My name is Amber Benike, and I live in Plainview, where I grew up. I bought a house for me and my four kiddos right in Plainview a few years ago. I have three girls and a boy, the oldest is a newly-licensed driver when she turned 16, and the "baby" turned four in April. We are a very active family, and we spend so much time at the ball fields, I think they should offer me a campsite. The kids' activities keep me quite busy; I'm a Girl Scout leader for one of my daughter's Cadette troop. I teach two religion classes, one for the same daughter and one for my son. I am a cancer survivor as well, some of you may even recognize me from that - I was quite the local celebrity in my day. Although I'm not entirely sure what the draw was. You will soon see that my limp isn't just my old age. As much as I try to not have a limp, I'm an above knee amputee from my bone cancer in 2009. Since then I've done lots of volunteer work with various amputee and cancer-related events. I've been asked to be a speaker for different events as well (I'm not the best speaker - just putting that out there!) and I've done various things for and with my community. My Dad owns a "mom and pop" variety store in Plainview. He opened it when I was in second grade. Community and service are just a part of who we are. And I'm proud of that. In my "free time" (insert alllll the laughing you can here, because I am!) I enjoy all things creative. I like to write, crochet, garden, scrapbook, and I can whip up a wreath for your front door in very little time. I also get the sewing bug sometimes, but I don't get bit hard enough to move it up my list :) As a family, besides ball, we enjoy hiking the local scenes. We do the Elba Fire Tower at least once a year! We also have a camper that we do not spend near enough time at! During the day, you can find me servicing my insurance clients and running appointments with future clients. I am very honored to have been offered this position. And I am so looking forward to getting to work. When you see me at events, please don't be shy - say hello, remind me of your name and what you do - at least a few times :) See you all soon!
The third Thursday of each month is what members of The Rotary Club of Rochester call Third Thursdays small group meetings. The week of June 14, Rotarians will gather in their preassigned small groups at a time and place predetermined by the individual groups. Whether it be online or in-person, if you're unsure where and when your group is planning to meet this week, contact your group's leader.
Looking forward to seeing those who pre-registered for the June 24 Rotary Club of Rochester Leadership Changeover meeting at the Rochester Golf and Country Club. For those who did not register for the in-person meeting, the meeting will also be available to attend via Zoom. Past President Colin Aldis has arranged forThe Rochester Jazz Duo (jazz pianist Dave Townsend) to entertain members beginning around 11:45 a.m. and again during the program. Members will also be officially introduced to Amber Benike as she joins us for her first meeting as our Club Administrator!
This meeting unofficially marks the end of the 2020-21 Rotary year (July 1 is the official date). It is our opportunity to thank President Chris Colby for navigating our Club through a most unusual year, and welcome incoming President Audrey Betcher to a Rotary year which will be one of renewal. Outgoing and incoming Club board members will also be recognized.
The Rotary Club of Rochester has a new opportunity to support a Rochester program that offers one of the nation’s most successful strategies for transforming families from poverty to prosperity. The Jeremiah Program's Mission is to "Disrupt the cycle of poverty for single mothers and their children two generations at a time." Jeremiah’s proven, holistic approach begins with establishing a supportive community for single mothers to pursue a career-track, college education. Through a combination of quality early childhood education, a safe and affordable place to live, and empowerment and life skills training, families find stability and a path out of poverty.
Former Rochester athletic director Kerwin Engelhart (1965-87), TRCR Honorary Rotarian, Red Wing High School grad and captain of Hamline’s 1951 championship basketball team celebrated his 70th wedding anniversary on June 9 with wife Doris. An incredible number for a living legend. Kerwin was made an Honorary Rotarian of The Rotary Club of Rochester because of his involvement in the early days of the Rotary Holiday Classic basketball tournament. Kerwin was recently retired from his job as Rochester Public Schools Athletic Director and was soon to become the Mayo Civic Auditorium site manager when discussions about hosting the Holiday Classic began.
Did you miss the June 10 midday meeting of The Rotary Club of Rochester, or would you like to hear the announcements and presentations again? If so, you're in luck. Click here to watch the replay on the club's YouTube channel.
Rotarian Lauren Anderson provided an update on the Uganda Tele-Med World Community Service project. For those who would like contribute personally to this project, email Lauen @ laurennellanderson@gmail.com. Rotarian Julie Brock provided an update, based on the District Visioning Session, on where the club is at in the process of building a strategic plan centered on growth, relationships, and service above self. Due to technical difficulties, Julie was unable to share the Strategic Plan Powerpoint during the meeting. It is now available for you to view.
On Friday, June 25, you will want to be at the Blue Boat in Mankato for the celebration and start of a new Rotary year when we can serve to change lives. Hors d’oeuvres will be served with a cash bar. There are hotel rooms available at the Hilton Garden Inn if you want to stay the night. The event is free, but you need to register here!
Did you know that if you buy the majority of your gas at Kwik Trip, you could pre-pay for your gas AND help the club at the same time? A $100 Kwik Trip card immediately creates $5 for the club and any in-store purchases creates another 5% donation.If you would like to purchase Scrip cards, send an email to romnrotary@gmail.com with how many and what denomination you'd like. In additional to Kwik Trip, Scrip cards are also available to Apollo Liquor and Menards. The cards are purchased at face value, but the club receives 5% back from Apollo Liquor and Kwik Trip and 4% back from Menards. The club receives an additional 5% on purchases at Kwik Trip, other than gas, inside the store.
As a member of the Rotary Club of Rochester, there are three "To Do List" items to sign-up for the second and fourth Thursday meeting from now until the end of the year.
1. Sign-up to lead the four-way test
2. Sign-up to give a reflection
3. Sign-up to share your story by giving a vocation talk
My name is Amber Benike, and I live in Plainview, where I grew up. I bought a house for me and my four kiddos right in Plainview a few years ago. I have three girls and a boy, the oldest is a newly-licensed driver when she turned 16, and the "baby" turned four in April. We are a very active family, and we spend so much time at the ball fields, I think they should offer me a campsite. The kids' activities keep me quite busy; I'm a Girl Scout leader for one of my daughter's Cadette troop. I teach two religion classes, one for the same daughter and one for my son. I am a cancer survivor as well, some of you may even recognize me from that - I was quite the local celebrity in my day. Although I'm not entirely sure what the draw was. You will soon see that my limp isn't just my old age. As much as I try to not have a limp, I'm an above knee amputee from my bone cancer in 2009. Since then I've done lots of volunteer work with various amputee and cancer-related events. I've been asked to be a speaker for different events as well (I'm not the best speaker - just putting that out there!) and I've done various things for and with my community. My Dad owns a "mom and pop" variety store in Plainview. He opened it when I was in second grade. Community and service are just a part of who we are. And I'm proud of that. In my "free time" (insert alllll the laughing you can here, because I am!) I enjoy all things creative. I like to write, crochet, garden, scrapbook, and I can whip up a wreath for your front door in very little time. I also get the sewing bug sometimes, but I don't get bit hard enough to move it up my list :) As a family, besides ball, we enjoy hiking the local scenes. We do the Elba Fire Tower at least once a year! We also have a camper that we do not spend near enough time at! During the day, you can find me servicing my insurance clients and running appointments with future clients. I am very honored to have been offered this position. And I am so looking forward to getting to work. When you see me at events, please don't be shy - say hello, remind me of your name and what you do - at least a few times :) See you all soon! 
The Rotary Club of Rochester has a new opportunity to support a Rochester program that offers one of the nation’s most successful strategies for transforming families from poverty to prosperity. The Jeremiah Program's Mission is to "
