffle sales. It was a crazy fun evening and a great way to finish of the series.
A very big thank you you to Borton Volvo Cars for their generous ongoing sponsorship of our concert series! You make these concerts possible. Thank you too to David Lee Funeral Home, Innovative Flooring Design, Otten Brothers and Gianni's Steakhouse for supporting this important community activity.
New Programs Lead, George Lee, will be kicking off our Rotary Year with BitCoin 101!
Brooks is with DCI Capital and discovered bitcoin in 2013 while working at Morgan Stanley as a financial adviser and he been obsessed with crypto currencies ever since. Bitcoin combines two favorite subjects; technology and finance.
Rotarian, David Davenport husband of Rotarian, Belle Davenport, died last Friday, June 26, 2019. David was 73. Memorial service is on Wednesday, August 7 at 1:30 p.m. at Wayzata Community Church, 125 East Wayzata Boulevard, Wayzata with visitation beginning at noon at church. For the full obituary, click here.
Please keep Belle and her family in your thoughts this week.
The weather was spectacular and members of the Wayzata community enjoyed another free concert sponsored hosted by the Wayzata Rotary and sponsored by Borton Volvo and Fazendin Realtors. We have our last concert this Wednesday, and hope to see everyone there!
Tom and Lynn Vettel hosted their annual summer evening cruise, donated each year as a prize at the Holiday Party fundraiser on July 30. They had 10 people total: Tom & Lynn Vettel, Sarah & Delvin Kaelberer, Darrel & Cindy Leines, Chris & Becky Pierson and Lynn & Brian Groll.
They had a beautiful night and they dedicated the cruise in honor of Dave Davenport.
Wayzata Rotary is sponsoring Wayzata student, Noah Dieng on his upcoming study abroad in Japan. While the trip and program fees have been paid, his family still needs to raise $600 to help pay for their share of a $1,200 trip fee while Noah is in Japan.
If you are able to donate, please visit Noah's GoFundMe page and learn more about Noah.
Norrie Thompson received an update from Jodi Olson, the Wayzata High School Community Engagement & Partnerships Coordinator, and is please to announce they are ready to move forward with the mentor-ship program with IOCP Great Expectations and Wayzata Rotary. Mentorship application forms are being created and will be available later this month. The goal is to match 25 mentors with students in September and have the program run October - April.
If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please let Shelley or Norrie know and they will be sure to get you the application when it is ready.
Thank you Jeff Dayton and Friends - What a Great Turn-out!
Wayzata Rotarians were kept busy with the biggest crowd to date for the Music by the Lake Concert Series. Jeff Dayton and Friends had a perfect summer evening to entertain the crowd and the food stand had record sales and ran out of food! We are excited for next week and look forward to another great concert.
Wayzata Rotary and Borton Volvo are excited to present the High 48s as this week's free Music by the Lake concert. Be sure to stop by and view cars by Boyton and get a hotdog or brat grilled with love by Rotarians!
Since forming in northeast Minneapolis in 2006, The High 48s have been making music that combines the soulful sound of classic bluegrass with a modern attitude. They’re a band with one foot in tradition and the other in the world of music today, and one of the very few who can find an overlooked bluegrass classic in a song by M. Ward or the Clash then throw down hard on a standard by Bill Monroe.
The High 48s are also a band of songwriters. Here, too, they take a modern approach, heeding the well-worn advice to writers: write what you know. Their songs ring true to their lives as northern city-folk rather than an imagined “sweet, sunny south” of coal mines and dark hollers.
In addition to keeping up a busy performing schedule, the High 48s are passionate about music education and in demand as instructors, teaching one-on-one, online and in workshops and jam camps around the country, including their now twice-yearly bluegrass jam camp for kids, Grass Seeds Academy.
In 2017, the band released their eighth studio album, Daddy Was a Bank Robber. This recording is their most personal release yet, with original music and a handful of covers that represent a musical snapshot of the band’s very eclectic record collections, including songs by alt-country great Robbie Fulks (“Goodbye Virginia”), bluegrass maverick John Hartford (“Long Hot Summer Days”), blues singer/guitarist Little Milton (“Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson”) and the Clash (“Bankrobber”).
In 2018, the 48s welcomed guitar phenom Clint Birtzer into the band. Though only 25 years old, Clint is already a bluegrass veteran, with three Minnesota State Flatpicking Championship wins under his belt as well as thousands of shows and a long back catalog of album releases with newgrassers Sawtooth Brothers.
The band takes its name from railroad slang for the boxcars originally used to transport troops on the front lines in WWI that could carry 40 soldiers or 8 horses, and were later used in the US on fast-moving “hot shot” freight trains by train-hoppers looking for work during the Great Depression.
Wayzata Rotary and Borton Volvo are excited to present Jeff Dayton and Friends as this week's free Music by the Lake concert. Be sure to stop by and view cars by Boyton and get a hotdog or brat grilled with love by Rotarians!
From the White House to the Grand Ole Opry, Jeff has been playing guitar and performing all his life. He’s a Nashville producer and writer and loves the concentrated creative scene in Music City. His hometown roots in Minnesota and years in Arizona earned him a the job of bandleader with Hall of Fame artist Glen Campbell for 15 years. He also found time to land his music degree, regional #1 hit records and the honor of backing artists including Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, Toby Keith, Buck Owens, Tracy Byrd, Bo Diddley, Dizzy Gillespie, Gene Autry, Mac Davis and many more. Once arriving in Nashville, Jeff focused on writing and producing, but because of his reputation and guitar skills, was soon touring with megastar Kenny Chesney, Lee Greenwood, Sarah Darling, Tammy Cochran and others.
Jeff’s first guitar was at age 9 and he immediately formed his first band, The Emperors. From there, it was local clubs and concerts, paying his dues and working with musicians who became sidemen for Prince and Bob Dylan. He moved to Arizona, got his first Nashville song contracts and put together one of the most popular and acclaimed bands in the Phoenix music scene over his 20 years there. One fateful chance encounter with Glen Campbell led to his longtime tenure on that tour and set the stage for his move to Nashville in 2000.
Today, Jeff is an active Nashville music producer, songwriter, session guitarist, recording artist and educator and tours as a dynamic bandleader and solo artist. His show Salute To Glen Campbell is appearing nationally, as well as a solo tour Jeff Dayton ~ American Troubadour.
We will still need volunteers for our final concert Wednesday!
Whether backed by his All Star Band or appearing solo …
Anthony Shore never fails to impress and entertain as he performs the songs of Elvis with exceptional quality and utmost respect. His incomparable vocal ability, charismatic stage presence, and approachable demeanor makes him an instant favorite with audiences.
Originally from the UK, and a lifelong fan of Elvis, Anthony now resides in Minneapolis and works year-round performing in a variety of venues. As an international, and award winning Elvis tribute artist, Anthony Shore manages to maintain a faithful following of fans, while continually attracting new ones.
Wayzata Rotary is excited to welcome Anthony shore to week 4 of Music by the Lake Concert series supported by our generous sponsors! Be sure to stop by for hot dogs, brats, chips, beer, wine, water, or ice cream treats! All proceeds benefit the Wayzata Community!
Rotary started with the vision of one man — Paul Harris. The Chicago attorney formed the Rotary Club of Chicago on 23 February 1905, so professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas, form meaningful, lifelong friendships, and give back to their communities.
The Paul Harris Fellow program recognizes individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. The honor was established in 1957 to show appreciation for contributions that support our Annual Fund, PolioPlus, or an approved Foundation grant.
Wayzata Rotary would like to welcome three new members to the Paul Harris Society: Ben Hovland, Becky Pierson, and Beth Warner. Congratulations! Below are the members who continue to participate and the number of years they have been a Paul Harris Society Member. More gratitude for your continuing support.
Norrie Thomas - PH+1
Doug Arndt - PH+2
Sarah Kaelberer - PH+4
Mike Lee - PH+ 6
Cliff Otten - PH +6
Tom Metcalf - PH+8
It is also a bittersweet note to thank Charlie Marvin, who will continue his legacy to Rotary as a Benefactor. Charlie would have had his PH+9 this year!
Consider hosting a boy from Spain for 3 1/2 months next school year!
Every year, the Orono Rotary Club sponsors a foreign exchange student to attend Orono High School. The 2019-20 student is a boy coming from Spain. He will be 16 years old in August and interested in water polo, football, reading and video games. In addition to his native Spanish language, he has taken English and French.
During the school year, three separate families are needed to host the student for approximately 3 1/2 months each. The Rotary exchange student benefits by experiencing the different ways in which each family lives and builds relationships with a variety of people.
The Rotary exchange student does not require their own room, but can share a room with their own bed and with a host sibling of the same gender. A proper place to study is also needed and they are required to attend school. Families with young children, no children, several children, single parents, same sex parents, retired and empty nesters are all eligible after a required background check.
Rotary provides $80 school lunch money per month and an $80 per month stipend. A counselor from the Orono Rotary Club is involved and available to help with acclimation or any problems that may arise. Their airfare and medical insurance is paid and they use their own spending money beyond the funds Rotary provides. Host families provide meals, along with the opportunity to observe life in our community, state, and country.
This is a rewarding lifetime opportunity for a lasting relationship benefiting both the family and the student.
Please contact Mary Bakken mbakken@mchsi.com, Cindy Geiger cgeiger@citlink.netor Melanie DeLuca at 612-747-1635,rotarymelanie@gmail.com for interest in becoming a host parent for the 2019-2020 school year or for more information or questions.
Thank you,
Orono Rotary
Host Family Needed for Spanish Student - Orono Rotary
Kelly Sater Welcomed as 2019-2020 Wayzata Rotary President
President Hope Schroeppel, handed over the Presidency to President Elect, Kelly Sater. Wayzata Rotary looks forward to another great year with Kelly at the helm. Congratulations Kelly and thank you Hope for all your work and support of the Wayzata Rotary these last 12 months.
Kelly will oversee her first official meeting on Tuesday, August 7 and the combined Night to Unite annual luncheon between the City of Wayzata and The Wayzata Rotary at the the Wayzata Country Club.
Week 2 was another successful week of Music by the Lake selling hot dogs, brats, beer, wine, ice cream sandwiches, and water. Food and beverage sales added $248 and the meat raffle drew $224 bringing out gross sales to $516. To date, Wazyata Rotary has raised over $8,000 from this fund raising initiative and thank the community for helping us support our community at large by funding scholarships, community grants, and local projects in the Wayzata Community.
The second half of the month of June kicks off fun and activities along the lake. If you are looking for some activities to keep you busy, be sure to visit one of the 4 events below!
We had a productive meeting with TwinWest. TwinWest will highlight the mentor program in their weekly newsletter with a view toward adding more mentors. We are up to 10 mentors, so we will move forward with our first meeting toward the end of November. We are still hoping to find 7 more mentors, so it isn't too late to sign up!
TwinWest has two programs that seem very beneficial for students that we may add to our "curriculum". Jodi Olson, our liaison at Wayzata High School will review the programs. The first is a library of about 1000 mini podcasts with various business people talking about their career path and the choices they made along the way- not always a "straight path", and how they overcame obstacles- very motivating!
The second program is a resume writing software program that students may be able to use.
TwinWest VP of Education, Mandy Janssen has worked with many school districts with "STRIVE" like programs and was a wealth of information.
Music by the Lake Continues after the 4th of July Holiday!
Wayzata Rotary will not be hosting a lunch meeting or concert July 3.
Come and join Rotarians out in the community on Wednesday, July 10 at the Depot and enjoy a free concert by the Benny Weinbeck Trio band from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm.
Wayzata Rotary's Music by the Lake is a FREE concert series presented by Sears Imported Autos and Borton Volvo at Depot Park, located in downtown Wayzata on the shores of Lake Minnetonka. The area is transformed into a fun and active place on Wednesday’s in July with free live music from local and regional bands. New this year, Wayzata Rotarians will be selling and serving hot dogs, brats, chips, ice cream sandwiches, beer, and wine.
All proceeds go to funding our community grants program in the Wayzata community.
Benny Weinbeck is a successful performer, producer, composer, arranger and bandleader. His playing styles include jazz, latin, and world music. Weinbeck has produced several albums of original compositions and one of solo piano jazz standards. He has also appeared on Gordon Johnson's album, "Trios V1. and V3". (with Steve Gadd on drums) and many others. Benny has been performing since 1980 in venues around the world. He has worked with some of the top musicians and producers in the music industry. His travels around the globe have taken him on many adventures as well as unforgettable musical experiences. He is currently based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is currently working on several recording projects and independent films. His four self-produced albums of his compositions have had extensive airplay and have been used in several television and radio ads. His solo jazz piano album of famous jazz standards, was 26 weeks on KBEM-FM jazz radio in Minneapolis.
His jazz trio consisting of Gordon Johnson on bass, and Phil Hey on drums performs weekly at Parma 8200 in Bloomington, Minnesota.(check the calendar for details)
Wayzata Rotary will not be hosting a lunch meeting this week. Come and join Rotarians out in the community at the Depot and enjoy a free concert by The Revolution 5, Minnesota's premier Beatles Tribute band from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm.
Wayzata Rotary's Music by the Lake is a FREE concert series presented by Sears Imported Autos and Borton Volvo at Depot Park, located in downtown Wayzata on the shores of Lake Minnetonka. The area is transformed into a fun and active place on Wednesday’s in July with free live music from local and regional bands. New this year, Wayzata Rotarians will be selling and serving hot dogs, chips, root beer floats, beer, and wine will be available.
All proceeds go to funding our community grants program in the Wayzata community.
All proceeds go to funding our community grants program in the Wayzata community.
Wayzata Rotary will not be hosting a lunch meeting this week. Come and join Rotarians out in the community at the Depot and enjoy a free concert by The Tuxedo Band! 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm.
Wayzata Rotary's Music by the Lake is a FREE concert series presented by Sears Imported Autos and Borton Volvo at Depot Park, located in downtown Wayzata on the shores of Lake Minnetonka. The area is transformed into a fun and active place on Wednesday’s in July with free live music from local and regional bands. This year Wayzata Rotarians will be selling and serving hot dogs, chips, root beer floats, beer, and wine will be available for purchase.
All proceeds go to funding our community grants program in the Wayzata community.
Jodi Olson, Wayzata's Community Engagement and Partnerships Coordinator (and the District's point person for the pilot mentoring program), will collaborate with administrators at WHS over the next several weeks to work through the logistics for the mentoring program. Jodi will then convene the GE advisory group --- probably mid-July or so ---to plan the program implementation, including the recruitment and training of mentors, for this fall. Carolyn Scherer, the consultant through Mentor MN, will continue to provide technical assistance through this process. Here are the materials available through Mentor MN upon which the program will be based:
Hope Schroeppel hosted her last meeting at Wayzata Country Club as our President. Hope will hand to gavel over to President Elect, Kelly Sater, on July 10 before the kick-off of the Benny Weinback Trio free concert at the lake.
Wayzata Rotary Club is excited to present this summer's Music by the Lake sponsored by Sears Imported Autos and Borton Volvo. Wayzata Rotary invites the community to come and enjoy 6 concerts on Wednesday evenings by the Lake from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm. All bands will be at the historic Depot. Food and beverages will be available for purchase!
Hot dog or Brat with Chips and Beer or Wine $10.00
The Wayzata Rotary participates in a rotating grant each year. For the current Rotary year, we donated to help Plymouth purchase musical instruments that will be donated to the Zachary Playfield. See below for the schedule of event for the celebration!
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Please join us for a fun day in your community! The Plymouth Rotary is excited to celebrate 40 years of service. We are honored to be donating outdoor musical instruments to the Zachary Playfield. In addition to the equipment, Rotarians will be working on the landscaping for the play area in the morning before lunch.
Pre-Event Tickets: $25 per person (Tickets purchased at the event: $30 each)
Agenda:
9:00 AM - Landscaping (Volunteers welcome!) 12:00 PM - Welcome and Short program dedicating the donation of musical instruments for the playground. 12:15 PM - Lunch - Catered by Chuck Wagon Catering (paid ticketrequired) 1:30 PM - Closing
If you are interested in helping volunteer, would like information about the Plymouth Rotary, or have any other questions, feel free to visit https://rotaryplymouth.org/ or reach out at PlymouthMNRotary@gmail.com
It's time for the annual awards luncheon! Join President, Hope Schroeppel as she hands shares awards with members and hosts her final meeting as President at Wayzata Country Club.
Paul Kaspszak - Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association Ben Hovland - Host
Rotarians were treated to an entertaining and informative hour of ID training for the upcoming Music by the Lake concert series. Paul shared stories about liquor sales gone bad, types of ID that are acceptable, and the "shield law." The two main concerns to be aware of when selling alcohol, is the person purchasing alcohol old enough and are they obviously intoxicated? Beer and wine will be on sale during the concert series.
30 members of Wayzata Rotary are now trained and ready!
For more information on what the MMBA does, click here.
Doug Arndt had the chance to win $583 dollars this week but drew the 8 of Diamonds. We will resume the game on August 7 when we are back at Wayzata Country Club for our lunch meetings.
Norrie Thomas was happy that the U of M Medication Repository passed and will be up and running by Jan 1. She's also excited that she has been asked to be on the Community Advisory Board of Hennepin County and will be focusing on the opioid crisis. Congratulations, Norrie!
Jason Hunt was happy that the Wayzata Sailing School had its grand opening last week. Congratulations Jason on all your hard work!
Lynn Groll is happy to be going to New Jersey to celebrate her father-in-law's 87 years of life with 60 family members from all over the country.
Hope Schroeppel was happy that this was her last official meeting and is looking forward to the official handover in two week. Thank you, Hope!
Music by the Lake - Volunteer Prep and Social Hour
In preparation for the Music by the Lake concert fundraiser, Committee Lead Ben Hovland, will be leading training for members for serving beer and wine, and answering any questions members have about how they can help during the concerts.
Wayzata Rotary Club is very excited about this new fundraising event and are very happy that the two presenting and six sensational six sponsorship slots have been sold. In addition, to date there have been 7 concert series spots sold and there are more available!
Below is a big shout out to Rotarians whose businesses will be sponsoring the series. Thank you!
Mike Lee had the chance to win $538 dollars this week but drew the 10 of Diamonds. We have 2 more weeks to get the pot nice and big before the break for the Music by the Lake concerts.
Two Harbors Ukulele Group - Guests Tom Schwalbe - Host
Tom Schwalbe hosted a super fun meeting this week. Wayzata Rotary welcomed 10 members of THUG (Two Harbors Ukulele Group) to our weekly meeting. We enjoyed super music, signing, and tap dancing!
Who Is The Two Harbors Ukulele Group? Currently the T.H.U.G performance group ranges from 8-20 members depending upon member availability and the needs of the gig. The group is unique in that they employ a variety of instruments. T.H.U.G plays approximately 32 gigs per year, playing at several nursing homes and assisted living facilities each year.
T.H.U.G. also likes teaching the “ukulele way”. The first hour of each rehearsal is devoted to the “beginners”. Beginners are provided sheet music, instruction and a ukulele if they have not taken the plunge into purchasing one. As the beginners advance they are invited to attend the next hour of rehearsal using the “yellow book”. Some eventually graduate to the performance group. Several T.H.U.G. members also teach at the local elementary school upon request.
So, who is the Two Harbors Ukulele Group? We have backgrounds in education, the medical fields, finance, laborers, retirees and many other fields. Some of us have an extensive musical background and some have never played a musical instrument before picking up the ukulele. We love putting a smile on our audiences’s faces through the magic of this little four stringed instrument. We are just like you.
Wayzata Rotarians welcomed new members Justin and George to the Club on Wednesday.
Justin, the son of member Marc Bullis, works for the Bullis Agency. Justin grew up in the Plymouth/Wayzata area and looks forward to getting more involved in the community through Rotarian efforts.
George, the founder and executive director of Jobsfoundation.org and the SNAP agency, works to employ and provide job training for the economically underserved. George looksf forward to connecting and building relationships within the community.
Justin and George will be helping Shelley at the check-in desk so please be sure to say hello!
Angela Bernhardt shared some great news from one of our guest speakers, Rowan Mahon.
Hello everyone,
As of today, the legislation related to medication repositories has been officially signed into law, and you can read the final language here. This legislation will allow Minnesota the chance to create a program that will reduce medication waste and help individuals across the state who are struggling to afford the medications that they need.
This process has been long in the making, and it has involved so many different individuals and professions coming together to make a change that will benefit thousands of residents of Minnesota. I sincerely believe that Minnesota will now create a successful medication repository and that the residents of Minnesota will be healthier and happier because of this.
I think it is important to note that it was students who initiated and led the process- but without the professors, legislators, professionals, and organizations who stood behind us, this would not have happened. The College of Pharmacy at the University of Minnesota is ranked 2nd in the nation and leadership is taught from day one. I am very thankful that the College of Pharmacy consistently taught and reinforced the value of leadership and was able to lift up a student organization to this point.
Thank you to everyone who allowed us this chance, who helped guide us through the process- from the successes to the mistakes that were made throughout this two-year journey. You all believed in this idea enough to lift it from an idea into a law. This would not have happened without everyone coming together, and I am so grateful that so many of you dedicated your time and your knowledge to this project.
This experience has changed my life. Thank you all so much for believing in this idea and in the students who brought this forward.
-Rowan and the Public Health Advocacy Student Alliance team
Wayzata Rotarians were excited to welcome the 4 inaugural Charlie Marvin Memorial STRIVE Scholarship winners to the Club. Paige Marvin, Charlie's daughter, shared what Rotary meant to her father and how excited she was that Wayzata Rotary was able to give these scholarships in her father's honor. Charlie would have been very proud of these students, as are Rotarians, and we send our heartiest congratulations to them!
Tristen Anderson: Tristen plans to attend St. Cloud Technical & Community College while serving part-time in the MN National Guard. He would like to study music, English, and Psychology but isn't sure what to do yet for a career. He enjoyed Poetry Slam for Creative writing, Theatre, and American Literature. His advice for incoming 9th graders? "Don't vape."
Constance Borbor: Plans to attend St. Cloud State for her first two years to get generals done and then focus on becoming a dental hygienists and work her way up from there. Her favorite memories of WHS was the Shades of Brown performances because it gave her the chance to learn about her culture and others. She also had the opportunity to participate with PSEO to get a feel for what College might be like. Her advice for incoming 9th graders? Take advantage of every opportunity, ask questions, get involved, your teacher is your best friend and get to know them. You have to get stuff done so do it and don't put things off as it will hurt you and stress you out. Be respectful - you can never go wrong being a respectful individual.
Christopher Ross: Plans to attend Winona State University and study technical writing and some business. He plans to write professionally for big companies. He enjoyed cheering and whooping it up for his teammates at Wayzata track meats. He also liked meeting all the nice people at Haunted Acres for Club Y.E.S. His advice for incoming 9th graders? Keep going and try to immerse yourself as much as possible. Also try to be inclusive to as many people as you can. Work your hardest because before you know it you'll be a senior and there will only be a few weeks left until graduation.
Karizma Sigh: Plans to attend Minneapolis Community and Technical College and will part of the accounting program. Karizma enjoyed the Shades of Brown performances and Mr. Elrod's post high school class. Her advice to incoming 9th graders? Take advice from seniors. Take advantage of every opportunity because they don't come twice. Care about your grades because everything counts and if you can, double up on your core classes so your last year of school goes smoothly. Don't be part of drama - come and do what you came to do and communicate with your teachers.
Charlie Marvin Memorial STRIVE Scholarship Winners Joined WRC for Lunch
Alison Wobschall, Partners in Prevention Scott Gengler, Host
Alison Wobschall shared a fascinating presentation into the perils of vaping and the battle for teen's heath. Based on a 2018 National Youth Study, 3.6 million teens are vaping. Over the last 20 years, there hasn't been much of a focus on teens and smoking as it was not so much of an issue. With the introduction of e-cigarettes and lack of policy, teen nicotine use has exploded. The flavoring of the liquid in the pods is the major factor in attracting young people to try vaping.
Instagram and Snapchat are the biggest ad platforms being used and there is no regulation to stop advertising of e-cigarettes. She shared that many first time users of marijuana are via an e-cigarette device and this is very worrying. Her organization is working with communities to get similar regulations in place as cigarettes and a top target is to get flavors banned. She also works to help teens understand that vaping is indeed harmful to their health as it targets specifically the addiction centers in their still developing brains and to tackle the "cool factor."
Members had many questions and found the presentation very eye opening and informative.
50/50 Raffle: Funds collected this week $65 ($32 to foundation and $33 to pot)
The pot is up to $428.00 and Rob Hunt drew the 2 of Diamonds. All four queens and the Ace are still in there!
Happy Bucks; Funds collected this week ($11)
Lynn Groll, Mike Lee, and Becky Pierson were all happy the day after enjoying fellowship at Sarah Kaelberer's house. The annual WRC Poker Party was a roaring success!
Fred Meyer was happy to have the Wayzata High School students at lunch and for hope for the future.
*All proceeds from the 50/50 and Happy Bucks go directly into our Charitable Foundation to be used for community grants and to support scholarships.
Alison Wobschall, Partners in Prevention Angela Bernhardt, Host
Alison Wobschall is the director of Partners in Prevention, a community coalition serving the Wayzata School District and working to prevent and reduce youth substance use.
First Annual Scholarship Awards in Charlie's Memory
Please be sure to attend Rotary this week. Charlie's daughter, Paige, will be joining us and congratulating the 4 inaugural "Charlie Marvin Memorial STRIVE Scholarship" winners from Wayzata High School. Paige will be sharing a few thoughts with WRC about Charlie and what Rotary meant to him and we will be welcoming the 4 scholars and their parents.
The club hopes to get the STRIVE mentoring program up and running for the 2019/2020 school year and members are invited to become mentors and to get involved with this wonderful mentorship opportunity.
Charlie Marvin Memorial STRIVE Scholarship Winners Joining WRC For Lunch! - May 22, 2019
Wayzata Rotary welcomed 11 of the 14 scholarship winners to enjoy fajitas and share information on their future plans and answered questions from Rotarians. This is a favorite meeting for Rotarians as it embodies the commitment Wazyata Rotary has to supporting families in the community.
The future is in good hands! Below is a list of scholars, the school they plan to attend, and the area of interest they plan to study.
50/50 Raffle: Funds collected this week ($39 to foundation and $40 to pot)
The pot is up to $396.00 and Hope Schroeppel drew the 4 of spades. All four queens and the Ace are still in there!
Happy Bucks; Funds collected this week ($18)
Angela was happy to have been able to go to the annual Wayzata High School scholarship awards ceremony. Chris Pierson and Tom Vettel did a great job presenting the WMEF scholarships and Norrie Thomas did a great job with the new Charlie Marvin Memorial STRIVE scholarship presentation.
Dennis Zarbock was happy to be in attendnace and to get to meet fellow Rotarian, Kathy Wegner.
Kelly Sater was happy to have had a fantastic vacation and to come back to ice-out on the lake.
Chris Pierson was still happy from giving out the scholarships at Wayzata High School.
Chace Anderson was happy that WRC and the community at large is so generous and helpful to the students at Wayzata High.
Jim Hartfiel was happy to have been tapped by honorary Rotarian, Dorothy Welch, to mentor a junior at Wayzata Hight School.
Becky Pierson was happy to say "thank you!" to Andy Fazendin, and Fazendin Realtors, for hosting a table at the Interfaith Outreach gala.
*All proceeds from the 50/50 and Happy Bucks go directly into our Charitable Foundation to be used for community grants and to support scholarships.
Amy McBeth gave us an overview of the BNFS railroad line and overview of the safety upgrades the company has invested in. BNFS, a Berkshire Hathaway firm, is one of 4 Class I railroads operating in the United States (a freight railroad with an operating revenue exceeding $457.9 million.)
An interesting fact: One BNFS inter-modal train takes 280 long-haul trucks off the highway system!
BNFS has focused in the last decade on risk reduction. These areas of reduction:
1. Equipment Detection Technology (35 million readings per day!)
2. Proactive and predictive maintenance
3. Prevention and Positive Train Control (PTC) deployment enhances safety
Members had time for questions and asked about engineer training, will the caboose make a come-back, and is there a push for fully automated locomotives?
The monthly WRC board meeting is this Wednesday, June 12, 2019 from 10:30 to 11:30. We will be meeting at the Wayzata Country Club in the DINING room. All board meetings are open to members, so if you would like to attend, please do so!
The Music by the Lake Planning Committee will be updating the board and committee members are encouraged to attend.
The monthly WRC board meeting is this Wednesday, May 8, 2019 from 10:30 to 11:30. We will be meeting at the Wayzata Country Club in their board room on the second floor. All board meetings are open to members, so if you would like to attend, please do so!
The Music by the Lake Planning Committee will be updating the board at 11:00 and committee members are encouraged to attend.
WRC April Board and Music By the Lake Meeting - May 8, 2019
Amy McBeth, Public Affairs - BNSF Railway Company Becky Pierson - Host
Wayzata’s history is linked with James J Hill’s railroad. Today, BNSF Railway continues to be a big part of our community. Learn more about BNSF’s operations and how it leverages cutting edge technology to improve safety. This is your chance to ask questions and connect with local railroad contacts.
BNSF Railway is one of North America’s leading freight transportation companies. BNSFoperatesapproximately 32,500 route miles of track in 28 states and also operates in three Canadian provinces. BNSF is one of the top transporters of consumer goods, grain and agricultural products, low-sulfur coal, and industrial goods such as petroleum, chemicals, housing materials, food and beverages. BNSF’s shipments help feed, clothe, supply, and power American homes and businesses every day. BNSF and its employees have developed one of the most technologically advanced, and efficient railroads in the industry.
Our annual scholarship luncheon is May 15, 2019. Members are asked to adopt a scholar and sit with them, and perhaps introduce them at our luncheon. We will again be having a fajita bar!
In addition, we will be having the Charlie Marvin STRIVE scholarship winners join us on May 22, 2019. Charlie's daughter, Paige Marvin, will be in attendance and give a quick speech about Charlie and what Rotary meant to him. It would be nice to have a large member turn out for May 22, and we will have 4 scholarship winners in need of a rotary member to sit with. We will be enjoying a Chinese buffet.
David Mann - A Simple Story - Guest Jim Hartfiel - Host
In the first few seconds, customers and clients only want to know; What do you do and how will it help me?
With this intent, David walked us through common mistakes made when first meeting new potential clients and customers, and how to fine tune a message to tell a story that pulls those potential clients in. David shared a formula on how to get a business story down to 10 seconds and how to create your marketing story.
If you are interested in learning more, David's company click hereor email him at david@davidmannlive.com. David is a keynote speaker, can help with presentation development, and for any courtroom impact you may need!
50/50 Raffle: Funds collected this week ($41 to foundation and $41 to pot)
The pot is up to $356.00 and we did not have a winning card drawn this week!
Happy Bucks; Funds collected this week ($15)
Cliff Otten was happy for Angela's plug for the Otten Bros. Give and Grow program benefiting Hammer Residences.
Sarah Kaelberer was happy to receive $5 in change she was due back from the Rotary Ladies Pub Crawl and was reminded how much fun it was to get out with the ladies and enjoy winning the pub crawl from the Holiday party.
Amy Schuett was happy that she was going to Gulf Shore, AL to pick up her mom and enjoy the balloon festival this coming weekend.
*All proceeds from the 50/50 and Happy Bucks go directly into our Charitable Foundation to be used for community grants and to support scholarships.
David Mann, PEOPLE LIKE A SIMPLE MESSAGE Jim Hartfiel, Host
How professional services grow with clear messaging
Word of mouth only works when people know what to say. Everyone knows using stories will increase sales. But what if you could also turn your brand message into a repeatable story? What if every employee and client said the exact same thing about your company? David shows you how stories can be much more useful than just case studies and anecdotes. He shows you how to create a repeatable brand message that makes your customers the hero...and makes you their valued resource for success.
Key points:
Classic story structure for marketing
How to create a 10-second story
Making your customer the hero
David is a story specialist who teaches professional services and nonprofit leaders how to make impact by clarifying their message. Bringing 30 years’ experience with artists, corporate professionals and attorneys, David uses his background as an actor and playwright as the foundation of his innovative approach. As a keynote speaker and consultant, David has shown professional services and nonprofit leaders how to use story techniques to grow their business by making an impact. As a theater artist, David has performed or directed for internationally-known theaters in the Midwest, and he is a recipient of a Bush Artist Fellowship for Storytelling.
The volunteer sign-ups for the 6 concerts and the links are live! Members are encouraged to sign up and yes, your family members and friends can also sign up to help! Request from Club Administrator: PLEASE USE LINKS AND DO SIGN UP! It is difficult to manage verbal confirmations and will help ensure we have all duties covered.
To sign up, click on the concert/s you wish to work at and sign up. Thank you in advance for getting involved with this new amazing fundraiser for Wayzata Rotary Charitable Foundation. The profits from this event will be given directly back to the Wayzata community.
Wayzata Rotary members met offsite at the headquarters of Interfaith Outreach. LaDonna Hoy, founder, gave an overview of the organization from its start in 1979 to today's celebration of 40 years. LaDonna and Nancy shared pictures of past and current Rotary members who have worked with IFOC. After lunch, members engaged in filling laundry soap packets, one of the most important items, for their food shelf.
The vision of IFOC: To build a vibrant community where everyone counts and all sectors and systems work together for the good of all.
Their mission: To engage the heart and will of our community to respond to emergency needs and create opportunities for all o thrive.
The next set of goals and priorities for Interfaith are affordable housing, education, and mental health. If you would like to attend or participate in the upcoming "Spread your Wings" Gala on May 3, please click here for more details.
Update 5.27.19: All Sensational Six Sponsorships have been sold! Concert Sponsorship Opportunities still available at $325/concert.
Sponsorship Update!
There are 4 Sensation Six sponsorship spots left! If your company is interested in taking one of these, or to become a concert sponsor, please fill out the attached form and get back to Ben Hovland or Shelley Beaumont.
Please share the information sheet below or send them to our website! Click here for the link.
A reminder, that there will be no lunch meetings at the Wayzata Country Club during the concert series. All members are welcome to attend the concerts and will receive a hot dog basket, water, and adult beverage of choice for themselves and a guest.
Interfaith Outreach Speed Service Project and Lunch LaDonna Hoy / Nancy Holden, Hosts
A field trip is planned!
Interfaith Outreach is celebrating their 40th anniversary in the community and has invited Wayzata Rotary to Interfaith for lunch and to participate in a speed service project. WRC will be providing boxed lunches from the country club. If you know you can attend and have a strong preference for a specific lunch option, let Shelley know!
Presentation: 40 Years of Community (LaDonna Hoy & Jill Kohler)
Speed Service Project: (to be determined)
Location: Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners
1605 County Rd 101 N in Plymouth
NW Corner of the intersection of County Rd 6 and 101 behind the dental clinic and across from Oakwood Elementary
Parking: Ample parking available at Interfaith or in the shopping center on south side of Cty Rd 6
April 17, 2019 - Offsite Meeting at Interfaith Outreach
50/50 Raffle: Funds collected this week ($43 to foundation and $44 to pot)
Cliff Otten had the chance to win the $281.00 pot but drew the 6 of Clubs. Sorry Cliff!
Happy Bucks; Funds collected this week ($6)
Shelley was happy because she has been the Wayzata Rotary Club Administrator for 2 years!
Cliff Otten was happy to add to Shelley being happy!
James Hartfiel was happy to share he had a lovely walk, a fun find Growler, and food in the George Washington Woods in Northern MN.
Fred Meyer was happy to be back from wintering in England and to share that the England Rotary club has made him an honorary member. Congratulations Fred!
*All proceeds from the 50/50 and Happy Bucks go directly into our Charitable Foundation to be used for community grants and to support scholarships.
The Music by the Lake Committee is excited to let WRC know that the two Presenting Sponsorship Spots have been sold. Thank you James Larson for confirming Sears, and thank you Tom Schwalbe for confirming Volvo! The presenting sponsors will be paying $5,000 each and will get top billing on promotional materials, presence at the concerts, and the option to say a few words during the concerts.
WRC has also sold 2 of the 4 Sensational Six spots. Thank you Chris Pierson for bringing on Sanford, Pierson, Thone, Strean: Attorneys at Law. The second of six spots will be confirmed this week.
If your company is interested in sponsorship opportunities, please share the information sheet below or send them to our website! Click here for the link.
A reminder, that there will be no lunch meetings at the Wayzata Country Club during the concert series. All members are welcome to attend the concerts and will receive a hot dog basket, water, and adult beverage of choice for themselves and a guest. Stay tuned for volunteer sign up slots. Shelley is working on creating those and they will be live by end of April.
Minnetonka Environmental Health Specialist Lisa Gyswyt and Mike Greene - Guest
City Manager and Wayzata Rotarian, Jeff Dahl, hosted the meeting and WRC was given an overview of what the Minnetonka Environmental Health Specialist Department does for the community, what establishes are inspected, and gave an overview of the codes covered. Kathy Leervig, who is in charge of licensing for the city of Wayzata, was also in attendance.
With the upcoming Music by the Lake summer fundraiser, members were given the information on what preparation is required for serving food, the safety measures to take, and what to expect when the food inspector comes by!
The 2020 Wayzata Rotary Club goal for Rotary International is $8,000 ($1,720 met). For Polio Plus, the goal is $1,000 ($200 met). We are encouraging 100% member participation and request any amount - even $1.00. No dollar amount is too small or too big!
Shelley has forms available to email (see below) or you can donate directly on Rotary International by clicking here.
What impact can one donation have?
It can save a life. A child can be protected from polio with as little as 60 cents. Our partners make your donation go even further. For every $1 Rotary commits to polio eradication, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed $2.
The 2019 Wayzata Rotary Club goal for Rotary International is $8,000. For Polio Plus, the goal is $1,000. To date, we have raised $3,475. for RI and $100 for Polio Plus. We are encouraging 100% member participation. No dollar amount is too small or too big!
Shelley has forms available at each meeting for members, or you can donate directly on Rotary International by clicking here.
What impact can one donation have?
It can save a life. A child can be protected from polio with as little as 60 cents. Our partners make your donation go even further. For every $1 Rotary commits to polio eradication, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed $2.
The monthly WRC board meeting is this Wednesday, April 10, 2019 from 10:30 to 11:30. We will be meeting at the Wayzata Country Club in their board room on the second floor. All board meetings are open to members, so if you would like to attend, please do so!
WRC April Board Meeting - Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Lisa Gyswyth, Health and Food Department - City of Wayzata Jeff Dahl, Host
Jeff will provide a brief general update about the City of Wayzata and then Lisa Gyswyt, our Health and Food Department, will give some background about her role and provide training, for food and beverage service, in preparation for the Rotary’s Summer Music by the Lake Concert Series.
The 2019 Wayzata Rotary Club goal for Rotary International is $8,000. For Polio Plus, the goal is $1,000. To date, we have raised $2,800 for RI and $100 for Polio Plus. We are encouraging 100% member participation. No dollar amount is too small or too big!
Shelley has forms available at each meeting for members, or you can donate directly on Rotary International by clicking here.
What impact can one donation have?
It can save a life. A child can be protected from polio with as little as 60 cents. Our partners make your donation go even further. For every $1 Rotary commits to polio eradication, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed $2.
Ben updated members on the status of the Music by the Lake fundraiser for this summer.
We will not be having lunch at Wayzata Country Club for the 6 weeks of the concerts. Regular active members and a guest will receive a free meal.
Hot dogs, beer, wine, and root beer floats will be for sale at concerts and members are encouraged to volunteer and help serve (Shelley will be creating sign-up links soon)
The intent for this fundraising series is to not burden members with having to sell or purchase $200 of raffle tickets as has been expected for past fundraising efforts.
Jeff Dahl will be hosting the meeting next week and members will get the training and certification needed to work and sell at the events.
The sponsorship form is nearly complete and the committee will share it as soon as it is ready!
Nonna's Intergenerational Christian Montessori Angela Bernhardt - Host
It was wonderful to have Nonna's visionary founders, Lisa and Keith TerHaar and Michelle and BrentThornton come and share their idea, vision, and work to create Noona's. Beloved past member, Walt Gislason (referred to as Mr. Walt) is one of the first senior members to attend and stories about how Walt interacts with the children and resident dog were very heartwarming.
Nonna's is the first in the country to combine children and seniors together in a "day care" and social setting. Nonna's has three classroom environments: babies, toddlers, and seniors. The classrooms are full of natural life, plants, areas to explore, and many activities are designed to engage all three ages together.
If you would like to know more about Nonna's, please click here, or schedule a visit! 952-300-7860.
Community Grant applications are now being accepted! If you are a sponsor for a grant, reminder that applications are due to Kelly Sater no later than April 20, 2019. The award determination meeting will be on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 at 1:00 pm after the Rotary meeting.
If you need a grant application, please click here for a link.
Also, Wayzata Rotary needs a new Grant Committee Lead for Fall 2019. Please let Kelly Sater or Shelley Beaumont know if you are interested in taking over this committee.
I just wanted to thank everyone for warmly welcoming me into the group for the last sixteen months. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed getting to know everyone and visiting with you all on a weekly basis. Unfortunately and fortunately life changes and I need to resign my membership in Rotary.
It is hard to imagine that a fifty eight year old would be approached for a dream job, but it actually happened. Cleveland/Srixon/XXIO Golf brands approached me about joining their team and “yes” was an easy answer for me. I’ll spend the summer at various golf courses helping people improve their golf equipment and golf games, the new chapter starts quickly with trips to Fort Meyers, Richmond, and Huntington Beach.
Thank you for you kindness and friendship, looking forward to seeing you on the golf course or around our beautiful town of Wayzata.
Ben is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with Signature Wealth Management. He and his family live in Plymouth. He is married to Katrina and the proud father of Livian, Adeline and Boden. In addition to his commitment to our club, Ben is currently serving as Board Chair for Greater Wayzata Area Chamber of Commerce and is the committee chair for the Wayzata Rotary "Music by the Lake" concert series for summer 2019.
Fun fact about Ben- His hometown of Pelican Rapids has the world’s largest Pelican – Pelican Pete😲
Nonna's "Montessori for All Ages" Angela Bernhardt, Host
Knowing the need for quality daycare for infant through preschool was in demand, realizing the lack of authentic Montessori Infant Nido environments, understanding the staggering numbers of those entering retirement age and facing challenges with cognitive retention and functioning, and desiring to explore the benefits of intergeneration interaction, our families, the Thompsons and the TerHaars joined efforts to create a one of a kind offering.
We want this history, our story, to become your story, so you too, may experience a "home away from home" at Nonna's.
We will hear from founders Keith and Lisa TerHarr, and Brent and Michelle Thompson about this unique program that is the first of its kind in the country.
State of the City Joint Meeting with Wayzata Chamber of Commerce
Wayzata Mayor, Ken Wilcox
The ballroom was packed with members of the community and Rotarians. Ben Hoveland led off the meeting with Chamber updates and thanked Chamber sponsors for their support of the city.
Mayor Wilcox updated us on Ole and Lena, as well as providing an overview of each of the city functions, traffic flow and construction plans for the rest of year, the Lake Effect project, and about new businesses opening in Wayzata. Rotarian, Jeff Dahl, received a shout out for his excellent leadership of the City. Congratulations Jeff!
For more detailed information on city projects click here, and for upcoming Chamber events, click here.
Annual Shared Wayzata Chamber and Wayzata Rotary Meeting
Join Wayzata Rotary and the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce to hear about the growth and development plans of Wayzata including road improvement and development plus updates from The Lake Effect Conservancy.
The discussion will be hosted by Mayor Ken Willcox and there will be an opportunity for questions and answers following the presentation.
Its an exciting time for Wayzata! Business members, guests and residents are welcome.
Belle Davenport had the chance to win the $146 pot but drew the 4 of Diamonds. Sorry Belle!
Happy Bucks; Funds collected this week ($6)
Lynn Groll was happy that she and her sisters were able to take their 80 year old mom on a trip from Florida, to San Francisco, and to the Grand Canyon.
Chris Pierson was happy that our bookkeeper, Karen Johnson from Copeland Buhl, was visiting. They grew up only a few doors away from each other so its always fun to see her.
Sarah Kaelberer was happy that her and her husband were going to Portland to surprise and support their daughter at her first LaCrosse game as the head coach.
*All proceeds from the 50/50 and Happy Bucks go directly into our Charitable Foundation to be used for community grants and to support scholarships.
Jeffrey Madel, M.D. - Growing Through Grief Fundraiser Mark Cheeley - Host
Retired Park Nicollett doctor, Jeffrey Mandel, shared pictures and stories of his cross country bicycle ride raising money for good causes. He is currently training to do this ride again, and this time he will be raising money for the Park Nicollet Foundation "Growing Through Grief" program. The program provides in school grief support to elementary, middle, and high-school aged students who have experienced a death within their family. Dr. Mandel shared that we are all touched by grief and this program costs $500,000 per year to run and supports 6 full-time grief counselors. 73 school in 13 school districts are supported with 71 weekly grief groups. Currently the program supports 520 students weekly!
Dr. Mandel shared the training involved for this ride and the logistical support with equipment and travel. If you would like to know more about his plans or donate, please email Dr. Mandel directly or donate at https://rideforgrowingthroughgrief.com/
The third annual “And the Beat Goes On” BrewFest will be 1-4 p.m. Saturday, April 6, 2019, at the Plymouth Creek Center, 14800 34th Ave. N. This is a fundraiser by Plymouth Rotary supporting Heart Safe Plymouth. The Brewfest will feature live music, and area craft breweries with their one-of-a-kind beers and hard ciders.
Proceeds to benefit Rotary’s Heart Safe Plymouth initiative of educating and training for the treatment of sudden cardiac arrest by providing CPR and automated external defibrillator training to individuals and organizations in the community, as well as increasing the availability of AEDs throughout the city.
The committee met after the Wayzata Rotary meeting. The meal aspect for the series has been agreed to. WRC will be selling a hotdog basket, root beer floats, and beer/wine at the event.
The club will not be asking members to sell raffle tickets as in previous years, however, if any members are able to help attract sponsor for the event, please let Shelley or Lynn Groll know. A sponsorship flyer will be available for members to share in the next couple of weeks. The fundraising goal is set for $15,000.
Members will also be encouraged to attend the evening events and help man the grills, and help sell the food and beverage items. We will be providing Rotary aprons!
Making Green by Going Clean - Tony Signorelli Sundial Solar Energy
Tony Signorelli (pictured in middle) with his colleague Shaun Motz from Sundial Solar Energy gave an overview of how businesses are taking the lead in going green as a good profit model. The financial value and benefits to the environment are strong pulls for businesses to embrace using more solar energy.
An interesting point about solar energy in Minnesota, is that the solar panels are more effective in colder climates than warm. While this initially seems counterintuitive, the panels get hotter in warmer climates and produce less energy and more is needed to cool the panels. It is also a neat fact to compare Minnesota to Germany - Germany leads the world in solar power usage yet Minnesota gets 50% more sunshine than Germany. This is a great motivator to utilize the sun as Minnesota has the opportunity to harness a great deal of energy and create green jobs.
Members had many questions for Tony and Shaun about what solar panels actually are, are they subject to hail damage, and are old panels recycled? See below for more information and contact details for Shaun and Tony.
Retired Park Nicollet Health Services Physician Jeffrey Mandel, MD is pedaling across the country to raise money and awareness for Park Nicollet Foundation’s Growing Through Grief program. Growing Through Grief is a school-support program for children and teens who have experienced the death of a family member or friend. It is in 72 schools, across 13 school districts and supports 520 students each week.
“Five percent of children in Minnesota will experience the death of a parent,” said Dr. Mandel. “Grief can impact a child’s school attendance, grades, extra-curricular activities, friendships, self-worth and sleep. It can derail a child’s development leading to life-long negative impact. Growing Through Grief offers a lifeline to families, schools and communities struggling to cope with grief.”
From April 27 to May 30, Dr. Mandel plans to ride 120 miles a day and cross the country. “I hope to raise awareness of the need for in-school grief support for children,” said Dr. Mandel. “I want to inspire others to support Growing Through Grief’s one-of-kind and highly effective work.”
Being part of the Rotary of Wayzata and Rotary International is a large part of both my personal and professional life. I enjoy our weekly luncheons where I can socialize with members and catch up on what’s going on in their lives. I also value our weekly speakers who are always interesting and engaging, and who I always learn something from. But most important to me is being part of something bigger than myself, and working towards a greater good for our community, and the world.
Josh Miller gave a very insightful and eye opening presentation on how Gen Z views the world, what is important to this generation, and how they communicate. Generations are marked by events and this generation is marked by 9/11/01 - this will be the first generation that does not remember life before 9/11.
Gen Z follows the Millenials, which is the first and largest of group of educated young employees to enter the digital age. Generation X and Baby Boomers mark the end of a more linear view of the workplace. Gen Z are more financially conscious as they grew up during the recession and dealing with their parents economic down turn. Gen Z are future focused, want work/life separation, prefer face-to-face communication, and lean towards wanting employment that pays well and provides security.
For more information on Josh and the work he is doing, please visit XYZ University. You won't be disappointed!
If you are interested in becoming the Club President this is mandatory club training. Kelly Sater will be attending in March and if you are contemplating becoming the club President in the near future, please join Kelly for a wonderful weekend of learning more about Rotary and how you can make a difference for Wayzata Rotary.
Tony Signorelli, Making Green by Going Clean Angela Bernardt, Host
Making Green by Going Clean
After all the debates about the environment versus the economy, business is leading the way in the clean energy revolution. Why? Because it makes economic sense to do so. In this presentation, learn how and why business owners are using solar energy to dramatically improve bottom line results, while simultaneously cleaning up their energy and carbon footprint. Our speaker will explain the details and cover solar power systems, outdoor solar lighting, and the role of EV charging stations in the new, clean and cheap energy future.
Tony Signorelli is the Sales Director for Sundial Solar, Minnesota’s oldest commercial solar power developer. He sits on the forefront of solar and clean energy solutions and works with businesses to help them participate wherever it makes sense. A practiced speaker, his talk in engaging and eye-opening. You are guaranteed to walk away with knowledge and insights you didn’t have before entering the room.
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With the snowiest February in history, it wasn't a surprise that a snow storm didn't sway all members to stay away. With the cancellation of the Two Harbors Ukulele Group, members got to have a purely social luncheon.
We look forward to the rescheduling of the Two Harbors Ukulele Group and to seeing our members this week at Wayzata City Hall!
Lynn Groll is starting a new initiative to get member information out into the community to attract potential members. This Rotary year, WRC has a net loss of 10 members. Lynn will be contacting members to profile on our Facebook page. Members are asked to participate in a group picture to use as a banner on our FB page. We will try to do that this week before the meeting kicks off!
Thank you members - WRC is looking forward to getting our STRIVE program and Music by the Lake program information out into the community and attract more members to join us in our goals to help the Wayzata community. Hope Schroeppel has also asked that all members get involved with at least one committee - committee opportunities will be share each week.
The Two Harbors Ukulele Group - Guests Thomas Schwalbe - Host
Who Is The Two Harbors Ukulele Group? Currently the T.H.U.G performance group ranges from 8-20 members depending upon member availability and the needs of the gig. The group is unique in that they employ a variety of instruments. T.H.U.G plays approximately 32 gigs per year, playing at several nursing homes and assisted living facilities each year.
T.H.U.G. also likes teaching the “ukulele way”. The first hour of each rehearsal is devoted to the “beginners”. Beginners are provided sheet music, instruction and a ukulele if they have not taken the plunge into purchasing one. As the beginners advance they are invited to attend the next hour of rehearsal using the “yellow book”. Some eventually graduate to the performance group. Several T.H.U.G. members also teach at the local elementary school upon request.
So, who is the Two Harbors Ukulele Group? We have backgrounds in education, the medical fields, finance, laborers, retirees and many other fields. Some of us have an extensive musical background and some have never played a musical instrument before picking up the ukulele. We love putting a smile on our audiences’s faces through the magic of this little four stringed instrument. We are just like you.
May 29, 2019 - Meeting Preview (Reschedule from February 20!)
Due to logistics and timing, we will not be able to have a kick-off luncheon for the STRIVE program at Wayzata High School. Wayzata Rotary will meet as usual on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 at the Wayzata Country Club.
CANCELLED - STRIVE Luncheon Set for Friday, May 24, 2019 - CANCELLED Wayzata High School
The STRIVE committee, Intefaith Outreach, and Wayzata High School are happy to announce that the kick-off to the Charlie Marvin Memorial STRIVE Scholarship Program with an awards luncheon held at Wayzata High School on Friday, May 24, 2019. There will not be a lunch meeting on Wednesday, May 22. Members, parents, mentors, and teachers will all come together for this luncheon.
Members are invited to come to this luncheon and hear from Charlie's daughter, Paige Marvin, who will be sharing some words about Charlie and how excited she is that the Rotary is honoring her dad's legacy with this program. WRC will be awarding five $350 scholarships based on the following criteria:
* Work Completion - the greatest improvement in percentage of work completion;
* GPA - the highest overall cumulative GPA;
* Increased GPA - the highest percentage increase in GPA (Minimum 2.5 GPA);
* Attendance - 90% or greater improvement in attendance;
* Mentorship - the greatest impact MENTORING others in work completion, course grades, and attendance (subjective).
WRC has a dedicated line-item in the budget for this program and members can contribute to WRCF at any time and ask that their donations be allocated to STRIVE. This luncheon does not replace or interfere with our annual WMEF scholarship luncheon scheduled for Wednesday, May 16, 2019 which will still be held at WCC.
CANCELLED - Charlie Marvin Memorial STRIVE Foundation - Kick Off Scholarship Lunch - May 24, 2019
Ben Hovland shared that the bands and dates for Music by the Lake have been set. All concerts will be at the Historic Great Northern Depot, from 6:30 - 8:00 pm. WRC will NOT be having lunch meetings those dates, however, members will still be provided a meal and are encouraged to come and enjoy the concerts and get involved with the club and community. The goal is to make this event our annual fund raiser and reduce the financial burden to members.
More details will be forthcoming on volunteer opportunities and sign-ups will be set up in Club Runner. If you are interested in participating in the planning, the next meeting is set for Wednesday, March 13, 2019 at WCC from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm.
"Music by the Lake" - Planning Meeting Wednesday, March 13, 2017
2/19/19: Due to incoming storm, the Two Harbors Ukulele group has cancelled. We will still have a meeting and perhaps a surprise talk!
The Two Harbors Ukulele Group - Guests Thomas Schwalbe - Host
Who Is The Two Harbors Ukulele Group? Currently the T.H.U.G performance group ranges from 8-20 members depending upon member availability and the needs of the gig. The group is unique in that they employ a variety of instruments. T.H.U.G plays approximately 32 gigs per year, playing at several nursing homes and assisted living facilities each year.
T.H.U.G. also likes teaching the “ukulele way”. The first hour of each rehearsal is devoted to the “beginners”. Beginners are provided sheet music, instruction and a ukulele if they have not taken the plunge into purchasing one. As the beginners advance they are invited to attend the next hour of rehearsal using the “yellow book”. Some eventually graduate to the performance group. Several T.H.U.G. members also teach at the local elementary school upon request.
So, who is the Two Harbors Ukulele Group? We have backgrounds in education, the medical fields, finance, laborers, retirees and many other fields. Some of us have an extensive musical background and some have never played a musical instrument before picking up the ukulele. We love putting a smile on our audiences’s faces through the magic of this little four stringed instrument. We are just like you.
Paul Grangaard - CircleRock - Guest Tim Westermeyer - Host
Former Chairman of Allen Edmond's Shoes, and founder of CircleRock clothing, Paul Grangaard shared charming and funny stories about his mishaps while running Allen Edmond shoes and how he came to form his new company.
Paul walked us through the process of how he learned a valuable business lesson, "Always listen to the end customer." He has learned that becoming more than you are at the expense of your core customer is a sure way to hurt your business.
In his new role, he is very aware of culture, design, trends, and has a strong value proposition. It is interesting to note that he imports his raw materials and fabrics from Italy, New Zealand, and London and has the clothing and shoes made in the United States. Fun facts: Walnut is a favorite shoe color because it goes well with all shades of blues and grays, and CircleRock is the official clotheir of MN United!
For more information on his fine quality clothing, visit CircleRock here.
How to get in touch with Walt (Revised with new phone #) Beloved member, Walt Gislason, is not doing well in the health department and has resigned from rotary. Walt will be starting to attend Nonna's Intergenerational Christian Montesorri 3 days a week. Walt would love visitors so feel free to email his wife, Raenna, or call 612-804-3651, to set up a time to stop by and visit.
WRC will be hosting a representative from Nonna's in the near future to share about the amazing program they have to integrate seniors and children.
WRC learned about the Melrose Center, part of the Park Nicollet Foundation. The Melrose Center serves adults and children of all genders struggling with all types of eating disorders. Eating disorders are a particularly difficult mental disorder to treat and takes a multi-disciplinary approach to recognize, manage, and treat eating disorders. A team of psychologists, therapists, registered dieticians, primary care doctor, and psychiatrists work together to help patients.
Andrew and Alison Humphrey shared the heart breaking story of how they lost their daughter, Clare, to this disorder. Clare struggled for 10 years with the disorder before ending her own life. Andrew and Alison have started the Clare Susan Humphrey Memorial Endowment Fund to support Melrose Center eating disorder patients and their families in an effort to reduce the economic barriers that prevent successful treatment and access to care. Because of the wide range of insurance coverage, many patients are not able to access the full treatment options available to them due to restrictions. The Endowment Fund's aim is to help those patients ensure they are able to access all of the care needed.
Andrew and Alison's hope is to raise awareness and reduce the stigma around this disorder.
Paul Grangaard, Reflections on Leading Businesses in a New Era
Former Allen Edmunds CEO Paul Grangaard, at 60, launched a online-only “aspirational” men’s clothing line, CircleRock, to support American manufacturers and bring a sense of affordable, highly tailored style in suits.
CircleRock clothing, leather goods, gifts, and custom Made-in-the-USA suits are created for men of aspiration and accomplishment; men who embody the enduring American values of Courage, Integrity, Respect, Compassion, Leadership and Engagement. These values are our rock. And the people who share them – our customers, partners, mentors, and role models – are our circle.
Carmen Hansen, Melrose Community Outreach Manager - Guest Beth Warner, Host
We will be learning about Park Nicollet Melrose Center and eating disorders from Carmen Hansen, Melrose Community Outreach Manager and from Andrew Humphrey and Alison Humphrey, caring father and mother, who will share about their daughter Clare’s struggle and information about the Clare Susan Humphrey Memorial Endowment Fund benefitting Melrose Center.
Eating disorders affects millions and yet only 1 in 10 will seek treatment. For over 30 years, Melrose Center has been working with people of all ages and genders suffering from eating disorders. Early identification of these devastating diagnoses can help patients and families achieve full recovery. Melrose continues to educate professionals and the community about early warning signs and symptoms and how Melrose provides supportive evidence-based treatment.
Carmen Hansen, BSN, RN, is the Manager of Community Outreach at Melrose Center. She educates medical and behavioral health providers, teachers, school nurses, and others about eating disorders. Her clinical background includes acute and long term care as well as process improvement and health care quality at Park Nicollet Health Services and the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. She received her degree from Bethel University.
Andrew Humphrey, father of Clare Humphrey, is a Wayzata resident, former Mayor of Wayzata, partner and chair emeritus of Faegre Baker Daniels and a corporate lawyer. Andrew advises clients on general corporate counseling, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital financing, and securities regulation.
Alison Humphrey, mother of Clare Humphrey, is a Wayzata resident and has been active in the nonprofit community for many years, including serving on the board of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, as senior warden of St Martin’s by the Lake Church, and as president of North Star Therapy Animals. A lawyer by training, she works at Dorsey & Whitney, where she has served as a partner and currently as a marketing specialist.
Shelley invited her husband Peter to be the guest speaker. Peter spoke about his time working for The Coca-Cola on the McDonald's business and shared insights into how the businesses helped each other.
Did you know that it was The Coca-Cola Company that came up with the Extra Value Meal? Did you know that the Coke and McDonald's relationship was and always has been built on the trust of only a handshake? Did you know that McDonald's used Coca-Cola's extensive distribution network to help them open stores in new countries?
Reschedule of Josh Miller from January 30! Please join us for an offsite meeting at Wayzata City Hall.
Josh Miller, Ready or Not - Here comes Gen Z Mark Lauffenburger, Host
Generation Z (born between 1996 and 2009) is in the limelight, and their arrival has affected the way that successful organizations attempt to engage young people. The first generation of the 21st century came of age during the most disruptive decade of the last century, and their arrival marks the end of clearly defined roles, traditions, and experiences. Learn from Josh Miller, a 17-year-old Generation Z expert and speaker, about how these shifts are likely to impact your future and what organizations will need to do to engage young volunteers, members, and employees.
Learning Objectives include:
Discover what makes Gen Z different than those generations who came before
Learn which driving factors helped shape Generation Zs values and behaviors
Understand Generation Z’s preferred communication styles
Gain the most effective ways to engage Generation Z in the workplace
Josh Miller is a passionate and informed advocate for his generation—Generation Z. He launched his first business at 14, and now at 17 years old, he is already on his way to becoming a renowned thought leader. Among his many achievements, Josh is XYZ University’s Director of Gen Z Studies, co-author of XYZ University’s research papers Ready or Not – Here Comes Z and Teaching Gen Z: Everything we wish schools knew about our generation and education, and he’s the host of The Gen Z Podcast. In addition to his role at XYZ University, Josh is a junior in high school where he is the captain of his varsity tennis team. He is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Marc Dahlquist - Maple Plain Snomad - Guest Nate Lilleodden - Host
Did you know that the State of Minnesota has over 22,000 miles of groomed snow mobile trails? Did you also know that the snow mobile industry is a 1 billion dollar a year industry? The Snowmads works with the Northwest Trails Association, The Department of Natural Resources, and private property owners to ensure safe trails are created and maintained for this popular winter sport. Snow mobile safety certification is available to children starting at age 12. For more information on getting a certification to drive a snow mobile, click here.
Marc Dahlquist shared this and other fun information on how volunteers work, lobbying efforts to ensure legislation is in place for paying and grooming of trails, and shared videos of trail grooming and what it is like to drive at night on lighted trails.
If you would like to know more information about the Maple Plain Snowmads, click here.
Mike Lee shared that WRC is again sponsoring a hole for the annual golf tournament during the Chilly Open. The 2019 theme is "Wayzata Bay Speedway." If you would like to be involved, have some ideas for marketing the theme, and/or are able to help, please let Mike know.
This event is a very popular winter social gathering in the community. For more information, click here.
Using real examples from 16 years of working for Coca-Cola and Creata on the McDonald's business, Peter will explore the various facets of ensuring constantly added value to the key customer by identifying their strategic importance, understanding their needs, building and sustaining key relationships, providing superior and unique marketing expertise, and finding ways to add meaningful value.
Brooke shared with the committee the lay out and sponsorship levels and the previous sponsors of the event that the chamber has used in the past. She also shared with the group the P&L from last year’s concert series.
The Chamber is willing to partner with WRC to help communicate, and will also allow us to keep any branding that they have already created.
WRC talked about other clubs that are doing the same type of event (St. Cloud and Excelsior). Hope will reach out to each of those clubs to find out how they have been structuring their events.
Committee did brainstorming on possible ways to make it more profitable e.g. add bingo, add movies, food trucks, add additional dates, etc. Committee decided to do 6 concerts, June 19 and 26, skipping July 3rd and then the remaining 4 Wednesday in July, the 10th, 17th, 24th, and 31st. Committee considering having car dealers as a large sponsor and promoting their vehicles at each concert. Jim Larson and Ben Hovland are going to follow up with Sears and Morrie’s luxury to see if they would want to be a part of it.
Committee also plans to do press releases in the Sun Sailor, Lakeshore Weekly, and Lake Mtka Magazine.
Our next meeting will be Feb 6 at 11:00 before the regular meeting.
Please come - the more involvement by members, the better the program will be!
Wayzata Rotary members, come and get involved from the ground on a new fund raising and community involvement endeavor! Ben Hovland will be having the first committee meeting to discuss plans for taking over this summer program from the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce. There will be many ways for members to be involved from marketing, planning, sponsorship, food planning, and organization for this new fund raising initiative.
The program will be every Wednesday in July and the hope is that this will be a big fundraiser for the club and will ease some of the pressure members feel to contributing to our community grants programs. Join Ben, Hope Schroeppel, Lynn Groll, and Kelly Sater to get this program started. First task - choosing bands!
Meeting is Wednesday at 11:00 before the regular meeting.
Music by the Lake - Planning Committee Meeting - January 16, 2019
We still don't have a winner! Last week $50.50 was added bringing the pot to $1,705.50. Doug Arndt drew the 2 of Spades, so members have another chance at winning a nice amount this week. Remember, 50% of proceeds collected at each meeting goes directly to supporting community grants. Thank you!
Happy Bucks
Jim Hartfiel was happy to share a story of him going ice skating last week and running into many skaters wherever he went, all happy, smiling, and enjoying the Minnesota winter.
Paul Webster shared that his wife, Mary, had a terrible fall while skiing. She broke her pelvis in three places and 3 bones in her back. He was very happy that she survived and is healing.
Chris Pierson was happy to report that he didn't fall after enjoying a 2-day ski trip.
Nate Lilleodden was happy to share that he was looking forward to a snow mobile trip with his children to the Upper Peninsula.
We still don't have a winner! Last week $49 was added bringing the pot to $1,655 (not the $1,706 that was said). Chace Anderson drew the 10 of Hearts members have another chance at winning a nice amount this week. Remember, 50% of proceeds collected at each meeting goes directly to supporting community grants. Thank you!
Happy Bucks
Chace Anderson was happy that his son is officially employed at the U of MN full time in the sports organization and his daughter is enjoying a UST J-Term in Rome. (She almost touched the Pope's hand!)
Doug Arndt was happy that his son Edward has moved back to the Twin Cities and will be working with Cargill.
Sarah Kaelberer was happy that both of her daughters have gone back to college!
Congratulations members!! Wayzata Rotary earned a Rotary Citation for making our fundraising goal for Rotary year 2017-2018. Club goal was $1,500 and WRC raised $1,725 - $225 more than our goal. Well done members!!
Hope Schroeppel is not able to attend the Mid-Term assembly on January 26 and is looking for members to attend on behalf of Wayzata Rotary. This would be a great meeting for new members to attend to find out what Rotary is doing in our area.
The District 5950 Mid-Term Assembly is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Minnetonka Community Center. Lunch is provided. The event will be a mid-year rally and update for Rotarians, and highlight exemplary programs. Join us to revitalize for the remainder of the Rotary year! Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. Attendance is free and part of your Rotary dues.
Dayton Carroll - Hy-Vee - Guest Chris Pierson - Host
Dayton shared some fun facts about the history of Hy-Vee - one of which is that the organization is company owned and has shared profits with its employees since 1933 - during the Depression. Founder, David Redenberg, was very customer focused and that trait is still relevant in today's Hy-Vee.
Hy-Vee is looking at how it can contribute to healthy living by having dieticians on hand to assist with shopping, offer nutritional classes, and they support the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. In 2015 Hy-Vee moved into the Twin Cities area and has worked to get involved in the community by sponsoring the Pinky Swear Foundation, US. Bank Stadium, Round-up fundraisers for Vets, and feeding veterans for free on Veteran's Day.
Dayton spoke to member questions about the competitive Twin Cities market, product safety, food insecurity, maintaining a happy culture, location considerations, and the impact of delivery service on the industry. Wayzata Rotary looks forward to welcoming Dayton soon to our club as a member!
Marc is a founding member of the Maple Plain Snomads snowmobile club and a current director of Minnesota USA Region 8. He will be speaking about the history of Minnesota snowmobiling and more!
The Snomads' goal is to build and maintain snowmobile trails in the Maple Plain Minnesota area with the help of Northwest Trails Association, the Department of Natural Resources and their grant-in-aid program, and most importantly, the permission of private land owners as well as government agencies. each year the club must renew the permission for these trails to exist. additionally, we put out the trail signs before the December 1st trail opening and remove them in April, as well as ensuring that maps are distributed to local establishments.
The club coordinates local member rides, plays “snowmobile softball” with another snowmobile club, and engages in many other formal and informal gatherings where information about the sport and friendship are shared. Family involvement is encouraged. We feel the future of snowmobiling depends on all snowmobilers working together to promote the sport. Being a member of the Maple Plain Snomads is a way to promote safe, responsible snowmobiling as well as supporting a good trail system to snowmobile on. It’s a great way to make some new friends and learn more about the sport you so enjoy.
Kelly Needs A Programs Coordinator for her Upcoming Term
In July, Angela Bernhardt WOULD LIKE TO STEP DOWN as the committee lead on programs. This is a very important (and fun!) behind the scenes position. Responsibilities include scheduling the members to host, and reminding them to book a speaker and prepare an invocation, and input the weekly speaker bios and information into Club Runner. If you enjoy scheduling, organizing people, and have ideas on what speakers would be interesting to have visit Rotary, this would be a great position for you. Estimated personal time: 1 hours/week - on own time.
Wayzata Rotary is run by volunteers (with the help of a paid position to do the website, newsletter, billing, and administrative behind the scenes work.) This position needs some new energy so please consider volunteering!
Please talk to Shelley or Angela for more details.
“No one is more cherished in this world than someone who lightens the burden of another.” – Author Unknown
URGENT! Programs Committee Lead Needed - July Start
Wayzata Rotary is run by volunteers (with the help of a paid position to do the website, newsletter, billing, and administrative behind the scenes work.) The club is in need of several committee leads:
Treasurer:James Larson is no longer able to be the club Treasurer due to work conflicts. This is an executive board position. Treasurer responsible for helping President and President Elect with rotary budget creation, providing spending updates to board, and for delivering weekly deposits to Anchor Bank after each meeting.
50/50 Committee Lead: The 50/50 program raised over $3,000 last year for community grants and is in need of a committee lead. If you are keen on helping out the community and get a kick out of raffles and interfacing with members each week, this would be a great position to take up in the club. Estimated personal time: 1 hour/week plus selling tickets at each meeting or finding a member to sell.
Programs Committee Lead: In July, Angela Bernhardt is going to step down as the committee lead on programs . This very important behind the scenes position will be available between now and July. Angela has done a superb job over the last few years scheduling the members and reminding them to book a speaker, and input the weekly speaker bios and information into club runner. If you enjoy scheduling, organizing people, and have ideas on what speakers would be fun to have visit Rotary, this would be a great position for you. Estimated personal time: 1-2 hours/week - on own time.
International Grants Committee Lead: During the 2019-2020 Rotary Year, WRC will be in charge the Area 12 Rotating Fund Program. This is an international focused grant and is in partnership with the following clubs: Excelsior (noon), Lake Minnetonka/Excelsior (morning), Mound/Westonka, Orono, Plymouth, and Wayzata. Each club allocates $2,000 to the project and in order for us to get matching from the district, we must send a member to the district grant writing class. Edina classes are on March 23 and April 27. The class is 4 hours. We did not get a volunteer to do this last year and lost out on being able to get matching dollars for projects. We want to be sure that we can participate properly and get the most dollars for our project, so we will need 1-2 members to take up the task of being the international grants committee lead. This project will be heavier on personal time up front and promises to be extremely fulfilling, particularly if the member has a pet international project they are interested in proposing the club support.
Community Grants: Kelly Sater will be resigning as the committee lead in July so she can focus on her year of being WRC President. Member would be responsible for collecting fall and winter grant applications, coordinating committee meeting to determine winners, alert winners, and complete check requests. This role is active in April/May and Oct/Nov.
Please talk to Shelley or email her if interested in any of these club positions.
“No one is more cherished in this world than someone who lightens the burden of another.” – Author Unknown
Fall 2018 Community Grant Recipients - Guests Kelly Sater - Host
Each year in the spring and in the fall, Wayzata Rotary awards community grants to organizations in the community that are locally initiated and managed and that fund a specific need. Five of the six winners were able to attend and share a bit about their organizations and how they are impacting the Wayzata community, and take questions from members. For more information on each organization, please follow the links below!
Strive Update for all Rotary and Community Mentoring Volunteers
Happy Christmas Week everyone!
Since fall 2018, many leaders in the high school (including principal Scott Gengler), Wayzata Rotary Club (championed by Norrie Thomas), Interfaith Outreach (led by Ladonna Hoy and Carol Bergenstal) and I have worked hard to plan a sustainable, high quality Rotary STRIVE program. Here are pieces in place:
* WHS has brought in volunteer Americorps Promise Fellow Chuck Krausert to tutor its Alternative Learning Center (ALC) students and is developing strong relationships with many students and will share his experience.
* Mentor Minnesota has invited IOCP to apply for one of its consultants to advise Rotary and IOCP in the planning of mentor training (topics like implicit bias, suburban poverty, trauma resilience, and cultural connection) using best practices specific to STRIVE goals; we expect consulting sessions to begin in a few weeks.
* Jodi Olson, the new WHS Continuing Education Coordinator of Community Engagement and Partnerships, has been given permission to coordinate Strive with us on the school side.
* Mary Williams, WHS Associate Principal and ALC Director charged with closing the achievement gap, will attend the MentorMN consulting sessions to learn best practices for identifying students to invite into mentoring with the highest potential to benefit from it.
These positive developments are among the reasons WHS, Rotary and IOCP leaders have decided to use the spring to build a stronger foundation based on MentorMN research and expertise to start STRIVE in the fall. We will continue working so that in August we are ready to roll out a robust, sustainable, accountable, research-based and intentionally mutually beneficial program.
Until then I’ll send updates on our progress. Thank you, thank you for caring so deeply about these students!
WRC - 2018 Fall Community Grant Recipients - Guests Kelly Sater - Host
WRC is excited to usher in 2019 with a shared lunch with the organizations that were awarded funding from our community grants program. Wayzata Rotary is very proud of their community engagement and thanks all members for continuing to support this important program. Each of the following organizations will be giving a short presentation.
1) Nancy Holden and Liz Erstad-Hicks from Interfaith Outreach
2) Nicole Barnes from Park Nicollet
3) Ellen Timmerman-Borer from Hammer
4) Melissa Musliner and Sue Branyon – from Bloom Early Learning
Wayzata Rotary welcomed past member, Steve Hance, as our guest. Steve spent most of his adult life being a lawyer and after 22 years of practicing law, he decided to follow his passion and turn his 20+ year hobby of making cider into a business opportunity.
Steve's new venture is Number 12 Cider, and is located in the old Warehouse district in northern Minneapolis. The name "Number 12" was a result of Steve being convinced by fellow Rotarian, Mark Lauffenburger, to submit his cider to the State Fair. The sample he submitted was labelled "12" (as it was the 12th bag in his private stock), and he won!
Steve shared the process of getting the building, construction, design, licensing, federal and state codes, food safety, etc. that goes into opening a cider house in Minneapolis. They own a food truck, as they are not licensed to make food on premise, and customers can enjoy a fresh wood fire pizza along with their cider.
Members were delighted to get to try his cider and Steve shared some limited edition 1st label cans of cider with members. If you would like to visit, click here for details.
Wayzata Rotary looks forward to welcoming ex-member, Steve Hance back to visit and give us an overview of his new business venture, Number Twelve Cider. (Note, meeting will be in the main ballroom this week.)
"Our story began decades ago with two young boys spending their summer afternoons stealing apples from neighbors’ trees. What started as a common rebellious bond turned into a lifelong friendship and shared passion for our cider makers and founders, Steve Hance and Colin Post.
Today, we’re bringing a fresh cider experience to the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis. Our new cider house–Minnesota’s largest–offers up to sixteen lines of distinctive ciders, made using centuries-old techniques and served in a relaxed, inviting atmosphere. We look forward to serving you in our new home and reinventing cider traditions together." Number Twelve Cider
Norrie Thomas shared at the WRC Board Meeting on Wednesday, December 12, 2018 that the program has run into a timing issue for the current school year. Starting the program mid-year has some difficulties that range from identifying the students, concern with the man power sustainability, and concern that the mentors will also find the program meaningful. The board voted on discussing the program again at the June meeting on starting the program in the fall for school year 2019/2020 and hear reports back on mentor programs and ideas.
In January, the Board will also vote on whether or not to provide a lunch and scholarship program for the current school year. Member input is always appreciated. Please contact Norrie with any questions!
The Wayzata Chamber is planning on removing the "Music by the Lake" series from their summer program and spending more time focusing on the Arts Experience and James J Hill Days.
The Board met on Wednesday, December 12, 2018 voted to form a committee to meet in January to discuss taking over this program. Rotarian, Ben Hoveland, has offered to be the committee lead for looking into WRC taking over this popular event. This meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 16, 2018 before the regular Rotary meeting.
* WRC would be in charge of underwriting and administration of program
* Sell burgers and beer?
* Include the car show into the event
The hope is to showcase more of what WRC does in the community, offer a bigger program for more members to get involved with, and that a bigger program bring in more fundraising dollars to relieve some pressure on members to contribute to community grants fundraising. If you are interested, please let Ben know!
Wayzata High School Chamber Choir - Guests Jack Weeks - Host
The annual holiday choir concert did not disappoint!
The Wayzata High School Chamber Choir is made up of juniors and seniors. The students keep up a rigorous school schedule yet find time to participate in concerts all over the community. There have only been three nights that they have not been singing and if you missed them, you may still have a chance to catch them!
For more information on the remaining holiday schedule, contact:
Judy, representing Greater MSP, a pro-business/pro-job organization, shared a great overview of how Greater MSP represents the 16 counties that represent the Minneapolis/St. Paul Region. Our region is equivalent to the 42nd largest economy in the world. Yes, world wide we are a rather large economic force!
The Greater MSP works with hundreds of investors, partners, and stakeholders to improve the regions competitiveness in the global economy. One of the interesting pieces Judy shared with WRC was the regional indicators dashboard. The dashboard is a set of shared metrics that track change on critical economic, environmental, and social outcomes that include talent, environmental, livability, and infrastructure metrics.
For more information, please feel free to email Judy directly or click here for more information.
Judy Johnson is the Senior Director of Investor Relations at Greater MSP Minneapolis St Paul Regional Economic Development. She is responsible for the recruitment and retention of GREATER MSP Investors and planning and executing annual fundraising initiatives.
Judy is a Plymouth City Council member, has previously served as Plymouth’s Mayor, and is a past president of the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC). Judy received the 2015 LMC C.C. Ludwig Award, considered to be the League’s highest honor for elected officials. Recipients are chosen for their vision, statesmanship, and unwavering commitment to the public good. The award was given out at the League’s Annual Conference in Duluth in celebration of outstanding service. She currently serves on the Metro Cities Board of Directors, is a member of the Economic Development Association of Minnesota (EDAM) Government Relations Committee and serves on the Super Bowl LII Bold North Huts Committee.
Prior to joining GREATER MSP, Judy served as the Director of Government Affairs for the TwinWest Chamber of Commerce and, before undertaking that role, was TwinWest’s Director of Community Relations leading its economic development and workforce initiatives. Judy attended the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and earned a bachelor’s degree from Metropolitan State University, with an emphasis on communications and public relations.
WRC added $55 to the pot and Angela Berhnardt drew the five of Clubs leaving the pot to grow yet another week. There is still 1 more Queen and the Ace of Spades!
Happy Bucks ($5)
Joy Crouch was happy to announce she was retiring at the end of the year, but sad to announce she is also leaving WRC. Congratulations Joy - we wish you all the best in your retirement!
WRC added $57.50 to the pot and Steve Droen drew the six of Spades to take out another non-winning card in the deck. The pot remains the same for this week and there are still 2 more Queens and the Ace of Spades!
Happy Bucks ($TBD)
There was some happiness around the annual poker game held last week!
Irene Kelly - District Governor 5950 - Guest Hope Schroeppel - Host
"Be the Inspiration" is the 2018-2019 Rotary Year theme. RI President, Barry Rassin, urges all Rotarians to create a stronger organization by inspiring young people and by spreading the word in their communities about the work Rotary does.
Working from this theme, Irene is focusing on her own recipe to define her Rotary Role: Preparation, Ingredients, Yield, and Time. She hopes to reach a membership goal of 50.3% female and diverse members and shared that District 5950 has a strong anti-sex trafficking coalition in the district. To date there are 70 members in the district and she invited members of Wayzata Rotary to join in this important initiative.
She also is working on how to invite people in our community to interact with Rotarians. There is a new program called Rotary Community Corp. A Rotary Community Corps is a group of people who share our commitment to changing the world through service projects. Rotary Community Corps members plan and carry out projects in their communities and support local Rotary If you would like to know more about this program, please click here.
Did you know that our district is in the top 10 GLOBALLY? This is a pretty spectacular feat and she hopes to continue the engagement and momentum in our district by challenging Rotarians to come up with 3-5 international projects that are more engaging for members and less of a fundraising endeavor. If working on international projects interest you, be sure to explore the Rotary International website and the District 5950 website for inspiration and opportunities.
Rotarians are happy to welcome Tom to Wayzata Rotary. This is the first time Tom has joined a Rotary club so we are even more excited that he decided to join us!
Tom has 4 children, ranging in ages from 15-29 and has worked in the Seniors field for over 20 years. He previously was a Kiwani's member and was recommended to join by fellow Rotarian, Greg Rye.
Look for Tom helping out Shelley at the registration desk and introduce yourself!
Come kick off the Thanksgiving holiday with President, Hope Schroeppel. Hope has some prizes and games up her sleeve to help kick off the Thanksgiving holiday. (If you have any door prizes you want to add to the fun, please feel free to bring!)
Note, we will be moving our weekly meetings from the ballroom to the smaller dining room, where it is a bit cozier.
The Wayzata Rotary Board approved a motion to fund and support the new "Charlie Marvin Memorial STRIVE Program" on Wednesday, November 14, 2018, and members voted to approve with a hand vote at the meeting.
Norrie Thomas will be the club champion and is very excited that so many Rotarians have expressed interest in mentoring and coaching students. We are working with Wayzata School staff and teachers to design the best program for students. Memorial contributions for deceased member, Charlie Marvin, were received in the amount of $3,785.00. The board voted to move the $5,000 budget item that have historically been used to support the Rotary Youth Exchange/Northstar program to the STRIVE program. In addition, a $2,000 anonymous donation was received to seed the program. Members are ready to work within the community to support students at Wayzata High School and the Club is delighted to dedicate this new program to to Dr. Charlie Marvin, who was a great Rotarian and mentor to all of us, and is so greatly missed.
Wayzata Rotary will be partnering with IOCP (Interfaith Outreach in Plymouth) and their Great Expectations initiative which is in its third year with five teams totaling about 50 members comprised of Wayzata/Orono District and IOCP neighborhood program (NP) staff, parents of under-served students, and community volunteers. Rotarian, LaDonna Hoy, is the lead for Great Expectations. Wayzata Rotary will also be working closely with Wayzata High School and their ALC mentoring program. Rotarian, Scott Gengler, is the lead for this program.
* ALC Goals:
* every student graduates
* students are better prepared for life after high school
* students make gains in academic achievement through:
a) engagement
b) motivation
c) best study practices
d) organizational skills, and
e) focus/diligence
Members of Wayzata Rotary who are interested in being a student mentor should contact Norrie (612 599 6497) for more details. The time commitment ranges based on mentor ability and school logistics. We are continuing to work with administrators to build a sustainable and meaningful program with hopes to start as soon as possible in 2019. The Rotarian STRIVE program has shown amazing results in other metro and out-state school districts in Minnesota and we are motivated and excited for Wayzata students need us and we ready to serve. Tax deductible contributions can be me to the Wayzata Rotary Charitable Foundation.
Stay tuned for more updates as the program's details get worked out!
Our annual Rotary holiday party is just around the corner (Wed. Dec. 5th). Below is the schedule for the evening and actions that all members need to take to register for the party. We are still working on the items for the drawing, but some of the favorites are returning (more to come). Please join use for an evening of fun and an excellent meal prepared by the WCC chef. Click here to register.
HOLIDAY PARTY schedule of events:
Date: Wed. Dec. 5, 2018
Time: 5:30pm to 8:30pm
Cost: $40/member - $60/guest
Entertainment: Piano music/Card game/Heads or Tails/Drawings
Agenda:
5:30 Guests arrive/ Piano Music (until 7:30)
5:30 – 6:00 Socialize
6:00 Buffet opens
Seafood Table (Shrimp/Crab Claws/Calamari/Salad)
Carver Table (New York Strip)
Cooking table (Ahi Tuna)
Veggies
6:00 – 7:30 Dinner and Prize Drawings
7:30 Card Game Winners/Heads or Tails Game
8:00 Desert Bar Open
8:30 Checkout
All members will be requested to let the committee know the following in the November timeframe:
Decision on your attendance at the Holiday Party – either electronically via the Rotary website or let Shelley know at Rotary meetings.
If not attending, a $150 donation will be billed to the Rotary Foundation.
Note: A charitable letter will be made available to all members who do not attend and request it for contributing to the rotary foundation.
Brigadier General Dennis Schulstad (Ret.) - Guest Angela Bernhard - Host
General Schulstad gave a talk about the importance of National Defense and shared with us several ways that we can help support Veterans. Wayzata Rotarians were proud to host 12 vets, with one from WWII!!
Back to WWII, General Schulstad reminded us that that war was about our survival as a free and democratic national, not a political war. At that time, 12% of the population was serving and wearing a uniform, where today only .5% of the population is. He talked about the National Guard and how it is under the control of each state's Governor and how it can be called up for Federal use. Many men and women join the guard so they can take advantage of high level training but work in the private sector where income is higher.
Smart technology and cyber security are top concerns and focuses in today's national defence and it is imperative to get more people with high level training into the armed services. General Schulstad reminded us that all current people serving in the military are volunteers - they are keeping our country safe and we need to thank them! Below are 3 organizations that directly help vets from Minnesota.
ESGR: Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve: ESGR, a Department of Defense program, was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment. Learn more.
MN Military Family Foundation:The mission of the Minnesota Military Family Foundation is to provide timely financial assistance to deployed and currently serving Minnesota military personnel and their families – which includes active duty, national guard and reserve components, across all services – who have a financial crisis that is not supported by existing state or federal programs. The Minnesota Military Family Foundation is a 100% volunteer organization.
Minnesotans’ Military Appreciation Fund (MMAF) is a statewide fundraising initiative by the citizens of Minnesota, for Minnesota military personnel and their families. Launched in August of 2005, MMAF is a non-partisan, non-political, 501(C)(3) non-profit corporation. The mission of MMAF is to say "thanks" to Minnesota Service members and their families who are making sacrifices in the defense of our freedoms in combat zones around the world. MMAF has provided over $10.9 million in grants to more than 17,100 recipients, making it the nation’s largest-ever statewide fundraiser of its kind.
Irene Kelly is Governor of Rotary District 5950. She will share an update about our nationally recognized District. Her presentation is titled, "Be the Inspiration!" Kelly will serve as District Governor from July 2018 through June 2019. She is a member of the Eden Prairie AM Rotary Club.
Author and Consultant, Tom Hubler, was our guest and presented information on family business dynamics, how to create structure and balance within a family business, and the two most important subjects to be willing to talk about: money and death.
Speak your truth without criticism. Positive communication includes talking, listening, resolving conflicts, forgiving, and understanding Hubler's "speck of dust" theory. When families don't discuss their differences, these little specks of dust collect and turn into larger problems. He also shared that it is important that all generations feel valid and that a failure to plan and avoidance, are the two biggest pitfalls in the demise of family businesses.
Tom Hubler, Hubler for Business Families, Inc. - Guest
Lynn Groll - Host
Tom began his family business consulting practice in 1980 as one of few professionals addressing family-owned businesses in the United States. He integrates the notion of spirit in his work with family businesses, and assists family business clients with succession planning, leadership development, business planning, board development and wealth preparation planning. In addition to consulting, Hubler has served as a professional in residence at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis and served on the advisory board for the Center for Family Enterprise for ten years. Formerly he was an adjunct instructor at the University of St. Thomas, where he co-taught a class on Family Business Management for ten years. Hubler is a founding member and Fellow of the Family Firm Institute (FFI) in Boston. Additionally, he serves as a member of the editorial board of the Family Business Review, and has authored articles on success strategies for family-owned businesses and has been widely quoted in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Corporate Report, Nation’s Business, Inc. and StarTribune. Hubler is a frequent guest on the NBC Weekend Today Showand a periodic participant on Minnesota Public Radio’s Midmorningand Middayprograms. Hubler has a column that appears in Twin City Businessand previously had columns that appeared in the Elite Advisor Forumand MinnesotaBusiness Magazine. Hubler is the founder of the Minnesota Family Business of the Year Award, now in its 11th year of celebrating outstanding Minnesota family businesses.
Deanna White, Clean Water Action State Director - Guest Adam Fonda, Host
Deanna White is a relocated South Dakota girl who joined Clean Water Action in January 2008 as Program Director. She brings with her an extensive background in political and community organizing. Most recently, she ran the Brandon Valley Area Chamber of Commerce. Prior to that, she spent eight years with the Sierra Club beginning as a community organizer in Las Vegas, serving as National Deputy Political Director in Washington DC and returning to South Dakota as a Senior Regional Representative. She began her career as a campaign organizer with the South Dakota Democratic Party in 1992. Deanna loves reading, traveling, Cary Grant movies and sushi − not necessarily in that order.
Wayzata High School Football Coach, Lambert Brown - Guest
Ben Hoveland - Host
Coach Brown gave a wonderful overview of the Wayzata High School Trojan football program. The core values of the team are TEAM (family), UNIT (brotherhood of trust) and YOU (improving daily).
There are currently 180 students involved in the program and the average GPA is 3.6! Members had several questions at the end of his presentation and one that comes up often is around concussions in the sport. Coach Brown feels that football is the safest it has ever been and this is dues to equipment technology being so much better than early years and the change in rules.
Below is a one page overview of his presentation to the club the succinctly covers the core values and principals that are shared among the staff and students.
Jim Betzold (Maple Grove) and Chuck Krausort (Osseo) gave the club an overview of the Rotary STRIVE Program they host at Maple Grove and Osseo High Schools, how they run their program, and shared how much gratification and joy they receive from working with this program. The program is intended as a scholarship and mentoring program to help students improve grades, attendance, and school performance. The original program was started in 1991 by Rotarian, Don Mooney, in White Bear Lake.
Wayzata Rotary is looking to start a STRIVE program with Wayzata High School and to date, 170 students have already been identified as potential mentees.
Norrie Thomas is the champion of this program for WRC and she has already identified 10 mentors within the community, Rotary, and Interfaith Outreach. If you are interested in becoming a mentor, or would like to join the STRIVE committee, please let Shelley and/or Norrie know. The WRC board will be voting at the November board meeting after receiving member input on whether or not to move forward with funding and committing to this program.
Below is the agenda used as Osseo Senior High school and the commitment that Jim and Chuck will provide to WCR as the program begins as reference.
Jim Betzold, from Maple Grove Rotary, shared the information about the Maple Grove gala and offered members the chance to participate in the raffle drawing.
Good afternoon. A great way to assist and make a difference in our wonderful community this fall is to participate individually or with a small group of friends in the annual rake-a-thon. Please consider helping to rake a yard of someone in our area who is unable to do so on their own. MCE will match you and a few others, or your group, up with a yard. Easy and fun work that really makes a difference. Our residents truly appreciate what this great service event does for them.
Date: Saturday, November 3, 2018
Time: Groups typically begin at 9:00 am
Please contact Sheila at MCE if you have as little as one to two hours available on Saturday Nov. 3. Thank you very much. Have a great Thursday. Sheila.Arnold@minnetonkaschools.org
Thank you,
Sheila
Sheila Arnold
Youth Program Manager
Minnetonka Community Education
952-401-6827
Volunteer Opportunity - Annual Rake-a-Thon - November 3, 2018
Lambert Brown - Head Coach of Wayzata Football - Guest Ben Hovland - Host
Prior to being named Wayzata's Head Coach, Lambert Brown held head coaching positions at Fridley High School and Chaska High School. He led Fridley (2009) to a share of the North Suburban Conference title. At Chaska (2013), he directed the school to the first state tournament appearance in 39 years.
Brown lives in the district with his wife, Lindsay, a Wayzata High School graduate and four children. Brown is a 2000 graduate of White Bear Lake High School, where he played running back under Bob Jackson and earned all-conference honors. Brown went on to attend Concordia-St. Paul University where he earned a degree in teaching and also participated in football.
Coach Brown is currently an achievement specialist teacher at Wayzata High School.
Most Raffle Tickets Sold: 2 vouchers each: Tom Schwalbe, Hope Schroeppel, Lynn Groll
Opera Tickets:
2 Tickets: Scott Gengler
2 Tickets: Adam Fonda
Thank you Sears for sponsoring this year's events and to all members who sold or purchased raffle tickets. We raised approximately $10,000 that will go directly back into our community!
Jim Betzold, The STRIVE Program - Guest Norrie Thomas, Host
STRIVE is a program where Rotary Clubs work with a high school for the purpose of motivating students to improve their school performance during their senior year. The major aspect of the program is that it is Student Driven and only facilitated by Rotarians. This program is FUN, INTERACTIVE, and can involve every Rotarian in your club.
STRIVE stands for, "Students Taking Renewed Interest in the Value of Education."
Additional Motivation to Participate in Car Show Raffle Ticket Fundraiser
Norrie has generously added 4 opera tickets to the prize pool for those members that either donate $200 to the Fall Fundraiser or sell $200 worth of raffle tickets.
Two members will win 2 tickets, so if this interests you and you haven't confirmed yet to Shelley if you are participating, please let her know! IT IS NOT TOO LATE!
Mike Gratz, Managing Director and Partner, and Sarah Nesset, Vice President of Services, of MiPro were our guests and share a hands-on example of how their agency works with clients to drill down identified problems and find solutions, or the "Metric of Urgency Way."
Mike shared how MiPro worked with a hospital on their admissions and how they came to realize that the "denial rate" is more of a problem factor rather than the "referral" rate. In a nutshell the process includes:
Create definition of need
Create a problem statement (not a solution)
Look at processes in simple ways
Determine the metric of urgency
Identify the correct solution
For Wayzata Public Schools, Mike recently implemented the Metric of Urgency method with a team of Wayzata Public Schools' staff to determine instructional and achievement measurement approaches intended to improve third grade reading and mathematics proficiency. This work resulted in an extension of pre-K outreach practices and parent education opportunities to help ensure more students are ready for kindergarten.
WRC added $46 to the pot and Tom Schwalbe drew the six of Hearts to take out another non-winning card in the deck. The pot remains the same for this week and there are still 2 more Queens and the Ace of Spades!
Happy Bucks ($22)
Tom Schwalbe was happy to have been in Thailand last week, AND that there would be no more political ads!
Jeff Dahl was happy to agree with Tom that political ad season was finished, and to share how happy he was with the Wayzata community's voter turnout and engagement.
Angela Bernardt was happy to share how proud she was of fellow Rotarian, Norrie Thomas. While she didn't win her race, she did an amazing job of meeting all the constituents.
Sarah Kaelberer was happy that she was one of the car show raffle winners and is donating 10% back to Happy Bucks and the other 90% back to be a prize at the upcoming poker game that was won at last year's Holiday Party.
Rob Hunt shared information on the Boo Bash Dash benefiting Wayzata Sailing's scholarships, programs, and building the Mike Plan Community Boathouse. See Rob or click here for more details!
Michael Houston and Chelsea Montgomery - Guests Pat Houston - Host
Michael Houston, wife of member Pat Houston, and Carlson School of Management Student, Chelsea Montgomery, were our guests. Michael shared some history of how Carlson College came to be - back in 1986 with the fall of the Berlin Wall a watershed moment was had. There was a realization by Carlson College was way behind in educating students in the field of business. Shortly after this an opportunity came to pair with the Warsaw School of Economics which led to three Executive MBA Programs being created in China, Vienna, Austria, and Warsaw Poland.
The curriculum has evolved and now each undergraduate student is required to study abroad during their studies. Times can be 10 days to a semester or more, but the requirement has become a keystone of the curriculum and is very well received by students and parents.
Chelsea Montgomery shared her experience of studying a business entrepreneurial idea around a private house model similar to Air BNB where citizens turned their homes into places for tourists to stay. The hotels in Cuba are run by the government and are very expensive. She spent a semester preparing for the trip and worked with a group in Cuba before flying down and spending 10 days in Cuba. Chelsea had an amazing time and hopes to visit again.
For more details on the types of programs available, see below!
MIPRO is an international management consulting firm focused on delivering meaningful impact for clients. Service areas are focused in business strategy, lean transformation, performance improvement and training with the goal to help clients create powerful and lasting improvement in their organizations. With diverse experience across public and private sector institutions coupled with a long history of delivering success, MIPRO ensures every engagement delivers meaningful and measurable value to clients.
MIPRO CSO Michael Gratz has 20 years of experience serving in leadership roles as a founder and entrepreneur with multiple technology companies. Michael has experience as CEO, VP of Sales and a broad background in Sales, Marketing, Technology Development, and International Consulting. Michael is experienced in leading performance improvement methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, Metric of Urgency and is a Baldridge examiner.
Michael Houston, Carlson School of Management Pat Houston, Host
Michael J. Houston, Ecolab-Pierson Grieve Chair in International Marketing, currently serves as Associate Dean of Global Initiatives at the Carlson School of Management. In that capacity he oversees the Carlson Global Institute. He also served as Academic Director, Center for International Business Education and Research. He was the founding academic director of the Carlson Brand Enterprise, a consultancy that partners top MBA students with insightful faculty on real-world brand projects. He holds a Ph.D. in marketing from the University of Illinois, and has been a member of the faculty at the Carlson School since 1986.
Michael will discuss the current international requirements and educational experiences at the Carlson School of all undergrads. In addition, a student will share their experiences while attending a Carlson program in another country.
Erik Finger, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery Darrell Leines, Host
Darrell shared his emotional story of how his world changed in the fall of 2015 when he received the diagnosis he needed a new kidney. Upon embarking on the donor search Darrell's cousin, Dennis, was a match for a transplant. Darrell shared the timeline of events before and after the transplant and now his biggest dilemma post transplant is to figure out how to thank someone who so profoundly affected your life?
Dr. Erik Finger, decked out in his scrubs, gave us an overview of the last 50 years of transplants at the U of M. Generally, there are three options for failing kidneys: 1. Do nothing, 2. dialysis, or 3. Transplant. In the United States, there are 123,000 people in need of an organ transplant (of those are 101,000 needing a kidney) yet only 17,000 transplants are given in a year. Dr. Finger shared that living donor transplants can add 20 years of life to the recipient and shared some stats on different organs "shelf" life once received from deceased donors. The U of M has created medication the help immune system suppression and contributed medication to treat strong rejection and pediatric transplants are big at the U.
The highlight of the meeting was a poem an emotional Darrell shared that he wrote to express his gratitude to his cousin, "My Cousin, My Hero."
Pictured: Chelsea Janke, Dr. Erik Finger, Darrell, Cindy Leines, Diane Johnson
Community Grant applications are now being accepted! If you are a sponsor for a grant, reminder that applications are due to Kelly Sater no later than October 20, 2018. It is not too late to donate to the community grants funds for Fall 2018.
If you need a grant application, please email Shelley and she will send you one.
Cathy Maes, Executive Director, gave an overview of the Loaves and Fishes mission and growth since joining the group in 2017. The organization works to procure food and provide meals that are open to the public. One of the neat ways they procure food is by rescuing food that would be thrown away from the Minneapolis airport - grab and go sandwiches, salads, and yogurts, and turning them into meals and snacks.
Loaves and Fishes operates 4 farms (Coon Rapids, St. Paul, Eagan, and Richfield) and operates on an annual budget of 3.6 million.
Below is the Summer 2018 newsletter. For more information on the organization and to look for volunteer opportunities, click here.
A reminder that raffle tickets will be handed out at the meeting this week. Each member is strongly encouraged to sell 10 tickets or donate $200 to the Community Grants Foundation. Without member donations, we will have to reduce the amount of grants we are able to give. This year, there are 3 prizes that can be won! The winning ticket will be drawn at the Car Show on September 29, so get your tickets in so you are entered into the drawing!
Prize Overview:
1st Place Prize: 2018 Yamaha XMAX Scooter or $4,000 Cash
2nd Place Prize: $1,000
3rd Place Prize: $400
As an added bonus this year, one voucher, valued at $10.00 to Wayzata Bay Car Wash , will included with the raffle tickets sold at the Rotary Booth, and members have a chance to win 5 vouchers! Below are the parameters:
1. When selling tickets at JJH Days or the Car Show, all ticket sales to non-members will receive a voucher for a car wash. This is to make the $20 more enticing as the value of a car wash is $10.00.
2. For members who sell 10 tickets, either to themselves or to others, they will be entered into a drawing to win 5 vouchers. (Each member is eligible only for 1 chance).
3. For the member who sells the most tickets after the "required" 10, they will win 5 vouchers.
If members have other prize ideas to entice raffle ticket sales let Shelley know!
The raffle tickets will be ready and handed out at this week's Rotary meeting. Each member is strongly encouraged to be responsible for selling ten - $20 tickets. Members can by-pass selling tickets and donate $200 if preferred. There are several volunteer opportunities to work at James J Hill Days and at the Car Show to talk up Wayzata Rotary within the community and to sell tickets. We will have "free lunch" vouchers to entice folks to attend a Rotary meeting, and the grand prize will be on display!
Prize Overview:
1st Place Prize: 2018 Yamaha SMAX Scooter or $4,000 Cash
2nd Place Prize: $1,000
3rd Place Prize: $500
As an added bonus this year, one voucher, valued at $10.00 to Wayzata Bay Car Wash , will included with the raffle tickets sold at the Rotary Booth, and members have a chance to win 5 vouchers! Below are the parameters:
1. When selling tickets at JJH Days or the Car Show, all ticket sales to non-members will receive a voucher for a car wash. This is to make the $20 more enticing as the value of a car wash is $10.00.
2. For members who sell 10 tickets, either to themselves or to others, they will be entered into a drawing to win 5 vouchers. (Each member is eligible only for 1 chance).
3. For the member who sells the most tickets after the "required" 10, they will win 5 vouchers.
If members have other prize ideas to entice raffle ticket sales let Shelley know!
WRC has an opportunity for 10 members to earn an attendance make-up! Shelley found 2 boxes of flags in the storage room and has ordered 2 blue felt banners to hang and display the flags. Come and help decorate the banners before the meeting on September 5.
Click on Sign Up to view available slots and book yourself directly online.
Event:
Flag Hanging Event - Earn an Attendance Make-up!
Date:
Sep 05, 2018 at 10:30 AM - Sep 05, 2018 at 11:30 AM
Paul Webster shared that Charlie is back at Folkstone after a bad fall which landed him in the hospital for 6 days. Unfortunately, the cancer has moved into Charlie's brain and he is now under hospice care. Please keep Charlie and his family and friends in your thoughts during these difficult days.
If you would like to visit Charlie, please call Folkstone to see if he is able to receive visitors. (952) 249-2400
$38 was added to the pot this week bringing the total to $896. Paul Boettner had the opportunity to win but drew the 8 of Hearts. That means, the pot grows and inches closed to $1,000! There are 31 cards left, 3 queens, and the Ace of Spades still lurking in the deck so there are still 4 opportunities to win in the current game!
Happy Bucks ($15.00)
Jerry Jensen was happy to be hosting today's meeting and to hang out with Greg. Greg always makes him smile.
Darrell Leines was happy to celebrate his 1 year anniversary of receiving his new kidney.
Speaker, Greg Gibson, was happy to be our guest and says he's always happy!
Kirk and Melissa Ingram - GUSU (Get Up Stand Up) Kelly Sater - Host Kirk and Melissa Ingram shared a heart felt presentation about the foundation they are involved in, "Get Up Stand Up," an organization to research and find a cure for spinal paralysis. The vision is "a world which paralysis from spinal chord injury is curable."
Kirk, who enjoys sports - particularly watching baseball, shared how he spends his days in active recovery in rehabilitation and exercise. In addition, Melissa shared some facts that surprised many members about spinal chord injuries.
- There are 17,000 new accidents per year
- The number one cause of spinal chord injuries is car accidents
- The average age of persons who experience injury is 43 years old
Melissa and Kirk participate in a monthly peer/care giver group and as part of the GUSU organization, work to push for legislation to help fund research and to provide assistance. Current fund raising efforts are going towards creating a Regional specific resource book for the Tri-State area. The hope is to get this resource into patients hands to help them navigate the first 90 days after an injury. GOSU is working with author Sam Maddox, author of The Quest for Cure: Restoring Function After Spinal Chord Injury.
A fundraising social is set for Friday, September 14, 2019 at the Minneapolis Club. For more details on this organization and for sponsorship/donation information, visit www.gusu2cure.org.
Greg Gibson, Wayzata Youth Hockey Association Jerry Jensen - Host
Greg Gibson, president of the Wayzata Youth Hockey Association, will be our speaker. He has been a member of Wayzata Youth Hockey Association for 25 years, serving on the Board for the past 19 years and past 17 years as President.
$43 was added to the pot this week bringing the total to $858. Angela Bernhardt had the opportunity to win but drew the 3 of Diamonds. That means, the pot grows and inches closed to $1,000! There are still three queens and the Ace of Spades still lurking in the deck so still 4 opportunities to win in the current game.
Happy Bucks ($10.00)
Norrie Thomas was excited about WRC getting involved with the STRIVE program and by the enthusiasm she has received for this project.
Sarah Kaelberer was excited that her two daughters were settled in their respective cities.
Norrie Thomas leads off Rotary year 2018-2019 as our first Paul Harris recipient. Congratulations Norrie and thank you for your dedication to Rotary!
The Paul Harris Fellow recognition acknowledges individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of US$1,000 to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
It was established in 1957 to show appreciation for and encourage substantial contributions to what was then the Foundation’s only program, Rotary Foundation Fellowships for Advanced Study, the precursor to Ambassadorial Scholarships.
The first Paul Harris Fellows include 1937-38 RI Director Allison G. Brush and longtime RI Treasurer Rufus F. Chapin, both for donations made in 1946. Mrs. Adan Vargas was the first woman to receive the recognition, for a gift made in 1953. Mrs. Harry L. Jones was the second, and one of only five people recognized for contributions made in 1957.
Early Paul Harris Fellows received a certificate of recognition. In 1969, the Foundation unveiled the first Paul Harris Fellow medallion at the RI Convention in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. Japanese metal artist Fiju Tsuda created the piece under the direction of then-past Foundation Trustee Kyozo Yuasa. Today, Paul Harris Fellows receive a certificate and pin. They are also eligible to purchase a Paul Harris Fellow medallion.
Rotarians have a tradition of supporting the Foundation by honoring others. Ida LeTulle Taylor became a Paul Harris Fellow in 1978 when her husband, then-District Governor Vann Taylor, made a donation in her name in honor of their 34th wedding anniversary. The gift also made her the 25,000th Paul Harris Fellow.
At the International Assembly in 1979, then-RI President-elect James Bomar challenged each Rotary club to make one non-Rotarian a Paul Harris Fellow. The Rotary Club of Pikesville, Maryland, USA, responded by making a donation in the name of Mother Teresa in 1980. The entertainer Pearl Bailey also became a Paul Harris Fellow through a joint effort of the Rotary clubs in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Many other notable figures have been named as Paul Harris Fellows, including U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Russian President Boris Yeltsin, U.S. astronaut James Lovell, UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar, and Jonas Salk.
Updated 10.1.18: Scott Gengler has identified 175 students. This is an amazing opportunity to get directly involved with students in the community!
Norrie Thomas was excited to announce that the October 10 meeting will be about the STRIVE program. We will have visitors from the Wilmer Rotary. Wayzata High School has identified students and Great Expectations has identified mentors. The program is set to start in January, so if you are interested in becoming a mentor please let Norrie know!
Join President, Hope Schroeppel, to Plan the Rotary Year
Hope invites all members to join her for a strategic and visionary planning meeting to discuss current year plans and growth potential and member engagement for the club. She plans on inviting a member from the Excelsior Rotary to share their ideas and share thought starters.
Of importance is fundraising. The Car show does not appear to be sustainable after 2019. A “desirable” location (space) will only be available through 2019 in the Cov parking lot. This area is to be redeveloped as part of the City’s Lakes Effect concept. The project may have some opportunities not yet identified so the more input the merrier!
The meeting will be held at the Collonade Building, 5500 Wayzata Blvd., Golden Valley, MN from 5:00 - 8:00 pm. Hope will provide snacks!
Visionary Planning - Meeting with Hope - September 12, 2018
WRC will not be hosting a car show at James J Hill Days in 2018. Instead WRC will be hosting a stand alone car show on Saturday, September 29, 2018. To maintain presence at James J Hill Days, there will be an information booth set up.
There are volunteer opportunities during James J Hill Days to work at the Rotary booth and during the car show to sell raffle tickets and to encourage Rotary membership growth. As in year's past, WRC is strongly encouraging all members to sell ten $20 raffle tickets to support our community grants and donation capacities. As in previous years we will be rewarding a prize to the member who sells the most tickets above and beyond the initial 10, and Bruce Lea has donated a car wash voucher to be given with each ticket sold. The grand prize will be a Vespa scooter and we will have the scooter on hand at the booth! WRC Board is also considering a second prize of an electronic bike.
Shelley has set up events in Club Runner and will have volunteer slots are set up. To sign up for James J Hill Days click here. For the September 29, 2018 car show, click here. All volunteers earn a meeting make up credit for each shift! For pre-planning, see schedule below.
Northern Lights Foundation - Dr. Ken Larson Lynn Groll, Host
Dr. Ken Larson, visited Wayzata Rotary and gave an overview of this locally based foundation he founded. Their mission:
"Our mission is to ease financial stress placed on local families that have a child with a life-threatening medical illness."
Fundraising is event driven and generally in Duluth and in Minneapolis. Dr. Larson was very proud that funds are used to help families located in Minnesota. In general, a family can apply for a $2,500 grant and the illnesses are not limited to one type of illness. Families can use the grant funds as they need to and can apply for "re-grant" if needed.
The foundation is well supported by the Minnesota Wild Hockey Team, Chive Charities (that partners with them for 50/50 concert fundraising efforts), and the Duluth fire and police departments who host an annual baseball game, "Guns and Hoses," to raise money for the Foundation.
Kirk and Melissa Ingram, Get Up Stand Up Kelly Sater, Host
Kirk Ingram was injured in an accident on Lake Minnetonka in August 2015. Sadly, his spinal injury caused him to be paralyzed. Since then, he and his wife, Melissa, have been involved with “Get Up Stand Up” – a non-profit foundation to cure paralysis out of Excelsior. Kirk and Melissa plan to talk about his injury, efforts towards recovery, spinal cord research being done, and the foundation they work with.
Annual "Night to Unite" - Shared Meeting with Wayzata Chamber Members
Rotarians and COC Members came together to kick off the annual "Night to Unite" activities. This year has been the "Year to Unite" as the community came together to support the family of fallen officer, Bill Mathews. Officer Mathew's son, Wyatt, was a special guest of honor in attendance. Wyatt wanted to share that his birthday is August 19 - hint, hint. If any members would like to send him a card, you can send to him c/o the Wayzata Police Department.
The annual "Jim Fish Award" was awarded to Dave Dudinski. The Jim Fish Award is an annual Crime Prevention award presented by the Wayzata Crime Prevention Coalition (WCPC) to recognize a Wayzata citizen or Wayzata area business person for service to the community, past and present, in the area of “crime prevention.” The award is meant to honor the recipient, and via the name of the award, to honor Jim Fish, who was instrumental in bringing and keeping crime prevention programs in Wayzata.
Honorary Rotarian and Wayzata Chief of Police, Mike Risvold, was the keynote speaker and shared information on current crimes and highlights of three criminals that were caught this year and how the police department worked clues to solve these crimes.
Dr. Ken Larson, Northern Lights Foundation Lynn Groll, Host
After the loss of his infant daughter, Ken Larson, DDS, began volunteering his time with several national children’s charities in an effort to give back to other families and children in need. In 2006, he founded a local charity in Duluth, Minnesota with the mission of providing financial support to families with children who have life-threatening illnesses.
He chose the name Northern Lights Foundation (NLF) for this new non-profit organization because his vision was to bring some much needed light into the lives of children and families who were experiencing a dark time.
Dr. Larson has served as President of NLF since the beginning, and his son Michael established a second chapter in Twin Cities, Minnesota. Over the past decade, the foundation has raised more than $350,000 and made grants to more than 160 Northland families. Foundation grants are unrestricted which means families can use the funds for whatever needs they may have.
Carlos Javier Hernandez - Guest Shelley Beaumont - Host
WRC member and Club Administrator, Shelley Beaumont, had her son Pierce's new Autism Service Dog, Merlin, as a special guest at the meeting. Trainers, Carlos Hernandez and Greg Vaughn, gave an overview of what the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines as a service animal and gave an overview of what is involved in training a service animal as well as what specific tasks Merlin has been trained for to help Pierce. Two specific commands include "touch" (to disrupt a negative behavior) and "lay" (to lay down on Pierce to apply deep pressure for anxiety, panic, or rage attacks).
Members asked lots of questions about training and tasks, and were able to meet Merlin.
A special thank you to all members that contributed financially to help Shelley and her family bring Merlin home!!! For more information on Highland Canine Training/Assistance Dogs for Autism visit here.
Neighborhoods across Wayzata have been gathering to celebrate Night to Unite for more than 30 years. Wayzata's Night to Unite kicks off at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 7, 2018 with the annual Night to Unite Luncheon at the Wayzata Country Club. This is a joint luncheon with the Wayzata Crime Prevention Coalition, the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce and the Wayzata Rotary. Wayzata Police Chief Mike Risvold will provide an inside look at the department and highlight some of the most significant, and sometimes “bizarre,” cases investigated within the past year.
The Jim Fish Award for Crime Prevention will be presented by the Wayzata Crime Prevention Coalition.
$41 was added to the pot this week bringing the total to $717. Fred Meyer had the chance to win and drew the Ace of Diamonds - the second Ace in a row! Will next week be the drawing of the correct Ace??
Happy Bucks ($30 collected)
Chris Pierson was happy he didn't win the $50 Million lottery - it would have been more trouble than it was worth!
Jim Houg was happy to announce he is going to be a grandpa. Congratulations Grandpa Jim!
Sarah Kaelberer was happy to share that she was able to spend 9 quality days with her mother and it meant a lot to both of them.
Hope Schroeppel threw a fine out there - if any of you hear any grumblings about Old National Bank, please let her know!
Cozy Wittman, of College Inside Track, gave us a very informative and interesting overview of how the "play" and navigate the college search project. With tools and knowledge, the college search can be much less stressful and save families thousands! Today, the average college debt per student is $57,000 and our society has decided it is ok for students to take out a loan to pay for education. Knowing this is a reality today and that student loans are second in magnitude to a home mortgage, Cozy shared some great information on what to look for when financing college.
There are two types of aid: Need and Merit based. Need based students are defined by each individual college. The biggest influencers are the family and student's income and assets. She recommends highly to have any assets in your child's name moved to parents as parental assets are assessed at 5.64% while student's are assessed at 20%.
Merit based aid is tricky and she recommends that students check if the college they are interested in even offer merit based scholarships. Many do not! She suggested you look for schools where the student is interesting to the college. What makes a student interesting? Top 25-30% of test scores, extra curricular activities, gender or ethnicity, and to consider out of state colleges. She also shared the anatomy of what colleges look at to determine merit aid.
If you are interested in receiving a copy of the presentation, or in a complementary 1 hour consultation, please fill out the attached form and send to Cozy! The firm charges a flat fee of $3,800.
Assistance Dogs for Autism - Guest Shelley Beaumont - Host
Come and meet Merlin, Pierce Beaumont's new Autism Service Dog. Trainer, Carlos Hernandez will present an overview of what training Merlin has gone through to help Pierce continue to navigate life with Autism.
Autism Service Dogs have proven to be an asset for children diagnosed with autism and their families. These dogs provide a social “bridge” for children who are often excluded by others because of their behavior or lack of social interaction. These well-trained autism service dogs can also provide comfort as well as calm children who suffer from autism. Autistic children who run away and hide can also be quickly and easily found by autism service dogs that are trained to locate them. These are just a few of the advantages of having a trained service dog to assist an autistic child.
About Autism:
Autism is a severe developmental disorder that affects the way a child sees and interacts with the rest of the world. It effects sensory, memory, motor and postural control. Social and communication skills may be compromised leading to social isolation both within the family and with other people. Many autistic children display a tendency to bolt in open spaces making going to a mall or a restaurant almost impossible. Many autistic children also experience difficulty sleeping and often suffer from insomnia.
Children with autism are often misunderstood because they process information in a different way. They deal with facts, not concepts, which can be a problem for parents and teachers. Because information is processed in a very detailed oriented way, the autistic person will sort through both major and minor stimuli, a car driving by, the smell of their clothing, or the sound of a dog barking to make a decision. Too many details can cause them to become overstimulated and confused by everyday situations.
The causes of autism are uncertain, but most experts feel it is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
Cozy Wittman, Myth Busting the College Search Rob Hunt, Host
Education and networking are a way of life for Cozy. She has spent her career educating adults, helping people think outside the box, and connecting people with common interest. She runs both the College Inside Track parent events as well as professional development for those who work with families with HS students.
Cozy is excited to extend the reach of College Inside Track, connecting with organizations and families interested in learning more about the complex college process. She is a mom of 5 with her youngest just starting her sophomore year, she is no stranger to the challenge of the search.
Brian Kokesh - Guest Angela Berhnard and Walt Gislason - Hosts
Brian shared his amazing story of his life after a snow mobile accident that resulted in him losing both hands and feet. His wife, Kaya, shared with us the details of the accident and Brian continued the story about how amazing the Veteran's Administration (VA) was and still is. They started the recovery with private insurance but Brian was reminded that he is a a Vet and had access to the VA's system.
Brian showed us the different prosthetic that he has on both arms - his right prosthetic has clamps where the hand would be and his right prosthetic has a mechanical hand on the end. Brian used to play volley ball and golf and the VA was able to make him attachments so that he can play both sports. Members were very engaged and Brian graciously answered questions and was a very inspiring visitor to the club.
Brian wanted to share an organization, Wiggle Your Toes, that helps to empower those who have lost a limb to move forward, take action and get back to the life they want as a fantastic resource for help.
Hope has asked that when it is a members turn to host the meeting, that the member also be in charge of the weekly invocation. If you don't remember your week, Shelley will have the list at the meetings.
in·vo·ca·tion
ˌinvəˈkāSH(ə)n/
noun
the action of invoking something or someone for assistance or as an authority.
"the invocation of new disciplines and methodologies"
Mark Ihrke serves as the Executive Director of the Ridgedale YMCA. Local YMCAs engage hundreds of communities in Minnesota. By nurturing the potential of every child and teen, improving health and well-being, and supporting and serving neighbors, the Y ensures that everyone has the opportunity to become healthier, more confident, connected and secure.
The Y values what everyone brings to the table. They work to ensure that all segments of our communities are welcome at the Y, and have equal opportunities to become connected to other participants, members, staff and volunteers at all levels of the organization. It is a priority to educate and empower staff and volunteers to intentionally think, act and communicate with a diverse, inclusive and global approach to serving all.
Congratulations to Hope Schroeppel, WRC President for 2018-2019.
Thank you Doug Arndt for your service to WRC in 2017-2018.
Perfect Attendance - a combination of attending meetings, serving on the board, attending WRC volunteer activities all earn a tick mark on weekly attendance. Thank you members for your dedication.
Pictured: Doug Arndt, Angela Bernhardt, Chris Pierson, Tom Schwalbe, Bjorn Meisner, Lynn Groll, and James Houg.
Not Pictured: Bruce Lea
Paul Harris members for 2017-2018. Remember, donations to Rotary International are accumulative and each time you reach $1,000 you get an additional recognition. Thank you members!
Pictured: Mark Lauffenburger, Doug Arndt, Belle Davenport, and James Houg.
Not Pictured: Rob Shadley, Charlie Marvin, and Tom Metcalf
Thank you 2018 Board for your Service to WRC!
Pictured: Doug Arndt, Hope Schroeppel, Angela Bernhardt, Bjorn Meisner, Mark Lauffenburger, Andy Thielen, Kelly Sater, Norrie Thomas, Lynn Groll, James Houg
$47.50 was added to the pot and Cliff Otten had the chance to win $681.50. Unfortunately for Cliff, he drew the A of Hearts. Fortunately for the game, the pot continues to grow. Thank you to everyone who participates in this very successful weekly fundraiser for foundation grants!
Happy Bucks ($7 collected)
Angela Bernhardt was happy to congratulate General Bob Shadley on his wedding engagement. Congratulations!!
Becky Pierson was happy to remind Rotarians we have a shared lunch with the Chamber of Commerce on August 7, the Night to Unite!
Blaze Driscoll was sad to tell us his family is moving to Texas, but happy that they are staying with him for the next 4 weeks.
$40 was added to the pot and Andy Thielen had the chance to win $588. Unfortunately for Andy, he drew the 9 of diamond. Fortunately for the game, the pot continues to grow. Thank you to everyone who participates in this very successful weekly fundraiser for foundation grants!
Happy Bucks
Cliff Otten was happy that it was finally sunny.
Rob Hunt was happy that the Wine of Wayzata Bay event was nearly sold out.
Becky Pierson was happy about all of the wonderful events scheduled in Wayzata for the weekend.
Becky Masterman, UMN Bee Squad Associate Program Director, visited WRC and shared her knowledge of local and global bee health. The Bee Squad provides extension support for bee keepers, shares bee health with the public, and offers creative outlets to community programming. The program is funded through grants.
She shared that lack of flowers and the use of pesticides are what is causing the most stress for bees. The best thing we can do to help them is just plant flowers! We learned that there are 460 different types of bees that are native to MN, including the adorable bumble bee. Honey bees are not native to the U.S. and were imported from Europe.
The Bee squad has many outreach programs and educational opportunities. To buzz around their site and gain more knowledge about bees, visit here.
Lake Minnetonka - Summer Splash Highlights Becky Pierson - Host
Artist, Patrick Sweeney, came armed with a gorgeous painting for members to look at. he shared that he is in the process of changing how he works with his painting - he no longer works in oils and using intense brush strokes, but now works with palette knives, syringes, and thick paint on his canvases. He is particularly interested in boats right now and gave a shout out to Wayzata Art Experience for always putting on a high quality show with quality artists. You can see Patrick and his paintings this weekend at the Wayzata Art Experience!
Sam Rogers started the Wayzata Match Cup in 2014 after the 2013 America's Cup and the AC72, a menacing, 72 foot high. catamaran capable of near-highway speeds changed sailing. This year, the Wayzata Match Cup will be hosting 4-M32 Catamarans. These are 32 ft high boats that have crew members of 4-5. They will follow a course that is close enough to the shores that viewers can get a good look at them as they sail by. He said that the boats would be assembled at MN Boat Works Monday-Wednesday of this week, so if you would like to see them, stop by!
Rick Warren, organizer of the "Bash for the Boardwalk" concerts came and gave away tickets for concerts this weekend. Proceeds for these concerts go towards the Boardwalk Project and Wayzata Lake Effect.
Thursday: A night of rock, blues, and pop with country. Belle Davenport - Congratulations! Friday: Don Felder, formerly of the Eagles. Chris Pierson and Darrell Leines - Congratulations! Saturday: Kate Vans. Doug Arndt - Congratulations!
It may not be a surprise that WRC has had difficulties in finding host families for incoming youth exchange students. What may be a surprise is our club will no longer be able to send students unless a volunteer steps up to be the new Youth Exchange Officer (YEO) and that we do find host families.
Steve Hance is stepping down as our YEO and leaving Wayzata Rotary to pursue opening a cider tap room in Minneapolis. For the end of the current rotary year, the Board has approved that money budgeted for host family expenses be sent to the St. Croix River rotary to help with expenses pertaining to a exchange student coming in from Thailand. For the 2018-2019 Rotary Year, we will not be participating in the Youth Exchange Program unless we can get a new Youth Exchange Officer and a committee to support this position and program. Ideally, the club would have a committee of three people to coordinate with North Star Youth Exchange.
Chace Anderson shared that he visited Russ Ewoldt last week. Russ has broken his hip and is recovering at the Good Samaritan Society - Specialty Care Community. If you would like to send Russ a note, his details are below:Good Samaritan Society - Specialty Care Community Room 302 3815 W. Broadway Ave., Robbinsdale, MN 55422
Rotarians were treated to a fantastic presentation from District 2240's Slovakian exchange student, Tereza Paskova. If there was any doubt that being involved with foreign exchange students is not a worthwhile investment, Tereza showed that involvement with exchange students is one of the most rewarding activities Rotarians do.
Tereza shared how after considering being an exchange student for only one week, she found the courage to embark on a year that has changed her life. Arriving a year ago, crying, shaking, and scared, Tereza will be leaving the United States laughing, confident, and changed. Tereza attended Delano high school and told us how hard it was at first to make friends and understand how the school system worked. She told us a lovely story that Chemistry ended up being her favorite subject and that her self-portrait she painted in art class won a prize. Tereza was able to visit Canada, Wisconsin, and Florida. Her year started with not being able to catch a fish and ended by finally catching one! Truly a rite of passage for anyone in Minnesota.
Her host families were amazing and helped her navigate her first birthday away from her family, her first Christmas away from her family, and the home sickness she felt at times. Thanksgiving for her was an amazing experience and she will carry forward the love she felt from her host families for the rest of her life. A warm thank you to the Scheibe and Gilmore families for hosting Tereza!
Insights into Lake Minnetonka Summer Splash with Patrick Sweeney and Sam Rogers Becky Pierson - Host
The Wayzata Art Experience 2018 Featured Artist, Patrick Sweeney
Learn about his journey an show it led him to creating beautiful sailboat paintings including our own Lake Minnetonka.
Sweeney's work has been juried and exhibited in galleries and top-rated fine art festivals throughout the United States. Presently, Patrick can be found behind his easel as a resident artist in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota.
Dr. Abul Sharah, International Village Clinic - Guest Jim Hartfield - Host
Dr. Abul Sharah will give us an update on the International Village Clinic, one of the projects our Wayzata Rotary has sponsored. You will hear how Abul took inspiration from Mother Theresa and has changed the lives of thousands because of his preventative nutrition programs so children won't go blind before they start school and his curative programs so they can conquer diseases in one of the poorest parts of India.
As many of you know, our Club Administrator, Shelley Beaumont, is raising funds for her son's Autism Service Dog, Merlin. Shelley shared that she was still $6,000 short of the $18,000 needed ($4,000 for the dog and $2,000 for delivery and family training) and humbly asked members to help her with the last stretch of raising the funds. Her husband has been unemployed for over a year and when the family started this process in 2015, funding the dog was not a problem she foresaw. Doug and Susan Arndt generously offered to match any member contributions up to $500 and members stepped up to help. If you are able, please consider helping her with this final burst of fundraising. Merlin should be delivered later this summer and WRC looks forward to meeting him in person!
We have 40 tickets reserved for the June 15, 2018 showing of "Hello, Dolly!" at Blue Water Theater Company. Ticket cost is $18 per ticket and show is at 7:00 pm. Please email Shelley to reserve your tickets!
Each fall and spring, the community grants committee of Wayzata Rotary, get together and review grant applications and choose recipients that meet these values:
We are open to funding a variety of purposes or causes. New ideas are welcome!
We are open to small or new organizations as well as larger, well-established organizations.
We prefer funding nonprofit or charitable organizations.
We strongly prefer projects which are locally initiated and managed.
We prefer to fund specific needs, rather than general operations.
This spring, 4 grants were awarded for $1,500 each for the following agencies:
Wayzata Rotary will be moving to host 3 car shows this summer! There will be a committee meeting on Wednesday, May 23 at 11:00 before the weekly meeting. This year the car show is going to be the last Saturday in June/July/and August located at the COV municipal parking area along Lake Street in Wayzata. There is room for 80 cars and there will be a $5K dealership sponsor for each month (all funds go to club) and WRC is asking rotary members to attend the shows to sell raffle tickets. (Prize is yet to be decided.)
The grand prize drawing will be during James J Hill days. There are more details to come and many hands are needed to help make this new formula successful. If you can attend the planning meeting this week, please do. James Larson and Bjorn Meisner will be heading up this year's show and can be emailed with any questions.
2018 Wayzata Memorial Education Foundation Scholarship Winners!
One of the favorite meetings of the year is when the best and brightest from Wayzata High School come and join us for lunch. This year the WMEF was able to award 16 $1,000 scholarships. This is not possible without the donations and fund raising that Wayzata Rotary does. Members - THANK YOU!
This year while munching on tacos, we got to know each student, where they are planning on going to school, and each shared what they were most proud of. This year's Q&A with the students was fantastic! This group of scholars was very articulate, engaged with members in answering questions, and were very open and honest with their observations.
Thank you Scott Gengler for hosting the luncheon and to the WMEF committee membes, Bruce Lea, Tom Vettel, and Chris Pierson for attending and participating in the Award Program on May 14. You earned an attendance credit!
Wayzata Rotary Scholarships Honor 14 Outstanding Students
Program Host: Bruce Lea
One of Wayzata Rotary Club's best traditions is to present scholarships to exemplary seniors from Wayzata High School. These scholarships are made possible through the endowment of the club's Wayzata Memorial Education Foundation, along with member donations and fundraising. Our luncheon program this week will honor the 2018 WMEF Scholarship winners This year we are pleased to fund 16 scholarships for $1,000 each to deserving seniors.
If you are able, please plan on "adopting" a senior for lunch! The Chef has put together a taco bar for us to add some fun to lunch and WRC looks forward to welcoming students and parents for this celebration.
Wayzata Rotary Scholarships Honor 16 Outstanding Students
Program Host: Bruce Lea
One of Wayzata Rotary Club's best traditions is to present scholarships to exemplary seniors from Wayzata High School. These scholarships are made possible through the endowment of the club's Wayzata Memorial Education Foundation, along with member donations and fundraising. Our luncheon program this week will honor the 2018 WMEF Scholarship winners This year we are pleased to fund 16 scholarships for $1,000 each to deserving seniors.
If you are able, please plan on "adopting" a senior for lunch! The Chef has put together a taco bar for us to add some fun to lunch and WRC looks forward to welcoming students and parents for this celebration.
Author Ames Sheldon visited Wayzata Rotary and shared the 15 year journey to get her book published. She described "roadblocks" as "pot holes" and how her book and story grew stronger and better after each dip. One of the interesting pot holes she encountered was with a Book Doctor. It was recommended along the line that she should have her manuscript worked over by a book doctor and she was shocked when the person cut 1/3rd of her manuscript. She had heard about "editorial grief" and shared with us that it is real!
After three major revisions, she was ready to get her book published. She was not able to find a publisher in the traditional route and went with an independent publisher, Beavers Pond Press and earned the 2016 Benjamin Franklin Gold Award for Best New Voice: Fiction.
Doug Arndt updated the club noting that at the Board Meeting (May 7) the accounts receivables was in great shape and thanked Club Administrator, Shelley Beaumont, for keeping the club's receivables current and the club expenses low.
Doug also wanted to remind members that the Rotary year was ending soon and asked that members get their Rotary International donations in. The Club has a goal of donating $12,000 and is currently at $6,715. Please see Shelley for a form or click here to access Rotary International and donate online.
Friends of Mathews and his family will be traveling to Washington D.C. to participate on the 2018 National Police Week. In 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15 falls, as National Police Week. Established by a joint resolution of Congress in 1962, National Police Week pays special recognition to those law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others. If you would like more details on the week, click here.
Spring Splash - A preview of the Wayzata Lake Effect Project’s summer programming
Saturday, May 19th 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the pop-up Plaza (the municipal parking lot at Lake & Broadway) There will be fun interactive booths and displays, along with McCormick’s Beachside and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. It’s sure to be a great event!
Part of the reason we all join Rotary is so that we can give back to community. We have some critical committee lead vacancies that need members to step up and fill. Please see Shelley if you are able to take on one of these critical roles to help keep Wayzata Rotary an active and engaged member of the community.
Youth Exchange: Steve Hance is no longer able to be the lead for this fantastic program. We would like someone who is active within the school community and can help find host families. Without a volunteer lead, we are in danger of not being able to participate in this wonderful program.
New Member: A committee lead is needed to work with Shelley to ensure all new member leads are followed up and liaison with the Rotary members who are Ambassadors.
Raffle Coordinator for Car Show: Doug Arndt is not able to coordinate the raffle project for this summer's WRC Car Shows and needs a volunteer to step in and help coordinate this important fundraising event. Please see Doug for details!
50/50 Coordinator: Andy Theilen is stepping down from coordinating the weekly 50/50 raffle. A member is needed to keep the weekly ledger going, and get volunteers to work the raffle table each week. New members are strongly encouraged to work the table each week. This is a fantastic way to get to know the members and for the members to get to know new members!
Becky Pierson Shared Chamber Event A Conversation With Elizabeth Ries (Host, Twin Cities Live)
Finding success in the workplace, balance at home and raising children in a #metoo & timesup world
Elizabeth Ries is a television and radio personality in the Twin Cities. She co-hosts Twin Cities Live weekdays afternoons at 3 on KSTP and delivers celebrity news and pop culture updates during her Dirt Alerts on myTalk 107.1 at 8:20, 12:20 and 5:20. She grew up in Apple Valley but now lives in Minneapolis with her husband Jay, daughter Bernadette and son Franklin. They also share their home with a German Shorthair Pointer named Gracie Lu and a flock of chickens in the backyard. Elizabeth is passionate about cooking with as much home grown produce as possible and wants to add a hive of bees to her yard next!
Author Ames Sheldon will discuss the 15 year process of writing, research and publication of her WWII novel, Eleanor's Wars, which won a national Benjamin Franklin Gold Award for Best New Voices in Fiction.
Minnesota native and explorer, Lonnie Dupre, entertained us with stories from his adventures in his personal quest to climb Mount Denali, by himself, and in the winter time. "Denali, once called Mount McKinley, is the tallest mountain in North America. Located in south-central Alaska, the mountain's peak is 20,310 feet (6,190 meters) above sea level, also making it the third highest of the Seven Summits — the highest mountains on each of the seven continents — following Mount Everest in Nepal and Aconcagua in Argentina."*
It took Lonnie 4 tries before reaching the summit and his goal on his fifth try. Lonnie shared with us spectacular photos and videos from his adventures and shared how he trains in high altitudes and packs for his adventures. One of the interesting details is that Lonnie prepares food packs to specific amount of calories and nutrition. He uses many different nut butters and dried fruit, and packs bottles of olive oil to fortify his food. His tools are well thought out and one of which was a crevasse bar he created to catch him should his fall down into one. One of the videos he shared was from the inside of a tent he used on his last climb during a storm. A point of interest, snow caves are much warmer and quieter than tents!
Lonnie has written several books and his latest is Alone at the Top: Climbing Denali in the Dead of Winter.
Norrie Thomas bought in tree saplings to plant last week as part of our commitment to District 5950's Year of the Tree initiative. Please email Norrie if you were not at the meeting and would like a sapling to plant.
Marci Malzahn, "The Fire Within" James Larson, Host
In The Fire Within - Connect Your Gifts with Your Calling, executive, wife, mother, speaker, and author of Devotions for Working Women, Marcia Malzahn shares how God prepared her for every job she’s had, how her commitment to God and family resulted in blessings unimaginable, and how her passion for sharing her experience and knowledge with others permeates everything else she does.
If you have wondered about your mission, your calling, or your purpose in life, you probably have asked yourself the question, “Why am I here?” The Fire Within challenges you to dig deep to find your God-given gifts, develop them, and use them to fulfill your special purpose in life.
Doug Arndt, Hope Schroeppel, and Shelley Beaumont attended District Assembly
Doug, Hope, and Shelley spent Saturday morning, April 21, at the Rotary District 5950 District Assembly in Burnsville. The event was very well organized and attended by smiling Rotarians from all around the district.
There were 7 break out sessions to choose from, and a very moving and touching talk by speaker Maria Nhambu. Many great ideas were shared around the District's priorities and District Governor Elect, Irene Kelly challenged us to think about as we move to add more women and diverse members to our clubs and work towards Rotary's enhanced humanitarian focus on eliminating Human Trafficking in Minnesota:
1. How will YOU be the inspiration?
2. What limiting beliefs are keeping you from taking action?
Stay tuned for updates from Shelley for specific action items you can take as a member of WRC!
Tim Litfin joined Wayzata Rotary armed with goodies left over from Tour de Tonka 2018 to award to members and generate excitement for this year's event. Tim created the event 13 years ago and benefits the ICA Foodshelf. “Bicycle riders participate because Tour de Tonka is pure fun."
Some fun number facts that Tim shared with us:
24 cities are in the Tour de Tonka
8 routes
42 states send riders
100 mile route is highly desirable to riders
88 was the age of the oldest rider in 2017
108 agencies are collaborated with
616 Volunteers participated in 2017
11,954 was the amount of money spent of rest stop food
22,235 was the dollar amount invested in safety (state patrol, police, fire)
The event is always the first Saturday and August and promises to be a fantastic and fun community event. Several members will be participating this year! If you would like more details, click here.
Lonnie Dupre, Explorer - Guest Mark Cheeley - Host
Lonnie Dupre was born in 1961 and raised on a Minnesota country farm. He is descended on his mother’s side from Jacques Cartier, the French explorer and founder of Quebec. Lonnie currently lives in Grand Marais, enjoying woodworking and back country skiing in the Quetico/Boundary Waters Wilderness area. Accomplishments include:
* Completed the first west to east, 3,000 mile winter crossing of Canada’s famed Northwest Passage by dog team
*Achieved the first circumnavigation of Greenland, a 6,500 mile, all non-motorized journey by kayak and dog team
* Pulled sleds on skis from Canada to the North Pole twice achieving over 68 million impressions worldwide on issues surrounding climate change
* Accomplished the first solo winter ascent of Alaska’s Mount Denali (20,340ft.) in January
The game is starting to gain some traction and Becky Pierson had the chance to win $198 but drew the King of Spades. Bring your cash and let's get that pot growing!
Happy Bucks
Steve Droen chose to fine members this week. For those who have donated blood in the past the fine was $1.00. For those that have never donated blood, the fine was $2.00. We collected $44 in fines!
Sarah Qualy - Memorial Blood Centers - Guest Steve Droen - Host
Sarah, a proud Millennial, provided a lively presentation with loads of questions from members. Did you know blood cannot be synthesized? Did you know that collected blood goes through 17 different tests for safety before being approved for patient use? Did you know that plasma can only come from men because pregnancy causes the chemistry of blood to change after pregnancy?
Sarah told us some interesting pieces of information. For example, it costs $70-$80 for each unit of blood before they even see a hospital. Blood that is going to be used for patients must come from volunteer donors, not paid donors. People need to be virus free for 72 hours before donating blood and donors that are earning money for donating blood, tend to be less truthful with their health. For every 1 minute that passes, 30 people are in need of blood. It takes a body about 24 hours to regenerate the amount of blood donated, and platelets take 5 days to regenerate.
One question that generated some interest is how old is the normal repeat donor. She said aged 55+ and this is actually an area of concern as there is an age cap for donors and there are not enough younger people donating. Sarah is working on attracting younger people to donate. One cute idea she shared is "Brewery Drives" which is aimed at Millennial's - donate a pint of blood and get a voucher for a free beer at a local brewery.
She shared some advice on how to prepare to give blood. Make sure you are hydrated, have a big meal before donating, and take your iron. (Did you know Oreo's have the highest iron content of cookies?). She also suggested for those that pass out or are afraid to give blood to get an ambassador to take your place! This is a particularly good idea for those who are exempt from giving blood because they have lived or traveled in an area that has/had Mad Cow Disease. Because people cannot be tested for this until they are dead, there is no way to guarantee the safety of blood coming from people that have been exposed.
The overall message, please donate blood. It is your civic duty to help those in need!!
Due to a scheduling conflict, the Grants committee did not meet last week. They will be a meeting before the weekly rotary meeting this week, May 2, at 10:30 in the ball room review and award grant applicants. Kelly Sater will be hosting the meeting and you can email her with any questions or if you would like to receive a list of grant applications received to review.
President Elect, Hope Schroeppel Asks..."Why do you donate?"
Mark Lauffenburger shared why he gives. At first, he did because it was what the "club did." As time progressed, his thoughts evolved from doing a thing, to becoming grateful for what he has and now wants to give back. He shared that as a Rotary member, it makes him proud to share and know that Rotary is a very lean organization and 91% of donated funds that come in are given back to the communities. This is something to be proud of - we give, and we care.
Juan Nusatodo to Attend RYLA ( Rotary Youth Leadership Awards)
Juan, the Rotary exchange student from Argentina, reached out to WRC to ask for sponsorship to attend RYLA camp in Hudson, WI the last week of April. Juan is sponsored by the Plymouth Rotary and they were unable to help Juan with this request. Wayzata Rotary stepped in and is able to help Juan with this $375 investment.
'"For me. Is something that I would love to attend I thing is going to be a really good experience that will improve me as a person and as a leader" Juan Nusatodo
One of the goals of Rotary is to help young people develop their leadership abilities and self-confidence to the fullest. To accomplish that goal, Rotary clubs around the world prepare thousands of young leaders through RYLA programs each year.
Camp RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) is a five-day camp which strengthens leadership skills and capabilities of high school students through physical, mental, emotional, and intellectual challenges. There is an emphasis on problem solving, teamwork, and interaction with other outstanding students and volunteer counselors and presenters.
Who can attend?
About 100 high school students are selected each year from southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin by their local Rotary Clubs which pays the tuition for the camp experience.
What are the benefits?
At RYLA, students gain insight into:
Leadership basics
Communication
Problem solving and decision making
Conflict management and resolution
Personal strengths
Community and global citizenship
Steve Hance will be Juan's sponsor and upon finding out we could help him, Juan wrote; "I am so glad and happy to hear those good news. I am really really thankful for you help and your sponsor."
If you would like to know more about Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, click here.
Mike Allen, founder of My Very Own Bed, visited Wayzata Rotary and shared how his late father had an impact on his childhood and into adulthood around helping those less fortunate in the community. Originally named "Boom Boom" after his father's pet nick name reference, he renamed his start up "My Very Own Bed" and works tirelessly to help children who have recently been resettled into new housing after experiencing homelessness to get a bed to sleep in. Many families are not able to afford furnishing housing one in new housing and Mike wanted to focus on the kids. He firmly believes that getting a good night's sleep is critical to good emotional and physical growth for children. "Kids get bigger when they get better!"
The core values of his company: relationships first, get better before you get bigger, focus on excellence, and compassion and dignity for the families served. The agency charges $25 for delivery of a bed and "Dream Pack" so that the families have a sense of dignity in setting up their new spaces and the fee helps teach responsibility to the children. Mike delivers beds each Saturday and the agency has some terrific volunteer opportunities for the community to get involved.
Delivery Volunteer: This is a wonderful opportunity for families with kids, individuals, teams, youth groups and work groups to deliver beds and Dream kits. Volunteers assemble Dream Kits (pictured) and then deliver the beds to families. Time commitment is 2-3 hours.
Donation Drive Volunteer: Organize a donation drive. Collect sheets, blankets, and pillows with our donation collection boxes.
Blanket-Making Volunteer: Groups and individuals could make tie-blankets, quilts, or crochet blankets, and put together blankets for children.
This would be a fantastic Rotary volunteer opportunity. If you are interested in helping, see Shelley to let her know you are interested. She will help organize a volunteer event for the club. (See flyer below for the upcoming "Bed Race" on May 19.)
Did you know only that 1 in 3 people will need blood in their lifetime but only 1 in 10 donate? Hear the stories and facts about blood donation. Follow the path of a donation – collection, storage, and delivery. Learn ways to maximize a your donation.
Presenters: Sarah Qualy and Ixchel McKinnie
Sarah Qualy, Donor Recruitment Representative for the West Metro, has been with Memorial Blood Centers since 2017. After working with the United Way for some time, Sarah realized that blood was a currency that everyone has and as such, believes that blood donation creates an equitable opportunity for everyone in our community to do some good.
Ixchel McKinnie joined Memorial Blood Centers in 2017 with a focus on new sponsor recruitment. Her days are spent networking and informing and educating people about the process of sponsoring blood drives. Before and after work, she can be found on or near the Mississippi River, rowing.
Rotary Visits the Hennepin County 911 Dispatch Center
Rotarians were out in the community last week visiting the Hennepin County Emergency Dispatch Center. Teri Wold, Sergant - TAC, of the Hennepin County Sherrif's, Office was our host.
Teri shared a 20 minute presentation with us about the new building that houses the dispatch center. It is an extremely secure building with the dispatch area built to withstand an F5 tornado. The dispatch center covers 38 areas in the Twin Cities Metro area and has the ability to set of tornado sirens directly.
We were able to visit the floor and talk with dispatchers. All were amazed at the amount of activity each dispatcher is responsible for. Each desk had 8 large computer terminals stacked 4 x 2. Each screen has a different activity being monitored. Tornado sirens, telephone screen, radio channels, etc. The job is ideal for those who like to multitask!
In 2017 there were 247,713 emergency calls made. Of those, 32,972 were from a land line and 198,682 were from cell phones. Texting to 911 is now available and Teri did warn, if you "butt dial" 911 and hang up, they will dispatch a patrol to come and find you to be sure you are safe! We had many questions for Teri, and one which was really interesting is that they have a 24/7 language line that can be utilized so if someone does not speak English, they will still get help very quickly.
For anyone interested in the job itself, the dispatchers work 12 hour shifts in two rotations: 4 days on 3 off, then 4 days on 4 off. A High school diploma is required and dispatchers make between $20 and $40 an hour. This was a very successful field trip for the Rotary and we plan on visiting again next year!
Keynotes: Marilyn Carlson-Nelson on sex trafficking, Maria Pacheco on the power of Rotary making a difference, Mitty Chang on the future of Rotary.
Award "Oscars" program: like you've never seen it before
Rotary show: Ever fancied performing on-stage at the Guthrie? Here's your chance! Put your skills learned in "How to make the most of Rotary" to use ON STAGE at the Guthrie
Done in a Day: Just because the SuperBowl is over, doesn't mean the problem has gone away. Come and create care packages for victims of sex trafficking.
Friendship Hall: Come and meet the Youth Exchange students as they tell you about their countries, as well key Rotary initiatives and charities.
Fun.....friendship....tears.....laughter......SHOWTIME!! Click here to register.
District 5950 - District Conference - May 21, 2018
Please plan on parking in the employee lot in the back. The dispatch center will have the interior gate open and someone at the door to direct you to the meeting location. We will have boxed lunches from the Wayzata Country Club to enjoy before the tour, so do plan on having lunch.
President Elect, Kelly Sater Updates WRC on Current Donations
Kelly introduced our current rotary year fundraising thermometers and the goals for our club. For the current Rotary year, the goal is to raise $1,000 for Polio Plus and $8,000 for the general fund for Rotary International.
To date the club has raised $100 for Polio Plus and $1,705 for the general fund.
You can donate directly to Rotary International here, print the form below, or see Shelley at a meeting and she can log you into RI and get your donation taken care of at a meeting. WRC would like to reach 100% participation so if you can donate even $20, that counts towards participation.
Jean will share her journey of misdiagnosis and inspire you to live a more positive, purpose filled life! Jean Sharon Abbott was misdiagnosed as a young child with Spastic Dipligia, a form of Cerebral Palsy. After 33 years of countless doctors visits, medical procedures,unnecessary medications and surgeries, she was correctly diagnosed with Dopa Responsive Dystonia (DRD). Jean enjoys all the adventures of her new life, but wouldn't change the journey that brought her to where she is today. Her positive attitude is highly contagious as she encourages others to appreciate the little things in life. Jean's powerful story of perseverance no matter what life brings will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. Since her story appeared on the Today Show, Good Housekeeping, Yahoo!, and the U.K.'s "Daily Mail", an overwhelming number of people from around the world have contacted Jean to tell her how inspired they were by her journey from "wheels to heels".
While the Wayzata Country Club undergoes annual renovations and cleaning, the WRC is being treated to food by the beloved, "Muni." Jeff Dahl welcomed us to his world and we enjoyed our first lunch at City Hall and fantastic Chicken Oscar. Come this week and be treated to another fantastic meal and meeting!
Author, Sumi Mukherjee, shared with us how growing up in the suburbs of the Twin Cities as a "brown" child with a "different" name affected his childhood and eventually led to him suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. OCD is a very complicated mental "condition in which an individual is barraged by repeated, unwanted, intrusive thoughts that cause the sufferer to experience extreme anxiety. These thoughts often focus on issues that the individual views as terrifying threats to either their well-being or their self-image. "*
Sumi shared how bullying, in particular by "Michael," shaped his world. Ultimately, Sumi was able to confront Michael and come to peace with his tormentor, and he has found that sharing his stories through his books and speaking engagements, continues to help in his journey. Sumi has published three books:
1. A Life Interrupted: The Story of my Battle with Bullying and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
2. Father Figure: My Mission to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse
3. How to Stand up to Workplace Bullying and Take On an Unjust Employer
With a missed week here and there, the 50/50 game was back on track last week. This week's pot was $155 and Steve Droen and company, had the winning raffle ticket but did not draw a winning card The 2 of Clubs is now out of the game. Whew - we can carry on this week!
Happy Bucks
No Happy Bucks this week. Let's all be super happy this week and fill the room with happiness!!
Wayzata Mayor, Ken Wilcox, Discusses the State of the City Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Located at the Wayzata Country Club, the lunch discussion will be around the growth and development of Wayzata including the completion of the new parking structure and updates from The Lake Effect Conservancy. The discussion will be hosted by Mayor Ken Willcox and there will be an opportunity for questions and answers following the presentation.
Ross Bowen, an actuary, visited WRC and gave us an overview of how the MN State pensions are underfunded. Ross took us through how the investment plan that the State of MN has done is currently underfunded and that there is an $18 billion pension deficit.
The State of Minnesota sets optimistic investment returns of 8-8.5% which from his point of view is far to high and forces the state to invest in high risk investments. He also asserts that expecting high returns means that the state sets aside less money and contributes less, which could result in a severe shortage and inability to fund the pensions.
Ross became interested in this when he married a teacher and took an interest in the teacher's pension plans. If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to Ross!
Minnesota Gold features compelling stories told by fifty-seven Minnesota athletes participating in the Olympics, World Championships, and World Cups from 1948 – 2014. As they pursued their dreams and persevered to compete in the greatest international competitions, these diverse athletes represented their state with dignity and brought pride to sports fans in all regions of Minnesota.
Author Patrick “Packy” Mader presents an engaging and unique program as he shares the memorable conversations he had with these remarkable men and women who honored their sport, their state, and their country on the world stage over the last seven decades. Discover true Minnesota gold!
Shannon Full, TwinWest Chamber of Commerce Marty Schneider, Host
Shannon Full, President, Twin West Chamber of Commerce was our guest this week. Shannon was full on enthusiasm and advocacy energy for the Chamber. An interesting point that she shared with us is that the number 1 concern with businesses today is attracting and maintaining talent. With this concern, the Twin West Chamber focuses on this mission:
Prosper Together
Inspiring Communities
Investing in People
Promoting and Protecting Businesses
TwinWest’s members represent a variety of businesses and industries, ranging from national and internationally renowned corporations and manufacturers, to home-based businesses and companies involved in the service and professional sectors. They have a very comprehensive website and if you'd like to see more of what they do, please visit here.
Grant Recipients to Visit Wayzata Rotary Club Host: Kelly Sater
Bloom passionately strives to break the cycle of poverty at the start through nurturing care and an exceptional early learning program. We prepare young children for success in school and enable their parents to pursue educational and employment opportunities.
Interfaith Outreach embraces diversity and is committed to promoting an inclusive environment across all types of difference. Inclusionary relationships are core to our role as an employer, service provider, partner and community leader. We commit to engaging in respectful dialogue, courageous conversations and bold action in service of a community becoming its best.
Diversity includes differences of perspective and preference, sexual orientation, political affiliation, economic status, veteran status, national origin or culture, race, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, language, religious or non-religious background; physical, mental and developmental ability; and all other visible and non-visible differences.
Our mission: Provide adults and children with developmental disabilities the opportunity to live life to its fullest. In her memory, our volunteers, board members and families advocate for legislation to ensure the health and well-being of all people with developmental disabilities.
The mission of Top Dog Foundation is rescue, rehabilitate, and provide a loving and permanent home for dogs that are deemed “un-adoptable” because of age and health; that would otherwise be unnecessarily euthanized.
A special screening to support Wayzata Community Sailing & the Mike Plant Center
Jason Hunt shared with us that Wayzata Community Sailing and filmmaker Thomas Simmons are pleased to present two encore screenings of COYOTE the feature documentary that shares the inspiring true story of legendary American sailor and Deephaven native, Mike Plant. Come out and enjoy this award-winning film for a great cause! Coyote won three encore screenings, the people's choice award, and was a finalist for best documentary at the Twin Cities Film Fest. You won't want to miss this film!
** All proceeds from the event will go to support the Mike Plant Center **
Help Wayzata Community Sailing Launch a Legacyby helping it complete the new Mike Plant Center, to solidify lake and sailing access for all!
There will be a celebration of Mike Plant after the film for the new sailing center that will bear his name. To register for the screening or to donate to the Mike Plant Center, click here:
Jeff Dahlman, TC Kids in Need Resource Center Tyler Frederickson, Host
The mission of Twin Cities Kids In Need Resource Center is to ensure that every child is prepared to learn and succeed in the classroom by providing free school supplies to students most in need. Specifically they serve low income families by supporting their teachers with free school supplies available at the Teacher Store in Roseville. Learn more at www.tckinrc.org.
Todd Mueller, Author of Town Ball Parks of Minnesota
Angela Berhnardt, Host
Todd Mueller visited WRC and gave us an overview of his very charming book, Town Ball Parks of Minnesota. Todd shared how his love of baseball, and particularly baseball played in small rural towns, led him to writing this book. He has visited all the towns that have baseball fields and had a rather difficult time choosing which 27 fields to highlight in his book.
He also shared some fun facts:
* There are over 300 Minnesota baseball teams
* 15,000 people attend the annual baseball tournament * The diamond patterns on the field are a play on light reflections caused by a steel roller ball bending the blades of grass in a certain direction
If you missed this talk, his book is a lovely coffee table style and sells for $32.50, and would make a great gift!
The monthly WRC board meeting is this Wednesday, March 13 from 10:30 to 11:30. We will be meeting at the Wayzata Country Club in their board room on the second floor. All board meetings are open to members, so if you would like to attend, please do so!
Nancy McCoy, retired Reading Specialist from the Wayzata Public Schools, developed the Literacy Volunteer Program for the Wayzata Public Schools. Nancy shared some fascinating facts and studies to help WRC members understand the different types of literacy needed to be successful in today's world (Reading, Cultural, and Technological). Literacy today means the ability to read and write; and a competence or knowledge of a specific area.
She shared with us the current state of reading literacy in the district, where the achievement gap in reading begins, and some tips to help students improve their literacy. One of the most interesting facts from her presentation is where the word gap is when children enter school: Children from the "welfare" class tend to have been exposed to 13 million words; children from "working class" tend to have been exposed to 26 million words; and children from a "professional class" tend to have already been exposed to 45 million words!
Some tips she shared to ensure children are competent in reading involves positive feedback being given to children, reading 30 minutes a day outside of school, and parents reading to their children. Support of community organizations such as "Interfaith Outreach," "Great Expectations," and "PEAK-A-Family University" are great organizations that are always looking for volunteers.
Charlene Barghini and Colleen Wier shared an overview of the Wayzata Public Schools Literacy Volunteer Program.
Many have asked what committees we have and how they can become more involved in the Wayzata Rotary. I have put together the following sheet for you to print and reference. I've also updated the "Standing Committee" listing on Club Runner. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions, changes, or committee wishes!
Jennifer Fernjack gave us a very moving story about the power of positivity and how she used this power to manage her mindset after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. She was diagnosed after a routine eye exam indicated there was an issue with one of her eyes.
What she learned through this experience is if you change your perspective, you can change how your brain reacts. Jennifer shared photos of herself during different phases of her treatment and shared stories on how she managed each stage and new challenge using positive music, gratitude, and laughter.
She gave each of us a challenge: Do a random act of kindness. It increases your dopamine's and will make your mindset more positive. Next time you are in line getting a coffee, buy the coffee for someone behind you!
Angela bought samples of the honey her husband harvested and had submitted to the MN State Fair. While he didn't win a ribbon for the honey, Angela did win two red ribbons for her pictures of his bees. Congratulations Angela!
Jeff joined us for lunch and to let us know about the Plymouth Rotary annual fund raiser: Score Points for Kids, Education & Community Health, on Saturday, September 24, 2017.
Doug Arndt Getting Ready for the ATV Winner to be Read Out
This year marked the 9th annual Car Show that hosted beautiful and eclectic vehicles. Our local automotive businesses and many personal enthusiasts sponsored the Show to raise money for the community. New this year was a pancake breakfast with “flying” pancakes, and an ATV raffle give away. As a result of our show, pancake breakfast and ATV raffle, Wayzata Rotary will be able to increase our charitable giving. A huge thank you to all of the volunteers from Rotary and the community that helped to sell tickets and came out over the weekend to donate their time for this great event.
Put on your calendar December 5, 2018 for our annual Holiday Party and winter fundraiser. The planning began last week so stay tuned for more details and registration to open via Club Runner.
Please contact Darrell Leines for questions and if you have auction items to donate. Darrell@celpr.com
The Wayzata Rotary Club answered the call for a new Canoe Rack at the City of Wayzata Marina. Over 14 Rotarians pitched in last Tuesday night to install foundations and complete the landscaping for the canoe rack. When Andy Thielen asked everyone to bring a shovel and post hole digger, Bruce Lea super-sized the request brought his tractor - complete with bucket and post hole digger. After the work was completed all met at 6SSMITH for a social hour.
Dr. Olson visited with us and shared information on his visits to Tanzania and the lack of nutrition his team tries to help. One stark fact that stood out from his talk is that 42% of children under 5 years old has stunted growth. Below is an excerpt from the USAid website on the nutritional profile of Tanzenia:
"Stunting is attributed to a combination of factors including maternal malnutrition, inadequate infant feeding practices, low quality of health care and poor hygiene. Breastfeeding is widely practiced, but exclusive breastfeeding is not widespread, and complementary feeding practices are inadequate, with only 18 percent of young children having a minimum acceptable diet, which has a major impact on growth and development. The diet is based on cereals (maize and sorghum), starchy roots (cassava) and pulses (mainly beans). Consumption of micronutrient-dense foods such as animal products, fruits and vegetables is low; subsequently, micronutrient deficiencies are widespread, with more than half of children under five considered anemic. However, this is a major reduction from 2005, when 72 percent of children were anemic. There was a less dramatic decrease in anemia among women of reproductive age, which can be correlated with insufficient iron intake. Only 4 percent of women are taking adequate iron supplementation during pregnancy."
Dr. Olson, MD is a family physician who has practiced Family Medicine for nearly 35 years. He is an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Dr. Olson graduated from Augustana College and received his MD at Baylor College. Ken and his wife Birdie share a passion for Tanzania. He enjoys working "Shoulder to Shoulder" with the Tanzanian clinicians at the Ilula District near Iringa.
The City needs men, women and high school student volunteers to plant trees, shrubs and perennials on Saturday September 30 from 9:00-1:00 at the interchange at Gleason Lake and Highway 12.
The volunteers will be embarking on a major effort (in conjunction with the Public Works Department and MNDOT's Community Roadside Landscape Partnership) to beautify and improve the Gateway entrances to our City.
This is Phase One of a multiple phase beautification program and volunteer support is vital.
This is a great end of the summer project! Please contact Lynn McCarthy at volunteers@wayzata.org to sign up.
Many thanks for your continued support of our City.
Kari Groth Swan visited the Wayzata Rotary as a past Rotary Education recipient and shared her love of working in Education.
Kari is the Executive Director for the Orono Foundation For Education, which contributes to preserving and enhancing the quality of education at the Orono public schools. It has become very common now for public school districts to raise private funds to help support the district in providing quality education to all students.
They have three buckets of funds they raise money for: Annual (Salaries, curriculum, and supplies), Endowment (long term strategic planning) , and Excellence (specific designated areas).
For more information on the foundation please visit their website.
September 4, 2017: We still have tickets available to sell. If you have not turned in your money to Shelley, please do so this week or mail your check to the Rotary Office so we can get the funds into the bank. We need to pay for the ATV!
Doug Arndt handed out raffle tickets to members and asked that each member sell at least 10 tickets for the ATV drawing and get the funds to Shelley by August 30. Tickets are $20 each.
We will have a Gianni's gift certificate for the member who sells the most tickets. Andy Thielen was the first member to ask for additional tickets!!
September 4, 2017: There will be a meeting before the September 6 Rotary meeting at 11:00 am. Jim Larson will have the Pancake Breakfast Tickets. We will be selling them for $6.00 each. You can buy ahead of time, or at the Rotary Booth.
Volunteers are needed on Saturday from 10-1 to help with the Pancake Breakfast. Please let James, Doug, or Kelly Sater know if you can volunteer.
_________________________________________________
The Wayzata Rotary Club is in need of 20 volunteers to help on Sunday, September 10. Help is needed for the pancake breakfast, checking in cars, and to sell lottery tickets at the event. Each shift will last for 2 hours and will count as a "make up" for any missed meetings members may have.
Annual Be Pink Breast Cancer Breakfast Thursday, September 28, 2017, 7:00 am - 8:45 am
Park Nicollet Foundation
Join us for a special morning of breast cancer awareness that brings the community together to support and celebrate the Jane Brattain Breast Center. The morning features great food, inspiring speakers and back by popular demand, the Pink Box Sale!
Be Pink Breakfast is sponsored by Schuler Shoes so 100% of proceeds can go directly to programs to help local women in need.
To sign up, visit here: Lynn Groll will also be sending out an email!
As we approach the Labor Day weekend and enjoy the last bits of summer, I thought it appropriate to let Rotarians in our District know of the efforts being made through Rotary to assist those displaced and at risk due to Hurricane Harvey. Typically, Rotary does not act as a first responder to an emergency so those who are looking to make an immediate contribution should consider first responder organizations like the American Red Cross or Shelter Box. Greg Krauska from Chanhassen Rotary is our ShelterBox liaison and will be providing details on how your donations to ShelterBox can be designated for the hurricane's victims.
In addition, the Rotary Foundation has established a donor advised fund for contributions. If you would like to help thought TRF please go to the following link: https://www.rotary.org/en/rotary-districts-collect-emergency-funds-hurricane-harvey-victims. The Name of the DAF (Donor Advised Fund) is The Gulf Coast Disaster Relief Donor Advised Fund and a flyer is attached to this email for further description.
Finally at our District level we have decided to wait for the emergency phase to pass and then consider joining with other Rotary Clubs and Districts in more traditional Rotary-style projects once the Rotary Districts in those affected areas can identify their most worthwhile projects. We will keep you apprised of any developments in that regard.
If you are moved to donate now while the emergency phase is still in full swing, please do so generously. I hope that once the emergency phase passes and the hard work of rebuilding begins, that we can count on you to contribute to whatever projects the clubs in our District find worthwhile to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey.
Kenneth P. Olson, MD is an Adjunct Professor for the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Minnesota. He travels to Tanzania each year with a groups of medical/nursing/pharmacy students from the University of Minnesota and will talk about Healthcare Programs he is involved with.
Barry Rassin, of the Rotary Club of East Nassau, Bahamas
RI President, Ian Riseley, shared the news of the President-Elect selected in light of the passing of Sam Owori.
The 2017-18 nominating committee for President of Rotary International has selected a new president-elect to replace the late Sam Owori. The selection process took place on 8 August, and our new president-elect will be confirmed by me on 1 September if there are no challenges to the selection.
Please join me in congratulating Barry Rassin, of the Rotary Club of East Nassau, Bahamas. He is a consultant to the Doctors Hospital Health System in the Bahamas. He has served as chair of Project Read Bahamas, chair of the Quality Council of the Bahamas, and vice chair of Safe Bahamas. Barry has been a dedicated Rotarian for 37 years, and we served together on the Board of Directors in 2006/08. His vision for Rotary’s future is motivating and inspiring, and I have no doubt that he will lead us well in the 2018-19 Rotary year.
Although we did not get the opportunity to see Sam take on the role of president, his spirit and memory live on through our commitment to serving our local and global communities.
Charlie Leonard, Blue Water Theater Company Adam Thompson, Host
Charlie visited us last week and gave us an overview of the Blue Water Theater Company. This non-profit organization has recently purchased and moved into the Unitarian Universalist Church of Minnetonka (UUCM) at 605 Rice Street East in downtown Wayzata.
The mission of Blue Water Theatre Company’s is to create a theatre community for young people through meaningful and transformative experiences. They offer children's classes and scholarships.
Charlie is very excited to be an integral part of the community and hopes that everyone will come and see one of the productions. For more details, please visit their website and have a look at the fantastic work they are doing!
Rotarian, Jeff Dahl, Participates in Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Jeff Dahl participated in the grand opening of the Mill Street Parking ramp in downtown Wayzata. If you were not able to make the grand opening ceremony on August 10, you can click here for more information and pictures of the grand opening.
Jenny Hansen, a Gopher gymnast from 2000-2003 and a former volunteer assistant coach, finished her third season at the helm for the Gopher women's gymnastics program in 2017.
Under her tenure, the Gophers advanced to the 2016 NCAA Championships as a full team - the first time since 2013. Hansen was named the 2016 Big Ten Coach of the Year as the team finished with a 9-0 Big Ten record, a feat the program has never done. The Maroon and Gold also were named the Big Ten Regular-Season Champions. In her time with the Gophers as a full-time coach since 2007, Minnesota has gone 167-102-3 and has been selected for an NCAA Regional every season.
The 2017 season boasted the largest team in program history with 18 gymnasts, including nine returners and nine newcomers. 11 new routines were included in lineups at the Big Ten Championships and nearly half of the routines were from first time competitors.
During the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Minnesota repeated as the Big Ten regular season champions and achieved its highest national finish ever, placing eighth. Hansen has coached Big Ten individual champions Carmelina Carabajal and Lindsay Mable and helped lead Mable and Hanna Nordquist achieve All-American status. Mable also earned a place at the NCAA Qualifier, was named Big Ten Gymnast of the Year in 2015 and 2016, Big Ten Champion on floor exercise and vault, NCAA Regional Champion, regular season All-American, North Central Gymnast of the year and was a Honda Award Nominee.
Hansen spent the 2006 season as an assistant coach at the University of Illinois before returning to the Minnesota program. At Illinois, Hansen primarily dealt with the floor exercise, music selection compilation and choreography. In addition to coaching the floor exercise competitors, she also played an important role in on-campus recruiting and alumni relations. Illinois recorded a record of 11-12 in 2006, and finished seventh at the Big Ten Championship with a team score of 192.500. At the NCAA South Central Region Championship, Illinois came in fourth with a score of 193.125, and finished the season with a No. 25 national ranking.
As a volunteer assistant coach in 2005, Hansen helped coach the Golden Gophers to a third-place showing at the Big Ten Championships, which was the team's highest finish at the conference championships since 2002. As a student assistant coach in 2004, she helped lead Minnesota to record-breaking performances, including the program's best team score, a 197.700, and the best uneven bars and balance beam scores in team history.
As a gymnast, Hansen competed as a Golden Gopher from 2000-2003. In 2003, she finished fifth in the vault at the NCAA Regional Championships with a career-best score of 9.850. At the completion of her career, she ranked third on Minnesota's all-time top performers list on the balance beam (9.925), was tied for seventh on the floor exercise list (9.925), and was tied for ninth all-time on the vault (9.850).
Hansen, a native of Ripon, Wis., served as a team captain in her senior season with the Maroon and Gold. She was a four-year letter winner and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. She completed her bachelor's degree in kinesiology in at the University of Minnesota in May of 2004.
Hansen, her husband Justin and two sons reside in Rosemount, Minnesota.
August 16: "Wine and Wellness:" An Exhibitor Happy Hour Featuring healthy living and lifestyles, hosted by the Women in Business. For more details click here.
August 24: Back to School Backpack Drive: NOW through August 19 the Chamber we will be collecting donations to provide Back to School Supply Kits for kids in need in our local school districts in conjunction with Interfaith Outreach. For more details on how you can participate, click here.
Wayzata Chamber and Rotary Celebrate "Night to Unite"
If you didn't come to the annual meeting with the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce, you missed a great meeting! We had many officials from the city with us, including members of the police and fire departments, the- Wayzata Crime Prevention Coalition, the Mayors of Wayzata and Long Lake, and many other visiting dignitaries.
The highlight of the meeting was hearing stories from Lt. Mike Murphy, of the Wayzata Police Department. The crimes in Minnesota and nationally range from property and mail theft, the opioid crisis, credit card thefts, sex crimes, and financial crimes. Lt. Murphy shared real life stories of criminals and acts they were involved in. One of the most surprising crimes was check thefts from mailboxes. Be sure to ask a member who attended at the next meeting about that nationwide problem!
Thank you to Wayzata Country Club for a great lunch!
Charlie Leonard founded Blue Water Theatre Company in August of 2007, following four years of teaching and directing in the Wayzata school district. He is a 1996 graduate of Wayzata High School and 2000 graduate of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Leonard has directed nearly fifty productions since 2003 for Blue Water Theatre Company, Plymouth Middle School, Wayzata West Middle School, Hopkins North Junior High School, and the Wayzata Summer Youth Theatre.
Wayzata Rotary was glad to provide some volunteer services to help deliver wheelchairs to people in desperate need of them around the world. General Bob Shadley let the charge in organizing helping this year.
Throughout the U.S., Hope Haven receives donations of new and used wheelchairs, parts, raw materials, financial support, and more. These efforts, combined with help from volunteers and inmates, have resulted in shipping an average of 6,000 wheelchairs annually!
Our volunteers helped with loading up wheelchairs to be delivered to Iowa.
Age 81 of Wayzata, passed away on August 3, 2017, preceded in death by her parents, William and Rose Kurtock of Lincoln, IL. Ellie was a flight attendant for Trans World Airlines and was one of ten ultimate survivors of the crash of TWA flight 128 upon approach to the Cincinnati, OH airport the evening of November 20, 1967. Her heroic actions on that night saved lives. She attended Bradley University and Southern Illinois University. Ellie is survived by her loving husband, retired U.S. Army major general Robert D. Shadley, and two step daughters, Constance (Stacy) McDonald of Louisville, KY and Jennifer (Jenny) Shadley of Portland, OR. She served this great Nation with distinction alongside her husband as a command team taking care of soldiers and their families in peace and war. A well read lady with a big heart who loved people and her beloved dogs over the years -- Coco, Little Bit, Remington, Sailor and Abby.
A celebration of life will be held Wednesday, August 9, 2017 from 5 to 8 pm at the Wayzata Country Club, 200 Wayzata Boulevard West. In lieu of flowers, please make memorial contributions to the Bob and Ellie Shadley Scholarship Endowment (013458). Send contributions to Mr. Jerry Alberts, Director of Development, School of Industrial Engineering, Purdue University, Grissom Hall, Room 182, 315 North Grant Street, West
NOTE WE ARE MEETING ON TUESDAY WITH THE WAYZATA CHAMBER
Neighborhoods across Wayzata have been gathering to celebrate Night to Unite for more than 30 years. Wayzata's Night to Unite kicks off at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 6, 2019 with the annual Night to Unite Luncheon at the Wayzata Country Club. This is a joint luncheon with the Wayzata Crime Prevention Coalition, the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce and the Wayzata Rotary. Wayzata Police Chief Mike Risvold will provide an inside look at the department and highlight some of the most significant, and sometimes “bizarre,” cases investigated within the past year.
Members of Wayzata Rotary got together on a beautiful summer evening to cheer on the St. Paul Saints. "Walzer Wednesday" is a fun evening to attend as CHG hosts a picnic before the opening pitch.
The weather was spectacular for an evening of socializing and baseball.
This year we are trying to help a student arriving from Taiwan in August. If you can help, or know of any families that would be interested, please let Shelley know. We will get more details about the student and update!
A reminder, we also need a new lead to coordinate exchange student help. Steve Hance is stepping down and this is a very rewarding and important volunteer position within the club. Please consider stepping into this role!
September 15, 2017 - District 5950 Meeting Overview
Kelly Sater attended this year's meeting and has this report for us. Thank you Kelly!
This year’s focus at the Rotary Summit was on increasing female membership in Rotary. Through presenters and small group discussion, ideas were generated on how to accomplish that goal for each club. The members who attended from Wayzata Rotary took careful notes and hope to work with the board and other members to begin implementing these initiatives here in order to grow and diversify our group.
Are you a person with leadership skills? Do you share your ideas in your Rotary Club? Are you a person of action? Then you should come to your District's One Rotary Summit. You will learn how membership, public image, humanitarian service and supporting your Rotary Foundation work together in Making a Difference in your local community.
You will meet fellow D5950 Rotarians who have similar interests in being a "Person of Action" -- which is an exciting phrase to use in sharing about your Rotary efforts. You will take home ideas that have worked or will be worthy of trying in this and in future years. Don't miss this event. There will be breakfast, lunch and beverages to fuel you to be fired up!
One of the Wayzata Rotary Club's original members, Robert Doen, passed away on July 11, 2017 . Bob was very active in our club from the 1960's through 1980s. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this sad time. For details on services and to read his obituary, please visit here:
We also received word that RI President, Ian Riseley, shared the sad news that President-elect of Rotary International, Sam F. Owori, died last week as a result of post-operative complications from a planned surgery.
His request was that all Rotarians keep his wife, Norah, the Owori family, and Sam’s millions of friends around the world in your thoughts. While I had the good fortune to meet Sam only briefly, it was obvious that he was a man of great caring. He would have been RI president during my term as District Governor in 2018-2019 and if you are a President-elect, during your term as president of your club.
A Sam F. Owori Memorial to Polio has been established in his honor since Sam was committed to Rotary’s polio eradication efforts. He was a member of both the Africa Regional PolioPlus Committee and the International PolioPlus Committee as well as MANY other Rotary efforts. Online contributions can be made to the fund here.
It has been a lovely summer here in Minnesota and it is great to see our Rotary members get together outside of meetings! Thanks Tom and Lynn for organizing the event.
Did you know Marty joined the club in 1988? Did you know he was a hobby farmer? Did you know he also lived in Mexico as a child for 12 years? Well, if you missed the meeting, you know these fun facts now!
Marty hosted three guests from Hennepin County, Kristy Morter, Project Manager, Paul Backer, Sr. Construction Manager, and Nick Kim, Communications Manager. Kristy gave us an overview of the Wayzata Boulevard Construction project. This a 4-phase project and the goal is the completely reconstruct this stretch of road to include utility replacement, create autoways under roads, improve lake views, and access to residential and business areas. If you would like more info on this project, you can visit here.
Roxanna Gapstur, President - Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital
Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, Minnesota is renowned for high quality patient care, medical expertise and disease management. Recognized as an area leader in cancer, cardiovascular and maternity care and neurorehabilitation medicine, our team of experts is highly trained to provide personalized care and treatment for you and your family.
Doug shared the sad news that former member, Mike Paxton, is suffering from bleeding on the brain and is being cared for at Abbott Northwestern. A CaringBridge has been set up for Mike.
Kristy Morter, Hennepin County Project Manager, will talk about the County Road 112 and Wayzata Blvd Road Project in Long Lake and Orono.
Kristy has over 15 years of engineering experience managing, designing, and coordinating a wide variety of municipal and highway projects. Her project experience covers many aspects of transportation design, plan preparation, and construction coordination.
Angela Berhnardt hosted Bob Showers, local author and sports lover. Bob shared his history, love of the hockey and baseball. Bob recently published his third book, "Twins at the Met" and gave us some fun history on how he scoured the filing cabinets of the Twins looking for interesting pictures, shared stories on how interviews were shaped from looking at pictures, and shared some "behind the scenes" stories of how the Twins used secrets of the Dome to their advantage.
If you would like to purchase a signed copy of his book, please visit: http://itascabooks.com
Roxanna Gapstur is CEO of Methodist Hospital, joining Park Nicollet in 2006. In addition to her hospital role, she is also the Senior Vice President of hospice, homecare and geriatrics for Health Partners amd has previously served as Chief Nursing Officer. Her leadership has been recognized within the health care community, being named a Top 35 Women in Healthcare Leader Award by Minnesota Women’s Health Leadership Trust in 2014.
Gapstur received her undergraduate nursing degree from St. Catherine’s University, and holds a Master’s Degree in Nursing. She received her PhD with a focus in Epidemiology from the University of Minnesota.
Angela Bernhardt, hosts Bob Showers, who has been a Twins fan since attending his first game at Metropolitan Stadium in 1971. Originally from Waterloo, Iowa, Showers is a long time resident of Bloomington, Minnesota. His previous books are "Minnesota North Stars: History and Memories with Lou Nanne" and "The Twins at the Met."
Host: Becky Pierson Guest: Tim Shore - Shore Boards
Becky Pierson, decked out in her Wayzata Wednesday gear, hosted local artist, Tim Shore. Tim talked to us about his hand crafted wooden paddle boards that he started making in his garage in 2013. HIs first board, made for his wife Jen, sparked a fire inside of him to create a business making hand crafted, individualized boards. These gorgeous boards are crafted out of Cedar, Paulownia, and Aspen.
Tim had a booth at the Art Experience Weekend in Wayzata and showed 6 boards. He will soon be expanding his business into making skateboards and longboards. If you would like more information on his business, please visit his website http://www.shore-boards.com/
Our speaker this week is Tim Shore, who is the Featured Artist for the upcoming Wayzata Art Experience (WAE) on June 24th and 25th. Tom is the owner/artist for Shore Boards. For more information on Tim, visit his website http://wayzataartexperience.com/featured-artist/
Sally Abrams gave us a lovely speech about an aspect of Israel that most people don't think about when asked; "What picture comes to mind?" - Humanitarians.
Israel has three groups that provide a wide range of humanitarian help.
1. ISRA Aid: A organization that travels globally to provide extreme crisis help. They have been in Nepal, Haiti, and the USA. They have most recently been in Greece meeting the rafts full of refugees fleeing terror.
2. Arab Bone Marrow Registry: This registry is located in Jerusalem and is the only bone marrow registry for Arabs in the world. It was created in the Jewish state of Israel so they could take of their own Arab population and have opened it to all Arabs worldwide.
3. Syrian Border: They have a field hospital with soldiers on the Syrian/Israeli border. Soldiers are there to help refugees who have been hurt and need medical assistance. She shared with us a story about a young girl who was injured and subsequently diagnosed with Leukemia. The hospital ensured she received the treatment she needed before releasing her. Sally left us with a bit of ancient Jewish wisdom:
"It is not up to you to finish the task, but you are not free to avoid it."
June 6 was Maureen Mara's last official meeting as our Club Administrator. We will miss her and wish her luck with J Carver Distillery.
If you were unable to attend last week's meeting, we circulated a book for everyone to sign. Shelley will have it next week's meeting available for anyone who would like to add a personal note to the book. Maureen would really appreciate it and will miss everyone! She also hopes to see folks at the distillery and will be sure to come back for a visit. http://www.jcarverdistillery.com/home
Tim Mulcrone, District 5150's Polio Chair, was our guest this week. He has been our District Chair for 5 years, and shared some great stories about his personal history with Polio in his family, and about the success of vaccinating. This year there have only been 5 cases reported worldwide versus 16 reported last year. Did you know that Rotary has become the number one organization in the world in working to eradicate Polio? This is something you, as a Rotarian, should be very proud of!
Before the meeting, Wayzata Rotary has already raised $895 in donations this year to end polio. A big shout out of "thanks!" to Charlie Marvin, Norrie Thomas and a donor who wishes to remain anonymous for "Rising Up" after Tim’s talk and pledging an additional $250 each to Polio Plus.
If you would like to donate, you may contribute online at https://www.rotary.org/ and select the Polio Plus Fund. All donations count towards your Paul Harris award which recognizes Rotarians each time they reach $1000 total in contributions.
Our final meeting with Angela Bernhardt, as our club President, was full of "thank-you's" and applause. Angela thanked the board members for attending the monthly board meetings, trying to teach her "Roberts Rules of Order," being great partners in this work, and presented them with a Rotary coin.
Pictured: Bruce Lea, Jim Houg, Mark Lauffenburger, Ben Hovland, Steve Hance, Angela Berhnardt, Doug Arndt, Chris Pierson, Tom Vettel, Hope Schroeppel.
THE POT REACHED $2,000 AND IS STILL GROWING! Hope Schroeppel pulled the 5 of Club and did not in the pot. This week's drawing should be pretty exciting, so bring your cash! Remember, proceeds go to our community grants and scholarships.
The pot is STILL growing and is at a temporary stop of $1,700! Mike Lee had last week's raffle ticket but did not in the pot. The excitement will continue this week so don't forget your cash! Remember, proceeds go to our community grants and scholarships.
The Wayzata waterfront is in need of another community canoe rack, and WRC has stepped up to fill the need. The project is scheduled for Monday, May 15 and Tuesday, May 16 at 6:00 pm. A sign-up sheet will be at the meeting or you can contact Andy Thielen (andyt@craneengineering.com). A post-event social will be at 6SMITH.
April-June invoices were mailed last week. f you did not receive yours, please contact Maureen Mara (maureenmarawayzata@gmail.com). Thank you for your prompt payment (no later than May 31st, please).
Speaker Megan Remark, President & CEO Regions Hospital
Host Tim Westermeyer
Ms Remark plans to talk about the state of healthcare—from the responsibility of healthcare organizations to improve the health of the community to some thoughts about state and federal policy.
Wheelchair Project: All interested in working on the wheelchair project (or just learning about it) please come to the WCC ballroom this Wednesday, May 3rd, at 11:00am. Questions, ask Bob Shadley: rdshadley@comcast.net
Grants Committee is also meeting at 11:00am this Wednesday to review the spring grant requests. Doug Arndt leads this group: dougarndt1@gmail.com
Wheelchair Project and Grants Committee Meeting Wednesday
This past week's guest speaker is a Congolese activist who promotes the rights of those with disabilities and champions women's voices in Africa. A childhood polio survivor who cannot walk without assistance, Neema was not satisfied with the life her disability destined for her. She had no right to education or a job, and no right to healthcare therapies that would help her improve her situation. Neema credits her mother for supplying the strength and support she needed to recreate the paradigm, first for herself and then for others. Neema began by creating a weekly radio show advocating for the disabled, going on to become the first woman to graduate from college in Congo. She now promotes women's voices of peace through her GO telecommunications network, and by teaching women digital literacy. This is a critical game-changer in the Congo, where traditionally only men are allowed to lead or even to gather in groups. She thinks of herself as "a simple instrument who has created a movement" by using her voice to teach women to stand up and speak for themselves. She trains girls to become leaders for peace through her her Maman Shujaa media center and her Hero Women Rising project (click here for more info). For her work, Neema has been recognized and sponsored by the Nobel Women's Initiative (read more).
Thank you Neema and Kelly for an inspiring and informational program!
The pot is STILL growing! Walt Gislason had the ticket...but luck was not on his side and he drew the 8 of spades. That means the pot is still available and is approaching $1500. Don't forget your cash! Remember, proceeds go to our community grants and scholarships.
Happy Bucks
Mike Lee shared fond memories of guest Jerry Jensen's coaching exploits.
Tim Westermeyer provided a happy update about daughter Sarah's back surgery. Doing well!
Jim Hartfiel is looking forward to enjoying daughter Margaret's Wake Forest graduation from the Presidential box.
Kelly Sater was thrilled to have become an aunt last Saturday, and that her mom is doing well post-surgery.
The pot is STILL growing! Ben Hovland had the chance to take home the cash...but luck was not on his side and he drew a 6. That means the pot is still available and is over $1400. Don't forget your cash! Remember, proceeds go to our community grants and scholarships.
Happy Bucks
Angela is grateful for host Cliff Otten and Otten Brothers Nursery and Landscaping, where they've got some great spring planting specials going on.
This past week's guest speaker is an adventurous man who recently participated in a once in a lifetime experience: Glen joined a group of tourists exploring Tibet on motorcycles, eventually reaching base camp on Mt. Everest. Glen's ride took him through the craggy roads and villages of this mountainous and beautiful country. Along the way he explored Buddhist monestaries, stayed in guest houses, met and conversed with Tibetans, and immersed himself in the beauty of the land. Glen found the people and Buddhism very interesting, and was struck by the harshness of Chinese rule there. Wayzata Rotary members were treated to beautiful photography and anecdotes of his travels.
Neema Namadamu is a visionary game changer and an amazing leader for women, girls, and for people with disabilities. She herself is a survivor of polio and was the first woman with a disability to ever go to college in all of DRC. Women Thrive Worldwide named her as 1 of 14 Fierce Women’s Rights Advocates To Watch In 2014. In a Huffington Post article, peace activist John Dear said, “She ranks with Leymah Gbowee, the Nobel laureate from Liberia and Mairead Maguire, the Nobel laureate from Belfast – two of our greatest living peacemakers.”
Bob Shadley had the chance to take home the cash...but luck was not on her side and he drew the 6 of Diamonds. That means the pot is still available and is nearing $1400. Don't forget your cash! Remember, proceeds go to our community grants and scholarships.
Happy Bucks
Lynn Groll is happy to be back at Wayzata Rotary after a several month hiatus. Lynn has joined Fazendin Realtors and has been training in recent weeks for her new career. She gives credit to Rotary for making the connection that allowed this new dream job to become a reality.
Andy Fazendin was equally thrilled to have Lynn on the Fazendin team.
Glen Neddermeyer will present tales from his adventure of a lifetime--a motorcycle trip to the base camp of Mt. Everest in Tibet. Glen is the owner of KMH Erectors in Maple Plain. KMH Erectors is a commercial construction steel erection company. He is a life-long resident of Long Lake who loves adventures.
Wayzata Rotary members and Host Hope Schroeppel welcomed Beth Kantor and her service dog to last week's meeting. Beth is a busy mother of four, a pediatric nurse, and now a volunteer for Can Do Canines. One of the frustrating symptoms of Beth's Multiple Sclerosis is extreme fatigue, and she uses Dazzle's skills to complete tasks, helping Beth conserve her energy for her family and job. Dazzle can fetch household items, choose items from the refrigerator, pick up tiny objects and much more, as demonstrated last week by Beth and Dazzle. Can Do Canines is the Twin Cities' largest trainer of service dogs. They train and provide dogs for a wide range of clients: diabetes patients use the dogs to detect low blood sugar and protect from harm, mobility dogs provide "arms and legs" to those who have difficulty with movement, seizure assistance dogs predict seizures and get their owners to a safe place, hearing-assist dogs can even be trained to use the phone, autism-assist dogs calm their clients and are often tethered to them to prevent wandering, and prisoner assist dogs teach social and responsibility skills. Waiting lists for the more highly trained dogs can be long, even up to several years. Can Do Canines accepts volunteers in their puppy care program and in their office, while training a dog is a 2+ year commitment. Can Do accepts dogs of any breed, and 35% of their dogs come from area rescue organizations.
Thank you Beth and Hope for an informative and fun program!
Wayzata Rotarians have been challenged to donate a minimum of $1/day to The Rotary Foundation (TRF). TRF has been designated one the most efficient and effective charities in the world by Charity Navigator. Our local donations come back to us 3.5X in the form of grants available to fund projects like our Dominican Dental Clinic. All donations to the TRF general fund count towards becoming a Paul Harris Fellow.
At last week's meeting Andy Thielen challenged members to match his donation, raising almost $4000 in TRF pledges. For more information contact Mark Lauffenburger at mlauffenburger@bellbanks.com. Click here to donate online or see Mark or Maureen for a donation form.
All Area 5 Rotarians and guests are invited to a speaker luncheon on April 20 to hear Senator Amy Klobuchar on Human Trafficking. The event will be held at the DoubleTree Hotel on Park Place beginning 11am. Cost is $28. For more information and registration click here.
Over the past few years, WRC members have asked for more hands on volunteer opportunities. Last fall, Angela and Community Service Chairs Michal Rye and Lynn Vettel recommended several idea to provide additional hands on volunteer opportunities. We added the Volunteer Corner to the newsletter and created quarterly hands-on volunteer opportunities as follows –
December – set up/take down, etc. for our Holiday Party
February – Chilly Open hole sponsor
May/June – volunteer in Wayzata
September – JJ Hill Classic Car event
At last week's meeting Lynn presented a choice of 3 opportunities to help the City of Wayzata this spring:
Cargill/Great River Greening Planting along Bushaway Road on April 22nd. 1000 trees and 1000 perennials will be planted as part of the Bushaway/Highway 101 reconstruction. Preregistration is required, so sign up today: http://greatrivergreening.org/vol-events/
The Wayzata Dig it Day – May 20 from 8:15am – 11:30am. Volunteers meet at City Hall. They receive an overview and instructions for the day and then are disbursed on Lake Street and throughout Wayzata to plant the annuals and perennials in the Wayzata Gardens. The Wayzata Public Works has tilled the soil, so volunteers just plant the flowers and plants.
Pull Garlic Mustard in the Big Woods – Wayzata is looking for groups to pull Garlic Mustard in the Big Woods. We can do this on any day of the week that works for us. A volunteer supervisor is with the group the entire time. They will also instruct us on how to identify the garlic mustard and how to remove it.
There was some interest in both the Dig It Day and the Garlic Mustard project as group projects, with some additional members already planning to help out with the Bushaway Road event as individuals. Please provide your thoughts and input to Lynn at lvettel@iocp.org. Many thanks!
Walt Gislason brought us an exceptional program this past week. Larry Tillemans is believed to be the last living clerk-typist from the Nuremberg Trials. Originally from Minneota, Larry was a signal corps sergeant in the U.S. 3rd Army when he was chosen to help document the testimony of victims and perpetrators of the Holocaust at the infamous Nuremburg War Trials. The cold, remorseless testimony of the world's worst war criminals deeply affected the young Midwesterner. After years of carrying this emotional burden, Larry decided to share his experiences with as many people as possible, a tireless effort that brought one man's voice to a world that sometimes struggles to remember the lessons of the past. His story is featured in "The Typist," an Emmy Award winning documentary which can be seen often on public television, and here: https://vimeo.com/90483538. Larry shared portions of the documentary and his own memories of hearing for the first time the horrors that had been perpetrated by the Nazis in the death camps of Eastern Europe. Larry encouraged us to "always remember, never forget" and to pass on the horrible lessons of World War II. General Bob Shadley thanked Larry for his exceptional service and "is proud to cal him a fellow soldier." Thank you Larry Tilleman and Walt Gislason.
Jim Hartfiel had the chance to draw a card, but once again there was no winner. The pot has now grown to a whopping $1292 plus this week's ticket sales. Remember, half of the proceeds go to our community grants and scholarships and the other half goes to the winner. Bring your cash!
Can Do Canines is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for people with disabilities by creating mutually beneficial partnerships with specially trained dogs. Beth Kantor and her Mobility Assist smooth coat Collie "Dazzle" will talk about the organization.
Since 1989, Can Do Canines has provided assistance dogs to people with disabilities, free of charge. The fully-trained dogs, often adopted from local animal shelters, are provided to clients with mobility challenges, hearing loss or deafness, seizure disorders, diabetes complicated by hypoglycemia unawareness or children with autism. Can Do Canines is the largest provider of assistance dogs in Minnesota and relies on individual contributions to support its important work. It costs on average $25,000 to train and place an assistance dog. A defining characteristic of Can Do Canines is its commitment to find new ways for assistance dogs to help individuals with disabilities. The organization’s leadership in ‘thinking outside the box’ can be seen through a variety of innovations. Can Do Canines pioneered the training of assistance dogs to detect low glucose levels for people with type I diabetes and Can Do Canines was one of the first organizations in the country to train a Seizure Assist Dog to interact with a Vagus Nerve Stimulator (VNS), a device implanted in the chest of an individual to help control seizures.
Larry Tillemans is believed to be the last living clerk-typist from the Nuremberg Trials. As a sergeant in the U.S. 3rd Army, it was Larry's duty to document the testimony of victims and perpetrators of the Holocaust, information that deeply affected the young Midwesterner. After years of carrying this emotional burden, Larry decided to share his experiences with as many people as possible, a tireless effort that brought one man's voice to a world that sometimes struggles to remember the lessons of the past. His story is featured in "The Typist" which can be seen often on public television, and here: https://vimeo.com/90483538 Larry will show a portion of the film, and discuss his experience of being a participant and eyewitness to history.
Member Cliff Otten is featured in a terrific article in the April Issue of Wayzata Life Magazine. Cliff talks about his Rotary adventures,as well as the Motorsports Show. Click Here for photos and the full article!
Belle Davenport had the chance to take home the...but luck was not on her side and she drew the 9 of Diamonds. That means the pot is still available and is nearing $1200. Don't forget your cash! Remember, proceeds go to our community grants and scholarships.
Happy Bucks
Paul announced that the Bozoian family is expecting a baby boy. Congrats!!!
Doug Arndt is looking forward to have two of his children and a daughter in law visiting home this week.
Chris Pierson was proud of the WHS boys basketball who made it to the state basketball tourney for the first time since 1959.
Jim Hartfiel cheered for the WHS girls basketball team, who are making their first appearance in the state basketball tourney.
Jim Hartfiel also was pleased to announce that his daughter has found a job in Illinois with AllState.
Marty Schneider shared his recent Cape Coral trip, including learning from a Rotary meeting there.
This training event prepares incoming club leaders for their year in office and helps them build their leadership teams. Designed for 2017-2018 club officers, chairs, committee members, new members and all Rotarians interested in learning more about Rotary.
Keynote Speaker, Author Annie Meehan, will uplift club members with the awareness of how they could be just another “expert” in the world or they could “Be the Exception.”
Support Wayzata Rotary Scholarships with Thrivent Choice Dollars
We are pleased and grateful to announce that The Rotary Club of Wayzata Memorial Education Foundation has been enrolled as a participating organization in Thrivent Choice. By directing Choice Dollars, eligible Thrivent members can recommend which nonprofit organizations they feel should receive charitable grant funding from Thrivent. If you are an eligible member, please consider the WMEF when directing Choice Dollars. To learn more about Thrivent Choice, visit their website or call Thrivent at 800-847-4836, and say “Thrivent Choice” when prompted.
Last week Wayzata Rotary and the Wayzata Chamber co-hosted the annual State of the City Address by Mayor Ken Wilcox. The meeting was well attended by members of both organizations, community leaders, former and current city politicians and city staff. Mayor Wilcox characterized the community as "strong, engaged, and enterprising", blessed by a terrific location, small town feel, world class dining, and strong infrastructure. Its challenges include the unrelenting climb in land values and tax valuations, which pressure small businesses and threaten small town vestiges. The community's objectives remain unchanged, and include balancing commercial and residential needs, tourist and local sensibilities, and pedestrian and motor requirements. Mayor Wilcox introduced Kathy Coward of the Lake Effect Conservancy to present that important project. The Lake Effect Project is more than 5 years in the making and will better connect the community with its largest asset, the Lake Minnetonka waterfront. The Lake Effect is a public/private project that will generate $15M in funding to reclaim and improve usage of the shoreline. The project includes construction of three parks and a boardwalk, all connected by green spaces. The construction will address shore erosion, restore lakefront and improve water quality, unify the downtown area and exchange concrete for green space. The capital campaign is in its quite phase; the public commitment to the campaign is $2M with the rest to be generated through individual and community foundation support. Thank you to Mayor Wilcox, Ms. Coward, and all the event sponsors.
Past District Governor Jim Nelson will discuss the importance of giving to the Rotary Foundation and its impact on local grants. This is a big year for The Rotary Foundation as we celebrate its 100th year of “doing good in the world.”
The WHS chapter of DECA is looking for mentors, and for adults to help with their competitions. If you are interested please contact DECA advisor Paul Kimbler: paul.kimbler@wayzata.k12.mn.us
The Wayzata Rotary wheelchair collection program is up and running, and is now looking for volunteers to transport and store wheelchairs as well as provide publicity for the project. In addition we will need help with the collection site coordination at JJ Hills days. Please contact Bob Shadley if you can help out with this project. The committee will meet twice each month.
This Volunteer Corner is an ongoing feature in the Lake Breeze Weekly designed to highlight volunteer opportunities in the community. Wayzata Rotary activities will be highlighted here, as well as any opportunities that members would like to highlight for some press and willing hands. To include your event in this article please email maureenmarawayzata@gmail.com.
Kelly Sater is a self-described "new lawyer in town," having joined Wayzata's Johnson Turner firm in May, 2016 after practicing in Minneapolis for several years. Kelly's area of expertise include family law, criminal litigation, and dispute resolution. She lives in Wayzata with her husband Jesse, also an attorney. Kelly joined Wayzata Rotary in 2016 and has become active in both the WRCF and WMEA boards. Thank you for hosting, Kelly!
Hope is celebrating her 10th anniverary at Anchor, where she is a Vice President and bank manager lead responsible for several branches. Hope values Anchor Bank's commitment to the community. Anchor Bank recently allowed employees to choose a local non profit to support. Can Do Canines was the lucky organization chosen for support, and Hope's commitment includes publicizing the organization's good work by bringing Beth Kantor and Dazzle to speak to Wayzata Rotary. Thank you, Hope!
Steve Hance had the chance to take home the $1123 prize...but luck was not on his side. That means the pot is still available. We will resume 50/50 ticket sales at the March 22nd meeting...don't forget your cash! Remember, proceeds go to our community grants and scholarships.
Happy Bucks
Steve Hance announced that Marion, our youth exchange student, is happily embedded with her third host family.
Marty Schneider threw in big bucks for many reasons....he loves seeing his Rotary friends around town (Tim Beversdorf most recently) but hates getting pummeled in tennis by his Rotary buddies (Greg Rye). The calliope has been found! And he asks for support for Long Lake businesses, who stand to be impacted by the imminent start to the Wayzata Boulevard construction project.
Hope Schroeppel seemed happy about that whole Badger/Gopher men's basketball situation, and wasn't afraid to talk about it.
Greg Rye threw in a few bucks in honor of Nate Lilleodden in particular and Copeland Buhl in general because Greg's taxes are done already.
On Wednesday, March 15th we will again cohost the annual "State of the City Address" with the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce. The event will be held during our regular meeting time and place: 11:30am-1:00pm at the Wayzata Country Club. Please plan to arrive a bit earlier than usual to secure parking.
Mayor Ken Wilcox is the featured speaker. The talk promises to cover the growth and development of Wayzata including the new parking structure and more
Kathy Coward from the Lake Effect Conservancy will provide updates on that project
Q & A opportunity will follow presentations
This is always a terrific joint meeting, don't miss out. Guests are welcome.
If you ordered roses, they will be delivered to the Wayzata Country Club THIS WEDNESDAY, March 15 unless you made other arrangements. Please don't forget to pick them up (Maureen will happily claim all forgotten roses).
Speaker Ronda Oliver is the Founder of Reach and Restore, a local faith-based 501c3 organization whose mission is "to connect people with needs to people with resources." Reach and Restore began in 2005 when Ronda, a local mom/teacher/business owner was inspired to connect with five families who were being relocated to Minnesota from the New Orleans area after their homes and livelihoods were devastated by Hurricane Katrina. In the past twelve years since its inception, Reach and Restore has grown to serve the West Metro through referrals from government agencies, other charitable organizations, and friends. Their services currently include a clothing closet, a birthday closet, household items and furniture for those in crisis along with home visits and prayers. Many more services are in the planning stages. Their current needs are for volunteers to help with deliveries to clients, warehouse helpers, cash donations, a ramp, and construction materials for the expansion of their Hopkins warehouse. For more information or to volunteer go to reachandrestore.org
Thank you Ronda for all the good work you do in our community! Thank you to Todd Mohagen for supporting the work of Reach and Restore and bringing Ronda to us as a speaker, and to Greg Rye for pinch hitting as host for this week's meeting.
Last week found Wayzata Rotarians at Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners (IOCP). Members brought healthy snacks for community after school homework programs and then repacked the beverages, applesauce, and snacks into individual bags to fuel the brains of those hungry learners! A big thank you to all who donated snacks. In addition to providing service and touring the facility, we worked through a "Poverty Simulator" budgeting activity to allow us to better understand the difficult choices that must be made on a daily basis by those who live at or near the poverty line. Our group was also updated on important IOCP initiatives by staff Lynn Vettel, LaDonna Hoy, Liz Erstad-Hicks, and Nancy Holman. We learned that suburban poverty is growing faster than in the urban cores all over the United States. Local trends are especially troubling: according to census data, suburban poverty over the last ten years in Minneapolis/St.Paul has grown fully three times faster than in the cities. In Hennepin County, the Brookings Institute has calculated that a living wage for a family of two begins at $20.64, almost three times the current minimum wage. Hunger currently costs the state of Minnesota $1.6 billion/year. IOCP tackles these problems from all directions--they provide emergency services to those in crisis, connect individuals and families with existing programs to ease and prevent future crises, and have initiated community wide efforts to systemically eradicate the causes of the crises in the first place. Some of IOCP's biggest efforts at the moment are finding affordable housing for their constituents, and continuing to launch a community wide cradle-to-career education program. They rely on "just-in-time miracles" to get their job done, along with a generous and supportive community and excellent staff and volunteers. Thank you Lynn, LaDonna, Liz, and Nancy!
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While searching the internet for a photo of Walt Gislason to add to our ClubRunner photo library, I stumbled across this instead. Ask Walt about his turkey pardoning ceremony next time you see him!
We didn't hold the 50/50 drawing last week since we were at IOCP. That means the almost-$1100 pot is still available to a lucky winner and will be added to this week's ticket sales...don't forget your cash! Remember, proceeds go to our community grants and scholarships.
Happy Bucks
Darrel Leines threw in a few bucks to celebrate his (and Cindy's) wedding anniversary.
Angela commemorated the 56th anniversary of the Peace Corps with a donation.
Chace Anderson happily announced a Sunday open house at Wayzata House school.
Ben Hovland announced that he and Katrina are expecting a boy, a welcome addition to their family of two little girls.
Walt was relieved to share that his wife Raeanna was given a clean bill of health after her recent surgery.
Member Lynn Vettel is Community Engagement Director at Interfaith Outreach and our host for the March 1st meeting. Thank you Lynn! Lynn's first career was in the food industry, spying food trends at General Mills and Pillsbury. At Interfaith Outreach she uses those skills and more to bring the community into the important work that IOCP provides the community. She is "inspired daily by the community, who have the heart and the will to make things better." Lynn's husband, Tom, is also a Wayzata Rotarian. They have three children, two who are carrying on the family tradition at General Mills, and another who resides in Chicago. In addition to her work, Lynn's passions are her family and the outdoors.
Reach and Restore is a non-profit organization servicing the west metro, and has been helping families and individuals in need since 2005. Reach and Restore collects donations of clothing, household goods and furniture to share with people in need, transition or crisis, offering personal support and connection at the same time. Ronda Oliver, the founder and director of Reach and Restore and an “Eleven Who Care” 2012 award recipient, will come and share the organizations story of “connecting people in need with people with resources”. The inspiring story that is rooted in a deep-felt need to respond in the wake of the hurricane Katrina disaster will inspire you to look for ways to be of impact in your community and beyond.
Lynn Vettel will host our 3/31 meeting at IOCP. Please bring snacks to donate, specifically juice boxes or small water bottles, granola or Nutrigrain bars, small packages of crackers, and applesauce or other fruit sauce pouches. We'll share a delicious lunch and a brief meeting, then pack snacks for hungry kids. IOCP staff will provide an overview of their work and tours for those who are interested. WCC is closed for its annual spring cleaning.
Guests welcome.
IOCP is located at 1605 County Road 101 N, Plymouth, MN 55447, phone 763-489-7500.
Mike Lee won the chance to pull a card, and drew a four of hearts. That means the $1050 pot rolls over to next week to be added to this week's ticket sales...don't forget your cash! Remember, proceeds go to our community grants and scholarships.
Happy Bucks
Chace Anderson donated a few bucks in recognition of guest Tyler Young, a student at WHS. Tyler has excelled in DECA for the last several years as well as being a member of last year's state championship baseball team.
Tyler Frederickson announced that his family has grown--they've added a puppy!
Becky Pierson was happy that the Chilly Open was over before the really warm weather hits this weekend.
Mike Lee offered a few bucks in recognition of the always-amazing Wayzata Rotary Logistics Team, who (as usual) made Wayzata Rotary look good at the Chilly Open.
Nathan Wentzlaff was happy to announce he's started a new career working for Morrie's Automotive.
JR Boisclair was very proud of his 11 year old son, who was motivated to independently and successfully complete his science project. Everything looked to be on track until JR arrived home to find that his son had spray painted his project indoors...all over the new carpeting!
Nate is a partner at Copeland Buhl Accounting, and he very much appreciates his client's business. The firm primarily serves privately held businesses. Nate grew up in Southern Minnesota and worked hard on his family's farm. Upon arriving in the Twin Cities, Nate's first office job was an internship at Copeland Buhl. Twenty two years later, he's enjoying his position as a partner at the firm. Thank you Nate!
Jeannie and Sara are representatives of Math and Reading Corp, both Americorps Programs. AmeriCorps is a civil society program supported by the U.S. federal government, foundations, corporations, and other donors engaging adults in public service work with a goal of "helping others and meeting critical needs in the community." 75k volunteer members commit to full-time or part-time positions offered by a network of nonprofitcommunity organizations and public agency, to fulfill assignments in the fields of education, public safety, health care, and environmental protection. Reading and MathCorps provide data-based intervention for students in 700 schools nationwide. ReadingCorps volunteers work in classrooms to facilitate reading proficiency by third grade, a critical juncture in education because "before 3rd grade you're learning to read; after 3rd grad you're reading to learn". In other words, if a student can't read well by 3rd grade they will quickly fall behind in every subject. Volunteers work in pre-k classrooms assisting at-risk learners, while kindergarten through third grade students receive one on one tutoring outside the classroom. MathCorps targets students in 4th-8th grades, with volunteers tutoring pairs of students and working to create a co-learning environment between them. Both programs are grounded in high levels of training for their volunteers and used measured outcomes to determine success for both the students and the tutors. Jeannie and Sara ended their interesting presentation with a request that we consider whether we might have what it takes to join them as Reading or MathCorps volunteers. Thank you Nate, Jeannie, and Sara for a top-notch presentation!
Our speaker next Wednesday, Father Mike Van Sloun is the pastor of St. Bartholomew Church in Wayzata. For more than 10 years has been a chaplain for the Minnesota Vikings.
Minnesota's most successful basketball coach returned to Wayzata Rotary last week for an update on his efforts to change lives at Minneapolis North High School. Just four years Minneapolis North was a failed school that was scheduled to be closed after dwindling to only 68 students. With only a 30% graduation rate, more students were heading to prison than gaining their diplomas, and their community was notable for its very low incomes, high crime, and lack of male role models. While the school was left for dead, a key group of individuals refused to let it be buried. Coach McKenzie was recruited to the school in an effort to change lives through the discipline and rigor of sports. Today North is growing and thriving with 450 students, a 70% graduation rate, and a basketball team that has gained the conference championship four years in a row. Coach McKenzie role models strong character, compassion, trust, accountability and hard work for his young men, and sets the bar high: each day between the end of school and basketball practice each student is required to attend a three hour study hall and tutoring session, which is paying off in college admissions and scholarships that will set the boys up for successful futures beyond basketball. Thanks to the generosity of Wayzata Rotarians, Coach McKenzie left last week's meeting with $1200 towards a practice clock, basketballs, and other needed supplies.
Rotary wants to hear from Rotarians with experience working with Peace Corps! Have you served as Peace Corps Volunteers or worked with Peace Corps in other capacities? If so, please complete this brief survey by 28 February. The survey should take no more than ten minutes to complete and all responses are confidential. Thank you!
The Wheelchair Roundup Service Project Committee is meeting on 2/15 at 10:30 before the regular Rotary meeting. This is a new project seeking committee members and volunteers. Bob Shadley is leading this group to gather used wheelchairs for Hope Haven, an organization that will refurbish the chairs and match them with people in need of them.
The Auto Show Committee will kick off this year's efforts with a planning meeting on 2/15 at 10:30 before the regular Rotary meeting.
The Community Grants Committee is looking for additional members, please see Doug Arndt for information or to volunteer.
Minnesota Reading Corps and Minnesota Math Corps mobilize the people power of AmeriCorps to provide evidence-based literacy and math interventions and data-based assessments to students from age three to grade eight in 700 schools across the state. Both programs demonstrate how service and science can accelerate improvement in students. The presentation will discuss the need for Reading Corps and Math Corps, how the programs work, their impact across the state and in Wayzata schools, as well as how Rotary members can support the mission.
Sara Nobbs has been a Program Manager with Minnesota Reading Corps and Minnesota Math Corps since 2014. She supports Wayzata and the surrounding school districts in training and managing tutors.
Jeannie Makowski has been a Lead Recruiter with Minnesota Reading Corps and Minnesota Math Corps since April 2016. She identifies, screens, and places qualified tutors in the Wayzata area and other western suburbs.
Our March 1st meeting will be a special offsite meeting at IOCP, where we will be packing snack packs for students, touring, and learning about the amazing work that IOCP does in our community. Lunch will be provided.
February Snack Drive! To prepare for our March 1st packing event at IOCP, we will be gathering snacks during Rotary meetings. Please bring the following to any meeting in February:juice boxes or small water bottles, granola or Nutrigrain bars, small packages of crackers, fruit cups (avoid foil tops).
New member Paula Paulson drew a Queen and took home the day's ticket sales! Congratulations Paula! Remember, proceeds go to our community grants and scholarships.
The February 1 Rotary featured the Park Nicollet Foundation's Growing Through Grief program, an in-school grief support program for elementary, middle and high school students who have lost a loved one. The program serves more than 3,000 children each year and is currently offered in 64 public schools, 14 school districts, including Wayzata High School, Wayzata Central Middle School, Wayzata West Middle School and Wayzata East Middle School. Grief support services are provided free of charge and include one-on-one counseling, crisis interventions, and support groups. Unresolved grief can lead to irreparable, lifelong harm in young lives and can be a significant obstacle to learning and success in school. We are grateful to learn about children and their grief, and how this unique program is making impact in the lives of children in our community.
Speakers included Nancy Gelle, Manager of Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital Hospice & Palliative Care programs and Growing Through Grief program, with testimonial from Dr. Chase Anderson, Superintendent of the Wayzata School District.
Come out this Saturday and volunteer or just show your support! Once again, Wayzata Rotary is a hole sponsor for this great event. Look for our volunteers on hole 9 on the Blue Course.
Support Wayzata Rotary at the Chilly Open this Saturday
Congratulations to Adam Fonda, the newest member of Wayzata Rotary. Adam was inducted at our March 29th meeting by General Bob Shadley. Adam lives in St. Louis Park with his wife and works in Wayzata at Lakes Sotheby's Realty. He is interested automobiles and looks forward to assisting with the JJ Hill Days Auto Show as well as other club activities and service projects. Welcome, Adam, we look forward getting to know you!
Joni Lauffenburger won the chance to pull a card, but was not a money winner...so the pot rolls over and will be combined with next week's ticket sales. With the pot over, you don't want to miss this week's meeting!
HAPPY BUCKS
School superintendent Chace Anderson was delighted that today's snow stayed south of Wayzata and he didn't have to field questions about a snow day.
Jim Hartfiel was excited about the Wild's playoff hopes.
Mike Lee told a far out hippy joke.
Chris Pierson shared a moment of gratitude for Arne Kolbjornsen, previous chair of the Wayzata Rotary music department (among other talents).
Congratulations to Paula Paulsen, the newest member of Wayzata Rotary. Paula was inducted at our January 25th meeting by General Bob Shadley. Paula lives in Wayzata and is a graduate student as a nurse practitioner at St. Kate's. Her personal and professional work have always led her to serve others. Among Paula's many service examples, she has worked with immigrant families to determine and mitigate the effects of environmental damage on their population, taught life support to hundreds of Girl Scout families, and worked to improve land stewardship in Minnesota. She is interested in Rotary because it will allow her to give back to the community and allow her to work with others who can implement real change. Welcome, Paula, we look forward getting to know you!
Growing Through Grief is a school support program pioneered by the Park Nicollet Foundation that helps children and teens overcome the pain and heartache of losing a loved one. Having a safe place to express grief and not feel alone is key to learning healthy ways of coping with grief. Growing Through Grief encourages healing through peer support groups and a variety of activities. The program is designed for students (kindergarten through high school) and school staff who are grieving the loss, or preparing for the death, of a loved one.
Dr. Arne Kolbjornsen, age 76, passed away peacefully January 19, 2017 with his family at his side. He will be sadly missed after making a great mark on those who knew him, including his family, the Wayzata community, and members of the Wayzata Rotary. Arne was a 40 year member of Wayzata Rotary, its president in 1982-83, and a Paul Harris Fellow. Arne worked tirelessly to lead Rotary to develop and gain grants to fund a dental clinic in the Dominican Republic. This project opened its doors in 2016, providing dental care for the first time ever to a remote village badly in need of his services. A dentist, Dr. Kolbjornsen knew the importance of dental care on overall health, and travelled to the Dominican Republic numerous times to ensure the project stayed on track with the highest quality. Our prayers are with his wife Kathie and their family.
Arne's funeral service will be February 9th at 11:00am with visitation 1 hour prior to service at Peace Lutheran Church 3605 Co. Rd. 101 N. Plymouth.
Arrangements with David Lee Funeral Home 952-473-5577.
This past Wednesday Wayzata Rotary and guests were treated to a program by David Plummer. David is a bronze 2016 Olympic Medalist, former Wayzata High School swimming coach, and MN State Coach of the Year. David came from a family of four competitive swimming brothers in Norman, Oklahoma. He excelled as a swimmer at the national level during college as a Minnesota Gopher, setting 2 school records and achieving National Collegiate All-American status 14 times there. David joined the world swimming circuit following graduation, achieving many of his goals but failing to qualify for the Olympics in 2004, 2008, and 2012. Discouraged, David contemplated retirement but decided to take one more shot at qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics as a 30 year old, knowing that he would have to work smarter as an older swimmer to achieve his goal. Beginning in 2012, he reevaluated each part of his training--his diet, his strength training, his pool training, and even his relationships. After working with a sports psychologist he realized that he had spent his life trying to be his best at swimming, at the expense of being his best in other areas. He came to believe he needed to become a better friend, husband, father, coach...and human. He practiced being more supportive to others, looking for ways to offer help, and thinking about others rather than himself. Eventually friends, family and other swimmers began to seek him out for support and counsel. By 2014 he felt like a new person and believed he was ready again for the world stage. Following grueling qualifiers, David edged out his rivals to make the 2016 Rio swim team in the 100M backstroke, eventually going on to win bronze in the individual 100M race and a gold for his role in the 4X100 medley relay. His best memories are of reuniting with his family after his races because it was so important to him to make them feel like their support and sacrifice for him were well placed. Through this journey David came to believe that character building is the finest success possible for an athlete. As a coach, he stresses this above all else and sees character development as one of the primary roles of youth sport. David is currently interning in the athletics office at the University of Minnesota as he contemplates how he can best use his skills to positively influence youth athletes and the sport he loves. Thank you for a fantastic program!
Andy is the third generation owner of Wayzata's Fazendin Real Estate, and lives in Orono. He was born and raised in Wayzata and attended Catholic schools here with the exception of a year at Wayzata schools with Jack Weeks at the helm as principal. After graduation from high school Andy left the Twin Cities for ten years but missed home and returned in 2000. He is married to Elizabeth and they are very busy with three children, aged 7, 5, and 2, and a dog. He describes himself as a "passionate Buckthorne controller" in his spare time.
Speaker Duke Pieper shared his dramatic story of survival from a serious brain condition – cavernous hemangioma – as a high school student. He recently authored a book about his experience, titled “I’m Alive: Courage, Hope, and a Miracle,” and is working to get the book in the hands of others who have faced serious medical conditions and obstacles.
Duke was a promising freshman hockey player at Shattuck and then Hill Murray High School when he suddenly felt weak and generally off his game. A trip to the hospital revealed the serious brain condition – a malformation of the blood vessels located there. He quickly underwent complicated brain surgery and five other surgeries after that, enduring many, many months of difficult rehabilitation. The after-effects of this brain condition are noticeable, but through relentless work he has recovered to become a college student and resume many of the life activities we take for granted, including the ability to drive a car. Duke said he wanted to write a book to share what he learned along the way, including that “nothing is out of reach” if you work hard enough. Proceeds from the sale of his book go toward the Pieper Hope & Courage Foundation.
Olympic Medalist David Plummer & WHS Activities Director Jaime Sherwood
Host Scott Gengler
David Plummer is a swimming coach for Wayzata High School and former University of Minnesota swimmer, who won a bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The 30-year-old is the first Gophers swimmer to win an Olympic medal, and the oldest first time Olympian since 1904.
Jaime Sherwood is the Activities Director at Wayzata High School. He recently received the NIAAA Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his service, special accomplishments and contributions to interscholastic athletics at local, state and national levels.
Mark Kretschmar is a communications specialist who works with businesses and individuals to more effectively use communication toward better business outcomes. His talk was titled "When Worlds Collide" and began with his observation that we all communicate, but rarely think about talking, and even more rarely analyze our communication to determine if it is effective for us. We began by creating a working definition of communication as "a process which uses symbols to share internal worlds. As humans, our thoughts are not tangible-we live in our heads, interpreting the physical world around us. In order to create effective relationships in business and personal lives, we must understand others' worlds; in order to understand others' worlds, we must learn to listen. Analysis shows that our comunication comprises 30% talking, 9% reading, 16% writing, and 45% listening. We spend a great deal of time in school learning to read, write, and speak effectively, yet almost no time on the listening which is literally the most used communication tool and arguably the most important. He used a series of demonstrations with member Adam Thompson to show the power of listening as a tool, and the importance of setting aside our own assumptions and biases to create effective dialogue. Mark left us with a thought from Aristotle: "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Thank you to Mark Kretschmar and Paul Boettner for an interesting program.
"I’m Alive: Courage, Hope and a Miracle" Duke was a hockey player at Shattuck St. Mary's and in 2008. He had a cavernous hemangioma and came close to death multiple times. During the first surgery he had a 5% chance to live and on another occasion was only hours away from dying . He also had multiple brain infections and the last one landed on his spinal cord paralyzing me from head to toe. From this point on he had to re-learn everything from walking to talking, eating to breathing. He believes the true reason I made it though those nine months in the hospital was to help other people! He truly believes that with the things that he had to experience and had overcome in his recovery that it all was to share his story and help other people. So in his book along with telling his story on how he got through everything, he put 15 bullet points in the back pertaining to how he overcame those challenges and adversaries in his recovery. He made it real general though so anyone can relate to it no matter what the situation is or no matter what they are trying to overcome.
Duke started a Foundation "The Pieper Hope and Courage Foundation". All the proceeds from the book go to the Foundation and the Foundation is looking to buy books for people who can not afford them or who are not in a position to buy one. His goal is then to go in to hospitals and hand his book out and talk with them about whatever it is that they are trying to overcome.
The next West Metro Rotaract meeting is Anna Bregier sharing the Cookie Cart story about providing lasting and meaningful work and leadership skills for teens. The meeting is on Thursday, February 9 at 6pm at the Colonnade Building, 5500 Wayzata Boulevard in Golden Valley. Please invite potential member to attend our vibrant West-Metro Rotaract events. Rotaract is for emerging leaders aged 18-30, and Rotarians are welcome to attend and mentor our Rotaract members. For more information contact Mary Kurth at kurthpm@msn.com, 952-884-8534.
Find West Metro Rotaract on Facebook for more information about upcoming events!
Paul is a dentist who has practices in Wayzata . He is a Minnesota native and a graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. Paul, his wife Paty, and their daughter Isabella live in Plymouth and are expecting another baby. He enjoys outdoor activies like boating, golfing, skiing, and running and is an active member of numerous service organizations in the community.
Ben Hovland won the chance to pull a card, but was not a money winner...so the pot rolls over and will be combined with next week's ticket sales. With the pot over $800, you don't want to miss a meeting!
HAPPY BUCKS
Jim Houg's daughter is engaged and he's a very happy dad!
Steve has been a Wayzata Rotary member since 1997. He grew up in Minnesota, attended William Mitchell college of law, lives in southwest Minneapolis and has practiced law in Wayzata for 20 years. He loves the people in Wayzata Rotary and is energized by his leadership of the Rotary Youth Exchange program, which he calls "a real gem". He admires the students who take advantage of the amazing opportunity while admitting he might not have been up for the challenge when he was that age. He has observed that Youth Exchange is one area of Rotary where local members often don't have a chance to see the results of their generosity, so he was excited to bring recent exchange student Laura Moyneur to speak to us this week. As always, Steve is a strong advocate of becoming a Host Family, as the benefits and international experience are strong for both hosts and students. Thank you, Steve.
Charlie Marvin again won the chance to pull a card again, but was not a money winner...so the pot rolls over and will be combined with next week's ticket sales. With the pot approaching $800, you don't want to miss a meeting!
HAPPY BUCKS
Marty Schneider was happy that he runs into other Rotarians wherever he goes in area.
Andy Thielen was delighted with the current subzero cold snap, which means more business for his firm. Thanks, Andy.
Tom and Lynn Vettel were excited that Blake will be getting married in September.
Becky Pierson was delighted to be able to get caught up with speaker Laura Moyneur, whom she had interviewed in preparation for Laura's Italian adventure.
Laura Moyneur graduated from Wayzata High School in 2015 and decided to spend her next year as a Rotary Exchange student prior to beginning her college education. She was fortunate enough to experience Italy, her host country, in two different ways. Laura arrived in Italy like most exchange students, with no ability to speak the native language. Her first host family spoke no English, so Laura's early transition was difficult. She initially lived in the small village of Usola (about an hour's bus ride from her high school) with her host mom, dad, and grandma. Their kindness and Laura's isolation in Usola led her to an intensive and rapid immersion into the language, which ultimately paid off. Laura's second host family included parents and "siblings". They were located in the city of Cremona, just a short bike ride away from her school and the piazza which served as the town social space. She used her rapidly growing language skills to join other students for tennis, dance club outings, and informal get togethers with both Italians and other Rotary exchange students. Watching "Sponge Bob" in Italian with her host brother aided in her growing confidence with the language. She loved the food of Italy, the opportunity to travel with host families, school groups, and Rotary student tours. Laura returned to the U.S. very grateful for her Rotary Youth Exchange experience and committed to continuing her international education. She returns to Europe this week for an exchange semester at St. Louis University's Madrid campus, and plans to major in international affairs. Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Laura!
No prize last week, much to the disappointed of the faithful who gathered. The pot is huuuuuuuuuuge (expected to be $670 this week). Don't forget your cash and get your tickets at the check-in table! Revenues go to Wayzata Rotary Foundation Community Grants and Scholarships and stay in our community!
Congratulations to Tyler Frederickson, the newest member of Wayzata Rotary. Tyler was inducted at our December 21st meeting by General Bob Shadley. Tyler lives in Lakeville and works nearby at the Ridgedale YMCA. Tyler loves to serve others and build relationships, and seeing others treated well regardless of divsersity of background is very important to him. He is looking forward to growing as a leader and serving others through Rotary. Tyler is especially interested in working on our annual fund raisers, the membership committee, and is looking forward to local service. Welcome, Tyler, we look forward getting to know you!
Mark Siemonsma is a Rotarian from Sioux Falls who is the development director for Hope Haven. His program will present Hope Haven's Wheelchair Delivery Service Project. Bob Shadley is host. As always, guests are welcome.
50/50 PRIZE: Once again, there was no winner this week...so the pot rolls over to this week and will be combined with next week's ticket sales. With the pot now over $600, you don't want to miss this week's meeting!
HAPPY BUCKS
Angela was delighted that her daughter has made the decision to attend Smith College, taking the pressure off of the rest of her senior year.
Fred Meyer was happy that the city has approved the condominium building; discussion in the room was around naming rights, with the "Jeff Dahl Condos" or "The Meyer Building" in top contention
Tom Medcalf was a proud father: one of his daughters just won a big award at her Target Corporate job, and the other just earned a 4.0 in college. Congrats!
Chris Pierson was happy to have both daughters safely home for the holidays.
Can you please help out and complete the Disrict Survey? It's really a good thing and it will help our club and help next year's Club Presidents to be great at their jobs. We need a few hundred more good District 5950 Rotarians to take just five minutes to do the survey. Thanks! Just click this link: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50084/Stories/district-survey
Congratulations to James Larson, the newest member of Wayzata Rotary. James was inducted at our December 14th meeting by General Bob Shadley. He lives in Buffalo, works for Center National Bank in Plymouth, and is on the board of the Ridgedale YMCA. Jim says that Rotary's 'Service Above Self' motto and its four-way test are ideals that are core to his personal faith and how he's chosen to lead lead life. He is glad to have found a group of like-minded people who share his enthusiasm for service that can help sustain and grow our community. He looks forward to helping develop new outreach opportunities, and plans to be very active. Welcome, Jim, we look forward getting to know you!
Dr. Tod Worner is a physician with a deep knowledge and love for history. He presented "Harry Truman, Accidental President". Harry Truman was a a WWI veteran and failed haberdasher with only a high school education who nonetheless became a two term senator. A self-taught student of leaders, he was chosen to as Vice President on the ticket during FDR's fourth Presidential campaign largely because he was suitably innocuous; in fact he had only met the President twice. When the President died only 87 days into his term in April 1945, Harry Truman was thrust into leadership on a global level in the midst of a World War II alongside difficult and mistrustful allies; he would soon be facing atomic weaponry decisions that would change the course of human history. Harry Truman did not want to be president, but met his challenges with the character, curiosity, work ethic and loyalty that inspired those around him and would come to define him famously with his "The Buck Stops Here" desk sign. As President, he will be remembered for The Marshall Plan, desegregation of the armed forces, the GI Bill, the germs of Medicare and universal health care, the Berlin Airlift, atomic diplomacy, the beginnings of NATO and the UN, and much more. Many thanks to Dr. Tod Worner and J.R. Boisclair for another excellent program.
Annual WHS Holiday Choir Concert, with host Jack Weeks
Host Jack Weeks treated to a private concert by the Wayzata High School chorale for our annual holiday concert. This wonderful WRC/WHS tradition dates back over 30 years!
The choir performance was phenomenal, and included Christmas tunes both traditional and new. Many thanks to Rebecca Wyffels and her talented choristers!
Harry Truman: Lessons From An Accidental President
"What could a bespectacled, high school educated, business failure have to offer the American Presidency during a tumultuous war & an uncertain homefront? In the wake of FDR's death, Harry Truman found himself drawing on deep, unrecognized resources that may teach us something about the art of leadership in the modern world."Dr. Tod Worner is a internist who serves as the senior medical officer of West Health in Plymouth, and is a blogger and author on issues of faith for Patheos. He is a man of many interests, including history - particularly some of the pivotal characters of the 20th century. Guests are welcome!
A big nod of gratitude to all who contributed to the very successful Wayzata Rotary Annual Holiday Party!
Special thanks to the Holiday Party Committee who worked many hours throughout the year to revamp the party plans and deliver a great night of fun and socializing that provides the funds that drive our outstanding scholarship and community grant programs: Chair Darrell Leines, Becky Pearson, Bruce Lea, Steve Droen, Mike Lee, Mark Lauffenburger, Bob Shadley, Blaze Driscoll, JR Boisclair, Maureen Mara, and Angela Bernhardt.
Thank you to the 34 members and 18 guests who enjoyed the fellowship, food, music and fun and games..it was a wonderful evening!
Thank you to all those who made prize donations to the party--you made our fundraising possible.
Thank you to all those who have made and will be making a cash contribution to the Foundation via the Holiday Party--you make a real difference in our ability to serve our community.
Fundraising success will be announced at next week's meeting.
We're already looking forward to next year's extravaganza--if you'd like to join the Social Committee or the Holiday Party Committee, we need you!
This week's lunch meeting is guaranteed to put us in the holiday spirit. The Wayzata High School Christmas concert is one of the most anticipated programs each year, and guests are always welcome! Tis the Season!
Fred Meyer hosted our program spotlighting the work of the University of Minnesota Bee Squad. Ann is a member of the Bee Squad, the public outreach arm of the U's efforts. Ann updated us on the colony collapse crisis stemming from mites and viruses. Collapse, which is reducing the number of pollinators, threatens native and farmed plantings. The Bee Squad was formed to enable the U to engage the public in learning about bees, their vital habitat, and threats to their wellbeing. They provide education to individuals considering their own home apiary and mentoring to beekeepers, including hands-on learning for new beekeepers in an on campus apiary. Other programs include Bee Exchange Programs to strengthen our bee populations, a Hive to Bottle Program, establishing high school Pollinator Ambassadors, Veterans and Artist programs, outreach to additional cities across the country, and even a Bee Cruise.
To support pollinators, we should all consider adding bee-friendly flowers and native plantings to our landscaping and reducing or eliminating quantities of insecticides and pesticides. She recommended we closely read the labels on garden products to learn how to minimize impact on wildlife. Anyone interested in home beekeeping should find a class to learn best practices, available through the U and other community providers (including Otten Bros). Thank you Fred and Ann!
Fred Meyer hosted our program spotlighting the work of the University of Minnesota Bee Squad. Ann is a member of the Bee Squad, the public outreach arm of the U's efforts. Ann updated us on the colony collapse crisis stemming from mites and viruses. Collapse, which is reducing the number of pollinators, threatens native and farmed plantings. The Bee Squad was formed to enable the U to engage the public in learning about bees, their vital habitat, and threats to their wellbeing. They provide education to individuals considering their own home apiary and mentoring to beekeepers, including hands-on learning for new beekeepers in an on campus apiary. Other programs include Bee Exchange Programs to strengthen our bee populations, a Hive to Bottle Program, establishing high school Pollinator Ambassadors, Veterans and Artist programs, outreach to additional cities across the country, and even a Bee Cruise.
To support pollinators, we should all consider adding bee-friendly flowers and native plantings to our landscaping and reducing or eliminating quantities of insecticides and pesticides. She recommended we closely read the labels on garden products to learn how to minimize impact on wildlife. Anyone interested in home beekeeping should find a class to learn best practices, available through the U and other community providers (including Otten Bros). Thank you Fred and Ann!
50/50 PRIZE: Andy Thielen had the crowd on the edge of its seats when he drew a black Ace, but it was a Club so there was no winner...the $457 pot rolls over to this week and will be combined with next week's ticket sales. Don't miss the chance to win this big pot!
HAPPY BUCKS
Tom Medcalf was kinda happy to be back in Minnesota, and REALLY happy that his place in Sedona is working out so well.
Andy Thielen sad he was glad he didn't pull the Ace of Spades in the 50/50 drawing because it wouldn't have been worth the grief we would have heaped upon him for winning his own game.
JR was happy the sale of his home in Nassau had closed, but was not happy that he was still waiting for the money.
Nathan Wentzlaff was happy to close on his new home.
Fred is a 20 year member of Wayzata Rotary. He has lived in Woodland for more than 30 years. He and his wife Christine (who is British) spend almost half of each year in England where he also regularly attends Rotary. He has a daughter, Amy, who was in attendance at last week's meeting. Fred, now retired, spent his career building Meyer Brothers Dairy. Thanks Fred!
The West Metro Rotaract will be meeting Thursday, December 8th at 6pm at the Colonnade Building located at 5500 Wayzata Boulevard in Golden Valley. This month the program will be about fostering positive body image. Rotaract is for emerging leaders aged 18-30, and Rotarians are welcome to attend and mentor our Rotaract members. Please encourage potential Rotaract members to attend this vibrant group. For more information contact Mary Kurth at kurthpm@msn.com, 952-884-8534.
50/50 PRIZE: Jim Houg drew the Jack of Diamonds, so there was no winner...the $399 pot rolls over to this week and will be combined with this week's ticket sales. Don't miss the chance to win this big pot!
HAPPY BUCKS
Host Sarah Kaelberer was grateful for good attendance for the day's meeting.
Cindy and Darrell were celebrating the baptism of their youngest grandson.
Nathan Wentzlaff was relieved that his newborn nephew is healthy despite a premature delivery.
Andy Thielen was riding high from his fishing trip out west where they enjoyed 70 degree weather in November.
Tom Vettel was thankful for growth and leadership of Wayzata Rotary, with new members stepping up to lead the club to prosper while legacy members continue to contribute.
Walt Gislason was proud of his granddaughter's swimming certification.
Bee pollination of flowers, fruits, and vegetables are important for our economy and for local ecology. Becky Masterson is PhD at the University of Minnesota's Bee Department and head of the Bee Squad. Bee Squad helps beekeepers and the community in the Twin Cities area foster healthy bee populations and pollinator landscapes through education and hands-on mentorship, and are the people you would contact if you wanted to start a beehive or had problems with an existing hive. Topics she may discuss include colony collapse, native bees, the Bee Squad and the new bee study building which just opened at the St. Paul campus. As always, we welcome guests.
Our meeting last week, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, centered on Gratitude. Our host was Sarah Kaelberer, who led us in a gratitude exercise, then introduced the fall grant recipients, for whom we can be grateful for their amazing gifts to our entire community. The following organizations received funding totaling $9500:
The local Alzheimers Association, for interactive alert bracelets/necklaces to prevent wandering.
Bloom Early Childhood, for scholarships for early childhood education so that students are prepared for kindergarten.
Hammer Residence, for its Quality of Life Program
IOCP, towards a much needed van for its Neighborhood Program
Join us for our annual joint meeting with the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce. We will hear from department heads on the State of the City. This is always a popular meeting!
We are pleased to join the Wayzata Chamber for Wednesday's meeting. Please consider arriving a few minutes early since the parking lot will be busy. The buffet will open at 11:30, with the program to begin at noon.
Award-Winning Author Matthew Sanford turns his remarkable story of trauma and loss, of paralysis and yoga, into powerful life lessons for individuals and organizations alike. Having survived a devastating car accident that killed his father and sister and left him paralyzed, Matthew inspires audiences to explore the true nature of strength and shows them the blueprint for transforming obstacles into opportunities. The ultimate goal of any courageous path is the service of others. Guests will leave with practical mind-body tips to improve the quality of their everyday lives.
"Inspirational" - NBC Today Show “Phenomenal” - Brent Bauer, M.D., Mayo Clinic “Charismatic in his presentation” - Dr. Mehmet Oz, Oprah & Friends, XM 156
November 16 Meeting Preview: Joint Speaker Meeting with Chamber
Annual Veterans Day Program with Speaker Alex Plechash
Host Major General Bob Shadley
Last week's program honored our nation's veterans, and we were honored to be joined by the following individuals, both members and guests, who have served us in the military:
David Davenport
Rob Erickson
Charlie Marvin
Fred Meyer
Cliff Otten
Alex Plechash
Don Scanlon
Bob Shadley
Paul Webster
Ken Wilcox
Our speaker, Alex Plechash, is a retired Marine Corps fighter pilot and air combat tactics instructor who has spent his life in service to his country and communties. Most recently he was elected to the Wayzata City Council last Tuesday. Mr. Plechash was inspired to become a military officer by those who came become him--members of "the greatest generation"--who were his heroes because they put themselves at risk for the benefit of others. He saw those real-life heroes return to civilian life and become the fabric of our nation, making their communities better for their service and those around them better for knowing them. The decision to become a Marine Corps officer was the defining moment of Mr. Plechash's life, as the Marine Corps is about far more than skills and training--it commits a person to building character and against all odds to doing what is right. We heard that today's service members are as committed as all who went before them; are better trained, better educated and better equipped; and that the service branches work better together in teamwork and communication than ever before. Mr. Plechash stressed that all of this happens despite our current environment of ethical failures, and as such this development of character, sound morals and ethics, practiced until it becomes a way of life, is critical in today's world. He concluded his remarks by sending us out to "say thanks to veterans." Thank you!
The 2017 Rotary convention, June 10-14 2017, is both convenient and unique. It will be the 100th year celebration for the Rotary Foundation and the location is Atlanta, an easy-to-get to and fun-to-visit city. For details and registration here is the link. Our district already has 69 Rotarians signed up to attend and we are looking to reach 100. Come join us for what will be a memorable and fun occasion. The convention is already packed with activities but there will be a District 5050 cocktail hour at a location and time to be determined.
Last week we heard from two amazing local adventurers who set out in June on an epic 3000 miles rowing adventure while competing in "The Great Pacific Race" from Monterey, California to Waikiki, Hawaii. Adventurers Erin Hammer and Ryan Foss set out to challenge themselves and raise money for Children's Hospitals guided by their motto "doing what we love...taking chances and dreaming big." Only 350 people in modern history have crossed an ocean in a rowboat. They began preparing for their adventure in March, 2015, with physical endurance training combined with learning about meteorology, navigation, survival skills, medical knowledge, boat care and packing, and inversions. Their boat was solar powered rowboat with a small cabin and an undersea parasail anchor. The last two weeks of training were in Monterey where they underwent "scrutineering" to determine if they were race-ready, and ultimately won the pre-race competition to prove their sea worthiness. Rowing in 8 hour shifts, Erin and Ryan flourished for the initial eight days of their journey before a giant wave inverted their boat. While the boat survived, Erin broke her wrist, necessitating a helicopter rescue at sea. While disappointed that they were unable to complete their endurance adventure, these two inspiring people were part of a team that delivered $300,000 to the Children's Families in Need Fund. Thank you Mark, Erin, and Ryan for a fun eye opening program!
Our 11/16 meeting is a joint meeting with the Wayzata Chamber. Lunch begins at 11:30. Plan to arrive a bit early, there will be a large crowd that day for speaker Matthew Sanford. His program is titled "The Power to Transcend."
Mark gave a short vocational at last week's meeting. Our immediate past president and current president of the Wayzata Rotary Foundation, Mark is very involved in club service. He grew up in Milwaukee and his wife Joni was raised in Brainerd, moving to the cities in 1984. They have two boys and enjoy taking in the theater. Mark has been in banking for 30 years and is at Bell Bank.
The November 9th meeting will be a special celebration of the men and women who have served in the armed forces in defense of our freedoms. General Bob Shadley will host this important program to recognize veterans, and he has arranged for a special speaker that day. Alex Plechash is a Marine Corps fighter pilot who will share his experiences and reflections. Please invite guests, both veterans and civilians, to celebrate this special day. Veterans will attend as guests of Wayzata Rotary.
"Wayzata Rotary 'drives' support for community change
by guest columnist Kelly Sater
Many of you wandered through or maybe just glanced at the beautiful cars on display last month in Wayzata during James J. Hill Days. But what may not have been clear from looking at the shiny paint and clean interiors is that these cars serve a higher purpose in our community.
The Wayzata Rotary began organizing the car show in 2008. At that time, the exhibition was located in the small old Muni parking lot. This past year marked the eighth year for the car show, which has grown to host more than 116 eclectic vehicles. Our local automotive businesses and even personal enthusiasts sponsor the show to raise money for the community.
Specifically, Wayzata Rotary proudly supports projects and community organizations by funding grants twice a year, in May and in November. Typically, awards from $100 to $2,000 are made to selected applicants and are each sponsored by a club member.
The community service grants fund a variety of purposes and causes, but prefer to fund nonprofit or charitable organizations with specific needs, rather than general operations. Strong preference is also given to locally initiated and managed groups serving our area.
Recent recipients of community service grants include:
Take advantage of these opportunities to hear dynamic speaker and Rotary International Vice President Jennifer Jones. There are 5 opportunities on Tuesday, November 1st and Thursday, November 3rd. Click here for details, some of these events require advance registration and payment). The events are open to Rotarians and guests.
Jennifer Jones is president and CEO of Media Street Productions, Inc. She actively participates on many boards in her community. Jones has served Rotary as RI president's representative, training leader, committee adviser, public image coordinator and district governor, among other roles. She is recipient of RI's Service above Self Award. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, Canada.
As a service to members, our Program Committee maintains a short list of individuals and organizations who have contacted Wayzata Rotary with interest in speaking at one of our meetings. If you have interest in learning more about any of the following, please contact Lisa Fraga, JR Boisclair, or Maureen Mara for information:
Gil Towers- MN Reading Corps Volunteers
Adam Thompson- Focal Point Coaching
Duke Pieper, Author- "I'm Alive: Courage, Hope and a Miracle"
Patrick Donahue- Jame J Hill's Legacy of Promoting Entrepreneurship
Mark Kretschmar, communications trainer- "Conversation for Action"
This past week's meeting featured Peg Wettli speaking about creativity. Peg is the founder, artistic director, and chief playwright of CLIMB Theater. CLIMB Theatre’s mission is to create and perform plays, classes, and other creative works that inspire and propel people–especially young people–toward actions that benefit themselves, each other, and the community. Peg spoke about harnessing our own personal creativity and shared her own personal guidelines:
Be yourself and do your own thing
Don't worry if it's the "right" solution, just start and you'll figure it out
You won't be able to do it if you aren't passionate about it, so be overcome by your passions
Commit unwaveringly and persist in the face of obstacles
You need people to believe in you, to stand by you and your ideas. Cultivate them.
Tap into things outside yourself for inspiration
Tap into the universe and let your mind wander
Burble on your problems
Practice divergent thinking then convergent thinking to find the best solution
The aha moment is often more instinct than rational
Trust your instinct and aha moments and find a way to communicate them
Learn to be a salesperson and always be prepared to sell your ideas
Do something with your ideas. The best ideas are worthless if they never translate to action.
Stop all those pleasant distractions and JUST DO IT
Endurance Limits USA: Speakers Erin Hammer & Ryan Foss
Host Mark Lauffenburger
"Doing what we love...taking chances and dreaming big." Last June, Lake Minnetonka adventurers Ryan Foss and Erin Hammer took on their latest endurance challenge at the 2016 Great Pacific Race, an epic 3,000-mile boat rowing adventure across the world’s largest ocean from Monterey, California, to Waikiki, Hawaii, to raise funds for national children’s charities.
No winner this week! The $304 prize rolls over, to be added to this week's prize. Get your tickets at the check-in table, the pot is getting big again!
HAPPY BUCKS:
Tom Vettel was double happy for his son Blake, who not only passed the Illinois bar exam, but is also getting married.
Andy Thielen was kicking up his heels because he had somehow convinced a gaggle of attorneys to reschedule four court appearances so he could attend his annual trip
Jason Griep was feeling pretty good about a successful and fun pheasant hunting trip to South Dakota
Chris Pierson was sarcastically delighted over the road closure that had made everyone late for the meeting last week.
Hosts Chris Pierson, Bruce Lea, Mark Lauffenburger, Tom Vettel
This past week's meeting offered members a view of the three foundations affiliated with Wayzata Rotary.
The Wayzata Memorial Education Foundation (WMEF) was founded in 1962 with $4018 to promote post secondary opportunities to local students, and was substantially improved in 1964 when Mervel Gullixson willed a portion of his estate to local schools. Originally administered by the school district, Wayzata Rotary was asked to assume administration and in 1981 took over $100,000 in funds. Sources of income over the years have been donations, life insurance policies, proceeds from the Christmas party and the weekly raffle.
Thanks to a dedicated club members, the Rotary Club of Wayzata Memorial Education Foundation has been and will continue to be a viable source of student support which we should all be very proud of. To date our club has provided about $550,000 in scholarships, and has $456,000 under management! Donations and bequests are gratefully accepted for this scholarship program.
Bruce Lea chairs this foundation. Currently the WMEF funds 16 $1000 scholarships for local students. This program helped launch an International Peace Fellow Scholarship recipient in 2013.
The Wayzata Rotary Charitable Foundation is a 501c3 organization established in 2013 to extend Wayzata Rotary's charitable giving into the community while providing donors the possibility of tax deductions with contributions, and allows event sponsors to contribute to community causes expense free. This foundation distributes $10,000-15,000 in community grant funds annually to local organizations; the WRCF board approves grants recommended by the Grants Committee and distributes these funds. Sources of income are the annual Christmas party, car show, happy bucks, and weekly raffle. Current WRCF board officers and directors are Mark Lauffenburger (President), Tom Medcalf (Treasurer), Jason Griep (Secretary), Gerry Asplund and Kelly Sater. The WRCF is grateful for all donations, which provide for meaningful investments in the Wayzata community. Contributions are not qualifying donations for the Paul Harris Society.
The Rotary Foundation (TRF) is celebrating its 100th birthday after being founded in 1916 by Rotary International, and is consistently rated as one of the top 10 foundations in the world for fiscal responsibility. TRF is an independent foundation run by an outside board of international trustees; its mission is "Doing Good in the World." Over three billion dollars have been granted by TRF over the past 100 years, directed at six areas of investment: Promoting Peace, Fighting Disease, Providing Clean Water, Saving Mothers and Children, Supporting Education, and Growing Local Economies. At the Club level we benefit from TRF via 3.5X matching grants for our locally driven projects. For example, our $15,000 club donation to the dental clinic in the Dominican Republic was matched by $55,000 through TRF, allowing us to open the doors to a facility that is providing dental care for the first time ever in an unserved area. Rotary asks each club member to donate $1/day, or $365/year to TRF, providing an effective way for each of us and our club to make an impact on others around the world. Contributions to TRF qualify donors for Paul Harris Society membership.
Chris Pierson, Bruce Lea, and Mark Lauffenburger promise to entertain and enlighten in a lighthearted "Festival of Foundations". This week we will learn about the history, purpose, and amazing work associated with each of the Wayzata Rotary Foundations that help make our community great.
Last week we heard from three of the amazing organizations that received spring grants from Wayzata Rotary:
TreeHouse was represented by Christa Trap and Heather Careful. TreeHouse provides services for at-risks kids, and our grant helped them purchase a van. The van allows TreeHouse to drive their kids to programming, sports, jobs and tutoring that they wouldn't otherwise be able to attend. During the ride, TreeHouse staffers are able to listen to the kids talk about what's happening in their lives and provide support.
Ridgedale Y: Camp Christmas Tree was represented by Mark Ihrke. Camp Christmas Tree has provided memorable day camp experiences to Minnesota's kids for decades, and Wayzata Rotary's grant money provided 10 scholarship to kids who otherwise would not have been able to attend, including one family who was provided much needed respite care while the mother received chemotherapy treatment.
The Park Nicollet Foundation was represented by Lynn Groll. Our grant money was earmarked for the "Growing Through Grief Program", a landmark venture launched in schools to support children's mental health as they navigate trauma and loss. The program's staffers are the first responders when there is an incident and strives to connect students with family members and the school community in healthy ways. Growing Through Grief is the first of its kind in the U.S. and is guiding other fledgling programs around the country.
Fall Grant Applications are due to maureenmarawayzata@gmail.com by October 20th.
Thoughts and prayers appreciated We learned last week that our beloved Dr. Arne Kolbjornsen has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He and Kathie would appreciate support from Rotary friends.
If you haven’t heard, Ellen Timmerman-Borer was named “Person of the Year”, by the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce. She will receive her award at a luncheon this coming Thursday, October 13. Please help us toast… and roast her at the Wayzata Muni later that day.
Join Ellen's friends and family at the Muni at 5pm. No need to RSVP, just show up.
No winning ticket was drawn...so there was no prize winner last week. This means the $189 prize rolls over, to be added to this week's prize. Get your tickets at the check-in table!
HAPPY BUCKS:
Walt Gislason was excited that all living recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor were gathered in the Twin Cities last week, and he has had the honor of knowing some of them.
Rob Hunt's son qualified for a tournament in New Orleans and Rob gets to go too!
Jim Hartfiel and his daughter were lucky enough to get some last minute Ryder Cup tickets and they spent last week soaking up golf, sunshine, and USA pride at Hazeltine National.
JR Boisclair also enjoyed fantastic access at the Ryder Cup, but was worried about his as yet unsold home in Nassau as Hurricane Matthew barreled towards the Bahamas.
Lynn Groll was pumped up from the previous week's hugely successful "Be Pink" fundraiser, which raised over $115K to fund mobile mammo units for underserved areas of our community. Congrats Lynn and thanks for all your hard work.
This week we will celebrate our recent grant recipients and learn how Wayzata Rotary Foundation Grants are being put to use to improve lives in our community.
Jim and Susan Houg have known today's speaker for years as part of Susan's Parkinsons treatment team. Dr. McIver is a leader in the field of Deep Brain Stimulation, a brain procedure that has proven remarkably effective in the treatment of tremor across a range of diseases, especially among those who are medication-resistant. Dr. McIver's remarks shed light on this amazing tool, which attaches small leads to key areas of the brain to provide a consistent and tiny electrical field to modulate the brain's circuitry. To effect this, a patient must be fitted with an immobilizing head frame while neurosurgeons probe the brain using functional MRI to locate the targets that regulate movement--the targets are so small that the doctors listen for cellular firing to pinpoint their destination. Once the appropriate areas are determined, tiny leads are implanted in the brain and attached to a small electrical source implanted in the body. Results can be dramatic, and typically work alongside medication to improve tremor, rigidity, and slowness. While DBS is not without serious risk and cannot address all the issues associated with tremor disorders, it is a life changing tool for many. While neuroscientists don't fully understand how DBS works, the results are evident. DBS is also being studied for many other applications in medicine, including the treatment of medication-resistant depression. Thank you Jim and Dr. McIver for a program we won't soon forget.
Congratulations to Norrie Thomas, the newest member of Wayzata Rotary. Norrie was inducted at our meeting last week by General Bob Shadley. She is a successful entrepreneur, having launched, managed, sold and founded several pharmacy managed care companies. Norrie is running for Minnesota State Representative representing the DFL. Welcome, Norrie, we look forward getting to know you!
Mark Valenziano is an inspirational speaker who spent 30+ years as a corporate executive and entrepreneur. His goal in speaking is to help others take control of their own lives and create their best possible outcomes. To achieve this, Mark recommends a technique he uses that he describes as envisioning a movie of his life. He sees a problem or opportunity, he writes a mental script of how the problem or opportunity plays out, edits it, plays the scene back, and revises until he can visualize a positive outcome. Mark's movie metaphor first came to him and became useful when he was a teenager confronted by an unexpected diagnosis: he would become blind due to a progressive disease of the eyes. At that turning point, Mark found himself screening a movie about how his life would unfold as a blind man, then got to work. Over time, he could see himself avoiding using the disability as a crutch, he "wrote out" the scenes of unhappiness and unemployment, and instead chose the scenes he wanted playing in his life's movie. Through continued use of the technique, Mark has developed it as a tool to deal with other important parts of life, including loss, success, avoidance, and even in creating his own brand. Thank you to Mark and host Jim Hartfiel for leaving us much to think about!
Dr. McIver has specific clinical interests in functional neurosurgery including deep brain stimulation for movement disorders, such as Parkinsons, Epilepsy and essential tremor. Additionally, he will provide elective and trauma services across our neurosurgery and spine practice. Prior to completing his neurosurgical residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, Dr. McIver earned his medical degree from the Loma Linda University School of Medicine. While at the Mayo Clinic, he was also a Clinical Research Scholar in their Center for Patient Oriented Research. He completed his neurosurgery fellowship in Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery at the University of Toronto in 2007.
The Wayzata Rotary international service project has become a reality! The long-awaited dental clinic in the Dominican Republic is open and serving the public! We have received a terrific YouTube video showing the brand new clinic in San Cristobal, Domican Republic. Click HERE to view the video. Our Wayzata Rotary international grant donations have built this clinic, allowing people from San Cristobal and surrounding villages to receive dental care for the first time ever, leading to better overall health! Well done, Wayata Rotary, with special thanks to Dr. Arne Kolbjornsen, Chris Pierson, and Tom Vettel for their leadership.
No winning ticket was drawn...so there was no prize winner last week. This means the $143 prize rolls over, to be added to this week's prize. Get your tickets at the check-in table!
HAPPY BUCKS:
Andy Fazenden was excited that his brother and wife had a new baby boy that morning.
Doug Arndt was happy to report that Dave Sanders (known to Wayzata Rotary for his program with "Baggy" on military canines) and his wife also had a new baby boy this week.
Principal Scott Gengler was twice happy: WHS is off to a great start to the school year, including last week's homecoming AND he is grateful to all the Rotarians who have signed up to be Compass Mentors at the high school.
Superintendant Chace Anderson was delighted that the entire district is off to a great start, despite a high degree of change and a record number of students (over 11K) in the district this year.
Sarah Kaelberer was relived that her daughter, a new driver, has so far safely negotiated the roads.
Maureen Mara was happy that last week J. Carver Distillery had added two new products to the 16-spirit lineup.
Angela Bernhardt, Bob Shadley, Norrie Thomas, and Angela's son met at IOCP last Saturday to help pack food for the food shelf's senior delivery program. Thank you for your service. IOCP is one of the Wayzata Rotary's grant recipients as well as the scene of offsite service meetings. We will continue our commitment to this important part of the community over the next year. Stay tuned for more opportunities!
Minnesota hockey great Tom Chorske was our featured speaker. Tom was the first ever Mr. Hockey in Minnesota, went on to play for the Gophers, and had a terrific 10 year NHL career that included a Stanley Cup while he was with the New Jersey Nets. He currently works as a Wild sportscaster and for Computer Forensic Services, where he supports police and corporate clients in discovering and pursuing intellectual property theft, and credit card and employee theft. Tom's view of winning organizations, whether they are on the ice or in business, is that strategy, tactics, and executional abilities are all important. The difference between the winners and those that struggle is the culture of the team. To win, a team must share values, trust, and cooperation. A winning team looks like an environment of sharing and inclusion, while losing teams present cliques, silos, and separateness. Thanks Bob and Tom for a terrific program!
No winning ticket was drawn...so there was no prize winner last week. This means the $100 prize rolls over, to be added to this week's prize. Get your tickets at the check-in table!
HAPPY BUCKS:
Angela was excited that her supervisor, Ellen Timmerman-Borer, has been selected as the Wayzata Chamber's upcoming Person of the Year, following our own Cindy Leines' award in the current year.
JR was cautiously optimistic that his home in Nassau may finally sell, as it is now under contract.
Lynn Groll was celebrating the 22nd birthday of her "baby" Sydney, who is all grown up, living independently, and lighting the world on fire.
Paul Boettner was celebrating his 5th wedding anniversary; congrats Paul!
Steve Droen was celebrating the marriage of his daughter (to a goalie, bonus!).
Mike Lee told a funny travel story about Minnesota hockey.
Learn how to write, direct, and star in every next scene of your life’s movie in order to create the most successful future possible. Whether the future is the next few minutes or hours of your day, or the next few days, weeks, months, or years of your life, this method of decision-making will help you determine your future and create a happier, more successful life. Being your own visionary is the difference between taking control of your life or just letting life happen to you. Mark’s stories and lessons will inspire you to have the most promising future possible! This is a great message for business leaders, employees, students, and parents. Our host is Jim Hartfiel. Guests welcome.
Bob Shadley is our host, and he has arranged for former NHL player Tom Chorske to speak on Wednesday. A former Minnesota Mr. Hockey and Gopher, Tom played 16 NHL seasons, including the 1995 Stanley Cup winning New Jersey Devils. Tom has also done broadcasting for the Wild. He'll talk about his time with the NHL and the exciting work he's doing now with Computer Forensics Services. Guests are welcome!
District Governor Mark Hegstrom and Assistant District Governor spoke at last week's meeting, providing the vision for the 2016-17 District 5950 Rotary Year. DG Hegstrom declared Wayzata Rotary "a great one", and "electric", vibrant with energy, new members, and activities that provide real service to the Wayzata community. Goals for the year include:
Each club achieving $2650 donated to Polio Plus so we can finish the job of eradicating polio worldwide. The goal is within grasp (only 24 cases last year) and needs to be finished.
Increase donations to The Rotary Foundation, with every member contributing and a goal of two additional Paul Harris Society members per club.
Share our vibrancy by "Being Great on Purpose". This means capturing the vibrancy in photos and communicating to our communities and members via publications, word of mouth, website, bulletin, and social media.
Wayzata Rotarians have begun a new and exciting service project mentoring students at Wayzata High School. Learn more about how you can join this project at an upcoming meeting. Onward and upward!
In the early 1990s, representatives from Hope Haven traveled to the Dominican Republic and Romania, and had an opportunity to see first hand the living conditions that persons with disabilities experience in developing countries. Through this experience, a formal proposal regarding Hope Haven developing an international ministry was approved by Hope Haven's Board of Trustees. In 1994 Hope Haven International Ministries (HHI) was launched. The daily lives of people with disabilities in developing countries can be extraordinarily difficult. In the U.S. we are accustomed to ensuring that people with disabilities have accessibility, independence and dignity. But imagine living with a disability in a village without roads or sidewalks, without regular access to transportation, healthcare services or medical equipment. HHI discovered that by refurbishing and distributing appropriate wheelchairs, they could make a profound and immediate impact in people’s lives. What they didn’t know was how many people would get involved in donating time, talent and resources – or how many people would receive wheelchairs, fitting and training – along with food, toys and other necessities. To date, over 117,134 wheelchairs have been distributed in 107 countries.
No winning ticket was drawn...so there was no prize winner last week. This means the prize rolls over, to be added to this week's prize. Get your tickets at the check-in table!
HAPPY BUCKS:
Becky Pierson was grateful for an awesome JJHill weekend. Great work, Becky!
Adam Thompson was happy to have completed another successful Alzheimers fundraiser, this one in his sister's backyard raised $23.
Mark Lauffenburger toasted Doug Arndt, Lisa Fraga, the Logistics Team, and everyone who worked so hard to make this year's Wayzata Rotary Auto Show a strong success to raise funds for our community grants and scholarships. Go team!
Doug Arndt thanked Marty Schneider, who put the Auto Show together and led it for 7 years. Thanks Marty!
Guest Norrie Thomas was thrilled that her daughter was an invited guest at the White House last Wednesday!
Thank you to everyone who made the Wayzata Rotary Charity Motorsport Show such a fun success, especially Marty Schneider who has led the car show for many years, and for Doug Arndt who took the lead this year. The 8th annual event was an opportunity for us to work together and build relationships, raise money for our community, while having a GREAT TIME.
Thank you to our sponsors:
Platinum Presenting Sponsor: Morrie's Luxury Auto
Gold Sponsors: Sears Imported Autos and BMW of Minnetonka
Silver Sponsors: The Business Bank, Bell State Bank & Trust, and Jaguar Land Rover Minneapolis
Bronze Sponsor: Anchor Bank, KW Commercial, Morgan Stanley
Thank you to Jason Griep for bringing us a program featuring the World Servants organization, showcased by speakers Rob Breding, Mike Minich, and Andrew Mullin. World Servants is celebrating its 30th anniversary as a Christ centered ministry hosting mission trips to serve the needy all over the world. World Servants serves over 500 communities worldwide, with an emphasis on schools and education. It strives to make the world a better place while offering those who can volunteer an opportunity to change their lives forever through service. World Servant offers trips to families, church and school groups, businesses, and individuals who desire personal and organizational growth. Their mission trips are both domestic and international, and even offer "Snapshot" programs to allow participants to help out in their own backyards over a weekend. To find out more, participate in a mission, or support World Servants, check out world servants.org. Additionally, you can support World Servants by attending their Christmas Concert on 12/13 at Grace Church in Eden Prairie. Thank you!
The car show is THIS WEEKEND and the hard working Car Show committee and Logistics Team are looking for many volunteers! You have two opportunities this week:
Help with setup and registration this Sunday, September 11 between 7:30 and 10:00 am. Please email Doug Arndt asap if you can help: (dougarndt1@gmail.com)
Stay after this Wednesday's meeting and pack goody bags for car show participants.
Thank you for your help. See you at the car show Sunday, we're looking of 100% member support!
Next Meeting Thursday, October 14: Financial Planning for Young Professionals
Wayzata Rotary members, who can you invite to this month's Rotaract Meeting? The next West Metro Rotaract event is Thursday, October 14th at 6PM in the Colonnade building located at 5500 Wayzata Blvd in Golden Valley. The October program will feature Eden Prairie Rotarian and financial planner Dick Hemingway and his son and partner Eric, who will speak directly to the financial needs of young professionals. Click here for more information on this program.
Rotaract is for young professionals 18-30 years old. The group schedules monthly meetings, socials, and service events (click here for schedule). We encourage Rotarians to attend and mentor our Rotaract members, and to suggest interesting speakers and service projects for Rotaract members. For more information contact check out this link or contact Tom Vettel at tom@tvetteladvisory.com or Mary Kurth at kurthpm@msn.com.
West Metro Rotaract is welcoming new members NOW! The next West Metro Rotaract event in on Thursday, September 8th at 6PM in the Colonnade building located at 5500 Wayzata Blvd in Golden Valley. Rotaract is for young professionals 18-30 years old. The group schedules monthly meetings, socials, and service events (click here for schedule). We also encourage Rotarians to attend and mentor our Rotaract members, and to suggest interesting speakers and service projects for Rotaract members. For more information contact check out this link or contact Tom Vettel at tom@tvetteladvisory.com or Mary Kurth at kurthpm@msn.com.
Thank you to host Blaze Driscoll for bringing us inspirational speaker Dustin Reichert. Dustin was a sheriff's deputy in Andover County who responded to a loud music complaint at a private home, which left the homeowner dead and Dustin seriously injured. That incident led to years of uncertainty for Dustin as he waited to be cleared by the shooting review committee. After years of wrangling, Dustin retired from the force on medical disability, but continued to suffer from not only the shooting but also the unresolved process. Ultimately, Dustin found that forgiveness was the key that allowed him to move past PTSD, substance abuse, and depression and into a new and purpose-filled life. When Dustin realized that he was the one being hurt by his choice to stay angry, he was able to free himself by choosing to forgive those who had taken his career in law enforcement away.
In an effort to make more volunteer/serving opportunities available to Wayzata Rotary members, we will be offering quarterly hands-on volunteer community serving opportunities! We kick off this new initiative in September. Our first Volunteer opportunity is for Rotarians, family, and friends. We'll gather on Saturday, September 24 from 11:00 am to 1 pm at Interfaith Outreach. Volunteers will select and pack requested food items homebound seniors. We are in need of 13 volunteers. Children are welcome to participate. Youth ages 5-13 must sign up with an adult (one-to-one ratio). Please RSVP to Lynn Vettel, lvettel@iocp.org, if you are able to participate and let her know the number of people you will be bringing.
If you have ideas of other volunteer opportunities you’d like the Community Service team to pursue, let Lynn or Michael Rye know! Many thanks. Lynn
Fall Training is now called "One Rotary Summit," and it is scheduled for September 23 from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm at Lafayette Country Club. We are really excited about our luncheon key-note speaker, you won't want to miss it! All Rotary members are invited to attend, free of charge. Board Members and committee chairs are highly encouraged. Registration Link
Bob Shadley's ongoing generosity was acknowledged with gratitude at a recent meeting. The General received another Paul Harris pin for his ongoing financial support of The Rotary Foundation. Through the generosity of people like Bob, Rotary's work has made a difference in the lives of millions around the world. Your gift to The Rotary Foundation allows us to improve communities by promoting peace, preventing disease, bolstering economic development, and providing clean water and sanitation. You can choose to make a one-time gift, or enroll in Rotary Direct, Rotary's recurring giving program, to support our efforts year round.
Thank you to host Ben Hovland for bringing us fifteen year old speaker, philanthropist, and Hopkins High School sophomore Dante Reminick. At thirteen Dante founded of "Give a Goat", a program run by kids in Minnesota for other kids in Eastern Africa. Dante's life changed as a result of an eye-opening bar mitzvah trip to Uganda. While experiencing village life, he learned of the deep hunger that exists there, and of the difficult choice that young families often face: to feed their children, or to educate them. Dante consulted with village elders to learn how he might help his new Ugandan friends. "Goats", they replied! Back in the Minnesota, Dante and friends raised money to allow village children to purchase a goat at their neighboring market. With a goat, a child can be nourished with milk and become a micro-entrepreneur by selling milk in the market to fund their own education. The children with goats are responsible for paying it forward to other village children--each time a goat has kids, at least one must be given away to other children. In this way an initial investment in 350 goats has grown to 3500 goats on the ground in East Africa. Dante's hopes for this coming year are to expand his program to other Give a Goat clubs for MN students, and to gain the backing of some corporate players. He is also grateful for contributions from individuals. If you'd like to find out more or donate, here's the link: giveagoat.weebly.com and Dante's contact info: dante.giveagoat@gmail.com
Mark Hegstrom is a founder and principal in the Waterfront Financial Group LLC and the new 5950 District Governor. Hegstrom originally attended his first Rotary meeting as an opportunity to network with other professionals, and quickly discovered that Rotary is about giving back: giving back to the community; giving back on an international level; giving of himself. He accepted the nomination of District Governor to share his passion and provide inspiration to his fellow Rotarians, so that together, they can help more and more people.
Robb Breding, Director of Development for World Servants Jason Griep, Host
World Servants mobilizes a global network of people to respond to physical and spiritual needs, making a long-term impact in the world for Jesus Christ. Our mission experiences revolve around the desire to develop, equip and empower people to use their God-given gifts in the service of others. World Servants believes that short-term mission experiences provide an opportunity to organize people around a common task that benefits the wider community, while providing mission volunteers the opportunity to participate in God's plan for their lives.
Providing a high energy and inspirational speaking program, Dustin will share his story of being shot as a police officer and his emotional 10 year battle with PTSD and the power of the positive mind and relates it to how people can help themselves with the same thinking in their business and personal lives, improving productivity.
Congratulations to Kelly Sater, the newest member of Wayzata Rotary. Kelly, a lawyer, was inducted at our meeting last week by General Bob Shadley. Kelly humbled us all with her following thoughts following her induction. Welcome, Kelly we look forward getting to know you!
"I’ve shared with many of you that my interest in Rotary was sparked by a desire to meet people and become connected to the community. But in a short amount of time I’ve realized that perhaps my meandering in and continued draw to be here was no accident.
Though it may seem cliché to those of you who have been a part of this organization for many years and have devoted your lives to this motto, “Service above self”, unfortunately it is not a maxim that many of my generation are accustomed (let alone committed) to. Instead, many of our teachers, business or career mentors, and even our politicians – though probably well meaning- advise us that to be successful, we must “outpace the pack”, “pull ourselves up by our bootstraps”, and set ourselves apart from those who would compete for our positions.
But I am reminded of, and sincerely grateful for those that pushed me through the pack and encouraged me to keep going when it was tough – those that provided the bootstraps that I pulled on, or even the helping hand when I didn’t have the strength on my own. While I believe competition can inspire us all to rise to higher levels of achievement, I believe that should be the goal and it should not come at the expense of another’s progress or success.
You see, I am aware that without individuals in my life who believed in “Service about self”, I can’t imagine that I would be here today. So it is for them and you and all those devoted to shared responsibility, support for the dignity of all people, and personal sacrifice for the benefit of the many, that I am honored to join you today in pursuit of this essential mission."
As the new president of the Wayzata Rotary, there's a lot to learn! One of the most interesting things for me has been to learn what members value and what the future of Rotary looks like for each of us.
This summer I sent out a survey to all members electronically and invited all members to a visioning session led by district leadership. While responses and participation were limited, they no doubt represent the thoughts of many.
There were several themes that emerged that will guide our Rotary year. Including:
Every member has a role, including new members. Are you on a committee? Are you doing something with Rotary beyond our weekly lunches with great programs? Look at our Club Roster on our tables every meeting – is the column with your Current Club Leadership blank?! There are many ways to get involved, let's work together to find a spot for you.
Service Above Self. One of Rotary's official mottos, it's something that members clearly value. We will begin to have more service projects with Michael Rye and Lynn Vettel leading the committee. Our first one-time opportunity will be at IOCP on September 24, and Greg Rye is going to be talking about a long-term mentoring project with students from Wayzata High School at our meeting this week.
Commitment to the Community. One of the ways we support our community is through our grant program and Rotary scholarships. In order to financially support students and nonprofits doing good work in our community, we raise funds in many ways (and are always open to new ideas): the upcoming car show (September 11), our holiday party, and through the weekly 50/50 raffle, Happy Bucks and more. The Wayzata Rotary Foundation board is looking for new members! Contact Mark Lauffenburger to learn more.
I welcome the opportunity to meet with each and every member to talk about what Rotary means to YOU. I'm always up for coffee in Wayzata!
At last week's meeting Scott Gengler updated us on the success of WHS boys swim coach and Olympic Bronze Medalist, David Plummer. Scott stressed that as good a swimmer as Davis is, he's an even better mentor, coach, and human being. Congratulations! Links to media coverage: Facebook celebration and Channel 12
Youth Exchange coordinator Steve Hance hosted our meeting and we were able to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. Incoming RYE student Marion Jernais has arrived and we got to meet her for the first time. She attended along with Grant Helmich from her host family. We looking forward to hearing from Marion at a meeting in the near future. Our primary speaker of the day was Leo Thiede, our RYE student from Germany in 2014-15, who was back for a visit with her twin brother Ludwig as a graduation gift from their parents. Leo reminisced about her favorite Minnesota memories, and there were many. She again thanked WRC, Steve, and her host families: the Hages, who helped her get adjusted and overcome language difficulties, and threw her a great birthday party; the Ramettas, who included her in a wonderful Christmas trip to Chicago, and the Stolfas, who provided a high energy environment, trips to LA and Mt. Rushmore, and support through the prom experience. Thank you to all who work to make this adventure a reality for our Rotary Youth Exchange students!
Thirteen-year-old Dante Reminick from Minneapolis pioneered the Give a goat program in 2013. He raised funds to buy 50 fertile goats and helped distribute them while in the Mbale region of Uganda. The Give a goat program provides a source of income for kids who have lost their parents or families whose breadwinner has become ill or disabled. Each $125 donated purchases a fertile milk goat for a child or family in need in a developing country in Africa.The return on your investment continues to grow … it’s a pay-it-forward project. The kids who are provided with a goat must agree to give a nanny goat born to another child in need, and those children will do the same. These children can sell their goat’s produce and offspring to pay for living expenses such as food, shelter and school fees. The program also teaches kids to care for something and gives them the ability to give back to the community that has taken them in.
Last week's meeting was our annual joint gathering with the Wayzata Chamber and the Wayzata Crime Prevention Coalition to kickoff "Night to Unite." Night to Unite is a yearly event designed to strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships. This annual luncheon is a chance to show gratitude and honor the debt our communities owe our public safety personnel. Officers from Wayzata, Minnetonka, Minnetrista, Deephaven, Medina, Orono and Hennepin County were present, as well as the Wayzata Fire Department.
Thank you to Emcee Greg Rye for hosting the meeting. Greg opened with a touching tribute Jamison and Kathryne Pals and their three children. Kathryne is Gordy Engels' youngest daughter. Speakers at the luncheon, including Mayor Ken Wilcox and Mn Commisioner of Public Safety Mona Dohman reminded us that these are people who run into danger when everyone else is running away, and that they are loving, caring, compassionate leaders with very difficult jobs. Chief Risvold spoke about some of the more memorable police cases of the past year, and linked a prevention tip to each of the cases. Chief Risvold's tips:
To prevent electronic theft, monitor financial accounts regularly (and provide this service for vulnerable adults)
To prevent car breaki-ins, don't leave valuables visible in cars, even when they are locked
To prevent mail and ID theft, don't use your street mailbox for outgoing mail, and collect incoming mail as quickly as possible
To prevent street robbery, don't walk around looking at your phone, be aware of your surroundings
When confronted by armed robbers, assume the gun is real
Never give pot brownies to 22 month old children (!)
If you need to exchange goods (Craigs List, for example) do it in the lobby of a police station
The Jim Fish Citizen Crime Prevention Award was presented by the WCPC to Barry Petit for his outstanding service to the community. Congratulations Barry, and thank you for all you do for the community. Thank you to all who worked to put on this important program, sponsors Sears Auto and The Retreat, and most importantly to all our public safety personnel.
Our joint Night to Unite Meeting last week provided an opportunity for heavy 50/50 raffle sales and also yielded our first winner. We congratulate Brenda Neuenfeldt, a Maple Grove Rotarian and Klein Bank employee for pulling the Ace of Spades. Andy Thielen will be presenting Brenda with a check for $481 at an upcoming Maple Grove Rotary meeting. The joint meeting provided Andy an opportunity to speak to the large assembled crowd about how Wayzata Rotary uses this and other Foundation donations to make a difference in our community.
Lenora, our former exchange student from Germany, will be visiting Minnesota with her twin brother. She will reflect on her time spent in Minnesota during the 2014 - 2015 school year as a Rotary Youth Exchange student sponsored by the Wayzata Rotary Club.
West Metro Rotaract is welcoming new members NOW! The next West Metro Rotaract event in on Thursday, August 11 at 6PM in the Colonnade building located at 5500 Wayzata Blvd in Golden Valley. Rotaract is for young professionals who have graduated from high school. The group schedules monthly meetings, socials, and service events (click here for schedule). We also encourage Rotarians to attend and mentor our Rotaract members. There are two specific requests:
Provide Information about service activities club can sponsor and West Metro Rotaract can participate in. They need monthly service activities to support.
Looking for a member of our club as mentor for West Metro Rotaract who can be the WRC contact person. Mentors will help West Metro Rotaract Club supporting areas of responsibility such as public image, membership, programs, service projects, etc.
Congratulations to Dave Pearce, the newest member of Wayzata Rotary. Dave was welcomed at our offsite meeting at The Retreat, and inducted by Membership Chair Tom Vettel. Dave lives in Wayzata and works for Korn Ferry in Minneapolis. Dave's sponsor is JR Boisclair.
Welcome Dave, we look forward to getting to know you!
Last week's meeting was held on the historic steamboat Minnehaha, a floating museum. Debuting in 1906 as an extension of the Twin Cities' streetcar system, the Minnehaha provided fast and reliable transportation for the tourists and residents of Lake Minnetonka for nearly twenty years.
Rising popularity in automobiles caused for her scuttling in 1926, though, and for more than five subsequent decades, the Minnehaha lay forgotten at the bottom of the Lake. That changed, however, in 1980, when a salvage team discovered her and raised her back to the surface.
Finally, after a complete restoration, the Minnehaha returned to passenger service in 1996 and has operated on Lake Minnetonka every season since. The Minnehaha is currently owned, maintained and operated by the Museum of Lake Minnetonka, a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization based in Excelsior, Minnesota. You can now sail aboard her on weekends and holidays throughout the summer and autumn seasons.
Thank you to our host, Greg Rye, for arranging this terrific outing. A great time was had by all. Thank you to our captain and crew for their service and attention to the weather warnings!
Note Tuesday Meeting This Week, no Wednesday Meeting
This TUESDAY we'll kick off "Night to Unite" activities with a joint meeting between Wayzata Rotary, the Wayzata Chamber, and the WCPC. Night to Unite is an annual event designed to strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships. Activities are designed to heighten crime, drug and violence awareness; generate support for – and participation in – local anti-crime programs; strengthen neighborhood spirit; and to send a message to criminals that we are organized and won't accept crime in our neighborhoods.
We have purchased 40 tickets to the August 31st Saints game. Tickets are $30 and include transportation and pre-game tailgate with hotdogs, hamburgers, chips, pasta salad, beans, and soft drinks, with adult beverages available for purchase. Tickets will be first come first serve, for you and a guest. If you would like additional tickets please let us know and we will start a waiting list. Please contact Hope Schroeppel to reserve your tickets: hope_schroeppel@anchorlink.com.
Our itinerary:
3:00-4:00: Gather at the Muni for pre-game libations and appetizers.
4:00 pm SHARP: Bus departs from MUNI parking lot. Don’t be late!
5:00-ish: Arrive at CHS field for tailgater picnic
7:05: Game time!
Immediately after game: bus leaves from stadium and returns to Muni.
Looking forward to a great night!
Tom Medcalf's ongoing generosity was acknowledged with gratitude at last week's meeting at The Retreat. Tom received another Paul Harris pin for his ongoing financial support of The Rotary Foundation. Through the generosity of people like Tom, Rotary's work has made a difference in the lives of millions around the world. Your gift to The Rotary Foundation allows us to improve communities by promoting peace, preventing disease, bolstering economic development, and providing clean water and sanitation. You can choose to make a one-time gift, or enroll in Rotary Direct, Rotary's recurring giving program, to support our efforts year round.
Offsite Meeting at The Retreat, Host & Speaker John Curtis with John Mcdougall
Last week we were privileged to tour and hold our meeting at The Retreat, hosted by John Curtiss. The Retreat is a unique asset for individuals and families looking for help in conquering addiction. The Retreat is a nonprofit whose mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals, families and communities affected by alcohol and drug dependency by providing affordable, effective educational services grounded in the Twelve Step principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Retreat is a unique asset because of it's range of services and because it offers its services very affordably. Services include a mens residential program, a women's residential program, day programs, evening programs, sober living houses in St. Paul, and the McIver Family Center Programs to provide support to families affected by addiction (open to all families, not just those with members staying at The Retreat). John McDougall joined John Curtiss as speaker, and reflected on addiction as a brain disease that changes individuals ability to order life's priorities in a healthy way because of structural defects in the way the brain processes messages regarding alcohol or drugs. As a practitioner, John advocates a relapse prevention model (coupled with AA principles) rather than simply a relapse treatment model: "Treatment doesn't make anyone well--it sets them up to be successful through aftercare in a sequential lifespan program." Thank you to John Curtiss, John McDougall and the Retreat Staff for a thought-provoking program and a terrific lunch.
We have several offsite meetings, social outings, and other meetings coming up to look forward to. Stay tuned to upcoming Lake Breeze Weekly Bulletins for more information.
Tuesday, July 26th: Wayzata Rotary's 2016-17 Visioning and Planning Meeting, open to all members. This session will be hosted by Angela Bernhardt and the WRC Board, and facilitated by District 5950 District Leaders. For more information or to RSVP contact Angela Bernhardt: angela@hammer.org
Wednesday, July 27th: Offsite boat cruise (normal meeting time) on the Steamboat Minnehaha, departing from The Depot at noon. Note that no food or drink is allowed on the boat as it is a floating museum. Lunch will be available to purchase and eat before we board by McCormick's Lakeside for very reasonable prices (or bring your own).
Tuesday, August 2nd: Annual Joint Meeting for Night to Unite; Wayzata Rotary collaborates annually with the Wayzata Chamber and Wayzata Crime Prevention Coalition for this great event
Wednesday, August 3rd: No lunch meeting (because of the Night to Unite meeting the day before on August 2nd)
August 31st: No lunch meeting. Saints Game outing late afternoon/evening. Saints tickets with tailgate picnic are $30, please contact Hope Schroeppel to reserve your ticket.
Offsite Meeting! Lake Minnetonka Boat Cruise on the Steamboat Minnehaha
Boat Cruise free to Wayzata Rotary members, $10 for guests. Guests Encouraged! Read the following carefully regarding lunch plans and departure time!
Next Wednesday we will be treated to a midday break on the historic Steamboat Minnehaha. Our cruise leaves from Depot at noon and will return there promptly at 1:00.
Our cruise does not include lunch. Please plan to eat before you board the boat, as the Minnehaha is a floating museum and does not allow food or drink on board.
McCormick's Beachside will be onsite to provide lunch options at a very reasonable cost, so we will be picnicking at the Depot before departure from 11:30-noon. You are free to pack your own picnic food as another option. Some options from McCormicks:
New England Style Hot Dog $3, Chili Cheese Onion Dog $5, McCormick's Burger $9, Classic Burger $5, Lobster Salad Roll $9, Chili Cheese Onion Dog $5, Chips $2, Water and Soda $2
Park at the Depot or at the adjoining 6smith parking lot. See you there, don't forget your sunglasses! If weather is questionable on Wednesday, please check your emails for updates!
2015-16 District Governor was a guest at last week's meeting to present last year's president Mark Lauffenburger with the the highest level of club honor, the Gold Presidential Citation. Clubs receiving this award reached achievements across 23 specific goals. Wayzata Rotary exceeded the goals, and was lauded particularly for its membership growth, sponsorship of the international dental clinic project in the Dominican Republic, sponsorship of West Metro Rotaract, strong use of social media in Public Relations efforts, and overall vibrance. Congratulations to all members, and especially President Mark Lauffenburger.
Additionally, Tim Murphy presented Mark with another Paul Harris recognition pin for his continued financial contributions to the Paul Harris Society. Thank you again, Mark.
Thank you to Sarah Kaelberer, who hosted a fabulous poker night event. The 10 lucky attendees purchased their tickets at last December's Wayzata Rotary Christmas Party.
Congratulations to Adam Thompson, the newest member of the Wayzata Rotary. Adam was welcomed last week by all the members and inducted by General Bob Shadley. Adam is already engaged in club activities with great energy. He's an active dad with young children, and runs Focal Point Business Coaching. Welcome!
Offsite Meeting at The Retreat with Host John Curtiss
Guests Welcome; lunch buffet opens at 11:30, program begins at noon. The Retreat is located at 1221 Wayzata Boulevard East, Wayzata.
The Retreat provides residential recovery services for individuals, families and communities affected by drug and alcohol dependency. Rotarian John Curtiss is president and CEO and will host the Wayzata Rotary Club at the historic retreat center nestled in the Wayzata Big Woods. The Retreat's mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals, families and communities affected by alcohol and drug dependency by providing affordable, effective educational services grounded in the Twelve Step principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Retreat is an innovative residential recovery continuum that provides time out for those in need. The Retreat is a mutual help approach to the problem of alcohol and drug dependency. This supportive, educational setting is grounded in the spiritual principles of AA. By providing a safe and supportive environment to study and practice these principles, The Retreat opens the door to a life of contented sobriety.
Last week Doug introduced us to Nick Swaggert, an advocate for veterans in the workplace. Nick enrolled in the Marines and served two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan before attending college and launching a successful corporate career. He shared that the most difficult thing he's ever done is returning from active duty and leaving the military. Upon return, he found that vets don't do a very good job integrating into civilian life in general and the work force in particular, and that the world around them doesn't do a great job of trying to understand returning vets. Veterans are twice as likely to be unemployed as the general population, despite strong discipline and skill sets. Seeing a need, Nick has chosen to work within the corporate world and as a volunteer to help veterans learn to match, refine, and learn to speak about their job skills to a civilian workplace. He left Wayzata Rotary a request: to seek out and interview at least one ex-military candidate for your next job opening. Thank you to Doug Arndt and Nick Swaggert for an eye-opening and thoughtful program.
The Grolls, Piersons, and Nelsons were the winners of the Vettel's Boat Cruise donation at the WRC Christmas party, and were treated to a wonderful night on the lake last week. Thank you to Tom and Lynn!
Nick Swaggert served as an infantryman with the United States Marine Corps with two deployments to Iraq (2007 and 2009). His civilian work has included working as the director of the Minnesota Marine for Life Program, a supply chain manager for Target Corporation, director of veteran hiring for Genesis10. He currently works on veteran hiring and development for Occam Group. Join us for Nick’s presentation: Making the Transition in and out of the U.S. Military in the Global Arena. Nick will speak about how enlisting in the Marine Corps straight out of high school was a difficult transition, going to war was hard, but returning proved even more complex, challenging and confusing. Nick shares his journey, the reason he joined, the lessons he learned and how he’s using those ideas to help pave the way for others.
Also...Tim Murphy will be on hand Wednesday to award Wayzata Rotary Club a Presidential Citation for excellence, resulting from hard work and progress against many measures. Don't miss the celebration!
Chamber Members (including many Rotarians who are also Rotarians) will be gathering from 4-6pm this Wednesday 7/14 for the annual Member Appreciation picnic. At 6pm all Rotarians are invited to join in the fun at Klapprich Field at 6pm for the coveted Anchor Bank Cup. Come watch the Wayzata Police Department take on the Wayzata Fire Department for the annual charity softball game. The winning team gets $501. Second place winner gets $499. The departments play for the Second Call and the Wayzata Crime Prevention Coalition. The public is welcome to attend and cheer them on. Join us to see who wins bragging rights for this year!
Fun at Klapprich Field this Wednesday, All Are Welcome!
Last week Lynn Groll hosted our meeting. Wayzata Chief of Police Mike Risvold and MnDot Traffic Safety Coordinator Susan Youngs educated Rotary members about ongoing efforts to improve traffic safety, particularly around the Highway 212 corridor. Susan Youngs presented an ambitious vision: to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries to zero, since zero is the only acceptable goal. To meet that goal, coordinated efforts must be made against "The Five E's" of Education, Enforcement, Engineering, Emergency Trauma Services, and Everyone's Participation. While all five of the E's has received attention in the past, MnDot's Toward Zero Death's (TZD) program brings all five areas together in a concerted manner and has shown significant improvements in fatality/injury reduction in areas where it is in use. TZD is analysis based, creating usable data about different types of crashes leading to collaborative strategies to reduce accidents. Some of the outcomes of the work include increased use of roundabouts, rumble strips and barriers, safe ride programs, drivers' ed programs for parents, and legislative changes. The "Going 12 for Highway 12" Program is an example of the collaborative efforts required to make TZD effective on a local basis. The Highway 12 efforts extend 38 miles from Wayzata to Howard Lakes. The addition of rumble strips and crash reduction zones has already been completed, with turn lanes now being installed to reduce rear-end crashes. High visibility multi-jurisdictional experiments are already in place, and we can soon expect to see barrier walls in place from Wayzata to Highway 6. The public will continue to be involved with community outreach and education events. Thank you to Chief Risvold and Susan Youngs for an informative meeting!
The West Metro Rotaract Club is kicking off the new Rotary year with a meeting on July 14th at The Colonnade Building in Golden Valley. Current members are welcoming all interested in considering membership. The meeting is open to all Rotary members as well, and we are asking that Wayzata Rotary members invite prospective members to that meeting. Here are the links for the West Metro Rotaract Flyer and the schedule for meetings and program topics through December.
Year End Recap and Awards! Thank you for a great year Mark Lauffenburger and Club Officers
Last week we ended one Rotary Year and began another and said a heartfelt thank you to all those who made this past year a very productive one for Wayzata Rotary. Mark Lauffenburger received a standing ovation for his role at the helm of the club, and was presented with a wall plaque gavel and a Past President Pin by incoming President Angela Bernhardt. Mark presented his Outstanding Service Awards, and Program Chairs Angela Bernhardt (outgoing) and Lisa Fraga (incoming Chair with JR Boisclair) presented the Program Host Awards for 2015-16. Congratulations to all and thank you for a wonderful year.
Invocation Contributors
Steve Droen, Karl Neset, Chris Pierson, Bob Shadley, Amy Schuett, Sarah Kaelberer, Tom Vettel, Doug Arndt, Tim Westermeyer, Mark Schmid & Greg Rye
International Dental Clinic Project
Arne Kolbjornsen & Chris Pierson
Service as Club Treasurer, 8 years
Steve Hance
Service in Club Communications & Social Media
Ben Hovland
Service to Rotary Motorsports Show,
7 years
Marty Schneider
Service to WMEF Scholarship Program,
6 years
Bruce Lea
Service Above Self Award
Doug Arndt
Wayzata Rotary Idea of the Year Award
Andy Thielen
The Freddy Award
Program Host Tom Medcalf (for screenwriter Bo Kaprall)
Outstanding Programs
Program Host Tim Westermeyer (for historian Tod Worner and musician Charles Lazarus)
Outstanding Program
Program Host Annie Westhall (for author and Packers fan Sandy Sullivan)
Outstanding Program
Program Host Tom Vettel (for Metropolitan Airport Commissioner Jeff Hamiel)
Wayzata Chief of Police Mike Risvold, with Susan Youngs of the MN Department of Public Safety and Captain Hanson of the Minnesota State Patrol will present and answer questions on the Highway 12 / 394 Bypass. Lynn Groll is host.
Mark your calendar! The 8th Annual Wayzata Rotary Motorsports show will be held on September 11th from 10am-4pm in conjunction with JJ Hill Days. This is one of Wayzata Rotary Club's best traditional and biggest fund raiser! As always, we are hoping for 100% participation.
Volunteers wanted! See chairs Marty Schneider and Doug Arndt for information.
Installation of New Club President + Annual Speaker Awards
One Rotary year ends on June 30th, and another begins on July 1st. Next week we will celebrate a successful year, say thank you to Mark Lauffenburger and the 2015-16 board for their terrific leadership and service, and welcome incoming officers and board members. We'll also hold our hotly contested annual award show to toast the best of our 2015-16 speakers and hosts.
Thank you to Amy Schuett for bringing us an interesting program featuring a special sensory and family friendly production of the Lion King sponsored by Hennepin Theatre Trust. Jen Diederich, a clinical supervisor at the MN Autism Center and an advisor for the Hennepin Theatre Trust was our speaker. She provided background information on autism and the challenges it presents for the individuals and families it impacts. 1 in 50 Minnesota families impacted by autism, and those families are typically shut out of many typical outings because of the difficulties in sitting quietly observing social "norms" in group settings, as well as the high cost of theatre attendance for a family that is often weighed down by high treatment costs. Hennepin Theatre is providing a special treat for those families, including many special adaptations and lowered ticket costs for their July 3rd production. Adaptations include lowering loud (potentially frightening) noises, raising house lights, allowing for standing and movement, designated sensory areas, with fidgets, earplugs, and head phones provided. In addition, they are providing families with social materials in advance of the performance so they can plan and teach about the event, as well as a "meet your seat". For more information or to buy a seat: hennepintheatretrust.org/sensoryfriendly OR mnautism.org
As a “Dead Ringer” for one of the most recognized movie actors in the world, John Geenen is hard to ignore. But behind the raised eyebrows and iconic smile there is much more. John has checked off many items on his bucket list. Among them are catholic monk, hippie, major market radio personality, stand up comedian, television host and producer, 30 year financial advisor, financial author, and now dynamic motivational speaker. After leaving the monastery and his vow of silence behind, John rotated 180 degrees in his desire to bring joy and insight through the gift of speech. John speaks to audiences throughout the United Sates by delivering the powerful motivational message that if you change your thinking your can change your life. He says that being a speaker, author, financial adviser and celebrity impersonator is about “As Good As It Gets.”
Charlie Marvin was recognized with a Paul Harris +6 pin last week for his outstanding contributions to The Rotary Foundation. Charlie's generosity and service were recognized by club members with a spontaneous standing ovation. Thank you, Charlie, for your beautiful example of Rotary's ideals.
JR Boisclair was this week's host and brought us Larry McKenzie, an inspiring speaker and Minnesota's winningest high school basketball coach ever. JR noted Coach McKenzie's incredible basketball accomplishments, but observed "more importantly, it's what he does to make these boys winners off the court." Coach came to Minneapolis North High School 3.5 years ago after coaching for a number of years at Holy Angels. At the time "North had been left for dead" and was scheduled to be closed, with only 69 kids enrolled. At the time the basketball program had no wins and a collective GPA of 1.6. Coach McKenzie set about changing the culture of the team to one where the boys could believe in who they are, and could then start to "refuse to lose".
He taught the boys to value each day, to view each day as an choice to live fully or not, and to realize there are no do-overs on time squandered. He shows the boys consistently how much he cares for them, that strong character is what he expects of them, and that he will hold them accountable for their actions. He teaches that if winning was easy, everyone would be a winner; champions do what others are unwilling to do: go to bed early, study, say no at parties, and work at their opportunities. Coach McKenzie and his staff have made great personal commitments of time and money to these boys by structuring after school programs to position the boys for success. Throughout the week the team meets after school and works till late into the evening. Far more than basketball, they practice yoga, financial skills, chess and more, receive wisdom from inspirational speakers, and work with mentors. Thank you to JR and Coach McKenzie for showing us an inspiring pathway to success for youth.
Hope Schroeppel drew a 9 of clubs...so there was no prize winner last week. This means the prize rolls over to next week, in addition to this week's prize. Get your tickets at the check-in table!
HAPPY BUCKS:
Greg Rye was a very proud dad! He made a $100 donation to celebrate his son Michael's induction into our Rotary club.
Lynn Groll was happy to announce that Sidney has graduated from Loyala and would be going on to serve teenagers in the Baltimore area; her longer term goal is to be an advocacy attorney.
Andy Fazendin was celebrating 1 year as owner of Fazendin Realty, and pleased to have just finished the firm's best month ever.
Fred Meyers congratulated Michael Rye on being a second generation Rotarian. Fred himself was a second generation Rotarian, and proud to carry on the tradition from his father.
Tom Vettel joined the love fest for Michael Rye AND for passing the Rotary tradition on in families; Tom is also a second generation Rotarian.
Jim Hartfiel tossed in a donation to note his Rotary anniversary, and asked for kind thoughts for Martha as she recovers from foot injuries, with Jim as her "happy caregiver."
Angela Bernhardt tossed in a donation in anticipation of an excellent presentation from Larry McKenzie.
Belle Davenport was celebrating multiple birthdays among her family and friends.
Wayzata Rotary Scholarships Honor 16 Outstanding Students
One of Wayzata Rotary Club's best traditions is to present scholarships to exemplary seniors from Wayzata High School. These scholarships are made possible through the endowment of the club's Wayzata Memorial Education Foundation, along with member donations and fundraising. This year we were pleased to announce 16 scholarships for $1,000 each to deserving seniors Emma Baldry, John Barbella, Liz Benson, Kathleen Butler, Gina Carter, Seri Choi, Emma Johnson, Pooja Kandikonda, Jake Marsh, Connor Moen, Reece Smith, Jennifer Radermacher, D.J. Thapa, Jessica Weng, Tristan Wilkes, and AJ Yablonsky. Winners were introduced by WRC members, and each senior shared fun facts about themselves. Our winners include mentors and youth ministers, have logged countless service hours, were team captains, showed off bruises and battle scars, care for disabled siblings and friends, are multi-lingual, are musicians and thespians and artists and drum majors, are representatives to international Science Fairs and Business Conferences, are entrepreneurs, are members of the NHS and almost every club in the school, and have even been voted "most gullible". Above all, this group of 16 outstanding seniors are full of gratitude and looking forward to making their marks on college and the broader world beyond. Congratulations!
.....to Bruce Lea for leading the WMEF Scholarship Awards again this year, with important help from Chris Pierson, Tom Vettel, Scott Gengler, Hope Schroeppel and WHS scholarship administrator Deb Musser. Thank you to the members who volunteered to host and introduce our scholarship winners at last week's award luncheon: Sarah Kaelberer, Becky and Chris Pierson, Mark Cheeley, Hope Schroeppel, Bell Davenport, Angela Bernhardt, Jack Weeks, Mark Lauffenburger, Bruce Lea, Blaze Driscoll, Doug Arndt, Tom Medcalf, Tom Vettel.
DOOR PRIZE: Co-hosts Scott Gengler and Bruce Lea each donated a great door-prize: 2 athletic passes to WHS events for the next school year, and 5 car washes to Wayzata Bay car wash. Two of our lucky scholarship winners made it an even luckier day, and took home the loot! Thank you Bruce and Scott.
HAPPY BUCKS:
Doug Arndt was proud that his youngest son had passed his first of many upcoming military tests.
Tom Medcalf was happy to have his son back from a semester abroad.
Sara Kaelberer was also happy to have her daughter back from college, and will be even happier when her daughter's belongings get moved into her room.
Paul Webster and Greg Rye had recently taken a tour of the new $60M addition to WHS, and were excited by what they say. Paul gave big kudos to Scott Gengler for his work on this project.
Becky Pierson was happy to report that they have both daughters back from college and that this time they'd managed to get the stuff upstairs and out of the living area. Chris Pierson fined himself in advance, knowing that with the two additional cars in the driveway, he was bound to back into one of the kids' cars sometime soon.
Coach Larry McKenzie is head coach of the Minneapolis North basketball team, the current Class A state basketball champions. The goal at Minneapolis North Community High School is to develop a foundation for a championship program and use basketball as a tool to empower young men to be champions in the classroom, in their families, and their communities. The desire is to develop the “whole person”, not just young men who can jump high and score. The staff and program are committed to excellence in the classroom, on the hardwood and the community. We welcome Coach McKenzie. Guests encouraged!
Coach Larry McKenzie is head coach of the Minneapolis North basketball team, the current Class A state basketball champions. The goal at Minneapolis North Community High School is to develop a foundation for a championship program and use basketball as a tool to empower young men to be champions in the classroom, in their families, and their communities. The desire is to develop the “whole person”, not just young men who can jump high and score. The staff and program are committed to excellence in the classroom, on the hardwood and the community. We welcome Coach McKenzie. Guests encouraged!
At our meeting, we will be learning more about a very special performance of The Lion King from a representative of the Hennepin Theatre Trust.
Hennepin Theatre Trust brings more than 500,000 people downtown annually to enjoy some of the best in live theatrical entertainment. While many people experience these events, some in the community do not have access to them because of the unique challenges they face in attending public performances.
The Trust is offering a sensory-friendly performance of Disney's The Lion King. This performance is specifically designed for individuals with sensory, social and learning disabilities and their families. It marks the first sensory-friendly performance of a touring Broadway show in Minnesota. This special show provides families the opportunity to enjoy live theatre in a welcoming and supportive environment — something that is often out of reach, as performance spaces may not typically offer a comfortable space for them. An advisory committee of local Minnesota educators, therapists and community experts are working with Disney and the Trust to bring this performance to life.
Speaker Rich Wagner, President of Dunwoody College of Technology
Thank you to Fred Meyer for hosting and bringing us this interesting program. Mr. Dunwoody provided a great overview of Dunwoody Institute, including the role of founders and patrons William and Kate Dunwoody in the Twin Cities at the turn of the century. Dunwoody is a 1100 student, 105 year-old private non-profit endowed technical college that offers two and four year degrees. It has been successful for more than a century because it provides a strong education and enjoys excellent industry partnerships and the support of Twin Cities philanthropy, with alumni who give back to the school as they play important roles in building the Twin Cities. In addition to 40 degree programs, it's strategic projects include a Women in Technical Careers program, a Youth Career Awareness program, and regional recruiting programs to mend MN brain drain. Upcoming priorities for Dunwoody include adding a 4 year Engineering degree program over the next several year to meet a shortage in Minnesota engineering programs. To support their growing 4 year degree programs, Dunwoody has embarked on a $50M capital campaign to provide housing for the additional residential students, improve the infrastructure of the campus, and create a strong Campus Life program. Thank you to Rich Wagner for an engaging and informative talk!
Thank you to John Curtiss for hosting a great meeting. Speaker Deborah Jay came to us from Grosse Pointe, MI. She is a national expert in the field of alcohol dependence and recovery, and a frequent spokesperson for the field as go-to expert for the Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Oz shows, as professor and guest lecturer, and as an author. Her personal passion within the field is Structured Family Recovery, and "It Takes a Family" is Ms. Jay's book on the subject. Her belief is that a substance abuser does not need to hit rock bottom before beginning the recovery process, and that when possible, families can and must take on a significant role in the recovery journey. Structured Family Therapy is a process that significantly decreases the likelihood of relapse by making systemic changes in the addict's family; in a sense, they are all in recovery together. SFT begins when the acute phase of disease ends (at the end of an intensive treatment program) and the chronic phase of the disease begins (when the individual returns home after the treatment setting). SFT is an approach based on the idea that parts (individuals) are inseparable from the whole (family, community etc). Structural Family therapy is systemic in that it maintains that the best way to positively affect individuals is to influence change for the entire family.
Jeff Hamiel began his career with the Metropolitan Airports Commission in 1977 and was appointed executive director/chief executive officer of the MAC in 1985. A retired United Stated Air Force pilot, He holds a doctorate in Public Administration from Hamline University, a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Minnesota and a master of arts degree in public administration from Northern Michigan University. He was introduced into the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame in 2003.
Last week we co-hosted the annual Wayzata State of the City presentation with a sold-out crowd of 180 guests. A warm welcome and opening remarks were presented by Mark Lauffenburger, President of Wayzata Rotary, Kathy Gordan, President of the Wayzata Chamber, and Don Davidson of Sears Imported Autos, the event's longtime sponsor. Mayor Ken Wilcox proudly proclaimed Wayzata "the best place to be in Minnesota" and thanked both Wayzata Rotary and the Chamber for "being what makes Wayzata tick".
Mayor Wilcox described Wayzata as strong and energetic by all measures, and heading where any city wants to go. Revenue exceeds budget again this year. A search for a new city manager is underway and expected to be complete this spring. On the Public Safety front, an officer has added, 3 fire trucks have been replaced, and the city's insurance rating has gone up (which will provide homeowners an insurance break). Parks has increased joint training and programming with Minnetonka, and is working to stay ahead of the Emerald Ash Borer. Sewers and construction will make great improvements to infrastructure but will "continue to be trying to men's souls" with Bushaway shut downs to continue this summer, Shoreline Drive closures ahead due to new sewer placement, and Mill Street Parking Ramp construction underway.
Mayor Wilcox provided a brief overview of The Lake Effect project and introduced Mark Johnson, lead architecht on the project. The Lake Effect is a $19M project resulting from a decade of work to restore and recreate Wayzata's lake front for residents and visitors. The project will be paid through city funding, grants, and private contributions.
Mark Johnson is co-founder of Civitas, the landscape architecture firm that is spearheading the Lake Effect Project. Mr. Johnson presented multi-faceted project plans including a boardwalk that zigzags over the water, a swimming and diving platform near Shaver Park, an improved fishing area, marshland restoration, and convertible spaces that will provide flexible parking and public use areas. Details can be found at wayzatalakeeffect.com
The meeting's final speaker was Bill Hagstrom of Presbyterian Homes, updating the crowd on the progress of The Promenade Project. The housing portion of the massive project is nearly complete, with nearly full occupancy at Folkestone, and Qayside and the Plaza block nearly sold out. The Landing (east side of the project) is under construction now, with 31 condos and a boutique hotel to be completed by Summer '17. Retail space leasing at the Promenade has been a slower proposition, with approximately 50 percent leased.
Debra Jay is a nationally recognized speaker, author, and interventionist on alcohol and drug addiction. She has been a frequent guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show and more recently on Dr. Oz, writes a newspaper column, has authored several books on the subject, teaches on the subject at the university level, and has won numerous awards for her efforts. Debra has also worked as a clinical interventionist since 1996. She worked for the Hazelden Foundation as an inpatient addiction therapist on both men’s and women’s units in primary care. She facilitated the family program, coordinated the older adult program, and worked in the extended care, aftercare and outpatient programs, as well as designing their outpatient family program.
Thank you to Tim Westermeyer for hosting another terrific meeting. Tim brought us speaker Dr. Tod Worner, a man of many talents and interests. In addition to his duties as a physician at West Health, Dr. Worner is a spiritual blogger for Patheos and avid history lover. He chose "The Leadership of Winston Churchill" for his talk to Wayzata Rotary. Winston Churchill is a man who changed the trajectory of the modern world through his stubborn courage in the 20th century, particularly the days leading up to and during WWII. Churchill was a British Parliamentarian from 1900-1965, and while we remember him best for his leadership against Hitler, he was a human who suffered many failures as well. While he had enjoyed some early successes as a Parliamentarian, by the 1930's he was on the outside of British power: he'd lost his cabinet position, his friends, and his influence. During these "wilderness years" he took unpopular positions, yet was one of the few who foresaw and foretold the rearmament of Germany and subsequent war that would come from Chamberlain's appeasement of Hitler and gifting of Eastern European geographies to the Reich. According to Dr. Worner, "when Chamberlain was wringing his hands, Churchill was shaking his fist", and when Hitler's appetitite for power became too large to ignore, Churchill finally got his chance to lead and save Britain (and perhaps the world) from Hitler's plunder. Dr. Worner can be reached at todwarner@gmail.com
Speakers Wayne and Cindy Rusch & Host belle Davenport
Thank you to Belle Davenport for hosting an eye-opening meeting. Our program featured beekeepers Wayne and Cindy Rusch of Rusch Farms in Hutchinson, who have 50 years beekeeping experience between them. In her intro Belle likened bees to the canaries in the coal mines--they are in trouble, and so then are we. She encouraged us to leave our own legacy and make a gesture to support bees. Wayne and Cindy are blazing a trail for other beekeepers. Not only are they producing their high quality honey for sale, they are advocates and educators about pollinators in general and honey bees in particular. Almost all produce requires pollinators to grow; however, our bee colonies are declining and the population of beekeepers is aging. China already is forced to hand-pollinate their plants following environmental destruction, which has wiped out their bee colonies. We learned about the life cycle of different bees, how queens split an overcrowded hive, pheremones, bees vs wasps, and how to keep either away from our outdoor meals (put out a pan of sugar water in the far corner of the yard). Belle, Wayne and Cindy challenged us all to take a stand for the bees: start and maintain a hive in as little as 10 minutes per week, take a beekeeping course at the Arboretum, add pro-pollinator plantings to our gardens (bee balm, cone flowers, native plantings and wild flowers), and/or reduce the use of pesticides. Thank you Cindy and Wayne Rusch.
Congratulations to the Logistics Team! Our Logistics Team once again did a great job at Wayzata's Chilly Open. This year the the theme was "board games" and the Rotary "Battleship" hole was the crowd favorite. Special thanks to chair Mike Lee, along with his amazing team. Thank you to all who pitched in to make this a great day on the lake!
Congratulations to the Logistics Team! As sponsors of the annual Chilly Open frozen golf tournament on Lake Minnetonka, Wayzata Rotary Club again won the prestigious Best Hole Award on the Blue Morrie’s Course. Our Logistics Team Superheroes are Mike Lee, Jim Houg, Rob Hunt, Darrell Leines, Blaze Driscoll, Steve Droen, and Cliff Otten (with a big assist from president Mark Lauffenburger). Thank you to all who pitched in to make this a great day on the lake!
Don't go to WCC this week, we are meeting offsite!
Lynn Vettel will host our 2/24 meeting at IOCP. We'll share a catered lunch and a brief meeting, then break into two groups: choose a tour of IOCP and learn about the programs that help our community in so many ways, or choose a service project packaging laundry detergent for IOCP clients. Guests welcome. IOCP is located at 1605 County Road 101 N, Plymouth, MN 55447, phone 763-489-7500.
Thank you to Tim Westermeyer for hosting a wonderful meeting. Our program featured Charles Lazarus: composer, jazz recording artist, and trumpet player with the Minnesota Orchestra. Charles' latest work is his February 14 Minnesota Orchestra production of "Fly Me to the Moon", a concert of Big Band era love songs. Charles' remarks touched on many areas: he spoke about his love of the trumpet, which began as a passion for a twelve year old then grew to become a world class talent as a performing artist, ensemble artist, producer and composer. His love for music grew to into an affinity for all musical genres, and he particularly enjoys fusing together many styles into his compositions. We learned of his favorite trumpeters (Louis Armstrong, Harry James, Wynton Marsalis, Herb Alpert, and Miles Davis), and were treated to some behind-the-scenes stories and observations from the Minnesota Orchestra's recent trip to Cuba. Best of all, Wayzata Rotary members got to hear Charles Lazarus play. He demonstrated selected ballads on two different horns: his flugelhorn (larger, mellower, a conical bore instrument) and his trumpet (smaller, brasher, a straight bore instrument). He also demonstrated some of his favorite mutes (straight, wawa and plunger) and how they dramatically change the feel of the tune. A great program!
What's all the buzz about bees these days? Find out Wednesday: Wayne Rusch, from Rusch Farms, is part of the Minnesota Beekeeping Association and the Crow River Beekeepers Club. He will be sharing his knowledge and talking about the importance of beekeeping. Rusch Farms is a third generation farm located near Hutchinson.
To Greg Rye, JR Boisclair, Mark Lauffenburger, Annie Westall, Angela Bernhardt, Ben Hovland, Steve Droen, Chace Anderson and all the family and friends, who represented Wayzata Rotary last week on a field trip to North Minneapolis. The group got to know and had dinner with Sherman Patterson's "Lead By Example" kids, then attended the Wayzata High School vs North High School boys basketball game, which the Trojans narrowly won. A fantastic night, according to all who went.
To Chace Anderson, for helping to find a host family for exchange student Albert who is currently living with Angela Bernhardt and her family.
Bring a guest! Charles Lazarus, best known in the Twin Cities as a trumpet player and frequent soloist with the Minnesota Orchestra, will be speaking, displaying a range of horns, and even playing for us this Wednesday.
He is known internationally for his distinctive blend of lounge/exotica and funk fired jazz. The trumpeter/composer’s eclectic career has been met with acclaim from critics worldwide. Lazarus made his main stage Carnegie Hall solo debut with the New York String Orchestra at the age of 19 while still a student at The Juilliard School in New York. He has been a member of the Dallas Brass, Meridian Arts Ensemble, Canadian Brass, and currently the Minnesota Orchestra. He has been on the trumpet faculties of Princeton University and St. Olaf College, and has performed and taught master classes in every US state, Canada, South America and throughout Europe and Asia.
Speaker: Robert Foster, Lake Minnetonka Sailing School
A Minnetonka native, Robert Foster grew up sailing on Lake Minnetonka and enjoys whenever he can get out on the water. He became passionate about sailing as a scholarship recipient in the Summer Camp programs at the Lake Minnetonka Sailing School. While at the University of St. Thomas he founded and lead the formation of a collegiate sailing team which went on to achieve national rankings. He has spent nearly a decade running youth sailing programs, several years coaching high school sailing, and served as Waterfront Director at the Wayzata Community Sailing Center (one of the largest community sailing centers in the Midwest). An advocate for youth sailing, Robert volunteers when he can and operates the Daniel C Shinozaki Memorial Fund which provides scholarships and camps aimed at getting at-risk youth out on the water.
Best wishes to Angela Bernhardt, our President Elect for 2015-16! Angela's nomination was approved by the WRC board on January 12th. You've got our support, Angela!
As a result of the new duties Angela will be taking on, she will be leaving her position as Program Co-Director (with Marty Schneider). Consequently, we are looking for a volunteer willing to fill this role. Thank you for considering this club service opportunity! See Angela or Marty if you are interested.
Speakers Steve Coleman and Jim Gambone and Host Tom Vettel
Tom Vettel hosted our meeting. Thank you to Karl Neset for providing the invocation. Tom brought us two interesting guests to our meeting: Jim Gambone, our speaker, and Steve Coleman, who provided an enlightening introduction to Jim and our subject matter. Jim Gabone is a writer, videographer, playwright, business consultant, and national expert on the subject of generational differences. The subject of his talk was "Ships Passing in the Night: Generational Challenges and Business Transitions." Jim's advice is based on beliefs that we attain lifelong core values between the ages of 8 and 14, and that each generation has been shaped differently by their environment and place in history. As a result, each generation thinks differently, often getting in the way of clear communication. Three generations currently make up 85% of our workforce: Baby Boomers, GenXers, and Millenials. As Boomers retire, it is important to have clarity of generational differences to proactively plan smooth transitions to the next generation of owners and leaders. More detailed advice is available in Jim's many books on the subject. Thank you to Tom, Steve, and Jim for a very interesting meeting.
To member Mike Risvold for his shining example of "Service Above Self". Last week we learned that Charlie Marvin was in need of a ride to Mayo. Our Police Chief cleared his calendar and stepped up to drive Charlie to Rochester in time for his surgery, waited through Charlie's operation and discharge from the recovery room, and then drove him home.
To member Todd Mohagen for agreeing to represent WRC on the Wayzata art selection committe for the Rotary-sponsored roundabout project. We welcome other members to sit on this committee as well-if interested, contact Mark Lauffenburger.
Eleven Wayzata Rotary Club members are heading to North Minneapolis to meet Sherman Patterson's kids and cheer on the WHS boys team vs Minneapolis North! At a recent meeting we met two amazing men who have committed their lives to improving their community by influencing youth. Sherman Patterson is a community activist who is has founded "Lead by Example", and his close friend Larry McKenzie is the winningest coach in Minneapolis High School coaching history. Both are inspirations, mentors, and advocates for teens. After hearing their story, we asked "how can we help?" They answered "come meet our kids, come to our neighborhood." Tonight's the night, and we look forward to hearing more about this field trip at Wednesday's meeting.
Speaker: Helen Lindsay, Author of "Written on the Knee"
Dr. Theodore Electris and his wife were newlyweds when he was called to war. "Written on the Knee" is their story, starting during the little known Greek-Italian conflict. Electris, a physician, kept an intimate journal for his new wife, Chrysoula. In essence, this book is a time capsule for Lindsay and her family; she tells of her parents tale of love and war during the early days of WWII. “The diaries were a love letter to my mother,” said Lindsay. “They give the reader of sense of their love for each other as well as the sacrifice and separation my parents felt.” The book contains reference material including an introduction by the author of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres. The film later became a movie released in 2001 starring Nicolas Cage. Lindsay details the Greek conflict with Mussolini’s forces, a battle that played a pivotal role in the war’s outcome. The country’s fierce resistance against the Italians delayed Hitler’s move into the Soviet Union, which many believe turned the war in favor of the Allies. Come and enjoy this story of true love at a crucial time in modern history.
Ignite Success in 2016 and Beyond! Please attend this leadership and innovation conference for Greater Minneapolis leaders, individually or with your business or community teams. The event is January 29th at the Lafayette Club, and is sponsored by Area 12 Rotary groups (including our Wayzata club); Rotarians receive a $20 discount. This is a TED-talk style conference featuring an excellent speaker line-up; see IGNIte2016.org for details.
JR brought us two wonderful guests last week: Speaker Sherman Patterson and special guest Larry McKenzie, basketball coach at Minneapolis North High School. Mr. Patterson is a public safety expert previously in R.T. Rybak's administration, and now works as a special community liason for the Minneapolis Police Department. With an MLK award, Bush Fellowship, and TED talk to his credit, Sherman believes passionately in his work, and has begun his own program to mentor at-risk youth in his own north side neighborhood through his "Lead By Example" program.
Sherman grew up in a multi-generational matriarchal family, and came perilously close at times to losing his way. He credits his grandmother, uncle Floyd Paterson, the Army, and his wife for providing the support and guidance he needed to claim his best self, and recognizes that a lack of that support for many of todays' kids makes them vulnerable to gangs and gun violence. Through "Lead by Example", he has committed himself to listening to and educating his group of 10 young men, with the goal of helping them develop broader perspectives, safe lifestyles, leadership skills, and character. He inspires, checks in on, and listens to "his kids" daily using social media, and is showing with results that his commitment to being a consistent presence is working. He has invited us to see his work in action by coming to North and meeting his group of young men. Thank you Sherman and J.R.
Jack hosted the meeting and brought us the Wayzata High School chorale for our annual holiday concert. This wonderful WRC/WHS tradition dates back over 30 years!
The choir performance was phenomenal, and included Christmas tunes both traditional and new. They paid a special choral tribute to Jack, who was a Wayzata schools principal during his long career in the district.
Many thanks to Rebecca Wyffels and her talented choristers!
WRC member Mark Weeks co-hosted the meeting with his father, and brought Julie and Kristen Weeks to help celebrate Jack's anniversary.
District Governor Tim Murphy brought a framed commendation from Rotary International President Ravindran, along with his own special commemoration from District 5950.
We are pleased to announce Scott Nesvold as our newest member and look forward to having him our team. Scott will be the alternate member representing Crane Engineering's corporate membership, along with Andy Thielen. Welcome, Scott!
We feasted, we made merry, we socialized and we raised funds for our Wayzata Rotary Foundation.
From President Mark Lauffenburger: "Your support of our club is genuinely appreciated! Not only are you an honored member of our club, you are assisting our club wish list by helping us fund important organizations in our community; providing day care, educational materials, quality of life, recreational learning, shelter/food initiatives and so much more. Thank you for being our heroes!
Special thanks to all of our Holiday Party Committee members and the many volunteers that made our event so fun and successful; Blaze, Darrell, Lynn, Becky, Heidi, Peggy, Steve, Maureen, Tom, Bob, Doug, Bruce, Mike, Marty, J.R., Angela and others. I have hearty slap on the back for the chefs at WCC for the fabulous crustacean selection, Ahi Tuna and the Prime Rib with the WOW factor. Skip the green beans I say!
I send more appreciation to our members who could not attend but made the event special for us by contributing their time and and auction gifts: Your are remembered fondly for your generosity and we missed you at the carving table."
Chris Pierson and Cliff Otten invited members to a Rotary Ski Trip to Idaho. The group is flying into Spokane on Thursday, 2/18 and will be skiing at Schweitzer Mountain in Idaho, returning 2/22. Contact Chris for details: chrisp@ssmnlaw.com.
The big event is 5:30-8:30 pm this Tuesday, December 2 at WCC.
We're looking forward to seeing all our Members and their Guests!
1. All donation items must be dropped off to B&E by close of business Tuesday, December 1
2. Setup begins at 1pm on Wednesday at the WCC, volunteers welcome!
3. Thank you for your generous auction donations. Get ready to bid! You'll see many great silent auction items displayed; our Live Auction offerings include:
Poolside Wine Dinner for 6 hosted by Doug & Sue Arndt and John & Sue Farrell of Haskells. This offering is back after rave reviews! You'll enjoy a gourmet meal, each course paired with the perfect cocktail or wine. Choose a date June-August, 2016.
Lake Minnetonka Boat Cruise! You will be hosted by the Vettels for a four hour cruise on the Lake. All the appropriate libations and appetizers provided.
Car Washes for a Year! Thank you to Bruce Lea.
Seafood Boil for 8 hosted by the Piersons and the Davenports. Gather the gang and choose a date with your hosts for this feast!
Private Poker Party for 10 hosted by Sarah Kaelberer, who will be your personal dealer in your home or at B&E. Appetizers, Beer and Wine provided. Choose a date in 2016.
Twins Tickets: Two elite level sets of two tickets, value $500. Donated by Todd Mohagen.
1. Darrell and team updated us on plans for the December 2nd annual holiday party. All systems are go for a great evening!
2. Chris Pierson put out the invitation for a ski trip to Idaho February 18th-22nd. Contact Chris if you're interested: chrisp@ssmnlaw.com
Mark Lauffenburger invited us to reflect on Thanksgiving and gratitude.
There's even science behind gratitude. Recently, an article in the Harvard Business Review examined the inverse relationship between gratitude and entitlement. Some of the conclusions include:
Gratitude improves emotional and physical health
Gratitude strengthens relationships and communities
Gratitude enriches human life
Gratitude energizes, inspires and transforms
People are moved, opened and humbled by expressions of gratitude
Mark shared his Top Ten List of Gratitude...he's grateful for green beans (but not brussels sprouts), our Rotary Board of Directors, our grant-giving abilities,
our amazing logistics team who are ever-present and remind us all that Rotary is FUN, our party planners who will be making the Holiday party a great success, the staff at WCC for the care they provide us, for administrative support, for Charlie's presence at the meeting, and FOR ALL OF YOU.
We hope you had a joyous, safe, and gratitude-filled Thanksgiving!
Host Mark Schadow & Speaker Bob Tift of Crescent Cove
We welcomed Kimi Nguyen, the student we sponsored at the recent Camp Enterprise weekend for future business leaders. Kimi was enthusiastic about her experience, and told us about her introduction to case studies. Her business group developed an innovative backpack, which provided her the opportunity to learn about listening to consumer needs, teamwork, innovation, and the process of gaining funding. She was very grateful for this opportunity. Thanks Kimi!
Announcements from last week's meeting:
1. Holiday Party planning is in full swing, and all members are asked to provide either an item for the auction or a $75 donation. Items are due by December 1st to Business & Estate Advisors in downtown Wayzata. Look for the party invitation in your email inbox.
2. Table Rosters have returned! Please check the draft copy that will be on your table for the next couple weeks, and correct any changes.
Speaker Robert Tift, of Crescent Cove
Robert is President of Crescent Cove, an organization inspired to build a respite home and hospice to serve the children of Minnesota who are seriously ill and are not expected to survive to adulthood. Robert's background is in education and fundraising, and took on this new endeavor more than a year ago. He explained that although the hospice concept is well established the the U.S., with over 4700 hospices available to adults, only 2 are available in the entire country to serve children and their families. Robert described children's hospice as a very different type of model compared to its adult counterpart: they are much more active and fun, and need to provide for daily learning and therapy programs. Robert and his organization are in the fundraising stage toward their goal of building an 8 bed facility. When complete, Crescent Cove will provide 24-hour care in a home-like setting that includes parent and family spaces and therapy rooms, end of life care, respite care for families of chronically ill children, and bereavement support. Thank you Mark and Robert for this thoughful presentation.
Only Oneweek till our annual holiday party & Auction!
The big event is 5:30-8:30 pm on December 2 at WCC.
We're looking forward to seeing all our Members and their Guests!
Important dates and information:
1. The final meeting of the Party Planning Committee is this Wednesday, 11/25, at 11am. Please be there.
2. Donations are due to Business & Estate Advisors by Tuesday, December 1st.
3. If you haven't yet made a commitment for your party donation, please email Maureen the item description and value to Maureen asap: maureenmarawayzata@gmail.com. Alternative: donate $75 (to be invoiced).
4. Invitations hit your email inbox last week. Please RSVP to Maureen by this Wednesday, 11/25.
5. Questions? Darrell Leines (darrell@celpr.com) and Blaze Driscoll are the event chairs.
Bob Shadley hosted a meeting full of gratitude and inspiration. Bob provided the invocation.
Announcements from last week's meeting:
1. It's time to sign up to donate to the Annual Holiday Party; all members are asked to sign up to donate an auction item or cash ($75+please). Darrell Leines asked for volunteer help; if you have a high school student who could pitch in, please contact Darrel.
2. We WILL hold our regular meeting the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
3. Table Rosters have returned! Please check the draft copy that will be on your table for the next couple weeks, and correct any changes.
Program Summary: Bob asked each of the veterans in the room to stand and introduce themselves, and then gave us a brief history of Veterans Day. November 11 was first celebrated in 1918 as the cessation of hostilities in World War I (known then as "The Great War"). While the Treaty of Versailles was signed in July, 1919, Armistice Day was not declared until November 11, 1919. Beginning in 1938, a day to honor veterans was celebrated on a variety of days, with a variety of dates. It was not until 1971 that Veterans Day was returned to November 11. Bob reminded us of the meaning of Veterans Day vs Memorial Day, two holidays that are often confused. Veterans Day's main focus is to honor all military veterans: all those who have served in any branch of the military for any length of time. Memorial Day focusses more specifically on those who have given their lives while in uniform. Bob brought three veterans to reflect on their military service: Jake Beard, Dick Shiner, and Don Scanlon. Jake (Army reserve unit) gave us a feel for daily life in the Army along with reflections on the magnificent people who crossed his path during his years of service. Dick Shiner was a Cold War Air Force pilot who flew more than 2000 missions. Don Scanlon, Navy, provided brief reflections of his service memories. Thank you to all our Veterans!
The mission of Crescent Cove is to offer care and support to children and young adults with a shortened life-expectancy, and their families. They intend to fulfill this dream by creating one of only a handful of children’s residential hospice and respite care homes in the United States. Bob Tift began his service as President of Crescent Cove in July of 2014. Prior to joining Crescent Cove he served for 22 years in private school administration at Benilde-St. Margaret’s School. Bob’s educational career began in public education where he served as a special education teacher and administrator working with children with severe mental and physical disabilities. He became passionate about the need for a home that would provide respite and end of life support for children with life threatening illnesses while witnessing his great niece Mayrah’s five-year battle with bone cancer.
Only two weeks till our annual holiday party & Auction!
Mark your calendars: the big event begins at 5:30pm on December 2 at WCC
Members, please be thinking about:
1. Which guests will you invite this year? The more the merrier!
2. What will your donation be?
Our goal is to raise $10,000.
To achieve this we need participation from everyone ($75+ donation to the silent auction in cash or goods) and some big ticket items for the live auction.
Club members have been generous in past years with
-cabin vacations
-golf outings
-pub crawls
-dinner, boating, sports tickets/ memorabilia
3. How can I get involved?
There are lots of roles to fill, and many hands make light work!
Put the November 25 planning meeting on your calendar, or speak with Blaze Driscoll or Darrell Leines.
This week's meeting is a special celebration of the men and women who have served in the armed forces in defense of our freedoms. General Bob Shadley will recognize the veterans in the room, then as an inspiring speaker he will remind us what Veterans Day is all about. Bob has lined up four others to give short reflections. Please invite guests, both veterans and civilians.
Nate Lilleodden hosted a great meeting last week. Tim Westermeyer provided the invocation. Mark Lauffenburger made the following announcements:
1. It's time to sign up to donate to the Annual Holiday Party; all members are asked to donate an auction item or cash ($75+please).
2. Heidi Nelson has made a bittersweet decision to leave Wayzata for a City Administrator position in Maple Grove. She will be missed! While Heidi will be active in Rotary in Maple Grove, this leaves our Incoming President position for 2016-17. Mark requests assistance from members!
Nate Lilleodden provided a brief vocational before introducing speaker Terry Kerber. We learned that Nate is Managing Partner at CPA firm Copeland, Buhl & Company. As many of the founding members of the firm have retired recently, Nate and his cohort are finding themselves the second generation of leaders at Copeland, Buhl.
Terry Kerber, speaker, authored the book "Major Taylor: The Inspiring Story of a Black Cyclist and the Men Who Helped Him Achieve Worldwide Fame". Terry Kerber happened upon the untold story of one of America's finest athletes and instantly decided the inspiring story needed to be told. The resulting biography features turn-of-the-century velodrome racing phenomenon Major (Marshall) Taylor, an athlete ahead of his time who surmounted unbelievable hurdles on his way to achieving greatness which is no longer broadly remembered.
Born in 1878, Marshall Taylor was the lucky recipient of a bicycle from the the man who employed his father. Marshall fell in love with the bicycle, then quickly learned trick riding skills and developed lightning speed. Velodrome racing was one of America's premier sports at the time, and while racing promoters recognized Marshall's talent, he was unable to gain his racing license because of his black skin color. Marshall was aided by a trainer who helped him leave Indianapolis for the more tolerant state of Massachusetts. Once there, Marshall quickly rose to the top of the sport, becoming a spiritual and athletic idol and commanding huge fees based on his enormous drawing power. Kerber tells the unlikely story of Taylor, his convictions and the prejudices he faced, and the powerful stream of men who championed Taylor's talent and made possible his almost-forgotten ascent to the pinnacle of worldwide fame. Thank you!
This annual meeting is a special celebration of the men and women who have served in the armed forces in defense of our freedom. General Bob Shadley will recognize the veterans in the room, then remind us what Veterans Day is all about; he never fails to inspire. Bob has lined up four speakers to give short reflections. Please invite guests, both veterans and civilians.
The annual Veterans Day lunch is next week on November 11. General Bob Shadley will be our program host. We would like to honor our those who have served our country, please inviteveterans to our program on this important day.
In the wake of the Tour de France’s fallen heroes, the story of one of history’s most legendary cyclists provides a much-needed antidote. In 1907 the world’s most popular athlete was not Cy Young or Ty Cobb. Rather, he was a black bicycle racer named “Major” Taylor. In his day, Taylor became a spiritual and athletic idol. He was the fastest man in America and a champion who prevailed over unspeakable cruelty. The men who aided him were among the most colorful to emerge from the era. When hotel and restaurant operators denied Taylor food and lodgings, forcing him to sleep in horse stables and to race hungry, there was a benevolent racer-turned-trainer named Birdie Munger, who took Taylor under his wing and into his home. Then along came Arthur Zimmerman, an internationally famous bike racer, who gently mentored Taylor when some riders drew the color line and refused to race against him. Taylor’s manager, pugnacious Irishman and famed Broadway producer William Brady, stood up for him when track owners tried barring him from competition. From the Old World came a rakishly handsome, mustachioed sports promoter named Victor Breyer, who lured Taylor overseas for a dramatic, Seabiscuit versus War Admiral–like match race. With a foreword by World Champion and three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond, this is a spellbinding saga of fortitude, grace, forgiveness, and a man’s unyielding will to win against the greatest of odds.
Frequent guest Walt Gislason brought his friend Ronald "Mack" Mackedanz to speak to the club this week. Walt introduced Mack by describing him as a man who is always in service. "When he hears of a need, he packs his bags and he goes, no questions asked." Mack is an activist, a Vietnam Army veteran, recipient of several military honors including the Silver Star for Gallantry, and the author of "Drafted: Greetings, You Have Been Selected by Your Friends and Neighbors." "Drafted" is an acclaimed first hand account of the experiences of a Vietnam infantry soldier, first at war in a foreign country and then returned home to a generally indifferent and unappreciative nation. Mack shared his stories of attacks in Vietnam, his poetry and lyrics written to honor our military personnel, and his belief that our veterans, all veterans, need to be shown respect and appreciation through action. Mack himself is currently very active helping former military personnel in many ways: he helps other veterans navigate the complicate VA system, he supports fathers with a support organization called "Dads for Dads", he works to provide wreaths for every military grave in Kandiyohi County, and he is a key player in the Patriot Guard Project. The Patriot Guard is an organization whose members strive to provide dignity and pride to fallen veterans and their loved ones in face of funeral protestors. Mack and company travel to military memorials to stand guard over the service by providing a human barrier between protestors and service-goers. As Mack describes himself "I'm just an old crusty Vietnam vet who is doing the best he can." We can all aspire to Mack's level of service. Thank you Mack, and thank you Walt.
Congratulations to Rotary International Peace Fellowship Winner Melissa Diamond!
We celebrated Melissa Diamond's achievement at last week's meeting with cake and an impromptu presentation by Melissa and mentor Greg Rye. Melissa graduated in 2011 from Wayzata High School and was the recipient of a scholarship from our Wayzata Rotary Memorial Education Foundation. During college at the University of Richmond she created "A Global Voice for Autism", an organization providing support and education to families around the world of children on the autism spectrum. Melissa's efforts focussed particularly on the underserved in the middle east, including Syrian refugees. Melissa has just been awarded a coveted Rotary Peace Fellowship to attend the University of Bradford in the U.K., where she will continue to study middle east conflict and security. Way to go Melissa!
We have completed our switch to the new billing system. Thank you to all who have already paid their bill. If you have not received an invoice, please contact Maureen asap. As always, you will continue to be able to pay your bill by credit card or by check, which can be mailed or brought to a meeting. Questions, see Maureen or email maureenmarawayzata@gmail.com.
Note that you will be able to pay by credit card simply by clicking on the link in your new invoice rather than logging into the WRC website.
ClubRunner automatically emails member invoices to the member's email address on record in ClubRunner. Members, please forward the new invoice to the appropriate person for billing if applicable. If you would like an additional copy mailed (USPS) to an alternate address (i.e. your employer), please contact Maureen.
Darrell Leines was host and brought us speaker Eric Taipale , the CEO of Sentera, a Richfield firm that designs and engineers drones and drone sensors and software that provide valuable information to industry, agriculture, and public safety personnel. During Darrell's vocational we learned that he had worked for Boeing, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin and other firms on drone programs; along the way he met Eric. Sentera's business is primarily in two areas: agriculture and infrastructure inspection. Agronomists use drones aerial imagery capabilities for early detection of pests, weeds, and crop health; they can see every leaf on each plant. Drones are used to improve safety in industry by providing visual images of infrastructure and geography to limit climbing and danger while doing inspections. Similarly, drones are used in search and rescue operations to quickly provide important information while limiting personnel risk. Drones are also increasingly being used to create 3D modeling of infrastructure to create models. Eric shared his views that the industry needs to be regulated to keep airspace safe. Thank you Darrell and Eric for an interesting peek into drone aviation.
Ronald Mackedanz, Vietnam veteran from Kandiyohi, is the author of Drafted: Greetings -You Have Been Selected By Your Friends and Neighbors. The book is the true story of what it was like being a product of the Baby Boom, growing up in a fast-changing world, and being a small spoke in the big green wheel of a very unpopular war. It's also about surviving the war, only to return to a country full of anti-war sentiment and great disdain for its own young men that they had sent off to war. These are the memoirs of a man who has answered his country's call, served in the jungles, rice paddies, and rubber plantations of South Vietnam. In 2011, he received his Silver Star for gallantry in action from Command Sgt. Maj. Doug Hanson of Atwater during Mackedanz was honored for actions in 1969 in Vietnam, pushing back the enemy with a grenade launcher and machine gun. He then helped with the evacuation of wounded soldiers, while hurt himself.
Greg Rye and Karl Neset teamed up last week to host, and brought us Former Governor Al Quie as speaker.
Al Quie served Minnesota in the U.S. House of Representatives for 11 terms from 1958-79, and was elected governor in 1978.
He has continued to work in the public eye as an advocate for early childhood education and smaller class sizes, worked to improve judicial impartiality through a merit-based state judge selection process, and is also continues to be a national leader in a Prison Fellowship program. Governor Quie is known for his fairness and quiet yet effective leadership style. He used his speaker's podium this week to talk about education, a subject he said is tough for Minnesotans because we are used to hearing that we excel in educating our children. After presenting some tough facts about Minnesota students' proficiency, he shared what he's spent a lifetime learning about what makes education (and almost everything else) effective: that top-down programs never work, but that love and listening lead to learning. His commitment to paying attention to people has paid off in all aspects of his work: "If you can look into people's eyes and ask what you can do for them, it gives you an opening. Then you start bridging gaps and working together." Thank you Governor Quie, and thank you Greg and Karl.
Your next quarterly invoice will go out today (Monday) in a new format generated by ClubRunner. You will continue to be able to pay your bill by credit card or check, which can be mailed or brought to a meeting. Questions, see Maureen or email maureenmarawayzata@gmail.com.
Note that you will be able to pay by credit card simply by clicking on the link in your new invoice rather than logging into the WRC website.
ClubRunner automatically emails member invoices to the member's email address on record in ClubRunner. Members, please forward the new invoice to the appropriate person for billing if applicable. If you would like an additional copy mailed (USPS) to an alternate address (i.e. your employer), please contact Maureen.
Eric Taipale is CEO of Sentera, a locally owned firm. He will present on the use of Drones (UAV’s) for Safety, such as Police and Fire, and for Agriculture. This is a timely topic as we move to regulate and register drones in U.S. airspace.
Tom Medcalf brought us speaker Bo Kaprall after recently reading an article about him in the Star Tribune. Bo is an actor, producer, and comedy writer with credits including Laverne and Shirley, Cher, the Carol Burnett Show, and many more. He began in improv and theater in Chicago, got recruited to Minnesota in the 70's, and then moved to LA where he became a regular at The Comedy Store and Kentucky Fried Theater. After becoming a sought-after writer for the biggest comedy shows of the time, he returned to Wayzata to raise his family in a stable, engaging community with excellent education. He loves it here because it's so real, but with that choice came the often-tough realities of living outside the showbiz capitals of LA and NYC while pursuing a comedy career. These days Bo continues his successful career by writing "Weekend Update" for Saturday Night Live and developing and pitching new reality TV programing. His latest joy is teaming up with Steve Hansen on a now-national Comedy Screen Writing competition, where he gets to choose scripts and help talented and aspiring screen writers get their work in front of the decision makers in the entertainment industry.
Host Tom Medcalf shared his vocational...he's a retired mutual fund manager who is happy to now have time for his hobbies. He recently checked a trip to Africa off his bucket list and looks forward to more travel. He enjoys having time to spend with his daughter. He has learned via computer dating that women think that men have no sense of humor, and wishes he'd learned that earlier in life! Thanks for a great program, Tom!
Speaker: Governor Al Quie
Co-Hosts: Karl Neset and Greg Rye
Bring a guest! Al Quie was a member of the Minnesota Senate from 1955 to 1958 and was elected to the US House of Representative serving from 1958 to 1979. He was considered for VP of the US in 1974 after Gerald Ford became president upon the resignation of Richard Nixon. The position was eventually taken by Nelson Rockefeller. Quie ran for, and was elected, governor of Minnesota in 1978 and opted not to run again in 1982. Although Quie left office 30 years ago, he remains involved in public affairs, advocating for maintaining an impartial judicial system, for more educational opportunities for children and for helping prisoners prepare for life on the outside.
DOOR PRIZE: Amy Schuett won $60 cash donated by Tom Medcalf! Nice!
HAPPY BUCKS!
Heidi Nelson was glad that her daughter has passed her drivers' exam...but admitted it was a little strange to see her driving away from the house alone.
Cindy Leines was grateful for the Wayzata community and for Rotary and Tom Vettel was happy about Cindy being chosen Wayzata Person of the Year by the Chamber.
Mark Lauffenburger was looking forward to the annual neighborhood Oktoberfest, and the good weather to go with it.
Mike Lee was happy to be retiring an old Caddie and replacing it with a new one.
Tom Vettel announced that he and Lynn are going to be grandparents for the first time. Ann is due in May. Congrats!
Marty Schneider introduced new blue mugs emblazoned with the Rotary wheel on one side and the Four Way Test on the other for those who would like that daily reminder of Rotary values with their morning coffee. The mugs are available for only $7.50, bring your money to next week's meeting.
Wayzata Rotary Club is proud to support projects and organizations both in our community and worldwide with funding grants.
The club accepts grant applications throughout the year and makes awards each six months, in November and May. The deadline for November grants is October 20th. Each application must have a member sponsor.
For guidelines and application forms, see the club website.
Effective October 1st, Betsy Stolfa has retired as Club Bookkeeper. Thank you, Betsy, for your many years of service! Also effective October 1st, responsibility for member billing and receivables will transfer to Maureen Mara, with Karen Johnson of Copeland Buhl responsibile for accounting. Your next quarterly bill will go out next week in a new format generated by ClubRunner. You will be able to pay your bill by credit card or check, which can be mailed or brought to a meeting. Questions, see Maureen or email maureenmarawayzata@gmail.com.
We welcomed Jim's cousin, agronomist Rob Fritz as our speaker. Rob works for Hefty Seeds in Baltic, South Dakota. In addition to seed sales, Hefty is a leader in providing information, analysis, and technology to farmers. Rob's talk explored some of the frequently told myths related to farming, including concerns about tiling, fertilizer use, and biotechnology. He educated us on some currently available precision farming technologies to micro-manage crop plots. For example, using plant tissue analysis, farmers can determine exactly where within their field they need to adjust nutrient loads. Then planters guided by GPS can be programmed to optimize seed choice and delivery relative to soil pH and nutrient levels. He explained some of the many uses of biotechnology in medicine as well as the food supply and food processing. Thanks for the education!
Jim Houg's vocational was short and sweet:
1. He's been married to Susan for 30 years. 2. He has a 30 year old son. 3. He has a 27 year old daughter.
Bob Shadley gave the invocation and included a blessing of two blue blankets emblazoned with the Rotary wheel. The blankets are gifts and symbols of support to members David Davenport and Charlie Marvin.
DOOR PRIZE: Paul Boettner won a Caribou gift card donated by host Jim Houg.
HAPPY BUCKS!
Guest Steve Plant celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the Maple Grove Club.
Marty Schneider happily introduced our new speaker gift, a blue mug with the Rotary Wheel on one side and the Four-Way Test on the other.
He offered them to all of us at $7.50 apiece.
Hope Schroeppel was glad to be celebrating anniversary #4 with her husband. Congratulations!
Belle had many reasons for her smile: she was very grateful for the David's new blue Rotary blanket, her grandson was playing for the Tommies in the annual rivalry versus the Johnnies, and JR was back in a suit (and she even recognized him).
Steve Hance was happy to introduce Youth Exchange student Anna Hegman and Host #3 Angie Gilmore, who were both in attendance.
Jim Houg was pleased to introduce his cousin as the speaker.
Speaker: Bo Kaprall, Comedy Writer
Host: Tom Medcalf
Bo Kaprall has been a television show creator, director, writer, producer, executive producer and actor for thirty years. Bo began in Chicago as a writer/ producer in the advertising business and as an actor at Chicago’s Second City. He has written for Saturday Night Live (from Minneapolis) and is developing reality shows for everyone from A&E to Discovery. Prepare to laugh!
Annie brought us speaker Sandy Sullivan, author of "Green Bay Love Stories and Other Affairs." Sandy delivered a rousing account of her experiences during the golden age of the Green Bay Packers, when she was working for Vince Lombardi. While working for a modelling agency in Milwaukee, Sandy met Vince Lombardi, then took a job selling season tickets for the Packers. It was only matter of time before she found herself dating Paul Horning, Dan Currie (and others!) and enjoying a social life running with The Pack.
Annie's vocational gave us a glimpse into her passions, which often leave her the only woman among men. Her loves are cars and football. In addition to working on our JJHill Days auto show, Annie races cars and high speed go-karts year-round in an all male racing league. She found out the hard way that getting punched after a race can be the consequence for bumping another driver's car. Annie is a 3peat Fantasty Football League champ and runs three different leagues. Thanks Annie!
Mark Schmid is Executive Pastor at St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church. Pastor Schmid is a graduate of Luther College and Luther Seminary. He joined the staff of St. Philip the Deacon as Executive Pastor in 2014. He is happy to be sharing a Rotary membership with Pastor Westermeyer as his alternate, and looking forward to new ways of knowing and serving the community.
763-475-7127
mschmid@spdlc.org
Tim Westermeyer is Senior Pastor at St. Phiip the Deacon Lutheran Church. Pastor Westermeyer is a graduate of St. Olaf College, the University of Notre Dame, and Luther Seminary. He joined the staff of St. Philip the Deacon as Executive Pastor in 2007, and became Senior Pastor in 2014.
Pastor Westermeyer is delighted to be of service to our club and the community.
763-475-7136
twestermeyer@spdlc.org
Scott Gengler is the new principal at Wayzata High School and a former Rotarian from Mounds View/New Brighton. Scott spent the last school year leading the construction of the new learning environment at WHS, and now takes over the reigns as principal from Rotarian Mike Trewick. He has held positions as principal at Irondale High and at Watertown Mayer. Scott and his family are thrilled to be in the community, and he is especially happy to be a Rotarian again.
Fall Grant applications are due by October 3. Questions, contact Doug Arndt.
District Club Training is this Friday at the Arboretum.
Plymouth Rotary needs 2 youth exchange host families (3 months each) for a Brazilian boy who attends Wayzata High School. Steve Hance and Paul Webster strongly advocated we consider becoming a host, not only for what it provides the student, but for the long lasting and positive impact it makes on the host family.
Get out your calendar! Our annual Club Holiday Party and Fundraiser will be the evening of December 9th.
Speaker Sandy Sullivan: It ain't over til' it's over!
Host: Annie Westall
Sandy Sullivan is an author, teacher, businesswoman and motivational speaker who can deliver a rousing account of her experiences while working with Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers. You’ll laugh and you’ll cry when you hear what she has accomplished, what she’s learned, and how and why she survived some very tough years; beginning with her husband’s unexpected death, to caring for her aging parents and raising a lovely daughter alone. She encourages others to stay positive and never give up because “It ain’t’ over til it’s over!” Her book, “Green Bay Love Stories,” has been acknowledged as a significant historical account of the Packers Glory Years and the foreword is written by Packers Hall of Fame great, Paul Hornung. She’ll tell a wild survival story which starts with working for Vince Lombardi and the Packers in the ‘60’s and how that time influenced her life and it ends with a run for WI Secretary of State. You’ll find the presentation fun, interesting and inspiring.
DOOR PRIZE: Tim Westermeyer won a $30 gift card to the Muni
HAPPY BUCKS THIS WEEK WERE IN HONOR OF MR. GRATITUDE, CHARLIE MARVIN
Greg Rye gave thanks for Charlie.
Tom Vettel was looking forward to two weeks in Europe, bicycling with Lynn from Prague to Vienna.
Andy Thielen was happy to be back after being gone for 5 weeks. He was fishing in Utah with his son, then on assignment in Las Vegas.
Chace Anderson was grateful for a great start to the school year, for Scott Gengler's leadership as principal, and for NO complaints on transportation.
Angela Bernhardt was happy that Hammer had been selected to receive the coin funds from MOA.
Becky Pierson announced that the Hovlands had just had a baby and all is well! Congrats!
Chris Pierson was very happy to have Becky back after a very successful conclusion to JJHill Days, and as a bonus they welcomed their daughter and son home for the weekend.
Chris also presented a baseball bat to Steve Droen (and family) as the trophy for winning a Homerun Challenge. Congrats Steve and Co.
Tom Medcalf was feeling lucky to be alive after chasing a mama bear through the Olympics during a recent hiking trip...but he got the great photos!
Mark Lauffenburger was anticipating a great 28th wedding anniversary on the 26th.
FINES: Whew! The wheel has left the building and is back in the barn.
Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners (IOCP) is in need of adult volunteers in the following areas:
Homework Helper or Reading Volunteer — Do you enjoy working with kids? IOCP needs adult volunteers to provide general academic support as Homework Helpers to youth for as little as 1-1.5 hours/week (or every two weeks). We also need Reading Volunteers for individuals or small groups of elementary aged youth 1 hour/week to improve their literacy. Training is provided. Both volunteer positions are during the school year.
Jennifer Munt was appointed to the Metropolitan Council in March 2011 by Gov. Mark Dayton and re-appointed in 2015. She lives in Minnetonka and represents District 3 Since 2005, Munt has served on the board of Transit for Livable Communities, the state’s largest transportation advocacy organization. On the Metropolitan Council, Munt serves on the Community Development and Transportation committees.
District Training is at the Arboretum the morning of Friday, September 25. Registration is free. If you'd like to attend, contact Mo right away.
Training breakout sessions are relevent to our current club priorities: Membership Development and Retention; Rotary Foundation programs, grants and annual giving; and Public Relations.
Kindly add the WRC Holiday Party to your calendar the evening of December 9th.
Great Day! Congratulations and deep gratitude to Marty Schneider and his amazing team for hours of tireless work! The 7th annual Motorsports Show was a huge success, aided by a gorgeous day, fantastic cars, and happy crowds. Our entire community benefits all year from this even: all proceeds go to our Wayzata Rotary Foundation to make our club grants possible. Thank you thank you!
Marc Cohn was inducted as our newest member at last week's meeting. Congrats, Marc! Members, if you haven't had a chance to introduce yourselves yet, please look for Marc at the next meeting.
Steve Droen brought us a very interesting speaker this week. Casey Krolczyk is a young man whose Rotary Youth Exchange experience meaningfully contributed to his choice of profession. While living in Switzerland Casey had the opportunity to witness the U.S. from the outside, especially relative to politics, and view our policies through the eyes of other countries. After graduating from college, Casey interned in the MN governor's office and fell in love with grass politics, eventually leading him to become a proponent and organizer for the concept of Ranked Choice Voting. He used a real club vote (for ice cream flavors) to demonstrate how it works and refute criticism of the process. In ranked choice voting, a voter gets to mark and rank order several choices on their ballot. This process replaces primaries in favor of one election, widens the voter base, and can improve voter turnout. Casey illustrated how it could reduce negative campaigning, since there is a full slate of contenders rather than two candidates focussed on finding fault with each other. Ranked choice voting is growing in popularity across the US, including the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Casey left us thinking outside the box about electoral politics, and with a better understanding of ranked choice voting. Thank you Steve and Casey!
FairVote Minnesota works for better democracy through public education and advocacy. Their focus is on progressive voting systems that lead to greater competitiveness, better representation and more participation in elections. They advocate for voting systems with a demonstrated record of success in producing these qualities such as Ranked Choice Voting in single-winner and multiple-winner elections.
Greg Rye won a $30 Macy's gift card donated by Annie Westall.
HAPPY BUCKS
Ben Hovland donated twice, once to celebrate the birth of their beautiful new daughter, Adeline (Della), and once to toast his daughter Livi's rise to big sister status.
Paul Boettner happily announced his wedding anniversary.
We toasted Cindy Leines for becoming the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce Person of the Year!
Paul Webster gave thanks that Bob Shadley figured out how to use his high tech phone to allow us to listen to Charlie Marvin's field report from Battleground Mayo. Third time's a charm, General.
Jeff Wosje announced the Plymouth Club's fundraiser and asked for our support.
DOOR PRIZE: Heidi Nelson won a $25 Caribou gift card donated by host Steve Droen.
HAPPY BUCKS:
Becky Pierson was delighted with the way JJHill days was coming together and hoping for a few more volunteers.
Sara Kaelberer wished Becky a happy birthday.
JR Boiclair was relieved the kids were back in school, and happy to be back in his casual clothes (because no one recognized him in his suit).
Chace Anderson delighted with the start of the school year and the impressive accuracy of their forecasting (10,801 students projected one year ago, only 2 off from the 10,803 registered the first day of school).
Arne Kjolbornsen was thrilled that the international granted had finally been approved, and grateful for Chris' hard work.
Steve Droen had many reasons to be happy, including the ball game, a shrimp boil, and two engaged daughters.
Doug Arndt was happy to have a dollar left in his pocket after Edward's wedding, and gave it away in tribute to the great presentation made by Edward, Dave Sanders, and Baggie.
Host Doug Arndt treated us to a very special program this week. Doug's son Edward is a retired Army Ranger with two tours of duty in Afghanistan; his friend Dave Sanders had five tours under his belt before retirement as a military dog handler. Together with Dave's military dog, Baggie, they shared insights into their lives as special ops forces and into the role of working dogs in our military. We learned that the Rangers role is to lead the way into battle, and that Special Ops forces are expected to keep up a tempo and intensity of work above and beyond that of the regular service: they are always actively working or training. Military dogs are tasked with similar intensity; Baggie, for example, was trained to attack, sniff out explosives, and chase down the bad guys; when not actively working on one of these roles he worked in the tactical operations center to calm and develop relationships with the troops. Edward and Dave shared stories of their time in Afghanistan, including the terrible losses their unit experienced and the role of Baggie in helping personnel cope with overwhelming battle zone stresses. Unfortunately, given the intensity of the work, our special operations forces have a suicide rate 3-4 times that of regular troops, and 7-8 times that of regular civilians. Edward and Dave identified the time between a service person's separation from the military and the commencement of services as a high risk period where making a healthy transition to civilian life is key, and they have begun to focus others on this important period of time. Dave, now an Atlanta policeman, has begun a non-profit to further this important cause and to highlight the important roles working dogs can continue to provide for veterans after their separation from active duty. Thank you Edward, Dave and Baggie, as well as to Dave's wife Sara for her important role during Dave's military service to our country.
Al and Mary McQuinn, Mary Jetland, and Theresa Pfister, and Susan Arndt were guests of Doug Arndt and eager to see Edward's presentation with Dave Sanders and Baggie, as was Sara Sanders, Dave's wife.
Guy Marzano and Alan Bensman were visiting from the Minnetonka Rotary club to enjoy our Wayzata hospitality and sell some raffle tickets for their upcoming club event.
Our youth exchange student Anna Lena Hegmann and host parent Betsy Stolfa were on hand to introduce Anna to our membership. Welcome Anna, thank you Stolfas!
Alex Stanford was guest of Greg Rye and was representing Representative Eric Paulsen, in support our service members and working military dogs.
Sara Mullaney was guest of Maureen Mara, and arrived with her working dog Truman to hear the story of Edward, Dave, and Baggie.
Saints game ticket holders, see your email for final instructions from Heidi.
If you can no longer use your ticket, please contact Mo (maureenmarawayzata@gmail.com) or Heidi (hnelson@wayzata.org) asap.
Here's the itinerary:
3:00-4:00: Gather at the Muni for pre-game libations and appetizers.
4:00 pm SHARP: Bus departs from MUNI parking lot. Don’t be late!
5:00-ish: Arrive at The Bulldog, 237 6th St E Saint Paul, MN 55101 6:30: Depart The Bulldog and head over the stadium (a 2 minute walk).
7:05: Game time! Immediately after game: bus leaves from stadium and returns to Muni.
For those of you not taking the bus from the Muni, the new Midway Stadium is located off I-94 and HWY 52 at 360 Broadway, St. Paul, MN 55101. Please join us at The Bulldog to get your tickets.
Game day questions? Call Heidi Nelson: 952-258-3313
Doug Arndt reports that Charlie will undergo surgery on September 1 at Mayo. After a spontaneous suggestion and unanimous agreement that Charlie's attendance record be allowed to remain intact after decades of perfection, the board convened long enough to pass a special proposal to excuse Charlie from attendance during his health crisis without blemish to his record.
Charlie welcomes offers of support, and can be reached at marvincnjr@aim.com or home phone 952-475-2450. His mailing address is 17300 5th Avenue North, Plymouth. We're behind you all the way, Charlie.
This week's program promises to be unique and fascinating; bring a guest! Edward Arndt and Dave Sanders served together in Afghanistan as Army Rangers. Dave was a military working dog handler assigned to their platoon and partnered with "Baggie". After their separate retirements, Dave and Baggie are reunited in the civilian world and remain close friends of Edward. As a team, the three friends will allow us a peek into their world in Afghanistan, especially into the role of dogs in the health and safety of our military men and women. Expect some demonstrations and some very interesting tales; stories like these are not often told and we are very fortunate to have this exceptional time with Edward, Dave, and Baggie.
August 25th Meeting: Dave Sanders, Edward Arndt, and Baggie Working Military Dogs
President Mark Lauffenburger hosted our meeting, and Bob Shadley gave our invocation. Our speaker was Sam Thompson, member of the Edina noon club, representing Camp Enterprise for Districts 5950 and 5960. We learned that Camp Enterprise is a 3 day immersion into the free enterprise system for up to 120 high school juniors and seniors. The students are sponsored by 60 Rotary clubs in the two districts with the goal of developing our next generation of leaders. During their time at Camp Iduhapi, the students are divided into teams of 6-8 students and provided full-time attention from real-world business mentors. Through team building exercises the students determine their individual strengths and take on roles within a business unit, then take on a case study to put together a business plan for a product or service. The teams work through the weekend to develop strategy, marketing, financial, operating, and HR plans while using Rotarian volunteers who are business specialists to challenge and hone their work. On the final day, each team presents its proposal to venture capitalists, who decide whether to (with play money) fund their proposed businesses a la "Shark Tank." Five students are selected for $1000 college scholarships, and all the participants go home energized by their business immersion, with some very valuable and sometimes life-changing experience.
Club members are needed to volunteer in the following roles: Mentors (3 days), Venture Capitalists, and Essay Readers for Scholarship Applicants.
Members, please encourage applicants within your circle of friends, aquaintances and coworkers: WRC sponsors two students for this important vocation-building event. Camp Enterprise is being held November 5-7, 2015, and the time to apply is NOW, click Camp Enterprise Application and Information
We welcomed three familiar guests this week: prospective Member Marc Cohn, Doug Arndt's son Edward, and part-time member George Steiner. We are grateful you could join us and come back soon!
DOOR PRIZE: Paul Boettner won a Bell Bank survival kit, with items too special and too numerous to list. This wonderful prize came to us courtesy of Mark Lauffenburger, who in his defense, has brought in several excellent door prizes lately.
HAPPY BUCKS:
Fred Meyer is excited to be heading off to his second home in England for six weeks, and is glad for the connection to his other Rotary family there.
Bob Shadley was full of gratitude that Donnie Scanlon had gotten good news after a health scare.
Andy Fazendin threw in $10 to celebrate his 10th anniversary.
Mark Lauffenburger was full of new perspective after driving his son's car for the past several days, and grateful to get his own car back.
FINES: We were warned that the Wheel of Fortune may be returning...
Last week we were honored to welcome new District Governor Tim Murphy and Assistant District Governor Jeff Wosje to our meeting, with President Mark Lauffenburger hosting. Chris Pierson gave our invocation, and included a heartfelt prayer to "call in all our markers for Charlie". Jeff Wosje congratulated our club for publicly getting behind our police officers and the Night to Unite movement, then introduced DG Murphy, whose WRC visit was his amazing 22nd club visit in the six short weeks since his installation.
DG Murphy acknowledged a number of important WRC accomplishments over the last year:
* our $9720 contribution to RI this past year, including 36 Paul Harris level contributors and 20 sustaining PH members
*our $56k dental project in the Domican Republic through the efforts of Chris Pierson, Arne Kjolbornsen, and Tom Vettel
*our joint "RotaryRotary" art installation project with the Orono and Plymouth club led by Heidi Nelson
*our 7th Annual Motorsports Car Show, and Marty Schneider's heroic efforts to make it happen each year
*our scholarships that are rewarding 16 outstanding students by helping them attend college this fall, and Bruce Lea's leadership
*Fred Meyer's initiative to make Shelterbox a reality this past year
*Nate Lilleoden's tireless efforts towards our financial and tax records
*Steve Hance's hard work to make our Rotary Youth Exchange experiences seamless and welcoming
*Tom Vettel's tenacity to bring Rotary to new generations with the initiation of a new Rotaract chapter
Thank you and well done, members!
DG Murphy spoke about Rotary's need to support and strengthen clubs. While globally we gained 100k members in last year, we also lost 100k members. He asserted that we have a retention problem rather than an attraction problem, and is working hard to apply business principals to build vibrant Rotary Clubs. Vibrant clubs attract new members and retain them. He challenged us to attract new members, get them quickly engaged and then engage them again and again, empower them, and get out of their way so they can make a difference.
His second focus is toward international efforts, where we already excel, with 3 Peace scholars coming from our area, our foundation giving among the very best in the world, and our exchange student and project leadership projects consistent and meaningful. Rotary's worldwide long held goal of total eradication in within reach, with only two countries reporting polio this past year, for a total of 28 cases worldwide. This compares to 1000 cases per day when Rotary began the PolioPlus program. DG Murphy's goal is to inspire us to deliver $1 per day per member to the international foundation this year.
Tim Murphy's third area of focus this year will be to recreate our public image toward a more modern Rotary look and feel, using more relevent channels. Toward this end we're asked to continue to increase our use of the new Rotary branding materials and social media. More relevent to existing members, we were challenged to "invert our org chart" to make our members the drivers of club, to make our members "crazy happy", and for existing members to give the gift of mentorship to a new member: to be a person of significance for another, to raise each other up.
In closing, our district governor echoed Rotary International's president "Ravi" Ravindran's words: "Our time has come. It will never come again. Be a Gift to the World."
We are so pleased to announce Senior Pastor Tim Westermeyer and Executive Pastor Mark Schmid as the newest members of Wayzata Rotary, jointly representing St. Philip the Deacon church in Plymouth. We've enjoyed getting to know you during your recent visits, and can't wait to have you engaged in meetings and activities with us. Welcome aboard!
Each year about 110 juniors and seniors attended Camp Enterprise, led by Sam Thompson, from over 60 high schools in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Specifically, students interested in learning more about business, leadership, entrepreneurship, and the free enterprise system come together in a unique, intensive and fun three day workshop where they interact with and are led by business leaders from our clubs and communities. This is a vocational gem for our youth, yet we often don't know much about it, and Sam Thompson aims to change that.
August 18th Meeting: Speaker Sam Thompson, Rotary Camp Enterprise
Dr. Charlie Marvin gave a quick update last week on his health. He is newly diagnosed with head and neck cancer and is at the Mayo this week for further diagnosis and to learn treatment options. Charlie's plan is "to keep smiling". He welcomes offers of support, and can be reached at marvincnjr@aim.com or home phone 952-475-2450. His mailing address is 17300 5th Avenue North, Plymouth. We're behind you all the way, Charlie.
Tom Vettel was proud that his son Blake (UW grad/U of Mn law) has gotten a job offer from his internship and will be heading to Chicago after graduation. Congrats Blake!
Jim Hartfiel was feeling great about pulling off a great surprise 21st birthday weekend for his daughter Casey, which included sneaking in friends from out of town.
Mark Lauffenburger was delighted with his son's accomplishments at his Boston Scientific internship, and was feeling like we're all in good hands with our future generation.
Tim Murphy was excitedly looking forward to spending time fishing with his son in northern Canada.
This week's door prize was a beautiful basket filled with treats to create a leisurely weekend breakfast, provided by Mark Lauffenburger. Congratulations to winner Doug Arndt, we're hoping your weekend was delicious !
Last week's meeting was our annual joint gathering with the Wayzata Chamber and the Wayzata Crime Prevention Coalition to kickoff "Night to Unite." Night to Unite is a yearly event designed to strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships. Thank you to Greg Rye for hosting the meeting. Greg kicked off the meeting by thanking the great work of all our public safety personnel for their excellent and selfless work, and reminded the crowd that we need to stand up and support our public servants every day of the year, not just this day set aside to honor them. Speakers at the lunch emphazed gratitude and the great debt our communities owe our public safety personnel. Officers from Wayzata, Minnetonka, Minnetrista, Deephaven, Medina, Orono and Hennepin County were present, as well as the Wayzata Fire Department. Speakers included Chamber board chair Peter Hitch, representatives from sponsors Sears Automotive, Roger Fazenden Realtors, and The Muni, along with Mayor Ken Willcox, President of the WCPC Max Wyndham, Mn Commisioner of Public Safety Mona Dohman, Deputy Commissioner Mark Dunaski, and keynote Speaker Mike Risvold. The Jim Fish Citizen Crime Prevention Award was presented by the WCPC to Bob Nash for his outstanding service to the community. Thank you to all who worked to put on this important program, to Greg Rye for hosting, and most importantly to all our public safety personnel.
This week we're excited to be joined by new District Governor Tim Murphy. DG Murphy is in the process of visiting each club in District #5950 to learn about and celebrate key projects and contributors, share his vision for the year, and participate in our meeting. Don't miss this meeting, and be sure to extend a warm Wayzata Rotary welcome!
August 12th Meeting: Welcome District Governor Tim Murphy!
Remember,THIS week's meeting is Tuesday, August 4th instead of Wednesday.
The August Board Meeting is next Wednesday, August 12.
The signup deadline is here for the WRC Saints Game event on Wednesday, September 2nd. Email Maureen at maureenmarawayzata by August 5 to buy your Wayzata Rotary Member ticket. Beginning August 5 we will begin selling tickets to guests. If you're interested in guest tickets, please email Maureen.
Cost is $30, and includes a great seat behind home plate (with available in-seat food and bar service), and bus transportation to and from the game. We'll be leaving from the Muni at 4:00pm sharp and returning there after the game. We'll try to keep the bus ahead of rush hour and gather at a pub near Midway Stadium from approximately 5:00 until approximately 6:30, then head to the ballpark for the first pitch at 7:05. If you can't make the bus, meet us in St. Paul.
Jim Hartfiel hosted our meeting today and introduced speaker Howie Milstein. CEO Howie decided early in his career to question conventional thinking and seek the real truth that is rooted in unbiased observation. He challenged us to consider likability a key asset for leaders, and set aside the dictum that "you can't be liked by everyone." We all want engagement in our employees, volunteers, and families, yet most are disengaged, leading to turnover and inefficiency. What motivates people is autonomy, a sense of mastery, and the ability to influence thinking and ideas of others. So with more courage, warmth and compassion, openness to mistakes, and more vulnerability on the part of leadership, we can create a new environment of trust, alignment, willingness to innovate. In summary, Howie explained that likability is an outward focus. It's about being curious about other people, listening to them, and allowing them to contribute. Most importantly, we need to stay uncomfortable as we try out new ways of engaging those around us, because we won't have growth without the discomfort. Thank you Jim and Howie!
This TUESDAY we'll kick off "Night to Unite" activities with a joint meeting between Wayzata Rotary, the Wayzata Chamber, and the WCPC. Night to Unite is an annual event designed to strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships. Activities are designed to heighten crime, drug and violence awareness; generate support for – and participation in – local anti-crime programs; strengthen neighborhood spirit; and to send a message to criminals that we are organized and won't accept crime in our neighborhoods.
Speakers: Janee Harteau, Chief of Minneapolis Police & Mike Risvold, Chief of Wayzata Police
Greg Rye hosted our meeting and brought us featured speaker Janee Harteau. Chief Harteau, chief since 2012, began as a patrol officer and rose through the ranks of the Minneapolis Police Department to become a highly visible and respected leader locally, nationally, and internationally. Fresh off a plane from Peru, where she'd been hiking the Inca trail and participating in a Smile Patrol surgical team, Chief Harteau was quick to note all that we have to be appreciative of here in Minnesota. Her reflections following her trip included strong thoughts that she is where she should be and doing work that's important, despite the difficult and often polarizing nature of her position and the need to "go home and grow skin every night".
Chief Harteau keeps herself focussed on the thought that every decision she makes has a human impact, and has pledged herself and her department to commitment, transparency, and integrity. Her collaborative approach and openness to private sector best practices are allowing her to lead organizational change towards better safety, strong public trust, and highly engaged employees, and the MPD is becoming a force that others are looking to for innovative practices. Chief Harteau answered questions ranging from racial tensions in the Twin Cities, to leading cultural change, terror recruitment, and outer-ring suburban crime trends.
Wayzata Chief Mike Risvold will be speaking at our meeting on August 4th, and gave us a foretaste of that "Night to Unite" talk. While in some ways Chief Risvold's position is very much like Chief Harteau's, he noted the two communities have very different policing requirements due to the differences in the cities. Like Minneapolis, Wayzata's police activity statistics are up significantly over each of the past two years (due in part to adding Long Lake to the department's coverage area), but in contrast to Minneapolis Wayzata's crimes are largely nonviolent. Chief Risvold noted that he often feels he's policing two communities: a larger urban area by day, and a quieter, calmer town by night. Thank you Greg Rye for bringing us two engaging speakers, and we look forward to hearing more from Chief Risvold next week.
Last week's door prize was a $50 cold hard cash provided by Host Greg Rye. The lucky winner was Jean Corbett, Greg's guest. If the police chief wasn't the one pulling the winning ticket, we'd think that was a tad suspicious.
The Pontoon Smoker will be next Thursday, July 30 and all are welcome. If you haven't signed up yet please speak up now so we can guarantee space. Send me an email at maureenmarawayzata@gmail.com.
The WRC Saints Game event will be Wednesday, September 2, with pre-game festivities and bus transportation. We have 30 outstanding seats in the great new baseball stadium. Tickets will go on sale shortly, stay tuned.
Meeting date changed! We will not hold a meeting on Wednesday, August 5. Instead, we will have a joint luncheon with the Wayzata Chamber and WCPC to celebrate Night to Unite on Tuesday, August 4th.
Host Greg Rye brings us Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau this week as speaker, along with special guests Wayzata Mayor Ken Wilcox and Chief of Police Mike Risvold. Chief Harteau joined the MPD in 1987 and worked her way through the ranks beginning as a patrol officer on the street. In 2006 she was appointed as the Inspector of the First Precinct where she worked to formalize the SafeZone collaborative and served as the first president of its board of directors. As the First Precinct Inspector she was a longtime proponent of strong public/private partnerships to strengthen public safety downtown. Among those partnerships was the creation of the Block E station, the Fusion Center and the Downtown Courtwatch program for which the MPD won an international community policing award from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). Prior to being appointed to Assistant Chief in 2010, Harteau was the Deputy Chief of the Patrol Bureau where she was responsible for all Minneapolis Police Department 911 response personnel and the department’s emergency services units. In 2012, Chief Harteau was nominated by the mayor and unanimously confirmed by the city council to become the 52nd and first female Chief of Police in the city’s history. Please plan to join us Wednesday, and guests are always welcome.
Albert Yamamoto was born and raised in Seattle until he was 13 years old. In 1940, his father took the family to Japan for a visit, and then announced that Albert and his sister would be remaining to go to school there while living with his grandparents in their small seaside village. When war broke out, Albert was forced to remain there. Out fishing one day, Al encountered a periscope peering at him in his dinghy, and later learned that the top secret training base for midget submarines was located a stone's throw from his grandparents' home. Albert's father chose a quasi-military school for him that required reinstatement of his Japanese citizenship. Albert's dual-Japanese citizenship was coincidentally approved by General Tojo (soon to be Prime Minister) on Pearl Harbor Day. During his school days, Al narrowly missed the "opportunity" to become a kamikaze pilot but was allowed to remain a student. With fluency in English and Japanese he served many times as an interpreter for both sides in the war. Unable to return to the US until 1947, Yamamoto was drafted and served with distinction as a linguist in the U.S. Military Intelligence Service. Now 88, Mr. Yamamoto's reflections offered a rare peek into history from a first hand perspective. Thank you to Host Steve Hance (two weeks in a row!) for bringing us this interesting speaker.
Hosting for the second week in a row, Steve Hance provided a bit more of his background this week. Steve joined the Wayzata Rotary Club in 2007. Then-President Andy Fazendin asked Steve to be treasurer, presumably for a finite period, but eight years later Steve still finds himself in this role, as well as his leadership of Youth Exchange. Before joining the Wayzata club, Steve was a Rotarian in St. Paul and Bloomington, where he became familiar with Rotary Group Study Exchanges, a concept he hopes to introduce to us. Group Study Exchanges involve a one month immersion abroad in a vocational field, while staying with host families. Steve's own foreign immersion has included living and working in Japan, where he became interested in the role of Japan in WWII as well as Japanese views of America during the war. His choice of Al Yamamoto as speaker today was a natural outcome of this interest. Thank you, Steve.
Last week's door prize was a $25 gift card to McCormick's provided by Host Steve Hance. Guest and prospective member Walt Gislason was the lucky winner.
Albert Yamamoto: My Life as an American in Japan during WWII
Albert Yamamoto was born and raised in Seattle until he was 13 years old. In 1940, he was a student visiting Japan when war broke out, and was forced to remain there for the duration of the war. With fluency in English and Japanese he served many times as an interpreter. Unable to return to the US until 1947, Yamamoto was drafted and served with distinction as a linguist in the U.S. Military Intelligence Service. Now 88, Yamamoto's reflections offer a rare peek into history from a first hand perspective.
Don't Miss our Speaker for July 15: Albert Yamamoto
The Pontoon Smoker will be the evening of Thursday, July 30 and all are welcome. We'll be choosing a boat shortly, so if you haven't yet made your interest known, please speak up now so we can guarantee space.
The WRC Saints Game event will be Wednesday, September 2, with pre-game festivities planned. We have 30 outstanding seats in the great new baseball stadium. Tickets will go on sale shortly, stay tuned.
Meeting date changed! We will not hold a meeting on Wednesday, August 5. Instead, we will have a joint luncheon with the Wayzata Chamber and WCPC to celebrate Night to Unite on Tuesday, August 4th.
Meeting host Steve Hance brought us a great slate of speakers from Rotary Youth Exchange. Steve introduced us to outbound RYE students Lindsay Turner, who is headed to Korea, and Laura Moyer, who will be living in Italy. They each shared a bit of their backgrounds, preparations, and hopes for their upcoming adventures. Speaker Vicki Dilley is North star Youth Exchange Coordinator, and provided an overview of our Youth Exchange program. Two recent RYE students shared some highlights of their time in Sweden and Italy. Thanks, Steve, we are looking forward to meeting and hosting our next exchange student.
Volunteers needed: President Mark Lauffenburger is looking for 8-10 members who would volunteer to give the meeting invocation on a rotating basis. Thank you to those who have already responded to this request; we are still looking for a few more members who would provide this club service.
Please Friend the Club on Facebook! This allows us to get the word out about out speakers, events, and service to the community, and it only requires you to make a few mouse clicks. Thank you.
Social Marketing? If you'd like to help out with Social Marketing for the Club, please talk to Ben Hovland.
Mark Lauffenburger has proposed a WRC Floating Smoker Event (cigars, laughs, and smart conversation on a pontoon). Initial interest at last week meeting was very high, so if you think you'd be interested and weren't at last week's meeting, please email mo (maureenmarawayzata@gmail.com); based on your responses we will be selecting a boat and finding available dates for this event.
Don't miss WayzataRotary Club Night at the St. Paul Saints on September 2. If you haven't seen the Saints' new stadium yet, it's fantastic, and we have 30 great tickets behind home plate with in-seat food and beverage service. Stay tuned to purchase your tickets, info coming soon. Thank you Heidi and team for all your hard work on this event.
The Wednesday Concert Series at the Depot has begun! The trolley will run along Lake Street from the Muni to the Depot and back from 6-9pm.
On July 2 we all had the privilege of saying one last farewell to Leo before her return to Germany after a fabulous Youth Exchange year here in Minnesota. Leo brought a very special and unexpected guest to our meeting: her father, Rocco, who had surprised her with a visit for her very last week in the States. Rocco addressed the club with very heartfelt gratitude: "Thank you in the name of the children who benefit from your exchange program. You have made a big mark on my daughter and on my family, I am happy and thankful for that." Thank you, Rocco, for loaning us your daughter, who we reluctantly say farewell to.
We've enjoyed getting to know you, JR, and are happy you've decided to move back to Minnesota and make WRC your Rotary home. While originally a Minnesota native, JR has been living and working in the Bahamas and is a three year member of the East Nassau Rotary club. JR has transferred his Rotary membership to WRC. He will be providing a vocational soon, and whet our appetite for his talk with some fun stories of life in the islands and why he's not so crazy to move here. We're glad you're here, JR.
Jan Dunlap is a Minnesota author, whose works include the Bob White Birder Murder Mystery series and her memoir "Saved by Gracie: How a Rough and Tumble Shelter Dog Dragged Me Back to Health, Happiness, and God." It’s the story of how her daughter's adopted rescue dog helped her overcome an anxiety disorder and return her to health (even though her fear of dogs was one of her biggest anxieties to begin with). In addition to writing, Jan's recent undertakings include Minnesota Master Naturalist training and the recent lauch of her #GetOutsideHappy!Initiative. Jan provided us a brief review of some of the amazing and scientifically validated benefits of outdoor activity, and offered some quick and easy ways we all can get more engaged with nature. Her goal is to recruit everyone to join her in encouraging people to get back outside and PLAY their way to better health and renewed happiness.
Learn more at jandunlap.com or follow her at #GetOutsideHappy.
Tom Vettel continued his series of Presidential Citations, recognizing members who have gone above and beyond in their service to the club and community, often in behind the scenes ways. Congratulations and gratitude to:
Steve Droen, for being the momentum behind the annual Holiday Fundraiser for so many years.
Jerry Asplund, who was the spark behind our social events, and is missed.
Lynn Groll, for her excellent service to the board.
Fred Meyer, for stepping up and taking the lead on the Shelterbox efforts.
Arne Bjornson, who has tenaciously championed the international project and made it a reality.
Nate Lilleodden, "Mr. Behind-the-Scenes", who quietly volunteers to manage the club's taxes and accounting, and coordinates financials with club administration.
Marty Schneider, for having his capable hands in so many important projects, including the Motorsports Event, logistics, speakers, Halloween events, and more.
Ben Hovland, who has put a face on the club with his efforts in PR and social media, as well as being "an all around good guy."
Charlie Marvin received special recognition and a perfect attendance lapel pin. He attended every meeting in 2014-15, and acts as the icebreaker for our speakers each and every week.
Congratulations and thanks to all our award winners!
Angela Bernhardt and Marty Schneider presented $20 giftcards to the Muni for bringing in the best speakers over the past year. Congratulations to our winners, and thanks to all of you who have have brought us such interesting speakers this past year. The awards go to:
Category
Winner
Speaker
Best Old Tradition
Jack Weeks
Holiday Choir Event
Best New Tradition
Bob Shadley
Veterans Day Tribute
Best Official
Jim Hartfiel
Head of MnDot
Best "On the Spot"
John Curtis
John Curtis, after the scheduled speaker was a no-show
June 25 brought Tom Vettel's year as club president to a close, and beginning July 1 the club welcomes Mark Lauffenburger as our new president. Mark thanked Tom for his strong leadership and many accomplishments over the past year, and for his efforts to create a seamless leadership transition. Mark presented Tom an engraved golden gavel plaque and lapel pin to commemorate his year.
After a well deserved standing ovation, Tom thanked club members for their confidence and trust in allowing him to be president. He expressed gratitude for the deeper immersion into the club that the year has provided, especially in getting to know the members and their many talents and contributions. Tom was especially proud that the Wayzata Rotary Club is still relevent in the community after 66 years, because Service Above Self is still relevent. Tom's new Rotary roles will include being an active WRC board member, acting as RI Foundation Chair and Membership Commitee member, continuing to facilitate the startup of the West Metro Rotoract, and taking on a new role as District Rotaract Advisor.
Incoming President Lauffenburger took a few moments to look forward to a great year ahead, and shared a bit of his own Rotary story which has now come full circle from his earliest days in the club. Mark felt honored to be asked to join Rotary by Steve Droen, and joined in 1996. As an incoming member Mark looked forward to the networking that Rotary allows, then quickly realized what a treasure the people are. Soon he found himself digging in and participating in community events and having fun, and over time became more and more involved in community service, including the lake overloook project, filling up the foodshelf, providing calculators for kids, and then involvement in scholarships and grants. Mark is proud the club is so significant in the community, and echos Tom's thoughts about the club remaining relevent. We're looking ahead to a great year!
Becky Pierson was excited about the Wayzata Art Experience coming up this past weekend.
Bob Shadley was happy that Becky had bought Chris a new sunlamp AND gave $70 bucks in gratitude for Tom Vettel's excellent year as Club President.
Jack Weeks was happy because he had just returned from a trip to his granddaughter Clare's wedding.
Chris Pierson was pleased he had been able to help the Excelsior Club set up their foundation AND will be receiving a donation to our foundation in return.
Leonora Thiede, our wonderful Rotary Youth Exchange student for the past year, spoke at our June 22nd meeting. She filled us in on her background in Germany, her impressions of the United States, and her mixed feelings about leaving Minnesota behind. Above all, she is grateful to have had this wonderful experience in Minnesota, and especially thankful to have had such wonderful host family experiences. Leo has 5 siblings ranging in age from 2-23, and her Mom is a teacher. Leo has had wonderful experiences during the past year, including travel in Minnesota and around the country, learning in a different type of educational system, experiencing new sports and activities, trying new foods, attending school dances and activities (non existent in her school), and just generally making new friends and getting the hang of being a teenager in Minnesota. She will be missed, and she will miss us. Steve Hance spoke for himself, Leo's hosts, and the whole club when he said "We all love Leo, she's a treasure. We will miss her."
A special thank you to Steve Hance and Leo's hosts families, who made Leo so happy, and the rest of us all look so good :
The raffle prize was a bottle of "Gentleman Scholar" vodka, from our speaker's distillery, courtesy of Mark Cheeley. Chris Pierson happily accepted the prize.
Annual Speaker Awards & Installation of New President
Hosted by your Friendly Program Committee
LAST WEEK:
Kevin Burkhart: "Doing Things Others Say You Cannot Do"
Hosted by Mark Cheeley
Thank you for hosting, Mark, nice job! Mark brought us Kevin Burkhart, an inspirational speaker whose message was about "doing things others say you cannot do." Kevin is a partner at "Gentleman Scholar" distillery, an avid endurance athlete, and advocate for Parkinson's disease. His world changed in 1999 when he learned his father had Parkinson's disease. Mark and his father found great support within the Parkinson's community, and Kevin became a board member of the National Parkinson's Foundation so that he could give back and create awareness of the disease. Kevin decided to pair his love of skydiving with fundraising efforts, completing "100 Perfect Jumps For Parkinson's" in one day in July, 1999, generating buzz and raising money. Two years later he completed 150 jumps in a day, and had his sights set on 300 jumps when a horrific snowmobiling injury turned his life upside down. After a long and painful recovery that included multiple surgeries, Kevin faced depression and hopelessness, a nonfunctional left arm, and the prospect of a life robbed of the active things he loved to do. Despite the skepticism of others, he fought back, using ingenuity, invention and tenacity to create adaptive technologies and processes to allow him to return to the sports he loves. Kevin now inspires the world around him with his story and his participation in scuba, triathlon, snowboarding, motorcycling, Nordic and water skiing, and a return to skydiving. In 2013, just one year after the accident, he triumphantly completed "151 Imperfect Jumps for Parkinson's". As Kevin says, "it always seems impossible till it's done."
Special Presidential Citations: Tom Vettel is awarding special recognition over the next several weeks to members who have gone above and beyond in their service to the club, often in behind-the-scenes ways. He awarded two more certificates at our June 17 meeting. Congratulations and gratitude for putting service above self go to:
Mike Lee, who received the President’s Citation for his leadership on the Wayzata Rotary “Logistics Team”. Along with his team members - Darrell Leines, Jim Haug, Robb Hunt and Steve Droen - Mike has been behind the scene of some of our most important offsite events - such as the Annual Motorsports Show and the Chilly Open.
Bob Shadley, who has been our Membership Chair for many years and he brings a sense of honor and pride to the new membership process at Wayzata Rotary. Having been a 2-star General in the Army, Bob exemplifies all the best traits of a Rotarian - service above self, loyalty to others, commitment and honor. He does all of this with a sense of humor that makes him one of our most beloved members.
Annual Speaker Awards & Installation of New President
Hosted by your Friendly Program Committee
LAST WEEK:
Kevin Burkhart: "Doing Things Others Say You Cannot Do"
Hosted by Mark Cheeley
Thank you for hosting, Mark, nice job! Mark brought us Kevin Burkhart, an inspirational speaker who gave us a message about "doing things others say you cannot do." Kevin is a partner at Gentleman Scholar distillery, an avid endurance athlete, and advocate for Parkinson's disease. His world changed in 1999 when he learned his father had Parkinson's disease. Mark and his father found great support within the Parkinson's community, and Kevin became a board member of the National Parkinsons Foundation so that he could give back and create awareness of the disease. Kevin decided to pair his love of skydiving with fundraising efforts, completing "100 Perfect Jumps For Parkinsons" in one day in July, 1999, generating buzz and raising money. Two years later he completed 150 jumps in a day, and had his sights set on 300 jumps when a horrific snowmobiling injury turned his life upside down. After a long and painful recovery that included multiple surgeries, Kevin faced down depression and hopelessness, a nonfunctional left arm, and the prospect of a life robbed of the active things he loved to do. Despite the skepticism of others, he fought back, using ingenuity, invention and tenacity to create adaptive technologies and processes to allow him to return to the sports he loves. Kevin now inspires the world around him with his story and his participation in scuba, triathlon, snowboarding, motorcycling, Nordic and water skiing, and a return to skydiving. In 2013 he completed "151 Imperfect Jumps for Parkinsons". As Kevin says, "it always seems impossible till it's done."
Recognition and gratitude to outgoing Board Members Belle Davenport, Cindy Leines, Lynn Groll, and Bob Shadley!
You have served the club and your community tirelessly and well!
Thank you to WRC members who served area students at the Summer Foodpacking Event- Chairs Lynn Vettel and Belle Davenport, Cindy Leines, Bruce Lea, Hope Schroeppel, Doug Arndt, Tom Medcalf and Jim Hartfiel joined other area Rotarians to provide summer meals to students in need in our community. Way to go with hands-on service!
Special Presidential Thanks: Tom Vettel is awarding special recognition over the next several weeks to members who have gone above and beyond in their service to the club, often in behind-the-scenes ways. He awarded three certificates at our June 10 meeting. Congratulations and gratitude for putting service above self go to:
Bruce Lea, for all his work on the Education Foundation to provide scholarships for hardworking and deserving students. He's the guy who makes it all happen. Chris Pierson, for all his efforts toward making the international dental clinic a reality, including persevering towards District and RI matching grants. Steve Hance, for the many, many hours he has put in on Rotary Youth Exchange planning, finding sponsors, and guiding students and families.
Board Planning Session Thanksto Greg Rye, Mark Lauffenburger, and Tom Vettel for leading an evening off-site for the board last week, and to every member who gave feedback through the mini-survey. Both incoming and outgoing boards gathered to define direction and plans for the upcoming Rotary year. The results of our recent club survey were reviewed during this meeting, and you have been heard: member feedback is shaping plans for 2015-16. Stay tuned!
Kevin Burkhart: "Doing Things Others Say You Cannot Do"
Hosted by Mark Cheeley
LAST WEEK:
Tom Palm from Tonka Paparazzi
Hosted by Hope Schroeppel
Nice job hosting, Hope! Hope welcomed JR Boisclair back to another WRC meeting. JR plans to transfer to our club from his East Nassau, Bahamas club in July.
Hope introduced speaker Tom Palm, a 50-year Lake Minnetonka resident, former Blake teacher, restaurant kitchen equipment salesperson, coffeeshop designer, and entrepreneur. His most recent venture launching Tonka Paparazzi, a Lake Minnetonka based photo service run from the crow's nest of Tom's specially designed photography boat. Tonka Paparazzi's motto is to "capture boating memories from a whole new perspective," and Tom spends his weekends taking pictures of anglers, partygoers, and recreational boaters in action on their watercraft. Tom posts his photos online, where they are now free to print out as memories and keepsakes, made possible by Tom's advertising sponsors. Tom shared interesting stories about building his business, including the mistakes, learning, and improvements he's made along the way. Fun fact: the nautical flag logo posted on Tom's boat and website spell out the word "SMILE." Don't forget to do just that when you meet Tom and his camera out on the lake this summer. Thank you Tom.
We are seeking meeting hosts for three upcoming dates: July 8, July 29, and August 12. Please contact Marty Schneider, Angela Bernhardt, or Maureen Mara if you can host one of those dates. Thank you.
Dental Mission in Dominican Republic Moving Forward! The grant request to fund a much needed dental clinic has been submitted to Rotary International for final approval. This will be a $56k project. Great work!
Rotoract Update & Kudos- The charter application for the West Metro Rotaract Group has been completed. Our own Tom Vettel has been appointed the new District Rotaract Chair. Congratulations Tom!
PRISM Summer Foodpacking Event Reminder: If you signed up for the summer foodpack, the event is THIS Saturday, June 13, from 9am-noon. Meet at PRISM, 730 Florida Avenue South, Golden Valley. Belle Davenport is your contact.
RYE Plymouth needs sponsors in Wayzata School District- Sponsor families are needed for a 3 month RYE stay. Do you know of anyone who might be interested? Talk to Steve Hance.
Tom Palm,Tonka Paparazzi
Hosted by Hope Schroeppel
LAST WEEK:
Randy Shaver Cancer Research & Community Fund
Hosted by Ben Hovland
Randy Shaver spoke last week about the Randy Shaver Cancer Fund and his own personal journey as an on-air journalist and cancer survivor. Randy was diagnosed 17 years ago with Hodgkins Lymphoma and waged a public battle against the disease, working on-air at KARE11 throughout his treatment. At the time of his diagnosis he was already engaged in the battle against cancer, acting as chairperson for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's annual Golf Tournament. Randy and his wife now champion their own 501-c3, the Randy Shaver Cancer Fund, which gives away over $500k annually in seed funds to make vital cancer research a reality at the U, Mayo, and around the globe. Their efforts have grown exponentially, aided by community donors, especially the MN Football Coach's Association's "Tackle Cancer" program and the MN Wrestling Coaches Association "Take Down Cancer" efforts.
Randy noted that virtually everybody has been touched by cancer personally: either their own diagnosis or that of a relative or of someone they are close to. "We shouldn't be ok with that", he said, "we shouldn't be ok with cancer, we need to fight hard."
Thank you to Ben Hovland for his tenacity in bringing us this excellent speaker today.
DOOR PRIZE: Jackie Thoennes, guest of scholarship winner Morgan Coffman, won a month of car washes at Wayzata Bay Carwash. Thank you Bruce Lea!
Many Happy Bucks:
Becky Pierson has an intern starting today from the U via WHS
Steve Kern is excited that Evan and Emily are with college.
Chris Piersen had praise for the students' hard work, service and academics
Jim Hartfield was grateful that our boys of summer are winning
Travis agreed with Jim
Angela Bernardt paid tribute to the high school students
Andy Thielen was happy that lots of kids were coming through the STEM teaching module at his engineering firm,
and recognized Steve Hance for lining up hosts for the incoming RYE student in advance of his arrival.
Mark Lauffenburger was happy that his son had shown off his top notch education and civic mindedness by writing a letter to local government advocating for cold beer sales in liquor stores.
Mark was also happy that so many of us would be filling in the survey forms he had left on the tables (HINT).
Chace Anderson put in 7 happy bucks, one for each year Mike Trewick has served at WHS.
The District has approved a match for our $10,000 club international project, giving us $20,000 to work with and hopefully even more through Rotary International grants!
The grants will make a much needed dental clinic in the Dominican Republic a reality. This is a major accomplishment for the Club, thank you to all who working so hard on this project.
At the 5/19 meeting Members toasted outgoing Club Administrator Betsy Stolfa after eight years of dedicated service and friendship. A Letterman-style "Top Ten List" fondly highlighted favorite "Betsy-isms", followed by impromptu shout-outs, memories, and thank yous from by a long list of members. She was presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers (in Rotary colors, of course), in a keepsake crystal vase with an engraved statement of gratitude for her above-and-beyond service. Clearly Betsy will be missed, and we wish her well on her new endeavors. She has promised to visit from time to time.
Betsy will continue to handle the financial tasks of the club and the foundation until further notice. Please note that she has a new email address - wayzatarotarybookkeeper@gmail.com. Her previous email address no longer receives mail.
George Drouches, National Coordinator of Umpires for NCAA Division I Baseball
Hosted by Cindy Leines
"The Business of College Athletics"
George Drouches is a Minneapolis businessman who has been hired as the National Coordinator of Umpires for Division I Baseball. George shared his insight on what goes on behind the scenes of college athletics. The NCAA is a major profit center for the participating schools. For example, Big Ten schools each receive $20 million just from the Big Ten Network televising. Therefore, the pressure is on everyone involved to provide an entertaining experience to the fans. Being an umpire in this atmosphere is more than just calling balls and strikes. The umpires must perform to high standards, must develop professionally to keep up with rules and safety standards, and must manage the big egos and high stakes competition.
It is time once again to sign up for a date on the program calendar! All members are expected to provide a program and host the meeting at least once a year or so. You can find available dates by looking at the top of this newsletter, by looking at our website www.wayzatarotary.og or by contacting Angela Bernhardt angela@hammer.org or Marty Schneider martin.b.schneider@morganstanley.com.
Tom Vettel and others met with the Wayzata City Council to begin the coordination of an art piece to be donated to the city and located at the center of the new round-about being built on the east end of Lake Street. The Plymouth Rotary Club and Orono Rotary Club are partners in this effort.
DISASTER RELIEF IN NEPAL
Club members have donated over $1,000 to ShelterBox, a Rotary-originated disaster relief program. This donation will be matched by the Latika & Rajiv Jain Charitable Foundaiton Matching Gift Campaign. The result is providing two ShelterBoxes to those in need, in Nepal or other disaster stricken areas.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Sixteen students from Wayzata High School have been selected to receive $1,000 scholarships. We will be hearing more about them at our May 27th meeting. The scholarships are run through our Wayzata Memorial Education Foundation and are funded by both earnings on permanently endowed funds and by annual contributions from our club.
Belle Davenport and committee will soon be reviewing grant applications from local organizations that request funding from our Club. If you know of a worthy organization, you can encourage them to submit a grant application. Applications are available at www.wayzatarotary.org under the Grants & Projects drop-down menu.
Congratulations to the Logistics Team for winning one of the 2015 Chilly Open Hole Sponsor Awards. This is the second year in a row winning this award.
Wayzata Rotary Club recently sponsored two students to attend Camp Enterprise. This program is run by area Rotary Clubs and is held at YMCA Camp Ihduhapi in Loretto. The focus of the camp is on business management and entrepreneurship. Here is the feedback we received from leaders about the students that we sponsored:
"Ariana Van Dyck from Orono High School was one of the students on my team. She was elected to be the General Counsel by the members of her team. That election followed several hours of team building exercises. Ariana was a great contributor.
The case study contemplated the students being the founders of a development stage company seeking $5 million of venture capital funding to launch their business of bringing to market a digital personal trainer.
I thank you for your club’s support of a young woman with a great future."
"Nick [Wiens of Orono High School] did a fantastic job and I trust got much from the experience.
He was selected to be the Chief Financial Officer for the team. I have served as a mentor for about 15 years now at Camp E and have written the case studies for the last five years. The toughest part for many of the students is to understand the financial statements contained in the cases.
Nick more than understood them, he caught a mistake I had made. As a result, I was able to call a meeting of the other 14 CFOs and point out the error so they would not be confused."
If you are willing to give the invocation at an upcoming meeting -- this can be either a nondenominational prayer or a thought of the day - please contact Tom Vettel to sign up. Resources and guidelines are available.
Lucky Jack Weeks built on his reputation as a frequent winner by purchasing the grand prize ticket in our Raffle.
Congratulations to all the winners! And thank you to all who participated by buying and selling raffle tickets. This fundraiser earned about $4,000 for the Wayzata Rotary Foundation. The proceeds will be used for local and international service projects, youth exchange program, community events and awarding grants to worthy organizations.
2014 Wayzata Rotary Foundation Raffle Winners
1st Prize - Jack Weeks – 18K white gold gemstone pendant and SEIKO Le Grand Sports Watch donated by Wayzata Jewelers
2nd Prize - Bob Buss – 12 gauge shotgun
3rd Prize – Andy Thielen - $200 gift certificate for dinner at the Wayzata Country Club donated by the Wayzata Country Club
In addition, these ticket sellers were chosen at random to receive a gift card to CoV: Bob Shadley, Karl Neset, Greg Rye and James Houg.
Wayzata Rotary Club is planning a major international service project to provide dental equipment to the clinic in a remote mountain village of Dominican Republic that Rotarian Dr. Arne Kolbjornsen has helped establish. The equipment will allow the clinic to operate continuously and serve the needs of villagers from miles around. Hopefully, instead of just pulling teeth for a week each year, Dr. K will be able to see more patients for restorative and preventive care.
Our friends in neighboring clubs have expressed an interest in having their clubs contribute - including Jill Kohler from Plymouth, Michelle Lureen of Excelsior AM, Sharon Bloodworth of Minneapolis Club #9 and other Area 12 clubs. Chris Pierson, the chair of International Service Committee for our club, is working on a matching grant application to District and to The Rotary Foundation. It is expected that our project could reach $60,000.
To lend a hand in the process, or to find out more, contact Chris Pierson.
The Wayzata Memorial Educational Foundation was established in 1962 and later taken over by Wayzata Rotary Club. The WMEF continues today as one of our major service projects.
Our donations have made it possible to award twelve $1,000 scholarships to Wayzata area students going on to higher education.
These talented young people joined us at our May 28th meeting. They each have an abundance of achievements. The recipients were selected for their community service, academic achievement, leadership and talents.
Would you like to have all the Wayzata Rotarians' contact information available to you on your Android phone or iPhone/iPad? All you need to do is download the free ClubRunner app and get your log-in and password by using your email address.
Immediately view the most up to date member directory, upon login. You can browse your member profiles which give you the necessary contact information you need to connect with just one click. Make a call to any of their phone numbers, email them directly from your phone, or even add them to your contacts.
The mobile app has 3 components –
the member directory
a club-locator
an abbreviated version of the articles on our full website
To download the app from the Apple App Store or from Google Play, simply type in 'ClubRunner' in the search bar.
To use the app, you will need your log-in and password. If you don’t know what they are, go to the full site on a regular computer, click “Log-in” and then click “Retrieve your password”. It will be emailed to you.
Wayzata Rotary Contact List & Website available as a Mobile Ap!
Wayzata Rotary Says Goodbye to Shelley Beaumont
Stephanie J Spencer - Guest Speaker
We will be meeting at the Wayzata Sailing School! 
Cozy Wittmann - College Inside Track
Vincent Bryan - 2VP, Information Systems at Travelers
District Governor, Tom Gump is asking for Rotary's to become business mentors and/or form teams to help clean and rebuild in Minneapolis. If you are interested in participation, please let James Larson or Cathy Haukedahl know. This project is in planning stages and more will be shared - in the meantime, James and Cathy are collecting names of those who would be interested in participating.
Cozy Wittman, College Inside Track
Helping Teen in our Community - Tree House
On August 10th, widespread, destructive, straight-line winds blew across central Iowa. The most extreme winds, estimated to be at 110-140 miles-per-hour, destroyed or damaged numerous outbuildings, barns, grain bins, homes, mobile homes, apartment buildings, trees and power poles in parts of Benton, Linn, Jones, Cedar and Clinton Counties. The Cedar Rapids area was particularly hard hit. As #PeopleOfAction, we would like to do what we can to help our neighbors to the south.
Hello members! 
Thank you Rotarians!
No Meeting Wednesday, August 19, 2020
The Legacy Lives On...
supporting Rotary!! shelleybeaumontwayzata@gmail.com
EMERGE is a community workforce development organization working in north and south Minneapolis. Kevin shared some highlights of the organization and how they work with people who are incarcerated before re-entry into society. They have a re-entry services road map, actively recruit and engage with people to offer services, and have several enterprises that help people get job skills. One interesting attribute is they hire people that may be considered "undesirable" and work to help them become employable. One of the most popular programs they have is teaching people how to be a commercial truck driver.
Project Director
Service Opportunity - August 5, 2020
Emerge offers adult and youth workforce services, combined with a range of other services, along a continuum from basic job search coaching up to long-term intensive career training, tailored to the specific needs of the participant. In 2017, 94% of those we served identified as people of color with the largest groups served African American (55%) and African, primarily Somali (25%). Our participants are 84% low-income with 76% under the poverty line. About 35% are overcoming a criminal background; 26% have no high school diploma/GED; 21% speak a primary language other than English, and 13% indicate immigrant/refugee status.
Dr. Fischer joined us and shared her professional insights and experience with COVID-19. Two areas she's given a great deal of thought to are the ethical issues around a pandemic and that a strong centralized leadership is needed to manage the response. As of July 8, there were over 40,000 confirmed cases in Minnesota.
With the new Rotary Year upon us, James Larson shared a few words as the new Club President. He thanked Kelly for a great year and Shelley for keeping to the club moving forward. James had asked the question; "What makes Rotary more interesting?" Some feedback he's received:
Jordana Green - WCCO Radio
One of the ways Wayzata Rotary supports the local community is through fundraising and using that money to support local organizations. The Link is one of those organizations that WRC has supported.
Ellie Krug, author of "Getting to Ellen: A Memoir about Love, Honesty and Gender Change (2013)" shared with Rotarians some very uncomfortable facts about the disparities between white colored people and people of color. To prove her point, she started with drawing our attention to "The Look" that many POC receive. She is a transgender woman who looks very much like a white woman but has the voice "of a dude." She is very well acquainted with "the Look" and put out to attendees to ask themselves why we prefer white colored skin?
Ellie Krug - The Disparities in MN
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES CANCELLED FOR 2020
Tim Litfin - Tour de Tonka
Jon Kreidler, Co Founder / Chief Officer Tattersal
David Ulrich shared an overview of the mining proposal being explored in Northern Minnesota. The Duluth Complex, a geological area of rock over 1 billion years old that hosts four distinct types of magmatic mineral deposits, is being explored for mining by Plymed/Tech/and Twin Metals. The intent is to harvest copper, nickel, PGMs, and cobalt.
SAVE THE DATES!
Our scheduled speaker is unable to join us this week so let's have a Happy Hour instead!
Ben's passion is to help pre-retirees, retirees and small business owners put systems and strategies in place to help achieve their financial goals. He does this through the financial planning process to review every aspect of his client’s financial life. Signature Wealth Management is a marketing name for securities and investment advisory services offered through SagePoint Financial, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. 
Steve Scheels, CEO of Scheels sporting goods, was our guest and gave us a great history of how Scheels was started, how they grew, and how Minneapolis would be getting their own Sheels store on July 11, 2020. 
"Science battles back!" Dr. Phelps shared an overview of the threats that our Minnesota lakes and rivers face from aquatic invasive species and how these invaders affect the health of our fish, water, and native plants. Invasive plants such as starry stonewort, invasive invertebrates such as zebra mussels, and invasive fish such as bighead carp. 
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$1,000 to support Interfaith Outreach's Neighborhood Program. The program has been serving families living in affordable housing communities in Plymouth for over 20 years. The Neighborhood Program provides family, children and senior services on-site to over 800 families living in nine multi-unit affordable housing neighborhoods in Plymouth and Medina. Services focus on housing and family stability, youth success and community connections, and are tailored to meet the unique needs of each neighborhood. Residents help determine programming to help their neighborhood grow stronger and thrive. Because success starts at home, this often involves youth programming in addition to community-building activities for all ages. This grant will support the direct program costs associated with Neighborhood Program activities. Total direct program expenses are $39,290 within the Neighborhood Program budget.
$1,000 for computer support. Wayzata Rotary Club’s partial support this past summer of our “Solution for Receiving Food More Efficiently” enabled the purchase of a refurbished computer for use by our warehouse staff. That PC is currently paired with our Director of Operation’s personal computer monitor and mouse. Grant money will be used for the purchase of computer equipment needed to complete our “Solution for Receiving Food More Efficiently”. This additional support will be used for the purchase of a computer monitor, mouse and iPad (or similar device).
$1,500 to support the $17,000 Community Life Department program budget. The financial support will allow us to continue to offer a wide variety of activities to those we serve at little to no cost. Specifically, supporting our monthly cooking class (with 10 participants maximum), movie nights (with 27 participants on average), Bingo (with 30 participants on average), and the Just Dance party nights (with 15 individuals on average). These activities all take place on a monthly basis in the central offices of Hammer in Wayzata. In addition to skills development, the activities allow those we serve to socialize with individuals served in Hammer homes other than their own.
$500 to support partnering with 180 Degree’s program Brittany’s Place. Images of Strength and Hope will empower girls who are victims of sexual trafficking to see the unique beauty within themselves and others through a weekly program called Strong Girls. This program provides relationship building in a safe and supportive environment, and tools for artistic expression through photography and writing. 
Jill Elaine Hasday, our guest speaker, is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor and the Centennial Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota Law School. She teaches and writes about anti-discrimination law, constitutional law, family law, and legal history. Jill shared with us a new area of law that she became interested in - intimate deception in dating, sex, and marriage. 
The crisis around affordable housing is set to become the worse it has been since the Great Depression. The next two decades will be very dire for the poor. Alan shared a sobering fact: 75-100 units per week of affordable housing are lost in MN. He also shared the 700-900K people will be moving into Minnesota in the next decade which will exacerbate the housing crisis that is beginning to show in Minnesota. One main factor in the crisis brewing is the reduction over the last 35 years by the federal government cutting funding to housing. In Minnesota, we will see more homelessness and the next 20 years will be bad for the poor.
Wayzata Rotary is excited to welcome Cathy Haukedahl, a new corporate member. Cathy, along with her colleague, Jake Traen, will be sharing a membership from Traditional Capital Bank in Wayzata.
Aleesha gave an overview of why more and more community banks are leaving the area and challenges. Besides talent gaps and the personal touch that small community banks can provide to clients, the are also faced with:
The grant committee will be meeting today, at 11:00 am to decide winners of the Fall community grants. If you are interested in attending, please let Tim Westermeyer know!
David La Bell gave an overview of the current landscape in internet security and talked about hacking and ways we can protect ourselves both personally and professionally. The top areas of concerns are:
Kelly Sater, James Houg, Kathy Leervig, and Nancy Holden all participated in the Feed My Starving Children food packing event. Reports back were that is was super fun, went really fast, and only one person fainted (not someone we know!)
Brew Fest 2019
STRIVE Mentorship champion, Norrie Thomas, will be meeting with TwinWest Chamber of Commerce and Jodi Olson (Wayzata High School) to discuss partnership opportunities to attract additional mentors for the pilot program. Currently, we have two Rotarians signed up (we'd like to have 10 members!). 
"What is your number 1 concern about your athletes?" "Their backs. During growth spurts - kids need to rest and learn how their body responds after growing 6-8 inches in a few months."
Dr. Gage, a past Rotarian Student Exchange participant, shared with us how her exchange in the 80's to Brazil set her serendipitous path to her becoming involved in human trafficking. There are 40.3 million enslaved people today: 71% are women. Human trafficking is a $150 billion industry and not one easily tackled. Human trafficking is fueled by generational cycles of poverty and exploitation, and in many cases, families don't realize their daughters have been subjected to slavery - they think they are away at school or are servants for wealthy families.
"Everyone communicates but few connect" was the lead off to a very informative, fun, and interactive meeting. Mark Lauffenburger hosted Jason who shared how it is critical to improve listening skills to help shift your interactions to connections.
Rotarian, Doug Arndt, is very involved with the Minnesotan's Military Appreciation Fund and shared information on the upcoming Block Party. It is free, open to the public, and promises to be a great afternoon of thanking MN troops..JPG)
Kelly Sater shared information on the newest club to form in Minnesota for and honoring Minnesota Vets:
After several years of heading up programs, Angela has handed the Programs over to George Lee and will now be taking over membership. Remember, we are ALL part of the membership committee!!
tor, Norrie Thomas, is excited to share that the mentorship pilot program between Wayzata High School, Interfaith Outreach, Great Expectations, and the Wayzata Rotary Club is ready to start accepting applications. 
President, Kelly Sater, was delighted to hand out Paul Harris Fellow certificates and pins to fellow Rotarians. For Rotary year 2018-2018, WRC welcomed Becky Pierson, Hope Schroeppel, and Beth Warner to the Paul Harris Fellowship circle. Thank you for your support!
Cris Stainbrook shared with WRC a brief history of how land was systemically and methodically taken away from the Indian population and how "Manifest Destiny" was the accepted thought between 1887 and 1934, which was that Indians were not actually occupants of the land.
Angela had some interesting facts to share with WRC about the U.S.'s disposable mentality. The U.S. is home to 5% of the world population yet uses 25% of the world's resources and incarcerates 25% of the world's incarcerated people. E waste is also the fastest growing wast stream worldwide.
Volunteers are needed at the James J Hill Days beer and wine tent. Because of the Music by the Lake alcohol server training Rotarians completed in June, members who volunteer have already met requirements for serving. If you enjoyed the MBTL community engagement and are craving some more interactions, sign up - the Rotary aprons will be available to wear! (George Lee is already signed up!)
The Wayzata Rotary Board voted unanimously to support Wayzata High School Senior, Noah Dieng, with one of the financial obligations he needed to meet during his one year student-exchange adventure. 
Past President, Hope Schroeppel, shared the great news on the inaugural Music by the Lake fundraiser. Our food and beverage sales were $7,495.39 and our sponsorship support was $8,336.35.
In a nutshell, Bitcoin is complicated. Brooks shared with Wayzata Rotary several aspects of Bitcoin and answered questions about this virtual currency. Some highlights:
The final concert of the Music by the Lake series was a huge success. Anthony Shore drew the largest crowd of the series and we bought in $915 worth of sales from the food/beverage area and meat raffle sales. It was a crazy fun evening and a great way to finish of the series.
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President Hope Schroeppel, handed over the Presidency to President Elect, Kelly Sater. Wayzata Rotary looks forward to another great year with Kelly at the helm. Congratulations Kelly and thank you Hope for all your work and support of the Wayzata Rotary these last 12 months.
The second half of the month of June kicks off fun and activities along the lake. If you are looking for some activities to keep you busy, be sure to visit one of the 4 events below!
Wayzata Rotary will not be hosting a lunch meeting or concert July 3. 
Wayzata Rotary will not be hosting a lunch meeting this week. Come and join Rotarians out in the community at the Depot and enjoy a free concert by The Revolution 5, Minnesota's premier Beatles Tribute band from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm.
Wayzata Rotary will not be hosting a lunch meeting this week. Come and join Rotarians out in the community at the Depot and enjoy a free concert by The Tuxedo Band! 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm..JPG)
Hope Schroeppel hosted her last meeting at Wayzata Country Club as our President. Hope will hand to gavel over to President Elect, Kelly Sater, on July 10 before the kick-off of the Benny Weinback Trio free concert at the lake.
The Wayzata Rotary participates in a rotating grant each year. For the current Rotary year, we donated to help Plymouth purchase musical instruments that will be donated to the Zachary Playfield. See below for the schedule of event for the celebration!
Rotarians were treated to an entertaining and informative hour of ID training for the upcoming Music by the Lake concert series. Paul shared stories about liquor sales gone bad, types of ID that are acceptable, and the "shield law." The two main concerns to be aware of when selling alcohol, is the person purchasing alcohol old enough and are they obviously intoxicated? Beer and wine will be on sale during the concert series.
Tom Schwalbe hosted a super fun meeting this week. Wayzata Rotary welcomed 10 members of THUG (Two Harbors Ukulele Group) to our weekly meeting. We enjoyed super music, signing, and tap dancing!
50/50 Raffle: Funds collected this week ($49 to foundation and $46 to pot)
Happy Bucks; Funds collected this week ($10)
Wayzata Rotarians were excited to welcome the 4 inaugural Charlie Marvin Memorial STRIVE Scholarship winners to the Club. Paige Marvin, Charlie's daughter, shared what Rotary meant to her father and how excited she was that Wayzata Rotary was able to give these scholarships in her father's honor. Charlie would have been very proud of these students, as are Rotarians, and we send our heartiest congratulations to them!
Alison Wobschall shared a fascinating presentation into the perils of vaping and the battle for teen's heath. Based on a 2018 National Youth Study, 3.6 million teens are vaping. Over the last 20 years, there hasn't been much of a focus on teens and smoking as it was not so much of an issue. With the introduction of e-cigarettes and lack of policy, teen nicotine use has exploded. The flavoring of the liquid in the pods is the major factor in attracting young people to try vaping. 
Happy Bucks; Funds collected this week ($11)
Wayzata Rotary welcomed 11 of the 14 scholarship winners to enjoy fajitas and share information on their future plans and answered questions from Rotarians. This is a favorite meeting for Rotarians as it embodies the commitment Wazyata Rotary has to supporting families in the community.
Amy McBeth gave us an overview of the BNFS railroad line and overview of the safety upgrades the company has invested in. BNFS, a Berkshire Hathaway firm, is one of 4 Class I railroads operating in the United States (a freight railroad with an operating revenue exceeding $457.9 million.) 
Our annual scholarship luncheon is May 15, 2019. Members are asked to adopt a scholar and sit with them, and perhaps introduce them at our luncheon. We will again be having a fajita bar!
In the first few seconds, customers and clients only want to know; What do you do and how will it help me?
Wayzata Rotary members met offsite at the headquarters of Interfaith Outreach. LaDonna Hoy, founder, gave an overview of the organization from its start in 1979 to today's celebration of 40 years. LaDonna and Nancy shared pictures of past and current Rotary members who have worked with IFOC. After lunch, members engaged in filling laundry soap packets, one of the most important items, for their food shelf. 
A field trip is planned! 
City Manager and Wayzata Rotarian, Jeff Dahl, hosted the meeting and WRC was given an overview of what the Minnetonka Environmental Health Specialist Department does for the community, what establishes are inspected, and gave an overview of the codes covered. Kathy Leervig, who is in charge of licensing for the city of Wayzata, was also in attendance.
It was wonderful to have Nonna's visionary founders, Lisa and Keith TerHaar and Michelle and BrentThornton come and share their idea, vision, and work to create Noona's. Beloved past member, Walt Gislason (referred to as Mr. Walt) is one of the first senior members to attend and stories about how Walt interacts with the children and resident dog were very heartwarming.
Join Wayzata Rotary and the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce to hear about the growth and development plans of Wayzata including road improvement and development plus updates from The Lake Effect Conservancy.
Retired Park Nicollett doctor, Jeffrey Mandel, shared pictures and stories of his cross country bicycle ride raising money for good causes. He is currently training to do this ride again, and this time he will be raising money for the Park Nicollet Foundation "Growing Through Grief" program. The program provides in school grief support to elementary, middle, and high-school aged students who have experienced a death within their family. Dr. Mandel shared that we are all touched by grief and this program costs $500,000 per year to run and supports 6 full-time grief counselors. 73 school in 13 school districts are supported with 71 weekly grief groups. Currently the program supports 520 students weekly!
The third annual “And the Beat Goes On” BrewFest will be 1-4 p.m. Saturday, April 6, 2019, at the Plymouth Creek Center, 14800 34th Ave. N. This is a fundraiser by Plymouth Rotary supporting Heart Safe Plymouth. The Brewfest will feature live music, and area craft breweries with their one-of-a-kind beers and hard ciders. 
Housing research, market analysis, policy analysis, economic development, community planning, public speaking, business development, organizational change, innovation, efficiency, bicycling and skiing..jpeg)
Tony Signorelli (pictured in middle) with his colleague Shaun Motz from Sundial Solar Energy gave an overview of how businesses are taking the lead in going green as a good profit model. The financial value and benefits to the environment are strong pulls for businesses to embrace using more solar energy..jpg)
MEET OUR MEMBERS
Josh Miller gave a very insightful and eye opening presentation on how Gen Z views the world, what is important to this generation, and how they communicate. Generations are marked by events and this generation is marked by 9/11/01 - this will be the first generation that does not remember life before 9/11. 
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With the snowiest February in history, it wasn't a surprise that a snow storm didn't sway all members to stay away. With the cancellation of the Two Harbors Ukulele Group, members got to have a purely social luncheon.
Lynn Groll is starting a new initiative to get member information out into the community to attract potential members. This Rotary year, WRC has a net loss of 10 members. Lynn will be contacting members to profile on our Facebook page. Members are asked to participate in a group picture to use as a banner on our FB page. We will try to do that this week before the meeting kicks off!
Former Chairman of Allen Edmond's Shoes, and founder of CircleRock clothing, Paul Grangaard shared charming and funny stories about his mishaps while running Allen Edmond shoes and how he came to form his new company. 
Beloved member, Walt Gislason, is not doing well in the health department and has resigned from rotary. Walt will be starting to attend Nonna's Intergenerational Christian Montesorri 3 days a week. Walt would love visitors so feel free to email his wife, Raenna, or call 612-804-3651, to set up a time to stop by and visit.
WRC learned about the Melrose Center, part of the Park Nicollet Foundation. The Melrose Center serves adults and children of all genders struggling with all types of eating disorders. Eating disorders are a particularly difficult mental disorder to treat and takes a multi-disciplinary approach to recognize, manage, and treat eating disorders. A team of psychologists, therapists, registered dieticians, primary care doctor, and psychiatrists work together to help patients.
Shelley invited her husband Peter to be the guest speaker. Peter spoke about his time working for The Coca-Cola on the McDonald's business and shared insights into how the businesses helped each other.
Minnesota has over 22,000 miles of groomed snow mobile trails? Did you also know that the snow mobile industry is a 1 billion dollar a year industry? The Snowmads works with the Northwest Trails Association, The Department of Natural Resources, and private property owners to ensure safe trails are created and maintained for this popular winter sport. Snow mobile safety certification is available to children starting at age 12. For more information on getting a certification to drive a snow mobile, click here.
Mike Lee shared that WRC is again sponsoring a hole for the annual golf tournament during the Chilly Open. The 2019 theme is "Wayzata Bay Speedway." If you would like to be involved, have some ideas for marketing the theme, and/or are able to help, please let Mike know. 
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Hope Schroeppel is not able to attend the Mid-Term assembly on January 26 and is looking for members to attend on behalf of Wayzata Rotary. This would be a great meeting for new members to attend to find out what Rotary is doing in our area. 
Dayton shared some fun facts about the history of Hy-Vee - one of which is that the organization is company owned and has shared profits with its employees since 1933 - during the Depression. Founder, David Redenberg, was very customer focused and that trait is still relevant in today's Hy-Vee.
Each year in the spring and in the fall, Wayzata Rotary awards community grants to organizations in the community that are locally initiated and managed and that fund a specific need. Five of the six winners were able to attend and share a bit about their organizations and how they are impacting the Wayzata community, and take questions from members. For more information on each organization, please follow the links below!
Come and meet Carroll and hear about Hy-Vee.
Wayzata Rotary welcomed past member, Steve Hance, as our guest. Steve spent most of his adult life being a lawyer and after 22 years of practicing law, he decided to follow his passion and turn his 20+ year hobby of making cider into a business opportunity.
Wayzata Rotary looks forward to welcoming ex-member, Steve Hance back to visit and give us an overview of his new business venture, Number Twelve Cider. (Note, meeting will be in the main ballroom this week.)
Judy, representing Greater MSP, a pro-business/pro-job organization, shared a great overview of how Greater MSP represents the 16 counties that represent the Minneapolis/St. Paul Region. Our region is equivalent to the 42nd largest economy in the world. Yes, world wide we are a rather large economic force!
Judy Johnson is the Senior Director of Investor Relations at Greater MSP Minneapolis St Paul Regional Economic Development. She is responsible for the recruitment and retention of GREATER MSP Investors and planning and executing annual fundraising initiatives. 
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"Be the Inspiration" is the 2018-2019 Rotary Year theme. RI President, Barry Rassin, urges all Rotarians to create a stronger organization by inspiring young people and by spreading the word in their communities about the work Rotary does.
Come kick off the Thanksgiving holiday with President, Hope Schroeppel. Hope has some prizes and games up her sleeve to help kick off the Thanksgiving holiday. (If you have any door prizes you want to add to the fun, please feel free to bring!)
General Schulstad gave a talk about the importance of National Defense and shared with us several ways that we can help support Veterans. Wayzata Rotarians were proud to host 12 vets, with one from WWII!!
Coach Brown gave a wonderful overview of the Wayzata High School Trojan football program. The core values of the team are TEAM (family), UNIT (brotherhood of trust) and YOU (improving daily). 
Jim Betzold (Maple Grove) and Chuck Krausort (Osseo) gave the club an overview of the Rotary STRIVE Program they host at Maple Grove and Osseo High Schools, how they run their program, and shared how much gratification and joy they receive from working with this program. The program is intended as a scholarship and mentoring program to help students improve grades, attendance, and school performance. The original program was started in 1991 by Rotarian, Don Mooney, in White Bear Lake.
Norrie has generously added 4 opera tickets to the prize pool for those members that either donate $200 to the Fall Fundraiser or sell $200 worth of raffle tickets. 
Mike Gratz, Managing Director and Partner, and Sarah Nesset, Vice President of Services, of MiPro were our guests and share a hands-on example of how their agency works with clients to drill down identified problems and find solutions, or the "Metric of Urgency Way."
Michael Houston, wife of member Pat Houston, and Carlson School of Management Student, Chelsea Montgomery, were our guests. Michael shared some history of how Carlson College came to be - back in 1986 with the fall of the Berlin Wall a watershed moment was had. There was a realization by Carlson College was way behind in educating students in the field of business. Shortly after this an opportunity came to pair with the Warsaw School of Economics which led to three Executive MBA Programs being created in China, Vienna, Austria, and Warsaw Poland.
Darrell shared his emotional story of how his world changed in the fall of 2015 when he received the diagnosis he needed a new kidney. Upon embarking on the donor search Darrell's cousin, Dennis, was a match for a transplant. Darrell shared the timeline of events before and after the transplant and now his biggest dilemma post transplant is to figure out how to thank someone who so profoundly affected your life?
Cathy Maes, Executive Director, gave an overview of the Loaves and Fishes mission and growth since joining the group in 2017. The organization works to procure food and provide meals that are open to the public. One of the neat ways they procure food is by rescuing food that would be thrown away from the Minneapolis airport - grab and go sandwiches, salads, and yogurts, and turning them into meals and snacks.
Paul Webster shared that Charlie is back at Folkstone after a bad fall which landed him in the hospital for 6 days. Unfortunately, the cancer has moved into Charlie's brain and he is now under hospice care. Please keep Charlie and his family and friends in your thoughts during these difficult days.
Kirk and Melissa Ingram shared a heart felt presentation about the foundation they are involved in, "Get Up Stand Up," an organization to research and find a cure for spinal paralysis. The vision is "a world which paralysis from spinal chord injury is curable."
Hope invites all members to join her for a strategic and visionary planning meeting to discuss current year plans and growth potential and member engagement for the club. She plans on inviting a member from the Excelsior Rotary to share their ideas and share thought starters.
WRC will not be hosting a car show at James J Hill Days in 2018. Instead WRC will be hosting a stand alone car show on Saturday, September 29, 2018. To maintain presence at James J Hill Days, there will be an information booth set up.
Dr. Ken Larson, visited Wayzata Rotary and gave an overview of this locally based foundation he founded. Their mission:
WRC member and Club Administrator, Shelley Beaumont, had her son Pierce's new Autism Service Dog, Merlin, as a special guest at the meeting. Trainers, Carlos Hernandez and Greg Vaughn, gave an overview of what the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines as a service animal and gave an overview of what is involved in training a service animal as well as what specific tasks Merlin has been trained for to help Pierce. Two specific commands include "touch" (to disrupt a negative behavior) and "lay" (to lay down on Pierce to apply deep pressure for anxiety, panic, or rage attacks).
Cozy Wittman, of College Inside Track, gave us a very informative and interesting overview of how the "play" and navigate the college search project. With tools and knowledge, the college search can be much less stressful and save families thousands! Today, the average college debt per student is $57,000 and our society has decided it is ok for students to take out a loan to pay for education. Knowing this is a reality today and that student loans are second in magnitude to a home mortgage, Cozy shared some great information on what to look for when financing college.
Brian shared his amazing story of his life after a snow mobile accident that resulted in him losing both hands and feet. His wife, Kaya, shared with us the details of the accident and Brian continued the story about how amazing the Veteran's Administration (VA) was and still is. They started the recovery with private insurance but Brian was reminded that he is a a Vet and had access to the VA's system.
Hope has asked that when it is a members turn to host the meeting, that the member also be in charge of the weekly invocation. If you don't remember your week, Shelley will have the list at the meetings.
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Becky Masterman, UMN Bee Squad Associate Program Director, visited WRC and shared her knowledge of local and global bee health. The Bee Squad provides extension support for bee keepers, shares bee health with the public, and offers creative outlets to community programming. The program is funded through grants.
As many of you know, our Club Administrator, Shelley Beaumont, is raising funds for her son's Autism Service Dog, Merlin. Shelley shared that she was still $6,000 short of the $18,000 needed ($4,000 for the dog and $2,000 for delivery and family training) and humbly asked members to help her with the last stretch of raising the funds. Her husband has been unemployed for over a year and when the family started this process in 2015, funding the dog was not a problem she foresaw. Doug and Susan Arndt generously offered to match any member contributions up to $500 and members stepped up to help. If you are able, please consider helping her with this final burst of fundraising. Merlin should be delivered later this summer and WRC looks forward to meeting him in person! 
Wayzata Rotary will be moving to host 3 car shows this summer! There will be a committee meeting on Wednesday, May 23 at 11:00 before the weekly meeting. This year the car show is going to be the last Saturday in June/July/and August located at the COV municipal parking area along Lake Street in Wayzata. There is room for 80 cars and there will be a $5K dealership sponsor for each month (all funds go to club) and WRC is asking rotary members to attend the shows to sell raffle tickets. (Prize is yet to be decided.)
Finding success in the workplace, balance at home and raising children in a #metoo & timesup world
Minnesota native and explorer, Lonnie Dupre, entertained us with stories from his adventures in his personal quest to climb Mount Denali, by himself, and in the winter time. "Denali, once called Mount McKinley, is the tallest mountain in North America. Located in south-central Alaska, the mountain's peak is 20,310 feet (6,190 meters) above sea level, also making it the third highest of the Seven Summits — the highest mountains on each of the seven continents — following Mount Everest in Nepal and Aconcagua in Argentina."*
Benefiting Excelsior Chamber 4th of July Fireworks Fund and local charities.
Tim Litfin joined Wayzata Rotary armed with goodies left over from Tour de Tonka 2018 to award to members and generate excitement for this year's event. Tim created the event 13 years ago and benefits the ICA Foodshelf. “Bicycle riders participate because Tour de Tonka is pure fun."
Sarah, a proud Millennial, provided a lively presentation with loads of questions from members. Did you know blood cannot be synthesized? Did you know that collected blood goes through 17 different tests for safety before being approved for patient use? Did you know that plasma can only come from men because pregnancy causes the chemistry of blood to change after pregnancy?
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Juan, the Rotary exchange student from Argentina, reached out to WRC to ask for sponsorship to attend RYLA camp in Hudson, WI the last week of April. Juan is sponsored by the Plymouth Rotary and they were unable to help Juan with this request. Wayzata Rotary stepped in and is able to help Juan with this $375 investment.
Mike Allen, founder of My Very Own Bed, visited Wayzata Rotary and shared how his late father had an impact on his childhood and into adulthood around helping those less fortunate in the community. Originally named "Boom Boom" after his father's pet nick name reference, he renamed his start up "My Very Own Bed" and works tirelessly to help children who have recently been resettled into new housing after experiencing homelessness to get a bed to sleep in. Many families are not able to afford furnishing housing one in new housing and Mike wanted to focus on the kids. He firmly believes that getting a good night's sleep is critical to good emotional and physical growth for children. "Kids get bigger when they get better!"
Rotarians were out in the community last week visiting the Hennepin County Emergency Dispatch Center. Teri Wold, Sergant - TAC, of the Hennepin County Sherrif's, Office was our host. 
Author, Sumi Mukherjee, shared with us how growing up in the suburbs of the Twin Cities as a "brown" child with a "different" name affected his childhood and eventually led to him suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. OCD is a very complicated mental "condition in which an individual is barraged by repeated, unwanted, intrusive thoughts that cause the sufferer to experience extreme anxiety. These thoughts often focus on issues that the individual views as terrifying threats to either their well-being or their self-image. "*
Ross Bowen, an actuary, visited WRC and gave us an overview of how the MN State pensions are underfunded. Ross took us through how the investment plan that the State of MN has done is currently underfunded and that there is an $18 billion pension deficit.
Shannon Full, President, Twin West Chamber of Commerce was our guest this week. Shannon was full on enthusiasm and advocacy energy for the Chamber. An interesting point that she shared with us is that the number 1 concern with businesses today is attracting and maintaining talent. With this concern, the Twin West Chamber focuses on this mission:
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The mission of Top Dog Foundation is rescue, rehabilitate, and provide a loving and permanent home for dogs that are deemed “un-adoptable” because of age and health; that would otherwise be unnecessarily euthanized.
Nancy McCoy, retired Reading Specialist from the Wayzata Public Schools, developed the Literacy Volunteer Program for the Wayzata Public Schools. Nancy shared some fascinating facts and studies to help WRC members understand the different types of literacy needed to be successful in today's world (Reading, Cultural, and Technological). Literacy today means the ability to read and write; and a competence or knowledge of a specific area.
Wayzata Rotary was happy to welcome Bjorn Meisner to the club on September 20, 2017.
This year marked the 9th annual Car Show that hosted beautiful and eclectic vehicles. Our local automotive businesses and many personal enthusiasts sponsored the Show to raise money for the community. New this year was a pancake breakfast with “flying” pancakes, and an ATV raffle give away. As a result of our show, pancake breakfast and ATV raffle, Wayzata Rotary will be able to increase our charitable giving. A huge thank you to all of the volunteers from Rotary and the community that helped to sell tickets and came out over the weekend to donate their time for this great event. 
Dr. Olson visited with us and shared information on his visits to Tanzania and the lack of nutrition his team tries to help. One stark fact that stood out from his talk is that 42% of children under 5 years old has stunted growth. Below is an excerpt from the USAid website on the nutritional profile of Tanzenia: 
Kari Groth Swan visited the Wayzata Rotary as a past Rotary Education recipient and shared her love of working in Education. 
September 4, 2017: We still have tickets available to sell. If you have not turned in your money to Shelley, please do so this week or mail your check to the Rotary Office so we can get the funds into the bank. We need to pay for the ATV!
If you didn't come to the annual meeting with the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce, you missed a great meeting! We had many officials from the city with us, including members of the police and fire departments, the- Wayzata Crime Prevention Coalition, the Mayors of Wayzata and Long Lake, and many other visiting dignitaries.
Charlie Leonard founded Blue Water Theatre Company in August of 2007, following four years of teaching and directing in the Wayzata school district. He is a 1996 graduate of Wayzata High School and 2000 graduate of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Leonard has directed nearly fifty productions since 2003 for Blue Water Theatre Company, Plymouth Middle School, Wayzata West Middle School, Hopkins North Junior High School, and the Wayzata Summer Youth Theatre.
It has been a lovely summer here in Minnesota and it is great to see our Rotary members get together outside of meetings! Thanks Tom and Lynn for organizing the event.
Becky Pierson, decked out in her Wayzata Wednesday gear, hosted local artist, Tim Shore. Tim talked to us about his hand crafted wooden paddle boards that he started making in his garage in 2013. HIs first board, made for his wife Jen, sparked a fire inside of him to create a business making hand crafted, individualized boards. These gorgeous boards are crafted out of Cedar, Paulownia, and Aspen.
Sally Abrams gave us a lovely speech about an aspect of Israel that most people don't think about when asked; "What picture comes to mind?" - Humanitarians.
June 6 was Maureen Mara's last official meeting as our Club Administrator. We will miss her and wish her luck with J Carver Distillery.
The Wayzata waterfront is in need of another community canoe rack, and WRC has stepped up to fill the need. The project is scheduled for Monday, May 15 and Tuesday, May 16 at 6:00 pm. A sign-up sheet will be at the meeting or you can contact Andy Thielen (andyt@craneengineering.com). A post-event social will be at 6SMITH. .jpeg)
Wheelchair Project: All interested in working on the wheelchair project (or just learning about it) please come to the WCC ballroom this Wednesday, May 3rd, at 11:00am. Questions, ask Bob Shadley: rdshadley@comcast.net.jpg)
Speaker Neema Namadamu
Speaker Glen Neddermeyer
Speaker Beth Kantor & Dazzle: Can Do Canines
Wayzata Rotarians have been challenged to donate a minimum of $1/day to The Rotary Foundation (TRF). TRF has been designated one the most efficient and effective charities in the world by Charity Navigator. Our local donations come back to us 3.5X in the form of grants available to fund projects like our Dominican Dental Clinic. All donations to the TRF general fund count towards becoming a Paul Harris Fellow.
Can Do Canines is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for people with disabilities by creating mutually beneficial partnerships with specially trained dogs. Beth Kantor and her Mobility Assist smooth coat Collie "Dazzle" will talk about the organization. 
Member Cliff Otten is featured in a terrific article in the April Issue of Wayzata Life Magazine. Cliff talks about his Rotary adventures,as well as the Motorsports Show. Click Here for photos and the full article!
We are pleased and grateful to announce that The Rotary Club of Wayzata Memorial Education Foundation has been enrolled as a participating organization in Thrivent Choice. By directing Choice Dollars, eligible Thrivent members can recommend which nonprofit organizations they feel should receive charitable grant funding from Thrivent. If you are an eligible member, please consider the WMEF when directing Choice Dollars. To learn more about Thrivent Choice, visit their website or call Thrivent at 800-847-4836, and say “Thrivent Choice” when prompted.
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Speaker Ronda Oliver is the Founder of Reach and Restore, a local faith-based 501c3 organization whose mission is "to connect people with needs to people with resources." Reach and Restore began in 2005 when Ronda, a local mom/teacher/business owner was inspired to connect with five families who were being relocated to Minnesota from the New Orleans area after their homes and livelihoods were devastated by Hurricane Katrina. In the past twelve years since its inception, Reach and Restore has grown to serve the West Metro through referrals from government agencies, other charitable organizations, and friends. Their services currently include a clothing closet, a birthday closet, household items and furniture for those in crisis along with home visits and prayers. Many more services are in the planning stages. Their current needs are for volunteers to help with deliveries to clients, warehouse helpers, cash donations, a ramp, and construction materials for the expansion of their Hopkins warehouse. For more information or to volunteer go to reachandrestore.org
While searching the internet for a photo of Walt Gislason to add to our ClubRunner photo library, I stumbled across this instead. Ask Walt about his turkey pardoning ceremony next time you see him!.jpg)
Adam Fonda has been approved for membership by the Wayzata Rotary board and will be inducted at a meeting in the near future. Welcome Adam! 
Lynn Vettel will host our 3/31 meeting at IOCP. Please bring snacks to donate, specifically juice boxes or small water bottles, granola or Nutrigrain bars, small packages of crackers, and applesauce or other fruit sauce pouches. We'll share a delicious lunch and a brief meeting, then pack snacks for hungry kids. IOCP staff will provide an overview of their work and tours for those who are interested. WCC is closed for its annual spring cleaning.
Nate is a partner at Copeland Buhl Accounting, and he very much appreciates his client's business. The firm primarily serves privately held businesses. Nate grew up in Southern Minnesota and worked hard on his family's farm. Upon arriving in the Twin Cities, Nate's first office job was an internship at Copeland Buhl. Twenty two years later, he's enjoying his position as a partner at the firm. Thank you Nate!
Minnesota's most successful basketball coach returned to Wayzata Rotary last week for an update on his efforts to change lives at Minneapolis North High School. Just four years Minneapolis North was a failed school that was scheduled to be closed after dwindling to only 68 students. With only a 30% graduation rate, more students were heading to prison than gaining their diplomas, and their community was notable for its very low incomes, high crime, and lack of male role models. While the school was left for dead, a key group of individuals refused to let it be buried. Coach McKenzie was recruited to the school in an effort to change lives through the discipline and rigor of sports. Today North is growing and thriving with 450 students, a 70% graduation rate, and a basketball team that has gained the conference championship four years in a row. Coach McKenzie role models strong character, compassion, trust, accountability and hard work for his young men, and sets the bar high: each day between the end of school and basketball practice each student is required to attend a three hour study hall and tutoring session, which is paying off in college admissions and scholarships that will set the boys up for successful futures beyond basketball. Thanks to the generosity of Wayzata Rotarians, Coach McKenzie left last week's meeting with $1200 towards a practice clock, basketballs, and other needed supplies.
Rotary wants to hear from Rotarians with experience working with Peace Corps! Have you served as Peace Corps Volunteers or worked with Peace Corps in other capacities? If so, please complete this brief survey by 28 February. The survey should take no more than ten minutes to complete and all responses are confidential. Thank you!
Our March 1st meeting will be a special offsite meeting at IOCP, where we will be packing snack packs for students, touring, and learning about the amazing work that IOCP does in our community. Lunch will be provided. 
The February 1 Rotary featured the Park Nicollet Foundation's Growing Through Grief program, an in-school grief support program for elementary, middle and high school students who have lost a loved one. The program serves more than 3,000 children each year and is currently offered in 64 public schools, 14 school districts, including Wayzata High School, Wayzata Central Middle School, Wayzata West Middle School and Wayzata East Middle School. Grief support services are provided free of charge and include one-on-one counseling, crisis interventions, and support groups. Unresolved grief can lead to irreparable, lifelong harm in young lives and can be a significant obstacle to learning and success in school. We are grateful to learn about children and their grief, and how this unique program is making impact in the lives of children in our community. 
Come out this Saturday and volunteer or just show your support! Once again, Wayzata Rotary is a hole sponsor for this great event. Look for our volunteers on hole 9 on the Blue Course. 
Congratulations to Adam Fonda, the newest member of Wayzata Rotary. Adam was inducted at our March 29th meeting by General Bob Shadley. Adam lives in St. Louis Park with his wife and works in Wayzata at Lakes Sotheby's Realty. He is interested automobiles and looks forward to assisting with the JJ Hill Days Auto Show as well as other club activities and service projects. Welcome, Adam, we look forward getting to know you! 
Congratulations to Paula Paulsen, the newest member of Wayzata Rotary. Paula was inducted at our January 25th meeting by General Bob Shadley. Paula lives in Wayzata and is a graduate student as a nurse practitioner at St. Kate's. Her personal and professional work have always led her to serve others. Among Paula's many service examples, she has worked with immigrant families to determine and mitigate the effects of environmental damage on their population, taught life support to hundreds of Girl Scout families, and worked to improve land stewardship in Minnesota. She is interested in Rotary because it will allow her to give back to the community and allow her to work with others who can implement real change. Welcome, Paula, we look forward getting to know you! 
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Dr. Arne Kolbjornsen, age 76, passed away peacefully January 19, 2017 with his family at his side. He will be sadly missed after making a great mark on those who knew him, including his family, the Wayzata community, and members of the Wayzata Rotary. Arne was a 40 year member of Wayzata Rotary, its president in 1982-83, and a Paul Harris Fellow. Arne worked tirelessly to lead Rotary to develop and gain grants to fund a dental clinic in the Dominican Republic. This project opened its doors in 2016, providing dental care for the first time ever to a remote village badly in need of his services. A dentist, Dr. Kolbjornsen knew the importance of dental care on overall health, and travelled to the Dominican Republic numerous times to ensure the project stayed on track with the highest quality. Our prayers are with his wife Kathie and their family. 
Andy Fazendin 
The next West Metro Rotaract meeting is Anna Bregier sharing the Cookie Cart story about providing lasting and meaningful work and leadership skills for teens. The meeting is on Thursday, February 9 at 6pm at the Colonnade Building, 5500 Wayzata Boulevard in Golden Valley. Please invite potential member to attend our vibrant West-Metro Rotaract events. Rotaract is for emerging leaders aged 18-30, and Rotarians are welcome to attend and mentor our Rotaract members. For more information contact Mary Kurth at kurthpm@msn.com, 952-884-8534. 
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Laura Moyneur graduated from Wayzata High School in 2015 and decided to spend her next year as a Rotary Exchange student prior to beginning her college education. She was fortunate enough to experience Italy, her host country, in two different ways. Laura arrived in Italy like most exchange students, with no ability to speak the native language. Her first host family spoke no English, so Laura's early transition was difficult. She initially lived in the small village of Usola (about an hour's bus ride from her high school) with her host mom, dad, and grandma. Their kindness and Laura's isolation in Usola led her to an intensive and rapid immersion into the language, which ultimately paid off. Laura's second host family included parents and "siblings". They were located in the city of Cremona, just a short bike ride away from her school and the piazza which served as the town social space. She used her rapidly growing language skills to join other students for tennis, dance club outings, and informal get togethers with both Italians and other Rotary exchange students. Watching "Sponge Bob" in Italian with her host brother aided in her growing confidence with the language. She loved the food of Italy, the opportunity to travel with host families, school groups, and Rotary student tours. Laura returned to the U.S. very grateful for her Rotary Youth Exchange experience and committed to continuing her international education. She returns to Europe this week for an exchange semester at St. Louis University's Madrid campus, and plans to major in international affairs. Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Laura! 
Congratulations to Tyler Frederickson, the newest member of Wayzata Rotary. Tyler was inducted at our December 21st meeting by General Bob Shadley. Tyler lives in Lakeville and works nearby at the Ridgedale YMCA. Tyler loves to serve others and build relationships, and seeing others treated well regardless of divsersity of background is very important to him. He is looking forward to growing as a leader and serving others through Rotary. Tyler is especially interested in working on our annual fund raisers, the membership committee, and is looking forward to local service. Welcome, Tyler, we look forward getting to know you! .jpg)
Mark Siemonsma is a Rotarian from Sioux Falls who is the development director for Hope Haven. His program will present Hope Haven's Wheelchair Delivery Service Project. Bob Shadley is host. As always, guests are welcome.
Can you please help out and complete the Disrict Survey? It's really a good thing and it will help our club and help next year's Club Presidents to be great at their jobs. We need a few hundred more good District 5950 Rotarians to take just five minutes to do the survey. Thanks! Just click this link: http://portal.clubrunner.ca/50084/Stories/district-survey
Congratulations to James Larson, the newest member of Wayzata Rotary. James was inducted at our December 14th meeting by General Bob Shadley. He lives in Buffalo, works for Center National Bank in Plymouth, and is on the board of the Ridgedale YMCA. Jim says that Rotary's 'Service Above Self' motto and its four-way test are ideals that are core to his personal faith and how he's chosen to lead lead life. He is glad to have found a group of like-minded people who share his enthusiasm for service that can help sustain and grow our community. He looks forward to helping develop new outreach opportunities, and plans to be very active. Welcome, Jim, we look forward getting to know you! 
Dr. Tod Worner is a physician with a deep knowledge and love for history. He presented "Harry Truman, Accidental President". Harry Truman was a a WWI veteran and failed haberdasher with only a high school education who nonetheless became a two term senator. A self-taught student of leaders, he was chosen to as Vice President on the ticket during FDR's fourth Presidential campaign largely because he was suitably innocuous; in fact he had only met the President twice. When the President died only 87 days into his term in April 1945, Harry Truman was thrust into leadership on a global level in the midst of a World War II alongside difficult and mistrustful allies; he would soon be facing atomic weaponry decisions that would change the course of human history. Harry Truman did not want to be president, but met his challenges with the character, curiosity, work ethic and loyalty that inspired those around him and would come to define him famously with his "The Buck Stops Here" desk sign. As President, he will be remembered for The Marshall Plan, desegregation of the armed forces, the GI Bill, the germs of Medicare and universal health care, the Berlin Airlift, atomic diplomacy, the beginnings of NATO and the UN, and much more. Many thanks to Dr. Tod Worner and J.R. Boisclair for another excellent program.
Harry Truman: Lessons From An Accidental President
A big nod of gratitude to all who contributed to the very successful Wayzata Rotary Annual Holiday Party! 
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Our meeting last week, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, centered on Gratitude. Our host was Sarah Kaelberer, who led us in a gratitude exercise, then introduced the fall grant recipients, for whom we can be grateful for their amazing gifts to our entire community. The following organizations received funding totaling $9500:
We are pleased to join the Wayzata Chamber for Wednesday's meeting. Please consider arriving a few minutes early since the parking lot will be busy. The buffet will open at 11:30, with the program to begin at noon.
Last week's program honored our nation's veterans, and we were honored to be joined by the following individuals, both members and guests, who have served us in the military:
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Our 11/16 meeting is a joint meeting with the Wayzata Chamber. Lunch begins at 11:30. Plan to arrive a bit early, there will be a large crowd that day for speaker Matthew Sanford. His program is titled "The Power to Transcend.".jpg)
Gil Towers- MN Reading Corps Volunteers
"Doing what we love...taking chances and dreaming big." Last June, Lake Minnetonka adventurers Ryan Foss and Erin Hammer took on their latest endurance challenge at the 2016 Great Pacific Race, an epic 3,000-mile boat rowing adventure across the world’s largest ocean from Monterey, California, to Waikiki, Hawaii, to raise funds for national children’s charities. 
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We learned last week that our beloved Dr. Arne Kolbjornsen has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He and Kathie would appreciate support from Rotary friends..png)
Congratulations to Norrie Thomas, the newest member of Wayzata Rotary. Norrie was inducted at our meeting last week by General Bob Shadley. She is a successful entrepreneur, having launched, managed, sold and founded several pharmacy managed care companies. Norrie is running for Minnesota State Representative representing the DFL. Welcome, Norrie, we look forward getting to know you! 
Angela Bernhardt, Bob Shadley, Norrie Thomas, and Angela's son met at IOCP last Saturday to help pack food for the food shelf's senior delivery program. Thank you for your service. IOCP is one of the Wayzata Rotary's grant recipients as well as the scene of offsite service meetings. We will continue our commitment to this important part of the community over the next year. Stay tuned for more opportunities!
District Governor Mark Hegstrom and Assistant District Governor spoke at last week's meeting, providing the vision for the 2016-17 District 5950 Rotary Year. DG Hegstrom declared Wayzata Rotary "a great one", and "electric", vibrant with energy, new members, and activities that provide real service to the Wayzata community. Goals for the year include:
Wayzata Rotarians have begun a new and exciting service project mentoring students at Wayzata High School. Learn more about how you can join this project at an upcoming meeting. Onward and upward!
Thank you to Jason Griep for bringing us a program featuring the World Servants organization, showcased by speakers Rob Breding, Mike Minich, and Andrew Mullin. World Servants is celebrating its 30th anniversary as a Christ centered ministry hosting mission trips to serve the needy all over the world. World Servants serves over 500 communities worldwide, with an emphasis on schools and education. It strives to make the world a better place while offering those who can volunteer an opportunity to change their lives forever through service. World Servant offers trips to families, church and school groups, businesses, and individuals who desire personal and organizational growth. Their mission trips are both domestic and international, and even offer "Snapshot" programs to allow participants to help out in their own backyards over a weekend. To find out more, participate in a mission, or support World Servants, check out world servants.org. Additionally, you can support World Servants by attending their Christmas Concert on 12/13 at Grace Church in Eden Prairie. Thank you!
The car show is THIS WEEKEND and the hard working Car Show committee and Logistics Team are looking for many volunteers! You have two opportunities this week:
In an effort to make more volunteer/serving opportunities available to Wayzata Rotary members, we will be offering quarterly hands-on volunteer community serving opportunities! We kick off this new initiative in September. Our first Volunteer opportunity is for Rotarians, family, and friends. We'll gather on Saturday, September 24 from 11:00 am to 1 pm at Interfaith Outreach. Volunteers will select and pack requested food items homebound seniors. We are in need of 13 volunteers. Children are welcome to participate. Youth ages 5-13 must sign up with an adult (one-to-one ratio). Please RSVP to Lynn Vettel, lvettel@iocp.org, if you are able to participate and let her know the number of people you will be bringing.
Bob Shadley's ongoing generosity was acknowledged with gratitude at a recent meeting. The General received another Paul Harris pin for his ongoing financial support of The Rotary Foundation. Through the generosity of people like Bob, Rotary's work has made a difference in the lives of millions around the world. Your gift to The Rotary Foundation allows us to improve communities by promoting peace, preventing disease, bolstering economic development, and providing clean water and sanitation. You can choose to make a one-time gift, or enroll in Rotary Direct, Rotary's recurring giving program, to support our efforts year round.
Mark Hegstrom is a founder and principal in the Waterfront Financial Group LLC and the new 5950 District Governor. Hegstrom originally attended his first Rotary meeting as an opportunity to network with other professionals, and quickly discovered that Rotary is about giving back: giving back to the community; giving back on an international level; giving of himself. He accepted the nomination of District Governor to share his passion and provide inspiration to his fellow Rotarians, so that together, they can help more and more people. 
Providing a high energy and inspirational speaking program, Dustin will share his story of being shot as a police officer and his emotional 10 year battle with PTSD and the power of the positive mind and relates it to how people can help themselves with the same thinking in their business and personal lives, improving productivity. 
Congratulations to Kelly Sater, the newest member of Wayzata Rotary. Kelly, a lawyer, was inducted at our meeting last week by General Bob Shadley. Kelly humbled us all with her following thoughts following her induction. Welcome, Kelly we look forward getting to know you! 
At last week's meeting Scott Gengler updated us on the success of WHS boys swim coach and Olympic Bronze Medalist, David Plummer. Scott stressed that as good a swimmer as Davis is, he's an even better mentor, coach, and human being. Congratulations! Links to media coverage: Facebook celebration and Channel 12
Youth Exchange coordinator Steve Hance hosted our meeting and we were able to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. Incoming RYE student Marion Jernais has arrived and we got to meet her for the first time. She attended along with Grant Helmich from her host family. We looking forward to hearing from Marion at a meeting in the near future. Our primary speaker of the day was Leo Thiede, our RYE student from Germany in 2014-15, who was back for a visit with her twin brother Ludwig as a graduation gift from their parents. Leo reminisced about her favorite Minnesota memories, and there were many. She again thanked WRC, Steve, and her host families: the Hages, who helped her get adjusted and overcome language difficulties, and threw her a great birthday party; the Ramettas, who included her in a wonderful Christmas trip to Chicago, and the Stolfas, who provided a high energy environment, trips to LA and Mt. Rushmore, and support through the prom experience. Thank you to all who work to make this adventure a reality for our Rotary Youth Exchange students! 
Thirteen-year-old Dante Reminick from Minneapolis pioneered the Give a goat program in 2013. He raised funds to buy 50 fertile goats and helped distribute them while in the Mbale region of Uganda. The Give a goat program provides a source of income for kids who have lost their parents or families whose breadwinner has become ill or disabled. Each $125 donated purchases a fertile milk goat for a child or family in need in a developing country in Africa.The return on your investment continues to grow … it’s a pay-it-forward project. The kids who are provided with a goat must agree to give a nanny goat born to another child in need, and those children will do the same. These children can sell their goat’s produce and offspring to pay for living expenses such as food, shelter and school fees. The program also teaches kids to care for something and gives them the ability to give back to the community that has taken them in.
Lenora, our former exchange student from Germany, will be visiting Minnesota with her twin brother. She will reflect on her time spent in Minnesota during the 2014 - 2015 school year as a Rotary Youth Exchange student sponsored by the Wayzata Rotary Club. 
Congratulations to Dave Pearce, the newest member of Wayzata Rotary. Dave was welcomed at our offsite meeting at The Retreat, and inducted by Membership Chair Tom Vettel. Dave lives in Wayzata and works for Korn Ferry in Minneapolis. Dave's sponsor is JR Boisclair.
We have purchased 40 tickets to the August 31st Saints game. Tickets are $30 and include transportation and pre-game tailgate with hotdogs, hamburgers, chips, pasta salad, beans, and soft drinks, with adult beverages available for purchase. Tickets will be first come first serve, for you and a guest. If you would like additional tickets please let us know and we will start a waiting list. Please contact Hope Schroeppel to reserve your tickets: hope_schroeppel@anchorlink.com.
Tom Medcalf's ongoing generosity was acknowledged with gratitude at last week's meeting at The Retreat. Tom received another Paul Harris pin for his ongoing financial support of The Rotary Foundation. Through the generosity of people like Tom, Rotary's work has made a difference in the lives of millions around the world. Your gift to The Rotary Foundation allows us to improve communities by promoting peace, preventing disease, bolstering economic development, and providing clean water and sanitation. You can choose to make a one-time gift, or enroll in Rotary Direct, Rotary's recurring giving program, to support our efforts year round.
Last week we were privileged to tour and hold our meeting at The Retreat, hosted by John Curtiss. The Retreat is a unique asset for individuals and families looking for help in conquering addiction. The Retreat is a nonprofit whose mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals, families and communities affected by alcohol and drug dependency by providing affordable, effective educational services grounded in the Twelve Step principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Retreat is a unique asset because of it's range of services and because it offers its services very affordably. Services include a mens residential program, a women's residential program, day programs, evening programs, sober living houses in St. Paul, and the McIver Family Center Programs to provide support to families affected by addiction (open to all families, not just those with members staying at The Retreat). John McDougall joined John Curtiss as speaker, and reflected on addiction as a brain disease that changes individuals ability to order life's priorities in a healthy way because of structural defects in the way the brain processes messages regarding alcohol or drugs. As a practitioner, John advocates a relapse prevention model (coupled with AA principles) rather than simply a relapse treatment model: "Treatment doesn't make anyone well--it sets them up to be successful through aftercare in a sequential lifespan program." Thank you to John Curtiss, John McDougall and the Retreat Staff for a thought-provoking program and a terrific lunch.
Tuesday, July 26th: Wayzata Rotary's 2016-17 Visioning and Planning Meeting, open to all members. This session will be hosted by Angela Bernhardt and the WRC Board, and facilitated by District 5950 District Leaders. For more information or to RSVP contact Angela Bernhardt: angela@hammer.org
2015-16 District Governor was a guest at last week's meeting to present last year's president Mark Lauffenburger with the the highest level of club honor, the Gold Presidential Citation. Clubs receiving this award reached achievements across 23 specific goals. Wayzata Rotary exceeded the goals, and was lauded particularly for its membership growth, sponsorship of the international dental clinic project in the Dominican Republic, sponsorship of West Metro Rotaract, strong use of social media in Public Relations efforts, and overall vibrance. Congratulations to all members, and especially President Mark Lauffenburger. 
Congratulations to Adam Thompson, the newest member of the Wayzata Rotary. Adam was welcomed last week by all the members and inducted by General Bob Shadley. Adam is already engaged in club activities with great energy. He's an active dad with young children, and runs Focal Point Business Coaching. Welcome!
Last week Doug introduced us to Nick Swaggert, an advocate for veterans in the workplace. Nick enrolled in the Marines and served two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan before attending college and launching a successful corporate career. He shared that the most difficult thing he's ever done is returning from active duty and leaving the military. Upon return, he found that vets don't do a very good job integrating into civilian life in general and the work force in particular, and that the world around them doesn't do a great job of trying to understand returning vets. Veterans are twice as likely to be unemployed as the general population, despite strong discipline and skill sets. Seeing a need, Nick has chosen to work within the corporate world and as a volunteer to help veterans learn to match, refine, and learn to speak about their job skills to a civilian workplace. He left Wayzata Rotary a request: to seek out and interview at least one ex-military candidate for your next job opening. Thank you to Doug Arndt and Nick Swaggert for an eye-opening and thoughtful program. 
Chamber Members (including many Rotarians who are also Rotarians) will be gathering from 4-6pm this Wednesday 7/14 for the annual Member Appreciation picnic. At 6pm all Rotarians are invited to join in the fun at Klapprich Field at 6pm for the coveted Anchor Bank Cup. Come watch the Wayzata Police Department take on the Wayzata Fire Department for the annual charity softball game. The winning team gets $501. Second place winner gets $499. The departments play for the Second Call and the Wayzata Crime Prevention Coalition. The public is welcome to attend and cheer them on. Join us to see who wins bragging rights for this year! 
Last week Lynn Groll hosted our meeting. Wayzata Chief of Police Mike Risvold and MnDot Traffic Safety Coordinator Susan Youngs educated Rotary members about ongoing efforts to improve traffic safety, particularly around the Highway 212 corridor. Susan Youngs presented an ambitious vision: to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries to zero, since zero is the only acceptable goal. To meet that goal, coordinated efforts must be made against "The Five E's" of Education, Enforcement, Engineering, Emergency Trauma Services, and Everyone's Participation. While all five of the E's has received attention in the past, MnDot's Toward Zero Death's (TZD) program brings all five areas together in a concerted manner and has shown significant improvements in fatality/injury reduction in areas where it is in use. TZD is analysis based, creating usable data about different types of crashes leading to collaborative strategies to reduce accidents. Some of the outcomes of the work include increased use of roundabouts, rumble strips and barriers, safe ride programs, drivers' ed programs for parents, and legislative changes. The "Going 12 for Highway 12" Program is an example of the collaborative efforts required to make TZD effective on a local basis. The Highway 12 efforts extend 38 miles from Wayzata to Howard Lakes. The addition of rumble strips and crash reduction zones has already been completed, with turn lanes now being installed to reduce rear-end crashes. High visibility multi-jurisdictional experiments are already in place, and we can soon expect to see barrier walls in place from Wayzata to Highway 6. The public will continue to be involved with community outreach and education events. Thank you to Chief Risvold and Susan Youngs for an informative meeting!
Last week we ended one Rotary Year and began another and said a heartfelt thank you to all those who made this past year a very productive one for Wayzata Rotary. Mark Lauffenburger received a standing ovation for his role at the helm of the club, and was presented with a wall plaque gavel and a Past President Pin by incoming President Angela Bernhardt. Mark presented his Outstanding Service Awards, and Program Chairs Angela Bernhardt (outgoing) and Lisa Fraga (incoming Chair with JR Boisclair) presented the Program Host Awards for 2015-16. Congratulations to all and thank you for a wonderful year. 
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Mark your calendar! The 8th Annual Wayzata Rotary Motorsports show will be held on September 11th from 10am-4pm in conjunction with JJ Hill Days. This is one of Wayzata Rotary Club's best traditional and biggest fund raiser! As always, we are hoping for 100% participation. 
Thank you to Amy Schuett for bringing us an interesting program featuring a special sensory and family friendly production of the Lion King sponsored by Hennepin Theatre Trust. Jen Diederich, a clinical supervisor at the MN Autism Center and an advisor for the Hennepin Theatre Trust was our speaker. She provided background information on autism and the challenges it presents for the individuals and families it impacts. 1 in 50 Minnesota families impacted by autism, and those families are typically shut out of many typical outings because of the difficulties in sitting quietly observing social "norms" in group settings, as well as the high cost of theatre attendance for a family that is often weighed down by high treatment costs. Hennepin Theatre is providing a special treat for those families, including many special adaptations and lowered ticket costs for their July 3rd production. Adaptations include lowering loud (potentially frightening) noises, raising house lights, allowing for standing and movement, designated sensory areas, with fidgets, earplugs, and head phones provided. In addition, they are providing families with social materials in advance of the performance so they can plan and teach about the event, as well as a "meet your seat". For more information or to buy a seat: hennepintheatretrust.org/sensoryfriendly OR mnautism.org
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Charlie Marvin was recognized with a Paul Harris +6 pin last week for his outstanding contributions to The Rotary Foundation. Charlie's generosity and service were recognized by club members with a spontaneous standing ovation. Thank you, Charlie, for your beautiful example of Rotary's ideals.
JR Boisclair was this week's host and brought us Larry McKenzie, an inspiring speaker and Minnesota's winningest high school basketball coach ever. JR noted Coach McKenzie's incredible basketball accomplishments, but observed "more importantly, it's what he does to make these boys winners off the court." Coach came to Minneapolis North High School 3.5 years ago after coaching for a number of years at Holy Angels. At the time "North had been left for dead" and was scheduled to be closed, with only 69 kids enrolled. At the time the basketball program had no wins and a collective GPA of 1.6. Coach McKenzie set about changing the culture of the team to one where the boys could believe in who they are, and could then start to "refuse to lose". 
One of Wayzata Rotary Club's best traditions is to present scholarships to exemplary seniors from Wayzata High School. These scholarships are made possible through the endowment of the club's Wayzata Memorial Education Foundation, along with member donations and fundraising. This year we were pleased to announce 16 scholarships for $1,000 each to deserving seniors Emma Baldry, John Barbella, Liz Benson, Kathleen Butler, Gina Carter, Seri Choi, Emma Johnson, Pooja Kandikonda, Jake Marsh, Connor Moen, Reece Smith, Jennifer Radermacher, D.J. Thapa, Jessica Weng, Tristan Wilkes, and AJ Yablonsky. Winners were introduced by WRC members, and each senior shared fun facts about themselves. Our winners include mentors and youth ministers, have logged countless service hours, were team captains, showed off bruises and battle scars, care for disabled siblings and friends, are multi-lingual, are musicians and thespians and artists and drum majors, are representatives to international Science Fairs and Business Conferences, are entrepreneurs, are members of the NHS and almost every club in the school, and have even been voted "most gullible". Above all, this group of 16 outstanding seniors are full of gratitude and looking forward to making their marks on college and the broader world beyond. Congratulations!.jpg)
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Wayzata: "The Best Place to be in Minnesota!"
Thank you to Tim Westermeyer for hosting another terrific meeting. Tim brought us speaker Dr. Tod Worner, a man of many talents and interests. In addition to his duties as a physician at West Health, Dr. Worner is a spiritual blogger for Patheos and avid history lover. He chose "The Leadership of Winston Churchill" for his talk to Wayzata Rotary. Winston Churchill is a man who changed the trajectory of the modern world through his stubborn courage in the 20th century, particularly the days leading up to and during WWII. Churchill was a British Parliamentarian from 1900-1965, and while we remember him best for his leadership against Hitler, he was a human who suffered many failures as well. While he had enjoyed some early successes as a Parliamentarian, by the 1930's he was on the outside of British power: he'd lost his cabinet position, his friends, and his influence. During these "wilderness years" he took unpopular positions, yet was one of the few who foresaw and foretold the rearmament of Germany and subsequent war that would come from Chamberlain's appeasement of Hitler and gifting of Eastern European geographies to the Reich. According to Dr. Worner, "when Chamberlain was wringing his hands, Churchill was shaking his fist", and when Hitler's appetitite for power became too large to ignore, Churchill finally got his chance to lead and save Britain (and perhaps the world) from Hitler's plunder. Dr. Worner can be reached at todwarner@gmail.com
It's a plan: Meet at the Muni on Thursday, February 18 from 5:00-6:30 pm. We welcome spouses and guests!
Thank you to Belle Davenport for hosting an eye-opening meeting. Our program featured beekeepers Wayne and Cindy Rusch of Rusch Farms in Hutchinson, who have 50 years beekeeping experience between them. In her intro Belle likened bees to the canaries in the coal mines--they are in trouble, and so then are we. She encouraged us to leave our own legacy and make a gesture to support bees. Wayne and Cindy are blazing a trail for other beekeepers. Not only are they producing their high quality honey for sale, they are advocates and educators about pollinators in general and honey bees in particular. Almost all produce requires pollinators to grow; however, our bee colonies are declining and the population of beekeepers is aging. China already is forced to hand-pollinate their plants following environmental destruction, which has wiped out their bee colonies. We learned about the life cycle of different bees, how queens split an overcrowded hive, pheremones, bees vs wasps, and how to keep either away from our outdoor meals (put out a pan of sugar water in the far corner of the yard). Belle, Wayne and Cindy challenged us all to take a stand for the bees: start and maintain a hive in as little as 10 minutes per week, take a beekeeping course at the Arboretum, add pro-pollinator plantings to our gardens (bee balm, cone flowers, native plantings and wild flowers), and/or reduce the use of pesticides. Thank you Cindy and Wayne Rusch.
Thank you to Tim Westermeyer for hosting a wonderful meeting. Our program featured Charles Lazarus: composer, jazz recording artist, and trumpet player with the Minnesota Orchestra. Charles' latest work is his February 14 Minnesota Orchestra production of "Fly Me to the Moon", a concert of Big Band era love songs. Charles' remarks touched on many areas: he spoke about his love of the trumpet, which began as a passion for a twelve year old then grew to become a world class talent as a performing artist, ensemble artist, producer and composer. His love for music grew to into an affinity for all musical genres, and he particularly enjoys fusing together many styles into his compositions. We learned of his favorite trumpeters (Louis Armstrong, Harry James, Wynton Marsalis, Herb Alpert, and Miles Davis), and were treated to some behind-the-scenes stories and observations from the Minnesota Orchestra's recent trip to Cuba. Best of all, Wayzata Rotary members got to hear Charles Lazarus play. He demonstrated selected ballads on two different horns: his flugelhorn (larger, mellower, a conical bore instrument) and his trumpet (smaller, brasher, a straight bore instrument). He also demonstrated some of his favorite mutes (straight, wawa and plunger) and how they dramatically change the feel of the tune. A great program!
Special thanks:
Tom Vettel hosted our meeting. Thank you to Karl Neset for providing the invocation. Tom brought us two interesting guests to our meeting: Jim Gambone, our speaker, and Steve Coleman, who provided an enlightening introduction to Jim and our subject matter. Jim Gabone is a writer, videographer, playwright, business consultant, and national expert on the subject of generational differences. The subject of his talk was "Ships Passing in the Night: Generational Challenges and Business Transitions." Jim's advice is based on beliefs that we attain lifelong core values between the ages of 8 and 14, and that each generation has been shaped differently by their environment and place in history. As a result, each generation thinks differently, often getting in the way of clear communication. Three generations currently make up 85% of our workforce: Baby Boomers, GenXers, and Millenials. As Boomers retire, it is important to have clarity of generational differences to proactively plan smooth transitions to the next generation of owners and leaders. More detailed advice is available in Jim's many books on the subject. Thank you to Tom, Steve, and Jim for a very interesting meeting.
Eleven Wayzata Rotary Club members are heading to North Minneapolis to meet Sherman Patterson's kids and cheer on the WHS boys team vs Minneapolis North! At a recent meeting we met two amazing men who have committed their lives to improving their community by influencing youth. Sherman Patterson is a community activist who is has founded "Lead by Example", and his close friend Larry McKenzie is the winningest coach in Minneapolis High School coaching history. Both are inspirations, mentors, and advocates for teens. After hearing their story, we asked "how can we help?" They answered "come meet our kids, come to our neighborhood." Tonight's the night, and we look forward to hearing more about this field trip at Wednesday's meeting.
Ignite Success in 2016 and Beyond! Please attend this leadership and innovation conference for Greater Minneapolis leaders, individually or with your business or community teams. The event is January 29th at the Lafayette Club, and is sponsored by Area 12 Rotary groups (including our Wayzata club); Rotarians receive a $20 discount. This is a TED-talk style conference featuring an excellent speaker line-up; see IGNIte2016.org for details. 
JR brought us two wonderful guests last week: Speaker Sherman Patterson and special guest Larry McKenzie, basketball coach at Minneapolis North High School. Mr. Patterson is a public safety expert previously in R.T. Rybak's administration, and now works as a special community liason for the Minneapolis Police Department. With an MLK award, Bush Fellowship, and TED talk to his credit, Sherman believes passionately in his work, and has begun his own program to mentor at-risk youth in his own north side neighborhood through his "Lead By Example" program.
We are pleased to announce Scott Nesvold as our newest member and look forward to having him our team. Scott will be the alternate member representing Crane Engineering's corporate membership, along with Andy Thielen. Welcome, Scott!.jpg)
We feasted, we made merry, we socialized and we raised funds for our Wayzata Rotary Foundation. 
Chris Pierson and Cliff Otten invited members to a Rotary Ski Trip to Idaho. The group is flying into Spokane on Thursday, 2/18 and will be skiing at Schweitzer Mountain in Idaho, returning 2/22. Contact Chris for details: chrisp@ssmnlaw.com.
Announcements from last week's meeting:
We welcomed Kimi Nguyen, the student we sponsored at the recent Camp Enterprise weekend for future business leaders. Kimi was enthusiastic about her experience, and told us about her introduction to case studies. Her business group developed an innovative backpack, which provided her the opportunity to learn about listening to consumer needs, teamwork, innovation, and the process of gaining funding. She was very grateful for this opportunity. Thanks Kimi! 
Bob Shadley hosted a meeting full of gratitude and inspiration. Bob provided the invocation. 
Nate Lilleodden hosted a great meeting last week. Tim Westermeyer provided the invocation. Mark Lauffenburger made the following announcements:.jpg)
We welcomed many guests last week:
Frequent guest Walt Gislason brought his friend Ronald "Mack" Mackedanz to speak to the club this week. Walt introduced Mack by describing him as a man who is always in service. "When he hears of a need, he packs his bags and he goes, no questions asked." Mack is an activist, a Vietnam Army veteran, recipient of several military honors including the Silver Star for Gallantry, and the author of "Drafted: Greetings, You Have Been Selected by Your Friends and Neighbors." "Drafted" is an acclaimed first hand account of the experiences of a Vietnam infantry soldier, first at war in a foreign country and then returned home to a generally indifferent and unappreciative nation. Mack shared his stories of attacks in Vietnam, his poetry and lyrics written to honor our military personnel, and his belief that our veterans, all veterans, need to be shown respect and appreciation through action. Mack himself is currently very active helping former military personnel in many ways: he helps other veterans navigate the complicate VA system, he supports fathers with a support organization called "Dads for Dads", he works to provide wreaths for every military grave in Kandiyohi County, and he is a key player in the Patriot Guard Project. The Patriot Guard is an organization whose members strive to provide dignity and pride to fallen veterans and their loved ones in face of funeral protestors. Mack and company travel to military memorials to stand guard over the service by providing a human barrier between protestors and service-goers. As Mack describes himself "I'm just an old crusty Vietnam vet who is doing the best he can." We can all aspire to Mack's level of service. Thank you Mack, and thank you Walt. 
We have completed our switch to the new billing system. Thank you to all who have already paid their bill. If you have not received an invoice, please contact Maureen asap. As always, you will continue to be able to pay your bill by credit card or by check, which can be mailed or brought to a meeting. Questions, see Maureen or email maureenmarawayzata@gmail.com.
Darrell Leines was host and brought us speaker Eric Taipale , the CEO of Sentera, a Richfield firm that designs and engineers drones and drone sensors and software that provide valuable information to industry, agriculture, and public safety personnel. During Darrell's vocational we learned that he had worked for Boeing, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin and other firms on drone programs; along the way he met Eric. Sentera's business is primarily in two areas: agriculture and infrastructure inspection. Agronomists use drones aerial imagery capabilities for early detection of pests, weeds, and crop health; they can see every leaf on each plant. Drones are used to improve safety in industry by providing visual images of infrastructure and geography to limit climbing and danger while doing inspections. Similarly, drones are used in search and rescue operations to quickly provide important information while limiting personnel risk. Drones are also increasingly being used to create 3D modeling of infrastructure to create models. Eric shared his views that the industry needs to be regulated to keep airspace safe. Thank you Darrell and Eric for an interesting peek into drone aviation.
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Greg Rye and Karl Neset teamed up last week to host, and brought us Former Governor Al Quie as speaker. 
Tom Medcalf brought us speaker Bo Kaprall after recently reading an article about him in the Star Tribune. Bo is an actor, producer, and comedy writer with credits including Laverne and Shirley, Cher, the Carol Burnett Show, and many more. He began in improv and theater in Chicago, got recruited to Minnesota in the 70's, and then moved to LA where he became a regular at The Comedy Store and Kentucky Fried Theater. After becoming a sought-after writer for the biggest comedy shows of the time, he returned to Wayzata to raise his family in a stable, engaging community with excellent education. He loves it here because it's so real, but with that choice came the often-tough realities of living outside the showbiz capitals of LA and NYC while pursuing a comedy career. These days Bo continues his successful career by writing "Weekend Update" for Saturday Night Live and developing and pitching new reality TV programing. His latest joy is teaming up with Steve Hansen on a now-national Comedy Screen Writing competition, where he gets to choose scripts and help talented and aspiring screen writers get their work in front of the decision makers in the entertainment industry. 
Marty Schneider introduced new blue mugs emblazoned with the Rotary wheel on one side and the Four Way Test on the other for those who would like that daily reminder of Rotary values with their morning coffee. The mugs are available for only $7.50, bring your money to next week's meeting. .jpg)
Wayzata Rotary Club is proud to support projects and organizations both in our community and worldwide with funding grants.
Effective October 1st, Betsy Stolfa has retired as Club Bookkeeper. Thank you, Betsy, for your many years of service! Also effective October 1st, responsibility for member billing and receivables will transfer to Maureen Mara, with Karen Johnson of Copeland Buhl responsibile for accounting. Your next quarterly bill will go out next week in a new format generated by ClubRunner. You will be able to pay your bill by credit card or check, which can be mailed or brought to a meeting. Questions, see Maureen or email maureenmarawayzata@gmail.com.
We welcomed Jim's cousin, agronomist Rob Fritz as our speaker. Rob works for Hefty Seeds in Baltic, South Dakota. In addition to seed sales, Hefty is a leader in providing information, analysis, and technology to farmers. Rob's talk explored some of the frequently told myths related to farming, including concerns about tiling, fertilizer use, and biotechnology. He educated us on some currently available precision farming technologies to micro-manage crop plots. For example, using plant tissue analysis, farmers can determine exactly where within their field they need to adjust nutrient loads. Then planters guided by GPS can be programmed to optimize seed choice and delivery relative to soil pH and nutrient levels. He explained some of the many uses of biotechnology in medicine as well as the food supply and food processing. Thanks for the education!
Annie brought us speaker Sandy Sullivan, author of "Green Bay Love Stories and Other Affairs." Sandy delivered a rousing account of her experiences during the golden age of the Green Bay Packers, when she was working for Vince Lombardi. While working for a modelling agency in Milwaukee, Sandy met Vince Lombardi, then took a job selling season tickets for the Packers. It was only matter of time before she found herself dating Paul Horning, Dan Currie (and others!) and enjoying a social life running with The Pack. 
All our best wishes to Ben and Katrina Hovland, on the birth of their daughter Adeline (Della). Big sister Livi looks pretty happy too. All are well! .jpg)
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Fall Grant applications are due by October 3. Questions, contact Doug Arndt.
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Jennifer Munt was appointed to the Metropolitan Council in March 2011 by Gov. Mark Dayton and re-appointed in 2015. She lives in Minnetonka and represents District 3 Since 2005, Munt has served on the board of Transit for Livable Communities, the state’s largest transportation advocacy organization. On the Metropolitan Council, Munt serves on the Community Development and Transportation committees. 
District Training is at the Arboretum the morning of Friday, September 25. Registration is free. If you'd like to attend, contact Mo right away. 
Marc Cohn was inducted as our newest member at last week's meeting. Congrats, Marc! Members, if you haven't had a chance to introduce yourselves yet, please look for Marc at the next meeting.
Steve Droen brought us a very interesting speaker this week. Casey Krolczyk is a young man whose Rotary Youth Exchange experience meaningfully contributed to his choice of profession. While living in Switzerland Casey had the opportunity to witness the U.S. from the outside, especially relative to politics, and view our policies through the eyes of other countries. After graduating from college, Casey interned in the MN governor's office and fell in love with grass politics, eventually leading him to become a proponent and organizer for the concept of Ranked Choice Voting. He used a real club vote (for ice cream flavors) to demonstrate how it works and refute criticism of the process. In ranked choice voting, a voter gets to mark and rank order several choices on their ballot. This process replaces primaries in favor of one election, widens the voter base, and can improve voter turnout. Casey illustrated how it could reduce negative campaigning, since there is a full slate of contenders rather than two candidates focussed on finding fault with each other. Ranked choice voting is growing in popularity across the US, including the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Casey left us thinking outside the box about electoral politics, and with a better understanding of ranked choice voting. Thank you Steve and Casey!.jpg)
FairVote Minnesota works for better democracy through public education and advocacy. Their focus is on progressive voting systems that lead to greater competitiveness, better representation and more participation in elections. They advocate for voting systems with a demonstrated record of success in producing these qualities such as Ranked Choice Voting in single-winner and multiple-winner elections.
Host Doug Arndt treated us to a very special program this week. Doug's son Edward is a retired Army Ranger with two tours of duty in Afghanistan; his friend Dave Sanders had five tours under his belt before retirement as a military dog handler. Together with Dave's military dog, Baggie, they shared insights into their lives as special ops forces and into the role of working dogs in our military. We learned that the Rangers role is to lead the way into battle, and that Special Ops forces are expected to keep up a tempo and intensity of work above and beyond that of the regular service: they are always actively working or training. Military dogs are tasked with similar intensity; Baggie, for example, was trained to attack, sniff out explosives, and chase down the bad guys; when not actively working on one of these roles he worked in the tactical operations center to calm and develop relationships with the troops. Edward and Dave shared stories of their time in Afghanistan, including the terrible losses their unit experienced and the role of Baggie in helping personnel cope with overwhelming battle zone stresses. Unfortunately, given the intensity of the work, our special operations forces have a suicide rate 3-4 times that of regular troops, and 7-8 times that of regular civilians. Edward and Dave identified the time between a service person's separation from the military and the commencement of services as a high risk period where making a healthy transition to civilian life is key, and they have begun to focus others on this important period of time. Dave, now an Atlanta policeman, has begun a non-profit to further this important cause and to highlight the important roles working dogs can continue to provide for veterans after their separation from active duty. Thank you Edward, Dave and Baggie, as well as to Dave's wife Sara for her important role during Dave's military service to our country..jpeg)
Saints game ticket holders, see your email for final instructions from Heidi. 
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Doug Arndt reports that Charlie will undergo surgery on September 1 at Mayo. After a spontaneous suggestion and unanimous agreement that Charlie's attendance record be allowed to remain intact after decades of perfection, the board convened long enough to pass a special proposal to excuse Charlie from attendance during his health crisis without blemish to his record. 
President Mark Lauffenburger hosted our meeting, and Bob Shadley gave our invocation. Our speaker was Sam Thompson, member of the Edina noon club, representing Camp Enterprise for Districts 5950 and 5960. We learned that Camp Enterprise is a 3 day immersion into the free enterprise system for up to 120 high school juniors and seniors. The students are sponsored by 60 Rotary clubs in the two districts with the goal of developing our next generation of leaders. During their time at Camp Iduhapi, the students are divided into teams of 6-8 students and provided full-time attention from real-world business mentors. Through team building exercises the students determine their individual strengths and take on roles within a business unit, then take on a case study to put together a business plan for a product or service. The teams work through the weekend to develop strategy, marketing, financial, operating, and HR plans while using Rotarian volunteers who are business specialists to challenge and hone their work. On the final day, each team presents its proposal to venture capitalists, who decide whether to (with play money) fund their proposed businesses a la "Shark Tank." Five students are selected for $1000 college scholarships, and all the participants go home energized by their business immersion, with some very valuable and sometimes life-changing experience. 
Last week we were honored to welcome new District Governor Tim Murphy and Assistant District Governor Jeff Wosje to our meeting, with President Mark Lauffenburger hosting. Chris Pierson gave our invocation, and included a heartfelt prayer to "call in all our markers for Charlie". Jeff Wosje congratulated our club for publicly getting behind our police officers and the Night to Unite movement, then introduced DG Murphy, whose WRC visit was his amazing 22nd club visit in the six short weeks since his installation. 
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Each year about 110 juniors and seniors attended Camp Enterprise, led by Sam Thompson, from over 60 high schools in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Specifically, students interested in learning more about business, leadership, entrepreneurship, and the free enterprise system come together in a unique, intensive and fun three day workshop where they interact with and are led by business leaders from our clubs and communities. This is a vocational gem for our youth, yet we often don't know much about it, and Sam Thompson aims to change that.
We welcomed Marc Cohn as a returning guest this past week..JPG)
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This week we're excited to be joined by new District Governor Tim Murphy. DG Murphy is in the process of visiting each club in District #5950 to learn about and celebrate key projects and contributors, share his vision for the year, and participate in our meeting. Don't miss this meeting, and be sure to extend a warm Wayzata Rotary welcome!
Jim Hartfiel hosted our meeting today and introduced speaker Howie Milstein. CEO Howie decided early in his career to question conventional thinking and seek the real truth that is rooted in unbiased observation. He challenged us to consider likability a key asset for leaders, and set aside the dictum that "you can't be liked by everyone." We all want engagement in our employees, volunteers, and families, yet most are disengaged, leading to turnover and inefficiency. What motivates people is autonomy, a sense of mastery, and the ability to influence thinking and ideas of others. So with more courage, warmth and compassion, openness to mistakes, and more vulnerability on the part of leadership, we can create a new environment of trust, alignment, willingness to innovate. In summary, Howie explained that likability is an outward focus. It's about being curious about other people, listening to them, and allowing them to contribute. Most importantly, we need to stay uncomfortable as we try out new ways of engaging those around us, because we won't have growth without the discomfort. Thank you Jim and Howie!
Greg Rye hosted our meeting and brought us featured speaker Janee Harteau. Chief Harteau, chief since 2012, began as a patrol officer and rose through the ranks of the Minneapolis Police Department to become a highly visible and respected leader locally, nationally, and internationally. Fresh off a plane from Peru, where she'd been hiking the Inca trail and participating in a Smile Patrol surgical team, Chief Harteau was quick to note all that we have to be appreciative of here in Minnesota. Her reflections following her trip included strong thoughts that she is where she should be and doing work that's important, despite the difficult and often polarizing nature of her position and the need to "go home and grow skin every night". 
The Pontoon Smoker will be next Thursday, July 30 and all are welcome. If you haven't signed up yet please speak up now so we can guarantee space. Send me an email at maureenmarawayzata@gmail.com.
Host Greg Rye brings us Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau this week as speaker, along with special guests Wayzata Mayor Ken Wilcox and Chief of Police Mike Risvold. Chief Harteau joined the MPD in 1987 and worked her way through the ranks beginning as a patrol officer on the street. In 2006 she was appointed as the Inspector of the First Precinct where she worked to formalize the SafeZone collaborative and served as the first president of its board of directors. As the First Precinct Inspector she was a longtime proponent of strong public/private partnerships to strengthen public safety downtown. Among those partnerships was the creation of the Block E station, the Fusion Center and the Downtown Courtwatch program for which the MPD won an international community policing award from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). Prior to being appointed to Assistant Chief in 2010, Harteau was the Deputy Chief of the Patrol Bureau where she was responsible for all Minneapolis Police Department 911 response personnel and the department’s emergency services units. In 2012, Chief Harteau was nominated by the mayor and unanimously confirmed by the city council to become the 52nd and first female Chief of Police in the city’s history. Please plan to join us Wednesday, and guests are always welcome.
Albert Yamamoto was born and raised in Seattle until he was 13 years old. In 1940, his father took the family to Japan for a visit, and then announced that Albert and his sister would be remaining to go to school there while living with his grandparents in their small seaside village. When war broke out, Albert was forced to remain there. Out fishing one day, Al encountered a periscope peering at him in his dinghy, and later learned that the top secret training base for midget submarines was located a stone's throw from his grandparents' home. Albert's father chose a quasi-military school for him that required reinstatement of his Japanese citizenship. Albert's dual-Japanese citizenship was coincidentally approved by General Tojo (soon to be Prime Minister) on Pearl Harbor Day. During his school days, Al narrowly missed the "opportunity" to become a kamikaze pilot but was allowed to remain a student. With fluency in English and Japanese he served many times as an interpreter for both sides in the war. Unable to return to the US until 1947, Yamamoto was drafted and served with distinction as a linguist in the U.S. Military Intelligence Service. Now 88, Mr. Yamamoto's reflections offered a rare peek into history from a first hand perspective. Thank you to Host Steve Hance (two weeks in a row!) for bringing us this interesting speaker.
Meeting host Steve Hance brought us a great slate of speakers from Rotary Youth Exchange. Steve introduced us to outbound RYE students Lindsay Turner, who is headed to Korea, and Laura Moyer, who will be living in Italy. They each shared a bit of their backgrounds, preparations, and hopes for their upcoming adventures. Speaker Vicki Dilley is North star Youth Exchange Coordinator, and provided an overview of our Youth Exchange program. Two recent RYE students shared some highlights of their time in Sweden and Italy. Thanks, Steve, we are looking forward to meeting and hosting our next exchange student.
On July 2 we all had the privilege of saying one last farewell to Leo before her return to Germany after a fabulous Youth Exchange year here in Minnesota. Leo brought a very special and unexpected guest to our meeting: her father, Rocco, who had surprised her with a visit for her very last week in the States. Rocco addressed the club with very heartfelt gratitude: "Thank you in the name of the children who benefit from your exchange program. You have made a big mark on my daughter and on my family, I am happy and thankful for that." Thank you, Rocco, for loaning us your daughter, who we reluctantly say farewell to.
We've enjoyed getting to know you, JR, and are happy you've decided to move back to Minnesota and make WRC your Rotary home. While originally a Minnesota native, JR has been living and working in the Bahamas and is a three year member of the East Nassau Rotary club. JR has transferred his Rotary membership to WRC. He will be providing a vocational soon, and whet our appetite for his talk with some fun stories of life in the islands and why he's not so crazy to move here. We're glad you're here, JR..png)
THIS WEEK: 
Angela Bernhardt and Marty Schneider presented $20 giftcards to the Muni for bringing in the best speakers over the past year. Congratulations to our winners, and thanks to all of you who have have brought us such interesting speakers this past year. The awards go to:
June 25 brought Tom Vettel's year as club president to a close, and beginning July 1 the club welcomes Mark Lauffenburger as our new president. Mark thanked Tom for his strong leadership and many accomplishments over the past year, and for his efforts to create a seamless leadership transition. Mark presented Tom an engraved golden gavel plaque and lapel pin to commemorate his year.
We are planning a great Rotary year ahead! 
At the 5/19 meeting Members toasted outgoing Club Administrator Betsy Stolfa after eight years of dedicated service and friendship. A Letterman-style "Top Ten List" fondly highlighted favorite "Betsy-isms", followed by impromptu shout-outs, memories, and thank yous from by a long list of members. She was presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers (in Rotary colors, of course), in a keepsake crystal vase with an engraved statement of gratitude for her above-and-beyond service. Clearly Betsy will be missed, and we wish her well on her new endeavors. She has promised to visit from time to time.
Things you may not know about Bruce Lea:
Annie Westall is our newest member, sponsored by Bob Shadley. She is the Executive Director of Meridian Manor. 
Pledge Drive Progress
Our annual Holiday Party will be held December 10th, starting at 6 PM, and you are invited! Bring a date!.jpg)
Lucky Jack Weeks built on his reputation as a frequent winner by purchasing the grand prize ticket in our Raffle.
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