Thanks to all the clubs who have welcomed me at their meetings and events. It is truly inspiring to see all the hope being created in the world!
In August I visited the following Rotary clubs: St. Cloud, Wayzata, St. Cloud Granite, Excelsior Morning, Willmar, Minneapolis Uptown, Brooklyn Park, Minneapolis South, Sauk Centre, Waconia-West Carver, Buffalo and Savage. I also had the opportunity to chat with many Rotarians at the Area 4/7 meeting, the Area 8 meeting and the Area 5/6 meeting, and gave a brief welcome to inbound youth exchange students and their host families at the North Star Youth Exchange Inbound Orientation held at the Mall of America.
Nora is a Sophomore at Minneapolis Washburn High School. She is passionate about music and theater.
Inbound Student
Mikayla
Minneapolis Rotary
From Brisbane, Australia
She is going to arrive in January. Mikayla is a strong student and leader in her high school. She likes to ride and help care for horses and to participate in theatre productions. She also enjoys swimming and soccer.
Outbound Student
Ozzy Comer
Minneapolis Rotary
Going to Belgium
Ozzy is a bright, creative person, very interested in theatre. Ozzy's father,Jesse Comer, was an exchange student with Minneapolis #9 and went to Odense, Denmark in 1989-90.
World Polio Day is a time for Rotary members, public health advocates, and all who want a world free from polio to come together, recognize our progress in the fight to end polio, and talk about the actions we need to take in order to end polio for good.
District 5950 has rented out an area of Surly just for Rotarians and will provide snacks and polio shirts and materials for anyone who would like them. We will have games and fun for the night planned.
Everyone is welcome - Rotarians and non-Rotarians! Free to everyone!
Born in Albania, Valbona has been a resident of Minnesota for almost 10 years, having lived in Cleveland and New York City prior to it. She initially joined Rotary as a member of the Excelsior Morning club, took a break to focus on other priorities and is back this year as a member of Minnetonka Rotary club.
She is excited to meet more people in the community and give back through community service and her skills as an accountant and operational risk manager. She enjoys spending time with her family, trying out new restaurants, running or lifting, and traveling to visit friends and family.
Doug Petesch
Eagan Kick-Start Rotary
Newest member Doug Petesch participated in the Eagan 5K & Kids Run which the Eagan Kick-Start Rotary held in July for the second time. Doug learned about our club there and showed up a meeting a few weeks later.
Doug is an avid runner, biker and hiker.
He has already volunteered at one service project and joined the Eagan 5K committee planning the 2024 event.
Kate Van Slyck
Minneapolis Uptown
Kate is a recently retired teacher with a background in special education, outdoor education and teaching English.
Service has always been a focus in her life. She has served as a Peace Corps Volunteer twice, an AmeriCorps VISTA, and served in her faith, school, and neighborhood communities. In joining the Uptown Rotary Club, Kate hopes to grow her circle of friends and connect in a more meaningful way to the Uptown community, which became her home in 2021.
Chris Laskowski and Friends!
Edina Noon Club
The Great Minnesota Get-Together is big, but not so big that the first people you see, by total chance, are fellow Rotarians from your club! Katy Campbell (Ralph) and Doug Johnson (Karen) wound up in the same parking lot and rode the bus with their spouses.
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