In review
The March 30 Rotary Club of Edina meeting featured program speaker Dr. Mark Kroll. Two Edina Rotary Foundation grants were given out by the Community Service Local Funding Committee at the meeting, and new member Theresa Bea Halverson was officially inducted into the club. The Rotary Foundation Bowl is officially over. Which team squeaked out a victory with slightly more donations to TRF?Click on the link below for more on the meeting...
At our March 30 Rotary Club of Edina meeting, we were first met and greeted by Colleen Simpson, Skip Thomas and Marty Kupper. Although I did not see Skip when I arrived. At the front desk keeping track of the money and guests were Bob Solheim and Barbara Born.
At 12:30 p.m., President Ann Platt was not at the podium but we heard her voice as she tried out her new headset that still has some bugs to be worked out. She wished us a happy spring and announced the arrival of Libby Schmit’s new baby. She also told us about losing Denny Bock, our 1984–1985 Edina Rotary Club President. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Donna and the rest of the Bock family.
At 12:30 p.m., President Ann Platt was not at the podium but we heard her voice as she tried out her new headset that still has some bugs to be worked out. She wished us a happy spring and announced the arrival of Libby Schmit’s new baby. She also told us about losing Denny Bock, our 1984–1985 Edina Rotary Club President. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Donna and the rest of the Bock family.
The invocation today was given by Bjorn Freudenthal who gave a St. Francis Prayer. He then led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and Four-Way Test.
Our guests today were introduced by Valerie Burke. The guests were:
- Mark Stageberg, newly approved member and guest of Keith Benson
- Jennifer Shinners, guest of John Buttolph
- Juline Birgersson, member Ann Platt
- Turner Neal, son and guest of Scott Neal
- Hein de Hoog, a visiting Rotarian from Edina Morningside Rotary Club, and his guest, Hendrik de Hoog
- Liisa Schmitt, also a visiting Rotarian from Edina Morningside Rotary Club
There were several announcements today, including:
- EMRC member Liisa Schmitt announced that their club will be selling flowers for the spring. All proceeds were going to benefit TRF's PolioPlus.
- Next week, April 5, is our Rotary Vocational Development Group/Happy Hour, which starts at 5:30 p.m. at Byerlys.
- Our District 5950 Conference is April 28. If you haven’t purchased your tickets yet, you missed the early-bird deadline, but can still register through April 21.
We inducted a new member today. Sutton McGraw sponsored Theresa Bea Halvorson to the Rotary Club of Edina, and Theresa was officially inducted into our club. Brad Hepp helped with the ceremony giving Theresa her Rotary badge and coin. Theresa is an attorney who practices family law.
Mike Sitek got up to give up two grants today. Both were for $1,000. One grant recipient was Open Arms. The grant money is going to be used for a salad spinner. The other donation was given to Cornerstone, who will be using the money to buy chairs. Mike also announced that on May 6 the Rotary Club of Edina will hold their annual spring volunteer activity Feed My Starving Children. 
Past President Jennifer Bennerotte got up to have us vote on a bylaw change for eligibility for Senior Active Members. The change was unanimously approved. The Rotary Foundation Bowl, which is now officially over, was a very tight competition. The blue team, at 74 percent, had just passed the gold team at 71 percent! Thanks to all for your contributions.
Jody Kern got up to introduce our speaker, which was after Ann introduced Jody with her many Rotary accomplishments and other things that keep Jody busy. Jody introduced out guest, Dr. Mark Kroll. Dr. Kroll who is retired but certainly did not sound retired, has many accomplishments in the medical field. Dr. Kroll gave a very interesting talk on science. He explained that science is how nature works. He got into explaining how scientists have to prove their theories on how nature works while other scientists are trying to disprove their theories. Nothing is absolute. Dr. Kroll made new friends in our club by telling all of the lawyers that he likes lawyers. Luther Amundson thanked his new friend Dr. Kroll for his talk today. Ann headed back up to the podium to close the meeting with a quote from Thomas Edison, "When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: you haven't."
