In review

 

The 10th annual Rotary Area 3 Vocational Ethics Day was enthusiastically kicked off by John Crudele from the Eden Prairie AM Rotary Club. This meeting was sponsored by the Bloomington Daymakers, Bloomington Noon, Eden Prairie AM, Eden Prairie Noon, Edina Morningside, Edina Noon, Richfield and South Metro Minneapolis Evenings Rotary clubs. Students from the following high schools also attended: Bloomington Jefferson, Bloomington Kennedy, Eden Prairie, Edina and Richfield. The meeting is organized each year by a committee headed by our own Dan Hallberg. 

 

Pastor Arthur Rouner, a member of the Rotary Club of Edina, led the invocation, Pledge of Allegiance and the Rotary Four-Way Test.

 

Sam Thompson gave a brief overview of Camp Enterprise, encouraging the students in the audience to sign up for the Nov. 4 through 7 camp. We also heard from Alexandra Gonzalas, a Youth Exchange student attending Eden Prairie High School. There are more than 8,000 students participating in exchange programs around the world!

 

John Crudele introduced our keynote speaker, accomplished professional artist Michael Bellotti. The title of Michael’s presentation was “How Art Saved My Life." Prior to telling his story, Michael said this was the largest crowd he has spoken to, so he took a selfie picture with the crowd in the background to post on Snapchat. He then proceeded with a slide presentation showing how he began as a self-taught artist, starting with pencil drawing and working his way up to oil. He previously was commissioned by U.S. Bank Stadium to paint portraits of the Purple People Eaters.

 

But the beginning of this artistic journey is inspiring. At age 24, Michael was sentenced to twelve years (served ten) in the Federal Penitentiary in Duluth for intent to distribute narcotics. While in prison, he rediscovered a latent passion for art. He was inspired to paint portraits of people, focusing on their eyes. It was while he was in prison that his cousin, Adam Carter, died of leukemia. Michael’s mother sent him a picture of Adam and asked if he could paint a portrait of Adam to give to Adam’s mother. This was the beginning of the Adam Carter Foundation, which Michael co-founded with his mother and his aunt. The foundation finds children who have died of cancer and through the family's friends, finds a picture that Michael uses to paint portraits. Michael’s mother and aunt then deliver the oil-painted portraits to families who have lost a child to cancer.

 

Michael ended his speech with these thoughts: Never hesitate to share your talent or your story because our stories are universal. Be true to yourself. Take a leap of faith. More about Michael and his work can be found at www.bellottiart.com.

 

After Ann Platt thanked the speaker. Then Arthur Rouner, who joined Edina Rotary in 1963, was presented with his own portrait painted by Michael Bellotti!