Alfrieda Baldwin is a Chicago area native. A retired attorney, she was in-house counsel at Securian Financial for 32 years. After retirement, Baldwin started volunteering in her school district. Being with elementary students caused her to reflect on the education she had received while attending a Lutheran grade school. It led her to want to start a Christian school accessible to families of all ethnic and financial backgrounds.
In September of 2021, she opened Laurel Community School, a K-8 micro-school. Baldwin serves on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota South District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. She is also the Board Chair of TakeCharge MN, an organization dedicated to restoring the Black community's cultural roots of faith, family, and education.
Come join us on January 20, 2022 for an evening of fellowship, networking and gastronomy at three outstanding local, black-owned restaurants in Minneapolis, as we celebrate the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday week, and support our area’s Black entrepreneurs! This event is a collaboration between the Rotary Club of Edina and the North Minneapolis Rotary Club, and is open to members from both clubs, as well as family and guests. Registration has closed for this event, however, cancellations may have happened. Please contact Josh Sprague to see if a spot opened up.
The Rotary Club of Minnesota Veterans is hosting a Day of Service Four-in-One collection drive on Thursday, Jan 27 from 1 to 7:00 pm, St. Peter's Lutheran Church. The collections includes a blood drive, clothing, food and electronics recycling collection. Details for each collection can be found by clicking HERE for the flyer. Blood is in short supply and desperately needed. Think about heading over after next week's meeting and giving a pint.
Edina Rotary Morningside member Dave Wendt will be the first Avocation Happy Hour speaker on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. Dave is a Past President of EMRC who currently holds a commercial pilot license and has participated in over 30 Angel Flights in the central region's national system. Come and learn who, what, why and when medical patients use Angel Flight services and about the compassionate pilots who provide these charitable flights completely free of charge. Please join us at CW's Bar andRestaurant, 8302 Normandale Blvd., Bloomington, MN 55437 We will meet at 5:30 for happy half hour and our speaker presentation from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. This event is a casually centered around becoming better acquainted with the business and career lives of our fellow Edina Rotary Noon and Edina Morningside Rotary Club members.
Rotaract will be partnering with members of Basecamp Fitness Edina for a Feed My Starving Children packaging event and then a social to follow! Packaging food will take place on Jan. 29 from 4:30 to 6:15 p.m. at Feed My Starving Children (18732 Lake Dr E, Chanhassen) and then we will go to the Chanhassen Brewing Company at 6:30 p.m. (951 W 78th St, Chanhassen). It will be a great way to kick off the new year and meet people at Basecamp Fitness (maybe we will get some new members from this event!). To see how you can support our Rotaract club members, please contact Annika Sorteberg at rotaractclubofedina@gmail.com.
The Edina Rotary Coke Rewards Community Service project is still on-going and full of life. The ERC community service committee will continue to collect and promote this project as a way to give back to St. Jude's throughout 2022. Please collect and turn in your bottle caps and carton/plastic sleeve product codes to the basket located on the registration table. Keep in mind, carton product codes are found on the inside of the cartons (no visible UPC or Scan Codes accepted) and bottle caps codes are printed on the inside of the cap. Please contact Kris Maser with any questions or comments.
The Rotary Club of Edina is a very busy club. With 45 committees, there is no shortage of ways you can connect at a more personal level and get to know Rotary, your club and the great people who make it happen. Sign into your account and start 2022 by reviewing the the club committee list HERE, the Membership Brochure has additional committee details HERE. Take a moment to pick a few committees that interest you and plan to visit a committee meeting over the next six months. Then join and launch into a more dynamic, interesting and self-fulfilled Rotary experience.
Past President Josh Sprague, subbing for Michael Stanzak who was skiing in the mountains, opened the meeting in honor of Michael Luther King day on Monday, January 17 with a video of Dr. King's famous "I have a Dream Speech." Most members had some level of emotion in reliving this dramatic speech. Josh then brought to the podium his son, Charles Sprague, who gave a thoughtful invocation. But Charles was not done for the day. Josh had Charles get up again and give the closing with the clang of the bell. Several members thought he was more eloquent than his dad.
Past President 2019-2020, Josh Sprauge
Charles Sprague delivered the Invocation, 4-Way Test, Pledge of Allegiance and Closing Bell
The Rotary Club of Edina's Administrator, Becci Michalski, works part time and will respond to your inquiries within 24 hours. Contact her at rmichalski@EdinaRotary.org or voicemail /text message at 612-234-7390.
Alfrieda Baldwin is a Chicago area native. A retired attorney, she was in-house counsel at Securian Financial for 32 years. After retirement, Baldwin started volunteering in her school district. Being with elementary students caused her to reflect on the education she had received while attending a Lutheran grade school. It led her to want to start a Christian school accessible to families of all ethnic and financial backgrounds.
Join Us for Progressive Dinner Night! 
Edina Rotary Morningside member Dave Wendt will be the first Avocation Happy Hour speaker on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. Dave is a Past President of EMRC who currently holds a commercial pilot license and has participated in over 30 Angel Flights in the central region's national system. Come and learn who, what, why and when medical patients use Angel Flight services and about the compassionate pilots who provide these charitable flights completely free of charge. Please join us at CW's Bar and Restaurant, 8302 Normandale Blvd., Bloomington, MN 55437 We will meet at 5:30 for happy half hour and our speaker presentation from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. This event is a casually centered around becoming better acquainted with the business and career lives of our fellow Edina Rotary Noon and Edina Morningside Rotary Club members. 
It's Back! The 2022 Rotary Bowling Night will be Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022 at Tuttle's Eat, Bowl and Play
Rotaract will be partnering with members of Basecamp Fitness Edina for a Feed My Starving Children packaging event and then a social to follow! Packaging food will take place on Jan. 29 from 4:30 to 6:15 p.m. at Feed My Starving Children (18732 Lake Dr E, Chanhassen) and then we will go to the Chanhassen Brewing Company at 6:30 p.m. (951 W 78th St, Chanhassen). It will be a great way to kick off the new year and meet people at Basecamp Fitness (maybe we will get some new members from this event!). To see how you can support our Rotaract club members, please contact Annika Sorteberg at rotaractclubofedina@gmail.com.
The Edina Rotary Coke Rewards Community Service project is still on-going and full of life. The ERC community service committee will continue to collect and promote this project as a way to give back to St. Jude's throughout 2022. Please collect and turn in your bottle caps and carton/plastic sleeve product codes to the basket located on the registration table. Keep in mind, carton product codes are found on the inside of the cartons (no visible UPC or Scan Codes accepted) and bottle caps codes are printed on the inside of the cap. Please contact Kris Maser with any questions or comments.
January 20, 2022