Holly Callen is a member of the Eden Prairie Noon Rotary Club. A Rotarian since 1991, Holly was 5950 District Governor in 2001-02. She has also served in various capacities at the Zone and International level including Co-Chair of the 2011 Zone Institute, Zone Training Leader for Foundation Chairs and District Governor Nominees, and RI Promotion Committee Member for four Rotary International Conventions.
In addition, from 2017-2020, Holly served on the Fund Development Committee of The Rotary Foundation reporting directly to the TRF Board of Trustees. On the committee, she was responsible for Donor Recognition. In this capacity, she helped create the Legacy Society for donors bequeathing at least $1,000,000 in their estate plan.
Founder and President of Callen & Associates Financial Services, Inc., an investment firm specializing in retirement and charitable planning, Holly retired at the end of 2007. Additionally, Holly was the Director of Development and Fundraising for Women's Athletics at the University of Minnesota from 1991-1996. Holly now spends her time volunteering for Bravo Zulu House, an all-veteran sober housing organization for veterans suffering from addiction and PTSD. She also serves on the Board of Directors and as chair of the Marketing Committee of Stablish Foundation, a small community foundation helping donors to create their charitable legacy.
Join us at "The Mezz" on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Lunds & Byerlys is located at 7171 France Ave, Edina
This gathering is a casual, vocational and business network opportunity centered on featuring an Edina Noon or Edina Morningside Rotary member's career story. Guests are welcome. Personal food and beverage choices are available to order and purchase. Featured speaker is Mark Hogstrom, Certified Exit Planning Advisor with Business Owner Succession Strategies (BOSS) and Partner at DSB Rock Island Wealth Management, LLC. Registration is not required. *Please not the change to the day of week because of the holiday on Monday.
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Membership Committee and Board of Directors welcome Carol Chen as a member of the Rotary Club of Edina. Carol is Director of Marketing Automation Technology at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. Her work includes building training pathways, governance frameworks, and enterprise communication systems that reduce dependency on tribal knowledge and support sustainable adoption. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, golf, fitness, healthy living, and arts and cultural events.
Carol Chen Classification: Marketing Technology Sponsor: Jean Morrison
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Membership Committee and Board of Directors welcome Meriwether Felt as a member of the Rotary Club of Edina. Meriwether has a residential design and architecture practice focused on custom home remodeling and architectural solutions in the Twin Cities. She is also beginning her second term on the Edina Planning Commission and is excited to hear from fellow Rotarians about their thoughts to keep Edina vibrant.
The Rotary Club of Edina’s Membership Committee and Board of Directors welcome Ellen Kennedy as a member of the Rotary Club of Edina. Ellen is the Founder and Executive Director of World Without Genocide. She is currently on the Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters-Edina, and co-chairs a social justice committee, and is on a social justice committee at Mount Zion Temple, a Reform Jewish congregation in St. Paul. Ellen was a member of Edina Noon Rotary Club from 2002-2011, and served as president, 2009-2010.
Ellen Kennedy Classification: Human Rights Sponsor: Josh Sprague
Dave Sinykin, KFAN host speaks at ERC meeting. Photos by Hannelore Brucker
At our last meeting, we welcomed Dave Sinykin of KFAN 100.3. Dave has hosted “Packer Preview” on the Vikings’ flagship station for 30 years, making it the only local radio show devoted to an “enemy” team. (President Gerry Norton also showed his true colors by wearing a Packers jersey — much to the dismay of the Vikings fans in the room.)
Dave shared how the show has become a catalyst for passionate — and often very opinionated — discussion among football fans. Over the years, he has even come to appreciate one of the inevitable side effects of being a Packers voice in Vikings territory: getting booed.
“Packer Preview” has moved through a number of time slots over the years, some more desirable than others. The rise of iHeartRadio changed that dynamic by making the show available on demand and allowing listeners to tune in whenever it works for them.
Dave also fielded plenty of questions and predictions about the upcoming Vikings and Packers seasons. The conversation expanded to the changing sports media landscape, including the growing role streaming services play in determining where — and how — fans can watch their favorite teams.
You can listen to Dave’s broadcasts here and follow him on Twitter at @TCHeadCheese.
Mark your Calendars! The Rotary Club of Edina, with support from the 50th & France Business & Professional Association and Explore Edina, will host the eighth-annual Edina Car Show 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20 in downtown Edina. Watch the web and Barker for further event details and volunteer opportunities. Sponsorship proceeds go to local community non-profits via the Edina Rotary Foundation with $133,500 raised since 2019.
The 2026 theme for the Edina Rotary Foundation annual fundraising gala is "Service is FUNdamental". This event will take place on Thursday, September 24, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. at Church of St. Patrick Edina. Join us for an evening of great food from D'Amico's, a cash bar, live entertainment with Free and Easy band and The Magic of Suzanne. meaningful connections, and generous giving. Together, we'll celebrate the joy of service while investing in programs that strengthen our community. Ample seating is available!
Event tickets are available and can be purchased HERE.
All Service is Fundamental Gala raffle tickets SOLD or UNSOLD must be returned. Please return completed raffle tickets and payment to Edina City Hall, 4801 W 50th St, Edina, MN 55424. Per state and city permit guidelines, all tickets and stubs must be accounted for before the drawing on Sept 24.
Each member is encouraged to sell the raffle tickets to friends and family. This helps to spread the word about Rotary and the great organizations the funds support throughout our local community such as: Thanksgiving Baskets to Edina school students in need Camp Enterprise Way to Grow Bridging My Very Own Bed
We have exciting prizes this year! • First Prize: $1,000 • Second Prize: $250 • Third Prizes: $100 (there are four third-place winners!)
Tickets may be purchased with cash, check, or ACH withdrawal. State law prohibits credit cards to be used to purchase raffle tickets.
Sign up today to help Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP) serve the hungry in our community! Volunteers welcome participants to the VEAP pantry, explain the process and respond to participant questions, keep the shopping area clean and tidy, sort through food donations, stock shelves, load groceries into vehicles and overall help VEAP promote a positive shopping experience for participants. VEAP staff explain the process before every volunteer shift in the pantry. Register HEREBusy on October 7th? Future dates are availableHERE!
On 10/24/26, World Polio Day, Rotary members across Region 36 – Zones 25 & 29 are coming together for something BIG — a bold, unified step toward a polio-free world. We are calling on 36,620 Rotarians and 964 Rotaractors across 11 states and 2 countries to take part in the World’s Largest Polio Walk — a powerful, visible demonstration of our commitment to ending polio forever. This is more than a walk. It’s a movement.
Every step taken helps raise awareness and support our collective goal of raising $1 million to end polio. Together, we are “This Close” to eradication—and this is our moment to push across the finish line.
The Edina Rotary Foundation is accepting applications from non-profit organizations in Edina and its contiguous communities for grants to be used for capital purchases. Applications are due Oct. 31.
Each year, the Rotary Club of Edina raises money at the Edina Car Show and a fall fundraiser to support its projects and award grants. Each year, about $100,000 is raised for the Club’s service projects and local and international grants. Grant applications are available online or by contacting Director Corey Falls, 612-309-8112 or cfalls@mytech.com. Completed applications should be completed online or emailed to Falls. Please click "Read More" for grant details.
It's never too early to choose your 2026-2027 service committee or audit those committees you may be interested in joining. Print and review the 2026-2027 Committee list HERE.
Nov 5-7 – Camp Enterprise, Sign up to Volunteer HERE!
NEXT WEEK - Jen Ford Reedy, President of the Bush Foundation
DEADLINE for newsletter story and event submission is Monday at 5 pm. RCE Administrator, Madeleine Isaacson, works part time and will respond to your inquiries as quickly as possible. Contact her at rotary.madeleine@gmail.com.
Holly Callen is a member of the Eden Prairie Noon Rotary Club. A Rotarian since 1991, Holly was 5950 District Governor in 2001-02. She has also served in various capacities at the Zone and International level including Co-Chair of the 2011 Zone Institute, Zone Training Leader for Foundation Chairs and District Governor Nominees, and RI Promotion Committee Member for four Rotary International Conventions.
On 10/24/26, World Polio Day, Rotary members across Region 36 – Zones 25 & 29 are coming together for something BIG — a bold, unified step toward a polio-free world. We are calling on 36,620 Rotarians and 964 Rotaractors across 11 states and 2 countries to take part in the World’s Largest Polio Walk — a powerful, visible demonstration of our commitment to ending polio forever. This is more than a walk. It’s a movement.
It's never too early to choose your 2026-2027 service committee or audit those committees you may be interested in joining. Print and review the 2026-2027 Committee list 
