Our speaker and guests were from Hospital Nacional de Escuintla, Guatemala, Rolando Morales, Rotary Club President and Drs. Sofia Posada and Willy Menendez of the Pediatrics unit.
We were greeted today by San Asato, Rick Carlson, and Joe Christensen.
Our meeting opened today with a remarkable “dance” by our president while holding the national flag of Guatemala and being accompanied by the Guatemalan national anthem. This performance was in celebration of our speakers and the close connection between our club and Guatemala through the projects launched there.
After the rousing dance, Jon Barnett brought back some normalcy by presenting us with an invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the Four-way Test.
Renee Harberts introduced some guests and visiting Rotarians. Because of the press of time, not all of our guests and visitors were introduced. All of the guests and visitors are listed below:
| Guest | Host |
| Rick Murphy | Tim Murphy |
| Steve Claspers | Tim Murphy |
| Honorina Honorail | Forest Green |
| Bryr Althen | Forest Green |
| Shari Robbins | Susan Stiles |
| Kim Havard | Susan Stiles |
| Robin Parranto | Jennifer Hendrickson |
| Ryan Hegarty | Robb Breding |
| Katie Hoffman | Sarah Line |
| Visiting Rotarian | Home Club |
| A. Pandu | Parruti, India |
| Sandeep Harlalka | Mumbai, India |
| Rashmi Harlalka | Mumbai, India |
| Val Burke | Edina Morningside |
| Don Stiles | Bloomington |
| Kerrie Holschbach | Forest Lake |
| Glenna Glover | San Carlos, CA |
| John Cardell | Edina Morningside |
| Jenifer Loon | Eden Prairie AM |
| John Kaufman | San Carlos, CA |
| Rolando Morales – Club President | Escuintla, Guatemala |
Mr. and Mrs. Harlalka of Mumbai, India exhanged flags with President Sprague
We undertook two flag exchange ceremonies. One ceremony was with Mr. and Ms. Harlalka from Mumbai, India. The other ceremony was with Mr. Pandu, from Panruti, India. Interestingly, our guests from India did not know each other and only first met at our club meeting. Two separate flag exchange ceremonies with clubs from India on the same day was only coincidental.
Mr. Pandu was the second of two flag exchanges both from India
Mr. Pandu also delighted our club members with a rapid-fire recitation of all of the countries in the world. (Although he had introduced the list as 200 countries, my quick Google search indicates 195 countries in the world today. I suppose that number is a little fluid.)
Shelly Loberg introduced Drs. Sofia Posada, Sub-Chief of Pediatrics and Willy Menendez of Hospital Nacional de Escuintla, Guatemala
Shelly Loberg introduced the speakers, Dr. Willy Menendez, Chief of Pediatrics, and Dr. Sonja Posadas, Sub-Chief of Pediatrics, Hospital Nacional de Escuintla, Guatemala.
Inviting these speakers to our club was somewhat of a reunion. The speakers and many club members had met previously when our club members traveled to Guatemala to review the water project undertaken there. Warm affection and mutual admiration was apparent.
Pictured Escuintla Rotary Club President, Rolando Morales, President Josh Sprague, Dr. Sita Dash, Dr. Sofia Posada and Dr. Willy Menendez, Chief of Pediatrics
The doctors described great strides made in the construction of their hospital, a hospital serving the entirety of Guatemala. They showed before and after photos and statistics demonstrating increases in services provided and the resulting increases health benefits to the community and the country.
The doctors spoke with sincere gratitude concerning the impact of our water project has had on their important work in Guatemala, particularly related to the pediatric intensive care unit and the newborn intensive care unit.
The doctors also spoke of ongoing difficulties, including an ever-increasing patient load, the need for a deep well to serve other areas of the hospital, and a broken elevator. Perhaps some of these are needs that could be addressed by Rotary?
Dr. Sita Dash and Gary Pedersen thanked our speakers, and Jennifer Hendrickson took photos of the event.
President Josh Sprague and Escuintla, Guatemala Rotary Club President, Rolando Morales
Rotarians Rick Murphy, Paul Mooty and Bill McReavy presented an overview of the Rotary International Major Donor program.
Shelly with future Rotarians.